The next Echo Show should process things like speech and image recognition faster.
The Amazon Echo Show 15 tries to keep families organized. [credit:
Amazon ]
At its invite-only hardware event today, Amazon revealed the new Echo Show 15 smart display, powered by the company's next-generation "AI processor," the AZ2 Neural Edge.
The upcoming Echo Show carries a 15.6-inch screen with 1920×1080 resolution. Inside lives the AZ2 Neural Edge CPU, which uses four cores and, according to Amazon, 22 times as many TOPS (trillions of operations per second) than the last-gen chip. The biggest difference between the AZ2 and AZ1 is the former’s ability to process machine-learning-based speech models “significantly faster,” according to Amazon’s announcement. Computer vision (CV) algorithms can be handled on the device rather than in the cloud, allowing the Echo Show 15 to handle features like visual ID and voice processing with comparatively less latency. And like the AZ1, the AZ2 can handle speech recognition and CV workloads simultaneously.
Amazon popularized the idea of ambient computing with its Alexa line of devices – place some Echo smart speakers and displays in key areas of your home and you can interact with them by talking, with no need to pick up and hold a device. The new Amazon Astro takes that idea in a very different […]
Amazon popularized the idea of ambient computing with its Alexa line of devices – place some Echo smart speakers and displays in key areas of your home and you can interact with them by talking, with no need to pick up and hold a device.
The new Amazon Astro takes that idea in a very different direction. It’s a robot that does everything other Echo devices can, but it can also move around your home thanks to a set of wheels. And that mobility opens up new possibilities… for those willing to pay a hefty premium for a first-gen smart-home robot. The Astro will sell for $1000 at launch.
For that price you could pick up a 20 Echo Dot smart speakers, or a 4-pack of Echo Show 10 or Echo Show 15 smart displays and place them strategically. Plus, you don’t need an invite to by those – Astro will be sold as an Amazon Day 1 Edition product at launch, which means you’ll need to request an invite before placing an order.
If and when Astro becomes more widely available, it’s expected to sell for $1450.
So what exactly does an Echo-on-wheels do that other Echo devices do not? The most obvious difference is that it can move. And using computer vision, it should be able to navigate your house without bumping into things.
This allows you to, for example, ask Astro to follow you around while you’re using it for a video call. It also allows you to have Astro patrol your home like a roving security camera when you’re away. And you can remotely connect to it to view a feed.
There’s even a periscopic camera that can rise out of Astro. In a demo video, Amazon shows it being used to check to see if a user left the stove on after leaving the house, but it could also come in handy whenever Astro needs to snap a photo or shoot video of something that wouldn’t otherwise be within the line of sight.
Astro also has… a pair of cupholders. You can use it to send a couple of beverages from one room to another, which sort of makes Astro a robot butler, I guess?
You can also remove the cupholders and use the rear storage portion of Astro to transport just about anything weighing up to 4.4 pounds. Amazon says there will be some custom accessories like an airtight and spill-proof Ziploc storage container designed to fit into the compartment.
Or you can connect some smart accessories to Astro’s USB-C port for additional functionality. For example Amazon says the Furbo Dog Camera can be carried in Astro’s back, allowing you to remotely login and give treats to your pets while you’re away.
Astro measures 17.3″ x 16.7″ x 9.8″ and weighs about 20.6 pounds. It’s powered by a series of processors including:
2 x Qualcomm QCS605
1 x Qualcomm SDA660
1 x Amazon AZ1 Neural Edge
On the front of the Astro is a 10.1 inch, 1280 x 800 pixel touchscreen display, and the system has 2.1 channel speakers including dual 55mm front-facing speakers and a passive bass radiator.
There’s a 5MP camera in the bezel of the display area, plus the aforementioned periscopic camera, which is a 12MP camera with a 132 degree field of view and support for 1080p video capture. It can extend to heights up to 42 inches.
The robot supports WiFi 5 and Bluetooth and it works with a charging base that the robot returns to when it needs to refuel the battery, which takes 45 minutes to fully charge. According to The Verge, a fully charged Astro robot should be able to move around for about two hours before it needs to be recharged (although battery life may be longer if it’s not in constant motion).
Many of the home security features are available for free with the purchase of an Astro robot, including the ability to view a live feed from Astro’s camera on your phone or get an alert if Astro detects an unrecognized person in your home. Astro can also send you alerts for smoke alarm or glass breaking sounds.
But if you want Astro to do “autonomous patrols,” save video online, or sound an alarm (or make a dog barking noise) when there’s activity outside your house, then you’ll need to sign up for a Ring Protect Pro subscription.
Amazon isn’t the first company to develop a smart home robot. But so far the idea hasn’t really taken off. Jibo’s “social robot” that didn’t actually move became even more useless a few years ago when the company shut down its servers. Sony’s Xperia Hello never broke out of Japan. And I’m not sure if the Asus Zenbo ever actually came to market.
Maybe they were ahead of their time and Amazon’s expertise in smart home products and security products will allow the company to succeed where others have failed. Or maybe asking people to spend $1000 on an Echo Show on wheels that can occasionally bring you a beer is a bit much.
Also worth keeping in mind: like robotic vacuum cleaners, Astro has a serious limitation: it cannot climb stairs, which could make it an even tougher sell for folks with multi-story homes. Related: it also cannot vacuum your floors.
