Amazon Introduces Echo Show 5--Compact Design, Rich Sound and Built-In Camera Shutter--Just $99.99

Alexa adds new features, including how-to videos from wikiHow, updated smart home controls, customizable morning and evening routines, new privacy features, and even more visual content 

SEATTLE, May 29, 2019 /CNW/ - Today, Amazon announced the newest addition to the Echo Show family—Echo Show 5. With its compact design, 5.5-inch display, rich sound, HD camera, and built-in camera shutter, Echo Show 5 lets Alexa show you things in every room of your home—all for only $99.99.

"Since we launched the first Echo Show device, customers have told us that they love asking Alexa to show them things—whether it's the news, their to-do list, or Prime Video. With Echo Show 5, we've made it even easier and affordable for customers to add a smart display to every room of their house," said Tom Taylor, Senior Vice President, Amazon Alexa. "The compact form factor is perfect for a bedside table or desk, plus it has a camera shutter for added peace of mind, and new Alexa privacy features for even more control." 

Compact Design for Rich Entertainment
With rich and full sound, Echo Show 5 is great for watching music videos from Vevo or for listening to your favourite songs from Amazon Music, Spotify, Deezer, TuneIn, and more. Simply say, "Alexa, play my dinner playlist" to play music for your dinner party.

Echo Show 5 makes it easy to catch up on your favourite shows and short videos from Prime Video, or short news clips from CBC. Plus, a new integration with wikiHow allows you to access hundreds of how-to videos by voice—all you have to do is ask to learn how to play chess, open a coconut, make a paper airplane or cook green beans.

New Ways to Control Your Smart Home
A new smart home dashboard available on all Echo Show devices gives you even more control over compatible smart home devices and groups. Simply say, "Alexa, turn on the lights," or use the on-screen controls to adjust the light's brightness or turn it off. You can also view your smart home camera feed and thermostats, access recently used devices, and manage smart devices by group. 

Echo Show 5 also has two-way talk functionality with Ring doorbell cameras. Simply say, "Alexa, answer the front door," when the doorbell rings or the camera detects motion and you'll be able to see and talk to whoever is at the front door. 

Wake Up and Wind Down with Alexa
Now, there are even more ways to customise your morning and evening routines with Alexa. Set a nighttime routine that turns off your bedroom lamp and starts playing nature or sleep sounds for relaxation. When your alarm goes off in the morning, wake up to an Alexa Sunrise—the screen on Echo Show devices will naturally brighten and display a sunrise animation before your alarm goes off. You can also create a routine that starts the coffee pot 10 minutes after your alarm goes off, or one that gives you weather forecast and morning news when you say "Alexa, start my day."

Personalize Your Experience
Choose from all-new clock faces or add a personal photo from your latest vacation to make the home screen unique to you and your family. You can also play a slideshow of your photos, view a specific album or set your photos to rotate in the background. Plus, the new ambient lighting mode auto-adjusts the brightness of the screen based on the brightness of the room—so it's never too bright or too dark. To get even more from your Alexa experience, swipe left from the far right side of the screen to access shortcuts and discover all that Alexa can do. 

Connect with Family and Friends
Stay in touch with your closest friends and family with hands-free video calls to those who have an Echo Spot or Echo Show device, the Alexa app, or Skype. Plus, with Echo Show 5 in multiple rooms of your home, you can easily drop in on another room or make an announcement that dinner is ready.

New Skills for the Screen
There are hundreds of visual skills from third party developers available on Echo Show devices in Canada. Check your flight status with Air Canada, catch up on the news with CBC, and more. To learn more about skills, simply say, "Alexa, show me skills."

Privacy by Design
Echo devices are built with multiple layers of privacy protections. As with all Echo Show devices, the new Echo Show 5 includes a microphone/camera off button that electronically disconnects both the microphone and camera, and a clear visual indicator that shows when audio or video is streaming to the cloud. Plus, Echo Show 5 has a built-in camera shutter so now you can easily cover the camera, while still being able to talk to Alexa.

Amazon is also introducing new, even easier ways to delete your voice recordings on all Alexa-enabled devices—all you have to do is ask. Coming soon, customers will be able to say "Alexa, delete what I just said" or "Alexa, delete everything I said today" and the respective recordings will be deleted. Plus, a new Alexa Privacy Hub will offer a single source of information on how Echo devices are designed as well as the controls you have over your Alexa experience.

Pricing and Availability
Echo Show 5 will be available in Charcoal and Sandstone for $99.99. You can also choose to purchase a magnetic stand that lets you tilt the device to adjust the viewing and camera angles for only $29.99. Both are available for pre-order today at www.amazon.ca/echoshow5 and will start shipping in Canada from next month, with customers also able to purchase from retailers including Best Buy Canada, Staples Canada, The Source and Leon's.

Echo Show 5 will also be available in the US, UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, India, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand.

About Amazon 
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.

SOURCE Amazon Canada

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