Senators Tammy Baldwin and Rick Scott have asked the FTC to investigate whether Amazon's Alexa and Walmart's Sparky shopping chatbots adequately surface information about domestically made products. The request cites a Columbia University Center for Law and the Economy study finding both assistants initially struggled or declined to confirm US-origin claims, though they could answer questions about foreign-made goods and eventually provided US-made results after prompts were reworded.
techspot.com
· 2026-09-18
Amazon has launched its conversational AI assistant Alexa+ in India in Early Access, supporting both Hindi and English, including mid-sentence language switching. The assistant will be free for Prime members after testing, while non-Prime users will pay ₹2,000 per month, and it integrates with local services like Swiggy, District, MakeMyTrip, EazyDiner, and JioSaavn.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-16
Amazon confirmed its Prime Big Deal Days sale will run for two days starting at 3:01am ET on October 6, spanning more than 35 product categories including electronics, kitchenware, fashion and beauty. Brands like Shark, Anker, Sony and Lego are expected to participate, alongside discounts on Amazon's own Kindle and Echo devices, plus a dedicated Halloween deals section.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-15
Amazon now offers five distinct personality styles for Alexa—Brief, Chill, Sweet, Sassy and Original—that change the tone of responses without altering Alexa's functionality. Users can switch styles by voice command or through the Alexa app's device settings menu, with the Sassy option requiring an age confirmation due to its cheekier, more colorful responses. Each Echo device must be configured separately, since the personality setting is not shared across a household's devices.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-12
A review roundup names four top Alexa-enabled smart speakers for 2026: the Echo Dot Max, Echo Dot (5th Gen), Echo Show 11 and Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen). The Echo Studio (2nd Gen) and Echo Spot (2nd Gen) also earn honorable mentions for their audio quality and compact design respectively, with the Studio singled out for its powerful, clear sound from three 1.5-inch drivers and a 3.75-inch woofer.
wired.com
· 2026-09-05
Amazon announced that its Alexa for Shopping AI can now tell customers whether a message claiming to be from Amazon is genuine or a scam. The system cross-checks sender details, content, timing and metadata against billions of messages Amazon has sent worldwide, and is designed to improve as users flag more suspicious texts and emails. This builds on Amazon's earlier [email protected] email tool and online form for reporting suspicious communications.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-02
Amazon has rolled out a new capability in its Alexa for Shopping assistant that lets customers ask whether an email, text, or call claiming to be from Amazon is genuine. The AI compares the message against Amazon's own records of communications sent and examines its content, formatting, and sender details before confirming authenticity, but only when it is highly confident.
theverge.com
· 2026-09-02
Amazon has discounted its newest budget streaming device, the Fire TV Stick 4K Select, from its $49.99 list price to $19.99, a 60% cut. The stick supports 4K Ultra HD with HDR10+, runs Amazon's newer Vega OS, and includes Alexa voice control and 8GB of storage.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-01
Amazon launched a new Alexa for Shopping feature called 'Update Me When,' which sends personalized notifications when events like a new product line, book release, or concert announcement could prompt a purchase. Users manually set up these alerts for now, choosing what brands, artists, or products they want tracked.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-01
Sonos unveiled its Sonos 27 software platform alongside new hardware, introducing annual OS version numbers and a redesigned app interface. The update lets external AI assistants like ChatGPT control Sonos systems through a public MCP server, enabling voice or text commands to play music, move audio between rooms, and adjust volume without a dedicated app.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-01
Amazon has discounted its 15.6-inch 2nd-generation Echo Show 15 smart display by $80, bringing the price down from $349.99 to $269.99, a 23% reduction. The deal matches the best pricing seen since Amazon's June Prime Day event.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-08-27
A report compiles 13 approaches organizations are using to align artificial intelligence deployment with corporate values, emphasizing judgment, trust, and guardrails rather than unchecked adoption. The piece frames AI as a powerful but unpredictable force, urging leaders to think carefully about intent before implementation.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-08-25
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