This Is Amazon’s New Echo with a Built-In Touchscreen

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Want an Echo with a display? Amazon has you covered with a new device that is debuting in a few weeks. Aside from the touchscreen, they say that the new Echo may allow you to make video and voice calls. Now, is there any reason for me to get this other than wanting a glorified alarm clock, since I already have a smartphone?

Here is the first look at what Amazon’s upcoming Echo with a built-in touchscreen looks like. I was able to locate this unfortunately low-resolution image on Amazon’s servers in a similar manner to how I found what we now know to be the Echo Look. This new member of the Echo lineup is codenamed “Knight” and is expected to be released later this month. Similar to my past leaks, I don’t have much information other than the image itself. We know from past sources that this will be the flagship Alexa device in Amazon’s lineup. It’s expected to have better sounding speakers than the current Amazon Echo. The screen is rumored to be a touchscreen that’s 7 inches in size.
 
So, now not only do you want a device to eaves drop on everything you say in your home, to now eaves drop on everything on display in your home. WTF.
 
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Nukester said:
So, now not only do you want a device to eaves drop on everything you say in your home, to now eaves drop on everything on display in your home. WTF.
Click to expand...


yeah, my parents gave me a dot. i keep it where i work as there isnt ever any conversation going on in there for that very reason

.... and to be honest the only real use I have found for it is playing music and and it makes a good hands free timer/alarm for stuff....
 
Nukester said:
So, now not only do you want a device to eaves drop on everything you say in your home, to now eaves drop on everything on display in your home. WTF.
Click to expand...

We got a Dot as part of a small smart-home starter pack. I was reading this morning, actually, about how it functions. Won't be using it... I'll stick with the WiFi buttons on my phone for our smart switches.
 
It looks so much like the Sony Dash. Except a better screen, larger area for speakers, and of course listens to everything.
 
My problem with the Echo is that they capture everything you say and apparently store it for some period of time. I'd prefer a system where it listens for the alexa phrase (which is built in and local) and only when it hears that and says how can I help you (or whatever) does it monitor what you say...and even then I'd prefer they not store it for more than a week or 2 (long enough for trouble shooting if there's a complaint).
 
Its not always recording: People are acting like the always on mic means its always transmitting a constant stream of audio to a remote server, and that's not how it works. The local device waits for a wakeup command, and is NOT constantly streaming a lot of nothingness to a server and using up your bandwidth. After it hears the wakeup command, then yes it records a few seconds of audio and then stops recording. This few seconds of audio after a wakeup command is transmitted to the remote server, but unless you are hosting an ISIS strategy meeting and someone wakes up the echo by accident, what are you worried about? And besides, those few seconds of audio after a wakeup command are encrypted, so now someone has to hack Amazon or Google to get at it, and chances are its not worth it because you're not that important.

You probably already gave up more privacy ages ago: You guys will browse for tranny porn on Chrome, which is all recorded, have your phone tracking and storing everywhere you go, and post daily updates about your life in minutia on social media, and then freak out that at some point someone would be listening to a boring conversation about Star Wars (which wouldn't even happen because of how its designed)? An if worried about the FBI, they will just snoop your cellphone mic. C'mon.

Not a tablet: For those saying its a tablet, well, tablets don't really have speakers worth a damn, and chances are this will have a similar speaker system to the tall Echo, which has a 2.5" woofer and decent tweeters that provide sound comparable to quality bluetooth speakers.

With a screen (so I can glance at the time, alarm times, and weather without asking), video calling capability (assuming it does that), and decent sound quality, I could see this being a great addition to my nightstand.

But the full utility of something like this really requires a "smart" ecosystem. When you have smart lights, irrigation system, ceiling fans, outdoor lighting, alarm system, smart locks, and home entertainment systems and the like, it makes more sense.

Its just another part of the automation coolness, when you can just say a goodnight command and your lights turn off, your doors verify they are locked or lock themselves, activate your motion sensors, have the alarm instantly signal if a door/window sensor is triggered without delay, etc. Or when I'm by the fridge, I can just say "Alexa, add eggs and mayonnaise to shopping list". Or when I plop down on the couch, I just say "Alexa, turn on projector" and it turns off the TV if on, turns off the lights, lowers the projector screen and fires up the projector, turns on the receiver and to the correct input, lowers my exterior blinds, etc. Or you are cooking spaghetti, and can say "alexa, set alarm for 8 minutes". Or just asking what time it is, what the weather is going to be that day, what's on your agenda for the day, or just wanting to dim the lights to 10% brightness and tell it "Alexa, play nature sounds" and listen to some relaxing rain for a short nap.

