Amazon has just announced the new Echo Dot, a device that adds Alexa capabilities to any speaker, essentially turning the speaker into an Amazon Echo. The Echo Dot looks exactly like the top portion of the Amazon Echo, down to the circle of blue LEDs which light up to indicate which of the always listening microphones is closest to you. It connects to speakers you already own through bluetooth or a 3.5 mm audio port on the back. It has its own built in speaker so that you can still be used as an Alexa interface device while not connected to external speakers. The Echo Dot is currently only available for pre-order through Alexa and costs $89.99. Amazon Echo and Fire TV owners can say “Alexa, order an Echo Dot” to order the device, which will arrive on March 31st. The Echo Dot has all the same Alexa capabilities as the Amazon Echo, including smart home integration. Through its own built in speaker, the Echo Dot can be used as a standalone voice interface for controlling your connected devices in any room.
Update
If you don’t have access to Alexa, you can order the Echo Dot through this link.
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I wish they would add that bluetooth connectivity to the 1st gen echo. It would be nice to be able to connect to external speakers via bluetooth.
thanks for the heads up – just had my wife order 2 to flip on ebay. limit 2, only available to prime members using alexa to order, and this warning: “Important: Echo Dot is available in limited quantities. When we sell out of Echo Dot devices, they will no longer be available. You can only order this device using Alexa. You can’t order Echo Dot on the Amazon website or Amazon shopping apps.” should pull a good return.
these devices are a cool idea, but in this day/age i just cant get over an electronic device constantly listening. you are basically bugging your own house voluntarily, i dont get it. maybe i just cherish my privacy too much to take the risk
Q. can the echo control what is being played on the Fire TV?
Sadly, no. Not yet. Which is a shame. Seems like a waste to have to buy a voice remote & press a button to control Alexa on your Fire TV when you already own a touch free, always listening Echo to control Alexa. Seems like it would have been the first thing Amazon implemented when it added Alexa to the Fire TV, but no.
I don’t quite get this item. Can I plug it in to my current non-Bluetooth receiver? And then stream music from my phone?
I don’t believe so. If you connect to your non-Bluetooth receiver via the audio out cable, you will be streaming directly from the supported apps on the echo dot itself and controlling play/pause etc via voice. Using your phone would totally defeat the benefits of the echo.
What is really strange is the control decisions you need to make now. For instance I can control Pandora on my Denon receiver through the Harmony hub, which integrates directly with SmartThings and can now be controlled via voice on the echo dot. So ironically I can easily control the FireTV through the echo dot, which you can’t do directly which someone else pointed out. So should I play pandora directly in the echo dot and Bluetooth to the receiver or control receiver Pandora controls directly with echo dot? A lot of ways to skin the cat.
I would say it’s possible
Look at the spec on amazon
http://www.amazon.com/b/?node=14047587011
Bluetooth Connectivity Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) support for audio streaming from your mobile device to Echo Dot or from Echo Dot to your bluetooth speaker. Audio/Video Remote Control Profile (AVRCP) for voice control of connected mobile devices. Hands-free voice control is not supported for Mac OS X devices. Bluetooth speakers requiring PIN codes are not supported.
Anyone who wants to order an Echo Dot, but doesn’t have an Echo, can order one through here: https://alexaweb.herokuapp.com/
Regarding the audio out jack, does anyone if this can plug into an amplifier aux input or is it strictly for low impedance devices (speakers) only. Is it a stereo jack or mono?