Amazon Echo
Analysis
Holiday Season Forecast: 50 Percent Of All U.S. Consumers Will Own A Smart Speaker
Even though just 17 percent use voice to initiate a one-time order for pick-up in-store, as more brands strike deals with Google and Amazon, that will likely change as well as more smart devices alter the way people initiate a purchase, an Adobe study suggests.

Analysis
Personalization vs. Privacy: How Marriott can leverage loyalty data to maximize its partnership with Amazon’s Alexa to improve the hospitality experience
Consumers are becoming ever more expectant of a seamless yet connected journey, and the travel landscape is evolving to reflect this, blurring the line between traditional travel and modern technology, writes Collinson's Phil Seward.

News
What Amazon’s ‘Alexa For Hospitality’ Means For Hotels, Guests, And Marketers
“Marriott has a long track record of innovating for our guests, and we’re thrilled to be among the first to offer Alexa for Hospitality,” said Jennifer Hsieh, VP for Customer Experience Innovation at Marriott International, Alexa For Hospitality's launch partner.

Analysis
Instead Of Flowers For Mother’s Day, Fin Offers Its Virtual Assistant As The Right Gift
Fin, the subscription-based digital assitant, is opening up its voice-activated recommendation and purchasing services to non-subscribers as co-founder Sam Lessin aims to prove it can understand "actual language" better than Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant.

Analysis
How Marriott Is Working With Salesforce To Get Complete, Cross-Channel ‘Recognition’ Of Its Guests
“Marriott’s vision is to be the world’s favorite travel company. The best way to reach that goal is to employ a best-in-breed, global customer recognition platform that connects our guests at every possible touchpoint to our team of expert hospitality professionals who strive to delight our guests every stay,” says Brian King, Global Digital & Sales Officer at Marriott International.
