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“Planet of the Apes Film Alleged to Have Borrowed Technology from Cult Sci-Fi Classic”

find an alternative application for an aging computer monitor, Hollywood creators excel at discovering methods to repurpose various items to capture the finest shots for their films. Nevertheless, the outcomes are not always amazing, and some enthusiasts notice when films recycle particular objects. For the 2001 movie “The Planet of the Apes” — a remake generally regarded as one of the less favorable in the series – the film appropriated elements from the cult-classic “Starship Troopers,” and people paid attention.

Although a film that receives high praise and is accurate enough that even NASA acknowledges it can be quite commendable, there’s something about a lighthearted movie taking cues from another film that can provide a unique form of entertainment, even if it might be a bit off-putting. Explore the specifics below, and remember this for your next movie-themed trivia night — we won’t even request you to share your winnings with us if you succeed.

2001’s Planet of the Apes took helmets from a cult sci-fi classic

An actor dressed as an ape from the 2001 film 'Planet of the Apes,' the ape/human-hybrid is wearing a black helmet and what seems to be a uniform

20th

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Belkin’s Modular Qi2 Charging Dock Compatible with Pixel and Galaxy Watch Pucks

Belkin has unveiled a multifunctional solution for smartwatch owners fed up with charging stations meant solely for the Apple Watch. Their latest UltraCharge Modular Charging Dock, revealed at CES 2026, accommodates a variety of smartwatches, including models from Apple, Google, and Samsung, thanks to its modular smartwatch charger tray. This feature empowers users to utilize their own charging pucks, offering flexibility and compatibility across different devices.

The UltraCharge Dock is priced at $64.99 and is equipped with a primary Qi2.2 25W charging pad, ideal for phones such as the Google Pixel 10 series, along with a secondary pad for earbuds. The dock’s modular design serves Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy Watch, and Google Pixel Watch users, though only first- and second-generation Pixel Watches are compatible due to Google’s transition to pin-based charging systems with the Pixel Watch 3.

The dock comes with a pop-out tray for smartwatch chargers, consisting of inserts and spacers to accommodate various models. The design conceals cables within the stand’s body, linking to a USB-C input and output. The main charging pad adheres to Qi2.2 technology, enabling 25W charging speeds, and the dock is adjustable for optimal viewing angles or flat storage.

Belkin’s UltraCharge Modular Charging Dock is anticipated to launch this quarter in select markets, delivering a comprehensive charging solution for Samsung and Google ecosystems, encompassing phones, earbuds, and smartwatches.

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Easy Measures to Guarantee a Joyful New Year for You and Your Apple Devices

# Upholding New Year’s Resolutions with Apple Devices

As highlighted by Apple, numerous New Year’s resolutions tend to wane swiftly, with many abandoning them by the second Friday in January, known as Quitter’s Day. However, utilizing Apple devices can assist in sustaining new habits with a few simple strategies.

## Sleep Monitoring

Adequate sleep is essential for well-being. The Apple Watch serves as an effective instrument for monitoring sleep patterns. Users can don the watch at night, recharge it during their morning routines, and continue wearing it throughout the day, ensuring it’s ready for action. For individuals who favor extended battery life, options like smart rings or fitness trackers may be preferable.

## Mental Health Management

Enhancing mental well-being can involve eliminating distracting applications and reducing notifications. This can result in a more focused and fulfilling daily experience. Users are advised to evaluate their app usage and modify notifications as needed.

## Embracing a Paperless Lifestyle

Shifting to a paperless lifestyle has become more attainable. Adopting this change can simplify organization and diminish clutter, making it a highly recommended step for those aiming to streamline their lives.

## Structuring Folders on Your Mac

Establishing a coherent folder structure on your Mac can greatly boost productivity. Recommended folders include Finance, Legal, Household, Health, and Temporary. This organization can assist users in quickly finding files and maintaining an orderly digital workspace.

## Organizing Applications

In a manner similar to folder structuring, categorizing applications can enhance efficiency. For instance, the Notes app allows for nested folders, enabling users to create a well-organized system for their notes. The Mail app also provides options for folder creation and email rules for automatic sorting, improving email management.

