Five Takeaways from Amazon Devices and Services 2021

On Tuesday, Amazon announced a slew of new products and updates during their 2021 Amazon Devices and Services. The live event saw the company promises to strive for a more sustainable future with all of its products. The overall theme of the event was making AI work for the home. Here are five major takeaways and announcements from the event.

Introduction of Amazon Astro

One of the biggest announcements was the introduction of Astro, the first-of-its-kind intelligent robot. Astro allows access to Alexa and other Alexa-based products in one device. The robot offers complete home monitoring while away thanks to its sensors and cameras. The team behind Astro wanted to “take science fiction and turn it into reality”. While this is the first robot for the company, it will not be the last. 

Echo Show 15 Becomes New Digital Heart of the Home

The latest addition to the Echo Show family, the Echo Show 15, acts as the new digital heart of your home. The 15.6” screen shows some of the most important information aggregated for you. With its 1080 Full HD display, Echo Show 15 can be mounted on a wall or placed on a counter in either portrait or landscape orientation. The new Echo Show is powered by the latest technology, including the next generation Amazon AZ2 Neural Edge processor and personalization features thanks to visual ID. 

New Amazon Glow Keep Families and Kids Connected 

Kids and families can now connect with loved ones in a new interactive way. During video calls, the Amazon Glow allows kids to see their family members on a dedicated 8” display while they read stories and create art on a 19” touch-sensitive, projected space. At the same time, remote family friends see the children on a tablet and participate in the activities through the Glow mobile app.

New Alexa Features Offer Organization and Entertainment

Amazon unveiled several new Alexa features throughout their devices. Some of the updates include new voice assistants from Disney on supported Echo devices, new calendar widgets, and sticky notes to keep you are your family organized. One major addition to Alexa is Alexa Together, a subscription service designed to help aging family members feel at ease living independently. Learn more about the latest updates to Alexa on their website.

Ring Beefs Up Home Security

From Ring Alarm Pro to Virtual Security, Ring is here to keep your home safe in any emergency. The new Ring Alarm Pro combines protection against break-ins, floods, and online threats with reliable connectivity thanks to the built-in eero Wi-Fi 6 router. Ring has partnered with Home Depot as well to introduce Ring Jobsite Security, bringing Alarm Pro to customer’s job sites. 

Amazon announced numerous new updates and products throughout the event. To see Amazon Devices and Services live event in full, check out their website.