The Echo Dot 3rd Generation (also Echo Dot) is a smart home device by Amazon. It is a voice-controlled speaker that uses Alexa, Amazon’s cloud-powered voice-enabled virtual assistant, to perform various functions. Alexa is the product Echo Dot sells. It is the software that gets your work done, and the Echo Dot is the hardware that gives you access to this software.
The Echo Dot 3rd Gen is, as the name suggests, the third addition to the Echo Dot family. It is an upgrade to the previous Echo Dot. It has better sound thanks to a larger speaker. It is also better looking with soft curves and a stylish fabric cover.
The Echo Dot 3rd Gen is the newest kid on the block. Let us do a deep dive into the technology and design of the speaker and understand what new features it brings to the table.
A Detailed Overview of Echo Dot 3rd Gen :
Technology and Performance
The Echo Dot 3rd Gen is a vast improvement over its predecessor. It has better sound and even better looks. You can use it as a stand-alone Bluetooth speaker for your music. It performs well at all frequency levels and has a generous volume. The Echo Dot is also aesthetically appealing. You wouldn’t want to tuck it away on a shelf, but flaunt it on a coffee table for everyone to admire. The gadget is powered by Alexa and a universe of 50,000+ skills. Skills are third-party voice apps that work with Alexa to carry out your commands. Alexa keeps adding to its pool of skills to increase its capabilities. As of now, the Echo Dot can perform a wide range of tasks. It can, for example, start up your coffee machine before you get out of bed, turn on the TV, turn up the heat, dim the lights, play music, read the day’s headlines and even tell jokes. It can track your fitness, play games and make Skype calls to people in over 150 countries. The Echo Dot serves as your personal assistant, taking notes when you are too busy to jot them down, adding items to your shopping list, deleting items from the list and setting your alarm clock, among others. The Echo Dot is an intelligent device. It can do calculations in a snap, and answer science, history and general knowledge questions. It can book you an Uber, order in pizza and give you details of your bank statement. It can look up a good gynecologist and book you an appointment. It also reminds you about the appointment as the date and time draws closer. That’s not all. The Echo Dot has hands-free calling and messaging too. You can make, take and end calls, and text people, without picking up your phone. You can play songs on Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify and many other platforms. You can also listen to your favorite audio books and podcasts. The Echo Dot 3rd Gen is multi-room-ready. Connect compatible Echo speakers in different rooms to form a multi-room PA (public address) system. It makes your work much easier. You don’t have to shout to be heard every time. Just speak into the device and your message will be delivered. For instance, if you want your kids to come down for dinner, just say, “Alexa, announce that dinner is ready” and they’ll get the message. The Echo Dot 3rd Gen has rich sound. Connect two 3rd generation speakers for dedicated left and right stereo sound. You can also link the device with your Bluetooth speaker or use the 3.5mm AUX output for a wired set up. The speaker has dual-band Wi-Fi that supports 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5 GHz) networks. It is not compatible with ad-hoc (or peer-to-peer) Wi-Fi networks. The gadget works with all iOS, Android and Fire OS systems.
Product Design
The Echo Dot 3rd Gen is shaped like a hockey puck just like its predecessor. It has a fabric cover around its circumference and an LED ring on top. The user interface consists of 4 buttons. They are there for adjusting the volume, muting the mic when you don’t want Alexa to listen in, and to activate the speaker in case it fails to register your voice. The speaker is available in 3 earthy tones – charcoal, heather grey and sandstone. The pastel shades and the fabric give the device a smart contemporary look. It helps it blend in with the décor and also adds a nice touch to the place. The new 3rd generation speaker has a 1.6-inch driver. It pumps out loud audio with intelligible vocals, rich instruments, and deep bass. Setting up the speaker is a breeze. Just plug the device into a power point, connect to the internet through the Alexa app and you are good to go. The product has a diameter of 3.9 inches and a height of 1.7 inches. It weighs 10.6 oz.
Difference Between Echo Dot 3rd Gen and 2nd Gen
The Echo Dot 3rd Gen has a 1.6-inch speaker with 360ᵒ sound. The 2nd generation speaker has a smaller 1.1-inch driver that delivers sound through multiple port holes. The new device is around 70% louder than the older one.
- The 3rd generation speaker needs direct power while the older one is powered by USB.
- The new device has a fabric cover. They older one has a plastic body.
- The new gadget has 4 far-field microphones while its predecessor has an array of 7 microphones.
- The 3rd generation speaker has gently curved edges while the 2nd generation model has sharp edges.
- The new speaker is available in 3 pastel shades – charcoal, grey and sandstone. It predecessor is only available in white and black.
We have come to the end of our review. Let us quickly summarize the top features of the Echo Dot 3rd Gen speaker.
Key Features :
- Smart speaker powered by Alexa and 50,000+ skills.
- 6-inch driver with 360ᵒ sound, 70% louder and better sound.
- Fabric cover, direct power, Bluetooth, 3.5mm AUX output.
- Supports Fire OS, Android, iOS systems.
If you want a smart speaker with no compromise on sound quality, then better to go with dolby-powered Echo plus ( 2nd Generation ).