9 Scary Tech Problems and How to Fix Them

Like tentacles creeping hideously wherever you turn, cables can threaten to take over everything. Bluelounge’s CableBox contains your surge suppressor and all its gnarled cords within a neat box, keeping them out of the way and dust-free.

You’ve got a DVD player that skips like it’s possessed, or maybe a VHS that’s ready to give up the ghost. What you really want is a Roku. It’s the set-top box (or stick) that can stream more media than any other (including Netflix and most channels on demand), making it time to exorcise your home of old players.

This one might be in your grandparents’ house and not in your own, but regardless, it’s haunting the place with its massive size. You can replace it with a shockingly sharp 4K TV — its resolution is four times better than 1080 HD. Though 4K content is limited now, more is coming soon, and early adopters will be wowed by what they can see.

Here’s a frightening moment: You’re watching a crime drama and bam! Glare hits the screen, blocking the big reveal. That’s the time for app-operated shades like Somfy’s. Touch a button (or pre-program the action), and the blinds will automatically vanquish the light.