People still asking, “what is Echo?” often find glowing reviews of the family of Amazon devices online. They are cheap, can be found nearly everywhere, and the virtual assistant, Amazon Alexa is highly praised. However, the longer the devices have been available, the more people are recommending not buying the voice-assisted speaker. Here is a bit of information on the Amazon Echo and why you should not buy one.
What Is Echo
There are several Echo devices available on the market, including the Echo, Echo Plus, Echo Dot, Echo Show, and Echo Spot. All the devices come with the help of Alexa, which allows Echo owners to carry out a variety of tasks. These can include playing music, calling friends, getting step-by-step recipe instructions, and playing basic games. Alexa can also utilize Skills, which are created by third-party developers. This allows an Echo device to be used for ordering pizza, learning fun facts from NASA, or even playing Jeopardy.
The Echo Show and Echo Spot include a screen so users can chat face to face with loved ones, and on-screen lyrics can accompany the music. The Echo Plus primarily differs from the original Echo in that it acts as a smart hub to control smart home devices.
The Echo and Echo Dot are the two most popular Echo models on the market. When searching, “what is Echo”, advertisements for the Echo focus primarily on the sound quality of the speakers, as well as the ability of the device to recognize human voices. The Echo Dot is equally good at voice recognition, but its speaker system is much smaller. For this reason, the device comes with a port so users can attach it to external speakers.
Amazon Echo Price
What is Echo priced at? The price of the Amazon Echo devices has dropped significantly since first being released. When the Echo first came out in late 2014, it was sold for $180. That price has dropped significantly, and today the device (2nd generation) is available for $85 through Amazon.com.
The other Echo devices range in price. The Echo Dot is currently available at $40, the Echo Plus at $150, the Echo Spot at $130, and the Echo Show at $230. All the prices vary from time to time, but in general are lower around the holiday season and when Amazon has special promotions.
Do Not Buy Amazon Echo
While there are numerous reasons to buy an Amazon Echo, there are also many reasons not to buy one. The biggest reason is privacy concerns. An Echo device works by always listening for its wake word (usually “Alexa”) unless turned off, which people rarely do. This means Amazon is able to listen in on everything said in your home, and they are constantly collecting data. You may be asking what is Echo data and where is it stored? As far as the general public knows, the data is stored on large servers that are highly protected. Obviously, the location of these servers is top-secret Amazon knowledge. While Amazon says they do not listen in on a normal conversation in a home, they do admit to collecting data on every command said to the Echo device. Users can decide whether or not they are comfortable with this when deciding to buy an Echo device or not.
The biggest reason is privacy concerns.
Relatedly, an always-on device is vulnerable to being hacked. Hackers have actually broken past the security in smart speakers, and have recorded hours and hours of audio. Think about all the personal and confidential information you say out loud in your home (credit card numbers? social security number?).
Many people receive Amazon Echo devices as gifts from loved ones. Before buying the device, don’t assume the person you are buying for wants one. While having a device sounds like it would make life easier, many people do not see the need of having a device to check the weather or play music. Not everyone wants a new gadget in a more and more technology-driven world.