Wondering Where the Amazon Alexa Plus AI Upgrade Is? Me Too
When Amazon announced the massive AI upgrade to its voice assistant Alexa in February, it seemed like Alexa Plus was right around the corner -- even if it cost some of us money or lost Echo privacy.
Reports indicated that by March, we would be trying out demonstrated Alexa AI features like casual conversations that could book reservations, set flexible reminders, let Alexa learn your likes and dislikes, analyze home video footage, and operate smart home devices like a finely tuned orchestra. Now it's mid-May, and we're still waiting.
Read more: Amazon Alexa Just Changed Its Privacy Settings. CNET Survey Reveals 73% of Device Users Were Already Worried
Alexa Plus stalls out: We've seen this before
Alexa Plus promised a lot. Reports indicate it's simply not ready yet.
Amazon
So, where's the AI? For now, it's still in early access, and that early access period appears to be limited. Even the few who have tried out Alexa Plus have been quiet about it. Those who've spoken up have said the AI is lacking critical features that were mentioned at the announcement, including ordering food on Grubhub with a conversation, entering into a story mode with kids, visually identifying family members during conversations, brainstorming ideas in a casual conversation mode, and using Alexa Plus on the Web. In other words, it's just not ready yet.
I've seen this before, very recently, with Apple's announcement that it will be delaying Siri's big AI upgrade, not only for a year after WWDC 2024, but then again in 2025 and possibly for as long as until 2027 according to our latest info. It's possible Amazon watched the fallout from these delay announcements plus leaked employee complaints, and decided to be much quieter about the Alexa Plus rollout.
Either way, it could be months before the average consumer sees an option to upgrade to Alexa Plus, and with staggered rollouts, some Amazon customers could be waiting quite some time for the chatty new Alexa. No one at CNET has gotten an early access look at Alexa Plus yet, but the testing period is still ongoing, so we're hopeful to get our hands on it very soon.
Waiting for the Show
Moments before Amazon Alexa upgrades were announced on Feb. 26.
Corin Cesaric/CNET
We're ready with Amazon Echos, Echo Shows, home cameras, smart gadgets and more to test out just what's changed with Alexa Plus and what features have actually arrived (and what we still can't do). But for now, it looks like we're waiting for our own wake word -- and I wouldn't be surprised if Alexa Plus is on a similar trajectory to Siri's AI delays, sans the troubling announcements and exposes we saw with Apple.
If you're desperate to see what Amazon is doing with the latest Alexa AI technology, there is a way to get to the front of the line. Amazon has mentioned that during the early access period, it will focus on releasing Alexa Plus for Echo Shows. If you have an Echo Show 8, Show 10, Show 15 or Show 21, you're more likely to see an offer for Alexa Plus if you sign up for the program.
Otherwise, we'll keep you updated. Stop our AI Atlas to get the latest on Siri, Google Gemini, ChatGPT, Grok and, yes, Alexa Plus as we learn more and test out new capabilities.
