Ford first unveiled its F-150 Lightning lineup only a couple of years ago, in 2021, but its fifth model is already underway. The manufacturer has announced that the F-150 Lightning Flash will join the existing Pro, XLT, Lariat and Platinum trims as a mid-tier option.

The F-150 Lightning Flash is a "tech-forward" expansion of the XLT's offerings, adding in-demand tech capabilities and version 1.2 of Ford BlueCruise hands-free highway driving (which allows drivers to change lanes with a simple tap). The Flash also offers customers the option to activate Ford BlueCruise at any point or to trial it with 90 days free after purchase. The new model's interior includes a 15.5-inch LCD Capacitive Touchscreen, a wireless charging pad and a B&O Sound System with eight speakers and a subwoofer.

Like the XLT, it has a targeted EPA-estimated extended range of 320 miles per charge. The entire F-150 lineup can use the BlueOval Charge Network, which includes more than 84,000 chargers across North America, and will have access to 12,000 Tesla chargers starting in 2024.

Online orders for the F-150 Lightning Flash will also start in early 2024, with the EV retailing for just under $70,000. The manufacturer lowered F-150 prices by up to $10,000 in July thanks to increased plant capacity (an estimated 150,000 units per year) and better battery raw material costs. However, they still come at a much higher cost than originally advertised, with the F-150 Lightning Pro retailing for about 50 percent of its initial sticker price at the beginning of summer.

Sales on Amazon products continue to roll out ahead of the official start of October Prime Day on everything from Blink cameras to Kindle Scribes. The 16GB Kindle Scribe is back on sale for 22 percent off, dropping to $265 from $340. It mirrors a recent sale on the Kindle Scribe, but this one isn't exclusive to Prime members, as was the case for the September one.

Amazon's 16GB Kindle Scribe has a 10.2-inch, 300 ppi glare-free display with an adjustable warm light and auto-adjustable front light that changes depending on the time of day. It also includes an option to increase the font size anytime for easier reading. Thanks to the pages available for writing or sketching, you can use the Kindle Scribe as a personal notebook or journal. Plus, you can write on PDFs, Microsoft Word docs or across millions of books available from the Kindle Store using the Basic Pen included with your purchase. Getting the Premium Pen instead will cost you another $25, with a 22 percent sale dropping the pair's price to $290 from $370. The 32GB and 64GB Kindle Scribes are also on sale, available for $305 and $330, respectively.

Your Kindle Scribe shouldn't require too much charging as Amazon claims the battery will last 12 weeks if you read an average of a half hour each day and three weeks if you write an average of a half hour a day. Of course, factors like brightness and wireless connection can kill the charge quicker, but it has a longer battery life than its predecessors.

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October's Prime Day doesn't start until the tenth, but the sales are already coming along strong. For instance, many of Amazon's Blink products, including the third and fourth-generation outdoor cameras, are on sale. Right now, you can get a three-pack of Blink Outdoor 4 cameras for $135 — half off its usual sticker price of $270. A trio of third-generation Blink Outdoor cameras are available for 60 percent off, dropping to $100 from $250.

Amazon recently released its Blink Outdoor 4 camera, which increased visibility to 143 degrees from 110 degrees. It also offers enhanced motion detection and sharper image quality for easier monitoring, whether while in the comfort of your home or away on vacation. For $35 less, the Blink Outdoor 3 has the same two-year battery guarantee, motion-activated alerts and two-way audio.

If you want to test the waters with Amazon's security device, the Blink Mini is on sale for $20 from $35, a 43 percent discount. The indoor 1080p HD camera monitors movement during the day and night and connects to the Blink Video doorbell — providing alerts to your smartphone in both cases. It also lets you hear and speak through the device in real-time. Speaking of seeing who's at your house, the Blink Video Doorbell with two Outdoor 4 smart security cameras is 50 percent off, dropping to $130 from $260.

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The Ayaneo Slide is one step closer to becoming a real, in-your-hands device, with the launch of its Indiegogo holding page. The company first announced the Ayaneo Slide back in January and initially set a release date for the second quarter of 2023.

The Slide's shape is reminiscent of an early 2000s favorite, the Sidekick, giving it a real boost for nostalgia seekers. It has a six-inch 1080p floating screen with an adjustable angle for viewing preference. Ayaneo claims the keyboard has an ergonomic design and can display a range of light effects.

