See what Alexa can do
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This dot has surprised me with how much easier Alexa has become to use over time, both with how much more can be done, and the ability to speak naturally and have Alexa understand what you need essentially every time.
The sound quality is genuinely really good, especially for its price (as far as I know it's usually going for around £50, which is decent, but I got it for £28 on a sale, and it makes it insanely good value). I listen to music a lot on Spotify and it sounds very clear and picks out a lot of details that a decent amount of Bluetooth speakers don't at a similar price.
That being said, you get to use premium on the dot for a couple of weeks for free, and after that you realize how much it's needed for it to be convenient. When you go to a free version, you only get a few skips on songs per hour with your playlists forced to shuffle, and it seems to make searching for playlists a pain too (I couldn't get Alexa to play mine by asking for the playlist's name until I had premium).
There are a bunch of good features on it too, like being able to ask for the news, being able to play sounds to help you sleep as well as the usual stuff any assistant has already, like weather, timers, and getting notifications to the dot (which a lot of the time is غ asking for reviews on things you bought, but it only asks for a star rating and then thanks you, and it doesn't ask on its own, it just flashes a dim light, so it's not too bad). The ability to add skills to get certain functions that aren't around by default is a great idea, but unless you want to make your own (which with the Alexa Skill Kit is intuitive but still requires some setting up and verification from غ), you will only get a function if it's on the store in the Alexa app, but there is a mass to choose from so you most likely will be covered.
It also is able to work out what you say really well. My room is fairly small, but it can still hear what I'm saying while in the shower, and responds pretty quickly, so you don't have to talk like a robot as with older devices.
There are a couple of annoying things about it though. For one that happens to me personally, connecting to WiFi can be a real pain. Alexa tries to use Bluetooth to let you choose a network, but for me the connection immediately drops and you are forced to try 2 more times before it uses its fallback, which is opening its own WiFi hotspot to connect to and choose through that. After that, the correct password is always called as incorrect and gives me an error, but if I then leave setup it connects anyway.
Another issue is that you *cannot* use any network that uses a login page without being able to manually whitelist the dot (I currently live in accomodation like this, and it took me an hour to connect to it because the provider has set up the network in a weird way). If you have a login page, search 'connect Alexa with MAC address whitelisting' and you should find some instructions to help you, like from smarthomeperfected.
Overall, it's much easier to use than older assistants, is packed with features with plenty to add on, and for the price sounds great even just for listening to music.
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‘Alexa, turn on the lights’.
Control the lights with your voice.
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“Alexa, play music everywhere.”
Use your voice to play a song, artist or genre through غ Music, Apple Music, Spotify, Deezer and more. With multi-room music, you can fill your whole home with music, radio stations, podcasts and Audible using compatible Echo devices in different rooms.
Designed to protect your privacy
Alexa and Echo devices are built with multiple layers of privacy protection. Echo smart speakers have a Microphone Off button that electronically disconnects the microphones. You also have control over your voice recordings and can view, hear or delete them at any time. Learn more about privacy.
Simple to set up and use
1.
Plug in Echo Dot.
2.
Connect to the internet with the Alexa app.
3.
Ask Alexa for music, weather, news and more.
Every day is an Earth Day
You don’t have to be an environmental scientist to make sustainable choices. We integrated sustainability in the design of this device. Here’s how:
Materials
50% of the plastics used are post-consumer recycled plastics.
100% of the fabric used is post-consumer recycled fabric.
100% of the aluminium used is recycled die-cast aluminium.
Device, cable and adaptor included.
Clean Energy
غ is building new wind and solar farms to produce clean energy equivalent to the electricity used by this device. See the for more details.
Device Packaging
98% of this device’s packaging is made of wood fibre-based materials from responsibly managed forests or recycled sources.
Low Power Mode
To reduce its energy consumption, this device will enter Low Power mode when it is idle. Low Power mode is not available for certain user configurations. To learn more, see Low Power Mode Restrictions.
