Tech

AT&T Launches Its Own Kid Phone in Collaboration With Samsung, the AmiGo Jr.

Published

5 hours ago

7 February 2026

Parents grapple with the modern day question of whether to give their kids phones for staying in contact and keeping tabs on their whereabouts, while also navigating the realities of too much screen time and shielding them from the corrosive effects of social media.

AT&T just introduced its own answer, the AmiGo Jr. Phone, a Samsung smartphone with an AmiGo app that applies parental controls at the device level. Parents use an AT&T AmiGo app on their iOS or Android phone to manage apps, settings and screentime limits on the kid’s phone; the AmiGo software works only with this AmiGo Jr. Phone.

The AmiGo Jr. is a Samsung Galaxy A16 phone with a 6.7-inch display, 128GB of storage and a 5,000 mAh battery. It has a trio of cameras on the back: a 50-megapixel main camera, 5-megapixel ultrawide camera and 2-megapixel macro camera. The phone is available only in black.

The phone is available now online at AT&T, in AT&T stores and via the MyAT&T app, and priced at $3 a month for a 36-month contract. Parents also need to purchase an unlimited data line on their phone plan for the phone starting at $61 a month, plus pay a $35 activation fee.

Offering an inexpensive older camera for a child’s use isn’t new — it’s how parents often set up devices for kids. The Galaxy A16 was released in January 2025. What makes the AmiGo Jr. different is the AmiGo app implementing parental controls at the device level under Android 16, according to an AT&T spokesperson. Beyond the parental control features offered in Android, the AmiGo software adds Safe Zones that generate alerts when the phone has entered or exited them and a School Mode for restricting features during times when their attention should be focused away from the screen.

“After extensive, candid conversations with parents, we heard a clear message: This isn’t just a device decision — it’s a deeply personal one about trust, safety and staying connected,” said Erin Scarborough, AT&T senior vice president of revenue management and commercialization, in a statement. “Creating a kid’s phone was the natural and overdue next step for us.”

The company cited the fact that 40% of its current customers are parents as incentive to develop the AmiGo Jr. Phone. And based on its own research, 60% of parents of kids up to age 12 consider a smartphone to be a safety essential.

Building phones for kids is not a novel concept; CNET’s Katie Collins looked at the HMD Fusion X1 at last year’s Mobile World Congress, for example. And system-based parental controls have also become more robust in recent years, even as a recent study suggests that parents should wait until the age of 13 to give their kids a phone.

Also available now is the AT&T AmiGo Jr. Watch 2, a more durable smartwatch that ties into AT&T’s AmiGo system.

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Tech

Target Darts Omni Auto Scoring System Hits the Mark

Published

12 minutes ago

8 February 2026

NewsAdmin

I never liked playing darts, but I did a complete 180 with this auto-scoring system. This gadget has ignited my newfound love of the old pub favorite. It’s a light ring with four hi-def cameras that slots onto your board. Connect with the DartCounter app via Wi-Fi and you get effortless automatic scoring with an announcer calling your points and telling you what you need to check out.

I’ve been testing the Target Darts Omni Auto Scoring System for the last few weeks, playing locally on my own and with family, and playing the odd match online. It’s a pricey system, but for darts fans and players looking to improve their game, it could be worth the investment. As a casual fan, I’ve found that a wee game of darts is a great way to unwind at the end of your day.

Stepping Up to the Oche

Target Darts

Omni Auto Scoring System

The Target Darts Omni Auto Scoring System pairs with the DartCounter app (Android or iOS). It’s quick and easy to put together, attaching to your board via magnetic legs, but you will need to run the power cable to an outlet. Connect to Wi-Fi, run a short calibration, and it’s time to play. I tested with Target’s Star Wars Millennium Falcon Surround and Dartboard ($200 or £150) and a set of Darth Vader Darts ($340 or £250)—both amazing Star Wars gifts for the fan in your life—but it should work with most boards and any darts.

The LED ring lights up the dartboard beautifully. The four HD cameras accurately record the score for each dart thrown. The DartCounter app compiles comprehensive statistics on your play. You can configure all the match parameters in the app for a tailor-made session, and there are also multiple practice modes and games, such as Around the Clock, where you have to hit each number in sequence and then the bull’s-eye, and Bob’s 27, where you start with 27 points and have to hit the doubles shown.

