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Android 16 Beta Turns Pixel Phones into a Desktop—Sorta..

Android 16 is now out for Google Pixel phones, and a new beta of Android 16 has a (very) early desktop mode feature. While this kind of functionality isn’t new—Samsung’s DeX has been around for a while—this is the first time we’re seeing Google itself build something like this directly into Android. You can see it in action in my latest video.

The idea is to turn a phone into something that more closely resembles a desktop computer, complete with windowed apps and external display support.

Performance on mobile devices is getting to a point where this sort of thing actually makes some sense. Apple’s iPads, for instance, use the same chips as their MacBook Airs. There’s no technical reason a tablet couldn’t run a full desktop OS at this point. So while desktop modes might have felt like a gimmick in the past, they’re starting to feel like a real alternative—or at least a supplement—to a traditional PC.

To get this working, I had to enroll the Pixel 8 Pro in the Android 16 beta program. This particular phone had not yet received the Android 16 update, so after opting in the update was immediately available. That wasn’t the case with another Pixel 8a I tested on a different account, which had already received Android 16—it took a few days longer for the beta to show up there.

Only Pixel 8 and newer models support HDMI output via USB-C, so older devices won’t be compatible. I enabled developer mode, scrolled down to the “window management” section, and turned on the desktop mode features. After a reboot, I plugged the phone into a dock that provides HDMI, power, Ethernet, and USB input. I used that to connect a keyboard and trackpoint combo and sent video to an external display.

The result was a desktop-style interface on my display. Apps appeared in movable and resizable windows, and I could open and interact with multiple apps at once—like Google Docs and my blog—side by side. That said, the experience was clearly still in the early stages. Visual quality was disappointing, with text appearing blurry even though the display was set to 1080p. I also didn’t see any built-in options to adjust resolution or text scaling.

I tried running it on a 4K display as well, but everything was too small to be usable. Sticking to 1080p was more manageable. App support was inconsistent. YouTube, for example, didn’t scale well and maintained a layout more suited to a phone screen, even in a resized window.

There’s clearly a lot of work to be done. It doesn’t feel like something that’s close to release-ready, even as a beta. Still, I’m glad Google is exploring it. I’ll be keeping an eye on how this develops and plan to revisit it as the feature matures. There’s real potential here, even if it’s a little rough around the edges for now.

The Switch 2 Launch Was Nintendo’s Most Successful and Most Boring..

I picked up a Switch 2 (compensated affiliate link) the other day—not because I had planned on it, but because I noticed GameStop had them in stock, so I grabbed one. I’ve been playing with it since, but what really stood out to me wasn’t the console itself—it was the nature of the launch. This might be the most low-key console release I’ve ever seen. My kids, who are big Nintendo fans, didn’t even know it was happening. None of their friends were talking about it either. It felt like the Switch 2 just kind of… appeared. And I think that was by design.

See more in my latest video.

That said, the launch was a success for the Big N. They manufactured enough inventory to get units into the hands of most early adopters who wanted one. Nintendo says it’s their most successful console launch to date, selling 3.5 million units in its first four days on the market. Scalpers are not making much money this cycle as a result.

The Switch 2 feels like a slightly better version of the original Switch. It feels faster while navigating the interface and it now has 4K output when docked, though most games won’t take advantage of that. The handheld now sports a larger and higher resolution 1080p screen at 120Hz with variable refresh rate.

There are some tweaks to the hardware: it now features magnetic Joy-Con attachments that attach securely (but prevent the use of non-drifting hall effect sticks), dual USB-C ports, and a sturdier kickstand. Docking works smoothly, and the whole thing feels very familiar to the original Switch. That seems intentional. Nintendo didn’t want to reinvent the wheel—they just wanted to refine it. The result is a console that’s very recognizably a Switch, just with some extra capabilities and polish.

Backward compatibility has been seamless in my experience. Some older games even seem to run a little better. Nintendo is also offering paid upgrades for certain titles—I spent $10 to upgrade my copy of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom, for instance.

As for new games, there’s not much to talk about. Mario Kart World is the marquee launch title along with Fast Fusion, a sequel to an F-Zero style racing game that launched on the first Switch. There’s three remakes/remasters of older games exclusive to the Switch 2: Survival Kids, and Bravely Default HD, Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut. Aside from that, there’s Nintendo Welcome Tour, which is more of a tutorial than a game. The rest of the lineup are bunch of ports of games that have been out for awhile on other systems including Cyberpunk 2077 and No Man’s Sky.

Price-wise, it’s not cheap. $449 for the console and dock, or $499 if you want the Mario Kart World bundle (which comes as a digital download). Nintendo has also introduced a new kind of cartridge—digital key cards that don’t contain the game but rather a code to download it embedded on the chip. On the plus side, these can be resold unlike non-physical digital titles. On the downside, they rely on Nintendo’s servers, which raises questions about long-term access.

Battery life is about on par with the original Switch: two hours or so when running demanding titles like Mario Kart, and a bit more for lighter games.

What stood out to me most about this launch was how quiet it was. Nintendo made a deliberate choice to ease into this. After all, they’ve been here before. The Wii sold over 100 million units, but its successor, the Wii U, sold only 13.5 million. That was a hard lesson in how quickly things can go south when the mainstream consumer base gets confused or alienated. The Switch reversed that trend and became a runaway success. Now, Nintendo’s being cautious, and I can’t blame them.

What I think we’re seeing here is the continued commoditization of video game hardware. Consoles no longer have unique, defining traits. The PlayStation and Xbox are essentially the same inside—PCs in console shells. Microsoft isn’t even making its own handheld—it’s letting ASUS handle that with a Windows-based Xbox-branded device. Nintendo’s sticking to ARM architecture with Nvidia chips, but even that feels like a holdout against an inevitable shift.

It’s starting to feel like we’re heading into a hardware-agnostic future. Where you play might soon matter less than what you play, and the idea of console exclusivity might not hold much weight when the hardware differences vanish. That raises some big questions for Nintendo. Do they eventually pivot fully into software? They resisted that move before, but as more consumers expect access across devices, the pressure might mount again.

For now, the Switch 2 is what it looks like: a slightly nicer Switch. And that might be enough to get through the rest of this decade and into the next.

GTBox G-Dock Review – Oculink/USB 4/Thunderbolt eGPU Enclosure with Built-in Power Supply

I’ve been experimenting lately with external GPUs on the channel, especially now that Oculink ports are showing up in more mini PCs. One of my ongoing frustrations, though, is that a lot of the budget Oculink gear looks like a science fair project when you set it up—there’s power supplies and cables all over the place.

The other day a company called GTBox reached out and sent over their G-Dock, which aims to clean things up a bit. You can see it in action in my latest video review.

The G-Dock integrates an 800 watt power supply, which not only makes things neater but also more convenient. What’s nice about the G-Dock is that it’s more versatile than most setups I’ve tried. It supports both Oculink and Thunderbolt/USB 4 connections, and the USB/Thunderbolt port also provides power delivery, so it can charge a laptop with up to 100 watts while providing external GPU support all through one connection. You don’t get a traditional enclosure with this—your card mounts on top, exposed—but it does make for a more compact and affordable option.

The unit sells for $249 on GTBox’s site (compensated affiliate link), and they provided a coupon code—LON10—for an extra $10 off. It’s also on Amazon. Just keep in mind, if you’re connecting over USB 4, you’ll need a full 40 Gbps port for it to work. A lot of USB-C ports look the same, but older USB 3.2 ports won’t cut it. Oculink, on the other hand, requires your PC to have an Oculink port or an adapter that adds it. Some mini PCs have them built in now, and I’ve tested some of those here in the past.

