The Latest Devices from Amazon, Meta, Google, and More

Three years after OpenAI’s ChatGPT revolutionized the tech landscape, generative AI is making its presence felt in consumer hardware. As the 2025 holiday shopping season kicks off, a new wave of AI-powered devices is vying for consumers’ attention, many brands offer Black Friday incentives.

This year’s offerings include advanced smart glasses, AI-enabled smart speakers, and even pendant-style AI companions designed to offer personalized interactions. While some are touting new functionalities, others may bring privacy concerns to the surface.

The market for these gadgets is a mix of tech giants, like Amazon, Alphabet, and Meta, and smaller, emerging players such as Friend and Plaud. However, the initial reception of these products has been mixed, with no clear frontrunner emerging. This may be because AI investment has primarily focused on software and infrastructure instead of hardware.

Since the debut of ChatGPT in late 2022, the tech industry has largely prioritized the development of large language models (LLMs) and the pursuit of artificial general intelligence (AGI). This has resulted in a surge of AI applications, including sophisticated chatbots like Anthropic’s Claude, image generators like Google’s Nano Banana, and AI-driven video platforms like OpenAI’s Sora, primarily accessible via existing smartphones.

Despite the dominance of software-based AI, the AI hardware market is rapidly expanding, driven by advancements in edge computing and the increasing affordability of specialized AI chips. The potential for these devices to offer personalized, context-aware experiences is also attracting consumer interest.

For those looking to dive into the world of AI devices this holiday season, let’s take a look at some notable options.

Amazon is determined to keep its Alexa voice assistant and Echo smart speakers relevant in the age of generative AI. The company introduced Alexa+ in February, promising a smarter, more conversational, and personalized version of its digital assistant. In September, Amazon refreshed its Echo speaker line with devices that natively support Alexa+.

The lineup includes the $100 Echo Dot Max, $180 Echo Show, $220 Echo Studio, and $220 Echo Show 11. The Echo Dot Max is an entry-level speaker, while the Echo Studio emphasizes sound quality. The Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 11 primary difference is touchscreen size.

All new devices boast improved sensors, speakers, and microphones, underscoring Amazon’s commitment to enhancing the fidelity and responsiveness of its voice-controlled ecosystem.

Amazon’s Black Friday promotion includes an 11% discount on the Echo Show 11 and 10% off the Echo Dot Max.

Amazon aims to increase user engagement beyond basic tasks. Criticisms of previous Alexa iterations focused on its limited utility, causing Amazon to double down, and offer a new and improved experience.

Amazon’s recent Alexa ad tries to demonstrate that promise.

The interaction is designed to highlight the features of Alexa+’s biggest selling points — including not having to repeat a wake word for every command, for a more natural conversation feel, and using 3rd party services.

The devices also connect to external services to take user action. Alexa+ can book an Uber, OpenTable reservation, generate a song via Suno, and create a trip through Fodor’s. Amazon is expected to add more capabilities soon.

Alexa+’s availability is limited; only new customers and those with Early Access are able to use the service.

Early Access users get Alexa+ for free, but for non-Prime members, the company plans to charge $19.99 a month for the service.

Amazon in July announced plans to acquire AI company Bee, indicating that it has more hardware in the works. Bee is known for its wristband that uses AI and microphones to listen to analysis conversations, offering to-do lists, summaries, and task reminders.

While the Gemini-powered Google Home Speaker is slated for release in the spring, Alphabet has already integrated generative AI into its flagship Pixel 10 smartphones.

Launched in August, the Pixel 10 line showcases the depth of Google’s AI integration, with features like real-time translation, text-based photo editing, and the built-in Gemini assistant. Priced at $799 for the base Pixel 10, the Pro lineup includes the $999 Pixel 10 Pro, the $1,199 Pixel Pro XL, and the $1,799 Pixel 10 Pro Fold. The Pro models offer enhanced camera capabilities, display quality, and additional video features.

One notable AI feature is “Magic Cue,” which utilizes cross-app data analysis to proactively surface relevant information and suggest helpful actions. For example, Magic Cue can automatically locate the address of a dinner reservation from the user’s calendar in response to a related message.

In the realm of mobile photography, Google offers an AI “Camera Coach” that analyzes the scene and provides real-time recommendations on framing, lighting, and other techniques to optimize image quality.

