If you’re a Dish subscriber, you may already be familiar with Amazon’s Alexa, as the company introduced Alexa for its Hopper devices in April 2017 and expanded support to its Joey clients in October 2017. Whether you’re already a user or just bought a device with Alexa, your life is about to get a little easier, as Dish has rolled out a handful of new Alexa voice controls.
The new commands let you control your Dish DVR as well as navigate the interface and launch apps. If you’re watching a show and suddenly realize you want to record it, simply saying “Alexa, record this” will take care of that for you. If, on the other hand, you want to look through shows you’ve already recorded, all you need to do is say “Alexa, go to my DVR.”
When it comes to navigation, you can move through the interface by saying “Alexa, go to my Home Screen” or “Alexa, open Game Finder.” This works similarly for apps as well, which you can launch by saying “Alexa, launch Netflix” or “Alexa, launch Pandora.” The new commands join those that were already available, which would let you change channels or search for TV shows.
“We are working to create the best Hands-Free TV options for our customers, and these new voice capabilities are an important step in that direction,” Dish vice president of product management Niraj Desai said in a statement. “Dish customers already love the convenience that our Alexa compatibility brings to their home, so we’re continuously identifying popular voice commands to enhance that experience.”
These commands are available to any Dish customer with an Alexa device and internet-connected Dish hardware, which includes all generations of its Hopper DVR, the Hopper Duo, all models of the Joey, and the Wally. When it comes to Alexa devices, you can use the Amazon Echo, Echo Show, Echo Dot, or even the new Fire TV Cube or another Alexa-enabled device. There is one slight catch, in that each Dish set-top box will need to be paired with its own Alexa device.
These new commands are available now. For more about Alexa integration with your DVR or set-top box, see the Dish website. If you are new to Alexa, make sure to take a look at our guide to all the different things you can do with Amazon’s insanely popular virtual voice assistant.
Instagram is making its way to yet another screen, and this time, Apple TV is getting a taste of the Reels rabbit hole. The company has launched a dedicated Instagram app for Apple TV, bringing Reels, longer videos, and live shows to the big screen. So, if watching one quick clip on a phone somehow turns into an hour of scrolling, there's now a much larger screen for that.
Instagram brings Reels and more to Apple TV
Audio-Technica, a brand well known for making some of the best studio and professional headphones on the market, has just come out with the ATH-AWX7000, which the company itself claims to be its "finest headphones ever." The new flagship closed-back headphone has debuted at an eye-watering price of $3,799. It combines hand-finished Japanese woodwork with a newly developed 58mm driver.
The earcups are made from Kiso cypress, a prized wood historically used for Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Each housing is finished by hand with traditional Echizen lacquer, which brings out the grain and is expected to darken over time. The frame and sliders are finished in a deep navy kachi-iro shade traditionally associated with samurai.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
Technology evolves every day, transforming how we live and work. Our devices are becoming more than tools we use. They are increasingly capable companions that help streamline day-to-day routines and spark creative ideas. If you have been waiting for the right moment to upgrade your tech setup, the Discover Samsung Shopping Event offers an opportunity to explore what connected, AI-powered living can look like.