A little over a year ago, I wrote a post entitled Amazon Echo Responds to Your Commands about a new device. It was a big success for Amazon, but the price maybe too high for the masses. Now they have released the Amazon Echo Dot (2nd generation) that delivers many of the same features in a smaller less-costly version. You might ask what it can do and the graphic below lists a few things. More importantly, you can truly ask it to do things for you.

It is a great way to stream music from a variety of online services. Yes, it includes a nice speaker so you can listen directly through the Echo Dot. But you can also connect it to a stereo system via headphone jack (remember those Apple?) or Bluetooth.

Do you have devices in your home or office that can be automated? It can controls lights, fans, switches, thermostats, garage doors, sprinklers, and many more compatible connected devices from WeMo, Philips Hue, Samsung SmartThings, Nest, ecobee, and others.

It is a fairly small device so it is very easy to keep it in plain view. Don’t like black devices? It is also available in white.

Amazon has tried to price it low enough that you can put one in every room. They are even running a special where if you buy five you get one free or buy ten and get two free!