Amazon (AMZN) News

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Unicorns, IPOs and the hidden links among the new wave of tech giants

by Todd Bishop on April 20, 2019April 20, 2019 at 9:12 amComment

Seattle has a new unicorn, Outreach, the sales and marketing automation company that raised a $114 million funding round, pushing its valuation to $1.1 billion. The news sends GeekWire co-founder… Read More

Should Apple join Amazon’s healthcare venture? Analysts make the case for collaboration between tech giants

by James Thorne on April 19, 2019April 19, 2019 at 10:38 amComment

As big tech companies vie for a slice of the $3.5 trillion spent by Americans on healthcare each year, analysts at Morgan Stanley have a bold proposal: Work together. In… Read More

Amazon and Google make peace: YouTube to return to Fire TV and Prime Video coming to Chromecast

by Nat Levy on April 18, 2019April 18, 2019 at 11:51 am 3 Comments

Amazon and Google have resolved a long-running feud that kept YouTube off Fire TV devices for more than a year. The two companies said “in the coming months,” they will… Read More

Alexa, certify me: Amazon Web Services launching training program for Alexa skill builders

by Tom Krazit on April 16, 2019April 15, 2019 at 3:49 pm1 Comment

Amazon Web Services plans to launch a certification program Tuesday that will give developers building so-called “skills” for its Echo digital assistants a way to verify their abilities. The AWS… Read More

Amazon gives $200K to Seattle Chamber political action committee ahead of City Council elections

by Monica Nickelsburg on April 16, 2019April 16, 2019 at 11:43 amComment

Amazon donated $200,000 to the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce’s political action committee in March ahead of a significant City Council election in the tech giant’s hometown. The Chamber’s Civic… Read More

Bellevue accelerates self-driving transit plans as Amazon moves major team from Seattle

by Monica Nickelsburg on April 15, 2019April 15, 2019 at 3:14 pm1 Comment

For more than a year, transportation wonks and city officials have been working to turn Bellevue, Wash., into a smart mobility hub. But news that Amazon plans to relocate a… Read More

Amazon reportedly exploring free, ad-supported music streaming service, Spotify shares slip

by Nat Levy on April 15, 2019April 15, 2019 at 9:06 am1 Comment

Amazon is working on a new free, ad-supported streaming music service, ratcheting up its challenge to Spotify, according to a new report. Citing sources familiar with the plans, Billboard reported… Read More

New book ‘Billionaire Boondoggle’ explains the myth behind corporate tax incentives

by Molly Brown on April 14, 2019April 12, 2019 at 5:52 pm 3 Comments

It’s tax season, and some people are finding out the hard way that those so-called tax breaks that President Trump promised them aren’t coming. Who is getting additional tax breaks… Read More

Uber lists Seattle companies Amazon and Convoy as competitors in IPO filing

by Taylor Soper on April 11, 2019April 11, 2019 at 10:55 pmComment

Two Seattle companies made an appearance in Uber’s IPO prospectus that published Thursday as potential threats to its business. The transportation giant revealed its financials and other details as the… Read More

Amazon shareholders seek moratorium on facial recognition sales to government, climate change action and other political goals

by Monica Nickelsburg on April 11, 2019April 11, 2019 at 12:15 pm 2 Comments

Employee and shareholder activism is catching like wildfire in the tech industry, where fierce competition for talent makes workers especially influential. Workers and stock owners at Microsoft, Google, and other… Read More

Amazon’s original birthplace sells for $1.5M, but fate of legendary mailbox remains unclear

by Nat Levy on April 11, 2019April 12, 2019 at 9:18 amComment

Amazon’s first home has a new owner. The house at 10704 N.E. 28th St. in Bellevue, Wash., formerly rented by Jeff Bezos as he was just getting the company off… Read More

Amazon confirms that employees listen to Alexa conversations to help improve digital assistant

by Nat Levy on April 11, 2019April 11, 2019 at 9:57 am 2 Comments

Behind Amazon’s digital assistant Alexa are thousands of humans reviewing some of the millions of utterances people make to their smart speakers, according to a new report from Bloomberg. These… Read More

Jeff Bezos challenges retail giants to match (or beat!) Amazon’s $15/hour minimum wage and benefits

by Todd Bishop on April 11, 2019April 11, 2019 at 8:20 am1 Comment

Amazon last fall raised its minimum wage to $15/hour for its U.S. workers, after facing pressure from Sen. Bernie Sanders and others to boost compensation in its fulfillment centers and… Read More

Jeff Bezos uses annual Amazon letter as antitrust antidote: ‘Third-party sellers are kicking our first party butt. Badly.’

by Todd Bishop on April 11, 2019April 11, 2019 at 6:05 amComment

Amazon is getting trounced by third-party sellers on its platform, has weathered some spectacular failures in the process of building its business, and “remains a small player in global retail.”… Read More

Early Amazon investor Tom Alberg to leave board, 23 years after betting on Jeff Bezos’ little startup

by Taylor Soper on April 11, 2019April 11, 2019 at 10:31 am1 Comment

More than 23 years after betting on a small startup called Amazon.com, Tom Alberg, the company’s longest-standing board member, is stepping down. Alberg, 79, was one of Amazon’s earliest investors… Read More

