Hello Alexa!

Amazon has taken time to bring its AI-powered Echo series of smart speakers to India but the wait has been worth it.

- Tushar Kanwar

YOU WALK IN exhausted after a long day at work and just need some soothing retro tracks to unwind. Just say, "Alexa, play some Mohammed Rafi songs” and, without having to lift a finger, your smart speaker will leap into action and start playing some golden oldies in your living room. You want to power down for the night, and all you have to say is, “Alexa, good night”, which can set up a 6:30 a.m. alarm and turn off the bedroom lights. These slices from a Jetsonian future are a reality today, with Amazon’s AI-powered Echo series of smart speakers — all you have to say is the wake word “Alexa”, and the speaker lights up to indicate that the virtual assistant is listening for your next command. Now, whether that’s asking the spelling of a complex word, playing some music, ordering some detergent, calling a cab or relaying the latest news or the match score — Alexa, the voice- enabled assistant, is ready to do your bidding.