Ride with me, Alexa!
By Anand Parthasarathy
September 16 2019: The Echo smart speakers  from Amazon and similar  Google Home options have found good traction from  younger buyers  who  like the comforting presence of a friendly voice you can talk to. Now with Viva Pro a product from ROAV,  the car accessory brand of Chinese  battery and charger specialist, Anker, you can  extend the  reach of Alexa to your car. The makers  have  cleverly  built the speaker ( and two microphones)  into  what most car owners carry:  a phone charger that plugs into  what is known as the lighter socket in the dashboard.  Viva can   sync with your car music player or FM radio or mobile phone via multiple options: Bluetooth,  the audio  cable port or by tuning into an empty FM band.
Once you have set up the Android or iOS app on your phone, you can  speak to Alexa, asking  for a particular music track,  or driving directions or  a name on your phonebook to call.   As Alexa  -- great eavesdropper that she is -- does, she listens on the time -- but you can  turn her ears off by switching off the blue  ring of light on the device. You can also mute the mikes-- indicated when  the LED turns red.
I asked the usual inane  questions  like : Alexa what time is it?  or, Alexa  what  movies are playing in Inox  and  it worked in  its  coolly efficient fashion. One small caveat:  The car is a moving vehicle with steady background noise  so  be prepared for  an Alexa who is not always  crystal clear or who is a bit slow on the uptake.  And yes,  Viva Pro also charges two phones simultaneously.  Good deal, all things considered, for Rs  5490.