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Echo Show (2nd Gen) | Premium 10.1” HD smart display with Alexa – stay connected with video calling - Charcoal

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 43,891 ratings
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Echo Show
  • Premium speakers with Dolby processing let you stream music and books in crisp, stereo sound. With a vibrant 10.1" HD screen for watching videos, movies, and TV shows in a new fabric design.
  • Connect with video calling and messaging – Make video calls to anyone with Skype, the Alexa app, an Echo Spot, or Echo Show. Make announcements to other devices in your home.
  • Made to fit your life - Ask Alexa to see lyrics and album art with Amazon Music. Easily update to-do lists and calendars. Choose the clock face that fits your style best and glance at weather and traffic on your way out.
  • Big Entertainment - Watch award-winning movies and shows from Prime Video and Netflix, or live TV and sports with a Hulu subscription.
  • Your new kitchen companion - cook along with Food Network Kitchen, set timers and alarms, and add items to your shopping list.
  • Control your Smart Home - Set up compatible Zigbee devices without the need for a separate hub. See your front door camera stream with 2-way audio and notifications.
  • Put your memories on display - Use Amazon Photos & Alexa for a picture-perfect pairing. You can turn your home screen into a digital frame, share your favorites with friends and family, and even take photos. Plus, Prime members get unlimited photo storage.
  • Designed to protect your privacy – Amazon is not in the business of selling your personal information to others. Built with multiple layers of privacy controls including a mic/camera off button.

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Learn how to move your compatible devices over to Echo Show.

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  1. "Alexa, turn on the lights."

    Control the lights with your voice.
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Hands-free video calling and messaging

Echo Show makes it easy to stay in touch. Make video calls to friends and family who have Skype, the Alexa app, an Echo Spot, or Echo Show. You can also make voice calls, send messages, or instantly connect to other devices in your home to make a quick announcement or check in on the kids. With Skype calling you can stay in touch with friends and family in over 150 countries.

Compare Echo Show devices

Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen)
Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen)
Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)
Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen)
Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen)
Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen)
Echo Show 15
Echo Show 15
Price From: $89.99 From: $149.99 From: $249.99 From: $279.99
Ratings 4.5 out of 5 stars (26,612) 4.6 out of 5 stars (5,794) 4.5 out of 5 stars (48,665) 4.5 out of 5 stars (16,947)
Alexa built in check mark check mark check mark check mark
Fire TV built in check mark
Screen 5.5" with 960 x 480 resolution 8.0" with 1280 x 800 resolution 10.1” with 1280 x 800 resolution 15.6" with 1920 x 1080 resolution
Release Year 2023 2023 2021 2021
Motion check mark
Speakers 1 x 1.7“ 2x2.0” neodymium stereo speakers with passive bass radiator 2 x 1.0” tweeters + 3.0” woofer 2 x 1.6“
Camera 2 MP 13 MP with auto-framing 13 MP with auto-framing 5 MP
Visual ID personalization check mark check mark check mark
Built-in Zigbee smart home hub check mark
Wall mountable check mark
Microphone Arrays 3 4 4 6
Dimensions 5.8”W x 3.6”D x 3.2”H 7.9”W x 5.4”H x 3.9”D 9.9”W x 9”H x 6.7”D 15.5"W x 9.9"H x 1.4"D
Echo show is on the side table by the sofa

Voice control your smart home

Alexa can control thousands of compatible smart home devices like security cameras, lights, thermostats, and more. Just ask her to show you the front door camera or brighten the kitchen lights.

Easily set up and control compatible Zigbee smart home devices without the need for a separate hub. Just say, “Alexa, discover my devices,” and Echo Show will discover and set up compatible devices so you can control them with your voice or manage them on-screen.

You can also set up Guard for free in the Alexa app to get mobile alerts if your Echo device detects the sound of a smoke alarm or glass breaking while you’re away. Subscribe to Guard Plus for an Emergency Helpline you can call through your Echo and more. Learn more about Guard and Guard Plus.

Alexa has skills

With over 50,000 skills and counting, Alexa is always getting smarter. Skills are like apps and let you do more like play Jeopardy!, meditate with Headspace, or view your favorite beaches with Surfline. Just say, “Alexa, help me get started with skills.” You can even create your own personal skills and custom responses with Alexa Skill Blueprints.

Echo Show

Echo Show

Size

9.7” x 6.9” x 4.2” (246 mm x 174 mm x 107 mm)

Weight

62.2 oz. (1765 grams) Actual size and weight may vary by manufacturing process

Display

10.1” touchscreen

Camera

5MP

Wi-Fi connectivity

WiFi 6 (802.11 ax) is not currently supported. Dual-band, dual-antenna Wi-Fi (MIMO) for faster streaming and fewer dropped connections than standard Wi-Fi. Supports 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi networks. Does not support connecting to ad-hoc (or peer-to-peer) Wi-Fi networks. Also includes an 802.15.4 radio for support of smart home devices.

