Growing up in the 80s, everybody wanted a stereo system. The older guys called it a “HiFi” but we kids just wanted something that could play our records (and eventually tapes and CDs) loud and clear. That system usually included a receiver or integrated amp, a pair of speakers (the bigger, the better) and a turntable. 

Over time, listening to music migrated to headphones and earbuds. Those who wanted to listen to music out loud maybe bought wireless speakers and those who were serious about it might have invested in a whole home music system like a Sonos. 

TVs got bigger and cheaper while picture quality began to rival – or even exceed – that of local movie theaters. But TV sound really never improved that much. So the soundbar market was born for those who wanted better sound from movies and TV shows. Soundbars can play music too, of course, but mostly they just serve the singular purpose of making terrible-sounding TVs sound less terrible.

Receivers never really went away. They just faded into the background. 

Then a global pandemic happened. People stopped going out to dinner or to the movies, to concerts or sporting events. They stopped traveling, too, or at least cut way back. Suddenly people were spending a lot more time at home and found they had a little extra disposable income. Now instead of going out to the movies or concerts, they were watching movies – and concerts – and listening to more music at home. And that’s when many noticed that their little wireless speakers and puny soundbars didn’t actually sound that great. 

Since then, receivers have made a comeback. In 2020-2021, many retailers couldn’t keep popular models in stock as demand exceeded supply. Companies who hadn’t released new models in years started doing exactly that. Brands like Denon, Marantz and Sony all began gearing up production and releasing new models. But this surge in popularity didn’t save Onkyo. On May 13, 2022, Onkyo, one of the top Japanese HiFi brands since 1946, declared bankruptcy. It was a sad day for audiophiles and home theater aficionados.

But dry those eyes, dear readers, because Premium Audio Company, a joint venture between VOXX International and Sharp, stepped in to rescue Onkyo, Integra and Pioneer from oblivion and obscurity. Last year, VOXX was itself acquired by Gentex, and, sadly, Pioneer exited the A/V receiver market as a result. However, Onkyo is still going strong with several new models introduced in the past three years. The Onkyo TX-RZ30 is the latest model from this revitalized brand.

What Is It? 

The Onkyo TX-RZ30 is a home theater receiver or audio/video receiver (AVR). As such, it includes a built-in AM/FM tuner, audio and video decoding, processing and switching, and built-in power amplifiers to drive a multi-channel fully immersive surround sound speaker system. The RZ30 specifically can drive up to nine channels (nine speakers) plus two powered subwoofers with a power rating of 100 Watts/Channel. This means it can power a 5.2.4-channel or 7.2.2-channel Dolby Atmos or DTS:X immersive surround system. Of course, you may not need this many speakers in your specific room, but it’s nice to have the option to expand and upgrade over time. If your system needs are smaller, then you can use the built-in amps to power speakers in a second or even third zone or room. 

In addition to the essentials like Dolby Atmos, multi-channel PCM and DTS:X decoding, the TX-RZ30 is also IMAX-Enhanced Certified which means it can reproduced the full visual and audio bandwidth of IMAX Enhanced content on Blu-ray Disc, UHD Blu-ray and on streaming services such as Disney+ and Sony Pictures Core. The RZ30 also features full-bandwidth Dirac Live optimization and room correction, built-in at no additional charge. This advanced speaker calibration software adjusts speakers in both the level (magnitude) and time (phase) domains so they’ll provide the optimum performance in your specific room. It used to be that Dirac Live was only available in very high end gear or incurred a separate fee, but we’re starting to see this in more budget-friendly products, including the RZ30. 

The RZ30 lacks decoding for Sony 360 Reality Audio, MPEG-H immersive audio and Auro-3D. While none of these codecs are currently that widely used, it’s worth mentioning their lack in case you’re looking for any of these formats in a receiver.

