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That Amazon Glow thing

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26 Oct 2021 12:03 - 26 Oct 2021 12:06 #327446 by Cranberries
So this is being sold as a way for grandparents to connect with grandkids remotely, which is kind of a problem even when there isn't a pandemic, at least in the US, because we are such nomads. I live in Utah, and a lot of people move here to go to school and marry other Mormons, and then invariably their parents follow them here to be with the grandkids, selling their homes in California and scooping up what must feel like developing world bargains in our housing market.

But anyway, this little screen with a project can supposedly recognize the movement of pieces when playing some version of Tangrams. We already have some robust remote playing options, so many I can't keep track, but this still looks interesting.



Some ad copy:

Read, play, draw together - The included 1 year of Amazon Kids+ with purchase gives access to thousands of children's books, and dozens of interactive games, visual arts activities, and Animated Storybooks designed specifically for Glow. Your subscription will then automatically renew every month starting at just $2.99 per month plus applicable tax. You may cancel at any time by visiting the Amazon Parent Dashboard or contacting Customer Service.

Physical meets digital – Tangram Bits unlocks a hands-on learning experience that lets kids move physical pieces, while the remote person moves digital ones, to solve challenges together on a shared board. Plus, kids can scan a favorite toy into a digital sticker for added fun in art activities.


So the precious love of our families has been converted into a subscription service. Ugh, why did I even post this.
Last edit: 26 Oct 2021 12:06 by Cranberries.

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26 Oct 2021 14:55 #327452 by jason10mm
Replied by jason10mm on topic That Amazon Glow thing
Looks kinda like the Osmo tech.

Alas, Amazon, much like Alphabet/google, dabble in a lot of areas but seem to lose interest prior to full realization, leaving us with a bunch of half-baked tech. Heck, amazon seems to be losing interest in the kindle e-reader, they still haven't updated it with usb-c!

I also have grave doubts about the security of a "smart" camera connecting to amazon. Just alexa listening in all over my house is suss enough!
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26 Oct 2021 15:42 #327460 by Gregarius
Replied by Gregarius on topic That Amazon Glow thing
My brother used to love being an early adopter of new tech. Remember the Apple Newton? Probably not. He had one, and it was kinda laughably pathetic. But man, Apple stuck with the concept and hammered away and years later they redefined the phone market with the iPhone.

I'm not saying this is like that, but I agree that Google and Amazon don't seem to look long-term for their tech projects. If it's not a hit, they abandon it.
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26 Oct 2021 15:43 #327461 by Cranberries
Replied by Cranberries on topic That Amazon Glow thing
The newest Kindle is now USB C! I'm starting to loathe old school USB, always flipping the cable around because someone couldn't be bothered to pay 1.5 cents more per unit, 20 years ago.
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26 Oct 2021 18:52 #327473 by jason10mm
Replied by jason10mm on topic That Amazon Glow thing
The new paperwhite looks nice. Time to upgrade! Probably go for the standard unit, don't see a need for wireless charging (that requires a special stand instead of a generic phone one) or adaptive light. Def don't need 32 gig of storage as I don't read Manga.

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01 Nov 2021 16:40 #327632 by Cranberries
Replied by Cranberries on topic That Amazon Glow thing
I'm at the point in my life where I'm almost ready to upgrade to anything with USB C just to make my cabling life that much simpler when traveling, etc.
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01 Nov 2021 17:18 #327634 by jason10mm
Replied by jason10mm on topic That Amazon Glow thing
I just got the new paperwhite in time for my current trip. Not only is it quite the upgrade in screen size from my 2013ish paperwhite but it is a lot snappier as well. Plus there are some nice QoL features like a dyslexia font which my kid appreciates but I find kinda hard to parse. This is the first trip I've not had to bring the micro-usb or whatever that previous size was. Now I just need to find some BT headphones that use USB-C.
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