Amazon’s Echo line of product started with the launch of their first Alexa powered smart speaker dubbed “Echo”, back in 2015. It was then followed by the Echo Dot which was a miniature version of the smart speaker and the Echo Show which was a smart-speaker which sported a touch-screen display. However, the original Echo speaker was long overdue an upgrade and much to our surprise, at a press event which Amazon conducted yesterday, not only they released an upgraded Echo speaker but also followed it with a bunch of other smart-home devices, all of which are powered by Alexa.
There’s the Echo Plus, the New Echo, the Echo Spot, the Echo Buttons, and the all-new Fire TV among others. Of all the products, my favourite is the Echo Spot which is a smart alarm clock with a touch display. With so many Echo products to choose from now, customers are debating the necessity of one over the other. So, to make things easier for our readers, in this article, we are going to cover the new Echo Spot, and answer all your frequently asked questions, which will help you learn a little more about the device.
Amazon Echo Spot FAQ: Everything You Need to Know
As I mentioned above, in its simplest form, the all-new Echo Spot is an alarm clock with a built-in multi-touch display. However, we all know that it is much more than that. The Echo Spot is also a smart home device which is being powered by Alexa. But, it is also different from the Echo speaker in many ways. For one, it has a touchscreen display. Think of Echo Spot as a mix of the Echo Dot and the Echo Show. It’s small, has a touchscreen, and does a lot more than what you expect from its size.
Amazon Echo Spot FAQ: General
How much does the Echo Spot cost?
The best part about this press event from Amazon was that none of its products were priced above a reasonable 150 dollars. While the Echo Spot might night be the cheapest of the bunch, it’s not also the costliest and will cost you $129.99.
When Can I Get it.
The Echo Spot is ready for pre-order now and you can pre-order it right now on the Amazon’s website. However, the delivery will start on December 19. So, you will have to wait for a couple of weeks before you can get your hands on the device.
Amazon Echo Spot FAQ: Design and Build
What is the size of the Echo Spot?
Echo spot sports a very compact design and measures only at 4.1 x 3.8 x 3.6 inches or 104 x 97 x 81 mm. It is also very light and weighs only 14.8 oz or 419 grams.
What are the materials used in the Echo Spot?
The Echo Spot sports a metal body with a glass front panel. The front glass panel houses a 2.5 inch round touchscreen display.
What Colours do I get to choose from?
At the time of writing this article, the Echo Spot comes only in two colours; Black and White.
Amazon Echo Spot FAQ: Hardware
Does it have a built-in hub for simple setup of compatible smart home devices?
No, that feature is only present in the new Echo Plus.
Does it has a touchscreen?
Yes, just like the Echo Show, the Echo Spot also houses a touchscreen in the front. However, instead of a rectangular build, the touchscreen sports a rounded design and measures 2.5 inches diagonally.
Does it have a camera?
Yes, the Echo Spot has a front-facing camera. However, the camera specifications have still not been released.
Does it have a headphone jack?
Yes, it has a standard 3.5 mm headphone jack.
Does it have a built-in battery?
No, the Echo Spot doesn’t have any built-in battery. It needs to be plugged in for power.
Does it have a microphone?
Yes, the new Echo Sport has built-in 4-Microphone Array.
Does it have a built-in Speaker.
Yes, it has a built-in 1.5-inch speaker.
Does it pack separate woofers and tweeters?
No, the separate woofers and tweeters are only present on the New Echo and the Echo Plus.
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Amazon Echo Spot FAQ: Functions
Can I watch videos on Echo Spot?
Yes, the 2.5” touchscreen allows you to watch videos on the device. You can even stream videos directly from your Amazon Prime Video account.
Can I make video calls on this device?
Yes, the front-facing camera allows you to make video calls easily. In fact, at the time of publishing this article Amazon has announced that you can use Alexa for making free video calls anywhere in United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Can I connect my speakers with it?
Yes, you can either use the built-in 3.5 mm headphone jack or you can connect them wirelessly using Bluetooth.
Amazon Echo Spot FAQ: Alexa Specific Questions
Does Echo Spot connect to Alexa?
Yes, the Echo Spot connects to Alexa, which is Amazon’s own cloud-based voice service and can be used to play music, read the news, answer questions, control smart home, and more.
Can I activate Alexa with my voice from across the room?
Yes, you can. The built-in 4-array microphone support ensures that the device can recognise your voice from across the room and activate Alexa. In fact, it uses second-generation far-field voice recognition technology, and hence, it will be able to recognise your voice even when there’s music playing in the background.
Can I stream music using Echo Spot?
Yes, you can. Just ask Alexa to play a song, artist, or genre and the device will stream music directly from your preferred service. Currently, it supports Amazon Music, Pandora, Spotify, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, and Audible.
Does it let me control my smart-home devices?
Yes, it does let you do that. Since the Echo Spot is also powered by Alexa, you can control pretty much every smart device connected to it. For example, you can ask it to turn on your lights, show baby monitors, front door cameras, lock your doors, control the thermostats, garage doors, sprinklers, and more.
Does it support Alexa skills?
Yes, it does. You can take a look at our article which lists out 30 best Alexa skills for Echo, all of which will work with the Echo Spot.
Amazon Echo Spot FAQ: Connectivity
Does it support Bluetooth Connectivity
Yes, the Echo Spot supports Bluetooth. In fact, it has Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) support for audio streaming from your mobile device to Echo Spot or from Echo Spot to your Bluetooth speaker.
Which WiFi standard does the device supports?
The device supports the latest dual-band 802.11 a/b/g/n (2.4 and 5 GHz) WiFi standard. However, it does not support connecting to ad-hoc (or peer-to-peer) Wi-Fi networks.
SEE ALSO: iPhone X FAQ: Everything You Need To Know
Amazon Echo Spot: Frequently Asked Questions Answered
We have tried to cover as many frequently asked questions here as we could find. We hope this article will help you make an informed decision if you are planning to buy this device. However, the device doesn’t start shipping till mid-December, so if you have any more questions, just drop them down in the comments section below. I will try to answer as many of them as possible. If a question is asked frequently, we will also update the article to include the same.
Sagnik Das Gupta
