Amazon plans to equip 5,000 delivery drivers with AI smart glasses by the end of 2026, scaling to over 20,000 by 2027, according to a Bloomberg report citing Amazon executive Viraj Chatterjee. The glasses capture frequent static images of everything in a driver's view while on foot, including recipients and bystanders, which are reviewed by Amazon staff and fed into its Wellspring AI mapping platform. Amazon disputes characterizations of the system as surveillance, while confirming no customer opt-out option currently exists.
Amazon has agreed to support Constellation Energy's efforts to expand power generation at its Calvert Cliffs nuclear plant in Maryland, including exploring the addition of new reactors. The move follows Amazon's earlier decision to scrap a planned data center deal in the state.
CNET's latest holiday shopping survey found that 43% of US adults are frustrated by fake or misleading discounts, while 35% worry retailers inflate baseline prices before sales. CNET deals editor James Bricknell explained that retailers often inflate a product's listed recommended retail price rather than the sale price itself, making a modest 5-10% discount appear far larger.
Amazon has cut the price of the Samsung Odyssey G9 super-ultrawide gaming monitor to $649.99, down from its $999.99 list price, marking a record low for the product on the site. The 49-inch display offers a 32:9 aspect ratio, 5120x1440 resolution, 1000R curve, 144Hz refresh rate, and 1ms response time with FreeSync Premium Pro and HDR600 support.
Amazon is selling Skullcandy's Crusher 540 Active wireless over-ear headphones for $119.99, down from a $209.99 list price, a 43% cut. The gym-focused model features sweat and water resistance, adjustable sensory bass, 40mm drivers, Bluetooth 5.2, and up to 40 hours of battery life with rapid charging.
Amazon has priced the 512GB Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra at $1,163.50, down from its $1,499.99 list price, a $336.49 discount. The model includes 12GB RAM, a 6.9-inch display with Privacy Display tech, a titanium frame, a 200MP main camera with dual telephoto lenses, and a 5,000mAh battery.
Amazon has cut the price of Samsung's 27-inch ViewFinity S7 4K monitor to $170.99, down from its $249.99 list price, as part of an early Prime Day promotion. The retailer says this is the lowest price the monitor has reached since its release, undercutting the previous 2025 low of $219.99. The display is a 60Hz IPS panel with HDR10 support, HDMI and DisplayPort inputs, and VESA mount compatibility, and the deal requires an active Amazon Prime membership.
Amazon has updated its Fire TV Stick 4K with a redesigned power connector, moving away from the long-criticized Micro USB port. The device also ships with a newly designed remote control.
Amazon unveiled a new Fire TV Stick 4K on Wednesday as part of its fall hardware lineup, featuring a slimmer body, USB-port charging, and performance Amazon says is 20-40% faster than rival streamers. The device ships with a redesigned voice remote that drops the blue Alexa button for a subtler microphone key, adds a touch-distinguishable home button, a recessed power button, a flatter D-pad, and a new favorites button.
Bloomberg reports that Amazon's new smart glasses for delivery drivers will take several thousand photos during a typical shift, feeding them into Amazon's AI Wellspring platform. Amazon executive Viraj Chatterjee said faces and license plates will be blurred before human review, but confirmed the company hasn't considered letting customers opt out, and images could be obtained with a warrant. Amazon plans to deploy 20,000 more pairs of the glasses by the end of 2027, after a pilot program that has logged over 275,000 deliveries.
Amazon announced a major update to its Alexa Plus AI assistant, adding a dedicated hub on Fire TV devices, improved reasoning, and the ability to factor in cultural context and viewing history when answering questions. The assistant will also gain support for follow-up questions and threaded conversations, and will extend to the Fire TV mobile app. Amazon says some features roll out in November, with others arriving in 2024.
Amazon has introduced a new Fire TV Stick 4K alongside a redesigned Fire TV Remote featuring differently shaped, indented buttons meant to be identifiable by touch. The company says the device is 20-40% faster at powering on and loading content than a similarly priced competitor, and it also outperformed three top-selling 4K smart TVs in Amazon's own testing. The updated stick has a slimmer design, supports Direct Power via a TV's USB port, and runs Amazon's Vega operating system with Alexa Plus built in.
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