[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I've been slowly gaining interest in the home tech world. It took me a bit to fall in love with my echo home speakers, and I rather dismissed the "show" speaker versions for a while. I didn't think that I needed to actually "see" what a speaker could offer.
This Amazon Echo Show 15 proved to me exactly what a visual speaker could do in my home!
I'm TOTALLY IN LOVE with this device!
It's not so smart that it belittles me, and it's smart enough to make my life just a bit simpler.
When I opened the box, I instantly saw a primo piece of equipment. The large 15.6 inch Full HD (1080p) smart display screams quality. It also has a 5 MP camera, which can be closed with three flip of a switch. You can also easily turn off the microphone, as desired.
The speakers work well. They don't have the power of my original echo, but it's obvious that they are designed to be used on/near a wall, so they are placed in such a way to use the wall to bounce the acoustics off. I do play my music playlists on it, and although it's not as great as my echo, it has a nice clear, loud sound.
The entire display is surrounded by a sleek black frame, which allows it to incorporate well into my home decor.
It's designed to be hung on the wall, and comes with a device to do so. I decided to use a stand, purchased separately, because I'm using it on my kitchen counter near where I prepare meals, and I like to watch YouTube recipes in landscape (horizontally), while cooking. Otherwise, I use it displayed in portrait (vertically), as a photo display and electronic family bulletin board.
This device does need to be plugged in to operate, and comes with a 30W power adapter and 5 ft. cord. It's not wireless, so keep that in mind when deciding where to place.
I added my (necessary) Wi-Fi, and Amazon account info, and within five minutes from unboxing, I was deciding which widgets to add to the home screen, and using the new Show 15.
I love being able to display family photos, and learned that the speed that the display scrolls can be adjusted. I also use the events and calendar to keep my family on schedule.
The shopping list is a feature that I use daily to ask Alexa to add things as needed.
I'm planning to add my ring camera to it as well, set it up for video chats, and look for new ways to use Amazon Echo Show 15 every day.
