TaoTronics, a Chinese electronics brand, might be working on a new soundbar and subwoofer combo that runs the Fire TV operating system, much like the already available Fire TV soundbars from TCL and Nebula. TaoTronics has had no prior association with a Fire TV product, that I’m aware of, yet a new entry has just been added to the Fire TV Source Code Notice page for an unreleased product labeled as “TaoTronics_SoundbarSubwoofer_FireTVEdition.” Read more ›
Amazon Sidewalk is a low-bandwidth shared network for devices like trackers and motion sensors to be able to connect to the internet without needing full-fledged Wi-Fi or cellular connections. The connection is intended to emanate from devices you already own, like Echo smart speakers and Ring cameras, which is why it is a bit surprising that Ring appears to be working on a standalone dedicated “Amazon Sidewalk Bridge Pro” device that just appeared in a new Bluetooth regulatory filing last week. Read more ›
While looking for more information about the unreleased “Pico” Fire TV remote that recently received FCC approval, I stumbled on a regulatory filing in Japan for a new Fire TV Smart TV remote with Japanese text on its buttons. Since Amazon does not yet sell Fire TV Smart TVs in Japan, the existence of this remote seems to suggest that Japan will soon be among the next new markets for Amazon’s line of smart TVs. Read more ›
According to an article by Business Insider, Amazon is “planning to roll out its own Amazon-branded TV in the US.” The TVs will reportedly be released “as soon as October” in sizes that range from 55 to 75 inches. The article claims that the TVs are “designed and manufactured by third parties, one of which is TCL,” but then continues to say “Amazon is also working on a separate TV that it is designing in-house.” Read more ›
A new remote from Amazon has just passed through regulatory approval in Brazil, first spotted by Brazilian blogger Everton Favretto who let me know about about the find. I was then able to find the Bluetooth declaration listing for the same remote, which was published yesterday. While neither listing specifically labels this remote as a Fire TV remote, the information listed does match the specifications of existing Fire TV remotes. Read more ›
If you head over to Amazon.com on a computer, you might see a banner (mirror) at the top advertising their Mothers Day sale for Amazon Devices with a small oddity. That oddity is the Fire TV Stick 4K being advertised with the new Alexa Voice Remote, which comes with app shortcut buttons, even though the Fire TV Stick 4K is not currently sold with the new remote in the US. Could this be a leak that the new remote will soon be bundled with the Fire TV Stick 4K, or, better yet, a new 2nd-gen Fire TV Stick 4K? Read more ›
Image Credit: Pocket-lint.com
Amazon is holding a big hardware announcement event today, but there’s still time for a couple more leaks. Amazon’s UK site briefly listed the product pages for their upcoming Echo Subwoofer and an Amazon-branded smart plug, according to Pocket-lint. Both items are expected to be announced in just a few hours, but here’s a hint of what’s to come. Read more ›
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 ›
Above are images of what is allegedly a new 3rd-generation Amazon Echo Dot that will be released later this year, according to French publications Numerama and FrAndroid. The device is codenamed “Donut,” which follows the round food theme of Amazon’s past Echo Dot codenames, which were Pancake (1st-gen) and Biscuit (2nd-gen). The new Echo Dot is currently being tested by Amazon employees and is said to have superior sound quality, compared to the current generation Echo Dot. Read more ›
Image Credit: Engadget
A reader of Engadget has sent the website the above image of the user manual that came with their Fire TV Ethernet Adapter. Depicted in the updated manual is none other than the Fire TV Cube that was teased by Amazon yesterday through an information signup page. With a clear shot of the ports on the back, there is a lot we can assume about the upcoming Fire TV. Read more ›
I have learned that Amazon is working on two new Fire TV models which will both be capable of 4K HDR video at 60 fps. The first new model uses a dongle form factor that hangs off of a permanently attached HDMI cable, similar to the Google Chromecast. It will be a mid-tier model positioned between the existing Fire TV Stick and a new top-tier model. The second new Fire TV is a cube shaped set-top box that will be Amazon’s new flagship model. It has far-field microphones, a built-in speaker, and an LED light bar that give it the same functionality as an Amazon Echo Dot for hands-free Alexa interaction and control. It also has an IR emitter which allows it to control your television and other A/V equipment. Read more ›
They aren’t really much to look at, since once you’ve seen one black rectangle with a screen in the middle, you’ve seen them all, but above are thumbnail images of the new Amazon Fire and Fire HD 8 tablets that are very likely going to be announced as early as tomorrow. These are the new Amazon tablets that passed through FCC approval a couple of weeks ago. Read more ›
Here is the first look at what Amazon’s upcoming Echo with a built-in touchscreen looks like. I was able to locate this unfortunately low resolution image on Amazon’s servers in a similar manner to how I found what we now know to be the Echo Look. This new member of the Echo lineup is codenamed “Knight” and is expected to be released later this month.
