Amazon Echo Show (2nd Gen) Review: Alexa goes visual, gets good speakers

Amazon Echo Show

Amazon Echo devices have been doing very well in India after they have been introduced here. These devices are a smart mix of the Alexa AI and a lot of interesting device specific features thrown in. Last year, when the Amazon Echo Dot was introduced, people wanted a larger screen and Amazon heard them. The Echo show has a vivid screen and strong speakers. Here is my full review of this device.

Setting up the device was a breeze. All you have to do is switch the device on, connect to your WiFi and then follow the on-screen instructions. I set up mine in just three minutes and it was up without any hitches. Let us now talk more about the device and its features now.

The Echo Show has a fabric design and comes with a 10-inch HD display that shows colorful, fresh, and compelling visuals. So, when you ask Alexa to show you movie trailers, video news bulletins and award-winning TV shows from Amazon Prime Video, or Facebook photos, the experience is delightful. Simply say, “Alexa, play Comicstaan.” You can also ask for weather, pull up your shopping list, and watch your favorite music videos from Hungama on the high-resolution display by saying, “Alexa, play latest music videos.”

Amazon Echo Show Front Screen

Alexa skills optimized for the screen can help you request a ride from Ola, recipes from Sanjeev Kapoor, horoscope from Ganeshaspeaks, wisdom from Sadhguru, news briefing from Aaj Tak, cricket update from ESPN Cricinfo, and more. Just say “Alexa, show me skills”.

The Echo Show has an impressive eight-microphone array and ‘far-field’ technology to differentiate your voice from ambient sound. The Echo Show screen is complemented by dual, side-firing 2” Neodymium drivers, a passive bass radiator, and Dolby processing to deliver expansive sound with deep, powerful lows, and crisp highs, perfect for listening to your favorite music. Just ask to play Amazon Prime Music, Saavn, Hungama Music, Gaana or TuneIn. Adjust the treble, mid, and bass levels using only your voice, or set up multi-room music to play music across compatible Echo devices throughout your home.

Amazon Prime Video on Amazon Echo Show

My experience with the speakers has been more than satisfactory, the quality of sound from them and their ability to process  stereo is also very good. I tried a range of activities from playing movies to music to news and they were able to effortlessly fill a room with high quality sound. Very good for parties at home too.

With a built-in Zigbee smart home hub, the Echo Show makes it simple to start your smart home. Just say, “Alexa, discover my devices” to automatically discover and setup compatible light bulbs and plugs without the need for additional hubs or apps. Once set-up, ask Alexa to turn on the lights or use the touch-screen to turn devices on and off. You can use Alexa-compatible cameras to view live feed from a camera location without lifting a finger. Just say “Alexa, show the kids’ room.” You can also use Alexa Routines to complete multiple tasks, from controlling smart home devices to playing music and getting news information, with a single voice command.

Amazon Echo Show Rear View

The Echo Show has a built-in 5 MP front-facing camera that supports high-definition video calling and is great for hands-free calls to friends and family who have an Echo Spot, Echo Show or the Alexa App. You can also use Skype voice for video calling. Just say, “Alexa, call mom” or “Alexa, call Vijay on Skype”. Use Drop-In feature on supported Echo devices to instantly speak with family, or check in on the kids’ room and join their playtime while you are still in office.

Both the above features are good if you are looking at Alexa as your daily assistant. I use Alexa very heavily to manage smart devices at home and to communicate with people. For me, the presence of the large screen on the Echo Show is a big plus and makes my life a lot easier.

Amazon Echo Show With IPL Score

Echo Show has built-in web browsers that can be opened by saying, “Alexa, open Silk” or “Alexa, open Firefox.” You can use the on-screen keyboard on these browsers to type a URL, search and watch web videos, and visit your favorite website. Like other browsers, you can bookmark your favorite websites for easy access.

On Echo devices with screens, you can enable Alexa captioning, magnify the screen, toggle color inversion, and choose between color correction options. You can also enable the VoiceView screen reader to use gestures to navigate the screen and hear spoken feedback about the items you select. Tap to Alexa makes Alexa available to customers who are not able to interact with Alexa via voice, such as customers with speech impairments

Verdict

The Amazon Echo Show  (2nd Gen)  is available on Amazon India for INR 22,999 and at that price it really is a great device to have if you are looking for a visual Alexa experience with great audio. The visual experience adds a new layer to Alexa at home.

About Shakthi

I am a Tech Blogger, Disability Activist, Keynote Speaker, Startup Mentor and Digital Branding Consultant. Also a McKinsey Executive Panel Member. Also known as @v_shakthi on twitter. Been around Tech for two decades now.

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