A firmware update is behind recent reports that some Hue Bridge Pro smart hubs are no longer working, Ars Technica has confirmed.
In late June, there were reports of some Hue Bridge Pro devices not working properly after installing a firmware update. Philips released firmware version 2071353020 in early June, saying that it included “several small changes” to make Hue Bridge Pros work “better.” But some customers had a different experience: Their devices stopped responding and displayed a red LED.
A Reddit user going by the name statelymachine is one of the people online who reported that the update “bricked” their device.
Tesla has launched Tesla Home, a home energy management platform powered by an AI engine called Opticaster that it says makes “hundreds of decisions” a day about when to store and use electricity to lower your bill.
Before I tried my first IPL machine, I was suspicious. A handheld device that flashes at your skin and it somehow zaps away your body hair? It all sounded rather unlikely. Except then I got one, and it did just that, and it's been my summertime savior for the past five years.
I paraphrased before, so let me back up a bit. IPL stands for Intense Pulsed Light: multiple wavelengths of light that look a little like a photo flash. (They're different to a laser, which uses one concentrated beam.) You remove the hair from the bit of skin you want to be fuzz-free, and then run your device over that patch. The light targets the follicle that sits under the surface of your skin, damaging or destroying it so it doesn't grow back.
The results, for me, are incredible. It's by far the most effective, long-lasting and side-effect-free method of hair removal I've tried (and I have tried them all). However, there are a few things to know before buying one — scroll down for the key things I tell anyone who asks me if I'd recommend an IPL.
I was particularly inspired to share my tips now, because there are several heavily discounted IPL machines (including my own Braun Silk-Expert Pro 5 — five years old and still going strong) included in the Amazon Prime Day sales. So if you read my tips and decide to buy, now's a great time to do so.
1. They won't work for all hair types in all places
Because of the zapping mechanism, IPL machines work best on dark hair on pale skin — the bigger the contrast, the better. That means they won't work for everyone — people with fair, fine body hair likely won't see much of a difference, and ditto those with darker skin tones.
Further to that, they might not work equally well everywhere on your body. For instance, my IPL doesn't really do much for my leg hair, whereas it's much more effective on my underarms.
2. They're pain-free and the results last
That light looks like it's going to hurt, right? Wrong. The IPL process is pretty much pain-free, save for it occasionally feeling a bit hot. I also don't have an issue with itchy or awkward regrowth in the way I do with shaving.
If you struggle with a bad reaction to other hair removal methods, note that you will need to remove all your hair in your target area before you go over it with the IPL machine. Shaving it is recommended, so you will need to deal with that nasty regrowth at least once.
However, I've found that after that first use, the amount of hair that comes back is significantly reduced, and then after the second or third cycle, basically nothing grows back. It's really incredible.
3. They won't get rid of hair permanently
The instructions with my machine state you should use your IPL weekly for a few weeks (I do four), and then monthly going forward after that. After around three weeks, there's no hair there, but if I don't continue with top-up sessions, after a few weeks the hair will start to return, and eventually it'll be right back to pre-IPL state. So you will need to keep up with your maintenance zapping; this isn't a permanent solution.
Got more questions? Ping me in the comments section, I am happy to help. Or if I've convinced you that an IPL is right for you, let's take a closer look at the best deals available now.
Hue’s latest smart bulbs will be able to run Zigbee and Thread concurrently. | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge
Philips Hue has announced a connectivity upgrade for its Matter-over-Thread-enabled smart bulbs that will allow them to run both Thread and Zigbee at the same time. The change means you can connect compatible Hue bulbs and fixtures directly to a Matter ecosystem - Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, or Google Home - while keeping them linked to a Hue Bridge and the Hue ecosystem.
"Today you cannot have Zigbee and Thread running at the same time, so when you commission it, you have to choose," Philips Hue CTO George Yianni told The Verge. "If you want to then later switch, you have to reset it."
Aldi has announced a new range of mini cooling fans
There's a tripod fan, a multi-directional globe fan, and an evaporative cooler
They'll be available in the middle aisle from July 2, starting at £6.99
Aldi, famed for its bargain home gadgets, has just announced a new set of budget-friendly cooling fans to help you stay cool without burning a hole in your wallet. The set of three fans will be available in the middle aisle of Aldi stores from July 2, so although they won't be able to stop you sweating during the current heatwave, you can make sure you're prepared the next time the temperature soars.
For me, the most interesting fan in the collection is the £6.99 Fan with Flexible Tripod. Not only is this the cheapest option, it's also the most flexible — literally. Its Joby GorillaPod-style legs bend and grip, so you can position it just right on your desk, wrap it around the handlebar of a pushchair, or attach it to a treadmill at the gym.
