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Finally, a smart ring worthy of replacing my Oura 4 - and with no subscription fees

ZDNET's key takeaways The RingConn Gen 2 is a subscription-free smart ring that retails for $300. It monitors your sleep, activity, stress, and vitals, and it's got a marathon battery life. The only downside is the user interface feels underdeveloped. View now at Amazon View now at Ringconn more buying choices Most smart rings these days claim to offer marathon battery lives, but often fall short of their promise. Many smart rings claim to last a week's worth of battery, but only make it to f

Philips Hue lighting will be more expensive starting July 1st, but you can save on them now

Signify has announced price increases for its Philips Hue smart lighting and accessories starting on July 1st due to US tariffs. As for how much the products will go up in price, that hasn’t been confirmed, but the Hue Wall Washer that was recently launched is 10 percent more expensive than its price in the EU, which may offer an indication of what to expect. If you’ve been meaning to try Philips Hue smart bulbs, or add to your existing collection, this may be your last chance to snag products b

Trump Mobile drops its 'made in the USA' claims

The Trump Organization announced a cellular brand earlier this summer, and its main selling point for Trump Mobile was that its T1 smartphone was "made in the USA." It seemed highly unlikely that those claims about the phone were possible. Now, the website for the device has removed all language indicating that it was manufactured in the US. Instead, there is broader language such as "designed with American values in mind" and "Premium Performance. Proudly American." The Verge also noticed that

Samsung Clears Out Galaxy Watch Ultra at All-Time Low, No Trade-In Needed but Extra Savings If You Do

There are a lot of smartwatches out there, but most people know that the two main contenders come from Apple or Samsung. If you’re an iPhone user, then getting one from Apple is often the right choice, but for Android users, the Galaxy Watch Ultra is currently the best option for the vast majority of users. A good smartwatch isn’t cheap though, and the Galaxy Watch Ultra starts at $650. Well, thanks to a great deal from Samsung directly right now, you can actually save $150 on the Galaxy Watch

4 ways the latest KDE Plasma release is better than ever - and how to try it yourself

Jack Wallen / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET Ladies and gents of the Linux community, it is time to enjoy another point release of yet another desktop environment: KDE Plasma 6.4. A point release? I got you all excited about a point release? Hear me out. 1. HDR/EDR support One of the biggest additions to KDE Plasma 6.4 is support for Extended Dynamic Range and a new High Dynamic Range wizard. The new HDR Calibration wizard is found in System Settings > Display & Monitor and only appears if you'

Garmin Instinct 2 Solar Watch Suddenly Drops to a Record Low, Let the Blazing Sun Keep It Charged

If you’ve taken your adventuring a little too far, or just taken a wrong turn off of an unfamiliar path, the last thing you ever want to see from your GPS-enabled smartwatch is a low battery alert. Now, before you go cursing that blazing sun that’s been broiling a big part of the country all week, if you have a Garmin Instinct 2 Solar smartwatch, you’ll never get that low battery alert. See at Amazon The Garmin Instinct 2 Solar smartwatch is a multi-satellite-enabled outdoor smartwatch with ad

The best smart plugs in 2025

Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products . Smart plugs aren’t the most complicated smart home device — they really just turn stuff on and off — but the best smart plugs can make life a little easier, which is what we want from household automation. They’re easy to use, too, since you don’t have to install them like a smart swit

Topics: app home plug plugs smart

Amazon Is Selling Best Buy’s TV at a Loss, This 32″ HD Smart TV Is Now Almost Free

The Insignia 32″ smart HD Fire TV is a brand you’d most often find at Best Buy (which owns the brand) but is now taking Amazon by storm with a deal that’s simply unbeatable. For an all-time low price of $69, down from $129 (46% off), you get a 32-inch smart TV with features and quality way better than what you’d typically pay for this amount. This early Prime Day deal is open to everyone, not just Prime members, and it’s already the best-selling smart TV on the entire site. If you’re after a ba

You’ve got one week to stock up on Philips Hue gear before a tariff-fueled price hike

We’d usually advise most shoppers to wait until Prime Day to get the best prices on tech, but smart home buyers in the US may want to consider stocking up in the next week. Philips Hue devices are already on the costly side, but it has now been confirmed that prices will increase from July 1. The unsurprising reason is the impact of US tariffs. After alluding to the price hike in a marketing email, Hue’s parent company, Signify, confirmed the increases in a statement to HueBlog. No further deta

Topics: home hue july price smart

Philips Hue is raising prices in the US ‘as a direct result of tariffs’

You’ll soon have to pay more for various Philips Hue smart lighting and security gadgets if you live in the US. After vaguely notifying customers that prices will “go up” on July 1st in a promotional message, Philips Hue’s parent company Signify has confirmed that it’s inflating prices across the Philips Hue portfolio “as a direct result of tariffs.” “We remain committed to providing consumers with high-quality products and features that make smart lighting extraordinary,“ Signify said in a sta

My favorite AirTag wallet alternative also works with Android phones - and it's on sale

