Latest news with #EchoShow8
Tom's Guide
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Alexa+ reviewer pans new AI: ‘If this is Amazon's version of intelligent, I'm low-key scared for the future'
Announced back in April, Alexa+ looked to be one of the biggest developments in the AI assistant world. Amazon claimed it would be a whole new experience, assisting the whole family with everything from planning the week to buying tickets for gigs. Well, now Alexa+ is beginning its rollout. Reviewers are getting their hands on the new experience, and they have some mixed feelings about it. While we will be giving the service a full run-down in the near future, for now, let's see what people are saying about the latest AI service to see a public release. Opening up an article and seeing the phrase 'Alexa has become a glorified timer for many people, and its AI glow-up has not helped' is probably not the best start for Alexa+. The Street, a financial and tech news website, wasn't just unsure in their early experiences of using the new system, but seemingly in complete disappointment with it. 'Responses took longer, she got confused more easily, and at one point she responded to a weather question by playing a Pitbull song,' Cody Kline, the author of the article, wrote. 'If this is Amazon's version of 'intelligent,' I'm low-key scared for the future.' Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. As Kline goes on to point out, Alexa+ is still in its trial phase, and, in theory, most of these problems will go away in the future. But, it's not exactly a good start! A less brutal review from Wirecutter, but definitely mixed in its feedback. Kathryn Rath, the author of the article, talks through the improvements to Alexa's conversational skills, something that was altogether lacking before. 'My conversations with my upgraded Echo Show 8 have been longer than in the past, more layered with back-and-forth banter, and far more involved. Interactions have ranged from basic informational queries, such as for the weather and restaurant info, to nonsensical meme-fodder,' she said. 'For kicks, I asked how many rocks I could eat in a day, and Alexa+ helpfully informed me that eating rocks is bad. I also attempted to trick Alexa+ into believing that two plus two equals five, but it would not be swayed.' Rath also notes that there have been considerable improvements in the speaker's ability to pull on previous conversations, a feature that Amazon touted in its announcement of the tech. She goes on to praise the improvements across the board, showing Alexa has improved in its situational awareness and understanding of more complex requests. However, for a lot of people, the growth of a personality will be more annoying than beneficial. Alexa+ was previously, let's be honest, not exactly the smartest of smart assistants. Now, she can sass you and attempt to understand the emotion behind a request. 'My partner asked if Alexa+ could find 'mediocre recipes' for an 'average dinner.' Alexa+ picked up on his sarcasm and sassed him back, using phrases like 'recipes that are the beige wallpaper of the food world,' Rath said. 'In the moment we laughed, but as I've sat with the experience, I've come to find it increasingly unsettling.' One positive review and one negative, so what's up next? Our sister site TechRadar has spent a week with the device and has mixed opinions. 'It's far more conversational, willing to endlessly chat in its default, more natural, dulcet tones. It's jokey but full of useful information, and probably remembers more of what you tell it about yourself than your best friend,' Lance Ulanoff, TechRadar's Editor at Large, wrote. However, like many of the other reviews of Alexa+, the article goes on to point out that this is early days and that Alexa+ still has a long way to go before it is here in its official form. In his week using the device, Ulanoff used the improved version of Alexa to play generative games, analyse his smart home, and get smarter analysis of the news. Across the seven days, his review is essentially that this is a mixed yet very promising offer from Alexa — a hopeful take for those excited for what is to come. The Amazon Echo community on Reddit was quick to jump on this one, diving into conversations on the experience of Alexa+. 'I have Prime and upgraded. To be honest, I'm very unhappy with it. The conversation is great, it's much more natural and I can carry on without waking it again. However, many of the functions the old Alexa had are gone now,' said one user, beckerj99. To be honest, I'm very unhappy with it. The conversation is great, it's much more natural and I can carry on without waking it again. However, many of the functions the old Alexa had are gone now 'I used to be able to tell my Alexa to turn on the fan for 2 hours, and it would. Now it doesn't understand that. I had to make a routine to turn on my fan for 2 hours. Also, it doesn't seem to understand how to shuffle my playlists. I ask it to shuffle ,and it just plays from the beginning, no matter how many times I ask it.' Other users joined in with the criticism. With another user describing her voice as 'super creepy to me,' and that they are using it less and less. In fact, of the Reddit users on this thread, very few were positive about the experience that they had since upgrading. So, it's a bit of a cloudy picture right now. Sure, Alexa+ is delivering on some of its promises. It is more conversational and seems to work more efficiently than its predecessor. However, there is still a long way to go until it is a fully functioning system. In fact, based on the opinions of those on Reddit and The Street, it could just be a flop, even with more time. Hopefully with more time in development, this can become everything Amazon originally promised and more.
