Want a 75-inch TV for a huge discount price? Of course you do! The Hisense U65QF 75-inch is available for $599.99 (was $899.99) at Amazon right now.

Affordable mini-LED TVs are getting more sophisticated every year, without adding to the price. The Hisense U65QF is no different, delivering great brightness, picture quality, and gaming for a budget-friendly price.

Getting a 75-inch TV can also be a bit of a pipe dream for some, but with this big discount ahead of the Presidents’ Day sales, a 75-inch TV doesn’t seem like a ridiculous idea.

The budget mini-LED TV market is a really competitive one. Some of the very best TVs you can buy come from this group of TVs, with TCL and Hisense leading the way.

But while cheaper mini-LED had its flaws in the past, it’s getting better all the time. Limited viewing angles, poor contrast and blacks, and a lack of brightness are all things of the past.

The Hisense U65QF is an example of this evolution, delivering impressive detail, effective local dimming, and even demonstrating good motion handling for both sports and movies.

The U65QF also doubles as a great gaming TV, with features we expect to find in the best gaming TVs. 4K 144Hz, FreeSync Premium, Dolby Vision gaming, and ALLM are all supported, while also delivering great performance with fast-paced games.

If you’re looking to get a big screen TV for cheap, you can’t really go wrong with the Hisense U65QF. And don’t worry: while you may compromise on price, you won’t on performance.

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An Illinois man pleaded guilty to hacking nearly 600 women’s Snapchat accounts to steal nude photos that he kept, sold, or traded online, including accounts he compromised at the request of a former university track coach who was later convicted of sextortion.

26-year-old defendant Kyle Svara admitted in federal court in Boston to phishing access codes from hundreds of victims between May 2020 and February 2021, and accessed at least 59 Snapchat accounts without permission to download private photos.

According to court documents, Svara used social engineering tactics to obtain victims’ emails, phone numbers, and Snapchat usernames, then texted more than 4,500 targets requesting access codes while impersonating Snap representatives. Using these tactics, he successfully harvested credentials from roughly 570 victims and accessed at least 59 accounts without permission to steal compromising images.

Svara advertised his “services” on multiple online platforms, trading stolen content, offering to “get into girls snap accounts” for clients, and asking potential clients to contact him through the encrypted messaging app Kik.

One of his clients, former Northeastern University track and field coach Steve Waithe, hired Svara to hack Snapchat accounts of students at Northeastern and members of the women’s track and field and soccer teams. Waithe was sentenced in March 2024 to five years in prison for cyberstalking, cyber fraud, and sextortion after targeting at least 128 women.

Between paid hacking jobs, Svara also independently hacked into the accounts of women in Plainfield, Illinois, and students at Colby College in Maine.

Svara now faces charges of aggravated identity theft (carrying a minimum sentence of two years), wire fraud (up to 20 years in prison), computer fraud (up to five years), and making false statements related to child pornography (maximum of eight years).

“When Svara was interviewed by investigators, he falsely stated that he did not know anything about hacking Snapchat,” the Justice Department said on Thursday.

“Additionally, he falsely stated that had no interest in child pornography and had never actively sought out or accessed child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Contrary to these statements, the defendant collected, distributed and solicited CSAM.”

Svara is scheduled for sentencing in federal court before U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy on May 18th.

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Blenders, food processors and electric mixers — freestanding or otherwise — are all small kitchen appliances whose core function can be distilled into a simple concept: to combine. Yet they all independently exist, with different designs and seemingly for different purposes. 

If you found yourself eye-rolling at the headline here, ask whether you can actually delineate each of their unique characteristics and how they actually do what they do. And if you’re a cooking and baking newbie with little idea to begin with, welcome in.

If you’ve ever had to justify the need for myriad appliances (perhaps with someone like a roommate or spouse who shares kitchen space with you) or if you’re newly outfitting a kitchen and wondering what might be necessary and what might end up being merely decorative for your cooking repertoire, getting into the nuance of these appliances is important. 

For the purposes of kitchen relationship harmony, then, or to enable you to justify another small appliance purchase — to yourself or anyone else — here’s an examination of the difference(s) between a blender, food processor and stand mixer.

Blender: How does it work?

Blenders typically consist of a heavy base with a motor and a plastic or glass jug with a set of rotating blades at the point where the jug connects with the motor. The blender combines whatever ingredients you add with a singular goal: to liquefy. The history of the blender, in fact, begins with its function as a milkshake maker. A vortex created by the rapid rotation of the blades creates a vacuum that pulls whatever is in the jug toward the blades, pulverizes it, then funnels it back up, ad nauseam, until you hit stop.

