Echo Dot (5th generation, 2022 release) | Big vibrant sound Wi-Fi and Bluetooth smart speaker with Alexa | Charcoal

Product Information

It pretty much comes with the same color options as the bigger Echo, except for its deep sea blue shade being slightly darker than the Echo's twilight blue shade. In addition to playing music, the Echo allows you to control smart devices and communicate with loved ones via voice control. It can also access Amp, Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, Deezer, iHeartRadio, Pandora, Saavn, SiriusXM, Spotify, Tidal, and TuneIn to play music, podcasts, and radio stations via those services. I mean, what other speaker will listen for the sound of broken glass and immediately alert you to a potential robbery happening when you're MIA from home?

Furthermore, this device also provides functionality for the users through connecting to services and apps such as Twitter, Uber, and Spotify. When I asked for the weather or to set a timer, the Dot usually responded in less than two seconds, compared to just over three seconds on the fourth-gen device. If I could choose which devices connected to the Dot — and, say, just put my smart lights on it — this would be more helpful to me.

So you could switch on the lamp before getting out of bed, dim the lights to watch a film, or adjust the thermostat without leaving the sofa. So, if the child asks Alexa a question, they'll get an appropriate response, animal sound alarms, and even help with their homework should they need it. In 100 years, if this was held up as an example of the smart speakers of this era, I don't know of anyone right now who'd complain. When my laptop connected to the Dot, I got speeds of 25Mbps up and 12 down in an area of my house where I would usually get 70 / 26 from my 1. It’s the mid-range speaker with a screen in the company’s Echo catalogue, featuring a bright 8in LCD ambient-sensing display that adjusted the brightness to our environment.

One of the most remarkable things about the best smart speakers is their ability to discern what you're saying -- even if music is blaring and even when it's from another speaker altogether. The idea was to run a Routine that reads the weather and my calendar and then plays NPR in the morning when the shower starts, but the Routine would start playing at the smallest tinkle of running water (if you know what I mean). In both places, its glanceable display proved more useful than the regular Dot; the clock is especially handy on busy mornings when we’re trying to get out the door on time. But where Alexa was the only game in town, it’s now a two-horse race between Alexa and Google Assistant.Just ask Alexa to play music, podcasts and audiobooks and enjoy a dynamic audio experience anywhere in your home. The fourth-generation also has a built-in smart hub, so you can control Zigbee smart devices from the smart speaker without having to create a separate smart home skill or connect a separate smart hub. Our best-sounding Echo Dot yet - Echo Dot features improved speaker quality, delivering clearer vocals and deeper bass for rich vibrant sound. Putting the new model and the 2020 version side by side on my desk and switching the music between them using Spotify Connect, the difference is noticeable, but not as great as the change from third-gen to fourth-gen.