Amazon just announced a trio of new features for Echo Show users, with gesture controls at the top of the list.
HIDDEN Tips and Tricks for your Amazon Echo Show!
In other words, you can now perform physical gestures in front of the screen, and the integrated camera will translate those gestures into in-device adjustments. Simply raise your hand to activate or dismiss a timer, saving you the trouble of having to physically tap the device or yell “stop” at poor, misunderstood Alexa.
The company notes that this feature is great for users with mobility or voice issues, and while it's the only usable gesture at the moment, Amazon is working on more. To that end, the big "A" recently made gesture programming tools available to developers.
Of course, this is a trio of new features, and gestures are just the beginning. Echo Show devices now include text-to-speech functionality. Type things out and Alexa will repeat the words back to you. This will be an extremely useful tool for people with speech impairments, making it easier for them to communicate with others in the home.
