Amazon's $25 Flex might be the most important device the tech giant has released in years. The unobtrusive gadget plugs directly into an outlet, offers a fully featured Alexa (even if she sounds a little tinny in its tiny speaker) and sports a USB port for either a nightlight or motion sensor attachment (each a $15 extra).
Amazon still has work to do to protect user privacy, but this new Flex boasts some impressive smarts.
The Echo Flex is super cheap; Its USB port allows for flexible usage; The plug-in design means you can put the Flex almost anywhere in the house;
The small speaker isn't built for high-quality music playback; Echo speakers pose legitimate privacy risks;