Bark like a dog to scare away introducers

You typically use Amazon Alexa to play music, provide weather forecasts and attend to other household requests. But Alexa has just received a new and somewhat unusual skill: the ability to bark like a dog.

Alexa’s new surly comes from Alexa Guard Plus, which is a new subscription service launched this week by Amazon to help transform your Echo device in home security system for $ 5 per month or $ 50 per year (after a one month free trial). Alexa Guard Plus may not be as sophisticated as a dedicated and purpose-built security system, but the new service can help you better use some of the smart home devices you already own.

For general emergencies, Alexa Guard Plus gives you access to a 24/7 helpline so you can request for help by simply saying “Alexa, call for help”. Who congratulate will route your request to officers who can alert the appropriate agencies or first responders.

Additionally, using the microphones built into Amazon Echo devices, Alexa Guard Plus can detect unusual sounds and send a alert on your phone and even play a siren on command. With Guard Plus, Alexa’s audio detection is even able to recognize specific sounds such as smoke alarms, broken glass, or carbon monoxide warnings, and then notify you. And in cases where an Echo hears unusual noise, you can play the recording or use the Drop In feature to listen to what your Echo hears in real time.

However, the real Alexa Guard Plus The party trick is that when your Echo is linked to additional smart lights or security cameras and detects that you are not at home, Alexa can turn your lights on and off to make it seem like that you are actually there, and even play the sound of a barking dog to scare away potential intruders.

In addition to Alexa Guard Plus, there is a free version of Alexa Guard, however it lacks many of the advanced features available with a paid subscription, including emergency helpline support, activity monitoring, and the ability for Alexa to bark or play a siren when movement or activity is detected.

For Ring Protect Plus subscribers, Alexa Guard Plus is included for free. And in the future, Amazon claims that Alexa Guard Plus will also be available through a number of home security partners, including Abode, Wyze, Scout Alarm and others.

So, Alexa Guard Plus could be seen as another way for Amazon to strengthen his monthly take. But at just $ 5 a month, its new security service could serve as a happy medium between having nothing to protect your home and the installation of an expensive dedicated security system, especially for owners with multiple Echo devices.