You've likely noticed that more and more of your friends are automating their homes lately. Lights turn on when someone enters a room, blinds lower themselves at 8 PM and rise at 7 AM, and in the morning, a virtual assistant wakes them up through nearby speakers.

Yes, a virtual assistant, as part of home automation at Ion Solutions, can be integrated into any home.

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions our clients have before deciding to use Alexa:

Who is Alexa?

Alexa is Amazon's virtual assistant. Just as Apple has Siri, Amazon has Alexa. However, there are some key differences between the two. Siri is a digital assistant that works exclusively with Apple products, while Alexa is a home virtual assistant that can be used on various platforms, not just Amazon products.

Alexa was released in 2014, and since then, Amazon has worked hard to make it compatible with as many smart devices and operating systems as possible. By 2020, Amazon announced that Alexa was compatible with more than 100,000 smart devices, thanks to a team of 10,000 specialists.

Differences Between Alexa and Google Assistant

While Alexa is often compared to Google Assistant, they are not the same. Google Assistant is built on artificial intelligence.

Although Alexa is easier to integrate because it is compatible with more devices than Google Assistant, Google has worked to develop more advanced social skills for its assistant. If your goal is a fully automated smart home, Alexa is the better choice. However, if you're looking for an intelligent assistant, Google Assistant might be the better option.

Google Assistant, like Alexa, is easily accessible. To use it, you need a Google Home speaker or know how to summon your assistant using an Android phone. In this case, you’ll need to install certain Google apps and follow the steps on Google Assistant's official website.

To integrate Alexa as a virtual assistant into your smart home, you'll need devices with built-in Alexa or additional devices like Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Show, or Echo Auto.

                                                      Photo credit: Raysonho @ Open Grid Scheduler / Scalable Grid Engine

However, none of these are necessary if you have a Fire OS, Android, iOS, Linux, or Windows device.

The most commonly purchased Alexa-compatible devices are Fire TV, Ecobee switches + lighting control switches, LG InstaView refrigerators, headphones (Echo Buds, Plantronics models), and some Sonos devices.

Due to its ease of integration, we chose Alexa as our virtual assistant to help maintain a smart home in perfect order, peace, and harmony.

How Many Languages Does Alexa Speak?

As of June 2021, Alexa can be set to speak eight languages and nine dialects:

English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Hindi, Japanese, and Portuguese. English dialects include American, British, Australian, Canadian, and Indian. Spanish dialects include Mexican and American. French and Canadian dialects are available for French.

How Can I Use Alexa in My Smart Home?

Once you've set up an Amazon speaker or installed the app on a supported device, all you need to do is address Alexa in your chosen language and give a command.

In addition to turning devices, lighting, or underfloor heating on and off, Alexa can learn and remember scenarios you've created. You can tell it to "throw a party," "we're going out," or "we have guests."

Alexa can also adjust desired temperatures (for underfloor heating, air conditioning, etc.) when you give the command. It can even raise and lower blinds, close curtains, and extend awnings.

Alexa's Responsiveness

In one of our previous blog posts, we mentioned that Alexa responds within 8 seconds of receiving a command. This responsiveness is crucial for our users. Additionally, Alexa can store frequently used commands in the cloud, making it easier for everyone in the household to interact with Alexa.

As mentioned on our website, pametnakuca.rs, the possibilities with Alexa are only limited by your imagination.

Not only is it one of the most affordable ways to manage your smart home, but it’s also easy to use for both younger and older family members.