Amazon surprises everyone, announces the Echo

The people at Amazon must have been bored today.  Out of the blue they announced the Amazon Echo.  The Echo is a do it all gadget, that combines a voice controlled personal assistant and bluetooth speaker.  While this seems like an unlikely combination, the Amazon Echo looks like something that almost anyone could find a use for.

Once setup, you use a “wake word” to get the Echo going.  You can follow the wake word with just about any command you want.  You can ask questions, set reminders or alarms, play music and even add items to your shopping lists.  Amazon says you can even talk to the Echo when you have music playing.  It will be interesting to see where Amazon takes the Echo from here.  If it is successful, will Amazon let us order stuff over the Echo?

If you are interested in an Echo, you need to request an invitation from Amazon.  If you are given an invitation it will come in the next few weeks.  The Echo will cost $199 for non-prime customers and $99 for prime members.  You can request an invitation here.

Source Amazon