You know when a job says ‘we’re like a family here’? Well, writer and director David Ayer took that to heart and A Working Man was born.

Jason Statham stars as Levon Cade, an ex-military man turned construction foreman who works for the Garcias (Michael Peña and Noemi Gonzalez) as part of their family-run development firm. He’s got a young daughter, lives in a caravan, and rarely smiles.

Despite his gruff demeanour it’s obvious he’s got a good head on his shoulders and will go above and beyond for those he considers his own. This was proven in the first 10 minutes when one of his workers is being roughed up on site by some sketchy guys. Levon decides to step in, politely ask what’s going on and then proceed to throw a bucket of nails at the assailants and whip out a sawn-off shotgun that he apparently just hides onsite. A veritable OSHA nightmare but great for Levon if he’s ever in a pinch!

Trouble truly unfolds when his boss’s daughter Jenny (Arianna Rivas) is kidnapped on a night out. Desperate to get her back, the Garcias ask Levon for help. He declines, but after a trip to visit his old military mate Gunny (David Harbour) to do some soul searching, he quickly acquiesces to the plea. After all he did make a promise to Jenny that he would always have her back. This promise was sealed with a fist bump so you know it was serious.

The relationship between Levon and Jenny is what really holds the film together. Girl dads rejoice! As a full time daughter myself it’s comforting to know that there are dads out there that will hunt down, torture and murder dozens of human-traffickers and other equally unsavoury people in order to make sure their daughters (biological or not) are safe. This idea of a father’s love and duty is also mirrored with some of the antagonists. One in particular propels the second half of the film and proves to be an ever-looming threat to Levon.

This movie is classed as an action/thriller and while it delivers on the former I can’t say that I was particularly thrilled at any point. Any suspense that’s built up quickly disperses as we cut back to Levon’s brooding face.

The action sequences were definitely a highlight of the film. Tight choreography and inventive methods of inflicting pain made for a fun watch. Notably, there were a few water–based torture methods and deaths. A nice change from the stabbing, slicing and dicing. Pair this with a ton of bullets and bombs in small quarters and you’ve got action baby!

But is this the most original movie? No. Absolutely not. In fact when you google ‘A Working Man’ one of the top questions asks “is A Working Man a sequel to The Beekeeper?” Both were directed by Ayer and star Statham as a man with an innocuous job and a killer past. Throw in some punches, explosions and take a few too many bathroom breaks you’ll see it’s no wonder why people would come to that conclusion.

In terms of performances, Jason Statham is classic Jason Statham. This film is yet another notch in his brusque assassin belt. Honestly, I do like him but I think he shines in more comedic films such as Spy (2015) and the more recent Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre (2023).

One word for this whole movie is ‘safe.’ It delivered exactly what was written on the tin but nothing more. The film leaves a significant loose thread that can be easily followed for a sequel, but if (or when) that happens I’m unsure if there will be any audience members clamouring for tickets.

The post A Working Man (Amazon MGM Studios) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

I have been using Ring cameras and doorbells around my house for a couple of years.

Then Amazon went and bought a little company called Blink who sells more affordable cameras and I got curious. Could they stand up or beat their Ring counterparts?

The Blink Outdoor 4

The Blink Outdoor 4 is a simple camera to install and use. To get up and running, you will pull out of the box the camera and the sync module. The camera gets installed outside somewhere using screws. There is heaps of movement with the camera on the base, so you can easily position it to the angle you need. The sync module you have inside somewhere which is needed to connect the camera to the internet, but also stores recording locally.

Then with the app, setting it up is easy as,  It walks you through the steps super easily, so there is no need for me to go through this. The main thing when it comes to installation is making sure you have your distances thought through.  The Blink Outdoor 4 camera has to be within 30m of the sync module. This is pretty far, but this is in ideal conditions. Anything from metal walls, to your microwave can reduce this. When I was testing around my house, it was pretty seamless, but there were a couple of spots where there wasn’t a large distance but was obstructed and it caused some issues with video quality.

One of the biggest things the Blink Outdoor 4 Camera offers is the insane battery life.

It runs from two AA batteries and promises to run for up to two years. Unfortunately, I haven’t been using the camera for two years so can’t say for sure how long it will last, but it’s still very full after a couple of months use.

