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Amazon won over viewers with its Alexa Super Bowl commercial over the weekend, which featured actor Chris Hemsworth comparing his real-life wife Elsa Pataky over her conversations with the new Alexa+. The 60-second spot finds Hemsworth increasingly paranoid (and dare we say, a little unhinged?) as he grows convinced that Alexa+ is plotting his demise. Of course, the kicker is that Alexa+ is actually doing the oppositeworking to try and help Hemsworth manage the tasks and to-dos in his everyday life.
The new ad featured Hemsworth and Pataky interacting with the all-new Amazon Echo Show 11, an Alexa-enabled smart display that functions as a speaker, smart home hub, video display and digital picture frame. The Echo Show 11 also features Alexa+, the “next generation AI assistant” that promises to deliver smarter, easier, more personalized content tailored to what you're looking for — and what you need Alexa for.
NEWEST MODEL
Amazon Echo Show 11
More than 5,000 shoppers have purchased this in recent weeks, according to Amazon stats.
Worth noting: while Hemsworth's Super Bowl ad (jokingly) finds the actor convinced that Alexa+ is watching and listening to his every move, Amazon stresses that it's just football game fiction — not fact. In fact, the retailer tells Rolling Stone that it takes privacy extremely seriously, stressing that “Alexa+ is built with trust and privacy in mind.”
Echo devices — like the new Echo Show — don't store audio or video anywhere, and nothing is sent to the cloud unless the “wake word” is spoken. The most common “wake word” is “Alexa,” of course, but users can change it to other words, including “Amazon,” “Computer” and “Ziggy” (reportedly after David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust). That avoids accidentally turning the device on, say, if your name is actually Alexaor if you happen to mention “Amazon” in passing (here's more information on how to change the “wake word” on your device).
You'll also always know when Alexa is sending your request to the cloud because a light or indicator will appear on the screen or an audio tone will sound on your Echo device. Amazon says it has also “implemented various systems, such as filters and automatic content classifiers, designed to provide a trustworthy experience for customers.” And if you want to turn off Alexa's listening capabilities altogether, simply press the off button on the microphone. You can also adjust privacy settings on your Alexa app.
Hemsworth's Super Bowl ad does make one thing clear: from weather reports to workout tips, Alexa+ offers a full range of helpful features designed to make your daily life a little less stressful. Alexa+ can also call you an Uber ride, suggest healthy recipes based on your grocery lists and even book you a spa or massage.
The 11-inch HD touchscreen is great for watching shows and movies but it can also be used to take video calls or as a security camera to check in on your space when you are away. The built-in speaker promises “room-filling spatial audio,” with “crisper vocals, wider sound stage, and up to 2x bass” versus the Echo Show 8, for. arelease. Use Alexa to search for artists, call up a favorite album or set a playlist.
And when not in use, the screen doubles as a digital picture frame, displaying a favorite photo or scrolling through a personal slideshow that Alexa can customize from your albums.
Watch Hemsworth and Pataky's Alexa+ Super Bowl ad above, and see Amazon's full range of Alexa-enabled devices here. Prime members can start using Alexa+ by saying, “Alexa, upgrade to Alexa+” on their device.
