Amazon recently held its annual fall hardware event. Though the company did not stream its proceedings to the public, it did have a lot of announcements to make. The company unveiled everything from new Echo devices to an Alexa-powered robot. Here is everything that was announced at the event.
Amazon Event Highlights – Astro
Amazon announced all offbeat products in its hardware event. It has developed an Alexa-powered robot called Astro that you can move around your home. It serves three primary functions. It can offer functionalities of Alexa on the go, allows you to check in on kids, pets, and loved ones, and also provides home security. This product would be launched later this year and will cost $999.99.
Echo Show 15
Amazon is including yet another model to its Echo Show family. The latest addition to the family features a 15.6-inch 1080p display that the company envisions you mounting on the wall in your kitchen home. The Echo Show 15 features a redesigned home screen and emphasizes much on Alexa widgets. The smart display also features a camera and a new feature that can adjust the contents of the home screen to when the device recognizes your face. Echo Show 15 will be sold at $250 later this year.
Halo
Amazon had previously made two major announcements related to its Halo fitness product. The company first introduced its new Halo View fitness band. Amazon has included an AMOLED color display to its Halo wearable and this has turned the device a lot cheaper. Though it doesn’t come with a tone-detecting microphone, it can track your steps, skin temperature, heart rate, and more. Though Halo View isn’t available for purchase yet, it would cost you about $80 upon its launch.
The company also announced Halo Fitness and Halo Nutrition which are two new features that will come included with its yearly $80 Halo subscription. The former is Google’s answer to Apple Fitness+ and other similar services. Meanwhile, Halo includes meal planning features and personalized recipes. Halo Fitness will also roll out later this year and will be available at the start of 2022.
Ring and Blink
Amazon’s Ring and Blink home security subsidiaries have an entire segment dedicated to products. The highlights include Ring Alarm Pro which is a security system that includes Eero Mesh Wi-Fi integration and a new Blink’s $50 video doorbell. Ring has also announced that it has started accepting sign-ups to test its Always Home Cam security drone which it first announced this same time last year.
Glow
The second-most offbeat device that Amazon announced at this September Hardware event is Glow. It is a teleconferencing display that has been specifically designed for kids. It includes a projector that can create a 19-inch touch-sensitive play space for all the games and activities included with the device. Glow will cost you $249.99 when it will be put up on sale in the next few weeks.
All the rest
Recently, Amazon has shifted its focus towards creating more affordable versions of some of the best-selling products in its marketplace. It is no surprise that it is offering an Alexa-enabled smart thermostat for just $60. Tuesday’s event witnessed the company announce various updates for its Alexa. The company has also worked with Disney to make a voice assistant that will be available on Echo devices and also in Walt Disney World Resort hotel rooms. Moreover, the company has also rolled out a feature called Alexa Together that switches an Echo speaker or smart display into an emergency support device for your family members. Also, the company is adding offline voice support for Alexa devices.