“Bird’s Eye View” is the romantic name Ring gives to its use of radar to track a person’s path across a camera’s field of vision. It’s available on the Video Doorbell 2, Floodlight Cam Pro and Spotlight Cam Pro, and now it’s coming to the new Stick Up Cam Pro. Like its peers, the new unit will be able to monitor where your visitors are going, and the route they took to get there. Plus, you’ll be able to set more discrete motion alerts, sparing you the pain of having an alert whenever a shadow is cast across your camera.

The new Stick Up Cam Pro is, like its less-powerful sibling, weather-resistant, small and sleek, so you can put it in any location you may need. It offers HDR video, color night vision and a pair of microphones for clearer audio, as well as two-way talk and a built-in siren. And users will have the usual choice of how to power the device; Solar, Battery or wired in, giving you another layer of flexibility. Plus, it’ll work seamlessly with the rest of Ring’s suite of products to give you a home security system tailored to your specific needs.

At the same time, Ring also wants to talk about Ring Routines, which will let you activate and deactivate Alexa routines that integrate with your cameras. These will, naturally, develop over time, letting you set routines like activating your home’s lights when someone rings the bell at night.

Ring Stick Up Cam Pro is available to pre-order today, for $180 for battery and plug-in, while the solar version will set you back $210. Shipping begins October 18.

Follow all of the news live from Amazon’s 2023 Devices event right here.

It’s been less than a month since Blink, Amazon’s other security camera company, released the Outdoor 4. Now, as part of Amazon’s annual fall showcase, we’re getting a trio of accessories to help the camera travel further and do more when it gets there.

First on the list is the Sync Module Pro, which lets you place your Outdoor 4 further from your home’s wireless network. The company says you can install a camera in “the furthest corner of your property” without worrying about range, but hasn’t yet shared real-world measurements. Maybe those figures haven’t been finalized yet, since the hardware isn’t expected to be available until the start of 2024, when it’ll cost you $50.

There’s a new floodlight mount for the Outdoor 4 that, much like its predecessor, will enable you to temporarily banish the darkness with some motion-activated LEDs. Blink says it’ll last for two years on a charge, based on “default settings” which you’ll probably want to change. That’s available for pre-order today, priced at $160, with shipping due to start on October 17.

Blink

And to round off the trio, there’s a new battery pack that, Blink says, will double the Outdoor 4’s life on a single charge. With more power, you can also be a bit less frugal about the notifications you can set up, letting you talk more, record more and generally have a better experience overall. The price for such freedom is $30, and will also begin shipping on October 17.

Follow all of the news live from Amazon’s 2023 Devices event right here.

Amazon announced a new personal safety feature on Wednesday for Alexa devices. Building on the existing Alexa Guard, Emergency Assist sounds a bit like Life Alert for Echo devices. It allows people in trouble to call for assistance by saying, “Alexa, call for help.”

Alexa Emergency Assist can connect you with a “dedicated, professionally trained agent” available 24/7. When you sign up, it will save information like your home address, medications and allergies to pass them to first responders.

Amazon says the feature is “coming soon” in the US, and it will support all Echo devices. It will cost $6 monthly or $59 annually when it launches.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Follow all of the news live from Amazon’s 2023 Devices event right here.

After spending a chunk of its event today talking about Alexa upgrades, Amazon announced two new accessibility features coming to its devices later this year. First is Eye Gaze on Alexa, which will let those with mobility or speech disabilities use their gaze to perform a set of preset actions on the Fire Max 11 tablet. 

This is the first time Amazon is working on gaze-based navigation of its devices, and it will use the camera on the Max 11 to keep track of where a user is looking. The preset actions include smart home controls, media playback and making calls. Eye Gaze will be available on the Max 11 later this year at no additional cost. The company said during its event that this is "still day one for this technology — we're very excited about its potential." More details on how Eye Gaze actually works are not available yet.

Amazon is also adding a new Call Translation feature that will transcribe Alexa calls on Echo Show devices and display onscreen captions. It can convert them into over 10 languages including English, French, Spanish and Portuguese and will launch later this year on Echo Show devices and the Alexa app for those in the US, Canada, Mexico, the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain. Call captioning is also being expanded to Europe. 