(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET's parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)
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Engadget
16 minutes ago
- Engadget
The best Father's Day gifts you can still shop last minute
The big day is approaching and there's plenty of pressure for you to hand over a gift that says a lot all at once. It may be called Father's Day, but this is an event for you to say a loving thank you to whatever person held that special role in your life, irrespective of gender. Here's a list of the best gifts you can give to show your appreciation for all of the parenting they did, and may even still do. Sony's XM series of headphones are the default option for pretty much every regular buyer these days. Sony's latest model, the WH-1000XM6, offer a better looking design, a more comfortable fit and even better sound than its predecessor. As Billy Steele wrote in his review, if you thought the XM5s couldn't get better, you'll be staggered by the improvement here. A lot of small things have been tweaked, including the fact there's an updated processor, more microphones and improved ANC. For $450, they're pricier than the previous XM5 model, but that one is still available as of right now, so it could be a good option if you need to stick to a budget. $448 at Adorama Explore More Buying Options $448 at Amazon$450 at Best Buy I've been obsessed with Dremel's electric multi-tools ever since I watched Alexi Sayle ask 'did I mention we cut?' back in the early '90s. And yet, despite being an adult with my own home, I've never needed to actually go out and buy a Dremel like the 8220 I've had my eye on for years. Look at the thing — it's like an electric Swiss Army Knife, complete with drill and screwdriver bits, sanding bits, polishing bits, metal-cutting discs, grinding stones and engraving tools! Just think about all of the things I can drill, screw, sand, polish, cut, grind and engrave if I had one of those right now. It's 'cos my kids are still under the age of 10, and so haven't grasped the hints that I want them to buy me a Dremel. Hey kids, buy me a Dremel. Anyway . This year, the company launched Blueprint, a new range of dinky cordless power tools to tackle Dremel-sized jobs. That includes the Blueprint 3-in-1 Drill Driver, a handheld drill with a built-in stud finder and its own laser level, even if the latter is only attached to the body with sticky putty. I'm more excited by the Portable Saw Station, a handheld compact electric saw whose carry case turns into its own workbench. That includes templates for making bevel, miter and cross cuts, a line laser and guide track to keep your cuts nice and straight. You see, while my DIY skills might charitably be described as 'elementary,' I've always harbored an ambition to build my very own backyard TARDIS. You know, the blue police box from Doctor Who — hidden between the trees as a little piece of magic. I just need to take six months or so to learn how to do it, and I reckon these sorts of tools would be ideal for the job. Especially since I don't have my own woodshop and would need everything to fit down into as small a space as possible. $80 at Amazon Explore More Buying Options $100 at Ace Hardware$80 at Lowe's If you own an iPhone, then the Apple Watch is essentially the default option for what smartwatch you should buy. There's only a handful of devices that match Apple's product for versatility, use and affordability. If you're concerned about your parent's health, then the fall detection features alone may justify the investment. Not to mention the general health tracking capabilities and the ability to keep them healthy with a Fitness+ subscription. I haven't even mentioned the built-in ECG, which is useful for enabling them to keep an eye on their own heart health. Benefits of the Apple Watch Series 10 include its bigger display that's far easier to look at from off-angles. It also carries its own water temperature tracking, so if your parent is a water baby, they can keep an eye on the conditions. This time around, Apple also improved the microphone, making it easier to make calls from your wrist — useful if your parent might want to use it as a lifeline when they're on their own. $299 at Amazon Explore More Buying Options $300 at Target$670 at HSN Of course, there are people who don't want a smartwatch, or at least not one that looks like a smartwatch. I get it, some folks don't want to look like a neeeerrrrrrd in their dotage, and it's for those people that I recommend Withings' ScanWatch Nova. It's a hybrid smartwatch in the body of a classic diver's watch that embodies everything that most smartwatches can't. Withings' policy is to build a best-in-class hybrid watch, like the ScanWatch 2, and then put those same guts in a classier body. It has a digital subdial for notifications and an analog one for step counting, which can be set to meet your specific goals. But lurking underneath that body is also an ECG, SpO2 (blood oxygenation) monitoring and a temperature sensor – which can be used for cycle tracking and to warn of infections. All of that tech is hidden in a submariner-style diver's watch that comes with black, blue or green face and bezel options. Put it on and you'll instantly feel like a rugged, outdoors-y type who has their poop together, and