For the G-Dock test, I hooked up a 4060 GPU to the dock and connected it to a MinisForum mini PC using the included Oculink cable. It’s important to note that Oculink isn’t hot-swappable, so you need to boot the system with the connection already in place. I also made sure to connect my HDMI cable directly to the GPU rather than the mini PC for best performance—routing through the system’s onboard video usually results in lower performance.

The G-Dock powered up just fine. The GPU’s fan spun up, Windows detected the card, and after installing the latest NVIDIA drivers, I fired up Cyberpunk at 1080p with medium settings which ran great. The mini PC featured in this video has strong CPU performance but weak integrated graphics, so the external GPU really gave it a boost.

Next, I tried it with a laptop over Thunderbolt. Everything worked as expected, though there was a small performance dip compared to the Oculink connection. I also made sure to disable the laptop’s internal display and run everything through the external monitor connected to the GPU, which helps avoid further performance losses.

Overall, the G-Dock felt solid. The fan noise was minimal, and the integrated power made it a lot less cluttered than the other Oculink setups I’ve worked with. Still, I’d like to see companies revisit the more protective enclosures we see in the Thunderbolt world—something that completely houses the card and power supply for better durability and aesthetics. But all in this is one of the better Oculink solutions I’ve used.

Disclosure: GTBox sent the eGPU enclosure to the channel free of charge. I purchased the 4060 GPU with my own funds. No other compensation was received and no one reviewed or approved this post or video before it was uploaded.

DRM and Your Rights: Interview with John Bergmayer from Public Knowledge

John Bergmayer, Legal Director at Public Knowledge, provided me some detailed insight into the ongoing FCC debate surrounding DRM (Digital Rights Management) and ATSC 3.0, also known as NextGen TV in a recent interview.

You can watch the full interview here.

Bergmayer’s organization, alongside the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), Consumer Reports and other organizations, submitted a comprehensive FCC filing strongly opposing the DRM implementation proposal from the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB).

Public Knowledge, a Washington D.C.-based consumer rights advocacy group, champions balanced digital rights, net neutrality, intellectual property reform, and media policy reforms that benefit diversity of voices and consumer interests. Bergmayer, who has been with the organization for over 12 years, emphasized their proactive role: “We do interface with government directly and participate in regulatory proceedings like this one at the FCC.”

Despite engaging in working groups aimed at consensus-building for the future of television, Bergmayer identified substantial disagreements among stakeholders. He explained, “There was consensus on the sort of issues that don’t really matter all that much… but on fundamental questions about DRM and encryption issues, there was not a lot of agreement.” Bergmayer highlighted that within broadcaster groups, positions significantly diverged, citing smaller broadcasters like Weigel Broadcasting, who see limited benefits in transitioning to ATSC 3.0.

A central point of contention involves DRM implementation, which Bergmayer argued severely threatens fair use rights and consumer freedoms. He emphasized the inherent conflict: “DRM interferes with things that are legal… it prevents you from accessing the content to do things that are fair uses.” According to Bergmayer, DRM undermines established consumer rights, specifically referencing landmark fair use cases such as the Sony case, which secured the right to record and privately use broadcasted content at home.

Bergmayer pointed out the paradox created by DRM regulations, noting that the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) makes circumventing DRM illegal, even if the underlying action, such as recording television programs for personal use, is legally protected fair use. He explained that this contradiction effectively criminalizing legitimate first amendment activities.

The chilling effect of DRM was another significant concern raised by Bergmayer. He indicated that DRM requirements could severely limit innovation and device availability. Specifically, he mentioned popular devices like the HDHomeRun, which significantly outsell DRM-compatible devices precisely because of their flexibility and consumer-friendly nature.

Bergmayer also underscored the unique obligations of broadcasters, emphasizing their responsibilities given their free access to valuable public spectrum. “Free public airwaves should not be turned into a private playground for these companies,” Bergmayer said.

Regarding consumer engagement, Bergmayer praised the active participation of thousands of individual commenters in the FCC docket, noting its unusual depth for such technical issues: “It’s really impressive that there’s people out there who are willing to spend the time to make their voice heard.”

Looking forward, Bergmayer predicted inevitable legal challenges regardless of the FCC’s decision, referencing previous influential cases like the Broadcast Flag litigation, which Public Knowledge successfully led. He believes further court battles are likely due to persistent conflicts between DRM implementation and established individual rights.

Bergmayer strongly encouraged continued public awareness and advocacy as the FCC is obligated to process and acknowledge consumer feedback in making its decisions.

I will have more on this topic as news develops!

Public Knowledge, The EFF, Consumer Reports and Other Organizations Oppose DRM in a New FCC Filing

A major filing was submitted just before the ATSC 3.0 public comment deadline by a coalition including Public Knowledge, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Consumer Reports, and several other organizations. Their message to the FCC is clear: DRM has no place in public broadcast spectrum. You can read the document here and watch my analysis piece here.

Their argument centers around the idea that mandatory encryption under ATSC 3.0 fundamentally conflicts with the legal and constitutional frameworks that have long governed broadcast TV.

One case they point to is American Library Association v. FCC, where a rule that would have forced devices to honor a broadcast flag was overturned. The court concluded that the FCC had no authority to regulate what happens inside consumer devices once a signal is received. That precedent is particularly relevant as we now face a situation where encryption could prevent people from exercising their long-established right to record broadcasts.

The filing emphasizes that public spectrum isn’t a private asset—it’s a shared, collectively owned resource managed under a mandate to serve the public interest. That’s different from how spectrum is handled in industries like mobile phones, where companies purchase and control allocated spectrum. Here, broadcasters are allowed to profit, but only as trustees serving the public.

What stood out in this filing was how thoroughly it outlined the risks to consumers. Many certified ATSC 3.0 devices are already showing their flaws—most require Internet access to tune televisions, others are running outdated software, and few give users any meaningful flexibility. If encryption becomes the norm, gateway devices, DIY DVRs, open-source solutions, and even basic home recording could vanish.

A central point made by the filing is that DRM turns broadcasters into gatekeepers—not just over content, but also over the devices people can use. It also creates a strange contradiction in the law. On one hand, it’s legal to record a broadcast under the American Library decision and the 1980s Sony Betamax case; on the other, it’s illegal to bypass encryption under the DMCA. So even if you have the right to record something, you will be breaking the law in practice.

They also call out the ATSC 3.0 Security Authority, or A3SA, for setting private rules that aren’t subject to public oversight. Even the encoding guidelines broadcasters have touted are limited—they only apply to ATSC 1.0 simulcasts, not future ATSC 3.0-only broadcasts.

The process by which A3SA licenses devices is also under scrutiny. Developers have to sign NDAs, the terms aren’t transparent, and consumers have no voice in the process. This kind of structure, the filing argues, runs counter to the FCC’s mandate to ensure open and nondiscriminatory access to public airwaves.

Interestingly, the document even questions whether encrypted broadcasts still qualify as “broadcasting” under the law, since they require a privately licensed decoder to access them.

So what happens next? It’s going to be a waiting game. The FCC is about to be short on commissioners, with two stepping down and replacements not yet confirmed. Until the commission has a quorum, it won’t be able to vote on anything substantial—including ATSC 3.0 rules.

On Monday we’ll have an interview with John Bergmayer from Public Knowledge, the lead author of the filing, to dive into this topic further.

Until then, this conversation around DRM is going to slow down a bit as we wait for the FCC to get back to full strength. But I’ll keep tracking the story and will have more updates when the next phase begins.

