The popularity of portable smart speakers among consumers has increased over the years which assist you to check the latest trending news, controlling your smart home devices, hearing your favorite music, and more by just speaking to the AI. And Amazon has already released the 5th generation Echo Dot speaker with Alexa. Here are our thoughts about the device.
Design and Features
The Amazon Echo Dot line-up has reached its 5th iteration, and the company claims that the device is the best Echo Dot ever made, as compared to the previous generations. The design appears to be similar to the previous 4th generation Echo Dot with its spherical form factor and weighs 304g. The actual physical dimensions are 100mm x 100mm x 89 mm.
The speaker portion features a 44mm front-firing speaker with support for lossless high-definition content. Amazon mentions that the new Echo Dot is made of 55% post-consumer recycled plastics and 100% post-consumer polyester yarn for a nature-friendly construction. The physical controls are located on the top with + and – volume controls, the O action button, and the mute button. This button disables the speaker’s capability to listen or record anything in the background for privacy. The mute button and the circular LED light turn red when activated. The power connector is located on the rear side.
It also should be noted that Amazon also offers the new Echo Dot with a clock that is actually a front-facing LED display. The latest generation Echo Dot also comes in Deep Sea Blue, Glacier White, and Charcoal colors. And our review unit is the latter.
One of the most intriguing features of the Echo Dot is its unique design that suits almost everywhere in your home. Be it on the bookshelf, corner of the table, the dining room, near your bed- you name it. You can still pair the new Echo Dot with another Echo Dot device placed in different rooms on the premises. You can also combine and link with other Amazon products such as the Fire TV for an immersive visual experience and eero WiFi routers for seamless internet connections.
The ability to control smart devices in your home is one of the best features of the device. You can easily connect to Alexa-compatible smart devices such as smart light bulbs, smart plugs, locks, thermostats, fans, Wi-Fi routers, and more. With just the convenience of calling Alexa, you can control the lighting, change the temperature, set up routines to control smart devices, and more. And by just tapping the top part of the device, you can snooze an alarm clock, end an ongoing call, stop a timer, and more.
The company mentions that the fifth-generation Echo Dot is its best sounding yet that produces clean vocals and deep bass effects. Your favorite music, podcasts, and audiobooks will sound much better than previous models. The Echo Dot 5th-gen is compatible with Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, Audible, Pandora, and SiriusXM services. With the Alexa App on your smartphone, you get to choose and customize between multiple options to protect your privacy. You will also be able to erase your recent commands by simply telling Alexa to delete them.
The 5th generation comes with a 15W white power adapter and a quick start guide. Even the packing is made of 100% recyclable material. It could have been better if Amazon offered a power cable that matches the color of the device. But this is just our opinion. We also hope that Amazon could switch to a USB-C port for power delivery on the next 6th generation Echo Dot.
Verdict
Devices such as the Amazon Echo Dot with Alexa AI have definitely impacted how consumers interact with technology and their daily lives. The new 5th generation Amazon Echo Dot features improved audio as compared to the previous versions and the design of the device suits almost every type of interior. The device comes with support for music services such as Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, and more.
The new Echo Dot is made of 55% post-consumer recycled plastics and 100% post-consumer polyester yarn. There is a dedicated mute button for those who are concerned about privacy and doesn’t want the device to record every conversation at home. The device can be paired with other Echo Dot speakers, Fire TV, and eero WiFi routers, along with the ability to control smart home devices such as smart bulbs, thermostats, smart plugs, and more.
