[SC-CSTD] Amazon Debuts New Alexa-Powered Echo Speakers, Budget Wireless Earbuds - CNET

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Steve Cook

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CNET - Wednesday, May 17, 2023 at 11:20 AM


Amazon Debuts New Alexa-Powered Echo Speakers, Budget Wireless Earbuds - CNET


Amazon's growing its Alexa-powered Echo smart device lineup with the new Echo Pop smart speaker, a budget set of Echo Buds and an upgraded Echo Show 5 <https://www.cnet.com/home/smart-home/amazon-echo-show-5-2nd-gen-review-still-better-than-an-echo-dot/>  smart display, the company announced Wednesday. 

Amazon's new Echo Pop is a $40 Alexa smart speaker featuring a semispherical design, similar to the Harman Kardon Onyx <https://www.cnet.com/deals/the-perfect-speaker-for-your-new-echo-dot-or-home-mini-124-99/> . The speaker is designed for smaller rooms and comes in a range of colors, including lavender and teal. Like the other Alexa speakers announced today, the Pop features Amazon's AZ2 Neural Edge processor for a claimed 20% speed increase, while it can also extend a home mesh network <https://www.cnet.com/home/internet/best-mesh-wifi-routers/>  with Eero <https://www.cnet.com/home/internet/eero-6-plus-wi-fi-6-mesh-router-review/>  capability built in.

Amazon's SVP Rohit Prasad told CNET that the number of purchases made on Alexa devices had increased by 40% in the past year, and that "the greater percentage of that was on devices with a screen."

Amazon bumped up the sound quality for its latest Echo smart display. 

Amazon 

To that end, Amazon introduced an upgraded $90 Echo Show 5 <https://www.amazon.com/All-new-release-display-deeper-clearer/dp/B09B2SRGXH/?tag=cnet-buy-button-20>  with a redesigned speaker system for better clarity and bass. The Alexa-powered smart display also has an improved microphone array onboard, and comes in pale blue, charcoal black and white. The $100 Echo Show 5 Kids variation has the same tweaks and also offers a new space-themed design.

Lastly, the $50 Echo Buds true-wireless earbuds are a stripped-down version of the existing $120 Echo Buds <https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/amazon-echo-buds-2-review/> , without active noise canceling. They do have the same 20-hour battery life, however. The design is more AirPod-like, with long stems, than the Echo Buds, and Amazon says the fit is more comfortable than before.

The $50 Echo Buds.

Amazon 

Amazon leads both Google and Apple with sales of its smart devices <https://www.cnet.com/home/security/amazons-smart-products-lead-the-market-even-as-trust-in-the-company-lags/> , which also includes the Echo Dot <https://www.cnet.com/home/smart-home/hands-on-with-new-5th-gen-amazon-echo-dot-speakers-should-you-upgrade/> . The company faces increasing competition from Google, though, which just introduced its own hybrid smart display, the Pixel Tablet <https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/pixel-tablet-hands-on-googles-family-android-device-dock-included/> .

The Echo Pop, Echo Show 5 and Echo Show 5 Kids are expected to start shipping on May 31, and the Echo Buds on June 7. 

https://www.cnet.com/tech/home-entertainment/amazon-unveils-new-alexa-speakers-and-budget-earbuds/#ftag=CAD590a51e

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