Amazon is releasing a software update for its Echo range of smart speakers that enables households with multiple Echos to use them as room-to-room intercoms (via TechCrunch).
Once the new feature is set up, users are able to select a speaker in a specific room and communicate with it one-to-one - to call the kids to dinner from the kitchen Echo, for example.
To enable the function, users must first give a distinctive name (such as a room) to each Echo in their household and enable the Drop-In feature using the Alexa app.
The intercom system works through household groups created during the setup process, meaning it's not limited to speakers on the same Wi-Fi, so it's possible to communicate with Echo-owning friends or relatives in a different area code, for instance. Users can also use the feature away from home using the Alexa app.
The Drop-In feature first appeared on Amazon's new Echo Show with integrated display, with some reviewers finding the video aspect a little intrusive. Similarly, there doesn't seem to be a way to block the intercom audio on the standard Echo range, so it's worth keeping this in mind before enabling it.
The update is rolling out to the Echo family of speakers this week.
Top Rated Comments
Can't wait for this technology to become small enough to fit in my pocket and cart around with me.
[doublepost=1498560829][/doublepost]How preposterous. You'll also be saying we can watch images of people in our living rooms that aren't actually physically there next!
Seriously, this seems like an eavesdrop waiting to happen. I don't typically buy into conspiracy theories, but If I recall correctly this is the same company that stripped the encryption out their OS and now they want to interconnect all of these two way speakers.
I was never going to set up Drop In. But if I can set it up just for this feature, I might.