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Amazon's standalone music streaming service is finally here
Based on a string of rumors that began circulating in January of this year, it was only a matter of time before Amazon rolled out its full-fledged music streaming service. Today is that day. Enter Amazon Music Unlimited, a standalone offering set to rival the likes of Apple Music and Spotify. It is, of course, a complement to Prime Music, the free streaming service for people who are part of Amazon's $99-per-year membership. Naturally, Prime subscribers get the benefit of paying less for Music Unlimited: eight dollars a month compared to $10 for everyone else.
Amazon's rumored Echo streaming music service may be coming soon
Amazon has offered a very basic streaming music service for a few years now, but it looks like the company is nearly ready to significantly revamp its offerings. An Echo-only streaming music option may be coming in the next few weeks, claims a report from The Verge -- and a full-fledged Spotify competitor that isn't tied to the Echo might be available in early 2017. The Echo-only service would cost $5 a month, while the more expensive $10 per month option would work across any device.
Personal assistants are ushering in the age of AI at home
Google Home is the latest embodiment of a virtual assistant. The voice-activated speaker can help you make a dinner reservation, remind you to catch your flight, fire up your favorite playlist and even translate words for you on the fly. While the voice interface is expected to make quotidian tasks easier, it also gives the company unprecedented access to human patterns and preferences that are crucial to the next phase of artificial intelligence. Comparing an AI agent to a personal assistant, as most companies have been doing of late, makes for a powerful metaphor. It is one that is indicative of the human capabilities that most major technology companies want their disembodied helpers to adopt. Over the last couple of years, with improvements in speech-recognition technology, Siri, Cortana and Google Now have slowly learned to move beyond the basics of weather updates to take on more complex responsibilities like managing your calendar or answering your queries. But products that invade our personal spaces -- like Amazon's Echo and Google Home -- point to a larger shift in human-device interaction that is currently underway.
Google Home is rumored to cost $130
Google Home, the latest entrant in the voice-activated-assistant race, will cost $130 and include the colorful base options shown off at the company's I/O conference in May, according to Android Police. Home is Google's answer to the Amazon Echo, though the reported price means it's $50 cheaper than Amazon's flagship device. Earlier this year Amazon unveiled the Echo Dot, a smaller version of the assistant, and the second generation of this little gadget costs $50.
Bloomberg: Apple moving forward with smart speaker to rival Echo
Back in May, reports surfaced that Apple was working on a device that would rival Amazon's Echo speakers. In fact, those rumors indicated that Tim Cook & Co. had been working on the gadget before Amazon announced its speakers with the Alexa virtual assistant on board. Now Bloomberg reports that Apple's upcoming device is moving from the R&D phase and into proper testing. Similar to the Echo line, Apple's smart-home unit will pack in Siri and control connected appliances, lights and more via voice cues.
A closer look at Amazon's new white Echos
At its London event today, Amazon didn't just announce European availability of the Echo, it also dropped a couple of global announcements too. Perhaps the biggest surprise was the existence of a new white Echo and Echo Dot, which will launch in Europe and the US in the coming weeks. In the case of the Dot, it's not just a color refresh: the product itself has been given a new voice chip that is capable of detecting where you are in a room, and it's also getting that rumored price drop.
Amazon to release Echo in the UK with new white models
It took more than two years, but Amazon's connected speaker, the Echo, has finally arrived in Europe. At a launch event in London today, the company confirmed that the standard Echo and the Echo Dot (both in a new white color) will soon go on sale UK and Germany, bringing with them the retailer's clever AI assistant, Alexa -- who now has an English accent. Pre-orders open later today, with a new white variant of the £150/€180 Echo shipping on September 28th, while the £50/$50/€60 Dot will arrive on October 20th. For the next two days, Amazon UK is also knocking £50 off the Echo for Prime customers.
Amazon's Alexa told us Echo is coming to the UK very soon
Normally, us Brits only have to wait a few months at the most to enjoy new products from the world's biggest technology companies. However, when it comes to the Amazon Echo, we've been left on the outside looking in as the company continues upgrade Alexa's capabilities. That may soon change, though, because this morning an invite arrived inviting me to an Amazon event in London on September 14th. It doesn't give anything away, but the AI in question has plenty to say on the subject.
Tado's new thermostat listens to Siri and Alexa
Tado is no doubt celebrating today after its thermostat was selected above all others for O2's new subscription-based smart home offering. That's by no means the only Tado news from this year's IFA, though, as the company today announced its third-generation smart thermostat. Pretty much nothing has changed from a hardware standpoint, with the main improvements being support for both Apple's HomeKit and Amazon's Echo platforms, allowing you to control your heating by talking to Siri or Alexa, respectively. IFTTT integration remains part of the feature set, and the new generation is also said to have improved energy efficiency algorithms.
