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Aqara Shutter Switch H2 EU — Matter, Thread & Zigbee for roller shutters (≈€60) Aqara has expanded its European lineup with the Shutter Switch H2 EU: an in-wall smart switch designed for 4-wire bidirectional AC motors used in roller shutters, blinds and Venetian systems. Priced at around €60, it brings Thread (Matter) and Zigbee support for flexible integration. Key features Protocols: Thread (Matter-ready) and Zigbee Designed for 4‑wire bidirectional AC shutter/blind motors Precise position control: 1–100% (up/down/pause) Supports wireless switches and automations within the Aqara ecosystem Available now across EU retailers and certified on CSA IoT Official product/certification page: CSA IoT – Shutter Switch H2 EU Search on Amazon (US affiliate): Aqara Shutter Switch H2 EU on Amazon (search link) Who is it for? If you use motorized blinds or…

Amazon Offers 3 Months Free Kindle Unlimited for Prime Members Amazon is giving Prime members an early Deal Days perk: 3 months of Kindle Unlimited for free. The subscription normally costs about $11.99 per month in the US, so this trial can save you roughly $36 if you use the full period. What you get: Access to millions of eBooks and thousands of audiobooks Read on Kindle devices or the free Kindle app Offer confirmed for Prime members in the US and Germany as part of early Deal Days/Prime Day promotions How to claim: sign in to your Prime account and activate the Kindle Unlimited trial. After three months, the subscription will auto-renew at the standard monthly price unless you cancel. Important: Cancel before the trial ends if you don’t…

Best AirPods for 2025 — Which model fits you? Whether you want seamless Apple ecosystem integration or a reliable pair of wireless earbuds, Apple’s AirPods lineup covers a range of needs — from the compact AirPods 4 to the noise‑cancelling AirPods Pro 2 and the over‑ear AirPods Max. Quick summary AirPods 4 — Best value and simplicity; open in‑ear design, Spatial Audio, H2 chip. AirPods Pro 2 — Best for noise cancellation and isolation; silicone tips, ANC, Hearing Test support. AirPods Max — Over‑ear, audiophile choice; premium sound, ANC, longest battery life. Key shared features Automatic Switching across Apple devices (iCloud) Hands‑free Siri Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking Specs comparison (high level) Model Design ANC Battery (hrs) Typical US price AirPods 4 In‑ear (open) No (ANC on AirPods…

iOS 26: Apple explains impact on battery life and performance Apple has published a support document explaining how iOS and iPadOS updates can affect battery runtime, performance and device temperature. The company describes why these changes occur, how long they typically last, and what users can do to help their devices return to normal. Why you may see changes after updating Background system tasks: indexing, photo analysis, and system database updates can temporarily increase CPU usage and battery drain. App re-optimization: apps and system services may recompile or update caches after a major OS update. Temporary heat from higher processor activity while the device finishes setup tasks. How long it lasts Apple and reporting sources indicate this is usually temporary — typically a few days (often 1–4 days) while background…

Apple expands parental controls in iOS 26 and other OS updates With the upcoming OS updates—iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, watchOS 26, visionOS 26 and tvOS 26—Apple is rolling out expanded tools to help parents and guardians manage their children’s digital experience and ensure age-appropriate use. Key changes Age‑based settings: New options let parents specify age ranges to tailor content restrictions and safety measures. Simplified child account setup: Easier workflows to create and manage child accounts across Apple devices. Automatic nudity blurring for minors: Tools automatically blur sensitive images for users under 18 to reduce exposure to explicit content. Improved management controls: More granular controls for screen time, app and content access, and communication limits. Regional notes Some reports note region‑specific defaults or recommendations for age thresholds (for…

iOS 26 — Official Apple PDF: Complete Feature Breakdown Apple has published an official PDF summarizing the new features in iOS 26 (about 20 pages). The document and Apple’s iOS page highlight a range of updates across design, Camera, Messages, system-wide Apple Intelligence, and more. Below is a condensed guide to what’s new. Quick summary iOS 26 brings a visual refresh ("Liquid Glass"), deeper on-device Apple Intelligence, camera and audio enhancements (including AirPods integration), new generative features for Messages (Genmoji, live translation), and upgraded system apps like Photos, Maps and Shortcuts. Key areas Design "Liquid Glass" interface with dynamic translucent effects. Enhanced Lock Screen and Home Screen customization; new 3D/live wallpaper effects. Expanded color and icon customization options. Camera & Audio Improved video audio capture and AirPods-based recording/remote control features.…

Transcription Pro for Mac: On-device transcription with Apple's SpeechAnalyzer Martin Lexow has released Transcription Pro, a macOS app that leverages Apple's new SpeechAnalyzer (introduced at WWDC) to convert audio and video files to text directly on your Mac. Because the transcription runs on-device, your files never need to be uploaded to external servers — a plus for privacy-conscious users. Key features On-device transcription using Apple's SpeechAnalyzer Drag & drop audio/video files for quick processing Privacy-friendly: no internet required for transcription Available on the Mac App Store Get it on the Mac App Store: Transcription Pro on the Mac App Store If you’ve tried it, tell us: what do you use transcription for — interviews, lectures, podcasts, meeting notes? Note: This post is a summary of recent coverage about the app…

Amazon Prime Big Deal Days — Oct 7–8: What to Expect and How to Prep Amazon has confirmed its Prime Big Deal Days will run on October 7–8. The event returns to a 48-hour format and offers Prime members thousands of exclusive deals ahead of the holidays. What to expect Strong discounts on Amazon devices (Kindle, Echo, Fire TV, Ring/Blink) Deals on robot vacuums, headphones, TVs and other big-ticket items Smaller tech and accessories (chargers, cables, power banks) often get deep discounts — good for stocking up on stocking-stuffers Top prep tips Use a price tracker: Check price histories on Keepa or CamelCamelCamel to confirm whether a Prime Day price is actually a bargain. Shop early for big-ticket items: Some solid deals appear in the two weeks before the event…

Early October Prime Day deals — Shop now (Prime Big Deal Days: Oct 7-8, 2025) Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days are confirmed for October 7-8, 2025. Many early Prime Day-style discounts are already live — here are the best tech deals available now. We'll update this post as prices change and new deals appear. Quick highlights Apple iPad Air (11-inch, M3) — $449 (example early price): M3 chip brings faster performance than M2. Search on Amazon: iPad Air 11\" (M3) on Amazon. Apple Mac mini (M4) — $499: Compact desktop with M4 and 16GB base RAM. Search: Mac mini (M4) on Amazon. Anker 622 5K magnetic power bank — $28: Slim magnetic power bank with stand. Search: Anker 622 5K on Amazon. Anker MagGo 10K power bank (Qi2, 15W) —…

Free app 'SmartFruit' brings Apple's local AI to life Apple has opened access to so-called Foundation Models for developers, letting apps use Apple’s on-device AI — Apple Intelligence — without requiring a network connection. The free app SmartFruit provides a practical, user-friendly way to experience these local models on your iPhone. What SmartFruit does Uses Apple’s Foundation Models (Apple Intelligence) locally on the device. Performs text-based tasks like writing assistance, translations and chat-style Q&A. Supports image-related features such as image generation and visual understanding (where available). Works without sending your data to external servers — privacy-focused, on-device processing. Requirements & availability SmartFruit is a free download on the App Store. It leverages Apple’s local AI features available in recent iOS releases. If you want to try it, find the app…