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Delta and T-Mobile are extending their partnership beyond the free in-flight Wi-Fi already offered to SkyMiles members, adding further perks such as complimentary drinks and airline miles for customers. The companies say they intend to keep introducing new benefits aimed at rewarding frequent customers of both brands.
Routers operating on DFS channels in the 5GHz band must perform a government-mandated radar scan, taking one to ten minutes depending on country, before activating. If radar is detected mid-session, the router exits within ten seconds and avoids that channel for 30 minutes; ASUS and FRITZ! routers handle this differently, with FRITZ! shifting devices to 2.4GHz and ASUS sometimes reducing channel width from 160MHz to 80MHz.
A new report outlines how devices like iPhones and laptops vary by region, including SIM slot configurations, limited Apple Intelligence access in China, cellular band certification, keyboard layouts like AZERTY, and differing voltage and plug standards across countries. It warns that buying tech from a different country can cause compatibility issues with local carrier networks and electrical systems.
Apple's 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M6 chip launched last month, but the prior M5 version remains available at Amazon and Walmart for $200 less. The two laptops share identical specs apart from the chip, with the M6 adding two extra CPU/GPU cores, a second Neural Engine, faster memory bandwidth, and Wi-Fi 7.
Smart refrigerators have become widespread, with even budget models offering Wi-Fi connectivity and high-end versions like Samsung's Bespoke Fridge with AI featuring cameras, touchscreens, and inventory tracking. These fridges let owners monitor temperature zones, receive maintenance alerts, and use the appliance as a digital bulletin board. However, the report notes drawbacks including data collection concerns and the risk of obsolescence as software support ends.
A consumer tech guide argues that shoppers don't need top-tier routers with long spec sheets, and instead should prioritize four features: gigabit Ethernet ports, parental controls, Wi-Fi 6 or newer, and adequate whole-home coverage. It notes that budget routers often include most of these already, and that placement or mesh systems can matter more than raw speed.
TP-Link's tri-band Archer BE700, rated up to BE15000, is now priced at $249.97 on Amazon, a $100 cut from its $349.99 list price and matching its lowest price in a year. The router offers a 10GbE WAN port, a 2.5GbE LAN port, extra Gigabit ports, USB 3.0, and support for Multi-Link Operation, EasyMesh, WPA3, VPN, parental controls, and TP-Link HomeShield.
Newegg is selling the ASRock Phantom Gaming PGO27QFV, a 27-inch QHD QD-OLED gaming monitor, for $349, a $50 discount off its $399 list price. The display features a 360Hz refresh rate, 0.03ms response time, VESA DisplayHDR True Black 400 certification, and a built-in Wi-Fi antenna supporting Wi-Fi 4 through 7.
Microsoft's new Xbox Nano controller, launching tomorrow, includes an unannounced feature allowing it to pair directly with Xbox Cloud Gaming servers over Wi-Fi via the Xbox mobile app, bypassing a console or PC. The capability is currently being privately tested on Microsoft's new Xbox Cloud Gaming website.
Phil Belanger, a founding member of the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance, says the term "Wi-Fi" was invented in 1999 by branding agency Interbrand and does not stand for "Wireless Fidelity" or anything else. The alliance briefly used the tagline "The Standard for Wireless Fidelity" to explain the name to consumers, but Belanger says it was later dropped after being called a branding mistake.
T-Mobile has added a Fiber 5 Gig tier to its home internet lineup starting Nov. 3, priced at $90 a month with AutoPay before taxes and fees. The plan offers symmetrical upload and download speeds, unlimited data, an optional mesh Wi-Fi extender, and a 10-year price guarantee, making it the only T-Mobile Fiber plan with such a guarantee. The company is also offering a limited-time promotion of two free months and $300 in prepaid cards.
Asus's new flagship router, the ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro, uses a Broadcom BCM6718 chip with a quad-core 2.6GHz processor, 2GB of RAM, and four wireless bands including two 6GHz channels. Testing showed speeds up to 3Gbps at close range and 350Mbps at long distance, outperforming Asus's existing Wi-Fi 7 flagship, with a fanless thermal design and extensive wired port options including dual 10Gbps connections.