Author: News Room
Diehard Android fans always look forward to getting the latest version of Google’s mobile OS, and this year’s release looks to be no different. Android 16 will surely come pre-loaded on the upcoming phones due at the tail end of 2025, and launched as a free update to existing phones – but when, exactly? And what new features should we expect? In this guide, I run through all the best and most exciting changes headed to Android 16, and when your phone is likely to get them. Android 16: name Long-time Android fans will fondly remember Google’s sweet tooth regarding…
The first big Amazon US deals event for 2025 will take place later this month. Dubbed the Big Spring Sale, the retailer will drop many prices by up to 45% across every category on the site from 25 March through 31 March. Early deals are already breaking and we’ll list the best of them below. There will be no shortage of gadgets and gear for you to spend your hard-earned cash on, but the problem is the same as ever – cutting the wheat from the chaff to get to the deals that really matter. We’re doing the work for…
The putative president of the United States, Donald Trump, stood on the White House lawn. In his hand, he held a sales pitch for Tesla cars. The most powerful man in America, Elon Musk, attired for a very casual funeral and looking miserable, stood next to Trump. As Trump spoke, promising to buy a Tesla, Musk stood with his arms folded over his chest, giving the undeniable impression of a sulking toddler. Later, Trump threatened to label anyone vandalizing Teslas or Tesla dealerships domestic terrorists.The entire incident was, in its way, revelatory. A series of protests had targeted Tesla dealerships…
Amazon UK’s first major deals event for 2025 is going to take place later this month. Dubbed the Spring Deal Days, the retail giant will drop many prices by up to 45% across every category on the site. The sale will run from 25 March to 31 March, giving you a tidy window to snag some deals. Looking for the US sale? You can find all those details here. And here’s a bit of top-notch news: unlike Amazon Prime Day‘s exclusive vibe, the Big Spring Sale welcomes everyone with open arms. No Prime membership required to dive into these deals,…
I know what you’re thinking – not another sale. There are so many savings events through the year now, you might be getting tired of them. But they do always bring up some rather good deals on the latest tech. And I’m expecting some amazing bargains in the Amazon Spring Sale later this March. Last year, the Stuff team’s top picks included smartphones, air fryers, and smart home tech. We saw up to 50% off on most products, with some excellent offers going even further. I think we’ll see some similar bargains in the 2025 Amazon Spring Sale. This is Amazon…
Bumble is rolling out optional ID verification, adding badges to the profiles of users who’ve confirmed their identity using government-issued ID cards. It arrives as part of a series of safety updates that include a new Share Date feature intended to let you quickly share your date plans with friends and family.ID verification is available now in 11 markets, including the US and UK, with plans to expand further. It requires uploading a copy of a government-issued ID such as a passport or driver’s licence and taking a selfie. There’s no requirement to go through this verification, but Bumble will…
Accessory maker Elecom has announced what it’s claiming to be the first consumer-ready power bank that uses a sodium-ion battery instead of a lithium-ion one, as spotted by Notebookcheck. In addition to being more environmentally friendly to manufacture, the 9,000mAh Na Plus can be used in extreme temperatures with less risk of overheating, and has — Elecom claims — a lifespan of almost 5,000 charges. Even if you’re recharging it every single day, after 13 years it should still be providing power.Sodium-ion battery technology is new compared to lithium-ion tech, and production capacities haven’t reached the level of lithium-ion batteries.…
The AI search engine Perplexity just debuted a new ad featuring Squid Game star Lee Jung-jae, who’s trapped in a room and must answer a series of questions to escape. One question targets Google’s AI gaffe last year, as Lee taps Perplexity to answer, “How do I make cheese stick to a pizza?”The AI Overviews in Google Search use results from across the web to feed a summary written by Google’s AI tool. However, users quickly found issues with the feature, including one specific response that said “Mix about 1/8 cup of Elmer’s glue in the sauce” to make cheese…
Amazon is suing the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) after the agency said it was responsible for recalling all of the dangerous products on its marketplace, including those sold by third parties. In a lawsuit filed last week, Amazon accuses the CPSC of stretching consumer safety law by treating the e-commerce giant as a distributor rather than a logistics provider.The CPSC sued Amazon in 2021, claiming the company failed to properly recall tens of thousands of hazardous items, including flammable children’s pajamas and faulty carbon monoxide detectors. Though Amazon removed the products in question and sent notifications to buyers,…
Sure, the games are fun, but they can also be reliable ways for the companies that offer them to make money from subscriptions. The New York Times puts a some features for its games behind a paywall. Apple’s games are only available to Apple News Plus subscribers. And Netflix is launching a daily word game to bolster its paid subscription for mobile games.Here’s all of our coverage of news and word games. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to try to finish Connections without throwing my phone into the ocean. Read the full article here
After decades of relying on Google’s ten blue links to find everything from travel tips to jeans, consumers are quickly adapting to a completely new format: AI chatbots that do the searching for them.According to new research from Adobe, AI search has become a significant traffic channel for retailers. The company analyzed “more than 1 trillion visits to U.S. retail sites” through its analytics platform, and conducted a survey of “more than 5,000 U.S. respondents” to better understand how people are using AI.The report says AI search referrals surged 1,300 percent during the 2024 holiday season compared to 2023, with…
Terminated employees at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) have been brought back to work in response to a judge’s order — sort of. Probationary employees (a class of government workers who are newer to an agency or role) received letters over the weekend notifying them that they were reinstated into their positions, following a court order requiring the CFPB and 17 other agencies to restore such employees. According to court filings, the agency had allegedly terminated about 70 probationary employees in early February after Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency showed up. Another 70 to 100 term employees —…