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Technology

Nintendo DS Firmware ‘Prototype’ Reveals System’s Unique Boot Up Sound Effect

Forest Of Illusion IMG 1
Image: Forest of Illusion (via Twitter)

Nintendo preservation website Forest of Illusion has managed to acquire another rare piece of gaming history. It’s been able to archive a Japan prototype of the Nintendo DS X4 firmware – recovered from an X4 prototype unit.

According to the source, “just about every aspect of this version is different from the final retail release.” One of the highlights is the boot up screen. Instead of featuring the Nintendo DS logo, it appears to be a GBA placeholder screen and a sound file of children shouting “Nintendo” (you can have a listen below).

The menu is also a lot different from the final version. The Cutting Room Floor details how the placeholder menu features DS and GBA boot options, wireless play, and Nitro settings – containing user information (console name, birthday and colour), the date and time, language options, touch panel settings and more.

A Cutting Room Floor contributor also notes how “some parts” of this prototype have a strong resemblance to the early DSi settings app:

@trashbandatcoot – “Should bring up that some parts of this prototype strongly resemble those of an early DSi settings app, mainly the layout of the menu settings itself and the touch calibration menu. “

Some DS enthusiasts have also got the firmware up and running on their own units, thanks to Forest of Illusion’s efforts:

Nintendo previously showcased prototypes of the DS at E3, which was at the time internally known as Nitro. What do you think of this slice of firmware history? What about that boot up sound effect? Leave a comment down below.

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Categories
Entertainment

Candace Bure and JoJo Siwa: What happened?

Bure then added as a side note: “If you’ve personally ever run into me, and I was not the person you were hoping for or expecting, I just wanna say, I’m sorry. Sorry in the sense that I get asked for photos and autographs often, and 99 per cent of the time, it is my joy to do that.

Listen to The Spill, Mamamia’s daily entertainment podcast. Story continues after audio.

What did JoJo Siwa say?

While Siwa has yet to say anything more on her social media pages, she explained in a video obtained by Page Six that she’d “had a rough experience when I was little.”

“I was 11, and I was a big, big fan, and I wanted to take a picture with her, and it wasn’t a good time for her,” the child star said.

“I will say because I had a bad experience, that doesn’t mean that she is an awful human… I think it just was an inconvenient time for her, and little 11-year-old me was just so pumped up and so excited, but that doesn’t mean she’s the worst human ever.”

Siwa added, “It just, you know, it was a rough experience for me.”

While the pair managed to squash their beef, Bure’s daughter, 23-year-old Natasha, slammed the actor for claiming she had a “rough experience.”

What did Natasha Bure say?

In a now-deleted Instagram story, Bure reportedly had words for Siwa.

“Respectfully, someone saying no to taking a photo with you is not a ‘rough experience,” the 23-year-old reportedly wrote.

Image: Instagram @natashabure.

Categories
Sports

football news 2022, Celtic FC, SPFL 2022, Ange Postecoglou, fixtures, how to watch, transfers, Celtic vs Aberdeen, Aaron Mooy

“If you wind the clock back 12 months ago,” Ange Postecoglou said today, “it was pretty chaotic.”

That is something of an understatement. The Australian mastermind had been plucked from Japan to take over Scottish giants Celtic. It was a shock move, and one widely slammed by pundits, rivals, and even some fans of the Glasgow club. He arrived with limited experience in European football and therefore a deeply undervalued global reputation. He took over a club in shambles, particularly a hodgepodge squad in need of overhaul. No wonder his first month of it was ‘pretty chaotic.’

Having been handed the reins just days before pre-season games kicked off, Postecoglou endured a frenetic few weeks in the transfer market, with well over a dozen player movements. After an equally tricky start to the season, Postecoglou proved the doubters wrong to guide Celtic to a league and league cup double. Out of the chaos, Postecoglou created magic.

The new season begins on Monday morning (1.30am AEST) – and things are very different at Celtic.

Watch Celtic vs Aberdeen Live & On-Demand with Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >

Postecoglou and Mooy with the Socceroos in 2017.
Postecoglou and Mooy with the Socceroos in 2017.Source: Getty Images

12 months on, Postecoglou’s transfer dealings this time around were totally different. Instead of a last-minute transfer flurry that stretched to a manic deadline day, Postecoglou quickly and smartly did his transfer business early in the window.

The Hoops have picked up keeper Benjamin Siegrist, left-back Alexandro Bernabei, centre-back Moritz Jenz and Australian midfielder Aaron Mooy.

Arguably even more importantly has been converting last season’s loan stars Jota and Cameron Carter-Vickers into permanent signings, despite plenty of competition from elsewhere.

