Amazon’s new tech enhances smart home capabilites

Amazon will be introducing a whole host of new programs, devices and features aimed at improving user experience and their abilities to assist in our daily tasks. Certified for Humans is a yet to be released program that will help customers make an informed decision when picking out a new smart home product. It is supposed to highlight devices that are easy to setup and work seamlessly with Alexa.

Once the program goes live, manufactures will be including the Certified Humans badge on their packaging to inform would-be buyers of their compatibility with Amazon’s Alexa system. If you thought Alexa to be extremely helpful now, things are going to get a lot better in the near future. Brands that are said to already be on the bandwagon include Philips Hue, Hamilton Beach and Kasa Smart by TP-Link.

There’s also a smart oven that retails for $249.99 which includes an Echo Dot. Touted as a 4-in-one appliance, the oven is a combination of a conventional oven, microwave, air fryer and food warmer. Since it is integrated with Alexa, users can heat the oven, start or stop cooking as well as be notified when the oven has been preheated, with voice mere commands.

Amazon has updated Alexa with more sophisticated features for Alexa guard too. Now, when Guard is set to away, and if an Echo device detects the sound of smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, or glass breaking, Alexa can send you Smart Alerts, via notifications on your phone. It can also notify you, if the sound of activity like footsteps, talking, coughing, or a door closing, is detected while Guard is in Away mode.

Just by saying, “Alexa, I’m heading out,” Guard when set to Away mode, will lock your doors, turn on the porch light and even arm your security system (depending on system integration). This adds an unprecedented level of convenience to our daily lives. Gone are the days when leaving our homes required prison guard-like door slams and key twists.

Also coming later this year is a new Alexa feature that keeps track of your supplies.Once activated, customers of Amazon products will be notified when their batteries require replacements, air filters require changing and when restocking new ink cartridges is necessary for printers running that are low on ink. You will receive a notification when said items requrie replenishing. When smart reordering is enabled, Alexa will be able to alleviate the tedium of having to do the restocking yourself, and simply make the purchases for you.

This plethora of new additions further enhances Amazon’s smart home appeal. Soon, you won’t need to lift a finger around the house because Alexa will be more than capable of handling your daily chores herself.