Amazon could launch an Echo-exclusive music service
Back in June, reports came out that Amazon plans to launch a $10-a-month standalone music service similar to Spotify, Apple Music and other subscription-based options out there. According to Recode, though, the tech titan is also gearing up to introduce a second, cheaper offering that will only cost you $5 a month. The catch? It will only work with the company's Alexa-powered Echo speakers. Other than that, Recode says it's just like your typical paid music service: you can choose what to play, and you won't get interrupted by ads.
How we trained AI to be sexist
You'd never know from Jacqueline Feldman's background that she'd become a passionate proponent of gender equality for artificial intelligence. She went the dreamer's route at college, attending Yale for English literature and writing. She prefers casual dresses and writing from the comfort of her Brooklyn apartment surrounded by books, where she has the option of climbing to the roof for cool air on sweltering nights.
Amazon Alexa deals will make you shout out your shopping list
The folks at Amazon are clearly attempting to entice you into the dangerous world of shopping with voice commands. They're doing Alexa-exclusive deals for customers who shop through the company's Echo, Echo Dot and Tap speakers, starting today until July 12th. The team is also adding more items to the list (including gadgets and smart home products) on the 12th, which the company has designated as "Prime Day." You simply have to ask your faithful voice assistant: "Alexa, what are your Prime Day deals?"
NYT: Google's Echo competitor is called 'Home'
Google's answer to the Amazon Echo is named Google Home, according to The New York Times. Google Home, which was developed under the codename "Chirp," is a voice-powered assistant that can answer basic questions as you bustle around the house. The device should hit stores in the fall and Google is set to unveil the device during its big I/O conference tomorrow, NYT reports.
Google's own interpretation of Amazon's Echo is coming soon
All of a sudden, it's as if everyone is working on voice-controlled personal assistants, and reports suggest that Google's version of something similar to Amazon's Echo could land as soon as the Google I/O event next week -- which would make sense. According to sources at Recode, it's currently being developed under the codename, Chirp.
ICYMI: Robots, disappearing medical skin and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-336110{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-336110, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-336110{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-336110").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: We are rounding up a few interesting robot and car stories at the top of the show because simply too much happened since last week to just chose one. The University of North Texas drug-sniffing car needs a mention, and so does the US Army's new bomb bot. Also, researchers from MIT developed a gel that dries as a totally clear second skin. It could be used to do something as simple as smooth out wrinkles (see ya, botox!) or deliver topical medicine, covertly. And Harvard's Wyss Institute came up with a cheap way to test for the Zika virus; hopefully at-risk states take notice. If you like Rube Goldberg devices, this one with magnets and marbles might blow your mind. As always, please share any great tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
Amazon Echo can now add events to your Google Calendar
It's Friday, so that means Amazon is pushing out some updates to the Echo, and todays' big addition sounds like a very useful one. You can now ask Alexa to schedule events on your Google Calendar -- it'll interpret your request and add an item for you. To set it up, just go to the settings section of the Alexa app and tap the "calendar" item.
Amazon Echo can answer questions about your kid's health
Amazon Echo's voice assistant has gained a handful of new skills, including the ability to answer questions about your kid's health. It now has access to KidsMD, a new app powered by info prepared by doctors from Boston Children's Hospital. You can ask it about various symptoms like fever, coughing or headache if your kid's experiencing any, as well as age- and weight-specific dosing guidelines for various medications. Just say "Alexa, ask KidsMD about [symptom]/dosing." The feature sounds especially useful if you're frantically dealing with a sick child and don't have time to pick up a phone to do a Google search.
WSJ: Next Amazon Kindle comes with rechargeable cases
Amazon Kindles can already last for weeks on a single charge, but the upcoming "top-of-the-line" model could last even longer than that. According to The Wall Street Journal, it will come with a rechargeable protective casing for extra juice. The publication says this case allows it to be slimmer than its predecessors, which could mean that the device alone will have a battery life shorter or similar to older models. Amazon is reportedly working on a solar-powered casing, as well, though that one won't be ready in time for the new e-reader's launch next week.
Amazon's Alexa controls Nest thermostats
Beginning today Amazon's digital assistant Alexa can control Nest thermostats. If you're home is too warm or too cold, just shout at the voice-activated helper and it'll adjust the temperature. It's going to be incredibly helpful on those summer days when it's too hot to move.
Amazon organized a secret robot, AI and space conference
Amazon brought a number of AI, robotics and space exploration experts together for a secret conference this week, according to Bloomberg. It was called MARS, or Machine-Learning (Home) Automation, Robotics and Space Exploration conference. Apparently, Jeff Bezos himself attended this very exclusive, invitation-only event in Palm Springs. He mingled with guests from various robotics companies, automakers like Toyota, research institutes like ETH Zurich and educational institutions, including MIT.
