Alexa Turns Three: The Evolution of Amazon's Alexa

Happy Birthday, Alexa!
The Amazon Echo Turns Three Years Old!

The Evolution of Alexa and the Amazon Echo

Time sure flies when you're having fun, as the saying goes.  It doesn't seem like Alexa has been around for three years! But today marks the third anniversary of the Echo's release.  Let's take a look at how Alexa has evolved over a three-year period.

Amazon Echo, Generation One, 2014

The Amazon Echo was the first Alexa-enabled product sold by Amazon. Initially, it was offered to Prime Members by invitation only, as well as to a couple of lucky Vine Reviewers.  Generation One Echos cost about $200, but early adopters received them at a 50% discount.  Echos remained an invitation-only item until well after the Holiday Season was over, making them a very hot gift item. And of course, by the time Amazon made them available to the General Public, they stopped the 50% discount for Prime Members.

Generation One Echos shipped with an included voice remote, another practice that was soon discontinued.  For most of 2015, the Echo was available in limited quantities, and was a very hard item to get.  In 2016, used and refurbished Echos started hitting the market, and in fact, refurbished Echos were a hot commodity during Amazon's second "Prime Day" in 2016.

Initially, the Echo was primarily a glorified version of Siri, combined with a voice-activated media player.  Few skills were available, and third-party manufacturers had not begun making the dozens of Alexa-compatible devices we can find today.  In fact, although they supported Pandora, Spotify, Sirius XM, and other music service support was yet to come.  In 2014, the most impressive thing about the Echo was its "cool factor." It was the first and only voice assistant that was NOT part of a phone OS at the time. It also performed better than Siri on many tasks.

Amazon Echo, 2014 - 2017

Generation One Echos stayed on the market for an impressive three years, during which time, their skill sets expanded greatly.  By 2016, there was a wide range of products compatible with Alexa, as well as an expanded range of Alexa-compatible devices.  Now, smart lights, smart outlets, smart thermostats, and many other products could be controlled by voice, using Alexa.  And although the Echo's hardware did not change, a multitude of software updates extended Alexa's compatibility, adding all of the skills and abilities we've discussed in our Alexa series thus far.  They later added voice control of other Amazon Devices, like a Fire TV Stick, to Alexa's capabilities, as well as calling and messaging services.

Additionally, Amazon introduced more Smart Speakers: The Tap and the Dot.  The Tap initially needed to be "tapped" to activate Alexa, but a software update later added always-on Alexa to its repertoire.  The Dot was introduced as a smaller version of The Echo, meant to be paired with a Bluetooth Speaker. However, at a mere $50, The Dot became popular as an entry level Alexa-enabled device. Many folks found it a preferable choice for smaller rooms, where the full range of internal microphones are not needed.  Jeff Bezos announced that the Dot was a perfect Smart Device for every bathroom in the house.

Amazon also integrated Alexa into the latest Fire Tablets (4th Generation or newer), giving people another inexpensive way to test Alexa and her capabilities.  Alexa is available on any of the newer Fire Tablets, including the entry-level one which retails for around $50. This brought Alexa into the hands of many folks, without them needing to buy a Smart Speaker itself.

Generation 2 Echos, 2017

In the Fall of 2017, Amazon revamped its entire Echo product line.  First, it redesigned the standard Amazon Echo Speaker, and cut its price by half. The Generation 2 Amazon Echo retails for a mere $99.  Amazon also changed the Echo's appearance. While Generation One Echos were available in Black, and later white,  the Generation Two Echos are available in six different styles, including some with fabrics and wood veneers.  Gen 2 Echos have 7 microphones, as well as  Dolby processing for crisp vocals and dynamic bass response. Amazon also supposedly improved wake word response.

A Gen One Echo was 9.3" x 3.3" x 3.3" , and weighed 37.5 oz. (1064 grams.)  The Gen Two Echo is 5.9” x 3.5” x 3.5” and weighs 29.0 oz. (821 grams.)  So Amazon has packed more robust hardware into a smaller footprint as well.  If you have a Generation One Echo, the improvements are probably not so much that you need to upgrade. However, many third-party retailers are liquidating Generation One Echos at a higher price than you can buy a Gen Two at Amazon. (For example, Best Buy is liquidating Gen One Echos at about $110, and they are going for around $125-130 on Ebay.)  If you are in the market for an Echo today, DO NOT settle for a higher-priced Generation One device.  You are far better off buying a newer, more powerful and less expensive Generation Two Echo.

The Echo Plus, 2017

Also in the Fall of 2017, Amazon introduced the Echo Plus.  The Echo Plus is a higher-end version of the standard Echo that bundles in a few more features.  The Echo Plus integrates a zigbee-compatible Smart Hub into the mix.  This means  Alexa can control your compatible smart lights, thermostats, locks, garage doors, sprinklers, and more without the need for a separate hub.  Most of the "major" Smart Devices that currently use hubs are Zigbee-compatible.  This includes devices from Philips Hue, Kwikset, and others. If you already have Smart Device Hubs, you can still use them with a standard Echo. However, you will no longer need a hub to use Phillips Hue Bulbs with your Echo, and if you want to upgrade your Phillips Hub to a later generation, you may be better off just upgrading your Echo.  Apparently, the Echo Plus does NOT currently support Z-Wave Devices, including most GE Smart Devices.

