Technology
Will a four-armed robot replace astronauts in space?
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Space changes the rules for almost everything, including how a robot should move. On Earth, legs help us stand, balance and walk across a room. In microgravity, those same legs lose much of their purpose.
That is why Orbit Robotics, an academic spinout from ETH Zurich, took a different approach with Helios. The robot was built with four arms so it can grip, brace and work inside a spacecraft. Two arms can hold on while the other two handle tools, cargo and equipment.
It is a smart design for a place where floating is easy and staying steady is the real challenge. Here is how Helios works and why it could change the way astronauts get help in orbit.
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IS THIS SPACE CAPSULE HOW WE WILL LIVE AND WORK IN ORBIT IN THE FUTURE?
Helios uses two arms to anchor itself while the other two move cargo, tools and equipment inside a spacecraft. (Orbit Robotics)
Why the Helios space robot has four arms
Helios uses two pairs of arms with different jobs. One pair can anchor the robot to interior surfaces. The other pair can handle tools, unload cargo, move equipment or perform other work inside a spacecraft.
That setup is important because stability and work need to happen at the same time in orbit. A floating robot cannot casually plant its feet, bend over and pick something up. It needs to hold on while it works.
That is where Helios makes sense. Two arms can keep it steady while the other two get the job done. In microgravity, legs become extra hardware unless they can grip, brace or manipulate objects. Helios skips that problem by turning the whole body into a tool for movement and work.
How this four-armed space robot works
Orbit Robotics says Helios uses a tendon-driven system. Instead of placing motors at every joint, the robot keeps many of those motors closer to the shoulders. Cables and pulleys then transmit force through the arms.
That design can reduce weight at the ends of the limbs. In space, heavy limbs can create awkward movement. A robot also needs control, especially when it is holding cargo or tools near expensive equipment.
Helios also uses a rolling-contact elbow joint. That may sound like a tiny detail. In orbit, it can make a big difference. A sudden jerk could destabilize the robot. It could also send whatever the robot is carrying drifting across a spacecraft. Smooth movement becomes a safety feature.
How IKARUS helped shape Helios
Before Helios, the team built an earlier robot platform called IKARUS. That project helped test ideas such as teleoperation, imitation learning and dual-arm manipulation. In other words, IKARUS gave the team a way to learn how a robot could move, copy tasks and handle objects in a space-like setting.
Those lessons helped shape Helios. That is important because space hardware rarely gets a second chance. A robot designed for orbit has to be reliable, compact and useful in cramped conditions. It also has to behave predictably around humans. Helios builds on that earlier work with a body that better fits the environment.
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Why astronauts need robotic help in orbit
Orbit Robotics says its mission is to free astronauts, not replace them. That sounds reassuring. It also makes practical sense. Astronauts are highly trained people doing some of the most expensive labor imaginable. Yet a major chunk of crew time aboard the International Space Station goes toward maintenance.
Some estimates put maintenance at roughly 35% of crew time. At an estimated $140,000 per astronaut-hour, basic logistics can become shockingly expensive. That means sorting supplies, moving equipment or handling routine work can carry a huge price tag. Helios does not need to be a genius to help. It needs to move through narrow corridors, stay stable without gravity and manipulate objects with care. That is the point of the design.
Orbit Robotics built Helios with four arms so it can grip, brace and handle tools inside spacecraft in microgravity. (Orbit Robotics)
What Helios could do in space
The first job for Helios appears focused on interior spacecraft work. That could include unloading cargo, helping manage supplies, moving gear and assisting with routine maintenance. Those jobs may sound boring. In orbit, boring tasks still take time, training and attention.
Over time, Orbit Robotics sees a broader role for robots like Helios. That could include satellite servicing. It could also include in-space construction as commercial stations and orbital habitats become more common.
If launch costs keep falling, more equipment will head into orbit. More hardware means more maintenance. More stations mean more logistics. That creates a clear opening for robots like Helios, built for space from the start.
Why robots may take on more space work
Human spaceflight still captures the imagination. It always has. However, the human body has serious limits in space. Astronauts can face radiation exposure, bone loss, vision problems and cognitive effects linked to fluid shifts in the brain.
