Author: openjargon

  • Trump’s worst rebukes from NY judges were all for attacks on women who made him look bad in court

    These side-by-side photos show, from left, Allison Greenfield, Stormy Daniels, and E. Jean Carroll.
    Trump has been rebuked by three Manhattan judges for his attacks on, from left, law clerk Allison Greenfield, Stormy Daniels, and E. Jean Carroll.

    • Since October, Donald Trump has attended — as a defendant — three Manhattan trials.
    • During these trials, judges have repeatedly threatened him with jail or removal from the courtroom.
    • His 4 worst judicial rebukes were all prompted by his attacks on women connected to his cases.

    Since last fall, Donald Trump has sat at the defense tables of three Manhattan courtrooms. But Trump has shown less-than-ideal table manners.

    During all three trials, Trump's judges have been so angered by his outbursts that they threatened to fine him, to remove him from the courtroom, and even to throw him in jail.

    Trump earned the worst of these judicial rebukes in the same way, by attacking people connected to his trials in statements he made inside or, in one case, just outside, the courtroom.

    Trump's top targets — the people who triggered his four most severe reprimands from the bench — differ widely from each other. They include a law clerk, an advice columnist, a high-school teacher, and a porn star. But they share much in common.

    Each made Trump look bad in front of an international trial press corps. Each so riled Trump that he lashed out at them despite the known risk of consequences.

    And each of the four is a woman.

    "Women are his go-to target, whether it's for sexual assault or if he thinks they're trying to intimidate him," said Debbie Walsh, director of the Center for American Women and Politics.

    A lawyer for Trump did not immediately return a request for comment on this story.

    "This is his modus operandi," Walsh added.

    Trump's top four rebukes

    Law clerk Allison Greenfield wearing a black suit in front of an American flag; Donald Trump wearing a blue suit and tie
    In Donald Trump's New York civil fraud trial, he has cast the judge's top clerk, Allison Greenfield, as one of his many political enemies.i

    Allison Greenfield was the principal law clerk at Trump's civil fraud trial.

    Trump attacked her so persistently last October, including in the hallway outside court, that the judge called Trump up to the witness stand, grilled him about it on the record, then fined him $10,000.

    It was a "blatant, dangerous, disobeyal of a judicial order," state Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron said of Trump targeting his law clerk during a hallway press gaggle.

    Trump risked jail had he continued to attack the clerk, who'd been vocal in reining in defense lawyers during pre-trial hearings.

    Greenfield declined to comment on this story.

    E. Jean Carroll

    Donald Trump E jean Carroll side by side
    Donald Trump and E. Jean Carroll.

    We turn next to E. Jean Carroll, the advice columnist who won more than $90 million in judgments from Trump when he was found liable for sexually abusing and defaming her.

    At a federal civil trial in January, Judge Lewis Kaplan threatened to kick Trump out of the courtroom after he repeatedly — and audibly — heckled Carroll as she accused him of defamation during her testimony.

    "You just can't control yourself in this circumstance, apparently," the federal judge chided Trump.

    Carroll declined to comment on this story through her attorney, Roberta Kaplan, who is not related to the judge.

    Cowbells herald a third Trump outburst

    Donald Trump in court
    Donald Trump at his criminal hush-money trial with lawyers Todd Blanche, left, and Emil Bove.

    Fast forward to Trump's hush-money trial, where prosecutors predict they'll wrap their fourth and final week of witness testimony next week, with star witness Michael Cohen set to testify Monday.

    Trump is accused of falsifying 34 invoices, checks, and ledger entries in 2017. The cooked books hid a $130,000 hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniel and illegally influenced the 2016 election, prosecutors allege.

    As a criminal defendant, Trump has no choice but to attend this trial. He made his displeasure apparent out of the gate, during jury selection in mid-April.

    One prospective juror, a middle-aged high-school teacher, was questioned about videos she had posted online showing people dancing in the streets of her Manhattan neighborhood after Joe Biden's election in 2020.

    "It seemed like a celebratory moment in New York City," the school teacher told the judge of uploading the footage to her Facebook account.

    Trump lost his cool as he was forced to watch the clips, which included at least one person clanging a cowbell, merrily sounding the death knell for his hopes of reelection.

    "He was gesturing and muttering something. He was audible. He was speaking in the direction of the juror. I will not tolerate that," state Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan complained of Trump to defense lawyer Todd Blanche, his voice raised.

    "I will not have any jurors intimidated in this courtroom. I want to make that crystal clear," the judge added.

    The woman, whose name was not revealed, was not selected for the jury.

    Then there was Stormy Daniels

    A courtroom sketch of Stormy Daniels on the witness stand in Donald Trump's hush-money trial.
    A courtroom sketch of Stormy Daniels on the witness stand in Donald Trump's hush-money trial.

    Trump's most recent severe judicial rebuke came this week, when he began heckling Daniels as she testified against him on Tuesday.

    Daniels had just finished telling jurors about playfully swatting Trump "in the butt" with a rolled-up magazine — and about his fascination with the porn business.

    "Do you all hate each other?" she testified Trump asked her, describing a two-hour chat in his hotel suite during a 2006 celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe.

    "Do you sleep with each other off camera?" she said Trump asked.

    Daniels had yet to even bring up her raciest allegations when Merchan called the defense lawyers up to the bench, and, in the presence of prosecutors, let Trump have it.

    "I understand that your client is upset at this point, but he is cursing audibly, and he is shaking his head visually, and that's contemptuous," the judge told Trump's lawyers during a break in Daniels' testimony.

    "It has the potential to intimidate the witness, and the jury can see that," the judge warned.

    "You need to speak to him," he told the defense team. "I won't tolerate that."

    "One time I noticed when Ms. Daniels was testifying about rolling up the magazine, and presumably smacking your client, and after that point he shook his head and he looked down," the judge said.

    "And later, I think he was looking at you, Mr. Blanche, later when we were talking about The Apprentice, at that point he again uttered a vulgarity."

    A court sketch shows defense lawyer Susan Necheles questioning Stormy Daniels as Donald Trump and Judge Juan Merchan look on.
    Defense lawyer Susan Necheles questions Stormy Daniels as Donald Trump and Judge Juan Merchan look on.

    Why women?

    What is it about the thought of a woman publicly opposing him that makes Trump so unable — or unwilling — to restrain himself that he risks getting thrown out of court or thrown into jail?

    Does he helplessly lose his temper? Does he lash out intentionally, perhaps thinking it can't hurt his poll numbers, even among women?

    Walsh, from the Center for American Women and Politics, thinks the latter's more likely.

    "He prides himself on being a strong, macho guy," she said.

    "Listen, we know he defended himself for the Access Hollywood tape by saying it was locker-room talk, and boys will be boys," she said.

    ''But he really walks around thinking that he can grab women because he is who he is," she said.

    Michael Cohen
    Michael Cohen, center, is surrounded by reporters as he arrives for grand jury testimony on March 15, 2023, in New York.

    An honorable mention for Michael Cohen

    Cohen — Trump's one-time company and personal lawyer, and now in the hush-money trial, the top witness against him — has clearly been Trump's most frequent target of online and spoken attacks.

    Trump has also been sanctioned for attacking the impartiality of the hush-money trial jury, on which men hold a 7-5 majority.

    Trump is barred under an April 1 gag order from making statements attacking jurors, witnesses, and certain trial and prosecution staffers or their families.

    But despite fining Trump a total of $10,000 for violating this gag, Merchan has noted that Cohen, who gives as good as he gets, is the one witness least in need of the order's protection.

    "As recently as, I believe, Wednesday night, he was on TikTok," Blanche, the defense lawyer, complained to Merchan before court broke for the week on Friday.

    "He was wearing a white T-shirt with a picture of President Trump behind bars, wearing an orange jumpsuit, and discussing about how he's now announcing he's running for Congress," the defense lawyer complained.

    "He has stated on social media that he's going to stop talking a couple of different times, and he doesn't," Blanche complained.

