Amazon announces Echo Show 5
Amazon’s new Echo Show smart display is smaller, cheaper and built with privacy in mind
Amazon has announced the latest addition to the Echo range of smart displays – the Echo Show 5. The new device has a 5.5in display, HD camera and built-in speakers promising “rich and full sound”. It costs £80, and is available for preorder now.
The Echo Show 5 will serve as an affordable alternative to the current Echo Show (second generation). It’s half the size of its 10in sibling but still promises the same quality of audio and video, along with the usual slew of intuitive features courtesy of Alexa.
Chief among these features is video playback. The Echo Show 5 is a smart speaker at its core, but the 5.5in display means you can watch music videos while you listen (if you’re into that sort of thing). In addition, the Show Five allows you easy access to Amazon Prime Video and a variety of news apps, so you can catch up on shows and snippets of news stories.
Those users with family members who own an Echo Show device, moreover, can make use of the hands-free video calling to bug loved ones without paying for data or minutes.
If you have the necessary devices, you can use the Show 5 to monitor baby cameras and thermostats. It can also manage your daily routines by switching smart lighting on or off and playing suitably relaxing audio when you come home from a stressful day at work.
You can even hook it up to your Ring doorbell, so you can watch from your kitchen as the delivery driver waits impatiently.
New for an Echo Show device is WikiHow integration, which will allow users to access the site’s huge library of tutorial videos with a voice command. The Echo Show 5 also has a brand-new ambient lighting mode, which adjusts the brightness of the display to match its surroundings.
In addition, the Show 5 introduces new privacy features: users can delete old voice recordings by asking Alexa, or disconnect the camera and microphone at the press of the designated button.
The Echo Show 5 is available for £80 in charcoal and sandstone colours; you can also purchase a magnetic stand for £20 that allows you to have a bit more control over viewing angles. It’s available for preorder on Amazon now, and will launch in the UK on 26 June.