How we interact with technology is also changing. For just over a decade now, the mainstream audience has been interfacing with technology beyond their fingertips thanks to the launch of the Nintendo Wii and Microsoftās Kinect.
In the past these technologies would have built its foundations in the workplace before moving to the home. But today, the home is often where more advanced technology lives rather than the workplace. This, in turn, has led to a rise in people using your own devices in the workplace.Ā
Smart assistants have also started from the home but Alexa, Amazonās smart assistant is not exactly portable and whilst it has taken off in the home in a relatively short period of time, usage in the workplace has been limited.
There is no doubt all the major players competing in this space see its potential to completely change again how we interface with technology. Alexa stops you being glued to a screen and instead has you asking a question out loud.
It feels more natural.
All this competition stokes innovation and Amazon clearly sees an opportunity to stake its claim on the workplace, this week announcing Alexa for Business.
They have announced connections into email (Exchange/Outlook), CRM (Salesforce) and HR (Concur).
This is the first baby steps and they need to figure out how to deal better with much more ambient noise in todayās open plan offices.
Even at home, Alexa struggles to hear when there are other noises present.
The bigger issue is the device itself. With powerful computers already present, what is the need for an Alexa box on every desk?
Amazon need to release PC and Mac versions to really make headway otherwise I can see it being limited to meeting rooms, where you can ask it to contact somebody, turn on/off the lights, project a laptop screen or possibly save a note.
With the exception of projecting a laptop screen, which is still more fiddly than it should be, the rest is hardly compelling. Oh and Alexa canāt actually do that just yet anyhow.
More useful, would be to be able to answer questions about projects underway in meetings, which will come as more integrations are built.
But I think the real power will be at your desk to analyse data or get small tasks done quickly. Assuming, the ambient noise issue can be resolved.
I guess Amazon needs to release some airpods š¤£.