“We’re happy with the ones we’ve brought in,” Postecoglou said. “There were some areas I felt we needed strengthening from a squad perspective: Goalkeeper, left-back, centre-back and midfield were definitely areas that I wanted to make us a bit stronger and more robust and it’s great we’ve done that.

“Re-signing Jota and Cameron on permanent deals was also an important part of what we are trying to build. I’m pleased with where we’re at, but there’s still four weeks of the window open and we’ll still be active and agile to see where we can strengthen.”

That’s not the only big change Postecoglou has wrought. Socceroos legend Harry Kewell has also joined the Postecoglou project as first-team coach, having been out of work since his axing him as Barnet manager last September.

It marks another massive shift in the landscape from 12 months ago, when Postecoglou was barred from bringing in his own staff, and instead inherited assistants from the previous manager.

Pre-season has been very different, too. Rather than last-minute chaos, Postecoglou says it has been “meticulously planned” – and the results have followed. Celtic has gone unbeaten, including a hugely impressive win over recently-relegated Premier League side Norwich.

It’s a far cry from last year’s topsy-turvy opening weeks, which included a brutal baptism of fire in Champions League qualifiers. The Hoops have automatically qualified for Europe’s top competition this time around, and Postecoglou will be desperate to make amends for the team’s failure in continental competitions last season.

With a settled squad and reorganized backroom, a board and fans firmly on his side, no wonder Postecoglou says “we’re in a different space.”

“To be honest, [going in as champions] isn’t really something that’s in consciousness,” he said. “It’s more that we’re in a different space in terms of where we’re at as a club and a squad.

“If you wind the clock back 12 months ago, it was pretty chaotic. We were going into the first games with players in quarantine, and others flying in, others we hadn’t even signed yet, so pre-season was pretty frantic, with Champions League qualifiers also.

“This is a different feel going into this year. The fact that we’re champions I don’t think is the biggest difference. The biggest difference is just that we’re more settled … Going into the first game is a totally different outlook.”

Now, he added, it’s time to get down to “the real stuff”: the job of defending the league title against bitter Old Firm rivals Rangers.

Celtic’s title defense begins in front of a sellout crowd at home against Aberdeen on Sunday (Monday 1:30am AEST).

“We just want to make sure we lay down a really strong marker for the year ahead,” Postecoglou said.

Watch Celtic vs Aberdeen Live & On-Demand with Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >

Postecoglou celebrating the title win last season.Source: Getty Images

Before that game, however, captain Callum McGregor will unfurl the championship flag – a moment that probably seemed an impossible dream a year ago. Celtic had been battered the season before by Rangers, with a humiliating 25-point gap between first and second on the ladder. The squad was shattered, both in terms of confidence and the make-up of the roster.

Postecoglou completely renovated the team and revived the mood at Celtic Park, winning over his many doubters along the way.

Things are very different now, but some things remain the same. He still has his biting wit and blunt approach to the media – like when he was asked the rather dismissive question about whether a year ‘immersed in Scottish football’ has helped him understand the ‘landscape’ of the competition.

Postecoglou didn’t hold back, declaring: “Yeah, considering everyone didn’t think I knew anything at the start of last year, I think I’m in a better place, mate. I’m as well prepared as I always am.”

Another thing hasn’t changed: Postecoglou’s fervid drive for success.

That means last season’s success is forgotten. “We have already put it in the history books, from the first day of pre-season,” he stated.

The goal is clear: become even better than before.

“I’ve stated pretty clearly, we’ve got to be better this year than we were last year if we want to repeat the success. We can’t just roll out there and play at the levels we did last year. It was enough to get us over the line and bring us the success we wanted. But we want to better this year.”

Postecoglou celebrating a 7-0 thrashing last season.Source: Getty Images

As he similarly said earlier in the month: “It’s the same all the time. Every new season. I keep saying that to the players. There’s the possibility to be part of something special.”

“I didn’t start last year thinking: This is going to be a tough grind. I started last year thinking: Let’s see what we can do and can we create something special?”

Last year was something special. With a better pre-season, a settled squad, and his drive from him still as strong as ever, this year might just be even greater.

“We’ll enjoy the ride. We had our ups and downs last year but we stuck together and as I always say, it’s how you feel after you get off the rollercoaster that’s important.

“I think most people enjoyed the ride last year. I’m sure we’ll have our ups and downs again this year, but hopefully at the end everyone gets off and says ‘that was a hell of a ride, let’s go again’.”

Watch Celtic vs Aberdeen Live & On-Demand with Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >

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Categories
Australia

As my son choked on bushfire smoke it was clear our most vulnerable are feeling our climate negligence | Nick Seton

I’ve never felt more helpless as a parent than I did during the black summer bushfires.

