Gabe Turner: Hi, folks.
This is Gabe at Security Baron.
Have you been looking for more flexibility out of your smart assistant enabled devices?
We may have just the smart speaker for you today in our review of the Amazon Echo Flex.
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Gabe: In today's review of the Amazon Echo Flex, I'm going to go over some pros and cons,
its design, its feature set, the installation of mobile App experience, dive into the user
experience before answering some common questions and letting you know exactly who I think this
device would be good for.
For full breakdown on the details on the Echo Flex, and a list of some fun products to couple
with it, check out securitybaron.com.
Let's start today's review of the Amazon Echo Flex going over some pros and cons, starting
with those pros because we're optimistic here.
The Amazon Echo Flex installs quickly, easily.
No fuss.
You simply have to have your Amazon Alexa App already downloaded of course.
You have your WiFi and you just plug it in and that's it.
I don't think I did anything else for my Amazon Echo Flex to begin working.
In addition, if you'd like to make your dumb speaker into a smart speaker, it comes with
a 3.5-millimeter aux jack.
You can plug it in and really get more bang out of your tunes.
That's a really important element for the Amazon Echo Flex, is the fact that it works
with other accessories quite well.
There's a USB port and third parties have already made a nightlight and a motion sensor.
I'm honestly quite interested in the potential for other accessories to work with the USB
port that comes on the bottom of the Amazon Echo Flex.
When it comes to cons, I have to say that the sound that comes from the Flex by itself
is rather tiny.
It's almost the same quality or maybe even worse than what you'd get from an iPhone or
a Pixel.
That's one thing to note on the con side.
That's the look at the pros and cons for the Amazon Echo Flex.
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Gabe: Now that we've gone over the pros and cons for the Amazon Echo Flex, let's talk
about its design.
It comes in that all white aesthetic.
Honestly, I don't find it to be particularly beautiful, but I don't think I'd give it a
second look if you're inside someone's house.
They definitely blend in.
When it comes to the device itself, it has some of the things we've come to expect from
an Echo Dot in terms of the Alexa button, the mute-mic button, has the microphone, has
an LED touch, you know what's going on and it has speakers.
You can definitely hear what's happening.
What's cool about it is it has this 3.5-millimeter aux jack so you can make it even louder with
other speakers.
It has a nice USB port.
Not only can you charge other devices like your phone using this USB port, you can also
have accessories like this nightlight.
I can take the nightlight.
Whoops.
Excuse me.
Plug it in.
Now, I've added another element to this device without taking away any more of my outlets.
If you note here, if you put this on the bottom outlet in your wall, you can still put something
like an Amazon smart plug or any plug above it.
That's a cool element of the Amazon Echo Flex.
Those are my thoughts on its design.
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Gabe: Now that we've gone over the design, let's talk about all the features that Amazon
has packed into this diminutive device, the Echo Flex.
Right off the bat, you want to talk about the fact that you control all the elements
of your smart home.
It might be your hue lights, it might be your cameras, it could even be your locks, all
controlled by the sound of your voice and your Amazon Echo Flex.
It also gives you access to the entire Amazon Alexa skill library.
If you want to play Jeopardy or check on the NBA scores, you can do so using the Amazon
Echo Flex.
Finally, you can play your favorite music or podcast from services like Apple or Spotify,
or even ask it to play it your favorite local radio station.
You can make announcements and even call other Amazon Echo devices in your home.
You can make hands-free phone calls.
In general, you can expand the functionality by using the USB port at the bottom.
You can do more than just charge your phone.
You can add something like this nightlight, which will allow for you to see in the dark.
If you want to make your dumb speaker smart, you can use the 3.5-millimeter jack on the
side and have a little bit better music for your next party.
There's a lot of features to be found in the Amazon Echo Flex.
[background music]
Gabe: Whoa.
Hold on.
I hope you're enjoying today's review of the Amazon Echo Flex.
If you want to be kept up to date on the newest in smart speakers, smart home security, cyber
security and more, subscribe to our channel, Security Baron.
We're dropping new content weekly.
All right.
Let's get back to the video.
Now that we've gone over the feature set, let's look at the installation and mobile
app experience with the Amazon Echo Flex and the Amazon Alexa app.
Once you've plugged in your Amazon Echo Flex, you're going to look for the device in your
Amazon Alexa app.
From there, you just go to add device.
Echo Flex is the name of it.
It will quickly show up in your app.
Then it will say, "OK, add it to your WiFi network."
Once you've added it to your WiFi network, you're pretty much ready to go.
Now that I've got it installed in the mobile application, I simply decide which room I'd
like to add my Amazon Echo Flex, I can decide whether or not I want to go ahead and name
it now, and I can always rename it later.
That's a look at the installation process with the Amazon Echo Flex.
Now that we've got it installed, I'm checking out the interface of the Amazon Echo Flex
in the Amazon Alexa mobile application.