Bluetooth connectivity

Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) support for audio streaming from your mobile device to Echo Show or from Echo Show to your Bluetooth speaker. Audio/Video Remote Control Profile (AVRCP) for voice control of connected mobile devices. Hands-free voice control is not supported for Mac OS X devices. Bluetooth speakers requiring PIN codes are not supported.

Audio

Dual 2” neodymium drivers & passive bass radiator.

System requirements

Echo Show comes ready to connect to your WiFi. The Alexa app is compatible with Fire OS, Android, and iOS devices and also accessible via your web browser. Supported operating systems. Certain skills and services may require subscription or other fees.

Setup Technology

Amazon Wi-Fi simple setup enables customers to connect smart devices to their Wi-Fi network in a few easy steps. Wi-Fi simple setup is another way Alexa is always getting smarter. Learn more about Wi-Fi simple setup

Processor

Intel Atom x5-Z8350 processor for advanced technology and processing capabilities.

Accessibility Features

On Echo devices with screens, you can enable Alexa captioning and closed captioning, magnify the screen, toggle color inversion, and choose between color correction options. You can also enable the VoiceView screen reader to use gestures to navigate the screen and hear spoken feedback about the items you select. Learn more about Echo with a screen accessibility and Alexa accessibility.

Warranty and Service

1-year limited warranty and service included. Optional 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year extended warranty available for U.S. customers sold separately. Use of Echo Show is subject to these terms.

Included in the Box

Echo Show, power adapter (30W) /cable (6 ft.), and quick start guide.

Generation

Echo Show 2nd Generation – 2018 release.

Privacy Features

Wake word technology, streaming indicators, microphone/camera off button, the ability to view and delete your voice recordings, and more. Visit the Alexa Privacy Hub to explore how Alexa and Echo devices are designed to protect your privacy.

Language

Alexa speaks English and Spanish

Recommended device footprint

Echo Show Gen 2 device is 9.7”W x 4.2”D. Recommended footprint: 10”W x 6”D.

Looking for specific info?

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
43,891 global ratings

Customers say

Customers like the sound quality, quality and picture quality of the digital device. For example, they say the bass can really boom, the music is crisp and the HD screen offers vibrant visuals. They appreciate the ease of use, saying it's straightforward, easy to set up and navigate. Some are happy with size. That said, opinions are mixed on voice recognition and connectivity.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

4,756 customers mention3,931 positive825 negative

Customers like the sound quality of the digital device. They mention that the bass can really boom, the music is crisp, and the upgraded audio is a huge plus. They also like the picture and sound quality, screen size, and that the Echo can control so many things.

"...integration of Alexa, which allows me to control smart home devices, play music, set reminders, and more, all with simple voice commands...." Read more

"...the Echo Show 10 has great speakers, a terrific HD display, and really good mics. I'll use this space to explain how I use these devices...." Read more

"...The sound on this Echo Show is very nice; the engineers kept the original two speaker design, but upgraded and, for better sound disbursement,..." Read more

"...to audiobooks, or watching movies, the crisp, stereo sound enhances the overall experience...." Read more

4,443 customers mention3,611 positive832 negative

Customers like the quality of the digital device. They mention that it delivers on both functionality and style, and that it combines premium design, advanced functionality, and intuitive features. They also say that the sound quality is superior, and the device is super handy.

"...(2nd Gen) is a standout product that combines premium design, advanced functionality, and intuitive features...." Read more

"...Very handy. I have a Recast, so I can stream Free TV to my Shows. I can also watch Pluto in a browser...." Read more

"...Being much more useful and refined than the Echo Show 1st edition, this device demonstrates that Amazon are good listeners; they discovered what..." Read more

"...The Echo Show (2nd Gen) is a true echo of excellence, delivering on both functionality and style...." Read more

1,714 customers mention1,648 positive66 negative

Customers are satisfied with the picture quality of the digital device. They mention that the screen is very nice, the HD screen offers crisp and vibrant visuals, and the device has a terrific HD display. Some say that the display interface is nice enough and the color and contrast are generous. Overall, most are happy with the quality of picture produced by the device.

