In the last few years we have seen Amazon offering different sets of products that are invading our homes in a truly positive way. The Internet product sales company is turning into a multimedia mogul and it is possible to find a streaming service from it as well as several devices integrated to the several smart gadgets present at our houses.
The top of the products offer from this company is the voice operating Program Alexa which offers a vast repertoire of skill and other products compatible with the software. One of these products, from the same company, is the Echo device which is properly used in recent times to provide security to your own home. Although they may seem a perfect match, there are some slight differences in functions and working system in the security area.
Both products are great at their respective usage, but one is deeply more dependable than the other and it will be a good deal to have a clear idea how these two Amazon related items work and what they offer in the home security area
What is Alexa and its functions
Created in 1996, and a property of Amazon since 1999, Alexa is a web traffic data and analytics that provides information to user about the different web sites and it has turned into one of the most demanded smart assistant in the market thanks to the increasing demands of smartphones in the market.
This app has been involved in many functions that reach other devices than computers alone, so we can use the AI assistant for almost every single thing in daily life. From music alarms for important events like birthdays or daily routines, giving you a great deal of choices to select the song of your preference; to creating reminders and set some events in your busy calendar – even though this elemental function was not available until recent times. The software can be also used to make phone calls and send messages; although the free telephone calling service is limited to the United States and Canada and the messages are limited to the Alexa App exclusively.
But the limits of this smart assistant do not end there; it can be used as integrated part of your already installed security system thanks to the compatibility of many of them with Alexa. Furthermore, it can turn into an own security system when it is used with another device from the company: the Echo.
The Amazon Echo Device
The Echo device is a voice-controlled speaker closely associated with the Alexa Assistant software. The capacity of the device is not limited to the voice command function, it can also be used for music playback, schedule organizer, alarm clock, podcast streaming, playing audiobooks, and provide updated information about traffic or other real-time news. By using this device you can also control different smart devices as this Amazon product can perfectly function as home automation hub.
To make this device work for the very first time, you have to use the word “Alexa” before telling the command to perform; but this can be changed for other terms such as “Amazon”, “Echo” or “Computer”.
As with all devices produced and backed by Amazon, the Echo devices are constantly being updated and provided with bug solutions when they are shown. Furthermore, all intelligent functions lies in the cloud, so most of the times the updating is not necessary to be done since the services from the device can still be provided without the required updating.
Echo and Alexa Protect your House.
One of the greatest features of these Amazon products is the possibility to turn them into a Home Security System without further complications.
For instance, Alexa can be integrated with no problems to almost every single alarm system already installed in your living or working place. Go to the settings and check all the possible connections you can have with existing devices.
But most of all Alexa works in perfect combination with the Echo device since they were created to mix in perfect unison as one depend on the other to function perfectly. And in the Home Security area, Echo and Alexa are a perfect combination to control all smart devices that can be found at your home. So if you want to turn Alexa into the head commander of your house security system, an Echo device is necessary; so competition among these two Amazon products is not an issue, they need one another to provide the right security feeling to your family and, mostly, you as the primary user of the software and hardware.
But keep in mind that the Echo devices are no longer operative if they are not activated by Alexa and the compatibility of the Echo Speaker, Screen or Show with other smart devices at home is strictly dependable of the Alexa involvement into the integration of every single smart gadget to the Echo devices.
So making it clear that Alexa is the primary head into all the Echo system of communication, it is through it that you are going to set all the alarming functions, smart locks controls, camera functioning, motion sense installed and then monitor each of them by using the Echo devices as the center of communication with each one of them.
And as time goes by, several smart gadgets appearing in the market are taking Alexa as one of the compatible AI Assistant for their operations. It is very common to see how many alarm systems respond quickly to voice commands given to Alexa as well as smart bulbs turning on and off immediately and security cameras are controlled by your smartphone with Alexa commands provided.
Indeed, an Echo device is necessary to know if Alexa is doing the job properly, but these devices are completely useless as home security centers if it were not by the existence of Alexa as the primary program that controls the Echo devices and connect them with the rest of the smart machines all over your house or office.