Amazon’s barrage of new hardware included something many of you might have been waiting for: a Kindle e-reader with stylus support. Yes, the Kindle Scribe comes with a magnetic stylus and a 10.2-inch, 300ppi display. You won’t need to charge or sync the Scribe’s stylus, and you can use it for jotting notes, journaling and annotating any books you’re reading. Starting next year, you’ll also be able to send Microsoft Word documents to Kindle Scribe. Kindle Scribe will start at $340 and arrives November 30th.
Yesterday, Amazon also revealed an expanded Fire TV Omni line. It’s added two premium 65- and 75-inch QLED models, along with a redesigned Fire TV Cube. There’s a new sleep tracking gadget, more Echo speaker updates and refreshed Ring cameras, too. There was… a lot.
– Mat Smith
The biggest stories you might have missed
YouTube Shorts copies TikTok again with voiceover narration
Meta cracks down on ad-free Instagram client a day after it launched
Logitech refreshes its range of Mac-specific MX keyboards and mice
Amazon’s first QLED Fire TVs offer better picture quality and an ambient mode
Amazon is turning the Echo Show 15 into a Fire TV
Amazon announces Echo Studio and Echo Dot speakers with improved audio
Amazon’s Halo Rise is a $140 bedside sleep tracker that works by sensing you breathe
Ring brings radar detection to its Spotlight Cam Pro
Shark’s self-emptying robot vacuum is half off for today only
Amazon built Eero WiFi extenders into its latest Echo Dot speakers
Sony’s PlayStation loyalty program debuts in the US on October 5th
It follows the recent launch in Asia.
Sony says its loyalty program will debut in the Americas on October 5th, while Australians and Europeans will have access on October 13th. The program is free, but you’ll get some benefits if you’re a PlayStation Plus member. You’ll be able to earn rewards by completing activities and campaigns ranging from the very basic (playing any game once a month) to the challenging (being one of the first to score a game’s platinum trophy in your region). Those loyalty points can be put toward your PlayStation Network wallet, digital collectibles and, hopefully, real-world products.
The Polestar 3 electric SUV will debut on October 12th
With a dual-motor drivetrain and air suspension.
Polestar’s first electric SUV will get its official unveiling on October 12th. The company teased several premium features you can expect to see, including air suspension, active dampers and torque vectoring, putting it up against other SUV EVs, like the Mercedes-Benz EQS and Tesla’s Model X. The company said it’s shooting for a 372-mile range on the European WLTP cycle (considerably less in EPA terms). It’ll also include a semi-autonomous driving system for highway driving.
DALL-E’s AI art generator is now (sort of) available to everyone
No more waiting list for ‘kitten sleeping in a shoebox’.
OpenAI’s well-known image generator is now available to everyone. If you want to create art, you just have to sign up and describe the pieces you’d like to produce. You’ll get a finite number of credits that will get topped up monthly. It’s still not clear if AI-generated art is fair use or stolen. Getty Images recently banned the material out of concern it might violate copyright.
Oura’s third-generation smart ring adds a more comfortable design
And costs a little more.
After many years of trying, Oura has finally managed to sand out the flat edge from its smart ring. The company is updating the third generation of its ring, originally released at the end of 2021, with a perfectly round body. The Oura (Gen3) Horizon keeps the same suite of advanced sensors as the existing model. The new Horizon is available to order right now for $349, while the existing ring is still $299.
Apple pulls Russia’s biggest social media network from the App Store
It was due to UK sanctions against Ukraine’s sham referendums.
Russia has removed all iOS apps from VK, the second largest tech company in Russia. That included its social media app, which is the fifth most popular in Russia, and others like Mail.ru and VK Music. The move was made in response to UK sanctions against the Russian government. Apple confirmed it removed the apps and shut down VK’s developer accounts. “These apps are being distributed by developers majority-owned or majority-controlled by one or more parties sanctioned by the UK government,” a spokesperson told The Verge.