I’ve seen lots of so-called “smart” bike locks over the years, but none so far could justify the added cost. A newcomer that got its start securing ATMs for banks is trying to change that. There’s nothing wholly unique about the TMD Chain Lock, but the combination of materials, performance, and insurance-friendly ART-2 certification makes it worth considering.
Technology
A crowd destroyed a driverless Waymo car in San Francisco
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25280216/Screenshot_2024_02_11_at_11.34.11_AM.png?ssl=1 "A crowd destroyed a driverless Waymo car in San Francisco")
A person jumped on the hood of a Waymo driverless taxi and smashed its windshield in San Francisco’s Chinatown last night around 9PM PT, generating applause before a crowd formed around the car and covered it in spray paint, breaking its windows, and ultimately set it on fire. The fire department arrived minutes later, according to a report in The Autopian, but by then flames had already fully engulfed the car.
At the moment, no outlets seem to have reported a motive for the attack. Waymo representative Sandy Karp told The Verge via email that the fully autonomous car “was not transporting any riders” when it was attacked and fireworks were tossed inside the car, sparking the flames. Officer Rueca of San Francisco’s police department confirmed in an email to The Verge that police responded at “approximately” 8:50PM PT to find the car already on fire, adding that there were “no reports of injuries.”
A video posted by the FriscoLive415 YouTube channel shows the burnt-out husk of the electric Waymo Jaguar.
Another set of videos posted by software developer Michael Vendi gives a view into the scene as it played out and the fire grew.
City officials and residents opposed the cars being given a license for 24/7 operation last year, with some residents rendering them immobile by putting orange cones on the cars’ hoods in protest.
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TMD’s first bicycle lock combines a Bluetooth proximity sensor and motion alarm with a slender core of hardened steel chain wrapped in a soft and lightweight sleeve of high performance Dyneema and Kevlar fibers. That makes this lock tough, yet flexible enough to conveniently wrap around your seat post when cycling. TMD also designed the keyless lock to be shareable with friends and family, and capable of withstanding shock, rain, dust, and extreme temperatures. That makes it highly suited to city bikes parked outside and ridden all year long.
I like the TMD Chain Lock I’ve been testing, but spending €249 (about $283) on something that typically costs far less is a big ask.
$280
The Good
- Strong yet flexible lock won’t scratch bike
- Digital key can be shared with friends and family
- Convenient if you lock your bike several times a day
- ART-2 certified for insurance
- Loud enough alarm
The Bad
- Very expensive
- Lacks USB-C charging
- Annoying operating sounds
The chasm separating ATM security from bike security isn’t as wide as it might seem. TMD developed a centralized, keyless system for banks to authorize access to its ATMs for service, replacing the physical master keys that created a massive security risk whenever they were lost or stolen. It’s this same keyless knowhow that TMD now brings to the Bluetooth bike lock.
There are many advantages to turning phones into digital keys, especially in bike-centric societies like the Netherlands, which TMD calls home. For example, I could ride to the train station and have an authorized friend pick the bike up later. And the keyless convenience quickly adds up for those of us that use our bikes to commute to work, pick up the kids from daycare and football, run errands, and shop for groceries. In my home city of Amsterdam, it’s not unusual to grab my keys more than a dozen times a day to lock and unlock my bike.
I tested the TMD Bike Lock in the 110cm (about 3.5 feet) length with an iPhone 15 Pro running the latest version of iOS. Generally — I’d say 19 out of every 20 attempts — the TMD Chain Lock immediately recognized my approach, allowing me to seamlessly unlock it with a push on the lock’s only button. When I did have to wait, it took no more than a second for the button to flash blue, indicating the lock had detected my nearby phone in a pocket or bag. Pretty good, but that convenience comes with some tradeoffs.
For example, my bike remained within range of my phone when parked outside a cafe, so anyone could have walked up and unlocked it. I had the same issue when cooking in my kitchen with the bike parked just outside the window, as I normally do. In both cases, I either had to move the bike or turn off my phone’s Bluetooth radio. And since my phone is now my bike key, if it’s stolen, my much more expensive e-bike is vulnerable as well.
TMD says its Chain Lock is “immune to conventional drilling and picking,” but all bike locks can be defeated by a determined thief. The Chain Lock has earned an ART-2 certification issued by an independent Dutch organization that tests and certifies bike locks on a scale from one to five. Most Dutch insurance companies require ART-2 at a minimum to validate policies on expensive e-bikes and cargo bikes. It’s akin to something like a Sold Secure Silver or Gold rating in the UK, a 2 Roues in France, and VdS approval in Germany. (The US and Canada do not have a single, centralized, independent testing body that dictates insurance requirements for bicycles.) Should your bike be stolen, you can produce a digital log file for the insurance company from within the TMD app as official proof that your bike was locked.
