Plex has been my default recommendation and media server for years now, especially for families. I've talked at length before about how I moved from Jellyfin to Plex, which is the opposite of what a lot of people do. However, Plex is what I trust when I'm setting something up for people who just want to press play and not think twice about what's happening behind the scenes.

For months, VLANs were the one thing I refused to touch in my home lab. This wasn't because I didn’t understand what they did, but because I knew just enough to break everything. VLANs are powerful networking tools that enable full network segmentation, enhancing privacy, security, and troubleshooting. I've used them extensively on the LAN itself, splitting clients into pools. Security IP cameras are attached to one VLAN, guest clients are on another, and network infrastructure and hardware are on a third. It's a great way to keep stuff isolated on the LAN.

The United States' foreign router ban didn't make a whole lot of sense, and today may not change that. The FCC has just granted Netgear a conditional approval to import its future consumer routers, cable modems, and cable gateways into the US through October 1st, 2027 - even though the company builds those devices in Asia and has not announced any plan to bring manufacturing to the United States. Neither the FCC's announcement nor Netgear's announcement explain why Netgear was granted the temporary exemption. The FCC only states that the Pentagon has now made "a specific determination" that "such devices do not pose risks to U.S. national …Read the full story at The Verge.

LG’s B5 OLED TV isn’t as bright as higher-end models, but it still looks great. | Image: LG ​​If you’re looking to get OLED picture quality without spending a couple thousand dollars, LG’s 48-inch B5 OLED TV is on sale for $599.99 ($700 off) at Best Buy, which is one of the best prices we’ve seen on the budget-friendly TV. You can also buy the 55-inch model from Amazon, Best Buy, and LG for $799.99 ($700 off), matching its all-time low price.LG B5 OLED TVWhere to Buy: $1299.99 $599.99 at Best Buy (48-inch) $1499.99 $799.99 at Amazon (55-inch) $1499.99 $799.99 at Best Buy (55-inch)Our AV reviewer John Higgins was impressed with LG’s B5 OLED. It’s not as bright as higher-end models he’s tested, but the 4K TV still delivers a great-looking picture with accurate, realistic colors. You’re also getting all the features that characterize OLED TVs, like deep black levels, rich contrast, and excellent viewing angles. It doesn’t offer the higher refresh rate found on pricier LG models, but its 120Hz panel still keeps fast-moving scenes looking smooth and clear, whether you’re watching sports or gaming.Beyond picture quality, the B5 has a lot of other things going for it too. You get four HDMI 2.1 ports for connecting the latest gaming consoles, along with support for both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. LG’s webOS platform also grants access to a wide range of streaming apps like Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, and more, while support for Amazon Alexa lets you control the TV with your voice. It also supports Apple AirPlay 2 and Google Cast, so you can easily stream from your phone or other devices.

Before allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's home, the 20-year-old accused attacker wrote about his fear that the AI race would cause humans to go extinct, the San Francisco Chronicle found. Two days later, Altman's home appeared to be targeted a second time, according to The San Francisco Standard. Only a week earlier, an Indianapolis councilman reported 13 shots fired at his door, with a note that read "No Data Centers," after he'd supported a rezoning petition for a data center developer.These unsettling incidents have set off alarms in and around the AI industry. There's long been a vocal resistance to the te …Read the full story at The Verge.

