[NFBOH-Cleveland] Fw: NFB-Seniors Digest, Vol 108, Issue 6

[Ali Benmerzouga]

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Subject: NFB-Seniors Digest, Vol 108, Issue 6
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Today's Topics:

   1. Amazon's Echo Lineup: What's the Difference? - Very good info
      (Robert Leslie Newman)



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Date: Thu, 27 Dec 2018 10:57:25 -0600
Subject: [Nfb-seniors] Amazon's Echo Lineup: What's the Difference? - Very good info
Amazon's Echo Lineup: What's the Difference? | PCMag.com

(Note: I copied this off of a webpage, cut out some links, took out some
spacing, and so still some of the visual formatting will be … strange.)



Amazon once again expanded its Echo lineup, with upgraded smart speakers and
other devices intended to put Alexa in every corner of your house (and car).

If you're not sure which one is best for you, here’s a rundown of what each
Echo device offers.



By

Eric Griffith

and

Chloe Albanesius

December 20, 2018 5:50PM EST



Anyone who's embraced Alexa likely has an Amazon Echo product to thank.
Since 2014, the slim cylinder with the killer wireless speakers has been
listening

for its wake word, ready to set timers and give you the weather, among other
things.



New features get added to Alexa all the time, such as

making calls,

support for multiple devices in one home, and

music syncing.



At the same time, Alexa expands her virtual footprint to

Other interesting products

and even software. You can access Alexa in apps like the Amazon shopping app
and

Amazon Music

("Alexa, play songs by Peter Frampton") on iOS or Android. Heck, even the

Cortana digital assistant talks to Alexa

and vice versa. If we could just get Alexa to replace Siri, we'd be set.



Alexa on an app is nice, but Amazon has some pretty cool hardware to house
its virtual assistant, too. Recently, it overhauled the full Echo lineup,
adding

gadgets big and small. If you're wondering which one to get, read on for a
rundown of what each device brings to the table.



Amazon Echo (2017)

The baseline of the Alexa hardware experience is the second-generation Echo,
which is shorter than its predecessor at only 5.9 inches (versus 9.25), a

little wider at 3.5 inches in diameter, and slightly lighter at 29 ounces
compared to 37.5. It packs the same size woofer (2.5 inches) but a smaller
tweeter

(0.6 inches).



The biggest audio change is the inclusion of Dolby processing to better fill
a room with audio. It now has buttons on top for controlling volume (like

the second-generation Echo Dot), rather than the first generation's
physically twistable volume ring controller. Using buttons helps lower the
price from

$179 to $99 (charcoal, heather gray, and sandstone fabric finish) or $119.99
(oak, silver, or walnut finish).



In PCMag's review,

we found the new Echo to be a much more attractive speaker that will fit
more effortlessly with your home décor, at a much lower price than the
previous

model. That's a killer combination, and it's worth our Editors' Choice for
voice assistant speakers and a spot on our list of

Best Products of 2018.



$69.99



Echo Plus (2nd Gen)

The new

Echo Plus

offers "more powerful" and "clearer" sound with stronger bass, Amazon said.
It also features a temperature sensor, so it can trigger routines based on

your home's climate. There's a built-in Zigbee smart home hub, so you can
set up your

smart devices

by saying "Alexa, discover my devices." A feature known as local voice
control lets you control connected smart plugs and lights on Echo devices
with

a built-in smart home hub, even if your internet goes down. In

our review,

we found that it's a bit louder and offers a bit more functionality than the
standard Echo, but unless you plan to start filling your home with Zigbee

devices without using a separate hub, it doesn't quite justify its $50
premium.

$149.99

at Amazon



Echo Show (2nd Gen)

The new

Echo Show

features a 10-inch HD screen, offering twice the display area as the
original, plus improved sound quality, for $229.99. New features includes a
built-in

web browser that will open via voice commands (“Alexa, open Silk” or “Alexa,
open Firefox"). Type a website URL via the on-screen keyboard and bookmark

favorites. It's a major upgrade over the original, with a larger, more
functional touch screen and a much more powerful speaker system, making it
an

Editors' Choice

and a pick for the

Best Products of 2018.



$229.99

at Amazon



Echo Show

For something a little more affordable, the

original Echo Show

sports a 7-inch touch screen and a 5-megapixel camera for video chats with
other

Echo Show

or Look owners. The screen can also show weather forecasts, music lyrics,
surveillance camera feeds, Amazon Video, and more. Audio comes from two
2-inch

speakers. It lacks a 3.5mm audio line out jack to use other speakers,
something featured on every other Echo; use Bluetooth for that. However, it
does

have an 8-microphone array, the most of any of the Echo products. It comes
in black or white, but is

currently only available used.



Echo Spot

Echo Spot

combines aspects of the small, inexpensive Dot with the high-end Show. Its
built-in LCD screen is 2.5 inches and circular. The $129.99 device is only

14.8 ounces and measures 4.1 by 3.8 by 3.6 inches—small enough to be a clock
on a desk or nightstand that does much more. It has a camera in front so it

will also handle video chats with other users of the Echo Spot or Echo Show
(maybe someday, it'll also make video calls to phone apps, like FaceTime).



