Amazon's Echo Connect brings phone calls to the Echo
Amazon's Echo speakers are about to get a new superpower: phone calls.
The company just unveiled a new gadget, the Echo Connect, which allows you to make landline phone calls via your Echo.
The $34.99 box connects to your existing phone line and allows your Echo speaker to essentially act as a speakerphone. It works with international and emergency calls and is compatible with the Amazon Echo, Echo Plus, Echo Dot, Echo Spot, and Echo Show.
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After the Connect is, er, connected to your phone line (via a phone jack), you can sync your contacts to the Alexa app on your phone. Once your contacts are synced, all you have to do is ask Alexa to call one of the numbers you've added.
It also allows you to answer your phone with the command "Alexa, answer the phone."
The feature is likely meant to rival Google Home's voice calling, which doesn't require an existing landline.
Amazon's gadget, though, has the advantage of working with its existing lineup of Echo devices, so you don't need to upgrade to a new Echo to take advantage of the device's speakerphone functionality.
The Echo Connect is available for pre-order today and will start shipping December 13th.
Karissa was Mashable's Senior Tech Reporter, and is based in San Francisco. She covers social media platforms, Silicon Valley, and the many ways technology is changing our lives. Her work has also appeared in Wired, Macworld, Popular Mechanics, and The Wirecutter. In her free time, she enjoys snowboarding and watching too many cat videos on Instagram. Follow her on Twitter @karissabe.
