Amazon Alexa continues its rollout to Fire tablets
If you happen to own the Amazon Echo and also happen to have a Fire Tablet sitting around, then you have an update for the tablet that has either arrived or soon will. Version 5.3.2 brings a very interesting feature that many users have been clamoring for.
This update rolls Alexa into the mix, bringing voice control to the handheld device. This means you can access the Echo from anywhere in your home, even out of voice range.
Amazon finds another way for you to spend money
Black Friday is still a week away, but that hasn't stopped stores from beginning the sales rush. The deals have been announced and some are already available.
Now Amazon has a unique idea to make shopping simple, but it does have one requirement -- you have to be an Alexa customer to benefit.
Online retailers warned about price-fixing ahead of Black Friday
Black Friday is just around the corner, and while shoppers may be looking forward to making big savings the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has issued a warning to online retailers about price-fixing.
The consumer body has not revealed which retailers it has written to, but it says that "a number of online companies" have received letters. It's part of a campaign to make it clear to companies selling online that "discussing and agreeing price levels with competitors is illegal, and can result in serious penalties".
AWS more popular than Microsoft, Google and IBM's clouds combined
Amazon Web Services is the undisputed leader in the public cloud market, with a market share larger than the next three competitors -- Microsoft, Google and IBM -- combined, according to a new report from Synergy Research Group.
In Q3 2016, AWS had a share of around 45 percent in the public IaaS (infrastructure as a service) market, while Microsoft's Azure, Google's Cloud and IBM's cloud did not even get past the 20 percent mark.
Logitech Harmony remotes gain Amazon Alexa voice controls when connected to Echo
We are currently in the golden age of television. Not only are shows like The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones excellent, but there are so many ways to consume it all. Of course, you can watch TV live on cable or satellite, but thanks to DVR and streaming, you can watch on your schedule too. It is all quite glorious.
For those serious about their television watching, an investment in a quality remote control can be very wise. Logitech's Harmony line is arguably the best, and today, it gets even better. Owners of hub-compatible models can now link their Amazon Echo to the Harmony app, enabling voice controls for their AV equipment. Yes, fellow couch potatoes, we can now be even lazier when watching TV!
NETGEAR Nighthawk X10 AD7200 802.11ad Smart WiFi router (R9000) supports Plex and Amazon Drive
When buying a wireless router for your home, there are many models to choose from. If you have basic needs in a small home, such as surfing the web or watching Netflix at 1080p, you can easily get by with an inexpensive router for, say, under $100. For those with more advanced needs, like streaming 4K and sharing large files between computers on the network, or those in large homes requiring greater range, prices for more capable routers can skyrocket.
While you don't always have to spend obscene amounts of money on technology, a wireless router is definitely not the place to try and save a buck -- you should always aim for quality products from reputable brands. Today, once such trusted company, NETGEAR, announces the Nighthawk X10 AD7200 smart WiFi router. On paper, it looks like one of the greatest home routers ever. Of course, with such cutting-edge technology like 802.11ad, it carries a very hefty price tag.
AWS now powers VMware Cloud
Amazon Web Services (AWS) and VMware have announced a strategic partnership in the cloud computing business. It will create new technology allowing customers to use VMware's datacenter management software on Amazon’s cloud. Basically, VMware's infrastructure software (vSphere, NSX) will run on Amazon Web Services.
"Our customers continue to ask us to make it easier for them to run their existing data center investments alongside AWS", Andy Jassy, CEO, AWS, tells Tech Crunch.
Amazon Family Vault lets you share your Prime Photos storage with others for free
Amazon likes to chuck a few freebies (well... not free exactly...) at Prime subscribers, and today there is a new addition to the pile -- Family Vault. The new feature allows subscribers in the US to share their free photo storage space with up to five other people.
This makes it possible for a family to store all of their photos in one place. In addition to the unlimited shared photo storage, each person invited to the Family Vault is given an extra 5GB of storage which can be used to house other files.
