Ryanair's new subscriber discount service costs £79 a year. But is it worth the money?
Consumers are in the throes of a subscription overload, as companies seeking steady, predictable income shift us away from one-time purchases to monthly or annual memberships.
The result? Consumers are juggling payments for everything from Spotify, Disney+ and Audible, to cloud storage, monthly dog food deliveries, and that wellness app we signed up to in January out of post-Christmas guilt.
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The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Amazon device deals August 2025: Save big on Fire TVs, Blink security and more
AMAZON's sale section is always worth a scroll, especially if smart tech's on your radar. From Fire TVs to Blink security systems, we've rounded up the best Amazon device deals live right now. Amazon device deals The huge Prime Day sale event is in the rearview mirror, so not all of Amazon's top gadgets are still discounted. However, there are still a few hidden bargains to be found on popular items. For those less interested in Amazon tech, you can still get stuck in with promotions on the retail giant's subscription services. Book lovers can still enjoy a month-long Audible free trial and 30 days of free Kindle Unlimited. While we're on that page, we've also rounded up the best Kindle Unlimited deals so you can dig into our top book recommendations. Music fans, you haven't been forgotten. The 30-day free trial of Amazon Music Unlimited is still up for grabs. Read on for a look at the top deals on Amazon gadgets right now. Amazon device deals Amazon Fire TV 55-inch 4-Series 4K UHD smart TV, £369.99 (was £549.99) Amazon Fire TV 55-inch 4-Series 4K UHD smart TV, £369.99 (was £549.99) Shoppers hoping to bag a brand-new television at a reduced cost should have this deal set firmly in their sights. The 55-inch TV comes with an Alexa Voice Remote to find content with ease. You can stream your favourite TV shows and tune into must-see movies with subscriptions to Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and more. Also on sale: Amazon Fire TV 32-inch 2-Series, £169.99 (was £249.99) - buy here Amazon Fire TV 50-inch Omni QLED series 4K, £459.99 (was £649.99) - buy here Amazon Fire TV 55-inch Omni Mini-LED series, £649.99 (was £849.99) - buy here Blink Video Doorbell, £24.99 (was £49.99) Blink Video Doorbell, £24.99 (was £49.99) Blink is Amazon's budget-friendly security brand, offering everything from doorbells to outdoor cameras. Right now, one of its most popular gadgets, the Blink Video Doorbell, is half price, down to just £24.99. It packs a 1080p HD camera for crisp daytime footage, infrared night vision for round-the-clock clarity, and two-way audio so you can chat with visitors whether you're in or out. Also on sale: Ring Outdoor Camera Battery + Indoor Camera 2nd Gen, £119.99 (was £129.98) 3 Ring Outdoor Camera Battery + Indoor Camera 2nd Gen, £119.99 (was £129.98) BUY FROM AMAZON If you're looking to boost your home security without the hassle of complex installation, the Ring Outdoor + Indoor Camera bundle is just the ticket. With easy wireless setup, you'll get instant alerts about activity at your home, both inside and out. Also on sale: Amazon eero 6 mesh Wi-Fi router, £149.99 (was £199.99) Amazon eero 6 mesh Wi-Fi router, £149.99 (was £199.99) If you have patchy Wi-Fi areas in your home or no-go zones that mean you'll lose connection, you'll need a Wi-Fi router system, which will bring coverage to all corners of your property. Amazon's eero 6 mesh Wi-Fi router promises to provide reliable Wi-Fi across all areas, so you can wave goodbye to those no-go zones. At the moment, you can save 25% on this two-pack, which is now under £150. More Amazon devices Amazon Fire HD 8 tablet, £99.99 Fire Tablets are a great way to complete daily tasks that don't require booting up a PC, such as browsing the internet or scrolling through social media. They can do everything you need without the huge price tag some laptops come with. The Fire HD 8 tablet features an 8-inch screen and boasts approximately 13 hours of battery life, allowing you to leave the charger at home and take it on the go. Echo Pop Newest gen, £44.99 Searching for a budget-friendly smart speaker? The Echo Pop is a great shout. The Amazon device is ideal for small spaces and comes with built-in Alexa - you can use your voice to play your favourite playlists, control compatible smart home devices, make calls, and more. The device also boasts multiple layers of privacy protection, so you'll not only enjoy great sound but also a secure and reliable Alexa