Amazon has added a new member to its Echo series with the addition of Echo Show, a smart speaker with abuilt-in 7-inch touchscreen. The device will come in black and white colour variant and will begin shipping on June 28. The smart speaker is available for pre-order in the US and comes with a price tag of $299.99 (approx. Rs 19,394.35).
For those who are not aware, Echo series is a smart speaker which comes loaded with company’s in-house personal assistant known as Alexa. However, what makes it special is the 7-inch display which adds the visual elements along with voice responses. Through Echo Show, one can make calls, play audio, control smart home appliances, give Voice commands from across the room and play video on YouTube. Interestingly, one can make video and voice call with this one as well.
To start with the video calling feature, Echo Show has a 5-megapixel front shooter, which is enough to make video calls. Users can ask Alexa to video calls their friends and foe, though they need to have Alexa App installed on their smartphone or tablet. There is also a new feature known as Drop In, which will automatically accept a Video call after 10 seconds.
One can also see and hear news and information through this device. All you have to do is ask Alexa for your video flash briefing from CNN, Bloomberg and more. Echo Show comes loaded with Dolby-powered speakers, which gives crisp vocals with a dynamic bass response and expansive sound. The device also shows song lyrics, custom stations, curated playlists, and album art with Amazon Music. It also supports Spotify, Pandora, iHeartRadio, and TuneIn.
You can also control smart home appliance through Echo Show and is compatible with different starter kits from brands such as Ring, WeMo, Philips Hue, SmartThings, ecobee, Wink, and others. As for the specifications is concerned, the device is powered by Intel Atom x5-Z8350 processor. On the connectivity front, the device support Dual-Band Wi-Fi supports 802.11 a/b/g/n (2.4 and 5 GHz) networks.