Latest news with #EricSveum
Mint
10 hours ago
- Mint
Waiting for Alexa+? Make your Echo speaker smarter with these 3 hacks
Amazon's new Alexa Plus upgrade is gradually making its way to Echo users, with the rollout expanding since its launch in late March 2025. According to Amazon spokesperson Eric Sveum, more than a million users now have access to Alexa Plus, a significant jump from the 'hundreds of thousands' reported just a month ago. Sveum confirmed to The Verge that Alexa Plus is being deployed to compatible Echo speakers and smart displays 'at an increasing pace,' and will continue to be 'more broadly available over the summer.' Despite this progress, many Echo users are still awaiting the update. While Alexa Plus promises a more conversational, generative AI-based assistant experience, the staggered rollout means not everyone will get it at the same time. In the meantime, there are still several ways to get more from your current Echo setup. Here are three features users can activate today to enhance their Alexa experience while waiting for Alexa Plus. 1. BBC Sounds integration for podcasts and radio Echo speakers work seamlessly with streaming services, but adding the BBC Sounds skill offers a wider variety of live radio and podcast content. To enable it, simply go to the 'Skills & Games' section in the Alexa app and search for 'BBC Sounds.' Once signed into a BBC account, you can access BBC Radio stations or resume podcast episodes by voice commands. You can try voice commands like: 'Alexa, play BBC Radio 1' 'Alexa, launch BBC Sounds' BBC Sounds is especially great for listeners who enjoy music-focused channels, current affairs or entertainment podcasts 2. Control your TV using Alexa, no remote needed If you own a smart TV and an Amazon Echo speaker, you can control your TV completely hands-free using Alexa voice commands. It's a simple setup that can make everyday entertainment more convenient, from turning on the TV to launching apps like Netflix or YouTube, all with just your voice. To get started, open the Alexa app on your smartphone, tap the '+' icon in the top-right corner, and select 'Add Device.' Choose 'TV' from the list and select your TV brand. You'll be guided through a few steps to link your TV with Alexa. Most brands require enabling a specific Alexa Skill to complete the process. If you have a Samsung TV, you can use the Samsung SmartThings, likewise, for an LG TV, you can use LG ThinQ. Once your TV is paired and recognised, it's helpful to rename your device to something easy to remember, like 'Living Room TV' or 'Bedroom Screen.' to make your commands sound more natural. 3. Get daily news in seconds with Custom Flash Briefings Don't have time to scroll through news apps every morning? Alexa's Flash Briefing feature is a simple and effective solution. It delivers short, personalised audio news updates directly through your Echo speaker with a single voice command. To set it up, open the Alexa app, go to Settings, scroll to News under the 'Alexa Preferences' section, and tap My News Channel. Here, you can choose from a range of news sources, including BBC News, NPR, CNBC and more, depending on your region and preference. Once set, you can simply say: 'Alexa, what's my Flash Briefing?' Or, 'Alexa, play the news.' Alexa will then play a short summary of the day's top headlines from your selected source. You can even add multiple sources for a more diverse update and Alexa will play them one after another in a single briefing.
Forbes
12-06-2025
- Forbes
Alexa+ Users Top 1 Million - Here's What People Are Saying
Tablets showcase Alexa+ software features during an unveiling event in New York, US, on Wednesday, ... More Feb. 26, 2025. Amazon has rebooted Alexa with artificial intelligence, marking the biggest overhaul of the voice-activated assistant since its introduction over a decade ago. Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg At the start of 2025, following months of speculation, Amazon finally unveiled its next-gen digital assistant, Alexa+. Revealed during a launch event in New York in February, the AI-supercharged version of Alexa was, we were informed, about to "start rolling out in the US in the next few weeks during an early access period." It was slow going though; as recently as last month there were reports suggesting there was "scant evidence it is in regular customers' hands." However, The Verge is now reporting that over a million users now have access to the generative artificial-intelligence-powered voice assistant. That's the word according to Amazon spokesperson Eric Sveum, who stated that the roll out was now happening at "an increasing pace" and that Amazon will "make it even more broadly available over the summer." And there's plenty of evidence over on Reddit that it is indeed the case, with numerous posters confirming their Echo devices have been updated with Alexa+. On the whole, people seem pretty pleased; with both the UI and responsiveness getting praise from early access users… But it's not all positive press, with other users commenting on some teething issues, especially when it comes to controlling smart home devices: It's hardly surprising that there's been a mixed response and, of course, while a million is a decent test sample, the amount of Alexa users is in the hundreds of millions. In April, it was also revealed by The Washington Post that several headline features weren't ready for the Alexa+ initial rollout, including ordering food from Grubhub, and visual recognition for assigning reminders to specific family members. So it's clear that, while the million users number is a good soundbite, Alexa+ is still very much an experimental work in progress. If you do want to get in on the Alexa+ action, you'll need an Echo Show 8, Show 10, Show 15 or 21, as these are the first devices it is rolling out to. As and when you do get access, Alexa+ will cost $19.99 a month; unless you're a Prime member, in which case you'll get access included in that subscription.
