Amazon Echo is a line of smart speakers, smart speakers that work through integration with the Alexa app, the voice assistant developed by Amazon. The device allows you to stream music, manage connected home appliances and start playing videos and movies, on Smart TVs and other devices connected via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. It is also compatible with Android, iOS and Fire OS devices, such as smartphones, tablets and PCs. Here’s a comprehensive guide to the latest Amazon Echo models on the market and their main features.
All Amazon Echo models on the market
There are several models of smart speaker from the e-commerce giant on the market, providing the same basic functionality, with some special features depending on the type of device. Depending on the price range, in fact, there are small and inexpensive devices with limited functionality, such as Amazon Echo Flex and Echo Dot, the main Amazon Echo model with good value for money, up to the high-end smart speakers Amazon Echo Plus and Echo Studio.
Amazon Echo Flex: the smallest and cheapest in the series
Recently Amazon presented the new range of smart speakers 2019, among which also appears Amazon Echo Flex, the smallest and cheapest in the series. The release in Italy is scheduled for November 14, however you can go to the online store and reserve your device, although due to high demand the first deliveries may be delayed. This device is definitely compact, with a weight of 154 grams and a rectangular shape, with a height of 72 mm and a width of 67 mm.
The device should be plugged directly into the power outlet, thanks to a plug located at the back. Amazon Echo Flex has a USB-A port, useful for charging your smartphone, Bluetooth A2DP connectivity and dual band Wi-Fi compatible with 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac networks. Of course, it is integrated with the Alexa App, features a 15 mm mini-speaker, a standard 3.5 mm AUX d audio output and can be customized with the Skill, the applications that can be managed via voice assistant.
For example, among the available Skill are Ring, Sky TG24, Amazon Music and Spotify. Externally, the smart speaker has a privacy button to mute the microphone and protect one’s privacy at home, it also has a button for manual operation and an LED light that indicates when Alex is on. The price of Amazon Echo Flex is just 29.99 euros, so it is the entry level device of the series, to be placed in any environment thanks to its small size and the possibility of attaching it directly to the socket.
Amazon Echo Dot: features and price
Another model on the market is Amazon Echo Dot, now in its third generation. This is a device similar to the basic one but slightly smaller, with dimensions of only 43 mm in height by 99 mm in diameter and a weight of about 300 grams. Echo Dot supports Alexa, which in 2019 has been completely updated and equipped with new features, such as recognition of family members. This smart speaker integrates Bluetooth and dual band Wi-Fi connectivity, it also has a 41 mm speaker.
Inside there are 4 long-range microphones, to receive voice commands even from several meters away, while outside there is a standard 3.5 mm audio output and volume and power buttons. Amazon Echo Dot 3rd generation is on sale in e-commerce with a cost of 59.99 euros, available in anthracite, light gray and mélange colors and in mauve fabric. Those who want can also choose the version with a digital LED display, with clock function and the same technical features as the basic model.
Amazon Echo: features of the main model
One of the most popular devices on the market is precisely Amazon Echo, the main model of the series. Waiting for the launch of the third generation, which will be available in Italy from October 16, 2019, within the e-commerce you can still buy the second generation. The new model maintains integration with Alexa, which is able to start playing music from Spotify, Audible, Amazon Prime Music, Apple Music or Deezer. At the same time it can manage any smart device connected to the Wi-Fi network and answer questions.
The device is equipped with 7 microphones with beamforming technology, which isolates external noises to offer a rather high audio quality, as well as two speakers including a 76 mm woofer and a 20 mm tweeter, for excellent quality audio in both the highs and lows. Echo weighs about 780 grams, with dimensions of 148 mm high by 99 mm in diameter, with Dolby processor, wireless/Bluetooth connection and standard 3.5 mm audio output.
Quite interesting is the intercom feature, with which you can connect all Amazon speakers and use them to communicate from one room to another, through the Drop in or Announcements option. At the bottom are the ports for power and audio cable, while at the top is the on/off button, volume buttons and manual activation control. The reference smart speaker of the range, Amazon Echo, is available in four different colors, anthracite, mélange gray, light gray and blue gray, with fabric upholstery and a selling price of 99.99 euros.
