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diff --git a/2603GL_apppack_factcheck_AS.docx b/2603GL_apppack_factcheck_AS.docx Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d3dc9e7 --- /dev/null +++ b/2603GL_apppack_factcheck_AS.docx diff --git a/Create Expense Report.pdf b/Create Expense Report.pdf Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..664e99c --- /dev/null +++ b/Create Expense Report.pdf diff --git a/VPN-review.txt b/VPN-review.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..57e93e0 --- /dev/null +++ b/VPN-review.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9 @@ +VPN picks: + +Verified don't log: +ExpressVPN: https://proprivacy.com/privacy-news/expressvpn-cannot-hand-over-logs +PIA +https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/ + + + diff --git a/WI030119_GL_AppPackWork_02.docx b/WI030119_GL_AppPackWork_02.docx Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..08974f1 --- /dev/null +++ b/WI030119_GL_AppPackWork_02.docx diff --git a/WIRED Gear Team Links and Resources.pdf b/WIRED Gear Team Links and Resources.pdf Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4f0f629 --- /dev/null +++ b/WIRED Gear Team Links and Resources.pdf diff --git a/Wired Style Guide Aug 2018.docx b/Wired Style Guide Aug 2018.docx Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8156bcb --- /dev/null +++ b/Wired Style Guide Aug 2018.docx diff --git a/approved-2019-holiday-calendar.pdf b/approved-2019-holiday-calendar.pdf Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1c5c693 --- /dev/null +++ b/approved-2019-holiday-calendar.pdf diff --git a/deals1010.txt b/deals1010.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1e5cafc --- /dev/null +++ b/deals1010.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7 @@ +The first weekend of October isn't *really* a holiday, but it should be. The air is chilly, the leaves are starting to fall, and Halloween is approaching. Want to capture some fall hiking video? Product reviewer Scott Gilbertson reports that the [GoPro Hero 8](https://www.wired.com/review/go-pro-hero-8-black/) is easier to use than ever. And you can stay warm and dry with the North Face's high-tech [Futurelight rain jacket](https://www.wired.com/review/the-north-face-futurelight-flight-jacket/). + +Or, if you'd prefer to stay inside and bake some goodies, you can always pull up YouTube TV or another of the best [live-TV streaming apps](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-live-tv-apps/). Read on for our [best picks for your fall weekend](https://www.wired.com/story/weekend-tech-deals-drones-horror-games). + +As the heat and humidity of summer fades away like a bad dream it's time to gear up for the Fall camping season. To help you out we're rounded up [the best deal at REI's annual autumn sale](https://www.wired.com/story/rei-end-of-season-sale-2019). + +If you're sticking around town, but want to get outdoors consider an E-bike. Senior Writer Adrienne So reports on the new [Tern HSD Series](https://www.wired.com/review/tern-hsd/). If you're more of an indoor enthusiast check out our guide to the [best cheap phones](https://www.wired.com/story/best-cheap-phones/), or consider the [Parrot Anafi drone](https://www.wired.com/review/parrot-anafi-fpv/), an imperfect, but still fun little device. diff --git a/fall-pitches.txt b/fall-pitches.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..28a301f --- /dev/null +++ b/fall-pitches.txt @@ -0,0 +1,25 @@ +metal detectors +kitchen ware: + pans + knives + pressure cookers + juicers +coffee grinders +flashlights +ultralight tents +camp stoves + + +guides: + +Everything you need to find treasure on the beach +how to have a great camping trip sort of thing +How to have a great +Cook great meals outdoors +Sleep in your car +Everything You Need to Turn Your Kitchen into a Cafe +Engineer the ultimate night's sleep +Low cost ways to keep your kid entertained on long car trips +Pro Photo/Video on the Go + + diff --git a/gopro7deal.txt b/gopro7deal.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4db62df --- /dev/null +++ b/gopro7deal.txt @@ -0,0 +1,26 @@ +The GoPro Hero Black series cameras created and defined the concept of action camera. It's been the best action camera around and a [WIRED reviewer favorite](https://www.wired.com/review/gopro-hero7-black-2018/) for years now. The latest model, the Hero 8 Black, brings some great new features, but the previous version, the Hero 7, is still a great camera and it's on sale right now. + +I've long been a fan of the Hero 7 as my go-to waterproof camera. My family loves the water—oceans, lakes, rivers, pools, ponds, mud puddles. It doesn't matter so long as my kids can jump in it. My main camera, a Sony A7II, does not love the water. Enter the Hero 7, which doesn't care what environment you throw at it. Well, maybe don't try putting in lava, but otherwise you should be good. + +The Hero 7 Black brought remarkable in-camera image stabilization and while the Hero 8 black makes some improvements to HyperSmooth, as GoPro calls it, they're not earth-shattering. The image stabilization in the Hero 7 is still going to produce great footage. Just a few days ago it was the best image stabilization you could get in a GoPro and now you can get it for less. + +*(Note: When you buy something using the retail links in our stories, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Much like [subscribing to WIRED](https://subscribe.wired.com/subscribe/splits/wired/WIR_Edit_Hardcoded?source=deal_guides_sub), these contributions help fund the journalism we put out every day. [Read more](https://www.wired.com/2015/11/affiliate-link-policy/) about how this works.)* + +**The GoPro Hero 7 costs $329 ($70 off) at Amazon** + +[B&H Photo](https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1430472-REG/gopro_chdhx_701_hero7_black.html){: rel=nofollow} and [Best Buy](https://www.bestbuy.com/site/gopro-hero7-black-4k-waterproof-action-camera-black/6283807.p?skuId=6283807){: rel=nofollow} also have the discount. + +### Pros and Cons of the GoPro Hero 7 Black + +The Hero 7 Black got 8/10 ([WIRED Recommends](https://www.wired.com/review/gopro-hero7-black-2018/)) in our review last year, but here are some of the highlights, along with some notes on what the Hero 8 Black offers if you want to spend the extra money. + + +**WIRED** The biggest reason to stick with the Hero 7 in my view is the removable lens cover. Not only are there a lot of third party filters out there that can improve your shots (neutral density filters, which are like sunglasses for your lens, are very handy in snow), but the one that comes with your Hero 7 Black is replaceable should you scratch it. And trust me, The GoPro is made to be used and abused, scratches happen. GoPro says the non-removable lens of the Hero 8 Black has stronger glass and is more scratch resistant, but until feedback from real world use starts to come in, I am hesitant to upgrade. + +The big news back when the Hero 7 Black launched was HyperSmooth, the electronic image stabilization (EIS) system. This will crop 10 percent of the image, using that zoom to reduce and mitigate shake. You lose some field of view, but it's a vast improvement over previous attempts. The Hero 8 Black does improve this even more, and makes it available to all video modes. The Hero 7 also got rid the rolling-shutter effect that plagued earlier versions. + +The microphone was also improved, reducing wind-noise. The SuperPhoto feature uses HDR to try to expose for both faces and background using multiple exposures which are then combined. SuperPhoto works well in some situations, but not all. This is one place the Hero 8 Black vastly improves on the Hero 7. + +**TIRED** The Hero 7 Black isn't all roses, and now that its successor is here you should keep in mind that the new form factor may mean fewer accessories support the Hero 7 going forward. That said, there are plenty of accessories on the market today that will likely continue to be available for quite some time. + +The Hero 7 is undeniably a clunkier user experience than the Hero 8, both in terms of hardware—the need to take off the mounting cage to change batteries or SD cards will never stop being annoying—and in software, the lack of customization in menus means more fiddling to change setting compared to the Hero 8. diff --git a/leica-notes.txt b/leica-notes.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9ce2395 --- /dev/null +++ b/leica-notes.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5 @@ +Embargo 11/6 9AM EST Sales 11/21 + +5999 euros k + +Leica SL-2, diff --git a/macos-notes.txt b/macos-notes.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..349c046 --- /dev/null +++ b/macos-notes.txt @@ -0,0 +1,52 @@ +After years of playing second fiddle to iOS devices and software updates, 2019 has been a year of Mac love. Apple fans have seen new Mac Pros worthy of the name, and MacOS 10.15 Catalina, the newest operating system for the Mac, has more updates and improvements than any release in recent memory. + +It's true many of the things I love in the new MacOS actually rely heavily on the iPad and iPad software, but Apple has clearly spent considerable time reflecting on, and then refining the MacOS experience. The outcome is the demise of iTunes, smoother device syncing, iPad apps on your desktop, , and you can track your screen time on your Mac just like you do on iOS devices, and plenty more in this sprawling, but worthwhile update. + +### The Best Thing in Catalina is Your iPad. + +Assuming you have an iPad, the standout feature in MacOS Catalina is the ability to use your iPad as a second monitor or, using the Apple Pencil, as a drawing tablet (much like a Wacom tablet). If you don't have an iPad Catalina might convince you to get one (see our [iPad buying guide](https://www.wired.com/gallery/the-best-ipad/)). Sidecar, as this feature is known, effectively turns your iPad into a portable dual monitor setup with a drawing tablet option to boot. + +Technically the dual monitor option has always been possible using an app like [Duet Display](https://www.duetdisplay.com://www.duetdisplay.com/), but native support offers better performance in my testing. The nice thing about Sidecar is there's no need for developers to update their apps, it just works. + +Sidecar is useful for everything from keeping your Photoshop palettes on the iPad screen while your work canvas is on your MacBook, to previewing presentation slides while you work on them. Using Sidecar in conjunction with the Apple Pencil opens up some new possibilities, like the ability to draw on the iPad while using proper desktop drawing apps like Adobe Illustrator rather than Adobe's somewhat neutered iPad drawing apps. + +In order for Sidecar to work you'll need an iPad running iPadOS 13, and a compatible Mac (see Apple's [list of compatible hardware](https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210380#systemrequirements)). + +Catalina isn't just about bringing iPad hardware to MacOS, it also brings many iPad applications to MacOS as well. Thanks to some new tools, Apple has made it much easier for developers to port their iPad apps to MacOS. A few popular apps, like Twitter, are already available, and some of Apple's own apps also use this technology (notably, the new Podcasts app comes from iPadOS). + +### Musicology + +Having been on record as an [iTunes hater since 2008](https://www.wired.com/2008/11/the-top-ten-reasons-itunes-sucks/), I'd like to take this moment to do a little dance on its grave. Except for one thing: iTunes is not really dead. It's just back to doing what it was once really good at, managing your music. Oh, and it's been renamed, Music. + +Apple has pulled apart iTunes and assigned all its former functions to different apps: Apple Music, Apple TV, and Apple Podcasts. All iDevice syncing now happens in Finder and, in perhaps my favorite MacOS change in years, when you plug in an iPad or iPhone... nothing happens. Sweet, sweet nothing. Your device will charge and show up the Finder sidebar if you want to interact with it, but no app launches. + +Apple Music is tightly focused on your music and nothing else. It looks like iTunes once did before Apple started bolting all kinds of odds and ends onto it. That said, it's still the most complex of the three new apps, handling your local music library, a music store (which is still called the "iTunes Store"), and Apple Music, Apple's streaming music service. Each section gets its own place in the sidebar, which means there's still a lot going on for a music app, but at least it's all music related and no music features have been removed. + +I no longer have a huge iTunes library to run through the upgrade process, but I did do an in-place upgrade with a small library and ran into no problems at all. One important thing to note, iTunes might be gone, but the monolithic iTunes library in the file system is not. Make sure you don't delete or move that file because all the new apps use it (see Apple's [help page](https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210200) for details). The other slightly confusing thing is that you have to open Music to get the library converted. Until you do that, none of your content will show up in Podcasts or TV. + +If you've ever used the Podcasts app on iPad, you'll recognize the new MacOS version. Not only is it a nicely done podcasts app, it makes a good showcase of how apps from the iPad can be translated to MacOS. The best feature in Podcasts is the search tool, which will now search not just the metadata and descriptions that your favorite podcasters write for each episode, but also Siri-transcribed transcripts of the actual audio. This means if you search for "Gadget Lab" not only will you find the podcast, but also any podcasts that might talk about Gadget Lab, or use the phrase "Gadget Lab". + +The new TV app is where you'll go to view your purchased items, access any third-party streaming services you've paid for, like HBO or Hulu, and find recommendations on what to watch. The app itself looks like it does on Apple TV and iDevices, but the way it handles outside content is different, frustratingly so in some cases. + +If you subscribe to a streaming service, say PBS Kids, you might see a PBS Kids channel in the Apple TV channels app offering a subscription as well. These subscription services have some great features.They don't require additional apps or logins, you can share subscriptions between devices, and you can download episodes for offline viewing (something many of these services do not allow in their own apps). But, and this is a big but, you'll need to unsubscribe and re-subscribe within in the TV app for this to work. It's awkward and honestly I'm not sure I would have figured it out were it not for our friends at [Ars Technica](https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/10/macos-10-15-catalina-the-ars-technica-review/7/#h1) pointing it out. It is a very confusing and un-Apple-like experience. + +While iTunes is gone, it's features live on in separate apps, the same is not true of Dashboard, once Apple's way of giving quick access to widgets like notes, clocks, weather and so on. Dashboard was disabled by default in MacOS 10.10 Yosemite, and now it's gone. Most of the functionaity, like widgets, is still available through the Today tab in Notification Center, but [TK link to Lily's piece](link). + + +### Sweating the Small Stuff + +Apple has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to accessibility. Catalina continues that trend with a new voice-control feature makes it possible to completely control your Mac (or Pad, or iPhone) with spoken commands. It's partly driven by improved Siri speech recognition features (English only for now) and partly by using a very clever system of grids and numbers that overlay your screen. To navigate around you first activate the grid, then call out the part of grid you want to access, and then you can trigger mouse clicks or press buttons using your voice -- no mouse or trackpad necessary. + +Catalina is packed with other small, but useful improvements. The Notes app gains a gallery view, and the ability to share and collaborate on folders instead of just notes. The iOS app Screen Time comes to MacOS to let you know all the ways you're wasting time on the web. Other new apps include News, Stocks, Home, and Voice Memos, which all come from iOS, as well as Apple Arcade which makes games available across all your devices. If you own an Apple Watch, you can use it to authenticate on your Mac. Instead of typing your password to confirm a payment, unlock a note, or approve a download, you can use your Apple Watch. + +If that sounds like a frivolous thing, it is, but it's one you might come to appreciate because Catalina is going to ask you to approve more things. Like Mojave before it, Catalina introduces even more security restrictions to control which apps can access which files and folders on your system. While many of these security enhancements really are just that, they do create additional approval dialog boxes to wade through when all you want to do is download a file or open a new application. + +### Should You Upgrade? + +Absolutely. Though maybe not right this second. My approach has always been to wait a few weeks, let the early adopters find and report all the problems, let Apple release updates to address them and then upgrade. + +The good news is that updating your old Mac probably won't slow you down as has occasionally been my experience with past MacOS updates. You can check to make sure your Mac is compatible here (if it's not, have a look at our guide to [which MacBook you should get](https://www.wired.com/story/which-macbook-should-you-buy/)). I tested Catalina on a brand new MacBook Pro, a 2017 MacBook, and a 2016 iMac, and neither of the older machines felt any slower after the upgrade + +I haven't had any significant issues running Catalina since the GM release, but some users have reported problems, mainly with third-party apps (Adobe Creative Suite especially has had some hiccups). Additionally Catalina drops support for 32-bit apps. + +For most people this probably won't matter, but if you rely on software that hasn't or won't be updating to 64-bit, you won't be able to run it once you upgrade. @@ -1,3 +1,10 @@ +- action cams +- portable coffee +- labor day sales +- REI sale update + + + Low end laptop round up notes Acer Aspire 5 @@ -16,7 +23,14 @@ Model Name: A515-54-51DJ Part Number: NX.HG5AA.001 $529.99: - plenty fast - no problems with windows -Acer Swift 3 Acer Chromebook + - keyboard is nice + - same screen as Swift 3 + - Micro SD card is flush/recessed + - RAM was sufficient for chrome tasks + - Android apps are still hit or miss, mostly miss + - Linux on Chromebook works quite well and gives you access to tools you'd need for basic STEM-type courses, though not necessarily compiling software, probably not enough processing power. + +Acer Swift 3 Lenovo Chromebook C330 diff --git a/parrot-anafi-review.txt b/parrot-anafi-review.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5389dd4 --- /dev/null +++ b/parrot-anafi-review.txt @@ -0,0 +1,42 @@ +DJI drones have long dominated the skies, but there are plenty of other drone options out there. Parrot, which has long made some very fun toy-like drones, stepped up its game last year with the 4K-capable Anafi. + +The company is back with a slightly new take on the Anafi, the Anafi FPV (first person view), which adds FPV goggles, a convenient backpack, and still manages to keep the price at $800. Compare that with DJI's Mavic Air with goggles, which would set you back $tk. + +DJI's Mavic and goggles combo does offer a laundry list of features you won't find in the Anafi, but Parrot is betting there's a class of pilots out there who want the FPV experience, but don't want to shell out the big bucks to get it. + +### Same Same But Different + +Parrot released the Anafi earlier this year (see our [full review](https://www.wired.com/review/parrot-anafi-4k-hdr-drone/)) and it's largely unchanged in this release. The design is compact and lightweight, with arms that fold in making it easy to fit in your bag. Speaking of bags, one of my favorite parts of the FPV release is the included backpack, which neatly squares away all the components and is firm enough to double as a launch pad if there's no flat ground around. + +The camera is unchanged in this release, it still offers 4K video at up to 30 fps, and takes 21-megapixel still images (including RAW), but the camera unfortunately doesn't produce as good of an image as I would think given the specs. The RAW files are fine, but the JPGs straight out of the camera were a little flat to my eye. + +The Anafi has a top speed of 34 mph and manages a range of over two miles, though out of the box it's much more tightly geo-fenced. You'll need to go into the settings and tweak the geo fence to extend the range to its full potential. Parrot is now claiming 26 minutes flying time from on a single charge, that's up one minute from the original release. + +### Goggle Me Goose + +Small tweaks to the Anafi aside, the main point of this release is the first person view goggle headset. + +Parrot has opted for what you could call a goggle holster, a relatively comfortable harness that straps to your head and holds a phone in front of your eyes. It's simple to set up, just lock your phone in place, adjust the straps, and you're ready to go. Parrot has a [list of supported devices](){: rel=nofollow}, though in my testing, so long as you can run the app and your phone fits, you'll be fine. + +Tapping your phone to provide the screen allows Parrot to keep costs down, but it's not without some trade offs. There's less hardware to access controls and navigating your way through menus is definitely more difficult. There are two hardware buttons, one of which calls up a menu which you then navigate with the joysticks while the Anafi hovers in place. The other button toggles your phone display between the app and your rear camera, which is useful if you want to take a quick look around without removing the headset. + +The buttons in the headset are actually just levers which tap a spot on the phone's screen. There's something wonderfully low tech about this approach that I really like, and it eliminates the need for batteries in the headset, which keeps things lightweight and relatively comfortable. It's still not the most comfortable thing to wear though. I found the lack of focusing options (there are zero) made it difficult for my aging eyes to focus well on the screen for long periods of time. I was still able to fly without any trouble, but I never wanted to keep it on for too long. + +I should probably also confess that my bias is toward the drone as a flying camera, rather than as a racing copter. I understand the appeal of FPV for racing and some other scenarios, but it's not my control method of choice. That said, I did have a lot of fun flying the Anafi in Arcade mode, which makes the flight path follow the camera. This felt the most natural to me using the goggle headset. Pan the camera and the drone follows. + +The other main flight mode I enjoyed in FPV was Cinematic mode, which locks the camera’s horizon to the drone's horizon. More than anything this felt like an easier version of the old PC flight simulator games I played (or tried to play) as a kid. + +There's also a racing preset, which is what anyone with any experience and love of pure drone flying will want to use. I found the responsiveness of the Anafi in this mode to be impressive and on par with DJI's equivalent settings. + +The faster, more responsive modes highlight why I don't find FPV all that useful in the more general case, that is, outside of closely controlled situations. -- the lack of situational awareness. That is, you have tunnel vision and no awareness of anything happening outside the camera's field of view. + +That's fine for racing on a controlled course, or flying in an area with no obstructions like trees or buildings, but if you're flying at your local park, you can easily bank into a tree if you're not careful. Parrot has wisely defaulted the Anafi to what it calls "film" mode, which gives beginners a nice slow, gentle place to start flying. I'd also like to see Parrot include some object detection and collision avoidance features though. These have been standard issue for DJI drones for years now, but the Anafi offers nothing of the sort. + +The Anafi FPV does cost considerably less than a similar drone and google combo from DJI though. The trade off is, you'll lose a lot of features, some potentially drone-saving features, found in DJI's offering. + + + + +https://www.amazon.com/Parrot-Anafi-Lightweight-Cockpitglasses-Comprehensive/dp/B07WHDGR2R/ + +[B & H Photo Video](https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1497566-REG/parrot_pf728050_anafi_fpv_portable_drone.html){: rel=nofollow}, [Best Buy](https://www.bestbuy.com/site/parrot-anafi-fpv-drone-with-skycontroller-dark-gray/6366141.p?skuId=6366141){: rel=nofollow} diff --git a/pixel-buying-guide.txt b/pixel-buying-guide.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7d3eb78 --- /dev/null +++ b/pixel-buying-guide.txt @@ -0,0 +1,72 @@ +[#image: /photos/5da5ed0501e4a40008261467]|||||| + + +Apple's latest iPhones are here. There are three new iPhones to choose from: the iPhone 11 Pro Max, the smaller iPhone 11 Pro, and the standard iPhone 11. If you're wondering which one is right for you and where to buy them, look no further. We've broken down all your options and parsed out everything you need to know. + +If you need to enter the reality distortion field and hear all about Apple's latest pocket-size technological marvels, check out [our full recap of Apple's big event](https://www.wired.com/story/everything-apple-announced-sept-2019/). + +*Updated September 20, 2019: We've added some more iPhone deals and updated our links. The iPhone 11 models went on sale at 8 am Eastern/5 am Pacific time on September 20.* + +*Note: When you buy something using the retail links in our stories, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Read more about [how this works](https://www.wired.com/2015/11/affiliate-link-policy/).