Rode’s range of tiny, portable microphones are a mainstay for creators looking for crisp audio on their phone videos. The company knows that those using digital cameras probably want that same blend of portability and performance for their own footage. That’s why it’s launching the new Wireless Micro Camera Kit, which outputs audio over USB-C or via a 3.5mm line-in.
As with the Wireless Micro, the new set includes a pair of microphones and a transmitter that all sit in a portable charging case. You’ll also find a pair of furry wind screens should you need to film in less than favorable weather. But unlike that model, the receiver comes with both a cold shoe mount and a 1.1-inch AMOLED screen. That will let you configure the audio setup on the fly, plus you’ll get battery data for all three units and an on-screen visualizer.
Rode
It would appear that Rode noticed user gripes that its own kit was being shown up by DJI’s Mic Mini, which had a transmitter with its own 3.5mm jack and shoe mount for camera connection. In addition, Rode has added Bluetooth Direct Connect to the microphones so they’ll connect to your iOS phone directly via the Rode Capture App. Which, like the 3.5mm, was a notable omission from the older hardware.
In terms of battery life, Rode says the kit and the charging case will hold up to 21 hours of use before you need to head back to an outlet.
Plus, to sweeten the deal, Rode is also throwing in one of its first-generation USB-C smartphone receivers into the package for free.
Rode’s Wireless Micro Camera Kit is available to purchase today for $149.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/rodes-latest-wireless-microphones-now-work-with-digital-cameras-025338766.html?src=rss
A virtual private network (VPN) is useful in several ways — a good one can stream foreign TV shows and events, save you from giving up information to hackers and keep you anonymous to protect against online tracking. Although we strongly recommend using a VPN, a bit of comparison shopping goes a long way in this market. VPN pricing can be opaque, and providers don't always portray their best deals accurately.
Even so, there are genuinely great bargains on the table. VPN providers give out deep discounts to customers who sign up for a year or more at a time. This lets them boost their subscriber numbers, but it's a win for you as well — while you pay out more upfront, if you divide the cost by the months of service, it's significantly cheaper over time.
Most of the deals we highlight below follow that pattern, so make sure you're comfortable with a longer commitment before you take the plunge. If you've been thinking about subscribing to a VPN service, read on for the best VPN deals we could find right now.
Best VPN deals
NordVPN Basic — $80.73 for a two-year subscription with three months free (74 percent off): NordVPN gets the most important parts of a VPN right. It's fast, it doesn't leak any of your data and it's great at changing your virtual location. I noted in my NordVPN review that it always connects quickly and includes a support page that makes it easy to get live help. Although I'm sad to see it shutting down Meshnet, NordVPN still includes a lot of cool features, like servers that instantly connect you to Tor. This early Black Friday deal gives you 74 percent off the two-year plan, which also comes with three extra months.
NordVPN Plus — $105.03 for a two-year subscription with three months free (74 percent off): In another early Black Friday discount, NordVPN has also taken 74 percent off its Plus subscription. For only a little more, you get a powerful ad and tracker blocker that can also catch malware downloads, plus access to the NordPass password manager. A Plus plan also adds a data breach scanner that checks the dark web for your sensitive information.
ExpressVPN Basic — $97.72 for a two-year subscription with four months free (73 percent off): This is one of the best VPNs, especially for new users, who will find its apps and website headache-free on all platforms. In tests for my ExpressVPN review, it dropped my download speeds by less than 7 percent and successfully changed my virtual location 14 out of 15 times. In short, it's an all-around excellent service that only suffers from being a little overpriced — which is why I'm so excited whenever I find it offering a decent deal. This deal, which gets you 28 months of ExpressVPN service, represents a 73 percent savings.
Surfshark Starter — $53.73 for a two-year subscription with three months free (87 percent off): This is the "basic" level of Surfshark, but it includes the entire VPN; everything on Surfshark One is an extra perk. With this subscription, you'll get some of the most envelope-pushing features in the VPN world right now. Surfshark has a more closely connected server network than most VPNs, so it can rotate your IP constantly to help you evade detection — it even lets you choose your own entry and exit nodes for a double-hop connection. That all comes with a near-invisible impact on download speeds. With this year-round deal, you can save 87 percent on 27 months of Surfshark.
