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| author | luxagraf <sng@luxagraf.net> | 2023-04-27 09:37:17 -0500 |
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| committer | luxagraf <sng@luxagraf.net> | 2023-04-27 09:37:17 -0500 |
| commit | f49d75df2a524d6b686252fd47b603bd2d8c6334 (patch) | |
| tree | 1024808f1330fbfd617c3cc48c3aca8d1d0639f9 /wired.txt | |
| parent | 80ff26d10e5204f818f7d3bb9161964f12a2bfc2 (diff) | |
fixed fuck up in main file
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@@ -1,5 +1,1427 @@ # Scratch +# Guides Existing + +## Guide Title Info + +We don't want echoes with the hed and dek, but otherwise the main hed is usually The Best X. Promo hed is more playful like The Best X to Get Your Game On or something. Promo is same as social. SEO is always 15 Best X (2022): Advice, Accessories, and More + + +## Best Linux Laptops + +Linux will work on just about any PC. There plenty of Linux distros that still happily support 32-bit processors. Remember the Pentium 4? It's still supported by Debian Linux and others. That said, Linux runs better on some laptops than others, and some PC makers offer official support for Linux on their machines, meaning you have somewhere to turn if things should go awry. + +To help you figure out the best options for your perfect Linux rig I've been installing Linux (or trying) on every laptop I've tested for the past three years. Almost all of them worked great, but some were easier to get running than others. More than a few of my favorites come with Linux right out of the box. Here's our guide the best laptops for Linux. + +Be sure to also see our guides to the [Best Laptops](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-laptops/), [Best Cheap Laptops](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-cheap-laptops/), [Best Macbooks](https://www.wired.com/story/which-macbook-should-you-buy/), and the general buying advice in [How Choose the Right Laptop](https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-buy-the-right-laptop-for-you/). + +### Best For the Minimalist +Dell XPS 13 Plus Developer Edition + +### Best For the Maximalist +System76 + +### Best on a Budget +Lenovo X-series + +### Best Repairable, Future-Proof + +If you want a laptop you can upgrade, Framework's Laptop is the best Linux rig for you. There are a few flavors available. I tested the second release of the 13-inch model (8/10, WIRED Recommends) and loved it. Right now you can pre-order an AMD Ryzen 7 (7040 series) system with 32,gigabytes of RAM, a 2-terabyte SSD, and whichever mix of ports suits your needs for around $1,400. That will ship with no operating system. When it arrives you can install Linux yourself (or opt to ship it with Windows if you need to dual boot). The only catch is that this config won't ship until Q3 2023. If you're okay with the previous gen chips you can grab on of those today. + +I tested Ubuntu, which Framework supports, and Arch Linux on the Framework I both worked great, though Framework does not officially support Arch. My only gripe using the Framework is my gripe about almost any Linux laptop: battery life could be better. + + + + +Linux + + +### Best tk + +### Best for Sysadmins +Oryx Pro + + + + + +## Play Store on Fire Tablet + +For the money, most Android tablets aren't a very good deal. At the high end, hardware is marred by less than stellar software offerings. If you're going to spend $500 on a tablet, [get an iPad](https://www.wired.com/gallery/the-best-ipad/). At the low end, Amazon's Fire tablets are hamstrung by the very limited Fire App Store. + +What if you could buy a Fire Tablet for $60 (like you generally can during Amazon Prime Day), *and* then install Google's Play App Store, giving you access to a much wider range of apps? In that case you'd have a pretty good deal. A $60 tablet capable of 95 percent of what a $300 iPad can do. + +In this how to we'll show you how to get Google Play running on your Amazon Fire Tablet. I've done this on both the 8 and 10-inch Fire models of the last two generations. + +### How to Install the Play Store + +The good news is that installing the Play Store on a Fire Tablet doesn't require any "hacking" or "rooting" or doing anything from your PC (although you can, if you want, use some PC apps, which I will cover below). The easiest method to installing the Play Store is to just download the needed files from Google. + + +#### Before You Start + +Now, before we dive in there are a few limitations you should know about. + +- **Some Apps can't be install**: Yes you'll have the Play Store installed, but unfortunately that doesn't mean every app will be available or work properly. For example, anything that relies on GPS data is out of luck, and some applications won't be found because Fire tablets are not SafetyNet-certified by Google. The main missing app here in Netflix. You can install Netflix, but you won't be able to do it through the Play Store. More on that in a minute. +- **Some Play Store Apps Don't Work With Amazon Kids+** I have not install the Play Store on a Kids+ Fire yet, but reports from around the internet suggest that some apps might not work in this scenario. +- **Google Family Link Doesn't Work**: Despite the presence of the Google Play Store, you will not be able to manage you Fire tablet through Google Family Link. This, combined with the above, have led me to to suggest you don't install the Google Play Store on a device intended for your child. + +There are two things you need to do before we dive in. + +- **Remove the SD card**: The process of installing the Play Store can wipe you SD card, so pull it out if you have one. You can put it back in when you're done. +- **Make sure you have an 8th generation or newer Fire Tablet.