Alexa, Let's Chat

Alexa's new Echo Show 10 feature lets you talk to it without using the "Hey, Alexa" phrase.

November 19, 2021 It's November 19, 2021, Friday, and National Play Monopoly Day. Everyone knows how to play Monopoly, so get a game going, then quit because it takes too long to finish. Oh, and here's some music, as always. Apple Music | Spotify     ⏰ Today's Big Stories... in 30 Seconds Today We Watched, Read, and Listened to (so you don't have to): 376 articles, 11 podcasts, 15 press releases, 480 tweets, and 16 YouTube videos 1. Amazon Unveils New 'Free-Flowing' Conversation Mode for Alexa Alexa has a new capability that lets it engage in back-and-forth interactions without the wake word. Just say "Alexa, join the conversation," and you can talk to it much like you would a person. That said, it requires a camera to work, so the feature is currently locked to the third-generation Echo Show 10. 2. The Pixel 6's Slower Charging Is on Purpose Google has confirmed that the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro charge more slowly than previous models as a way to improve the lifespan of the battery. So, while you won't go from zero to 100 percent super fast, you also likely won't have to replace your phone's battery any time soon. Seems like a fair trade-off. 3. Motorola Introduces New G Series Smartphone Lineup Motorola is adding five new smartphones to its G series of mid-range devices, starting at $227. They are the Moto G31, G41, G51 5G, G71 5G, and the G200 5G, all of which will debut in Europe first before releasing in Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East. That's, uh, a lot of phones to announce on a Thursday. 🦑 Go Deeper People being forced to use Edge when opening their Start Menu search results isn't great, and if Joshua Hawkins is to be believed, it could be the start of Microsoft making more unpopular design choices.      🎱 By the Numbers You always talk to your speaker? Data: Voicebot.ai Smart speakers are more common than ever, and it seems most owners talk to their speakers everyday. Are they just asking for their Favorites playlist on shuffle all the time? Maybe they want the same song over and over? We bet it's mostly "Play" and "Pause." 🔥 Today's Hot Deal Ready to upgrade from your 3-year-old phone? Why not pick up the new Google Pixel 6, which is currently $499 at Best Buy? Fully unlocked, 128GB of storage, and the openness of Android? Sounds like a good time. Don't Miss This Deal 🤓 Nerd Out "Everyone gets a crossover!" —Rob LeFebvre, Senior News Editor Every wanted to see Batman, Aria Stark, and Tom & Jerry duke it out? Well, you'll see be able to, thanks to an upcoming fighting game called MultiVersus. (Share on Twitter) 💎 You Know You Want It  Nice timing! Image: Google So you have the new Pixel 6, and you want a modern way to charge it. Fortunately, Google's second-generation Pixel Stand wireless charger is out soon. You can use the phone while it's charging (and a silent built-in fan keeps things cool), and it's supposed to charge fairly quickly. Perfect? We think so. 🎥 Behind the Scenes Netflix + Choose Your Own Adventure How good are Netflix's interactive specials? Do the choices you make even matter? Polygon pondered similar questions, set out to get answers, and returned with a convenient ranked list based on how much influence your choices have. Check it out.     🗞 Extra! Extra! We've got you covered with the best in daily tech news! See the latest on our site or follow us on Google News. Did someone forward this to you? Sign up here. Have something you'd like us to write about? We're always open for suggestions, too. You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the Tech Today newsletter. If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here .   Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best products; you can learn more about our review process here. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links. A Dotdash Brand 28 Liberty Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10005 2020 Dotdash • All rights reserved. Privacy Policy.   [View in Browser]