Over the past several months, I’ve gone all in on Alexa. At first I was not convinced that Amazon’s assistant was the right fit for my Apple-centric home, thinking it wouldn’t be long until I switched back to (cursing at) Siri. I was wrong. Inexpensive gear and reliable performance have kept me here and I’ve got more items than ever on my Alexa wishlist.
I want Alexa in my car
Since I work remotely, I spend the majority of my time at home. This means that an Alexa device is always nearby and ready to be fired up. Fifteen Echo Dots carefully placed throughout my home have made me very comfortable conversing with Alexa. If I mess up phrasing, I try again as I move around the house until I learn how to say each command correctly.
This level of comfort has made it clear that I would benefit from having Alexa in my car. Anker and Garmin have tried to bring Alexa to the car, but intermittent skill compatibility when compared to Amazon’s Echo devices has left me with several disappointing experiences.
Thankfully Amazon has recently launched its own Alexa device for the car that’s appropriately named Echo Auto. Once made available to the public, it’ll cost for $50. Until recently it has only been compatible with Android devices, but it looks as though Amazon has begun to support iOS devices. This makes it very appealing and something I am eagerly waiting to try.
I wish Alexa were a bit smarter
When it comes to working with smart door locks, companies tend to take security very seriously. For this reason a hub is often required to set up Alexa routines or control a lock with voice. There’s an overwhelming number of hubs out there and not everything plays well with each other.
This makes Amazon’s high-end Alexa device, dubbed Echo Plus, a rather compelling product. In addition to being a Zigbee hub, Echo Plus offers high quality 360-degree audio, seven microphones, and more. When I tally the features up, it makes Echo Plus seem like a great device for my desk.
Alexa on my wrist seems neat
Having ditched my Apple Watch several months back, I’m not entirely convinced that I want another smartwatch. Don’t get me wrong, I love the health tracking features, but I don’t find much use in it otherwise. Needing to charge it ever day or two is what pushed me over the edge and is why a device with 5-day battery life might be a better fit.
With the recent addition of Alexa, Amazfit Verge seems more in my wheelhouse than Apple Watch does these days. Top that off with a price that is routinely under $150 and you’ve got an affordable way to take Alexa on-the-go.
I’d love an Alexa robot
The last item to make it on my current wishlist is Anki Vector. While this Alexa-enabled robot would primarily be put on my desk for fun, it can handle most queries I ask nearby Echo Dots to carry out each day. It could even free up one of my Echo Dots and allow me to place it in a more convenient location.
Despite news that Anki will be shutting down, I still think this Vector is a cute device worth owning. Not only is useful, but it also offers a quirky and fun style that makes a future filled with robots seem more fun than ever.
Is there an Alexa-enabled device on your wishlist that I’ve overlooked? Share it with me and the rest of 9to5Toys crowd by leaving us a comment below.
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