In

PCMag's review,

we found that while the Spot's audio quality isn't as strong as the Amazon
Echo and other

smart speakers,

it's far more versatile, and worthy of our Editors' Choice.



$129.99

at Amazon



Echo Dot (3rd Gen)

True Echo affordability starts with the puck-sized Dot. Amazon's popular
budget

Echo Dot

delivers dramatically improved sound, making it an even better buy for an
entry-level Alexa speaker, making it an

Editors' Choice.

Get it in charcoal, heather gray, or sandstone.

$29.99

at Amazon



Echo Dot (2nd Gen)

For $20 less, the

second-gen Echo Dot

is still available in black or white. With a 0.6-inch speaker inside, it's
no audio powerhouse, but it sports the same 7-microphone array found on its

taller, cylindrical brethren, so it'll hear you just fine.



$24.99

at Amazon



Amazon Echo Dot Kids Edition

The Echo Dot Kids Edition is available

in blue, green, or red. Amazon claims this version of the Dot includes up to
$109 of savings when compared to the standard Echo Dot since it provides

one year of FreeTime Unlimited, which normally costs a minimum of $2.99 per
month.



Amazon promises ad-free radio stations, over 300 Audible books, premium kids
skills from the likes of Disney and Nickelodeon, and special character
alarms

free for the first year. There's also a two-year guarantee included;
usually, the Echo Dot includes a 90-day limited warranty.



$49.99

at Amazon



Echo Input

For many of us, Echo is a quick way to play our favorite tunes. But Echo
isn't always the most powerful speaker in the home. With the puck-sized

Echo Input,

you can bring Alexa to nearby speakers via 3.5mm audio cable or Bluetooth.
In

our review,

we found the Input to be an easy way to make third-party

speakers

Alexa-enabled, and it helps fill microphone-free gaps in your
always-listening smart home. It's a niche product to be sure, but it works
for that niche.

$34.99

at Amazon



Echo Sub The Amazon Echo Sub

provides much-needed sub-bass to your Echo smart speaker as long as you're
willing to overlook some frustrating limitations. In

our review, we found that it can't shake the walls like home theater
subwoofers, and it's held back by a bizarre incompatibility with Bluetooth
streaming.

$129.99

at Amazon



d nesting level 1

connects to your existing stereo equipment, letting you control music
playback and volume via Echo devices or the Alexa app.

$199.99

at Amazon



Echo Link Amp

The

Echo Link Amp

adds a built-in 60W, 2-channel amplifier and a left-right speaker binding
post outputs for wiring directly to passive and non-powered speakers. It's
currently

unavailable, but you can sign up to get an email when it goes on sale.

$299.99

at Amazon



Amazon Echo Wall Clock

The $29.99

Echo Wall Clock

is...pretty self explanatory. According to Amazon, you pair it with an Echo
device and when you set a timer, the Wall Clock will show you how much time

remains and a 60-second countdown at the end.



Big Mouth Billy Bass

The latest

Big Mouth Billy Bass

connects to your Amazon Echo speaker to react to Alexa's voice. It's not a
good product, the way we at PCMag measure good products. It doesn't have a

compelling feature set, nor is it made of high-quality materials. It isn't a
standalone

smart speaker

like the

Echo Dot,

and it's so poorly made we can't imagine it lasting very long. But your dad
is probably going to love it.

$39.99

at Amazon



Echo Look

If you're in the market for both fashion advice and Alexa voice assistance,
the

Amazon Echo Look

is a unique camera that sees what you're wearing and offers an opinion on
it.



You could argue that the

Echo Look

doesn't belong with all the rest. It's mainly a style helper, but it does
have Alexa integration, so it counts. For awhile, it was only available by
invite,

but now anyone can get it.



$49.99

at Amazon



Echo Auto

Google has Android Auto and Apple has CarPlay, so it was inevitable that
Amazon would also get into the automotive space. The Echo Auto is a small
device

that attaches to the dashboard and responds questions just like it would at
home. It connects via your existing smartphone plan and the Alexa app. It's



$24.99

but you have to request an invitation.

$24.99

at Amazon



Fire HD Tablets With Hands-Free Alexa

They're not technically Echo devices, but the 8- and 10-inch Amazon Fire HD
color tablets have hands-free Alexa support (even if the screen is asleep),

meaning they can do everything the Echo Show does.



The 32GB

Fire HD 10

is $149.99; 64GB is $189.99. Both versions come in black, blue, or red on
the back and are available now. (Currently on sale starting at $119.99.)



The 16GB

Fire HD 8

is $79.99; the 32GB is $109.99. They come in black, yellow, blue, and red,
and arrive on Oct. 4. (Currently on sale starting at $49.99.)



Those prices are “With Special Offers” (translation: ads); get rid of them
by paying an extra $15—which is still cheaper than the Echo Show.



These tablets will probably also still support YouTube videos—since you can
just

Download the YouTube app. In

PCMag's review,

we found the 32GB Fire HD 10 to be the best value for your dollar under
$150. The 2018 edition of the Amazon Fire HD 8, meanwhile,

remains the best media tablet you can get for under $100.



$119.99






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