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By Trevor Mogg Published November 20, 2024 6:53 AM
Amazon
Amazon has just unveiled its largest Echo Show yet, sporting a 21-inch display. It’also upgraded the existing Echo Show 15, which up until now had the largest display in the company’s expanding lineup of smart displays.
The new Echo Show 21 (below) and the refreshed Echo Show 15, announced by Amazon on Wednesday, offer the best audio yet of any of its Alexa-enabled smart displays, with room adaption technology and double the bass.
AmazonAnyone using the Echo Show 15 or Echo Show 21 for video calls will be pleased to learn that the auto-framing feature has also been improved, with more than double the field of view and 65% more zoom than the first-generation Echo Show 15. This helps ensure that you’ll always be in the frame while moving about the room, chatting to friends or family. The audio should be even clearer, too, as Amazon has added noise-reduction technology to video calls to isolate the speaker’s voice and block out background noise.
Both the Echo Show 15 and and Echo Show 21 have a built-in smart home hub, so they’re compatible with Matter and can directly connect with Wi-Fi, Thread, and Zigbee devices, Amazon told Digital Trends by email. They can also control a range of devices locally, such as lights, switches, and plugs, for even faster device response time. And these are the first Echo smart displays to offer Wi-Fi 6E, which should result in smoother streaming experiences for Fire TV and audio content.
Amazon launched the first Echo Show in 2017 as an evolution of its Echo smart speaker technology that brought a visual element to voice interactions. Powered by Alexa, the Echo Show can respond to voice commands to carry out tasks like answering your questions, setting reminders and timers, getting news updates, and so on.
The touchscreen provides visual information to complement voice responses, allowing users to see the latest news, weather forecasts, and more. Video Calling is also part of the package, along with Smart Home control of devices such as lights, thermostats, and security cameras.
As you’d expect, you can also stream content like video, music, audiobooks, and podcasts, and use Echo Show as a digital photo frame — a feature that will look even more impressive on the Echo Show 21 with its larger display.
The updated Echo Show 15 costs $300 — marking a $50 increase to its launch price in 2021 — while the Echo Show 21 retails for $400. Both devices are available now and ship with an Alexa Voice Remote and wall-mounting equipment. Additional customization options include light brown or white frame accessories that snap around the edges ($35 for the Echo Show 15 and $40 for the Echo Show 21), and a premium counter stand for $100.
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
The most common Echo Show problems and how to fix them
If you're looking to add a smart display to your home, the Amazon Echo Show is a great option. Bringing the best of Alexa into the visual realm, the Echo Show allows you to tap into real-time video from your home's smart security system, have video calls with friends and family using Alexa's Drop In feature, stream from Hulu and Prime Video, run photo slideshows, and so much more.
But glitches happen, and the Echo Show is not without its small trail of troubles. Fortunately, many of these issues have straightforward fixes. In this deep dive, we'll be taking a look at the most common Echo Show problems and how you can fix them.
Echo Show screen is flickering
This issue has been with the Echo Show since the first-generation model. What we're talking about are pulsating horizontal lines stretching across the screen. Sometimes, the malfunction appears closer to the bottom of the display, where Alexa's indicator is, or up and down the entire display. Some Echo Show owners experience this infrequently, others all the time. If your own Show is flickering, there are a few things you can try.
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What to do if your Amazon Alexa app is not working
If you use Amazon Alexa and its quit responding to you, you may have realized by now that there are a ton of thing that could be causing that problem. One big issue is that the Amazon Alexa app itself has potentially shut down communication with you. Instead of getting overwhelmed by the all of the possibilities, letting your Amazon Echo devices sit there useless, and feeling despair, try an ordered list of potential fixes to get things started.
While there are a lot of different reasons for an Alexa to quite responding, if you go through the following techniques one by one, you'll certainly get a resolution to any problems you might be having with the Alexa app. We'll walk you through everything from updating your Alexa device to contacting Amazon for advanced help if no simple fix will work.
Check for a software update
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Echo Hub vs. Echo Show 15: Which is the best smart home gadget?
The Echo Hub might look like a smart display, but it actually falls into a category of smart home products known as smart control panels. Unlike smart displays, which are jack-of-all-trades entertainment hubs, control panels are designed to give you enhanced control over the rest of your smart home. That's an important distinction, and it's one of the main differences between the Echo Hub and Echo Show 15.
But is the Echo Hub or Echo Show 15 better for your smart home? Here's everything you need to know before making a purchase.
Pricing and design
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