Amazon has resurrected the Echo Spot — an Alexa-powered bedside clock with a colourful display that shows the weather forecast, any tracks or podcasts playing, the latest headlines, and of course, the time.
Echo Spot can display the time, forecast, or songs, audiobooks and podcasts currently playing through the improved 1.73” front-firing directional speaker
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Unlike the original Echo Spot, which launched back in 2018 and was discontinued in most regions just two years later, there’s no camera built into the new iteration.
Amazon added a camera to enable video calls, but given the Echo Spot was explicitly designed for the nightstand, customers were quick to brand the addition as “creepy”.
“Love it but the camera’s a bit creepy.” one Amazon customer review from the time reads. While another summarises: “It’s a bedside clock..with a camera in it. How creepy is that??”
Thankfully, Amazon decided to ditch the camera — and as a result, all video call functionality — this time around. And that’s not the only change to this voice-controlled bedside gadget for the 2024 redesign.
Amazon has created a series of new clock faces as well as colour themes, including Orange, Violet, Magenta, Lime, Teal, and Blue, to complement the décor in your home
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The touchscreen display on the front of the Echo Spot is no longer a full circle. Instead, it’s divided in two with a semi-circular screen on top and the lower half occupied by a beefier speaker.
Amazon has equipped its new smart bedside clock with a 1.73” front-firing directional speaker that it says will deliver “clear vocals and deep bass”. With support for music streaming services like Apple Music, Spotify, Deezer, and of course, Amazon Music, you’ll be able to wake up listening to music, podcasts, or audiobooks.
Given the Echo Spot is primarily designed for the nightstand, Amazon has equipped the smart home device with an ambient light sensor that changes the intensity of the backlight in the touchscreen, so that it doesn’t glare in the early hours. That should make it easier to view and set alarms, see the current time, check song titles, or control other smart home kit with the touchscreen controls.
Six new colour themes have been designed for the new Echo Spot — Orange, Violet, Magenta, Lime, Teal, and Blue — that can be mixed with a variety of new clock faces created for the semi-circular display.
As well as the time, many of these clock faces also incorporate extra information, like the current weather conditions. For example, if you’re listening to music, the improved LCD display will show song titles. To skip ahead, simply ask the AI voice assistant with the wake word “Alexa…” or tap the display.
On top of the new Echo Spot, there are buttons to adjust the volume and cut off the far-field microphone array. If you’re worried about privacy, Amazon has added the ability to review and delete all voice recordings made by your Alexa-enabled devices from the companion app on your iPhone or Android handset.
If the chatty assistant has been falsely triggered, you can send feedback on a specific audio clip to ensure that Amazon’s AI is only summoned when you begin a request with “Alexa…” in the future.
While there’s no camera built into the new Echo Spot for video calls, the AI-fuelled bedside clock can handle voice calls to another Echo device, or any smartphone or tablet with the Alexa app installed.
Alexa-compatible devices can be controlled with touchscreen buttons or voice commands on the Echo Spot
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If you have other Alexa-enabled gadgets in the house, you can use an Echo Spot to make a household-wide announcement from all of them, or audibly “Drop In” to a specific Echo to start an instant conversation. Amazon will send audio notifications for updates on your online orders and alerts from video doorbells, like Ring.
Since Echo Spot is equipped with hands-free assistant Alexa, you’ll find all of the usual features Echo owners will be accustomed to baked into this diddy bedside clock. That means you’ll be able to request songs, podcasts and audiobooks, check the latest headlines, weather, and traffic conditions, set a reminder or alarm, order a taxi or a takeaway, and ask general knowledge questions.
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Speaking about the launch of the redesigned Echo Spot, Vice President of Amazon Devices International, Eric Saarnio said: “Customers care about the way they wake up in the morning and go to bed at night and the all-new Echo Spot will transform the way they start and end their day.
“Thanks to customisable clock faces, personalised designs, new alarm sounds and colourful visual animations, Echo Spot is the best smart alarm clock designed for any bedside table.”
As well as a fresh new design, Amazon has launched new colours, including Black, Glacier White, and Ocean Blue
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When the original Echo Spot made its debut six years ago, it cost £119 in the UK. Thankfully, Amazon has lowered the price significantly this time around, with the all-new Echo Spot starting from £79.99. It’s available now in a choice of either Black, Glacier White, or Ocean Blue.
But even better, Amazon Prime members can get the new Echo Spot for just £49.99 in celebration of the upcoming Prime Day sale. If you’re not yet signed up for Amazon Prime, you can take advantage of the 30-day free trial and buy the Echo Spot at the discounted rate.
The £49.99 introductory offer is only available for Prime members from July 8 – 17, 2024. After that, the redesigned clock will return to its RRP of £79.99. Only a limited amount of stock will be on offer at a discounted price, Amazon has warned, so you should add to your basket sooner rather than later.