Surfshark One — $59.13 for a two-year subscription with three months free (88 percent off): A VPN is great, but it's not enough to protect your data all on its own. Surfshark One adds several apps that boost your security beyond just VPN service, including Surfshark Antivirus (scans devices and downloads for malware) and Surfshark Alert (alerts you whenever your sensitive information shows up in a data breach), plus Surfshark Search and Alternative ID from the previous tier. This extra-low deal gives you 88 percent off all those features. If you bump up to Surfshark One+, you'll also get data removal through Incogni, but the price jumps enough that it's not quite worthwhile in my eyes.
CyberGhost — $56.94 for a two-year subscription with two months free (83 percent off): CyberGhost has some of the best automation you'll see on any VPN. With its Smart Rules system, you can determine how its apps respond to different types of Wi-Fi networks, with exceptions for specific networks you know by name. Typically, you can set it to auto-connect, disconnect or send you a message asking what to do. CyberGhost's other best feature is its streaming servers — while it's not totally clear what it does to optimize them, I've found both better video quality and more consistent unblocking when I use them on streaming sites. Currently, you can get 26 months of CyberGhost for 83 percent off the usual price.
Private Internet Access — $79 for a three-year subscription with three months free (83 percent off): It's a bit hard to find (the link at the start of this paragraph includes the coupon), but Private Internet Access (PIA) is giving out the best available price right now on a VPN I'd recommend using. With this deal, you can get 39 months of PIA for a little bit over $2 per month — an 83 percent discount on its monthly price. Despite being so cheap, PIA has plenty of features, coming with its own DNS servers, a built-in ad blocker and automation powers to rival CyberGhost. However, internet speeds can fluctuate while you're connected.
hide.me — $69.95 for a two-year subscription with two months free (73 percent off): Hide.me is an excellent free VPN — in fact, it's my favorite on the market, even with EventVPN and the free version of Proton VPN as competition. However, if you do want to upgrade to its paid plan, the two-year subscription offers great savings. Hide.me works well as a no-frills beginner VPN, with apps and a server network it should frankly be charging more for.
What makes a good VPN deal
Like I said in the intro, practically every VPN heavily discounts its long-term subscriptions the whole year round. The only noteworthy exception is Mullvad, the Costco hot dog of VPNs (that's a compliment, to be clear). When there's constantly a huge discount going on, it can be hard to tell when you're actually getting a good deal. The best way to squeeze out more savings is to look for seasonal deals, student discounts or exclusive sales like Proton VPN's coupon for Engadget readers.
One trick VPNs often use is to add extra months onto an introductory deal, pushing the average monthly price even lower. When it comes time to renew, you usually can't get these extra months again. You often can't even renew for the same basic period of time — for example, you may only be able to renew a two-year subscription for one year. If you're planning to hold onto a VPN indefinitely, check the fine print to see how much it will cost per month after the first renewal, and ensure that fits into your budget.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-vpn-deals-88-percent-discounts-on-protonvpn-expressvpn-surfshark-and-more-120056432.html?src=rss
Microsoft’s Azure cloud service is recovering from an outage that affected key apps and services like Microsoft 365 , Xbox and Minecraft. All three showed spikes in outage reports on DownDetector around 12PM ET, and the Azure status page indicates that Microsoft first observed technical issues around 12PM ET.
In its most recent Azure status update at 3:57PM ET, Microsoft says that it “initiated the deployment of our ‘last known good configuration,’” and that “customers may have begun to see initial signs of recovery.” The company is continuing to reroute traffic through “healthy nodes” and believes that Azure should be fully recovered “by 23:20 UTC,” or 6:20PM ET.
At the peak of the outage, users on Reddit reported issues loading Game Pass on Xbox consoles, along with limited access to productivity and enterprise apps. The outage also appeared to affect Microsoft support pages and some airline websites.
