New, smaller, cheaper, portable Amazo Echo

[jwlv]

Several news outlets are reporting that Amazon will be releasing a smaller, cheaper, and portable (battery operated) Echo in the coming weeks.

http://www.cnet.com/news/amazon-to-unveil-a-portable-slimmed-down-version-of-the-echo/
http://www.mensjournal.com/gear/electronics/amazon-echo-gets-smaller-smarter-and-wire-free-20160114
http://www.wsj.com/articles/amazon-to-release-portable-version-of-echo-speaker-in-coming-weeks-1452532671
http://www.engadget.com/2016/01/11/amazon-cheaper-smaller-echo/
http://www.theverge.com/2016/1/11/10749642/new-amazon-echo-rumors-portable-cheaper
http://fortune.com/2016/01/11/smaller-echo/
http://www.zdnet.com/article/alexa-to-gain-a-small-family-a-portable-less-expensive-amazon-echo/
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2497804,00.asp
http://www.digitaltrends.com/home/portable-amazon-echo-rumored/

[renegade600]

the only problem is Amazon is keeping quiet about it.  I hope it is true and the smaller ones can be used as a satellite for those rooms the original echo cannot reach.   I really do not have a need for portability.   If I wanted portability, I would just use the phone. 

[RadYOacTiVe]

I've read that the smaller version is not always listening and needs a button press to conserve the battery.  I'm hoping that this would be an option or it would  always listening when plugged in.  I'd like to get another Echo for upstairs but don't want to shell out another $180.

Sent from my SM-T807V using Tapatalk

[Talisman]

I agree with renegade600 on this. I would like the option of satellite echos to be always on and hope that they can be used as a whole home music speaker system. The only need for portability would be if I wanted to sit out in the yard (within wifi range) to hear music. I don't think anyone wants to "charge" their echo for much else.

[Jean D]

On the heels of Sonos perhaps?

[Talisman]

I serious hope so..

[Cat_LeDevic]

hey! newb here Had to weigh in on the new 'little' echo as I'm way beyond confused. I too heard about the little one.

I had to get an Echo several weeks ago (tech writer,) and since then been tinkering and researching. Did hear about a remote that one "should have" so I hit Amazon today - only to find no remotes. Zero. Looked at the rest of the page, saw something about a "Fire stick". The non-existent remote was $200 or so: the Firestick around $50 if memory serves (and mine NEVER does lol!) So I trotted to that Firestick page. (Won't be available until March 9th, btw.)

You plug this into your TV: it is a voice-command remote, I think. Except research shows it too has an Alexa, albeit not as robust as the Echo's. It requires only WiFi - not even cable TV. I saw Prime ads offering channels like HBO/Showtime for ~$2 a month: the thing evidently streams them to wherever you plug him in. The TV, or a puter monitor (according to an answered question on the Stick's page.)

I was trying to figure out what that stick would do w/the Echo, so I plowed through pages of those questions. Only hit a few that asked if it worked with Alexa: answers were mostly yes. Fell over one question that mentioned a FireTV app - and here comes the massive confusion.

Somehow I got that this app could function =as= the Firestick. Now that paralleled my thoughts since I got the Echo: why NOT have an app that functions as a remote? I've also heard rumors Amazon was pulling the remote off the market. I figured maybe they'd decided to go with an app instead - and here it was. Ran to check it out and no. Just acts as a remote to the Firestick: a remote for a remote. I hope this is remotely making sense!

Seems to me my S6 Edge could more than handle functioning as the Echo's voice remote! IE, do the same thing that Firestick does (with relation to the Echo, that is.) I'd forgotten all about the touted mini-Echo due out until I fell over you guys - now the confusion has escalated.

The big remote? Only available used - not a word about future availability. The Firestick out in a couple weeks - and the mini-Echo who knows when. I sort of get the Stick being useful if one feels the need to tell the TV what channel to turn to - especially if it does have a bit of Alexa's functionality. But if Amazon is coming out with this stick at a really reasonable price, why bother with another small Echo?

And why bother with either if an app could do the same thing? Or can an app do the same thing! lol Thanks for any illumination.

[renegade600]

hey! newb here Had to weigh in on the new 'little' echo as I'm way beyond confused. I too heard about the little one.

I had to get an Echo several weeks ago (tech writer,) and since then been tinkering and researching. Did hear about a remote that one "should have" so I hit Amazon today - only to find no remotes. Zero. Looked at the rest of the page, saw something about a "Fire stick". The non-existent remote was $200 or so: the Firestick around $50 if memory serves (and mine NEVER does lol!) So I trotted to that Firestick page. (Won't be available until March 9th, btw.)

You plug this into your TV: it is a voice-command remote, I think. Except research shows it too has an Alexa, albeit not as robust as the Echo's. It requires only WiFi - not even cable TV. I saw Prime ads offering channels like HBO/Showtime for ~$2 a month: the thing evidently streams them to wherever you plug him in. The TV, or a puter monitor (according to an answered question on the Stick's page.)

I was trying to figure out what that stick would do w/the Echo, so I plowed through pages of those questions. Only hit a few that asked if it worked with Alexa: answers were mostly yes. Fell over one question that mentioned a FireTV app - and here comes the massive confusion.

Somehow I got that this app could function =as= the Firestick. Now that paralleled my thoughts since I got the Echo: why NOT have an app that functions as a remote? I've also heard rumors Amazon was pulling the remote off the market. I figured maybe they'd decided to go with an app instead - and here it was. Ran to check it out and no. Just acts as a remote to the Firestick: a remote for a remote. I hope this is remotely making sense!

Seems to me my S6 Edge could more than handle functioning as the Echo's voice remote! IE, do the same thing that Firestick does (with relation to the Echo, that is.) I'd forgotten all about the touted mini-Echo due out until I fell over you guys - now the confusion has escalated.

The big remote? Only available used - not a word about future availability. The Firestick out in a couple weeks - and the mini-Echo who knows when. I sort of get the Stick being useful if one feels the need to tell the TV what channel to turn to - especially if it does have a bit of Alexa's functionality. But if Amazon is coming out with this stick at a really reasonable price, why bother with another small Echo?

And why bother with either if an app could do the same thing? Or can an app do the same thing! lol Thanks for any illumination.

I saw that remote on amazon last night.  I believe it was 229 bucks and you still had to pay 5 bucks shipping from a third party.  Looked for it today and it was gone.  I think it was original was 69 bucks.  Fortunately, It came with my echo.  At this time, there is not a voice remote available for the echo.  Not sure if it will be sold again.   Maybe with the next generation echo.

If you have the new firetv, you can get a voice remote with it and do most of what the echo can do through the firetv.  I do agree, it would be nice to have a phone app where you can use the phone as a voice remote. 

[mike27oct]

>>> So I trotted to that Firestick page. (Won't be available until March 9th, btw.)

A quick post to update the new tech writer forum member on the FireTV Stick:  It is not a new product; I have a 2/yr old gen1, and this past October, the gen2 version w/remote, Alexa marriage, etc. was released.  The March date you referred to is the "back in stock" date; now March 6.  There is also a costlier hardware version that has better CPU performance available.

Thanks for the mention of FireTV Stick, though.  It reminded me of something new about it I want to report here in a new post. Check it out (after I post it later).