The Echo Plus is 9.3" x 3.3" x 3.3",  and it weighs 33.6 oz, making it closer in size to a Generation One Echo than a Generation Two Echo.  Like the Gen One Echo, it is available in Black and White. But the Echo Plus also has a silver option, unlike a Generation One Echo.

If you are planning to replace your current hubs with an Echo Plus, you will need to factory reset those devices. You will also need to re-run discovery within the Alexa app.  Many devices will need to be re-setup to pair with the Echo Plus, rather than the existing hub. However, if you have not yet begun replacing standard bulbs with Smart Bulbs, the Echo Plus will be compatible out of the box. In fact, they even sell an Echo Plus bundled with a discounted Hue Bulb so you can test the waters, as they say, and see if Smart Bulbs are a thing in which you'd like to invest.

The Echo Plus retails for about $170, but is currently being discounted, like Amazon tends to do with new products. I am sure we will see deals on the Echo Plus on Black Friday and Cyber Monday as well.

The Echo Show, the Echo Look, and the Echo Spot, 2017

Along with the Alexa revamp, Amazon introduced three new Alexa-enabled devices.  The Echo Show represents the first Alexa-enabled device with a screen. Basically, it takes a standard Echo and adds a 7" touchscreen, so you can watch video flash briefings, watch Amazon Video content, make Video Calls, see music lyrics, view security cameras, or browse photos, weather forecasts, to-do or shopping lists. It kind of combines what Alexa can do on a tablet with the convenience of the Echo's always on, always listening capabilities.. You can buy it alone or bundled with a Cloud Cam.

The Echo Show is 7.4” x 7.4” x 3.5”, and it weighs 41.0 oz. (1170 grams).   It retails for $229.

The Echo Look is basically an Echo with a camera.  It is marketed as a "Fashion Assistant." Amazon says: 

"Using just your voice, easily take full-length photos and short videos of your daily look and build your own personal look book. The Echo Look hands-free camera features built-in LED lighting, depth-sensing, and computer vision-based background blur to make your outfits pop "

The Look also includes a feature called  "Style Check," a service that combines machine learning algorithms with advice from fashion specialists. It can give the user a 2nd opinion on the chosen outfit.  It can give you 360 degree looks at your outfit.

I think this is the least popular of the Echo line, and the one developed with the most limited audience in mind. Unless you are a fashion blogger, a teenage girl, or a Kardashian, I'm not sure you would get much use out of an Echo Look.  I think it's the ONLY Amazon product I've ever seen with zero reviews on its product page.  The Look retails for about $200, or double the price of its camera-less counterpart.  

The Echo Spot is the newest product in the Alexa line. In fact, it is still in the pre-order phase, and will not actually be released until mid-December.  The Spot is a small, compact Generation 2 Echo with a small, 2.5" screen.  It's designed to look more like a traditional clock, and in fact,  can use a traditional clock face as its screensaver.  The Spot also integrates a camera into the mix.  Like the Look and the Show, the Spot can do everything a traditional Echo can, and then some.  

The Spot is 4.1” x 3.8” x 3.6”, and weighs 14.8 oz.  It includes 4 internal microphones, and an AUX port for attaching an external speaker.  (Its own speaker quality is more like a Dot than an Echo.)  It is available in Black or White, and will retail for around $130.

The Evolution of the Amazon Echo

As you can see, Alexa has done a lot of growing up in the last three years. Initially, Alexa was only available on The Echo, was only available in Black, was an invitation-only product, and was most useful as a Party Toy.  Over the last three years, Alexa has done a lot of growing up.  Now, she is available on a multitude of devices, in a range of colors, sizes, and strengths, and with or without cameras and screens.  Alexa has increased her functionalities and capabilities to include over 35k different skills. And these skills include everything from news briefings, to games, to stories, to device controls, to communications. Alexa can control a multitude of third party Smart Devices, including thermostats, outlets, lights, appliances, locks, entertainment devices, and more. She can read books to you, tell you the weather, give you the news, or fart for the kids. And she adds hundreds of new skills and capabilities each month.

And all this increased growth has actually resulted in a reduction in costs. How many devices keep getting both better and less expensive with each iteration?

In celebration of Alexa's third birthday, Amazon is running a lot of deals on Alexa enabled and compatible devices.  And if history tells us anything, it's that Amazon will continue to run deals and specials throughout this Holiday season, including on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.  Other Big Box retailers have already announced discounts on Alexa enabled and compatible devices for their Black Friday sales.

So if you are thinking of testing the Alexa waters, there has never been a better time to do so. I can honestly say Alexa has changed my own life. My own Alexa app started with only one Smart Home Skill enabled; now I have over 100 different scenes on my Smart Home tab.  At least 2/3 of my lights can now be controlled with a simple Alexa command, and I will be controlling my own Holiday Lights with Alexa.  Almost every time a light bulb blows, I replace it with an Alexa compatible one.  All of my traditional light timers have been retired and replaced with Alexa-controllable Smart Outlets.

I have also introduced Alexa to many other people, all of whom have been impressed with both what she can do and how easy it is to use her.    And I know a lot of our readers found this blog while looking for Alexa-related advice.  What started off as a party toy has grown to become an integral part of my household, and something I find myself hard to imagine living without.

Happy Birthday, Alexa!  It may be your birthday, but I think your users are the ones receiving gifts.

(There are links to the Amazon Echo family of products above. These may NOT show unless you disable your ad-blocker. These links will reflect current prices of specific Alexa-enabled devices.  Techlaurels will receive a few pennies if you purchase a product using any of these product links, and we appreciate the click-throughs!) )