Amazon just recently unveiled their new Echo Look which is a selfie camera that is voice-controlled and supposed to help users pick out what to wear. The $200 device is going to be able to listen to voice commands, take photos of you as well as videos, and then judge the outfits.
The device has a built-in LED light, microphone, and the ability to be attached to a variety of different surfaces. It works in conjunction with an Amazon iOS app that also helps to compare and rate outfits.
The tool has been criticized by many as being creepy to say the least. The photos that get taken with the camera are going to be stored on Amazon computers they've confirmed; indefinitely until they are manually deleted by the user.
If you don't trust your own judgment to try and dress yourself any longer, or if you'd rather take pictures and use an app than simply look in a mirror, then this device might be everything that you need.
The hands-free device is going to offer everything that Amazon Alexa features, but it will also include the camera that can take the full-length photographs as well as the 360-degree videos. You can still use the same device to listen to the news, hear about the weather, and other common activities that you could do with the Amazon Alexa.
Privacy advocates have raised caution over these sorts of 'always on' tech products that have become popular in the past few years. They say that these devices allow companies to spy and listen to consumers in ways like never before, in their most intimate and private spaces.
Amazon has already seen some great success with their Echo devices, having already sold more than 11 million of them before Dec 1st of 2016, making more than $900 million in profit, according to a report by Morgan Stanley.
Interestingly, the Echo made headlines just a few weeks ago when a video went viral of a user asking it if it was connected to the CIA to which the device didn't respond. Since that video and story went viral, an Amazon official has since confirmed that it was just a glitch that has since been fixed. So now when you ask if it is connected to the CIA, you should get the response 'No, I work for Amazon.'
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Sources:
http://www.news.com.au/technology/gadgets/cameras/amazon-wants-you-to-use-artificial-intelligence-to-decide-what-to-wear/news-story/9af11ca3a82d89151d08f0403dd4d1a6
https://www.theverge.com/2017/4/26/15435550/amazon-echo-look-200-smart-camera-mirror-stylist
http://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-echo-look-augmented-reality-computer-vision-2017-4
http://www.ajc.com/technology/creepy-useful-amazon-new-echo-look-selfie-camera-wants-help-you-get-dressed/O1G5U49UEqWglKAIktzHZI/
http://www.seattletimes.com/business/amazon/amazon-has-sold-more-than-11-million-echo-devices-morgan-stanley-says/
