[Nfbktad] FW: Amazon Echo can hail Uber

[slery]

This article left out Google's assistant. A pretty glaring error.

 

Cindy

 

From: Nfbktad [mailto:nfbktad-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Gatton, Tonia
(OFB-LV) via Nfbktad
Sent: Tuesday, February 09, 2016 8:41 AM
Cc: Gatton, Tonia (OFB-LV) <Tonia.Gatton at ky.gov>
Subject: [Nfbktad] FW: Amazon Echo can hail Uber

 

Here's an article a coworker ran across on CNET.  

Have an Amazon Echo? Need an Uber ride? You can now use the former to get
the latter.

 <http://www.cnet.com/products/amazon-echo-review/> Amazon's Echo, a
cloud-connected wireless speaker that acts as your personal assistant via
voice commands, now supports Uber, the ride-hailing service announced in a
<https://devblog.uber.com/alexa-your-uber-is-arriving-now/> blog Friday.
Instead of using the Uber mobile app to request a ride, you can just ask
Alexa, Echo's voice assistant, to request that an Uber driver come pick you
up.

The ability to hail Uber is just the latest feature to be added to the Echo,
which can already play music, give you weather updates or tell you who's
playing in the Super Bowl. The voice-controlled device is just one of a
handful of digital assistants out there, including Apple's Siri and
Microsoft's Cortana.

You can hail your ride on the Echo using specific voice commands such as
"Alexa, ask Uber to get me a ride" or "Alexa, order me an Uber." You can
also find out when your ride will arrive by saying, "Alexa, how far away is
my Uber?" Alexa will also
<http://www.theverge.com/2016/2/5/10919760/amazon-echo-uber-alexa-api-integr
ation> reportedly accept more generic commands such as "Get me a taxi" or
"Call me a ride," since the device will associate taxis and rides
specifically with Uber as a result of the new integration.

Echo is Amazon's attempt to take advantage of the growing interest in using
your voice to control devices in your home as well as outside services. Some
other things you can do with the Echo include searching for information,
checking your calendar appointments, getting traffic reports, listening to
the latest news and sports scores, setting up alarms and to-do lists and
controlling certain smart-home appliances.

In a bid to outdo Siri and Cortana, Amazon Echo has been teaming up with
more outside services lately. The
<http://www.cnet.com/news/amazon-echo-syncs-with-spotify-to-bring-more-music
-into-the-mix/> device now supports Spotify's paid premium version, so you
can fire up your favorite tunes and playlists by telling Alexa to play a
specific artist, album or song.

Want some food to accompany your music? Through Echo,
<http://www.cnet.com/news/amazon-echo-can-order-delivery-from-dominos-for-th
e-super-bowl/> you can also order pizza or check on a delivery courtesy of
the new integration with food chain Domino's. Just ask Alexa something like
"Order me a large pizza from Domino's," and the pie will arrive at your
door.

To enable services to work with Echo, you first have to tie your Echo
account into your profile with the specific service itself. For example, to
use Uber with your Echo, you first set your Echo's location in the Settings
section of your Alexa smartphone app. Then you turn on the Uber skill in the
Skills section of the app where you link your Uber account, according to
Uber's blog post.

Echo's advantage is that it directly supports specific services, so your
voice command can be simple and succinct. Voice assistants such as Siri and
Cortana may be more versatile but they often require more steps to perform
specific actions and don't always understand what you're asking.

 

 

Dianne Lanyi, M.Ed.,COMS

Orientation & Mobility Specialist

Kentucky Office for the Blind

8412 Westport Rd

Louisville KY 40242

502-429-4460 

 

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