Sure, a lot you can also just do on your phone with a few clicks here and there, but when I get home my phone plops down on my wireless charging dock, and I'm not carrying it around so speaking is more organic.

I really miss not having an Echo in every room when over at other peeps houses, and I have to turn on lights with my hands like some kind of peasant.
 
Yeah I see the comments where people are like it's just a tablet or I use my phone etc. But if this thing has a quality speaker in it (something no tablet has) AND can do good Skype (or comparable service) calls, AND everything else an echo can do... I could see myself with one of these in my bedroom or kitchen. The Mrs and I still have plug in alarm clocks in the bedroom, even though we use our phones for alarms. It's just nice to be able to know what time it is at night without having to touch anything.

Plus if it's idiot proof this could be good for mom / grandparents etc. My mother has expressed interest in video chatting with people, but she's a level 10 techno-idiot and doing anything with her on the PC is a nightmare.
 
I'm in. I've got two Echo's, and I've bought my sister 2. I love the damn things.
 
when I was a kid we all loved demolition man.. and were like "that is the future!!" wow teleconfrencing (similar to cisco on a big screen tv at work nowadays)...

however now as an adult and post-911 and post-patriot act... many americans are like "that is scary... what about my privacy"... nobody ever thought about privacy back then since it was more of a non-issue and natural right except in movies where people's phones got tapped so if you were in the mob you used a pay phone by the river.

times they are a changin.
 
LightsOut41 said:
I picked one up when it first debuted. It was a novelty for a few days and then I put it back in the box.

What do you use it for mostly?
Click to expand...

Everything. It's just there and does whatever I want.

Its my alarm clock in the bedroom. It's attached to a set of Klipsch ProMedia 2.1's so I have a great Music system as well.

The one in the kitchen is the most useful. If I'm out of gravy, I just say "Alexa, order Minors Pork Gravy" and it re-purchases it for me.

It's the BT speaker for the iPad I have on a swing arm near the sink.

If I feel like listening to Lewis Black, I just ask for it and it delivers.

If I want the thermostat adjusted to 68 degree's, I just ask for it.

It plays music for the dogs when I'm out of the house.

If I need to know how many Tablespoons are in a 1/4 cup, I just ask for it and it gives it to me.

It has hundreds if not thousands of uses. You just gotta learn what to ask :)
 
hmmm.. interesting. the drop in feature could be a little creepy.. but i am an anti social bastard, or so i have been told LOL

i would expect this coming from amazon, that once one gets one and starts using it they will be getting some very targeted ads
 
100-150 bucks cheaper and fantastic Smart Home integration, I'm in. So maybe in 2018. Otherwise, I have Raspberry Pi + 7" touch screen that suits my needs at <$100 total.
 
Also, as much as I love my Dots and the future promise of the Skill system... they really need to re-work it. Having to basically utilize each Skill as a standalone application and launching them using a phonetically unique phrase for each one makes Skills as a whole rather worthless. 50 Skills that look useful? Great! Having to memorize 50 code phrases, many of them obtuse, to use them? Idiotic!

My understanding is Google Home handles this better, if Amazon doesn't improve I'll likely switch to Google some day.
 
already have an echo and a couple dots. At this price I can't see the value in it for myself. Hopefully it pushes the price down on the other hardware.

They really need to give alexa a personality and more intelligent and dynamic responses. I miss siri tbh.
 
cool, but pretty sure I'd be dead if I started talking out-loud next to my sleeping wife...
 
Malcador said:
cool, but pretty sure I'd be dead if I started talking out-loud next to my sleeping wife...
Click to expand...

echo is good at hearing whispers. I have been in that spot before, then i remember I left the volume at 100%. All I wanted to do was turn off the lights, now everyone is awake lol.
 
Nukester said:
So, now not only do you want a device to eaves drop on everything you say in your home, to now eaves drop on everything on display in your home. WTF.
Click to expand...

Remember when we were scared of Big Brother wire tapping and listening in with their vans? Now, we're doing the wire tapping and paying our ISP to send the data to massive data centers. :) Times really have changed.

I have a couple Echo's. I really love them. I do know that it's a security risk and privacy risk, but I'm fine with it. Even at a total loss, they'll know about my sex life. Whoopdie doo!

Alexa needs some serious updating, though. They add more 'skills', but it's just more interaction with other services that I don't use. I want her to be 'smarter' and just ... more. They were off to a good start, but they've slowed down and she's not that great. I am looking at Google Home or the new Microsoft offering (Cortana is pretty cool, I like her on Windows 10 and Windows Phone) because of the lack of depth with Alexa.