The Verge
18-05-2025
- The Verge
Amazon claims it's ‘constantly inviting' new customers to Alexa Plus
Yesterday, Reuters ran a story with the headline 'Weeks after Amazon's Alexa+ AI launch, a mystery: where are the users?,' in which it detailed its difficulty locating first-hand accounts of the AI-upgraded assistants' use online. The Verge asked Amazon about the story, and the company has responded to say that the idea that Alexa Plus isn't available is 'simply wrong.' Here's the company's full — and rather strongly-worded! — statement on the matter, provided by Amazon spokesperson Eric Sveum via email to The Verge: It's simply wrong to say that Alexa+ isn't available to customers—that assertion is false. Hundreds of thousands of customers have access to Alexa+ and we're constantly inviting more customers that have requested Early Access. Sveum also shared the below screenshot of what the email invite should look like. Alexa Plus is Amazon's generative AI-updated version of Alexa, which it announced in February is free to Amazon Prime subscribers or $19.99 a month otherwise. While Reuters doesn't say Alexa Plus isn't available to customers yet, it does quote an analyst who said, 'There seems to be no one who actually has it.' The outlet also reported that its efforts to find any real-world Alexa Plus users came up empty, writing that it had 'searched dozens of news sites, YouTube, TikTok, X, BlueSky and Meta's Instagram and Facebook, as well as Amazon's Twitch and reviews of Echo voice-assistant devices on It added that it spoke with two people who'd posted on Reddit claiming to have used Alexa Plus, but that they 'did not provide Reuters with hard evidence and their identities could not be corroborated.' Still, Engadget reported today that a wave of emails had gone out on Friday, inviting Amazon Alexa users to try out Alexa Plus. The outlet also reported that an Amazon spokesperson had told it 'hundreds of thousands' of customers have tried the assistant. Amazon started rolling out its early access program to a few customers at the end of March. At the time, it was missing features like the ability to order takeout from Grubhub using conversational context, or identify family members and remind them about chores. A page on Amazon's website notes that some features are still 'coming soon,' like being able to access Alexa Plus in a web browser or on a Fire TV or Amazon tablet. The company has said it's prioritizing those who own certain Echo Show devices above others.
The Verge
17-05-2025
- Business
- The Verge
Amazon claims its ‘constantly inviting' new customers to Alexa Plus
Yesterday, Reuters ran a story with the headline 'Weeks after Amazon's Alexa+ AI launch, a mystery: where are the users?,' in which it detailed its difficulty locating first-hand accounts of the AI-upgraded assistants' use online. The Verge asked Amazon about the story, and the company has responded to say that the idea that Alexa Plus isn't available is 'simply wrong.' Here's the company's full — and rather strongly-worded! — statement on the matter, provided by Amazon spokesperson Eric Sveum via email to The Verge: It's simply wrong to say that Alexa+ isn't available to customers—that assertion is false. Hundreds of thousands of customers have access to Alexa+ and we're constantly inviting more customers that have requested Early Access. Sveum also shared the below screenshot of what it says the invite email looks like. Alexa Plus is Amazon's generative AI-updated version of Alexa, which it announced in February is free to Amazon Prime subscribers or $19.99 a month otherwise. While Reuters doesn't say Alexa Plus isn't available to customers yet, it does quote an analyst who said, 'There seems to be no one who actually has it.' The outlet also reported that its efforts to find any real-world Alexa Plus users came up empty, writing that it had 'searched dozens of news sites, YouTube, TikTok, X, BlueSky and Meta's Instagram and Facebook, as well as Amazon's Twitch and reviews of Echo voice-assistant devices on It added that it spoke with two people who'd posted on Reddit claiming to have used Alexa Plus, but that they 'did not provide Reuters with hard evidence and their identities could not be corroborated.' Still, Engadget reported today that a wave of emails had gone out on Friday, inviting Amazon Alexa users to try out Alexa Plus. The outlet also reported that an Amazon spokesperson had told it 'hundreds of thousands' of customers have tried the assistant. Amazon started rolling out its early access program to a few customers at the end of March. At the time, it was missing features like the ability to order takeout from Grubhub using conversational context, or identify family members and remind them about chores. A page on Amazon's website notes that some features are still 'coming soon,' like being able to access Alexa Plus in a web browser or on a Fire TV or Amazon tablet. The company has said it's prioritizing those who own certain Echo Show devices above others.
