
Much like an intrepid cat burglar, Amazon really wants to get into your house. And to do that, it's announced a whole new range of Alexa-powered Echo smart speakers including some all-new devices and a couple of redesigned favourites.
The products definitely coming to Australia are refreshed versions of the Echo Dot and Echo Plus, the Echo Sub, and the Echo Show.
- All New Echo Dot: A redesigned entry-level Echo that now has a fabric body and enhanced speaker. It still starts at $79.
- All New Echo Plus: A redesigned Echo Plus with a friendlier look, upgraded speaker, and an integrated Zigbee hub for that can replace the need for a dedicated hub for certain smart home devices. It still retails for $229.
- Echo Sub: A subwoofer that wirelessly pairs with an Echo or Echo Plus to provide deeper bass. You can pair it with a single first generation Echo or Echo Plus, or with two second generation Echoes or Echo Pluses to get stereo sound. You'll pay $199 for the Echo Sub by itself, but Amazon is also offering discounted bundles with a pair of Echoes.
- Echo Show: A smart speaker with a 10-inch HD display that can provide visual information to go with your queries. It's the priciest Echo device yet, retailing for $349.
Amazon is taking pre-orders for these now ahead of a launch next month. They'll be available direct from Amazon, or through retailers such as JB Hi-Fi and Officeworks.
In addition to these four products, Amazon also announced a whole bunch of other wild devices including an Alexa-enabled microwave that can automatically order popcorn for you, a stripped down version of Echo for your car, and a wall clock that displays your Alexa timers using an LED ring. At this stage, we're not sure if or when these will be available locally.
Alex Choros