Amazon Echo Alexa 2018 event live blog | CNET
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Amazon Echo Alexa 2018 event live blog

Amazon is announcing several new Echo and Alexa products at its event in Seattle. Follow our live coverage.

  • Ry Crist 9/20/2018 5:13:37 PM
    Today, Amazon is adding Routines as a feature for the Echo Dot Kids Edition, which will let parents create custom Alexa commands that their kids can use to trigger music, lights, etc.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:13:45 PM
    "I would say we've made Alexa more fun." Mentions she's the repository of many corny jokes.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:14:46 PM
    I think we're getting to some audio equipment announcements.
  • Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 5:14:49 PM
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:15:03 PM
    Limp mentioning how playing music at home got harder and harder with more equipment.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:15:44 PM
    "This is the antithesis of an ambient, communal user interface," showing a bunch of folks on couch on own devices.
  • Ry Crist 9/20/2018 5:15:51 PM
    Positioning Alexa as a simplifier for home entertainment is a smart approach.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:15:59 PM
    Limp said music now more communal in home again.
  • Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 5:16:09 PM
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:16:14 PM
    Echo Dot: "This is the best selling speaker ever."
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:16:24 PM
    Brand new Echo Dot.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:16:37 PM
    "It is a great product through and through."
  • Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 5:16:38 PM
  • Ry Crist 9/20/2018 5:16:45 PM
    Here it is, a new Echo Dot. Fabric-bodied, comes in multiple colors, more powerful sound. Leaks look to have been accurate.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:16:51 PM
    Louder and clearer sound.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:17:18 PM
    Continue to connect to speakers via Bluetooth and audio out. Price the same at $50. Preorders start today.
  • Ry Crist 9/20/2018 5:17:20 PM
    Still $50. Will ship next month to every country that Alexa is in.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:17:49 PM
    It's way nicer looking, no longer a plastic hockey-puck.
  • Ry Crist 9/20/2018 5:18:06 PM
    Photos coming in just a sec -- think the new design looks great.
  • Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 5:18:07 PM
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:18:21 PM
    People connecting all these different speakers to the Dot. Amazon wanted to play into that variety, with Echo Input.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:18:40 PM
    "This is an incredibly thin tiny Echo." Has no speaker.
  • Ry Crist 9/20/2018 5:18:50 PM
    Aha! Second Echo Dot! Called Echo Input. No built-in speaker at all -- designed entirely to be connected to other speakers.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:18:54 PM
    Use it to connect to other speakers.
  • Ry Crist 9/20/2018 5:19:12 PM
    Will cost $35, coming later this year to US, UK, and Germany.
  • Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 5:19:12 PM
  • Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 5:19:50 PM
  • Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 5:20:08 PM
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:20:22 PM
    New API SDK to use multi-room capability for third-party speakers. Free for all device makers.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:20:47 PM
    Multi-room already available for Amazon's own devices.
  • Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 5:20:55 PM
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:21:04 PM
    Echo Sub.
  • Ry Crist 9/20/2018 5:21:28 PM
    You'll also be able to pair multiple Echoes for stereo sound -- which ties right into the leaked Echo Sub.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:21:30 PM
    New subwoofer. "It gives you rich deep sound." Can be used for multi-room audio.
  • Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 5:21:47 PM
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:21:54 PM
    Now playing music using the subwoofer. It's pretty bassy.
  • Ry Crist 9/20/2018 5:22:08 PM
    Getting a stereo audio demo with Echoes on the left and right of us.
  • Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 5:22:24 PM
  • Ry Crist 9/20/2018 5:22:33 PM
    Echo Sub is $129.99.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:22:49 PM
    Sub shipping later this month. $130. Preorders today.
  • Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 5:22:57 PM
  • Ry Crist 9/20/2018 5:23:12 PM
    Echo Sub gets the same fabric-bodied design as the Echo Dot.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:23:24 PM
    Oh man, we are like 20 minutes in and already announced three million new devices.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:23:35 PM
    Echo Link Amp and Echo Link.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:23:58 PM
    No microphones, work with other Echoes in home.
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