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☆ Read the memo Amazon's Alexa and devices chief Dave Limp sent to notify his division of layoffs: 'I know this news is tough to digest'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Katherine Long | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Amazon employees have complained of a communications vacuum from leadership. Devices chief Dave Limp emailed his division Wednesday morning to notify them of the layoffs. As colleagues were called into meetings and notified they were being laid off, some Amazon employees complained that a communication vacuum from leadership was adding to the sense of anxiety pervading the company. Wednesday morning, Dave Limp, Amazon's senior vice president for devices and services, which houses Alexa, emailed employees to explain the rationale behind the cuts. Thank you for the support and empathy that I know our team will show each other during this time.

☆ Amazon is reportedly putting its Alexa personal-assistant division under review as it seeks to cut costs across unprofitable businesses
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Lakshmi Varanasi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Amazon has launched a cost-cutting review of its businesses, according to the WSJ. Amazon has already told employees in certain unprofitable divisions to look for jobs elsewhere in the company, the WSJ reported. One of the areas the company is scrutinizing its Alexa business. The device business currently has more than 10,000 employees and has received major influxes of investment, the WSJ noted. Still, an Amazon spokesperson told the WSJ that customer interactions with Alexa have increased more than 30% over the past year.

☆ TikTok's e-commerce plans may include enabling users to shop by voice, according to a trademark filing
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Dan Whateley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

TikTok is considering letting users shop by voice, according to a September trademark filing. The trademark application also showcased other areas of e-commerce that TikTok may break into. TikTok is considering releasing new technology that would enable users to shop by voice, according to a US trademark application filed in September by its parent company ByteDance. While TikTok can file a trademark application for any goods or services it wants, in order for the trademark to actually register, it would actually have to start offering them, Gerben said. And the company recently moved over one of its top advertising executives to focus on its TikTok Shop product in the US, the Financial Times reported.

Google's new Nest WiFi Pro features a new glossy design and supports the latest WiFi 6E speeds. The various smart home standards are a point of confusion and frustration for many who want to smarten their homes with smart bulbs, smart locks, smart thermostats, smart security systems, smart cameras and doorbells, and so on. The Nest WiFi Pro brings the latest and fastest WiFi 6E standard at a more affordable priceGoogle's Nest WiFi Pro 6E includes the latest WiFi 6E standard that uses the 6Ghz band for more reliability and WiFi speeds. Google NestThe New Nest WiFi Pro 6E is a mesh WiFi system that supports the latest WiFi 6E (6 Extended) standard for devices to connect to — that is, if those devices also support WiFi 6E. Google also announced the second-generation Nest Doorbell with 24/7 recordingThe wired version of the second-generation Google Nest Doorbell brings back the popular 24/7 video recording option.

☆ Amazon, Microsoft and Google face UK probe over dominance in cloud computing
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Chesnot | Getty ImagesBritish media regulator Ofcom is investigating Amazon, Microsoft and Google's tight grip on the cloud computing industry. Amazon, Microsoft and Google were not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC. It also plans to investigate other digital markets, including personal messaging and virtual assistants like Amazon's Alexa, over the next year. "The way we live, work, play and do business has been transformed by digital services," Ofcom's Chadha said in a statement Thursday. Cloud competition

☆ Amazon loses PillPack founders four years after acquisition of pharmacy startup
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-19 | by ( Annie Palmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

With Amazon Pharmacy, Prime customers in the United States can get their prescription medications shipped to their home for free. Two Amazon executives who played a formative role in the retail giant's push into health care are departing. After the acquisition, Parker and Cohen helped steer the launch of Amazon Pharmacy, the company's online pharmacy for delivering prescription medications in the U.S. Amazon has accelerated its push into health care in recent years, though not all of its efforts have been successful. The pharmacy business struggled to gain traction, and Amazon recently announced it would shutter its telehealth service Amazon Care after finding it wasn't a "complete enough offering" for customers.

☆ Amazon's new Echo packs powerful sound and smarter features into a $100 speaker, signaling a big upgrade for the company's popular smart home device
▼ + stars: | 2021-05-27 | by ( Lisa Eadicicco | Steven Cohen | Senior Tech Correspondent | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Learn moreAmazon's popular Echo speaker has finally gotten a makeover. Apple, meanwhile, announced a smaller and less expensive version of its HomePod smart speaker for $100 called the HomePod Mini. Here's a closer look at what it's been like to use the new Echo and why it's now our pick for the best Amazon Echo you can buy. Gone is the cylindrical shape that's been a hallmark of the smart speaker series so far. AdvertisementThe bottom lineAmazonWith improved sound, a sleek new design, and a built-in hub for setting up smart home devices, the new Echo feels like a significant upgrade for Amazon's smart speaker.

