Latest news with #TiVo
Associated Press
21-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Total Sonics' Award-Winning Audio Processing Comes to Skyworth TVs with The TiVo Operating System
MILFORD, Mass., May 21, 2025 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — New England-based audio technology innovator, Total Sonics®, the licensing arm of THAT Corporation®, is pleased to announce agreements with TV technology powerhouse TiVo™, a division of Xperi®, and the Skyworth® Group, one of the world's largest TV and appliance manufacturers. The agreement with TiVo allows them to integrate and distribute the patented Total Sonics audio enhancement technology suite along with TiVo firmware, enabling TV makers like Skyworth to provide their customers with the best possible sound experience on TiVo OS sets. TVs featuring Total Sonics' technology are now available from Skyworth and their subsidiary, Metz, on sets with the TiVo OS and on Google® TV based designs. With deep roots in delivering better sound to the professional and consumer audio markets, and with more than a billion devices worldwide using THAT Corp's core technologies, the Total Sonics division has developed a suite of acclaimed audio enhancement technologies, including Total Sonics speaker optimization, Total Volume® loudness control, Total Surround® virtual surround sound, Total Cal® automated in-home tuning, and Total Bass™ psychoacoustic bass processing. Total Sonics has also partnered with Psy(x) Research to integrate Total Immersion™ virtual height processing into the Total suite. All of Total Sonics' algorithms are designed with efficiency in mind and run on common SoCs and DSPs, improving sound quality without burdening TV's, powered speakers, tablets and more with added cost, circuitry, or complexity. According to Total Sonics' Vice President, Tim Brault, 'Since we've been actively demonstrating our algorithms' capabilities, manufacturers of all sorts of products – from TV's and powered speakers to mobile devices and PCs – have marveled at how well the Total Sonics suite improves the audio experience.' Brault continues, 'This appeals to manufacturers for several key reasons: our technology improves their product's performance-to-value ratios by enabling less expensive products to perform at levels normally associated with more expensive designs. And they save cost by not requiring expensive additional componentry, and by shrinking the development time required to get products to market.' The Total Sonics technologies are being adopted by more and more manufacturers around the world. More information can be found at their website: About Total Sonics: Started by engineers of the legendary dbx® Inc. professional and consumer audio products, Total Sonics (formerly dbx-tv®) has been improving sound in consumer electronics for over 40 years, with their technology integrated in over 1 Billion devices worldwide. Manufacturers now turn to Total Sonics to deliver improved audio experiences to consumers at lower cost without the need for additional hardware. Total Sonics licenses audio processing software for TVs, soundbars, speakers, PCs, mobile devices, and other consumer electronics. About Xperi: Xperi invents, develops, and delivers technologies that enable extraordinary experiences. Xperi technologies, delivered via its brands (DTS®, HD Radio™, TiVo®), are integrated into consumer devices and media platforms worldwide, powering smart devices, connected cars and entertainment experiences, including IMAX® Enhanced, a certification and licensing program operated by IMAX and DTS Inc. Xperi has created a unified ecosystem that reaches highly engaged consumers, driving increased value for partners, customers and consumers. About Skyworth: Skyworth provides advanced, high-quality TV and entertainment solutions on a global scale at competitive prices. SKYWORTH Group Limited is a leading supplier of uniquely advanced and smart technology solutions. It has been listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKG: 0751) since 2000. As of 1 March 2019, the Group was valued in excess of USD 19 billion and employed over 40,000 people worldwide. Founded in 1988, today SKYWORTH is a leading color TV brand internationally, a top brand in the Chinese display industry, and a top three global provider of the Android TV platform. Trademarks: THAT Corporation, Total Sonics, Total Volume, Total Surround, Total Cal, Total Immersion, Total Bass, and dbx-tv, and their respective logos, are trademarks or registered trademarks of THAT Corporation. Xperi, TiVo, DTS, IMAX, HD Radio, and their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Xperi Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States or other countries. Skyworth, Metz, and their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Skyworth Group or its subsidiaries. Google is a trademark or registered trademark of Google LLC. dbx is a registered trademark of Harman International. MULTIMEDIA: Image link for media: Image caption: Logos of parties in the agreement. MEDIA ONLY CONTACT: For any information, images or tech briefs, please contact Richard Frank at Frank Marketing Associates – [email protected] or 949-637-0700. NEWS SOURCE: Total Sonics Keywords: Electronics, Total Sonics, audio processing, TV sound enhancement, TiVo OS, home audio, THAT Corporation, consumer audio products, MILFORD, Mass. This press release was issued on behalf of the news source (Total Sonics) who is solely responsibile for its accuracy, by Send2Press® Newswire. Information is believed accurate but not guaranteed. Story ID: S2P126366 APNF0325A To view the original version, visit: © 2025 Send2Press® Newswire, a press release distribution service, Calif., USA. RIGHTS GRANTED FOR REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART BY ANY LEGITIMATE MEDIA OUTLET - SUCH AS NEWSPAPER, BROADCAST OR TRADE PERIODICAL. MAY NOT BE USED ON ANY NON-MEDIA WEBSITE PROMOTING PR OR MARKETING SERVICES OR CONTENT DEVELOPMENT. Disclaimer: This press release content was not created by nor issued by the Associated Press (AP). Content below is unrelated to this news story.