"...Its premium 10.1" HD screen offers crisp and vibrant visuals, whether I'm streaming videos, checking the weather, or browsing recipes...." Read more

"...to the fact that the Echo Show 10 has great speakers, a terrific HD display, and really good mics...." Read more

"...-Setup is very easy-Stylish look; more modern and elegant than the first generation Echo Show-Ability to connect to wired Ethernet..." Read more

"...From the moment I unpacked this sleek device, I was impressed by its premium design and the vibrant 10.1" HD screen...." Read more

1,608 customers mention1,266 positive342 negative

Customers find the digital device easy to use. They say it's straightforward, easy to set up, and easy to navigate. They also say it seamlessly integrates into their daily routine and provides an easy and convenient way to control smart devices in their home.

"...that combines premium design, advanced functionality, and intuitive features...." Read more

"...What sets the Echo Show apart is its versatility. It seamlessly integrates into my daily routine, from helping me in the kitchen with recipe..." Read more

"...It was easy, and in a matter of minutes I was up and running.I began familiarizing myself with its nuances...." Read more

"...-Lack of options to setup the home screen-A ton of skills, but many are useless..." Read more

1,078 customers mention980 positive98 negative

Customers are satisfied with the size of the digital device. For example, they mention it has a large, vibrant display, and is impressed with the screen resolution and size. Some say it's adequate and effective for a bedside device, while others say it captures a wide view of the space. Overall, most are happy with the product's size and say it is helpful for managing a number of connected devices.

"...The 10" V2 is a great upgrade in most ways. Bigger screen, much better sound, some new interface features..." Read more

"...curve, as I own the Spot, so... I must say I was impressed with the screen resolution and size. Bright, easily readable from across the room...." Read more

"...Everything else I like a great deal, the picture and sound quality, screen size, and not to even mention something that I didn’t even see mention..." Read more

"...almost like a pre-schooler designed it. Sure the screen is larger, but simply displaying the weather, a clock or sports scores on a cartoonish-like..." Read more

1,477 customers mention903 positive574 negative

Customers are mixed about the voice recognition. Some mention that the recognition is amazing, and the Echo Show is a really good voice assistant. They also say the Alexa integration is great, and it does all the cool Alexa stuff. However, some customers say that the voice is lacking, and that it doesn't handle names very well.

"...One of the standout features is the seamless integration of Alexa, which allows me to control smart home devices, play music, set reminders, and more..." Read more

"...So, you will need to ask Alexa to open Firefox (or Silk). After your browser opens, you have to navigate to YouTube...." Read more

"...Sometimes I work from home. The Show is great for voice calls. It's great background noise (TV/Radio) when I am 'mostly' working...." Read more

"...with Amazon Photos, turning the Echo Show into a digital frame for displaying cherished memories...." Read more

675 customers mention407 positive268 negative

Customers are mixed about the connectivity of the digital device. Some mention that it can connect to other devices like an intercom, and can also connect your cell phone to play music you might have downloaded there. However, others say that it works manually but it won't connect to the show, it fails to keep a connection, and has lack of interaction for Youtube and Netflix.

"...features is the seamless integration of Alexa, which allows me to control smart home devices, play music, set reminders, and more, all with simple..." Read more

"...7. It’s heavy and tethered to the electrical cord. I like to move around my kitchen and sometimes move my recipes with me...." Read more

"...answering some basic questions and most importantly, controlling your smart home devices; it is worth owning this Echo Show just to perform these..." Read more

"...With compatibility across various platforms like Skype, Alexa app, Echo Spot, and Echo Show, staying connected has never been this easy...." Read more

436 customers mention128 positive308 negative

Customers are dissatisfied with the responsiveness of the digital device. They mention that it is very slow going, has a noticeable delay after pushing a button, and has considerable lag to video operations. They also say that it takes a disappointingly long amount of time to load up and that it starts becoming sluggish as they get older. Some customers also mention that the device takes far too long to update and that the product becomes unresponsive for many 10s of seconds.

"...It's slow; painfully slow to connect and subsequently come into focus...." Read more

"...Alexa will read them off instead. This is way too slow.5. It nicely plays Prime videos...." Read more

"...The sleek design and sandstone finish blend effortlessly into my home decor, adding a touch of elegance to any room...." Read more

"...Cons:1. Not a big deal but the echo show 2nd gen seems to take a few seconds longer when I ask it to do something...." Read more

