Amazon Echo Alexa 2019 event live blog | CNET
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Amazon Echo Alexa 2019 event live blog

Like Apple and Google, Amazon now has a regular autumn event where it launches new products and services. We'll be covering everything that happens, live from Amazon headquarters in Seattle.

  • Michelle Meyers 9/25/2019 6:31:02 PM
    Here you can find everything that was just announced, from Echo Buds to Echo Frames to Alexa Frustration Detection and more. Thanks for joining our live coverage today!
  • Michelle Meyers 9/25/2019 4:39:07 PM
    Welcome to our coverage of Amazon's September press event, where it's expected to reveal a bevy of hardware products. Some of the rumored devices include a high-end smart speaker, an Alexa-powered robot, Alexa earbuds and even Alexa glasses. Our crew is about to settle in at the company's Seattle headquarters. The presentation starts at 10 a.m. PT.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 4:51:52 PM
    Hello Seattle!
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 4:52:24 PM
    We just got seated for the event. We're expecting it to kick off in eight minutes.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 4:54:48 PM
    We're expecting this event to be a lot like last year, when Amazon revealed dozens of new products and features in a whirlwind of stuff. That included a wall clock, microwave, an in-car Alexa device...it was a lot of stuff.
  • Achilles 9/25/2019 4:55:57 PM
    Is there a live stream of this to go along with the live updates?
  • NikkiRox 9/25/2019 4:55:59 PM
    Hi Everyone. I can't wait to find out what they have up their sleeves
  • Achilles 9/25/2019 4:58:41 PM
    Thanks Ben, looking forward to seeing/reading what is unveiled!
  • Miguel 9/25/2019 4:59:16 PM
    Will we have to refresh and will you be posting pics?
  • vmarks 9/25/2019 4:59:24 PM
    You would think that Amazon, who own a streaming service, would figure out how to broadcast this on Prime Video
  • upnorth 9/25/2019 4:59:35 PM
    any video to go with stream CNET?
  • Andy 9/25/2019 4:59:52 PM
    @BenFoxRubin Excited to see what's coming! :D
  • Miguel 9/25/2019 5:00:03 PM
    I just wish they'd finally give us an update about how far they've come with AI, reveal Alexa robot, and oh one more thing: We're now activating SkyNet and taking over the world.
  • Edith Puthy 9/25/2019 5:00:05 PM
    looking forward to the earpods
  • Chris Dickens 9/25/2019 5:00:17 PM
    Thanks for live blogging! Can’t wait to see what they announce!
  • Kyle 9/25/2019 5:00:22 PM
    No live stream. Amazon MAY post the video later.
  • JMACSEA 9/25/2019 5:00:30 PM
    I'm hoping they include a Pico projector in the Echo. It would be so awesome to have an interactive touch screen on your counter top that is enabled with voice commands.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:01:14 PM
    Thanks for all the questions and comments, everyone. Keep them coming. I won't be able to answer stuff once the event starts. Just a reminder: No livestream so follow the news here in the live blog.
  • James Martin 9/25/2019 5:01:23 PM
     
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:02:02 PM
    The rumors going into the event include Alexa-powered earbuds, an Alexa robot and a new higher-powered Echo to rival the Google Home Max.
  • Andy 9/25/2019 5:02:07 PM
    I hope they announce a wifi 6 alexa
  • charles 9/25/2019 5:02:12 PM
    Earbud will be great!
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:02:58 PM
    OK, we've gotten started. David Limp, Amazon's hardware chief, is onstage now.
  • Michelle Meyers 9/25/2019 5:03:11 PM
    Thanks all for your comments. We'll be turning them off for the presentation.
  • James Martin 9/25/2019 5:03:20 PM
     
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:03:53 PM
    He's talking about the "working backwards" process of writing a press release for a future product or feature to guide the development of a product. "Boy, have we come a long way."
  • James Martin 9/25/2019 5:04:05 PM
     
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:04:08 PM
    "Customers now interact with Alexa billions of times a week."
  • James Martin 9/25/2019 5:04:41 PM
     
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:05:07 PM
    Limp says they look at the positive reviews of Echo/Alexa, but also the negatives. "We should do better on behalf of customers."
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:05:23 PM
    "We care about this," he says about privacy concerns.
  • James Martin 9/25/2019 5:05:50 PM
     
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:06:00 PM
    "I know many of you have written headlines about this over the past year, and we care about this. In fact, privacy is absolutely foundational to everything that we do in and around Echo and Alexa."
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:06:27 PM
    Made Echo wake word 50% more accurate to reduce errors in Alexa waking up when you didn't call it.
  • James Martin 9/25/2019 5:06:34 PM
     
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:06:43 PM
    Also built privacy into the devices themselves.
  • James Martin 9/25/2019 5:07:52 PM
     
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:07:55 PM
    "We want to ensure that customers have the control with the cameras they have."
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:08:07 PM
    Added toggle to Ring app to turn off audio.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:08:28 PM
    For Ring cameras, will add home mode to stop recording audio and video when home.
  • James Martin 9/25/2019 5:08:28 PM
     
  • James Martin 9/25/2019 5:09:35 PM
     
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:09:39 PM
    Limp talking about customers being able to delete data and the Alexa privacy hub. Also, people can now opt out from human reviews of recordings. These aren't new features, by the way.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:09:58 PM
    New stuff. Adding "Alexa tell me what you heard?" Starting today.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:10:09 PM
    Later this year: "Alexa, why did you do that?"
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