AirPods’ Rival, Smart Microwave: Amazon Takes Alexa to New Places

Amazon has launched a smart eye wear device that can help you talk to Alexa through your glasses.

Amazon has launched a slew of smart devices at its annual hardware event.

(Photo: Amazon blog post)

It was raining Alexa devices at Amazon’s annual hardware event in the US, where the tech giant announced a slew of products that work with its smart voice assistant Alexa.

From launching its new truly wireless Earbuds, to rolling-in famous Hollywood movie star Samuel L. Jackson to lend his voice to Alexa, Amazon is all set to offer a completely new portfolio of smart devices to its customers.

The biggest highlight of the event, however, were Amazon’s answer to Apple’s AirPods - the Echo Buds.

The Echo Buds have been priced at $129 (Rs 9,000 approx) and offer up to five hours of battery life. It also comes with noise cancellation technology borrowed from Bose and is available for pre-orders in the US starting Thursday, 26 September.

The company also introduced Echo Studio, a bigger smart speaker than its previous iteration, which offers high-quality 3D sound using Dolby Atmos technology. These will be available in India for Rs 22,999.

Amazon has also updated its lineup of Echo speakers with new colour schemes as well and has priced it at Rs 5,499 for the Dot series, and Rs 9,999 for the bigger version.

A new feature added to Alexa’s portfolio is the celebrity voices feature where it uses AI to mimic famous personalities.

For a nominal amount of 99 cents, you can choose Samuel L Jackson’s voice to tell you daily updates, set alarms and even play music. The feature is set to roll out later this year.

(Photo: Amazon blog post)

Amazon has also launched the Echo Loop, the smallest Echo device ever introduced. A small ring which houses microphones and a small button that can be used to attend calls and perform other functions.

Apart from the above the company also launched the Echo glow which is specifically targeted for kids and lets them tap on the top of the device, which makes the device cycle through a different range of colours. The device has been priced at $30 (Rs 3,000).

Amazon also debuted a new Echo show which it says is the fastest smart device that the company has launched to date. The all-new Echo show comes with an 8-inch display and with a set of better speakers. It has been launched at $129 (Rs 9,000 approx).

The Echo Dot also receives an update, now housing an LED display under the fabric for time and other notifications. The overall design of the device has also changed and is now more rectangular in shape.

Just like last year, Amazon has also launched a couple of smart device for the kitchen like an air fryer and a smart oven. The company has said that users will receive an Echo Dot with every purchase of a smart oven.

Amazon has also introduced a new series of Alexa smart device called the Echo Flex.

The device is basically a tiny speaker that fits into a power socket and something you can carry to any room. It comes with a USB port and comes equipped with a motion sensor and a night light.

And last but not the least, it also introduced smart eye-wear called Echo Frames which comes with Alexa built into the glasses. They do not have any kind of a camera built into the device however offers a speaker to hear prompts from Alexa.