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Tech News
When a router runs out of Ethernet ports for devices like smart TVs, consoles, NAS drives and desktop PCs, the fix is an inexpensive plug-and-play Ethernet switch rather than a router upgrade. The switch connects to one of the router's LAN ports and instantly adds four, seven, 15 or more wired connections to the network.
Winamp, the once-dominant MP3 player from the late 1990s known for its llama mascot, is returning to relevance through a partnership with streaming platform Deezer. The two companies plan to launch a subscription-based streaming service next year, positioning Winamp as a competitor to established players like Spotify.
Apple is launching a new live music venue called Apple Music Hall inside London's Battersea Power Station, opening September 28. The 600-person venue will host single-show performances that are simultaneously live-streamed to Apple Music subscribers, backed by a 38-foot stage and a 48-speaker Spatial Audio system. Apple also confirmed it is relocating its London-based Apple Music Radio hosts to new studios at the same site.
Disney Plus revised its subscriber agreement in Europe, sparking confusion that ads would now appear across all its plans globally. In reality, ad-free Standard and Premium subscribers in Europe and the US see no change to their viewing experience under the updated terms.
Disney+ amended its Subscriber Agreement in January 2025 to allow advertisements to appear even on plans marketed as "no ads" or "ad-free." Section 2(k) of the new agreement carves out exceptions where ads can run due to streaming rights restrictions, live events, or other limitations, despite the premium tier's original all-ad-free marketing.
A tech guide identifies seven free streaming services offering both on-demand libraries and live, cable-like channel surfing, all available as apps on most major smart TV platforms. These services are ad-supported, meaning viewers get content at no cost but must sit through commercial breaks.
Data firm Luminate has published a report analyzing the factors that determine whether television shows get renewed or cancelled in today's streaming-heavy landscape. The report identifies specific viewership and engagement metrics that networks and streaming platforms increasingly rely on to make these decisions.
Winamp Group has announced plans to relaunch Winamp in 2027 through a partnership with Deezer, bundling its player with Deezer's streaming catalog and licensing infrastructure. The revival will introduce Winamp's first-ever paid subscription tier, promising a customizable interface, social features, and new music discovery tools, though pricing and supported platforms remain undisclosed.
Many Netflix viewers experience inconsistent audio quality, with dialogue sometimes sounding distant or garbled on certain shows while others play fine. The root cause isn't a weak internet connection or poor TV speakers, but a mismatch between the audio format Netflix streams and the playback device's capabilities. Netflix says the fix typically involves a quick settings adjustment rather than new equipment or a support call.
Netflix's shift from planned physical download boxes to full streaming around 2006 reshaped entertainment, spurring rivals like Amazon, Disney and NBC to launch their own platforms. Over the following decade, cable subscriptions steadily declined as streaming became the dominant way people watched film and TV, though many now juggle multiple paid services.
A tech review explains that standalone streaming devices such as Roku, Fire TV Stick and Chromecast can meaningfully improve on a smart TV's built-in software. Because smart TV manufacturers license operating systems from companies like Amazon, Google and Roku, performance varies widely and often degrades as the hardware ages, leading to lag and crashes. Adding a modern streaming device can restore speed and reliability at a fraction of the cost of replacing an entire television.
The new Star Wars film 'The Mandalorian and Grogu' landed as the second most-streamed movie across all services during its opening week on streaming. The ranking reflects strong viewer demand shortly after the film became available to stream.