Originally priced at $1,199 (MSRP), but recently lowered to $999, the RZ30 is currently the “entry-level” receiver in Onkyo’s high-end RZ line-up. The “RZ” doesn’t seem to stand for anything official, so I’m going to call it the “Reference Zeries” because it sounds fancy, and maybe slightly French. It joins the RZ70 introduced in 2023 and the RZ50, introduced in 2021. You can find out more about the differences among these models (including a comparison chart) in our earlier news post about the RZ30.

For music, the RZ30 supports high resolution audio playback up to 24-bit/192kHz. Digital audio file format compatibility includes MP3, WMA, WAV, MPEG-4/AAC, FLAC, and ALAC. The RZ30 also includes several streaming music services built-in, including Apple Music, Amazon Music HD, Spotify Connect, Tidal, Deezer, Pandora and Tune-In. Additional third party audio networking integration includes DTS Play-Fi support, “Works with Sonos” certification and “Roon ready” certification. Wireless connectivity for the RZ30 includes Bluetooth (aptX HD), AirPlay 2, Chromecast Built-in, and Wi-Fi networking. An ethernet port is also included for those who prefer a hard-wired network connection.

Weighing in at 11.5 kilograms (about 25.4 pounds), the RZ30 feels substantial, and a peek inside its cover shows some pretty solid components including beefy transformers and thick aluminum heat sinks. The unit features Class A/B amplification which means it runs a bit warmer than Class D amps would, but it never got excessively warm during our testing. We sure to leave it some room to breathe in your A/V cabinet and it should be fine.

The Ins and Outs

The TX-RZ30 includes six HDMI inputs and two HDMI outputs. It supports HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) and eARC and provides HDMI 2.1a and HDCP 2.3 compatibility. It can handle gaming and other video source devices at 4K/120Hz or 8K/60Hz with up to 40 Gbps transfer rate, VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), QFT (Quick Frame Transport), SBTM (Source-based Tone Mapping) and Dynamic HDR. Pass-through support is provided for virtually all the HDR formats, including Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma). 

The RZ30 supports legacy gear, too with one component video, two composite video, six analog audio, one coax digital audio, one fiberoptic digital audio and one USB input. Analog video sources are converted to digital for output over the HDMI port. Your old laserdisc player and VHS deck are welcome here. There’s also a phono input for moving magnet cartridges, in case you’re still rocking that vintage (or not so vintage) turntable. 

Outputs include the afore-mentioned two HDMI outputs, speaker level outputs for up to nine speakers, two independently adjustable subwoofer outputs, nine channels of preamp out (in case you want to use separate power amps) and a quarter-inch analog headphone output.

To operate the myriad features that the RZ30 has to offer, Onkyo has provided several control options, including a standard remote control, a smartphone app, voice control via Google Assistant and Siri, and third-party CI control via an RS232 connection. Home automation and control standards like Control4, Crestron, Savant, URC, Elan and RTI are all supported.

All things considered, the RZ30 certainly lives up to its “smart receiver” name and provides enough features, inputs, outputs, decoders, processing and third party integration options to satisfy the needs of even the most demanding consumers. 

The Set-Up

A receiver does take a bit more effort to install than most soundbars, but the Onkyo set-up wizard does a decent job walking you through it. There are so many speaker configuration options that you will want to pay attention to plug each speaker into the appropriate output. Also, be sure to keep phase (black and red) consistent for all speakers. Every speaker wire comes with a marked side and an unmarked side in the pair. I usually use the marked side for red (+) and the unmarked side for black (-) on both the receiver and speaker ends of each wire.

If you make any mistakes connecting the speakers, you may find out about phase errors or incorrectly attached speakers during the calibration. If you make phase mistakes, you will still get sound from all speakers but it will affect imaging and tonal balance across the system as some speakers will be canceling each other out at some frequencies.

