Bee, the AI wearable startup Amazon acquired just over a year ago, has announced its first new devices since the deal. The company on Thursday introduced the Bee Frontier and the Bee Eclipse, two AI note-taking gadgets, along with a new Bee Pro subscription plan and integrations with Amazon and Alexa+.
Bee Frontier: Price and Features
The Bee Frontier replaces the first-generation Bee Pioneer, which cost $50 and has now been discontinued. The compact module can be worn on the wrist using a bracelet, or clipped onto a bag or an outfit.
To capture a conversation, users tap the button once, and Bee then produces a written transcript and summary. Holding the button down instead brings up Bee's Buzz AI assistant for questions, or lets users record a quick voice memo. An LED light shows when the device is listening or charging.
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Compared with the Pioneer, the Frontier is smaller and lighter, and is rated IP67 for dust and water resistance. It has dual microphones with noise filtering, a USB-C port and up to seven days of battery life. The Frontier is available now on Amazon for $75, in colours including Lavender, Sage and Onyx.
Bee Eclipse: A Note-Taker for Your Phone
The Bee Eclipse is a new kind of device for the company. Instead of being worn, it's a rectangular puck about the shape of a thick credit card that attaches magnetically to the back of a phone. It has three microphones, a button and an indicator light.
Its larger size allows for much longer battery life, with Bee promising more than 21 days on a charge. The Eclipse costs $100 and will come in Silver, Midnight, Honey and Blush. Amazon says it will be “available soon,” without giving a date.
Bee Pro Subscription
Bee Pro costs $11.99 a month. Subscribers get daily memories, conversation templates, to-do suggestions and no limit on summaries of recent conversations, along with a desktop app for Mac and Windows.
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Pro also adds opt-in integrations with Amazon and Alexa+. Bee can suggest products mentioned in conversations and build shopping lists, while Echo devices can answer questions using information Bee has captured, after confirming the user by voice.
New users get Bee Pro free for 30 days. Bee founder Maria Zollo said early customers will keep their current features free.
Privacy
According to Amazon, Bee devices don't keep any audio. Sound is turned into notes as it's captured and then discarded, and only the user's device can create and control the keys that encrypt their transcripts.
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