The Echo Show 15, Amazon’s latest Echo Show device, is now shipping. It was previously available to preorder after being introduced by the retailer in late September. Among several new features, the device boasts a notable upgrade compared to previous models: It can be mounted on a wall. When it’s not in use, you can program the device to show photos from Amazon Photos or preloaded art and other visuals.
Since the new Echo Show just started shipping today, there aren't many reviews or ratings available yet across retailers selling the device, like Amazon and Best Buy. But TechRadar’s review noted it “looks the part of a proper smart home hub, blurring the line between an eye-pleasing accent piece and a fully functional Alexa device” — the reviewer was also testing the Show 15 when Amazon Web Services experienced a massive outage, which they noted “made testing an Amazon Echo device very, very difficult,” specifically with regard to some of the widgets and features like monitoring compatible smart home devices. You can purchase the Echo Show 15 with a tilt stand to prop it up on a table or countertop, and a wall mount comes with the device — if you mount it, however, the Echo Show 15’s power chord will be visibly hanging from it (though there are ways to manage chords and hide it).
Amazon boasts you can control compatible smart home devices like security cameras, doorbells, lights and thermostats. Smart home devices similar to the Echo Show were released this year, including two new Facebook Portal models: the Portal Plus and Portal Go. The Google Nest Hub Max also offers comparable features.
Amazon Echo Show 15
The Echo Show 15 features a 15.6-inch, 1080p full HD touchscreen display, and you can use it in portrait or landscape orientation. It sports a 5-megapixel camera, microphone and speakers, so you can use it for photos or video calls. The device offers a variety of widgets, from sticky notes to a shared family calendar, and you can use apps across categories like cooking and news, according to Amazon. You can also stream TV shows or movies through Prime Video, Netflix and more, or listen to music and audiobooks.
The Echo Show 15 is built with Amazon’s AZ2 Neural Edge processor, which allows it to better recognize your voice and offers a new visual ID feature, according to the company. Once you enroll in Visual ID, the camera scans your face and learns to recognize it. Then, if you walk in front of the Echo Show, it updates its screen to show your personal reminders, calendar events, notes and more. Visual ID also comes with a setting for kids — if you enroll a child in Visual ID, the device shows age-appropriate content only, according to Amazon.
To address potential privacy concerns, Amazon said enrolling in Visual ID is optional, and you can delete profiles at any time. You can also turn the microphone and camera on and off using a button on the side of the device, as well as view and delete voice recordings. The device’s camera has a built-in shutter you can use to cover the lens, too.
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