As more and more age tech hits the market, I've been testing the most innovative gadgets for older folks and caregivers. Age tech is a rapidly growing category focused on remote caregiving, improving quality of life, and enabling older folks to stay in their own homes for longer. The US Census Bureau says around 16 million elders (over 65) live alone. While the majority are healthy, with family and friends nearby, many lack support and may be battling physical and mental decline. Whether you're getting older or trying to help an aging loved one, there's an increasingly diverse range of gadgetry to choose from, but as a nascent category, it's tricky to know what will help.

What we once called the Google Chromecast (and then the Chromecast with Google TV) is now the Google TV Streamer. I won't pretend to understand the reasoning behind any product's rebrand, but at least this one makes a bit of sense. Casting content from elsewhere used to be a big reason TV dongles existed. Today, streaming devices primarily provide the brains required to watch content from Netflix, Disney and other streaming services on almost any screen, and casting is a bit of an afterthought. A name that focuses on Google TV's interface instead of casting seems right in 2024.

It's not often that you upgrade your TV, but Amazon Prime Day is a good time to consider doing so. Prime members can get steep discounts right now on Fire TVs and sets from other companies like Sony, Samsung and others. And not every sale on Prime day is exclusive to Prime members -- there are some discounts that are available to anyone, so it's worth checking out the televisions on sale during the two-day shopping event. If you're not looking for a brand new TV, there are other home entertainment gadgets on sale too, including streaming devices, soundbars and more. Here are the best TV and home entertainment deals we found for Prime Day 2022.

If you're in the market for a new streaming device, chances are you want to improve your home entertainment experience. Maybe you've been relying on your phone or tablet for binge-watch sessions, or perhaps your TV's built-in operating system just isn't cutting it anymore. Streaming dongles and set-top boxes are ubiquitous at this point, but sussing out the differences between them can be challenging. Plus, they're not the only gadgets that can deliver your latest Netflix obsession to your TV screen. Let us break down all of the streaming device options you have today and give you our picks for the best you can buy.

"Operator TV is an open platform to give Pay TV Operators all of the features they need to make Smart TV their domain and have an alternative to set-top boxes to control the experience on the most important screen of the home," said Marco Frattolin, Head of Operator Products at Vewd. "We're pleased that Intertrust ExpressPlay has become an Operator TV partner, enabling Pay TV Operators to select a leading broadcast and IP content security solution. Together, we can help Pay TV operators own the Smart TV." ExpressPlay XCA is a key component of the ExpressPlay Media Security Suite, which also includes a cloud-based and studio trusted multi-DRM service, comprehensive anti-piracy services, and an offline multi-DRM platform.

While the Apple TV 4K tends to get all of the attention, the standard Apple TV remains a solid option if you want a set-top box that plays nicely with the rest of your iPhone, iPad and other devices. It'll normally set you back $150, but Amazon is having a sale right now that knocks $20 off the Apple TV HD, bringing it down to $130. That's the best price we've seen since the streamer came out a few months ago, plus it includes the updated Siri remote -- arguably our favorite thing about the Apple TV experience as of late. Despite recent updates, the Apple TV looks familiar. It runs on Apple's A8 processor, comes with 32GB of onboard storage and the back edge houses a power port, one USB-C port, one HDMI connector and an Ethernet port.

Apple gave its TV 4K set-top box some love this year by upgrading the internals and revamping its accompanying Siri remote. But it didn't change the price, which means you'll still pay at least $179 for it. However, Amazon has a new deal that knocks nearly $20 off the 64GB Apple TV 4K, bringing it down to $180. The base, 32GB model has been on sale for $169 for a few weeks at this point, but this new deal essentially lets you get the extra-storage model at the base's original price. We consider the 2021 Apple TV 4K to be the best high-end streaming box you can get, and it's even more attractive if you live in the Apple ecosystem.

If you're on the market for a new streaming device, chances are you want to make your watching experience better than it already is. Streaming dongles and set-top boxes are ubiquitous these days, but deciphering the differences between them can be challenging. Plus, they're not the only gadgets that can deliver your latest Netflix obsession to your TV screen. Let's break down all of the streaming device options you have today and give you our picks for the best you can buy. It's worth pointing out that if you only use a couple of streaming services (say, Netflix and Hulu), you might not need a standalone streaming device.

Apple has announced a second-generation Apple TV 4K with a new and unambigously designed Siri remote--at last, there's no more holding the remote the wrong way! The new streamer is powered by Apple's A12 Bionic processor, which will enable high frame rate HDR (high dynamic range at 60 frames per second) on streaming services that offer it. The new Siri remote, and an intriguing color-balance feature that is part of tvOS 14.5, will also be available on the first-gen Apple TV 4K as well as the Apple TV HD. One thing that hasn't changed about the new Apple TV 4K is the price: Yes, it's still a whopping $199 for the 64GB model and $179 for the 32GB version, with the updated models slated to ship in May following an April 30 pre-order date. The new Siri remote costs $59, or it can be purchased with an Apple TV HD for $149--that's about $50 higher than the most expensive 4K players from Amazon, Roku, and other competitors.

The choice of how you get your TV and movies in the UK has exploded in recent years, with a growing number of premium pay-TV providers and streaming services available at a wide range of prices. Many of them have long contracts, exclusive content and complicated bundle pricing. And that's before you work out how to actually get it to your television, whether it is live broadcast TV via the traditional routes of aerial, satellite or cable, new offerings of streaming live TV over the internet, on-demand download or streaming services, or a mix of all three. All of which makes choosing the right one for you a bit of a minefield of information overload. To help you pick the best pay-TV or streaming service for your needs, wants and budget, here's a guide covering all the options from Sky Q to Disney, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix and everything in between. This Guardian buyer's guide to UK pay-TV and streaming services was last updated on 4 March 2021, and represents the best available and tested at the time. As services change and new ones are tested, this guide will be updated to help you choose the right pay-TV or streaming service for you. Welcome to one of the Guardian's new buyer's guides. This article represents hundreds of hours of testing by the author to bring together a succinct list of recommended products or services so you can pick from the best and ignore the rest without having to do hours of your own research. While the Guardian may earn a small commission from items bought through affiliate links, the items featured in this buyer's guide have been tested and included without influence from any advertiser or commercial initiative. Sky's Q box has long been premium pay-TV platform to beat, offering a better, more flexible and seamless experience than rivals.