Rushing my two-year-old son to hospital, I was overwhelmed with worry: there was no escape from the toxic smoke, even where we lived in inner-city Sydney. It went on and on. As any parents would be, we were terrified about what the next few days would hold.

The call came from his childcare centre. Our baby boy had been choking on the air. For months we felt as though we had nowhere safe to go and no way to adequately protect him.

Our son was just one of more than 4,000 people who ended up in hospital due to the smoke from bushfires that summer – almost 450 people died from smoke inhalation and I’ll be forever grateful that he was not one of them.

I was reminded of just how disempowered I felt at that time when news of the latest state of the environment report came last week.

The report confirmed what we already knew from experience: climate change is having a real impact on the environment and we are seeing the effects now.

Extreme weather events including bushfires are only getting more frequent and more intense – and the health impacts of future bushfire smoke and heatwaves are among my biggest concerns for my children.

The environment we live in and that we are raising our children in is in decline because we have neglected it for generations. That trend is set to continue without substantial nature restoration and ambitious climate action.

While my son was in the hospital it was already clear that our youngest and most vulnerable were feeling the impact of our negligence.

The state of the environment report said: “Environmental degradation is now considered a threat to humanity, which could bring about societal collapses with long-lasting and severe consequences.”

While the natural world is in decline, the impact of extreme weather on all of us will increase, and our food and water security are at risk.

So I have again been thinking about what kind of environment we are trying to raise happy, healthy and safe children in, as well as the world they and their children will inherit. What does the future look like for them?

Today’s world is already deteriorating before our eyes. But it’s not too late to turn this story around.

To keep our children and wildlife safe into the future, we need a covenant that acknowledges two key Australian values: that we love and value our unique natural environment; and that older Australians hold a duty of care for our young people.

Australians are so proud of our environment. We take our international visitors to feed kangaroos and see koalas, or we take our families on bucket-list trips to the Great Barrier Reef and the red deserts of central Australia.

We are also united by our sense of fairness and a desire to protect children and our most vulnerable members of the community.

The federal court judge Justice Mordecai Bromberg described the impacts of climate change as “the greatest intergenerational injustice ever inflicted by one generation of humans upon the next”. He said this during his (since-overturned) judgment in a class action challenging the former environment minister Sussan Ley’s approval of a coalmine expansion. The approval went ahead.

Will the new environment minister honor the duty of care one would expect of the role?

The fact that older Australians are bequeathing this deep ecological debt to younger and future generations should trouble us all deeply.

If we truly hold those values ​​close, we can have an impact. With better education, attention, collaboration and advocacy from all sectors, we can stop the endless destruction and hold our leaders to account.

We can introduce regulations that protect the air we breathe, the soil our farmers work, the water we drink.

But most importantly we can call on our leaders to rule out approving any new coal and gas projects – any new projects are incompatible with a safe climate. This egregious commitment has to stop now.

Any development project approvals must consider the comprehensive climate impacts of all projects and activities that threaten our ecosystems, not each project in isolation.

We could follow the Welsh example of a law that ensures that listed government bodies consider the quality of life of current and future generations in their decisions. The Well-Being of Future Generations Act acknowledges the duty of care that those in power have for young people, and the stewardship we have for our environmental, social and cultural heritage.

The solutions are available but we need bold and decisive action and support at all levels of government and across party lines.

The story I tell my son, who is now four, about our natural environment is simple: if we want to enjoy the beautiful nature that Australia has to offer, we must be the ones to take care of it now.

If our leaders in government and business share our Australian values ​​of fairness, pride in our natural environment and care for our children, they will listen to that same story.

Categories
US

Trump says Brittney Griner prisoner swap for Viktor Bout doesn’t seem like a ‘good trade’

Former President Donald Trump suggested that the proposed prisoner swap between Russia and the United States that would return jailed WNBA star Brittney Griner in exchange for a Russian arms dealer “doesn’t seem like a very good trade.”

“She knew you don’t go in there loaded up with drugs, and she admitted it,” Trump told the Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show. “I assume she admitted it without too much force because it is what it is, and it certainly doesn’t seem like a very good trade, does it? He’s absolutely one of the worst in the world, and he’s gonna be given his freedom from him because a potentially spoiled person goes into Russia loaded up with drugs.

Trump was referring to reports that the United States is attempting to secure the release of Griner, and former US Marine Paul Whelan, in exchange for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout who is known as the “Merchant of Death” due to his weapons sales that fueled deadly conflicts around the world.