* + +###Picking the Right iPhone 11 for You + +There are a few key differences between the new iPhones. Apple has a side-by-side comparison you can look at [here](https://www.apple.com/iphone/compare/){: rel=nofollow}, complete with all the specs if you're a spec junkie. You can also read [our iPhone Buying Guide](https://www.wired.com/gallery/iphone-buying-guide/) to learn why you should consider an iPhone XR. + +Our quick take is that all three phones are impressive pieces of hardware. The form factor hasn't changed much beyond the new camera layout (more on that below). The main hardware improvement is the new A13 Bionic processor. Apple claims its A13 chip has the fastest-ever CPU and GPU in a smartphone, and you can [read all about it here](https://www.wired.com/story/apple-a13-bionic-chip-iphone/). + +All models also start at 64 GB of storage. If you can swing it, go for 128 GB. If not, backing your photos up to iCloud can clear up a lot of space. + +- **The [iPhone 11 ($699)](https://apple.sjv.io/Jddmq){: rel=nofollow} is the best phone for most people:** The iPhone 11 ([8/10, WIRED Recommends](https://www.wired.com/review/apple-iphone-11/)) is very nearly as nice as its Pro siblings at a fraction of the cost. It has the same high-end chip set and a very similar size screen, and all of the software improvements work just fine on the iPhone 11. It can shoot the same 4K video at 60 fps, and Apple claims it gets an extra hour of battery life compared to the iPhone XR. What the iPhone 11 lacks is the brighter, sharper, HDR screen and the telephoto (2x zoom) camera of the Pro models. The 11 still has all the software upgrades like Night mode, which reduces noise in low-light situations, Portrait mode improvements, and a new lighting effect called High Key Mono, which produces black and white images. You also get Smart HDR, Slo-mo selfies, and all the rest of Apple's photo and video software upgrades. + +- **The [iPhone 11 Pro ($999)](https://apple.sjv.io/Qd52a){: rel=nofollow} has a nicer screen and third camera:** If you want a flagship piece of hardware and don't mind paying for it, this is your phone. The iPhone 11 Pro ([9/10, WIRED Recommends](https://www.wired.com/review/apple-iphone-11-pro/)) adds a third, telephoto camera (2x zoom) with a 52mm f/2.0 lens. The Pro models get a 2x optical zoom-in, along with a 10x digital zoom. Together these extras open up some additional photographic possibilities. Combine the extra camera with the brighter HDR screen, and the 11 Pro feels more like a camera that happens to take calls than a phone that takes pictures. It gets 4 hours more battery life than the XS and is waterproof up to 4 meters, instead of 2 meters like the 11. + +- **The [iPhone 11 Pro Max ($1,099)](https://apple.sjv.io/Qd52a){: rel=nofollow} is the over-the-top phablet:** The iPhone 11 Pro Max ([9/10, WIRED Recommends](https://www.wired.com/review/apple-iphone-11-pro/)) is mostly identical to the Pro, but larger. Its 6.5-inch Super Retina XDR display is notably bigger than the plain Pro's 5.8-inch display. Otherwise, though, it's the same phone, just turned to 11. It gets 5 hours more battery life than an XS Max from last year, according to Apple. + +###Accessorize (and Buy a Case) + +No matter which phone you end up with, get a case. The iPhone 11 line is mostly glass. Sure, Apple has ads showing the new iPhone dropping and bouncing off the ground in slo-mo, and the company claims it's the most scratch-resistant glass ever, but trust me, glass does shatter. + +Some people don't like the added bulk, but I prefer to protect my phone investment with a case. The [Speck Presidio Sport](https://fave.co/2UOGqJi){: rel=nofollow} provides good protection without being overly bulky, but if you want really bulletproof protection, go for an [OtterBox case](https://fave.co/2UO5tvL){: rel=nofollow}. + +###Buy It Unlocked + + +[#image: /photos/5d77f386933a7300086dc3a7]||| +iPhone 11 Pro +||| + + +The easiest way to order is from Apple.com. We recommend you buy the phone unlocked. That way you'll be able to use it on any wireless carrier, should you ever decide to switch. When it comes time to upgrade in a couple of years, you'll get more money back for an unlocked phone. And again, we recommend a 128 GB model if you go for a Pro. + +- **[iPhone 11 for $699+ at the Apple Store](https://apple.sjv.io/Jddmq){: rel=nofollow}:** Buy it unlocked. Apple offers up to a $300 trade-in credit. + +- **[iPhone 11 Pro (both models) for $999+ at the Apple Store](https://apple.sjv.io/Qd52a){: rel=nofollow}:** Buy it unlocked. Apple offers up to a $400 trade-in credit. + +###More iPhone 11 Deals + +Below are some major retailer offers, which should all sell unlocked versions of the phone (recommended). Again, unlocked is really the way to go, since it frees you up to use any network or sell/gift your phone down the road. Having said that, there are some carrier specific deals out there. They're worth a look if you're not planning to [sell your phone](https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-trade-in-or-sell-your-iphone/) in the future or switch wireless networks. We've linked to the standard iPhone 11 pages. + +- **[Walmart offers $50 off](https://goto.walmart.com/c/1305164/565706/9383?subId1=iphone11deals&veh=aff&sourceid=imp_000011112222333344&u=https://www.walmart.com/cp/9922722){: rel=nofollow}:** At the moment, Walmart has the best deal going. You can get $50 off all three iPhone 11 models if you order at Walmart. We linked to the standard iPhone 11, but you can also order the [iPhone 11 Pro](https://goto.walmart.com/c/1305164/565706/9383?subId1=iphone11deals&veh=aff&sourceid=imp_000011112222333344&u=https://www.walmart.com/cp/7927648){: rel=nofollow}. + +- **[Verizon offers $700 off to new unlimited subscribers](https://www.verizonwireless.com/smartphones/apple-iphone-11/){: rel=nofollow}:** Verizon has a couple deals. If you switch to Verizon and pony up for the unlimited plan, you can get a free iPhone 11, or up to $700 off any new iPhone when you trade in your smartphone. You'll get your $700 credit in the form of a $500 credit applied over 24 months and a $200 prepaid card. If you've been planning to switch anyway, and want an unlimited plan, this isn't a bad deal. Here's a link to the [iPhone 11 Pro page](https://www.verizonwireless.com/wireless-devices/smartphones/iphone-11-pro/){: rel=nofollow}. + +- **[AT&T also offers $700 off your second iPhone 11](https://www.att.com/buy/phones/apple-iphone-11-256gb-black.html){: rel=nofollow}:** If you buy one iPhone 11 and start a $100 per month new line of service, AT&T will give you a second iPhone 11. The [iPhone 11 Pro](https://www.att.com/buy/phones/apple-iphone-11-pro-256gb-midnight-green.html){: rel=nofollow} and [iPhone 11 Pro Max](https://www.att.com/buy/phones/apple-iphone-11-pro-max-256gb-midnight-green.html){: rel=nofollow} are listed separately on its site. + +- **[Sprint sort of has a deal](https://www.sprint.com/en/landings/apple/iphone-11.html){: rel=nofollow}:** Sprint is offering a $0 a month iPhone 11 with a new line and trade-in of qualifying phone (iPhone 7 or better, as well as newer Android phones). The [iPhone 11 Pro](https://www.sprint.com/en/landings/apple/iphone.html){: rel=nofollow} is slightly more per month ($12.50) and listed separately. + +- **[T-Mobile order page](https://www.t-mobile.com/offers/apple-iphone-deals){: rel=nofollow}:** T-Mobile is offering the iPhone 11 at 50 percent off ($350) provided you have an "equitable" device to trade in. For example, trade in an iPhone 7 and get half off the iPhone 11. Or trade in iPhone XS Max for half off the iPhone 11 Pro Max. + +- **[Best Buy order page](https://www.bestbuy.com/site/iphone/shop-iphone-11-iphone-11-pro-and-iphone-11-pro-max/pcmcat1568147641595.c?id=pcmcat1568147641595){: rel=nofollow}:** You can get all three phones from Best Buy, which also has trade-in offers. + +- **[Target order page](https://www.target.com/p/apple-iphone-11/-/A-78052843){: rel=nofollow}:** Target also has the [iPhone 11 Pro](https://www.target.com/p/apple-iphone-11-pro/-/A-78052805){: rel=nofollow} and [iPhone 11 Pro Max](https://www.target.com/p/apple-iphone-11-pro-max/-/A-78052840){: rel=nofollow} listed separately. + +*** +### More Great WIRED Stories +* Watch [how to solve a Rubik's cube](https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-solve-a-rubiks-cube-step-by-step/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_4), step by step +* Why the [Porsche Taycan's two-speed gearbox](https://www.wired.com/story/electric-car-two-speed-transmission-gearbox/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_4) is such a big deal +* Elon Musk: Humanity is a kind of [“biological boot loader” for AI](https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-humanity-biological-boot-loader-ai/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_4) +* You are already [having sex with robots](https://www.wired.com/story/you-are-already-having-sex-with-robots/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_4) +* The ethics of [hiding your data from the machines](https://www.wired.com/story/ethics-hiding-your-data-from-machines/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_4) +* 👁 [How do machines learn](https://www.wired.com/story/how-we-learn-machine-learning-human-teachers/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_4)? Plus, read the [latest news on artificial intelligence](https://www.wired.com/category/business/artificial-intelligence/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_4) +* 📱 Torn between the latest phones? Never fear—check out our [iPhone buying guide](https://wired.com/gallery/iphone-buying-guide/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories) and [favorite Android phones](https://wired.com/gallery/best-android-phones/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories) diff --git a/hasselblad-review.txt b/polaroid-lab.txt index e69de29..e69de29 100644 --- a/hasselblad-review.txt +++ b/polaroid-lab.txt diff --git a/published/aug08-deals.txt b/published/aug08-deals.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..583bdce --- /dev/null +++ b/published/aug08-deals.txt @@ -0,0 +1,42 @@ +The relentless heat and humidity of summer continues, sending us outside in search of cold water, cool forests and high mountain passes. If you're also planning to escape the heat of the lowlands for the high country, but sure to take advantage of the ongoing [Backcountry.com sale](https://www.wired.com/story/deals-backcountry-semiannual-sale-2019/) to grab any last minute gear you need. + +If you prefer to wait out the heat indoors, check out some of our favorite electronics deals for the weekend, there's plenty in there to keep you busy and entertained until cooler weather returns. + +*(Note: When you buy something using the retail links in our stories, we may earn a small affiliate commission. [Read more](https://www.wired.com/2015/11/affiliate-link-policy/) about how this works.)* + +### Our Favorite Outdoor Deals + +- **[Haglofs Helios VX Backpack for $150 ($60 off)](https://fave.co/2ZJnyNs){: rel=nofollow}:** This versatile pack is water-resistant and made from light, durable ripstop. It has a laptop sleeve and roll-top for additional rain protection. + +- **[Silky Ono Professional Hatchet for $82.46 ($27 off)](https://www.backcountry.com/silky-ono-professional-hatchet?skid=SKY000A-ONECOL-ONESIZ&ti=UExQIFJ1bGUgQmFzZWQ6U2hvcCBBbGwgU2FsZSA6MzoxMjo=){: rel=nofollow}:** This wonderfully crafted steel hatchet is a must-have for serious wood chopping in the outdoors. It is sharp and potentially dangerous though so be sure to use safely and store it in the included bag for safe transport. + +- **[Sea To Summit X-Seal & Go Bowl for $13 ($11 off)](https://www.backcountry.com/sea-to-summit-x-seal-go?skid=STS004X-RD-XL&ti=UExQIFJ1bGUgQmFzZWQ6U2hvcCBBbGwgU2FsZSA6MzozNjo=){: rel=nofollow}:** This collapsible bowl works just as well in the office as on the trail, making it perfect for backed lunches no matter where you are. When you're done, give it a quick rinse and collapse it down for easy packing. + +- **[Petzl Tikkina Headlamp for $16 ($4 off)](https://www.backcountry.com/petzl-tikkina-2-headlamp-ptz006m?skid=PTZ006M-RD-ONESIZ&ti=UExQIFJ1bGUgQmFzZWQ6U2hvcCBBbGwgU2FsZSA6MTozMTo=){: rel=nofollow}:** The Tikkina strikes a good balance between price, weight and luminosity. It doesn't have a red light, but it does offer two mode, one optimized for brightness, one for battery life. + +- **[Black Diamond Cams for $58-$85 ($10-$45 off)](https://www.backcountry.com/black-diamond-camalot-c4s-bld0839?skid=BLD0839-S60-ONSI&ti=UExQIFJ1bGUgQmFzZWQ6U2hvcCBBbGwgU2FsZSA6MTo5Og==){: rel=nofollow}:** Black Diamond's Camelot series of camming devices remain some of the best you can buy. They don't end up on sale much either. + + +### Our Favorite Electronics Deals + + +- **[Apple AirPods 2 with Wireless Charging Case for $159 ($40 off)](https://express.google.com/u/0/product/13565179086288644032_0_137083102){: rel=nofollow}:** AirPods are definitely meant to be used with Apple products, but if you've got some Apple gear and want (or need) to go wireless, these fit the bill. Be sure to use the code WBHYGT to get the full deal. + +- **[Anker Soundcore Liberty Neo Bluetooth Earbuds for $40 ($20 off)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MCGZK3B){: rel=nofollow}:** If you don't have Apple gear, fear not these Anker Bluetooth earbuds will work with anything and won't set you back quite as much cash. + +- **[Bose SoundSport in-ear headphones for Apple Devices for $40 ($60 off)](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0117RFZHC/){: rel=nofollow}:** If your Apple device has a headphone jack, these Bose headphones make a nice upgrade. There's an inline mic and remote for switch between music and calls. + +- **[SanDisk 128GB MicroSDXC Memory Card for $15 ($53 off)](https://www.bestbuy.com/site/sandisk-128gb-microsdxc-memory-card-for-nintendo-switch/6103002.p?skuId=6103002){: rel=nofollow}:** There's never a bad time to pick up some memory. This card offers up to 90-megabytes per second write speeds and 100-megabyte read speeds. + +- **[Western Digital 5TB External USB 3.0 Portable Drive for $100 ($70 off)](https://www.bestbuy.com/site/wd-easystore-5tb-external-usb-3-0-portable-hard-drive-black/6356880.p?skuId=6356880){: rel=nofollow}:** Need even more space? This massive massive 5-terabyte drive can backup all your data and fit comfortably in your bag. + +- **[Dell G5 15 Gaming Laptop for $1,149 ($250 off)](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Dell-G5-15-Gaming-Laptop-5590-15-6-Intel-Core-i7-9750H-NVIDIA-GeForce-RTX-2060-128-GB-SSD-16GB-RAM-G5590-7503WHT-PUS/476374933){: rel=nofollow}:** This is a powerhouse of the laptop for the price, the only thing that's not to love is the small hard drive, but if you grab the 5TB drive above you'll have plenty of external storage. + +- **[Logitech Harmony Smart Control Remote and Hub for $50 ($20 off)](https://www.bestbuy.com/site/logitech-harmony-smart-control-remote-control-and-smart-hub-black/8574049.p?skuId=8574049){: rel=nofollow}:** Control all things with one thing. This hub and remote center is compatible with iOS 5.0 or later and Android 2.3 or later. + +- **[Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 Instant Camera Bundle for $50 ($30 off)](https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1409270-REG/fujifilm_600020093_instax_mini_9_ice.html){: rel=nofollow}:** Instant cameras are fun, but the images aren't good enough to justify the price tag sometimes, that's why we like this deal, everything you need for $50. + +- **[Marvel's Spider-Man (PS4 Digital Download) for $16 ($24 off)](){: rel=nofollow}:** Spiderman for the PS4 [wasn't our favorite](https://www.wired.com/story/marvels-spider-man-game-review/), but is still incredible fun, especially if you're a fan of the character. + + +*As always, a [1-year unlimited WIRED digital and print subscription is only $10](https://subscribe.wired.com/subscribe/splits/wired/WIR_Edit_Hardcoded?source=deal_guides_sub). Subscribing directly supports the reviews and original reporting we do every day. We're biased, but we think it's a bargain!* diff --git a/published/deals-nl.txt b/published/deals-nl.txt index 98ff97e..bd7f4d6 100644 --- a/published/deals-nl.txt +++ b/published/deals-nl.txt @@ -1,6 +1,6 @@ -It's a bittersweet deal, but [WIRED favorite ThinkGeek](https://fave.co/2IubbhK), the best place to pick up a last-minute birthday gift for the Super Mario fan in your life, is shutting its site down. It will continue to sell some items through parent company GameStop's online shore. Until July 2, you can pick up anything at ThinkGeek for 50 percent off with the code __MOVINGDAY__. Just enter it at checkout. +The wall of heat and humidity that hits every time we step outside is enough to drive even the most ardent nature enthusiast back in the house. Still, if you're undeterred, or want to pick up some gear for when fall finally arrives, be sure to check out [Backcountry's semiannual sale](https://fave.co/2MDNGFs){: rel=nofollow}. + +This week Reviewer Jess Gray sorted through a ton of cameras to bring you [The 5 best compact cameras](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-compact-cameras/) you can buy. Scott Gilbertson check out all the tools you need to [up your grilling game](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-grilling-accessories-tools/), and updated our guide to [the best instant cameras you can buy](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-instant-cameras/). Senior reviewer Adrienne So enjoyed the [Onewheel Pint](https://www.wired.com/review/review-onewheel-pint/) and picked the [best of the Backcountry Sale](https://www.wired.com/story/deals-backcountry-semiannual-sale-2019/). -This week senior writer Adrienne So hit the trails to discover the best gear for [heading into the wilderness](https://www.wired.com/story/remote-wilderness-best-gear/) so you can get outside, but still stay safe, eat like a human, and even recharge while you're out there. Reviewer Christopher Null told us about a cheap, simple gadget to keep a bottle of wine [tasting fresh](https://www.wired.com/review/repour-wine-saver/) for days on end. Reviewer Scott Gilbertson took a look at the [Acer Swift 7](https://www.wired.com/review/acer-swift-7-2019/), a very thin, lightweight laptop with only one problem -- a nose-cam. Adrienne also took a look at the [Kindle Fire 7 Kids Edition](https://www.wired.com/review/amazon-fire-7-kids-edition-2019/), a Kindle tablet aimed at surviving life in small, sticky hands. - *Note: When you buy something using the retail links in our stories, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Much like [subscribing to WIRED](https://subscribe.wired.com/subscribe/splits/wired/WIR_Edit_Hardcoded?source=deal_guides_sub), these contributions help fund the journalism we put out every day. [Read more](https://www.wired.com/2015/11/affiliate-link-policy/) about how this works.* diff --git a/published/dji-osmo-mobile.txt b/published/dji-osmo-mobile.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..31f40ef --- /dev/null +++ b/published/dji-osmo-mobile.txt @@ -0,0 +1,41 @@ +Some YouTube channels always have buttery smooth video, even when the person is walking around. Other people struggle to keep the camera steady even when sitting still. The difference between the two lies in a device called a gimbal—a tri-axis device that tilts and pans and pitches to compensate for movement of the camera, which helps keep footage stable and relatively free of jitters. + +DJI's revamped Osmo Mobile 3 brings that buttery smooth video to your phone. Slide your phone to the tension tray, activate DJI's Mimo app and you have—depending on the video quality of your phone—nearly as good of a setup as Alfred Hitchcock used. + +### Improvements + +As the name suggests, the Osmo Mobile 3 is DJI's third take on this gimbal and it's very much an iteration on the previous model, fixing most of the pain points while adding some nice new features to the software. + +While DJI is not the first phone gimbal to feature a folding design, it's the simplest I've used. Unlike some gimbals with lots of twists and latches, this is one piece. Extend it and you're ready to go. Fold it up—even with your device still attached—and it's ready to pack away. It's by far the simplest design I've tested. + +The foldable design makes the Osmo Mobile incredibly compact. If you opt for the slightly more expensive bundle ($139), the handy carrying case fits easily in a bag. The gimbal itself weighs just over 14 ounces and fits any phone between 62-88 millimeters wide. I tested it with an Motorola x4, Sony Xperia 1, and an iPhone 8, all of which fit, though I had to remove the case on the X4. + +Mounting your phone has also been simplified, there's no screws, just a spring-loaded tension grip. It's feel plenty secure and it can fit larger phones than the previous model, meaning those giant Galaxy S10's should do just fine. DJI says the new mount design decreases the chances of the mount pressing your phone's hardware buttons. I never had any trouble with this, but then I didn't using the previous model either. + +The attached phone also retains easy access to its charging port and headphone jack (if it has one that is). That means you could add an external microphone to your setup for improved sound quality, something vloggers will be happy to hear. + +The Osmo Mobile 3 brings back the front handle trigger mechanism which the first-gen model had, but which disappeared in the Mobile 2. The trigger is back and it now controls all sorts of things—locking the gimbal, re-centering, tracking, activating "sport" mode (more on that in a minute), and switching between front an back cameras. + +There are two other buttons and a joystick under your thumb. Between these and the trigger the Osmo Mobile can be operated almost entirely with one hand. While there's plenty about DJI's Mimo mobile app that requires two hands, when actually filming I almost never needed to use a second hand. + +DJI claims, and my testing backs up this claim, 15-hours of battery life. More useful though than the battery life, is a new full-size USB port that can charge devices from the Osmo. In my use I was happy to sacrifice hours of gimbal time, to keep my phone going since nothing drains your phone quite like shooting 4K video for hours. It's also worth nothing that the Osmo Mobile 3 support USB-C for fast-charging on devices that support it. + +My least favorite new feature is the easy of switching between vertical and horizontal orientation. All you need to do is tap the lower button twice and your phone will rotate into vertical mode. But seriously, don't do that. The world does not need more vertical-oriented video. + +### Software + +While the gimbal hardware is impressive, most of what I like about the Osmo Mobile comes down to software in the DJI Mimo app. The intelligent filming features like ActiveTrack, Hyperlapse and Motionlapse all make it easier to get great video results, even from a phone. + +ActiveTrack in particular works incredibly well. All you have to to is tap and drag a box over the object you want to track and the app will do the rest. In my testing it handled both in situations where you lock on a fixed object and move around it, and when you lock on a moving object and the gimbal tracks it with equal ease. + +I was able to track most things with ActiveTrack, the exception being my kids running and cartwheeling across the room, which was too fast for ActiveTrack. To capture that I switched to Sport Mode by pressing the trigger twice and then holding it. That speeds up the gimbal, so you can manually pan much faster, but you do lose the ActiveTrack auto-follow feature. Still, after you've developed some skill with the gimbal, Sport Mode is a huge asset. Also worth a mention is Hyperlapse mode, which can create time-lapse videos while you're in motion. + +The update app adds support for gesture control, especially useful when recording yourself. The Osmo Mobile bundle includes a small tripod, which means you can step out from behind the camera and use a hand gesture to take a photo or start recording video. The gimbal will then track your movement should move around. + +The app has a couple of other new features, including Story Mode, which helps you create videos quickly using pre-set shooting templates with matching music, and a panoramic photo mode which takes multiple images and stitches them in camera to create either a 180 degrees image, or 330 degree image depending on what you want. + +DJI has done more to bring what was once the sole province of professionals—especially the smooth-looking video only a gimbal can provide—to the masses than perhaps any other company and it continues to do so with the Osmo Mobile 3. My only real gripe is that currently shooting at 60 fps is limited to iPhones. + +Compared to other offerings in this price range though, the Osmo Mobile is more compact, easier to use, and has more features, both in hardware and software. + +You can buy the [Osmo Mobile 3 for $119 from DJI](https://store.dji.com/product/osmo-mobile-3?site=brandsite&from=buy_now_bar&vid=83691){: rel=nofollow} , [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RHJ7LWH/){: rel=nofollow}, [Best Buy](https://www.bestbuy.com/site/dji-osmo-mobile-3-3-axis-gimbal-stabilizer-for-mobile-phones-gray/6362960.p?skuId=6362960){: rel=nofollow}, and [B & H Photo](https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1497924-REG/dji_cp_os_00000022_01_osmo_mobile_3_smartphone.html){: rel=nofollow} . If you can afford it we suggest upgrading to the [Combo bundle for $139](https://store.dji.com/product/osmo-mobile-3?site=brandsite&from=buy_now_bar&vid=83721){: rel=nofollow}, which adds a nice case and small tripod. You can also get the Combo bundle at [Best Buy](https://www.bestbuy.com/site/dji-osmo-mobile-3-combo-3-axis-gimbal-stabilizer-for-mobile-phones-gray/6362961.p?skuId=6362961){: rel=nofollow}, or [B & H Photo](https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1497925-REG/dji_cp_os_00000040_01_osmo_mobile_3_smartphone.html){: rel=nofollow}. diff --git a/published/espresso.txt b/published/espresso.txt index e4b915b..c8047f9 100644 --- a/published/espresso.txt +++ b/published/espresso.txt @@ -1,114 +1,135 @@ -I take my espresso seriously. I put myself through college making espresso for others and I even married my favorite barista. It's been a while now since either my wife or I had access to the kind of expensive Italian-made espresso machines you find in nice coffee shops, but thanks to the world of portable espresso makers I've figure out how to make the perfect espresso no matter where I go. +I take my espresso seriously. I put myself through college making espresso for others and I even married my favorite barista. It's been a while now since either my wife or I had access to the kind of expensive Italian-made espresso machines you find in nice coffee shops, but thanks to the world of portable espresso makers I've figured out how to make the perfect espresso no matter where I go. -WIRED has looked at some very nice [counter top espresso machines](https://www.wired.com/story/best-latte-and-cappuccino-machines/), but with the summer travel season well under way we wanted to share some ways to make great espresso on the road. +WIRED has looked at some of the [best latte and cappuccino machines](https://www.wired.com/story/best-latte-and-cappuccino-machines/) and [best cold brew makers](https://www.wired.com/story/best-cold-brew-coffee-makers/), but with the summer travel season well under way we wanted to share some ways to make great espresso on the road. -Making a barista-worthy espresso is challenging. Doing it without electricity or a giant machine is even more daunting. Coffee fanatics will object that these devices use pressurized portafilters to achieve their crema which is cheating, but real espresso machines don't fit in your carry-on so some compromise is necessary here. +Making a barista-worthy espresso is challenging. Doing it without electricity or a giant machine is even more daunting. Coffee fanatics will object that these devices use pressurized portafilters to achieve their crema, which is cheating, but real espresso machines don't fit in your carry-on. I will confess that I usually am one of those fanatics. To my surprise, though, I found that, with a little work, these portable espresso makers can turn out an espresso worthy of the name. -I will confess that I usually am one of those fanatics. To my surprise though, I found that, with a little work, these portable espresso makers can turn out an espresso worthy of the name. +*Note: When you buy something using the retail links in our stories, we may earn a small affiliate commission. [Read more](https://www.wired.com/2015/11/affiliate-link-policy/) about how this works.* -*(Note: When you buy something using the retail links in our stories, we may earn a small affiliate commission. [Read more](https://www.wired.com/2015/11/affiliate-link-policy/) about how this works.)