Daily Authority: 😬 Amazon's robot "disaster"

Amazon’s hardware event this fall was piled with new gadgets and gadgets and marketing hype, as you might expect.

It was also pierced by people who built its new robot, who said the just-announced Amazon astro robot is “terrible” and will “throw itself down the stairs” and a “disaster not ready for release”.
Ouch.

First what’s new:

Too many things have been announced by Amazon to recap, but a few things that interest my colleagues are the Echo Show 15 ($ 250), a 15.6-inch display form factor Echo device You can prop up or even hang around your house.
There’s also a new Amazon Smart Thermostat ($ 60) that brings cheaper competition to what we see from Nest and others, although it’s not yet available.
There are new fitness trackers and a video calling device, and software improvements have also been made: Ring Video Doorbells finally have the ability to notify you of a package

But the big story from the show is this Amazon Astro: a rumored robot that is now here as Alexa-on-Wheels, combining Alexa’s voice assistant chops with an Echo Show-like tablet, Rings home security system, two Qualcomm chips and motorized wheels so that he can get through her Can roam at home.

From Amazon’s point of view, that means it can be called and it comes, so you can ask Alexa questions.
It can offer security measures or dial into its periscope camera to take a look at things in your house, such as: B. to check that the oven is switched off.
This is because it “Ultrasonic sensors, time-of-flight cameras, and other imaging tools that tell the robot what is around it and where it is going“According to The Verge.
It can apparently recognize faces, but more on that in a moment.
After an introductory price of $ 999.99, Astro’s price rises to $ 1,449.99.

Problems, oh the problems:

It’s only available to a limited number of people at the invitation of Amazon, which suggests that Amazon hasn’t found any real use for it yet.
It cannot go up and down stairs. It has no arms so it can’t bring you a cold can out of the fridge. While it offers security, it cannot do anything against an intruder. Plus, everything is tied to Ring, which means more subscriptions.
But unbelievable Vice published documents and findings from those who worked on the device, and it tears up Amazon’s own ideas (e.g.
Developers who worked on Astro say the versions of the robot they were working on didn’t work well and were easily broken …

The quotes are amazing:

“‘Astro is terrible and will almost certainly jump down a flight of stairs if the opportunity presents itself. People identification is unreliable at best, which makes the home security suggestion ridiculous, ”said a source who worked on the project. “The device feels fragile for something at an absurd cost. The mast has broken on multiple devices and has locked itself in the extended or retracted position and there is no way to ship it to Amazon in this case. ‘”
“’They also push it as an accessibility tool, but with the breaking masts and the possibility of it committing suicide on a flight of stairs at any moment, it’s absurd nonsense and marketing at best and, at worst, potentially dangerous for anyone actually accessing it for accessibility reasons would leave, ‘said the source.
Privacy and navigation were also cited as major concerns, with another person sharing them Vice, “It is a disaster that is not ready for publication. You will break yourself and almost certainly fall down the stairs in the homes of the real users. “
Amazon refuted these claims with its own testimony of rigorous testing and so on, as it would be.
But the real surprise with all of this is getting the leaked documents and reports on the same day that Amazon announced it.

Likewise: With half of Amazon’s security announcements, Amazon is turning into a personal security company, which seems terrifying(Engage).

📦 Here is absolutely everything Amazon announced at its hardware event (Android authority).

Alleged Google Pixel 6 prices (in Europe) have surfaced, and it’s not bad if they’re accurate: Pixel 6 for $ 649 and Pixel 6 Pro for $ 899. That would normally correspond closely to US prices, e.g. $ 650 / $ 900. We’ll find out next month, but many expected the Pro to cost more than $ 1,000 … (Android authority).

😬 A report suggests that Samsung’s cell phone manager TM Roh visited the US (and likely Qualcomm) twice to ask for more chips, but nothing could be done and another manager was stranded in the US saying not to return “until the situation is resolved”. . ” (Android authority).

⌚ Samsung’s future smartwatches could include practical solar charging technology in the watch strap (Android authority).

👉 @OnLeaks has provided an alternate Samsung Galaxy S22 Ulta rendering, with less of a “P” shaped rear view camera body that looks more like an actual design (Android authority).

🎮 Amazon finally released its long-awaited MMO game New World on PC yesterday and a lot of people are trying it out. Here is the launch trailer(Youtube).

😬 Facebook’s research on kids has even considered making game dates a growth driver (The edge).

🔎 Google says Bing’s most popular search term is Google (Gizmodo).

⛔ Russia threatens to block YouTube after RT TV’s channels were deleted (Reuters).

📺 Netflix is buying a game developer for the first time: Night School Studio, which made Oxenfree, and will continue to work on a sequel (Engage).

🛫 The FAA and NASA have developed a system in airports that focuses on aircraft taxiing, wasting time and fuel and burning emissions, and after four years of testing it has already saved incredible amounts of fuel. Rollout to 27 busier US airports over the years (Wired).

🔋 Finally, one of the long-awaited electric trucks hits the market: 2022 Rivian R1T ($ 67,500) first driving reviews have arrived, here is one of CNET and one of Ars Technicawho are both impressed.

🚀 Elon Musk to Jeff Bezos: “You can’t sue your way to the moon” (The edge).

🎬 “In your opinion, which film is a perfect film?” (R / askreddit).

Here’s what it does: “With the help of this full-size dummy, you can hug in total peace of mind. Tie it to the front of your body and let your boss / colleague / barista hug this lifeless shape, not you! “
Another good – conversation file to keep the water cooler vibes flowing: “Today is a wet day, okay?” “Hello my name is…!” “Are your children healthy?”

Ps. Thursday’s newsletter may not make it, I’m stuck with various morning chores that could get in the way. But back Friday!

Tristan Rayner, Managing Editor

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