3rd Gen also available on Amazon store for $19 if you have prime, or several other stores for under $20.
Good for Christmas for the mother in law who is lonely.
4th Gen @ $37 (also cheaper than Amazon), https://www.officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/amazon-ech…
And you guessed it, 5th Gen @$57 also cheaper than Amazon,
https://www.officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/amazon-ech…
Check your local Bunnings, I've seen them for $17 at a couple stores in SA recently.
Wow.. couple of days ago it was $17.50. They increased the price.
https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/739395
so many gens
I'd be nervous getting into the Alexa ecosystem if not already invested. Amazon division that built Alexa is on track to lose $10 billion this year (Swearingen, 2022). As layoffs hit Amazon, the Alexa team is looking like a juicy target for cuts. Product might keep going but a chance innovation and integration might slow right down?
Swearingen, J. (2022, 11 30). Amazon thought Alexa would be the next iPhone. Turns out it's a 'glorified clock radio.'. Retrieved from businessinder.com: https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-alexa-business-failure-10-bn-losses-2022-11
If Alexa division is losing that much. Google is probably going at the same rate.
Interesting article, something I’d wondered about (how are they making money from these?)
Amazon's internal data and user surveys began to show voice commands are great for a narrow range of tasks: setting a timer, playing music, and finding out the weather.
Had to laugh, that’s pretty much what I mainly use Alexa for, along with turning Hue lights on and off. Also great for asking her the time in the morning, when you can’t be bothered turning over and squinting at the actual clock radio that cost more than the Echo Dot, but they probably don’t need 10k staff to keep that running.
Hmmm… maybe from harvesting data from users?
According to that article, the answer seems to be they’re not making money but losing it hand over fist. Probably coz most of us aren’t using Alexa to order stuff from Amazon blindly without doing the usual price comparisons, seeking out deals, etc.
If most of us are using Echo devices for mundane purposes only, the data may not be worth much :)
Amazon think long term and are very profitable overall, they cross subsidise. Everyone with Prime can gets Amazon Video and free games etc if they want it etc.
Plus, Business Insider is not that reputable, they tend to sensationalise.
I don’t have Alexa but I am actually thinking about buying the $18 one to use it as a Clock radio.
How would you use this as a clock radio? It literally have no clock display and no radio.
@Fuzor: I will ask it to tell me the time or play a news bulletin or even a radio station.
Turning your head, looking and pressing buttons is so last decade.
About time people started to wonder about this.
Eh. Honestly the ability to ask it the weather, time, set alarms, ask simple questions, and play the radio is fantastic for an <$20 device with no subscription fee. Even if there's absolutely no further innovation I'm still pretty ecstatic with it.
Cheaper than Amazon, but don't forget to check current cashback rates. Amazon may also be cheaper if you've got prime and want delivery.
What's the diff between the version? I have a ring doorbell (in a rental property) and was wondering 17$ if it will ring on echo dot when someone comes to presses the door bell.
Don't know about Ring but I have 3 dots around the house with microphone off which are just slave doorbells. All bought for less than $15 ea. Overkill for the job but cheap and work perfectly for this purpose. For my other use I'm in the Googleverse which is a zillion times better for general queries… But then Alex is also better for home automation than Google but I'm running Home Assistant in the back end.
I'm using a combination of dots and nests to do the same. Dots are more reliable and also don't scream "by the way, your mike's off" if there's a blackout during the night.
@Limbot, what are you using for a button? I'm using an Aqara button, but would like something that looks more like a doorbell.
Ahh sorry, forgot to mention I'm using a Eufy 2K doorbell. The dots are ringer extensions around the house and the home base has ring turned off and in the comms cupboard on UPS.
I really like these buttons here as they actually look and feel like a real button unlike the Aqara/Sonoff type.
So cheap!
Soon Amazon will be paying US to install their spyware :D
Disclosure: I have bought a few and gave a few away for free. Currently none are in use (the Echo Dots).
Grandma: alexa…..show my son-in-law’s browsing history