I’ve probably spent more time combing through Amazon listings than most people, if only because I have to do it for Amazon’s various Prime Day sales events. The Amazon shopping experience has become progressively more frustrating over the years, as they fill up with promoted and sponsored listings crowding out the stuff I’m actually looking for. But it’s about to get worse. Customers will be given an option to “Shop brand sites directly” (i.e., leave Amazon.com to shop somewhere else). If you’re subscribed to Amazon Prime, you might get faster shipping and other perks. A full post on Amazon’s promotional page goes more in-depth. Amazon It’s hardly unprecedented for Amazon to advertise stuff that I’m not actually looking for. And despite its public perception as primarily an online retailer, Amazon is really a tech company now. While $55 billion in direct sales are the biggest chunk of its business, they’re not even half of its total income — services sold to third-party sellers bring in almost $35 billion, web and cloud systems bring in $25 billion, and advertising earns $11.8 billion, according to Statista. Having said that, it’s hard not to feel like Amazon is muddying up its product search even more than it already has. If I’m shopping on Amazon, it’s because I want to buy something on Amazon, to take advantage of the Prime subscription I already pay for (which somehow doesn’t include ad-free viewing for video) and the associated credit card points. Seeing ads for non-Amazon stores while I’m shopping on Amazon is yet another example of “enshittification” in action. That’s when a public-facing service or product is constantly tweaked to squeeze more money and attention out of us without any measurable improvements to the service or product in question. It sure doesn’t enamor me to Amazon, especially now that “Prime shipping” no longer guarantees the uber-fast delivery times it was once known for. If this sounds like entitled grousing, well, I guess it is. But even as someone whose entire profession is dependent upon online advertising, I think I won’t shock anyone when I say that online advertising often sucks. Non-Amazon ads are now in beta on Amazon’s mobile apps, sure to come to a desktop browser near you soon. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Sharp 3K resolution captures fine details Smooth-operating pan-and-tilt motor for wide coverage AI-powered auto-tracking enhances monitoring PoE (Power-over-Ethernet) support Cons Some homeowners won’t find its industrial design to be appealing Records video at 20 frames per second Local storage only (there’s no cloud storage) Our Verdict If you prioritize performance over aesthetics, the Annke CPT500 delivers strong video quality, smart tracking, and flexible installation options that make it a solid choice for both commercial and home security setups. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Annke CPT500 Retailer Price Annke $69.99 View Deal $89.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket By the look of it, the Annke CPT500 3K Mini PT Speed Dome PoE Security Camera is primarily intended for commercial applications, such as monitoring parking lots, warehouses, and other large spaces. Annke uses the word “dome” in this camera’s name, but the CPT500 doesn’t really look like the typical enterprise-style camera that has the camera housed inside a glass or plastic dome for protection from vandals. That being said, its small size would be ideal for homeowners who need to monitor wide spaces or locations where you’d want to track a person or vehicle moving around in it; say, a driveway, walkway, or porch, for instance. If you’re willing to embrace the Annke CPT500’s industrial aesthetic, you’ll get a range of features that make it an equally compelling option for residential use. Its smooth pan and tilt functionality, Power over Ethernet (PoE) connectivity, and AI-powered motion tracking deliver extensive coverage and smart monitoring, all without the bulk or complexity of traditional dome cameras.the Annke CPT500 delivered sharp, detailed video during the day, with accurate colors and clear definition. At night, a smart dual-light system uses infrared light to detect targets in the dark. The Annke CPT500 delivered sharp, detailed video during the day; at night, infrared light detected targets in the dark before triggering an LED spotlight for color night vision. Design and features The CPT500’s mini-dome structure allows for flexible installation. Whether mounted on a wall, fence, or ceiling, its small footprint makes it a discreet but effective surveillance tool. Despite its compact size, the camera has a sturdy build and an IP66 weather rating, which according to our IP code-decoder story means it’s impervious to and can withstand powerful water jets coming from any direction. With 3K resolution, the CPT500 delivers sharp and highly detailed images. This increased clarity allows it to capture finer details, such as facial features and license plate numbers. The camera can pan 345 degrees horizontally and tilt over an 80-degree vertical arc, virtually eliminating blind spots. While you can control pan-and-tilt manually, the camera’ include’s AI-powered auto-tracking feature can automatically detect and follow people moving within its field of view. A built-in microphone and speaker for real-time interaction with visitors (or intruders, as the case may be) and dual night vision (monochrome and color) round out its feature set. But there is a tradeoff for that high resolution: Video is captured at 20 frames per second (30 frames per second is ideal for a high-end security camera). This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best home security cameras. The Annke CPT500 can be mounted on a wall, ceiling, roof eave, or other outdoor surface.Annke Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) connectivity simplifies installation by delivering