Skip to main content

How’s your Spanish, Alexa? Some Amazon Echo devices pick up a new language

ññAmazon announced that several Echo devices and a specially tailored version of Alexa are available for sale to customers in Mexico.

Effective immediately, customers can pre-order the Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Plus, Echo Spot, and the Amazon Smart Plug. Orders will start shipping next week.

Recommended Videos

Alexa will sound different in products sold to customers in Mexico than in Echo devices in the U.S. The voice assistant has a new voice and understands and speaks using the Mexican or Latin American variation of Spanish. Latin American Spanish differs from the Castilian Spanish dialect spoken in most of Spain and the Caribbean dialect spoken in Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and along the east coast of Mexico and Central America.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

The new Alexa products don’t just speak the language; they also are equipped with local knowledge for the Mexican market.

“We’ve built an entirely new experience from the ground up that honors Mexican culture, enabling customers just to ask to play their favorite music, get the news and weather, control their smart home, set reminders, enjoy local skills, and more,” said Toni Reid, vice president of Amazon Alexa.

Hundreds of local skills from companies such as Cinépolis, Domino’s, Maratón, Philips Hue, Aeroméxico, Grupo Televisa, and more are ready for customers as soon as they set up the new Echo devices with Alexa built in.

Because Echo devices are, at their core, smart speakers, familiar audio-centric third-party companies including Sonos, Bose, Harman Kardon, and Jabra have also introduced devices for Mexican customers with Alexa built in.

Mexico now joins the growing list of Alexa-enabled countries, which currently includes the United States, France, Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, India, Ireland, and Canada.

Amazon also announced the launch of Amazon Music including Music Unlimited for customers in Mexico.

“With today’s launch in Mexico, we’re bringing our customers an incredible selection of music including hand-curated global and local content created for music lovers in Mexico,” said Federico Pedersen, head of music for Mexico.

“Soon millions of songs will be paired with a brand-new way of listening to music through voice on Alexa, delivering a host of brand-new ways to ask for music,” Pedersen continued. “We can’t wait for customers to begin their listening experience with Amazon Music.”

Bruce Brown
Bruce Brown Contributing Editor   As a Contributing Editor to the Auto teams at Digital Trends and TheManual.com, Bruce…
Which Amazon Echo should you buy?
The Echo Dot Kids Owl and Dragon designs on a table.

If you’re a fan of Alexa’s gentle tones and like using voice commands around your home -- including setting up smart routines or enabling Alexa Guard for some extra safety while you’re away -- then you may be thinking about getting an Amazon Echo smart speaker. Or maybe you want to give an Amazon Show to a family member or friend to make it easier to communicate with them. But what should you get?

There are quite a few Amazon Echo models available, with more arriving all the time, so we know it can be confusing to figure out the latest models and which may be the right pick for you. Don’t worry. Our guide is here to help with our picks for the best and newest Echos available, along with details on who they’re suited for.
Echo 4th-generation

Read more
Here’s how to throw a killer Halloween party with your smart home
spooky halloween lighting haunted house

The spooky season is almost here, and if you’re worried about throwing the perfect Halloween party, consider using your smart home to do the heavy lifting. Common smart home gadgets such as motion sensors, light bulbs, and smart plugs make it easy to pull off a horrifying Halloween party for your guests. From assisting with your playlist and movie selections to creating a chilling ambiance, here’s a look at all the ways your smart home can help you throw a killer Halloween party.
Use motion sensors to trigger spooky sounds
Have a smart home security system? Then you can probably rig up your motion sensors to play a spooky noise. It doesn't necessarily have to be a motion sensor, either -- your smart camera can trigger other devices in your smart home when it detects motion.

Just place a speaker on your porch, perhaps tucked away behind a pumpkin or a bit of straw. When a group of unsuspecting kids shows up to ask for candy, they set off the motion sensor on the camera, which triggers the speaker to play the sound of a zombie's moan or the cackle of a witch. Bonus points if you set up an animatronic hand to rise up out of the straw.

Read more
The Amazon Echo Hub is almost the whole-home hub I’ve always wanted
Amazon Echo Hub.

I’ve long dreamed about having a proper sort of home hub. One that’s always on, always showing me the things I want to control at any given time. Not huge. Not obtrusive.

The new Amazon Echo Hub, one several new Echo devices announced at Amazon's 2023 devices event at HQ2 in Arlington, Virginia, very much seems to fit that bill. It’s a touchscreen that you’ll use to control all your things.

Read more