Impressive device; an important link to your automated household
5 Stars
Impressive device; an important link to your automated household
This review is for the Amazon Echo Show, second generation.The Echo Show 2nd generation is Amazon’s latest entry in the major “land grab” to fully automate your home. Being much more useful and refined than the Echo Show 1st edition, this device demonstrates that Amazon are good listeners; they discovered what users disliked about the first Echo Show and removed/reworked those functions and they discovered what users liked and improved those.First, if you are new to the Echo Show line, let me describe some aspects of the device this way you know what you are getting.Display: This new Echo Show features a larger touch screen (10.1” vs 7” on the Echo Show 1st Generation); the additional screen real estate comes in really handy for watching movies or following recipe videos. In addition, the resolution on the 2nd generation Echo Show has been bumped up to a more pleasing high definition (1280x720 resolution) from a non-hd (1024x600 resolution). The result is a very nice looking screen featuring crisp, colorful pictures and videos.Sound: One of the reasons you would buy this device is to acquire a really smart speaker. The sound on this Echo Show is very nice; the engineers kept the original two speaker design, but upgraded and, for better sound disbursement, moved the speakers from the front to the sides. To help fill out the sound, they added a welcome addition, a “passive bass radiator.” Which, according to Wikipedia, is an unpowered speaker where the “Internal air pressure produced by movements of the active driver cone moves the passive radiator cone.” Or, put another way, the air moved by the two inch speakers drives the bass speaker. The result is a very enjoyable, full sound. How does the sound coming from this Echo Show compare to the sound coming from similar Bose or Sonos Bluetooth speakers? I do not have any experience with Sonos since I do not own one, but I have a Bose Sounddock and the Bose is clearly better. However, this Bose speaker is not a smart display; I can give up a little sound quality to get all this device’s other cool functionality. Anyway, the sound that is produced by this Echo Show is respectable and powerful enough to fill a medium sized room.If you purchase this Echo Show and are disappointed in the sound, you always have the option to purchase a dedicated, high end Bluetooth speaker and pair (connect) it to your Echo Show. The result would be the best of both worlds; audiophile sound with the functionality of a smart display.Physical design: The new Echo Show takes on a somewhat different form than the original Echo. Instead of being all plastic, it is covered in a pleasant and decorative tweed looking fabric. You get a choice of two colors, charcoal (dark gray) or sandstone (off white). On top of the newly redesigned show are the physical volume buttons, a mute button to mute the volume and turn off the camera and four microphones. On the front, near top of the screen bezel are four additional microphones. These eight mics do a nice job of picking up your inquiries to Alexa to perform all of her different functions. Additionally, one nice touch that will fly under the radar is the mini-usb port on the back. This will enable you, via a usb to Ethernet adapter, to connect your Echo Show to your wired Ethernet connection. Why is that important? For various reasons, people do not have solid, reliable wireless coverage in their home or they might not even have a wireless connection at all. This will help in those situations.Software: The area most in need of improvement is Echo Show’s software. Owing to the contentious relationship between Google and Amazon, there is no way to easily access YouTube on the Echo Show Second Generation. You can do it, but it takes effort. The Echo Show has two browsers built in; Silk and Firefox. So, you will need to ask Alexa to open Firefox (or Silk). After your browser opens, you have to navigate to YouTube. After you get into YouTube, you will need to perform a search via the onscreen keyboard. Only after that, you will see your search results and can open your video. Wouldn’t it be much easier to say “Alexa, show me YouTube videos with funny cats” and have those search results displayed on the screen? However, if you want to watch YouTube videos, there is the capability to do so.That brings me to another point. You have a nice new device with a screen, but do not confuse it for a fully functioning computer. Because there are no installed programs (or apps) like on your laptop or mobile phone, functionality is more limited. For example, if you start going to different web pages via one of the browsers, it does not take long before you find pages displaying oddly—videos not playing and login boxes not working; it is all because the browsers are not the full-fledged browsers that you are used to accessing on your computer. So, just keep in mind that even though this device looks like one, it is not a computer. It excels at doing certain things like keeping your shopping list, keeping a daily planner, displaying cooking videos, accessing Amazon Prime movies, answering some basic questions and most importantly, controlling your smart home devices; it is worth owning this Echo Show just to perform these functions.Zigbee Home Hub: Huh? You will see some information about the Echo Show being a Zigbee Home Hub and everyone touts it as something really important, but never really explain what is going on. Let’s take a minute here to do that. It turns out that the networking that you are using now, WiFi (802.11x), Bluetooth, and wired Ethernet are not good for all of the home networking devices that you own or will own in the near future. That is where Zigbee comes in. Zigbee uses a different networking standard (802.15.4) in order to connect all of the home automation devices that you own, think thermostats, light bulbs, plugs, security cameras and the like. Now, with all of these different devices sending signals zooming around your house, you need something to pull them all together and control all the different aspects of them—are you on, are you off, turn the temperature up, turn it down, show me the backyard camera; in order to get all these to work, you need a hub. That is where the second generation Echo Show comes in. It is a Zigbee hub which will use this new 802.15.4 network to easily setup and control all of your Zigbee compatible devices. Even though it does not sound like much, being a Zigbee hub is kind of a big deal.To summarize, here are the pros and cons of the Echo Show Second Generation:Pros:-Sharp HD touch screen-Nice sound, much better than any other Amazon Echo device-Nice integration with Amazon Prime (videos, photos, music)-Setup is very easy-Stylish look; more modern and elegant than the first generation Echo Show-Ability to connect to wired Ethernet-Zigbee home hubCons:-It is not a computer which you will discover if you regularly use either of the show’s built in browsers-Poor integration with video other than Amazon Prime video (think YouTube, Sling TV, etc.)-Lack of options to setup the home screen-A ton of skills, but many are useless-Supporting Z-Wave (alternate protocol to Zigbee) would have been nice
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Top reviews from the United States

