Smart home
Amazon Alexa Is Finally Getting Generative AI
Here’s a roundup of all the major announcements Amazon made at its fall hardware launch event on Wednesday:
All-new Echo Show 8 smart display launched
Amazon kicked off its fall event by announcing the all-new Echo Show 8. The new smart display features spatial audio support and smart home hub functionality. Echo Show 8 can also ‘sense’ acoustics in a room, and adjust the sound output accordingly. It features a new proximity sensor, a front-facing camera at the top with a physical switch to turn off its microphone. The all-new Echo Show 8 is available for pre-orders in the US starting today, priced at $149.
Amazon Alexa gets generative AI capabilities
Amazon Alexa is finally getting generative AI. The company’s generative AI models will be available across all Echo-enabled devices, including the first-generation Echo smart speakers. Amazon says its generative AI model is designed and optimised for voice, and focuses on offering real-time information besides letting consumers control their smart home products more efficiently.
Alexa’s generative AI model will offer a much deeper conversational experience. Amazon will open up its API to allow third-party developers to add their own LLMs to Alexa. The AI model will enable Alexa to offer personal reminders based on user interactions. For example, Alexa will be able to recommend recipes based on your grocery purchases.
Amazon’s outgoing SVP of devices and services division, Dave Lim said that Alexa will now be able to understand conversations and reply back with proper context. Alexa will also be able to respond to multiple requests from one command.
Customers in the United States will get access to these new generative AI features on Alexa via a free preview soon. Amazon hasn’t announced when Echo users in other countries will be able to access these features.
New Fire TV Stick models, Fire TV Soundbar launched
Amazon also announced the launch of its next-generation Fire TV Stick 4K, Fire TV Stick 4K Max, and a new Fire TV Soundbar. The new Fire TV Stick models are powered by upgraded processors, and promise faster performance compared to previous generation models. Fire TV Stick 4K comes with support for Dolby Vision, Wi-Fi 6, HDR10 and HDR 10 Plus. Fire TV Stick 4K Max, which is just $10 more expensive than the standard 4K stick, offers twice the amount of storage (16GB) and Wi-Fi 6E support.
Fire TV Stick 4K Max is Amazon’s first streaming media player to support the Fire TV Ambient Experience. The feature was earlier limited to customers using Fire TV Omni QLED series TV models. Fire TV Stick 4K is priced at $49.99 and Fire TV Stick 4K Max ($59.99).
Fire TV Soundbar launched
Amazon also announced its new Fire TV Soundbar alongside new Fire TV updates. The new model comes in a compact 24-inch design, and is compatible with all existing Fire TV devices. It also supports Bluetooth connectivity, allowing customers to pair their devices when they’re not streaming content on the TV. The new Fire TV Soundbar is priced at $119.99 in the US.
An upgraded Fire TV experience powered by generative AI
Just like Alexa, Fire TV is also getting generative AI. The new Fire TV experience promises to improve search and recommendations by combining Fire TV’s extensive library with generative AI. Amazon says the new Fire TV experience will make it easier for customers to discover new content in a more conversational way. Customers will be able to ask Alexa to find content based on specific keywords such as actors, specific scenes, genres, etc.
All-new Amazon Echo Frames launched
At its fall event, Amazon announced a new version of its Echo Frames audio glasses. The next-generation Echo Frames now offer up to six hours of battery life. Amazon says you can now pair and switch frames between two devices. Priced starting at $269.99, Amazon’s new Echo Frames audio glass come in five new styles, including prescription-ready and blue light lens.
The new Echo Frames promise a much better audio quality with the new custom-built speakers that can deliver more bass while minimizing outside noise compared to their predecessors. The glasses look much more natural, and are designed to offer a complete hands-free experience.
Amazon Echo Hub smart home control panel announced
Amazon launched its all-new Echo Hub at its fall devices event today. The Echo Hub is the company’s first smart home controller that looks more like a simple touchscreen tablet than a smart display. It can be used to control your smart home experiences. The 8-inch tablet-like device runs the same operating system as the new Echo Show 5. However, it doesn’t come with a camera.
Echo Hub offers a customisable smart home dashboard that lets customers manage their smart home devices using a simple-to-use interface. Echo Hub uses infrared to detect when a customer is nearby, and automatically switches to the Home Screen. When the user is away, it can switch back to a default setting such as a clock. Echo Hub is priced at $179.99 in the US.
