Amazon’s Fire OS, which runs on all of its Fire tablets and Fire streaming sticks/boxes, is finally getting an upgrade to 7.1.2 Nougat. While this forked version of Android is a pretty big step up from Fire OS 5 (which is based on Lollipop or Marshmallow depending on the device), unfortunately, version 6 won’t be rolling out to many devices…
Earlier today we received a pair of juicy tips via email that we couldn’t yet verify, and they mentioned a potentially important forthcoming Google product that we’d only heard whispers about once before: a competitor to the Amazon Echo Show.
Now, thanks to TechCrunch’s apparent quick corroboration, we know that this information likely paints an accurate picture of Google’s plans for such a device. Apparently Google has an Echo Show competitor in the works with a 7-inch display and support for lots of its own services.
As we approach the holiday season, we expect to hear about new products that will hit the market in time for buyers to snatch them for themselves or loved ones. Before today, we knew for sure that Google had plans to introduce the Home Mini at next week’s event. What we didn’t expect was for Amazon to announced an entire line of new Echo products. And on top of that, we exclusively reported that Google had plans to introduce a premium Home called the ‘Max’ (although we don’t know if that’s coming before the end of the year).
This holiday season, do you plan to buy any new Google Home or Amazon Echo products?
Back in May, Amazon announced the Echo Show, a new version of the company’s virtual assistant speaker with a built-in screen. Since its release, when users asked to watch cooking and music videos, it pulled them from YouTube. All of that changed today as Google has now removed YouTube support from the Echo Show…
In 2014, Google Glass founder and former head Babak Parviz left the X division to join Amazon as it began ramping up on hardware. The online retailer is now reportedly set to launch smart glasses that feature its Alexa assistant and a home security camera system as soon as this year.
Previously, if you wanted to watch content from Amazon Prime on your Android device, you had to jump through several hoops and sideload several APKs. Amazon is changing all of that as it has uploaded its Prime Video app to the Play Store for users from all over the world to download…
At the beginning of last week, Amazon removed Blu smartphones from its website following the finding of a “potential security issue.” However, after a little less than a week since this announcement was made, all appears to be well once again.
Without any type of formal announcement, Amazon is rolling out an update to its mobile application on Android that enables Alexa, the company’s virtual assistant, to be used while shopping…
Over recent months, Amazon has quietly started rolling out a new in-house installation service that aims to offer installation of Alexa products, as well as other devices. The effort is detailed in a new report from Recode, drawing similarities to Best Buy’s Geek Squad installation and repair service…
Amazon’s Prime Exclusive program isn’t a stranger to bringing just-announced smartphones to the market, but it’s not often that we see phones go official for the first time through the program. That, however, is happening today. Amazon has just launched 5 new smartphones for the Prime Exclusive program including the unannounced Alcatel IDOL 5S.
Following the Fire Phone debacle in 2014, Amazon turned to subsidizing phones that were otherwise Android save for pre-installed apps and customizations. A new rumor suggests that Amazon is developing another branded smartphone, but with access to the Play Store.
Amazon has announced its latest addition to the Echo family, the $229 Amazon Echo Show. Adding to its popular range of home virtual assistant devices, the Show combines the usual Amazon Alexa voice commands with a 7-inch touchscreen, displaying information like weather reports and music lyrics in response to your voice queries.
It also features a camera to enable video calls between friends and family. The Echo Show is up for pre-order now, available in white or black models, and is shipping to customers from June 28.
Amazon’s “Android” tablets have never really gained a lot of traction, but it’s not because Amazon didn’t load them up with plenty of useful features. One feature on the company’s tablets that grabbed the attention of parents was FreeTime, and today, Amazon is bringing that to any Android device.
The high-performance far-field microphones found in Amazon Echo products may soon find their way to other hardware companies as Amazon has announced that the technology will be available to those who want to integrate into the Alexa Experience.
If you’re looking to save a bit of cash on a Moto G5 Plus and don’t mind ads on your lockscreen, Amazon has you covered. The mid-range handset is being added to the company’s Prime Exclusive Phones line-up, starting at $184.99 for the 2GB RAM/32GB storage model and rising to $239.99 for 4GB/64GB.
The Moto G5 Plus features a 5.2” Full HD display, fingerprint reader, octa-core processor, 4G LTE speed and compatibility with all major U.S. carriers […] Incredible pricing is supported by personalized offers and ads, including deals and product recommendations, displayed on the phone’s lock screen.
Announced at MWC last month, you get an unlocked phone with a decent spec in a metal design, saving around $45 on the retail price. Alternatively, if you’re just after a budget phone, the company has an option for just $59.99 …
This morning Amazon took the wraps off of a brand new type of convenience store that doesn’t require cashiers. Thanks to machine learning, Amazon plans to open physical stores that allow you to walk in, grab whatever you need, and head on out without ever taking out your wallet…
According to a report today from Bloomberg, Amazon is planning a premium “Echo-like” speaker powered by the company’s voice assistant Alexa. While the company building on its Echo success with a new speaker wouldn’t be surprising by itself, this one has a twist: it’s said to sport a large display…
Navigation by smartphone is easy and convenient, and the Google-owned Waze app is the top pick for many. Now, Amazon is teaming up with Waze to promote its new show, “The Grand Tour” by adding navigation directions voiced by Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May.
Huawei today started selling the MediaPad M3 that it announced back at IFA on Amazon for $299. That’s great, if for some reason the Nexus 6P-lookalike caught your eye earlier this year. What’s also great (and by “great” I mean “terrible”) is that Huawei is also launching a pair of budget tablets today running Android 4.4 KitKat…
Last month we told you that the unlocked variant of the Moto Z went up for pre-order on Amazon in the UK, and now almost a month later, the same is true of the US Amazon store. You can pre-order the “Lunar Grey” model of the 64GB unlocked Moto Z for $699.99, and it’ll be available October 2nd.
Amazon has announced today that its Fire TV and Fire TV Stick media streaming devices will be receiving an over-the-air update that will enable a universal search that can find content on 75 different applications and channels. This means less time searching for a show and more time watching it.
If you’re an Amazon Prime member in the market for a low-cost unlocked Android phone, the company is offering $50 off the full retail price of two models. The budget BLU R1 HD, normally $99.99, is available for $49.99, while the 4th-gen version of the popular Moto G is down from $199.99 to $149.99.
Each phone is offered unlocked, with no commitment to a contract, giving Prime members the flexibility to switch between wireless carriers and service options to best fit their needs. The BLU R1 HD and Moto G feature Android 6.0 Marshmallow with Google Mobile Services, including Google Maps, Gmail, YouTube, and Google Play …
Reuters reports that Amazon is preparing to take on Google, Apple, Spotify and the other music streaming services with a similar, full-fledged competitive subscription music service. That would be a step up from the limited catalog of music it currently offers to subscribers of its Prime shipping service that bundles perks for various Amazon services for a monthly or yearly fee.
If you search Amazon for streaming media players, you’ll find plenty of them. The one thing you won’t find is any Chromecast devices, and company CEO Jeff Bezos told the Re/code conference why not. Chromecast doesn’t currently offer access to Amazon’s own Prime Video platform, and Bezos says that isn’t because Google refuses to include it, but because it wants too much money for doing so.
[W]hen we sell those devices, we want our player — our Prime Video player — to be on the device, and we want it to be on the device with acceptable business terms. You can always get the player on the device. The question is, can you get it on there with acceptable business terms?
While he doesn’t say so outright, the meaning of the vague phrase is pretty clear …
