Yandex presented a smart speaker with display and voice assistant “Alice”. The recording of the broadcast of the YaC 2020 conference, where the announcement of the Max Station device took place, is available at YouTube .
The new smart device supports Dolby Audio technology, has three-way sound and has five speakers with a total power of 65 watts. On the front panel of the device there is an LED screen, which displays accompanying information while using the “Station” – for example, a weather forecast or animation of “Alice”. While the user is not accessing the column, the display shows the clock. Its brightness adjusts to the lighting in the room.
The new speaker, unlike the original Yandex.Station, allows you to transmit a video signal to a TV in 4K HDR resolution. Also “Station Max” is equipped with a remote control with which you can switch music, select movies and adjust the sound. It also has a built-in microphone for receiving voice commands. To connect wired Internet, the smart speaker is equipped with a Gigabit Ethernet port.
According to company representatives, the new “Station” complements other columns from “Yandex”. The user can connect the device to “Yandex.Station” or “Yandex.Station Mini” and enable synchronous playback of music on devices in multi-room mode. Yandex explained that such an opportunity will soon appear in the columns with “Alice” from JBL and other manufacturers.
The cost of “Station Max” is 16,990 rubles, you can pre-order it. From December 1, the device will appear on the Yandex.Market website and in electronics stores. Buyers of the device will receive an annual subscription to Yandex services as a gift.
In May 2018, Yandex presented its first smart column. The “station” received support for the voice assistant “Alice”, a 50-watt audio system, seven microphones and a Mute button to turn them off. The device allows you to use Yandex services, turn on music, broadcast video to your TV. In October 2019, the company released a compact version of the Mini Station column.