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Alexa Guard Plus transforms your Amazon Echo into a security device

Amazon's newest voice-driven feature will cost $4.99 a month.

David Priest Former editor
David Priest is an award-winning writer and editor who formerly covered home security for CNET.
David Priest
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Tyler Lizenby/CNET

Amazon's 2020 hardware event Thursday brought a handful of significant Alexa feature announcements as part of the presentation. Chief among them is the launch of Alexa Guard Plus, a new security feature designed to bolster the existing listening and reporting capabilities of Alexa Guard, for a $4.99 monthly fee.

Alexa Guard Plus has three main components: First, your Echo speaker or Echo Show display will be able to listen for a wide variety of sounds, from doors opening and closing to footfalls and glass breaking. Second, your device will be able to respond, to deter would-be intruders from breaking in (by playing a recording of dogs barking, for example). And finally, your device will add an emergency line monitored 24/7 by a third-party company that will direct your calls to the police, the fire department or personal emergency contacts as appropriate.

Guard Plus will also integrate with a number of smart home security services, including those from AbodeWyze, A3 Smart Home, ScoutResideo and Amazon's own Ring. Ring Protect Plus subscribers will get Alexa Guard Plus for free, and each of the other services will soon introduce subscription tiers that include Guard Plus as well.

For more, keep reading about everything announced at Amazon's hardware event.

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