The findings contribute to a controversial debate that pits green technology against the environment. Read...

Pressures on households mean environmental action is understandably of less importance, the Environment Ministry boss says. Read...

Two-way audio is standard on most consumer security cameras these days. Most people try it once, talk to their dog through the mic, laugh at the delay, and never think about it again. That’s a shame, because this tiny mic-and-speaker combo can make your camera far more useful than a silent video feed ever could. Used well, it can stop a package thief in their tracks, make delivery drop-offs go more smoothly, or let you handle small household moments without running to the door. Used poorly, it can annoy strangers, spook guests, or even land you in situations you didn’t mean to create. Let’s break down where two-way audio helps, when it gets in the way, and how to use it without making things uncomfortable for everybody. What two-way audio actually does (and how it works) At its core, two-way audio is simple: your camera has a tiny microphone and a small speaker onboard, and there’s a button in the camera’s app that lets you have a conversation with whoever’s in the camera’s field of view (using your smartphone’s mic and speaker on your end of the connection). The way that audio moves back and forth varies by camera. Some use half-duplex transmission, which is basically a walkie-talkie—you press to speak, release to listen. Others offer full-duplex, so both sides can talk at the same time. Full-duplex feels more natural, but it also demands stronger hardware and a steadier network connection. Audio quality depends on a mix of factors you don’t always think about when you’re mounting a camera. A windy porch, a barking dog next door, the echo of a stucco wall, or a cheap speaker can turn a clear message into something people have to decode. Even a slight delay can make a conversation feel out of sync, especially if your Wi-Fi is spotty or the camera is installed far from the router. That’s why some models sound clear and confident while others make you feel like you’re shouting through a keyhole. There’s also a privacy angle that people often forget. A camera with two-way audio isn’t just watching your property, it’s also listening to the environment around it. And when you speak, you’re projecting your voice into the outside world, sometimes farther than you might expect. That power is useful, but it comes with responsibilities, which is why understanding how the tech works sits at the heart of using it well. How to make two-way audio genuinely useful An increasing number of video doorbells and even security cameras offer canned responses that you can play over the camera’s speaker.Michael Brown/Foundry Two-way audio earns its keep when something on your live camera stream doesn’t look right. A firm, “Can I help you?” aimed at someone eyeballing your porch is often enough to make them rethink their decision. Same goes for a stranger poking around the side yard or checking car doors in your driveway. You don’t need to sound intimidating. A calm, neutral voice works better than barking threats, and it keeps you from turning a sketchy moment into a real confrontation. The rule of thumb: nudge, don’t escalate. It’s just as handy with delivery drivers. A quick request to drop the package behind a planter, avoid the doorbell during a child’s nap time, or confirm they’re at the right house can save you headaches later. What you don’t want to do is hover. Drivers are already juggling scanners, route timers, and the weather. Give them direction, not a play-by-play of where to place the box (that said, it’s fair to ask them to use your secure delivery box, if you have one). Inside the home, two-way audio on indoor cameras becomes a convenient intercom system (if you don’t have smart speakers that can fill that role). Maybe you’re checking in on a teenager who just got home from school, or you want to let an older parent know you’re stuck in traffic but are on your way. Sometimes it’s as simple as asking someone to pull a package inside before the rain rolls in. All of this depends on tone. If every check-in sounds like a security audit, people start feeling watched instead of helped. The Nest Doorbell (wired, 3rd gen) also comes with canned responses you can play for visitors.Michael Brown/Foundry Pets are another place where two-way audio can shine, as long as you don’t treat it like a magic remote-control training device. Some dogs perk up at their owner’s voice and settle down. Others get more