Amazon Unveils Touchscreen Echo Show

Intriguing functionally — there are some things that are better seen than heard (and vice versa). But it’s a rather ungainly piece of hardware, particularly the “white” model, which looks black from the front. The audio-only Echo can be placed discreetly in a kitchen, living room, or bedroom. The Echo Show is a conspicuous device — by design, surely, given that it has a display. But at best I’d describe it as inelegant, and I’d actually say it’s homely ugly.

Update: In British English, homely means “simple but cozy and comfortable, as in one’s own home”; in North American English, it means “unattractive in appearance”. Sorry for any confusion.

★ Tuesday, 9 May 2017