Skip to main content

Amazon

658 'Amazon' stories October 2010 - July 2013
See All Stories

Amazon is the largest Internet company in the world. Originally started as an online book store, there is now almost nothing you can’t buy at amazon.com.

In addition to its ecommerce store, Amazon offers video streaming, music streaming, a publishing company and cloud services. It has also diversified into manufacturing its own branded consumer electronics products, ranging from Amazon Basics cables to Kindle ebook readers, Fire tablets and TV boxes and Echo speakers.

Amazon has its own intelligent assistant, Alexa. Created for its Echo range of smart speakers, Alexa is also supported by a wide range of third-party products, including speakers, TVs, printers, phones, laptops, cars and more. Over 100 million Alexa devices had been sold as of early 2019.

Site default logo image

IMDb iOS app adds ability to purchase movie tickets, Amazon integration for DVDs & Blu-rays, & enhanced bios

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Jul 15 2013 - 11:03 am PT
0 Comments

IMBb has released a big update today to its iPhone and iPad app, adding the the ability to purchase movie tickets directly from within the app and much more. The feature is initially only available to users in the U.S. and can be accessed directly through a “Showtimes & Tickets” section on listings for movies currently in theatres.

Also included in today’s update is integration with the Amazon Mobile app for one tap purchasing of DVDs & Blu-rays from Amazon:

Want to buy a movie or TV show on DVD or Blu-ray? “Search via Amazon Mobile” to the rescue. Requires that you have the Amazon Mobile app, but we provide a handy link if you don’t have it yet.

IMBd has added even more celebrity bio pages in today’s update and iPhone users now have “one-tap access to the full cast/full filmography.” The updated app also includes a few other UI enhancements and bug fixes listed below:

What’s New in Version 3.3

iPad and iPhone
* “Tickets, please!” You can now conveniently purchase movie tickets via the IMDb App (currently US-only).
* More bios for celebrities you know and love as well as for up-and-comers.
* Want to buy a movie or TV show on DVD or Blu-ray? “Search via Amazon Mobile” to the rescue. Requires that you have the Amazon Mobile app, but we provide a handy link if you don’t have it yet.
* Also, did you know you can tap the “Coming Soon” bar above the title on upcoming movies to add the release date as an event to your calendar?
* Bug fixes. Nasty tricksy bugsies. We hates them!

iPhone
* We heard you. By popular demand, we’ve updated the movie and celebrity pages to include one-tap access to the full cast/full filmography (which, yes, scrolls vertically).
* You’ll see that cute little Watchlist flag almost everywhere now. Tap it to add movies and shows to your Watchlist (and tap-and-hold to add to your other lists as well).

This will be the last update that supports iOS 5. Future updates will require iOS 6 and above.

Site default logo image

68% off Sony storage at Amazon: 32GB SD card: $17, 1TB USB3 portable HD: $70, more

Avatar for 9to5 Staff Jul 12 2013 - 3:06 am PT
0 Comments

From 9to5Toys.com:

Click to enlarge

Amazon’s Gold Box today is up to 68% off Sony storage products. Standouts include:

  • 1TB USB3-powered portable Hard Drive: $69.99 shipped
  • 1.5TB USB3-powered portable Hard Drive: $99.99 shipped
  • 64GB SDHC 40MB/S SD Card :$37.99
  • 32GB SDHC 40MB/S SD Card :$17.49
  • 16GB SDHC 40MB/S SD Card :$9.99
  • Speedy 40MB/s MicroSD cards: 32GB: $21.99, 16GB: $11.99
  • More as pictured above.

Apple abandons App Store trademark case against Amazon

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Jul 9 2013 - 10:48 am PT
0 Comments
Site default logo image

Apple’s long-running lawsuit against Amazon for its use of the “App Store” trademark might finally be coming to an end as Reuters reports a judge has dismissed the case at the request of the companies. The report claims U.S. District Judge Phyllis Hamilton in California dismissed the case “after Apple issued to Amazon a covenant not to sue, eliminating the need for Amazon to pursue a related counterclaim.”

“We no longer see a need to pursue our case,” Apple spokeswoman Kristin Huguet said. “With more than 900,000 apps and 50 billion downloads, customers know where they can purchase their favorite apps.”