Business Wire
14-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Xperi Inc. Announces Participation at Investor Conferences
SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Xperi Inc. (NYSE: XPER) (the 'Company' or 'Xperi'), an entertainment technology company that invents, develops and delivers technologies that enable extraordinary experiences, today announced that members of its management team will participate in the following upcoming investor conferences: Craig Hallum 22 nd Annual Institutional Investor Conference Wednesday, May 28, 2025 Minneapolis, Minnesota Maxim Group 2025 Virtual Tech Conference: Discover the Innovations Reshaping Tomorrow Tuesday, June 3, 2025 About Xperi Inc. Xperi invents, develops, and delivers technologies that enable extraordinary experiences. Xperi technologies, delivered via its brands (DTS ®, HD Radio™, TiVo ®) are integrated into consumer devices and media platforms worldwide, powering smart devices, connected cars and entertainment experiences, including IMAX ® Enhanced, a certification and licensing program operated by IMAX Corporation and DTS, Inc. Xperi has created a unified ecosystem that reaches highly engaged consumers, driving increased value for partners, customers and consumers. ©2025 Xperi Inc. All Rights Reserved. Xperi, TiVo, DTS, HD Radio, DTS Play-Fi, and their respective logos are trademark(s) or registered trademark(s) of Xperi Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. IMAX is a registered trademark of IMAX Corporation. All other trademarks and content are the property of their respective owners. XPER-E
Buzz Feed
07-05-2025
- General
- Buzz Feed
32 Products To Solve All Your Annoying, Loud, Ugly, And/Or Furry Home Issues
We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page. Shopping · Turns out your idea of an oasis does not include banging cabinet doors and being perpetually covered in pet hair. 1. A fast-acting plug-in fly trap so you can lure in pests to meet their sticky demise without being forced to witness a gross bug graveyard like other less discreet traps. Promising review:"I can't say enough wonderful things about these handy little bug catchers! They are simple to use, cheap to refill, and catch a ton of small bugs and flies. I have eight of them now, all around my house! It's a little gross how many tiny flying insects are around…but it makes me feel a lot better now that I have these!" — Chris H. Get it from Amazon for $14.97+ (available in five pack sizes). 2. A set of sound-dampening bumpers because you're one more slammed door away from a casual meltdown. Slap these on everything— cabinet doors, drawers, headboards, etc. — to prevent unwanted banging and restore peace to the land. I put these on my kitchen cabinet doors and sliding closet doors. They're fantastic! Promising review: "So my parents' bathroom cabinets make a lot of noise and are all missing bumpers in the corners of the doors and on the frames. I put these on the other day, and life is sweeter without having to hear the cabinet doors slamming or closing each time they're opened. With the bumpers being clear and not of color, it's also aesthetically pleasing." — Jose Get a 300-pack from Amazon for $9.99. 3. A variety pack of LED light–blocking stickers if your alarm clock isn't just waking you up but keeping you up. These peel-and-stick dimmers are great for reducing harsh light from digital clocks, routers, chargers, and more! Amazon, Promising review:"Simple but perfect. I recently mounted my TV to the wall, and now, directly below it, is my TiVo box. The red and green lights are bright and occasionally distracting. After applying these, I can still see the lights (so I know when it is recording,) but they are a lot dimmer now and way less distracting. Thanks for a great product. I've also used these on a bedroom TV that had a bright red light when it was off. Couldn't sleep because it bothered me. LightDims saved the day there, too." — RandomReviewer Get 100 stickers from Amazon for $3.99. 4. A length-adjustable pet hair broom with rubber bristles for wrangling all the fur trapped in your carpet that your vacuum couldn't handle. If that's not enough to have you reaching for this broom constantly, there's also a built-in squeegee for corralling spilled liquids and cleaning glass. Promising review:"I have two corgis. Anyone who has ever been around a corgi knows they shed a ridiculous amount. This tool is literally the best thing ever. I use it before I vacuum or mop, and it's honestly disgusting how much stuff/corgi hair it gets up off my hardwood floors or carpet. WAY better than a normal broom. Lightweight and durable. Easy to store and clean. Does not leave any marks on my flooring. Cannot recommend this enough!!" — Kindle Customer Check out my coworker's FURemover Evrilholder broom review for more deets and some very satisfying hair removal photos! Get it from Amazon for $16.27+ (available in three styles). 