Persons: it's, Lisa Eadicicco, Alexa, Apple's Siri, Siri, that's, you'll Organizations: Business, Amazon, Echo, Google, Apple, Alexa, Amazon Echo Business, Philips, Alexa Guard, Loup Ventures

☆ Stanford psychology expert: This is the No. 1 skill parents need to teach their kids—but most don't
▼ + stars: | 2019-09-10 | by ( Nir Eyal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Becoming indistractable is the most important skill for the 21st century — and it's one that many parents fail to teach their kids. Two episodes of a kid-appropriate program on Netflix is about 45 minutes, I explained. As far as I was concerned, 45 minutes was fine with me, as it left plenty of time for other activities. Becoming indistractable is the most important skill for the 21st century — and it's one that many parents fail to teach their kids. "How do you plan to make sure you don't watch for more than 45 minutes per day?"

☆ MTV's CMO describes how she built hype around revivals of 'The Hills' and 'Jersey Shore,' and the network's turnaround effort under Chris McCarthy
▼ + stars: | 2019-07-29 | by ( Ashley Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

The network has seen an early lift in linear-TV ratings since reviving unscripted franchises from the 2000s like "Jersey Shore" and "The Hills." Turn on MTV during any weeknight and you might think it's 2010, with new episodes from old reality-TV franchises like "The Hills," "Jersey Shore," and "Teen Mom" rolling out weekly. Parkes spoke with Business Insider about selling nostalgia with revivals like "The Hills: New Beginnings" and the "Jersey Shore" spin-offs as well as courting the next MTV generation. It followed another MTV revival, a dating spin-off of "Jersey Shore," called "Double Shot at Love with DJ Pauly D and Vinny." For the premiere of "The Hills," it was 24% — close to the 25% the "Jersey Shore: Family Vacation" spin-off had.

Persons: Jacqueline Parkes, Parkes, Chris McCarthy, Alexa, Natasha Bedingfield, —, DJ Pauly D, Vinny, Sean, Diddy, Combs, McCarthy, McCarthy's Wharton, Colleen Fahey Rush, IndieWire, Nina Diaz, They're, Tim Nolan Organizations: MTV, Viacom, VH1, CMT, Viacom's Digital Studios, Business, Twitter, Nielsen, CBS, Hollywood Reporter, Wall, Macquarie Capital Locations: Jersey, California, New Haven , Connecticut, New England, New Jersey , Arizona, Southern California

☆ 2 gaming veterans raised $1 million from Amazon and Google to make games you can only play by voice
▼ + stars: | 2019-07-23 | by ( Shona Ghosh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Two gaming veterans have raised €1 million ($1.1 million) for Doppio, a new games studio that builds role-play games you play with your voice. CEO Jeferson Valadares says voice games have become more economically feasible now that it's possible to buy items through Alexa skills. The way people play games is evolving, with most of the major tech companies assuming gaming will go the way of films and Netflix and building out their own game streaming platforms. Doppio's first game is "The Vortex," which you can play on the Amazon Alexa (by asking "Alexa, open The Vortex") or with Google Assistant on your phone. The Vortex, Valadares said, is similar to old-school text-based games, or MUDs, that were popular in the 80s and 90s.

☆ Google Assistant has a huge advantage in the voice assistant market
▼ + stars: | 2017-11-20 | by ( Rayna Hollander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Devices running Google Assistant account for 46% of the smartphones equipped with personal assistants, but by 2022, Google will expand its market share to exceed 60%. Google will further strengthen its lead in the market as more of the Android installed base gains access to Google Assistant. Google Assistant is compatible with Android devices running an unforked version of Android 6.0 Marshmallow or newer. Although Google has a massive global reach, with approximately 2 billion active Android devices, just under half are currently compatible with Google Assistant. As more Android devices upgrade to software that is compatible with Google Assistant, Google will be able to increase its share in the market for smartphones with built-in voice assistants.

Persons: Apple's Siri, Samsung's Bixby, Bixby, Alexa, Jessica Smith Organizations: Intelligence, Google, Baidu, Android, Samsung, Alexa, BMW, Nissan, Insider Intelligence, Business

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