Technical details
Echo Dot (4th generation)
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Size |
100 x 100 x 89 mm (3.9” x 3.9” x 3.5”) |
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Weight |
328 grammes. Actual size and weight may vary by manufacturing process. |
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Wi-Fi connectivity |
Dual-band Wi-Fi supports 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5 GHz) networks. Does not support connecting to ad-hoc (or peer-to-peer) Wi-Fi networks. |
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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. |
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eero Built-in |
eero Built-in is available in US, CA and UK only. Your wifi network must use a compatible eero router and your Echo device must stay in range of a compatible eero device. You will need to link your eero and غ accounts and manage eero Built-in from the eero mobile application to use this feature. eero Built-in compatible Echo devices support up to 1,000 square feet (92 square metres) of additional coverage, speeds up to 100 Mbps, and 10 or fewer connected devices in the 5 GHz band. Actual performance can vary and certain eero, Echo, or Alexa features may be incompatible with eero Built-in. Use of eero and eero-related products and services, including eero Built-in, requires creation of an eero account and agreement to Review |
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Audio |
1.6” speaker. 3.5 mm stereo audio output for use with external speakers (audio cable not included). |
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System requirements |
Echo Dot comes ready to connect to your Wi-Fi. The Alexa app is compatible with Fire OS, Android and iOS devices, and is also accessible via your web browser. Supported operating systems. Certain skills and services may require subscription or other charges. |
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Setup technology |
غ Wi-Fi simple setup enables customers to connect smart devices to their Wi-Fi network in a few easy steps. Wi-Fi simple setup is another way Alexa is always getting smarter. Learn more about Wi-Fi simple setup. |
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Warranty and service |
غ Echo Dot (4th generation) is sold with a limited warranty of one year provided by the manufacturer. If you are a consumer, the limited warranty is in addition to your consumer rights, and does not jeopardise these rights in any way. This means you may still have additional rights at law even after the limited warranty has expired (for further information on your consumer rights, click here). Use of غ Echo Dot is subject to the terms found here. |
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Accessibility features |
The Alexa app and Alexa-enabled products include several features for customers with accessibility needs related to vision, hearing, mobility and speech. Learn more about Alexa accessibility. |
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Included in the box |
Echo Dot, white coloured power adaptor (15W) and . |
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Generation |
Echo Dot 4th generation (2020 release) |
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Privacy features |
Wake word technology, streaming indicators, Microphone Off button, the ability to view and delete your voice recordings, and more. Visit the Alexa Privacy Hub to explore how Alexa and Echo devices are designed to protect your privacy. |
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Languages |
Alexa speaks English, German, French, Italian and Spanish. |
Sustainability features
This product has sustainability features recognised by trusted certifications.
Carbon impact
Carbon emissions from the lifecycle of this product were reduced compared to similar products or previous models.
As certified by
The most common, usable smart speaker in the world just got a little better. And louder.
Hello everyone, I’ve put together this written review, alongside a video review, of the new غ Echo Dot Gen 4. If you’re familiar with Echo and Alexa, you’ll only be interested in the first part of the review and you can ignore everything after my device appraisal. Acknowledging, though, that many people may be new to smart speakers I’ve also added sections on how to install the Alexa app, how to set up your new speaker and what you can subsequently do with the Echo Dot. My apologies for going over things that you might already know, but I try to be as inclusive as possible. A word on myself, a regular غ reviewer and member of their Vine review programme. However, this review is entirely independent and based on a product that I purchased at full RRP and opinions are entirely my own.The Device:The Echo speaker has been around a few years now, and despite the best efforts of Google and Apple, غ’s Alexa has been welcomed into more homes than any other smart assistant. The most popular of all smart speakers is the Echo Dot. Other bigger and better sounding speakers are available, but the Echo Dot has always hit a nice sweet spot of performance and affordability. The first couple of generations of Echo Dots were clearly toes in the