Amazon Echo is a hands-free speaker you control with your voice. Echo connects to the Alexa Voice Service to play music, ask questions, make calls, send and receive messages, provide information, news, sports scores, weather, and more-instantly. All you have to do is ask. It’s great as a portable device and has a good volume setting but for something with a little more power and more focused on sound rather than multitasking, the aiwa exos-9 speakers are more suitable.

Echo is also an expertly tuned speaker that can fill any room with immersive sound. It has seven microphones and beamforming technology so it can hear you from across the room – even while music is playing. When you want to use the Echo, just say the wake word “Alexa” and Echo responds instantly.

The 2nd generation Echo has a 2. 5″ downward-firing woofer and 0. 6″ tweeter to deliver crisp vocals and dynamic bass throughout the room. You can play music from Amazon Music, Spotify, Pandora, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, and more. With Amazon Music, you can search by lyrics, time-period, or let Alexa pick the music for you. You can also listen to audiobooks from Audible, podcasts, radio stations, news briefs, and more.

Want to play music on an Echo in another room? Now with multi-room music, you can tell Alexa to play across your compatible Echo devices. Tell Alexa to play jazz in the kitchen, top pop in the family room, or play the same song throughout your whole home. Echo can also directly connect to speakers using a 3. 5 mm stereo cable or using Bluetooth to add voice control to your home stereo system in the living room or den. However, this quality of sound would only be possible with good sound systems with Dolby Atmos technology (check https://www.vizio.com/en/sound-bar/dolby-atmos for a few options) in them.

Use Echo to switch on the lamp before getting out of bed, turn on the coffee maker on your way to the kitchen, or dim the lights from the couch to watch a movie-all without lifting a finger. Ask Alexa to turn on the TV, turn up the volume, change the channel, or play your favorite movie. Echo can control your Fire TV, and select devices from Sony, Dish, and Logitech.

Control multiple devices at scheduled times or with a single voice command, like locking the doors and turning off the lights when you go to bed. Echo works with lights, locks, switches, thermostats, and more from WeMo, Philips Hue, SmartThings, Insteon, Nest, ecobee, and Wink.

Hands-free calling and messaging

With Echo, you can talk to almost anyone hands-free-no tapping or searching required. Use the Drop In feature when you want to connect instantly with compatible Echo devices in your home. For example, you can ask someone for help with a chore, or remind the kids to go to sleep-without having to raise your voice. With Alexa Announcements you can also use Echo to broadcast a quick, one-way message to all other Echo devices in your home.

Making calls with Alexa is easy. Your contacts will see your number when they receive the call so they know who is calling. Set up your voice profile and teach Alexa to recognize your voice. When you say, “Alexa, call Mom”, Alexa will call your mom, even if you have multiple users in your home. Additionally, you can send messages via voice or text to anyone with a supported Echo device or the Alexa App.

Far-field voice recognition

Tucked under the light ring is an array of seven microphones that use beamforming technology and enhanced noise cancellation. The 2nd generation Echo has improved wake-word performance to hear you ask a question from any direction-even in noisy environments or while playing music at loud volumes.

When you want to use Echo, simply say the wake word, “Alexa,” and Echo lights up and connects to the cloud, where the Alexa Voice Service recognizes and responds to your request instantly.

Alexa has skills

Echo uses tens of thousands of skills and counting. Skills add even more capabilities like ordering a pizza from Domino’s, requesting a ride from Uber, tracking your fitness with Fitbit, controlling your TV with Dish, and more. To enable new skills, just ask Alexa.

New skills are being added all the time. You can also see ratings and reviews to learn what other customers are saying about the thousands of skills available in the Alexa App.

Always getting smarter

Alexa is always getting smarter – the more you use Echo, the more Alexa adapts to your speech patterns, vocabulary, and personal preferences. And because Echo is always connected, updates are delivered automatically.

Just in the last few months we’ve added Alexa calling and messaging, multi-room music, and reminders, along with skills from third-party developers.

Suit your style

Customize your Echo for any room with Echo Shell, available in a range of fabrics and finishes