Author: Press Room
Most people claw their mitts around a gamepad when playing games. One controller rules them all, with a D-pad, buttons, thumbsticks and triggers. But life wasn’t always so tidy. Early arcades were a mad lab of experimentation – a mess of oddball controls while everyone figured out what ‘standard’ could be. Take Defender. This hard-as-nails sideways scrolling Space Invaders had a stick that only went up and down, along with a bevvy of buttons for thrust, fire, reverse, smart bomb and hyperspace. Meanwhile, Tempest had you spin a dial to whirl a spaceship around 3D vector webs, while Centipede’s trackball sent your Bug Blaster skittering at speed around…
Soundtracks generally aren’t meant to draw too much attention to themselves; they’re supposed to play in the background of a movie or show, setting the stage without stealing the spotlight. That’s why soundtracks are a popular choice for background music when people want to work, study, or do chores; they occupy the ear without being overly distracting. But that undersells how unique and transporting a great soundtrack can be. Science fiction especially seems to inspire some great soundtracks, maybe because it allows the composer to think beyond the bounds of our world. What’s music like out there in space? Some…
The Kindle is great at collecting highlights. But when exported, they aren’t so good at helping us truly understand them. That’s where ChatGPT comes in. I have been experimenting with the Kindle + ChatGPT combo for a while. By pairing my Kindle reading with a few smart prompts, I turn every book into a one-to-one class. Here’s how I use ChatGPT, week by week, to move from passive reading to a deeper understanding. 1 Build context before reading Prime your curiosity and map the author’s ideas. Saikat Basu/MakeUseOf It takes me around four weeks to finish a thick non-fiction book…
How did I miss out on this for so long? That was all I could think as I explored the latest addition to my TV setup. It was simply too good — and the more I used it, the better it got. What blew my mind most was realizing that it’s completely free. For context, I’d seen Kodi working flawlessly before — my dad has a full Linux setup on a Raspberry Pi streaming to a big TV. I wanted the same thing without the extra hardware, so I installed Kodi directly on my Android TV. It didn’t go well.…
While great movies are consistently good throughout, I would argue that individual moments are what most people remember most about any movie they watch. I know particular scenes live in my head even years after watching them. This is true of both good and bad movies, and they stick around in my head for different reasons. So I have tried to distill the best moments in film history into a nice, concise list. It was a tough job. Think of how many great movies there are, and now think of how many great scenes are contained in those films. So…
When Halloween rolls around, it’s not just the costumes and sweets that set the mood – a great watch can do the trick too. Whether you’re after something quietly creepy or playfully macabre, a timepiece can add just the right amount of spooky flair to your wrist. From glowing dials to ghostly faces, some watches seem made to give you a little chill every time you check the time. I’ve rounded up four that perfectly capture that Halloween spirit. So pour yourself a pumpkin spice latte, queue up your favourite horror flick, and let’s take a look at four watches…
Every month, Netflix sheds lots of movies and TV shows; there are some great ones leaving the service soon that you may want to watch while you can. But it all balances out, because Netflix always adds at least as much as it subtracts. There are tons of new stuff coming in November to satisfy just about every taste, whether you like reality TV, documentaries, prestige dramas, holiday fluff, or sci-fi/fantasy. With streaming prices on the rise, people are always wondering whether they should cancel their subscriptions, but there always seem to be reasons to keep Netflix in particular around.…
Netflix is rolling out a heap of new changes to its online web app, mobile app, and overall viewing experiences in the coming weeks and months. The big idea behind most of it is user interaction; no longer will we passively engage with what’s on our screens. At least, if Netflix has anything to do with it. Speaking at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, Netflix CTO Elizabeth Stone laid the streaming giant’s next set of huge updates bare, and this time, there is a lot to take in. The Netflix homepage is being overhauled It’s time for the glow-up we’ve all been…
As a lifelong sports fan, I have repeatedly tried “free” streaming subscriptions, knowing full well that there would be hidden fees and additional costs further down the road. I recently realized I needed to cancel some subscriptions to save money, but I still had to get my sports fix without resorting to piracy. Thankfully, somebody suggested I try FreeLiveSports (formerly SportsTribal) as a fully legal sports streaming option. At first, I was skeptical, as it sounded too good to be true. However, my doubts were soon put to rest, as it quickly became my go-to sports streaming platform, and I…
Over the years, I’ve tested a fair few whacky health devices. A set of cooling gloves that claimed to help you weightlift, included. But when Withings sent me a clam-looking device to sit in my toilet bowl, even I had to do a double take. The idea is simple: the U-Scan regularly takes a sample of your urine when you go to the bathroom and gives you a quick analysis at home. As someone with an Apple Watch, Whoop, and who regularly does blood tests to get fitness data, I was instantly on board. Fast forward three months, and I’ve…