7NEWS
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- 7NEWS
The Amazon Echo Show 8 is under $130 and Aussies are calling it their ‘favourite family assistant ever'
It's time to turn your house into a smart home. Amazon's Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) is currently 44 per cent off, down from $229 to just $129, and honestly, it might just be the hardest-working (and most entertaining) device you'll ever own. This clever 8-inch smart display is like having your own personal assistant, newsreader, DJ, chef, home security guard and children's entertainer in one sleek touchscreen device. And yes, you can even ask it to play fart noises with new command that is sure to send the kids into fits of laughter. Here's what makes it such a winner: One-tap access to everything: Check your calendar, to-do list, traffic updates, weather, or news headlines all in one glance. Works like a dream with Alexa: Control smart light bulbs, security cameras and more using just your voice. Built-in camera for video calls: With auto-framing that keeps you centred, you'll always look your best (even on those Sunday catch-ups with Mum). Entertainment hub: Stream movies, shows and music from Netflix, Prime Video, Spotify and Apple Music. Photo frame feature: Display your favourite snaps in style with adaptive colour and Amazon Photos integration. But where the Echo Show 8 really shines is in its family-friendly extras. New research from Amazon Alexa found nearly half of Aussie parents, 47 per cent, feel like they've forgotten how to be silly under the weight of adulting. Which is exactly why Alexa's Let's Get Silly mode was created, you only need to say one thing – ' Alexa, Let's Get Silly '. From dance parties and sound quizzes to silly impressions and a new Silly Farts feature, this smart screen brings genuine laughs and bonding moments for the whole family. Parental controls mean it's totally safe for kids, too, with filtered content and no sneaky purchases allowed. So whether you're catching up on the news, calling Gran, , Echo Show 8 has the whole family covered.
Engadget
17-05-2025
- Engadget
Amazon rolls out Alexa+ to more Early Access users
Access to Amazon's new AI-enhanced voice assistant, Alexa+, is expanding. The company has started notifying users who signed up for the Early Access program that they can now activate Alexa+. It's been a few months since Amazon first demoed the smarter version of Alexa, saying at the time that it would begin rolling out to the first batch of users in March before coming to more people in waves over the subsequent months, prioritizing Echo Show 8, 10, 15, and 21 owners. According to an Amazon spokesperson, "hundreds of thousands" of customers have tried out Alexa+ so far. For those who got Alexa+ in the initial Early Access phase, though, the assistant arrived without many of the features the company touted during its February announcement. The Washington Post , citing internal company documents, reported that this is because those tools didn't "yet meet Amazon's standards for public release." In a footnote on its Early Access signup page, Amazon notes that some of the features shown are still in development. Per Amazon's email on Friday to the latest wave of users, you'll only need to activate and set up Alexa + on one device. From there, any other compatible devices you own will automatically be upgraded. Alexa+ is said to be more conversational and capable of handling more complex tasks than the original assistant.
