Amazon's Echo Dot 2 is the cost-effective, voice-activated smart home hub that all your parts need



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Only $ 50 • Alexa does everything the Echo does • Compact and compact design • Save $ 20 if you buy two together

Low • loudspeaker

The Amazon Echo Dot still does all that the Echo does, now at an even lower price and this is not exclusive to the owners of Echo or Fire TV.

Even though the Dot is the cheapest Echo device in the range, it's still surprisingly powerful and practical. hub.

Compared to and, Dot is squatter and more brilliant. Plus, if you buy two at the same time, you'll get a $ 20 discount. This is not as cute as the six-pack of Amazon's proposed Dots briefly in 2016, but the purchase of two again means you can create a dual-room setup for less than the Echo's second generation

  at the point of echo (first generation)

The point of echo (second generation) next to the echo point (first generation)

Image: RAYMOND WONG / MASHABLE

The point of echo comes in brilliant black or brilliant white. Amazon also sells customizable cases in a variety of fabrics and colors to decorate your device. You know, to better blend in your interior decoration.

Functionally, the Echo Dot works in exactly the same way as the old one. You can summon your voice to play music, check the weather, read news, control your smart devices like Philips Hue smart lights, call an Uber, read a Kindle e-book, send and receive, and more. [19659005] The number of "skills" that Alexa knows continues to grow at an extraordinary rate, connecting it to new services and devices. In the spring of 2018, Alexa.

The new Echo Dot costs $ 50 and you can buy one.

It has the same seven built-in microphones to hear your voice from the other side of the room. During my tests, I did not notice any difference in responsiveness between the old Echo Dot and the new one.

The point of echo has a function called echo spatial perception (ESP). If you have multiple Echos or Points configured in your house, ESP prevents them all from leaving at the same time when you say the Alexa command; Only the one closest to you should activate.

For the most part, ESP works well … if your Echo devices are not too close to each other. In my little one bedroom apartment in New York, ESP did not work as well as I would have liked. Call for Alexa on Echo point in my room still often woken Alexa on the Echo in my living room about 30 meters away. Talking in a softer voice helped to solve this problem. Another solution is to change to give each echo a. For example, you could have the Echo Dot respond to "Alexa" and other Echo devices to "Amazon", "Echo". or "Computer".

  The rotating volume ring is gone. On the new echo point (left), there are volume buttons on the top.

The rotating volume ring is gone. On the new Echo Dot (left), there are volume buttons on top

Image: raymond wong / mashable

By streamlining the Dot Echo, Amazon has removed the ring from Rotating volume and added two volume buttons to go with the mute microphone and push-to-talk Alexa buttons up. Honestly, I love this new change since I never use the rotating volume ring on my Echo; I'm just telling Alexa to increase and decrease the volume. There is always a ring of light around the top and it stays blue when Alexa is activated.

The glossy black finish is a magnet for fingerprints, but that's not a problem after you've put it in place. move it a lot. The echo point also comes in a shiny white finish, which looks just as smooth.

<img clbad = "no-microcontent" data-credit-name = "" data-credit-provider = "custom type" data-caption = "Shorter glossy second-gen Echo Dot (top) vs. matte first- gen Echo Dot (bottom). " title = "Shorter glossy second-gen Echo Dot (top) vs. matte first-gen Echo Dot (bottom)." src = "https://i.amz.mshcdn.com/r38OlMUniFUXRTMCn04c5YviCmg=/fit-in/1200×9600/https%3A%2F%2Fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fcard%2Fimage%2F800538% 2F42218515-9d13-4926-858b-5d37c51809c6.jpg "alt =" Second generation echo more brilliant and brilliant (top) compared to first generation matte echo (bottom) Dot (top) vs. Matte Echo Dot first-gen (bottom).

  Micro-USB for power and a 3.5mm audio jack for connection to your own speaker system.

Micro-USB for l & # 39; Power supply and a 3.5mm audio jack for connecting to your own speaker system.

How about the speaker? Well, it's always kind of average. The first Echo Dot speaker emitted a hollow and tiny sound, the new Echo Dot is slightly louder with fuller mids and a little more bbad, but it still creaks the ears when tuned in. most volume high.

Just like the first model, you'll want to hook up the new Echo Dot your own speaker with the included 3.5mm audio cable or pair it with a Bluetooth speaker. These two options will give you a much better sound.

The built-in speaker of the Echo Dot is really meant for Alexa to answer you and not for music playback.

Image: raymond wong / mashable

After the mediocre sound, there is really nothing to dislike again Echo Dot. It's the same as the old Dot Echo and extremely affordable.

The low price makes Dot the easiest way to set up a smart home based around Alexa. Amazon also sells one for $ 80, which comes with a color case, a year of FreeTime Unlimited, and a two-year warranty. As Pete Pachal, editor-in-chief of Mashable Tech:

"Outside of the point, you do not need this stuff, but the year of FreeTime Unlimited (value of $ 36) worth it., if you do not have a Kindle Fire tablet to enjoy the children's books, it means mostly some additional songs and playlists. "

So yes, skip the edition Dot Kids if you have children. This is not worth the extra moola.

The Dot's main competition is, which is also $ 50. Personally, I think Home Mini is more appealing with its soft fabric surface and smarter Google Assistant, but the one that suits you best comes down to the platform you want to adopt.

For newcomers who simply want to embark on building a smart home, the Echo Dot is the perfect device to start. It's only $ 50. You can use the extra money saved by not buying the full-size Echo to buy smart light bulbs or a bluetooth speaker.

This review has been updated to include the Google Home Mini as a competitor, a number of Alexa skills, new Alexa features and current discounts on Echo point.

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