Alexa can already give you a quick overview of the news from your favorite outlets, but Amazon wants to see if the voice assistant can be something closer to a news anchor that lives in your home. Alexa is getting a feature that will highlight in-depth reporting and long-form news stories from major publications including Bloomberg, CNBC, CNN, Fox News, Newsy, and NPR, according to a report from Engadget.
To activate the new features, users will ask Alexa to “tell me the news” or to “play the news” from a given outlet. Alexa can also give you a list of available stories from news providers. The long-form stories will be available in audio format on any Alexa-powered device including the Amazon’s extended line of Echo smart speakers. CNBC and Newsy will be providing video content that can be viewed on Alexa devices equipped with a screen, including Amazon’s Echo Show.
Because these stories are more in-depth and will require your attention, Alexa has playback controls that allow you to control what you’re listening to. If you’re not interested in one of the stories that come up, you can say “Alexa, skip” or “Alexa, next” to move on to the next story. You can also change your preferred news provider in the Alexa app by going to the “Flash Briefing” section and updating the outlet of your choice. This will put the news you’re more likely to want to listen to front and center.
NPR confirmed its involvement in the long-form news project in a letter to member stations, published by Nieman Lab this week. “Starting today, thanks to a new partnership between NPR and Amazon, new Alexa owners will hear not only the hourly newscast but, immediately after it, a continuous listening experience that delivers a stream of the best and most up-to-date content from Member stations and NPR,” the news publication said in the letter.
Alexa owners won’t have to wait long to try out the new long-form news experience. According to NPR, the extended news stories will be available on all Alexa devices including smart speakers and other products by Monday, April 15.
Few things ruin a quiet evening faster than a robot vacuum roaring through the living room. Most of us end up pausing the cleaning run, which defeats the whole purpose of owning one. Matic thinks it has the answer with its new Serene robot vacuum, and the big selling point is how little noise it makes.
The Matic Serene runs at 52 decibels even when cleaning at full power. To put that in perspective, Matic compares it to the hum of your refrigerator. It is available now for $1,695, which is $200 more than the original Matic’s current price.
Outdoor security cameras are not always practical if you live in an apartment or rental. Drilling into an exterior wall may be off-limits, while pointing a regular indoor camera through a window can create another problem once reflections start showing up after dark.
Baseus is trying to solve both issues with the new PrimeSentinel W1, a $69.99 security camera designed specifically to monitor the outdoors through glass. It mounts directly to a window without drilling and uses a 4K Starlight sensor with an F1.0 aperture for full-color monitoring during the day and at night.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
Technology evolves every day, transforming how we live and work. Our devices are becoming more than tools we use. They are increasingly capable companions that help streamline day-to-day routines and spark creative ideas. If you have been waiting for the right moment to upgrade your tech setup, the Discover Samsung Shopping Event offers an opportunity to explore what connected, AI-powered living can look like.