{"id":334305,"date":"2017-07-06T07:23:17","date_gmt":"2017-07-06T07:23:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=334305"},"modified":"2017-07-06T07:23:17","modified_gmt":"2017-07-06T07:23:17","slug":"alibaba-reveals-echo-like-smart-speaker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2017\/07\/alibaba-reveals-echo-like-smart-speaker\/","title":{"rendered":"Alibaba reveals Echo-like smart speaker"},"content":{"rendered":"
Alibaba is the latest technology giant to unveil a smart speaker.<\/p>\n
The voice-controlled Tmall Genie can be used to play music, run third-party apps and buy goods from the Chinese retail giant’s online stores. Like many such devices, it lacks a display.<\/p>\n
At launch, it will understand only Mandarin and be sold in the company’s domestic market.<\/p>\n
It will compete in China against devices already\u00a0launched by Baidu\u00a0and\u00a0JD.com.<\/p>\n
Tencent – China’s biggest technology company by market capitalisation – has announced it has a similar product in development.<\/p>\n
In the West, Amazon’s Echo range of smart speakers compete against Google Home. Apple and Microsoft have similar products scheduled for release soon. And Samsung is readying a speaker of its own, powered by its new Bixby virtual assistant, according to a\u00a0report by the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Smarter shopping<\/strong><\/p>\n Alibaba’s new product derives its name from the company’s e-commerce platform – Tmall – and during a demonstration in Beijing was used to order a delivery of Coca-Cola and buy credit for a phone.<\/p>\n