Meet the new Echo Spot. An Alexa enabled device that is part personal assistant, alarm clock, video conferencing, calling and more solution.
Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) announced the new Echo Spot at its 2017 hardware event, and by many accounts it was the device that got the most attention.
Why all the attention? Because you can take Echo Spot anywhere, which makes it ideal for a small business traveler, and it is much cheaper at $129 than the Echo Show ($229). And setup only takes three steps
Will Amazon Echo Spot Make Your Small Business Better?
If you already use any of the other Echo devices, than you are familiar with the things it does using Alexa. The Spot is just as useful, but in a small form factor that brings the features of all the Echos together.
Here is a first look video by Ry Crist from Cnet that gives you some idea of what it looks like and does:
The first thing you will notice is the screen, which also includes a camera. This means you will be able to make video calls, a great option for today’s business environment.
Using the 2nd generation far-field voice recognition technology, you can ask Alexa to schedule a meeting, read your email, ask for directions, play a new video clip, and more. Spot can also access the thousands of skills for Alexa, such as requesting Uber, ordering pizza, control your TV, etc.
The Benefits of Taking Spot Everywhere
If you are a small business owner, chances are you don’t have a personal assistant. While Alexa is still a work in progress, it is getting better by the second. In the meantime you can have a technology capable organizing your tasks, managing your schedule and time to make you more productive.
The Spot is only 4.1” x 3.8” x 3.6” (104 mm x 97 mm x 81 mm) and weighs in at 14.8 oz. (419 grams), so it is portable.
Pricing and Availability
If you are in the US the Echo Spot will start shipping in December, 2017. You can pre-order now on Amazon. If you happen to be outside of the US, only the UK and Germany have been slated for availability early next year.
Image: Amazon