The original Amazon Echo really kickstarted the smart home ecosystems many of us are benefitting from these days. The Alexa-enabled smart speaker has seen a couple of significant updates since then (plus many subsequent Echo device shapes and sizes) and the 3rd-gen Amazon Echo is probably the best mid-sized smart speaker around. It's affordable even at full price, but its current discount to just $59.99 makes it an even more tempting addition to your home. It's on sale for that price at Amazon, Best Buy and Target.
You can use your Echo speaker to listen to music from several different streaming services, control compatible smart home devices like Philips Hue bulbs or Nest Thermostats, and so much more. Check the weather just by asking. Hear a cringeworthy knock-knock joke or fun fact. Set timers so you won't burn dinner. There are tons of features that make these speakers worth having around, and if you know someone that isn't exactly tech-savvy, an Echo also makes a great gift that'll help them dip their toes in the water.
The 3rd-gen Echo is a huge improvement in the audio department over its predecessor which will be a boon if you like to use your Alexa devices for streaming music. It has new premium speakers powered by Dolby to play 360-degree audio with crisp vocals and dynamic bass response.
Aside from the improved sound that the new Echo inherited from the 2nd-gen Echo Plus, the other thing that it took from its older sibling that is the overall styling. While the 2nd-gen Echo moved away from the hard, cold plastic look of the 1st-gen to a fabric covering, the 3rd-gen has a softer, less tubular shape to it, and now comes in five different colors to suit a variety of tastes. The Charcoal, Heather Gray, and Sandstone variants are classics that can blend in to just about any space, while the Product Red and Twilight Blue are more adventurous finishes.
Amazon has also stook with what works in the user interface department by keeping the beloved LED light ring as well as the tactile buttons up top to control volume, mute the microphone, and the action button.
This is just one of many deals on Amazon Echo devices available right now. If you don't have an Echo at home already, now's the perfect time to pick one up with discounts on brand new Echo devices as well as a bunch of refurbished gear at Woot.