experience. Also check out: Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K, £59.99 BUY FROM AMAZON Amazon's Fire TV Stick 4K is perfect for anyone who wants to upgrade to the Fire TV platform. It combines the simplicity of Fire TV with the power of hands-free Alexa control. You'll get instant access to popular subscriptions, all in stunning 4K Ultra HD (as long as your TV supports this). Also check out: Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max, £69.99 - buy here Amazon Fire TV Stick HD, £39.99 - buy here Amazon Fire TV Cube, £139.99 - buy here Kindle Scribe 2022 release, £329.99 The Kindle Scribe 2022 release is the only Kindle that includes a digital notebook - you can read, write, and even sketch. In his Kindle Scribe review, our tech writer Tom Tyers describes the device as ''the most versatile e-reader yet.'' He also praised the Kindle's large display, automatic ambient light, and intuitive interface. Also on sale: Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition, £269.99 - buy here Amazon Kindle Kids, £114.99 - buy here Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, £169.99 - buy here Amazon subscriptions While you can save on Amazon's devices, you can also bag some great bargains on its subscriptions. Amazon often offers free trial periods and cheap deals on its subscription services to entice new customers. So there is plenty to enjoy away from the device deals. Right now, Prime members can get one month of Amazon Audible for free, meaning you can enjoy a vast selection of audiobooks, podcasts, and original audio shows. Music lovers can also test-run the Amazon Music Unlimited membership and enjoy a month of free listening. You can stream all your favourite ad-free music, get unlimited access to any song, and listen offline. There are plenty more amazing deals to be had, so make sure to head to our Amazon hub to find out more. What are Kindle Daily Deals? The clue's in the name - each day, Amazon unveils a selection of Kindle book deals, but only for a limited time. Shoppers can save on top-rated titles in all genres, including romance novels, crime fiction, and thrillers, with prices starting from just 99p. Need a new Kindle but not sure which one is right for you? We've got you covered. Check out our Kindle 2022 review and our Kindle 2019 review if you're open to investing in an older model. What are Lightning Deals on Amazon? While shopping on Amazon, you may have come across the retailer's ' Lightning Deals '. According to Amazon: ''A Lightning Deal is a promotion in which a limited number of discounts are offered on an item for a short period.'' As Amazon explains, these deals will have limited quantities, which means once they're gone, they're gone - so you'll have to be quick if you want to bag a particular bargain. There are deals across all departments, with offers up for grabs on beauty buys, top-rated tech, toys, and more. The easiest way to see what Lightning Deals are currently available is to visit the Today's Deals page. It's also worth noting that during Prime Day, all Lightning Deals are exclusive to Prime members. When is Prime Day? Amazon Prime Day landed on July 8th, and this year's was longer than ever. For the first time, shoppers had four days to snap up unmissable Amazon Prime Day deals. The sale came to a close on July 11, 2025, so we'll need to wait for Amazon's next sale period or a few sneaky price drops. For more details, head to our When is Amazon Prime Day? explainer. Device comparisons
Reuters
2 hours ago
- Reuters
US judge won't block FTC consumer lawsuit against Asbury Automotive
Aug 12 (Reuters) - A judge in Texas has refused to block the U.S. Federal Trade Commission from pursuing consumer protection and racial discrimination claims against a major auto dealership owner that argued the FTC's case was barred by the U.S. Constitution. In an order, opens new tab on Monday, U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor in Fort Worth said Asbury Automotive Group (ABG.N), opens new tab had not met the high bar to preliminarily enjoin the agency's administrative case against it. Asbury, which the FTC accused of duping consumers with hidden fees and charging Black and Latino buyers more than others, lodged a wide-ranging lawsuit last year seeking to block the agency action. The company partly alleged that it was being denied the constitutional right to a jury trial, and that FTC commissioners and administrative law judges were improperly insulated from the broad removal powers of the U.S. president. Asbury had not shown a 'substantial likelihood' that it would succeed on the merits of its lawsuit, O'Connor