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Microsoft will release the last update for Windows 10 with the Patchday on October 14, 2025, after which this version of Windows will no longer receive any updates. What does this mean for users? Windows 10 is not immediately insecure or no longer usable First of all, there is no need to panic about this date. Windows 10 will theoretically continue to run indefinitely, as Microsoft is not discontinuing the functionality of the operating system, there will “only” be no more updates from November. This means that you can continue to use Windows 10 in principle, but no more security gaps will be closed, for example. Chris Hoffman / IDG Of course, given that cyber attacks on companies and private individuals continue to increase, this can be a problem for Windows 10 users in the long term. This is because newly discovered security gaps in the operating system can give attackers access to the computer, its data, and the network. PCs connected to the internet in particular are then fundamentally less protected. However, the security functions of the operating system remain active, including malware protection. As a precaution, you can disconnect your PC from the internet completely, but this reduces the usefulness of the computer, especially in a private environment. In principle, there is nothing to be said against Windows 11, especially as Microsoft still allows you to update for free. Windows 10 upgrade to Windows 11 Ralf Liebhold/Shutterstock.com These are the real dangers for Windows 10 without support New security vulnerabilities are regularly discovered in the various versions of Windows — even years later. From October 2025, Microsoft will no longer close these in Windows 10, so the likelihood of malware gaining access to a PC increases with each passing day. As most PCs are connected to the internet via a router with a firewall, there is often no danger to be expected via this route. However, there are numerous websites that are contaminated with malware. MacPaw Moonlock Lab There are also emails that you receive or programs that you download. These can contain malware that spreads on your PC if the malware scanner does not recognize it. If you actively use your PC with the internet, especially in sensitive areas such as online banking, you should always update the operating system or switch to Linux, for example. In this case, using Windows 10 is too high a risk. As soon as Windows 10 is no longer supported, the developers of third-party software will also stop releasing updates for Windows 10 at some point. Microsoft’s own Office 365 subscription loses compatibility with Windows 10 in October, for example. This will also make these programs less secure and in some cases no longer usable. This will not happen immediately, but it is an inevitable development. It therefore also makes sense to update your software for reasons of compatibility and security. Cyber criminals will focus heavily on Windows 10 According to Statcounter, Windows 10 still has a large market share of over 60 percent compared to just over 30 percent for Windows 11. The security company ESET estimates that 32 milion PCs are still running Windows 10 in Germany alone. This means that cyber criminals will increasingly focus on Windows 10 security vulnerabilities after the end of support because it will be worth it. As soon as these gaps are publicly known, tools and programs will appear that exploit them. From this moment on, users of the outdated operating system risk losing their data. Windows 10 blue screen Mashka/Shutterstock.com At the end of support for Windows 7 in 2020, the operating system only had a market share of 20 percent. It is therefore to be expected that many criminals are already working on attacks on Windows 10, if only because of the enormous spread of the operating system. If malware has infiltrated a PC in the home network, all data is at risk, including that on internal network storage such as NAS devices.“It’s five to twelve to avoid a security fiasco in 2025. We strongly advise all users not to wait until October, but to switch to Windows 11 immediately or choose an alternative operating system if their device cannot be updated to the latest Windows operating system. Otherwise, users expose themselves to considerable security risks and make themselves vulnerable to dangerous cyber attacks and data loss,” explains IT security expert Thorsten Urbanski from ESET. Can you continue to use Windows 10 safely? Of course, it is not advisable to panic and immediately disconnect your PC from the internet or network in October. If you want to continue using Windows 10, you can book the Extended Security Updates program from Microsoft. This costs around $60 for the first year until October 2026. In this case, you