Amazon Echo Plus: technical data and cost
Those who want to buy an upgraded version of the smart speaker can opt for Amazon Echo Plus, arrived at the second generation and characterized by a price of 149.99€. Echo Plus has an internal hub for smart home management, through the Zigbee module, to connect all home appliances with wireless and Bluetooth connection in a few simple steps. The speaker weighs 780 grams, with dimensions of 148 mm high by 99 mm in diameter, is equipped with 7 microphones, a 76 mm woofer and a 20 mm treble tweeter.
The device features the classic 3.5 mm AUX audio output, with buttons for volume, manual power and microphone activation to talk to Alexa. At the top is an LED light beam, which runs along the outer surface of the diameter, taking on a red or blue hue depending on whether or not Alexa is running. Inside there is also a sensor for temperature monitoring, which allows you to perform operations according to environmental conditions.
Amazon Echo Studio: the top model of the range
On November 7, 2019, Amazon Echo Studio, the top-of-the-line smart speaker, will be released in Italy, which will come with a launch price of 199.99 euros. This device is the largest and most complete of the series, the only one equipped with a Hi-Fi sound system with Dolby Atmos processor, for a very high quality music listening with immersive feeling. There are no less than 3 speakers, to better manage highs, mids and lows, with a 133 mm woofer, a 51 mm midrange and a 25 mm tweeter.
As for ports there is the 3.5 mm mini-optical AUX audio input, the port to connect the power cord, the Zigbee smart hub for managing devices in the house, buttons for volume, microphone power and system activation. The dimensions are generous, 206 mm high by 175 mm in diameter, with a weight of 3.5 kg. Also in this case there is Bluetooth and wireless connectivity, in addition Amazon Echo Studio can work as an audio speaker for Fire Stick TV.
Other models of Amazon Echo smart speaker
In addition to the devices of the main line, Flex, Dot, Echo, Echo Plus and Echo Studio, other models of smart speakers are available within the Amazon e-commerce. These are devices that are compatible with all of the company’s smart speakers, so you can create a real network of intelligent voice communication, to manage your home and some entertainment services. Let’s see what are the other devices from the Amazon Echo line on sale in 2019.
Amazon Echo Show: the model with display
On the market there is also Amazon Echo Show, one of the most advanced and complete models among the smart speakers produced by the company. It is a device equipped with a 10-inch touchscreen HD screen, 5 MP front camera and Zigbee hub module, to control the house with voice commands via Alexa. It also has 2 dedicated bass drivers and an Intel Atom X5-Z8350 processor. Echo Show has Dual Band Wi-Fi connectivity, with dual MIMO antennas, Bluetooth connection and compatibility with Android, Fire OS and iOS systems.
This smart speaker supports streaming audio and video playback, using services such as Spotify, Amazon Prime Video and Tuneln, allows you to make video calls with Skype or via the Alexa app, browse TV guide programs and browse the internet, for example to find a recipe to prepare for lunch. The price of Amazon Echo Show is 229.99 euros, available in black and white colors, with a weight of 1755 grams and dimensions of 174 mm high by 246 mm wide.
Amazon Echo Show 5, the smart screen with a compact design
In May 2019, Amazon launched Echo Show 5, an evolution of the “normal” Echo Show with reduced dimensions (and screen). This smart screen is characterized by its essential and clean lines, perfect to be placed in any environment: from the kitchen to the bedroom, passing through the living room and the living room. About the size of a can (measuring 148x86x73 millimeters), the Echo Show 5 costs 89.99 euros: less than half of its big brother, but with the same functionality and features.
The Echo Show 5 is equipped with two microphones (located at the top of the device), a camera for video calls, a speaker, a microUSB connector, a 3.5 mm audio jack. On the top, there is also a button to turn off the microphones and a micro-slider that covers the lens of the 1MP camera: seemingly basic features, but very useful to protect your home privacy.
