Blogroll
Stop believing these 5 myths about multicolor 3D printers before you buy one
Multicolor and multi-material 3D printers aren't new, but they are quite a recent development if we're talking about the world of affordable, consumer 3D printers.
The $50 Android tablet experiment: From smart home hub to retro gaming machine
I used to think a $50 Android tablet was the kind of device you bought when you couldn't justify spending more on a proper one. These days, though, I've started looking at cheap tablets very differently. You don't necessarily need a powerful processor, a beautiful display, or the latest version of Android when you're buying a device for a very specific job. In fact, a cheaper tablet can be perfect for the kind of projects where you wouldn't want to spend tons of money, anyway.
Instagram’s new Pixel effect takes the relationship soft launch to another level
First came the hand across the dinner table. Then the second drink, the carefully cropped shoulder, and the suspiciously tall shadow. Now Instagram has a new way to hint that you’re seeing someone.
The platform’s new Pixel effect lets you blur a person or object in a Story by describing what you want pixelated in a text prompt. In a post showing off the effect, Instagram leaned into its dating potential: "Soft launching? We got you."
If you’re unfamiliar with the ritual, a soft launch lets your followers know there’s a new person in your life without telling them exactly who it is. You might post their hand or the back of their head. Pixel takes that idea a step further: Everyone can see that your date is in the photo, but their identity remains a mystery.
And there’s an audience for that kind of reveal. Tinder data reported by Mashable in 2023 found that 26 percent of UK 18- to 34-year-olds would rather gradually reveal a new partner online, compared with 8 percent who preferred a big announcement. In a recent Tinder survey, 46 percent of single Gen Z social media users in the U.S. said they soft-launch relationships, while 37 percent said they hard-launch them.
SEE ALSO: Young people want to soft launch their partners, Tinder saysOf course, blurring a date is its own kind of announcement, and people have thoughts about what it might feel like to be on the other side of it. In an r/popculturechat thread about the feature, one commenter asked whether a pixelated partner was in "witness protection." Another summed up the appeal, or lack of it, as "For when you want to share pictures but not really." Someone else could already see the argument coming: "Fights about why someone blurred the other happening in 3..2..1."
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.There’s another option, too: Keep the relationship off Instagram. In a 2024 survey of 1,000 Gen Z and millennial adults, 45 percent said they didn’t share their relationships online or didn’t use social media. The same survey found that respecting their own or their partner’s privacy was the top reason respondents gave for soft launching. For some couples, a partial reveal feels like a comfortable middle ground. For others, it might be more attention than they want.
Pixel also has uses unrelated to dating. You could blur a child’s face in a family photo or obscure a stranger who ended up in the background. "This makes most sense for background people in your picture who didn’t consent to being in a picture posted online," one Reddit commenter wrote.
That concern lands amid other questions about how Meta handles people’s images. In July, the company briefly let users reference public Instagram accounts in AI-generated images, then removed the feature after criticism. Its camera-equipped smart glasses have also raised concerns about bystanders being recorded without their knowledge. Now, Pixel gives someone posting a Story a way to blur a person first.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.As for dating, Pixel makes the soft launch easier to pull off — though it doesn’t tell you how your date will feel about it. That may be a conversation to have before the Story goes up.
How I extended my Wi-Fi connection without ruining my speeds
Wi-Fi is super convenient, but when it comes to its ability to travel through walls and cover the entire house, things can get a little sketchy. It's not just about the stability of your connection, but also about the speeds.
I added a cheap DVR to my TV antenna and skipped another monthly fee
I’ve been using an OTA antenna for TV for a while. I hate monthly subscriptions and this is another way I can make the most out of what’s available for zero cost. I can access all the major networks like ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX, but if there is a specific show I want to watch, I have to be there when it starts and watch until it’s over. Network shows, NFL games, and reruns are all there, but what I really miss most is being able to watch them when I want, and more importantly, fast-forward through the commercials.
Blender always scared me, but Claude helped me make this animated video in just a few hours
Have you ever opened Blender hoping to create something, only to get overwhelmed by the interface and close the app a few minutes later? If so, you’re in good company. A lot of people, myself included, have wanted to use this powerful software to create something beautiful, especially after hearing about Flow — the animated film that won the 2025 Oscar for Best Animated Feature and was entirely created using Blender. However, as soon as you open the app, all the panels, modes, menus, submenus, and hundreds of settings make it seem like an insurmountable learning curve, leading many of us to give up on the idea.
