Amazon Alexa is getting updated with new features as time is passing by. The voice assistant has become competent and now, with the latest update, Amazon Alexa gets proactive hunches and guard plus security service.
Amazon calls one of the new features included in this update “hunches” because it allows users to proactively complete tasks around the house. Meaning, you can turn off the lights, based on your habits and frequent requests.
As noted by The Verge, Amazon has been gathering these habit details since 2018. This feature may not sound entirely new.
Apparently, before this update, Amazon Alexa would ask permission before triggering any tasks like lowering the thermostat, dimming the lights before you went to bed, etc.
However, once these Amazon Alexa proactive hunches are enabled, Alexa will skip asking permissions from the user and would just go ahead and do the task. Pretty nifty, ain’t it?
Well, at the back of your mind, this is something we expect from a personal assistant. In reality, we make sure the assistant goes through a learning curve and after some time, does tasks on its own. And with the latest update, Amazon does the same with Alexa.
Amazon Alexa new update also adds Guard Plus security & energy dashboard
Although having Amazon Alexa do some tasks using proactive hunches on its own may sound terrific, one should definitely have granular controls on what tasks it can automatically perform.
These controls will help users in a dire situation and would also give them new ways to use the proactive hunches. According to an Amazon support article, you can select what types of hunches Alexa can complete on its own.
But there is not much clarity on how much closer you can customize these hunches. Moreover, with the new update, Amazon has also added a Guard Plus security subscription service to Alexa.
This service will alert the owner if Alexa picks up a specific type of sound in your home. This could come in handy if you are out of home and want to keep a close check on your house.
If Alexa picks up some unusual sound, Guard Plus security subscription service will offer access to human contacts who can further contact emergency services on your behalf.
In order to use this feature, you need to sign up and purchase the Guard Plus security subscription in the Alexa app. It will cost you $4.99 per month.
The new update also adds a new energy dashboard to the Alexa app. This can monitor and estimate how much power connected smart devices to Alexa are consuming. But the devices should support it.
You can check out the list of compatible products by heading here. The list includes TVs to water heaters and much more.