“She went in there loaded up with drugs into a hostile territory where they’re very vigilant about drugs,” Trump added. “They don’t like drugs. And she got caught. And now we’re supposed to get her out of her — and she makes, you know, a lot of money, I guess. We’re supposed to get her out for an absolute killer and one of the biggest arms dealers in the world. She killed many Americans. She killed many people.”

Former President Donald Trump said the proposed trade involving Brittney Griner for Russia arms dealer Viktor Bout wouldn't be a "good fit."
Former President Donald Trump said the proposed trade involving Brittney Griner for Russia arms dealer Viktor Bout wouldn’t be a “good fit.”
Getty Images

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said earlier this week that while the Kremlin and US officials have engaged in talks, “there has been no concrete result yet.”

“We proceed from the assumption that the interests of both parties should be taken into account during the negotiations,” she said.

Griner, a WNBA champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist was arrested in Russia in February after customs officers found “vapes” containing hashish oil in her luggage at an airport near Moscow.

Griner, who faces a potential 10-year prison sentence, pleaded guilty earlier this month in a move her legal team says was made to “take full responsibility for her actions.”

Brittney Griner is escorted before a court hearing in Khimki outside Moscow, Russia on July 27, 2022.
Brittney Griner is escorted before a court hearing in Khimki outside Moscow, Russia on July 27, 2022.
REUTERS

Former Trump Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also suggested earlier this week that the proposed prisoner swap is not a good idea.

“He’s a bad guy. He is a guy who wanted to kill Americans. It presents a real risk to the United States. There’s a real reason the Russians want to get him home. To offer a trade like this is a dangerous precedent,” Pompeo told “America’s Newsroom.”

“This is not a good trade, not the right path forward, and it’ll likely lead to more,” Pompeo added.

Russian officials have long pushed for the release of Bout, who is currently serving a 25-year sentence in US prison after being convicted in 2011 of conspiracy to kill Americans, conspiracy to deliver anti-aircraft missiles, and aiding a terrorist organization.

Viktor Bout was convicted in 2011 of conspiracy to kill Americans, but Russian officials have pushed for his release.
Viktor Bout was convicted in 2011 of conspiracy to kill Americans, but Russian officials have pushed for his release.
ZUMAPRESS.com

He was nabbed in 2008 in a sting operation at a luxury hotel in Bangkok, Thailand, where he met with Drug Enforcement Administration informants who were posing as officials with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, which has been classified by US officials as a narco- terrorist group.

Prosecutors said that Bout was prepared to provide the group with $20 million worth of “a breathtaking arsenal of weapons — including hundreds of surface-to-air missiles, machine guns and sniper rifles — 10 million rounds of ammunition and five tons of plastic explosives.”

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Categories
Business

The wave power generator experts say ‘proves ocean energy can work’ is already powering Australian homes

For the first time in Australia’s history, a wave energy converter trial has successfully generated energy from the chaotic and wild ocean waves to power homes.

For years, companies around the world have tried to harness the power of the ocean, with varying degrees of success.

“This is really the first project that has successfully generated electricity for a customer, and that goes to provide that ocean energy can work,” Stephanie Thornton of Australian Ocean Energy Group said.

Sitting off the King Island coast in Bass Strait, the unit — made by Melbourne company Wave Swell Energy — has been generating power for the island’s local energy grid for the past year.

“It’s a huge success from our point of view,” King Island Major Julie Arnold said.

“It’s providing power for the island, it’s renewable, it’s a method that could be used in other places so we’re very happy to be pioneering it.

“We’re a community that does look at our environment every day, certainly with a lot of what’s going on around the world, I think more and more importance is being placed on environmentally sustainable ways to provide power.”

A middle-aged woman standing in front of a window wearing a black shirt and red jacket.
Ms Arnold said the generator was a huge success.(ABC News: Sarah Abbott)

Australia’s first successful trial

“It’s really exciting for us,” said chief CEO of Wave Swell Energy Paul Geason.

“We’ve been very focused on this trial and providing the capabilities of the technology we deployed …and now 12 months later we’ve achieved what we set out to do.

“We’ve been generating electricity from the waves of the southern ocean that have been captured in the unit, that was our primary objective.

“That electricity is of a very high quality and has been accepted by Hydro Tasmania as suitable for the grid on King Island, so that’s a very important achievement.”

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The company said under the right wave conditions the UniWave200 can make enough energy for 200 homes.

“The conversion rates that we’ve been able to achieve in terms of the amount of electricity we are able to extract from the wave energy that comes into the unit is very high,” Mr Geason said.

“On average, we’ve been able to achieve conversion rates of 48 per cent, so 48 per cent of the energy that comes in, in the wave, is then exported onto the grid on King Island.