water to see if we were ready for smart assistants. They gave us a glimpse of what could be achievable, but they didn’t sound particularly good. We’ve still got two Generation 2 Echo Dots that live in the garage and shed, and they really do sound tinny and weak. That changed with the Generation 3 Echo Dot, of which we have five around the house, as they sounded so much better. The sound was deeper and the volume could go much higher before losing fidelity. The microphone was also improved, and the entire experience with using Alexa made a big step forward.And now, today, the Echo Dot Generation 4 has been released. Literally today. The posty delivered it today, 22nd of October 2020, release day, and I’ve been putting it through its paces alongside an Echo Dot Gen 2, a Gen 3, a Bang & Olufsen A1 portable speaker with Alexa, a Sonos One, my iPhone 11 Pro attached by Bluetooth to an Anker Soundcore and finally a Denon AVR2500 with Alexa (via Echo Dot) feeding a Wharfedale DX-2 7.1 speaker system. Speakers across the size, quality and price range, but all capable of using Alexa voice control.So, what’s different between the Gen 3 and 4? Well, visually, غ have dropped the familiar hockey puck design of all of the previous Echo Dots, and gone for a new ball shape. Beauty is a subjective thing, and it’s up to you to decide if it looks better than the round, squat thing we’ve all grown used to. Personally, I quite liked the simplicity of the Gen 3. It was a nice, compact form with easy to find buttons. It blended discreetly into the home and you forgot about it until Alexa piped up. The new Gen 4 isn’t so discreet. While it is about the same size on plan, its bulbous design stands out much more than before, but you assume that the extra space has been utilised to improve the sound offered, and project it further. The buttons for volume, action and turning off the microphone are on top of the globe and instead of being circular, as before, are now raised characters resembling a games controller. That needs to grow on me a little, I think. The status light is now around the base of the speaker rather than the top as before, which again will take a little getting used to. Overall, it has a similar middle of the road build quality about it that carries over from the Gen 3.Setting up the Echo is, as usual, very simple. If you see my video, mine took me by surprise as it connected straight to my existing network with no setup at all. If it’s your first Echo device and assuming you have the Alexa app you go to Devices, Add, غ Echo, and wait for it to connect. The work of moments, and then it’s ready to go. Like the Gen 3 it uses its own power cable rather than a USB cable as the Gen 1 & 2 used. There’s also the usual 3.5mm audio line out should you need it.Regarding the sound, it’s really quite good. The Dot is effectively the bottom of the range Echo speaker, with the larger Echo, Echo Plus (I think now discontinued, or soon to be) and Echo Studio offering superior sound for a greater investment. But, despite that, it holds its own very well. If you want the absolute best sound, you’re likely to want to spend much more on a dedicated sound system, but for general, every day use, the Echo Dot is perfectly acceptable. Sound remained stable even at maximum volume, and just as good I found Alexa was able to hear my commands despite being at full-pelt Brian Johnson.In my tests, it’s clearly better than the Gen 2, and a very marginal improvement on the Gen 3. I found the Dot a match for the Bang & Olufsen A1 portable speaker up to all but the loudest volumes, which is four times the RRP, and much more user friendly. My Sonos Ones obviously sound better, as you’d hope given the price and size of them, but I’ve had them since they were released a few years ago and I simply don’t use them. Sonos speakers work wonderfully well in a Sonos ecosystem, but I’ve found them clunky with Alexa. Playlists stop for no reason, and they don’t integrate into an Echo multi-speaker set-up. You can’t get them to play at the same time as several other Echo speakers. They’re undoubtedly high quality, but despite that I’ve just sold them both to my brother-in-law. I’d rather re-invest the money into an Echo Dot and a larger Echo and have a house-wide speaker system that is not far off the Sonos in terms of sound quality but is easier to operate and at a fraction of the cost. As for the Denon amp with Wharfedale speakers, yes, they’re next level again. But to come out of stand-by and start playing the music my Echo Dot’s are halfway though Dark Side of the Moon before I’ve heard a peep from the big boom box.So, the verdict? The RRP, and reviewed price, is £49.99 and I think you get a lot of functionality, sound quality and style for your money. There is an elephant in the room though. A hockey puck-shaped elephant in fact. The Gen 3 Echo Dot is still available at the time of writing. It’s almost as good to listen to, and I think looks nicer. It’s also £10 cheaper, and often a lot cheaper than that as it’s regularly on offer. Is the Gen 4 that much better than the Gen 3? I’m not so sure.Taken in isolation, the Gen 4 غ Echo Dot is an excellent smart speaker. I gave the Gen 3 a five-star review, and the Gen 4 is every bit