The camera gives you 1080p quality video, and captures 143 degrees which is pretty damn solid. While the hub stores an offline copy of the videos, to get online storage, but to get features like people detection, you need to get the subscription.

That comes in at $5 (NZD) (NZD) a month for a camera, or $15 for as many as you have. I kinda wish this sub covered all Amazon cameras so you could mix and match, but it is what it is.

Blink Mini 2

Unlike the Blink Outdoor 4, the Blink Mini 2 is a cable only camera.

This one is pretty damn incredible for the price. It is an easy to install camera that can also be mounted to the wall, so long as you can run the cable to it.

Just like the Blink Outdoor 4 it offers 1080p video quality and 143 degrees which is really amazing given the size and price of the camera. Installing it is just as easy as the Blink Outdoor 4 as well, and adding it to the Blink app is a piece of cake. You will be up and streaming the content within minutes.The Blink Mini 2 also doesn’t require using the sync module, so it doesn;t come with one in the box. But if you want to store video recording locally you will need one.

The Blink Mini 2 itself is waterproof, but the cable it comes with in the box isn’t. This means that you can use it outside if you buy a Weather Resistant power adapter (more on that soon) but otherwise it’s an inside camera. This is kinda cool because if you plan to use it inside you can, and if you use it outside you can spend the extra moneys.

The Blink Mini 2 does offer something that the Blink Outdoor 4 doesn’t and that’s a little spotlight.

This LED spotlight is enough to light up a decent area giving you colour imagery at night. It’s really bloody cool.  The biggest weakness is the motion capture. The Blink Outdoor 4 has way better motion detection, having said that, the motion detection on the Blink Mini 2 was fine and still grabbed the majority of movement.

Blink Weather Resistant 4m Power Adaptor

The Blink Weather Resistant Adapter is great. 4m is a great length to reach up high or far.

If you have an exterior power plug you can get one of your cameras within 4m of it. Thanks to a piece in the middle with screws it’s super easy to keep the cable nice and tight against a wall to help when you are installing it.

Best of all, it means your Blink Mini 2 becomes an external security camera, and your Blink Outdoor can be set up so you never have to worry about the battery. It’s a fantastic add on for $20 (NZD) that makes complete sense to be separated so you only buy one if you’ll use it.

Should you go Blink?

Blink makes a damn good argument for checking them out.

The Blink Mini 2 for $80 (NZD), and the Blink Outdoor 4 for $170 (NZD) are incredibly reasonably priced.

If you are just looking at getting your first cameras then these ones would do you well.

The Blink subscription to add things like people detection and online video storage comes in at $5 (NZD) a month for one camera, or $15 (NZD) for as many cameras as you want.

This is reasonable but it would be cool if it could be lumped together so you can mix and match for the one fee.

The post Blink Outdoor 4 & Blink Mini 2 Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Amazon’s smart tv content streamer FireTV Stick 4K Max is a must have if you have a tele that just doesn’t have the smarts, or does but you want an alternative to its native OS.

Without re-reviewing the FireTV Stick 4K Max again, I’ll do a real quick recap.

Clearly it is 4K compatible, hence the product name, but will work on any scale TV. The FireTV Stick 4K Max connects in to your screen via HDMI and does require USB power (Amazon provide you with a AC adaptor).

And while you can stream all your favs and do movie or series marathons with Prime, Netflix, Disney and more, Xbox has recently released an app for the FireTV Stick 4K Max.

You’ll need a GamePass subscription, and once you’ve got that you can start streaming gameplay.

Get yourself a Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S gamepad, sync it up via Bluetooth and start gaming – without a console.

While there can be some delays in connecting to Xbox Cloud (or there was in my experience) and a few attempts at syncing up the Xbox controller, once your connected, you’re good to game, without the need of an Xbox console.

Having played games via GamePass on the Firestick 4K many times now, I can say that gameplay is fluid without any framerate drop or connection problems (once in-game).

With Xbox now available on Amazon’s FireTV Stick 4K Max places the smart streaming device an all-round entertainment hub.

The post Amazon FireTV Stick 4K Max Xbox GamePass Gaming Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Amazon has just released an entirely new lineup of Kindle devices.

A reimagined Kindle Scribe, the fastest Kindle Paperwhite ever, a new entry Kindle in a fun, new Matcha colour, and the first-ever colour Kindle, coming in 2025.

