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Alright, folks, the reviews are in for the all-new Amazon Echo Spot. We’re here to round up all the best reviews and feedback regarding Echo Spot. From the looks of it, the reviews are all positive, with a few exceptions. But with anything, you can judge for yourself.
The format is simple. We’ll outline key sections from each review in quotations, with a link pointing back to the original review for further reading. There’s no particular order, but all of the reviews sourced here are from trustworthy publications I read on a normal basis. If none of the links I provide here help you out, I’ll drop an additional link at the bottom where you can find more.
So, without any further delay, here’s what some of the best leading publications in tech have to say about the new Amazon Echo Spot.
The Verge
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Image: The Verge
[letsreviewunique pros_title=”The Good” pros=”Crisp clear speaker for Alexa’s responses,Bright display with large text that always shows the time,Microphones pick up voice commands well,Does all of the things other Echo devices can do” cons_title=”The Bad” cons=”Do you really want an always-watching camera in your bedroom?,Not the best for serious music listening,Expensive relative to audio-only Echo devices,Few third-party apps make use of the display” accent=”#911d9c” final_score=”70″ format=”2″ skin=”1″ animation=”1″ design=”1″][/letsreviewunique]
If you can get past those privacy issues with the camera, the Spot is actually quite great. I’ve been setting alarms with my voice, and now I can even ask Alexa to wake me up to a specific artist, song, or playlist. Then, I can snooze the alarm with a voice command or silently dismiss it with a swipe on the screen. The Spot will even display the current weather conditions when the alarm goes off so I know how to dress for the day. Unlike an Echo or Echo Dot, both of which support the voice-activated alarms and features, the Spot also displays the time, so if I wake up in the middle of the night I can roll over to see the time at a glance. It’s basically the perfect smart alarm clock, replacing both the Echo Dot and old Sony clock on my nightstand — if only it didn’t have that anxiety-inducing camera built into it.
Read the full review: Amazon Echo Spot review: an almost-perfect smart alarm clock
CNET
Image: CNET[letsreviewunique pros_title=”The Good” pros=”The Echo Spot is a well-made device with a good-looking design and it’s handy for quick voice-activated video calls. Sound quality was better than we expected and noticeably better than the Echo Dot.” cons_title=”The Bad” cons=”The Echo Spot doesn’t currently support YouTube nor does it offer very many video sources for your flash briefings. The touchscreen adds less than it should to the Alexa experience and it’s too small to be helpful unless you’re within a few feet of the device.” accent=”#911d9c” final_score=”74″ format=”2″ skin=”1″ animation=”1″ design=”1″][/letsreviewunique]
Whether you’re looking up a fact or setting an alarm or controlling your smart lights or playing a podcast, Alexa lets you keep your phone in your pocket for a change. That freedom from touchscreen dependency sits right at the core of Alexa’s appeal — and maybe that’s why the Echo Spot feels a bit misguided. It’s a well-made gadget that looks great, but the marriage between that touchscreen display and Alexa’s voice-first user interface feels forced, just as it did with the Echo Show. Amazon still has work to do.
Read the full review: Amazon Echo Spot review
Slash Gear
Image: SlashGear[letsreviewunique pros_title=”The Good” pros=”Most attractive Echo device so-far,Alexa is as capable as ever,Speaker is loud and mic-array works well,Cheaper than Echo Show,3.5mm and Bluetooth audio options” cons_title=”The Bad” cons=”Alexa Skills can look awkward on circular screen,No YouTube support (currently),Price difference with Echo Show is (currently) small,Circular display isn’t ideal for video” accent=”#911d9c” final_score=”70″ format=”2″ skin=”1″ animation=”1″ design=”1″][/letsreviewunique]
I like the Echo Spot for its size and charm, but there’s no denying that in Alexa’s world many skills haven’t yet caught up with a rectangular display, never mind adapting to suit a circular one. For many, the cheapest Echo Dot is still going to satisfy 90-percent of what they want from Alexa, or thereabouts. Video calling is nice, but it’s also already offered on the phone in your pocket, the laptop on your desk, or the tablet on your coffee table.
Read the full review: Amazon Echo Spot Review: Alexa’s cutest container
Engadget
Image: Engadget[letsreviewunique pros_title=”The Good” pros=”Very appealing design,Touchscreen enriches the Alexa experience,Great for video calls” cons_title=”The Bad” cons=”Tiny screen isn’t suitable for longer videos,Audio quality is mediocre” accent=”#911d9c” final_score=”85″ format=”2″ skin=”1″ animation=”1″ design=”1″][/letsreviewunique]
I adore the Echo Spot. It looks great on my nightstand, and I love using it in the kitchen to look up recipes or add to my grocery list. The screen enhances the standard Alexa experience; I love being able to see the information rather than just listen to it. Video-calling is also a bonus. Plus, who knows what other uses Amazon and third-party developers will add to the display over time. For me, it’s worth the $50 premium over the screen-less Echos.
Read the full review: Amazon Echo Spot review: As smart as it is cute
Well, that’s about it. If you want to browse through some more reviews, click here and it will lead to a broader selection of links.
The Amazon Echo Spot is now available for preorder and will be made available on December 19. The device will retail at $129.99 via Amazon. To learn more, click here.
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