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  • Showing only topics in ~tech with the tag "consumer electronics". Back to normal view / Search all groups
    1. Can anyone recommend a printer? (...ahem...) a Linux printer?

      Last time I owned an inkjet was well over a decade ago. I had a nice HP color laserjet that Just Worked™for almost a decade (and PS, I bought it used), and then I just lived w/o a printer for the...

      Last time I owned an inkjet was well over a decade ago. I had a nice HP color laserjet that Just Worked™for almost a decade (and PS, I bought it used), and then I just lived w/o a printer for the past 3-4 years. Now, I'm window-shopping for inkjets, it sounds like the whole "use-our-ink-or-die" business model has only gotten worse.

      Are there any good inkjet printers where I can just use it like a normal printer, just buy ink (cheaper than the printer was) when I need it, yada? Or should I just write off the entire industry (again), and go straight to the laser printers?

      And does anyone actually have a decent (color, all-in-one) printer that works reasonably well with their (YourDistroHere) Linux machine?

      Danke


      ETA: Thanks for all the feedback. I'm now prioritizing a Brother laser (maybe just mono), or possibly an Epson Ecotank.

      Side-note ... how cool is it that we have so many Linux-folk in our midst!?

      Thanks again.

      13 votes
    2. Why don't more screens come with anti-reflective coating?

      I hate watching reflections on my screens. My old laptop had a super reflective screen. So does my tablet and smartphone, but I was successful in applying anti-glare on them. Reflective screens...

      I hate watching reflections on my screens. My old laptop had a super reflective screen. So does my tablet and smartphone, but I was successful in applying anti-glare on them. Reflective screens are annoying in any condition besides total darkness. Anti-glare is such an improvement! Yes, I lose a small amount of brightness, but I need a lot less brightness when my screen is not a freaking mirror!

      Hence the question, "Why don't more screens come with anti-reflective coating?"

      4 votes
    3. Apple's MagSafe Duo charger is slower than it's MagSafe charger

      @Mark Gurman: Wow, Apple has just updated the MagSafe Duo page. The $129 charger only gets you 11 watts for charging with a 20 watt brick, or 14 watts with a 27 watt brick. That compares to 15 watts you get with the solo MagSafe charger. pic.twitter.com/Z9iWM4PGpU

      8 votes
    4. How do you turn a smart TV into a dumb TV?

      I've been lamenting the death of the dumb TV for years now, but I'm finally in the market for a new set and trying to plan my next purchase carefully. I've come to grips with the fact that any...

      I've been lamenting the death of the dumb TV for years now, but I'm finally in the market for a new set and trying to plan my next purchase carefully.

      I've come to grips with the fact that any late-model TV I buy is going to feature some or all of the following:

      • Internet connectivity
      • Slow, janky menu screens with awful UIs
      • Pre-installed apps (all of which I consider bloatware)
      • Ads incorporated into the built-in menus or overlaid on my content
      • Alexa / Google Home integration
      • Automatic content recognition and/or other data collection techniques
      • Microphones or cameras, purportedly for voice/gesture control

      My goal is to take a stock smart TV and completely neuter all of the above, resulting in an otherwise fully functional dumb TV. All of my content will be delivered over HDMI from external devices.

      As I understand it, basically all modern TVs are running one of five operating systems: Android TV, webOS, Tizen, Roku TV, or SmartCast. Not knowing anything about these platforms, where should I begin? Which are most susceptible to rooting? Are there any good custom ROMs I could install that would achieve what I'm looking for? Surely others have asked these same questions before me, but I can't find the answers online.

      Yes, this is a companion post to my other home theater question earlier today.

      37 votes