Amazon isn't done updating its Eero router lineup this year, if not quite in the way you'd expect. To start, the brand's new Echo Dot speakers will now double as Eero WiFi extenders. Plug one in and you'll get as much as 1,000 square feet of additional network coverage. That speaker on your nightstand could improve the internet connection in your office, in other words. The base Echo Dot is available for pre-order today at $50, while the Echo Dot with Clock and colorful Echo Dot Kids will sell for $60. Given that an Eero 6 Extender costs $79, this is an easy choice if you use one of Amazon's routers -- you can pay less to bolster your WiFi network while adding speaker functionality.

Amazon has already started selling a bunch of its smart home devices at a discount, almost a week before Prime Day even begins. One of the most notable deals that's already available is Amazon's smart thermostat, which you can get for $42 -- as long as you're a Prime member. Amazon's smart thermostat debuted in September 2021, giving you an affordable option to control your home temperature. But it's Energy Star-certified and can save you an average of $50 on your electric bills every year. Plus, it's Alexa-compatible and allows you to use the voice assistant to set custom routines for heating and cooling.

An Echo Dot owner claims that Amazon's Alexa assistant has started calling him a's*******' whenever he asks the personal assistant to play him music. Micheal Slade, 29, was reportedly shocked when his Echo Dot speaker began to swear at him following his cancellation of his Amazon Prime subscription. The incident has reportedly left Amazon engineers puzzled -- with the tech firm offering Mr Slade gift cards and a year of free Prime membership in compensation. Software is available for the Echo Dot speaker that can make Alexa curse -- but it is unclear whether someone might have deliberately uploaded this to the device. An Echo Dot owner claims that Amazon's Alexa assistant has started calling him a's*******' whenever he asks the personal assistant to play him music Online business owner and Cwmbran, South Wales resident Michael Slade, 29, said that the trouble began the day after called Amazon to cancel his subscription to their Prime subscription service.

Following its accidental reveal of a newer, cheaper version of its Alexa-powered Echo Dot speaker on Monday, Amazon this morning announced new numbers detailing the rapid growth of its Alexa "app store," which it calls the "Skills" section in its Alexa app. The company says the selection of these voice-activated apps has grown by 3x since June, and now includes over 3,000 skills. Skills are what Amazon calls the optional features consumers can add to their Alexa-powered devices, like the Amazon Echo speaker or its smaller counterparts, the Dot or Tap, for example, as well as third-party devices that have integrated with Amazon's voice computing platform. In addition, thanks to a recent snafu by the retailer's social media team, it appears Amazon will soon launch a new Echo Dot speaker at a lower price point. The company on Monday accidentally tweeted about a new, 49.99 "all-new" Echo Dot, then quickly deleted the tweet.