It kinda sounds like voice assistant overkill, but maybe Garmin is onto something: the navigation systems firm’s new Speak gadget sticks to your windshield and lets you invoke Alexa to ask for directions, play music and audiobooks, shop on Amazon and turn off the lights at home with your voice.
The device is about the size of a car charger and features a circular OLED display, an LED light ring and two mics; it can stream audio over your car’s speakers via Bluetooth or an AUX cable, and display turn-by-turn directions on its screen using Garmin’s GPS system. You can also use Sensory’s skill on Alexa to accept phone calls hands-free.
For $150, it’s not a bad choice if you’re already sold on Amazon’s voice assistant and your car’s entertainment system doesn’t support Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.
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Plus, Alexa is getting handier by the day – it just added support for custom lists so you add items to your to-dos for the day or just dictate a packing list for your vacation. It can also play simple games to keep your passengers occupied. If you’ve been meaning to take Alexa’s abilities on the road with you, this looks like a good bet.
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