Amazon Prime subscribers now have free ebooks, magazines and more with Prime Reading
If you have been looking for one more reason to become an Amazon Prime subscriber, the newly launched Prime Reading feature could just be the clincher.
Prime Reading gives US subscribers access to a library of free Kindle ebooks, magazines, comics and other publications completely free of charge. At the moment Amazon is proclaiming there are "over a thousand popular books", but there is also the promise of exclusive content.
Amazon finally prohibits incentivized customer product reviews -- mostly
Amazon is my absolute favorite retailer. Not only are its prices fair, but with a Prime subscription, I get free two-day shipping on many products. Instant gratification is a must nowadays, and waiting more than a couple of days for an item to arrive can be unbearable. Of course, Prime gives you much more than just fast shipping, but I digress.
Another great aspect of the site is the customer reviews, helping shoppers find quality products based on the honest recommendations of others. Sadly, incentivized reviews have damaged the trustworthiness of the feedback. Too many recent Amazon reviews have the caveat that the product was given to the reviewer for free in exchange for a review. Many people, including yours truly, were getting tired of seeing this. Thankfully, as of today, Amazon is prohibiting these incentivized reviews.
You can now use Alexa to control Wink lighting shortcuts
If you have a Wink hub then it's easy to set up home automation across a number of different platforms. Throw in Alexa and do a little additional setup and you'll be able to control it all with voice commands.
In the past you've been able to use groups to control multiple bulbs -- simply name each bulb and then add them to a group which you also name.
Amazon, Google, Facebook, IBM and Microsoft create Partnership on AI -- no sign of Apple
Five of the biggest names in the world of technology have joined forces to create the Partnership on AI. The aim of the group is to increase public awareness of artificial intelligence, conduct research, and promote best practice guidelines.
Comprising Amazon, Google, Facebook, IBM and Microsoft -- although, interestingly, not Apple -- the group says that it does not intend to lobby government or government bodies. Instead, the aim is to promote AI so that it can be used to "help humanity address important global challenges such as climate change, food, inequality, health, and education".
Amazon launches all-new Fire TV Stick with faster hardware and Alexa Voice Remote
There are a lot of media streaming products to choose from, but my personal favorite is Amazon’s Fire TV Stick. It’s compact, powerful and gives you access to Amazon’s full range of on-demand video content, as well as apps and games.
Today, the retail giant announces a new version of Fire TV Stick that’s faster and adds Alexa voice control to the remote. No more browsing long lists of TV shows and movies, now you can simply ask Alexa to play anything you're interested in, launch apps, and more.
iDevices 'Smart Home Essentials' kit is Apple HomeKit and Amazon Alexa compatible
As prices continue to drop, and the technology becomes easier to use, 'smart home' devices are set to explode in popularity. As someone who once swore off such things, I now have Wi-Fi-enabled electric sockets and home cameras. When I am away, I can turn on a lamp and monitor my house. It is very cool, but slightly annoying that there is no central app for all of my connected home devices. Since I chose different brands, I unfortunately have a few different apps on my smartphone and tablet.
Today, iDevices announces 'Smart Home Essentials'. This focused kit is both Apple HomeKit and Amazon Alexa compatible. By purchasing this well-designed kit, you can avoid managing multiple apps. It even comes with free concierge service based in the USA for help setting things up (if needed).
Twitter releases free video app for Microsoft Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, and Apple TV
When people think of Twitter, their minds might conjure images of short-form messages filled with emoji. While it is much more than that, it is how some people view the social network. Lately, however, the company is looking to expand into other markets, such as streaming media. As a publicly-traded company, Twitter could be looking to rejuvenate a relatively stagnant stock.
Today, Twitter announces that its streaming video is no longer limited to your phones and tablets. Yes, folks, it is finally time for Twitter's video in your living room, as the company releases a free app for three popular TV-connected media devices -- Microsoft Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, and Apple TV. While the experience on all three will be similar, it looks like Apple's device will be slightly better thanks to an exclusive side-by-side split-screen feature.
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