“With summer just around the corner we know reading will be at all-time high, and our new Kindle lineup has something for everyone, no matter your reading style,” said Patrick Walker, Amazon Devices Country Manager, Australia and New Zealand. “We obsessed over every detail to deliver the best possible experience, and we know Kiwis will be excited by new features such as 25% faster page turns on the Kindle Paperwhite, a more dynamic and intuitive writing experience on the Kindle Scribe, and fun new colours across the range.”

Since its debut in 2012, customers have made Kindle Paperwhite their best-selling Kindle and the all-new Kindle Paperwhite is the fastest yet. Scrolling through your Kindle Library or Store is snappy and responsive, with 25% faster page turns. The display uses an oxide thin film transistor which gives it the highest contrast ratio of any Kindle Paperwhite, so text and images pop off the screen. A larger, seven-inch display is a first for Kindle Paperwhite, and yet it is also the thinnest Paperwhite ever with up to three months of battery life.

Kindle Paperwhite is waterproof with 16GB of storage for thousands of books, and comes in Black. Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, which comes with 32GB of storage, optional wireless charging, and auto-adjusting front light, is available in Metallic Jade and Metallic Black. Metallic Jade is only available online at Amazon.

Weighing in at just 158g, the new entry-level Kindle is small enough to fit in your hand or carry in your back pocket, and it’s packed with premium Kindle features. It has a 300ppi, glare-free display, now with faster page turns, higher contrast ratio, and a front light that is 25% brighter at max setting, as bright as Kindle Paperwhite.

It comes in black and a fun and fresh new Matcha colour, offers weeks of battery life from a single charge, and has 16GB of storage for holding thousands of books, all of which make it the ideal device for reading anywhere the day takes you.

The all-new Kindle Scribe combines all the benefits of Kindle with an innovative notetaking device. The 10.2 inch display has new uniform white borders and the screen has a smooth, paper-like texture that makes it look and feel like you’re writing on a sheet of paper. Plus, at 300ppi text looks crisp and clear when you’re writing or reading. The Premium Pen is finely crafted to deliver just the right heft and balance, so it feels like holding an actual pen, and the new soft-tipped eraser feels like a pencil.

The new Kindle Scribe offers a first-of-its-kind in-book writing experience. With Active Canvas, you can write your thoughts directly in the book when inspiration strikes. Your note becomes part of the page and the book text dynamically flows around it, if you increase the font size, change the font style, or the book layout changes, the note remains visible exactly where you want it so you never lose any meaning or context.

Pre-orders for the all-new Kindle Scribe start today, which comes in Tungsten and Metallic Jade colours. Devices will begin shipping from December 5th 2024, and Metallic Jade is only available online at Amazon.

The all-new Kindle Colorsoft brings colour to Kindle without compromise. It has everything customers love about Kindle today , with high contrast, fast page turns, an auto-adjusting front-light, and weeks of battery life. It adds colour that is vibrant yet easy on the eyes. Now you can browse covers in colour in your Kindle Library or Store; see book photos and images in colour; or add colour highlights that you can easily search later.

Everything about Kindle Colorsoft was meticulously designed to deliver rich, paper-like colour. It uses an oxide backplane with custom waveforms for fast performance and a higher contrast on both colour and black-and-white content. Its custom Colorsoft display includes a new light-guide with nitride LEDs that, when combined with our custom algorithms, enhances colour and increases brightness, all without washing details. You can zoom in on images without worrying about pixelating and you can choose between standard or vibrant colour styles. Kindle Colorsoft comes with wireless charging, up to 8 weeks of battery life, and is waterproof so you can bring it with you in the bath or take it to the beach without having to worry.

Kindle Colorsoft releases in 2025.

A number of new accessories are launching to accompany the new Kindle line-up, including a new Matcha fabric cover for the Kindle, and new fabric, plant-based leather and premium leather covers in a variety of colours for the new Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition and all-new Kindle Scribe.

The new Kindle devices and accessories are available now.

The post Amazon Launches New Kindles appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Blink smart home security, who is owned by Amazon, has just announced its launch into New Zealand and Australia, offering its range of popular smart security cameras locally.

This launch comes as new local research shows the desire for home security products, with 29% stating that they don’t already own a home security device and are wanting to purchase an indoor or outdoor camera for their home. However, at a time when many are feeling the pinch from cost-of-living pressures, almost half (44%) of say cost is a barrier.