will continue to receive updates from Microsoft. This extension runs a total of three times until October 2028, after which updates will also stop. An alternative that you can already use now is the 0Patch security solution. This is a company that provides security updates for Windows 10 until 2030. However, the company’s cloud-based software does not update the Windows 10 system files, but activates the patches in the computer’s RAM. This means they have to be reloaded every time the computer is started. The software is even free to use. If you want more comprehensive protection, you can book the paid version for a little more than $25 per year (25 euros). Thomas Joos There are many tips on the internet about using the Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021 operating system. This basically corresponds to Windows 10 Enterprise with all functions and will receive updates until 2032, but its use as an office PC is not permitted under licence law. Technically, however, you can safely use the operating system after purchase until 2032. There are also enough solutions for protection against malware that you can use in parallel, some of which are completely free of charge. For most people, updating to Windows 11 is the easiest option Of course, not all hardware supports Windows 11, but where installation is not a problem, you should carry out the free update. The operation of Windows 11 is still very similar to that of Windows 10 and you will continue to receive security updates and new functions. Before updating, check that all the applications and tools you use are compatible with Windows 11. Get Windows 11 pro for cheap Windows 11 Pro In general, it is also very useful to make a complete backup of the operating system on an external hard drive and create a rescue disc beforehand. This can be done free of charge in Windows 10 and Windows 11 with on-board tools. The data snooping of Windows 11 can be deactivated with on-board resources and free tools, for example with ShutUp10 . Run “tpm.msc” to check whether your PC has a TPM module. This is necessary for the update. If the tool does not display the TPM, check the BIOS to see if it is switched off. If your PC’s hardware has problems with Windows 11, it may be time to buy a new PC. Read...

A smart speaker makes an easy first step into smart home technology. Before you kit out your house with thousands of dollars of lighting and security upgrades, you can familiarize yourself with voice-assistant technology while enjoying music, podcasts, and news in a hands-free home environment. Here are our top picks in several categories. If you want information about smart speakers in addition to our top recommendations, scroll down the page to read our in-depth buyers’ guide. Why you should trust us TechHive’s editors and writers have been testing smart speakers since the early days of Alexa Siri, and Google Assistant, giving us more than a decade of experience with these devices and their accompanying mobile apps. Michael Brown has been evaluating home audio gear for just as long. He designed his own custom-built smart home in 2007 and has tested nearly ever smart speaker that’s come to market since then. James Barber has worked in music and technology for more than three decades as a music producer, A&R executive, entrepreneur, and reviewer of both audio gear and recorded music. We’ve evaluated basic smart speakers, models designed for audiophiles, portable speakers, and smart displays with built-in audio. You can trust TechHive to recommend the best smart speaker for you. Our top picks in smart speakers Amazon Echo Spot (2024) — Best smart speaker for most people Pros No camera Fabulous smart alarm clock features Ultrasonic motion detection can trigger Alexa routines Bright, easy-to-read display Can be used as a home intercom (with other Echo speakers) Cons No camera Can’t stream video, photos, or security camera feeds Can’t be used as Wi-Fi extender with Eero mesh routers Not great for music listening Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $69.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $69.99 at Amazon Why we like Amazon Echo Spot (2024) Alexa is the most popular voice assistant, and the 2024 edition of the Echo Pop is the best value in Amazon’s smart speaker lineup. While it’s not a true smart display, it is equipped with a touchscreen that can display the time, date and date, weather conditions, and other information. It can also show album art while streaming music (not that we recommend this speaker for that task). It’s also the smartest alarm clock you could hope for, capable of controlling your entire smart home. Who should buy the Amazon Echo Spot (2024) There are less-expensive Echo smart speakers in Amazon’s stable, but you’ll be well rewarded for spending a