With the Amazon Echo and all generations of the Echo Dot already forming an integral part of Amazon’s ecosystem of Echo products, the American company has decided to step things up a notch by adding a display to its smart speaker, birthing the Echo Spot.
Where to Buy Amazon Echo Spot
Amazon – See Offers
Quite similar to how a screen was added to the Google Home on the Lenovo Smart Display home assistant. The differences, however, are that the Echo Spot comes with a smaller display and is, of course, powered by Amazon’s native virtual assistant, Alexa. The Echo Spot is also a watered down and less expensive version Echo Show with a much bigger (10-inch) display.
The Echo Spot is the newest addition to the Echo series of Amazon’s hardware that turns your home into a smart home. Arguably, it is one of the best looking and best-designed product from the company yet.
And asides the basic Alexa features, the added screen further increases what the Echo Spot can do (like video streaming and video calling) when compared to other smart home assistants from the brand.
The Echo Spot is mostly touted as a bedside device that would replace your Alarm, but the truth is, the device is fit to be used almost anywhere in the home: bedroom, kitchen, living room etc. It can even be used in offices.
Let’s highlight some key features of the Echo Spot and see what the Amazon Assistant with a screen is capable of.
Amazon Echo Spot Technical Specs
- Size/Dimension: 4.1 x 3.8 x 3.6 inch (104 mm x 97 mm x 91 mm)
- Weight: 14.8 oz. (419 grams)
- Display: 2.5-inch (480 x 480 pixels)
- Alexa App compatibility: Android OS, Fire OS, iOS
- Camera: VGA
- Wi-Fi connectivity: Dual-band Wi-Fi supports 802.11 a/b/g/n (2.4 and 5 GHz) networks
- Speaker size: 1.4-inch
- Speaker power: 2W
Design
The Echo Spot is a small and compact circular smart display which is different from all other smart speakers an displays ever released from Amazon. Resembling an alarm clock, the Echo Spot comes in white and black colour options, measures 4.1-inches in diameter, 3.8-inches in height and a sports a 2.5-inch display with a 480 x 480 pixels resolution on the front. The display comes out-of-the-box with a default analog clock face which can, of course, be customized with other available faces.
The display adds an interesting visual experience to how Alexa responds to you. With the Echo Spot, Alexa doesn’t just tell you anymore … it shows you. The display can be customized through the list of settings/menu (by swiping down from the top of the display).
On the rear is where the majority of the device’s control and connectivity lie. There is a button that turns the microphone and camera on and off. This is a great addition — for privacy purposes– but a camera shutter/slider would have been preferable; don’t you think?
However, the fact that you would have to manually turn on the microphone whenever the device comes on is a plus. A good one. The volume adjustment buttons are also on the rear, and very close to the base, a 3.5mm audio out and power port.
To pick up voice commands, the Echo Spot comes with four (4) pinholes where the microphones are embedded. They pick up voice quite decent enough from anywhere across the home but not anywhere near the eight (8) far-field microphones of the Fire TV Cube.
Connectivity
To hook up your home entertainment or stereo system with voice control support using this device, you can pair up the Echo Spot either via wired (3.5mm cable) or wireless (Bluetooth) connection methods.
Echo Spot ‘Skills’
The Echo Spot comes with Skills that help users learn and gain from the device asides from telling it to do stuff. Amazon says “skills are like apps and help you do more with your device”.
These apps are developing and growing in number but there are thousands of them available: Fitbit (tracks your fitness), Headspace (finding your inner Zen), Jeopardy (a quick game) and a couple of other skills to improve overall user experience.
Setting up
Setting up the Echo Spot is relatively easy when compared to other smart home devices. Since there is a screen, you can easily type in your WiFi network password as well as your Amazon account credentials directly into the Echo Spot in lieu of going through the Alexa app.
Right after that, the Spot automatically syncs with your account and you should see the device appear on your Alexa app.
Read More: Amazon Echo Dot 4th Gen | Amazon Fire TV Stick 2021 | Amazon Kindle | Back to College Shopping
Amazon Echo Spot Price
Depending on where and when you choose to purchase the Echo Spot, as well as available discounts, the device would set you back by US$ 100 – $130.
