This week, Amazon introduced a new feature for their Echo device that changes the game entirely. When we talked to Alexa tech support last year, they were still wrangling with FCC regulations that prevented the Echo from being used as a phone supplement. With this new update, the Amazon Echo (or Dot) can be used almost as you would Skype—but without the video screen. Amazon Echo calling allows anyone who has enabled the feature to contact each other with just voice activation. If that doesn’t sound exciting, let us catch you up.
Imagine you’re in the kitchen cooking. Your hands are covered in butter or you’ve just touched raw chicken. You remember you need a carton of eggs. Now you can just say, “Alexa, call _____” and make a call to get your significant other to pick one up. How is this different from Siri or even Google Assistant, you ask? If you have an iPhone 6s or later, you can use “Hey Siri” whenever you want to wake up your phone. But you’ve probably also experienced the frustration of shouting at your phone to get it to activate Siri, and then to make the call. With Alexa, it just works. Well, as long as you’ve got Amazon calling set up with the person you want to call.
This feature could be particularly helpful for elderly relatives. If something should happen where they need assistance, they can easily call you or any other contacts in their Alexa app. And because the Echo is not JUST an “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” device, there may be a bit less resistance to integrating it in their lives. They can use it to set timers, get the weather, listen to favorite radio programs or audio books, play music, and so much more. Because Amazon’s Alexa developer have opened up their source code, people are coming up with new apps and features all the time.
Activating Amazon Echo Calling
If you haven’t done so within the last week, you’ll need to update your Alexa app. In the newly updated version, you’ll see a “talk bubble” icon at the bottom of the screen. This will show a list of all your contacts who have the updated app and are available for calling or messaging. When you call one of your contacts in the Alexa app (by simply saying, “Alexa, call [name of contact]”), her phone and/or Alexa devices will ring. That’s right—you don’t necessarily need an Amazon Echo or Dot to use Amazon’s calling feature. You could theoretically use your Echo to call a friend who doesn’t have one, so long as she has the app. That said, Morgan Stanley reported back in January that over 11 million Echoes had been sold so far, so it’s not unlikely that your desired contact will have one. And the Echo Dot is only $49.99, making the barrier to entry quite low.
When a friend calls you using the Amazon Echo’s new feature, your phone, tablet, and/or Echo devices will ring. The light ring on those devices will light up. The call clarity is surprisingly good. And if you can’t or don’t want to answer the call in time, your Echo’s ring will flash green until you pick up the message. And one last feature that you might either find useful or eerie, you’ll be able to see your messages transcribed in the Alexa app.
Any Concerns?
The fact that the Echo is always on and listening for its wake word (“Alexa”) has generated legitimate concern in security-minded circles. You might remember the Arkansas murder case in which Amazon released Echo data, dropping its resistance where they originally cited First Amendment protections. In that case, the defendant volunteered the data because he said he was not guilty. That said, there probably wasn’t a lot of useful data to hand over in the first place.
At least for now, the Echo is not recording every word you say. Nor is it sending an audio stream of every sound in your house to one of its servers. The staggering amount of data collected would not allow Amazon to serve you better. Instead, it records audio for a few seconds after you say the wake word. That data is sent to Amazon’s servers, but it is encrypted. And the Echo isn’t the only microphone that might be listening to you all day long. If you want to maintain complete security hygiene, you would also need to get rid of your smart TV and your smartphone, and probably your desktop or laptop computer too. You can learn a bit more about security concerns with recording devices in this Wired article.
Breaking news: some outlets are reporting that Amazon Echo calling doesn’t let you block people you don’t want to call you. Oops. Well, Amazon tech support will be tackling that problem pretty soon, no doubt.
As for us, we think the advantages of the Echo outweigh the security concerns, and we recognize that it’s a bit of a lost cause. But stay tuned—we’re going to talk about creepy marketing techniques next week. Meanwhile, if you have a question, be sure to contact us!