Unifi U7 Lite Review: $99 Wi-Fi 7 Access Point Breaks the Gigabit Barrier

I’ve been gradually upgrading the Wi-Fi setup in my house, and the latest step in that process is beginning to swap out my UniFi Wi-Fi 6 access points for the new Wi-Fi 7 models. This first step was installing the new U7 Lite, their entry-level Wi-Fi 7 device priced at $99 (compensated affiliate link).

You can see it in action in my latest video.

I started with the one in my studio since this is where I’ll likely have the most Wi-Fi 7 clients to experiment with. It’s a good test case for seeing how much of a real-world bump I can get from upgrading to Wi-Fi 7.

Physically, the U7 Lite is nearly identical to previous “Lite” models from UniFi. It uses the same mounting bracket as the AC Lite and U6 Lite, which made installation a 30-second job—twist out the old one, twist in the new one, and that was it. It requires PoE (Power over Ethernet), and I’m powering it through the UniFi Flex 2.5 PoE switch I reviewed recently. The U7 Lite, like the prior model, doesn’t include a PoE injector.

Specs-wise, the U7 Lite is a 2×2 access point for 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz only—it doesn’t include 6 GHz support. For my environment, which is a rural home with minimal RF interference and modest usage, that’s fine. The jump to 2.5 Gbps Ethernet from the 1 Gbps found on older units opens up some potential bandwidth gains, and I was curious to see just how much improvement I’d get on my Wi-Fi 7 devices.

Before upgrading, I ran some benchmarks using an iPhone 16 Pro Max connected to my U6 Lite prior to its decommissioning. Downstream speeds hovered just under 500 Mbps, and upstream was a bit better, close to 600 Mbps. Those were solid numbers for a mid-range access point, and I saw similar results on my Windows PC as well.

Once the U7 Lite was installed and adopted by the UniFi Controller, I didn’t change any settings initially—just let it run with the defaults to see if the upgrade alone made a difference. And it did. Download speeds immediately jumped to around 700 Mbps. Upload stayed in the same ballpark as before, but the increased downstream bandwidth was a good early sign.

Next, I tried enabling a wider channel width. The U7 Lite allows up to 240 MHz, but that depends on client compatibility and has the potential for channel overlap and interference with other access points. I set it to 240 just to see what would happen, and my iPhone connected at 160 MHz—likely its hardware limit. Still, that change alone brought my download speeds right up to a gigabit, with upload seeing an improvement as well.

Then I tested out Multi-Link Operation (MLO), a new feature in Wi-Fi 7 that allows simultaneous connections across multiple frequency bands—in this case, 2.4 and 5 GHz. I created a new SSID and enabled MLO in the UniFi Controller, but the results weren’t impressive. Downloads dropped a bit compared to the single 160 MHz channel, and upload didn’t see much change either. Latency was slightly worse as well, with occasional packet drops during ping tests. For now, MLO seems like a feature that still needs some maturing—both in terms of firmware and client device support.

When I reverted back to the standard 160 MHz Wi-Fi 7 configuration, latency improved and speeds returned to peak levels. I’ll continue to keep an eye on MLO as I bring in new test devices with stronger radios, but it’s not quite ready for prime time in my setup.

The takeaway so far is that Wi-Fi 7, even on an entry-level access point like the U7 Lite, can deliver meaningful performance gains—especially on the downstream side. It’s a simple, affordable upgrade that integrates easily into existing UniFi networks. I’ll likely pick up another, more robust unit for my upstairs area where traffic is heavier and keep testing from there. As always, more to come!

Disclosure: I purchased the U7 Lite myself. The router I’m using, the UniFi Dream Machine Pro, was sent to the channel five years ago, but all opinions are mine and the video was not sponsored or pre-reviewed.

The Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus Packs a Lot of Value – Full Review

Lenovo’s Yoga Tab Plus is a large Android tablet that packs a fair amount into a single package. It includes the tablet, keyboard, and pen—all for a price that’s often around $700, sometimes less if there’s a sale. You can find it direct at Lenovo or at Best Buy (compensated affiliate links). Shop around and you may get a good price when it goes on sale.

You can see it in operation in my latest video review.

The tablet comes equipped with a nice 12.7-inch LTPS display. It’s not OLED, but the 3K resolution and 144Hz refresh rate made it look sharp and feel very responsive. It supports Dolby Vision HDR with a peak brightness reaching up to 900 nits. The display was quite visible outdoors even under direct sunlight. Colors are accurate too, with full DCI-P3 coverage.

Performance is solid thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM. It’s responsive for everyday use, can run Android games well, and even handles emulation up to the PlayStation 2 era reasonably smoothly. There’s 256GB of internal storage, though there’s no SD card slot, which might be a limitation for some. You can expand storage via USB-C, but there’s not much in the way of ports otherwise—just a USB-C and a power button that doubles as a fingerprint reader.

The included keyboard, while not backlit, feels solid—similar to Lenovo’s laptop keyboards with good spacing and travel. It attaches magnetically and folds around the back when not in use. One weak point is the kickstand, which doesn’t sit flush when folded up and feels a bit awkward. Still, the keyboard gives the tablet a laptop-like experience, especially when used with Lenovo’s optional “PC Mode” that lets apps float in windows rather than running full screen.

The included pen introduces something a little different. It offers subtle haptic feedback and a paper-like writing sound that made the experience feel more natural. It also supports pressure sensitivity and charges magnetically on the top of the tablet. The build quality of both the pen and the tablet feels premium, with a metal body and sturdy design.

For media consumption, the tablet supports Widevine L1 DRM, so Netflix and Disney+ stream at the full resolution of the display. Audio is decent with a quad-speaker setup that includes what Lenovo says are subwoofers. There’s not much deep bass, but the sound is balanced and immersive enough, especially in landscape orientation.

The camera system is pretty good especially for conference calls. The front-facing 13MP sensor supports 4K at 30fps and looks better than many laptop webcams I’ve looked at. Around back, there’s a second 13MP camera and a 2MP macro camera. Rear video also records in 4K, but there’s no stabilization, so handheld video can get shaky.

Battery life held up well in testing. Lighter tasks like web browsing and media playback stretched past 11 hours, while more demanding apps will naturally pull that number down. The tablet ships with Android 15 and will get security updates through 2029—less than what Chromebooks or PCs usually get.

There’s also a local AI feature onboard called AI Now. It works completely on device and will analyze attached documents to answer questions. It’s not perfect, but it worked reasonably well in my tests, and it’s entirely self-contained on the device. For more accurate or nuanced answers, you’ll still want to turn to cloud-based tools like ChatGPT or Google Gemini.

All told, the Yoga Tab Plus offers a lot for the price—especially with the pen and keyboard included. It’s not a top-tier device, but for those looking for a larger Android tablet that can handle a bit of everything without breaking the bank, this might be worth a look—particularly if you catch it on sale and don’t mind waiting for the right deal to come along.

Make Your Own Streaming TV Channels with Plex and ErSatzTV (sponsored post)

For my latest monthly sponsored Plex video, I took on a fun project that turned my Plex library into a fully programmed, always-on TV channel. Using an open-source tool called ErsatzTV, I set out to recreate the experience of traditional broadcast television—with scheduled shows, filler ads, and a sense of timing you just don’t get from on-demand shuffling.

I step through how to get it up and running in my latest video.

The idea behind ErsatzTV is pretty straightforward: it links into your Plex server and plays back episodes from your media library on a set schedule. It even keeps track of what episode aired last, so it will step through a season of a show each day or week. It can also shuffle episodes each time. If you tune in halfway through, that’s where you start watching—just like the old days.

