Author: Press Room

I cleaned my smart TV out of boredom and it actually runs better now

One lazy Sunday, I was parked in front of my TV trying to watch a show, but the buffering wheel kept interrupting every few minutes. Somewhere between the third loading screen and my growing irritation, I noticed how filthy the TV had become. Dust was packed into the rear vents, the HDMI ports looked abandoned, and the screen had this dull layer over it that I’d somehow stopped noticing over time. Out of pure boredom, I unplugged everything and started cleaning it with a microfiber cloth, a soft brush around the vents, and a few minutes spent wiping years of…

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My smart TV was slow because it was quietly playing video ads while I browsed — disabling it fixed everything

Smart TVs are not just display panels with input selectors. Manufacturers have turned them into tracking networks built to log what you’re looking at. These TVs use Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) software to take constant visual or acoustic screenshots of your screen. Running this in the background makes the processor work harder than it needs to, and you get delayed remote commands and slow menus as a result. You need to turn it off as soon as you can. Related Your smart TV is snitching on your watch history — here’s how to stop it completely I’m really not down…

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A free app saved my OLED TV from what I was certain was permanent damage

If I had to choose between my OLED TV and oxygen, I’d have to give the matter serious thought … before reluctantly opting for O₂. Even though I adore “Light-Emitting Diode” displays, I have to admit this television tech has its flaws. As much as I worry about dreaded screen burn, there’s an equally annoying defect that can befall all manner of TVs, OLED or not. Said defect is the possibility of stuck pixels popping up. The threat of temporarily frozen pixels has loomed over many displays I’ve owned in the past, from smart TVs to the various iPads I’ve…

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6 new sci-fi and fantasy shows to get deliriously excited about in June

June is here. The sun is shining and the weather is warm, so now is the perfect time to hole up in your living room and binge some great TV. And the powers that be are making it easy for you. There are several great sci-fi and fantasy shows worth paying attention to this month, from remakes of beloved classics to bold new literary adaptations. Here’s what’s on the docket: Related 10 modern TV shows you can watch in any order you want without getting lost Whether you want to laugh, cry, or get scared out of your mind, these…

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I think the BYD Ti7 offers way better value than a Land Rover Defender – but is it as good as one?

Introduction Incredibly, the BYD Ti7 already sells at a rate of 15,000 units a month in China. Over there, it lives under the slightly-less-snappy-than-BYD banner of FangChengBao; the UK is set to get essentially the same car I’ve just driven, but with BYD badging later in 2026. It’ll come with a four-wheel drive, plug-in powertrain complete with impressive EV only range of up to 79 miles, a premium seven seat interior and, naturally, a small mountain of top tech. I think it could do really well for buyers looking for value but with a big, bold persona that looks like…

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I love the way BYD Flash Charging offers filling station convenience for EV owners, and it works anywhere

Say what you like about electric cars, but one of the biggest hurdles for convincing people to get one is the charging – particularly out on the road. Things are getting better but Chinese car make BYD wants to make the task even simpler with its Flash Charger technology, which has the potential to take on Tesla’s visionary charging infrastructure worldwide. BYD even plans to bring it to the UK and, boy, do we need it. BYD’s Flash Chargers are just that; fast with electricity being dispensed at up to 1,500kW per connector using a compatible vehicle, which is up…

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ASUS’ new laptop lineup finally kills the budget-versus-premium divide

Summary ASUS makes aluminum, premium builds standard across Vivobook, Zenbook, ExpertBook. New agentic AI unifies workflows (work, life, travel) and lets you balance cloud versus local token processing. The business-focused ExpertBook gains all-aluminum chassis, garaged stylus, 50% longer battery and post-quantum security. The tech giant ASUS has just announced a sweeping refresh of its laptop lineup, with high-end features—like all-aluminum chassis and next-gen AI processors—standard across its entire range, not just the flagship models. Here’s everything you need to know. Related MakeUseOf’s Best Laptops of CES 2025 Awards CES 2025 didn’t disappoint when it comes to new laptops. ASUS at…

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I found Roku channels that aren’t in the store, and they’re actually worth watching

A few weeks back, I went hunting for a Roku channel I remembered using years ago — some niche indie film vault I’d added by code on my old setup. It wasn’t in the Channel Store on any of my three TCL Roku TVs. And it wasn’t on the Roku website either. What happened was Roku quietly killed the whole non-certified channel system back in February 2022, and everything I’d collected got swept up with it. But the “Add channel with a code” page at my.roku.com is still alive, and after a few hours of Roku tinkering, I came away…

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I kept my 4K Blu-ray player while everyone switched to streaming — these are the reasons I was right

Since I bought it back in November 2024, I’ve barely touched my PS5 Pro. Why would I, when my PC costs more than my car? Actually, let me rephrase that: I’ve hardly used Sony’s prosumer machine as a games console. As a media device, my PS5 Pro gets a ton of use. Like the base PS5, the Pro is a solid entry-level 4K Blu-ray player. Though annoyingly, you have to buy an optional $80 disc drive for the upgraded system. Despite that irritating additional expense, I use my PS5 Pro weekly purely because of its ability to play my 4K…

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I cut the cord years ago and I still watch local news for free — here’s how

I cut the cord years ago, and I still watch local news for free — here’s how When I finally canceled my premium TV subscription, I had the same hesitation most people do: What about live television? It’s easy to replace most shows and movies with streaming services, but losing immediate access to local breaking news, regional weather alerts, and community updates feels like a real trade-off. The truth is, paying a massive monthly bill just to see what is happening in your own backyard is unnecessary. Two years into life without a cable box, I actually watch more local…

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