A spokesperson for Amazon said “This was a decision by Apple to unilaterally abandon the case, and leave Amazon free to use ‘appstore’.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Boston University files lawsuit against Apple for patent infringement

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Jul 3 2013 - 7:03 am PT
0 Comments
Site default logo image

According to a report from the BostonHerald, Boston University is the latest to sue Apple for patent infringement claiming several Apple products use technology covered by its 1997 patent for highly insulating monocrystalline gallium nitride thin films. The university filed a lawsuit with the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts yesterday listing Apple’s iPhone 5, iPad, and MacBook Air as infringing devices.

“Defendant’s acts of infringement have caused and will continue to cause substantial and irreparable damage to the University,” BU alleges in its complaint.

The highly technical patent, which can be viewed on the USPTO’s website, was originally awarded in 1997 and lists computer engineering professor Theodore D. Moustakas as its inventor. BostonHerald notes that the university has also used the patent in cases against Samsung and Amazon, and “plans to illustrate that at least one other company pays a licensing fee to use the component in question” during its case with Apple:
Expand
Expanding
Close

Site default logo image

9to5Toys Last Call: Warner Bros. $.99 app sale, Amazon Instant Video Half Yearly Sale, $100 Seagate 3TB USB 3.0 Desktop HD, more

Avatar for Jul 2 2013 - 3:02 pm PT
0 Comments

From 9to5Toys.com:

A large majority of the deals we cover each day come from a variety of ‘Daily Deal’ websites or are so popular that they don’t even last 24 hours. We know you can’t be at your computer every second, so we’re going to round up the best deals each day to make sure you have a fair shot at the deals you want. Be sure to follow 9to5Toys.com so you never miss a deal... Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+

Today’s Featured deals:

Warner Bros. Mobile App $.99 Sale for iOS: Batman Arkham City Lockdown, Man of Steel, Bastion, more

Amazon Instant Video Half Yearly Sale: Hundreds of free TV show pilots, $.99 movie rentals, more

Seagate Expansion 3TB Black Desktop USB 3.0 Hard Drive $100 Shipped (Reg. $160)

Belkin Charge & Sync Lightning dock w/ built-in 4′ USB cable $25 Shipped (Reg. $35)


Other great deals we love:

Logitech Bluetooth Illuminated Keyboard K810 $60 Shipped (Reg. $100)

Site default logo image

Amazon’s iPad shopping app makes its way to key China, Japan markets

Avatar for Mark Gurman Jun 26 2013 - 12:58 pm PT
0 Comments

Today, Amazon has updated its popular shopping app for the iPad to work in China and Japan. Both of those countries are known as critical growth markets for the mobile shopping and technology industries, making today’s update notable. Additionally, the update brings a new “Shop by Department” mode and performance improvements for the iPhone and iPod touch Amazon app. 


Expand
Expanding
Close

Site default logo image

Review: NewTrent Travelpak Dual USB Port 5V/2A travel charger

Avatar for Seth Weintraub Jun 25 2013 - 12:00 pm PT
0 Comments

The New Trent Travelpak 4000mAh plug in adapter makes a handy replacement to your iOS device AC USB adapter. I’ve been using the Travelpak 4000mAhfor about 3 months now and find it to be the perfect travelling companion for my phones, tablets and other USB-charged devices. At 4000mAh, you’ll get about 2 full iPhone charges. At 5V/2A, you’ll also get a speedy charge on your iPad, though not as fast as possible. For those focusing on iPad charging, there are bigger versions that come in the 7000mAh and 11200mAh sizes. In fact, the bigger 6000mAh has more ports, a more convenient form factor, and costs less ($39.99). Need more than that? Time for some Hyperjuice.

What’s nice here is that the portable Travelpak can charge two USB devices at the same time while plugged in. It has a nice bright 5 bar light system telling you if it is charging or how much charge it has left (making it a night-light as well). What’s even nicer and contrasts from other plug/batteries is that it turns off when unplugged and only starts charging again when you hit the power button on the side.  Where typical generic AC USB batteries will drain unless they are powered down, these will automatically turn off.