A Microsoft spokesperson provided the following statement to Engadget about its Azure issues:
We are working to address an issue affecting Azure Front Door that is impacting the availability of some services. Customers should continue to check their Service Health Alerts and the latest update on this issue can be found on the Azure status page.
At least so far, the Azure outage pale in comparison to Amazon Web Services outage that occurred last week. Amazon’s outage kept popular apps and services offline for hours.
Update, October 29, 4:33PM ET: Added new details on Azure’s recovery.
Update, October 29, 3:09PM ET: Added details from the latest Azure status update to article along with a statement from Microsoft.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/azure-is-in-recovery-following-an-outage-that-affected-microsoft-365-xbox-and-minecraft-172032654.html?src=rss
A decade ago, when smart speakers with built-in voice assistants were the hot new thing, many imagined they'd quickly evolve into highly intelligent companions. (Think C-3PO or Star Trek's Data living inside a speaker.) That road has been much longer than expected, as virtual helpers like Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant seemed to sit in neutral for years.
But now that generative AI is here (for better or worse), smart speakers are finally scratching the surface of those expectations. Google's new version, Gemini for Home, is now available to try. Here's how.
First, keep in mind that the Gemini for Home voice assistant is in early access. This means Google is gathering feedback about its features, and — as with all generative AI — it's wise to assume it will make mistakes. If or when it does, you can send feedback to Google in the Google Home app or by saying, "Hey Google, send feedback."
Devices compatible with Gemini for Home voice assistant
Other models support everything but Gemini Live. That list includes the Google Nest Wifi point, Google Nest Hub (1st gen), Google Home Max, Google Home Mini (1st gen) and Google Home.
Another point is that once you dive in, your Google Assistant days will be over (on your speakers, anyway). That's because Google says that, once you upgrade to Gemini for Home, your compatible devices can't downgrade to Assistant. That shouldn't be a problem, but it's worth keeping in mind before you take the plunge.
How to sign up for early Gemini access
Once you've confirmed that your speaker(s) are at least partially compatible, head to the Google Home app on a mobile device. There, tap your profile picture (or initials) on the top right. Then tap Home Settings > Early Access. Congratulations: You've put in your request.
The bad news is you may have to wait a bit to confirm your entry into the beta program. Once you're in, you'll see a notification from the Google Home app that reads, "Introducing Gemini for Home." Select that, and follow the prompts. (If you accidentally dismiss the notification, you'll see the setup banner under Home settings in the Google Home app.)
Cherlynn Low for Engadget
At that point, all compatible speakers in your home will be upgraded to Google's more intelligent AI assistant. You can now throw more advanced questions at it, similar to what you'd ask text-based chatbots like ChatGPT. Except this one sits on a shelf, ready to field your verbal requests at any moment.
Keep in mind that Gemini Live requires a Google Home Premium subscription. The standard version costs $10 per month or $100 per year. Meanwhile, the advanced tier doubles that: $20 per month or $200 per year. At least for now, the only difference between the two (for these purposes) is that the pricier plan supports a camera history search feature. Both premium tiers unlock access to Gemini Live. So, if that's all you need, you can save money and get standard.
Google offers plenty of examples to get started. You can get quick answers to facts, like "Hey Google, who are the top five scoring players in basketball history?" (FYI: James, Abdul-Jabbar, Malone, Bryant and Jordan.) You can also ask Gemini Live to have a chat about ingredients for people with dietary needs. Or, ask it to explain complex topics (like how Wi-Fi works) in simple terms. It may not be at C-3PO level yet, but it's certainly moving in that direction.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/early-access-for-gemini-home-voice-assistant-is-now-available-heres-how-to-get-it-191250927.html?src=rss
California-based AI and robotics company 1X is now accepting pre-orders for its humanoid robot NEO, which was designed to automate everyday chores and to offer personalized assistance. Users will be able to control NEO and have it accomplish tasks around the house with the click of a button or a verbal command. It will come with the ability to do basic tasks autonomously when it starts shipping next year, including opening doors, fetching items and turning the lights on or off. However, if early adopters want NEO to be capable of more specific or complex tasks, they'd have to be comfortable with the idea of a human teleoperator controlling the robot remotely and seeing inside their homes.
