My Twitter followers likely encountered some snark in regards to Roku’s initial Google Assistant integration — with the two primary complaints being that I could only link up a single Roku device, despite a household of several, and Google’s frequent target device confusion, given the nonsensical responses that I don’t posses a Chromecast.
So it’s with great interest, as an Amazon-centric home with two Rokus still in play, that I learn the streaming company has just unveiled a Roku Alexa Skill … that sounds promising:
Alexa is a cloud-based voice service from Amazon that integrates with Roku voice search and voice control letting you use commands like “Alexa, show me action movies on Roku”, or “Alexa, launch HBO NOW on Roku” to help find content and manage playback on your compatible Roku device. If you have a Roku TV™, you can also use voice commands for tasks like adjusting volume, switching inputs (e.g., HDMI 1, HDMI 2, etc.), and powering the TV screen off or on. This article helps you integrate an Alexa-enabled device with Roku voice search and voice control, and provides some examples of voice commands you can use with your Roku device.
Unlike Google, there doesn’t appear to be an Alexa device limit and I plan to put the new skill through its paces in the near future. According to the Roku support note, all modern devices running OS 8.2 or higher are capable of linkage and control. We shall soon see!