Pixel 10 Pro phones include a one-year subscription to Google’s “AI Pro” plan, typically priced at $19 per month, providing access to AI-powered tools such as the NotebookLM writing assistant and the Veo 3 video generator.

Currently, all Pixel 10 models are available with discounts ranging from $200 to $300 until Dec. 6, with the exception of the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, which is discounted by $300 until Dec. 2.

Meta’s collaboration with EssilorLuxottica, forged in 2019, has yielded a remarkable success with the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. Bolstered by Meta AI, these glasses let users ask questions, take pictures, and play music.

The Gen 2 glasses cost $379, which is $80 more than their previous iteration, and has twice its battery life.

Aside Meta, EssilorLuxottica launched two smart glasses with athletes in mind under the Oakley brand.

Meta also released the Oakley Meta HSTN glasses for casual athletes who wants to take photos when playing certain sports like basketball, and the $499 Oakley Meta Vanguard smart glasses for action-sports athletes, like skiers.

The Vanguard glasses have a wraparound design and two buttons, allowing for accessibility to easily perform actions and take videos.

Meta and Luxottica also rolled out the $799 Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses in September.

These Glasses include a minimal display into only one of its lenses, showing minimal information such as navigation.

The glasses also include a wristband that utilizes neural technology, and gestures like rotating fingers, can command the device.

Buying the glasses isn’t easy.

Before purchasing, Meta requires people to sign up for in-person visits at either Best Buy or LensCrafters. The company says, “availability varies by store, so you may not be able to purchase a pair immediately after your demo.”

Reviews on the glasses are mixed.

Although the glasses were praised for its colors, camera and, Meta also warns against its wristband. high price, and a lack of Apps that leads to a decrease in function.

Until Dec. 1, Meta will be offering some Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals for their AI-powered glasses.

They’re offering 20% all versions of the Ray-Ban Meta, and 20% on Meta’s website, Ray-Ban’s website, Best Buy, Target and on Amazon.

Meta is also offering 20% off the cost of prescription lenses to those who purchase the Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) and Oakley Meta HSTN glasses.

Most AI chatbots want to make the user more productive. The makers of this smart pendant want AI to be your friend.

Users wear Friend, as the product is aptly called, around their necks while the $129 device listens to the conversations happening around it.

Friend’s chatbot is powered by Google Gemini, and it offers commentary on the user’s conversation and life. Those comments appear as notifications through the device’s corresponding smartphone app.

For example, when one reviewer played a new Taylor Swift song for her AI friend, the device commented through a notification that it didn’t “think it’s bad at all” and “pretty typical for pop.”

The device is at the center of the societal debate about the rise of AI.

Friend plastered a subway station in New York this fall with ads that suggested that the pendant was better than a real friend, promising that it “will never bail on our dinner plans.”

The posters were immediately defaced with messages like “AI wouldn’t care if you lived or died.”

Those wanting to experience what it’s like to wear around an AI friend should place orders swiftly.

The company’s website currently says units will be shipping “Winter 2025/26,” but Friend founder Avi Schiffmann told CNBC that devices ordered early enough will ship before Christmas.

The Plaud Note looks more like a credit card than a voice recorder, but it’s an ideal purchase for any note taker who wants to capture meetings, lectures or any dictation.

With over 30 hours of recording time and battery that last 60 days on standby, the slim device can produce transcriptions in 112 languages. The transcriptions include tags for each speaker on the audio.

The recorder’s companion app is powered by OpenAI’s GPT-5, Anthropic’s Claude Sonnet 4 and Google’s Gemini 2.5 Pro. The app uses those AI models to generate detailed summaries and notes. Users can select from over 3,000 summary templates, such as phone Q&As or seminar notes.

The Plaud App’s basic plan offers 300 minutes of transcription per month, though users can upgrade to a pro plan for 1,200 minutes for $8.33 per month or a more expensive unlimited plan for $19.99 per month.

The recorder can easily be attached to phones with MagSafe magnets, meaning all Apple smartphones since the iPhone 12 series, or phone cases with similar magnets.

The company also offers the Plaud NotePin, a smaller, pill-shaped version of the recorder that can be worn as a magnetic pin, clip, wristband or necklace.

Typically priced at $159, both devices are currently on sale for 20% off during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, with another 15% off for Christmas.