** You can find out which model you have by going to **Settings > Device Options > About Fire Tablet**. It should say something like **Fire HD 8 (10th Generation)**. + +We still do not recommend buying the Fire 7, which is too small and underpowered to be useful. These instructions are intended to be used on the Fire 8 and Fire 10 tablets, 7th generation or newer. + +Finally, realize that you are stepping off the official path here, out of the map and into the wilderness as it were. That doesn't mean you're going to break anything, or fall victim to some scam, and this isn't very difficult to do, but if anything does go wrong it's going to be up to you to solve it. That said, feel free to post a comment below if you're having trouble. + +### Step One: Enable Apps from Outside Sources + +To get Google Play up and running we'll need to install four APK files. APK refers to the file extension, which is .apk. All Android apps are packaged as .apk files, the various app stores just hide this part from you. But when you click "install" in an app store, what's actually happening is that you're downloading a .apk file. We'll be using Amazon's Silk web browser to download these files, but by default Silk can't install .apk files. + +To change that head to Setting > Security & Privacy and then toggle on the "Apps from Unknown Sources" option. Once that's done we're ready to download files. + +### Step Two: Download the Apps + +We need to download four applications in order to get the Google Play Store working: Google Account Manager, Google Services Framework, Google Play Service, and Google Play Store. The first three are frameworks that the last one—the actual Play Store app—needs to function, so the first three need to be installed first. + +Here's where it gets a little complicated. Different Fire tablets run different versions of Android, so the exact files you need to install vary according to which Fire tablet you have. Remember, you can find out which tablet you have at: **Settings > Device Options > About Fire Tablet**. + +You will be downloading all of these files from APKMirror.com. APKMirror is owned by Illogical Robot LLC, which also owns the android-focused news site, Android Police. What's more, once these apps are installed they will be updated and managed by the Google Play Store, downloading directly from Google's services. All of which is to say, this process is relatively safe. + +Here are the apps you need with links to download them. **Just download them for now, don't open them**. + +#### Google Account Manager + +- **8th-generation and newer Fire tablets**: [Google Account Manager v7.1.2](https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/google-inc/google-account-manager/google-account-manager-7-1-2-release/google-account-manager-7-1-2-android-apk-download/) +- **7th-generation and older**: [Google Account Manager 5.1](https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/google-inc/google-account-manager/google-account-manager-5-1-1743759-release/google-account-manager-5-1-1743759-android-apk-download/) + +#### Google Services Framework + +This one is a little more complex since it depends on which version of Fire OS you're running. You can find out by checking on your Fire: **Settings > Device Options >System Updates**. + +- **Devices running Fire OS 7** need to download the [Google Services Framework v9-4832352](https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/google-inc/google-services-framework/google-services-framework-9-4832352-release/google-services-framework-9-4832352-android-apk-download/). This includes all 9th and 10th generation Fire HD 10s, all 9th and 10th generation Fire HD 8s, as well as some 8th generation Fire HD 8s. This latter is the reason it's important to check and see which version of Fire OS you're running. + +- **Devices running Fire OS 6** need to download the [Google Services Framework v7.1.2](https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/google-inc/google-services-framework/google-services-framework-7-1-2-release/google-services-framework-7-1-2-android-apk-download/). The main devices here are early version of the 8th generation Fire HD 8. + +#### Google Play Services + +- **Fire HD 10 9th and 10th generation and Fire HD 8 10th generation**: Download the file labeled [Google Play Services (64-bit ARM, nodpi, Android 9.0+)](https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/google-inc/google-play-services/variant-%7B%22arches_slug%22:%5B%22arm64-v8a%22,%22armeabi-v7a%22%5D,%22dpis_slug%22:%5B%22nodpi%22%5D,%22minapi_slug%22:%22minapi-28%22%7D/). **Note: don't download the beta versions listed on this page, look for the first file not labeled beta, which as of this writing is the third file**) + +- **Fire HD 8 8th and 10th generation and Fire HD 8 10th generation**: Download the file labeled [Google Play Services (64-bit ARM, nodpi, Android 6.0+)](https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/google-inc/google-play-services/variant-%7B%22arches_slug%22:%5B%22arm64-v8a%22,%22armeabi-v7a%22%5D,%22dpis_slug%22:%5B%22nodpi%22%5D,%22minapi_slug%22:%22minapi-23%22%7D/). **Note: don't download the beta versions listed on this page, look for the first file not labeled beta, which as of this writing is the third file**) + +#### Google Play Store + +- **All Fire Tablets**: [Google Play Store (universal, nodpi)](https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/google-inc/google-play-store/variant-%7B%22arches_slug%22:%5B%22armeabi%22,%22armeabi-v7a%22,%22mips%22,%22mips64%22,%22x86%22,%22x86_64%22%5D,%22dpis_slug%22:%5B%22nodpi%22%5D%7D/) + +Whew, okay, we have all the files we need. Verify they were all successfully download by opening the **Docs** app and selecting **Downloads**. You should see all four files there (it's easier to see the full names if you switch to list view). + +### Step 3: Installing the Apps + +Now we just need to install the apps. This **must be done in the correct order**. When you are done **DO NOT PRESS