as worthy. It will undoubtedly go on to be the best-selling product of its type, and deservedly so. But, while the Gen 3 is still available at a much cheaper price, it makes it that little bit harder to justify.How to set up you Echo device:If you’re new to the world of Alexa then you may be wondering how easy it is to set up an Echo device. If you’ve ordered from غ, they’ll helpfully email you a guide to setting it up. You’ll need the غ Alexa app, available from both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Download and wait for it to install, and then open it up. The app gives help on various subjects if you tap the question mark in the top right corner of the home screen. The guide on setting up your new Echo Dot is found in this area by selecting Alexa Devices, then Echo Dot, and Set Up Your Echo Dot.As a quick overview though, plug in your Echo Dot (after a short period the status light will turn orange to show it is in Setup mode) and then open the Alexa app. On the bottom menus select “Devices”. On the Devices screen, tap the “+” button in the top right and choose “Add Device”. Select “غ Echo” and then “Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Plus and more”. Assuming your Echo is plugged in and the status light is orange, select “Yes”. The app will then search for your new Echo Dot and complete the setup. The whole process takes only a few moments, and then you’re ready to get creative with Skills and Routines.What can you do with Alexa?A smart speaker is actually quite dumb to start with. It’s when you start adding things that it becomes truly smart in my view. On its own, you’ll be able to ask Alexa questions, play a few games, set up alarms and reminders and get a weather forecast; the general things you’d expect from a home assistant. Remember to always begin every command with the wake word, “Alexa…”, which can be altered to “غ”, “Echo” or “Computer” if you wish. To do certain things and play games you need to enable “Skills & Games”, which is found in the “More” menu at the bottom of the app. In there, you’ll find hundreds of things you can do with Alexa. For example, I regularly play the BBC quiz shows Pointless and Tenable. “Alexa, what is the weather forecast” or “Alexa, give me a ten-minute countdown” are examples of simple commands.As I say though, the Echo is just the gateway to a vast array of smart applications. How smart it goes depends on how far you want to go and how much to spend. What starts out as a single Echo device can quickly expand to a device in every room, attached to smart devices such as light bulbs, sockets, central heating and cameras. The first thing you may wish to use your speaker for is playing music. Echo is compatible with most of the main music streaming services such as Apple and Spotify, and of course غ Music. With your Echo you get access to غ Music’s free service, which is actually pretty good. It is limited, and you won’t find all of your favourite artists, but I recommend you try it out for a week or two as it might be good enough for your requirements. If not, I do highly recommend upgrading to غ Music Unlimited, or better still غ Music Unlimited Family which can be shared with multiple family members (not necessarily in the same household). I’ve not encountered many songs that aren’t on there. I used to have my iPhone full of mp3 music, but now I stream everything. “Alexa, play some 80’s rock” and I’m good for hours. If you have multiple speakers you can have the music played to one, many or all of them for house-wide coverage.Philips Hue lightbulbs are fantastic devices. They’re very expensive compared to a standard LED bulb, but once you buy one and use it in conjunction with Alexa voice control you soon become hooked. We’re up to 30 Hue bulbs now, and I don’t regret a single purchase.Smart sockets, such as غ’s own models or the TP-Link Kasa models, that I recommend, are great for controlling things like Christmas lights and lamps.Your central heating can be controlled by Alexa if you have a suitable smart thermostat. I can ask “Alexa, what’s the temperature in the house?”, and having determined that it’s too cold, if my wife not wrapped head to toe in fleece blankets wasn’t enough, I can then say “Alexa, set the house to 20 degrees”.Some door bells and cameras, such as Ring products, work with Alexa voice control also. “Alexa, show me the front door” and she’ll bring up live video on a suitable device like a Fire tablet or an Echo Show.Many televisions also have Alexa integration too. Our LG OLED can be controlled by its built in Alexa, but you can add it to almost any home entertainment device with the addition of something like the Logitech Harmony remote controlsA comprehensive smart home/automation is expensive, I’m not going to sugar that pill, but if it’s something that interests you then look out for these extra products on Black Friday deals would be my tip.I’ll leave it there though as I’ve waffled long enough. I hope you consider giving the Echo Dot a try. I’m of the opinion that the worth of a gadget is in how much you use it, and we use our Echoes and Alexa frequently every day. Do we need them? No. Is life that little bit nicer with them? Yeah. And we all need some of that right now.
