Amazon’s Alexa Goes to Work in 2 New Devices

The Dot can be described as a much shorter version of the Echo.

If you meet those requirements, you can pick up the hockey-puck bodied Echo Dot, which will extend the Amazon Echo’s existing voice recognition technology across your house from room to room. It can also be used to control smart home connected devices like lights and thermostats, and is compatible with connected devices including ones from WeMo, Philips Hue, and Samsung SmartThings. This lets you control your preferred speakers using Dot by commanding it to play music from places like iHeartRadio, Pandora, Spotify, and others. To get around this, open up the Amazon app for iPhone, search for “Echo Dot”, and then swipe right to add the Echo Dot to your card. The Amazon tap can be purchased by anyone, and is set to hit the streets on March 31st for $129.99.

Unlike the Echo, the Amazon Tap is totally wireless.

As for the Echo Tap, it’s geared more towards music playback so it has better speakers while also taking advantage of Alexa’s voice service.

The case for the product is a little fuzzy, King said, but he can see a customer using it to order an Uber pickup while packing bags, rather than walking into the main room and using the Amazon Echo.

Update: Some Android users are having luck using voice commands. Otherwise, just saying “Alexa” will do. However, Amazon placed an odd stipulation on buying the Echo Dot: it’s now only available for Prime members who already have an Echo.

Data collection is becoming ubiquitous with the growing market for the Internet of Things and is only going to raise more privacy concerns, according to Susan Schreiner, an analyst atC4 Trends. He has written for Reuters, Bloomberg, Crain’s New York Business and The New York Times.