Smart home
EU Proposes Draft Rules to Assess Cybersecurity Risks on Smart Devices
The EU has made it strict for all smart devices connected to internet — including laptops, fridges, smartwatches — to assess the cybersecurity risks. In case of any errors, the companies are also compelled to fix them under the new Cyber Resilience Act. EU digital chief Margrethe Vestager, in a statement released earlier today, said, “It (the Act) will put the responsibility where it belongs, with those that place the products on the market.
The act was initially announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in September 2021. The step has been taken in direction to make digital products more secure for consumers across the EU. Failing to comply with the laws can invite a fine of up to EUR 15 million or up to 2.5 percent of the total global turnover for the companies.
Vestager also encouraged companies to comply to these rules of assessing cybersecurity risks as it could save them as much as 290 billion euros annually in cyber incidents.
Under the new law, manufacturers will have to assess the cybersecurity risks on their products. In case of any faults, the companies need to take appropriate procedures to fix problems. Moreover, they are also bound to inform EU cybersecurity agency ENISA of cyber incidents within 24 hours as and when they get aware about it.
The draft rules, before becoming a law, will need to be agreed with EU countries and EU lawmakers.
This information comes from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. In the latest edition of the Power On newsletter, the journalist highlighted that Apple initially had plans to announce its new smart home hub in March but those are now in jeopardy. Its debut is said to largely depend upon the company’s development of the promised advanced Siri which the purported device would leverage.
Until it launches, the iPhone maker has reportedly commenced an internal home testing programme, allowing select employees to take the aforementioned device home and provide feedback. Gurman previously claimed that it may be “Apple’s most significant release of the year”, one which would become the “first step toward a bigger role in the smart home.”
Expected Features
While details are scarce, past reports suggest that the purported smart home hub has been codenamed J490. It may also feature a touchscreen with a square display. Similar to the Apple TV interface, its screen is speculated to have a customisable lock UI with multiple clock faces. Reports hint towards the inclusion of video conferencing capabilities leveraging an in-built camera, along with hand gesture recognition as a control mechanism.
Another reported feature of the purported smart home hub is user identification. Similar to the existing HomePod, it could allow users to make personal requests via voice commands. It may also have media playback capabilities and also work as an AirPlay receiver.
Its launch is also expected to make it the first Apple smart home device to offer AI capabilities, courtesy of the iPhone maker’s Apple Intelligence suite. Speculated to be powered by the same A18 SoC as the iPhone 16 models, it may support the company’s advanced Siri, which is said to be one of the reasons behind its postponed launch.
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The devices, and current hardware that is getting the coming Alexa+ software update sooner, will go beyond answering trivia questions and help consumers complete tasks, such as hiring someone to fix an oven, he said on Thursday. Jassy was in New York this week for a press event to unveil the new Alexa.
Alexa has been eclipsed in recent years by a wave of AI chatbots, including the pioneering ChatGPT from OpenAI. The reboot of Amazon’s voice assistant is an attempt to rekindle consumers’ enthusiasm and generate revenue from subscriptions, online shopping and other businesses.
“I think there’s a sustainable business model,” Jassy said of Amazon’s renewed focus on the Alexa platform
The overhaul of Alexa, Amazon’s most important consumer electronics franchise, took longer than the company initially hoped as the engineers worked to infuse artificial intelligence into software not initially designed to generate answers on the fly.
Amazon will start charging Alexa customers for the first time when the new Alexa+ starts rolling out next month. Users who want the latest capabilities will have to pay $19.99 (roughly Rs. 1,746) a month. Members of Amazon’s $139 (roughly Rs. 12,145)-a-year Prime program get the update for free.
In a wide-ranging interview, Jassy said a proposed Biden-era rule that would curb the export of artificial intelligence chips to nations like Israel and the United Arab Emirates could have unintended consequences.
Without changes to the proposed rule, he said, “we’re going to basically give up that business and relationships to other countries who can provide those chips.” His comments echoed a Microsoft Corp. blog about the policy on Thursday.
Jassy said power constraints and chip shortages continue to restrict the growth of Amazon’s cloud-computing division. He said the Trump administration is committed to helping solve the issue. “They understand the constraints it’s having on the economy,” he said.
The Amazon CEO also said he’s encouraged that the Trump team “cares about what business thinks” and is aware of challenges constricting the development of artificial intelligence.
Jassy said he had spoken with Trump but didn’t divulge what they discussed.
© 2025 Bloomberg LP
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Boat Tag Price in India, Availability
Boat Tag price in India is set at Rs. 1,299 and is currently available for purchase in the country via the Boat website, Amazon, Flipkart, Zepto, Swiggy Instamart and select retail stores. It is offered in a single black colourway.
Boat Tag Features, Specifications
The Boat Tag is a smart tracking device that helps users find and locate valuable items like phones, wallets, luggage, and keys among other things. It is said to use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology and supports Google’s Find My Device, making it easy to track lost items. The users can mark items as “Lost” and receive location updates. It is claimed to offer “semi-real-time tracking.”
Boat’s latest Tag smart tracker is currently, only compatible with Android devices and not iOS. It is equipped with an alarm that emits a loud beeping sound of 80dB. It is said to detect unknown trackers nearby and send privacy alerts to the paired devices for added security.
The Boat Tag is claimed to offer a battery life of up to 365 days and has a replaceable battery. The company claims that the Bluetooth tracker comes with a simple setup and instant use and requires no SIM connectivity. Alongside packing an extra battery in the box, Boat packs a lanyard and a double-sided tape, which can be used to secure the tracker with any item that the user choose to track.
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