Deutschlandticket: Funding still unclear — ministers meet Thursday, another price rise possible Summary: The continued funding of the Deutschlandticket remains unresolved. A decision that was expected in June was postponed; transport ministers from the federal and state governments will meet Thursday to discuss how to proceed. Media reports suggest another price increase is possible as officials try to secure long-term financing. Background The ticket remains an important nationwide public-transport flat rate. Funding and subsidy arrangements are negotiated by the Transport Ministers Conference (Verkehrsministerkonferenz). Rising operational costs (energy, personnel) have been cited as reasons for past and potential future price changes. Current status The ministers' meeting on Thursday is the next key moment. While no final new price has been universally confirmed, press coverage warns a further increase could be on…

MacBook Air M4: Rapid Price Drop — Best Deals & Where to Buy Reports show the Apple MacBook Air M4 has seen a sudden price drop, with the best prices recently dipping below €900. The notebook itself remains an excellent device and good value for the money — the "drop" refers to price, not quality. What happened? At the start of the month, some retailers listed the MacBook Air M4 at prices under €900, prompting a noticeable marketwide price fall. This makes it an interesting time to consider a purchase if you've been waiting for a deal. Where to look Amazon (US search): https://www.amazon.com/s?k=MacBook+Air+M4&tag=f1rede-20 Is it worth buying now? If you need a lightweight, capable laptop, the MacBook Air M4 is still an excellent choice. If the price is your…

Good Morning: iOS 26 Alarm Redesign & Custom Snooze iOS 26 brings a redesigned Alarm app with a cleaner look and larger, equal-sized Stop and Snooze buttons. The standout change: you can now set the snooze duration per alarm between 1 and 15 minutes, finally replacing the long-standing 9-minute default that originated with mechanical alarms. How to change snooze duration Open the Clock app and go to the Alarm tab. Edit an existing alarm or create a new one. Ensure Snooze is enabled, then tap the snooze duration number. Choose your preferred snooze length (1–15 minutes). Why this matters Having adjustable snooze makes morning routines more flexible — short snoozes for tight schedules, longer ones when you need more time. However, the new equal-sized Stop and Snooze buttons may increase…

iOS 26 Released — Is Your iPhone Eligible? Apple has officially released iOS 26 (and iPadOS 26). The update brings a major visual overhaul and several new features — but not every iPhone will be supported. Below you'll find compatibility details, highlights to try first, and upgrade guidance. Official release notes See Apple's announcement for full release notes and more details: Apple Newsroom: New versions of Apple’s software platforms are available today Who’s left out? Apple dropped support for some 2018 iPhones. Notably excluded from iOS 26 are: iPhone XR iPhone XS iPhone XS Max iPhones compatible with iOS 26 In short: if your iPhone was announced in 2019 or later, it should be compatible. Key supported models include (non-exhaustive): iPhone SE (2nd gen and later) iPhone 11 / 11…

Fiverr lays off 250 employees to become 'AI-first' — what it means Fiverr has announced cuts of approximately 250 employees — about 30% of its workforce — as CEO Micha Kaufman says the company is pivoting to being an “AI-first” organization. Kaufman described the move as a return to "startup mode," aiming for a leaner, faster company with modern AI-focused tech and fewer management layers. He noted Fiverr has already integrated AI into customer support and fraud detection. Kaufman’s earlier comments urging employees to “automate 100%” of what they do raised questions when the layoffs were announced, as many roles are now being reduced. Fiverr’s reductions are smaller in absolute terms than cuts at some larger firms (for example, Workday’s 1,750 role eliminations), but the effect is similar: more work…

iOS 26 is here — overview, Liquid Glass, new features & device compatibility Apple has released iOS 26 to the public (Sept 15). The update brings a major visual overhaul called Liquid Glass — a translucent, adaptive design across lock/home screens and apps — plus a long list of new features across iPhone, iPad and AirPods. Top highlights Liquid Glass: Translucent UI, new floating buttons, adaptive to light/dark modes. You can reduce transparency via Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size > Reduce Transparency, and lower motion in Motion settings. Phone & Call features: Redesigned Phone app with combined contacts/recent/voicemail screen and Hold Assist (notify you when an agent picks up). Live Translation: Real-time translation in Phone, FaceTime and Messages using Apple Intelligence. Messages: Polls in group chats and…

Amazon hardware event — Sept 30, 10AM ET (New York City) Amazon will hold a hardware-focused press event on Sept 30 at 10AM ET in New York City. The company is expected to spotlight updates across its device lineup, especially products tied to Alexa+: Echo speakers and Echo Show displays. Below is a summary of likely announcements and quick links to find related products on Amazon. What to expect Echo / Echo Show — New models or software upgrades to leverage Alexa+’s improved conversational AI. The Echo Show hasn’t seen a recent refresh, and the standard Echo is due for an update. Kindle — The invitation image includes a color illustration on a Kindle, suggesting additional Kindle updates. Potential options could blend features from the Kindle Scribe 2 and recent…

NHTSA Investigates Tesla 2021 Model Y Door Handles — Safety Concerns Less than a week after reporting on electronic door-handle failures, U.S. regulators have opened an investigation into Tesla's electrically powered door handles on the 2021 Model Y. The probe covers roughly 174,290 vehicles and may be expanded to other models. What’s happening? Tesla uses flush, electrically actuated door handles that rely on a 12-volt (low-voltage) battery to pop the handle and release the latch. If the low-voltage battery fails, the handles may not operate — risking entrapment of occupants. Tesla vehicles have an in-cabin manual release, but its location varies by model and can be hard to access, especially for children or pets. Why it matters The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says entrapment is especially concerning in…

US investors to control TikTok US — deal details Recent reports indicate a deal is taking shape to move control of TikTok's US operations to a group of American investors. Key points: Ownership: US investors (reported to include Oracle, Andreessen Horowitz and Silver Lake) would hold roughly 80% of the US entity; Chinese ByteDance shareholders would retain under 20%. Governance: The US government would reportedly be able to appoint one board member to the American-dominated board. Data & security: Oracle is reported to oversee US user data and security operations for the new entity. Algorithm: TikTok engineers in the US would rebuild/recreate the recommendation algorithm using technology licensed from ByteDance. Timeline: A final deal is said to be close but could still take time; the US ban deadline has been…

LimeWire Acquires Fyre Festival Brand — Plans NFT-Linked Real-World Experiences LimeWire has reportedly purchased the rights to the Fyre Festival brand for $245,000 in an eBay auction and says it plans to revive the name as part of its NFT music marketplace strategy. The revived company — once known for file sharing and now operating as an NFT platform — has said it will not bring back the original festival but will explore "real-world experiences" tied to digital collectibles. A separate plan to use the Fyre name for a music-streaming service was also reported for April 2025. “Fyre became a symbol of hype gone wrong, but it also made history. We're not bringing the festival back — we’re bringing the brand and the meme back to life. This time with…