both data and electrical power over a simple ethernet cable. This type of system is commonly used with NVRs (network video recorders), which combine a network server, mass storage, and a power supply for several cameras in a single box. NVRs are common to in enterprise security networks. Annke offers several PoE NVR models, with pre-installed hard drives or you can bring your own. The CPT500 can also function as a standalone camera without an NVR. You can connect it directly to a PoE switch or, with the addition of a PoE injector, to a standard router. That makes it a viable option for both home and small-business use. Alternatively, the CPT500 can be powered using a DC 12V adapter, but that’s an added-cost option and you’ll then need to bring two cables to the camera (ethernet and a power cord). In either of these setups, and in the absence of an NVR, you’ll need to purchase a microSD so the camera can record. Cards with capacities up to 512GB are supported; none is provided. Setup and performance To test the camera’s PoE capabilities, I used a PoE switch, connecting the CPT500 to the switch and the switch to my router. From there, I mounted the camera using the supplied screws and mounting template. Once mounted and connected, the camera integrated quickly with the Annke Vision app, allowing me to configure settings and adjust monitoring preferences with minimal effort. The app provides an intuitive interface, making navigation easy even if you’re unfamiliar with security systems. From adjusting pan and tilt angles to enabling motion tracking, the controls are intuitive and responsive. The Annke Vision app enables straightforward control of the CPT500 and provides several options for fine-tuning monitoring.Michael Ansaldo/Foundry In my tests, the Annke CPT500 delivered sharp, detailed video during the day, with accurate colors and clear definition. At night, a smart dual-light system uses infrared light to detect targets in the dark. When motion is detected, the camera activates an LED spotlight and turns the infrared light off to record in full color. You can also choose between full infrared mode for discreet surveillance or full white light mode for enhanced brightness. The infrared and spotlight both offer range of up 30 meters, ensuring bright and detailed imaging in low-light conditions. The camera’s pan-and-tilt motion is smooth, covering wide areas with minimal lag. The smart auto-tracking works as advertised, locking onto moving objects and following them without excessive jitter or delay. While occasional false alerts occurred, the tracking system generally did a good job distinguishing between relevant motion and background activity. Should you buy the Annke CPT500? Annke’s suggested retail price for the CPT500 3K Mini PT Speed Dome PoE Security Camera is $109.99, but at press time, it was selling the camera on its own website for $69.99 (with free shipping). It was available at Amazon $71.99 after clipping a coupon.. Those prices make this camera a strong value, given its feature set, NVR (and PoE) compatibility. When all is said and done, however, this camera’s industrial design just won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. Read...

I’ve probably spent more time combing through Amazon listings than most people, if only because I have to do it for the bane of my existence Amazon’s various Prime Day sales events. The Amazon shopping experience has become progressively more frustrating over the years, as they fill up with promoted and sponsored listings crowding out the stuff I’m actually looking for. But it’s about to get worse. Jeffrey Cohen, Amazon’s Ads Tech Evangelist, showed off the newest feature for the company’s iOS and Android apps on LinkedIn (spotted by Search Engine Land). It’s called “lead generation ads,” wherein companies can buy advertising for products that aren’t featured on Amazon’s store. Customers will be given an option to “Shop brand sites directly” (i.e., leave Amazon.com to shop somewhere else). If you’re subscribed to Amazon Prime, you might get faster shipping and other perks. A full post on Amazon’s promotional page goes more in-depth. Amazon It’s hardly unprecedented for Amazon to advertise stuff that I’m not actually looking for. And despite its public perception as primarily an online retailer, Amazon is really a tech company now. While $55 billion in direct sales are the biggest chunk of its business, they’re not even half of its total income — services sold to third-party sellers bring in almost $35 billion, web and cloud systems bring in $25 billion, and advertising earns $11.8 billion, according to Statista. Having said that, it’s hard not to feel like Amazon is muddying up its product search even more than it already has. If I’m shopping on Amazon, it’s because I want to buy something on Amazon, to take advantage of the Prime subscription I already pay for (which somehow doesn’t include ad-free viewing for video) and the associated credit card points. Seeing ads for non-Amazon stores while I’m shopping on Amazon is yet another example of “enshittification” in action. That’s when a public-facing service or product is constantly tweaked to squeeze more money and attention out of us without any measurable improvements to the service or product in question. It sure doesn’t enamor me to Amazon, especially now that “Prime shipping” no longer guarantees the uber-fast delivery times it was once known for. If this sounds like entitled grousing, well, I guess it is. But even as someone whose entire profession is dependent upon online advertising, I think I won’t shock anyone when I say that online advertising often sucks. Non-Amazon ads are now in beta on Amazon’s mobile apps, sure to come to a desktop browser near you soon. In the LinkedIn comments on the announcement, advertisers expressed glee at the new feature, and I’m sure at least some of them weren’t AI-generated slop. Read...

