Amazon held its fall hardware launch event on 28th September 2022, where it took the wraps off its latest lineup of hardware. We’ve seen a lot of new tech goodies, including upgraded Echo smart speakers, the new bedside sleep tracker, and the latest Kindle that you can scribble on. Well, it seems that Amazon is well-prepped up for the upcoming holiday shopping season. If you’re also excited about the upcoming tech gadgets, we’re here to walk you through the biggest additions that you’ll find on Amazon.
Here are the most exciting announcements made by Amazon at its 2022 Annual Hardware Event.
14 Biggest announcements at Amazon Hardware Launch Event 2022
1. A new Kindle that lets you doodle
Price: $340
The newest member of the much-loved Kindle family is an E-Ink tablet with a battery-free pen. Yes, Kindle isn’t just a regular e-reader anymore. You can now take notes, mark
PDFs, make a reading list, write a journal, doddle your thoughts, and do much more. Kindle Scribe boasts a larger 10.2-inch glare-free Paperwhite display with 300 pixels per inch (PPI) and adjustable warm light. The new Kindle will cost you $340 with the standard stylus. The Premium Pen with a dedicated eraser and customizable shortcut button will cost you $30 more.
Also Read: Top 20 Alexa-compatible devices to start your Smart Home journey
2. New Echo Dot Speakers
Price: Echo Dot- $50, Echo Dot with Clock- $60
Amazon is adding two new devices to its entry-level smart speakers with the latest 5th-gen Echo Dot speakers. It has two models, one that comes with a clock and one without it. Despite having a similar design and color lineup to its predecessors, the new Echo Dot speaker has improved bass output. Also, the new models bring indoor temperature sensors and tap-to-gesture controls for a more convenient experience.
The 5th gen Echo Dot with Clock has an improved and brighter LED display that shows you time, alarms, song titles, weather, and more. You can also use these Echo speakers as Wi-Fi extenders with Amazon’s Eero Mesh routers.
In addition to these, there’s a new 5th-gen Echo Dot Kids ($60) that brings the new turquoise owl & purple dragon theme designs and new voices.
Check Price on Amazon (With Clock)
Also Read: Best Smart Home Device Upgrades in 2022
3. Echo Studio
Price: $200
Amazon’s best-sounding smart speakers have got a smarter upgrade. The new $200 model adds spatial audio support and a better-optimized frequency range that analyses the acoustics of your room to deliver an immersive studio-like listening experience. The new model promises to deliver powerful bass, improved clarity, and crisp highs. The upgrade also adds a Glacier white option to the already available Charcoal finish. If you already own an Echo Studio, a software update will automatically add the newly-announced audio upgrades for free.
4. A new updated Echo Auto
Price: $55
Launched back in 2018, the Echo Auto has got a much-needed upgrade with a new, sleeker design. The 2nd-gen Echo Auto is smaller and offers a more streamlined way to add Alexa to your car. You can easily mount it on your car’s air vents or dashboard and enjoy hands-free access to your calls, the car’s audio system, messages, and more. It’s worth knowing that the new Echo Auto has five instead of eight microphones, but with the improved algorithms, the device can easily pick up your voice commands.
5. Amazon Halo Rise
Price: $139.99
Amazon also showed off the Halo Rise targeting users who want to monitor their sleep but don’t prefer wearing fitness bands or smartwatches. This contactless sleep tracker is an Amazon’s Halo Band alternative that uses ambient radar technology and machine learning. You can place it on your nightstand and it will use algorithms and sensors to track your breathing and movement. You can ask Alexa to tell you how well you slept last night. Moreover, you can also use it as an alarm clock to wake up with a soft sound and subtle light that simulates sunrise.
Also Read: Best Apple HomeKit devices you can buy
6. An Upgraded Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen)
Price: $139.99
The latest Fire TV Cube adds several noteworthy upgrades and capabilities to the popular video streaming device. First, it has a more streamlined design and the new 8-core chip makes it faster than its predecessor. Then, you’ll find a built-in
HDMI input to connect and control the cable box with your voice. Next is the Super Resolution Upscaling feature that lets you convert HD content to 4K for enhanced picture quality. Adding to the mix is the Wi-Fi 6e support and an additional USB port.
The new Fire TV Cube is up for preorders with shipping starting in October.
7. New Fire TV Omni QLED TVs
Price: 65-inch-$799, 75-inch-$1,099
Last year, Amazon launched its Fire TV Omni Series for budget-conscious consumers. Now, it company is all set to enter the mid-tier TV segment with its first QLED Fire TVs launched at the September 2022 Hardware Launch Event. The Omni QLED TVs support Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10 Plus Adaptive to pop significantly improved visuals with richer & lifelike colors. Moreover, there are built-in ambient light sensors that dim the display when you’re not around. Also, when you’re in the room, the sensor will turn your TV screen into a canvas displaying free artwork, personal photos, and more.
