Amazon Loves LoveFilm

By Digital Trends Staff Published October 25, 2009

Amazon Loves LoveFilm It’s February, almost Valentine’s Day, so it’s perhaps apt that Amazon has fallen for LoveFilm. Thecompany is making a cash investment in the online video rental service, large enough to become its biggest shareholder, and in return LoveFilm will take over the DVD rental business currently run byAmazon in both the UK and Germany, Vnunet reports. Simon Calver, CEO at LoveFilm, said, "LoveFilm International will ensure that AmazonEurope’s customers get the best possible DVD rental service. We will be delighted to welcome all Amazon Europe customers to the LoveFilm service." The deal will bring Lovefilm’scustomer base to a total of 900,000 in the UK, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway, and Amazon will push the service on its British and German sites, although it’s still subject to regulatoryapproval.

Digital Trends Staff

Digital Trends has a simple mission: to help readers easily understand how tech affects the way they live. We are your…

Smart Home

Blink Mini 2 vs. Blink Mini: Is Amazon’s new security camera a worthy upgrade?

The Blink Mini 2 installed outside.

Amazon recently introduced the Blink Mini 2, the successor to the wildly popular Blink Mini indoor security camera. The smart home device adds a few new tricks, including support for outdoor use and Person Detection, making it a nice improvement over the aging Blink Mini. But what exactly is the difference between the Blink Mini 2 and Blink Mini? And, more importantly, is it worth rushing out to replace your Blink Mini with the newer security camera?

From resolution and pricing to Person Detection and more, here's a look at everything you need to know about the Blink Mini and Blink Mini 2.
Pricing and monthly fees

Smart Home

The best Amazon Alexa smart speakers

Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen, 2020 release)on a table with a yoga matt and water bottle.

Amazon Alexa is a powerful voice assistant, and when paired with a good smart speaker, the team is the perfect duo for a centralized smart home. Alexa makes it easy to check your calendar, get updates on the weather, or dish out commands to the rest of your smart home gadgets, while the best smart speakers let you enjoy crisp audio throughout your entire house. There's no shortage of Amazon Alexa smart speakers available today, so regardless of your budget, there's bound to be something that fits your needs.

Whether you want something robust like the Sonos Era 100 or prefer something more affordable like the Echo Pop, here's a look at the best Amazon Alexa smart speakers. Keep in mind that all these products come with Alexa built in, so you'll be able to start using the voice assistant right out of the box.

Smart Home

Amazon Astro gets a day job with Astro for Business

Astro for Business in patrol mode.

Amazon Astro -- the adorable household robot from Amazon that's yet to see a public release -- is gaining a new family member today with the launch of Astro for Business. A pilot program for the homebot began last year, and it looks like the unique gadget is ready to go live following its success.

Astro for Business differs from the standard Amazon Astro in some big ways. For one, it's specifically designed to work as a smart security solution for small and medium-sized businesses. That means it's possible to do away with complex security systems and instead opt for this roving robot. The quirky product combines AI software with hardware such as a periscope camera to help prevent break-ins and quickly alert you if something goes awry.