is ready to either Do An Espionage or Solo Pilot A Yacht Around The World. Withings is even smart enough to throw in a whole bunch of tools to help you size your band without needing to schlep to a jewelry store. Oh, and I didn't even mention the 30-day battery life. $670 at Amazon Even if your dad isn't an A/V nut, there's a good chance they've still watched those YouTube videos of people building their own cinemas. But the idea of owning a projector is often better than the reality, which can be quite the time and labor-intensive process. That's why I'm smitten with the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE, a portable projector with the power of a full one. It's small enough to stow in a cupboard when not in use, and can go anywhere in your home or outdoors on warm evenings. Plus, it lacks many of the compromises inherent in those dinky projectors you often see on the market. It'll pump out 1,800 ANSI Lumens of bright, 4K Dolby Vision-tuned light to a screen size of up to 200 inches. The automatic setup is effortless, and I tested it on a wall painted gray and it was able to compensate for the color quite easily. It's not as expensive as some rivals on the market and it'll do a fairly fantastic job no matter the task you ask of it $1,300 at Amazon Let's face it: You want your loved ones to stay healthy, keep an eye on their heart and generally be around for as long as possible. One way to do that is by upgrading your bathroom scales to something like Withings' Body Cardio smart scale. Designed to look as unobtrusive as possible, but hidden inside its shell is a number of extra special features you don't get elsewhere. You'll get a heart-health check, automatic person tracking and a full body composition breakdown, telling you how much fat, water and muscle you're carrying. I'd be remiss not to mention, too, Withings' class-leading Health Mate app, which is great for collating large chunks of health data and helping you understand it in an easy-to-digest manner. $160 at Amazon I'm a big fan of distraction-free writing machines that help me get my head down away from the temptations of the internet. reMarkable's e-paper slates have been a mainstay on this guide for years, and now the company has launched a new flagship model. The reMarkable Paper Pro is bigger and faster than its predecessor, but most importantly of all comes with a color display. On its own, it's a fancy pants e-reader with a stylus that'll let you write, draw and annotate PDFs. But when paired with its own Type Folio, it becomes something much greater indeed, a writing and editing machine that's perfect at home or on the go. If I'm struggling with a draft and need to get away from my desk, the Paper Pro is the perfect gadget to come with me. Plus, I can't get pulled into a Slack chat or avoid the problem by staring hopelessly at my emails. If there's a downside, it's the price. It was already more expensive than the equivalent slate from Apple, and tariffs exacerbated that. But if you've got siblings and can club together to get your parent the thing they need to harness their literary ambitions, you should. $629 at reMarkable There are a lot of Bluetooth turntables which are designed for the hip crowd who want to show off their ye olde-fashioned record player. But if you're looking for something a bit more capital-S serious without shelling out for a high-end Technics unit, Audio Technica's romantically-named ATLP120XBT might be worth a glance. The fact it could be confused for a Technics SL-1210, right down to the s-shaped tone arm is, I'm sure, just a total coincidence . The sound is good, and you'll get adjustable pitch control alongside the belt-driven turntable (sorry, no scratching on this unit). And connectivity-wise, it's well-stocked, with Dual RCA-out, USB or Bluetooth 5.0, with support for aptX. It's a unit I'm thinking about getting for my mum, since it'll enable her to digitize her stack of 78rpm records over that USB connection. $499 at Adorama Explore More Buying Options $499 at Amazon$499 at Macy's Look, if your dad is anything like me, then they're probably not a massive gamer, or might just play the odd title. I'm told that there's a whole genre of Dad Games out there that apparently appeal to the fathers in our lives, which are all about following some sort of process. It's likely then that they won't have paid much attention to The Legend of Zelda series, which feels as un-Dad a game as you could imagine. Which is why I'm here to say that, until the start of this year, I felt the same, but I've since had my eyes opened to how amazing it really is. Even better, is that there's a brand new title in the Zelda series, Tears of the Kingdom , which I'd urge all of you to check out. You play as Link, a little dude who – much like Mario – has to rescue a princess countless times throughout history. That normally involves traversing a beautiful, unspoiled paradise called Hyrule that's scattered with all sorts of monsters who want to kill you. From the outside, you might think that it's all just button-mashing and hyperactive combat, which is not a dad-friendly genre. But, in fact, the game puts far more emphasis on puzzle-solving and lateral thinking, and it has the best 3D puzzles this side of the Portal series which alone makes it ideal for dads the world over. Not to mention