- Anna Attkisson, Tom's GuideThe Amazon Echo Dot is an easy way to update your home stereo system with smart home features.
- Dan Seifert, The VergeA lower price makes Amazon’s smart home access point even more attractive.
Wireless | |
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Wireless Inputs | Bluetooth |
Warranty (Months) | - |
Size | 8 x 3 cm (3.2 x 1.2 in) |
Weight | N/A |
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Smart speakers offer a new way to interact with your home and the world around you. Then again, if they don’t work well, they offer new ways to get frustrated at your tech.
The original Amazon Echo made plenty of fans. Does this new scaled-down version still have what it takes? Reviews are out! Let’s see what they’re saying!
At only 1.3-inches (3.3-cm) tall and 3.3-inches (8.4-cm) wide, the Echo Dot is one of the smallest smart speakers yet. Many reviewers noted it reminded them of a shiny hockey puck. Stuff TV said, “Overall it's pleasingly unobtrusive. Once sat on a shelf somewhere it'll stay mostly unnoticed other than when it's answering a query.”
While the black and white color options provide basic choices for matching it to your decor, you’ll also find a selection of covers available should you want something more noticeable.
The Echo Dot requires power from a microUSB adapter, so you cannot to use it on the go.
Reviewers found the hardware controls straightforward and responsive. There’s a dedicated mute button if you don’t like the idea of an always-on microphone. Other than that, you’ll find volume controls and an action button.
They also praised the voice controls. Activating the Echo Dot involves saying the “action word” followed by your command. By default, the action word is “Alexa.” If you have a TV near your Echo Dot, The Guardian noted that Alexa TV commercials will activate the speaker.
Reviewers mentioned minor delays between making requests and Alexa answering. Those with a Google Home also found that Alexa wasn’t as good about answering general questions.
However, many of those same reviewers found that the range of Alexa Skills available made it easier to interact with other devices and trigger contextual commands. Stuff TV noted, “Where the Echo Dot (and indeed the Echo) really comes into its own is as the hub of your smart home. Link it to the likes of Hive, Hue, Nest and Netatmo and you'll be able to control your heating and lights with voice commands - and trust me, being able to do this is as wonderful as it sounds.”
Amazon’s Echo Spatial Perception feature means you don’t have to worry about triggering multiple requests if you own multiple Dots. Reviewers found the feature worked great, with the closest Dot responding to requests.
Reviewers had mixed opinions on audio. Techaeris said, “I had music playing in one room and needed to walk to the kitchen to get a drink and the music was clear enough to hear still. Do note that I’m in a two story house and the room I was in is on the other side of the house.”
While the Dot gets loud, it doesn’t offer much in the way of bass—though this isn’t surprising given the size. Most reviewers recommended connecting a speaker to the Dot using bluetooth or the 3.5mm headphone jack if listening to music.
Reviewers loved virtually everything about the Amazon Echo Dot. Trusted Reviews summed up opinions well, saying, “The Echo Dot is simply a better device than the original Echo. It does everything its big brother does, but offers greater versatility and it costs a third of the price. If you’re after a voice assistant to take control of your home, or even if you’re just curious to take a peek at the future of home automation, this is a no-brainer.”
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Pocket-lint, Alphr, Expert Reviews, The Guardian, Android Police, Cnet, TechRadar, TrustedReviews, Stuff, Digital Trends, TechHive, The Verge, T3, International Business Times, IT Pro, Techaeris, Tom's Guide, Tech Advisor, The Gadgeteer, The Wirecutter, Notebookcheck, Android Authority, Good E-Reader, KnowTechie, What Hi-Fi, Alphr
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