This point continues from the previous one – you are going to miss out on several Alexa features that are only available to Prime members. This includes the ability to play music automatically by simply talking to Alexa, and you won’t be able to tell Alexa to play something on your Fire TV Stick unless you have already purchased it and it is in your video library. You can purchase new videos and music using Alexa, but the lack of that “free” content from your Prime subscription can definitely factor into the utility and enjoyment that you can gain by having an Echo in your home. You can take advantage of some voice-controlled music functionality if you have Spotify or TuneIn Radio.
3. The sound quality is good, but not perfect.
But if your purchase of the Echo is primarily for its music-playing capabilities, and you don’t intend to make use of much of the other Alexa functionality, then you might be disappointed in the sound quality of the speaker. While it is certainly an above-average speaker, there are dedicated Bluetooth speakers in this price range that offer a superior audio experience. However, if Alexa is near another audio source, or if you have someone in your home named Alexa, then it might start acting on commands that it hears which are not meant for the Echo. If someone on TV or the radio mentions Alexa, then that will activate the device. If you call out to your family member with the same name, then the Echo will be awaiting a command.
(Honorable mention) You need to have a Wi-Fi network in your home.
If you are purchasing the Echo for yourself, or giving it as a gift, then an important prerequisite to consider is whether the house that will be using the Echo already has a configured wireless network. Thinking about getting a Fire TV Stick? Check out our article on things to know before buying a Fire Stick. After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites. His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well. Read his full bio here.
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