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern, 1X CEO Bernt Børnich explained that the AI neural network running the machine still needs to learn from more real-world experiences. Børnich said that anybody who buys NEO for delivery next year will have to agree that a human operator will be seeing inside their houses through the robot's camera. It's necessary to be able to teach the machines and gather training data so it can eventually perform tasks autonomously. "If we don't have your data, we can't make the product better," he said.
Børnich admitted that much of the work will be done by teleoperators in the beginning. Owners will have access to an app where they can schedule when the teleoperator can take over NEO and where they can specify the task they want the machine to do. He said 1X is putting control in the hands of the owner to respect people's privacy as much as possible. The company can blur people so that the remote operator doesn't see them, and owners can designate no-go zones in their homes that the operator cannot go to. Teleoperators also cannot take control of NEO without the owner's approval. Of course, there's always potential security breaches to think of — Børnich at least assured that NEO has several layers of security to prevent it from hurting people.
If you want to see more of the robot in action, the WSJ video is definitely worth a watch.
1X NEO is available in tan, gray and dark brown. It's now available for pre-order from the company's website with a deposit of $200. Those who want early access to it can get it for $20,000, but it will also be available as a subscription service of $499 a month.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/1x-neo-is-a-20000-home-robot-that-will-learn-chores-via-teleoperation-040252200.html?src=rss
It looks like a hundred thousand people fell for a fake NVIDIA livestream featuring an AI-generated version of CEO Jensen Huang, as reported by PC Gamer. Perhaps the scariest part is that the fake stream ran at the same time as an actual NVIDIA event and dwarfed the live viewership numbers.
The actual keynote speech of NVIDIA's GPU Technology Conference (GTC) garnered around 20,000 live views, while the fake stream maxed out at 100,000 live views. Even weirder? The fake Huang was talking about some crazy stuff mostly involving bogus crypto investments.
The deepfake spoke of "a crypto mass adoption event that ties directly into NVIDIA's mission to accelerate human progress." The avatar urged viewers to scan a QR code to, uh, send in cryptocurrencies. It's unclear if any of the 100,000 viewers fell for this obvious scam that asked people to send the world's richest company money to "accelerate human progress."
The fake video has since been deleted. I haven't been able to check it out to see just how real it looked and, thereby, how it was able to lure in 100,000 viewers. Before we all start screaming into the night about how reality doesn't matter anymore, there are a few things worth considering.
First of all, we don't know anything about the 100,000 accounts that were watching the fake stream. We don't know where they're from or even if the accounts were tied to real people. It's also worth noting that the real stream has since garnered 200,000 views, despite just having 20,000 live viewers. We don't know what kind of promotional tools the fakers used to draw in people or how long people stayed once they clicked.
Finally, there's Huang himself. The man has hosted four GTC conferences just this year, and dozens upon dozens in previous years. There is an absolute abundance of footage of him standing on a stage and talking about stuff. That's a whole lot of video for bad actors to use as AI training data.
Also, the real stream wasn't exactly a barn burner. The most notable news we got was the announcement of a partnership with Uber to promote autonomous driving. This wasn't an event to hype up new graphics cards or anything like that. The company revealed some government contracts, if that's your bag.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/more-people-watched-a-fake-nvidia-livestream-than-the-real-thing-170035672.html?src=rss
Magic Leap is once again trying to make a name for itself in augmented reality. The company revealed an Android XR smart glasses prototype and it extended an existing partnership with Google. It said it built the glasses "as a reference design for the Android XR ecosystem."