It would appear that Amazon will be adding a full-fledged shopping app to the Fire TV and Fire TV Stick. A nonfunctional version of the upcoming shopping app has just leaked on the Amazon appstore (screenshot). The app description states that “with the Amazon TV app, you will be able to enjoy a lean back shopping experience on the largest screen in your house, using just your Fire TV remote.” Read more ›
The above image of a supposed next generation Kindle has just surfaced on a MobileReader forum. The leaker claims to have received the image from a retailer in China and that it is of a future waterproof version of Amazon’s eReader. The edge-to-edge glass front of the device does seem to suggest this could be the first waterproof model. Lord knows Amazon loves showing off their Kindles at the beach and next to a pool in marketing photos, so a waterproof model makes a lot of sense. Read more ›
It looks like Amazon’s Silk web browser, which comes installed on their line of Fire tablets, will be coming to the Fire TV and Fire TV Stick. If you sideload the tablet version of Amazon’s Silk browser onto the Fire TV, you don’t simply get a touch-based app that requires a mouse to use, like you get if you sideload Chrome or Firefox. Instead, you’re presented with a tutorial, made specifically for the Fire TV, instructing you on how to use the Fire TV’s Alexa voice remote to search and navigate the web.
Digging into the source of the Silk browser app, it’s clear that Amazon has recently begun adding support for the Fire TV and Fire TV Stick. There’s a very unique solution built-in for the task of selecting webpage links on a device without a mouse or touchscreen, as well as support for embedded webpage videos that allows you to control video playback using the media buttons on the Fire TV remote. Feedback options specific to the Fire TV indicate the browser is already being tested internally by Amazon employees. Read more ›
Amazon will be releasing a new Fire TV model which falls in between their current 2nd generation Fire TV Stick and 2nd generation Fire TV. This information is based on a benchmark I’ve discovered and other information I’ve acquired. The new model will support 4K UHD playback at 60 fps and high dynamic range (HDR) video, which is superior to all existing Fire TV models, although I expect the new model to be sold alongside both existing Fire TV models. This will be Amazon’s first HDR capable streaming device and is meant to be an entry-level model for 4K HDR streaming, to compete with the Chromecast Ultra. The new device will run a version of Fire OS that is based on Google’s latest Android 7 Nougat operating system, which is a significant upgrade from their current Fire TV lineup that runs Fire OS 5 based on Android 5.1 Lollipop. Read more ›
One of my scripts that regularly crawls various sites, in hopes of finding information about upcoming hardware, found the image you see above sitting on Amazon.com. It appears to be an unreleased home security camera from Amazon, to compete directly with products like the Nest Cam. Surrounding the camera lens appear to be 4 infrared LEDs for night vision. The stand and body style imply the camera is for indoor use only.
The blue light ring around the lens is certainly reminiscent of the Amazon Echo’s light ring, so it’s possible the camera will also serve as an Echo Dot of sorts. The two small openings at the top are very likely microphones and it’s not uncommon for indoor camera’s to have built-in speakers to facilitate intercom-style communication, so all the necessary hardware components could be in place to speak with Amazon’s Alexa using just the camera. Given the success of Alexa, it’s almost guaranteed the voice assistant will play some role in this new product.
4/26/17 This product has now launched as the Echo Look. Turns out it’s not a security camera, but rather a “style assistant.”
Amazon is rumored to be working on a new streaming music subscription service, separate from Prime Music, to compete with the likes of Spotify, Apple Music, and Google Play Music. After noticing an unusual lack of “Prime” branding in the new Amazon Music app for the Fire TV, I began to suspect the app was released this week in preperation for the rumored new music service from Amazon. I did some digging through the app’s code, as I am often inclined to do, and have found clear evidence that Amazon will indeed be launching a new premium streaming music service called Amazon Music Unlimited. Read more ›
The Amazon Fire TV is about to gain a lot of functionality. Alexa, the voice assistant in the Amazon Echo speaker will be making its way to the Amazon Fire TV. Soon you’ll be able to use your Fire TV voice remote to do everything the Echo does, right on your Fire TV. With Alexa on the Fire TV, you can listen to Audible and Kindle Unlimited audiobooks, check your Google Calendar, reorder items from Amazon, play music, get traffic conditions, and a whole lot more. These new features will essentially turn your TV into an Amazon Echo, minus the always listening feature. Read more ›
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