If you've ever used an Amazon Echo smart speaker and thought "this is great, but I really wish it came with a build-in camera and told me what to wear," then good news: the company has just unveiled the Echo Look, the latest in its Alexa-powered speaker lineup that takes photos, videos, and evaluates your clothing choices.
The new device's depth-sensing, 5-megapixel camera and LED lighting lets you capture selfies simply by saying "Alexa, take a photo," or "Alexa, take a video." It's able to blur backgrounds to make the images really pop, and they're instantly uploaded to the new Echo Look app where they can be shared on Facebook, Instagram, etc. You can also view a livestream of what the Look's recording to see yourself from all angles.
For the less fashionable folks among us, the app also comes with a "Style Check" feature. It combines Amazon's machine learning algorithms with advice from stylists to offer a second opinion - helpful when nobody's around, or if friends are too polite to say your clothes makes you look homeless.
In the demonstration video, a user is seen uploading photos of them wearing two different outfits. The app tells them which one looks best, based on current trends and what's flattering for their body shape. The more you use the feature, the smarter it will become.
Amazon will, of course, want anyone who buys new clothes based on the speaker's advice to use its own retail site. There's even an "Inspired by your look" feature in the app that helps you "discover new brands."
The Echo Look performs all the same functions as Amazon's other smart speakers, such as playing music and controlling smart home devices. It costs $199, but the only way you can buy one is to request an invitation from the Look page.