little more to step up to the 2024 edition of the Echo Pop. Read our full Amazon Echo Spot (2024) review Google Nest Mini — Best smart speaker for most people, runner-up Pros Improved sound quality Google Assistant rarely gets stumped Works great with other Nest devices Inexpensive Cons Capacitive buttons are easy to miss Sound quality still isn’t that great No cable management to go with the new mounting hole No analog audio output Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Google $49 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $49 at Google Why we like the Google Nest Mini The Google Nest Mini has an attractively low profile. In addition to supporting all Google apps, the speaker gives a user voice control for YouTube Music, Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, iHeart Radio, Deezer, and SiriusXM. Who should buy the Google Nest Mini If you want the most diminutive smart speaker, you’ll find the Google Nest Mini easier to hide away than the spherical Echo Dot series. Google Assistant also offers better answers to general questions than Amazon’s Alexa, and Android users who depend on Google Assistant on their smartphones will appreciate being able to use the same commands with the Nest Mini. Read our full Google Nest Mini review Apple HomePod mini — Best smart speaker in the Apple HomeKit ecosystem Pros Impressive audio quality for its size Easy setup Works as a Thread border router for Matter “Intercom” feature lets you broadcast messages to family members Temperature and humidity sensor was recently added, along with sound recognition for smoke alarms Cons No physical mic mute control Intercom doesn’t support two-way calls Supports third-party music services, but only a few are on board We’ve heard better-sounding smart speakers in the Mini’s price range Still pricey Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $99 at Apple Why we like the Apple HomePod mini The Apple HomePod mini offers the best audio quality in the small smart speaker category, a feature that goes a long way to justifying its higher price when compared to the Amazon Echo Dot and Google Nest Mini. Apple has significantly polished the smart home experience for users who own devices that support its HomeKit ecosystem. Who should buy the Apple HomePod mini The Apple HomePod mini offers native support for Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, and Deezer, making it a solid choice for audio playback, especially when creating a stereo pair with a second HomePod mini. AirPlay 2 support allows you to stream Spotify, Tidal or Qobuz from another Apple devices. Apple users who have invested in HomeKit-compatible smart home devices will appreciate the HomePod mini’s ability to control their home setup. As for the larger HomePod (2nd Gen), that Apple shipped in 2023, we think it’s still too expensive for what it has to offer. Read our full Apple HomePod Mini review Amazon Echo Dot (5th gen) — Best budget-priced smart speaker Pros A very inexpensive voice-powered smart home controller Very good audio reproduction Pretty industrial design Cons Still not recommended for critical music listening Google Nest Mini offers tighter integration with Android smartphones Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $39.99 View Deal $49.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $39.99 at Amazon$49.99 at Best Buy Why we like the Amazon Echo Dot (5th gen) The Amazon Echo Dot (5th gen) offers all the same features as our top pick, minus the display, at a lower price. Who should buy the Amazon Echo Dot (5th gen) If you’re looking for a solid smart speaker at the lowest possible price, the Amazon Echo Dot (5th gen) lists for $15 less than the Amazon Echo Dot (5th gen) with clock. If you’re looking to put multiple Alexa-compatible speakers around your house, the savings can add up when deploying speakers in locations where you don’t care about seeing the time or temperature. Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin — Best smart speaker for music Pros Best-in-class stereo performance from a tabletop speaker Impeccable industrial design Streams high-res audio Cons Alexa is the only supported digital assistant Control buttons are difficult to see Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $799 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $799 at Amazon Why we like the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin The Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin justifies its high price with its arresting design and spectacular true stereo sound. The Zeppelin supports AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect, while the B&W app offers support for Tidal, Deezer, and Qobuz, with access to 24-bit/96 kHz streams where supported. Who should buy the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin The current Zeppelin supports Amazon Alexa, making this model B&W’s first smart speaker. If you’ve got the cash and want a music-first speaker with interactive support, the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin will be your most impressive choice. And if you have other B&W audio gear—such as the magnificent Formation Duo—you can set up a multi-room audio system using the Formation app. Read our full Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin review Sonos Era 100 — Best smart speaker for music, runner-up Pros Honest, full bodied, stress-free sound Unusually well carved bass, natural-sounding mids, and whistle-clean highs A great smart speaker with either Amazon Alexa or Sonos Voice No one does multi-room audio better than Sonos Cons No support for Google Assistant You might need two to fill your listening space Lacks the channel preset buttons found on some competing speakers Optional accessory required to get line-level input and/or hardwired ethernet connectivity Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $199 View Deal Sonos $199 View Deal $199.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $199 at Adorama$199 at Sonos$199.99 at Best Buy Why we like the Sonos Era 100 The Sonos Era 100 delivers spectacular audio with a very small footprint, and the speaker supports both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections. You get access to the manufacturer’s own Sonos Voice digital assistant but can use Amazon Alexa if you prefer. Like all Sonos speakers, you can control playback with the company’s outstanding mobile app. Who should buy the Sonos Era 100 One Sonos Era 100 speaker offers outstanding sound, but invest in a pair and you’ll get outstanding stereo sound at a significantly lower cost than the B&W Zeppelin. If you want to create a multi-room audio setup, Sonos delivers an unparalleled experience. The platform that popularized seamless home audio has yet to be matched. Read our full Sonos Era 100 review Sonos Era 300 — Best smart speaker for spatial audio Pros Dramatic, embracing, and exotic sound from a shockingly small package A great smart speaker with Amazon Alexa and Sonos Voice Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity Cons Doesn’t support Google Assistant Trueplay Advanced Tuning depends on an iOS device; cross-platform Quick Tune isn’t as effective Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $449 View Deal $449 View Deal Sonos $449 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $449 at Adorama$449 at Best Buy$449 at Sonos Why we like the Sonos Era 300 Sonos adds support for Dolby Atmos surround sound for users who want a more immersive experience. It still delivers the same excellent smart speaker experience as the Sonos Era 100 and similarly outstanding two-channel sound in a stereo pair. Who should buy the Sonos Era 300 To appreciate the Sonos Era 300’s immersive audio, you’ll need to subscribe to a streaming service that supports Dolby Atmos. Apple Music, Amazon Music HD, and Tidal subscribers will be able to enjoy these speakers, but Spotify users may want to opt for the less-expensive Sonos Era 100. Movie lovers can also use the Sonos Era 300 as surround speakers with a Sonos soundbar. Read our full Sonos Era 300 review Amazon Echo Studio — Best smart speaker for spatial audio, runner-up Pros Great audio performance for the money Supports 3D audio (Dolby Atmos and Sony 360 Reality Audio) Can be paired with Amazon’s inexpensive subwoofer and/or a second Studio for stereo Cons Lack of Z-Wave support weakens its abilities as a smart home hub You must subscribe to Amazon Music to get 3D audio Speaker enclosure is insufficently isolated from the surface it’s placed on Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $199.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $199.99 at Amazon Why we like the Amazon Echo Studio The Amazon Echo Studio speaker offers excellent spatial audio support for Amazon Music HD and sounds even better with a second speaker for a stereo pair. The speaker can do double duty as a Zigbee smart home hub. Two can be paired for stereo, and if you crave deep bass, you can add Amazon’s beefy Echo Sub to the mix (actually, you can add an Echo Sub to many Amazon Echo models). Who should buy the Amazon Echo Studio Amazon has limited immersive audio support to its Amazon Music HD service, so you’ll need to have a full commitment to the Amazon ecosystem to take full advantage of the Echo Studio. Amazon Music HD competes with Tidal, Qobuz, and Apple Music on the top tier of music streaming services (and costs less!), so the service is worth a look if you’re already an Alexa user and want a higher-quality speaker option. Read our full Amazon Echo Studio review Sonos Roam — Most convenient portable smart speaker