Some Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses were recording people’s conversations without the wearer knowing. The recordings occurred without users saying the prompt phrase (“Hey, Meta”), in a bug that Meta says has been fixed.
This week, some usersreported online that their Ray-Ban Metas were recording without their consent. A person going by Kindly-Audience-137 on Reddit, for example, said this happened to them across three Meta Ray-Bans and that they had the “Respond without Hey Meta” setting turned off. The person said the Meta AI app “saves audio recordings and text transcripts of these conversations in my conversation history.”
“I believe this deserves a serious technical investigation. Customers should not have to wonder whether their private conversations are being captured when they have not intentionally activated their glasses’ AI assistant,” the Reddit user said.
Apple opened preorders for the HomeView smart home hub today.
The HomeView is a 7-inch smart display and speaker that aims to be a central access point for up to six members of a family to access and control Apple’s ecosystem of devices, apps, and the Siri generative AI chatbot that's currently in beta.
Users can speak to HomeView to control smart home devices, such as, for example, telling Siri to close the smart blinds or activate smart locks. HomeView can also show a livestream for up to nine video feeds simultaneously.
Last week, Amazon launched a new Fire TV Stick 4K with a bold claim: It’s nearly 20 to 40 percent faster, the company says, than “a similarly priced 4K streaming stick from another leading brand.”
Amazon won’t name the competitor, but in my own tests, the advantage over comparably priced streamers isn’t so clear-cut.
What I tested
Amazon’s own comparison video is impossible to test because it doesn’t show real-world results. Instead, it’s just a mock-up “for illustrative purposes,” based on Amazon’s measurements of “time from content selection to playback” in “the three most popular apps.” In addition to not naming the rival streamer, Amazon won’t say which apps it tested.
So I decided to conduct my own measurements instead, looking at how long a few similarly priced streamers take to boot up, wake from standby, and start streaming. I also measured their ability to quickly switch between different apps.
For these tests, I pitted the new Fire TV Stick 4K against Walmart’s Onn 4K Plus and Roku’s Streaming Stick Plus. Both Amazon’s and Roku’s sticks cost $60 and are often on sale for less. Walmart’s device is a small box rather than a streaming dongle, but it has a cheaper regular price of $50. (Walmart also sells a less-powerful dongle for $40, but that’s not a fair comparison unless Amazon lowers the Fire TV Stick 4K’s retail price.)
Boot times
Here’s how long it takes to fully load each streaming device’s home screen after unplugging it and plugging it back in again.
Fire TV Stick 4K: 23 seconds
Onn 4K Plus: 33 seconds
Roku Streaming Stick Plus: 22 seconds
Roku has a slight edge here, though in most cases it won’t matter. If your device is plugged into an outlet, or your TV’s USB port supplies power when it’s off, rebooting will be a rare occurrence.
(That said, it’s too bad Amazon’s and Roku’s streamers no longer ship with wall chargers or lengthy USB cables. If you want to plug them into an outlet — for instance, because your TV’s eco mode disables USB power when it’s off — you’ll have to bring your own charger.)
Launching Netflix
For this test, I waited until each streaming device’s home screen was fully rendered, then timed how long it took to load Netflix and start playing a video:
Fire TV Stick 4K: 32 seconds
Onn 4K Plus: 43 seconds
Roku Streaming Stick Plus: 39 seconds
I also ran a second test, waiting an extra 30 seconds before jumping into Netflix. This gave each device more time to fully boot:
Fire TV Stick 4K: 15 seconds
Onn 4K Plus: 23 seconds
Roku Streaming Stick Plus: 19 seconds
The Fire TV Stick 4K was the clear winner on both cases, validating Amazon’s claim of being 20 to 40 percent faster than the competition at least when Netflix is involved.
Launching Apple TV
While testing, I noticed that Netflix was launching faster from boot-up than other apps. To rule out any potential special treatment, I decided to run the same tests as above with the Apple TV app:
Fire TV Stick 4K: 30 seconds
Onn 4K Plus: 33 seconds
Roku Streaming Stick Plus: 29 seconds
And here are the results with a 30-second wait after booting:
Fire TV Stick 4K: 25 seconds
Onn 4K Plus: 24 seconds
Roku Streaming Stick Plus: 27 seconds
Interestingly enough, the Fire TV Stick 4K loses its advantage here, though the results are pretty similar across all three devices.
Fast app switching
The only thing better than an app that loads quickly is one that loads instantly. To that end, I tested how many apps you can switch between before any of them required a full reload:
Fire TV Stick 4K: 3 apps
Onn 4K Plus: 5 apps
Roku Streaming Stick Plus: 4 apps
The Onn 4K Plus has 2GB of RAM, versus 1GB on the other streamers, so it’s no surprise that Walmart’s box can keep more apps in memory. While its boot times are slower, it can feel faster as a result.
