Amazon is pushing Alexa+ to all its Prime members, even if they didn't ask for it. The new AI-powered voice assistant promises more conversational responses, better understanding of complex requests, and a chatbot-like interface that turns onscreen conversations into text chats.
Alexa+ was first launched as an Early Access feature last year, but it's now being rolled out to everyone with a Prime membership. This means that users who didn't sign up for the Early Access list will still see Alexa+ popping up on their devices, even if they didn't request it.
The new voice assistant comes with a range of new features, including four feminine and four masculine voices, each described in the app with a single adjective like "Inviting" or "Warm." However, not everyone is happy with the new voice, which some have described as sounding like a "sassy teenager."
To switch back to the original Alexa voice, users can simply tell their device, "Alexa, exit Alexa Plus," and it will revert to the old experience. This includes stopping seeing text chats displayed onscreen.
However, users who want to switch back to the original Alexa may notice that some inflections in the voice have changed, making it sound different from the way it used to. Additionally, only Alexa+ shows ads while users are actively asking questions, whereas the original Alexa keeps its ads to a rotating slideshow and sometimes sneaks them into the weather report.
Amazon has announced that the completed version of Alexa+ will be available for all Prime members at no additional cost. However, non-Prime members will have to pay $20 per month to access the assistant.
Alexa+ was first launched as an Early Access feature last year, but it's now being rolled out to everyone with a Prime membership. This means that users who didn't sign up for the Early Access list will still see Alexa+ popping up on their devices, even if they didn't request it.
The new voice assistant comes with a range of new features, including four feminine and four masculine voices, each described in the app with a single adjective like "Inviting" or "Warm." However, not everyone is happy with the new voice, which some have described as sounding like a "sassy teenager."
To switch back to the original Alexa voice, users can simply tell their device, "Alexa, exit Alexa Plus," and it will revert to the old experience. This includes stopping seeing text chats displayed onscreen.
However, users who want to switch back to the original Alexa may notice that some inflections in the voice have changed, making it sound different from the way it used to. Additionally, only Alexa+ shows ads while users are actively asking questions, whereas the original Alexa keeps its ads to a rotating slideshow and sometimes sneaks them into the weather report.
Amazon has announced that the completed version of Alexa+ will be available for all Prime members at no additional cost. However, non-Prime members will have to pay $20 per month to access the assistant.
... I mean, what's next? They'll be makin' me upgrade my Alexa every year or somethin' 
... I'm happy with the original Alexa, don't need all these bells and whistles 
. And what's up with the new voices, they sound like a bunch of Valley girls 
... Inviting and Warm? Gimme a break! 
... Can we just go back to normal, ya know? I swear, technology's movin' too fast for this ol' dude 
.
They're just gonna roll out this new Alexa+ thing on every Prime member without even asking if they want it! Like, I get that AI is the future and all, but can't they let ppl opt-in or somethin? Now we got a sassy teenager voice trying to take over our lives 
. I mean, I guess it's cool that they're makin' it available for free to Prime members, but $20 a month for non-Prime folks? No thanks! 
! I love how it's getting more conversational and can handle complex requests. The fact that it has a chatbot-like interface is genius! 
But, I gotta say, I don't know if I like all the feminine voices... they sound kinda sassy? 
Some of them are actually really nice tho, "Inviting" is my fave! 
Still, it's cool that users can switch back to the original Alexa if they want. And, yeah, not seeing ads on text chats is a big plus for me! 
I just hope Amazon doesn't make us pay extra to keep it as our default voice... $20 a month seems like way too much 
i mean on one hand it sounds cool with the new features and chatbot interface... but also kinda creepy that amazon is just forcing it on us prime members without asking 
if we want it, and now i'm stuck seeing all these text chats on my screen 
but can't we still just have our old alexa back? 
... Anyway, I'm not sure about this new Alexa+ thingy. I mean, I like that it's trying to be more conversational and whatnot, but do we really need another AI-powered voice assistant in our lives? It sounds like Amazon is just trying to get us to upgrade to Prime membership, which let's be real, is a total money grab 
. dont get me wrong, the idea of more conversational responses sounds cool and all, but i'm just worried its gonna be too much for me to handle 
. and what's with the different voices? four feminine and four masculine? cant they just stick with what we've got lol? and $20 a month for non-Prime members is just crazy 
i think it's a game changer, tbh! 
more conversational responses and better understanding of complex requests is exactly what we need in our daily lives. plus, the chatbot-like interface is super cool 
and the new voices aren't that bad, some ppl might just take time to get used to them 
but why not give it a try? amazon's also making it free for prime members, so it's a win-win 
. We thought it was cool that we could just talk to our smart speakers and get answers out of thin air. But now it's like they're trying to upgrade us or something.
But on the other hand, not everyone is a fan of the new voice 
.
.
. And on a practical note, the fact that it shows ads only when you're asking questions is a nice touch 
It just breaks the whole experience. Still, if you're a Prime member and want more features, I guess Alexa+ is worth checking out... but $20/month for non-Primes? That's just crazy! 