I’ve been playing around a lot with the Third Generation Amazon Echo Show 10, and it hit me earlier today that this form factor might be an ideal starting platform for the next-generation Desktop PC. What makes this generation of Echo different is that it has a 10 inch screen that attempts to follow you […]
I’ve been playing around a lot with the Third Generation Amazon Echo Show 10, and it hit me earlier today that this form factor might be an ideal starting platform for the next-generation Desktop PC. What makes this generation of Echo different is that it has a 10 inch screen that attempts to follow you around the room, making it ideal for use where and while you are doing projects. It reminds me a lot of the 2 nd Generation Apple iMac, which I maintain was the best desktop PC design of all time. Let’s talk about whether the Third Generation Amazon Show could become the perfect future desktop PC. What made the Second-Generation iMac uniquely beneficial is that it placed all the system weight in the base and had a swivel mount for the attached flat panel display. This unique design made it incredibly stable, far more stable than the iMacs that came after it (and most other all-in-one configurations), and the swiveling display made it far easier to put the display where you needed it even if that was on the other side of the desk. This design made this Second Generation offering far safer and far more helpful if you tended to move around the desk or the working space rather than just sitting in the same place all day, every day. As noted, the Third Generation, Echo Show 10, has similar structural advantages to the Second Generation iMac. Its weight is in the base with a screen that is supported above the base. However, unlike the old iMac, the Echo Show 10’s screen will automatically follow you around the room, freeing you up to be mobile while listening to music, watching videos, or searching on the web. You interact with it hands-free, and while its AI isn’t yet that smart, it is generally adequate for things like entertainment or looking at directions while building or cooking something. Its functionality is limited by its relatively small (compared to PCs) screen and evident entertainment focus.
