Alexa, Amazon's virtual assistant, has received a novelty long-awaited by many. The app now includes a new option, discovered by The Ambient portal, that allows users to select between two different tones of voice . Until now, the assistant present in the Amazon Echo and other smart devices only allowed to activate a female voice. Other virtual assistants, such as Siri or Google Assistant, already had the possibility to select different voices.
The new voice is called “Ziggy” and has a more masculine tone compared to the original. The name “Ziggy” can also be used to summon the Wizard, regardless of the voice type the user has selected. It adds to the classic “Alexa” that also works with the new tone. Amazon also offers the possibility of modifying the command for a completely personalized one or adding celebrity voices through Skills.
Users will be able to change the voice type through the Alexa app, in the “Settings” and “Device settings” sections. Amazon allows you to select a different voice on each device. Therefore, the tone of voice must be changed independently on each Amazon Echo or smart device that has Alexa.
On the other hand, it is also possible to ask Alexa to modify the voice of a specific device. To do this, it will be necessary to carry out the following command: “Alexa, change the voice” and the assistant will select the new option.
Amazon Alexa joins the different tones of voice
Alexa isn't the first to include a different tone of voice than the default. In fact, it is the last wizard to add this option . Google Assistant has several tones of voice, while Apple also displays a lower voice and a higher one. Other assistants, like Bixby, also offer multiple voices.
In the three assistants the gender of the voice is not mentioned, but rather it is cataloged in a different way. Amazon Alexa has named its new voice “Ziggy”, but an “Original” and a “New” voice appear as options in the app settings. Apple classifies voices by numbers: “voice 1” and “voice 2”. Google differentiates the tones of voices by colors.
