Alongside the launch of the new Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Stick Lite, Amazon today unveiled a new lineup of Alexa-powered Echo smart speakers. The latest additions to the company’s Echo product line include the new 4th-Gen Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Dot with clock, Echo Dot Kids Edition, and the Echo Show 10. All the speakers in the lineup are equipped with the company’s new AZ1 Neural Edge processor, which is designed to speed up Alexa’s ability to complete commands and answer your questions. Here’s everything you need to know about the processor and the new Echo devices:
Amazon AZ1 Neural Edge processor
Designed in collaboration with MediaTek, Amazon’s AZ1 Neural Edge processor is built into the company’s latest Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Dot with Clock, Echo Dot Kids Edition, and Echo Show 10. Amazon claims that the new silicon module is capable of speeding up Alexa’s responses by hundreds of milliseconds per response, which is expected to further streamline user interaction with the virtual assistant.
But even though all of the new Echo devices feature the AZ1 processor, only the Echo and Echo Show 10 have the on-device memory needed to support the company’s new neural speech models. Thanks to the new speech models, the Echo and Echo Show 10 feature the capability to process audio on-device, which drastically reduces the time Alexa takes to give users a response.
While the remaining smart speakers don’t include the new speech models, the AZ1 chip is expected to reduce response latency on those devices as well, albeit not as much. The company claims that these latency benefits will first be available for English in the US. But the company plans to add support for more languages and regions in the near future.
The 4th-Gen Echo smart speaker features an all-new spherical design and fabric finish, with a bright LED ring at the bottom that reflects off the underlying surface for improved visibility. The smart speaker packs in a 3.0-inch woofer, dual-firing tweeters, and Dolby processing, which is expected to deliver better audio performance than the previous generation.
Much like the Echo Studio, the new Echo smart speaker is capable of detecting the acoustics of the space its placed in to fine-tune the audio playback. It comes with a built-in smart home hub with support for Zigbee, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), and Amazon Sidewalk. Thanks to the Amazon Sidewalk support, users will be able to easily set up new devices with the smart speaker, extend the range of devices like Ring Smart Lighting, and offer support for devices like Tile to locate misplaced items.
The new Echo smart speaker has been priced at $99.99 (₹9,999) and it will be available in three color variants — Charcoal, Glacier White, and Twilight Blue. The device is already up for pre-order on Amazon and it will start shipping sometime later this year.
Echo Dot and Echo Dot with clock
The 4th-Gen Echo Dot has also received a design refresh and it now has the same spherical design and fabric finish as the more premium Echo smart speaker. However, due to its smaller footprint, the speaker packs in a single 1.6-inch speaker.
The 4th-Gen Echo Dot with clock is exactly what it sounds like. It’s an Echo Dot with a simple LED display which shows basic information like time, temperature, timers, and alarms.
The new Echo Dot is priced at $49.99 (₹4,499) and it will be available in three color variants — Charcoal, Glacier White, and Twilight Blue. The Echo Dot with clock, on the other hand, is priced at $59.99 (₹5,499) and it will be available in two color variants — Glacier White and Twilight Blue. Both the new Echo Dots are already up for pre-order on Amazon, with shipping scheduled for sometime later this year.
Echo Dot Kids Edition
The 4th-Gen Echo Dot Kids Edition features the same new spherical design, but it comes with colorful Panda and Tiger prints that will appeal to kids. While it features the same internal hardware, Amazon has customized the Alexa experience on the smart speaker to be better suited to kids.
Alexa’s custom-built kids experience will allow children to ask Alexa questions, set animal sound alarms, get help with homework, and call pre-approved contacts. It features an extensive list of parental controls and the ability to create voice profiles for kids. This feature has been extended to all Echo devices, which means that Alexa will automatically switch to a kid-friendly experience when it detects a kid’s voice.
On top of that, there’s a new Alexa feature called Reading Sidekick which is designed to help children improve reading fluency. To trigger the feature, you can simply say, “Alexa, let’s read,” and the virtual assistant will take turns reading with your child, provide encouragement when they’re reading, and offer support when they struggle. Previews for Alexa voice profiles for kids and Reading Sidekick will be available on all Echo devices in the coming months.
The Echo Dot Kids Edition is priced at $59.99 and it will be available in two animal prints — Panda and Tiger. The device is up for pre-order on Amazon, and it will start shipping to users later this year. All Echo Dot Kids Edition speakers will come with a 1-year Amazon Kids+ subscription, which will give you access to thousands of hours of kid-friendly Audible books, interactive games, and educational skills.
Amazon Echo Show 10
The new Echo Show 10 features a 10-inch adaptive HD display mounted on a rotating base, which can automatically change the direction of the display based on your position when you interact with Alexa. The base features a silent brushless motor that will ensure the device doesn’t make any noise as it rotates the display.
