Tech Brief: Amazon Reveals New Alexa-Compatible Echo Speakers, Microwave, Wall Clock, and More

Trillion-dollar company Amazon just doubled down on Alexa-powered smart home devices by unleashing a dizzying array of new products aimed at expanding its strategic lead in the market even as it intensifies its competition with Google and Facebook. Kitchen sink approach or not, it's definitely a lot to take in. So here's a handy list of everything Amazon announced:

• Echo Dot and Echo Plus smart speakers - US$ 49.99/US$ 149.99
• Echo Auto to bring Alexa skills to cars - US$ 24.99
• Echo Link Amp to stream and amplify music to your own speakers - US$ 299.99
• Echo Link to stream high-fidelity music to your stereo system - US$ 199.99
• Echo Sub subwoofer that can paired with an Echo or Echo Plus - US$ 129.99
• Echo Show smart display - US$ 229.99
• Echo Input to add Alex skills to external speakers - US$ 34.99
• Echo Wall Clock to set timers and reminders - US$ 29.99
• Smart Plug to equip older devices with smarts that can be controlled from your smartphone or through Alexa voice assistant - US$ 24.99
• AmazonBasics Microwave with voice presets to cook food by talking to Alexa - US$ 59.99
• Fire TV Recast DVR to watch and record free OTA programming with Fire TV or Echo Show - US$ 229.99

The surprise hardware event arrives at a crucial time when Google is readying to unveil its own Smart Display gadget at an October 9 event and Facebook is reportedly planning to announce its Portal video chat device next week after it delayed its launch in the aftermath of Cambridge Analytica scandal. That's not all. More than a year after it entered physical retail with its acquisition of Whole Foods for US$ 13.7 billion, the retail behemoth has picked up 49 percent stake in Indian grocery chain More in a deal that's pegged at around US$ 585 million. Amazon's move to brick-and-mortar retail in India comes months after rival Walmart agreed to pay US$ 16 billion for a roughly 77 percent stake in popular Indian e-commerce giant Flipkart.