Why Amazon Echo Show is not really the newest feature
On Tuesday we have heard about the newest Amazon release — Echo Show. It’s a screen, that connects to Alexa’s voice automated device, and responds visually to requests. Amazon enthusiasts can now search for YouTube tutorials, play favourite shows, have video conversations, just by saying “Alexa, play the latest Jimmy Kimmel show”. But, is it realy w booming new element to home automation systems?
What you can actually see through Echo Show? Everything on the internet, as it cooperates via wifi, check security cameras, add products to your shopping list, and hands-free make video calls with your contacts. This might sound like an interesting feature to regular home automation provided, especially if the visual content is needed while our hands are occupied. It might be a recipe instruction shown while we are making a dinner, step-by-step tutorial on how to redecorate your old shoes, or a surveillance camera check on your garage, while you’re in bed preparing to sleep. The device is not over-expensive either: with a price of $230, it is comparable to regular tablets, comes in two colours and has the newest sound system behind it. But, is it really extending home automation to the fullest?
The problem stays on the usability side — if your hands are too busy to click on the “play” button on your mobile or laptop, you’re probably too busy to watch anyways. Voice controlled devices are awesome, as they can help you out in things, that would really take up some effort (remembering the shopping list, searching & playing a song based just on heard chorus, monitoring electricity, browsing the web for events around your area or just checking the date of Austrian elections), but the visual device might turn out to be an unused piece of equipment, same like Amazon Dash. Pessimistic? Yes, and just because we were promised do have a full automated home & devices that correspond with Echo. It should connect to our existing devices, such as tablets or TV, not propose an alternative device, this might be too much of a differentiation, and of course, an additional expense. Wait a minute… Is there really no point in buying Echo Show? The most promising attribute of the gadget is that it can make & receive video calls — all voice activated, and hands-free. This really might improve our conversations, help in making better friends and family connections. Since Echo Show is too small to watch a full movie, and too duplicative with pre-existing devices, making voice activated camera-calls might be the “it” function for this type of device.