OPEN**. We need to reboot before you use the Play Store. The order of installation by downloaded file name is: + +- **com.google.gsf.login** +- **com.google.android.gsf** +- **com.google.android.gms** +- **com.android.vending** + +Once you've installed all four apps, it's time to restart. Press down on the power button until the power menu comes up and tap Restart. + +### Step 4: Login to Your Google Account + +Once your Fire has restarted you should be able to open the Google Play Store, sign into your Google Account and start downloading apps. Again, not everything works, but there's certainly a larger selection than what you get in the Fire App Store. + +### Tips and Troubleshooting + +If you want a more stock Android type of experience you can install a custom launcher, which will let you hide all the Amazon apps you don't need). I like [Nova Launcher](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.teslacoilsw.launcher&gl=US), but there are many others available. Search the Play Store for "launcher apps". + +If you run into problems with the Play Store, first try clearing the app data. Head to **Settings > Apps & Notifications > Manage All Applications**. Look through that list and find the Play Store. Tap to edit the settings for the Play Store. The first step is to tap Force Stop, to shut down the Play Store. Next tap the Storage option and then tap Clear Data (or Clear Storage, depending on which version of Fire OS you're running). Once that's done restart your device and try logging into the Play Store again. + +If that doesn't work your best bet may be to do a factory reset and start over. However be aware that a factory reset will destroy all your data and file, not just the Google Play store so make sure you have a good backup before you try that. + +Finally just a note for those who'd like to try installing [LineageOS](https://wiki.lineageos.org), the open source alternative to Android. I do not recommend it. Fire devices do not have unlockable bootloaders and getting LineageOS installed is not for the faint of heart. Even if you pull it off things rarely work 100 percent of the time and you can still screw things up after the install. I bricked an older Fire HD 8 running LineageOS (I tried to update the bootloader within LineageOS, which proved a mistake). There is also, so far as I am aware, no version of LineageOS that fully supports Fire hardware. If you want to run LineageOS on a tablet, a [Samsung is probably your best bet](https://wiki.lineageos.org/devices/). + + + + + + +## Camp Cooking Guide + +If you spend any time in the backcountry, or in the campground at your local state park, you quickly realize the importance of a good meal. Not only do you need the calories for hiking and playing in the wilderness, but a good meal can help sooth the pain of the long day and turn that rained out trip into a well-at-least-we-ate-well trip. + +Bringing the kitchen to the outdoors isn't always as simple as it sounds though. I've been both a professional chef and guided quite a few groups through the wilderness, and in that time I discovered what every professional guide knows: food makes or breaks the trip. + +With that in mind we've put together this guide with a mix of ideas, from the gear you need to cook well outdoors, to meal planning and shopping tips. There's something here for everyone, whether you're new to camping or a seasoned tent slinger. + +### The Basics: A Good Stove + +For car camping we recommend a two-burner stove. The size of the stove really depends on the size of your group. For a group of five or less the best choice is Coleman's Classic camp stove. It strikes a good balance between cost, cooking power, and size. If you're heading out with a bigger group you'll either want to use a couple of stoves, or go with something like the Camp Chef Everest. + +If neither of those feels right to you, check out our [guide to the best camp stoves]() + +#### Backpacking Stoves + +Finding a good backpacking stove is a little trickier because weight matters much more—in fact ultralight hikers will argue that you don't even need a stove, just bring ready-to-eat food. For the rest of us though a good hot meal can really mark the difference between survival and actual fun. + +I've used and enjoyed the Primus tk, which is perfect for two-person meals, though it is not cheap. tk another stove pick. + +If you're group is larger, + +### Camp Table + +### Cooler + +### Cookware + + + + + +## Amazon Kid+ content filter + +If you've got kids, and those kids like to read, Amazon Kids+ makes economic sense. It offers access to a bewildering array of books, as well as movies, apps, music, games and more for one (relatively) low monthly price. If you were to try buying the same number of books without Amazon Kids+ you'd quickly go broke. + +While Amazon Kids+ makes financial sense, it may not always make you—as a parent—happy. Which is to say, Amazon's definition of what's right for your child might be different than yours.We're not here to tell you what's right for your kids—every child is different, and that's something that's entirely up to you as a parent. + +That means that if you want any control over what your child gets through their Amazon device, you're going to need to take an active part in your child's Amazon Kids+ experience. To help you out we've put together this guide to filtering content on Amazon Kids+. + +### Create a Profile + +To get started with Amazon Kids you need to create a child profile. This will include your child's birth date, which Amazon uses to control what content you child sees. You don't have to use your child's actual birthday if you don't want to give that data away, just pick something close so that the initial content will be what Amazon considers appropriate for that age. + +This is where you also set a pin number that you'll need to remember. This pin is