Damon Wayans Jr. has been married to his wife for about eight years. Get to know more about his marriage to Samara Saraiva here!
Damon Wayans Jr. has been married to his wife for about eight years. Get to know more about his marriage to Samara Saraiva here!
Roku is stepping into premium TV territory at CES 2024 with its new Pro Series sets, which feature Mini LED backlighting for better brightness and contrast, as well as enhanced audio. The company announced its first self-made TVs at CES last year — a surprising move, since it has also partnered with TCL and others for years to build “Roku TVs” powered by the Roku OS. Roku’s first batch of TV sets, the Select and Plus models, were clearly value-oriented, with prices ranging from $149 to $999. The Pro Series — which includes 55-inch, 65-inch and 75-inch models — tops out at $1,500. We expect to see them in person in Las Vegas next week once CES kicks off.
Calling these “high-end” TVs is relative, of course. You can easily spend thousands more for QLED sets from Samsung, Sony and LG, and the prices only get higher once you’re looking at OLED TVs. Rather than gunning for the top of the heap, Roku still appears to be targeting value-oriented shoppers who would normally consider TCL’s cheaper TVs. (Roku told us last year it wasn’t planning to compete with partners like TCL, but that seems harder to believe now.)
While Roku’s earlier mid-range Plus TVs included some notable features, like QLED displays and support for Dolby Vision and Atmos, the Mini LED backlighting in the Pro Series TVs will be a noticeable upgrade. Most mid-range TVs feature a small amount of local dimming backlight zones, which can increase the brightness and contrast in specific areas of the screen. Mini LED backlights offer higher brightness, and since they’re so small, they allow for hundreds (and potentially thousands) of dimming zones.
At this point, Mini LEDs are the closest you’ll get to the power of OLEDs — which can turn individual pixels on and off to achieve perfect blacks and extreme levels of contrast — on a standard LED screen.
On top of a new family of TVs, Roku also announced that it will be tapping into AI and machine learning for its new Roku Smart Picture features, which can automatically adjust Roku TVs for specific types of content. The company says most consumers don’t typically adjust their TV settings, which means they’re likely stuck viewing content in sub-optimal ways. We won’t see Smart Picture in action until Spring 2024, but it could potentially help to tone down motion smoothing during films and bump it up for sports, where you want footage to look more realistic. (And of course, image purists can always turn it off.)
Roku says its new Pro Series TVs will arrive in the US in Spring 2024. The company will also expand retail availability for its Select and Plus series sets, but we don’t have specifics on where they’ll show up yet.
We’re reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/roku-high-end-pro-series-tvs-feature-mini-led-screens-164354589.html?src=rss
TLG just announced a new lineup of OLED TVs just days before CES 2024 kicks off in Las Vegas next week. The LG Signature OLED M4 and OLED G4 TVs are, surprise, packed with an updated AI processor that offers four times the performance of last year’s models. The Alpha 11 AI processor works to enhance picture and audio quality, offering a 70 percent improvement of visual performance when gaming compared to its predecessor.
The AI chip upscales objects and backgrounds to reduce blur and allegedly analyzes and adjusts colors to “best convey the mood and emotional elements intended by filmmakers.” LG also promises a more “three-dimensional” image, thanks to its proprietary Dynamic Tone Mapping Pro technology that fine-tunes brightness and contrast on the fly. The AI chip also allows for virtual surround sound and even separates vocals from soundtracks to enhance the dialogue.
The resolution remains 4K but the refresh rates have gotten a glow up. Last year’s models capped out at 120Hz, but the M4 and G4 now offer a refresh rate of 144Hz. Obviously, high refresh rates are great for watching action-packed content and for gaming. To that end, each TV offers access to LG’s webOS platform for viewing streaming content and playing games via the cloud.
The M4 ships with LG’s proprietary Zero Connect Box that streams audio and video wirelessly, eliminating the need for connected cables. The tech provides real-time video and audio transmission up to 4K with a 120Hz refresh rate. This is for people absolutely committed to a clean living room aesthetic.
Each of LG’s new OLED TVs offers support for both NVIDIA G-Sync and AMD FreeSync, which is great for gamers. The panels also come with LG’s Game Optimizer selection screen, allowing users to instantly switch between display presets designed for different gaming genres.
Pricing and availability are both still up in the air. Maybe we’ll get more information at CES 2024 next week. In addition to this reveal, LG also announced an absolutely massive 97-inch M3 OLED display and a 98-inch QNED model.
We’re reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/lg-reveals-new-oled-tvs-with-high-144hz-refresh-rates-ahead-of-ces-2024-164550931.html?src=rss
Anne Hathaway loves to travel with these eye masks to revive and depuff under her eyes.
Anne Hathaway loves to travel with these eye masks to revive and depuff under her eyes.
Russell Wilson’s wife learned that she’s connected to another famous athlete when she appeared on the PBS series ‘Finding Your Roots.’
