Amazon bringing Echo to the UK and Germany this fall, white model coming to the US

September 14, 2016, 5:41 am

≫ Next: Amazon announces cheaper and better $49.99 Echo Dot, will issue $10 Alexa Shopping credits to first-gen owners who order

≪ Previous: Amazon announces new Fire HD 8 tablet with Alexa integration

Echo! Echo! Echo! This sound reverberated around the UK and Germany (sorry, Germans, I'm unsure what 'echo' is in German) as Amazon announced it would be releasing its Echo speaker in the two countries this fall, along with a new white model that will also be coming to the US.

For the UK release, Alexa has some new skills, partnering with world-renowned cook and school dinner ruiner Jamie Oliver, Sky Sports, National Rail, The Telegraph, The Guardian, the BBC, Uber, and Spotify.

Amazon bringing Echo to the UK and Germany this fall, white model coming to the US was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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Amazon announces cheaper and better $49.99 Echo Dot, will issue $10 Alexa Shopping credits to first-gen owners who order

September 14, 2016, 6:40 am

≫ Next: Control4 smart home tech now works with Amazon Alexa voice control

≪ Previous: Amazon bringing Echo to the UK and Germany this fall, white model coming to the US

Update 1: 2016/09/14 10:48am PDT
Amazon has sent out an email to first-gen Echo Dot owners offering $10 worth of Alexa Shopping credit, but only if they purchase using Alexa Shopping. And no, you can't

Amazon's Echo has been a surprising hit product for smart home integration and its Alexa feature-rich Assistant has definitely grown since its introduction to become more capable and more interesting. Today, along with the announcement that the Echo is coming to the UK and Germany and is now available in white, Amazon has unveiled a new Echo Dot, the tiny puck version of the Echo.

Amazon announces cheaper and better $49.99 Echo Dot, will issue $10 Alexa Shopping credits to first-gen owners who order was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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Control4 smart home tech now works with Amazon Alexa voice control

September 15, 2016, 9:57 am

≫ Next: Variety: Google wants OEMs to turn Cast devices into Google Home devices, with major exclusivity caveat

≪ Previous: Amazon announces cheaper and better $49.99 Echo Dot, will issue $10 Alexa Shopping credits to first-gen owners who order

The smart home revolution doesn't seem to be coming as quickly as some had hoped, but whenever it does break out, Amazon intends to be on the ground floor. To that end, the latest addition to Alexa's growing list of voice control connections is Control4, a semi-proprietary collection of home automation tools. The company announced a new Alexa skill that works with the Echo, Echo Dot, Amazon Tap, and any other device that can connect to the voice service.

Control4 smart home tech now works with Amazon Alexa voice control was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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Variety: Google wants OEMs to turn Cast devices into Google Home devices, with major exclusivity caveat

September 30, 2016, 11:18 am

≫ Next: Alexa now supports scenes for Smart Home Skills

≪ Previous: Control4 smart home tech now works with Amazon Alexa voice control

A week ago, a Chromecast Preview Firmware changed all references of the companion Google Cast app to Google Home. The reasoning for that change seemed simple at the time: presumably you would control Google Home and your Chromecasts from the same app. But a recent report from Variety sheds light on Google Cast's role in Google's smart home ecosystem.

It's no secret that adoption of Google Cast in WiFi speakers has grown exponentially.

Variety: Google wants OEMs to turn Cast devices into Google Home devices, with major exclusivity caveat was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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Alexa now supports scenes for Smart Home Skills

September 30, 2016, 5:58 pm

≫ Next: You can now control your Blink security cameras with Amazon Alexa

≪ Previous: Variety: Google wants OEMs to turn Cast devices into Google Home devices, with major exclusivity caveat

Amazon took to its developer blog today to announce that Alexa, its very successful smart home speaker, will be supporting scenes. These will allow users to speak simple commands to set predefined conditions on various connected devices. Prior to this announcement, interaction with them was limited to specific manufacturer apps.

Scenes contrast from the already present groups feature, even though both allow control over multiple devices via one command. The difference is that scenes can set anything configured in them to a desired state, whereas groups only permit on/off statuses.

