WHAT’S ECHO LOOP SMART RING?
Amazon was the first global consumer brand to launch a smart ring product – Echo Loop was published in September in 2019.
Echo Loop is, first and foremost, a device for controlling Alexa, Amazon’s personal voice assistant ecosystem. However, Echo Loop also helps you in making phone calls.
It comprises of an in-built microphone and loudspeaker for the user to give Alexa voice commands and hear the responses; and, also to conduct the phone calls. To do all this, Echo Loop pairs up with your smartphone over a Bluetooth connection. It uses your smartphone’s internet connection, or WiFi, and the Alexa App for connectivity and other features.
Echo Loop is water-resistant, which means that you can wash your hands with the ring on, but showering and swimming are not recommended.
For the time being, Echo Loop is available as an invitation-only product, and it is labeled as Amazon’s first-generation Smart Ring product.
HOW DOES ECHO LOOP WORK?
Controlling the voice assistant
Echo Loop is not listening for a wake word by default – you can start the voice assistant’s listening mode by pressing the action button embedded on the ring body. One short press wakes up Alexa, a long press begins recording for Google Assistant or Siri, depending on whether you have an Android phone or iPhone. The haptic actuator inside the ring vibrates to indicate to you when Alexa starts to listen.
One of the two microphones inside Echo Loop records your voice commands. To hear the responses from the voice assistant, lift your hand close to your ear. You’ll listen to the response from the tiny speaker inside the ring.
Making phone calls
You can use Echo Loop to call by your smartphone. Press the action button on the ring twice to speed dial to a person that you have defined on the Alexa app. Only one person can be stored for speed dialing, but you can call any number in your contacts through your phone’s assistant. To conduct phone calls, you need to frequently move the Echo Loop in front of your mouth to speak, and near your ear to hear.