Saturday Night Live spoofs Dario Amodei’s AI warnings on Weekend Update
"We do not condone what we are doing." It’s a bold thing for an AI company CEO to say on television, even when that CEO is actually Jane Wickline in a wig.
During the Sept. 26 premiere of Saturday Night Live’s new season, Wickline played Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei on Weekend Update, answering Michael Che’s questions as two versions of the same man. One tried to sound like a reassuring tech CEO. The other kept saying things a reassuring tech CEO probably shouldn’t say on television.
The second version won. "AI is the devil and I its maker!" Wickline’s Amodei declared. Asked about the industry’s position on its own work, the character offered another less-than-comforting assurance: "We do not condone what we are doing."
Even the segment’s attempt to find a bright side took a turn. Asked whether AI could cure cancer, Wickline’s Amodei replied, "In 10 years, there’s about a 10% chance that cancer won’t be a problem for anyone," leaving audiences wondering if he's predicting a cure or a world with no one left to get cancer.
SEE ALSO: Anthropic's CEO urges the industry to slow down, and Sam Altman agreesAmodei leads the company behind Claude, but he has also warned about the risks of developing increasingly powerful AI too quickly. In a recent essay, he called for companies to slow the pace of development so safety work has time to catch up, with outside evaluators and shared standards to help keep them accountable. He argues that AI could bring enormous benefits, too; his proposal is to develop it more carefully.
With SNL back for a new season, it was only a matter of time before the AI debate reached the Weekend Update desk. Wickline got plenty of material out of one CEO trying to explain himself. We’ll see which tech executive the show characterizes next.
This Galaxy feature turned my messy phone into something organized—without organizing anything
I used to think Samsung’s edge panels were one of those features that sounded useful in theory but didn’t really have much practical value. After spending some time with them, though, I’ve changed my mind. The retractable shortcut drawer gives me quick access to a ton of things I use a lot without forcing me to leave whatever I’m doing or hunt through a cluttered app drawer. For something that’s always sitting quietly at the edge of the screen, it can make everyday tasks noticeably less frustrating.
These 3 Windows shortcuts stopped me from wasting time on unnecessary clicks
On an average workday I spend about 10 hours at my computer and that's before you count the many hours I spend on my PC doing things that I enjoy. When you sit behind a keyboard that much, you realize how many simple things you do require too many clicks. Sure, they might only take a couple of seconds in the moment, but at the end of the day all that time adds up.
Samsung smart fridges stop cooling after faulty update
A refrigerator has one job you really don’t want interrupted by a software update. For some Samsung owners in South Korea, though, an update left their fridges unable to keep food cold.
The trouble began Sept. 22, when customers installed refrigerator software through Samsung’s SmartThings app. Owners reported dark interior lights, screens stuck on an "updating" message, and fridges that had stopped cooling. The affected models were reportedly mostly Bespoke AI four-door refrigerators released since 2024.
SEE ALSO: Apple's iPhone Duo is here, and Samsung is already throwing shadeThe timing made a bad situation worse. Chuseok, a major Korean holiday centered on family gatherings and food, was about to begin. One owner told Seoul Shinmun they had thrown away 20 kilograms of food; others worried about meat and other groceries they had bought for the holiday.
Samsung acknowledged the problem on its community forum, saying an error during software testing had caused power and screen problems for some customers. According to South Korean reporting, software meant for internal testing was mistakenly sent to customers. Samsung stopped distributing it, offered free repairs, and aimed to restore affected refrigerators by Sept. 24. The company said it was still reviewing compensation for spoiled food. It has not publicly confirmed how many fridges were affected or whether every repair was completed by that target date.
The outage raises a question that goes well beyond Samsung. Fridges can recognize food and suggest recipes. LG sells washers that detect fabric types and adjust the cycle. Dyson’s new CameraJet toothbrush even uses a tiny camera and AI to find the gaps between your teeth. Some of those features may be genuinely useful.
But Samsung’s fridge failure shows what’s at stake when the software inside an everyday appliance goes wrong: you might lose the basic thing you bought the appliance to do in the first place.
5 useful 3D prints that can help you make better online shopping decisions
Buying things online is the best way to save money, but it can be hard to know if you’re buying the right size or measuring properly. Getting this wrong means dealing with returns, which is inconvenient and best avoided. Luckily, these 3D prints can help boost your chances of success the first time around.
There's a better alternative to video game difficulty settings, but nobody uses it
Difficulty settings in video games aren't always perfect, and many games still struggle to provide options that aren't too easy or too difficult. While some games like Elden Ring and Monster Hunter Rise forgo this choice altogether, there's a better approach to difficulty settings that too many developers are ignoring.
