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Leaked Amazon figures show TV drives millions of Prime signups
Amazon is notoriously secretive about its sales figures, from how many Kindles it has sold to how many subscribers pay for Prime. Reuters is reporting that it has obtained leaked documents that, if true, will shed plenty of light on at least one part of Amazon's business -- Prime Video. If you thought Amazon was keeping quiet because its projects were flops, think again, because some of its shows are actually more popular than some of the fare you'll find on basic cable.
Amazon will reward Prime members for shopping at Whole Foods
Amazon has announced that its Rewards Visa will now offer users the same level of reward when they shop at Whole Foods as they receive at Amazon itself. Eligible Prime members will now receive a flat five percent bonus on all purchases at Whole Foods, just as they do online. By comparison, shopping beyond Amazon's universe will net you two percent back at restaurants, gas stations and drugstores, and a single percent elsewhere.
Amazon is refunding Prime phone buyers who paid to remove ads
Amazon's Prime Exclusive phones have great prices, but there was a big catch. You had to allow ads on your home screen and if you changed your mind later, it could cost up to $50 to opt out. Buyers got a bonus last week when Amazon decided to eliminate the ads, saying they could interfere with facial recognition and cause other issues. That's great, but it what about folks who paid the fee to get rid of them? Amazon has agreed to refund it in the form of a gift card, essentially closing the chapter on its Prime Exclusive phone ad experiment.
Amazon pulls lock screen ads from discounted Prime phones
Amazon's Prime Exclusive phones are decent bargains over their regular counterparts, but there has always been a catch: your lock screen becomes a billboard. It doesn't really feel like your phone with those ads and offers. You won't have to put up with that marketing for much longer, however. Amazon will sell its Prime-only phones without lock screen ads as of February 7th, and it's pushing an update this week that will strip the promos from existing phones. Amazon's app shortcuts will still be front and center once you've unlocked your phone, but you can always remove those if you don't care for Kindle books or Prime Video. Those who paid to remove ads can get refunds.
Amazon's Alexa push is making customers buy more
Amazon announced its earnings for the third quarter of 2017 on Thursday and to nobody's surprise, the internet shopping titan revealed that it has sold a whole bunch of products for unfathomable amounts of money.
Amazon's home security Cloud Cam supports Alexa
Along with its "Key" indoor delivery service for Prime members, Amazon has unveiled a new AWS cloud-powered surveillance camera. The infrared-capable Cloud Cam lets you confirm deliveries via the Key service and get custom notifications depending on the activities or people it spots. You can also control up to ten Cloud Cams and see specific views with your Echo device by saying "Alexa, show me the [camera name]."
College students can pay for Amazon Prime by the month
Amazon is no stranger to discounting its services for college students. You've still had to pay for Prime by the year, however, which can seem wasteful if you're only on campus for some of the year. Thankfully, you won't have to pay more than you have to. Amazon has introduced a by-the-month option for students that asks you to pay $5.49 per month only for as long as you need it. If you don't need fast shipping when you leave for summer break or have no inclination to watch The Tick during exams, you can put that money to better use.
Explore Philip K. Dick's crazy futures in 'Electric Dreams' trailer
Amazon is no stranger to sci-fi author Philip K. Dick's somewhat skewed vision of the future, having found success with The Man in the High Castle and its alternative history timeline. The company teased its new anthology series based on the author's work, Electric Dreams, this past August, but now fans are getting a much more in-depth trailer at New York Comic Con. It's full of weird and wonderful visions of our future, all based on Dick's writings. The team also screened a short clip from The Man in the High Castle's third season.
Twitch Prime brings ad-free streaming to Mexico
Amazon Prime debuted in Mexico earlier this year, and now the subscription service for the retailer's $970 million livestreaming platform is available as well. In case you forgot, Twitch Prime doles out free games, in-game items and other goodies via the platform in addition to offering an ad-free watching experience. It's free for anyone who has an Amazon Prime subscription, and recently started giving away collectibles for Madden '18's Ultimate Team mode.
Amazon snatches ATP tennis rights from Sky
After winning numerous awards for its TV and movie originals, Amazon has set its sights on adding coverage of various popular sporting events to its Prime subscription. In the US, the company has already wrestled Thursday-night NFL game streams away from Twitter, but has been slow to lock in similar deals on the other side of the Atlantic. According to The Guardian, Amazon has now finally made a move, outbidding Sky and ITV to secure the UK rights to tennis' ATP World Tour for the next five years.
Amazon touts Prime Day results despite slumping profits
This year's Prime Day was Amazon's third and largest to date, according the company's earnings report released on Thursday. The company claims that it was the "the biggest global shopping event ever for Amazon" and that it set an internal record for single-day Prime signups. All told, the sale moved more than 40 million units.
