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Amazon Reveals $230 Touchscreen 'Echo Show' Launching in June
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with my wife never enough. even with her phone and watch and alexa she still asks me sometimes. or what tiem it is.
I see what your saying but don't quite follow the "be in a very specific location". For video features, sure, but any other function, the Echo Show should work the same way as the current Echo. Also, it's hard to say if it will be an "inferior experience" at this point. After watching the video showing some of the functions, the Echo Show looks like an interesting upgrade to the current Echo. I'm actually looking forward to seeing how the video calls work and if they are comparable to FaceTime (quality wise).
if they add what'sapp integration, I can see this taking over the market, with only die hard apple denialists holding out
That's why this doesn't really work for the Apple ecosystem, except possibly as a halo product for the family that uses a variety of electronics, and this kind of device centralizes the experience. But it really will need to do more than just be a fixed interface. With an Apple family, it would basically end up being a smart hub in the kitchen or something. Apple's strength is that Siri is available on all of their devices, and all of their devices have screens. If an Apple user needs a screen, they simply pick up the nearest device. There's no point in getting up and walking to a device to interact with it, when they usually have one nearer that's also portable.
Agreed. HomeKit is so easy to create scenes and rooms etc. and Siri works really well with that. I mostly use my echo dot for the Phillips Harmony remote, weather and shopping lists; for $40, I think its more than worth it. This new show thing would be cool on a kitchen counter to use for recipes and stuff, which yes, an iPad will accomplish as well but Alexa works a lot better as a voice assistant than Siri. Just my two cents.
By specific location, I mean in regards to the camera and display. In theory, those new elements of the Echo replace functionality that up to this point are handled by a tablet or smartphone. Making a video call on my phone, tablet or even laptop doesn't require me to be in a fixed location. Same goes for using the display to read whatever information you've requested. That's an inferior experience, IMO.
I like the verbal command elements of these assistants--don't see the point or benefit of the camera or display on it.
Because Siri is a joke.
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You know your iPhone is always listening, right?
Well, it's well-known at this point that Amazon is big into the drone market to deliver packages so coming soon: Echo Drone
Problem for my family is we're in the Apple ecosystem. So no calendar/reminders/messages/email integration with Echo
That's not your problem that's the problem of whole idiotic consumer base that takes sides instead of insisting on universal protocols and services that runs across everything. Exact same reason why we have ten IM apps instead of just one app framework where all IM services can integrate to.
That's equivalent of each cable provider having their own HBO like tv station.
Just one in the kitchen, thank you, with a display to show the 5 day forecast. This will do nicely.
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If it had an Apple logo, then it would look nicer, have better speakers, but voice recognition would be worse, and it would cost 2-3X.
Oh, and you could order things from Amazon on it, which is one nice thing on the Echos.
Tim Cook is a great guy, but not any kind of tech "Visionary" like Steve Jobs was. Apple is a kinder, gentler company with Tim at the helm, but that's not going to produce the next great thing. I see Apple slowly becoming a Microsoft type company where the "sales dept." gains more and more power over future product lines, leading to stagnation, with the public losing interest in all the run of the mill future products. I hope I am proven wrong.
Yes, yes, yes. But its still my problem. I would love to grab a few Echo Dot units for the house, but for what purpose? I use Siri on my iPhone now to integrate with my calendar and reminders. I am going to wait for the WWDC (possible) announcement of a Siri-speaker. If they do release one, I sure hope its price compatible w/Echo dot.
Just a note that the Echo Show has dual Dolby speakers, supposedly an upgrade from the Echo.
If it had Apple logo it would look nicer? You guys sure?
Imagine Apple releasing something that looked like this. So they're releasing a tablet, who cares? At least the Fire tab was cheap and looked presentable.