sosayspennylane
5.0 out of 5 stars Great smart home assistant
Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2024
Color: SandstoneConfiguration: Echo ShowVerified Purchase
The media could not be loaded.
 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Echo Show (2nd Gen) in Sandstone is an exceptional smart display that has truly elevated my home connectivity experience. Its premium 10.1" HD screen offers crisp and vibrant visuals, whether I'm streaming videos, checking the weather, or browsing recipes.

One of the standout features is the seamless integration of Alexa, which allows me to control smart home devices, play music, set reminders, and more, all with simple voice commands. The addition of video calling capability keeps me connected with loved ones, making it easy to have face-to-face conversations from the comfort of my home.

The sleek design and sandstone finish blend effortlessly into my home decor, adding a touch of elegance to any room. Plus, the built-in privacy features, such as the camera shutter and microphone/camera off buttons, give me peace of mind when it comes to privacy and security.

Overall, the Echo Show (2nd Gen) is a standout product that combines premium design, advanced functionality, and intuitive features. It has become an indispensable part of my daily routine, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking to enhance their smart home experience.
One person found this helpful
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Leonard J. Mullen
5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific kitchen assistant -- and a whole lot more!
Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2020
Color: CharcoalConfiguration: Echo ShowVerified Purchase
Let me start by saying I own two of the 10" Shows, an 8, a 5, and five (5) Gen 1 Echo Shows plus a Recast, an Echo Auto, an Echo Connect, and four Dots. The Echo Show 10 is the very best Echo device. Rather than repeat what others have posted, let's stipulate to the fact that the Echo Show 10 has great speakers, a terrific HD display, and really good mics. I'll use this space to explain how I use these devices. In my opinion, what you can do with the Echo Show 10 is at least as important as how well it does those things. I bought this particular Show 10 from Best Buy along with a Show 5 and a smart LED bulb for $179.99. Same price I paid for my first Gen 1 Show.

********** How I use my Echo Show 10 **********

I have a Show 10 on my kitchen counter. While I'm planning and cooking meals, I direct Alexa to add ingredients to my shopping list. I ask her for recipes for whatever I am in the mood for. I ask her how much does a bell pepper weigh (because I dice and freeze mine when they are on sale and recipes often call for one medium bell pepper, etc.). And I set timers -- "Alexa set a fourteen minute timer for ribeye", "Alexa set an eight minute timer for lobster." When I make jerky, I set eight jerky timers to remind me to change the temperature or rotate the trays. Names come in handy if you are cooking Thanksgiving dinner at the same time. I can check the timers from any Show.

This time of year, I like to cook outside. The Echo Show's AC networking allows me to take radio, television, and the world wide web with me. I have one on my desk at work.

I have a lot of smart devices in my home -- especially lights and especially in the kitchen. I don't leave lights on at night. I can simply direct Alexa to "Turn on sink" or "Turn on Kitchen" (Kitchen is all the lights I use in the kitchen). This comes in handy when you are up to your elbows in dishes and the sun decides to set. It comes in handy when you need a midnight snack too. The Echo Show 10 has a built in Zigbee hub so you can control Zigbee devices without the need for a separate hub.

Most of the time, Alexa is entertaining me. I have a collection of photos playing as my background. The Echo Show 10 is an excellent digital frame. I listen to radio stations -- music, talk radio. Alexa keeps track of my favorites. When I select a radio station or album on one Show, the rest add it to their 'recent' lists. Very handy. I have a Recast, so I can stream Free TV to my Shows. I can also watch Pluto in a browser.

I have an electric fireplace insert that looks really great, but it doesn't make any sound. I have a first gen Show tucked behind the insert. When I run the fireplace, I direct Alexa to play fireplace sounds and to turn off the display.

I have a Show 10 in my bedroom. I bought the Show 8 to replace this so I can slide a cover over the camera when I want privacy. (Just kidding. My kid already told me he is taking it back to school. Turns our his privacy is more important than mine.) The Show 5 and Show 8 have mechanical shutters for the camera.

