Tech

Amazon’s Fall Device Event: Wi-Fi-Boosting Echo Speakers, a Kindle for Note-Taking and More

Unlike in years past, Amazon held back on the wacky. Instead, it expanded products and functionality in its most popular lines.

Amazon didn’t introduce any new, wacky products this year. Instead, it released new products and features for its most popular lines.

Amazon’s strategy has typically been to use its device announcements to do market research about a product’s viability. A year ago, the company announced a home robot named Astro that it has yet to make widely available to all consumers. The same goes for a flying indoor security camera unveiled two years ago.

While Wednesday’s event was focused on hardware, Amazon’s underlying proposition is its software. As always, the new gadgets nudge customers toward the company’s digital offerings—e-books, health and wellness content, streaming video and more.

Kindle Scribe: A Tablet for Reading and Writing

The Kindle, until now, has had a singular purpose: display digital books and periodicals purchased through Amazon. The Kindle Scribe adds writing capabilities. It’s a leap in functionality and price. While standard Kindles start at $100, the Scribe will start at $340 when it becomes available later this year.

On the new $340 Kindle Scribe, you can annotate e-books and imported documents, or take notes in a new notebook app.
Photo: Amazon

Over the years, Amazon has added lighting for improved contrast and nighttime reading, Bluetooth connectivity for audiobooks and, more recently, water-resistance. The Scribe includes all of that, in addition to a larger 10.2-inch display, an included pen, a new notebook app and the ability to take notes within Kindle content.

There are two stylus options: a basic pen that magnetically attaches to the side of the Scribe, and a premium pen that also includes a dedicated eraser and a programmable action button. Neither pen needs to be charged or paired.

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You can add sticky notes to specific pages in e-books and annotate imported documents. The notebook app includes a to-do list and lined paper template, and any notebooks created on the Scribe will be backed up to Amazon’s cloud storage without additional charge.

Many tablets have compatible styluses and offer drawing capabilities. But their tablets have power-hungry color displays that are harder to see outdoors. The Scribe has three-week battery life for note taking (up to 12 weeks if you only use it to read) and its colorless display is glare-free in direct sunlight.

I’m looking forward to seeing how the Scribe compares to e-ink tablet competitors. The ReMarkable 2 has a fantastic handwriting experience, but doesn’t support Kindle books. Onyx’s Boox can run the Kindle Android app, but I had to jump through hoops to install it.

Halo Rise: A Wake-Up Light That Tracks Your Sleep

Amazon introduced Halo, a wrist-based health tracker, in 2020. Its latest Halo device isn’t a wearable, but a $140 sleep tracker/alarm clock. The Halo Rise, available later this year, is designed for nightstands. The device has a digital clock face and a semicircle of lights that can gradually increase in intensity before your alarm goes off.

The $140 Halo Rise is part wake-up light, part sleep tracker, with an embedded radar sensor that can assess your sleep quality.
Photo Illustration: The Wall Street Journal, Amazon (2)

To reduce the creep factor, Amazon didn’t use any cameras or microphones. Instead, the Rise has a low-power radar sensor that measures body movements, such as your chest rising and falling as you breathe. (Google’s Nest Hub also uses radar to detect sleep patterns.) Halo Rise only begins recording sleep movements when the environment is dark and you lie down to sleep. If you’re in bed reading, nothing is captured. The sleep data isn’t used for product recommendations or advertising, the company says. And anyone in bed with you won’t be tracked.

The existing Halo app can show your time asleep, differences between light and deep sleep and an overall sleep score. Temperature and humidity sensors tell you if the room is too humid or hot for comfortable sleeping. If you enable the Rise to work with Echo speakers, you can ask Alexa how you slept and get a brief spoken report.

Echo Updates: Eero and Auto Integration

Amazon executives have said the company is focused on technologies that affect the real world, such as ambient computing and artificial intelligence. The company’s Alexa virtual assistant continues to rule over Amazon’s priorities.

The new Echo Dot ($50) and Echo Dot with Clock ($60) have improved audio quality and a temperature sensor. The digital clock version also has a more interactive screen. In addition to the time, it can display information such as upcoming calendar events.

But more notably, the smart speakers can now act as mesh Wi-Fi points, extending coverage of Amazon’s Eero routers by up to 1,000 square feet. Amazon will bring that Echo-Eero functionality to last year’s fourth-generation Echo and Echo Dot as well. While this will seem like a free gift to people who already have both, it’s also a way for Amazon to use its products’ popularity to box out competitors.

