Hands-on: Echo Show 8 is like a tablet grafted onto a smart speaker

The relatively small smart speaker/display combo is roughly the size and shape of a small Kindle Fire in a stand and offers an extremely high-resolution camera as well as stereo speakers, an eight-core CPU, a mic array for better voice recognition and processing, and a relatively heavy, flat base that positions its screen well for viewing at either desk or chest height.We were lucky enough to get two of the new devices for hands-on testing before launch and have had them for about a week. In addition to touchscreen and mic inputs, the Echo Show 8 offers hardware volume buttons on the top edge of the device, flanked by a mic mute button on the left and a camera toggle on the right. We initially thought the micro-USB port would allow us to power the Echo Show 8 from the nearby USB hub we charge phones and tablets with—but unfortunately not.After a bit of sleuthing, we discovered that Amazon does not support the use of this micro-USB port for end users—but that it can support some micro-USB-to-Ethernet adapters for use with wired networks. Like any Alexa-powered device, the Echo Show 8 can function as a smart home hub in addition to more obvious use as a tablet, smart speaker, or videoconferencing gadget.