We're on hand in Seattle at Amazon HQ, where Amazon just dropped a season's worth of new hardware on us. There are new Amazon Echo speakers. A new Echo Show. New routers from Eero. New cameras from Ring. A cool little Alexa thing that will be great in the bathroom.
Oh, and Amazon's getting experimental on us with a new "Day 1 Edition" line — products that are feature-complete and fully baked, but maybe just not quite ready for mass audiences yet.
There's a lot to go through, for sure. And some of it's available to order now, and some will have to wait until later this fall.
Ready? Let's do this.
- Amazon Echo Dot With Clock ($59)
- Amazon Echo ($99)
- Amazon Echo Studio ($199)
- Amazon Echo Show 8 ($129)
- Amazon Echo Glow ($29)
- New Eero routers ($99)
- Amazon Echo Flex ($29)
- Ring cameras and alarm
- Amazon Smart Oven ($249)
- Amazon Echo Buds ($129)
- Amazon Echo Frames ($179)
- Amazon Echo Loop ($129)
- Amazon Sidewalk
- Amazon Alexa Auto
- Updates to Amazon Alexa
- Alexa for Kids
Echo Dot with a Clock
It's an Echo Dot! It's a Clock! It's an Echo Dot with a Clock built in! Amazon says that its customers ask Alexa "What time is it?" a billion times a year, more or less. So this one makes sense for all kinds of reasons. When the alarm sounds, you'll just have to tap the top to snooze it.
Amazon says the existing Echo Dot will continue to be available.
The Echo Dot With Clock is $59 and is available for preorder now.
New Amazon Echo
Amazon has taken the sound architecture from last year's Echo Plus and built it in to the standard Echo. It's got new fabric designs — including Twilight Blue.
You can preorder the new Amazon Echo today for $99.
Amazon Echo Studio
You want a high-end Amazon Echo? You're getting a high-end Amazon Echo. This one has "unbelievable sound," Amazon says. It's one of those newfangled "3D sound experiences, too, like Dolby Atmos. And Amazon has Universal Music Group, Sony Music and Warner Music Group all on board from the content end of things.
The Echo Studio is roughly the same size as an Apple HomePod. You can pair a couple together and throw in an Amazon Echo Sub for a proper Fire TV surround system. It'll model the room with built-in microphones (again, like Apple and Google do) and adjust the sound accordingly.
There's a directional tweeter in the front for the high end. And a 5.25-inch bass driver and port (because you've gotta move air for better bass!) at the bottom.
You can preorder the Amazon Echo Studio today for $199.
Amazon Echo Show 8
You love the 10-inch Amazon Echo Show. You love the 5-inch Amazon Echo Show 5, which is the fastest-growing Echo product ever, Amazon says. Now it's time for the Amazon Echo Show 8.
It'll feature the same privacy shutter over the camera as the Echo 5.
The Echo Show 8 is $129 and up for preorder today. It'll ship in time for the holidays.
The Echo Show line is getting some new general features, too. You'll now be able to drop in on every Echo Show in the house at once — if you dare.
Amazon Echo Glow
So your kid wants something in their room, but you don't want them to have an Echo Show 5 just yet. Enter the Amazon Echo Glow.
It's a $29 night-light that links wirelessly to an Amazon Echo. Lights will play along with the music. Campfire Mode will simulate a campfire. Tap the Glow to cycle through the colors.
The Echo Glow will ship in time for the holidays.
New Eero mesh routers
Amazon purchased mesh-router company Eero earlier this year, much to the chagrin of many. But today we've got new hardware.
The all-new Eero can be set up in 10 minutes or less, Amazon says, which should take most of the frustration out of the router setup experience. (And hopefully not require folks have to more than a basic rudimentary understanding of networking.) The system still provides whole-home mesh coverage, in which multiple nodes work together instead of a single broadcast point.
It's a dual-band setup, has adaptive backhaul, and works with Eero Secure.
The new Eero is $99 today for a single node. You can get a three-pack for $249. It'll come to Europe later this year for €279/£249.
Amazon also is throwing new Alexa Wifi controls at things, to make it easier to control your system. So you can use your voice to turn off specific devices, or pause Wifi altogether. And it's not just for Eero — Amazon's got an API for other manufacturers to include. ASUS and TP-Link are on board, with Arris and Linksys coming in 2020.
Amazon Echo Flex
Want an Echo Dot in a place that's not really made for an Echo Dot? Say, like, the bathroom? That's the Echo Flex.
The plug is built in, so everything mounts in one fell swoop. It's got a speaker and microphone optimized for Alexa voice, but not music. There are built-in USB ports so you can charge whatever needs to be charged without taking up another outlet, and there are software and hardware APIs for accessories.
The Echo Flex is available today for $24.99. There's an optional motion sensor and smart night light that you can plug into in the bottom, and they're $14 each.
