Mycroft AI Unveils Mark II Open-Source Smart Speaker

Today, Mycroft AI, the world’s leading open-source voice assistant, has launched the Mark II, a state-of-the-art, hands-free open-source smart speaker. Compatible with your smart home right out of the box, the Mark II is a completely customizable, open-source, programmable device that is privacy-driven and can work offline.

All personal data stays private and Mycroft does not collect information unless users opt-in. It can go head-to-head with other high-end smart speakers without capturing and storing personal conversations and behaviors used to serve targeted ads, build ongoing profiles and other invasive data collection practices. The Mark II doesn’t mine or store your data, sell you products, or try to own your online identity. It can even run without an internet connection*.

The Mark II has special features that make customization simple as well as an active community of hardcore hackers and programming proteges to lean on when building. Mycroft is excited to build a future where voice interaction isn’t synonymous with invasive technology.

The Mark II’s Features Include:

  • LCD Touchscreen – Seeing is believing! The full-color touchscreen is designed to enhance voice interaction with a simple and clean user interface.
  • Premium Sound – Listen to crisp, quality sound thanks to the device’s powerful 10-watt speaker design with dual 2-inch full-range drivers. Each driver is enhanced with specially-designed sound chambers for exceptional performance.
  • Superior Listening Ability – The smart speaker’s microphone system contains an array of 2 individual microphones that, when combined with Acoustic Echo Cancellation, Noise Reduction, and Interference Cancellation, are able to isolate the speaker even in a noisy environment.
  • Designed for Disassembly – Mycroft believes in a consumer’s “Right to Repair.” If you own something, you should be able to tinker or repair it yourself. Our products are designed with this philosophy in mind. Mark II hardware can be quickly disassembled and reassembled with just a screwdriver.
  • Built for Makers – With focus on customizable software and hardware, Mark II was engineered to empower creativity and exploration. The unit includes two full-sized USB 3.0 ports and two full-sized USB 2.0 ports that extend general device storage and allow owners to create a local-only media library or add new USB-based hardware, like a TPU.
  • Developer Community – Mycroft’s community of hundreds of developers and tens of thousands of members from more than 60 countries around the world continues to grow on a daily basis. 
  • Eco-Friendly Packaging – The device’s packaging is 99% cardboard and 100% recyclable. The plastic housing of the product itself is made from 35% recycled plastic content.

The Mark II is $349.00 until November 30th, 2022 and pricing will increase. For more information on the Mark II or to order your own unit, please visit the device’s product page.

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Source: Mycroft AI

*Experimental feature to be standardized by year-end