Connecting with the Alexa Developer Community in January 2023

In 2023, the Alexa team has many initiatives planned to connect with developers and work with them to create the next generation of voice-forward experiences. Here are key highlights from January.

CodeMash 2023

Our first event of the year took place from January 10th-13th at CodeMash 2023. The conference offers an oasis of knowledge-sharing and tech expertise set at the state’s largest indoor water park.

This year the four-day event was filled with speaking sessions from tech leaders, hands-on workshops to refine your skills as a developer, and social events to expand your network. Whether it was mobile development or career advancement tips, CodeMash had something for everyone. The event also featured "Kidzmash" sessions, designed specifically for children to learn and experiment.

At CodeMash, Amazon hosted a dedicated Alexa booth to share resources as well as two speaker sessions. These included:

• Alexa on the Go: Building Location-Aware Voice Experiences for Alexa

Voice-first development expert Craig Walls delivered a talk on bringing Alexa wherever you go. Walls outlined use cases of Alexa on the go and taught attendees how to gain permission to access the user's location and provide geographically relevant information. The session also looked at a real-world example of a skill experience that uses location awareness to enhance visits to Disney theme parks.

• Fun Things To Do With Alexa and Hour of AI
  

Alexa Chief Technology Evangelist Jeff Blankenburg introduced children to Alexa and showcased all the exciting things they can do with just their voices, featuring devices to play with and an interactive game. Paul Stubbs, principal technical evangelist, joined the presentation to highlight Hour of AI: a new initiative that brings Alexa to the classroom and teaches students how to build skills.

THAT Conference 

Next, Alexa took part in THAT Conference in Round Rock, Texas from January 15th-18th at the Kalahari Resort and Waterpark. 

Organized as a summer camp in the Texas winter for software enthusiasts passionate about all things mobile, web, cloud, and technology, THAT brought yet another opportunity to share the future of voice technology with excited developers of all ages and backgrounds. With both professional and family tracks, THAT let attendees network with industry leaders, refine their development skills, and get an up-close view of exciting new technologies. 

THAT was also the venue for a presentation on building successful voice experiences with Alexa. In 10 Things Every Voice App Should Do, Jeff Blankenburg shared ten specific patterns that are common to engaging skills. From carving out your niche in the market to crafting an optimized interface, Jeff’s insights were curated to help take your skill to the next level—all drawn from his experience working with hundreds of voice developers.

Stay up to date with the latest in voice development and find Alexa near you by visiting Alexa Insider.