echoplus
Latest
Amazon has another Echo sale with up to $60 off
To get November (and the holiday shopping season) off to a flying start, Amazon has put many of its Echo devices on sale, including some of its more recent Alexa-powered gizmos. For instance, you can snag yourself or a loved one an Echo Show 5, which Amazon revealed in May, for $60 (down from $90).
All of Amazon's new Echo speakers reviewed
Amazon may have defined the smart speaker category with the Echo and its successors, but many competitors have the company beat in one specific way: audio quality. Amazon says the No. 1 activity for Echo users is playing music, but anyone who has used an Echo knows that the sound quality is nothing to write home about. Amazon must have recognized this, because improved speakers in the new Echo Dot and Echo Plus were a major talking point when they were announced in September. Reading between the lines, it seems safe to say that Amazon believes its Echo speakers can be the centerpiece of a respectable home-audio setup. How else would you explain the new $129 Echo Sub, a device that does nothing aside from wirelessly pair with another Echo device to bring the bass?
Amazon's new Echo lineup targets Google, Apple and Sonos
It wouldn't be an Amazon event without a slew of new Echo devices, and this time is no different. The company announced not one, not two, but seven new Echo products at an event today in Seattle. Not only are there now new versions of the Echo Dot, the Echo Plus and the Echo Show, Amazon also introduced several new Echo companions that you can use to bring Alexa to every room in your house -- and even your car.
Here's every Alexa device Amazon announced today
Amazon caused a few gasps at its Alexa event Thursday when it revealed it had 70 things to announce. If that sounds like a lot to take in, fret not -- not all of those were hardware announcements. We've rounded up all of the Alexa-infused products Amazon showcased, including speakers, an in-car device and, um, a microwave?
Amazon's new Echo Plus has a better speaker and temperature sensor
The rumors of a big Amazon hardware event were true, and we're getting a look at all the Alexa-focused devices the company is showing off for the upcoming holiday season. Even though it's only been a year since Amazon released the Echo Plus -- a more expensive version of its standard speaker with a smart hub built in -- the company is announcing a new version today. It still has the smart hub, but Amazon says it'll be a lot better for music playback, something that's been a theme throughout many of the announcements the company has made so far.
Do you need a smart home hub?
When life gets chaotic, it can be convenient to have all your smart home devices operating on the same wavelength. Achieving this sort of harmony sometimes requires a hub to consolidate the myriad gadgets in your house. But not everyone needs a dedicated smart hub to make their setup run smoothly. A smart speaker like the Amazon Echo or the Google Home can serve a similar purpose, with each device's respective apps acting as central command. Manufacturers have even begun bundling hubs into other devices like security systems and mesh WiFi routers, making home automation simpler for beginners.
Amazon teaches Alexa Japanese for Echo's next destination
Amazon's Echo, Plus and Dot speakers will finally be available in Japan starting next week. To prepare for the devices' arrival in the island nation, the e-retail giant taught the voice assistant how to understand and respond in the Japanese language. Alexa SVP Tom Taylor said the company designed an all-new experience "from the ground up for Japanese customers, including a new Japanese voice, local knowledge and over 250 skills from Japanese developers."
Amazon Echo Plus review: Alexa, is this all you've got?
Amazon's new $100 Echo is a disappointment for anyone looking to upgrade from the original model. Sure, it's nearly half the price, but its sound quality is also significantly worse. With that in mind, the $150 Echo Plus seems like a far better successor on paper. It features better speakers and a built-in smart home hub. It's still not a must-have upgrade -- a testament to how much Amazon got right at the beginning -- but at least it offers some improvements over its predecessor.
Amazon’s confusing new Echo lineup: There’s a method to the madness
Amazon's overstuffed Echo event yesterday made one thing clear: it's not afraid of doubling down on smart speakers and its virtual assistant Alexa. The company announced a smaller $100 Echo (just as we reported in July); a $150 Echo Plus with smart hub features; and an Echo-powered alarm clock called "Spot". And that's not even including the truly strange stuff: Echo Connect, which turns your Echo devices into speakerphones for landlines; and a tiny Bluetooth button for games. Amazon's also bundling an Echo Dot with the new Alexa-powered Fire TV dongle for just $80, as well as with the Fire TV stick for $60. Whew.
Every new Echo announced today -- and a Fire TV
If you hadn't noticed, Amazon introduced a lot of devices at its Alexa-themed event -- so many that keeping tabs on them all could be a challenge in itself. Thankfully, you don't have to sweat it. We've rounded up all the new Alexa-powered hardware in one place, ranging from the next generation of the standard Echo speaker to the Fire TV and the cute-as-a-button Echo Spot. If you've been thinking of snagging Amazon gear going into the holidays, you'll hopefully have a better sense of what's on offer.
Amazon's new Echo designs bring Alexa in all sizes
Aside from the Echo Spot, Amazon also introduced two new versions of its speaker-only Echos. One is simply known as the "new" Echo, while the more advanced version is called the Echo Plus. Both boast audio improvements with a new speaker architecture, a dedicated tweeter, a 2.5-inch down-firing woofer and Dolby sound. Both devices also boast improved far field technology, which means you should now be able to shout "Alexa" at your Echo from across a crowded room and it'll still recognize you.
Amazon's Echo Plus packs in a smart home hub
Turns out that Amazon had more than one new Echo to show off today. The Echo Plus serves as an easy-to-setup smart home hub to take on Google's Home speaker and Apple's AirPod. Out of the box, smart bulbs will automatically go into discovery mode while you install them. Alexa will automatically name the devices, too, so the first one you set up will be called "first light." That won't be confusing for PlayStation fans at all. You won't have to install any apps or skills on the device, either, and there are already over 100 devices available for the Plus including lights, bulbs and locks.
