Amazon wants to streamline your life – it's working to integrate itself into the very fabric of your daily routine. When, way back in 2014, Amazon announced that it was going to be releasing some Alexa personal assistant devices, people were sceptical. Now we know that these devices not only work, but they improve the way in which we organise and operate our lives.
On the 25th September 2019, Amazon held an event and announced the latest additions to its Echo range. This wasn’t just some mildly techy updates on existing products – this was a full flood of new, innovative and exciting devices the likes of which we haven’t seen before. The devices Amazon announced expands the Alexa ecosystem to not only include every room, light socket and plug of your house, but also wherever you may venture outdoors.
These product reveals come in the wake of announcements regarding the hotly anticipated Fire Cube and Amazon Music HD service, and promise to enhance a lot of the features these two newcomers offer. There were also two updates on existing products; the Amazon Echo smart-speaker got a 3rd generation upgrade to keep up with the ever-expanding list Alexa-supported apps and features (plus some new speakers), while the standard Echo Dot got a nice new Plum colour fabric finish.
Jump forward to 22 October 2020 and we saw the introduction of the all-new Echo (4th Generation) with an elegant look and supreme sound.
With improvements on speech recognition, response time and sound quality versus the previous gen, dedicated Amazon device users will be really impressed.
Here’s a rundown of the Alexa and Echo products currently on offer:
Amazon Alexa and Echo Devices
1 of 7All-new Echo (4th generation)
With a new look and new sound, the 4th gen Echo delivers clear highs, dynamic mids and deep bass for rich, detailed sound that automatically adapts to any room. Improved voice recognition means you can stream songs from Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, Deezer and more. Plus listen to radio stations, podcasts and Audible audiobooks. As usual, Alexa is on hand to play music, answer questions, play the news, check the weather, set alarms, control compatible smart home devices and more. The built-in hub makes it easy to set up compatible Zigbee devices to voice control lights, locks and sensors and multi-room music lets music play in synchronisation across Echo devices in different rooms. You can also pair your Echo with Fire TV to feel scenes come to life with home cinema audio.
2 of 7Echo Buds
Alexa is coming with you wherever you go as Amazon leapt with both feet into the true-wireless headphone market with the Echo Buds – and these little tech-capsules are sure to make a splash. Not only do they promise 360-degree immersive sound with Bose Noise Reduction and responsive bass, but they include a lengthy 5-hour battery life with quick recharge. Of course, Alexa capabilities are included – allowing you to voice-control apps like Prime Music, Spotify and Audible, and make hands-free calls. For those not fully integrated into the Echo ecosystem, they'll still control Google Assistant and Siri.
3 of 7Echo Studio
We've always been impressed with the quality of sound produced by the Echo smart-speaker – it's bassy, loud and crisp. The Echo Studio takes these qualities to the next level. With 5 speakers inbuilt powered by Dolby Atmos surround sound technology, the Studio delivers a rich and immersive 5.1 experience in a quality hitherto unheard in the Amazon roster. This speaker is clearly intended to facilitate the impeccable audio offered through Amazon's new Music HD service and we can't wait to get it setup. It'll also work to offer some immersive TV sound when linked with a Fire Stick or Fire Cube. All of the expected Alexa Dot and Echo capabilities are here, too.
£219.99
4 of 7Echo Show 8
The Echo Show uses its screen to offer true and useful features to help you organise and streamline your life. This device, with its full-Alexa capabilities, can become the central hub to your home. Set the Show up in the heart of your house and keep up to date on your appointments, news and weather at a glance. You can customise the screen to scroll through custom photo galleries, the front-facing camera allowing you to make video calls, and Amazon will let you take advantage of the 8-inch HD screen to watch content from Prime or to check on your Ring cameras.
5 of 7Echo Dot with Clock
The Echo Dot is a perfectly formed device - it's compact, unobtrusive and endlessly useful. And with the simple addition of a LED numeral display, it just got better. It'll display the time, the weather's temperature or a countdown timer as requested, making it an ideal addition to a kitchen or bedside table.
6 of 7Ring Stick Up Camera
The Ring Stick up Camera increase the Ring range with an easily installed two-way talk device. You can watch your home, people or pets, from your phone, tablet or select Echo device (Fire Stick or Cube to view on your TV, or Echo Show) to ensure that everything is in place. The Stick Up can be installed inside or outside, and linked with other Ring devices to create an interconnected security solution. Motion settings and alert notifications are customisable. The standard variation is powered by a rechargeable battery pack, but for those who want to guarantee 24-7, around the clock surveillance, there is a solar powered variant available.
7 of 7Echo Flex
The Echo Flex is a great innovation from Amazon which allows you to add smart features throughout your home and workplace without the need for a Dot or Plus. The Flex plugs directly into a socket and sits awaiting your instruction – you can control your smart devices or communicate with family members through the Echo intercom system. There is a USB port on the underside of the Flex which allows you to charge your smartphone, connect a nightlight or motion sensor to assist with your Ring security.