ArcaMax

At IBM’s Investor Day event in New York City this week, the first the company has held since 2021, a word executives stressed was “software.”

And two other words top IBM brass highlighted again and again were “Red Hat.”

“Hopefully you got the theme of the entire day today of us being a much more software-led company,” IBM chief ...Read more

Q: Given your recent column regarding CDs, why not write a column with recommended CD players for home stereo systems?

—B.Z., Milwaukee

A. That is a great idea! I received quite a few emails about the column concerning physical media. Everyone writing in agreed with me, some of them very passionately and emphatically. Many of the emails were...Read more

Q. I just read the review of the ZVOX AV855 home theater soundbar. We currently are using the ZVOX AV120. Is the AV855 better enough to warrant the upgrade? The ZVOX website is showing it sold out. How will I know when it is available again?

—K.K., Milwaukee

A. It is absolutely worth the upgrade. Not only does the AV855 have the kind of ...Read more

Q. Our granddaughter is 7 and loves listening to music. We are trying to find a way for her to have her own device to play music, but without access to the internet. Is there a device that her parents can load with Taylor Swift and Disney princesses singing? Should we get her a boombox and CDs? How can a kid listen to music in her room without ...Read more

Q. We are unsophisticated television viewers searching for a solution to a persistent, annoying problem. We have a Sony Bravia television connected to a Sonos Beam soundbar. When watching sports, the noise from the crowd plus the sound from the field is so loud that we need to turn the volume up to hear the announcers. But when we can hear the ...Read more

Comiso Bluetooth speaker is excellent and under $30: I found out about this one a bit too late to be a holiday gift recommendation, but it will get 2025 off to a fine start!

I was drawn to the Comiso waterproof speaker by the attractive price and excellent reputation, racking up a 4.5 star rating with over 24,000 reviews on Amazon. It's a ...Read more

Sound Advice Product of the Year: This year's winner, the Nebula Cosmos 4K SE projector, represents a breakthrough I have long been waiting for: a 4K smart projector priced around $1,000 that is capable of picture quality rivaling a good movie theater. The $2,000 Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K could do that, but I figured the $1,000-ish price point is ...Read more

The time to buy is now: I have been asked multiple times if tariffs that may be coming in 2025 will make electronics more expensive. No matter what happens with tariffs, it is often in the first quarter of the year that manufacturers raise prices. Even items that are manufactured in the United States use parts from all over the world, so the ...Read more

Great gifts under $60: Listed in ascending price order, here are some wonderful gift ideas under $60. Most are heavily discounted, one of them by a whopping $100.

Intoval 140W 8-port USB charger, $29.99: I love these 140W chargers for their eight charging charging ports (four of them USB-C,) high performance and the long AC cord that makes them...Read more

Q. Who makes that $349 Bluetooth turntable you mentioned in the article about the Q Acoustics M40 wireless speakers? Where can I buy it?

—A.P., Milwaukee

A. One of last year's most popular holiday recommendations was a $499 Bluetooth turntable, and this year's recommendation might become even more popular. The $349 TEAC TN-280BT-A3 Bluetooth...Read more

Home entertainment holiday specials: These offers are readily available, not a "limited quantity doorbuster." I do not know how long the various promotions run, but the industry buzz is we will see repeats between now and Christmas so if you miss the deal first time around, keep checking. There is a good chance you will see it offered again.

...Read more