Generative AI, geeky new Echo features and smarter TVs and tablets headlined at Amazon’s annual fall hardware event. Here’s a list of everything coming to Canada, including information about pricing and availability.
Call Translation, which captions Alexa audio and video calls to enable effective communication across languages, is the only new feature Canada is getting for now. Supported on Echo Show devices and on the Alexa mobile app, this feature also allows deaf and hard of hearing customers to communicate remotely more easily. The future of Alexa is, however, “smarter and more conversational”, powered by the Alexa large language model (LLM), the company said. It can understand conversational phrases and respond appropriately, interpret context more effectively, and complete multiple requests from one command. This new Alexa will be rolled out slowly in preview, only in the U.S., and then be available to anyone with an Echo device. Amazon’s hardware exec suggested that the company might end up charging at some point for this AI-powered Alexa.
Echo Hub is a wall-mounted, eight-inch, touch-enabled smart home control panel powered by Alexa. Customers can group and manage smart home devices, arm a Ring security system, start a Routine, organize widgets, and view multiple camera snapshots or live views on screens at once. When not in use, it transitions to an idle screen that can be personalized, with family photos for instance. Echo Hub is priced at C$239.99 and will be available later this year – customers can sign up to be notified when pre-orders are available.
Amazon announced Echo Show 8, with Adaptive Content. This update uses on-device computer vision technology to adjust on-screen content based on a user’s proximity to the device. A user positioned across the room will see content that is easily viewed from a distance — such as a simplified news headline — with the screen automatically transitioning to a more detailed view as they approach the device. Echo Show 8 is priced at C$169.99. Devices will ship starting in October 2023.
The new Fire TV Stick comes in two versions, Fire TV Stick 4K and Fire TV Stick 4K Max. The 4K Max is the first streaming media player to come with the Fire TV Ambient Experience, and features an upgraded 2.0 GHz quad-core processor. It supports Wi-Fi 6E and comes with 16GB storage. The 4K has support for Wi-Fi 6 and features an updated 1.7 GHZ quad-core processor. Both come with 4K Ultra HD picture quality, support Dolby Atmos audio, Dolby Vision plus HDR, and HDR10+. The 4K Max is priced at C$79.99 and the 4K is C$69.99. Both are available for pre-order.
A compact, 24-inch design, the two-channel Fire TV Soundbar has support for DTS Virtual:X and Dolby Audio and is compatible with all Fire TV devices. When not watching TV, users can connect to it from their phones, tablets, or any streaming device via Bluetooth. Fire TV Soundbar is available now for C$199.99.
Amazon announced three new 10.1-inch tablets: Fire HD 10, Fire HD 10 Kids and Fire HD 10 Kids Pro. The Fire HD 10 comes with an octa-core processor, 3 GB RAM as well as 1920 x1200 resolution. It’s priced at C$189.99 and will ship next month. The Fire HD 10 Kids is designed for 3- to 7-year olds, with 1080p full HD displays, 3GB of RAM, 5MP cameras, and up to 13 hours of battery life. The Fire HD 10 Kids Pro comes with these same specs, but is designed for 6- to 12-year old kids. Both tablets are priced at $239.99 and will ship next month. All three tablets announced are 25 per cent faster than their respective previous generations, the company said.
This indoor/outdoor camera has features including radar-based 3D Motion Detection, designed to make motion alerts more refined and accurate. It also has advanced radar-powered features like Bird’s Eye Zones, which define areas to monitor, and Bird’s Eye View, which means customers can use an aerial perspective to, Amazon said, “See where someone’s been and how they got there with an aerial view.” It comes in three power versions (Battery, Plug-in, Solar) and has Advanced Pre-Roll and Audio+, which, the company says, delivers great sound thanks to two array microphones, with echo cancellation and a security siren. Ring Stick Up Cam Pro is available for pre-order at C$234.99 for battery and plug-in, and C$274.99 for solar, on Ring.com and Amazon.com, and will ship to customers on Oct. 18.
The Blink Outdoor 4 camera enables high image quality, enhanced low light sensitivity, a wider field-of-view, while maintaining up to two years of battery life. Blink’s on-device computer vision also adds support for person detection (Blink subscription required), giving customers the ability to customize the motion notifications to only when a person is present. Blink Outdoor 4 starts at C$159.99 for a one camera system, including a Sync Module 2. Amazon also announced the Blink Outdoor 4 Floodlight Camera, delivering motion-triggered LED lighting and up to two years of battery life based on default settings and Blink Outdoor 4 Battery Extension Pack, which can be configured to extend Outdoor 4’s battery life up to four years, based on default settings. Floodlight Camera is available for pre-order in Canada today, priced at C$209.99. Customers who already own Blink Outdoor 4 and want to convert it into a floodlight camera can pre-order the Floodlight Mount accessory for C$49.99 starting today. Blink Outdoor 4 Battery Extension Pack, available for pre-order today in Canada and priced at C$39.99, will ship to customers starting Oct. 17. Further, customers can extend the range of their Outdoor 4 significantly farther than is possible via Wi-Fi with Sync Module Pro, which uses a new proprietary wireless protocol, allowing customers to place their Outdoor 4 cameras in even more places. It will be available early next year for $59.99.
eero Max 7, the company says, is the most powerful eero yet, combining the company’s patented TrueMesh networking technology with the latest Wi-Fi 7 standard, designed to dramatically increase speeds, avoid interference from neighbouring networks, and improve mesh latency. eero Max 7 will be available soon for $799.99 (one-pack), $1,599.99 (two-pack), and $2,299.99 (three-pack) through eero.com, Amazon.ca, and retailers like Best Buy.
Alexa
Echo Hub
Echo Show 8
Fire TV Stick
Fire TV Soundbar
Fire Tablets and Amazon Kids+
Ring Stick Up Cam Pro
Blink Outdoor 4
eero Max 7
Amazon Canada device lineup 2023: Alexa gets more ChatGPT-like; Echo series expands; FireTVs, Tablets, Ring and more
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Jim Love, Chief Content Officer, IT World Canada
Ashee Pamma
Ashee is a writer for ITWC. She completed her degree in Communication and Media Studies at Carleton University in Ottawa. She hopes to become a columnist after further studies in Journalism. You can email her at [email protected]
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