Amazon unleashed its latest wave of Echo smart speakers, a new Amazon Smart Thermostat, the Halo View health and fitness band and a heap of other devices at its invite-only product launch on Tuesday. Amazon once again takes aim at Google, Apple, Ecobee and others as it vies for a place in your heart and home. But the biggest reveal was Astro, Amazon's new smart robot that will be available starting at $1,000 (more below). You can sign up today to receive an invite; Astro will ship later this year.
Together, the devices include bigger screens, more customization, additional privacy settings and facial recognition. The product launch also included a new lineup of Ring security products. Here are the big takeaways about how and when to buy Amazon's newest devices -- for example, the Amazon Glow is invite-only.
Astro is a new robot that brings AI to your home. You can sign-up to request an invite today and Astro will ship later this year. It's an adorable robot that follows voice commands and keep an eye on your home with its periscope camera. Astro can show a live view via the mobile app, so you can check on your home when you're away. Astro works with Alexa Together and Ring Protect Pro, and comes with a six-month free trial of the latter. But Amazon doesn't sacrifice privacy with this home robot. Astro comes with these features:
- No-go zones
- Do not disturb features
- Alexa's standard privacy features
Amazon partnered with Honeywell Home to create an Energy Star-certified smart thermostat that competes with Nest. Most customers may be able to get the thermostat for free after utility rebates. It's an Alexa-enabled thermostat that supports routines and automatically adjusts temperatures. It's available for preorder now and will ship starting Nov. 4. Here are a few of the top features you can look forward to:
- Control the thermostat using the Alexa app or voice commands
- An energy dashboard to breakdown your usage on your Echo device or the Alexa app
- Thermostat Hunches to automatically adjust the temperature
Amazon's new Echo Show is bigger than later models. Now, it comes with a 15.6-inch display and only comes in one color -- black. However, you can mount it on the wall or place it on a stand. The newest model now has facial recognition for personalized alerts and more when the hub recognizes your face, tightening the competition with Apple. It also comes with personalized to-do lists, like Google's Hub Max. But the Echo Show 15 comes with a few highly anticipated features.
- Custom sounds that allow Alexa to listen to specific noises in your home
- Visual ID to give you more customized calendars and reminders
- Customizable Alexa widgets
You'll need to sign up to receive an invite to preorder the Echo Show 15.
This kid-friendly Amazon smart device is brand-new and not to be confused with the Echo Glow. It has a tall 14-inch display and a projector, which throws an interactive image onto a silicone mat. Kids can play games, read books and more -- all on video calls with contacts selected by their parents. Unusually, Alexa is not present here. You can request an invite to the Glow program today.
The Halo View is a new addition to Amazon's Halo family. It now comes with a touchscreen display. Halo Nutrition and Halo Fitness will be included in the Halo membership to promote healthy eating and movement. It favors the Halo in several ways, including the movement, emotional tone and the camera's body analyses. Plus, it still works with the original Halo band.
Preorder Amazon Astro, Echo Show 15, Ring Alarm Pro and more: How to buy everything announced - CNET
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