Follow all of the news live from Amazon’s 2023 Devices event right here.

Amazon's Alexa is set to receive a major upgrade that will bring its conversational capabilities more in line with modern chatbots like Google Bard or OpenAI's ChatGPT, David Limp SVP of Amazon Devices & Services, announced during the company's 2023 Devices event on Wednesday. The long running digital assistant will soon be driven by a purpose-built large language model that will be available in nearly every new Echo device. 

Amazon is itself no stranger to genAI technology. The company recently released a generative model to help its e-commerce sellers write product listings as well as incorporated a slew of AI-based features into its Thursday Night Football broadcasts at the start of the NFL season. The online seller has also weathered criticism from the Writers Guild of America over the retailer's allowance of AI-generated book listings which infringe heavily upon copyrighted works (and occasionally recommend eating suspect mushrooms). 

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Follow all of the news live from Amazon’s 2023 Devices event right here.

Amazon debuted an updated Echo Show 8 during its live event today, highlighting the device's new display, camera, microphones and spatial-audio capabilities. Generative AI helps the Echo Show 8 respond dynamically to the user's position in the physical world, offering different displays depending on how far away someone is from the screen. A new language model increases the device's on-board Alexa response time by 40 percent over the previous edition.

The Echo Show 8 costs $149.99 and is available for pre-order today. The device will hit the market and start shipping in October.

Amazon unveiled the original, 7-inch Echo Show in 2017 and has rolled out various versions over the years, with the latest notable refreshes landing in 2021. That year, Amazon announced the third-gen Echo Show 10, the second-gen Echo Show 5 and Echo Show 8, and the brand-new Echo Show 15, which is designed to be wall-mounted. Amazon did release an updated Echo Show 5 in 2023, offering minimal improvements in processing speed and audio quality, but otherwise leaving the device's design unchanged.

Follow all of the news live from Amazon’s 2023 Devices event right here.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Meta’s paid verification service is no longer just for individuals. The social network is expanding its subscription service to businesses on Facebook, Instagram and, eventually, WhatsApp, Mark Zuckerberg announced during the company’s “Conversations” event.

Meta Verified first launched for Facebook and Instagram earlier this year, but wasn't available for those with business accounts. That’s now changing, though businesses will be paying extra for the service compared with everyone else. Verification for a single account (on either Facebook or Instagram) will cost $27.99/month for mobile sign-ups or $21.99 if the purchase is made via the web. Business owners signing up on the web can also bundle an Instagram and Facebook verification for $34.99/month. That’s significantly more than the $12- $15/month Meta Verified currently costs for individuals, but Meta is likely calculating that business owners will be more willing to shell out for the extra benefits.

Meta Verified bears some similarities to Elon Musk’s X Premium. It grants subscribers a checkmark and higher ranking in search results, as well as a fast-track to customer support channels and “proactive” protection against impersonation. The company also plans to feature "Meta Verified businesses" in its in-app recommendations on Facebook and Instagram.

Meta

When Meta Verified launches for WhatsApp, it will include a few additional benefits, like multi-device support for customer chats and the ability to create a business page that will appear in web-based search results. (Meta hasn’t said how much verified status will cost businesses on WhatsApp.)

Of course, unlike X Premium, Meta does require subscribers to verify their identities. For businesses, this means subscribers will need to provide proof of their association with the business, via a phone number or email domain. The company also requires subscribers to opt-in to two-factor authentication and meet a minimum level of activity. Meta says it will begin by making subscriptions available to business owners in “select test countries,” but declined to name the specific locations. Meta Verified for WhatsApp, on the other hand, will roll out sometime “in the future.”

In addition to the expansion of Meta Verified, the company also announced a few other updates for businesses that use its messaging tools. In-app payments on WhatsApp, which are currently available in Brazil and Singapore, will be expanding to merchants in India. The app will support credit and debit card payments, as well as other apps like Razorpay.

The company also introduced something called “WhatsApp flows” so that businesses can create customized features like appointment booking directly from in-app chats. The feature will be available to WhatsApp Business users “in the coming weeks.”

