Smart home assistants have been popular for a good few years at this point, but if you're still wondering what the fuss is all about, Amazon Australia currently has a deal that'll let you nab one for a tenner.
Amazon's Echo range of smart speakers are already some of the most affordable on the market, and for the last little while Amazon's been doing a promo for new Prime members allowing them to purchase a third-generation (2019) Echo Dot, which is normally priced at AU$59, for just AU$10.
To nab AU$49 off this diminutive smart speaker, all you have to do is sign up for the free Amazon Prime trial. (Or alternatively, if you've had a trial previously that's expired, sign up to become a paying Prime member.) After sign up, add a Dot to your cart and the full discount will be visible at the checkout stage.
Signing up for Amazon Prime isn't an expensive prospect either. A monthly subscription will set you back just AU$6.99, or you can save by opting for an annual subscription for AU$54 a year (that's the equivalent of AU$4.50p/m).
Before that, though, you can get a 30-day free trial and take the service for a spin before you decide to become a paying member.
There are plenty of benefits that come from being a Prime member, like exclusive and early access to deals, free domestic shipping on all Prime-eligible items and free international shipping on eligible items over AU$49 purchased from the Global Store section of the online marketplace.
It's not just about shopping either. You get full access to Amazon's Prime Video streaming platform and it's massive library of movies and TV shows, including some great exclusives, plus Prime Reading too – a huge collection of ebooks that's great for avid readers. And, for gamers, a Prime membership includes a Twitch subscription and a monthly drop of free games and in-game perks (all that comes via Prime Gaming).
- Amazon Echo Dot (2020) review
- Echo Dot 2019 vs Echo Dot 2020
- Amazon Echo Dot (2019) vs Google Nest Mini
Still wondering why an Echo Dot's worth trying (apart from the fact that, with this discount, it's it's the most affordable way to test the smart home waters)?
For one, this smart speaker is quite small and unobtrusive, measuring just 43 x 99 x 99 mm and weighs just 300g. Despite its size, you can stream music via Prime Music. And while bigger speakers will deliver better sound, for its size it sounds pretty darn good. Moreover, if music really matters, you can connect it to your own existing speakers via a 3.5mm jack.
As a smart speaker, it gives you full access to Alexa, Amazon's voice assistant. It can tell you what the weather is like outside and even provide step-by-step recipe instructions if you're cooking up a storm in the kitchen. You can use the Echo Dot as a hub for controlling other smart home devices, like lights and security cameras for example. There's a lot that this little speaker can do.
As we've mentioned, the Dot normally retails for AU$59 but, as a new Prime member, it will only set you back AU$10. Even with the AU$6.99 Prime subscription added in, you're still saving over AU$40 off the price. So sign up now and save!
You can head to Amazon Australia to take a look at the T&Cs of this offer, which is only available for 54,000 units of the Echo Dot and ends at 11:59pm AEST on September 9, 2021. Your credit for the Echo Dot must be redeemed by September 23, 2021.
