Latest news with #PCWorld
The Sun
7 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
Three Amazon Fire TV gadgets to lose access to Netflix FOREVER in three days – final warning to upgrade
NETFLIX is pulling its app from three Amazon Fire TV gadgets next week - so your subscription might be worthless unless you upgrade your tech. From 3 June, two Fire Sticks and a Fire TV box will lose Netflix forever. The shutdown affects the first-generation Fire TV box, Fire TV Stick, and Fire TV Stick with Alexa voice remote - Amazon's oldest telly products. They are all more than a decade old. Even Amazon quit support for the devices several years ago - meaning they no longer receive software or security updates. But if you still use your OG Fire Stick, you should have received an email from Netflix warning of the upcoming change, according to PC World. The first-generation Fire TV devices will continue to work as they have done - simply without Netflix. They have all the other apps, such as BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4, Prime Video and Disney+ - for now. It's worth noting that like Netflix, other platforms may too decide to pull their services from ageing tech later down the line. Affected viewers who want to continue having uninterrupted access to Netflix will have to buy a newer Fire TV gadget - or a telly streaming rival like a Roku Stick or Google Streamer. If you don't want to upgrade to a new Fire TV device, you should cancel your subscription, to avoid paying fees on something you can't watch. Legal ways to slash your Roku and Amazon Fire Stick TV bills by 100% – and Netflix 'plan swap' saves you money The streaming giant hasn't said exactly why it's pulling support for older gadgets. Last year, the Netflix app vanished from dozens of Sony and Apple TV models that were also roughly a decade old. A report from CordBusters noted that the decision was likely put down to newer video standards. When streaming services start using newer technology, older devices may not have the necessary hardware or software to support the advancements. That's why some gadgets stop receiving new features, or are unable to stream in 4K picture quality. It's worth noting that while older devices don't necessarily need new features or better picture - security updates are always helpful. cybercriminals, or fix glitches that can hinder your use of the device.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Microsoft Is Testing a Wireless PC-to-PC Transfer Tool for Windows 11
Microsoft is testing a new way to wirelessly transfer data between Windows PCs—although it doesn't appear to have Airdrop-like functionality, as it's for setting up a new device. As reported by PCWorld, the Insider Dev version of Windows 11 now has a "Transfer files to a new PC" option in the Windows Backup app. This new method is said to let users move files, apps, settings, and credentials directly between two computers on the same Wi-Fi network. The process is pretty straightforward. The sending PC generates a special code, which the user enters on the receiving PC. This connects the two devices and starts the transfer. Microsoft says this should give users a faster and more effective way to migrate data, without needing to upload files to the cloud or use external drives. It seems similar in concept to Windows 7's Windows Easy Transfer, a tool popular in older versions of Windows for guiding users through the process of moving files and settings to a new PC. Since then, Microsoft has been asking users to use OneDrive for backups and transfers. But it comes at a huge cost, including internet speed and cloud storage limits; overall, it's not feasible for this purpose. The new PC-to-PC transfer method uses the local Wi-Fi network, so it's easy to move large amounts of data quickly. It's still being tested and is not yet available to all users. There is no official release date, and Microsoft may change or remove the tool based on feedback from testers.
The Sun
21-05-2025
- The Sun
Netflix to stop working on two Amazon Fire TV Sticks in DAYS – check to see if you're affected before shutdown
NETFLIX will reportedly stop working on three Amazon Fire gadgets soon, as the devices age into retirement. From 3 June, two Fire Sticks and a Fire TV box will lose Netflix forever - so you better cancel that subscription, or upgrade your devices. The shutdown affects the original Fire TV box, the first Fire TV Stick, and the Fire TV Stick with Alexa voice remote - Amazon's oldest Fire TV products. These first-generation gadgets are now all over a decade old, having first hit shelves in November 2014 (in the US). Brits, however, were able to get their hands on the devices in April 2015. If your OG Fire Stick is still alive and kicking, you should have received an email from Netflix warning of the change, according to PC World. Affected viewers have two choices: buy a newer Fire TV gadget (or a telly streaming rival like a Roku Stick or Google Streamer) and continue streaming Netflix just like before. Or, alternatively, viewers can wave goodbye to Netflix and cancel their subscription. The first-generation Fire TV devices will still have all the other apps, such as BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4, Prime Video and Disney+ - for now. But other platforms may too decide to pull their services from ageing tech later down the line. Last year, the Netflix app vanished from dozens of Sony and Apple TV models that were also roughly a decade old. Amazon Fire Stick trick lets you find lost remote instantly using hidden 'ringer' The streaming giant hasn't said why exactly it's pulling support for older devices. However, it's likely down to newer video standards, which help deliver better picture quality to Netflix subscribers paying for Premium packages, a report from CordBusters noted. Amazon has also stopped supporting these first-generation Fire TV devices - meaning they no longer receive software or security updates. So not only are they a security risk, these older gadgets are struggling to keep up with modern streaming demands.
The Verge
06-05-2025
- The Verge
Minecraft's VR support is now gone
Minecraft's official support for virtual reality and mixed reality devices is over. Mojang announced last year that Minecraft would stop supporting VR headsets after March 2025, and per today's Minecraft: Bedrock Edition 1.21.80 Update patch notes, that support has been removed, as reported by PCWorld. When Mojang announced the end of support for VR in October, it said that you'll still get updates on your PC, you'll still be able to play without a VR / MR device, and that you'll be able to continue building worlds or use any Marketplace purchases. At the time, Mojang's reasoning for removing support was that 'our ability to support VR / MR devices has come to an end.' However, there are still ways to play Minecraft on a VR headset, if you'd like. If you have the Java version of the game for PC, you can use a mod like Vivecraft, which works on many VR platforms, or QuestCraft, a port specific to Meta Quest headsets.
