Amazon turns up the heat with the new Fire 7 and Fire 7 Kids Edition
The Amazon Fire tablet range has always been a great way to grab a good tablet on the cheap, and it's just gotten even better. Amazon has improved the new Amazon Fire 7 and Fire 7 Kids Edition with improved processors and doubled storage, all without increasing the price for either device.
Digital Trends Live: San Francisco bans facial recognition, Amazon’s air hub
On the latest episode of Digital Trends Live, we discuss the top tech stories of the day, including the OnePlus 7 Pro, San Francisco’s ban on facial recognition technology, Amazon’s new air cargo hub, how to silence your Uber driver, traffic bot, Jeff Bezos’s vision of space colonies, and more.
Jeff Bezos breaks ground on $1.5B Amazon cargo hub for 100 Prime Air planes
Amazon has all kinds of plans to speed up delivery times, but none come bigger than the $1.5 billion air cargo hub that it's building in Kentucky for up to 100 Prime Air cargo planes. At a ground-breaking ceremony for the hub on Tuesday, Amazon boss Jeff Bezos dropped in to do the deed.
Amazon Alexa’s Guard is a new security feature to keep your smart home safe
Smart home security is a lucrative market but Amazon is getting ahead of the competition with its rollout of Alexa Guard, a new set of smart home security features enabled by the Alexa digital assistant that allows the speaker to monitor for intrusions or fires, control smart home lighting, and more.
Amazon encourages its workers to quit and start their own delivery companies
Amazon is always looking for ways to improve its shipping network. Its latest idea is to offer $10,000 and three-months pay to any of its workers who quit their job and set up their own business delivering packages for the company. Assistance, training, and other perks will also be provided.
Digital Trends Live: Amazon’s packaging machines, Tamagotchi returns, and more
On today’s Digital Trends Live, we discuss today’s top trending tech news, including: Amazon’s new packaging machines could replace 1,300 jobs, Apple’s credit card goes to employees first, Lyft eyes long-term car rentals, the Tamagotchi returns to America, a new robot that climbs walls, and more!
Amazon’s new fulfillment center machines pack boxes up to 5x faster than humans
Amazon employs thousands of people in its fulfillment centers whose job is to pack customer orders. However, the retail giant is reportedly considering installing new machines capable of packing up to 700 boxes per hour. That is between four and five times the rate of a human packer.
Amazon Alexa now works with more than 60,000 smart home devices
Does it feel like Alexa is everywhere? There's a good reason for that. Amazon recently announced that its wildly popular voice assistant is now compatible with more than 60,000 products from more than 7,400 brands. That level of compatibility dwarfs many of Alexa's biggest competitors.
Amazon retains text data on users even when audio recordings are deleted
Although you can delete your Amazon Echo audio history, Amazon still has text recordings of your conversations with the device — a fact that has raised concerns with many privacy advocates. Amazon claims the data is used to improve language recognition and processing.
Amazon sellers had funds stolen by hackers in extensive six-month fraud
Around 100 Amazon sellers were targeted by hackers in a fraud that saw sales revenue and loans stolen from their accounts. Reports suggest that the fraudulent activity continued for six months before it was discovered. The crime occurred in 2018 but has only recently come to light.
Amazon Go store opens in New York City — and it’s the first to accept cash
Amazon this week opened its first Go store in New York, bringing the total number of outlets to 12. As part of efforts to deal with criticism that its checkout-free system discriminates against those without a smartphone or bank account, it takes cash payments. The other Go stores are expected to follow suit soon.
Amazon partners with Blink on the Alexa-compatible Blink XT2 security camera
Amazon and Blink have partnered to launch the Blink XT2, an indoor/outdoor wireless security camera with built-in Alexa compatibility, 1080p streaming, and two-way audio. The camera has a two-year battery life using just two AA batteries, making it perfect for those out-of-the-way places.
New version of Alexa app for Windows 10 offers hands-free capabilities
Amazon released a new version of its Alexa app for Windows 10 PCs this week. The new version now offers support for hands-free access to Amazon’s flagship voice assistant and for playing music through Pandora. Windows 10 PC users can download the new version from the Microsoft Store.
Get an Apple Magic Trackpad 2 with Force Touch for your Mac and save $30
Apple’s successor to its original Magic Trackpad now comes with a built-in rechargeable battery, Force Touch, and a larger surface area. And you can save $30 and grab one for yourself for only $99 with Amazon’s latest deal. It’s a particularly good deal if you’re looking for a mouse replacement.
Here’s how to return Amazon merchandise to Kohl’s stores
Dislike having to box up an Amazon return and then lugging it to the post office or FedEx for a return? Now you can just take your item directly to a Kohl's store to have them do the boxing and shipping. All you need is a QR code. Here's how.
Digital Trends Live: Spotify hits 100 million subscriptions, simulated asteroid
On the latest episode of DT Live, we talk about the latest tech news, including Spotify's subscription record, NASA's deadly asteroid prep, Amazon's tracking (and firing) of workers based on A.I. results, a flying car skyport, Samsung's wraparound screen patent, and more!
Amazon is using smart technology to track warehouse worker productivity
Think that Amazon's warehouse robots are the only use of technology in the company's fulfillment centers? New documents reveal how human workers are also quantified in terms of their personal productivity. Here's how it works -- and what some of the implications might be.
