Living with Amazon Echo


There's no reason to give you a full review of Amazon's Echo, my colleagues have already said plenty on that score. Instead I wanted to explain what living with Echo is like after one day. Yes, that's how long I've had the device, so this is a "first impressions" in the truest sense, and they run all over the place.
First, Echo has very solid build quality; it's a hefty device and it's very easy to set up -- plug it in, download the Android app and you're on your way. The app walks you through the process and there isn't a whole lot to it.
What did you buy for Prime Day?


Well, July 15th is behind us and Amazon's promise of deals bigger than Black Friday. If you were looking for Christmas in July, did you get it? I wasn't that impressed with the selection of Lightning Deals and exclusives, but perhaps you were. Or not. My purchase, and call me crazy (some commenter usually does): I plunked down $143.86 for two years of Kindle Unlimited, saving 40 percent off the $9.99 for each of 24 months. The bookstore will become my personal library of sorts. There are many books I would read and reference for my professional writing but not necessarily buy.
Briefly, Amazon offered the 32GB Nexus 6 for $399 and Echo for $129—that's $50 off. The smartphone sold out quick at that price but still remained available for $499 the rest of the day. The other device built up a waitlist before finally being closed out. The 6-inch Kindle sold for $49, discounted from $79, and was still available as Midnight approached here on the West Coast (where I live; BetaNews offices are Eastern Time).
Amazon Prime Day deals gets previewed, TVs and other devices included


Last week Amazon announced "Prime Day", an invented holiday for loyal customers of the Prime service. The retailer also revealed that there would be more deals than even Black Friday manages. Now the company is showcasing some of those bargains in an effort to entice customers.
There's quite a list, but some are worth mentioning. The Fire TV Stick will be $15 off, while other Amazon products will also see significant discounts. For instance, The Kindle will drop in price by $30, the Fire HD 7 is seeing a $30 reduction and the kids' edition of the HD 7 will get slashed by a whopping $60.
Amazon announces Prime Day, claims more sales than Black Friday


Think you got some good deals and a lot to choose from on Black Friday or Cyber Monday? Amazon now wishes to top that with an even better event -- Prime Day. The retailer is looking to roll out deals to its most valued customers, those who subscribe to Prime for the good deals, free shipping, and more.
The deal is in celebration of Amazon's 20th birthday, which occurs next week. The sales will be available to customers in the US, UK, Spain, Japan, Italy, Germany, France, Canada and Austria.
Apple DID conspire to inflate ebook prices, must pay $450 million


On the same day that Apple Music launched, Apple received some bad news from the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. In a 2 to 1 vote, judges ruled that the company did conspire with publishers to inflate the prices of ebooks sold through iBookstore, agreeing with a 2013 ruling.
The judges found that Apple had violated federal antitrust law in coming to arrangements with five publishers, resulting in book prices jumping from $9.99 to between $12.99 and $14.99. Two years ago US District Judge Denise Cote said that Apple was "central" to a price-fixing conspiracy. The ruling having been upheld today, Apple will now have to pay $450 million.
Amazon Echo and Alexa are about to get much better


As someone who was one of the chosen to buy the Amazon Echo early (now available to all), I have had extensive time playing with the technological oddity. While it is a welcome addition to my home -- my family uses it for weather, traffic, spelling and math -- I have been a bit underwhelmed by the overall usefulness.
I've been hesitant to truly embrace Amazon's assistant, as I wasn't sure it had a future. The reason? The lack of a clear plan or path for developers made me wonder if it could truly compete with more open and focused technologies. Today, my hesitation is quelled, as Amazon lays out an impressive plan for developers. This is much bigger than Echo, however.
Amazon adds High Dynamic Range video for Prime members


Today's video is getting a bit confusing. There's Ultra HD (4k) and High Dynamic Range, which differs somewhat from HDR pictures of the same name. Essentially, though, they do the same thing in the end, enhancing contrast and deepening shadows, while claiming a richer color that aims to be more pleasing for the viewer.
Now Amazon is bringing this technology to Prime customers with a new update. For the moment though, it's only one show, but Amazon plans to add more.
Amazon finally releases the long-awaited Echo


