Tag: Alexa

  • Home Assistant 2025.6 Introduces New Bluetooth Connection Graph

    Home Assistant 2025.6 Introduces New Bluetooth Connection Graph

    Key Takeaways

    1. Home Assistant 2025.6 features an improved entity picker with enhanced search functionality for various categories and devices.
    2. The Bluetooth integration has been upgraded with a new connection graph for better visualization of Bluetooth devices.
    3. The experimental Areas dashboard has new features, including an Actions section and updated entities like counters and timers.
    4. New integrations include support for Alexa devices (Fire TVs and Echo Pop) and updates for Homee and Samsung SmartThings.
    5. The release was slightly delayed, but the next version, 2025.7, is expected to be available on July 2nd.

    Home Assistant 2025.6 has been officially unveiled. This new version of the free smart home automation software comes on the heels of a May update that introduced a revamped backup system and new options for text-to-speech voices.

    Enhancements and Features

    According to a recent blog post, Home Assistant 2025.6 includes several enhancements. The new entity picker, introduced in Home Assistant 2025.5, has been improved. Just as a reminder, pickers are the dropdown menus used for selecting entities, devices, and more. The search functionality has been fine-tuned and is now available for area, category, floor, label, user, and device pickers. Furthermore, the Bluetooth integration has seen upgrades with a new Bluetooth connection graph, which lets users clearly visualize how Bluetooth devices connect to their Home Assistant setup.

    Updates to Dashboard and Integrations

    Additionally, there’s a new version of the experimental Areas dashboard, which was launched with Home Assistant 2025.4. New features include an Actions section and, in the Others section, there are new number entities, button entities, counters, and timer helpers. Moreover, the “Entertainment” section has been renamed to “Media players.” There are also new integrations for Alexa devices, including Fire TVs and the Echo Pop (currently priced at $24.99 on Amazon), along with Probe Plus meat thermometers. The Homee integration has added support for fans and alarm control panels, while the Samsung SmartThings integration now works with hobs, water heaters, and temperature sensors for freezers.

    Release Notes and Future Updates

    You can check out the full release notes for Home Assistant 2025.6 on the company’s website. The Home Assistant team has mentioned that, although the June release was a week later than anticipated, they expect the 2025.7 version to be available on July 2nd.

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    Home Assistant 2025.6 Introduces New Bluetooth Connection GraphHome Assistant 2025.6 Introduces New Bluetooth Connection Graph

     

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  • New AI Partnership Between The New York Times and Amazon Announced

    New AI Partnership Between The New York Times and Amazon Announced

    Key Takeaways

    1. NYT and Amazon have a new licensing agreement allowing Amazon to use NYT content in its AI products like Alexa.
    2. The deal includes using NYT articles to train Amazon’s AI models and gathering data from NYT Cooking.
    3. NYT aims to enhance accessibility to its content for Amazon customers through this partnership.
    4. The agreement expands the existing relationship between NYT and Amazon, providing more value for customers.
    5. This deal follows NYT’s lawsuit against OpenAI for allegedly using its data without permission.

    The New York Times (NYT) and Amazon have revealed a new licensing agreement that will last for several years. This deal permits Amazon, the tech giant, to showcase brief summaries and excerpts from NYT’s articles and The Athletic within its AI products like Alexa.

    Agreement Details

    Furthermore, the arrangement allows Amazon to utilize articles from The New York Times to enhance the training of its AI models. In addition, Amazon plans to gather data from NYT Cooking, which is the publication’s recipe platform.

    In their official statement, NYT expressed, “This partnership will enhance the accessibility of The New York Times’s unique content for Amazon customers across various products and services, including direct links to Times offerings, and highlights the mutual dedication of both companies to provide global news and viewpoints through Amazon’s AI products.”

    Impact on Readers

    NYT noted that this agreement “expands the existing relationship between the two companies, adding more value for Amazon customers and extending Times journalism to a broader audience.”

    The publication has made it clear that the deal involves “the immediate display of summaries and short excerpts from Times content within Amazon’s products and services, like Alexa, in addition to training Amazon’s proprietary foundation models.”

    Context of the Deal

    This agreement is significant, especially considering that in December 2023, The New York Times filed a lawsuit against OpenAI. The lawsuit claimed that OpenAI unlawfully trained its AI models using data from the publication. It alleged that OpenAI’s use of this data gave rise to chatbots that competed “with the news outlet as a source of trustworthy information.”

