It’s getting closer and closer… Amazon Echo Auto. The alternative for Siri and Google. It did turn up in the UK and Ireland…so what’s next?
Where the Netherlands often leads the way when it comes to gadgets and adopting new technical gadgets, we are always one of the last in line when it comes to smart assistants and the like. This undoubtedly has to do with the fact that Dutch is just a very small language area. Most of the time they launch in English spoken countries (read: the US). And they are less focused on non-English speakers.
The copies of Amazon still do not speak Dutch, for example. You have to speak English or German with Amazon… ah well. Not really convenient, but because Amazon finally has an official office in the Netherlands, it might one day make some headway. The English and Irish are luckier. They can now also use the Amazon Echo Auto.
Does not work in every car
That Amazon Echo Auto was officially launched in 2018. Back then it was released in the US. Eight microphones and far-field microphone technology means that Alexa can hear you even in windy and noisy situations.
The compact device costs only £50 British Pounds, so that’s not too bad. According to Amazon, the system doesn’t work in every car (equally well). According to the company it all works very well in cars that don’t have Apple CarPlay or Android Auto on board… Well, wait and see if the thing finally comes our way. So you can play music by voice, check calendars and fire all kinds of questions at Alexa when you threaten to fall asleep alone on that endless polder road.