Amazon launches 'Echo Show' with a 7-inch screen and video-calling feature

After weeks of leaks and rumours, Amazon has finally debuted its new voice-controlled speaker that features a 7-inch touchscreen display.

Besides the 7-inch touchscreen that can display visual content like weather reports and music lyrics in response to your voice queries, Echo Show also features a camera to enable FaceTime-like video calls between friends and family. The smart assistant is up for pre-order now for $299.99, available in white or black models, and is shipping to customers from June 28.

“Echo Show brings you everything you love about Alexa, and now she can show you things. Watch video flash briefings and YouTube, see music lyrics, security cameras, photos, weather forecasts, to-do and shopping lists, and more. All hands-free—just ask,” Amazon notes on its product page.

The device is 187 x 187 x 90mm in size and weighs 41 ounces, or 1.1kg, which is not very light but apparently the gadget wasn’t designed to be moved around a lot. Other key features of the Echo Show include a 5-megapixel camera for video calls and home monitoring, dual 2-inch stereo speaker, and 802.11 a/b/g/n support.

The device includes eight microphones alongside beam-forming technology and noise cancellation, which Amazon says will let the device hear you from any direction, even if the music is playing.

Amazon is also touting a feature called ‘Drop In’ which allows you to connect to another Echo Show without the other person having to accept the call. Amazon says that this feature enables users to check in on an elderly relative or unobtrusively see if the baby in the bedroom is still resting. All Echo messaging and calling is free.

The new device is the fourth Echo-branded product and comes three years after Amazon first launched Echo in 2014.