Latest news with #Alexa+
Tom's Guide
4 hours ago
- Business
- Tom's Guide
I spent the last two weeks testing Alexa+ — here's 2 things that impressed me, and 1 that needs work
Alexa+, Amazon's new-and-improved voice assistant, is slowly rolling out to beta testers before its full release sometime in the near future. Unlike the original Alexa, Alexa+ uses AI in a number of ways to not only improve the quality of the conversation between you and the assistant, but also provide much more comprehensive services. For example, you can now use Alexa+ to create a smart home routine, order an Uber, or book restaurant reservations. Alexa+ is currently in Early Access, meaning that Amazon is allowing a select number of people to try it and iron out the kinks (here's how to sign up for Alexa+). When it goes live to a wider audience, it will cost $19.99/month, but will be included for free if you subscribe to Amazon Prime. While I had a chance to use Alexa+ briefly a few months back at the launch event, it was only for a few minutes. About two weeks ago, I was granted early access to Alexa+, so I've been able to test it out a bit more over the past few days with the Echo Show 15 and Echo Show 5. Here are my early impressions. When you upgrade to Alexa+, it completely changes the look of your Echo Show to an interface that's much more customizable. Now, you have a lot more flexibility when it comes to widgets. Not only are there more widgets (around 100), but you can move them around the screen, much as you can with your smartphone. Even better: You can set up multiple screens, so you're not confined to just one. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. The new interface makes the Echo Show feel something closer to, say, the Google Pixel tablet, especially with regard to its smart home controls. As someone who has a lot of smart home devices, I especially like the Smart Home widget, which has a bunch of thumbnails of my various cameras (it only works with Ring at the moment) and controls for other things, such as smart lights and thermostats. What's more, if you set up Map View in the Alexa app, you can see a floorplan of your house with all of your smart home devices. Amazon has basically taken the concept of the Echo Hub and turned it into a widget, so it will be interesting to see how much of a future there is for this device, as well as any other Echo device that doesn't have a screen. Still, there's some work to be done. Of the 128 widgets I counted, a number of them were merely larger versions of each other, and their dimensions are fixed, so you can't resize them to say a portrait or landscape orientation. On the Echo Show 5, things are naturally a bit more cramped. You don't get thumbnail views of your smart home cameras, for instance, and the screen can only hold three widgets (and small ones at that) at a time. Things also felt a bit pokey — there was a noticeable lag as I swiped around the display. The first thing you'll notice about Alexa+ is her voice (or his, depending on how you set it up). Alexa is much more expressive, and replies feel more like natural language, rather than something that's purely transactional. As a result, I found it much easier to carry on a conversation. Alexa+'s smarts also extend to when she messes up — she quickly admits her error, and then attempts to resolve it. For example, I had a raccoon wander through my backyard a few nights ago, so I asked Alexa+ if there were any animals that were in my backyard at night. She then responded with a list of videos from my Ring cameras — but all of the results were from the daytime. I said as much, and she responded 'You're right. These are all during the day. I'll look for night videos.' There were a few other instances where Alexa+ didn't return the results I was looking for — Amazon is still working out the kinks — and when I pointed out the errors, she was very apologetic, and worked to correct the mistakes. As an Italian-American, I was particularly aggrieved when Alexa pronounced 'gnocchi' as 'knee-ack-y.' I told her as much, and she asked me if there was a better way to pronounce the word. After guiding her through something that was a bit better, she said she'd keep it in mind for future conversations. It took a few tries, but Alexa finally started pronouncing it correctly. One of the keys to Alexa+'s success will be its integration with third-party services. For example, it currently works with Uber, OpenTable, TicketMaster, and a smattering of other services, so you can use your voice to order a ride or get a reservation. However, in order for this to truly be useful, Amazon will have to partner with a lot more companies. For instance, I tried to book a reservation near my home at a sushi restaurant using OpenTable, but there just aren't that many restaurants in the area that use OpenTable. As a result, Alexa+ returned options for places in New York City, which is a good 15 miles away. While Alexa+ is shaping up to be a great in-home assistant, it's going to need to do more if Amazon wants people to use it out of the house. To find things to do near me, I asked Alexa+ 'what's a good place to go kayaking near Red Bank, New Jersey?' Alexa returned several helpful results, but she was unable to send me directions, or show me on a map where they might be. An Amazon representative