Amazon announced the Echo a few months ago, but it's been a long time coming. The Bluetooth- and WiFi-enabled speaker sits in your home and answers your questions or commands. It does so simply upon voice activation, and it answers with its own vocal rendering.
Well, the device is finally coming to market, as Amazon announces the ability to order for all customers. It does a lot more than answer your questions, though. There's home automation, music and many other features it can control.
Amazon snubs XBMC Kodi while Google Play embraces it


If you haven't heard the news, the program formerly known as XBMC, or Xbox Media Center, is now Kodi. The name change reflects the change in direction that the software has taken as it has evolved. It now does much more than it ever intended and runs on just about every platform.
Unless you have a Kindle Fire. Despite that the tablets run Android, it's very different -- the version is highly customized to fit the Amazon ecosystem, locking customers into the Amazon App Store and getting rid of Google Play. This generally is OK, most apps folks want are in both places.
Amazon releases a new Kindle Paperwhite


It hasn't been terribly long since we saw new Kindles from Amazon, but that isn't slowing the company down. The svelte reading device is getting another update, this time it's the Paperwhite version getting the overhaul.
Amazon refers to the Paperwhite as "the most popular and best selling" version of its Kindle line, which is only slightly surprising, given that it's more expensive than the base model, which also works very nicely.
The 10 best presents for Father's Day


Father’s Day is fast approaching and time is running out to secure the perfect gift. Luckily, there’s a whole host of potential presents for the tech-obsessed fathers out there, ranging from the practical to the practically useless.
So whether it’s a novelty gadget you’re after or something he’s likely to use every day, we’ve rounded up the best gift ideas for Father’s Day 2015.
Amazon publishes opaque transparency report


Post-Snowden there is great interest in just what involvement the government has with technology firms. There are frequent requests from government agencies for information about users and the likes of Google, Snapchat, and even the NSA itself have all released transparency reports that reveal, in broad strokes, the number of requests for data they have received.
Amazon is the latest company to release a transparency report -- although the term really should be used in the loosest possible sense. The report includes scant details about the number of subpoenas, search warrants, court orders, and national security requests received in the first five months of 2015. The report is so vague as to be virtually meaningless.
Google announces YouTube Gaming -- puts Amazon's Twitch in crosshairs


Playing video games is a very fun hobby. Hell, for some people, playing them is a job; yes, professional competitive gaming is a real thing. You know what else is cool? Watching other people play. While it was an absurd notion years ago, nowadays, people enjoy being spectators to another person's gameplay. I watch Pewdiepie, like, every day.
The most famous platform for streaming gameplay is Twitch, which is why Amazon bought the service for a ton of cheddar. Not to be outdone, however, Google today announces its own streaming service for gamers -- the unimaginatively named YouTube Gaming. While I do not expect a mass exodus from Twitch, Amazon's service will certainly lose some of its luster as a result. Interestingly, it will be run by former pro-gamer, Ryan Wyatt -- aka Fwiz -- most widely known as the former love interest of Justine Ezarik -- aka iJustine.
Amazon building huge solar farm to power Web Services

The Apple PR machine wheels out women from the shadows for WWDC


Diversity is one of the latest buzzwords that tech companies are keen to throw around whenever the chance arises. If you were to knock back a shot of something every time it cropped up in press releases, keynote speeches, and company reports, rates of global alcoholism would shoot through the roof. Now a follower rather than a leader, Apple is ready to jump on just about any bandwagon that happens to be passing.
Google, Microsoft and other companies have recently waxed lyrical about the diverse sexual and racial makeup of their workforces -- it looks great for public relations, after all -- and Apple wants a slice of that pie for itself. It's a company that is highly adept at capturing the zeitgeist; as my colleague Joe Wilcox puts it, Tim Cook is an opportunist. The latest attempt to curry favor with the in-crowd, it seems, is to wheel out a few token women at today's WWDC keynote.
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