Amazon’s new Echo Show 10: Bigger and even better

Everyone loves Alexa; a mixture of amazing utility and accessibility. Add a screen, and her usefulness increases still further.

Amazon recently added to their growing family of ‘Echo Show’ products (these are the Echos with a screen) with an updated version of their 10” model. The big, bright 10” screen displays information such as weather, recipes, Wikipedia articles and photos, as well as streamed entertainment from Amazon Prime Video, YouTube and Netflix, and so, so much more. 

As well as its big, clear screen, this model of Echo Show further aids visibility by actually swivelling its screen to follow you as you move around your kitchen or lounge. Is this creepy or cool? I suspect there’ll be two camps on that one – but our family (consisting of tech sceptics as well as early adopters like myself) has definitely come down on the side of ‘Cool’ after seeing it in action.

If you’d like to shutter its camera when you’re not actually doing a video call (or using the brilliant ‘Show and Tell’ feature) then swivelling only occurs when you speak a command and she can detect (with great accuracy) the direction of your voice.

The Echo Show 10 – A quick review

I recently reviewed this new version of The Echo Show in an episode of my daily podcast all about Alexa. Check it out:

It’s a great combination of the much-loved utility of Alexa, the added usefulness of a big, bright screen and all the accessibility features you could ask for. And if you want a talking point when friends come round, well you’ve got that in spades when it comes to that smoothly silent swivelling screen.

Amazing accessibility

I’ve mentioned accessibility a couple of times already - and with good reason. You’ll have heard in the demo above how a blind person (like myself) can take full advantage of the screen, but that’s a fraction of the full set of features that all Echos offer.

I recently wrote an article outlining how you can make Alexa a core part of an amazingly accessible 2021 and discuss key features such as the ability to tap and type instead of talking to Alexa, how to make the screen easier to see if you have a vision impairment, and how on-screen captioning can replace the need to hear Alexa speak to you.

Want to know more about the accessibility features in your Echos? Packed with information and video how-tos, you can learn everything about the full range of accessibility features that your Echo has to offer in Amazon’s new Alexa Accessibility Hub.

Useful links and info about Alexa

Further reading: Make Alexa part of an amazingly accessible 2021

Learn how smart speakers can assist independent living

Find out how to get the most from your smart speaker when working or studying from home

Learn how technology, including smart speakers, can help people with dyslexia

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