On the down side, when the plug is extended, the 4000mAh version can cover up the other plugs in a wall outlet or surge protector making this aspect of the design puzzling. Still, the other plusses far outweigh this technical oversight. It appears that the new high end 6000mAh and 11200mAh form factor fixes this issue and at a cheaper price, it is hard not to recommend this version.

The Travelpak  is currently $41.54 at Amazon off the List Price of $79.95 for the 4000mAh version that I tried, but it would appear that the larger 6000mAh version at $39.99 might be the better deal, especially since it adds a MicroUSB port and doesn’t cover up an additional plug.

Site default logo image

Apple & DOJ submit closing arguments as e-book price fixing trial comes to a close

Avatar for Zach Kahn Jun 20 2013 - 4:23 pm PT
0 Comments

After a three week debate between Apple and the U.S. Department of Justice, the controversial e-book price-fixing case concluded today with final summations at the U.S. District Court in Manhattan. As part of its last remarks, Apple presented a 136-slide deck describing its case against the DOJ in full detail underscoring its argument that they did not conspire with publishers to illegally fix e-book prices.

On the other side of the argument, the DOJ argues that Apple was the “ringmaster” of a plot to raise mainstream e-book pricing above Amazon’s pre-established $9.99 price point by moving the industry from a wholesale model to an agency model. In the proposed model, Apple granted retailers the ability to set prices much like Apple’s App Store. Like Apple, the DOJ provided a deck explaining their point of view. Both decks can be viewed below.

U.S. District Judge Denise Cote is expected to rule on the case in the coming weeks.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Site default logo image

Amazon launches ‘Login with Amazon’ sign-in service for iOS, Android & web

Avatar for Jordan Kahn May 29 2013 - 7:58 am PT
0 Comments

Amazon is announcing today the roll out of a new service called “Login with Amazon” t0 allow developers to easily offer an Amazon sign-in option in their apps, games, and websites. Amazon says in a trial with Zappos.com customers chose to sign in using the Login with Amazon service about 40 percent of the time, while a trial with Woot found customers using Amazon sign in “had the highest rate of order conversion”:

“Login with Amazon enables app developers and website owners to leverage Amazon’s trusted sign-in solution, allowing them to focus on providing a great experience for their customers,” said Michael Carr, Amazon Vice President, eCommerce Services. “Amazon customers now have a hassle-free way to quickly and securely sign-in to apps, games and websites, without having to remember yet another password.”

Amazon is making the service available free of charge to devs and has SDKs for both Android and iOS available to download through its new login.amazon.com website.

Site default logo image

Penguin agrees to pay $75 million in consumer damages following eBook price fixing case

Avatar for Jordan Kahn May 22 2013 - 10:57 am PT
0 Comments

We already knew back in December that Pearson, along with a handful of other publishers had decided to settle with the U.S. Department of Justice in the high-profile Apple ebook price-fixing case. Today a statement from Peason’s Penguin unit confirms that it has now also reached an agreement that will see the publisher pay $75 million in consumer damages to the US State Attorneys General on behalf of people that were overcharged due to the alleged price fixing:

Penguin has reached a comprehensive agreement with the US State Attorneys General and private class plaintiffs to pay $75 million in consumer damages plus costs and fees to resolve all antitrust claims relating to eBook pricing.  Penguin has also committed to the State Attorneys General to abide by the same injunctive relief as previously agreed in a separate settlement with the Department of Justice.

In anticipation of reaching this agreement, Pearson had made a $40m provision for settlement in its 2012 accounts. An incremental charge will be expensed in Pearson’s 2013 statutory accounts as part of the accounting for the Penguin Random House joint-venture.

Site default logo image

Amazon Instant Video strikes new deal for exclusives on popular NBC/Universal TV Shows

Avatar for May 16 2013 - 9:13 am PT
0 Comments

Today Amazon founder and CEO, Jeff Bezos, announced that Amazon has struck a deal to add new shows from NBC/ Universal studios to Amazon Instant Video. The additions include Grimm Season 1, Suits Season 1, Covert Affairs Seasons 1-2 with Hannibal coming and Defiance coming at later dates. Amazon has a 4 year exclusivity over these shows, preventing them from airing on competing services such as Netflix and Hulu.

