NETGEAR Orbi Voice takes mesh networking deeper into Smart Homes
There are lots of reasons to love the NETGEAR Orbi Voice smart speaker and WiFi mesh satellite with built-in Amazon Alexa. This new mesh Wi-Fi satellite uses the Qualcomm Mesh networking platform which has helped create an entire new ecosystem of mesh Wi-Fi products, and can deliver expansive whole home Wi-Fi coverage up to 4500 square feet. So, kiss those Wi-Fi dead spots goodbye.
Orbi Voice is a smart speaker with the Amazon voice assistant, Alexa, built-in, and features premium audio for incredible room-filling sound by the audio experts at Harman Kardon. Alexa makes it easy to play music from the most popular music services as well as set alarms, control IoT devices, check traffic, weather, sports scores, and so much more — without needing a separate Amazon Echo device.
Yet, this story is even bigger. While convergence is common in tech (when was the last time any of us snapped a pic on anything but your smartphone?), this merging of two previously distinct product categories is big. This is one where we’ll look back in a few years and ask, “why wasn’t it always this way?”
Here’s why:
We’ve explained and demonstrated how and why mesh networking and advanced voice features could and should converge. A platform that connects most of the devices in the home, and expertly manages their performance, should support simple methods of control like voice. But NETGEAR’s Orbi Voice goes even further, blurring the line that separates networking and client device ecosystems. This is a truly innovative leap, and the start of a trend we expect to accelerate in the 5G era, as the symmetrical distribution of wireless connectivity becomes so important to delivering cognitive smart home experiences.
The idea behind the cognitive smart home is one where artificial intelligence and machine learning are applied. Imagine a smart home that senses each individual persona and customizes the physical and network environment to their preferences and expected activities. These capabilities can easily be deployed on the Qualcomm Mesh networking platform. In this vision, devices like set top boxes, TVs, thermostats, and yes, smart speakers, will play a central role as the hearing, sensing, and responding devices of the cognitive home.
So today, you can order the NETGEAR Orbi Voice, for a whole home connected experience engineered to be the most intuitive, and with the best audio quality, available. And you are also tapping into the start of a new era in smart home innovation.
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