Earlier this year, my home was infested with smart speakers—I've used a lot of them at this point. But I’ve never used an Alexa device as dedicated to the cause as the Polk Command Bar, a soundbar that wants to be an Amazon Echo so badly that it’s practically in cosplay. It’s designed to look like engineers smushed an Amazon Echo Dot right into the center of it. In many ways, that's precisely what Polk did.

The latest in-depth coverage covering the intersection of technology and culture. WIRED’s award-winning journalism will help you make sense of a world in constant transformation. Join us as we explore the ways technology is changing our lives.

Advertisement