Articles about Amazon

These days a lot of us have home security systems to one degree or another. You may simply control your locks and perhaps a light; or you may be a little more invested in the technology, adding motion sensors, cameras, leak sensors and other little toys. 

The thing you need most with all of this is an operational system keeping an eye on everything when you can’t. You rely on this for protection for yourself, your family and your property.  

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For years I was against the idea of e-readers, preferring to read actual books. When I did eventually make the switch though I was instantly converted, and these days my Kindle Paperwhite is a constant companion, traveling with me everywhere. Its days may be coming to an end soon though.

Not because I’m planning to start reading 'dead tree' books again, but because Amazon today announces two stunning new Paperwhites.

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It’s been rumored for a while that Amazon was planning to make its own smart TVs -- rather than just partnering with other television manufacturers to offer 'Fire TV Editions' (sets with Fire TV and Alexa built-in) -- and today the retail giant confirms this with the announcement of two new 'Amazon-built' smart TVs -- the Amazon Fire TV Omni Series and Fire TV 4-Series.

The Fire TV Omni Series is Amazon’s premium offering and it comes with far-field voice controls so you can talk to Alexa from across the room. Alexa voice controls are always available, even if the set if turned off. Don’t worry though, you can disable this feature if you’re not keen on the idea of a television set listening to your every word.

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Researchers at CyberNews have uncovered security flaws within the default firmware and the web interface app of the TP-Link AC1200 Archer C50 (v6) router.

The router -- an 'Amazon's Choice' product -- is shipped with outdated firmware that is vulnerable to dozens of known security flaws and could put users at risk of man-in-the-middle and Denial of Service attacks.

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For those of you that build your own desktop computers, you know that choosing the right brand really matters. For instance, if you opt for an unknown company for your RAM, power supply, or storage, there is a very good chance you will run into problems. This is why I always recommend sticking with reputable brands -- saving a few bucks is never worth it if you end up having to troubleshoot crashes.

Lexar is a trustworthy company that has been around for a long time. The company is most known for its quality memory products. Today, Lexar launches beautiful new DDR4 memory that both creators and gamers should absolutely adore. Called "HADES," the RAM comes equipped with attractive RGB heat spreaders and is offered in both 3200MHz and 3600MHz speeds.

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The ever-volatile price of Bitcoin took another turn as Amazon denied recent rumors that it is looking to accept the cryptocurrency as a form of payment.

Speculation about the online retailer's embrace of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, as well as rumors of tokenization, caused a Bitcoin surge at the weekend. But now the company has spoken out to deny the suggestions, the value has tumbled again.

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Speculation about the possibility of Amazon starting to accept Bitcoin as a method of payment started to circulate after the company posted a job listing for a Digital Currency and Blockchain Product Lead.

This led to a surge in the cryptocurrency, with the trading heading toward $40,000 in an impressive 20 percent jump over the weekend. In addition to the job posting, an insider has been quoted as saying that not only is Amazon working toward accepting Bitcoin by the end of 2021, but it is also considering launching its own token.

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Battlefield 2042 is one of the most highly anticipated video games, and it is due out later this year. It is currently scheduled for an October 22 release, but as we all know, these dates can be pushed back due to unforeseen issues. With that said, I am pretty confident Electronic Arts will meet this deadline, and Battlefield 2042 will prove to be one of the hottest Christmas gifts this year.

If you want to ensure you get your copy of Battlefield 2042 and that your PC's storage can load it quickly, Western Digital has a special bundle you must check out. You see, the company has launched a special Battlefield 2042 variant of its WD_Black SN750 SE NVMe SSD. Not only does it comes with a redeemable download code for the game, but it is emblazoned with really cool Battlefield 2042 branding.

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Although the Windows 11 announcement introduced lots of new and exciting features coming to the new OS later in the year, perhaps the most jaw dropping was native support for Android apps.

Users will be able to find and download Android apps directly through the new and improved Microsoft Store, but you won’t be able to grab your favorites through Google Play as it isn’t supported.

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You've probably heard of Amazon Sidewalk, the company's home networking system. In fact Sidewalk is a bit more than that, it involves devices like Echo speakers and Ring doorbells becoming part of 'mesh networks'.

These networks will, says Amazon, simplify the process of setting up new devices, keep them online even when out of range of home Wi-Fi, and extend the range of tracking devices. However, customers have only a week to opt out if they don't want their devices to be enrolled in Sidewalk.

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First launched in 2015, Prime Day is a yearly event whereby Prime members get to enjoy discounts on a range of products being sold on Amazon. Despite being Prime 'Day' it actually runs over a couple of days.

This year it will be earlier than normal, running June 21-22, and Amazon says there will be over two million deals globally across every category.

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Yesterday we celebrated Memorial Day, and this year it’s followed immediately by a more infamous day. June 1 of each year marks the start of hurricane season in the Atlantic and Pacific basins. It runs through December 1, but remember, mother nature doesn’t always follow our schedules and directions -- one hurricane already formed in mid-May. 

Most don’t reach land and those that do frequently amount to little, but then you also have the likes of Katrina or Sandy that can prove devastating. Maria knocked out power for months in Puerto Rico in 2017. 

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If you suffer from motion sickness in VR games, or you just want to feel more like you’re "there", then Cybershoes offers a possible solution.

They are smart overshoes that you use to walk or run through virtual games, and are compatible with most of the popular VR headsets, including the Quest 2. You can read my review of them here. If you’ve been tempted to buy them but haven't yet got around to it, the good news is they are now being sold on Amazon in the US.

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For 100 years, retailers have segmented the broad marketplace into groups -- soccer moms, or Millennials, or New Yorkers, or readers…  pretty much every retailer uses target segments like those. But Amazon has never been interested. Instead, it wants a segment of one: you. It gathers information about what you look at, what you buy, your browsing habits. To that it adds information from your purchases -- address and credit cards on file -- as well as your Amazon address book to find those close to you.

It is also the second biggest tracker on the web, after Google, so it follows your activity far beyond the Amazon ecosystem. And it can access the standard sets of information that can easily be sucked in from outside: your credit score, your home ownership, criminal complaints and records…. Amazon  probably knows more about you than any other entity on the planet, including your mother and your spouse.

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Earlier today, Amazon revealed its all-new Fire HD 10 and Fire HD 10 Plus tablets. Both are more powerful than their predecessors, but priced from just $149. If you’re in the market for a low cost Android tablet, then they are definitely worth your consideration.

You can also pick up either device as part of the new Fire HD 10 Productivity Bundle which includes a 12-month Microsoft 365 Personal subscription and comes with premium Office apps, and 1TB of OneDrive cloud storage. You don’t need to buy a new tablet though as the Microsoft Office and OneNote apps are now available to install through the Amazon Appstore.

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