Easily display photos from your phone on your TV

Want to customize your TV screensaver with your favorite moments? Like we display our favorite moments on our smartphones, you might want a similar reminder to play on your TV. It’s pretty simple to do this, depending on the platform you are using. Here’s how to easily display photos from your phone on your TV using the most popular devices.

1. Roku screen mirroring

If you own a Windows or Android phone and a Roku device, you can display photos on your TV using the Roku app.

You have two choices. You can either use the Play on Roku mobile feature or Screen Mirroring.

Play on Roku

This feature is built into the app and allows you to select what photos you want to appear and loads them directly onto your TV. You can even share songs. You’ll need to update your app to the latest version and have your phone on the same network as your Roku device, or it won’t work:

  • Open the Roku mobile app.
  • Choose the Devices app.
  • Choose the Roku Device you want to display photos to.
  • Choose the Media icon to launch Play on Roku.
  • Choose Music, Photos, or Videos to select what you want to display.
  • Choose your options.
  • Your choices will appear on your TV.

Screen mirroring

Your second option is to screen mirror. This essentially replicates everything on your phone back onto your TV. If your devices are compatible, you’ll first have to set up the feature:

  • Go to Settings.
  • Choose Smart View.
  • Choose your Roku device from the Smart View menu.

Once you’ve set up the feature, you’ll need to confirm the request that appears on your television. Choose Allow or Always Allow to allow screen mirroring to start.

It’s important to note that not all Android and Windows devices or Roku devices are compatible with this feature. Always check with your manufacturer to ensure proper directions. Download the Roku app for Android here.

Continue reading

Unlock the secrets of your slumber: Best sleep-tracking tech

Ah, sleep — the one thing we all love but never seem to get enough of. You’re tossing and turning, counting sheep, or maybe out like a light but still wake up feeling like you’ve pulled an all-nighter. How can you crack the code of quality slumber? 

Continue reading

Gifts that give them something to do

🏡 And they won’t even have to leave the house.

  • Stop spending hours in the candle aisle trying to guess what scent they like. They can make their own with this kit!
  • A cozy cup holder is great for movie lovers … or anyone who doesn’t want to tear apart an entire sectional looking for a lost remote.
  • You’ll have the hottest gift of the day with a hot sauce-making kit. Maybe pair it with a gallon of 2%.
  • A dream decoder ($16) might help them figure out why they keep dreaming about pugs wearing tuxedos.
  • For the person who loves YouTube and podcasts more than crafting, these headphones sound as good* as models three times the price.
  • A sushi-making kit (23% off, $8), because paying $16 for a California roll at a restaurant is lunacy.
  • Channel Columbo with a fun murder mystery game (33% off).
  • This cookbook (29% off) has 100 recipes straight from Disney’s parks. And yes, it has the Magic Kingdom Dole Whip. Mmm.
  • This book (34% off) is like paint-by-numbers but with stickers. Even I can do that!

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

Many big tech brands sell refurbished gadgets — not brand-new but fully checked and working. Apple has refurbished MacBooks, computers and AirPods with a one-year warranty. Amazon Renewed has everything from the 2022 Apple Watch model to Beats headphones and smart TVs

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

Get cash for your broken gadgets

Open/download audio

Got old gadgets just collecting dust? You can turn them into Amazon gift cards, and the best part — they don’t even have to work! 

Apple’s WWDC 2024 is all software: Next week, Apple won’t announce new gadgets, focusing instead on major updates for iOS 18, iPadOS, macOS 15, watchOS 11 and visionOS. You can expect hardware updates this fall. So, say it with me now: “I will not buy an Apple iPhone, laptop, AirPods, Vision Pro headset, watch, iPad or iMac right now.”

Before you buy holiday gifts, check this list for tech snoops

Once Christmas music starts playing, the trees go up and the wish lists are compiled, I know an email I’ll get: Mozilla’s latest warning about popular tech gifts that are just awful when it comes to privacy.

This year’s *Privacy Not Included guide ranks over 150 gadgets across different categories by what data they collect and what they do with it. Mozilla does a great job at these lists, for sure.

Continue reading

Expired, dangerous stuff hiding in your house: Fire extinguishers, recalled products and lots more

Look around your house, and you’ll see things you never even realized have a shelf-life — and I don’t mean things like food that have a best-by date.

Take fire extinguishers. Over time, they can lose pressure. Those and smoke detectors should be replaced every 10 years or so.

Continue reading

You ask, I deliver

📦 Lots of requests for more handy little helpers around the house. I’ve got your back!

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

Safety first

I bet you or someone you know has a scary travel story. These gadgets are no-brainers to bring on your next trip to protect yourself and your stuff.

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

Fix anything, anywhere

Travel prepared like a good little scout. (Fun fact: I was a Boy Scout leader. It’s a long story.) Bring these nifty gadgets to fix:

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

'Tech' me away

I have no reservations about recommending these sweet gadgets to make your hotel, cruise and family stays a little easier.

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

Squeaky-clean kitchen

I like my kitchen like I like my wine: Sparkling. Here are some gadgets to help get the job done:

  • You shouldn’t put your knives in the dishwasher, but getting crusty food off them is a pain. Try this $8.99 cutlery brush instead.
  • This splatter screen (15% off) sits on your frying pan and keeps oil from splashing without trapping heat like a lid.
  • Get a pack of three summer-themed Scrub Daddy sponges for 7% off. Yeah, they’re cute, but they also really work.
  • Wave goodbye to fingerprints on your appliances. These stainless-steel wipes are $12.76 and come with a microfiber cloth, too. 
  • Teak cutting boards are durable but gentle on knives. This one has an outer groove that traps juices. Score. The small size is 20% off!

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

Save some dough

These kitchen tools and gadgets will make your life easier … and they’re all under $10. Sweet. 

With all these deals, you could say I’m on a roll. I know, I’m sorry.

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

Piece of mind: Colorado just became the first state to pass a brainwave privacy law as part of the Colorado Privacy Act. Any company with mind-reading gadgets needs your consent before snooping through your thoughts. Sounds good, but, in reality, how would we know?

Hot and fresh: Apple’s latest gadgets are the 13- and 15-inch MacBook Air models, complete with the speedy, new M3 chip (beefy enough to support two external monitors), 1080p webcams and a reported 18 hours of battery life. The cost? $1,099 and $1,299, respectively. Frankly, that’s not crazy for Apple.

💲 One man’s trash: Microsoft’s Trade-in Program turns old gadgets into green. Head to its site, pick what you’ve got (laptops, tablets, gaming consoles, whatever), and receive up to $500. Amazon has the same program, so check to see which offers you more moolah.

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

Look at that glow: Avi Loeb, Harvard’s alien hunter extraordinaire, is stirring the cosmic pot again. He explored 2014 meteor crash leftovers — vibrant spheres he’s betting are alien gadgets, not mere space rocks. Critics say, “It’s just coal ash!” The trust? It’s out there.

⚠️ MIT’s latest discovery: Ambient light sensors in our gadgets and webcams could let hackers spy on us — even if the camera is taped over. Spies could track hand movements and detect the presence of a human face. Just when you thought that black electric tape did the job.

Top tech gifts this weekend

Open/download audio

Ready to do some Christmas shopping? Here’s a list of the gadgets everyone wants.