X
CNET logo Why You Can Trust CNET

Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. How we test routers

Everything Amazon Revealed at Its Exclusive Device Event

A bunch of new Amazon devices are on the way, including the Kindle Scribe and Halo Rise.

Lori Grunin Senior Editor / Advice
I've been reviewing hardware and software, devising testing methodology and handed out buying advice for what seems like forever; I'm currently absorbed by computers and gaming hardware, but previously spent many years concentrating on cameras. I've also volunteered with a cat rescue for over 15 years doing adoptions, designing marketing materials, managing volunteers and, of course, photographing cats.
Expertise Photography, PCs and laptops, gaming and gaming accessories
Lori Grunin
Marking up a PDF document with Kindle Scribe

The Scribe is the first Kindle to come with a stylus.

Amazon

Ahead of the holiday shopping season, Amazon on Wednesday unveiled several new or updated devices: a Kindle e-reader, Echo smart speakers, Ring and Blink security cameras, Fire TVs and accessories and Eero network hardware. 

Most notably, the Kindle Scribe promises a compelling alternative for note-taking, and the new Halo Rise sleep-tracking clock will give you slumber metrics without having to wear a smartwatch. For a complete play by play of the event, you can check out the archived version of our Amazon live blog.

Watch this: Watch Every Product Announced at Amazon's Devices Event

The Kindle Scribe is also a highlight of Amazon's sustainability efforts. Meanwhile, the company plans to incorporate the Matter standard into Echo and Eero products this year, with broad support in 2023, to make them more compatible with other smart home brands.

The company wants to become part of your lifestyle as well, embedding itself everywhere as part of the "ambient environment" with "ambient intelligence." The latter translates into more AI in its products, like its new Alexa Shop the Look ("Alexa, show me the one-shoulder top!") and free Fire TV streaming on the Echo Show 15.

Astro, Amazon's home robot, will be getting new features, such as new alerts for caregivers and pet detection (with video!). Amazon has also expanded its integrations with Virtual Security Guard so you can monitor your small business.

Watch this: Amazon Debuts Kindle Scribe With a Stylus

Kindle

Amazon

Price: $340 (including pen)
Release date: Later in 2022

The latest in the Kindle family is a 10.2-inch E Ink e-reader that uses a batteryless EMR stylus. A premium version of the stylus supports erasing and offers a programmable button for an extra $30.

EMR is the technology used by Wacom in its high-end graphics styluses, so you're bound to have a nice-feeling writing experience. That's a real perk for notetaking and annotation.

Watch this: Amazon's Halo Rise Is a Bedside Smart Light That Tracks Your Sleep

Halo 

Amazon

Price: $140
Release date: Q4

Designed to be an alternative to Amazon's Halo Band for those who prefer not to wear a wristband or smartwatch overnight but still want to monitor their sleep, the Rise is sunrise alarm clock with sensors that capture information about your movement and environment -- and just yours, not your sleeping partner's. Time to learn a new word: polysomnography.

It also works with relevant Alexa routines and security.

Watch this: Amazon Introduces New Echo Dot and Echo Studio

Echo

Amazon

Price: Echo Dot, $50; Echo Dot with Clock, $60; Echo Dot Kids, $60
Release date: In preorder now

The newest entry-level Amazon smart speaker has much better bass output, retaining the same design and color lineup (charcoal, glacier white or deep sea blue). The Echo Dot with Clock tacks $10 onto the $50 Echo Dot price for the timekeeping.

The clock can show you more information as well. More dots in the Dot! The Dot generally has more tap latitude and temperature control. The Echoes can also function as mesh Wi-Fi extenders for the Eero mesh system. The latter will also be a software update to last-generation Echo models.

There's also a new Echo Dot Kids, also for $60, redesigned with new purple dragon and turquoise owl-themed designs and new voices.

Amazon

Price: $200
Release date: October

In addition to a new glacier white option, all Echo Studios will get a software upgrade with spatial audio and a better optimized frequency range.

Amazon

Price: $55
Release date: TBA; sign up to be notified

In addition to a new, sleeker device, there are a lot more Alexa capabilities, including hands-free messaging, music controls, Whole Foods order notifications and custom assistance.

Fire TV and accessories

Amazon

Price: 65-inch, $800; 75-inch, $1,100
Release date: October

The Omni QLED versions of the Fire TV Omni not only upgrade to QLED screens over the current Omni, they have sensors to detect when you're in the room to trigger showing artwork (for free), widgets or other content using a set of new sensors. The TV now supports adaptive brightness based on ambient light.

Amazon

Price: $140
Release date: In preorder now

The updated Cube adds some notable new capabilities to the video-streamer-slash-Echo: upscaling to 4K (which improves video quality overall as well), an HDMI input with global entertainment device control and upscaling processing to other devices, Wi-Fi 6E support, an additional USB port and more. It's also faster than before and has a more streamlined design.

Amazon

Price: $35
Release date: November 2022

The Alexa Voice Remote Pro's secret weapon is the ability to locate the device with a voice command. It also has a motion-activated backlight and buttons you can program to open specific apps or execute Alexa commands. 

Eero networking

Amazon

Price: $300 for a 3-piece bundle
Release date:  October for authorized installers, Q1 2023 for ISP partners

"PoE" stands for "power over internet," which is exactly where the new Eero WiFi 6 mesh router system gets it from: It draws power from an Ethernet connection rather than an outlet. 

Eero

Price: $650
Release date: Q1 2023;  sign up to be notified

The Eero PoE Gateway is a high-powered hub for devices that draw power over Ethernet. It supports incoming internet speeds of up to 10Gbps and supports a PoE energy output of up to 100 watts.

Blink and Ring security

Blink

Price: $100
Release date: Q4

The wired floodlight camera delivers 2,600 lumens of light whenever it detects motion without needed batteries, and you can you pull up the feed on a compatible Fire TV or an Echo Show smart display with a quick voice command via Alexa.

Blink

Price: $30 or $60 bundled with the camera
Release date: In preorder now

What it says on the tin: It's a motorized mount for the Blink Mini that allows you to pan left and right, and tilt up and down via the app for better remote viewing.

Price: $230
Release date: Preorder now

Above and beyond the Spotlight Cam Plus and other standard Ring features, it offers 3D Motion Detection to view an aerial-style, bird's-eye view when it detects motion. A new Audio Plus feature promises to make it easier to hear any noises picked up by the camera's on-board microphones. 

Ring

Price: $30
Release date: Preorder now

An update of its panic button for Ring Alarm users, which you can keep on a nightstand or mount to a nearby wall. It activates your home's security alarm and can be configured to trigger assistance specific to medical emergencies or fires.