* - - -### 1. Best Overall +###1. Best Overall +**[Nanopresso Portable Espresso Maker ($79)](https://www.amazon.com/Nanopresso-Portable-Espresso-Protective-Minipresso/dp/B0752XV66X/?tag=w050b-20){: rel=nofollow}** [#image: /photos/5d12de63841dfc0008f1db84]|||||| +The Nanopresso strikes the best balance between ease of use, portability and taste. It will extract a nice espresso from almost any beans. There's very little bitterness and it reliably produces a nice looking crema. The compact all-in-one design also means you can shove it in the smallest of bags and have excellent espresso anywhere you go. -**[Nanopresso Portable Espresso Maker ($78.90)](https://www.amazon.com/Nanopresso-Portable-Espresso-Protective-Minipresso/dp/B0752XV66X/){: rel=nofollow}** +A couple notes to getting the best extraction: don’t grind your coffee too fine—think table salt rather than powder—and preheat the machine. To preheat, just pump hot water through with nothing in the basket and then make your actual shot. Espresso fanatics argue that you should pump no more than once per second, but I could not tell any difference. It takes a fair amount of pressure to pump the water, though. If you have Arthritis, RSI, or other source of joint pain in your hands, the Nanopresso is probably not the best choice. -The Nanopresso strikes the best balance between ease of use, portability and taste. It will extract a nice espresso from almost any beans. There's very little bitterness and it reliably produces a nice looking crema. The compact all-in-one design means you can shove it in the smallest of bags and have excellent espresso anywhere you go. +The Nanopresso has an expansion pack called the [Barista Kit](https://www.amazon.com/Nanopresso-Accessory-Portable-Espresso-Machine，Double/dp/B078GM6FFH/?tag=w050b-20){: rel=nofollow} with a larger water tank and grounds basket for making a double espresso. I found the results with the Barista Kit mirrored the single, though it's more forgiving of poor grinds. If you don't fill the larger reservoir all the way, you can extract a bit stronger espresso with the double. The downside to the Barista Kit is that the device becomes considerably larger. -A couple notes to getting the best extraction: don’t grind your coffee too fine—think table salt rather than powder—and preheat the machine. To preheat just pump hot water through with nothing in the basket and then make your actual shot. Espresso fanatics argue that you should pump no more than once per second, but I could not tell any difference. I should note that it takes a fair amount of pressure to pump the water through. If you have Arthritis, RSI or other source of joint pain in your hands, the Nanopresso is probably not the best choice. +**[Buy the Nanopresso for $79 at Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Nanopresso-Portable-Espresso-Protective-Minipresso/dp/B0752XV66X/?tag=w050b-20){: rel=nofollow}** -I should also note that if you want "true" espresso you can remove a ball bearing from Nanopresso to disable the pressurized portafilter and make it act more like a true espresso machine. I did not test this method, but if you're a purist it might be worth investigating. +###2. Very Close Runner Up -The Nanopresso has an expansion pack called the [Barista Kit](https://www.amazon.com/Nanopresso-Accessory-Portable-Espresso-Machine，Double/dp/B078GM6FFH/){: rel=nofollow} with a larger water tank and grounds basket for making a double espresso. I found the results with the Barista Kit mirrored the single, though it's more forgiving of poor grinds. If you don't fill the larger reservoir all the way, you can extract a bit stronger espresso with the double. The downside to the Barista Kit is that the device becomes considerably larger. +**[Handpresso Wild Hybrid ($90)](https://www.amazon.com/Handpresso-HPWILDHYBRID-Coffee-Machine/dp/B007KG5IYK/?tag=w050b-20){: rel=nofollow}** -There's also an [adapter available](https://www.amazon.com/Nanopresso-NS-Accessories-Compatible-Traveling/dp/B076DGY1NS/){: rel=nofollow} to use Nespresso capsules, if you must go there. +[#image: /photos/5d12de9281b06b0008d0cb2f]|||||| -**[Buy the Nanopresso Portable Espresso Maker for $78.90 from Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Nanopresso-Portable-Espresso-Protective-Minipresso/dp/B0752XV66X/){: rel=nofollow}** +The Nanopresso is lighter and easier to clean up, but the Handpresso Wild Hybrid makes an equally good shot of espresso, possibly better. -## 2. Very Close Runner Up +The Handpresso Wild Hybrid was my introduction to hand pump espresso. Several years ago, when my family and I [moved into an RV](https://live.luxagraf.net/jrnl/2017/04/april-fools) and away from conveniences like a neighborhood coffee shop or even a large kitchen counter, I invested in a Handpresso, hoping for good espresso on the road. I was not disappointed. I used it daily for two years before it eventually stopped pressurizing. +It's more work than the Nanopresso, but produces a marginally deeper and richer espresso, though less of it—the water reservoir is 1.5 fluid ounces versus the 2.7 fluid ounce reservoir of the Nanopresso. The difference is in the pumping. With a Nanopresso, you build pressure by continually pumping the water through. With the Handpresso, you build up pressure and then release a valve to force the water through the grounds all at once. The Handpresso also pumps up like a bike pump, which is easier than the finger button on the Nanopresso. -[#image: /photos/5d12de9281b06b0008d0cb2f]|||||| +To get the best extraction you need to experiment with your grind. My favorite results came from a very fine grind and minimal tamping. The Handpresso also works with paper filtered [Easy Serving Espresso (ESE) pods](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=easy%20serving%20Espresso%20pods&i=grocery&rh=n:14978414011,p_72:1248897011&dc&qid=1563401722&rnid=1248895011&ref=sr_nr_p_72_1&tag=w050b-20){: rel=nofollow}. +**[Buy the Handpresso Wild Hybrid for $90 at Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Handpresso-HPWILDHYBRID-Coffee-Machine/dp/B007KG5IYK/?tag=w050b-20){: rel=nofollow}** -**[Handpresso Wild Hybrid ($90)](https://www.amazon.com/Handpresso-HPWILDHYBRID-Coffee-Machine/dp/B007KG5IYK/){: rel=nofollow}** -While I give the edge to the Nanopresso because it's slightly lighter and easier to clean up, the Handpresso Wild Hybrid makes an equally good shot of espresso, possibly even better depending on your tastes. +###3. The Best Espresso -The Handpresso Wild Hybrid was my introduction to hand pump espresso. Several years ago, when my family and I [moved into an RV](https://live.luxagraf.net/jrnl/2017/04/april-fools) and away from conveniences like a neighborhood coffee shop or even a large kitchen counter, I invested in a Handpresso, hoping for good espresso on the road. I was not disappointed. The Handpresso served me well, being used daily for two years before it eventually stopped pressurizing. +**[Flair Signature Pro ($300)](https://www.flairespresso.com/product-page/flair-signature-pro){: rel=nofollow}** -It's a bit more work than the Nanopresso, but to my tastes produces a marginally better espresso, deeper and richer, though also less volume (the water reservoir is 1.5 fluid ounces versus the 2.7 fluid ounce reservoir of the Nanopresso). Where the Nanopresso builds pressure through continual pumping, with the Handpresso you build up pressure and then release a valve to force the water through the grounds. The Handpresso pumps up like a bike pump, which is easier than the finger method of the Nanopresso. +The Flair is the least portable of the devices reviewed here. It does break down to a roughly laptop-size case that's about two inches thick, but it's heavy. If you only travel a couple of times a year though, it does look great on a kitchen counter the rest of the time. And what you trade in portability is more than made up for in the quality of espresso you get. -To get the best extraction the Handpresso you're going to need to experiment with the grind. My favorite results came from a very fine grind, but without tamping it down too much. If you prefer, the Handpresso also works with paper filtered Easy Serving Espresso (ESE) pods. +The Flair Signature Pro produces hands down the best extraction of any device here. -**[Buy the Handpresso Wild Hybrid for $90 from Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Handpresso-HPWILDHYBRID-Coffee-Machine/dp/B007KG5IYK/){: rel=nofollow}** +The Flair is simple to use, you can see the process in the company's very helpful [video guide to brewing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVzjaWtOZ9k). The solid stainless steel construction means the Flair is built like a tank. Set up is simple and clean up is just a matter of dumping the espresso and rinsing out the portafilter. -## 3. Best for Large Luggage +As with any espresso maker, a bit of experimenting with various grinds is necessary to get the ideal extraction, and of course the fresher the coffee, the better the results. That said, you can even get excellent results with pre-ground espressos like [Medaglia D'Oro](https://www.amazon.com/Medaglia-DOro-Italian-Espresso-Coffee/dp/B004AH2IW2/){: rel=nofollow}. +It's worth noting that Flair offers two other models, the Classic and the Signature. The primary difference is size and the materials of the brew heads. If you're willing forgo the all stainless steel construction, the other two work the same way and should produce the same results while saving you a bit of coin. The [Classic is $159 at Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Flair-Espresso-Maker-Manual-Press/dp/B06X916JM8/?tag=w050b-20){: rel=nofollow} and the [Signature goes for $239](https://www.amazon.com/Flair-Signature-Espresso-Pressure-Chrome/dp/B07VRF5LCZ/?tag=w050b-20){: rel=nofollow}. -[#image: /photos/5d12debfe847350008eb230f]|||||| +**[Buy the Flair Signature Pro for $299 at Flair](https://www.flairespresso.com/product-page/flair-signature-pro){: rel=nofollow}** +###3. Best for Crema -**[Uniterra Nomad ($300)](https://www.amazon.com/UniTerra-Nomad-Espresso-Machine/dp/B01G40YGSG/){: rel=nofollow}** +**[Uniterra Nomad ($300)](https://www.amazon.com/UniTerra-Nomad-Espresso-Machine/dp/B01G40YGSG/?tag=w050b-20){: rel=nofollow}** -The least portable and most expensive of the bunch, the Uniterra Nomad puts that size and money to good use looking like a little piece of metal art sitting on your desk. It also manages to crank out an excellent espresso. I would call its extraction the creamiest of the bunch. +[#image: /photos/5d12debfe847350008eb230f]|||||| + +The Uniterra Nomad is also not the most portable device -- it is smaller and lighter than the Flair though -- but it puts that added size and weight to good use by looking like a little piece of metal art sitting on your desk and cranking out an excellent, creamy espresso. The Nomad grew out of a Kickstarter campaign and is made mostly of solid metal, which gives it a sturdy feeling some of our other options lack. It's also the only one to include a proper, heavy, high-quality tamper to evenly press down your coffee. -The company touts a bit of engineering in the Nomad called the True Crema Valve, which can help compensate for poor quality coffee or a bad grind. I tested this by using some pre-ground coffee from a large chain that shall remain nameless. The results tasted like they always do, burnt and bitter, but there was a touch of crema on top which eased the harshness. It's no substitute for good quality beans and a proper grind, but sometimes those things aren't available when you're traveling and the True Crema Valve can make otherwise subpar coffee seem a little smoother. +The company touts a bit of engineering in the Nomad called the True Crema Valve, which can help compensate for a bad grind or poor tamping. I tested this by using some pre-ground coffee from a large chain that shall remain nameless. The extraction from the poorly ground coffee with the True Crema valve was better than the extraction without it. + +Always use high quality beans, nothing will improve your espresso so much as good quality, freshly roasted beans, but if you mess up the grind, or don't tamp the grounds properly, the Nomad's True Crema Valve can save you from yourself. -**[Buy the Uniterra Nomad for $300 from Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/UniTerra-Nomad-Espresso-Machine/dp/B01G40YGSG/){: rel=nofollow}** +**[Buy the Uniterra Nomad for $300 at Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/UniTerra-Nomad-Espresso-Machine/dp/B01G40YGSG/?tag=w050b-20){: rel=nofollow}** -## 5. Best hiking/backpacking +###4. Best for Hiking and Cold Brew Espresso +**[Cafflano Kompresso ($75)](https://www.amazon.com/Cafflano-Kompresso-Carry-Coffee-Maker/dp/B074TRBKW4/?tag=w050b-20){: rel=nofollow}** [#image: /photos/5d12deff744d670009494568]|||||| +The Cafflano Kompresso is the lightest and simplest portable espresso maker to clean, making it ideal for a backpacking trip. -**[Cafflano Kompresso ($105)](https://www.amazon.com/Cafflano-Kompresso-Carry-Coffee-Maker/dp/B076CXFJP9/){: rel=nofollow}** +The Kompresso relies on a manual hydraulic compressor to force the water through and extract espresso. The results can be both the best or the worst cup of espresso of these picks. The Kompresso is the least forgiving device I tested. You need fresh, high quality beans and you need to spend some time experimenting to get the grind right. Grind too coarse and you'll end up with a watery mess. Grind too fine and you'll have to use your whole body weight to force the extraction. You can get a good 3/8 inch of crema and a deliciously smooth shot when you find that sweet spot. -The Cafflano Kompresso is the lightest and simplest to clean of all the portable espresso machines tested here, making it an ideal choice for your next backpacking trip. +I'm struggling through a Texas summer right now. I don't want *anything* hot after 8 am. Luckily, unlike every other device, the Kompresso can make a good cold shot. The secret, which I found on the company's [Instagram account](https://www.instagram.com/cafflano.official/p/BbAZYX2lCac/), is to tamp extra hard and pre-soak for one minute. The results are amazing (again, assuming you have high quality beans and a good grind). -The Kompresso relies on a hydraulic compressor to force the water through and make your extraction. The results can be both the best and the worst cup of espresso in this bunch. To make sure you get the best results every time you're going to have to experiment. The Kompresso is the least forgiving of the devices I tested. You need fresh, high quality beans and you need to spend some time getting the grind right. Grind too coarse and you'll end up with a watery mess not worthy of the name espresso. Grind too fine and you'll have to use your whole body weight to force the extraction. When you find the sweet spot you can get a good 3/8 inch of crema and a deliciously smooth shot. +**[Buy the Cafflano Kompresso for $75 at Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Cafflano-Kompresso-Carry-Coffee-Maker/dp/B074TRBKW4/?tag=w050b-20){: rel=nofollow}** -I'm struggling through the heat of Texas summer right now and frankly after 8 AM I don't want anything hot. I tried all these devices with cold water, but only the Kompresso made a good cold shot. The secret, which I found on the company's [Instagram account](https://www.instagram.com/cafflano.official/p/BbAZYX2lCac/){: rel=nofollow}, is to tamp extra hard and pre-soak for one minute. The results are amazing (again, assuming you have high quality beans and a good grind). +###5. Best for Car Camping -**[Buy the Cafflano Kompresso for $105 from Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Cafflano-Kompresso-Carry-Coffee-Maker/dp/B076CXFJP9/){: rel=nofollow}** +**[Handpresso 12V Auto Hybrid ($160)](https://www.amazon.com/Handpresso-127015-12V-Auto-Hybrid/dp/B00WZAAR92/?tag=w050b-20){: rel=nofollow}** -## 4. Best for Car Camping +[#image: /photos/5d12df25acabd90008f0f413]|||||| +Technically, I'm cheating with the Handpresso Auto Hybrid. It requires 12V power to operate. For that reason it's not the best option for every situation. But if you travel by vehicle and have access to a 12V socket (a cigarette lighter socket), the Handpresso Auto makes a quick espresso. The Auto Hybrid's extraction is very close to that of the Wild Hybrid, our Runner Up. -[#image: /photos/5d12df25acabd90008f0f413]|||||| +Like its hand-pumped sibling, the Auto Hybrid can use either ESE pods or ground coffee. Put in your grind, tamp it down, and add an ounce of water. It takes about two minutes for the water to heat and you can watch the progress on the tiny display screen. It will beep three times when its ready. Turn it upside down and press the brew button to start the extraction. (For safety, the brew button won't do anything until you flip it over). +There's one quirk to the auto-detection tech in the Auto Hybird: most bottled water won't work because the mineral content is too low. This may also apply to water from some filtration systems, though I did not have any problem using it with water that had been through a simple charcoal filter system. -**[Handpresso 12V Auto Hybrid ($160)](https://www.amazon.com/Handpresso-127015-12V-Auto-Hybrid/dp/B00WZAAR92){: rel=nofollow}** +**[Buy the Handpresso 12V Auto Hybrid for $160 at Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Handpresso-127015-12V-Auto-Hybrid/dp/B00WZAAR92/?tag=w050b-20){: rel=nofollow}** -Technically I'm cheating with the Handpresso Auto Hybrid since it requires 12V power. For that reason it's not the best all-around travel option. But if your travels are generally by vehicle and you have access to a 12V socket (AKA, a cigarette lighter socket) the Handpresso Auto makes a quick espresso. The Auto Hybrid's extraction is very close to that of the Wild Hybrid. +*** +###Why I Didn't Test the Aeropress -Like its hand-pumped sibling, the Auto Hybrid can use either ESE pods or ground coffee. You put in your grind, tamp it down and add an ounce of water. It takes about two minutes for the water to heat. You can watch the progress on then tiny display screen. When it's ready it will beep three times. Turn it upside down and press the brew button to start the extraction (as a safety feature the brew button won't do anything until you turn it over). +Coffee must meet three requirements to qualify as espresso. -There's one quirk to the auto-detection systems in the Auto Hybird: most bottled water won't work. The mineral content is too low. This may also apply to water from some filtration systems, though I did not have any problem using it with water that had been through a simple charcoal filter system. + - It must be brewed under pressure instead of infused. + +- It should have a very high brew ratio, usually two parts water to one part coffee; brewed coffee is more like 15 to one. -**[Buy the Handpresso 12V Auto Hybrid for $160 at Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Handpresso-127015-12V-Auto-Hybrid/dp/B00WZAAR92){: rel=nofollow}** +- Espresso tends to be darker, heavier, and richer than infusion brewed coffee. As such, the beans are typically a darker roast, though I've noticed lighter roasts may be growing in popularity. -### Notes on espresso, or why we didn't review the Aeropress +For this review, I limited the options to pressurized brewers, which is why there's no Aeropress or moka pot, neither of which make espresso. (A moka pot is pressurized, but not enough to qualify as espresso.) We may review them in the future, but they weren't considered during this round of testing. -The term espresso can be confusing, just what is it that makes something an espresso? +###How to Make Great Portable Espresso -To qualify as espresso the coffee must meet three requirements. First it must be brewed under pressure instead of infused. Second, it should have a very high brew ratio, usually two parts water to one part coffee, whereas brewed coffee is more like fifteen to one. And finally, the beans used in espresso are typically a darker roast, though I've noticed lighter roasts being used more and more. In general espresso tends to be darker, heavier and richer than infusion brewed coffee. +There are also three basic, but vital espresso tips I'll leave you with. -For the purposes of this review I limited the options to pressurized brewers, which is why there's no Aeropress or moka pot, neither of which make espresso (a moka pot is pressurized, but not enough to qualify as espresso). +__Find Good, Fresh Beans:__ If you haven’t made espresso before, start with high quality beans. Quality beans can make even cheap brewing equipment shine. To get high quality beans, you need fresh beans. Find a local coffee roaster in your area. -If you haven’t made espresso before, I recommend you start with some high quality beans. You can make great coffee with cheap equipment provided you start with high-quality beans. To get high quality beans I'd try your local coffee roaster since they will likely have the freshest beans you can get. +If you don't have a coffee roaster nearby, you can order beans online or try one of the pre-ground espresso blends at your local grocery store. I've tried most popular espresso blends like [Lavazza](https://www.amazon.com/Lavazza-Ground-Coffee-Caffe-Espresso/dp/B00HJNTII6/?tag=w050b-20){: rel=nofollow}, [Medaglia D'Oro](https://jet.com/product/product/c5c67ef234814bfba91267a668953296){: rel=nofollow}, and [Café Bustelo](https://www.amazon.com/Bustelo-Espresso-Ground-Coffee-Brick/dp/B004SV0MPA/?tag=w050b-20){: rel=nofollow}. Medaglia D'Oro has a smoother flavor than the others, but it's still more bitter than freshly roasted and ground whole beans. -If you don't have a coffee roaster nearby you can order beans online or try one of the pre-ground espresso blends at your local grocery store. I've tried most popular espresso blends like Lavazza and Café Bustelo. I find Cafe Bustelo has a smoother flavor than the others, but it's still more bitter than what you'll get from freshly roasted whole beans freshly ground. +For testing purposes, I used beans from Jittery Joe's roasting company in Athens GA, specifically the [Wake-n-Bake](https://jitteryjoes.com/collections/blends/products/terrapin-wake-n-bake?variant=41287296589) blend. (Disclosure: I worked for Jittery Joe's for many years, so I grew to like its coffee.) I also used an espresso blend from [Fahrenheit Coffee Roaster](http://www.fahrenheitcoffee.com/) in Mancos, Colorado. The latter are the best beans I've purchased in the United States in two years of traveling. -For testing purposes I used beans from Jittery Joe's roasting company in Athens GA, specifically the [Wake-n-Bake](https://jitteryjoes.com/collections/blends/products/terrapin-wake-n-bake?variant=41287296589) blend (disclosure, I worked for Jittery Joe's for many years). I also used an espresso blend from [Fahrenheit Coffee Roaster](https://www.yelp.com/biz/fahrenheit-coffee-roaster-mancos) in Mancos Colorado. The latter are the best beans I've purchased in the United States in two years of traveling. +**Get a Quality Grinder:** Once you have good, freshly roasted beans you need to grind them. You'll want a burr grinder, which actually grinds your beans evenly rather than chopping them like a blade grinder. I use a well-loved [Hario Mini](https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Ceramic-Coffee-Mill-Mini-Slim/dp/B001804CLY/?tag=w050b-20){: rel=nofollow} I've had for years, but if I were buying a new one I'd get a stainless steel grinder like this [Mueller Manual Coffee Grinder](https://www.amazon.com/Mueller-Ultra-Grind-Strongest-Heaviest-Stainless/dp/B076BZYSGF/?tag=w050b-20){: rel=nofollow}. -Once you have good, freshly roasted beans you need to grind them. You'll want a burr grinder, which actually grinds your beans evenly rather than chopping them like a blade grinder. I use a well-loved [Hario Mini](https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Ceramic-Coffee-Mill-Mini-Slim/dp/B001804CLY/){: rel=nofollow} I've had for years, but if I were buying a new one I'd get a stainless steel grinder like this [Mueller Manual Coffee Grinder](https://www.amazon.com/Mueller-Ultra-Grind-Strongest-Heaviest-Stainless/dp/B076BZYSGF/r){: rel=nofollow}. +**Start Experimenting:** Pick one of these makers and start experimenting. At first, make sure you weigh out your beans and water using a good scale like this [Eravsow Digital Scale](https://www.amazon.com/ERAVSOW-Digital-Stainless-precision-Batteries/dp/B075YBD4YQ/?tag=w050b-20){: rel=nofollow}, and take notes. It may sound like extreme nerdery, and it is, but after experimenting for a few days you'll likely find something you love and you'll know how to pull your perfect shot every time for espresso—no matter where you are. -The final step is to pick one of these devices and start experimenting. When you're first learning make sure you weigh out your beans and water using a good scale like this [Eravsow Digital Scale](https://www.amazon.com/ERAVSOW-Digital-Stainless-precision-Batteries/dp/B075YBD4YQ){: rel=nofollow}, and take notes. It may sound like extreme nerdery, and it is, but after experimenting for a few days you'll likely find something you love and you'll know how to pull your perfect shot every time for espresso bliss no matter where you are. +*** +### More Great WIRED Stories +* When an online teaching job is [a window into child abuse](https://www.wired.com/story/when-online-teaching-job-becomes-window-child-abuse/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_3) +* The “manosphere” and [the challenge of quantifying hate](https://www.wired.com/story/misogyny-reddit-research/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_3) +* Sikorsky’s S-97 Raider [makes your helicopter look lazy](https://www.wired.com/story/sikorsky-s-97-raider/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_3) +* Photo gallery: [Vintage muscle cars take flight](https://www.wired.com/story/muscle-cars-flying-gallery/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_3) +* Fear, misinformation, and [measles spread in Brooklyn](https://www.wired.com/story/fear-misinformation-measles-spread-in-brooklyn/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_3) +* 💻 Upgrade your work game with our Gear team’s [favorite laptops](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-laptops/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories), [keyboards](https://www.wired.com/story/top-3-mechanical-keyboards/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories), [typing alternatives](https://www.wired.com/story/best-keyboard-alternatives/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories), and [noise-canceling headphones](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-noise-canceling-headphones/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories) +* 📩 Want more? [Sign up for our daily newsletter](https://www.wired.com/newsletter/?name=daily&sourceCode=BottomStories) and never miss our latest and greatest stories diff --git a/published/gopro-hero8.txt b/published/gopro-hero8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..afee3fe --- /dev/null +++ b/published/gopro-hero8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,47 @@ +Another Autumn, another GoPro. It's come to feel as regular as leaves turning colors and hideous sweaters coming out of storage. The GoPro Hero 8, announced today, is available for pre-order now and will ship October 15. + +This year the Hero 8 gets a new form factor with a shorter lens extension and built-in mounting rings. That's right, you can mount your GoPro on your helmet or handlebars without the cumbersome cage. It's the first major redesign the Hero has seen in quite a few releases. + +With the cage out of the way, GoPro has created a way to add accessories to trick out your camera. The new "Mods," as GoPro calls them, use a rubberized band wrapped around the camera body to attach accessories. GoPro has three accessories to go along with the launch of the Hero 8, but with two cold shoes available to add-ons, look for third-party accessory makers to jump on this quick, extending the action camera to new realms. + +### Breaking out of the Cage + +The new cageless mounting design consists of folding mount rings on the bottom of the camera which tuck away into recesses when not needed. It makes the overall experience of using a GoPro less cumbersome. There's nothing in the way of changing batteries or memory cards, both of which share space in the new, single side hatch. It's a tight fit, larger hands are going to have a hard time getting the MicroSD card in and out, but it's less cumbersome than taking off the cage every time you want to change the battery. + +The less welcome trade off is the loss of the HDMI port. You can get the HDMI port back with the Media Mod ($80), GoPro's basic add-on, which will also get you a 3.5mm mic port and two cold shoes (the "cold" in cold shoe means that the mount point does not provide power, as opposed to a hot shoe which does). + +The Hero 8 is marginally larger to accommodate the fold away mount rings, but not enough to make it much different in the hand. It's slightly larger than the Hero 7, but smaller than the Hero 7 with its mounting cage. + +The cageless design, even without the HDMI port, is a welcome change—one of those changes that makes you wonder why it wasn't this way all along—but I'm less convinced about the new lens and housing. + +The new lens design changes the shape of the lens housing (it's now square, your old filters will not fit), and the cover is no longer removable or replaceable. GoPro has beefed up the glass on the cover, it's now 2mm Gorilla glass, but this is a camera that typically lives a rough and tumble life and the removable lens of the Hero 7 was an insurance policy against damage that the Hero 8 lacks. + +GoPro does sell a tempered-glass protective cover for both the lens and the back, which I highly recommend if you're using your GoPro the way, well, the way you're supposed to. + +### Mod Madness + + +||||||Mods image here |||||| + +The big win of the cageless design for many will be the new "Mods" or accessories that can be added to the Hero 8. These start with what GoPro calls the Media Mod, which adds the aforementioned mic jack, cold shoes, HDMI port, and a shotgun mic. This is the base mount to which other accessories can be attached. Currently GoPro also offers a light and a flip up screen for previews and help framing those selfie shots. + +The new Hero 8 design and accessories make it feel like GoPro's target market is shifting from the strap-it-to-your-head-and-shred crowd to the vlogging crowd. It's a move that makes sense from a market size standpoint—YouTube has a lot more vlogging than shredding going on—but also it also speaks to how well GoPro has already solved the shredding side of the equation. + +And the Hero 8 does have some new features that will tempt those who put the action in action camera, notably the improved HyperSmooth stabilization and the wind-optimized microphone. The former is incrementally better, but the fact that it's not earth-shatteringly better speaks to how good the first version was. HyperSmooth 2 is available in all video modes. + +Almost all the software-based features of the GoPro have been updated and improved. HDR handling in SuperPhoto looks more natural and does a better job with moving subjects (which tend to be blurry when combining images for an HDR). TimeWarp and TimeLapse have both been updated, the former gains an auto mode that makes "time warp" style videos much easier to create. + +I was also happy to find that RAW images are available in all photo modes, including time lapse (RAW images still only work with the wide lens setting since all the other lens modes are software created). + +### Customize Everything + +While the new hardware design is slick, and the various in-camera software improvements make the Hero 8 even easier for non-pro users, the single best thing about the Hero 8 in my view is the new ability to customize menus. + +The GoPro's screen is tiny and not the best touch screen you've ever used. Tapping a tiny screen while treading water or standing in the icy winds atop a [cornice of snow](https://www.wired.com/story/tips-for-action-cameras-skiing-and-snowboarding/) is not anyone's idea of fun. The less you have to interact with the touchscreen that better and with the new menu customization I hardly touched it at all. + +In previous releases tapping the currently selected presets would open up the setting page and you could change what you needed to change. It was cumbersome and there was almost no customization possible. The Hero 8 swings the other way, allowing you to customize everything. Tap the currently selected preset and you'll get a list of all your presets, making it super simple to switch between video modes with all your favorite settings dialed in. + +You can even customize which options show up on the home screen for each preset. At first it's almost overwhelming, but once you spend some time setting up everything the way you want it, it makes day-to-day use so much easier. Again it feels like the way things should have always been. Quickly switching settings means less fiddling. + +Less fiddling feels like a running theme to the changes between the Hero 7 and the new Hero 8. GoPro has addressed the pain points in the Hero 7, improved the software, and with a nod to selfie-stick wielding video crowd, has turned out a camera that's better for action and vlogging alike. + diff --git a/published/grilling-accessories.txt b/published/grilling-accessories.