ZDNET's key takeaways KeySmart's SmartCard is available on Amazon for $40 (3-pack for $90). It's super thin, works with both Android and Apple iOS, has a wireless rechargeable battery, and is IPX7-rated. It needs to be recharged every 5 months or so. View now at Amazon Amazon is selling the KeySmart SmartCard for 20% off when you check out with the promo code 'KSPRIME20'. Apple AirTags have changed my life, saving me countless hours looking for keys and other items that I absent-mindedly mis

Yale’s new Smart Lock with Matter is the perfect smart home upgrade for people with app fatigue

Yale TL;DR Yale is releasing its new Smart Lock with Matter support. The lock can be set up and operated entirely within Google Home. Operation requires the use of a Matter hub with a Thread border router. How many times have you considered a new addition to your smart home, but stopped yourself at the last moment? Do I really need another app in my life? Another account I’ll have to create? App fatigue is a real thing, and with as many as we need to interact with on a daily basis, sometimes

Mosyle announces AccessMule to solve a major blind spot in SMB security

One of the most common blind spots in small business security is access management for various company resources. Today’s IT teams are moving fast (and often understaffed), solving customer problems, and juggling shifting responsibilities as the business grows and evolves. Many SMBs also don’t have a dedicated IT team. They might be fixing things by committee or just trusting that vendors have these problems solved. Behind the scenes, there’s usually little visibility into who still has access t

The xMEMS 'fan on a chip' is ready for smart glasses

As AI reignites Big Tech's push for smart glasses, here's a tech that could play a central role. xMEMS, which debuted a solid-state "fan on a chip" last year, has a new one for wearables. This could help future smart glasses melt your face figuratively — and not literally. Founded in 2018, xMEMS specializes in micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. The California-based company started with solid-state speakers. Last year, it introduced its µCooling "fan on a chip" for phones and oth

This New Smart Lock From Yale Pairs With Video Doorbells in Ways I Haven't Seen Before

Google Nest and Yale partnered before on the Nest x Yale smart lock, so I wasn't surprised to see the spring announcement of a new lock from Yale designed to work even more closely with Nest products, especially the Nest Doorbell, a personal favorite of mine. Called the Yale Smart Lock with Matter, it's now available for $190. The Matter standard gives the new lock compatibility with platforms like Apple Home and Alexa, but the real value lies in its connections to the Nest Doorbell. Not only d

4 health trackers I'd recommend to anyone (and why they make such a big difference)

The Oura Ring is, in my opinion, the sleep and health tracker to rule them all. Not only does it track your sleep, stress, activity, and more, it also creates helpful data illustrations that encourages healthy habits, whether that's a consistent bedtime routine, daily activity, or reduced alcohol consumption. Many users, myself included, have reported changing their drinking habits after seeing their heart rate's response to a few beers late at night on Oura's graphs. Earning high sleep scores

I've tested dozens of health trackers - I recommend these 4 the most to friends and family

The Oura Ring is, in my opinion, the sleep and health tracker to rule them all. Not only does it track your sleep, stress, activity, and more, it also creates helpful data illustrations that encourages healthy habits, whether that's a consistent bedtime routine, daily activity, or reduced alcohol consumption. Many users, myself included, have reported changing their drinking habits after seeing their heart rate's response to a few beers late at night on Oura's graphs. Earning high sleep scores

I found a worthy Ring alternative in this video security camera (and it has no subscriptions)

ZDNET's key takeaways The Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro is available for $180 for the Wi-Fi version and $200 for the PoE version. This indoor/outdoor security camera doubles as a smart home hub, features 1520p resolution for crystal-clear images, RTSP support, and has a built-in NPU to process video with AI for visual recognition. The camera is wired, so placement is limited, and there is no expandable storage, so you need a subscription to access video history or bypass it through video server soft

Hue’s new smart button is bigger and more expensive

Smart lighting company Hue has released a new version of its Smart Button, one of the simplest ways of controlling Hue’s colorful smart lights. The new Smart Button has a bigger design and a bit of price hike — in the U.S., at least, where it now costs $32.99 compared to $29.99 for its predecessor. That’s significantly more than the UK and EU pricing for the new button — £19.99 and €21.99 respectively — possibly a sign of things to come. The new button is available now directly from Hue’s site.

