Amazon is closing Book Depository after 18 years of free worldwide delivery
Book lovers around the world are mourning the loss of Book Depository following the announcement that the Amazon-owned online bookstore is to close.
Based in the UK, Book Depository has been offering free worldwide delivery of books, including many titles that are hard to get hold of from other sources, since 2007. The shutdown date is imminent -- April 26 -- but as orders are being accepted until that day, there is still time to grab a bargain.
Plugable launches UD-3900PDH and UD-768PDZ premium docking stations
USB-C docking stations are very common these days. Hell, websites like Amazon are littered with countless makes and models. Of course, not all of them are good, nor do they offer the same things. Features can vary from dock to dock, such as the number of USB ports or video outputs. I recommend sticking with reputable brands such as Kensington, StarTech.com, and Plugable to name a few.
Speaking of Plugable, today, that company launches two new USB-C docking stations. Called "UD-3900PDH" and "UD-768PDZ," both offer 100W power delivery and feature triple monitor support. While they both have SD card readers, only the UD-3900PDH has a dedicated micro SD reader as well.
Big tech layoffs have a far-reaching impact
The recent big tech layoffs have profoundly impacted industries outside of technology because the sector has long been seen as a driving force for innovation and economic growth. The layoff announcements by companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon have raised concerns about the tech industry's future and the ripple effects throughout the economy.
Below are several major tech companies that have laid off employees as they navigate the challenges of a rapidly changing industry:
Ubuntu desktop comes to AWS
Until today Amazon WorkSpaces cloud desktop solution simply offered the option of either Windows or Amazon Linux machines. Now though Canonical has announced the availability of Ubuntu WorkSpaces on AWS.
This is a fully managed virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) on the public cloud and the first third-party Linux OS to be available on the platform. It gives developers access to a wide choice of open source tools and libraries in cutting-edge fields like data science, artificial intelligence/machine learning, cloud and internet-of-things.
Amazon's new Kindle Scribe is an e-reader you can write on
Today, Amazon announced a number of new products, including four new Echo devices, an updated Fire TV Cube, and a bedside sleep tracker.
One of the most exciting announcements, however, is Kindle Scribe, a new e-reader with a 10.2in 300ppi Paperwhite glare-free display that you can write on using a supplied stylus. This isn’t the first such tablet -- the reMarkable 2, for example, has plenty of fans -- but it’s the first such device from Amazon.
How digital transformation and building APIs got faster
Digital transformation initiatives have been a top priority for several years in most companies. However, while such programs are considered a necessity for the long-term survival of most businesses, they haven’t always been prioritized or given the resources they deserve.
That all changed with the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, according to analyst Gartner, customers expect companies to accelerate digital initiatives due to COVID-19 and all industries are experiencing widespread digitization. In turn, this is accelerating the adoption of thousands of new APIs. That’s because the drive to make services digital is no longer a nice to have but business critical. Even post COVID, with some businesses opting for a hybrid work environment, we are seeing that acceleration continue. Put simply, as they race to catch up, organizations are digitizing and innovating faster than ever before.
Process orchestration: The unsung automation hero
When you think about process automation, you might naturally think of a company like Amazon. From ordering, to warehouse automation, to delivery, to returns -- end-to-end business processes flow seamlessly, like magic. When you’re building from scratch as a startup, this level of process automation is easier to achieve than if you’re contending with legacy systems.
But today, 70 percent of global companies list legacy modernization as a top strategic business priority. That means automating all of their processes from scratch isn’t always an option. Ripping and replacing legacy systems is disruptive and costly. That’s where process orchestration comes in.
Amazon's robot workforce could doom the American worker
The year is 2030. Most humans have been replaced by machines in U.S. warehouses and factories. Millions of Americans are out of work and struggling to find jobs as robots pack, sort, ship, and carry out the myriad duties that just ten years ago were the purview of living, breathing workers. There are little job prospects in sight for these workers as automation has completely taken over numerous industries.