anxious because they can hear you but can’t find you. Short, simple cues—“off the couch” or “leave that alone”—tend to land better than trying to run obedience school through a tiny speaker. And then there are those moments when someone you know rings the bell and you’re nowhere near the door. A friendly, “Be right there,” or pointing a neighbor toward the backyard gate keeps things moving. If you’re hosting a get-together and need to direct someone to the side entrance, it beats making them stand around guessing. When you shouldn’t use two-way audio Two-way audio has its limits, and most of the trouble comes from using it when its inappropriate. A common mistake is jumping in as soon as a motion alert fires, and talking before you’ve had a chance to see what’s actually happening. The person you’re addressing might just be walking a dog or pausing on the sidewalk, which makes the interaction feel nosy from their side of the lens. The same goes for chiming in every time a delivery driver appears. They’re on a tight schedule and usually just want to drop off the package and move on. And using the mic to check in on neighbors, landscapers, or anyone else who isn’t expecting to be monitored crosses a line fast. If someone doesn’t know they’re part of your camera’s “audience,” it’s better to stay quiet. There’s also the legal side. U.S. audio-recording laws vary by state: some use one-party consent, where only one person involved in the conversation needs to approve the recording. Others require all parties to consent, in part because recorded conversations can reveal things a silent clip can’t, such as names, personal details, or even other voices in the background. And when you speak through your camera, you’re not just recording someone, you’re engaging in a conversation. That puts you under a different set of expectations. The easiest way to avoid trouble is to be up front. Tell visitors, contractors, or rental guests that cameras are in use, and don’t record conversations where someone wouldn’t reasonably expect it. And then there are situations where the safest move is to stay silent. It’s fine to use two-way audio to interrupt uncertain or low-risk situations, such as the ones mentioned earlier, but if someone’s already breaking into a car or forcing a door, shouting at them from a tiny speaker is unlikely to stop the act, and it can make the situation more volatile. At that stage, a bright light, loud siren, or alert to your professional monitoring service does far more than your voice—and it keeps you safer. Five ways to make two-way audio feel natural There are a few simple habits that make two-way audio feel natural instead of intrusive. The first is easy: keep it short. A quick, neutral line lands better than a monologue. No jokes, no lecturing, no dramatic “I see you.” Say what you need to say and get out of the way. Second, always identify yourself. A fast, “Hey, this is John at the house,” clears up confusion and lowers the odds that someone jumps or looks around wondering where the voice is coming from. It sets the tone immediately. Third, don’t pop in out of nowhere. If your doorbell cam already sent a chime or notification, give it a beat before you talk. And with delivery drivers or guests, only jump in when needed. Dropping a disembodied voice on someone who’s already juggling bags or paperwork never feels good. Fourth, lean on automations when they do the job better than you can. Many video doorbells and security cameras offer quick replies like “Please leave the package by the gate” or “Be right there.” Those canned messages sound less intrusive and are perfect for routine interactions. Finally, treat the mic like any other access point to your home. Don’t mention you’re out of town, don’t hand out personal details, and lock down your account with good authentication. Turn off remote access for anyone who doesn’t need it, and check your app’s event history periodically and make sure nothing potentially problematic happened. You want the feature to help you, not reveal more than you meant to. Making two-way audio work for you Two-way audio works best when you use it with a light touch. Keep it purposeful and respectful, and it becomes a small but surprisingly helpful part of your setup. Think of it as a communication tool rather than a surveillance one. Used that way, it adds a human layer to a piece of tech that can feel cold and even a little unsettling. That’s really all it needs to do. This story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best home security cameras and the best video doorbells. Read...

