Echo Spot: Alexa with camera and screen for the smart home

If you want to bring the Alexa voice assistant from Amazon into your house or into your smart home, then you can now also buy the Echo Spot. The Amazon Echo Spot works like the Echo devices before in terms of voice control; only the current model also comes with a camera and a round screen. In this way, you can implement video telephony as well as access to the front door camera, the surveillance camera in the hallway or garage and the baby monitor camera in the children's room. Videos can also be played. I have summarized further features and details for you below.

Amazon Echo Spot is the new Alexa device with camera and screen. Technical details, a test, instructions for use and purchase can be found here. (Images: Amazon)
Amazon Echo Spot is the new Alexa device with camera and screen. Technical details, a test, instructions for use and purchase can be found here. (Images: Amazon)

Amazon Echo Spot in black and white

We introduce: Amazon Echo Spot - This is how the world's largest mail order company is currently presenting its new Alexa solution in black and white (as of January / February 2018). In addition, it is described that the Amazon Echo Spot fits anywhere at home and can therefore display news in every room, forecast the weather, access smart home elements, call up cameras, make calls, play music and much more. Because unlike its predecessor, this device is equipped with a 2,5 inch display (6,4 cm diameter). The height of the Amazon Echo Spot is 91 mm and the width 104 mm. Optionally, there is also a stand with a ball-and-socket joint for the device to individually align the screen and camera.

Alexa device with camera and display
The Amazon Echo Spot with far-field voice recognition connects to the cloud-based Alexa voice system to call up information, play music, answer questions, make calls and control the smart home according to user preferences. The camera, microphones and loudspeakers are used for voice calls, taking photos / videos, playing back content and much more. Details can be found on the product page.

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Technical details

Here I have summarized the most important technical details of the Echo Spot for you. So you can see at a glance whether the new solution for the Alexa voice assistant is right for you. Before that, a little tip for masking the camera without leaving any residue: CAMSTICKERS® and more Webcam covers.

  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 9,1 x 10,4 x 9,7 cm
  • Weight: 420 g
  • Connection via AlexaApp: compatible with iOS, Android and Fire OS; some services (Spotify, etc.) may require a separate installation and subscription
  • Integration into the network: dual-band WiFi over 2,4 GHz and 5 GHz
  • Bluetooth: Playback of audio / video from mobile device to Echo Spot or from Echo Spot to Bluetooth speakers; no support for macOS and BT speakers with PIN protection
  • Camera: 1
  • Microphones: 4
  • Audio specs: integrated loudspeaker, Bluetooth and WLAN as radio source, 3,5 mm jack available (audio cable not included)
  • Scope of delivery: Amazon Echo Spot, power supply / power cord (1,8 m), quick start guide

Use two echoes in one room?

Maybe you already have an Amazon Echo, Echo Plus, Echo Dot or Echo Show and now want to upgrade with the Echo Spot? Then it can happen that you will soon be using two of the Alexa devices in one room. But that doesn't have to be a problem. Because you can set up different passwords for the individual devices. Then you speak the one device z. B. with "Alexa" and the other with "Echo" - the problem is solved. You can find more great tips of this kind in the customer questions and answers on the Amazon product page. There are also customer reviews with ratings.

Operation via keys, touch screen and voice

Alexa is intended to be spoken to or given instructions to carry out actions or to receive information. Play music, play videos, display pictures, make video calls, search the Internet and much more are possible - without lifting a finger or while using your hands for other purposes. This is useful when cooking, doing handicrafts, reading, crafting and in many other situations. In addition, the Amazon Echo Spot can be operated via the touch screen / touchscreen and three buttons on the upper back of the device. These have the following functions:

  • Music / audio louder
  • Music / audio quieter
  • Turn the camera and microphones on / off

The camera and the microphones can only be switched off together. This is of course counterproductive if you want to use Alexa voice control or voice assistance, but do not want to have an active camera in the room, bathroom or bedroom all the time. As already linked above, there is a simple solution: masking off. Either you use specially made stickers to cover the webcam without leaving any residue or simply take a piece of tape, adhesive tape or something similar and cover the camera with it. You can paint over transparent adhesive tape with a marker pen or place a piece of paper between the camera and tape.

Buy the Amazon Echo Spot or not?

On the product page linked above you will find a lot more information about the device as well as user assessments. However, some of the problems that are addressed can be solved fairly easily and quickly - such as the one with the camera. So if you want an Echo device, but the screen is missing with Dot and Plus or the new Echo Show is too big / expensive, then the Amazon Echo Spot is the best compromise. If you deal with it just as carefully as with your other smart helpers in the household, then there is actually not much left to criticize. So: Buy and try out as well as decouple and return if you don't like it;) With everything you can couple in addition to Bluetooth and WLAN, Amazon states with this text:

Go to the Alexa app to connect to music services you already use, like Spotify. Connect your calendars from Gmail, G Suite, iCloud, Outlook or Office 365. Set up your compatible smart home devices from Philips Hue, TP-Link, WeMo, SmartThings, Ring, Arlo, Nest etc. Control timers and set reminders and much more. The Alexa app is available for iOS, Android and Fire devices.

Echo Spot Test: Review by The Verge

Conclusion and your opinion

The Amazon Echo Spot is certainly not the perfect device when it comes to voice assistance in the smart home. If you don't want a screen or a camera, then maybe you should anyway Apple HomePod Use;) But if you want Alexa instead of Siri and want to monitor cameras in the smart home, use video telephony, call up weather data optically and display videos and photos, then you can of course order and try out the Amazon Echo Spot. In the future, there will be more generations with better user friendliness - but currently this device seems to be quite good. What do you think? What is your opinion and / or experience? Feel free to leave a comment or a review!

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The page contains affiliate links / images: Amazon.de

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