Waking from standby
Both the Fire TV Stick 4K and Onn 4K Plus enter sleep mode after 15 to 20 minutes of inactivity, while Roku streamers just show a screensaver indefinitely. Here’s how long each of them took to get back to their home screens:
Fire TV Stick 4K: 5 seconds
Onn 4K Plus: 2 seconds
Roku Streaming Stick Plus: 2 seconds
While Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K is a few seconds slower, you’ll probably end up waiting longer for your TV to power on anyway.
Looking beyond load times
Jared Newman / Foundry
While it’s fun to measure these things and deflate Amazon’s marketing, ultimately a few seconds’ difference in load times won’t make or break the experience. What really matters is how easy it is to find what you’re looking for in the first place.
On that front, the new Fire TV Stick 4K is similar to Amazon’s other streamers, with the same major home screen redesign that started rolling out earlier this year. It looks and behaves similarly to the Google TV software on Walmart’s Onn devices, but of course with more emphasis on Amazon Prime content.
It’s also running Amazon’s new Vega operating system, which has more limited app support and does not allow sideloaded apps. The new system is more for Amazon than for you, but it’s also inevitable as Amazon says it won’t make any new streaming devices based on its old Android-based platform.
All of which means that if you’re okay with the Fire TV experience, the new Fire TV Stick 4K could be a nice upgrade. Just don’t expect it to help you get where you’re going much faster.
October Prime Day ends today, which means this is your last opportunity to grab Amazon’s marked-down products, including Blink, Ring, Echo, Fire TV, and Eero devices. Not sure which ones are worth pulling the trigger on? I’ll guide you to the best discounts going on right now.
I didn’t just go through Amazon’s search results and pluck out what look like good deals. Every product on this list fits two criteria: it’s at a significant discount compared to its “street price,” and I would actually buy this product at this price over same-class items from other brands. If I wouldn’t seriously consider it for my own cart, it doesn’t qualify for this list.
Prime caveat: While some of these deals can be had without an active Prime subscription, others can’t. But don’t fret if you don’t have Prime. See our article on how to get Amazon Prime for free to score the following discounts—and others—without paying for a sub.
Blink Outdoor 4 Cam and Battery Doorbell 2K+ (Bundle)
Blink
Now $65.99 (lowest price ever — 75% off, was $259.98)
You could get the Blink Outdoor 4 for $65.99, which is already a solid discount off its usual $99.99… or you could get this Blink Outdoor 4 + Blink Battery Doorbell 2K+ bundle for the exact same price. Do I need to spell it out for you? This bundle effectively gives you a free Battery Doorbell 2K+, allowing you to watch your doorstep and your backyard with these two outdoor cameras. Check in on your feeds via the Blink app on your phone and you’ll always have peace of mind—even while on vacation.
Now $24.99 (lowest price ever — 50% off, was $49.99)
The Ring Indoor Cam gives you vantage over any room in your house. Mount it on top of a table, or screw it higher up into a wall—its swivel design lets you point it at wherever you want it looking over. It’s pretty basic with 1080p resolution, but it has color night vision and a live feed that you can tune into via the Ring app on your phone. If all you need is straightforward interior surveillance at home, this one’s a solid pick at $24.99.
Now $279.99 (lowest price ever — 39% off, was $459.99)
Yup, Amazon makes its own line of big smart TVs. This Ember 4-Series has a 55-inch diagonal, perfect for living rooms and spacious bedrooms, and it comes with an Alexa Remote for convenient control. 4K resolution, HDR10+ support, and Dolby Audio for just $279.99 make it a strong budget-friendly pick if you’re mainly streaming shows and films in 4K. It also has something called Ambient Experience, which displays artwork or a smart interactive hub when in standby mode (and only when it detects people nearby).
Now $39.99 (lowest price ever — 43% off, was $69.99)
Though it was designed for use with Amazon’s Luna cloud gaming platform, the Luna controller works with anything. Connect it via Bluetooth to your PC, gaming console, or even your phone. It also supports USB wired, but only with Windows and macOS devices. Neither budget nor premium, it’s a good middle-of-the-road option with a comfortable, standard layout (offset thumbsticks), bumpers, triggers, and a directional pad. At $39.99, it’s a step up from most other wireless controllers in this range.
Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K Plus is great for two reasons. It plugs into any device that supports HDMI input (e.g., TVs, monitors, projectors) and lets you stream from dozens of services like Netflix, Hulu, and Prime Video. But your accounts are logged on the stick itself, so if you take it with you to a hotel, Airbnb, or friend’s house, you just plug in and resume your shows and movies from wherever you left off.
The 4K Plus is the balanced option in Amazon’s Fire TV Stick lineup. While the 4K Select is cheaper, it runs on a different OS that’s slower and doesn’t allow for sideloading apps. Meanwhile, the more expensive 4K Max is faster and has twice the storage. If you’re only going to be streaming shows and movies—meaning you won’t be downloading many apps, games, or files—then the 4K Plus is the way to go.
