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Coming soon: Alexa voice controls for your Big Ass Fan

A native software integration will allow Alexa to control your Haiku smart ceiling fan with basic voice commands.

Ry Crist Senior Editor / Reviews - Labs
Originally hailing from Troy, Ohio, Ry Crist is a writer, a text-based adventure connoisseur, a lover of terrible movies and an enthusiastic yet mediocre cook. A CNET editor since 2013, Ry's beats include smart home tech, lighting, appliances, broadband and home networking.
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Ry Crist

Next up for Alexa: connected ceiling fans.

Colin West McDonald/CNET

After adding native controls for smart thermostats just a few weeks ago, Amazon is now set to teach its virtual assistant Alexa how to talk to your ceiling fan. First in line: the Haiku smart ceiling fan from Big Ass Solutions (a company best known for its eponymous big-ass fans).

Big Ass Solutions teased the Alexa integration back in January at CES. The surprising news today is that it'll be a native Alexa integration and not a "Skill." That means that you won't need to download anything in the Alexa app, and that you won't need to tell Alexa to "ask Haiku" or anything like that. Just tell her what you want the fan to do and she'll know what you're talking about.

The ceiling fan integration is set to arrive on April 28. It'll work with all Alexa-enabled devices, so once it's here, you'll be able to ask your Amazon Echo, Tap, Fire TV or Echo Dot to turn your fan on or off, change your fan's speed, or adjust the brightness of the built-in light. The integration will work with all of Haiku's Internet-connected ceiling fans, including the more affordable Haiku L Series, as well as the other products in the Haiku smart home line, such as smart wall switches and individual lights.