Echo Dot (2nd Generation) - Black review

• Echo Dot (2nd Generation) is a hands-free, voice-controlled device that uses Alexa to play music, control smart home devices, make calls, send and receive messages, provide information, read the news, set alarms, read audiobooks from Audible, control Amazon Video on Fire TV, and more Connects to speakers or headphones through Bluetooth or 3.5 mm stereo cable to play music from Amazon Music, Spotify, Pandora, iHeartRadio, and TuneIn. Play music simultaneously across Echo devices and speakers connected via cable with multi-room music (Spotify and Sirius XM support coming soon). Call or message anyone hands-free with your Echo device. Also, instantly connect to other Echo devices in your home using just your voice. Controls lights, fans, TVs, switches, thermostats, garage doors, sprinklers, locks, and more with compatible connected devices from WeMo, Philips Hue, Sony, Samsung SmartThings, Nest, and others Hears you from across the room with 7 far-field microphones for hands-free control, even in noisy environments or while playing music Includes a built-in speaker so it can work on its own as a smart alarm clock in the bedroom, an assistant in the kitchen, or anywhere you might want a voice-controlled computer; Amazon Echo is not required to use Echo Dot Always getting smarter and adding new features, plus thousands of skills like Uber, Domino's, DISH, and more   
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• voice-controlled device with a small built-in speaker—it can also connect to your speakers or headphones over Bluetooth or through a 3.5 mm audio cable to deliver stereo sound to the speakers you choose. Dot connects to the Alexa Voice Service to play music, make calls, send and receive messages, provide information, news, sports scores, weather, and more—instantly. 

  Echo Dot can hear you from across the room, even while music is playing. When you want to use Echo Dot, just say the wake word “Alexa” and Dot responds instantly. If you have more than one Echo or Echo Dot, Alexa responds intelligently from the Echo you're closest to with ESP (Echo Spatial Perception). Learn more about ESP
  
  
  
  Sleek and compact design makes Echo Dot a convenient addition to any room in the house. With its built-in speaker, you can place Dot in the bedroom and use it as a smart alarm clock that can also turn off your lights. Or use Dot in the kitchen to easily set timers and shop tens of millions of Amazon products using just your voice.Echo Dot can also directly connect to speakers using a 3.5 mm stereo cable, Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi for compatible wireless speakers to add voice control to your home stereo system in the living room or den. Learn more about Bluetooth speakers and devices that work well with Echo Dot. With multi-room music support and connected speakers via cable, you can play music across multiple Echo devices (Spotify and Sirius XM coming soon, Bluetooth not supported for multi-room music). Learn more
  
  
  
  Echo Dot provides hands-free voice control for Amazon Music—just ask for your favorite artist or song, or request a specific genre or mood. You can also search for music by lyrics, when a song or album was released, or let Alexa pick the music for you. Listen to any song with Amazon Music Unlimited. Learn moreEcho Dot also provides hands-free voice control to Pandora, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and TuneIn.
  
  
  With Echo Dot, you can call anyone hands-free—no tapping or searching required. Your contacts will see your number when they receive the call so they know who is calling. Set up your voice profile and teach Alexa to recognize your voice. When you say, “Alexa, call Mom”, Alexa will call your mom, even if you have multiple users in your home. Additionally, you can send messages via voice or text to anyone with a supported Echo device or the Alexa App. Learn more Let your household know when dinner is ready, ask someone for help with a chore, or remind the kids to go to sleep—without having to raise your voice. With the Drop In feature enabled for room-to-room calling, instantly connect with compatible Echo devices in your home.
  
  
  
  
  Use Echo Dot to switch on the lamp before getting out of bed, turn up the thermostat while reading in your favorite chair, or dim the lights from the couch to watch a movie—all without lifting a finger…or even raising your voice. Control multiple devices at scheduled times or with a single voice command, like locking the doors and turning off the lights when you go to bed.Echo Dot works with smart home devices such as lights, switches, TVs, fans, thermostats, and more from Philips Hue, TP-Link, Sony, ecobee, WeMo, SmartThings, Insteon, Lutron, Nest, Wink, Honeywell, and more. Learn more about compatible smart home connected devices, including starter kits for easy setup.
  
  
  
  Tucked under the light ring is an array of seven microphones that use beam-forming technology and enhanced noise cancellation. With a more powerful processor, the Echo Dot has improved wake-word performance to hear you ask a question from any direction—even in noisy environments or while playing music.When you want to use Echo Dot, simply say the wake word, “Alexa,” and Dot lights up and streams audio to the cloud, where the Alexa Voice Service is leveraged to recognize and respond to your request instantly. Learn more about voice recognition on Echo Dot.
  
  
  
  Alexa—the brain behind Echo Dot—is built in the cloud, so it is always getting smarter. The more you use Dot, the more it adapts to your speech patterns, vocabulary, and personal preferences. And because Echo Dot is always connected, updates are delivered automatically.Just in the last few months we've added Alexa calling and messaging, exclusive voice-shopping deals, voice profiles, far-field voice control of Amazon Video on Fire TV, and thousands of new skills from third-party developers. Explore more things to try with Alexa.
  
  
  
  Skills add even more capabilities like ordering a pizza from Domino's, requesting a ride from Uber, tracking your fitness with Fitbit, ordering flowers from 1-800-Flowers, controlling your TV with DISH Hopper, and more. Enabling skills lets your Echo Dot do even more—simply discover skills you want to use in the Alexa App. To enable a new skill, just ask Alexa. New skills are being added all the time. You can also see ratings and reviews to learn what other customers are saying about the thousands of skills available in the Alexa App. Discover and enable skills.
  
  
  
  Get even more from Echo Dot with Prime and enjoy ad-free streaming of over 2 million songs with Prime Music.You can also order millions of products using only your voice and gain access to weekly Alexa shopping deals. All voice orders include fast, free shipping, and Alexa can even track your delivery for you. Learn more
  
  
  
  Customize your Dot for any room with the optional Echo Dot Case. Available in leather or fabric and a range of colors. Learn More.
  
  
  With the free Alexa App on Fire OS, Android, iOS, and desktop browsers, you can easily setup and manage your Echo Dot. Use the Alexa App to connect music services you already use like Spotify and Pandora. Link your calendar from Google, G Suite, iCloud, Outlook.com or Office365. Setup your smart home devices from Philips Hue, TP-Link, ecobee, WeMo, SmartThings, Insteon, Wink, Nest, Lutron, and more. Make calls, view your conversation history, manage contacts, and get notifications when you receive a message (calling and messaging features available on iOS and Android only). See which books are available to read from your Kindle and Audible libraries. View shopping and to-do lists while on the go. Control your timers and set custom tones for your alarms, and much more. The Alexa App is also where you discover third-party skills.