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Tech News
Amazon is selling Arlo's 3rd Generation outdoor security kit, which includes four 2K cameras plus four matching solar panels, for $286, a 43% markdown from its usual price. The bundle also comes bundled with six months of Arlo's subscription service included.
Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Michael Cloud are introducing the No FLOCK Act, which would withhold 10 percent of federal highway funding from states that don't restrict automated license-plate readers like Flock to five approved uses, including finding stolen vehicles or missing persons. The bill follows growing backlash over police misuse of the cameras but does not ban the systems outright or block sharing plate data with agencies such as immigration enforcement.
President Trump has publicly backed automated license plate reader systems made by Flock Safety, aligning himself with the surveillance technology as the midterm elections near. His support also extends to data center expansion and policies aimed at accelerating AI development without regulatory slowdown.
CNET compared Apple's newly announced iPhone Duo foldable against Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8, finding the two devices closely matched given their similar passport-style shape and near-identical pricing. Samsung's phone is thinner both folded and unfolded and charges faster over a wired connection, while Apple's Duo offers full dust and water resistance versus the Fold 8's more limited IP48 rating, plus MagSafe wireless charging that Samsung's device lacks.
President Trump told reporters he supports Flock Safety, the company operating a nationwide network of over 120,000 AI-powered license plate cameras used by law enforcement. He acknowledged critics view the technology as an infringement on privacy but said he personally favors it for helping police.
Local governments nationwide, from Florida to Washington state, are terminating contracts with Flock Safety amid public backlash over its AI-powered license plate readers. However, ending these agreements doesn't guarantee immediate camera removal or deletion of previously collected data, since contract terms vary widely on data retention after termination.
IMAX's signature camera noise stems from its 15/70 film format, which uses a 65mm negative running horizontally across 15 sprocket holes per frame instead of the standard five, producing images roughly three times larger than conventional film. At 24 frames per second, this means 360 sprocket holes—about 5.6 feet of film—pass through the camera every second, requiring a powerful motor and mechanical components that create audible rattling during shooting.
An InvestigateTV reporter, Brendan Keefe, filmed a Flock Safety technician installing surveillance cameras on a public road while wearing press identification and a safety vest. The technician packed up and left, then called 911 claiming to be harassed and followed, prompting three police cars to stop Keefe's vehicle for about 17 minutes before releasing him without charges. InvestigateTV notes this was not the first time a Flock employee has called police over being filmed while installing cameras this summer.
A veteran smart-home tester outlines ten practical adjustments homeowners can make to limit data collection from cameras, speakers and displays, including physically closing camera shutters and muting microphones when not in use. The piece also cites cybersecurity attorney Laurie Selkowitz, who warns that many users fail to disable opt-in data-sharing settings on devices like Ring cameras.
A new Grand Theft Auto 5 mod called Grand Theft Automated License Plate Reader, created by Morry Kolman, adds 235 fictional Flock-style cameras to Los Santos that track players' movements and report crimes to in-game police. Players can destroy the cameras using weapons like rocket launchers, earning $600 per camera based on the estimated cost of a real Flock camera's components, and can even race against a timer to beat their best destruction time.
Petlibro is offering discounts of up to 30% throughout September on its automatic pet feeders, smart water fountains, and litter boxes, timed around what it calls pet hydration month. The promotion includes bundle deals and price cuts across several of its connected pet-care devices.
Grass Valley Police Department ended its contract with Flock Safety and removed the company's license plate cameras, but Flock reinstalled at least two of them without authorization weeks later. Flock says its automated maintenance system misread the city's early camera removal as an equipment failure, triggering repair crews to dispatch and replace units. GVPD says it continues to monitor for and remove any cameras Flock puts back up.