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Alexa, what can I do with a smart speaker?
Since Amazon released its Echo speaker in November 2014, allowing users to hear weather forecasts or their favorite song by invoking a voice assistant named "Alexa", the phenomenon of smart speaker exploded.
According to a study by Edison Research, a leading research company in the field of digital audio, about 43 million American adults own at least one smart speaker.
The smart speakers are the fastest growing technology that Edison has ever followed, said senior vice president Tom Webster, with a number of people having more than doubled from year-to-year latest. Listening to audio – music, news or podcasts – is the first use of smart speakers, said Webster, followed by questions asked to the speaker's voice assistant.
Alongside Amazon Echo, competitors include Google Home, Apple HomePod and Microsoft's new Invoke loudspeaker and audio equipment company Harman Kardon, with Microsoft's integrated digital assistant, Cortana. The Sonos One speaker uses Amazon's voice assistant Alexa and Sony offers a smart speaker with Google Assistant.
The devices offer all kinds of information, from instructions to the most complex questions, but some users point out more creative ways to take advantage of the capabilities of these speakers.
"My 7 year old daughter, frustrated with ordering pizza at a place she did not like, asked Alexa how to get to where she wanted to go, made a bag … and came out of the house, "said Julie Wallace. 51, Cleveland. "We stopped this mishap, thankfully."
In Hilliard, 49-year-old Steve Friend is counting on Alexa from Amazon to quickly calculate the insulin / carbohydrate ratio of his nine-year-old son Owen, who has type 1 diabetes. His family has six smart speakers. and also uses them as an intercom.
Technology looks like science fiction, according to Webster, but he predicts that smart speakers will soon be integrated as seamlessly into people's lives as smartphones are now. Privacy concerns, such as the consequences of using voice-activated speakers, appear to be the main reason cited by some for not buying a smart speaker.
Devices are expected to start recording conversations only in response to "wake-up words," such as "Alexa" for echo. However, it is possible that they hear background conversations while they are activated.
This seems to have happened in May, when a couple from Portland, Oregon, told a TV channel that one of his Echos had recorded an excerpt of their conversation and sent it to knowledge. Amazon stated that it appeared that the device mistakenly thought that it had heard a trigger word and an order to send the recorded conversation to a person on the couple's contact list. The company called this series of events "unlikely" that it would take steps to prevent it in the future.
Webster believes that consumers will put these worries aside if they believe that speakers perform useful functions.
"People use them for eight, nine or ten skills a day, which are just part of their daily lives," he said. "This brings a familiarity with the technology in every room of the house."
The current generation of smart speakers costs around $ 100; The smaller Google version, Google Home Mini, is priced at $ 49, just like Amazon's Echo Dot.
Smart speakers can also be used to:
Local weather, traffic and news
Use your smart speaker to stay on top of what's happening in your area. Say "Alexa," "Okay, Google," or "Hey, Siri," and ask your digital assistant for a weather or weather report to prepare you for the day ahead. In addition, you can get the latest local news by requesting media titles such as The Dispatch. If you have an Amazon speaker, for example, add The Dispatch as a source of information by accessing the parameters of the Alexa application, choosing "Flash Briefing", selecting "Get more content Flash "and searching for" Columbus Dispatch ". Just ask Alexa what's in the news.
Set alarms, timers and reminders
You can use your smart speaker as an alarm clock and, once it wakes you up, use it to make to-do lists so that you remember everything you need to do that day. Ask Alexa to remind you to bring your lunch when you leave for work. Tell the Google Assistant where you placed your keys, and the device can remind you where it is if you forget. And when you get home and start cooking, ask your PDA to set a timer – no need to worry about messy hands.
Listen to music
Take this piece out of your head by asking your digital assistant to read it, and the smart speaker will connect to its compatible music streaming service, such as Spotify, Google Play Music, Amazon Prime or Apple Music. You can also play songs using Bluetooth or AirPlay to connect to the speaker with another device. Fill your home with music by connecting multiple smart speakers and streaming audio.
House assistant
Combine your smart speaker with smart products and applications to turn your home into a smart home. Connect to other devices in your home to turn lights on or off, control the thermostat, or set a time for your coffee maker to start brewing. The speakers can also be used as an intercom, so you can tell your family that you are on your way home or calling everyone at the table.
Get answers
Instead of jumping on the computer, ask your smart speaker to know what you need to know. The Google Home Voice Assistant has access to the entire database of the search engine. Ask the Google helper your hottest questions and the smart speaker will find answers. Try to ask for directions or for the nearest coffee.
Fun and games
Smart speakers are not all fun and games, but they also offer it. Ask your digital assistant to tell you a joke or use the speaker to play a game like Twenty Questions, Deal or No Deal, Mad Libs or Jeopardy! Instead of going to a bar for a dream night, ask your smart caller to test your knowledge in categories such as US presidents, world capitals and pop culture.
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