Posts Tagged: stops
The Morning After: Amazon stops paying bonuses to Alexa developers
Amazon has cut paid perks for Alexa developers. With a bigger focus on generative AI, the voice assistant’s third-party apps (skills) aren’t a priority. An Amazon spokesperson told Engadget that the “older programs have simply run their course, so we decided to sunset them.”
Launched in 2017, when Alexa was all the rage, the program paid developers bonuses for skills that resonated with users. It was part of Amazon’s quest to turn Alexa Skills into a booming app store. (Did that happen?)
At the company’s fall 2023 devices event, Amazon previewed its next-gen version of Alexa, with ChatGPT-like generative AI abilities. With AI powers, Alexa appeared versatile enough to address all sorts of queries and requests without creating apps and skills manually. Alexa isn’t going anywhere; Amazon is just making it think for itself.
— Mat Smith
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Google Photos’ enhanced editing tools will no longer require a subscription
Magic Eraser, Photo UnBlur, Magic Editor and more will be widely available in May.
Free Google Photos users get enhanced editing features without paying $ 20+ annually. This means all users will get a few of Google’s AI-powered tools, such as Photo UnBlur, Magic Eraser, and Magic Editor. I can attest: Photo UnBlur is a game-changer when taking shots of toddlers that will. Not. Stay. Still.
Knock another $ 74 off the Nothing Phone 2
It works on T-Mobile and AT&T’s networks.
Amazon has the Nothing Phone 2 on sale for the first time since its launch. The offbeat mainstream smartphone alternative is $ 74 off its usual price, down to $ 625. The deal includes the version with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, and it’s ready for activation on T-Mobile or AT&T.
Vampire Survivors hits PlayStation this summer
The game is also getting Contra DLC in May.
Hit retro bullet-hell-rogue-ish Vampire Survivors is coming to PlayStation — possibly the only platform it hasn’t been on yet. The game is also getting a batch of crossover DLC on May 9. Vampire Survivors: Operation Guns brings Contra characters and weapons, so expect a lot more guns. 22 of them, in fact.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-amazon-stops-paying-bonuses-to-alexa-developers-111557415.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics
Apple stops selling the Apple TV HD
Now that Apple has introduced a lower-priced Apple TV 4K, it's apparently getting rid of the entry-level model. MacRumorsnotes the company is no longer selling the Apple TV HD through its online store. It's not clear if the device will still be available at retail or through other online shops, but you may want to act fast if you find it at a discount. We've asked Apple for comment.
A move like this isn't surprising. The Apple TV HD launched in 2015 and stayed at an official $ 149 even as later 4K models offered much more power for as little as $ 30 extra. Now that the 2022 Apple TV 4K starts at $ 129, there isn't much point to keeping the legacy player around — certainly not when it uses an iPhone 6-era A8 chip that limits its theoretical capabilities.
There are catches. The new Apple TV 4K doesn't include Ethernet or Thread support in the base 64GB model, so you'll still have to pay $ 149 for the 128GB version if you want that connectivity. Also, this still leaves Apple without a truly low-cost living room media player. You'll have to turn to competition like the Google Chromecast or Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max if you just want an alternative to your TV's built-in features.
You are getting much more for that $ 149, though, including support for all the major HDR standards, a far brawnier processor and more storage. If nothing else, Apple is clarifying its focus — it's staking out the high end of the market, and seems content to let rivals battle for the rest.
One crucial element stops the Casio Edifice EQB-1100 from taking on a G-Shock
The Casio Edifice EQB-1100’s cool chronograph watch looks makes it a tempting alternative to a connected G-Shock, but can the Bluetooth tech compete?
Wearables | Digital Trends
No surprise: Google stops selling the Pixel 3 online
This is no surprise, but Google has officially nixed the Pixel 3. The device held on for a little bit after the Pixel 4 announcement, at least on Google’s online store, but now it’s been pulled and thrown in the same graveyard as other old Pixel devices. RIP Google Pixel 3 This means if you […]
Come comment on this article: No surprise: Google stops selling the Pixel 3 online
Bethesda stops work on ‘The Elder Scrolls: Legends’
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Facebook stops scanning faces by default
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MoviePass stops offering tickets for big movies amid outages
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Opportunity rover stops responding during Mars dust storm
Things have gone from bad to worst for the Opportunity rover now that it's caught up in a massive Mars dust storm. In an update, NASA revealed that Opportunity didn't respond to a contact attempt. The team now assumes the robotic explorer's batteri…
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Amazon finally stops being stubborn, brings Prime Video to Android TV
Yep, it’s finally here. Amazon has been holding out their Prime Video service from Android TV for a very long time, but they’re finally bringing the app to Google’s platform. This may or may not have anything to do with Google using YouTube as a bargaining chip within Amazon’s ecosystem. Otherwise, this is a pretty straightforward port, […]
Come comment on this article: Amazon finally stops being stubborn, brings Prime Video to Android TV
Alcatel Idol 5 makes some stops on Geekbench on way to market
Alcatel is getting a new device ready in their Idol series of smartphones, which should be marketed as the Idol 5. The device showed up in the past few days in the Geekbench database revealing both some specs for the mid-range smartphone and some insight as to how companies continue to tweak and improve their […]
Come comment on this article: Alcatel Idol 5 makes some stops on Geekbench on way to market
The truth about fitness trackers is that the buck stops with you
It seems we have to lay down some ground rules to manage expectations once and for all. Every so often, someone blames fitness trackers for their weight gain. This is akin to blaming turn-by-turn directions for making you drive off a cliff.
The post The truth about fitness trackers is that the buck stops with you appeared first on Digital Trends.