Apple’s iPhone 15 lineup isn’t even out yet, but you can already save on the company's cases and other accessories for the devices, as well as earlier models. While there aren't enormous discounts in this sale on Amazon, you'll be able to save a few bucks if you prefer to go the first-party route with iPhone cases (though there are cheaper third-party options). For instance, the Apple iPhone 15 Plus FineWoven Case with MagSafe has dropped by five percent to $56, which marks an early record low for the product.

FineWoven is a new material Apple is using in place of leather, which it is no longer employing in its accessories in order to make them more sustainable. FineWoven uses 68 percent post-consumer recycled content. The material looks fairly similar to leather in images that we're seen so far. Here's hoping it's just as durable. Meanwhile, MagSafe compatibility gives you more options for charging the device.

If you're going to pick up an iPhone 15 Pro, you might like to consider a clear case with MagSafe functionality. That will run you $47, which is six percent off the usual $50.

There's now a FineWoven version of the iPhone wallet with MagSafe support. This attaches to the back of any iPhone with MagSafe (iPhone 12 or later) and you can store your cards and ID in it. It works when you have a MagSafe case installed too. The wallet has Find My compatibility, which should make it easier to find if it's separated from your phone. The wallet costs $56, or five percent off the usual price.

Elsewhere, you might need a new adapter to charge your iPhone. Apple has ditched the Lightning port in favor of USB-C charging in the iPhone 15 lineup. However, it's not including a USB-C adapter in the iPhone's box. If you need one, you can opt for Apple's 35W Dual USB-C Port Compact Power Adapter. You can use this to charge two devices at once (say, your iPhone and iPad or MacBook). The prongs can fold back into the body when you're not using the adapter for easier storage. The accessory currently costs $45, or 25 percent off the usual price.

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So there’s a new GoPro in town. Maybe you saw a bunch of new features and wondered if the new camera is worth the upgrade from an older model? Maybe you want to know if it’s a better fit than a rival camera like DJI’s Action 4? Here we’ll go through everything that’s new with the Hero 12 and hopefully, by the end of it, you’ll feel ready to make an informed decision. There are some useful new tools, some neat hardware tweaks and of course, an important aesthetic update this time around. All of which we’ll get to below.

Battery life

Okay, deep breath for this one as there’s a bit to unpack. Battery life has always been a bit of a pain point for action cameras. Their smaller form-factor, exposure to different and high performance needs (shooting 4K slow-mo, and so on) means they are constantly battling basic physics. GoPro’s claim then, that the Hero 12 offers “2x runtime” will have seen even the most ragged of outdoor filmers crack a smile. But remember, runtime isn’t the same as “record” time.

What we’re seeing here is an extension of the amount of time the camera can run at high power drain modes before it reaches its thermal limit and has to stop. So the claim is really that you should get about twice the recording time at the most demanding settings. If you’re shooting at good ol’ 1080p/30, for example, battery performance is only extended by a few minutes.

Photo by James Trew / Engadget

To test this, I pitted the Hero 12 against the Hero 11 in two scenarios, each at the opposite ends of the “intensity” spectrum. On the high end, we set the cameras to record at 4K/120 while walking with the camera on a standard grip. On the other end of the scale we recorded a basic 1080/30 video for as long as the camera could. Both were performed outside to allow for airflow, which is what the camera was optimized for.

In the 4K tests, I was surprised to see there was no noticeable difference between the Hero 12 and the Hero 11 with the same settings. I repeated the test a couple of times and the 12 was only able to best the 11 by about five minutes. On one occasion, the Hero 11 actually outlasted the Hero 12. The average duration for one continuous video was 35 minutes. Other outlets and reviews have had more success here, so I'm currently speaking with GoPro to see what might be causing this disparity in results. The 1080p tests were also comparable, with both cameras lasting around an hour and a half which is expected, as GoPro doesn’t claim large advances in battery life at these settings.

Bluetooth audio

I don’t think anyone was expecting this one, but it’s a pleasant surprise nonetheless. Using a microphone with a GoPro typically involves using the Media Mod, which is usually an $80 additional purchase. Even with that, going wireless requires having a compatible microphone. With the new Bluetooth capability, you can use the AirPods (or other Bluetooth headset) that you may already own.

