Instagram Disables Several APIs Used by Third-Party Apps

Along with multiple privacy-related API changes being made to Facebook, Facebook, which owns Instagram, announced that it has disabled several Instagram Platform APIs as of today, disabling certain Instagram features that are available in third-party Instagram apps.

Third-party Instagram apps will no longer be able to use APIs that provide access to follower lists, likes, relationships, and public comments.

To continuously improve Instagram users’ privacy and security, we are accelerating the deprecation of Instagram API Platform, making the following changes effective immediately. We understand that this may affect your business or services, and we appreciate your support in keeping our platform secure.

In the future, other APIs will be disabled. Starting on December 11, 2018, Instagram will no longer allow apps to read public content, and in early 2020, apps will not be able to read a user’s own profile info and media. These APIs are all part of Instagram’s older platform, and it has already been working towards transferring developers to a newer, more restrictive platform.

As TechCrunch points out, Instagram had originally planned on deprecating the APIs in July and December of 2018, but suddenly moved the timetable forward in the wake of Facebook’s Cambridge Analytica scandal. While the remaining APIs won’t be disabled fully until 2020, Instagram has implemented rate limit reductions on them as of last weekend to limit access.

Instagram previously allowed 5,000 API calls per user per hour, a number that has been cut down to 200.

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AirPods trouble? Here are the most common AirPods problems and how to fix them

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Apple’s AirPods are some of the best fully wireless earbuds around right now, but they aren’t perfect. From disconnected calls and pairing issues to basic audio woes, there’s a lot that can go wrong with any pair of true wireless earbuds — even those from Apple. Whether your AirPods are giving you serious headaches, or you just have the feeling that something isn’t working right, we’ll help you diagnose (and hopefully fix) the most common AirPod problems.

Find those Pods

This may not be an actual issue with the buds themselves, but considering the size and wireless nature of the AirPods, this is a fairly common complaint. Fortunately, it’s easily fixed using Find My iPhone.

To get started, launch the Find My iPhone app on your iOS device or head to the iCloud website, sign in with your Apple ID, and select Find My iPhone. From there, select your AirPods and you’ll see a map showing where they are, or their last location before they were powered off. If you see a green dot next to the icon for your AirPods, it means they’re turned on, and you can play a sound to easily locate them. If they’re turned off, the map should at least give you starting point.

Pairing problems

If you’re running into an issue where your AirPods aren’t connecting to your phone or tablet, the first thing to do is put them back in the charging case, wait around 10 seconds, then take them back out and put them in your ears again. In a lot of cases, this is all it takes.

If that doesn’t work, the next step is to try turning Bluetooth on and off on your phone or tablet. Then repeat the above process. In all but the most unusual cases, this should solve the issue.

It’s not likely, but you may encounter situations where neither of these solutions work. If this is the case, you can try fully resetting the AirPods. This is a catch-all fix for a lot of problems, and one we’ll detail at the bottom of this article.

Computer connection woes

This isn’t much of an issue with newer Macs, but sometimes maintaining a Bluetooth connection can be problematic with PCs and older Macs. The first thing to try is the same as the first step when trying to connect to a phone: Put the AirPods back into their case for 10 seconds before putting them back in your ears.

If that doesn’t work, you’ll want to unpair and pair them again, which can be done by turning Bluetooth on and off, but this could be a problem if you use a Bluetooth mouse on your computer. In this case, head to your Bluetooth settings, find the AirPods, and disconnect them. Then go through the same steps you used to pair the AirPods to your computer in the first place.

Call drops

One of the more annoying issues with AirPods, intermittent call drops have been plaguing the earbuds since launch. Fortunately, this has a simple fix that often works: Try taking calls with only one AirPod in your ear, not both. This works wonders for lots of users, and you may not have to try anything else.

Josh Edelson/Getty Images

If that doesn’t work, there are a few options that iPhone users can try. First, open the Settings app and go to the Bluetooth section. Next to the AirPods entry on the list of devices, you should see an “i” icon inside of a circle. Tap this, then select microphone, and set it to either left or right. In extreme cases, you can also turn off Automatic Ear Detection in the same section, though this disables one of the earbuds’ most convenient features, and will also run down the battery faster.

If you still have issues, you can again try the full reset detailed at the end of this article.