Online multiplayer is perhaps the biggest selling point, and you can find matches or create your own lobby in the DartCounter app. I never had any trouble finding a match, and there were well over 100 live matches in progress every time I checked. You get three free online matches every week. To unlock all the features, including tournaments, unlimited online games, more detailed stats, and the Master Caller using your name, you must subscribe for $6 a month or $40 a year (£6 and £40 in the UK). You get a three-month free trial with the system. Local play is free, with the exception of a couple of games (121 Checkout and Halve It), so you don’t need to subscribe.

I’ve played loads of games over the past few weeks, but I had the most fun playing a tournament with my brother. We had a dartboard in the garage when I was a teen and spent hours throwing darts, but neither of us had played in years. After much hilarity at how inept we had become and plenty of reminiscing, we both got our eye in, and things became competitive. I won the best-of-five classic 501 matches, but then my brother beat me at Around the Clock (I got stuck on the bull’s-eye).

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Tech

CISA warns of SmarterMail RCE flaw used in ransomware attacks

Published

26 minutes ago

8 February 2026

NewsAdmin

CISA warns of SmarterMail RCE flaw used in ransomware attacks

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is warning that ransomware actors are exploiting CVE-2026-24423, a critical vulnerability in SmarterMail that allows remote code execution without authentication.

SmarterMail is a self-hosted, Windows-based email server and collaboration platform from SmarterTools. The product provides SMTP/IMAP/POP mail services along with webmail, calendars, contacts, and basic groupware functionality.

It is commonly deployed by managed service providers (MSPs), small and medium-sized businesses, and hosting companies offering email services. According to SmarterTools, its products are used by roughly 15 million users across 120 countries.

The CVE-2026-24423 flaw affects SmarterTools SmarterMail versions prior to build 9511, and successful exploitation can lead to remote code execution (RCE) via the ConnectToHub API.

The vulnerability was discovered and disclosed responsibly to SmarterTools by security researchers at watchTowr, CODE WHITE, and VulnCheck cybersecurity companies.

The vendor fixed the flaw on January 15 in SmarterMail Build 9511.

CISA has now added the vulnerability to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog and marked it as actively exploited in ransomware campaigns.

“SmarterTools SmarterMail contains a missing authentication for a critical function vulnerability in the ConnectToHub API method,” the government agency warns.

“This could allow the attacker to point the SmarterMail instance to a malicious HTTP server that serves the malicious OS command and could lead to command execution.”

CISA has given federal agencies and entities with obligations under BOD 22-01 guidance to either apply the security updates and vendor-suggested mitigations or stop using the product by February 26, 2026.

Around the same time that SmarterTools patched CVE-2026-24423, watchTowr researchers discovered another authentication bypass flaw, internally tracked as WT-2026-0001.

The flaw, which has no identification number, permits resetting the administrator password without any verification and has been exploited by hackers shortly after the vendor released a patch.

The researchers base this on anonymous tips, specific calls in the logs of compromised systems, and endpoints that exactly match the vulnerable code path.

Since then, SmarterMail has fixed additional security flaws rated “critical,” so it is recommended that system administrators update to the most recent build, currently 9526, released on January 30.

Modern IT infrastructure moves faster than manual workflows can handle.

In this new Tines guide, learn how your team can reduce hidden manual delays, improve reliability through automated response, and build and scale intelligent workflows on top of tools you already use.

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Tech

How a single Nvidia GB10 system could replace human reporting staff and change the workforce forever

Published

40 minutes ago

8 February 2026

NewsAdmin

Manual reporting can be replaced entirely using Nvidia GB10 and structured AI workflows
Automation reduces reliance on additional staff while maintaining consistent reporting accuracy
Sequential workflows simplify testing and troubleshooting before scaling enterprise-level automation

Many organizations rely on employees to manually collect, organize, and report performance metrics from multiple digital platforms.

A recent Serve The Home (STH) review replaced part of this manual reporting process using local AI systems built around Nvidia GB10 hardware.

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Tech

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus Turns Almost Any TV into a Portable Gaming Rig, Thanks to Xbox Game Pass

Published

54 minutes ago

7 February 2026

NewsAdmin

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus
Amazon’s latest Fire TV Stick 4K Plus, priced at $29.99 (was $49.99), is tiny, smaller than a pack of gum, but it packs a powerful punch, allowing you to stream 4K movies in super-sharp clarity and play console-quality games without the need for a large box under your TV. The new edition is the result of years of fine-tuning to provide you with a simple method to view your favorite shows or play games on virtually any screen with an HDMI connector.

You can have this device up and running in minutes by simply hooking it into your TV’s HDMI input, connecting the provided power adapter, and pairing the Alexa voice remote. Once you’ve set it up, the UI displays rows of apps and helpful recommendations based on over 1.8 million movies and TV episodes accessible on services like as Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and, if you enjoy free things, Tubi and Pluto TV. Wi-Fi 6 ensures a rock-solid connection even when your home is jam-packed with gadgets. This means you won’t experience any lag when watching or downloading.