    Agreeing that Cohen needed to be reined in, Merchan ordered prosecutors to instruct him yet again to stop making public statements about Trump and the case.

    "Does he go after men, yes," Walsh said of Trump.

    "But women hold a special place for him. He clearly feels entitled to exert this kind of power of intimidating and bullying over women," she said.

    "He is in some ways like a petulant teenager. He doesn't even understand or respect — 'hey, I'm in court.'"

    Trump may well be playing to his base, "those MAGA men and even some of the MAGA women," Walsh said.

    "He is sort of the defender in their minds of white men who are in charge and don't take guff from anybody," she added.

    "It's hard to explain the women who are supportive of this kind of behavior, but there are women who will never leave him."

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • 4 excellent ASX 200 dividend shares to buy for your income portfolio

    Happy couple enjoying ice cream in retirement.

    Fortunately for Australian income investors, there are a lot of dividend-payers to choose from on the Australian share market.

    To narrow things down, I have picked out four ASX dividend shares that brokers are bullish on right now. Here’s what sort of yields they are forecasting from them:

    Aurizon Holdings Ltd (ASX: AZJ)

    The first ASX dividend share that could be a buy is Australia’s largest rail freight operator, Aurizon.

    The team at Ord Minnett is bullish on the company and has an accumulate rating and $4.70 price target on its shares.

    As for dividends, its analysts are forecasting partially franked dividends of 17.8 cents per share in FY 2024 and then 24.3 cents per share in FY 2025. Based on the latest Aurizon share price of $3.81, this will mean dividend yields of 4.7% and 6.4%, respectively.

    BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)

    Mining giant BHP could be another ASX dividend share to buy according to analysts at Goldman Sachs.

    The broker thinks its shares are good value at current levels and is expecting some attractive yields in the near term.

    It is forecasting fully franked dividends of US$1.42 (A$2.14) per share in FY 2024 and then US$1.26 (A$1.90) per share in FY 2025. Based on the current BHP share price of $42.91, this equates to dividend yields of 5% and 4.4%, respectively.

    Goldman currently has a buy rating and $49.00 price target on the miner’s shares.

    HomeCo Daily Needs REIT (ASX: HDN)

    Another ASX dividend share that could be a buy is HomeCo Daily Needs. It is a neighbourhood retail and large format retail focused property company.

    Morgans likes the company. This is due to its resilient cashflows and its belief that HomeCo Daily Needs will be a beneficiary of accelerating click and collect trends.

    In respect to income, Morgans expects dividends per share of 8 cents in FY 2024 and then 9 cents in FY 2025. Based on the current HomeCo Daily Needs share price of $1.25, this will mean yields of 6.4% and 7.2%, respectively.

    The broker has an add rating and $1.37 price target on the

    IPH Ltd (ASX: IPH)

    A final ASX dividend share that could be a buy is IPH. It is an intellectual property solutions company with operations across the world.

    Goldman Sachs thinks its shares are good value at current levels, particularly given the company’s defensive qualities and organic growth potential.

    The broker expects this to support the payment of fully franked dividends per share of 34 cents in FY 2024 and 37 cents in FY 2025. Based on the current IPH share price of $5.82, this represents yields of 5.8% and 6.35%, respectively.

    Goldman has a buy rating and $8.70 price target on its shares.

    The post 4 excellent ASX 200 dividend shares to buy for your income portfolio appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Goldman Sachs Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Aurizon, HomeCo Daily Needs REIT, and IPH. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • 3 ASX shares that look way too cheap to ignore right now

    Couple looking at their phone surprised, symbolising a bargain buy.

    Just because the market may be trading within sight of a record high doesn’t mean there aren’t any cheap ASX shares out there for value investors to buy.

    For example, the three listed below have been named as buys and described as cheap by analysts. Here’s what you need to know about them:

    Inghams Group Ltd (ASX: ING)

    This poultry company could be undervalued according to analysts at Morgans. Particularly given its market leadership and low price to earnings multiple. It recently said:

    ING remains undervalued trading on a low PE multiple, especially for what is a market leader, with a vertically integrated operating model and assets that are difficult and costly to replicate. It is also leveraged to poultry – the affordable, healthy, sustainable and growth protein. Additionally, ING offers an attractive fully franked dividend yield.

    Morgans has an add rating and $4.40 price target on its shares. The broker also expects 5.5%+ fully franked dividend yields from its shares in the coming years.

    Rural Funds Group (ASX: RFF)

    Another ASX share that could be cheap is Rural Funds. That’s the view of analysts at Bell Potter. They believe the market is undervaluing the rural property company’s shares given their significant discount to net asset value (NAV). The broker explains:

    RFF continues to trade at a material 26% discount to 1H24 reported NAV and 35% discount to 1H24 market NAV, with the disconnect between private and public asset values at historically high levels. In the near term disposing of assets at or around market value is a positive catalyst for NAV confirmation and debt reduction, while recovering commodity values benefits farm related earnings and counterparty profitability.

    Bell Potter has a buy rating and $2.40 price target on its shares. It also expects dividend yields of approximately 5.8% in FY 2024 and FY 2025.

    Woolworths Limited (ASX: WOW)

    Finally, Goldman Sachs thinks Woolworths is a cheap ASX share to buy following recent share price weakness. The broker highlights that the supermarket giant’s shares are trading on multiples materially lower than recent averages. This is despite having a positive outlook. It explains:

    We forecast WOW 2-yr sales CAGR FY24-26e of +3.2% and EBIT growth of +4.8%. The stock is trading at FY24E P/E of 20x vs 2-yr EPS CAGR of 6% and against an average of 26x since 2018.

    Goldman currently has a buy rating and $39.40 price target on its shares. It also expects 3.4%+ dividend yields in the coming years.

    The post 3 ASX shares that look way too cheap to ignore right now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Goldman Sachs Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Rural Funds Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Should you buy BHP stock on a pullback?

    Miner looking at his notes.

    The BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) stock price has suffered a 15% fall this year, as the chart below shows. Is it time to dig into the ASX mining share? I’ll give my view on the business.

    What’s going on with the BHP share price?

    I think three main dynamics are at play with the recent BHP share price movements – the takeover play for Anglo American, changing commodity prices and costly write-offs.

    Before the FY24 first-half result, BHP reported it was going to recognise impairment charges amounting to US$6.6 billion (pre-tax) relating to its nickel mining in Australia and the Samarco disaster in Brazil.

    According to Trading Economics, the key commodity iron ore has declined from US$140 per tonne at the start of the year to around US$117 per tonne.

    BHP launched an audacious bid for Anglo American, with an all-share offer for the UK-listed miner. While that business owns good copper assets, with a quality iron ore segment, it also comes with several other assets that BHP doesn’t want (eg, Anglo Platinum and Kumba), which complicates the deal.

    Anglo American has already rejected the initial offer, so BHP would need to up the bid to gain interest.

    Are there positives for the ASX mining share?

    The BHP stock price is close to its 2024 low and 52-week low, yet conditions seem to be improving for the business.

    The iron ore price has bounced upwards from around US$100 per tonne at the start of April 2024 to US$117 now – it’s going in the right direction. That is boosting BHP’s potential profitability, which is usually what investors focus on.

    Copper prices are near a two-year high of around US$4.7 per pound, which is good for BHP. According to Trading Economics:

    Official trade data from China showed that imports of copper ore jumped by 11.8% from the previous year to 2.35 million tonnes in April, indicating that the world’s top producer of refined copper continued to take in large volumes of inputs despite the sharp increase in prices.

    The figures were in line with the pickup in factory activity indicated by the country’s PMIs during the period.

    My 2 cents on the BHP stock price

    The BHP share price is still almost 20% higher than its 2022 low, so it’s not as cheap as it has been. But, with the increasing copper and iron ore prices, the company’s profitability is more compelling.

    The Samarco costs are large and necessary but are proposed to be payable over more than a decade.

    I think the company’s focus on decarbonisation commodities like potash and copper is a good move. Diversifying profit away from just selling iron ore to China is also good.

    Because of the above issues, the dividend payments may be smaller in the short term, so I’d be in no rush to buy it for dividends.

    I have a goal of trying to beat the market, so I don’t think it’s cheap enough yet to invest. However, if the BHP stock price did fall — say to below $40 — then that could be the right time to pounce.

    The post Should you buy BHP stock on a pullback? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Bhp Group right now?

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    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • DeepMind is Google’s AI research hub. Here’s what it does, where it’s located, and how it differs from OpenAI.

    A smartphone displays the DeepMind logo in front of a blurred Google logo in the background.
    Google DeepMind is Google's AI research division focused on building artificial general intelligence, also known as AGI.

    • DeepMind is Google's AI research hub focused on building artificial general intelligence.
    • DeepMind has been applied to real-world problems in healthcare, science, and engineering.
    • DeepMind has a number of competitors, including OpenAI, though Google's model is for profit.

    In the last few years, artificial intelligence has stepped out of the pages of science fiction and into everyday life. 

    Today, we're surrounded by AI systems like Gemini, ChatGPT, Dall-E, CoPilot, and countless others, but Google DeepMind is somewhat different. 

    Launched back in 2010, DeepMind is a company with the goal of developing an artificial general intelligence, often referred to as AGI. 

    What does Google's DeepMind do?

    While many AI systems in use today are very good at completing specific kinds of tasks for which they were trained, the goal of AGI is to build a human-like intelligence that can learn, reason, and problem-solve a wide range of topics and tasks across a plethora of domains.

    In other words, it's designed to mimic human intelligence. 

    This is different from systems like ChatGPT and Google Gemini, which are narrow AI systems that are very good at the specific task of understanding natural language well enough to deliver useful information through human-like interactions.

    Of course, DeepMind has not yet achieved AGI, but has made impressive achievements nonetheless. In practice, DeepMind has been applied to solving real-world problems in healthcare, science and engineering. It's perhaps most famous, though, for its mastery of enormously challenging games.

    In 2015, for example, DeepMind's AlphaGo became the first computer program to ever defeat a human opponent at Go (a game considered far more complex than chess). Less than two years later, AlphaGo went on to defeat the top-ranked Go player in the world.

    Who runs Google's DeepMind?

    Demis Hassabis wearing a suit, a red tie, and blue-framed glasses
    Demis Hassabis is the CEO of Google DeepMind.

    DeepMind was created in 2010 by a trio of computer engineers from the Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit at University College London, and early research focused on getting AI systems to learn to play games without any instruction — the software would learn games like Breakout, Pong and Space Invaders through trial and error, eventually mastering the rules and becoming an expert at the games. 

    Google acquired DeepMind in 2014 for a price somewhere between $400 million and $650 million. Today, the company remains a part of Google's Alphabet portfolio of businesses where Demis Hassabis, one of DeepMinds three original founders, continues to lead the development of AGI as CEO.

    In April 2023, Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced that Google would merge DeepMind with the Brain team from Google Research to create a single AI unit — named Google DeepMind — to "help us build more capable systems more safely and responsibly."

    Google DeepMind remains based in London primarily, but also has researchers in Montreal, Canada, and at the Googleplex corporate headquarters in Mountain View, California.

    What's the difference between DeepMind and OpenAI?

    Of course, DeepMind is hardly alone in its AI research and development; it has a number of competitors, including the headline-making OpenAI.

    These two companies take a very different approach to AI development, though. DeepMind is a for-profit part of Google's Alphabet, Inc., for example, while OpenAI was originally established as a non-profit, before transitioning to a "capped-profit" model.

    The two companies have developed AI models and applications in ways that have contributed to AI research in sometimes complementary ways. While DeepMind mastered Go with AlphaGo, for example, OpenAI developed Generative Pre-trained Transformer language models (for example, ChatGPT) that allow machines to better understand natural language, for more interactive and immersive experiences.

    Do you need a PhD to work at DeepMind?

    Given the deep complexity of what DeepMind is developing, one might assume that prospective employees might all require a PhD. In reality, though, that's not true. Google hires a large number of researchers and computer engineers with lesser degrees to help advance the state of the art in artificial intelligence.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Airbnbs are primed to take over Miami, which is already facing a housing crunch

    A couple walks down a palm-tree lined Miami boardwalk with towering white condos in the background.
    Miami, Florida.

    • A Florida real-estate firm forecasts that 31 pre-construction condo buildings in the Miami region are ripe for Airbnbs.
    • That amounts to over 10,335 units or more than 50% of projected construction, ISG Group found. 
    • Rising population and home prices are already squeezing Miami real estate.

    A wave of new condo developments tailor-made for Airbnb and similar rental sites is set to wash over the Miami region.

    So many, in fact, that they outnumber the amount of traditional rentals tagged for development over the same time.

    More than 50% of total condos in the pre-construction phase across Miami-Dade County and nearby Broward County, totaling 10,335 units, are geared toward short-term rentals, a first-quarter report from real-estate firm ISG World found.

    These units may not be exclusively advertised for short-term stays, CEO of ISG World Craig Studnicky told Business Insider but were grouped by little to no rental restrictions for future owners.

    That means these units could, and very likely may, be used for Airbnb and similar purposes, Studnicky explained.

    "We've had a development industry that is adding more short-term rentals to South Florida inventory," Studnicky told BI. "And that's not what we need."

    Florida has continued to experience a major population boom and was the fastest-growing state between 2021 and 2022, with 417,000 new residents. Housing prices, in tandem, skyrocketed. The median sales price for a home in Miami hit $600,000 in March 2024, nearly double the median price of $335,000 in March 2020, according to Redfin.

    It's rocked affordability in Miami, where there is currently a $1.5 billion gap to provide adequate, affordable housing for the entirety of Miami-Dade County, according to a study by the nonprofit Miami Homes for All. Altogether, the county is missing over 90,000 affordable units for renters making less than $75,000 a year, the study concluded.

    Developers in the Miami region should focus on creating more traditional rentals to alleviate pressure in the market, Studnicky believes.

    The ISG World report states more than 10,000 traditional rental units for Miami-Dade and Broward counties are scheduled in pre-construction, a process that will take many years to complete. In the past 10 years, Studnicky estimates a much more robust 20,000 traditional rental units were built in Miami.

    "That's the number that we need just to accommodate the population gains," he told Business Insider.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Key actions for Baby Boomers and Gen X to take now for an excellent retirement

    A mature-aged couple high-five each other as they celebrate a financial win and early retirement

    Baby Boomers and Gen X Australians both consider superannuation and property as the top investment options for lifetime wealth-building, according to a survey by financial advisory company Findex.

    The survey showed that 40% of Baby Boomers and 29% of Gen X rated superannuation as their no. 1 investment option.

    Property also scored highly, with 37% of Boomers and 28% of Gen Xers rating it their preferred investment asset class.

    Varying approaches to retirement savings

    While both age cohorts valued superannuation highly, Findex investment relations head Matthew Swieconek said they typically took different approaches to growing their retirement savings.

    Swieconek said Baby Boomers often had a more passive approach.

    Having benefited from a strong jobs market and the longest access to compulsory superannuation contributions, they “may prioritise capital preservation and income generation in their investment choices”, Swieconek said.

    Generation X might feel less confident about their retirement security whilst juggling higher living costs, stagnant long-term wages growth and large mortgage repayments due to higher interest rates.

    “They may be more risk-averse and seek a balance between growth and stability in their super investments,” he said.

    Let’s talk superannuation

    The Baby Boomers were born between 1946 and 1965, and Gen X was born between 1966 and 1980.

    Superannuation was introduced in Australia in 1992. Most superannuation funds are primarily invested in ASX shares and international equities.

    Younger Australians may choose to invest in more aggressive ‘growth’ super funds to maximise their earnings. With a longer runway to retirement, they can tolerate higher risk for higher rewards.

    In 2023, Chant West figures showed the standard growth superannuation fund (61% to 80% growth assets like ASX shares), returned a median 9.9%. ‘High growth’ funds (81% to 95% growth assets) returned 11.4%.

    Baby Boomers may switch from growth to ‘balanced’ or ‘conservative’ funds to preserve more of their capital. According to Chant West, the standard ‘balanced’ superannuation fund (41% to 60% growth assets) returned 8.1% in 2023, and conservative funds returned 6.2%.

    Key actions to ensure a secure retirement

    Findex recommends the following key investment actions for Baby Boomers and Gen X Australians to take now to ensure an excellent retirement down the track.

    Baby Boomers  

    Findex recommends the following five actions for Baby Boomers to retire well:

    1. Pre-retirement super boost: Maximize your superannuation balance before retirement by utilising catch-up contributions and considering strategies like downsizing contributions.  
    2. Legislative changes: Stay informed about changes in superannuation and retirement income policy to adjust your strategy accordingly.  
    3. Retirement income planning: Engage with a financial advisor to develop a sustainable retirement income strategy, considering the transition to retirement pensions or annuities.
    4. Prepare the next generation: Consider introducing your kids to a trusted financial advisor to help make financial advice more affordable and accessible for them.
    5. Legacy planning: Focus on estate planning and how your superannuation benefits will be managed and distributed.  

    Gen X 

    Findex recommends the following actions for Gen Xers to retire well:

    1. Maximising superannuation contributions: Enhancing both concessional and non-concessional super contributions can be a great way to build retirement savings toward the peak earning years.  
    2. Review your super investments: Seek advice to refine your superannuation strategy, focusing on investment selection within super, tax planning, and retirement income streams.  
    3. Healthcare and insurance: Review your insurance needs within superannuation to ensure adequate coverage, as health concerns may become more prominent.  
    4. Consider borrowing to invest: Known as gearing, borrowing money to invest can help boost your portfolio. However, due to its high-risk nature, talk to a financial advisor to ensure this is right for you.
    5. Estate planning: Start planning for your wealth transfer to ensure your super and other assets are distributed according to your wishes.  

    The post Key actions for Baby Boomers and Gen X to take now for an excellent retirement appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

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    Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • 1 compelling ASX dividend share I’d buy for its big yield

    Worker on a laptop at an oil and gas pipeline.

    ASX dividend shares can be really appealing to investors looking for cash flow via passive income. There are plenty of stocks with a high dividend yield, but I’m going to write about one particular name in this article: APA Group (ASX: APA).

    The business is not exactly a household name. It has a huge gas pipeline across the country which transports half of the country’s usage. APA owns gas storage, processing and gas-powered energy generation facilities. The business also owns electricity transmission, solar and wind assets.

    There are a few compelling reasons why the ASX dividend share could be a compelling high-yield investment.

    Appealing dividend yield and track record

    The APA share price has declined by 16% in the last year, as we can see on the chart below.

    APA already had a solid dividend yield before the drop and it has been boosted by having a cheaper valuation. For example, if a business has a 6% dividend yield and then the share price falls 10%, the yield becomes 6.6%.

    The energy infrastructure giant has guided its distribution is expected to be 56 cents per security in FY24, which translates into a dividend yield of 6.4%.

    APA has grown its distribution every year for the past 20 years, which is one of the best consecutive payout growth streaks on the ASX.

    The estimate on Commsec suggests the business could grow its distribution to 57.5 cents per security in FY25, which would be a distribution yield of 6.6%.

    Investing for growth

    The ASX dividend share is benefiting from the fact that it has stable and growing revenue. Over 90% of its revenue is linked to inflation, which has obviously been elevated in recent years.

    But it’s not just sitting there with its existing assets. The distributions to investors are paid from cash flow, which is steadily growing as more of its projects are finished and become operational. It has a distribution payout target of 60% to 70% of free cash flow.

    In the recent Macquarie Australia Conference, the business said it had a “strong pipeline” of growth opportunities between FY24 to FY26, totalling more than $1.8 billion.

    Increasing energy demands

    I’m not exactly sure how Australia’s energy situation is going to evolve in the coming decades, but Labor recently said that gas will be part of the picture in 2050 and potentially beyond.

    As a major pipeline owner, the ASX dividend share has an important role in the future of gas in the country. But it’s investing in other areas too, including a growing portfolio of renewable energy generation and electricity transmission assets. APA is also investigating the potential for pipelines to carry hydrogen, though that’s not a core part of the thesis for me.

    Australia’s energy demands are growing, with data centres expected to be a major contributor to that. This could be another help for overall energy demand.

    I’m not expecting explosive growth for APA, but the business could continue to play an important part in Australia’s energy mix, enabling ongoing shareholder payouts.

    The post 1 compelling ASX dividend share I’d buy for its big yield appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Apa Group right now?

    Before you buy Apa Group shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Apa Group wasn’t one of them.

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    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

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    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Apa Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • The best 75-inch TVs of 2024

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    A Sony A95L 4K OLED TV displaying streaks of color while resting on a mantle.
    The best 75-inch TVs include displays from brands like Sony, Samsung, Hisense, and TCL.

    For a long time, 60- and 65-inch displays were the pinnacle of the big-screen TV market. But in recent years, 75-inch TVs have hit the mainstream, with entry-level and high-end models from every major brand. The best 75-inch TVs can deliver an immersive viewing experience, and they're ideal for bigger living rooms where you may need to sit farther from your display.

    Our team has been reviewing home entertainment products for over a decade, and we've selected the best 75-inch TVs based on a combination of hands-on testing and expert research. Our top pick is the Samsung S90C, which offers unrivaled color and contrast performance for the money. But buyers who want a more budget-friendly 75-inch TV should consider the Hisense U6K, which delivers impressive image quality for a typical sale price under $700. 

    Below, you can find all seven of our recommendations for the best 75-inch TVs. We've also highlighted picks geared toward midrange and premium performance, as well as options for buyers who want an extra-bright or 8K display.  

    Note: LCD-based TVs (LED, QLED, Neo QLED) are often manufactured in a 75-inch screen size, but OLED displays are instead sold in a slightly larger 77-inch size. For that reason, we've included 77-inch OLED TVs in this guide.

    Our top picks for the best 75-inch TVs

    Best overall: Samsung S90C 4K OLED TV – See at Amazon

    Best premium option: Sony A95L 4K OLED TV – See at Amazon

    Best on a budget: Hisense U6K 4K QLED TV – See at Amazon

    Best anti-glare model: Samsung S95D 4K OLED TV – See at Amazon

    Best 8K model: Samsung QN900C 8K QLED TVSee at Amazon 

    Best midrange set: Hisense U7K 4K QLED TVSee at Walmart

    Best for brightness: TCL QM8 4K QLED TV – See at Amazon


    Best overall

    The Samsung S90C is our top pick for the best TV you can buy. It's an OLED display that marries pixel-level contrast with a quantum dot filter. That latter feature helps it provide a brighter image than similarly priced 77-inch OLEDs from LG and Sony. 

    Black levels are deep and disappear into a dark room, while colors are rich and pop from the screen. The S90C can deliver a peak brightness of about 1,000 nits. This gives HDR10 and HDR10+ content brilliant highlights and allows the display to produce more vivid high-dynamic-range (HDR) images than an OLED TV without quantum dots, like LG's models.

    On the downside, the S90C doesn't support Dolby Vision, a popular HDR format supported by Sony and LG TVs. Dolby Vision can offer better HDR quality in some cases, but improvements are subtle, so we don't think this omission is a dealbreaker. You can learn more about how HDR formats compare in our HDR TV guide

    Samsung's smart TV interface is solid, with access to all of the best streaming services, but navigation can sometimes be a little sluggish. On the plus side, the interface includes a Gaming Hub with access to the Xbox Game Pass app, and Samsung is the only TV brand to offer this service. This allows Game Pass members to stream Xbox games without a console. The S90C also supports a fast 144Hz refresh rate when paired with a PC to deliver smooth gameplay. 

