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.

  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:47:02 PM
    "We also realized that the home has to be even smarter on the outside."
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:47:18 PM
    Mentions purchase of Ring and Blink.
  • Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 5:47:21 PM
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:47:46 PM
    "Nobody is going to complain about a safer home in 10 years."
  • Ry Crist 9/20/2018 5:47:46 PM
    Moving on to home security. Ring update? I hope.
  • Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 5:47:48 PM
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:47:54 PM
    Alexa Guard, another new thing.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:48:28 PM
    Alexa can move your devices into "guard mode."
  • Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 5:48:35 PM
  • Ry Crist 9/20/2018 5:48:51 PM
    Introducing "Echo Guard." Say something like "Alexa, I'm leaving," and she'll move your Echoes into Guard mode. You'll get a notification if they hear breaking glass or the sound of an alarm.
  • Ry Crist 9/20/2018 5:49:18 PM
    If you have smart lights, Guard-mode Alexa will randomly turn them on and off to make it look like you're home.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:49:23 PM
    Starting Alexa Guard with Ring and ADT.
  • Ry Crist 9/20/2018 5:49:51 PM
    Can also sync up with Ring or ADT to send those sound alerts straight to the dispatch centers.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:49:55 PM
    Talking about Ring now.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:50:14 PM
    "We have been blown away by Ring's work to reduce crime in neighborhoods."
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:50:29 PM
    "They've been protecting more homes than anyone else."
  • Ry Crist 9/20/2018 5:50:36 PM
    Limp gives a shoutout to Ring founder Jamie Siminoff, who's apparently here in the back. Why not bring him up?
  • Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 5:50:40 PM
  • Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 5:51:10 PM
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:51:20 PM
    Can now lock your door from the Ring app.
  • Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 5:51:37 PM
  • Ry Crist 9/20/2018 5:51:44 PM
    "Today, we're extending Ring Alarm and adding access control." You'll be able to lock compatible smart locks from Schlage, Yale, Kwikset and Danalock right from the RIng app, or disarm your system by punching a code in on the lock.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:51:50 PM
    New Ring camera, both wired and battery powered versions.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:52:11 PM
    Ring Stick Up Cam, $180. Available later this year.
  • Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 5:52:57 PM
  • Ry Crist 9/20/2018 5:53:57 PM
    Watching a promo video for Ring's Neighbors app now, a neighborhood-watch for your phone launched earlier this year.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:54:03 PM
    Now a video about Ring...phew, we get a short break.
  • Ry Crist 9/20/2018 5:54:42 PM
    OK. Break over.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:54:53 PM
    Amazon bought Ring earlier this year for a reported $1 billion.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:55:34 PM
    Integrating with a new API, Alexa doorbell API -- if doorbell rings, will show on your Echo Show.
  • Ry Crist 9/20/2018 5:55:48 PM
    Alexa has a new Doorbell API that will of course work with Ring to let you see the doorbell camera's feed on your Echo Show or Echo Spot. Includes support for two-way talk.
  • Ry Crist 9/20/2018 5:56:22 PM
    Feels like we're gearing up to a new touchscreen device here...
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:56:45 PM
    All-new Echo Show.
  • Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 5:56:48 PM
  • Ry Crist 9/20/2018 5:56:49 PM
    Here it is, an all-new Echo Show. Complete redesign.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:57:00 PM
    "This product has been completely redesigned."
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:57:10 PM
    "It has great sound."
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:57:35 PM
    Integrated a bass radiator inside, real-time Dolby processing.
  • Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 5:57:39 PM
  • Ry Crist 9/20/2018 5:57:41 PM
    Fabric back-cover matches the new Dot and Echo Plus. Also has the same smart home hub functions as the Echo Plus, with built-in Zigbee support.
     
    And yep, it looks a lot like some of the new Google Assistant smart displays. Amazon playing some defense, here.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:58:39 PM
    Doing demo. This new Echo Show looks much smaller. Looks like they removed the front speaker section at the bottom.
  • Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 5:58:43 PM
  • Ry Crist 9/20/2018 5:58:43 PM
    Demo time. Girls Like You by Maroon 5. Sound is filling the sphere. Pretty impressive.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:58:57 PM
    "It sounds incredible."
  • Ry Crist 9/20/2018 5:59:22 PM
    Amazon shoring up what was arguably Alexa's biggest vulnerability.
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