I’ll have it on for most days for hours, and now it is cheaper than usual
There’s one item that I use in my house pretty much every day without fail. And, it has been discounted in a rare Amazon deal that knocks it down to almost half its usual price.
My Echo Pop sits neatly on my desk upstairs and is usually always on. I’ll have it playing the radio, which keeps me focused and stops the silence of working from home a little bit less dull. I’ll usually ask Alexa quick questions to keep me in a productive flow when it comes to getting all my daily tasks done.
I have another device set up downstairs in the kitchen, which, again, is usually playing the radio as well for most of the evening, but also helps with setting timers when cooking (so I’ll never have to worry about burning something again) or adding items to my shopping list. There’s so much more to Alexa than a music speaker – people can ask it to read audiobooks and play podcasts via Wi-fi or Bluetooth, and they can ask Alexa for weather updates, timers, answers and plenty of playful interactions too.
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Amazon has dropped the price of almost all of its Alexa-powered Echo devices, making now an ideal time to upgrade or put one away for Christmas presents. My current device is an Echo Pop – that is usually sold for £44.99 – has been reduced to as little as £22.99 for the major Big Deals Days event (October 7-8).
It comes in Charcoal Black and Lavender Purple (both £22.99) as well as Glacier White and Midnight Teal (£24.99). Alexa isn’t the only smart speaker on the market though – shoppers could pick up the Apple HomePod Mini Smart Speaker from Argos for £99 or Google’s Home Charcoal Smart device from B&Q, currently at a discounted price of £44, down from £89.
But, thousands have shared exactly why they prefer the Amazon option – which can be delivered to your door with next day delivery at no added cost for Amazon Prime members. One said: “I wasn’t expecting much from something this size but it really impressed me. The sound is way louder and clearer than I thought it would be. Perfect for bedrooms, kitchens, or anywhere you just want some music or Alexa nearby without taking up space.”
Another put with their review: “Affordable and makes daily life a little easier! I use it daily, even for alarms and timers. Can’t imagine not having it!”
A third wrote: “Decent clarity when it comes to music like all of their other devices. Not the loudest but plenty enough for use in the kitchen. Great for the price when compared to others on the market. Voice recognition is spot on too!”
Someone else said: “The sound quality and comprehension/ responsiveness do seem better than what I’d say is the equivalent Google device. It’s also nice that it remembers where you are with music even after a long time. It seems to understand Spotify playlists better than Google too.”
However, it wasn’t all positive. Some people did experience some issues with their devices. One shopper told others: “When my phone is in airplane mode, Alexa fails to deliver reminders, which is frustrating. Compared to other AI systems, Alexa feels limited and unintelligent.”
Another claimed: “Terrible sound. Completely muffled when speaking and the music sounds terrible, zero bass and mid – all high frequencies papery and thin.” However, the vast majority felt like this was a worthwhile purchase.
An Amazon shopper said: “I am in my 70’s and found it incredibly easy to set up and it was up and running in just a few minutes. I have used it for radio, reading short stories, the weather, the time and quite a few other things besides. I am still learning about the different features I can use but I love it so much.”