Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Smart Home
  3. News

Amazon wants your kids to use Alexa and its new Echo Glow night-light

Allison Matyus
By

Amazon announced new kid-friendly Alexa features and a glowing night-light during the Amazon Devices Event on Wednesday.

Kids now get their own version of the Echo speaker with the new Echo Glow, a multicolor smart lamp that pairs with Alexa. Parents can ask Alexa to make the Echo Glow light flicker like a campfire while telling bedtime stories, activate a sleep timer that dims gradually over time, and create a dance party complete with multicolored lights that pulse along with the rhythm with the music.

Recommended Videos

“Another delightful thing we’ve seen over the past year is how much kids relate to smart home. They love turning the lights on, and off, and on, and off,” Amazon wrote on its live blog about the Echo Glow. “They do it because it’s fun and delightful. We wanted to make that experience easier and even more fun for kids.” 

Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Echo Glow differs from the Echo Dot Kids in that it focuses its controls on the multi-colored lights, rather than on Alexa commands.

Related

For older kids, Amazon is incorporating students’ school experiences into the Alexa. The new Alexa Education Skill API pairs up with programs like Canvas, Kickboard, and Coursera that many schools use. Parents will be able to find out more about their student’s academics by asking Alexa questions like “What kind of homework does Chris have tonight?” and “How did Sam do on the math test yesterday?”

Kids will be able to use Alexa’s education skill to ask what kind of homework they have and set reminders for important tests. 

In addition, by using the new FreeTime feature on the Echo and Echo Dot, families can come together to watch kid-friendly videos, make video calls, and more. To really have a family-friendly Alexa experience, the Echo Dot Kids is the way to go over regular Amazon Alexa devices. Alexa is more friendly in this version, responding with stories and age-appropriate responses. One of the main differences with the Echo Dots Kids Edition is that it filters out explicit lyrics on Amazon Music, and it disables voice purchasing, news, and adult-themed question-and-answer scenarios.

If you are looking for other types of nightlights, don’t forget to check out the best starry nightlight projectors we found.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Allison Matyus
Allison Matyus
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Allison Matyus is a general news reporter at Digital Trends. She covers any and all tech news, including issues around social…
Amazon to pay $30M in FTC settlements over Alexa, Ring privacy violations
Amazon logo on the headquarters building.

Amazon has agreed to pay $25 million to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to settle charges over privacy violations linked to its digital assistant, Alexa.

In a separate case, Amazon-owned Ring will pay $5.8 million for violations of users’ privacy.

Read more
What does the Amazon Echo yellow ring color mean?
Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen) LED light ring

Amazon’s Echo devices come in all shapes and sizes -- including cylinders, orbs, and screens. But there’s one thing they all have in common: Every Echo houses the Alexa voice assistant and uses an LED indicator light to provide clues on what Alexa may be doing right now. On classic Echo speakers, this light took the form of a pulsing ring, which can change to different colors based on activity.

We’ve come across many Alexa users who have noticed that their Echo device has started showing a yellow ring and aren’t really sure what that means or what they should do about it. A yellow ring isn’t typically anything to worry about, but our FAQ will go over the details so you know what’s going on!
What does the yellow ring look like exactly?
Your Echo device will pulse a yellow color that will die down for a few seconds, then pulse again. This may or may not be accompanied by an audio alert, one that's easy to miss if no one is around paying attention, which is why it’s common to be surprised by a yellow pulse from your Echo.

Read more
Most common Amazon Echo Dot problems, and how to fix them
Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen) with Clock on table.

The Echo Dot is a fantastic way to stay connected with your schedule, favorite streaming platforms, news, weather, and smart home devices, but it's not without its glitches. Once in a while, you may experience a Wi-Fi dropout or other frustrating hiccup. Not to worry though: Most of these bugs have simple solutions to get things back on track. For your consideration, we've rounded up some of the most common Echo Dot issues users face  and what you can do to fix your troublesome Dot if it decides to act up.

Having trouble with other Amazon products? Check out our roundups of the most common Echo Show and Echo Bud issues and how to fix them. Issues with your network? Check out our list of the most common Wi-Fi problems (with solutions).
Your Echo Dot won't connect to Wi-Fi

Read more