5. A genius WD-40 pen that packs all the squeak-quieting, lubricating powers of the tried-and-true formula into a precision-tip pen that's much easier to use and even easier to keep on hand for quick fixes, so you don't let that squeaky door live on for far too long. Promising review: "I love WD-40 products and use them for everything. I spray on shovels to keep dirt or snow from sticking, spray around windows and thresholds to deter bugs, clean Sharpies off wood and walls, and, of course, stop squeaky doors. These small direct-point application pens are great. Keep one in the glove box, my kitchen 'junk' drawer, and the house toolbox." — BBP623 Get a three-pack from Amazon for $12.86. 6. An oh-so-smart Pikk-it tool if shredding your fingers trying to rip the hair out of a clogged vacuum head is not exactly your idea of a good time. The pick end works wonders to untangle knots and can be used to clean out hairbrush bristles, too. Promising review: "Between myself (medium long hair) and my overly fluffy cat, a lot of hair and fluff was continually getting caught up on the roller brush of my vacuum. I dreaded vacuuming because it took so long to pull and snip the hairs wrapped up on the roller brush out with scissors. Not anymore! This silly, little, inexpensive thing works great! Super quick to remove all the hair/fur — in virtually a minute, then back to vacuuming with my lovely Miele vacuum." — MKS Get it from Amazon for $8.99. 7. A reusable pumice stone so you can quickly take care of those unsightly rings and hard water stains that you've been scrubbing at in vain since forever. Promising review:"My toilets had a few stains that no matter what cleaner bleach, scrubbing I used, I couldn't get them off…until this. A bit of hard scrubbing and my toilets are back white like new! Very easy and effective!" — Jennifer McCutchon Get it from Amazon for $13.99 (also available in multipacks). 8. An ultra-thin socket cover with an attached six-plug power strip if you're tired of bulky plugs and tangled cords being a big eyesore and preventing you from actually pushing furniture flush up against the wall. Promising review:"This product is awesome! We bought one in the office to stop a nearby chair from continuously hitting the outlet plugs. It solved the problem right away. So we ordered three more to use anywhere there is bulk on the wall. It saves space, makes arranging furniture and desks easy, and is clean-looking. Someone is a genius. Thanks so much!" — Jay Get it from Amazon for $21.95+ (available in four sizes and two styles). 9. And a TV cord cover because what's the point of having a mounted screen if power cords are just going to ruin the whole sleek aesthetic anyway? This self-adhesive channel tucks cords away, so you don't have to compromise your minimalist vision. Promising review: "These look great and are super easy to apply. This is the perfect solution for hiding a cord! It looks like it is just a part of the baseboard. Mine is covering a cable wire only, but I think they are big enough to hide more than one cord if needed. I didn't cut mine, and I bought two. You can tell where the two meet if you look closely. However, I do not think anyone would notice. I can't believe I let our cable cord sit across the floor for this long. I wish I would have found these sooner!" — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $18.79+ (available in three sizes, five colors, and in multipacks). 10. A Hear Doggy alligator toy that'll spare your ears from incessant high-pitched speaking. This toy is equipped with an ultrasonic squeaker only dogs can hear, so they don't miss out on an ounce of fun and you can protect your peace. Promising review:"When you squeeze this toy, the sound is just a faint air puff. Apparently, it sounds different to a dog. We can squeeze it when our puppy is in another room, and she will come running to inspect. She likes to tug at the felt pieces on the toy and incessantly bite the 'squeaker.' It's so nice to have a toy like this because I don't like the noisy ones." — tee Get it from Amazon for $10.99+ (available in ten other styles and two sizes). 11. A pack of biodegradable foaming drain-cleaning pouches to effortlessly take care of all the out-of-sight grime clogging (and stinking) up your garbage disposal. Promising review:"My disposal developed a bad odor, and all the usual remedies failed to eliminate it. I bought the Glisten disposal cleaner without expecting it to work. It worked exactly as shown in the video, and the bad odor disappeared after one application. I intend to use it once every two weeks in the future. I am very pleased to have found this product. I was on the verge of replacing the disposal, which was otherwise working fine." — Errol Levine Get a four-pack from Amazon for $7.60. 