JioTag Go Price in India, Availability
JioTag Go price is set in India at Rs. 1,499. It is available for purchase in the country via Amazon, JioMart e-store, as well as Reliance Digital and My Jio stores. The tracker is offered in black, orange, white, and yellow colour options.
JioTag Go Features
The JioTag Go is a Bluetooth tracker which is compatible with Google’s Find My Device feature. The tracker connects with the Find My Device application on Android smartphones, which users can access through the Play Store. People can use this to track their belongings worldwide, the company said.
It can be attached to keys, purses, luggage, gadgets, bikes, and more and then be used to locate the items if lost. When within Bluetooth range, users can tap the ‘Play Sound’ option on the Find My Device app, and the concerned JioTag Go will make a beeping noise, which should easily help locate the lost item.
Outside the Bluetooth range, the last location of the tracker can be detected by Google’s Find My Device network. On the app, users can follow the map that appears with the ‘Get Directions’ option, to this location. Once in range, the JioTag Go will automatically connect to the user’s phone and they can use the ‘Play Sound’ feature to find the tracker.
The latest tracker from Reliance Jio is compatible with smartphones running Android 9 and above. It does not connect to iPhones. Notably, the JioTag Air is compatible with iPhone models running iOS 14 or later, as well as Android smartphones on Android 9 and later.
JioTag Go does not require a SIM card to function. It supports Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity and is backed by a CR2032 battery, one of which is said to last up to a year. The Amazon listing reveals that the tracker measures 38.2 x 38.2 x 7.2mm in size and weighs 9g.
Apple AirTag 2 New Ultrawide-Band Chip
The anticipated AirTag 2 will carry a new ultrawide-band chip instead of the one used in the current version of the tracker, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said in his Power On newsletter Sunday. This new chip is said to be “on par with the one introduced in the iPhone 15.”
Gurman claimed that the new ultrawide-band chip is expected to increase the Precision Finding range considerably in the second generation of AirTag. This is said to make it easier to track and find items. Currently, depending on certain conditions an item with an attached AirTag can be located from 10 to 30 meters away. With the rumoured new UB chip, that range is expected to triple, Gurman said.
Apple AirTag 2 Launch Timeline
Previous reports have suggested that Apple could launch the AirTag 2 around the “middle of next year,” that is roughly June-July 2025. The purported smart tracker is said to carry the codename B589. It is expected to sport a similar design as the existing variant but get upgraded privacy features.
Since the launch of the first generation AirTag, it has been misused for stalking. Apple is expected to make privacy-focussed changes for the AirTag 2 “to make the new model more tamper-proof.” The company will reportedly launch a new smart home display alongside the second-generation AirTag.
For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who’sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.
New Apple HomePod Display
A report by SE Daily claims that the third-generation HomePod from Apple will likely sport a 6-inch to 7-inch OLED display. The Cupertino-based tech giant will use OLED panels by Tianma. An earlier leak had claimed that the upcoming HomePod model will get a 7-inch panel from Tianma.
The older had leak claimed that Tianma would likely provide display panels for Apple’s iPad models in the coming years. Tianma is an electronic technology company which is popular for manufacturing displays for Android smartphones.
Previous reports suggested that an upcoming HomePod speaker unit could be powered by an A18 chipset and have support for Apple Intelligence. It has been tipped to carry a square display instead of a rectangular one, which is primarily seen in tablets.
The HomePod is expected to be equipped with a customisable lock screen with multiple clock faces. It may have an in-built camera to support video conferencing apps like FaceTime. The camera may be able to recognise hand gestures, that could be used to control the smart speaker.
Initial reports claimed that the third generation of Apple’s HomePod could be unveiled in the first half of 2025. A recent report suggests that the production of the speaker may not begin until the third quarter of 2025. This delay is reportedly a result of the company continuing to work on the software for the smart speaker. It may launch by the end of 2025.
For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who’sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.
-
Solar Energy3 years agoDLR testing the use of molten salt in a solar power plant in Portugal
-
Camera1 year agoDJI Air 3 vs. Mini 4 Pro: which compact drone is best?
-
world news1 year ago
Gulf, France aid Gaza, Russia evacuates citizens
-
Camera1 year agoSony a9 III: what you need to know
-
world news1 year ago
Strong majority of Americans support Israel-Hamas hostage deal
-
Camera4 years agoCharles ‘Chuck’ Geschke, co-founder of Adobe and inventor of the PDF, dies at 81
-
Solar Energy1 year agoGlencore eyes options on battery recycling project
-
Indian Defense3 years ago
Israeli Radar Company Signs MoU To Cooperate With India’s Alpha Design Technologies
