#GadgetWatch: Amazon Echo's new avatars are louder and smarter

Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com walks you through the new Amazon Echo products.

Amazon has launched the next generation of Echo devices, with upgraded features and design.

The third generation Echo Dot and the second generation Echo Plus are the upgraded versions of Echo Dot and Echo Plus.

The devices, which can be pre-ordered, will be available from October 11.

The good news? Amazon hasn't increased the prices :)

The all-new Echo Dot

It retains the simplicity of its predecessor with a revamp in the hardware.

The new Echo Dot comes with a 1.6” inch -- as compared to its predecessor's 0.6” -- speaker. It is designed to provide louder and crisper sound.

The microphones used for far-field voice recognition to communicate with inbuilt voice assistant Alexa, however, have been reduced to four, as compared to the seven used in the previous generation.

Amazon retains the Bluetooth and 3.5mm aux out port.

The Bluetooth connection allows you to use the Echo Dot as a Bluetooth speaker by pairing it with your phone or any Bluetooth music transmitting device.

The aux out allows you to stream your favourite music to your home theatre or any music system for an enhanced listening experience.

The new Echo Dot will be sold for Rs 4,499.

If you already own an Echo Dot, however, you can skip this newer version.

But if you are a music lover and want the music follow you into every room, you can set up multiple Echo devices in different rooms and stream the same music to all your Echo devices.

The all-new Echo Plus

The new Echo Plus has become little shorter; it looks almost like an inferior Amazon Echo.

What separates the new Echo Plus from its previous avatar and the Echo is that the former comes with a wider 3.0” inch woofer with respect to previous generation 2.5” version.

It retains the aux line out and adds the aux line in port to stream music from your music player to the Echo Plus via a 3.5mm cable.

The new Echo Plus retains the Hub to control the compatible smart home devices.

The new Echo Plus will be sold for Rs 14,999.

Amazon has also introduced Echo Sub, a wireless subwoofer which can be connected to Echo or Echo Plus to enjoy 100w of deep bass.

To enhance the listening experience, the Echo Sub can be connected to two Echo or Echo Plus to create a 2.1 channel stereo sound.

The Echo Sub, which will be available from November 14, will cost you Rs 12,900.