Scheduling Tasks
Amazon’s Alexa is growing older and wiser by the day. It feels like just yesterday she was just a novelty concept. But now, with this latest round of updates, she’s well on her way to singlehandedly running an entire home. In case you missed it, Alexa just got a handful of new updates to help her integrate more smoothly with other smart home devices.
One of the biggest updates is the ability to schedule smart home tasks for later in the day. For example, instead of just telling Alexa to “turn off the lights” you can now direct her to do things like “turn off the lights in 10 minutes” or, “turn off the A/C at 10 am”. This specificity is a really big deal. It’ll help Alexa understand commands better, which will create a much more efficient and enjoyable experience.
Amazon Displays
Amazon also introduced a flurry of new updates to its other devices. For starters, you’ll now be able to view multiple video feeds through Echo Show smart displays. For most Amazon devices, you’ll be able to view up to 4 video feeds from one screen. This could be beneficial for watching multiple security feeds at one time.
Additionally, Amazon introduced a new feature called “Video Sticky Notes”. This feature allows you to record and pin short videos to Amazon devices. Other members of your household will then be able to view and respond to your video. It’s like the modern-day equivalent of leaving a sticky note on the fridge. This might be helpful for parents who are leaving their kids with babysitters for the night. A little instruction can go a long way!
Alexa’s Hunch
One of the more remarkable new Amazon Alexa features is that she will be able to proactively control your smart devices, even if you don’t specifically ask her to. For instance, if you haven’t bought anything from Amazon in a few hours, Alexa can just charge your card and pick out something that she’s sure you’ll love.
Kidding!
In all seriousness, Alexa “Hunches” will be able to do things like notify you if you aren’t home but the door’s smart lock is unlocked. That way, you can lock the door remotely. Or, Alexa will go out of her way to warn you about poor weather conditions prior to a scheduled outdoor event.
Little by little, Amazon is pushing product updates to Alexa that will make the entire experience better for the end user. Sometimes it takes a little while, but look how far the device has come since it launched. Who knows where it will be at the end of the decade.