Amazon added on-screen ads to the Echo Show slideshows and even the weather report on my Echo Show 8, and they’re nearly impossible to turn off. The Echo Spot, so far, has no ads. There’s a chance Amazon will add them in the future, but I’m crossing my fingers that this screen is too small to be worthwhile. I would have said the same about the small space available on the Show 8’s weather page, though, so I know it’s not a guarantee.
The Echo Spot can also bring up your calendar when you ask it to, scrolling through your four upcoming events in a small list while explaining everything to you. Again, it’s a nice visual complement to the voice assistant, without a big, cluttered screen. It’s a small screen, so you can’t read it from very far away, but I found it useful for reading while at my desk or listening while getting dressed.
Photography: Nena Farrell
Photography: Nena Farrell
The only thing missing is smart home control. Unlike regular smart displays or the new Hub (8/10, WIRED recommends), the Echo Spot doesn’t have a smart home control area in the menu, and I can only access rooms or devices via voice request. A small power button appears on the screen when you ask to control a specific room or device, such as “turn on my stove,” which you can then tap to turn on and off. But there’s no way to access devices or rooms without first using your voice.
While I like seeing widgets and having smart home control on my larger smart displays, I don’t like how distracting a smart display can be in my office or living room. The constantly scrolling screen draws my attention when I’d rather not look at it, and often fails to show me something I need to see at that moment. The balance of information on the Echo Spot’s display without clutter makes it a great addition to almost any spot in the home.
Sound off
Photography: Nena Farrell
The only thing the Echo Spot is missing, unfortunately, is good sound.