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Amazon has launched a new Fire TV Stick 4K priced at $60, replacing both the previous 4K Select and 4K Plus models. It supports HDR10 and HDR10 Plus, includes 8GB storage, a quad-core 1.7GHz processor, Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3, and ships with a redesigned remote that drops the dedicated Alexa button in favor of a home button. Amazon also said a premium remote with backlighting and a find-my-remote feature is coming in 2027.
Asus has received an FCC exemption dated September 9th from the new US ban on foreign-made consumer routers, allowing it to sell its upcoming Wi-Fi 8 routers domestically. Under the rules, manufacturers must submit a 'detailed, time-bound plan' to build or expand US manufacturing to qualify, and Asus says it has submitted such a plan, but it has repeatedly declined to confirm whether that plan involves actually manufacturing routers in the United States.
Amazon has released an updated Fire TV Stick 4K with a slimmer design, a quad-core 1.7GHz processor, 8GB storage, Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3 support. It runs Amazon's Vega operating system with Alexa+ built in, uses Direct Power to draw power from a TV's USB port, and ships with a redesigned remote featuring an asymmetric shape and a customizable button. The device is priced at $59.99, available now in the US, Canada, Mexico, Australia and the UK, with a $29.99 Prime promotional price in the US and further market rollout expected by end of October.
Amazon's new $59.99 Fire TV Stick 4K, available now, can be powered directly from a television's USB port instead of requiring a separate adapter. It runs Amazon's refreshed TV OS with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3, and replaces the previous 4K 'Select' and 'Plus' sticks, trimming the streaming lineup to four devices. Amazon also unveiled a redesigned Fire TV Remote for $14.99, shipping late October, plus Alexa Plus integrations across the Fire TV app and a new Amazon Music app.
Rather than throwing out an old router when upgrading, it can be reused as a dedicated access point to extend Wi-Fi coverage, using either a wired Ethernet connection or a wireless bridge/repeater setup. Some routers, such as certain Asus models with AiMesh, can also function as mesh nodes alongside a newer router of the same family.
Travel routers can reroute and secure a hotel or public Wi-Fi connection, but they cannot increase the bandwidth an upstream network provides. They add cost, setup and troubleshooting overhead, and using a router-level VPN may require its own subscription. Cellular tethering via Android or iPhone hotspots offers a simpler alternative, though carrier data limits and weak reception can restrict its usefulness.
A tech guide advises homeowners to first optimize their existing router's placement and antenna orientation before buying any new equipment. For persistent dead zones, it recommends mesh Wi-Fi systems over traditional extenders, since mesh nodes share a single network name and hand off devices seamlessly rather than causing them to bounce between signals.
A new guide addresses common causes of Android phones losing charge quickly, pointing to factors like overly bright displays, apps refreshing in the background, poor charging habits, and power-hungry apps running unchecked. It suggests targeted adjustments—rather than drastic measures like airplane mode or dimming screens unusably low—can meaningfully extend battery life without disrupting daily use.
Several Android features—including Clear Calling, Wi-Fi calling, VoLTE, Adapt Sound and Mic mode—can be adjusted to improve call audio clarity. These settings vary by device and manufacturer, since Android does not have a single unified interface across phones. Physical mic cleanliness also affects call quality.
A how-to guide walks users through logging into their home router's admin panel to review and adjust default security settings. It explains how to find a router's IP address on both Windows and Mac systems and locate the separate admin login credentials, often printed on a sticker on the device itself.
Startup WiCi is opening signups for the WiCi One, an external GPU that transmits graphics compute over Wi-Fi 7 rather than requiring cables like Thunderbolt 5 or OCuLink. The device, backed by Nvidia's Inception Program, can reportedly let multiple laptops, tablets and phones share the same GPU for gaming and AI tasks. Shipping is planned for Q4 2026, with an RTX 5060 Ti model starting at $2,000 for early adopters and an RTX 5090 version priced closer to launch.
WiCi has unveiled the WiCi One, an external graphics card enclosure that connects to laptops wirelessly over Wi-Fi 7 instead of using Thunderbolt or OCuLink cables. The base model includes an Nvidia RTX 5060 Ti 16GB GPU, an Intel Core 3 100U CPU, and 1TB of storage, with a more powerful RTX 5090-based version planned. Preorders for the base model start at $1,999, rising to $2,599 at full release, with shipping expected in the fourth quarter of this year.