## Assessing Backup Strategies

Data loss can affect anyone, making a solid backup plan vital. A combination of local backups and cloud storage, such as Time Machine and Dropbox, can safeguard against data loss. It is advisable to maintain multiple copies of important data, ideally with one stored off-site.

## Managing Subscriptions

Given the increasing costs associated with subscriptions, reviewing them can lead to substantial savings. Users should assess their subscriptions to identify which services they genuinely utilize and appreciate, potentially eliminating unwarranted expenses.

## Privacy Assessment

Protecting privacy is essential in today’s digital landscape. Users should routinely review app permissions on their devices, especially regarding location services. Modifying privacy settings on social media platforms is also recommended to regulate who can see personal posts.

By incorporating these strategies with Apple devices, users can boost their odds of adhering to their New Year’s resolutions and enhancing their overall well-being.

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How to Obtain Apple Fitness+ at No Cost

### Apple Fitness+: A Detailed Guide to Getting Started

January frequently ushers in new ambitions, particularly regarding health and fitness for many individuals. Apple Fitness+ has recently introduced new programs aimed at fostering exercise routines, and there are various methods to access Fitness+ completely free of charge.

#### Fitness+ Provides Video Workouts on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV for All Skill Levels

Apple Fitness+ stands as a subscription service that offers guided video workouts on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. While there are unique features available for Apple Watch and AirPods Pro 3 users, ownership of these products is not necessary to utilize Fitness+.

Fitness+ workouts can be executed at home or in the gym and are customized for individuals of all skill levels. You’ll discover workouts ranging from a brief 5 minutes to an extensive 45 minutes, including everything in between.

A variety of workout types are available, including:
– Strength
– Core
– Meditation
– HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training)
– Yoga
– Pilates
– Treadmill
– Cycling
– Rowing, and more

Numerous users consider Fitness+ to be a hidden treasure within Apple’s service offerings, thanks to the exceptional roster of trainers, top-notch production quality, and meticulous execution in every video.

#### How to Obtain Apple Fitness+ for Free

Apple Fitness+ is priced at $9.99/month, but several options allow you to access it for free:

1. **Anytime Fitness Members**: Members receive Fitness+ access at no additional cost.
2. **Wellhub Users**: Users subscribed to a Basic plan or higher enjoy free Fitness+ access.
3. **New Fitness+ Subscribers**: New subscribers can take advantage of three months free when they purchase a new Apple Watch, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, AirPods Pro 3, or Powerbeats Pro 2.
4. **Family Sharing**: If anyone in your Family Sharing group subscribes to Fitness+, you will receive free access (up to 6 users per subscription).

If none of the above options are suitable, consider the Apple One bundle. Apple One offers several different tiers, with the Premier plan including Apple TV, Apple Music, iCloud+ with 2TB of storage, Apple News+, Apple Arcade, and Apple Fitness+. If you are already paying for multiple services separately, subscribing to Apple One could grant you access to extra services like Fitness+ at no additional charge.

Will you give Apple Fitness+ a try this year? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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Reasons Why Certain Individuals Have an Aversion to Roku

Roku TV or streaming stick may be monitoring you via data collection and activity tracking practices. You can restrict the device’s capacity to gather data by modifying your Roku privacy preferences, but it could also be argued that this shouldn’t occur in the first place.

The state of Florida has recently filed a lawsuit against Roku, claiming the company breaches children’s privacy regulations by selling voice recordings, viewing behaviors, and geolocation information — the latter being a significant invasion of user privacy. Personally, I don’t have an issue with Roku devices in my residence, though I have opted out of data tracking and privacy-sensitive features. Additionally, I don’t utilize most of the streaming applications, as I have my own Plex server set up. This allows me to disregard most advertisements, depending on where they appear.

Is Roku truly worse than other streaming devices?

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Motorola Signature Leak Unveils Premium Flagship Guaranteeing Seven Years of Updates

**Seven Years of Upgrades and Reliable Specs Establish the Motorola Signature as a Flagship Contender**

In the cutthroat arena of flagship smartphones, Motorola is set to make a striking impression with its forthcoming launch, the Motorola Signature. Renowned for its mid-tier products, Motorola is elevating its standards with a device designed to rival giants like Samsung and Google. The Motorola Signature aims to transform the company’s reputation with its remarkable specifications and extended software support.

