The article reviews Amazon's Alexa+ feature, available through new Echo devices and early access, highlighting its improved conversational abilities, personalized reminders, playlist creation, news briefing, and upcoming features like Omnisense sensors and expanded smart home integration, making it a promising upgrade for smart home enthusiasts and Alexa users.
Amazon announced new Echo devices featuring its AI, Alexa+, with improved hardware, custom AI chips, and expanded capabilities including natural language conversations, smart home integration, and partnerships for personalized health and wellness features.
Amazon's upgraded Alexa Plus will now come pre-installed on new Echo and FireTV devices, offering more natural language understanding and new features like booking reservations and controlling routines, marking a significant step in Amazon's AI assistant development, currently available in the US through early access.
Amazon has launched a new line of advanced Echo devices designed specifically for Alexa+, featuring custom silicon chips, Omnisense sensor fusion, and improved audio and display technology to enhance personalized, proactive AI experiences in the home. The lineup includes the Echo Dot Max, Echo Studio, Echo Show 8, and Echo Show 11, all supporting seamless smart home integration and new features like Alexa+ Store for discovering services and devices. These devices aim to provide richer interactions, better sound, and smarter home management, with availability starting in late October and November.
Amazon announced new Echo smart speakers and displays featuring Alexa+ with generative AI, including the Echo Dot Max at $99.99, Echo Studio at $219.99, and new Echo Show models at $179.99 and $219.99.
Amazon has announced its annual fall hardware event scheduled for September 30, 2025, in New York City, where it is expected to unveil new Echo devices, Kindles, and other gadgets, marking the first products developed entirely under new Devices & Services division head Panos Panay.
Amazon is offering significant discounts on its devices for Black Friday, including Echo, Fire TV, and smart home products. Notable deals include the Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $32, the Echo Pop for $17, and the Echo Show 8 at nearly 50% off. These deals provide an affordable opportunity to enhance your smart home setup or entertainment system.
Amazon's Prime Day 2024 offers significant discounts on various smart home devices, including Echo smart speakers, robot vacuums, video doorbells, smart locks, smart lighting, and smart kitchen gadgets. Highlights include the Echo fourth-gen for $55, Eufy x10 Omni robot vacuum for $599.99, and the Yale Assure Lock 2 for $189.71. The sale runs from July 16th to 17th, with ongoing updates on the best deals.
Amazon is kicking off Black Friday early with massive savings on Echo devices, including bundled deals with TP-Link Kasa smart bulbs. Prices start at $18, making it a great time to invest in smart devices for your home. From the fifth-gen Echo Dot to the high-end Echo Studio, there are options for everyone. The sale officially starts tomorrow, but the discounts are available now.
Amazon announced that its digital assistant, Alexa, will soon utilize a purpose-built large language model (LLM) for new Echo devices, with a focus on making interactions more conversational. However, during a demo, Alexa displayed some shortcomings, such as misunderstanding requests and ignoring commands. In other news, Apple introduced the Double Tap interaction method for the Apple Watch Series 9, and MGM Resorts' hotels and casinos have resumed normal operations after a cyberattack. Additionally, Amazon unveiled Eye Gaze accessibility features for the Fire Max 11 tablet and Call Translation for Alexa calls on Echo Show devices.
Amazon has started offering early Prime Day deals with discounts of up to 69% on select Amazon products, including Fire Tablets, Echo speakers, Fire TVs, Ring Doorbells, and more. Only Amazon Prime members can take advantage of the deals, but non-members can join via a free 30-day trial. The sale includes Amazon Kids Fire Tablets, Echo Dot (5th Gen) Kids Devices, Ring Video Doorbell, Eero Wi-Fi Routers, and Amazon Fire 4K Smart TVs.
Amazon has announced four new budget-friendly additions to its Echo lineup, including the Echo Pop smart speaker, Echo Show 5 and Echo Show 5 Kids, and Echo Buds. The Echo Pop comes in two new colors and is priced at $39.99, while the Echo Show 5 and Echo Show 5 Kids have improved speakers and are priced at $89.99 and $99.99, respectively. The new Echo Buds have a simpler design and are priced at $49.99, with pre-orders available at an introductory price of $39.99. All devices are available for pre-order now and will be released in May and June.