I'd love to pick up this new one with a touchscreen. For me, this stuff is like the "THIS IS THE FUTURE!" stories and pictures from my youth (OMNI magazine, Popular Science, etc.). It's so damn interesting and fun. I love it.
 
Darunion said:
echo is good at hearing whispers. I have been in that spot before, then i remember I left the volume at 100%. All I wanted to do was turn off the lights, now everyone is awake lol.
Click to expand...

My Dot is hard of hearing. I'll tell it to do something, and my large Echo in the other room takes the input. I'd like to be able to have a way to tell which is which and what room it's in and have them be more location aware. "Turn off the light" when in the bedroom should turn off the bedroom light. My son wants to name his light "fucking" so he can say "Turn off the fucking lights" and it goes off.
 
Ur_Mom said:
Remember when we were scared of Big Brother wire tapping and listening in with their vans? Now, we're doing the wire tapping and paying our ISP to send the data to massive data centers. :) Times really have changed.

I have a couple Echo's. I really love them. I do know that it's a security risk and privacy risk, but I'm fine with it. Even at a total loss, they'll know about my sex life. Whoopdie doo!

Alexa needs some serious updating, though. They add more 'skills', but it's just more interaction with other services that I don't use. I want her to be 'smarter' and just ... more. They were off to a good start, but they've slowed down and she's not that great. I am looking at Google Home or the new Microsoft offering (Cortana is pretty cool, I like her on Windows 10 and Windows Phone) because of the lack of depth with Alexa.

I'd love to pick up this new one with a touchscreen. For me, this stuff is like the "THIS IS THE FUTURE!" stories and pictures from my youth (OMNI magazine, Popular Science, etc.). It's so damn interesting and fun. I love it.
Click to expand...

You may be comfortable having a stranger sit in your home 24/7. I however am not. I purchased a home for privacy. Haven't wifi shouldn't mean giving up everything you say or see to a corporation. Not my cup of tea.
 
Ur_Mom said:
My Dot is hard of hearing. I'll tell it to do something, and my large Echo in the other room takes the input. I'd like to be able to have a way to tell which is which and what room it's in and have them be more location aware. "Turn off the light" when in the bedroom should turn off the bedroom light. My son wants to name his light "fucking" so he can say "Turn off the fucking lights" and it goes off.
Click to expand...

I finally heard her bleep herself the other day, can't remember what I yelled at her for lol
 
I have an Echo and several Dots scattered around my house. I think they are great for timers, getting quick facts (like the weather), etc. We also use these for smart home functions - love it.
I read (maybe on Ars?) that they are rumored to have phone capabilities soon. The demo they showed off sort of reminded me of FaceTime - curious on the details of what they are using for the video calls. Is it a new Amazon service or what?
Ooma (voip provider) has a skill, but it doesn't let you place or answer calls. It was actually very limited in capabilities and was a WTH app.
VOIP would a nice feature for me. No one ever puts the home phone back on a charger...would be nice to use Alexa to take care of this.
 
Ducman69 said:
Its not always recording: People are acting like the always on mic means its always transmitting a constant stream of audio to a remote server, and that's not how it works. The local device waits for a wakeup command, and is NOT constantly streaming a lot of nothingness to a server and using up your bandwidth. After it hears the wakeup command, then yes it records a few seconds of audio and then stops recording. This few seconds of audio after a wakeup command is transmitted to the remote server, but unless you are hosting an ISIS strategy meeting and someone wakes up the echo by accident, what are you worried about? And besides, those few seconds of audio after a wakeup command are encrypted, so now someone has to hack Amazon or Google to get at it, and chances are its not worth it because you're not that important.

You probably already gave up more privacy ages ago: You guys will browse for tranny porn on Chrome, which is all recorded, have your phone tracking and storing everywhere you go, and post daily updates about your life in minutia on social media, and then freak out that at some point someone would be listening to a boring conversation about Star Wars (which wouldn't even happen because of how its designed)? An if worried about the FBI, they will just snoop your cellphone mic. C'mon.

Not a tablet: For those saying its a tablet, well, tablets don't really have speakers worth a damn, and chances are this will have a similar speaker system to the tall Echo, which has a 2.5" woofer and decent tweeters that provide sound comparable to quality bluetooth speakers.

With a screen (so I can glance at the time, alarm times, and weather without asking), video calling capability (assuming it does that), and decent sound quality, I could see this being a great addition to my nightstand.

But the full utility of something like this really requires a "smart" ecosystem. When you have smart lights, irrigation system, ceiling fans, outdoor lighting, alarm system, smart locks, and home entertainment systems and the like, it makes more sense.