12. A magnetic insulated door curtain so you aren't assaulted with a bone-chilling draft every time you walk past your exterior garage or patio doorways. Promising review: "I actually bought two. One on each side of the doorway. The doorway in my laundry room doesn't actually have a door, and the other side of the doorway can get to be at the same temperature as the outside. Having two makes it even easier to keep the heat in and the cold out. When picking out the dimensions, get bigger than you need so there is some overlap. Sometimes you have to give the bottom a little kick to make sure the magnets engage." — Michael Ciliberto Get it from Amazon for $28.99+ (available in 17 sizes and three colors). 13. A powerful mold and mildew stain cleaner because it'll lift the most terrifying grout and caulking stains without the back-breaking scrubbing. Just apply the concentrated gel formula, wait six to eight hours, and watch your stains (and your worries) wash down the drain. Promising review:" We moved into a new apartment, and the mold was out of control, and it was disgusting. We tried so many products to get it out until we found this one and decided to try it as we didn't have anything to lose. I'm so happy we bought this! This is basically concentrated Clorox as a gel, so it's so much easier to apply than the liquid, and it kind of stays in place. You just have to apply it, wait a few hours, and remove it (no scrubbing required). Just make sure your shower is dry when you apply it, and you'll be good to go. Definitely worth buying if you have the same problem and nothing has worked." — Chris Check out our Skylarlife mold and mildew removal gel review to learn more. Get it from Amazon for $14.99. 14. A patented ChomChom pet hair remover if Fido's shedding is taking over your home and you're sick of lugging out the vacuum every three seconds. This reusable option uses a bit of pressure, back-and-forth motion, and bristles to catch lint, and reviewers love it for quickly lifting hair from large hairy surfaces like couch cushions and blankets. ChomChom Roller is a Massachusetts-based small biz creating an eco-friendly, reusable alternative to sticky lint rollers. Promising reviews:" TikTok made me buy this, and it is money well spent!! I'm convinced my beagle sheds a full coat of hair and regrows it daily! I use this on my bed every single day, and it blows my mind how well it works. Before this, I was going through 4–5 disposable sticky rollers a month and spending three times longer to remove dog hair. I am buying these for everyone in my family as Christmas gifts this year! ❤️" — tiff4short Check out our ChomChom pet hair remover review for more deets! Get it from Amazon for $23.99+ (available in four colors). 15. Plus, a portable gel lint roller for handling the never-ending supply of lint and pet hair that makes its way onto your clothes. Though the ChomChom rocks at furniture clean-up, reviewers note it falls short on last-minute clothing touch-ups. With this, you'll have a reusable option for any situation since it'll regain its stickiness once you rinse out the interior ball. Promising review: "I saw this on TikTok a bunch of times and finally decided to get it. I hate the paper lint rollers; they never seem to work that well, and I hate that I have to throw them away. This is awesome because it fits right in my bag, and I'm able to reuse it over and over. It's super sticky and works great!" — Ella Get it from Amazon for $7.99+ (available in four colors and larger multipacks). 16. A four-pack of noise-dampening pads that just slide under your washing machine or dryer to absorb vibration and prevent laundry day from sounding like a full-scale demolition derby from the floor below. Amazon, IdeaWorks is a small biz specializing in problem-solving home products. Promising review: "Looked at all the reviews and decided the crack in my ceiling in the dining room was still worth them to try. Totally happy. The noise level from an upstairs front loader washer and minimal noise from the dryer is vanquished. The washer is in an overflow pan, but for the past six years, it has sounded and felt like it was going to come right into the dining room; it was so noisy." — SKRATCH Get them from Amazon for $8.01+ (available in packs of four and eight). 17. A pack of ceiling fan carbon filters to trap dust, pollen, dander, and other allergens with adhesive pads that stick right to the top of each fan blade. Now, you can breathe easy knowing there's an in-home filtration system working silently behind the scenes for you. Promising review: "I wasn't sure what to expect when purchasing these, but now they are a staple in every room of our house. Within three days the air smelled more crisp and was easier to breathe in our home. So simple and effective!" — Haylee Marez Get a three-pack from Amazon for $21.99. 