In its ongoing bid to convince the world that, yes, you do really want to be speaking voice commands at a device across the room, Amazon has launched two new products that build on the launch of the original Echo.
The Echo Dot is a smaller, cheaper version of the Echo that uses the same far-field voice technology (so you shouldn’t need to shout across the room) but that can be directly connected via cable or Bluetooth to other music systems.
It does still have a small in-built speaker though, so that it can be used for voice commands or as an alarm clock without being plugged into your stereo.
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The second device is the Amazon Tap, which is an Alexa-voice controlled Bluetooth and Wi-Fi speaker, but doesn’t feature the far-field technology.
It’s an altogether more portable option that allows you to tap the mic and do things like ask for news updates, order a pizza or search any other information on the Web – though its primary use is as a 360-degree speaker.
A little oddly, you can only order the Echo Dot via Alexa voice commands from an Echo or via Fire TV, plus you have to be a Prime subscriber. It’s currently priced at $89.99.
Amazon Tap is available to pre-order online, however, priced at $129.99.
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