Amazon announced an ambitious slate of new Echo devices this week, ranging from a new “Echo Plus” to a $20 pack of buttons for playing Alexa-enabled games.
In fact, the company announced so many devices in one day that it basically doubled the products in the Echo line in one fell swoop.
All the new gadgets are hard to keep straight, so we give you the rundown in this episode of Geared Up. We also predict which devices will succeed, and which are destined for the technology dustbin.
Geared Up hosts Andru Edwards and Todd Bishop agreed that the tiny, touchscreen Echo Spot was the standout of the new lineup. It runs just $130 and has many of the same features as the larger touchscreen Echo Show, but takes up much less space.
Sadly, the Spot took a hit before it was even announced: Google this week pulled YouTube from Echo devices, so the Spot and the Show are without the internet’s most popular video platform for the moment.
On the other end of the spectrum, we have the Echo Buttons, light-up, gameshow-style buttons meant for playing interactive games on Echo devices. Andru was seriously unimpressed with them, but at $20 a pair, they’re not a huge investment.
The company also announced a next-generation Echo, with a lower price of $99; the Echo Plus, an Echo device with integrated smart home hub; the Echo Connect, which makes voice calls over landline or IP; a new Amazon Fire TV with an Alexa voice remote; and an upcoming Alexa integration with BMW vehicles.
Listen to the full episode above, download it as an MP3 or watch the behind-the-scenes video above. Also read GeekWire’s full rundown of all the Echo devices.
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