Those risks grow during longer missions. Robots do not need air, food, sleep or radiation protection in the same way humans do. They can also take risks that would be unacceptable for astronauts.
That does not make astronauts obsolete overnight. Still, it changes the conversation. If machines can handle more work in orbit, humans may spend less time on routine tasks and more time on science. That could mean more attention on research tied to aging, cancer treatments, organ bioprinting and other experiments that benefit from microgravity.
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If commercial space stations grow, they will need constant care. Cargo will need to be sorted. Equipment will need to be moved. Structures may need inspection or repair. Satellites may need servicing. Future habitats may need robots that can assemble, maintain and adapt.
That is where a machine like Helios becomes more than a cool prototype. It could become part of the labor force that keeps space infrastructure running.
The big question is whether humans remain at the center of that work or move into a more selective role. We may still send astronauts into orbit, but their jobs could change dramatically.
Instead of doing every task by hand, they may supervise robots built for a place where the human body struggles.
The four-armed Helios robot was designed for zero gravity, where legs are less useful than gripping and bracing. (Orbit Robotics)
What Helios could mean for future space robots
Engineers are starting to design machines for specific environments instead of forcing them into human-shaped bodies. That shift could affect more than space exploration.
On Earth, robots already work in warehouses, factories, hospitals and disaster zones. In each case, the best design may not look human. It may look strange, specialized and a little unsettling.
Helios shows why that can be a good thing. A robot built for its environment can work more efficiently. It can also take on risky jobs and help humans focus on work that needs judgment, creativity or science training.
For space, that could mean safer missions. It could also mean fewer astronauts spending precious hours on routine maintenance.
Kurt’s key takeaways
Helios stands out because it was built for the place it is meant to work. In orbit, walking offers very little help. Gripping, bracing and handling equipment become much more important. That is what makes the four-armed design so practical. It gives the robot a way to hold on while it works, which is exactly what astronauts need in microgravity. Orbit Robotics says Helios is meant to help astronauts, not replace them. Still, this robot raises a bigger question. As machines grow more capable, they could take on more of the risky and repetitive work beyond Earth. That could give astronauts more time for science, discovery and decisions that need human judgment. It could also change how we think about sending people into space in the first place.
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Would you rather see astronauts doing the work in orbit, or robots taking over the risky stuff? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
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A medical emergency behind the wheel is terrifying because every second suddenly feels bigger. You are trying to stay calm, stay safe and get help before things spiral.
That is why John Brandt’s story is getting so much attention. His Tesla Model Y helped keep him moving during a heart attack, while his son used the Tesla app to reroute the car to a nearby emergency room.
The bigger takeaway isn’t that your car can replace 911. It cannot. The lesson is that connected-car settings, trusted app access and emergency contacts should be ready before you ever need them.
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A Tesla Model Y helped keep John Brandt moving toward help after chest pain hit during an early morning highway drive. (Tesla)
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How a Tesla Model Y helped during a medical emergency
Brandt said he was driving from Atlanta to Birmingham on I-20 around 4 a.m. when severe chest pain made it unsafe for him to keep driving on his own. His Model Y had Full Self-Driving Supervised enabled, which helped keep the car on course while he called his son, Jack.
Jack then acted from his own phone. Because he was an authorized driver on his father’s Tesla account, he could send a new destination to the vehicle through the Tesla app. He found Tanner Medical Center in Carrollton, Georgia and rerouted the car there.
He also called ahead, so emergency room staff knew a possible heart attack patient was coming. Brandt later said doctors found three blocked arteries and told him the fast reroute likely saved his life.
Brandt credited his family, the hospital team and Tesla’s technology for helping him survive. His experience also shows why trusted access should be set up before a crisis starts.
Why the Tesla FSD medical emergency feels so personal
This story hits home because it sounds like something that could happen to any of us. You may be driving to help a parent. You may be on a highway before sunrise. You may think you feel heartburn or stress until the pain gets worse.
