With Christmas just around the bend, many Brits are scratching their heads over what stocking fillers to get for their loved ones. If you're in a similar predicament, consider snagging an Echo Dot during Amazon's Black Friday sale.
Last year, I gifted an Echo Dot to a family member who was quite technophobic. By "technophobic", I mean someone who needed assistance with online shopping on platforms like eBay and basic computer troubleshooting such as printing tickets or accessing emails.
I decided it was high time they got acquainted with 21st-century tech and so, an Echo Dot became their Christmas present. I anticipated a polite thank you, a brief trial run over the festive period, and then silence.
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However, a few weeks after Christmas, I received a call asking how to set up Amazon Music. To my surprise, they had fallen head over heels for the device, enjoying its music-playing capabilities and the fun of posing various questions to it while pottering about the house.
Currently, Amazon is offering the Echo Dot at a discounted price of £22.99 as part of its Black Friday sale. The product has also garnered rave reviews from other purchasers, reports Nottinghamshire Live.
One buyer commented: "Out of the box, this product feels extremely quality. It has a nice weight to it and the materials used feel premium. Setup was extremely easy using the app and only took five minutes."
Some owners however have expressed frustration with the device, particularly with the voice control feature. One user wrote: "Bought it to play BBC Sounds. It just will not. Have tried everything possible that is suggested to rectify the problem but to no avail.
"Have linked to my BBC account, have had emails to confirm, have re-set, unplugged, re-plugged, emailed BBC, unlinked and re-linked, re-routed and un-routed and still the bloody thing, when asked to play BBC Radio 4 or any BBC radio programme comes up with some random American radio station or a Kids Skills something or other or, even more annoyingly says 'this is not supported'.
"Driven to distraction and three hours of mounting temper and frustration, I shall just go back to my radio, and Alexa and her annoying little ball of pulsing lights can go back from whence she came. As someone said - a very expensive kitchen timer! ".
However, other users have had a more positive experience, finding the device to be extremely handy for general questions, playing music, and more. If you're not sold on the Echo Dot, there are alternative options available, such as the Echo Pop for £18.99 at Currys, or the stylish Roberts Revival Petite 2 DAB/DAB+/FM/BT Radio for £92 at Debenhams.
