Amazon Alexa
A virtual assistant technology developed by Amazon and based in large part on the Ivona voice synthesiser purchased by the company in 2013. Amazon Alexa, often known as Alexa, is a virtual assistant technology developed by the company in 2013. The Amazon Echo smart speaker, as well as the Echo Dot, Echo Studio, and Amazon Tap speakers, all of which were created by Amazon Lab126, were the first devices to include it. With voice interaction, music playback, creating to-do lists, setting alarms, streaming podcasts, playing audiobooks, and offering real-time information such as weather, traffic, sports, and other breaking news, the device is capable of a wide range of tasks. Alexa is also capable of controlling a variety of smart devices by acting as a home automation system. Users may enhance Alexa's capabilities by adding "skills" (extra functionality produced by third-party vendors and installed in different settings, which are more generally referred to as applications), which include weather forecasts and audio functions, among others. It accomplishes these duties via the use of automated voice recognition, natural language processing, and other kinds of weak artificial intelligence.
A wake-word (such as Alexa or Amazon) can be used to activate the device on most devices that have Alexa; however, some devices, such as Amazon mobile apps on iOS or Android and the Amazon Dash Wand, require the user to click a button in order for Alexa to enter the listening mode; however, some phones also allow the user to voice commands such as "Alexa" or "Alexa wake."
Alexa and associated products were the focus of the efforts of more than 10,000 Amazon workers as of November 2018. It was stated in January 2019 that Amazon has sold more than 100 million Alexa-enabled devices, according to the company's devices team.
When Amazon unveiled several new gadgets in September 2019, it set many records and competed with the world's smart home business, among other things. The new Echo Studio is the first smart speaker to have 360-degree sound as well as Dolby sound. Others were an Echo dot with a clock hidden behind the fabric, an Amazon Echo Show 8, which was a plug-in device, an Amazon Echo Flex, Alexa integrated wireless earphones, Alexa integrated buds, Alexa integrated spectacles (Echo frames), an Alexa integrated Ring, an Alexa integrated loop, and an Echo Loop.