Verizon’s Alexa-powered Echo Show rival just revealed by FCC

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Verizon's Alexa-powered Echo Show rival just revealed by FCC

(Epitome credit: Verizon/FCC)

A Verizon branded filing with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) suggests an interesting bit of hardware is just around the corner. The FCC list, first spotted past Protocol, reveals that the visitor is working on an Echo Show style smart screen with a modified version of Alexa built in.

Rather than using the usual "Alexa" wake word, the smart screen volition apparently be woken by a person maxim "How-do-you-do Verizon" instead. That means that Verizon is likely using Amazon's Alexa Custom Assistant plan that was first unveiled in Jan, which not just allows custom wake words, but a dissimilar vox and set of skills too.

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How far the device will diverge from smart screens like the Echo Evidence and Nest Hub remains to be seen, only the key specs are there on the listings for all to see. The device will sport an 8-inch 1280 ten 800 brandish with front-facing photographic camera that tin can exist blocked via a switch on superlative of the device for privacy. So, its closest competitor looks to be the Echo Bear witness 8.

Pictures of the bottom of the device evidence the name "Verizon Smart Display", and a large Dolby Sound logo. Curiously, there'due south a USB port next to the power jack, and information technology'll take 4GB RAM, 16GB of internal storage and back up Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and 4G connections co-ordinate to the manual.

The manual also mentions the BlueJeans video conferencing service which was caused by Verizon last year. At the time, the company said that BlueJeans would be "deeply integrated into Verizon's 5G product roadmap" with a item focus on "high growth areas such as telemedicine, altitude learning and field service work."

While the smart screen only mentions 4G rather than 5G, that alone is a curious inclusion. Smart screens typically brand utilize of Wi-Fi simply, considering they're generally not intended to move from identify to identify. The inclusion of LTE connectivity indicates that Verizon sees this as a weakness to the existing devices out at that place, and perhaps in that location is a market for a more than portable dedicated screen for video conferencing, fugitive the need to multitask via laptop webcam.

At the time of writing, just 2 smart screens make it into our listing of the best smart speakers: the Google Nest Hub Max and the Echo Testify 8, with the list dominated past dedicated speakers without displays. It will exist interesting to encounter if the Verizon Smart Screen brings anything new to the tabular array that makes a built-in screen a must-have feature in the future.

• More than: The best smart home devices in 2021

Freelance contributor Alan has been writing about tech for over a decade, covering phones, drones and everything in between. Previously Deputy Editor of tech site Alphr, his words are institute all over the web and in the occasional mag also. When not weighing up the pros and cons of the latest smartwatch, you'll probably find him tackling his ever-growing games excess. Or, more likely, playing Spelunky for the millionth time.

Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/news/verizon-seems-to-be-working-on-an-alexa-powered-echo-show-rival

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