Amazon and its 3,000 devices just announced at an event in Seattle.
And we mean they announced pretty much all the things.
We're live from the Amazon devices event in Seattle. We knew a slew of stuff was on the way, but it's actually crazy how much new stuff Amazon just dropped.
We're talking Echo. We're talking microwaves. (Yes, really.) We're talking about Echo in your car. We're talking clocks. We're talking amps. We're talking antennas and DVR for Amazon Fire TV.
And we're breaking it all down below. Click away!
- New Amazon Echo Dot
- New Amazon Echo Plus
- New Amazon Echo Show
- Amazon Echo Input
- Amazon Echo Sub
- Amazon Echo Link and Link Amp
- Amazon Smart Plug
- Amazon Fire TV Recast
- Amazon Basics Microwave
- Amazon Echo Wall Clock
- New Ring Stick Up Cam
- New stuff for Alexa
New Amazon Echo Dot ($49)
We've got a brand-new Amazon Echo Dot. It's smaller. It's got a new fabric design. It's 70 percent louder and much clearer, which should help with our biggest complaint about the Echo Dot, thanks to a 1.6-inch driver — a full half-inch larger.
Plus it still has line-out and Bluetooth.
It's available today for $49.99 and is available everywhere you can get a current Amazon Echo.
New Amazon Echo Plus ($149)
There's a new Amazon Echo Plus on the horizon, just a month out from the original. As you'll recall, the 2017 Amazon Echo Plus shared the same design as the original Amazon Echo — long and lean. This one shrinks things down a bit (more like the current Amazon Echo — yes, it's a bit confusing.) Basically, we're just looking at a new design here.
It's $149 and will ship in October.
New Amazon Echo Show
The first Amazon Echo Show was ... OK for what it was at the time. But it very quickly was outpaced by things like the Google Smart display. Now Amazon is refreshing things with an all-new screen (going from 7 inches to 10 inches for twice the display area) and an all-new speaker. So it'll have better sound with dual-firing, side-by-side 2-inch speakers and real-time Dolby processing.
It's available for pre-order now for $229.
What remains to be seen is if it'll actually play YouTube natively, but it will have Amazon's Silk browser, as well as Firefox.
Amazon Echo Input ($34.99)
This is like an Amazon Echo Dot, only without the speaker. You'll plug it into an existing speaker that you want to add Alexa functionality to. (So, yes, it's like a Chromecast Audio, sort of.) It'll connect with either a 3.5mm audio cable, or over Bluetooth. And it's got a four-microphone array so you can hit up Alexa from across the room. And it's small, at just 12.5mm tall.
It's $34.99 and will be available later this year.
Amazon Echo Sub ($129.99)
The Amazon Echo Sub is — wait for it — a subwoofer for an existing Amazon Echo or Echo Plus. You can rig them up in a 2.1 or 1.1 pairing. You can preorder it today for $129.
Amazon Echo Link Amp ($299) and Echo Link ($199)
If you absolutely must have something connected through Amazon that will work with your existing component stereo system, there's Echo Link and Echo Link Amp. (The latter as the name implies, has a more series amp.) We're talking 60 watts and two channels, multiple inputs and outputs. But no microphones — you're going to control these over the internet through an existing Echo speaker.
The basic Echo Link is $199, and the Echo Link Amp is $299. They'll be later this year.
Amazon Smart Plug ($24.99)
Smart plugs are a dime a dozen these days, but now Amazon has its own. As you'd expect it ties into Alexa. But it's even easier than that. Just plug it in, and an Amazon Echo will recognize that it's there and automatically walks (and talks) you through the setup process. You'll then be able to rename the plug and use it going forward.
And at $24.99, it's as cheap as any other smart plug we might recommend.
Amazon Fire TV Recast
This is a horrible name for a great little product. It's an over-the-air streaming box that plugs into an antenna, and then fires that signal over to an Amazon Fire TV or an Amazon Echo Show. (Think HDHomerun, Tablo, or AirTV.) You can also watch on iOS or Android, even outside your home.
Plus, it's got a built-in DVR. It'll be available with two tuners and a 500-gigabyte hard drive for $229, or four tuners with a 2-terrabyte hard drive at a price to be determined.
Amazon Basics Microwave ($59)
Yes, Amazon has made a microwave. You'll use your Amazon Echo to control it (or, ya know, just mash the buttons), and it'll use presets just like you'd expect. "Alexa, pop some popcorn. Add time." That sort of thing.
It's $59.99 and will be available in October.
Amazon Echo Wall Clock ($29)
It's an Echo! It's a wall clock! It, uh, tells time and stuff! It's also got little LED lights in it that lets you visualize timers, and it will auto-adjust to Daylight Saving's Time.
It's $29.99 and will be available later this year.
New Ring Stick Up Cam ($179)
Amazon now owns Ring, and that means it's time for a new standalone Ring Stick Up Cam. There are wired and wireless versions, and they'll tie into your Ring of Security (get it?) to help you keep an eye on your home.
It'll start at $179.99 and be available in the U.S., France, Germany, Australia and more.
Amazon Echo Auto
It's a little thing you'll plug into your car's and then you can ask your car things like you're Michael Freaking Knight. And you can talk to your Amazon Echo to learn more about what your car is up to, like fighting crime on the mean streets of Southern California. It connects via Bluetooth or an Aux port for audio feedback and is dash-mountable. It'll use your phone for an internet connection and is location-aware, so you can tell Alexa to do a certain thing when you reach a certain place, or open your garage door when you get home.
Yes, that's a little LED on the front. Just like KITT.
Basically, you've got a full-blown Amazon Echo in your car. You can shop on the fly. Or make lists to shop later. Or use drop-in to get with folks back home.
It also has turn-by-turn navigation with audio prompts. Or it can open up Apple Maps, Google Maps or Waze, if that's your jam. It'll cost just $49 regularly, or $25 if you're willing to give feedback to Amazon.
What's new with Alexa and other things
- Alexa will be able to understand when you're whispering, rather than speaking at full volume. And she'll respond in a whisper, too. So if you whisper, say, "play a lullaby," she'll respond in kind and then play quiet lullabies.
- Alexa is also gaining the contextual computing, which basically lets you string together multiple questions, and she'll understand that one goes along with the other.
- Amazon has a new Frustration-Free Setup that it's working on for smart home devices. (Like the aforementioned Smart Plug.)
- There's a new free API for the development community and third-party manufacturers like TP-Link, Eero and others are already on board. It'll help devices talk to each other and connect more smartly to your home network.
- And current Echo devices will be updated with those APIs as well.
- Alexa Guard combines all of your home security features. Say, "Alexa, I'm leaving," and it'll pull in all the info from your various devices, even if they're not meant to work together. They're partnering with Ring (which Amazon owns) and ADT for starters. ... And when you're gone for a while, Alexa can automatically turn lights off and on to make it look like you're home.
- Skype is getting integration with Alexa. So Skype customers can do voice and video calls directly from Echo and Echo Show, in addition to Alexa messaging and phone calls.
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