To make it work with Plex, you do need a Plex Pass since it ties into the live TV and DVR features.

I installed ErsatzTV on a Windows machine for demonstration purposes, but it’s cross-platform, and you can run it on Linux, macOS, or via Docker. After downloading and extracting the app, I launched the server and configured it through the web interface. The first tweak was enabling hardware acceleration for better performance, which in my case meant selecting the VAAPI option for Intel graphics.

From there, I connected ErsatzTV to my Plex server and synced my TV show library. My mix included old episodes of David Letterman and Johnny Carson, Star Trek: The Next Generation, some 80s cartoons, and a healthy dose of Bluey for the kids. I also added a folder of vintage commercials and PSAs as filler content to help round out the schedule to clean half-hour or hour blocks.

ErsatzTV doesn’t let you slot individual files—everything has to be bundled into collections. So I grouped the ads into a “filler” collection and set up presets for midroll and fallback padding. This way, the system could drop in the right number of ads to stretch shorter content to the next block precisely.

Then came the fun part: building out the channel. I created a schedule starting at 6 a.m. with “Star Blazers and “He-man”, Bluey from 9 to 1, some afternoon Star Trek, and nighttime talk shows beginning at 10 p.m. with Johnny Carson. I used a mix of fixed and dynamic scheduling depending on the content length. ErsatzTV handled the logic to round everything off nicely with filler content when needed.

Once the channel was ready, I registered ErsatzTV as a tuner device inside Plex using its HDHomeRun emulation feature. That let me pull the guide data from ErsatzTV’s built-in XMLTV feed, and just like that, my custom channel showed up alongside my antenna broadcasts. Everything worked as expected: metadata, descriptions, proper timing—it all lined up. If I tuned in late, I caught shows mid-episode, and the transition between shows and filler felt natural.

There’s definitely something satisfying about turning Plex into a virtual broadcast network. It’s more work than hitting “shuffle,” but the end result feels more alive. There’s structure, nostalgia, and the bonus of always having something ready to play, exactly when and where I want it. Now that the framework is in place, I can add more shows, create additional channels, or even bring back “Tuesday Night Movies.” The only real limit is how much media I can cram onto my server.

See more of my Plex videos here.

Disclosure: This was a sponsored video from Plex, however they did not review or approve this before it was uploaded.

Walmart Onn 4k Plus Google TV Streaming Box Review

Walmart just refreshed their sub $30 Google TV device with the new Onn 4K Plus (compensated affilate link). These are designed mainly for situations where a TV’s smart features are outdated or no longer functional, and in that context, it ends up being a surprisingly capable solution that feels a lot more powerful than its predecessor.

You can see it in action in my latest video review.

The device itself is a small puck—slightly larger than the last version—with HDMI out, a USB-C port for power, and a reset button. Performance over Wi-Fi was surprisingly solid. It supports Wi-Fi 6 and pulled around 430 Mbps down and up.

The 4k Plus supports USB-C hubs for peripherals, and I was able to get Ethernet working through one, though compatibility was inconsistent depending on the adapter. It looks as though the port is limited to USB 2.0 speeds as the best I could get out of my adapter was 100 megabits per second.

Internally, this version runs on an Amlogic S905X5M processor with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. That’s a bump up in both performance and storage compared to earlier models. It still won’t satisfy power users, but general performance is responsive, especially when navigating Netflix and other streaming apps. The interface felt much zippier than I expected for this price point.

It runs Android 14 under the hood, and the front-end experience is standard Google TV, which remains very ad-centric. You’re presented with promotions and suggestions based on viewing habits, and it integrates content from services that support Google’s recommendations. The usual suspects like Netflix, Disney+, and YouTube are present, although there are some quirks—Netflix shows can’t be added to the watchlist, for example. That’s a long-standing limitation tied to how Netflix handles integration.

The remote includes voice control, which worked well for searches, and a new “Free TV” button that jumps into Google’s curated free content offering. It’s not vastly different from what Roku or other aggregators do, but Google has added a prominent shortcut to it on the remote to steer users onto their free platform.

Video and audio performance was mixed depending on the app. Netflix ran fine with Dolby Vision and Atmos audio on my 4K setup, but Disney+ didn’t deliver Atmos, and also failed to switch into 24p mode for content that needed it. This isn’t unusual—frame rate switching has been a persistent issue on Android boxes. You can enable it in settings, but results still vary app by app. Netflix behaved the best in my testing.

Gaming was better than expected. Android games ran smoothly, and GeForce Now performed decently over Wi-Fi at 1080p60. There was one crash and reboot, possibly related to the 2GB RAM ceiling, but overall stability was reasonable. Emulation is limited; PlayStation 1 works, but GameCube and PS2 emulators wouldn’t install.

As a Plex client, it handled browsing quickly, which made navigating a large local library feel snappy. But it lacks features more serious users might expect—no support for Dolby Vision from Blu-ray rips or lossless audio passthrough. So while it’s fine for casual Plex use, it’s not going to replace a higher-end setup in a home theater environment.

This box isn’t for enthusiasts, but it’s the kind of product they might still find a use for in a guest room or second TV. For most people, especially anyone looking to upgrade an old smart TV without spending much, it feels like a substantial upgrade. Even if it’s not perfect, it is probably the most value packed TV box on the market.

I tried the T-Mobile Starlink Beta..

I signed up for the free T-Mobile beta that connects your smartphone directly to a SpaceX Starlink satellite—no dish required. It’s a glimpse into what satellite-to-phone communication might look like in the near future, although it’s still limited in what it can actually do right now. You can learn more in my latest video.

The beta is available at no cost, and you don’t need to switch your carrier to try it. In my case, it added an eSIM to my iPhone while keeping my Verizon service intact. After 90 days, it auto-enrolls you in a paid plan, so keep that in mind if you’re a tire kicker like me. Only certain phones are compatible, including the iPhone 13 and newer, Google Pixel 9, along with several Samsung Galaxy and Motorola Razr models.

The satellite signal will only activate if you’re in a complete T-Mobile dead zone. You can’t manually switch to satellite if there’s even a faint tower signal nearby. That was a bit of a letdown, since I was hoping for more flexibility in testing.

There is a good dead zone near the small airport where I take flight lessons. When I parked in the nearby Dunkin’ Donuts parking lot, my phone picked up the satellite signal—weak, but functional. Interestingly, the signal worked better inside my car, likely because of the glass roof. As soon as I stepped out, my phone found a ground tower and switched over.

Once connected, my phone displayed “T-Mobile SAT” vs. the LTE or 5G icon I normally see. I received a welcome text confirming I was on satellite and reminding me I could only send and receive text messages.

I tested it by sending a message to my wife, who got it without issue and responded back. The message showed “delivered” almost immediately, which made the experience feel just like using a traditional tower, at least in terms of texting.

That’s really the extent of it. It only supports SMS and iMessage at the moment—no images, no videos, no calls, and no other data activities. T-Mobile says more is coming, but for now, it’s strictly for texts.

I was hoping for a bit more functionality out of the beta—maybe some light data usage or app access—but the reality is that we’re not quite there yet. More direct-to-cell capable Starlink satellites are slowly being added, and once the newer models are in place, T-Mobile’s satellite service will likely grow into something much more usable.

I also looked into Apple’s Emergency SOS feature on the iPhone, which is similar but a bit more involved. You need to manually aim your phone at a satellite and recipients have to opt-in to reply via satellite. Apple’s system is currently free for two years after purchase, though there’s no word yet on what happens after that.