    Best Buy also sells a cheaper variation of this model, called the S89C. The S89C delivers the same image quality as the S90C but has a more basic stand with a less premium design. Unfortunately, the S89C is now hard to find in stock, but if you see one available, it's an even better value than the S90C.   

    Samsung also sells a new 2024 version of this TV, called the S90D, that can get a little brighter. But the S90D costs significantly more, so we still recommend the S90C as our top pick. 

    Read our Samsung S90C 4K TV review.


    Best premium option

    Sony's A95L OLED is the ultimate display for big home theater enthusiasts who want a 77-inch TV. Bar none, this is the most impressive TV we've tested, but it's also one of the most expensive. 

    Like our top pick in this guide, the Samsung S90C, the Sony A95L uses a QD-OLED panel with an infinite contrast ratio and high color volume. But while the S90C tops at around 1,000 nits of peak brightness, we measured a max of 1,500 nits on the A95L. That's 500 nits more than Sony's previous model in this series, the A95K, and one of the brightest measurements we've recorded on an OLED TV. The only OLED that gets notably brighter is Samsung's  S95D, which peaks at around 1,700 nits.

    The A95L's high brightness complements its pixel-level contrast to deliver stunning HDR images. Some HDR videos are graded for a peak luminance above 1,000 nits, so the A95L's ability to go over that number allows it to display bright highlights more accurately. This is especially true when watching Dolby Vision material (something not supported on Samsung TVs) since these videos can give the TV scene-by-scene guidance on how to scale color and contrast to best match the display's capabilities.

    Sony's picture processing also helps to give the TV unrivaled image accuracy and even lower quality sources from cable, indoor TV antennas, and YouTube upscale nicely. And like most OLED TVs, the picture quality doesn't degrade when you sit to the side of the screen. Given its premium price, it's also no surprise that the A95L has some nice design flourishes, like a backlit remote, an adjustable stand that supports three orientations (high, low, and narrow), and a webcam for video calls and gesture controls.

    Gamers get full 120Hz support when paired with a PS5 or Xbox Series X console, but only two of the TV's HDMI ports have the required bandwidth for this feature. There's also no 144Hz mode for PC gaming, something that Samsung, TCL, and Hisense offer on many of their top TVs. Still, it's difficult to find much fault with the A95L, given how incredible its image quality looks. Most people are better off saving money with any of our other best 75-inch TV picks, but this is the high-end TV to buy if you don't have any budget restrictions. 


    Best on a budget

    Hisense's U6K is the best 75-inch TV you can buy on a budget. For a sale price that often dips below $700, there isn't anything comparable in its class. Every 75-inch TV that sells for less money delivers noticeably lower contrast, and most also have a narrower range of colors.

    To achieve its high contrast performance, the U6K uses a Mini LED backlight with local dimming, a combination we haven't seen in other TVs this affordable. This allows the screen to dim across small areas, so dark elements of an image can remain dark, while only bright areas get bright. When we reviewed the U6K, we did notice that black levels weren't as deep and uniform as you'd find on pricier displays, but the TV delivered impressive picture quality for the money. 

    Colors are also vivid thanks to the display's quantum dots, and the U6K can achieve a peak brightness of 600 nits. For the best HDR performance, we recommend finding a set that can get closer to 1,000 nits or higher, but 600 is still bright enough to see the benefits that high dynamic range videos can provide. The U6K supports every major HDR format, including Dolby Vision, which Samsung TVs lack. 

    But while the TV looks great when viewed from a centered position, colors and contrast fade if you sit off to the side of the display. This is a common drawback for many budget and midrange TVs that use LED and QLED panels, so we recommend opting for an OLED model if that's a dealbreaker. The U6K's smart TV navigation speed also leaves a bit to be desired, and its 60Hz panel can't support 120Hz gameplay on a PS5 or Xbox Series X. But again, these are expected tradeoffs for a budget-friendly set like this. 

    Ultimately, the U6K is geared toward buyers who want an affordable 75-inch TV that doesn't sacrifice genuine HDR capabilities, and in that sense, it's a winner. Hisense now sells a 2024 edition of this TV, called the U6N, but it has similar specs and is much more expensive. Until the U6N comes down in price, the U6K is the better buy. 

    Read our Hisense U6K 4K TV review.


    Best anti-glare model

    In addition to simply being an excellent high-end OLED TV, the Samsung S95D has a unique feature that's ideal for solving a very specific issue: screen reflections. Though not a problem in every room, certain spaces with lots of lights and windows can be a headache for viewers since most displays have glossy screens that can show lots of glare.

    However, the S95D has a matte screen that nearly eliminates this issue. There are some drawbacks, but if you struggle with reflections in your room, the S95D could be a game changer. The only notable TV models with similar matte finishes are Samsung's Frame TV and Hisense's new Canvas TV, but those models can't match the overall image quality of the S95D. In our testing, the S95D's matte screen worked exactly as advertised, and we didn't encounter any of the typical reflections we see on other TVs.

    A Samsung S95D TV in a living room with a video of rippling water on the screen.
    The S95D uses a unique matte screen to combat reflections.

    On the downside, the S95D's matte screen does have one negative side effect: it leads to elevated black levels in bright rooms. The S95D's black levels look perfect with the lights off, but in a bright environment, blacks can take on a slightly gray and hazy look. This is especially true when watching dimmer scenes in movies and TV shows. Glossy screens, like those used on every other TV we recommend in this guide, are much better at preserving black levels in a bright environment, but the tradeoff is that they suffer more from reflections. Ultimately, whether you prefer the S95D's matte screen over a traditional glossy screen comes down to your preferences and needs as a viewer.

    Outside its unique anti-glare screen, the S95D is also the brightest OLED we've ever tested. We measured a peak of 1,700 nits. High brightness levels like that are only needed for certain use cases, but it's still impressive. Though we think Sony's A95L still offers slightly better image performance overall, the S95D is easily one of the top high-end TVs you can buy. It's also got a 144Hz refresh rate for smooth PC gaming, and a premium design that uses a separate box for inputs rather than having them built into the back of the TV. 

    Samsung still sells the 2023 version of this set, called the S95C, for much less money. But that model doesn't have the S95D's new matte screen. We think the S95C remains the better value for typical needs, but if you want a premium TV with anti-glare performance as a priority, this is the model to get.  

    Read our Samsung S95D 4K TV review


    Best 8K display

    If you want an 8K TV, 75 inches is the smallest size you should consider. This is because the benefits of 8K resolution are only noticeable when you sit close to an extra-large screen. When it comes to 75-inch 8K TVs, the Samsung QN900C is easily one of the best. 

    The QN900Cs offers four times the total number of pixels that you'd get on a 4K TV. But even more impressive than its resolution is the display's excellent contrast and brightness capabilities. The TV has a Mini LED backlight with fantastic local dimming performance. This results in some of the best black levels we've ever seen outside an OLED TV and one of the brightest panels you can buy.

    A Samsung QN900C 8K TV on an entertainment console displaying a collage of different color roses.
    The 75-inch QN900C's 8K panel delivers sharp images, but the benefits over 4K are subtle.

    During our evaluation, we measured a peak of about 2,300 nits in Filmmaker Mode, which is the setting that offers the most accurate image. The QN900C's viewing angles are also much better than cheaper QLED TVs, so the image doesn't degrade as much when you sit off to the side of the screen.

    However, as impressive as the QN900C is, we still don't think most people need an 8K TV. Even on a large screen like this, the perks of 8K are hard to notice unless you sit very close to the display. And virtually everything you'll watch on the TV will just be 4K, HD, or SD sources that get upscaled to 8K since native 8K content is virtually nonexistent.

    Don't get us wrong, this is an incredible-looking TV, but its impressive picture quality mostly stems from its use of a Mini LED backlight and quantum dots rather than its resolution. Still, if you're dead set on jumping to 8K, the QN900C is a top choice, and it's one of the best Samsung TVs you can buy.

    A new 2024 version of this display, the QN900D, is also now available. We tested the QN900D, too, and though it looks fantastic, it's not a big leap over its predecessor. Since the QN900C is less expensive, it remains our top 8K pick. 


    Best midrange set

    The U7K is one of Hisense's midrange 4K QLED TVs. Like the cheaper U6K, it uses a Mini LED backlight with local dimming and quantum dots, but the U7K delivers an even brighter image and deeper black levels. It also makes the jump from a 60Hz panel to a 120Hz screen, which gives this set better gaming performance. 

    During our review process, the U7K impressed us with its vibrant HDR images, and it offered noticeably better black-level performance than the U6K and other cheaper QLEDs. We didn't encounter any major blooming (when halos appear around bright objects) in dark scenes, but shadow detail wasn't as good as what we've seen on more expensive TVs. 

    Like other similar QLEDs, viewing angles are lacking, so you'll want to sit toward the center of the screen to get the best performance. And though the U7K's Google TV interface has many apps, it's not the snappiest version of this OS we've used. Eagle-eyed viewers might also spot minor uniformity issues and occasional brightness fluctuations, but these flaws are minor compared to the TV's many strengths.

    It's not perfect, but the U7K is one of the best 75-inch TVs for people who want upper-midrange performance without breaking the bank. It has a list price of about $1,200, but it's often sold for $900, which is a fantastic value.

    In this price range, we also recommend the TCL Q7 QLED TV as an alternative when it's on sale. The Q7 has many of the same features as the U7K but uses regular-sized LEDs rather than Mini LEDs, which can lead to less control over contrast and brightness. 

    Buyers should also note that Hisense has a new 2024 version of this TV, the U7N, that can get a bit brighter. However, it costs a lot more, so we think the U7K remains the better value.  

    Read our Hisense U7K 4K TV review.


    Best for brightness

    Shoppers who want a bright 75-inch 4K TV to deliver intense HDR performance should have the TCL QM8 on their list. This TV can hit over 2,000 nits, which puts it among the brightest displays on the market. And it's much more affordable than similarly bright QLED models from Samsung.

    Like the Hisense U7K, this TCL display uses a Mini LED backlight with local dimming, quantum dots, and a fast 144Hz refresh for PC games. But this model has more dimming zones, which enables it to deliver even more precise control over its light output. When reviewing the TV, we were blown away by the display's deep black levels and vibrant colors. 

    Though the QM8's contrast control still can't match an OLED, it gets remarkably close while offering a brighter image. This makes it an especially good choice for people who like to watch TV during the day since you can pump up the brightness to overcome ambient lighting and sunlight.

    However, while the glossy screen's anti-reflective coating works well in most cases, it uses a filter that can cause a subtle rainbow effect when hit with light from certain angles. If that sounds like a problem for your setup, you might want to consider a different model on our list, like the Samsung S95D, which can nearly eliminate reflections without rainbow streaking. And though the QM8's viewing angles are a little better than those on cheaper QLED TVs, they're still not as good as what you get with an OLED.

    Read our TCL QM8 4K TV review.


    How we test 75-inch TVs

    A Samsung QN900C 8K TV on a table in a dark room.

    We picked the best 75-inch TVs through a combination of hands-on reviews and research. We've been covering the home entertainment product industry for over 10 years and used that expertise to inform our testing parameters and requirements.

    When reviewing displays, we usually focus on 65-inch options since that's the industry's flagship standard. However, overall performance typically stays the same across sizes 55 inches and up when evaluating a specific TV model. For example, a 77-inch Sony A95L OLED and a 65-inch A95L OLED have the same specifications. The only major difference is the panel's size. 

    However, some QLED TVs with local dimming, like the TCL QM8, have more zones in larger screen sizes than smaller ones. This can cause slight differences in contrast performance when comparing a 75-inch model to a 65-inch one, but not enough to change our overall takeaway. In rare cases, some TVs have more dramatic differences in features and design across sizes. We consider those changes when recommending displays and note those instances when applicable.

    When we test TVs, we evaluate picture clarity, color quality, contrast performance, peak HDR brightness, gaming features, navigation speed, off-axis viewing, and general value. To measure brightness, we use an X-Rite iDisplay Plus colorimeter in combination with test patterns on the Spears & Munsil UHD HDR Benchmark 4K Blu-ray disc. 

    Test patterns are great for objective measurements, but watching real-world content is the only way to fully evaluate how a TV looks. We sample plenty of shows and movies to see how a display performs in both dark and bright environments. Part of our evaluation involves watching the same assortment of scenes on each TV we review to compare performance. Sequences are chosen to show off HDR highlights, shadow detail, black levels, upscaling, and motion. We also mix up the quality of our material to see how a TV handles 4K, 1080p, and standard definition (SD) programs from Blu-ray discs, streaming services, and cable TV.


    75-inch TV FAQs

    The smart TV interface displayed on a Samsung S95C OLED resting on an entertainment console.
    You can sit farther away from a 75-inch TV while still seeing the benefits of 4K resolution.

    Is 75 inches a good TV size?

    75 inches is an excellent size for anyone who wants an extra-large TV to fill a big space or offer an especially immersive experience in a smaller room. Many of our picks for the best 4K TVs and best OLED TVs are sold in the 75- and 77-inch screen class, so you have plenty of options. 

    But if you don't have the space for a 75-inch TV, check out our guides to the best 65-inch TVs, best 55-inch TVs, and best 50-inch TVs to see our top recommendations for smaller sizes.

    And if you want something even bigger, check out our guide to the best 85-inch TVs.

    How much should you spend on a 75-inch TV?

    The best 75-inch TVs can range from around $600 to more than $3,000, depending on the performance class you choose. 

    Budget-friendly 75-inch QLED TVs, like the Hisense U6K, are sometimes on sale for as low as $650, and if you're willing to sacrifice contrast and color performance, you can find some cheaper 75-inch TVs for as little as $500. Midrange QLED options with higher brightness typically sell for $800 to $1,300, while high-end models cost as much as $2,500.

    If you want an OLED TV model (made in 77 inches rather than 75), you'll need to pay a bit more. The cheapest 77-inch OLED TVs start at around $1,800, while premium options cost as much as $5,000. 

    Should you buy a soundbar for your 75-inch TV?

    Even the best 75-inch TVs have mediocre built-in audio performance. Companies often build their displays with small speaker drivers to keep costs down and screens slim, and this can lead to a lack of bass and overall clarity. To get more dynamic and crisp sound quality, we recommend purchasing a separate soundbar or surround sound system, particularly one with Dolby Atmos support.

    Check out our guides to the best soundbars, best budget soundbars, and best Dolby Atmos soundbars to see our top recommendations.

    How far should you sit from a 75-inch 4K TV?

    A large screen size of 75 inches enables you to sit farther away from your display while still getting an immersive experience. To start seeing the benefits of 4K resolution with an optimal field of view, the recommended distance is about one to 1.5 times the size of your TV. 

    So, for a 75-inch 4K TV, you should aim to sit between 6.25 and 9.38 feet from your screen. 

    However, for your eyes to be able to make out the full benefits of a 4K resolution image, you'd need to sit just 4.9 feet away from a 75-inch screen. Of course, most people don't sit that close to their displays, and you can still enjoy a 75-inch 4K TV from a greater distance.

    Best overall

    The Samsung S89C is a Best Buy-exclusive version of the brand's S90C, which is our top pick for the best TV you can buy. The S89C has the exact same display as the S90C, but it uses a different kind of stand with left and right feet rather than a pedestal to rest on. And unlike the S90C, the S89C is only available in a 77-inch model.

    So, what gives the 77-inch S89C the top spot in this guide versus the 77-inch S90C? It comes down to price. The S89C is sold for as much as $500 less than its S90C counterpart. Though the S90C's stand is nicer, we don't think it's worth the extra money. When it comes to TVs in the 75- to 77-inch range, the S89C delivers unbeatable value. 

