In-vehicle device with Amazon Alexa’s voice service and turn-by-turn GPS navigation
The new Garmin Speak with Amazon Alexa provides in-vehicle access to the Amazon Alexa voice service along with turn-by-turn GPS navigation. The $150 device connects via aux or Bluetooth to your car stereo and attaches to a vehicle’s windshield via magnetic mount.
Once installed it’s like having an Amazon Echo in car. You can just ask “Alexa” anything, including news briefings, weather forecasts, sports stats, and traffic. Or ask Alexa to play music by artist, title, or genre. Customers can also enable interactive games to entertain passengers on longer trips. Drivers can enjoy the convenience of asking Alexa to remotely access smart home automation devices such as lights, locks, and thermostats. Simply ask Alexa or choose from thousands of other skills in the Alexa Skills Store.
Garmin Speak’s built-in GPS delivers turn-by-turn voice directions after saying the phrase, “Alexa, ask Garmin ___”. At just an inch and a half in size, the compact device features an LED light ring and a bright OLED display showing lane guidance arrows with spoken turn-by-turn directions to guide drivers to their destination.
To begin using Garmin Speak with Amazon Alexa, start by downloading the free Garmin Speak app for iOS or Android. Once Garmin Speak is synched with the app, it will use the driver’s phone data connection to stream Alexa responses, music and navigation through the vehicle’s audio system via Bluetooth or AUX connectivity (AUX cable sold separately). Thanks to Sensory’s TrulyHandsfree Alexa trigger, Garmin Speak offers hands-free phone support, including the ability to ignore or accept incoming calls, so users can stash away their smartphones and keep their hands on the steering wheel.
If Alexa can’t understand something, the Garmin Speak app app lets users type in specific addresses or the name of a hard-to-pronounce place. Other helpful settings in the app allow users to avoid things like toll roads or unpaved roads. Additionally, the app lets you manage your saved locations, including home, school, and work.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SCxtA_xo9M
Price and Availability
Garmin Speak with Amazon Alexa is available now for $149.99 at Amazon or Best Buy.
