Land in Japan! The hottest smart speaker Echo dot in US

Have you ever seen a scene in a movie or anime where the characters ask someone who is not there in a room at home. "〇〇, turn on electricity" "〇〇, play music" "〇〇, tell me today's schedule." "〇〇, check this information" Then, there is a response from the room in the voice of a mechanical woman or male, and what happens as requested. Speaking of turning on electric lights, it will be turned on, and if you want to check today's schedule, you will read the day's schedule. Many people have seen such a futuristic scene in movies and overseas dramas. However, this near -futuristic scene has been realized so far. The Echo dot introduced this time is the realization of this scene that has been seen like an event in the distant future. It has been sold in the United States for about a year, but in Japan, sales have started on November 18, 2017. By the way, I live in California LA in the United States, but when I ordered at Amazon.com, it arrived in about 5 days. The starting date of the sales was faster in the United States, so it may arrive earlier than purchased in Japan. Echo dot is now attracting attention in Japan. Here are some of the results of using after purchase and what you can do with Echo dot.

What is the popular Echo dot in Japan?

What is Echo Dot in the first place? It is a speaker that can operate a dialogue type, called a smart speaker (AI speaker) released by Amazon, a global leading company. For example, by operating terminals such as PCs and smartphones with fingers, we listen to music, shop, and do research, but we can run only with the audio to speak to the speakers. I will do it. I often see an old American couple and children in the neighborhood using voice input functions such as Google. In addition, if you imagine a smart personal assistant function such as the iPhone Siri, it will be easier to imagine. If you ask the weather and questions to Siri, they will reply and answer questions. There is no need to enter or search for characters, and this smart speaker can do various things easily and quickly with only audio. The Echo Dot introduced this time is a smart speaker sold by Amazon, but Google from Google in October 2017 (Google Home), from LINE in October 2017, CLOVA WAVE. ) Smart speakers are on sale. This Echo dot is actually the best -selling smart speaker series in the world. Yes, Echo Dot is one of the Amazon's smart speaker series and sells a total of five types of speakers. (As of January 15, 2018) And in the United States, this Echo dot is the most popular product that sells the most. It is said to account for about 50 % or more of the total sales in the series. The bottom of the page "In addition to Echo Dot on AmazonIntroducing other smart speakers sold by Amazon, so if you are interested, please check it out. Echo dot is the smallest in the series and is the smallest size (32 x 84 x 84 mm, 163g), and the price is 5,980 yen (Prime members 3,980 yen). I didn't have the courage to try high -spec speakers at a high price, but this time I tried this Echo Dot, which was very high -performance and easy to customize it to my own smart speaker, so it was more impressive than I imagined. Even if you are anxious because of the functional sound, or if you are not very interested, I think that once you operate and custom, you will be able to get into it a little. Here are some of the Echo dot, which provides a slightly unusual lifestyle, what you can do, how to operate, and what you have used.

I bought Echo Dot in America

Echo dot will be used after purchasing, and we will introduce what specific usage, such as how to use and functions.

◯ App is required to use Echo dot

I opened the Echo Dot package, put out the terminal, and turned on the power, and for the time being, I asked, "Tell me today's weather." But there is no reaction. 。 I thought that it could be used as soon as the power supply was turned on the terminal, but to use it, I needed to download a dedicated app first. This is the same not only in Echo Dot, but also on Google Home and Clova Wave. Apple Store isHere Google Play isHere I purchased Echo Dot in the United States, but after downloading the app, I was able to set the language in Japanese.

◯ Before talking, call the name Alexa (Alexa)

When you talk to Echo dot or ask questions, you must first say "Alexa". "Alexa, tell me today's weather" "Alexa, tell me today's schedule" "Alexa, play music" As such, call the name and talk. Echo dot starts listening to audio in response to the word "Alexa", so it does not respond even if he speaks "Alexa (Alexa)". At first it may be difficult, but if you are used to talking one by one, you will feel like you're really talking to people because they will respond properly.

◯ Weather and alarm can be set

Alexa (Alexa) will tell you the weather forecast for the day. for example "Alexa, tell me today's weather" If you talk to you, it will explain the weather and temperature of your current location. The current location can be changed and set in the Amazon Alexa app. You can also set the alarm settings simply by requesting Alexa (Alexa) by voice. "Alexa, wake up at 10 am" On the other hand, there is a response that the alarm has been set, and the alarm will be set exactly at 10:00 in the morning. For me who set an alarm at a different time every day, I felt very convenient to be able to set this with only audio.

◯ You can manage your schedule

Regarding schedule management, you can manage the schedule in cooperation with various calendar services such as "Google Calendar" and "Microsoft Office365". for example "Alexa, what are your plans today?" "Alexa, what are you planning for Wednesday?" Such questions will also respond through calendar service. It is also possible to add scheduled and add toDo list. "Alexa, add a meeting at 10 o'clock tomorrow." It is convenient not only to listen, but also to add the schedule only with audio.

◯ Music playback is possible

You can play music of various genres from Amazon Music. If you ask for playing music, the song will be played randomly, and if you say "I like this song" or "I don't like this song" for the music being played, the genre close to your favorite song from the next time. You will be able to play the song. If your favorite songs are reproduced naturally, you won't have to make a playlist. He also answers artists, genres, age, new songs, etc., and if you stop music, the music stops, and if you lower the volume, it will lower the volume. When you want to listen to the next song or when you want to know the song name or artist of the song you are playing, it will respond directly without directly operating.