They look similar to other modern smart glasses, with thick frames to house all of the electronics and what appears to be a camera lens on the left side. Magic Leap hasn't revealed too much more about the glasses, other than to say that, "by combining Magic Leap’s waveguides and optics with Google’s Raxium microLED light engine, the two companies are developing display technologies that make all-day, wearable AR more achievable."
The glasses, of course, use Google's Android XR operating system. Samsung's Galaxy XR headset, the first device that runs on the operating system, arrived last week.
Although it has been through the wringer over the last several years, Magic Leap is still kicking around. In 2022, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund became the majority owner of Magic Leap and it has since pumped over $1 billion into the company.
Magic Leap failed to make headway in the consumer market with its AR headset after reportedly selling just 6,000 units in six months. Magic Leap pivoted to focus on the enterprise market with the Magic Leap 2, which it released in 2022.
In July 2024, it was said to have laid off 75 employees — primarily from the sales and marketing teams — as part of another change in direction to license its tech. A couple of months before that, Magic Leap announced a deal with Google to "advance the potential of [extended reality] technologies," and that partnership is starting to bear fruit. It was reported late last year that Google brought in 100 Magic Leap staffers to work on Android XR projects.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/magic-leap-reveals-an-android-xr-smart-glasses-prototype-165200068.html?src=rss
The Nothing Phone universe continues to expand. On Wednesday, the company launched the fourth model in the Phone 3 lineup: the Nothing Phone 3a Lite. The cheapest model in the series, the Phone 3a Lite pairs the brand's distinct styling with solid all-around specs for an entry-level handset. However, with the company saying its non-flagship devices will soon include pre-installed apps and lock-screen ads, there may be a trade-off.
The Nothing Phone 3a Lite uses a Panda Glass casing over an aluminum internal frame. As you can see, it retains some familiar design strokes, albeit pared down to match its €249 price. As the company describes it, the handset's "asymmetric, transparent look and nano-coating creates a beautiful balance of matte and gloss." (Poetry!) The phone ships in white and black variants. Whether Nothing's design language is your cup of tea or not, you'll be hard-pressed to find a more striking and bold design language in a budget model.
The handset includes the Essential Key, a multi-purpose physical button found on all Phone 3 series models. The phone is IP54-rated for dust and water resistance.
Nothing
Nothing honors the brand's unique Glyph system (while keeping costs down) by using a notification LED. (Remember those on early Android phones?) This model's "Glyph Light" supports the lineup's Flip to Glyph feature, which switches to light-only alerts when the device is face down. The LED can stay on for "key contact and app notifications" and serve as a camera countdown timer. You can also customize its light sequences for calls and specific contacts.
The handset has a hearty 5,000 mAh battery. Nothing advertises 22 hours of YouTube playback or 9.5 hours of gaming. It supports 33W fast charging, reaching 50 percent in about 20 minutes.
The Phone 3a Lite has a triple-camera system. That includes a 50MP primary camera with a 1/1.57-inch Samsung sensor. Joining it are an 8MP ultra-wide and a macro lens. The rear camera system shoots 4K video at app to 30 FPS. On its front is a 16MP lens.
Nothing
The Nothing Phone 3a Lite has more than respectable display specs for a budget phone. It uses a 6.77-inch flexible AMOLED panel with 1,080 x 2,392 resolution (387 PPI). It has a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate and a 1,000Hz touch sampling rate. It can reach 3,000 nits peak HDR brightness and 1,300 nits outdoor brightness.
The handset's processor is the 4nm MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Pro 5G. The 8-core CPU can reach up to 2.5 GHz. Nothing says the chip performs better than the MediaTek 7200 silicon in last year's Phone 2a. The company claims its CPU is 15 percent faster, its GPU supports 20 percent higher FPS, and its NPU delivers 100 percent better AI performance.
The phone also uses a liquid-cooling system, which may help during intensive gaming sessions. It ships with 8GB of RAM and comes in 128GB and 256GB storage tiers.
Nothing
The phone runs the Nothing OS 3.5 UI on top of Android 15. The company says Nothing OS 4.0 will arrive in the first half of 2026.
