Amazon has rolled out a new feature for every Echo device, allowing users to broadcast a message through multiple Echo speakers in the house.
Amazon has rolled out a new feature for every Echo device, allowing users to broadcast a message through multiple Echo speakers in the house.
By saying “Alexa, announce that,” “Alexa, tell everyone” or “Alexa, broadcast,” the message following the command line will be sent out loud from other Echo speakers at home. For instance, when a mom says, ”Alexa, tell everyone dinner’s ready,” children in their rooms will hear “dinner’s ready” from their Echo devices. The new feature brings convenience to households that own more than one Echo speakers.
Just in the past November, Google announced a similar broadcasting feature for Google Home speakers. Catching up with Google, Amazon is competing with the search giant on whose smart speaker is a more helpful assistant at home.
Google Home’s broadcast feature can be sent from any Google Assistant-enabled devices, such as an Android smartphone or third-party speaker, to various smart speakers at home.
Alexa users can similarly use the Alexa app or an Alexa-enabled tablet Fire HD 8 to send broadcast messages to Echo devices. Amazon is also working on third-party Alexa device support, for the Ecobee4 thermostat, for example.
Few days earlier, the e-commerce giant added music and podcast support for “Routines” for Alexa. Playing music can now be included in Routines, when users trigger a series of home automation control via one single command. For example, with the command “Alexa, good night,” the voice assistant will turn off lights in the living room, lock the door, adjust the thermostat to a preferred temperature in the bedroom and turn off the music.
Supported music services for the Routine feature include Amazon Music, Spotify, Pandora, Deezer and TuneIn.
The Routine feature was announced in September 2017. It works with connected lights, smart plugs, switches and door locks from across manufacturers. All Echo devices are supported.