Alexa now supports scenes for Smart Home Skills was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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You can now control your Blink security cameras with Amazon Alexa

October 5, 2016, 6:58 am

≫ Next: [Deal Alert] Amazon Alexa-powered Triby portable speaker only $99.99 on Amazon (50% off)

≪ Previous: Alexa now supports scenes for Smart Home Skills

Lately I've been looking at security cameras for homes and small businesses. Among the different options, Blink makes a very compelling proposal. Forget about wires and always-on connectivity, forget about monthly plans and limited server storage, the system works wire-free, hassle-free, and well, completely free after the hardware purchase. You just need to put in 2 AA batteries and they'll last up to 2 years, getting triggered only when motion is detected and uploading 5-10sec clips to the cloud.

You can now control your Blink security cameras with Amazon Alexa was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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[Deal Alert] Amazon Alexa-powered Triby portable speaker only $99.99 on Amazon (50% off)

October 6, 2016, 8:23 am

≫ Next: Amazon introduces Music Unlimited at $9.99/month with lower prices for Prime subscribers or Echo owners

≪ Previous: You can now control your Blink security cameras with Amazon Alexa

Tell me your thoughts on the Amazon Echo. Do you like the product but don't buy into the Amazon ecosystem? Are you into the concept but don't want a black plastic cylinder taking up shelf space in your home? In case of the former, you might want to wait for Google Home. But if you're feeling the latter, then maybe you should check out the Triby portable speaker that comes with Alexa built-in.

[Deal Alert] Amazon Alexa-powered Triby portable speaker only $99.99 on Amazon (50% off) was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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Amazon introduces Music Unlimited at $9.99/month with lower prices for Prime subscribers or Echo owners

October 12, 2016, 4:41 am

≫ Next: FABRIQ, an Amazon Alexa-enabled wireless speaker, goes on sale for just $50

≪ Previous: [Deal Alert] Amazon Alexa-powered Triby portable speaker only $99.99 on Amazon (50% off)

Confused about all the paid Amazon subscriptions? Well, join the club. The way I understand it, there's Amazon Prime that gives you plenty of perks and its little brother, Prime Video, that only lets you access movies and TV series. But you can also get more reading and audiobook material through Kindle Unlimited and now you'll be able to add Music Unlimited to the list.

Whereas Amazon Prime members already had access to Prime Music with a selection of more than 2 million songs, Music Unlimited opens up the catalogue to tens of millions of songs and curated playlists.

Amazon introduces Music Unlimited at $9.99/month with lower prices for Prime subscribers or Echo owners was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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FABRIQ, an Amazon Alexa-enabled wireless speaker, goes on sale for just $50

October 19, 2016, 7:11 pm

≫ Next: [Deal Alert] Get an extra $5 Amazon gift card when you buy Alexa-exclusive deals

≪ Previous: Amazon introduces Music Unlimited at $9.99/month with lower prices for Prime subscribers or Echo owners

Amazon's Alexa voice control assistant is undeniably slick, but the initially limited availability and high price of the flagship Echo device kept it out of the hands of a lot of people. New Alexa-powered gadgets like the Echo Dot and Amazon Tap have lowered the barrier to entry, but the real opportunity is in devices that license Alexa for use on other hardware. Such is the case with FABRIQ, an inexpensive wireless speaker that works with Alexa out of the box.

FABRIQ, an Amazon Alexa-enabled wireless speaker, goes on sale for just $50 was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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[Deal Alert] Get an extra $5 Amazon gift card when you buy Alexa-exclusive deals

November 1, 2016, 6:34 pm

≫ Next: Talking out of your bass: Madman mods Big Mouth Billy Bass to speak using Alexa API (video)

≪ Previous: FABRIQ, an Amazon Alexa-enabled wireless speaker, goes on sale for just $50

Do you have an Alexa-enabled device sitting around the house? You might have a new reason to talk to it (and maybe not toss it out when Google Home arrives). Amazon is promoting its Alexa deals by tossing an extra $5 gift card at you. The deals themselves are pretty good too.

You can find out what deals are available by asking your Echo (or other Alexa device) "What are your deals?" You can also just go to this web page and see the full list.