Most of us think about car safety in terms of brakes, airbags and tires. However, this story shows that app access, navigation settings and trusted contacts can also play a role in a crisis. That does not mean your car becomes a paramedic. It means your connected vehicle can give your family more ways to help if something goes wrong.
Brandt’s experience raises a question every driver should consider: If you suddenly could not manage the trip alone, would someone you trust know how to step in and help?
How Tesla owners can prepare for a medical emergency
If you own a Tesla, start with trusted driver access. Add someone you trust completely, such as a spouse, adult child or close family member. Tesla lets owners add drivers through the Tesla app. Once added, that person may be able to access key vehicle features from their own phone.
Choose carefully. A trusted driver may be able to see your vehicle location and use important app controls. That access can help in an emergency, but it also deserves serious thought.
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Next, show that person how to send a destination to your Tesla. Do not make this something they figure out during a crisis. Sit in the parked car and test it together.
Have them send a familiar destination to the vehicle. Make sure you both understand what appears on the screen. Then talk through what they should do if you ever call and say something is wrong.
Also save useful locations in your navigation system. Add home, work and hospitals you would likely use. If you often drive between two cities, look at hospitals along that route before you need them.
Why Full Self-Driving Supervised isn’t an emergency plan
Tesla calls the system Full Self-Driving Supervised for a reason. The driver still needs to pay attention and stay ready to take over at any time. Brandt’s experience shows how the technology and app connectivity helped during one frightening emergency. But a Tesla cannot replace 911, an ambulance or a trained medical team.
If you feel chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea, lightheadedness or pain in your arm, back or jaw, treat it as an emergency. Pull over safely if you can. Call 911 immediately. Emergency responders can start care on the way to the hospital and alert the ER before you arrive.
The car’s connected navigation features allowed Brandt’s son to reroute the vehicle to the nearest emergency room from his own phone. (Tesla)
Your car may help your family find you or send a destination. Still, it should never delay a medical call.
How to prepare any connected car for an emergency
You do not need a Tesla to learn from this story. Many newer vehicles have connected apps, navigation tools, roadside assistance buttons or emergency calling features. First, remember this: your car should never replace 911. If you are having a medical emergency, pull over safely if you can and call for help immediately. These steps are about giving your family extra ways to help, not replacing emergency responders.
1) Check your vehicle app access
Open your automaker’s app and review what it can do. Look for vehicle location, shared driver access, remote lock controls, roadside assistance and navigation features. Then make sure your trusted contact can use the app if your car allows it. If the app requires a login, two-factor code or owner approval, handle that now. Also check app access after you get a new phone. Permissions can change when you upgrade. Also, because vehicle apps can show location and control certain car features, use a strong unique password, store it in a password manager and turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) if available. Only give app access to someone you fully trust.
2) Turn on location and alert permissions
Make sure your vehicle app can use location services when needed. Also allow important notifications from the app so you do not miss alerts about your car. Ask your trusted contact to check the same settings on their phone. If they cannot see your vehicle, receive alerts or open the app quickly, they may not be able to help during a crisis.
3) Test sending a destination to your car
Some vehicles let you send a destination from your phone to the dashboard. Others do not. Find out now. Sit in your parked car and send a destination from your phone. Then ask your trusted contact to try it if they have authorized access. This quick test can prevent confusion later. It also shows you what your car will display when a new destination arrives.
4) Learn what your SOS button really does
Many vehicles have an SOS button, emergency assistance button or roadside help button. Do not assume they all work the same way. Check your owner’s manual or automaker app. Find out whether the button calls 911, a private call center or roadside assistance. Also learn whether the system shares your vehicle location. That detail can be critical if you cannot explain where you are.
5) Set up phone emergency features
Your phone may help even more than your car. Add emergency contacts, fill out your Medical ID or emergency information and make sure your family can reach you even when Do Not Disturb is on. Apple says iPhone emergency contacts can receive a text and your location after an emergency call, while Samsung lets Galaxy owners add emergency contacts, medical info and SOS sharing from Safety and emergency settings.
On iPhone
- Open the Health app.