the freedom to tackle the game any which way you want to, giving you the choice to build your own solution rather than being forced to comply with Nintendo's. In the last game, Breath of the Wild , you could harness the game's physics and chemistry engines to dispatch troublesome enemies by using the environment against them. For instance, you could freeze them and then give them a whack, building up the kinetic energy to such an extent that they're sent hurtling miles away from you. Or, if you approach them in the middle of a storm, you can get them to raise their metallic swords in anger and get a dose of lightning. In this one, you can find scattered electronic components and assemble them however you want to jury-rig vehicles to help you get around. I mean, what could be more Dad-Game than that? $70 at Macy's Explore More Buying Options $70 at Target$70 at HSN And if you're buying Tears of the Kingdom , then you might want to get the console to go with it. Nintendo's Switch OLED Edition takes the same portable-home console hybrid you already know and love, but dials it up to 11. Now, you might be wondering why I'm not recommending you get your elbows out and try to snag a Switch 2 instead. Honestly? If your dad is more of a casual gamer, then the existing Switch is already such a compelling option, it's hard to justify the extra cost for the newer model. After all, the OLED Edition got a lot of necessary hardware upgrades, including a far better display. Given the game recommendation, my preference would be the Tears of the Kingdom specific Switch. It comes with gold Joy Cons with lovely Zonai designs on the body and a gorgeous white and gold TV dock. Even nicer is the concentric circle watermark on the underside, which looks significantly classier than the plain option. Especially if they're going to play the game on the go, when they might want to let the world know that they appreciate the finer things in life. Plus, the Switch has a mature and deep library of games that won't be going anywhere in a hurry, especially given the emphasis on backward compatibility between the old and the new. $290 at Amazon Explore More Buying Options $310 at GameStop At school, one of my friend's dads converted one of his home's bedrooms into a White Room. It's a soundproofed room with nothing but a single armchair facing a fancy HiFi, a dedicated space for Music Appreciation. In retrospect, the fact that my friend's bedroom was half the size and he had to share with his younger sibling was pretty rough. I suspect, deep down in the DNA of every dad, is the Dad Urge (™) to develop an unhealthy interest in high-end audio gear. Thankfully, there's an easy way to prevent your parent blowing your inheritance on a pair of B&W Nautilus. Chinese high-end audio masters Fiio produce a wonderfully elegant desktop DAC and speaker pair that'll do the same job as a White Room at a fraction of the cost. The R7 has an Android music player in front that'll connect directly to their streaming service of choice. And it can also play locally stored music, or connect it to another player via AirPlay, USB, Bluetooth, optical or analog audio lines. The R7 can be paired with Fiio's matching set of SP3 speakers that have 3.5-inch woofers, 1-inch tweeters and wonderfully smooth sound. The price all-in is a bit steep, but it might scratch that itch without causing any ructions around the Thanksgiving dinner table. $700 at Amazon I'll make no bones about the fact that, as a dad, I'm writing this guide as much as a vehicle for wish fulfillment as I am to dole out consumer advice. And, like a lot of people. I've gradually grown more and more obsessed with Fujifilm's X-series of cameras. A combination of old-school rangefinder styling, great photo quality and relatively limited supply has made them a hot ticket. The fact the X-series comes with film simulation modes is, for many, the thing that puts it on top over plenty of cameras from other manufacturers. But the high price of the flagship – edging north of $1600 — X100 means it's a pricey and dicey proposition for any hobbyist photographer. Thankfully, Fujifilm has a cheaper and I might even argue better option in the form of the X-T30. It's a step down on the spec list, with an older 26.1-megapixel sensor compared to the 40.2 of its newer sibling. But what it's got going for it is the smaller body size which makes it so portable as to be pocketable, ease of use and the same analog dials for fine-grain control. Not to mention that, when paired with the 35mm f/2 lens, it's wicked fast and takes pretty beautiful shots. I've been into my local camera shop multiple times to try out the X-T30 with this lens but, so far, neither of my kids have picked up the hint and bought one for me. $899 at Amazon If anyone asks me what TV to go for, my knee jerk reaction is to recommend LG given the broad advantages it has over its competitors. The company's OLED TVs remain best in class and I think the base-ish model OLEDs offer excellent value for money. 