told me that they are working on Alexa+ integration with turn-by-turn directions. As an in-home assistant, Alexa+ already feels like a big leap forward from what came before. She's an assistant you now talk to, rather than at. Conversations no longer feel one-directional, and she actually takes your comments into account, rather than returning a generic error message. And, the on-screen interface makes Alexa a lot more functional, especially when it comes to controlling your smart home devices. But while the new design looks great on the large-scale Echo Show 15, it's less so on the smaller Echo Show 5. As the latter device was last updated in 2023, I wouldn't be surprised if Amazon released a newer version of it (as well as other Echo displays) with a beefier processor to handle more Alexa+ actions locally. Is there anything you'd like me to try with Alexa+? I plan to test it more thoroughly in the weeks and months to come before its wider release. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Tom's Guide
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
I put Alexa+ to the test with my chaotic family — here's 5 things I liked and 2 that could use work
With three kids and constant chaos, I rely on anything that can make life a little easier, more scheduled and quieter (if possible). So when I got the chance to test Alexa+, Amazon's upgraded AI assistant, I was curious whether it could actually keep up with my family of five. Spoiler: it can do a lot more than set timers and play 'We Don't Talk About Bruno' for the hundredth time. Built on Amazon's new large language model, I discovered just how much Alexa+ turns your Echo speaker into something much smarter. My experience with Alexa+ proved the assistant to be more like a helpful, proactive assistant than a glorified Bluetooth speaker (something I honestly have felt about Alexa in the past). After a week of testing it on an Echo Show 21 in our real-life madhouse, I found a lot to love, and a couple of things that could use some fine-tuning. Alexa+ is still in its "Early Access" testing phase, so it's not been widely released yet, as Amazon is working out the kinks. Here are five things I love about Alexa+ and two that still bug me. What I noticed right away is how much more conversational and human-like Alexa+ in comparison to the older version. It is also much more natural to talk to because you can interrupt it at any time. I can also interrupt myself mid-sentence to completely change topics or backtrack. It follows me and get this, it even follows my four-year-old who stumbles over his words and doesn't always speak in complete sentences. I noticed that Alexa+ adapts to him when it talks. For example, if I ask for the weather, it just gives me the weather. But if one of my kids asks what the weather is like today, Alexa+ says something like, 'Let me put on my weather goggles…' It's the little details that set this version apart. It also remembers the context of earlier questions and can handle follow-ups without me needing to rephrase. Yes, even when my kids talk fast, in Gen Alpha slang or from across the room. It's the first time Alexa has felt like a true back-and-forth assistant. It remembers facts about the family, our preferences and routines. This has been a game-changer for busy week days, like when I forget to change the thermostat at bedtime to our preferred temperature. It does it for me. I've noticed that the more I use it, the personalization has gotten better over time. One of the most underrated upgrades in Alexa+ is how much more intuitive the screen has become. It now works more like a true smart display; proactively showing relevant visuals based on your context, without needing precise voice commands. When chatting with Alexa, it actually shows the chat on the screen almost like a text message or chatbot. It's nice for a variety of reasons like, ensuring it understands what I'm saying, understanding what it is saying (especially if the room is noisy) and for reference later. Ask for a recipe, and you get a step-by-step visual layout with timers you can tap. Even home controls are easier: instead of listing devices, Alexa+ now presents touch-friendly tiles organized by room, making it simple to dim lights or change the thermostat with a swipe. The layout feels cleaner, faster and more responsive. With our previous versions of Alexa, controlling smart home devices often meant memorizing exact phrases or setting up rigid routines in the app. For example, if I said 'Turn on the lights in the mud room at 7 p.m.,' it might respond with, 'I don't understand,' if I hadn't programmed that exact routine. WIth the older version of Alexa, I felt like I was always one step behind it, while this version definitely feels like it knows my routine and my house better than I do. Alexa+ allows for much more natural, flexible phrasing. Having tested LLMs (large language models), I can only guess that the updated model is better because it can understand context, time references and the way real people actually talk. Sometimes it understands my four-year-old better than I do. For example, you can now say: 'Turn off the lights in the kids' rooms after breakfast.''Dim the family room when the movie starts.''Make sure the porch light is on before we get home.'The real game-changer for me is that Alexa+ interprets