iPad Pro M5 hands-on: early benchmarks, OLED display and what to expect An early hands-on video has surfaced showing the upcoming iPad Pro with Apple’s new M5 chip, offering the first public look at performance and hardware before Apple’s official announcement. Key takeaways M5 performance: Early benchmarks and real-world tests in hands-on clips point to a significant CPU/GPU uplift over prior iPad Pro models, suggesting much stronger performance for pro apps and creative workflows. OLED displays: Both 11" and 13" models are reported to use OLED panels with higher peak brightness and 120Hz ProMotion, improving contrast and color. Cameras & features: Upgraded camera setup including improved front-facing cameras and tweaks that benefit creators and video calls. iPadOS & workflow: Paired with iPadOS 26’s productivity improvements, the M5 iPad Pro looks…

Amazon Fall Hardware Event — Full Rundown Amazon unveiled a broad hardware refresh focused on Alexa+ and AI across Echo speakers, Echo Show displays, Kindles, Fire TV, Blink cameras and Ring devices. Below are the highlights and links if you want to explore or shop. Echo speakers Echo Dot Max — $100, pre-order, ships Oct 29. Bigger base, dual speakers for deeper bass. See Echo Dot Max on Amazon Echo Studio — $220, pre-order, ships Oct 29. Smaller chassis, spatial audio and Dolby Atmos. See Echo Studio on Amazon Alexa Home Theater Connect up to five Echo Studio or Echo Dot Max speakers to a compatible Fire TV stick for surround sound; automatic tuning and Alexa+ integration. Echo Show (smart displays) Echo Show 8 — $180; Echo Show 11 —…

Daniel Ek to become Spotify Executive Chairman; Söderström & Norström named co‑CEOs Spotify founder and CEO Daniel Ek will transition to the role of Executive Chairman effective January 1. Gustav Söderström (Co‑President, Chief Product & Technology Officer) and Alex Norström (Co‑President, Chief Business Officer) will take over as co‑CEOs. Ek said the change "simply matches titles to how we already operate," and that in his new role he will focus on the company’s long arc, capital allocation and staying closely connected to the Board and co‑CEOs. Key details Leadership change effective: January 1. Co‑CEOs: Gustav Söderström & Alex Norström. Users: Spotify has grown to nearly 700 million monthly active listeners. Ek’s outside interests: This year he led a $700M investment round into defense‑tech firm Helsing, which drew criticism from some…

Ring Battery Doorbell Plus — Now $80 (47% off) Ahead of Prime Day The Ring Battery Doorbell Plus is on sale for $80 (normally $150), a 47% discount, ahead of the Prime Day sale running Oct 7–8. This is the lowest price seen for this model in recent offers. Key features Field of view: 150° × 150° “head-to-toe” coverage — better visibility of packages at the doorstep. Video: 1536p high-resolution video for clearer footage than many entry-level doorbells. Power: Battery-powered (no hardwiring required). Battery life varies from several weeks to a few months depending on settings and activity. Other features: Motion detection, color night vision, Live View with two-way talk, privacy zones. Subscription notes Some features such as package alerts and video event storage require a Ring Protect subscription (plans…

Amazon Fall 2025 Hardware — Full Rundown Amazon’s fall hardware event brought a wide range of updates across Echo, Kindle, Fire TV, Ring and Alexa+. Below is a concise, product-by-product summary with announced prices, pre-order / ship dates and availability. Echo speakers - Echo Dot Max — $100, pre-order; ships Oct 29. Bigger base, two drivers (woofer + tweeter), adaptive sound. - Echo Studio (refreshed) — $220, pre-order; ships Oct 29. Smaller chassis (60% of prior), spatial audio & Dolby Atmos support. Note: US buyers who pre-order eligible Echo speakers or Echo Show devices gain early access to Alexa+. Find Echo Dot Max on Amazon | Find Echo Studio on Amazon Alexa Home Theater Connect up to five Echo Studio or Echo Dot Max units to a compatible Fire TV…