Pros Exceptional sound for its size Auto Trueplay now works over Bluetooth Sound Swap feature lets you “swap” music with other Sonos speakers Small and light, with a waterproof design Cons Slow wireless charging (at least with third-party chargers) Sound Swap doesn’t work across Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and AirPlay 2 modes Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Sonos $169 View Deal $179 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $169 at Sonos$179 at Adorama Why we like the Sonos Roam A portable speaker should be, you know, portable. The Sonos Roam is the perfect size to stuff in a backpack while delivering the excellent audio experience you’ll get from the company’s larger speakers. Who should buy the Sonos Roam There’s a lot of competition in the portable speaker category, with plenty of excellent options priced less than $100. It’s the smart speaker features that justify the extra cash for a Sonos Roam. If you’ve integrated voice assistants into your daily routine and regularly ask Alexa for intel, you’ll appreciate being able to take that convenience with you (connect it to a mobile hot spot if you’re out of Wi-Fi range). Read our full Sonos Roam review Sonos Move 2 — Best-sounding portable smart speaker Pros Excellent audio performance—in stereo!   Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity—simultaneously! Very wide sound stage Incredibly long battery life Cons Still no support for hi-res Bluetooth codecs Still best described as luggable $50 more expensive than the already pricey original Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $359 View Deal Sonos $359 View Deal $449 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $359 at Adorama$359 at Sonos$449 at Best Buy Why we like the Sonos Move 2 The Sonos Move 2 offers true stereo audio and exceptional battery life, but that comes at a cost. The speaker weighs more than 6 pounds and won’t really fit into a small bag. That said, the impressive sound stage and support for simultaneous Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections make this heavy speaker worth the extra effort. Who should buy the Sonos Move 2 If you’re looking for a speaker to use in the backyard or something you can pack in the car for a trip to a vacation spot, then the superior audio quality makes the luggable Sonos Move 2 worth the upgrade over the truly portable Sonos Roam. If you use Apple Music, Amazon Music, or Deezer to stream your tunes, you’ll appreciate the ability to use those services with either Alexa or Sonos Voice Control. Read our full Sonos Move 2 review JBL Authentics 300 — best-sounding portable smart speaker, runner-up Pros Works interchangeably with Alexa and Google Assistant Makes a large and lively sonic impression Stand-out styling Competitively priced Cons Placement is critical for best sound performance Heavier than rival Wi-Fi portables JBL hasn’t published an IP code for protection from the elements Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $379.95 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $379.95 at Amazon Why we like the JBL Authentics 300 We dig the JBL Authentics 300’s retro design aesthetic as much as we appreciate its dynamic, toasty-warm musicality. But the factor that sets it apart from other smart speakers is its ability to respond to both the “Alexa” and “Hey Google” wake words interchangeably. Who should buy the JBL Authentics 300 Anyone who loves JBL’s characteristic “West Coast sound” will feel right at home with the JBL Authentics 300. The same goes for smart home dwellers who don’t want to choose between the Alexa and Google Assistant ecosystems. Read our full JBL Authentics 300 review Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) — Best smart display Pros Display can automatically rotate so it’s always facing you Significant improvements in display brightness and image quality Strong home security features, including Alexa Guard and the subscription-based Alexa Guard Plus Very good audio performance Cons You might find the tracking feature to be creepy (it can be disabled) Wi-Fi and Zigbee radios onboard, but there’s no Z-Wave or Thread support Needs at least 5 inches of clearance all the way around if it’s to fully rotate Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $249.99 View Deal $249.