Sometimes I work from home. The Show is great for voice calls. It's great background noise (TV/Radio) when I am 'mostly' working. I set an alarm to get me up 'weekdays'.

I left a first gen Show at my mother's house. I have it configured so I can 'drop in' if she does not answer the call. I have an Echo Connect installed, so every device offers to pick up when my landline rings.

I put a first gen Show in my dog's pen. Initially I put it in there so I could drop in on him when the automatic feeder rotates to make sure it was working as expected and to see how he was reacting to it. (After a short time, he stood over the feeder and barked when he was hungry.) He was alone all day and I could drop in on him. Not sure what he thought of it, but he would get out of bed and bark back at me, so...

You can interact with the ecosystem using a phone app. So, my shopping list, calendar, and contacts are in my pocket. I can drop in on any Show from anywhere as long as I have my phone. Use one as a baby monitor for secure monitoring.

With Prime Days just around the corner (I guess), I bought one of each model of the Show into work. It was like a carnival. One guy googled things to ask Alexa. (If you have one, say, "Alexa, I am your father.") We discovered trivia games, math quizzes, and a thousand different ways to interact with Alexa.

Amazon offers exclusive deals via the Echo devices. I secure purchases with a PIN since the Show makes it SO easy to buy stuff from Amazon.

Communication is an improvement opportunity. Sure, you can call people or drop in on other Echos, but we are talking about 1x1 communication. Everyone else is doing 1xM or MxM. Amazon ought to work on a 'party line' feature that would let the family get together. Other than that I have no complaints.

The browser experience could use some attention as well. My main beef with the web browsers is that after a period of inactivity, the Show returns to the home screen. If you are watching a video or following a recipe, you have to continuously touch the screen to prevent this.

Best accessories for the Echo Show are 1) smart phone, 2) Recast, and 3) Connect. Your smart phone is just a portable, cellular, battery powered, very tiny Echo Show. The Recast lets you watch free TV on your Shows. The Connect turns every Echo device into a landline.
19 people found this helpful
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Mr. Fish
5.0 out of 5 stars Impressive device; an important link to your automated household
Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2019
Color: SandstoneConfiguration: Echo ShowVerified Purchase
This review is for the Amazon Echo Show, second generation.
The Echo Show 2nd generation is Amazon’s latest entry in the major “land grab” to fully automate your home. Being much more useful and refined than the Echo Show 1st edition, this device demonstrates that Amazon are good listeners; they discovered what users disliked about the first Echo Show and removed/reworked those functions and they discovered what users liked and improved those.
First, if you are new to the Echo Show line, let me describe some aspects of the device this way you know what you are getting.

Display: This new Echo Show features a larger touch screen (10.1” vs 7” on the Echo Show 1st Generation); the additional screen real estate comes in really handy for watching movies or following recipe videos. In addition, the resolution on the 2nd generation Echo Show has been bumped up to a more pleasing high definition (1280x720 resolution) from a non-hd (1024x600 resolution). The result is a very nice looking screen featuring crisp, colorful pictures and videos.

Sound: One of the reasons you would buy this device is to acquire a really smart speaker. The sound on this Echo Show is very nice; the engineers kept the original two speaker design, but upgraded and, for better sound disbursement, moved the speakers from the front to the sides. To help fill out the sound, they added a welcome addition, a “passive bass radiator.” Which, according to Wikipedia, is an unpowered speaker where the “Internal air pressure produced by movements of the active driver cone moves the passive radiator cone.” Or, put another way, the air moved by the two inch speakers drives the bass speaker. The result is a very enjoyable, full sound. How does the sound coming from this Echo Show compare to the sound coming from similar Bose or Sonos Bluetooth speakers? I do not have any experience with Sonos since I do not own one, but I have a Bose Sounddock and the Bose is clearly better. However, this Bose speaker is not a smart display; I can give up a little sound quality to get all this device’s other cool functionality. Anyway, the sound that is produced by this Echo Show is respectable and powerful enough to fill a medium sized room.

If you purchase this Echo Show and are disappointed in the sound, you always have the option to purchase a dedicated, high end Bluetooth speaker and pair (connect) it to your Echo Show. The result would be the best of both worlds; audiophile sound with the functionality of a smart display.
Physical design: The new Echo Show takes on a somewhat different form than the original Echo. Instead of being all plastic, it is covered in a pleasant and decorative tweed looking fabric. You get a choice of two colors, charcoal (dark gray) or sandstone (off white). On top of the newly redesigned show are the physical volume buttons, a mute button to mute the volume and turn off the camera and four microphones. On the front, near top of the screen bezel are four additional microphones. These eight mics do a nice job of picking up your inquiries to Alexa to perform all of her different functions. Additionally, one nice touch that will fly under the radar is the mini-usb port on the back. This will enable you, via a usb to Ethernet adapter, to connect your Echo Show to your wired Ethernet connection. Why is that important? For various reasons, people do not have solid, reliable wireless coverage in their home or they might not even have a wireless connection at all. This will help in those situations.

