One of the first things I did as a new Roku user was to start adding apps to the Home screen, from Netflix and Disney+ to Apple TV+ and HBO Max (back when it was still called HBO Max).  But once I had all my apps installed, I hit a roadblock. How exactly do you rearrange all those app tiles? Personally, I like having Netflix up top, along with such oft-used services as Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video, but they were all jumbled in the middle of the app grid. Meanwhile, there were some apps I wanted to nix, such as People TV and Roku’s Getting Started channel.  If you’re new to Roku, it’s easy to get stuck trying to move or delete apps on the Home screen, given there’s no obvious way to rearrange your tiles.  More experienced Roku users, however, will know the trick: the ever-useful “*” button, a.k.a. Options, which reveals contextual and related options when pressed. Once you’re familiar with the Options button, rearranging apps on the Home screen is a snap.  How to move and remove apps from the Roku home screen  We’ll start with moving and rearranging apps on the Roku home screen; removing channels apps next. Rearrange the apps on the Roku home screen  Go to the Home tab on the main Roku screen, press the “>” button on the remote, then navigate to the channel tile you’d like to move.  Next, press the “*” button on the remote. When you do, a menu will pop up with a variety of options, allowing you to check for updates, remove the app (we’ll get to that one in a moment), and so on. Ben Patterson/Foundry The option you’re looking for is “Move app”—or, if the app isn’t already in the top row, “Move app to top.” Select the latter option to jump the app to the top of the screen, or “Move app” to fine-tune its arrangement.  Now, you’ll see the app tiles again, except this time the one you selected will be surrounded by arrows.  Ben Patterson/Foundry Using the arrow keys on the remote, move the app tile around until it’s in the ideal position, then press the OK button. All set!  Delete apps from the Roku home screen  Want to delete an app tile? It’s a cinch, but keep in mind that just because you remove an app (such as, say, Hulu or Max) from the Roku home screen doesn’t mean you’ve unsubscribed from the associated service.  That’s why you should check whether you’re subscribed to the app you want to nix. In some cases, you might have subscribed directly with the service; in others, you might have subscribed through Roku. If you don’t check, you run the risk of a surprise charge on your next credit card bill.  To find out if you subscribed through Roku, visit my.roku.com and select Manage Your Subscriptions. If the channel you want to delete is listed, be sure to unsubscribe if you no longer want it. If the service isn’t listed, you either subbed directly or via a third party, or perhaps the app doesn’t offer a subscription at all. Ben Patterson/Foundry Once you’ve finished checking your subscription (if you had one in the first place), deleting a channel on Roku is similar to moving an app.  Just navigate to the app you want to delete, press the “*” (Options) button, then select “Remove app.” Read...