The screen with a 5.5-inch diagonal can be used to watch videos and movies from Prime Video, music videos from VEVO or listen to your favorite music from Prime Music, Spotify, Deezer and other compatible audio streaming services. There is also no shortage of skills designed specifically for smart screens: these include video recipes from GialloZafferano, news from Sky TG 24, live radio TV from RDS, Radio Deejay, Radio Kiss Kiss, Radio Italia and much more. Thanks to the camera and microphones, then, it is possible to make Skype calls and video calls to contacts registered in the address book.
In comparison to its older brother, it lacks the integration of the Zigbee standard, useful for direct control of smart home devices. In case you have an Echo Plus, Echo Show or any other home automation hub in your home, the Echo Show 5 can be used to control your smart home. A simple voice command will suffice to turn on the lights (Alexa, turn on the lights in the kitchen) or you can activate the on-screen panel to control the various smart devices in your home. The screen, moreover, can also be used to control the feed of security cameras and connected thermostats.
Amazon Echo Input: technical data and price
A latest model on the market of smart speakers is Amazon Echo Input, a rather inexpensive smart speaker, sold at a price of just 39.99 euros, present in black or white. It is actually a device that requires connection with an external device, such as the Sony SRX-XB31 speaker. The device supports Bluetooth connection and the Alexa app, playback of audio files from Spotify, Tuneln and Amazon Music, has a 3.5 mm audio output, 4 microphones and an LED light for Alexa activation, with a weight of only 79 grams and dimensions of 14 mm high by 80 mm in diameter.
How Amazon Echo works
Amazon Echo is a smart speaker made by Amazon, a smart speaker equipped with artificial intelligence system via the voice assistant Alexa. These are multifunctional devices, which allow you to listen to music, hear the latest news of the day, set alarm clocks and alarms, also allow you to manage other devices in the house, such as Smart TV, smartphone, lights and alarm system, centralizing home automation settings.
The real peculiarity of Amazon Echo is the presence of Alexa, the voice assistant designed by Amazon, compatible with several advanced devices, which allows you to manage the functionality of the smart speaker with voice commands. Alexa is able to interact with people, to perform tasks such as turning on the lights, playing a TV series, or reducing the volume of a music track listened to in streaming.
Amazon Echo is compatible with Android, Fire OS and iOS devices, so you can connect to the smart speaker smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, Smart TVs but also the latest generation of smart appliances, equipped with 4G and Bluetooth connection modules. To set up Amazon Echo you need to download the Alexa app for free, making the download from Google Play Store or App Store, installing it on your Android or Apple device, to run the wizard and connect all devices connected to the internet.
How to configure Amazon Echo
Once you have purchased the device you need to proceed to configure Amazon Echo, following a similar procedure for any model of smart speaker from the famous e-commerce. To do this, you just need to download the Alexa app on your device, smartphone or tablet, making the download from Google Play Store or App Store and installing the application on Android, from version 5.1 to later or iOS, starting from the operating system 10.0 to the latest versions. Alternatively, you can download the Alexa app on your PC, via the website htpps://alexa.amazon.co.
The desktop version is compatible with several search browsers, including Safari, Google Chrome and Firefox. After installing Alexa, you just need to turn on Amazon Echo, waiting for the device’s LED light to turn orange, a sign that the voice-assistance system has started up. After that you just need to follow the directions provided by the application, connecting the smart speaker to a Wi-Fi internet network via Bluetooth connection.
Finally you can start using Amazon Echo through Alexa voice commands, speaking naturally with the digital assistant. Activating any indication must start with the word Alexa, followed by the operation you want the device to perform, however you can change that option. Just enter the app, tap the Devices item, select your device and choose Activation Word, customizing the command to start Alexa.
In case the automatic configuration of the internet connection does not work, you can try to unplug Amazon Echo from the power outlets and wait a few seconds, reset the device or proceed manually. In this case, you need to open the Alexa app, select Settings, Device Settings, choose the model in use, tap on the Wi-Fi Network item and then Edit, entering the network access credentials.
