Echo devices and new Fire TV: 5 big announcements at Amazon's surprise hardware event

A pair of Amazon Echo multimedia smart speakers, taken on November 28, 2016. (Photo by Joby Sessions/T3 Magazine via Getty Images)

E-commerce and technology giant Amazon unveiled a number of Echo products upgradations and the new Fire TV at its hardware event on Wednesday.

Available since 2015, Amazon's 'Echo' is a smart speakers brand. The devices connect to the voice-controlled intelligent personal assistant service Alexa. There were six devices within the Echo family before Wednesday's new release - Echo, Dot, Tap, Look, Show, Spot.

Amazon announced the Echo Show will be released in other markets such as United Kingdom and Germany.

The company also announced that users will now be able to activate multi-step routines in 'intelligent personal assistant' Alexa with a single command.

Here are the top five announcements from the event:

New Fire TV

One of the biggest announcements was the Amazon Fire TV which supports 4K HDR videos with 2160p resolution at 60 frames per second.

The new Fire TV is integrated with Dolby Atmos and has an Alexa voice remote.

While its main rival - Apple TV 4K is priced at USD 179, the new Fire TV comes at USD 69. While the pre-orders have begun, the device will come out on October 25.

Echo Spot

The new Echo Spot is a 'smart alarm clock' that allows video calling. It can be connected to other speakers using Bluetooth or cable. The device looks like a mix of Echo Show and Echo Dot.

It sports a small 2.5-inch screen.

Echo Plus

The new Echo Plus comes with second-generation far-field voice recognition, improved sound quality and a Philips Hue smart light bulb.

Priced at USD 149, the 'smart home hub' is compatible with over 100 smart home devices and can be set up using voice commands, the company claims.

The device, available in three colours - black, white and silver - comes out on October 31.

Echo Connect

The new device, priced at USD 35, will make landline calls using Alexa.

However, your landline phone number will still be linked to the calls so that receivers can identify you.

Echo Buttons

It is one of the smallest products in the Echo family. The device is priced at USD 20 for a two-pack.

Echo Buttons are devices that can be used to play interactive games along with Alexa-enabled devices.