Amazon's Echo Spot is a cuter version of the Echo Show
It's not often you see gadgets this adorable.
Arguably the cutest device announced at today's Amazon event is the Echo Spot, an adorable miniaturized version of the Echo Show. I got a closer look at the Spot after the Amazon event today, and I have to say that I definitely wouldn't mind having this as an alarm clock. It does all of the same things as the Show, except in a smaller and more compact package.
While I thought the larger Echo Show might be more at home in a kitchen with its large display, the Echo Spot is definitely more suited for the bedside table. Its sphere-like shape is a little bigger than a softball and reminds me a lot of the Chumby, which also pitched itself as a smart alarm clock. You can use it to see the weather, watch video clips, check on your baby monitor, or just use it to check the time -- it comes with 12 different clock faces, some of which can change color depending on the time of day.
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to really play with it, as the devices seen in the photos here are just demo units and not hooked up to anything. Still, I did swipe around on the touchscreen for a few minutes. The display looks nice and crisp, and it was pretty intuitive from the brief time I had with it. The viewing angles seemed pretty good too.
The Echo Spot boasts a new microphone array with a new far-field technology that promises better noise cancellation so you can shout at it even in a loud room. Just like Echo Show, there's a front-facing camera so you can use it for video conferencing. There's also a built-in speaker, Bluetooth and an audio line out.
The Spot is available for $130 in both black and white and will be available in December this year.
