Photo by Nicole Nguyen (BuzzFeed) — original source here

Amazon has just announced a bunch of new products.

A new Amazon Echo

Amazon said it offers much better sound than the original Amazon Echo, thanks to support for Dolby Audio, which means it’ll compete more directly with products such as the Sonos Play:1 and even Apple’s upcoming HomePod, the latter of which is due out before the holidays.

The new Echo is built out of metal and sports cloth around the entire body, though different shells, which can be swapped on, will be available for purchase. Google offers different colored shells for the Google Home, so this is a similar approach.

The new Echo costs $99.

Alexa in BMW cars

Amazon also announced that its smart voice assistant Alexa will be coming to BMW cars starting next year. This should give users full access to Alexa right from their dashboards no matter where they are.

Amazon Echo Buttons

Amazon also unveiled tiny “Echo Button” devices that can be configured to work and control an Amazon Echo. In one instance, Amazon showed how a family might play a game like Trivial Pursuit using the buttons to chime in for answers. The buttons will cost $19.99 each.

Echo Connect

The Echo Connect is a $35 box that will allow you to place phone calls to landlines using your existing Amazon Echo units. The Echo already supports calling between Echos, but that acts more like an intercom system. Pre-orders for the Echo Connect begin on Wednesday.

Amazon Echo Plus

The Amazon Echo Plus looks like the original Echo (a tall cylindrical unit) but will double as a hub for the smart home. Amazon said it will work with 100 smart home products out of the box. This means, instead of having to buy an Apple TV or a SmartThings hub, you should just be able to buy the Echo Plus as the foundation for controlling your home’s lights, locks, cameras and more. The Echo Plus is priced at $149.

Echo Spot

The Amazon Echo Spot was also announced. It’s a round version of the Echo Show and has its own 2.5-inch display that can provide visual information (such as the weather or a clock face). It also provides access to Alexa and supports optional video-calling support. The Echo Spot will cost $129 when it ships in December.

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