Latest news with #Saving
The Irish Sun
20-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
Millions able to upgrade their TV for FREE just by tweaking three settings to unlock better picture in under 30 seconds
THE default settings on your Samsung TV don't always make for the sharpest picture. But with a few quick tweaks, you can unlock a picture perfect viewing experience. Advertisement 1 By prioritising energy conservation, Eco Mode can bruise your picture quality Credit: Getty Eco mode Eco Mode is designed to reduce your TV's energy consumption. But in prioritising energy conservation as its main objective, picture quality can take a hit. The setting reduces brightness and contrast, dulls colours, and makes it harder to see details in darker scenes. This can be a pain when watching a dark-lit, shadowy movie, or gaming. Advertisement READ MORE ON TV To disable it, press the gear icon on your remote - this will take you to your telly's settings. Navigate to All Settings > General and Privacy > Power and Energy Saving > and Energy Saving Solution > then toggle it off . Automatic brightness Another tweak you can make is to your brightness optimisation. This is the tool that automatically adjusts your TV's brightness based on the lighting in your room. Advertisement Most read in Tech While helpful, it can often deliver inconsistent results, especially in rooms where the light levels change throughout the day. Samsung's home robot Ballie rolls around and projects TV anywhere you like This means the feature can leave your telly looking to dim or too bright - an annoyance for those searching for the best picture. Fortunately, you can still adjust your brightness settings manually. First you'll want to turn off Brightness Optimisation in the Power and Energy Saving menu. Advertisement Next, head to All Settings > Picture > Expert Settings > Brightness and adjust it manually while watching. If you're watching high-definition content, make sure you put an Motion smoothing Motion Smoothing, which is also called Picture Clarity on Samsung TVs, is another feature you should switch off in settings. The tool adds extra frames in an effort to reduce blur on fast-moving content, like sports. Advertisement But it often creates the unwanted soap opera effect - where motion becomes hyper-smooth like on live TV. To turn it off, go to All Settings > Picture > Expert Settings > Picture Clarity Settings and set Picture Clarity to Off .
Tom's Guide
15-05-2025
- Tom's Guide
Change these 5 Samsung TV settings to make it look and perform better
Out of the box, your Samsung TV might look good, but it could look much better. That's because Samsung's default settings are tuned more for energy savings and eye-catching performance under showroom lights than for comfort and quality in your living room. If you've never tweaked the settings since setup, you're likely missing out on sharper picture quality, smoother performance, and better privacy controls. All it takes is adjusting five key settings to get the most out of your Samsung TV. It doesn't matter if your Samsung TV is brand new or a few years old, these five settings tips and tricks take only minutes to carry out and can instantly improve picture quality, performance, and privacy. Motion Smoothing, also called Picture Clarity on Samsung TVs, adds extra frames to reduce blur, but it often creates the unwanted soap opera effect. Movies end up looking overly smooth, like live TV, which often ruins the cinematic experience. To turn it off, go to All Settings, Picture, Expert Settings, Picture Clarity Settings and set Picture Clarity to Off. Doing this will bring back the natural motion filmmakers intended. If you watch a lot of sports, you can experiment with Custom settings but for movies and shows, turning it off delivers the best results. Eco Mode might seem like a responsible choice, but it comes at the cost of picture quality. This setting reduces brightness and contrast, dulls colors, and makes it harder to see details in darker scenes. The result can be a flat, less immersive viewing experience, especially during movies or shows with lots of shadow and subtle color. To disable it, press the gear icon on your remote and navigate to All Settings, General and Privacy, Power and Energy Saving, and Energy Saving Solution. Then simply toggle it off, and you'll immediately notice a brighter, more dynamic picture with richer colors, sharper contrast, and an overall more lifelike image. Samsung TVs typically default to Standard mode, which tends to produce cooler, bluish tones that can make images look unnatural or harsh. While it's fine for general use, it's not ideal for accurate color or lifelike visuals. Modes like Movie, Cinema, and Filmmaker are designed to display content the way creators intended, with warmer tones, more natural skin colors, and balanced contrast. To try them, go to All Settings, Picture Mode and select the option that looks best to you. Movie mode is often the most well-rounded choice. For the best at-home experience, avoid Dynamic or Vivid modes, which are optimized for bright store displays and can make content appear overly sharp and oversaturated. Brightness Optimization automatically adjusts your TV's brightness based on the lighting in your room, but it often delivers inconsistent results. In spaces where light levels change throughout the day, it can misjudge the environment and leave your screen too dim or too bright. To take control of this, start by turning off Brightness Optimization in the Power and Energy Saving menu. Then head to All Settings, Picture, Expert Settings, Brightness and adjust it