Those shiny 8K TVs look tempting, but do they really beat 4K? Here’s what to know before you spend big this holiday season.
🎙️ New “TV” looks different: The old TV talk-show polish (Oprah’s couch, Larry King’s glowing map) era is gone. Now, the biggest podcasts look intentionally effortless (paywall link), like they just wandered in and hit record. You know, Joe Rogan’s wood paneling and random stuff on the table, Theo Von’s fake plants, Alex Cooper’s slumber aesthetic. It’s all curated to feel personal but kind of in the way where you can be “friends” with a chatbot owned by a billion-dollar company.
🎬 Drop Windows default video players: The OS comes with Films & TV and Media Player, but they’re known to crash easily. The alternative? VLC. It’s free and plays almost any video or audio format. Plus, it won’t bog down your system and supports subtitles for all your movies. And yes, you can get it on Mac, too.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: TV remote not working? Before tossing it out, try this quick reset. Remove the batteries, then hold the power button for one minute. Then press every button three times to loosen any that might be stuck. Pop in fresh batteries and test it out. All better.
Stream like a king: Amazon cut the Fire TV Cube price down to $99.99 ($40 off), and it’s worth it. It’s like if a Fire Stick and Alexa had a baby with 4K Ultra HD, Wi-Fi 6E and Dolby Atmos. Basically, it turns your old TV into the rich kid at school.
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Quick fix for a slow TV
No, don’t throw the remote hoping that will magically work. There are a few ways to get your television up to speed, literally.
🔎 8K? More like OK: Thinking of splurging on an 8K TV? You might want to save your money. New research says your eyes can’t tell the difference between 2K, 4K or 8K TVs at normal distances. Basically, if you’ve got a big screen and sit on a couch, you’re maxed out. Everything else is just for bragging rights.
Get Perplexity Pro free: If you have a 2025 Samsung TV, you can score a 12-month subscription right now. Get answers like who directed a movie, or ask it to help with everyday things. Open the Perplexity TV app from the Apps tab or inside Vision AI Companion, then scan the QR code to redeem it. FYI: Older Samsung models will get it later this year, maybe.
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📺 Cast your PC to a smart TV: On Windows 11, you can connect your desktop to your TV wirelessly if both are on the same network. If your PC doesn’t have Wi-Fi, get an adapter. Press Windows key + K to open the Cast menu, select your TV and choose how to display it.
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🪞 You’re watching a robot: I was watching this British TV excerpt, thinking it was just your typical classic British TV, but it turns out the “host” was AI. You’ve gotta watch the video (it’s short) with a jaw-dropping reveal. I saw it and literally said, “Wait, what?” out loud. Go see it before the bots start getting bookings on morning shows.
🏎️ Apple enters the pit lane: Apple just dropped $750 million for exclusive U.S. rights to stream Formula 1. For the next five years, every race, practice and crash will be on Apple TV. They’re borrowing commentary from F1 TV or Sky Sports, at least for now. If you’re a zoom-zoom fan, better find your Apple ID fast. Speaking of… What is the best liquor for watching Formula 1? Rrrrruuummmmm!
Strange bedfellows: Apple and NBC are holding hands, sort of. Starting Monday, you can bundle Apple TV and Peacock for $15/month (normally $21). That’s $6 you can spend on emotional support snacks while watching Slow Horses and Law & Order. NBC brings the junk food TV; Apple brings the prestige.
🛒 AI meets aisle five: Starting in a few weeks, you’ll be able to shop Walmart inside ChatGPT. Yep, you can chat your way to new jeans or a TV without leaving the app (paywall link). It’s part of Walmart’s push with OpenAI, letting people link their Walmart or Sam’s Club accounts and hit “buy.” Fresh food’s not included yet, but everything else’s fair game. Next up: Black Friday brawls in-app.
📺 Power reset your smart TV: If your TV’s acting up with black screens or weird glitches, turn it off and unplug it from the wall. Then hold the TV’s power button (usually on the front, side or back) for 60 seconds. Plug it back in, turn it on, and you’re good to go.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: For the best viewing distance, take your TV’s size in inches and multiply by 1.2. So if your screen is 40 inches, you’ll want to sit about 48 inches (4 feet) back.
Apple’s October drop: Rumors say we’re getting a new Apple TV 4K, HomePod mini 2, M5 iPad Pro, AirTag 2 and maybe a Vision Pro refresh. Toss in possible M5 MacBook Pros and new Studio Displays and it’s basically tech Black Friday but without the discounts.
Why cable TV is a very sad place
Streaming dominates while traditional TV fades fast. Nielsen says cable viewers are mostly down to five channels: ESPN, a cable news pick, and a lifestyle network, proving we have left linear TV behind.
🔥 Keep your Fire Stick cool: If it’s tucked tightly behind your TV, it can overheat and slow down. Good news: Amazon usually includes an HDMI extension cable. Use it to move your Fire Stick away from the back of the TV for better airflow.
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📺 Use Roku Guest Mode: Got friends or family using your TV? Let them sign in with their own apps, so they don’t mess up your recommendations. Go to Settings > Guest Mode > Enter Guest Mode, type your Roku PIN and hit OK. When they leave, exit Guest Mode to get back to normal. Perfect for Airbnbs, too.
📦 Prime and pause: Don’t click “Buy Now.” Amazon just announced a big hardware event for Sept. 30 in New York City, where it’s going to unveil new Echo speakers, Fire TV gear and a colorful Kindle that you can write on. Alexa’s gonna be smarter, too. Maybe it will ask me, “Kim, why am I unplugged?”