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Amazon has sold many echo points. Like a crazy, stupid and unfathomable number of things. Over the past two generations, it has undoubtedly become the main driver of craze for smart speakers.
Of course, the product is not exceptional. It is a hockey product designed simply to not be seen. But it's hard to resist – even for those who have hesitated to accept this category.
It's a dive into the water, an entry drug into the strange new world of smart speakers. So, how to improve Amazon's best-selling device? The trick is to add to the experience without touching its main selling point: the fact that it's $ 50. This type of price gives you much less room for maneuver than with, for example, a $ 1,000 phone.
Announced at an event in Seattle last month alongside eight million new Alexa products, the new Dot brand more than just a line upgrade. This is a way to move forward for the Echo line. This is a product that bears the undisputed influence of Google, while showing the place that the system of modular speakers will occupy in the smart home.
This is the Google brand that strikes you completely. The first two generations of the product were utilitarian. They were not very interesting, but rather a gateway to Alexa, designed to be hidden. While fabric coverings are a big hit in consumer electronics, the perimeter of Echo's new cloth is more than a passing resemblance to Google's Home Mini.
Amazon has naturally been shaken by the rapid rise of Google in the category. A few days before the Alexa event, Strategy Analytics noted that the Home Mini had surpassed the Echo Dot as the best selling smart speaker for the quarter. This is not exactly the panic mode, but it's a pretty clear indication that it's time to upgrade to the higher version.
While the new point draws an obvious aesthetic influence from the line at home, I prefer taking Amazon. It makes a nice difference between the old and the new. The fabric cover also serves as a speaker grill and extends along the outside of the product. The upper, meanwhile, retains a familiar design language, with a rounded matte black top carrying a quartet of physical buttons. The lighting state ring is aligned between these two surfaces.
The new Dot is significantly larger than its predecessor, which is a little surprising since its more compact size was Dot's second-generation selling point. That said, the fact that the new device looks nice enough to be exposed to the open air has no doubt encouraged the company to make it a little bigger. It's also a solid thing. I was a little surprised by the weight of the puck – you could do big damage with the thing.
Increasing volume is one of the biggest benefits of the footprint. The new point is capable of being 70% more powerful than its predecessor (according to Amazon). According to the move, Amazon is putting more emphasis on the second part of the "smart speakers equation". The previous Dots audio system was not designed for better than giving Alexa a voice. That's why the company has integrated an auxiliary output.
It's still there, of course, but the integrated audio output is much improved. It is also much less deformed to the maximum. I still would not use it as the default speaker, but Dot's role in Amazon's new a la carte audio system is interesting.
The company sent two points for the sole purpose of trying out the new stereo pairing feature – and I'm glad they did. This is probably the most interesting addition to the range. In the redesigned Alexa app you will find the Create a set of speakers option under the Settings tab. From there, you can turn two points into a stereo pair. The configuration is simple – but I encountered some problems with the Wi-Fi from our office. Both echoes must be on the same network for the feature to function properly, and the application was not entirely able to discern that they were.
The application will guide you through the process and will allow you to determine which device will handle which channel of the stereo track. Paired together, it's a great experience – a kind of small-scale home theater experience. Add the new Echo Sub and it's even better. Do not forget, of course, that you just spent $ 230. Things add up quickly. Of course, it's still $ 100 cheaper than the HomePod.
Of course, it is unfair to compare the two. Stakeholders from Amazon and Apple belong to totally different leagues. But the new Dot and other additions to the Echo home stereo system represent a very Amazon-like approach to the category, offering users the ability to mix and match devices while maintaining a low price.
The third generation point is not a complete reinvention of the wheel, but it is large enough to warrant an upgrade for many users. Although maybe "upgrade" is not the key word here. Given Amazon's ultimate goal of having an Alexa device in every room, it's easy to see it become an addition to your growing collection.
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