Starting mid-December, Amazon Echo devices will be able to stream songs from Apple Music. A bit of a surprise, perhaps, given that Apple’s been a competitor in the space since launching the HomePod back in 2017. Amazon’s had its own music service for some time as well, but the company appears to have given up […]
View More Apple Music is coming to the Amazon EchoCategory: Amazon Echo
Technology and young kids: What parents should know about pre-K kids and high-tech learning
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Parenting in a digitally inundated environment presents dilemmas for many moms and dads. Should kids be able to use a tablet before their first day of kindergarten? How can parents teach their children to be responsible digital citizens? These are just a few of the questions that arise when it comes to exposing kids to technology.
According to the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), tech — when used “intentionally and appropriately,” of course — can provide “adaptive scaffolds to help children progress in skills development.” In other words, technology can be a useful aid to support kids’ learning, as it opens them up to new content, skills, ideas, and possibilities. Read more…
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View More Technology and young kids: What parents should know about pre-K kids and high-tech learningThe best UK deals for Thursday (Cyber Week): Amazon devices, LEGO sets, Yale alarms, and more
With Christmas just around the corner, now is the prime time to get ahead on the gift shopping. For many of us, this is the time when we feel chill and find comfort in the fact that Christmas is a month away. This is a huge mistake and one that we ne…
View More The best UK deals for Thursday (Cyber Week): Amazon devices, LEGO sets, Yale alarms, and moreAmazon Echo Sub review: Exactly what you need for Alexa-powered music
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Amazon Echo Sub
$129.99
The Good
Easy setup • Adds good bass to music • Relatively light
The Bad
Can’t produce deep bass (<30Hz) notes • Won’t work with external sources
The Bottom Line
There are more powerful and versatile subwoofers out there, but the Amazon Echo Sub is the fastest, easiest way to give Alexa-powered music some oomph.
Mashable Score3.75
Cool Factor4.0
Learning Curve4.0
Performance3.0
Bang for the Buck4.0
If you regularly listen to music on an Amazon Echo device — specifically the Echo, new Echo Dot, or Echo Plus — then I can’t recommend the Echo Sub enough. With minimal setup, it greatly improves the musical experience, delivering bass notes that you’ll otherwise miss out on. Read more…
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View More Amazon Echo Sub review: Exactly what you need for Alexa-powered musicHelpful ways parents can use technology during their baby’s first year
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The first year of a baby’s life is filled with milestone moments: learning how to roll over, grasp objects, and of course, exciting forays into mobility like those first few wobbly steps.
But today, not only is “baby’s first [fill in the blank]” documented via home video — it’s also “liked” on social media, uploaded to the cloud, and sent to grandma instantly via shared photo albums. The fact that such technology is deeply ingrained into our modern lives brings up new considerations for parents: How can technology help parents during their baby’s first year?
Finding a way to integrate your parenting life with digital devices in a balanced way can set a foundation for healthy family interactions with technology for years to come. Here’s what the experts have to say. Read more…
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View More Helpful ways parents can use technology during their baby’s first yearJudge orders Amazon to turn over Echo recordings in double murder case
A New Hampshire judge has ordered Amazon to turn over two days of Amazon Echo recordings in a double murder case. Prosecutors believe that recordings from an Amazon Echo in a Farmington home where two women were murdered in January 2017 may yield further clues to their killer. Although police seized the Echo when they […]
View More Judge orders Amazon to turn over Echo recordings in double murder caseThe best UK deals for Monday: Amazon devices, Nintendo Switch bundles, Beats headphones, and more
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We have been talking about it for a while now, but it’s finally starting to happen. The Black Friday deals have arrived.
Amazon has now officially launched its ‘Get ready…Black Friday Sale starts on Nov. 16’ campaign. So even though Amazon’s Black Friday sale doesn’t drop until Nov. 16, there are a bunch of pre-Black Friday deals to help you warm up for the main event.
When it comes to an Amazon sale, there are three types of deals:
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Deal of the Day: A price drop that is featured for 24 hours on the Amazon UK deals page. These are generally the most sought after deal type, and are usually featured on the deals page.
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Lightning Deal: Discounts that are featured for several hours as a flash sale on the Amazon UK deals page. These are usually run for only six hours, so you’ll have to be speedy to grab what you wantPrime members receive 30 minutes early access before non-members. That window could be vital to beat off competition.
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Best Deal: A price discount promotion that features on the Amazon UK deals page. These deals can run for up to 2 weeks, covering the whole Black Friday period. Read more…
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View More The best UK deals for Monday: Amazon devices, Nintendo Switch bundles, Beats headphones, and moreCelebrate Alexa’s birthday with this absolutely stacked bundle for under £100
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She is always there when you need her, and she always knows the right thing to say. She can make you laugh, make you think, and maybe even make you cry (but that might be a stretch). She’s also four years old.
If you hadn’t guessed, we are talking about Alexa, the virtual assistant developed by Amazon, first used in the Amazon Echo and the Amazon Echo Dot smart speakers. To celebrate Alexa turning four, Amazon is rolling out a number of deals on a wide range of devices that include the service.
The Alexa Party Bundle includes the Echo Plus (1st Gen), the Woox Smart Plug, the Echo Buttons, and the Philips Hue White bulb E27 — basically everything you need to start your smart home. You can pick up this bundle for £99.99, down from £184.97. You save almost £90 with this bundle compared to buying separately. Read more…
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View More Celebrate Alexa’s birthday with this absolutely stacked bundle for under £100The best UK deals for Thursday: Amazon devices, Lagavulin whisky, NESCAFÉ coffee machines, and more
In case you hadn’t noticed, we are now officially living in the future. Cars are driving themselves, drones are flying overhead, and we are making frankly terrifying advancements in AI.
The home is also being fast-tracked into the future. We can now …
Alexa for Business opens up to third-party device makers
Last year, Amazon announced a new initiative, Alexa for Business, designed to introduce its voice assistant technology and Echo devices into a corporate setting. Today, it’s giving the platform a big upgrade by opening it up to device makers who are building their own solutions that have Alexa built in. The change came about based […]
View More Alexa for Business opens up to third-party device makersEcho Show 2 review
With the original Echo Show, Amazon added a new dimension to the smart speaker. To critics, the device was little more than a station tablet. For Amazon, however, the product unlocked a new vertical in the rapidly expanding category. The day to usefulness wasn’t always clear, but the potential certainly was, as Amazon and the […]
View More Echo Show 2 reviewAmazon’s second-gen Echo Show is a huge step up from the original
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Amazon Echo Show (2nd Gen)
$229.99
The Good
Sleeker design • Larger • vibrant display • Clear room-filling audio • Skills that take advantage of screen work great • Really nice entertainment options • Easy setup
The Bad
Video quality isn’t the best • Many skills underutilize the screen • Lousy camera
The Bottom Line
Amazon’s second-generation Echo Show has a larger screen, booming audio, and fast performance, making the $229 price worthwhile.
Mashable Score4.0
Cool Factor4.0
Learning Curve5.0
Performance4.0
Bang for the Buck3.0
The larger display and sleeker design on the second-generation Amazon Echo Show make a world of a difference over the previous version. That’s good news since, as Echo devices go, the Show isn’t cheap. Not only that, but it essentially serves as Amazon’s reference design of how screens should work with on Alexa-enabled products. Read more…
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View More Amazon’s second-gen Echo Show is a huge step up from the original