Amazon

Amazon Fire TV

Fire TV update lets viewers jump to memorable moments in movies

Fire TV users can now jump directly to specific movie scenes by describing them to Amazon's generative AI powered Alexa+. The new feature lets viewers start playback from an exact moment in a film, cutting out manual searching or repetitive fast forwarding. It works on thousands of Prime Video titles and is already available for subscribers to try.

Alexa+ is a more conversational version of Amazon's digital assistant and is capable of handling broader and more involved tasks. It was announced in February 2025 at Amazon’s Devices and Services event and first launched in the United States priced at $19.99 a month, although Prime members get it at no extra cost. It’s now available in Canada and is expected to roll out to more countries next year.

By Wayne Williams -
Amazon Web Services

Amazon Web Services outage takes down Duolingo, Snapchat, Roblox and other major sites

Serious issues with Amazon Web Services (AWS) have rendered a number of big-name apps and services inaccessible. The likes of Fortnite, Roblox, Duolingo, Ring and many more have been suffering as a result of the problems.

The issues first came to light thanks to spikes in reports to Downdetector, but Amazon Web Services has also acknowledged a series of errors. The problems affect multiple AWS services, and the severity of disruption is high.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Prime Big Deal Days

Amazon announces Prime Big Deal Days event for October with savings on electronics and holiday gifts

Can’t wait for Black Friday? Amazon is getting in ahead of the global sales event with its own two-day Prime Big Deal Days savings bonanza on October 7 and 8. The event will be exclusive to Prime members and is timed to mark the start of the holiday shopping season. There will be discounts over a wide range of categories, including electronics and connected devices.

Members can expect savings on televisions, audio equipment, and appliances from brands including Samsung, LG, Sonos, Dyson, and Shark.

By Wayne Williams -
Amazon Prime packing tape

Amazon is killing off Prime Invitee Program and replacing it with Amazon Family

If you are an Amazon Prime customer who has been sharing account benefits – such as free shipping – with your friends, things are about to change. Amazon has announced that Amazon Family is replacing the Prime Invitee Program, and it is not just a name change.

Starting next month, it will only be possible to share Prime benefits with people who live in the same household as the account holder. This echoes the stricter rules being enforced by Google to prevent the sharing of YouTube Family Premium with people who live at different addresses.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
AI assistant

Business is booming for AI assistants as they take on bigger roles

The AI assistant market is projected to grow from $3.35 billion this year to $21.11 billion by 2030, according to Indian research firm MarketsandMarkets.

This represents a compound annual growth rate of 44.5 percent, with North America forecast to have the largest share during that five year period.

By Wayne Williams -
Amazon Prime Day

Amazon Prime Day 2025 delivers record sales, but questions remain over hype and value

Amazon says Prime Day 2025 was its biggest yet, with customers saving billions and buying more than in any previous event. The four-day format helped drive what the company calls "record savings" across electronics, groceries, and household items.

In a press release, Amazon stated, "Prime Day 2025 was its biggest Prime Day event ever and that customers saved billions on deals across more than 35 product categories, more savings than any previous Prime Day event."

By Wayne Williams -
Amazon Prime packing tape

Amazon Prime for Young Adults is shockingly cheap, and free for 6 months

For anyone who makes a lot of purchases from Amazon, a Prime subscription makes a lot of sense. And for young adults, the deal just got a whole lot sweeter.

Ahead of Prime Day 2025, Amazon has launched a new Amazon Prime subscription tier which is incredible value for anyone who is of the right age. Specifically for people aged between 18 and 24, the new Prime for Young Adults includes everything that is found in a regular subscription, but it is a fraction of the cost.

Freevee

Amazon is shutting down its Freevee app in August

Amazon has finally announced when the Freevee streaming video app will close for good. As of next month, the Freevee app will be inaccessible, with content now being available on Prime Video instead.

The shuttering is no surprise, as the closure was announced last year. At the time, however, Amazon did not specify a timeline for how things would pan out. Some eight months after the original announcement, the company has finally revealed that the Freevee app will be shut down in August 2025.

