Amazon executives took to the stage in Manhattan this week to debut updates across its device lineup, including the Ring, Blink, Fire TV, Kindle, and Echo brands.
The tone of the event was much more hardware-focused than February’s Alexa-heavy gathering, during which execs promised a more conversational, all-knowing AI assistant. Now, eight months later, Alexa+ is still in Early Access mode. Amazon claims “millions” have access.
Now, Amazon appears to be broadening the scope of Alexa+. Its products “are great on their own, but even more when you connect them to Alexa+,” said Panos Panay, Amazon’s SVP of products and services, in his opening remarks. The company’s goal is to create “technology that fades into the background,” a concept Panay called “ambient AI.”
Here’s how Amazon is doing that across its line of doorbells, cameras, TVs, Kindles, and Echos.
Meet the New Kindle Scribes
Kindle Scribe Colorsoft (Credit: Emily Forlini)
“I’m in love with this product,” Panay said while introducing the upgraded Kindle Scribe.
The super-slim, productivity-focused ereader comes in at just 5.4mm. To achieve this, Amazon had to “miniaturize the LED” lights and add a “whisper-thin antenna,” Panay said. The company worked on removing the “parallax,” or the gap between the screen, pen, and ink, to get the lag to under 12 milliseconds. “The ink comes right out of the pen, right onto the paper,” Panay said.
Amazon’s goal is to make writing on the Scribe feel as close to writing on paper as possible, including adding a touch of friction and a light, satisfying noise.
Kindle Scribe (Credit: Emily Forlini)
The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, meanwhile, features an eye-catching, colorful display. Amazon added an improved color rendering engine to “make sure the color you want to come out of the pen is the one you chose,” says Panay.
Although Kindles are mostly known for reading, Amazon “reimagined the Scribe for productivity,” said Avani Parakh, director of product at Kindle. That includes Quick Notes, a “new digital scratchpad,” as well as the student-focused ability to organize books, documents, and notebooks in one file within Workspace. You can now also import and export files directly from Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, and Microsoft OneNote, all within the Scribe.
AI-powered features include the ability to send your notes to Alexa+ starting next year, allowing the voice assistant to answer questions about them. When you’re reading, you can also ask Alexa+ questions about the book, which will be “spoiler-free,” Parakh said.
The new Kindle Scribe and Kindle Scribe Colorsoft are expected later this year in the US, starting at $499.99 and $629.99, respectively. The Kindle Scribe, without a front light, will be $429.99; it arrives early next year.
9 Ring Cameras With Better Image Quality, Pet Finder
Ring cameras (Credit: Emily Forlini)
Amazon debuted nine Ring doorbells, available for preorder now (save for a $499.99 Wired Doorbell Elite), featuring enhanced image quality, AI-powered face recognition, and a new feature to locate lost pets. The latter is part of Ring’s wider push to expand the brand beyond doorbells to home security.
The cameras now come in 2K and 4K definition, with up to 10X zoom on the 4K model. The new Ring Retinal Vision technology uses AI to tune and perfect the image by “learning the scene,” as Ring founder and inventor Jamie Siminoff said on stage, including customizing the clarity of the camera for the specific location.
The Familiar Faces feature will recognize your friends and family, alerting you in the app that “Emma is at the front door,” for example. On the flip side, it’ll let you know if there’s a stranger on your doorstep. Amazon is combining this tech with Alexa+ Greetings, an “intelligent doorbell companion” that can speak to visitors and provide them with instructions, such as where to put a package, or even ask someone why they’re there. That rolls out in December.
The most lovable new feature is Search Party, which will be available on all outdoor cameras in November for dogs, followed by cats and other pets at a later date. Once you report that your dog is missing, the app will search for images of Fido on your neighbors’ Ring cameras. Ring has a loose definition of “neighborhood,” Siminoff told us after the event in an interview. It’s not a specific street or ZIP code, since dogs aren’t aware of those when they run away. It’s a loose, few-mile radius around your house, which an AI system determines.
Get Our Best Stories!
Your Daily Dose of Our Top Tech News
Thanks for signing up!
Your subscription has been confirmed. Keep an eye on your inbox!