If you’ve got a quiet environment happening around you when you’re watching a video or just want your audio to be silent you can still see what’s happening in your video with Windows live captions. Live captions works across Windows 11 making it seamless to read captions while working in other apps. Captions are provided for audio even when you’re disconnected from the internet. Live captions also provides translations on Copilot+ PCs, translating any live or pre-recorded video in any app or video platform from over 40 languages into English and 27 languages into Chinese. Here’s how you turn it on and personalize it. What to do: Press the Windows Key + Ctrl + L to turn on live captions. If it’s the first time you’ve used live captions, you’ll be asked to set it up. Go ahead and click on Setup. Select the Settings button in the live captions window. Select Position. Now choose either Above screen, Below screen or Overlaid on screen. When you choose the Above screen or Below screen the caption screen will appear as docked to the top and bottom of the screen edges. When you choose the Overlaid on screen option live captions will appear in an overlay window which you can reposition as needed to avoid obscuring other apps in use. You can also customize the captions to make them easier to read. Select the Settings button in the live captions window. Select Preferences then Caption style. Select a built-in style from the drop-down menu. The default built-in style will display captions in the colors that fit your device’s dark or light mode settings. Or select the Edit button to create a custom style that works for you. Dominic Bayley / Foundry That’s all we have for this Try This. For more tips and tricks delivered to your inbox each week be sure to subscribe to our Try This newsletter. Read...