Its just another part of the automation coolness, when you can just say a goodnight command and your lights turn off, your doors verify they are locked or lock themselves, activate your motion sensors, have the alarm instantly signal if a door/window sensor is triggered without delay, etc. Or when I'm by the fridge, I can just say "Alexa, add eggs and mayonnaise to shopping list". Or when I plop down on the couch, I just say "Alexa, turn on projector" and it turns off the TV if on, turns off the lights, lowers the projector screen and fires up the projector, turns on the receiver and to the correct input, lowers my exterior blinds, etc. Or you are cooking spaghetti, and can say "alexa, set alarm for 8 minutes". Or just asking what time it is, what the weather is going to be that day, what's on your agenda for the day, or just wanting to dim the lights to 10% brightness and tell it "Alexa, play nature sounds" and listen to some relaxing rain for a short nap.

Sure, a lot you can also just do on your phone with a few clicks here and there, but when I get home my phone plops down on my wireless charging dock, and I'm not carrying it around so speaking is more organic.

I really miss not having an Echo in every room when over at other peeps houses, and I have to turn on lights with my hands like some kind of peasant.
Click to expand...
Let's face it the people going on and on are either have a beef with Amazon or Competitor's fanboys or dramalords. Even if Amazon is lying about only recording after a wake word and while the LED Ring is active, it is no worse than a phone mic. The difference is that your phone is with you 24/7 or 18/7, beacons your location with wifi & gps, reports your browsing and app useage, while this is one room. And if Amazon was lying, you think no geeks have that sucker tapped ready to exposed the secret transmissions it is making of voice recordings? In the end 99.9% of people don't give a fuck if you're smoking pot. If they did, you phone gave you away and tied you to your friends that smoked with you and who you met to buy it from.
 
Ducman69 said:
You guys will browse for tranny porn on Chrome, which is all recorded,
Click to expand...

Found the NSA goon! Obviously, he knows my browsing history. I even cleared my history & cookies and he still found out. We just aren't safe from anyone these days. :D
 
Available for preorder now: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01J24C0T...1a1-74d4a8e2fc8a&pf_rd_r=Y6WVVTGEPG5MPM7FFTSN

$230 is too much money IMO. If it hits ~$150ish on sale, I'd buy it.

  • Echo Show brings you everything you love about Alexa, and now she can show you things. Watch video flash briefings and YouTube, see music lyrics, security cameras, photos, weather forecasts, to-do and shopping lists, and more. All hands-free—just ask.
  • Introducing a new way to be together. Make hands-free video calls to friends and family who have an Echo Show or the Alexa App, and make voice calls to anyone who has an Echo or Echo Dot.
  • See lyrics on-screen with Amazon Music. Just ask to play a song, artist or genre, and stream over Wi-Fi. Also, stream music on Pandora, Spotify, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, and more.
  • Powerful, room-filling speakers with Dolby processing for crisp vocals and extended bass response
  • Ask Alexa to show you the front door or monitor the baby's room with compatible cameras from Ring and Arlo. Turn on lights, control thermostats and more with WeMo, Philips Hue, ecobee, and other compatible smart home devices.
  • With eight microphones, beam-forming technology, and noise cancellation, Echo Show hears you from any direction—even while music is playing
  • Always getting smarter and adding new features, plus thousands of skills like Uber, Jeopardy!, Allrecipes, CNN, and more
Click to expand...
Smart with the security camera integration, although it doesn't list that my Foscam cameras are compatible. Hear something at night, say "Alexa, show cameras", or just use it as a baby monitor. Neat. :)

Looks like it has a pair of the regular Echo speakers:
feature-sound2._CB511521898_.jpg


Says it has eight far-field microphones... dayum. Powered by a Intel Atom x5-Z8350.

Possible problems:
1) It has no battery backup... can resolve by plugging it into one, but still.
2) If internet is down when its time to wake you up, it won't wake you up. Not good.
 
Last edited:
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Ducman69 said:
Possible problems:
1) It has no battery backup... can resolve by plugging it into one, but still.
2) If internet is down when its time to wake you up, it won't wake you up. Not good.
Click to expand...

Crap, you found a chink in the armor. But maybe (if it takes a standard micro USB for power) a $10-20 portable battery can solve the power problem. But yeah, Amazon should have thought of that. Also, do we really think it can't sound an alarm if no internet? Thats an additional bummer.

Other than that, this is pretty much what I expected it would be. And that's not a bad thing, if the speakers are any good.
 
It would have to be one that can power the Echo show while being charged simultaneously and automatically, without having to push a button like some battery packs. I saw a neat one a while back that was real small and was a phone charger with flip out AC prongs that had a small lithium battery built in to it, that would work as a micro-UPS.

