Latest news with #Amazon-owned
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Brainy Ring doorbell settings you MUST change before ever leaving home – including trick to make gadget a ‘robot butler'
Some of the tricks are handy even when you're at home HOME & AWAY Brainy Ring doorbell settings you MUST change before ever leaving home – including trick to make gadget a 'robot butler' Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) RING doorbell owners need to check at least six settings before heading off on their summer hols. The Amazon-owned gadget giant told The Sun the exact tweaks to make – and one turns your doorbell into a "robot butler" that speaks to guests for you. 8 Your Ring doorbell has more settings than you probably realised Credit: Ring 8 You can create camera motion zones to reduce the number of alerts that come through to your phone Credit: Ring / The Sun Video doorbells are great for seeing who's at the door. But they can do so much more, including serving up peace of mind when you're away for a week in Spain – or popping down to Cornwall for the weekend. A Ring spokesperson told The Sun that the gadget could "help you keep an eye on your home" while you're away – and shared six settings worth changing. RING DOORBELL SETTING #1 – MOTION ZONES The first recommendation is setting up Motion Zones. You can find them in the Motion Settings part of your Ring app. And they let you physically draw on your camera's view to highlight exactly where you want the motion sensors to pick up movement. So you can have your Ring doorbell detecting only on your driveway – but not the road. That way, you won't get alerts for passing cars or people, but just notifications for someone actually turning up in your front garden. A Ring spokesperson told us that this is one of the easiest ways to "reduce unwanted alerts". RING DOORBELL SETTING #2 – BETTER ALERTS Next up, make sure that you've got Rich Notifications turned on. Warning to criminals as new Ring doorbell AI feature makes it even easier to catch you You can find that in the Notification Settings section of your Ring app. It's meant to show you a glimpse of what's going on at your door. That way you don't even need to open the Ring app to see who's there. "These snapshot images appear with your alerts, giving you a quick preview of what triggered the notification," the Ring spokesperson told The Sun. 8 Rich Notifications let you see quick previews so you don't need to open the Ring app Credit: Ring / The Sun 8 Dive into your Ring doorbell settings to customise how it works Credit: Ring / The Sun "Perfect for checking in without needing to open the app every time." RING DOORBELL SETTING #3 – QUICK REPLIES One of the best Ring video doorbell tricks is Quick Replies. This effectively turns your doorbell into a kind of robot butler that answers the door for you. You'll be able to access it in the Smart Responses part of your Ring app. 8 You can set up automatic Quick Replies that your doorbell will dish out to visitors Credit: Ring / The Sun Ring said: "Don't want to answer your door while you're lounging poolside? "Choose from preset messages like 'We can't answer the door right now, but if you'd like to leave a message, you can do it now.' "It's like an out-of-office message for your front door." That way you don't have to pick up your phone to do a two-way chat with the person at your door. Let the Ring robot handle it for you. RING DOORBELL SETTING #4 – GEOFENCING Geofencing is a way to have your Ring doorbell change its own settings based on where you are. It'll work using your phone's location settings. That way, the Ring doorbell will know when you're at home – or when you're away. "Before you leave, configure a Geofence under 'Location Settings'," the Ring spokesperson told The Sun. 8 Geofencing allows Ring to change your doorbell settings based on your location Credit: Ring / The Sun "This feature can remind you to set your Ring Mode to 'Away' as you head out, so your system is ready to monitor while you're gone. "When you return, it can automatically snooze alerts as you arrive home - no need to fumble with settings at the door." RING DOORBELL SETTING #5 – PRIVACY ZONES Fifth on the list is privacy zones, which is meant to stop your camera from picking up things you don't want it to see. This is handy if you have people minding your home for you – and you can see through your own windows, if your front door is set back. 8 Privacy Zones let you block out certain areas of a camera feed Credit: Ring / The Sun You can set up a privacy zone to block out your own window so it can't see inside. Of course, this is also handy even when you're at home. But it's also generally useful to avoid accidentally spying on your neighbours. "If your doorbell's view includes neighbouring homes or other areas you'd rather not record, head to 'Privacy Settings' and set up Privacy Zones," Ring told us. "These areas will be blacked out in Live View and recordings, giving you peace of mind and respecting your neighbours' privacy while you're away." RING DOORBELL SETTING #6 – SNAPSHOT CAPTURE Lastly, consider turning on a feature called Snapshot Capture. You'll be able to find that in the Device Settings section of your Ring app. It'll take photos at set intervals throughout the day. 8 You can change the frequency of snapshop capture (but it'll come at the expense of battery life if you're using a non-wired model) Credit: Ring / The Sun And they'll be added to your event timeline. That way, you can see what has happened (and importantly, if anything has changed) in between motion events. Then you'll be able to see what's going on even when specific moments of motion haven't been recorded.