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..18c22cd --- /dev/null +++ b/published/grilling-accessories.txt @@ -0,0 +1,38 @@ +Up your grilling game with these tools for getting the perfect sear, smoke, roast, even pizza if you want to pull out all the stops. + +Grilling is the most elemental way to cook. There's the burning wood (or charcoal, or gas) producing heat and your food sizzling in that heat. But while it's a simple way to cook, it can be daunting. How do you know when your meat is done? How do you get those great grill marks? As with most things, having the right tools makes the job much easier. If our [guide to portable grills](https://www.wired.com/story/best-portable-grills/) got you started on the road to grilling mastery, consider this the follow up tips and tricks edition. Professional chefs may make it look easy to poke a bit of meat and pronounce it medium rare, but for the rest of us, these tools help take the guess work out of grilling. + +1. Thermometer + +It takes a lot of grilling practice to know the temperature of meat just by feeling it. This is an admittedly cool skill you can work toward, but really there's no need. You can grab a great instant read digital thermometer like the [Habor Foldable Instant Thermometer for $16](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RKZ4JVC/){: rel=nofollow}. The small foldable design is easy to palm so you can temp your food on the sly and then when friend are looking, poke it with your finger and say, "ah yes, medium rare." Fancy something fancier? The [MeatStick ($65)](https://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Thermometer-Grill-Stove-Rotisserie/dp/B07GWC48CB/){: rel=nofollow} is a wireless thermometer you can leave in the meat and it'll broadcast the temperature to your phone. + +2. Fire/Heat Proof Gloves + +I'll confess I wasn't even planning to test these because I thought the idea was ridiculous, who needs gloves to grill? Then the folks at Grill Grates sent me a pair and I thought, what the heck. Turns out, heat resistant gloves are awesome. You can do everything with your hands. Later I got a pair of these [Grill Heat Aid gloves ($29)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RUBZNDQ/?tag=w050b-20){: rel=nofollow}, which can handle up to 932 degrees. A word of caution: these help, but they don't make you invulnerable. You're still dealing with very high temperatures when grilling, always be cautious. + +3. Tongs, Serious Tongs + +Cooking large pieces of meat means flipping large, heavy pieces of meat. Most kitchen tongs are not up the task. To avoid dropping your half cooked food, I recommend getting some heavy duty stainless steel tongs. I love these [Weber Tongs ($22) ](https://www.amazon.com/Weber-6645-Original-Portable-Stainless/dp/B005LR3BB2){: rel=nofollow} and the set includes a nice heavy spatula as well. + +4. Grill Grates + +The [gas](https://www.wired.com/2013/07/gas-grilling-is-objectively-scientifically-better-than-charcoal/) versus [charcoal](https://www.wired.com/2013/07/charcoal-grilling-is-objectively-scientifically-better-than-gas-2/) grilling debate will never die but you can skip it entirely with a set of Grill Grates. The extra flavor that you get from charcoal comes primarily from the rendered fat dripping off your food, hitting the coals below and becoming smoke, which then flavors your food. Grill Grates give you the same effect without the charcoal, trapping juice in its deep grooves where they burn off and flavor your food. The also prevent flare-ups, even when cooking normally flare-prone food like brautwurst. They can replace your existing grates or just cover them. Here's a set to fit the [Weber Jumbo Joe ($90)](https://www.amazon.com/GrillGrates-Weber-Kettle-Grill-Jumbo/dp/B00C2OC97O?tag=w050b-20){: rel=nofollow} and another for the [Weber Q1200 gas grill ($60)](https://www.amazon.com/GrillGrate-13-75-Interlocking-Grate-Tool/dp/B002MAHRAM/){: rel=nofollow}. + +5. Cleaning Brush + +Not one of the grilling manufacturers I talked to for this piece endorsed this, but I have been cleaning my stainless steel grill grates with wadded up aluminum foil for years. A stainless steel or brass wire brush can leave behind small bristles that get stuck in your grill and wind up in your food. It happens [more often](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0194599815627794) than you think. If you simply must have a brush, get one that's a single, continuous wire. I like this [Grill Art](https://www.amazon.com/GRILLART-Grill-Brush-Bristle-Free/dp/B07F731D86/){: rel=nofollow} brush or you can go for an [Earthstone grill cleaner (17) ](https://www.amazon.com/GrillStone-Cleaner-Starter-Handle-Blocks/dp/B00322Q0LG/){: rel=nofollow}, a pumice-like stone cleaner made from recycled glass. If you get the Grill Grates there a [cleaner for those as well ($20)](https://www.amazon.com/Grate-Valley-Bristle-Free-Double-Cleaning/dp/B019EF5DPS/){: rel=nofollow}. + +5. Charcoal baskets + +If you want to branch out from grilling (high heat) to indirect cooking, like smoking, do yourself a favor and grab a set of [charcoal baskets](https://www.amazon.com/Weber-7403-Char-Basket-Charcoal-Briquet/dp/B000WEMGM4/?tag=w050b-20). These make it easy to cluster your brickets to one side of grill so you can keep your indirect cooks on the other. Combine these with a hinged grill and you'll have an easy was to feed in fresh fuel as your smoke progresses. These [hinged grates](https://www.amazon.com/Weber-7433-Hinged-Cooking-Grate/dp/B01F5YHRZQ/){: rel=nofollow} fit the Jumbo Joe, [our top pick for portable charcoal grills](https://www.wired.com/story/best-portable-grills/). + +6. Veggie basket + +The veggie basket is not a necessity, but it sure is nice to have. It allows you to slice your veggies ahead of time, toss them in a little olive oil, and cook them without having half fall through the grates. It also makes clean up much easier. I like this [Weber basket ($15)](https://www.amazon.com/Weber-6481-Stainless-Vegetable-Basket/dp/B0071V7WOS/?tag=w050b-20){: rel=nofollow}, it's solid stainless steel with no rivets. My only gripe is that it's not big enough for a veggie-loving family of five. If you're cooking for a crowd, try [the 14-inch basket ($26)](https://www.amazon.com/Weber-6434-Professional-Grade-Vegetable-Basket/dp/B000WEIJUW/?tag=w050b-20){: rel=nofollow}. + +7. Pizza Stone + +It's not quite a wood-fired pizza—for that you'll want check out [our favorite pizza ovens](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-pizza-ovens/)—but you can make a pretty good pie with a pizza stone on your grill. I've used this [Weber stone](https://www.amazon.com/Weber-8836-Gourmet-System-Pizza/dp/B006WRLBNU/?tag=w050b-20){: rel=nofollow} quite a bit, but be sure to check the fit for your particular grill. Want something larger? I didn't testing it, but this [stone](https://www.amazon.com/Weber-8829-Stone-Grill-Accessory/dp/B077JSMV8X/?tag=w050b-20){: rel=nofollow} is 18-inches across, allowing for a proper large pizza. If rain drowns your barbecue, fear not, these pizza stone works just as well in the oven. + + +While you can buy fancy pizza oven attachments for your grill, or even grab a full on wood pizza oven, I've managed to get by with just a pizza stone. It's diff --git a/published/hasselblad-review.txt b/published/hasselblad-review.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7fa8aaa --- /dev/null +++ b/published/hasselblad-review.txt @@ -0,0 +1,51 @@ +A Hasselblad camera is like a Ducati motorcycle, almost no one needs one, but they sure are fun. + +The last time I spent much time with a Hasselblad was in college. The art school had a couple of Hasselblad 500Cs you could rent. The waiting list to get one was months long. At the time I was a large format purist, shooting mostly with an older Toyo 4×5 field camera I'd found sitting neglected in the back corner of the supply room. Still, I was curious what all the Hasselblad fuss was about so I finally snagged one for the weekend. It was nice, though fiddly. It was compact, though nowhere near 35mm portability. It struck me as a camera designed around a series of compromises made with a different kind of photographer in mind. + +Ironically, over twenty years later, I feel almost exactly the same way about the company's new X1D II. It's a wonderful camera that almost no one needs. + +## Medium Format Digital + +Like it's predecessor the X1D II is built around a 50-megapixel CMOS sensor. A sensor that measures 1.7 times larger than a 35mm sensor like you'd find in the Nikon 850D or Sony A7R IV. The sensor boasts a native ISO range of 100-25600, 14-stop dynamic range, and enough pixels to produce a really nice, rich tonality across scenes. + +Aside from the sensor and the overall design, most of the second X1D is new. There's a new much-improved rear 3.6 inch display with much higher resolution: 2.36 million dots compared to the original's paltry 920k dots. The result is a clear, bright display that makes it much easier to review images and navigate menus. + +The viewfinder resolution is also improved, with 3.69 million dots. Along with that you get a faster refresh rate of 60 fps. The result again is a much improved viewfinder experience. I found myself forgetting that it was in fact a digital viewfinder at all. Then the focus hinting would highlight edges in manual focus mode and I'd remember, ah, right, digital. + +Other updates include a USB-C connection port, which lets you download the large image files of that 50MP sensor quite a bit faster. Since most images are around 100-megabytes or more, USB-C is a huge benefit when you're trying to dump a full shoot from the X1D to your computer. + +The Hasselblad menu system hasn't changed much from previous versions and thanks to the huge screen I found it easy to navigate and, for the most part, completely logical in it's organization. For context, my primary camera is a Sony A7 II. I found the menu systems and iconography similar enough that I had no trouble finding my way around. + +The touchscreen display is responsive and even allows pinch to zoom in preview mode. It can also be used as a kind of touch pad to control focus while you look through the viewfinder. It takes a bit of experimenting to get this down, but once you do it works as well as joystick/wheel focus controls. Occasionally my cheek would accidentally redirect focus, but for the most part Hasselblad's touch screen works very smoothly and quickly to direct focus. That said, Fuji's joystick mechanism is still my favorite way to control the focus point. + +Using the X1D II felt just like using a DSLR, though there is a longer blackout time between shots and I found it do be, well, slow. This was a common gripe about the first model, which was, by most accounts, positively glacial. Hasselblad is heavily touting the speed improvements in this release, but coming from the Sony mirrorless world I was unimpressed with the performance of the X1D II. It wasn't so much that I wouldn't recommend this camera for action sports. I wouldn't, but I also missed ordinary shots like some Pelicans flying in front of the sunset because the blackout time was too long. + +Hasselblad's strength and background is in studio work and it shows in instances like this. You'll never miss a studio shot with the X1D. You're even unlikely to miss anything in an outdoor portrait shoot or painstakingly set up landscape. But anything where speed matters, this is not the camera you want. + +Hasselblad would really like the X1D to be the go-everywhere Hasselblad and, while it's nailed the portability aspect, performance still leaves much to be desired. + +Another thing that's missing here is video. The X1D II lacks support for 4K video. Actually it lacks support for *any* video recording at all. There is, however, a video option in the menu system. I asked Hasselblad about it and was told that "video will be coming up in a firmware update." No details were given. + +To go along with X1D II, Hasselblad has introduced a new version of its Phocus Mobile app for iPad. Phocus Mobile 2 can import and edit RAW files via USB or WiFi. It also supports tethered shooting and can act as a remote control for the camera. Due to time limitations with the camera I was not able to test the Phocus Mobile app. Note that there is no Android app available. + +## Leaf Shutter Possibilities + +Hasselblad has long used what's known as a leaf shutter and the X1D series is no different. At the risk of oversimplifying things, a leaf shutter is a shutter built into the lens, rather than the traditional mirror shutter found in body of a DSLR. Leaf shutters have pros and cons, but the big pro is that it can sync off-camera flash at nearly any shutter speed. + +A typical DSLR can achieve flash sync speeds up to the 1/250 of a second range. The X1D II's shutter system can sync all the way up to 1/2000. That makes it possible to shoot with wide apertures even in bright sunlight and still achieve shallow depth of field. + +This is useful for people who shoot outdoor portraits since you don't have to use large strobe lights to overcome the ambient light of the sun. Instead you can use a quick shutter and still increase your depth of field with a wide aperture. In short a leaf shutter opens up a range of possibilities that simply don't exist with a focal plane shutter. + +Couple this with the portability of the X1D—whatever your other thoughts may be, there's no denying this is the most portable Hasselblad setup to come along in years—and you have a camera system that can do things your DSLR can't. Whether or not you're interested in these things will determine how well the X1D II is going to work for you. + +At $5,750 plus lenses, which are also expensive thanks to the leaf shutter design, the Hasselblad is not a casual purchase. The 45mm lens I shot with will set you back another $2,695, bring the total outlay for body and one lens to nearly $8,445. On one hand that's less than the sticker price of the first X1D ($8,995). + +On the other hand, should you spend that much money on a camera? Probably not. + +Unless you're already a professional photographer making good money this is not the camera for you. Buy a $1000 Sony, and use the other $7,000 to backpack the world for a few months. Chance are you'll end up with a far more interesting portfolio than you get with the Hasselblad. + +If you are Chase Jarvis, or roughly the equivalent, then the new X1D II is at least a much better deal than its predecessor. The main competition is from the likes of Fuji's new medium format system, the Phase One system (also leaf shutter), and the pioneering, though somewhat out of date, Pentax system. + +There is no best in this case, there is simple best for you. None of these are bad cameras, the decision comes down to which system to you want to invest in for the future? It's worth bearing in mind that the leaf shutter means Hasselblad's lens are considerably more expensive, sometimes more the double the price of the Fuji equivalent. + +*(The Hasselblad X1D II is available for [$5,750 at Hasselblad's Store](https://store.hasselblad.com/products/x1d-ii-50c){: rel=nofollow}, [B&H Photo](https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1487057-REG/hasselblad_x1d_ii_50c_medium.html/DFF/d10-v2-t1-xHAX1D50C2){: rel=nofollow}, and [Adorama](https://www.adorama.com/hsx1dii50c.html){: rel=nofollow}.)* diff --git a/published/how-to-sell-iphone.txt b/published/how-to-sell-iphone.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9e71c55 --- /dev/null +++ b/published/how-to-sell-iphone.txt @@ -0,0 +1,59 @@ +That new iPhone is so shiny you can see it glowing in your pocket. Don't just toss your old phone in a drawer though, it probably still has value, more than you might think. + +There are quite a few services that will give you cash or store credit for a used iPhone. We've gathered up and compared some popular services where you can trade in an old device for cash or store credit. Most of these services take Samsung and Google devices, and all of them take iPhones. + +Comparing prices on all these services highlights some tips for maximizing the resale value of your phone. First and foremost, take care of your phone. Get a good case, check out our recommendations. Also consider a screen protector. They have downsides (decreased touch responsiveness) but they'll keep your device looking new. To up the resale value make sure you buy an unlocked phone. There's no reason to lock yourself to one carrier. Those carrier-based deals are almost universally bad deals in the long run. + +The last thing before you run off to cash in your old phone is to make sure you backup all your data using iCloud or iTunes. One gotcha to watch out for: if you backup data using iTunes, not iCloud, make sure you back up your text messages, which sometimes including photos and videos that you haven't saved to your Camera Roll. Remember to unpair your Apple Watch, and [wipe your phone](https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-wipe-your-phone-before-you-sell-it/) as well. + +### Swappa + +An eBay clone of sorts, [Swappa](https://swappa.com/){: rel=nofollow} seeks to eliminate some of the problems associated with eBay: high sellers fees, poor seller-buyer communication tools, and too many poor quality devices. To that end, you won't be able to sell your iPhone here unless it's in good shape, fully functional with no damage. + +So long as your phone meets Swappa's [listing criteria](https://swappa.com/faq/sell/listing_device_criteria){: rel=nofollow}, and you're willing to put in a little effort, this is where you'll get the most money for your old device. + +As you would on eBay, you'll need to put together a listing with photos. Be sure to take the case off your phone and be honest about the condition. Remember to factor in shipping when setting your sale price. + +Currently an iPhone 8 64-gigabyte model sells for $362, with the 256-gigabyte model going for $432. An iPhone XR sells for an average of $576 to $694, depending on the storage capacity. + + +### Decluttr + +If you don't want to spend the time and effort Swappa requires [Decluttr](https://www.decluttr.com){: rel=nofollow} can turn your old iPhone into cash fast, albeit slightly less cash. All you need to do is answer a few questions about the condition of your phone, storage capacity, and carrier lock if any. You can do that through the website, or using the Decluttr app. + +Once it knows about your phone, Decluttr will make you an offer. Should you accept you ship your device in and the company inspects. If need be Decluttr will revise its offer, but should your offer change you have the option to decline and get your phone back at no charge. + +Assuming you get an offer you like, and Decluttr is satisfied with the condition of your device, you should receive your money (PayPal is done same day, direct deposit and check take longer). Decluttr seems to pay a bit more than others of this ilk. Currently an unlocked iPhone 8 with 64 GB in good condition can get you $272 back and an iPhone XR with 64 GB in good condition will earn you $432. + + +### Gazelle + +[Gazelle](https://www.gazelle.com/trade-in){: rel=nofollow} is the old hand in the world of used phones, the company has been buying up phones since 2006 and it's pretty much got the process down at this point. And it is a simple process. Much like Decluttr, you fill out the online form, answer some questions about your device, whether it works, which carrier its tied to, and if there's any cosmetic damage. You'll then get an offer based on the answers you give. + +Like Decluttr, if you accept the offer Gazelle will send a box complete with shipping label, and you ship the phone in for inspection. Once the company has looked over your device, and assuming it's in the condition you said it was, you'll be paid -- usually in about seven to ten days. Payment can be in the form of a check, PayPal, or Amazon gift card. + +A factory-unlocked 64 GB iPhone 8 in good condition will get you $198. A 64 GB iPhone XR for Verizon will net you $264. Gazelle sometimes runs promos around new device launches so keep an eye out on the site for promotional offers. + +### uSell + +If your iPhone is damaged or the battery will no longer hold a charge, [uSell](https://www.usell.com/sell/iphone/){: rel=nofollow} will still buy it. Of the send-it-in-style services, uSell offered the most for damaged devices. We were offered $65 for an iPhone 8 that doesn't even power on. + +It's something of a hybrid service since you aren't actually selling your phone to uSell, but buyers it works with, but in practice it works more like Decluttr than Swappa. + +### Apple + +Apple's [Trade-In program](https://www.apple.com/shop/trade-in){: rel=nofollow} doesn't always offer the best prices, but if you're buying a new iPhone it makes it simple to quickly apply your credit to the new phone. Beware that Apple will only pay top dollar for absolutely pristine phones. At the time of writing an iPhone 8 in good condition will get you $208. + +We don't recommend it, but if you're the sort of person that just can't stop themselves from upgrading to a new iPhone every year, you might save some money using Apple's [iPhone upgrade program](https://www.apple.com/shop/iphone/iphone-upgrade-program){: rel=nofollow}. Essentially a leasing program, you can perpetually pay for your phone, but get a new one after 12 months, which makes it cheaper than buying a new unlocked phone every year. + +### Best Buy + +Best Buy will do trade-ins online or in [participating stores](https://www.bestbuy.com/site/services/best-buy-trade-in/pcmcat133600050011.c?id=pcmcat133600050011){: rel=nofollow}. They won't take damaged devices, and you won't get cash, just store credit, but if you need something from Best Buy anyway it's a relatively no-hassle option, especially if you go the in-store route. + +### Carrier Trade-Ins + +Your service provider probably has a buy-back program of some sort. [Verizon](https://www.verizonwireless.com/od/trade-in/#/){: rel=nofollow}, [AT&T](https://tradein.att.com/){: rel=nofollow}, [Sprint](https://secure.sprintbuyback.com/bbt/){: rel=nofollow} and [T-Mobile](https://www.t-mobile.com/resources/phone-trade-in){: rel=nofollow} will all buy back your device, though generally for far less than the other options in this list. + +### Other options + +There's always eBay. While personal experience has soured me on eBay lately -- the number of buyer scams seems to far outweigh the number of legitimate buyers -- it is still one of the most popular places to sell things online. There are also other device-centric swapping sites, like [NextWorth](https://www.nextworth.com/){: rel=nofollow} and [GadgetGone](https://www.gadgetgone.com/){: rel=nofollow}. [Walmart](https://walmart.cexchange.com/online/home/index.rails){: rel=nofollow}, and [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Trade-In/b?ie=UTF8&node=9187220011){: rel=nofollow}, also have device trade-in programs, but neither of them offered as good of a deal as the options above. diff --git a/instant-mini-printers.txt b/published/instant-mini-printers.txt index dc0e04d..dc0e04d 100644 --- a/instant-mini-printers.txt +++ b/published/instant-mini-printers.txt diff --git a/published/iphone-guide.txt b/published/iphone-guide.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7439186 --- /dev/null +++ b/published/iphone-guide.txt @@ -0,0 +1,47 @@ +Apple's latest iPhones are here. There are three new iPhones to choose from -- the iPhone 11 Pro Max, the smaller iPhone 11 Pro, and the standard iPhone 11. If you're wondering which one is right for you and where to buy them, look no further. We've broken down all your options and parsed out everything you need to know along with all the pre-ordering information we've been able to dig up so far. + +If you need to enter the reality distortion field and hear all about Apple's latest pocket-size technological marvels, check out [our full recap of Apple's big event](https://www.wired.com/story/everything-apple-announced-sept-2019/). + +||||||||iPhone 11 Image|||||||| + +There are a few key differences between the new iPhones. Apple has a side-by-side comparison you can look at [here](https://www.apple.com/iphone/compare/){: rel=nofollow}, complete with all the specs if you're a spec-junky. + +Our quick take is that all three phones are impressive pieces of hardware. The form factor hasn't changed much beyond the new camera layout (more on that below). The main hardware improvement is the new A13 Bionic processor. + +Apple claims its A13 chip has the fastest-ever CPU and GPU in a smartphone. At its launch event the company touted some specs, claiming the A13 is capable of 1 trillion operations per second, and holds 8.5 billion transistors. That should translate to decent speed bump that keeps up with some of the more complex photo and video processing software in these phones. + +Perhaps more impressive is that the new chip is brings some added battery life. The iPhone 11 gains an extra hour of battery life, and the Pro models claim four more hours per charge compared to previous models. The Pro screen is nicer. It's higher resolution, brighter, and supports HDR. Going Pro also gets you greater water resistance, four meters for 30 minutes compared to the iPhone 11's two meters for 30 minutes. + +- **The iPhone 11 ($699) is the best phone for most people:** The iPhone 11 is very nearly as nice as its Pro siblings at a fraction of the cost. It has the same high-end chip and Neural Engine, very similar size screen, and all of the software improvements work just fine on the iPhone 11. It can shoot the same 4K video at 60fps, and sees some battery life improvements over the iPhone XR. What the iPhone 11 lacks is the brighter, sharper, HDR screen, the telephoto camera, and the added water proofing of the Pro models. Still, the iPhone 11 is a very capable phone. While it lacks the telephoto lens, it still has all the software upgrades like Night Mode, which reduces noise in low-light situations, the Portrait Mode improvements, and a new lighting effect called High Key Mono, which produces black and white images. You also get Smart HDR, Slo-mo selfies (no, we are not using that word), and all the rest of Apple's photo and video software upgrades. + +- **The iPhone 11 Pro ($999) has a nicer screen and third camera:** If you want a flagship piece of hardware and don't mind paying for it, this is your phone. The iPhone 11 Pro adds a third, telephoto camera with a 52mm f/2.0 lens. The Pro models get a 2x optical zoom in, along with a 10x digital zoom. Together these extras open up some additional photographic possibilities. Combine the extra camera with the brighter HDR screen, and 11 Pro feels more of a camera that happens to take calls than a phone that takes pictures. + + +- **The iPhone 11 Pro Max ($1099) is the over-the-top phablet:** The iPhone 11 Pro Max is mostly identical to the Pro, but larger. It's 6.5 inch Super Retina XDR display is notably bigger than the plain Pro's 5.8 inch display. Otherwise though, it's the same phone, just turned to 11. + +||||||||||another iPhone 11 image||||||||| + +### Accessorize + +No matter which phone you end up with, get a case. The iPhone 11 line is mostly glass. Sure Apple has ads showing the new iPhone dropping and bouncing off the ground in slo-mo, and the company claims it's the most scratch-resistant glass ever, but trust me, glass does shatter. + +Some people don't like the added bulk, but I prefer to protect my phone investment with a case. The [Speck Presidio Sport](https://fave.co/2UOGqJi){: rel=nofollow} provides good protection without being overly bulky, but if you want really bulletproof protection, go for an [OtterBox](https://fave.co/2UO5tvL){: rel=nofollow} case. + +### Get an Unlocked iPhone + +The easiest way to order is from Apple.com. We recommend you buy the phone unlocked. That way you'll be able to use it on any wireless carrier, should you ever decide to switch. When it comes time to upgrade in couple years, you'll get more money back for an unlocked phone. + +- **$699+ from Apple.com (Unlocked, up to $300 trade-in credit)** + + +### iPhone 'Deals' From Wireless Carriers + +While unlocked is really the way to go, since it frees you up to use any network or sell/gift your phone down the road, there are some carrier specific deals out there. If you're satisfied with your current wireless provider, here are the deals each of the major US networks are offering, along with some of the fine print that always accompanies these kinds of offers. + +- **[Verizon Pre-order](https://www.verizonwireless.com/smartphones/apple-iphone-11/){: rel=nofollow}:** Verizon has a couple deals. If you switch to Verizon and pony up for the unlimited plan you can get a free iPhone 11, or up to $700 off any new iPhone when you trade-in your smartphone).You'll get your $700 credit in the form of a $500 credit applied over 24 months, and a $200 prepaid card. If you've been planning to switch anyway, and want and unlimited plan, this isn't a bad deal. + +- **[AT&T Pre-order](https://www.att.com/buy/phones/apple-iphone-11-256gb-black.html){: rel=nofollow}:** TKTK + +- **[Sprint Pre-order](https://www.sprint.com/en/landings/apple/iphone-11.html){: rel=nofollow}:** TKTK + +- **[T-Mobile Pre-order](https://www.t-mobile.com/offers/apple-iphone-deals){: rel=nofollow}:** TKTK diff --git a/published/kodak-smile-classic.txt b/published/kodak-smile-classic.