With the speakers and subwoofers connected, it’s time to connect your TV to the receiver using a high speed HDMI cable. Use the HDMI ports labeled “eARC” or “ARC” on both the TV and receiver for this connection, if possible. Also, connect any analog source components like a turntable or cassette deck to the receiver. With HDMI eARC, you can connect any video components to the TV and the TV will pass the audio (even lossless multi-channel PCM, Dolby Atmos or DTS:X audio) to the receiver for processing. An exception would be if you’re using a projector or a TV with the older ARC type of HDMI connection. In this case, it’s probably best to connect all components (digital, analog, video and audio) directly to the receiver and just send the video signal to your TV or projector over the HDMI output.

Corrections Corner

Once all the connections are made, it’s time for some corrections. And no, I’m not talking about factual errors or typos (please!). I mean room correction of course. Most receivers come with some sort of speaker calibration routine (with Audyssey being the most popular in AV Receivers). Onkyo offers its own home-grown calibration software called “AccuEQ Room Calibration.” This can take care of the basics like adjusting EQ, crossover points and distance settings for the speakers. But the RZ30 includes Dirac Live, a much more advanced software package which compensates for anomalies in the room itself which can impact the overall sound.

Dirac Live full bandwidth control handles adjustments to all speakers. If you opt for a second subwoofer for deeper, more extended bass response and better bass uniformity throughout your listening room, then you may want to purchase the optional DIRAC Live Bass Control upgrade, which is an additional $299, directly from DIRAC. The RZ-30 is one of most affordable receivers on the market that can even handle Dirac Bass Control and which includes dual independently adjustable subwoofer outputs.

To perform Dirac room correction, you’ll need to install the Onkyo Controller app, available in Apple’s App Store and in the Google Play Store. Plug in the included calibration mic to the receiver’s front panel, then click through the instructions in the app. You can perform a basic correction using three measurement points or a full correction using nine measurement points. I opted for the basic 3-point correction, which took less than 30 minutes to complete. I found that Dirac was a bit more sensitive to ambient noise and subwoofer level settings than its competitor, Audyssey, so we had to restart the calibration a couple of times. But once it successfully completed, the results were obvious: better imaging specificity, clearer, more natural sounding dialog, more natural tonal balance overall and smoother transitions from main speakers to the powered subwoofer.

If you prefer, you can also perform Dirac Live room correction on a laptop by downloading the Dirac software and plugging in a compatible microphone like a miniDSP UMIK-1. Doing DIRAC calibration this way can be more accurate and effective as each miniDSP mic has its own unique measurement signature which you identify to Dirac so it can compensate. After performing the calibration, you can then download these Dirac profiles from your laptop to the RZ30 to apply the profile or profiles to the receiver.

Listening Notes

I evaluated the Onkyo TX-RZ30 with a 5.1.4-channel Klipsch reference speaker system I had previously been using with a Denon AVR-X3800H receiver. I hit the system with dozens of my favorite movie clips as well as several music tracks mixed in Dolby Atmos immersive surround as well as some stereo music tracks. I did some listening pre-calibration, but with the big improvement added with DIRAC Live, I left that applied for the remainder of testing.

The RZ30 has a wealth of different listening options, accessible by hitting the “Music” and “Movie/TV” buttons on the remote. Want to listen to your music in Dolby Surround in an orchestral concert hall? No problem! For stereo material, you can choose between Dolby Surround or DTS: Virtual:X to expand the soundstage to fill the room, or select “Direct” or “Stereo” modes for a more purist 2-channel approach. There’s also an “All Channel Stereo” mode if you want to fill a room with background music like for a party or gathering. I found Dolby Surround to work pretty well to expand the soundstage on most stereo music.

Dolby Atmos and DTS:X content in particular sounded wonderfully immersive through the RZ30. Sound objects that traveled around in space moved seamlessly from front to back, side to side and top to bottom. The Dolby Atmos mix of KX5/Deadmau5 “Alive” presented a huge soundstage and the rhythmic synth snare drum roll around 4 minutes into the song presented a nicely defined circle as it moved all around the room. And when the chorus of the Dolby Atmos mix of Elton John’s “Rocket Man” came along, the room came alive with instruments and vocals placed in a virtual dome that expanded beyond the borders of the room. This is an extremely effective mix for those who like to be brought inside the music mix and it was very well represented on the RZ30.

