Tech News Today 1706

The Wall Street Journal says that phone calls might be coming to the Amazon Echo and Google Home as early as this year, provided they are able to overcome regulatory hurdles and privacy concerns.

Sources tell Bloomberg and Recode that Verizon is near completion of a renegotiated deal that could cut anywhere from $250 million to $350 million dollars off of Yahoo's $4.8 billion price. Once the deal is finalized, Verizon and Altaba Inc (the renamed Yahoo) will share liabilities for future breaches.

A new headset by eSight is helping the legally blind to see. It is equipped with a high speed, high-def camera, two sensors, two OLED screens, and a controller that helps people with severely low vision adjust what they're seeing. The device has FDA Type 1 clearance and costs $10,000.

We also talk about HTC's bumpy road, Amazon's Prime subscriber numbers, and we chat with Sami Main from Adweek about PewDiePie's controversial string of YouTube videos, and the risks brands take when they saddle up with influential personalities.

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Links

• Amazon and Google Consider Turning Smart Speakers Into Home Phones
• Verizon Said to Near Yahoo Deal at Lower Price After Hacks
• Verizon could shave up to $350 million off its Yahoo deal and shift liability for future breaches
• Smart glasses bring vision to legally blind
• HTC will launch mobile VR device as follow-up to Vive
• HTC has another tough quarter, with revenue down 13% YOY, but smaller losses
• Amazon just shared new numbers that give a clue about how many Prime members it has
• PewDiePie and the Potential Dangers of Social Influencer Marketing for Brands
• Heroic Driver Sacrifices His Tesla To Save Unconscious Man In Runaway Volkswagen