Amazon Alexa devices will understand when children are using them – CNET [CNET]

Amazon’s Alexa line of smart speakers will soon be able to notice when they’re interacting with children and go into a kid-friendly mode. Parents will be able to set up Alexa voice profiles for children in coming months, Amazon said at its device product launch event Thursday,

The kids mode will tune Alexa responses for subjects like answers to questions they ask, games, music, Audible books and premium skills. 

The feature dovetails with the new $60 Echo Dot Kids Edition, a smart speaker designed to fit into kids’ bedrooms dressed up as a panda or tiger, but it’ll work with other Alexa devices, too.

Amazon also demonstrated another feature called Sidekick that could be handy for parents dealing with home schooling during the pandemic. It’ll listen as children read books out loud and offer support and some help when the child struggles.

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