- Tap your profile picture in the top-right corner.
- Tap Medical ID .
- Scroll down and under each section in red, tap Edit or Add .
- Add important details, such as medical conditions, allergies, medications and blood type.
- Scroll to Emergency Contacts and tap Add Emergency Contact .
- Choose a trusted contact and select their relationship to you.
- Turn on Show When Locked and Share During Emergency Call if those options appear.
- Tap
To make sure key people can reach you, go to Settings → Focus → Do Not Disturb → People and allow calls or notifications from your trusted contacts. You can also open a contact, tap Edit , choose Ringtone or Text Tone and turn on Emergency Bypass . Emergency Bypass can allow that person’s calls or texts to come through even when Focus settings would normally silence them.
On Samsung Galaxy
Settings may vary depending on your Android’s manufacturer
- Open Settings
- Tap Safety and emergency
- Tap Medical info
- Add important details, such as medical conditions, allergies, medications and blood type
- Tap Save
- Go back to Safety and emergency
- Tap Emergency contacts
- Tap Add emergency contact or Add member
- Choose your trusted contacts and tap Done
- Turn on Show on Lock screen if available
- Go back to Safety and emergency and tap Emergency SOS to review how your phone calls for help and whether it sends SOS messages to emergency contacts
On Galaxy phones, also check Settings → Safety and emergency → Emergency Location Service and turn it on if available. This can help share your location with emergency responders in supported regions.
To let important calls through Do Not Disturb, go to Settings → Notifications → Do not disturb → Calls and messages or Allowed during Do not disturb , then allow favorite contacts or selected contacts. Favorite contacts can be allowed through while Do Not Disturb is on.
6) Keep a written backup in the car
Technology can fail. Phones lose battery. Apps can lock you out. Keep a small emergency card in your wallet or glove box. Include emergency contacts, allergies, medications and your preferred hospital. If you have a heart condition or another medical concern, ask your doctor what details should be listed.
7) Review access every few months
Trusted access should not be set once and forgotten. Remove anyone who no longer needs access to your vehicle app. Add someone new if your family situation changes. Also update emergency contacts after a move, phone change or major health update.
Kurt’s key takeaways
John Brandt’s story is scary because it could happen to anyone. His Tesla helped, but the real lesson is preparation. If your car has an app, know what it can do before an emergency. Add a trusted family member, test the navigation tools and make sure your phone’s emergency features are filled out. A car should never replace calling 911. However, the right setup can give your family one more way to help when every second counts.
If your car were involved in an emergency, would your family know what to do? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.
The story is a reminder to set up trusted app access and emergency features before you ever need them. (Tesla)
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Skullcandy announced a new version of its Crusher wireless headphones today featuring a few of Bose’s audio technologies including its QuietControl ANC and head-tracking spatial audio. The Crusher headphone line differentiates itself from the competition through the use of both full-range and dedicated bass drivers in each ear cup to boost deeper frequencies. Skullcandy admits that approach can result in a loss of audio quality when the bass is heavily boosted, but its new Crusher 1080 ANC are meant to address and improve that with Bose’s help.
Available starting today for $279.99 in black, candy, primer, and cement color options, the new Crusher 1080 ANC feature redesigned drivers with a stiffer diaphragm material resulting in enhanced clarity and detail with less distortion at higher volume. As with previous models in the Crusher line, the bass boosting is entirely adjustable using Skullcandy’s mobile app or the on-headphone controls that now include a more prominent dial on the outside.
The Crusher 1080 ANC will be the first non-Bose headphones to feature that company’s TrueSpatial audio technology with head tracking that works whether you’re stationary or out for a run and its WaveForm audio engine that “keeps audio full, balanced, and smooth.” Skullcandy’s latest will also offer industry-leading noise cancellation with Bose’s six microphone QuietControl ANC tech that adapts as sounds around you get louder or quieter. The Crusher 1080ANC even features Bose’s SpeechClarity that reduces noise so your voice comes through clearly during a call, but they’re not the first third-party headphones to offer it.