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By now, you’ve heard of the U.S.’s decision to levy tariffs on imports—all goods made in China, as well as select materials worldwide, like steel and aluminum. At the time of this article’s publishing, taxes on products coming from Canada and Mexico also were likely to begin early April, with additional tariffs proposed for more materials and products worldwide. I covered the details about these tariffs in a FAQ, as well as a set of highlights for a shorter way to get up to speed on the situation. I also created a breakout of sample cost increases so you could better see what actual purchases could look like. But most news has focused on the immediate dollars-and-cents effect of these new taxes. What’s been talked about less are the other ways tariffs will impact the tech industry—consequences that could dampen or even drive back certain aspects that we currently take for granted. At best, we’ll see a temporary blow. At worst, we could feel this hit for years to come. Harder to obtain Technology has become more available to the masses over time. Long ago, personal computers were a rare luxury, found only in homes of enthusiasts or the well-to-do. But as popularity rose, devices and hardware became easier to get. People wanted to spend their money on fresh gear—and so supply became more plentiful. Remember when EVGA made graphics cards? Yeah, they don’t any longer, after looking at the cost of that part of their business. Let’s hope the tariffs don’t cause other companies to make similar moves within tech.Brad Chacos / Foundry But when prices go up, demand goes down. Companies already have an incentive to slow the rollout of new products due to the economic instability brought about by the tariffs. If you add on a weakened appetite from consumers for discretionary purchases, vendors have reason to pull back on the production. They may become slower to release successors to products or even a wider variety of products. In particular, smaller companies decide to pause or stop product lines.  Industry insiders expressed this very sentiment to me when discussing the tariffs and their effect. Without the ability to make accurate forecasts, businesses have to proceed with more caution. They’ll either produce less of their usual devices or hardware—or opt out of selling certain items altogether. After years of ever-growing options for consumers, shrinking down to fewer choices will be a sad step backward. Price stagnation (or even increases) Intel’s Kaby Lake Core i7-7700X launched just a couple of months before AMD’s first-generation Ryzen CPUs, sporting a 4-core, 8-thread processor. By fall, its Coffee Lake Core i7-8700K successor had added two more cores and four more threads. Competition makes a difference.Adam Patrick Murray / Foundry Innovation and competition help lower costs for technology. Manufacturing becomes more efficient, growing demand spreads production costs over a wider field, and/or the tech is succeeded by something even fresher. But if tech gear becomes less varied and harder to get, those factors won’t be as dependable as an influence on price. How much you’ll pay for a laptop, phone, or piece of hardware will likely stick where it is—or go up. As my colleague Gordon Mah Ung loved to point out, Intel sold consumers 4-core, 8-thread CPUs for years, always at similar MSRPs. And when Team Blue launched its first 10-core processor, the suggested price was a staggering $1,723. Fast forward a year, after AMD released its first generation of Ryzen chips, and Intel’s top consumer chip had inched up in core count, with the $359 Intel Core i7-8700K sporting 6 cores and 12 threads. Its closest rivals? The $329 Ryzen 7 1700 and $399 Ryzen 7 1700X, both of which sported 8 cores and 16 threads. This history lesson shows that consumers get less value when fewer options exist. Companies can charge whatever they want when faced with less pressure to keep pushing the envelope. Slower release of new products Should early adopters become more reluctant to try out new gadgets, companies could stop trying novel new form factors, like this tri-fold smartphone.Luke Baker If you’re a company facing economic uncertainty, how much would you want to invest in different products? Likewise, if you’re a consumer looking at devices with fewer or smaller upgrades that cost as much as the previous model, will you want to buy anything new? It’s a bit of a standoff, and one that the tariffs could spark. For example, let’s say you’re used to buying a replacement phone every two years. But if the features don’t change dramatically, and prices remain high (especially for flagship models), perhaps you’ll stick to what you’ve already got in your pocket. Companies might then not push novel form factors as hard, like tri-fold phones and other variants. Similarly, Nvidia and AMD could continue to delay their attention to budget gamers, instead choosing to focus on graphics cards that will bring in more cash. Sure, Intel is the lone holdout for the budget range, but its market share remains low, and its launches aren’t as regular. Budget gamers might then continue to hold out, biding their time with progressively lower graphics settings and frame rates. (But real talk, if your GTX 970 still does it for you, keep rocking that GPU until its well-deserved retirement.) So while engineers will continue to announce newer protocols and standards (think Wi-Fi 7 or PCIe 7.0), the time to an actual launch may be much further in the future than we’re used to. And that pace change could feel like a screeching halt compared to the boom of the past couple of decades, depending on how big a slowdown is. Unpredictable pricing A close up of a circuit board. Copper is often used in circuit board traces.Michael Schwarzenberger / Pixabay Until recent years, technology’s progress also often resulted in a predictable routine for prices, too. Current devices got cheaper, and the stuff that replaced them often stayed the same price or even lowered, thanks to improved manufacturing or higher demand. Before the tariffs, that reliability in pricing trends started to waver due to factors like rising production costs. And now with these additional taxes dropped on top, we consumers may no longer be able to trust in steady pricing. First, as companies shift manufacturing locations, their logistical costs will increase. But how much is still to be determined, based on resources (e.g., new staff hiring, training, etc.) and the ability for a business to absorb current tariff costs. Some larger corporations may take a hit in an effort to keep their part of the industry more stable, for example. Additional tariffs could also cause sudden changes to MSRPs. Given how the current U.S. import tariffs were enacted, more could be announced very suddenly as well, with a notice of just a few days. Graphics cards enthusiasts (and just PC gamers in general) know how painful supply shortages can be, especially when it comes to street prices.EVGA The prospect of new tariffs looms large, too—in February, the U.S. executive branch proposed a 25 percent tariff on all semiconductors, with the intent to sharply raise the tax over time. More recently, a 25 percent tariff on copper was suggested. (You’ll find copper in circuit boards, wiring, and a lot more related to tech.) If these tariffs stack on top of the existing 20 percent on all Chinese-made goods, you could see a sharp rise in costs for products with multiple components affected by these additional taxes. Another wrinkle: When I last spoke with industry insiders, multiple sources told me they were still learning exactly how the tariffs would be applied. So they themselves are scrambling to adjust and adapt. Finally, if costs go up and availability decreases (as discussed above), you may have more trouble predicting actual retail prices. Street prices could go a bit wild, too. We can look at the GPU market for a glimpse into that chaotic, terrible universe: Few cards are available at the announced price, and any remaining stock is higher due to partner cards adding on extras. Any other cards are only available through resellers at huge markups. Before the pandemic, you could easily shop for devices and hardware, with the expectation of regular sales or discounts. Now surplus budgeting may be a requirement whenever you’re preparing for a new purchase. Read...