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TP-Link Tapo DL100 smart deadbolt launches with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

TP-Link has introduced a new way to upgrade your front door without spending a fortune. The company has launched the Tapo DL100, a smart deadbolt door lock that offers a surprising mix of features for an affordable price.

Unlike other smart locks that hide essential functions behind a paywall or require complicated setups, the DL100 keeps things simple and accessible. You can unlock your door using the Tapo mobile app over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

By Brian Fagioli -
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PowerA brings Hall Effect controllers and accessories to Nintendo Switch 2

PowerA is entering the Nintendo Switch 2 era with a batch of officially licensed accessories. The most exciting of the bunch is a wired controller featuring Hall Effect sensors.

Now, it might be a little disappointing that these controllers are wired rather than wireless. But in a world full of devices begging to be charged, there’s something oddly refreshing about plugging in and not worrying about battery life. For gamers who’d rather skip the charging hassle and just play, this old-school approach actually has its perks.

By Brian Fagioli -
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GE Cync Dynamic Effects Smart Café Lights bring smart color to patios with Alexa and Google Assistant support

Just when you thought outdoor lighting couldn’t possibly get any more interesting, GE Lighting launches its Cync Dynamic Effects Smart Café Lights. These new string lights are officially on sale just in time for backyard weather. If you’ve been itching to upgrade your deck or garden, it might be worth a look.

Forget those boring bulbs you might remember from your last barbecue, folks. These café lights use a unique corkscrew filament to put out bold, saturated color. Each bulb can be customized individually using the Cync app, so you can get creative and mix up patterns, colors, or brightness for any event. There’s even a music-sync feature that lets the lights react to whatever is playing, whether you’re throwing a summer party or just winding down after a long day.

By Brian Fagioli -
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Cooler Master Hyper 612 APEX is a sleek and powerful CPU cooler

It’s pretty hard to get excited about a CPU coolers nowadays, but a new offering from Cooler Master has actually piqued my interest. You see, the company has officially launched the Hyper 612 APEX, and this cooler should please both performance enthusiasts and style-conscious builders. In other words, this new air cooler doesn’t just do its job well -- it looks good doing it too.

The Hyper 612 APEX is built around six superconductive composite heat pipes that Cooler Master developed in-house. These heat pipes are designed to handle heavy thermal loads, making this cooler a solid pick for overclockers, gamers, and creators who routinely push their hardware. Pair that with the Mobius 120P fan (engineered for high-pressure airflow with minimal noise) and you’ve got yourself a dependable and efficient cooler.

By Brian Fagioli -
Amazon Vulcan

Amazon unveils Vulcan, a package sorting, AI-powered robot with a sense of touch

The meeting of artificial intelligence and robotics almost unavoidably conjures up images akin to the Terminator -- but with Vulcan, Amazon has something different in mind.

Moving away from the traditional “numb and dumb” robot, Vulcan is described as a “fundamental leap forward in robotics”. Designed for used in its fulfillment centers, this is Amazon’s first robot with a sense of touch.

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TP-Link becomes a CVE Numbering Authority to improve cybersecurity

As someone who uses and loves TP-Link products (including its affordable routers and smart home devices) I’m truly elated to see the company taking cybersecurity more seriously. You see, the company has officially joined the CVE Numbering Authorities (CNAs), meaning it can now assign CVE IDs to security flaws found in its own products.

Here’s why it matters, folks: CVEs (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) are used to track publicly known cybersecurity issues. By becoming a CNA, TP-Link gains the power to document and disclose vulnerabilities faster and more transparently. That’s a win for both the company and the people who rely on its devices every day (such as yours truly).

By Brian Fagioli -
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PNY PRO Elite High Endurance microSD cards offer 15 years of nonstop video recording

PNY is targeting consumers who need serious reliability from their storage media. You see, the company just rolled out its new PRO Elite High Endurance microSD cards, and these things are designed for folks using dash cams, security cameras, body cams, and more.

Unlike regular microSD cards that can wear out over relatively quickly, these are designed for the long haul. The top-tier 512GB model is rated for up to 137,600 hours of Full HD recording. That’s more than 15 years of writing and rewriting video -- assuming you’re pushing it to the limit. Even the smaller capacities can handle thousands of hours of use.

By Brian Fagioli -
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