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

Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:59:28 PM
10-inch HD display, 2X display area from original Echo Show. 8 mic array, "it's the most advanced mic array we know how to build.
Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 5:59:41 PM
Same price, $230. Preorders today, ship next month.
Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 5:59:42 PM
Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 6:00:11 PM
Ry Crist 9/20/2018 6:00:12 PM
Smart displays proving pretty popular this year, and the first-gen Echo Show risked getting overshadowed and left behind with its smaller screen and uglier design. The second-gen model will be much more competitive -- but is the user interface any better? And what will it cost?
Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 6:00:17 PM
Was expecting this one, Echo Show was on sale on Amazon.com for a few weeks.
Ry Crist 9/20/2018 6:00:31 PM
Ah, same price. $230. That can compete.
Ry Crist 9/20/2018 6:00:59 PM
Amazon's buddy buddy relationship with Microsoft continuing to pay off with Skype support on the Echo Show.
Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 6:01:02 PM
Skype first partner to integrate with Alexa for voice calls.
Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 6:01:16 PM
Adding Silk and Firefox browsers to Show too.
Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 6:01:48 PM
BTW, may use those browsers to bring YouTube back to Show.
Ry Crist 9/20/2018 6:01:56 PM
Showing off some new graphical improvements for the Echo Show user interface, and I swear Limp is looking right at me as he talks about them.
Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 6:02:00 PM
Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 6:02:17 PM
Spat with Google means no YouTube on the Show and Echo Spot right now.
Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 6:02:25 PM
Ry Crist 9/20/2018 6:02:39 PM
Great call Ben -- Firefox and Silk are the two options for watching YouTube on Fire TV streamers, and they work fine. Smart move to bring them to the Echo Show, too.
Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 6:03:13 PM
Ry Crist 9/20/2018 6:03:42 PM
New "Alexa Presentation" software will let third-party skill makers use an HTML framework to bring their own visual interfaces to the Echo Show.
Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 6:04:16 PM
Is there anything else left to announce? A new Echo?
Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 6:04:58 PM
Demo of new Echo Show right now.
Ry Crist 9/20/2018 6:05:17 PM
Talking Blueprints now. Showing a custom made "birthday card" from the kids to Mom that scrolls through family photos on the Echo Show and plays audio of the kids saying happy birthday.
Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 6:05:24 PM
Ry Crist 9/20/2018 6:06:20 PM
"Alexa, show me something interesting." Goes to a live cam from Budapest. "Show me another interesting place." Shows a live cam from a beach at Ft. Lauderdale.
Ry Crist 9/20/2018 6:07:13 PM
Integration with Amazon Meal Kits. Walk through the recipe on the Echo Show as you cook. Cooking features like this were a standout on the Google smart displays, really excited to see how Amazon's efforts here compare.
Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 6:07:54 PM
Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 6:08:14 PM
Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 6:08:33 PM
Worked with partners to integrate Hulu. Showing Food Network, Fox Sports.
Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 6:09:04 PM
Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 6:10:05 PM
Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 6:10:18 PM
Integrated Echo Show into Fire TV Recast, first time offering DVR to customers.
Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 6:10:20 PM
Ry Crist 9/20/2018 6:10:28 PM
Echo Show as an all-in-one, voice-activated smart TV. Integrates with something new called Fire TV Recast that sends live TV to your Echo Show as recordings.
Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 6:11:01 PM
Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 6:11:37 PM
Record 2-4 shows at a time, stream to multiple devices.
Ry Crist 9/20/2018 6:11:43 PM
Put Fire TV Recast anywhere in your house and connect it to an antenna, and it'll beam those shows and networks throughout your home via Fire TV. That's a pretty strong pitch.
Ry Crist 9/20/2018 6:12:07 PM
A feature in the app will even help you find the best spot to put your antenna for the strongest signal.
Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 6:13:12 PM
Launching Smart Screen SDK.
Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 6:13:29 PM
Can add Echo Show like functionality to "anything with a display."
Ry Crist 9/20/2018 6:13:57 PM
"Lenovo is bringing Alexa to their tablets." Sony also using the SDK to integrate Alexa onto their smart televisions.
Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 6:14:09 PM
Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 6:14:16 PM
Last area today: Alexa on the go.
Ry Crist 9/20/2018 6:14:20 PM
Here comes a car gadget.
Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 6:14:36 PM
Tyler Lizenby 9/20/2018 6:14:48 PM
Ben Fox Rubin 9/20/2018 6:15:01 PM
Talking about work with cars.