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Today, Suriname became the first country in the Amazon region to receive malaria-free certification from the World Health Organization (WHO). This historic milestone follows nearly 70 years of commitment by the government and people of Suriname to eliminate the disease across its vast rainforests and diverse communities.

WHO certifies Suriname as malaria free after decades of efforts

In the case that you don't mind a last-gen smart ring, it's worth noting that one of our favorites from Oura is currently 20% off at Amazon.

One of the best last-gen smart rings has crashed back to its lowest price EVER at Amazon

The feature-packed Insta360 Link 2 webcam follows you as you move. It’s available at a new all-time low of $149.99 ($50 off) at Amazon.

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Nintendo And Amazon Swear They Aren't Switch 2 Frenemies

The artist and leader of the disappearing White Heron clan paints pipe-smoking lizards, pink river dolphins – and the shocking, bloody history of plunder in the Amazon

‘They came for our land, our wood, our gold’: Santiago Yahuarcani, Peruvian painter of dancing dolphins - and genocide

Amazon

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If You're an Amazon Ring Owner, You May Be an Accidental Spy

Amazon routinely ranks its own products ahead of items from competitors, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said in an antitrust lawsuit—echoing the findings of a 2021 investigation by The Markup. Amazon’s search results are biased in the company’s favor, even when it knows competing products are of superior quality, the FTC added, helping the online retailer extract what the agency called “enormous monopoly rents from everyone within its reach.” The FTC’s search allegations help form the basis for a broader lawsuit accusing Amazon of stifling competition by punishing sellers whose goods can be bought more cheaply elsewhere, and by requiring sellers to use Amazon’s fulfillment service in order to offer faster “Prime” shipping. “Amazon has used a set of punitive and coercive tactics to unlawfully maintain its monopolies,” FTC Chair Lina Khan said in a written statement. The agency, along with 17 state attorneys general, filed the suit in a federal district court in Seattle. The complaint comes nearly two years after a Markup investigation found that products from Amazon-owned brands or exclusive to Amazon ranked ahead of other items in search results, including in cases where competitors had higher customer ratings and more reviews. The investigation found that knowing only whether a product was from an Amazon brand could predict if it got the top search rank 70 percent of the time, making that factor more important than a product’s star rating or review count. When an Amazon brand took the top search spot, it was usually labeled as “featured from our brands,” and Amazon at the time told The Markup it considered such “featured” results to be “merchandising placements” rather than search results or advertising. It also denied that it favored its own brands in the results. Amazon did not answer questions on the FTC’s search ranking claims, instead pointing to a statement from Amazon Senior Vice President, Global Public Policy and General Counsel David Zapolsky, who wrote on Tuesday that the suit was “wrong on the facts and the law, and we look forward to making that case in court.” “The practices the FTC is challenging have helped to spur competition and innovation across the retail industry, and have produced greater selection, lower prices, and faster delivery speeds for Amazon customers and greater opportunity for the many businesses that sell in Amazon’s store,” he also wrote. In its suit, the FTC said Amazon is “stacking the deck” in search results against competitors by “burying organic content under recommendation widgets, such as the ‘expert recommendation widget,’ which display Amazon’s private label products” over others. Such recommendations used to exist entirely outside of search, the agency said, displaying on product detail pages or on pages that delivered personalized suggestions to customers, to replenish previously purchased products, for example. It is possible the suit contains additional specific allegations about Amazon’s search rankings, since the rankings’ section in the public version of the complaint contains several redacted paragraphs. FTC spokesperson Victoria Graham said portions of the complaint were redacted because they contain non-public information. Robert Gomez, an Amazon seller who criticized the company’s “unfair advantages” in The Markup’s 2021 investigation, said it has only grown harder on Amazon in the ensuing years to turn a profit on his Kaffe line of coffee products like grinders and brewers. Sponsored results increasingly dominate the top of search results, he said, making pricey ad buys crucial, and he said Amazon has locked him out of the all-important “buy box,” through which it distributes sales from product detail pages, for a product of his that Walmart sells for $17.88—a lower price than he said he could afford to offer on Amazon due to additional costs he must pay there. Gomez said that while he’s encouraged by the FTC’s suit, since it will bring further attention to what he considers Amazon’s uneven marketplace, he said “I’m not holding my breath” for an outcome that helps sellers like him. Even if the agency can roll back the practices it considers unlawfully anticompetitive, it would leave untouched other practices Gomez said cut into the margins of independent sellers, like Amazon selling sponsored search results or selling certain brands directly, meaning those brands don’t have to act as their own seller in the Amazon Marketplace and thus end up giving a smaller cut to Amazon. “These anticompetitive practices continue to happen,” Gomez said, “and now more than ever, we are being affected by them.” Update, Sept. 28, 2023 This story has been updated to note that Amazon did not answer specific questions about FTC’s search ranking claims. Ryan Tate, Investigative Editor Design and Graphics Gabriel Hongsdusit Engagement Maria Puertas Copy Editing and Production Sabrina Toppa Editing Sisi Wei Also published here Amazon routinely ranks its own products ahead of items from competitors, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said in an antitrust lawsuit—echoing the findings of a 2021 investigation by The Markup. Amazon’s search results are biased in the company’s favor, even when it knows competing products are of superior quality, the FTC added, helping the online retailer extract what the agency called “enormous monopoly rents from everyone within its reach.” called The FTC’s search allegations help form the basis for a broader lawsuit accusing Amazon of stifling competition by punishing sellers whose goods can be bought more cheaply elsewhere, and by requiring sellers to use Amazon’s fulfillment service in order to offer faster “Prime” shipping. lawsuit “Amazon has used a set of punitive and coercive tactics to unlawfully maintain its monopolies,” FTC Chair Lina Khan said in a written statement. The agency, along with 17 state attorneys general, filed the suit in a federal district court in Seattle. The complaint comes nearly two years after a Markup investigation found that products from Amazon-owned brands or exclusive to Amazon ranked ahead of other items in search results, including in cases where competitors had higher customer ratings and more reviews. The investigation found that knowing only whether a product was from an Amazon brand could predict if it got the top search rank 70 percent of the time, making that factor more important than a product’s star rating or review count. a Markup investigation found When an Amazon brand took the top search spot, it was usually labeled as “featured from our brands,” and Amazon at the time told The Markup it considered such “featured” results to be “merchandising placements” rather than search results or advertising. It also denied that it favored its own brands in the results. Amazon did not answer questions on the FTC’s search ranking claims, instead pointing to a statement from Amazon Senior Vice President, Global Public Policy and General Counsel David Zapolsky, who wrote on Tuesday that the suit was “wrong on the facts and the law, and we look forward to making that case in court.” wrote on Tuesday “The practices the FTC is challenging have helped to spur competition and innovation across the retail industry, and have produced greater selection, lower prices, and faster delivery speeds for Amazon customers and greater opportunity for the many businesses that sell in Amazon’s store,” he also wrote. In its suit, the FTC said Amazon is “stacking the deck” in search results against competitors by “burying organic content under recommendation widgets, such as the ‘expert recommendation widget,’ which display Amazon’s private label products” over others. Such recommendations used to exist entirely outside of search, the agency said, displaying on product detail pages or on pages that delivered personalized suggestions to customers, to replenish previously purchased products, for example. It is possible the suit contains additional specific allegations about Amazon’s search rankings, since the rankings’ section in the public version of the complaint contains several redacted paragraphs. FTC spokesperson Victoria Graham said portions of the complaint were redacted because they contain non-public information. public version Robert Gomez, an Amazon seller who criticized the company’s “unfair advantages” in The Markup’s 2021 investigation, said it has only grown harder on Amazon in the ensuing years to turn a profit on his Kaffe line of coffee products like grinders and brewers. Sponsored results increasingly dominate the top of search results, he said, making pricey ad buys crucial, and he said Amazon has locked him out of the all-important “buy box,” through which it distributes sales from product detail pages , for a product of his that Walmart sells for $17.88—a lower price than he said he could afford to offer on Amazon due to additional costs he must pay there. through which it distributes sales from product detail pages Gomez said that while he’s encouraged by the FTC’s suit, since it will bring further attention to what he considers Amazon’s uneven marketplace, he said “I’m not holding my breath” for an outcome that helps sellers like him. Even if the agency can roll back the practices it considers unlawfully anticompetitive, it would leave untouched other practices Gomez said cut into the margins of independent sellers, like Amazon selling sponsored search results or selling certain brands directly, meaning those brands don’t have to act as their own seller in the Amazon Marketplace and thus end up giving a smaller cut to Amazon. “These anticompetitive practices continue to happen,” Gomez said, “and now more than ever, we are being affected by them.” Update, Sept. 28, 2023 Update, Sept. 28, 2023 This story has been updated to note that Amazon did not answer specific questions about FTC’s search ranking claims. Ryan Tate, Investigative Editor Ryan Tate , Investigative Editor Ryan Tate Design and Graphics Gabriel Hongsdusit Gabriel Hongsdusit Gabriel Hongsdusit Engagement Maria Puertas Maria Puertas Maria Puertas Copy Editing and Production Sabrina Toppa Sabrina Toppa Sabrina Toppa Editing Sisi Wei Sisi Wei Sisi Wei Also published here here

According to a FTC Lawsuit, Amazon Ranks Its Own Products First

Picture this: It’s 7:30 AM on a chaotic Tuesday. While you’re scrambling to get the kids ready for school, your AI assistant quietly reorders your coffee supply, snags a discounted Air Fryer from a lightning deal, and books a table at that impossible to get into sushi spot for date night; all without you lifting a finger. This isn’t sci-fi. Meet Amazon Nova Act[1], the AI agent that actually acts. Revealed this week by Amazon’s secretive AGI Labs, Nova Act doesn’t just talk - it does. And it might just make today’s chatbots look like dial-up internet in a 5G world. From "Type This" to "Do That" Most AI tools stop at generating text or answering questions. Nova Act goes nuclear: Automates weekly Sweetgreen orders (no more sad desk salads)
Files expense reports while you sleep
Hunts down price drops like a bargain-obsessed bloodhound
Even handles password-protected tasks (RIP, "Forgot Password?" clicks) The magic? A new developer toolkit that transforms simple commands like “book,” “track,” or “compare” into multi-step actions. Want to plan a work offsite? Nova Act could theoretically: Scout Airbnb locations within budget
Compare flight prices for the team
Block calendars across time zones
Email the final itinerary All while you focus on actual work. Why This Isn’t Just Another "AI Assistant" Sure, we’ve seen attempts at action-oriented AI (cough ChatGPT Plugins cough). But Amazon claims Nova Act solves the #1 problem with automation tools: reliability. During demos, Nova Act nailed tasks competitors flubbed: ✅ 94% success rate interacting with finicky calendar widgets ✅ 91% accuracy parsing dense restaurant menus ✅ Zero accidental purchases of extended warranties (take notes, humans) “If you’re still proofreading your AI’s work, you’ve got a fancy typewriter—not an assistant,” joked Vishal Vora, an Amazon engineer, as Nova Act flawlessly scheduled his team’s PTO requests during a live demo[2]. Real World, Real Impact For individuals: Auto-negotiate Comcast bills (goodbye, hold music)