(Image credit: Aldi)
Another intriguing option is the Portable Air Cooler with LED (£14.99), which lowers the temperature in your room using water and ice evaporative technology. Water absorbs quite a lot of heat when it evaporates, which has a significant cooling effect, which makes this kind of device (also charmingly known as a 'swamp cooler') an effective way to keep your cool without raising your electricity bill.
Finally, we have the Globe Fan with Multi Direction (£39.99), which looks more like a typical desk fan, but has an unusual "360-degree auto-rotating" head that pans all the way around your room. It comes with a remote control, and has three modes: Natural Wind, Drying (for laundry), and Sleep.
If you can't wait until next week and are willing to splash some more cash for quicker relief, we've rounding up all the best Amazon Prime Day deals on heatwave essentials including fans, portable air conditioners, and ice cream makers.
Some other users are reporting similar bugs in the AI
If you're already worried about the potential dangers of AI chatbots, this one probably isn't for you: an Amazon Echo user has reported Alexa+ "breathing and making guttural sounds" while engaged in the supposedly innocent task of counting to 40 (in Spanish).
There's video evidence on Reddit (via Android Authority), and it's pretty spooky to listen to — so only click the play button if you're sure you want to hear a disembodied AI-generated voice that sounds somewhat possessed.
According to the user who posted the video, they asked Alexa+ to count up to 40, which prompted the strange sounds. It's not an ideal response, especially as there were two five-year-old kids listening who just wanted a simple countdown.
Apparently, the original poster was then able to get the same thing happening on a separate Amazon Echo in another room. "Needless to say, the Alexas in my house are now unplugged and I've reported the whole thing to Amazon," they report.
While it's possible that some kind of user error or AI fakery has produced this video, it's odd that it would happen on two different devices — and there's at least one other user in the Reddit thread saying they've experienced something similar.
It's almost certainly down to a bug in Alexa+: the new and upgraded AI assistant is intended to be more conversational and more expressive, and in this case it seems to have gone too far (in the same way that AI chatbots can introduce hallucinations and tangents when writing out text).
When pushed, Alexa+ itself said that "something in my environment" must have caused the glitch, though it's not clear what that something might be. Perhaps it's the ghost of Alexa past, which Alexa+ has now replaced.
The Reddit reactions describe the speaker as "haunted", "terrifying", and in need of an exorcism, though the fix is likely to be no more complicated than a tweak to the Alexa+ AI model from Amazon's side.
A Google Home Speaker is revealed in an early unboxing
The sound quality and app interface are reportedly impressive
However, the power cable can't be removed from the device
The brand new Google Home Speaker is about to finally go on sale, but an early unboxing video posted online reveals a design decision made by Google that a lot of users are likely to be less than pleased about: the power cable can't be removed.
You can check out the unboxing over on Reddit (via Android Authority), which shows off the aesthetics of the device that we've known about since the first official reveal last October — as well as giving us the revelation about the power cable.
The Nest Mini device that the Google Home Speaker is more or less replacing does have a removable USB-C power cable, which means when it's not in use, you can tidy it away more easily. On the other hand, the Nest Audio — another speaker now discontinued since the new model arrived — has a fixed power cable.
It seems that a removable power cable is something that quite a few smart speaker owners care about. "This is a nightmare for repairability, for which I am a massive proponent," writes the original unboxer.
Some positives, one negative
As per the information supplied in the video, the Google Home Speaker comes with a USB-C cable that's around 5 feet (1.52 meters) in length that can't be unplugged. There's a 30W power brick on the other end that can be removed.
On the plus side, our unboxer reports that the sound quality from the speaker is good, that the app component has a "cool" interface, and that setting up the device is straightforward — apparently it takes less than 10 minutes.
As with the Nest Mini, there are apparently touch controls available on top of the speaker, as well as hidden lights to report status information and volume levels. On the whole the first impressions from this user are positive ones.
It's just the power cable situation that's drawing criticism: "the non-removable cord killed it for me" writes one poster (who is apparently worried about cats playing with the cord), while the original poster says they're "extremely disappointed in the engineers". Another comment takes a dim view too: "The reason is always money."
Nespresso machines make brewing consistently tasty coffee easy, without any of the mess of using fresh coffee grounds — and they're going cheap for Amazon Prime Day. As TechRadar's resident coffee expert and trained barista, I've rounded up a collection of my five favorite Nespresso machines — all of which happen to be on sale for Prime Day in both the US and the UK.