I wouldn’t recommend using a microphone over Bluetooth if you can avoid it, as they’re typically designed for calls rather than delivering a standup to camera. That said, the quality is good enough for impromptu vlogs and or live commentary as you take part in your activity of choice. Either way, it’s a neat new feature that’s really easy to set up. I was worried about latency — a common problem with Bluetooth audio generally — but any there might be is barely perceptible.

This functionality also allows you to control your GoPro from afar using voice commands. I might wager that this is equally, if not more useful to a lot of people. GoPro’s voice commands are fairly reliable, so it’s nice to be able to ask the camera to take a photo from a distance so you don’t need to set a timer. Likewise, you can end a video without having to record those final seconds of you walking back to the camera to press the button. All these little time saves add up!

8:7 everywhere

Photo by James Trew / Engadget

The big news with the Hero 11 Black was a larger sensor that meant you could do cool things like punch out different aspect ratio videos in 4K from the same source material. That source video was also usable on its own, if square-ish 8:7 video was something you needed. With the Hero 12, 8:7 mode is now available everywhere, including TimeWarp, TimeLapse and Night Effects modes.

An 8:7 TimeWarp is a fun addition, but the real gain here is the option to shoot in that mode, capture every pixel available to you, and then have the flexibility to do more with it later. For Night Effects, for example, you could output a vertical version for social media, and a 16:9 one for YouTube and both of them would be in full resolution. This is the only new direct video feature this time around, which will disappoint some potential upgraders, but for fans of those specific modes it’s good news.

Vertical capture

Photo by James Trew / Engadget

Now that 8:7, full-sensor recording is available across the board, GoPro is seeking to make some of its use cases even easier. One such example is vertical capture mode. In short, since the Hero 11 there’s no technical reason why you need to rotate or mount the camera vertically as you can achieve full resolution 9:16 videos even with the camera positioned horizontally.

Essentially, this feature provides a way to record a video for social media without having to either remount it or to punch it out in 9:16 via the app. Thus, vertical capture greatly smooths the process from shooting on the camera to sharing with your followers. There’s not much more to say here other than it works as advertised and should save a fair amount of time for those who use that aspect ratio frequently.

HDR video in ultra-high resolutions

Dynamic range may sound like a technical setting for pro photographers, but it’s important even for casual users. As a camera tries to capture a shot, it will assess the lighting and adjust its exposure to maintain the best balance (unless you’re using all manual settings). When there are bright and dark areas in the same shot, the camera has to make a best guess. To improve on that, modern cameras have HDR modes specifically for times when there’s a “High Dynamic Range (HDR).” In short, the Hero 12 Black claims to be better than its predecessors in these situations.

Technically, the Hero 11 is capable of outputting HDR video (the Hero 12 and Hero 11 share the same internal hardware), but you usually had to do some legwork in post to get there. The Hero 12 has “HDR” as one of the shooting modes right in the menus making it a simple button push to get those more natural tones.

Photo by James Trew / Engadget

In side by side testing, there’s a marked difference between the Hero 12 and last year’s camera. In the same, sunny conditions during the day I found the sky was sometimes blown out on the Hero 11 when there were also a lot of shaded areas in shot as the camera tries to expose for both. The Hero 12 was able to handle the same lighting conditions without blowing out bright areas or under exposing the shade giving a more balanced image overall.

(Speaking of HDR, the GoPro 12’s implementation isn’t true HDR in the sense that it captures using the BT.2020 HDR color space — i.e., if you plug it into your Samsung HDR TV you won’t see it in HDR, but just regular TV mode. Rather, it takes two images of each frame in quick succession — like bracketing on a photo camera — one exposed for shadows and one for highlights, and combines them into a single image. The end result is more detailed skies, shadowy areas, etc.)

Better selfies

Back in the olden days, there was a light “hack” for getting the best selfie out of a GoPro: put the camera into Time lapse Photo mode and grab multiple shots just to be sure. In newer GoPros you have to grab a frame from a time lapse via the app as the camera automatically outputs a ready-to-share video. Interval Photo, then, revives some of that old functionality in a new, improved way. The basic gist is that you don't need to use a timer, instead you can capture multiple photos and pick the one you like best, such as the one below where I had all the time in the world to perfectly place my hand on top of the towers.