Reschedule missed doctor appointments


Batch-cancel unused subscriptions For businesses: Auto-fix common IT tickets (“Have you tried turning it off and on again?”) Monitor supply chain inventory in real-time
Scrape competitor pricing without spreadsheets Even bigger? This is Amazon’s first public step toward artificial general intelligence (AGI)—AI that can learn any task, not just preset ones. Their secret sauce? Training models across 100+ domains (travel, finance, healthcare) instead of specializing. The Catch(es) Before you quit your job to let AI run your life: Complex tasks still need training wheels - Planning a wedding? Nova Act might book the venue but forget the vegan meal options. Human oversight isn’t dead yet.
Ethical landmines - Should AI negotiate salaries? Handle medical data? Amazon’s SDK includes guardrails, but the debate’s just starting.
The “Creep Factor” - Letting AI access your bank account and email requires Olympic-level trust. Amazon assures end-to-end encryption, but skeptics will need convincing. The AI Agent Arms Race Amazon isn’t alone: OpenAI’s “Operator”: Can draft emails but struggles with actual sending
Anthropic’s Agent: Great at research, shaky at transactions
China’s $199/month “Manus”: Allegedly buys real estate (we’re skeptical) What makes Nova Act different? Scale. With Alexa in 500M+ devices, Amazon could deploy this everywhere from Echo speakers to Ring cameras. The Bottom Line Nova Act isn’t about replacing humans—it’s about eliminating the administrative sludge that consumes 60% of our workdays. The real question isn’t “Will this work?” but “What will we do with our time when it does?” As Rohit Prasad (Amazon’s AGI lead) put it: “We’re not building a better chatbot. We’re building a better day.” “What would you automate first?” References - [1] https://labs.amazon.science/blog/nova-act [2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65giTqW0vC8&t=1s&themeRefresh=1 Picture this: It’s 7:30 AM on a chaotic Tuesday. While you’re scrambling to get the kids ready for school, your AI assistant quietly reorders your coffee supply, snags a discounted Air Fryer from a lightning deal, and books a table at that impossible to get into sushi spot for date night; all without you lifting a finger. This isn’t sci-fi. Meet Amazon Nova Act[1], the AI agent that actually acts. Revealed this week by Amazon’s secretive AGI Labs, Nova Act doesn’t just talk - it does. And it might just make today’s chatbots look like dial-up internet in a 5G world. From "Type This" to "Do That" Most AI tools stop at generating text or answering questions. Nova Act goes nuclear: Automates weekly Sweetgreen orders (no more sad desk salads) Files expense reports while you sleep Hunts down price drops like a bargain-obsessed bloodhound Even handles password-protected tasks (RIP, "Forgot Password?" clicks) Automates weekly Sweetgreen orders (no more sad desk salads) Files expense reports while you sleep Hunts down price drops like a bargain-obsessed bloodhound Even handles password-protected tasks (RIP, "Forgot Password?" clicks) The magic? A new developer toolkit that transforms simple commands like “book,” “track,” or “compare” into multi-step actions. Want to plan a work offsite? Nova Act could theoretically: Scout Airbnb locations within budget Compare flight prices for the team Block calendars across time zones Email the final itinerary Scout Airbnb locations within budget Compare flight prices for the team Block calendars across time zones Email the final itinerary All while you focus on actual work. Why This Isn’t Just Another "AI Assistant" Sure, we’ve seen attempts at action-oriented AI (cough ChatGPT Plugins cough). But Amazon claims Nova Act solves the #1 problem with automation tools: reliability. During demos, Nova Act nailed tasks competitors flubbed: ✅ 94% success rate interacting with finicky calendar widgets ✅ 91% accuracy parsing dense restaurant menus ✅ Zero accidental purchases of extended warranties (take notes, humans) “If you’re still proofreading your AI’s work, you’ve got a fancy typewriter—not an assistant,” joked Vishal Vora, an Amazon engineer, as Nova Act flawlessly scheduled his team’s PTO requests during a live demo[2]. Real World, Real Impact For individuals: For individuals: Auto-negotiate Comcast bills (goodbye, hold music) Reschedule missed doctor appointments Batch-cancel unused subscriptions Auto-negotiate Comcast bills (goodbye, hold music) Auto-negotiate Comcast bills (goodbye, hold music) Reschedule missed doctor appointments Reschedule missed doctor appointments Batch-cancel unused subscriptions Batch-cancel unused subscriptions For businesses: For businesses: Auto-fix common IT tickets (“Have you tried turning it off and on again?”) Monitor supply chain inventory in real-time Scrape competitor pricing without spreadsheets Monitor supply chain inventory in real-time Scrape competitor pricing without spreadsheets Even bigger? This is Amazon’s first public step toward artificial general intelligence (AGI)—AI that can learn any task, not just preset ones. Their secret sauce? Training models across 100+ domains (travel, finance, healthcare) instead of specializing. The Catch(es) Before you quit your job to let AI run your life: Complex tasks still need training wheels - Planning a wedding? Nova Act might book the venue but forget the vegan meal options. Human oversight isn’t dead yet. Ethical landmines - Should AI negotiate salaries? Handle medical data? Amazon’s SDK includes guardrails, but the debate’s just starting. The “Creep Factor” - Letting AI access your bank account and email requires Olympic-level trust. Amazon assures end-to-end encryption, but skeptics will need convincing. Complex tasks still need training wheels - Planning a wedding? Nova Act might book the venue but forget the vegan meal options. Human oversight isn’t dead yet. Complex tasks still need training wheels Ethical landmines - Should AI negotiate salaries? Handle medical data? Amazon’s SDK includes guardrails, but the debate’s just starting. Ethical landmines The “Creep Factor” - Letting AI access your bank account and email requires Olympic-level trust. Amazon assures end-to-end encryption, but skeptics will need convincing. The “Creep Factor” The AI Agent Arms Race Amazon isn’t alone: OpenAI’s “Operator”: Can draft emails but struggles with actual sending Anthropic’s Agent: Great at research, shaky at transactions China’s $199/month “Manus”: Allegedly buys real estate (we’re skeptical) OpenAI’s “Operator”: Can draft emails but struggles with actual sending OpenAI’s “Operator”: Anthropic’s Agent: Great at research, shaky at transactions Anthropic’s Agent: China’s $199/month “Manus”: Allegedly buys real estate (we’re skeptical) China’s $199/month “Manus”: What makes Nova Act different? Scale. With Alexa in 500M+ devices, Amazon could deploy this everywhere from Echo speakers to Ring cameras. The Bottom Line Nova Act isn’t about replacing humans—it’s about eliminating the administrative sludge that consumes 60% of our workdays. The real question isn’t “Will this work?” but “What will we do with our time when it does?” As Rohit Prasad (Amazon’s AGI lead) put it: “We’re not building a better chatbot. We’re building a better day.” “What would you automate first?” References - [1] https://labs.amazon.science/blog/nova-act https://labs.amazon.science/blog/nova-act https://labs.amazon.science/blog/nova-act [2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65giTqW0vC8&t=1s&themeRefresh=1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65giTqW0vC8&t=1s&themeRefresh=1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65giTqW0vC8&t=1s&themeRefresh=1

Forget Chatbots, Meet Actionbots: Why Amazon's Nova Act Could Reshape Web Interaction

Xatırladaq ki, “Amazon”ın “Nova Act”ı web interaksiyasını dəyişdirə bilər.

Olvide los chatbots, conozca a los bots de acción: por qué la Ley Nova de Amazon podría remodelar la interacción web

चैटबॉट्स भूल जाओ, एक्शनबॉट्स से मिलें: क्यों अमेज़ॅन का नोवा अधिनियम वेब बातचीत को फिर से आकार दे सकता है

Ouvri Chatbots, Rencontre Actionbots: Poukisa Lwa Nova nan Amazon ta ka Reshape Interaction Web

Գիտեք Chatbots, Meet Actionbots: Ինչու Amazon- ի Nova Act- ը կարող է վերլուծել Web Interaction- ը

Dimenticate i chatbots, incontrate gli actionbots: perché la legge Nova di Amazon potrebbe ricostruire l'interazione web

チャットボットを忘れ、アクションボットに出会う:なぜアマゾンのノバ法がウェブインタラクションを再構築するのか

Осылайша Франклин өз беделін қайтадан қайтарып, саяси аренаға қайта

Harrojeni Chatbots, takoni Actionbots: Pse Akti Nova i Amazon-it Mund të Rishikojë Ndërveprimin në Web

I-Forget Chatbots, Meet Actionbots: Bakit ang Amazon's Nova Act ay maaaring Reshape Web Interaction

Ukukhangisa i-Chatbots, Ukukhangisa i-Actionbots: Kutheni I-Nova Act ye-Amazon ingathuthukisa ukuxhumana kwebhizinisi

