Amazon shuts down Wondery podcast studio, cuts 110 jobs
Despite securing big names in the business, the company is now shifting its strategy in an effort to better compete with rivals like Spotify and YouTube.
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Amazon eyes ads and upcharges for Alexa Plus
In the week’s least surprising news, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy revealed that the company is exploring ways to bring ads to Alexa Plus, its new generative-AI-powered voice assistant. During a conference call following the company’s second-quarter earnings report, Jassy said that “there will be opportunities, as people are engaging in more multiturn conversations [with Alexa […]
Amazon CEO wants to put ads in your Alexa+ conversations
Andy Jassy’s description of an AI-generated ad that Alexa+ delivers in a multistep conversation, which could help users find new products, is uncharted territory for Amazon and the broader tech industry.
Apple’s latest AirPods Max for $100 off is a great back-to-school deal
It’s annoying to think about school starting in the middle of summer, but we’ve already begun to see glimpses of back-to-school deals, including a discount on the AirPods Max (USB-C) that brings them down to $449.99 ($100 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart. Apple’s latest over-ear headphones share many features with its earbuds, but […]
Amazon is launching a cheaper color Kindle
After launching the Kindle Colorsoft last year — its first Kindle with a color screen — Amazon is adding two new iterations of the e-reader to its lineup today: a cheaper Colorsoft with 16GB of storage for $249.99 and a kids-focused bundle for $269.99. The Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition will still be available for $279.99. […]
Amazon buys Bee AI wearable that listens to everything you say
Amazon is acquiring Bee, a startup that puts AI on your wrist. Bee CEO Maria de Lourdes Zollo says on LinkedIn that the company is joining Amazon to help “bring truly personal, agentic AI to even more customers.” Bee makes a $49.99 Fitbit-like device that listens in on your conversations while using AI to transcribe […]
Amazon backs programmable optics startup Lumotive
Lumotive reopened its February Series B round to add Amazon’s Industrial Innovation Fund and ITHCA Group, increasing the size of the round to $59 million.