Are you in need of a smart speaker and wondering if the Amazon echo is a good choice? Or do you feel there is no difference between the current Amazon echo and the previous one? With its much better looks, much more powerful audio as well as vastly improved smart house control, the Amazon Echo (2nd Gen) has been greatly modified and has a great enhancement over those that preceded it. The amazon echo is quite high in demand and has the following advantages; smart new looks, excellent sound quality, it also has a helpful smart house center and even temperature level sensor. Irrespective of the chivalries, it, however, has some few limitations, which is actually a limited number of supported smart home devices. After discovering the amazing benefits of this great device; some people might still be wondering what it actually is? Well, let us have your doubts cleared. In this article, we will give you amazon echo 2nd generation review and full buying guide.
So, let us start.
What is the Amazon Echo Plus (2nd Gen)?
Two years back, the echo device was a little bit of a weird gadget to have. With its built-in Zigbee center, it was designed to provide smart choices for one’s home without the need for added boxes, but the system wasn’t quite strong enough as it stopped working to supply the controls required. Additionally, a throwback to the initial Echo but the incumbent the Amazon echo plus (2nd Gen) has proven to be far better.
What makes the new gadget spectacular is that it has a nicer design, a better wise center and enhanced audio which all makes the new device a much more superior echo device that the original Plus failed to be. That said, it still lacks the high audio quality to really match the main music gamers: the Apple HomePod, Google Home Max, and also Sonos One.
Amazon.com Echo Plus (2nd Gen) Design and quality
Let us take a look at the design and quality of the new device. Just like the rest of the redesigned Echo brands, the Amazon Echo plus (2nd Gen) has been redesigned from the basis. Its round body is covered in textile, with black, grey or white alternatives. There is a great improvement as compared to the initial Echo Plus.
The existence of smart speakers dates back to 2014, when Amazon initially launched its original echo speaker. The smart assistant Alexa, which was the company’s voice, initiated the Echo, which was a combination of AI smarts and also convenient house sound. This was widely accepted in the smart residence market and birthed into the variety of speakers, clever displays (like the Echo), and also add-on devices (Echo Input) offered under the Echo name today.
Although Amazon’s Echo array is still a top lead, it had not been long prior to other big technology names that also made it to the limelight and are now a spotlight for the smart home device. This has resulted in intense competition from technology gurus like Apple Homepod as well as Google Home, along with a whole host of third-party audio speakers. But the Amazon echo (2nd Gen) is always a step ahead of its competitors and the reason why it still dominates the market.
Best Of All
Due to the variety of smart speakers’ brands that are in the market, choosing out of the lots is not quite an easy task to achieve most especially pertaining to what will suit your home, needs, and budget. Despite the number of smart speakers that have plagued the market; the Amazon Echo is still the best due to its multiple functions of playing music, providing the news and make your home tick. Apart from the fact that the Amazon echo is a solid speaker with a great design, it is also a remarkable AI smart home assistant due to the admirable efforts of Alexa.
Affordability
The second-generation Amazon Echo is quite portable, affordable, and a total smart speaker. It has dual-speakers powered by Dolby, which makes it to have better sound quality as compared to the smaller Amazon Echo Dot. Irrespective of its amazing qualities, the smart speakers’ price range is still very much affordable liken to the Mirror Plus.
Considering that the first variation of the smart speaker was released back in 2015, Amazon has made a number of subtle yet considerable improvements to the looks of the Echo speakers. The current 2017 version has a beautiful blend of textile and timber surfaces, which are most likely to suit a lot of your house decor way much better than the brushed aluminum that Amazon used to prefer.
It’s hard to find fault with the Amazon Echo like it is almost perfect, but one of its major limitations is that it doesn’t have the quantity dial that like that of the Mirror Plus. It’s Alexa electronic aide also doesn’t seem fairly as intelligent as Google Aide either, yet that might be more of subjective preference, but despite the few limitations; it is still a top pick.
People usually have a lot of questions about the Amazon echo, and we will be handling some of these questions.
People’s confusions about Amazon echo
1. People always want to find out if there is a regular monthly fee for Echo
The simple answer is No; there’s no regular monthly cost. All you simply need to do is purchase the Echo and have an Amazon account. You’ll after that need to obtain the Amazon Echo app, which is also totally free. Nonetheless, if you’re an Amazon Prime member, you’ll get some additional benefits, like access to Amazon Songs via your Echo.
2. Some wonder what the Amazon Echo does
The Amazon Echo can help you with a lot of things like responding to questions about the time, basic knowledge, web traffic, how the weather is going to look like for the day and any other thing you know would help you have a perfect day. Another importance of the Amazon echo is that it can enable you to manage other gadgets that you may have at home. So let’s say you have a Philips Color light bulb, for instance, the Echo can manage that too. All you need is the “Alexa, shut off the light bulb.”
