What is different between "Amazon Echo" and "Echo Plus"?Which one should you choose?: Masahiro Yamaguchi's smart speaker life (page 1/2)

　"Amazon Echo" has finally started general sales. Among such Amazon Echo lineups, it is difficult to understand the difference between "Echo" and "Echo Plus".

Leaving aside the small "Echo Dot", which is completely different in size, I don't really understand the difference between this Echo and Echo Plus even when I look at the Amazon.co.jp site, and I'm wondering which one to choose. There must be many people. Let's take a closer look at the differences between these two products.

In addition to the size, the audio adjustment buttons are different

　Starting with the appearance. The big difference between Echo and Echo Plus is body size. The Echo Plus is clearly taller, and while the Echo is clearly shorter than a 500ml (milliliter) plastic bottle, the Echo Plus is taller than a 500ml plastic bottle.

In addition, although it is difficult to see in the photo, the Echo Plus is slightly larger in diameter as well as in overall length. In other words, it is not a model that is simply stretched vertically.

　In fact, both products were released in the United States at the same time (October 2017), but the design of the Echo was changed from the first generation, while the new lineup Echo Plus It inherits the design of the first generation. Therefore, even if the parts of the same series are generally uniform, such as the diameter, differences can be seen.

　There is another difference that comes from the difference in generations. That is the specification of the physical button on the top board. The "+" and "-" buttons for adjusting the volume on the Echo are not present on the Echo Plus. The smaller Echo Dot and Echo have exactly the same button layout, but the Echo Plus is the only exception.

Then, how to adjust the volume on the Echo Plus itself? In other words, it becomes an operation method like a rotary volume dial.

　This is intuitive as an operation method, but it seems that it can be fine-tuned steplessly, but in fact it is not so, and it is a fairly rough step. The only problem is that you can't change the volume. In addition, coupled with the fact that the main unit is tall, there is also the problem that it tends to be a little unstable during operation. It's not a level problem that affects product selection, but my impression is that the button type is easier to use overall.

　In addition, the speaker output of the Echo Plus is higher, and the sound is that much more powerful, but there is not much difference unless you want to enjoy music with the volume turned up to the maximum. Echo Dot and Echo don't have the level difference that everyone can hear immediately, so choosing the Echo Plus for this reason would be a meaningless act.

Echo Plus can be connected directly to Hue without a Hue bridge

　By the way, the point is What will become is the smart home hub function installed in Echo Plus. This is a function that allows you to wirelessly connect compatible home appliances and control them with voice commands, but at the moment it is only compatible with Philips' smart light bulb "Hue", and it is similar to the so-called smart remote control for general home appliances. It's not even possible to emulate an infrared remote control.

　Also, it's not that Philips Hue can't be used with Echo and Echo Dot, it's confusing because it can be used depending on the combination of devices. Not many people can explain exactly what the difference is.

　These relationships are easy to understand if you look at the pictures below. Echo (and Echo Dot) need a separate "Hue bridge" to work with Hue. In contrast, the Echo Plus can communicate directly with Hue, so you don't need a Hue bridge.