Its system is based on the Ryzen 7000 mobile APUs, utilizes a 46.2Wh battery and has a Hall sensing joystick and trigger — plus a master controller. The Slide also has the company's updated frontend, AyaSpace 2, which upgraded the interface, quick settings window and gameplay customization. Hyper Sound stereo dual speakers and a customized heat dissipation system round out its primary features, but a promotional video details the Slide's many functions.

An actual release date and cost for the Ayaneo Slide are still up in the air, with a call out on Indiegogo stating, "Sign up to get early-bird price on launch day!" Of course, a disclaimer adds that you'll also get updates and news from Ayaneo in the meantime. Once out in the world, the Ayaneo Slide will face some serious competition between rivals like the GPD Win 4 and Valve's ever-popular Steam Deck. 

Since 2017, there have been endless rumors and even a rescinded announcement of a HiFi tier at Spotify, but no option itself. Now — finally — we're getting, that's right: more speculation. A Reddit user has dug into Spotify's app and uncovered possible information about a Supremium tier (Spotify's new name for the HiFi option). Apparently, it could have 24-bit Lossless music, which the company claims is free from "lag and delays."

Despite its uncertainty, some pretty fun features are currently floating around in that code, including the ability to sort playlists by "danceability." The option to determine how much you want to boogie could come alongside other arrangements like BPM and smart order, which would attempt to create an ideal playlist based on tempo and key. Also being explored are the options to use smooth transitions instead of that few seconds of quiet and to filter your playlist based on mood or genre (something it introduced for Liked Songs in 2021).

There are more possible Supremium perks discovered by the curious Reddit user, such as using AI to make playlists and something called Soundcheck that details your listening habits and "uniquely you" music — it sounds like a mashup of Spotify Wrapped and Daily Mixes. It could also include 30 hours of audiobooks each month versus paying for each book individually.

Right now, the Spotify code puts its Supremium tier at $20 — more than any of its existing Premium plans: Student ($6 per month), Individual ($11 per month), Duo ($15 per month) and Family ($17 per month). The $20 price tag could change (if this tier ever becomes a reality), but it's on par with Tidal's 24-bit HiFi Plus option.

While the better environmental impact and lack of gas payments make EVs an enticing option, other costs and steps still stand as a hindrance. Hyundai is the latest car manufacturer attempting to minimize these negatives with a new incentive offering complimentary chargers and up to $600 off their installation fee. Hyundai's ChargePoint Home Flex Level 2 EV Charger is typically $549, providing a $1,100 total savings.

The offer is available for anyone leasing or purchasing a brand new 2023 or 2024 Ioniq 5 or Ioniq 6 and a 2023 Kona Electric. However, it has to be through Hyundai Motor Finance (who will provide a coupon code) from now until October 31. Once purchased, customers have 90 days to schedule the installation through the Hyundai Home Marketplace, run by its partner Electrum Energy Advisors. Electrum handles the scheduling, installation, and questions, while Hyundai foots the bill. 

"We know that the charging infrastructure and the process of preparing their homes is at the forefront of the minds of many EV-curious buyers," José Muñoz, president and global COO of Hyundai Motor Company and president and CEO of Hyundai Motor North America, said in a statement. "With this offer, we're making it easier for everyone to go electric by providing our EV customers with an expert Energy Advisor who can personally walk them through the process of outfitting their homes with the proper charging, energy storage and collection equipment using our Hyundai Home Marketplace."

However, there are, of course, strings: The ChargePoint Home Flex Level 2 EV Charger is only free in conjunction with the installation and is available at select retailers in limited quantities. Plus, they'll only install it at "select residential property," so customers should double-check that their house qualifies before forking over any money. 

The United States government is once again providing free COVID-19 tests following a summer that saw cases spike and the cost of at-home tests fall on individuals. Starting Monday, September 25, every household can request four free COVID-19 tests through the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) site COVID.gov. The tests are intended for use through the end of 2023, with the HHS noting that previously distributed tests have extended expiration dates displayed here.

A previous program to supply free COVID-19 tests stopped in May following the end of the public health emergency. In that time, the government claims to have been restoring its stockpile. However, $600 million is now going towards the manufacturing of COVID-19 tests and subsequent purchase of 200 million for at-home use. HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra announced the free tests and further investment while getting his COVID-19 booster at an event in Washington, DC. "These critical investments will strengthen our nation's production levels of domestic at-home COVID-19 rapid tests and help mitigate the spread of the virus," Becerra said in a statement. 