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..74299b1 --- /dev/null +++ b/published/kodak-smile-classic.txt @@ -0,0 +1,48 @@ +Photography has always been sold as a way to preserve memories. But for most of us that's probably no longer really true. Photography today is less now about saving memories and more about documenting the moment, moments that float by as we thumb through Instagram or Facebook. + +Photos as memories sometimes feels like an outdated concept. This may no longer be the goal of our photography, but it still has a place. And it's still incredibly popular: the instant print market was valued at $950 million last year. Score one for the world of tangible objects. + +Fujifilm's [Instax cameras](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-instant-cameras/) and printers have long dominated the instant print world, but there is a competitor known as "Zink." + +Kodak's new Smile Classic vastly improves what Zink prints can produce. Unlike other [Zink cameras we've tested](), The Smile Classic produces larger prints, with a nice border, good tonal range, and richer contrast. These are prints that look good enough to trust with your memories. + +### Design Nostalgia + +The design of the Smile Classic echos the look and feel of the 1970s Polaroid OneStep, but shaves off some of the bulk to produce a camera that looks great, works with the simplicity of a Polaroid, but fits much more easily in your bag. + +The Smile Classic is the third Zink-based product in Kodak's Classic line, and the first hybrid, camera-printer, capable of taking decent photos in its own right, but also able to print any image on your phone. The latter option means you can document the moment and have the print later too. + +The power button is on the side of camera. Slide it to the front and the Smile Classic, pops up an viewfinder extension reminiscent of the OneStep's famous viewfinder. The shutter button is on the back of the camera, large and raised enough that it's easy to find by touch. Next to the shutter button there's a small 10 second timer button for group shots. + +Like Canon's Ivy Cliq (see our [full review](https://www.wired.com/review/canon-ivy-cliq/)), the Smile Classic keeps things simple. This is point and shoot at it's purest. You don't need to worry about exposure, you don't even need to focus. You just frame the shot, press the shutter and out comes your print. + +The camera sports a 27mm f/2.2 fixed-focus lens that captures square, 16-megapixel images. On the side of the camera body there's a USB-A charging port and a MicroSD card slot. That means, if you want to, you can save digital copies of the images you take with the Smile Classic. + +While I really like the simplicity of the Smile Classic, it is worth noting the one major drawback -- every image your shoot you print. There's no screen, no preview. That can make the Smile Classic a little more expensive over time since you're printing everything, not just the images you love. This also factors into battery life, which Kodak claims will print 35 images per charge. + +### Go Anywhere Printer + +||||||||||image of prints||||||||| + +The print you get from the Smile Classic isn't a Polaroid-style print with the puffy edges. Instead, cameras and printers like the Smile Classic are able to produce more traditional prints, like what you'd get from a professional printer (but without the professional quality). Using a technology called [Zink](https://zink.com){: rel=nofollow}, the Smile Classic churns out sticky-backed 3.25-inch x 4.5-inch images with a quarter inch white border. + +That's quite a bit larger than all the other Zink cameras and printers we've tested, which all printing smaller, rectangular 2 x 3 images. The larger image of the Smile Classic gives prints more life and the border makes them feel more like a proper photo than an instant print. + +That said, Zink isn't the highest quality printing. In fact it's nowhere near the quality of what you can get from printing machines at your local drugstore. But it's in your hand seconds after you press the shutter on the Smile Classic, something your local drugstore will never manage to do. + +And I did find the results of the Smile Classic to be the best of any Zink printer I've tested. The tonal range is good, colors render reasonably close to true. The noticeable improvement in the Smile Classic comes at the dark end of the tonal range, a place the Zink printing technology struggles. You still won't get a deep rich black, but to my eye these images are closer. I encountered some strong banding, or rough edges between similar colors. This happens sometimes in scenes like a sunset, where the line between red and orange is speckled rather than smoothly transitioning from one to the next. + +The Classic holds ten of the new larger Zink papers, and the refill packs are small enough that you can throw a few in your pocket and you'll hardly notice them. + +The Kodak Classic app for iOS and Android turns the Smile Classic into an instant printer. Connect your to the Classic via Bluetooth and you can print any image on your phone. For the sample images above I transfered edited photos from a full-frame DSLR to my phone and then printed them to Zink. + +The app has all the standard editing features you'd expect these days, crop, rotate, adjust brightness, contrast, saturation, and more. There's also plenty of filters and what Kodak calls "style", the ability to add text, doodles, stickers and borders to your image. + +There's also an augmented reality option which allows you to add videos and "face filters". At the time of writing the latter is not yet available, but the video feature embeds a 30-second video clip (with sound). When you print out the image, anyone with the app will be able to view the video by holding their smartphone over the picture. + +I still personally prefer the aesthetics of Instax prints, but that comes down to matter of taste -- I like darker, moodier images. That said, I think the Kodak Smile Classic is a great camera and printer. It's has clean design, is dead simple to use and would be my top pick for those who'd prefer more traditional prints. The sticker prints look good enough for most people, and the larger image size gives Zink a welcome look. + +*(The [Kodak Smile Classic costs $150 from Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/KODAK-Classic-Digital-Bluetooth-Pictures/dp/B07WHDV12K/){: rel=nofollow}.* + + + diff --git a/published/password-managers-mag.txt b/published/password-managers-mag.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7fbf910 --- /dev/null +++ b/published/password-managers-mag.txt @@ -0,0 +1,20 @@ +Your brain has better things to do than store secure passwords. Even your web browser isn't the best choice, it too has better things to do than secure your passwords. We offload the job to dedicated password managers like these which will keep your data synced and secure across all your devices. + +BitWarden: Best Overall + +Bitwarden is open source and subject to regular security audits making it the most transparently secure of the bunch. Bitwarden is free, making it the best choice for most people. The service's mobile apps for Android and iOS are easy to use and all your passwords seamlessly sync across devices. There are desktop apps for Windows, macOS, and Linux, and browser extensions for popular web browsers. You can even host Bitwarden on your own server. The free account has no limitations, but premium accounts ($10/year) offer extras like password security checks, two-factor authentication, and priority customer support. + +1Password: Best for Apple fans. + +1Password's user interface is easy to understand and it's apps are well-integrated with your devices. This is especially true on iOS, where autofill "just works" better than the others. Extra features like "Travel Mode", which deletes sensitive data from devices before you travel, and "Watchtower" which identifies weak or reused passwords, help justify the higher prices: $36/year for one user, $60/year for a family account. + +Dashlane: Best for Newbies + +Dashlane's sign up and comprehensive set up process make it the best choice for password manager newcomers. Dashlane will get your password out of your browser and into its secure services. Extra features like "Site Breach Alerts" keep tabs on the dark parts of the web, making sure your personal data isn't being swapped by data thieves. If it is Dashlane will alert you and help you change any leaked passwords and protect your data. + +Lastpass: Best for tk + +LastPass made it's name with its free account, but we suggest you upgrade to the paid option ($36/ year individual, $48/year family) for the extra sharing features. Lastpass's emergency access feature allows someone you trust to easily access your account in an emergency, but the security check features are less polished than what you get with 1Password. + + + diff --git a/published/password-managers.txt b/published/password-managers.txt index cc19853..e551342 100644 --- a/published/password-managers.txt +++ b/published/password-managers.txt @@ -1,49 +1,30 @@ -New to add: -Bitwarden -RememBear -https://myki.com/download - Password managers are the vegetables of the internet. We know they're good for us, but most of us are happier snacking on the [password equivalent of junk food](https://www.wired.com/story/7-steps-to-password-perfection/). For seven years running that's been "123456" and "password"—the two [most commonly used passwords](https://www.wired.com/2016/01/worst-passwords-list/) on the web. The problem is, most of us don't know what makes a good password and aren't about to remember hundreds of them every day. -If you can memorize strong passwords for hundreds of sites, by all means do it. Assuming you're using [secure passwords](https://www.wired.com/2016/05/password-tips-experts/)—which is, first and foremost, shorthand for *long* passwords—this is the most secure, if slightly insane, way to store passwords. It might work for [Memory Grandmaster Ed Cooke](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Cooke_(author)), but most of us are not willing to put in the effort. We need to offload that work to password managers, which offer secure vaults that can stand in for our faulty, overworked memories. +If you can memorize strong passwords for hundreds of sites, by all means do it. Assuming you're using [secure passwords](https://www.wired.com/2016/05/password-tips-experts/)—which is, first and foremost, shorthand for *long* passwords—this is the most secure, if slightly insane, way to store passwords. It might work for [Memory Grandmaster Ed Cooke](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Cooke_(author)), but most of us are not ready for that. We need to offload that work to password managers, which offer secure vaults that can stand in for our faulty, overworked memories. + +A password manager offers convenience and, more importantly, helps you create better passwords, which makes your online existence less vulnerable to password-based attacks. -A password manager offers convenience and, more importantly, will help you create better passwords, which in turn makes your online existence less vulnerable to password-based attacks. +*Updated September 2019: We added a few new services to the list, including Bitwarden, Remember, and Myki. We also added a section to help you keep calm and carry on should your password manager turn out to have a security flaw.* *(Note: When you buy something using the retail links in our stories, we may earn a small affiliate commission. [Read more](https://www.wired.com/2015/11/affiliate-link-policy/) about how this works.)* ###Why Not Use Your Browser? -Most web browsers offer at least a rudimentary password manager. (This where your passwords are stored when Chrome or Firefox ask if you'd like to save a password.) While this is better than reusing the same password everywhere, [browser-based password managers are limited](https://www.wired.com/2016/08/browser-password-manager-probably-isnt-enough/). +Most web browsers offer at least a rudimentary password manager. (This where your passwords are stored when Chrome or Firefox ask if you'd like to save a password.) This is better than reusing the same password everywhere, but [browser-based password managers are limited](https://www.wired.com/2016/08/browser-password-manager-probably-isnt-enough/). The reason security experts recommend you use a dedicated password manager comes down to focus. Web browsers have other priorities that haven't left much time for improving their password manager. For instance, most of them won't generate strong passwords for you, leaving you right back at "123456." Dedicated password managers have a singular goal and have been adding helpful features for years now. Ideally, this leads to better security. -###Password Manager Basics - -A good password manager stores, generates, and updates passwords for you with the press of a button. If you're willing to spend a few dollars a month, a password manager can sync your passwords across all your devices. Here's how they work. - -__Only One Password to Remember:__ To access all your passwords you only have to remember one password, which the password manager uses to unlock the vault containing your all your actual passwords. Only needing to remember one password is great, but it means there's a lot riding on that one password. Make sure it's a good one. - -If you're having trouble coming up with that one password to rule them all, check out our guide to [better password security](https://www.wired.com/2016/05/password-tips-experts/). You might also consider using the [Diceware](http://world.std.com/~reinhold/diceware.html) method to generate a strong master password. - -__Apps and Extensions:__ Most password managers are systems rather than a single thing. They consist of apps or browser extensions for each of your devices (Windows, Mac, Android phones, iPhone, and tablets), which have tools to help you create secure passwords, safely store them, and evaluate the security your existing passwords. All that information is then sent to a central server where your passwords are encrypted, stored, and shared between devices. - -__Fixing Compromised Passwords:__ While password managers can help you create more secure passwords and keep them safe from prying eyes, they can't protect your password if [the website itself is breached](https://www.wired.com/story/collection-one-breach-email-accounts-passwords/). That doesn't mean they don't help in this scenario though. All three of the cloud-based password managers below offer tools to alert you to potentially compromised passwords. Password managers also make it easier to quickly change a compromised password and search through your passwords to ensure you didn't reuse any compromised codes. - -__You Should Disable Auto Form Filling:__ Some password managers will automatically fill in and even submit web forms for you. This is super convenient, but for additional security we suggest you disable this feature. Automatically filling forms in the browser has made password managers [vulnerable to attack](https://www.wired.com/story/password-manager-autofill-ad-tech-privacy/) in the past. For this reason our favorite password manager, [1Password](https://1password.com/sign-up/){: rel=nofollow}, requires you to opt-in to this feature. We suggest you do not. - ###Best Overall **[1Password](https://1password.com/sign-up/){: rel=nofollow}** - [#image: /photos/5ce876e11dc26e34f63b885c]|||||| - 1Password began life as a Apple-centric password solution, but it has since broadened its offerings to include iOS, Android, Windows, and ChromeOS. There's even a command line tool that will work anywhere. There are plugins for your favorite web browser too, which makes it easy to generate and edit new passwords on the fly. -What sets 1Password apart from the rest is the number of extras it offers. In addition to managing passwords, it can [act as an authentication app](https://www.wired.com/story/two-factor-authentication-apps-authy-google-authenticator/) (like Google Authenticator), and, for added security, it adds a secret key to the encryption key it uses, meaning no one can decrypt your passwords without that key. (The downside is that if you lose this key, no one, even 1Password, can decrypt your passwords.) +What sets 1Password apart from the rest is the number of extras it offers. In addition to managing passwords, it can [act as an authentication app](https://www.wired.com/story/two-factor-authentication-apps-authy-google-authenticator/) like Google Authenticator and, for added security, it creates a secret key to the encryption key it uses, meaning no one can decrypt your passwords without that key. (The downside is that if you lose this key, no one, not even 1Password, can decrypt your passwords.) Another reason 1Password offers the best experience is its tight integration with other mobile apps. Rather than needing to copy/paste passwords between your password manager and other apps, 1Password is integrated with many apps and can autofill. This is more noticeable on iOS, where inter-app communication is more restricted. @@ -55,13 +36,29 @@ The other reason I like [1Password is "Travel Mode,"](https://www.wired.com/2017 *After signing up, [download the app](https://1password.com/downloads/){: rel=nofollow} for Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS, ChromeOS, or Linux. There are also browser extensions for [Firefox, Chrome, and Edge](https://1password.com/downloads/#browsers){: rel=nofollow}.* -###Runner Up +###Best Free Option -**[Dashlane](https://www.dashlane.com/plans){: rel=nofollow}** +**[Bitwarden](https://bitwarden.com/){: rel=nofollow}** +Bitwarden has become a popular choice among open source software advocates, and after using it for a few months I can see why. It's free with no limits, and it's every bit as polished and user-friendly as our top pick. Did I mention it's open source? -[#image: /photos/5ce876fe3c2fcc042d070e80]|||||| +The code that powers Bitwarden is freely available for anyone to inspect, find flaws, and fix them. In theory, the more eyes on the code, the more secure it becomes. Bitwarden has also been audited by a third party to ensure it's secure. Bitwarden can also be installed on your own server, for easy self-hosting if you prefer to run your own cloud. + +There are apps for Android, iOS, Windows, MacOS, and Linux, as well as browser extensions for all major web browsers, plus less common options like Opera, Brave, and [Vivaldi](https://www.wired.com/story/try-vivaldi-browser-android-chrome/) (which all support Chrome extensions). + +Another thing I like is BitWarden's semi-automated password fill-in tool. If you visit a site that you've saved credentials for, Bitwarden's browser icon shows the number of saved credentials from that site. Click the icon and it will ask which account you want to use and then automatically fill in the login form. This makes it easy to switch between usernames and avoids the pitfalls of autofill we mention at the bottom of this guide. If you simply must have your fully automated form filling, Bitwarden does support that as well. + +Bitwarden offers a paid upgrade account. The cheapest of the bunch, Bitwarden Premium is $10/year, which gets you 1 GB of encrypted file storage, two-factor authentication with devices like YubiKey, FIDO U2F, and Duo, and a password hygiene and vault health report. Paying also gets you priority customer support. +**[Bitwarden is free](https://bitwarden.com/){: rel=nofollow}** + +*After signing up, [download the app](https://bitwarden.com/#download){: rel=nofollow} for Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS, or Linux. There are also browser extensions for [Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Edge, Vivaldi, and Brave](https://bitwarden.com/#download){: rel=nofollow}.* + +###Best Full-Featured Manager + +**[Dashlane](https://www.dashlane.com/plans){: rel=nofollow}** + +[#image: /photos/5ce876fe3c2fcc042d070e80]|||||| I first encountered Dashlane several years ago. Back then it was the same as its competitors, but recent updates, especially Dashlane 6, have added several features not found elsewhere. One of the best features of Dashlane is what it calls Site Breach Alerts. Dashlane actively monitors the darker corners of the web, looking for leaked or stolen personal data, and then alerts you if your information is found. @@ -75,52 +72,71 @@ Dashlane Premium costs $5 per month ($60 per year). There's also Premium Plus, w *After signing up, [grab the app](https://www.dashlane.com/download){: rel=nofollow} for Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS, or Linux. There are also browser extensions for [Firefox, Chrome, and Edge](https://www.dashlane.com/download){: rel=nofollow}.* -###Best Free Option +###Best DIY Option (Self Hosted) -**[LastPass](https://www.lastpass.com/pricing){: rel=nofollow}** +**[KeepassXC](https://keepassxc.org/download/){: rel=nofollow}** +[#image: /photos/5ce8771de2751d04edfcf520]|||||| -[#image: /photos/5ce87750b2569847a06b2c11]|||||| +Want to retain more control over your data in the cloud? Try using a desktop application like KeePassXC. It stores encrypted versions of all your passwords into an encrypted digital vault that you secure with a master password, a key file, or both. The difference is that instead of a hosted service like 1Password syncing it for you, you sync that database file yourself using a file-syncing service like [Dropbox](https://www.dropbox.com/){: rel=nofollow} or Edward Snowden's [recommended service](https://techcrunch.com/2014/10/11/edward-snowden-new-yorker-festival/): [SpiderOak](https://spideroak.com/){: rel=nofollow}. Once your file is in the cloud you can access it on any device that has a KeePassXC client. +Why do it yourself? In a word: transparency. Of all the solutions on this list, only KeepassXC is open source, which means its code can, and has, been inspected for critical flaws. -LastPass is one of the most popular and well-known password managers out there. It works on nearly every platform and device available, and it is the only service we recommend that offers password syncing between devices on its free plan. +**[KeePassXC is free to use](https://keepassxc.org/download/){: rel=nofollow}** -Like 1Password and Dashlane, LastPass stores your credentials and other sensitive data encrypted on its server, and you access your data through apps or browser extensions. You can choose whether LastPass can autofill forms for you, alert you about potentially compromised accounts, or search your password vault for weak passwords. Lastpass also supports two-factor authentication. +*Download the [desktop app](https://keepassxc.org/download/) for Windows, MacOS, or Linux and create your vault. There are also extensions for [Firefox](https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/keepassxc-browser/){: rel=nofollow} and [Chrome](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/keepassxc-browser/oboonakemofpalcgghocfoadofidjkkk){: rel=nofollow}, but not Edge. It does not have official apps for your phone. Instead, the project recommends [Keepass2Android](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=keepass2android.keepass2android){: rel=nofollow} or [Strongbox for iPhone](https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/strongbox-password-safe/id897283731){: rel=nofollow}.* -The main drawback to LastPass is its mixed security track record. LastPass has had a number of [high-profile, critical bugs](https://www.wired.com/2015/06/hack-brief-password-manager-lastpass-got-breached-hard/) and some data breaches. Overall though, LastPass remains a good choice for those on a tight budget. +###Best Cloudless, Phone-Based Solution -Upgrading to Premium for $3 per month ($36 per year) adds support for two-factor options like YubiKey, 1 gigabyte of encrypted file storage, priority customer service, and emergency access. Emergency access lets you grant one-time access to your vault (including all of your passwords and other data) to another LastPass user. It's intended to give a loved one access to your data in the event you cannot. You set an access delay, which means that LastPass will let you know when the person attempts to access your information and you can decline the request. If you don't decline, LastPass will grant that person access to your account after the delay. +**[Myki](https://myki.com/){: rel=nofollow}** -There is also a $4 per month ($48 per year) family plan for up to six users. +Myki takes a very different approach to password management, using your device to sync instead of a cloud-based server. Everything starts on your phone. You set up your account via your device and then that syncs your passwords with Myki's browser extensions running on your desktop. The sync happens through Myki's relay servers, but no data is actually stored, it just passes through en route from your phone to the browser extension. -**[LastPass is free to use (with optional paid plans)](https://www.lastpass.com/pricing){: rel=nofollow}** +On the device, Myki eschews a master password, opting instead for a six-digit PIN or fingerprint to access the mobile app. All other approvals (like pair with your browser on a laptop) are approved through the mobile app. That means the only real way to compromise Myki is for an attacker to get your phone, unlock the phone, and then unlock your Myki with your fingerprint, which is pretty unlikely. -*After signing up, [grab the app](https://lastpass.com/misc_download2.php){: rel=nofollow} for Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS, or Linux. There are also browser extensions for [Firefox, Chrome, and Edge](https://lastpass.com/misc_download2.php){: rel=nofollow}.