The smart display comes with a new 13MP wide-angle camera that can automatically pan and zoom to keep you at the center of the frame. It features dual front-firing speakers and a powerful woofer that also move along with the display. Much like the Echo smart speaker, the Echo Show 10 is capable of detecting the acoustics of your space to adapt its audio performance.
To ensure user privacy, the Echo Show 10 uses a fusion of audio-based localization and computer vision to power its intelligent motion. All processes happen locally and securely on the device, with no data being sent back to Amazon’s servers. There’s also a built-in camera shutter that automatically turns of motion when closed.
The Echo Show 10 is priced at $249.99 and it will be available in two color variants — Charcoal and Glacier White. The device will start shipping in time for the holidays later this year.
Amazon further notes that all the new Echo devices have the Climate Pledge Friendly badge and are built with 100% post-consumer recycled fabric, 100% recycled die-cast aluminum, and post-consumer recycled plastic. The wood fiber-based material used in Echo device packaging is also sourced from responsibly managed forests or recycled sources. Amazon also plans to introduce a new feature in the Alexa app that will show you the energy consumed by compatible smart home devices sometime later this year.
The federal government is ordering the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform, but stopped short of ordering people to stay off the app.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced the government’s “wind up” demand Wednesday, saying it is meant to address “risks” related to ByteDance Ltd.’s establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc.
“The decision was based on the information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners,” he said in a statement.
The announcement added that the government is not blocking Canadians’ access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content.
However, it urged people to “adopt good cybersecurity practices and assess the possible risks of using social media platforms and applications, including how their information is likely to be protected, managed, used and shared by foreign actors, as well as to be aware of which country’s laws apply.”
Champagne’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment seeking details about what evidence led to the government’s dissolution demand, how long ByteDance has to comply and why the app is not being banned.
A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the shutdown of its Canadian offices will mean the loss of hundreds of well-paying local jobs.
“We will challenge this order in court,” the spokesperson said.
“The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests and for businesses to thrive.”
The federal Liberals ordered a national security review of TikTok in September 2023, but it was not public knowledge until The Canadian Press reported in March that it was investigating the company.
At the time, it said the review was based on the expansion of a business, which it said constituted the establishment of a new Canadian entity. It declined to provide any further details about what expansion it was reviewing.
A government database showed a notification of new business from TikTok in June 2023. It said Network Sense Ventures Ltd. in Toronto and Vancouver would engage in “marketing, advertising, and content/creator development activities in relation to the use of the TikTok app in Canada.”
Even before the review, ByteDance and TikTok were lightning rod for privacy and safety concerns because Chinese national security laws compel organizations in the country to assist with intelligence gathering.
Such concerns led the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a bill in March designed to ban TikTok unless its China-based owner sells its stake in the business.
Champagne’s office has maintained Canada’s review was not related to the U.S. bill, which has yet to pass.
Canada’s review was carried out through the Investment Canada Act, which allows the government to investigate any foreign investment with potential to might harm national security.
While cabinet can make investors sell parts of the business or shares, Champagne has said the act doesn’t allow him to disclose details of the review.
Wednesday’s dissolution order was made in accordance with the act.
The federal government banned TikTok from its mobile devices in February 2023 following the launch of an investigation into the company by federal and provincial privacy commissioners.
— With files from Anja Karadeglija in Ottawa
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.
LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?
It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.
Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:
Apple
The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.
For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.
You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.
Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.
Google
Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.
When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.
You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.
There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.
Facebook and Instagram
Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.
When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.
The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.
You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.
TikTok
The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.
Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.
X
It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.
Passwords
Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?
Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.
But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.
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LONDON (AP) — Britain’s competition watchdog said Thursday it’s opening a formal investigation into Google’s partnership with artificial intelligence startup Anthropic.
The Competition and Markets Authority said it has “sufficient information” to launch an initial probe after it sought input earlier this year on whether the deal would stifle competition.
The CMA has until Dec. 19 to decide whether to approve the deal or escalate its investigation.
“Google is committed to building the most open and innovative AI ecosystem in the world,” the company said. “Anthropic is free to use multiple cloud providers and does, and we don’t demand exclusive tech rights.”
San Francisco-based Anthropic was founded in 2021 by siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei, who previously worked at ChatGPT maker OpenAI. The company has focused on increasing the safety and reliability of AI models. Google reportedly agreed last year to make a multibillion-dollar investment in Anthropic, which has a popular chatbot named Claude.
Anthropic said it’s cooperating with the regulator and will provide “the complete picture about Google’s investment and our commercial collaboration.”
“We are an independent company and none of our strategic partnerships or investor relationships diminish the independence of our corporate governance or our freedom to partner with others,” it said in a statement.
The U.K. regulator has been scrutinizing a raft of AI deals as investment money floods into the industry to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom. Last month it cleared Anthropic’s $4 billion deal with Amazon and it has also signed off on Microsoft’s deals with two other AI startups, Inflection and Mistral.