18. A pack of discreet towel clips so you can experience a world where your hand and kitchen towels don't spend more time balled up on the floor than they do hanging where they belong. Amazon Promising review: "This clip is amazing. No more towels falling on the floor. It was becoming a routine thing since my cat thinks it's fun to pull the kitchen towels off the oven. Not now, bad kitty! Great I had bought one sooner!" — Joanna Get a three-pack from Amazon for $12.99. 19. A customizable door draft stopper because you're paying top dollar for heat and not about to let any of that money go to waste. This works to plug up gaps that let in ambient noise and prevent your home from being cooled or heated with max efficiency. Simply cut to size, slide under your door, and enjoy a little extra $$$ in your pocket. Promising review:" It's saved us so much money on our energy bill we're definitely buying more and I encourage you to buy more if you want to save on your energy bills." — Kellykelly Get it from Amazon for $23.99 (available in larger multipacks). 20. Plus, some self-adhesive insulating weather strips for applying to the edges of drafty windows and doors to help keep cold air in, hot air out, and even dampen the sound of your roommate's three-hour-long Zoom meeting. Promising review:"Can't beat the price! Great adhesive strength. Using in Texas weather on doors to seal air leaks. The weatherproofing material itself is very pliable and soft, presuming it weathers the heat and humidity. Can split a roll into two thinner strips doubling your coverage or can double insulate using the entire roll offering a lot of flexibility." — Paul K. Get it from Amazon for $7.97+ (available in two sizes and four colors). 21. A bottle of Angry Orange Pet Odor Eliminator if you're going to war against lingering stinks that just won't go away. This pet-safe formula was designed for use in boarding kennels and feedlots, so you can rest assured that the one corner your cat likes to pee in won't be too big of a job. Promising review:"This product is amazing!!!! We have a Rottweiler pup and a bichon pup, and our house was feeling the PAIN! I tried everything and used to tell my wife, 'With all the science and technology in the world, we still can't come up with something that gets rid of the dog mark smell!' This product does everything and more. Just ordered another round. We were about to throw away some furniture due to the smell, and now, after use, we can keep it. Saved me hundreds. Well worth the money." — clayton s tonkin Get it from Amazon for $17.96+ (available in two sizes). 22. A pair of noise-reduction earplugs for taking the edge off of overwhelming noise pollution by quieting surrounding noises without fully blocking them out. It's a great option for anyone with auditory sensitivities that make sustained focus or relaxation difficult. The earplugs also come with a carrying case and eight different ear tips (XS–L) to ensure the perfect fit. Promising review:"You can hear people talk and hear music playing when wearing them. I took them with me to a concert, and they were so nice to use. Unlike most headphones, these don't become uncomfortable after an hour or two. They're a wonderful mix of hearing protection and focal listening." — ricky Get it from Amazon for $38.95 (available in four colors). A super-soft silicone version is also available for $19.95+ (available in eight colors). 23. A *self-cleaning* grooming brush to spend more time enjoying your pet and less time cleaning up all their hair. This multitasking tool helps manage shedding by reaching deep into the undercoat, and trapped hair can be cleaned from the brush with the simple push of a button. Promising reviews: "A dog brush that I don't have to pick dog hair out first, I thought this was some form of dark wizardry. But I don't care because this is awesome!" — "I've spent hundreds of dollars on toys, treats, houses, scratchers, etc for my cats. This is, hands down, not even close, the best money I've ever spent! I got so much fur off them, and they loved it! They look so sleek and shiny, and they are rolling around like kittens. They feel so fresh and happy. My cats are still young (all ages 4 and under) so they were pretty well groomed to begin with. I couldn't believe how many knots and snags were hiding in their fur. The whole time I was brushing them, they were purring and rubbing all over me, trying to get more. The self-cleaning feature is so easy!! A click of a button and all the hair falls off. The brush itself is bigger than what I anticipated. I thought my cats would be afraid of it, but once they figured out what was happening, they weren't at all. I got the original brush, which I thought would probably feel good (like a good back scratch!) And I was right. They loved it." — Samantha Get it from Amazon for $14.99. 