Best of Tech News — October 2025

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   Hacker News·26w

   Samsung makes ads on $3,499 smart fridges official with upcoming software update

   Samsung officially introduces advertisements to its Family Hub smart refrigerators (priced $1,899-$3,499) through a software update rolling out this month. The ads will display on the fridge's 21.5- or 32-inch screens when idle, appearing in a widget that rotates content every 10 seconds alongside weather, news, and calendar information. Samsung states the ads will be contextualized rather than personalized, avoiding user data collection. The update also introduces a Daily Board theme featuring five information tiles and one ad tile.

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   Deleted user·26w

   Knock knock

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   The Verge·28w

   The iPad just got the chip it needs to be a smart home controller

   Apple's new M5-powered iPad Pro includes the N1 wireless networking chip, bringing official Thread protocol support to iPads for the first time. While the immediate use case appears to be simplified setup of Thread smart home devices without requiring a separate border router, this addition hints at the possibility of iPads returning as Apple Home hubs. The N1 chip combines Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread support, and will likely appear in future Apple smart home products like the Apple TV and HomePod Mini 2.

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