Moving onto IMAX content, the RZ30, with its IMAX Enhanced certification, is able to identify IMAX Enhanced DTS:X content from UHD Blu-ray Disc and from streaming services such as Disney+ and Sony Pictures Core, decode the DTS:X soundtrack and apply the IMAX EQ and processing. This gives IMAX movies a more theatrical sound as it uses the far-field IMAX cinematic mix, which results in more impactful bass, extended dynamic range and, in some cases, more pronounced height effects.

The RZ30 delivers these IMAX Enhanced DTS:X soundtracks as expected showing IMAX DTS:X on the front panel display. And the sound on the few titles I was able to test was quite bombastic with deep rumbling bass and enveloping height effects. “Zombieland: Double Tap” is one of the few UHD Blu-ray Discs with IMAX Enhanced certification and a lossless DTS:X soundtrack. Both the RV zombie attack scene and the final battle scene provided great examples of DTS:X IMAX Enhanced audio with gunshots, shuffling zombie growls and other sonic mayhem exploding into the room. And over on Disney+, the “Queen Rock Montreal” IMAX film had a raw power and immediacy in IMAX Enhanced DTS:X making the viewer feel like he (or she) was there in the audience. Marvel IMAX Enhanced titles like “The Fantastic 4” and “Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3” also sounded dynamic and engaging with their IMAX/DTS:X soundtracks activated.

Sadly, actually finding this IMAX Enhanced content with a DTS:X soundtrack is tricky. There are only a handful of IMAX Enhanced titles on UHD Blu-ray Disc, and only two streaming services — Disney+ and Sony Picture Core — can deliver the necessary DTS:X soundtracks. And DTS:X support on Disney+ is currently limited to select TVs from Hisense, TCL and Sony. Though we were happy to see that the Disney+ app on the Valerion Max projector’s Google TV OS, also supports DTS:X/IMAX Enhanced audio output. This is the first projector we’ve tested that supports the feature.

Comparisons

The Denon AVR-X3800H ($1,699) offers similar features and functionality to the Onkyo TX-RZ30 ($999). They both include nine channels of amplification, but the Denon can be expanded to 11 channels by connecting an external 2-channel amplifier and using the preamp outputs. The Denon also offers Dirac Room Correction, but at an additional cost (ranging from $259 for the basic limited bandwidth DIRAC Live version to $799 for a full license with Bass Control and ART included). To get the same level of Dirac room correction on the Denon vs. the Onkyo would require spending an additional $349 on the full bandwidth Dirac version on the Denon, bringing its price (with Dirac) up to $2048 (MSRP), roughly twice the price of the Onkyo TX-RZ30. However, the 3800H includes four independently adjustable subwoofer outputs compared to the Onkyo TX-RZ30’s two so it can work better in larger or problematic rooms where more subwoofers are preferred.

Sound quality-wise, the Denon 3800H and Onkyo RZ30 are not far off. Both offer excellent dynamics and cohesiveness of sound. The Denon may have a slight warmth compared to the RZ30’s more neutral sonic signature but both can create an outstanding immersive soundstage, particularly on Dolby Atmos and DTS:X content, particularly after DIRAC calibration and room correction. The Denon receiver does add decoding for Sony 360 Reality Audio, MPEG-H immersive sound and Auro 3D, none of which are particularly popular but which may appeal to those who want universal format support.

Compared to the similarly priced Denon AVR-X2800H ($1,199), the Onkyo TX-RZ30 represents a clear upgrade with more channels, more features, a full set of preamp outputs, dual independent subwoofer outputs and Dirac Live room correction.