See - Sada Elbalad
4 days ago
- Business
- See - Sada Elbalad
US House Bans WhatsApp on Official Devices
Israa Farhan The US House of Representatives has officially banned the use of WhatsApp on all government-issued devices in a move aimed at strengthening cybersecurity and protecting sensitive data. The decision was communicated through an internal memo from the House Cybersecurity Office and applies to all lawmakers, staff, and House employees. According to the memo, the Meta-owned messaging app poses a significant security threat, as officials describe it, due to a lack of transparency in how user data is managed, insufficient encryption for stored data, and associated technical vulnerabilities. As an alternative, the House recommended using more secure communication platforms, including Microsoft Teams, Amazon-owned Wickr, Apple's iMessage and FaceTime, and the encrypted messaging app Signal. In a statement responding to the ban, a Meta spokesperson expressed disagreement, arguing that WhatsApp offers industry-leading security features that exceed those of several recommended alternatives. The company emphasized that privacy and security remain top priorities. The ban follows recent cybersecurity alerts, including a January report in which WhatsApp confirmed that dozens of journalists and activists had been targeted by advanced spyware. These revelations heightened concerns over the platform's vulnerability to surveillance and data breaches. This is not the first time the US House has acted against popular apps over security concerns. In 2022, the House banned TikTok from official devices amid similar fears about data privacy and foreign surveillance. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan Technology 50-Year Soviet Spacecraft 'Kosmos 482' Crashes into Indian Ocean
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Ring cameras and doorbells now use AI to provide specific descriptions of motion activity
Amazon-owned Ring announced on Wednesday that it's introducing a new AI-powered feature to its doorbells and cameras, which offers users specific text descriptions of current motion activity. Now, when users receive real-time notifications about happenings at their property, the updates will be more descriptive. For instance, 'A person is walking up the steps with a black dog,' or 'Two individuals are looking into a white car parked in the driveway.' The feature aims to improve upon the vague notifications that were previously available. Now, users will be able to know exactly what is happening and can quickly decide whether it requires immediate attention. It should be noted that the AI only describes the first few seconds of the motion-activated video clip. The feature is being rolled out today as an English-only beta for Ring Home Premium subscribers in the U.S. and Canada. Users can choose to disable the feature by going to settings in the Ring app. According to a blog post by Jamie Siminoff, Ring's founder and now Amazon's VP of home security, the company plans to introduce additional AI features. One of these combines several motion events happening in and around a home into a single alert. Ring also intends to implement a 'custom anomaly alert' that allows users to define what constitutes an anomaly for their property, enabling the camera to notify them when such an event occurs. Additionally, Siminoff mentioned that Ring will 'learn your routine,' so it can inform users when something is out of the ordinary. This may be unsettling for some users, especially considering Ring's past privacy concerns. 'We are just starting to scratch the surface of AI. I feel like we are back to the very early days of Ring again—I see unlimited potential for new experiences we can invent for our neighbors,' Siminoff wrote. This announcement follows the recent launch of Ring's AI-powered search feature, which enables users to locate specific moments within video recordings.
