Amazon debuts second-gen Echo with smaller design, improved speakers, multi-room audio...

[Shawn Knight]

Amazon is looking to compete with Apple on multiple fronts this holiday season. In addition to its new Fire TV set-top box and Echo Spot alarm clock, the Seattle-based e-commerce giant on Wednesday announced a refreshed version of its Echo smart speaker.

The second generation Echo speaker features an all-new compact design and a variety of shell colors to fit nearly any décor. The gadget boasts a new speaker architecture, a dedicated tweeter, a 2.5-inch downward-firing woofer and Dolby processing for improved sound.

Amazon’s new Echo also uses the company’s second generation far-field technology which features better wake word processing, enhanced noise cancellation and improved beamforming technology.

With Alexa, you can now use your Echo, Echo Dot and Echo Show to place free outbound calls to phone numbers within the US, Canada and Mexico.

Amazon unveiled its original Echo speaker in late 2014. Many assumed the device would go down in history as another hardware failure alongside the likes of the Fire Phone but surprisingly enough, the Echo defied all odds and – along with Alexa – became a smash hit for Amazon.

The second generation Amazon Echo retails for $99.99 and is available to pre-order from today. Optionally, you can also score a three-pack of Echo speakers for multi-room audio for just $250 (simply add them all to your cart and Amazon will automatically deduct $50). Look for the device to ship next month.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/71170-amazon-debuts-second-gen-echo-smaller-design-improved.html

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

Just like the previous article, there's nothing of much interest about this gadget either

 

[dirtyferret]

Let me fix this line for you

"Amazon is looking to compete with Apple on multiple fronts this holiday season"

should read, "Amazon is looking to distance itself further from Apple on multiple fronts this holiday season"

Amazon has 76% US market share of smart speakers
https://www.geekwire.com/2017/amazo...re-echo-unit-sales-reach-15m-new-study-finds/

Roku more then doubles Apple share of the smart TV market, Amazon is second with more then a 50% lead on Apple
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/technology/sd-fi-roku-streaming-20170826-story.html

 

[Skullet]

Let me fix this line for you

"Amazon is looking to compete with Apple on multiple fronts this holiday season"

should read, "Amazon is looking to distance itself further from Apple on multiple fronts this holiday season"

Amazon has 76% US market share of smart speakers
https://www.geekwire.com/2017/amazo...re-echo-unit-sales-reach-15m-new-study-finds/

Roku more then doubles Apple share of the smart TV market, Amazon is second with more then a 50% lead on Apple
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/technology/sd-fi-roku-streaming-20170826-story.html

Market share is only one metric and it isn't even the most important one when it comes to business, it's profit. Which of the companies you mentioned do you think will make the most amount of profit this year? I'll give you a clue, it isn't Roku and it isn't Amazon.

Apple doesn't need to dominate the smart speaker market, it just needs to take a significant chunk of the profit from it and there's a decent chance of that happening.

 

[dirtyferret]

Market share is not important in business, thank you Donald Trump for your insight into business. I didn't know you read this web site. I'll let Microsoft and blackberry know their phones truly are not the disaster 99.99% of the business community say they are because you think market share is not important.

 

[Skullet]

Market share is not important in business, thank you Donald Trump for your insight into business. I didn't know you read this web site. I'll let Microsoft and blackberry know their phones truly are not the disaster 99.99% of the business community say they are because you think market share is not important.

I can't tell if you're unable to read or simply unable to grasp basic concepts? Can you point to where I said market share isn't important? I said it's not the most important metric when it comes to business that's not the same as saying it isn't important, but it still isn't as important as profit. What have Trump, Microsoft or Blackberry got to do with anything here? We're talking about Apple, the company who took about 79% of global smartphone profits in 2016 with only about 14.5% global market share. If ever there was a statistic that absolutely demolishes your comments about market share, then that's it right there.

 

[dirtyferret]

I can't tell if you're unable to read or simply unable to grasp basic concepts? Can you point to where I said market share isn't important? I said it's not the most important metric when it comes to business that's not the same as saying it isn't important, but it still isn't as important as profit. What have Trump, Microsoft or Blackberry got to do with anything here? We're talking about Apple, the company who took about 79% of global smartphone profits in 2016 with only about 14.5% global market share. If ever there was a statistic that absolutely demolishes your comments about market share, then that's it right there.

I'm obviously dealing with someone of limited intelligence or an apple fan boy although the two are actually redundant. Apple is second to Samsung in terms of smart phone shipments. Apple is late to the game in the speaker market and have only hemorrhaged market share in the streaming market. Now if you want to continue with your immature hissy fit you have my permission. I'm done with this thread and your trolling ways. I won't be coming back to read any of your replies.

 

[Skullet]

I'm obviously dealing with someone of limited intelligence or an apple fan boy although the two are actually redundant. Apple is second to Samsung in terms of smart phone shipments. Apple is late to the game in the speaker market and have only hemorrhaged market share in the streaming market. Now if you want to continue with your immature hissy fit you have my permission. I'm done with this thread and your trolling ways. I won't be coming back to read any of your replies.

Right...you're going to question my intelligence after you made a bunch of ridiculously dumb comments, and to top it off you're trying to play the whole fanboy card because that's not a mouldy old chestnut. Apple were also late to the watch market and yet they've taken a big chunk of it already, they were also late to the party with phones and again they take the lions share of the profit, they're also taking a pretty decent chunk of profit from the streaming market. If I'm being honest you're probably better not posting any more replies as your input so far has been embarrassing, if anyone's trolled you then you've trolled yourself by being utterly clueless.