The Echo Spot is one of Amazon's most innovative Alexa devices — and it's on sale for $90 for Black Friday (AMZN)

Amazon's Echo Spot is in an unusual position in the Echo family. 

It has a screen, but not one big enough for serious video-watching. It's small, but not as small as the Echo Dot. It can play music, but it doesn't sound as good as the Echo or Echo Show. 

So, what is it for?

After I tested the Spot for several weeks, I'm still not really sure. At launch, the Echo Spot's primary purpose seemed to be acting as a smart alarm clock for your bedside table or nightstand. It can certainly do that, but it also seems a bit overqualified for the position. 

The Echo Spot has Alexa. It can make video calls, play music videos, make visual lists and reminders, and play music. And — of course — it can display the time. 

It does all the things a regular Echo can do, but it does them with a 2.5-inch touchscreen. 

Here's what it's like to use the Echo Spot. 

SEE ALSO: A complete guide to the Amazon Echo family, the smart speakers that will change your home forever

Here's the Spot on my bedside table. On the surface, it just seems like a fancy digital clock.

It looks incredibly nice, though! In fact, I think it's one of the best-looking Amazon Echo devices you can buy. The shape is ergonomic, the materials feel high-quality, and it's about the size of a softball: not too big, not too small.

There's a camera above the screen, and you can use it to make video calls — just say, "Alexa, video call Jane," and it will call Jane. Even the software design on the Spot is modern and clean, as evidenced by the calling interface.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider