Apple TV 4.4 update brings AirPlay mirroring, NHL and Photo Stream

By Mike Flacy October 12, 2011

airplay_bigscreen — Image used with permission by copyright holder

On the heels of the iOS 5 update for Apple’s lineup of mobile devices, Apple also quietly rolled out an update for the Apple TV. Version 4.4 of the Apple TV operating system offers AirPlay mirroring, the ability to wirelessly mirror content displayed on the iPad 2 or iPhone 4S and view the images or other type of media on a high definition television. Users will also be able to view other applications on the big screen including games like Angry Birds, social media apps like Facebook and general Web browsing through Safari. The update also includes compatibility with the iCloud and owners of the Apple TV can browse through photos on the television via the new Photo Stream application.

The 4.4 update also improves on the Netflix application and offers subtitles for hearing-impaired viewers when available in the content. Apple TV owners now have access to live National Hockey League games as well as highlights and scores of recent games. This adds to Apple’s stable of growing sports applications as the company added access to professional baseball and basketball in version 4.2 of the software. Another inclusion within version 4.4 is free access to the Wall Street Journal. Users can check out financial analysis, recent news and business commentary. Finally, Apple has included three new slideshows for the Apple TV (Photo Wall, Flip-up, and Shifting Tiles) and improved navigation to the Trailers section.

Beyond content, Apple has included a barrage of security updates for the media streaming device. One improvement halts the ability to intercept user credentials or other sensitive information over the network and another fix makes sure a maliciously crafted TIFF image doesn’t crash the Apple TV. Other changes includes more security against remote attackers and halting the ability to decrypt part of a SSL connection. This update brings more new content than the previous update which simply added access to Vimeo.

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Best Paramount Plus deals: Get your first month free

Paramount Plus isn’t as big as some of the best live TV streaming services, but it has a lot of content people constantly want to binge or check in on. It’s home to the Yellowstone universe of shows, and every month what’s new on Paramount Plus includes a large variety of movies. Paramount Plus is a great standalone streaming service to turn to if you’re looking for something to watch. It comes in at a more affordable monthly price than most streaming services, costing just $6 per month or $12 per month when bundled with Showtime. But there are still ways to save on a Paramount Plus subscription, with several Paramount Plus deals to consider. Below you’ll find everything you need to know.
How to sign up to Paramount Plus for free for a week
The best way to go about watching Paramount Plus for free is by utilizing the Paramount Plus free trial. This is a pretty easy free week of access to claim, as all you have to do is sign up for a Paramount Plus account. The free trial is good for seven days, and it will give you full access to either the Paramount Plus Essential plan, which is regularly $6 per month, or the Paramount Plus with Showtime plan, which regularly costs $12 per month. Utilizing the Paramount Plus free trial is a great way to watch a particular sports event without having to commit to a monthly subscription, or to simply explore the Paramount Plus library to ensure there’s enough you’d like to watch before subscribing.

How to get a discount on a Paramount Plus subscription
If you're a student you can enjoy 25% off a Paramount Plus Essential monthly subscription. To do so, you simply need to verify your student credentials. You'll need to be a college or university student currently enrolled at an accredited, Title IV higher education institution to qualify.
How to save on your Paramount Plus annual subscription
An annual Paramount Plus subscription is a valid option if you're in it for the long term, as extended subscription will grant you some savings. Anyone who signs up for the Paramount Plus Essential plan for a year pays just $50 while the Premium plan costs $100. It works out as cheaper than subscribing on a monthly basis.

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HD to 4K: these home theater projectors are up to $2,000 off

The Optoma UHD55 projector.

While TVs are great, if you want to have a large screen TV that goes over 80 inches, you're liable to spend thousands of dollars, and if you want to go over 100 inches, you may not even find any options at all, especially at the consumer level. Luckily, there are a lot of great projectors that can not only hit those targets but exceed them and do it at a much cheaper cost than a regular TV. Even better, there is quite a big sale right now at Crutchfield on home theater projectors, with everything from budget-friendly options to top-of-the-range stuff.

What you should buy in Crutchfield's projector sale
Not all projectors have to be incredibly expensive, and you can grab a great project for a good price with the Optoma HZ40HDR, which is , saving you a solid $450 in the process. It's an FHD projector, although it can handle 4k and HDR sources, and the bulb has a 30,000-hour life span, which is pretty great for a budget-oriented projector. On the other hand, if you want 4k, Optomo has a good budget option for that too, the Optoma UHD35STx, which is a 4k short-throw projector with HDR10 and HLG HDR going , which isn't a massive discount on the usual $1,549, but it's still pretty good.

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Best AirPods Max deals: New and refurbished for $440

A woman wearing the Apple AirPods Max.

Shopping the best headphone deals will turn up a number of options from a wide variety of headphone brands, but if you’re interested in what Apple has to offer in terms of premium audio, the Apple AirPods Max are where you’ll want to turn. The AirPods Max are Apple’s top-of-the-line headphones, and while they churn out some impressive audio experiences, they also churn out a hefty price point. With the rumors of AirPods Max 2 going on you’ll be able to find some decent AirPods Max deals out there. We’ve done that hefty lifting for you, however, and have laid out the best AirPods Max deals below. You’ll find deals on both new and refurbished AirPods Max, but click quickly if one of these deals works for you, as Apple deals can be unpredictable and we don’t know how long these will last.
AirPods Max -- $519, were $549

The AirPods Max are Apple's first attempt at a set of over-the-ear headphones. They got a lot of things right. We love these headphones, even when compared against some audiophile options that prioritize sound quality. The AirPods Max have awesome noise cancelling. Everything Apple learned with the earbud-style AirPods works even better with the cup style of the AirPods Max. Along with great ANC comes a great transparency mode. With a twist of the Max's massive knob, you'll go from complete silence to feeling like you're not wearing headphones at all. The audio on phone calls is great as well, and they pair better with the iPhone than any non-Apple headphones could ever hope to.