Amazon’s Alexa can now answer questions about the Tokyo 2020 Olympics

‘Alexa, which country has the most gold medals?’ Amazon’s smart assistant can now answer questions about the Tokyo 2020 Olympics

The moment that sports fans around the world have been waiting for is almost here, with the Tokyo 2020 Olympics finally kicking off today.

With over 200 countries and regions competing across 33 sports and 46 disciplines, it can be hard to keep up with all the latest news.

Thankfully, Amazon has your back, and has equipped its smart assistant, Alexa, with facts to give users quick and easy access to the latest news and successes throughout the games.

The moment that sports fans around the world have been waiting for is almost finally here, with the Tokyo 2020 Olympics finally kicking off today

Questions you can ask Alexa

‘Alexa, what’s the Olympics update?’

‘Alexa, what’s the Paralympics update?’

‘Alexa, what’s Team GB’s Olympics update?’

‘Alexa, what’s Team Ireland’s Olympics update?’

‘Alexa, what’s Team Ireland’s Paralympics update?’

‘Alexa, which country has the most gold meals?’

‘Alexa, what’s Team GB’s medal count?’

‘Alexa, what’s Team Ireland’s medal count?’

‘Alexa, who is the athlete of the day?’

Users of Alexa-enabled devices can ask the smart assistant a range of questions, including ‘Alexa, which country has the most gold medals?’, and receive answers almost immediately.

Amazon explained: ‘Following the Olympics Opening Ceremony on Friday 23rd July, Alexa will give customers the low down on Team GB, Team Ireland, ParalympicsGB and Paralympics Ireland athletes competing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games this year.

‘When asking questions such as ‘Alexa, what’s the Olympics update?’ or ‘Alexa, what’s the Paralympics update?’ customers will hear an update every day throughout the Games, with the latest news from Tokyo.’

Throughout the games, fans will be able to follow along with the successes of the teams, by asking ‘Alexa, what’s [insert team name] Olympics/Paralympics update?’

The smart assistant will then provide you witha daily summary of the team’s progress.

Additionally, Alexa can help fans become an expert on the individual athletes, with answers to questions such as ‘Alexa, who is the athlete of the day?’

Meanwhile, to stay up to date on the medals table, customers can also ask ‘Alexa, which country has the most gold medals?’, or ask for team specific updates such as, ‘Alexa, what’s [insert team name] medal count?’.

Alexa can help fans become an expert on the individual athletes, with answers to questions such as 'Alexa, who is the athlete of the day?'

Alexa can help fans become an expert on the individual athletes, with answers to questions such as ‘Alexa, who is the athlete of the day?’

While the Olympics will finally begin today, they were originally meant to take place in 2020, but were delayed amid the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Announcing the news last year, the IOC and the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee explained that the Games ‘must be rescheduled to a date beyond 2020 but not later than summer 2021, to safeguard the health of the athletes, everybody involved in the Olympic Games and the international community.’  

However, questions have been raised as to whether the games are even safe to be held in 2021. 

With just days to go until the opening ceremony, Tokyo Olympics chief Toshiro Muto admitted that the games could be cancelled at any time if the number of Covid-19 cases spikes.

WHICH SMART SPEAKER SHOULD YOU BUY?

Gadget makers are flocking to create smart speakers. 

Already Samsung has revealed plans for a Bixby speaker to take on Apple’s HomePod, Amazon’s Echo and Google’s Home.

Apple’s speaker will have a higher price tag than the Amazon Echo range, which begins at $49 (£49) for the Echo Dot.

The speaker will provide a hub for appliances via Apple’s HomeKit system and establish a centre inside the home to lock people in to using other Apple services, according to the report.

A speaker might help customers stay loyal to other services such as Apple Music, Apple Watch, Apple TV and AirPods. 

Google’s $130 (£105) Home speaker is triggered by the phrase ‘Hey Google’ while Amazon’s Echo uses ‘Alexa’.

Amazon's $50 (£40)  Echo Dot puts the firm's smart speaker in a small package

Amazon’s $50 (£40) Echo Dot puts the firm’s smart speaker in a small package

Amazon’s smart speaker is available in two versions – the full sized $180 (£145) Echo shown here, and a smaller, $50 (£40) version called the Echo Dot.

Amazon Echo uses Microsoft’s Bing search engine to provide additional information, while Google Home uses the company’s own Google Search.

Both Home and Echo are continually listening for commands, though Google and Amazon say nothing gets passed back to them until the speakers hear a keyword — ‘OK, Google’ for Home and ‘Alexa’ for Echo.

Google Home Mini:  Google's clever tech-filled $49 (£34) doughnut can do almost everything  its bigger voice controlled Google Assistant powered sibling can do, including answer questions and control third-party devices.

Google Home Mini:  Google’s clever tech-filled $49 (£34) doughnut can do almosteverything  its bigger voice controlledGoogle Assistant poweredsibling can do,including answer questionsand control third-party devices.

Google’s Assistant software is also able to answer follow-up questions on the same topic, in a near-conversation style, but Echo as yet cannot.

However, Amazon’s Alexa software has a wider range of skills on offer that enable it to link up with and control more third-party devices around the home.

A light comes on to remind you that it’s listening.

You can turn off the microphone temporarily, too. 



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