New Ring Cameras Coming Soon
Blink ‘Arc’ Camera With Two Feeds
Blink debuted three new cameras at the event, but the Arc model was the most unique. It features two cameras on one mount, and the software knits the two feeds together in one large, 180-degree panoramic view. The device was surprisingly small when we saw it in person at the event.
“That means no more switching between camera feeds and missing critical moments,” said Amy Widemann, head of marketing for Ring and Blink at Amazon. “No more blind spots.” On the screen, a long view of her driveway flashed, showing her kids riding from one end to the other.
The $99.99 Arc is available for preorder and launches on Oct. 22. A mount costs an extra $19.99.
Blink also debuted the $89.99 Blink Outdoor 2K+ with 4x zoom, audio with noise-cancelling technology, enhanced low-light performance, and smart notifications when you subscribe to the company’s premium plan. Preorder now for Oct. 29 delivery. There’s also a new Blink Mini 2K+ camera for indoor use, available for $49.99; it launches on Oct. 15.
A Fire TV for $159
Amazon Fire TVs (Credit: Emily Forlini)
Amazon is shipping thinner, more high-performing TVs starting next month, with preorders available now. The flagship Fire TV Omni QLED Series starts at $479.99, with a 60% brighter screen and 40% more powerful chip.
Recommended by Our Editors
More affordable new products include the Fire TV 2-Series (starting at $159.99) and 4-Series (starting at $329.99). Exact specifications weren’t given, but in the past, the TVs have used a lower-quality LED display that still offers 4K resolution.
The TVs are connected to the Alexa+ voice assistant technology. You can ask it to “show me shows like ’30 Rock'” or “What should I watch with my dad tonight?” The TV will make recommendations based on what it’s “learned” about you, Amazon says. A standout feature is that the TV is aware of live content, not just movies and TV shows. It can give you the score of last night’s game and suggest a recap video for you to check out.
Ask Alexa what to watch on your Fire TV (Credit: Emily Forlini)
Last but not least, we have the Fire TV Stick 4K Select, which promises to be “the fastest 4K stick under $40.” It runs a new operating system, Vega OS, and invites app developers to create new apps on the platform.
Alexa+ for All! (Just Buy a New Echo)
Echo Dot Max and Echo Studio (Credit: Emily Forlini)
Last but not least, Amazon debuted a new lineup of Echo devices that it says are “designed for Alexa+.”
The headliner is the Echo Dot Max, which is likely to be the most popular due to its low price of $99.99. It features a “3D knit fabric” on the outside, said Daniel Rausch, VP of Alexa and Echo at Amazon. Other new additions include the Echo Studio ($219.99), Echo Show 8 ($179.99), and Echo Show 11 ($219.99). They’re available for preorder now and arrive over the next few weeks.
The new devices run on upgraded chips, the AZ3 and AZ3 Pro, that are “faster, more powerful, with AI built in,” said Rausch. A new custom sensor platform, Omnisense, detects when you enter the room and can offer proactive alerts. (Omnisense is also available on the Fire TVs.)
You can connect up to five Echo Dot Max or Echo Studio devices for a surround sound experience. That’s especially powerful for watching movies, and listening to Audible’s immersive Harry Potter audiobooks, launching on Nov. 4, featuring sound effects and narrators from cast members.
One of the most popular ways to use Alexa+ is through routines, Rausch said. They’re asking it to do things like lock their doors at night, “leading to a huge increase in smart home adoption.”
All the new Echo devices come with Alexa+ out of the box. But if you were worried that it might not be ready for primetime, especially since Amazon has been seemingly slow to roll it out, Panay said, “Don’t worry, it’s got great reliability. You’re fine.”
About Our Expert
Emily Forlini
Senior Reporter
Experience
As a news and features writer at PCMag, I cover the biggest tech trends that shape the way we live and work. I specialize in on-the-ground reporting, uncovering stories from the people who are at the center of change—whether that’s the CEO of a high-valued startup or an everyday person taking on Big Tech. I also cover daily tech news and breaking stories, contextualizing them so you get the full picture.
I came to journalism from a previous career working in Big Tech on the West Coast. That experience gave me an up-close view of how software works and how business strategies shift over time. Now that I have my master’s in journalism from Northwestern University, I couple my insider knowledge and reporting chops to help answer the big question: Where is this all going?
First Appeared on
Source link
