Virtual Assistants are going to invade homes. And in a good way, if CES can be taken as proof. It has been something everyone has been raving about so far, thanks to its deep integration into many smart devices lately. Let’s face it, the only reason those devices come with the ‘smart’ tag is because of Alexa’s integration. Here are five of the best Alexa devices we’ve seen at the CES floor this year.
1) LG’s Alexa Integrated Fridge
This fridge is probably a culmination of everything that technology has come down to. It’s the cutting edge of what a fridge should do, and probably of a lot of things it doesn’t need to, but does so anyway. It’s got Web OS and Alexa for playing music, getting recipes online, and if the user isn’t able to use their hands, there’s voice commands, courtesy of Alexa. Users can also shop online, keep notes and check the status of the refrigerator and its contents thanks to a 29-inch screen on the front that can also become translucent. Some might call it overkill, but it’s the 21st century.
2) LG’s Alexa-based Robot Butler
Again, LG has a knack for coming out with some really futuristic concepts. This time around, it’s a robot that is basically a more animated form of Amazon’s Echo. It’s got expressions, a screen to display information and can control every smart device that it’s connected to.
3) Samsung’s VR7000
The autonomous vacuum cleaner by Samsung will be a lot more powerful this time around and slimmer so that it can reach otherwise difficult-to-reach places. It’ll come with Alexa pre-loaded when it hits shelves later this year, allowing it to be voice activated upon command.
4) Huawei’s Mate 9
The first smartphone with Alexa built-in. It’ll be a definite challenge for Google Assistant and Siri for the handset market. We already know how Google Assistant will work on handsets, but how Alexa will pan out for a smartphone is yet to be seen.
5) Ford’s Fusion With Amazon Echo
Ford is the first car-maker to have one of its models come with the Echo. This way, users can ask Alexa to start the car from within their homes and keep the car ready and cooled for a drive. They’ll be able to play audiobooks on the go. They can also remote lock or unlock doors using just voice commands, apart from other Alexa-typical features.
Alexa’s got some competition to deal with however. Google Assistant and Siri won’t be holding back as well. Even Cortana is going to be soon making an appearance in the big picture, which is the internet of things.
2017 could be the year for AI. And the top spot could be taken by anyone at this rate. Alexa seems to have the lead and people are already integrating it into their daily lives. We’re not sure how the rest of the competition will deal with the head-start and absorb more users into their individual ecosystems. We’ll all have to wait and watch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1J280Z7Xxk
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