If you’ve ever put various components in the blender and had the mixture quickly come to a standstill, clinging desperately to the sides of the jug out of the reach of the blades, the catch-22 of a blender’s function is that it usually needs a little liquid to begin with in order to effectively kick off the liquefaction. Certain solid items that are light or have small pieces, such as nuts or bread cubes, can be put in the blender; however, in this case, the blender’s function is to grind.

Perfect for the blender: smoothies, shakes, cocktails, sauces, gravies, fluid nut butters, wet batters for pancakes, crepes or coatings.

Ideal foods to make in a blender

• Smoothies 
• Protein shakes
• Frozen drinks
• Soups 
• Sauces and dips
• Nut butters
• Baby food 
• Pancake batter

Food Processor: How does it work?

Like a blender, a food processor often relies on blades, but may also employ discs or other inserts specific to the job you’re asking it to do. The container in a food processor is more of a bowl or cylinder than a jug, and liquid and gravity are less important to its proper operation. While it can be considered an appliance that combines various ingredients — as with salsa or hummus — it typically does so by chopping everything together, though not as finely as a blender, and can also be used strictly for that purpose on a single item. 

Various food processor attachments may also allow you to shred, slice, julienne, or juice, with a wide entry channel that enables you to add ingredients and push them through the attachment, which is typically mounted at the top of the bowl. Some models may also include inserts that attach to the motor base that whip or knead. Though a blender typically results in more of a fine puree than a food processor can do, a food processor is more versatile in terms of the various shapes and textures that are possible with its use.

Perfect for the food processor: grating or chopping solid ingredients such as vegetables or cheese, chunky or thick sauces such as pesto, hummus, or salsa, thick nut butter, pasta or pastry dough.

Ideal foods to make with a food processor

• Chopped vegetables for sofrito, mirepoix, etc.
• Pesto and sauces 
• Hummus and dips 
• Shredded cheese
• Nut butters and nut flours
• Cauliflower rice
• Energy balls and no-bake treats 
• Breadcrumbs
• Ground meat

Stand mixer: How does it work?

Stand mixers are strictly mixing devices that can combine ingredients, but don’t break them down into smaller pieces via blades. On a stand mixer, a heavy base holds a bowl in place while a motor rotates an attachment such as a paddle, dough hook or whisk. (Hand mixers perform the same function, but your hands are both the element that keeps the bowl in place, and that which holds the motorized attachments.) 

At higher speeds, a stand mixer can also introduce air into the mixture. The action of a stand mixer is gentler and easier to control than that of a blender or food processor, making it ideal for cake batters that require minimal mixing, where the goal is simply to combine. Armed with a dough hook, however, the mixer can also strong-arm gluten development for crusty breads. 

Stand mixers may also have various attachments available to increase their utility, including ice cream makers, pasta rollers, meat grinders, spiralizers, juicers, and even choppers that start to creep into food processor territory.

Perfect for the stand mixer: dough for bread, pizza, pasta, and cookies, all batters, icing and frosting, meringue or whipped egg preparations, whipped cream.

Ideal foods to make in a stand mixer

• Bread and yeast doughs 
• Cake batter
• Cookie batter
• Whipped cream
• Meringues
• Frosting 
• Mashed potatoes
• Pasta dough
• Shredded chicken or pork
• Pizza dough

Crossover use between them: The mashed potato experiment

Naturally, there are things that could be accomplished in any of these appliances, given desired outcomes. Egg whites or cream can be whipped, batters can be mixed, and certain doughs can be formed in all three of them. This is not a case against a stand mixer, however. Though its function tops out at “mix,” it is still the necessary appliance for certain types of cake or cookie doughs. Not to mention the lack of blades and its stainless-steel bowl, which makes it much easier to clean.

I made mashed potatoes in all three

To best illustrate the outcomes of these various appliances when given the same task, I chose mashed potatoes, which can be successfully achieved by either liquifying, chopping, or simply mixing its components. Potatoes were cubed and boiled, and then (because I’m not a monster) put to the test along with a splash of milk and a dab of butter.

• Food processor: required just a few pulses to turn cubed potatoes into mashed potatoes. I like them with a little texture, but a few more pulses would give you a smooth puree.
• Stand mixer: requires the most time but allows the most volume. You’ll never get a silky puree if that’s what you’re going for, and you may end up with some larger chunks, but this method could most easily feed a crowd without the elbow grease of hand mashing.
• Blender: required extra milk in order to get going, and in very short order turned cooked potatoes into something that more resembled pancake batter than mashed potato, a strong consideration if you’re actually making gnocchi.

from the ctrl-alt-speech dept

Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast about the latest news in online speech, from Mike Masnick and Everything in Moderation‘s Ben Whitelaw.

Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Pocket Casts, YouTube, or your podcast app of choice — or go straight to the RSS feed.

