Not a fan of Bixby? Samsung’s Family Hub smart fridge lets you chat with Alexa

By Patrick Hearn July 22, 2021

Samsung’s built-in voice assistant is Bixby, but sadly, the little assistant has not earned a huge fan base. This is due in part to its limited functionality compared to larger assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant (and even Siri.) Samsung presents an alternative solution to users that don’t want to use Bixby in the new, next-generation Family Hub smart refrigerator: Amazon Alexa.

Alexa is a more powerful option, with more widespread functionality that extends beyond the base options included in the Family Hub. From the Hub, you can control other smart devices in your home, stream music to set the perfect mood while cooking, mirror your TV screen so dinner doesn’t interrupt your binge-watching, search recipes, share pictures, and even order groceries.

You can control the Family Hub through the fridge itself or via the SmartThings app. It has recently added the SmartThings Cooking platform. The platform can make recommendations based on your personal meal preferences, and you can add ingredients that you have or those that you need. It can even help you build a weekly meal plan according to the ingredients you have at hand.

In addition to food-related activities, the Family Hub lets you leave notes for your family, sync calendars up, and even post videos. Samsung has also added a new shopping partner in Perdue Farms, a provider that allows users to order high-quality meat and poultry products. You also have full access to all Alexa services, too.

What sets the new Family Hub apart (aside from the inclusion of Alexa) is that both Alexa and Bixby can be used together. You don’t have to choose one or the other; in fact, you can use them simultaneously. This is the sixth generation of the Family Hub, and each model has added more features and built on those in the models before it.

The new version of the Family Hub launched on July 21. Price per model varies based on the size of the refrigerator you choose, as well as its number of doors. The good news is that the new features are available on the widest possible range of refrigerators, including Samsung’s 4-Door Flex Refrigerator.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Patrick Hearn writes about smart home technology like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, smart light bulbs, and more. If it's a…

Smart Home

Samsung reveals futuristic new smart home appliances for CES 2023

A person using the new Bespoke fridge touchscreen.

The first day of CES 2023 is right around the corner, but Samsung isn't waiting to introduce the world to its new lineup of smart home appliances. Specifically, the Bespoke lineup is now on full display, with new smart refrigerators, smart ovens, and smart washers making an appearance.

Samsung’s Bespoke lineup has long been a premium choice for smart home shoppers -- and that trend looks to continue throughout this year. One of the biggest upgrades is for the Bespoke 4-Door Flex Refrigerator with Family Hub+, which now offers a massive 32-inch touchscreen (up from a 21.5-inch display) that’s embedded directly into its glass panel door. The screen will support the new Family Hub software, allowing you to stream your favorite shows, share photos, or check the status of connected devices.

Smart Home

Here’s why you should consider upgrading to a smart thermometer

Kinsa Smart Thermometer

Smart thermometers for detecting fever may not be the most popular products bearing the “smart” moniker, but that doesn’t mean they’re unworthy of a spot in your home. These affordable devices make it easy to monitor your temperature and track the progress of your fever – many even allow you to message data directly to your physician for a quick diagnosis. They might not be a perfect fit for all households, but here's why many families would benefit from picking up a fancy new smart thermometer.
Forget about remembering

When you’re sick, daily tasks turn into monumental roadblocks. The last thing you need when under the weather is another job, and that’s where smart thermometers can help. A big selling point of smart thermometers is the ability to track your temperature using a personalized profile. Not only will it record all your readings, but after inputting a few personal parameters (such as height, weight, and gender), your smart thermometer will be able to tell if your temperatures fall within a healthy range or if you officially have a fever.

Smart Home

Turns out, sleep mode in smart fans isn’t just a gimmick

The PuriCare AeroTower acts as a conversation piece in a room.

I tried out the Dreo Smart Fan earlier this year. Among its many features is one called "sleep mode," which purportedly lowers the volume of the fan without impacting performance. I didn't think much of it; after all, how loud could a fan actually be? And then fall arrived.

For those of you who aren't familiar with weather in the Southern U.S., you can experience three seasons in a single day. It might start out as sweater weather in the morning, then be warm enough to swim in the afternoon -- only to plummet overnight. It's impossible for a thermostat to keep up.