Amazon is adding a new feature to Alexa for Shopping that allows customers to purchase items by texting the AI shopping assistant. Users can describe the products they're looking to buy and/or provide a photograph of the item, and Alexa for Shopping will search for matching results in Amazon listings, text back with recommendations, and order the item on the users' behalf.

This launch builds on the existing Alexa for Shopping experience that launched in May, allowing users to place orders during moments where texting is more convenient than using Amazon's app or website. The contact will appear in your phone as "Amazon Alexa," and can be us …

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Three years ago, I wrote an obituary for the smart display. The category - smart speakers with touchscreens attached - was stuck with a few underpowered gadgets from Google and Amazon that tried to do too much and did too little well. Back then, I also laid out what they needed to do to improve. This month, Apple and Amazon launched new smart displays that check nearly every box on that list.

Based on my brief hands-on time with Apple's first smart display, the $299 HomeView, and Amazon's $499.99 Echo Show 16, a ground-up rebuild of its smart display line, these could finally turn the smart display into what it should have been all along: …

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Amazon is adding several new features to its AI shopping assistant, including ways to create, edit, and move items between shopping lists and gift registries. As an example, Amazon says you can now ask Alexa for Shopping to "Create a new shopping list" or "Show me what's left on my wedding registry."

The ecommerce giant has continued to expand on its Alexa for Shopping assistant since its official launch in May, while resisting third-party AI shopping agents from companies like Meta and Perplexity. Alexa for Shopping lives next to the search bar across Amazon's app and website, and can do things like set price alerts, compare items, and aut …

Read the full story at The Verge.

The update allows you to use Alexa to create lists, register them, see what's on them, and add or edit items. You can also manage subscriptions.