Amazon Acquires Bee AI, VSCO Launches New App, and CMF Reveals Affordable Smartwatch

This week in tech news, Amazon has acquired Bee, a company specializing in AI and wearables. Bee’s technology, which debuted with an always-listening wearable that records and summarizes conversations, will be integrated into Amazon’s ecosystem. This acquisition could provide Amazon with a new AI experience distinct from Alexa. CMF, a sub-brand of Nothing, launched the Watch 3 Pro, a budget-friendly smartwatch priced at $99. The new watch includes fitness features like GPS, heart-rate monitoring, and stress-tracking, as well as a ChatGPT integration for setting reminders. Meanwhile, Microsoft is reintroducing 5G connectivity to laptops with its new Surface Laptop, which integrates a custom 5G modem and is aimed at business users. In a provocative move, Palmer Luckey raised the idea of creating US-made laptops, offering insights into the cost of local manufacturing. On the software side, Google Photos rolled out a new feature allowing users to animate static images into videos using generative AI. Finally, VSCO launched a new app, Capture, designed for iPhone users, offering real-time camera presets and the ability to preview photo effects before taking shots. This week’s news shows a growing trend of innovative tech and AI applications in everyday consumer products.