What is Amazon Echo Glow and How Does It Work?

The smart nightlight for kids

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Updated on October 2, 2019

In terms of smart lights, the Amazon Echo Glow is a new twist on the concept. This smart nightlight for kids is designed to help kids help themselves.

What Is Echo Glow?

The Echo Glow is not a smart speaker like the Amazon Echo. Think of it more as a smart lamp that uses changing colors to help children perform a variety of tasks. Built-in options include features like the Rainbow Timer, which gives children visual, changing color reminders to help them stay on track with morning and bedtime routines.

Echo Glow doesn't have any speakers or contain a microphone, so a child can't actually control it without a separate Alexa-enabled device.

How Does Echo Glow Work?

The Echo Glow connects to your home Wi-Fi and is controlled by a separate Alexa-enabled device, like an Echo Dot or Echo Plus, or the Alexa app. The smart speaker you use to instruct the Glow doesn't need to be in the same room; just on the same home network.

The lights can be dimmed, tuned to any color of the rainbow, cycle through colors, or even operate on routines. Campfire mode, for instance, flickers orange-colored lights while Dance Party triggers the lights to flash like a discotheque. Other visual timers can be set according to family needs.

You can also tap the Glow directly to turn it on, cycle through colors, and turn it off, but it does require a little force so it can't be accidentally bumped and turned on.

Two routines parents will like: A wake-up routine slowly lights the Glow to help kids wake up, while a countdown routine dims the light over time to help them fall asleep.

Technical Details to Know

This device is kid-sized: It's just under 4-inches tall and wide, and weighs about half a pound. It does offer Wi-Fi connectivity, but only for 2.4 GHz/802.11 b/g/n networks. Tapping the Glow makes it cycle through different colors.

The light, rated for 100 lumens, is not bright enough to light up an entire room. In terms of lighting, then, think of it more as a nightlight than an actual lamp. The light is contained to the area immediately surrounding the Glow.