Review-of-the-Amazon-Alexa-Echo-Dot-(4th-Gen)-in-the-UAE
Amazon.com, Inc is an American multinational technology company which focuses on e-commerce, cloud computing, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence. It has been referred to as “one of the most influential economic and cultural forces in the world”, and is one of the world’s most valuable brands. It is one of the Big Five American information technology companies, alongside Alphabet, Apple, Meta, and Microsoft.
Amazon Alexa, also known simply as Alexa, is a virtual assistant technology largely based on a Polish speech synthesizer named Ivona, bought by Amazon in 2013. It was first used in the Amazon Echo smart speaker and the Echo Dot, Echo Studio and Amazon Tap speakers developed by Amazon Lab126. It is capable of voice interaction, music playback, making to-do lists, setting alarms, streaming podcasts, playing audiobooks, and providing weather, traffic, sports, and other real-time information, such as news. Alexa can also control several smart devices using itself as a home automation system. Users are able to extend the Alexa capabilities by installing “skills” (additional functionality developed by third-party vendors, in other settings more commonly called apps) such as weather programs and audio features. It uses automatic speech recognition, natural language processing, and other forms of weak AI to perform these tasks.
The 1st Alexa Echo Dot was introduced in 2014. Amazon has built an expansive landscape of smart home products, ranging from smart speakers, smart displays and so much more — and it’s only growing every year. In 2020, Amazon released several new gadgets and Alexa features at the annual product event in September, including the Echo Show 15, the Amazon Smart Thermostat, the Amazon Glow for kids, the Halo View fitness band and the much-anticipated Astro robot. Plus, several new Ring products.
Design & Specification
The Amazon Alexa Echo Dot (4th Gen) comes with a dimension of 144 x 144 x 133 mm and weighs 970grams. It is a spherical dome design with a 3.0” (76.2 mm) neodymium woofer and two 0.8” (20 mm) tweeters. It comes with four touch buttons on the spherical dome. The outer covering is made of cloth material with an ABS plastic base with an LED ring light and the bottom has an anti-skid silicon rubber base. Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) support for audio streaming from your mobile device to Echo or from Echo to your Bluetooth speaker. Audio/Video Remote Control Profile (AVRCP) for voice control of connected mobile devices It has got a 3.5mm line out and comes with Dual-band Wi-Fi supports 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5 GHz) networks. It supports Dolby audio.
The Review
The Amazon Alexa Echo Dot (4th Gen) comes in a rectangular box which contains the Echo Dot device, the power adapter with cable and a quick start-up guide.
The device setup is very simple and easy to make ready. Download the ALEXA App from the Google Play Store / Apple Store. After connecting the device, in a minute the ring LED light emits orange colour which indicates pairing. As this Echo Dot (4thGEN) device is the Middle East version, when it boots up, says to pair up in ENGLISH and ARABIC. Echo Dot understands Khaleeji and Modern Standard Arabic, or English.
Just following the simple procedure on the Alexa App, you connect the Echo Dot device with the home network and are finally ready to be used for the home network. The Echo Dot device has 4 prominent buttons on the spherical dome. Two buttons are the volume rockers, one is the Mic Switch On/Off button and the final one is the Action button which helps during pairing or any specific action is required for the Echo Dot.
Audio Quality
Compared to the 3rd Gen Echo Dot, the sound quality of the 4th Gen Echo dot is much better as it has a dedicated 3.0” (76.2 mm) neodymium woofer and two 0.8” (20 mm) tweeters. The Treble, Mids are great and the low-frequency Bass is not bad for size. The mic capture is quite accurate, even from a distance of 15 feet when called “ALEXA” the Echo Dot responds and is ready to listen to your request. The dedicated MIC Switch ON/Off button helps the consumer from controlling the Echo Dot by listening to your conversation and unwanted commands.
Echo Dot Functions
Amazon Echo Dot has to be connected to the Home Wi-Fi system to create access to all the functions. The Echo Dot can work standalone and also work has a smart HUB to connect to all the smart devices in the home network. Once you have the smart HUB created, you can access all your smart home devices via your phone from any part of the world. E.g.: For- You can switch On your smart Air Conditioner or smart Washing machine even before you reach home or warm up your food in the smart microwave or set the mood lighting of your house with the Alexa App. You can also allow access or lock to your house which has got smart lock system.
You can enquire about the weather in your area, time, latest updates, news and a lot more. The most interesting function for me was listening to my favourite music from Spotify and Anghami. With the ALEXA App, you can have more functions like updating your shopping list, you can create a routine by which you can set up daily functions for the Alexa to do it from you like wake up, read the latest news in your country or specify emirate, weather and lot more, all depending on the consumer choice. You can allow access to the contacts from your phone to the Echo Dot and you can make hands-free calls too.
As the Alexa Echo Dot has the access to the internet, it can help in translation of language, solving math, and knowing history. You can listen to jokes, play trivia, audiobooks, access your connected smart car and a lot more. Under the Alexa App, skill section, you can add various app which includes exercise option which also including Yoga, meditation, body stretch and a lot more.
How to use the Echo Dot to control Non-Smart devices at your home?
In recent times with smart products getting accessible to commoners, consumers are looking for options to make their own smart homes. But there are devices already installed at your home like lights, fans or electronic devices which are not smart products but are working fine.
You can also make your non-smart device into smart devices with the help of smart Plug adaptors. With this, you can control your light and fan and some devices. These smart plugs may not allow the full function of the devices which can be done manually or via the device remote control but you will be able to access them remotely.
With the Echo Dot, you have the option to make your Home to Smart Home, under the Alexa App –device section, you have a lot of different brands and product options to connect with the Alexa App.
Verdict
The Echo Dot (4th Gen) is a great product for your home. You can listen to your favourite music, check the weather, and update yourself with the latest updated news. You can control your smart home products remotely. The Audio quality is quite good for the size. You can control the volume with audio command. You can switch On/Off the mic on the Echo Dot on the dedicated button. The beautiful coloured ring LED light on the bottom of the Echo Dot reflects on the base and creates a beautiful ambience in the low light area. The low power consumption also helps you to reduce your electricity bill as the Echo Dot only consumes the electricity when it is active. Also, the product is made from 50% post-consumer recycled plastics, 100% post-consumer recycled fabric and 100% recycled die-cast aluminum.
“Affordable and Recommended for all the Tech enthusiasts and music listeners who would like to have hand free and vocal command access to all the smart devices. “
Price and Availability
The Echo Dot (4th Gen) the Middle East version is available on Amazon.ae and priced at AED 299. Available in 3 colours- Charcoal Black, Blue and White. (Please Note:- Lookout special offers from Amazon.ae)
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