Alexa lets you share songs with friends via Echo devices

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It's possible to use your Echo smart speaker to send song recommendations to friends. Amazon announced a music sharing feature that lets you share tracks with your Alexa contacts using Echo devices or the Alexa app. Tell Alexa to "share this song with" and state the contact. The recipient can listen to the song on whatever streaming service they have and send a reaction to it your way. 

The voice assistant will try and look for the song on services available to you and your recipient. If it doesn't find it, it'll get a station based on the artist's name and song title. The feature requires you and your contact to have Alexa Communications enabled. Amazon said this is "just the beginning" for the sharing feature, so other sharing capabilities might soon be heading our way.

Source: Engadget

This Alexa command will remind you of upcoming events

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A new Alexa command that has rolled out in the US will help you remember upcoming events. All you have to ask Alexa is to "tell me when" an event happens. It will answer your query and simultaneously set a reminder for when that event occurs. You can use it for everything from major sports events, TV show air dates, emails from contacts, holidays, and the like.

This new command is part of Amazon's new strategy to determine your intent instead of merely answering your question. There might be more of these responses in the future. And we're certainly hoping it makes its way here.

Source: Engadget

Amazon launches its first TV, only available in India

Amazon is another company that uses India as a testing ground for new product lines. The company just introduced two new televisions under its AmazonBasics brand. Both have Fire OS preinstalled and come with 55- and 50-inch models at US$480 (around CA$612) and US$410 (CA$522), respectively. 

Like other TVs in its price range, both have 4K LED displays that support HDR 10, HLG, and Dolby Vision. And as Amazon products, these support Alexa voice remote and Fire OS 7, but the televisions don't have the newest version of its Fire TV interface. Amazon plans to introduce three additional models, with two smaller, more affordable 1080p and 720p models.

Source: Engadget

Amazon Echo devices add group video and audio calling support

Source: Amazon

If you'd rather not use Zoom, Amazon is rolling out a new group video or audio calling for Echo devices. Amazon originally announced the feature in September, but it's rolling it out just in time for the holidays. It will allow up to seven participants to join the audio or video call on supported devices, including the Echo, Echo Dot, and Echo Show. Canada is one of the 14 countries to get the feature. Other countries getting the support include Austria, Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, the US, and the UK.

You can create and name groups for these calls through the Alexa app. The app will soon get support for group calls, too. You will be able to add adult contacts into groups, with friends and family having the option to opt into group calling. If you're wondering if it works with Alexa, it does. You can say commands like "Alexa, call my family" to connect to a group you've created. There are currently no limits to the call's duration.

Source: The Verge