Amazon’s new Echo line is here: the 6 biggest updates

Summary

Amazon has just taken the wraps off a bunch of new devices as part of a string of fall announcements. Today’s news focuses largely on new Echo speakers, with a few new smart home gadgets sprinkled in. Amazon’s new Echo line is here: the 6 biggest updates There are plenty of updates to Amazon’s existing Echo devices, and a few new ones, too. There are plenty of updates to Amazon’s existing Echo devices, and a few new ones, too. Here’s a roundup of all of the updates Amazon revealed on Wednesday. Amazon’s new Echo Show 16 has a 16-inch display in an anodized aluminum frame that the company says is nearly 40 percent thinner than its predecessor. There’s a new Nanomatte display option to reduce glare, along with an audio architecture with micro woofers and two tweeters for clearer audio. The Echo Show 16 features a wide-angle 13-megapixel camera, which Amazon says offers the “widest field of view” on an Echo Show device so far. It has 20 percent more computing power and an upgraded Omnisense fusion platform, allowing Alexa to turn up the heat when the room is too cold or turn on a light when you enter the room. The Echo Show 16 is available for preorder today and costs $499.99,withtheNanomatteoptionpricedat$569.99. Amazon is launching a new digital photo frame with a semi-matte, 10-inch touchscreen. The device syncs with Amazon Photos, allowing Alexa Plus to automatically pull up pictures based on who’s in it, when it was taken, and sentiment. You can also choose people you want to feature in your frame, as well as ask the device to show you specific pictures. The Alexa Photo Frame costs $199.99withablackframeor$229 for the birch and walnut frames. Amazon is rolling out an upgraded Echo Dot with a built-in smart home hub that can control devices around your home without a separate hub. Like the Echo Show 16, the Echo Dot also has the company’s Omnisense fusion platform to detect room temperature and presence. It has Amazon’s custom AZ3 chip as well, along with four microphones, a new full-range driver for 50 percent more bass than the previous generation, and a built-in Eero Wi-Fi extender. You can buy the Echo Dot today in black, white, green, and pink for $\mathrm{99.99.}AmazonbuiltacameraintotheEchoStudio.Withthisupdate,youcantapintoalivestreamoftheroomwhileyou’reawayfromhome,oraskAlexaquestionsaboutsomethinginfrontofthecamera.Asanexample,Amazonsaysyoucanholdupaboardgametoaskabouttherules,orshowitaboxofcerealtoorderadifferentflavor.TheEchoStudiowithHomeCamerawillsoonconnectwithcompatibleFireTVs,too,givingyoutheabilitytoholdvideocallsonalargerscreen.TheEchoStudiowithHomeCameraisavailableinblackfor$249.99, while its optional stand costs $\mathrm{39.99.}AmazonhasrevealedtheEchoTime,asmartalarmclockwithacircular,3.2-inchtouchscreenthatyoucancustomizewithdifferentclockfacesandlayouts.TheEchoTimeoffersanoptionalsmartalarmfeaturethatcanwakeyouupwhenyou’reinalightersleep—10to60minutesbeforeyouralarm—ratherthanattheexacttimeyouwanttowakeup.ItusesAmazon’sOmnisensetechnologytodeterminewhentowakeyouupbasedontemperatureandpresence.Thedisplayalsoadjuststhroughouttheday,graduallybrighteninginthemorningbeforedimmingatnight.TheEchoTimeisavailabletodayfor$199.99 in black, white, and pink, while a Kids Echo Time starts at $\mathrm{209.99.}There’salsoanadjustablestandavailablefor$39.99. A new Alexa Home Map feature creates an interactive 3D map of the inside and outside of your home. It displays your Echo devices, Ring and Blink cameras, Fire TV, lights, locks, thermostats, and other smart home devices, which you can control directly through the map. Amazon says you can create a map by entering your home address, scanning each room with a compatible iPhone, and then placing each smart home device. You can access your map in the Ring app, too, where you can view live animations of people and cars outside your home. Alexa Home Map is rolling out in preview later this year on iOS in the Alexa Home Map, Alexa, and Ring apps. It’s also coming to larger Echo Show devices, the Ember Artline Fire TV, and new Alexa Tablets. Most Popular

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By Emma Roth

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