The Alexa-powered Amazon Echo smart speaker is ruling the markets since it first debuted in 2016. Compared to the Google Home, the Echo is always a step ahead in its features and capabilities. However, a very basic functionality, which both devices lacked, was the ability to set reminders.
Earlier in May, Google's leaked APK files revealed that the company was finally working on the reminder feature and would update its smart speaker soon.
Amazon has once again beaten Google to release the reminder functionality. Alexa will now be able to set reminders for any appointments, events, and activities.
Amazon Echo Users Will Now Be Able To Set Reminders
The update was released on Thursday, June 1. Following this update, Echo users will now be able to able to set reminders simply with their voices. For instance, a user can say "Alexa, remind me to watch Game of Thrones at 9 p.m. on July 16," and the Echo will alert them of the same when the time comes.
When the reminder is due, a blue light ring will appear on the Echo before Alexa reminds the users of the assigned alert.
It is important to note that reminders are device specific, which means that the reminder set on your Amazon Echo at home will not be able to alert you of the same through the Echo device in your office. The syncing feature is not yet supported, but may be added at a later point.
Users will also not be able to sync the reminder list from third-party apps, such as Todoist. In such cases, users will have to manually make each of the reminders on the smart speaker, if they so desire.
Amazon Echo Update To Timers
Currently, Echo owners were using the timer feature to set reminders. It was an easy way of doing so in absence of the real Reminder functionality. However, reminders through timers could only be set for the same day and not for the future.
Amazon has also updated the timer functionality on its speaker. Users will now be able to name the timers set, which is a handy addition for people who have more than one timer set at a time. For instance, people cooking multiple dishes may now ask the Echo to set up each timer with the name of their corresponding dishes.
For example, users can say "Alexa, set a pizza timer" and can even check on these timers by simply saying "Alexa, how much time is left on the pasta timer?"
Both the features the new update adds will likely satisfy the smart speaker's users, as Amazon shared that named timers and reminders were the most requested functionalities for the Echo.