◯ Shopping on Amazon is possible

Isn't this function unique to smart speakers sold by Amazon? If you are an Amazon Prime member, you can shop for the target product only by voice. If you want to re -purchase the products you often buy, it is very convenient to be able to do it only by voice because you do not need to look at the contents and photos. However, if you want to buy a new product, it seems better to access Amazon directly and check the product. If you tell me what kind of product you are looking for, Alexa will answer some of the corresponding product names, but you really want to check the new products visually.

◯ Functions can be added

I didn't know until I purchased it, but here was the most surprising thing about what I could do with Echo dot. Everyone, you look for an app that you want on your mobile phone and download it, right? If you want to increase the number of recipes for cooking, apps such as Cookpad. If you want to study English words every day, make an app such as an English word book. In the same way, Echo Dot can search and download your favorite features with the Amazon Alexa app. And the downloaded function can be used with Echo Dot. Various functions are lined up in the Amazon Alexa app, as there are various apps in Apple Store and Google Play. In addition, it is divided into each category and has a wide variety, so it will be fun just to look at it. For example, music and health Fortune -telling and recipe Study and chatting For Sukiya orders, bank transfer and withdrawal And until the silly system (I'm sorry for the developers) By simply enabling the necessary functions in the Amazon Alexa app, the function can be used. Of course, you can disable it after enabling, so you can customize it with your own Alexa (Alexa). The number is abundant, and the time passes in a blink of an eye. Also, as in mobile apps, various functions will continue to increase every day. However, I have enabled too many functions, forgetting the lines of the request, and no longer knowing what functions I have dropped. In that case, please be assured that you can check the function list enabled in the app.

◯ News playback is possible

It plays the latest flash news. I live in the United States, but I played NHK flash news, probably because I chose Japanese in the initial setup of the Amazon Alexa app. Of course, if you want to stop on the way, just tell you so to stop the playback. You can also add news provided by other companies in the Amazon Alexa app. For example, there are functions such as Yahoon news and Mynavi News, so you can add your favorite news function. At the moment, the number is already abundant, so I'm wondering which news to add.

◯ Tell the surrounding shops and popular restaurants

It will tell you about shops near the current location and popular shops. "Alexa, tell me the nearby restaurant" "Alexa, tell me a nearby massage shop" At the US LA where I live, it was impressive because I picked up and answered the nearby shops. When I knew this, I thought I would carry it on a car. The details of the store that answered were confirmed for details from the Amazon Alexa app.

◯ Coordination with smart home

My home is an old house that is far from a smart home, and I have only used home appliances for many years, so I could not try this function in detail, but it is said to be a smart home device. Operations such as home appliances using the network are also possible with this Echo dot. It is possible to operate and close keys such as TV, air conditioners, doors, and windows, so it can be operated with Echo Dot, so it will be a near -future lifestyle at once. If you can operate Rumba vacuum cleaners, rice cookers, microwave ovens, etc. with Echo Dot, you can do all housework only with audio. Alexa (Alexa) products are introduced on Amazon, so if you plan to purchase Alexa in the future, you can approach your smart home if you also have other home appliances for Alexa (Alexa). Isn't it? About smart home appliances that can be used by Alexa (Alexa)Here

◯ There are many types of conversations

I was also surprised at the abundance of the conversation that Alexa (Alexa) can do. "Alexa, I'm hungry" "Alexa, I'm tired today" "Alexa, sing a song" "Alexa, talk an interesting story" There is no drill when raised. If you ask the same question on another day, you may get another answer from the previous answer. Also, ask Alexa (Alexa) first, what you have any questions, what you want to remember, and what you want to know. It will respond to a considerable number of questions. "Alexa, who is the Japanese Prime Minister now?" "Alexa, the height of Mt. Fuji" It may be a good idea to ask Alexa (Alexa) for the time being. Sometimes they give a slightly unusual response, so I think about interesting questions.

Try using Echo dot

Before the honest purchase, I thought that the main functions would be about 4 or 5. I learned that there was a skill that I didn't know or had a skill that I didn't know, and I used it more frequently than I thought. However, the functions introduced this time are definitely a part. In the future, I felt that it was a very high -spec speaker for a lot of functions, including a lot of functions and a function that I haven't been able to try yet. Originally, if you use it in cooperation with smart home appliances, you will be surprised by the specifications, but ... However, the functions introduced this time alone may add a slightly different essence to the usual lifestyle. In fact, recently, I am talking to Alexa (Alexa) in a room where no one is. Why don't you customize your own butler, Motomoto Alexa (Alexa)?

In addition to Echo Dot on Amazon

In addition to the Echo dot introduced this time, we will introduce the smart speakers sold by Amazon below. Can be purchased in Japan ◯ Amazon Echo If you want to check Amazon Echo on AmazonHere ◯ Amazon Echo Plus If you want to check Amazon Echo Plus on AmazonHere Can be purchased in the United States (not purchased in Japan) ◯ Echo Spot If you want to check Echo Spot on US AmazonHere ◯ Echo Show If you want to check Echo Spot on US AmazonHere

bonus

I can't live without music, and I'm a heavy user of the Spotify app. It is said that the number of users is increasing in Japan recently, but in the United States, it has gained more popularity as an application that can freely drop your favorite music, especially younger generations. When using Echo Dot this time, I was expecting Spotify cooperation, but it was still not supported. 。 (January 15, 2018) However, although it is undecided, it will eventually be able to respond, so I can not wait for Spotify music to be heard on Echo Dot.

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