time-based cues like 'after dinner' or event-based triggers like 'when the movie starts' without needing a strict routine tied to a clock. It can even infer what 'the kids' rooms' refers to based on your device setup and previous conversations. For a family of five, this is the tool I've needed. I really like that I don't have to micromanage every device or update schedules constantly. Instead, I just speak naturally and trust Alexa+ to fill in the gaps, which makes this multitasking mom very happy. One of the best things about Alexa+ is how seamlessly it works across your entire ecosystem whether you're at home or on the go. The Alexa app now mirrors many of the assistant's upgraded capabilities, meaning you can control your smart home remotely with ease. This is a total game changer for me because sometimes I'll leave the house and wonder if I remembered to turn the outside lights off or close the garage. I've used the app while away from home to turn off forgotten porch lights, adjust the thermostat before heading back and even check if the front door is locked; all with natural, conversational commands. Thanks to Alexa+ syncing context across devices, the system knows what I've asked before, so I don't have to start from scratch each time. Whether I'm speaking to a smart speaker in the kitchen or tapping through the app at the grocery store, Alexa+ keeps everything in sync, giving me consistent, proactive help no matter where I am. What sets Alexa+ apart is how well it connects the dots between my preferences, schedule, shopping habits, and smart home activity. It's no longer just responding to commands — it's anticipating needs based on what it knows about my life. For example, it keeps track of my most frequently purchased items on Amazon, making it easy to restock household essentials with a quick 'reorder my buy-again items' prompt. No more scrambling when we run out of paper towels or dog food. But where Alexa+ really shines is in how it understands time and priorities. The other night, I asked when I should squeeze in a workout — and instead of just giving a random suggestion, it scanned my calendar, noticed my kid's soccer game, and even reminded me of a catch-up coffee I had forgotten to reschedule. That level of situational awareness is new — and genuinely helpful. Alexa+ feels more like a personal assistant who knows my routines, commitments, and habits, rather than just a voice waiting for commands. It's thoughtful, responsive, and increasingly capable of adapting to real-world complexity in a way that feels natural and surprisingly human. While there's a lot to love about Alexa+, it's not quite perfect. As with most early AI rollouts, there are still a few kinks to work out. From inconsistent audio performance to occasional inaccuracies, Alexa+ sometimes feels like it's still finding its voice, literally and figuratively. Hopefully, as Amazon continues refining the system, these growing pains will smooth out. Alexa+ has a more expressive, natural-sounding voice — which is great... until it isn't. The responses are warm and personable, but sometimes they don't always apply to what was asked. Also, she pauses at the slightest interruption even if you put down a book or your phone near it. There have been moments when I had to repeat myself multiple times before being understood, even in a quiet room. Additionally, sometimes the sound randomly goes off and I have to tell Alexa that I cannot hear it. Personality is great, but efficiency still matters — especially when you're in the middle of making dinner or wrangling kids. In my testing, Alexa+ occasionally got key facts wrong, including movie ticket prices and a restaurant's hours of operation. These might seem like small errors, but they show the limits of Alexa+ when it comes to sourcing real-time information. Because Alexa+ still relies heavily on third-party data, the accuracy of its responses is only as good as the sources it pulls from. That's fine for casual queries, but it's not yet dependable enough to be your go-to for time-sensitive or critical decisions. Until the system gets better at verifying info or flagging uncertainty, it's best to double-check anything important. Alexa+ is a big leap forward for smart assistants. After a week of living with it in a house full of noisy kids, forgotten appointments and endless to-do lists, I can confidently say it's the smartest Alexa has ever felt. This version anticipates, adapts and genuinely helps. From adjusting the thermostat when I forget, to following my four-year-old's half-formed voice commands, Alexa+ proves it can thrive in the beautiful chaos of real family life. It's not perfect yet. There were moments where I had to repeat myself or double-check answers, and sometimes I wished it would skip the extra friendliness and just get to the point. But these feel like early-version quirks, not dealbreakers. And given how quickly AI tools are evolving, I wouldn't be surprised if these issues are ironed out soon. The bottom line? Alexa+ certainly feels like a true assistant and it seems to get smarter the more we use it. For busy households, this upgrade is a total game changer. In the weeks and months to come, I'll be testing out Alexa+ further, to see how it develops. Is there anything you'd like to know about it? Leave a note in the comments!
