Amazon is releasing a major upgrade that will seriously boost devices, including the popular Fire TV Stick. The blockbuster update is all thanks to the launch of Alexa+, which is making Amazon’s popular personal assistant a whole lot smarter. Alexa+ will arrive in the US next month and then launch in other countries—such as the UK—later in the year, and it’s mightily impressive.
During Amazon’s launch event last week, the company showed how Alexa will be able to chat like a real person, organise family calendars, create instant lighting routines when you head on holiday for the week and even find video snippets from Ring cameras just by asking things like “Alexa, did anyone take the dog for walk.”
It’s all clever stuff, but one of the best demos during the event in New York revealed how Alexa+ will improve Amazon’s Fire TV Stick.
Once this AI upgrade launches, users will be able to listen to a song from a movie – via Prime Music – and then ask Alexa to show that exact scene on the TV – via Prime Video.
Having seen it in action, it works surprisingly well with the Fire TV Stick, instantly launching the app, finding the correct film and skipping to the right moment within a matter of seconds.
“Jump to your favourite scene on Prime Video,” Amazon confirmed.
“Ask Alexa+ to jump to a specific scene in a movie on Prime Video without having to fast-forward just by using details like the actor or character’s name, or a quote. For example, just say “what’s that movie where Bradley Cooper sings a duet? Jump to that scene…” and it will play on your Fire TV.”
It should take all the hassle out of searching for things to watch and trying to remember where a favourite part of a movie is.
Alexa+ is clearly impressive and her capabilities appear endless. However, this update won’t be free with users in the US being asked to stump $19.99 per month (£16) or subscribe to a Prime account.
It’s a pretty high price to pay, but this is a massive update from Amazon that will make Alexa feel more human and less like a robot.
If you want to know more, Express.co.uk was in New York to see the changes and you can read our first impressions here.