The new Blink range offers an affordable solution, making these WiFi connected cameras make home security simple – set up is easy and customers can monitor their home from anywhere by seeing, hearing, and speaking to visitors directly through the free Blink app on their smartphone. Blink’s cameras are designed for every home and offer up to two years of battery life with just two AA batteries, as well as local storage options.

Blink’s custom-built proprietary chip is at the core of its products. The chip is expertly designed to save power, extending battery life up to an impressive two years for Blink’s wireless camera, Outdoor 4, while also enabling smart notifications with powerful features like person detection through on-device computer vision. With person detection, a Blink Subscription Plus Plan feature, you’ll get notified whenever a person is detected (versus an object or an animal).

“We know that Kiwis want to invest in home security products but that cost-of-living pressures are impacting us all. We’re thrilled to launch Blink in New Zealand and Australia, bringing our customers more feature-packed options at incredible value,” said Mark Fletcher, Blink Managing Director, APAC. “For those considering the installation of a smart home security system, the Outdoor 4 and Mini 2 cameras from Blink are an ideal, and

Blink customers can make the most of their smart security with a Blink Subscription Plan. Customers can save and share clips and view live recordings from their Blink devices conveniently in the cloud with unlimited cloud storage for up to 60 days. A Blink Subscription Plan also provides access to advanced features like person detection, Blink Moments (Plus Plan only), and more – all through the Blink app on your smartphone.

Customers who purchase a Blink camera will receive a 30-day free trial of Blink’s Subscription Plan, and there are two tiers available – Basic and Plus – starting from $5 per month for Basic and $15 per month for Plus.

Blink customers can control all privacy settings through the Blink app. This includes the set-up of Activity Zones, capturing only what they want and exclude areas like a busy street that may surround their property. All image processing takes place locally, on-device. 

All devices, accessories and subscription plans announced are now available.

The post Hello Blink! appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Amazon is on point this year with their new range of Alexa Echo smart home assistant devices.

Recently I covered off their new Echo Show 5, and hot off the heels from that is this year’s Echo Spot.

Designed to fit subtly in any decor, the new Echo Spot is almost half touch screen and front facing 1.7 inch directional speaker.

Still retaining the same round shape it is slightly tilted upwards, so that no matter what angle, the 2.83-inch screen is always visible.

The top of the all-new Echo Spot has the usual volume control toggle buttons.

Connecting up you will need to use the Amazon Alexa app.

Once you go in to ‘Add a Alexa device’ the app will automatically pick up the new Echo Spot and it’s seamless from there.

You can opt to set up manually from the touch screen – but this is fiddly. Use the app.

Customizable, the new Echo Spot boasts a few clock options and also has some very unique animations on screen, whether you’re using Alexa to entertain or streaming music.

The volume and clarity of the speaker is phenomenal.

Slated as being a bedside smart device, you can easily rock out in a small to mid sized room just with this tiny Alexa powered device, which also be used as a Bluetooth speaker.

Taking up minimal space, the Echo Spot is a worthy entry level smart home assistant if you have not gotten yourself in to any Alexa device before. Same if you currently own the last gen of Echo Spot. This 2024 model is a worthy upgrade.

Alexa is THE AI assistant to have, quick with wit, humour, info and more, Alexa is the AI that others hope to be when they grow up.

The new Echo Spot is the perfect side-kick to keep you organized, give you reminders, play your fav tunes or sleep next to.

The post Amazon Echo Spot (2024) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Ready when you are, Amazon’s Alexa has got the tunes, the info, the news and entertainment, as well as answers to most of your questions.

Alexa is the primary A.I. smartdevice to have in your home, and now Amazon has released a new third generation of their Echo Show 5.

With a brighter and sharper screen than their last model, The unit is roughly the same size with the same display bezel, but the overall body and sound has definitely had a makeover.

Still rectangular in shape the rear of the housing is more contoured. The camera (which can be turned off) has a squared housing.

From the box, connecting up the Amazon Echo Show 5 is super easy. Almost plug and play once you power it up.

If you already have an Alexa in your home, this process will be familiar.

You can set it up via the device’s 5 inch, 960 x 480 touchscreen manually, but easier if you have the Amazon Alexa app.

The app will auto discover the new Alexa device and begin pairing, once connected your WiFi, it’s a few clicks of ‘Next’ and you’re basically done.