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The Fire TV Stick 4K Plus features a quad-core 1.7 GHz processor and 2GB of RAM. This means that apps open quickly, and menus scroll smoothly. With 8GB of storage, you may save downloaded information and keep your most frequently used items cached for easy access. All of this creates a seamless and hassle-free viewing experience.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus
Audio is transmitted over the TV in Dolby Atmos format, which is ideal for immersive sound if you have a soundbar or receiver that supports it. If you find yourself in a tight space behind the TV, don’t panic; an HDMI extender cable is provided in the package. Most brands’ remotes even include dedicated power and volume buttons, saving you from having to juggle multiple remotes.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus
Gaming is a whole new ballgame, and it’s all done via the cloud rather than local hardware. If you have an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership, you can just launch the Xbox app on your TV and stream a variety of games, including recent releases such as Call of Duty, Hogwarts Legacy, and the iconic Halo and Fallout series. Amazon Luna is another choice, and Prime members receive access to a rotating selection of games for free, as long as they have a Prime subscription. Both services require a good internet connection, ideally cable or strong Wi-Fi, but if you have one, they should perform well at up to 1080p resolution.

Pairing a controller is simple; simply Bluetooth-connect an Xbox Wireless Controller and you’re ready to go, as it will function across a wide range of supported games in the Xbox app or Luna. Other Bluetooth choices, such as PlayStation controllers, appear to work in most cases. Input lag is kept to a minimum, especially if you have Wi-Fi 6 and Auto Low Latency Mode enabled, which simply adjusts the signal to your TV to ensure a speedy response time when gaming.

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Tech

180 Shots On A Roll With The Little Stupid Camera

Published

1 hour ago

7 February 2026

NewsAdmin

If you want to play with the coolest kids on the block when it comes to photography, you have to shoot film. Or so say the people who shoot film, anyway. It is very true though that the chemical medium has its own quirks and needs a bit of effort in a way digital cameras don’t, so it can be a lot of fun to play with.

It’s expensive though — film ain’t cheap, and if you don’t develop yourself there’s an extra load of cash. What if you could get more photos on a roll? It’s something [Japhy Riddle] took to extremes, creating a fifth-frame 35mm camera in which each shot is a fifth the size of the full frame.

The focal plane of a 35mm camera with tape masking most of the frame — We’re slightly worried about that much sticky tape next to the shutter, but hey.

Standard 35mm still film has a 24x36mm frame, in modern terms not far off the size of a full-size SD card. A standard roll of film gives you 36 exposures. There are half-frame cameras that split that frame vertically to give 72 exposures, but what he’s done is make a quarter-frame camera.

It’s a simple enough hack, electrical tape masking the frame except for a vertical strip in the middle, but perhaps the most interesting part is how he winds the film along by a quarter frame. 35mm cameras have a take-up reel, you wind the film out of the cartridge bit by bit into it with each shot, and then rewind the whole lot back into the cartridge at the end. He’s wound the film into the take-up reel and it winding it back a quarter frame at a time using the rewind handle, for which we are guessing he also needs a means to cock the shutter that doesn’t involve the frame advance lever.

We like the hack, though we would be worried about adhesive tape anywhere near the shutter blind on an SLR camera. It delivers glorious widescreen at the cost of a bit of resolution, but as an experimental camera it’s in the best tradition. This is one to hack into an unloved 1970s snapshot camera for the Shitty Camera Challenge!

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Tech

Starfish Space wins $54.5M Space Force contract for another satellite servicing vehicle

Published

1 hour ago

7 February 2026

NewsAdmin

Otter spacecraft in geosynchronous orbit with Earth in background — An artist’s conception shows Starfish Space’s Otter spacecraft in geosynchronous Earth orbit. (Starfish Space Illustration)

Tukwila, Wash.-based Starfish Space has been awarded a $54.5 million contract to produce another Otter satellite servicing spacecraft for the U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command.

The deal, announced this week, builds on a $37.5 million Space Systems Command contract that was awarded in 2024 through the Department of the Air Force’s Strategic Funding Increase program, or STRATFI. This new contract is funded through a Pentagon program called Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies, or APFIT.

Starfish noted that the award is the only APFIT contract issued to a space company in the current cycle and ranks among the largest in the program’s history.

Austin Link, co-founder of Starfish Space, said his company was “proud to grow our partnership with the Space Force under the APFIT program.”