manually while watching your usual content. If you're watching HDR content, be sure to play an HDR video and adjust the brightness separately. HDR typically looks best with brightness set closer to maximum for full visual impact. Samsung's Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) feature tracks what you watch in order to serve personalized ads and recommendations. While that might sound helpful, it does come with clear privacy concerns and the constant background data activity can also impact your TV's overall performance. To stop this tracking, go to Settings, Support, Terms & Policies, Privacy Choices, then deselect Viewing Information Services. This prevents Samsung from collecting and sharing your viewing history, helping to protect your privacy. It may also lead to a smoother, faster experience by reducing behind-the-scenes data processing. These five settings work together to noticeably improve your Samsung TV's overall performance. Your screen will look brighter, colors will appear more vivid and lifelike, and movies will regain the smooth, cinematic motion they were meant to have. Each adjustment takes just a few minutes, but the improvements you'll see will last through every show, movie, and game you watch. Don't let factory defaults limit what your TV can do. With just a few small changes, you can unlock a far better viewing experience and enjoy your Samsung TV the way it was truly meant to perform. Now you've learned about the 5 Samsung TV settings to boost its performance, why not check out our our other useful TV guides? Check out 5 ways to stop your smart TV from buffering and how to stop those annoying privacy pop-ups. And if you're tired of hard-to-hear dialogue on your TV, here's how to fix it once and for all. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.
Scottish Sun
07-05-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
I followed Martin Lewis tip and got £1,200 free cash bonus while on Universal Credit
A UNIVERSAL Credit claimant has revealed how a simple savings hack helped her pocket a £1,200 free bonus cash. Claire spotted a savings tip on TV and four years later, she's sitting on a £1,200 bonus thanks to one simple move recommended by Martin Lewis. 1 A woman bagged £1,200 of free cash following Martin Lewis' key tip The savvy saver, who was on Universal Credit when she opened her Help to Save account, has now officially cashed out after diligently putting money away each month and she's urging others not to miss out. She shared her story with Martin Lewis' Money Saving Expert team, saying: 'I've saved for the last 4 years... I'm about to cash out my last £2,400 plus my second £600 bonus, so £3,600 in total. "It was tight some months, but I always pulled the cash together to get the max back! Thanks for the tip all those years ago!' Claire's bonus came from the Help to Save scheme, which is a Government-backed savings account that rewards low-income earners with 50p for every £1 they put away. It's designed for those on Universal Credit or tax credits, and it's been described by Martin as 'totally unbeatable'. The account allows users to save between £1 and £50 per month over four years. After two years, savers get a 50% bonus on the highest balance they held, even if they dipped into it. Then, if they carry on saving for another two years, they get another 50% bonus based on what they added in years 3 and 4. Just by saving £50 a month, she unlocked the full £1,200 in free Government money. Now, anyone on Universal Credit who earned at least £1 in the last month can open an account. Skipton free ISA buns Previously, only those earning £793.17 or more in take-home pay per month could apply, but from April 6, the threshold was lowered dramatically. That's an extra 550,000 people now eligible, bringing the total pool to 2.7million. Once you open an account, you can save anything from £1 to £50 a month. After two years, you get a tax-free bonus equal to 50% of the highest amount you had in the account, even if you withdrew it. Then, you can continue saving for another two years and earn a second bonus calculated on the increase in your balance. That means over four years, savers could walk away with £1,200 in free Government cash on top of the money they've set aside. The Money Saving Expert explained: 'Even if you only save a few pounds a month, the rewards are unmatched. It's rare I use the word 'unbeatable' but this truly is.' Better yet, the account is easy-access, meaning you can withdraw money whenever you need to which is a lifeline for many juggling tight budgets. However, there is a caveat. If your total savings, including Help to Save , exceed £6,000, it could reduce your Universal Credit payments. But for most savers who stick to the scheme alone, this won't be a problem. Also, the bonus itself isn't counted towards the threshold, only what you've physically deposited. There's one situation where Help to Save might not be the best option and that's if you're carrying expensive debt. In that case, it could be wiser to pay down what you owe before building up savings. But for everyone else, it's a financial no-brainer. And the perks of being on Universal Credit don't stop there. Claimants can also get up to 85% of childcare costs covered, access Sure Start Maternity Grants worth £500, and apply for support from the £421million Household Support Fund via their local council. You can cash in on £29,000 worth of free cash and benefits. If you're unsure whether you're eligible for Universal Credit or Help to Save, you can check using tools. In a cost-of-living crisis, this could be the most rewarding £1 you ever.