One of the biggest developments among New Hollywood streaming services consists of the growth of advertising tiers, or ad-supported plans that cost less than ad-free options. The growth of ad-supported tiers in streaming services has been significant, with many platforms seeing a large portion of their new subscribers opting for these cheaper, ad-based plans. This trend is driven by rising subscription costs, making ad-supported plans an appealing alternative for consumers looking to save money. In 2024, the majority of new subscribers for several streaming platforms chose ad-supported plans. For instance, 74% of new Peacock subscribers chose the ad-supported tier, up from 70% in 2023, and 58% of new Disney+ subscribers opted for the ad-supported tier, a significant increase from earlier years. In November 2022, Netflix announced the launch of its own ad-supported tier, and Amazon did the same for Prime Video in January 2024. Both companies have taken very different approaches that speak volumes to their content monetization strategies. The Netflix Approach: Your Choice When Netflix introduced its ad-supported tier two years ago, the company gave subscribers a choice: keep the current tier with no ads, or switch to the ad-supported tier and pay less. Stay with the existing plan or trade it in for a more affordable option. Since then, Netflix reports that its ad-supported tier reaches more than 70 million monthly active users globally, and over 50% of new members are opting for the ads plan where available. Netflix expects its ad revenue to double in 2025, albeit from a relatively small base, and has already sold out its ad inventory for two Christmas Day NFL games set to air in 2024. Amazon: Level Up or Pay Up When Amazon launched ads on Prime Video in January 2024, it gave subscribers an unpleasant surprise: stick with the existing plan and experience ads or pay $2.99 more a month to go ad-free. This was especially contentious because Prime Video subscribers typically pay $139 per year for Amazon Prime, which includes access to Prime Video.The change prompted user backlash. But so far, Amazon reports that customer churn has been lower than expected and that only about 15% of users have opted to pay the additional $2.99 per month for an ad-free experience. __Hub Entertainment Research found__no measurable impact on overall subscription rates after the ad rollout, and Prime Video’s share of U.S. streaming customers increased from 55% in Q4 2023 to 57% in Q1 2024. Amazon recently decided to shut down the ad-supported Freevee channel and integrate ad-supported content directly into Prime Video rather than across multiple platforms. This reflects a competitive strategy to centralize efforts and focus investments, allowing Amazon to better compete with other streaming giants. Which Approach Works: Netflix’s or Amazon’s? One might conclude that it doesn’t matter whether you deliver a subpar user experience—people may tolerate being forced into a plan they did not ask for, similar to shoppers being directed to self-service lanes at retail stores. That might be true, but the bigger takeaway from Amazon’s perspective is the power of bundling services within the Prime membership. Prime Video subscribers are willing to tolerate some level of inconvenience because they are already invested in the broader Prime ecosystem. Netflix needs to grow subscribers to please advertisers. For Amazon, the end game is different: drive Prime membership. Prime members spend more than non-Prime members. Amazon figures, What’s an additional $2.99 a month to members who are already accustomed to paying more to get all the perks that come with a Prime membership? The Battleground for Netflix and Amazon: Live Sports The real battleground for all ad-supported tiers, including Netflix and Amazon, focuses on live sports. The live sports industry is the last bastion of linear TV viewing. But the world is changing fast. About half of U.S. audiences no longer pay for cable TV or other traditional pay TV services, according to Insider Intelligence. About four out of 10 viewers mainly consume sports content through ad-supported CTV platforms or social media, according to Trade Desk’s Future of TV Report. Streaming services have been gobbling up live sports content over the past few years, ranging from Amazon’s and Peacock’s deals to stream NFL games to Netflix acquiring rights for the WWE. And competition is heating up. Netflix is a relative newcomer to live sports but is catching up quickly, as shown in its NFL Christmas Day broadcasts. But the company is making strides. Only a few months after Netflix dipped its toes into live sports, the company signed a $5 billion deal to become the exclusive home of WWE’s Raw from January 2025 onward in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Latin America. This means the WWE’s flagship show will leave traditional television for the first time in 31 years. Amazon, meanwhile, is flexing its retail and advertising strength by combining live sports with shoppable ads during NFL’s Thursday Night Football and Black Friday game that Amazon launched in 2023. On November 29, Amazon will stream its second annual Black Friday game featuring Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs against the Las Vegas Raiders. Beginning in 2025, Amazon will also stream NBA games on Black Friday, creating an NFL-NBA doubleheader. A Black Friday game in either the NFL or NBA is a particularly interesting gamble. Amazon’s inaugural Black Friday NFL game was not exactly a ratings bonanza on the biggest shopping day of the year. As the ratings for the 2023 game shows, there’s no guarantee a game will be engaging enough to hold viewers’ attention especially on a day when pro football and basketball have been traditionally absent. Still, Amazon is betting on success by integrating shoppable TV, enabling viewers to make purchases right from their screens. By merging entertainment and ecommerce, Amazon will offer exclusive deals on items like NFL gear during the games. This feature is designed to enhance the shopping experience, catering to viewers who are already hunting for deals. Additionally, the NFL will gain exposure to Prime’s 200 million global subscribers, along with corporate sponsors who opt to advertise during the broadcasts. But it’s not just about shopping. Amazon is using AI to create a richer, more interactive viewing experience. Its Prime Vision stream showcases advanced statistics and analytics powered by Next Gen Stats, allowing fans to access real-time player data and game strategies. This makes the broadcast more dynamic and engaging for sports fans. Netflix or Amazon? Considerations for Advertisers Of course, advertisers need to consider myriad factors when choosing any streaming platform, including costs, ad formats, and desired audiences. Here are some additional considerations to keep in mind based on Netflix’s and Amazon’s approaches to their ad tiers. Experiment with Contextual and Interactive Ads in Sports Content With live sports emerging as a key battleground, advertisers should tap into opportunities for shoppable, contextual, or interactive ads on platforms that feature sports. Amazon’s integration of shoppable ads in NFL games shows the potential for highly engaging ad formats in sports content, appealing to viewers who expect action and interaction. Assess Long-Term Brand Impact of Forced Ads The backlash Amazon faced suggests that a forced ad experience, without clear user choice, can erode brand perception. In the shor tun, advertisers should carefully weigh the potential benefits of reaching Prime Video’s vast audience against the potential for negative brand associations. For certain brands, aligning with Netflix’s user-friendly model may better protect brand sentiment. But in time, audiences will grow accustomed Amazon’s approach, and audiences won’t remember the initial user backlash. Align with Audience Expectations on Each Platform Since Amazon relies on its Prime bundle to retain viewers, advertisers could use it to reach a broader, more commercially engaged audience. However, this audience might be more tolerant of product-centered ads rather than disruptive or intrusive formats. Tailoring ad formats to match each platform's distinct user expectations will enhance brand effectiveness and avoid alienating viewers. Adapt to Consolidation in Streaming and Build Agile Campaigns With Amazon and other companies consolidating ad-supported content within a single platform, advertisers should remain agile, adapting campaigns quickly as platform strategies shift. Having flexible, cross-platform campaigns allows advertisers to reach users effectively, regardless of changes in streaming service structures. Amazon and Netflix are only two players (albeit big ones) in an increasingly crowded sea of streaming companies. The above recommendations, though, give you a sense of some of the factors involved in navigating different platforms with their own approaches. One of the biggest developments among New Hollywood streaming services consists of the growth of advertising tiers, or ad-supported plans that cost less than ad-free options. The growth of ad-supported tiers in streaming services has been significant, with many platforms seeing a large portion of their new subscribers opting for these cheaper, ad-based plans. This trend is driven by rising subscription costs, making ad-supported plans an appealing alternative for consumers looking to save money. In 2024, the majority of new subscribers for several streaming platforms chose ad-supported plans. For instance, 74% of new Peacock subscribers chose the ad-supported tier, up from 70% in 2023, and 58% of new Disney+ subscribers opted for the ad-supported tier, a significant increase from earlier years. 74% of new Peacock subscribers 74% of new Peacock subscribers 58% of new Disney+ subscribers 58% of new Disney+ subscribers In November 2022, Netflix announced the launch of its own ad-supported tier, and Amazon did the same for Prime Video in January 2024. Both companies have taken very different approaches that speak volumes to their content monetization strategies. The Netflix Approach: Your Choice When Netflix introduced its ad-supported tier two years ago, the company gave subscribers a choice: keep the current tier with no ads, or switch to the ad-supported tier and pay less. Stay with the existing plan or trade it in for a more affordable option. Since then, Netflix reports that its ad-supported tier reaches more than 70 million monthly active users globally , and over 50% of new members are opting for the ads plan where available. 70 million monthly active users globally 70 million monthly active users globally Netflix expects its ad revenue to double in 2025, albeit from a relatively small base, and has already sold out its ad inventory for two Christmas Day NFL games set to air in 2024 . two Christmas Day NFL games set to air in 2024 two Christmas Day NFL games set to air in 2024 Amazon: Level Up or Pay Up When Amazon launched ads on Prime Video in January 2024, it gave subscribers an unpleasant surprise: stick with the existing plan and experience ads or pay $2.99 more a month to go ad-free. This was especially contentious because Prime Video subscribers typically pay $139 per year for Amazon Prime, which includes access to Prime Video. The change prompted user backlash. But so far, Amazon reports that customer churn has been lower than expected and that only about 15% of users have opted to pay the additional $2.99 per month for an ad-free experience. __ Hub Entertainment Research found __no measurable impact on overall subscription rates after the ad rollout, and Prime Video’s share of U.S. streaming customers increased from 55% in Q4 2023 to 57% in Q1 2024. Hub Entertainment Research found Amazon recently decided to shut down the ad-supported Freevee channel and integrate ad-supported content directly into Prime Video rather than across multiple platforms. This reflects a competitive strategy to centralize efforts and focus investments, allowing Amazon to better compete with other streaming giants. shut down the ad-supported Freevee channel shut down the ad-supported Freevee channel Which Approach Works: Netflix’s or Amazon’s? One might conclude that it doesn’t matter whether you deliver a subpar user experience—people may tolerate being forced into a plan they did not ask for, similar to shoppers being directed to self-service lanes at retail stores. That might be true, but the bigger takeaway from Amazon’s perspective is the power of bundling services within the Prime membership. Prime Video subscribers are willing to tolerate some level of inconvenience because they are already invested in the broader Prime ecosystem. Netflix needs to grow subscribers to please advertisers. For Amazon, the end game is different: drive Prime membership. Prime members spend more than non-Prime members . Amazon figures, What’s an additional $2.99 a month to members who are already accustomed to paying more to get all the perks that come with a Prime membership? Prime members spend more than non-Prime members Prime members spend more than non-Prime members The Battleground for Netflix and Amazon: Live Sports The real battleground for all ad-supported tiers, including Netflix and Amazon, focuses on live sports. The live sports industry is the last bastion of linear TV viewing. But the world is changing fast. About half of U.S. audiences no longer pay for cable TV or other traditional pay TV services , according to Insider Intelligence. About four out of 10 viewers mainly consume sports content through ad-supported CTV platforms or social media , according to Trade Desk’s Future of TV Report. About half of U.S. audiences no longer pay for cable TV or other traditional pay TV services About half of U.S. audiences no longer pay for cable TV or other traditional pay TV services About four out of 10 viewers mainly consume sports content through ad-supported CTV platforms or social media About four out of 10 viewers mainly consume sports content through ad-supported CTV platforms or social media Streaming services have been gobbling up live sports content over the past few years, ranging from Amazon’s and Peacock’s deals to stream NFL games to Netflix acquiring rights for the WWE. And competition is heating up. Netflix is a relative newcomer to live sports but is catching up quickly, as shown in its NFL Christmas Day broadcasts. But the company is making strides. Only a few months after Netflix dipped its toes into live sports, the company signed a $5 billion deal to become the exclusive home of WWE’s Raw from January 2025 onward in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Latin America. This means the WWE’s flagship show will leave traditional television for the first time in 31 years. signed a $5 billion deal signed a $5 billion deal Raw Amazon, meanwhile, is flexing its retail and advertising strength by combining live sports with shoppable ads during NFL’s Thursday Night Football and Black Friday game that Amazon launched in 2023. Thursday Night Football Thursday Night Football On November 29, Amazon will stream its second annual Black Friday game featuring Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs against the Las Vegas Raiders. Beginning in 2025, Amazon will also stream NBA games on Black Friday, creating an NFL-NBA doubleheader. A Black Friday game in either the NFL or NBA is a particularly interesting gamble. Amazon’s inaugural Black Friday NFL game was not exactly a ratings bonanza on the biggest shopping day of the year. As the ratings for the 2023 game shows, there’s no guarantee a game will be engaging enough to hold viewers’ attention especially on a day when pro football and basketball have been traditionally absent. Still, Amazon is betting on success by integrating shoppable TV, enabling viewers to make purchases right from their screens. By merging entertainment and ecommerce, Amazon will offer exclusive deals on items like NFL gear during the games. This feature is designed to enhance the shopping experience, catering to viewers who are already hunting for deals. Additionally, the NFL will gain exposure to Prime’s 200 million global subscribers, along with corporate sponsors who opt to advertise during the broadcasts. But it’s not just about shopping. Amazon is using AI to create a richer, more interactive viewing experience. Its Prime Vision stream showcases advanced statistics and analytics powered by Next Gen Stats, allowing fans to access real-time player data and game strategies. This makes the broadcast more dynamic and engaging for sports fans. Netflix or Amazon? Considerations for Advertisers Of course, advertisers need to consider myriad factors when choosing any streaming platform, including costs, ad formats, and desired audiences. Here are some additional considerations to keep in mind based on Netflix’s and Amazon’s approaches to their ad tiers. Experiment with Contextual and Interactive Ads in Sports Content Experiment with Contextual and Interactive Ads in Sports Content With live sports emerging as a key battleground, advertisers should tap into opportunities for shoppable, contextual, or interactive ads on platforms that feature sports. Amazon’s integration of shoppable ads in NFL games shows the potential for highly engaging ad formats in sports content, appealing to viewers who expect action and interaction. Assess Long-Term Brand Impact of Forced Ads Assess Long-Term Brand Impact of Forced Ads The backlash Amazon faced suggests that a forced ad experience, without clear user choice, can erode brand perception. In the shor tun, advertisers should carefully weigh the potential benefits of reaching Prime Video’s vast audience against the potential for negative brand associations. For certain brands, aligning with Netflix’s user-friendly model may better protect brand sentiment. But in time, audiences will grow accustomed Amazon’s approach, and audiences won’t remember the initial user backlash. Align with Audience Expectations on Each Platform Align with Audience Expectations on Each Platform Since Amazon relies on its Prime bundle to retain viewers, advertisers could use it to reach a broader, more commercially engaged audience. However, this audience might be more tolerant of product-centered ads rather than disruptive or intrusive formats. Tailoring ad formats to match each platform's distinct user expectations will enhance brand effectiveness and avoid alienating viewers. Adapt to Consolidation in Streaming and Build Agile Campaigns Adapt to Consolidation in Streaming and Build Agile Campaigns With Amazon and other companies consolidating ad-supported content within a single platform, advertisers should remain agile, adapting campaigns quickly as platform strategies shift. Having flexible, cross-platform campaigns allows advertisers to reach users effectively, regardless of changes in streaming service structures. Amazon and Netflix are only two players (albeit big ones) in an increasingly crowded sea of streaming companies. The above recommendations, though, give you a sense of some of the factors involved in navigating different platforms with their own approaches.

