Bluetooth connectivity. It’s a small step forwards, but Amazon keeps improving its app and services to bring unified smart home control across the widest range of devices of any system.It’s still not a perfect system, though. As a smart home hub, however, it no longer has the edge.The new Amazon Echo Plus is priced at the same $149.99 / £139.99 / AU$229 as the previous model, making it pretty good value given the improvements to its internal hardware and external smart gear pairings. But it does now look uncannily similar to a standard Amazon Echo. The problem with the original was that the smart hub wasn’t that useful, let down by the software support.Alexa isn’t quite as easy to talk to as the Google Assistant and needs more stringently worded sentences to respond. You'd have to be truly invested in the Echo line to opt for this sort of set up rather than, say, a dedicated high-end stereo system paired with an Echo Dot.This latest Echo Plus 2018 model, the one we're reviewing here, still offers all of the same audio quality and improved functionality. Add in Philips Hue bulbs, for example, and you can now use the app to set the colour, as well as toggling the lights on or off. You still get more control of scenes and a wider range of colours if you use the Philips Hue app, but the Amazon Echo Plus (2nd Gen) gives enough control for many people.The Zigbee hub is no longer unique to the Amazon Echo Plus (2nd Gen), also featuring in the Echo Show. At 780g (down from just under a kilogram), however, it's also shed a decent few pounds.But as that range expands, the separation between the standard Echo and Echo Plus looks more and more blurred.There are other small cosmetic changes: the Amazon logo has moved from the main body to the underside of the speaker, while the 'mute' button has ditched its microphone symbol for a less evocative crossed circle. All rights reserved. The Amazon Echo Plus (2nd Gen) is definitely not a HomePod or Sonos One competitor and loses out to both of these speakers for musical fidelity.As with the rest of the revamped Echo range, the Amazon Echo Plus (2nd Gen) has been redesigned from the ground up. Its cylindrical body is covered in fabric, with a choice of black, grey or white options. With its built-in Zigbee hub, it was designed to give you a smart home without the need for additional boxes, but failed to deliver the controls needed. Its … Each Skill lets you expand what the Echo is capable of, such as giving you live Tube updates. The sheer number of devices in the Echo range has always been to Amazon's strength – the minuscule Echo Dot, the portable Echo Tap, the screen-based Echo Show, to name but a few – allowing users to tailor their Echo purchase to their particular needs. Cue smart switches, cameras, thermostats and bulbs suddenly under the dominion of your central Echo Plus speaker, to be commanded with ease over the Alexa app or by standard voice control. Instead, the Amazon Echo Plus (2nd Gen) uses the standard button layout as its siblings. I’ve covered these in more detail in my Amazon Alexa guide, but I’ll go over some of the finer points here.The only thing I miss about the original is its mechanical dial used for volume control. And, as Amazon can’t use Google services, directions and local business results aren’t as accurate or as useful as with Google’s service.Echo Plus (2nd Gen) – Premium sound with a built-in smart home hub - Charcoal fabricThe Amazon Alexa Skills store remains one of the system’s highlights. As a general assistant, Alexa does well. Generally, the Amazon Echo Plus (2nd Gen) picked up my voice-prompts regardless of distance.But price is important.
If you're looking for a high-quality smart speaker, this is the one to buy.Inside, there’s a 0.8-inch tweeter and 3-inch subwoofer. When listening to the radio or podcasts, though, the boosted audio gives a rounded, natural sound to voices.The new Amazon Echo Plus ditches its original two-tier build for a design much like the mainline Amazon Echo, with improved audio components and a far more attractive design. Be respectful, keep it civil and stay on topic.
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