**Key Information:**
– A recent leak indicates that the Motorola Signature will showcase a sleek 6.99mm build, a substantial 6.8-inch AMOLED display boasting 6,200 nits of brightness, and a durable silicon-carbon 5,200mAh battery.
– The smartphone is anticipated to provide seven years of OS updates, mirroring the flagship-level software assurances offered by Google and Samsung.
– Although it might lack the Elite variant of the Snapdragon chip, it makes up for it with up to 16GB of RAM.

**Design and Display:**
The Motorola Signature is crafted to captivate with its slender silhouette and expansive screen. The 6.8-inch Extreme AMOLED display guarantees vivid imagery, setting it apart as a highlight. Despite its lightweight construction, the device accommodates a formidable 5,200mAh battery, promoting durability and performance.

**Performance and Software:**
Beneath the surface, the Signature is speculated to be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor. While it may not be the Elite model, the chip is believed to manage daily tasks, AI functions, and gaming effortlessly. The availability of up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage guarantees seamless operation.

A major selling point is the assurance of seven years of OS and security updates. This extended support signifies a breakthrough for Motorola, aligning it with the Pixel and Galaxy S series.

**Camera Features:**
The camera configuration on the Motorola Signature is crafted to impress. It allegedly boasts three 50MP rear cameras, incorporating a Sony LYTIA 828 sensor with an f/1.6 aperture, an ultrawide lens that serves as a macro lens, and a Sony LYTIA 600 telephoto lens featuring 3x optical zoom. The front-facing camera is predicted to utilize a 50MP sensor, appealing to selfie aficionados.

**Concluding Remarks:**
While there were early speculations regarding an integrated stylus, the latest leaks do not verify this aspect. The only question that remains is the pricing. If Motorola can strategically position the Signature against the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, it could emerge as an unexpected success in 2026. With its blend of design, performance, and long-term support, the Motorola Signature is ready to make a notable impression in the flagship smartphone landscape.

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Six Reasons to Exercise Caution When Relying on Five-Star Reviews for Applications and Devices

**The Erosion of Confidence in Consumer Reviews: Grasping the Evolving Landscape**

Consumer reviews have traditionally been a foundation for assessing the quality of applications and tangible products. Historically, the volume of reviews and the average rating offered a trustworthy measure for prospective buyers. Nevertheless, the realm of consumer reviews has changed significantly, resulting in a decrease in their credibility. Below are six primary factors explaining why consumer reviews may not be a dependable source of information anymore.

### Review Farms

Certain developers and e-commerce firms engage in outright deception by using review farms. These entities employ automated systems to download applications or buy products and then produce five-star reviews. Although some of these reviews are readily identifiable due to their generic language—often including phrases such as “great product” or “top app”—more advanced operations utilize artificial intelligence to craft lengthier, seemingly tailored reviews, complicating consumers’ ability to distinguish authenticity.

### Paid Reviews

The trend of compensating individuals to write favorable reviews is on the rise, especially among free applications. In various instances, consumers are encouraged to purchase a product with the assurance of a refund after they submit a five-star review. This method raises ethical dilemmas and distorts the overall rating system, as reviews may not accurately represent authentic user experiences.

### Other Incentives

Beyond direct payments, businesses might provide real purchasers with incentives for writing reviews, such as free subscription durations or discounts on upcoming purchases. This approach can result in biased feedback, as consumers receiving incentives are prone to submitting positive reviews. Furthermore, discounts tend to attract mainly satisfied customers, filtering out any negative commentary.

### Diverting Complaints

Certain apps adopt tactics to ensure that only pleased customers leave reviews. For example, a pop-up might suggest unsatisfied users reach out to customer service instead of posting a review. This strategy effectively curtails negative feedback and fosters a distorted view of customer satisfaction.

### Paid Promotions

Significant corporations, including Apple and Amazon, permit businesses to pay for prominent placement of their applications or products within search outcomes or app categories. This approach not only enhances visibility but also results in an increased number of downloads and reviews, skewing the perceived quality of the product based on review volume alone.

### Review Gating

A less familiar strategy, termed “review gating,” involves companies distributing Net Promoter Score (NPS) surveys to assess customer sentiment. Customers who score the service highly (9 or 10) are prompted to leave public reviews, while those providing lower ratings receive a simple thank-you note without an invitation to review. This tactic guarantees that only the most satisfied customers contribute to public reviews, further skewing the overall perception of the product or service.