Amazon has been beefing up the content selection for this service recently with the addition of EPIX Studios, which brought “The Avengers,” “Iron Man 2,″ “The Hunger Games,” “Transformers Dark of the Moon,” “True Grit” and more to this streaming service.  In its entirety, Amazon offers free streaming for more than 40,000 movie and TV titles.

Amazon Instant Video is free for Prime members, a yearly membership that costs $79.  Prime members also receive free 2-day shipping and instant access to thousands of Kindle books.

Apple users can watch Amazon Prime on iOS devices or Macs (which can also Airplay to Apple TVs).

Apple’s to DOJ: Publishers already decided to fix prices before iBookstore came along

Avatar for Jordan Kahn May 15 2013 - 5:41 am PT
0 Comments
Site default logo image

In the ongoing e-book price fixing case with the Department of Justice, in which Apple is accused of conspiring with publishers to fix eBook pricing and cut out Amazon, Apple has again responded to the DOJ’s claims detailing the “tough negotiations” it went through with publishers. To further prove its point that it was not colluding with publishers to fix e-book pricing, Apple said it “one-on-one” and “contentious negotiations” at a time when publishers were already considering methods of getting Amazon to increase pricing:
Expand
Expanding
Close

Amazon announces standalone Cloud Player desktop app, Mac version coming soon

Avatar for Jordan Kahn May 13 2013 - 3:15 pm PT
0 Comments
Site default logo image

Amazon today announced that it is launching a standalone desktop app for its Cloud Player cloud music service that was previously only available through a web app and mobile apps. The desktop app brings offline support and, like the service on other platforms, will offer its usual unlimited storage of songs purchased through Amazon plus 250 imported songs for free. Unfortunately, today’s roll out only includes an app for PC with Amazon promising Mac users “we’re working on a version just for you.” 
Expand
Expanding
Close

Site default logo image

Weekend 9to5Toys roundup: $875 MacBook Air, $1,150 iMac, 15% off iTunes gift card, $179 Nest thermostat, much more

Avatar for May 11 2013 - 5:59 am PT
0 Comments

From 9to5Toys.com:

9to5Toys scours the net each day to bring our US readers the best deals in consumer electronics. Below are the absolute hottest deals going on right now. Most of these promotions are only available for a limited time, so be sure to lock in these savings if you see something you like.  Check back often as we are constantly posting new deals.

Also bookmark 9to5Toys.com/Daily-deals for 35+ of the top daily deals across most of the biggest shopping sites in the US including Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Target, and many more.

Ending today: Best Buy is taking $125 off the price of MacBook Airs for the next three days to celebrate Mother’s Day. That yields some of the lowest prices we’ve seen. The retailler knocks off $100 across the board, then using code MOM25 knocks off another $25.

Amazon has stepped up and is offering a staggering $150 off three out of four standard configuration iMacs (21″ & 27″).  This discount is yielding the lowest prices we have ever seen on these super-skinny iMacs.  Don’t wait too long to pull the trigger, this is an unadvertised sale that Amazon could pull the plug on at any moment.

The current generation MacBook Air, iMac and Retina MacBook Pro do not include a CD/DVD optical drive, but you can pickup a discounted Apple Superdrive right now for just $69 (Reg. $79).

Ending today: Best Buy is offering a $100 iTunes gift card for just $85.  That is a total savings of 15% off future purchases of Apps Music, Movies and any other content on the the App Store, iTunes, Mac App Store and iBook Store.  This is the first iTunes deal we’ve seen in nearly 2 months and a perfect opportunity to surprise Mom on Mother’s Day

Other great deals on stuff we love:

Amazon launches Cloud Drive Photos app for iPhone

Avatar for Jordan Kahn May 10 2013 - 10:18 am PT
0 Comments
Site default logo image

Amazon today released an iPhone version of its Amazon Cloud Drive Photos mobile app that it originally launched on Android only back in November. Amazon;’s Cloud Drive Photos app for iPhone, like the Android version, will allow users to back up and view photos to their Amazon Cloud Drive accounts. Up until today, iOS device users have only had access to Amazon’s Cloud Player app for streaming music stored in an Amazon cloud account.

