ZDNET’s key takeaways

Amazon unveiled Echo Studio with Home Camera, available now for $250.

Its camera can monitor a room or help Alexa answer questions about its view.

More companies are adding all-seeing or all-hearing tech to their devices.

Amazon’s new Echo Studio with Home Camera does exactly what it sounds like: adds a camera to the premium smart speaker for home monitoring, visual assistance, and video calls. It’s available now for $250 and is another attempt by Amazon to see into more homes.

Also: The 4 biggest Amazon smart home announcements from today

What can the Echo Studio with Home Camera do?

The camera serves as a security camera when you’re away and an all-seeing assistant while you’re in the room. Amazon said it gives Alexa+ “visual intelligence” to be able to see and do more. For example, the Echo Studio can explain the rules of a board game when it appears in the Studio’s view or help you order more of a product when you show it to the camera.…