    The S89C uses a QD-OLED panel, which allows it to deliver pixel-level contrast control and high color volume. Black levels are deep and disappear into a dark room, while colors are rich and bright. We measured a peak brightness of about 1,000 nits on the S90C, and since both TVs use the same panel, that's what you can expect on the S89C. 

    This gives HDR10 and HDR10+ content brilliant highlights and allows the display to produce more vivid HDR images than an OLED TV without quantum dots, like LG's models. On the downside, the S89C doesn't support Dolby Vision, a popular HDR format used on many streaming services. Dolby Vision can give a TV more detailed guidance on how to display HDR images accurately, but improvements with Dolby Vision versus HDR10 are often extremely subtle, so we don't think this omission is a dealbreaker.

    Samsung's smart TV interface is solid, with access to many services, but navigation can sometimes be a little sluggish. On the plus side, the interface includes a Gaming Hub with access to the Xbox Game Pass app. This allows Game Pass members to stream Xbox games without a console. The S89C also supports a fast 144Hz refresh rate when paired with a PC to deliver smooth gameplay. 

    If you really dislike the S89C's left and right feet, we recommend the 77-inch S90C as the next best alternative. But outside that design difference, they're the same TV, and the S89C's price-to-performance ratio is simply unrivaled at this size. 

    Read our Samsung S90C 4K TV review (S89C with a pedestal stand).

    Best budget model

    Hisense's U6K is the best 75-inch TV you can buy on a budget. For a sale price that often dips below $700, there isn't anything comparable in its class. All of the 75-inch TVs that are available for less money will deliver noticeably lower contrast and a narrower range of colors.

    To achieve its high contrast performance, the U6K uses a Mini LED backlight with local dimming, a combination we haven't seen in other TVs in this price range. This allows the screen to dim across small areas, so dark elements of an image can remain dark, while only bright areas get bright. When we reviewed the U6K, we did notice that black levels weren't as deep and uniform as you'd find on pricier displays, but the TV delivered impressive picture quality for the money. 

    Colors are also vivid thanks to the display's use of quantum dots, and the U6K can achieve a peak brightness of 600 nits. For the best HDR performance, we recommend finding a set that can get closer to 1,000 nits or higher, but 600 is still bright enough to see the benefits that high dynamic range videos can provide. The U6K supports every major HDR format, including Dolby Vision, which Samsung TVs lack. 

    But while the TV looks great when viewed from a centered position, colors and contrast fade if you sit off to the side of the display. This is a common drawback for many budget and midrange TVs that use LED and QLED panels, so we recommend opting for an OLED model if that's a dealbreaker. The U6K's smart TV navigation speed also leaves a bit to be desired, and its 60Hz panel can't support 120Hz gameplay on a PS5 or Xbox Series X. But again, these are expected tradeoffs for a budget-friendly set like this. 

    Ultimately, the U6K is geared toward buyers who want an affordable 75-inch TV that doesn't sacrifice genuine HDR capabilities, and in that sense, it's a winner. 

    Read our Hisense U6K 4K TV review.

    Best midrange display

    The U7K is Hisense's midrange 4K QLED TV. Like the cheaper U6K, it uses a Mini LED backlight with local dimming and quantum dots, but the U7K delivers an even brighter image and deeper black levels. It also makes the jump from a 60Hz panel to a 120Hz screen, which gives this model better gaming performance. 

    During our review process, the U7K impressed us with its vibrant HDR images, and it offered noticeably better black-level performance than the U6K and other cheaper QLEDs. We also didn't encounter any major blooming (when halos appear around bright objects) in dark scenes, but shadow detail wasn't as good as what we've seen on more expensive TVs. 

    Like other similar QLEDs, viewing angles are lacking, so you'll want to sit centered to the screen to get the best performance. And though the U7K's Google TV interface has lots of apps, it's not the snappiest version of this OS that we've used. Eagle-eyed viewers might also spot minor uniformity issues and occasional brightness fluctuations from scene to scene, but these flaws are minor compared to the TV's many strengths.

    It's not perfect, but the U7K is the best 75-inch TV for people who want upper-midrange performance without breaking the bank. It has a list price of about $1,200, but it's often sold for $900, which is a fantastic value.

    Read our Hisense U7K 4K TV review.

    Best for brightness

    Shoppers who want a bright 75-inch TV to deliver great daytime viewing and intense HDR performance should have the TCL QM8 on the top of their list. This TV can hit over 2,000 nits, which puts it among the absolute brightest displays on the market. 

    Like the Hisense U7K, this TCL display uses a Mini LED backlight with local dimming, quantum dots, and a fast 144Hz refresh for PC games. But this model has more dimming zones, which enables it to deliver even more precise control over its light output. When reviewing the TV, we were blown away by the display's deep black levels and vibrant colors. 

    Though the QM8's contrast control still can't match an OLED, it gets remarkably close while offering a brighter image. This makes it an especially good choice for people who like to watch TV during the day since you can pump up the brightness to overcome ambient lighting and sunlight.

    However, while the screen's anti-reflective coding works incredibly well in most cases, it uses a filter that can cause a subtle rainbow effect when hit with light from certain angles. (This rainbow streaking is also common on many Samsung QLED TVs and shows up most when overhead lighting is near the screen.) If that's the case for your setup, you might want to consider a different model on our list. And though viewing angles are a bit better than the cheaper QLED TVs we recommend, they're still not as good as what you get with an OLED.

    Read our TCL QM8 4K TV review.

    Best premium option

    Sony's A95L OLED is the ultimate display for big home theater enthusiasts who want a 77-inch TV. Bar none, this is the most impressive TV we've tested, but it's also one of the most expensive. 

    Like our top pick in this guide, the Samsung S89C, the Sony A95L uses a QD-OLED panel with an infinite contrast ratio and high color volume. But while the S89C tops out at around 1,000 nits of peak brightness, we measured a max of 1,500 nits on the A95L in its "Professional" picture mode, which offers the most accurate default image. That's 500 nits more than Sony's previous model in this series, the A95K, and the brightest measurement we've ever recorded on an OLED TV. 

    The high brightness works in tandem with the OLED screen's pixel-level contrast to deliver stunning HDR images. Some HDR videos are graded for a peak luminance above 1,000 nits, so the A95L's ability to go over that number allows it to display bright highlights more accurately. This is especially true when watching Dolby Vision material since these videos give the TV specific guidance on how to scale color and contrast to best match the display's capabilities.

    Sony's picture processing also helps to give the TV unrivaled image accuracy, and even lower quality sources, like cable and HD streams, upscale nicely. And like all OLED TVs, the picture quality doesn't degrade when you sit to the side of the screen. Given its premium price, it's also no surprise that the A95L has some nice design flourishes, like a backlit remote, an adjustable stand that supports three orientations (high, low, and narrow), and a webcam for video calls and gesture controls.

    Gamers get full 120Hz support when paired with a PS5 or Xbox Series X console, but only two of the TV's HDMI ports have the required bandwidth for this feature. There's also no 144Hz mode for PC gaming, which is something that Samsung, TCL, and Hisense offer on many of their top TVs. Still, it's difficult to find much fault with the A95L, given how incredible it looks. Most people are better off saving money with any of our other best 75-inch TV picks, but this is the high-end TV to buy if you don't have any budget restrictions. 

    Note: The 77-inch A95L is temporarily out of stock at most retailers, but some list a mid-February date for new inventory. If you want a high-end 77-inch OLED alternative, we recommend the LG G3. It can't match the A95L's picture accuracy but has similar brightness capabilities. But keep in mind that the G3 is primarily designed for wall mounting and doesn't include a regular stand.

    Best 8K display

    If you're going to buy an 8K TV, 75 inches is the smallest size you should consider. This is because the benefits of 8K resolution are only noticeable when you sit close to an extra-large screen. When it comes to 75-inch 8K TVs, the Samsung QN900C is easily one of the best. 

