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Amazon Alexa is going big on generative AI – plus, new Echo and Fire TV devices
We got an early look at the new Alexa, Echo show 8, Fire TV stick and more at Amazon’s hardware event
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Forget ChatGPT, Alexa is soon going to be able to hold natural, human-like conversations with its users. At its annual hardware event yesterday (20 September) Amazon announced its voice assistant will soon be powered by a new large learning generative AI model, making it more contextually aware than ever before.
The new conversational Alexa will be able to answer questions without you having to repeat the wake word. It can infer what you want the assistant to do when you say phrases like “it’s too hot” or “make the lights spooky”. Unlike ChatGPT, which can’t provide information past 2021, the new Alexa has up-to-date, real-time information, meaning you can get live scores, too.
Alexa will also be able to control your entire smart home from just your voice, so you can ask it to roll down the blinds and dim the lights in the bedroom, while Fire TV devices will be smart enough to show you content based on questions like “can you show me films with ‘that actor who plays the lawyer in Breaking Bad’?”
Amazon Echo owners in the US will be able to preview the new, ultra-intelligent Alexa later this year, but a roll-out has not been announced for the UK. It will be available on even the oldest devices, including the Echo from 2014.
As well as the updates to Alexa, Amazon also announced a bevy of new products. It showed off new Echo devices, new Fire tablets, new Fire TV devices and a new smart home device called the Echo hub. It also introduced a new soundbar for the first time and a second-generation pair of Echo frames, though these don’t have a UK release date yet.
The product launches come just weeks before the company hosts its next Amazon Prime Day sale in October, when it is likely to discount the older-generation Echo show 8, first-generation Fire TV 4K and more. The Independent got an early look at the new Amazon devices and the new Alexa at the hardware event. Here’s everything you need to know about the newest Amazon devices and how to pre-order them.
Amazon Echo show 8, 3rd gen: £149.99, Amazon.co.uk
The new Echo show 8 has been completely redesigned, featuring edge-to-edge glass, a more curved design and a 13MP camera that sits centrally at the top of the screen, instead of in the corner. There’s an improved processor on the inside, and the audio experience has been enhanced, too, with better bass, clarity and added spatial audio. There’s a new integrated smart home hub, so you can control your locks and lights right from the device.
The flagship feature update is something called adaptive content, which changes the home screen depending on how far away you are from the device. There are bigger, more readable icons and headlines when you’re far away, with more information on the display the closer you get. The two most recent Echo show 8 devices will get this feature later this year, while other Echo show devices will get it next year.
Lastly, there’s an update to Alexa Guard. You’ll now be able to call for help in an emergency, and will be put through to a trained agent. It’s a premium feature that will be added onto Alexa Guard, though UK availability has not been announced yet. The third-generation Echo show 8 launches on 25 October and is available to pre-order now.
Amazon Fire TV stick 4K max, 2nd gen: £69.99, Amazon.co.uk
Amazon’s newest Fire TV stick 4K max streaming stick is faster and more intelligent than the previous first-generation model. It features a new quad-core processor, supports wifi 6E, 4K ultra HD, Dolby Vision, HDR, HDR10+, and Dolby Atmos. You get double the internal storage (16GB instead of 8GB), so you can store more apps and games, and you get the new Alexa voice remote enhanced with buttons for channels and recent content.
The Fire TV stick 4K max is also becoming more like Amazon’s Fire omni QLED TV, delivering the same ambient on-screen experience when your Fire TV stick is not in use. It essentially turns your TV into a piece of wall art, and you can see your schedules, calendar and control your smart home devices.
The all-new Amazon Fire TV stick 4K max will be released on 14 October and it is available to pre-order now.
Amazon Fire TV stick 4K, 2nd gen: £59.99, coming soon
While there doesn’t seem to be many updates to the base Fire TV 4K, it’s still extremely good value for money. It’s now nearly 30 per cent more powerful, thanks to the quad-core processor on the inside. Like the previous model, it supports Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, HDR, HLG and HDR10+. Plus. You can pre-order the Fire TV stick 4K soon – it will launch on 14 October.
Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet: From £149.99, Amazon.co.uk
The upgrade to the Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet is pretty minor. It features a new, faster octa-core processor and 3GB RAM, making it 25 per cent faster than the older model. It’s thinner and lighter and features a better 5MP camera for higher-quality video calls, though it still won’t be spectacular. Apart from that, you still get a 10.1in Full HD display, 13 hours of battery life and 32GB or 64GB internal storage, expandable with a micro SD.
It’s available in black, ocean and lilac colourways and is available to pre-order now. It will start shipping on 18 October.
Amazon Fire HD 10 kids and kids pro: £199.99, Amazon.co.uk
Along with the updates to the camera, the build and the faster processor, the kids’ versions of the Amazon Fire HD 10 tablets also come with a kid-proof case, a two-year guarantee and a year’s subscription to Amazon Kids+. The company is launching a new app – Music Maker – later this year, which will help turn your child into a composer. The Fire HD 10 kids tablet is aimed at children aged three to seven, while the Fire HD 10 kids pro is aimed at kids aged 6-12.
Both the Fire HD 10 kids tablet and Fire HD 10 kids pro tablet are available to pre-order now and will start shipping on 18 October.
Amazon Echo hub: £169.99, Amazon.co.uk
Finally, there’s the Amazon Echo hub, an all-new device in the Amazon Echo range. It works as a visual control panel for your home. The user interface is completely focused around the smart home, with options to adjust and see your lights, cameras, plugs and more on one dashboard that can be placed on the wall. It works with thousands of smart devices and you can view your Ring and connected devices right from the screen. You’re also able to see your Amazon devices on a map in the smartphone app, instead of a list.
We need a bit more time to test out the Echo hub before we give it our verdict, but from our limited time with the device, it seems like the hub is a smart home-focused dashboard that doubles up as an Echo smart speaker, while the Echo show is an entertainment product. Right now, the product page simply says “coming soon”, but you can sign up for updates with your email address.
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