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $249.99 at Amazon$249.99 at Best Buy Why we like the Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) The Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) adds a screen and cameras to the smart speaker experience. If you’re using it for video calls, it’s 10.1-inch display can track your movement and rotate so that it always faces you as you move around a room. The audio output is excellent, and there’s an integrated Zigbee smart home hub. Who should buy the Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) The Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) doesn’t offer a best-in-class audio, video, or smart hub experience, but all of those features are good and no other device does as good a job of providing an all-in-one Alexa experience. If you want an even bigger display, consider the Echo Show 15, but read our Echo Show 15 review to understand why we didn’t pick that model in this category. Read our full Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) review Google Nest Hub Max — Best smart display, runner-up Pros Impressive audio quality Excels as a digital photo frame Built-in Nest camera Google Assistant is one of the smartest assistants we’ve tried Cons No physical camera shutter No analog audio output Google Assistant’s smart home compatibility still lags Alexa Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Google $229 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket $229 at Google Why we like the Google Nest Hub Max Android users know that Google Assistant has been closing the gap with Alexa, and it’s now a formidable competitor to Amazon’s smart assistant. The Google Next Hub Max offers surprisingly robust sound. Its smart home capabilities don’t quite match what’s on offer with the Echo Show 10, but it’s perfect for homes that are using Nest thermostats and security cameras. In fact, the Next Hub Max even does double duty as a Nest camera. Who should buy the Google Nest Hub Max If you’re a committed YouTube user, the Google Nest Hub Max offers an integrated app and the best viewing experience (Amazon Echo Show users must use the Silk browser to access YouTube). Read our full Google Nest Hub Max review What can smart speakers do? Digital assistants–including Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri–are mostly cloud-based software that understands natural language voice commands to perform tasks and fetch information for you. As smart speakers have become more sophisticated, some of that processing has moved down to the chips inside smart speakers and displays. Still, digital assistants aren’t quite sophisticated enough for truly seamless operation. While you don’t need to talk like a robot to them—e.g., “Alexa, set timer, 20 minutes”—they can all become easily confused, and you’ll hear a fair number of responses like “Sorry, I don’t know that one” (that’s an Alexa phrase, incidentally) when you trip them up. The good news is that the algorithms powering digital assistants learn over time and become better at predicting what you need. Here are just a few of the things that most smart speakers can do (you can add “and more!” to the end of each item on this list): Entertain Stream music over Wi-Fi Stream music over Bluetooth (most models) Work with Chromecast devices (Google Home models) Control your TV  Stream music to multiple speakers (multi-room audio) Play games Stream videos (models with displays) Retrieve news and information  News headlines Weather forecasts Traffic reports Date and time Wikipedia entries Manage your schedule Set appointments Provide reminders Serve as an alarm clock Maintain to-do lists Help in the kitchen Recite recipes (and show steps on models with displays) Set multiple timers Get measurement conversions (“How many cups are in one quart?”) Maintain shopping lists Set the temperature for a sous vide cooker Get basic nutrition information (“How many calories are in an apple?”) Contact friends and family Make and receive phone calls (video calls on models with displays) Serve as an in-home intercom Send text messages  Control your smart home * Turn your lights on and off (and dim them) Adjust your smart thermostat Manage your smart sprinkler controller Close your garage door Lock your smart deadbolt Arm your home security system Stream video from your home security camera (models with displays) Work with IFTTT * There are caveats when it comes to using a smart speaker for home control. Smart home devices that can be controlled via Wi-Fi don’t require any other hardware. Products that use the Zigbee or Z-Wave protocols depend on the presence of a smart-home hub, such as a Samsung SmartThings. Amazon’s higher-priced Echo models are exceptions to that rule, because they have an integrated smart home controller (although it’s limited to Zigbee). How to choose the right smart speaker Some soundbars can double as smart speakers. The Sonos Beam (Gen 2), for example, can be configured with Sonos’s own voice assistant, Amazon Alexa, or Google Assistant. Michael Brown/Foundry In a perfect world, smart speakers and smart displays would be interoperable, so you could buy one brand because it’s better for music, another brand because it’s the best for smart home control, and a third because it’s