In shocking news that will have long-term global implications, Amazon hardware for sale today. I child, I child, because Amazon hardware is arranged almost amusingly. Under no circumstances should you ever pay the full price for an Echo Dot, for example.
Clearly, these are not the lowest prices – they are usually reserved for Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday sales – but some of them are close. The Amazon Echo 5 smart screen, for example, is on sale for $ 50, a solid $ 40 off the regular price and only $ 5 above the everyday low.
Let’s take a look at all the highlights of the sale.
For the same price you would normally pay for the Fire TV Stick Lite, you can get the “middle” version of the streaming stick, which offers one major advantage: TV control buttons on the remote. Assuming your TV is compatible, it means you can control the power, volume and attenuation of everything from the same clicker. You can also talk in it; the Fire TV Stick supports Alexa commands, which is definitely useful.
This package includes a free year Food Network Kitchen, worth $ 40. However, please note that you will renew your subscription at that price unless you cancel. Also note that this version does not support 4K streaming – and the Fire TV Stick 4K is not currently on sale (though it will be back soon).
Read our Fire TV Stick (2020) review.
Tyler Lizenby / CNET
This is a wonderful little companion to bed, especially at this price. The Echo Show 5 features a 5.5-inch touch screen, a decent speaker and all the usual Alexa smarts. There is also a camera (with privacy hatch) to make video calls. You can get a screenless Echo Dot for a few dollars less, but why?
Read our Echo Show 5 review.
It’s a straightforward larger version of the Echo Show 5 – and the extra real estate makes it a better kitchen companion, as it’s easier to follow recipe videos. CNET called it ‘the best Alexa smartwatch, period’ last year, and it was based on the $ 130 list price. At $ 75, it feels like a steal.
Read our Echo Show 8 review.
Tyler Lizenby / CNET
There’s a newer, most popular Echo Show 10 on the scene, with a greasy speaker and a motorized screen that can follow you as you move around, for example your kitchen. But if you find the idea creepy (or unnecessary) and just want the biggest Echo Show you can get, this revamped second-generation model is the right way. The deal was originally $ 230 and has the lowest price recorded.
No matter it has been refurbished; it is “tested and certified to look and work like new and has the same limited warranty as a new device,” according to Amazon.
Read our Amazon Echo Show (2nd generation) review.
Other selling points worth considering
Your thoughts?
Look at this:
Amazon Echo Show 8 Review: Alexa Gets Even Better
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Enjoy free streaming of three months of top quality music
Sound purists often complain about the slower bit rate used by music streaming services, which do not provide the same fidelity as lossless or “HD” streaming. For example, if you use the free option of Spotify, you listen at about 160 kilobits per second – not good.
Want to see how the other half lives? Or, rather, hear the other half listen? For a limited time you can use a free three month subscription to Deezer HiFi, streaming in the lossless FLAC format (1.4 Mbps).
Even if you are already a subscriber to, for example, Spotify Premium or even Amazon Music HD (which streams at around 850 Kbps), it will be an interesting experiment to compare it to Deezer HiFi.
Try both with speakers, try both with a headphone, see if you can spot any difference. Some listeners are able to do this, others are not. But it will cost you nothing to test this sound water.
After three months, however, you will pay at the normal rate ($ 15 per month) unless you cancel.
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