Instagram launches "Rings" awards for short‑form creators Instagram has introduced a new awards program called Rings, designed to recognize short‑form creators who take creative risks. Instead of a televised ceremony, Instagram will select 25 winners who will each receive a physical ring and a digital replica they can display on their profile and stories. Key details Winners: 25 creators Prizes: Physical ring designed by Grace Wales Bonner; a digital replica for profiles/stories; ability to customize profile gradient Prize money: No cash payout Judges: Include Adam Mosseri, Spike Lee and Yara Shahidi Announcement: Winners will be revealed on October 16, 2025 Instagram says winners will be chosen across a range of topics and interests, with judges narrowing thousands of submissions down to hundreds before selecting the final 25. Eva Chen, head…

AirPods 4 Drop to $90 for Prime Day — Is It Worth It? Apple's standard AirPods 4 are on sale for Prime Day: the non-ANC model is down to $90 (about 30% off) and the ANC model is currently around $140. This is the lowest price we've seen for the AirPods 4. Key features: H2 chip with Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, Transparency, Personalized Spatial Audio, and wireless charging Voice Isolation for clearer calls and 48kHz FaceTime audio support Improved sound vs. AirPods 3 — deeper low end, punchier treble, better with Dolby Atmos Battery: ~5 hours per charge (non-ANC), ~4 hours with ANC active; ~30 hours total with case Where to buy: Search for the AirPods 4 on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=AirPods+4&tag=f1rede-20 Notes: This summary is based on reporting from Engadget. Links…

Assassin's Creed Mirage — "Valley of Memory" (Free DLC) — Nov 18 Ubisoft is releasing a major free content update for Assassin's Creed Mirage titled Valley of Memory on November 18. The DLC adds roughly 6 hours of new story content following Basim in 9th‑century AlUla as he searches for his long‑lost father. The update also brings a new region and map, fresh assassination targets, side quests, contracts and a teased "unique twist" on the franchise's classic black‑box missions. Key features New main story chapter (~6 hours) set in AlUla, focusing on Basim. New region/map, assassination targets, side quests and contracts. Black‑box mission "twist" allowing more freedom in how main assassinations are completed. Parkour improvements: manual jump toggle, smoother rooftop transitions, customizable side/back ejects. Replayable missions and challenge parameters (e.g.,…

Last week Amazon introduced new Echo Show devices promising they’ll “blend into the background.” But many Echo Show owners say the devices are doing the opposite: surfacing unskippable, sponsored ads on the home screen and even inside the photo carousel that displays your personal pictures. Several users report that within the past 1–2 years ads have become more frequent and that there is no single setting that fully removes sponsored content from the home screen. You can reduce some items via Settings > Home & Clock > Home Content, but toggling those options often disables other useful home-screen features (news, weather, notifications) and does not eliminate paid “sponsored” placements. Why this matters Built-in ads on a personal device—especially one that displays your family photos—can be jarring. Owners describe ads popping…

Bosch eBike Flow 1.30.6 — Kiox 400C: More Display & Navigation Options Bosch has released version 1.30.6 of its eBike Flow system, bringing several notable improvements to customization, navigation and diagnostics — and completing key updates for the 2026 season. What’s new Customizable Kiox 400C ride screens — Configure the data and layout shown depending on riding situations (e.g., uphill, downhill). “Follow Original Route” navigation — Improved fidelity when following imported GPX files or Komoot tracks to avoid unwanted detours. Performance Line SX motor boost — Increased power for better momentum on demanding trails. eShift automatic shifting — Firmware updates add automatic shifting options for smoother gear changes. QR-enabled error reporting — Error codes can include QR codes to speed up customer service diagnostics. Smart device integration — Apple Watch…

