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Through its Echo smart speaker family Amazon recreated home technology interaction by offering voice control benefits to consumers worldwide. The Echo Pop delivers its impressive features from a small budget-friendly form factor that appears stylish. This review discusses all vital aspects of the Echo Pop such as its functionalities and performance capability alongside design elements as well as its comparison with other Echo devices including the Echo Dot.
This guide provides crucial information to help users select a new smart speaker or understand the relationship between the Echo Pop and its market competitors.
Key Features of the Echo Pop
Before diving into the details, here’s a quick overview of the Echo Pop’s main features:
- Compact Size: Measures just under four inches, making it perfect for small spaces.
- Half-Moon Shape: The new shape allows it to fit easily into corners and other tight areas.
- 1.95-Inch Front-Firing Speaker: Delivers audio quality that’s surprisingly good for such a small speaker.
- Wi-Fi Connectivity: Supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi for fast, stable connections.
- Bluetooth Streaming: Stream audio from your phone or other Bluetooth-enabled devices.
- Matter Standard: Supports the latest smart home protocol for seamless device control.
- Amazon Alexa Integration: Use Alexa for voice commands, smart home control, music streaming, and more.
- Affordable Price: Priced at just $40, the Pop is a budget-friendly smart speaker.
Let’s take a closer look at each of these features and how they contribute to the overall user experience.
1. Design & Build Quality
Amazon’s Echo Pop boasts a fresh design that stands out from other Echo devices. Here’s why the design matters:
- Compact and Space-Saving: The Echo Pop is designed to be small and unobtrusive. Measuring just under four inches, it is one of the smallest smart speakers Amazon has produced. Its compact size makes it ideal for tight spaces, such as countertops, corners, or bookshelves, where larger devices like the Echo Dot or Echo Show might feel too bulky.
- Half-Moon Shape: One of the most notable design changes is the introduction of the half-moon shape. This new form factor is not only visually appealing but also serves a functional purpose. It allows the Echo Pop to sit nicely in corners or against walls without taking up too much space. Whether you’re placing it on a desk or tucking it into a corner, this unique shape ensures that the device doesn’t dominate the room.
- Color Options: The Echo Pop comes in several attractive color options. However, the back of the device remains white, no matter the chosen color, which might be a downside for some users looking for complete color customization. Still, the overall aesthetic is clean and modern, fitting well into a variety of home decors.
- Simple Design: In contrast to other Echo devices that feature fabric-covered exteriors, the Pop has a more minimalist design, with a small light ring at the top. This change offers a more streamlined look and makes it easier to hide or position the device discreetly in your home. While the absence of cloth covering might not be preferred by some, it helps maintain the device’s compact and clean appearance.
- Build Quality: The build quality of the Pop is robust, and it feels well-crafted despite its small size. The device has a solid, non-flimsy feel, ensuring durability while being affordable. It’s designed to withstand daily use without showing wear and tear.
2. Audio Performance
One of the primary reasons for purchasing any smart speaker is audio quality, and the Echo Pop delivers more than you might expect given its size.
- 1.95-Inch Front-Firing Speaker: The Echo Pop is equipped with a 1.95-inch front-firing speaker, which is smaller than those found in other Amazon Echo devices. Despite its compact size, the speaker offers impressive clarity for music, podcasts, audiobooks, and voice interactions. While you won’t get booming bass from this device, the sound quality is perfectly suitable for smaller rooms or spaces where you don’t need large-volume output.
- Sound Comparison: The Echo Pop is described as offering better sound than might be expected from such a small device. However, when compared to other speakers like the Echo Dot, the Echo Pop delivers slightly better audio clarity, making it a great choice for users who want a small speaker with enhanced sound quality at an affordable price point. It may not compete with larger Echo models like the Echo Studio, but it’s an excellent option for casual listeners.
- Limitations: The main limitation in terms of sound is that the Pop isn’t designed for audiophiles or users who prioritize deep bass. If you’re looking for rich, full-bodied audio, you might still prefer the Echo Dot or Echo Studio. However, for everyday listening, the Echo Pop provides good sound quality for its size.
3. Smart Home Integration
Like other devices in the Echo family, the Echo Pop integrates seamlessly with Amazon’s Alexa and smart home ecosystem. Here’s what makes it stand out:
- Alexa Voice Control: The Pop is fully integrated with Alexa, Amazon’s voice assistant. You can use voice commands to control smart home devices, play music, set reminders, check the weather, and more. With Alexa, you have access to thousands of voice-activated skills and routines, making it a powerful tool for home automation.
- Matter Support: The Echo Pop supports the latest smart home standard, Matter. Matter is a unified protocol that allows devices from different manufacturers to work together more easily. While there are still few Matter-compatible devices on the market, this future-proofing ensures that the Echo Pop will continue to work well as more Matter devices become available.
