AMAZON has released a number of Alexa-enabled gadgets over the years and shows no signs of letting up anytime soon.
The company recently discontinued its much-loved Echo Dot with Clock, but now there’s another device to fill the void.
The last Echo Spot was launched in 2017. Credit: The Sun/Jamie Harris. It removes some features from the previous Echo Show, but makes improvements. Credit: The Sun/Jamie Harris. There are three controls across the top. Credit: The Sun/Jamie Harris
That’s Echo Spot.
This is the second version of the Echo Spot, which has an entirely new look and design compared to its 2017 predecessor.
The 2024 version was released at a significantly lower price.
There are a few missing features, but as The Sun’s review explains, these omissions are actually a good thing. Read below for the full verdict.
Echo Spot (2024) Review
The Echo Spot is a very small circular speaker, measuring 11.3cm x 11.1cm x 10.3cm.
Just under half of the circular front is made up of fabric-covered speakers, while the rest is the screen, which has a 2.8-inch rectangular display.
This is different from the previous Echo Spot, which had a completely circular display, which I much prefer because of its simplicity.
There are no fancy detailed illustrations, just very basic icons and text.
It can be customized with six different clock faces and six different icon color schemes.
Amazon is positioning the Echo Spot as a bedside alarm Alexa device, and for this reason I think the simplified approach suits the Echo Spot well.
Setting up an Alexa Routine
The shrinking trend continues: this Echo Spot doesn’t have a camera.
Most people might consider this a step backwards, but from a privacy standpoint, it’s a move in the right direction, especially if you’re likely to keep the Echo Spot in your bedroom.
But the gadget also doesn’t support video streaming, so you can’t make video calls with the Ring doorbell (though you can talk to the other person on the other end).
You also won’t be able to play videos from Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, etc.
This is again a nice omission that caters to people who primarily want a voice-based experience with simple, visual, at-a-glance cues about things like the time and weather.
There are three physical buttons on the top, two for adjusting the volume and one for toggling the microphone off.
Echo Spot: Other highlights
The Echo Spot is Bluetooth-enabled, so you can connect it to a separate, more powerful speaker if needed.
Designed for your nightstand, the graduated lighting display makes it easy to set and view alarms, and lets you see the time, weather, and song title at a glance.
The Echo Spot is available in three colors: black, white, and blue.
It has a touchscreen, but it doesn’t offer much in the way of controls, such as buttons to skip tracks or adjust settings like brightness.
You can also physically tap the top to snooze the alarm.
As for sound, I was pretty impressed considering how small the Echo Spot is.
The speakers can get pretty loud without compromising on sound quality.
The Alexa app has settings to adjust bass, mid, and treble.
Read more at the Irish Sun
As for Alexa itself, there’s nothing new the voice assistant can do that other Alexa-enabled gadgets can’t do.
It will be nice to see if rumors of a smarter AI-powered Alexa come to fruition in the near future.
Echo Spot: Verdict
Final comments from The Sun’s deputy technology and science editor, Jamie Harris
The new Echo Spot is a welcome addition to the ever-growing number of Alexa-enabled devices.
Removing the camera is a good move, and I’m surprised Amazon didn’t do it sooner with this Echo form factor.
We think the Echo’s price of £79.99 / $79.99 is a little on the high side, but Amazon regularly offers discounts, so it might be worth waiting before buying one.
Buy now from Amazon UK / Amazon US .
All prices shown in this article were accurate at the time of writing but may have since changed.
Be sure to do your own research before purchasing.
