Amazon's Alexa Gets Expanded Calendar Support and Tap Speaker Hands-Free Mode
 

Amazon has silently updated its Alexa assistant to include Outlook.com calendar support, reports The Verge.

Amazon's Echo family of connected smart speakers have always supported Google calendars, but **w Outlook users can ask Alexa to add or review upcoming events in their schedule using voice commands like "What's on my calendar?" or "Add an event to my calendar."

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Outlook.com calendars can be added via the iOS Alexa app under Settings -> Calendar, which will activate the support on any connected Alexa-powered devices. Alexa still doesn't officially offer support for Apple Calendar, but a basic skill has recently been developed and made available on Github that allows the assistant to read upcoming events from the native Apple app.

In related news, Amazon has added hands-free Alexa support to its Tap portable speakers via an over-the-air software update. Originally, Amazon Tap users wishing to activate Alexa had to press a physical button on the Bluetooth speakers, but the latest update means Alexa can **w be invoked via voice alone.

Amazon says that even with the hands-free function, Tap speakers should retain about eight hours of battery life, while the "listening" mode of the devices can be put to sleep with a press of the power button. Tap speakers **w also support Amazon's "echo spatial perception", which enables the closest Alexa device to respond to commands when two or more are in proximity.

Tags: Microsoft Outlook, Amazon Echo

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