Software: The area most in need of improvement is Echo Show’s software. Owing to the contentious relationship between Google and Amazon, there is no way to easily access YouTube on the Echo Show Second Generation. You can do it, but it takes effort. The Echo Show has two browsers built in; Silk and Firefox. So, you will need to ask Alexa to open Firefox (or Silk). After your browser opens, you have to navigate to YouTube. After you get into YouTube, you will need to perform a search via the onscreen keyboard. Only after that, you will see your search results and can open your video. Wouldn’t it be much easier to say “Alexa, show me YouTube videos with funny cats” and have those search results displayed on the screen? However, if you want to watch YouTube videos, there is the capability to do so.
That brings me to another point. You have a nice new device with a screen, but do not confuse it for a fully functioning computer. Because there are no installed programs (or apps) like on your laptop or mobile phone, functionality is more limited. For example, if you start going to different web pages via one of the browsers, it does not take long before you find pages displaying oddly—videos not playing and login boxes not working; it is all because the browsers are not the full-fledged browsers that you are used to accessing on your computer. So, just keep in mind that even though this device looks like one, it is not a computer. It excels at doing certain things like keeping your shopping list, keeping a daily planner, displaying cooking videos, accessing Amazon Prime movies, answering some basic questions and most importantly, controlling your smart home devices; it is worth owning this Echo Show just to perform these functions.

Zigbee Home Hub: Huh? You will see some information about the Echo Show being a Zigbee Home Hub and everyone touts it as something really important, but never really explain what is going on. Let’s take a minute here to do that. It turns out that the networking that you are using now, WiFi (802.11x), Bluetooth, and wired Ethernet are not good for all of the home networking devices that you own or will own in the near future. That is where Zigbee comes in. Zigbee uses a different networking standard (802.15.4) in order to connect all of the home automation devices that you own, think thermostats, light bulbs, plugs, security cameras and the like. Now, with all of these different devices sending signals zooming around your house, you need something to pull them all together and control all the different aspects of them—are you on, are you off, turn the temperature up, turn it down, show me the backyard camera; in order to get all these to work, you need a hub. That is where the second generation Echo Show comes in. It is a Zigbee hub which will use this new 802.15.4 network to easily setup and control all of your Zigbee compatible devices. Even though it does not sound like much, being a Zigbee hub is kind of a big deal.
To summarize, here are the pros and cons of the Echo Show Second Generation:

Pros:
-Sharp HD touch screen
-Nice sound, much better than any other Amazon Echo device
-Nice integration with Amazon Prime (videos, photos, music)
-Setup is very easy
-Stylish look; more modern and elegant than the first generation Echo Show
-Ability to connect to wired Ethernet
-Zigbee home hub

Cons:
-It is not a computer which you will discover if you regularly use either of the show’s built in browsers
-Poor integration with video other than Amazon Prime video (think YouTube, Sling TV, etc.)
-Lack of options to setup the home screen
-A ton of skills, but many are useless
-Supporting Z-Wave (alternate protocol to Zigbee) would have been nice
Customer image
Mr. Fish
5.0 out of 5 stars Impressive device; an important link to your automated household
Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2019
This review is for the Amazon Echo Show, second generation.
The Echo Show 2nd generation is Amazon’s latest entry in the major “land grab” to fully automate your home. Being much more useful and refined than the Echo Show 1st edition, this device demonstrates that Amazon are good listeners; they discovered what users disliked about the first Echo Show and removed/reworked those functions and they discovered what users liked and improved those.
First, if you are new to the Echo Show line, let me describe some aspects of the device this way you know what you are getting.

Display: This new Echo Show features a larger touch screen (10.1” vs 7” on the Echo Show 1st Generation); the additional screen real estate comes in really handy for watching movies or following recipe videos. In addition, the resolution on the 2nd generation Echo Show has been bumped up to a more pleasing high definition (1280x720 resolution) from a non-hd (1024x600 resolution). The result is a very nice looking screen featuring crisp, colorful pictures and videos.

