Let me get this out of the way right off the bat. You most likely do not need an Amazon Echo. (You may recall that, in a previous post, I reached a similar conclusion about the Apple Watch.) But, even if it is not strictly a need, the Echo is still a pretty fun thing to have. Here are some of the things that the Echo can do for you, all at the sound of your voice:
- Wake you up
- Tell you the weather
- Tell you the news
- Tell you a joke
- Play music and adjust its volume
- Read you a book
- Give you sports scores
- Keep track of your calendar
- Turn off the lights
- Add things to your shopping list
Now I know that your smartphone, tablet, or computer can do all of these things already, but here’s the thing about the Echo: it is fun and easy to use. The Echo comes with a remote, but there’s really no reason to use it. It is meant to be entirely hands-free and voice-operated.
As Patrick DiDomenico, author of the LawyerKM blog, points out, the Echo provides a quality user experience (UX) and this makes all the difference:
The lesson from my experience with Amazon Echo is that people will change if the experience is delightful. I have experienced this previously (and repeatedly) with a whole range of Apple products, from my iMac to the iPhone and iPad (and probably soon, the Apple Watch). Think of the iPad, which early critics claimed would flop because the device solved a problem that nobody had. They were wrong. And, what makes the iPad so popular is the experience of using it. It is immersive and intuitive, convenient and connected. It is effortless in many ways. In a word, it is delightful.
Because the Echo UX was so good, DiDomenico writes that the Echo has now replaced his other devices when he wants the time, the news, the weather, or music.
So even though you don’t strictly need the Echo, having one may delight you.