To add to an already extensive list of available features, Amazon and Google may soon include home phone functionality tied directly to their respective Echo and Home devices, granting them the ability to make and receive phone calls. According to the Wall Street Journal, such a move to include phone call compatibility would only further increase each device’s relative control over its users’ “digital lives at home.”
A voice calling feature allows the Amazon Echo and Google Home devices to have other capabilities such as messaging, caller ID, and completely hands-free calls. The home phone capability remains a priority feature each company wants to add this year, however, they do face a few logistical challenges. On one hand, privacy stands as a chief concern, as people may not enjoy having conversations on a device capable of recording everything they say. Apparently, Amazon only gathers metadata about calls — like phone numbers and the lengths of calls — as opposed to the actual conversations themselves.
Amazon and Google also have to get over other hurdles pertaining to 911 laws, regulations, and the impact it could have on other industries. If smart speakers such as the Echo or Home become home phones, companies such as AT&T and Verizon — of which sell traditional home phone services — would certainly feel the pinch. It’s no secret the landline business’ trajectory faces downward, and this new feature serves as another hit to this already struggling industry.
In addition to logistical challenges, the tech giants also intend to consider a few different options pertaining to implementation. These include each smart speaker boasting their own phone numbers, the device potentially syncing to a person’s existing phone number, Google or Amazon developing their own calling tool, or the Echo and Home connecting with an external provider — like Vonage or Skype. It’s likely the device makes use of VoIP (voice over internet protocol) technology, instead.
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.
With AI progressing so fast, it's only a matter of time before we start getting AI companions like the ones we used to see in movies like R2-D2, Wall-E, or Baymax. Now, Singapore-based OKA Technology has unveiled Mori, a cute little AI companion that looks less like a conventional home robot and more like someone turned the Pokémon Foongus into a table lamp.
Mori isn't meant to clean your house or control your smart home, but to serve as what OKA calls a "Nature Companion." It uses subtle movements, warm lighting, nature-inspired sounds, and small reactions to make its presence around the house feel calming rather than distracting. Mori can sit quietly while you read, sway along to music, welcome you when you enter a room, or encourage you to slow down for a moment without requiring a screen or a conversation.