Forbes
6 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Cyberattack Reveals Soft Underbelly Of Supermarket Food Supply
The recent cyberattack on food distributor UNFI has revealed the likelihood of other data ... More vulnerabilities throughout the F&B space. While the nation's food supply faces all sorts of threats, from diseases to tariffs to climate change, we are now faced with what can happen when the food supply is attacked by hackers, and not by directly targeting stores' systems. Instead, a hack of food distributor United Natural Foods (UNFI) hit Whole Foods and others hard, leading to shortages and empty shelves. It exposed the soft underbelly of supermarkets, where software, not just hard goods shortages, can be the target of attacks. Providence, Rhode Island-based UNFI, which operates 52 food distribution centers and offers 250,000 products from more than 11,000 suppliers to 30,000 customer locations, reported "unauthorized activity in our systems." It shut down temporarily after the cyberattack revealed that a computer virus, like any disease, can put the nation's food supply and supermarkets at risk. This disrupted ordering and deliveries, revealing how vulnerable the nation's food infrastructure can still be to cyberattacks. 'Our frozen cooler is empty, our bread hearth is bare, and customers are increasingly upset," a Whole Foods employee in Arkansas who was not authorized to speak on behalf of the company told CNN. UNFI, which noted it has invested in cybersecurity, said this attack revealed vulnerabilities and the need to do more, even as its stock tumbled after the attack. Signs that read, 'We are experiencing a temporary out-of-stock issue for some products' went up in some supermarkets. 'I think a company needs to be both high capability and humble when it relates to cybersecurity,' UNFI CEO Sandy Douglas said. 'And this event is just a demonstrated example of why.' Some supermarkets shifted temporarily to other wholesalers, while Amazon-owned Whole Foods, which operates more than 520 stores in the United States, found some of its shelves temporarily empty. Grocery Dive quoted Gilpin Matthews, co-owner of Darlings Grocery in La Pointe, Wisconsin, as saying that he shifted to Minnesota-based grocery wholesaler Mason Brothers for some products, as well as Sysco, which supplies restaurants. 'Empty shelves don't look good, and if people go in and they can't get the things that they need… they're going to go somewhere else,' Matthews told Grocery Dive. 'We were just scrambling, because we had no notice.' UNFI President and CFO Giorgio Matteo Tarditi said in a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing that the cyberattack 'temporarily impacted the company's ability to fulfill and distribute customer orders.' While some supermarkets found their shelves empty after the cyberattack, others temporarily shifted ... More to other wholesalers. While this attack attracted attention, it came after a string of ransomware and extortion hacks of retailers and supermarkets in the United Kingdom in April, which were widely attributed to the cybercrime organization Scattered Spider. That group with global reach reportedly began focusing on the United States in May, possibly including the UNFI cyberattack. The Rise & Risk of Advanced Technology The latest attack raises issues such as resilience, redundancy, and preparedness of grocery stores, which rely heavily on logistics, delivery, and the technology that allows this to go smoothly. In today's highly competitive market, food and beverage distributors increasingly rely on advanced technology to streamline operations, optimize supply chains, and deliver outstanding customer service. From real-time inventory tracking to predictive ordering and route optimization, nearly every aspect of the modern distribution business is powered by data. As the value and sensitivity of this data grows, so does the importance of securing and protecting it. Technology has become the backbone of food and beverage distribution for distributors who now utilize sophisticated Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, warehouse management solutions, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices to gather and analyze data at every stage — from procurement to delivery. Advanced technology has helped wholesalers optimize their supply chain and monitor inventory in ... More real-time. These technologies generate a wealth of information on inventory levels, customer orders, supply chain logistics, and regulatory compliance. For instance, real-time temperature and humidity sensors can track perishable goods in transit, while analytics platforms help forecast demand and reduce waste. The resulting data not only drives efficiency but also provides actionable insights that can enhance profitability and customer satisfaction. Single Suppliers or Dozens of Distributors? Relying on single suppliers, which can provide the best rates, also aggregates risk. According to Grocery Dive, Orcas Food Co-op, a UNFI customer in Eastsound, Washington, also obtains products from dozens of local suppliers. 'We're not overly reliant on a single supplier,' an Orcas Food Co-op spokesman told Grocery Dive. 