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13 Alexa-enabled smart home and car gifts that are perfect for people who love tech
13 Alexa-enabled smart home and car gifts that are perfect for people who love tech
Connie Chen,Connie ChenSep 26, 2019, 20:01 IST
Amazon
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Many people know Amazon's voice assistant Alexa from Amazon devices such as Echo speakers.
But many products from brands like Sonos and Ecobee also have Alexa built in, giving you the convenience of a voice assistant in a pair of headphones or thermostat.
Below you'll find 13 devices with Alexa built in, all of which make great gifts.
The desire for speed and convenience seems to be hardwired into human behavior. The less energy we expend to accomplish our tasks, the better - that's why voice assistants like Amazon's Alexa are thriving right now.
Alexa is primarily known for living inside Amazon devices like the Echo Dot, but it turns out you don't actually have to own an Echo speaker to take advantage of Alexa's capabilities. Many everyday devices like headphones and car dash cams from non-Amazon brands have Alexa built in, allowing you to do things you thought you could only accomplish with an Echo speaker.
These gifts are all perfect for anyone who loves the convenience of Alexa and is always tinkering around to create the most seamless smart home setup.
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If your main priority is a good music-listening experience, splurge for this smart speaker, which fills your room with clear, rich sound. You can use Alexa to play and control your music without ever lifting a finger, and you can also use it to control the other smart home devices in your place.
Frequent Facebook users should consider Portal, the Alexa-enabled device that keeps them connected to their friends and family. It has a smart camera for video chatting and taking photos that adjusts and widens the camera view automatically as you move in and out of the frame, and a Super Frame feature that displays Facebook photos, videos, and birthday reminders.
These headphones cut out surrounding noise so you can focus completely on the music. Ask Alexa to turn down the volume, add to your to-do list, and tell you about tomorrow's weather without skipping a beat.
This advanced sound bar is the perfect tech accessory to enhance your movie- and TV-watching experience. You'll enjoy the action-packed scenes of the latest thriller and crisp dialogue from your favorite drama at their best quality. If you have a Fire TV device, you can combine their capabilities, but the Beam-only Alexa features are pretty convenient even on their own if you don't.
The Room Sensor measures room occupancy and temperature, then signals to the thermostat whether to adjust to a comfortable temperature or switch to energy-saving mode, a cool feature that can save homeowners up to 23% on their annual bills. Of course, you can adjust the temperature yourself, too, through the app and Alexa voice commands.
These Jabra earbuds offer a truly wireless listening experience as well as IP55-rated resistance against water, sweat, and dust. Through the app's customizable equalizer, you can find the exact sound you want.
First Alert Smart Hardwired Smoke + Carbon Monoxide Alarm
First Alert has been making home safety devices for decades, but the Onelink Safe & Sound could be its most innovative one yet. It's a reliable smoke sensor and carbon monoxide detector with a 10-year battery backup, as well as an Alexa-enabled speaker. It's also compatible with the Apple HomeKit.
Get this smart switch for all your lighting needs, from turning the lights on and off automatically whenever you enter and leave the room to turning on the outdoor lights when sunset arrives. If you have the aforementioned Ecobee Smart Thermostat, this switch can also act as an additional Room Sensor.
One advantage of this home speaker over the Sonos is the screen that shows you the album art and name of the song currently playing. With a custom-designed eight-microphone array, it can hear your commands even if you're way across the room or speaking over the music. There are also six presets so multiple users can customize their experiences with the speaker.
This slim sound bar features built-in Dolby and DTS surround sound. It's also Fire TV-compatible and has built-in support for all the major music services. To further strengthen your home theater setup, it includes a wireless subwoofer for powerful bass.
Quickly charge up your devices with Anker's signature PowerIQ tech, your indispensable car ride companion. At the same time, you can get directions to your destination, listen to an audiobook to make the drive more interesting, and call your friends while keeping your eyes on the road.
A dash cam is a smart investment that pays off if you get into an accident or need proof of anything that happens on your drive. With built-in Alexa, this one is literally "smart," letting you add Alexa voice commands on top of Garmin's useful driver assistance features like forward-collision and lane departure warnings.
This Amazon-centric phone comes pre-installed with all the necessary apps: Shopping, Music, Audible, and Alexa. Some highlights of this affordable device include a 12MP and 5MP dual camera, fingerprint sensor and facial recognition, and TurboPower charging, which gives you nine hours of power from just 15 minutes of charging.