Physical media, including vinyls, cassettes, and CDs are all the rage right now. If you’re looking to dust off your collection of DVDs and put them to use in your Windows PC, getting them playing is quite easy. Unfortunately, Blu-rays are more complicated, but you have a few options there too. Get a DVD or Blu-ray Player The first thing you need to do if you want to play back DVDs or Blu-rays is get a disk drive, since they’re not included with most PCs anymore....

Quick Links Summary Here are your best options for playing Xbox games on your PC: You can now play many Xbox games on your PC without owning an Xbox console. All you need is the Xbox app and an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription. You can also buy some Xbox apps that have been ported to PC—or try an emulator. How to Play Xbox Games on PC The most straightforward way to enjoy Xbox games on your PC is to get the Xbox app on your Windows computer....

Quick Links Summary To create a Shared Library, on iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Photos. Tap “Shared Library” and “Get Started.” On Mac, launch the Photos app and select Photos > Settings > Shared Library > Get Started. you may now choose participants and decide what photos and videos to share. It’s easier than ever before for Apple users to share photos and videos with close friends and family through the iCloud Shared Photo Library....

Summary When the network is overloaded, or when you’re too far out for towers to reach you, most messaging apps stall. But there are apps that let you message anyway without cellular or the internet. You just have to set them up ahead of time. What These Apps Actually Do Most messaging apps need the internet to work. Even if the person you’re texting is standing next to you, your message still goes up to a server and comes back down....

Summary If you have an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max, you may feel a little cheated. Your iPhone can run Apple Intelligence but doesn’t get the Visual Intelligence feature available on iPhone 16 models. Thankfully, you can recreate most of what this feature does by using the Shortcuts app and Google Lens. What Is Visual Intelligence on iPhone 16? Visual Intelligence is part of Apple’s suite of AI-poweredApple Intelligence tools....

Quick Links Epic Games has released a mobile version of its digital marketplace to compete with Google Play. It’s early days still, but I’ve already opted to buy three games from Epic rather than Google. Today I’ll explain why I did that. Here Are the Games I Bought The Epic Games library isn’t that large, but there are some gems already available. Which ones did I grab? 1. Figment Figmentis an indie game first released in 2017....

Summary I’ve been a fan ofDOOMsince I first got to play it in the late 90s, but fell off the wagon withDOOM 3. DOOM’s 2016 reboot brought me back hard, but its sequel,DOOM Eternalleft a bad taste in my mouth. Now my hopes are onDOOM: The Dark Agesto give us more of the real DOOM experience. DOOM 2016 Was a Pitch-Perfect Reimagining While DOOM 3 was an interesting game, and one of the reasons I bought a new graphics card, alongsideHalf-Life 2, it turned out to be a very different kind of game than classic DOOM titles....

Quick Links Summary The GNOME GSConnect app lets you do much more than just transfer files. you’re able to also use it to automate other tasks and keep your Linux computer and Android smartphone in sync. What Is GSConnect? GSConnect is a complete redevelopment of the KDE Connect application that comes bundled as part of theKDE Plasma desktop. GSConnect doesn’t contain any KDE Connect code, but it does replicate all of its functionality for GNOME desktop users....

Quick Links Summary An emphasis on cloud computing makes smart cameras expensive, annoying, and vulnerable to hackers. Smart security cameras should help us protect our privacy and property. But cloud computing, the cornerstone of today’s smart home tech, is a machine that must stay in motion. It violates user privacy, and it intentionally creates friction to sell subscriptions, upgrades, and other nonsense. Smart Homes Are a Hassle I’ve owned and tested several smart security cameras....

The KDE project, which maintains the Plasma desktop environment and dozens of open-source applications for Linux and other platforms, is making the case for Windows 10 users to switch to Linux. KDE says you should “upgrade the smart way” by switching to a Linux distribution with the Plasma desktop environment. The‘End of 10’ projectkicked off as a cross-community effort to help people move from Windows 10 to desktop Linux, as we get closer to the June 30, 2025 end-of-life date for Windows 10....

Summary Finding the perfect tablet keyboard can be difficult if you don’t want to shell out big bucks for a keyboard case. Meanwhile, plenty of cheap wireless keyboards break quickly or just feel bad to type on. TheKeychron B1 Prois an admirable solution to this conundrum. Keychron B1 Pro The Keychron B1 Pro is a low-profile keyboard with good ergonomics, three connectivity modes, and long battery life. Price and Availability The Keychron B1 Pro is available for $39....

Quick Links Summary With the muscle of a larger laptop, theLenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 3packs power into a tiny, lightweight size. Despite minor faults, the X1 Nano Gen 3 is the perfect solution for digital nomads and on-the-go business professionals. People who want the trustworthy name of ThinkPad won’t find themselves disillusioned with the Nano version. The ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 3 delivers precise processing in the ThinkPad tradition and hearkens back to theThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen 10)I reviewed in 2022....

Smart locks have come a long way. We went from using keys only to enter our houses to PIN codes, fingerprints, voice controls, and even tapping our smartwatches. Lockly took home security to the next level with its $349Visage smart lock, though, using an image of your face to unlock your door—and I’m mostly impressed. Lockly Visage The Lockly Visage smart lock is a unique piece of smart home gear as it delivers multiple ways to unlock your door....