Amazon Alexa isn’t self-aware—yet—but starting today the voice-enabled assistant will start being at least a little less oblivious about its surroundings. That’s because Amazon has begun rolling out a ‘Whisper Mode’ to its Echo smart speakers, which can detect when users make requests in hushed tones, prompting Alexa respond in kind.
Whisper Mode, one of seemingly dozens of new products and features announced by Amazon last month, went live for Echo owners today in the U.S. and basically works as advertised. To see if your Amazon Echo device has it, simply say to Alexa: “Turn on Whisper Mode,” and see if it whispers back. The Verge’s Dan Seifert tweeted video of Alexa’s Whisper Mode in action:
https://twitter.com/dcseifert/status/1052967130247901186
According to Amazon, Whisper Mode is one of several new Alexa features—like email integration, location-based reminders, and Alexa Hunches, which can proactively suggest commands you typically request before you make them—that will become available on “select new and existing Echo devices in the coming months.” It’s not clear if owners of third-party Alexa-enabled devices will also get these cloud-powered Alexa upgrades soon, or ever, so shop accordingly this holiday upgrade season.
But at least Echo owners who get Whisper Mode will enjoy being able to ask Alexa requests and questions in the early morning or late at night without rousing the whole house. Alexa, whatever you do, please don’t wake the baby.