There's something here for every coffee-lover, whether you want a super-simple machine that makes consistently tasty coffee and will fit into the tiniest kitchen, or a premium coffee maker that can whip up a latte at the press of a button. All of these Nespresso machines have been tested and recommended by our team of reviewers, so you can be confident they'll all deliver great results.
1. Ninja Prestige DualBrew System
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Can't decide between espresso and drip coffee in the morning? The Ninja Prestige DualBrew System (also known as the Espresso & Coffee Maker Barista System) does both. This all-in-one caffeine station makes delicious espresso using Nespresso Original-style capsules (I tested it with some I bought from a local coffee roaster), which you can brew in three different sizes, with a height-adjustable drip tray so you can use your favorite cups with no splashing. Want to turn your shot into a cappuccino or latte? Use the milk frother on the back of the machine.
On the left-hand side of the DualBrew System you have a feature-packed drip coffee maker, with features including a timer (so you can prepare everything before bed and wake to freshly-brewed coffee in the morning), a drip-stop valve, and a smart hotplate that keeps your coffee hot without scalding it. It's one of the best drip coffee makers I've tested — and it even makes cold-brew.
This is the cheapest this two-in-one coffee maker has been in 2026, and a great buy for Prime Day if you love both drip and espresso, and don't have space in your kitchen for two machines.View Deal
The UK deal on the DualBrew System is even better; this is the cheapest it's ever been by a long shot. I really don't need another coffee maker at home, but with 32% off, even I'm tempted.View Deal
2. Nespresso Lattissima One
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Most Nespresso machines just make espresso, but the Lattissima One (made by De'Longhi) also includes an automatic milk frother for lattes, cappuccinos and macchiatos at the tap of a button. It's ideal if you're the only coffee-lover in your household and want a personal machine for preparing single servings.
Like the Ninja Prestige DualBrew System above, it takes Nespresso Original capsules, which means you have a huge choice of drinks from big brands and indie roasters alike. After testing your tap water with the litmus strip provided and setting the hardness on the machine, just drop in a pod and use the three buttons to choose your preferred size and type of drink.
Our reviewer Emily Peck was surprised by how quietly the Lattissima One went about its work, and found the resulting coffee delicious. She had to consult the manual to check what each button does (they perform multiple functions) but once she had that down, she was making great coffees with ease.
The Lattissima One always gets some good discounts during sales events, and Prime Day 2026 is no exception. This is Amazon's best price this year, and the deal applies to both the black and white models.View Deal
The Lattissima One is even cheaper in the UK for Prime Day, and you'll get the biggest saving if you opt for this attractive pastel green version. It comes with a starter set of Nespresso capsules too.View Deal
The Nanopresso is an ingenious little coffee maker that relies on elbow grease rather than an electric pump to extract your espresso. The standard version works with ground coffee only, but it's even more convenient if you opt for the version with an adapter for Nespresso Original capsules. After all, who wants to carry loose coffee grounds around when they're exploring the great outdoors?
Our tester noted that it feels durable and rugged (ideal for throwing in a backpack), and although you'll need to familiarize yourself with the various unusual-looking components before taking it out for the first time, you'll soon be able to assemble it and start brewing in moments.
"All you need is access to hot water and some kind of stable surface to set everything up," said our tester, who was seriously impressed by the resulting espresso. "The Nanopresso actually had us asking why coffee had become so complicated, when all you really need for a wake-up call is a small and mighty piece of kit like this," she concluded. Why indeed?
Amazon has knocked the Nanopresso down to its lowest-ever price for Prime Day, paired with a Nespresso Original adapter so you can use it with either ground coffee or pods as the fancy takes you.View Deal
There's also a 20% discount on the same portable coffee-making setup in the UK. Like the US deal, this is a record-breaking price cut, so if you're looking for an espresso maker for summer camping expeditions, this could be the one.View Deal
4. Nespresso Vertuo Pop
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The Nespresso Vertuo Pop is made by Breville (Sage in the UK), so you can be confident that it's well-made and durable, despite its budget price tag. This mini Nespresso machine is always an affordable option, and it's even cheaper in this week's Amazon Prime Day sale. It takes dome-shaped Nespresso Vertuo capsules, which include a wide variety of regular and flavored coffees, including special editions like Coconut and Vanilla (designed to be made over ice) and Pistachio Vanilla.
Our tester Jennifer Oksien called it "a fabulous entry-level coffee maker", and owning one myself, I'm inclined to agree. It heats up in about a minute (just power it on and wait until the light on top stops blinking), after which you can simply slide in the pod, press down the lid, and hit the brew button. There are no options to choose between different drink sizes because Vertuo pods do that for you — the machine detects which one you're using and uses the appropriate amount of water without you doing a thing.
