How To Use Echo Dot 3rd Generation

What Hello-Fi? Verdict

For not a lot of money you go a whole load of smart vocalisation functionality and decent sound

Pros

+
Clear, solid sound
+
Improved Alexa capabilities
+
Budget price

Cons

-
Alexa intelligence is limited

If Jeff Bezos, Amazon'south CEO, does take over the world, he might just have the Amazon Echo Dot to thank.

As Amazon does its level best to infiltrate every possible product marketplace, every possible home and every possible room, the new Echo Dot 3rd generation is perhaps the most enticing way to bring Amazon'due south Alexa voice assistant into your home. But if you like the thought of a smart assistant combined with a simple music speaker, it'south hard to debate against the Echo Dot.

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Build

There remains something quite futuristic near bellowing commands at, and hearing responses from, a little electronic voice in a box, but on the surface everything about this product is pretty uncomplicated. The small, puck-shaped design remains but it has been jazzed-upwardly and improved on this tertiary-gen Dot.

Fabric replaces the hard exterior of the previous model and the controls on top of the device have had a makeover, besides. It looks noticeably smarter as a issue – nosotros run into it as a nice addition to a room rather than something y'all desire to tuck out of sight.

Y'all need to connect the Echo Dot to power, and you can wire in other devices via the iii.5mm aux output for better audio, but otherwise it can get anywhere that it can hear your voice. Once powered-up, it's unproblematic to use the Amazon Alexa app and get it connected to your wi-fi network.

Features

The 3.5mm audio output and Bluetooth connectivity is about equally much every bit you get information technology. This means if you lot exercise want a bigger, better sound than the Echo Dot tin can deliver, then you can brand a wired or wireless connection to some other device. Otherwise, it's all near Alexa in terms of features. And it'south worth pointing out that all this connectivity, and everything Alexa can do, is in line with the 2nd-gen Echo Dot.

Alexa can notwithstanding play music, answer questions, read the news, cheque the weather, set alarms and control compatible smart home devices, from TVs to habitation cinema amplifiers and speakers. And yous can control Spotify and TuneIn, also as Amazon Music. Voice calls are a relatively new add-on, while the number of Skills – devices that work with Alexa – are constantly growing and include a whole suite of products from Sonos to Domino's Pizza and Uber.

What is new, is a new driver and a modify to the microphone layout. There's a 4cm driver hither as opposed to 3cm on the previous model and Amazon claims it'southward 70 per cent louder as a result. Interestingly there are fewer microphones, 4 rather than seven, but tweaks to the pattern aim to make performance every fleck as strong.

Sound

The three key strands of the Dot'south performance are how well Alexa hears you, how practiced the speaker sounds (for answers and music), and what it tin can exercise. The previous Repeat Dot was already pretty impressive in terms of hearing your commands, and nosotros're every bit as happy with the performance here. Even with music playing, a clear command volition wake Alexa. Understanding your question, and allowing for accents, means it's not perfect merely, for the most part, information technology's pretty impressive.

"Alexa, what are the news headlines?" and "Alexa, what's the weather?" prove easy; "Alexa, play some French rap" pulls up a relevant Spotify playlist, while "Alexa, say something in French" returns the bodily French word for 'something' – just the sort of smart Alec response which AI will hope to improve in coming years.

Amazon Echo Dot (tertiary generation) tech specs

Wi-fi Yes

Bluetooth Aye

Outputs iii.5mm

Dimensions (hwd) 43 x 99 x 99mm

Weight 300g

Nosotros add the Sonos skill and tin presently control music across a multi-room arrangement of Sonos devices. Naturally, the Repeat Dot needs to be able to hear you, but you can also talk to the Alexa app on your phone when you're out of earshot. Compatible AV brands include Denon, Marantz, Onkyo, Pioneer and Yamaha.

The sound quality is arguably the about impressive upgrade here. Despite similar dimensions, the modify to the commuter has conspicuously had a positive effect. It'due south louder, for sure, simply it's improve than that. The lean, thin sound of the previous models, which was comfortably bettered by the Google Habitation Mini, has been replaced by bodily bass notes, full-bodied voices and a smoother treble.

This means we really don't mind the Echo Dot as a background music device. Of course, your main hello-fi system should exist something ameliorate if possible, only for the kitchen or kids' room, or for the occasional convenience, nosotros don't heed music playing on this tiny budget speaker. And that's maxim something. More pertinently perchance, information technology means Alexa sounds much more agreeable at all times: clear, loud and easy to understand.

Verdict

The latest Repeat Dot is the easiest, cheapest and best style to bring Alexa into your home. It works well on its own or can be nicely integrated into myriad other smart domicile and AV products, bringing phonation control and smart features merely a control abroad.

In line with the latest Amazon Echo products, the audio quality has noticeably improved, and while for a 'proper' smart speaker an upgrade even to the more substantial 2018 version of the Amazon Repeat Plus would be money well spent, this remains a simple and constructive smart speaker that's easy to recommend.

SCORES

Sound five
Features 5
Build five

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