Author: alex

Roku Streaming Stick Plus — Prime Day Deal: $29Looking to upgrade an old TV or add a compact smart streamer for travel? The Roku Streaming Stick Plus is on sale for $29 (about 27% off) during Prime Day — one of the lowest prices we've seen.Why it’s a great pickGreat for free & live TV thanks to The Roku Channel (500+ free channels with news, sports, shows).Supports HD and 4K TVs and HDR10+.Small and USB-powered — ideal for travel (can run from a TV USB port).Includes Roku’s rechargeable voice remote with power and volume controls.LimitationsDoes not support Dolby Vision (upgrade to Streaming Stick 4K or Roku Ultra for that).Menu/app load speeds and Wi‑Fi range are slightly lower than Roku’s pricier players, but fine for most setups.Other dealsIf you want a…

Google Home app overhauled with Gemini for Home Google has unveiled a major redesign of the Google Home app, centered around a new experience called Gemini for Home, which will take over the Assistant role for connected smart devices. The update brings UI changes, new AI features, and significant performance and reliability improvements. What’s new Gemini for Home: Replaces the traditional Assistant role on smart devices and provides a more conversational way to interact with your home. Ask Home: A persistent, AI-powered command center in the app header for natural-language commands — e.g., searching moments in camera clips or creating open-ended automations. New tabs: Home (consolidated system view), Activity (notifications from all devices), and Automations (manage hands-off automations). Nest controls are now managed from within the Google Home app. Performance…

Gemini for Home replaces Google Assistant — what to expect Google is replacing its original voice assistant with Gemini for Home, rolling out in October. The update aims to make smart-home control more conversational and context-aware, letting you give natural, multi-part commands and create automations by simply describing them. Key features Contextual voice understanding — Gemini remembers recent requests and understands implied context (e.g., “turn off the lights” means the living room lights if you’re watching a movie). Multi-request sentences — String multiple commands in one sentence without rigid phrasing. Gemini Live — Optional live chat-style conversation for hands-free interaction without wake words. Ask Home & Home Brief — Ask Home answers questions about recorded home footage (e.g., “Did I leave the car door open?”). Home Brief summarizes hours of…

Amazon Luna launches GameNight — controller-free party games for Prime Amazon has updated its Luna cloud gaming service with GameNight, a collection of over 25 social, smartphone-controlled party games aimed at making multiplayer gaming easier for Prime subscribers. GameNight features reinterpretations of classics (inspired by Angry Birds, Exploding Kittens, Ticket to Ride) and original titles developed by Amazon — including Courtroom Chaos: Starring Snoop Dogg. How it works: you load the game on Luna, scan an on-screen QR code with your phone, and use your device as the controller — a setup similar to Jackbox Party Packs. The goal is to lower the barrier to entry for players who are intimidated by traditional controllers. Alongside GameNight, Amazon says it will add high-profile, controller-required titles to Luna for those who prefer…

Google Home Speaker (Gemini refresh) — What’s new Google announced a refreshed Google Home Speaker powered by Gemini. Key details: AI: Gemini assistant front and center; Gemini Live available for Home Premium subscribers for more natural conversations. Audio: 360-degree sound and the ability to pair two Home Speakers with the Google TV Streamer for surround sound. Also compatible with other Google Nest speakers. Privacy: Physical mic mute button. Price & release: $99, launching Spring 2026. Colors: porcelain, hazel, jade, berry. Launch countries: US, Canada, UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Japan, Australia, New Zealand. The speaker highlights Google’s push to bring Gemini to more hardware, similar to recent Alexa AI updates from Amazon. The Home Speaker’s light ring will show when Gemini…

Google’s new Nest Doorbell & Nest Cams — 2K HDR, wider field of view, and new AI features Google has released three new Nest devices: the Nest Cam Indoor (3rd gen), Nest Cam Outdoor (2nd gen), and Nest Doorbell (3rd gen). All three bring higher-resolution video, wider coverage, and expanded AI features. Key specs Resolution: up to 2K HDR (Nest Cams: 2,560 x 1,400; Doorbell: 2,048 x 2,048) Field of view: wider diagonal FOV (Cameras ~152°, Doorbell ~166°) Zoom: up to 6x digital zoom Low-light: Google claims ~120% better light sensitivity vs previous gens AI features New Gemini-powered features include Ask Home (a chatbot interface for questions like "what ate my plants?" with photo evidence) and Home Brief (an AI-generated summary of the day’s activity). These advanced features require a…

Ray‑Ban Meta 2nd Gen — Quick roundup Meta’s second‑generation Ray‑Ban smart glasses keep the classic Wayfarer look but add two key upgrades: longer battery life (up to ~8 hours typical) and improved 3K video quality. They also gain important AI features — better live translation, multimodal Meta AI tools, and upcoming camera/audio modes — and Meta is bringing many of these updates to older frames too. What’s new Same iconic design; multiple frame colors & lens options — prices start around $379 (polarized/transitions/prescription cost more). Battery: Meta claims up to 8 hours typical use; reviewer saw ~5.5 hours continuous music playback. Camera: higher‑resolution 3K video; 12MP portrait photos unchanged. AI: live translation, context/translation on signs, Live AI demos, accessibility features (Be My Eyes, detailed responses). Privacy & downsides Privacy concerns…

Safari 26 on macOS: Privacy setting can block WebSocket-based web apps (Figma, Miro) Recent reports show that Safari 26 on macOS — with the privacy option that hides your IP from both trackers and websites enabled — can break WebSocket connections used by real-time web apps. Affected services include collaboration tools like Figma and Miro, which may get stuck loading or fail to connect. What causes it? The issue appears linked to Safari’s enhanced tracking/fingerprinting protections (now more aggressive by default). These protections can interfere with WebSocket handshakes, causing Safari to abort connections even though the server reply is valid. Reported symptoms Web apps fail to establish real-time connections or remain stuck on loading screens. Network inspectors show WebSocket requests being sent but connections aborted after the handshake. Problem is…

YouTube TV Keeps NBC in Short-Term Extension; Univision Removed After Failed Deal YouTube TV announced a short-term extension with NBCUniversal that keeps NBC channels (including NBC, MSNBC, Bravo and others) on the platform while the two sides negotiate a longer-term contract. However, YouTube TV was unable to reach a new agreement with TelevisaUnivision, and Univision networks have been removed or are at risk of removal from the service. Key details Short-term extension with NBCUniversal preserves NBCU channels on YouTube TV for now. No agreement reached with TelevisaUnivision/Univision — Univision channels removed or planned removal. YouTube TV warned customers the NBCUniversal partnership would expire Sept 30; it negotiated a short-term deal to avoid immediate blackout. TelevisaUnivision has criticized proposed changes (including a $15 add-on previously flagged) and called the timing insensitive…

October Prime Day Lego Deals — Up to 38% Off October Prime Day has kicked off early deals on many Lego sets. Highlights include discounts on Star Wars and Super Mario sets — some up to 38% off. Before buying, check price history with tools like Keepa or CamelCamelCamel; many "sale" prices have been around for months. Top deals (as reported) Lego City Advent Calendar 2025 60475 — $25 (29% off) Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar 2025 75418 — $38 (16% off) Lego Minecraft Advent Calendar 2025 21280 — $38 (16% off) Lego Harry Potter Advent Calendar 2025 76456 — $38 (16% off) Lego Star Wars: The Mandalorian Paz Vizsla and Moff Gideon Battle set 75386 — $25 (38% off) Lego Star Wars Brick-Built Star Wars Logo set 75407 —…