Amazon’s newest Echo Show smart display is the largest yet, with a 15.6 inch full HD display and support for Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant. The Amazon Echo Show 15 is also the first Echo device that’s meant to hang on your wall like a picture frame. In fact, you can also use it as a digital […]
Amazon’s newest Echo Show smart display is the largest yet, with a 15.6 inch full HD display and support for Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant.
The Amazon Echo Show 15 is also the first Echo device that’s meant to hang on your wall like a picture frame. In fact, you can also use it as a digital picture frame when you’re not interacting with it. First announced in September, the Echo Show 15 is now available for pre-order for $250, and it’s expected to begin shipping December 9, 2021.
Not only does it have the largest screen, but its flat-screen design makes it appropriate for wall mounting, unlike other models which are chunkier. And since it can be hung on a wall, Amazon positions it as a device that can be used as a sort of digital bulletin board for your home, with support for things like shopping lists, to-do-lists, and virtual sticky notes, which are just some of the widgets that can be pinned to the display.
The Echo Show 15 has a 5MP camera that you can use for video calls. The camera can also be used for facial recognition, allowing the Echo Show 15 to show personalized content depending on which member of your household is looking at the display.
For privacy purposes, Amazon says that this feature is opt-in only, and it’s all handled locally on the device without facial recognition data being sent to the company’s servers thanks to the device’s Amazon AZ2 Neural Edge processor.
The down side to processing the data locally is that this means if you have more than one Echo Show 15 you’ll need to set up face recognition on each device. The upside is that, at least theoretically, Amazon isn’t storing a visual profile of the people in your home.
There’s also a physical shutter button that can cover the camera when you’re not using it.
And if you’d prefer a big screen that doesn’t hang on your wall, Amazon will offer an optional stand that you can use to set up the Echo Show 15 on a table or other flat surface. There will also be an under-cabinet mount accessory.
And since the Echo Show 15 has a large, 1080p display, Amazon says it’s also the first Echo Show device to support full HD content from Amazon Prime Video and other services including Netflix and Hulu. Amazon says support for live TV from Sling TV is also coming to all of its Echo Show devices soon.
There’s also support for picture-in-picture mode, allowing you to do things like view a feed from a security camera or smart doorbell while interacting with other content.
The Echo Show 15 can also do everything that other Echo and Echo Show devices can, including playing music, answering questions, running third-party skills, and acting as a controller for connected smart home devices.
This article was originally published September 28, 2021 and last updated November 17, 2021.
Ring will mit neuen Software-Funktionen dafür sorgen, dass es bei der Videoüberwachung weniger unnötige Benachrichtigungen gibt. (Videoüberwachung, Amazon)
Ring will mit neuen Software-Funktionen dafür sorgen, dass es bei der Videoüberwachung weniger unnötige Benachrichtigungen gibt. (Videoüberwachung, Amazon)
Former Fox Business host says his ad revenue has taken a hit.
Enlarge/ John Stossel speaking with attendees at the 2018 Young Americans for Liberty New York City Spring Summit at the Teaneck Marriott at Glenpointe in Teaneck, New Jersey. (credit: Gage Skidmore / Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0))
Former Fox Business host John Stossel is suing Facebook, alleging that the social media company and one of its contracted fact-checking organizations defamed him when flagged two of his videos, alerting viewers to “missing context” and “partly false” claims.
The lawsuit also claims that Stossel’s professional reputation has been “significantly and irreparably damaged by the false labels and statements.”
Since Stossel left Fox Business, he’s been releasing videos on various social platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. The endeavor has apparently been somewhat lucrative—he has made around $10,000 a month from Facebook alone. “My news model is based on social media companies showing you videos,” he said on YouTube.
Enlarge/ A health worker administers a COVID-19 booster vaccine and an influenza vaccine to an Army veteran at the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital on September 24, 2021, in Hines, Illinois. (credit: Getty | Scott Olson)
Over the past few weeks, federal health advisers pored over data on booster doses for Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine and agonized over setting recommendations for who—if anyone—should get a third shot. Amid their deliberations, they continually noted an undeniable truth overshadowed their hand-wringing: no matter what they recommended, boosters will have minimal impact on the pandemic. Instead, the way to end the scourge is to have more people get their first shots.
And today, new survey data suggests that offering any boosters may deter some unvaccinated from getting their first highly effective COVID-19 vaccine. A total of 71 percent of unvaccinated people said booster doses show the vaccines are not working as well as promised, according to the survey results published Tuesday by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF).
Astro heißt der erste Roboter von Amazon. Es ist eine Art rollender Echo Show mit Schwerpunkt auf Videoüberwachung. (
Amazon erfindet den Echo Show neu: Der Echo Show 15 hat ein besonders großes Display und kann Personen erkennen. (
Amazon hat eine Videotürklingel unter dem Blink-Label vorgestellt. Sie soll vor allem mit einem günstigen Preis überzeugen. (
Beim Eero 6 Pro-Modell gibt es Netzwerkanschlüsse und alle Komponenten haben einen Zigbee-Hub - anders als beim WLAN-Mesh Eero 6. (
Ring will mit neuen Software-Funktionen dafür sorgen, dass es bei der Videoüberwachung weniger unnötige Benachrichtigungen gibt. (
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