If you want to add some voice-controlled smarts to your home, today is the day to do it. Amazon is selling the fourth-generation Echo Dot for $35, down from the usual $50. We reviewed the Dot back in October 2020, giving it four out of five stars and a hearty recommendation.
We liked the new Dot for its revamped, spherical design over the hockey puck of generations past. The audio quality on this version is also better than its predecessor, though the improvement is modest, and there’s a 3.5mm audio jack for connecting a wired speaker if you want to add even better sound. The new Dot also has a “tap-to-snooze” feature that tells your alarm to get back to you in nine minutes.
The great thing about the Dot is, of course, Alexa. With Alexa you can get traffic and weather updates, stream music, control smart home devices, and answer simple web queries. If you have other Echo devices in the house you can send broadcast messages to them, as well as “drop in” to other speakers for two-way conversations.
The Dot is a fantastic smart speaker and right now it’s available at an excellent price.
[Today’s deal: Fourth-generation Echo Dot for $35 at Amazon.]