WhatsApp adds Live Photos on iOS; Motion Photos beta rolling out on Android WhatsApp now supports sending Live Photos on iOS as animated images. On Android, the app is beta-testing support for Motion Photos (Google/Samsung-style short video+photo captures), allowing users to share short animated clips instead of static pictures in one-on-one and group chats. What this means iOS: Live Photos sent in WhatsApp will preserve their motion and play as short animations. Android: Motion Photos support is in beta testing and will let users send similar short-motion images once rolled out broadly. Availability: iOS support is live; Android support is limited to beta testers at the moment and will expand over time. How it works Live Photos (iOS) and Motion Photos (Android) capture a few seconds of motion around a…

Amazon Unveils Redesigned Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 11 with Alexa+ Amazon has announced redesigned Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 11 smart displays, built around its new Alexa+ AI assistant. Both models pack upgraded hardware and sensors — including a custom AZ3 Pro chip with an AI accelerator — plus a 13MP front camera (the best yet on an Echo Show), improved mics for better noise cancellation, and negative liquid crystal screens designed for wider viewing angles. Key features AZ3 Pro custom silicon with AI accelerator 13MP front camera and improved sensors (including Wi‑Fi radar) New microphone array and noise cancellation Negative LCD for improved viewing angles Built‑in smart home hub supporting Zigbee, Matter, and Thread New media control center, color‑coded family calendars, and wellness integrations (e.g., Oura…

Amazon Fall 2025 Hardware — Full Rundown Amazon’s fall hardware event brought new Echo speakers, refreshed Kindles (including a color Kindle Scribe), Fire TV updates, Ring camera upgrades and wider Alexa+/AI features across devices. Echo Echo Dot Max — $100; larger footprint, two drivers (hi-excursion woofer + tweeter), adaptive sound. Buy/search on Amazon Echo Studio (new smaller model) — $220; 60% smaller than previous Studio, room-filling sound. Buy/search on Amazon Alexa Home Theater — pair up to five Echo Studio/Echo Dot Max units with compatible Fire TV stick for surround sound and automatic tuning. Kindle Scribe Kindle Scribe Colorsoft — full-color writing tablet using Amazon’s custom color filter and new rendering engine; several weeks battery life; 10 pen colors + 5 highlighters. US launch later this year from $630. Search…

Amazon announces Alexa+ updates at the 2025 Devices & Services event Amazon detailed a broad set of Alexa+ updates, new device integrations and refreshed Echo hardware meant to make the assistant more conversational and useful across home devices. Key updates Alexa+ Greetings (Ring) — Rolling out to Ring 2K and 4K devices in December. Using Ring image recognition, Alexa+ can greet known visitors, ask questions of strangers to determine their purpose, and leave instructions for couriers. Vega smart TV integration — Alexa+ is built into Amazon's Vega TV platform, enabling personalized recommendations and content-aware searches (demo showed finding a specific scene in Moneyball). Works for live sports, too. Kindle integration — You’ll be able to send notes and documents from Kindle Colorsoft and Kindle Scribe 3 to Alexa+ and have…

Amazon Alexa Home Theater: use Echo speakers as surround sound — what you need to know At its 2025 device event, Amazon announced Alexa Home Theater, a feature that can turn up to five Echo Studio or Echo Dot Max speakers into a surround-sound setup when paired with compatible Fire TV sticks. The system promises automatic setup once multiple Echo devices are connected. Key details Supported speakers: up to 5 × Echo Studio or Echo Dot Max (new 2025 models). Compatibility: works with "compatible Fire TV sticks" — Amazon hasn’t published a complete compatibility list, but recent 4K/Dolby Atmos–capable Fire TV sticks are expected to be supported. Auto-setup: Alexa handles configuration automatically after you plug in multiple Echo units. Pricing: Amazon pitches this as an entry-level surround option — a…