24. Or a splurgeworthy, all-in-one vacuum pet grooming kit that combines a mix of de-shedding and grooming attachments with vacuum suction so you can easily manage your pet's coat at home without the usual (hairy) mess. The kit includes five attachments: a grooming brush, a de-shedding brush, an electric clipper with four comb attachments (6mm/12mm/18mm/24mm), a nozzle head, and a cleaning brush for collecting any fallen pet hair. Promising review:"I have two cats (who I found I'm allergic to) and two dogs. They need frequent brushing to ensure that I'm not going into an allergy fit due to the insurmountable hair everywhere. This thing is a beast and has helped so much when it comes to keeping up with some of the shedding that goes around here." — Messer Get it from Amazon for $89.99 (clip the $10 off coupon on the product page to get this price). 25. A secret litter box enclosure so you can hide away the single worst thing about owning a cat and pass it off as a flourishing (faux) plant. Promising review: "After four different styles of litter boxes, this one is the winner! More space than most standard boxes and is super easy to take apart and clean. The plant is realistic, and the pebbles it comes with weigh down the top fairly well. Great find, great price." — Tyler Cutro Get it from Amazon for $89.95+ (available in three colors). 26. Some magnetic air vent deflectors because the air is acting drunk and seems to be blowing straight at the wall instead of toward the center of the room. Ya know, where people actually hang out??? Promising review: "Such a great and simple solution to help redirect AC and heat. Super simple and easy to install. Universal fit makes it a cinch to work with any vents within the size range." — Heydaddy Get a pack of two from Amazon for $9.99 (also available in a pack of four and six). 27. A reversible water-resistant slipcover if there's a 0% chance you'll forbid your pups from snuggling with you on the couch, but you also don't want to risk any undue wear and tear on your cushions, especially this time of year. Promising review:"I don't usually write reviews (although, of course, I read them for every item I buy). Let me tell you, this is the best investment for our couches. We bought light grey couches even though we have two giant dogs and we foster dogs, so we needed to find a way to keep the couches in decent shape. These covers have paid for themselves and more. They have kept our couches in almost brand-new shape for close to two years. Dogs have peed on the covers and zero pee has leaked through to the couches. I have spilled water on it as well (and not just a little bit), and the cushion underneath is still dry. We will be buying a new set since they are two years old. But this is the best thing to keep your couches like new." — Maria A. Rojas Get it from Amazon for $28.99+ (available in 13 sizes and 35 colors). 28. A 12-pack of adhesive sound-dampening panels that won't make your living room feel like you're walking into a recording studio since the neutral design blends seamlessly with all kinds of decor. Promising review: "The lower entryway of our townhome is not ventilated to the best of its ability, and we don't have the most considerate neighbors, so I took a chance and bought these foam boards, and I am so thankful. They don't completely get rid of the sound, but they muffle and cancel out the majority of the noise, which gives us peace of mind. In total, I bought two packs, but I will purchase one more to fill in a little row of the top and the little section behind the mirror. Definitely a great buy!!!" — Gwen Edwards Get a 12-pack from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in three colors). Also, check out similar panels that look like subway tiles and brick. 29. Or a customizable felt tile mosaic for a renter-friendly way to add some colorful pizzazz to your plain white walls while dampening sounds at the same time. They're made from recycled water bottles (a win for the planet!) and can even double as a too-cute pinboard for photos and keepsakes. Felt Right is a small biz transforming single-use plastic water bottles into felt tiles that look great and dampen sound. BuzzFeed Shopping writer Taylor Steele picked these for her home: "I chose a simple design because I know myself, and anything with several angles to contend with will make my brain hurt. But I love my felted wall! It adds much-needed color and texture to my living space. What was once a dull beige wall is now a colorful mosaic! And it's super easy to install, too. Though having a friend around to help you put adhesive tabs on the backs of each felt tile is great, too." Get it from Felt Right starting at $31.83+ (available in dozens of shapes/styles). 