Netflix and Amazon: A Tale of Two Ad Tiers

Netflix və Amazon: İki reklam səviyyəsinin nağılı

Netflix и Amazon: Разказ за две рекламни нива

Netflix y Amazon: una historia de dos niveles de publicidad

नेटफ्लिक्स और अमेज़ॅन: दो विज्ञापन स्तरों की कहानी

Netflix ak Amazon: Yon istwa de de nivo piblisite

Netflix dan Amazon: Kisah Dua Tingkatan Iklan

Netflix と Amazon: 2 つの広告層の物語

Netflix ແລະ Amazon: A Tale of two Ad Tiers

Netflix e Amazon: Um conto de dois níveis de anúncios

Netflix și Amazon: A Tale of Two Ad Tiers

ኔትፍሊክስን ኣማዞንን: ዛንታ ክልተ ደረጃታት መወዓውዒ

Netflix va Amazon: Ikki reklama darajasi haqidagi ertak

Amazon has been salivating at the multitrillion-dollar United States healthcare market since 2018. Although Amazon Health played a vital role in public health during the pandemic, most still don’t view it as a disruptor. A new chapter in the American conglomerate’s move into the industry is upon us — Health Condition Programs. How does this initiative fit into the tech titan’s grand healthcare plan? It’s anybody’s guess. I can only speculate about the countless scenarios surrounding the interplay between Health Condition Programs and Amazon’s diverse solutions. However, the real question we should all be asking is — will it buck the trend of the organization’s cybersecurity, patient safety, and privacy scandals? A Treasure Trove of Patient Data On paper, Health Condition Programs aim to encourage millions of Americans to maximize their unused healthcare features. This mission has merit because over one-third of workers don’t fully understand the employee benefits they signed up for. Many American adults might be unaware that they can receive care to manage chronic conditions — such as diabetes and hypertension — between doctor visits at no extra cost to them. Enrolling in these programs allows insured individuals to maximize their coverage and squeeze more value out of the rising premiums or contributions they shoulder. In practice, Health Condition Programs enable the Andy Jassy-led all-encompassing empire to grow its patient data repository by tens of millions. This offering’s coverage check involves eligibility verification, necessitating personal data collection. Enrollees must share their legal name, date of birth, employer’s name, insurer's name, email address, and other sensitive information. This will determine whether their insurance plan or employee benefits cover health programs Amazon’s partners offer. After confirming an applicant is covered, Amazon Health directs the patient to third-party digital health companies — the actual virtual care providers — to complete registration and program enrollment. While Amazon may say it stops collecting personal data after a coverage check, it may still follow patients beyond that point. This Big Tech firm is a known participant in server-to-server tracking, so I would be more surprised if it doesn’t monitor the rest of an enrollee’s telehealth journey through a backdoor. Connected devices are notable program features that covered individuals can access. Continuous glucose monitor sensors, blood sugar meters, blood pressure monitors, and smart scales generate personalized quantitative data that forms a part of medical records and is personal. This is protected health information tech conglomerates could leverage to enrich their subsidiaries. A Slowly Expanding Network As disturbing as it is to think that Amazon could acquire bits and pieces of millions of medical records under the table through its Health Condition Programs, this multinational’s reach is proportional to its network’s size. As of October 2024, only two digital health companies have participated — Omada Health and Talkspace. Omada specializes in diabetes prevention, weight management, and hypertension care, while Talkspace delivers virtual therapy and psychiatric care. Between the two, insured Americans can choose from only three programs. It’s unclear why Amazon Health could only ink two partnerships in nine months — a departure from the online retail behemoth’s “Get Big Fast” mantra. I bet telehealth providers would move mountains to be in this exclusive club, so Amazon must have been overly selective about its partners for reasons unknown. Only time will tell if Amazon will bring more digital health companies into its fold sooner rather than later. A safe guess is that it would prioritize partner diversity to prevent cannibalization and harvest data with variety. A New Piece to the Amazon Health Care Strategy Puzzle Amazon plays the long game. For all we know, it might envision itself as the savior of health care — the ultimate medical data synthesizer the sector sorely needs. It’s impossible to connect all the dots when many of them haven’t come to light. Still, recognizing this offering’s potential value to this tech colossus isn’t brain surgery. If Health Condition Programs gain currency and the number of participating digital health companies on the network balloons, the company will better understand our health needs. These insights can be the rising tide that lifts the boats in the Amazon Health sub-ecosystem and other related subsidiaries. A quick thought experiment would reveal that more program enrollees could increase Amazon One Medical’s in-person visits. Health Condition Programs almost always require a prior medical diagnosis. Health care professionals on the network — health coaches, licensed therapists and psychiatrists, nutritionists, dieticians, and personal care specialists — could help train AWS HealthScribe with large volumes of recordings. The aim would be to churn out error-free transcripts and clinical notes consistently. The company could expand Alexa’s footprint by integrating its partners’ services into the voice assistant. It’s a tried-and-true move, as evidenced by the partnership between Amazon and Teladoc Health in 2022. Prescriptions from digital health companies can also boost Amazon Pharmacy’s sales. Analyzing mountains of medical data can shed light on the usual indicators of events that can endanger patients’ lives. Tech-forward hospitals have taken this route. They proved it’s feasible to predict signs of upcoming acute events — which increase the chances of patient mortality by three to four times — early enough to address them before they happen. Amazon can do the same thing for people living with chronic diseases. It can mobilize Whole Foods to make healthier food options more widely available to those who need them most. Accessible healthy grocery items empower chronically ill individuals to meet their unique nutritional needs and keep symptoms manageable. Are Health Condition Programs a Scandal Waiting to Happen? Amazon’s venture into health care has been riddled with controversies. In 2023, hackers successfully victimized more than 19,000 PillPack customers, stealing their names, residential addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses. About 3,600 of the impacted accounts included prescription information. That same year, senators grilled the company for forcing patients to waive their right to health information privacy to enroll in Amazon Clinic. In mid-2024, Amazon found itself in hot water for allegedly compromising the safety of One Medical patients. Incidents of awful misjudgments by staff assisting customers by phone have risen since the subsidiary entrusted the job to inadequately trained agents. Amazon has failed to give a good account of itself in the sector on various occasions. At this rate, I feel like someone would expose a dubious practice underpinning Health Condition Programs any moment now. Can We Trust Amazon’s Health Condition Programs? Criticisms toward this initiative are unsubstantiated and premature. However, it would be naive to expect Amazon not to supercharge its health data collection prowess through coverage checks and its partners when the alternative does nothing to improve other parts of its business. We’ll just have to wait and see whether this Amazon Health offering’s practical benefits outweigh its perceived privacy drawbacks — but let’s not hold our breaths. Amazon has been salivating at the multitrillion-dollar United States healthcare market since 2018. Although Amazon Health played a vital role in public health during the pandemic, most still don’t view it as a disruptor. A new chapter in the American conglomerate’s move into the industry is upon us — Health Condition Programs. How does this initiative fit into the tech titan’s grand healthcare plan? It’s anybody’s guess. I can only speculate about the countless scenarios surrounding the interplay between Health Condition Programs and Amazon’s diverse solutions. However, the real question we should all be asking is — will it buck the trend of the organization’s cybersecurity, patient safety, and privacy scandals? A Treasure Trove of Patient Data On paper, Health Condition Programs aim to encourage millions of Americans to maximize their unused healthcare features. This mission has merit because over one-third of workers don’t fully understand the employee benefits they signed up for. one-third of workers don’t fully understand one-third of workers don’t fully understand Many American adults might be unaware that they can receive care to manage chronic conditions — such as diabetes and hypertension — between doctor visits at no extra cost to them. Enrolling in these programs allows insured individuals to maximize their coverage and squeeze more value out of the rising premiums or contributions they shoulder. In practice, Health Condition Programs enable the Andy Jassy-led all-encompassing empire to grow its patient data repository by tens of millions. This offering’s coverage check involves eligibility verification, necessitating personal data collection. Enrollees must share their legal name, date of birth, employer’s name, insurer's name, email address, and other sensitive information. This will determine whether their insurance plan or employee benefits cover health programs Amazon’s partners offer. After confirming an applicant is covered, Amazon Health directs the patient to third-party digital health companies — the actual virtual care providers — to complete registration and program enrollment. While Amazon may say it stops collecting personal data after a coverage check, it may still follow patients beyond that point. This Big Tech firm is a known participant in server-to-server tracking , so I would be more surprised if it doesn’t monitor the rest of an enrollee’s telehealth journey through a backdoor. a known participant in server-to-server tracking a known participant in server-to-server tracking Connected devices are notable program features that covered individuals can access. Continuous glucose monitor sensors, blood sugar meters, blood pressure monitors, and smart scales generate personalized quantitative data that forms a part of medical records and is personal. This is protected health information tech conglomerates could leverage to enrich their subsidiaries. forms a part of medical records forms a part of medical records A Slowly Expanding Network As disturbing as it is to think that Amazon could acquire bits and pieces of millions of medical records under the table through its Health Condition Programs, this multinational’s reach is proportional to its network’s size. As of October 2024, only two digital health companies have participated — Omada Health and Talkspace. Omada specializes in diabetes prevention, weight management, and hypertension care, while Talkspace delivers virtual therapy and psychiatric care. Between the two, insured Americans can choose from only three programs. It’s unclear why Amazon Health could only ink two partnerships in nine months — a departure from the online retail behemoth’s “Get Big Fast” mantra. I bet telehealth providers would move mountains to be in this exclusive club, so Amazon must have been overly selective about its partners for reasons unknown. Only time will tell if Amazon will bring more digital health companies into its fold sooner rather than later. A safe guess is that it would prioritize partner diversity to prevent cannibalization and harvest data with variety. A New Piece to the Amazon Health Care Strategy Puzzle Amazon plays the long game. For all we know, it might envision itself as the savior of health care — the ultimate medical data synthesizer the sector sorely needs. It’s impossible to connect all the dots when many of them haven’t come to light. Still, recognizing this offering’s potential value to this tech colossus isn’t brain surgery. If Health Condition Programs gain currency and the number of participating digital health companies on the network balloons, the company will better understand our health needs. These insights can be the rising tide that lifts the boats in the Amazon Health sub-ecosystem and other related subsidiaries. A quick thought experiment would reveal that more program enrollees could increase Amazon One Medical’s in-person visits. Health Condition Programs almost always require a prior medical diagnosis. Health care professionals on the network — health coaches, licensed therapists and psychiatrists, nutritionists, dieticians, and personal care specialists — could help train AWS HealthScribe with large volumes of recordings. The aim would be to churn out error-free transcripts and clinical notes consistently. The company could expand Alexa’s footprint by integrating its partners’ services into the voice assistant. It’s a tried-and-true move, as evidenced by the partnership between Amazon and Teladoc Health in 2022. Prescriptions from digital health companies can also boost Amazon Pharmacy’s sales. partnership between Amazon and Teladoc Health partnership between Amazon and Teladoc Health Analyzing mountains of medical data can shed light on the usual indicators of events that can endanger patients’ lives. Tech-forward hospitals have taken this route. They proved it’s feasible to predict signs of upcoming acute events — which increase the chances of patient mortality by three to four times — early enough to address them before they happen. by three to four times by three to four times Amazon can do the same thing for people living with chronic diseases. It can mobilize Whole Foods to make healthier food options more widely available to those who need them most. Accessible healthy grocery items empower chronically ill individuals to meet their unique nutritional needs and keep symptoms manageable. Are Health Condition Programs a Scandal Waiting to Happen? Amazon’s venture into health care has been riddled with controversies. In 2023, hackers successfully victimized more than 19,000 PillPack customers, stealing their names, residential addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses. About 3,600 of the impacted accounts included prescription information. 3,600 of the impacted accounts 3,600 of the impacted accounts That same year, senators grilled the company for forcing patients to waive their right to health information privacy to enroll in Amazon Clinic. In mid-2024, Amazon found itself in hot water for allegedly compromising the safety of One Medical patients. Incidents of awful misjudgments by staff assisting customers by phone have risen since the subsidiary entrusted the job to inadequately trained agents. Amazon has failed to give a good account of itself in the sector on various occasions. At this rate, I feel like someone would expose a dubious practice underpinning Health Condition Programs any moment now. Can We Trust Amazon’s Health Condition Programs? Criticisms toward this initiative are unsubstantiated and premature. However, it would be naive to expect Amazon not to supercharge its health data collection prowess through coverage checks and its partners when the alternative does nothing to improve other parts of its business. We’ll just have to wait and see whether this Amazon Health offering’s practical benefits outweigh its perceived privacy drawbacks — but let’s not hold our breaths.

