The new Echo Studio isn't making us Happier Than Ever.
(Image credit: Amazon)
It's been just over two months since pop mega star Billie Eilish released her newest album, Happier Than Ever. Over the years we have seen plenty of bizarre stunts pulled by artists to boost their album campaigns, but could this be one of the weirdest yet?
Eilish has collaborated with Amazon to create a limited edition Billie-themed Echo, and it's a little odd. The Echo Studio device is the biggest, loudest and most advanced of the Echo range, and this limited edition design will sport Eilish's album cover on a beige fabric backdrop. (If you're yet to get your hands on any of Amazon's tech devices, then make sure you check out our best Amazon deals.)
Eilish seems chuffed with her limited edition speaker. (Image credit: Amazon)
Despite the slightly weird design, the Echo Studio Speaker is jam packed with plenty of cool features, including a few Billie Eilish themed Easter eggs. The speaker is capable of adjusting to the acoustics of any room. And it'll also feature Spatial Audio - a truly immersive multi-dimensional audio experience that allows listeners to hear music from 360°. The fun doesn't stop there though, according to Amazon, you will eventually be able to set special Billie Eilish alarms. If you fancy your own Eilish Echo, then you can pre-order it now for October, but be prepared to cough up $229.99.
Eilish has pushed fans to listen to the album in Spatial Audio, as she told Amazon, “I can’t wait for my cutie fans to be able to listen to my new album Happier Than Ever in Spatial Audio." The multidimensional audio technology in the Echo makes it sound as though Eilish is stood in the room singing to you, which is arguably a little creepy - especially when her face is plastered over the speaker itself . (If you fancy an immersive experience but without the Eilish-theme, then make you sure you check out our list of the best noise-cancelling headphones)
We aren't sure about the design of the speaker, as it feels a little too dystopian to be having a celebrity's face on a communicative speaker in our home (we've seen Black Mirror, we know how this goes). Perhaps it's time to make smart speakers customisable instead of just planting a pop star's face on it. Either way we are excited by the tech specs and features that come with the Echo Studio Speaker.
Of course, with a name as big as Billie Eilish, the speaker was bound to create some buzz online. One Twitter user suggested that Amazon should've used Eilish's voice to replace Alexa's, which we thought would be very entertaining. Others were quick to ask the question we were all thinking - why?
i thought it was fake 😭😭 wtf is a billie eilish echo studio??? pic.twitter.com/NtecHAvzYySeptember 22, 2021
you ok? you've barely touched your *checks notes* limited-edition billie eilish-branded amazon echo studio pic.twitter.com/Clln4TkJQaSeptember 22, 2021
We don't think we will be forking out $229.99 for this speaker, but it's interesting to see how much impact celebrity has on the design and tech world. If you are looking to get your hands on speaker to play your favourite hits, then check out our list of the best bluetooth speakers.
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Amelia is Creative Bloq’s Staff Writer. After completing a degree in Popular Music and a Master’s in Song Writing, Amelia began designing posters, logos, album covers and websites for musicians. She now enjoys covering a range of topics on Creative Bloq, including posters, optical illusions, logos (she's a particular fan of logo Easter eggs), gaming and illustration. In her free time, she relishes in the likes of art (especially the Pre-Raphaelites), photography and literature. Amelia prides herself on her unorthodox creative methods, her Animal Crossing island and her extensive music library.
