Amazon just gave its portable speaker a much needed update.。

The company is adding hands-free functionality to the Echo Tap, finally bringing it up to speed with the other devices in the Echo Line. 。

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Previously, you could only interact with Alexa by holding down the microphone button. Once hands-free is enabled, you can use Alexa just as you would with a full-sized Echo.。

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Amazon says the Tap's battery should last about eight hours while in hands-free mode, which should be sufficient for most on-the-go situations (note that you'll still need a Wi-Fi connection in order to use Alexa.) Set to roll out over the next couple weeks, the new feature can be enabled in the Alexa app. 。 Why we are only getting this now, nearly a year after the Echo Tap first launched, is the big question. As。Why we are only getting this now, nearly a year after the Echo Tap first launched, is the big question. As 。

Mashable's 。

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Raymond Wong pointed out in his review of the Tap last year, lack of hands-free capabilities greatly hindered the speaker, making the device feel "second-rate" compared to the other Echo devices.。

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But now that the speaker is up to par with the Echo and Echo Dot -- at least in terms of Alexa -- it might just be worth revisiting. The audio quality is still an issue, but if you're more interested in using it to control your smart home than blast tunes, it’s a nice, cheaper alternative to the full-sized Echo. 。

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