Amazon Echo Pop

If you want a compact Alexa smart speaker, the Pop is now the cheapest choice - but what does it really add?

- MIKE PROSPERO

How do you shave £10 from the price of the Echo Dot (see issue 341, p64)? Apparently, by taking a knife and slicing off the Dot's spherical front to create a flat surface. Then remove the Alexa button, but leave three at the Pop's top: two to adjust the volume, one to turn off the microphone. And finally, rather than use a circular ring of LEDs around the bottom, switch to a small light bar at the top. This activates to indicate when Alexa is listening to you.