New Amazon shopping cart lets users scan & pay to skip checkout lines

Mumbai [India], July 14: The Dash Cart screen will now display images of fresh items nearby, like produce, for shoppers to choose from, or shoppers can type in the item name instead of a four-digit PLU code

Amazon on Tuesday unveiled an updated smart Dash Cart -- a shopping cart that helps users scan and pay for their purchases and skip the checkout line.

In September 2020, Amazon's physical retail team introduced the Amazon Dash Cart for the first time.

"We've built the updated version of the Dash Cart to continue to offer the features people love most, like real-time receipts and the ability to weigh produce directly in the cart's basket, alongside new conveniences and behind-the-scenes technology advancements," said Dilip Kumar, Vice President, Physical Retail and Technology

The Dash Cart are available for use at many Amazon Fresh stores across the US.

The Dash Cart screen will now display images of fresh items nearby, like produce, for shoppers to choose from, or shoppers can type in the item name instead of a four-digit PLU code.

The carts feature an extended all-day battery life that requires less charging, making them even more readily available for customers, said Kumar.

The company has doubled the capacity of the cart while maintaining the ability to quickly measure produce weight for certified accuracy and price.

"As many of our customers return to their in-store grocery shopping routines, it's exciting to introduce new and unique ways for them to shop our stores," said Leandro Balbinot, chief technology officer for Whole Foods Market.

To use the new version of the Dash Cart, shoppers log in through a QR code in the Amazon or Whole Foods Market app, which allows them to easily sign in and begin using the cart.

From there, shoppers place their bags (if using them) in the cart and start shopping, scanning their items using one of the cameras near the handlebar of the Dash Cart.

The cart uses a combination of computer vision algorithms and sensor fusion to help verify each item placed in, and removed from, the cart.

The Dash Cart's screen shows a real-time receipt of all items in the cart, and when shoppers are ready to check out, they simply exit the store through the Amazon Dash Cart lane and their payment is processed using the credit card associated with their Amazon account.

Shoppers will receive an emailed receipt shortly after leaving the store.

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Exclusively listen to the latest music by composers Indian composers on Alexa Originals

Mumbai [India], July 13: Amazon has announced Alexa Originals in India, which is a collection of original songs by independent artists. For this, Amazon has collaborated with four Indie composers so that their music can reach as many people as possible and Alexa users can listen to fresh new music.

Swati Bhat

The ever-growing independent music scene — which engaged millions of Indian listeners with catchy hits in the 90s — is finally getting some long-overdue support from a loyal fan base and audio platforms. Recently, Amazon India announced the launch of Alexa Originals, an exclusive selection of new songs by four independent artists from India. Users can now listen to Besabar by Lisa Mishra, Bikhre from Vibha Saraf, Saathi and an instrumental track from Gulraj Singh, and Downtown by Diesby as part of Alexa Originals.

Listeners can say, "Alexa, start Originals" or request a specific song by the artist, saying, "Alexa, start Bikhre from Originals". One can listen to all songs for free on the Amazon shopping app (Android only), Echo Smart speakers, Alexa app for smartphones, and many Alexa built-in devices by other brands such as HP laptops.

“Each Alexa Original song has been created on the theme of relationships and includes music ranging from soul to pop and R&B. With Alexa built-in devices usually enjoyed by the entire family, I'm sure this selection will interest family members with diverse tastes”, says Dilip RS, Country Manager for Alexa, Amazon India. “It has been a delight to collaborate with these indie artists to curate our first line-up of Alexa Originals and we are happy to bring this to customers with the support of HP.”

Talking about her song, singer-songwriter Lisa Mishra says, "’Besabar is an upbeat dance-pop song that I had so much fun making. I hope people enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed making it. I am stoked to be the first few to collaborate with the Alexa team and super excited to see Alexa as the new millennial music destination."

For the last four years, Indian customers have been using Alexa on the Echo range of devices, Fire TV, Amazon shopping app for Android, and Alexa built-in devices by other brands. Listening to music is one of the most popular features, where customers request Alexa to play over 21.6 Lakh songs every day. With Alexa Originals, customers will find new reasons to enjoy music from these talented independent artists on Alexa. In the last three years, preference for music created by independent artists has increased significantly. On Amazon Prime Music, the plays for a song by independent music artists have increased by 37% in the same time frame.

Gulraj Singh, a film music director and singer known for his soothing melodies, says, "I'm so happy to have Saathi released as one of the first songs for Alexa Originals. The song celebrates the true spirit of companionship and friendship, and I had a great time working on it with my lyricist friend Manoj Yadav. I'm always excited to create original music and have experimented with some exciting soundscapes and interesting musical arrangements for my instrumental track. I can't thank Amazon enough for this wonderful opportunity." The instrumental track by Gulraj Singh has a mix of ambient electronic sounds and authentic and ethnic instruments like Esraj, Bouzouki, Saz, Charango, and Mandolin.

Expressing her happiness over Alexa Originals, songwriter and Bollywood playback singer Vibha Saraf says, "I am excited to feature my music on Alexa, where people are going to access my song by simply calling out its title. How much simpler could it get!"

Diesby, an R&B artist who can sing in three languages, is also excited about his upcoming number on Alexa Originals. “Downtown is a love letter. The spark of first love and the beats will keep you grooving. It is the perfect song to dedicate to your beloved. I have created the song with a blend of modern Afro, R&B, and a touch of urban Punjabi. Playing around with different flavours makes the music more interesting and that's what I enjoy with my fellow producer Chapter6.”

Amazon Prime members in India can Discover Joy with the year’s best deals on Alexa-powered Amazon Echo devices during Amazon Prime Day 2022, which kicks off at midnight on July 23 and runs through July 24. The latest Echo smart speakers and smart displays will be on sale with up to 55% off. Also look out for great deals on Alexa built-in smartphones, smartwatches, TVs, speakers, and more.

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