Audio issues or static

Unlike some of the other problems described in this article, static and/or sub-par audio quality can be caused by a lot of things, so it’s much tougher to diagnose. Bluetooth connections can be affected by interference, which can cause everything from static to reduced audio quality and even disconnects. If this always happens in one place, interference could be the problem. If this is happening in your home, you might be able to track down the device causing interference and move it, or use your AirPods in a different area. If you’re in the office, you may be out of luck.

Fortunately, there is one fix that several users have reported works, though it isn’t exactly convenient. Wi-Fi can cause interference with the AirPods, especially during calls, so you might want to try turning off Wi-Fi while making calls. Of course, you’ll want to turn it back on when you’re done. If you’re getting stuttering instead of static or noise, you can also try turning off Automatic Ear Detection as detailed above.

Android volume trouble

If you use your AirPods with an Android device, you might have run into a problem in which the volume is much lower than with iOS devices. A lot of features of the AirPods use the W1 chip to interact with your iPhone or iPad, but Android devices don’t get this luxury, and volume control can be affected by this.

The heart of the issue is that when you’re dealing with most Bluetooth audio devices, there are two volume levels: The volume of your source device (phone, tablet, or computer), and the volume of your audio device. When using the AirPods with an Android source device, the volume of the AirPods isn’t automatically controlled as it is on iOS. Luckily, there’s an easy fix.

For a stock Android device, tap the volume either up or down and you should see the volume control appear on the screen. Tap the down arrow next to the volume control, and you’ll see all the available volume sliders appear. One of these should be Bluetooth. Now just turn this one up or down as needed.

On Samsung Galaxy phones, it’s a little different. Go to Settings, then Connections, then Bluetooth. Here, tap the three dots in the top right corner for more options, then turn on Media Volume Sync. Now you can use the volume control on the device in the same way you would on an iOS device.

Bad battery

Out of the box, the AirPods should last about five hours on a fresh charge, which puts them right toward the top in the genre at time of publication. Over time though, this will start to wear down. There’s nothing you can do about this, unfortunately, but if you’re experiencing dramatically shorter battery life than expected, there are a couple things to try.

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

First, make sure that Automatic Ear Detection is on, as this puts the AirPods into a low-power mode that is essentially off when you’re not using them. If you have this on and are still getting much shorter battery life than you were recently, we’re going to refer you one last time to that total reset option below.

How to reset your AirPods

As noted above, totally resetting your AirPods can fix several issues. The good news is it won’t even take you a minute to do. Here’s how:

Put your AirPods back in the charging case.
Hold the button on the back of the case for roughly 15 seconds until the orange LED flashes.
Open the case next to your phone and wait for the AirPods to reconnect.

Assuming you’re using an iPhone, iCloud will sync the connection to your other devices at this point. If you’re using another device, you’ll have to pair manually as you would with any other Bluetooth device.

A Genius solution

No one likes to get on that customer service train, but if you have an issue with your AirPods that isn’t listed above or if they’re not working at all, your best bet is to contact Apple support or head to the nearest Apple Store. If you’re just reading this because you’re thinking about buying a set of AirPods, be sure to check out our full review.

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Verizon offers Pixel 2, iPhone X for up to half the price with a trade-in

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

On Tuesday, April 3, Verizon announced new promotional deals starting on Thursday, April 5. The carrier is offering up to 50 percent off for its top smartphones including the Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, iPhone X, Samsung Galaxy S9, and more.

For a limited time, you can trade in your smartphone and receive up to 50 percent off a Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL, along with a few other perks. The deal also includes two months free of YouTube TV, a Google Chromecast, and a Google Home Mini. But even if you decide to buy the device at full price without a trade in, you still receive the Google bundle.

With YouTube TV, you will be able to stream 50-plus live TV channels which also includes a cloud DVR with unlimited storage space. You can then redeem your YouTube TV trial via YouTube’s website. But it’s important to note that it’s only available for customers who haven’t subscribed to the trial in the past. After the trial period ends, you will be automatically charged $40 per month — unless you cancel beforehand.

In addition, Verizon is also offering a second deal starting April 5. Customers can get up to 50 percent off Android devices including the Samsung Galaxy S9, S9 Plus, and iPhone X as long as they have an eligible trade-in.

