The smart display is the evolved version of the digital photo frame, and a gadget that is profoundly different from the smart speaker. It has a visual interface, it is also controlled by touch, and this makes it easier to use even rather complex functions. Amazon already has several smart displays in the catalog, and today also launches the new Echo Show 10 in Italy, the largest and most expensive model (249 euros).
The third generation Echo Show 10 has a cylindrical base with a short arm that holds the screen
As did
This third generation has several differences from the previous one, at least at first glance: the prism design disappeared, it is now a cylinder with a short arm that holds a screen, whose inclination is adjustable by hand. A brushless motor, precise and silent, instead rotates the screen around the cylinder, in the arc of almost 360 degrees. Somehow the new Echo Show is reminiscent of the old iMac G4 called “sunflower” or “table lamp”, released in 2002. The base is covered in fabric, white or gray, like the rest of the unit; the design is quite discreet but does not convince us entirely, especially for the very thick bezels of the display. The weight is considerable, even if the dimensions are not excessive: be careful, however, because you need some space around to allow the screen to move.
It is possible to exclude the camera entirely by means of the plastic shutter
To me the eyes
The first time you place the Echo Show 10 there is a need to calibrate the movement and define a central position. Then the little robot will begin to follow all your movements docile. At first it arouses curiosity, even a certain tenderness for the obstinacy with which he seeks human figures. Then a vague restlessness arises, which can be mitigated a bit by looking in the settings: it is in fact possible to deactivate the movement by keeping the camera open, or completely exclude the camera using the plastic shutter. In this case the movement is also inhibited. In any case, during the setting phase it is better to disable the movement, which makes interaction with the touch screen much more difficult. To protect privacy, Amazon ensures that images and sounds are processed on the device, and not sent to the company’s servers.
The new Echo Show 10 has a natural color display, with definition of 1280×800 pixels and three speakers: two tweeters and a woofer, located in the base. Since this rotates following the face, an obvious consequence is that it always finds us in the center of the stereo perspective. In addition, the device uses the internal microphone to map the ambient reverberations and adjust the EQ curve, so the audio is loud and clear. Unlike other Echos, this time the audio output with mini-jack is missing. Echo Show 10 is compatible with Spotify Connect, as well as Apple Music, TimMusic and other services; Amazon Music users can access a small selection of songs for free, while Audible is available for audiobooks and podcasts. There is no Airplay for Apple devices, but you can safely use the bluetooth connection. The Alexa app then allows you to manage different speakers in a multiroom configuration: it is not the best on the market, but it does what it should and is simple to use.
For videos and movies
The new Echo will almost certainly end up in the kitchen, also because it is perfect for looking for a recipe on video and cooking by following it step by step, perhaps with the help of one of the two internal browsers, Amazon’s Silk or Firefox (which, however, will be discharged shortly, as the announcement that appears at startup reads). You can thus access the mobile version of YouTube: voice search does not always return what we are looking for, and navigating through the results is not exactly easy, but overall the experience is acceptable. On the other hand, YouTube belongs to Google, which is a direct competitor of Amazon in the digital assistant sector, so it has no interest in favoring the Seattle-based company. Everything works better if you use a special skill, for example that of Giallozafferano. There is Netflix, and that’s great, and of course there is Amazon Prime Video, which offers a great choice of movies and TV series: a pity only for the glossy screen that reflects the light a little too much, and for the dark colors. a little bit mixed. Nothing to do, however, for Raiplay, Sky or other: in the absence of the related skills, it can only be accessed via browser; the vision is not bad, but to choose what to see you will necessarily have to resort to the touch screen, since with Alexa it is impossible to navigate between the various functions. The screen is also useful for taking a look at the shopping list, the weather forecast, or viewing the calendar. It can be set to show photos stored on Amazon Photos or Facebook, but not on Google Photo; alternatively it is possible to choose between works of art or photographs, even if the offer is certainly not comparable to that of a dedicated digital frame such as the Canvas II by Meural.
The camera is 13 megapixel, against the 5 megapixel of the second generation Show: also perfect for remotely monitoring environments
An intelligent video intercom
Using the Drop-In feature on compatible Echo devices (including Android and iOS, with the Alexa app), you can call and video call other people. With the pandemic, calls from Echo devices have tripled in Italy and now the function that allows group conversations is also active. As an alternative to the Amazon app, you can also use Skype, and soon as well Zoom. You can get up, move, move closer or further away: Echo Show will widen or narrow the field accordingly, adjust the focus so that the images are always well defined. A bit like the Facebook Portal, but with the added possibility of rotating to keep the speaker always in the center of the frame.
The camera is 13 megapixel, compared to the 5 megapixel of the second generation Show 10: perfect for remotely monitoring an environment, thanks also to the mobile base that can be controlled from the app. But be careful, it cannot replace a security cam: the possibility of self-activation is missing, images or videos cannot be recorded, and in the dark the visibility is very low.
Home automation
Echo Show 10 includes a Zigbee hub to control connected gadgets and appliances that make use of this standard. It therefore becomes the perfect control center for home automation: you use the voice or the touch screen, the interface is intuitive, and you can count on a vast ecosystem, even if some skills are not yet available in Italian. Alexa also allows you to set routines, small pre-programmed commands that initiate multiple actions from a single voice command, such as turning off multiple appliances when going to bed, recording a shortcut for a specific music playlist or turning off the heat when you leave the house. Programming the routines is very simple, but the functionalities are deliberately limited: for example, you cannot set one for which you directly tell Alex to open the RaiPlay page on Silk.
The new Echo Show 10 is a pleasant and well-made gadget, which stops a step before becoming what it could be: a TV for those who hate TV
In fine
The third-generation Echo Show 10 does everything the previous model did, but it does it better. The sound is more refined, the camera has a higher resolution, the operation in general seems faster to us. And then it can move, which is the real news: a useful function especially if you use the Amazon smart display to communicate with other people, otherwise you can do without it and continue to use the previous version. Or, if you do not have great expectations, you can orient yourself on the Echo Show 8, less bulky and less expensive (but without Zigbee hub). For the rest, the new model is a pleasant and well-made gadget, which stops a step before becoming what it could be: a TV for those who hate TV.