Were hanging out with Alexa today, I told her.
Specifically, we were testing out the new childrens version of Alexa, Amazons voice-controlled digital assistant.
It dwells in theEcho Dot Kids Edition, which launched this month.
Some are calling it a digital nanny.
I prefer to see it more as a cheery, always-available cruise director.
Alexa, good morning, my daughter greeted it.
Good morning, it responded.
You know what my favorite thing to say in the morning is?
Cheerio because its a way of saying hello and its a bang out of cereal.
When responding to fact-based questions, it infuses a little personality.
Alexa, how far is the moon?
The moons distance from earth is 239,000 miles or 384,000 kilometers.
That moon-jumping cow must have strong legs.
And we quickly felt a little stuck.
For instance, No Way Thats True is an energetic trivia game by Nickelodeon.
Disney Stories includes audio stories about Elsa, Minnie and other characters.
My husband kept playing this game long after everyone else had left the roomIm so good at this!
he boasted to no one.
What I was most impressed with, though, were the choose-your-own-adventure-key in audio experiences.
In these skills, they interact with characters and affect how events unfold.
(Will you walk to the castle, to the farm or follow music from a pond?)
I like that these stories are stimulating, encouraging young listeners to pay attention to the smallest details.
That, to me, is promising.
Do I think kids need their own personal AI assistant?
But Im always looking for ways parents can experience digital mediawiththeir kids.
Im cautiously excited to see where creators and storytellers take this new technology.