Amazon Prime to get faster deliveries with one-day shipping pledge
In a bid to attract more Prime members and increase orders, Amazon is planning to halve its two-day delivery pledge for Prime customers worldwide, getting ordered goods to doorsteps in just one day. The company hopes improved delivery times will help it to stay ahead of rivals such as Walmart and Target.
Some food stamp recipients can now buy food online at Amazon, Walmart
A new pilot program that originated at the U.S. Department of Agriculture would enable beneficiaries of food stamps to buy food online from retailers like Amazon and Walmart. The pilot program will be launched in New York and spread to other states in the next few months.
You can soon take your Amazon returns to any Kohl’s store across the U.S.
Amazon has offered returns via a limited number of Kohl's stores since 2017, but the service is about to expand to all 1,150 of its outlets across 48 states. Kohl’s hopes the free service will help increase traffic to its stores and score it a few more sales as customers stay to browse its offerings.
Amazon drops deals on Razer, Netgear, and Western Digital PC accessories
Amazon is offering a wide variety of deep discounts on PC accessories from Razer, Netgear, and Western Digital for one day only. We’ve highlighted a few of their best discounts. You can grab routers, gaming mice, and external SSD hard drives at some of their lowest prices with Amazon’s deals.
You can now have your Amazon packages delivered in your garage
Starting today, you can get Amazon packages delivered directly insider your garage. Amazon is expanding its Amazon Key service with Key for Garage. Eligible Amazon Prime subscribers in 50 U.S. cities will be able to sign up, assuming they have a myQ-enabled smart garage door opener.
Amazon sale knocks 20% off Nintendo Switch, Pro Controller, and games
Amazon has been home to rapid-fire deals on various consoles, games, and accessories and there’s a new wave of savings coming crashing down for in celebration of Earth Day. The site is slashing prices up to 20% off for used Nintendo Switch consoles, games, and accessories like the Switch Pro Controller.
Amazon’s free Spotify competitor is here. Just ask Alexa
Just ask Alexa to play your favorite song. Amazon has launched a free, ad-based music streaming service to compete with Spotify's free tier on its popular Echo devices, aiming to keep listeners into the Amazon ecosystem, and to bolster subscriptions to its paid Amazon Music Unlimited service.
MPAA: DVD, Blu-ray sales nearly halved in 5 years as viewers shift to streaming
The annual Theatrical Home Entertainment Market Environment Report by the Motion Picture Association of America confirmed that viewers are switching from physical media to streaming services. While DVD and Blu-ray sales are falling, subscriptions to services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime are growing.
Amazon rumored to be launching free music-streaming service
Rumors are swirling that Amazon is planning to take on Spotify by launching its own free music streaming service. Amazon plans to expand its dominance of e-commerce and its inroads into TV and movie streaming, available through its Amazon Prime Video service. The service is rumored to be ad-supported.
Amazon workers listening to Alexa recordings isn’t a big deal. Here’s why
Thousands of Amazon workers are reportedly listening to recorded conversations between Alexa and voice assistant speaker owners. The idea that humans are listening to our conversations is an outrage and unacceptable. Or is it? This author doesn’t think it’s such a big deal.
J.D. Power finds voice assistants are becoming important for new car buyers
What matters most when buying a new car? For some car buyers, it is increasingly becoming the inclusion of a voice assistant. A new study conducted by J.D. Power found that car buyers — especially younger ones — are increasingly interested in having a familiar voice assistant inside their vehicle.
Amazon’s checkout-free stores are planning to accept customers’ cash
Shoppers at Amazon’s cashier-free stores may soon be squeezing past customers waiting in line to pay by cash. Following criticism that such stores discriminate against those without a bank account or smartphone, Amazon Go is reportedly making plans to accept cash payments.
Amazon reportedly has thousands of workers listening to Alexa chats
Amazon says it sometimes uses your spoken requests to help it improve the accuracy of its Alexa digital assistant, but did you know that teams of humans around the world are reportedly doing some of the listening? A report on Wednesday claimed thousands of people are employed by Amazon to carry out such work.
Need to check your blood sugar results or see a doctor? Just ask Alexa
Alexa is capable of a lot of things and saving your life might be next on the list. The intelligent digital assistant has recently acquired a bunch of new skills related to the HIPAA Act of 1996. Commands include the ability to schedule an urgent care appointment or check blood sugar results.
Alexa becomes more of a newscaster by giving you more in-depth information
Amazon wants Alexa to be your own personal newscaster right in your home. A new report suggests Alexa will soon be able to read long-form news stories to you from major publications including CNN, NPR, Bloomberg, and others. The in-depth reporting will be available in audio and video form.
Amazon’s Echo Link and Echo Link Amp bring hi-fi sound to Alexa’s living room
Amazon's Echo Link and Echo Link Amp are designed to bring high-fidelity sound to your Alexa ecosystem. Are they worth the significant expense over a smaller Echo speaker, and how well do they integrate into a typical hi-fi system? We've spent time with both, and have answers to those questions and more.
The refurbished Google Pixel 3 is now cheaper than ever on Amazon
The Google Pixel 3 is one of the year's best phones thanks to its awesome camera and stock software. You would think that such a great device would be expensive, and normally it is. Now, however, you can get a refurbished version of the Google Pixel 3 cheaper than ever on Amazon.