PBS is facing challenging times with the recent withdrawal of its federal funding. While the current administration dismantles many institutions, this one hits the hardest. PBS has been an institution for free news and entertainment for decades, showcasing the most educational and culturally enriching TV programming. I signed up for a monthly donation to my local PBS station to do my part. With my donation, I was granted access to thePBS streaming application, Passport, which showcases a vast library of streaming titles and live-streaming channels....

Quick Links I recently made the big switch from Spotify to Apple Music, hoping for a less frustrating experience. Despite liking quite a bit about Apple Music, I found myself returning to Spotify after only two months. There was one feature I just couldn’t live without. Why I Tried Apple Music As a long-time Spotify user, I’ve been pretty open aboutmy frustrations with the service in the past, but it seems to be the one that most closely aligns with how I listen to music....

Quick Links As good as phone cameras have become, they could provide much better shots by using detachable lenses, just like dedicated cameras do. I would love for this to be a thing. Like Most People, My Camera Is My Phone You know the adage: the best camera is the one you have on you. For many years, this felt like a sacrifice. Phone cameras couldn’t quite compare to portable digital cameras, but the photos were fine enough that it wasn’t worth carrying around that extra bulk....

Summary Shortly ahead of CES 2025, LG announced a microwave with a 27-inch screen on the front, and to most people this idea probably seems a little silly at first glance. Except, the more I think about it, the more sense this makes compared to any other “smart” kitchen product with a big screen we’ve seen so far. A Microwave Already Kind of Looks Like a TV Of all the things in a kitchen to put a screen on, a microwave makes the most sense aesthetically....

Quick Links Summary The iPhone looks great in the dark mode, especially those with an OLED screen. However, for some reason, iOS doesn’t consistently apply the dark theme to every visual element. Thankfully, you can fix that. What Is the Issue With Dark Mode on iOS 18? Dark mode has been available on iPhonesfor quite some time. Whether it’s for aesthetic appeal or just to save some battery life (yes, it reduces power consumption), many iPhone users set the phone permanently on dark appearance mode....

Quick Links Some things can only truly be appreciated after you try them for yourself. I’ve known about laptop docking stations for years, but it wasn’t until I got my first MacBook that I finally understood how awesome (and freeing) they are. First, a Goodbye There were a few dominos that had to fall before I could discover docking stations for myself. This might sound completely unrelated, but stick with me....

Microsoft has revealed a new 13-inch Surface Laptop, powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Plus chipset instead of Intel or ARM processors. Unfortunately, the base configuration is less powerful and more expensive than the previous Surface Laptop. You might remember last year’s7th generation Surface Laptopand11th generation Surface Pro, which used Qualcomm’s then-new Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus chipsets instead of x86 processors. Those models were much closer to Apple’s MacBook Air in power efficiency and battery life than most other Windows PCs, and now there’s a new Surface Laptop alongside theupdated Surface Pro....

Summary TheMSI MAG 341CQP QD-OLEDmonitor is a treat for the eyes, offering a crisp, vibrant display with a few hiccups that are easy to overlook. As a high-end brand well-known in the gaming industry, it’s no surprise MSI captured the sleek, visual beauty developers seek to achieve on its newest OLED. MSI MAG 341CQP QD-OLED The MSI MAG 341CQP QD-OLED is a beautiful 34-inch panel made to enhance the modern gaming experience with its 175Hz Adaptive Sync refresh and host of game-improving features....

Summary Charging up your phone or your controller has looked exactly the same for decades—you may plug in a cable or, more recently, you can place it in a charging pad and have it charged wirelessly. This won’t fundamentally change that, but at least you’ll look cooler doing it. Nanoleaf has just introduced a new multifunctional desk accessory, the Pegboard Desk Dock. The product itself incorporates 32 full-color RGB LEDs distributed on both its front and back surfaces....

It’s important to stay on top of security updates in this ever-changing online world. New vulnerabilities and issues on ourhardwareandsoftwarepop up every day, after all, and hackers and cybercriminals don’t waste a second to take advantage of them. Now, a dangerous vulnerability has been discovered that affects countless computers through UEFI. A new vulnerability dubbed LogoFAIL has been uncovered and documented by researchers. It’s an issue in the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI), the piece of software that’s responsible for booting most Windows and Linux computers, or what you would usually call a BIOS on modern devices....

After Microsoft bought Nokia’s smartphone division, then shut it down after Windows Phone collapsed, some former Nokia executives formed HMD to sell Android-based Nokia phones. Now, HMD might be done with Nokia-branded smartphones. The HMD website lists Nokia-branded phones, including the Nokia XR21 released in mid-2023, as “no longer available.” The company’s website still offers a lineup ofHMD’s own Android-powered smartphones, including the Arc, Aura, Key, Fusion, Skyline, and Pulse, but its Nokia-branded devices have been relegated to apage dedicated to legacy devices....

Summary ThePlugable PT-STANDX Foldable Tablet and Laptop Standisn’t a complicated accessory, but I had a few struggles with some of its most basic functions that give me some pause from a blanket recommendation. Still, it’s going to be tough to find a portable stand that’s priced as low as this model. Plugable PT-STANDX Foldable Tablet and Laptop Stand Designed to support devices up to 16-inch and 11lbs (5kg) it’s the perfect fit for a variety of laptops and tablets....

Summary Razer’s peripherals are pretty cool, but with the fact that they’re made for PC gaming and Windows remains the top platform for PC gaming, other operating systems have been neglected. At long last, Razer’s Synapse software is finally becoming available on macOS, so you can manage them all. Razer’s Synapse software, which was previously only available on Windows, has finally landed on macOS. In case you’re not familiar with what Synapse is, it’s a comprehensive software tool designed to let you properly manage all of your Razer peripherals....