* +The downside side to storing everything on your phone is that if you lose your phone, you're in real trouble. Even if no one else can access your data, you can't either. For that reason you'll want to regularly make an encrypted backup of your passwords, which you can do in the browser extensions. -###Best DIY Option (Self Hosted) +Myki started out aimed at the enterprise market and that initial focus on teams of users shows in features like the password sharing. Of all the apps tested, Myki is the easiest to share login info between accounts. The one flaw is when the user you've shared with uses that password in the browser extension. Because that relies on JavaScript, the person you've shared the password with could intercept the JavaScript and see your password. The company says it's working on a solution, but frankly, it's hard to see what that could be, since every service listed does the same thing. -**[KeepassXC](https://keepassxc.org/download/){: rel=nofollow}** +**[Myki is free to use (with optional paid plans)](https://myki.com/pricing){: rel=nofollow}** +###Honorary Mentions -[#image: /photos/5ce8771de2751d04edfcf520]|||||| +[#image: /photos/5ce87750b2569847a06b2c11]|||||| -Want to retain more control over your data in the cloud? Try using a desktop application like KeePassXC. It stores encrypted versions of all your passwords into an encrypted digital vault that you secure with a master password, a key file, or both. The difference is that instead of a hosted service like 1Password syncing it for you, you sync that database file yourself using a file-syncing service like [Dropbox](https://www.dropbox.com/){: rel=nofollow} or Edward Snowden's [recommended service](https://techcrunch.com/2014/10/11/edward-snowden-new-yorker-festival/): [SpiderOak](https://spideroak.com/){: rel=nofollow}. Once your file is in the cloud you can access it on any device that has a KeePassXC client. +- **[LastPass](https://www.lastpass.com/pricing){: rel=nofollow}:** LastPass is one of the most popular and well-known password managers out there. It works on nearly every platform and device available. The main drawback is its mixed security track record. LastPass has had a number of [high-profile, critical bugs](https://www.wired.com/2015/06/hack-brief-password-manager-lastpass-got-breached-hard/) and some data breaches. Overall though, LastPass remains a good choice for those on a tight budget. -Why do it yourself? In a word: transparency. Of all the solutions on this list, only KeepassXC is open source, which means its code can, and has, been inspected for critical flaws. +- **[RememBear](https://www.remembear.com/){: rel=nofollow}:** RememBear does everything you'd expect of a password manager and it has bears. Password managers are possibly the most boring software on your device, plus just the idea of them is stressful to some people. RememBear counters this by entertaining with bear puns and smoothing out anxiety with its friendly, lovable bear mascot. -**[KeePassXC is free to use](https://keepassxc.org/download/){: rel=nofollow}** +The downside to RememBear is that it's missing a few features advanced users might want, notably two-factor authentication (RememBear support 2FA for logging into sites, but not the app itself), and a password strength checker. For beginners though, RememBear has everything you need and a clever, approachable user interface. There's a free trial that will let you test the app, but the free plan doesn't sync. A premium account will set you back $36/year, and includes syncing with end-to-end encryption, secure backups, and priority customer service. Regrettably, premium does not include an actual bear. -*Download the [desktop app](https://keepassxc.org/download/) for Windows, MacOS, or Linux and create your vault. There are also extensions for [Firefox](https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/keepassxc-browser/){: rel=nofollow} and [Chrome](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/keepassxc-browser/oboonakemofpalcgghocfoadofidjkkk){: rel=nofollow}, but not Edge. It does not have official apps for your phone. Instead, the project recommends [Keepass2Android](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=keepass2android.keepass2android){: rel=nofollow} or [Strongbox for iPhone](https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/strongbox-password-safe/id897283731){: rel=nofollow}.* +- **[NordPass](https://nordpass.com/){: rel=nofollow}:** is a brand new password manager from the well-known VPN provider, [NordVPN](https://nordvpn.com/blog/nordpass-password-manager/){: rel=nofollow}. NordPass is in fact so new it doesn't exist yet, but given NordVPN's success, we're keeping a close eye on this one. We'll update this guide when it launches and we have a chance to test it.. + +###Password Manager Basics + +A good password manager stores, generates, and updates passwords for you with the press of a button. If you're willing to spend a few dollars a month, a password manager can sync your passwords across all your devices. Here's how they work. + +__Only One Password to Remember:__ To access all your passwords you only have to remember one password, which the password manager uses to unlock the vault containing your all your actual passwords. Only needing to remember one password is great, but it means there's a lot riding on that one password. Make sure it's a good one. + +If you're having trouble coming up with that one password to rule them all, check out our guide to [better password security](https://www.wired.com/2016/05/password-tips-experts/). You might also consider using the [Diceware](http://world.std.com/~reinhold/diceware.html) method to generate a strong master password. + +__Apps and Extensions:__ Most password managers are systems rather than a single thing. They consist of apps or browser extensions for each of your devices (Windows, Mac, Android phones, iPhone, and tablets), which have tools to help you create secure passwords, safely store them, and evaluate the security your existing passwords. All that information is then sent to a central server where your passwords are encrypted, stored, and shared between devices. + +__Fixing Compromised Passwords:__ While password managers can help you create more secure passwords and keep them safe from prying eyes, they can't protect your password if [the website itself is breached](https://www.wired.com/story/collection-one-breach-email-accounts-passwords/). That doesn't mean they don't help in this scenario though. All three of the cloud-based password managers below offer tools to alert you to potentially compromised passwords. Password managers also make it easier to quickly change a compromised password and search through your passwords to ensure you didn't reuse any compromised codes. + +__You Should Disable Auto Form Filling:__ Some password managers will automatically fill in and even submit web forms for you. This is super convenient, but for additional security we suggest you disable this feature. Automatically filling forms in the browser has made password managers [vulnerable to attack](https://www.wired.com/story/password-manager-autofill-ad-tech-privacy/) in the past. For this reason our favorite password manager, [1Password](https://1password.com/sign-up/){: rel=nofollow}, requires you to opt-in to this feature. We suggest you do not. + +__Don't Panic:__ Software has bugs, even your password manager. The question is not what do you do *if* your password manager discovers a flaw, but what do you do *when* your password manager discovers a flaw. The answer is, first, don't panic. Normally bugs are [found](https://www.wired.com/story/a-password-exposing-bug-was-purged-from-lastpass/), reported, and fixed before they're exploited in the wild. Even if someone does manage to gain access to your password manager's servers, you should still be fine. All of the services below only store encrypted data and none of them store your encryption key, meaning all an attacker gets from compromising their servers is encrypted data. Correction on May 28: Edited to clarify that two-factor authentication is part of all Lastpass options. *** ### More Great WIRED Stories -* A dystopian vision of the future: [toxic but candy sweet](https://www.wired.com/story/dystopian-future-photo-gallery/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_5) -* Can a test tell you which pills to pop [with just a prick](https://www.wired.com/story/baze-vitamins-review/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_5)? -* What the [college scandal shallowfakes](https://www.wired.com/story/college-scandal-shallowfakes-reveal-about-the-rich/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_5) say about the rich -* Melinda Gates to tech: [Wake up to women's empowerment](https://www.wired.com/story/melinda-gates-tech-women-empowerment/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_5) -* My wild ride in [a robot race car](https://www.wired.com/story/my-wild-ride-in-robot-race-car/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_5) -* 🎧 Things not sounding right? Check out our favorite [wireless headphones](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-wireless-headphones/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories), [soundbars](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-soundbars/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories), and [bluetooth speakers](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-bluetooth-speakers/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories) -* 📩 Want more? [Sign up for our daily newsletter](https://www.wired.com/newsletter/?name=daily&sourceCode=BottomStories) and never miss our latest and greatest stories +* An exclusive look inside [Apple’s A13 bionic chip](https://www.wired.com/story/apple-a13-bionic-chip-iphone/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_5) +* WIRED's 13 [must-read books for fall](https://www.wired.com/story/2019-fall-book-list/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_5) +* New clues show how Russia’s grid hackers [aimed for physical destruction](https://www.wired.com/story/russia-ukraine-cyberattack-power-grid-blackout-destruction/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_5) +* The unbuilt streets of [California's ghost metropolis](https://www.wired.com/story/california-ghost-metropolis-gallery/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_5) +* One scientist's quest to bring [DNA sequencing](https://www.wired.com/story/one-scientists-quest-to-bring-dna-sequencing-to-every-sick-kid/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_5) to every sick kid +* 👁 [How do machines learn](https://www.wired.com/story/how-we-learn-machine-learning-human-teachers/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_5)? Plus, read the [latest news on artificial intelligence](https://www.wired.com/category/business/artificial-intelligence/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_5) +* 🎧 Things not sounding right? Check out our favorite [wireless headphones](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-wireless-headphones/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories), [soundbars](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-soundbars/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories), and [Bluetooth speakers](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-bluetooth-speakers/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories) diff --git a/published/password_managers.docx b/published/password_managers.docx Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..6eed630 --- /dev/null +++ b/published/password_managers.docx diff --git a/published/portable-coffee.txt b/published/portable-coffee.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b5574e2 --- /dev/null +++ b/published/portable-coffee.txt @@ -0,0 +1,12 @@ +Moka pot mine + - The old standby. I've tried dozens of ways to make coffee and after the novelty wears off, this is what I return to. +Standard Moka pot https://www.amazon.com/Primula-Stovetop-Espresso-Coffee-Maker/dp/B001J1L59E/ +pour over from cafflano + - Clean up isn't too bad, all in one design is nice if you want to buy beans on the road. +aeropress +Double Shot with Brü-Stop (french press) +drip kit dispsable +Espro Travel Coffee Press +Collapsible Javadrip (on the way) +Primula Single Serve Coffee Brew Buddy + diff --git a/published/raspberry-pi-4.txt b/published/raspberry-pi-4.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d4931e2 --- /dev/null +++ b/published/raspberry-pi-4.txt @@ -0,0 +1,43 @@ +The Raspberry Pi, a credit card-sized computer that costs less than a few drinks out in San Francisco has already proven there's still a market for cheap tiny computers aimed at do-it-yourselfers. Now, with the Raspberry Pi 4, the little board that could wants to have a try at becoming your $100 desktop replacement. + +The Raspberry Pi 4 changes things somewhat. Gone is the one-size-fits all approach of previous releases. The Raspberry Pi 4 is available with either one, two, or four gigabytes of RAM. Not only are there options, this is the first time it's been possible to get a Pi with more than 1 GB of RAM. + +The extra RAM opens a new world of possible uses for the Pi and the Raspberry Pi Foundation calls the Pi 4 good enough to be a "complete desktop computer." For most of us that probably isn't quite the case, but that doesn't stop the Raspberry Pi 4 from being the same great, little DIY machine. + +### The Tinkerer's Toy Grows Up + +The Raspberry Pi began life as a hacker's dream: a cheap, low-power, high-extendable, hackable PC that shipped as a bare circuit board. Intended as one part educational device, one part tinkering tool, the Pi became a hobbiest phenomenon and has been used to power everything from scaled down Mars rovers to millions of science and hackday experiments in schools around the world. + +Along the way the Raspberry Pi spawned countless imitators and today's would-be tinkerers have a wealth of options to choose from. That said, the Raspberry Pi remains the most popular and best known. It also has the largest community around it, which makes it particularly appealing for those just starting out in the world of tiny PCs. + +With the Pi4 though bare circuit boards are not the only option. I tested the new "Desktop Kit, which features the 4 GB Pi 4 board, a nice white and red plastic case, keyboard, mouse, two micro HDMI to Standard HDMI cables, a USB-C power supply, and a 16GB MicroSD card with Raspbian Linux installed. As the name implies, in this package the Pi feels more like it's trying to be a desktop computer than a board for tinkering. + +As always, the base model, bare board Raspberry Pi is $35, which gets you the board with 1 GB RAM. That part of the Pi 4 remains, remarkably, unchanged. For $10 more you can get the 2GB version, or you can pick up the 4 GB version for $55. + +### Desktop Replacement. Or Not. + +It might have started with curious tinkerers, but there are bigger ambitions at work here. With two micro HDMI ports, capable in theory of powering two 4K monitors, the Pi 4 is angling to be your $100 desktop PC. + +If your computing needs are roughly on par with chip speeds from around 2012 then it might be capable of replacing your desktop. Chips of 2012 is not an arbitrary number, in fact that's roughly analogous to the benchmarks I got testing the Pi 4. I took the results and compared them to other PCs using [Open Benchmark](https://openbenchmarking.org/s/raspberry%20pi%204), the closest x86 match ends up being roughly Intel core chips from around 2012. + +While 2012 may not sound that long ago, it's going to feel like it when you're waiting for Chromium to boot or rendering video. Just kidding, you aren't going to be rendering video. I could not even get that benchmark to run on the Pi 4. Even without throwing video in the mix though, in everyday use, for most WIRED readers, the reality is the Raspberry Pi 4 is not going to work as a daily driver. It's too slow compared to, well, everything else you've used lately. + +The Raspberry Pi 4 is something of an odd duck in this regard. It wants to be a desktop machine, but it's just not there yet. But it's also become more powerful than you need for many of its traditional uses like as a [media server](https://kodi.wiki/view/HOW-TO:Install_Kodi_on_Raspberry_Pi), [network wide ad-blocker](https://pi-hole.net/), [fully automated coffee brewer](http://moccapi.blogspot.com/), or [micro brewing mastermind](https://www.wired.com/2013/02/raspbeery-pi/). + +The good news for bare board fans is that this model is much more powerful than the Raspberry Pi 3. The new 1.5 GHz 4-core ARM chip is more than three times faster than the Pi 3. The other big news in this release is true Gigabit Ethernet. Previous Pi models used a single USB 2.0 bridge to handle Ethernet, which hampered network speeds. The Pi 4 ditches that set up for a dedicated link that provides "full throughput," in the words of the Raspberry Pi Foundation. What that means is connecting to the Pi 4 on LAN is going to be much, much faster. Also new in the Pi 4 is USB-C for power. + +Among the things that haven't changed much are the ports. You get the Ethernet, 2 USB 2.0 ports, 2 USB 3 ports and the usual MicroSD card slot for storage. It's an impressive package, especially when you consider that the board alone still sells for $35. + +With added computing power comes the need for slightly more electric power. The Raspberry PI 4 needs a 5 volt charger with 3 amps instead of the 2.5 amp of previous models. It's not a huge increase, but it is worth noting, especially considering the Pi made its name as a very low-power way to run an always-on machine. + +After about a week of using the Pi 4 as a desktop, I unhooked everything, put the monitor and keyboard away, and connected it directly to my router. I went back to connecting to the Pi via SSH in a terminal. Perhaps I am too much of a Raspberry Pi traditionalist, but I much prefer—and think the Pi 4 excels at—this use case. + +Connected to the network, sipping power, staying out of the way until you need it is what a Pi 4 still seems best designed to do. Will the Raspberry Pi 5 be up to replacing your desktop? Perhaps, but in my experience the reason you should get a Raspberry Pi is to tinker, not replace your existing system. + +One thing worth mentioning here is the case and board of the 4 GB model. Running benchmarks, which is admittedly designed to stress the board, the provided case became quite hot and filled the room with an unpleasant plastic smell. This never happened otherwise, but if you're going to pick up a Pi 4, my suggestion would be to get a bare board and third-party case like the excellent [Flirc Raspberry Pi 4 Case](https://flirc.tv/more/raspberry-pi-4-case){: rel=nofollow}, which doubles as a heat sink and keeps the Pi from overheating. + +I also want to point out what I consider one of the best parts of the Raspberry Pi, the included beginners guide. This is not the flimsy stapled together paper guide, but a nicely bound, full-color, lavishly-illustrated 250 page guide to the Raspberry Pi. It covers everything from setting up your Pi, to using the Raspian operating system (which is based on Debian Linux), to programming your Pi, and even goes through a number of projects. It's the nicest documentation I've seen with any hardware, well, ever. + +If you've been thinking of diving into the Raspberry Pi world, the Raspberry Pi 4 is a great time to do it. The faster chip and larger RAM options open up a new world of possibilities that the community is just beginning to tinker with. Indeed the greatest challenge about the Raspberry Pi 4 right now is just finding one. To say there's a market for the Raspberry Pi 4 would be a significant understatement. The 4 GB Desktop Kit has been consistently sold out since it went on sale a month ago. + +Currently CanaKit appears to be about the only store with the [Desktop Kit ($119)](https://www.canakit.com/official-raspberry-pi-4-desktop-kit.html){: rel=nofollow} in stock. If you don't need the extra RAM or the Desktop Kit there are more purchasing options. You can pick up, what I would call the best option for most uses, the [2 GB board and USB-C power charger for $55](https://www.pishop.us/product/raspberry-pi-4-model-b-2gb/){: rel=nofollow} at PiShop. diff --git a/published/reisale.txt b/published/reisale.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1dade86 --- /dev/null +++ b/published/reisale.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9 @@ +**[Petzl Tikka Headlamp for $18 ($12 off)](https://www.rei.com/product/109856/petzl-tikka-headlamp-2018){: rel=nofollow}:** I love the Tikka, nice and bright, lightweight and a separate red mode if you want to save your night vision. + +**[REI Co-op Trail 40 Pack for $60 ($60 off)](https://www.rei.com/product/136586/rei-co-op-trail-40-pack-mens){: rel=nofollow}:** This comfortable daypack is well made and holds everything you need for day hikes, travel, even overnight backpacking trips if you go ultra lightweight. It's comfortable and has tons of pockets and storage. + +**[REI Brand Stuff Sacks for $6-$8 ($6-$8 off)](https://www.rei.com/product/118510/rei-co-op-lightweight-stuff-sack){: rel=nofollow}:** You can never have too many stuff sacks to keep gear organized, might as well grab some while they're cheap. Organize by different colors so you can find what you want at glance. + +**[REI Co-op Grand Hut 4 Tent for $199 ($100 off)](https://www.rei.com/product/128687/rei-co-op-grand-hut-4-tent){: rel=nofollow}:** With room to fit folks up to 6'2", and steep side walls that maximize living space, the Grand Hut 4 makes a good family tent. We haven't tested it, but the very similar REI Kingdom 6 tent served us well for years. + +**[Deuter Kid Comfort Child Carrier for $217 ($72 off)](https://www.rei.com/product/147417/deuter-kid-comfort-child-carrier){: rel=nofollow}:** This Deuter Child Carrier pack is comfortable for both child and parent. It's stable on your back, doesn't sway when stumbling over rocky trails and stands up on its own when set down. When my children were younger this was the seat from which they saw the world. diff --git a/published/sept22-deals.txt b/published/sept22-deals.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9050115 --- /dev/null +++ b/published/sept22-deals.txt @@ -0,0 +1,46 @@ +Yesterday marked the start of autumn in the northern hemisphere, and for once the weather is cooperating, we pulled out jeans for the first time since spring. + +This time also marks the giddy lead-up to the holidays, when the biggest device makers trot out their latest updates. Apple got things started last week with the new iPhone 11, which went on sale yesterday. We've got an [explainer and preorder guide](https://www.wired.com/story/iphone-11-and-iphone-11-pro-deals/) that we've updated with all the latest deals, as well as a complete breakdown of the differences between models. + +Amazon is next up, the company is planning to announce new products next week. Amazon Kindles are on sale this week for Prime members, discounted as steeply as we've seen them since Prime Day. Are new models on the way? Seems likely, but if you can get by with the current model now is a good time to save some money on a Kindle. + +*(Note: When you buy something using the retail links in our stories, we may earn a small affiliate commission. [Read more](https://www.wired.com/2015/11/affiliate-link-policy/) about how this works.)* + +### Amazon Kindle and Fire Tablet Deals + +|||||||Paperwhite image|||||||| + +Kindles are our favorite way to read digital books. They're easy on the eyes and the battery life is outstanding (about a month per charge). We have a [Kindle Buying Guide](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-kindle/) to help you figure out which model is best for you. There will probably be new models announced next week, so if you're the type that must have the latest and greatest, then don't buy now. But if you're satisfied with the features of the current Kindle, now is good time to buy. Outside of Prime Day, Kindles are rarely this cheap. + +Like Prime Day, these deals are for Amazon Prime members only. You can **[sign up for Amazon Prime here](https://www.amazon.com/amazonprime){: rel=nofollow}**. There is a 1-month free trial, and students can get 6 months free (and a discount). Prime is about $10 a month (if you subscribe annually) and offers free 2-day shipping on many items and access to the Prime Video service. If it's not for you, after you get your Kindle, you can cancel your membership before the 30-day period is up and you won't be billed. Just don't forget to cancel. + +- **[Kindle for $65 ($25 off)](https://www.amazon.com/All-new-Kindle-now-with-a-built-in-front-light/dp/B07DLPWYB7/){: rel=nofollow}:** The basic Kindle remains a solid offering and the latest model includes a backlight for the 6-inch E-Ink touchscreen, meaning you can read in the dark. + +- **[Kindle Paperwhite for $90 ($40 off)](https://www.amazon.com/All-new-Kindle-Paperwhite-Waterproof-Storage/dp/B07CXG6C9W/){: rel=nofollow}:** The Paperwhite is a Kindle upgrade worth considering. For a couple extra Jacksons over the plain Kindle, it opens up the joys of reading in the pool, beach, and bathtub without fear. The display is flush and the device is rated IPX8, meaning it can sit in 2 meters of water for two hours. + +- **[Fire HD 8 for $50 ($30 off)](https://www.amazon.com/All-New-Fire-Tablet-Display-Black/dp/B0794RHPZD/){: rel=nofollow}:** While the 10 is nicer, the Fire HD 8 is a very capable tablet for the price. If you're unsure which one to get, have a look at our guide to [which Fire tablet is best for you](https://www.wired.com/story/best-amazon-fire-tablet/). + +### Phone, Tablet, and Laptop Deals + +Apple's new iPhone 11 is all the news, and other phone makers are joining in the fray, cutting prices and offering discounts to try to entice unsure upgraders. Here's some of our favorite phone deals. + +- **[Google Pixel 3 - Factory Unlocked, Black, 64GB for $450 ($350 off)](https://fave.co/309zoUo){: rel=nofollow}:** The Pixel 3 is an awesome phone and this is a serious discount. The Pixel 3 gets updates faster than almost any other phone, and it's still well worth this kind of money. We listed the Pixel 3A as [our favorite Android phone](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-android-phones/), and this device is faster than it. + +- **[Huawei P30 Pro 128 GB Unlocked for $535 ($215 off)](https://www.amazon.com/ELE-L29-Factory-Unlocked-Smartphone-International/dp/B07Q2X19LG/){: rel=nofollow}:** If you want a three-camera phone, but don't want an iPhone Pro, Huawei's flagship, the P30 Pro, is on sale. Note that this phone only works on the AT&T and T-Mobile networks. + +- **[Apple iPad Pro (11-inch, Wi-Fi, 64GB) for $675 ($125 off)](https://www.amazon.com/Apple-iPad-11-inch-Wi-Fi-64GB/dp/B07K344J3N/){: rel=nofollow}:** The 11-inch iPad Pro hits a sweet spot in terms of size, specs and price, especially with this deal. If you're considering an iPad, have a look at our guide to [which iPad you should buy](https://www.wired.com/gallery/the-best-ipad/), to figure out the right model for you. + +- **[Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch for $1550 ($250 off)](https://www.amazon.com/Apple-MacBook-13-inch-2-4GHz-quad-core/dp/B07S1YPSGT/){: rel=nofollow}:** This MacBook Pro has a 2.4GHz quad-core Intel Core i5, 8-gigabytes of RAM, and a 256-gigabyte SSD. Our guide to [choosing the right MacBook](https://www.wired.com/story/which-macbook-should-you-buy/) can help you sort out which ones to consider and which to skip. + +- **[Lenovo Y540 Gaming Laptop starting at $1,199 ($400 off)](https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/legion-laptops/legion-y-series/Lenovo-Legion-Y540-17IRH/p/81Q40008US){: rel=nofollow}:** While Razor's 17-inch gaming monster, the Blade Pro, is one of [our favorites](https://www.wired.com/review/razer-blade-pro-17-2019/), this Lenovo is no slouch. With a 9th Generation i7 chip, NVIDIA graphics, up to 32-gigabytes of RAM and a 1-terabyte SSD, the Y540 should have no trouble running your favorite games. If you're looking for a new gaming laptop, be sure to read through WIRED reviewer Jess Gray's entertaining look at [the best gaming laptops For every kind of player](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-gaming-laptops/). + + +### Accessories + +- **[Anker Wireless Charger for $14 ($8 off)](https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Wireless-Qi-Certified-Compatible-PowerPort/dp/B0753Z4PGC/){: rel=nofollow}:** If you picked up a new iPhone, here's a deal on a wireless charger for it. No fussing with cords, just drop your phone on the stand. We're fans of Anker's battery packs and this wireless charger works with the iPhone 8 and better, Galaxy S10, Note 10 and many others. + +- **[Lexar 512GB SDXC Memory Card $79 ($20 off)](https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1186714-REG/lexar_lsd512cbnl633_512gb_professional_uhs_i_sdxc.html){: rel=nofollow}:** It's hard to believe you can get 512-gigabyte SD cards, let alone at this price, but you can and if you never want to think about SD card storage again, then you should. + +- **[USB Type C to USB 3.0 Adapter $7 ($3 off)](https://www.amazon.com/nonda-Adapter-Thunderbolt-Aluminum-Indicator/dp/B015Z7XE0A/){: rel=nofollow}:** If you have a laptop with only USB-C ports, a MacBook Air, a Dell XPS, you understand the value of this little gizmo. It'd be nice if we lived in the all USB-C future, but we don't which is why we still need things like this. + + diff --git a/published/two-burner-stoves.txt b/published/two-burner-stoves.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7663e0 --- /dev/null +++ b/published/two-burner-stoves.txt @@ -0,0 +1,91 @@ +Monday is Labor Day, a day to relax and, thanks to some great sales, make the fruits of your labor go a little bit further. This weekend also serves as the unofficial end of summer. To drown our sorrows we're stocking up on camping gear for next year, and some of the biggest brands in tech and home goods will be slashing prices. + +Below you'll find some of our favorite deals available this weekend. Among them is one of WIRED's own: you can pick up a [full year of WIRED Magazine and unlimited web access for just $5](https://subscribe.wired.com/subscribe/splits/wired/WIR_Edit_Hardcoded?source=deal_guides_sub). + +We've listed some highlights below, but be sure to check out our favorite camping gear and the best summer outdoor deals from [REI's Huge Labor Day Sale](https://www.wired.com/story/rei-labor-day-sale-outdoor-deals-2019/). + +*Note: When you buy something using the retail links in our stories, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Read more about how this works.