Battery life is estimated to be up to 60 hours with ANC turned off, or 50 hours with it on, while a 10-minute rapid charge will keep the Crusher 1080 ANC going for up to four hours if they die. There’s multipoint pairing for connecting and switching between multiple devices, auto reconnect and wear detection that pauses music when you take the headphones off, and a design that folds flat for easier storage. The Crusher 1080 ANC supports Bluetooth 5.3 with LE Audio, low latency audio, and Auracast.
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You paid for the product. So why does it feel like the company still controls the screen? That is the question more of us are starting to ask as smart devices get updated long after we bring them home. A refrigerator can show ads in your kitchen. A car can flash offers on the dashboard. Even a Windows 11 computer can surface promotions before you get to work.
The frustrating part is that this often happens through software updates. You tap update because you want your device to stay secure and work properly. Then one day, the product you bought starts acting like a billboard. This is also why it pays to understand the hidden privacy clauses and settings that come with smart products before those screens start doing things you never expected.
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Smart devices from refrigerators to cars and computers can show ads after software updates, raising questions about who controls screens consumers already paid for. (Michele Tantussi/Getty Images)
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Samsung Family Hub refrigerators started showing ads
Samsung Family Hub refrigerators are sold as connected kitchen hubs. You can use the screen for weather, calendars, grocery lists and other household features. But as we discussed on The CyberGuy Report podcast at CyberGuy.com, that same screen can also become a place for ads after a software update. Samsung began showing ads on some Family Hub refrigerator Cover Screens in the U.S. We reached out to Samsung about this, and a spokesperson provided us with this statement:
“Last year, Samsung piloted a new Cover Screen widget on Family Hub refrigerators in the U.S. The widget rotates through useful information like weather, news, calendar events, and curated ads. After the pilot concluded in March, the widget was launched fully with the same user experience.
Users can turn off the Cover Screen widget, including ads, in the Advertisements tab of the Settings menu (Settings > Advertisements > Cover screen Ads) without impacting any other features or functions. Ads can also be dismissed on the Cover Screens where shown, meaning that the dismissed ad will not appear again during that specific ad’s campaign period. Since the start of the pilot program last October, our review has indicated consumers are finding value in this new widget. The percentage of users who have turned off the feature is in the low single-digits.
A Cover Screen appears when the Family Hub screen is idle, and the widget only appears on the Weather, Color, and Daily Board themes. The widget does not appear on the Cover Screen’s Art or Album themes.”
That answer is important because Samsung says you can turn the Cover Screen ads off without losing other features. Still, the larger point remains. You bought a refrigerator, then a later update added an ad experience to the screen in your kitchen.
How to turn off Samsung Family Hub Cover Screen ads
On the Family Hub screen:
- Tap Settings
- Tap Advertisements
- Tap Cover Screen Ads
- Turn the switch off
You can also change the Cover Screen theme. Samsung says the widget does not appear on Art or Album themes.
Car screen ads appeared in Jeep, Ram and Chrysler vehicles
Now move from the kitchen to the driveway. Some Jeep, Ram and Chrysler drivers previously saw promotional messages on their infotainment screens through Stellantis’ Uconnect system.
Stellantis, the automaker behind Jeep, Ram, Chrysler and Dodge, says its In-Vehicle Message technology, or IVM, is designed to help the company stay in contact with owners at important points during ownership. The company says it uses IVM for important messages, such as vehicle recalls and vehicle health monitor alerts. Stellantis also confirmed that the earlier pop-up promotions were part of its in-vehicle messaging or Uconnect communication system. However, the company says it has not run the promotional in-vehicle messages referenced in those reports since mid-fall 2025 and has nothing planned for future in-vehicle promotional messages.
At the time those promotional messages were active, Stellantis says owners could opt out by calling customer service or by updating their profile or Message Settings on their vehicle brand’s website account, such as a Ram owner account. That update is important. There are no current promotional in-vehicle messages to opt out of, according to Stellantis. Still, the larger concern remains: modern vehicles are software-driven, and the screen in the middle of your dashboard can be changed long after you drive off the lot.