And that brings us back to those trade-offs. Earlier this week, Nothing confirmed to 9to5Google that its strategy moving forward will include "Lock Glimpse." This rotating lock-screen wallpaper feature includes text with links to external content hosted by a Chinese advertising company. (That firm, Boyuan, says it offers a "rich mixture of content" to help its partners "commercialize the mobile traffic.") Think of it as a slightly less obnoxious version of lock-screen ads.
Fortunately, Lock Glimpse is off by default in the current Nothing OS 4.0 beta. Nothing pledges it will give users "full control over features like Lock Glimpse." However, that promise doesn't explicitly say the feature will remain off by default.
Another cost-subsidizing move is Nothing's (also confirmed) embrace of pre-installed apps. The company said its "carefully considered" third-party apps are those "most people install on day one, like Instagram." In fairness, that's a common practice among Android phone manufacturers. And Nothing says it will make third-party apps removable.
But again, the concessions here arguably run counter to one aspect of the brand's stated ethos: clean, bloat-free software. And if business considerations forced compromises in this area, it makes you question how long Lock Glimpse will stay off by default.
The Nothing Phone 3a Lite is available now in Europe on the company website. The 128GB model costs €249 (EU) / £249 (UK). Meanwhile, the 256GB model will set you back €279 (EU) / £279 (UK).
Update, October 29, 2025, 11:20 AM ET: This story has been updated to add information from Nothing about the lack of US availability and additional detail from Nothing's community post.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/the-nothing-phone-3a-lite-has-a-big-battery-and-triple-camera-system-130016149.html?src=rss
Do you have one streaming service too many? While you're far from alone in that, sometimes it's worth saying goodbye to one and saving some cash. Take Paramount+, which starts at $8 per month for its ad-supported Essential plan. Then there's its ad-free Premium plan, coming in at $13 a month.
In the meantime, here's everything you need to know about canceling your subscription through Paramount+ or third-party providers like Apple or Google.
How to cancel via web:
If your subscription is directly through Paramount+ then canceling it takes only a few clicks.
Sign in to your Paramount+ account on your browser.
Go to the Paramount+ Account page.
Tap on Cancel Subscription.
How to cancel via third-party provider:
It's still relatively simple to cancel your Paramount+ subscription even if you bought it through a third-party. Here's what you need to know based on where you purchased it.
Cancel via Apple iPhone or iPad
Go to Settings in your iPhone or iPad.
Choose your name.
Tap Subscriptions.
Click Paramount+ and then select Cancel Subscription.
Tap Confirm.
Cancel via Apple TV
Go to Settings in your Apple TV.
Tap Users & Accounts.
Select your Apple TV account.
Choose Subscriptions.
Click Paramount+ and select Cancel Subscription.
Cancel via Google Play Store on a web browser
Go to the Google Play Store through a web browser.
Sign in to your Google Play Store account.
Click Bills & Accounts on the left side of the screen.
Choose Paramount+ and tap Cancel Subscription.
Cancel via your Android smartphone or tablet
Go to the Google Play Store app.
Click on your profile icon.
Choose Payment & Subscriptions.
Tap on Subscriptions.
Click Paramount+ and then select Cancel Subscription.
Follow the prompts to confirm your cancelation.
Cancel via your Android TV
Open the Google Play Store app.
Go to Menu.
Choose My Apps.
Tap on Subscription.
Click Paramount+ and then select Cancel.
Choose Yes to confirm your cancelation.
Cancel via Amazon
Go to Amazon App Store Subscriptions.
Sign in to your Amazon account.
Find your Paramount+ subscription and choose Actions.
Tap Turn Off Auto-Renewal.
Click Turn Off Auto-Renewal again to confirm your cancelation.
Can I pause my subscription?
No, there's no option as of yet to pause your Paramount+ subscription. If you want to cancel it then just do so and rejoin when the time is right — or a better deal is available.
