September 28, 2022

Amazon isn’t afraid to smother tech gazette columnists with its back-to-school eventpresenting a ton of products and novelties in “ there is a little more, I put it to you anyway? “. We have already had the right to Kindle Scribe, but it is the tree that hides the forest. Let’s take out the machete and try to see more clearly in this jungle.

Amazon plays the ecosystem card to the full, since the small Echo speakers will turn into relays for an Eero network, another brand of the e-commerce giant. The fifth-generation models announced today (we’ll come back to this) as well as the current fourth-generation Echos are becoming inexpensive Wi-Fi repeaters!

Performance won’t be as good as an Eero hotspot (an Echo will top out at 100 Mbit/s), but to extend Wi-Fi coverage at home on the cheap, it’s more of a good idea. Amazon will deliver a software update for the Echo 4th gen. on October 20, and in the coming months for the Echo Dot.

The fifth-generation Echo Dot retain their spherical shape and the range still consists of a standard model and another with an integrated clock. If the design is substantially identical, Amazon has reviewed the internal architecture to improve audio reproduction, in particular bass announced twice as powerful.

The small gadgets now work with the AZ2 neural chip which allows them to perform more tasks locally. They also carry a temperature sensor and an accelerometer to detect more gestures. Children’s versions are available, because why not. Prices are $50 for the Echo Dot, $60 for the clock version.

Amazon improves its Echo Auto offer with this new model whose ambition is to integrate Alexa in the car. It connects to the smartphone and the vehicle’s audio system and will be more discreet than the current version. It costs $55.

More original, the Halo Rise is a clock lined with a lamp to place on your bedside table. In addition to its thankless job of alarming, the device monitors sleep without the sleeper needing to wear a bracelet or other sensor. No camera or microphone in the Rise, but motion tracking with the help of in-house tech.

If there are two of us in bed (little coquinous), the product will be able to distinguish people by monitoring breathing. Sensors are also present to measure the humidity of the room, the temperature and the level of ambient light. Count $140 for Amazon to watch over your nights.

Back to the Eero range with a very interesting novelty for lovers of network equipment at home or in the office (it takes a lot to make a world), the Eero PoE 6. Power over Ethernet (PoE) technology, otherwise says power over ethernet, avoids using two cables (one power, one internet) on a router. One is enough!

The Eero PoE 6 access point supports Wi-Fi 6 and will deliver 1.5 Gbps throughput to up to 100 connected devices, covering 185 square meters. It costs $300. And with this, Eero also offers a PoE bridge including 2 Gigabit Ethernet ports, 8 2.5G PoE Ethernet ports and a USB-C for good shape. PoE ports can deliver up to 100W of juice. Count $650.

In bulk because we don’t have that much to do either, Amazon presented a new 20% more powerful Fire TV Cube with its 8-core processor and HDMI in and HDMI out ports. It is also and above all compatible with Wi-Fi 6E, all for $140. There’s also a new Alexa remote with backlit buttons some of which are programmable ($35). Finally, the Echo Show range is enriched with a new 15-inch screen.