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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black;background:white;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual'>Steve Cook</span></i><i><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;background:white;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual'><o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:mastodon-font-sans-serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual'>@CSTDofNFBSC@tweesecake.social</span><i><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;background:white;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual'><o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black;background:white;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual'>If you would like to join a brand new Email list dedicated to Mastodon and supporting apps! Below is the information to subscribe and post to the Mastodon list!</span></i><i><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;background:white;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual'><o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black;background:white;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual'>To subscribe, send a message to: </span></i><span style='mso-ligatures:standardcontextual'><a href="mailto:mastodon+subscribe@groups.io"><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#337AB7;background:white'>mastodon+subscribe@groups.io</span></a></span><i><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;background:white;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual'><o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black;background:white;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual'>To post send a message to : </span></i><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333;background:white;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual'><a href="mailto:mastodon@groups.io"><span style='color:#0563C1'>mastodon@groups.io</span></a></span><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;background:white;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p>CNET - Wednesday, May 17, 2023 at 11:20 AM<o:p></o:p></p><h1>Amazon Debuts New Alexa-Powered Echo Speakers, Budget Wireless Earbuds - CNET<o:p></o:p></h1><p class=speakabletextp1>Amazon's growing its Alexa-powered Echo smart device lineup with the new Echo Pop smart speaker, a budget set of Echo Buds and an upgraded <a href="https://www.cnet.com/home/smart-home/amazon-echo-show-5-2nd-gen-review-still-better-than-an-echo-dot/">Echo Show 5</a> smart display, the company announced Wednesday. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=speakabletextp2>Amazon's new Echo Pop is a $40 Alexa smart speaker featuring a semispherical design, similar to the <a href="https://www.cnet.com/deals/the-perfect-speaker-for-your-new-echo-dot-or-home-mini-124-99/">Harman Kardon Onyx</a>. The speaker is designed for smaller rooms and comes in a range of colors, including lavender and teal. Like the other Alexa speakers announced today, the Pop features Amazon's AZ2 Neural Edge processor for a claimed 20% speed increase, while it can also extend a <a href="https://www.cnet.com/home/internet/best-mesh-wifi-routers/">home mesh network</a> with <a href="https://www.cnet.com/home/internet/eero-6-plus-wi-fi-6-mesh-router-review/">Eero</a> capability built in.<o:p></o:p></p><p>Amazon's SVP Rohit Prasad told CNET that the number of purchases made on Alexa devices had increased by 40% in the past year, and that "the greater percentage of that was on devices with a screen."<o:p></o:p></p><p>Amazon bumped up the sound quality for its latest Echo smart display. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=c-shortcodeimagecredit>Amazon</span> <o:p></o:p></p><p>To that end, Amazon introduced an upgraded <span class=c-shortcodecommercelink><a href="https://www.amazon.com/All-new-release-display-deeper-clearer/dp/B09B2SRGXH/?tag=cnet-buy-button-20" target="_blank">$90 Echo Show 5</a></span> with a redesigned speaker system for better clarity and bass. The Alexa-powered smart display also has an improved microphone array onboard, and comes in pale blue, charcoal black and white. The $100 Echo Show 5 Kids variation has the same tweaks and also offers a new space-themed design.<o:p></o:p></p><p>Lastly, the $50 Echo Buds true-wireless earbuds are a stripped-down version of the <a href="https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/amazon-echo-buds-2-review/">existing $120 Echo Buds</a>, without active noise canceling. They do have the same 20-hour battery life, however. The design is more AirPod-like, with long stems, than the Echo Buds, and Amazon says the fit is more comfortable than before.<o:p></o:p></p><p>The $50 Echo Buds.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=c-shortcodeimagecredit>Amazon</span> <o:p></o:p></p><p>Amazon leads both Google and Apple with <a href="https://www.cnet.com/home/security/amazons-smart-products-lead-the-market-even-as-trust-in-the-company-lags/">sales of its smart devices</a>, which also includes the <a href="https://www.cnet.com/home/smart-home/hands-on-with-new-5th-gen-amazon-echo-dot-speakers-should-you-upgrade/">Echo Dot</a>. The company faces increasing competition from Google, though, which just introduced its own hybrid smart display, the <a href="https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/pixel-tablet-hands-on-googles-family-android-device-dock-included/">Pixel Tablet</a>.<o:p></o:p></p><p>The Echo Pop, Echo Show 5 and Echo Show 5 Kids are expected to start shipping on May 31, and the Echo Buds on June 7. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://www.cnet.com/tech/home-entertainment/amazon-unveils-new-alexa-speakers-and-budget-earbuds/#ftag=CAD590a51e">https://www.cnet.com/tech/home-entertainment/amazon-unveils-new-alexa-speakers-and-budget-earbuds/#ftag=CAD590a51e</a><span style='color:white'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></body></html>