UPI
15-07-2025
- Business
- UPI
Amazon Web Services launches Kiro for writing code with AI help
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy speaks during an Amazon Devices launch on Febriuary 26 in New York where the company unveiled Alexa+, with AI features. On Monday, Amazon Web Services announced Kiro, allows developers to write code with help from artificial intelligence. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo July 14 (UPI) -- Amazon Web Services on Monday released Kiro, a program that allows developers to write code with help from artificial intelligence. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy launched the service in a post on X. "Introducing Kiro, an all-new agent IDE [Integrated Development Environment] that has a chance to transform how developers build software," Jassy wrote about the service from Amazon's Web Services, which is the leading provider of cloud infrastructure. Amazon's name doesn't appear in the announcement, Geekwire noted. AWS launched in 2006 and includes storage and computing power. In 2024, its revenue was $107.6 billion. Overall, Amazon's revenue was $637.9 billion, including retail services, delivery, digital content, devices, Whole Foods, physical stores Vibe coding directs computers to creative software without much human direction. After the free preview ends, free and premium versions of Kiro will be available. The company plans three pricing tiers: a free version with 50 agent interactions per month; a Pro tier at $19 per user per month with 1,000 interactions; and a Pro+ tier at $39 per user per month with 3,000 interactions. Jassy noted the advantages of its program, which uses AI models from Amazon-backed Anthropic but there will be alternatives. "Kiro is really good at 'vibe coding' but goes beyond that," he said. "While other AI coding assistants might help you prototype quickly, Kiro helps you take those prototypes all the way to production by following a mature, structured development process out of the box. This means developers can spend less time on boilerplate coding and more time where it matters most -- innovating and building solutions that customers will love." Diagrams and tasks are generated to streamline development, AWS said. Kiro now can only communicate with people in English. Two product developers, Nikhil Swaminathan and Deeak Sing, gave some details on the programming service and provided a tutorial. "I'm sure you've been there: prompt, prompt, prompt, and you have a working application," they wrote. "It's fun and feels like magic. But getting it to production requires more. ... Requirements are fuzzy and you can't tell if the application meets them." They said Kir works "like an experience developer catching things you miss or completing boilerplate tasks in the background as you work. These event-driven automation triggers an agent to execute a task in the background when you save, create, delete files, or on a manual trigger." In one example, they showed how an e-commerce application for selling crafts can add a review section for users' feedback on crafts. They looked to the future, writing "the way humans and machines coordinate to build software is still messy and fragmented, but we're working to change that. Specs is a major step in that direction." Other companies are going into vibecoding, CNBC reported. Google plans to make its Gemini Code Assist more useful for software developers. On Friday, the company paid a $2.4 billion for licensing rights and top talent from AI software coding startup WIndsurf. On Monday, AI startup Cognition announced it is acquiring Windsurf's intellectual property, produce, trademark, brand and talent for an undisclosed amoint. Microsoft's GitHub's agent allows its Visual Studio Code to work in agent mode for automated software development. Anysphere has developed Cursor and plans to raise money at a $10 billion valuation. OpenAI had considered acquiring Windsurf and Cursor.
Tom's Guide
09-07-2025
- Business
- Tom's Guide
Amazon Echo Show Prime Day deals — I found 4 deals with up to 40% off, and one even has early access to Alexa+
We're keeping a close eye on the best Prime Day deals to make sure you don't miss any of the best savings. While you can find deals on everything from socks to air fryers, I'm most impressed by the savings on Amazon smart speakers; specifically the Echo Shows. My house is kitted out from top to bottom with Amazon Alexa Smart speakers, but I've had my eyes on the Amazon Echo Shows for some time now, and the Prime Day deals mean this is the perfect time for an upgrade. Right now, there are some of the best deals I have seen on these display speakers, and there's something to suit everyone. My favorite has to be the Amazon Echo Show 8 for just $109 at Amazon with a saving of 27% from $149, and it even has early access to Alexa+. For a rundown of the best Prime Day Amazon Echo Show deals, keep scrolling! The Amazon Echo Show 5 is available in three colors to complement any home interior; black, cloud blue and glacier white. The 5.5-inch display is more than enough to show you the latest news headlines at a glance, and if you have other Amazon devices like a Ring Doorbell, you can view the cameras and respond directly from the Echo. There is also a built in 2MP camera that you can use as an interior security camera, and even keep an eye on your pets when you pop out to the grocery store. I love than you can use the display as a photo frame, and select a slideshow of your favorite pictures to pop up in any room. While it is smaller than the Echo Show 8, it still delivers everything you need and more. Despite its size, the sound is still well rounded and dang loud! I love that I can control the music just by asking Alexa, or just tapping the screen, rather than having to rely on my phone. This is the newest version of the Amazon Echo Show 8 and it has had some major upgrades. There is improved audio, including spatial audio, and room acoustic sensing to get the most out of your favorite music. The processor has