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US stock futures muted as bond yields resume uptrend ahead of Walmart's earnings

US stock futures muted as bond yields resume uptrend ahead of Walmart's earnings

Aug 20 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures struggled for direction on Thursday as government bond yields rebounded after a respite earlier in the week, while markets awaited retail giant Walmart's earnings.
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Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 Released, Enhancing Smart Home Connectivity and Performance

Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 Released, Enhancing Smart Home Connectivity and Performance

The Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 has been released, offering significant improvements for smart home enthusiasts. This second-generation adapter is designed to provide a strong and reliable connection to Zigbee or Thread devices, operating approximately four times faster than its predecessor. It features an updated MG24 Zigbee/Thread chip, ensuring excellent performance and stable operation for home automation systems. The device is fully compatible with Raspberry Pi and other Home Assistant-supported Linux devices, including the Home Assistant Green. Its open platform design allows for flexibility and ease of integration into existing smart home setups. Users can easily migrate their Zigbee or Thread networks using Home Assistant’s built-in wizard, simplifying the process of connecting and managing devices directly through Home Assistant. The ZBT-2 also supports a wide range of devices, from established Zigbee products to modern Matter devices, and offers OTA updates for major brands. Additionally, it inc...
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Google Home Enhances Smart Lock Compatibility and Fixes Video Streaming Issues

Google Home Enhances Smart Lock Compatibility and Fixes Video Streaming Issues

Google Home has rolled out updates to improve its smart home platform, addressing several user annoyances. Key changes include enhanced support for European-style smart locks, also known as mortise locks. These locks, which feature both a bolt and a latch, can now be independently controlled by Google Home, providing more precise status updates such as 'Unlocked and latched.' Additionally, a persistent bug that limited live camera feeds to a 360p resolution has been resolved, allowing for higher-quality video streaming. The updates also include minor fixes, such as improved Fahrenheit temperature rounding on iOS devices and fewer camera-related crashes within the Home app for iOS users. Camera playback controls will now remain visible even if a camera feed goes offline, facilitating easier troubleshooting. These improvements are currently live within the Google Home platform.
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Comcast's Xfinity Routers Offer WiFi Motion Sensing, Raising Privacy Concerns

Comcast's Xfinity Routers Offer WiFi Motion Sensing, Raising Privacy Concerns

Comcast has introduced a new feature called Xfinity Shield, which allows customers to enable their Xfinity routers to act as motion sensors. This WiFi Motion feature uses activity in Wi-Fi signals between newer Xfinity Gateways and connected devices to detect movement within a home. It does not utilize cameras, capture images or video, or record audio. The system records motion activity within the Xfinity app for up to seven days. Concerns have been raised by customers regarding data privacy, particularly a clause on the support page indicating that Comcast might share motion-sensing data if legally compelled, without prior notification to the customer. While Comcast states the feature is opt-in only and they do not monitor motion activity in real-time, questions remain about the technical ability to do so and the implications of data sharing under legal processes. The data collected indicates when movement is detected between a connected device and the Xfinity Gateway, specifying which Wi-Fi-connected dev...
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Why Senior Engineers Disagree About Z-Wave

Why Senior Engineers Disagree About Z-Wave

A deep dive into the smart home protocol Z-Wave, exploring why it's a source of debate among engineers regarding its reliability, security, and future.
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iOS Update Streamlines Photo Sharing in iMessage with Hidden Shortcut

iOS Update Streamlines Photo Sharing in iMessage with Hidden Shortcut

Recent iOS updates have introduced a less intuitive method for adding photos to iMessages, requiring multiple taps through a pop-up menu. However, a hidden shortcut allows users to bypass this menu and directly access their most recent photos and videos. By pressing and holding the '+' button located next to the message field in iMessage, users can immediately open their photo library. Swiping up from this view provides access to full photo collections and a search feature. This method offers a quicker alternative to the standard single tap, which brings up a menu with various options including Camera, Photos, Stickers, and other apps. Another efficient way to share photos is directly from the Photos app by selecting images and using the share icon to send them via Messages.
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Samsung hikes chipmaking prices by up to 15% on demand spike, sources say

Samsung hikes chipmaking prices by up to 15% on demand spike, sources say

Aug 19 (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics has raised prices for some advanced contract chipmaking services by up to 15% for new orders, two people familiar with the matter said, as demand for AI chips tightens capacity in a business long dominated by TSMC.
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Apple changes fees for alternative app stores in EU

Apple changes fees for alternative app stores in EU

By Supantha Mukherjee STOCKHOLM, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Apple said on Tuesday it will charge a 5% commission on digital transactions in apps distributed outside its App Store, replacing a more complex system as it seeks to comply with the European Union's Digital Markets Act. 
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Silicon Valley Tech Workers Commission Customized Luxury Watches, Creating Valuable Resale Market Items

Silicon Valley Tech Workers Commission Customized Luxury Watches, Creating Valuable Resale Market Items

Silicon Valley Tech Workers Commission Customized Luxury Watches, Creating Valuable Resale Market Items
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Things 3.23 Update Enhances Repeating To-Dos and Scheduling Flexibility for Apple Users

Things 3.23 Update Enhances Repeating To-Dos and Scheduling Flexibility for Apple Users

Things 3.23 Update Enhances Repeating To-Dos and Scheduling Flexibility for Apple Users
TheStreet TheStreet
Market pullback ahead? Dryden Pence says buy these stocks on a dip

Market pullback ahead? Dryden Pence says buy these stocks on a dip

Dryden Pence, CIO of Pence Capital Management explains why he sees a pullback ahead—revealing the stocks he’d add on a dip.
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Beats 360 Over-Ear Headphones Leak in Retail Listings, Featuring Sweat and Water Resistance

Beats 360 Over-Ear Headphones Leak in Retail Listings, Featuring Sweat and Water Resistance

Beats 360 Over-Ear Headphones Leak in Retail Listings, Featuring Sweat and Water Resistance