Two of the hottest selling electronic items currently are the Echo and Echo Dot from Amazon. If you’re not a techie, you may not have heard of either, or you may not know the difference between the two. Whether you are shopping for yourself or a loved one, this guide should help you pick the right device for your needs.
For starters, let’s do a quick comparison, then we’ll hash out the finer points in the following sections. Here are a couple of the best-selling items on Amazon currently.
The Amazon Echo vs the Echo Dot
Which Amazon Device is Right for You?
As with most things, preferences and lifestyles are factors when trying to decide which device is best for you or your loved one. Here is some more information to help you make a decision.
Amazon Echo Dot
As you can see, both devices are pretty similar in functionality. Which one you should get depends on your individual situation. The Second Generation Amazon Echo Dot does have some added functionality. If you are looking for a portable device with the capacity to connect with nearly any speaker, it is a great choice.
The dot comes with a 3.5 mm audio output jack. This type of jack is the familiar headphones jack we’ve all seen and used for years. You can plug any speaker in to it, making almost anything an Alexa-enabled device. The Echo does not have this capability.
Both the Echo and the Dot will allow you to control smart home devices such as fans, thermostats, garage doors, sprinklers, lights and more. They both have built in speakers, but the Dot has a much smaller one. The Dot has ESP in case you are thinking of getting multiple devices. This feature makes is to voice commands are only activating the closest device.
The Dot’s portability is a great feature that is not shared with the Echo. At $50, the Dot is more affordable, as well. They are available in six and twelve packs, with discounts for purchasing more.
Amazon Echo
Much larger than the little Dot, the Echo can produce much more sound. It stands at 9.25 inches vs. the Dot’s 1.6 inches and has a bigger circumference as well. While it is less portable, the Echo produces audio that will fill the room.
The Echo is better if you are looking for a stationary speaker and personal assistant. It can be moved, but is less portable than the Dot.
Both of these items are great for the price. Alexa is an amazing hands-free assistant. With its help and your voice, Alexa will have no trouble controlling compatible smarthome devices, making to-do lists, streaming podcasts, playing audiobooks, setting alarms, reading PDFs, getting weather forecasts, receiving traffic updates, answering trivia questions and supplying many types of information in real-time. She even has a huge list of funny Alexa commands, we have a list of 200 funny Alexa Easter eggs here.
You now know everything you need to know about these products. Some people don’t even know the names of these new Amazon devices, so you’re ahead of the curve.
If you can’t decide, get a Dot and try it out for awhile. They are cheap enough, if you decide you want an Echo instead, the Dot will still be very useful. The bottom line is, both the Echo and the Dot are incredible items that are selling like hot cakes for a reason.