Other than being an A.I. that you can converse with, the Echo Show 5 itself can be used as an intercom in your house, if you have another Alexa device.

The 2MP front facing camera also allows you to take video calls and if paired up with a smart doorbell, or security camera’s you can interact with those too (providing that they are compatible with Alexa). The top of the device houses basic audio controls and camera toggle.

The booming crystal clear audio from the Echo Show 5 is louder than it should be from a device of this size.

You can opt to have the Echo Show 5 as a Bluetooth speaker, but if you subscribe to an audio streaming service, sync that up in the app, create a new Skill and have your playlists or podcasts playing with a voice command, ‘Alexa, play my favourite podcast’.

Alexa is able to integrate with most home smart appliances, and is a super reliable alarm clock (which the Echo Show 5 is the perfect size for), reminder assistant and more.

Set skills and routines to personalise Alexa within the app.

The Echo Show 5’s price point is such that it is affordable to anyone to upgrade their home with some A.I. smarts.

Small, ready to tell you the weather, the news through to entertaining the kids and more, Amazon’s Echo Show 5 takes up less of a footprint in your living room, home office or bedroom while retaining the same smarts and wit as it’s larger siblings.

The Amazon Alexa Echo Show 5 (3rd gen) is a definite recommend.

The post Amazon Alexa Echo Show 5 (3rd gen) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Amazon introduced their all-new Echo Spot, the latest addition to its lineup of Alexa-enabled devices.

Echo Spot is a sleek new customisable smart alarm clock, featuring a variety of custom-designed clock faces and fun colours. It’s built for the nightstand, with a display that makes it easy to set and view alarms, see the time, weather, or song titles at a glance, and a directional speaker that delivers vibrant sound.

“Customers care about the way they wake up in the morning and go to bed at night and the all-new Echo Spot will transform the way they start and end their day,” said Patrick Walker, country manager, Amazon Devices Australia and New Zealand. “Thanks to customisable clock faces, personalised designs, new alarm sounds and colourful visual animations, Echo Spot is the best smart alarm clock designed for any bedside table.”

People love asking Alexa for information—in fact, Alexa answers multiple requests every millisecond, with users asking Alexa for the weather, to set a reminder or to set an alarm tens of millions of times every day. Echo Spot comes with a variety of custom-designed clock faces, new visual animations, and fun colours that makes it easy to see the responses to these requests at a glance.

Simply ask Alexa to set alarms on Echo Spot, by saying things like “Alexa, set a weekday alarm for 7am with soft jazz.” Or, wake up to one of four new alarm sounds exclusive to Echo Spot—Aurora, Daybreak, Endeavor, and Flutter. And, if you want a bit more sleep when your alarm goes off, just tap Echo Spot to snooze.  You can also ask Alexa for the weather to see the temperature, along with an illustration—like a sun, rain cloud, or snowflake—appear on the screen.

Echo Spot’s display can be customised to fit the aesthetic of your bedroom. Choose from six different colour-ways—orange, violet, magenta, lime, teal, and blue—or mix and match colours with a variety of clock faces.

The new, colourful visual display also shows song titles when music plays. To skip songs, simply ask Alexa, or quickly tap the display. There are also buttons on the top of the all-new Echo Spot to quickly change the volume—or you can ask Alexa to adjust the sound up or down.

Enjoy vibrant sound with the all-new Echo Spot, which includes a 1.73″ front-firing directional speaker delivering clear vocals and deep bass. Just ask Alexa to play music, podcasts and audiobooks from your favourite providers like Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music, Audible, and more.

Connect Echo Spot to compatible smart home products and set up Alexa Routines to help automate daily tasks. For example, set up a routine that gently wakes you with music and gradual light from compatible smart lights. Or, set an evening routine that dims your smart lights, lowers the thermostat and plays music.

Ask Alexa to place audio calls to loved ones on other Alexa-enabled devices, make household announcements, audibly Drop In on other Alexa-enabled devices in your household, or get alerts and audio from your compatible smart doorbell.

As with all of our devices, Echo Spot is built with multiple layers of privacy controls, including a microphone on / off button and the ability to view and delete voice recordings.

Echo Spot is available now in Black, Glacier White, and Ocean Blue.

The post Amazon Launches New Echo Spot appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Amazon has announced the newest iteration of the Echo Show 5 will soon be available for customers. Echo Show 5 is the smallest Alexa-powered Echo smart display with a five-inch screen – perfect for the bedroom or kitchen.

