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TECHNOLOGY Wednesday 10 May 2017

Amazon gives voice-enabled speaker a screen, video calling

ANICK JESDANUN ing. So far, Amazon doesn’t
AP Technology Writer have a comparable voice-
NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon recognition feature.
is giving its voice-enabled On the other hand, Google
Echo speaker a touch Home doesn’t have a
screen and video-calling screen or video calling.
capabilities as it competes All Echo devices can re-
with Google’s efforts at spond to voice requests for
bringing “smarts” to the weather, news, music and
home. The 7-inch screen other tasks. The original de-
on the new Echo Show en- vice, simply called Echo, is
ables the speaker to sup- currently on sale for $150.
plement voice responses The speaker on the $50
with visuals and other infor- Echo Dot isn’t as good, as
mation displays , similar to it’s meant to be used with
the Echo-like features on speakers you may already
the Fire tablets and Fire TV own. The $130 Amazon Tap
streaming devices. is a battery-powered ver-
That could mean extended sion.
weather forecasts, not just Two weeks ago, Amazon
current conditions, or mu- unveiled the Echo Look, a
sic lyrics to go with the song This photo provided by Amazon shows models of the Amazon Echo Show. device focused on offering
you’re listening to. You can Associated Press fashion advice. It’s avail-
also call up cooking tutori- able by invitation only for
als on YouTube, hands-free, will get audio calling only, firm eMarketer expects us- percent, though eMarketer $200. Neither the Look nor
while making dinner in the as they lack screens and age of such speakers to expects Google’s Home the Tap will handle calls.
kitchen. cameras. Video and audio more than double this year, speaker to cut into that Amazon and Google will
You’ll also be able to make calls will be free. with nearly 36 million Ameri- share over time. get a new rival this fall: On
video calls with other Echo The new Echo Show goes cans using such a device A few weeks ago, Google Monday, Microsoft and
Show devices or the Alexa on sale on June 28 for $230, at least once a month by Home got the ability to rec- Samsung’s Harman busi-
app for iPhones and An- making it the priciest Echo year’s end. ognize individuals within a ness teased an upcoming
droid phones. Two previous yet. The market for voice- Amazon’s Echo is expected family by voice , allowing speaker, called Invoke,
models, the original Echo assisted speakers is small, to continue its dominance, for more precise recom- powered by Microsoft’s
and the smaller Echo Dot, but growing. The research with a share of nearly 71 mendations and ad target- Cortana digital assistant.q

Samsung’s unlocked S8 makes

it easier to switch carriers

NEW YORK (AP) — Sam- duplicating functions avail-
sung is making it easier for able elsewhere.
consumers to switch wire- Samsung is selling the 5.8-
less carriers by offering an inch S8 phone for $725
unlocked version of its Gal- and the 6.2-inch S8 Plus for
axy S8 phone . $825. Both prices are about
Phones sold by carriers are $25 cheaper than what
sometimes locked to a car- the four main U.S. carriers
rier’s network, meaning it charge. Monthly install-
might not work when cus- ment plans are available,
tomers switch to a rival or something unusual for un-
get a separate phone plan locked phones.
when travelling abroad. The unlocked version
Another advantage with comes out May 31. Ve-
having an unlocked ver- rizon phones are typi-
sion: The phone won’t cally already unlocked,
come cluttered with car- though Samsung’s version
rier-specific apps, many is cheaper.q In this Wednesday, March 29, 2017, file photo, the Samsung Galaxy S8, right, and S8 Plus appear
on display after a news conference, in New York.
Associated Press