Talk to the Wand to get Alexa to order you stuff

Wand it Amazon Dash Wand is a new-ish device that lets you scan barcodes to re-order from Amazon.com—or talk right to it via Alexa. The $20 device is being relaunched with a voice connection to Alexa, so now you can pick up the toothbrush-sized device and tell it what you need. Amazon really wants consumers to buy the gadget, so much so that it's offering a $20 credit to any Amazon Prime member who buys the $20 Dash Wand. (I.E., making it essentially free.) You also get a 90-day free trial of Amazon Fresh.

Amazon has pushed for many different kinds of gadgets in the home to make buying more automatic from its online superstore. The Dash Wand had a brief run—before its re-release now—and Amazon's Dash Buttons have been met with tepid enthusiasm. Amazon Echo and Dot, linked through Alexa, can make purchasing from Amazon's site as simple as asking Alexa to buy something. But as Amazon has pushed more deeply into the grocery space, it's likely betting on its Dash Wand to provide a more direct link to the consumer eager to push buying groceries as simple as saying something they need—and waving a, wand, to make it so.

Nintendo yesNintendo Switch is certainly a hot commodity—we even listed it as one of our Father's Day gift gets for Dad. (That's coming up by the way—in two days...) But getting your hands on one in a store has been a roll of the dice. But Nintendo appears to be getting the message, that consumers want a way to buy the gaming device in a store, rather than just order it online and have to wait for it to appear. No word on how soon before production is ramped up—in other words don't count on running into the store to pick one up for Dad last minute. (Via BGR)

Bronx VR Cutting edge virtual reality in the Bronx? Yep, that's the plan from a new 11-month-old program through CUNY Lehman College that started last month. Priced even less than what it would cost you to get a new HTC Vive, the $599 non-credit program is aimed at getting students and professionals up to speed in virtual and augmented reality programming. Think you have the chops or the interest? We have the details.