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The Amazon Event has seen the IT giants introduce new products that attempt to assert a stronger hold on the home ecosystem. The company held its September event in Amazon Spheres, Seattle. The event was held virtually for the second time in a row, with a live update on new announcements on the aboutamazon.com live blog. Amazon’s September event was packed with announcements that take smart home technology to an entirely new level, with promising tech and some controversial products, as usual. Amazon’s September event is usually reserved for tech announcements, and not necessarily centered on their cloud or streaming advances.
From a new Echo device to Astro, a $999 robot on wheels, we have compiled a list of everything the e-commerce conglomerate announced at the Amazon Event, along with their price range and their use cases.
Amazon Echo Show 15
Price: $249.99
This year’s Amazon Event saw the company announce its largest display yet. The Echo Show 15 is a device that helps you manage household shopping, scheduling of day-to-day tasks, communication, and more. The mountable 15.6″ HD display is also equipped with Visual ID, allowing a personalized experience for family members. It also works with streaming services. The company also announced—in a win for security consciousness—that all voice interactions on the Echo Show devices will be processed locally and no longer on the cloud.
Ring Always Home Cam
Price: $249.99
This autonomous indoor flying camera device streams 1080p video to your smartphone via the Ring app, allowing you to monitor the activities in the home. Owners can set up preselected flight paths, and the device additionally integrates with a Ring Alarm security system so that if your alarm goes off, the drone will fly a preset course to check out what’s going on.
The indoor surveillance camera was announced in 2020 but will finally be available for sale from September 28. Here’s the catch though: the device won’t ship till later this year, and it is only invite-based.
Ring Alarm Pro
Price: $249.99
Part of the security devices released today by Ring, the company Amazon purchased for $1Bn in 2018, is the Ring Alarm Pro. This collection of smart devices makes a home security system that also helps owners to track subscriptions and monitor doorbells and security cams. The system is available for preorder now and ships later this year. The Ring Alarm Pro system also serves as Eero Wi-Fi 6 mesh router, giving speedy connectivity to the entire home.
Ring Virtual Security Guard
Price: $99 per month
This new subscription service announced at the Amazon Event lets you professionally monitor your security cams. The Virtual Security Guard subscription requires you to already possess a Ring Alarm and a subscription to Ring Protect Pro or Ring Plus, which cost $200 and $100 per annum, respectively. A trial is also available on an invite-only basis, starting on September 28, and users can request an invite.
Amazon Smart Thermostat
Price: $59.99
The simple-faced Nest competitor, which will be released on November 4, will work with Alexa. Alexa will automatically adjust to temperature preferences depending on use-case scenarios. The device will also allow users to set up’ routines’, which control the heating and cooling system based on set guidelines.
Amazon Glow
Price: $249.99
The Amazon Glow is a standing projector designed to “let kids be kids“. Announced at the Amazon Event, the device provides an engaging way for kids to communicate with family and loved ones, play games, read illustrated storybooks, paint, and more. The projector beams a 19-inch touch-sensitive space where kids can play with puzzles, drawings, and card games. For young children, Amazon Glow also allows read-along, with thousand’s of children’s books to choose from. The Glow will come with a mat, a mat case, Tangram Bits puzzles, and a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+.
Blink Video Doorbell
Price: $49.99
The Blink Video Doorbell is another security device announced back in 2017 but failed to arrive until this year. It can be used as either a wired or wireless video doorbell. However, it is not without its limitations. For instance, the Blink Video Doorbell lacks person, package, and vehicle recognition, Still, the affordable doorbell is impressive, running on two AA lithium batteries, which, according to Blink, can last up to two years (with a wired installation or paired with a Sync Module 2).
The company announced that the device starts shipping on October 21.
Amazon Halo View
Price: $79.99
Amazon’s hit fitness tracker comes new and improved, now including a display that allows users to monitor activity, sleep, blood oxygen, workouts, and more. What’s more, the Amazon Halo View does all this and still manages to provide seven days of battery life. The device comes with a one-year Halo membership, which will serve as direct competition for Apple’s Fitness+ and their insanely good watch.
Amazon Astro
Price: $999
In “one more thing” style, the Amazon Event saw the unveiling of Astro, a robot that rolls around to monitor happenings in the home. Astro, which resembles a canine companion on wheels, uses artificial intelligence and mapping technology to move around home spaces. The robot is equipped with a camera, allowing it to act as an assistant could help in personnel assistance and monitoring. You can also set Do Not Disturb zones and restrict the robot’s movement.
According to the announcement made at Amazon’s September Event, Astro will launch later in the year and is available now on an invite-only basis.
Other Noteworthy Announcements at the Amazon Event
Ring Video Doorbell package detection
Ring video doorbells will now get package detection, available on the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 and Ring Video Doorbell (2020). Amazon said at the event that it hopes to make the feature available on more models next year.
“Hey, Disney!”
The new voice assistant collaboration announced at the Amazon Event will allow users to interact with their favorite Disney characters and retrieve stories, jokes, and more about the Disney cinematic universe. It is intended to improve user experience and provide a source of entertainment. The feature will be made available for purchase on supported Echo devices, but a price is yet to be disclosed.
All in all, Amazon has not disappointed at all with its new announcements, which give customers more options to improve their security, entertainment, and home setups.
