Echo Show 8 Review

The Echo Show 8 is a smart speaker and tablet created by Amazon. Originally released in 2019, the latest version is the Echo Show 8 3rd Generation, released in 2023.

The Echo Show 8 features an eight-inch display, spatial audio, and, of course, Amazon Alexa.

Let’s review this remarkable device and its features.

Echo Show 8 Features

Video and Audio Streaming

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The Echo Show 8 features both video and audio streaming from your favorite streaming services. For video and TV, you have Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, Hulu, Tubi TV, and others, providing you with access to millions of shows, series, videos, and movies.

For audio streaming, there are apps such as Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music, SiriusXM, and Pandora. These allow you to access your favorite tracks and podcasts.

In addition, it integrates with Amazon Audible, allowing you to listen to insightful and entertaining audiobooks.

Since Amazon Alexa is built into the device, you can simply tell Alexa to start a free Audible trial, launch your favorite podcast, or start playing your favorite playlists. Whether you’re in the mood for a quiet vibe with calming music or need upbeat music as an extra push to motivate you to exercise, it’s all just a single voice command away.

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Camera

The Echo Show 8 features a 13 MP camera, which is a big step up from the 2 MP camera that the Echo Show 5 has.

This camera makes video calling your loved ones a seamless experience, with auto-framing and noise reduction technology. The camera is centered in the middle at the top of the device.

Not only can the camera be used for video calls, but you can turn your Echo Show 8 into a live cam with which you can check on your home, children, pets, or elderly parents while you are away.

The camera shutter allows you to close the camera for privacy reasons. If you’re worried about hackers spying on you, you can now have peace of mind.

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Widgets

Widgets allow you to do things like view the weather forecast, add virtual notes, see your calendar and upcoming events, and more.

With the Adaptive Content feature, you can view your most important events and reminders from afar, with a more detailed view available when you are closer and can see smaller text.

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Smart Home Devices

Your Amazon Echo Show 8 can also be used as a smart home hub, allowing you to control your smart home devices using technologies such as Zigbee, Thread, and Matter. You don’t need a separate smart home hub if you have the Amazon Echo Show 8.

You can turn off your lights, turn on a lamp, unlock the door, and control the temperatures. It can connect to smart devices over your Wi-Fi network or via Bluetooth.

With Alexa Routines, you can program routines for certain times of the day. For example, you can start your day by turning on the lights, getting news and weather updates, turning off the alarm system, and even turning on the coffee machine.

You can also create routines that you can activate with motion gestures or with voice commands. For example, you can ask Alexa to start your morning routine to get your day going.

There are some featured routines that you can use as templates instead of creating your own routines.

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Digital Photo Frame

When not in use, the Echo Show 8 can be a digital photo frame, displaying an automated slide of your family photos. With adaptive color technology, the display is bright and colorful in all sorts of lighting conditions.

Just upload your photos to Amazon Photos to add them to your slideshow.

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Alexa Emergency Assist

Amazon has a service called Alexa Emergency Assist, which is available as a monthly subscription. It consists of trained agents who you can connect to by telling Alexa to call for help.

The agents can triage your location, call police or first responders for you, and stay on the line with you until emergency help arrives.

You can receive alerts when your carbon monoxide or fire alarms go off and enter preset information, such as your gate codes and medical information (such as your allergies) so first responders can get you assistance quicker.

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Alexa for Kids

With Alexa for Kids, you can keep your Echo Show 8 kid-friendly. It will give kid-friendly responses and avoid the use of explicit words.

Kids can ask Alexa to play bedtime songs or tell a bedtime story, play children’s’ music, or help them with their homework.

To set up Alexa for Kids, you will want to create a profile for your kid. Then, you will help Alexa recognize your child’s voice so it knows when it is your child speaking to it.

You can approve your child’s profile to call only specific family members and friends. Your child can then call those specified people with hands-free voice commands.

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For example, you might only want your child to call their grandmother or grandfather, without the ability to call anyone else.

If you want, you can allow your child to call 911 as well. This is optional, because you might not want your child to call 911 for silly reasons, which is something that might happen.

You can even connect to the Echo Show 8 using another Echo device in another room, replacing a traditional intercom system, allowing you to call your children to come to dinner, for example.

While an Amazon Kids subscription is available for free, it has limited features compared to Amazon Kids+, which includes unlimited skills such as games, educational skills, and bedtime stories, which cost extra with the free version of Amazon Kids.

Furthermore, Amazon Kids+ provides you with access to audiobooks for children from Audible, character alarms from Disney and Prime Video, and other cool features.

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Use Cases

The Amazon Echo Show 8 is designed primarily for living rooms, kitchens, and other open spaces. While it can be used in the bedroom as well, the larger size makes it more suitable for the former rather than as a bedside assistant.

It comes with an optional stand, which comes separately, making it perfect for your kitchen counter or living room table.

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Design and Aesthetics

The Echo Show 8 comes in either charcoal or glacier white. Both colors look nice, although the charcoal color will probably be less noticeably dirty over time, especially if you plan on using it in the kitchen.

The screen is surrounded by pretty thick bezels. Despite the bezels blending seamlessly with the screen in one piece of glass, it looks a bit cheap, but that’s understandable considering the price.

It is also eco-friendly, as it is made of 29% recycled materials.

With the Amazon Second Chance program, you can trade in your Echo Show 8 once you are done with it.

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This not only helps preserve the environment but can also help you save money.

Overall, it’s nothing special in the aesthetics department, but in terms of functionality, it definitely gets five stars.

Price

The Echo Show 8 goes for $99.99 on Amazon as of this publication, down from $149.99. As pricing is subject to change, always check back for updated pricing information.

Of course, subscriptions such as Amazon Prime, Spotify Premium, and Amazon Kids+ will cost extra. Also, if you want to use it as a digital photo album, the Echo Show 8 Photos Edition costs an extra $10.

Accessories such as the optional stand and Blink Mini cost extra as well.

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Conclusion

With spatial audio and surround sound, the Echo Show 8 is perfect for playing music, watching videos or TV series, and more. You can automate your home systems, set up routines, call family and friends, and provide plenty of fun educational content and entertainment for your children.

The 8-inch screen size and 1280 × 800 resolution make it a perfect alternative to a tablet. Although not designed to be a bedside assistant, it is still small enough to serve as one as well, replacing your traditional alarm clock with a smart one that lets you watch shows before bed and start the day on the right track.