Amazon to Take On Google and Microsoft by Offering Corporate Email

A Wall Street Journal has reported that Amazon will be launching a corporate email and digital calendar service to cater the corporate clients. Amazon has forayed into different business like film and television industry after setting up the world’ largest e-commerce stores. Now Amazon has set its eyes on the corporate email service with its tentatively titled ‘WorkMail’ that is powered by Amazon’s loud based computing unit called Amazon Web Services (AWS).

Amazon’s ambition is pretty clear i.e. to go beyond the traditional cloud-computing back-end services to move in the prominent sphere of services line of business with its WorkMail. With new WorkMail Amazon is expected to give direct competition to the reigning champions of corporate mail service i.e. Microsoft and Google.

WorkMail Brings Highly Secure Business Mail Solutions

The Amazon’s WorkMail is even compatible with the existing email client software like Outlook and Exchange which are offered by Microsoft to provide email service to big corporate institutions.

WorkMail boasts of featuring a highly secure email service wherein encryption is employed for enhanced protection. WorkMail send the mails in an encrypted manner which gets decrypted by the company controlled key at the other end of service when it is received by designated person. Furthermore the emails are also stored on remote Amazon servers which are located in different geographical areas. Amazon had taken the pain of introducing these security measures to make its new email-service much more appealing globally mainly to the European customers post-NSA-revelations.

Amazon Introduces Competitive Pricing

Amazon has introduced its email-service WorkMail at a price of $4 per month which direct competition to its competitors Google which offers corporate mail at $5 per month and Microsoft also offers $5 per month for its Office 365 business mail. But Amazon though have its own downside wherein it is not offering any additional features to its customers like the access to the different kinds of office document production software suite like Google and Microsoft.

It should also be noted that most of high-profile start-ups in the Silicon Valley relies on the Amazon Web Services for its cloud computing needs due to ease of use and reputable security provided by the Amazon. These two aspects would be key in promoting the WorkMail among new and existing base of customers.

WorkMail would be made available at $4 plan which gives a 50GB inbox limit and by just $2 per month more users will add a 200GB WorkDocs file storage. Amazon is proving a preview for the use who are eager to sign up for an early look.

WorkMail Soon To be Launched

Amazon Web Services is branching out the business with a focus on providing solutions to the end-users. Therefore it has developed WorkMail that features a web-based client for access without any need of installing special software. Amazon is all set to launch it WorkMail in the second quarter of 2015 which a special deal for the customers. This deal simply promises to offers a seamless integration of its recently launched WorkDocs with the WorkMail.

Echo, a Stunning Piece of Technology Brought about by Amazon

Amazon’s Echo is like your personal Siri stuffed into this amazing portable speaker, except it is so much more. This insanely clever little item is the solution to all your technological problems. It is almost like your personal genie which can grant (most) of your wishes.

Whether you need information or are just in the mood for some relaxing fun and music, it is capable of adapting itself to the best of all worlds. And the best part? The device does not compromise on any front. Priced at $199, this device is well worth the extra bucks.

As a limited period offer, Amazon offers a whopping discount for its premium members who can save $100. It is available only by invitation.

How does Echo work?

Echo works by voice recognition technology. It stays on continually and processes all the information you need as soon as you say the word that makes it work, “Alexi”. The uppermost part of the cylinder has a set of seven microphones which uses a beam forming technology and noise cancellation that adapt to you voice and gives you any information you desire.

The microphones are so powerful that it can even catch your words over any song that it plays. It can process a variety of queries, like setting alarm, playing songs, and answering any question from Google or Wikipedia.

The cylindrical box has a volume panel to alter the volume levels with two buttons, one for switching it on or off and the other for turning the microphones off.

How is the sound system? 

The interior of the cylindrical base has a long reflex port that deepens the bass of the woofer without distorting the sound output quality. The2.5 inch woofer is insanely powerful and produces deep sounds.

Often woofers forget the higher notes, which distorts the music on a whole, however, the Echo solves all those problems effectively using the 2 inch tweeter which hits all those high notes with superb precision.

The result? Crystal clear sound capable of matching any of its contenders in the same size. Listening to your favourite songs will be a treat owing to this small 9.5-inch baby. The cylindrical shape also allows for 360 degrees surround sound, which immerses you in the experience totally.

How is the voice recognition feature? 

Since Echo operates on Amazon’s web services, it continually improves its dictionary and becomes more suited to your accent and the searches you regularly perform to give you results based on your needs.

Additional features

Echo has an app compatible with android, iOS and desktops so that you can manage your searches and alarms even when you are not at home. Echo works with an active Wi-Fi connection or on your home network if you are using the app. Echo can also play any song via Bluetooth and use services like Google Music and Spotify.

