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Amazon is releasing a kids version of the Echo Dot; heres what it does
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The product will be similar to the Echo Dot, only it comes with parental controls and child-friendly content. - photo by Herb Scribner
Amazon is releasing a new product that is tailored for children.

The online retail companys new Echo Dot Kids Edition went on pre-sale Wednesday. The product will be similar to the Echo Dot, only it comes with parental controls and child-friendly content.

Not to be outdone, the device will be encased in a super colorful case as well.

The new device sells for $79.99, which is $30 more than the traditional Echo Dot.

Buyers will receive a years subscription to Amazon's FreeTime Unlimited Service, which adds unlimited parental controls and kid-friendly content, and a two-year agreement that Amazon will replace the device if it gets damaged (no questions asked).

As The Verge reported, the devices main draw is with the FreeTime Unlimited Service package, which offers children access to family-friendly audiobooks, radio stations, Disney and Nickelodeon character alarms, and more.

Buyers will have a subscription to the service for a year, but it can be purchased for $2.99 per month per child as well after that time, The Verge reported.

The basic and free version of the FreeTime service blocks children from shopping on Alexa, reading the news, or using third-party delivery apps, like Uber or Dominos.

But, according to BuzzFeed News, children who use the device will be treated to some special Easter eggs, including a magic word function that will give children rewards for saying the word please.

In fact, Amazon created the device to have specific responses that are tailored for children who talk to Alexa about their lives.

For example, if a child tells Alexa that he or she has been bullied, the device will respond, I'm so sorry to hear that, You should talk to your parents, a teacher, or another trusted grown-up. Bullying is never OK, according to BuzzFeed.

Avi Greengart, a tech analyst at GlobalData, told USA Today that the new device will address the demand by parents and children to have their own devices.

Amazon is doing something thats been widely asked, which is rewarding kids for saying 'please,'" he said. Perhaps that will lessen the fear that some parents have that adding an AI (artificial intelligent assistant) is ruining a kid's etiquette.
Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
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A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.