Amazon Echo Dot is much better than earlier, at the same price

Echo Dot is a hands-free, voice-controlled device with a small built-in speaker—it can also connect to your speakers or headphones over Bluetooth or through a 3.5 mm audio cable to deliver stereo sound to the speakers you choose. Dot connects to the Alexa Voice Service to play music, make calls, send and receive messages, provide information, news, sports scores, weather, and more—instantly.

There are lots of smart technology options on the market these days that are compatible with the Echo and Echo Dot. From Nest thermostats to Philips Hue lighting systems, you can control your smart home systems directly from your Amazon devices or with the Alexa App.

Echo Dot can hear you from across the room, even while music is playing. When you want to use Echo Dot, just say the wake word “Alexa” and Dot responds instantly. If you have more than one Echo or Echo Dot, Alexa responds intelligently from the Echo you’re closest to with ESP (Echo Spatial Perception).

On Thursday, the retail giant unveiled the next iteration of its hit speaker. The new Echo Dot features 70 percent louder volume. It’ll cost $50 (£50, AU$79) and ship later this month. One notable change: It’s getting a fabric body with different color options.

The only difference between the two echo devices, other than size and cost, is sound. If you’re just looking to be introduced to Alexa, you’ll be fine with the Echo Dot. It has all the smarts of Alexa in a small speaker. Keep in mind when putting together your shopping list that you can connect any smart speaker to either device for richer quality sound. If you’re just looking to pick up an Echo to create a multi-room, Alexa-enabled experience, then the Echo Dot is a great choice.

Echo Dot has been amazingly popular and now there’s a new version, redesigned to ditch the hard plastic and match the new Echo Plus. It’s a larger diameter than the original model it replaces and that gives space for a new 1.6-inch speaker.

That means the Echo Dot is now a much better standalone Alexa device, better equipped to converse with you and while it’s not really designed as a music device, it will give you better overall sound. It can also be connected to another speaker via 3.5mm cable if you wish.

There are lots of smart technology options on the market these days that are compatible with the Echo and Echo Dot. From Nest thermostats to Philips Hue lighting systems, you can control your smart home systems directly from your Amazon devices or with the Alexa App.

Echo Dot can hear you from across the room, even while music is playing. When you want to use Echo Dot, just say the wake word “Alexa” and Dot responds instantly. If you have more than one Echo or Echo Dot, Alexa responds intelligently from the Echo you’re closest to with ESP (Echo Spatial Perception).

On Thursday, the retail giant unveiled the next iteration of its hit speaker. The new Echo Dot features 70 percent louder volume. It’ll cost $50 (£50, AU$79) and ship later this month. One notable change: It’s getting a fabric body with different color options.

The only difference between the two echo devices, other than size and cost, is sound. If you’re just looking to be introduced to Alexa, you’ll be fine with the Echo Dot. It has all the smarts of Alexa in a small speaker. Keep in mind when putting together your shopping list that you can connect any smart speaker to either device for richer quality sound. If you’re just looking to pick up an Echo to create a multi-room, Alexa-enabled experience, then the Echo Dot is a great choice.

Echo Dot has been amazingly popular and now there’s a new version, redesigned to ditch the hard plastic and match the new Echo Plus. It’s a larger diameter than the original model it replaces and that gives space for a new 1.6-inch speaker.

That means the Echo Dot is now a much better standalone Alexa device, better equipped to converse with you and while it’s not really designed as a music device, it will give you better overall sound. It can also be connected to another speaker via 3.5mm cable if you wish.