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I have the impression of having a hangover and this is not because of the glass of wine that I sipped at happy hour yesterday. That's because I attended the announcement of Amazon's surprise devices at Spheres in Seattle.
Why so sullen, you ask? Well, in 80 minutes, the technology giant online has introduced 12 new devices (13 if you include the new Ring Security Camera) as well as an impressive number of software announcements. I was sitting pretty much in the seventh row, but I could barely keep up with the barrage of tech news that was hurling me faster than the ice-filled snowballs.
Did I mention that I have a headache today?
Last week, there was a big difference between the Amazon event and the Apple event, where Apple CEO Tim Cook and his friends talked a lot about four devices, three of which were phones. .
Amazon's event, although happily devoid of Apple's "we're great", completely upset me because of the number and variety of new devices they've introduced (here's a complete list). While I'm still healing my hangover on Amazon, here are some thoughts on yesterday's event and what was announced.
Amazon's event was very similar to its website
Think about shopping on Amazon. You start with the search box, enter something, and get a million results. And this is only a slight exaggeration. Then you have to review the reviews, questions and answers and product specifications to narrow down your choices and understand them.
This is how yesterday's event was felt for me and for other members of the media, with the exception of the field of research. It was a deluge of information to decipher and choose. What's exciting? What is interesting? What is important? I still do not know. I will tell you when my hangover will be over and I will unpack the pages of press releases that have been handed to me.
Amazon throws a lot into the wall to see what sticks
From a smart socket to a DVR system, it almost felt like a group of Amazon employees sitting in an open-plan apartment and said, "What can we add Alexa?" While many new devices seem additions or enhancements (we are talking about the Echo Sub here), others seem to be experiments, like the AmazonBasics microwave or wall clock at 30 $ that works with Alexa. But Amazon has money, so why not? It will be interesting to see how these devices are selling.
Amazon took the music very seriously
Amazon has clearly heard the chorus of complaints about the sound quality in its Echo speakers. Before yesterday, the most daring Alexa speaker was not even an Echo device – it was the Sonos One speaker with the built-in Alexa voice.
Amazon changed all that yesterday with the introduction of Echo Sub, Link and Link Amp as part of a new multi-room audio system. It has also significantly enhanced the sound of the existing Echo range by introducing a new Echo Dot, Echo Show and Echo Plus with significantly improved sound quality. We are eager to listen more closely to the devices to see how they fight against the competition, but one thing is certain: you do not have to suffer music with the new Echo Dot.
We can expect a lot more voice assistance technology in the future
Amazon put Alexa in most things announced yesterday, like the wall clock. We continue to mention the wall clock because it is a wall clock.
In case this is not obvious: you should expect more from Alexa, Google Assistants and even Siri everywhere in the years to come. The voice assistant technology is here to stay, and we'll see it in unconventional places like ceiling fans, heating vents, maybe even toothbrushes or clothes.
It could be so integrated into our setting that speakers as we know them could become obsolete. We are talking about screens, cameras, microphones and speakers built into the walls, just like in the book. Fahrenheit 451.
In my delirious delirium, I do not know if it makes me very excited or very frightened. I think both.
Amazon wants Alex to rule the world. Or at least the house. Maybe the car too.
Alexa has already gone well beyond the speakers. You can buy light switches, thermostats, mirrors, refrigerators and even third-party smoke detectors that are also Alexa speakers.
Yesterday, Amazon has taken a new step by introducing a microwave compatible with Alexa, as well as Amazon Auto, a device that allows you to talk to Alexa in your car. You know, because God forbid you and Alexa never separate.
Soon, we'll all talk about our walls, dishwasher and garage doors activated by Alexa. Next year from Amazon: a smart and talking toilet seat. What is it after that? A nuclear bomb activated by Alexa? I really hope not, because it does not seem very safe.
On a lighter note, someone in our office has suggested that Amazon build a smart kegerator. I pass the suggestion, as soon as I have a little dog hair from the kegerator of our office.
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