said, and so he declined to issue a preliminary injunction. O'Connor dismissed most of Asbury's lawsuit. But he said he would weigh further arguments on whether the FTC's claims against Asbury belong in a federal court and not at the agency. Asbury and the FTC did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The FTC filed its administrative complaint against Asbury in August 2024, seeking an order that would require the company to stop its allegedly predatory and discriminatory consumer practices. The administrative action at the FTC was put on hold, opens new tab while the Texas court considers Asbury's lawsuit against the agency. The case is Asbury Automotive Group Inc v. Federal Trade Commission, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, No. 4:24-cv-00950-O. For Asbury: Edward Burbach of Foley & Lardner For FTC: Zachary Cowan of the Justice Department Read more: Pepsi accused of price discrimination in new merchant class action US appeals court temporarily blocks order reinstating FTC commissioner US judge admonishes Amazon over disclosures in FTC lawsuit over Prime service Ex-FTC lawyers form new firm targeting US antitrust enforcement 'gaps'
The Guardian
3 hours ago
- The Guardian
In the time of tariffs, Nvidia and AMD cut unusual deals with Trump
Hello, and welcome to TechScape. My Spotify playlists are undergoing a British invasion this week. Here's what I'm listening to: PinkPantheress, Lola Young and Evita in London. Donald Trump announced this week that two US chipmakers would tithe 15% of their revenue from sales in China to the US government. Paying for the license to sell to Chinese customers represents an unprecedented deal. My colleague Helen Davidson reports from Taipei: The chipmakers Nvidia and AMD have agreed to give the US government 15% of their revenue from advanced chips sold to China in return for export licences to the key market. The arrangement will lead to Nvidia giving 15% of its revenue from Chinese sales of its H20 chips, and AMD giving 15% of revenue from Chinese sales of its MI308 chips, according to reports citing US officials. The H20 and MI308 chips were banned from sale to China in April, despite the lower-powered H20 being designed specifically to abide by restrictions introduced by the Biden administration. Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang, head of the most valuable company in the world at $4.44tn, has been lobbying the White House for months to open up sales in China, where the US still prohibits sales of Nvidia's most advanced chips over national security concerns. In July, Trump relaxed some restrictions imposed by Joe Biden's administration. The deal with Nvidia and AMD seems as much about personally appealing to Trump as it does about generating revenue for the US government. The agreement has all the trappings of Trump entering into business with the chipmakers. In a way, it's a version of a playbook other major tech companies have been trying out as Trump is dramatically changing the international business landscape. Apple announced a $100bn investment commitment in US manufacturing. CEO Tim Cook, who had made the journey to the White House himself, presented Trump with a glass trophy (including 24 karat gold base) designating the president a graduate of the Apple Manufacturing Academy, launched in Michigan the week prior. During his meeting with Cook, Trump said he would levy a 100% tariff on semiconductor chips, which could set both Apple and Nvidia back billions. However, the president said: 'If you're building in the United States of America, there's no charge.' Both Nvidia and Apple are likely to be exempted from the tariffs. Each appears to have paid for the privilege – Apple with its domestic investment, Nvidia with its revenue-sharing agreement. OpenAI launched the new version of the artificial intelligence that underpins ChatGPT last week. There are quite a few aspects of the release to consider to understand it fully – what the company is saying, where the AI race between tech giants stands, the model's new capabilities and pitfalls, the environmental impact – so I've rounded up the Guardian's coverage of GPT-5 below. OpenAI said GPT-5 has marked improved coding and writing capabilities over its predecessor. My colleague Dan Milmo reports: OpenAI has claimed to have taken a 'significant step' towards artificial general intelligence (AGI) with the launch of its latest upgrade to ChatGPT, but has admitted there are still 'many things' missing in its quest to create a system able to do humans' jobs. Sam Altman, OpenAI's chief executive, called the model a 'significant step