Amazon Echo Show specs, price news: Smart speaker with 7-inch touchscreen announced

Promotional banner for the Amazon Echo Facebook/AmazonEcho

Amazon will be adding another device to its Echo line and it is called the Echo Show. Just like the past Echo products, the Echo Show will come with Amazon's virtual, voice-activated assistant, Alexa. The major difference between the previous Echo products and the Echo Show is the 7-inch touchscreen that Alexa will be able to use to show the user things.

Echo Show's touchscreen can display several things, including video calls with other Echo Show users or voice calls with other Echo product users. Video calls are made possible by the 5-megapixel camera that is embedded on the front of the device. Users won't have to worry about whether or not they can be heard on the other end since the device comes equipped with eight microphones.

Something that may come in handy to new parents is the option of being able to connect the Echo Show to a smart home camera then use it as a voice-activated baby monitor. Other things that the Echo Show can do is play YouTube videos, display the daily news along with the current weather forecast, and show the user's appointments for the day.

Users of previous Echo products will find it easy to work with the new Echo Show since it's a lot similar to the Echo and Echo Dot. Alexa will be able to hear all voice commands, as long as its woken up by saying, "Alexa," "Amazon," "Echo" or "Computer." Any command given to Alexa will be uploaded onto the Amazon server, for faster responses the next time it is used.

The Amazon Echo Show is available in two colors: black and white, for a price of $229.99. The Echo Show will be released on Wednesday, June 28, but it's now available to pre-order with a $100 early-bird discount for those who want to get their hands on it as soon as it comes out.

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