30. A battery-operated fabric shaver to help get rid of all those snags and pills making your furniture look tired and worn. It's like a tiny vacuum; just empty the detachable lint catcher when you're done and enjoy your revitalized sofa. Also, be sure to pick up two AA batteries! They're not included. It kills me inside when I see a favorite sweater start to pill, so I bought this exact shaver to spruce up some of my older knits. It's great and weirdly relaxing. When I first got it, I was de-pilling everything, from the intended sweaters to the throw pillows on our couch. It's a little loud, so your roommates may or may not come out of their rooms to see what you're it's totally worth it to make any pilled fabric look years younger. Get it from Amazon for $8.99+ (available in two colors and two styles). 31. A double-layer cat litter-trapping mat since you're tired of constantly getting litter stuck to your feet. The water-resistant mat features a honeycomb design that traps litter between layers so you can dump it back into your bin later. Promising review:"This litter mat is a lifesaver. I was facing a real issue with my two new kittens tracking litter EVERYWHER E, so much so that I was considering switching from the litter that I love to something non-tracking because there were no good alternatives. Much research later, I come across this mat. I will say it was bigger and more square than I thought, but I think that is a good thing! It is so large and covers the area well. Now, the litter tracking is 99% contained! Best litter mat I have ever had!" — Rachel Ray Get it from Amazon for $13.99+ (available in two sizes and three colors). 32. A simple-to-use drain clog remover for helping you handle the wet, hairy monster living in your pipes without calling up your plumber. Barf bag not included. Promising review:"OMG!! I'm just speechless. The tub drain was a bit slow so, I decided to try this thing without much expectation. Stuck the plastic all the way down, moved the thing a little, and pulled it out. And I was so shocked at how much hair came out. It's probably all the hair that went down the drain over the seven you could make a wig out of it! Surprised I am not bald! So worth the money!!! Definitely recommend to everyone." — Kelly Get a six-pack from Amazon for $8.49+ (available in orange and green; also available in packs of four and twelve).
Daily Mirror
29-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Sky TV faces another new UK rival this year that will offer all content for free
Sky TV faces another new UK rival this year that will offer all content for free If you want to watch premium telly without the need for a dish or aerial drilled into the chimney, you won't find a much better option than Sky Glass. This internet-connected screen has recently been refreshed with it now offering owners improved visuals, punchy sound from its in-built speakers and a super-simple set-up that takes minutes to install. Sky Glass really is a tough TV to beat, but it's facing stiff competition from a relatively new rival called Freely. This platform comes included on many new smart TVs and, just like Sky's offering, brings live and on-demand content to living rooms via a broadband connection. Users can also pause content, get recommendations and see what's coming up via the telly guide. The biggest difference between Sky and Freely is the cost. As the name suggests, Freely is completely free! Manufacturers packing this tech into their TVs already include Hisense, Panasonic and Bush and now there's even more screens on their way to homes. During a recent launch event in Vienna, French firm Thomson confirmed it is releasing some new tellies in the UK and all will come with full Freely access. Not only that, but they will also be powered by TiVo. This much-loved system has been running other TVs and some Virgin set-top boxes for a while and there are some big advantages of using it. The TiVo team believes it has one of the best systems for finding things to watch and customising results. "We make it easy for people to find, watch and enjoy what they love, on their terms," TiVo explained. "We serve up the best movies, shows, sports and videos from across live TV, on demand, streaming services and countless apps. With TiVo, there's less searching, more watching in one integrated experience from any screen." One bonus of TiVo is that it has a vast amount of film and entertainment metadata. When attempting to find things to view, all users have to do is speak into their remote to narrow down the on-screen results. It even lets users add more search terms