Author: Press Room
Buckle in, folks… the following makes for grim reading for anyone wanting to upgrade their smartphone, laptop, games console or computer in 2026 and beyond. The global memory shortage shows no sign of abating any time soon, which means the prices of consumer electronics and computer components are only going in one direction. If you’ve been living under a rock, the tech world’s ongoing obsession with artificial intelligence (AI) has sent demand for datacenters soaring so high that the hardware suppliers simply can’t keep up. The ‘big three’ memory manufacturers – Micron, Samsung and SK Hynix – have diverted their…
Two 65-inch TVs hang on my basement walls, and their price tags aren’t close. One is a Hisense CanvasTV that ran about $1,000. The other is a TCL 4-Series Roku TV I grabbed for roughly $300 a few years back. I’ve written before about how the Hisense’s matte screen makes it read like a framed painting, so I figured the expensive set would pull away the second both were in view. From my couch, eight feet back, it didn’t. For everyday streaming, the two sit much closer than the price gap implies. Only two things told them apart from there:…
The sun’s out… or at least, it is somewhere in the world. But tackling the outdoors and withstanding a torrential downpour to the face is all part of the hiking experience. Seasoned veterans will know how to handle the elements, and will likely have all the gear needed to keep you warm, dry and on the right path. But most of us aren’t as prepared as the anorak-wearing anoraks. Wandering into the great outdoors on a whim may give off a Jane Eyre vibe, but we have shoes with ankle support and breathable materials in the 21st century so you…
Testing camping gear is one of my favourite parts of the job. Space and weight are always at a premium when camping, so the best kit has to earn its place twice over, multitasking and holding up under pressure. That’s exactly why I was excited to take the Dometic Go Area Camp Light out on a recent trip. A modern design The first thing that gets you is the design. It’s not trying to look “outdoorsy” in that overly rugged, over-engineered way a lot of camping gear does. It’s compact, it’s clean, and it wouldn’t look out of place next…
The Roku Streambar I have in my bedroom started buffering in the evenings when I wanted to just chill and watch some TV. The obvious checks came up clean. Roku’s own network test, found under Settings > Network > Check connection, kept reporting “Connection check was successful” with a simple OK button. My other devices streamed fine on the same network. So the Roku insisted it was healthy while buffering two or three times an episode. The tool that I finally found is a diagnostic screen Roku ships on every device but never mentions anywhere, reachable only by a button…
Jeep has been busy boosting its range, with updates to both the Avenger and this, the Jeep Compass. I loved the Avenger when I drove it a few years ago and now there’s an 85th Anniversary Edition model that tops off a selection including e-Hybrid, full electric and 4XE powertrain variants. There’s even a manual petrol Turbo 100 option for good measure. It’s a compact and very decent on and off-road option. Focusing on the latter, though, there are a couple of key additions to the Compass line-up. The dual motor, all-wheel drive Compass 4XE is capable of over 370…
Building a PC in times like these is hard — rising RAM and SSD prices have made it so that the majority of a build’s budget is gone before you even choose a CPU or GPU. I’ve been tasked with building a PC for a dear friend of mine for $1,500, and my reputation as a tech journalist is on the line because I have to impress him by getting the best PC for the money. For that, I thought of consulting with ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini to get a baseline of what I could expect, then continue with my…
Summary Kindles will gain user-replaceable batteries to comply with a new EU law. New Kindle designs roll out worldwide starting in Europe; pre-orders expected around Q3 2026. User-replaceable batteries make repairs and longevity easier, reduce e-waste; may cut thinness or water resistance. Amazon is set to refresh its range of Kindle designs this year to comply with a new EU battery law taking effect in early 2027, according to Goodereader. The new regulation requires manufacturers to make device batteries easier for consumers to remove and replace to support longer product lifespans and decrease electronic waste. For readers, this means Kindles…
The Pitt is not only the biggest medical drama on HBO, but the biggest medical drama on TV at the moment. Audiences everywhere love the interlocking storylines, the unique structure in which every episode runs an hour during a shift at the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center, the characters, the high-stakes drama, and the connections to older series like ER. But The Pitt isn’t the first medical show HBO has produced, nor is it even necessarily the best. Getting On is a forgotten HBO gem The cast is incredible Getting On is a medical sitcom that ran for three seasons on…
If you’ve used Windows for years, as most folks have, you’ve probably encountered an audio feature known as Windows Sonic. I’m guessing you turned it on, wondered what on earth was happening, then switched it off forever. A totally understandable reaction, and millions will have done the same. Windows’ built-in spatial audio tool was never great, especially compared to tools like Dolby Atmos and DTS Headphone:X. It even rated poorly against regular stereo audio. But over the years, Windows Sonic has improved. It’s still not perfect, mind, but it’s very much worth another try, and for a few good reasons.…