Facebook Boosts Privacy Controls

By Digital Trends Staff Published October 25, 2009

Facebook Boosts Privacy Controls Reuters reports that Facebook has upped its privacy stakes for users. As of this morning, the social network has givenusers more control over what different friends, not to mention friends of friends, can see of their profile. The company has always offered plenty of privacy controls, but they claim that only25% of subscribers really take advantage of those controls. Under the new system, users can create up to 100 different friends lists, a concept that was introduced in December. MattCohler, Facebook’s vice president of product management, said, "We have a lot more users, a lot more types of users, a lot more relationships, we have a lot more types ofrelationships." The company also confirmed that the long-rumored Facebook Chat instant messaging service will be started in just a few weeks, and as it will work in a web browser, won’trequire the downloading of any special software.

Digital Trends Staff

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Smart Home

How to connect Alexa to your TV for smart voice control

The Vizio OLED 4K HDR TV in living room.

Though it's commonly used with smart home devices like the Echo Pop and Echo Show 8, the Alexa voice assistant works just as well on most TVs. When connected to your TV, Alexa makes it easier than ever to chat with the voice assistant without having to leave the comfort of your couch.

Smart Home

The 5 best smart sprinkler controllers in 2024

Eva Aqua smart sprinkler controller

Automated sprinklers are convenient and will help you revive a dying lawn, but there's nothing advanced about them. Once you set the sprinkler schedule, that's it, there's nothing more they can do. Smart sprinkler controllers take it to the next level. They automate your in-ground irrigation system, yes, but you'll also get remote access, useful notifications, and much more -- like being able to start or stop your sprinklers with voice commands. That's the best part about smart home products, they push convenience beyond what we've ever experienced before. If you're looking for some help with your lawn, whether you need to bring it back to life or you just want to keep it fresh and green, here are the best smart sprinkler controllers you'll need:
The best smart sprinkler controllers in 2024

Buy the if you want one of the most innovative options overall.
Buy the if you want to save some money without sacrificing the best features.
Buy the if you're all-in on Apple's HomeKit ecosystem.
Buy the if you want a lot of customization options.
Buy the if you're replacing a traditional in-garage controller.

Smart Home

This is your excuse to buy a temperature controlled smart mug

A black Ember Smart Mug 2 on a countertop.

There are a lot of temperature-controlled products out there, such as mugs or water bottles, but the Ember Mug was one of the first, and you can tell from its premium look and pricing. Luckily, there are still quite a few great Black Friday deals floating around, including this deal from Best Buy on the Ember Mug 2. While it usually goes for $130, you can grab it right now for just $100, which makes it a much more reasonably priced mug, if still a slightly bit expensive.

Why you should buy the Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug²
Those who like hot drinks know the struggle that comes with having a drink go cold, especially when something comes up that takes your attention away. You might make your nice cup of tea or coffee, get an email or call, and forget about it, only to come back and find it tepid or lukewarm, which is probably worse than if it was just cold. Luckily, the Ember Mug 2 does an excellent job of keeping your drink warm, with a temperature range between 120 Fahrenheit and 145 Fahrenheit. That's a pretty good range for most folks unless you love your hot drink piping hot and nearly boiling, in which case this might be a little bit on the low end for you.