Amazon Echo scores support for SmartThings hardware

Amazon has updated the Amazon Echo with some more new features today, this time bringing along support for Samsung's SmartThings, allowing you to control just about anything in your house with just your voice.

The update brings support for all SmartThings products, including the SmartThings Hub and SmartThings outlet, and getting set up seems fairly easy. Amazon says that once you've set your devices up in their respective apps, you simply say "Alexa, discover my appliances" to your Echo. From there, you can easily control different appliances in your house by talking to Alexa, with Amazon giving the following examples:

  • "Alexa, turn on the television."
  • "Alexa, turn on the stereo."
  • "Alexa, turn off the lamp."
  • "Alexa, turn on the porch light."

Also in this update are some new Skills for Alexa, which were previewed with an initial set in last week's update. This week, you can enable Alexa's new Bingo and Cat Facts skills to get some game time in with the digital assistant and maybe learn some new fantastic feline facts.

Purchase the Amazon Echo for $179

Dan Thorp-Lancaster