Photo by James Trew / Engadget

To prevent confusion, Interval Photo is a setting under the Photos menu and not the Time Lapse menu. From there you can set a wide range of intervals — from half a second up to two minutes — and use this with all photo types, including HDR and SuperPhoto (GoPro’s “auto” mode). This differs from a time lapse where the images are processed in a way that prevents sudden changes in exposure between photos for a smooth video. That’s to say, images are optimized for the resulting video. With Interval Photo, they’re standard photos for use as photos with no further processing.

Night Effects come to photos (kinda)

Another feature that builds on something that was introduced in the Hero 11 is the extension of the Night Effects (Star Trails, Vehicle Lights and Light Painting) to create a photo. These three effects use long exposures and witchcraft (maybe) to create videos with these dramatic light-based effects. With the Hero 12, you will now be presented with a photo alongside the video. There’s no extra action required to get this, it’ll just show up in your gallery automatically.

What you won’t see are any controls or any way to choose at which point of the video the image will be extracted from, the image appears to be based on the final frame of the video, which makes sense. That said, in our testing it generally produces good results (assuming your video was good in the first place!). Again, you’ve pretty much always had the option to extract frames from videos and with the Quik app that’s easier than ever before, but having one ready for you, is another welcome convenience.

Log

Steve Dent contributed the following section.

GP-Log is designed to give creators more control over images by increasing dynamic range, specifically by allowing more detail in shadows and highlights. That can be combined with 10-bit encoding which boosts the total number of colors to billions, meaning subtle gradients (mainly in skies) will show less banding.

Photo by James Trew / Engadget

As ever with log, it can be a challenge to get a nice image out of it. The LUTs supplied by GoPro do an OK job, but significant tweaking is still required by the editor to gain any major benefits. Plus, it’s not a very aggressive log setting, so the boost in dynamic range is small, akin to DJI’s D-Log M setting. It does give editors who know what they’re doing more options, but if you’re unfamiliar with log, HDR is a much easier way to improve dynamic range – with no adjustments required.

New mounting option

Photo by James Trew / Engadget

If you’ve been using GoPros for any amount of time, you’ll be familiar with the “finger” mount system. It’s… fine. It’s certainly sturdy, which is what you want in an action camera, but it’s also fiddly and those thumb screws can get real tight, so tight that sometimes it feels personal. Sometimes you wish you could just use the tripod or selfie pole you already have without having to dip into your bag of adapters. Well, now you can.

Flip the GoPro Hero 12 Black over and lo and behold, you’ll be presented with a 1/4 inch thread (along with the sound of angels harmonizing, possibly). I have a bunch of the aforementioned GoPro-to-tripod mount adapters, but I can never seem to find them when I need them. I also have a bunch of small tripods that will get a lot more usage now that they are directly compatible with the GoPro. Not to mention, if you use your GoPro as a webcam, it’s not a lot easier to use with other streaming mounts and boom arms. I’m not sure what it says about the Hero 12 when this is my personal favorite new feature, but here we are!

The original Apple Watch Ultra’s price has dipped on Amazon just shortly after the release of the second generation during Apple's September 12th "Wonderlust" event. You can now snag the older model Ultra for $732, down eight percent from its original price tag of $799.

While the deal is only applicable to the medium-sized (for 145-190mm wrists) green alpine loop, it's worth considering. The corrosion-resistant titanium case and this specific model’s rugged look may be ideal for an outdoor enthusiast who likes to get their hands dirty. It may even be a good time to start thinking ahead to gifts for the holidays.

If you're an iPhone user, the Apple Watch Ultra offers some pretty compelling perks that make it an ideal companion for outdoorsy wearers. But Apple didn’t just design the Ultra for hikers and swimmers — its advanced metrics in the workout app, which includes heart rate zone and “running form" monitoring, make it a solid choice for anyone looking to track or improve their workout regimen.

The new Apple Watch Ultra 2 will go on sale for $799 in just two days, however. And the newer, more expensive iteration will run with the help of the company’s S9 chip, which will enable the new “double tap” feature, among other improvements. So if you're keen on the new updates, this deal may not be right for you. But for those looking for a solid smartwatch at a somewhat reduced price (or a very generous gift for a loved one) the Apple Watch Ultra is a more than serviceable option.

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