* + +### Apple Deals + +[#image: /photos/5ce715745577983ec691af6c]|||||| + +- **[MacBook Air 13-inch with 512 GB Flash Storage for $1150 ($649 off)](https://www.bestbuy.com/site/apple-macbook-air-13-3-retina-display-intel-core-i5-16gb-memory-512gb-flash-storage-silver/6363052.p?skuId=6363052){: rel=nofollow}:** The latest MacBook Air is one of our favorite laptops right now. This is a killer deal for a capable and durable little machine. The 128-gigabyte model is also [on sale for $899 ($200 off)](https://www.bestbuy.com/site/apple-macbook-air-13-3-laptop-with-touch-id-intel-core-i5-8gb-memory-128gb-solid-state-drive-latest-model-space-gray/6356906.p?skuId=6356906){: rel=nofollow}. + +- **[Apple iPad 9.7-inch (128 GB) for $329 ($100 off)](https://www.amazon.com/Apple-iPad-Wi-Fi-128GB-Latest/dp/B07BTS6H4W/?tag=w050b-20){: rel=nofollow}:** Be sure to check out our [iPad Guide](https://www.wired.com/gallery/the-best-ipad/) to see which iPad is best for you, but the 9.7-inch model is one of our favorites. The model with only 32-gigabytes of RAM is also [on sale for $249 ($80 off)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BTS2KWK/?tag=w050b-20){: rel=nofollow} + +- **[iPad Pro 11-inch, 64 GB for $674 ($125 off)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K344J3N/){: rel=nofollow}:** It's not a huge discount, but the iPad Pro is one of the best tablets on the market today and less than a year old. + +- **[Apple Watch Series 4 for $379 ($50 off)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K344J3N/){: rel=nofollow}:** Apple's series 4 Watch ([8/10 WIRED Recommends](https://www.wired.com/review/review-apple-watch-series-4/)) has a larger screen and more medical features. Best Buy also has some other [deals on different Apple Watch models](https://www.bestbuy.com/site/promo/wearables-apple-watch-s4){: rel=nofollow}, most are about $50 off. + + +### Laptop, Gaming and Phone Sales + +- **[Surface Pro 6 with Black Keyboard for $786 ($272 off)](https://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Surface-Intel-Core-128GB/dp/B07QTMGP8Z/?tag=w050b-20){: rel=nofollow}:** The Surface Pro 6 has great battery life and solid performance in a light, tablet-style package ([8/10 WIRED recommends](https://www.wired.com/review/microsoft-surface-pro-6-2018/)). This model has an Intel Core i5 with 8 GB RAM and a 128GB SSD. + +- **[Dell XPS 13 $1200 ($250 off)](http://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/8984107/type/dlg/sid/labordaysales2019/https://deals.dell.com/en-us/productdetail/2yn0){: rel=nofollow}:** The Dell XPS 13 is our favorite ultrabook ([8/10 WIRED Recommends](https://www.wired.com/review/dell-xps-13-2019/)). This deal features the Core i7 model with 16 GB of RAM, and a 256 GB SSD. + +- **[HP Envy x360 15-inch Laptop for $700 ($329 off)](https://prf.hn/l/7ABwMXr){: rel=nofollow}:** The battery life isn't the best, but for the price performance is unparalleled in this HP laptop (see [WIRED's full review](https://www.wired.com/review/hp-envy-x360-13-inch-ryzen/)). This deal gets you an 8th Generation Intel Core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 256 GB of SSD storage. + +- **[Lenovo Yoga C930 14-inch Laptop for $1650 ($310 off)](https://Lenovo.vzew.net/aG1DW){: rel=nofollow}:** This Lenovo 2-in-1 was one of our favorites ([8/10 WIRED Recommends](https://www.wired.com/review/review-lenovo-yoga-c930/)). This deal features and Intel Core i7, 16 GB of RAM, 1 TB SSD, and a HiDPI (3840 x 2160) IPS, glossy, multi-touch screen. + +- **[Razer Lancehead Wireless Optical Gaming Mouse for $48 ($31 off)](https://www.amazon.com/Razer-Lancehead-Ambidextrous-Gaming-Mouse/dp/B06XH15HD9/){: rel=nofollow}:** The Razer Lancehead is a great mouse for anyone, but especially left-handed players. Unlike some of its competitors, the Lancehead is designed with an ambidextrous chassis that easily fits in your right or left hand. + +- **[Motorola Moto G7 for $240 ($50 off)](https://www.amazon.com/Moto-G7-Alexa-Hands-Free-Unlocked/dp/B07N92347B/){: rel=nofollow}:** The Moto G7 is one of our favorite phones ([9/10 WIRED Recommends](https://www.wired.com/review/motorola-moto-g7-all-3-models/)). It's an outstanding performer for the price and offers plenty of RAM and storage. If the G7 doesn't entice you, Motorola has [plenty of other deals going](https://www.motorola.com/us/specials?utm_source=motoemail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ECOMM_NA_US_EN_EMAIL_OFFER_BACKTOSCHOOL2019&utm_content=REMINDER&utm_term=shop_deals&ceid=e8a964501b6408ac83534693ac6ccc406af19d12b455a35e7655367b0e56a06c){: rel=nofollow} + +Many of the big computer makers have Labor Day sales running: [HP](https://store.hp.com/app/slp/labor-day-sale?jumpid=ma_labor-day-sale_vp_na_1_190825){: rel=nofollow}, [Lenovo](https://Lenovo.vzew.net/1d5zR/), and [Dell](http://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/8984107/type/dlg/sid/labordaysales2019/https://deals.dell.com/en-us){: rel=nofollow}, + +### Home And Appliance Sales + +- **[Echo Dot for $30 ($2o off)](https://www.amazon.com/Echo-Dot-3rd-Gen-Sandstone/dp/B07PGL2N7J/){: rel=nofollow}:** This hockey puck-shaped Echo handles spoken audio well and the new version sounds better with music, but it still lacks the quality you'll find in larger speakers. Still, if you want to add Alexa to more rooms in your house, the Dot is a cheap and easy way to do it. + +- **[Google Home Mini for $29 ($20 off)](http://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/8984107/type/dlg/sid/labordaysales2019/https://express.google.com/product/Google-Home-Mini-Smart-Speaker-Wireless-Charcoal/4126248198962386013_1481650130354835418_125181302?oc=OgkxMjUxODEzMDI&ved=0CCUQ0FUoEmoYChMImsWgoaml5AIVPfHjBx3x9Q9REMYB){: rel=nofollow}:** Google's smart speaker is great for those with a Home-enabled home. + +- **[Google Nest Hub for $79 ($70 off)](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Google-Nest-Hub-Charcoal/473535403){: rel=nofollow}:** This used to be called the Google Home Hub. It's basically like a Google Assistant speaker with a display—a small display. We [like](https://www.wired.com/review/google-home-hub/) that it has no camera, and its 7-inch screen makes it small enough to put at your bedside. + +- **[Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo 930 for $400 ($300 off)](https://www.bestbuy.com/site/ecovacs-robotics-deebot-ozmo-930-app-controlled-self-charging-robot-vacuum-mop-black/6215304.p?skuId=6215304){: rel=nofollow}:** This speedy robot vac is one of Senior Writer Adrienne So's favorites. At this price, you can't go wrong. + +- **[Botvac D4 Connected for $450 ($80 off)](https://www.bestbuy.com/site/neato-robotics-neato-botvac-d4-connected-app-controlled-robot-vacuum-black-with-honeycomb-pattern/6277900.p?skuId=6277900){: rel=nofollow}:** Neato's D4 Connected is another of our favorite robot vacs. Like the more expensive Botvac D7, the D4 Connected creates a floor map and lets you install virtual no-go boundaries. + +- **[Dyson V8 Animal Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner for $300 ($200 off)](https://www.amazon.com/Dyson-Animal-Cordless-Vacuum-Cleaner/dp/B06XG7WKKL/){: rel=nofollow}:** It's not the latest and greatest but Dyson's V8 is still a powerful, relatively quiet way to keep the house clean. + +- **[Dyson V10 Animal Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner for $500 ($100 off)](https://www.amazon.com/Dyson-Animal-Cordless-Vacuum-Cleaner/dp/B06XG7WKKL/){: rel=nofollow}:** If you do want the the latest and greatest, which features a larger bin than the V8, this is a good deal on what WIRED Editor Michael Calore calls [the absolute best (but expensive) cordless vac](https://www.wired.com/review/dyson-cyclone-v10-absolute-cordless-vacuum/). + + +### Outdoor Deals + +This year, REI's annual Labor Day sale starts on August 23 and continues through September 2. In addition to 40 percent off sale items, members can also get 20 percent off full-price REI Outlet items with code __LABORDAY19__. Some of our favorite deals are below, but be sure to check out our post on [the best outdoor deals from REI's huge Labor Day sale](https://www.wired.com/story/rei-labor-day-sale-outdoor-deals-2019/) for more. Backcountry's [semi-annual sale](){: rel=nofollow} is still going as well, see [our recommendations](https://www.wired.com/story/deals-backcountry-semiannual-sale-2019/). + +- **[REI Co-Op Half Dome 2 Plus Tent for $160 ($69 off)](http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&merchant_id=e295c418-295a-447c-b265-734e25f82503&website_id=6493f360-f0c1-48d6-8bf9-fd48d95e7616&url=https://www.rei.com/product/128692/rei-co-op-half-dome-2-plus-tent&ctc=REILaborDaySale){: rel=nofollow}:** There are a lot of Nemo and Marmot tents on sale, but it's hard to beat the value of REI Co-op's in-house brand. Senior Gear reviewer Adrienne So and I both also have older versions of [REI's stand-up 4-person tent](http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&merchant_id=e295c418-295a-447c-b265-734e25f82503&website_id=6493f360-f0c1-48d6-8bf9-fd48d95e7616&url=https://www.rei.com/product/128687/rei-co-op-grand-hut-4-tent&ctc=REILaborDaySale){: rel=nofollow}, which is also on sale. + +- **[Katadyn Water Filtration System for $52 ($18 off)](http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&merchant_id=e295c418-295a-447c-b265-734e25f82503&website_id=6493f360-f0c1-48d6-8bf9-fd48d95e7616&url=https://www.rei.com/product/139666/katadyn-gravity-befree-water-filtration-system-3-liters&ctc=REILaborDaySale){: rel=nofollow}:** Why pump filtered water when you can hang a bag and get all the drinkable water you need? + +- **[Deuter Kid Comfort Child Carrier for $217 ($72 off)](http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&merchant_id=e295c418-295a-447c-b265-734e25f82503&website_id=6493f360-f0c1-48d6-8bf9-fd48d95e7616&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rei.com%2Fproduct%2F147417%2Fdeuter-kid-comfort-child-carrier&ctc=REILaborDaySale){: rel=nofollow}:** This Deuter Child Carrier pack is comfortable for both child and parent. It's stable on your back, doesn't sway when stumbling over rocky trails, and stands up on its own when set down. When my children were younger, this was the seat from which they saw the world. + +- **[REI Co-Op Trail 40 Pack for $60 ($60 off)](http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&merchant_id=e295c418-295a-447c-b265-734e25f82503&website_id=6493f360-f0c1-48d6-8bf9-fd48d95e7616&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rei.com%2Fproduct%2F136586%2Frei-co-op-trail-40-pack-mens&ctc=REILaborDaySale){: rel=nofollow}:** This comfortable day pack, which holds everything you need for day hikes, travel, even overnight backpacking trips if you go ultra lightweight. It's comfortable and has tons of pockets and storage. + +- **[Biolite Energy Bundle+](https://www.bioliteenergy.com/products/biolite-energy-bundle-plus?avad=55097_c16dfffbd&utm_campaign=affiliate&utm_source=avantlink&utm_medium=40661){: rel=nofollow}:** REI isn't the only outdoor gear sale happening. The folks at BioLite have a few discounts right now, including this Energy Bundle+ which combines a stove, USB-charging solar panel, and lighting system to keep all your devices charged while camping. Use the code __LABOR15__ to get the full discount price. + +### Sales + +There are far more deals out there than just the ones we've highlighted here. If you've got a shopping list here's a list of some more Labor Day Sales for you: + +- **[Best Buy](https://www.bestbuy.com/site/promo/appliances-sale){: rel=nofollow}** + +- **[REI Labor Day Sale](http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&merchant_id=e295c418-295a-447c-b265-734e25f82503&website_id=6493f360-f0c1-48d6-8bf9-fd48d95e7616&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rei.com%2Fh%2Flabor-day-sale&ctc=labordaysales2019){: rel=nofollow}** + +- **[New Egg](https://www.newegg.com/Labor-Day-Sale/EventSaleStore/ID-163){: rel=nofollow}** + + +- **[Walmart](https://www.walmart.com/m/savings-center){: rel=nofollow}** + +- **[Home Depot](https://www.homedepot.com/c/labor_day_savings){: rel=nofollow}** + +- **[Lowes](https://www.lowes.com/l/appliance-sales.html?int_cmp=Home%3AA%3AMajorAppliances%3APct_Off%3AFW29_Up_To_40_Off){: rel=nofollow}** + +- **[Sears](https://www.sears.com/appliances/b-1020003?adcell=hp_LD_S1_appliances){: rel=nofollow}** + +- **[Wayfair](https://www.wayfair.com/daily-sales/labor-day-sale){: rel=nofollow}** + +- **[eBay](https://www.ebay.com/deals?_trkparms=pageci%3A1f4ef556-ca55-11e9-91f2-74dbd1802241|parentrq%3Add4310dd16c0ac3d5d18f902ffd8dd2d|iid%3A0){: rel=nofollow}** + diff --git a/published/waffles.txt b/published/waffles.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..16bf8b5 --- /dev/null +++ b/published/waffles.txt @@ -0,0 +1,30 @@ +Everyone has some useless kitchen device they love. My parents love their mango peeler, I have a friend who swears one of those multi-edge brownie pans is the bomb. There's even an all-in-one breakfast sandwich device which, if Amazon [reviews](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C95O3DY/) are to be believed, is loved by many. + +Our version of this is the waffle iron. Except that The waffle iron is not the one trick pony you think it is. It's capable of making everything from burgers to hash browns to chocolate chip cookies. And of course, [chocolate](/jrnl/2017/07/happy-5th-birthday) [waffle](/jrnl/2018/07/six) [cake](/jrnl/2019/07/seven). + +<img src="images/2019/2017-05-22_150233_huntsville-tx.jpg" id="image-2058" class="picwide" /> + + +### Origins + +My first encounter with non-standard things in a waffle iron came at a campground. My family and I had recently moved into our [1969 Dodge Travco motorhome](/1969-dodge-travco-motorhome) to live full time on the road. I gutted and restored the RV, but one thing I never got around to fixing was the oven. It was on my list of things to do, but honestly, living in a vintage RV, that's a perpetually long list and things like brakes tend to take precedence. + +One day in a New Orleans campground some fellow travelers, Taylor and Beth, [had us over for dinner](https://live.luxagraf.net/jrnl/2017/05/new-orleans-instrumental-number-2). It was too hot to run an oven in you RV, so they served up cornbread waffles. I'm pretty sure if you'd been there you could have actually heard the ding that went off in my head when I saw the cornbread waffle. If you can make cornbread in a waffle iron, what else could you make? + +Traditionally, the waffle was a leavened bread-like thing, made from a dough rather than the runny batter we're used to now. It seems to have [grown out of a Greek tradition](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waffle) of cakes cooked between two pressed together hot plates. From there, the idea of pressing batter between plates spread through Europe. Europeans started adding yeast to make a leavened dough, and eventually the hot plates found their modern grid pattern. The French were early waffle pioneers, though the Dutch soon dominated. Now, the word "waffle" is often preceded by the word "Belgian." + +We were not waffle traditionalists though, just a family without an oven looking for a good way to make cakes and cookies. After that first encounter with cornbread in a grid, we grabbed the cheapest waffle iron we could find and began to experiment. + +### Waffle Mastery + +We started with what we knew, replicating the cornbread waffles. We tinkered with the recipe until it was just right and then moved on. Our first homegrown success was chocolate waffle cake. The brilliance of cake as a waffle is that all those dents fill up with frosting. To this day, even when we have access to ovens, like in Mexico, my kids want chocolate waffle cake for their birthdays. + +After the cake success I was more or less satisfied. Corrinne however, has continued to experiment and come up all sorts of things. Banana bread (excellent). Chocolate chip banana bread (even better). Chocolate chip cookies (still searching for perfection here). Later she tried hash browns (tricky, but can be good), and became slightly obsessed with trying just about everything in a waffle iron. Remarkably, nearly all of it all has worked. Or possible two years of ovenless life makes your palette more forgiving. + +We quickly discovered that we were not the first waffle iron lovers. There was a blog, Wafflizer.com, now known as [Will it Waffle](https://willitwaffle.com/), which spawned a cookbook of the same name. There were other cookbooks, though we haven't tried any of them because experimenting -- especially with kids eager to learn to cook -- is more fun. + +Often we discovered that companies themselves had recipes adjusted to work in waffle iron. We found a cornbread mix that mentioned that the secret to better cornbread waffles was more oil (this is actually true in a broad sense, though you don't want to get carried away). + +When I sat down to write this for WIRED I realized there's a whole internet world of waffling enthusiasts. Daniel Shumski, author of Will it Waffle, includes recipes for things as exotic as Miso-maple glazed salmon, waffled tamali pie, and even filet mignon. Honestly, we haven't tried any of those, though the tamali pie strikes me a potentially awesome. + +You probably have an oven, so why bother waffling? It's fun. Kids love the experimental, bending of the rules aspect to it. That said, if we had an oven we'd probably use it. Still, odds are you have a waffle iron tucked away somewhere in your kitchen, neglected and sad in the darkness of a far cabinet. Pull it out and put on the counter with pride. Try waffling something unexpected. diff --git a/published/waffles.txt_ b/published/waffles.txt_ new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d53ed71 --- /dev/null +++ b/published/waffles.txt_ @@ -0,0 +1,44 @@ +Everyone has a slightly bizarre cooking tool they secretly love, whether it's a mango peeler, a multi-edge brownie pan, or an all-in-one egg sandwich device. Yup, [that's a thing](https://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-25477-Breakfast-Electric/dp/B00C95O3DY/?tag=w050b-20){: rel=nofollow}. My guilty pleasure is the waffle iron. + +I firmly believe a waffle maker can cook almost anything. That's why National Waffle Day, August 24, is my favorite made-up holiday. There's no way waffles actually need a holiday, but it's as good a time as any to tell you how I feel about my waffle iron. You'd be surprised what waffles. It can make everything from burgers to hash browns to chocolate chip cookies, and that's just the beginning. + +###My Waffling Origin Story + +My first encounter with non-standard things in a waffle iron came at a campground. My family and I had recently moved into our 1969 Dodge Travco motorhome to live full time on the road. I gutted and restored the RV, but one thing I never got around to fixing was the oven. + +We were in a New Orleans campground one day and a few fellow [#VanLife](https://twitter.com/hashtag/vanlife) travelers had us over for dinner. They also lacked a working oven, so they served us cornbread waffles instead. If you'd have been there you could have audibly heard the ding that went off in my head when I tried my cornbread waffle. Waffles .... cornbread? What kind of sorcery was this? If they made cornbread in a waffle iron, what else could we make? + +[[[[[may cut this]]]] +Traditionally, the waffle was a leavened bread-like thing, meaning it was made from a dough, rather than the runny batter we're used to now. It seems to have grown out of a Greek tradition cakes cooked between two pressed together hot plates. From there, the idea of pressing batter between plates spread through Europe. Europeans started adding yeast to make a leavened dough, and eventually the hot plates found their modern grid pattern. The French were early waffle pioneers, though the Dutch ended up running with the idea until the word waffle was most off preceded by the word Belgium. + +###Waffle Time + +We were not waffle traditionalists—just a family without an oven, desperate for new ways to heat food. After that first encounter with gridded cornbread, we grabbed the cheapest waffle iron we could find and began to experiment. + +We started by replicating the cornbread waffles. After some tinkering, we had the recipe down. Our first homegrown success was chocolate waffle cake. The brilliance of cake as a waffle is that all those dents fill up with frosting. To this day, despite access to ovens, my kids want chocolate waffle cake for their birthdays. + +After the cake success, we tried banana bread, and it was excellent. Then we made chocolate chip banana bread (even better). Then chocolate chip cookies—they remain difficult to perfect. Later, we started making hash browns, and became slightly obsessed with trying just about everything in a waffle iron. + +Remarkably, nearly all of it all has worked, though it's also possible that two years of ovenless van life made our palettes more forgiving. + +Not long into our waffling days, we discovered that we were not the first family to worship the waffle iron. There was a blog, Wafflizer.com, now known as [Will It Waffle?](https://willitwaffle.com/), which [spawned a waffling cookbook](https://www.amazon.com/Will-Waffle-Irresistible-Unexpected-Recipes-ebook/dp/B00K8H307U/){: rel=nofollow} of the same name. There were other cookbooks, though I haven't read them. Experimenting—especially with kids eager to learn to cook—is more fun. + +We also discovered that, quite often, companies themselves had recipes adjusted to work in waffle iron. Info on the box of a cornbread mix mentioned that the secret to better cornbread waffles was more oil. (This is actually true in a broad sense as long as you don't get carried away.) + +As we explored the growing world of waffling online, we came to realize that there's very little a waffle iron can't do. Daniel Shumski, author of Will It Waffle, includes recipes for things as exotic as Miso-maple glazed salmon, waffled tamali pie, and even filet mignon. + +###The Tools You Need for Waffle Mastery + +You probably have a waffle iron tucked away somewhere in your kitchen, neglected and sad in the darkness of a far cabinet. I say, pull it out and put on the counter with pride! + +If you don't have a waffle iron, this [Black and Decker Waffle Iron ($23)](https://www.amazon.com/BD-Waffle-Iron-Morning-Station/dp/B07D7DTFM5/?tag=w050b-20){: rel=nofollow} is a good starter model. It has some extras my waffle maker (which is no longer sold) does not, including different plates for sandwiches or grilling. That might be cheating, but I won't tell if you don't. + +If you want to upgrade your waffling experience, Shumski likes the very fancy [Breville BWM620XL Waffle Maker ($199)](https://www.amazon.com/Breville-BWM620XL-Smart-Waffle-Silver/dp/B00F5C1Q5Q/?tag=w050b-20){: rel=nofollow}. Personally, I've felt no need to upgrade, though I can see where precise temperature controls like those on the Breville could potentially open up a new world of waffle iron possibilities. There are also flipping waffle irons, which claim to spread your batter more evenly. They tend to be the much deeper Belgium-style waffles, which I do not recommend for all around waffling (though if your waffle desires are limited to visions of tasty strawberry smothered Belgium waffles, these irons are a great way to make them). I also recommend a high-heat cleaning brush, like [this one ($15)](https://www.amazon.com/Carlisle-4011400-Waffle-Brush-Teflon/dp/B000ORE0DW/){: rel=nofollow} for clearing your waffle iron between waffles. + +If you want to skip the dry cornbread and exploding chocolate chip cookies that ooze like lava across the counter experimental stage, grab a dedicated waffle iron cookbook. I've enjoyed Shumski's [Will It Waffle](https://www.amazon.com/Will-It-Waffle-Irresistible-Unexpected/dp/0761176462/?tag=w050b-20){: rel=nofollow}. + +biscuits + + +*Note: When you buy something using the retail links in our stories, we may earn a small affiliate commission. [Read more](https://www.wired.com/2015/11/affiliate-link-policy/) about how this works.* + diff --git a/published/which-macbook.txt b/published/which-macbook.txt index 8bfcf68..243b921 100644 --- a/published/which-macbook.txt +++ b/published/which-macbook.txt @@ -1,67 +1,79 @@ +Well, we've now used that new MacBook and the new OS. Can button up the Best MacBooks guide for the holidays here. Is there any advice around which ones might run iPad apps best, or anything like that? Seems like a new reason to avoid older units. Looks like some of the prices/links are broken or off now too. + +So if you can give it a thorough read through and think about any ways we can serve readers more/ update info, that seems good since it's a high profile guide + + + Apple's laptops have long been held up as a gold standard for portable computers. MacBooks were the first to bring technologies like aluminum unibody construction, super-sharp IPS screens, backlit keyboards, and multitouch trackpads to the mainstream. The problem with Apple's current lineup is that the company has a variety of models with different capabilities, making it difficult to find the one that's best for you. -Which Mac portable should you spend your hard-earned money on? Given that you'll likely pay more for a MacBook than a competing model from [HP](https://www.wired.com/review/hp-spectre-x360-convertible-laptop-2018/), [Dell](https://www.wired.com/review/dell-xps-13-2018/), or even [Microsoft](https://www.wired.com/review/microsoft-surface-laptop-2-2018/), it's important to weigh your options. +Which Mac portable should you spend your hard-earned money on? Given that you'll likely pay more for a MacBook than a competing model from [HP](https://www.wired.com/review/hp-spectre-x360-convertible-laptop-2018/), [Dell](https://www.wired.com/review/dell-xps-13-2019/), or even [Microsoft](https://www.wired.com/review/microsoft-surface-laptop-2-2018/), it's important to weigh your options. -*Updated July 2019: Apple made some pricing and model changes, and we've updated our picks, pricing, and recommendations to accomodate. Be sure to also check out our [latest buying guides](https://www.wired.com/tag/buying-guides/), especially our picks for [Best iPhone](https://www.wired.com/gallery/iphone-buying-guide/), [Best iPad](https://www.wired.com/gallery/the-best-ipad/), and [Best Laptops](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-laptops/).* +*Updated October 2019: Apple released [MacOS Catalina](https://www.wired.com/story/macos-1015-catalina-review/) with some new features, like Sidecar which turns a compatible iPad into a second monitor, so we've updated our picks, pricing, and recommendations. Be sure to also check out our [latest buying guides](https://www.wired.com/tag/buying-guides/), especially our picks for [Best iPhone](https://www.wired.com/gallery/iphone-buying-guide/), [Best iPad](https://www.wired.com/gallery/the-best-ipad/), and [Best Laptops](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-laptops/).* -*(Note: When you buy something using the retail links in our stories, we may earn a small affiliate commission. [Read more](https://www.wired.com/2015/11/affiliate-link-policy/) about how this works.)* +*Note: When you buy something using the retail links in our stories, we may earn a small affiliate commission. [Read more](https://www.wired.com/2015/11/affiliate-link-policy/) about how this works.* -##The Best All-Arounder +###The Best All-Arounder -**[Apple MacBook Air (13-inch)](https://apple.sjv.io/c/1305164/473657/7613?prodsku=MREA2LL%2FA&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.apple.com%2Fus%2Fshop%2Fproduct%2FMREA2){: rel=nofollow}** +**[Apple MacBook Air (13-inch)](https://apple.sjv.io/4qMY3){: rel=nofollow}** [#image: /photos/5a7ba5c1bc5bd27505947dc0]|||||| -The MacBook Air remains the Mac to get. Just after WWDC 2019, Apple [upgraded the MacBook Air]() adding the company's True Tone tech to the Retina display and dropping the price to $1,099. +The MacBook Air remains the Mac to get. Apple [upgraded the MacBook Air](https://www.wired.com/story/apple-goes-all-in-on-touch-bar-for-macbook-pro/) earlier this year, adding the company's True Tone tech to the Retina display and dropping the price to $1,099. The new Air is a lot like the new MacBook Pro models, with a sharp, 13-inch Retina display, a responsive trackpad, an improved butterfly keyboard (with a dust shield), surprisingly potent speakers, and two USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports for charging and hooking up peripherals. It comes in gold, if that's your jam. -On the inside is a 1.6 GHz dual-core eighth-generation Intel Core i5 processor, a 128-gigabyte solid state drive, along with up to 16 GB of RAM. Having only two USB-C ports can feel limiting. You'll need to buy multi-port [adapters like this one](https://www.amazon.com/AUKEY-Delivery-Charging-Chromebook-Pixelbook/dp/B072Q1SKZR/){: rel=nofollow} to plug stuff in and stay charged at the same time. +On the inside is a 1.6 GHz dual-core eighth-generation Intel Core i5 processor, a 128-gigabyte solid state drive, along with up to 16 GB of RAM. Having only two USB-C ports can feel limiting. You'll need to buy multi-port [adapters like this one](https://amzn.to/2LEIlgS){: rel=nofollow} to plug stuff in and stay charged at the same time. There are a few things you might miss from higher-end MacBook Pros. Those pricier machines get extra USB-C ports, and faster insides. -**[MacBook Air costs $1,149 from Apple](https://apple.sjv.io/c/1305164/473657/7613?prodsku=MREA2LL%2FA&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.apple.com%2Fus%2Fshop%2Fproduct%2FMREA2){: rel=nofollow} or [$1,100 from Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Apple-MacBook-13-inch-display-dual-core/dp/B07K1WWS63){: rel=nofollow}** +**[MacBook Air costs $1,099 from Apple](https://apple.sjv.io/4qMY3){: rel=nofollow} or [$1,100 from Amazon](https://amzn.to/2LSZnYT){: rel=nofollow}** -*Small Upgrades: If you have a lot of local photos or files, get the [256 GB MacBook Air for $200 more](http://apple.sjv.io/c/1305164/473657/7613?prodsku=MREC2LL%2FA&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.apple.com%2Fus%2Fshop%2Fproduct%2FMREC2){: rel=nofollow} ([$1,250-$1,350 from Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K234RCV/){: rel=nofollow}).