“That rate is very encouraging and in fact is higher than other renewable energy technologies.”

A tug boat alongside the UniWave200 power generator.
The company said the generator had made enough energy for 200 homes.(Supplied: Wave Swell)

Why did it work while others failed?

The team behind it said its success all came down to the unique design.

The $12 million unit was constructed in Launceston and extensively tested at the Australian Maritime College.

It was towed across last year to King Island and placed in the rough waves off Grassy Harbour.

Since then, the team have been tested it in a range of harsh weather conditions.

“We have now operated the unit and it has survived for the last 12 months in the very harsh conditions of Bass Strait … and we’ve achieved the objectives we set out to achieve,” Mr Geason said.

“Now we find ourselves in a position where we’ve come from the technology and the next stage is now to move forward and commercialize the technology and see it become mainstream as part of the global mix of renewable energies.”

A floating platform in shallow water off a beach.
The generator’s design essentially mimics a natural blow hole.(Supplied: Wave Swell)

The 200-kilowatt wave energy converter has no moving parts in the water and uses an oscillating water column design, which essentially mimics a natural blow hole.

Waves go in, rise and fall, and move air up into the turbine, which then converts into power.

It sits on the seabed and has an opening on one side to allow the movement of the waves in and out of the chamber.

The company said there was a trial in Scotland that was having success too, but that it was mainly using tidal energy and did not have the blowhole design.

‘Seeing is believing’

As defined by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, wave energy is generated by converting the energy within ocean waves into electricity.

Tidal energy, however, comes in two forms, both of which generate electricity.

Tidal range technologies harvest the potential energy created by the height difference between high and low tides, and tidal stream technologies capture the kinetic energy of currents flowing in and out of tidal areas, such as seashores.

“We have something to showcase that works and now we can build on that and build that customer demand that we’re looking for,” said Stephanie Thornton of the Australian Ocean Energy Group.

“What’s really exciting for me is that seeing is believing, and up until now even though there’s been a lot of innovation, a lot of the technology has not been very visible.

“So with this success, where it goes from here is now to see many more prototypes and demonstration projects in the water and really being able to showcase the benefits of ocean energy.”

A floating platform in shallow water.
The unit can be made five times larger than the pilot converter.(Supplied: Wave Swell)

Using the ocean for energy is a concept many companies have tried to harness.

In 2010, a large wave sunk a wave energy generator off the New South Wales coast, and in 2014 in South Australia, a unit was being towed into position when one of the flotation devices ruptured and it sank.

Since then, there have been other units trialled and funding committed for research.

Can more units now be made?

A larger unit can be made that generates five times the amount of energy and could be placed off any coastline anywhere in the world.

Wave Swell said it was open to working with interested companies who would provide the funding and resources to build future units.

“In terms of the commercial scale-up … it will most likely be a bigger unit, and also have a bigger engine, so at least five times bigger,” Mr Geason said.

“So for us, it means finding those parties and we will work with them, bringing our knowledge and know-how to help them.”

A rugged island coastline.
King Island sits off Tasmania’s north coast, in Bass Strait.(Alison Branley )

The units can also be integrated into being part of a breakwater or sea wall in the ocean — off Pacific Island Nations, for example — to help combat rising sea levels and coastal erosion.

“There are sovereign governments in those islands that are very concerned to ensure that they are building resilient infrastructure so that’s also presenting as a very considerable opportunity for us,” he said.

“There’s also interest out of Europe, in the United States and India, so we need to identify which projects are the next step for the technology.”

“We would hope that maybe seeing it work here on a pilot basis might give them some hope,” Ms Arnold said.

An ocean of possibilities ahead

Wave Swell said it would “love” to see another unit operating off the Australian coastline.

“Given we are an emerging technology, the very obvious market for us to pursue is the Australian market,” Mr Geason said.

“The Australian oceans have some of the best waves in the world, and waves that are well located to grid access, and to electricity demand, many of us live on the coastline.”

But Mr Geason said more support for the industry was needed.

“Solar and wind have received substantial government support … wave is now in that position, it needs policy support and funding, that’s vital for the industry taking its next steps,” he said.

Experts in the field have said the stigma around wave energy converters failing also needed to change for the sector to move forward.

“Every technology in the world has had failures, but that’s really part of experimenting and learning from it and reinventing and growing, so that’s the challenge,” Ms Arnold said.

“In our industry, people remember the ones that didn’t work, and think, ‘Oh well that’s ocean energy, so it can’t possibly be successful’, when in fact that’s not true and this unit has proven that.

“It’s exciting … I hope demand for ocean energy grows from here.”

