News from the amazon event

[renegade600]

https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/devices/amazon-fall-event-2023-announcements

1.  New Frames
2.  New show 8
3.  New show 8 for photo sharing (require subscription)
4.  Ability to call emergency services (require subscription)
5.  Echo Hub to control smart home devices
6.  Smart home map view
7.  eero Max 7
8.  AI powered Alexa
9.  firetv sticks
10. soundbar
11.  New Blink devices
12.  New Ring devices
13.  Kids edition fire tablet
14.  Kids edition pop
and more ...

Really do not see much I might be interested in.   Maybe the Frames since the battery is supposed to last 6 hours.    I wonder why they cannot let you turn off one side at a time to make the battery last even longer.   

[AlanH]

Quick review of the new hardware:
https://youtu.be/-Hfmdhn2WVg?si=en1rMAPnzAbkSotY

[jwlv]

The only thing that looks interesting is the Echo Hub. But I don't trust Amazon to not screw it up by placing a bunch of crap that you can't get rid of on the screen like they do with all of the Echo Shows.

Your iPhone/iPad or Android phone/tablet gives you control over what is on the screen. You can put icons here, widgets there, and all without intrusive advertisements or any content that you didn't specifically put there yourself. What's wrong with Amazon? The Fire tablets, the Echo Shows, Fire TV stick, and basically anything that Amazon makes doesn't follow what Apple and Google has proven to work well on their devices. Apple/Google makes money by taking a cut from the apps users install. Their devices are free from content that the user did not put there themselves. Why can't Amazon do that?

Amazon is trying so desperately to monetize that they've essentially dug a hole that they can't ever get out of. Even the Ring alarm system. It used to be that you can turn on/off your alarm when you are away from home. If someone breaks in your house, you'd be notified on your phone remotely. You gotta subscribe in order to do that now. If you don't subscribe, you don't get the notificiations and you can't turn on/off your alarm. Isn't that the point of an alarm system?

So basically I've lost confidence in just about all Amazon-made devices. It doesn't matter how great or innovative their new devices are. Just the fact that it's branded Amazon (Ring, Blink, etc.) will make me and probably others think twice.

[renegade600]

then there is the new Eye Gaze Mode.    It will eventually make it to the shows but one feature they did not mention is now they will know when you are looking at the screen.   Make it cheaper for amazon to slip in ads while someone is actually watching instead of playing them when nobody is around. 

Eye Gaze on Alexa
This feature is our first foray in supporting customers with mobility or speech disabilities to use Alexa with their eyes. Instead of using voice or touch, eye gaze on Alexa will allow customers to gaze at their tablet to perform pre-set Alexa actions, like playing music and shows, controlling their home environment, and communicating with loved ones—entirely hands- and voice-free.