# Rumor: Portable Echo to be released



## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

http://www.seattletimes.com/business/amazon/amazon-reportedly-developing-a-beer-can-size-echo-device/

Beer-can size, takes verbal commands after pushing a button. Since it needs a data connection, I see little use for this away from home. I suppose it would be useful for those who want to carry from room to room in a house, but I would hate giving up the convenience of just speaking commands. Cost savings would have to be huge.

Of course this is not official, and may be completely bogus.

PS: I can conceive of using an iPhone app that caused my phone to act like anEcho.


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## SandraMiller (May 10, 2011)

The Hooded Claw said:


> PS: I can conceive of using an iPhone app that caused my phone to act like anEcho.


Me too! I like the current Alexa app, but I want to talk to it. I don't like typing shopping list items on my onscreen keyboard--I just want to be able to tell Alexa to add them, like I do at home. Talk about lazy


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

The Hooded Claw said:


> PS: I can conceive of using an iPhone app that caused my phone to act like anEcho.





SandraMiller said:


> Me too! I like the current Alexa app, but I want to talk to it. I don't like typing shopping list items on my onscreen keyboard--I just want to be able to tell Alexa to add them, like I do at home. Talk about lazy


I've wanted an app ever since I got my Echo. It could be available if you've got an Echo registered to your account.


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

The Hooded Claw said:


> PS: I can conceive of using an iPhone app that caused my phone to act like anEcho.


Doesn't Siri qualify as this?

Mike


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

jmiked said:


> Doesn't Siri qualify as this?
> 
> Mike


There are android and microsoft 'do what I tell you' apps as well . . . . I guess the key is to connect 'em to Amazon.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

jmiked said:


> Doesn't Siri qualify as this?
> 
> Mike


Siri does some things better than the Echo; the Echo does something better than Siri. And yeah, I have hardly any thing on the Apple ecosystem, not even music. If I tell Siri to "play music by David Bowie" if all of the Bowie I have is streaming on Amazon Prime, will she play an Amazon playlist. Hmmmm.... Probably worth experimenting


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

The Echo is really handy for setting hands-free timers... you have to have an iPhone connected to a charger to do hands-free with it. And Siri won't connect to my Home Automation system (yet).

All of my music (whether bought on Amazon, Apple, or CD) is on my iPhone, so it's all available for play. I rarely listen to music other than tuning in the local classical music station, though.

All in all, it's nice to have both.


Mike


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

SandraMiller said:


> Me too! I like the current Alexa app, but I want to talk to it. I don't like typing shopping list items on my onscreen keyboard--I just want to be able to tell Alexa to add them, like I do at home. Talk about lazy


If you're using an iPhone, Siri will add things to your shopping list. The Shopping List is found as a note in the Reminders app.


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

Ann in Arlington said:


> There are android and microsoft 'do what I tell you' apps as well . . . . I guess the key is to connect 'em to Amazon.


Yep. I have a Galaxy phone as well as an iPhone. Last month I played around with "S Voice", which is Samsung's equivalent to Siri/Alexa. I spent 2-3 hours comparing the Siri and S Voice. They were pretty close except Siri is a bit more integrated with the OS. I could be happy with either. I'm not sure that connecting either of them to Amazon would change the way I work. I don't use streaming music services.


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## D/W (Dec 29, 2010)

The Hooded Claw said:


> I suppose it would be useful for those who want to carry from room to room in a house, but I would hate giving up the convenience of just speaking commands. Cost savings would have to be huge.


I agree. Hands-free control of the current Echo is a _major_ advantage. I'd probably buy the rumored mini-Echo if the price is low enough, though. It'd be nice to have one in the master bedroom.


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## Andra (Nov 19, 2008)

DreamWeaver said:


> I agree. Hands-free control of the current Echo is a _major_ advantage. I'd probably buy the rumored mini-Echo if the price is low enough, though. It'd be nice to have one in the master bedroom.


I'm looking for the lower price AND the always listening ability if it's docked. If it's not always listening, what's the point? That is the main thing that I like about my Echo devices.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Andra said:


> I'm looking for the lower price AND the always listening ability if it's docked. If it's not always listening, what's the point? That is the main thing that I like about my Echo devices.


Exactly. Even hubby who really doesn't like technology uses Alexa.

Betsy


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Andra said:


> I'm looking for the lower price AND the always listening ability if it's docked. If it's not always listening, what's the point? That is the main thing that I like about my Echo devices.