Topics: 99 button hue new smart

Google’s pulling money away from Android TV and Google TV

Joe Maring / Android Authority TL;DR Google has reportedly reduced the budget for its smart TV group by 10%. Despite the reduction, the company promises “an exciting road map ahead.” Up to a quarter of the members of the 300-strong group could be impacted by the change. Google has not made it particularly easy to be a fan of Android TV. While the platform is absolutely chock-full of potential, it’s been incredibly frustrating to see it treated like such an afterthought, year after year. Why

Meet Google Martha, the company’s Android XR smart glasses prototype

TL;DR Google demoed its Android XR smart glasses prototype at Google I/O 2025. We now learn that this Android XR prototype is called “Google Martha.” Its companion app handles connected features like notifications, settings access, video recording from the user’s perspective, and more. After over a year of teasing with Project Astra, Google showed off its Android XR glasses on stage at Google I/O 2025. My colleague C. Scott Brown even got to try them on, and he was impressed with the demo. Si

Your jump from Windows 10 to Linux gets easier with KDE Plasma 6.4

Weiquan Lin/Getty For the last few years, my favorite Linux desktop interface has been Linux Mint Cinnamon. However, that adoration doesn't mean I can't appreciate other Linux desktops. For example, when the KDE Community recently released KDE Plasma 6.4, I decided to give it a try on my openSUSE Tumbleweed machine, a Dell XPS 8300 with a 3.4GHz Intel Core i7-2600 processor, 16GB DDR3 RAM, and a 1.5TB 7200 rpm hard drive from 2011. That machine can run Windows 10 (you can forget about Windows

Finally, an AirTag alternative for my wallet that also works with Android - and it's on sale

ZDNET's key takeaways KeySmart's SmartCard is available on Amazon for $40 (3-pack for $90). It's super thin, works with both Android and Apple iOS, has a wireless rechargeable battery, and is IPX7-rated. It needs to be recharged every 5 months or so. View now at Amazon Amazon is selling the KeySmart SmartCard for 20% off when you check out with the promo code 'KSPRIME20'. Apple AirTags have changed my life, saving me countless hours looking for keys and other items that I absent-mindedly mis

Kids' Smartwatches Might Be Better Phone Alternatives: Here's What to Look For

A big advantage of giving a child a smartwatch is that it saves you from having to buy a smartphone while still providing a direct line to your kid. This can be especially helpful for parents managing pickup and drop-off logistics or relying on other caregivers for transportation. Younger kids, in particular, may benefit from avoiding the distractions that come with a phone. The fact that a watch is strapped to their wrist is also a bonus, considering how many water bottles and sweatshirts end u

Tesla robotaxi 'low-key' launch in Texas

Tesla robotaxi 'low-key' launch in Texas 1 hour ago Share Save Liv McMahon Technology reporter Share Save Reuters Tesla's long-awaited robotaxis rolled out for the first time on roads in Austin, Texas on Sunday. In videos shared by Tesla on X, a small group of invited analysts, influencers and shareholders were shown participating in paid rides. The small number of vehicles deployed had a human safety operator in the passenger seat, according to reports. Analysts said the "low-key" robotaxi l

Watch this person play The Witcher 3 on their Galaxy Watch Ultra

TL;DR A Redditor has shown off GeForce Now running on the Galaxy Watch Ultra. The user’s uploaded video shows them playing The Witcher 3 on the smartwatch. The smartwatch isn’t actually doing any of the heavy lifting, but it’s still a cool showcase. We’ve already seen people running retro games on their smartwatches thanks to emulators, but it turns out that you can also play full-fledged PC games on your Wear OS watch. Then again, I’m not sure why you’d want to do so in the first place. Red

This 32″ HD Fire TV Costs Only $69, Lowest Price Ever Seen for Such a Smart TV

Prime Day seems to have arrived early this year and Amazon is selling some of its top-selling products including the Insignia 32″ Class F20 Series Smart HD Fire TV. Backed by Best Buy, Insignia is not perhaps a household name for everyone but it’s the best-selling smart TV on Amazon right now. With an impressive 4.5-star rating out of over 30,000 reviews, this TV is already a consumer favorite, and its popularity doesn’t even come close to ending when you consider that the new price is cut nearl

Meta's new $399 Oakley smart glasses beat the Ray-Bans in almost every way

Mark Zuckerberg Several months ago, reports emerged that Meta was looking to expand beyond its current smart glasses lineup into sportier versions. Now the glasses are officially here. On Friday, Meta launched limited-edition Oakley Meta HSTN model glasses. Staying true to the brand, the Meta version of the glasses keeps the form factor Oakley is known for, with a more flexible and rugged design that still allows athletes to take advantage of the smart glasses' capabilities, such as filming, l

Mistral just updated its open source Small model from 3.1 to 3.2: here’s why

Join the event trusted by enterprise leaders for nearly two decades. VB Transform brings together the people building real enterprise AI strategy. Learn more French AI darling Mistral is keeping the new releases coming this summer. Just days after announcing its own domestic AI-optimized cloud service Mistral Compute, the well-funded company has released an update to its 24B parameter open source model Mistral Small, jumping from a 3.1 release to 3.2-24B Instruct-2506. The new version builds

The Linkind EP6 Smart Hexagon Panels turn boring walls into amazing light shows

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority Have you ever seen those cool hexagon lights that YouTubers love to adorn their walls with? They look fantastic, and I always wanted some, but they can get a bit pricey. Thanks to the folks at Linkind, I finally got to test some, and the best part is that its EP6 Smart Hexagon Panels won’t break the bank. Let’s dive right in. Setting things up Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority First things first, you have to get these lights installed. Let me start by wa