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Roku is giving its affordable Express a 4K upgrade, creating a new product that rivals not only the latest 4K streamers from Amazon and Google, but also our favorite streamer for the money, the Roku Streaming Stick Plus . Called the Express 4K Plus, the new $40 player arrives in mid-May. The small box keeps the same design as the HD-only Express but adds a faster, more powerful processor, dual-band Wi-Fi support and a voice remote. The point-anywhere voice remote is the biggest improvement over the older $40 Roku Premiere , which included an IR-based "simple" remote that lacked voice control. The remote included with the Express 4K Plus is basically the same remote as the one on the Streaming Stick Plus, complete with the ability to accept voice commands and control your TV via power, volume and mute buttons. It lacks the headphone jack, shortcut keys and near-field voice features of the new Voice Remote Pro , but it brings the Express 4K Plus up to remote parity … [Read more...] about Roku Express 4K Plus includes voice remote, TV control and HDR, costs just $40

By Gretchen Vogel , Kai Kupferschmidt Apr. 13, 2021 , 4:50 PM Science ’s COVID-19 reporting is supported by the Heising-Simons Foundation. A rare but very serious side effect that has complicated Europe’s COVID-19 vaccination schedules for the past month has now thrown a wrench into U.S. immunization efforts as well. In a joint statement on Tuesday morning , the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced they were “recommending a pause” in the use of the COVID-19 vaccine made by Johnson & Johnson (J&J) “out of an abundance of caution.” The move came after six cases of a rare clotting disorder, also seen in some people vaccinated with AstraZeneca’s vaccine, were reported among more than 6.8 million people vaccinated with the J&J vaccine in the United States. All cases occurred in women between the ages of 18 and 48. One of them died. “While these events are very rare, we’re recommending a … [Read more...] about Concerns over rare clotting disorders halt use of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine

So you’re considering a projector? Perhaps you’re a movie fan who wants to curate their own home cinema night, popcorn and all. Or you’re a gamer who wants to step out onto a distant planet and blast life-sized aliens to smithereens? With the right projector you can do all of these things, and so much more. If you are indeed ready to take the plunge, or are looking to upgrade, there are a few considerations to take into account. Projectors require a little more planning and setting up when compared with televisions. To get the best out of one, you’ll need to attach it to the ceiling, as – unlike TVs – you’ll need distance between the lens and the screen to project. (Unless of course, you go for a short throw model, but we’ll talk a little more on this later.) A ceiling-mounted beamer also eliminates the possibility of shadows cast by passing people or pets. Not all need to be ceiling mounted as smaller projectors can be moved in and out of a room as needed, but Sony’s range … [Read more...] about Should I buy a Sony projector?

Good news, disabled Australians! You'll soon be getting an app that will implement a welfare compliance regime designed by the people who brought you robo-debt. But don't worry, it'll have blockchain. No, this isn't good news at all. What makes it worse is that it's clear the government wants to extend technology-driven compliance to all Australians, with an emphasis on cracking down on your mistakes, not theirs. Kathryn Campbell, Secretary of the Department of Social Services, says the long-term plan is to have one app for all Commonwealth government services. "One to rule the world," she said last month, apparently oblivious to how evil that sounds. Senators are already worried that the disability app, intended to be used by participants in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) to claim expenses against their support plan, will go the way of COVIDSafe : Millions of dollars spent on technology that doesn't really do the job. The intention was to fix a poor web … [Read more...] about NDIS gets a government app with blockchain but no ethics

The iPhone 12 represents a stark departure from its predecessors, courtesy of a completely refreshed design and some notably improved components. With many an iPhone XR owner due for an upgrade after a long two-year contract, it’s the iPhone 12 that’s likely to be in their crosshairs. So how much of a step up does the iPhone 12 present? And is the iPhone XR still a viable purchase in 2021? The two-year gap between the release of these handsets represents a long time in the smartphone world. Let’s see if Apple has put that development time to good use. iPhone 12 vs iPhone XR price and availability The iPhone 12 landed in shops on October 23, 2020. Prices for Apple’s current flagship range from $799 / £799 / AU$1,349 for the 64GB model, to $949 / £949 / AU$1,599 for 256GB. The 128GB model tucked in-between costs $849 / £849 / AU$1,429. Two years prior to the iPhone 12 hitting shops, the iPhone XR went on sale. From October 26, 2018, you could grab the 64GB model for $749 … [Read more...] about iPhone 12 vs iPhone XR: two years is a long time in smartphones