Here’s why you need to buy a 4K TV

After a long tiring day, plonking in front of the television would be one of the best things anyone can do, especially if the TV is as fancy as a 4K TV.

According to a report by Strategy Analytics, the end of 2016 saw almost 11 million North American homes owning a 4K TV. But before we get into that number and the reason for such a high number, let us understand what a 4K TV is.

Also known as Ultra High Definition (UHD), the 4K is a TV set that is characterized by 8 million pixels. This means four times the number of pixels on a normal 1080p display TV set. A 4K TV has a resolution that is about 23 times more than the resolution of a standard definition TV. Now, this is a huge number.

Now, getting back to what has led to the rise of 4k TV sales in the North American market, there could be three main reasons for this. These are:

  • Falling prices of 4K TVs: This could be one of the main factors in the rise of 4K TV sales. Most people want the best, especially when it comes at a reduced price. No one would leave a 4K TV when its prices are falling.
  • Increased shipments: The number of shipments of 4K TV sets in the North American region increased by a whopping 70 percent according to the report by Strategy Analytics. This could be another factor that has led to the rise of 4K TV sales.
  • The bigger, the better: According to the same report by Strategy Analytics, most North Americans have a fondness for big TV sets as compared to most other regions across the world. This could well be another reason for an increase in 4K TV sales. In fact, by 2020, all TV sets that are 40 inches and above that sell in North America will be only Ultra HD 4K sets.

And given some of the best TV deals that the American market offers to consumers, every single North American home will house at least a minimum of one 4K TV set.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

