Amazon has showcased a line-up of new Echo devices that gives Alexa users more ways to interact with its Alexa voice assistant, in a variety of settings. At its hardware unveil event in Seattle, Amazon also announced new Alexa features, smart home experiences, developer tools, and devices and services from Eero, Ring, and other device makers.
The new Echo devices won’t be available directly from Amazon in South Africa, but will be available to those who import it or buy it from online stores who bring product in themselves. To make up for this, Gadget is giving away a second-generation Echo Dot to a winner who enters our competition on Twitter (link).
Users of the Echo devices in South Africa may have to jump through some hoops to get it working. The simplest way would be to activate an Echo device using a computer. One can plug in an Echo device and set it up with a browser by going to alexa.amazon.com .
For those wanting to use the Alexa app, one would need to create a US Google Play or US Apple App Store account and sign in with that to get the app. We do not recommend sideloading the Alexa app from sources other than Google Play or the App Store.
At the launch event, Tom Taylor, Senior Vice President of Amazon Alexa, said: “We love hearing feedback from customers about how they use Alexa throughout their day—whether that’s listening to music, dropping in on a loved one, trying out a new recipe, or playing a game with the family. We hope these new Echo devices will give customers even more ways to access Alexa — whether that’s through the best-sounding Echo device yet, Echo Studio, a reimagined Echo and Echo Dot, new designs like Echo Show 8 and Echo Flex, or new experiences for Alexa on-the-go with earbuds, glasses, and a ring.”
The new Echo features an updated fabric design, with colour options that include Twilight Blue, Charcoal, Heather Grey, and Sandstone. It has the same audio architecture as the Echo Plus, including a 3-inch woofer and increased back volume so the bass feels stronger, and the mids and highs are clearer. It is still being sold for $99, the same price as the previous generation at launch.
At $25, the Echo Flex is a very affordable way to add Alexa to more spaces in the home. It plugs directly into a standard electrical outlet, making it great for those places where cords can be a hassle, like a hallway, garage, or places without a table for the device. It also has a built-in USB port so one can charge a phone or add an optional accessory, like a Smart Night Light or Motion Sensor.
The new Echo Dot features an LED display for displaying the time, which can be useful on a nightstand or countertop. The LED display automatically adjusts based on the brightness of the room, so the lighting shouldn’t be harsh when looking at it at night and should be bright enough to read in brighter daylight conditions. It also adds a sensor to the top of the device to recognise taps, which can be used to snooze an alarm, among other functions.
The Echo Show 8 is a new smart display that features an 8-inch HD display, crisp and powerful audio, and a built-in camera shutter. With the display, one can ask Alexa to call up TV shows on Amazon Prime Video or, through a new integration with Food Network, one can watch a video recipe when using Echo in the kitchen. Food Network Kitchen subscribers will also be able to take live and on-demand cooking classes from Food Network chefs, get step-by-step cooking instructions, and have access to tens of thousands of recipes.
Click here to read about the new Alexa-enables professional sound devices, earphones, glasses, among many others announced at the Amazon event.
With five built-in directional speakers, the new Echo Studio has been engineered to create premium sound with space, clarity, and depth. The speaker automatically senses the acoustics of the space where it sits in a room and fine-tunes audio playback to deliver optimal sound. It features a 5.25-inch woofer and 330W of peak power which Amazon says delivers a deep, rich bass by using the bass port at the bottom to maximize airflow and bass output from the woofer. It has a 1-inch tweeter and three 2-inch midrange speakers, which can deliver dynamic midranges and crisp high frequencies. It has a 24-bit Digital-Analogue Converter (DAC) and a power amplifier with 100 kHz of bandwidth for high-resolution, lossless music playback. High quality music to support this feature is on Amazon Music HD and Tidal HQ.
Amazon says it is the first smart speaker to deliver an immersive 3D audio experience using Dolby Atmos and Sony’s 360 Reality Audio. Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, and Sony Music Entertainment are bringing a growing library of new music, current hits, and legendary tracks to these immersive formats. Native 3D music will be available on Echo Studio with a subscription to Amazon Music HD.
One or two Echo Studio devices can be paired with select Fire TV devices for audio playback with multi-channel sound and support for Dolby Atmos, Dolby Audio 5.1, and stereo audio. Echo Studio also has a built-in Zigbee smart home hub which can be used to control compatible smart home devices.
For those who want Alexa outside the home, Amazon has launched Echo Buds. Each earbud has two outer microphones and one inner microphone that work together to reduce ambient noise so Alexa can hear its users in loud environments. The earbuds have two balanced armature drivers in each earbud. The driver design is inspired by in-ear monitors used by professional musicians.
Plus, with Bose Active Noise Reduction Technology, users can choose to minimise the noise around them. In loud environments, one can double-tap either earbud to turn Active Noise Reduction on. It can be disabled by double tapping again for transparent audio. They are IPX4-rated to withstand splashes, sweat, or light rain.
With one full charge, Echo Buds have up to five hours of music playback or four hours of call time. The included charging case holds up to three additional charges, which is 15 hours of music playback or 12 hours of call time. Users can tap and hold the ear bud to access the linked phone’s native voice services: Siri or Google Assistant.
Click here to read about Amazon’s voice enabled glasses, and new smart ring with Alexa functionality.
Echo Frames are prescription-ready glasses that offer hands-free access to Alexa. The glasses have a VIP Filter, which allows users to select and hear only the phone notifications from apps that are pre-selected, while filtering out the rest. When an alert comes through, users can swipe on the temple to listen.
They are designed to look and feel like regular glasses, Echo Frames have no camera or display and are made from lightweight materials. The frames have four beamforming micro speakers that use Amazon open-ear audio technology to direct sound towards a user’s ears. After purchasing Echo Frames, one can visit an eyewear professional to add prescription lenses or adjust the fit of the frames. It is only compatible with Android phones.
The first Alexa-enabled smart ring, the Echo Loop allows access to Alexa from a finger. One can click the action button to ask for the right amount to tip at dinner, or confirm the front door is locked. It can be used for short phone calls. To do this, one needs to set a top contact and double click the action button to give their top contact a call. To hear audio feedback, users need to hold the smart ring up to their ear to hear the other end of the phone call, or Alexa’s response.
The smart ring has two microphones, and features the smallest speaker on an Echo device. It makes use of piezo haptics that vibrates discreetly for notifications or an incoming call, or to signal the button has been pressed and Alexa is streaming a request to the cloud. Echo Loop can last for a day of use with one charge, and the included charging cradle recharges it completely in 90 minutes. Echo Loop is scratch-resistant and water-resistant—meaning it can handle hand-washing and splashing. It connects to Alexa through the Alexa app and uses the device’s data plan.
The new Echo devices are available for pre-order in the US and will start shipping later this year. To learn more, visit: www.amazon.com/morealexa.