Onkyo’s own TX-NR7100 may be a more likely competitor to the TX-RZ30 as it also includes nine channels of amplification and has Dirac Live full bandwidth room correction built-in. However, the 7100 does not offer preamp outputs so you can’t upgrade the on-board amplification. Also, the two subwoofer outputs on the NR7100 are identical and not independently adjustable and the 7100 has no option to add Dirac Bass Control. Still, at a street price now of around $750, the TX-NR7100 offers a very compelling value proposition for a 9.2-channel receiver and offers a fine choice if you’re on a more limited budget.

The Bottom Line

Onkyo’s TX-RZ30 is built to satisfy even the pickiest audiophiles and home theater aficionados with a strong feature set, excellent sonics and best-in-class Dirac Live room correction. It may not offer the upgradability of the Denon AVR-X3800H but it sells for a significantly lower price, particularly when you consider that the Onkyo includes Dirac Live full bandwidth room correction, while that option adds $349 to the cost of the Denon. Its only real competition is from Onkyo itself, in the TX-NR7100, but that unit is less flexible, older and less upgradeable.

If you’re looking for a solid 9-channel A/V receiver with excellent sound quality, best-in-class Dirac Live room correction built-in and a path toward upgrade, the Onkyo TX-RZ30 should definitely be on your short list.

Pros:

• Full bandwidth Dirac Live room correction included, with upgrade to Direct Live Bass Control available
• 9 channels of power with full set of preamp outputs for use with external amps
• Intuitive operation
• Transparent, neutral sound
• Dual independently adjustable subwoofer outputs
• A plethora of analog audio and video inputs including phono input, component and composite video

Cons:

• Cannot be expanded beyond nine channels (maxes out at 5.2.4 or 7.2.2)
• Lacks Sony 360RA, MPEG-H and Auro 3D audio decoding and processing
• No option to upgrade to DIRAC ART
• Basic remote lacks backlighting

Where to Buy

Onkyo TX-RZ30 9-channel AV Receiver with Dirac Live on Amazon.com or Crutchfield.

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Have you ever woken up in a cold sweat, panicking that your website is gone overnight? Whether a technical error, a deliberate attack, or your server gave up on itself, it happens more than you think. Just imagine all your time and hard work poured into your site, only for it to disappear within seconds. Quite terrifying, no? That’s why having a solid backup plan is not just an option but a must-have.

The good news is that WordPress offers several backup and recovery plugins to protect your site. These plugins act as digital guardians for your content making sure you can recover from any unexpected disasters. In this post, we’ll explore the top WordPress backup plugins that simplify site recovery. Let’s begin strengthening your online presence!

Top 6 WordPress Backup Plugins to Secure Your Site

To wrap up, protecting your WordPress site with a trustworthy backup plugin is essential for anyone who owns a website. The appropriate plugin makes sure your data stays safe and allows for quick recovery if unexpected problems occur. We’ve looked at seven excellent WordPress backup plugins, each offering special features to suit different requirements. Whether you value simplicity advanced capabilities, or affordability, you’ll find a plugin that’s just right for you. Don’t wait for something bad to happen—take action now to protect your site and rest easy knowing your hard work has protection. 

The US Department of Health and Human Services is developing a generative artificial intelligence tool to find patterns across data reported to a national vaccine monitoring database and to generate hypotheses on the negative effects of vaccines, according to an inventory released last week of all use cases the agency had for AI in 2025.

The tool has not yet been deployed, according to the HHS document, and an AI inventory report from the previous year shows that it has been in development since late 2023. But experts worry that the predictions it generates could be used by Health and Human Services secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to further his anti-vaccine agenda.

A long-standing vaccine critic, Kenedy has upended the childhood vaccination schedule in his year in office, removing several shots from a list of recommended immunizations for all children, including those for Covid-19, influenza, hepatitis A and B, meningococcal disease, rotavirus, and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.

Kennedy has also called for overhauling the current safety monitoring system for vaccine injury data collection, known as Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, or VAERS, claiming that it suppresses information about the true rate of vaccine side effects. He has also proposed changes to the federal Vaccine Injury Compensation Program that could make it easier for people to sue for adverse events that haven’t been proven to be associated with vaccines.