[Deal Alert] Get an extra $5 Amazon gift card when you buy Alexa-exclusive deals was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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Talking out of your bass: Madman mods Big Mouth Billy Bass to speak using Alexa API (video)

November 4, 2016, 1:29 pm

≫ Next: [Deal Alert] The Amazon Echo is on sale for $140 ($40 off)

≪ Previous: [Deal Alert] Get an extra $5 Amazon gift card when you buy Alexa-exclusive deals

When I was but a sarcastic teenager full of ~~promise~~ snide commentary (no, I really haven't grown up), I would spend a week or two at my grandmother's house every summer when school was out. One thing that 13-year-old-me found endlessly fascinating yet profoundly annoying was her Big Mouth Billy Bass, which I can only assume was purchased via QVC. Her Big Mouth Billy Bass never went on to be more than a wall fixture, though, unlike one Brian Kane's, who has suffered a fate that is both awesome and slightly terrifying.

Talking out of your bass: Madman mods Big Mouth Billy Bass to speak using Alexa API (video) was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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[Deal Alert] The Amazon Echo is on sale for $140 ($40 off)

November 7, 2016, 11:02 am

≫ Next: [Deal Alert] Certified refurbished Amazon Echo $120 on Amazon ($51 off)

≪ Previous: Talking out of your bass: Madman mods Big Mouth Billy Bass to speak using Alexa API (video)

In light of the recent release of Google Home, it should come as a surprise to no one that former king (or queen) of connected speakers, the Amazon Echo, would start seeing more deals. Well, here it is. The Echo is $140 on Amazon today in both colors, which is a savings of $40.

We all know what the Echo can do. It was Amazon's first foray into home automation, giving users a friendly vocal interface (Alexa) with which to interact.

[Deal Alert] The Amazon Echo is on sale for $140 ($40 off) was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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[Deal Alert] Certified refurbished Amazon Echo $120 on Amazon ($51 off)

November 9, 2016, 2:06 am

≫ Next: [Update: Now in the UK] Amazon introduces Music Unlimited at $9.99/month with lower prices for Prime subscribers or Echo owners

≪ Previous: [Deal Alert] The Amazon Echo is on sale for $140 ($40 off)

It seems like ever since the Google Home launched, we can't have enough of these Amazon Echo deals. Maybe it's related, but maybe it's just the fact that the Echo is about 2 years old now, or that the new Echo Dot is super cheap and causing internal competition in the line-up. Regardless of the reason, we love it when prices drop so we can get the same gadgets for less — or more gadgets for the same budget, because let's face it, the bucks we save here will be spent on other gear.

[Deal Alert] Certified refurbished Amazon Echo $120 on Amazon ($51 off) was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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[Update: Now in the UK] Amazon introduces Music Unlimited at $9.99/month with lower prices for Prime subscribers or Echo owners

November 14, 2016, 5:30 am

≫ Next: Amazon Echo Dot 2nd gen review: A delightful and cheap way to get started with voice assistants

≪ Previous: [Deal Alert] Certified refurbished Amazon Echo $120 on Amazon ($51 off)

Update 1: 2016/11/14 5:40am PST
It didn't take long for Music Unlimited to reach the UK. It's now available to Amazon users across the pond in the same plan structure: £9.99/month for non Prime users, £7.99/month (£79/year)

[Update: Now in the UK] Amazon introduces Music Unlimited at $9.99/month with lower prices for Prime subscribers or Echo owners was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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Amazon Echo Dot 2nd gen review: A delightful and cheap way to get started with voice assistants

November 23, 2016, 5:23 am

≫ Next: Amazon is reportedly developing a premium Alexa speaker with a 7-inch touchscreen

≪ Previous: [Update: Now in the UK] Amazon introduces Music Unlimited at $9.99/month with lower prices for Prime subscribers or Echo owners

Amazon's Echo success took me a little by surprise. It seemed like we went overnight from questioning the idea of a voice assistant in a speaker to almost everyone owning an Echo and companies rushing to add Alexa support for their services and products. Part of what seemed like a quick success is due to the Echo Dot, the smaller cheaper version that you can sprinkle around the house in places where you don't care about excellent sound quality.