superior for retrieving general information from the internet. That’s not how it works in the real world. Once you commit to one platform, you’ll want to stick with it. There is one exception to this rule: The new JBL Authentics series of smart speakers can handle Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands interchangeably. That said, if you’re wedded to YouTube Music, streaming music from your account to an Amazon Echo is not perfectly seamless (the same goes for streaming music from Amazon Music Unlimited to a Google Home speakers). There are also some other major coexistence exceptions: Google blocks YouTube from appearing on the Echo Show devices, for instance (although you can get there using a web browser on an Echo Show). And Apple’s HomePod speakers are more or less locked to Apple Music. While tthere’s a recent workaround for Spotify, and you can use AirPlay to stream music from other services—provided both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network–stumbling blocks like that shouldn’t exist. Bottom line on this point: If you plan to mix and match third-party products with your smart speaker or display, do a little research to make sure they’ll work together. How we evaluate smart speakers How does the speaker sound? Most of the testing happens at moderate volume in home environments, but we’re also checking to see if the speaker distorts at higher volumes. The most important features are clarity and how natural the instruments sound. Especially with smaller speakers, we want to find out how much bass the speaker can deliver. Equally important for wireless speakers is how easily they can connect with an audio source and how stable that connection is during music playback. How far can you move the signal source from the speaker and still get an unbroken signal? Does the speaker support Bluetooth as well as Wi-Fi? Does it include an auxiliary input for wired playback? We also look at any smartphone app designed to work with the speaker. Does the app allow the user to adjust the sound to their preferences? Does the app allow a user to adjust the speaker’s smart capabilities? For smart speakers, we evaluate how well the speaker processes voice commands. A large part of the performance depends on the capabilities of Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or Apple’s Siri. . Read...

It’s a bad time to be in the market for… well, pretty much anything, if you’re an American. The Trump administration’s tariffs on China are driving up prices on basically all goods, but electronics are being hit especially hard. While buyers have enjoyed plunging prices on monitors for the last few years, display makers are now reportedly stockpiling to try and keep the prices from rising too high. That’s according to a report from DigiTimes Asia (spotted by Tom’s Hardware), which says that big manufacturers like Dell, HP, and Samsung are importing 2 to 3 million units as a buffer against increasing prices. Presumably that includes panels for both monitors and laptops (which are often made by the same OEM suppliers). Even with the mitigating action, the report anticipates a general increase in prices by 5 percent and “conservative shipment targets” for the year. That’s after several years of lowering prices driven by increased competition and thinner margins. If anything, monitor and laptop screen prices rising by just 5 percent might actually be a blessing. Initial estimates from the Consumer Technology Association put the price increases for American buyers as high as 60 to 100 percent for some goods, accounting for a worst-case scenario of escalating tariffs. Granted, Trump has a habit of making outlandish threats and then walking them back to less drastic levels. He’s already delayed his 25 percent tariffs on Mexico and Canada, though new taxes on steel and aluminum have caused more short-term chaos. PC users are already feeling the pinch in a few places. Retailers and manufacturers are blaming the tariffs for increased prices on the latest Nvidia graphics cards (though I wouldn’t take those statements as gospel). With the low inventories for these cards, retailers could charge whatever they want in the knowledge that someone will pay big bucks for them. But ASRock has gone on the record with an intention to move some of its manufacturing out of China to try and avoid the rising costs imposed by Trump’s economic policies. ASRock mentioned Taiwan, the world’s leading producer of semiconductors, as one potential place it could shift production. But Trump has already threatened tariffs on Taiwan as high as 100 percent (again, remember his hyperbolic tendencies). It looks like there are only two guaranteed results at the moment: higher prices for Americans, and manufacturers scrambling to try and avoid those hikes. Read...