Additionally, you can take different applications, and aside from that, you can play or regulate other games related to technology or have one wakes you up in the early morning.
3. What’s the difference in between Echo as well as Alexa?
The Echo is the name of the smart audio speaker; Alexa is the smart assistant that responds to you.
4. What’s the distinction in between Amazon Echo and Amazon Dot?
The Amazon Echo is the initial smart audio speaker from Amazon. It has Alexa built-in as well as can play good quality songs. The Dot is the same thing, but smaller sized. The primary distinction is that Dot’s audio speaker isn’t comparable to Echo’s. So if you wish to play songs, then I suggest you get the Echo.
5. Does the Echo need Alexa?
Of course, in as much as the two work hand in hand; Alexa is what makes your echo smart. You ask her to do things and also assist you with things throughout the day, from “Alexa, switch on the lights please” to “Alexa, what will the weather be like later on?”
6. Amazon Echo (second Gen) – Attributes
As the Echo Plus uses the cloud-based Alexa, it has the same series of highlights as the other Echo smart speakers. It can pull info from your calendar consisting of G Suite accounts, which the Google Home cannot do, offer you weather reports, let you set numerous timers and respond to easy concerns.
But its limited attributes include; Alexa isn’t fairly as easy to speak with as the Google Aide and needs extra rigorously worded sentences to respond. And also, as Amazon can’t make use of Google solutions, instructions, as well as local company outcomes, aren’t as accurate or as useful similar to Google’s service.
The Amazon Alexa abilities store stays among the system’s highlights. Each feature allows you to broaden what the echo can, such as offering you live YouTube updates. As each skill is ranked, it makes it much easier to locate and also discover the top quality ones, staying clear of the garbage.
7. Amazon Echo Plus (2nd Gen) – Smart home
The Zigbee center is no longer unique to the Amazon Echo Plus (2nd Gen). If you have both as your residence network, then the echo smart audio speakers function as repeaters giving you higher protection. The issue with the original was that the wise center wasn’t that useful, let down by the software application assistance.
But this time around, there have been great changes about the Amazon application, making the Zigbee center a possibly valuable item. Add in the Philips Shade bulbs, as an example; and you can currently use the app to establish the color, along with swapping the lights on or off but the Amazon Echo Plus (second Gen) offers sufficient control for many.
The temperature level of the Echo Plus is in-built and can be changed from the app or by using the Alexa command which is pretty interesting though there is always some delay to change the app from Fahrenheit to Celsius. Personally I think that there will be greater changes and improvements with future apps, especially in terms of communication and control.
8. Amazon Echo (second Gen) – Sound top quality
Inside, there’s a 0.8-inch tweeter and also 3-inch subwoofer. The combination is far more outstanding than on the initial echo Plus. For the bass, it is quite loud, and the Amazon echo or second Gen is certainly not a HomePod or Sonos.
9. US and UK price plus the availability
The Echo Plus is only ₤ 139.99, while the HomePod is ₤ 319 while the Sonos is ₤ 199. In regards to cost as well as efficiency, the Echo also stands well and is most definitely a tool that I can listen to songs on.
When it concerns access and affordability, the Amazon Echo is among the best smart speakers around. Presently, it is available in many across the world which indicate if you’re based in the US you’ll pay $74.99 ($ AU119), or ₤ 79.99 in the UK.
The amazon echo more appealing and attractive that one is compelled to buy, especially when it was launched, which cost $180 (₤ 150, around AU$ 230).
Although there are the latest costs, you’ll usually find smart audio speakers at a minimized price as cost. A lot of third-party Alexa audio speakers cannot compete with the Echo. The Kitsound Voice which cost about ($ 179 ₤ 129.99) is more expensive and also doesn’t sound as amazing as the Echo. This does not mean that the other speakers are inferior to the Echo Plus, but it is all about quality and your needs or preferences.
For the time being, the Amazon Echo is a great choice, so if you have been quite indecisive about the best Echo to use, will greatly recommend that you get this top trending Amazon Echo. This takes us to the final phase of the article, which gives us reasons why the device is a must pick.
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Why should you purchase the Amazon Echo (2nd Gen)
First of all, you should purchase the Amazon Echo because of its durability, quality, and affordable. But there are several other brands that you can pick from that are also great for your personal needs; all you need is the desire. There is a somewhat more powerful Echo speaker than the Amazon Dot (3rd Gen), and if that is exactly what you love, you can probably take a look at the current (2017) Amazon Echo. But, if you desire a smart audio speaker that gives a bit much more music prowess without breaking the bank, the Amazon Echo Plus also popularly known as the (second Gen) is well-priced, particularly offered its incorporated Zigbee hub and mid-range music credentials.
A vast renovation over the initial and we are certainly expecting to see more amazing designs and features which will completely take the technology industry forward. But for now one of the very best smart speakers you should certainly get for keeps is this new device; have an amazing time while anticipating for more in the future.