Amazon is releasing an update for its Fire TV Cube, bringing multi-room audio and more to its entertainment device. The features are arriving this week and include the maker's Follow-up Mode, which eliminates the need to repeatedly say "Alexa." The model is also getting Alexa announcements, the ability to adjust TV volume using voice commands, and more.
Amazon is collaborating with Omron Healthcare to create a blood pressure skill for Alexa. The upcoming skill will be compatible with Omron blood pressure devices, enabling them to use the personal assistant for reminders, getting daily average blood pressure readings, and more. The new skill will help patients manage their condition using voice commands.
Amazon has updated its Alexa personal assistant with new features first revealed back in September: location-based routines and reminders. Users in the United States are on the receiving end of the new feature rollout, according to the company. With it, someone can order Alexa to give them a reminder for a specific thing only when they're in the relevant location, such as at home or the office.
Cyber Monday is long over but the great thing about its timing is that the next holiday isn’t that far behind. Which practically means there’s really no stopping retailers or you from extending the shopping spree. Well, at least until you run out of funds. Switching holiday themes, Amazon is putting up not a few but almost all of its hardware on sale. Naturally, not all of them will last that long.
If we had a checklist for our perfect ereader, Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite (2018) would probably tick off most of the boxes. Despite being one of the company's most affordable ways to read Kindle ebooks on an E Ink screen, it also packs the features most digital readers are hoping to see. Now, there's also a neat deal to save some money on it, too.
Amazon may be eyeing airports in the US as the next destinations for its cashierless stores. Called Amazon Go, these stores feature technology that allows customers to grab the items they want and then leave, eliminating the need to stand in line and manually pay. A new leak alleges Amazon has been in talk with big US airports over possibly installing some Go destinations for travelers.
Amazon Music subscribers who frequently queue up music using Alexa will find that the AI companion is a little smarter beginning today. Amazon has launched a new update for Amazon Music that brings more voice control options to Alexa - using this new functionality, indecisive listeners who don't know precisely what they want to listen to will be able have a conversation with Alexa to find music that fits the mood.
Comcast is bringing Amazon Prime Video to its Xfinity X1 platform, the company has announced. The new support will give Xfinity X1 customers direct access to Amazon's video content, including originals like The Man in the High Castle. Prime Video will be supported by the platform's voice remote, as well, enabling customers to access the content they want by simply speaking.
Satellite radio company SiriusXM is targeting Amazon customers again, this time with free Christmas music. Starting now and running through Christmas, Alexa device owners can access SiriusXM's Christmas radio content for free. In addition to the Christmas content, SiriusXM is also offering other holiday radio content for free on Echo, including Radio Hanukkah, Jazz Holidays, and more.
Amazon is testing its cashierless grocery store technology in bigger stores, sources have claimed, potentially paving the way for future casher-free shops that are larger than existing Amazon Go locations. Amazon is allegedly testing this technology in Seattle using a large area designed to imitate a "big store," such as a full-size grocery store.
Amazon has shared new images and a trailer for The Grand Tour Game, an episodic racing game from Amazon Game Studios. The title is available to preorder now with a scheduled release date of January 15, 2019; subsequent game episodes will be released during The Grand Tour show's third season, which also arrives next month.
This week the Barnes & Noble NOOK 7-inch tablet was revealed in a new edition for the tail end of 2018. This device is simple - it's nothing flashy. It has a 7-inch display with 1024 x 600 pixels across it (that's less than the usually-standard 1080p for mobile devices of all sorts). It has a decent amount of internal storage, a microSD card slot for storage expansion, and it runs Android.