Amazon Echo range 2020: Australian price, features and availability
Amazon has overhauled its entire Echo smart gadget range with new-look, eco-friendly models. Here are the details.
Amazon has announced a new lineup of Echo smart speakers, clocks, displays and streaming devices that are set to replace the existing 2020 range. With prices starting at under $60, the new range has been completely redesigned from the ground up with an emphasis on recycled materials, better sound and energy savings.
The new Echo models are built with 100% post-consumer recycled fabric, 100% recycled die-cast aluminum and post-consumer recycled plastic. (In fact, even the packaging is recycled.) They also come with a Low Power Mode designed to conserve energy during periods of inactivity.
New Amazon Echo range
The Echo, Echo Dot and Echo Dot with Clock now sport a spherical design and improved audio output. Amazon has also upgraded the Echo Show with an innovative motorised display.
You can find out more about each product and pre-order them below.
Amazon Echo Dot (4th generation)
RRP: $79
The 4th-gen Echo Dot has been redesigned with a new spherical shape and fabric finish. It's powered by a 1.6-inch, front-firing speaker suitable for all rooms in the home. It also comes with a new addition - a tap-to-snooze feature that was previously only available on the Echo clock model.
- New spherical design
- 1.6-inch front-firing speaker
- Inbuilt alarm with tap-to-snooze button
Amazon Echo Dot with Clock (4th generation)
RRP: $99
The Amazon Echo Dot with Clock provides the same features as the standard Echo Dot and adds an LED display that allows you to see the time and temperate, set alarms and activate timers. Like the rest of the 2020 Dot range, it comes with a new spherical design and recycled fabric finish.
- New spherical design
- 1.6-inch front-firing speaker
- Inbuilt alarm with tap-to-snooze button
- LED clock display
Amazon Echo Dot (4th generation)
RRP: $149
Amazon is really going big on spherical designs this year, with the standard Echo adopting the same look as its smaller siblings. The 4th-gen model combines the best features from last year's Echo and Echo Plus (which is presumably being retired.) It now comes with its own built-in smart home hub compatible with Zigbee devices and an improved speaker array comprising a 3-inch woofer and dual 0.8-inch tweeters with Dolby processing.
- 3.0-inch woofer
- Dual-firing tweeters
- Dolby processing
- Built-in smart home hub (Zigbee)
Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd generation)
RRP: $399
The Echo Show 10 is Amazon's smart display system that combines the Echo smart speaker with a 10-inch HD-ready LED. For its third iteration, Amazon has added a novel rotating mechanism that ensures the screen is in view at all times as you move around a room. This is achieved with a brushless motor that is completely silent. The display also features a 13-megapixel camera that automatically keeps you in the centre of the frame during video calls. A dedicated Netflix app is also coming which will allow you to browse and watch Netflix titles using voice commands.
- 10.1-inch rotating display with touchscreen
- 13MP camera with shutter
- 2 x 1.0-inch tweeters and a 3.0-inch woofer
- Built-in smart home hub (Zigbee)
- Doubles as an indoor security camera
New Amazon Fire TV Stick
Amazon's Fire TV Stick is a digital media player that provides access to a wide range of streaming content via a HDMI dongle that attaches to your TV. The latest version now comes equipped with Alexa Voice Remote Lite which enables you to issue voice commands to find, launch and control content.
Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite
RRP: $59
The Fire TV Stick Lite provides fast access to full-HD streaming with HDR support. It can be controlled with voice commands via the in-built ask Alexa button. It provides access to thousands of Alexa skills and comes with a range of third-party streaming apps including YouTube, Disney+, Apple TV+ and Stan. The inclusion of Alexa also means you can use the device to answer queries, set calendar reminders and check the weather. Its launch will also coincide with a new Fire TV Stick user interface that is designed to showcase bespoke content specifically for each user.
- 1.7GHz quad-core processor
- 1080p video streams at 60fps
- Dual-band, dual-antenna WiFi
- Includes Alexa Voice Remote Lite
Australian Pricing and Availability
Here are the Australian prices and release dates for the new Amazon Echo and Fire TV Stick models:
- Echo: $149 (available 'later this year')
- Echo Dot: $79 (available 'later this year')
- Echo Dot with clock: $99 (available 'later this year')
- Echo Show 10: $399 (available 'later this year')
- Fire TV Stick Lite: $59 (available October 6)
We reached out to Amazon but they were unable to provide a concrete date for the Echo launch in Australia. You can pre-order all devices from Amazon now..
Look out for Finder's reviews on the above Amazon products, coming soon.
