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Amazon Devices & Services livestream: Alternatives to every announced product

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Amazon recently debuted a bunch of new gadgets, including the Kindle Scribe, Rise Halo, a slew of new Echo Dot smart speakers, and more. And while just about everything revealed during the Devices & Services livestream looked fantastic, there are already a lot of existing smart home products that fill a similar niche.

Whether you’re looking for a budget replacement or simply can’t wait for a release date that’s over a month away, here are some great alternatives to consider. All of these are available for purchase today and feature a skill set that’s comparable to Amazon’s latest devices.

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Hatch Restore is an affordable Halo Rise alternative

The Hatch Restore glowing purple on a nightstand.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Halo Rise is shaping up to be an innovative new solution to sleep tracking, giving users the ability to monitor their sleep without wearing a smartwatch or other device. It also comes with a built-in light and smart alarm that make it easier for you to wake up. The Hatch Restore is a similar product, but one that’s already on the market and carries an affordable price tag.

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It offers a similar wind-down and wake-up experience with its built-in lights, although it lacks any sleep monitoring capabilities. But, if you don’t mind that omission, it’s a great budget product for folks looking to enhance their sleep routines.

Skip the Echo Dot upgrade and get a Sonos One

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Amazon revealed a stable of upgraded Echo Dot products in September, including an upgraded Echo Studio. But whether you’re looking for your first smart speaker or you’re looking to upgrade your existing setup, the Sonos One is a great alternative for most of the Echo Dot lineup. It’s the closest in price and performance to the Echo Studio, although our Sonos One review found it to be the “perfect smart speaker” — and it’s more than worth the extra money.

Streaming with Roku isn’t square

The Roku Streambar on a media console.
Roku

Make no mistake: The Amazon Fire TV Cube looks like a great revision of the existing product. The ability to act as both a central smart speaker and streaming hub is a special combination, making the Cube uniquely positioned in the marketplace. However, the Roku Streambar offers solid competition. It’s much larger than the Fire TV Cube (it’s essentially a soundbar) but offers robust audio, 4K support, and tons of included streaming apps that make it a great centerpiece for your home theater.

Get Wyze for your outdoor security

Wyze Cam Outdoor angled
John Velasco / Digital Trends

Amazon used its Devices & Services event to reveal a surprising number of security cameras — and that includes the premium Ring Spotlight Pro. Offering 1080p video capture, smart notifications, and impeccable detection via radar, the camera has positioned itself as one of the most sophisticated options available. But if you’re looking for something reliable that won’t flatten your wallet, consider taking a look at the Wyze Cam Outdoor v2. Just like the Ring Spotlight Pro, it offers 1080p video capture, is IP65 rated for inclement weather, and boasts an 130-degree field of view — allowing you to eliminate every blind spot in your yard.

Get 360-degree security with the Eufy Security Solo

ufy Security Indoor Cam 2K.
John Velasco / Digital Trends

The Blink Mini is finally getting a mount that’ll let you pivot its view vertically and horizontally. If you already own the camera, then picking up the mount makes a lot of sense. But, if you’re in the market for an entirely new setup, the Eufy Security Solo should be high on your list. Not only can it pivot in all directions, but it can reach all 360 degrees of its environment. It’s also right in line with what you’d pay for a Blink Mini and its Pan and Tilt stand.

Check out the reMarkable 2 for a serious Kindle Scribe competitor

A person using the reMarkable 2 to take notes.
Remarkable

The Scribe will be the first Kindle that lets you take notes on its screen. However, it’s not the first ereader to offer that functionality. Right now, that space is largely dominated by the reMarkable 2. The device doesn’t support as many ebooks as Kindle, but its note-taking chops are second to none. Toss in a slick design paired with a long battery life, and it’s a pretty enticing package.

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Jon Bitner
Jon Bitner
Jon Bitner is a writer covering consumer electronics, technology, and gaming. His work has been published on various websites…
New Amazon Echos bring ‘dot displays’ and mesh networking, plus models for kids and cars
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All of these devices feature updated technology and several new features that make them well worth the upgrade, and pre-orders start today. If you want to snag one of these new Echo products for yourself, you can expect to receive it sometime next month.
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The Amazon Halo Rise displaying a wake-up light.

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Announced as part of Amazon's fall device event, the Halo Rise looks a bit like a ring light, but combines the functionality of a sleep tracker, smart alarm, and wake-up light in one. Onboard AI learns the users' sleep stages and details information about temperature and humidity in the room, as well as light levels. One key thing to note is that there's no microphone or camera on the Halo Rise; while it can be paired with Alexa, it's built with privacy in mind.

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Amazon has wisely agreed to play nicely with a surprising variety of music services. Naturally, they’d like it best if you use the default Amazon Music service, which with a Prime membership gives you access to millions of songs (and an upgrade to Amazon Music Unlimited basically means any and every song you want is at your fingertips). Amazon Music is a fine service, but depending on what you’re used to or which other music services you subscribed to before you got an Echo device, you may want to link to another option.

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