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    5 quick ways to make your soundbar sound better than ever (and for free)

    Jada Jones/ZDNETSoundbars are gaining in popularity because of their sleek design and ability to provide an ample boost in audio quality compared to built-in TV speakers. Even with their plug-and-play nature, you can make a few modifications to help unleash the best possible sound quality. Also: I replaced my Sonos Arc Ultra with this Samsung flagship soundbar – and it’s a worthy alternativeWhether you’re new to soundbar setups or a self-proclaimed audiophile, familiarizing yourself with some key settings can elevate your viewing and listening experience. Read on for five pointers on how to optimize your soundbar’s performance. More

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    ESR issues recall for power bank due to fire risk – here’s what you need to know and do ASAP

    Anna Efetova/Moment via Getty ZDNET’s key takeaways  ESR is recalling the HaloLock power bank over fire concerns.  Affected power banks were sold on Amazon and other retailers. You can email ESR a photo of your device for a refund. Get more in-depth ZDNET tech coverage: Add us as a preferred Google source<!–> on Chrome and Chromium browsers. […] More

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    Own a PS5? Changing these 3 settings gave my console an instant performance boost

    To help protect your privacy while using your PS5, you can customize certain settings to control what information is visible to others, restrict who can communicate with you, and manage your account security. This includes limiting who can see your online status, gaming history, and profile information, as well as controlling access to your account and console. Under Settings, head to Users and Accounts  > Privacy  > View and Customize Your Privacy Settings. Here, you can control who can see your real name, profile picture, friends list, game activity and history, and who can send friend requests or interact with you online. For each of the variables in this menu, I recommend choosing “No One” and “Close Friends Only.” This should significantly reduce unwanted friend requests or spam.Also: How to clear your TV cache (and why it makes such a big difference)If you’re like me, you don’t feel a need to infuse Sony’s database with more personal information than required, such as the voice data collected through your DualSense controller’s microphone.Under Privacy, scroll down to “Control how your data is collected and used” to access three options: Data You Provide, Personalization, and Voice Data Collection. For the former (Data You Provide), change the setting to Limited. For Personalization, I recommend turning off all four of the sub-options, including Standard Personalization. For the latter, switch to Don’t Allow for Voice Data Collection. More

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    My favorite power station now has a massive discount on Amazon

    Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNETI love my portable power stations. They allow me to sail through power outages, and live in comfort when I’m off-grid. But portable power stations are expensive, and when it comes to the bigger units, saving even a little can make a massive difference.Well, what about taking 42% off the Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus 6 kWh kit More

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    Put your favorite sites first in Google with this new Search setting – it’s easy

    What are Top Stories in Google Search? Google Top Stories is a section on the Google Search results page that highlights the most relevant and timely news articles related to your search. It appears as a carousel at the top of the page when Google detects a current event, trending topic, or news query. Also: How to remove your personal info from Google Search – it’s quick and easyIs there a quick way to add ZDNET as a preferred source?Yes. In Chrome and Chromium browsers specifically, you can go to this link More