As fictitious as this sounds, it is not a scene out of a science-fiction novel, but instead a scenario that could occur in the very near future. Take, for example, Amazon’s recent launch of Proteus -- the company’s first fully autonomous mobile robot. This should signal that much of the company’s workforce faces extinction by automation in the coming years.
Cloud hyperscalers get more involved in open source
Amazon, Microsoft, and Google are getting more employees involved in open source than ever before according to new analysis.
A study from Aiven of GitHub, the repository hosting service, finds the total number of active contributors to GitHub from Amazon, Microsoft, and Google has increased by 300 percent in six years -- from 2,654 contributors in May 2016 to 10,549 in May 2022.
Amazon sucks up Roomba for $1.7 billion
There are plenty of robot vacuum cleaners available to buy these days, but the best-known brand remains Roomba. I was lucky enough to test and review the first generation model Roomba vacuum cleaner in 2002 and I've been a big fan ever since.
Today, retail giant Amazon announces that it has entered into a definitive merger agreement to acquire Roomba creator iRobot. What will this mean for fans of its products?
Amazon Fire 7 (2022) tablet is very cheap
Nobody really wants a Fire 7 tablet. Most consumers would prefer an iPad or proper Android device with Google Play support. So why are Amazon's tablets being purchased? Price. Yes, folks, Amazon's little tablet is very cheap, making it a fairly decent consumption device for young children and the elderly. Don't want to spend too much on grandma for her birthday? Get her a Fire 7 tablet. She will think it is an iPad even though it is just a cheap knock-off with dismal performance.
Today, Amazon once again refreshes the Fire 7, and despite sky-high inflation, the tablet remains inexpensive. You see, the 2022 variant of the 7-inch tablet can be had for just $59.99, making it pretty much a disposable device. At that price, if it gets broken, who even cares? If you are concerned about your child breaking it, you can opt for a special "Kids" model for $109.99 that comes with a rugged case and a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+.
If tech giants were countries Apple and Microsoft would be among the top 10 richest
In an interesting bit of equivalence, UK-based insolvency specialist Real Business Rescue has compared the market value of the world's richest companies to countries' GDPs to show how big these businesses have become compared to the rest of the world.
As the table below shows, Apple -- which became the first trillion dollar company in 2018 -- would rank eighth in the world, just behind France, while Microsoft is ranked ninth and worth more than Italy.
Your Amazon Prime subscription is about to get much more expensive
Amazon has announced a significant price hike for Prime membership. The company is blaming the COVID-19 pandemic and an increase in labor costs for the subscription fee jumping by nearly 17 percent annually, or just over 15 percent for those paying monthly.
Starting later this month, new Prime members in the US can expect to pay $139 per year, or $14.99 per month. The same price increase is also coming to existing Prime subscribers, but not until the end of March.
Amazon backs down on not accepting UK Visa credit cards
Back in November last year we reported on Amazon's decision to stop accepting UK issued Visa credit cards due to high processing charges.
The change was due to take place this Wednesday (January 19) but it seems that an 11th hour deal may have been reached to allow customers to continue using their Visa cards.
Washington cannot let Amazon water-down consumer protection legislation
The holiday season is a reminder that with more Americans than ever heading online to do their shopping, lawmakers must continue taking action to prevent consumers from falling prey to internet scammers. That’s why it was welcome news when Amazon recently reversed course on its longstanding opposition to bipartisan consumer protection legislation in Congress that would require third-party online marketplaces to verify independent sellers, with the goal of reducing counterfeits and stolen goods from these platforms.
But while Amazon’s public change of heart seemingly paves the way for the eventual passage of the bill, known as the INFORM Consumers Act, lawmakers must ensure that the retail giant and other tech companies do not work behind the scenes to water down the legislation and render it toothless. Counterfeits pose great harm to consumers and small third-party sellers, and Congress must pass strong, comprehensive enforcement mechanisms to adequately protect both groups.
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