Continuing its partnership with Amazon, Microsoft has rolled out its Skype calling service to Alexa-enabled devices this week. This will not only allow Amazon’s Echo range to make basic Skype calls but will also enable devices like the Echo Show to include video calling support for the Skype service.
Alexa
Alexa Now Lets You Know When Your Favorite Artist is Releasing a New Album
Amazon’s Alexa-controlled speakers can now keep up with their favorite musicians, thanks to Amazon Music’s New Release Notifications feature.
How to Enable Alexa’s Whisper Mode
Amazon recently announced a few new features, including one that would allow Alexa to whisper instead of speak at full volume. Called “whisper mode,” the feature finally began to roll out to Echo users in the United States on Friday.
Amazon Plans to Release new Alexa-Powered Devices, Including a Microwave Oven, Amplifier, Receiver and Subwoofer
Amazon is coming out with more Alexa-powered devices, with plans to release at least 8 new voice-controlled hardware devices before the end of the year.
Microsoft Introduces Alexa and Cortana Skill for Xbox One Owners Using Voice Commands
Microsoft has enabled Alexa and Cortana support for the Xbox One, opening up the console to voice commands from hundreds of millions of smart devices.
This Alexa Skill Wants to Help You Scare Burglars Away
A new skill for Amazon’s digital assistant Alexa could help Amazon Echo speakers in keeping potential burglars away from empty homes while you are out.
Alexa Now tells you the hours and Phone Numbers of Local Businesses
Depending on your region, you can now ask your Amazon Echo for information about the closest business and get the hours, thanks to Amazon’s recent partnership with Yext, a company that’s supplying the tech giant with business data aggregated from Google and Facebook, as well as Apple’s Siri assistant, according to Bloomberg. Since 2015, Amazon has offered similar information through Yelp, and the information pulled from the review site is what allowed people to use their Amazon speakers to, for example, find the most popular restaurants in their area. The data from Yext is pulled directly from businesses that partner with the platform, like T-Mobile, and Rite Aid, who work with Yext to keep their data up to date.
Amazon’s Echo Show Makes Alexa More accessible to the Deaf and Speech-Impaired
Amazon has new features for deaf and speech-impaired users. It’s called “Tap to Alexa,” and it lets owners of the Echo Show touchscreen smart speaker tap on the screen to access customizable shortcuts to common Alexa tricks, including weather, news headlines, timers and more. Users can rearrange those shortcuts or exchange them for other shortcuts. There’s also a new keyboard icon that you can select, and you’ll be able to type out a specific Alexa command with no need to talk.
You Can Now Ask Alexa to Adjust the Treble, Mid-Range or Bass
Starting this week, Echo users will be able to adjust the treble, mid-range or bass on their smart speaker by opening the Alexa app, or by simply asking Alexa via voice commands.
Sign-Language Through Camera Lets Alexa Respond to Gestures
Developer Abhishek Singh, the creator of an app that allows Amazon Alexa to respond to sign language uses a camera-based system to identify gestures and interpret them as text and speech.
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