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Echo Show 5 is the latest in a long and fast line of Amazon products meant to allow us to invest all in its virtual assistant, Alexa. This voice-activated software will listen to your commands and (most of the time) find the appropriate answers to do the work.
This work may consist of reading weather forecasts or telling you who won the 1962 World Cup; turn off lights and heat in the main room; find a recipe and read instructions step by step; play music from your personal playlists on Spotify or Amazon Music and of course, much more.
Characteristics
(Image credit: Future)
The technology has been around for a few years now and the capabilities of the little magic wizard inside your wireless kits are getting more and more impressive from month to month. Likewise, Alexa is more likely to understand exactly what you are asking.
Where much of the Alexa-compatible kit is based on audio, focused on the Bluetooth speaker market in particular, Echo Show 5 encompasses both sound and video in its communication capabilities. So, in addition to playing music or reading information, you can access video content on the 5.5-inch LCD touch screen.
It may be a movie on Amazon Prime Video, for example, the latest BBC News newsletter, or even a HIIT workout by Joe Wicks, the best of Southwest London. There is also an HD camera that allows the user to make Skype calls, for example, or display camera images in other rooms in the house or elsewhere.
To build
(Image credit: Future)
The Echo Show 5 is a bit bigger than an iPhone on its side, mounted on a corner. This triangular prism houses all electronics and allows the screen to be tilted towards the user for easy viewing. It is well assembled with a textured fabric finish on the back and a rubber base.
There are just a few buttons on the top of the device – one for each volume and the other for turning the microphones and the camera on and off. There is also a reassuring analog slider that blocks or releases the shutter of the camera, thus allowing the user to know for sure that there is no possibility of being monitored unexpectedly.
On the back of the device, at the sharp end of the corner, are the power port, a micro USB input and a 3.5mm audio output, which allows you to connect the Echo Show 5 to a more powerful speaker.
Sound
(Image credit: Future)
On occasion, you may want to do this. Echo Show 5 is a tiny device and, as such, can not offer the breadth of sound that some specialty wireless speakers can offer.
But then, it offers far more capabilities and features than a current Bluetooth speaker. For what it is, we find the sound perfectly acceptable. Sounds, it is warm enough, which helps the voices on the radio and others, and provides a comfortable listening experience.
Technical specifications of Amazon Echo Show 5
Connections Wi-fi, USB, line input 3.5 mm
Screen 5.5in
Microphone Yes
Camera 1MP (720p HD video)
Dimensions (hwd) 8.6 x 14.8 x 7.3 cm
Weight 410g
We say the words "Alexa, play Bruce Springsteen's last album" and Alexa announces that Boss's latest album is called Western stars and he plays on Amazon Music in seconds. The lyrics of the song are displayed line by line on the screen, which is pleasant to the touch.
Springsteen's voice is faithfully reproduced, with an occasional hissing hum of the Show 5. This unit does not like to be pushed too hard, but if you maintain a mediocre average level, it suits you perfectly. As background music to listen to or listen to in the kitchen during cooking, the sound is perfectly usable.
The control of the voice is undeniably practical. If you use Echo Show 5 in the kitchen, for example, it's helpful to say "Alexa, turn up the volume" without touching the device with greasy or floury hands.
The 5.5in screen brings a verdict similar to the sound. The picture is not spectacular, but it's acceptable. You would not want to watch a feature film on the Show 5, but for video clips, chat with friends and family on Skype, or watch the baby in his room or the visitor at the front door, he does good job .
Verdict
(Image credit: Future)
Echo Show 5 does not pretend to be something that is not, and if sound is your priority, there are many other wireless speakers that will do a better job in purely audio terms.
But this is a £ 80 mischief that does so much more than that. It opens the world of digital assistant to a whole new audience for audio and video. and if that's what you're looking for, that's pretty much everything you'll get – especially for that kind of money.
THE SCORES
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