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Amazon Reveals New Alexa-Compatible Echo Speakers, Subwoofer, Amplifiers, Microwave, Wall Clock, and More

Amazon will be offering conversion kits for recent buyers of 2nd generation Echo Dots who want to upgrade to the 3rd gen.

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WiiDSmoker said:
Incredibly hard if you have a handicap
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A handicap that let's you put the food in and take it out, but not hit a "+30" button? I suppose it's possible, but what is that handicap?

In retrospect I'm stupid. Obviously helpful for blind people (but physical buttons also work - we resorted to tactile stickers on buttons)
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TxExCxH said:
Wow, Amazon really knows how to keep the leaks of their upcoming products contained! I had no Idea any of these products were about to be announced. Apple could learn something. /s



...I kid, I know nobody cares about their products.
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Exactly. I see more excitement when Apple stealth releases a 30W vs. 29W charger vs this junk.
 
I don’t know if all these new devices will make Alexa users happy, but they all look like a bunch of clunky boxes to me.

I’ll stick with the HomePod. I just bought my sixth HomePod (to become part of my third stereo pair) and I’m quite pleased with the speed and accuracy of Siri setting scenes and controlling things in my home. It took a while to iron out the bugs and snags, but it works great now.

If a decent, HomeKit doorbell would come along I would really be happy.
 
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cjboffoli97 said:
A bunch of devices endlessly listening and recording everything you say and then commoditizing that to serve Amazon's thirsty greed? Um, no thank you. I'll stick with Apple, the company that Edward Snowden himself has called a pioneer in the field of privacy.
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Yes that’s right, Amazon has several massive multi hundred acre underground’s sites around the globe, they are stuffed full of servers that just record and save for ever every single thing every Alexa device globally hears... Amazon really gets its money back on this multi multi billion dollar investment you know with targeted advertising..

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Im surprised they found any to spare when Apple rented them of Amazon..
 
steve knight said:
my wife has been having more and more issues with the alexa devices. they activate with nothing even close to alexa or computer we have them set for. often they fail to work with sonos anymore even just lowering the volume often fails. not sure if we will buy anymore products.
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Funny you mention this, a buddy of mine (who's a peer in the technology industry) has been posting about his Alexa devices getting janky for the past several weeks - maybe some sketchy updates?
 
walstib said:
I don’t know if all these new devices will make Alexa users happy, but they all look like a bunch of clunky boxes to me.

I’ll stick with the HomePod. I just bought my sixth HomePod (to become part of my third stereo pair) and I’m quite pleased with the speed and accuracy of Siri setting scenes and controlling things in my home. It took a while to iron out the bugs and snags, but it works great now.

If a decent, HomeKit doorbell would come along I would really be happy.
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Why would you compare nearly 3 grands worth of Apple speakers to Amazon devices, I mean bar Alexa actually being smart that is?
You had to iron out bugs in premium a multi thousand dollar setup, I wouldn’t be pleased with that.... for that much money it should all work seemlesly.
 
RickInHouston said:
Boy, at this stage of the game apple better make their own everything because you guys don't want it if it doesn't have an apple logo on it.
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Nah, just HomeKit integration. Do you realize all the info they're garnering from having these microphones and cameras all over everyones homes? Did you know Google can determine the mood someone is in from the accelerometer in android phones?
 
"There's a new equalizer feature that lets you use your voice to adjust the bass and treble"

Now that is what the HomePod needs, then it would become a half decent speaker.
 
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I was hoping there'd be a bombshell drop of an Alexa Phone. We could all use some real competition in that space. Oh well. Maybe soon...
 
James Craner said:
Yes they are not attractive products, but Amazon clearly wants to make its stamp on Smart Homes, at these prices it is not too difficult to have one in every room. Can't really say the same with the HomePod which is too expensive for most people to have one in every room. I fear Apple is losing the home automation battle, its been too slow and too expensive.
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I agree, Apple's premium price and slow Homekit adoption has hurt their ability to win this area. Most people I know have amazon devices. I have tried the HomePod and now Google's offering and really am tempted to test the waters with Amazon's to see if we like it better. The Google Home/ Home Max are great devices but are pricer compared to the Amazon offerings.

Has anyone else, tested those devices to see which is preferable?
 
William Gates said:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/03/business/media/amazon-digital-ads.html

https://marketingland.com/amazon-streamlines-ad-products-under-new-amazon-advertising-brand-247501

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...ad-market-share-at-expense-of-google-facebook
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Erm????? And what was the point in those links? Did you actually read them? Because they don’t claim ‘Alexa devices record everything they hear all the time when plugged in’....

I can find some links to Apples ad services if you’d like? Not sure what it would prove apart from they make money from ads?
 
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Aston441 said:
I was hoping there'd be a bombshell drop of an Alexa Phone. We could all use some real competition in that space. Oh well. Maybe soon...
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I think they learned a big lesson with the last Amazon Fire Phone. It'll be a while before they try that again. Most likely they'll do the smart thing and stick with providing software and content for commoditized phones rather than trying to displace Android or iOS again.
 
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technicalFoozle said:
No new eReaders... that is an old product line.
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I am probably in the minority; but, I prefer a good physical book over a digital copy. I read a lot of books for personal development, learning, and spiritual matters. I mark up the books with thoughts, highlighting key details, and engage with questions on the page. The tools offered in a digital format just are not near the same, plus. Some researchers are showing in their studies that we are more likely to skim the electronic resource where we engage a physical paper book. If the research remains consistent, the eReader, eBook market will be nice for relaxed reading but not for education or development sector.
 
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D.T. said:
Funny you mention this, a buddy of mine (who's a peer in the technology industry) has been posting about his Alexa devices getting janky for the past several weeks - maybe some sketchy updates?
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been for months with us. but yes they used to work much better. we have the first alexa's the newest ones a 3 sonos and they all do it.
 
One of the pictures on the product page for the microwave shows pizza being reheated, ewwww.

Use an oven for that, it comes out gross in the microwave.

Also, 700w microwaves are usually very bad.
 
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steve knight said:
been for months with us. but yes they used to work much better. we have the first alexa's the newest ones a 3 sonos and they all do it.
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It seems to have improved again in the past few days. This happens from time to time and always gets better eventually.
 
Gotta chuckle at the guy in the photo who's introducing the product. Not a great stance... your shoes don't make you hip... quite the Nerdlinger...
 
Actually, I'm kinda liking the Alexa Auto thingie for your car. I signed up for it and for just $25 how can I lose?
 
I have no interest in this type of products, however the other day I had the opportunity to play a little with my friend’s Echo speaker and I was amazed by how much more useful Alexa is over Siri.

I mean, they are oceans apart.
Alexa actually understand everything I say and gives me useful and specific answers.

As I said, I have no interest in this type of speakers, but hell, how I wish Siri on my phone were as useful as that.
 
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