Amazon Echo Dot 2nd gen review: A delightful and cheap way to get started with voice assistants was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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Amazon is reportedly developing a premium Alexa speaker with a 7-inch touchscreen

November 29, 2016, 5:13 pm

≫ Next: Amazon Echo and Google Home hilariously converse in a theoretically infinite loop (video)

≪ Previous: Amazon Echo Dot 2nd gen review: A delightful and cheap way to get started with voice assistants

Amazon first introduced its Alexa voice assistant alongside the Echo speaker around two years ago. Though the Echo line of products has proved to be exceedingly popular, the audio that even the flagship model produces still leaves something to be desired. If you like the idea of Alexa but have been holding off on buying an Echo because of the lackluster sound quality, Amazon has something in the works that may appeal to you - a touchscreen-equipped Alexa device with premium sound.

Amazon is reportedly developing a premium Alexa speaker with a 7-inch touchscreen was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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Amazon Echo and Google Home hilariously converse in a theoretically infinite loop (video)

November 29, 2016, 11:51 pm

≫ Next: [Deal Alert] Nucleus Anywhere Intercom two-pack is $298 ($100 off) with Alexa

≪ Previous: Amazon is reportedly developing a premium Alexa speaker with a 7-inch touchscreen

You've probably asked Google Now, Siri, or Cortana to tell you a joke or to direct you to a destination, but this video takes the idea of conferring with voice assistants to another level - not necessarily a higher level, mind you, but at the very least, a funnier one.

In this silly video by Amazon Echo Dot and Google Home owner Adam Jakowenko, the two voice-activated speakers continuously respond to each other by including the other's activation phrase ("Hey, Google" and "Alexa") in a pre-set calendar event.

Amazon Echo and Google Home hilariously converse in a theoretically infinite loop (video) was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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[Deal Alert] Nucleus Anywhere Intercom two-pack is $298 ($100 off) with Alexa

December 3, 2016, 9:42 am

≫ Next: Wink Hub 2 review: Powerful home automation made approachable and fun

≪ Previous: Amazon Echo and Google Home hilariously converse in a theoretically infinite loop (video)

The Nucleus Anywhere Intercom is one of many modern takes on the classic intercom. Instead of wiring microphones and speakers through your walls, the Nucleus Anywhere uses your home's Wi-Fi network to connect all the rooms in your house to each other. Now you can get a two-pack for just $298 ($100 off the normal price) if you order it through Alexa.

Each of these nifty devices comes with the Alexa personal assistant (if you're in the US) and simple video/audio chat functionality.

[Deal Alert] Nucleus Anywhere Intercom two-pack is $298 ($100 off) with Alexa was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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Wink Hub 2 review: Powerful home automation made approachable and fun

December 11, 2016, 2:04 am

≫ Next: Onvocal's OV headphones have Amazon Alexa built-in, coming in January for $399

≪ Previous: [Deal Alert] Nucleus Anywhere Intercom two-pack is $298 ($100 off) with Alexa

I bought an apartment in October. You can imagine the joy at the thought that it'd be my future family's home, terror at the sight of the mortgage value on the signed contract, and all the excitement about getting to set up a house from scratch. I could pick everything that I loved from design to materials to colors to organization, and yes, also automation.

I wanted lights that turn on when the doors open, A/C units that cool the place when I'm coming home and the outside heat is too much to bear, cameras that catch intruders the moment they are detected, a washing machine that notifies me when the load is done, colored lights that coordinate with whatever I'm watching on TV, blinds that open and close with the sunset and sunrise, and much more.

Wink Hub 2 review: Powerful home automation made approachable and fun was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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Onvocal's OV headphones have Amazon Alexa built-in, coming in January for $399

December 14, 2016, 11:43 am

≫ Next: Amazon's Alexa has a dirty mind [Video]

≪ Previous: Wink Hub 2 review: Powerful home automation made approachable and fun

Amazon's Alexa voice control platform continues worming its way into more products today with the Onvocal OV Bluetooth headphones. The OV is like any other Bluetooth device in that it can communicate with the voice assistant built-into your phone, but there will be an app for OV that adds one-touch access to Alexa as well. That ability doesn't come cheap, though.

While Google's voice commands are more impressive in a myriad of ways, Amazon has been pushing Alexa on developers for longer.

Onvocal's OV headphones have Amazon Alexa built-in, coming in January for $399 was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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