been improved for faster responses from the display, making the overall experience so much smoother. As an added bonus, you're also getting early access to Alexa+ when you buy the Echo Show 8. There are only two color choices with the Show 8; charcoal or glacier white, but both are understated. The HD touchscreen on the Echo Show 8 is also bigger than the Show 5 at eight-inches. The camera has also had a major upgrade and is now 13MP, making it easier to stay connected and make calls with other Echo Show users (this is one of my favorite features). Pairing with your smart home hub also couldn't be easier as it supports Bluetooth and WiFi to manage any cameras or lighting you may have by using Alexa voice commands. And perhaps best of all, you can watch your favorite shows by connecting to Prime Video or Netflix, so you can keep up with your latest binge watch while getting on with your day. This is the iteration of the Echo Show 5 just for Kids. It has all the same features as the regular Echo Show with calling enabled and access to streaming for TV and music. But is also has learn and play functions, so kids can even ask Alexa for help with their homework. Included in this awesome Prime Day deal is a 1-year subscription to Amazon Kids+, which includes kid-friendly songs, shows and audio books. With parental controls, usage limits can be set, and Alexa with also filter any explicit lyrics in songs that are playing. It's a really cool first step into the world of independence for kids. Okay, I hear ya! This technically isn't an Echo Show, but it does have a cute display screen with the time and weather forecast. At $44, this compact speaker is an absolute steal. I have one on my nightstand at home and I can enjoy pretty great audio while the display screen shows me what's playing. This is a feature I actually love since it's a little like having the vinyl case propped up next to the record player (except not at all). Having Alexa just a shout away when I wake up in the morning is also super convenient. I have set a wake up routine so Alexa wakes me up with music, instantly putting me in a better mood than when I used the harsh alarm from my phone. While you don't get the headlines or vibrant images of the Echo Show models, the Echo Spot is more than enough to have on your nightstand, and it actually makes everything so much easier. It also comes in three colors, black, glacier white and ocean blue, to go with whatever room decor you have. For more great discounts, check out our Prime Day deals live blog.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Are Amazon's Subscription Services Delivering Bigger Returns in 2025?
Amazon's AMZN subscription services continue to deliver steady benefits to the company by increasing customer engagement and loyalty across its ecosystem. The segment includes Prime memberships, audiobooks, digital video, music and e-book services. Amazon highlighted the growing value of Prime as a key driver, particularly in reinforcing its online and physical retail subscription services segment generated $11.7 billion in revenues in the first quarter, up 9.3% year over year. It contributed 7.5% to Amazon's total revenues for the quarter. Our model estimate for 2025 subscription services revenues is pegged at approximately $49 billion, indicating year-over-year growth of 10.9%.Amazon is refining its fulfillment network and regional delivery systems to speed up service. In the first quarter of 2025, Amazon reported record delivery speeds for Prime members, enabled by improved inventory placement. Amazon remains focused on increasing the value proposition for subscribers. It reiterated its commitment to keeping prices low, improving delivery speed and expanding product variety. Prime Day 2025, scheduled for July 8-11, will play a central role in this strategy. With exclusive deals and early discounts for Prime members, Amazon expects to drive stronger engagement and spending through the event. The company also plans to continue investing in its Prime Video, shopping, and fulfillment network while leveraging AI to retain and attract subscribers. Alexa+, which is smarter and more interactive, is now being rolled out for free for Prime members. Prime Day events will serve as another major boost, with exclusive access for members. These initiatives are designed to create a stickier subscription ecosystem. Amazon's subscription offerings, led by Prime, are facing growing pressure from rivals like Walmart WMT and Apple AAPL. Walmart's Walmart+ challenges Prime with benefits like free shipping, fuel discounts and same-day grocery delivery from stores. Meanwhile, Apple's Services business, which bundles services like Apple TV+, Apple Music and Apple Arcade, as well as the growing user base of Apple Pay, has helped Apple achieve more than one billion paid subscribers. While Walmart targets convenience and delivery speed, Apple focuses on entertainment and digital content. Both are expanding rapidly, offering consumers alternative ecosystems, putting pressure on Amazon to keep innovating and differentiating its subscription suite. AMZN shares have gained 0.8% in the year-to-date (YTD) period, underperforming the Zacks Internet – Commerce industry and the Zacks Retail-Wholesale sector's growth of 7.4% and 5.2%, respectively. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research From a valuation standpoint, AMZN stock is currently trading at a forward 12-month Price/Sales ratio of 3.25X compared with the industry's 2.17X. AMZN has a Value Score of D. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter 2025 earnings is pegged at $1.32 per share, which has been revised upward by a penny over the past 30 days, indicating 7.32% year-over-year growth. Inc. price-consensus-chart | Inc. Quote Amazon currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Inc. (AMZN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Apple Inc. (AAPL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Walmart Inc. (WMT) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
