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.

3rd & 7 37yd

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.