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This past Saturday night, someone, presumably the President of the United States, posted a video clip to Donald Trump’s TruthSocial account that seemed to show the President appearing on Fox News’ My View with Lara Trump to announce “America’s first MedBed hospitals,” as well as the imminent release of “MedBed cards” so Americans can access said hospitals.

“These facilities are safe, modern, and designed to restore every citizen to full health and strength,” Trump says in the clip.

The video was clearly AI-generated, Fox News confirmed that the segment had never aired on any of their platforms, and the TruthSocial post was deleted on Sunday. While this incident raises a variety of questions, I’m only going to focus on one: What the hell are MedBeds?

Real MedBeds vs. fake MedBeds

While there are actual “medical beds” that do things like tilt patients to prevent bed sores or provide constant vital sign monitoring, the MedBeds mentioned in the video are not these. MedBeds are a deep-cut from the world of conspiracy theorists: wonder-beds that use quantum field theory, vibrational energy, and/or holograms to cure all diseases and injuries. They can restore missing limbs or reverse aging—and all you have to do is lie down in one for half an hour. Neat, but not a real thing—no evidence of such technology exists.

MedBeds are predominantly a far right theory with a lot of crossover with QAnon and NESARA/GESARA, but there are plenty of folks on the far left who believe in MedBeds too. Different theorists may have different ideas about where MedBeds came from, as well—sometimes they are back-engineered alien technology and sometimes they were made by the military—but nearly all MedBedders agree that “The Elites” are hiding the technology from us proles, hoarding all the youth and health for themselves. As belief in MedBeds grew in over the last decade, grifters predictably arrived.

The scammy kind of MedBed

You can’t have a bunch of people believing in a fake thing without folks trying to profit from them, so there are companies like “Tesla Biohealing” (no relation) that will sell you a “Biophotonizer-M” MedBed so you (or your pet) can enjoy “your own quantum healing environment at home.” There’s also this anti-aging bed, or you could book a session in a “ThetaPod” that looks like this:

These companies seem to carefully avoid making specific medical claims for their MedBeds, but they definitely suggest medical benefits, and these claims are highly dubious (and some MedBeds are part of the “antichrist system“?).

It’s easy to see how these kinds of sales pitches hook people. The sites look legitimate, the claims sound real, and the people spreading MedBed nonsense can seem legitimate too. But they aren’t.

It always goes back to science fiction

If you’re wondering where MedBeds really came from, it’s science fiction movies. The current MedBeds conspiracy theory is basically the plot of 2013 science fiction flick Elysium. But there are MedBeds in older science fiction too. In the original Star Trek, Dr. McCoy’s sick bay is full of “biobeds” that could cure things his tricorder could not. In 1951’s The Day the Earth Stood Still, Gort revives Klaatu with a chamber that looks very much like descriptions of MedBeds. And if we expand the definition of “MedBed” from a physical object to a description of what the object does, the history of MedBeds goes back at least to ancient Sumeria.

The eternal allure of the fountain of youth

The earliest surviving great work of literature, The Epic of Gilgamesh, details the title character’s search for a substance that grants eternal youth. In Gilgamesh it’s a thorny plant at the bottom of the sea instead of medical device being hidden by rich people, but the idea is the same. People have been looking for the literal Fountain of Youth, a source of water that cures all diseases and reverses aging, since at least 500 BC, and searching for an anti-aging elixir motivated the alchemists who laid the foundation for chemistry that led to all the actual medical advances that keep us alive longer.

The ultimate lesson of MedBeds

There are no MedBeds hiding in secret military bunkers, about to be rolled out by some shadowy cabal, and the government isn’t going to send you a “MedBed card” either. But the desire that drives people to believe in miracle cures is very real, very old, and nearly universal. Judging from the comments on MedBed videos, the people drawn to this stuff are sick and old and scared. The real doctors have told them to get their affairs in order; you can’t blame them for reaching for hope—we’re all going to be asking for a little more time eventually.

