Eliana Willis

The 3rd generation Amazon Echo Show is a great smart display and speaker combination for most smart home users, whether experienced or just getting started. Amazon’s newest Echo Show 8 boasts a sleeker design with edge-to-edge glass, a centrally placed camera for video calls, and spatial audio from the smaller speaker enclosure.I’ve been using the Echo Show 8 daily for almost a year, and this generation’s improved processor delivers faster performance than older models. It’s become my kitchen companion for running smart home routines, interacting with Alexa, and streaming music and video content on the 8-inch HD screen while cooking.Review: Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd gen)This is the first Echo Show 8 to feature the camera in a central location rather than off to one side, which aids in better visual experiences during video calls. The camera also works for Visual ID personalization and Adaptive Content. Visual ID lets the Echo Show 8 recognize the household member approaching it to personalize content, while Adaptive Content adjusts the screen’s content based on a person’s proximity.It’s a highly rated smart speaker, with one buyer saying, “I purchased this a few months ago, and it has exceeded my expectations in every way. The Spatial Audio feature provides a rich and immersive sound experience, perfect for listening to music, podcasts, and even video calls. The smart home hub integration is seamless, allowing me to easily control all my smart devices. Alexa’s responsiveness and sharp display make this device a pleasure to use daily. “Amazon Echo Show 8 features: Price: $150 | Compatibility: Amazon Alexa | Connectivity: Wi-fi, Bluetooth, and is a hub for Matter, Thread, Zigbee | Specs: 8-inch HD touchscreen, 13MP video call camera, Alexa voice assistant  More

Living close to the ocean has its many perks, but when summer transitions to fall, hurricane season threatens most homes. Beachfront properties are not the only ones at risk, as communities hundreds of miles away can be affected by the same storm. As someone who has lived in three major hurricane-risk cities, I’ve undergone my fair share of tropical storms and cyclones, learning a thing or two about best preparation practices. The likelihood of a hurricane in the United States is very high, as, on average, the U.S. sees five hurricanes in a three-year period. Since 2020, 14% of major U.S. power outages have been caused by hurricanes or tropical storms. For those who live on the coast, it’s not a question of if but when. Also: 7 ways to prep your tech for the coming stormsThe best way to be prepared for a tropical storm is to have an action plan. This includes researching evacuation plans and shelters, and basic preparedness by writing down emergency phone numbers and putting an emergency kit together. Here are several items to help you feel more comfortable if you choose to wait out the storm.A portable power station If you are looking for something that is more portable than a generator and don’t want the hassle of dealing with gasoline, propane, or diesel fuel from a generator, a portable power station is your best option. Usually powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries or solar panels, a power station can be used indoors to recharge smaller devices and appliances such as phones, laptops, or medical equipment.  More

iOS 18 on iPhone 14 Pro Max. Maria Diaz/ZDNETApple is broadening the reach of NFC on the iPhone by opening the technology to third-party apps. Starting with iOS 18.1, developers will be able to offer contactless transactions from their own apps separate from Apple Pay and Apple Wallet, the company said today.Tapping into Apple’s new APIs for NFC and SE (Secure Element), developers will be able to create apps for a variety of tasks and transactions. Among those that Apple singled out are in-store payments, car keys, closed-loop transit fares, corporate badges, student IDs, home keys, hotel keys, merchant loyalty and rewards cards, and event tickets. Down the road, even government IDs will be supported.Also: How to use Apple Pay in stores and online (and why you should)With a nod toward privacy and security, the new NFC access will take advantage of the Secure Element, a certified on-device chip designed to store and protect sensitive data. The transactions themselves will use Face ID or Touch ID for authentication and communicate with Apple servers.On the user end, you’ll be able to initiate the process in a couple of different ways. You can open the NFC-supported app directly and follow the required steps. Or, you could set a specific app as your default contactless option and then simply double-click the side button to kick off the transaction as you do with Apple Pay. More

Supersmario/Getty Images Wireless internet connections are convenient, but they’re also notoriously unreliable. Nothing proves that point more emphatically than a glitchy video conference call, especially if it’s tied to a crucial business meeting. The solution, of course, is to run a wired network connection to your home office. Wi-Fi is great for mobility, but a […] More

Taylor Clemons/ZDNETI wasn’t expecting much when I set up the Hisense U8K More

Download a lifetime license to Microsoft Office at a deep discount with this deal. Stack Social If you need access to Microsoft Office but don’t want to pay the yearly fee to access Office 365, you’re in luck: Stack Social is offering a lifetime license for Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows or Mac, starting […] More

Matthew Miller/ZDNETZDNET’s key takeawaysThe RingConn Smart Ring is available now in three colors for $259 (regularly $279).One week battery life, lovely matte finish, powerful smartphone app, and no subscription fee.No readiness score and does not sync with third-party fitness apps other than Apple HealthWhile I wear watches on both of my wrists, that type of wearable isn’t the best for tracking sleep without being disruptive. For more than two years I have also had an Oura Gen3 Ring on my finger and there’ve been some compelling updates to both the software and the hardware.Early last year, RingConn launched its Smart Ring on Indiegogo and it is now readily available for everyone to purchase. I’ve had the  RingConn Smart Ring More