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  • Amazon Launches Alexa+ with Generative AI for Prime Members Free

    Amazon Launches Alexa+ with Generative AI for Prime Members Free

    Key Takeaways

    1. Alexa+ is a new generative AI assistant compatible with over 600 million Alexa devices, capable of fluid conversations and autonomous task execution.

    2. It operates through specialized “experts” for managing smart home gadgets, making reservations, streaming music, ordering groceries, and monitoring home security.

    3. Alexa+ can autonomously browse the internet to find service providers and complete tasks without user involvement.

    4. The assistant personalizes suggestions based on user preferences and allows users to upload files for summarization, all while ensuring privacy through the Alexa Privacy dashboard.

    5. Alexa+ is priced at $19.99 per month, free for Prime members, with a gradual rollout starting for Echo Show owners and early access available at amazon.com/newalexa.

    Amazon has introduced Alexa+, a new generative AI helper that is compatible with more than 600 million current Alexa devices. This assistant engages in conversations in a fluid manner and can carry out tasks on its own.

    Functionality of Alexa+

    Alexa+ operates through “experts,” which are specialized systems designed to perform certain tasks. This allows Alexa+ to manage smart home gadgets, book reservations, stream music from various services, order groceries, and keep an eye on home security.

    Autonomous Navigation

    The assistant is capable of browsing the internet without needing user involvement to finish tasks. It can find service providers, make necessary arrangements, and report back to users autonomously.

    Personalized Suggestions

    Alexa+ gathers information about user preferences based on previous purchases and lets users input data like dietary limits or favorite recipes. This information is used to make tailored suggestions.

    The service is available on Echo devices, a new mobile application, and at Alexa.com. Conversations are seamlessly continued across devices while keeping context intact.

    Users have the option to upload files, emails, images, and messages for Alexa+ to summarize or utilize. Amazon has designed the system with privacy safeguards, and users can manage their settings through the Alexa Privacy dashboard.

    Pricing and Availability

    The subscription for Alexa+ is $19.99 per month, but Prime members can access it for free along with other benefits like delivery and entertainment services. The rollout in the US starts with early access for Echo Show owners, with a gradual expansion planned. Interested users can request early access at amazon.com/newalexa.

    In other updates, Amazon will be closing its Appstore for Android devices on August 20, 2025, and no new app submissions will be accepted. Following the closure, users will lose access, leaving Google Play as the main app store. However, the Appstore will still be available on Fire TV and Fire Tablets, where Amazon observes the highest level of user engagement.

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  • Amazon Ocelot Advances Quantum Computing Technology

    Amazon Ocelot Advances Quantum Computing Technology

    Key Takeaways

    1. Amazon Ocelot is a prototype quantum chip developed at the California Institute of Technology, not related to the .NET API Gateway.
    2. The chip aims to reduce quantum error correction costs by 90%, potentially making quantum computing more accessible.
    3. Ocelot is designed to compete with chips like Microsoft’s Majorana 1 and Google’s Willow in the quantum computing race.
    4. The chip features two silicon microchips with 14 components, including data and error detection qubits.
    5. Amazon recently launched Alexa+, a more advanced version of its voice assistant, while its stock is rated as a “strong buy” with a potential price increase.

    While many may associate the name with the open-source .NET API Gateway, Amazon’s Ocelot is not related to software at all. This technology hails from the California Institute of Technology, where a group at the AWS Center for Quantum Computing has developed it. Amazon Ocelot is a prototype chip that claims to drastically reduce quantum error correction expenses by an impressive 90%.

    Competing in Quantum Computing

    Amazon Ocelot is poised to rival chips like Microsoft’s Majorana 1 and Google’s Willow as it seeks to establish itself in the race towards mainstream quantum computing. The field of quantum computing, although still in its infancy, holds the potential to drive significant advancements across various sectors, including medicine and traditional computing. Oskar Painter, the AWS director of Quantum Hardware, stated,

    “In the future, quantum chips designed following the Ocelot model could be priced at just one-fifth of what is currently available, thanks to the significantly lesser resources needed for error correction. We genuinely believe this could speed up our journey to a usable quantum computer by as much as five years.”

    Technical Specifications

    When it comes to the technical aspects of Amazon Ocelot, it features two integrated silicon microchips, each covering an area of about one square centimeter, stacked together in a connected manner. Each chip’s surface is layered with a thin coating of superconductors. The chip contains 14 essential components, comprising five data qubits and four error detection qubits. The last five are buffer circuits that help in stabilizing the data qubits. For further specifications, you can visit the Amazon Science website.