Gilgamesh was driven by the same fear as MedBed believers. The hero travels to the bottom of the sea and finds the plant that grants eternal life, only to have it stolen away by a serpent before he can return to the surface. The lesson is clear: We don’t get to live forever. Rather than despair, Gilgamesh concludes that people don’t get to live forever, and the meaning of life is in living virtuously and the legacy we leave behind.

It’s been a couple years since the Echo 8 has gotten an update and even longer for the aging Echo Show 10. But today Amazon is fixing that with two brand-new smart displays: The fourth-gen Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 11.

Right away, the first thing you notice about Amazon’s refreshed lineup is their designs. In front, there’s a slim tablet-based HD display (either 8.7 inches or 11 inches depending on the model). Around back there’s a curvier housing covered in a mesh fabric for the display’s internals and speakers that borrows a lot from the new Echo Studio and Echo Dot Max. This is a pretty big departure from Amazon’s wedge-shaped predecessors and I think it’s a success. Both models look more elegant and refined, while their rounded bases make it easier to angle them properly in whatever room they’re in. 

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

That said, while both models feature new 13MP cameras with auto-framing tech (meaning they can track your face if you need to move around the room while on a video call), neither version has a built-in motor that would allow the entire display to rotate and spin like you got on the old Echo Show 10. I suspect this is a tacit admission by Amazon that a movable display is a bit of a gimmick, at least on a smart display. Or it’s just not super necessary when you can just have the device’s camera re-compose your video framing dynamically in software. 

Elsewhere, there are a few handy physical controls for volume located on the right side of the Echo Shows’ displays along with a toggle for disabling the onboard mics and camera. Aside from that, there’s a single barrel plug in back for power (which is slightly annoying, I wish it was USB-C) and not much else. So if for some reason you want to connect the new Echo Shows to wired internet, you’re going to need to get pretty creative. 

Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to see how the audio on the new Echo Show models compares to the refreshed Echo Studio or Dot Max. However, Amazon’s updated displays are a big improvement. They have huge viewing angles so it’s never hard to see what’s on the screen from wherever your standing. And while Amazon hasn’t provided official brightness figures, based on what I’ve seen, the panels are rather vibrant, so there shouldn’t be any major issues viewing things in sunny rooms. 

Amazon’s refreshed UI is also rather straightforward. All you need is a couple taps or swipes to open things like the video tab, music controls, settings and a list of upcoming calendar events. Meanwhile, the addition of Amazon’s AZ3 Pro chip has greatly improved the responsiveness of touch and gesture input to the point where it felt a bit faster than the Google Nest Hub Max I have at home. 

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Of course, the real impact of the new Echo Shows is yet to be seen, because while updated hardware is nice, the real value of these smart displays is how they are now better positioned to be the center of Amazon’s smart home ecosystem. Both devices support Zigbee, Matter and Thread so it should be easy to use them to control other devices, while features like a Wi-Fi radar enables a wider range of contextual interactions from Alexa. And while I think the ability to create routines and automations strictly using your voice is a major upgrade for the average user, I wasn’t able to test that functionality out myself at the event. 

The other potential omission is that while Amazon’s two largest smart displays got much needed refreshes today, the same can’t be said for the Echo Show 5. So while that model continues to be on sale, I wouldn’t be surprised if it got discontinued when supply runs out or re-imagined as something closer to a smart alarm clock sometime in the future, as it’s smaller screen makes it’s role as a smart home hub a bit more limited. 

The new Echo Show ($180) and Echo Show 11 ($220) are available for pre-order today and will come with early access to Alexa+ before official sales begin on November 12. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/amazon-echo-show-8-and-show-11-hands-on-a-cuter-more-unified-smart-display-173918264.html?src=rss

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

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Apple has been top dog in the premium tablet space for years, and the iPad Pro with an M4 chip released last year solidified their dominance. If you’ve been waiting for a discount on the best-performing tablet you can get, the iPad Pro 11-Inch M4 is down to $1,499.97 (originally $1,999) after a 25% discount for Prime Members during October Prime Day. This deal brings the iPad down to a record low price since its release, according to price-tracking tools.

Apple iPad Pro 11-Inch (M4)

Nano-Texture Glass, 2TB, 12MP Front/Back Camera, LiDAR Scanner, Wi-Fi 6E, Face ID, All-Day Battery.

