70 T3 FEBRUARY 2022Tested
categories to choose from including
Nature, Abstract, Art and Travel.
The only minor niggle with using
the device as a digital frame is not
being able to access it with voice
commands. Photo Frame mode has to
be turned on manually via a swipe-
down menu from the top of the screen.
This isn’t a deal-breaker, but one has to
wonder why a device mainly
controlled by voice commands would
be missing this option.
Wonderful widgets
For those not familiar with widgets,
they are short snippets of information
displayed on the main home screen,
that can be quickly seen and read at
a glance. For example, you could set
a calendar widget to easily see
everyone’s daily schedules, or have
notes left with information by and for
family members.
The widgets featured on the Echo
Show 15 have been specifically
designed for this device, and you can
personalise your homescreen with
the ones you get the most from. The
only downside with this is that you
can’t resize them, so the more
widgets you have, the more crowded
the screen gets, and you’re limited asto how many you can have displayed
at once.
So what kinds are there? Well, as
we mentioned earlier, you can leave
sticky notes reminding your partner
to take the bins out, show a new
recipe suggestion each day, display
the weather forecast or have your
shopping list ready to go. There’s a
smart home widget that shows you a
list of your other smart devices so
you can see what’s switched on and
what isn’t, as well as controls to
quickly turn them off if needs be.
One widget that will be very
useful for busy households is theRING DOORBELL 4
A neat feature of the Show 15 is how easy it
is to handle notifications from other smart
devices. Hook up the Ring Doorbell 4 and you
can easily screen and let in guests at the door
without having to step away from the kitchen.
£124, amazon.co.ukNANOLEAF LINES
If you’re purchasing a new home hub, you’re
going to want some smart lighting to go with it.
We’d recommend Nanoleaf’s Lines for a unique
touch: you can create custom geometric shapes
and sync the colours to your screens.
From £179.99, nanoleaf.meSANUS TILT STAND
Not everybody wants to put screws in their
walls – and some of us rent. Fortunately, for
those people, this handy stand will prop up your
Echo Show 15 in landscape or portrait mode
and will hide unsightly wires.
£29.99, amazon.co.uk
PRO ADD-ONS
Show a recipe, or
the weather
forecast, or your
shopping list...ON THE WALL
More discreet
than previous
iterations, the wall-
mountable Show
15 has scarcely any
footprint: perfect
for a cluttered
kitchen.