Jointly managed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration, VAERS was established in 1990 as a way to detect potential safety issues with vaccines after their approval. Anyone, including health care providers and members of the public, can submit an adverse reaction report to the database. Because these claims are not verified, VAERS data alone can’t be used to determine if a vaccine caused an adverse event.

“VAERS, at best, was always a hypothesis-generating mechanism,” says Paul Offit, a pediatrician and director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia who was previously a member of the CDC’s Advisory Council on Immunization Practices. “It’s a noisy system. Anybody can report, and there’s no control group.”

Offit says the system only shows adverse events that happened at some point following immunization; it doesn’t prove that a vaccine caused those reactions. CDC’s own website says that a report to VAERS does not mean that a vaccine caused an adverse event. Despite this, anti-vaccine activists have misused VAERS data over the years to argue that vaccines are not safe.

Leslie Lenert, previously the founding director of the CDC’s National Center for Public Health Informatics, says government scientists have been using traditional natural language processing AI models to look for patterns in VAERS data for several years, so it’s not surprising that HHS would move toward the adoption of more advanced large language models.

One major limitation of VAERS is that it doesn’t include data on how many people received a vaccine, which can make events logged in the database seem more common than they actually are. For that reason, Lenert says it’s important to pair information from VAERS with other data sources to determine the true risk of an event.

LLMs are also famously good at producing convincing hallucinations, underscoring the need for humans to follow up on any hypotheses generated by an LLM.

“VAERS is supposed to be very exploratory. Some people in the FDA are now treating it as more than exploratory,” says Lenert, who is currently the director of the Center for Biomedical Informatics and Health Artificial Intelligence at Rutgers University.

SEGA’s Dreamcast may have met an early demise, but the console’s legacy lives on among fans. Now, a small crew has ported Super Mario 64 to the console. That’s right, programmer jnmartin84 finished what mrneo240 started in 2020, resulting in a game based on the original and burned onto a CD-R for crisper visuals as well as richer sound.

This was accomplished using a process known as decompilation, in which a team of volunteers spent years going over the original Nintendo 64 code line by line. This clean source code enables the existence of ports like this one. jnmartin84 improved the Dreamcast version by fixing the weird audio glitch, graphics issues, and adding the option to save to the VMU.

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My Arcade Sonic Joystick Player: Sonic The Hedgehog Retro Game Console, 2 Games in 1, Sega Classic…

• 🕹️ Officially Licensed: This is an officially licensed SEGA Game Console, ensuring an authentic gaming experience. High resolution 3.5” full…
• 🎯 Games Included: Includes Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Capable of traveling at the speed of sound, Sonic is known for his speed,…
• 🕹️ Iconic Characters: A true hero, he calls upon his skills to save the world from Dr. Eggman. Sonic has a big heart and is always ready to help…

To begin, get the source from GitHub and extract the textures and models from their own US version of Super Mario 64, as no resources are included in the source code to ensure that everything is totally legal. Next, a Dreamcast toolchain compiles everything into a binary that can be burned to a disk and loaded into the Dreamcast console, and voilà! Mario appears in his full 480p magnificence. Of course, emulators are supported as well, but let’s be honest: playing on real hardware is a whole different experience.

The transition from the N64’s muddy 240p to a gorgeous and sharp 480p is an improvement in itself. Not only that, but the textures, while identical to the original, appear slightly crisper due to the increased output. Not only does Mario’s world feel larger than ever before, but the framerate remains at a steady 30fps, just as it did in 1996.

One of the hardest tasks was sound, as the N64 has a dedicated chip for mixing sound, while the Dreamcast lacks one and has to use the SH4 CPU for everything. Early tests were putting a lot of stress on the CPU, so John Brooks, a veteran coder, came in and helped out with some vector math and floating-point code to get everything running smoothly.

