Amazon

Roku CEO unfazed by talk of new Apple, Amazon TV boxes

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

With Amazon expected to unveil a new set-top box device next week, and Apple rumored to have a new TV product of its own in the wings, you have to wonder if the folks over at Roku are concerned at all about their business. Well if they are, they certainly aren't showing it.

Roku CEO Anthony Wood joined Peter Kafka on stage last night for an interview at the inaugural Code/Media event, and he appeared unfazed by the news that Amazon will likely be encroaching on his turf. He also didn't seem too worried about Apple's future television plans...

WSJ: Amazon working on free video streaming service

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 13, 2018

Much of the tech world seems to be infatuated with Office for iPad today, but I think what's going on over at Amazon is more interesting. Not only is the company expected to unveil a new TV device next week, and working on Internet radio, but a new report claims it's also building a Hulu-like service.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting this afternoon that Amazon is planning a free, ad-supported streaming service that will offer video content to all customers—not just Prime members. The outlet says the service could be used to stream original Amazon shows as well as other licensed programming...

Amazon said to be launching its set-top box next week

Cody Lee ∙ March 27, 2014

Following reports from last week that Amazon is planning to launch its long-awaited Apple TV competitor in next month, Amazon has sent out invites for a media event scheduled for April 2nd. The invitations ask that reporters join the company for an 'update' on its video business.

And according to a new report from Recode, the e-commerce giant is going to use the event to unveil a new set-top box device. Citing sources familiar with Amazon's plans, the outlet says the device will be capable of streaming media to TV sets, competing directly with Apple and Roku...

Amazon said to be launching smartphone with 6 cameras soon

Cody Lee ∙ March 20, 2014

With Amazon set to unveil its set-top box next month, the e-commerce giant is approaching full-on Apple competitor. It has the tablets, and the ecosystem, all it needs is a smartphone. And according to a new report, that could be arriving soon as well.

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a solid reputation for accurately predicting tech company product plans, says Amazon is preparing to launch its long-awaited handset within the next 3 months. And get this: apparently it'll have 6 cameras...

New Samsung ad takes simultaneous jabs at iPad, Surface and Kindle

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 20, 2014

Samsung's just posted a new ad to its YouTube channel inviting viewers to "do more" on the new multi-tasking Galaxy Tab Pro series tablet, featuring three different scenes dedicated to bashing Apple's iPad, Microsoft's Surface and Amazon's Kindle tablets. The ad is actually humorous, which is a refreshing change change for Samsung.

The commercial's anti-Apple scene envisions sending email on the Samsung tablet while on a video call, using snapping two apps side by side. Have a look at it after the break and tell us what you think in the comment section...

WSJ: Amazon launching its Apple TV competitor next month

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 13, 2018

Building on previous reports, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that Amazon is set to begin shipping its long-awaited video-streaming device next month. The device will thrust the e-commerce giant into a highly competitive space occupied by Apple, Google and others.

Citing sources familiar with the product, the outlet claims that the device will carry a variety of apps available on Roku and Apple set-top boxes and run on a version of Google's Android software. And like Amazon's other hardware devices, it will likely carry the Fire brand...

Amazon releases new app for Amazon sellers

Cody Lee ∙ March 7, 2014

Amazon quietly launched a new mobile application yesterday called Amazon Seller. As the name suggests, the app was designed to help individuals and businesses manage their product listings on Amazon's Marketplace and communicate with their customers.

The app offers a suite of mobile tools that will allow sellers to perform a wide range of functions on their mobile phones. These functions include the scanning of barcodes on items, price checking, viewing sales ranking and reviews and even the listing of products...

Amazon said to be working on ‘Prime’ music streaming service

Cody Lee ∙ February 28, 2014

According to Recode, Amazon is in talks with record labels regarding a potential music streaming service. The site says the company plans to bundle the service with its Prime delivery option, where it already offers free movies and TV shows.

Sources familiar with the negotiations say Amazon has been having serious discussions with labels for the past few months, but it's no where close to a deal. Apparently the e-commerce giant is asking for too much of a discount on licensing fees...

Amazon’s TV box apparently arriving next month

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 21, 2014

We're expecting a major Apple TV update in March said to bring refreshed hardware that should support iOS 7 controllers and downloadable games. And now, word on the street is that the online retail giant Amazon is about to counter Apple's announcement with a set-top box of its own.

Amazon has been selling music, movies and television shows for years now, it rules the e-book space and has entered the tablet market so adding another piece of hardware that ties into the Amazon cloud should be a no-brainer...

Amazon app now lets you search for things by taking photos of them

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

Amazon has pushed an update to its iOS app, enabling a new feature called Flow. The feature allows users to search for items on the website by simply scanning them in the app using their iPhone's camera. Need a stapler? Just point your iPhone at one.

Flow recognizes via shape, size, color, box text, and general appearance, and can analyze multiple items at a time. Hold your iPhone up to a row of products and every recognizable item is placed in a queue that can then be added to your Amazon cart...

How to make Cydia purchases the easy way

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

On episode 40 of Let's Talk Jailbreak, Sebastien, Cody and I had a pretty heated debate about Cydia purchases. There seems to be a misconception about Cydia purchases in general, and a lot of mixed information. Some users seem to think that the Cydia purchase process is this arcane and cumbersome gauntlet that makes buying tweaks and apps undesirable.

It's true; Cydia purchases can be more difficult than the average App Store purchase, but they don't necessarily have to be. Inside, I'm going to show you how to use Amazon Payments to make Cydia purchases as easy as pie.

Amazon updates Kindle app with Flashcards and several improvements

Cody Lee ∙ January 6, 2014

Amazon posted a major update for its iOS Kindle client this afternoon, bringing the app to version 4.1. The update includes a number of new features, like Flashcards for students, and several improvements for things like search, X-Ray and Dictionary.

Perhaps one of the biggest changes in 4.1 is the new Flashcards feature. It's only available for print replica textbooks, but students can use the feature to convert important terms from X-Ray, or their own notes, into flashcard sets for studying...