To get 50 percent off the iPhone 8, Galaxy S9, Pixel 2, or Moto Z2 Force, the following devices are eligible for trade in: iPhone 8, 8 Plus, 7, 7 Plus, 6S Plus, Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, GS8, GS8+, Note 8, Google Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, LG G6, LG V30, Moto Z2 Force, and Moto Z Force.

You will be able to receive 35 percent off when trading in the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6S, Samsung GS7, Note 5, GS6, GS6 Edge, Gs6 Edge+, LG G5, LG V20, Moto Z Droid, Moto Z2 Play, or HTC 10.

As for the iPhone 8 Plus, Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus, Pixel 2 XL, and LG V30, you can trade in the iPhone X, iPhone 8, 8 Plus, 7, 7 Plus, Samsung GS8, GS8+ Note 8, Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, LG V30, or Moto Z2 Force.

For the 35 percent off, you can trade in the iPhone 6S, 6S Plus, Samsung GS7/Edge, Note 5, Google Pixel, Pixel XL, LG G6, LG V20, Moto Z2 Play, Moto Z Force, or HTC 10.

Lastly, to get 50 percent off the iPhone X or Galaxy Note 8 you have to trade in either the iPhone 8 Plus, GS8+, or Note 8. To get 35 percent off you can trade in the iPhone 7, 7 Plus, iPhone 8, Samsung GS8, Google Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, or LG V30.

The deal is available for both those who either switch to Verizon from another carrier or choose to upgrade. Trade-in credits will be issued over 24 months, and they will appear within one to two billing cycles after Verizon receives the device you traded in.

See Offer Details

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Skyscanner travel app now lets you book train tickets, too

Skyscanner already has a place among Digital Trends’ collection of awesome travel apps thanks to its ability to surface the most affordable flights, hotels, and rental cars, as well as its ease of use.

Anyone using the app in the U.K. can now tap it for train travel, too. The latest feature, currently for iPhone and iPad but coming soon for Android devices, lets you search for and book rail tickets for trips across the U.K., with no hidden fees added during transactions. To be clear, it’s currently not possible to book Eurostar train tickets from London to Paris, Brussels, and beyond, though hopefully that’s something the team is looking to add.

In a blog post announcing the new feature, which is available now via the latest update, Skyscanner said it had noticed that travelers have been using its service to search for more than 350 destinations in the U.K. that aren’t served by a nearby airport. “Now, they’ll be able to get to their destination by train with Skyscanner’s newest offering,” it said.

Skyscanner’s train service is powered by Trip.com, a recently launched online travel agency owned by Shanghai-based travel operator Ctrip. Skyscanner was acquired by Ctrip in 2016 in a deal worth $1.7 billion.

Trip.com will facilitate train bookings made via Skyscanner and also offer 24-hour customer service in the case of any inquiries or hiccups.

Commenting on Skyscanner’s latest feature, Bryan Dove, the company’s chief technology officer, said, “Our focus has always been on making travel as easy as possible and our new train feature will do just that, with the benefit of no booking fees.”

Besides the new train options, Skyscanner can also show you the cheapest dates to fly by way of a handy month-view calendar, and you can also set up alerts if prices change following a search. Another feature is its “Top Deals” offering ideas for places to go, and at prices that should leave you with a bit of spending money once you’ve paid for transport and accommodation.

Based in Edinburgh, Scotland, Skyscanner launched first for the web in 2002. Its app appeared in 2011 and has now received more than 70 million downloads around the world.

Considering the global approach of Skyscanner’s operation, we can expect to see the train service roll out to other markets at some point in the future.

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Keep May 15 free, because Honor has a new phone to show us

Smartphone brand Honor will reveal a new device on May 15. In an email announcement, the company sent out the image above, indicating a launch event will take place in London on the day, and that we should expect a phone that’s attractive, and that features artificial intelligence. It hasn’t provided any other official details outside of this yet; but that doesn’t mean we can’t speculate.

Honor is a subrand of Huawei — think of it like Mini to Huawei’s BMW — which means that while it releases distinctive models of its own, it also means quite a lot of technology, design, and features are shared between the two. Huawei has just launched the P20 and P20 Pro smartphones. Could this be our alert that we’re due for a similarly themed Honor phone? Possibly, but if so, don’t expect Leica camera technology or three camera lenses, which characterize the P20 Pro.

