Theta Android News: 6 Amazon Echo accessories you never knew existed (but should definitely check out!)

Monday, July 31, 2017

6 Amazon Echo accessories you never knew existed (but should definitely check out!)

Amazon's Echo line already is pretty good. But for just a few bucks more you can make your Echo even better.

So you've got an Amazon Echo ($179.99). Or maybe (or more likely) the less-expensive Echo Dot ($49.99). Or maybe even a newfangled Echo Show ($229.99). That's just the start of things. Turns out there's a burgeoning accessory ecosystem that's actually full of useful things that make your Echo just a little bit better.

And none of it breaks the bank.

Let's take a quick look at a few of the things you definitely should give a gander if you've got a new Echo.

Echo Dot Case

Let's face it — the Echo Dot ain't much of a looker. Fortunately, Amazon sells some clothes for this little guy. The fabric cases run $10, and the leather ones are about $20. While that's a good chunk of the price of the Echo Dot itself, it goes a long way to turning the plastic puck into something you don't mind folks seeing in your living room.

Do take care that you're getting the right one, though. If your Echo Dot only has two buttons, it's a first-generation Dot. The second-gen Dot sports four buttons.

See at Amazon

Portable Battery Case for original Echo

Why would you want this instead of an Amazon Tap, which is meant to be portable? Well, for one, you already own an Echo and don't want to spend another $100 and change. Another reason would be that I've just never been that crazy about the Amazon Tap, and I've owned one from the start.

So that's where this little guy comes in. This is an extra $50, but it's definitely less expensive than adding a Tap to your Echo arsenal. It's got a rubberized base that fits on the bottom of your OG Echo and promises up to 6 hours of playback time. It's done up in that same sort of plastic as the Echo itself and sort of makes the whole thing look like a rocket. It's got an on/off switch, low-battery LED and another for charging status.

This uses the Echo's power cable to charge, which is nice, so you won't have to have yet another USB cable clunking things up.

See at Amazon

Voice remote for Echo and Echo Dot

Let's say you only have a single Echo in your home, but you want to use it from anywhere. That's where this little $29 remote comes in. Stash it in your pocket and pull it out wherever you are to talk to Alexa — even if it's in another room.

It's also got dedicated buttons for music playback, which is nice.

See at Amazon

Screen protector for Echo Show

I'm not a huge fan of screen protectors, but I also won't begrudge anyone who is. If you want to protect your investment, $8 gets you this tempered screen protector for the Echo Show. I could definitely see using it in the kitchen, perhaps, because food spills and splatters do happen.

See at Amazon

Wall hanger for Echo Dot

Some folks want to stash their Echo Dot on the wall, out of the way. Some folks also like to do so with tape or Velcro. But of course, there's a better way.

This outlet hanger lets you stick the Dot (either generation) on the wall without drilling or needing extra wires. Not bad for about $14.

See at Amazon

VAUX cordless speaker for Echo Dot (Gen. 2)

The Echo Dot is great, but its speaker leaves a lot to be desired. This cordless speaker uses the Echo Dot's 3.5mm aux plug for audio, and Micro-USB for charging.

After that you've got something that looks and sounds a whole lot better than the Echo Dot on its own, is portable — and at $50 still comes in less expensive than the Amazon Tap.

See at Amazon