Eliana Willis

Jason Hiner/ZDNETWhether you’re considering buying a new TV or your old flat panel seems to be doing fine, there are still ways to optimize your viewing experience, and it all begins with your television’s settings. Let’s explore some of the key factors determining how your TV performs and what you can do to make it look even better.1. Turn down the sharpnessThe sharper the picture, the better. Right? Not necessarily.Contrary to popular belief, the “sharpness” setting on your TV doesn’t affect the actual sharpness of the displayed image. True sharpness is determined by factors such as screen resolution, source material resolution, and contrast. Instead, the sharpness setting alters the artificial edge enhancement — a processor-driven adjustment that can introduce unwanted noise and, ironically, distort details in the image.Also: Your LG TV will soon show screensaver ads – here’s how to turn them offEdge enhancement is designed to make onscreen objects more distinct by emphasizing the boundaries between them, theoretically creating a more lifelike image. However, this feature acts like a universal Instagram filter, potentially leading to an unnatural appearance in some media. More

Artie Beaty/ZDNETWhat’s the deal?LG is selling its S95TR soundbar More

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETWhat’s the deal?Amazon has lowered the price of the already-cheap Acer Aspire Go 15 More

Amazon/ZDNETIt appears to be streaming device season, as Amazon joins Google and Roku in launching a new product. Amazon has unceremoniously introduced the Fire TV Stick HD More

Maria Diaz/ZDNETAfter X (formerly Twitter) announced a controversial privacy policy change, people are flocking to Bluesky. On Wednesday, the X Engineering account announced a new rule that didn’t sit well with many users. “Soon,” the post read, “we’ll be launching a change to how the block function works. If your posts are set to public, accounts you have blocked will be able to view them, but they will not be able to engage (like, reply, repost, etc.).” X CEO Elon Musk originally floated the change last month. Also: NASA has a problem, and it’s offering up to $3 million if you have a solutionPrior to this change, if you blocked someone on X, they were truly blocked, meaning they couldn’t see your posts. With this change, while a blocked user can’t interact directly with you, it would still be possible for them to screenshot and post about what you’re writing. In response, users are looking to other platforms.  More

Jason Hiner/ZDNETIs your smart TV acting not-so-smart? Does it exhibit lag in sequences or a slow response to your remote control? You aren’t the only one who’s experienced the frustration of watching a juddering screen or disconcerting digital hang-ups. Also: How I optimized the cheapest 98-inch TV available to look and sound incredibleModern TVs have plenty of features and apps (and services that run in the background) which can leave them bogged down over time. Fortunately, there are some simple actions to take that might just rectify your flatscreen’s sketchy performance. More

You might have thought that Amazon’s October Prime Big Deal Days sale was the last chance for deep discounts until Black Friday. But Best Buy More