  • Guide for buying men’s snow boots
    Most of us would assume that snow boots and winter boots are same. Both of them do protect you from the cold. However, the definition of cold becomes subjective when it starts to snow. If you are a man who has had to step into the snow to shovel, you would know what we are talking about. Winter boots are fashionable, no doubt. But walking with wet feet and damp fur aren't glamorous at all! Snow boots can save you from the biting cold and the illness that is sure to follow. There are many features of the snow boot that distinguish it from winter boots. Most men end up wearing whatever keeps the feet warm, but functionality plays a big role. Next time you go out to buy snow boots, keep these tips in mind: Hundred Percent Waterproof The distinctive feature of a snow boot is that it is completely waterproof. The design of men's snow boot is such that it can deal with the harshest snow conditions. For instance, Sorel Men's Intrepid Explorer boots offer great insulation against heavy snow. That's because the exterior of the boot is a waterproof, PU backed, synthetic textile. The outer sole is rubber providing great traction on slippery pavements and pathways. Materials like nylon and PU synthetic tend to keep your feet warm and dry. So look for men's snow boots that offer a hundred percent water proofing. Look For Rubber Soles Snow boots can have different bases, but rubber soles ensure durability in rain and slush. Leather soles in men snow boots might look better but rubber soles offer better traction. You will need traction when you are out in sub-zero temperature. Something like the Columbia Men's Bugaboot Snow boot fits the criteria of a good snow boot with a rubber sole. Snow boots with vulcanized rubber out sole and waxed exterior will work well in heavy snow. So ditch the leather in snow and choose something with rubber to get a good grip on icy walkways. Inner Lining Insulation is the main criteria for a snow boot. Woolen socks will make your feet perspire and the lining of your boot will be affected adversely by this. Thin-insulation or a thin nylon and fur lining inside the snow boot will keep your feet warm. Ensure to check the the lining is removable and made from a lightweight material. It is important in case the inside of your boot does become wet, it can be dried off quick. The inner lining of snow boots should offer you warmth as well as insulation against both the cold and the wet snow. Look for something like Kamik Men's Nationplus boots. These offer both insulation and waterproofing. Keep these points in mind when buying men's snow boots and you will not feel cold and wet in winter anymore!
  • 3 Diabetes-friendly breakfast ideas you can consider
    Before jumping into any diet, one should always know what are the issues that he or she is facing. It is not healthy or advisable to randomly switch your diet plan. So, even before getting a diabetes diet breakfast plan, it is vital to know your numbers. These numbers will give you a fair idea about the amount of carbs you should target daily and what should be religiously avoided in your meal. Here are three diabetes-friendly breakfast ideas for a flavor full plate of healthy meals every morning. Start your day with a bowl full of oatmeal Oatmeal is a breakfast staple for diabetes. Whether you want to have a bowl full of healthy oatmeal with nonfat milk or top it with fresh fruits of your choice, oatmeal is easy and quick to prepare. By topping it up with yogurt and fresh berries, it adds proteins and fiber in your meals. The other types of uncooked oatmeal such as muesli is another amazing choice for the breakfast in case you are looking for a diabetes diet plan. These are resistant starch and thereby provide lesser carbs to your bloodstream. It is a known fact that resistant starch is good for insulin resistance as well. English muffin with peanut butter If you are looking for a fancier option for a diabetes diet breakfast, then go for English muffin with peanut butter. You can also choose to pick a spoonful of avocado or low-fat ricotta. In case you want to buy and store some extra English muffins in your freezer, then you can do that as well. Whenever you are hungry, grab some of the muffins from the freezer, defrost them, and toast them for a delicious and healthy breakfast. Pick hard-boiled eggs as a great option Eggs are filled with protein, and if you want to save some time in the morning then you can always prepare a batch earlier and keep. You can go with omega 3-rich eggs, which are a better option and also has anti-inflammatory properties. It is observed that people with diabetes also are at a higher risk of heart problems and eating eggs does not affect the cholesterol levels. So, hard-boiled eggs are a perfect on-the-go option when it comes to healthy diabetes-friendly breakfast ideas.
  • Pruning of maple trees
    Maple trees are often found in the northern parts of America and many parts of Canada. There are approximately of 128 species of maple trees. These trees come in many shapes and sizes but what attracts everybody toward them is their outstanding fall color. For having the magnificent maple tree in your garden, you need to know when and how to prune the tree. Pruning is like maintaining a tree which is very essential for many reasons. Your tree might be getting too big and you might want to alter it from places. Pruning helps give a direction to grow for your tree. The tree will have broken or branches, which is a reason enough to prune them timely. Now when it comes to pruning a maple tree, you need to know when a tree is supposed to be pruned. Every type of tree is unique and so should be their care. Normally there is a perfect season to prune a maple tree, but if you see dead wood, irrespective of when you see it, you can remove it. This is called light pruning as the changes are not drastic and it will not effect the tree in any way bad even if the season is not right for them to be pruned. The otherwise best time to prune your maple tree would be in late spring. Summer or early summer is also the right time to prune a maple tree. Though there is an ideal time or season to prune the tree, some maple trees that are mature, can take pruning even in winter. However, if it is a mature tree, it can even be pruned in the winter. You may also wait until the leaves of the trees are fully developed. It will help the tree blossom and produce fruit is pruned before the buds come out. This is because it prepares the tree well grow perfectly. But in any case, no matter which time of the year it is, over pruning is bad for you tree. Give your tree only what's required. Too much pruning can also lead to the weakening of the tree. Pruning is essential but so is the right way to prune them. Getting into details before and while pruning will help your tree grow the way it is supposed to. Understand your tree, be very observant and give it what it needs for it to grow gracefully.
  • Back pain vs. kidney pain – Know the difference
