Will Anyone Actually Buy The Amazon Echo?

Move over Jibo the worlds first family robot, Amazon Echo is here. Technology should just work. No flipping through menus to get what you want, no endless mouse clicks, swipes, or taps. The future is speaking to personal AI assistants to get what you want done. The technology does all the heavy lifting not you.

That’s why when I was offered to purchase the Echo with my Amazon Prime subscription I put in my request. Amazon sent a notification letting me know I could purchase it in a couple weeks for $99 if selected. I’m not sure how Amazon plans to pick its first customers, but I hope I get to try one. The reason why I want one is the Echo makes a lot of things simple, even easier then your cell phone. The Echo is always on, plugged in (No charging), always there, you just tell it what to do and it does it. Like play the news, check the weather, alarms, play music, put this item on my shopping list, how do you spell something, math conversions, reminders, etc.

Argument Against Amazon Echo

The argument against Echo is why not just use your smart phone? Think about it you first have to find where you left your phone last, check if it has a full charge, check your data limit if playing music, answering incoming calls, texts, FB messaged, Tweets and other distractions. A phone is not a dedicated personal assistant it’s more of a distraction creator. To use some virtual phone assistants you first turn on the phone, press the assistant button, and ask a question. That’s the problem with technology right there. The turning on, the endless menus, swiping, and tapping. The whole point of technology is to just work, if I have to endlessly program technology in order for it to function properly it has already failed.

Privacy concerns? Sure there are many and Amazon says there will be a “wake word” so it’s not always listening. Amazon will need a airtight privacy policy to quell fears over Echo being used a listening device in your home for marketing purposes. You can always just unplug it, it’s not that much different then the Kinect.

Amazon Echo Commercial