Author: alex

WhatsApp adds Live Photos on iOS; Motion Photos beta rolling out on Android WhatsApp now supports sending Live Photos on iOS as animated images. On Android, the app is beta-testing support for Motion Photos (Google/Samsung-style short video+photo captures), allowing users to share short animated clips instead of static pictures in one-on-one and group chats. What this means iOS: Live Photos sent in WhatsApp will preserve their motion and play as short animations. Android: Motion Photos support is in beta testing and will let users send similar short-motion images once rolled out broadly. Availability: iOS support is live; Android support is limited to beta testers at the moment and will expand over time. How it works Live Photos (iOS) and Motion Photos (Android) capture a few seconds of motion around a…

Amazon Unveils Redesigned Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 11 with Alexa+ Amazon has announced redesigned Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 11 smart displays, built around its new Alexa+ AI assistant. Both models pack upgraded hardware and sensors — including a custom AZ3 Pro chip with an AI accelerator — plus a 13MP front camera (the best yet on an Echo Show), improved mics for better noise cancellation, and negative liquid crystal screens designed for wider viewing angles. Key features AZ3 Pro custom silicon with AI accelerator 13MP front camera and improved sensors (including Wi‑Fi radar) New microphone array and noise cancellation Negative LCD for improved viewing angles Built‑in smart home hub supporting Zigbee, Matter, and Thread New media control center, color‑coded family calendars, and wellness integrations (e.g., Oura…

Amazon Fall 2025 Hardware — Full Rundown Amazon’s fall hardware event brought new Echo speakers, refreshed Kindles (including a color Kindle Scribe), Fire TV updates, Ring camera upgrades and wider Alexa+/AI features across devices. Echo Echo Dot Max — $100; larger footprint, two drivers (hi-excursion woofer + tweeter), adaptive sound. Buy/search on Amazon Echo Studio (new smaller model) — $220; 60% smaller than previous Studio, room-filling sound. Buy/search on Amazon Alexa Home Theater — pair up to five Echo Studio/Echo Dot Max units with compatible Fire TV stick for surround sound and automatic tuning. Kindle Scribe Kindle Scribe Colorsoft — full-color writing tablet using Amazon’s custom color filter and new rendering engine; several weeks battery life; 10 pen colors + 5 highlighters. US launch later this year from $630. Search…

Amazon announces Alexa+ updates at the 2025 Devices & Services event Amazon detailed a broad set of Alexa+ updates, new device integrations and refreshed Echo hardware meant to make the assistant more conversational and useful across home devices. Key updates Alexa+ Greetings (Ring) — Rolling out to Ring 2K and 4K devices in December. Using Ring image recognition, Alexa+ can greet known visitors, ask questions of strangers to determine their purpose, and leave instructions for couriers. Vega smart TV integration — Alexa+ is built into Amazon's Vega TV platform, enabling personalized recommendations and content-aware searches (demo showed finding a specific scene in Moneyball). Works for live sports, too. Kindle integration — You’ll be able to send notes and documents from Kindle Colorsoft and Kindle Scribe 3 to Alexa+ and have…

Amazon Alexa Home Theater: use Echo speakers as surround sound — what you need to know At its 2025 device event, Amazon announced Alexa Home Theater, a feature that can turn up to five Echo Studio or Echo Dot Max speakers into a surround-sound setup when paired with compatible Fire TV sticks. The system promises automatic setup once multiple Echo devices are connected. Key details Supported speakers: up to 5 × Echo Studio or Echo Dot Max (new 2025 models). Compatibility: works with "compatible Fire TV sticks" — Amazon hasn’t published a complete compatibility list, but recent 4K/Dolby Atmos–capable Fire TV sticks are expected to be supported. Auto-setup: Alexa handles configuration automatically after you plug in multiple Echo units. Pricing: Amazon pitches this as an entry-level surround option — a…