- Smart Home Control: The Echo Pop can act as a smart home hub, allowing you to control devices like lights, thermostats, and security cameras. It is compatible with a wide range of smart home products, ensuring that you can expand your home automation system easily. Additionally, you can set up routines to automate tasks, such as turning off lights when you leave the house or adjusting the thermostat at certain times of the day.
- Amazon Sidewalk: The Echo Pop also supports Amazon Sidewalk, a low-bandwidth network that helps extend the range of devices like security cameras and smart lights. This is particularly useful in larger homes or areas with weak Wi-Fi signals. However, the effectiveness of Amazon Sidewalk is still limited, as there aren’t many devices that currently support it.
- Eero Wi-Fi Repeater: One standout feature is the built-in Eero Wi-Fi repeater. If you have an Eero mesh Wi-Fi system in your home, the Pop can help extend your Wi-Fi coverage. While the speeds aren’t as high as dedicated Wi-Fi extenders, this feature is a budget-friendly way to boost Wi-Fi coverage in smaller areas.
4. Setup & Usability
Setting up the Echo Pop is as easy as with any other Amazon Echo device, and it integrates smoothly into your home’s ecosystem.
- Quick Setup: Setting up the Echo Pop is a straightforward process. If you purchase it through Amazon, the device will automatically connect to your Amazon account and Wi-Fi network. You won’t need to manually input Wi-Fi credentials, making setup hassle-free and quick.
- No Action Button: One design change that some users might find inconvenient is the absence of an action button on the top of the Echo Pop. On previous Echo devices, this button could be used to trigger Alexa without saying “Alexa.” While the lack of this button isn’t a deal-breaker for most people, some users may miss this option when they want to control the device manually.
- Physical Controls: The Echo Pop features three buttons on the top – volume up, volume down, and mute. These allow you to control the speaker without needing to use voice commands. The three microphones on the device ensure that Alexa can hear your commands from a reasonable distance.
- Light Ring: Unlike other Echo devices, the Echo Pop has a smaller, repositioned light ring at the top of the device. This gives it a more modern and minimalist appearance, and the light ring serves as a visual indicator of when Alexa is listening or responding.
Step-by-Step Setup Guide for the Echo Pop
Setting up your Echo Pop is straightforward and easy, thanks to Amazon’s streamlined process. Just follow these simple steps to get your new device up and running in no time!
Step 1: Unbox the Echo Pop
- Open the Box: Carefully unbox the Echo Pop and remove the device, power adapter, and any manuals that come with it.
- Inspect the Contents: Make sure you have everything you need:
- The Echo Pop device
- A 15-watt power adapter (same as Echo Dot power supply)
- A user manual
- Set Up the Device: Place your Echo Pop in the desired location in your home, preferably in a corner or on a flat surface where it has easy access to Wi-Fi.
Step 2: Power On the Echo Pop
- Connect the Power Adapter: Plug the included 15-watt power adapter into the Echo Pop and connect the other end to a power outlet.
- Wait for the Light Ring: Once the Echo Pop is powered on, the light ring at the top will begin to pulse blue, indicating that the device is booting up.
Step 3: Install the Alexa App
If you don’t have the Alexa app already installed, follow these steps to download it:
- Download the Alexa App:
- On iOS: Go to the App Store, search for “Amazon Alexa,” and download the app.
- On Android: Go to the Google Play Store, search for “Amazon Alexa,” and download the app.
- Open the Alexa App: Once the app is installed, open it on your phone or tablet.
Step 4: Connect the Echo Pop to the Alexa App
Now that your Echo Pop is powered on and the app is installed, it’s time to connect the two.
- Sign in to Your Amazon Account: Open the Alexa app and sign in using your Amazon account. If you don’t have an account, you’ll need to create one.
- Tap “Devices”: At the bottom of the screen, tap the Devices icon.
- Add a New Device: Tap the “+” icon (top-right corner) and select “Add Device.”
- Select “Amazon Echo”: Choose Amazon Echo from the list of devices.
- Choose “Echo Pop”: From the options, select Echo Pop to begin the setup process.
- Follow On-Screen Instructions: The app will walk you through the rest of the process. The Alexa app will guide you through connecting the Echo Pop to your Wi-Fi network.
Step 5: Connect to Wi-Fi
- Select Wi-Fi Network: During the setup process, the Alexa app will prompt you to select your Wi-Fi network.
- Note: The Echo Pop supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi, so choose the one that suits your home network best.
- Enter Wi-Fi Password: Enter the password for your Wi-Fi network to connect the Echo Pop. The device will attempt to connect to the Wi-Fi.
Step 6: Confirm the Connection
- Wait for Confirmation: Once connected, the Echo Pop will indicate that it’s ready to use. The light ring will turn blue and then light up with a solid blue ring.
- Alexa Voice Response: Alexa will greet you and confirm that your Echo Pop is successfully set up.