Instead, we may be introduced to the official successor to the Honor 9, which was released in June 2017. Since then Honor has launched winning midrange phones — the Honor 7X and the Honor 9 Lite — along with the excellent Honor View 10, which shares plenty with the Huawei Mate 10 Pro. Will the phone shown on May 15 be called the Honor 10?

That name has recently shown up on a series of documents leaked on Chinese social network Weibo, where it was listed as a 5.7-inch phone with the Kirin 970 processor, and set for release before the middle of 2018. While the document isn’t official, it did correctly predict the P20 and P20 Pro’s specification and release. The Honor 10 is joined by the Honor 10 Lite on the list, but isn’t expected to arrive until towards the end of the year.

Honor may take some of the technology and features seen in the Huawei P10, now replaced by the P20, for its new flagship phone. The Honor 9 represented great value for money, and had a stunning design, making us keen to see what’s next. Additionally, Honor often sells its devices in the U.S. — unlike Huawei.

We’ll keep you updated on the Honor 10, or whatever the phone Honor announces on May 15 will be called, here and across Digital Trends.

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Microsoft ‘excited’ about its secret hardware built for artificial intelligence

A.I.-driven hardware produced by Microsoft is on the horizon according to Harry Shum, executive vice president of the company’s A.I. and Research Group. It’s part of Microsoft’s initiative to integrate artificial intelligence into every product and service offered by the company. Shum says these devices will be “very, very exciting.” 

The comment arrives after Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced yet another reorganization within the company, with the result creating two new engineering teams: the Experiences & Devices group led by Rajesh Jha, and the Cloud and A.I. Platform group led by Jason Zander. Harry Shum will continue to run the current A.I. and Research group. 

“When we established A.I.+R nearly two years ago, our primary goal was to accelerate the adoption of A.I. innovations from research into product, and the changes we are making today reflect our strong progress,” said Nadella in an email to Microsoft employees last week. “We will continue to drive investments in A.I.+R across research and A.I. breakthroughs that are key to our long-term success.” 

Since the launch of Microsoft’s A.I. and Research group in September 2016, around 3,000 workers have joined the original 5,000 crew before Microsoft’s reorganization last week. In that time, Microsoft introduced a bot framework for adding interactive assistants and chatbots to services and tools. The company even improved its language translation technology over the last 18 months. 

Additionally, the company now serves up cognitive services on its Azure platform, bringing speech recognition, vision knowledge, and other technologies into developers’ hands. Meanwhile, Microsoft is taking on Salesforce by moving its A.I. technologies for business applications over to the new Cloud and A.I. Platform group to create new “dynamic” versions. 

Another example is the next version of HoloLens, the company’s headset that supports high-resolution augmented reality. It will be based on the company’s custom Holographic Processing Unit with an integrated coprocessor to specifically handle artificial intelligence and ultimately deep neural networks. But Microsoft isn’t just trying to make HoloLens smarter: the company is working on dedicated A.I. processors for a portfolio of devices. 

“We have to continue to find those pieces of silicon, those chipsets that have to be developed to bring sensors to life, to connect people with each other and with their products,” Panay admitted to CNBC in November. 

As the network points out, Microsoft needs to catch up in the A.I. chip race given that Apple already installs its Bionic chip inside iPhones, and Huawei’s Mate 10 smartphone relies on the Kirin 970 chip with a built-in neural network processing unit for A.I. acceleration. Both enable faster, on-device artificial intelligence versus devices that require the cloud to perform A.I.-based tasks. 

Given that Microsoft manufactures a number of first-party devices, adding a proprietary processor to specifically handle Cortana and other A.I.-related tasks makes sense. As Panay stated in his email to employees last week, the company has a responsibility to “ensure technology’s benefits reach people more broadly across society.” But these technologies must also be trustworthy for individuals and organizations alike. 

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How to buy the Huawei P20 and P20 Pro in the U.S.

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

The P20 and P20 Pro are the latest Huawei smartphones to feature a Leica-tuned camera, and the latter device is the first smartphone to feature three lenses. Add in a large touchscreen with a small notch, a slim chassis, artificial intelligence driven by the Kirin 970 chip and the Neural Processing Unit (NPU), plus a large battery, and we’re sure you will want to check one out.