“APFIT is a key program in transitioning platforms like Otter from development to deployed capability,” Link said today in a news release. “Through dynamic space operations and autonomous augmented maneuver, we enable the Space Force to sustain critical space assets, increase resilience and maintain operational flexibility across evolving mission demands.”

Like the earlier contract, the new one calls on Starfish to provide an Otter spacecraft for dynamic space operations in geosynchronous Earth orbit. Delivery is scheduled for 2028, with an option for two years of operational support.

Designed for autonomous inspection and docking, the Otter will be capable of servicing satellites even if they weren’t originally built for on-orbit adjustments. Otter would be able to move satellites into higher orbits to extend their lives, or nudge them into lower orbits for safe disposal. Just last month, Starfish secured a separate $52.5 million contract from the Space Force’s Space Development Agency for military satellite disposal.

A prototype called Otter Pup 2 was launched last year and has been undergoing orbital tests. Three full-scale Otters are currently being readied for launch — one for the Space Systems Command, one for a satellite maneuvering demonstration funded by the SES satellite company, and one for a NASA-funded satellite inspection mission.

Starfish Space was founded in 2019 by Link and Trevor Bennett, both former engineers at Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space venture. In 2024, Starfish reported raising $29 million in an investment round that enabled the company to complete the development of the first three Otters. At the time, Starfish said its total cumulative funding amounted to about $50 million.

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Tech

Oura said to be working on smart AR glasses with smart ring controls

Published

2 hours ago

7 February 2026

NewsAdmin

Oura has filed a patent suggesting it is exploring smart AR glasses controlled by its well‑known smart ring, potentially allowing biometric data like heart rate to be displayed directly in front of the wearer’s eyes.

The Finnish company, best known for its health‑tracking smart rings, has been linked to a new wearable concept thanks to a recently published patent application numbered 20260023426.

The filing, dated July 2025 and published in January 2026, outlines how a smart ring could work in tandem with augmented reality glasses to display health metrics in real time.

The idea is straightforward: instead of pulling out a smartphone or checking a wristwatch, users could see their heart rate or other biometric data projected directly into their field of view. The smart ring would not only collect the data but also act as a controller, enabling gesture‑based interactions with the glasses.

The patent describes scenarios where such a system could be useful, particularly during workouts. For example, a runner could glance at their heart rate without breaking stride, adjusting intensity on the fly. Gesture controls via the ring could allow users to switch between metrics or dismiss overlays without touching the glasses themselves.

While this is not a groundbreaking leap in technology (similar concepts have been explored by companies such as Samsung and Even Realities), it does highlight Oura’s ambition to expand beyond rings into a broader wearable ecosystem.

Interestingly, the filing also mentions XR applications, covering augmented, mixed, and virtual reality. In practice, this could mean anything from simple overlays like heart rate data to more complex visual augmentations such as contextual translations or workout guidance.

However, the language in the patent is broad, and it is not clear whether Oura intends to pursue advanced AR features or stick to health‑centric displays. The distinction matters, as showing biometric data is technically an extension of reality but not the same as overlaying digital objects onto the physical world.

For now, this remains speculative. Patents often serve as exploratory markers rather than definitive product roadmaps. Oura has not announced any commercial plans for AR glasses, and the company continues to focus on its smart ring line, which has carved out a niche in sleep and fitness tracking.

Nevertheless, the timing of the patent suggests Oura was actively investigating this technology through mid‑2025, leaving open the possibility of future development.

If Oura does pursue this path, it would join a growing trend of wearable makers experimenting with ring‑controlled smart glasses.

Samsung’s Galaxy Ring has already been linked to its XR headset, while startups like Inmo and Even Realities have showcased similar integrations.

The appeal lies in discreet, hands‑free control and seamless health tracking, areas where Oura already has strong credibility. Until then, the patent remains an intriguing glimpse into what could be the next frontier for the brand.

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Tech

Variable aperture camera will give iPhone 18 Pro users more photo options

Published

2 hours ago

7 February 2026

NewsAdmin

The iPhone 18 Pro’s camera system will be more flexible for photographers, with claims of a variable aperture main camera and a larger-aperture telephoto camera undergoing testing and expected to arrive later in 2026.

Blue smartphone lying face down on a dark surface, showing triple rear camera bump, side buttons, and sleek metallic edges in soft, angled lighting

iPhone 17 Pro has a new wider camera plateau, which could feasibly contain a variable aperture mechanism.

