Day: January 30, 2021

Anker Nebula Solar Portable projector: More white dwarf than supernova

The Anker Nebula Solar Portable is a 1080p projector with a built-in battery and Android TV. It’s a complete package that lets you enjoy movies and TV with a huge image just about anywhere. You can even use it as a Bluetooth speaker. If this sounds vaguely familiar, it’s because it’s similar to another Nebula projector, the Mars II Pro, which we reviewed a few months ago. The Mars II Pro is our favorite portable projector overall and while the Solar has its (ahem) bright spots, it’s just not as good.

Like

  • Sleek, compact design
  • 1080p resolution
  • Built-in battery lasts 3 hours

Don’t Like

  • Fairly dim
  • Mediocre contrast
  • Android TV is wonky

On paper, the Solar Portable addresses two of the issues we had with the Mars II Pro: resolution and its app store. The II Pro is only 720p, and uses a “curated” Google experience called Aptoide. Unfortunately, fixing those two problems comes with decreased light output. No projector this size is particularly bright, but the Solar is about 40% dimmer than the Mars II. Android TV beats Aptoide, but it still has some quirks that mean you might be better off attaching a streaming

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Stimulus check tax credit: How to get your missing money in your 2020 refund

There are some important things you need to know about claiming your missing stimulus check money on your taxes.


Sarah Tew/CNET

Despite meeting the qualifications, millions of people never received their first and second stimulus checks. For some folks, only part of the payment showed up by direct deposit, check or EIP card. If any of these happened to you, it’s possible the IRS made an error or that you’re missing money for your dependents. It’s also possible that your check was mistakenly garnished or you needed to take an extra step because you’re a tax nonfiler. But don’t worry: You can still claim the full amount you’re entitled to receive when you file your 2020 tax return. Just use the IRS Recovery Rebate Credit. 

Using the credit won’t get you a rebate check. But it will either increase your tax refund or cut your tax bill. If you don’t usually file taxes (for instance, if you’re on SSI or SSDI, or you’re retired), you’ll still to file a 2020 return to claim your missing stimulus payment. (We’ve got instructions on how to claim missing stimulus money for nonfilers here).

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