(NEW) Echo Show (2nd Gen) - 10.1”

Let me start by saying I own two of the 10" Shows, an 8, a 5, and five (5) Gen 1 Echo Shows plus a Recast, an Echo Auto, an Echo Connect, and four Dots. The Echo Show 10 is the very best Echo device. Rather than repeat what others have posted, let's stipulate to the fact that the Echo Show 10 has great speakers, a terrific HD display, and really good mics. I'll use this space to explain how I use these devices. In my opinion, what you can do with the Echo Show 10 is at least as important as how well it does those things. I bought this particular Show 10 from Best Buy along with a Show 5 and a smart LED bulb for $179.99. Same price I paid for my first Gen 1 Show. ********** How I use my Echo Show 10 ********** I have a Show 10 on my kitchen counter. While I'm planning and cooking meals, I direct Alexa to add ingredients to my shopping list. I ask her for recipes for whatever I am in the mood for. I ask her how much does a bell pepper weigh (because I dice and freeze mine when they are on sale and recipes often call for one medium bell pepper, etc.). And I set timers -- "Alexa set a fourteen minute timer for ribeye", "Alexa set an eight minute timer for lobster." When I make jerky, I set eight jerky timers to remind me to change the temperature or rotate the trays. Names come in handy if you are cooking Thanksgiving dinner at the same time. I can check the timers from any Show. This time of year, I like to cook outside. The Echo Show's AC networking allows me to take radio, television, and the world wide web with me. I have one on my desk at work. I have a lot of smart devices in my home -- especially lights and especially in the kitchen. I don't leave lights on at night. I can simply direct Alexa to "Turn on sink" or "Turn on Kitchen" (Kitchen is all the lights I use in the kitchen). This comes in handy when you are up to your elbows in dishes and the sun decides to set. It comes in handy when you need a midnight snack too. The Echo Show 10 has a built in Zigbee hub so you can control Zigbee devices without the need for a separate hub. Most of the time, Alexa is entertaining me. I have a collection of photos playing as my background. The Echo Show 10 is an excellent digital frame. I listen to radio stations -- music, talk radio. Alexa keeps track of my favorites. When I select a radio station or album on one Show, the rest add it to their 'recent' lists. Very handy. I have a Recast, so I can stream Free TV to my Shows. I can also watch Pluto in a browser. I have an electric fireplace insert that looks really great, but it doesn't make any sound. I have a first gen Show tucked behind the insert. When I run the fireplace, I direct Alexa to play fireplace sounds and to turn off the display. I have a Show 10 in my bedroom. I bought the Show 8 to replace this so I can slide a cover over the camera when I want privacy. (Just kidding. My kid already told me he is taking it back to school. Turns our his privacy is more important than mine.) The Show 5 and Show 8 have mechanical shutters for the camera. Sometimes I work from home. The Show is great for voice calls. It's great background noise (TV/Radio) when I am 'mostly' working. I set an alarm to get me up 'weekdays'. I left a first gen Show at my mother's house. I have it configured so I can 'drop in' if she does not answer the call. I have an Echo Connect installed, so every device offers to pick up when my landline rings. I put a first gen Show in my dog's pen. Initially I put it in there so I could drop in on him when the automatic feeder rotates to make sure it was working as expected and to see how he was reacting to it. (After a short time, he stood over the feeder and barked when he was hungry.) He was alone all day and I could drop in on him. Not sure what he thought of it, but he would get out of bed and bark back at me, so... You can interact with the ecosystem using a phone app. So, my shopping list, calendar, and contacts are in my pocket. I can drop in on any Show from anywhere as long as I have my phone. Use one as a baby monitor for secure monitoring. With Prime Days just around the corner (I guess), I bought one of each model of the Show into work. It was like a carnival. One guy googled things to ask Alexa. (If you have one, say, "Alexa, I am your father.") We discovered trivia games, math quizzes, and a thousand different ways to interact with Alexa. Amazon offers exclusive deals via the Echo devices. I secure purchases with a PIN since the Show makes it SO easy to buy stuff from Amazon. Communication is an improvement opportunity. Sure, you can call people or drop in on other Echos, but we are talking about 1x1 communication. Everyone else is doing 1xM or MxM. Amazon ought to work on a 'party line' feature that would let the family get together. Other than that I have no complaints. The browser experience could use some attention as well. My main beef with the web browsers is that after a period of inactivity, the Show returns to the home screen. If you are watching a video or following a recipe, you have to continuously touch the screen to prevent this. Best accessories for the Echo Show are 1) smart phone, 2) Recast, and 3) Connect. Your smart phone is just a portable, cellular, battery powered, very tiny Echo Show. The Recast lets you watch free TV on your Shows. The Connect turns every Echo device into a landline.