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Tag: Amazon

Jeff Carlson 53 comments

Amazon Shutters Photo Resource Website DPReview

The essential photography resource DPReview is closing in April as part of parent company Amazon’s efforts to cut costs. The culling includes decades of in-depth product reviews, vibrant community forums, and the DPReview TV YouTube channel.

Adam Engst 22 comments

Apple Avoids Big Tech Layoffs, Other Tech Giants Focus on AI

Amidst nearly 75,000 tech industry layoffs in the last year, Apple alone has avoided cutting headcount. Why? And what does it mean that the other tech giants all reference AI in their letters to employees?

Josh Centers 11 comments

Avoid the Tempting but Flawed Kindle Kids Ebook Reader

Amazon sells Kindle ebook readers customized for kids, bundled with extra features and services. But the Kindle Kids interface lets Amazon promote whatever it wants to kids while preventing parents from managing what their kids see.

Julio Ojeda-Zapata 8 comments

Center Stage Keeps You in the Video Chat Frame

Apple recently unveiled an iPad camera feature called Center Stage that keeps one or more people within the frame during video chats even when they move around. Julio Ojeda-Zapata gave Center Stage a try and compared it to smart displays from Amazon, Facebook, and Google.

Josh Centers 18 comments

Amazon Devices Will Soon Share (Some) of Your Home Bandwidth

Amazon will soon turn on Amazon Sidewalk, which will enable many Amazon devices to share your bandwidth with other Internet of Things devices. Here’s how to turn it off if you want to opt-out.

Adam Engst 26 comments

In Praise of the Knock-Off Nylon Sport Loop

Adam Engst dips his toes into the sketchy world of knock-off Apple Watch bands but finds that Apple is charging ten times as much for seemingly identical nylon Sport Loop bands.

Josh Centers 1 comment

Ring Security Cameras Adding End-to-End Encryption

After several privacy controversies and pressure from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Amazon is rolling out end-to-end encryption for its Ring video doorbells.

Adam Engst No comments

Class-Action Lawsuit Alleges Amazon Colluded with Publishers to Fix Ebook Prices

A class-action lawsuit filed by the same law firm that kicked off the eventual antitrust lawsuit against Apple and major publishers alleges something that was long suspected back then—that Amazon also engaged in collusion with publishers to restrain price competition.

Adam Engst No comments

Jeff Bezos to Move from Amazon CEO to Executive Chair

Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos has announced that he’ll be transitioning away from the CEO role to that of Executive Chair of the Amazon Board, with Amazon Web Services head Andy Jassy taking over as CEO.

Josh Centers 12 comments

Do You Need a Security Drone in Your Home?

Amazon will soon offer an indoor security camera drone, but does anyone need such a thing, or do these products just instill fear in the public?

Josh Centers 4 comments

CNN Investigation Finds AmazonBasics Products Dangerous

CNN has discovered many alarming reports about AmazonBasics electronics catching fire, burning users, and sometimes even exploding.

Josh Centers 28 comments

Gearing Up During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Numerous brick-and-mortar stores are closed, and you’re likely stuck at home, perhaps without some gear you need to do your job. Josh Centers offers some advice about package precautions, why you may need to look beyond Amazon, and how Best Buy is adapting to the coronavirus pandemic.

Josh Centers 2 comments

Amazon’s Ring Doorbells Sent Wi-Fi Passwords in the Clear

Security researchers have revealed that Amazon’s Ring doorbells were transmitting Wi-Fi passwords in the clear. That’s now fixed, but what other devices might be exposing your network traffic?

Josh Centers No comments

Amazon Music Opens Ad-Supported Free Tier for iOS Users

Amazon is now offering an ad-supported free tier of its music service—which was previously exclusive to users of Amazon Echo devices—to iOS, Android, Fire TV, and Web users.

Josh Centers 1 comment

“Alexa, Throw Spaghetti at the Wall and See What Sticks”

Amazon has unveiled an array of Alexa-powered gizmos, some of which compete with Apple’s AirPods and HomePod, and others of which are just absurd, like an Alexa-powered smart oven, glasses, and even a ring.