Amazon Unveils $999 Astro ‘Alexa’ ROBOT, Flying Security Drone For Your Home, A $60 Smart Thermostat, And A Giant Echo Show Screen.

AMAZON has unveiled a host of new Alexa gadgets – including a ROBOT, a flying home security drone, a $60 smart thermostat, and a giant Echo Show screen.

Many new gadgets are here just in time for Christmas – including the $999 Astro robot.

Amazon’s special event took place on Tuesday, September 28, at 9 am California time.

Perhaps the most surprising announcement was Astro – a robot for your home.

It comes with Alexa and has wheels that allow it to move about.

Amazon disclosed that the prototype was in operation for approximately a year in its staff homes.

With a smartphone app, you can control the robot to move around in your home.

The camera allows you to see your entire home from a distance.

There’s even a periscope cam to get a higher field of view.

A screen will reveal what the device is doing, showing messages like “on patrol.”

It can avoid obstacles and travels at a rate of 1 meter per minute.

Amazon described it as “a huge step forward.”

Astro will go on sale for $999.99 at the beginning.

The invite can be requested to purchase the device today. Shipping will occur a little later in the year’.

Alexa everywhere

The other headline gadget is the Echo Show 15, a giant bright screen powered by Alexa.

It can be mounted on a wall, and Amazon says it “doubles as a TV.”

You can also turn it into a digital portrait, where it will show a favorite photo of yours – for times when you’re not actively using it.

It’s available for $249.99 / £239.99 later this year.

Last year, Amazon showed off its Always Home Cam – a home security drone.

The micro-drone could fly around your home when you’re away and features a built-in camera.

But it’s remained largely out of the spotlight ever since.

You can watch through your smartphone, and it’ll beam live footage – although the camera is covered when the drone is in the dock.

You can also sign up to purchase one this year.

There’s a new Amazon Smart Thermostat, which is built thanks to a partnership with Honeywell.

And it starts at $59.99 – Amazon says this is “less than half the average thermostat.”

It comes with an Alexa built-in, which allows you to control your home heating using your voice.

Alexa is Amazon’s virtual assistant, which has appeared in countless gadgets in recent years.

The famous voice-controlled assistant can answer your questions, play music, and control other smart gadgets.

Amazon updates

Amazon revealed that it would be processing audio locally on Echo devices – for the first time.

It’ll only work on the latest round of Echo speakers.

Usually, your audio is sent over the internet to the cloud, then processed and returned to you to respond.

Thanks to the increased processing power of Echo speakers, this new method ensures that your speech remains on the device.

That’s brilliant news for privacy and is far safer than shipping your speech to the cloud.

Amazon Glow, a product aimed at families with young children, is one of the most bizarre new products.

It has a projector built-in so children can play on a tabletop.

And an 8-inch screen lets a family member dial-in – maybe granny wants to play along too?

It’s available for $249.99 – but is being shipped on an invite-only basis for now. You will need to request it, and you may not be chosen.

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