Lyra Martin Tech 08.02.2022 01:Aug AM EDT

FCC Filings Show Google Battery-Powered Gadget, Amazon Echo Studio Modification

Two recent submissions by Google and Amazon to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) may hint at a few possibilities.

Google and Amazon's FCC Filings

Autumn hardware season is rapidly approaching. Two new (FCC) filings from Google and Amazon may indicate a few goods that the company may or may not announce.

Google's offering is a "Wireless Device," a 5V USB connection may power it, and one diagram shows it connected to a laptop for testing, but there is no AC connection. 9to5Google says the file may be a Nest device because specific Nest cameras use 3.65V rechargeable batteries.

Whatever this "Wireless Device" is, Google may expose it when it provides more information on the Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, and Pixel Watch, which are all expected to launch this autumn. Google didn't respond right away when asked for comment.

Additionally, the Amazon file seems to imply an improved Echo Studio smart speaker. The new "Digital Media Receiver" has a Zigbee radio for controlling smart home devices and an AC power connection for plugging into an outlet. However, Flake LLC, not Amazon, made the actual filing.

Amazon sometimes submits FCC applications via fictional shell corporations to disguise its wares, and photos of Flake's other product, a "Digital Media Receiver," resemble those of the Echo Studio. The latest petition states that the Echo Studio and the second item are electrically similar The exact reason for the move is unknown.

However, Amazon may be addressing supply chain difficulties. Tesla replaced chips to sustain manufacturing, and Panic said it would use a different CPU following Playdate shipments.

Amazon didn't respond right away when asked for a comment. Given how modest the adjustment appears to be, there's a potential that Amazon won't announce anything at all. The firm regularly has a September event jam-packed with gadget news.

Purchase Google's Pixel 6a, and Amazon will Give You a $50 Gift Card

There isn't much better than the $449 Google Pixel 6a from last month, claims Mashable tech columnist Alex Perry.

Perry praised Google for "once again making a quality experience accessible." It may not be groundbreaking, but it doesn't make it any less commendable.

You will receive a $50 gift card from Amazon when you purchase the Pixel 6a. That is a comparable offer to the one Google is making available online, in which you receive a $50 Google Store credit for every Pixel 6a purchase. However, most customers will undoubtedly benefit more from the free-spending money for Amazon.

The Pixel 6a is a smaller version of last year's excellent Pixel 6, with a 12.2MP back camera instead of a 50MP one, Night Sight, and Portrait Mode. It also has 128GB of storage instead of up to 256GB.

These shortcomings may sound like deal-breakers, but Perry insisted that they are just "minor concessions" overall, especially in light of the phone's silky smooth performance, its all-day battery life, and its low pricing.