Amazon’s revolutionary “grab-and-go” grocery store is now open in Chicago, marking its first expansion of the cashier-less stores outside of the company’s home city of Seattle, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Rumors that Amazon may introduce its stores to new markets started swirling after job ads indicating the company was looking for people to manage the new Amazon Go stores in Chicago and San Francisco were discovered by The Seattle Times. Amazon later confirmed to the Times that it was indeed planning to open Go stores in Chicago and San Francisco, but declined to offer any dates. Now, the Chicago store is open for business.
Amazon didn’t do a great job keeping its plans under wraps. The company had a building permit for the construction of an “Amazon store” in Chicago’s Loop district, according to real-estate tracker Curbed. It was also discovered that Amazon has been planning to open up a store near San Francisco’s Union Square, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.
The Amazon Go technology tracks shoppers as they make their way around the store. All they need to do is scan their Go app once when they enter, and, well, that’s it. The store uses sensors, cameras, and artificial intelligence technology to track what you’re putting into your bag as you move about the store. It’s even smart enough to notice when you take an item out of your bag and put it back on the shelf, should you change your mind while you’re making your way around.
The company spent the whole of 2017 testing the technology with employees, using the trial to refine the system before the official opening at the start of this year. It has since opened several other locations around Seattle.
For visitors to the store, it’s a one-of-a-kind shopping experience, with some even wondering if they might be arrested for shoplifting when leaving, without any apparent payment transaction having taken place. But it has. Check your Go app and you’ll see how Amazon has logged everything in your bag and automatically charged your account.
Interested to know what it’s like to shop at an Amazon Go store? Digital Trends’ Jenny McGrath was one of the first people to shop at the Seattle store, so take a moment to find out how it went for her.
Updated on September 17: Amazon Go opens in Chicago.
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.