gear – The News Desk

The owner of Redbox has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy

29Jun

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Technology

The owner of Redbox has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy

Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, which acquired the movie rental service Redbox in 2022, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, Deadline reports. The company recently disclosed net losses of $636.6 million for 2023 in a SEC filing, and Deadline reported just a few days ago that it had suspended medical benefits and missed payroll, leaving employees without their paychecks for a week already. In a message to employees on Saturday, Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment said it had applied for a debtor-in-possession loan in an attempt to remedy the situation.“Upon court approval, we expect payroll to be funded early in the week and funding for this upcoming week’s payroll to also be secured,” the message said, per Deadline. “We also expect to have the funds to reinstate me...

NASA confirms its space trash pierced Florida man’s roof

16Apr

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NASA confirms its space trash pierced Florida man’s roof

On March 8, a piece of space debris plunged through a roof in Naples, FL, ripped through two floors and (fortunately) missed the son of homeowner Alejandro Otero. On Tuesday, NASA confirmed the results of its analysis of the incident. As suspected, it’s a piece of equipment dumped from the International Space Station (ISS) three years ago.NASA’s investigation of the object at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral confirmed it was a piece of the EP-9 support equipment used to mount batteries onto a cargo pallet, which the ISS’ robotic arm dropped on March 11, 2021. The haul, made up of discarded nickel-hydrogen batteries, was expected to orbit Earth between two to four years (it split the difference, lasting almost exactly three) “before burning up harmlessly in the atmosphere,” as NASA p...

The Kasa Smart Plugs Mini EP25 four-pack is down to its lowest price yet

16Apr

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The Kasa Smart Plugs Mini EP25 four-pack is down to its lowest price yet

There's something truly nice about not having to get up when you realize that light across the room is still on. If you're looking for that ease then check out the current sale on our favorite smart plug. The Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 four-pack is on sale for $32.58, down from $50. The initial deal cuts its price to $37.58 with a $5 coupon available at checkout (though its limited to one per order).Kasa SmartThe Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 works with Android and iOS devices and offers assistant support from Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri and Samsung SmartThings. The plug has a stable connection, and you can give each one a unique name for easy control. The app is also clean and intuitive to use, with features such as timers, vacation mode and schedules.There's also a deal on Amazon's Smart P...

Threads is testing real-time search results

16Apr

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Threads is testing real-time search results

Meta’s Threads app is often described as the company’s competitor to X. But Threads users, especially those once active on Twitter, are often quick to point out that Meta’s app is not yet a great source for real-time information. The app’s “for you” algorithm often surfaces days-old posts alongside fresh ones, and its recently introduced feature only shows five topics at a time. But for those holding out hope that the app may eventually become more useful for real-time information, Meta’s latest test may be good news.The app is testing a new search feature that will allow users to filter results by recency, according to shared by Threads user Daniel Rodriguez. Threads’ top exec, Adam Mosseri, confirmed the change. “We’re starting to test this with a small number of people so it’s easier...

Rode’s $90 MagSafe mount lets you attach pro lights and mics to your iPhone

15Apr

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Rode’s $90 MagSafe mount lets you attach pro lights and mics to your iPhone

Modern iPhone cameras are extremely capable video recorders, but typically require accessories like lights and microphones to ensure professional results. Audio gear manufacturer Rode just announced a pair of gadgets intended to simplify this process, so streamers won’t have to build a cumbersome rig in the computer room or haul one to an outdoor space.The Rode Magnetic Mount is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a MagSafe mount with a pair of connection points for accessories like the aforementioned lights and microphones. There are two adjustable cold shoe arms that allow people to use the phone in portrait or landscape mode. For the uninitiated, “cold shoe” refers to metal connection brackets that lack power, whereas “hot shoe” would refer to metal connection brackets that feature elect...

Samsung’s new 98-inch Crystal UHD TV is now available

15Apr

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Samsung’s new 98-inch Crystal UHD TV is now available

It's been a few months since we've heard any details about latest 98-inch TV, which we . Now, the company has offered up more information about the 98" Class Crystal UHD (DU9000), which is available starting today for $4,000 from its own webstore and select retailers.Samsung previously revealed that this model uses an AI-powered feature to optimize picture quality for the larger screen. Typically, as screens get bigger so do their pixels. However, with Supersize Picture Enhancer (which the company's other current 98-inch models boast), Samsung says it can increase sharpness and reduce visible noise to ensure there's no pixel distortion.Other features of the DU9000 include 4K upscaling, PurColor (which adds another layer of image processing to improve the picture quality) and HDR. The Mot...

Apple claims Epic is trying to ‘micromanage’ its business operations in a new court filing

14Apr

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Apple claims Epic is trying to ‘micromanage’ its business operations in a new court filing

Last month, Epic Games filed a motion asking a California judge to hold Apple in contempt for what it claims are violations of a 2021 injunction relating to the company’s App Store practices. Now, Apple is asking the judge to reject Epic’s request, alleging in a new filing spotted by that the motion is an attempt to “micromanage Apple’s business operations in a way that would increase Epic’s profitability.”The original injunction by US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers required Apple to let developers provide an option for external payment methods, which would allow them to avoid fees of up to 30 percent on App Store and in-app purchases. Apple for developers in January that do allow linking to external websites for purchasing alternatives, but the new rules also require they get Ap...

The new Blink Mini 2 home security camera is on sale for only $30 right now

14Apr

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The new Blink Mini 2 home security camera is on sale for only $30 right now

The Blink Mini 2 home security camera was only announced a month ago, and it’s already on sale. The camera is 25 percent off in both colors — black and white — in a deal on Amazon, bringing the already budget-friendly system down to just $30. The Blink Mini 2 can be used indoors or outdoors, offers HD footage in the daytime or at night and has an LED spotlight. It can be paired with one of Amazon’s smart displays for Alexa voice controls. The camera is a plug-in device, though, so you’ll need to place it somewhere with an outlet.BlinkBlink's new indoor/outdoor security camera is 25 percent off. $30 at AmazonYou’ll also need to pick up the weather-resistant power adapter if you intend to put it outside. A bundle including that adapter is on sale as well, shaving $10 off its normal price of...

Bluesky now allows heads of state to join the platform

14Apr

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Technology

Bluesky now allows heads of state to join the platform

Now that Bluesky has opened itself up to the public and , the team’s decided it’s finally time to allow world leaders on board, too. A post from the official account on Friday notified users, “By the way... we lifted our ‘no heads of state’ policy.” The policy has been in place for the last year as Bluesky worked through all the early growing pains of being a budding social network.Bluesky remained an invite-only platform from its launch in February 2023 until February of this year, when it finally ditched the waitlist. had said last May that it wasn’t ready for heads of state to join, and even asked users to give its support team notice “before you invite prominent figures.” It’s since grown to more than 5 million users, alone in the day after it stopped requiring invite codes. ...

Our favorite Sony wireless earbuds are on sale for a record-low price

13Apr

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Technology

Our favorite Sony wireless earbuds are on sale for a record-low price

If you’ve been eyeing earbuds but were put off by the steep price tag, now would be the perfect time to pick up a set. The premium earbuds, normally $300, are down to a record low price of $230 on Amazon, for a savings of $70. This deal only applies to the earbuds in black. The Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds were released in summer 2023 and brought major upgrades over the previous model. They boast the best noise cancellation and call quality of Sony’s earbuds lineup, and have built-in Alexa support.SonyThe Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds are our top pick for for this year. They’re more comfortable than the WF-1000XM4s, being 25 percent smaller and 20 percent lighter for a much better fit. The charging case, too, is more compact than its predecessor. In terms of sound quality, they further improve upo...