    This week, Amazon also launched Alexa+ (available for free to Amazon Prime users or for $19.99/month for those without Prime), an enhanced version of its well-liked voice assistant. Thanks to advancements in artificial intelligence, Alexa+ can perform a wider array of tasks and engage in more sophisticated conversations compared to its earlier version. Currently, Amazon stock is rated as a “strong buy,” with a 12-month price prediction ranging from $203 to $306, averaging around $262. This average indicates a 22% rise from its current level of about $215.

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  • Amazon’s Alexa+ Unveiled: Enhanced Autonomy for AI Assistant

    Amazon’s Alexa+ Unveiled: Enhanced Autonomy for AI Assistant

    Key Takeaways

    1. Alexa+ is an upgraded version of Amazon’s voice assistant, featuring AI-driven enhancements for more natural interactions and better smart home control.
    2. The subscription for Alexa+ costs $19.99 per month but is free for Amazon Prime members.
    3. Alexa+ will launch in the U.S. in March 2025, initially available only on specific Echo Show devices starting at $184.
    4. Future capabilities include understanding everyday language, providing follow-up questions, and dynamic interactions with smart home devices.
    5. Alexa+ can independently manage tasks, such as arranging appointments and processing payments, but there are concerns about data privacy and limited device access.

    Amazon has unveiled Alexa+, an upgraded version of its voice assistant that comes packed with AI-driven features. This new version promises to provide more natural interactions, better control of smart home devices, and the ability to perform tasks on its own. However, these enhancements do come with a cost. The subscription for Alexa+ is priced at $19.99 per month, although it’s free for those who have a Prime membership.

    Launch Details

    Alexa+ is scheduled to launch in the United States in March 2025. However, initial access will be restricted to specific Alexa devices, such as the Echo Show 8, 10, 15, and 21, which are available on Amazon starting at $184. There has been no announcement regarding when Alexa+ will be released in other countries.

    Future Capabilities

    In the near future, Alexa is expected to comprehend everyday language and incomplete sentences, prompting users with follow-up questions when something isn’t clear. This should make conversations feel much more fluid and less mechanical.

    Alexa+ will also enhance interactions with smart home devices by being more dynamic and aware of context. Users can control settings using simple voice commands, like saying, “Alexa, dim the living room lights to 50% when the movie starts.” Additionally, it will learn from user behaviors and suggest handy actions, such as warming up the house before you arrive.

    Independent Task Management

    With Alexa+, the assistant will be capable of managing tasks online all by itself. It can arrange appointments, locate and book service providers, and even process payments.

    Many users on Reddit see Alexa+ as a much-needed update, particularly due to its upgraded voice recognition and better smart home compatibility. Nonetheless, some criticism arises from the limited access to certain Echo Show models. There are also worries about data privacy, potential increases in advertising, and the monthly subscription fee, which has led to some skepticism.

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  • Amazon Delays Alexa’s AI Update Due to Latency Issues

    Amazon Delays Alexa’s AI Update Due to Latency Issues

    Leaked internal documents obtained by Fortune reveal various technical issues related to the upcoming AI revamp for Alexa, Amazon’s voice assistant. A major issue is latency, which refers to the delay in how long it takes for the AI to answer a question.

    Testing Feedback and Concerns

    The latency concern is serious enough that several internal testers have rated the new assistant poorly. The average score given by testers was 4.5 out of 7, falling short of the target score of 5.5 out of 7. The team is worried that if this product is launched in its current condition, it could lead to user frustration.

    Key Issues Highlighted

    The memo states that “latency continues to be a major issue” that will need “notable improvements.” Another significant challenge is the possibility that some older Echo devices might not work with the new assistant.

    Amazon spokesperson Lauren Raemhild mentioned to Fortune, “Generative AI presents a significant opportunity to enhance Alexa for our customers.” She added, “We are diligently working to provide even more proactive and capable assistance on the more than half a billion Alexa-enabled devices already present in homes globally.”

    Challenges Faced by the Team

    The team is also encountering numerous technological and administrative challenges, such as insufficient data for training its AI model or resources being redirected to focus on Generative AI for Amazon’s cloud services. The memos indicate that the relaunch of Alexa has been postponed at least three times, with the latest date set for November 14, 2024.

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