Alexas

Amazon’s Drop In feature has become a useful tool for contacting people in your household, finding out what your kids are up to (especially when they’re being too quiet), and checking in on elderly relatives. It allows you to literally “drop in” using an Alexa-capable device, either just via audio or with audio and video. But since you don’t want anyone dropping in on you unwanted, it’s a good idea to understand how to set it up and how to use it.In order to allow somebody to drop in on any Alexa-capable device, first you…

Maria Diaz/ZDNETThe Amazon Alexa app just got a much-needed upgrade in favor of a better user experience. Amazon announced that the Alexa Map View feature is now available on a preview basis on some devices to make it easier to control smart home devices. If you've ever used the Alexa mobile app to control your smart home, you've likely noticed it can be a tedious experience. Scrolling through a list of dozens of randomly named devices to find the one I need doesn't make for a friendly user interface. Map View may…

Amazon has agreed to pay a $25 million settlement to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over allegations of violating child privacy through Alexa. The company has been accused of violating the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by retaining sensitive information about children, such as their exact location and voice recordings, for several years.The COPPA requires online services targeting children under 13 to get parental permission before collecting the child's personal information. The law also allows…

If you’ve been saving up to integrate Shaq’s voice into your Alexa devices, you’ve officially blown it. Amazon is ditching all of its Alexa-enabled celebrity voices, including Shaquille O’Neal, Melissa McCarthy and, say it ain't so, Samuel L. Jackson. The distinct voice options will no longer be available for purchase and will no longer function even if you made a purchase a while back, as reported by The Verge. That brings us to the topic of refunds, and it looks like there won’t be any. This isn’t earth-shattering news,…

If you’ve been saving up to integrate Shaq’s voice into your Alexa devices, you’ve officially blown it. Amazon is ditching all of its including Shaquille O’Neal, Melissa McCarthy and, say it ain't so, Samuel L. Jackson. The distinct voice options will no longer be available for purchase and will no longer function even if you made a purchase a while back, That brings us to the topic of refunds, and it looks like there won’t be any. This isn’t earth-shattering news, as the voice options launched for just $1 before moving…

Amazon Alexa is a top-of-the-line voice assistant with plenty of unique features. When using an Echo speaker or another Alexa-enabled device, you can dim the lights in your home, adjust the temperature, monitor smart locks and other home security devices, listen to music, ask common questions, play games, and more. You can also make use of Alexa Skills to easily follow your favorite sports team or learn how to mix a mean cocktail. All-knowing and always listening, Alexa sometimes responds when we’re not asking for…

In case you didn’t know, Alexa has more than one voice now. In addition to female and male-sounding voices, you can also have Santa answer your questions, which is certainly fun around Christmas and the holidays. To do it, simply say, “Alexa, enable Hey Santa”. Unlike changing Alexa’s voice, Hey Santa is a Alexa ‘Skill’, and works alongside Alexa’s voice. The Skill is free, so there’s no charge for using it. Alexa will tell you it’ll take a moment to “get things set up” but after that you can decide whether to…

Amazon’s Alexa, which can be accessed with an Echo smart speaker, is usually used by consumers for minor requests which the company can’t easily monetize. Image: Grant Hindsley/AFP (Getty Images)Alexa, are you feeling okay? Amidst ongoing reports of turmoil in the tech industry from mass layoffs to consumer privacy issues, there has been buzz around the future of Amazon’s iconic voice assistant. As former employees and sales trends paint a devastating picture for the fate of Amazon’s Alexa, the technology is not alone in…

If you’ve been dreaming of the day you can make Alexa sound like your very own British butler, well then, you’re in luck: Amazon is now making Alexa’s English vocals region-free.“We’ve added more voice options for English-speaking customers in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia by giving them the ability to select from Alexa’s American, Australian, British, Canadian, or Indian voice options,” PR representative for Amazon Kaley Heuschkel tells The Verge in an email.Previously, if you attempted to switch up Alexa’s voice,…

Alexa’s pleasant, feminine voice has filled the homes of millions over the past few years, but Amazon finally offered a viable choice last year when it released a masculine counterpart. Amazon was late to this. Apple and Google have offered different voices, both feminine and masculine, in their virtual assistants for years. But late or not, it’s now easy to switch up the dulcet tones of your virtual assistant. In addition to the two main Alexa voices, Amazon also has celebrity voices. Right now, you can choose between…