So says a New York Times reporter who is crushing on the proprietary, personal digital assistant hiding in a Bluetooth speaker. Whether or not Echo is the Next Big Thing in personal computing, he does make a good point about its Alexa voice-recognition software, which could become a key connected-home conduit thanks to Amazon’s open-platform policy.
“Many of the world’s largest technology companies have spent the last five years searching in vain for the holy grail, a machine to succeed the smartphone as the next must-have gadget. They have made digital watches and fitness trackers, all manner of computerized glasses and goggles, and more doodads to plug into your TV than there are shows to watch on it.”