forward' to achieving the theoretical state of AGI, which the startup defines as a highly autonomous system that outperforms humans at most economically valuable work – or, in other words, can do their jobs. Read the full story on the unveiling of GPT-5: OpenAI says latest ChatGPT upgrade is big step forward but still can't do humans' jobs The race towards artificial general intelligence is running hot, with tech giants pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into the technology, but like OpenAI, Google and Meta acknowledge they have not reached that goal yet. Dan Milmo and Dara Kerr report: '[It is] missing something quite important, many things quite important,' said Altman, such as the model's inability to 'continuously learn' even after its launch. In other words, these systems are impressive but they have yet to crack the autonomy that would allow them to do a full-time job. Last month, Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive of Facebook parent Meta, said development of superintelligence – another theoretical state of AI where a system far exceeds human cognitive abilities – is 'now in sight'. Google's AI unit on Tuesday outlined its next step to AGI by announcing an unreleased model that trains AIs to interact with a convincing simulation of the real world. Read the full story: 'It's missing something': AGI, superintelligence and a race for the future Sign up to TechScape A weekly dive in to how technology is shaping our lives after newsletter promotion How we know OpenAI's new model is not an omniscient presence that will lord over all humanity: GPT-5 is making some goofy mistakes. It struggles with maps in a way a 10-year-old might. Per my colleague Josh Taylor: when Guardian Australia asked the latest model of ChatGPT to identify the number of Rs in Australia's states and territories, it could identify those which did. But the AI also believed Northern Territory had just three Rs not five. When asked to produce it on a map, spelled the territory as 'Northan Territor'. Read the full story: OpenAI unveils ChatGPT-5 and its hyped 'PhD level' intelligence struggled with basic spelling and geography GPT-5 is a more powerful model than its predecessor, meaning it will consume more resources to answer each query. Here's what experts told Aisha Kehoe Down: 'A more complex model like GPT-5 consumes more power both during training and during inference. It's also targeted at long thinking … I can safely say that it's going to consume a lot more power than GPT-4,' said Rakesh Kumar, a professor at the University of Illinois, currently working on the energy consumption of computation and AI models. Given recent reports that ChatGPT handles 2.5bn requests a day, the total consumption of GPT-5 could reach the daily electricity demand of 1.5m US homes. Read the full story: OpenAI will not disclose GPT-5's energy use. It could be higher than past models Surprise: AOL, formerly known as America Online, was still offering dial-up internet service in 2025. My colleague Edward Helmore reports: The hisses, pings and screeches that introduced millions of Americans to the nascent online world are to be formally retired when AOL's dial-up internet shuts down in late September. At its peak in the late 1990s and early 2000s, AOL had over 23 million subscribers in the US, making it the dominant internet service provider at the time. Currently, only a small fraction of US households – about 175,000 – still rely on dial-up for internet access and web browser platforms. In 2013, Pew Research found that just 3% of American households used dial-up internet. The 2025 figure represents less than 0.5% of the current population. What once seemed ubiquitous in the US and UK is now a relic and only a partially important piece of the history of the internet. Many parts of the world that are now online never experienced – perhaps endured might be the more apt word – dial-up internet. They jumped straight to broadband, wifi, or the mobile internet, a phenomenon known as technological leapfrogging. If you're feeling nostalgic for the early days of the internet, though, you can listen to the classic, grating sound of dialing into the web via Wikipedia's page on the subject. TikTok to replace trust and safety team in Germany with AI and outsourced labor Companies aiding Trump's immigration crackdown see 'extraordinary' revenues Staff at UK's top AI institute complain to watchdog about its internal culture Social media accounts of Palestinians desperate for funds are being flagged as spam 'A million calls an hour': Israel relying on Microsoft cloud for expansive surveillance of Palestinians