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Categories
Technology

Samsung QN90B Review: The Best TV for Bright Rooms

In TV land, excellent black levels have been the name of the game for nearly a decade. By providing better contrast via new backlighting technologies like organic LEDs (OLEDs) or mini LEDs, companies have slowly given us a more realistic (and less gray) view of our favorite images.

For years now, high-end TVs like the new Samsung QN90B have had nearly perfect delineation between light and dark. However, many models lacked the powerful brightness you might need to overcome a sunny California afternoon in a modern glass living room.

That’s why if I were shopping for a new high-end screen, I’d be sure to consider this model specifically. The thin, pedestal-mounted TV has excellent, mini LED–driven contrast, but at brightness levels that might downright hurt your eyes in a dark room. For watching inside during summer, there is probably no better viewing experience.

All Class

Photography: Samsung

The QN90B is thin but not too thin to easily grip by two people when assembling and mounting it. That’s why I’m ashamed to admit that I bonked the corner of my first review unit on my coffee table when mounting it to the included pedestal, thus ruining it. (Ed. note: It had to happen sometime, Parker!) A few weeks, a new unit, and a slightly bruised ego later, and I repeated the process without incident.

Get it set up, and you’ll be impressed by the QN90B’s looks. The pedestal mount really makes it look like the TV is floating behind my soundbar, with the screen just high enough to peek over the top. It’s a design that’s surprisingly rare in modern screens, many of which end up getting slightly blocked at the bottom.

Because I use a Samsung phone, setup was nearly instantaneous. I just signed in to my Samsung account on my phone, told the TV what apps I wanted to download, and was off to the races. You still have to sign in to individual apps like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and more, but all the apps you’ll need are likely to be here. It even has Paramount+ and Plex apps.

One criticism of Samsung’s Tizen smart TV interface is that it can be a bit difficult to navigate for newbies. You get used to the weird assortment of menus below the single app bar that you’ll actually want to use, but it’s easy to get lost among Samsung’s free content. Heck, to this day I can’t figure out how to add the aforementioned Paramount+ and Plex apps to the home screen. I’m sure there’s a way, but I’ve yet to be motivated enough to find it.

I’d encourage Samsung UI designers to take a deeper look at what people actually use these interfaces to do. I don’t really need endless lists of suggested items to watch below the actual apps. One thing I absolutely won’t complain about? The remote, which is rechargeable via a solar cell on the back. I never have to hunt for pesky AAA batteries again. Eureka!

looking good

Photography: Samsung

Once you’ve found something to watch, you’re sure to be impressed with how it looks on the QN90B. The TV features quantum dot technology for bright colors in high dynamic range. The matrix of mini LEDs behind the screen keeps even fast-moving objects like soccer balls from having weird shading.

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Categories
Entertainment

Jason Dundas marries Tayler Blackman during a lavish ceremony at Lake Como

Australian TV host Jason Dundas has married his fiancée Tayler Blackman during a lavish ceremony at Lake Como, Italy.

The pair wed on July 20, documenting the momentus occasion by posing for a photo shoot on the shores of the iconic Italian riviera.

Tayler stunned in a naked-style wedding dress featuring sheer mesh and strategically-positioned lace panels.

Australian TV host Jason Dundas has married his fiancée Tayler Blackman during a lavish ceremony at Lake Como, Italy.  The pair wed in secret on July 20

Australian TV host Jason Dundas has married his fiancée Tayler Blackman during a lavish ceremony at Lake Como, Italy. The pair wed in secret on July 20

The off-shoulder fishtail gown also featured long sleeves and an elegant train.

Clutching a pink-and-white bouquet, Tayler completed her ensemble with an ivory veil, and wore her dark brown locks out in loose waves.

Digital media specialist meanwhile sported a cream tuxedo, white button-up shirt, black bow-tie and black dress trousers.

Tayler stunned in a naked-style wedding dress featuring sheer mesh and strategically-positioned lace panels

Tayler stunned in a naked-style wedding dress featuring sheer mesh and strategically-positioned lace panels

He wore flowers on his lapel that matched his bride’s bouquet.

‘Married the girl of my dreams,’ Jason wrote next to a picture-perfect wedding day photo of the couple.

Jason and Taylor announced their engagement in December 2019.

Dunas announced he was engaged to Tayler Blackman in a sweet Instagram post in 2019

Dunas announced he was engaged to Tayler Blackman in a sweet Instagram post in 2019

Posting to Instagram at the time, Jason, who divides his time between Los Angeles and Sydney, uploaded a photo of a black-and-white photo of the couple immediately after proposing.

‘She said yes!’ he wrote in the caption.

In the photo, Jason sported a T-shirt and jeans, and held onto his adorable dog in one arm.