    Kidneys are located just above the pelvic arch on either side of your lower back. Lower back pain occurs usually near the area around the kidneys. However, in some instances, it may spread to the region in front of the groin and the hip. This is the reason why kidney pain and back pain are often confused with each other. However, kidney pain has several distinct characteristics that differentiate it from back pain. Kidney pain is usually is accompanied by symptoms including the following: - Lower back pain on one or both sides, usually above the pelvic arch, although it may radiate to the groin. - Nausea, vomiting, or a general feeling of uneasiness. - Fever and high temperature. - Frequent urination, where the urine may appear cloudy. In some cases, there may be blood in the urine. Usually, there is no external swelling or inflammation except in the case of a large kidney tumor. The area is not tender to touch, except sometimes near the kidney. Back pain, on the other hand, is experienced as a dull, aching pain. - The pain is localized and may occur suddenly. - Changing your position or moving around may improve or worsen the pain. - It is generally not accompanied by fever or a generalized illness. - It is indicated by an inflammation of strained muscles, which are tender to touch. Severe lower back pain problems such as cauda equina can affect your bladder and bowels. Causes of kidney pain: - The most common cause of kidney pain is an infection in the kidney, which causes an inflammation of the lining around the kidneys. - Kidney stones are another major cause of kidney pain. The stones cannot pass through the narrow passage of the ureter and get lodged at its mouth, thereby blocking the flow of urine. - Dull aching pain in the kidney can also be caused due to polycystic kidney disease or gradual blockage in the flow of urine. Causes of back pain: - Back pain can be caused due to inflammation or injury. - It can be triggered by severe stress. - In some instances, back pain may be indicative of a serious medical condition including bone fracture, spinal fracture, multiple myeloma, and osteoporosis. - A majority of women experience lower back pain during their pregnancy. Call to action: Usually, mild back pain does not require immediate medical attention. However, if you have a persistent pain, it is always advisable to consult your doctor. Whether it is lower back pain, kidney pain, or pain near the groin, it should not be ignored under any circumstances, if it persists for over a week. If you are confused about the symptoms or nature of your pain and suspect that it may be kidney back pain, you should get in touch with a doctor immediately. It may be possible to resolve an infection, if you seek timely medication. In addition, if kidney stones are detected at an early stage, they can easily be removed from the body without any invasive treatment.
  • Top banks offering online savings accounts
    People no longer have to rely on limited local banks for opening a savings account. There are multiple options for people to save their money and earn interest on the same. Online savings accounts, money market accounts, and Certificates of Deposits (CDs) are some new options people now have. A savings account is a basic account to have at a bank or a credit union that allows account holders to keep their money safe, and use it when needed. The interest account holders earn is typically on the deposits they make; the interest rate is relatively low on savings accounts. It is, however, possible to find some savings accounts that offer high interest rates than other accounts. While looking for opening savings accounts online, one should give importance to safety. FDIC insurance covers the banks, and therefore, those who store their money in the banks have it covered. FDIC stands for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, which is a government agency that is in charge of banking and consumer safety. National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF) covers the federally insured credit unions. Those who have accounts in credit unions can rest assured that their money is looked after. NCUSIF is backed by the federal agency National Credit Union Administration. Those with savings accounts in the banks or credit unions have an easy access to their money and earn interest on the same. The interest rate is dependant upon various factors. The economic conditions and competition among banks are some prominent factors influencing the interest rate. Savings accounts often beat checking accounts as people prefer little interest over no interest at all. As mentioned above, there are essentially three types of savings accounts, online, money markets, and Certificate of Deposit (CDs). Those opting for online savings accounts have the benefit of higher earnings and lower fees. There are no overhead costs with online banks as opposed to brick-and-mortar banks. Online banks provide the account holders with an ATM card for withdrawing cash and transferring funds from (or to) a local bank or credit union electronically within three business days. Mobile devices can be used to deposit checks as well. To learn more about the available options for online savings accounts are mentioned below. Ally Ally Bank is one of the best online banks for savings accounts. The APY (annual percentage yield) with an online savings account in Ally Bank can be as high as 1.75%. This bank provides the same-day transfer through Zelle, which is a U.S.-based digital payment network. There are no monthly maintenance fees the bank charges its customers and has been rated as one of the best banks for online banking. Capital One Though Capital One is better known for its credit cards and bank accounts, that doesn’t stop the bank from being one of the best online banks for a savings account. The Capital One 360 Checking® and savings accounts are among the top and most popular online savings accounts. There is no fee charged for the savings account and no minimum deposit is required. Capital One is also a member of Zelle payment service through which account holders can make instant transfers and transactions. American Express American Express is one of the old providers of financial products and services and is often known for credit cards. The bank provides an annual percentage yield of 1.75 for the online savings account. There is no minimum balance or monthly fees charged for opening an online savings account with American Express bank. Connecting to accounts at other banks for transferring funds through American Express is a smooth process. There are several other banks one can open their savings accounts in; they are Discover, CITI Bank, Barclays, Marcus by Goldman Sachs, and Synchrony Bank.
  • 6 Best Online Symptom Checkers
    Various medical studies have highlighted the fact that more than one-third of the adults in the country use the Internet for self-diagnosis on a regular basis. Even though it is always advisable to seek the guidance of healthcare professionals rather than a self-diagnosis, the online symptom checker is excessively popular among the adult population. Here is a list of the best online symptom checkers that are free and publicly available.
    • Symcat – This disease calculator uses records of almost 500,000 patients to reckon the probability of any particular disease. Also, it helps in appointment scheduling along with mapping the nearby emergency care centers. A mobile version of Symcat is also available.
    • AskMD – With the efficient help of AskMD symptom checker app, the patients can successfully maintain an online health profile within a social network called Sharecare.
    • Isabel – This online symptom checker is a diagnosis checklist system tool that offers almost 69% accurate results.
    • iTriage – It is not only a great symptom checker but also an effective health literacy tool. It can offer almost 64% accurate results for symptom checking. With iTriage, patients can manage their health information secretly along with connecting patients to the care options. This online symptom checker is available in a mobile app version as well.
    • Healthline – Highly-skilled medical experts with years of experience in various medical fields and adept writers who can help to reach the diagnosis information to the viewers and users in easily understandable and plain language manage this website.
    • WebMD – One of the most popular symptom checkers that is currently trending in the digital market is WebMD. Along with helping the patients in checking their respective symptoms, this online symptom checker makes sure that the patients get necessary health information that is related to the symptoms. More interestingly, for the physician, the patients can take the printout of the report available on WebMD. You can get this symptom checker in the mobile app version as well.
    Other than the aforementioned popular online symptom checkers, some other options include DocResponse (Provides almost 67% accurate results), Mayo Clinic (Generates almost 59% accurate results), FamilyDoctor (Offers almost 56% accurate results), and HMS Family Health Guide (Provides almost 52% accurate results). Even though a lot of online symptom checkers are available in today’s tech-savvy era, the pharmacists should always encourage patients to consult a medical expert or health care professional for an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment.