ShinyShiny snippets: Fitbit devices to require Google account from 2023

Google completed its acquisition of Fitbit last year and rebranded it “Fitbit by Google,” but Fitbit continued to launch wearables as it used to before getting acquired. And while customers can currently use Fitbit accounts for new devices and services, things will change from 2023 onwards. Fitbit has updated its support page to reveal that after the launch of Google accounts on Fitbit in 2023, “some uses of Fitbit will require a Google account, including to sign up for Fitbit or activate newly released Fitbit devices and features.” However, after the launch, existing users with Fitbit accounts will have the option to move their Fitbit data to their Google accounts or continue to use the existing Fitbit devices and services with the Fitbit accounts as long as they are supported, which will be at least until early 2025. GSM Arena

A poll of almost 1,500 members of consumer group Which? who drive a pure electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle showed most of them (about 74 per cent) were unhappy with the current public charging infrastructure.  In addition, two out of five (40 per cent) of those polled reported finding a non-working charger, while 61 per cent have suffered difficulties making payments. Almost half (45 per cent) of those questioned estimated that the nearest public on-street chargepoint to their home is more than a 20-minute walk away. E&T

Customers who personalize their second-generation AirPods Pro charging case with an engraving will now have that engraving reflected directly on iOS as they pair and connect their ‌AirPods Pro‌.

Apple allows customers to personalize their ‌AirPods Pro‌ charging case with a special engraving that can include select emojis and Memojis. Unlike before, starting with the second-generation ‌AirPods Pro‌, that engraving is now reflected on the digital case on iOS as a user pairs and connects their ‌AirPods Pro‌. The second-generation ‌AirPods Pro‌ began arriving to customers today. The new ‌AirPods Pro‌ include better Active Noise Cancellation, the new H2 chip, and an updated charging case with deeper Find My integration and a lanyard loop. MacRumors

In addition to the consumer-focused Pico 4 headset announced this week, the company has also announced a Pico 4 Pro variant aimed at enterprise use-cases. With the announcement of Pico 4 this week, Pico is squaring up to compete with Meta’s Quest 2. But the company is seemingly also trying to ready itself against Meta’s upcoming Project Cambria, a high-end enterprise-focused standalone headset (which is rumored to be called the Quest Pro). Alongside the announcement of Pico 4, the company announced Pico 4 Pro. RoadtoVR

Amazon’s Prime Early Access Sale – aka Prime Day 2 – looks set for 11th – 12th October 2022. Amazon has published a terms and conditions page(opens in new tab) titled, “Prime Early Access Sale 2022 – Alexa Exclusive Deal”. The Ts and Cs, which we spotted first, not only appear to confirm that the rumoured Prime Early Access Sale is a thing… but the exact timings too! According to the page, purchases linked to this particular promotion “must take place between October 11, 2022 at 12:00 AM PT and October 12, 2022 at 11:59 PM PT”. WhatHiFi