required to exit Amazon Kids on the device. If you don't want your child to be able to exit Kids on their own, keep this pin a secret. + +Once your child's profile is set up it can be used to sign in on any Amazon device so your kids can read their books on a Kindle or using the Kindle app on other devices (tk, check this). + +### Manage Amazon Kids+ + +Once your child's profile is set up you can head to the Parent Dashboard to control the content your child sees. + +First the bad news: your controls here are limited. + +In Amazon's words there are "thousands of age-appropriate books, movies, and TV shows for children aged 3 to 12 years." That's a lot of content, and there's no way anyone is sifting through all of it. Amazon assures WIRED that it is all hand curated, so while algorithms might recommend related content, the pool of content has all been vetted by humans. That's something, but it would be nice to have some more controls for those that want them. + +The problem is that Amazon Kids offers no way for parents to completely control content. You can disallow anything you don't want your kids to read, you can't do the reverse—disallow everything and only allow books, apps, and movies that you approve. + +When I asked Amazon about this I was told that this isn't something customers are asking for. Forums around the web would suggest otherwise, and this is something both Google's Kids Place service offers, but whatever the case this is not an option with Amazon Kids. If you want that level of control over what your children are reading and watching you'll want to go with another service. + +Amazon Kids does offer good control over screen time. You can set daily use limits, as well as a bedtime after which Amazon Kids content is not available. + +You can also keep tabs on what your kids are reading, watching, and interacting with through the Parent Dashboard. + +It's also possible to control the web browser your kids have access to. By default your child is limited to hand-curated age-appropriate websites videos, chosen "for their kid-friendly, educational and entertainment content," according Amazon. You can turn the browser off completely if you prefer. + +There are also controls to set the age range of content you want your kids to have access to, control your child's access to in-app purchases, and add content. The most useful of these is the last one. Here is where you can add any content you've purchased from Amazon to your child's devices. + +The final section of the Parent Dashboard has controls for any Alexa-based devices in your household. You can manage these individually if needed, as well as control which Alexa skills your child has access to. + + + + + + + + + +For the best content, you have to search the App Store in parent mode, and include those apps under "my own content". If you choose to allow access to the subscription stuff, the child has access to everything unless you painstakingly sort through 10,000 items to disallow them all, then even more painstakingly go through and re-add the stuff you want. The developers didn't include things like a simple search to find apps, or a 1 click ability to exclude apps in bulk - or a way to just simply pick a few subscription apps to add to your own content. As a fellow developer I find this nonsensical, those are very easy features to program, and I don't see the rationale behind these limitations. So for me, the subscription service holds no value at all for a 7 year old child, who needs more educational apps than play apps like Toca Boca, etc. Now to the alternative: I installed the Google Play Service and the Google Play store (you have to sideload that, I used the Fire Toolbox). From there I installed the Kids Place app, which is fantastic. + +For the best content, you have to search the App Store in parent mode, and include those apps under "my own content". If you choose to allow access to the subscription stuff, the child has access to everything unless you painstakingly sort through 10,000 items to disallow them all, then even more painstakingly go through and re-add the stuff you want. The developers didn't include things like a simple search to find apps, or a 1 click ability to exclude apps in bulk - or a way to just simply pick a few subscription apps to add to your own content. As a fellow developer I find this nonsensical, those are very easy features to program, and I don't see the rationale behind these limitations. So for me, the subscription service holds no value at all for a 7 year old child, who needs more educational apps than play apps like Toca Boca, etc. Now to the alternative: I installed the Google Play Service and the Google Play store (you have to sideload that, I used the Fire Toolbox). From there I installed the Kids Place app, which is fantastic. + + +Remote Activity Reporting +Want to know what your child is spending time doing? See what apps, books, videos, skills, and more your child is interacting with on their Amazon Kids enabled devices. + +Manage Features and Device Usage +Within Amazon Kids, you can set Daily Goals & Time Limits for: +Weekdays / Weekends - Choose different educational goals and time limits for the weekend or weekday. +Bedtime - Tap Turn off By to set the time when Amazon Kids is turned off. Tap Stay off Until to set the time when Amazon Kids can be used again. +Educational Goals - Set time-bound goals for viewing educational content. If you want to filter out noneducational content until your child's goals are met, tap the Learn First checkbox. +Total Screen Time - Limit the total time your child can spend in Amazon Kids. +Time by Activity - Add time limits for specific activities like reading books. For unlimited time, slide the bar all the way to the right. +To block access to a content type, slide the bar all the way to the left. +Learn First: With Learn First feature, you can block