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I’m finally ready for a smart calendar – why the Echo Show 16 stands out
I'm finally ready to upgrade to a smart calendar - and Amazon's newest Echo device looks like an organizational solution for my family and I.
I’ve never claimed to be the most organized person, and I’m fully aware I need to take steps to be more on top of appointments, schedules, to-do lists, and everything that comes with family life. I’ve been tempted by smart display calendars like the Skylight, but they seemed a little gimmicky and expensive for what’s essentially a large tablet. (ZDNET’s Maria Diaz argues against that gimmick notion, by the way.)
The Echo Show 16, though, might just be the device that gets me to take the leap.
Also: Echo Show 16 makes Apple’s 7-inch HomeView look puny
When I first saw this device, I admit, it wasn’t the first thing to catch my eye. But then I started learning more about what it can do — and now I’m ready to boot my Echo Show 5 for an upgrade. It won’t be a cheap upgrade (I’ll address that later), but if it does what Amazon is promising, it’ll be more than worth it to me.
The first thing I noticed was how sleek the device looks. Amazon says it has 10% more viewing area than the Echo Show 15, but a frame that’s almost 40% thinner. Since I’ll be opting for a wall mount, I wanted something that wouldn’t be too obtrusive. Since my current device is an Echo Show 5 — the small counter-top version — it’s not exactly comparable. Still, it’ll be a huge upgrade to go from an Alexa device that shows pictures to something much more capable.
The biggest appeal for me is the organization. Amazon says the new Show offers a family hub with color-coded schedules, to-do lists, meal planning, and more. My Google Calendar holds all of that now, but it’s easy to miss a notification. And if I don’t make it a priority to check my app every day (something I need to get better about), it’s easy to miss something.
On top of all that, I have a hobby-turned-side-hustle-turned-fledgling business baking cookies, and keeping up with orders is obviously a priority. Again, I use Google Calendar for that, but I’ve nearly missed orders in a sea of notifications. An always-on calendar in a high-traffic area of the house would do a much better job of keeping things on my mind.
Also: The 4 biggest Amazon smart home announcements from this week
My current Show can display lists and events, but it doesn’t have a permanently present display.