What is Dash Wand? Dash Wand Review

Dash Wand is a wirelessly connected barcode scanner and voice command device launched by Amazon in April 2014. Dash Wand has built-in intelligent voice assistant Alexa, which allows users to interact with it through voice, making shopping more convenient.

About Dash Wand

The black and white Dash Wand looks a bit like a flashlight, is about 14.2 cm long, and is equipped with a speaker, microphone, and barcode scanner. There is a hook on the top of the Dash Wand, and the magnet on the back allows it to be attached to the refrigerator. Amazon has launched the Dash Button and the first and second generation Dash Wand, all of which are designed to help users shop more quickly and easily. In the previously launched Dash Wand products, although users can scan the barcode on the product to put the product into the virtual shopping cart of their account, manual confirmation is still required before the order can be officially placed. And because the new Dash Wand has Amazon's smart voice assistant Alexa built in, users can place orders through voice commands, making the entire purchasing process more convenient.

use

1. Tell it directly by voice what products you want to order.

2. Simply use Dash Wand to scan the barcode of the product you want to buy.

However, since the service can only be completed in a Wi-Fi environment, its best application scenario is home, and it is not suitable to take it with you to the mall with a shopping basket (unless you can take the trouble to connect to the mall Wi-Fi).

cost

The Dash Button is priced at $20 (about RMB 136) and is only available to Amazon Prime members. Users will receive a $20 reward and 90 days of free fresh food delivery service after purchasing it.

Features

1. Dash Wand is actually free.

The Dash Wand costs $20 and is only available to Amazon Prime members; however, Prime members will receive a $20 account subsidy after purchasing it, so it is equivalent to free. At the same time, in order to promote its fresh food delivery service Amazon Fresh, all those who purchase the new Dash Wand can also get 90 days of free Fresh delivery service.

2. Dash Wand is powered by two AAA batteries.

The Dash Wand is not rechargeable, and two AAA batteries are provided in the box. It is not clear how long these two batteries will last, but you certainly can't expect them to last indefinitely, of course you can also replace them with rechargeable batteries.

3. Dash Wand can control smart home devices.

Dash Wand can help you convert units, tell jokes, and more importantly, control Alexa-compatible smart home devices. You can use it to turn on lights, lock doors, set temperatures, and more. It's very simple to operate, just press the button and say "turn on the courtesy lights" or "heat the oven to 400 degrees." However, Dash Wand's Alexa voice assistant cannot play music, set timers or reminders, and cannot connect to calendars.

4. Dash Wand can scan any product.

While the Dash Wand is listed as a grocery assistant, it actually has a lot more applications in life than that. If you use the Dash Wand to scan the barcode on the back of the deodorant, the item will be added to your Amazon shopping cart. The Dash Wand can add anything you scan, as long as the product is available on Amazon. If not, it will add a placeholder to the cart so you can choose a similar product. If scanning the barcode doesn't work, you can also use your voice to add items to your cart. It's as simple as saying, "Alexa, add carpet cleaner to my cart."

The difference between Dash Wand and Dash

The Dash Wand uses Alexa for voice recognition, while the Dash has its own dedicated voice recognition system.

Development History

-The Amazon Dash Wand was released in April 2014, a Wi-Fi connected device that allows users to build shopping lists by scanning barcodes and speaking product names aloud, connecting directly with AmazonFresh.

-The second generation of the Amazon Dash barcode scanner was released in October 2016, which replaced the two buttons on the previous model with a single button for scanning barcodes and activating the microphone. The new model is also shorter than an inch and is magnetic so it can stick to metal surfaces, such as refrigerators.

-In June 2017, Dash Wand officially launched a new Dash product, including a barcode scanner and built-in Alexa voice assistant. It allows users to get recipes and orders from the Amazon Prime Now website.