Dish expands Amazon Alexa voice assistant features for set-top boxes

Dish Network Corp said on Tuesday users will now be able to set recordings, launch apps and navigate menus on its Hopper range of set-top boxes through Amazon.com Inc’s Alexa-powered Echo devices.

"We are working to create the best Hands-Free TV options for our customers, and these new voice capabilities are an important step in that direction," said Niraj Desai, DISH vice president of product management. "DISH customers already love the convenience that our Alexa compatibility brings to their home, so we're continuously identifying popular voice commands to enhance that experience.

While users can currently play or pause content with the Alexa voice assistant, the latest update will allow them to use commands such as “Alexa, launch Netflix” to open the app.

There have been reports about Dish and Amazon discussing a partnership to enter the wireless business. Dish has been buying up spectrum, or radio frequencies that carry the data flowing through devices.

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