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Amazon Dash Wand Barcode Scanner Launched With Built-In Alexa

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Amazon has launched a new version of its Dash barcode scanning device for Prime U.S. subscribers that includes the company's ubiquitous virtual assistant built in.

Called the Dash Wand, the Alexa-enabled gadget allows users to scan grocery barcodes, convert measurements, and order essential household items from Amazon with the click of a button.

Amazon-Dash-Wand-800x600.jpg

Pressing the button activates the Dash Wand, enabling customers to use their voice to ask about recipes and find local restaurants. It's also possible to control smart lighting via the magnetic device, which is designed to be attached to a fridge.

With the original Dash, released in 2014, users could scan barcodes and add items to their shopping cart via limited voice controls, but checkout had to be completed on the Amazon site.


By contrast, the new $20 Dash Wand allows users to buy items directly. Prime subscribers also receive $20 off their next purchase once they've registered the device, so it basically comes free. In addition, buyers get a free 90-day trial of the AmazonFresh home grocery service.

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Article Link: Amazon Dash Wand Barcode Scanner Launched With Built-In Alexa
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2017/06/15/amazon-dash-wand-built-in-alexa/
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Seems rather pointless since your phone could do everything it does, and probably with you more often too than that thing stuck on the fridge.
 
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they should have done the promo vid like the "But wait there's more!" Blue screen videos of yore.
 
Voice control is still way too horrid for me. If it worked 50% of the time it would be an improvement for me.
 
I have two of these sitting on top of my fridge. Very clever, but hardly used. The prices for Amazon Fresh were pretty steep, and the selection was slim and inconsistent.

My dream of having a set grocery order coming every 2 weeks (similar to subscribe and save) went out the window pretty quickly.
 
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I am confused as to what the $20 credit applies to. When you go to their details page you see:
  • Promotional credit only applies to products sold by Amazon.com or Amazon Digital Services LLC (look for "sold by Amazon.com" or "sold by Amazon Digital Services LLC" on the product detail page). Products sold by third-party sellers or other Amazon entities will not qualify for this offer, even if "fulfilled by Amazon.com" or "Prime Eligible".
and then the very next line is:
  • Promotional credit does not apply to digital content.
So what can I get for my $20? Can I use it to get a dot?
 
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TheFluffyDuck said:
Voice control is still way too horrid for me. If it worked 50% of the time it would be an improvement for me.
Click to expand...

Siri is abysmal for me. Alexa (2 Echoes and 3 Echo Dots in the house) is pretty stellar. It even help my kids practice their English to turn off their lights and playing songs.
 
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Quu said:
That video was pretty cringe. Maybe when I'm a millionaire I can order mushrooms and a handful of other goods off Amazon Fresh instead of going to the store.
Click to expand...

These kinds of comments always make me laugh. Yes, Amazon Fresh's prices are higher than the local grocery store's. So what? You're posting on an Apple forum and probably own multiple Apple products which are widely known to be "premium" priced, but paying more for online mushrooms is something only the super rich can do? Gimme a break.

Just because you don't see value in a product/service does not mean that others do not. It works both ways - I know several people who would jump on this service but think paying Apple's prices for their products/services is only something only the rich and/or stupid do.
 
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Quu said:
That video was pretty cringe. Maybe when I'm a millionaire I can order mushrooms and a handful of other goods off Amazon Fresh instead of going to the store.
Click to expand...

While ordering those off Amazon Fresh right now is a high price, this has nothing to do with being rich. In NYC with millions without cars and long walks to grocery stores, services like FreshDirect and this are amazing options that are absolutely needed by all ranges of income level homes.
 
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szw-mapple fan said:
Seems rather pointless since your phone could do everything it does, and probably with you more often too than that thing stuck on the fridge.
Click to expand...

You forget that not everyone has/uses a smartphone w/Alexa app. For example, the under 10 or over 70 crowd. Easy enough to use it to use one of the hundreds (thousands?) of Alexa skills with just a simple button press.
 
4jasontv said:
I am confused as to what the $20 credit applies to. When you go to their details page you see:
  • Promotional credit only applies to products sold by Amazon.com or Amazon Digital Services LLC (look for "sold by Amazon.com" or "sold by Amazon Digital Services LLC" on the product detail page). Products sold by third-party sellers or other Amazon entities will not qualify for this offer, even if "fulfilled by Amazon.com" or "Prime Eligible".
and then the very next line is:
  • Promotional credit does not apply to digital content.
So what can I get for my $20? Can I use it to get a dot?
Click to expand...

Looks like you could. The "digital content" means videos, MP3, Kindle books, etc., as opposed to physical items. Any physical items that are sold by Amazon (as far as I can tell, including the Dot) are eligible. However, if you're doing this to save money in the grand scheme of things, keep in mind that you won't (unless you also wanted an Amazon Fresh trial)--the Dash Wand costs about $20, so the $20 credit you'll get towards your next purchase will only make you just about break even.

That being said, this looks pretty neat and I think I'll get one. I'm pretty sure I can handle making two orders from Amazon, so my next one should effectively cancel out this one's purchase price. I have an Echo but it had a hard time hearing me if anything I'm doing in the kitchen is noisy, so this might be another way for me to use Alexa.

szw-mapple fan said:
Seems rather pointless since your phone could do everything it does, and probably with you more often too than that thing stuck on the fridge.
Click to expand...

Sure, but I don't have my phone stuck on the fridge with a magnet when I'm in the kitchen--it's likely in the other room, and I'd feel better about using something that costs $20 (or effectively $0) when my hands are a bit dirty.
 
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bozzykid said:
Except this is Amazon. They will put it on the front page and sell millions. Amazon is not incompetent. They know how to push their products.
Click to expand...
Remember, it's "sell" because the item is essentially free. Point is, it's a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. They're throwing **** at the wall just to see what sticks.
 
This is not something I see my self using in the near future. I live near a grocery store and convenient shopping. I also have a vehicle so i have no difficulty transporting purchases. But with my imagination, I see this being used by a great many people. I see this marketing video demonstrating the use of this device for often ordered food items, but it can be utilized by anyone that wants to buy items that are consistently consumed (got to have the bar-code of the product to order more of it).
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willmtaylor said:
Remember, it's "sell" because the item is essentially free. Point is, it's a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. They're throwing **** at the wall just to see what sticks.
Click to expand...
This product along with the delivery of the ordered products are a solution to some. There are many people that live in urban or rural environments that don't have quick easy access to healthy foods or consistent consumables. They don't have vehicles to transport purchased items.
 
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