Smart

WIRED has published a roundup of gadgets on sale during Amazon's Prime Day, highlighting devices its editors have been watching and noting the current discounts. The list is part of the wave of retail coverage that accompanies the annual shopping event, when retailers and media outlets publish deals guides and readers compare prices across categories like headphones, laptops, and smart-home gear.

Reports say Apple's upcoming smart home camera will not record video, marking a notable departure from how most home security cameras work. The device is said to focus on live viewing and smart home integration instead of saving footage, which is raising questions about its usefulness for security purposes.

Fatih Arslan has published a write-up cataloguing the lamps in his house, detailing the models, lighting choices and setup room by room. It is the kind of niche, hands-on post that draws readers interested in home lighting, smart bulbs and interior design. Readers are sharing and discussing it, trading opinions on lighting setups and recommending their own favourite lamps.

A new hands-on review compares the most popular Zigbee temperature sensors on the market, testing how accurate and reliable the best-selling models actually are. The piece is drawing attention from smart home enthusiasts looking to pick the right sensor for their setups, with readers debating which devices offer the best value and performance.

A Northeastern University Khoury College project examines how modern cars function as data-harvesting smartphones on wheels, collecting information about drivers through microphones, sensors and connected services. The research, laid out on a project site, highlights the scale of automotive data collection and raises privacy questions that drivers are only now beginning to confront.

Home Assistant, the open-source smart home project, is renaming its cloud offering, arguing that large technology companies have degraded what the word 'cloud' stands for. The company says the term now evokes subscription lock-in and data harvesting rather than simple remote connectivity, so it is relabeling its service to better reflect what it actually does for users.

Researchers have developed a wallpaper-like material that generates electricity from ambient moisture indoors while also regulating humidity. The material, described in Advanced Energy Materials, could allow walls to passively harvest small amounts of energy and improve indoor air comfort at the same time. Readers are debating its practical power output and whether the dual energy-harvesting and dehumidifying function could scale to real buildings.

The Guardian examines complaints that bus passengers who cannot or will not pay via smartphone apps end up paying higher fares than those using digital tickets. Critics argue digital-only discounts leave behind older people, low-income riders and those without mobile data, pressing transport operators to keep fair alternatives such as cash or contactless cards.

A vlogger in Pakistan is reviewing kitchen gadgets, smart organizers and budget household items, testing whether the inexpensive products widely sold in local markets are actually worth buying. The review has attracted strong engagement, reflecting growing interest among Pakistani consumers in affordable home organization products and budget-friendly kitchen tools. Viewers appear to be using such reviews to decide which low-cost gadgets are practical purchases and which are not worth the money.

Personal finance commentator Ramit Sethi is drawing attention with a discussion of why high earners routinely overspend on cars. The argument is that status signaling and monthly payment thinking lead otherwise intelligent people into loans they cannot truly afford, trapping income that could be invested. The piece urges buyers to focus on total cost rather than affordability of the monthly payment.

Ahead of Flipkart's Big Billion Days sale, shoppers are being guided to the best smartphones priced under ₹20,000, with a roundup naming the top five picks. The seasonal sale has drawn heavy interest in the budget phone segment, where buyers compare discounts, camera quality and battery life before committing. Lists like this are circulating widely as consumers plan their purchases around the festival-season price cuts.

TDK has announced a direct retinal projection display for smart glasses that uses a meta-optic mirror to beam images straight into the wearer's eye, bypassing conventional screens. The technology is being discussed as a potential route to lighter, more compact augmented reality eyewear, with interest in how the meta-optic approach compares to existing waveguide displays.

Samsung has rolled out an update to SmartThings Now, its smart home dashboard offering, and early coverage is sorting out what has actually changed from what remains unconfirmed. Details on new features, supported devices and rollout timing are still thin, leaving users to piece together the practical impact on their connected-home setups.

Apple has reportedly worked with LG to develop gadgets for its upcoming smart home push, according to an Engadget report. The collaboration suggests Apple is preparing a broader line of home devices, with LG's manufacturing and display expertise playing a role in the hardware. Details about specific products and launch timing have not been confirmed by either company.

Norway is preparing a temporary ban on smart glasses in some public places, according to a Guardian report. The move targets camera-enabled spectacles such as Meta's Ray-Ban glasses, which can be used for covert recording. Similar restrictions already exist in the UK and US, and the Norwegian proposal is drawing attention to wider privacy concerns over wearable cameras.

