Harman Kardon Invoke smart speaker review: Cortana could be a strong smart home system--someday

Harman Kardon's Invoke is a pretty good speaker, and Microsoft's Cortana is a pretty good digital assistant. Put them together and you have a smart speaker that costs as much, but doesn't sound as good--and isn't as smart--as the brand-new Sonos One, powered by Amazon's Alexa. The Invoke's cylindrical form factor looks slightly less like a peppermill than the original Echo, and its flared bottom make it less susceptible to falling over. You'll find all kinds of Echo accessories designed to keep the Echo upright, or to protect it from damage if it gets toppled. Like Amazon's Echo, the Invoke has a volume-control ring circling its top.