Sadly, if you live in the U.S., buying one is going to be difficult because Huawei has no current plans to sell the devices in the country. Huawei is focusing on other markets at the moment, as it has struggled to find a way past the gatekeepers in the U.S., despite bringing the Huawei Mate 10 Pro to online retailers last year. However, even this deal is falling apart. Granted, Huawei usually doesn’t sell its P-series phones in the U.S.

This means if you want a P20 or P20 Pro, you’re going to have to import one. As always with this method of buying a phone, there are various things to consider. Before we go any further, while the P20 is a great phone, if you’re making the effort to import one, we suggest going for the P20 Pro, and we’ll concentrate on that model from here on.

Will it work in the U.S.?

Not all phones work on all networks internationally. Huawei gives a comprehensive breakdown of the 3G and 4G LTE bands supported by the P20 Pro on its website, which can be compared to the bands offered by AT&T and T-Mobile in the U.S. It will happily connect to AT&T and T-Mobile in most major cities; but because the phones aren’t specifically built for either network, they do not support supplementary bands helpful in rural areas, or for periods of heavy traffic. This means it may not be as reliable as a phone made for use in the U.S.

The P20 Pro is a GSM phone, and will only work on compatible GSM networks. That means if you’re on Verizon or Sprint, it’s not going to connect. If you decide to import a P20 Pro from China, ensure it’s a “global” model, and not one specifically for China, as the bands may differ on a China-only version.

Where to buy the P20 and P20 Pro?

The P20 Pro is sold in China, the U.K., Canada, and all over Europe. The official price for the P20 Pro is 900 euros, or around $1,100. The P20 is cheaper at 650 euros, or about $850. It’s possible the P20 Pro will cost less in Canada, where it will be sold on all major networks — Bell, Rogers, Telus, Videotron, Fido, and Koodo — but pricing has yet to be revealed. In the U.K. the P20 and P20 Pro are also being sold through all major networks, unlocked without a contract through various retailers and online stores.

Anything else to remember?

If you import a phone and it breaks, or something goes wrong, using the warranty will be very difficult. Some Chinese import companies do provide their own warranty services, just don’t expect them to be very speedy, as many involve returning the phone to China.

Is all the effort to acquire a P20 Pro worth it? We think so, based on our initial impressions. We like the phone, and the camera is something very special indeed, making it twice as frustrating we can’t just pre-order it officially in the U.S.

How to buy the Huawei P20 and P20 Pro in the U.K.

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

The Huawei P20 and P20 Pro are here, and we’re already in love with the P20 Pro’s triple-lens Leica camera on the back. If you’re like us, and can’t wait to get started with one of these two phones, here’s how to buy one if you live in the U.K.

What’s that? You live in the U.S.? Sadly, the P20 and P20 Pro are not being officially released in the U.S. at the moment, so if you do want one, you’ll have to import it. The good news is it’s sold not only in the U.K., but all over Europe, in China, and in Canada too, so there are plenty of opportunities to get one if you’re keen. We’ve got a guide for you here.

In the U.K. the Huawei P20 and P20 Pro are sold through all major networks and several retailers. Here’s where you’ll find the best Huawei P20 and P20 Pro deals.

Launch dates and deal

The Huawei P20 and P20 Pro are available for pre-order now, and will be released on April 6. Buy a Huawei P20 or P20 Pro through an official stockist now, and you’ll receive a pair of Bose QuietComfort 35 II wireless headphones in the deal. Purchased separately you’ll pay 330 British pounds ($350) for a pair, making this a fantastic deal. It expires April 6 and only applies to pre-orders, so you’ll have to be fast.

Networks

If you want to buy a Huawei P20 or P20 Pro with a contract in the U.K., you’re spoiled for choice.

On EE the P20 starts at 34 British pounds ($47) per month with a 24 month contract, and the P20 Pro costs 39 British pounds ($55) per month for the same amount of time. Each has a small upfront cost, and is also available in different tariffs. The O2 network has a similar plan starting at 34 British pounds ($47) per month for the P20, and 40 British pounds ($56) per month for the P20 Pro, again with an upfront cost. Vodafone and Three also offer both phones with a variety of plans.

Retailers

Visit Carphone Warehouse and the Huawei P20 and P20 Pro can both be purchased on all the available networks, or without a contract at all. The P20 is 600 British pounds ($840), while the P20 Pro is 800 British pounds ($1,120). Carphone Warehouse also exclusively sells the P20 Lite, which has a 5.8-inch screen and a lesser dual-lens camera on the back, for 330 British pounds ($463) without a contract.