Amazon's Echo lets you sign up for Prime just by asking (updated)
As Amazon gears up for next week's annual Prime Day sale, the online shopping behemoth has also opted to lower the barrier of entry for Prime subscriptions. With Prime members previously having to sign up for the service online, Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Show, Amazon Tap, Fire TV or compatible Fire tablet owners can now opt in for a Prime Membership simply by saying "Alexa, sign me up for Prime". Doing so will not only save users time but also money, netting Echo owners a year's membership for $79 -- $20 less than the usual price.
Alcatel's Idol 5S is a bargain if you can stomach Amazon ads
Alcatel's Idol 4S phone was a good value at $350, but its emphasis on virtual reality support (such as a box that doubled as a headset) may have held it back. Unless you're a big VR fan, wouldn't you rather spend less on a no-frills device? You're getting that opportunity soon. Amazon is including Alcatel's new Idol 5S in its latest wave of Prime Exclusive phones, and it's clear that you're getting a solid deal. If you're an Amazon Prime subscriber, the unlocked handset will ship on July 10th for $200 -- you'll have to put up with Amazon's offers and ads, but that's a low price for what looks to be a well-rounded device. It's also available in a standard $280 version if you'd rather not turn your phone into a tiny billboard.
Amazon is selling Nokia 6 and Moto E4 with lock-screen ads
Amazon seems to be keen on growing its ad-subsidized "Prime Exclusive" lineup, because the tech titan has added five more unlocked smartphones to the list. One of them is the Nokia 6, HMD Global's first Android device in the US, which you can get for $180 instead of $229 if you're a Prime member. Moto E4, which is already incredibly cheap at $130, has also joined its Moto G siblings in the lineup for $30 less its original price. The Alcatel IDOL 5S, A50 and A30 Plus make up the rest of the five new devices and will set you back $200 ($80 lower than retail), $100 ($50 lower) and $80 ($50 lower), respectively.
Amazon opens its first drive-through grocery store
Need to pick up some supplies but can't be bothered to walk across a parking lot for them? Amazon's got you covered. In Seattle on Thursday, the company opened a grocery store that doesn't require you leave your vehicle, promising customers will only have to "drive in... and drive out."
Amazon offers UK Prime members a free, rotating e-book library
While Amazon offers a variety of Prime perks for Britons, it can often take a while for some of them to make it across the Atlantic. Take, for example, Prime Reading: a "free" book subscription that launched in the US last October but is only now coming to the UK. Unlike Kindle Unlimited -- which offers unrestricted access to over a million books, magazines and audiobooks for £8 a month -- Prime Reading is bundled with Amazon's annual subscription and delivers a rotating selection of popular e-books, magazines and short content.
Amazon quietly drops its free-shipping minimum back to $25
Slowly but surely, Amazon is bringing its free-shipping-threshold back to amount we collectively remember it being. Now, in an apparent bid to undercut the likes of Walmart and Target, Jeff Bezos' online-shopping juggernaut has dropped the cart total for free shipping (for folks who aren't Prime members) to $25 from the $35 amount set in February.
Amazon's new Prime perk gets you the best seats in the house
With the weather beginning to brighten up, Amazon's introducing a new perk for Prime members that aims to get you to down your Kindle, drag yourself off your comfy sofa and venture out to see some live gigs and events. Starting this Thursday, Amazon Tickets -- the UK-only service (for now) we'd also kinda forgotten about -- will begin offering Prime members early dibs on gig and theatre tickets at least 24 hours before they go on general sale, starting with the upcoming tours of acts including Art Garfunkel and The Darkness. And if you really want to make a night of it, Prime subscribers can also splash their cash to get on the list for Amazon's premium seating and luxury lounges at various London venues.
Amazon's delivery drones could drop packages with parachutes
Amazon's much-anticipated (and long time coming) drone deliveries might technically finally be happening, but a new patent spotted by CNN suggests your next book or box-set might actually arrive via parachute. There are many practical, legal and technical challenges that drone deliveries present -- and getting the parcel on the ground is just one of them.
Amazon UK will take £10 off orders over £50 today
Sometimes, it's nice to be appreciated. In Amazon's case, that means ranking number one in the UK Customer Satisfaction Index. While the company sits back and basks in the knowledge that it's scoring highly for professionalism, quality and efficiency, problem solving and complaint handling -- for the second year running -- it's extending an offer to all of its UK customers. For today only, if you place an order over £50, Amazon will take £10 off the total. To get involved, you'll need to enter the discount code "BIGTHANKS" at the checkout and ensure that the products in your basket are all sold directly by Amazon. Like last year, digital items, gift cards or anything listed by a third-party seller won't count. If you've been putting off that New Year purchase, now might be the time treat yourself.
