Amazon Announces Echo Spot, The Cutest Smart Home Device Yet
My, isn’t that an adorable little clock? It also happens to be Amazon’s latest Alexa enabled device, the Echo Spot, and darn if it’s not the cutest tech device this writer has seen in awhile.
If you’ve yet to give in to our societal obsession with virtual assistants (personally, I only ask Siri for one thing: to sing me Bohemian Rhapsody), this might be the device that finally brings you into the smart device fold.
I mean, look how cute it is. It’s little, for one, so it’s not sticking out like a techie sore thumb, and it easily disguises itself as a clock. Its face also makes it great for video calls, paring with home security devices, setting kitchen timers, scrolling song lyrics, and providing other visual information with a voice command.
“Echo Spot combines the popular small design of Echo Dot, the display of Echo Show, and the features you love about Alexa into an all-new, stylish and compact device,” said Tom Taylor, Senior Vice President, Amazon Alexa. “See the weather, watch video news briefings, glance at your alarm clock, check on your kids, and more—we think customers will find lots of places for Echo Spot in their homes.”
The first thing I thought of was a Magic 8 Ball (at least in black—it also comes in white), and as luck would have it, there’s an Alexa skill for that (here’s hoping it updates to take advantage of the screen).
Amazon also announced a new, second generation Echo that is shorter and comes in different finishes much like Google Home, and for a lower price ($99). The Echo Plus ($149) has a built in smart home hub that will discover your Bluetooth and wifi devices with a voice command (like smart lights, thermostat, security system and more).
Echo Spot is available for preorder for $129.99 and ships on December 19.