What do I need to have in place to use the Amazon Echo?

(Amazon Echo Speakers, image by Amazon).

An interesting question asked yesterday that I have been pondering for awhile. First off it was a question I have considered before, but not one I have spent a lot of time considering. It is one that gave me pause from both a business and technology perspective.

What do you need for Amazon Echo?

There are easy technical answers, of course; you have to have wifi or a wired network that the device can connect to, and you have to have an Amazon account. That also means you have to have a device capable of running the Alexa application. That way you can configure the options for the device. The options include a news feed, and connecting Alexa to other devices. You can connect Alexa to the Roomba iRobot vacuums, Phillips Hue Lighting, and other interesting home automation kits. They also have an available SDK.

In fact the other day (well give or take two weeks ago) they announced the availability of the SiriusXM application for the Alexa. That allows you to listen to Sirius as well as Amazon music. Or you can listen to your music library. You can ask Alexa what the weather is and what is going on in the news. I guess to keep up with the ever increasing features of Alexa; you also need an email account to get the weekly updates.

Let me give you the list, so it makes sense.

1. You need one of the four versions of the Amazon Echo (Dot, Original, Vision, and the new Tablet).
2. You need an Amazon account, but it DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A PRIME ACCOUNT
3. You need a working wifi network with internet access
4. You need a device capable of loading the Alexa application to do setup and configuration
5. Finally, you need time to enjoy! Alexa – play music from the Opera Carmen!