The other echos, except for the tap, have the same problem. The echo and echo dot both have various manufacturer battery backups for them though that they dock into, that also allow them to become mobile, so maybe we'll see one made for the echo show too:


My router and modem are on a UPS of course, like most people, but still if internet is out, echos just red ring no connection and won't do anything.
 
This looks great. I have dots in a few rooms and the Echo in the kitchen. Use them quite a lot through the day and while working from home. Having memory issues from a brain injury having her yell reminders at me is super helpful with my work. I think 229 is way too much for this though, I will definitely look out for it around Xmas time when they normally discount Amazon products.
 
TechLarry said:
Everything. It's just there and does whatever I want.

Its my alarm clock in the bedroom. It's attached to a set of Klipsch ProMedia 2.1's so I have a great Music system as well.

The one in the kitchen is the most useful. If I'm out of gravy, I just say "Alexa, order Minors Pork Gravy" and it re-purchases it for me.

It's the BT speaker for the iPad I have on a swing arm near the sink.

If I feel like listening to Lewis Black, I just ask for it and it delivers.

If I want the thermostat adjusted to 68 degree's, I just ask for it.

It plays music for the dogs when I'm out of the house.

If I need to know how many Tablespoons are in a 1/4 cup, I just ask for it and it gives it to me.

It has hundreds if not thousands of uses. You just gotta learn what to ask :)
Click to expand...


You can do all this on an iPad, even when you aren't at home.
 
I like the dot for controlling home theater through Logitech Harmony. Took a bit to customize commands that seem natural, but I think I've pretty much nailed it to my liking.
I can say Play a blu-ray which turns on everything, sets correct inputs, lowers lights, closes shades, and opens blu-ray player tray.
Play xbox1 or PS4.
Watch Netflix.
Watch Amazon
Watch TV
Play music, which sets everything to play from Spotify.

This actually has made my entertainment room used by the whole family now, as they don't even have to pick up the remote.

I think this new device would be handy if it can show playists from different vendors so you can pick track by # instead of trying to remember a song name.
Especially useful as the wife and I wouldn't have to be handing a phone or tablet back and forth to pick songs.
 
Ducman69 said:
Possible problems:
1) It has no battery backup... can resolve by plugging it into one, but still.
2) If internet is down when its time to wake you up, it won't wake you up. Not good.
Click to expand...

What good is a battery backup if the wifi/internet's out too? And if the internet's down- which the device needs to function; is that Amazon's fault?

After living with Echo for two years- I don't see these as issues/problems. I'm more likely to have power brownouts/drops than I am to have internet/connection outages. And even with those- the Echos are still very usable and handy devices.
 
Saturn_V said:
What good is a battery backup if the wifi/internet's out too?
Click to expand...
I already answered that. I think most of us here, at least myself as I indicated, have their modem and router plugged into a UPS. That means a power outage doesn't affect internet connectivity. Its also OK for the Echo to lose much of its functionality without an internet connection, but with a tiny amount of onboard memory, it should be able to recall its most recent alarm wake-up time and maintain that basic functionality, even if it requires you to use your hand to turn it off.
 
Running 7 Google Home's right now, call me when they release a google version of this. Sounds better then echo, ties in easier with Google stuff I think, especially my chromecasts, All I've been waiting for is one good central home command center. You can hack one out of a tablet but something designed for this use seems to be a better idea

Add in Amcrest as being able to feed a camera to it and im sold lol
 
fwiler1 said:
I like the dot for controlling home theater through Logitech Harmony. Took a bit to customize commands that seem natural, but I think I've pretty much nailed it to my liking.
I can say Play a blu-ray which turns on everything, sets correct inputs, lowers lights, closes shades, and opens blu-ray player tray.
Play xbox1 or PS4.
Watch Netflix.
Watch Amazon
Watch TV
Play music, which sets everything to play from Spotify.

This actually has made my entertainment room used by the whole family now, as they don't even have to pick up the remote.

I think this new device would be handy if it can show playists from different vendors so you can pick track by # instead of trying to remember a song name.
Especially useful as the wife and I wouldn't have to be handing a phone or tablet back and forth to pick songs.
Click to expand...

What harmony are you using? Right now I just have a standard Harmony one IR for my home theater and have been using my iphone for the rest. It would be nice to just have a dot in the theater.

If I had kids in other states or wifi connected security cameras and such I could see the usefulness but right now the price is too high and I wouldn't get my ROI.
 
My question, What's it going to show when your kid asks it "Play Twinkle twinkle" ....

 
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