What happens after you cancel
The good news is that your subscription won't end immediately. If you're in a free trial then your access to Paramount+ will remain until the trial period ends. Similarly, paid subscribers will lose the ability to use Paramount+ at the end of the current billing period. Notably, if you've used a multi-month promotion, your subscription will still stop at the end of your current billing period.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/how-to-cancel-your-paramount-subscription-140053714.html?src=rss
I vividly remember testing the first Echo Studio. Even though that was nearly six years ago, I can clearly recall my surprise that Amazon had finally built a smart speaker that actually sounded good. It certainly helped that Amazon created a device that appropriately broadcasted spatial audio, and one that offered a boost to movies in the living room (if you bought a pair of them).
I was similarly surprised to see the overhauled Echo Studio when Amazon revealed it a few weeks ago. Could the company offer the same audio performance in a speaker that was 40 percent smaller? The 2025 Echo Studio ($220) combines three 1.5-inch full-range drivers with a 3.75-inch woofer in a very confined space, all powered by the company’s new AI-ready processor. There’s certainly a lot to like about the comprehensive reboot of the Studio after such a long time, but for now, there are also several caveats.
What’s good about the Echo Studio?
Amazon completely redesigned the Echo Studio, opting for a much more compact, spherical look compared to the previous large cylinder. To me, this is an upgrade; it looks less like a speaker and more like a piece of home decor. Amazon also moved the trademark light ring to the front, the element that illuminates when you’re talking to Alexa, so it’s easier to see when you’re directly facing the speaker. The lights will also display volume level in white when you make an adjustment, flash red if you mute the microphones and show blue for Bluetooth pairing mode. If you employ the Drop In feature, the Echo’s intercom of sorts, the ring glows green while you check in on what’s happening in the room from somewhere else.
The company also relocated all of the controls. The volume and mute buttons that used to be on top are now on an angled panel on the front, offering satisfying travel when you press them. And those are the only three buttons you get on the Echo Studio, as Amazon wants you to use noice commands for everything else when playing music or podcasts. Or, you know, you could reach for your phone.
There are optional tap controls that can be used to snooze alarms, stop timers and end both calls and Drop Ins. You simply tap the top of the Echo Studio for this. What’s more, you can enable “advanced” tap control that allows you to play/pause media with the same action.
Amazon promises "powerful bass and crystal-clear vocals" on the new Echo Studio, and I'd say the latter holds true. There is great clarity in the sound here, and the tuning definitely favors highs and mids across nearly every genre. For example, the synths and vocals on the TRON: Ares soundtrack by Nine Inch Nails are more prominent than the drum machines or bass line. Still, I heard an immersive quality to these songs, but not as much as I've noticed using headphones or earbuds. There's more low-end tone on Thrice's Horizons/West, and overall, the instruments offer a more enveloping quality than most other albums I tested. Just know there's quite a bit of variation from album to album and genre to genre.
Like the original Echo Studio, this model supports spatial audio, Dolby Atmos and Sony 360 Reality Audio content. Those are available from various streaming platforms, including Amazon Music Unlimited. Amazon only sent me one of the new speakers, so it’s tough to evaluate immersive Atmos sound here, but I gave it my best shot. The Echo Studio performs slightly better with Dolby Atmos tunes from Amazon Music as those songs have more depth and a wider soundstage. However, the bass is still quite muted, so even the spatial audio and Ultra HD quality boost don’t rescue the sluggish low-end tone and prominent vocals.
A word about Alexa+
Amazon's Echo Studio is a cozy home for Alexa+.
Billy Steele for Engadget
The new Echo Studio comes with early access to Alexa+, Amazon’s next-gen virtual assistant. The company has spent the last few years overhauling its companion, and my colleague Cherlynn Low has an in-depth preview of what you can expect when you’re able to use it. I’ve been chatting with the new Alexa for about a week during the course of testing this speaker, and to my surprise, this AI-powered assistant is indeed much improved.