'This is just a good chance to highlight to our members a lot of the other producers we work with directly.' Still, smaller suppliers indicated they were unaware of what was occurring and caught in the middle. By June 10, UNFI reported in a third-quarter earnings call that net sales had increased 7.5% to $8.1 billion and a $7 million net loss. 'In the near term, we are focused on diligently managing through the cyber incident we announced yesterday to rapidly and safely restore our capabilities,' CEO Sandy Douglas said, 'while helping our customers with short-term solutions wherever possible.' Stronger cybersecurity measures and the implementation of penetration testing can help companies be ... More more proactive about the safety of their data. UNFI, whose slogan is 'Better Foods. Better Future.' may face lawsuits in case the company is in any way culpable. Law firm Levi & Korsinsky said it is investigating UNFI to see if federal securities laws were violated. UNFI disclosed in a June 9 SEC filing that after becoming aware of unauthorized activity in its systems, it "promptly activated its incident response plan and implemented containment measures, including proactively taking certain systems offline, which has temporarily impacted the Company's ability to fulfill and distribute customer orders." Craving More Cyber Controls This recent attack demonstrates the need for tighter cybersecurity controls, while many companies have not even had a penetration assessment. Having redundancy with suppliers is also another mitigating factor. Finally, proper insurance coverage may ease the pain. Every company should take proactive and meaningful measures to avoid cyberattacks, or it could face the problems illustrated in this situation. With increased reliance on digital tools comes an increased risk of cyberattacks, data breaches, and system disruptions. Food and beverage distributors often handle sensitive information, such as proprietary recipes, supplier contracts, payment details, and customer data. A security breach could disrupt business operations, damage trust, and lead to regulatory penalties. Therefore, data security has become a top priority. Distributors are adopting multi-layered cybersecurity strategies, including data encryption in transit and at rest, regular security audits, and robust access controls. Diseases, tariffs, climate change, and now hackers, all pose a threat to the nation's food supply. Cloud service providers used by distributors are often required to comply with industry-standard certifications (such as ISO 27001 or SOC 2) to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of stored data. The nature of the food and beverage industry often involves complex supply chains with multiple partners and vendors. As technology continues to evolve, so will the ways food and beverage distributors use —and protect — data. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are poised to bring even more advanced analytics and automation to the industry, underscoring the need for robust data security frameworks. In summary, technology and data are critical drivers for food and beverage distribution success. Still, their full potential can only be realized if distributors prioritize data security and protection at every level. By taking a proactive approach, these businesses can safeguard their operations, build trust, and deliver greater value to their partners and customers.
Canada News.Net
22-06-2025
- Automotive
- Canada News.Net
Zoox launches first robotaxi facility ahead of Las Vegas debut
HAYWARD, California: In a significant step toward its commercial debut, Amazon-owned Zoox has unveiled its first factory dedicated to building robotaxis, setting the stage for a direct showdown with Waymo and Tesla in the autonomous vehicle space. The facility in Hayward, California, was announced this week. It spans 220,000 square feet and is designed to produce over 10,000 units annually at full capacity. While initial production goals weren't shared, Zoox said the expansion aligns with growing demand ahead of its launch plans. The company is already testing over 20 vehicles in several U.S. cities. It aims to roll out commercial rides in Las Vegas this year, followed by a broader rollout in San Francisco. It currently operates in the SoMa district and expects to begin onboarding public riders soon. "This expansion, plus the anticipated demand once rides open up to the general public, and additional market entrances in the coming years, warrants this increase in robotaxi production," Zoox said in a statement. Unlike rivals, Zoox operates purpose-built autonomous vehicles without steering wheels or pedals — boxy shuttles that stand out from traditional cars retrofitted with sensors. Tesla plans to launch its robotaxi service on June 22, starting with Model Y vehicles and later a two-seater "Cybercab." Waymo, meanwhile, has years of experience with driverless fleets and is expanding nationally. Despite growing momentum, robotaxi developers face continued scrutiny over safety and regulation, with federal investigations and recalls following various crashes involving autonomous vehicles.
