GoKawiil
Tech News
Amazon has removed Alexa's voice control over the AUX input on several older Echo devices, including the Echo Plus 2nd Gen, Echo 3rd Gen, Echo Studio 1st Gen, and Echo 4th Gen. Commands like "Alexa, play from line in" no longer work, though the physical 3.5 mm AUX ports still function and users can still toggle AUX input manually through the Alexa app.
Developer Josh Pigford built a free browser extension called Knockoff that grays out or hides generic, mass-produced brand listings on Amazon, making genuine brand products easier to find. Launched in early July, it works on Chrome, Firefox, Chromium-based browsers and Safari, and has surpassed 100,000 downloads. Pigford has said the tool builds on earlier similar extensions like AmazonBrandFilter and Amazon Brand Detector, and runs locally on users' devices.
Amazon's Big Deal Days event has cut prices on several Hoto tools aimed at PC builders and hobbyists, including electric screwdrivers, rotary tools, flashlights, and air blowers. Deals include the Hoto NEX O1 Pro screwdriver kit dropping from $49.99 to $28.48, and the Hoto PixelDrive electric screwdriver falling from $79.99 to $59.99. The sale is tied to Amazon's Big Deal Days promotion, which ends the following night.
Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days sale, running through October 7, includes markdowns on mattresses, sheets and sleep tech that WIRED has tested, including a Birch Luxe Natural Mattress discounted by $656 to $1,968. WIRED says it will continue tracking additional deals on beds and sleep gear throughout the sale period.
Amazon cut the price of the TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER 5G to $189.98 during its Prime Day sale, down from a $284.98 list price, marking its lowest price this year. The phone includes 8GB RAM, 256GB storage expandable via microSD, a 6.8-inch 120Hz FHD+ NXTPAPER display, a 5,010mAh battery, stereo speakers, a headphone jack, and a 50MP main camera. The discount requires an active Amazon Prime membership, which new users can access via a 30-day free trial.
Amazon has cut the price of its previous-generation Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition to $169.99, down from $249.99. The standard previous-gen Paperwhite is also discounted, to $149.99 from $199.99. Both retain the 300ppi display, auto-adjusting front light and IPX8 waterproofing found in the newer model.
Amazon has cut the price of Intel's Core Ultra 5 250K Plus by 34%, bringing it to $145, its lowest price yet. The 18-core, 18-thread chip originally launched at $200 before its MSRP rose to $220, and it was part of Intel's revamped Arrow Lake lineup alongside the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus.
Amazon is selling the Apple Watch Series 12 GPS 42mm for $349.99, a $50 reduction from its $399.99 list price, marking its lowest price since release. The watch includes Apple's Health Sensing System with readiness insights and watchOS 27 features, plus up to 24 hours of battery life and WR50M water resistance.
Amazon's October Big Deal Days event is running through tomorrow night, offering discounts on Apple products including laptops, desktops, headphones and accessories. The Verge reports some discounts are exclusive to Prime members, while other retailers are matching or beating Amazon's prices on the same items.
Amazon's fall Prime Day sale has launched with AirPods Pro 3 at $179 (down from $249) and AirPods Max 2 at $429, a $120 discount. The sale also includes record-low pricing on several Apple Watch Series 12 models, up to $150 off the new M6 Mac mini lineup, $200 off the Mac Studio, and $200 off M5 MacBook Air models.
Amazon has confirmed it has discontinued the ability to use Alexa voice commands to play or pause audio through the 3.5mm aux input on older Echo devices, including the Echo Plus (2nd gen), Echo (3rd gen), Echo (4th gen), and Echo Studio (1st gen). The physical aux connection itself still works, and users can still control playback manually through the Alexa app or use Bluetooth pairing instead.
The SinLoon external power button, now available for $11.19 during Amazon Prime Big Deal Days, allows users to turn their PC on or off remotely using mechanical keyboard-style keys. The device connects via a two-meter header cable to the front panel of a PC, with additional connectors for LEDs and reset functions, and features RGB lighting on the keys for visual appeal.