Youtube, Meta backtrack on paid ads for Musk documentary
Updated at 10:32 a.m. CT: According to The Hollywood Reporter, it appears that YouTube and Meta will allow distributor Bleeker Street to run paid ads on Alex Gibney's Musk documentary.
The reversal follows a wave of social media backlash accusing YouTube, Meta, and TikTok of suppressing a film critical of Elon Musk to avoid drawing the ire of the SpaceX and X CEO.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.In a comment left under THR's original report of the story, YouTube's X account replied that the ads were "temporarily restricted" and are now cleared to run. Meta will also run the ads as well, telling THR that the decision was "an error". However, TikTok and X have yet to make a decision.
You can read our original report of the story below.
Musk, Alex Gibney's four-hour documentary about Elon Musk, hits theaters in two weeks and received rave reviews out of its premiere at the Venice International Film Festival. Yet distributor Bleecker Street can't buy ads on major social media platforms in order to promote it.
SEE ALSO: 'Musk' documentary trailer is finally hereAccording to The Hollywood Reporter, YouTube, TikTok, and Meta, which owns Instagram and Facebook, have all refused to run the trailer for Musk. The same goes for X, which is owned by Musk and which reportedly won't accept advertising for Bleecker Street's other upcoming releases.
YouTube, TikTok, and Meta told Bleecker Street representatives that they rejected the trailer because of "political content." TikTok and Meta do not allow paid political and campaign ads, with Meta's rules stemming from the Cambridge Analytica scandal. YouTube does, with ads requiring "paid for" disclosures. The Musk trailer contains references to the 2024 election, but it is not itself a political campaign.
Bleecker Street has appealed YouTube, TikTok, and Meta's decision. While YouTube and TikTok are still mulling over the request, Meta has rejected it outright.
This isn't the first bump in the road for Musk. Universal Pictures, which is distributing the film internationally, reportedly got cold feet on releasing Musk. Evan Langweiler, Universal's Executive Vice President of Global Communications and Media Relations, has since told The Hollywood Reporter that, "the studio remains committed to releasing [Musk] in theaters internationally."
The incident recalls Amazon MGM Studios' dropping of Luca Guadagnino's OpenAI and Sam Altman film Artificial, another fall release that looks to take a prominent tech figure to task. Aaron Sorkin's The Social Reckoning, also out this fall, will follow a similar path with Mark Zuckerberg.
NVIDIA isn't worth considering when these older AMD GPUs are still such a great deal
For most PC gamers, the first instinct when building or upgrading a gaming PC is to look at the latest and most popular GPUs. But with graphics card prices shooting up, you’re unlikely to get great value for your money when buying new, especially from NVIDIA.
Jon Watts reportedly set to direct the next Star Wars film
Lucasfilm may have found a director for the next chapter of the Skywalker Saga.
Jon Watts, who directed Tom Holland's three Spider-Man films, is attached to direct the first movie in a new Star Wars trilogy written by Simon Kinberg. The Hollywood Reporter dropped the news on Friday, courtesy of KnightEdgeMedia, an entertainment industry leaker with a credible track record.
Nothing is locked in yet, and Lucasfilm declined THR's request for comment. The outlet writes that, according to sources, the project is still in development and hasn't been greenlit by Disney. Although it does appear to be the Star Wars film furthest along after Star Wars: Starfighter, the Shawn Levy-directed movie starring Ryan Gosling (Project Hail Mary, Fall Guy).
SEE ALSO: 'The Mandalorian and Grogu' review: If this is the future of Star Wars, I don't want itStarfighter is currently in post-production and is expected in theaters May 27, 2027, around the franchise's 50th anniversary.
THR reports that Kinberg has been writing the trilogy since late 2024. It would pick up the Skywalker Saga, the family story that has run through Episodes I to IX, making the first film Episode X. Daisy Ridley's Rey Skywalker, the lead of the 2015–2019 sequel trilogy, is expected to appear in some form.
Watts wouldn't be new to the galaxy, far, far away. He co-created and co-wrote the 2024 Disney+ series Skeleton Crew, starring Jude Law, and directed two episodes of the series. The show received positive reviews from Mashable's Entertainment Reporter Belen Edwards; however, as THR notes, its viewership was below expectations.