The Vertuo Pop+ has a larger water tank than the classic Pop, so you can make drinks for two before it needs refilling. This pistachio green version is usually more expensive than other colors, but it's down to a record-low price this Prime Day.View Deal
Nespresso machines don't get cheaper than the original Pop, and the Coconut White version has received a major Prime Day price cut. It's not quite a record low (it was a couple of pounds less back in 2023) but it's still a huge saving.View Deal
5. Nespresso Vertuo Next
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The Nespresso Vertuo Next is a step up from the Pop, and is noticeably taller, with a larger water tank, more space for your cup, and a bigger bin for used capsules. It's a piece of cake to use as well, and our tester Sophie Bird deemed it the simplest coffee maker she'd ever used — and considering how many coffee machines we test here at TechRadar, that's saying something. She timed the whole brewing process from start to sip, and found it took just 100 seconds, making this an excellent option if you're pressed for time in the morning.
She found the Vertuo Next virtually mess-free as well, noting that there was no splashing when the machine was dispensing coffee — largely thanks to the height-adjustable drip tray. The Vertuo Next is taller than the Pop above, so you can comfortably use larger cups (such as your favorite takeaway cup), and has a bigger water tank for larger brews.
$80 off a top-notch Nespresso machine? Don't mind if I do! This deal applies to the Vertuo Next in stylish gray or navy blue. It dropped to $90 yesterday though, so it might be worth holding out until Thursday to see if it goes back down again.View Deal
The US deal is great, but coffee aficionados in the UK are even luckier, with the Vertuo Next selling for less than half price this Prime Day. It's almost as cheap as the Vertuo Pop, so take a minute to consider which will work best for you.View Deal
Amazon Prime Day is one of the best events for deals on home cooking appliances, including air fryers, which I turn to every time I lack the time or patience to use the oven.
If you love your air fryer just as much as I love mine, but think you could be getting more out of it, some of our highest-rated air fryers from our favorite brands are some of the star appliances in Amazon's monster sale — with the king of dual basket air fryers, Ninja, being one of them.
Today's best dual basket air fryer deals in the US
The Ninja Crispi's main selling point is that its glass bases double as food containers, making them perfect for meal prep. The larger one is 3.8L, providing enough space to feed up to six people while also allowing simultaneous cooking of a whole 1.2kg chicken and vegetables. This Prime Day deal is $20 shy of the record-low price we saw during Black Friday.
Though it looks more like a mini oven than your standard air fryer, this has seven functions that cover every base when it comes to cooking. Investing in an air fryer oven can help you cut back on the number of small appliances you have taking up countertop space.
For just under half price, you're getting an air fryer that's dependable as well as affordable. Right now, it's much better value than it was during last year's Prime Day and Black Friday events, and I'm confident you'll be getting your money's worth.
An air fryer allows you to enjoy your favorite fried foods with less oil, and this Ninja XL model is perfect for families. The 6.5-quart capacity drawer is enough to make meals for the whole family, and preset functions make air frying, roasting, reheating, and dehydrating easy.View Deal
Today's best dual basket air fryer deals in the UK
The Ninja Foodi Max is the ultimate air fryer for many and it's now down to a great low price at Amazon. It offers six different functions, including Max Crisp, air frying, roasting, baking, reheating, and dehydrating. With two baskets, you get two independent cooking zones with the option to have them sync or match up, depending on your needs. Its extra large capacity is perfect for family cooking or batch cooking as it gives you plenty of room for a 2kg chicken or 1.4kg of fries in each compartment.
Record-low price: This dual-basket fryer to yo-yo in price, but this is the first time we've seen it drop below £100 since Black Friday last year. For a dual basket model and 13 different cooking methods, how can you go wrong?View Deal
Ninja's recent space-saving air fryer is just £5 more than its lowest-ever price, which is still a bit of a steal for the popular and well-rated appliance. We loved it at TechRadar, awarding it full marks in our review and even putting it in our best air fryer buying guide. Well-built and great-looking on any countertop, it offers five cooking levels across two drawers and two racks, while the 9.5L capacity is ideal for medium to big families.
The Instant Pot Vortex's 12L cooking basket makes cooking for larger parties and families, packing eight cooking settings including grill, roast, and dehydrate. Given its large cooking space, you can add a divider to cook two different foods at once. View Deal
Here's a best-ever discount on Ninja's portable air fryer — and a great Prime Day deal. This bundle includes the PowerPod lid, plus two resealable glass containers to carry your dishes until you're ready to cook. According to our testing, it cooks exceptionally quickly, is easy to use and a breeze to clean, making this one of the best air fryer deals I've seen this year.