2023's OLED C3, for example, offers plenty of the same features as its higher-priced siblings. There may not be too many extra bells and whistles but for pure picture quality, you're good to go with its massive contrast ratio and great black reproduction. Essentially, it's a TV for people with champagne tastes but something a bit closer to a Bud Light budget. $1,227 at Amazon I suspect a lot of dads fall into the trap of having the ability to buy themselves nice things, but never actually go through with it. (I could easily buy myself a Dremel, for instance, but I still haven't!) One thing they've probably thought about but not followed through on is to upgrade their coffee routine from whatever they bought before you were born. I myself was making at home lattes with instant coffee and a microwave for far longer than I'm prepared to admit. But I was wary about buying a bean-to-cup machine given that they can become a time-consuming hobby in and of themselves. So, after plenty of research, I bought the Creatista Plus, a Nespresso-compatible machine that makes pretty decent coffee at home. As well as producing standard drinks, you can use the built in steam wand to prepare milk for something that's close enough to barista-standard. Now, I'll say that it is a lot pricier than some of the machines in its class, but I chose it as much for how it looked as what it did. Sure, there's a built-in digital display that'll give you fine-grain control over every fact of your coffee, but it also looks like a proper grown-up coffee machine. And it's the sort of thing that should stand proudly on your countertop as it forms a key part of your dad's morning routine. $570 at Amazon Explore More Buying Options $600 at Macy's$450 at Best Buy Do you find that it's harder and harder to relate to your folks as you, and they, get older? Some of this, I'm sure, is down to the media they consume, especially if they've become trapped in the echo chambers found in the basement of your cable TV guide. If they're an avid reader, however, then it might be worth offering them Capitalist Realism by the British philosopher Mark Fisher. It serves as a relatively short, and fairly gentle introduction to Fisher's viewpoint on the culture at large, especially given what's going on right now. At 81 pages, it can hardly be called a weighty tome, and it lacks some of the florid language you often see from philosophy books. Fisher often draws parallels between his points and various pop culture milestones that most folks will be familiar with. A treatise on Office Space's rules around pieces of flair dovetails into an exploration of how politicians focus on metrics for success will hide the diminished quality of whatever they're trying to improve. References to lines of dialog from Heat become points to connect the destruction of community and the way mental health has become an individualized issue, rather than a societal one. And it might just help make your Thanksgiving dinner conversations a little more pleasant in future. $14 at Amazon
Gizmodo
18 minutes ago
- Gizmodo
Anker MagGo Foldable 3-in-1 Charger Is Now at All-Time Low on Amazon, Limited Stock Going Fast
Charging your phone and all the other tech items you use on a daily basis can be one of the clunkiest parts of your day. You're typically having to juggle cables, trying to find the right port in the dark, or dealing with a charger that mysteriously stops working mid-charge. And it's super annoying. No one wants to put themselves through all that just to juice their phone back up to a full charge. And no one should have to. Not when multitasking chargers like this one are on offer. See at Amazon Get the Anker MagGo 3-in-1 Charging Station for $83, down from its usual price of $110. That's $27 off and a discount of 25%. Charge all your devices at once This charging pad that can pull triple duty can help you charge your iPhone, Apple Watch, and Apple AirPods all at once without breaking a sweat. It's certified Q12 for quick charging and has a 15W built-in charger to keep everything effortlessly back at 100% when you need it. Plus, you don't have to buy a separate charger, because it comes with a 40W one that's already in the box! It also comes with a five-foot cable. That makes it a great value, especially compared to some of the more expensive options on the market that don't include those essentials. Unfortunately, that's been a thing for some time, but this charger makes it something you don't have to worry about. And it's easy to use, too. The built-in magnets snap your phone into perfect alignment every time, which not only ensures faster charging but also prevents heat buildup and misalignment issues. Those things can slow you down and keep you from being able to charge your things up as easily. And with Anker's ActiveShield safety system monitoring temperatures thousands of times per day, you can charge with peace of mind. No having to wonder about whether something is going to burn up. There's also a quality-of-life perk here that iPhone users will appreciate: the charger supports StandBy mode. That means when your phone is docked horizontally, it can turn into a mini smart display showing widgets, time, photos, or calendar updates. That's especially useful if you don't have an alarm clock. Hey, some of us decide not to. No one is judging you whatsoever. For just $83, this is a no-brainer for anyone who has an Apple triple threat in their home. Be sure you grab yours before it's gone. See at Amazon
USA Today
32 minutes ago
- USA Today
Want to lower your energy bill? Save $60 on Ecobee's Smart Thermostat and Security kit
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