Over the past week, I’ve been running both T-Mobile and Verizon connections on my iPhone to compare network performance since my phone now has T-Mobile’s 5G service. At home, both are mediocre, though T-Mobile edged out Verizon in downstream speed. But in better-served areas, T-Mobile showed a stronger upload rate.

I hope additional satellite functionality gets enabled prior to my 90 day trial expiring. If more features are added before then I will definitely post a followup.

Unifi Flex 2.5 POE – Power over Ethernet Switch Review

I’ve been running my home network on UniFi gear for over five years now, starting around the time I got a 10 gigabit symmetrical internet connection. I installed a UniFi Dream Machine Pro (compensated affiliate link) and built out a network using their access points and a few switches. Recently, I added a new component to the mix: the Flex 2.5GP PoE switch. That new switch is the subject of my latest video review.

This Flex 2.5 POE is designed more for home prosumers than for rack-mounted enterprise setups. But it will integrate into a business environment just the same. It supports 2.5 gigabit per second speeds across all its Ethernet ports and delivers power over Ethernet (PoE) to connected devices on each. It has an uplink port that supports either an SFP+ or a 10-gigabit RJ45 connection. I opted to uplink it to my 10-gig network backbone using a direct-attached copper SFP+ cable (compensated affiliate link) to my backbone switch.

The switch sells for a reasonable $199 (compensated affiliate link) but has one huge caveat: it doesn’t include a power supply! That cost me another $80 + shipping as I didn’t read the fine print prior to making the initial purchase. The Flex 2.5 POE can use power over ethernet to power itself, but using POE as the input limits the overall power budget—only about 16 watts in my case—while the external power supply gives you up to 196 watts in total with full POE++ wattage for each port on the output. A PoE++ input allows for a 46 watt power budget, and a PoE+++ input allows for 76 watts.

I picked up the Flex 2.5 POE mainly because I’m upgrading to Unifi’s Wi-Fi 7 access points, which now have 2.5 gigabit Ethernet ports. My older UniFi PoE switch only supports gigabit, so this new one gives me faster connectivity and power to those access points. It’s also useful for powering some of my video gear, which relies on PoE.

Hardware-wise, the switch feels solid but lacks the industrial sturdiness of their rack mounted gear. It’s fanless, so it runs quiet but gets a bit warm. It has rubber feet for desktop use and a wall mount option. You can only use one uplink port at a time—either the RJ45 or the SFP+—and only the RJ45 supports PoE in. It is possible to power over the RJ45 while using the SFP+ for data.

Setup was as seamless as usual with UniFi gear. As soon as I connected it, my network detected it, and I was able to adopt it from the web control panel. The firmware updated automatically, and then it was ready to go.

Testing it out, I ran a 2.5 gigabit Ethernet adapter from my PC and confirmed I was getting full speeds on both download and upload. At the same time, I was sending an NDI video stream upstream to my video production system, which added more bandwidth use beyond the 2.5 gigabit baseline. Everything performed as expected.

In the UniFi control panel, I could see real-time power usage across each port. I plugged in four PoE devices and was still using only about 27 watts out of the 196-watt power budget. As this is a managed switch you have full access to all of the configuration options that Unifi offers on their other switches on a per-port level.

What this switch offers is a nearly ideal mix of features for my needs: solid power support, 2.5 gig speeds, and tight integration with the UniFi ecosystem. I would have liked to see at least one more 10 gig port onboard, and it’s frustrating that the power supply wasn’t included. But otherwise, it fills a long-standing gap in UniFi’s product line. For now, it’s found a home in my network closet—and it looks like it’s going to stay there.

The Heltec MeshPocket is an Out of the Box Meshtastic Solution

My latest video takes another look at Meshtastic, this time with a new device called the Heltec MeshPocket that makes the process of getting devices on the off-grid open source mesh communications network much easier.

For those unfamiliar, Meshtastic is a project that lets you build low-cost mesh communication networks using LoRa radios. It’s not huge yet, so Meshtastic networks are often in small pockets in more densely populated areas. But the hardware is cheap enough that you can buy a bunch of nodes for yourself and friends and slowly build out a mesh yourself. If you haven’t already, check out my original Meshtastic video to learn more about how it works.

Heltec, the maker of one of the LoRa boards I’ve used before, sent over a new consumer-ready device—a power bank that also doubles as a Meshtastic node. This one’s interesting because it combines wireless charging (including Qi2 and MagSafe compatibility) with a built-in LoRa radio and an e-ink display for direct messaging visibility. It comes in two capacities—5,000 and 10,000 milliamp hours—and although I’ve been using the smaller version, the larger one is the better value. Still, it lasted me several days running the Meshtastic node continuously, and there was plenty of battery left to charge a phone.

You interact with the node via Bluetooth through the Meshtastic app, and there’s no assembly required. Mine came with previously communicated nodes stored in memory, possibly from Heltec’s testing or perhaps from what the device picked up while in transit. Once powered on, it was immediately ready to join the network. One tip from the manufacturer: don’t use the Meshtastic function while also charging a phone wirelessly—it’s not dangerous, but the radio signal can suffer interference.

The interface is basic but functional. You can scroll through received messages using the “user” button and even send pings without needing the phone. The e-ink display only draws power when it updates, unlike the OLED displays in other nodes, which helps with battery life. So far my MeshPocket has gone a week in between charges when just used for Meshtastic purposes. Firmware updates require a separate magnetic cable, so it’s worth making sure that doesn’t get misplaced.

As for performance, it works about the same as any other node, which is to say pretty well when you’re within range. I tested it by pairing with another DIY node I built and exchanged a few messages over the network. Everything came through reliably and I was able to reach my home node walking around the neighborhood with the MeshPocket.

There’s no GPS or Wi-Fi on this particular Heltec unit, so it’s designed to work entirely via Bluetooth pairing with a phone. But if you wanted to go all in, you could pick up a few cheap radios, build out your own network, and have an independent messaging system that doesn’t rely on cell towers or subscription fees.

In the second part of my video, I demoed what it looks like when your Meshtastic node is around other Meshtastic users. I brought a node along on a recent trip to NYC and left it running on the train and later in a window. After a while, it found another node and pulled in a bunch more from its local list, populating my app with what looked like a pretty well-developed network. I didn’t get much back from most of the nodes—just one automated acknowledgment—but it did confirm that I was reaching something.

The visit made it clear that while the network is still sparse in some areas, the concept works. And with enough nodes—especially ones placed high up with solar power—it could become a viable off-grid communication option. LoRa uses very little power to transmit, so any kind of terrain or building will block signals – hence the need to have many nodes in many places to fill in the gaps.

I’ll keep carrying this around and see what else I can find around Connecticut. There’s something satisfying about seeing a homegrown, decentralized network start to take shape one node at a time.

Disclosure: Heltec sent this to the channel free of charge. However they did not review or approve this post or my video before it was uploaded. All opinions are my own.

Brother HL-L8360CDW Color Laser Printer Review

I finally had to retire my old black-and-white Lexmark laser printer. It served me well for more than a decade, but it started falling apart recently and spewing toner everywhere. After weighing my options, I picked up the Brother HL-8360CDW, a color laser printer that seemed to check all the boxes for my needs without going overboard. You can see it in action in this review video.

My daily printing habits are mostly black-and-white pages—quick reference docs for my Youtube videos, kids reports and other light printing tasks. I don’t print in color often, but when I do, it’s nice to have the option without dealing with the constant clogging issues of an inkjet. That’s been a persistent problem with the inkjet I have sitting nearby, which I use just a couple times a month. Every time I turn it on, it’s a battle with dried ink. A color laser printer like this one solves that for me—no fuss, no wasted ink, and it spins up reliably after sitting idle even for long periods of time.

