Bicycles

Cybic puts Amazon Alexa into smart electric bike

Cybic puts Amazon Alexa into smart electric bike
Little in the way of detailed info has been made available about the Alexa-packing Cybic E-Legend, but UK retailer Halfords will be stocking it later this year
Little in the way of detailed info has been made available about the Alexa-packing Cybic E-Legend, but UK retailer Halfords will be stocking it later this year
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Little in the way of detailed info has been made available about the Alexa-packing Cybic E-Legend, but UK retailer Halfords will be stocking it later this year
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Little in the way of detailed info has been made available about the Alexa-packing Cybic E-Legend, but UK retailer Halfords will be stocking it later this year
Amazon's Alexa resides in a control box mounted to the handlebars of the Cybic E-Legend
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Amazon's Alexa resides in a control box mounted to the handlebars of the Cybic E-Legend
Though features of the handlebar-mounted control box can be set onscreen, the Alexa cloud-based voice assistant is available to help at all times
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Though features of the handlebar-mounted control box  can be set onscreen, the Alexa cloud-based voice assistant is available to help at all times
The top tube of the Cybic E-Legend sports three buttons for parking, switching on the lights and snapping a photo, though there's nothing in the press materials to explain how the latter is achieved
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The top tube of the Cybic E-Legend sports three buttons for parking, switching on the lights and snapping a photo, though there's nothing in the press materials to explain how the latter is achieved
The Alexa-enabled Cybic range includes a hybrid Legend bike and the E-Legend e-bike
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The Alexa-enabled Cybic range includes a hybrid Legend bike and the E-Legend e-bike 
Riders of the Cybic bikes will be able to control front, rear and handlebar lighting from the menu of the handlebar-mounted control box
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Riders of the Cybic bikes will be able to control front, rear and handlebar lighting from the menu of the handlebar-mounted control box
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Exploring the back roads and countryside by bike can be a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon, but having to dismount and check your smartphone for a route home can be a pain. At CES in Las Vegas this week, UK bike retailer Halfords announced mid-year availability for the world's first e-bike – the Cybic E-Legend – that has Amazon's Alexa cooked in, meaning that riders will be able to ask the cloud-based voice assistant for directions and more.

"The combination of Alexa and Cybic enables riders to enjoy a great range of innovative, integrated bike features without their hands ever having to leave the safety of the handlebars," said David Kumar of Alexa Voice Services.

The Cybic bike range includes a hybrid Legend two-wheeler and the electric pedal-assist E-Legend pictured above. Models will have a control box mounted on the handlebars that sports function control menus, but with Alexa along for the ride, cyclists can just ask Amazon's almost ubiquitous virtual assistant for turn-by-turn directions, traffic or weather updates, and even send messages or make a seating reservation at a cafe or restaurant along the route.

Though features of the handlebar-mounted control box can be set onscreen, the Alexa cloud-based voice assistant is available to help at all times
Though features of the handlebar-mounted control box  can be set onscreen, the Alexa cloud-based voice assistant is available to help at all times

The device is reported to feature GPS and mapping technology, a security lock and alarm (with bike tracking in the event of theft), and an included Vodafone SIM with 3 years of free 3G mobile data. It's Wi-Fi-enabled and rocks its own HD music player for music on the move. Riders will also be able to tap into cycling performance metrics such as speed and distance covered, and be able to control front, rear and handlebar lighting from the menu.

The Cybic bikes will be exclusively available online and instore at Halfords from the UK summer. Detailed specs are expected closer to launch. No pricing information has been revealed at this time.

Source: Halfords

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1 comment
1 comment
Lamar Havard
Great! Now the government branch of Amazon can keep tabs on you even while you’re OUT of your house!