Want to start smartening up your home? One easy option is to grab a ton of smart bulbs—but those die over time and need constant replacing. Another option with more longevity is to switch out your light switches for smart light switches, if you’re comfortable with electrical work. Right now, this TP-Link Tapo smart switch is only $10 on Amazon, a massive 50% off its original price. You’ll see it listed for $12, but you can get an extra $2 off with code 2SMARTHOME at checkout. This is a single-pole light switch that’ll easily replace the ones you already have in your home (as long as they have neutral wiring). The Tapo app will give you all the instructions you need to do the swap-out job on your own, or you can hire a professional if you’ve never done electrical work. (It’s dangerous if you don’t know the risks and safe practices!) After installing it, the only other thing you have to do is connect it to your 2.4GHz home Wi-Fi network. That’ll make it possible to control remotely using your app, including turning it on and off as well as controlling it with your voice via Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. You won’t even need any smart hubs to hook these up. Functionality includes automatic timers, schedules, and an Away Mode that turns on when you aren’t home so it looks like your home is still occupied, hopefully to deter burglars. Make your home smarter and get yourself a TP-Link Tapo smart light switch for $10. Or save even more with this 4-pack for $34. (If you prefer a dimmer model, it’s available but it’ll cost you a few extra bucks.) Get light switches you can control via Wi-Fi, now $10 eachBuy now at Amazon Read...

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Wired headphones are a more practical and reliable option than the wireless variety. You don’t have to recharge them and they deliver better audio quality because they don’t have to compress sound like Bluetooth models. They’re also more affordable, as they lack the complex components that make up wireless models. Whether you’re looking for superior sound or a more sustainable option, wired headphones are a great choice. You don’t have to worry about battery life Wired headphones eliminate the need to worry about battery life, as the power comes directly from the audio source. This is especially convenient for those who want to avoid constantly recharging devices. Superior audio quality Wired headphones deliver superior audio quality. Wireless Bluetooth has to compress audio data, which compromises sound quality, especially in terms of dynamics and detail. With wired headphones, you can enjoy music at a high bit rate, ideal for music lovers who value every detail. Low latency advantage While Bluetooth connections can lead to delays due to the wireless transmission, wired headphones deliver sound with almost no delay. This is particularly important for films, videos, or video games, where precise synchronization of image and sound is crucial to ensure the best experience. Less expensive than wireless Wired models are often cheaper as they are simpler in design and do not require expensive components such as transmitters, receivers, and batteries. They’re also available in different price ranges, so there’s something for every budget, from affordable entry-level models to high-quality audio solutions for demanding users. No signal interruptions or connection problems Wired headphones have the edge when it comes to reliability. There are no signal interruptions or connection problems like with wireless models. If connection problems do occur, they can usually be solved simply by replacing the cable. They’re better for the environment Wired headphones are a more eco-friendly choice because they don’t have rechargeable batteries, which have a limited lifespan and are difficult to recycle. With good care, they often last for decades, as there’s no battery to wear out. This also reduces electronic waste and contributes to more sustainable use. Many corded models are also easy to repair, further extending their service life. Read...

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Powerful gaming laptops usually come with big price tags, but you can save hundreds if you wait for deals like this one. The Gigabyte G6 KF laptop is only $950 at Best Buy right now, which is a lovely 23% discount off its original MSRP and a nice bargain for the specs. This “gaming” laptop is perfectly good for non-gamers, packing enough power to breeze through work, leisure, entertainment, and creative endeavors like video editing. Jump from Excel to Netflix to Adobe Premiere Pro, then hop into your favorite Steam games and enjoy them on decent settings at great frame rates. This laptop will get it done for you. With the G6 KF, you’re getting a 13th-gen Intel Core i7-13620H processor, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 discrete graphics card, a copious 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and a fast SSD with lots of storage at 1TB capacity. It’s an all-around well-equipped machine that can crank out high performance when you need it. The large 16-inch display is easy on the eyes, even with the rather standard 1920×1200 resolution. But the speedy 165Hz refresh rate grants you smooth visuals at higher frame rates, which is perfect for today’s immersive 3D gaming experiences. It’s a nice laptop at an even nicer price, so don’t miss out on this chance to grab a Gigabyte G6 KF for just $950 at Best Buy. This deal won’t last forever and it might be a while before we see big sales again. Save $250 on this RTX 4060 laptop with powerful specsBuy now at Best Buy Read...

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