Amazon's Alexa will offer Fitbit status updates on the Echo
Amazon continues to regularly update and improve the functionality of the Amazon Echo. Today's announcement brings Fitbit status updates to the Echo so you can easily check on your fitness level without ever looking at your Fitbit.
The new Fitbit Alexa skill focuses on using the key words, "Alexa, ask Fitbit..." After starting with these words, you can find out your step count status, sleep status, active minutes, how much water you drank, what your resting heart rate was, and more.
In addition to Alexa providing you with your status for any day of the previous week, Alexa will also offer up words of encouragement that are designed to match the time of day and type of request being made.
Tim Roberts, Executive Vice President, Interactive at Fitbit, stated:
Working with Amazon and Alexa to create this new skill provides a completely new and fun way for Fitbit users to stay on top of their health and fitness goals. Our integration with Alexa gives you hands-free access to your data, so you can find out when you walk in the door at the end of the day what your step count is in seconds, and know if you need to go on a quick walk before dinner. As we look at how this integration could evolve in the future, there is an endless world of possibilities from fitness coaching and nutrition tips, to guidance before bedtime to help you get a more restful night's sleep.
I know that ZDNet's James Kendrick is a major fan of the Amazon Echo and although I sold mine a couple of months ago I am considering a new Amazon Echo Dot now that so many new functions have been added.
These new Amazon Echo Fitbit skills will be featured in a commercial that is planned to appear during the NCAA men's basketball tournament, starting today. I also posted my review of the Fitbit Blaze this morning and believe it is the best Fitbit ever made. Using the Fitbit Blaze over the past week convinced me that Fitbit is on the right track to success in the daily activity tracker market.