Amazon has launched the new Echo Show 16 smart display with built-in Fire TV alongside Alexa Home Map, an interactive 3D layout that lets users control connected devices and monitor activity around their homes.Amazon launches Echo Show 16 and Alexa's 3D smart home map. Amazon is giving Alexa users a new way to manage their homes, bringing connected devices, security camera feeds and everyday controls into an interactive 3D map.
The company has also unveiled a redesigned Echo Show 16, a large-screen smart display that combines home management with streaming entertainment and family planning tools.The new Alexa Home Map offers a digital view of a property's interior and outdoor areas, while the Echo Show 16 is designed to serve as a central screen for household activities. Both products are part of Amazon's latest effort to expand the role of Alexa beyond voice commands.Alexa Home Map turns a home into an interactive 3D viewKeeping track of several smart home devices can mean switching between different controls and remembering which device does what.
Amazon's new Alexa Home Map aims to make this easier by bringing compatible devices together in a single visual layout. Users can locate their Echo speakers, Ring and Blink cameras, Fire TV devices, lights, locks and thermostats on the map, then control supported functions directly.
They can, for instance, switch off lights or adjust music volume without having to locate the relevant device by name.The map also provides a view of activity outside the home. With compatible Ring cameras, users can see animated representations of people and vehicles moving around their property.
Camera movement alerts can bring up small live previews, while an interactive timeline lets users review footage from the previous 24 hours across their cameras. Setting up the map requires users to enter their home address and scan individual rooms using a compatible iPhone.
They can then place their devices in the appropriate locations on the layout, move between floors and filter the view to show particular categories of devices.Amazon says Alexa Home Map will begin rolling out in preview later this year. It will be available through the Alexa Home Map app on iOS, the Alexa and Ring apps, larger Echo Show displays, including the new Echo Show 16, and select other Amazon devices.Echo Show 16 gets a bigger screen and built-in Fire TV The new Echo Show 16 features a 16-inch Full HD display, with 10 per cent more viewing area than the Echo Show 15.
Its aluminium frame is nearly 40% thinner, and Amazon says the screen produces twice as vibrant colours as its predecessor. For households that want to use the device for entertainment, Amazon has built in the full Fire TV experience.
Users can access services such as Netflix, YouTube and Prime Video, browse recommendations and control playback using the included remote or Alexa.Audio comes from eight custom micro woofers and two tweeters. The device also features a 13-megapixel wide-angle camera for video calls, automatic framing and night vision.
A separate Nanomatte display option is designed to reduce reflections in brightly lit rooms. The screen can also function as a family organiser, displaying shared calendars, tasks and meal plans, or as a digital photo frame.
A customisable home screen lets users keep their preferred controls and services within easy reach.The standard Echo Show 16 costs $499.99, while the Nanomatte version is priced at $569.99. Pre-orders are open, with a $100 discount available to customers who order ahead of launch.
Amazon says shipments will begin later this year.- Ends