Amazon announced several new devices with Alexa

[jwlv]

Amazon has announced several new products with Alexa built-in.

These include: Echo Buds (earbuds), Echo Loop (finger ring), Echo Frame (eyeglass frames), Echo Studio (high quality speaker), Echo Glow (multi color LED light), Smart Oven (microwave, convection, air fryer all-in-one), Echo Flex (a plug-in Echo that hangs on the AC outlet). Some of these are available for pre-order. Some will require an invitation. Most of them will be officially released in November.

Here's a link to all of the above products:
https://www.amazon.com/b/ref=ods_gw_fnn_xpl_dt_atf_hero_main_en_0925?node=2102313011

BTW, Echo Auto is now available to the public at the regular price of $49.99. No invitation needed.

[renegade600]

and still no coffee pot.  I am only interested in the microwave and the frames.   maybe the box  :-)   I did ask for an invitation for the frames. 

[kenf]

Interesting.

It seems Amazon is trying to put Alexa into everything, like a shotgun.

The glasses, ear buds and ring are are approaching what Apple already knows.  You don't need an Echo in every room if the human is carrying it on their person (ex. the iPhone). I bet these play on the same trick the Auto does, that your smartphone/Alexa App does all the work over bluetooth.

The countertop super-oven isn't for me, and it certainly doesn't need a Dot in it.  The Show is a better device for the kitchen, so it's best to NOT embed echo in other kitchen appliances.

The original Alexa Microwave got that part right.  The clock was ugly and has a myopic shortcoming.  It only relays timers from its paired Echo.  Showing all timers set in the house from anywhere would solve the actual problem I have, in that I do something and set a timer in the laundry room or kitchen and return to the living room.

The flex looks like a decent idea for any room with a countertop height outlet, assuming you can spare the outlet.  Not a bedroom with outlets near the floor. And my bathrooms have a single outlet and high competition for appliances. So the kitchen. Where the Show reigns supreme.

I'm not sold on these devices.  The flex with night lite might have a place in my home.  The personal alexas are pricey, and for tech that goes out of style (aka new models), i'd prefer a more disposable price point. The ring seems the least obtrusive to me, but with only 4 sizes fits all...

[scottrods]

Not much for me there either, but do find the idea of a plug in direct Alexa... like was said above... counter height plug in, no wiring... be pretty cool if you have the outlet to work with... I could see that being useful to a lot of folks. The Clock in a dot is pretty cool too... Don't know why they didn't start with that design and then on to the rest... Also the little Glow Lamp is an awesome looking modern design piece that is nice enough to use as a side lamp, or even an end table lamp or such... the "Glows like. Camp Fire thing sounds interesting...

Sound bar is a bad idea, the new Home Pod by Amazon is a stab in the dark... but if the sound is good enough I can see people buying it as it's cheaper than the Apple Counterpart... If you use Home Kit to run any of your home automated anything, you are probably already aware that Apple controls things very well and responds probably double speed of Alexa... so I am kinda leaning Apple on that one. But Who knows...  All in all not all that impressed with Amazon's constant releases of Multiple items with nothing really new to it, except the package it sits in at the house. Echo Auto at least has portability that makes it worthwhile... best release in the last yer and a half... but still learning what all I can use in the car...

[renegade600]

Interesting.

It seems Amazon is trying to put Alexa into everything, like a shotgun.

The glasses, ear buds and ring are are approaching what Apple already knows.  You don't need an Echo in every room if the human is carrying it on their person (ex. the iPhone). I bet these play on the same trick the Auto does, that your smartphone/Alexa App does all the work over bluetooth.

The countertop super-oven isn't for me, and it certainly doesn't need a Dot in it. The Show is a better device for the kitchen, so it's best to NOT embed echo in other kitchen appliances.

The original Alexa Microwave got that part right.  The clock was ugly and has a myopic shortcoming.  It only relays timers from its paired Echo.  Showing all timers set in the house from anywhere would solve the actual problem I have, in that I do something and set a timer in the laundry room or kitchen and return to the living room.

The flex looks like a decent idea for any room with a countertop height outlet, assuming you can spare the outlet.  Not a bedroom with outlets near the floor. And my bathrooms have a single outlet and high competition for appliances. So the kitchen. Where the Show reigns supreme.