### Conclusion

Although consumer reviews can still yield valuable assessments, it is crucial to approach them with skepticism. Critically analyzing reviews and seeking expert evaluations from reliable sources can assist consumers in making more informed choices in a review landscape that is increasingly manipulated.

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DIY Solution: Remove Patchy Wi-Fi with Your Old Smartphone

enhance your Wi-Fi speed by implementing a mesh Wi-Fi system in your residence. This expands the coverage, including upstairs rooms, and allows you to connect additional devices without fearing performance reductions (commonly likened to a Wi-Fi range extender). But what if your goal is merely to boost your Wi-Fi signal to the adjacent room? In those situations, mesh systems might be excessive, leading to higher costs than necessary. A more fitting option would be a Wi-Fi repeater. This not only tends to be more economical, but you could also create one yourself using an old smartphone. We’ll guide you on how to accomplish this.

Option 1: Utilize your phone’s built-in Wi-Fi sharing capability

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Jenna Ortega’s Character in a Disputed Marvel Movie

Though Jenna Ortega is now widely celebrated for her role in “Wednesday,” one of Netflix’s standout series, and her significant performances in horror movies, her entry into blockbuster films occurred much earlier. This initial venture took place on one of pop culture’s largest platforms: Marvel, through a brief appearance in the MCU that numerous viewers may not remember.

This minor Marvel role was in “Iron Man 3,” when she was just 10 years old. Even though her role was small, Ortega’s character played a crucial part in the villain’s scheme, as the film leverages her character’s health issue to enable the antagonist to manipulate the U.S. government to his advantage. While it may be easy to overlook, the character remains connected to the film’s primary conflict.

Simultaneously, Ortega’s entry into the Marvel universe coincided with one of the most polarizing projects of Phase 2 in the MCU. Despite “Iron Man 3” achieving box office success upon its release, it did not become one of the franchise’s most cherished installments, mainly due to certain script decisions.

Jenna Ortega reflects on her almost wordless Marvel debut in ‘Iron Man 3’

For those who do not recall Jenna Ortega’s part in “Iron Man 3,” her scene lasts only a few seconds, occurring approximately an hour and a half into the film. Ortega’s character is depicted interacting with her father during a Christmas family event. Although the moment is subtle, it indicates that she uses a wheelchair, a detail that becomes significant to the film’s storyline later on.

In a discussion with Entertainment Weekly, the actress spoke about her short role in this Marvel movie, which also ranked among her earliest works. “I occupy the frame. I have one leg, and I’m the vice president’s daughter.” She also noted revisions made in post-production, as the character was initially supposed to have some dialogue, but as Ortega mentioned, “they cut all my lines out.” Additionally, Ortega’s name does not appear in the credits.

Ortega also took the opportunity in that interview to respond to speculation about a possible return to the MCU, amidst the various rumors concerning the franchise’s future, while indicating that her brief appearance in “Iron Man 3” leaves little room for a future role. In her perspective, that cameo was her passage through Marvel films, and she views it as a completed chapter.

Why Iron Man 3 remains one of the MCU’s most controversial films

The film that marked Ortega’s Marvel entry is also considered one of the franchise’s most contentious installments. Despite its success at the box office, “Iron Man 3” made several creative choices that left many comic book fans dissatisfied. A significant portion of the backlash focused on the Mandarin, the film’s antagonist, whose representation diverges greatly from the original material. This twist compelled Marvel to later clarify the matter in Shang-Chi, addressing who the true leader of the Ten Rings was.

Another reason the film polarized fans was its departure from the focus of the first two “Iron Man” films, showcasing a deeper exploration of Tony Stark’s trauma following “The Avengers.” While some viewers appreciated this direction, many were anticipating a more conventional superhero narrative, which contributed to the film’s mixed reputation.

Nevertheless, “Iron Man 3” surpassed the $1 billion mark at the box office, demonstrating that a more psychological approach to a superhero narrative could still resonate with mainstream audiences. The film also concluded Robert Downey Jr.’s solo trilogy and, in hindsight, provided Ortega with an early blockbuster debut.

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