Echo Show 5 combines the utility of Alexa, with the convenience of a compact screen so customers can watch news clips, check their Ring doorbell camera, view shopping lists, follow along with recipes or easily make video calls to friends and family.

The 3rd generation of Echo Show 5 comes with a completely reengineered microphone array and is faster than its predecessors due to its AZ2 Neutral Edge processor. The product also boasts an improved speaker system that delivers clearer sound when listening to music, videos, podcasts or Audible books.

Echo Show 5 also comes with support for Matter, making it easy to connect and control compatible smart home products across various brands, seamlessly integrating into any smart home set up.

As always, Amazon Echo devices are designed with multiple layers of privacy protection. Customers have complete transparency and control over their Alexa experience, from the manual mic/camera off button and built-in camera shutter, to the ability to delete your voice recordings.

Echo Show 5 is designed with sustainability in mind, with its fabric made from 100% post-consumer recycled polyester yarn and aluminium made from 100% recycled aluminium. This device’s packaging is made of 99% wood fibre-based materials from responsibly managed forests or recycled sources.

The all-new Echo Show 5 will be available from July 10th, 2024 in black, white and cloud blue colours.

The post Amazon Introduces All-New Echo Show 5 appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Amazon has just introduced Echo Hub, an all-new Echo device that combines the simplicity of Alexa with an eight-inch display to create a personalised, proactive, and intuitive smart home experience.

“The new Echo Hub allows customers to seamlessly and simply manage everything from daily tasks, to thousands of compatible smart home devices – all with Alexa,” said Kate Gooden, Head of Product, Amazon Alexa in Australia and New Zealand. “Customers around the world interact with Alexa tens of millions of times every hour. From triggering your favourite Routine to updating your shopping list, the Echo Hub gives Aussies more ways to experience what I think is the world’s best personal AI.”

The all-new Echo Hub is an Alexa-enabled smart home control panel, designed to give customers a simple and intuitive way to manage disparate smart home devices. It’s easy to install and features a thin, eight-inch, touch-enabled display with a customisable dashboard that makes it simple for customers to group and manage smart home devices, view multiple compatible smart home camera feeds at once, start a Routine, organise widgets, and manage volume and media streaming on your devices from one handy hub.

When not actively in use, Echo Hub seamlessly blends into the home by transitioning to an idle screen that can be personalised with a rotating collection of photos and glanceable information such as the weather and time. When a customer approaches the device, Echo Hub uses infrared technology to detect their proximity and naturally transitions the content back to the home screen.

Echo Hub can be mounted on a wall or placed on a counter with a stand accessory, includes a built-in smart home hub with support for Zigbee, Thread, Bluetooth and Matter—and it’s compatible with thousands of connected cameras, lights, locks, plugs, thermostats, speakers, and more. Echo Hub supports wireless or wired internet connectivity, with a compatible power-over-ethernet (PoE) adaptor.

Introducing Adaptive Content – a fresh home screen experience for the Echo Show range that uses on-device computer vision technology to adjust on-screen content based on a customer’s proximity to the device. With the new Adaptive Content experience, a customer positioned across the room will see content that is easily viewed from a distance—such as a large clock display—with the screen automatically transitioning to a more detailed view as they approach the device. If the customer is enrolled in visual ID, the content will also be personalised, highlighting things like a recent playlist. The new adaptive home screen also includes shortcut icons that make it easy to access most used widgets, which can be opened with just a tap.

In Australia and New Zealand, Adaptive Content will be available on the Echo Show 8 (2nd generation) next month and will roll out to other Echo Show devices next year.

Calling friends and dropping in on household members is a well-loved Alexa feature for staying in touch and helping coordinate your day to day at home. From today, it is even easier for you to connect with those that matter most. Now, you can add the Top Connections widget to your Echo Show 15 devices to easily see your favourite contacts and most frequently used devices within the household. You can quickly initiate a call or drop-in with a single-tap. This will extend to Echo Show 5, 8, and 10 in Australia and New Zealand in the coming months.

Echo devices are designed with customer privacy in mind and include multiple layers of privacy controls. The Echo Hub includes a microphone on/off button, and customers have full control over their voice recordings and can view, hear, or delete them at any time.

The Amazon Echo Hub is available now.

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