The latest smart speaker from Amazon has a very functional and stylish design. (Express Photo: Nandagopal Rajan/ Indian Express)‘Alexa, give me the US election results…’
My query is met with a precise answer on the latest count, giving the electoral votes pocketed by both Joe Biden and Donald Trump as well as the vote share each has at that point in time. Alexa signs off with the source of its updates, the Associated Press.
The updates are coming from a blink-and-you-miss Echo Dot in a corner of my room. In fact, this is the new Echo Dot, certainly the cutest to have ever come from Amazon.
The new Echo Dot is spherical shaped with volume, mute and activity buttons laid out on the fabric towards the back. The design is very stylish and functional. And this small ball of technology fits into any decor and just blends in so well.
The Echo Dot is what technology should be. It is simple and works as advertised. Setting up takes a couple of minutes, where the only challenge is for you to remember your Wi-Fi password — trust me, it is not that easy for a lot of people, especially my parents. The simplicity is the reason the Echo Dot makes for a perfect gift for those who want the convenience of technology but without being overwhelmed by it.
While the Echo Dot is small and unassuming, the audio quality is much better than what you would expect from the size. In fact, my son, a nine-year-old Alexa aficionado, could not figure out where his favourite song of the moment — Dance Monkey — was floating in from. And when he saw the new Echo Dot, he was more than surprised.
Amazon Echo Dot 4th Gen review: That sounds smart
The audio quality is loud enough for you to never have to go to full and the profile sharp and rich. In fact, I was playing at half volume most of the time to keep my neighbours in their homes. With the earlier Echo Dots, the audio quality was not one of the features people would buy the smart speaker for. The Echo Dot has massively improved on audio quality this time and that just makes it a much better value proposition for buyers.
If you are looking for your first smart speaker, the Echo Dot has now become much more relevant. Earlier, I would have recommended the Echo Dot for those who wanted smart more than the speaker, now it is also a great audio device and you don’t need to step up on the speaker just for better sound.
At Rs 4,499, the Echo Dot 4th Generation is a good buy, but with the deals that Amazon is offering now the Echo Dot is available for much less, making it an even better deal. Go grab one for your home.