Axios
06-05-2025
- Health
- Axios
RFK Jr. picks controversial doctor as top vaccine regulator
Vinay Prasad, a hematologist-oncologist known for at times scathing social media critiques of public health policy, will be the FDA's new top vaccine regulator, according to an email viewed by Axios. Why it matters: The University of California San Francisco physician will succeed Peter Marks, who abruptly resigned as director of FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research in March, citing disagreements with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Driving the news: Prasad is an outspoken skeptic about COVID-19 vaccine mandates for kids, though he's called the vaccine itself a "a miraculous, life-saving advance." FDA Commissioner Marty Makary wrote in an email to FDA staff that Prasad had published more than 500 academic articles, done extensive research in the field of oncology and presented at hundreds of scientific and medical conferences. "He brings a great set of skills, energy, and competence to the FDA and I know that he is eager to begin immersing himself in the important work of CBER and the agency as a whole." Zoom in: Prasad has made a name for himself on social media platforms including X, his Substack called Sensible Medicine, and the podcast The Plenary Session, where he discusses medicine, policy, ethics and the pharmaceutical industry. He's courted controversy challenging industry influence in health policy and what he calls poor reasoning in clinical research. He's also been a sharp critic of Marks, calling him "anti-data." Prasad also endorsed clawing back federal funding the Biden administration awarded to Moderna to develop a bird flu vaccine. He is the author of the books "Malignant: How Bad Policy and Bad Evidence Harm People with Cancer" and "Ending Medical Reversal: Improving Outcomes, Saving Lives." Scott Steele, who served as acting CBER director following Marks' departure, will return to his position as senior advisor for translational science.
Time of India
06-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Indian-origin Vinay Prasad becomes US' top vaccine official. Who is he? Why is he controversial?
Dr Vinay Prasad will be FDA's top vaccine regulator. — DrMakaryFDA (@DrMakaryFDA) Prasad's criticism of US health policies Who is Vinay Prasad? His early life Controversial oncoologist-haematologist Vinay Prasad will be the FDA's top vaccine regulator. Apart from his extensive research and contribution in the field of oncology, he is known for his scathing remarks against the FDA and US health Commissioner Martin Makary announced Prasad's appointment as the new director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, which oversees review of vaccines, blood products and some genetic medicines.'Dr Prasad brings the kind of scientific rigor, independence, and transparency we need at CBER—a significant step forward,' Makary wrote in a post on the social media site recent years, Prasad has become a regular on podcasts associated with Health Secretary Kennedy's 'Make America Healthy Again' the pandemic, Dr Prasad found fault with social distancing and expressed doubt over vaccine for children. He also criticized Donald Trump during the pandemic for taking disproven medicines to prevent the spread of the virus and for refusing to use facemasks at the White freely expresses his opinion in X, his Substack called Sensible Medicine and the podcast The Plenary Session. He is the author of the books "Malignant: How Bad Policy and Bad Evidence Harm People with Cancer" and "Ending Medical Reversal: Improving Outcomes, Saving Lives."Born in the US to immigrant parents, Dr Prasad's early life was in Ohio and Chicago. He went to Michigan State University, where he took courses in health care ethics and physiology. He completed his medical degree at the University of Chicago in 2009 and completed a residency in internal medicine at Northwestern University in 2012. From 2015 to 2020, Prasad was assistant and then associate professor at the Oregon Health & Science University. He currently works at San Francisco General Hospital. Prasad is currently a full professor of hematology-oncology at UCSF.