I paid $449 for the printer over at B&H (affiliate link). The high-yield black toner cartridge costs about $87 and is rated for 4,500 pages. Color toner comes in a three-pack for around $229, yielding about 1,800 pages combined. These numbers are based on standard text coverage, and like any printer, more toner-heavy jobs will burn through supplies faster. Still, I appreciate that Brother offers both standard and high-yield options so I can tailor the setup to how I print.

Even though I don’t do much printing, I wanted something a little more capable than an entry level printer. This model includes a manual feeder that holds 50 pages and can handle envelopes or index cards. There’s a 250-sheet tray at the bottom, and you can expand the capacity with additional trays if needed. My wife prints a lot for PTO work, so having that flexibility helps.

Size-wise, it’s what you’d expect from a laser printer: 47.9 pounds, and bigger than an inkjet, but manageable with good built-in handles. The resolution is 2400 x 600, which boils down to very sharp, clear text and business graphics. It’s not a multifunction device—no scanning or faxing—just a straightforward printer.

Setup was simple. I connected it to Wi-Fi using the on-device display, and all of our devices—Windows PCs, Macs, Chromebooks, phones—found it without issue. There’s Ethernet and USB connectivity too. I didn’t have to register the printer with Brother or set up any kind of cloud account to get started. That was refreshing. It even came with a CD-ROM—an old-school touch that’s increasingly rare.

On a Mac, print settings are handled through AirPrint, so some options like quality settings aren’t directly adjustable. That said, it defaults to high quality anyway, so I haven’t noticed any degradation on the Mac vs. Windows.

Print speed is rated at 33 pages per minute for both black-and-white and color, not counting the time it takes to process the job. It wakes from sleep a bit slower than my old Lexmark, but once it starts, the output is quick. Double-sided printing works well, and while it makes the usual laser printer noises, it’s not overly loud.

Color output was fine after I adjusted the printer’s calibration through the onboard control panel. Out of the box, some alignment was off—especially with graphics layered over color blocks—but it only took a minute to run the calibration through the printer’s menu. Once aligned, text and business graphics looked clean, and photo quality was serviceable. Not inkjet quality, but good enough for newsletters and handouts.

All of our devices were able to print easily once the printer was on the network. iOS, Android, and Chromebook devices recognized it automatically. It’s also CUPS compatible for Linux users. And if needed, you can print directly from a USB stick—PDFs and image files—without even touching a computer.

You can manage the printer through a web interface by entering its IP address, but honestly, the on-device screen was easier to use.

So far, it’s doing exactly what I wanted: reliable black-and-white printing, occasional color jobs, and no headaches. If it lasts anywhere near as long as my last printer, I’ll consider it a win.

My YouTube Channel’s Comment Section is Infested By Bots!

Over the past few months, my YouTube channel has been dealing with a growing problem: comment section bots. Not the kind that make life easier—these are fake accounts flooding the comment sections with spam, scams, and shady crypto coins. If you’ve browsed my recent videos, you’ve probably seen them. It’s reached the point where I wanted to dig deeper and understand what exactly is going on and why these bots are putting in the effort. You can see more in my latest video.

There are two main types I’ve been seeing. First are the so-called “porn bots”—fake profiles usually fronted by attractive women leaving strangely flattering comments. These messages are almost always generic, excessively positive, and often include strings of emojis. The bots generally post within a few seconds of the video’s publication so they’re the first comments viewers see.

Out of curiosity (and with some caution), I decided to follow one of the porn bot accounts using a cloud-based virtual machine. Sure enough, it led me down a chain of sketchy YouTube profiles and eventually landed me on fake dating sites filled with adult content and phishing attempts. They asked for email addresses, personal info, and even Google account access. It became very clear very quickly that the goal is to harvest data and monetize the clicks.

The fact that these comments keep showing up tells me it must be working on some level. Even if a fraction of a percent of viewers engage, the scammers are probably making enough to justify the volume of effort. That’s the part that’s hard to ignore—how much of this content is flooding into YouTube, and how many people might be falling for it.

The second type I’m dealing with comes a day or two after a video gains traction: crypto scam floods. These are typically pump-and-dump schemes, trying to generate hype around worthless coins before the inevitable rug pull.

What makes the crypto spam more frustrating is that it often drowns out real engagement. Dozens of comments flood in all at once from different accounts, pushing legitimate conversation out of sight. And if I’m not home and only have access to my phone, deleting them is a slow, tedious process—three taps per comment. I just can’t keep up.

YouTube does offer some tools to help—keyword filters, blocked link settings, and a “strict” comment moderation option. I had mine set to the default moderation before, but switching to “strict” actually made a noticeable dent in the crypto spam. It didn’t do much for the porn bots, though. Their messaging is too unpredictable for regular expressions to catch, which is likely how YouTube’s moderation currently works.

Out of curiosity, I also tried an experiment: I gave four sample comments (including a known bot) to ChatGPT, Gemini, and Grok to see if AI could spot the fake. All three nailed it. They picked up on the generic language, unnatural emoji use, and odd usernames. It showed me that the tech exists to filter this stuff out—it’s just not practical for YouTube to run large language models against every single comment given the scale of commenting on the platform.

I’ll keep doing what I can—blocking links, filtering known keywords, and manually flagging and deleting spam when I catch it. If you see these bots in the comments, the best thing you can do is ignore them. Don’t reply, don’t engage, and definitely don’t click on the links. I’ll take care of the cleanup as soon as I’m able.

Until YouTube finds a scalable way to tackle this, the infestation isn’t going anywhere. But at least now we have a better understanding of what’s behind it—and why staying clear is your best option.

The BlueRetro Connects Modern Controllers to the Nintendo 64

I’ve been revisiting my old Nintendo lately, and this time I took a closer look at a small but powerful accessory that could be a game-changer for retro gaming enthusiasts: the BlueRetro Bluetooth controller adapter. Based on BlueRetro’s open source design, it allows nearly any modern bluetooth-based controller to work with the classic console. But it goes beyond just that basic function.

You can check it out in my latest video.

I’ve been using an Xbox controller with my BlueRetro, and everything mapped pretty well right out of the box. Analog stick movement feels accurate and responsive, and it’s a lot more comfortable than trying to wrangle an aging OEM controller back to life. For parents introducing their kids to the N64, this might also be a friendlier on-ramp.

One of the added benefits is its support for controller pack saves. My original controller pack is non-functional, but the BlueRetro replicates that feature internally. I tested it with Rampage World Tour and a few other games and was able to save and load my progress just fine. It’s not something that’s enabled by default, but once set up through the BlueRetro’s web-based control panel, it works well.

The adapter is powered by the console’s controller ports. You’ll need an additional BlueRetro for each controller port, and it’s worth noting that some older N64 power supplies may not handle four units at once. Many users report no issues but it’s something to keep in mind.

Bluetooth pairing is simple enough, and the adapter supports a wide range of controllers. I had no issues with Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch Pro, and several from 8BitDo. Nintendo’s N64 controller for the Switch is also reported to work.

Most controller functions are mapped intelligently out of the box, but everything is reconfigurable through a web-based UI hosted at blueretro.io. To access it, you’ll need a Chromium-based browser like Chrome or Brave, and you might have to enable the Web Bluetooth API in browser settings. You can remap buttons, back up controller pack saves, and even set configurations on a per-game basis.