Nvidia’s latest graphics cards sold out almost immediately, which means tons of people are still clamoring to get their hands on one. But with recent issues rearing their heads, you might want to hold off. Last week, RTX 5090 cards started dying after Nvidia’s driver update. More recently, one Reddit user named /u/ivan6953 reported in the Nvidia subreddit that the power connector on his RTX 5090 had melted while playing Battlefield V. “I am not distant from the PC-building world and know what I’m doing. The cable was securely fastened and clicked on both sides (GPU and PSU). I noticed the burning smell playing Battlefield V. The power draw was 500-520W. Instantly turned off my PC — and see for yourself…” ivan6953 / Reddit He noticed a “burning smell” and found that the cable was badly damaged on both sides (i.e., the slots directly on the graphics card and the power supply unit). The cable itself also showed signs of burning and melting in some places. Some commenters blamed it on user error. Ivan had used a third-party cable, but according to him it was flawless. He had previously used the same cable with his RTX 4090. The GPU’s power consumption was between 500 and 520 watts when the cable burned out, which should’ve been fine for the high-end card and its maximum TDP of 575 watts. What makes this development interesting is that Nvidia said just last month that these new RTX 50-series cards won’t melt power plugs this time. Nvidia uses so-called “sense pins” to prevent overheating, but it doesn’t seem like they’ve helped in this case. A detailed investigation is needed Hardware YouTuber Roman “der8auer” Hartung has released a video about this incident. He contacted Ivan and examined his RTX 5090 and the affected cable more closely. Under the microscope, he could see clear evidence of overheating, and the plastic around the pins had also broken off when the cable was pulled out. Apparently, two of the 12VHPWR pins (out of the total six used in the RTX 5090) were affected. In another test, Hartung ran his own RTX 5090 Founders Edition with a test program and examined the heat development with a thermal imaging camera. After just a few minutes, two of the 12V cables also reached a temperature that was clearly too high — up to 150 degrees Celsius. Using an ammeter, he also discovered that one of the 12V cables was carrying significantly more current than the others. To avoid damaging his card, he cancelled the test and came to the conclusion that the situation was “extremely concerning.” He was able to rule out the possibility of user error on the parts of both Ivan and himself, as the cable was indeed properly connected. Flashbacks of the RTX 4090 You may remember that the RTX 4090 also had similar problems. Back then, users reported melted power plugs on their new graphics cards and buyers ultimately filed a class action lawsuit against Nvidia. The company had designed new connectors for the RTX 5090 to avoid those problems this time around, but it’s clear that history is now repeating itself. According to Hartung, it would’ve been better if Nvidia had installed two power connectors on both the RTX 4090 and 5090 to better distribute the power load. As of now, the only thing anyone can do is to send any affected graphics cards to Nvidia so that the problem can be investigated in more detail. No other cases are currently known, but that’s likely due to the general lack of availability of the RTX 5090 thus far. Further reading: Nvidia’s RTX 5090 is a brutally fast game-changer Read...

Opposition MPs have suggested the ACT leader will be seeking to undermine the National Party as he seeks support ahead of the 2026 general election. Read...

It comes as Whangarei District Council is under fire from the Director General of Health Dr Diana Sarfati after it voted in December against adding fluoridation to the water. Read...

With all the news about ChatGPT, Copilot, and DeepSeek, you might think that the US and China are the two main players at the head of the AI pack, with everyone else lagging behind. But that’s not necessarily true. Some European alternatives are making waves. For example, last week’s update for the France-based AI chatbot Le Chat integrated an image generator based on a German AI model from the company Black Forest Labs. That’s Franco-German collaboration par excellence. According to Mistral, the company behind Le Chat, this AI chatbot is the fastest in the world, capable of generating up to 1,100 tokens per second. (That’s about 13 times faster than ChatGPT’s 85 tokens per second.) And not only does the AI respond quickly to prompts, it also draws on in-depth knowledge from a wide variety of sources for robust answers. According to the update blog post, it’s now possible to generate photorealistic images using Le Chat. Fittingly, a prompt with a cat drinking tea was shown as an example. Le Chat Le Chat is a free app for Android and iOS, but you can also try out the AI tool directly in your browser. Apparently, the maximum permitted requests are limited at a certain point, at which point you’ll have to register. Later, you may even need to subscribe at $14.99 per month, but this is explicitly aimed at power users. In general, the European chatbot makes a good impression. It responds quickly and precisely and can also explain complex issues. Le Chat could soon establish itself as an alternative to the current top dogs. Further reading: ChatGPT’s AI search beats Google at this one thing Read...