In this week’s round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike and Ben cover:

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In the rarefied upper tier of high-end audio where prices are unapologetic and expectations are brutal, Esoteric sits comfortably alongside Nagra, Luxman, and TAD. This is not aspirational hi-fi; it’s reference-grade gear for listeners who already know the difference. Esoteric has built its reputation on an almost obsessive approach to engineering, and its CD players and transports remain the benchmark by which competitors are judged, often reluctantly. The evolution of its two best-selling components into the new XE Series is less about reinvention and more about refinement at the highest level.

Drawing directly from the company’s Grandioso flagship philosophy, the $13,000 N-05XE Network DAC Preamplifier and $13,500 S-05XE Class A Stereo Power Amplifier reinforce a familiar truth in this price bracket: Esoteric rarely misses, and when it updates a “core” product, it does so with intent.

Esoteric N-05XE Network DAC Preamplifier: One Box, No Compromises

The N-05XE is Esoteric doing what it does best: taking an already serious component and reworking every circuit that matters without breaking what made it successful in the first place. Positioned as the most compact “do-it-all” solution in the company’s lineup, the N-05XE combines a network streamer, reference-grade DAC, fully balanced dual-mono preamplifier, and a genuinely capable headphone amplifier in a single chassis—without diluting the design brief. This is also the only Esoteric product that integrates all of these functions into one platform, and the new XE revision refines every stage while preserving its core architecture.

At the heart of the N-05XE is Esoteric’s next-generation Master Sound Discrete DAC G2, derived directly from technologies developed for the Grandioso N1. Rather than relying on an off-the-shelf DAC chip, Esoteric uses a fully discrete, FPGA-based multilevel ΔΣ architecture with a 64-bit/512Fs modulator. Separate FPGA algorithms are optimized independently for PCM and DSD playback, while a newly developed low-noise register network and high-precision MELF resistors improve linearity, imaging precision, and noise performance.

The DAC section is fully dual-mono, with left and right channels completely isolated across analog stages and power supplies, and it is clocked by Esoteric’s proprietary high-precision “Master Sound Discrete Clock for Digital Player.”

Network duties are handled by the new Esoteric Network Engine G4, which supports optical network connections via an SFP port in addition to standard Ethernet. A large, dedicated linear power supply is used exclusively for the network engine, contributing to a smoother, more organic presentation that Esoteric openly likens to analog playback.

The platform supports native DSD up to 22.5 MHz, PCM file playback, and server functionality via two USB drive connections. File support is broad and practical, covering DSF, DSDIFF, FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF, MQA, MP3, and AAC. Streaming support includes TIDAL Connect, Qobuz Connect, Roon, Spotify Connect, and QQ Music, with control handled through Esoteric’s Sound Stream app or third-party OpenHome-compatible applications.

The preamplifier stage is a fully dual-mono, dual-balanced design using eight independent circuits—left and right, hot and cold—derived directly from Esoteric’s Grandioso preamps. A dedicated power supply for the attenuator ensures stable, low-noise volume control, while Esoteric’s HCLD high-current buffer amplifier guarantees consistent performance whether the signal is routed to balanced outputs, single-ended outputs, or the headphone amplifier. ES-Link Analog connectivity is included, allowing current-signal transmission to compatible Esoteric amplifiers for maximum signal integrity.

Headphone listening is treated seriously here, not as an afterthought. The N-05XE features a completely redesigned dual-mono, parallel single-ended headphone amplifier capable of delivering 1,200 mW + 1,200 mW into a 32 ohm load. Outputs include both a 4-pin XLR and a 6.3 mm single-ended jack, with support for headphones ranging from 16 to 600 ohms—comfortably covering everything from efficient dynamics to demanding high-impedance planar and dynamic designs.

Connectivity is extensive and logically laid out. Digital inputs include XLR, two RCA coaxial, two optical, USB Type-B, and a front-panel USB-C port that allows direct connection of smartphones and digital audio players. An ES-Link (XLR) digital input is provided for direct connection to Esoteric SACD transports. Analog inputs include balanced XLR/ES-Link Analog and single-ended RCA, while outputs are available via XLR/ES-Link Analog, ES-Link Analog pre-out, and RCA. A 10 MHz BNC clock input enables integration with Esoteric’s G-05 external master clock. Bluetooth is also onboard, supporting LDAC, LHDC, and aptX HD for high-quality wireless playback when convenience wins out.

From a mechanical standpoint, the N-05XE uses a high-rigidity aluminum chassis with careful attention paid to vibration control. A semi-floating top panel enhances spatial openness, while Esoteric’s patented pinpoint isolation feet are designed to improve focus, imaging, and soundstage stability. Fit and finish are exactly what you expect at this level, and the unit is proudly manufactured in Tokyo.

Measured performance is equally serious. The N-05XE offers a frequency response of 5 Hz to 30 kHz (-3 dB), a signal-to-noise ratio of 109 dB (A-weighted), and total harmonic distortion of 0.001 percent at 1 kHz. Power consumption is rated at 30 W, dropping to 0.3 W in standby.

