Author: Press Room

Last week was this year’s Amazon Prime Day sale. I saw deals on thousands of items including electronics, video games, movies, toys, clothing, sporting goods and outdoor gear for patios, gardens and the like. The four-day sale came to a close at the end of last week, marking the end of most savings… but not all of them. I’ve been scouring Amazon for the best Prime Day deals that are still live now that the sale is over, and have found 18 of them across every tech category to create one of the most comprehensive lists. But hurry – who…

I’ve finally done it—sold my smart TV. Now, I’m completely done with smart TVs, and any other TV for that matter, and it could just be time for you to do the same. 8 Too Much Space I’ve become more of an essentialist over the past few years. I don’t think full-on minimalism is the right way for me (at least from a material perspective), but being intentional about what I do with my time—along with the items I own—has been hugely beneficial. I regularly audit my life to determine what is and isn’t serving me, and this time, my…

Artificial intelligence is infiltrating many aspects of modern life, including our music! If you’d rather not listen to AI-generated music on your chosen music streaming service, these steps will help you identify it and avoid it altogether. 3 Identify Whether a Song Was Made by AI AI-generated music is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish from authentic music as the technology behind it continues to advance. However, with careful listening, most tracks still reveal subtle clues as to their artificial origins, and with a bit of practice, it becomes easier to see the wizard behind the curtain. 1. Are the Lyrics…

If your smart TV is horribly out-of-date, has difficulty connecting to Wi-Fi, or you’re troubleshooting, a simple USB stick has the power to solve your issue. In other words, your thumb drive has more uses other than collecting dust. Before You Start, Here’s What You’ll Need I’d love to tell you that fixing your smart TV with a USB stick is just a matter of plugging it in, but we’re not quite there yet. Luckily, you only need a handful of items to get started, which include: A USB thumb drive. The model number of your smart TV. Your TV…

Whether you’re shopping for a new smart TV or just trying to get the most out of the one already holding court in your living room, knowing which ports actually matter (and maybe why) can save you a lot of headaches down the line. 9 HDMI Digvijay Kumar / MakeUseOf HDMI is easily the most important port on a smart TV. You can plug a host of devices into it, from game consoles and streaming sticks to soundbars and Blu-ray players. And since you’ll likely want to keep multiple devices plugged in at once, your TV should have at least…

At first glance, ultra-cheap streaming boxes promise endless entertainment and high-end specs for around 25 bucks. But when you actually plug one in, the experience rarely matches the hype, and the real costs quickly start to show. The Specs Look Impressive, but Real Performance Is Often Disappointing When you browse online marketplaces, those cheap streaming boxes catch your eye with their impressive spec sheets. Manufacturers throw around big numbers because they work. The problem is that many of these numbers come from modified system files rather than actual hardware capabilities. These cheap streaming boxes are so slow that I can’t…

My smart TV has plenty of streaming apps for my entertainment, but did you know there are heaps of apps you can install that aren’t about watching movies and shows? You can get so much more out of your smart TV with these apps. 6 Capsule Podcasts I listen to podcasts on my smart TV through the Capsule podcasts app. While it’s not widely known and may not appear in the list of best podcast apps, Capsule is one of the few with a dedicated TV app, saving you the hassle of casting. Capsule offers a sleek, TV-friendly interface that’s…

For all its advantages, ChatGPT’s Deep Research tool still has some big flaws. One of the biggest is that it struggles to find up-to-date information, which can make studying more time-consuming. Scholar GPT, a custom GPT, can help you solve this problem. Finding Recent Information When I first used ChatGPT Deep Research, I tested the tool in multiple categories. While it excelled in many (it beat Copilot’s equivalent in various categories), it struggled to find up-to-date information. Much of the time, I’d have issues finding anything relevant that was newer than two years old. As far as I was concerned,…

Your smart TV’s HDR is supposed to bring an explosion of rich colors and a superior contrast ratio, but how do you know it’s working? Surprisingly, HDR isn’t always enabled automatically, but you can check yourself with these quick and easy HDR tests. 5 Check Your Smart TV’s Video Ports Digvijay Kumar / MakeUseOf Any time you’re troubleshooting a smart TV’s picture settings (or any TV, for that matter), it’s always best to start with the ports themselves. And in the case of HDR, the video ports you’re using are incredibly important because not all ports will support HDR in…

Where wires once dominated, Bluetooth now takes centre stage. If you’re looking for cordless audio, this is the list you need—from affordable in-ear options to premium earphones, we’ve ranked the best wireless earbuds available right now. Whether you’re tired of tangled wires or upgrading to a phone without a headphone jack, there’s a pair of earbuds to fit every ear and budget. These top picks are not only lightweight but deliver impressive sound, rivalling their wired counterparts. Many also enhance the experience with in-app controls and active noise cancellation for a personalized listening experience. Each pair of earbuds has been…