Amazon: Amazon Echo
Amazon Echo is a family of voice-activated devices that allow people to ask questions and receive answers on a variety of topics, such as weather, news, sports and much more. The devices can also connect with some home automation devices or conduct tasks such as ordering products from Amazon.
The Amazon Echo was the original device that the product line takes its name from, announced in November 2014 and launched in limited release. It was made available for anyone to buy in July 2015. It features a high-quality speaker and hands-free voice activation by using the “hotword” of “Alexa.”
In March 2016, two additions to the Echo family were released. The Echo Dot is a smaller version of the original Echo, offering hands-free voice activation but a much lower-quality speaker. The Amazon Tap has a high-quality speaker, a battery allowing it to be portable, unlike the Echo, but the Tap only responds to voice commands after a special button is pressed.
For more about the Echo products, see our coverage below.
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Analyst: Amazon Echo owns 75 percent of global smart speaker market
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