Electronics gadgets: Treat Alexa a Bit Nicer With New Echo Show Gestures

December 14, 2022

December 14, 2022. On this day in 1902, a cable ship began laying the first Transpacific telegraph cable from San Francisco, California to Honolulu, Hawaii, enabling the two to begin transmitting public messages. Great job, everyone!

⏰ Today's Big Stories... in 30 Seconds

Today We Watched, Read, and Listened to (so you don't have to):

279 articles, 12 podcasts, 15 press releases, 307 tweets, and 19 YouTube videos

1. Amazon Launches Echo Show Gestures So You Won't Bother Alexa

Amazon just announced a trio of new Echo Show features, with gesture controls topping the list. For now, you can only activate or dismiss a timer by raising your hand, but it still means you won't have to tap the device or yell "stop" at poor, misunderstood Alexa. More gestures are set to come soon.

2. Instagram Will Let You Collaborate With Friends, Eventually

Several new sharing features are bound for Instagram, and you can start using one of them very soon: Notes. These act as short temporary messages you can share with friends and follow-backs that will hang around in their inbox for 24 hours. Useful? Maybe, but we'll stick with regular messaging.

3. Google Brings Back the Blobs to Celebrate Beethoven's Birthday

Google is celebrating Beethoven's 252nd birthday with two rhythm games spotlighting the composer's work. Both can be played in a browser, and each highlights his music in its own way. Blob Beats is more of a traditional video game, while Beethoven Beats is more of a music tool. Go check 'em out!

🦑 Go Deeper

Law enforcement and privacy groups are brawling over Apple's new method of securing our data. Let Sascha Brodsky bring you up to speed on the situation and explain who's mad about what.

🎱 By the Numbers

More women than men

Data: NapoleonCat

Instagram is popular with a wide variety of people, but based on the numbers above, there are more woman than men on the platform. In most age ranges, the gap in user numbers is fairly close, save for the 35-44 age range. Why the bigger user difference there? Who knows!

🔥 Today's Hot Deal

Need a new Xbox gamepad or know someone who does? Perfect, because this Xbox Wireless Controller (Lunar Shift SE) is $20 off at Target for a limited time, bringing it down to $49.99. "Wait, they're usually $70?!" Yeah, so jump on this ASAP.

Don't Miss This Deal

🤓 Nerd Out

"Let's help the newborn get a new high score." —Evan Killham, Editor

Speaking of gaming controllers, remember that Fisher-Price toy controller from a while back? Yeah, it works with actual video games now. The catch? It requires a wee bit of hacking and coding. (Share on Twitter)

💎 You Know You Want It

Treat yourself

Image: SMAGREHO, Amazon

You may think you don't need a massaging chair, but before you (responsibly) write off the idea, just look at this Massage Chair Recliner with Zero Gravity from SMAGREHO. All the comfort of a regular recliner, but now it can give your body the deep massage you definitely deserve. C'mon, you know you want it.

🚀 Facing the Future

You can't eat gas... right?

Have you ever considered eating greenhouse gases? Of course not, but thanks to Finland-based company, Solar Foods, it may became a reality in the form of a new protein powder. Bottoms up?