Sometimes it can be hard to remember that the Amazon Echo has only existed for about six years. The company's Alexa voice assistant, the driving force behind its Echo line, can now be found in everything from wall clocks to microwaves, door locks, light bulbs, and much more.
Last year in September, Amazon added jewelry to that list by unveiling the Echo Loop, a smart ring with a button that literally puts Alexa at your fingertips.
It's designed to make it easier to access Alexa on-the-go so that you can perform tasks like adding items to your grocery list, checking the weather, or setting reminders, without having to reach for your phone.
The problem, however, is that there are many other wearable devices that offer a lot more than the Echo Loop, and do it better. That makes it hard for the Echo Loop to stand out.
Other than the novelty of feeling a little bit like a secret agent when speaking into the high-tech ring sitting on my finger, it's hard to answer the question of why you'd really want or need the Echo Loop.
It's another reminder that adding smart features like voice assistants to everyday items isn't always useful. But, since the Echo Loop hasn't been widely launched just yet, I imagine the Echo Loop is more of an exercise in exploring broader use cases for Alexa in wearables than anything else.