$1,499.97
at Amazon

$1,999.00
Save $499.03

$1,499.97
at Amazon

$1,999.00
Save $499.03

The M4 is about 1.5 times faster than the M2, the chip used in the previous generation of iPads. That’s a big difference for anyone looking to use their iPad for more than just navigating the web and streaming media apps. The 11-inch screen is an OLED display with a maximum brightness of 1,600 nits and a contrast ratio of 2,000,000:1, making it ideal for creators who need to see accurate colors for pictures or videos. The processing power can easily handle heavy-duty apps like Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, or Photoshop. A 120Hz refresh rate also means games will look smooth.

As far as battery life, you can expect about 10 hours depending on your use, and a charge that takes about two hours to get to full. Keep in mind Apple switched to USB-C charging, and this iPad does not support wireless charging. Since this is the wifi version, you’ll be limited to wifi signal. You can get the Apple Pencil Pro and the Magic Keyboard if you want to complete the set, but they’re not necessary.

If you’re not going to be doing heavy work, the iPad Air will do just fine. But if you’re looking for the best tablet to perform professional tasks, the iPad Pro M4 is at a great price right now.

Imgur, a popular image hosting platform with more than 130 million users, has stopped being available in the UK after regulators signalled their intention to impose penalties over concerns around children’s data. From a report: The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) said that it has reached provisional findings in an investigation in the parent company of image hosting site, Imgur. Its probe was launched earlier this year, as part of the regulator’s Children’s Code strategy, which is intended to set the standards for how online services handle the personal information of young people. BBC adds: The UK’s data watchdog, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), said it recently notified the platform’s parent company, MediaLab AI, of plans to fine Imgur after probing its approach to age checks and use of children’s personal data.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Well, that was fast. One day after Wired reported that OpenAI was preparing to release a new AI social video app, the company has revealed it to the wider world. It’s called the Sora app, and it’s powered by OpenAI’s new Sora 2 video model, allowing it to generate AI-made clips of nearly anything. As expected, the app’s signature “cameo” feature allows people to add your likeness to videos they generate. 

Cameos are likely to be controversial, even if OpenAI is giving users a lot of control over whether someone can replicate their likeness in clips Sora generates. When you first start using the app, you can your friends (and even strangers) permission to generate images of you. Whenever someone uses your likeness in a video Sora will designate you as the “co-owner” of that clip, allowing you to later delete it or prevent others from further modifying the video with subsequent generations. The latter plays into Sora’s “Remix” feature, which allows users to jump on trending videos to offer their own take on it. A new capability of Sora 2 means it can both generate sound alongside video, marking a first for OpenAI’s model.

Separately of the above restrictions, Sora can’t generate videos of public figures — unless they upload their likeness to the app and grant their friends or everyone permission to use it in their creations — and the software will refuse to make pornographic content.    

Right now, Sora is only available on iOS — with no word yet on when it might arrive on Android — and you’ll need an invite from the company. However, once you receive access, you’ll be able to invite four friends to download the software. One last note on availability: OpenAI is only making Sora available to people in the US and Canada (Sorry, everyone else). 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openais-sora-app-is-real-but-youll-need-an-invite-to-try-it-171849671.html?src=rss

The survival climbing game Cairn has been delayed until the first quarter of 2026. Development studio The Game Bakers had previously announced a release date for November 5 of this year.

The delay is so the team can spend more time on “optimization, debug and polish.” Creative director Emeric Thoa said that “after 5 years of work, it makes no sense to rush it” as “we want to be proud of the game we launch.” Delays are never fun, but they are a whole lot better than buying a broken game at launch.

We don’t have an actual release date yet, but the game’s still coming to both PC and PS5. There is a demo available, which has racked up 600,000 players on both platforms. The Game Bakers are beefing up that demo on October 13, adding ghost recordings of speedrunners and staffers. The company says these ghosts can be followed to “check new techniques or discover new routes and hidden areas.” Mario Kart and other racing games have been doing something similar for years.

