Amazon Echo

The Amazon Echo is a smart home device, personal assistant and speaker in one. In the family of Amazon Echo devices — primarily smart speakers and displays — Alexa is the voice-based interface, that listens and responds to the queries.

Without access to the internet, the Echo can't do much. When an Echo connects to the internet, all its capabilities are available. Using an array of built-in microphones, Echo listens for a wake word to leap into action. This word is "Alexa" by default, but it can be changed to "Echo" or "Amazon" if necessary.

When the Echo device is awake, it immediately listens for a command, which it then does its best to follow. Echo responds to natural speech so well that it feels almost like talking to a person.