The biggest change I’ve noticed is in on-going conversations with multiple follow-up questions or comments. The new AZ3 Pro chip inside the Echo Studio certainly helps keep things snappy, so there are no awkward pauses. I asked Alexa+ to remind me to make pizza dough one afternoon, and it confirmed the request without hesitation. Taking a cue from Cherlynn, I then asked about my mood right after, to which Alexa replied that I seemed to be chill based on my voice — a good “Monday vibe.”
Except it wasn’t Monday, it was Tuesday. When I corrected Alexa, the assistant played it cool, thanking me for helping and apologizing for the mistake. It then recalled the initial pizza request, commenting that it seemed like I was on top of things that day, including my dough recipe and the task at hand. It was the most human-to-human interaction I’ve ever had with a virtual assistant, and it felt like the promise of casual conversations with technology like this was finally fulfilled. And, I have to say, it kind of freaked me out.
My week–long fling hasn’t been without a few bumps though. Despite the Echo Studio having a built-in temperature sensor, Alexa+ can’t pull data from it. When you ask about the temperature in your house, the assistant checks for a connected thermostat, which I don’t have synced with the Alexa app. There are still times like this where you’ll run into some head-scratching limitations, but overall, the new Alexa is more human-like than ever when you interact with it. And again, at times, it’s pretty unsettling.
When the early access period is over, you’ll need a Prime membership to continue using Alexa+ for free. If you don’t have one, the next-gen assistant will cost you a whopping $20/month. And right now, the preview is only available in the US and in US English.
What’s not so good about the Echo Studio?
The new design features three drivers and a single woofer for sound.
Billy Steele for Engadget
While the clarity and somewhat immersive audio performance on the Echo Studio is a highlight, the lack of detail in the bass tuning is a hindrance most of the time. There is noticeable bass when a song calls for it, but the low-end tone has a muted, almost muffled quality that’s missing nuance. This makes songs like Water From Your Eyes’ “Born 2” sound much flatter and constrained than I’ve heard on the second-gen Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and AirPods Pro 3.
Amazon spent time during its recent launch event talking about Alexa Home Theater, a feature that will allow you to combine up to five Echo Studio speakers (or Echo Dot Max) with a compatible Fire TV stick. The company promises that all you have to do is plug in your gear and Alexa will handle the setup and tuning for you automatically. Unfortunately, Alexa Home Theater isn’t available yet; the company says it will be released “in the coming weeks.” Of course, this means I wasn’t able to test it, which leaves one of the Echo Studio’s best features — at least on paper — for future evaluation.
The company also nixed the 3.5mm input from the original Echo Studio. While I can appreciate that it was a much larger speaker, and 2019 was an entirely different time, I did like that Amazon gave us the option for wired connectivity on that device. With this new model, you’re left with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
Despite enabling tap controls in the Echo Studio settings in the Alexa app, I could only get a few of them to work (snooze alarms, dismiss timers, end calls and stop Drop In) at first. I even made sure to stand right in front of the speaker so its proximity sensors would know I was there, tapping awkwardly on the 3D knit fabric. Amazon clarified that in order for play/pause to work with music, you have to ask Alexa to start playing your tunes directly on the speaker instead of doing so from your phone or another device via Bluetooth. Otherwise, you’ll be tapping for nothing, just like I did for longer than I care to admit.
Wrap-up
The second iteration of the Echo Studio is a refined smart speaker that’s purpose-built for Amazon’s next-gen AI voice assistant. The device is a nice home for Alexa+ and the new design is certainly an improvement over the 2019 aesthetic of the original. While there’s some aspects of the sound on the Echo Studio that I admire, the tuning doesn’t offer the comprehensive oomph of that first speaker. That’s mostly due to the lack of detail in the bass, despite a pleasingly immersive soundstage overall. One of the speaker’s main features is still on the way, and the tap controls need fine-tuning, so for now, the new Echo Studio has a considerable amount of unfulfilled potential.
Update, October 29 2025, 12:37PM ET: This review was updated after Amazon clarified how the tap controls for play/pause are designed to work on the new Echo Studio.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/amazon-echo-studio-2025-review-a-comprehensive-redesign-for-alexa-140000191.html?src=rss
