Author: Press Room
I’ve been buying movies digitally for a long time. Some of my oldest purchases go back more than 15 years to Vudu, back when it was still called Vudu. Since then, I’ve bought just over 100 movies on Apple, about 30 on the ever-practical Amazon Prime Video, and two on Google Play, which now lives inside YouTube. That’s a decent library. It’s also a mess. Every movie is locked to the store I bought it from, and I rarely remember which one. Movies Anywhere fixes a good chunk of that. It’s free, it took me about 10 minutes to set…
The Android vs. iPhone debate probably won’t end anytime soon, and interestingly, that rivalry follows you into your car, too. People have equally strong opinions about Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and after spending a good amount of time using both in my own car, I get why. Android Auto certainly has its advantages, especially in customization. You can fine-tune notifications, decide how much information appears on your dashboard, and use voice commands to make certain parts of your driving routine easier. There’s plenty to play around with, and as someone who enjoys tinkering with technology, I appreciate that freedom.…
A lot has gone wrong with Xbox lately, from mishandling its premium IPs like Halo and Gears of War to raising its Game Pass subscription prices and putting everyone’s backs up. However, Xbox seems to be getting at least one thing right: its consoles. And surprisingly enough, that thing is the new upscaling tech that’s coming to the current-gen Xbox systems. The upgrade comes courtesy of AMD, in the form of FSR 4.1. And trust me, FSR 4.1 is much more than a simple version upgrade, a la DLSS 4.5. Instead, on consoles, it’ll be as revolutionary as Sony’s PSSR.…
Running a dedicated server like Plex or Jellyfin has long been the default recommendation for anyone looking to build their own collection of TV shows and movies. These platforms allow those files to be streamed to devices around the home, but they may also include cloud options, remote streaming capabilities, and even ad-supported services. And with these features, getting a media server up and running has become increasingly complicated. These servers are also more bloated than ever. For those who miss the days of watching content without paying streaming or subscription fees, combining Kodi and LibreELEC can be the answer.…
After more than 13 years, or 4,811 days of waiting, Rockstar is finally releasing GTA 6. Following tradition with other recent Rockstar releases, GTA 6 will be console-exclusive at launch, with a PC port expected in 2027. For those who want a taste of what Rockstar has been cooking for nearly a decade, a console is the only way in. GTA 6 is the biggest release in a decade, to the point that buying a console specifically for the game is a real consideration, but current prices will make anyone think twice before dropping that kind of money. Fortunately, there’s…
When it comes to playing PC games on Android, there are a few options, but none of them seem to offer a SteamOS-like experience. Up until now, that is. DroidDeck on Android can quite literally turn any Android device into a Steam Deck, and there’s no streaming trickery involved. Related My old Android phone runs real Windows games locally, and this wrapper is why It’s just for fun, nothing else. Installing DroidDeck on Android Configuration tips and some extra features Credit: Dipan Saha/MakeUseOf Installing DroidDeck is simple, but you can’t find the app on the Play Store. You’ll want to make…
Most folks discover HDMI-CEC by accident. You press play on a streaming stick or connect a PlayStation, the TV wakes up and switches inputs on its own, and you assume it was a lucky quirk. Well, it wasn’t. There’s a small control feature built into your HDMI cables that’s doing the work, and most TVs hide this feature under a name you’d never search for. Once you know what it can do, you can retire a drawer full of remotes. Related How I Use This Magic HDMI Feature to Simplify My Streaming Setup I wish I’d started using this HDMI…
Nothing is more annoying than navigating a sluggish media center UI because your streaming device has started thermal throttling. Much like any other “smart” device, streaming modules such as the Fire TV Stick are prone to overheating, despite their limited computational power. This is even more common among older units, which start thermal throttling within a couple of hours (if not earlier) of use. This has been the case with my old third-gen Fire TV Stick, which overheated within a few hours of regular streaming. Thankfully, changing a handful of settings on the device itself saved me the headache of…
Subscription fatigue is real, and I’ve been slowly building a digital music library to lessen my reliance on streaming services like Apple Music. In parallel, I’ve assembled a physical media collection of vinyl records, CDs, and cassettes with some of my favorite music. As a result of that hard work, if music streaming services disappeared from the face of the earth today, I wouldn’t miss them. I have a sustainable, self-hosted media library that didn’t cost a fortune to put together, and it’s all thanks to an affordable USB accessory most people forgot about: the external optical drive. It’s inexpensive,…
Jellyfin has become my favorite way to stream my personal media library, but its UI always felt a little generic. Having previously used Kodi as my media player, I found its customizable skins to be one of its biggest perks, and while searching for a Jellyfin equivalent, I stumbled upon Moonfin. This third-party Jellyfin client offers a more modern, customizable interface across a range of devices, transforming my user experience, and it’s hard to go back to the original. Moonfin gives Jellyfin a fresh coat of paint I was drawn to Jellyfin’s flexibility and control; however, its default interface may…