COVID-19 cases across the US started to increase in early July after months of decline. In the week of September 3 to 9, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported hospital admissions increased by 7.7 percent to 20,538, and deaths due to COVID-19 increased by 4.5 percent to 2.3 percent. 

Two-plus months after the spike began, the HHS has acted and addressed the common sentiment of being "done" with the virus — despite its continued existence. "We know, if past is prologue, it'll circulate to a higher degree and spread, and cases will go up in the fall and winter seasons," Dawn O'Connell, the assistant secretary for preparedness and response at HHS, said in a statement. "Anticipating that that would be true again, or something similar, we want to make sure the American people have these tools." The new COVID-19 boosters are also rolling out across the country, with the CDC recommending everyone six months or older get the latest shot. 

The 12.9-inch Apple iPad Pro's cost has finally dropped into the triple digits. The 128GB sixth-generation model is at an all-time low price of $999 (hey, $1 under $1,000 still counts) from $1,099 — a nine percent discount. The deal is only available in Space Gray, with the Silver model coming in at $1,049. 

Apple's sixth-gen iPad Pro 12.9-inch came on the scene in 2022, and — though it wasn't a major upgrade — it garnered an 87 in our review. The biggest change was a swap from the M1 to the M2 chip, which increased its GPU performance by 52 percent to a score of 32,834. The M2 chip also lets you record 4K resolution video in ProRes at 30 frames per second and introduces Hover, which lets you interact with some elements when your pencil is 12mm above the screen.

The 12.9-inch model's features are identical to the iPad Pro 11-inch, except for the size (obviously) and it having a Liquid Retina XDR display versus a standard one. It's quite a bit cheaper for such a small difference, with a nine percent discount cutting its price from $799 to $729. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple's 2024 iPad Pro might come with an M3 chip and have an OLED display, among other upgrades.

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Between its drone delivery attempts and its Just Walk Out tech removing the need for cashiers, Amazon is trying to make the buying experience as quick and minimally interactive with others as it can. Now, the tech company has announced that it's further expanding Just Walk Out's abilities to support softline merchandise like clothing — particularly fan gear. Amazon is making the jump with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) — a decades-old technology that utilizes radio waves for tracking (typically inventory). While Amazon might be getting into the RFID game late, clothing designers have used the technology for everything from preventing counterfeiting to quicker self-checkout. 

Like in other Just Walk Out stores, customers grab their items and pay with a card or using their palm on an Amazon One device. Each piece of merchandise has a unique tag that's read as customers pass through the exit gate — then charging them accordingly. 

Amazon tested RFID for Just Walk Out at the Seattle Kraken's Climate Pledge Arena during the last few games of the 2022-2023 NHL season. The tech company decided to expand RFID to the Seattle Seahawk's Lumen Field for the 2023 to 2024 NFL season after being "validated by positive feedback from the Kraken fans and arena officials." This opening marks the stadium's ninth Just Walk Out store — the highest number of any venue. Amazon claims that the first Just Walk Out store at Lumen Field (opened last September) had an 85 percent higher transaction rate and 112 percent better total sales per game during the 2022 to 2023 season, compared to the traditional retailer that previously existed in that storefront. 

Amazon launched its first Just Walk Out store in 2018 and has since expanded to 75 Amazon-owned and 85 third-party stores in sports stadiums, airports, college campuses and more. Currently, Just Walk Out tech is only available in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia, but Amazon claims it has "new locations launching every month." 

Google is continuing its shift away from smart devices by discontinuing support for both Zoom and Google Meet on its Nest Hub Max, 9to5Google reported. Some users have started receiving notifications that they can no longer join meetings from the device beginning September 28. The news follows Zoom's July announcement that Nest Hub Max support will end for the video calling service on September 30 — guess Google really wanted the services gone by October.

We were fans of the Google Nest Hub Max when it first came out in 2019, giving it an 86 in our review for features like its high-quality display and sound. It initially only offered Google Duo, but the subsequent emergence of the pandemic led to the rollout of Zoom and Meet, and the device soon became known (and bought) for video calling. Now, those programs are on their way out. Plus, Google stopped all game and third-party voice app support in June, and its Nest Cam still hasn't moved over to the Google Home app.

Nest Hub Max owners aren't pleased with the changes: One Reddit user said, "What will it become? A giant paperweight." Another user mentioned seeking a refund since the video calling feature convinced them to buy the device.