Did You Know About Amazon’s Health Condition Programs? What This Means for Users

Amazon is back at it again, trying to convince us that mixing retail with reality TV is the future we’ve all been waiting for. Their latest venture, “Buy It Now Bonanza,” launching October 30th, is basically a lovechild of Shark Tank and a hyperactive QVC on espresso shots who’s been blessed by Billy Mays. Entrepreneurs will strut out onto the stage and pitch their products with the desperation of someone pitching their business in a doomsday bunker for the chance to be featured in a dedicated “Buy It Now” store on Amazon and $20k in cash. The differentiating twist? You, dear viewer, can buy these products live as the show unfolds. Yep, you’re now part of the equation. Lauren Anderson, Amazon MGM Studios’ head of brand and content innovation, says the show is “all about giving audiences a glimpse into Amazon’s collaborative process with small businesses”, and “an opportunity for Amazon to showcase how they work with entrepreneurs.”  (So, a nicer way of saying: “Look, we’re not just a digital jungle where products go to get lost!”) But let’s peel back the glittery PR gloss and see it for what it is: t-commerce (television commerce) on a sugar rush, primed to turn your TV into a 24/7 carnival of consumerism. Let’s pause for a history lesson. T-commerce isn’t some new-fangled tech bro gimmick; it’s been around since the days when shoulder pads were in fashion and Madonna was still scandalous. It’s just an umbrella term that covers every possible way a person can be seduced into spending money from their couch. Remember QVC? That wasn’t just your grandma’s background noise while she knit itchy scarves. That and late-night infomercials were the pilgrims of t-commerce, turning casual TV watching into a full-contact sport where the prize was a set of steak knives or a fitness gadget that doubled as a coat rack. But fast-forward to the 2020s, and t-commerce has had a glow-up, and spawned an offspring known as shoppable TV. The main difference is that shoppable TV refers specifically to when sophisticated tech turns any TV into a virtual checkout lane. Take LG, for example, which integrated a platform called “LG Channels” that allows viewers to click on interactive ads and purchase products directly from their screens. Then there’s Walmart, which partnered with NBC Universal to launch a shoppable TV experience that transformed shows like Today into seamless shopping opportunities. By scanning a QR code or clicking a button on their remote, viewers could add products to their Walmart cart without ever leaving the couch. It’s a new era where your favorite sitcom can double as a personalized shopping mall—minus the mall walkers and pretzel stands. But whether it’s calling a number splashed across the screen in a retro cable ad or scanning a QR code while half-watching a reality show, the goal is the same: to turn your TV into a giant, digital impulse-buy button. You see it, you want it, you click it, it’s yours. It’s the lazy shopaholic’s dream—or nightmare, depending on your credit card limit. And Amazon? They’ve been trying to perfect this blend of entertainment and shopping for years, but with the success of Prime Video and the constant buzzing drone of Alexa in our homes, they’ve finally got the audience hooked. “Buy It Now Bonanza” isn’t their first attempt to turn TV into a digital mall. Remember those awkward QR codes popping up during shows, urging you to whip out your phone and buy some obscure kitchen gadget? Or that ill-fated Style Code Live that fizzled out in less than a year? Yes, we’ve seen this dance before. But Amazon’s nothing if not persistent, and like a toddler with a bag of sugar, they just keep going. So why could this be the moment they get it right? Well, for one thing, it’s not just about shopping—it’s about the spectacle. You’re not being asked to buy a product; you’re being lured into an emotional narrative. You’ll watch an entrepreneur put their heart, soul, and probably a second mortgage on the line, while Amazon executives and Gwyneth Paltrow (because, why not?) decide their fate. It’s high stakes, it’s drama, and if produced well, it’s the ultimate feel-good (or cringe) binge. And that’s where the genius lies. Because as you’re drawn into the tension and drama, you’ll almost forget that you’re being sold something. Almost. But the real strategy here is even sneakier. Amazon doesn’t just want your money; they want your future. This show is their latest attempt to reposition themselves not just as a place to find the cheapest toilet paper, but as a destination for discovering the cool, quirky, and innovative. They’ve been struggling to move from being the “everything store” to the “inspiration store,” but it’s tough to inspire when your algorithm keeps pushing bulk toothpaste. This show is a bet that by packaging product discovery in the slick, shiny wrapping paper of reality TV, they might finally convince you that they’re more than just an online bazaar. Yet, despite all the polish, there’s a part of us that wonders: isn’t this just a really, really long ad? But…does that really matter if it’s entertaining enough? Maybe not. Even Bernstein analyst Mark Shmulik quipped, “This feels more elegant than QR codes.” At the end of the day, if “Buy It Now Bonanza” manages to pull us away from doom-scrolling through social media or pretending to be interested in another AI-generated news article, maybe we’ll forgive Amazon for turning our TVs into a giant checkout screen. After all, we’ve already given in to binge-watching; is binge-buying really that far behind? And with that, perhaps it’s refreshing to focus on a piece of tech news that, for once, has nothing to do with AI. Well, unless Alexa decides to join the panel next season. Amazon is back at it again, trying to convince us that mixing retail with reality TV is the future we’ve all been waiting for. Their latest venture, “Buy It Now Bonanza,” launching October 30th, is basically a lovechild of Shark Tank and a hyperactive QVC on espresso shots who’s been blessed by Billy Mays. a lovechild of Shark Tank and a hyperactive QVC on espresso shots who’s been blessed by Billy Mays. Entrepreneurs will strut out onto the stage and pitch their products with the desperation of someone pitching their business in a doomsday bunker for the chance to be featured in a dedicated “Buy It Now” store on Amazon and $20k in cash. The differentiating twist? You, dear viewer, can buy these products live as the show unfolds. The differentiating twist? You, dear viewer, can buy these products live as the show unfolds. live Yep, you’re now part of the equation. Yep, you’re now part of the equation. Yep, you’re now part of the equation. Lauren Anderson, Amazon MGM Studios’ head of brand and content innovation, says the show is “all about giving audiences a glimpse into Amazon’s collaborative process with small businesses”, and “an opportunity for Amazon to showcase how they work with entrepreneurs.”  (So, a nicer way of saying: “Look, we’re not just a digital jungle where products go to get lost!”) But let’s peel back the glittery PR gloss and see it for what it is: t-commerce (television commerce) on a sugar rush, primed to turn your TV into a 24/7 carnival of consumerism. But let’s peel back the glittery PR gloss and see it for what it is: t-commerce (television commerce) on a sugar rush, primed to turn your TV into a 24/7 carnival of consumerism . primed to turn your TV into a 24/7 carnival of consumerism primed to turn your TV into a 24/7 carnival of consumerism Let’s pause for a history lesson. T-commerce isn’t some new-fangled tech bro gimmick; it’s been around since the days when shoulder pads were in fashion and Madonna was still scandalous. It’s just an umbrella term that covers every possible way a person can be seduced into spending money from their couch . Remember QVC? That wasn’t just your grandma’s background noise while she knit itchy scarves. T-commerce isn’t some new-fangled tech bro gimmick; it’s been around since the days when shoulder pads were in fashion and Madonna was still scandalous. every possible way a person can be seduced into spending money from their couch every possible way a person can be seduced into spending money from their couch That and late-night infomercials were the pilgrims of t-commerce, turning casual TV watching into a full-contact sport where the prize was a set of steak knives or a fitness gadget that doubled as a coat rack. But fast-forward to the 2020s, and t-commerce has had a glow-up, and spawned an offspring known as shoppable TV . The main difference is that shoppable TV refers specifically to when sophisticated tech turns any TV into a virtual checkout lane. Take LG, for example, which integrated a platform called “LG Channels” that allows viewers to click on interactive ads and purchase products directly from their screens. shoppable TV shoppable TV shoppable TV Then there’s Walmart, which partnered with NBC Universal to launch a shoppable TV experience that transformed shows like Today into seamless shopping opportunities. By scanning a QR code or clicking a button on their remote, viewers could add products to their Walmart cart without ever leaving the couch. It’s a new era where your favorite sitcom can double as a personalized shopping mall—minus the mall walkers and pretzel stands. But whether it’s calling a number splashed across the screen in a retro cable ad or scanning a QR code while half-watching a reality show, the goal is the same: to turn your TV into a giant, digital impulse-buy button. You see it, you want it, you click it, it’s yours. It’s the lazy shopaholic’s dream—or nightmare, depending on your credit card limit. But whether it’s calling a number splashed across the screen in a retro cable ad or scanning a QR code while half-watching a reality show, the goal is the same: to turn your TV into a giant, digital impulse-buy button . You see it, you want it, you click it, it’s yours. It’s the lazy shopaholic’s dream—or nightmare, depending on your credit card limit. to turn your TV into a giant, digital impulse-buy button You see it, you want it, you click it, it’s yours. And Amazon? They’ve been trying to perfect this blend of entertainment and shopping for years, but with the success of Prime Video and the constant buzzing drone of Alexa in our homes, they’ve finally got the audience hooked. “Buy It Now Bonanza” isn’t their first attempt to turn TV into a digital mall. And Amazon? They’ve been trying to perfect this blend of entertainment and shopping for years, but with the success of Prime Video and the constant buzzing drone of Alexa in our homes, they’ve finally got the audience hooked. finally Remember those awkward QR codes popping up during shows, urging you to whip out your phone and buy some obscure kitchen gadget? Or that ill-fated Style Code Live that fizzled out in less than a year? Yes, we’ve seen this dance before. But Amazon’s nothing if not persistent, and like a toddler with a bag of sugar, they just keep going. But Amazon’s nothing if not persistent, and like a toddler with a bag of sugar, they just keep going. So why could this be the moment they get it right? So why could this be the moment they get it right? Well, for one thing, it’s not just about shopping—it’s about the spectacle. You’re not being asked to buy a product; you’re being lured into an emotional narrative . You’ll watch an entrepreneur put their heart, soul, and probably a second mortgage on the line, while Amazon executives and Gwyneth Paltrow (because, why not?) decide their fate. Well, for one thing, it’s not just about shopping—it’s about the spectacle. Well, for one thing, it’s not just about shopping—it’s about the spectacle. asked you’re being lured into an emotional narrative It’s high stakes, it’s drama, and if produced well, it’s the ultimate feel-good (or cringe) binge. And that’s where the genius lies. Because as you’re drawn into the tension and drama, you’ll almost forget that you’re being sold something. Almost. Because as you’re drawn into the tension and drama, you’ll almost forget that you’re being sold something. Almost. Because as you’re drawn into the tension and drama, you’ll almost forget that you’re being sold something. Almost. But the real strategy here is even sneakier. Amazon doesn’t just want your money; they want your future. This show is their latest attempt to reposition themselves not just as a place to find the cheapest toilet paper, but as a destination for discovering the cool, quirky, and innovative. But the real strategy here is even sneakier. Amazon doesn’t just want your money; they want your future. Amazon doesn’t just want your money; they want your future . future destination for discovering destination for discovering discovering They’ve been struggling to move from being the “everything store” to the “inspiration store,” but it’s tough to inspire when your algorithm keeps pushing bulk toothpaste. This show is a bet that by packaging product discovery in the slick, shiny wrapping paper of reality TV, they might finally convince you that they’re more than just an online bazaar. Yet, despite all the polish, there’s a part of us that wonders: isn’t this just a really, really long ad? But…does that really matter if it’s entertaining enough? Maybe not. Even Bernstein analyst Mark Shmulik quipped, “This feels more elegant than QR codes.” Yet, despite all the polish, there’s a part of us that wonders: isn’t this just a really, really long ad? really At the end of the day, if “Buy It Now Bonanza” manages to pull us away from doom-scrolling through social media or pretending to be interested in another AI-generated news article, maybe we’ll forgive Amazon for turning our TVs into a giant checkout screen. After all, we’ve already given in to binge-watching; is binge-buying really that far behind? After all, we’ve already given in to binge-watching; is binge-buying really that far behind? really And with that, perhaps it’s refreshing to focus on a piece of tech news that, for once, has nothing to do with AI. Well, unless Alexa decides to join the panel next season. And with that, perhaps it’s refreshing to focus on a piece of tech news that, for once, has nothing to do with AI. Well, unless Alexa decides to join the panel next season.

