Have a spare $300,000 sitting around? Call me: … Or you could spend it on the C SEED N1, a 4K TV that unfolds like a Transformer in 90 seconds. When you’re done binging, it turns back into a funky metal sculpture.
💤 I wasn’t getting great sleep
… until it dawned on me: I needed to up my game.
- This white noise machine uses an interior fan to create a soothing whoosh with no looping.
- A padded sleep mask doesn’t put pressure on your eyes and doesn’t let in a single ray of light.
- These smart stickers dim the glow from the LED lights on your bedroom tech. Goodbye, red light on the TV. (Only $5!)
- My friend who wears foam earplugs every night says she’s tried them all and these are the best — plus, they’re made in the USA.
- Hot sleeper? Try a cooling silk pillowcase. It’s supposedly good for hair and skin, too.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
📺 For your weekend binge: Check the time commitment before you let someone lure you into the extended-cut “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. Bingeclock is great for movies. Tiii.me has TV show times. Btw, 11 hours and 22 minutes for LOTR.
LG's new $60,000 transparent TV
LG’s latest TV offers vibrant colors, deep blacks, and turns into clear glass when off — a true sci-fi marvel.
🤑 New year, new (higher) prices: YouTube TV subscriptions are getting a $10 price hike to $82.99 per month starting in January. It’s the second increase in less than a year. At launch in 2017, YouTube TV was just $34.99 monthly. Oof, that’s a 137% jump. They say the decision wasn’t made “lightly” (with dollar signs in their eyes). It’s time to decide if you really need it.
58 years ago
The first episode of “Star Trek” debuted. Since then, Captain Kirk and his crew have starred in 850 TV episodes and 13 movies. I used to confuse “Star Wars” with “Star Trek.” What a wookie mistake.
📺 Sit in the right place: The ideal distance to sit from your TV primarily depends on its resolution.
- Standard definition (SD): Sit 4 to 6 times the screen’s vertical height away from the TV. In other words, if your TV’s height is 18 inches, you’ll want to sit about 9 feet away.
- High definition (HD or 1080p): Sit 1.5 to 2.5 times the screen’s diagonal length away.
- Ultra-high definition (UHD or 4K): Sit 1 to 1.5 times the screen’s diagonal length away.
So, if you have a 55-inch 4K TV, you’d want to sit about 55 to 82.5 inches (4.6 to 6.9 feet) away for the sharpest image and best experience. Adjust to your comfort and room size, but keep this ratio in mind!
⌛ Quick TV tip: You might be tempted to change your TV’s picture mode to Game for football, but that mode is for video games. The best setting for sports is Cinema or Movie. Sports mode is generally too bright, so the game may look washed out.
Don't fall for the allure of a cheap, huge TV
Not all discounted TVs are created equal. Here’s how those too-good-to-be-true prices might leave you with a lackluster screen and how to shop smarter this season.
📺 A TV is a watching machine: LG smart TVs now show ads before the screensaver kicks in. No word yet if it’s limited to specific models, but they’re live on the new flagship G4 T showing LG products and third-party promos. Fortunately, you can turn it off. If you have an LG, go to TV Settings > Additional Settings and disable Screen Saver Promotion.
Google Search is dying
Younger people are turning to AI chatbots, TikTok and Reddit for answers instead. Gen-Z is also sticking with older cars to avoid new tech and high costs. Plus, Chipotle is using robots for avocado prep, and we’ll show you how to turn your smart TV into a photo frame.
📺 The first time I saw a universal remote, I thought, “This changes everything”: Upgrade to a bitchin’ universal remote that controls it all and lets you set up shortcuts, aka macros. Say you make a “Movie Night” macro that turns on the TV, soundbar and streaming box, then switches the TV to the right HDMI output. This brand is regarded as the best out there. Enjoy!
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
A remote you won’t lose: The latest OS for the Apple Watch, watchOS 11, got a snazzy upgrade people who lose the TV remote often are sure to love. With watchOS 11, you can turn the Digital Crown on your smartwatch to control the volume, and you can tap the three-dot menu button to mute or unmute and power your Apple TV on or off.
🚨 Watching you, watching me: Nearly 1.3 million Android TV boxes across 197 countries are infected with Vo1d malware. Compromised devices include the R4 TV Box, the KJ-SMART4KVIP and TV Box models that use Android 12.1. All run outdated Android versions with unpatched security holes. If you have an Android TV box, make sure the firmware is updated and that it’s Play Protect certified.
Have a spare $300,000 sitting around? Call me: … Or you could spend it on the C SEED N1, a 4K TV that unfolds like a Transformer in 90 seconds. When you’re done binging, it turns back into a funky metal sculpture. You have to see this thing in action.
🍿 Grab the popcorn: If you watch YouTube on your smart TV, you’ll soon see ads when you pause a video. The video shrinks to the left and a sponsored ad column takes over the right side. To remove the ad, either resume playback or hit the “Dismiss” button. YouTube is also testing longer, unskippable ads. You can escape them with YouTube Premium, but that’ll cost you $13.99 a month.
🆕 Bluetooth 6.0 is incredible: One of the coolest new features is channel sounding, which calculates distance with crazy precision — think tracking devices with centimeter-level accuracy. Imagine finding your lost TV remote or some other gadget in an instant. Give it about a year till this tech is ready for you and me to use.
The broken promise of 'ad-free' TV
Streaming was supposed to be ad-free, but now ads are sneaking into paid plans, and free ones are packed with them. What happened? Plus, is Facebook listening through your phone? I’ll cover that, how tech is making us lonelier, and the latest AI threat.
$9,850,000
Listing price for Bob Ross’ very first painting from his TV show. He created “A Walk in the Woods” live during the 1983 premiere of “The Joy of Painting.” Yes, it features a few happy little trees.
Free TV is coming back
Think cable TV is a thing of the past? Gen-Z is rediscovering the joys of free TV and realizing that cutting the cord might not have saved them money after all.