As a refresher, the Echo Hub is a smart home controller housed in a small, Fire tablet-like device you can choose to mount up on the wall. It makes controlling a smart home incredibly simple; all you need to do is tap its eight-inch touchscreen,

October Prime Day is less than a week away and Amazon is ramping up the deals. As usual, you don't need to wait until the official start of the event to score big savings — especially on Amazon's own gadgets. We've rounded up three of the best deals you can grab at the mega retailer on Oct. 2 if you prefer to shop early.

Whether you want a Fire TV Stick, a smart speaker or a shiny new tablet, the retailer is wasting no time slashing prices before next week's bonanza.