The Dutch government is moving to completely ban smartphones in schools across the Netherlands. The move extends earlier guidance that discouraged phone use in classrooms, making it a formal rule. It follows a wider European debate over the impact of mobile phones on children's concentration, mental health and learning outcomes, with several countries introducing or considering similar restrictions in schools.

Meross smart home products, including smart plugs, bulbs and other connected accessories, are on sale with discounts of up to 38% during Amazon's Prime Day event. CNET is highlighting the deals, pointing shoppers to the biggest savings across the brand's range of affordable smart home gadgets.

Gearbrain has published a roundup of the best smartwatch deals for Amazon Prime Big Deal Days 2026. The guide highlights discounted smartwatches available during the shopping event, aimed at readers looking to buy a wearable at a lower price. Coverage of Prime Day deal roundups typically draws interest from bargain hunters tracking discounts on popular devices.

Reports say Apple and LG are working together on a line of smart home products, including a video doorbell, a smart lock and a thermostat. The collaboration would put Apple's home platform ambitions alongside LG's appliance and hardware expertise, expanding choices for connected-home users. Details on pricing and release timing have not been announced.

A new review of the Ecovacs DEEBOT T90S Pro Omni robot vacuum has been published, examining whether the device lives up to its promises of being fast, smart and thorough. The piece puts the flagship cleaner through its paces, covering its navigation, suction performance and automated omnistation features. Early attention focuses on how the model compares with rival robot vacuums in a crowded market.

Ethereum and Bitcoin are being compared in a new explainer that lays out their technical differences in plain terms and argues those differences matter for their prices. Ethereum supports smart contracts and decentralised applications, while Bitcoin functions mainly as a store of value and payments network. The piece suggests Ethereum's broader utility is a key factor for investors weighing the two cryptocurrencies.

The Mammotion Luba 3 AWD robot lawn mower is discounted by $1,190 as part of Amazon's Prime Day sales, one of the biggest price cuts seen on a robotic mower this event. The all-wheel-drive model handles large and sloped lawns without boundary wires. Shoppers looking to automate lawn care are being urged to act while the deal lasts.

A debate is under way over whether parents should disable the camera on their children's smartphones. Supporters argue it limits exposure to sexting, bullying and unwanted sharing of images, while critics say it undermines trust and children's ability to learn safe digital habits. The question touches on wider anxieties about screen time and online safety for minors.

A new explainer outlines what Ethereum can do that Bitcoin cannot, laying out the technical and practical differences between the two largest cryptocurrencies in plain language. The piece argues that Ethereum's programmable smart contracts give it uses beyond Bitcoin's store-of-value role, and connects those differences to how each asset's price behaves. It is part of ongoing efforts to help investors understand crypto fundamentals.

Huawei plans to expand its use of LogicFolding chips across more of its smartphone lineup, according to a report carried by Global Sources. The move signals the Chinese tech company's continued push to broaden adoption of the chip technology in its consumer devices.

Apple's Apple TV 4K may soon gain support for a four-HomePod surround sound setup, according to a Gadget Review report. If true, the change would let users build a fuller home cinema audio system using Apple's smart speakers instead of a traditional soundbar or receiver. Details on timing and whether both HomePod and HomePod mini models would qualify were not provided.

Reports highlight that LG smart TVs continuously collect user data, including viewing habits, through automatic content recognition. Privacy-focused coverage notes that limiting settings can reduce tracking, but certain data logs stored on the hardware can only be removed by performing a full factory reset. The story includes step-by-step guidance on adjusting privacy options and warns buyers to review terms during setup.

A tech writer argues that cutting a smart TV off from the internet improved the viewing experience, citing the usual complaints: intrusive ads, sluggish software, privacy concerns and constant tracking. Instead, the TV is used as a dumb screen fed by external streaming devices, which are faster and more reliable. The piece reflects a wider frustration with bloated smart TV interfaces and has resonated with readers who feel their televisions have become ad platforms.

A new online tool called PaliAnswers offers brief, sourced responses to common Zionist claims, with answers curated by Palestinian researchers, writers and media experts. Supporters are sharing it as a resource for fact-checking and debating narratives around Palestine and Gaza, framing it as a way to counter misinformation with curated, referenced material.