Amazon Echo: Alexa now also listens to Ziggy

Amazon gives Alexa an extra voice and a new activation word. From mid-March 2022, users will be able to wake up the voice assistant with the new activation word "Ziggy" in addition to "Echo", "Computer" and "Alexa".

With the new voice option, users can turn Alexa into "Alex" to a certain extent, because Amazon's new voice for the voice assistant complements the only female voice to date with a male voice. The more or less corresponding new hotword "Ziggy" will now be provided in stages.

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Ziggy as a male-sounding Alexa counterpart

As Amazon announces, the voice assistant can now also be used with the male-sounding name "Ziggy" as an activation word in Germany. This gives users five different hotwords to choose from: In addition to "Alexa", there are already "Amazon", "Echo" and "Computer". All activation words will be usable for both voice options, Amazon explains. In the course of the next few days, the function will be available to all customers.

How Amazon came up with the new hot word "Ziggy", however, the company does not explain. "Alex" would have been more obvious given the proximity to "Alexa", but the name may be too widespread. The fact that Amazon has chosen a name with the initial letter "Z" could, however, be associated with the A to Z of the company logo, which is intended to emphasize the extensive product range of the e-retailer.

Alexa also answers with a male voice if desired

By the way, the new voting option, which Amazon had already provided for the USA in the summer of 2021, has already arrived in Germany in November 2021. To activate this voice, users can simply say "Alexa, change your voice". With the command you can also jump back and forth between the new male and the original female in a flying alternation. Alternatively, it can also be changed manually in the Alexa app.

Unlike the Google Assistant and Apple's Siri, Alexa previously had no option to change the voice. Amazon had always avoided questions about the gender of the voice assistant. Alexa herself answers the question about her gender that she is neither male nor female, but an artificial intelligence.

In an interview with Daniel Rausch, head of Amazon's smarthome division, the manager told Business Insider that the company has been researching this and "has found that a woman's voice seems more likeable and is better received."

Nevertheless, the choice of the feminine voice and the name Alexa should contribute to the fact that most users consider the assistant, who is defined as gender-neutral, as a woman. This repeatedly led to criticism, as according to a study, orders would be given to a woman and a so-called gender bias would arise.