Amazon Echo Show 8 finally gets Conversation Mode – but it has limits
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What’s old is now new again, as Amazon rolls out Alexa’s conversation mode to the second generation of Echo Show 8 smart displays.
If the talk mode sounds familiar to you, it’s because it first appeared on the third generation Echo Show 10 smart displays back in December 2021. And by all accounts, this version of the function (opens in new tab) is identical to the older one. Amazon is essentially making this emerging technology more available to its users. What it does is you can give Alexa commands without having to constantly say its wake word. The result is more natural-sounding conversations with Alexa.
How it works
To activate the mode, first say the device activation word (default is “Alexa”) and then you can either say “turn on conversation mode” or “join the conversation”. Now anyone in the room can give the Echo Show 8 commands just by talking to it, like telling it to add items to a shopping list. And you’ll know the mode is activated when you see a solid blue border around the Show 8’s screen.
Images and videos will not be recorded or sent to Amazon’s cloud, according to the announcement. All that will be recorded are direct requests and can be deleted by going to View Voice History under the Alexa privacy settings (opens in new tab).
In order for the talk mode to work, the Echo Show 8 cannot be muted, you must be within view of the Echo Show 8’s camera, and you must look at it when you give it commands. Doing this will be a little trickier on the Echo Show 8. The Echo Show 10’s screen can pivot on a swivel as it follows you around the room, allowing it to listen closely to you at all times. The Show 8, on the other hand, is a more static device because it just sits on your counter.
So you may have to turn it by hand for the Show’s camera to see you. But with that stiffer design comes affordability, as the Echo Show 8 is cheaper ($129.99) than the Show 10 ($249.99).
Vague availability
Unfortunately, it seems that the Echo Show 8 version of the talk mode is just as limited in language support. According to Amazon Customer Service (opens in new tab), the feature is only available in English and it is not known whether it supports other languages. Also vague is the availability of the feature around the world. Conversation mode on the Echo Show 10 is only available for the United States at the time of writing. By that logic, if the Show 8 only supports English, it’s entirely possible that the new mode is stuck in the US.
We’ve reached out to Amazon to see if there are any plans to expand Talk Mode outside of the US and if there are any new software changes not mentioned in the announcement. This story will be updated if we hear anything.
It might also be interesting to know that Amazon has a pre-Black Friday Sale from 11 to 12 October. Amazon promised that Alexa devices will have “extra savings” in those days.
We can’t help but feel it’s more than a coincidence that the Echo Show 8 got a talk mode a few weeks before the event. It could be part of a new product push. If you’re in the market for an Amazon device before the big event, be sure to check out TechRadar’s coverage of the new Amazon Fire 8 Tablet Line.