Stephen Brashear/Getty Images
The new Echo Dot, on the left, and the first-generation Echo Dot, on the right.
- Starting Friday - a week before Black Friday - Amazon is offering promotions on its new Echo Dot, which debuted in September.
- The Echo Dot has been Amazon's best-selling Echo Device, and Amazon says it's the best-selling smart speaker ever.
- The new Echo Dot is said to be 70% louder than the first-generation version, and boasts a new, fabric-coated design. But the reason why people seem to love the Echo Dot so much probably has to do with its small footprint and unobtrusive looks.
Starting Friday, Amazon is offering incredible deals on its best-selling smart speaker, the Echo Dot.
Amazon debuted a redesigned version of the Echo Dot in September. Both the old version and the new version typically cost $50, but starting Friday, Amazon is offering a steal: three Echo Dots for $69.97.
If you're trying to do the mental math, that's a savings of $80.
Amazon has offered deals on the Echo Dot in the past. Sometimes, you can get one free with the purchase of another Echo device; other times, Amazon will knock $10 or $20 off the price.
But if you were thinking of buying a few Echo Dots as gifts, it's hard to beat 80 bucks off.
If you're not swayed by this deal, you can wait until Black Friday actually kicks off: starting November 22, Amazon will sell the new Echo Dot for $24, or more than 50% off.
Amazon
The Echo Dot in charcoal.
What makes the new Echo Dot so great, anyway?
The new Echo Dot has a lot of similarities to the first-generation speaker. Still, there are a few improvements that make it worth the money.
Amazon says that the new Echo Dot is 70% louder than the previous model. The updated Echo Dot also has a new mic array so you can hear everything more clearly - the device doesn't just have boosted volume, but louder sound "with lower distortion and enhanced bass reproduction."
Additionally, it sports a new fabric-covered design - a design that, it should be noted, makes it look a lot like Google's Home Mini smart speaker.
Otherwise, not much has changed. Just like the previous version, you can ask the new Echo Dot random questions, command it to play music, check the news and weather, set timers and alarms, and even order stuff from Amazon - all of that is powered by Amazon's voice assistant, Alexa.
But the reason why people seem to love the Echo Dot so much - Amazon says it's the "best-selling smart speaker ever" - probably has to do with its small footprint and unobtrusive looks. It's about the size of a hockey puck, which means you can put it virtually anywhere in your home - or even your car. And it doesn't have a screen or a camera, which likely makes it feel slightly less invasive than other Echo devices, like the Echo Show or Echo Spot.
Plus, it's hard to beat the price (although Google sells its competing Home Mini for about the same amount of money).
If you want to try it for yourself - or gift it to loved ones - you can order an Echo Dot (or three) on Amazon's website.