For the uninitiated, Cairn is a tough-as-nails rock-climbing game with a free solo mode for added difficulty. There’s no UI feedback, so players have to pay attention to the avatar’s breathing and body language. It feels like a more intense cousin of the peaceful Jusant, which is another rock-climbing sim.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/survival-climbing-game-cairn-has-been-delayed-until-2026-171512591.html?src=rss

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Early Prime Day deals have started, and you can find many Amazon devices with record-low prices, including Kindle readers, all leading up to October Prime Day. One of these deals worth highlighting is the Amazon Echo Frames + Echo Spot bundle, currently going for $119.99 (originally $229.99), the lowest price it has been, according to price-tracking tools.

Amazon Echo Frames + Echo Spot

Smart Glasses with Alexa, Modern Rectangle frames in Charcoal Gray with prescription ready lenses

$119.99
at Amazon

$349.98
Save $229.99

$119.99
at Amazon

$349.98
Save $229.99

The third-generation Echo Frames are the latest to be released this summer. They work like open-ear headphones that let you hear your surroundings, with the frames projecting sound to your ears. This can be good or bad, depending on your intended use. If you want to focus on your media in loud environments like a busy coffee shop, they might not work great. But if you are in a more controlled environment like an office or home, being able to hear when someone talks to you is a necessity.

The bundle also brings the Echo Spot, which is normally $79.99 and is the latest smart speaker with Alexa built in, and the Echo Frames normally run for $269.99, so being able to get both of these products for $119.99 is a steal.

The Echo Frames feel like regular glasses (or sunglasses). The standout features are the excellent microphone and well-balanced mids and highs, according to PCMag’s review. Keep in mind, though, like most open-ear headphones, the bass is very weak.

You can wear these out to work out if you want, since they are water and sweat-resistant. Keep in mind this price does not include the cost of your prescription lenses. But you can get the prescription-ready configuration with lenses meant to be swapped out by your optometrist.

Amazon may have just unveiled a ton of new products across its Ring, Blink, Echo and Kindle categories, but it still had one more piece of hardware to show. Though it didn’t get mentioned during the company’s Devices and Services event earlier today, there is a new Smart Remote under the Amazon Basics brand that will be available for pre-order for $19.99 and will ship in October. According to the product listing page, it will be released on October 30.

At first glance, the Smart Remote looks like a regular switch that you mount on your wall to control your lights or other appliances. Its full name on Amazon’s current pre-order page even says it’s a “Smart Dimmer Switch and Remote.” It basically has four buttons that you can configure via the Alexa app or ask Alexa+ to map routines to. During a demo at the event space, an Amazon representative told an Echo Show “Alexa, when I press the top button I want you to activate the party time scene and play “Alive” by Pearl Jam.

The assistant acknowledged the request and within 10 seconds said it had completed the task. The rep pressed a button and lights in the demo room came on, while the song started playing on the Echo Show.

You can also use the Routines section of Amazon’s app to customize what you want the device to do. In the same demo, the company also showed how the assistant can suggest routines based on your habits. It can also remind you to, say, take out the trash if you’ve connected a Ring camera and it’s noticed patterns in which day of the week your garbage is removed from the street.

The battery-powered remote can be mounted on a wall or surface and can be magnetically attached for maximum convenience. Though a simple remote might not be the most exciting thing, especially at an event where Amazon’s voice assistant and AI were so widely talked about, it’s still something people might find useful. Particularly if you want to just press a button to trigger a series of actions instead of finding the exact words to say in the precise pronunciation that is required to be understood by your smart speaker. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/amazon-has-a-new-smart-remote-thats-completely-programmable-by-alexa-170021739.html?src=rss

What good is an update if it doesn’t actually add anything new? That’s the question I’m left asking about Microsoft’s Windows 11 2025 update (AKA Windows 11 25H2), which the company will begin pushing out today. Instead of adding any major new capabilities, Microsoft says it’s an “enablement package” that includes recent features added to last year’s 24H2 release. If anything, it could be a push for stragglers who’ve ignored recent updates to get onboard with new Windows 11 capabilities.

