The Amazon HOUSE: Firm launches model 'smart homes' across the US so customers can try out Alexa

Amazon.com has set up model'smart' homes across the United States for shoppers to experience what it's like for voice aide Alexa to dim the lights, turn on the TV or order more laundry detergent. The rollout underscores how Amazon aims to make Alexa and the company's growing list of services, from shopping and entertainment to home security, an everyday part of consumers' lives. It also steps up competition with retailers such as Best Buy Co Inc that focus on showcasing technology and advising shoppers. Inside the Amazon house: An Amazon Echo Spot is seen on a bedside table in a bedroom in an Amazon'Experience center' in Vallejo, California. The so-called'Amazon Experience Centers' are now open near 15 cities including Los Angeles, Dallas and Washington, with more to come Amazon, the world's largest online retailer, said it has partnered with Lennar Corp to convert some of the home construction company's model homes into showrooms for Alexa.