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Bloomberg
Amazon.com Inc. introduced a waterproof Kindle e-reader long-awaited by enthusiasts, the latest in a string of consumer devices from the online retail giant this year.
The device, an updated version of the Kindle Oasis, has a faster 4G wireless connection, six-week battery life, and a brighter 7-inch screen, slightly larger than the previous model. Waterproofing has long been an omission on Kindle e-readers, and will now let people read at the beach or in the bath tub without worrying about damage, Amazon said.
The 4G internet functionality means users will be able to download books more quickly than on the previous 3G version. The new model also has Bluetooth and integrates with Amazon’s Audible service to stream audio books to wireless headphones or speakers. The 4G version costs $350 and includes 32 GB of storage. The base model, without 4G capability and with 8 GB of storage, costs $250.
It’s been an unusually packed year for Amazon gadgets. The company introduced several new Echo speakers and rolled out refreshed tablets. Amazon also launched the Echo Show.
Amazon to team up with Apple, Google on Alexa voice asssistant
Bloomberg
Amazon.com Inc. is willing to team up with competitors Apple Inc. and Alphabet Inc.’s Google if it would help improve customers’ experience with its Alexa voice-activated virtual assistant, an executive working on the platform said.
The online retailer, which is working with Microsoft Corp. on productivity features for Alexa such as calendar interactions, will put the user first in pursuit of any other partnerships, said Toni Reid, Amazon’s vice president of Alexa and Echo devices.
“We are super passionate about the customer approach,†Reid said.
The Seattle-based retailer has 5,000 people working on Echo home speakers and the Alexa platform that powers the devices, Reid said.
Amazon sees uses for voice-activated devices in every room of the home, as well as in cars and hotels, she said. Amazon’s rivals have competing products: Apple is set to roll out its own HomePod smart speaker with Siri, its digital assistant, later this year, and Google’s range of Home devices come equipped with the internet giant’s virtual helper.