The company announced a second-generation Echo Auto ($55), a small device that mounts to a car dashboard and adds Alexa capabilities while driving. It’s smaller than the previous version, and it can now call roadside assistance and pick up music or other audio where you left off on other Alexa devices.

The Echo Auto is an in-vehicle device that puts hands-free Alexa in your car—and requires a connected smartphone.
Photo: AMAZON

Since the first one didn’t live up to its potential, we’ll reserve judgment until we can try this one ourselves. The device relies on a smartphone for connectivity, and with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto nearly ubiquitous in newer cars, is there still a need for an in-vehicle Alexa?

New Features for Fire TV

The $35 Alexa Voice Remote Pro will ring when you ask Alexa to ‘find my remote.’
Photo: AMAZON

The Fire TV experience is coming to last year’s large Echo Show 15 smart frame as a software update. Translation: You can now stream content from other major services such as Paramount+ on the wall-mounted display. You still can’t do this on smaller Echo Show devices.

There’s a new Alexa Voice Remote Pro ($35), which will be sold separately for Fire TV streaming devices. It has a backlit keypad and a remote-finder feature. You can now ask Alexa to locate the remote—a feature that alone is worth trading up.

Tech

IBM misses first quarter revenue estimates; cuts growth forecast to 6%-8%

IBM, a US-based technology giant, announced on Thursday that its revenue for the first-quarter (Q1) 20 The revenue figures were lower than Wall Street’s estimates of $14.35billion, but the earnings per share (EPS IBM’s targets were met in the first quarter as both its software and consulting businesses grew by 6% and 8.2% Big Blue also reiterated their full-year forecast of free cash flow of $10.5 billion.

Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp cut its 2022 forecast in November due to a decline in contracts. IBM’s “We are heavily reliant on our teams, particularly our global innovation centers. Granger said that India has never been about labour arbitrage, but rather a talent play. IBM Consulting contributed to This segment was rebranded in 2021 from IBM Global Business Services prior to IBM’s separation with Kyndryl.

Analysts say that the offering is in direct competition with IT services giants Accenture and TCS when it comes to large Keep up with the latest technology and startup news.

Tech

Crypto firms scramble to find banking partners as willing lending partners dwindle

After the collapse of Silvergate Capital Corp., Signature Bank, and Silicon Valley Bank, U.S. regulators expressed concern about the safety and soundness business models of banks that are heavily focused on crypto clients. U.S. regulators also warned banks to be on the lookout for any liquidity risks posed by crypto-related deposits. These deposits could be subjected to rapid outflows if clients try to redeem their crypto-assets for real money. “Crypto- and Web3-start-ups tell us they cannot get a bank account for their business,” said Marcus Foster. He is the head of crypto policy at Coadec. Foster said that the issue has gotten “significantly worse” in recent months.

This has forced digital asset companies to look for smaller financial institutions located in remote corners of the global finance. Discover the stories that interest youBlockchain5 StoriesCyber safety7 StoriesFintech9 StoriesEcomm9 StoriesML8 StoriesEdtech6 StoriesA FV Bank spokesperson said the bank has seen a rise in inquiries in recent weeks despite not being insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. A spokesperson for Bank Frick in Liechtenstein said that it had also seen a “significant” increase in account requests, with the majority of inquiries coming from companies in Europe, Singapore, and Australia.

However, the bank is not purely focused on crypto and has a broadly diversified business model, the spokesperson said.Switzerland-based Arab Bank told Reuters in March it had seen an increase in U.S. firms, mostly crypto funds or those involved in crypto venture capital, seeking to open accounts, but that the bank was unlikely to accommodate all of them. While ZA Bank, a Hong Kong digital bank, reported that it had received four times as many enquiries from crypto firms after Silicon Valley Bank collapsed, it stated that it would only accept firms with a license to trade virtual assets. Nikki Johnstone is a partner with Allen and Overy in London.

She said that the “concentration risks” that come from a growing clientele seeking business from smaller firms are the “biggest challenges” of having fewer crypto banking options. She said that this increased expectation places more pressure on the firm to manage and monitor risks at a higher level. Cryptocurrency firms need banks to hold their customers’ dollar deposits, and to conduct day-to-day operations. “Of course, the motto of crypto says ‘we’re going to replace banks’. But first, we’re not there yet and I don’t think we’ll be there ever,” said Paolo Ardoino. He is the chief technology officer at Tether, which is the largest stablecoin in terms of market capitalisation.

