Beasley Media Group has partnered with SonicAi for the creation of Amazon Echo voice skills for the entire broadcast company. Beasley has 63 radio stations, and the new Alexa voice skills will make those channels easier to access on-demand from Amazon’s smart speaker and will highlight specific station features. Continue Reading
Amazon is rolling out several new Alexa voice commands for using its music streaming platform on the Amazon Echo, according to Billboard. The additions include more than 500 activities that Amazon Music can now provide the soundtrack for through the smart home speaker device. Echo owners can also pair the activities with specific music genres such as pop, country, jazz, classic rock or classical. Continue Reading
Amazon is hiring for hundreds of positions in Australia, with a heavy focus on the music department. This has sparked speculation that the tech giant will be launching its Amazon Music streaming platform in that market in the coming months. Continue Reading
StreamGuys, a specialist in Internet radio technology, is getting into the Amazon Echo game. The company announced that it can create custom Alexa skills for its broadcast clients. This would bring extra voice command functionalities for listeners tuning in on the Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, and Echo Tap smart home speaker devices. The new feature offering expands StreamGuys’ existing SaaS tools for producing, managing, delivering, and monetizing streaming media and podcasts. Continue Reading
Amazon announced that July 11 will be Prime Day, a promotion where the online retailer offers a swath of big discounts. For RAIN readers, the notable deals include cheaper access to some of its subscription services. Continue Reading
Russ Crupnick of MusicWatch discussed data around the Amazon Echo voice-activated personal assistant/WiFi speaker. Which streaming services are winning on the device so far? Continue Reading
A new report from VoiceLabs examines the burgeoning market of voice-activated personal assistants. With the pushes by so many tech companies – such as Amazon, Google, and Sonos – into this space, what are device owners actually using them for? VoiceLabs’ used its Voice Experience Analytics service to give some answers to that question. Continue Reading
According to Cowen & Co., Amazon Prime’s U.S. membership is about 49.5 million people. The third-party analysis is based on a panel of 2,500 U.S. consumers, since Amazon has not explicitly shared its Prime data. Continue Reading
Amazon has launched its new streaming music program. Carrying the name of Amazon Music Unlimited, the new service is muscling into the crowded territory with a unique integration with its existing home technology. The company was expected to have some interesting ties to its Amazon Echo voice-activated wireless speaker and it has delivered on that front. Continue Reading
Amazon will roll out its voice-controlled Echo speaker to three new markets: the UK, Germany, and Austria. It is expected to launch in the additional nations on Sept. 28. The BBC reported that a reason for the delayed rollout beyond the U.S. was to ensure that the Echo speakers could support local accents. Continue Reading