These are the three new Alexa speakers coming to Australia real soon

Alex Choros - Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor

Last updated 26 September 2019

Amazon has just revealed a whole new range of Alexa-powered devices, ranging from your standard smart speaker fare to weird and wonderful gadgets like smart glasses and a smart ring. The first three of these devices that are definitely coming to Australia are three new Echo smart speakers. These include the new Echo studio, a new mainline Echo, and a refreshed Echo Dot.

The Echo Studio is Amazon's new high-end smart speaker, seemingly designed to compete with the likes of the Sonos One and HomePod. Amazon says the Studio is its best-sounding Echo to date, thanks to five directional speakers, Dolby Atmos support, and room adaption technology. It will cost you $329.

The "all-new" Echo is Amazon's new standard smart speaker option. Key improvements include better sound quality with stronger bass, and an updated design with new fabric colours including "Twilight Blue", "Charcoal", "Heather Grey", and "Sandstone". Amazon's next-generation Echo will retail for $149, much like its predecessor.

The "Echo Dot with Clock" is pretty self-explanatory. It's an Echo Dot, with a clock. More specifically, an Echo Dot with an LED display hidden within the device's fabric body that can show the time, the outdoor temperature, or timers you've set. It looks really cute. The Echo Dot with Clock will set you back $99, or you can get a redesigned clockless Dot for $79.

The trio of new Echoes are all available to pre-order now. The new Echo and new Echo Dot will launch on October 16, and the Echo Studio will follow on November 13. You can check them out here.

In addition to some fairly conventional devices, Amazon hasn't been afraid to get weird. Two of Amazon's more interesting new products are the Echo Frames and Echo Loop.

As the name might suggest, the Echo Frames are a pair of smart glasses, albeit pretty basic ones. All they really do is put Alexa on your face. As with a standard Echo device, you'll say "Alexa" followed by a command to use them. You'll then hear a response through open-ear speakers that are said to minimise what anyone other than you can hear. Amazon says the glasses are prescription-ready.

The Echo Loop is similarly wild. It's a chunky titanium ring that puts Alexa on your hand. Tapping a button lets you speak to it, using the standard Alexa commands. When you speak, you'll have to bring the ring up to your mouth, and then your ear to listen to responses. That's some extreme Get Smart energy, and I'm not sure if I'm here for it.

Both of these devices will initially be available as "invite-only" purchases in the US. At this stage, we're not sure if they'll be making their way to Australia.

Amazon also introduced a few new Alexa software features such as recommended routines that can be set up based on your daily habits. For example, if you set your alarm for 7am and then ask for the weather on the reg, Alexa will be suggesting setting up a routine so that the alarm is always set and the weather plays immediately after it goes off.

Alexa devices will also be able to auto-delete recordings later this year. When live, you'll be able to set up Alexa to automatically delete stored voice recordings older than three months old on an ongoing basis.

Alex Choros

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Alex Choros is the Managing Editor of WhistleOut Australia and an award-winning journalist. He's been writing about consumer technology for over a decade and is an expert on the Australian telco sector, to the point where he knows far too many phone and internet plans by heart. In addition to leading the WhistleOut editorial team, Alex is responsible for ruining the office Sonos with his troubled taste in music.

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