'An Almost-Perfect Bedroom Clock'

FOR Sharp screen; neat design; clear midrange

AGAINST Sound could be better; lack of video content

In 2016, Amazon launched the Echo Dot – a small, puck-like speaker with a voice assistant that played music, answered simple questions and did a range of other tasks. Compared with the original Echo, its appeal was clear: it was a smaller, cheaper, more attractive way of getting Amazon’s voice assistant Alexa into your home.

Amazon is trying the same tactic with the Echo Spot – a small, round speaker that looks like a clock, with the same built-in voice assistant and functionality. This one also has a screen and video camera.

As the Dot was to the original Echo, the Spot is to the Echo Show – a product that Amazon launched last November. The Spot has a smaller screen and speaker, but those are the only real design differences.

With the same smart-assistant capabilities as the other Echo products, Amazon hopes the Spot is seen as an entry point into its smart-device ecosystem. But how much more does this smart-clock offer over its brethren – especially with a larger price tag, and a potentially more intrusive presence in your home?

It’s no mug

Rather than the cylindrical body of the Amazon’s speaker products, or the angular design of the Echo Show, the Echo Spot is round with a flat bottom, and about the size of a coffee mug. It feels well made, and at 420g, is hefty enough to seem sturdy, yet light enough to place anywhere.

On its face is a round, 6.3cm LCD touchscreen with a 480 x 480 pixel resolution, while on the bottom is a built-in 2W, 35mm speaker – although the Spot also has a 3.5mm jack and Bluetooth to connect to better sounding kit. Bluetooth connectivity also works if you wish to use the Spot as a speaker, connecting to your smartphones and tablets.