New Ring cameras
And, of course, we've got new kit from Ring today! (You'll recall that Amazon now owns Ring.)
First up is the Ring Indoor Cam. (Which has been leaking itself all of the FCC of late.) It's Ring's first indoor camera. It's tiny. It can go darn near anywhere. And it's $59, available today.
There's also a new Ring Stick Up Cam. It's priced down to $99, which is a good thing.
And later this year, Amazon says, the Ring software will get a "home mode" update that will automatically pause recording inside the house when you're at home. (For what it's worth, that's a thing Nest has pretty much always had .)
There's also a new Ring Retrofit Alarm Kit. It's a DYI setup that plugs into your old existing alarm system and will allow you to re-use those window and door sensors. You can add an alarm hub and add more sensors at will.
The Retrofit kit is $199, or you can pair it with a Ring Alarm Hub for $375.
Amazon Smart Oven
Having already made a microwave, this is an obvious evolution. Sort of. Anyway — behold, the Amazon Smart Oven.
It's got everything the original microwave had, plus convection cooking and an air fryer. It can scan products and have cooking information automatically entered into the oven. It'll work with partner products and many Whole Foods 365 products.
The new Amazon Smart Oven is $249 and available for preorder today. And every Smart Oven will come with an Echo Dot.
Amazon Echo Buds
Who needs AirPods, anyway? The Amazon Echo Buds are $129. They offer up a hands-free Alexa experience. They've got a 5-hour battery life, with a case that'll charge them four additional times when it's topped off.
Amazon says the buds will have "world-class" noise reduction and incorporate Bose active-noise cancellation. You'll double-tap to turn that off and on, and for audio passthrough. And you'll be able to use them just fine with existing Android and iOS devices — just tap and hold to use Google Assistant or Siri.
The Buds are up for preorder today and will ship by the holidays.
Amazon Echo Frames
These spectacles are part of a new Day 1 Edition scheme, which lets folks try out new products that are feature-complete and interesting — but maybe not quite ready for the mass market just yet. (Hello, Galaxy Fold!)
The Echo Frames glasses don't have a heads-up display or a camera. But they do have Alexa built in to help augment your day via your voice. It'll pull the data from your phone, and directional microphones and speakers keep everything inside your own personal head space. (And you can turn off the mic whenever you want.)
A VIP filter will limit notifications to the truly important stuff, and there's touch control on the right side.
The Echo Frames are invite-only for now and will run $179.
Amazon Echo Loop
This is another Day 1 Edition device, which means it's going to be cool, but maybe not for everyone.
The Echo Loop puts "information at your fingertips," Amazon said. (And, yes, we all groaned.) It's got a titanium frame, and a pair of microphones that are activated when you press a button.
There's a ridiculously small haptic engine inside that'll buzz you when notifications come in. You can use it to send a message or make an announcement over your Echos at home.
The Loop also is invite-only and runs $129.
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Amazon's also working on outdoor networking, which it calls Amazon Sidewalk. It's a new low-bandwidth network (but don't you dare say 5G) that uses existing 900MHz spectrum.
And, again, this isn't 5G. But the purpose is very similar. It's a way for devices to quickly talk to each other so you can keep track of things, or keep devices up to date. And it'll extend the distance you control things like lights and sensors.
Or, in a fun example, it could track a smart dog collar throughout the neighborhood.
The Sidewalk protocol is launching today for developers.
Alexa Auto
A tiny bit of news here: We've got new manufacturers on board in the form of GM, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC.
And newer cars can be updated to add Alexa Auto if the manufacturers wish.
Updates to Alexa
- Celebrity voices are coming! If you want Sam Jackson to be your Alexa, you'll get Sam Jackson. (In family-friendly and NSFW modes, at that.)
- Check that out now at amazon.com/asksam
- More are coming. They'll be 99 cents each.
- A new multilingual mode is coming to Alexa. So she'll be able to respond in multiple languages without having to manually switch between them.
- In the U.S., you'll have access to English and Spanish.
- In Canada, it'll be French and English.
- In India, it'll be Hindi and English.
- Alexa Hunches is expanding to help you with your smart home tech, so it can predict what you need before you know you need it.
- Smart lock battery low? It can order a new battery. Same for printer ink.
- Or it can suggest a new routine. If you shut off your alarm and play a radio station, it'll suggest a routine for that, too.
Amazon Alexa for Kids
Amazon has gone a long way toward being more kid-friendly with its products, and we've got some new updates on that front as well in the form of Alexa Communications for Kids with the Echo Show.
Parents will have to turn it on, of course, and then whitelist contacts that the kids are allowed to talk to. And parents on both sides of the conversation will have to approve things.
Also, the Amazon Free Time subscription service is making the leap from Fire Tablets to the Echo Show, which means free games!
