For those eagerly awaiting the launch of Amazon’s Echo speakers in Australia, today is the day. After opening up pre-orders last month, the speakers are now available for general sale from Amazon as well as retailers.
The Amazon Echo, Echo Dot and Echo Plus are all available from the Amazon Australia website, or from JB Hi-Fi, Officeworks, Telstra, and Myer in Australia, or Noel Lemming and JB Hi-Fi for our friends in New Zealand.
The Echo Dot is selling for $79, while the full-sized Echo will cost $149 or you can choose the Echo Plus with built-in smart hub for $229.
The Alexa smart assistant will also be coming to other speakers including the Sonos One, as well as an Anker branded speaker. Alexa skills are now available for use in Australia with a wide variety of Australian companies on-board including Coastalwatch, Qantas, Taste, TEN Eyewitness News First at Five, Westpac and NAB.
Also available now in Australia (and New Zealand) is Amazon’s Music Unlimited service which offers more than 45 million songs, including playlists and personalised stations. Amazon Music is available to trial for free for 90 days, at which time you can either pay $4.99/month for use on a single Amazon Echo, Echo Plus and Dot or $11.99 for use on multiple devices including iOS, Android, PC, Mac, and the web.
If you want to try out an Echo you can head over to Amazon, or into your nearest retailer from today to check them out.
And yet a preorder with Amazon.com.au shows “Will dispatch Feb 4; Arriving Feb 6-Feb 9”..
Dispatch on Feb 4? For a preorder directly from Amazon, and I can go into a retailer and buy one (granted, not at the preorder pricing) today? Way to go Amazon..