The controls on this version snap neatly into place, as the Dreamcast’s stick steers Mario around with precision, while the button for jumps, the B button for braking, and the D-pad for switching cameras all function as expected. Because the VMU can save your game in the middle of a run, you can continue where you left off without having to restart from the beginning, no uncomfortable remapping required.

Rackspace’s new pricing for its email hosting services is “devastating,” according to a partner that has been using Rackspace as its email provider since 1999.

In recent weeks, Rackspace updated its email hosting pricing. Its standard plan is now $10 per mailbox per month. Businesses can also pay for the Rackspace Email Plus add-on for an extra $2/mailbox/month (for “file storage, mobile sync, Office-compatible apps, and messaging”), and the Archiving add-on for an extra $6/mailbox/month (for unlimited storage).

As recently as November 2025, Rackspace charged $3/mailbox/month for its Standard plan, and an extra $1/mailbox/month for the Email Plus add-on, and an additional $3/mailbox/month for the Archival add-on, according to the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine.

Rackspace’s reseller partners have been especially vocal about the impacts of the new pricing.

In a blog post on Thursday, web hosting service provider and Rackspace reseller Laughing Squid said Rackspace is “increasing our email pricing by an astronomical 706 percent, with only a month-and-a half’s notice.”

Laughing Squid founder Scott Beale told Ars Technica that he received the “devastating” news via email on Wednesday. The last time Rackspace increased Laughing Squid’s email prices was by 55 percent in 2019, he said.

“The price increase has a major impact on the ability to make money due to the fact that email is now our largest expense, and we were only given a month-and-a-half notice,” Beale told Ars.

Online, there are reports of Rackspace partners being quoted email pricing increases of 110 percent to nearly 500 percent. The reports say that the new, higher-per-mailbox quotes don’t include volume pricing discounts. Beale noted that Laughing Squid’s quote doesn’t include discounts that the company previously received.

If you’ve ever used a 3D printer, you may recall the wondrous feeling when you first printed something you could have never sculpted or built yourself. Download a model file, load some plastic filament, push a button, and almost like magic, a three-dimensional object appears. But the result isn’t polished and ready for mass production, and creating a novel shape requires more skills than just pushing a button. Interestingly, today’s AI coding agents feel much the same way.

Since November, I have used Claude Code and Claude Opus 4.5 through a personal Claude Max account to extensively experiment with AI-assisted software development (I have also used OpenAI’s Codex in a similar way, though not as frequently). Fifty projects later, I’ll be frank: I have not had this much fun with a computer since I learned BASIC on my Apple II Plus when I was 9 years old. This opinion comes not as an endorsement but as personal experience: I voluntarily undertook this project, and I paid out of pocket for both OpenAI and Anthropic’s premium AI plans.

Throughout my life, I have dabbled in programming as a utilitarian coder, writing small tools or scripts when needed. In my web development career, I wrote some small tools from scratch, but I primarily modified other people’s code for my needs. Since 1990, I’ve programmed in BASIC, C, Visual Basic, PHP, ASP, Perl, Python, Ruby, MUSHcode, and some others. I am not an expert in any of these languages—I learned just enough to get the job done. I have developed my own hobby games over the years using BASIC, Torque Game Engine, and Godot, so I have some idea of what makes a good architecture for a modular program that can be expanded over time.

In December, I used Claude Code to create a multiplayer online clone of Katamari Damacy called “Christmas Roll-Up.”

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Claude Code, Codex, and Google’s Gemini CLI, can seemingly perform software miracles on a small scale. They can spit out flashy prototypes of simple applications, user interfaces, and even games, but only as long as they borrow patterns from their training data. Much like a 3D printer, doing production-level work takes far more effort. Creating durable production code, managing a complex project, or crafting something truly novel still requires experience, patience, and skill beyond what today’s AI agents can provide on their own.