I also tested out some advanced functionality, like emulating a Rumble Pak and switching the device into mouse mode. That came in handy when I loaded up a Japanese-exclusive 64DD disc—Mario Artist Paint Studio—through my SummerCart. I paired the 8BitDo mouse I reviewed the other day with the BlueRetro and was able to draw using the original N64 hardware. That’s something I never thought I’d do on a U.S. console.

Overall, this little device along with my new SummerCart has breathed some new life into my Nintendo 64 setup. It’s not without quirks, especially in the configuration process, but once it’s up and running, it opens up a lot of options that weren’t previously available or affordable.

8bitdo Retro R8 Gaming Mouse Review

8bitdo is primarily known for their retro-styled game controllers, but this mouse is their latest foray into a broader ecosystem of PC peripherals, complimenting their mechanical keyboards.

At first glance, it doesn’t looks like a modern gaming mouse—especially with its NES-inspired design—but once I started using it, I found it had a bit more going on than the nostalgic look might suggest. You can see it in action in my latest review and pick one up on Amazon (compensated affiliate link).

The R8 mouse supports three different connectivity modes: Bluetooth, 2.4GHz via a USB dongle, and direct USB-C. Each of the two wireless methods has trade-offs in performance. Bluetooth is the most power-efficient but comes with a modest polling rate of 125Hz. The included 2.4GHz brings a polling rate of 4,000Hz, and plugging it in directly via USB delivers the maximum 8,000Hz rate. Battery life ranges accordingly—up to 100 hours on Bluetooth, and closer to 20–25 hours when polling at 4000hz on the 2.4ghz dongle.

The mouse uses the PAW3395 optical sensor, a popular choice for gaming mice, and features clicky, mechanical Kailh Sword GM X Micro Switches. The full face of each primary button is clickable, which makes for consistent actuation regardless of finger position. The ambidextrous design includes two round programmable side buttons on both flanks.

8BitDo also includes a compact charging dock, which doubles as a receiver station if you plug the dongle into it and connect the dock to your PC. The dock has a solid, weighted base with a rubberized bottom that keeps it from sliding around.

Customization is handled through 8BitDo’s Ultimate Software, which runs on both macOS and Windows but not Linux. It lets you reassign button functions, record macros, and set multiple profiles—useful for switching between games or work tasks. The software also controls DPI levels (with up to five settings), polling rate, scroll speed, and liftoff distance. The only small complaint I had was with the DPI indicator light on the mouse—it doesn’t stay on long enough to easily confirm your setting without cycling back through them.

When I first took it out of the box, the mouse felt lighter than I expected, almost too light at 77 grams. But after playing a few rounds of Quake II, I started to appreciate that lack of heft. The mouse glides easily, and the quick actuation of the buttons makes it well-suited to fast-paced gameplay. There’s no perceptible lag when wired in at the highest polling rate, and even at lower settings, it feels plenty responsive for most tasks.

All told, the R8 mouse ends up being a solid addition to 8BitDo’s growing lineup of retro-inspired, performance-minded gear. It’s priced competitively—depending on tariffs—and brings more features to the table than its minimalist look might suggest.

For a few dollars more they have an Xbox licensed version that offers transparent green casing and an Xbox style color theme. Oddly it doesn’t work with the Xbox console. It also pairs nicely with the company’s keyboards for those looking to keep their setup aesthetically consistent.

Disclosure: 8bitdo provided the mouse free of charge to the channel. No other compensation was received, nor did they review or approve this article or my video prior to uploading. All opinions are my own.

Sinclair Broadcasting Says ATSC 3.0 / NextGen TV DRM Concerns are “Astroturf”

I’ve been keeping a close eye on the ATSC 3.0 NextGen TV transition, and with the public comment period now closed, we’re into the reply phase. Many of you submitted comments sharing your experiences with DRM making it harder to watch local TV, and it was encouraging to see so many voices represented. Industry participation was a bit more muted—except for Sinclair Broadcasting. They were anything but quiet.

Sinclair, which owns numerous TV stations nationwide, filed a lengthy comment just before the deadline, and they went all in on DRM. While most other broadcasters and industry players sidestepped the issue, likely to keep the focus on finalizing the transition date, Sinclair declared in their filing that those of us concerned about DRM are manufacturing outrage. Specifically, they urged the FCC not to be “swayed by a paroxysm of astroturf concern generated by vloggers…hostile to the concept of intellectual property.”

I did into Sinclair’s filing and offer my comments on it in my latest ATSC 3 commentary video.

Sinclair also pinned the blame on TV and tuner manufacturers, claiming they created compliance problems. But if you look at the SiliconDust HDHomeRun, which remains the top-selling ATSC 3.0 tuner on Amazon (compensated affiliate link), that argument starts to fall apart. It’s fully certified, carries the NextGen TV logo, and paid to become an “adopter” of the A3SA DRM standard. Yet their product still can’t access encrypted broadcasts, likely because devices that act as gateways—letting viewers stream TV across multiple platforms—just aren’t what the industry wants in the DRM era.

Sinclair also argues that services like Netflix use DRM, so broadcasters should be able to as well. But Netflix supports multiple standards—PlayReady, Widevine, FairPlay—so it works on nearly any device. They’ve gone out of their way to make watching legally more convenient than pirating. In contrast, broadcasters have offered buggy, outdated Android boxes with questionable security and limited support. I’ve tested a few myself, like the Zinwell and GT Media boxes, and both shipped with Android TV builds that hadn’t received a security patch in four years.

Consumers have spoken with their wallets. The HDHomeRun ATSC 3 gateway tuner is the best selling ATSC 3 device on Amazon by a wide margin. The Zinwell tuner, which the industry seems to prefer, was once $99 and now costs $129. It barely moves off the shelves. There’s no mystery here—people want reliable, flexible options that respect how they’ve been watching TV for decades.

On the question of intellectual property, Sinclair’s record complicates their position. In one case, they were sued for taking a photographer’s images from Facebook and Instagram and using them for profit without permission. They tried to argue that the photographer shouldn’t have posted the photos if he didn’t want them reused—an argument a judge rejected. That’s a hard position to reconcile with a company now portraying itself as a defender of copyright.

There’s also precedent around fair use in the home. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of home recording in the 1984 Sony Betamax case, and the broadcast flag regulation was struck down in 2005 when the FCC overstepped its authority. Broadcasters are now leaning on the DMCA, which makes it illegal to bypass encryption, even for legal uses like time-shifting a recording. They’re hoping this legal path will succeed where the broadcast flag failed.

Sinclair’s regulatory history doesn’t help their case. They paid a $48 million civil penalty—the largest in FCC history—for failing to disclose facts during a proposed merger and for allegedly negotiating retransmission deals in bad faith. They were also accused of running undisclosed sponsored content. Yet they argue that others are the problem and that fewer regulations should apply to them while they enjoy all the benefits of broadcast distribution.

Near the end of their filing, Sinclair suggested broadcasters should only be required to offer one free over-the-air signal and be allowed to charge for everything else. That’s the real heart of the DRM debate. It’s not just about encryption—it’s about carving out a new subscription business model using public spectrum.

In all of their cries for deregulation, the only regulation they suggest keeping in place is one that doesn’t apply to them but to TV manufacturers. They offered no objection to the NAB’s controversial request that all TV makers switch to installing more expensive ATSC 3 tuners now ahead of the transition deadline.

There’s more to come. Several consumer advocacy groups recently filed a joint response to the FCC, and I’ll be digging into that next. I’m also drafting my own reply to Sinclair’s comments, which I’ll be sharing soon. If you’re still interested in weighing in, the reply phase is open, and you can respond to any comments on the docket.