Microsoft says the Windows 11 2025 update also “includes significant advancements in build and runtime vulnerability detection, coupled with AI assisted secure coding.” Additionally, the new update should be leaner than before, thanks to the removal of PowerShell 2.0 and Windows Management instrumentation command-line (WMIC). Those are legacy features most users have never touched, but their removal could annoy power users and IT admins who have built ancient scripts using PowerShell 2.0.

As usual, Microsoft says it will start delivering the Windows 11 2025 update to users in waves. The first batch includes users with 24H2 devices who’ve turned on “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” in Windows Update. Now that Microsoft has moved to a frequent update cadence, you can expect to see actual new features for Windows 11 25H2 arriving in the coming months.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/microsofts-windows-11-2025-update-starts-rolling-out-today-but-dont-expect-anything-new-170005064.html?src=rss

Chinese hackers breached email servers of foreign ministers as part of a years-long effort targeting the communications of diplomats around the world, according to researchers at the cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks. From a report: Attackers accessed Microsoft Exchange email servers, gaining the ability to search for information at some foreign ministries, said the team at Unit 42, the threat intelligence division of Palo Alto Networks, which has been tracking the group for nearly three years.

Hackers specifically searched in the email servers for key terms related to a China-Arab summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2022, said Lior Rochberger, senior researcher at the company. They also searched for names such as including Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, in the context of that summit, the researchers said. The researchers declined to specifically identify which countries had their systems breached in the hacking campaign, but wrote in the report that the group’s targeting patterns “align consistently with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) economic and geopolitical interests.”

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

You may not be looking to spend big on tech this October Prime Day, but it’s still a good idea to look for tech essentials during the shopping event while you can get some at good discounts. Anker makes some of our favorite charging gear and I always end up picking up an accessory or two during Prime Day to ensure I have what I need when I need it most, and I feel better knowing I didn’t spend full price on it.

For example, in sales past, I picked up a couple of extra USB-C charging cables so I could keep one in my carry-on luggage so I always have one when I travel. My partner will likely be upgrading to an iPhone 17 this year, so we’ll have to get a few more USB-C cables now that Lightning is officially banished from our home. Also, every year it seems I need yet another surge protector, so even though I picked one up the year before — but one can never have too many. Here, we’ve collected all of the best October Prime Day deals on Anker devices and other charging gear we could find, and we’ll update this post as the event goes on with the latest offerings.

Anker Prime Day deals: Power banks

Power banks are not as straightforward as you might think. They come in all shapes, sizes and capacities and can have extra features like magnetic alignment, built-in kickstands, extra ports and more.

It’s worth considering how you’ll use a power bank before you decide on the right one to buy. Smartphones don’t need huge-capacity bricks to power up a couple of times over; a 5K or 10K portable charger should be plenty if that’s all you’re looking to support. If you want a more versatile accessory that can charge a tablet, laptop or gaming handheld, consider a brick with a higher capacity — and more ports so you can charge multiple devices simultaneously.

Anker Prime Day deals: Wireless chargers

A good wireless charger can lighten your cable load. While wired charging remains faster and more efficient, wireless chargers can clean up your space by eliminating a few of those cables that constantly trip you up.

We recommend thinking about where you’ll use a wireless charger before buying one. Those outfitting a home office with new tech may want a wireless charging stand that puts their phone in an upright position that’s easier to see while it’s powering up, while those who want a wireless charger for their nightstand might prefer a lay-flat design or a power station that can charge a smartphone, smartwatch and pair of earbuds all at once.

Anker Prime Day deals: Charging gear

Plenty of other charging gear is on sale for Prime Day. It’s never a bad idea to pick up a few 30W USB-C adapters so you always have what you need to reliably power up your phone. Same goes for extra USB-C (or USB-A) cables that can live in your car, in your office at work or by the couch.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-october-prime-day-deals-on-anker-charging-gear-and-other-accessories-164536998.html?src=rss

Spotify founder and CEO Daniel Ek will be transitioning to the role of executive chairman on January 1 of next year. The current Co-President and Chief Product and Technology Officer Gustav Söderström and Co-President and Chief Business Officer Alex Norström will take his place as co-CEOs.