    The QN900C's 8K display offers four times the total number of pixels that you'd get on a 4K TV. But even more impressive than its resolution is the display's excellent contrast and brightness capabilities. The TV has a Mini LED backlight with fantastic local dimming performance. This results in some of the best black levels we've ever seen outside an OLED TV and one of the brightest panels you can buy. During our evaluation, we measured a peak of about 2,300 nits in Filmmaker Mode, which is the setting that offers the most accurate image out of the box. The QN900C's viewing angles are also much better than a typical QLED TV, so the image doesn't degrade much when you sit off to the side of the screen.

    However, as impressive as the QN900C is, we still don't think most people need an 8K TV right now. Even on a large-size screen like this, the perks of 8K are hard to notice unless you sit very close to the display. And virtually everything you'll watch on the TV will just be 4K, HD, or SD sources that get upscaled to 8K since native 8K content is virtually nonexistent.

    Don't get us wrong, this is an incredible-looking TV, but its impressive picture quality mostly stems from its use of a Mini LED backlight and quantum dots rather than its resolution. Still, if you're dead set on jumping to 8K, the QN900C is a top choice, and it's one of the best Samsung TVs you can buy.

    How we test 75-inch TVs
    A Samsung QN900C 8K TV on a table in a dark room.

    We picked the best 75-inch TVs through a combination of hands-on reviews and research. We've been covering the home entertainment product industry for over 10 years and used that expertise to inform our testing parameters and requirements.

    When reviewing displays, most companies ship us their 65-inch options since that's the industry's flagship standard. However, when evaluating a specific TV model, overall performance typically stays the same across larger sizes from 50 inches and up. For example, a 77-inch Sony A95L OLED and a 65-inch A95L have the same specifications. The only major difference is the panel's size. 

    However, some QLED TVs with local dimming, like the TCL QM8, have more dimming zones in larger screen sizes compared to smaller ones. This can cause slight differences in contrast performance when comparing a 75-inch model to 65-inch one, but not enough to change our overall takeaway. In rare cases, some TVs do have more dramatic differences in features and design across sizes. Still, we consider those changes when recommending displays and note those instances when applicable.

    When we test TVs, we evaluate picture clarity, color quality, contrast performance, peak HDR brightness, gaming features, navigation speed, off-axis viewing, and general value. To measure brightness, we use an X-Rite iDisplay Plus colorimeter in combination with test patterns on the Spears & Munsil UHD HDR Benchmark 4K Blu-ray disc. 

    Test patterns are great for objective measurements, but watching real-world content is the only way to fully evaluate how a TV looks. We sample plenty of shows and movies to see how a display performs in an average setting. Part of our evaluation involves watching the same assortment of scenes on each TV we review to compare performance. Sequences are chosen to show off HDR highlights, shadow detail, black levels, upscaling, and motion. We also mix up the quality of our material to see how a TV handles 4K, 1080p, and standard definition (SD) programs from Blu-ray discs, streaming services, and cable TV.

    75-inch TV FAQs
    The smart TV interface displayed on a Samsung S95C OLED resting on an entertainment console.
    You can sit farther away from a 75-inch TV while still seeing the benefits of 4K resolution.

    Is 75 inches a good TV size?

    75 inches is an excellent size for anyone who wants an extra-large TV to fill a big space or offer an especially immersive experience in a smaller room. Many of our picks for the best 4K TVs and best OLED TVs are sold in the 75/77-inch screen class, so you have plenty of options. 

    If you don't have the space for a 75-inch 4K TV but still want lots of display models to choose from, check out our guides to the best 65-inch TVs and the best 55-inch TVs for our top recommendations at those sizes. 

    How much should you spend on a 75-inch TV?

    The best 75-inch TVs can range from around $600 to more than $3,000, depending on the performance class you choose. 

    Budget-friendly 75-inch QLED TVs, like the Hisense U6K, are often on sale for as low as $650, and if you're willing to sacrifice contrast and color performance, you can find some cheaper 75-inch TVs for as little as $500. Midrange QLED options with higher brightness typically sell for $800 to $1,300, while high-end models cost as much as $2,500.

    If you want an OLED TV model, which are made in 77 inches rather than 75, you'll need to pay a bit more. The cheapest 77-inch OLED TVs start at around $1,800, while premium options cost as much as $5,000. 

    How far should you sit from a 75-inch 4K TV?

    A large screen size of 75 inches enables you to sit farther away from your display while still getting an immersive experience. To start seeing the benefits of 4K resolution with an optimal field of view, the recommended distance is about one to 1.5 times the size of your TV. 

    So, for a 75-inch 4K TV, you should aim to sit between 6.25 and 9.38 feet from your screen. 

    However, for your eyes to be able to make out the full benefits of a 4K resolution image, you'd need to sit just 4.9 feet away from a 75-inch screen. Of course, most people don't sit that close to their displays, and you can still enjoy a 75-inch 4K TV from a greater distance.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Earth is bracing for a ‘severe’ geomagnetic storm and it probably won’t be the last for this year

    solar ejections
    We're entering solar maximum, a period of heightened solar activity that could cause more auroras, power outages, and communication blackouts.

    • NOAA has forecasted a "severe" geomagnetic storm to hit Earth this Friday, triggering aurora borealis.
    • This storm comes as we approach solar maximum: the peak of solar activity during the sun's 11-year cycle.
    • That means that this year, we could see more storms like this one.

    A cluster of giant sunspots called region 3664 has been shooting out powerful eruptions, called coronal mass ejections, over the last several days.

    Right now, at least five of them are on a direct collision course with Earth, shooting through space at 560 miles per second. As a result, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a rare forecast for a "severe" G4 geomagnetic storm to hit Earth this Friday.

    It's the first G4 forecast NOAA has issued since 2005. But severe geomagnetic storms like this could become more common in the coming months as we approach, what's called, solar maximum: the peak of solar activity during the sun's 11-year cycle.

    "That means that there'll be a lot more sunspots, and the sunspots will be much larger," Alex Young, the associate director for science at NASA Goddard's Heliophysics Science Division, told Business Insider.

    What is solar maximum?

    coronal mass ejection sun
    The sun blows out a coronal mass ejection, February 24, 2015.

    Roughly 11 years, or so, the sun's magnetic field flips: its north and south poles swap places.

    Over the course of this 11-year cycle, the sun's activity — which is governed by its magnetic field — fluctuates.

    The last time the sun's poles flipped and the sun reached solar maximum was in 2013.

    That means we're due for the next round of heightened solar activity. "We are just now reaching the peak," Young said.

    sunspot
    Sunspots are larger and more common during solar maximum.

    During solar maximum, the sun develops more and larger sunspots, like the ones in region 3664, compared to quieter periods of solar activity.

    "They come in little spurts," Young said. "And those spurts of sunspots will get closer and closer together, and the sunspots that appear will be typically larger, more complicated, and will produce more solar activity," which can generate severe geomagnetic storms.

    What does this mean for Earth?

    Green aurora borealis appears in the sky on January 6, 2017, trees and snow in the foreground, along the George Parks highway about 15 miles west of Fairbanks, Alaska.
    The aurora borealis seen from Alaska.

    More and larger sunspots mean the sun is more prone to release powerful eruptions called coronal mass ejections, like the ones headed for Earth right now.

    Severe geomagnetic storms like the one forecasted to hit this Friday are rare. But entering solar maximum means we could see more of them this year.

    The good news is that we'll likely have more chances to see dazzling auroras in the Northern Hemisphere this year. The bad news is that these storms could mess with our satellites and the power grid.

    We could experience more power outages, communication blackouts, and GPS disruptions.

    In the event that a geomagnetic storm does trigger a power outage where you live, make sure to keep your refrigerator closed, unplug your appliances, and contact local officials about heating and cooling locations. To prepare for a GPS outage, make sure you have printed or written copies of directions to important locations like hospitals.

    Read the original article on Business Insider