I wonder whether this might turn out to be a viable alternative to Microsoft’s Skype. Because the articles vary from country to country, the links don’t always work. So I’m posting some info about it below:
<SNIP>
Alexa Calling
Alexa Calling is a free service you can use to make calls to your
Alexa-to-Alexa contacts.
• About Alexa-to-Alexa Calling and Messaging
• Sign Up for Alexa-to-Alexa Calling and Messaging
• About Alexa Calling
• Make Calls Using an Echo Device
• Make Calls in the Alexa App
• Answer or Ignore Calls on Your Echo Device
Alexa Messaging
Alexa-to-Alexa Messaging helps you keep in touch with friends and family who
also have supported Echo devices or the Alexa app.
You can send voice messages using the Alexa app or an Alexa-powered device.
These include:
• Echo Dot
•Echo (First Generation)
• Echo Second Generation
• All New Echo Plus
• All New Echo Show
Simply register your mobile or cellular number with Amazon, verify the number,
import your contacts and you’re good to go!
Use our “Drop-In) feature for quick ways to call and message family and close
friends. Manage your “Drop-In” list so that only specified users have priority
access to your Alexa devices via Drop-In. All this is totally free of charge
for all Alexa device owners, or anybody who registers with the Alexa App.
This means that you can make calls to your Alexa-empowered friends and family
even if you don’t own an Alexa-powered device. Just download the Alexa app on
your Android or iOS11 device and then sign up to the service. It’s really that
simple!
We also have big news regarding the new range of Amazon Echo devices which ship
in October/November of 2017. The price of the Amazon Echo is reduced to just
£89.99, and the top of the range Echo Show will retail for £199.99. The Echo
Show sports 8 microphones, a 5MegaPixel camera and touch screen technologies.
Streaming via Wi-Fi is also supported, along with two-way streaming to/from
your mobile device, or stream to a Bluetooth speaker. Note that Bluetooth
speakers that require a PIN code are not supported.
</SNIP>
Now, a personal thought. Like Skype, the calling service also supports video
calling on the Alexa app or the Echo Show. Given that you can stream to a Wi-Fi
speaker, I just wonder whether Amazon is coming onboard with Play-Fi. If so, it
will be truly fantastic! Things are certainly moving fast in the technology
field right now. With the imminent release of the Google Home Mini, I just
wonder how long it will be until Google also comes up with a similar offering.
========================================
My compliments and kindest regards
Gordon Smith:
<[email protected]>
Accessibility & Information Technology Support Specialist..
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Contact:
• UK Free Phone:
0800 8620538
• UK Geographic / Global:
+44(0) 1642 688095
• UK Mobile/SMS:
+44 (0)7804 983849
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+61 38 82059300
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+1 646 9151493
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