I've named it the Echo Flex.
Pretty basic, straightforward.
You note here that you have the audio settings at the top, but you should be clear that you
can only change the audio if there's audio playing.
If you see I go and try to change that, it says, "Volume change unavailable."
You have to be playing audio, so you can listen and know what's happening.
Beyond that, you can connect it to other Bluetooth devices.
You can pair it with various Amazon devices, like the subwoofer and things of that nature.
Remember, it's going to give you a bit of a tinny sound by itself, and you get the most
out of your Amazon Echo Flex when you pair it with other speakers.
You have elements like the nightlight that is a third-party that was made directly for
this device.
If I tap on that, you can see I've changed it to magenta and the brightness is currently
at 71 percent.
I can change that brightness to 94 percent.
I can change that brightness all the way down to 11 percent.
I can even set the color.
I can change it to orange, salmon, red, or blue.
Any number of colors, or rather 16 colors, are available to you using the nightlight
with your Amazon Echo Flex.
One cool element.
You can also just set up a routine where this nightlight will come on at certain times,
which is useful.
If you have a young one at the house, or even if you're someone like me who constantly stubs
their toe, it can be useful to have a nightlight available.
As you can see, most of the options and customization with the Amazon Alexa app are limited because
you're going to be doing most everything with your Amazon Echo Flex just using the voice
control.
That's our look at the installation process and mobile application experience with the
Amazon Echo Flex using the Amazon Alexa mobile application.
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Gabe: Now that we've checked out the installation process and mobile application experience
on the Amazon Echo Flex, let's go ahead and check out the user experience, beginning by
just playing some music.
Alexa, play "Fading" by Vallis Alps.
Alexa: Playing Fading, single by Vallis Alps from Apple Music.
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Gabe: Alexa, turn off music.
You can also play your favorite podcast.
I can say, "Alexa, play the latest episode of NPR News Now."
Alexa: Playing the latest episode of NPR News Now.
NPR News.
November 21st, 2019, 1:00 PM ET.
Lakshmi Singh: Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh.
Two more diplomats are about to resume their testimony in the houses...
Gabe: Alexa, turn off the podcast.
You can also interface with external accessories, like the nightlight.
I can say, "Alexa, turn on first light."
I can even change the color of my voice.
I can say, "Alexa, turn first light red."
I can even turn it off.
"Alexa, turn off first light."
I can even use my Echo Flex to interface with skills like the English Premier League in
order to know what games are going to be happening this weekend.
I can say, "Alexa, what matches are happening in the English Premier League this weekend?"
Alexa: Crystal Palace will play in the Premier League on Saturday at 10:00 AM against Liverpool.
Bournemouth will play in the Premier League on Saturday at 10:00 AM...
Gabe: Alexa stop.
That's some of what you can expect with the user experience on the Amazon Echo Flex.
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Gabe: Now that we've gone over the user experience let's answer some common questions about the
Amazon Echo Flex.
The first question is, can the Amazon Echo Flex play music?
Yes, the Amazon Echo Flex can play music from Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora and a few other
music providers.
The second question is, is the Amazon Echo Flex listening to conversations?
Technically the Amazon Echo Flex is always listening for a wake word, but it does not
begin to record your query or what you're saying until after you use that wake word.
The third question is, is there a monthly fee to using Alexa?
No, Alexa is free.
You do not have to pay a monthly fee to use that virtual assistant.
Those are our answers to some of the most commonly asked questions regarding the Amazon
Echo Flex.
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Gabe: We've gone over a lot with our Amazon Echo Flex I want to recap some of the major
features and let you know who I think this device is for.
When it comes to these external accessories, they're super fun, the night light, the motion
sensor.
I'm honestly excited to see what Amazon does with this, a USB port that's found at the
bottom of Amazon Echo Flex.
It also has a 3.5-millimeter aux jack which allows you to connect larger speakers to your
Amazon Echo Flex.
Finally, it's just a super easy, no fuss, quick installation process.
Now I want to talk about who I think the Amazon Echo Flex might be for.
It's probably for someone with a larger space.
Someone who wants that Amazon Alexa capability in their kitchen, their bathroom or maybe
their workshop.
Somewhere where they don't want a lot of cords but definitely want to be able to control
things with their voice.
It's also for someone who wants to bring that smart speaker capability to their existing
sound system because you just plug in to that 3.5-millimeter aux jack and you're ready to
go.
It also could be for someone who wants to have more elements to their Amazon ecosystem
but doesn't want to pay more than $25 because this comes in at $24.99.
Those are my thoughts on the major features on Amazon Echo Flex and who this device might
be made for.
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Gabe: That concludes our look at the Amazon Echo Flex.
If you appreciate today's video give us a like and hit that subscribe button.
As always, this is Gabe at Security Baron, be secure.