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 5:59:28 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.
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