“Over the last few years, I’ve turned over a large part of the day-to-day management and strategic direction of Spotify to Alex and Gustav — who have shaped the company from our earliest days and are now more than ready to guide our next phase. This change simply matches titles to how we already operate. In my role as Executive Chairman, I will focus on the long arc of the company and keep the Board and our co-CEOs deeply connected through my engagement,” Ek said in a statement.

In a letter to Spotify employees, Ek also shared that he wants to help create more technology-driven “supercompanies” that “tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time.”

As a recent example of Ek’s other interests, this summer he led a $700 million investment round into the defense tech firm Helsing. The company sells AI-powered software that analyzes weapons and sensor data in battlefields to help with military decision-making. Last year Helsing started manufacturing a line of military drones. Ek has received pushback on this investment in the form of a number of smaller artists, as well as Massive Attack pulling their music catalogs from Spotify.

Daniel Ek founded Spotify in 2006 alongside Martin Lorentzon and oversaw the company’s growth to almost 700 million monthly active listeners. It’s been a busy year for the music streaming giant, which finally started offering lossless streaming after a multi-year wait.

The company also finds itself at a crossroads as more AI-generated music is making its way to the platform. The company recently made some policy changes to address AI, though this was only aimed at fraudulent and deceptive uses of the technology. Fully AI-generated songs and albums are still permitted.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/daniel-ek-is-stepping-down-as-spotify-ceo-161519791.html?src=rss

Cancer rates among people aged 15 to 49 have increased 10% since 2000 even as rates have fallen among older populations. Young women face an 83% higher cancer rate than men in the same age range. A 150,000-person study presented at the American Association for Cancer Research meeting found millennials appear to be aging biologically faster than previous generations based on blood biomarkers. That acceleration was associated with up to 42% increased risk for certain cancers including lung, gastrointestinal and uterine malignancies.

Researchers are examining the “exposome” — the full range of environmental exposures across a person’s life. Studies have linked early-onset cancers to medications taken during pregnancy, ultra-processed foods that now account for more than half of daily calorie intake in the United States, circadian rhythm disruption from artificial light and shift work, and chemical exposures. Gary Patti at Washington University is using zebrafish exposed to known and suspected carcinogens to track tumor development. His lab has developed systems to scan blood samples for tens of thousands of chemicals simultaneously to identify signatures appearing more frequently in early-onset cancer patients.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Now that iOS 26, macOS 26 Tahoe, and Apple’s other big software updates for the year are out in public, Apple’s efforts for the next few months will shift to fixing bugs and adding individual new features. The first of those bug fix updates has arrived this week in the form of iOS 26.0.1, macOS 26.0.1, iPadOS 26.0.1, and equivalent updates for most of the devices across Apple’s ecosystem.

The release notes for most of the updates focus on device- and platform-specific early adopter problems, particularly for buyers of the new iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone Air.

The iOS 26.0.1 update fixes a bug that could prevent phones from connecting to cellular networks, a bug that could cause app icons to appear blank, and the VoiceOver feature becoming disabled on devices that have it on. Camera, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth bugs with the new iPhones have also been patched. The iPadOS update also fixes a bug that was causing the floating software keyboard to move around.

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During its invite-only and not live-streamed Devices and Services event today out of New York City, Amazon announced its upcoming Ring and Blink devices, new Fire TVs and streaming sticks, Kindle Scribes and, finally, a whole new Echo device lineup — including new Echo Show smart displays. The latest smart-home screens were built to showcase Alexa+, the new and AI-improved smart assistant.

There’s a new Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 11 (as well as new Echo speakers). Amazon called them the most powerful Echo devices ever created. They have custom silicon, the AZ3 Pro with an AI Accelerator, as well as more advanced sensors and improved microphones for better noise cancellation. The look has been completely redesigned, and resemble a cross between the existing Echo Show 8 and the Echo Show 10, with a prominent speaker module at the bottom and floating screen up top. The speakers pack full-range drivers that fire audio forwards for clearer sound. 

Both of the new displays have negative liquid crystal screens designed to maximize viewing angles, so you can see them better from anywhere in a room. They each have 13MP cameras as well, which is the best camera ever included on an Echo Show. That and other sensors, including Wi-Fi radar, will enable contextualized Alexa+ interactions, like recognizing when you walk up to the display, triggering the AI to greet you, display your relevant information and even deliver one of your personalized reminders. 