The Independent
25-03-2025
- Business
- The Independent
The Amazon Fire TV stick HD is down to its lowest-ever price in the Spring Sale
Amazon has launched its annual Spring Deal Days sale, a week-long shopping event bringing big savings to everything from air fryers and robot vacuum cleaners to laptops, televisions, smartphones and home security devices. I've spotted one pretty impressive deal in the sale. Right now the Amazon Fire TV Stick HD has 38 per cent off, bringing the price of the no-fuss streaming dongle down to just £24.99. You'll find plenty of deals on many of Amazon 's most popular own-brand products in the rest of the sale, like the Ring battery video doorbell (was £99.99, now £59.99, The Echo Show 8 (was £149.99, now £104.99, and Kindle Paperwhite (was £42.99, now £38.99, have been discounted too. The Amazon Spring Deal Days sale runs from now until 31 March and features thousands of deals on products across most categories. Some discounts will hang around for the duration of the event, while some will only be available while stock lasts, so be sure to check IndyBest for the latest deals as they drop. Whether your TV doesn't have smarts or the interface is a little slow and clunky, you can add or upgrade its capabilities cheaply with the Amazon Fire TV stick HD. The dongle and remote control let you access entertainment from all of the most popular streaming services – including Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video and Apple TV+ – as well as watch live TV, listen to music and control your smart home with voice commands. More affordable than Roku's excellent streaming stick 4K (£44.99, this version of the Amazon Fire TV stick only outputs at 1080p rather than full 4K, which is perfect if your TV is a little older or if your streaming subscription is only providing full HD video.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Amazon unveils Alexa+, a smarter, more personalized assistant
Fox News and its syndication partners may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom. Amazon is taking Alexa to the next level with the help of AI. Amazon just announced Alexa+, an updated assistant powered by generative AI. The idea is to make Alexa more human, so she can help you control all your devices and get more done. The U.S. Alexa+ launch is set to happen over the next few weeks, and will start with the Echo Show 8, 10, 15, and 21 devices. The new Alexa+ acts more like a human personal assistant. It can have more in-depth conversations, understand colloquial expressions and think through complex ideas. Other features include the ability to make reservations, explore new music and search for and buy virtually any item online. When launched, customers can access Alexa+ in a new mobile app, available on the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. Amazon is also launching a new browser-based option at Owners of Echo devices can start conversations with Alexa+ and seamlessly switch between their car and computers. The newest Alexa edition will be able to pick up conversations right where you left off. The list of devices and apps Alexa+ will work with is long. Users will be able to control their smart home devices like smart lights from Philips Hue or robot vacuums from Roborock. Alexa+ can also control and help you explore music on Amazon Music and other music streaming services. Alexa+ users can take their home security to the next level and connect it to their Ring cameras and Ring doorbell. The new, improved Alexa will warn you if someone is approaching your house. Read On The Fox News App Amazon explained in the official announcement that the new personalized features will appeal to a variety of people, including home chefs. For starters, users will be able to order from Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market by just asking Alexa. Users can even get more personal and tell Alexa+ family recipes and dietary preferences, so Alexa+ can help with the shopping list, recipe creation and finding the right restaurant. Alexa+ costs $19.99 per month for non-Prime members. All Amazon Prime members will get Alexa+ for free with their membership. Amazon has a huge range of products that will all likely connect to Alexa+. Create your own personalized smart home with these other Amazon products. An Amazon Fire Tablet is a high-performing tablet that gives you all the apps you need at your fingertips. Watch shows, stream music, get work done and much more. The tablet has Alexa built in, so you can ask questions and ask Alexa to help you with tasks. 11 Products You Can Find On Amazon That Will Help You Read More Your music will sound like it's coming from a concert speaker when you use the Amazon Echo Studio. It has five built-in speakers that produce a powerful bass and clear, crisp music. Just ask Echo Studio to play music from any of your favorite streaming apps, including Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, Pandora, Tidal and more. Amazon Echo Studio adapts to all the rooms in your house. It automatically senses the acoustics of the room and fine-tunes its sound, giving you the most immersive experience. Original price: $369.99 An Amazon Fire TV gives 43-inches of clear, 4K media. Since it's an Amazon TV, Alexa comes built in. You can ask Alexa to find, launch and control your content. You can also ask Alexa to check the weather, tell you sports scores and more. Control all your Amazon entertainment devices with an Amazon Fire TV Cube. You can connect and navigate between all your entertainment, including your TV, game console or webcam. The hands-free Alexa allows you to control the box, and your other Amazon devices, with just your voice. For more Deals, visit Built just for reading, the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite is an ultra-thin Kindle without the apps and distracting apps. The Paperwhite is Amazon's fastest Kindle yet, and the display has a higher contrast than previous article source: Amazon unveils Alexa+, a smarter, more personalized assistant
