Amazon has rolled out two new devices with Alexa voice assistant support, with experts from iFixit opening up the Amazon Tap and the Amazon Echo Dot.
The hardware specialists at iFixit rate every phone, tablet or gadget on a repairability scale from 1 to 10. Devices that score a 1 are mind-boggling and require painstaking work to fix, whereas those who score 10 could be repaired by a toddler.
The Amazon Tap was built with portability in mind, and the gadget also packs Amazon's Alexa, enabling it to work as a portable speaker.
Looking at iFixit's results, the Amazon Tap is the easier one to fix between the two devices. It scored a decent 7 out of 10, meaning that the local service point will take care of the device rather quickly.
iFixit explains that one of the positive aspects of the Amazon Tap is that the majority of insides stick together via easily-undone clips or standard screws. Another commended design choice is the fact that standard cable connectors link the battery, Input/Output board, control board and speakers to the motherboard. The biggest negative aspect of the portable speaker though is that the rubber footing is stuck to the base through tough adhesive.
The Amazon Echo Dot does not fall far from the tree, but it should be noted that the device is tinier than the Tap, making it more challenging to fix. It also sports the embedded Alexa voice feature, and iFixit ranked it 6 out of 10 on repairability scale.
Pluses of the Echo Dot come from the fact that most of the device holds together via standard Torx screws and that it shares plenty of components with the first Echo device.
The Echo Dot has strong adhesive holding together the speakers, rubber foot and the base cap, which leads to a poorer repairability rating. It should be noted that its USB port and headphone jack are soldered to the motherboard, posing additional challenges for repair teams.
Should you want to purchase any of the two devices, Amazon is more than happy to assist. The Amazon Tap costs $129.99, while the Amazon Echo Dot sells for $89.99. You can even look at a compare-and-contrast article we wrote so you know which one is best suited for you.