Best October Prime Day SSD deals October Prime Day is back — we rounded up the top discounted storage for consoles and gaming PCs: microSD, portable SSDs and internal NVMe/SATA drives. Below are standout deals and quick notes to help you choose. Crucial X10 4TB Portable SSD — $240 (39% off)USB 3.2 portable drive, up to 2,100MB/s read. Great for fast portable storage.Buy on Amazon Crucial BX500 1TB 3D NAND SATA 2.5-inch Internal SSD — $64 (33% off)Budget internal SATA, up to 540MB/s read. Good cheap upgrade for laptops.Buy on Amazon Crucial P310 2TB — $122 (49% off)Compact NVMe with read speeds over 7,000MB/s — excellent for small laptops and Steam Decks.Buy on Amazon Samsung 990 Evo Plus 1TB — $70 (33% off)High-performance NVMe, up to ~7,250MB/s read. Great internal…

Immich: Private alternative to iCloud Photos goes official Immich, the open-source, self-hosted photo and video management app, has reached its first stable release. Designed as a privacy-focused alternative to cloud services like iCloud Photos or Google Photos, Immich offers features such as automatic mobile uploads, facial recognition, album management and web/mobile access while keeping your media on hardware you control. Key features Automatic upload from mobile devices Face recognition and grouping Web and native mobile apps (iOS/Android) Self-hosted: run on your own server or NAS (Docker-supported) Open-source — code and development on GitHub Where to get it Official site: https://immich.app GitHub repo: https://github.com/immich-app/immich Documentation / Quick start: https://immich.app/docs/overview/welcome/ Notes The first stable release marks a major milestone for Immich, but if you self-host, remember to follow best practices for backups…

Prime Day Kitchen Deals: Best Appliance Discounts & Where to Buy Prime Day discounts have landed on a wide range of kitchen gadgets — from immersion blenders and air fryers to espresso machines and juicers. Below is a curated list of notable deals (prices reported at time of roundup). Click any product to search for current listings on Amazon (affiliate link). Vitamix 2-Speed Immersion Blender — reported around $90. Great for quick sauces and soups. Shop Vitamix 2-Speed Vitamix 5-Speed Immersion Blender — reported around $200. More power (625W) and versatility. Shop Vitamix 5-Speed Ninja Creami ice cream maker — bundle with extra pints reported ~$200. Shop Ninja Creami Ninja 5.5-Quart Air Fryer XL (AF150AMZ) — reported ~$130. Larger capacity for families. Shop Ninja 5.5-Quart AF150AMZ Ninja Dual Foodi Zone…

Prime Big Deal Days — Best Apple Deals Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days are bringing solid discounts on Apple gear. Below are the standout offers to watch — prices and availability may change during the sale. Apple AirPods 4 — $90 (save $39). Quick link: Apple AirPods 4 on Amazon Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) — $430 (save $119). Quick link: AirPods Max (USB-C) on Amazon Apple iPad Air (11-inch, M3) — $449 (save $150). Quick link: iPad Air 11" (M3) on Amazon Apple iPad Air (13-inch, M3) — $649 (save $150). Quick link: iPad Air 13" (M3) on Amazon Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro) — $399 (save $100). Quick link: iPad mini (A17 Pro) on Amazon Apple AirTags (4-pack) — $65 (save $34). Quick link: AirTag 4-pack on Amazon Apple…

Prime Day: Best Anker Charging Deals & What to Buy Prime Day is a good time to pick up charging essentials at a discount. Anker makes reliable power banks, wireless chargers and adapters — perfect for travel, home offices and nightstands. Below is a quick guide on what to buy and affiliate links to help you browse current offers. Power banks Consider how you'll use a power bank before buying. For phones, a 5,000–10,000 mAh pack is usually enough; for tablets, laptops or gaming handhelds look for higher capacity and multiple ports. Browse Anker power banks on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Anker+power+bank&tag=f1rede-20 Wireless chargers Wireless chargers clean up cable clutter. Choose a stand for desks or a lay-flat pad for nightstands. Multi-device stations can charge phone, watch and earbuds together. Browse Anker wireless…