The app provides everything a user might need to ditch Apple’s less than perfect iCloud Photostream feature, including the ability to automatically save photos taken on your iPhone to Cloud Drive, access your entire Cloud Drive photo collection from any device, and easily share through social networks.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Amazon working to move further into hardware space with 3D smartphone, audio device

Avatar for Mark Gurman May 9 2013 - 11:01 am PT
0 Comments
Site default logo image

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos announcing new Kindle

According to the Wall Street Journal, Amazon is working to expand its hardware offerings, this year, beyond the Kindle e-readers and tablets (like the Kindle Fire). According to the new report, Amazon is working on two smartphones, including a high-end model with a 3D display. Like other smartphones currently on the market, this display could be interacted with via a user’s eyes:


Expand
Expanding
Close

Site default logo image

USB-powered, versatile, touch-sensitive LED lamp hits the market

Avatar for Mark Gurman May 9 2013 - 9:07 am PT
0 Comments

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Re8xpaWuTIM?rel=0]

A neat new accessory from Satechi has hit the market: a USB-powered LED lamp. As the name implies, this lamp plugs into any USB 2.0 or 3.0 port for power. That means, as shown in the above video, that your MacBook could power up the lamp that lights up your desk. The lamp is also versatile in that the LED lights can plug into any base (such as a real lamp base or even a bottle). The system does not come with a standard base. The lamp has a life of 50,000 hours and consumes 1.2W of power. Users can turn the light on and off by simply touching the device. The LED lamp is available at Amazon for $24.99. (via Engadget)


Expand
Expanding
Close

Site default logo image

Amazon Cloud Player app gets support for Ford’s voice-controlled SYNC AppLink platform

Avatar for Jordan Kahn May 7 2013 - 11:28 am PT
0 Comments

Following Spotify’s update early last month, Amazon has updated its Cloud Player iOS app today with support for Ford’s voice-controlled SYNC AppLink platform that allows users to control supported apps on their smartphones through voice commands and buttons on the steering wheel. The update brings Ford SYNC compatibility to the iPhone and iPod touch, as well as improved VoiceOver support and other enhancements.

The updated app will allow users with access to Ford’s SYNC platform in their vehicles to stream songs, albums, and playlists straight from the cloud or stored on the user’s device.

What’s New in Version 2.1.0

– Now supports Ford Sync on iPhone and iPod touch
– Improved experience when adding songs to a playlist
– Improved VoiceOver support

Site default logo image

Amazon updates Kindle iOS app with new accessibility features, VoiceOver support for the visually impaired

Avatar for Jordan Kahn May 1 2013 - 7:56 am PT
0 Comments

Amazon announced today that it is updating its Kindle mobile apps, starting with an update to the Kindle iOS app,to include new accessibility features for the blind and visually impaired. The updated app now includes VoiceOver support and new accessibility features, the addition of the Hiragino Mincho ProN (Serif) font selection for Japan, and an enhancement to the app’s ‘Before you go’ feature that now offers “the ability to download a free sample and email yourself a reminder about recommended books.”

A full list of new accessibility features available in today’s update below:

  • Read aloud over 1.8 million titles available in the Kindle Store using Apple’s VoiceOver technology. Over 300,000 of these books are exclusive to the Kindle Store. Over 900,000 books are less than $4.99; over 1.5 million are less than $9.99.
  • Seamlessly navigate within their library or within a book, with consistent title, menu and button names; navigate to a specific page within a book and sort books in the library by author or title.
  • Read character-by-character, word-by-word, line-by-line, or continuously, as well as move forward or backward in the text.
  • Search for a book within their library or search within their book and navigate to specific text.
  • Add and delete notes, bookmarks, and highlights.
  • Use customer-favorite features like X-Ray, End Actions and sharing on Facebook and Twitter.
  • Look up words in the dictionary and Wikipedia.
  • Customize the reading experience including changing the font, text size, background color, margin, and brightness.
  • Use iOS accessibility features like Zoom, Assistive Touch, and Stereo to Mono, as well as peripheral braille displays.
Site default logo image

Amazon reportedly plans to get into the set-top-box game this fall

Avatar for Mark Gurman Apr 24 2013 - 9:37 am PT
0 Comments

Following in the footsteps of Apple and Google attempts at the set-top-box market, Amazon is planning to release a set-top-box, according to Bloomberg. 