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From the department of Things I Should Have Done Sooner, I have finally discovered the magic of email aliases. Aliases are kind of like alternative email addresses, except when email is sent to an alias, it still arrives in your main inbox. Use them in conjunction with filters and folders and you’ve got a powerful way to organize incoming messages. While email aliases aren’t a new concept, I’ve been leaning into them lately as I experiment with migrating from Gmail to a new email provider. Now I wish I’d been doing it sooner. Here’s why. This story first appeared in Advisorator, Jared’s weekly tech advice newsletter. Sign up to learn new tech tricks every Tuesday. Email aliases, explained If you’re using Gmail, iCloud.com, or Outlook.com, creating an alias is easy. Whenever you’re inputting your email address into a form, enter it like usual but add a + sign and some extra text before the @ sign. For example, instead of yourname@gmail.com, you could use yourname+expenses@gmail.com for work-related purchases, or yourname+newsletters@gmail.com when signing up for newsletters. The +expenses and +newsletters are aliases for your actual address. When emails are sent to those aliased addresses, they’ll still end up in your regular inbox like normal, but the “To:” field will be addressed to the alias. If you then set up custom filters for those aliased “To:” addresses, you can automatically sort new emails as they arrive. The process for each mail provider is a bit different, but in Gmail it looks like this: Click the search box, then hit the More Search Options button. In the “To:” field, enter a plus-address, such as yourname+newsletters@gmail.com. Click Create Filter. Under “Apply the label,” create one called Newsletters. Check Skip the inbox. Filtering a “+newsletters” alias in Gmail.Jared Newman / Foundry Now, every email sent to yourname+newsletters@gmail.com will be assigned the “Newsletters” label. (For help setting up filters in Outlook or iCloud, see Microsoft’s and Apple’s documentation.) Plus-addresses also work with Exchange, Proton, and Fastmail. You may also be able to create aliases with a custom domain if your mail provider supports it. (For instance, my cordcutterweekly@jarednewman.com and advisorator@jarednewman.com email addresses both route to the same inbox.) Unfortunately, AOL mail doesn’t support plus-addresses, nor do major ISP mail services such as Comcast Email and Spectrum Email. Yahoo offers a “Temporary Email Address” feature, but you have to set them up through the Settings menu, and you can only create up to three of them without a paid subscription. It’s all in how you use them Email filters in ProtonJared Newman / Foundry Why wasn’t I using alias email addresses sooner? For a long time, I’ve been reliant on Gmail’s Categories feature, which automatically sorts email into tabs such as “Promotions,” “Social,” and “Forums.” That won’t be an option if I move away from Gmail, but aliases and filters accomplish the same goal with much more flexibility. With newsletters, for instance, I’ve started signing up with separate aliases for daily and weekly publications, so that the news-focused dailies don’t crowd out the more magazine-like weeklies. I can also have separate aliases for business and personal expenses, plus an alias for the Slickdeals alerts that I get throughout the day. In all cases, the idea is to keep unimportant emails separated from my main inbox, so I only see them when I’m ready to deal with them. Using aliases allows me to do that with more granularity than Gmail’s Categories ever offered. Email aliases vs. masked email Plus-addresses and custom domain aliases still aren’t a substitute for masked email addresses, which are unique for each sender and don’t reveal any part of your real email address. With masked email providers, such as as Ironvest and DuckDuckGo, you can easily block senders with one or two clicks. These services are also better for privacy because they keep your true email address hidden. (With plus-addresses, the ad industry is already working on ways to strip away everything after the plus for tracking purposes.) By contrast, email aliases are worth using when you trust the sender but you want to control where their emails appear. Start using them in earnest and you may be surprised by the possibilities. This story first appeared in Advisorator, Jared’s weekly tech advice newsletter. Sign up to learn new tech tricks every Tuesday. Read...