Amazon’s ‘Buy It Now Bonanza’: The Shoppable Spectacle That’s Out to Make Your Wallet Weep

Hello Amazon aspirants!! I have recently cleared all interviews for the QAE II position at Amazon. I would like to share about the interview process, expectations, preparation tips and the resources I referred to during my preparation. Most of the information is already present on Web/YouTube. I am giving links to all resources here. Note: I am not giving any questions from my interview as I have signed disclosure not to share. About process Before jumping into preparation, first you need to understand the hiring process. After applying, I got a call from a recruiter. He explained me the process as below - Online Assessment — Link will be shared to us, and we will have around 1 week to finish that.
Phone Interview — This is 1 hour round, in which questions will be asked on 3 aspects: 1. Test cases ; 2. Coding; 3. Leadership Principles (Preparation is same as explained for Main interview)
Main Interview — 5 different rounds — 1 hr each (Total 5hrs). Here we have option to have all rounds on same day (there will be lunch break 1hr) OR we can divide them for 2 different days Below are those 5 rounds. Not necessarily in the same order. Online test: About testing process, behavioral and situation based questions. Objective type. 1. Coding 2. Test case Enumeration & Test data preparation 3. Test Planning / Strategy 4. Debugging round 5. Leadership Principles After completion of all the above interviews, the panel will meet and decide on your candidature. Within a week, the recruiter can provide you with feedback. Apart from this, go through the previous QA interview experiences from the Leetcode discussions section. *Important — One of the rounds in the process is “Leadership Principles”, where you will be asked certain situational based questions which you need to answer based on the examples in your experience. Similar leadership principles questions, 1–2 will be asked on other 4 rounds also. Around 30% of the other 4 rounds will be focussed on leadership principles questions and remaining 70% will be actual interviews about that round (Coding, Debugging, Testcases, TestPlanning). So, Leadership Principles questions are very important when you are preparing for an Amazon interview. Preparation: 1. Coding - First I started preparing for the Coding round. I got a Leetcode subscription. The difference with Leetcode subscription is, we will have more questions and we will have company tag names to the coding questions. I filtered all “Amazon” + “Easy” programs. In that, I have excluded questions related to Trees, graph related questions. Of the remaining challenges, I started solving them daily. Most of these challenges are based on Arrays, Strings, Collections. Initially, when I had no clue on the approach, I used to see the answer on the web and tried to understand(many YouTube videos are there for each question). In that way, I have improved and could solve new problems on my own. That way I did practice around 60 easy problems from Leetcode(There are around 200+ Amazon+Easy problems in Leetcode, related to Arrays, Strings, Collections). Apart from this, I have read past Amazon QAE interview experiences on Leetcode and different websites and collected some questions(around 15) and solved them too. In Total, I have solved around 75 problems. I repeated solving them 3–4 times. It doesn’t mean that we get interview questions from leetcode / previous questions. It only gives confidence to you to solve similar questions. I have focussed only on basic concepts — Arrays, Stings, Collections(HashMaps mostly) related programs. Also, refer this video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdeoqgEUSvE&embedable=true 2. Test case Enumeration & Test data preparation Here, you may be asked to list test cases for any given scenario. Do follow the video below for the tips on how to answer. These tips are very important. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xz2oHPpz2hM&embedable=true Be prepared for 1–2 questions on leadership principles (mentioned on this topic at last) 3. Test Planning & Test Strategy Be prepared to write TestPlan / TestStrategy for any given scenario. You may be given any scenario, and will be asked to write / explain the test plan for it. Always, ask clarifying questions. https://www.guru99.com/how-to-create-test-strategy-document.html Be prepared for 1–2 questions on leadership principles (mentioned on this topic at last). 4. Debugging round In this round, you will be given an issue / bug and you will be asked to debug it. Basically, you need to explain the steps / checks you perform to isolate the issue. This video is helpful - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65_8WUtwDnE&embedable=true There are some sample questions here. Be prepared for 1–2 questions on leadership principles (mentioned on this topic at last). 5. Leadership Principles This is a very important area. Amazon has 14 leadership principles. You need to study and understand these principles. In the call with the recruiter, you will be informed if any of the 14 principles are not applicable to your role(QA). In my case, 2 are excluded. It means I need to prepare another 12 leadership principles. You will be given any situation based question and you need to answer it based on any related example in your past. Be prepared to explain it in detail with the background of the situation, what you did, how you did and results and learnings out of it. In many blogs and other experiences, it is recommended to have atleast 2 unique examples for each principle as the question may be repeated across the rounds and you should not repeat the same example/answer. Below is the great website, which helped me in understanding them, and know different types of questions based on each principle with sample answers. Take that as reference and build your own answers. https://interviewgenie.com/resources In the above page, go to this section - “The 16 Leadership Principles with Sample Questions and Answers That Get Results” That’s it for now! Please let me know if you have any doubts. Wish you all the best!! Hello Amazon aspirants!! I have recently cleared all interviews for the QAE II position at Amazon. I would like to share about the interview process, expectations, preparation tips and the resources I referred to during my preparation. Most of the information is already present on Web/YouTube. I am giving links to all resources here. Note: I am not giving any questions from my interview as I have signed disclosure not to share. About process About process Before jumping into preparation, first you need to understand the hiring process. After applying, I got a call from a recruiter. He explained me the process as below - Online Assessment — Link will be shared to us, and we will have around 1 week to finish that. Phone Interview — This is 1 hour round, in which questions will be asked on 3 aspects: 1. Test cases ; 2. Coding; 3. Leadership Principles (Preparation is same as explained for Main interview) Main Interview — 5 different rounds — 1 hr each (Total 5hrs). Here we have option to have all rounds on same day (there will be lunch break 1hr) OR we can divide them for 2 different days Online Assessment — Link will be shared to us, and we will have around 1 week to finish that. Phone Interview — This is 1 hour round, in which questions will be asked on 3 aspects: 1. Test cases ; 2. Coding; 3. Leadership Principles (Preparation is same as explained for Main interview) Main Interview — 5 different rounds — 1 hr each (Total 5hrs). Here we have option to have all rounds on same day (there will be lunch break 1hr) OR we can divide them for 2 different days Below are those 5 rounds. Not necessarily in the same order. Online test: Online test: About testing process, behavioral and situation based questions. Objective type. 1. Coding 1. Coding 2. Test case Enumeration & Test data preparation 2. Test case Enumeration & Test data preparation 3. Test Planning / Strategy 3. Test Planning / Strategy 4. Debugging round 4. Debugging round 5. Leadership Principles 5. Leadership Principles After completion of all the above interviews, the panel will meet and decide on your candidature. Within a week, the recruiter can provide you with feedback. Apart from this, go through the previous QA interview experiences from the Leetcode discussions section. *Important — One of the rounds in the process is “Leadership Principles”, where you will be asked certain situational based questions which you need to answer based on the examples in your experience. Similar leadership principles questions, 1–2 will be asked on other 4 rounds also. Around 30% of the other 4 rounds will be focussed on leadership principles questions and remaining 70% will be actual interviews about that round (Coding, Debugging, Testcases, TestPlanning). So, Leadership Principles questions are very important when you are preparing for an Amazon interview. So, Leadership Principles questions are very important when you are preparing for an Amazon interview. Preparation: Preparation: 1. Coding - 1. Coding - 1. Coding - First I started preparing for the Coding round. I got a Leetcode subscription. The difference with Leetcode subscription is, we will have more questions and we will have company tag names to the coding questions. I filtered all “Amazon” + “Easy” programs. In that, I have excluded questions related to Trees, graph related questions. Of the remaining challenges, I started solving them daily. Most of these challenges are based on Arrays, Strings, Collections. Initially, when I had no clue on the approach, I used to see the answer on the web and tried to understand(many YouTube videos are there for each question). In that way, I have improved and could solve new problems on my own. That way I did practice around 60 easy problems from Leetcode(There are around 200+ Amazon+Easy problems in Leetcode, related to Arrays, Strings, Collections). Apart from this, I have read past Amazon QAE interview experiences on Leetcode and different websites and collected some questions(around 15) and solved them too. In Total, I have solved around 75 problems. I repeated solving them 3–4 times. It doesn’t mean that we get interview questions from leetcode / previous questions. It only gives confidence to you to solve similar questions. I have focussed only on basic concepts — Arrays, Stings, Collections(HashMaps mostly) related programs. Also, refer this video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdeoqgEUSvE&embedable=true https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdeoqgEUSvE&embedable=true 2. Test case Enumeration & Test data preparation 2. Test case Enumeration & Test data preparation 2. Test case Enumeration & Test data preparation Here, you may be asked to list test cases for any given scenario. Do follow the video below for the tips on how to answer. These tips are very important. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xz2oHPpz2hM&embedable=true https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xz2oHPpz2hM&embedable=true Be prepared for 1–2 questions on leadership principles (mentioned on this topic at last) 3. Test Planning & Test Strategy 3. Test Planning & Test Strategy 3. Test Planning & Test Strategy Be prepared to write TestPlan / TestStrategy for any given scenario. You may be given any scenario, and will be asked to write / explain the test plan for it. Always, ask clarifying questions. https://www.guru99.com/how-to-create-test-strategy-document.html https://www.guru99.com/how-to-create-test-strategy-document.html Be prepared for 1–2 questions on leadership principles (mentioned on this topic at last). 4. Debugging round 4. Debugging round 4. Debugging round In this round, you will be given an issue / bug and you will be asked to debug it. Basically, you need to explain the steps / checks you perform to isolate the issue. This video is helpful - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65_8WUtwDnE&embedable=true https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65_8WUtwDnE&embedable=true There are some sample questions here . here Be prepared for 1–2 questions on leadership principles (mentioned on this topic at last). 5. Leadership Principles 5. Leadership Principles 5. Leadership Principles This is a very important area. Amazon has 14 leadership principles. 14 You need to study and understand these principles. In the call with the recruiter, you will be informed if any of the 14 principles are not applicable to your role(QA). In my case, 2 are excluded. It means I need to prepare another 12 leadership principles. You will be given any situation based question and you need to answer it based on any related example in your past. Be prepared to explain it in detail with the background of the situation, what you did, how you did and results and learnings out of it. In many blogs and other experiences, it is recommended to have atleast 2 unique examples for each principle as the question may be repeated across the rounds and you should not repeat the same example/answer. Below is the great website, which helped me in understanding them, and know different types of questions based on each principle with sample answers. Take that as reference and build your own answers. https://interviewgenie.com/resources https://interviewgenie.com/resources In the above page, go to this section - “The 16 Leadership Principles with Sample Questions and Answers That Get Results” “The 16 Leadership Principles with Sample Questions and Answers That Get Results” That’s it for now! Please let me know if you have any doubts. Wish you all the best!!

