Amazon’s new $35 Echo Connect will let you make phone calls

Amazon’s Echo products have always been good at voice-related functions, except for one

key voice-related function: making phone calls. Now there’s a new solution for that. At a hardware event at its new Seattle campus today, Amazon announced the Echo Connect, a $35 speaker / phone device that plugs into the wall and lets US customers make phone calls through their Echo speakers. The call is tied to the owner’s phone number, so receivers will still know who’s calling them. That makes this new Echo more like landline speaker. Previously, you could make Echo calls to another Echo — similar to an intercom system — but now you can call a landline number, such as local businesses or contacts from your phone. The device will also allow you to call 911 for emergencies. Earlier this year, Google also added voice calling to this Home device, but it did not come with 911 support. The Echo Connect ships sometime in the fourth quarter of this year. In addition, Amazon senior vice president of devices Dave Limp said that Alexa voice calling and text messaging via Echo devices is rolling out to UK and Germany.                                                                              https://www.theverge.com/2017/9/27/16374862/amazon-echo-connect-speakerphone