Step At Home

A developer has published a walkthrough of turning a standard Android TV into an ad-free device, detailing how to strip out built-in advertising and promotional content from the home screen. Readers are discussing the technical steps involved and the growing frustration with ads appearing on paid hardware, sharing their own setups and trade-offs.

Frederick, Maryland, is set to become the permanent home of a professional cricket team, according to reports in local outlets including the Capital Gazette and Baltimore Sun. The announcement marks a notable step for the sport's growth in the United States, bringing professional cricket to a city not previously associated with the game. Details on the team's league affiliation and start date have not been made clear in the reports.

A hobbyist reports that a small 1-inch geophone placed on a basement slab clearly recorded a freight train passing roughly a quarter mile away overnight. The logged data shows a dramatic jump in seismic signal matching the eyewitness sighting at 3:34 AM, and the next step is spectral analysis of the recording.

Linda Yaccarino, who stepped down as chief executive of X in 2025, has been appointed to the board of an AI-powered home lending company. The move marks her latest role since leaving the social media firm and reflects continued corporate demand for executives with experience running major advertising and technology businesses, as lenders increasingly position artificial intelligence at the center of their mortgage operations.

Japan has launched a spacecraft aimed at the two small, little-understood moons of Mars, Phobos and Deimos, in a mission designed to collect and return soil samples to Earth. The Martian Moons eXploration mission is seen as a significant step for sample-return science, as material from Phobos may include fragments of Mars itself. Observers are highlighting the ambition of bringing extraterrestrial soil home.

Baseus has announced a new addition to its AI-assisted security camera lineup, featuring a spotlight that automatically tracks and follows moving targets. Rather than only recording and alerting homeowners, the camera actively shines light on intruders to discourage unwanted visitors. The launch is drawing attention among smart home and security enthusiasts interested in more proactive surveillance technology.