Amazon gives and takes This week the company removed the ability to read and reply to email from its Echo smart speaker, but introduced the ability to move music from device to device

The latter is a frequently requested feature, as Echo enthusiasts tend to have multiple devices in different rooms, often replacing the previous generation when a new model is introduced Previously, they had to stop and start music on different devices, but now they can have Alexa pick up where they left off

There are several ways to do this: the first is to move audio between groups Simply say "Alexa, move my music to [group name]" and all music playing will be redirected to the speaker of your choice; the second is to verbally pause the music on the current device and say "Alexa, resume music here" to the Echo you want to take over

The third method is for Echo Buds owners only Once connected to your phone, simply say "Alexa, move music here," and the music should move to your earbuds

In addition to adding this Alexa feature, Amazon will also remove the less publicized ability for Alexa to read emails and dictate a voice response Echo owners who had been using this feature were sent an email just a week ago informing them that this feature would be removed, which is unusually sudden

"We are writing to inform Alexa customers that effective November 8, 2021, access to email will no longer be supported," the email from Amazon reads

"This means that you will no longer be able to link your Gmail or Microsoft email accounts to Alexa to view and manage your email, and any linked email accounts will automatically be unlinked"

This also means that email routines and email notifications will no longer work, as will Alexa's ability to track packages with shipment notifications Amazon's package tracking will still work, but it's a bit of a blow for those who don't have a complete monopoly on the retailer's ecosystem; Outlook and Google Calendar integration will still be supported, Amazon added

Amazon gave no reason for the feature's retirement other than to tell TechHive that the Alexa team "regularly evaluates the features and experiences available to customers and prioritizes those that make their lives easier and help them get the most out of their Alexa experience" That sounds like an elaborate way of saying that not enough people were using the feature to justify keeping it

For those people, however, the feature proved to be irreplaceable, with some Reddit commenters noting that it was especially useful for elderly relatives who have difficulty using a keyboard or tablet but still need to use e-mail to stay in touch Several people stated that it is useful It is also a pain for visually impaired users

The trouble with cloud-based services like Alexa is that there is no guarantee that it will be available indefinitely if the host company decides that the feature is too cumbersome to pay for At the very least, it can enable the voice of Santa Claus