Tayler took to her Instagram Story, sharing a photo of Jason seated on a table and beaming broadly

Tayler took to her Instagram Story, sharing a photo of Jason seated on a table and beaming broadly

He wrapped his other arm around Tayler, who showed off her slim figure in a ribbed tank top and skinny-leg jeans.

She proudly showed off her diamond sparkler on her ring finger, and could not wipe the smile off her face as she posed with Jason inside a room filled with balloons.

Tayler also took to her Instagram Story, posting a photo of Jason in the balloon-filled room and beaming for the camera.

It's unclear how long the pair had been dating, however Jason and Tayler were first pictured together in November 2018

It’s unclear how long the pair had been dating, however Jason and Tayler were first pictured together in November 2018

It’s unclear how long the pair had been dating, however Jason and Tayler were first pictured together in November 2018.

Jason hinted that he was keen to say goodbye to his Bachelor days, in an interview with The Daily Telegraph’s Confidential in February 2019.

After claiming he was approached by Channel Ten to be last year’s leading man on The Bachelor, Jason then ruled himself out of appearing on the dating show.

Jason said he ‘was in discussions to do that’ but added: ‘I’m not interested anymore. It was a one moment thing.’

And in a prior interview with Daily Mail Australia, Jason admitted that he would love to have children, with many of his friends marrying and having children.

In a prior interview with Daily Mail Australia, Jason admitted that he would love to have children.  Pictured: Tyler

In a prior interview with Daily Mail Australia, Jason admitted that he would love to have children. Pictured: Tyler

‘The love and joy that they get out of having kids, I’d love to have that too one day,’ he said.

However with his nomadic lifestyle, Jason admitted at the time that traveling so much hasn’t made it easy.

‘Obviously I live a bit of a nomadic lifestyle with what I do… I think it’s one of those things that when it’s the right time it will happen.’

Speaking of the opportunity to star on The Bachelor, Jason said, 'I'm not interested anymore.  It was a one moment thing

Speaking of the opportunity to star on The Bachelor, Jason said, ‘I’m not interested anymore. It was a one moment thing

Born and raised in the suburbs of Western Sydney, Jason rose to prominence as a VJ for MTV Australia from the age of 21.

He found mainstream recognition as a presenter on Channel Nine’s Getaway, before taking the ambitious leap overseas to pursue a career in the United States.

Jason balances plum presenting gigs with his LA-based digital media company, Dundas Media.

Prior to Tayler, Jason dated fashion assistant Rey-Hanna Vakili.

Jason is an Australian TV host and digital media specialist who divides his time between Los Angeles and Sydney

Jason is an Australian TV host and digital media specialist who divides his time between Los Angeles and Sydney

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Categories
Sports

Lack of Jackson action no issue as Blue made on Silvagni

De Goey is invested in supporting his coach and enough of his teammates, so he will be giving his all for them in what may be his final games in the black and white regardless of whether he thinks the reaction to his Bali trip was fair or not .

He was excellent against Port Adelaide and, in many ways, his circumstance is much easier for everyone to handle than that facing Grundy who still has five years remaining on his contract but has to deal with the reality that people at his club are not convinced whether offloading him to another club at season’s end would be a positive.

Jordan De Goey celebrates a goal with Ash Johnson.

Jordan De Goey celebrates a goal with Ash Johnson.Credit:Getty Images

If De Goey performs at his best in the next two months then leaves, opinions will be split inside and outside the Magpies whether they should have tried harder to keep him, particularly if Lion McStay’s form is underwhelming as he contemplates a move to Collingwood.

McStay is not as vital to the Lions’ fortunes as others, but they would prefer to keep him and certainly need him to perform for the rest of the season which has been their only focus when talking to the free agent since halfway through the season.

Franklin is likely to stay at Sydney and as he said he has dealt with such speculation for more than a decade, so he won’t be affected at all. In fact, leaving him unsigned might just add an extra edge to the champion’s performance.

Just as interesting as the finals contenders are those out of contention, with the Giants having to be cool and calculating in their dealings with players such as Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper who may go at season’s end.

Tim Taranto is in demand.

Tim Taranto is in demand.

Mark McVeigh’s pointed public comment that players may have checked out laid bare the frustration clubs actually have when they can’t convince talented players to stay.

McVeigh named eight players he considered to be having a dip and Taranto and Hopper were conspicuous by their absence from the coach’s list of ticks. Tanner Bruhn, who has been out of form, did not play as he weighs up a return to Victoria after just two seasons.

The Giants are in a different market with players regularly departing, but they need to ensure any farewell cards carry a consideration rather than an emotional message that keeps the group that remains on the same page.

