Bets over who will win the Super Bowl are always heated, with each side arguing in favor of their preferred team and rolling out mounds of data to support it. Amazon's Alexa assistant is now sharing its own opinion on the matter, stating -- with a bit of disappointment-- that the Patriots will probably win Super Bowl LIII next month.
Back in September, amid a flurry of IoT product reveals, Amazon announced a very curious Echo device: the Echo Wall Clock. It was a reveal that left us scratching our heads at the time, but in hindsight it isn't that shocking of a announcement when you consider that Amazon wants as many things as possible tapping into IoT platform. In any case, the Echo Wall Clock launched in December, complete with a little more functionality than we're used to seeing in traditional wall clocks.
This week the folks at Amazon are field testing Amazon Scout. This is a 6-wheeled autonomous robot (an automaton of sorts) made to deliver packages to Amazon customers. This robot is "fully-electric" and may one day replace all delivery people in the world, for lack of a reason to run out and get payed to do a job a robot would gladly do for free.
Amazon's all-new Kindle Paperwhite is the ereader many fans had been waiting for - slim, waterproof, and supporting audiobooks too - and for today only it's the subject of a limited time deal. Launched back in October, its combination of features and lengthy battery life went a long way in justifying its $129.99 price, but Amazon's one day deal today means you can save considerably on that.
Amazon has supplied its warehouse workers with safety vests that let nearby robots know when they need to slow down. The wearable was designed by Amazon Robotics and is intended to keep warehouse workers safe when they must enter a space where robots roam. Between sensors in the vests and the robots' obstacle avoidance tech, the machines are better able to avoid collisions.
It's getting harder and harder to trust customer reviews these days. Never mind the short, mindless bursts that are undeniably the product of some unintelligent bot. There are times when reviews are written by real humans whose motives are, unfortunately, questionable. This latter seems to be the case that's no hounding Facebook after a few of its employees have been caught red-handed leaving glowing five-star reviews for the company's newest product, the video chatting appliance Portal.
Amazon has announced that it'll be heading to Las Vegas later this year to host a new conference centered around AI, automation, and space. The event, which has been dubbed re:MARS, will run for four days in June and Amazon claims it will "bring together innovative minds with diverse skill sets." Those who are excited for the future of AI might want to consider registering for the event, even if attending means heading into the desert in the middle of summer.
Shouting at the TV has never been so useful, since smart assistants like Amazon's Alexa took up occupancy in streaming adapters such as the Fire TV. That's why we're such big fans of Amazon's latest Fire TV Alexa Voice Remote, which not only supports voice control but now has those all-important TV controls too.
Back in November, word surfaced that Amazon was working on a proper newscaster voice for Alexa, which it would be used when reading the news. Unlike the assistant's regular voice, the newscaster voice features the same intonation and emphasis used by professionals when delivering the news. As of today, Alexa users in the US can now access that newscaster voice.
Amazon has updated its Fire TV Stick with the new Alexa Voice Remote previously launched alongside the Fire TV Stick 4K. Unlike the last version that was included with the entry-level Fire TV Stick, the new Alexa Voice Remote can be used to control the television, soundbars, and similar home entertainment devices via IR and Bluetooth support.
Back in September, Amazon revealed the Echo Input during its packed-to-the-brim Alexa Day. Out of all of the new devices revealed that day, the Echo Input seemed to be one of the most useful, as it allows you to essentially add Alexa functionality to any speaker. For people with existing home audio setups, then, the Echo Input is a good way to get Alexa functionality without buying a collection of Echo speakers and potentially compromising on sound quality.
Last year, rumor surfaced that Amazon-owned movie database IMDb was working on its own streaming service, which would differ from Prime Video by offering free content in the US. The rumor wasn't made official at the time, but IMDb has laid the matter to rest today with its announcement of Freedive, a free video streaming service that can be accessed on Fire TV and computers.