The camera is one of the key marketable elements of the iPhone, and the rumor mill frequently tries to guess about the next changes to arrive. If current rumors are to be believed, that should include variable apertures.
According to Weibo leaker “Digital Chat Station,” Apple is currently testing a version of the iPhone with a variable aperture fitted. This is a feature that could be introduced as part of the iPhone 18 Pro range in September.
Rumor Score: 🤔 Possible
Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers for Feb. 8 #973

Published

2 hours ago

7 February 2026

NewsAdmin

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle is a real challenge. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Stop that!

Green group hint: Ho-hum.

Blue group hint: You might need to use a special character.

Purple group hint: Not one, not three.

Answers for today’s Connections groups

Yellow group: Suppress.

Green group: Same old stuff.

Blue group: Features of a strong password.

Purple group: Words after “two.”

What are today’s Connections answers?

The completed NYT Connections puzzle for Feb. 8, 2026.
NYT/Screenshot by CNET

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is suppress. The four answers are gag, inhibit, muzzle and silence.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is same old stuff. The four answers are drill, grind, habit and routine.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is features of a strong password. The four answers are length, number, symbol and uppercase.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is words after “two.” The four answers are bit, cents, faced and timer.

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Tech

The Honda Sedan That Earns IIHS’ Top Safety Pick+ Rating For Midsize Cars

Published

2 hours ago

7 February 2026

NewsAdmin

Joe Raedle/Getty Images

The IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award is a coveted award that has become known not only within the car industry but also among car shoppers. The award means that a vehicle is more likely to survive a serious accident in the real world, reassuring buyers that they’re purchasing a car that will protect them. The midsize Honda sedan that has received the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award is the 2025-2026 Honda Accord, part of the Accord’s highly-regarded 11th generation.

The IIHS’ evaluation puts a vehicle through three tests covering different impact types, evaluates how well it can avoid a frontal crash, and tests its headlights. Thus, it covers not just how well a vehicle can hit something and survive, but also how good its safety systems are at avoiding crashes and how good its headlights are at illuminating the road ahead. The Top Safety Pick+ award was started in 2013, while the slightly less stringent Top Safety Pick (without the plus) award has been in effect since 2006.

Honda’s Accord is one of four midsize sedans to receive the award in 2025. The others are the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 6, the 2025-26 Hyundai Sonata, and the 2025-26 Toyota Camry.

How did the Honda Accord perform?

The IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award requires that the vehicle receive a “Good” rating in the IIHS’ three crash tests. One is the small overlap front crash test, where the Accord did well on overall driver-side evaluation, structure and safety cage, and driver injury measures, with an Acceptable score for driver restraints and dummy kinematics. After that comes the updated moderate overlap front crash test, where the Accord once again received a Good in all of the above categories, with the exception of an Acceptable rating for driver leg and foot injury protection. Finally, there is the updated side crash test, for which the Accord received Good ratings across the board. There was another exception again, with the pelvis injury protection rating dropping to Acceptable.

Beyond the occupant protection tests, the vehicle must achieve either an Acceptable or a Good rating for the pedestrian front crash prevention test — the Accord received the former here. It must also get an Acceptable or Good rating on the headlight standard test, and the IIHS gave the Accord a Good rating for this test. Thus, the Honda Accord earned the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award. Other Hondas that have won this award include the 2025-26 Honda Passport in the midsize SUV category and the 2025-26 Honda HR-V in the Small SUV category.

All about the Honda Accord

The Honda Accord comes in six trim levels and two powertrains. One, found on the entry-level trims, is a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 192 hp and mated to a CVT automatic. Upgrading gets you the hybrid drivetrain, consisting of a 2.0-liter inline-4 combined with two electric motors channelled through a direct-drive transmission. Performance testing by Car and Driver revealed that the base turbo engine can do 0-60 mph in 7.3 seconds, while the 204-hp hybrid manages it in 6.7 seconds. The hybrid also reached the quarter-mile in 15.3 seconds at 90 mph.

Pricing for the 2026 Honda Accord starts at $28,395 for the LX trim, plus $1,195 destination and handling fees for a total of $29,590. This gets you the base turbo engine plus features like 17-inch alloy wheels, a self-opening trunk, cloth seats, automatic climate control, wireless phone charging, remote starting, and a four-speaker audio system.

At the top end of the Accord range, you can opt for the 2026 Honda Accord Touring Hybrid Sedan. It stickers at $39,495 MSRP plus destination, coming out to $40,690. For that extra $11,000, you get niceties such as a Bose sound system, heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated leather front seats, a power moonroof, a head-up display, and 19-inch alloy wheels.

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