Software upgrades include a new media control center to allow better access to your video and music and streaming apps. A new home hub has support for Zigbee, Matter, and Thread, which should let you hook up even more smart home devices for Alexa to tap into. If you use your display for family scheduling, you can try the new color-coded calendars. If you wear an Oura ring, look for new wellness integrations centered around that fitness tracker. A new Alexa+ shopping widget will give you more control over your Amazon and Whole Foods deliveries while also suggesting items to buy and even gifts to give someone. 

Amazon/ Sam R for Engadget

The Echo Show 8 and Show 11 were redesigned with Alexa+ in mind, the service that Amazon revealed at an event earlier this year. The AI-enhanced upgrade to Amazon’s virtual assistant is supposed to be more conversational, retaining memories of your chats for more contextualized responses. Our experience with an early version of the assistant was… complicated. It was better at many things like multi-step tasks and using information from previous interactions, but it, like all AI-experiences, highlighted the limitations of computers trying to be people. Alexa+ is currently free with Prime, or costs $20 per month for non-Prime members.

Prior to the announcement of the new display, the Echo Show lineup consisted of four models: The Echo Show 5, 8, 15 and 21 (the Echo Show 10 hasn’t been consistently available these past few months). Each model number refers to the size of the screen (measured on the diagonal) and the smallest, the Echo Show 5, is designed for office desks or small kitchens. The slightly larger Show 8 is more suited to acting as a smart home hub and, like the Echo Show 5, is designed to sit on a table or countertop. Both were last updated in 2023. The Show 15 and 21 are wall-mountable and can act as calendars and family planners in addition to subbing in as small TVs when needed. The two larger Show displays were last updated in 2024.

The new Echo Show devices are available for pre-order today and will come with Alexa+ Early Access. The Echo Show 8 sells for $180 and the and Echo Show 11 for $220. Both will ship on November 12. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/amazon-just-announced-a-totally-redesigned-echo-show-8-and-echo-show-11-145937172.html?src=rss

What if you could just use a ton of Echo speakers as a surround sound setup for your TV? That’s basically what Amazon is trying to accomplish with its new Alexa Home Theater feature, which was announced during its 2025 device launch today. As the name implies, Alexa Home Theater works with up to five of its new Echo Studio or Echo Dot Max devices to create a surround sound environment with “compatible Fire TV sticks.” According to the company, Alexa will automatically set up the Home Theater feature once you’ve plugged in several Echo devices.

Clearly, Amazon isn’t aiming for the home theater enthusiast crowd here. A surround sound system without a subwoofer simply won’t sound very exciting. But if you’re going for a fairly minimalist setup, I could see how having a few Echo orbs around your living room could be more aesthetically pleasing than giant speakers. It’s unclear if Alexa Home Theater will work with the original Echo Studio, but we’re trying to confirm that with Amazon.

While the company is pitching this feature as an inexpensive entry into surround sound, a full Alexa Home Theater setup will start at $500 for five Echo Dot Max speakers, and it’ll get even pricier once you throw in the $220 Echo Studio. At that point, just get a decent soundbar, which will be able to virtualize surround sound and offer better low-end.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/alexa-home-theater-will-let-you-use-amazons-echo-speakers-for-surround-sound-153325469.html?src=rss

Amazon today announced three new Kindle Scribe models, its e ink-featuring tables designed for note-taking and reading. The lineup includes the standard Kindle Scribe and a version without a front light alongside the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft. The new devices feature an 11-inch glare-free E Ink screen compared to the 10.2-inch display on previous models.

