At Amazon’s hardware event, the online retailer announced new editions of the Echo smart speaker and several updates to the smaller Echo Dot. All of these devices sport new spherical designs and are available for preorder now. They’re slated for release on October 22.
Preorder Amazon Echo and Echo Dot
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What’s new in these fourth-generation Echo devices? The spherical design is the most obvious change. Gone is the cylindrical case, replaced by an orb-like design that puts a bigger emphasis on the speaker. Amazon says the new Echo offers clear, rich sound that automatically adapts to where it’s placed in your room. Also, the light ring is now at the base of the device rather than on top.
They have a new built-in speech-recognition module that processes your Alexa requests locally, on the device itself. This means your request doesn’t have to travel the information superhighway before it can be processed. Amazon says this results in quicker response times for your requests. It also has a built-in smart home hub that’s compatible with Zigbee devices.
The new Echo and Echo Dot are available in your choice of three colors: charcoal black, glacier white, and twilight blue. There’s also a new Echo Dot with a built-in LED clock that’s available in white and black.
Finally, Amazon is updating the Echo Dot Kids Edition as well. The new model is available in spherical tiger or panda designs. They’re both pretty adorable. The Echo Dot Kids Edition comes with a year’s subscription to Amazon Kids+, which gets them access to kid-friendly audio books, interactive games, and other voice-related activities. It also includes a two-year warranty, so if your child destroys the Echo Dot, you can send it back for a free replacement.
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Chris Reed is IGN’s shopping and commerce editor. You can follow him on Twitter @_chrislreed.
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Source: IGN.com New 4th-Gen Echo and Echo Dots Are Up for Preorder