Amazon‘s Echo Spot powered by Alexa is now available in the UK and will be a must have addition for those who have already purchased and Echo Show as it has video call capabilities.
Echo Spot delivers all the Alexa features but with a smaller design and the added convenience of a circular screen so that Alexa can show you things and of course video calls.
“Echo Spot combines the popular small design of Echo Dot, the display of Echo Show, and the features you love about Alexa into a stylish and compact device. See the weather, watch video news briefings, glance at your alarm clock, make video calls, and more—we think customers in the UK will find lots of places for Echo Spot in their homes.”
– Jorrit Van der Meulen, Vice President, Amazon Devices International
Why the Echo Spot?
Amazon’s Echo devices are designed to tie consumers ever more closely into the Amazon ecosystem as we discussed in a recent article on the Echo Buttons. Echo owners spend up to 66% more than Amazon customers without an Echo making them Amazon’s most valuable customers and explaining why Amazon are so focused on Echo sales are are constantly expanding the range of devices available – both Amazon’s own devices and third party devices which support Alexa.
Main Echo Spot Features
Designed for any room, with the added convenience of a screen
Echo Spot fits easily into any room of your home. The size and viewing angle of the screen make Echo Spot ideal for use on a desk or nightstand so you can turn your lights on and off, watch a video flash briefing, see your commute time, get the weather, check the time, wake up to music alarms, or view your calendar. Or use Echo Spot in the kitchen to easily set and view timers, call friends and family with Alexa, see shopping and to do lists, and more.
New microphone array with second-generation far-field technology
Echo Spot features second generation far-field technology with four microphones, acoustic beam-forming technology, and enhanced noise cancellation so it can hear you from across the room—even while music is playing. If you have more than one Echo, Alexa responds intelligently from the Echo you’re closest to with ESP (Echo Spatial Perception).
Front-facing camera and Alexa calling help you stay connected—call hands free
Put an Echo Spot in each room so you can drop in on the kitchen to ask when dinner will be ready, or drop in on the family room to see how homework is going. Just like Echo Show, you can also use Echo Spot to start a voice or video call, or send a message to anyone with an Echo or the Alexa App—simply say, “Alexa, call dad,” or “Alexa, send a message to Mary.”
Built-in speaker, plus Bluetooth and audio-out to connect to your existing speaker systems
Alexa can talk to you and play music on Echo Spot through the built-in 2W speaker. Echo Spot can also directly connect to speakers through Bluetooth or using a 3.5mm stereo cable, enabling you to add Alexa to your home entertainment system. Then, use just your voice to control Amazon Music, Prime Music, Spotify, TuneIn, and more. Plus, with the multi-room music feature, you can play your favourites throughout your home, with synchronised music across all of your Echo devices.
Easily control your smart home
Echo Spot integrates all of the smart home capabilities that customers love about Alexa—turn on the lights, view your live camera feed from the nursery, set up Routines, control the temperature, lock your doors with your voice when you’re heading to bed, and more. Echo Spot works with smart home devices such as cameras, lights, thermostats, and more from brands like Ring, Arlo, Philips Hue, IKEA, Hive, TP-Link, Netatmo, WeMo, Smart Things, and Tado.
Alexa is always getting smarter—skills from OpenTable, Just Eat, BBC News and more
Alexa—the brain behind Echo Spot—is built in the cloud, so she is always getting smarter. The more you use Echo Spot, the more it adapts to your speech patterns, vocabulary, and personal preferences. Alexa connects through the cloud automatically and is continually learning, adding new functionality and skills. Like all Alexa devices, customers using Echo Spot can access thousands of Alexa skills, with skills from OpenTable, Just Eat, BBC News, The Telegraph, Evening Standard, LBC, MTV, 7Digital, Recipedia, Mail Recipes, Sky Sports Super 6, Liverpool FC, Arlo, Ring, and more—all with visuals for the display.
Where to buy
The all-new Echo Spot is £119.99 and is available for pre-order at amazon.co.uk/echospot. It will begin shipping to customers on 24th January. Echo Spot will also be available at retailers including Argos, Dixons Carphone, John Lewis, Tesco and Very.
