The Ultimate Christmas Gift for the Techie on Your List

The Ultimate Christmas Gift for the Techie on Your List

Each year at Christmas time it seems there are one or two digital “gotta haves.” Over the years gaming systems have taken center stage more than a few times and the iPad and iPhone remain very popular holiday gifts.  And of course drones seem to be taking over the under-the-tree landscape.  While my suggestion for a gift for the techie on your list still has not yet captured the nation’s attention, it soon will.  It is called the Echo.

It is hard to describe Amazon’s Echo since it does so much.  It is a music player, personal assistant, home automation hub, and much more.  It is as close to the computer aboard the Starship Enterprise as you can get for less than 200 bucks.  So far while it can’t make the cup of Earl Gray tea, it does do a great job of understanding your voice commands.

The device measures about 10 inches high or about the size of a large can of juice.  Inside this small package are some amazing electronics and software.  All of the interactions with the Echo are done with voice commands.  A sophisticated microphone array can detect your voice from across the room even if there is music playing or other conversations going on. 

The Echo connects via your home Wi-Fi to the Internet and also to various devices in your home.  It can turn on your lights, adjust your thermostat, keep track of items on your shopping list, remind you to call your mother on her birthday and play your favorite music.  Of course you can ask it to look for information on Google or another search engine.

The audio quality is outstanding for a device with such a small footprint.  Because it is designed to work with many off-the-shelf peripheral devices, anyone interested in automation or voice command technology will have a grand time figuring out new things to do with the Echo.

The Echo is available from Amazon with a listed base price of $179.00.  Various attachments are required to control lights etc., and must be purchased separately. As of this writing I found that you can still have one delivered by Christmas.  If you have a hard core techie on your list you can’t go wrong giving the Echo this year.