Entitled to expect a player plays with intensity until the end of their contract they can’t expect any more or less than that.

As the market becomes more aggressive each year and media scrutiny reflects public interest, clubs unable to handle looming departures to other clubs with class will suffer the consequences.

Back Jack after Blue

Jack Silvagni embodies the spirit of Carlton best among the Blues’ current crop. It was, in hindsight, a mistake to leave him out of the team against Adelaide even if it looked sound on paper.

On Saturday night, the Blues played like a team less certain of where each part fitted, with Marc Pittonet running on and off the bench to ruck and Tom De Koning pushing forward and in the ruck.

Jack Silvagni was omitted due to team balance.

Jack Silvagni was omitted due to team balance.Credit:Getty Images

When Taylor Walker pushed Pittonet aside at a boundary throw-in and kicked a goal early, the signs were bad.

And they did not get better as Carlton, despite the efforts of Patrick Cripps and his sidekick Sam Walsh, lost the game at the contest.

Injuries to Corey Durdin (shoulder) and Nic Newman (knee) did not help, but they were unbalanced and once again too much was left to too few as they missed tackles and missed targets. The Crows’ confidence was high by the time Silvagni entered the game as the medical sub.

So now, as a mathematical possibility to miss finals after a pattern of win-loss results that began with their narrow loss to Collingwood in round 11, Michael Voss faces the biggest challenge of his first season as senior coach.

With just one win needed to guarantee a finals spot, they have Brisbane at the Gabba, Melbourne and the Magpies in the final round.

That spirit of Carlton remains essential if they are to reach finals because if they don’t now after the start they made their season will be deemed as below par.

tigers eat lions

The Lions will be heartbroken to not break their run of losses at the MCG which now extends to 11 after they gave up a 42-point lead – the biggest margin to be overcome this season – to lose to Richmond.

Again it was a tight finish that the Lions could not handle as they were pushed out of the top four and look unlikely to challenge the best teams in a big final at the MCG, while Richmond learned from the horrible losses in the past three weeks with to win. They are clearly more suited to ridden off the pace early, Kiwi rather than Vo Rogue.

Shai Bolton inspired the victory as he moves into the elite category with only the odd lackadaisical effort when kicking for goal needing to be tightened up. It was good to see Noah Cumberland make a crucial smother to seal the game after his disappointment last week. He is an emerging player, having kicked five goals in just his fifth match.

Shai Bolton and Noah Cumberland were the match winners for Richmond against Brisbane.

Shai Bolton and Noah Cumberland were the match winners for Richmond against Brisbane.Credit:AFL Pictures

The Tigers are alive and the club everyone above them would hate to play in September. St Kilda coach Brett Ratten can claim they don’t get enough credit, but they haven’t earned that right yet while the Western Bulldogs aren’t firing.

There should be no glossing over the Lions’ performance, with their midfield needing to become less reliant on Lachie Neale and Hugh McCluggage, while their defensive system broke down under serious pressure. This is a loss to review hard and honestly because they won’t be considered legitimate contenders until the issues are resolved.

Tony Ongarello’s place in football history assured

Nearly a fortnight has passed since Tony Ongarello passed away aged 89. His name may be unfamiliar to some supporters but his place in football history is assured with Ongarello the last player to use a place kick in the VFL/AFL competition. He did so midway through his 131-game career with Fitzroy against Geelong in 1955 when his inaccuracy of him was frustrating him, having watched while still a child South Melbourne captain Jack Graham take the kick.

Ongarello kicked two goals against the Cats and then tried it a few more times that year before shelving it, leaving his name etched in football history forever.

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Categories
Australia

NSW Minister Eleni Petinos sacked by Premier Dominic Perrottet after anonymous complaint by staffer

The New South Wales Minister for Small Business and Fair Trading, Eleni Petinos, has been sacked, plunging the State Government further into crisis.

The Premier has dumped the Miranda MP from state cabinet, a day after returning from an overseas trade trip.

On Friday, it was revealed an anonymous complaint had been made by a staffer from Ms Petinos’ office, reportedly alleging bullying.

The Minister denied any wrongdoing, releasing a statement saying “I reject any allegations of improper conduct”.

Speaking from India, the Premier confirmed an investigation had taken place into the complaint but he was satisfied with the outcome.

The Premier now says her position has become untenable.

a man wearing glasses standing outdoors talking
Mr Perrottet says Ms Petinos’ service as a NSW minister will end with immediate effect.(abcnews)

“Today I spoke with the Minister for Small Business and Fair Trading Eleni Petinos after some further matters concerning her were brought to my attention,” the Premier said in a statement.

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