Alexa+ isn’t new having been available in the United States for most of 2025 but its expansion into Canada changes the prospect of what the voice AI can be in the home. It’s an evolution designed to graduate Alexa from a voice assistant to an AI agent. Rather than tell it what to do in single sentences, the ‘+’ makes it more of a conversation. And not just about your day and what smart lights to control, but also deeper connections and even philosophical questions.
In that the respect, this review is actually about tying in devices—the Echo Show 11 and Echo Dotlates Max—with the AI platform itself. While you could use them independently, the hardware needs the integration to justify your interest.
What the latest Echo devices are about
Echo Show 11
By virtue of its 11.95-inch display, the Echo Show 11 holds an advantage over the smaller screen-less Dot Max. Not only do you get Alexa+, you also get to visualize what you’re talking about onscreen in various ways. Mind you, this is a fixed display, meaning you can’t adjust or tilt it in any way. The angle is what it is.
Its base, which doubles as the speaker, looks like a giant pill but it also acts as a sturdy and stable foundation. Melding the two together might force you to consider where exactly to place it. The screen itself is glossy and reflective, while the base needs some room to stay firmly planted. Plus, you need a wall outlet nearby for constant power. None of this is necessarily new to past Show devices but Amazon reckons you won’t need to actually look at the screen as often because of Alexa’s new level of intelligence.
When you do look at the screen, you benefit from better resolution (1920 x 1200), making it also far easier on the eyes for a variety of purposes. The 13-megapixel camera is capable, though there’s no privacy shutter so you have to manually disable…