I'm not sold on these devices.  The flex with night lite might have a place in my home.  The personal alexas are pricey, and for tech that goes out of style (aka new models), i'd prefer a more disposable price point. The ring seems the least obtrusive to me, but with only 4 sizes fits all...

the microwave oven does not have a dot embedded in it.   the microwave would interfere with it.   It works in conjunction with one.  I guess you could say it is a large smart plug.  there was a couple of features on it that  I liked

the frames can be used outside the home, almost like the auto.  since my old car cannot use the auto, the frames could be the hands free connection I need.    the only problem is, I may need to upgrade my phone plan to include mobile hotspots so even though I asked for an invite, I may not get it if given one. 

the ring (loop) seems to be will be uncomfortable and possibly cause physical harm if worn too long - just too thick for between fingers.   It is an interesting concept though. 

I do agree about over saturation.   you don't want everything with an echo in it, there will be too much overlap and may have to start using different wake names.  I think amazon is experimenting to see what users want and will drop whatever they don't - like the tab. 

[kenf]

yeah, I think I misread their page as having a Dot in it, not with it.

Sounds like an expanded version of the original microwave.  Which for somebody who needs a new microwave, is just fine.

The microwave was a good example of appliance that works with Alexa. It'd be nice to say "Alexa, turn off the oven" and know that it's done, just in case I forgot after removing dinner and rushing away to devour it.

I may reconsider the Buds, anybody about to buy new headphones could get these instead of airpods (my wife has those, likes them).  Seems comparable. And puts Alexa on my person while I'm out and about.

I'm sure somebody's got a use for these.

[jwlv]

I think Amazon should have made an Alexa watch. The ring and the glasses look too bulky and dorky. If they made a watch, I'd buy it in an instant. I know there have been 3rd parties who have made an Alexa enabled watch but they all have failed miserably.

[Laurel]

Earlier I posted asking if the Echo Flex could play music, and then I tried google and got this:

"The Flex has a small built-in Alexa speaker so you can give it commands, but it's "not optimized for playing music." So we're assuming it can play music, but it's not ideal. The Flex includes a USB port that lets you charge your phone and plug in other accessories, like a motion sensor and new Amazon Smart Nightlight."

So that works for me. My vision is using it in the kitchen, and also in a bathroom and I think it would be okay to listen to a local radio station's morning news and weather while in the bathroom.

[renegade600]

Earlier I posted asking if the Echo Flex could play music, and then I tried google and got this:

"The Flex has a small built-in Alexa speaker so you can give it commands, but it's "not optimized for playing music." So we're assuming it can play music, but it's not ideal. The Flex includes a USB port that lets you charge your phone and plug in other accessories, like a motion sensor and new Amazon Smart Nightlight."

So that works for me. My vision is using it in the kitchen, and also in a bathroom and I think it would be okay to listen to a local radio station's morning news and weather while in the bathroom.

on amazon it says you can get the weather and traffic on the way out.  but I am guessing it will play music too but doubt it will be as good as the original dot - in other words bad.    it will be interesting to see if amazon disable music sites for that device.  I like the module aspect of it where you can plug motion detectors into it.   who knows what else they have plan for it. 

[renegade600]

I think Amazon should have made an Alexa watch. The ring and the glasses look too bulky and dorky. If they made a watch, I'd buy it in an instant. I know there have been 3rd parties who have made an Alexa enabled watch but they all have failed miserably.

totally agree a watch would be great.    was thinking about the "dorky" glasses.  maybe they should have created an attachment that could snap on most glasses frames instead of frames themselves.   

[Laurel]

I would have gone with the ring if it also counted steps and I could swim with it. I have the Motiv ring and I quite like it compared to wearing a wrist fitness watch.

[kenf]

I think Amazon should have made an Alexa watch. The ring and the glasses look too bulky and dorky. If they made a watch, I'd buy it in an instant. I know there have been 3rd parties who have made an Alexa enabled watch but they all have failed miserably.

That's a good idea.  Probably the least obtrusive for most people.

[jwlv]

Renegade, you don't need to use a Wifi hotspot for any of the mobile Alexa devices like the Echo Auto. In fact, I was disappointed to find out that I couldn't use WiFi with my Echo Auto. I'd much prefer to use WiFi (I have AT&T hotspot in my car) than going through my Android phone. Just think of these devices like a customized Bluetooth headset. They have a mic (so you can speak to Alexa) and a speaker (so you can hear the response). All of the data and information that need to go through to Amazon is done on your smartphone using your regular data plan. There's really nothing too special about these mobile devices. They're just a mic and a speaker. All of the processing, data, and other stuff are done on your smartphone and Amazon's servers in the cloud.