How I Cracked the Amazon QAE II Interview

Since the emergence of generative AI, our work has undergone a significant transformation, and we need to adapt to this change. In the past, we could spend countless hours performing complex tasks to achieve a particular outcome. However, with generative AI tools, somebody on the other side can complete the same task in less time. Generative AI is not intended to replace the workforce or substitute for human intelligence. Instead, it serves as a means of enhancing our decision-making abilities by offering proposed solutions. Welcome to the era of generative AI! Amazon Q This tool is a big player in the software development industry and has been trained using billions of lines of code, using the proposed code can help us make better decisions and boost our productivity, allowing us to save time and achieve great results. This code companion supports a set of languages such as: Python
Java
Java script
Typescript
C #
and for code completion:
Go
C++
Shell
Kotlin
SQL
and for the most-supported languages in Infrastructure as Code (IaC) :
YAML (AWS cloud formation)
JSON (AWS cloud formation)
HCL (Terraform)
CDK (Typescript, Python)
Is the AI coding companion worth using for network engineers and developers? Infrastructure as code (IaC) IaC is a ubiquitous topic in the tech industry. It's mentioned in conferences, meetups, and online blogs.
thanks to the managing and provisioning of infrastructure through code instead of through manual processes, developers, and network engineers can work effectively and deliver high-quality services anytime wherever they are by collaborating easily for better results. The developer and network engineer's dilemma We all have industry-specific skills, but mastering everything in tech is difficult. Excitement and concerns surround the potential of AI.
The security concerns associated with AI arise because not all developers possess the security skills required for networking engineering or software development.
Network engineers may accidentally deploy vulnerable scripts that hackers can exploit. Developers can create apps to manage infrastructures, but if they do not follow a security-by-design approach in their software development lifecycle, their products can pose significant security concerns. Companies relying on such products may suffer reputational damage and even go bankrupt due to security breaches.
Amazon Q is a huge opportunity for network engineers and developers in the generative AI age. Where the acceleration will happen Network engineers and developers can improve their productivity by leveraging existing solutions (scripts) rather than reinventing the wheel.
the scanning provided by Q helps detect vulnerable code. Network engineers will save time by automating infrastructure deployment.
Q is an AI companion for junior engineers and developers. It accelerates their learning and helps with tasks they may find challenging.
Q has great potential for troubleshooting, as it is trained on billions of lines of code, surpassing expectations. A day with Amazon Q As a cloud engineer, I wanted to ask Q some questions for the first time as a user, here they are I asked Q what is Elastic Kubernetes Services (EKS) and here is the answer! The answer is synthetized and gives some links to the documentation, with such experience we can improve skills better and accelerate infrastructure as code with a wealth of knowledge at our fingertips. Explaining a terraform script Amazon Q explained the terraform script with details and documentation to AWS, with such experience, it’s easy to understand some scripts quickly and we can gain more time. Asking for secure coding practices The script is a snippet to provision an EC2 instance, the goal is to ask Q secure coding practices before provisioning the instance. Such experience allows developers and network engineers to improve the script before it goes into production. Conclusion In the era of generative AI, we have the opportunity to improve our learning and achieve greater results. Those who insist on reinventing the wheel cannot keep pace with teams that prioritize agility. Additionally, working with infrastructure as code is challenging and demands skilled teams to maintain high-quality infrastructures. With AI, we have an excellent opportunity to speed up infrastructure as code. We don't need to know everything; the AI will handle the rest! Since the emergence of generative AI, our work has undergone a significant transformation, and we need to adapt to this change. In the past, we could spend countless hours performing complex tasks to achieve a particular outcome. However, with generative AI tools, somebody on the other side can complete the same task in less time. Generative AI is not intended to replace the workforce or substitute for human intelligence. Instead, it serves as a means of enhancing our decision-making abilities by offering proposed solutions. Welcome to the era of generative AI! Amazon Q This tool is a big player in the software development industry and has been trained using billions of lines of code, using the proposed code can help us make better decisions and boost our productivity, allowing us to save time and achieve great results. This code companion supports a set of languages such as: Python Java Java script Typescript C # and for code completion: Go C++ Shell Kotlin SQL and for the most-supported languages in Infrastructure as Code (IaC) : YAML (AWS cloud formation) JSON (AWS cloud formation) HCL (Terraform) CDK (Typescript, Python) Is the AI coding companion worth using for network engineers and developers? Python Java Java script Typescript C # and for code completion: Go C++ Shell Kotlin SQL and for the most-supported languages in Infrastructure as Code (IaC) : YAML (AWS cloud formation) JSON (AWS cloud formation) HCL (Terraform) CDK (Typescript, Python) Is the AI coding companion worth using for network engineers and developers? Infrastructure as code (IaC) IaC is a ubiquitous topic in the tech industry. It's mentioned in conferences, meetups, and online blogs. thanks to the managing and provisioning of infrastructure through code instead of through manual processes, developers, and network engineers can work effectively and deliver high-quality services anytime wherever they are by collaborating easily for better results. IaC is a ubiquitous topic in the tech industry. It's mentioned in conferences, meetups, and online blogs. thanks to the managing and provisioning of infrastructure through code instead of through manual processes, developers, and network engineers can work effectively and deliver high-quality services anytime wherever they are by collaborating easily for better results. The developer and network engineer's dilemma We all have industry-specific skills, but mastering everything in tech is difficult. Excitement and concerns surround the potential of AI. The security concerns associated with AI arise because not all developers possess the security skills required for networking engineering or software development. Network engineers may accidentally deploy vulnerable scripts that hackers can exploit. Developers can create apps to manage infrastructures, but if they do not follow a security-by-design approach in their software development lifecycle, their products can pose significant security concerns. Companies relying on such products may suffer reputational damage and even go bankrupt due to security breaches. Amazon Q is a huge opportunity for network engineers and developers in the generative AI age. We all have industry-specific skills, but mastering everything in tech is difficult. Excitement and concerns surround the potential of AI. The security concerns associated with AI arise because not all developers possess the security skills required for networking engineering or software development. Network engineers may accidentally deploy vulnerable scripts that hackers can exploit. Developers can create apps to manage infrastructures, but if they do not follow a security-by-design approach in their software development lifecycle, their products can pose significant security concerns. Companies relying on such products may suffer reputational damage and even go bankrupt due to security breaches. Amazon Q is a huge opportunity for network engineers and developers in the generative AI age. Where the acceleration will happen Network engineers and developers can improve their productivity by leveraging existing solutions (scripts) rather than reinventing the wheel. the scanning provided by Q helps detect vulnerable code. Network engineers will save time by automating infrastructure deployment. Q is an AI companion for junior engineers and developers. It accelerates their learning and helps with tasks they may find challenging. Q has great potential for troubleshooting, as it is trained on billions of lines of code, surpassing expectations. Network engineers and developers can improve their productivity by leveraging existing solutions (scripts) rather than reinventing the wheel. the scanning provided by Q helps detect vulnerable code. Network engineers will save time by automating infrastructure deployment. Q is an AI companion for junior engineers and developers. It accelerates their learning and helps with tasks they may find challenging. Q has great potential for troubleshooting, as it is trained on billions of lines of code, surpassing expectations. A day with Amazon Q As a cloud engineer, I wanted to ask Q some questions for the first time as a user, here they are I asked Q what is Elastic Kubernetes Services (EKS) and here is the answer! The answer is synthetized and gives some links to the documentation, with such experience we can improve skills better and accelerate infrastructure as code with a wealth of knowledge at our fingertips. Explaining a terraform script Amazon Q explained the terraform script with details and documentation to AWS, with such experience, it’s easy to understand some scripts quickly and we can gain more time. Asking for secure coding practices The script is a snippet to provision an EC2 instance, the goal is to ask Q secure coding practices before provisioning the instance. Such experience allows developers and network engineers to improve the script before it goes into production. Conclusion In the era of generative AI, we have the opportunity to improve our learning and achieve greater results. Those who insist on reinventing the wheel cannot keep pace with teams that prioritize agility. Additionally, working with infrastructure as code is challenging and demands skilled teams to maintain high-quality infrastructures. With AI, we have an excellent opportunity to speed up infrastructure as code. We don't need to know everything; the AI will handle the rest!

Generative AI: Can we Accelerate Infrastructure as Code With Amazon Q?

