Amazon Echo Club

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by jswinden

Wow, so I guess no one from this thread ordered one! I'm surprised. New Amazon devices usually get snapped up by a lot of people here. Maybe they are waiting to see what first buyers are saying in their reviews. There are a lot of unanswered questions about what it will and won't do, after all. I personally am not interested in the Show at the moment, but I do want to find out two important things:

I have no desire for this device. It's too limited and too expensive.

Check out the video I just posted for answers to some of your questions.

[wodin]

I agree with too expensive, as to "too limited", that remains to bee seen.

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

I have no desire for this device. It's too limited and too expensive.

Check out the video I just posted for answers to some of your questions.

Thanks. I see at 00:00:50 he does say it has a 1024 x 600 px resolution, which is exactly what I thought it would likely have. Obviously Amazon has no intention of creating a true HD device. The screen is just for some simple text and I notice in all the reviews that text tends to be extremely large. Meh....

I'm like you, I have no need or desire to have the Show. It is definitely way over priced, very limited in functionality, and seems to be just another of their niche devices. I think it was made for the kitchen more than anywhere else, and that is the absolute last place I would ever place an Echo device. Definitely not for me. Maybe they can add some feature in the future and make it better for more people, but I doubt they will.

[Catlady]

I'm not buying one, but the Show has a lot more appeal to me than the Echo. I would never buy an Echo--it's so much cheaper to simply buy a Dot and use an existing home speaker. I can imagine buying the Show at a lower price point, though.

[wodin]

The Verge has a iFixit link with commentary.

After watching the review TM linked to, here are my thoughts:

• Top panel controls will be difficult to see as they slant back and down away from the user. Unless the user is standing, they won't be able to see the buttons.
  
• Microphones are on the top panel which slants back and down away from the user. Many people will likely place the Show in front of a wall, that will make the microphone positions awkward.
  
• Very glossy, shiny screen with very low resolution. The awkward slant to the screen will be very reflective of ceiling lights. Best for using while standing up in the kitchen. Not good for use on your desk while you are sitting.
  
• The Show seems to be very slow when you ask her to find things like videos. Also very slow to follow requests/commands/answer questions.
  
• No apps or app store, only skills. Major fail!!!!
  
• Only video of any note is Amazon's Prime Video and clips from YouTube. You CANNOT watch live TV, Netflix, Hulu, or much of anything else. Even the CNN skill only lets you look at short clips provided by CNN. You won't be able to tune in to live CNN broadcasts. I doubt it will ever allow live TV as the licensing fees would likely be a huge issue.

I haven't seen how it works with Spotify, Pandora, and other music services, but I doubt it will have as much functionality with them as it does with Amazon Music. Eventually the other music services might write skills for the Show, but only time will tell.

I really cannot ever see buying the Show. I can do so much more with a smartphone or tablet than this thing will ever do, and my tablets can do those things faster and better IMO.

[tubemonkey]

For those interested, I updated the specs for the Echo Show in the OP.
.

I see there are finally some reviews of the Show on Amazon.com. At 9:35am CDT there are 75 reviews with an average rating of 3.8, not that good. Aside from the usual "it is the best thing since sliced bread" type of gushing reviews we always get, no matter what the product is, there are a lot of reviews that are favorable over all but they say they are disappointed that it doesn't do as much as they thought it would. I saw several reviews complaining about the lack of customization. I think a lot of people assumed the Show would basically be an Echo with a full blown Fire tablet attached, and they were shocked to see that was not even close to reality. Time will tell of course. I just hope they give us a good update of the non-screen Echo devices. The only one worth the money is the Dot, IMO.

[booklover6]

Originally Posted by jswinden

I just hope they give us a good update of the non-screen Echo devices. The only one worth the money is the Dot, IMO.

The Dot's speaker stinks, so unless you have a speaker there is an additional monetary outlay. The Echo's speaker is pretty good. Of course I got mine at the original into price. I think that was a hundred bucks, including the remote.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by booklover6

The Dot's speaker stinks, so unless you have a speaker there is an additional monetary outlay. The Echo's speaker is pretty good. Of course I got mine at the original into price. I think that was a hundred bucks, including the remote.

I only use my Dot for streaming audiobooks and answering questions and I find the speaker is good enough for that. I don't think the mic is as good as my Echo's; sometimes I have to raise my voice for her to hear me. That said, I think the Dot is by far the best value of the Echo devices and well worth its recurring sale price of $40. I wouldn't pay full price for the Echo or even the regular sale price.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by Catlady

Amazon has now shipped my Dash Wand, arriving Friday. Just what I need, another gadget to try to figure out.

Mine arrives tomorrow.

Originally Posted by booklover6

The Dot's speaker stinks, so unless you have a speaker there is an additional monetary outlay. The Echo's speaker is pretty good. Of course I got mine at the original into price. I think that was a hundred bucks, including the remote.

IMO, none of the Echo devices have good sound quality. As far as speakers go, I doubt we will ever see a small device with a decent sound quality. Those types of devices are simply too small physically to produce great sound. Physics keeps them in the bottom rung of sound quality. The Show probably has better sound quality than the Echo, but it is still too small to have great sound quality. Speakers by themselves are just one part of a good sound system. You also need a well designed and roomy cabinet for those speakers to fit into before the sound quality can be great. The Echos are just too small for that.

[wodin]

Originally Posted by jswinden

IMO, none of the Echo devices have good sound quality. As far as speakers go, I doubt we will ever see a small device with a decent sound quality. Those types of devices are simply too small physically to produce great sound. Physics keeps them in the bottom rung of sound quality. The Show probably has better sound quality than the Echo, but it is still too small to have great sound quality. Speakers by themselves are just one part of a good sound system. You also need a well designed and roomy cabinet for those speakers to fit into before the sound quality can be great. The Echos are just too small for that.

That has always been my impression too, OTH I've seen amazing things come out of relatively small boxes. Bose Wave systems come to mind.

Holy cow, now that is some very expensive cat food. See attached screen capture from Amazon.com. Wow, $2,507.50 + $4.49 shipping for a 3.4 pound bag of dry cat food. That is about $2,000 over typical retail. Amazon really needs to better police their 3rd party sellers!

....

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by jswinden

Holy cow, now that is some very expensive cat food. See attached screen capture from Amazon.com. Wow, $2,507.50 + $4.49 shipping for a 3.4 pound bag of dry cat food. That is about $2,000 over typical retail. Amazon really needs to better police their 3rd party sellers!

....

Well now Jack, if someone actually orders it, they get what they deserve. So why should Amazon police?