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.

  • James Martin 9/25/2019 5:10:11 PM
     
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:10:40 PM
    Limp mentions in some instances music will start playing unexpectedly. (Yes, this has happened to me.)
  • James Martin 9/25/2019 5:10:50 PM
     
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:11:49 PM
    Adding to privacy hub, auto deletes of voice recordings on 3- or 18-month basis. That's significant.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:12:12 PM
    Introducing Echo Dot with a clock.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:12:27 PM
    Because...of course...everyone asks, "Alexa, what time is it?"
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:13:08 PM
    Echo Dot with a clock is $59, available for preorders starting today. Previous Echo Dot will still be available.
  • James Martin 9/25/2019 5:13:15 PM
     
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:13:42 PM
    The clock is an LED display. You can see the outside temperature when you query.
  • James Martin 9/25/2019 5:13:48 PM
     
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:13:56 PM
    Neural text to speech.
  • James Martin 9/25/2019 5:14:20 PM
     
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:14:28 PM
    Launched into production starting today a smoother way for Alexa to talk.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:14:59 PM
    Can do more with Alexa's voice. Starting today, rolling out multilingual mode too.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:15:40 PM
    Can switch between different languages, like Spanish and English. Neural text to speech allows Alexa to be "much more emotive and expressive."
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:16:03 PM
    Alexa can also mimic expressions used too, like a DJ.
  • James Martin 9/25/2019 5:16:23 PM
     
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:16:29 PM
    Rolling new expressions domain by domain over the next months and years.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:17:16 PM
    Love doing celebrity voices, but neural text to speech allows them to mimic a celebrity's voice, with their permission of course. For example, Samuel L. Jackson.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:17:31 PM
    There's an explicit and family-friendly version.
  • James Martin 9/25/2019 5:17:46 PM
     
  • James Martin 9/25/2019 5:18:13 PM
     
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:18:32 PM
    Rolling out later this year. Apparently, it will cost some extra money. Limp said costs 99 cents -- not sure if that's per celebrity of for the feature overall.
  • James Martin 9/25/2019 5:18:58 PM
     
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:19:06 PM
    Frustration Detection for Alexa, for when you're specifically frustrated with her.
  • James Martin 9/25/2019 5:19:22 PM
     
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:19:36 PM
    (Are these Amazon folks in my head?? I would def appreciate this feature.)
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:20:11 PM
    Limp, in a demo, kind of frustrated, talked back to Alexa and she kindly responded. Starting this feature with music.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:20:41 PM
    I'm not sure how that's different than what's currently available, but apparently should help.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:20:47 PM
    And...all new Echo.
  • James Martin 9/25/2019 5:20:51 PM
     
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:21:01 PM
    "We made it better in every way."
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:21:31 PM
    New fabric designs, including twilight blue. Preorders start today, still $99.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:22:12 PM
    Better sound too: " We took the sound architecture that we launched last year with the Echo Plus, and we brought it down to the Echo."
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:22:28 PM
    Alexa Guest Connect lets you play your music on friend's Echo.
  • James Martin 9/25/2019 5:22:34 PM
     
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:23:17 PM
    (Lots and lots of music-related announcements...it is a speaker after all. Plus, going back to the opening, there was A LOT of discussion about privacy concerns. Limp didn't shy away from it.)
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:23:39 PM
    Echo Studio. "It is the most innovative speaker we've ever built."
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:23:51 PM
    This is the rumored higher-end Echo.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:24:09 PM
    "It's really incredible sound, but it's in a very simple package."
  • Ry Crist 9/25/2019 5:24:16 PM
    All right -- I *think* I'm in now, too. Sorry the delay!
     
    We've got another new Echo -- the Echo Studio, a high-end speaker with "bold, incredible sound," Amazon says.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:24:27 PM
    Three midrange speakers, left, right and top.
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:24:31 PM
    RY!
  • James Martin 9/25/2019 5:24:52 PM
     
  • Ben Fox Rubin 9/25/2019 5:24:56 PM
    "You get a truly immersive experience."
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