Amazon has switched on its semi-regular three for $33 sale for a large batch of 4K Blu-ray movies. As usual, there are too many to list individually, though it’s a comprehensive mix of old and new flicks that should keep physical media fans scrolling for a minute. The steps to get in on the deal are the same as ever: add three titles from the sale page to your cart, and each item will be price-adjusted at checkout for a total of $33. The deal also works if you add six eligible movies to your cart.These sales are always a good opportunity to add a permanent addition to your movie library, as opposed to hoping they’ll always be available on your preferred streaming services. Movies on 4K Blu-ray will look and sound better than their streamed equivalent, assuming you have a 4K Blu-ray player and a 4K-ready TV.I’ve included a batch of personal favorites (some of which make for fantastic showcases on a high-end TV), as well as a mix of old classics and newer releases that I’m thinking of picking up soon. Godzilla Minus OneWhere to Buy: $23.79 at Amazon (4K Blu-ray)Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (4K Blu-ray)Where to Buy: $14.99 at Amazon (4K Blu-ray)Dune: Part TwoWhere to Buy: $18.47 at Amazon (4K Blu-ray)Blade Runner: The Final CutWhere to Buy: $14.81 at AmazonHamnetWhere to Buy: $32.98 $26.99 at Amazon (4K Blu-ray)BarbieWhere to Buy: $14.99 at Amazon (4K Blu-ray)WeaponsWhere to Buy: $32.98 $21.95 at AmazonMickey 17Where to Buy: $34.99 $24.21 at Amazon (4K Blu-ray)First ManWhere to Buy: $14.99 at AmazonLast Night in SohoWhere to Buy: $13.99 at Amazon (4K Blu-ray)The Wild Robot: Collectors EditionWhere to Buy: $23.69 at AmazonJurassic ParkWhere to Buy: $18.07 at AmazonBlackkKlansmanWhere to Buy: $29.98 $16.99 at Amazon (4K Blu-ray)A Minecraft MovieWhere to Buy: $34.98 $14.99 at Amazon (with on-page coupon)Get OutWhere to Buy: $22.98 $14.24 at AmazonE.T. the Extra-TerrestrialWhere to Buy: $13.99 at Amazon

Elon Musk is facing questions about his upcoming payments platform, X Money, and whether it will allow users to safely perform transactions. In a letter to Musk on Tuesday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) writes that X Money could pose a risk to "consumers, our national security, and the stability of the financial system," citing Musk's "track record operating X."Musk said X Money will launch in early public access in April. Though Musk hasn't shared much about the platform, former X CEO Linda Yaccarino said last year that it will allow users to fund their X Wallet using Visa's Direct service, connect to debit cards for peer-to-peer transacti …Read the full story at The Verge.

I have spent the better part of the last decade treating VS Code like a digital Swiss Army knife. I was convinced that the right combination of extensions was the secret to a perfect workflow. However, a week after moving my project over to Google Antigravity, I had a realization: I hadn’t missed most of those must-have add-ons.

Amazon is offering Prime Video subscribers a way to get Apple TV Plus and Peacock Premium Plus at a discount. With a new bundle, subscribers can access all content from both services directly through Prime Video. The bundle includes both streaming services for $19.99 per month, as opposed to the total $29.98 per month it costs to buy each subscription separately. An active Amazon Prime membership is required to sign up for the bundle, though, which costs an extra $14.99 per month, making this option a bit pricier if you don't already have Prime. A matching bundle is also available for the same price directly from Apple TV or Peacock.Amaz …Read the full story at The Verge.

Anthropic's Claude seems to be the first product that's truly convincing people that AI actually has a meaningful place in how you work, rather than just being a gimmick (which it truthfully has been for most people up until now). However, Claude wasn't the first tool that earned that kind of trust for me. Instead, it was Google's research tool, NotebookLM. It was the first tool that convinced me that AI can be a game-changer for your productivity, and I've been a power user of the tool since it was just an experiment in Google Labs.

For a long time, Fusion 360 sat in the middle of my 3D printing workflow like a toll booth I never quite trusted. It did the job, and I got used to it, but there was always a little tension in the background. Free tiers change, features shift, and cloud-tied software can make your entire process feel rented rather than owned. That might be fine for some people, but it started to bother me more as 3D printing became more deeply part of my routine.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is asking the attorneys general of California and New York to investigate Google for deceptive trade practices, saying the tech giant fails to notify users before handing over their data to law enforcement agencies like ICE."For nearly a decade, Google has promised billions of users that it will notify them before disclosing their personal data to law enforcement," the letter says. But it didn't in the case of Amandla Thomas-Johnson, a former PhD candidate at Cornell University who says he received no notice that ICE had accessed his university email.The EFF alleges that this isn't an isolated inc …Read the full story at The Verge.