Today, Amazon introduced an all-new line-up of Echo devices that give customers a chance to integrate Alexa into their lives even more.
The new additions to the Amazon Echo family include an all-new Echo, the Echo Flex, the Echo Dot with clock, the Echo Show 8, and Echo Studio. Tom Taylor, Senior Vice President of Amazon Alexa, provided a bit of commentary: “We love hearing feedback from customers about how they use Alexa throughout their day—whether that’s listening to music, dropping in on a loved one or playing a game with the family. We hope these new Echo devices will give customers even more ways to access Alexa—whether that’s through the best-sounding Echo yet—Echo Studio, a reimagined Echo and Echo Dot, new designs like Echo Show 8 and Echo Flex.”
The next-generation Echo features an updated fabric design with color options suitable for any style, including Twilight Blue, Charcoal, Heather Grey, and Sandstone. Echo has the same audio architecture as Echo Plus, including a 3-inch woofer and increased back volume so that the bass feels stronger, and the mids and highs are clearer. With updated fabric design and even better sound, the basic Echo is still only CDN $129.99.
Echo Flex is the most affordable way to add Alexa to any space in your home. It plugs directly into a standard electrical outlet, making it perfect for those places in your home where cords can be a hassle. Simply ask Alexa to control compatible smart home devices, make an announcement, or check the score of a favorite sports team, and responses will come through the small speaker on the device that’s been optimized for Alexa’s voice. Echo Flex also has a built-in USB port so you can easily charge your phone or add an optional accessory, like a Smart Night Light or Motion Sensor, all while using a single outlet. This plug-in smart speaker only costs CDN $34.99.
Echo Dot with clock starts with the best-selling Echo device and adds a simple, bright LED display for just CDN $79.99 that makes it the perfect addition to a nightstand or countertop. The LED display automatically adjusts based on the brightness of the room, so you can easily see the time or set a morning alarm. Plus, you can tap the top of the device to snooze an alarm.
The Echo Show 8 is Amazon’s latest smart display. As you might have guessed, it has an eight-inch screen and is available for preorder starting today for CDN $169.99. It complements the Echo Show 5 and Echo Show 10, giving customers yet another sizing option to choose between.
With five built-in directional speakers, Echo Studio has been crafted to create premium sound with space, clarity, and depth. Its 5.25-inch woofer and 330W of peak power produces deep, rich bass by using the bass port at the bottom to maximize airflow and bass output from the woofer. Echo Studio has a 1-inch tweeter and three 2-inch midrange speakers that deliver dynamic midranges and crisp, high frequencies. Echo Studio also automatically senses the acoustics of your space and fine-tunes audio playback to deliver optimal sound—no matter where you put the device in the room. Echo Studio is the first smart speaker to deliver a multidimensional audio experience using advanced processing from Dolby Atmos, and you can have it yourself for CDN $259.99.
A number of new Alexa features were also announced, including Whisper Mode, multilingual modes including English, Canadian French, Hindi, and Spanish, response explanations, and auto-deleting voice recordings.
The new Amazon Echo devices are available for pre-order starting today at https://www.amazon.ca/morealexa and will start shipping later this year. If you’re at all interested in voice-based technology, there’s something for you here.