Now $89.99 (lowest price ever — 55% off, was $199.99)
Whereas the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus is more than fine for basic streaming, the Fire TV Cube is what you want if you have a decked-out home media setup. The Cube is much faster with its upgraded octa-core processor and extra RAM, so apps launch more quickly, navigation is more responsive, and gaming performance feels better. It has Super Resolution, which upscales HD content so it looks better on 4K displays. If you’re going to cloud-stream Xbox games or if on-screen lag really bothers you, get the Cube.
Now $79.99 (lowest price ever — 33% off, was $119.99)
No matter how much you spend on a TV, the built-in speakers are almost guaranteed to suck—and there’s no easier upgrade than to add in a soundbar. You don’t have to spend a lot either. At $79.99, Amazon’s Fire TV Soundbar is as good as it gets in this price range, punching up bass for a fuller experience while improving voice clarity so you can actually understand what characters are saying on screen.
Amazon also has a stepped-up model called the Fire TV Soundbar Plus. Whereas the regular Soundbar is 24 inches, the Soundbar Plus is 37 inches—a better acoustic and aesthetic fit for larger TVs (55-inch and bigger). It can also pair with a wireless subwoofer and satellite speakers for true surround sound. If that’s important to you, you’ll want the Soundbar Plus instead.
Now $72.99 (lowest price ever — 53% off, was $154.99)
Amazon sells several tablet models, with the most popular ones being the Fire HD 10 and Fire HD 8. I have the Fire HD 8 and I regret it, mainly because it’s too sluggish for anything but extremely basic uses. The Fire HD 10 is what I now recommend for a budget tablet. It has a faster octa-core processor and extra RAM, resulting in better responsiveness that doesn’t slow you down. The larger 10.1-inch display is the cherry on top.
Now $149.99 (lowest price ever — 40% off, was $249.99)
If you’re going to get an Echo in 2026, ask yourself: How deep into the Alexa ecosystem are you willing to go? If you think you’ll ever add more Alexa-compatible gadgets to your home—like any of the other stuff on this list—then you’ll want the Echo Show 11.
At first glance, it just looks like a tablet-plus-speaker; it’s actually a smart home hub that makes it easy to control various smart home devices. Sure, you can play music and browse the web on it, but it shines as a central command for controlling your smart thermostat, viewing your camera feeds, changing your smart lights, locking your door, playing media on your TV, and more. Today’s the day to grab one now that it’s at its lowest price.
If you live in a large home—I’m talking 2,000+ square feet—then you’ve probably run into spotty Wi-Fi. Maybe your connection drops while walking around, or certain rooms get terrible signal. If so, you’d benefit from a mesh Wi-Fi system. Unlike a traditional router, mesh Wi-Fi uses multiple “nodes” around the home to expand and strengthen coverage.
The Eero 6+ Mesh Wi-Fi System is what most households need. It supports up to 1Gbps internet plans, and it supports Wi-Fi 6 with wider 160MHz channels (faster and more reliable than standard 80MHz channels). You should only consider the newer Eero 7 system if you’re paying for a multi-gigabit internet plan, as it goes up to 2.5Gbps, or if you have 100+ smart devices congesting your network. If neither apply, you’re better off saving money with the Eero 6+ instead.
Amazon has disabled Alexa control of devices plugged into the company's Echo smart speaker’s AUX port.
Users have reported receiving an email from Amazon this week informing them of the change. “This is a reminder that as of today, voice commands to control your Echo device’s Aux input are no longer available. Requests like 'Alexa, play from line in” or “Alexa, set aux input' will no longer work,” an email that Amazon sent reads, according to a screenshot a Reddit user shared this week.
An Amazon spokesperson confirmed the news to Ars Technica today.
Want to smarten up your home with a gorgeous, versatile device you’ll actually use every day? The Amazon Echo Show 11 is a large Alexa-powered screen that can also act as a central hub for other Alexa-compatible devices, and it’s $100 off ahead of October Prime Day. Now just $149.99, it matches the lowest price it’s ever been.
This 11-inch display is a full-blown smart device that can play music, stream video via platforms like Netflix and YouTube, video chat using the built-in webcam, provide on-screen and voice answers to anything you want to look up, and even serve as a digital photo frame when not in use. Use it for recipes while you cook, audiobooks while you do chores, and even checking into security camera and video doorbell feeds.
The speakers provide full-room audio and crisp vocals, but the best thing is that you can use it to control your other smart devices. Dim your smart lights, adjust your smart thermostat, lock your smart locks, start your lawn sprinklers, and more. No additional hardware is needed as long as those other smart devices are all Alexa-compatible and wirelessly connected.
A step up from the usual Echo speakers you might be familiar with, the Echo Show 11 is the biggest and best in the Show line. It’s a hard ask at its full $249.99 price, but a real deal now that it’s $149.99. Want to see what else is worth grabbing? See the best early October Prime Day deals.
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