Main Features of the Alexa App for Amazon Echo
After installing and configuring Amazon Echo and the Alexa app on your device, you can start using the smart speaker’s features, taking advantage of voice commands for an infinite number of operations. For example, you can ask Alexa questions, asking about the weather, restaurants in a certain area of the city, or what movies are playing in a movie theater this weekend.
Among the basic commands, which must always be preceded by the activation word Alexa, or another term by changing it in the app’s settings, are starting audio and video playback of music, movies, and TV series, increasing and decreasing the volume, setting mute mode, and pausing content. An additional feature is the Help function, which allows you to contact friends and family from the address book, or alert emergency services in case of need.
With regard to audio streaming, the service present by default is Amazon Music, however it can be modified by connecting different applications, including Spotify or Tuneln, while for video streaming the basic program is Amazon Fire TV. To activate a song or a movie just say Alexa play XXX, in a few moments the voice assistant will start playing the program on the device, connected via Bluetooth to Amazon Echo. To select a specific platform you must instead command Alexa play XXX on Spotify, otherwise the voice assistant will select the default service.
In the same way you can set the alarm, just ask Alexa wake me up tomorrow morning at 8, or you can customize the alarm with a music, indicating Alexa wake me up tomorrow morning at 8 with Starway to heaven by Led Zeppelin, or activating a radio station, Alexa wake me up tomorrow morning at 8 with Radio Uno. The possibilities are truly endless, considering that Alexa is an artificial intelligence system, so the more you use it the more experienced and efficient it becomes, improving the quality of the service offered.
Even so, you can set appointments on your calendar, Alexa add lunch with Laura on June 4, mark important dates on your calendar, Alexa add birthday Claudio on March 30, or check your schedule for the day, Alexa how is my day today? You can also create to-do lists, hear the news in the morning during breakfast, check the weather, listen to reports of sporting events, traffic conditions and weather forecasts, but also find recipes to prepare, make unit conversions and currency exchanges.
Alexa and Amazon Echo for residential home automation
Some of the most interesting features of Alexa, to be used together with Amazon Echo, concern home automation management, smart homes with devices connected together via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connection. Through voice commands you can, for example, turn on and off the lights, decrease their brightness, check if the lights in the other room are on, close the electric shutters, set the temperature of the thermostat, adjust the air conditioner and schedule the start of the washing machine.
In the same way you can turn on the oven, turn off the latest generation of smart sockets, to prevent any accidents due to appliances left connected, such as the iron in the living room, decrease the temperature of the fridge and set the video surveillance system. These features are also available when you are out of the house, to check the status of appliances, receive notifications in case of anomalies and alarms following violations, or you can turn on the heating before leaving the office, to find the house warm and cozy when you return.
Other features of Alexa and Amazon Echo
The services available with Amazon Echo and Alexa are really countless, in fact there are also specific features for shopping and purchases. In this way, you can place orders online, for example to request a pizza with home delivery, to buy directly on iFood, or to know the restaurants open on Monday night. You can also consult platforms such as Booking.com and Skyscanner, which for the moment do not allow you to finalize purchases, but surely it will be an option introduced in the future.
Of course, the most efficient integration is with Amazon, in fact you can buy items, books, movies and music on the services of the e-commerce and its ecosystem, such as Amazon Prime, Kindle eBooks, Fire TV, Audible and Amazon Music. Other features of Alexa and Amazon Echo are the management of apps, including Skype to video call your contacts, or the ability to read emails and messages, make and receive calls through the smart speaker, or communicate with another Amazon Echo device located in another room of the house.
The services are constantly evolving, so every month you can find new features, including the one with Amazon Echo Auto, additional integrations of apps and platforms, further compatibility and increasingly optimized procedures. The great success of Amazon Echo, for the moment slightly underperforming in Italy compared to English-speaking countries, has marked the road to voice management technology. In the not too distant future, all devices will be fully integrated, efficient and reliable, leaving only a distant memory of the old keyboards and touchscreen displays.