access to games and cartoons until after educational goals are met. For devices with the Bedtime feature enabled, you can control when Amazon Kids shuts down for the day. + +Age Filters: The age filters recommended for your child based on their date of birth determine the titles shown in Amazon Kids+. To learn more, see Amazon Kids Age Filters FAQ's. + + Tip: You can use the Parent Dashboard to manage content and features, and monitor recent activity. + +For more device-specific information on Amazon Kids, access Amazon Kids Help. +Depending on the device, you are providing Amazon a firehose with which to saturate your kids with content, content that, hand-curated though it may be, may not always be content that matches the morals, ethics, and values of your family. + + + + + +Can I turn off Alexa Skills? the toggles seemed to be grayed out, but possibly that's because I don't have any Alexa devices? (my kids just have Kindles) + +can I disallow an entire type of content? e.g. videos? if so how? +how do I tell what my kids have actually looked at? + - Is there a to see how much time they looked at something (e.g. did they accidentally click something or did they read it?) + +## Best Grills + +Nothing says summer like food sizzling on the grill. Here in North America, Memorial Day weekend marks the traditional start of summer. It's the perfect occasion to wheel the old grill out of the garage... and realize it's rusted beyond repair. If that happens to you, fear not. We have been testing grills for over two years, searing, smoking, grilling, even baking, on grills, to find the best choice for everyone. + +Below are our top picks for each category of grill, as well as few alternative picks, and some general buying tips if none of these quite capture your fancy. + + + + +### Best Charcoal—weber with pk as alt + +### Best Gas Grill + +This is by far the hardest reviewing decision I've had to make. The truth is there are about five grills that I could put here, but in the end I went with the Weber Spirit II E-210 for its simplicity, build quality, even cooking temps, and easy to adjust burners. It also features nice side trays with plenty of space and hooks to keep tongs and other tools handy. It lacks some bells and whistles, like a side burner, but it does what a good grill should: cook your food well. I especially like the massive turn radius of the burner knobs, which make it easy to dial in the perfect flame. + +If you want something bigger, I recommend Charbroil's massive [6-burner Performance Series](https://www.charbroil.com/performance-series-6-burner-gas-grill-463284022) is a great grill for crowds. It also has a 10,000 BTU side burner to heat up your beans while the hot dogs are cooking. + + + + +### Best for Couples + +### Best Home Griddle + +Pending a Joe Ray contribution. + +### Best Portable - options top picks from portable + +### Best Indoor Grill - george foreman + +### Other Grills We've Tested + +There are a lot of grills out there and no one can test them all, but we have tested a few others that are worth mentioning. + +* **Big Green Egg**: Big Green Egg is a well known brand of ceramic cooker, and representative of this style, which is modeled after Japanese kamodo ovens. They get much hotter than your ordinary grill and can be used to bake as well as grill which opens up a whole other world of outdoor cooking. I love the Big Green Egg, but it isn't cheap and for most people, a traditional gas or charcoal grill is going to be a better choice. However, if you know you love to bake, steam, smoke, grill, and more, the Big Green Egg is worth considering. Given the weight these are best purchased at your local Green Egg dealer. + +* **Spark One Grill**: The Spark one ([7/10 WIRED Review](https://www.wired.com/review/spark-one-grill/)) is another attempt to get the convenience of gas, but using charcoal. There's much to like here, it's easy to use, looks good, cooks well, and has a nice app to control a fan which gives you control over the temperature. The downside, and the reason I don't recommend it, is the proprietary charcoal Briqs, which are expensive and must be bought directly from Spark. The advantages don't outweigh the far greater ease of going to any store and buying a bad of good old briquettes. + +That's not exactly what Spark claims, but it's close. The company's goal with its Spark One grill is to bring together the flavor of charcoal with the ease of propane grills. + +Like any propane grill you've ever used, the Spark One can be started by turning a knob. Like any charcoal grill you've ever used, it cooks your food with charcoal. On paper, the Spark One delivers a solution to the exact problem it set out to solve. But was it a problem in the first place? + +Rather like Indian tandoor ovens, they get very hot indeed. You cook with the lid down and make good use of the built-in thermometer to know when to add food. + +### Accessories + +Here are a few things that will make your grilling life easier. Be sure to read our [guide to grill accessories](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-grilling-accessories-tools/) for some more tools, tips, and tricks. + +* **A Good Cover**: Which cover you need depends on your grill, but it's worth the investment. Even if your grill isn't exposed directly to the rain it's still going to get wet from dew and it will eventually rust. A good cover though can keep the worst of the rust at bay and mean you get many more years out of your new cooker. + +* **Instant Read Thermometer**: After the actual cooker, nothing will improve your grilling like an instant-read thermometer. Stick it in and knew your food's internal temp instantly. If you're just starting out this [cheap thermometer ($25)](https://www.amazon.com/ThermoPro-Thermometer-Grilling-Waterproof-Ambidextrous/dp/B07XXSYLL8/) will work. The gold standard though is [ThermoWorks