ExperienceCenter
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Amazon's Experience Centers let you try out Alexa in a home setting
Amazon announced today that it has opened a number of Experience Centers across the US. In eight cities, those interested in getting a hands-on look at how Alexa works and what a smart home has to offer can visit select Lennar model homes that are fully equipped with Alexa-enabled smart devices. "We wanted customers to experience a real home environment that showcases the convenience of the Alexa smart home experience, great entertainment available with Prime and Home Services," Nish Lathia, general manager of Amazon Services, said in a statement.
Googleplex expansion plans hint at Project X lab, wireless testing facilities
Google's eyeing up some vacant space at the end of its lawn to throw $120 million at a Grand Designs-style extension to its Mountain View campus. Residents will soon see the @Home lab, purportedly to test fully formed consumer devices and whatever secret home entertainment / wireless communications gear we've heard rumblings about. The new development will enable Project X (the interesting one with the James Bond-gizmos, not the lecture series website) to move into a meatier facility where they can perfect projects like Majel and the self-driving car. The most notable development (according to business-types, anyway) is the "Experience Center," a 120,000 square foot private museum / demonstration space for Google to schmooze its most important clients in style (wait, aren't we the most important clients?). VIPs will be invited to play with the newest toys the company can produce before gorging themselves on canapés, or something. Californians wandering past 1600 Shoreline Blvd down the road from the Googleplex, might also notice a new building that's not covered in official branding -- because it's going to be a new wireless testing facility that's being shielded from external signals. At least, that's where we'll be pitching a tent with a couple of long lenses when it opens for business.