It makes sense to me that they could make a smaller one with a rechargeable battery. When you're carrying it, it's not always listening but if, as you say, you connect it to a dock, then it is. I'm sure the battery would drain in no time if it was always listening while not connected to power! 

That said, a smaller one would probably not have as good a speaker . . . so maybe less useful for playing music. Still be good for random queries, though, especially if it wakes to listen very fast on a button press. And, I can conceive of it having an 'audio out' so that you can 'port' it somewhere and plug it in to both power and a better speaker and have it work happily to play your entire Amazon music library.  Or . . . for example, it would be way cool on a long car ride.

Thought: the current model requires WiFi, doesn't it? To be truly portable, and useful while porting, it seems like it would have to have some other sort of connection. Hmmm.


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## readingril (Oct 29, 2010)

I'm interested if it's less than the $99 I paid for the tethered version.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

readingril said:


> I'm interested if it's less than the $99 I paid for the tethered version.


I'd be surprised if that's the case. Smaller/lighter/portable _probably_ means more costs. But, what do I know? Exactly nothing.


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## readingril (Oct 29, 2010)

Ann in Arlington said:


> I'd be surprised if that's the case. Smaller/lighter/portable _probably_ means more costs. But, what do I know? Exactly nothing.


I'd call ya a spoilsport, but since ya know nothing.... 

I'd love to be able to easily move a Mini Me around the house as I clean for listening to music, podcasts, audio books et al.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

readingril said:


> I'd call ya a spoilsport, but since ya know nothing....
> 
> I'd love to be able to easily move a Mini Me around the house as I clean for listening to music, podcasts, audio books et al.


Well . . . another solution to that problem, would be not to make the regular Echo hardwired, but make it so it settles into a docking station. The docking stations could then be placed in the various rooms in the house where you might want to use it and you can carry the device from room to room. One would, of course, come with the device but others could be purchased.

Heck, it might not even need to be a docking station, maybe just a regular detachable power cord like for computer monitors.

I guess the current Echo is a bit heavy, but it's not very big so mostly it's just kind of 'dense'.


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

Interesting, I move mine around the house a lot, it's easy to unplug..move...plug, less than my vacuum cleaner for sure. I would hate to have to push the button to wake Alexa up


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## Andra (Nov 19, 2008)

The Echo that we have downstairs moves around from room to room.  The only problem is that one of the outlets that we use is a little hard to get to and I haven't done anything about that yet.  I like having it in the kitchen when I am cleaning so I have music.


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## readingril (Oct 29, 2010)

Mine is plugged into an area in the family room that it's not easy to plug and unplug.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Andra said:


> The Echo that we have downstairs moves around from room to room. The only problem is that one of the outlets that we use is a little hard to get to and I haven't done anything about that yet. I like having it in the kitchen when I am cleaning so I have music.





readingril said:


> Mine is plugged into an area in the family room that it's not easy to plug and unplug.


Two words: Extension cord 

Or, if you prefer: Power strip 

Last time we rearranged some furniture we were smart and, where we were going to be making outlets hard to reach, we plugged in a power strip that would be more accessible.


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## readingril (Oct 29, 2010)

Except when you have a retired fireman who won't let you plug an extension cord into a power strip (where it is plugged)!


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

Andra said:


> If it's not always listening, what's the point? That is the main thing that I like about my Echo devices.


On the other hand, if it's always listening you can get three shotguns added to your shopping list as I did while watching a Bogart movie on TV.

Fortunately, it didn't place an order. 

Mike


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## Andra (Nov 19, 2008)

You can order an additional power supply from Amazon and unplug the Echo from the base instead of the wall - if that is approved


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## readingril (Oct 29, 2010)

Andra said:


> You can order an additional power supply from Amazon and unplug the Echo from the base instead of the wall - if that is approved


LOL... I'd never investigated that possibility! Duh! 

$20


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

readingril said:


> Except when you have a retired fireman who won't let you plug an extension cord into a power strip (where it is plugged)!


Ah! Well, yeah . . . that's generally not wise! All our extensions are plugged into the wall outlet.


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## pugmom (Feb 23, 2010)

I have been thinking of getting an Echo for my elderly parents.  They don't have an iPhone (although they do have iPads).  They are snow birds and spend a good amount of time in Florida, so the smaller version would be something I would consider because it would be easier for them to travel back and forth with.


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## gdae23 (Apr 30, 2009)

The portable speaker is now official:

http://www.amazon.com/Amazon-PW3840KL-Tap/dp/B00VXS8E8S/ref=sr_tr_sr_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457029123&sr=8-1&keywords=Amazon+tap


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