Main topic: Amazon's sale on Fire TV Stick media streamers
Key points:
1. Amazon is offering the Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $27, which is $20 below its average street price.
2. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max provides a performance boost and supports major streaming services, HDR standards, and Dolby Atmos audio.
3. The main caveat is the aggressive display of ads and promotion of Amazon's own services, making Roku Streaming Stick 4K and Google Chromecast better options for most people, despite being more expensive currently.
Amazon's Fire TV Stick 4K Max and other streaming dongles are currently on sale, with the 4K Max offering improved performance and features for just $2 more than the standard stick, although the less intuitive user interface of Amazon's streaming devices remains a concern.
Amazon's annual Devices and Services event, scheduled for September 20, is expected to feature updates to its Echo speakers, Echo Show, Echo Buds with Active Noise Cancellation, Eero Wi-Fi routers, and possibly some wacky new products.
Amazon is expected to announce updates to its lineup of devices, including new Fire TV sticks, Echo speakers and displays, Ring cameras, Blink devices, and a eero WiFi, at its annual devices event, which will mark the retirement of Amazon's senior vice president of devices and services, David Limp. Microsoft Chief Product Officer Panos Panay is rumored to be Amazon's new devices head, and the event will not be available for public livestream.
Amazon is preparing for its annual fall product announcements, with rumors suggesting big AI-driven changes for Alexa and a shake-up in its devices and services division, including the departure of hardware boss Dave Limp and the potential replacement by Microsoft's Panos Panay. Last year, Amazon introduced various new products, and while this year's event may be more muted, surprises are still expected. Additionally, Amazon is focusing on the smart home integration of its Fire TVs and Alexa, and it plans to cut down on the number of in-house brands it offers on its marketplace.
Amazon announced that it will use a new generative AI model to enhance the performance of its Echo devices, providing improved conversational experiences and personalization.
Amazon has unveiled a new Alexa voice assistant, powered by its Alexa large language model, that can understand conversational phrases, interpret context more effectively, and complete multiple requests from one command, marking a significant advancement in voice assistant technology.
Amazon has announced updates to its Fire TV lineup, including new devices and generative AI updates for Fire TV voice search, allowing users to ask more nuanced and open-ended questions about TV shows and movies. The devices also feature a "Continue Watching" row with titles from non-Amazon properties and will roll out in the U.S. later this year. Additionally, Amazon introduced a new Fire TV soundbar and a bundle that includes a subscription to MGM+.
Amazon has announced a new personal safety feature for Alexa devices called Emergency Assist, which allows users to call for help and connect with a trained agent 24/7 by saying "Alexa, call for help" and is available for all Echo devices at a cost of $6 monthly or $59 annually.
Amazon has announced new accessibility features for its devices, including Eye Gaze on Alexa for gaze-based navigation and a Call Translation feature for transcribing and displaying captions during Alexa calls.
At its annual hardware event, Amazon announced Explore With Alexa, a kid-friendly version of its chatbot that provides educational content and games, along with new kid-friendly devices like the Echo Pop Kids smart speaker and Fire Kids tablets.
Amazon hosted an event to introduce new devices and services, including an updated version of Alexa with optimized language models for voice interactions, new Echo and Ring products, next-generation Echo Frames, new Fire Tablets and Fire TV devices, and the eero Max 7 mesh system.
Amazon is introducing Map View, a new feature in the Alexa mobile app that allows users to create a digital map of their house and control connected devices.
Amazon is introducing new features to Alexa, including the ability to listen without needing to say "Alexa" first, but did not address concerns about privacy and security.
Amazon is considering introducing subscription fees for Alexa's advanced AI features in the future, according to Dave Limp, SVP of devices and services at Amazon, who stated that Alexa would have to be "remarkable" before such charges are implemented.
Amazon is offering significant discounts on its Alexa devices ahead of its two-day October Prime Day sale, including deals on Echo devices, Fire TVs, Ring doorbells, and Blink security cameras.
Amazon's Prime Day event offers substantial discounts on a wide range of Alexa-infused smart devices, including Echo speakers, Echo Show displays, Fire tablets, Kindle e-readers, Fire TV streaming devices, and various smart home devices.
Amazon has introduced a new feature called "Explore with Alexa" that allows kids to have kid-friendly conversations with an AI-powered Alexa, utilizing generative AI technology and a reviewed content dataset to ensure safety and appropriateness.
Amazon is introducing Explore with Alexa, a new feature for its digital assistant aimed specifically at kids, providing personalized and age-appropriate responses to their questions about animals and nature through fun facts and trivia, all adapted from trusted sources.
