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- Jeff Bezos first sketched the Amazon Echo on a whiteboard in 2011, envisioning a $20 voice-controlled device with cloud-based intelligence.
- Greg Hart was tasked with leading the project despite lacking hardware experience, and Bezos remained deeply involved, meeting the team frequently.
- The team worked in secrecy, acquiring speech technology companies like Ivona to develop Alexa's voice, which was based on recordings by voice actress Nina Rolle.
- Early prototypes were slow and dumb, leading Bezos to express frustration, but the team expanded data collection through the AMPED program using rented homes and contract workers.
- The Echo launched in November 2014 with a cautious approach after the Fire Phone failure, and demand far exceeded expectations, proving the concept's appeal.