With the summer break drawing to a close, students should be preparing to return to their dorm rooms for the new school year. To give these dorm rooms a splash of color, it’s a good idea to equip them with an Amazon Echo device. These smart speakers and smart displays grant easy access to Amazon’s Alexa, so that you can use voice commands for a wide range of functions such as playing music, looking up information, and setting reminders, among many others.
If you’re interested in such a device, the good news is that there are Amazon Echo deals that you can take advantage of right now, so that you can get what you purchase delivered to your doorstep before school starts. Amazon is offering discounts for the third-generation Amazon Echo Dot, which is down by $10 to $30 from its original price of $40; the fourth-generation Amazon Echo Dot, which is down by $10 to $40 from its original price of $50; and the second-generation Amazon Echo Show 5, which is down by $45 to $40 from its original price of $85. We’re not sure how long these offers will last though, so it would be best to take advantage of them as soon as you can.
Amazon Echo Dot (3rd Gen) — $30, was $40
The third-generation Amazon Echo Dot is an affordable way of tapping into the best Alexa skills, and it can fit in any corner of your dorm room because of its compact, puck-shaped design. you shouldn’t underestimate this little smart speaker though, because it offers impressive sound quality and volume despite its size. You can ask Alexa to play your playlists from your favorite streaming services while doing schoolwork, add calendar entries for important events, and control other smart home devices that you decide to add to your dorm room. For security, you can set up Alexa Guard for free. The smart speaker will send you mobile alerts if it detects sounds like a smoke alarm going off or glass breaking while you’re away.
Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen) — $40, was $50
The fourth-generation Amazon Echo Dot is among the best Alexa-enabled devices as the latest version of the Echo Dot line, providing basic Alexa functionality from a cost-effective device with a small profile. When comparing the fourth-generation Amazon Echo Dot and third-generation Amazon Echo Dot, the advantages of the latest version of the smart speaker include a more futuristic look, a front-firing speaker for better sound-staging, less speaker rattling because of the larger chassis, and the introduction of features that promote energy efficiency. The new Amazon Echo Dot provides even better audio quality compared to its predecessor despite its still relatively small size, so it can fill every corner of your dorm room with your favorite music, and you can also set up Alexa Guard with it.
Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) — $40, was $85
The second-generation Amazon Echo Show 5 is the best budget smart display among Digital Trends’ best smart displays, with a 5.5-inch screen that further maximizes Alexa’s capabilities compared to smart speakers. In addition to all the Alexa functions that you can access through smart speakers, the Echo Show 5 displays information such as the time and temperature when idle, and you can use the screen for things like watching tutorial videos while cooking and catching up on streaming content when you’re taking a break. Between the second-generation Amazon Echo Show 5 and first-generation Amazon Echo Show 5, you should go for the new model because of its better 2MP camera, in addition to more advanced camera features that let you use the smart display as a security camera.
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