The Reserve Bank has reduced the Official Cash Rate by 0.25 basis points, to 2.25%. Read...

Debian works itself or in derivatives such as Open Media Vault or Raspberry Pi OS as a stable and lean server system on countless public and private devices. However, anyone looking for a stylish and beginner-friendly desktop will not think of Debian first. This is due to unprocessed software, including the respective user interface, which always comes as an original upstream from the manufacturer (such as Gnome or KDE). In addition, there are Debian peculiarities that irritate Linux beginners, but also those switching from Ubuntu systems. Even the installer wants to know much more from the user than with Ubuntu or Mint. More fundamental, however, is the extremely conservative release model, which does not provide for any kernel updates or functional software updates for two full years. Setup with small but some hurdles Even the search for the Debian installation medium requires a minimum knowledge of Linux terminology. The website debian.org is not difficult to find, but if you simply click on “Download” here, you will receive the Netinstaller without a live system. This is unsuitable for pre-testing with a desired desktop. The subpage debian.org/distrib turns a lot of information into a confusing search game, especially the redirection to the worldwide “Download mirrors”. If newcomers don’t load Debian with the desired desktop here, this is understandable, but can usually still be corrected in the installer. Debian has a number of system peculiarities and delivers desktops unprocessed. The setup therefore requires some adjustments – for Gnome, for example, with the Gnome-shell-extension-manager. Gnome Extension Manager The installer asks significantly more questions than Ubuntu. Most of them are not critical: domain and proxy can simply be skipped; the root account, which is unfamiliar to many, is mandatory here, and with partitioning (with a number of specialties) you can get away with the simple default settings, provided Debian solo is allowed to take over the data carrier. Answering “Yes” to the question “Use network mirror?” can correct any download mishaps, because this then allows another “software selection”. It’s always advisable to select the “Debian desktop environment” option and also a desktop such as Gnome or KDE. Without a desktop, only the substructure is available, but the system is headless. Without the “environment”, the selected desktop is available, but no desktop software (browser, sound, cups, and network manager may also be missing). The release policy Debian prioritizes stability at the expense of up-to-datedness. A new Debian version is released approximately every two years (currently Debian 13) and receives three years of support. During this period, there are only regular security updates—the kernel and software (including the desktop) remain at the same level. Experienced users can circumvent this by including backport sources, but by default Debian software remains fixed for at least two years. This is the opposite of the agile rolling model of Arch Linux, and Ubuntu is also comparatively progressive with its biannual updates (point releases with kernel upgrades). The Debian installer offers this choice in the “Netinst” variant, but also with live installation media, provided the “Network mirror” option is activated. LinuxTechi Release upgrades to the next higher version after two years are technically offered to users, but are not automated. The user must replace the old release name (e.g. “bookworm”) with the new one (e.g. “trixie”) in the “/etc/apt/sources. list” file each time it occurs (at least three times) and then perform an upgrade with sudo apt full-upgrade to request an update. This is not rocket science, but it’s different from the simple click offer in an Ubuntu “update manager”. Debian is in good hands on computers where no new hardware components are expected for years. By “components” we mean critical candidates such as graphics cards or CPUs that may require newer kernels or graphics libraries. Debian desktop users should also be unconcerned about missing out on two years of new features in Gimp, VLC, or Gnome. Debian peculiarities Debian does not recognize “sudo” for simple account changes. For administrative tasks, “su” should be used to switch to root, whose password was defined during installation. If you want Ubuntu conditions, you can install sudo (and visudo) in the root account: apt install sudo The main user can then be added to the sudo group. usermod -aG sudo sepp This leads to the next peculiarity: “usermod” seems to be missing like all typical admin commands. The background to this is a restrictive path specification: directories such as “/sbin” or “/usr/sbin” with the system administration tools are not included in the default path. A command such as “usermod” will therefore only work with the complete path “/sbin/usermod”. In continuous operation, it’ll be easier to add the PATH variable accordingly (“export PATH=[…]:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin”). After a Debian installation, the file “/etc/apt/sources.list” often contains the line “deb cdrom […]” (the installation ISO image) as the package source, which leads to errors with every apt command. The line must therefore be commented out or deleted. Such minor issues are easy to fix, but can initially irritate Ubuntu users considerably. Service configurations are also a little more restrictive under Debian than under Ubuntu distributions. By default, Debian only accepts its own, classic DEB sources as package sources: External PPAs are not permitted, snaps and flatpaks can be optionally retrofitted—as everywhere else—but they are not standard. Desktop, drivers and software As with Arch, the selected desktop comes in the default original version. Debian provides a few of its own background images, but nothing more. Depending on the desktop, you’ll have to make your own improvements here—certainly more with Gnome than with KDE or XFCE, for example. This is not a disadvantage in principle, but assumes that you are familiar with desktop extensions, desktop settings and themes, and are happy to carry out such customizations yourself. Typical for Debian: Firefox ESR, which is only updated (functionally) once a year, is pre-installed as the default browser. Sam Singleton With regard to proprietary drivers and firmware, Debian has relaxed its previously restrictive stance so that “nonfree” sources are now automatically permitted. GPU drivers (such as “nvidia-driver”), graphics libraries (such as “mesa-utils”), or codecs (such as “ffmpeg”) can therefore be installed directly or are already added during installation. Software and kernels are only reasonably up-to-date in brand-new Debian versions and remain at this level. Typical for conservative software is also the use of Firefox ESR as the standard browser, which also receives function updates as an exception, but only once a year. Debian-like alternatives No question: Compared to Ubuntu & co., Debian requires a number of steps to set up the system and desktop. Compared to Arch Linux, however, the effort is limited. If you still want to avoid these steps but want to use the rock-solid Debian, you can switch to derivatives such as MX Linux with XFCE or Q4-OS with KDE. The Debian derivative that guarantees the closest possible proximity to Ubuntu is the Mint variant Linux Mint LMDE. Read...