Amazon Fall Hardware Event — Full Roundup Amazon unveiled a broad slate of hardware: a color Kindle Scribe, refreshed Kindle Scribe, new Fire TV devices and TVs, updated Ring cameras, and expanded Alexa+ AI features. Below is a detailed summary of the announcements and helpful product links. Kindle Scribe Colorsoft Amazon introduced the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft — a color version of its writing tablet using custom color filter and nitride LEDs for richer colors without washing out details. It supports 10 pen colors, 5 highlighter colors, and a new rendering engine to improve pen feel. Battery life lasts several weeks. Pricing: starts at $630 in the US; UK and Germany early 2026. Buy / Search on Amazon: Kindle Scribe Colorsoft (search) Refreshed Kindle Scribe (2025) New 11" Kindle Scribe with…

Amazon unveils new Echo generation optimized for Alexa+ Amazon has refreshed its Echo portfolio with four new models aligned with the expanded Alexa+ capabilities: Echo Show 8, Echo Show 11, Echo Dot Max and a new Echo Studio. The update brings a unified design language across devices and deeper Alexa+ integration for improved voice, display and audio experiences. What’s new Echo Show 8 — Updated display and design for richer visual interactions and better video calls. Echo Show 11 — Larger screen with refined design, enhanced for Alexa+ visual features. Echo Dot Max — Bigger speaker in the Dot family focusing on stronger sound and Alexa+ functionality. Echo Studio (new) — Premium audio with smarter assistant features to compete in the high-end space. The new generation emphasizes a consistent appearance…

Prime Day Vacuum Deals — Save on iRobot, Shark, Dyson, Levoit & More Robot vacuums aren’t just cute—they make cleaning effortless. Prime Day brings steep discounts on robots, uprights, cordless and handhelds. Below are top picks (affiliate Amazon searches included). iRobot Roomba 104 Vac — Entry-level robot with multi-surface brush and LiDAR navigation. Search: iRobot Roomba 104 Vac on Amazon Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 — Robot + mop, self-cleaning and self-emptying. Search: Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 on Amazon Shark Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe — Strong carpet cleaning and lift-away canister. Search: Shark Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe on Amazon Levoit LVAC-300 Cordless Vacuum — Good handling, HEPA filtration, solid battery life. Search: Levoit LVAC-300 on Amazon Dyson Ball Animal Total Clean Upright Vacuum — Bagless, highly maneuverable, great sealing. Search: Dyson Ball Animal…

Amazon Fall 2025 Hardware Recap Amazon’s fall hardware event covered a range of new devices: the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft (a color e-ink writing tablet), a refreshed 11" Kindle Scribe with AI-driven note features, the Fire TV Stick 4K Select, brighter Omni QLED TVs, and several new Ring cameras with AI-driven image tuning and community features. Kindle Scribe Colorsoft A full-color version of the Kindle Scribe using Amazon’s custom color filter and nitride LEDs, plus a new rendering engine to make writing feel natural. It offers multiple pen and highlighter colors and long battery life. Available later this year in the US. More: Buy / Learn more Refreshed Kindle Scribe (2025) New 11" model (paper-sized), 5.44mm thin, 400g, 40% faster page turns and writing, new pen attachment, quad-core chip, AI features…

Amazon Devices & Services 2025 — Alexa+ expands across Ring, Vega, Kindle and new Echo line Amazon used its 2025 Devices & Services event to push Alexa+ deeper into the smart-home ecosystem. The new features span security cameras, smart TVs, Kindle devices and a refreshed Echo lineup built around new AZ3/AZ3 Pro silicon. Quick summary Alexa+ Greetings: Arriving on Ring 2K/4K cams this summer. Uses Ring image recognition to greet known visitors, ask questions of unknown visitors and manage delivery instructions for couriers. Vega smart TV: Alexa+ built into Amazon’s new Vega OS — find specific scenes in movies, get personalized recommendations, and ask for live sports updates. Kindle integration: Send notes and documents from Kindle Colorsoft and Scribe 3 to Alexa+ and have conversational access to their contents (coming…