Alexa Plus is better at running my home, but it’s not ready to run my life
A review of Amazon's Alexa Plus assistant finds it to be a capable smart home controller but a flawed personal assistant. The author notes that while it handles home automation well, it suffers from intrusive advertising and inconsistent performance.
Why it matters
It reflects the current state of consumer AI integration in smart homes and the tension between utility and monetization in tech products.
Of all the things Alexa Plus can do, I never expected it to make me cry. Since my son left for college, the Echo Show in my office has been making then-and-now photo montages: the toddler with his first tennis racket next to the captain of his varsity team; me hugging him as a tween beside me hugging him as a young man. I’ve teared up more than once. But then comes the ad, a full-screen photo of a hideous brown leather recliner. I go from nostalgic joy to irritation in an instant.
That pretty much sums up my year with Alexa Plus. One minute it will do something seriously impressive; the next, it acts like it doesn’t know who I am.
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