9 great reads from CNET this week: Amazon Astro, James Bond, robocalls and more

Hands down, the attention-grabbing tech of the week was Amazon’s Astro, a diminutive rolling robot with cartoon eyes, a camera on a periscope and a mission to follow strangers in the household. The $1,000 smart home gadget will be available at first to just a small coterie of invite-only buyers, but it’s already occupying brain space far and wide.

There are lots of ways to think about Astro. It’s a convenience and a cool little plaything. It’s a privacy and surveillance nightmare waiting to happen. It’s Amazon’s Trojan horse for getting more and more of its products into your home. Soon enough we’ll know if it’s a keeper like the Roomba or a flash in the pan like Sony’s Aibo.

Our stories on Astro and everything else Amazon announced are among the many in-depth features and thought-provoking commentaries that appeared on CNET this week. So here you go. These are the stories you don’t want to miss:   

Following Amazon‘s scene-stealing home robot unveiling, the big question is whether it can succeed where others have failed.  

Commentary: Amazon understands that it’s more important to be popular than to be good. The Astro robot proves it.

James Bond finally gets a life in this epic, explosive and emotional farewell to the longest-serving 007.  

Acting Chair Jessica Rosenworcel tells CNET she’s hopeful that the FCC can solve these big problems.

Being a trucker is dangerous, difficult and in demand as e-commerce continues to surge. Trucking is also undergoing major technological changes. 

Instagram and other social media sites are accused of not doing enough to protect the mental health of teens and young adults.

At S.E. Shires, craftspeople work hard to create horns that fit their players exactly right. 

The Indigo Invitational elevated me from a denim fan into a full-time “fader” and connected me to my past — and the world. 

Over 190 nations will come together in Glasgow this November to address the climate crisis.   

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Amazon’s Astro robot is part home helper, part surveillance…

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