To deter theft, the lock also features an integrated motion alarm that can be armed and disarmed in the app or with a double press of the lock’s button. At 100dB it’s less shrill than I expected, but it does the job when it senses the lock being jostled. It shuts off automatically after about 10 seconds of inactivity.
TMD tells me that a future software update will let you disable these sounds.
The lock is rather noisy in day-to-day usage. Unlocking it is accompanied by a loud tone that hits 75dB when measured at a distance of one meter. I hate that it draws attention to me and my expensive e-bike. Just flash green and unlock — that’s more than enough. TMD tells me that a future software update will let you disable these sounds.
TMD claims the lock’s battery will last up to nine months on a single charge. However, my test unit has already dropped 16 percent after a week of testing, suggesting a lifespan closer to six or seven weeks. But that’s likely because I store my bikes inside my house when not in use, so the lock’s Bluetooth radio is constantly being lit up by my phone’s proximity.
To prevent water and dust ingress and leave more room for the battery and speaker, TMD says it opted for a shallow magnetic pin connector – not USB-C – to charge the Chain Lock. That’s a shame because plenty of phones have USB-C ports and offer even better IP68/69 protection against rain and debris. That means you’ll need to have the lock’s proprietary cable on you should you ignore the low-battery warnings and let it die. It can be quickly recovered, however: I saw a completely dead (and locked) Chain Lock spring back to life after just two or three minutes of charging off the USB-C port of an iPhone.
You can still unlock the TMD Chain Lock should your phone die. You just have to tap in your four digit “emergency code” on the lock’s button. Choosing a code like 1324 would require 1 push, then 3 pushes, then 2, and 4. The ring around the button changes colors to visually prompt you for each new number. The TMD app also lets you share the lock with friends and family, who can also come to your rescue with their own phones.
1/6
For added peace of mind, it’s always a good idea to double-lock your bike, so most urban cyclists combine a chain lock with a ring lock that’s permanently mounted to the frame and prevents the rear wheel from spinning. TMD has already announced an “anti angle grinder” U-Lock and GPS-equipped Ring Lock coming later this year. Having my phone unlock both of my bike’s locks simultaneously would really up the convenience factor and better justify TMD’s pricing.
Right now, paying €249 when equivalent analog bike locks costs a quarter of that would be foolish for most people. The ART-2 certified ABUS 8900, for example, in the same flexible 110cm length, costs around €60 (about $68). If you can afford the TMD Chain Lock and really hate keys, or need a keyless lock that can be shared digitally with others, then have at it. Otherwise, it won’t justify its exorbitant price.
- Security rating: ART-2 certified
- Operation: Keyless Bluetooth
- Deterrence: Motion activated 100dB alarm
- TMD Locks App: Manages sharing, location tracking and more (iOS and Android compatible)
- Sizes: 70cm (1.3kg), 110cm (1.7kg) and 160cm (2.1kg)
- Colorways: Navy, Beige and Black
- Power: 9 month battery life. Charge to 100% in 2 Hours
- Durability: IP57 water and dust resistant
- Warranty: 2 years
- Pricing: from €229
All photography by Thomas Ricker / The Verge
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Apple has started charging more for some of its products, and AI is one of the big reasons why. The increases apply to select iPads and MacBooks, along with HomePod speakers and Apple TV devices. Apple’s own store pages now show higher prices on several models than earlier launch materials listed. The iPhone was not included in this round, but analysts warn that may not last.
Apple says it can no longer fully shield customers from soaring memory and storage chip costs tied to AI data center demand. The pressure comes from what some in the tech industry are calling RAMageddon. AI data centers need huge amounts of DRAM and high-bandwidth memory to train and run advanced models. Those are the same basic chip categories that help power phones, laptops, tablets, game consoles and other devices sitting in your home right now.
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APPLE TAPS GOOGLE GEMINI TO POWER APPLE INTELLIGENCE
AI demand is putting new pressure on memory chips, and Apple has started charging more for some devices. (Apple)
Why AI is making memory chips harder to get
AI gets a lot of attention for chatbots, image tools and smart assistants. Behind the scenes, though, it runs on massive hardware systems. Those systems need powerful processors. They also need a lot of memory. That is where the pressure builds. High-bandwidth memory, often called HBM, helps AI chips move huge amounts of data quickly. Data centers want more of it, and chipmakers are chasing that demand because AI hardware can bring in big money.