Also Read: Best TV Stands for Bedrooms and Living Rooms
8. Alexa Voice Remote Pro
Price: $35
The Alexa Voice Remote Pro comes with a remote-finder feature so you spend more time watching content rather than searching for the remote. It’s a nice offering for users who keep the remote here & there and just can’t find it on purpose. With simple voice controls, you can easily locate the remote that’s under your cushions or stuck at the back of your beds. The Remote offers two customizable buttons to open your favorite apps or set the most-used Alexa voice commands. In addition, with the motion-activated backlighting, the remote will illuminate buttons in dimly-lit rooms.
Alexa Voice Remote Pro is compatible with most Fire TV streaming players, Smart TVs with in-built Fire TV, and Amazon Smart TVs.
Also Read: Best Bedroom Soundbars that are worth investing in
9. New Eero mesh routers and Integrations
Price: Eero PoE 6- $300, Eero PoE Gateway- $650
For power users and businesses, Amazon announced the new Eero mesh systems- Eero PoE Wi-Fi 6 Router and Eero PoE Gateway. For reference, PoE stands for “Power over Ethernet” where devices use a single cable to carry power and internet connection. The Eero PoE Wi-Fi 6 Router can cover up to 100 devices and 2,000 square feet of area with up to 1.5Gbps of Wi-Fi speeds. Amazon also introduced the Eero PoE Gateway which is a 10-port wired high-powered hub that supports up to 10Gbps incoming internet speeds and supplies up to 100 Watts of power to PoE devices.
The company also announced Eero integrations to other Amazon products. You can now double up the new Echo speakers as Wi-Fi extenders for your Eero Mesh Wi-Fi networks. This ability is also coming to
Echo 4 on October 20, 2022, and Echo Dot 4 speakers in the coming months.
Check Eero PoE Wi-Fi 6 Router
Check Eero PoE Gateway
10. Ring Spotlight Cam Pro and Spotlight Cam Plus
Price: Spotlight Cam Pro- $230, Spotlight Cam Plus- $200
At Amazon Hardware Launch Event 2022, Ring has updated its security cameras lineup with two new additions. The Spotlight Cam Pro features a bird’s eye view, 3D motion detection, and color night vision to let you clearly see who’s approaching your home. In addition, the Spotlight Cam Pro can sound the security siren in case of any suspicious activity. Also, the Audio+ feature is said to make it easier for users to hear any noises detected by the camera’s microphones. With the adjustable lighting, you can keep your lit-up dark corners and walkways around your home for more security.
Next in the lineup is the Spotlight Cam Plus which offers a new design and lets you choose from different power options, tethered, battery, or solar.
Check Spotlight Cam Pro on Amazon
Check Spotlight Cam Plus on Amazon
11. Ring Panic Button 2.0
Price: $30
Amazon also announced the second-gen of Ring Panic Button that can be mounted on a nearby wall or kept on a nightstand. The Panic Button 2.0 activates your home’s security alarms and you can select Panic, Fire, or Medical emergencies in the Ring app. When you press and hold the button for three seconds, it will sound the siren on your Ring Alarm and send alert notifications on the Ring app. You can also add multiple Panic Buttons to your home.
12. Blink Wired Floodlight Camera
Price: $100
Apart from Ring, Amazon also owns another home security sub-brand, Blink which has got two new products under its lineup. The Floodlight Camera is Blink’s first wired camera that does its job without any frequent battery changes. This 1080p camera with a two-way audio feature delivers up to 2600 lumens of light whenever it detects motion. You can pair a compatible Fire TV or an Echo Show smart display to see the footage. Since it’s a tethered camera, the installation might be a little tricky, but once it’s done, you’ll never have to worry about battery life.
Also Read: Best Google Home Devices to own in 2022
13. A Pan and Tilt Mount for Blink Mini
Price: $29.99
Amazon’s Blink also throws a new mount to the mix that adds pan and tilt functionality to capture the 360-degree view of any room. The mount comes bundled with the camera for $59.99. If you’ve already got a Blink Mini, you can also buy the mount separately for $29.99.
Check Price on Amazon (with Camera)
Check Price on Amazon (Only Mount)
14. A little smarter Amazon Astro
Price: $1,449.99
A cute little robot that Amazon launched last year is getting smarter with its ability to recognize cats and dogs. Amazon Astro will keep an eye on your pets when you’re not around. It will send you a video of what your pet is doing when it senses motion, and you can talk to your pets using Live View. In addition, Amazon Astro can now alert you if a door or window has been left open. However, you’ll have to run the little robot in your house and teach it the names of your windows & door so it can make accurate alerts.
Available on an Invitation-only Basis on Amazon
Also Read: Best Baby Monitors for Travel
Make sure to browse through the best Alexa-compatible devices you can buy in 2022.
