Articles about Amazon

You just gotta love Amazon. This morning, at long last, I received my invitation for Echo, the sizzlingly voice-controled streaming speaker that I raved about just two months ago. As a Prime member, I pay half-price, just $99. What a deal! Since then, I jealously waited while reading what others blogged about how much they enjoyed their Echoes. The device fits squarely where I contend is the next iteration in user interfaces: voice. Touch is just so passé.

In retail, customer impressions are everything. My first reaction was excitement, but the second turned it to dust. This thing won't ship until sometime between May and July? Seriously? It's like a bad Consumer Electronics Show joke, where the hottest tech device in this solar system debuts in January, but sales don't start until November. Don't sell me something I can't get for at least five fraking months!

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Amazon usually produces TV pilots before deciding which ones to turn into full series. Unsurprisingly, its union with critically-acclaimed writer/director Woody Allen, won’t be going through this process.

The company has already ordered a full season of the Untitled Woody Allen Project, which will premiere exclusively on Prime Instant Video.

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Sling TV, yes from the folks who brought you the Box, has launched and it's heading in many directions all at once. Earlier we heard that Xbox One would be the first gaming console to feature the service, now we're learning of the set-top box makers also partnered with Sling.

The new internet TV and video service has also teamed up with two of the most popular device makers currently in this market -- Roku and Amazon. Both companies plan to carry this new internet-based video service.

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Looking back on this last day of the year, I wonder how my daily tech changed so much since the first. On Jan. 1, 2014, my core computing comprised Chromebook, Nexus tablet, and Nexus smartphone. Midyear, I switched out to all Microsoft—buying Surface Pro 3 and Nokia Lumia Icon. While commendable the effort, Windows poorly fit my lifestyle. Today, I'm all Apple—13-inch MacBook Pro Retina Display with 512GB SSD, iPhone 6 128GB, and iPad Air 128GB. I can't imagine using anything else.

Following the lead of my BetaNews colleagues Mihaita Bamburic, Ian Barker, Alan Buckingham, Brian Fagioli, and Wayne Williams, I review my year in tech, and unlike 2013 focus on products that released during the year. I present my 2014 personal tech alphabetically, from company name, rather than order of importance—because they all matter. Note: While the list looks like four, it's five because the first is two combined.

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2014 is quickly winding down and the calendar will soon turn over to 2015. But it was a good year for technology, which began, as always, in Las Vegas with annual CES. Of course, that's when we get a glimpse of products that may or may not ever see the bright lights of a store showroom. But we aren't here to talk about what could have been, but instead, what really is on the market. Nothing fancy here, just solid pieces of equipment.

Over the course of the past year I was fortunate enough to try out many products. There were really no duds in the batch, but some managed to distinguish themselves from the competitors. Now we've reached that time where it can be revealed. And, just so you know, it goes in no particular order.

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This year, I did all of my Christmas shopping online. More specifically, I did all of my shopping on Amazon.com. I wasn't opposed to going to a physical store, but every time I drove by the mall, the parking lot was full and people were fighting over parking spots. Sorry, I am not going to get involved in all of that.

Since I have a Prime membership, I was able to wait until the last minute for much of my shopping, as the included 2-day shipping got things to me fast. Not only does Prime come with free expedited shipping, it also includes free video streaming and more -- a great value. Hell, a Prime Membership makes a great gift to give too. Today, Amazon announces that it has achieved a record-breaking 10 million first-time memberships over the holidays.

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This year Amazon jumped into the set-top box market with a remarkably mature competitor. Since its release, the Fire TV has continued to accumulate features and improve. In fact, it's now serious competition for the likes of Roku and Apple TV. So did you find one under your tree this year? If so, there are a few things to know.

First, and perhaps most obvious, you need to  have an Amazon account. That shouldn't be a barrier for most people. You'll just need to enter your email and password to get up and running on your new set-top box. It also needs to connect to Wi-Fi, unless you can use a wired connection (which is better). If your router is password protected then that will be the final entry to start.

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Holiday shopping is now coming down to the final hours, and many procrastinators out there are still putting off that trip to the store. There is always the option to shop online, but the delivery window is closing quickly. Thankfully there are digital options to grab things for friends, family and even yourself.

Amazon has just the thing for the people just described -- it's a digital sale. Beginning December 24th, the app store will offer a range of games and more all offered for free. The complete bundle totals $220 in value if you were to buy each regularly.

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You lazy son of a bitch. It's Sunday, Christmas is Thursday, and you still haven't started shopping for gifts? Don't worry, we've got your ass covered with a quick, down-and-dirty gift bonanza. It's an eclectic mix because we have the attention spans of mice intoxicated by coffee and Krispy Kremes.

Lucky you. Many U.S. online shops grub for dollars by offering last-minute, free one-day shipping. Ha! There are some rewards waiting until Santa attaches reindeer to the sleigh. Read fast, because some of these are deals that won't last -- and when we say this grab bag is random, we mean it.

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Amazon has been toying with delivery ideas for sometime now. The company has talked of same day service, there were rumors of it creating its own FedEx-like fleet, then there was the Jeff Bezos appearance on 60 Minutes -- you know, where he showed off a video of drone delivery.

The online retailer is finally beginning to realize this dream and make it reality. Amazon today is announcing Prime Now. It’s a delivery service for "essential items" and it promises one hour service. Yes, you read that correctly.

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BlackBerry is not a company that's afraid to do things a little differently, and this is something that's perfectly demonstrated by its latest release. Rather than eschewing the physical keyboard like most smartphones, the BlackBerry Classic embraces it. The square 720 x 720 screen is comparable to that of the BlackBerry Passport, but stands out from mainstream handsets due to its size -- just 3.5 inches -- and unusual aspect ratio.

The look of the handset might be a little dated, and the specs are also something of a blast from the past. Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus dual-core processor, the phone has 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, an 8MP rear camera, and a 2MP front shooter. And it can be yours for $449 unlocked.

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HBO is one of the most popular premium networks on TV, with shows like Game of Thrones and others. The channel has also launched an online and mobile app called HBO GO. This brings the content to your computer, phone or tablet.

Now the network has arrived on Amazon Fire TV, the tiny set-top box that launched earlier this year. It's a strong competitor to Roku and Apple TV. While arguably less capable than the former, it is also stronger than the latter in its offerings.

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In a near-perfect example of how there is always more than one way to look at things, Edward Snowden has very different views on Amazon than Amazon users do. On Friday, Snowden appeared -- as ever -- via video link at the surveillance symposium at the Cato Institute. He condemned Amazon's lack of encryption of customers' searches, referring to the practice as "morally irresponsible".

But Snowden's condemnation of Amazon comes at the same time as a study by Bizrate Insights which finds that more than 45 percent of online shoppers trust the site with their payment and personal information. So why the disparity?

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As the year comes to a close, I'd like to ask you something: What was the best tech purchase you made (or received as a gift)? What about it is so good?

December is a time of reflection and preparation for a new year and when blogs and news sites fill space with stories looking back on the past 12 months and making predictions for the year ahead. I avoid writing the latter type but have opined about some companies' successes and failures, typically Apple, Google, or Microsoft. But if you'll oblige me, I would like my 2014 reflection(s) to be about you -- to make you the star.

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4K video is a runaway train at this point -- it is no longer a fad. It is looking like it will definitely become the next widely-adopted standard. While many people say 1080p is "good enough", that type of mindset stops progress. In the technology world, nothing is ever good enough; we must always push for more.

Unfortunately, 4K content is a bit rare at the moment, but growing every day. Today, Amazon announces that Prime members can watch 4K content for free. While this is very exciting news, there is a catch.

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