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Amazon Upgrades Echo Lineup With Studio Speaker, Glow Smart Light

With a sub-$200 price tag, the Echo Studio looks to be Amazon's effort to appeal to audio enthusiasts who might otherwise pick up a Sonos or HomePod. But it was just one of more than a dozen new hardware products Amazon announced today.

 & Chloe Albanesius Executive Editor, News

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(Amazon Echo Dot with Clock)

Amazon today expanded its smart home lineup with a new Echo Dot that adds a digital clock to its mesh covering, a high-end Echo Studio smart speaker, an 8-inch Echo Show, and more.

The new pint-sized Dot, dubbed simply Echo Dot with Clock, is available for pre-order today for $59.99 and ships Oct. 16. The existing Echo Dot without a clock will remain on sale for $10 less. Pair it with the $29.99 Echo Glow, a smart light that works with Alexa and supports different colored lights for kids (or adults, really) and arrives Nov. 20.

Amazon Echo Glow

(Amazon Echo Glow)

Along the same lines, the Echo Flex is a small device you plug into a power outlet for quick and easy access to Alexa. It works as an access point for smart homes and sports a USB port for charging. It has a tiny speaker, so don't expect the Flex to play djay. The $24.99 device is available for pre-order now and arrives Nov. 14; an optional motion sensor or smart nightlight for the port is $14.99 each.

Amazon Echo Flex

(Amazon Echo Flex)

For music fans, the Echo Studio looks to be Amazon's effort to appeal to audio enthusiasts who might otherwise pick up a Sonos or Apple HomePod. And Amazon hopes to entice them with a sub-$200 price tag; the Echo Studio is available for pre-order now for $199; it arrives Nov. 7.

Amazon Echo Studio

(Amazon Echo Studio)

Echo Studio's high-end audio chops include Dolby Atmos-like 3D audio, a directional tweeter in front (a small speaker that produces treble sound), and a 5 ¼-inch bass driver with a port on the bottom that supports downward firing. There are also three midrange speakers on the left, right, and top of the device.

For an added home theater bonus, every 4K Amazon Fire TV stick will be able to stream Dolby Atmos content to the Echo Studio.

Amazon Echo Show 8

(Amazon Echo Show 8)

For those who want a display, the new Echo Show 8 sports an 8-inch touch screen for just $129.99, putting it in the sweet spot between the $90 Echo Show 5 and $230 10-inch Echo Show. Amazon says the Echo Show 8 will offer audio features similar to the Echo Show, and it gets the Echo Show 5's privacy shutter, which covers the camera. It ships on Nov. 21.

The existing Amazon Echo smart speaker also gets an upgrade on Oct. 16, with improved speaker hardware, and a new blue color. Pre-order it now for $99.

Earlier this year, Amazon acquired Wi-Fi mesh network creator Eero, and an updated version of the device is available now for $99.99 or $249 for a three-pack. New Ring security cams were also announced today.

Will Greenwald and Rob Marvin contributed to this story.

About Our Expert

Chloe Albanesius

Chloe Albanesius

Executive Editor, News

My Experience

I started out covering tech policy in DC for The National Journal, where my beat included state-level tech news and all the congressional hearings and FCC meetings I could handle. I later covered Wall Street trading tech before switching gears to consumer tech. I now lead PCMag's news coverage.

My Areas of Expertise

Getting my start in DC means I still have a soft spot for tech policy; Congressional hearings can sometimes be as entertaining as a Bravo reality show, for better or worse. But PCMag is all about the technology we use every day, as well as keeping an eye out for the trends that will shape the industry in the years ahead (or flop on arrival). I've covered the rise of social media, the iOS vs. Android wars, the cord-cutting revolution that's now left us with hefty streaming bills, and the effort to stuff artificial intelligence into every product you could imagine. This job has taken me to CES in Vegas (one too many times), IFA in Berlin, and MWC in Barcelona. I also drove a Tesla 1,000 miles out west as part of our Best Mobile Networks project. Of late, my focus is on our hard-working team of reporters at PCMag, guiding and editing their robust coverage.

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