Thermapen Mk4](https://www.thermoworks.com/thermapen-one/). At $105, it is not cheap, but its automatic backlight and rotating display are nice to have. The feature I've come to appreciate the most though is that it automatically shuts off when not in use and turns back on the minute you extend the probe (it's powered by one AAA battery). + +* **A Good Cleaning Tool**: 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 than you think. Most grill makers don't recommend these wire scrapers anyway. After trying dozens of alternatives, the one I reach for the most is GrillGrate's [Detailing Tool and Scraper ($12)](https://www.grillgrate.com/products/the-grillgrate-detailing-tool-and-scraper-v2/). This works fantastically on standard metal grills like the Weber Kettle above. If you have cast iron grates, I like [Proud Grill's Q Cleaner ($32)](https://www.amazon.com/Q-Swiper-BBQ-Grill-Cleaner-Set/dp/B08BKL2SCX/), which combines a wire-free scrubber, stainless steel scraper, and disposable wipes to clean your grill without leaving your brush a mess. + +* **A Charcoal Chimney**: If you have a charcoal grill, get a chimney starter—I like this [Weber ($26)](https://www.weber.com/US/en/accessories/what's-hot/must-have-accessories/7416.html), but anything similar will do. It's faster and it saves your food from tasting like lighter fluid fumes. I have tested a charcoal chimney against our top pick Weber gas grill and found that the gas was ready 7 minutes faster, which is to say, not much. + +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 than you think. Most grill makers don't recommend these wire scrapers anyway. After trying dozens of alternatives, the one I reach for the most is GrillGrate's [Detailing Tool and Scraper ($12)](https://www.grillgrate.com/products/the-grillgrate-detailing-tool-and-scraper-v2/). This works fantastically on standard metal grills like the Weber Kettle above. If you have cast iron grates, I like [Proud Grill's Q Cleaner ($32)](https://www.amazon.com/Q-Swiper-BBQ-Grill-Cleaner-Set/dp/B08BKL2SCX/), which combines a wire-free scrubber, stainless steel scraper, and disposable wipes to clean your grill without leaving your brush a mess. + +### What to Look For in a Grill + +There are a lot of grills on the market and no one has time to test them all. Take a trip to your local big box home improvement store and you'll see dozens of models not mentioned here. Are they any good? The short answer is that most of them are probably fine, but we suggest sticking with brands you recognize. + +The nice thing about shopping in person is you can get a better sense of the grills sturdiness. Give it a good shake in the store and make sure it seems well put together. If it's a brand you haven't heard of before, check the aisles nearby and see if there are replacement parts available. This is especially important with gas grills, the burners don't last more than a few years, but they're easy to replace—if you can get the parts. + +Other things to look for include a good temperature range (the dials turn smoothly and are big enough that you won't be fiddling with them to find the midpoint between low and high), While it may be tempting to go for the biggest grill you can afford that isn't always the smart choice. There's no need to heat 660 square inches of grill to cook two burgers, all that does is waste propane. Finally, avoid anything that says infrared. My experience is that infrared doesn't sear anything any better than regular flames. All it does is add a useless feature that ups the price. + + + + + + + + +## Organic Mattress Guide + +You will spend roughly one-third of your life asleep. That means you'll be on your mattress for roughly 23 solid years of your life (on average), so it makes sense to give some careful thought to what you're sleeping on. + +Mattresses, unfortunately, often have some questionable materials in them. Everything from Formaldehyde to TCEP (a flame retardant) to Phthalates can end up in non-organic mattresses. How much these substances harm you isn't a scientifically settle matter, but one way to avoid any possible harm is to get a mattress made from natural, organic materials. As an added bonus these mattresses are typically less ecologically harmful as well. + +These days most eco-friendly mattresses are made of some combination of wool, natural latex, and cotton. The construction is similar to conventional mattresses, but without the chemicals. + +There's also, unfortunately, a lot of marketing BS in world of organic mattresses, with one company claiming its cotton is not just organic, but "mindfully-harvested organic cotton", while everyone claims to have happy sheep. And maybe they do, but don't let that make you rush in with a fist full of dollars. We've put this guide together to help you cut through the marketing crap and figure out what's actually worth your money. + +All of the prices shown are for queen-size models. + +Be sure to check out our many other buying guides, including the [The Best (and Worst) Mattresses You Can Buy Online](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-mattresses/), [Best Sound Machines](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-sound-machines/), and our roundup of the [best gifts for people who like to sleep](https://www.wired.com/gallery/gift-ideas-for-sleeping/). + +#### Best Overall ++++large + +[#product: /products/6169d44ac12c627f3a2ccc11]|||Avocado Mattress||| + ++++ + +The Avocado Green hybrid mattress is the only mattress my wife and I agree on. She likes a soft mattress, and he prefers a firm one. This model somehow manages to be both without being too much of either. After nearly two years of sleeping on it, there's zero sagging or other issues. + +If you prefer a soft feel, there's a pillow top-option, or you can add a mattress topper like the company's luxurious (and sustainable) Alpaca fur mattress