Digital Trends
06-05-2025
- Digital Trends
I loved these speakers so much, I burned myself trying to fix them
Table of Contents Table of Contents Love of the ridiculous A glimmer of hope Maybe I can fix high-grade electronics myself… So long and thanks for all the riffs Sigh. Today's a legitimately sad day. I've had to say goodbye to my Harman Kardon GLA-55 2.0 PC speakers. I've had them for over 15 years of faithful service, but despite trying to have them repaired and my own botched attempts at fixing them, I've had to accept that their time has come and they've joined the paint tins for the next trip to the dump (for recycling). I have a new pair on the way, and they won't sound as good, nor look as iconic, but they will work properly, which is arguably more important. It's still a sad day though, and worth eulogizing. While technology tends to come and go, we all have that one gadget, peripheral, or component which has a special place in our hearts and for me, my ridiculous Harman Kardon speakers were one of them. Recommended Videos I literally just wrote a piece for PCWorld about why these speakers were so great, too. A fitting send off, but an ironic one. Let's give them one more. Love of the ridiculous The GLA-55s are a unique set of speakers that were gifted to me in the early 2010s by my then boss who had no need for them in his even-more-impressive audiophile setup. They're huge and heavy and completely ridiculous. They didn't ever fit into my setup or look right next to my more modern, and less-crystally monitors and other hardware. But they sounded great and were a brilliant conversation starter. Out of all the strange gadgets, gizmos, and components I've had over the last 20 years of writing about PCs and other hardware, my Harman Kardon speakers always drew the most interest from visiting friends and family. They were as much a work of art as capable PC speakers with strong bass and clear highs. TechPowerUp even called them the coolest speakers ever in its coverage of them way back when. But after so many years of use they had started to show their age. Scratches in the crystal-like plastic, dents in the soft-surface tweeter from errant kid fingers, and finally, a hole in the rubber surrounding the main drivers. While manoeuvring them for some shots for the aforementioned article I wrote about their longevity, I brushed my finger against the rubber and it just disintegrated into a sticky, powdery mess. At the lightest of touches I had inadvertently destroyed the airtight chamber around the driver which helped deliver such thumping good sound. In an instant of carelessness I'd ruined this speaker. But apparently this wasn't my first time. Looking closer at the other speaker revealed similar stress points on the rubber and in actuality, it had already started to come away from the plastic surround too. Neither speaker was in great shape and some quick Googling suggested that at best, I shouldn't be using them until they were fixed. If they could be fixed at all. A glimmer of hope My first contact with Harman Kardon was a dead end. These speakers had been end of life for years, so no, they couldn't fix them or provide any repair aid. They did have a third-party company they used for repairs in the UK, though. They might be able to do it, I was told. But no. The parts to replace this very specific speaker surround no longer existed, so there was no way they could do it either. Perhaps a third party alternative? I looked, but the drivers on these speakers were a very specific 3.1-inches in diameter. I couldn't find anything close to the right size… Until I did. It turns out that a Dutch speaker repair shop had a few foam replacement driver surrounds for my very specific Harman Kardon GLA-55 speakers. What luck! I ordered a pair to be shipped over in due haste and eagerly awaited their arrival two weeks later. In the meantime I contacted the original repair shop, but balked at the potential bill. It was $150 (equivalent) to even look at the speakers to see if they could or could not repair them. The estimates for the actual repair were several hundred more, plus shipping. While these speakers might have been worth $1,000 when new, but I could get a comparable set of speakers for the same price of a repair. But I'm an industrious chap. Before I confine these speakers to the trash heap I should take one more shot at it. Maybe I can fix high-grade electronics myself… I've been taking apart graphics cards, laptops, and other complicated PC hardware for years. Surely with due care I could have a good go at fixing these myself. So I set to work. I peeled off the underside rubber feet, I removed the screws. I took apart the base housing, and undid the screws on the circuit board and… solder. Unleaded solder at that, so my hobbyist soldering iron couldn't quite get it hot enough to melt it effectively. I didn't have a solder wick. I burned myself twice in my inexperience. Two hours into this mess of melted skin and stubbornly solid solder, I considered my options. I was on the cusp of diving down an (admittedly autistically driven) rabbit hole. There was still a chance I could fix this, but I was about to order a new soldering iron and some other kit to make this one repair easier, that I wasn't confident of performing effectively. I touched the rubber on the speaker surround again, as if to confirm how bad it was, and it melted away in my hand in a sticky mess that would have made fitting the foam even after an effective teardown difficult. This wasn't going to work, was it? I could spend hours of my time and tens or hundreds more of my dollars to fix these old, busted, dented, beautiful speakers. Or I could go and write an article about it and earn enough to pay for their replacements. So, here we are. So long and thanks for all the riffs Reluctantly, I spent the next 20 minutes tidying up the mess I'd made. The blobs of solder on the table, the seemingly-liquifying bits of speaker rubber on the floor, put the tools into the toolbox, my blistered finger under the tap. I thought about screwing the speakers back together so they could at least take their funeral march to the dump in full form. Like preparing them for an open casket. But they're speakers, not a person or pet. I stuck them next to the pile of other junk outside and ordered some perfectly fine Edifier R1280DBs. They're not super exciting, don't look weird and wonderful, and probably won't sound as good as the Harman Kardon's did back in their heyday. But there is Bluetooth support, and they'll fit better on my desk, and won't have a weird popping sound when I'm instead using my wireless headphones. I will miss the GLA-55s though. They weren't just a great piece of hardware, but an iconic part of my PC gaming and working setup for over a decade. It honestly feels a bit weird typing away like this without them flanking my monitors. Something is amiss. I suspect it'll feel that way for quite some time.
