Amazon has announced the availability of the Alexa Gadgets Toolkit, which will allow anyone to create accessories that pair and interact directly with Echo devices. Amazon first introduced the concept of Alexa Gadgets when they released their Echo Buttons about a year ago. Those buttons haven’t really taken off, but perhaps third-party manufacturers can come up with my successful accessories. Read more ›
Amazon’s current Prime-exclusive sale on hardware includes the Fire TV, multiple Fire tablets, and multiple Kindles. The regular Kindle is on sale for $49.99, which is $30 off its regular price of $79.99. The more premium Kindle Paperwhite is on sale for $79.99, which is $40 off its regular price of $119.99. Both of these sale prices match the lowest prices that these ebook readers have ever been. The Kindle for Kids Bundle is also on sale at $69.99. All of these sale prices are only available for Prime members.
Amazon is currently having a Prime member exclusive sale on several of their devices, including Fire tablets. The Fire 7 tablet is on sale for $34.99, which is 30% off its regular price. The lowest price this tablet has ever been is $29.99 during Prime Day and Black Friday sales. Amazon’s flagship Fire HD 10 tablet is on sale for $109.99, which is $40 off the regular price of $149.99. The lowest price the Fire HD 10 has been is $99.99. These prices are only available to Prime members.
Amazon’s original series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel won big at the 70th PrimeTime Emmy Awards by taking home more major wins than any other show. The biggest award was the show’s win for Outstanding Comedy Series and Rachel Brosnahan won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her headline role. Show creator Amy Sherman-Palladino won the Emmys for both Directing and Writing for a Comedy Series for her contributions to the show. Those wins made history because it’s the first time a woman has ever won both awards in the same year. Alex Borstein won the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Susie Myerson in the series. The final three Emmys were awarded during the creative arts ceremony for Casting, Music Supervision, and Single-Camera Picture Editing. The second season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel should debut in the coming months and Amazon has already greenlit the series for a third season.
Best Buy has released their Insignia 4K Fire TV Edition televisions. The TVs come in three sizes, which include a 43-inch model for $329.99, a 50-inch model for $379.99, and a 55-inch model for $449.99. If those sizes and prices sound familiar, that’s because they’re identical to the Toshiba 4K Fire TV Edition televisions released earlier this year. These new Insignia TVs are nearly identical to the Toshiba TVs, with only a few minor differences. Read more ›
Just as the sale for the Fire TV Cube and Fire TV Stick ended, Amazon has now put the Fire TV 3 (pendant) on sale for $39.99. This sale is for Prime members only, which is a bit strange because the Fire TV 3 was on sale for this exact price about a month ago for all customers. The Fire TV 3 abruptly went out of stock a few weeks ago which often suggests that it will be soon be discontinued, but it came back in stock at the start of the month and has remained in stock ever since, so perhaps it will still be around for a while afterall. This sale price is $5 more than the lowest price the Fire TV 3 has ever been, which was during Prime Day earlier this year.
Amazon and Getty Images have announced a partnership that will bring Getty’s vast library of over 200 million assets to Alexa devices. Amazon will be displaying relevant images alongside Alexa responses on devices with a screen. The Amazon Echo Show and Echo Spot are explicitly mentioned in the announcement, but we’ll likely see images appear on Fire TV devices and Show Mode on Fire Tablets as well. An example use case given is asking “Alexa, who won best Actress at tonight’s Academy Awards” and seeing a photo of the actress from the red carpet of that specific event along with the answer.
Amazon has the Sideclick Universal Remote on sale for $19.99. That’s $10 off its regular price of $29.99. This is a lightning deal that ends in just a few hours or when the allocated supply is sold out. The Sideclick attaches to the side of any Fire TV, Fire TV Cube, or Fire TV Stick remote to provide a column of 8 programmable IR buttons. I’m a big fan of this product and highly recommend it to anyone looking to reduce the number of remotes they use. Everything you need to use the Sideclick with any Fire TV, Fire TV Cube, or Fire TV Stick remote is included in the box, so you don’t need to worry about buying the correct attachment. The only remotes that it does not work with are the Fire TV Edition television remotes. This deal is expected to end tonight at midnight.
Amazon is planning to release at least 8 new Alexa devices this year, according to a new report from CNBC. Among the devices is high-end audio equipment that includes a subwoofer, an amplifier, and a receiver that all include hands-free Alexa capabilities. Amazon is also said to be working on a new in-car Alexa gadget and an Alexa-enabled microwave. Read more ›
The Logitech Harmony Remote w/ Smart Hub is on sale for $52.99. This is the first time that this very popular universal remote has ever been this low. Harmony remotes are among the few universal remotes that can control Amazon Fire TV devices. The included hub connects to the Fire TV via Bluetooth, which lets it relay commands from the remote, mobile app, and Harmony’s Alexa skill.
