Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen with Clock

I am a longtime internet radio listener. Suddenly, and without warning (for me), Logitech recently pulled the plug on their servers after 10 years and instantly obsoleted the three internet radios I had around the house. I decided on Echo Dots as probably being the best solution to replace the radios.

And indeed that is the case. Like my radios, with TuneIn on the Dots I can access just about any genre of audio format programming from around the world with a simple “Alexa play…”

Sonically, these little guys are quite impressive given their size. They’re not going to fill a room with concert-hall-quality sound but that’s not what they’re primarily designed to do.

As for Alexa integration and set up, I did not find that to be as easy as Amazon suggests. The Dots come with minimalist setup instructions that basically say download the app, plug in the Dot, and follow the prompts. However, my router is partitioned into Primary, Internet of Things, and Guest. I wanted to install the Dots on my IoT. But an option was never given to select the partition I wanted. Apparently the Dots were going to install on whatever network the tablet was on that I was using for setup. It took me a while to work through what to do in order to get them installed as I wanted.

There were also other problems that needed to be solved through trial and error that required some googling to figure out. Eventually the first Dot sprung to life but I still don’t really have a good grip on what I did to make that happen. Luckily, once the first Dot was installed, the other two were essentially PnP. But the whole process took hours, not minutes, along with a fair amount of anxiety and uncertainty about what I was doing. NOT.SO.SIMPLE.

I also don’t find the Alexa app to be very user friendly. It’s not at all intuitive and takes a fair amount of internet searching just to find out what you can do with the Dots let alone make it happen.

Finally, no one should ever forget that in days of yore, government agents would either have to sneak into your home or get court orders to place a bug. The old East German Stasi would never have believed that people would willingly bug themselves like this. These smart speakers are listening devices you are voluntarily putting in your home or office that listen to everything you say, presumably just waiting for the magic word “Alexa” before they start processing the information you provide. As paranoid as it may sound, it doesn’t take too much imagination for how these devices could be employed or hacked to violate someone’s personal privacy in some places around the world now or in the future.

Fortunately, the Dots have a prominent button to turn off the microphone so you can lower the Cone of Silence when necessary (assuming you really want to believe that the mic couldn’t be turned back on by a determined foe). The problem, however, is that these Dots are so small and unobtrusive that they just fade into the background, out of sight and out of mind. You forget they’re there and listening!

The 5th Gen Amazon Echo Dot with clock has completely revolutionized my life. The audio quality is unparalleled, with crystal-clear vocals, deep bass, and immersive sound that effortlessly fills the entire room. The LED display is a game-changer, providing me with quick updates on the time, weather, and upcoming alarms with just a glance. Alexa has become my ultimate personal assistant, effortlessly handling everything from news updates to controlling my smart home devices. Streaming my favorite songs from various music platforms like Amazon Music, Apple Music, or Spotify has never been more convenient, and the Bluetooth connectivity ensures that the music follows me wherever I go in the house. It feels like pure magic to control my smart home devices with simple voice commands, whether it’s adjusting the lights, locking the doors, or creating the perfect ambiance for a movie night. Moreover, the dedicated mic off button ensures my privacy and gives me peace of mind. The ability to pair it with other Echo devices for multi-room audio or create a home theater system with Fire TV takes the experience to a whole new level. Additionally, the device’s commitment to sustainability, from its recyclable packaging to the use of post-consumer recycled materials, makes me proud of my purchase. In summary, this Echo Dot is an absolute essential for anyone seeking to elevate their home life with intelligent and eco-friendly technology.

Orbs perfectly, sound is good, not great but ok for a small device. Voice recognition is good. Brightness of display adjusts well to ambient light changes. And integration is good.

I use this Echo Dot in my bedroom so the time display is great. The light on the bottom is nice when it is engaged, and the sound is clear and ample enough to stream music. Great value and so cute!