Russell Wilson’s wife learned that she’s connected to another famous athlete when she appeared on the PBS series ‘Finding Your Roots.’
If you’re looking to buy a fitness tracker for the new year, a sale on Fitbit devices that kicked off earlier this week may be of interest. Chief among the discounts is the Fitbit Inspire 3, the top budget pick in our fitness tracker buying guide, down to $70 in multiple colors. That matches the lowest price we’ve tracked. Fitbit normally sells the device for $100, though we’ve seen it fall $80 at several points in the past year. The sale is available at multiple retailers, including Amazon, Walmart and Fitbit’s online store.
The Inspire 3 is an entry-level fitness band with a simple interface and no built-in GPS, so it’s not ideal for dedicated runners or cyclists. (Instead, you’ll need to bring your phone with you to map runs and bike rides.) For more casual users who just want a dedicated device to log their everyday activity, however, it should be enough. It’s slim, light and easy to wear, and navigating its color OLED display is straightforward. Its step, sleep and heart rate tracking is relatively accurate, and it can detect various workouts automatically. Fitbit rates its battery life at 10 days per charge — you may not always reach that, but it’ll last longer than most smartwatches either way. The design is also water-resistant up to 50 meters, so it’ll be safe in the pool. And while there’s no support for contactless payments or digital assistants, it can still display basic smartphone notifications.
Fitbit’s app remains an uncomplicated way to view all your metrics after a recent makeover, though it did lose some longtime social features last year. New users will also need to log in with an account from Fitbit’s parent company Google. We wouldn’t be surprised to see more Google-related tweaks going forward, but for now, the Inspire 3 is still a good buy at this price for those who only need the essentials.
If you do have a little bit more to spend and want a Fitbit smartwatch, however, the Fitbit Versa 4 is also worth a look at $150. That one is bigger and gets less battery life but has built-in GPS and more of the smart features the Inspire 3 lacks. We’ve seen this price for much of the last few months, but it’s only $10 above the best deal we’ve tracked.
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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/fitbits-inspire-3-fitness-tracker-drops-back-to-an-all-time-low-of-70-162153884.html?src=rss
‘The Act,’ ‘The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard’ and several other film projects have told the Louisiana native’s story.
‘The Act,’ ‘The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard’ and several other film projects have told the Louisiana native’s story.
Emily Ratajkowski listed this conditioner in her go-to products and it’ll help transform damaged hair to smooth and shiny.
Emily Ratajkowski listed this conditioner in her go-to products and it’ll help transform damaged hair to smooth and shiny.
After an Indiegogo campaign that amassed over $800,000 in funding, GE Appliances is bringing its indoor smoker to consumers nationwide in the US. Originally dubbed the Arden as a project of GE Appliance’s “maker space and micro factory” FirstBuild, the appliance is now known as the GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker. While the design has been updated to a degree, the basic idea remains the same: a larger countertop device that brings the ability to smoke foods inside the kitchen without setting off the fire alarm in your house or apartment.
With an appliance the size of a compact mini fridge, the GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker uses so-called Active Smoke Filtration technology that employs a “catalyst system” to create wood smoke from pellets and combine it with an electric heating element. The airflow setup is designed to impart “maximum flavor” into a variety of foods while tight gaskets keep the smoke inside. GE Appliances says the unit is suitable for all skill levels thanks to five smoke presets. There are also six food-specific settings for popular smoked foods like brisket, ribs, pork butt, chicken wings, chicken breast and salmon. The company says the customization available on the smoker also allows users to prepare side dishes and desserts with the device.
What’s more, there are some conveniences that outdoor smokers don’t offer. A Smoke and Hold feature prepares foods and then keeps them at food-safe temperatures for up to 24 hours. GE Appliances says the smoker also uses a fraction of the wood pellets as outdoor grills, thanks in part to the additional heating element, and that a pellet capture system extinguishes used pellets in a water tank. Lastly, all of the racks and drip trays are dishwasher safe where those components are typically so large on outdoor smokers they need to be washed by hand.
As the name implies, there’s a connected aspect to the GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker. With GE Profile Connect+, you can adjust smoke levels and monitor the cooking process as the unit includes a food probe. The company says feature updates like guided recipes will be available in the future. This is an indoor device, but you don’t have to sacrifice capacity. GE Appliances says there’s enough room for three racks of baby back ribs, a brisket, up to 40 wings or a 14-pounds pork butt. Since most pork butts you’ll find at grocery stores are around eight pounds or less, there’s ample room for pulled pork.
The GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker will be available from retailers this month for $1,000. The unit will be on display at CES, so hopefully we’ll get an early look and taste of what it can do. If you’re already convinced, you can order one now.
We’re reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ge-profile-smart-indoor-smoker-150044423.html?src=rss
The pop artist officially began her singing career in 2008 and is releasing a brand-new album this year.
The pop artist officially began her singing career in 2008 and is releasing a brand-new album this year.
