The ?? ?? ??watchful eye of Amazon just got smarter.
At its hardware release event Thursday, Amazon debuted its latest smart assistant with a screen, the Echo Show 10.
The Alexa device's latest nifty trick? If you move around a room while you're on a video call, the camera will follow you.
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This feature actually is pretty convenient if you're trying to multi-task while on a video call, or if you're doing some sort of presentation that requires you to move around. The camera supposedly "pans and zooms" to keep you centered and in focus.
Amazon calls this feature "intelligent movement." It specifies that "Alexa is not identifying a specific person, just a human shape," and that it makes these identifications entirely on-device, without sending data to the cloud. It also comes with a manual camera shutter you can physically slide to cover the lens, or cover it by saying "Alexa, turn off motion."
Facebook's Portal already offers this follow-you-around feature, so you have your choice of tech giants you want watching you: Facebook or Amazon.
That motorized camera can also come in handy if you're trying to helicopter parent. Users can access the Echo Show as a "remote camera" to keep an eye on their home, using another Echo Show or the Alexa app to watch a live feed. Curious about what's going on in the most deviant corners of your living room? You can "remotely rotate the screen" to surveil your living space and/or family members.
You can make video calls on Echo Show devices using Amazon's own Alexa calling system, or with Skype. Amazon announced that Zoom compatibility is coming later this fall.
If you want to get in on all that camera-moving, remote-calling action, the Echo Show 10 is available for preorder and costs $249.99.
UPDATE: Sept. 24, 2020, 11:08 a.m. PDT This article was updated with more information about pricing and features.
Topics Amazon