Amazon Alexa: For which Echo connected speaker to crack in 2022

Alexa turns on the light. Alexa plays your songs. Alexa answers all your questions. Alexa is (almost) like your best friend. Only then, time passes and the number of connected devices plugged into Amazon’s artificial intelligence (AI) is multiplying at will, so much so that it is easy to get lost in the multitude of offers offered by the e-commerce giant.

But Alexa goes beyond the Echo, which we saw in November 2014. Since the launch of the first Echo of the name (from the name of the devices connected to Amazon’s AI marketed by the American giant), Amazon has launched a veritable palette of devices. And since Alexa invariably responds “sorry, I don’t know that one” to the question “Alexa, which Alexa device should I buy?” “, the editorial staff of ZDNet intends to give you all the leads to better orient you on the subject in 2022.

Note that while there are many other Alexa-compatible devices today, made by third-party companies that do not use the Echo brand, in this article we only offer products made and marketed by Amazon.

The Echo family

If you want an Echo device without spending a lot, buy an Echo Dot for under $50. If you want better sound, get an Echo. If you prefer to go further in the high end, opt for the Echo Studio. If you want Echo features and a tablet-like screen (but needs to be plugged in), buy an Echo Show.

So much for the overview. Now let’s take a closer look at each model offered by Amazon.

Echo 4^and generation

Amazon Echo 4 (2020) – Best prices:

This device is the first to adopt AI from Amazon. Before the Echo, we thought it was normal to turn on the light with the flick of a switch, or set our own alarm clock. In fact, we were even prepared to do all these simple and basic tasks ourselves. That was before learning that it is possible to program timers for each small task. That having all your music at your fingertips no longer requires a finger at all. The Echo has become the least-needed and most-loved simple assistant in our home, the one that has helped us get to know Alexa.

It’s quite simple: this device defined the very concept of Alexa. Equipped with a ring of powerful microphones, it is able to pick up commands from a distance. It has decent quality speakers for streaming music across the room and can double as both a smart assistant and a spare Bluetooth speaker.

At the end of 2017, the original Echo was taken off the market, replaced by a new Echo and an Echo Plus, which have since been updated again. Now the Echo and Echo Dot both look like spheres, not cylinders. Amazon hasn’t sacrificed sound quality though. The sound of the Echo 4^and generation has even been improved by relying in particular on an upward-facing woofer. The Echo of 4^and generation also adds smart hub capabilities, which were previously only offered on the Echo Plus.

The new Echo of 4^and generation features a low power mode, which works in most configurations and uses 50% post-consumer recycled plastics. It also uses 100% post-consumer recycled fabric and 100% recycled die-cast aluminum, proving that even Big Brother can take care of the environment. Finally, this model also has a 3.5 mm jack audio input and output.

Echo Dot 4^and generation

Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen) – Best Prices:

If the new Echo is the size of a large grapefruit, the new Dot is the size of a baseball. It’s got all the smarts of Alexa, but not the powerful speaker that Amazon says “fills any room with immersive 360-degree sound.” The adult Dot (there is a children’s version) shares the same colors as its larger Echo Sphere sibling.

The Dot contains the essentials of Alexa and presents itself as a version of Echo reduced to the bare minimum necessary to take full advantage of the Alexa experience. In its September 2020 release, Amazon turned the Dot into a sphere, and it’s that unit that still ships. The audio seems to be the same, although the speaker is specified as ‘front-firing’. That said, for a device that can be had for a very low price, you can’t go wrong introducing a Dot to your family.

echo show 10

Amazon Echo Show 10 (2021) – Best prices:

There are two recently updated 5-inch Echo Show models: an updated 8-inch model with a greatly improved camera and a 10-inch model. So what is the Echo Show? It’s an Echo that’s aimed at video chatting and monitoring. At least, that’s its starting application. Let’s deconstruct that for a moment. We’ve all used FaceTime or a similar video chat feature on our phones. The Echo Show does the same thing, except it has to be plugged in and has to stay in a specific spot.

The Echo Show comes in handy for two essential applications: checking the status of elderly family members, and being able to easily monitor children. The Echo Show easily lets you use voice activation to contact, talk to, and see a family member. If the latter is on the list of authorized persons, you can establish a connection immediately. This allows worried teenagers to quickly ascertain the health of an elderly relative.

The Echo Show also allows parents and grandparents to easily connect, talk and see their children and grandchildren, completely bypassing the problem posed by smartphones. While many of us may find the idea of ​​a landline, plugged-in phone inconvenient, it also provides a hands-free calling experience, from a fixed location, a known location and a setting. predictable. Note that with the recent arrival of Amazon in the field of security devices, the Echo Show also becomes a practical security monitor.

How to choose

Now that you’ve got to know the Echo family, let’s see which device is right for you:

If you don’t already have an Alexa device, and you don’t need to take care of the elderly or children (or have friends who want to video chat with this technology), your first device should be the new Echo. It’s a bit more expensive, but the extra speaker is worth it.

If you want an Echo but want to reduce the clutter of your smart home devices, also consider the new Echo. It now comes with built-in smart hub functions and can help cut down on the clutter that might be in your home.

If you want to save money without doing without Alexa, opt for an Echo Dot.

If you already have an Echo and want to add a device in a place where music playback quality isn’t paramount, buy a Dot.

If you are caring for elderly parents, or if you want to see the people you connect with at a fixed location, buy an Echo Show.

Source: ZDNet.com

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