John Lewis has the two new P20 phones for the same unconnected, contract-free price, along with high street retailer Argos. Clove Technology also has the P20 and P20 Pro ready for sale, along with other online retailers including mobiles.co.uk, and mobilephonesdirect.co.uk. Prices are all very similar at launch; but there is plenty of choice on where you can buy a new P20 or P20 Pro.

If you’re not sure which one to buy yet, we have a guide to the differences between the P20 and P20 Pro here, and you can also ready our comprehensive hands-on review of the phones here. We’ll also update this article when more deals appear.

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Apple is working on touchless controls and curved screens for the iPhone

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

How does controlling an iPhone without directly touching it sound to you? Apparently it sounds pretty good to Apple, because the iPhone giant appears to be looking into touchless gesture technology for future iPhones, as well as new ways of implementing curved screens that would help Apple stand out in an increasingly crowded marketplace.

While gesture-based touchless technology is likely to be at least 2 years away, it would allow users to make gestures above the surface of their phone’s screen, which would then be translated into actions by the phone. It can be seen as something of an evolution of the 3D Touch tech employed in iPhones since the iPhone 6S, and likely linked to the gesture-based controls seen in last year’s iPhone X, which lacked a physical home button.

Samsung showcased a similar feature named “Air Gestures” way back in 2014 on the Galaxy S4, but has not yet expanded on the idea. It could be that Apple would be the first company to take this sort of idea through to a larger execution.

The same source also states that Apple is working on curved screens as well — but not the same sort of curved screen that you might see on a Galaxy S9 or Note 8. Instead, Apple is apparently working on displays that would curve inwards from top to bottom, rather than curving off at the sides of the screen. Quite how this sort of design would work we’re not entirely sure — but it would certainly be a bold new direction for the iPhone, and one that Android manufacturers would find harder to copy than the iPhone X’s notch.

Part of the issue in creating curved screens has been the relative lack of supply for OLED displays. Apple ran into supply issues with the iPhone X — which had Apple’s first iPhone OLED display — and likely wishes to avoid similar concerns with future iPhones. With rumors of an iPhone X Plus and an iPhone SE 2, Apple is probably looking to secure as large a supply of OLED screens as possible. A move by Apple toward making its own MicroLED displays — the next step up in screen tech — is also likely 3 to 5 years away, so don’t expect to see that any time soon.

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Amazon rolls out Alexa hands-free to Fire 7, Fire HD 8 tablets

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Amazon is officially rolling out support for Alexa “hands-free” mode to more of its Fire tablets. While the feature was originally only available for the Fire HD 10 — running Fire OS 5.5 or later — it’s now available for the Fire 7 and Fire HD 8 tablets.

Prior to the update, users with the Fire 7 or Fire HD 8 could only activate Alexa by holding down the Home button. This triggers a blue status bar — similar to the one you see with Siri — which appears on the screen prompting you to voice your command or question.

With hands-free mode, you can pull up the assistant by saying “Alexa,” even if the tablet is locked. You can use about things like the weather, show times, restaurant recommendations, and more. In order to use the feature, you also have to make sure you’re connected to Wi-Fi.

But there are some limitations if you’re not using it on the HD 10. Hands-free mode only works on the Fire 7 and Fire HD 8 if the device is plugged into a power source. It’s also important to note that it might not work when plugged into a low-power source either, such as a USB port.

Fire tablets also don’t include far-field microphone arrays, but you should be able to easily activate Alexa if you’re close to the tablet. For those who have a variety of Alexa-enabled devices in their space, the tablets have Echo Spatial Perception support — meaning the closest device will respond when activated. With ESP technology, an Echo speaker that is on your nightstand will respond to you before your tablet does if it’s further away.

Similar to the Echo Show or Echo Spot, the Fire 7 and Fire HD 8 will also show graphics on the screen when activating Alexa with a specific question or command. For example, if you ask about the weather, it will pull up an animated forecast for the week ahead for you.

The feature is rolling out this week through an over-the-air software update. Once it’s downloaded on the device, Alexa hands-free can be enabled by heading into Settings, tapping on Alexa, and toggling on Hands-Free Mode. You can also swipe down from the display to toggle it on via quick settings.

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