Nothing says it is the holiday season like a new Amazon device. Amazon has been expanding its product line left and right this year, from its speaker options with the revamped Echo Spot to a relaunch of the entire Kindle line (with a few hiccups). Now the Echo Show family is getting a big update. Literally, a massive 21-inch device will be added to the list.
He Echo Show 21 ($400) is the newest member of Amazon’s extensive list Powered by echo devices, with a 21-inch screen. It is a larger version of the Echo Show 15 ($300)a 15-inch screen, which today also received its second generation. If you’re unfamiliar with the world of smart displays, think about a smart speaker, but add a screen that can display your smart home devices, let you play music and TV, and make video calls with the built-in camera. Both new devices promise an improvement in audio quality compared to the first-generation Echo Show 15, with more bass and room adaptation technology. It’s a smart move, as these large screens sit somewhere between a smart display and a small TV. Amazon includes an Alexa voice remote with both devices so you can use it like you would a TV.
I’m a little surprised to see Amazon expand its massive Echo Show devices. There are some easier wins, like announcing a new generation of Echo or restocking the popular Echo Dot speaker with clockespecially since Alexa’s department is known for having recorded massive losses a couple of years ago. We’ve seen Google and Apple move towards making smart displays from existing devices rather than launching a completely separate device. But there are rumors about a mountable Apple TV screen, so maybe a massive new Echo Show isn’t so unexpected. If a TV-like smart display sounds ideal to you, here are the most exciting upgrades promised in Amazon’s new devices.
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Photography: Amazonas
Amazon says the inspiration for adding the Show 21 and updating the Echo 15 was customer requests for better audio and a larger screen. Amazon included both features; In addition to the 21’s 21-inch screen, it added an extra inch of speakers between the original Echo Show 15 and the new model. Additionally, both the second-generation Show 21 and 15 will have two 0.6-inch tweeters and two 2-inch woofers.
It’s still not as impressive a set of speakers as other Echo Show devices with a larger base. For example, our favorite Echo Show 8 ($150) It has two 2-inch stereo speakers plus a passive bass radiator and bulb Echo Show 10 ($250) It has two 1-inch tweeters and a 3-inch woofer. The second-generation Show 21 and 15 are limited by their slim profiles, as they’re designed to look more like a digital photo frame that doubles as a family calendar and TV stick.
Instead, you get larger screens that you’re more likely to mount on the wall like a small TV. After all, Amazon includes its remote for a reason: You’ll turn to this device not only for your Alexa questions and controlling your smart home, but also for your TV-related needs. All Echo Show devices offer this, but these larger screens are the only ones where it makes sense to watch anything. I wasn’t very impressed with the experience of using the TV features on the original Show 15 (an actual TV and streaming device work much better), but I’ll be trying these devices again soon to see if the experience has improved.
There’s also a camera on top and a built-in microphone, so you can use these screens for video calls or as an indoor security camera. Amazon says there’s a larger field of view and 65 percent more zoom on the second-generation Show 21 and Show 15 compared to the original, and Amazon has added noise reduction technology to make calls more clear. If you don’t want to use the camera, there is a physical shutter to cover it.
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Photography: Amazonas
The best feature of the original Echo Show 15 was the widgets. You can find them on any Echo Show device now, but the Show 15 had them first and still uses them better. With much more screen real estate compared to smaller programs, you can really take advantage of widgets and personalize your screen. Plus, the Echo Show 15’s screen remains static, so you don’t have to wait for the widgets you choose to appear in the content carousel.