At the same time, everyday tech still needs regular DRAM and NAND storage. Phones use memory to keep apps running smoothly. Macs need it for multitasking. Apple’s iPad, Apple Watch and Vision Pro rely on memory and storage too. In other words, AI companies and consumer gadget makers are now competing for parts from the same broader supply chain. When supply gets tight, prices usually move one way.
Why Apple feels the squeeze
Apple has enormous buying power. That usually helps the company secure parts at better prices. But even Apple has limits when an entire market tightens.
Tim Cook, Apple’s outgoing CEO, had warned that memory costs would increasingly affect Apple after the June quarter. Now, Apple says it has reached the point where it needs to begin passing some of those costs to customers.
That is important because hardware margins are a huge part of Apple’s business. A higher memory bill can eat into profits fast, especially on premium devices that ship in massive numbers.
The iPhone escaped this round, but analysts expect Apple may raise iPhone prices in the coming months. Apple could still handle the iPhone differently by raising only Pro model prices, adjusting storage tiers, leaning on carrier promotions or pushing trade-in offers harder to soften the blow.
INSIDE APPLE MAC WEEK: NEW POWER, SMARTER AI, BOLD INNOVATIONS
Before upgrading, check your battery health, storage use and trade-in value so you know whether a new device makes sense. (Apple)
Apple has another AI problem too
This memory crunch comes at a tricky time for Apple. The company has been under pressure to show that its AI strategy can keep up with rivals. Earlier this year, Apple agreed to a $250 million settlement tied to claims that it overstated or delayed certain AI features connected to Siri and Apple Intelligence. Apple denied wrongdoing, but the case added to the pressure around its AI rollout.
Then, at WWDC 2026, Apple showed off a major Siri overhaul and the next generation of Apple Intelligence. Those features could make Apple devices more useful, especially if Siri becomes better at understanding personal context, what is on your screen and what you are trying to do. But there is a catch. More on-device AI can also raise hardware demands over time. If future Apple features need more memory, more storage or more powerful chips, the premium models may become even more expensive. That puts Apple in a tough spot. It needs to prove its AI features are worth the wait. At the same time, the parts needed to support that AI push are getting more expensive.
Which Apple products got more expensive?
The current price increases apply to select iPads and MacBooks, along with HomePod speakers and Apple TV devices.
The MacBook Neo’s starting price moved from $599 to $699, months after launch. The MacBook Air with 512GB of storage rose to $1,299 from $1,099. The 14-inch MacBook Pro with 1TB of storage rose to $1,999 from $1,699. The iPad Air with 128GB of storage rose to $749 from $599.
The price increases also hit Apple’s home devices. The HomePod mini rose to $129 from $99, while HomePod rose to $349 from $299. Apple TV rose to $199 from $129.
The iPhone is still the big product to watch because it sells in huge numbers. If Apple raises iPhone prices next, you would feel that faster than a change to a smaller product line. The Pro models may be especially vulnerable because they tend to carry more advanced chips, more memory and higher storage options.
10 THINGS I WISH I KNEW BEFORE BUYING REFURBISHED ELECTRONICS
The next iPhone launch could show whether AI-driven chip costs are about to reach the device you use every day. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
What you can do before more Apple prices rise
Here is where things get useful. You cannot control the memory chip market. But you can make a smarter buying decision before paying more than you expected.
1) Check whether you really need a new device now
Start with your current device. If the only problem is battery life, a battery replacement may buy you more time for far less than a new iPhone or Mac. That is especially true if your device still runs the latest software and handles your daily routine well.
On an iPhone, go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging. If the battery health has dropped a lot, compare the cost of service with the cost of replacing the phone. You can also check out our guide on whether you should replace your phone battery or buy a new phone.
2) Look at your storage before you overbuy
Do not guess how much storage you need. Check it first.
On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage or iPad Storage. You will see which apps, photos, videos and messages are taking up space.
On Mac, click the Apple menu > System Settings > General > Storage.
Storage controls how much you can keep on your device. Memory helps your device handle apps and tasks while you use it. Both can affect the price, but they are different things. Before paying for a bigger storage tier, try clearing space first. Delete large message attachments, remove old downloads, offload apps you rarely use and move photos or videos you want to keep onto cloud storage or an external drive.
If you are only using half your storage after years with a device, you may not need to pay for the largest storage tier next time. On the other hand, buying too little storage can become expensive too, especially if your phone is always full.