Its reserves were previously the subject of investor scrutiny. ‘TOP TEN’ Several top banks have told Reuters they are turning away most crypto-related clients, while others say they only work with top-tier companies – policies they maintain are unchanged since their past positions. According to a source with knowledge of the situation, JPMorgan Chase does not accept any crypto-related clients anywhere in the globe, except for Coinbase which has revealed that it deposits its customers’ funds with the bank. This policy has been in place for a long time. Circle, the principal US Dollar Coin issuer, has a portion its reserves held by BNY Mellon.

A spokesperson for ING stated that the bank does “not target or focus actively on cryptocurrency firms” and therefore its exposure is “very low.” Allen and Overy’s Johnstone, a lawyer with the firm, said that banks are often cautious because of the increased money-laundering risks in the crypto sector and the lack of robust crypto regulations. Circle, the principal USD Coin issuer, holds a portion its reserves at Customers Bank. Gemini, on the other hand, says it holds reserves for its stablecoins at State Street Bank and Goldman Sachs. Coinbase has revealed that it deposits funds for its customers at Cross River Bank, in addition to JPMorgan Chase.

Ricardo Mico is the U.S. CEO at Banxa. Banxa provides payment and compliance infrastructure for crypto. “There is a concern over the lack of banking partners in the market, especially for smaller and less-proven enterprises,” he said. (Reporting from Elizabeth Howcroft in London, Hannah Lang in Washington, with additional reporting by Mehnaz Yassin and Georgina Le; editing by ElisaMartinuzzi and Sharon Singleton.) Stay on top of the latest technology and startup news.

Tech

National Quantum Mission to be funded at Rs 6K crore by the Centre

The mission will have an outlay of Rs 6,003,65 crore from 2023-24 to 2030-31 and will make India the sixth country with a dedicated quantum mission after the US, Austria, Finland, France and China, science and technology ministerJitendra Singhtold reporters in New Delhi. Science and Technology MinisterJitendra Singh told reporters in New Delhi that the mission will have an outlay of approximately Rs 6,003,65 crore between 2023-24 and 2030-31. This will make India the sixth nation to have a quantum mission, after the US and Austria.

The National Quantum Mission, approved by the Union Cabinet under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi will accelerate quantum-technology-led economic growth in India and nurture the ecosystem. Singh joked that the NQM will give India a quantum leap in this area. CP Gurnani, CEO ofTechMahindratweeted, “A welcome move! The National Quantum Mission is expected to accelerate India’s tech progress, increasing India’s credibility and ability in quantum computing. @tech_mahindra We are deeply invested in Quantum and it’s encouraging that the government is putting so much focus on this technology.

“Singh said that the mission will develop magnetometers and atomic clocks for precise timing, communication and navigation. The deep ocean mission, Space, drones, and remote sensing policies, supercomputing, cyber-physical missions, the Thirty Meter Telescope and LIGO, as well as the impending NRF will advance fundamental research in the coming year. “Raman Research Institute in Bengaluru tweeted: “RRI is thrilled at the launch of National Quantum Mission. We look forward in continuing to work for the nation on pathbreaking quantum technology”. Urbasi Sinha, who heads the Quantum Information and Computing Laboratory (QuIC) at RRI, tweeted: “RRI is at the forefront of India’s quantum technology research.” I personally worked on the DPR, and am excited about the prospects it holds for me as a scientist, for the institute, and for the nation.

The mission can bring the technology development eco-system in the country up to a global competitive level. The mission will benefit the communication, health, financial, energy, drug design, and other space applications. It will also provide a boost to National Priorities like Digital India. Make in India. Skill India. Stand-up India. Self-reliant India. “We know that quantum keys that use quantum principles are secure and can withstand attacks from hackers. There needs to be fundamental changes at the network level, for infrastructure and hardware devices which generate these keys. He said that this is an area that must be investigated for defence-based installation.

Quantum machine learning can be used for satellite placements – with the increasing debris and satellites orbiting Earth, quantum optimization techniques are helpful in satellite placements – and weather analysis. He said that precise quantum hardware could be used to detect earthquakes and other geological phenomena. Malhotra, who spoke about quantum education, said that in order to make India a hub for quantum, it is important to focus on improving and imparting education at all levels.

