The virtual assistant Alexa stole this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) show which popped up in everything from copycat speakers to robots and connected to fridges. With this kind of technology, people can order pizza or whatever they want by talking to their table lamp.
Even people who created Alexa are having a hard time believing how many manufacturers are using Alexa’s skills or voice services. Amazon initially thought there would be 35 to 40 devices with Alexa at CES 2017, but the number is so much bigger and unfortunately still unknown. Amazon’s Alexa works perfect at home where is quiet and there is stable Wi-Fi, but if people take it outside the results will be disappointing, The Verge reported. Amazon is working on fixing this issue since Apple’s Siri and Google Now started on the go. Every company can make Alexa skill but people need to have an Echo or Echo Dot speaker in their house in order to use it properly.
An arms race emerged in Silicon Valley where companies are competing who can develop a better virtual assistant, surprisingly or not, Amazon is winning with Alexa. Alexa has been dominating this year’s CES in Las Vegas. Amazon didn’t officially attend the conference but their VA, Alexa showed in car infotainment systems, new smartphones, robots, lamps and even laundry machines. Some of the biggest brands decided to use Alexa’s skills to their hardware. For those who already purchased or plan to do it, life will be so much easier. Amazon’s voice recognition technology has finally matured. Alexa launched back in 2014 and amazingly 5.1 million Echo devices were sold since then. By 2020, most gadgets will be designed to work with zero or minimal touch, Time reported.
