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| Image courtesy of Pixabay |
Alexa is a virtual assistant technology based on a Polish speech synthesizer. The speech synthesizer was purchased by Amazon in 2013. It was first used in an Amazon Echo smart speaker and Echo Dot speakers.
Alexa can control various Alexa-enabled or compatible devices as a home automation system. Users can stretch its capabilities by installing 3rd party skills made by other developers. Alexa has a companion app called Alexa available on the apple app store and Google Play Store.
Functions of Alexa
Alexa can set timers, share current weather, create lists, access Wikipedia pages, or even stream music.
It uses automatic speech recognition, a natural language processor, and other forms of weak AI to carry out its functions.
A user has to say the word Alexa to alert the device that a command is being issued. When asked a question it gathers data and then passes it through sources such as IMDb to verify accuracy before speaking out the answer. 3rd party functionalities that can be added include but are limited to; Geographic geo quiz, tune in life, and Sleep and relieve sounds
Alexa enabled devices
As of 2023 Alexa reportedly has more than 100,000 supported devices. You can access the full list on this Wikipedia page.
In this article we will cover the most common and arguably the best of these devices;
1. Amazon Echo Dot (4th generation)
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| Courtesy of Amazon store |
It is a smart speaker integrated with Alexa technology. It has quality generation with a weight of 12 oz. Also contains a 3.5mm jack output. It goes for a price of 50$
2. Echo dot with clock(5th generation)
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| Courtesy of Amazon |
It has an amazing sound experience with the ability to display the Time, album, song title, and many others.
It can play music, audiobooks, or podcasts, and can also control other compatible devices in a home. It goes for a price of 80$
3. Fire tv cube by Amazon
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| Image courtesy of Amazon |
A smart media player with the following specs;
.voice remote control
.Fast streaming media player
. Hand-free Alexa with a built-in microphone and speakers
.Can connect to compatible devices
. Has a "find remote” feature
. High picture quality
. Has 2 customizable buttons
It is available at the Amazon store for a price of 169$
4. Yale IA-320 smart alarm
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| Image courtesy of Amazon |
A smart alarm system with a smart hub, a siren, a motion detector, a door window contact, and a keypad. It is compatible with Alexa and has a 200m range It is also compatible with Apple watches and has a smart plug to schedule lamps. Amazon price;270.8$
5. Ring video doorbell.
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| Image courtesy of Amazon |
It is an automated door system originating from China. Has 1080p HD video with two-way talk and real-time notification with renewable battery packs. It also has a Companion Ring app which grants you control over the doorbell. Amazon price; 209$
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