My Week Living With Alexa+: Honest Review & Experience
ā¼ Summary
– The author has used Amazon’s Alexa for nearly a decade, starting with the original model and now testing various smart speakers for reviews.
– Alexa has been useful for controlling smart lights and playing music, but required patience to set up skills and smart-home devices.
– Alexa+, a new AI-enhanced version, is currently in early access, free for now but will eventually cost $20/month or be free for Prime subscribers.
– Alexa+ offers a more natural conversation experience, improved audio/visual features, and a less robotic voice compared to the original.
– While Alexa+ feels modern with generative AI, it isn’t groundbreaking compared to existing AI chatbots like ChatGPT but is a welcome update for smart speakers.
Living with Alexa+ for a week revealed surprising upgrades that make Amazon’s voice assistant feel more human than ever. After years of using various Alexa-enabled devices, testing the new Alexa+ version showed tangible improvements in conversational flow and smart home integration.
The early access program, currently free but eventually priced at $20 monthly (or included with Prime), delivers noticeable enhancements over standard Alexa. While core functions remain similar, interactions feel smoother and more intuitive. Gone are the days of rigid command structures, this iteration understands context better and responds with noticeably improved vocal tones.
What stands out most is how Alexa+ bridges the gap between traditional smart speakers and modern AI chatbots. Built with generative AI, it handles follow-up questions naturally, remembers preferences mid-conversation, and even suggests relevant actions without explicit prompts. For example, asking about the weather now often leads to proactive recommendations like adjusting the thermostat or scheduling outdoor activities.
Visually, the interface has been refined too. Responses appear cleaner on Echo Show screens, with prioritized information and less clutter. The voice itself sounds warmer, avoiding the robotic cadence that sometimes made earlier versions feel impersonal.
That said, Alexa+ isnāt revolutionary. Many features mirror what competitors like Google Assistant or Appleās Siri already offer. The real advantage lies in Amazonās ecosystem, seamless smart home control, tighter music integration, and existing user familiarity. For households already invested in Alexa devices, the upgrade feels worthwhile.
One limitation is availability. The waitlist system means access isnāt immediate, and Amazon hasnāt clarified a full rollout timeline. Early adopters should temper expectations; while polished, Alexa+ still occasionally misinterprets complex requests or defaults to web searches instead of leveraging its AI capabilities.
After seven days of relying on it for routines, entertainment, and home automation, Alexa+ proved itself as a meaningful step forward. It wonāt replace dedicated chatbots for research-heavy tasks, but for hands-free convenience, the improvements make everyday interactions genuinely enjoyable. Whether the subscription cost justifies the upgrade long-term depends on how deeply you use Alexa, but for power users, the difference is clear.
(Source: Wired)