As the reported writer, Kinberg is the more divise pick for fans. Kinberg co-created the animated series Star Wars Rebels and co-wrote the well-received X-Men: Days of Future Past. But he is also tied to some of the X-Men franchise's weakest entries. He co-wrote 2006's X-Men: The Last Stand, a box-office hit that critics and fans panned for it's adaption of the Dark Phoenix saga. Kinberg tapped into that well again as writer and director of 2019's Dark Phoenix, which flopped with critics and at the box office. He also co-wrote 2015's Fantastic Four reboot, another critical and commercial failure.
Early reaction online has been lukewarm at best. Many fans questioned the pairing despite Watts' success with Spider-Man, and much of the skepticism centered on Kinberg's track record.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.I love my home theater setup, but this one thing nearly ended me
It’s been a couple of years since I turned my back on the organic light-emitting diodes and quantum dots of modern TVs in favor of my beloved ultra-short-throw projector. Its bright and clear image beamed onto a big 100-inch ALR screen has turned my living room into a movie theater that rivals some of my city’s repertory cinemas, and it’s the best home theater experience I’ve ever had.
How to watch Norway vs. Portugal online for free
TL;DR: Watch Norway vs. Portugal in the Nations League for free on RTP. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
Norway host Portugal in the next round of UEFA Nations League fixtures. Both sides secured wins in their opening games of this campaign, and now they meet for an interesting clash at the Ullevaal Stadion. All eyes will be on Haaland as he goes up against Ronaldo's side.
If you're interested in watching Norway vs. Portugal in the Nations League from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.
When is Norway vs. Portugal?Norway vs. Portugal in the Nations League kicks off at 2.45 p.m. ET on Sept. 27. This fixture takes place at Ullevaal Stadion.
How to watch Norway vs. Portugal for freeNorway vs. Portugal in the Nations League is available to live stream for free on RTP.
RTP is geo-restricted to Portugal, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Portugal, meaning you can live stream Norway vs. Portugal for free from anywhere in the world.
Live stream Norway vs. Portugal for free by following these simple steps:
Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice
Open up the app and connect to a server in Portugal
Visit ITVX
Watch Norway vs. Portugal for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Norway vs. Portugal without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture before recovering your investment.
What is the best VPN for RTP?ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on RTP, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries, including Portugal
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices, including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to 10 simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.
Live stream Norway vs. Portugal for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
SNL Weekend Update returns with Xi, Netanyahu, and an anxious Dario Amodei
A new season means Colin Jost and Michael Che are back behind the SNL's Weekend Update desk, and it's like they never left.
The pair didn't hold back on the week's headlines, from China's Xi Jinping visiting President Trump to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's controversial, protested appearance at the UN General Assembly.
"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed an almost empty chamber at the UN after delegates walked out in protest over Israel's war in Gaza," Che says. "I guess wherever Netanyahu shows up, there's gonna be some relocating."
When the audience groans, Che shrugs it off: "Now why did I think that'd end in a laugh."
SEE ALSO: 'SNL' kicks off Season 52 with Trump crushing hard on MamdaniThey also took shots at Trump's new helipad, Meta's new AI agent Muse, and a report that "20% of Gen Z have never had sex."
Update had more than just jokes, too, and SNL split those segments into their own clips. Tucker Carlson (Jeremy Culhane) stopped by to review movies, and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei (Jane Wickline) struggled to reassure everyone that AI isn't a threat to humanity... yet.
Why humanoid robots actually make sense (and it's not what Hollywood told you)
In the movies, robots are often human-shaped, mainly because to have a robot in the movie at all, you had to use the "dude in a suit" method. However, since we're also watching a story to entertain people, it's easier to make them care about a robot that looks like a person. The big exception might be R2-D2 and C-3PO. No one likes the latter and people adore the former.
SNLs new cast members crash a K-Pop competition
The new season of Saturday Night Live brought us new cast members Grace Reiter and Saidah Belo-Osagie, and there's no better introduction than a dedicated sketch poking fun at Dream Academy.
SEE ALSO: 'SNL' kicks off Season 52 with Trump crushing hard on MamdaniFor those who don't know, Dream Academy is a K-pop talent competition that airs on YouTube and aims to create an international girl group. The show led to the formation of Katseye, who served as musical guests for the season premiere. This time, though, SNL spoofed a new season of the talent show starring two contestants that really shouldn't have been there.
Reiter and sophomore cast member Jane Wickline star as two unlikely contestants for an international girl group. Turns out they're just there cause they have dirt on the producer.
"Duff and Margo saw a hit-and-run caused by a music executive," the producer tells the camera, hinting that it was her. "And now they're on the show."


