Amazon keeps rolling out new Alexa devices this morning at its event in Seattle. And just now, the company announced the launch of a new Alexa device – in a clock. Yes, there’s now an Echo Wall Clock available that has Alexa voice capabilities by pairing with an existing Echo device over Bluetooth.
That means you can ask Alexa to do things like set alarms and timers – and the lines on the clock will illuminate as the time progresses. Alarms and timers, of course, are two of the most-used Echo features – and a wall clock makes sense as a place where people might like to use them, or so Amazon thinks.
The Wall Clock is designed to have an easy-to-understand interface so anyone who walks into the room could use it, without a long learning curve, the company claims.
At the event, the company demonstrated using the clock for setting a pasta timer, which illuminates the minutes on the clock. This 60 LED ring can display multiple timers at the same time, countdown to some event, as well as show visual animations along with the chimes for timers, alarms, and reminders.
The 10-inch clock is powered by a battery, and automatically syncs the current time.
Amazon pointed out that means you’d no longer have to update your clock for daylight savings time.
The device sort of feels like Amazon is throwing out a bunch of stuff just to see what sticks. Do people want an Alexa microwave or wall clock? The holiday shopping season will give us that answer.
The Wall Clock will ship later this year for $29.99.
Check out our full coverage from the event here.