Echo promises a lot but it is only time that will prove the performance of the gadget. It sports a sleek black colour and can be a good gift for a loved one. So request that invitation today and enjoy this smart piece of technology.

Amazon’s New Frontiers: Robotics and Data Generated from Connected Devices

The chief technology officer at Amazon, Werner Vogels, likes to move around the world about few times in a year. He is famous for giving out predictions and this time he has predicted the robotics, data from connected devices and automation will become the new frontiers for the company.

The Company is working on automating most of their functions like fulfillment centers and autonomous vehicles. He stated that with the increasing number of sensor the data can explode any time. This prediction is coming from a person who primarily runs a $150 billion retail vision.

According to Vogel, data which help in building up the analytics are extremely beneficial to the company. Companies have been using video anonymously to show the restaurants and shops about their customer base demographic. Through the video the company can identify between a Caucasian and middle-aged man who is well dressed.

Numerous companies have been using the AWS (Amazon Web Services) for managing the data which gets generated from these kinds of sensors. In India itself Amazon's cloud is being used by Tata Motors to run their management system. The cloud computing has been gaining huge importance in India and Microsoft has already announced the cloud computing centers will be opened in India. According to Vogel, Amazon has no such plan of opening data centers in India.

They say that hybrid cloud would be a much better option for India and it will be better model. They are expecting services and content to become device-independent which opens up scope for cloud computing.

According to Vogel, cloud computing has a vital role in all the areas wherein a user can have specific interfaces for different types of devices, but at the end data and services will be stored in one location which can be accessed by different devices. Vogel has visited India more than 6 times. According to the recent reports the customer base for Amazon Web services has nearly increased by 50%. Last year the company has nearly 8000 customer which has now increased to 12000 customers.

Is there any specific kind of advice or direction for organizations based on heavy engineering? Simple advice would be to stay away from trying out everything. According to Vogel, the company had ensured that they have appropriate processes in place to which required things and to build things which will be useful for the customers.

A minimum set of features is usually built by retailers. Later on, based on these features the retailers build products which consider the feedback received from the customers.

The product managers of Amazon usually send a press release in the initial stages which basically describes the product as well as its requirements. Once this has been done, the company focuses on getting answers for 20 sets of questions which are frequently asked by the customers. According to Vogel, the aim of the customer is to determine the reaction of the customers towards a product, much before they can even build the product. The company calls this as working from customer’s end.

Microsoft and Amazon Rides Together to Ensure A Strong Market Response for Xbox One

In the world of online shopping, amazon.com has been one of the biggest names worldwide. Microsoft, a company whose name is enough to reflect its glory, has set its feet in the field of online retail with a mutual understanding with Amazon. Microsoft has set this bond with Amazon to retail their gaming console which is a patent production from their house. The X-box gaming console can be bought by interested customers only through the internet, and exclusively from Amazon.

For the Xbox one, which has been a revolution in the field of Video gaming on television, Amazon has opened its pre-booking.Microsoft’s Interactive Entertainment Business or the IEB is the division that is responsible for designing and manufacturing the Xbox gaming consoles. These are highly in demand in the market as it is considered to be one of the best gaming devices with its utter perfection in performance. Amazon will make it open for sale on the 1st of September this year.

How this kid of mutuality balances both ends of business. 

Indian e-commerce giant, Flipkart has taken up this business strategy to act as the sole retail partner. They joined hands with cell phone manufacturers like Motorola and Xiaomito retail their handsets in India. These companies will not have them retailed in shops but only through online shopping with the help of Flipkart. This kind of exclusive retailing helps maintain the company’s brand image while securing the profit margin.

They have made it a point to let Amazon handle the entire responsibility of marketing and selling their various Xbox products. Xbox is actually a series of gaming devices and it consists of the Xbox one, the Xbox 360 and the consoles or the game pads that brings a feel into the gamers. Microsoft’s publication of Xbox changes the entire scenario of gaming, and did not take long to build a fan base of its own.

The brand image of Xbox and its sale through Amazon. 

Microsoft has designed the gaming DVDs which are only meant for the Xbox devices only, they have a huge array of games and all of these will be available only on Amazon. If you are interested to buy an Xbox game, you have to get it from Amazon only as it is the only source of buying them. The various Xbox accessories including its stand and wireless gaming consoles will be available through Amazon.
Offers to attract pre-booking and its price in this online forum.

In India, Amazon will launch the Xbox one for sale this September 23rd, 2014; that is a few days after the products will be online. If you are looking for the Xbox one without a Kinect, you should be ready for a pocket pinch of Rs. 39,990 and if you can extend you r budget with another Rs 6000, you can have it with the Kinect. An amazing deal offered by Amazon and Microsoft will pull a huge list of pre-booking, as they offer a free Fifa 15 game for pre-bookers.