Summary We’re taught as children that violence isn’t the answer, but when it comes to the televisions of yore, popular culture and possibly someone you knew in real life may have “fixed” a wonky TV by giving it a spirited whack. Was this just superstition, or did smacking the TV actually fix it? What Kinds Of TVs Could Take a Hit? Not all TVs are made equal, and if you attempt to give yourOLED flat panela slap, you’ll likely have a broken TV if it wasn’t broken already....

YouTube is an endless sea of content for all audiences, whatever you’re into. But YouTube isn’t just for streaming video, since you can now play free games in your browser YouTube’s new “Playables” catalog. What Are YouTube’s “Playables?” The Playables section of YouTube is a specific category dedicated to a variety of games playable directly on the browser version of the site. Most games are simply ports of existing games from mobile devices, but they do not require a separate download....

The Fedora Linux project is “jumping on the RISC-V train,” joining other Linux distributions in supporting the emerging CPU architecture. RISC-Vis an open-standard Instruction Set Architecture (ISA), intended as an alternative to the x86 architecture used in most desktop and laptops, and the ARM architecture used in most phones and tablets. Thedifficult legacy architecture of x86and thecomplex licensing of ARMhas caused some companies to more seriously consider RISC-V as the computing platform of the future....

Video game sequels aren’t as common as many would hope. Sure, plenty of popular series likeCall of DutyandAssassin’s Creedrelease new installments all the time, but many other beloved games don’t seem to be coming back anytime soon. Fortunately, sequels aren’t the only way to continue a video game franchise. Even without the support of the original creators, any series can make a resurgence through a spiritual successor. Spiritual Successors Continue the Legacy of Other Series A spiritual successor is an original work that takes heavy inspiration from another series, acting almost as an indirect sequel in everything but name....

Quick Links Notepad might look simple, but beneath its minimalist surface are hidden tricks that can boost your productivity and add a bit of fun. Whether logging tasks or playing with scripts, these features might surprise you. Windows Notepad has been around since the early days of Windows, making its debut in 1983 alongsideMS-DOS. It’s one of the simplest text editors out there and has managed to stick around through countless Windows iterations....

Summary I’m on my third and probably final 3DS console, with my New 3DS XL sleeping soundly beside my bed every night, but many people missed out on Nintendo’s amazing little machine and haven’t experienced the magic of autostereoscopy—glasses-free 3D. Glasses-Free 3D Is a Major Achievement There have been many attempts at bringing 3D technology to market, but almost all of them have requires some sort of special glasses. From the passive 3D glasses you get at the cinema, to active shutter glasses for home 3D TVs, and, of course, modern VR headsets that strap to your face, there’s always a bit of baggage that comes with true 3D images....

Summary They say that you’re never more than six feet from a rat, and these days, the same is probably true of podcasters. It seems that almost everyone on the planet either has a podcast or is going to start one. With Google Gemini you can now create your own bespoke podcasts using a feature called Audio Overviews. All you need to do is upload a document, and Gemini will create a short podcast deep dive into the contents of the document with two AI hosts....

Google’s newly announced Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro come with another round of trade-in offers. Smartphone makers use trade-ins to bring in new users, and Google is going hard to court iPhone and Apple Watch owners. Somewhat embarrassingly so. Device trade-ins have become a battleground for smartphone companies and carriers. Often, these companies overpay for used phones to keep you using their products and services.Carriers are more incentivized to do thisbecause they can offset the trade-in cost with the money they make from your phone plan, but Apple, Samsung, and Google offer trade-in deals, too....

True wireless earbuds are as common as they get these days, but there are some annoying problems with them. Google just added something for its Pixel Buds that might help a lot with one of my biggest gripes with wireless earbuds in general. Google has released a new update for itsPixel Buds Pro 2earbuds. It’s mosly a boring bug fix update, but it adds a tiny, yet important, quality-of-life addition. The case can now make a sound when you have properly placed your earbuds inside and they begin charging, if you enable the feature....

Summary Your Windows login isn’t exactly military-grade security, but you may typically sleep with the peace of mind that no one will get into your computer unless they know your password, and no one should be able to. Right now, though, an exploit is letting some malicious actors past a number of computers, but the good part is that fixes are already out. A set of five critical vulnerabilities, collectively dubbed “ReVault,” have been discovered in the firmware of over 100 models of Dell business laptops....

Quick Links Summary Video game peripherals are typically sideshows at CES, but this year that all changed when accessory manufacturer Genki showed off detailed Nintendo Switch 2 mockups. Here’s everything I took away from this unexpected showcase. Why I Believe This Leak Leaks are a tricky business. They’re easily faked, often tread on murky legal grounds, and can be damaging to the companies involved. Plus, from an audience perspective, they quickly become fatiguing....

Summary Many people strongly prefer mechanical keyboards for the distinct typing feel they provide. Their trademark clicking and clacking can be a dealbreaker, though, if you are shopping for a new keyboard to use in a shared space. Luckily, there are ways to get an idea of how noisy a mechanical keyboard will be before you buy. Check the Keycap Material Mechanical keyboards generally feature keycaps made of either Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) or Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT)....

Quick Links Did you know that your iPhone can be the only thing you need to facilitate a smooth move? Well, kind of. Moving house can be an extremely overwhelming process, especially if you’re doing it on your own. Recently, I moved house, and coordinated everything using my iPhone. Here’s how I used the device in my pocket to make my moving process easier, and which apps helped me with moving-related tasks....