As Wall Street has been in the grips of a generative AI boom, which has seen stocks like Nvidia catapult beyond 200% growth, it’s perhaps been easy to miss consistent performers like Amazon. As (NASDAQ: AMZN) reaches growth of around 80% for the 2023 calendar year, it’s certainly a welcome sight to see an upturn in fortunes for the retailer following a difficult 2022 in which AMZN shed around 50% of its value. Amazon Although the stock still has some way to go in recovering lost ground as economic headwinds impacted many global markets owing to record-breaking inflation, geopolitical conflicts, and widespread tech stock sell-offs, the prospect of a holiday season rally could help Amazon to make fresh progress moving into the new year. But what exactly is a holiday season rally? In Search of Santa Claus The theory of the Santa Claus rally has become a key talking point for investors. Each year, there’s plenty of discussion about and whether a tangible boost for Wall Street can be achieved moving into the new year. how the rally works But is there any truth to it? The Santa Claus rally is certainly grounded in logic. Market commentators suggest that the rally stems from hedge funds calling time on tax-loss selling and instead seeking to pad their portfolios ahead of 2024. In addition to this, stocks that receive a boost over the festive period as consumer spending typically takes an upward turn can help to sustain Santa Claus rallies further. However, the effectiveness and consistency of Santa Claus rallies appear up for debate. According to a test run by Stock Investor using the idea of buying the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEARCA: SPY) the day after Christmas at the open and selling the close on New Year’s Eve, an upturn in value occurred 14 out of 30 times since 1993, or . In comparison, an average week for the SPY sees it close higher than it opens around 53.5% of the time. 46.7% of the time Despite this contradictory performance history, there’s still optimism for a fresh rally in 2023, with news of a future on interest rate hikes propelling more investors to buy back into riskier stocks. Federal Reserve pivot “The euphoria surrounding a potential Federal Reserve pivot has propelled all risky bets higher, and the upward momentum is expected to strengthen, thanks to the typical year-end Santa Claus rally,” , Benzinga Editor. acknowledges Shanthi Rexaline Although Rexaline was quick to note that the impact of the Santa Claus rally could be “lackluster” due to a lack of quality on the upside of these riskier stocks. Could Amazon Bring Festive Cheer? While there’s much speculation about the impact of a Santa Claus rally throughout the S&P 500, stocks like Amazon offer plenty of optimism around the holiday period due to the retailer’s strong market position when it comes to consumer spending. “The e-commerce giant Amazon is fully immersed in holiday preparations,” explains Maxim Manturov, head of investment research at . “After concluding the Prime Day extravaganza on October 10 and 11, the company is gearing up for the bustling year-end shopping season by announcing its intention to hire an additional 250,000 employees worldwide. Notably, these employees will work in full-time, part-time, and seasonal positions.” Freedom Finance Europe “In anticipation of the active year-end sales period, Amazon is increasing its workforce by 100,000 people compared to the last quarter of 2022. Moreover, the company capitalizes on the momentum created by ‘Black Friday’ and ‘Cyber Monday’ sales, strategically timed towards the end of November and tied to Thanksgiving. The average target price from investment banks is around $1752, approximately 20% upside.” This ramping up of seasonal preparations demonstrates Amazon’s ambitions to become a leading retailer during the festive period, and any upturn in consumer spending is more likely to be underlined by Amazon’s market performance. In addition to this, Amazon appears set to stake its claim further as a leading tech firm, having recently made strides in the field of entertainment and telecommunications. Amazon’s Bid for World Domination In recent days, news broke that to invest in Diamond Sports Group, which is the United States’ largest programmer for regional sports. Amazon was in talks With the group holding rights to broadcast games for over 40 major sports teams in the US, including around half of Major League Baseball and the NBA, as well as a third of teams in the National Hockey League, Amazon has sought to capitalize on Diamond’s recent bankruptcy and build on its presence in the world of streaming. Amazon’s streaming efforts have also expanded into the world of entertainment, with the firm recently , creator of Warhammer 40,000 to turn the game into a series of film and TV projects. agreeing a deal with Games Workshop Alongside its entertainment push, Amazon has also launched its first satellites for ‘Project Kuiper’ in an ambitious bid to expand operations into the field of telecommunications. The extraordinary ambitions of Amazon in its bid to become a leading global resource for a variety of functions certainly make it an interesting long-term play for investors. However, with a clear emphasis on embracing the holiday season, it’s also clear that a Santa Claus rally would directly benefit the stock back on terra firma, too.

Is Amazon’s Stock Ready for a Holiday Season Rally?

অ্যামাজনের স্টক কি ছুটির মরসুমের সমাবেশের জন্য প্রস্তুত?

Ist die Amazon-Aktie bereit für eine Weihnachtsrallye?

¿Están las acciones de Amazon listas para un repunte en la temporada navideña?

Les actions d’Amazon sont-elles prêtes pour un rallye des fêtes de fin d’année ?

क्या अमेज़न का स्टॉक छुट्टियों के सीज़न की रैली के लिए तैयार है?

Amazonの株価はホリデーシーズンの上昇に向けて準備ができているのか?

아마존의 주식은 연말연시 반등에 대비하고 있나요?

As ações da Amazon estão prontas para uma alta na temporada de férias?

Готовы ли акции Amazon к ралли праздничного сезона?

Amazon'un Hisseleri Tatil Sezonu Rallisi'ne Hazır mı?

Cổ phiếu của Amazon đã sẵn sàng cho đợt tăng giá mùa lễ hội chưa?

亚马逊的股票准备好迎接假日季节的上涨了吗？

Photo by on Annie Spratt Unsplash In what may appear as just an introductory philosophy by its nomenclature, it is something that is practiced lifelong, far and wide across hierarchies at Amazon. The day-one philosophy keeps members of the organization in unwavering focus, brings a sense of immediacy, fosters a sense of belief to improve and grow, and plants a predilection for raising the bar of customer service. “Day 2, as Jeff Bezos remarks, is stasis, followed by irrelevance, followed by excruciating, painful decline, eventually followed by death. And that is .” why it is always day 1 What does this mean for other businesses? It signals the necessity to foster a culture that keeps the curiosity, energy, and entrepreneurial agility of the first day in business alive - every day. Let’s deep dive into what the ‘day one philosophy’ is, the soft but impactful disruptions it can make, why it should matter for businesses, especially startups, and how they must leverage it to their advantage. What's the day one philosophy? Fuelled by immense vigor, excitement, and ambition, day 1 connotes energy and enthusiasm in the life of Amazon. The philosophy is deeply rooted in Amazon, and it is this deep-rootedness that enables it to combat challenges, embrace change, employ quick decision-making, and, above all, have an obsession with its customers. For businesses wishful to thrive by embracing growth and innovation, there is much to glean from Amazon's conspicuous "Day 1" philosophy. As coined by Jeff Bezos, the corporate mantra "It's always Day One" embodies the spirit of a start-up – which is characterized by agility, hunger for innovations, openness to ideas, flexibility to adapt, and ready to change at a moment's notice. How can businesses leverage the day one philosophy? Modern-day businesses and keen entrepreneurs have a lot to learn and incorporate from what has catapulted Amazon into the industry giant it is today. They should analyze and dig into the details and see how they fit into their business context. With evolving markets to serve, ravenous consumers to deal with, and a plethora of business challenges to overcome, there cannot be a better mentality for businesses and startups than ‘day 1’ to accommodate. It’s highly business-oriented yet extremely customer-focused. And this combination is precisely what any prudent business would want. Let’s see how day one philosophy can help businesses stay competitively ahead. Cultivate a Day 1 Mindset “If it's in the mind, it’s everywhere. It’s pervasive.” From its origins in Bezos' garage to its current status as a leading ecommerce titan, Amazon has consciously and strivingly stuck to the ethos of a start-up. Day 1, in this context, is more than a temporal marker; it symbolizes an attitude that embraces experimentation through embedded practices, out-of-the-box approach, unreserved innovation, customer obsession, and long-term thinking. To inculcate the Day 1 mindset, as rigorous as it may sound, modern-era businesses must approach each day as if it were the first day of their entrepreneurial journey. This necessitates maintaining an insatiable eagerness to invent, learn from failures, and rebound stronger. It's about prioritizing customers over competitors, devising ways of enhancing customer experience, and pushing the boundaries to disrupt one's own comfort zone. The primacy of customer obsession At the heart of the Day 1 philosophy lies an unwavering focus on the customer. This intimates that businesses should strive to exceed customer expectations at every turn. It's paramount that actions are shaped more by customer needs than by the moves of competitors. principle of customer obsession The key is to become increasingly customer-centric and orchestrate the business strategy around customers' evolving expectations. Differentiation strategy, for instance, may be an easy task to undertake instantly for businesses who believe in remaining agile and on their toes. A prepared and prudent business must start sprinting at the whiff of evolving customer expectations. That’s precisely what agility and responsiveness in the philosophy strongly relate to. For futuristic businesses, this really means being responsive to customer feedback and continuously iterating and innovating based on customers' latent and explicit needs. To do this, businesses need to stay rooted in the domain of their customers while simultaneously earning and retaining their trust. Embrace Innovation and Experimentation Experimenting and innovating should be at the heart of ambitious businesses– something which the day one philosophy resonates with. It mandates a deep-rooted . The easiest way to prolong Day 1 is by fostering a culture that values and encourages experimentation, even at the cost of short-term failure. commitment to innovation Businesses can encourage teams to test new ideas, processes, and products. Realizing that innovation often comes from multiple trials and inevitable missteps is instrumental to maintaining the resilience and agility of a Day 1 venture. Crews should be encouraged to learn, iterate, and pivot based on their failures and successes. Long-term Sustainable Thinking The Day 1 philosophy is not just about the 'now’; it's just as much about 'what’s to arrive.' Businesses must align themselves with the future they aspire to create. Institutionalizing long-term thinking can uncover opportunities that short-term objectives might obfuscate. By making strategic choices to invest time, effort, and resources into profoundly understanding their industry, market trends, and customer behavior, businesses can foresee and shape the future. Long-term sustainable thinking enables businesses to continuously innovate, differentiate themselves, and excel in their respective industries, thereby keeping the freshness of Day 1 alive. Why Innovation Pays Off? Another cornerstone of the Day 1 philosophy is the relentless pursuit of innovation. One may often ask how critical innovation is for adopting a Day One approach. It’s absolutely vital, to be precise. Amazon’s playbook encourages businesses to embed a culture that values experimentation, understanding that failures today can catapult the successes of tomorrow. By empowering teams to learn from iterative failures and successes, enthusiastically futuristic businesses of today can certainly harness the creativity and resilience needed to drive sustained growth. Conclusion Industries are becoming increasingly rivalrous. Businesses ought to behave aggressively. The day one mentality is pressing and yielding, as can be witnessed by the growth of Amazon. If they can adopt the right elements of sustainability, agility & nimble structures, innovation, curiosity, high-velocity decision-making abilities, customer-centrism, and adaptability, they are bound to witness profound growth. They can shepherd businesses into unprecedented territories of success and customer satisfaction. Cultivating that all-important Day 1 mentality, wherein every day is treated as a new beginning, not only promotes agility & resilience but fosters an undying thirst for improvement. Incorporating these principles into your business strategy can provide a competitive edge and show your readiness to adapt and evolve. In the fast-paced, competitive world of business, it's crucial to remember— it's always Day One.

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