Step 7: Customize Your Echo Pop Settings (Optional)
Once your Echo Pop is set up and connected, you can further customize it to fit your preferences.
- Change Wake Word: You can change Alexa’s wake word to something other than “Alexa” (e.g., “Amazon,” “Echo,” or “Computer”). Here’s how:
- Open the Alexa app.
- Tap Devices.
- Select Echo & Alexa.
- Choose your Echo Pop.
- Scroll down to Wake Word and select your preferred wake word.
- Set Routines: Alexa allows you to set routines to automate various tasks, such as turning off lights or adjusting your thermostat.
- In the Alexa app, tap More (bottom-right corner).
- Select Routines.
- Tap the “+” icon to create a new routine.
- Choose actions such as playing music, controlling smart home devices, or providing information (e.g., news, weather).
- Adjust Volume & Audio Settings: The Echo Pop’s volume can be adjusted via voice commands (“Alexa, turn up the volume”) or by using the buttons on the top of the device. You can also set it to play music from your preferred music streaming services, like Amazon Music, Spotify, or Apple Music.
Step 8: Test the Echo Pop
Now that your Echo Pop is set up and connected, you should test it to make sure everything is working as expected.
- Ask Alexa a Question: Say something like, “Alexa, what’s the weather today?” or “Alexa, play some music.”
- Test Smart Home Control: If you have other Alexa-compatible smart devices, test their functionality by saying, “Alexa, turn off the lights” or “Alexa, set the thermostat to 72 degrees.”
Step 9: Add More Devices or Integrations (Optional)
Once your Echo Pop is fully set up, you can integrate it with other smart home devices or services.
- Link Music Streaming Accounts: In the Alexa app, go to Settings, tap Music & Podcasts, and link your music services like Amazon Music, Spotify, or Apple Music to stream your favorite songs.
- Connect Other Smart Devices: The Echo Pop can control thousands of Alexa-compatible smart home devices. If you have smart lights, thermostats, or other connected devices, simply follow the steps in the Alexa app to add them.
Step 10: Explore Alexa Skills
One of the coolest things about Amazon’s Alexa is the wide array of Alexa Skills—voice-activated apps that let you do everything from controlling smart home devices to playing games or getting the news.
- Enable Skills: In the Alexa app, go to More > Skills & Games to browse and enable various skills.
- Search for Skills: If you have a specific skill in mind, use the search bar to find it and add it to your Echo Pop’s functionality.
Troubleshooting Tips
If you run into any issues during setup, here are some troubleshooting steps:
- Check Wi-Fi Connection: If the Echo Pop can’t connect to Wi-Fi, double-check your network credentials and make sure your Wi-Fi is working. Restarting your router might help as well.
- Ensure the Alexa App is Updated: If the Alexa app is outdated, it may cause issues with setup. Check for updates in the app store.
- Reset the Echo Pop: If you’re still having trouble, you can reset the Echo Pop by holding the action button for 25 seconds. This will erase all settings, and you can start the setup process again.
5. Limitations of the Echo Pop
While the Echo Pop is an excellent option for those seeking a small, budget-friendly smart speaker, there are a few limitations worth considering:
- No 3.5mm Jack: The Echo Pop does not have a 3.5mm audio jack, which means you can’t connect it directly to other audio equipment via a wired connection. This may be an issue for users who prefer wired connections for higher sound quality or those who already have an extensive wired audio setup.
- Limited Smart Home Features: While the Echo Pop supports the Matter protocol and other smart home features, it lacks some advanced capabilities found in other Echo devices. For example, the Echo Pop doesn’t have a built-in motion sensor or temperature sensor, which are available in the Echo Dot (5th gen) and Echo 4th gen. These sensors are useful for automations, like triggering lights when motion is detected or adjusting the thermostat based on temperature changes.
- Basic Audio Performance: While the Echo Pop delivers impressive sound for its size, it doesn’t compare to larger Echo models in terms of audio performance. If you’re looking for deep bass or high-quality audio for music, the Echo Dot or Echo Studio may be a better fit.
Conclusion: Should You Buy the Echo Pop?
To get the best smart speaker and Amazon Alexa integration at an affordable price with high-enough sound quality from such a small speaker you should buy the Echo Pop. The following list presents both benefits and drawbacks of this device.
Pros:
- Compact and space-saving design
- Affordable at $40
- Decent sound quality for its size
- Alexa integration and support for smart home routines
- Built-in Eero Wi-Fi repeater
- Supports the Matter smart home standard
Cons:
- No 3.5mm audio jack
- Lacks advanced smart home features like motion and temperature sensors
- Basic audio performance compared to other Echo models
The Pop stands out as a cost-effective smart speaker option which delivers satisfactory sound performance in addition to smooth Amazon Alexa connectivity. Users who desire voice control in their home without spending much money will appreciate the Pop as a reasonable option despite its basic design features.
