Author: Press Room

HDMI 2.2 is already making HDMI 2.1 look old

HDMI is the default connectivity protocol for TVs, consoles, and many more device types, but not every HDMI cable is made equal. Like USB, there are different HDMI versions, and each one has its own list of specifications and supported features. In 2026, the most common cables include the HDMI 1.4, HDMI 2.0, and HDMI 2.1 versions. The older HDMI 1.4 cables can only hit 4K resolutions at 30Hz refresh rates, while the newer HDMI 2.0 cables can comfortably handle 4K video at 60Hz. HDMI 2.1 was already a major upgrade over HDMI 2.0 and HDMI 1.4, but there’s another…

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I finally learned which ports to use on my TV and AV receiver, and it fixed my setup

HDMI is the closest thing we have to a universal video connector in 2026 — it’s used to connect TVs and A/V receivers to various input sources and output devices. However, if you’re only using the HDMI ports on your TV or A/V receiver, you might be missing out. Home theater equipment features a collection of digital and analog inputs and outputs all tailored to specific use cases. HDMI might be the best connection protocol for one kind of device, but it could be poorly suited for another. Unfortunately, many user manuals for TVs or receivers lack the proper guidance…

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Your Roku just got a permanent ad on the home screen — here’s how to minimize it

I love Roku because of the clean layout it used to have, but it’s getting harder to keep this affection going. This latest mandatory operating system update is another big blow, adding massive ads directly to the home screen and cluttering it up. It feels like the company is treating my attention as the actual product it sells to advertisers. If you’re tired of navigating a maze of sponsored rows just to find your applications, you can do some things to fight back. Related Roku’s new home screen promises less clutter, but I’m not convinced Promotional content is still everywhere…

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I tried YouTube’s new Gemini search and it finds videos in a way I didn’t expect

This past May at the Google I/O conference, Google unveiled a new search function for YouTube: “Ask YouTube” will incorporate the Gemini AI assistant to, in the words of CEO Sundar Pichai, make “information much more digestible and easy to navigate.” If you ask a question using Google’s ordinary search function, it will present you with a series of videos that purport to answer it. If you use “Ask YouTube,” you’ll get textual explanations alongside groupings of YouTube videos and shorts. And if you click into those videos, they’ll start at the point when the video is answering your question.…

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This smart carry-on case is my new favourite hack for a smooth airport security experience

Wherever you’re going and no matter how long for, there’s one part of flying I’m convinced that everyone hates: the airport security line. Having to dig through your perfectly packed travel backpack for that one bottle that’s only just over the liquids limit, or discovering this particular airport insists on removing your power bank as well as your laptop? Infuriating. Émigré, the multi-national luggage brand, has actually done something about it. The firm’s Hardcase Carry-On was designed to remove as much of the security stalling as possible, so you can speed straight through to the airport lounge and get some…

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Curved TVs were supposed to be the future of home entertainment — here’s exactly why they disappeared

We have all had that piece of tech that we were extremely excited about. Maybe yours was a new iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, a tablet, or a TV. I’ve had a lot myself, including a Nintendo Switch, some new smart home gadgets, and a 2-in-1 laptop. You tend to research when it’s coming out to find out the features that excite you the most and when you can snag it. You might have seen a video or photo from a show like CES that excited you about what the future of technology is like. Those kinds of showcases are great for…

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I replaced my PC’s built-in audio with a budget external sound card and it was worth every dollar

I was always perfectly happy with my PC’s built-in audio. My setup was expensive enough to assure me that it used premium components with noise shielding and hi-res playback support, so a separate audio device was way down my list of priorities. However, since spending an increasing amount of time creating various media, gaming, and listening to music through expensive speakers, I figured it was time to see what all the fuss was about. I went ahead and bought a used Steinberg UR22 mkII audio interface, and everything changed. This is a no-frills model that has been in production for…

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The best period drama of the decade is on Hulu and almost nobody remembers it

When you hear the words “period drama,” you might be tempted to think of something set in ye olden times, with castles and battles and clothes with lots of ruffles on them. But here in the 2020s, even shows and movies set 20, 30, or 40 years ago qualify as history, even though we can see more clearly how we got from there to here. Mrs. America is a fantastic period drama set in the United States in the 1970s, chronicling the failed attempt to pass the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). This nine-episode limited series landed on Hulu in 2020,…

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I asked Claude and ChatGPT to do the same risky tasks — Claude actually tried

Most people don’t realize how much time they lose to an AI that won’t cooperate until they’re already mid-project. It’s not common to have to deal with a refusal for a prompt that was never unreasonable to begin with. Even with rephrasing and hedging, it’s hard to get them to see why you needed the answer in the first place. However, it seems like Claude is better for this. Related ChatGPT’s decline is real — I tested it against Claude on 3 routine tasks, and it lost every time What happened, ChatGPT? We used to be cool. AI models have…

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Best electric shavers in 2026 to keep stubble in check

Scraping away at your chin with a tiny metal blade feels like something out of the 19th century – just one step beyond sharpening a flint before heading out to hunt a woolly mammoth. These days, we have far more civilised options at our disposal. Enter the best electric shavers: modern, convenient, and much gentler on your skin. Gone are the days of leaving your face red, irritated, and puffy. The rechargeable electric shavers we’re showcasing here represent the top tier of shaving technology. With multiple precision blades, easy-to-clean heads, and a touch of luxury, they’re designed to elevate your…

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