* +*Small Upgrades: If you have a lot of local photos or files, get the [256 GB MacBook Air for $200 more](https://apple.sjv.io/4qMY3){: rel=nofollow} ([$1,250-$1,350 from Amazon](https://amzn.to/2JDjesb){: rel=nofollow}).* -##The Best For Power Users +###The Best For Power Users **[Apple MacBook Pro (15-inch with Touch Bar)](https://apple.sjv.io/7Q9yO){: rel=nofollow}** [#image: /photos/5a7ba57a4430bd3783b464de]|||||| -The only high-end laptop Apple makes is the [15-inch MacBook Pro](https://www.wired.com/review/apple-macbook-pro-2018/). There are two options here, the six-core, eighth-generation Intel Core i7 processor, with 16 GB RAM, and the even more powerful version with an eight-core, ninth-generation Intel Core i9 processor, up to 32 GB RAM, and AMD Radeon graphics. The latter option has the fastest internals and biggest, highest-resolution display of all the MacBooks, making it well suited to everything from 4K video editing to massive Lightroom batch exports. Its big screen is also a major boon to productivity, making side-by-side document editing and web browsing a cinch. +The only high-end laptop Apple makes is the [15-inch MacBook Pro](https://www.wired.com/review/apple-macbook-pro-2018/). There are two options here: the six-core, eighth-generation Intel Core i7 processor, with 16 GB RAM, and the even more powerful version with an eight-core, ninth-generation Intel Core i9 processor, up to 32 GB RAM, and AMD Radeon graphics. The latter option has the fastest internals and biggest, highest-resolution display of all the MacBooks, making it well suited to everything from 4K video editing to massive Lightroom batch exports. Its big screen is also a major boon to productivity, making side-by-side document editing and web browsing a cinch. + +MacOS 10.15 Catalina adds a feature called Sidecar, which allows you to use an iPad as a second monitor or, using the Apple Pencil, as a drawing device (much like a [Wacom tablet](https://www.wacom.com/en-us/products/pen-tablets/wacom-intuos){: rel=nofollow}). If you don't already have an iPad, Catalina might convince you to get one (see our [iPad buying guide](https://www.wired.com/gallery/the-best-ipad/)). Pairing the MacBook Pro with an iPad is the closest you're likely to get to a portable dual-monitor setup. -Four Thunderbolt 3 ports mean you'll have plenty of ports for all your devices, too. If you handle big files on the regular, you might need a larger SSD than the stock 256 GB configuration offers, but Apple will gladly upgrade this MacBook Pro all the way to 4 terabytes, if you can pony up the $2,700 upgrade fee. +Four Thunderbolt 3 ports mean you'll have plenty of ports for the rest of your devices, too. If you handle big files on the regular, you might need a larger SSD than the stock 256 GB configuration offers, but Apple will gladly upgrade this MacBook Pro all the way to 4 terabytes, if you can pony up the $2,700 upgrade fee. -You also get Apple's Touch Bar with this model. This small display above the keyboard is touch-sensitive and plays host to a row of customizable, interactive controls. It can be handy, at least in theory, but many apps have yet to truly take advantage of this skinny touch interface. +All MacBook Pro's also feature Apple's Touch Bar. This small display above the keyboard is touch-sensitive and plays host to a row of customizable, interactive controls. It can be handy, at least in theory, but many apps have yet to truly take advantage of this skinny touch interface. -**[MacBook Pro (15-inch) costs $2,249+ from Apple](https://apple.sjv.io/7Q9yO){: rel=nofollow} or [$2,400+ from Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Apple-MacBook-Retina-2-2GHz-6-Core/dp/B07FK9H65N){: rel=nofollow}** +**[MacBook Pro (15-inch) costs $2,249+ from Apple](https://apple.sjv.io/7Q9yO){: rel=nofollow} or [$2,200-$2,400+ from Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Apple-MacBook-Retina-2-2GHz-6-Core/dp/B07FK9H65N){: rel=nofollow}** -*Smaller Screen: If 15 inches is too big, you can get a [13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar for $1,699](https://apple.sjv.io/7Q9yO){: rel=nofollow} ([$1,550 from Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Apple-MacBook-Retina-2-3GHz-Quad-Core/dp/B07FKCCZSD){: rel=nofollow}). You can also deck it out with 16 GB RAM and an Intel Core i7 for $2,149 (at Apple's Store).* +*Smaller Screen: If 15 inches is too big, you can get a [13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar for $1,699](https://apple.sjv.io/7Q9yO){: rel=nofollow} ([$1,650 at Amazon](https://amzn.to/2LEIzoe){: rel=nofollow}). You can also deck it out with 16 GB RAM and an Intel Core i7 for $1,799+ (at Apple's Store).* -##The GoldilocksBook +###The GoldilocksBook -**[Apple MacBook Pro (13-Inch)](https://www.apple.com/shop/buy-mac/macbook-pro){: rel=nofollow}** +[#image: /photos/5d24c40daed87c00094fb4a8]|||||| -If the new MacBook Air isn't quite powerful enough for your needs, but the 15 inch MacBook Pro is too much, consider the 13-inch MacBook Pro, it might be just right. +**[Apple MacBook Pro (13-Inch)](https://apple.sjv.io/7Q9yO){: rel=nofollow}** -In July 2019 Apple dropped the 12-inch MacBook (one of our previous favorite) and effectively replaced it with the new MacBook Air. That leaves the 13-inch MacBook Pro straddling the power and weight divide between the new Air and 15-inch MacBook Pro. +If the new MacBook Air isn't powerful enough for your needs, but the 15 inch MacBook Pro is too much, consider the 13-inch MacBook Pro. It might be just right. -Offering powerful quad-core processors and all-day battery life in a reasonably portable three-pound package, the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro will be the best of both worlds for many people. You get the Touch bar and a faster chip than the Air, but avoid the extra weight and bulk of the 15-inch model. +In July 2019, Apple canceled the 12-inch MacBook (one of our previous favorite) and effectively replaced it with the new MacBook Air. That leaves the 13-inch MacBook Pro straddling the power and weight divide between the new Air and 15-inch MacBook Pro. -The entry level model sports a 1.4GHz quad-core Intel Core i5, with up to 16-gigabytes of RAM, and a 128GB solid state drive (configurable to 2-terabytes). +Offering powerful quad-core processors and all-day battery life in a reasonably portable 3-pound package, the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro will be the best of both worlds for many people. You get the Touch Bar and a faster chip than the Air, but avoid the extra weight and bulk of the 15-inch model. -**[MacBook Pro (13-inch, 128 GB) costs $1,299 from Apple](https://www.apple.com/shop/buy-mac/macbook-pro){: rel=nofollow}** +Catalina's Sidebar feature works a treat here too, pairing your iPad for an extra screen or drawing pad on the go. -##Quirks and Issues to Be Aware of +The entry level model sports a 1.4 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor, with up to 16-gigabytes of RAM, and a 128 GB solid state drive (configurable to 2 terabytes). + +**[MacBook Pro (13-inch, 128 GB) costs $1,299 from Apple](https://apple.sjv.io/7Q9yO){: rel=nofollow}** + +###Quirks and Issues to Be Aware of [#image: /photos/5b50da71c4622c0b58ac8bdc]|||||| Unlike previous generations of MacBook, there are eccentricities and problems with Apple's laptops that you should know about before you buy. -__Bland Touch Bar:__ When Apple debuted the Touch Bar in late 2016, it touted the thin touchscreen strip above the keyboard as the [next-generation of user input](https://www.wired.com/2016/11/apple-goes-part-time-on-touch/). Unfortunately, this hasn't quite panned out. The Touch Bar is on a limited number of Apple systems, and there seems to be little interest from third-party software designers in doing anything innovative with the tiny display. Those Touch Bar-packing laptops have Touch ID, which lets you log in and access sensitive data with your fingerprint, but what's been swapped out for that is something you'll miss: a physical Esc key. +__Bland Touch Bar:__ When Apple debuted the Touch Bar in late 2016, it touted the thin touchscreen strip above the keyboard as the [next-generation of user input](https://www.wired.com/2016/11/apple-goes-part-time-on-touch/). Unfortunately, this hasn't panned out. There seems to be little interest from third-party software designers in doing anything innovative with the tiny display. Those Touch Bar-packing laptops have Touch ID, which lets you log in and access sensitive data with your fingerprint, but what's been swapped out for that is something you'll miss: a physical Esc key. To get around this you can always map CapsLock to Esc. __Palmy Trackpad:__ Apple's trackpads are among the best in the computer business, but with the newest MacBooks, these input devices have been blown up to unbelievable proportions and crammed right up against the bottom of the keyboard, right where you rest your palms while typing. Although there's supposed to be intelligent palm rejection software at work, the trackpads are susceptible to accidental input. Your mileage may vary. @@ -69,32 +81,24 @@ __Keyboard Killer:__ The flat style of Apple's 3rd-generation "butterfly switch" __Parched for Ports:__ Then there's the port situation. All of Apple's current MacBooks feature one port type: USB-C. It's a newer port that might not work with the devices you own. You'll want to invest in a few adapters ([like this Aukey adapter](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072Q1SKZR/){: rel=nofollow}) if you plan on hooking your computer up to a projector, or want to use things like USB keys or SD cards. Plan to buy some dongles. -##MacBooks to Avoid +###MacBooks to Avoid [#image: /photos/5c5e2243efd7aa546734e945]|||||| -**The Old MacBook Air:** This slim laptop was groundbreaking when it debuted in 2010. Unfortunately, the MacBook Air didn't [change much](https://www.wired.com/2013/06/apple-macbook-air-2013/) until 2018. It sports a dowdy-looking non-Retina screen and weak Intel chips that are years old. It might not require the dongles that a newer MacBook might necessitate, but the newer laptops will undoubtedly feel faster for longer. Don't let the $999 price tag tempt you—there are [way better laptops](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-laptops/) you can nab for that kind of cash. *How to spot it:* The older Air has a thick silver border (bezel) around its screen, instead of black glass like the new models. +**The Old MacBook Air:** This slim laptop was groundbreaking when it debuted in 2010. Unfortunately, the MacBook Air didn't [change much](https://www.wired.com/2013/06/apple-macbook-air-2013/) until 2018. It sports a dowdy-looking non-Retina screen and weak Intel chips that are years old. It might not require the dongles that a newer MacBook might necessitate, but the newer laptops will undoubtedly feel faster for longer. Don't let its price tag tempt you—there are [way better laptops](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-laptops/) you can nab for that kind of cash. *How to spot it:* The older Air has a thick silver border (bezel) around its screen, instead of black glass like the new models. **The Old MacBook Pro:** This time-tested design seems like it'd be a great buy ... until you see the $2,000 price tag. It's still rocking an impossibly old, 2014-era Intel chip inside, and despite its appealing array of USB and Thunderbolt 2 ports, this 15-inch model is a poor value for money. *How to spot it:* It has standard USB ports and it's much thicker. The new models only have a few USB-C ports. -##Is It a Good Time to Buy? +**12-Inch MacBook:** This model was canceled in July 2019. If you find one of the final models and get a good bargain (well under $1,000), it may be worth a look, but we generally recommend you opt for a current model for longevity and better customer support. This one will not work with Sidecar. -Yes. Apple updated the processor option for its top of the line MacBook Pro in May and refreshed the Air and entry model MacBook Pro's in July. Apple is unlikely to bump any of these again until later this year, if at all. +###Is It a Good Time to Buy? -##Get AppleCare+ +Probably, but it depends which model you're going to get. Apple updated the processor option for its top of the line MacBook Pro in May 2019 and refreshed the Air in July. Apple may end up announcing a minor processor upgrade for the MacBook Pro 13-inch model before the end of the year, but we suspect it will be a very minor update if it happens at all. + +###Get AppleCare+ None of Apple's MacBooks are cheap, and replacement parts are nightmarishly expensive. Since the entire computer is fully integrated into Apple's tightly-designed aluminum chassis, you're one coffee spill away from a shockingly large repair bill. This is why [Apple's AppleCare+](https://www.apple.com/us/search/AppleCare-for-MacBook?src=serp){: rel=nofollow} is worth it—starting at $249, AppleCare extends your factory warranty to three years, gives you matching telephone support, and throws in two accidental damage repairs as well. A minimum $99 service fee later and whatever you did to kill your shiny new Mac is undone and you're back to hammering away on your keyboard. -**[Shop for AppleCare+](https://apple.sjv.io/G24nB){: rel=nofollow}** +**[Shop for AppleCare+](https://mysupport.apple.com/add-coverage?productTypeId=SG001){: rel=nofollow}** *Want more news and reviews you can use? [Sign up for our free Gadget Lab newsletter](https://www.wired.com/newsletter/?name=gadget-lab&source=ArticleLink). You can also get 12-months of our print magazine and [ad-free WIRED browsing for $10](https://subscribe.wired.com/subscribe/splits/wired/WIR_Edit_Hardcoded?source=deal_guides_sub). The money helps support WIRED and the journalism we do.* - -*** -### More Great WIRED Stories -* Capturing Central Asia's [wild Soviet architecture](https://www.wired.com/story/soviet-architecture-photo-gallery/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_5) -* What Inspector Gadget can [teach us about transhumanism](https://www.wired.com/story/what-inspector-gadget-can-teach-us-about-transhumanism/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_5) -* Big Tech: breaking us up [will only help China](https://www.wired.com/story/big-tech-breaking-will-only-help-china/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_5) -* Can a test tell you which pills to pop [with just a prick](https://www.wired.com/story/baze-vitamins-review/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_5)? -* Inside China's [massive surveillance operation](https://www.wired.com/story/inside-chinas-massive-surveillance-operation/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_5) -* 🎧 Things not sounding right? Check out our favorite [wireless headphones](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-wireless-headphones/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories), [soundbars](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-soundbars/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories), and [bluetooth speakers](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-bluetooth-speakers/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories) -* 📩 Want more? [Sign up for our daily newsletter](https://www.wired.com/newsletter/?name=daily&sourceCode=BottomStories) and never miss our latest and greatest stories diff --git a/published/xps13-review.txt b/published/xps13-review.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0172e05 --- /dev/null +++ b/published/xps13-review.txt @@ -0,0 +1,35 @@ +WIRED +No more nose cam. Great performance in a very compact package. Gorgeous display (4K model). Good battery life. + +TIRED +Trackpad can be finicky about right-clicks. 4K display is power hungry. Integrated graphics. Backlit keys on the white model are difficult to read in some circumstances. + +Dell's latest XPS 13 has achieved something near Nirvana. It's not perfect, but it's about as close as an ultraportable laptop is going get. + +Last year's model was a portable, svelte, powerhouse but the presence of the dreaded nose cam—previously the web cam on the XPS 13 was at the bottom of the screen, giving anyone you were video chatting with a great view up your nose—has long kept us from really recommending it. + +The latest (2019) model has finally moved the camera to the top of the screen, where it belongs. No more nose cam. + +## Slim Shady + +At 2.7 pounds and 19mm thick, the XPS 13 isn't the thinnest nor the lightest machine on the market, but it's small enough to slip into any carry-on, and light enough to not strain your shoulders toting it around for the day. + +The 2019 XPS 13 looks nearly identical to my 2018 model (which is now the last of the nose cam models, sigh). The top bezel is a few millimeters thicker to accommodate the new camera, the camera which for years Dell claimed just wouldn't fit. To be fair, to get a camera in there Dell had to make the smallest 720p webcam on the market. The resulting slightly thicker bezel at the top is barely noticeable. The new model also features a quad microphone array for better sound during calls, and better results when you yell Cortana commands from across the room. + +The performance is solid, though not industry leading by any means. All the XPS 13s use eighth-generation Core CPUs, depending on how much you want to spend you can get an i3, i5, or i7. There's support for up to 16-gigabytes of RAM and you can max out the drive with a 2TB SSD. So far so good, but the best the graphics get is Intel's integrated UHD 620. It's not, in other words, the gaming laptop you're seeking (that's probably the Asus ZenBook S13, which we haven't tested yet, but offers NVIDIA's MX150 GPU and looks excellent spec-wise). + +The review model XPS 13 I tested was gray and white with i7-8565U CPU and 16GB of RAM, which is the top end configuration available. It had no trouble handling my basic workload of web browser, Slack, terminal, Zoom, streaming Pandora to a Bluetooth speaker, and a little photo editing on the side. I also ran it through the PC Mark 10 benchmarking suite and found performance to good enough for most use cases and just above average for an ultraportable laptop. + +In my battery testing (looping an HD video until the laptop dies) the Dell XPS 13 gets just over 12 hours on a charge. That's good enough for all day use, or a long cross country flight, and matches roughly what you'd get from a Macbook. It's also nearly two hours more battery life than I got when running the same test on my 2018 XPS 13. I noticed that maxing out the CPU produces considerably less heat in your lap than the 2018 XPS 13. + +Another nice new feature in this iteration of the XPS 13 is the 4K screen, which now supports HDR video via Dolby Vision. In a nutshell that means brighter highlights and darker, richer blacks in shadows. There's not a ton of content out there broadcasted in HDR yet, though YouTube had enough that I was able to test and notice the difference. Dolby Vision is still relatively new and mostly used in TVs, though as the XPS 13 demonstrates, it's making its way to the PC world as well. + +Also notable in this update, there's a 1080p touch screen available if you want touch, but don't want the 4K screen. + +The keyboard and trackpad appear identical to the previous model and while I like the keyboard, the trackpad still doesn't pick up right clicks as well as I'd like, a problem I've noticed for several iterations. This is easy to solve, just use two-fingered clicks, but mars what's an otherwise very good trackpad. + +The ports remain the same in this model as well. Like the previous generation there's three USB-C ports, one of which is for power and two of which handle Thunderbolt 3. You also get a microSD card reader and a headphone jack. The former is a nice way to expand the storage capabilities of the the lower end XPS 13 models, though the card does stick out from the body just slightly. In a nod to those of us who keep our accessories for as long as we can, Dell includes a USB-C to USB-A dongle. + +The Dell XPS 13 starts at an impressively affordable $899, but if you can afford it I strong suggest upgrading from there. That model offers only a Core i3, a mere 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD. Spend a bit more and you step up to a machine with a core i5, 8GB of RAM, a 256GB drive, which will set you back $1209. I would highly recommend the top end model I tested here, which costs $1430. For an extra $600 you can add a 2TB SSD. + +Buy the top end Dell XPS 13 from [Dell for $1430](https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-laptops/new-xps-13-touch-laptop/spd/xps-13-9380-laptop/xnita3ws707h?view=configurations&configurationid=db458b97-be15-4b72-830f-a8dbeb141634){: rel=nofollow}. diff --git a/published/zink-camera-printers.txt b/published/zink-camera-printers.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2c76bc0 --- /dev/null +++ b/published/zink-camera-printers.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8 @@ +Film may have largely disappeared, but the photographic print appears here to stay. We've covered the best options based around Fujifilm's Instax printing, which produce Polaroid-style instant prints, but there's another option: Zink printing. + +Zink is short for "zero ink." Zink eliminates the annoying need for (and running out of) ink cartridges in your printer. Instead Zink prints hold layers of ink in the paper itself. When the image prints a pressure-based process then mixes the ink to produce the image. Zink and Instax are sufficiently different that there's room for both. + +That said, Zink produces more traditional prints, like what you'd get from a professional printer (but without the professional quality), instead of the Polaroidesque results of Instax. Zink printers are slower to spit your images than Instax, but they're done the minute they emerge. They're also sticky-backed. Zink prints tend to have better dynamic range—meaning there is a broader range of color and tone in the image—compared to Instax prints, but Zink often struggles to produce the rich blacks you'll find in Instax prints. It's also worth noting that Zink is generally cheaper, both in terms of upfront cost and buying paper in the future. + +Here's our favorite Zink-based camera and printers. + diff --git a/scratch.txt b/scratch.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5a87673 --- /dev/null +++ b/scratch.txt @@ -0,0 +1,40 @@ +Yep. I work in academia and have some graphing, data analysis and molecular visualisation software that I use daily that will not be 64-bit ready for the foreseeable future, if ever (also some gnarly little freeware apps that I use less often but are profoundly useful when needed). + +, borrows some features from its mobile cousin iOS. Think of it as the best of all iWorlds. + + +Cataline will be public on Monday Oct 7, at 10AM PCT. + +Overnighting 15in pro. Sign agreement. + +10.15 build # 19a578c + +Talk to Lauren about Mac Catalyst + +multi year effort, some apps work better than others, Jira + +side car continuity wireless tech that work together,air drop, etc side car is newest, use your ipad as a second screen. put photoshop palletes on one and canvas on the other, bluetooth for pairing wifi to transfer data. + +Voice control now works with Siri for recog text, open notes dictation, sys>>access>>pref + +English and on mac all system languages (siri is only english), ios english + +Apple Music + - pure music, not podcasts + - For you tab is personalized for you + - if you're using it on iPad/iPhone it'll look familiar + - browse is music discovery editor curated + - moods focus, workout, chill etc + - What happens to your music library? You music is in the Music Library. + - all the same library controls, no functionality removed + - purchases still happen through itunes store enable or disable in pref + - Music looks like iTunes + + +Devices, when plugged in now just charge, there's no launching of iTunes. Finder now controls syncing. + +Podcasts app is Mac Catalyst app, brought over from the iPad, but organized differently. Podcasts search no includes Siri transcribed transcripts. So if you search for something you search against not just publisher notes, but what was actually said in the episode, results with snippet for context. episodes become more discoverable. + +share apple tv channels + + diff --git a/toughbook-notes.txt b/toughbook-notes.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7834817 --- /dev/null +++ b/toughbook-notes.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +Toughbook 55 + +succeeds the 54, still in-market. diff --git a/wishlist.txt b/wishlist.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..43e2fb4 --- /dev/null +++ b/wishlist.txt @@ -0,0 +1,37 @@ +Instax Mini LiPlay + +Instagram your walls with this pocket-size instant camera and printer in one. The LCD screen allows you to preview before printing, so only the winners end up on your wall. The glass lens produces sharp images, or you can use images from your phone, printed with the app. + + +YubiKey for iOS +https://www.yubico.com/product/yubikey-5ci + +The YubiKey now works with iPhones. Unlike a laptop, you don't even need to insert the YubiKey into your phone. Instead the hardware key taps NFC authentication to identify you to apps on your iPhone. Some of our favorite security apps are already compatible, including the LastPass password manager. + +Raspberry Pi 4 (which we still need sent over, if you have it handy) +https://www.raspberrypi.org/products/raspberry-pi-4-model-b/ + +A $50 desktop computer? Yes please. The Raspberry Pi created and defined a new era of DIY computing and now the fourth generation wants to conquer the desktop too. It's not quite there, but with 4GB of RAM and support for dual 4K displays, it's tantalizingly close. And it's plenty powerful enough to handle whatever DIY project you throw at it.. + +DJI Robomaster S1 +https://www.dji.com/robomaster-s1 + +DJI took some time off building drones to create the coolest robotic vehicle we've tested. Designed for robotics competitions, the Robomaster S1 is fun to build and even more fun to program and drive. More of a STEM project than a laser-shooting, remote-controlled car, it is still a laser-shooting robot ready to do battle with other drivers. + +Breville Super Q +https://www.breville.com/us/en/products/blenders/bbl920.html +Breville brings the commercial blender to your kitchen. The powerful motor and surprisingly quiet operation make the Super Q a versatile and powerful tool. Not making sauces to feed dozens? No problem. The personal blender cup lets you churn out a smoothie for one with ease. + +"Sandworm" by Andy Greenberg +https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/597684/sandworm-by-andy-greenberg/ + +WIRED's own Andy Greenberg brings you a globe-spanning detective story in search of the new digital battlefield (spoiler: it's everywhere). Sandworm looks at where the digital and physical battlefields begin to merge and how that's going to shake up our world. + +Form Goggles +https://www.formswim.com/ +Runners have it easy, just glance at your wrist to see your workout stats. Now swimmers can see the same data just as easily with Form Goggles. The heads-up display brings real-time access to your workout stats without breaking your stroke—time, stroke rate, pace, distance, and more all float in front of your eyes. + + +Peek & Push +https://stellarfactory.com/shop/games/peek-and-push +This 2-player strategy game taps is little like playing dominoes blindfolded. You can peek to see which tiles are where, and then keep track of them as you and your opponent "push" them around the board. Create a set or run before your opponent does, and you win. |