The Amazon - Echo Pop (1st Generation) Smart Speaker with Alexa – Charcoal at first gave me a headache to get up and fully running, with my Samsung Galaxy S9 phone. I was able to complete all of the required tasks, except the final connection to the Wi-Fi network. I kept receiving the message to press the up and down volume buttons until the light turns orange and the Amazon - Echo Pop (1st Generation) Smart Speaker with Alexa – Charcoal will return to its initial setup mode and attempt to connect to the internet. I found myself in a loop of repeatedly rebooting and attempting to connect to Wi-Fi. I decided to contact customer service, but it was late at night so I decided to call later the next day. The next day, before contacting customer service, I thought about using my other phone to see if that would make a difference. After install the Alexa app again, on my other phone, a Motorola, I started the connection process instructions in the app all the way to completion. I heard Alexa say, “Your Echo Pop is connected.” Alexa immediately began to speak to me with questions and commands to sync my voice. After syncing my voice, I could ask questions and give commands through the Echo Pop. Alexa informed me that my TV could be connected to my Echo Pop for command functions. Turning on my televisions Bluetooth allowed the connection and gave me the ability to change channels and play apps with voice commands. The Alexa app on my phone also gives me some control over functions. I was able to control volume and pause the screen with the app. The Amazon - Echo Pop (1st Generation) Smart Speaker with Alexa – Charcoal is small in its size, but is big in its many features.

I’ve had this echo pop for a few months now and it has just gotten increasingly worse. I thought at first it was because she was new and my old echo dot was 4 years old before she wore out. This Echo Pop has continuously gone downhill to now where she doesn’t even listen. I can say her name multiple times directly to her with no background noise and she never lights up, or if she does—it’s a few minutes later after I’ve given up and her blue light just stays on, semi-pulsing with not even an “I’m sorry I didn’t get that.” The only time she lets me know she didn’t hear me is when I wasn’t even talking to her and said nothing remotely close to Alexa. I thought she was too close to the tv when we first moved but it wasn’t any different, now she’s further away from the tv and closer to the wall between her and the wifi modem and she’ll says she’s having trouble connecting to the internet—but only every now and then when she never moves. I wish I could have enough examples of her answering questions for me to even comment on her search capabilities. I’ve always used my Alexa’s excessively for timers and I’ll ask her how much longer is left on any given timer and 8/10 times there’s not a timer going even after she confirmed it nearly 10 minutes prior. She will light up sometimes when you talk to her then the light just goes off with no answer, nothing. If she says “ I didn’t get that, tell me again” her light goes OFF so you can’t even continue you have to restart. This is the worst Alexa I’ve ever had and I paid double what I have before for a “new” one and I’m truly disappointed.

The Amazon Echo Pop is a compact smart speaker that packs a punch. The Echo Pop arrives in a small yet unassuming box. Opening the box reveals the new Amazon - Echo Pop Smart Speaker and immediately you will be amazed at just how small the speaker is. The build quality is great with a decent weighted base that allows the Echo Pop stay stable on a desk, dresser or kitchen counter. Taking the speaker out the box you will be greeted with an instruction pamphlet and power cord. Set the Echo Pop on a flat surface and plug in power. On your mobile phone, open the Alexa App and tap More. Once this opens up tap on Settings. Then tap on Device settings. You will see the + sign at the upper right of your screen. Tap on the + sign and Alexa will search for the Echo Pop. Once the Echo Pop is found, then next step is to connect it to your wireless network.

Volume controls are on top of the speaker and very easy to adjust the volume to your liking.

After its all said and done, you will enjoy very robust and spacious sound from such a tiny speaker. I am amazed everyday on just how compact and good the new Amazon Echo Pop sounds.

I would garner to say I like the sound quality better then my old Echo speaker.

If you want a affordable but very good smart speaker that packs fantastic audio into a tiny package, look no further than the new Amazon - Echo Pop Smart Speaker.

I have been using Alexa for many years now and have tried many different generations and iterations of the Echo. I've done the dot, the flex, the pop, the show, you name it. The pop is the newest line of Echo devices from Amazon that has a great design where the speaker now is forward facing instead of a cylinder. This makes hearing Alexa and whatever she plays/does easier and more projecting. This works great as an alarm clock because you can simple tap the top of the echo and it will turn your alarm off.

There really is not anything different feature wise from this and all the other type's of echo devices out there. The sound quality is slightly better than the dots, however, the voice recognition ability of Alexa still is pretty bad. I have had this issue with all my echo dots, and still have this issue with an echo pop. Commands get ignored, or she just completely misunderstands them and does something or says something totally different. I would've expected by now that the microphone would be updated and tuned to be more accurate but it does not appear so.

I give this 3 stars because it is not a game changer, it really isn't different than any other Echo device, and it still has the issues that these devices have had for years. Get it if you're new to the Alexa ecosystem, but don't go out of your way to upgrade a newer dot.