{"id":268410,"date":"2025-11-03T07:33:18","date_gmt":"2025-11-03T07:33:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/268410\/"},"modified":"2025-11-03T07:33:18","modified_gmt":"2025-11-03T07:33:18","slug":"ive-been-using-alexa-for-3-months-here-are-my-5-favorite-features-and-one-im-not-a-fan-of","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/268410\/","title":{"rendered":"I\u2019ve been using Alexa+ for 3 months \u2014 here are my 5 favorite features (and one I\u2019m not a fan of)"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s been a little over three months since I upgraded to Alexa+<\/a>, Amazon<\/a>\u2019s new subscription-based AI assistant that promises to make Alexa more natural, proactive and genuinely helpful. After years of shouting \u201cAlexa, turn on the lights,\u201d I wanted to see if the new generative-AI version could really make my smart home feel that much smarter.<\/p>\n

I still use Alexa+ in quirky ways<\/a> like I used Alexa and it’s helped a lot with my family’s chaotic schedule<\/a>. This is definitely a big step forward \u2014 but it’s not quite flawless yet.<\/p>\n

1. It finally talks like a human (and remembers what you mean)<\/p>\n

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\"Amazon\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Shutterstock)<\/p>\n

The most immediate difference with Alexa+ is how conversational it feels. It even understands my four-year-old who has a speech delay, which I have to say is pretty awesome. He has his own account and when he starts talking, Alexa+ knows right away it\u2019s him.<\/p>\n

My husband and I (as well as my eight-year-old and eleven-year-old) can speak naturally, and Alexa+ completely understands and responds much more human-like.<\/p>\n

In fact, Alexa+ now keeps context across multiple exchanges. If I follow up with \u201cMake it a little darker,\u201d it knows I\u2019m still talking about the lights. This fluidity comes from Amazon\u2019s new large-language-model backbone, Nova, built to power Alexa\u2019s \u201cmemory and reasoning.\u201d It\u2019s subtle, but it makes daily interactions feel less robotic.<\/p>\n

2. Smart-home control that actually feels smart<\/p>\n

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\"Ring\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide \/ John Velasco)<\/p>\n

Setting up routines used to be daunting and take up a lot of time. Now, with Alexa+ the control can be set up on the fly. I can said, \u201cEvery night at 9 p.m., dim the lights and lower the thermostat,\u201d Alexa+ understands and created the automation instantly. I don\u2019t have to fiddle with the app or search through menu options. This has been a huge time-saver.<\/p>\n

You may like<\/p>\n

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For anyone juggling multiple rooms, devices or family schedules, that upgrade alone feels worth it.<\/p>\n

3. The new\u00a0Echo\u00a0Show experience is gorgeous<\/p>\n

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\"Alexa+\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Future)<\/p>\n

If you have an Echo Show 8, 10, or 15, Alexa+ gets an entirely redesigned interface. My Echo Show 21<\/a> now acts as a central dashboard. It displays the weather, traffic, family calendar and smart-home widgets side by side.<\/p>\n

It even knows who\u2019s in the room: facial-recognition login lets Alexa tailor the view to the person standing there (as I mentioned earlier, even my four-year-old has an account and gets reminders now). My husband gets his commute and workout reminders; I see grocery lists and deadlines.<\/p>\n

4. It handles your lists, reminders and summaries like a pro<\/p>\n

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\"Alexa+\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Future)<\/p>\n

Alexa+ can now summarize messages and remember details from previous interactions. When I asked, \u201cRemind me what I told you about the parent-teacher meeting,\u201d it recalled the time and date perfectly. This has been a life saver for remembering everything from soccer<\/a> tournaments to birthday parties that I\u2019m constantly juggling on the weekends.<\/p>\n

Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.<\/p>\n

You can also dictate longer notes or ask it to read back information in a conversational tone. It\u2019s not quite at the \u201csend my emails\u201d stage, but for household management, it\u2019s the most helpful Alexa\u2019s ever been.<\/p>\n

5. My favorite new feature: visual recognition<\/p>\n

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\"Alexa+\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Amazon Alexa)<\/p>\n

On devices with cameras, Alexa+ now has limited \u201cvision\u201d abilities. I tested this by holding up a houseplant and asking, \u201cAlexa, what\u2019s wrong with this?\u201d It identified the plant and suggested overwatering as a likely cause (shockingly accurate).<\/p>\n

This feature extends to groceries, furniture and decor: show Alexa an item, and it can suggest recipes, products or care tips. It\u2019s not perfect, but it\u2019s one of the most exciting real-world uses of AI in the home right now.<\/p>\n

Oh, and my daughter loves this feature. She\u2019s always showing Alexa+ her artwork or her recent crochet creation. Alexa+ cheers her on and hypes her up, which is surprisingly sweet.<\/p>\n

You may like<\/p>\n

The one I\u2019m not a fan of: inconsistent \u201cagentic\u201d actions<\/p>\n

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\"Alexa+\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Future)<\/p>\n

Alexa+ is supposed to act on your behalf \u2014 booking rides, ordering takeout or reserving tables. But in practice, that\u2019s where things still fall short.<\/p>\n

When I said, \u201cAlexa, order Chinese food from the same place as last month,\u201d it responded, \u201cThat action isn\u2019t supported yet.\u201d It might be too early for this type of testing yet, but I love the idea of a fully proactive, self-managing AI assistant. But right now, it remains more promise than reality.<\/p>\n

I understand that some integrations (Uber, OpenTable, Instacart) are in pilot mode, but they\u2019re inconsistent and limited to specific U.S. regions. Until that improves, the \u201cdo everything for me\u201d vision is still aspirational.<\/p>\n

Bottom line<\/p>\n

After three months with Alexa+, I can confidently say it\u2019s Amazon\u2019s most ambitious step forward since the original Echo. It\u2019s more conversational, context-aware and visually capable than ever before. For Prime members, it\u2019s included in the subscription; for everyone else, $19.99\/month feels reasonable if you plan to use its full potential.<\/p>\n

Still, Alexa+ isn\u2019t perfect and some of the most futuristic promises, like fully autonomous tasks and seamless cross-app execution, are only half-baked.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re an early adopter with a newer Echo Show, Alexa+ is absolutely worth exploring now. But if you\u2019re expecting a full personal Rosie-from-the-Jetsons assistant who can handle your requests without a hitch, give it a few more updates. By early 2026, it might finally live up to the hype.<\/p>\n

Follow Tom’s Guide on Google News<\/a> and add us as a preferred source<\/a> to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!<\/p>\n

More from Tom’s Guide<\/p>\n

Today’s best Amazon Echo Show 21, Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) and Amazon Echo Dot Max deals<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It\u2019s been a little over three months since I upgraded to Alexa+, Amazon\u2019s new subscription-based AI assistant that…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":268411,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[182,181,507,74],"class_list":{"0":"post-268410","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-artificial-intelligence","8":"tag-ai","9":"tag-artificial-intelligence","10":"tag-artificialintelligence","11":"tag-technology"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/268410","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=268410"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/268410\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/268411"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=268410"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=268410"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=268410"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}