Amazon has reduced the weight to 400 grams from 433 grams and made the devices 5.4mm thin. The company added a quad-core processor and additional memory to deliver writing and page turns that are 40% faster than earlier versions. The Colorsoft model uses custom-built display technology to offer 10 pen colors and five highlighter colors. Amazon redesigned the software to include AI-powered notebook search and summaries. The devices will support Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive for document access and allow users to export notes as editable text to OneNote. The standard Kindle Scribe will start at $499.99 and the Colorsoft at $629.99 when they become available later this year. The version without a front light will cost $429.99 and arrive early next year.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Robot vacuums are more than just a gimmick. Sure, we all enjoy anthropomorphizing a Roomba from time to time, but they’re not gadgets for the sake of gadgetry — keeping your living space clean is an incredibly rewarding task to automate. The only problem is that both robot vacuums and all decent vacuums, are expensive. Fortunately, the steep discounts offered on Amazon this October Prime Day make the purchase a lot more justifiable, whether you want a robot buddy or a traditional vacuum cleaner. In this article, we’re sharing a constantly updated list of vacuum discounts worth taking advantage of.

Best Prime Day vacuum deals

iRobot Roomba 104 Vac for $150 (40 percent off, Prime exclusive): This entry-level Roomba is a good pick for anyone who’s new to owning a robot vacuum. It features a multi-surface brush and an edge-sweeping brush to clean all types of flooring, and it uses LiDAR navigation to avoid obstacles as it goes. The iRobot mobile app lets you control the robot, set cleaning schedules and more.

Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 for $300 (57 percent off, Prime exclusive): The Shark Matrix Plus takes the robot vacuum concept even further by working a mop into the design for hands-off wet cleaning. This model is self-cleaning, self-emptying, self-charging and capable of tackling ground-in stains on hard floors.

Shark Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe for $160 (27 percent off): Moving into manual vacuums, let’s start with one of the best. The Shark Navigator Lift-Away is a champion at getting deeply ingrained crud out of carpets, but it’s also capable of squaring away bare floors. You can switch between the two settings quickly, and the lift-away canister makes it easy to empty.

Levoit LVAC-300 cordless vacuum for $250 ($100 off, Prime exclusive): One of our favorite cordless vacuums, this Levoit machine has great handling, strong suction power for its price and a premium-feeling design. Its bin isn’t too small, it has HEPA filtration and its battery life should be more than enough for you to clean your whole home many times over before it needs a recharge.

Dyson Ball Animal Total Clean Upright Vacuum for $500 (24 percent off): Dyson is still the king of reinventing vacuums, and the bagless, hyper-maneuverable Ball Animal is a blast to use. The Ball design is based on ease of steering, but the hidden MVP is the sealing — from the head to the canister, not a hair is getting out of this one once it’s in.

Amazon Basics Upright Bagless Vacuum Cleaner for $55 (21 percent off): All right, nobody goes to Amazon Basics to be impressed, but we have to admit this vacuum exceeds expectations. It’s light, it has a big dust reservoir and it comes with all the attachments you’ll need for a reasonably sized apartment. The filter is also simple to remove and clean.

Black+Decker QuickClean Cordless Handheld Vacuum for $27 (33 percent off): Rounding out the list, we’ve got this small-but-mighty hand vacuum, perfect for crevices, shelves or cleaning out your car. It weighs about 1.4 pounds and hoovers up small messes in the blink of an eye. The lithium-ion battery stays charged for up to 10 hours.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-october-prime-day-vacuum-deals-you-can-get-now-save-on-machines-from-shark-irobot-dyson-and-more-151504364.html?src=rss

On Monday, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the Transparency in Frontier Artificial Intelligence Act into law, requiring AI companies to disclose their safety practices while stopping short of mandating actual safety testing. The law requires companies with annual revenues of at least $500 million to publish safety protocols on their websites and report incidents to state authorities, but it lacks the stronger enforcement teeth of the bill Newsom vetoed last year after tech companies lobbied heavily against it.

The legislation, S.B. 53, replaces Senator Scott Wiener’s previous attempt at AI regulation, known as S.B. 1047, that would have required safety testing and “kill switches” for AI systems. Instead, the new law asks companies to describe how they incorporate “national standards, international standards, and industry-consensus best practices” into their AI development, without specifying what those standards are or requiring independent verification.

“California has proven that we can establish regulations to protect our communities while also ensuring that the growing AI industry continues to thrive,” Newsom said in a statement, though the law’s actual protective measures remain largely voluntary beyond basic reporting requirements.

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