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Amazon's new Fire HD 8 tablets let you use Alexa without speaking
Amazon has launched new Fire HD 8 tablets that let you invoke Alexa without speaking.
What you’ll need to survive the California wildfires this summer
Gear and strategies to help you ride out this summer’s fire season. Good luck.
Amazon sale slashes Fire tablet prices by up to 50 percent
If you've been waiting for a sale to buy one of Amazon's Fire HD tablets, today might be the day.
GM will reportedly replace Chevy Bolt battery modules to reduce fire risk
According to Electrek, GM has informed some Chevy Bolt EV owners that it will replace all the modules in their batteries with new ones.
A Tesla Megapack caught fire at the Victorian Big Battery facility in Australia
A Tesla Megapack caught fire at the Victorian Big Battery energy storage facility in Geelong, Victoria in south-east Australia.
Ring's end-to-end encryption rolls out globally
End-to-End Encryption started as a technical preview in January and is now rolling out to all eligible devices.
Amazon enables a smart home Device Dashboard on some Fire tablets
Now you don't have to yell to ask Alexa for help.
How to tell if the air around us is safe to breathe
In fact, air quality in the US in general has suffered in recent years.
Inside Indonesia's fight to save its most important soil
Often referred to as one of the world's most important ecosystems, it's also one that's rapidly disappearing in bogs across the planet. While Indonesia's peatlands store more carbon than anywhere else in the world, they have been severely degraded. Once it's dry, peat can burn.
FCC rejects cities' extension request for comments on net neutrality rollback
The FCC has refused to grant an extension for comments on its plans for net neutrality rollback.
Amazon's Fire tablets for kids are back to their lowest-ever pricing
Now might be a good time to go shopping if you're looking for a tablet to keep your kids entertained and educated. Amazon has dropped the prices on its Kids Edition tablets to Black Friday levels, making them tempting options if you're looking for a basic but child-friendly slate. The entry Fire 7 Kids Edition represents the biggest bargain, dropping from its usual $100 to a more appealing $60. The Fire HD 8 Kids Edition is still a good deal, though, falling from $130 to $80. And if you want the largest model possible, you can save $50 on the Fire HD 10 Kids Edition and pick one up for $150. Similar deals exist for two-packs if there's more than one tyke in your household.
Amazon is having a sale on all of its Fire TV streamers
Amazon has dropped prices across its Fire TV range. These aren't the lowest prices ever, but it's a consistent cut across the board, making it a good time to buy in if you're updating your TV setup. First up, the second generation Fire TV Stick which packs in Alexa voice remote, HD and on-remote volume controls, which is the feature we didn't even know we needed in the Fire Stick's original form. Amazon's got this on offer for $25, instead of the usual $40. The Fire TV Stick 4K version, which supports Ultra HD and Dolby Vision, also has a solid 15 bucks off, on sale now for $35 instead of $50.
Apple TV+ is now available on more Amazon Fire devices
If Apple is serious about claiming a piece of the streaming pie with Apple TV+, it's going to have to make sure its customers can access it without having to fork out for a bunch of new gear. That's why, overnight, Apple made the platform available on a number of new Amazon Fire devices.
Amazon's Fire tablets and Kindles are on sale for Prime members
Amazon's next big hardware event is just days away, and it appears the tech giant is using that as an opportunity to provide hefty discounts for Fire tablet and Kindle models for Prime subscribers. Most notably, Prime members get $40 off the Kindle Paperwhite (down to $90), and $25 off the base Kindle (now $65) -- if you've been looking for an e-reader for the daily commute, it might not get much better than this for a while. It's also a good time to look for a basic tablet for young ones, as Amazon is lopping $40 off the price of both the Fire 7 Kids Edition tablet (reduced to $60) and its Fire HD 8 counterpart (down to $90).
Researchers are using drones to study the Amazon rainforest's health
Researchers from Harvard University are using drones to better understand the Amazon rainforest. With drone-based sensors, the researchers hope to determine the unique "fingerprint" of different rainforest ecosystems. That could help them monitor the health of the forest and understand how it's responding to climate change, deforestation and fire.
Google Pixel phones can use text-to-speech to talk to 911 for you
In the event of an emergency, your first instinct might be to call 911. But in certain situations, you may not be able to speak with an operator. Whether that's because you're injured, in a dangerous situation or have a speech impairment, Google wants to make sure its users can request the help they need. Today, it introduced a new feature that lets you send automated voice messages with a single tap.
Lyft disables San Francisco e-bikes after suspected battery fires
Lyft has made its Bay Wheels e-bikes in San Francisco unavailable to customers after a couple of them caught fire. According to San Francisco Examiner, a witness who saw the first incident on Wednesday said the flames came from the bike's battery. A second bike burst into flames on Saturday, and a local resident even tweeted a photo of its charred remains:
In case of emergency: The tech that might save you
Nature is beautiful, but it can also be unpredictable and dangerous. Here's the gear that might save you when you're spending hours hiking, camping or adventuring outdoors.
Recommended Reading: Algorithms and school surveillance
Aggression Detectors: The unproven, invasive surveillance technology schools are using to monitor students Jack Gillum and Jeff Kao, ProPublica Following the rise in mass shootings, schools, hospitals and other public places are installing tech to monitor people. Part of this effort includes using algorithm-equipped microphones to capture audio, with the goal of detecting stress or anger before bad things happen. The problem? They aren't reliable and their mere existence is a massive invasion of privacy.
Amazon Fire 7 (2019): You get what you pay for
Despite having Android under the hood, Amazon's Fire tablets have traditionally had a very different purpose than the usual Android slate. Instead of trying to be an all-in-one workhorse, like some of Samsung's Galaxy offerings, Amazon's Fire tablets are aimed at media consumption. And, thanks to Amazon's clout, they tend to be dirt cheap, making them ideal for penny pinchers who want a simple tablet for watching videos and playing games. The cheapest of the bunch is the Amazon Fire 7, but it hasn't been updated since 2017. That is, until recently. Amazon has finally seen fit to bring it up to 2019 standards... but just barely. Yes, it is ever so slightly faster, has twice the storage capacity and now has hands-free Alexa -- meaning you no longer have to unlock the tablet in order to use it. But those are pretty minor upgrades. Aside from that, the Fire 7 remains basic. Sure, the Fire 7 is incredibly cheap at just $50, but at the same time, you do get what you pay for.
