The new generation of Echo, waiting for artificial intelligence
Amazon introduced two new Echo devices with Alexa integration: the new Echo Hub and next-generation Echo Show 8. “Customers rely on Alexa to make their daily lives easier and interact with personalized AI tens of millions of times every hour,” said Eric Saarnio, vice president, Amazon Devices International. “These new Echoes offer more ways to more easily manage everything from everyday tasks to thousands of compatible smart home devices. Echo Hub greatly simplifies the control of a multitude of connected smart home devices, while this generation of Echo Show 8 is the most powerful yet, with updates to the home screen and a smart home hub.”
Echo Hub is a control panel for the Smart Home with Alexa integration, designed to manage various compatible devices. It features a slim 8-inch touchscreen with a customizable control panel that lets you group and manage all your smart home devices, control Ring security systems, start routines, organize widgets, and simultaneously stream multiple compatible cameras . With adaptive content, Echo Hub uses infrared technology to detect when you are nearby, naturally switching between a personalized home screen, with favorite photos or a clock, and a smart home control screen.
Echo Hub can be mounted on a wall or placed on a shelf using a stand accessory sold separately. It includes a built-in smart home hub with support for Zigbee, Thread, Bluetooth and Matter and is compatible with over 140,000 connected cameras, lights, locks, outlets, thermostats, smart speakers and other smart home devices. Echo Hub supports wireless or wired Internet connectivity, with a compatible PoE (Power Over Ethernet) adapter. The price of the Echo Hub is 199.99 euros and customers can sign up to receive a notification when pre-orders become available. Decorative accessories that can be placed on the Echo Hub to personalize the device will be available in white, light wood and metallic, as will the stand base (available separately).
Echo Show 8 features an upgraded processor for even greater responsiveness than the previous generation. The device offers superior bass performance and space acoustic sensing technology that ensures optimal audio. Video calls with the new Echo Show 8 are entrusted to the centered 13-megapixel camera which guarantees superior video quality compared to the previous version and improved sound that reduces background noise from around the house for clear sound. Additionally, Echo Show 8 includes a built-in smart home hub with support for Zigbee, Thread, Bluetooth and Matter, allowing you to easily control compatible lights, locks and sensors with your voice, without the need for a separate hub.
Like Echo Hub, Echo Show 8 also offers adaptive content and a new home screen experience that uses the device’s computer vision technology to adjust content on the screen based on the user’s proximity to the device. Thanks to this mode, it is possible to use information clearly even from a distance from the device, such as a newspaper headline or a recipe. The screen then automatically adapts to offer a more detailed view as you approach the device. Users who have set the visual ID will also be able to customize the visible information, highlighting items such as a recent playlist. The new adaptive home screen also includes shortcut icons that make it easy to access your most used widgets, which can be opened with a tap. The adaptive content will be available on the Echo Show 8 (2nd and 3rd generation) next month and will be expanded to other Echo Show devices early next year. Echo Show 8 is available in Ice White and Anthracite at the price of 169.99 euros and will be shipped starting from October 25th. The adjustable stand for Echo Show 8 with USB-C charging port is available for 39.99 euros.
Source-www.adnkronos.com