The world generates tons of electronic waste every year, leaving a profound impact on the environment. For tech enthusiasts, unused or broken electronics might be piling up in your garage or storage, but there’s hope. 

Transforming old electronic projects into green solutions is good for the planet and offers an opportunity for you to get creative and make the most out of the technology you love. Here are some clever ways to reduce your e-waste and put those old devices to use. 

1. Donate Working Electronics 

These professionals also understand more niche topics like the packaging requirements for battery disposal and its importance. Many of these centers ensure proper disposal of harmful components, such as lithium-ion batteries or toxic chemicals. 

Some tech companies, like Apple or Best Buy, run recycling programs that collect used electronics at no charge to make the process easier. Always check that the battery compartment is empty before recycling and look for separate battery drop-off locations nearby. 

4. Sell Usable Parts 

Old tech often holds more value than you think, especially when you break it down into parts. Sell components like graphics cards, memory sticks, and processors individually via online marketplaces to other people who are working on repairs or upgrades. 

Selling these usable pieces allows other tech enthusiasts to extend the lifespan of their devices with affordable options. Before listing anything for sale, test component functionality and provide detailed descriptions for potential buyers. 

5. Upcycle Into Art 

Turn outdated circuit boards, wires, and other electronic components into unique art pieces that add character to your home or office. Circuit boards, with their intricate designs, look great as the foundation for creative sculptures. You might also fashion jewelry, such as earrings or pendants, from compact mechanical parts. 

Upcycling is an excellent way to showcase your love for technology while turning old electronics into greener solutions. Online platforms like Pinterest or Etsy have a wealth of inspiration for creating tech-inspired art.

6. Refurbish and Reuse 

Refurbishing old devices gives them a second life and keeps them out of landfills. Whether it’s a forgotten smartphone or a dusty tablet, replacing damaged screens, upgrading components, or repairing ports makes them useful again. Many online repair guides and tools are available to help you get started. You can also consult local repair services if you’re not confident handling electronics yourself. 

7. Compost Bio-Plastics 

Certain biodegradable electronics are now available on the market,  and if you’ve been a part of such innovative projects, consider composting them correctly. Bio-plastics offer an environmentally-friendly alternative to traditional, toxic materials used in items like device casings. 

After removing and recycling the electronic components, check the manufacturer’s guidance on how to safely compost the biodegradable parts. Composting allows these materials to break down naturally, which reduces their impact on the environment and enriches the soil. 

8. Convert to Smart Devices 

When you’re not ready to let go of your older tech, repurpose and upgrade it to serve modern smart functions. For example, an old Android phone can become a home security camera using apps specialized for that purpose. Similarly, you could repurpose a tablet as a digital cookbook or an extra monitor for your workstation. 

Many tutorials are available online to guide you through these transformations, which require minimal hassle and tools. This approach creates value without needing to purchase an entirely new device. 

9. Create Educational Displays 

Old electronic devices teach others about technology, especially young learners who are curious about how things work. Carefully dismantling items like computers or gaming consoles provides the components to create displays showcasing their inner workings. 

Label each part to explain its role in the device to provide a hands-on learning experience. Through education, older electronics continue to serve a vital purpose. Set up these displays in classrooms, community libraries, or science fairs to spark curiosity and inspire creativity in future tech enthusiasts. 

10. Transform Into Furniture 

For larger pieces of electronics, such as CRT TVs or bulky desktop computers, consider turning them into one-of-a-kind furniture. Hollow out an old TV and convert it into a fish tank or shelf. Similarly, a CPU tower might make a great base for a table or storage unit. 

These projects require minimal additional materials but do call for a touch of creativity and craftsmanship. By upcycling into tech furniture, you keep larger items from becoming waste while adding quirky, functional pieces to your space. 

Technology evolves quickly, and it’s easy for electronic projects to fall by the wayside. By thinking creatively and sustainably, old devices find new life, reduce waste, and even educate or inspire other learners and enthusiasts. Begin giving a second life to your retired projects today and make a meaningful difference.