For more step-by-step help, check out our guides on how to free up iPhone storage, how to clean up your phone and how to transfer photos from your phone to a hard drive.
3) Check your Mac’s memory needs before you upgrade
If you are buying a Mac, storage is only part of the decision. Apple’s newer Macs use unified memory, and you usually cannot upgrade it later. That means the amount you choose at checkout can affect how long the computer feels fast.
On Mac, open Activity Monitor by going to Finder > Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor. Then click the Memory tab. Look at Memory Pressure.
If it stays green during your normal workday, your current memory setup may be enough. If it often turns yellow or red while you edit video, keep lots of browser tabs open or use demanding apps, more memory may be worth paying for upfront.
4) Watch current prices before the fall launches
If you already planned to buy an iPhone, iPad or Mac this year, track current pricing now. Look at Apple, carriers, major retailers and warehouse clubs. Save the current price so you can compare it later. That helps you spot a real deal versus a marketing discount that only looks good. It also helps you see whether a product has already jumped in price before you buy.
5) Look for discounts before paying full price
Before you buy directly from Apple, check whether you qualify for education pricing, employer discounts, carrier offers or warehouse club deals. Some discounts are straightforward. Others come with strings attached, especially carrier promotions. Look at the full monthly cost, not just the upfront device price.
6) Consider Apple Certified Refurbished
Apple’s Certified Refurbished store can be worth checking before paying full price. These devices go through Apple’s testing process and include a one-year warranty. The selection changes, so it works best when you have some flexibility on color, storage or model. For many people, a refurbished Mac or iPad from Apple can be a smarter buy than stretching for the newest version at the highest price. You can also check out our guides on the best ways to give your old iPhone a second life and how to know when it is time to replace your Mac.
7) Compare trade-in offers before you commit
Trade-in values can vary between Apple, carriers and retailers. Before you buy, check more than one offer. A carrier may give you a bigger credit, but it may require a specific plan or a long bill-credit period. That is where people get tripped up. A “free” phone may be tied to 24 or 36 months of service. Make sure the plan cost still makes sense.
8) Do not buy only because of AI
AI features can sound exciting during a product launch. But ask yourself what you will use every week. Better battery life, a stronger camera, more storage or a faster laptop may matter more to you than a new assistant feature. Also, some AI features can arrive later through software updates. Others may require newer hardware. Before upgrading, check which features actually work on the device you are buying.
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Your phone holds your email, passwords, photos, banking apps and personal data. In this free CyberGuy Live replay, Kurt the CyberGuy walks you step by step through simple phone security fixes you can do at your own pace. You’ll learn how to improve your privacy settings, spot the latest phone scams, use trusted security tools and walk away with a simple checklist to stay protected. Watch the replay and get our checklist here: CyberGuyLive.com
Kurt’s key takeaways
AI is no longer something happening only inside data centers. It is now affecting the price of devices you use every day. Apple has already started charging more for select iPads and Macs, along with HomePod speakers and Apple TV devices.
The iPhone escaped this round, but that may not last. Before buying anything new, check your current device first. A battery replacement, storage cleanup, trade-in offer or refurbished model may save you money. Also, do not pay extra for AI features unless you know you will actually use them.
Now that Apple prices are rising, does it make you want to pause from buying anything new and hold on to what you already have? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
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Maraget Atwood, the storied author of The Handmaid’s Tale and The Blind Assassin, was interviewed as part of the Babell Literary and Cultural Festival in Porto, Portugal. As it usually does at these things, the issue of AI came up, and Atwood didn’t mince words.
According to Deadline’s recap, Atwood said she’d used an AI chatbot exactly once, Anthropic’s Claude, and came away unimpressed. She was looking for information about the British detective series Father Brown and, well:
”Claude gave me the wrong answer, or it lied. Of course, it didn’t know it was lying because it’s not a human being; it’s a large language model… It had skimmed and sampled a lot of television reviews, but they never give away the ending in online criticism, so it was misled by the things it had read about the show.”
She didn’t have particularly kind words for the people who rely on AI either, calling them “opportunists” looking for the easy way out. But of course, as she pointed out, all LLMs are only as good as the data they’re fed, and putting your faith in a machine trained on scraped, previously published, and possibly out-of-date information isn’t the best idea.
“Human beings are not robots, but they are opportunists, so if there’s an easy way to cheat and it’s hard to detect, people will do it… But the thing about AI is that it’s garbage in, garbage out. Even people who use it for business reasons have to check it because it makes mistakes.”
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