Sound: One of the reasons you would buy this device is to acquire a really smart speaker. The sound on this Echo Show is very nice; the engineers kept the original two speaker design, but upgraded and, for better sound disbursement, moved the speakers from the front to the sides. To help fill out the sound, they added a welcome addition, a “passive bass radiator.” Which, according to Wikipedia, is an unpowered speaker where the “Internal air pressure produced by movements of the active driver cone moves the passive radiator cone.” Or, put another way, the air moved by the two inch speakers drives the bass speaker. The result is a very enjoyable, full sound. How does the sound coming from this Echo Show compare to the sound coming from similar Bose or Sonos Bluetooth speakers? I do not have any experience with Sonos since I do not own one, but I have a Bose Sounddock and the Bose is clearly better. However, this Bose speaker is not a smart display; I can give up a little sound quality to get all this device’s other cool functionality. Anyway, the sound that is produced by this Echo Show is respectable and powerful enough to fill a medium sized room.

If you purchase this Echo Show and are disappointed in the sound, you always have the option to purchase a dedicated, high end Bluetooth speaker and pair (connect) it to your Echo Show. The result would be the best of both worlds; audiophile sound with the functionality of a smart display.
Physical design: The new Echo Show takes on a somewhat different form than the original Echo. Instead of being all plastic, it is covered in a pleasant and decorative tweed looking fabric. You get a choice of two colors, charcoal (dark gray) or sandstone (off white). On top of the newly redesigned show are the physical volume buttons, a mute button to mute the volume and turn off the camera and four microphones. On the front, near top of the screen bezel are four additional microphones. These eight mics do a nice job of picking up your inquiries to Alexa to perform all of her different functions. Additionally, one nice touch that will fly under the radar is the mini-usb port on the back. This will enable you, via a usb to Ethernet adapter, to connect your Echo Show to your wired Ethernet connection. Why is that important? For various reasons, people do not have solid, reliable wireless coverage in their home or they might not even have a wireless connection at all. This will help in those situations.

Software: The area most in need of improvement is Echo Show’s software. Owing to the contentious relationship between Google and Amazon, there is no way to easily access YouTube on the Echo Show Second Generation. You can do it, but it takes effort. The Echo Show has two browsers built in; Silk and Firefox. So, you will need to ask Alexa to open Firefox (or Silk). After your browser opens, you have to navigate to YouTube. After you get into YouTube, you will need to perform a search via the onscreen keyboard. Only after that, you will see your search results and can open your video. Wouldn’t it be much easier to say “Alexa, show me YouTube videos with funny cats” and have those search results displayed on the screen? However, if you want to watch YouTube videos, there is the capability to do so.
That brings me to another point. You have a nice new device with a screen, but do not confuse it for a fully functioning computer. Because there are no installed programs (or apps) like on your laptop or mobile phone, functionality is more limited. For example, if you start going to different web pages via one of the browsers, it does not take long before you find pages displaying oddly—videos not playing and login boxes not working; it is all because the browsers are not the full-fledged browsers that you are used to accessing on your computer. So, just keep in mind that even though this device looks like one, it is not a computer. It excels at doing certain things like keeping your shopping list, keeping a daily planner, displaying cooking videos, accessing Amazon Prime movies, answering some basic questions and most importantly, controlling your smart home devices; it is worth owning this Echo Show just to perform these functions.

Zigbee Home Hub: Huh? You will see some information about the Echo Show being a Zigbee Home Hub and everyone touts it as something really important, but never really explain what is going on. Let’s take a minute here to do that. It turns out that the networking that you are using now, WiFi (802.11x), Bluetooth, and wired Ethernet are not good for all of the home networking devices that you own or will own in the near future. That is where Zigbee comes in. Zigbee uses a different networking standard (802.15.4) in order to connect all of the home automation devices that you own, think thermostats, light bulbs, plugs, security cameras and the like. Now, with all of these different devices sending signals zooming around your house, you need something to pull them all together and control all the different aspects of them—are you on, are you off, turn the temperature up, turn it down, show me the backyard camera; in order to get all these to work, you need a hub. That is where the second generation Echo Show comes in. It is a Zigbee hub which will use this new 802.15.4 network to easily setup and control all of your Zigbee compatible devices. Even though it does not sound like much, being a Zigbee hub is kind of a big deal.
To summarize, here are the pros and cons of the Echo Show Second Generation:

Pros:
-Sharp HD touch screen
-Nice sound, much better than any other Amazon Echo device
-Nice integration with Amazon Prime (videos, photos, music)
-Setup is very easy
-Stylish look; more modern and elegant than the first generation Echo Show
-Ability to connect to wired Ethernet
-Zigbee home hub

Cons:
-It is not a computer which you will discover if you regularly use either of the show’s built in browsers
-Poor integration with video other than Amazon Prime video (think YouTube, Sling TV, etc.)
-Lack of options to setup the home screen
-A ton of skills, but many are useless
-Supporting Z-Wave (alternate protocol to Zigbee) would have been nice
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