Get smart – with our smart L800HX

25. June 2019 Published by Raphael Doerr

“Hello, who’s there?” Agent Maxwell Smart alias Agent 86 used his shoe to make calls in the cult U.S. series “Get Smart” back in 1965. The secret agent’s shoe phone was absolutely revolutionary and regarded by many as the forerunner of the mobile phone. If he didn’t happen to have a shoe at hand, a sandwich phone was also sufficient – although the latter understandably didn’t catch on. Agent Smart was assisted in the series by his friend, the robot Hymie, a gullible and naive android with the striking habit of taking commands all too literally.

If the series was broadcast today, Maxwell Smart would probably be able to keep his shoe on, put his hands in his pocket and use a smart speaker to phone. He wouldn’t have to ask “Who’s there?” because clever AI (artificial intelligence) would tell him. His robot friend would also not be a male called Hymie, but a female voice assistant going by the name Alexa. Is that science fiction or reality?

Smart speaker instead of a shoe phone

The answer: It’s reality. Provided you have an L800HX, since no smart speaker on the market is so suitable for phoning as the new product from Gigaset. It’s the first voice-controlled hands-free phone embodying the sound and features of a smart speaker along with the skills of Amazon Alexa. The recipe for that sounds simple: In its new L800HX smart speaker, Gigaset unites the excellent quality of DECT fixed-line telephony and integrates Amazon Alexa to control calls and telephony processes. The result: hands-free telephony at its finest. And at the same time, the smart speaker acts as the control hub for any smart home thanks to the skills of Alexa. Simply call out to switch off the light, activate the alarm system or switch on the coffee maker – users can fully relax while they control their smart home with the Gigaset smart speaker: The L800HX is compatible with the Gigaset smart security alarm systems and other systems that support Alexa’s skills. As a result, a smart speaker is transformed into an innovative smart home solution.

DECT phone and smart speaker in one

The advantages for customers: They don’t need to pick up a phone or handset to call, while all incoming calls are indicated visually or acoustically or announced by Alexa. When a call is received, the smart speaker’s light ring flashes green and Alexa announces the call. “Max Weaver wants to speak with you.” A simple voice command (“Alexa, take the call”) is then all it takes. And if the call has come at an inconvenient time, you simply say “Alexa, don’t take the call” and so remain undisturbed. And your hands are also free when you finish – with the voice command ““Alexa, hang up” or “Alexa, end the call.”

Let Alexa call while you enjoy your freedom

If you yourself want to make a call, all you need to say is: “Alexa, call Max.” If there are contacts with the same name, Alexa asks which one you mean and reads all the possible names. And there’s also no mistakes in entering a long phone number: When you make a call using a voice command, you simply say: “Alexa, call 0171 123 456.” The Gigaset smart speaker then sets up the call via the connected telephone base station. If Alexa has not fully understood the number, it repeats the number and you confirm it by saying “Yes” or “OK.”

DECT phone and smart speaker

If doesn’t matter if your hands are too full for you to phone, you’ve mislaid the phone or muted your smartphone – the L800HX means you never miss a call and always have your hands free.

The Gigaset smart speaker L800HX is one of the first products to combine DECT telephony with the cloud-based voice service Amazon Alexa, thus enabling communication without boundaries. It can be used to handle all calls – whether to the fixed-line network, the mobile network or internally – quickly and easily by means of a voice command. The microphone in the Gigaset smart speaker can be switched off at any time in order to protect your privacy. Alexa then no longer accepts any voice commands.

With its refined microphone technology and echo cancellation, the Gigaset smart speaker ensures calls can be understood very clearly, even when there’s a large group of people around – such as in a family conference or when business calls are made in small offices. The ringtone volume can be set individually at up to 10 levels and the microphones are so exact and precise that the L800HX can even be controlled from a number of meters away.

If the call is taken on a handset, it can be transferred to the Gigaset smart speaker without any problem. And if you assign a contact name to other handsets connected to the same DECT base station, internal calls with other rooms are also possible, for example by saying “Alexa, call the study.”