one by one in a bid to reduce the number of things appearing on the screen. For example, a user can say, "show me films with Tom Hanks" to be shown movies with the Hollywood star. But then you can add phrases such as "from the 80s" and "show only comedies". TiVo will do then do rest. Something else homes might like is being able to turn off certain streaming platforms from search. That means movies and boxsets won't show up if you don't pay for things such as Disney+ or Netflix. Parents might be especially pleased by this as they won't then be hassled to sign up for things they don't pay for. There's no exact launch date for the new Thomson tellies, but they are expected to arrive in the UK in the autumn with sizes from 24 to 64-inches available. If these screens weren't enough to concern Sky, TiVo has also hinted that it could bring a Freely-powered set-top box to the UK in the future as well. For those not aware, those wanting to access Freely currently needs a compatible TV to tune in, but it's hoped that a new streaming box would bring it to older screens as well. Some manufacturers such as LG and Samsung also haven't adopted Freely yet so an external device would also fix that issue as well. This update would be a direct rival for Sky Stream, which also turns old TVs into fully smart content hubs. We don't have full details just yet, but watch this space.
Business Mayor
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Mayor
Another smart new Sky TV rival is coming to the UK and it's totally free to watch
Sky might have just upgraded its broadband-powered Glass TV but it's rivals aren't standing still either. French telly manufacturer Thomson has just unveiled a swathe of new screens at an event in Vienna, and it's been confirmed that some of these latest models are destined for the UK. The new televisions coming our way will all have access to Freely, which—like Sky Glass—lets users watch live and on-demand content via an internet connection. That means there's no need for a dish or aerial to be stuck to the chimney with content streamed to the big screen instead. Freely also offers the ability to pause live shows, see recommendations for things to watch and there's full access to main and mini TV guide. Freely can't quite match the might of Sky's huge catalogue of content, but, unlike the premium provider, it is completely free to watch. Along with coming pre-loaded with Freely, there's another bonus of these upcoming Thomson tellies as they will be powered by TiVo. This platform is already included on some other screens from firms such as Panasonic and Bush, plus it has long powered older V6 set-top boxes from Virgin Media. Now it's being added to this latest swathe of goggleboxes and it promises to make finding things to watch a whole lot easier. Along with offering a visually rich user experience, TiVo holds a vast amount of metadata, which helps it track down content via simple keywords. All users have to do is speak into the remote to narrow down the on-screen results. It even lets users add more search terms to reduce the number of things appearing on the screen. For example, a user can say, 'films with Tom Cruise', but then add phrases such as 'from the 90s' and 'only comedies' and TiVo will do the rest. 'We make it easy for people to find, watch and enjoy what they love, on their terms,' TiVo explained. 'We serve up the best movies, shows, sports and videos from across live TV, on demand, streaming services and countless apps. With TiVo, there's less searching, more watching in one integrated experience from any screen.' The TiVo operating system even lets you dig into the settings and turn off certain streaming platforms. That means if you don't subscribe to Disney+, for example, you won't see content recommendations from the app appear on the display. Unlike Google TV and Amazon's Fire OS, TiVo is also proud to boast that it is totally independent, so it doesn't push its users to specific apps or content. There's no exact launch date for the new Thomson tellies, but they are expected to arrive in the UK in the autumn with sizes from 24 to 64-inches available. If these screens weren't enough to worry Sky, TiVo has also hinted that it could also bring a Freely-powered set-top box to the UK in the future. Right now, those wanting to access this service need a compatible TV to tune in, but it's hoped that a new streaming box would bring Freely to older screens as well. Some manufacturers such as LG and Samsung also haven't adopted Freely yet so a box would also fix that issue as well. Read More Can you trust your ears? AI voice scams rattle US This update would be a direct rival for Sky Stream, which also turns old TVS into fully smart content hubs. We don't have full details just yet, but watch this space. READ SOURCE
