The most interesting thing about the Amazon Echo Time is that it might not wake you up at the time you set. With the optional smart alarm turned on, it can sound off anywhere from 10 to 60 minutes before your alarm, whenever it decides getting up will feel easier. That's a bold bet for a gadget whose one job is to get you out of bed.
Amazon announced the Echo Time on October 28 and it's on sale the same day for $199.99. It comes in Graphite, Glacier White and Coral Pink. A matching adjustable stand is a separate $39.99. There's also an Amazon Kids version in Galactic Grape and Cosmic Lime, starting at $209.99, with a year of Kids+ included.
What you get
The screen is a 3.2-inch circular touchscreen with hundreds of customizable clock faces. Those include analog designs, seasonal themes, sports teams, and licensed picks like Harry Potter and the DC Universe. At night the display can drop below 0.3 nits, and Night Mode cuts blue light. The screen can also brighten gradually like a sunrise before the alarm.
The sleep tracking relies on Amazon's Omnisense sensor array, which can detect presence and temperature, plus an ultrasound sensor that monitors breathing. Sleep sensing stays off unless you turn it on, according to Bloomberg's reporting as relayed by Quartz. Amazon also says the device has earned the National Sleep Foundation's SleepMark certification.
Then there's the part some people will care about most: no camera. Mics are there, and you can mute them with a button on top, but nothing is watching your bedroom. Some features need Alexa+, which Amazon includes with Prime.
The price problem
TechRadar lists the Echo Spot at $109.99. The Echo Time costs $199.99, the same as the Echo Show 8. Tom's Guide makes the same point: the Echo Spot costs about half as much, does the basic clock job well, and has the same Alexa+ features. It even doubles as an Eero Wi-Fi extender.
So who is this for? Someone who wants better sleep data and a gentler alarm and doesn't want a camera on the nightstand. If you just want a bedside clock that talks, the Echo Spot is the sane buy. I'd also treat the smart alarm as unproven. Nobody has published long-term results yet, and an alarm that fires up to an hour early is a hard sell if your schedule has no slack.
One small inconsistency: Engadget lists the screen as 2.3 inches, while Amazon says 3.2 inches. Go with Amazon's number, but check the listing before you order.
Amazon's devices tend to get discounted over time, so if you're curious but not convinced, wait for early reviews and the first price cut. Then decide whether the sleep features justify the roughly $90 premium over the Echo Spot.
My take
The Echo Time is a really cool redesign. It brings back the round Echo Spot look, with new colors (Graphite, Glacier White and Coral Pink) and sleep-sensing smart alarms that wake you in a lighter sleep phase, no wearable needed.At $199.99, though, it isn’t cheap. The Echo Spot costs about half as much, so this is worth it mainly if the sleep features matter to you. It only launched on October 28, so full reviews aren’t out yet.
Sources: Amazon, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, 9to5Toys, Quartz, Engadget, BGR
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