December 18, 2018

Features

• Visual multi-modal editor

  You're now able to design and prototype multi-modal experiences for Alexa devices with screen.

  You can create your own custom layout, add images and rectangles, link them to the user replies to allow people to interact with the screen via touch interface.

  Editor currently supports designing for Echo Show, Echo Show 2 and Echo Spot.

  You're able to test all of that on your own Echo device as well, it generates a real APL code which runs on your Alexa.

  

• Custom APL editor

  If you ever need to customize something that our visual editor doesn't support yet - feel free to switch to the custom APL editor and paste your own code there.

  

• Variables data types

  You're now able to select a data type for an internal variable. Allowed options are "Text" and "Numeric". More data types coming soon.

  

Bug Fixes & Improvements

• Updated skill canvas interaction mechanics: now scrolling moves the canvas around (it was zooming it before). Use CMD/CTRL + Scroll to zoom the canvas.
• Updated projects dashboard look (now fits much more content).
• Added a warning indicator near the settings icon to let you know about the incorrect invocation name when you created a skill.
• Fixed a bug that allowed including various Japanese symbols like 、？。！〜 into user replies which caused issues with uploading to Alexa.

November 29, 2018

Features

• Amazon Polly Voices

  You're now able to use 27 Amazon Polly voices for Alexa replies.

  Click on the speaker icon to test how the voice sounds.

  

Bug Fixes & Improvements

• Fixed a bug when it was possible to add multiple variables with the same name which caused issues with uploading skill to Alexa.
• Creating/deleting internal variables and creating/updating/deleting conditions now doesn't require re-uploading to Alexa, changes are synced with Alexa immediately.
• New "transform into variables" items are added to the beginning of the list to avoid tedious scrolling down.
• When adding a new "else" step - it opens automatically.
• Fixed bug with Alexa reply not rendering on a canvas if it consists of SSML only.
• Fixed bug with Invocable allowing you to clear Alexa reply step completely.
• Fixed bug with "Upload to Alexa" errors not showing sometimes.

November 23, 2018

Features

• Built-in {visitsCount} variable

  Built-in variable called {visitsCount} is a counter for a number of times user has opened the skill.

  

  It works the best with conditions:

  • if {visitsCount} equals one (first-time user), let's welcome them;
  • if {visitsCount} greater than 1, let's say "Good to see ya again!";