The annual figures from the Environment Agency show 93% of sites met minimum standards, up from 92% last year. Read...

Two community leaders say their stint as ‘‘make-shift lawyers’’ in an Environment Court hearing to consider a proposed Oxford landfill was worth it. Read...

The top boss at Environment Southland has given a blunt assessment on a wilding pine issue which is plaguing parts of the country. Read...

Black Friday may be a time of rampant consumerism. But I treat it as an opportunity for savvy consumerism—if this period of sales is baked into the system, we may as well take advantage of it. I try to shop smart. Unfortunately for me (and everyone else), the definition of “smart” is a lot harder to figure out this year. Memory prices have risen, for starters. In the past few weeks, the cost of DDR5 RAM shot up by 100 percent or more, depending on the kit. DDR4 trailed not far behind. (Yet one more thing AI is ruining.) Module vendors won’t be increasing supply much either, which is apparently causing PC manufacturers to buy up as much as they can. Also, delays in the release of new RAM kits. Meanwhile, the full effect of the U.S. tariffs looms in the background, too. After the holiday retail rush, experts anticipate that businesses will have run out of goods stockpiled at lower prices. Which means come 2026, building a PC (or buy any tech gadget) may become financially rough. Painfully expensive RAM is the start. Next will be higher prices for graphics cards, followed by even slower release of new mid-range GPUs. I could see next year and beyond feeling worse than 2021’s dark combo of pandemic shortages and cryptomining. So I keep asking myself what tech I should buy this month.  Not just PC parts, but everything. I’m weighing what else could quickly change in availability or cost—and how fast it could change. I’m thinking over my small inventory of goods and their ages, and how much life they have left. I’m racking my brain for items I never think about but would hate to replace at exorbitant cost. Storage is also going up in price, though not as fast as memory. I’m very likely picking up a drive or two during this Black Friday.Foundry And I’m asking myself what I think would hold up, especially if tech starts to slow or even stagnate with its releases, due to high production costs. Components usually aren’t cost effective to buy and hold, for example—you lose money for the privilege of holding them in storage. But if they become more expensive and scarce, and their performance holds? That changes the calculus. So extra RAM and SSDs? With how I operate, I’ll need them down the line. But my Ryzen 5000-series build that I only use periodically for encodes? I can make that stretch. As for my laptop situation, where I squeak by with a few old ones ranging from 8 to 11 years old, I’m resigned to eventually moving to Linux until the hardware finally feels too slow. Honestly, shopping this Black Friday feels like a grocery store run—juggling what I want, what’s good for me, and what will help me use up what I’ve already got on hand. Deal hunting is less entertaining as a result, but I prefer that to the prospect of paying 50, 100, 140 percent more (or even greater) for items I’ll need in the future. In this episode of The Full Nerd  In this episode of The Full Nerd, Adam Patrick Murray, Brad Chacos, Alaina Yee, and Will Smith answer everyone’s questions during a Q&A blitz. Well, not everyone, since we can’t podcast for the entire day (sadly). But we did tackle the Steam Machine (again), Windows subscriptions, AI making us stupider, and a heck of a lot more. A lot of Xbox talk more. I may have also dug deep into my thoughts on the Steam Machine. (I’m still so bummed to have missed the discussion last week when Steve and Sean were around.) Also, we dunked on the idea of Windows as an agentic OS. As is proper. Willis Lai / Foundry Missed our live show? Subscribe now to The Full Nerd Network YouTube channel, and activate notifications. We also answer viewer questions in real-time! Don’t miss out on our NEW shows too—you can catch episodes of Dual Boot Diaries and The Full Nerd: Extra Edition now! And if you need more hardware talk during the rest of the week, come join our Discord community—it’s full of cool, laid-back nerds.  This week’s pocketful of nerd news After last week’s Steam Machine announcement, the news feels comparatively quiet—but no less interesting. I definitely uttered a phrase I can’t repeat here after seeing the bit about the tape storage standard and the 100TB of compressed data it will hold. hito_hiro7265/Twitter Silverstone is now serving up a smaller dose of nostalgia: I’m still not as sold on this retro case’s looks as the rest of the PCWorld staff—though that’s definitely not Silverstone’s fault. (Some things I just wish to leave in the past.) But if I were to do a sleeper build, it’d be in this littler mATX box. Respect to an OG: Tape storage isn’t just still alive and kicking, it’s thriving. A new standard that can hold 100TB of compressed data on a 40TB cartridge? Daaaaaaamn. File under ‘Don’t need it, but want it’: Mike Crider reviewed another nifty Raspberry Pi-powered writer’s gadget. I don’t need it, since I use my phone with a Bluetooth keyboard for distraction-free writing. (Don’t know why it works for me, but it does.) But gosh, this looks so neat. The internet went spotty because of one file: I’m glad that for once, a major internet outage (this time, it was Cloudflare’s servers that barfed) is due to good old-fashioned, simple human error. I needed a break from all the security attacks this year. Are NPUs already dead in the water? PCWorld contributor Chris Hoffman neatly dissects the state of “AI PCs” and how GPUs still eclipse NPUs for local AI computing. “It’s not a matter of if the capacitors will fail, simply when”: Still own a Voodoo 2 card? You may want to perform some elective surgery on it to help preserve its longevity. Tyler Keillor / Fossil Lab ‘Dinosaur mummies’ would make a great band name: I think it’s metal as heck that living creatures can die and leave impressions in the environment so detailed, you can see the texture of their skin in clay millennia later. Don’t get scammed during Black Friday! Worried about your loved ones and scams during this holiday shopping period? I got you. You can just pass along these tips on how to stay safe during this chaotic time of year. Love that efficiency: As someone who watches her utility bills like a hawk, I dig this concept out of the UK: Build a server shed in a person’s yard, then take the heat generated and repurpose it to warm up homes. I’m all about that repurposing. Heck yeah, I want Firefox custom shortcuts: I love Firefox, and I advocate its usage to anyone who’ll bother listening to me. (Its reader mode is A+.) I also love custom keyboard shortcuts, so I’m looking forward to the marriage of these two things. Redstone Redstone Redstone: Part of AMD’s new FSR Redstone technology already launched with Call of Duty 7, but more is still to come on December 10. I expect The Full Nerd crew will chew hard on whatever info comes to light. Uh, guess I’m getting my flu shot ASAP: Chalk this up as a general PSA. In case you were thinking of delaying this year due to previous milder flu seasons (or even outright skipping), perhaps reconsider. As I am. Catch you all next week—I’ll be in the thick of covering Black Friday sales on PCWorld, in addition to whatever deals we chat about on the show. That includes a live blog on Black Friday proper (November 28) helmed by yours truly, from about 9am to 12pm Pacific (and Brad before that).  If you see nothing but “Yo, get this HDMI cable for $4,” “Hey, this very decent office chair is $130,” and “This insanely badass router dropped to $280,” well, you already know the reason behind my laser focus on boring stuff. Alaina Read...