Tech

PlanSource Celebrates its continued growth in India

PlanSource, the leading provider of US employee benefit technology, shared exciting updates on their plans for 2023, as well as recent recognitions regarding their operations in India. PlanSource has offices in several cities in the United States, as well as in Bengaluru in India. The India operations deliver an exceptional customer experience by scaling processes and providing coverage around the clock. PlanSource’s rapid expansion, increased product investment and market momentum led to more than 750 employer groups choosing PlanSource in 2022 as their benefits engagement platform.

The company now has more than 4,000 clients, five million employees and eight million users. PlanSource has grown rapidly under the leadership of Tom Signorello. This includes: A plus 47 NPS score for customers, and up-time metrics and call center metrics that exceeded SLAs. Launching new products, including ‘The Source,’ an employee engagement tool that increases benefit usage, improves the overall employee experience, and puts everything employees need in one convenient place, their mobile device.

PlanSource is expanding its industry-leading integrations portfolio by adding new HCM partners, such as Paylocity and SAP, carrier integrations like Aetna and a partner marketplace with 80+ valuable add-ons. Our values are based on implementing measurable ESG and DEI initiatives to create a sustainable future, a healthier planet and inclusive community. Establishing a Women in Tech and Leaders program globally PlanSource launched its Bengaluru operations in 2020.

The India office has made a significant contribution to product development and customer support. PlanSource, founded in 2008, employs 800 employees with more than 200 based in India. Tom Signorello said during his recent trip to India that “it is an exciting time for the benefits technology industry, as automation creates increased efficiency and the opportunity for a better end-user experience.” PlanSource is well positioned to continue to lead the industry, and we remain committed in furthering our mission to deliver the best customer experience. PlanSource encourages employees to be innovative and open. This can be done at many levels.

Process innovation extends beyond development to include Marketing, Sales and Operations, Finance and Human Resources. I am therefore excited by the contributions of India operations in developing industry leading products. Our India-based leadership team and talent contributed significantly to the launch of IQ decision support, which gives our customers measurable ROI (8x-12x). Recently, our India team developed Chatbot and Personalized Communication capabilities. I am excited to see these launched this week.

In our India operations, we have created a culture that is outstanding and focuses on diversity/inclusion. In 2023, we were awarded the “Great Place to Work” certification in India. Vista Private Equity recognized our India Center of Excellence for being the best CoE among their 70+ portfolio companies. We plan to continue to grow and look forward to the continued contributions from our India operation.” PlanSource is a trademark of PlanSource, Inc., as well as other trademarks owned by PlanSource.

Tech

Elon Musk announces he will launch a rival to Microsoft’s ChatGPT

Billionaire Elon Musksaid on Monday he will launch an artificial intelligence (AI) platform that he calls “TruthGPT” to challenge the offerings fromMicrosoftandGoogle. He criticised Microsoft-backed OpenAI, the firm behind chatbot sensation ChatGPT, of “training the AI to lie” and said OpenAI has now become a “closed source”, “for-profit” organisation “closely allied with Microsoft”.

He also accused Larry Page, co-founder of Google, of not taking AI safety seriously. Musk said, “I’m starting something that I call ‘TruthGPT,’ or a maximum truth seeking AI that tries understand the nature of universe,” in an interview aired Monday on Fox News Channel. He said TruthGPT was “likely the best path to security” and would not “annihilate human beings”. It’s just starting late. Musk registered a Nevada-based company named X.AI Corp last month, according to a filing with the state. Musk was listed as the sole director, and Jared Birchall as the managing director of Musk’s family office as secretary.

‘Civilizational devastation’ The move came after Musk and a team of artificial intelligence experts, including industry executives, called for a 6-month pause on developing systems that are more powerful than OpenAI GPT-4. They cited potential risks to the society. Musk reiterated his AI warnings during the interview with Carlson. According to the excerpts, “AI is more harmful than, for example, mismanaged airplane design, production maintenance, or bad car production.” “It could lead to civilizational destruction,” Musk said. He said that an AI super intelligent could write extremely well and manipulate public opinion. Musk co-founded OpenAI back in 2015.

He stepped down from its board in 2018. In 2019, Musk tweeted that he was leaving OpenAI to focus on Tesla, SpaceX and other projects. He also tweeted that he left OpenAI because he had to focus on Tesla and SpaceX. Musk, CEO of Tesla, SpaceX and Twitter, has become CEO of Twitter. He bought the social media platform for $44 billion in 2013. Musk told Fox News that he valued Twitter recently at “less than 50%” of its acquisition price.

Microsoft Corp announced in January that it would invest a further multi-billion dollars in OpenAI. This investment will intensify the competition with Google and fuel the race for AI funding in Silicon Valley.