Amazon Echo show
Amazon Echo is a family of Alexa virtual assistant based smart speakers. The Echo Show is the latest addition to the line-up, with a catching display to go with their smart speaker. The echo family consists of Echo Dot, the Echo, Echo Plus, Echo Spot, the Echo Show and the Echo Show 5 the latest addition.
The Echo Show 5 is priced at Rs 8,999. The Echo Spot is priced at Rs 12,999. While the Echo Show premium will set you back by Rs 22,999. Comparatively the Echo show is cheaper than Google Nest Hub
Specs and Design
The device has a wide rubber base for grip, which tapers towards the back. The 10.1-inch HD (1280×800 pixels) touchscreen. The Amazon Echo Show has a fabric wrap around the back and sides, covering the speaker drivers, passive radiator, and the plastic frame of the device. Only two colour options are available black and white. Bottom at the back is the power port, along with a Micro-USB port. The sales package includes a power adapter with a 6-foot cable, which gives you a bit of flexibility in where you can position the Echo Show.
Above the screen is a 5-megapixel camera and four microphones. On the top are three buttons two for volume control, and one that turns off the microphones and camera for privacy.
The device is powered by an Intel Atom x5-Z8350 processor, and also has Bluetooth connectivity for external audio sources such as a smartphone or computer, to use the Echo Show as any Bluetooth speaker. You can also use the Amazon Echo Show as a smart home hub for smart appliances that support the Zigbee home automation standard. Products from Philips Hue, Syska, Anchor, and Xiaomi are compatible with the Echo Show for home automation.
The Echo Show needs to be controlled by voice commands to Alexa. However, certain settings and functions can be controlled from the device itself without voice commands, by pulling down a menu from the top of the screen. This lets you quickly go to the Home screen, set alarms, control smart home devices, view your Alexa routines, adjust brightness, activate or deactivate the Do Not Disturb mode, and a few tweak settings.
Features
A lot of the key features of the Amazon Echo Show require the Amazon Alexa app, which is available for Android and iOS. You can use the app to add new skills and games, set routines, and integrate your multiple Amazon devices. If you have other Echo devices or an Amazon Fire TV Stick, the app can also program the Echo Show to communicate with these devices. Most of the features and controls on the device require you to give Alexa voice commands.
A big feature of the Echo Show is the ability to watch content from Amazon Prime Video on the device itself. With simple voice commands, you can ask Alexa to play shows and movies, and in the case of TV shows you can also choose the episode you want to watch. When idle, the Amazon Echo Show shows information related to news or trending topics, which are updated every day. These screens flow like a slideshow, and you can always ask Alexa to go into detail on a topic that catches your attention. This includes cricket news, trivia, general news, and even an Amazon-curated video of the day.
Performance
The Echo Show can get very loud, but sound quality is quite poor at the highest volumes. At reasonable volumes, sound is decent enough and can be heard anywhere in a large room. Dolby tuning for the sound does help when watching movies and TV shows on the device. The display works the same way as it works on a smartphone. The Amazon Echo Show’s screen isn’t very sharp, and a full-HD resolution would have been a better choice given its size. Display isn’t very bright either.
