Amazon has launched a new device powered by its artificial intelligence (AI) platform Alexa, called the Amazon Dash Wand. As the moniker suggests, the device is shaped like a wand, or a remote control small enough to be operated with one hand. It features a magnet on the back which can stick to refrigerator doors and similar surfaces, and it’s equipped with a barcode scanner allowing customers to scan and add items to their online Amazon shopping carts. The Amazon Dash Wand is available for the price of $20, and for the next couple of days, the device is paired with $20 worth of promotional credit allowing Amazon Prime customers to virtually acquire the Dash Wand free of charge.
The Amazon Dash Wand features a water-resistant construction, measures 142.2 x 30.4 x 29.3 millimeters (5.6 x 1.2 x 0.8 inches) in size and weighs only 31.1 grams, or 1.1 ounces. It was primarily designed as a Wi-Fi-enabled kitchen assistant, giving AmazonFresh customers a more convenient way of adding groceries to their Amazon shopping list without having to utilize a smartphone or computer. To this end, the Dash Wand is equipped with a physical button and an incorporated barcode scanner which can be used to easily scan items from the fridge and add them to the Amazon shopping cart. Nevertheless, as a device powered by Alexa, users can also simply say the name of an item, fruit, vegetable, or another product in order to achieve the same goal. Of course, online shopping is not the only thing Amazon Alexa can do, and as expected, the Dash Wand can be asked a variety of questions regarding recipes or number of calories in a product, or can even be asked to order a pizza, not unlike other Alexa-powered products including the Amazon Echo and Echo Dot.
While the Amazon Dash Wand is available for the price of $20, Amazon Prime customers who buy the Dash Wand before June 18 will also receive a $20 discount on their next Amazon purchase, with this particular offer being good while supplies last. Furthermore, each Amazon Dash Wand purchase will be accompanied by 90 days of free access to AmazonFresh, which is the company’s grocery delivery service usually available for a monthly fee of $14.99 in the United States.