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Some Jeep, Ram and Chrysler drivers previously saw promotional messages on infotainment screens through Stellantis’ Uconnect system. (Kurt “Cyberguy” Knutsson)
Why dashboard messages feel more intrusive
A car screen is different from a phone app or website. You use that display for directions, music, climate controls and vehicle settings. So when a promotional message appears there, it can feel more personal than an ad on a webpage.
To be fair, in-vehicle messaging can serve an important purpose. Recall notices and vehicle health alerts can help owners respond to safety or maintenance issues faster.
However, promotional messages hit differently. You are sitting in a car you paid tens of thousands of dollars for. That screen should help you drive, maintain your vehicle and get where you are going without feeling like another place for a sales pitch.
Windows 11 ads can appear in several places
Then there is your computer. Windows 11 can show promotional content in places that feel like part of the operating system. That includes the lock screen, the Start menu and account-related notifications.
The lock screen can use Windows Spotlight, which displays rotating images along with tips, tricks and notifications. Start menu settings also include areas where Microsoft can show recommendations and account prompts.
Some of these messages may look like helpful notices. Others can feel like upsells. The most annoying ones are the alerts that look urgent, then steer you toward a Microsoft service such as OneDrive backup. Microsoft declined to comment for this story.
How to reduce ads and suggestions in Windows 11
You can cut down on much of this in Settings.
Change the lock screen:
- Go to Settings
- Click Personalization
- Click Lock screen
- Change Windows Spotlight to Picture
- Turn off Get fun facts, tips, tricks and more on your lock screen
Reduce Start menu suggestions:
- Go to Settings
- Click Personalization
- Click Start
- Turn off any available toggles for recommendations, tips, suggestions or personalized offers
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Samsung says Family Hub refrigerator Cover Screen ads can be turned off, but the feature highlights how connected appliances can change after purchase. (SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Limit account-related prompts:
- Go to Settings
- Click Personalization
- Click Start
- Turn off Show account-related notifications
Microsoft may change wording over time, so look for anything tied to recommendations, tips, suggestions, offers or account notifications. For more Windows settings help, see these Windows 11 tips.
Device screen ads are spreading after you buy
The real problem isn’t one ad on one screen. It is the fact that software gives companies a way to change products after you buy them. A refrigerator used to stay a refrigerator. A car dashboard used to do what it did on the day you drove off the lot. A computer operating system used to feel like the tool you used to get things done.
Now those screens can change later. A company can add a widget, promote a service or push an offer through an update. That does not mean every update is bad. Security fixes are essential. Bug fixes help. New features can be useful. However, ads feel different when they arrive after you already paid for the product. That is why you should keep your devices updated, but also check what changed after the update installs.
What this means to you
Before you buy a smart appliance, connected car or computer, think beyond the hardware. Ask what kind of software controls the screen. Check whether ads, recommendations or promotional content can be turned off.
After setup, go through the settings before you assume the default experience is the only option. Look for menus labeled ads, recommendations, notifications, tips, offers or personalization. If you are setting up a new device, this new electronics setup guide is a good place to start.
Also, pay attention after updates. If a new widget or pop-up appears, do not assume you have to live with it. There may be a buried toggle that turns it off. Most of all, remember that a screen in your home, car or office has value. Companies know that. You should know it too.
Kurt’s key takeaways
This is exactly why we covered this on The CyberGuy Report podcast at CyberGuy.com. It hits a nerve because you already paid for these products, yet companies can still use software updates to claim space on the screens you see every day. Samsung says Family Hub Cover Screen ads can be turned off. Stellantis says its vehicle promotions stopped in the fall of 2025. Windows 11 gives you some settings that reduce tips, suggestions and account prompts. Still, the pattern is hard to ignore. Companies are learning how to keep making money from a product after the sale. That may be great for them, but it can feel pretty lousy when the screen is inside your kitchen, your car or your computer. When you pay thousands of dollars for a product, that screen should work for you instead of becoming another place for a company to sell to you.
Which screen ad would bother you most: one on your refrigerator, one on your computer or one in your car? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.
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