Alexa+: 6 Features That Could Win Me Back After Leaving for Good

I am a specialist in smart homes. My profession involves writing about smart home technology, intelligent gadgets, and voice assistants. However, I can hardly recall the last occasion when I genuinely interacted with Alexa.

To clarify, I’m not specifically targeting Alexa. I seldom interact with Google Assistant or Apple’s Siri as well. Why? Because it’s much simpler for me to pull out my phone and open an app rather than trying to make one of these so-called "intelligent" voice assistants perform what I need.

Currently, we have a Google Nest Hub Max in our kitchen functioning mostly as an elaborate digital picture frame; it sometimes chimes in with answers to questions that haven’t been posed. Several HomePod minis are placed throughout our house, primarily used for streaming music which I typically manage via my iPhone. Additionally, there’s an isolated Alexa device in our daughter’s bedroom serving solely as her alarm clock.

Amazon is now promising an ambitious revival of Alexa. Set to launch as a public preview later this month, Alexa+ will utilize the capabilities of generative AI. To engage in smooth conversations, grasp our objectives, perform tasks for us, and—ideally—be so beneficial that we will frequently keep our phones handy.

During the preview phase, Alexa+ will be available at no cost, and Amazon Prime subscribers can continue using it without charge after this period as well. However, those who aren’t Prime members will have to pay $19.99 monthly for access to Alexa+. This pricing aligns with the basic subscription levels offered by competitors like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Anthropic’s Claude, one of which powers some aspects of Alexa+.

But cost was never the issue with Alexa (the “classic” Alexa will remain free for everyone, by the way). Instead, it was that Alexa became more annoying than useful.

Here’s what the updated AI Alexa needs to do to regain our trust and communication.

Simplify the management of my smart home gadgets.

Trying to get the older version of Alexa to manage my smart home smoothly is incredibly frustrating. If I'm not absolutely certain about the specific name of the device, the room it's located in, and the exact instruction needed for it to perform as desired, Alexa often responds with "I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that" or something similar. (Google Assistant and Siri also tend to struggle with this issue.)

Therefore, I refrain from asking Alexa or any of my other smart speakers to change the lighting, activate the fan, or switch the TV to the right channel. Instead, I opt for using my smartphone.

What I am seeking from theصند new Alexa should understand what I mean when I say, "brighten the lights" or "switch on the television," without relying solely on pre-set routines. Ideally, with Alexa+, it would grasp my intent automatically—or if unsure—pose straightforward follow-up queries instead of needing specific commands like "Alexa-speak."

Amazon is offering precisely this kind of smart home functionality via Alexa integration , and if it does deliver, I could start using Alexa to manage my smart devices once more.

Make hitting notes a cinch

Every day, we rely on our HomePod mini speakers for music, frequently queuing up songs by artists like Steely Dan, Miles Davis, and most commonly, Taylor Swift. However, my family finds it challenging to get Siri to play the correct tunes with their commands. "No, try again," they often have to say. album called Lover , not the song"), so I typically create playlists directly from my phone. It’s simpler than trying to convince a voice assistant."

This applies to Alexa as well, which is part of the reason there’s now only one Echo speaker remaining at our place (the rest are tucked away in a cardboard box). However, imagine if Alexa+ made it simpler to request music instead of browsing through apps. Envision being able to simply state, "Alexa, play that song." The Hills And it would recognize that we were referring to "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield? (This was actually a query raised one evening—and of course, Siri ended up playing "The Hills" by The Weeknd instead.)

If Alexa+ could genuinely simplify playing the music we desire, and where We'd prefer not to discuss the challenges of getting Alexa or Siri to switch music between rooms; our former Echo speakers could potentially emerge from obscurity to take the place of our HomePods.

Truly be of assistance in the kitchen.

Certainly, Alexa can show recipes on an Echo Show display (similarly, Google Assistant can present them on a Nest Hub screen). However, most of the time, I prefer printing out the recipe and taking it to the kitchen—it's simply more convenient. In essence, Alexa hasn’t served as a significant helper in my cooking endeavors, at least not for me.

Now, I have had success Utilizing ChatGPT for assistance in the kitchen ("What could I use instead of sesame oil?" she wondered.) But having to grab my phone with messy or bloody hands just isn't ideal. It would be great if I could simply ask, "Alexa, quickly create a vinaigrette recipe for me. Can you walk me through it step-by-step? Also, I don't have any red wine vinegar, but I do have mustard, olive oil, and balsamic,” and Alexa would just talk me through it.

Once more, Amazon showcased this particular feature at its recent Alexa+ event last month, extending it to demonstrate that Alexa could also place grocery orders through a collaborating partner such as Whole Foods. However, achieving the ability to converse naturally with Alexa regarding common culinary queries—like "What is the safe internal temperature for pork?" —without responding with “I don’t know the answer, but here are some web search results,” would mark significant progress. In fact, I might even let my printer stay idle the next time I plan on whipping up something in the kitchen.

Answer my random questions

Our household has countless queries about pretty much anything (thanks to our curious 13-year-old daughter), yet I cringe whenever someone asks, say, "Alexa, what's an interesting activity to try in Baltimore?" The reason being, Alexa either won't have the information or might provide a haphazard response, leading someone else to command Alexa to "stop," which only makes matters worse as it ignores them, causing further frustration.

A friendlier version of Alexa+ might prevent those spontaneous queries from turning into noisy disagreements. It could facilitate a smoother exchange where you can pose follow-up questions for better understanding, and get well-organized answers that are both pertinent and engaging. Apps like ChatGPT and Google Gemini already have these sophisticated conversation features. So, activating Alexa+ through an Echo device for everyday inquiries would likely be quite straightforward.

Certainly, if Alexa+ could implement an action based on our discussion—such as reserving one of those intriguing activities it discovered in Baltimore—we would truly be onto something. This brings me to my subsequent point.

Act on my behalf

During the unveiling of the updated Alexa, one key point emphasized by Amazon was that unlike ChatGPT and Gemini, this new version of Alexa won't merely be confined to a chat interface. Rather, it will have the capability to do more than just converse; it will be able to do things for you.

During Amazon’s presentation, they showcased how Alexa+ can assist you in locating a local carpet cleaner who employs natural products, scheduling an appointment for you, and adding it directly to your calendar. Simple as that.

Sure thing! Here’s an alternative version of your statement:
In yet another instance from everyday life, I’ve turned to ChatGPT to assist me in locating budget-friendly real estate options in New York City. (Hear the chuckles.) Although ChatGPT has proven somewhat helpful in pinpointing listings that match my requirements, it falls short when tasked with actively seeking out and alerting me to newly listed properties. Additionally, it cannot handle scheduling property viewings either.

However, if I could have a daily conversation with Alexa+ regarding my aspirations in real estate, or if it could notify me whenever it discovers an appealing open house and adds it to my schedule, or perhaps even complete a real estate agent’s online form for me, that would be cool.

Amazon has been highlighting Alexa+'s capabilities as an artificial intelligence assistant, and it can Apparently, it can automatically complete web forms on its own, which means the type of capability I'm referring to could be realistically achieved. I am looking forward to seeing this in action.

Stop interrupting me

How often have you found yourself startled as Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri suddenly starts speaking for no apparent reason? You might be relaxing in your kitchen when you hear Alexa babbling away in what seems like your child's unoccupied room, or perhaps Siri interjects with a soft "mmh mm?" mistaking ambient noise for being called upon.

One of the reasons we put away most of our Alexa speakers (and I'm considering deactivating the microphones on our leftover Google Assistant and Siri gadgets) is because they frequently interrupt us, intrude into discussions, and respond to non-existent commands.

What I'm hoping for is that the new AI Alexa will be intelligent enough not to activate every time it detects what it believes to be the "Alexa" wake word, or if does by chance speak out, and it politely steps aside when we say, "Not talking to you, Alexa."