They say the box will plug into TVs and give users access to Amazon’s expanding video offerings. Those include its a la carte Video on Demand store, which features newer films and TV shows, and its Instant Video service, which is free for subscribers to the Amazon Prime two-day shipping package. The Amazon set-top box will compete with similar products like the Roku, Apple TV and the Boxee Cloud DVR, along with more versatile devices like the Playstation 3 and the Xbox. An Amazon spokesperson declined to comment.

The device is reportedly being developed in Amazon’s Cupertino based labs and could launch this fall. The project is reportedly being spearheaded by a former Apple and Cisco employee:

The project is being run by Malachy Moynihan, a former vice president of emerging video products at Cisco (CSCO) who worked on the networking company’s various consumer video initiatives. Moynihan also spent nine years at Apple (AAPL) during the 1980s and 1990s.

Perhaps this future product is the reason that Apple and Amazon have no deal for Amazon content streaming on the Apple TV.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Site default logo image

Netflix is now larger than HBO, now offers $12 family plan

Avatar for Michael Steeber Apr 22 2013 - 5:23 pm PT
0 Comments

.

Netflix, the streaming media company who just announced huge gains in its quarterly numbers, is now larger than HBO, according to Quartz.

After several strong quarters of growth, Netflix now has 29.2 million people in the US subscribed to its $8-a-month streaming plan, which is, for the first time, greater than HBO’s domestic subscription base of 28.7 million.

Quartz notes that Netflix, while not a cable network in the traditional sense, is now viewed more than any traditional U.S. cable market.

From an internet service standpoint, Netflix is also fairing quite impressively, making up 33% of all downstream traffic, which is more than services like YouTube, Amazon Video, and most impressively, iTunes.

As part of the earnings announcement, Netflix also noted that it would begin offering a $12 monthly family plan that would allow 4 simultaneous streams.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Site default logo image

Amazon reportedly acquires Evi, the Siri-like iPhone/Android voice assistant app

Avatar for Mark Gurman Apr 17 2013 - 10:03 am PT
0 Comments

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMBD4dymDRg?rel=0]

According to TechCrunch, Amazon has acquired Evi, a Siri-like voice assistant application currently available for both iOS and Android. While the application remains available on both platforms, the report seems to have significant evidence to back up its acquisition claims:

At UK Companies House all the Evi Technologies Ltd directors have been replaced by Amazon’s UK legal representative, and this is confirmed by the Octopus Ventures annual report. The annualreports of all Octopus Ventuers’ funds allrefer to the disposing of their shares in Evi Technologies.

Companies House records show all directors at Evi have beed replaced and loans paid off, while a small loss of £19,000 was recognised.

The new Company Secretary for Evi Technologies is also Amazon’s: Mitre Secretaries Ltd are the corporate secretary for Amazon.co.uk (and Amazon’s London software development company).

As seen in the video above, Consumer reports created a video showing the differences between Apple’s Siri and Evi. In early 2012, Apple threatened to remove Evi from the App Store because of similarities to Siri, but the application seems to have stayed inside of the App Store’s bounds since then.

Cross posted on 9to5Google.com


Expand
Expanding
Close

Site default logo image

Apple’s 27-inch iMacs hit the refurb store but you can often get a new one for less

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Apr 9 2013 - 6:48 am PT
0 Comments

From 9to5toys.com  (Twitter, Feed, Facebook), today:

Apple today started offering a couple new models of its latest generation iMac through its refurbished online store. Previously Apple was offering refurbished units of the new 21.5-inch iMac only, but we hadn’t seen any 27-inch models hit yet, which we assumed was likely due to yield issues and significant delays experienced in the iMac’s first few months of launch. Today Apple has finally started offering both the entry level 27-inch iMac and the higher end iMac, in addition to a couple of BTO models. However, taking tax into account, you might be about to score a new one for around the same price…

You might not be able to entirely beat Apple’s refurbished price, but taking the tax into account, you can almost get a brand new 27-inch iMac for the same price. 9to5Toys breaks it down. 

For instance, the high end 3.2GHz model is currently available for $100 off on Amazon for $1,899. If you’re paying 8% tax on the refurb unit, that brings your total up to $1834.92. In many cases, buying new for around the same price or slightly more might be worth your while.