Physical dimensions are 445 x 131 x 377 mm (width x height x depth), which translates to approximately 17.5 x 5.2 x 14.8 inches, including protrusions. Total weight is 13.6 kg, or about 30 pounds.

Esoteric S-05XE Class A Stereo Power Amplifier

The S-05XE is Esoteric’s latest refinement of its Class A stereo power amplifier platform, built around the same straightforward, low-compromise design philosophy used in the company’s Grandioso amplifiers. Rather than chasing higher output ratings, the focus here is on linearity, channel separation, and stable power delivery in a fully dual-mono layout. The result is a Class A amplifier intended to deliver consistent performance, low noise, and controlled dynamics in real-world systems.

The amplifier operates in pure Class A and is rated at 30 watts per channel into 8 ohms and 60 watts per channel into 4 ohms, with a bridged (BTL) mode providing 120 watts into 8 ohms. Output stages use high-power bipolar transistors arranged in a three-parallel push-pull configuration, and Esoteric applies minimal negative feedback to preserve transient behavior and avoid over-correction. The design is intended to balance resolution and drive without relying on excessive circuit complexity.

Power supply design is central to the S-05XE. A large 1,000 VA toroidal-core transformer feeds a dual-mono power-supply smoothing circuit, with left and right channels electrically isolated. Energy storage is handled by “Grandioso-grade” custom capacitors, using four 10,000 µF capacitors per channel. This approach supports stable voltage delivery and consistent channel performance under load.

Signal input is handled by a newly developed fully symmetrical balanced input buffer amplifier designed to reduce noise and maintain signal integrity. The S-05XE provides balanced XLR and single-ended RCA inputs, along with Esoteric’s ES-Link Analog current-signal input for direct connection to compatible Esoteric source components. A triple drive mode switch allows the amplifier to operate in stereo, bridged, or bi-amp configurations, and a DC trigger enables coordinated power control when used with matching Esoteric components such as the N-05XE.

The mechanical structure is designed to support thermal management and vibration control. The chassis incorporates Esoteric’s patented isolation feet, a semi-floating top panel, and a wave-shaped heat sink to reduce resonance while dissipating heat generated by Class A operation. The top panel design draws from the dual honeycomb grille used on Grandioso amplifiers. As with Esoteric’s other reference components, the S-05XE is manufactured in Tokyo.

Measured performance includes a frequency response of 5 Hz to 100 kHz (+0 dB/-3 dB into 8 ohms), a signal-to-noise ratio of 104 dB (IHF-A, XLR), and total harmonic distortion of 0.007 percent at 1 kHz into 8 ohms at 30 watts. Gain is specified at 28.5 dB in stereo operation and 34.5 dB in BTL mode. Power consumption is rated at 215 watts, dropping to 195 watts with no signal. Loudspeaker compatibility is specified at 4 to 16 ohms in stereo mode and 8 to 16 ohms in BTL mode.

Physically, the S-05XE measures 445 × 191 × 443 mm (17.5 × 7.5 × 17.4 inches, width × height × depth including protrusions) and weighs 25.6 kg, or approximately 56.4 pounds.

The Bottom Line

The Esoteric N-05XE and S-05XE are aimed squarely at listeners who want a reference-grade two-channel system without turning their rack into a small industrial park. The N-05XE stands out because it consolidates network streaming, a fully discrete flagship-derived DAC, a true dual-mono balanced preamp, and a serious headphone amplifier into one chassis, something Esoteric doesn’t do anywhere else in its lineup. The S-05XE complements it with a true Class A, fully dual-mono power amplifier that prioritizes control, balance, and long-term stability over headline wattage.

At $13,000 for the N-05XE and $13,500 for the S-05XE ($26,500 total), this pairing is not inexpensive, but context matters. When you factor in the level of integration, connectivity, build quality, and the likelihood that neither component will feel obsolete anytime soon, the value proposition starts to make sense, especially when compared to multi-box alternatives from brands operating in the same tier. This system is for experienced listeners who want fewer compromises, fewer boxes, and long-term confidence, and who understand that in this corner of high-end audio, “affordable” is relative—but not meaningless.

For more information: esoteric.jp/en/support/news/665

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Hoang Pham has spent his career trying to ensure that some of the world’s most critical systems don’t fail, including commercial aircraft engines, nuclear facilities, and massive data centers that underpin AI and cloud computing.

A professor of industrial and systems engineering at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J., and a longtime volunteer for IEEE, Pham, an IEEE Life Fellow, is internationally recognized for advancing the mathematical foundations of reliability engineering. His work earned him the IEEE Reliability Society’s Engineer of the Year Award in 2009. He was recognized for helping to shape how engineers model risk in complex, data-rich systems.