Such Amazon! Much Large Language Model! – DTNS 4608
Sep 20, 2023
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Amazon's latest 'Devices and Services' announcements discussed by Tom Merritt, Sarah Lane, Scott Johnson, Roger Chang, and Joe. OpenAI's new version of its image generator DALL-E, improvements to Amazon's voice assistant, Wi-Fi 7 support, tap-to-pay for mass transit, and a celebration of 10 years of the podcast, Film Sack.
Amazon improves Alexa's natural language processing and context understanding for easier smart home control and enhanced user experience.
OpenAI's Dolly version 3 integrates with ChatGPT, allowing users to generate images by providing prompts, while also implementing safety measures to prevent explicit outputs.
Deep dives
Improvements in Amazon's Voice Assistant
Amazon announced improvements to its voice assistant Alexa, including better natural language processing, faster response times, and improved context understanding. Users will be able to have more natural conversations with Alexa and perform tasks without repetitively using the wake word. The enhancements aim to make controlling smart homes easier, such as creating smart home routines based on user preferences. Amazon also showcased features like improved smart lighting control, easier discovery of new devices, and enhanced sound quality in Echo devices.
OpenAI's Dolly Version 3
OpenAI announced Dolly version 3, the latest iteration of their image generator. Dolly now integrates with ChatGPT, allowing users to provide prompts for generating images. OpenAI used external web teamers to enhance safety measures, preventing explicit or violent outputs. The use of Dolly to create artwork in the style of living artists is prohibited, and artists can even exclude their own work from the training models. The update will be initially available to ChatGPT Plus and Enterprise subscribers, with researchers and API users gaining access later.
Amazon's Hardware Updates
Amazon unveiled a range of hardware updates, including the Echo Show 8 with improved sound quality, support for spatial audio, and better adaptation to room acoustics. The company also introduced upgrades to Echo Frames, offering longer battery life, enhanced audio, and stylish frame options. Other announcements include the Fire 4K Stick with Wi-Fi 6, the Fire TV Max streaming stick with Dolby Vision and Atmos, and the Fire TV Soundbar that can work seamlessly with other Fire TV devices. Additional devices like Blink security cameras and Ring Stick Up Cam Pro with 3D motion sensors were also showcased.
Tap-to-Pay for Mass Transit
Many cities are transitioning their mass transit systems to tap-to-pay using smartphones with built-in NFC capabilities. This allows users to utilize contactless payments seamlessly by tapping their phones at transit stations. New York City and London are among the cities implementing this technology, making commuting more convenient for travelers. Some cities even offer weekly tap-to-pay deals, automatically giving riders discounts after a certain number of rides in one week. This shift to tap-to-pay technology simplifies the payment experience and makes using public transportation hassle-free.
Amazon held its “Devices and Services” this Wednesday. We go through all the big things they announced and what we think about them. Plus OpenAI announced version 3 of its image generator, DALL-E. It understands context better and integrates with ChatGPT. So for example, you can tell ChatGPT to write a prompt for Dall-E 3.
Starring Tom Merritt, Sarah Lane, Scott Johnson, Roger Chang, Joe.