Amazon acquires Canvas Technology to bolster warehouse robotics capabilities

by Nat Levy on April 10, 2019April 10, 2019 at 11:19 pmComment

Amazon has acquired Canvas Technology, a Boulder, Colo., robotics company that powers autonomous vehicles in industrial settings. Amazon for years now has pushed to automate parts of its warehouses, deploying… Read More

And then there were two: Amazon Web Services and Microsoft named finalists for the Pentagon’s $10B JEDI cloud contract

by Tom Krazit on April 10, 2019April 11, 2019 at 10:34 amComment

The U.S. Department of Defense narrowed down the list of contenders for its ten-year $10 billion cloud contract to the two companies, and their names will not surprise you. Either… Read More

Amazon takes heat over climate change as employee activist group swells to more than 3,500

by Monica Nickelsburg on April 10, 2019April 10, 2019 at 12:56 pm 8 Comments

For months, Amazon employees have been agitating for a comprehensive environmental plan at the company and on Wednesday they reached a new milestone. More than 3,500 workers have signed onto… Read More

Google takes aim at Amazon Web Services with Google Cloud for Retail

by Tom Krazit on April 10, 2019April 10, 2019 at 9:52 am1 Comment

Google plans to launch one of its first vertical-market cloud services packages introduced under new CEO Thomas Kurian Wednesday at Google Cloud Next 2019 with its top cloud rival squarely… Read More

Amazon Go stores to accept cash as legislators go after cashless retail

by Monica Nickelsburg on April 10, 2019April 10, 2019 at 8:25 am1 Comment

Amazon is responding to growing criticism of retailers that don’t accept cash, which advocates for the poor say is a discriminatory practice. The tech giant confirmed plans to start accepting… Read More

Video

Amazon was here: Early employees recall startup days in Seattle building that will soon disappear

by Kurt Schlosser on April 10, 2019April 11, 2019 at 8:05 am 2 Comments

In a non-descript, four-story building, around the corner from Seattle’s iconic Pike Place Market, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos once sat in a tiny office with stained carpets. His view from… Read More

Amazon Web Services adds more clean energy to its cloud with three new wind farm deals

by Tom Krazit on April 8, 2019April 8, 2019 at 10:37 am 3 Comments

More than 229 megawatts of clean power will be added to Amazon Web Services’ data centers by the end of 2021 through three new wind farm deals announced Monday by… Read More

Podcast

Why Amazon is pulling a giant team out of Seattle, and what it means for the tech giant’s home region

by Monica Nickelsburg on April 6, 2019April 6, 2019 at 7:29 am 8 Comments

News that Amazon is shifting its worldwide operations team out of Seattle to nearby Bellevue, Wash., quickly ignited a debate in the region about the tech giant’s incredible growth and… Read More

Podcast

Amazon

Unicorns, IPOs and the hidden links among the new wave of tech giants

Should Apple join Amazon’s healthcare venture? Analysts make the case for collaboration between tech giants

Amazon and Google make peace: YouTube to return to Fire TV and Prime Video coming to Chromecast

Alexa, certify me: Amazon Web Services launching training program for Alexa skill builders

Amazon gives $200K to Seattle Chamber political action committee ahead of City Council elections

Bellevue accelerates self-driving transit plans as Amazon moves major team from Seattle

Amazon reportedly exploring free, ad-supported music streaming service, Spotify shares slip

New book ‘Billionaire Boondoggle’ explains the myth behind corporate tax incentives

Uber lists Seattle companies Amazon and Convoy as competitors in IPO filing

Amazon shareholders seek moratorium on facial recognition sales to government, climate change action and other political goals

Amazon’s original birthplace sells for $1.5M, but fate of legendary mailbox remains unclear

Amazon confirms that employees listen to Alexa conversations to help improve digital assistant

Jeff Bezos challenges retail giants to match (or beat!) Amazon’s $15/hour minimum wage and benefits

Jeff Bezos uses annual Amazon letter as antitrust antidote: ‘Third-party sellers are kicking our first party butt. Badly.’

Early Amazon investor Tom Alberg to leave board, 23 years after betting on Jeff Bezos’ little startup

Amazon acquires Canvas Technology to bolster warehouse robotics capabilities

And then there were two: Amazon Web Services and Microsoft named finalists for the Pentagon’s $10B JEDI cloud contract

Amazon takes heat over climate change as employee activist group swells to more than 3,500

Google takes aim at Amazon Web Services with Google Cloud for Retail

Amazon Go stores to accept cash as legislators go after cashless retail

Amazon was here: Early employees recall startup days in Seattle building that will soon disappear

Amazon Web Services adds more clean energy to its cloud with three new wind farm deals

Why Amazon is pulling a giant team out of Seattle, and what it means for the tech giant’s home region

Shark Tank’s billion-dollar blunder: How startup Ring went from TV rejection to Amazon acquisition

Amazon reportedly making AirPods competitor with built-in Alexa and better audio quality

Amazon’s big Bellevue move: Politicians, business leaders and real estate experts weigh in

Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos finalize divorce; Amazon CEO keeps 75% of couple’s stock

Amazon adds HIPAA compliance to Alexa Skills, opening door for secure health apps

New court filing details why Amazon tore up its film distribution agreement with Woody Allen

Welcome home, Amazon: Bellevue mayor lauds company’s ‘transition’ from Seattle to nearby city

Women in Tech Regatta

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UW Foster School’s Technology Management MBA Application Workshop