I’ve had an Amazon Echo Look for about 3 weeks now. My husband is an early adopter of tech items, both in personal interest and for his work, so often I get to benefit from that as well. He has watched me take photos of my makes for quite a few years now with various set-ups over the years with everything from a crop-body Sony DSLR to whatever current smartphone I am using (usually his previous year’s model. I get the best hand-me-downs with him testing out the bugs first.)
When the Amazon opened up sales for the new Echo Look, my dearest thought of me and how to make taking photos easier. I’m not going to lie. I was very excited.
Now that I’ve had it for a few weeks and have played with it, I’ll share my early thoughts on it.
I really, really hope it takes off. I hope everyone who posts in #MMMay or their #OOTD or whatever else buys one…and then goes to Amazon and asks for updates. The ease of the app and set up is perfect. As much as I love it and the convenience of it, it needs some work and I’ve fallen in love with too many things that were launched too early and were killed because of lack of support. I’m looking at you, Microsoft phones, Xbox Fitness App, Beats music app, etc.
Last weekend, I went into the Amazon store (local brick & mortar), and asked an employee if they could discuss the Echo Look with me. They kindly told me they didn’t even have one in the store and didn’t know anything about it. They gave me the 800 number for customer service and said they usually know more.
Two days ago I called the 800 number.
First I talked to TK, who tried to tell me that Amazon wasn’t available at this time (um, I’m in the same time-zone.) That was funny, and not in a good way. TK told me that they only trouble-shoot problems and that they can’t forward my call to the design team (which I did not ask for, I asked for someone on his team that knew about app/device updates and about using the Echo Look.) TK forwarded me to “George” – I will note that George started out with an American Southern accent which he quickly lost as he went back to his native language accent. I’m not sure what the point of that was….? I think after he realized I wasn’t some n00b complaining about not being able to get her Fire stick to work, he dropped the fake southern accent. George actually tried to first talk me into returning the device. George didn’t know anything either, and eventually told me to write a review online under the product.
The Catch-22 is amazing. The store knows nothing and points consumers to the phone people. The phone people are irritable, they do not like that I’m asking device & app update questions, they don’t know anything, and point consumers to return the product or write a review here.
Ok, now to my problems and requests for solutions. This is all taken directly from my review left on Amazon, because, yes, I really do want to keep using the device, and I really do hope it takes off. The only difference is here I’ve posted photos so you know what I mean. Amazon doesn’t need my photos – a quick look at photos in Instagram will show I’m not the only one…or I AM the only one not pulling the photos into another app first to edit.
1. Pre, what, 2000, I was that person that got red-eye when not even looking at the camera. Technology and cameras have advanced so that isn’t an issue…or I pull out the DSLR and use an external flash – but even then, my DSLR is new enough it doesn’t really have those issues. The Echo Look’s 4 LEDs are SO bright, I look like a Replicant from Blade Runner. No exaggeration. It’s like you went back in time with technology. Not even looking at the camera, I still get retina refraction like crazy. I tried putting scotch tape over the LEDs to soften the impact which reduces the Replicant look by 50% but then the app doesn’t like that and tells me something is wrong and till not apply any of the filters or the blurry vignette feature (Pop.) You have to fix this. I’m NOT alone. Going through Instagram for EchoLook photos is like Replicant Tinder. You’ve got to do a hardware OS update and fix that, and/or allow the app to reduce flash brightness.
2. Let’s talk about Pop or the weird blurry vignette slider that isn’t really a slider. Yes, it is helpful, but please update app so that slider is really a slider. Right now it is A. Nothing. B. You’re floating in a blurry cloud C. You’re actually swimming in amniotic fluid.
3. The fashion compare options. HAHAHA. Oh. Please. The algorithm is set to 1950. Seriously, try it. Put on, say, nice linen overalls with a wide leg, paired with a mid-volume silk shirt – totally on trend, and put it next to an outfit that looks like it was bought from Chicos (think princess seamed button up shirt in novelty print, and a defined waist-pant, and it picks the Chicos outfit every time.) Fit & Flare isn’t the only design aesthetic, thanks. Please update app to have style preferences. Think Stitch Fix or the Nordstrom version of Stitch Fix…it’s for men, so my husband uses it, not me, but they’re VERY good. You’re in the same town as Blake, just go over and ask him how they set up the Nordstrom version of Stitch Fix, ‘kay??
(Sure, maybe I didn’t need to be soooo punchy, but I was a liiiittle irritated at this point. Pinched-in waist and the term “more flattering” or “outfit shape looks better” when it really means ‘this outfit makes you look skinnier and OF COURSE that is what you care about’ is so F*CKING OLD. Just STOP.)
4. You may need a more diverse group working on this product. I’ll let you figure out that one, but I’ll give you a hint. If you gear something towards women, with ONLY women in ALL of the product demos, then maybe there should be more women, particularly women in fashion/design, involved in the process. Also…you may want to diversify your product demos… lovely range of women with POCs…all the same size and age range. And just women. Call me, I’ll help you.
5. I shouldn’t have to pull this all into PhotoShop. This should be plug-in-play directly to Instagram. You’re losing SO much with all of these issues. Your Echo Look account isn’t even used – I’ve got a stinking suspicion you’re already planning on dropping this product. I can’t find ANY reviews other than the PR release you GAVE out. I seriously don’t care what 40+ year old hetero white men not in fashion/design have to say about this product, nor what they forced their single female staffer to do with it. There’s NOTHING. Which tells me there’s suppression, and possibly such a great loss already you’re looking to bag out completely and are ready to erase it. I’d prefer you supported it instead. It wasn’t a bad idea. I prefer it to having to set up my DSLR or propping my iPhone on my tripod…but my iPhone takes way better photos and has a portrait option that rivals my DSLR. That and no replicant.
So…that’s my little soapbox for the Echo Look. I will tell you, we are huge fans of tech and I do love Amazon’s products. I really do believe there can be better living with tech. I believe the Look can help – better shopping choices means less fast fashion waste. My criticism is in hope Amazon does NOT take this as a loss. I’m not returning it because I WANT it to be better; I have hope more people will adopt it and Amazon will roll out updates.
Until then, your more human than human friend.