Review of the New Asus ZenMesh Wi-Fi 7 Mesh System

Wi-Fi 7 is starting to appear on more consumer devices, and ASUS now has several routers and mesh systems on the market that support the new standard. In my latest video, I tested a few of their offerings, including a high-end indoor model (BT10), a mid-range option (BT8), a low-end unit (BD5), and their BD5 outdoor access point that’s weatherproof.

These are all part of ASUS’s AiMesh / Zenwifi system, meaning they can work together in a mesh configuration to extend coverage throughout the home. You can find all of the devices I featured here on Amazon (compensated affiliate link).

Setting these up was pretty straightforward. I started with the BT10 as the primary router in the basement and connected the others around the house. For larger homes, ASUS recommends three access points. Smaller homes might get by with two, and you can mix and match models. Placement is important if you’re using wireless backhaul—each device needs to overlap with the next to maintain connectivity. For the best performance, though, wired backhaul is the way to go. If your home is already wired with Ethernet, that’s ideal. If not, MoCA adapters can use existing coaxial cable for a wired-like connection.

The difference in performance between the models is noticeable. The BT10 supports three bands (2.4, 5, and 6 GHz) and uses a 4×4 radio configuration. In my tests, wireless backhaul between two BT10 units positioned across the house (and a few floors up) from each other hit an average of 727 Mbps, peaking near 1 Gbps. Meanwhile, the lower-end BD5, which has just a dual-band 2×2 setup, only managed about 265 Mbps over the same wireless link.

For homes with fast internet connections—especially over 2.5 Gbps—the BT10 is a better fit, since it includes 10 Gb Ethernet ports. The BT8 and BD5 top out at 2.5 Gb. During testing, I was able to achieve full throughput on a 10 Gb connection using the BT10’s routing features, so it’s definitely capable of handling modern broadband speeds.

Wi-Fi 7 performance on client devices was also solid, though I was limited by the 2×2 radios in my iPhone 16 Pro Max and ASUS laptop. Even so, I saw speeds over 1.4 Gbps down and 1.6 Gbps up while in the same room as the access point, which is impressive for wireless. Performance does drop off the further you get away from the access point, however.

The outdoor unit shares specs with the BD5 but adds weatherproofing and Power over Ethernet (PoE) support, which simplifies installation. I powered it with a PoE injector and was able to cover my entire acre of backyard without any issues. Setup was quick using the ASUS app, which walked me through the entire process in about 20 minutes to start, and just a few minutes for adding additional mesh units.

The app also offers some useful features, like creating isolated networks for IoT devices and setting up child-safe profiles with content filters and bandwidth limits. There’s also a traditional web interface that’s familiar to anyone who’s used ASUS routers before, although it hasn’t changed much in over a decade.

Overall, the BT8 and BT10 models deliver strong performance, especially when hardwired. Even the low-end model performs well if you avoid relying solely on wireless mesh. The biggest drawback is the limited number of Ethernet ports on the base units, so a network switch may be necessary for wired backhaul setups. The outdoor unit is a nice addition, though I would have preferred a longer AC power cable in the box for those that don’t want to go with a PoE solution.

These ASUS mesh routers aren’t cheap, and pricing can fluctuate due to tariff issues—even on products made in Taiwan or Vietnam. Still, for those looking for high-end Wi-Fi 7 gear, they offer solid performance and flexibility.

Disclosure: Asus provided these units free of charge. No other compensation was received and they did not review or approve my video or this post before they were published. All opinions are my own.

Dissecting a Well Crafted Creator Scam Email

Creators need to stay constantly alert for channel-killing scams. Here’s a great example of why: I received a very well-crafted scam email from ‘Corsair’ last night. It used assets from Corsair’s actual domain and closely resembled the legitimate emails I’ve received from them in the past — both as a creator and a customer.

On the surface it looks very legit, in fact the “sender,” Darren Toy, does work for them in marketing. But let’s dig deeper..

The first warning sign was this:

The email wasn’t coming directly from Corsair but through “modernitgen dot com.” I loaded up a cloud VM and visited the website and found it to be a tech school located in India. The school likely has a compromised SMTP server that the scammers were able to exploit or somebody on the inside is in cahoots with them there.

You’ll also note in the first image that the reply-to doesn’t go to Darren Toy at an official Corsair corporate email address but rather some random Gmail that anyone could put together.

This is just another warning for creators to scrutinize every single request like this. Gmail passed this email straight through because the sending mail server, while likely compromised, was nonetheless trusted at some point.

What would have happened next? Most likely “Darren” would have sent over some malware disguised as a contract that would attempt to steal my login cookies and do to me what happened to Linus Tech Tips back in 2023.

If you’ve ever received a poorly crafted scam email you are likely on a list that scammers use and pass around. The smarter ones put together much more believable versions like what I received here.

I heavily scrutinize every email like this that comes through, going so far as selecting Gmail’s “show original” option to dig through the email headers to make sure it is a legitimate communication. 9 times out of 10 it’s not.

Unfortunately mobile email apps lack some of what we need to scrutinize these emails. My suggestion is to never reply from your phone no matter how juicy the offer is. Get back to your desk and do your due diligence before communicating with a scammer.

The Ugoos AM6b+ TV Streaming Box Could be a Shield Alternative?

As someone who relies on the Nvidia Shield for my home theater setup, I’ve been looking for an alternative that can handle my full-quality 4K Blu-ray MKVs, including Dolby Vision Profile 7 and lossless audio formats. The Shield has been my go-to because of its ability to pass through everything just the way I want it, but it’s a ten-year-old device and starting to feel like it may not be long for this world.

So I’ve been searching for something that could step in if the Shield ever disappears—and I may have found one called the Ugoos AM6b Plus – if you’re willing to put in some work. In my latest video, we take a look at this device and how to set it up. After watching you might decide just to pick up a Shield TV instead (compensated affiliate link).

You can currently find it on Amazon (affiliate link), along with other ecommerce sites like Aliexpress. Just be careful as it’s currently subject to a 145% tariff if imported directly from China.

Out of the box, the Ugoos runs Android, but that experience isn’t great. What makes it interesting is its flexibility. You can boot a different operating system off a USB drive. In this case, I used CoreELEC, a bootable version of Kodi, which turns the device into a straightforward media player—no Android apps, just raw playback.

Once set up, it played everything I threw at it: 4K MKVs with Dolby Vision (Profiles 5 and 7), HDR10, and all the major lossless audio formats like DTS:X, Dolby TrueHD, and Atmos. The catch is that getting to that point takes a lot of work. It’s far from plug-and-play.

The hardware itself is solid. It has a metal case, Wi-Fi 6, gigabit Ethernet, multiple USB ports, and analog audio jacks. Internally it runs on an AMLogic S922XJ processor with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of eMMC storage. But you’ll want to boot CoreELEC from a USB stick, which keeps the internal storage intact and allows dual-booting back to Android if needed.

The setup process starts by flashing CoreELEC onto a USB, then manually copying and renaming device-specific files. All of this is detailed in my video and through this helpful guide. Once booted into CoreELEC, I installed the Plex Kodi Connect plugin to integrate with my Plex server.

After all that, the result was accessing my Plex media inside of CoreELEC Kodi. It synced with my server, retained watch progress, supported subtitles, and passed through audio properly over HDMI. The experience isn’t as slick as the native Plex app on the Shield, and services like Netflix are a no-go due to DRM limitations, but for local media playback, it works.

I still recommend grabbing an Nvidia Shield if you don’t have one. It’s simpler and more polished. But if that option goes away, the Ugoos AM6B Plus with CoreELEC is a capable, if labor-intensive, alternative.