topper (see below). Avocaod also sells a no-spring organic latex foam mattress and a vegan hybrid model that uses no wool, but we haven't tested either. + +The Avocado is 11 inches thick and made from organic latex, organic wool, and organic cotton. It contains no polyurethane, fire retardants, memory foam, or chemical adhesives, according to the company. Avocado [owns its own sheep farms](https://www.avocadogreenmattress.com/pages/farm-to-mattress), latex farm, and co-owns an organic latex processing facility, all in India. The mattresses are assembled in California. + +There's a one-year trial, 25-year warranty, and free shipping available on all Avocado mattresses. Like other mattress-in-a-box options, the Avocado arrives compressed. The company is also a certified B Corporation that's purchasing enough offsets to be able to say it operates as a carbon-negative business. + +#### Best Something ++++large + +[#product: /products/5e67fec7887b930008e2918c]|||Birch Natural Mattress||| + ++++ + +WIRED Reviewer Louryn Strampe says she sucks at sleeping. “I toss and turn all night. My blankets need to be arranged specifically. I can't deal with light, and I require a sound machine to run in the background. I didn't expect a mattress to change much, but this one from Birch pleasantly surprised me.” It's an eco-friendly mattress made by Helix, the maker of our other favorite bed above. + +The Birch is made of natural latex and wool, with individually wrapped coils that lend a plush and bouncy experience without feeling too squishy. It's great for stomach and side sleeping, and it's comfortable enough that Strampe could actually sleep on her back. A small, visible indented outline formed where she and her partner each sleep, with a ridge between them, but after a year it was still bearable. If it's warm in your room at night or you're a hot sleeper, the Birch may not be for you. It's not as breathable as our top picks. + +#### Best for Kids ++++large + +[#product: /products/6169d1da9344894cbd842a49]|||Kiwi Children's Twin||| + ++++ + +My whole pursuit of an environmentally friendly mattress started with my kids. I care a lot more about what they're sleeping on than what I'm sleeping on. Still, as much as I love the Avocado Green mattress, it's not cheap. For my kids I bought the more affordable Kiwi Mattress, by My Green Mattress. The Kiwi is very similar to the Avocado. It's a hybrid mattress with pocketed springs and certified organic cotton, wool, and latex. + +One nice twist that makes the Kiwi appealing for kids is the two-sided option. It costs a little more upfront, but being able to flip it over extends its life, which is handy if your kids see a bed as a trampoline in disguise. + +My Green Mattress offers a 20-year warranty and a 120-night trial. The Kiwi is definitely a firmer mattress, but I think it's comfortable, and my children all say it's the most comfortable mattress they've slept on. + +#### Best Something Else ++++large + +[#product: /products/622b664fe5e91991368ff66a]|||Awara Natural Mattress||| + ++++ + +The Awara Mattress ($1,099) is also made from latex foam, organic wool, and individually-wrapped springs. Strampe found it springy and comfortable, especially for a single sleeper, but it doesn't have quite as much support as the Birch. It's a floppier mattress, so invite someone over to help you carry it. + +#### Best Firm Topper ++++large + +[#product: /products/622b6802cca6acf55fb70b5a] + ++++ + +A new mattress is a huge investment and sometimes all you need is a little refresh for your existing mattress. If your current mattress isn't sagging, you might be able to get a whole new feel just by adding a mattress topper like this organic latex topper from My Green Mattress. + +This topper is two inches of certified organic latex wrapped in an organic cotton cover, with a zipper so you can remove the latex pad (though I am not sure why you'd want to). It's lightweight, but does a good job of staying in place even without any straps to hold it down. + +This is a reasonably firm topper, compared to something like a down or wool topper, but it still contours nicely to your body and is comfortable even if you sleep on your side. Lying on my stomach or back I don't even touch my actually mattress anymore with this on top. I do when I roll on my side, but just barely. Which is to say, this can bring a whole new life to your bed without spending a fortune. + +#### Best Plush Topper ++++large + +[#product: /products/622b68e77a22075957fa0116] + ++++ + +This Alpaca wool topper is one of the softest things I've ever laid on. If you like being enveloped in a cocoon of fluffiness, this is the topper for you. It's not cheap, but put this on your mattress and you'll feel like you're in a five-star hotel. + +Avocado's Plush topper is made of baby Alpaca wool (that's a reference to the softest wool on the animal, not its age) with an organic cotton cover. It's about two inches thick, but in this case you definitely do sink in down to your mattress so it's more of a luxury add-on than a way to rejuvenate an older mattress. Avocado's return policy applies here as well, so you can try it and return it within the first 100 days. + + +## Binocular Guide + +Binoculars mean the difference between seeing a little grey bird and a titmouse, between a thinking it was a home run and seeing the epic catch, or noticing that the 6-point buck is actually doe standing in front of dead branches. + +Whether you're scouting terrain, watching birds in your backyard, or scored season tickets to Fenway, binoculars bring the world closer, making it sharp and clear far beyond what your eye is capable of seeing. Or at least they should. As we found in testing, there is a huge range in quality and price, from some very nice, light, portable $100 models to $2,000 powerhouses with built-in image stabilization. + +Finding the right pair of binoculars for you means first figuring out what you're going to use them for. If you'd just like to watch some birds at the feeder in your backyard, and perhaps overcome the limitations of the cheap seats at the ballpark, there's no need to spend a fortune. On the other hand, if you're looking to go birding in diverse locations, or are planning a big hunt in unfamiliar territory, it's often worth the extra money to get something a little more powerful. + +*Special offer for Gear readers: Get a* [***1-year subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off)***](https://subscribe.wired.com/subscribe/splits/wired/WIR_AFFILIATE?source=HCL_WIR_EDIT_HARDCODED_0_COMMERCE_AFFILIATE_ZZ)*. This includes unlimited access to WIRED.com and our print magazine (if you'd like). Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.* + +> If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. [Learn more](https://www.wired.com/2015/11/affiliate-link-policy/). + +### What the Numbers Mean +Before we dive into which models are best for each situation, it helps to understand what the numbers you see mean. Binoculars are usually listed with two numbers. For example the Nikon Monarch M5 are 8x32. The 8 refers to the magnification power. Objects seen through these binoculars will be 8 times bigger than they when you look with your naked eye. The 32 refers to the size of the front lens in millimeters. The larger the size of the lens, the more light that will reach your eye, meaning the image will be brighter and clearer. That means, for example, that a pair of 8x42 binoculars are often significantly brighter, and offer a better viewing experience, than a pair of 8x32, even though both provide the same magnification. + +Bigger is not always better though. Bigger may mean everything looks closer, but it also means the field of view (the width of the image that you see) is narrower, and tracking a fast moving object—say a bird or a baseball—is more difficult. + +As with cameras, larger diameter glass also means heavier binoculars. The difference between a pair of 8x32 and 10x42 binoculars is significant when you're planning to have them around your neck all day hiking. + +For this reason we suggest newcomers stick with 6x or 8x for the first number. Binoculars in this range have enough power that you'll see things clearly, but not so much that you'll struggle to find what you want to see (although all binoculars do take some practice). We suggest something in the 26-50 range for the second number if you're new. Our top pick, for example, is roughly in the middle at 8x42, considered by many the sweet spot for most people. + +### Best Overall 8x42 ++++large + +[#product: /products/607dc8d1ff921397ebfdb2eb]|||Nikon Monarch M5 Binoculars||| + ++++ + +Nikon's Monarch M5 binoculars were my first "real" binoculars and are still, years later, my top pick for most people just getting started. These offer great bang for your buck. It isn't just me either, these are some of the most common binoculars I see when I'm out birding. + +The Monarch M5s strike an excellent balance between optical power, quality, and price. The glass in these provides nice, bright views with very little chromatic aberrations (the purple fringing you sometimes see around areas bright sunlight). + +The Monarch M5's are also light enough that they can hang around your neck all day without bothering you too much, and they come with the most comfortable stock strap of any binocular I've tested. + +The Monarch series can be slightly confusing because there are the Monarch 5 (what I own and technically still available) and the Monarch M5 (new for 2022), which I am recommending here. The new M5 designation features a slightly wider field of view and better optical coatings. There's also the more expensive Monarch M7 series, which is available in 8x42. I have not tested the latter, which offers an even larger field of view, but is significantly more expensive. + +**Budget 8x42 pick:** [Celestron Nature DX ED 8x42 ($210)](https://www.amazon.com/Celestron-Nature-8x42-Binoculars-Dispersion/dp/B00KV718JE/). These are a solid buy under $200 (they're often on sale for around $160). They aren't quite as bright as the Nikon Monarchs, and I did notice more chromatic aberrations, particularly purple fringing, but for the price these are a good entry-level option. + +**Nice Upgrade 8x42:** [Pentax 8x43 ZD ED Binoculars ($800)](https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1113168-REG/pentax_62701_8x43_zd_ed_binocular.html). Pentax/Ricoh's 8x43's a just a little bit sharper, clearer, and brighter than the Monarch's and, this is somewhat personal preference, but I like the slightly cooler colors of these compared to the Monarch M5s. + +**Really nice, but insanely expensive 8X42:** The Leica Noctivid 8x42 binoculars are everything you'd expect from the Leica name, including expensive. These are by far the brightest, sharpest lenses I've ever put to my eye. Unfortunately they're out of stock everywhere. The [10x42s are available for $2,850](https://www.amazon.com/Leica-10x42-Noctivid-Binocular-Degree/dp/B01M29WGM9/). The other options in this category are the [Swarovski EL 8.5x42 ($2,169)](https://www.amazon.com/Swarovski-8-5x42-Binocular-FieldPro-Package/dp/B018T43B72/) and the [Zeiss Victory HT ($2,700)](https://www.amazon.com/Zeiss-Victory-Binocular-LotuTec-Protective/dp/B01N9MQ7U5/). + +### Best Overall 10x42 ++++large + +[#product: /products/620686f8144fe1a7245d4dbf] + ++++ + +The difference between 8x and 10x doesn't sound like much, but in practice it's significant. Objects are larger, but the field of view is narrower. That means it's harder to follow things, especially something like a small bird in thick shrubs, and it also means any hand shake can cause you to lose your subject. That said, this is my favorite resolution for birds, so long as I am not carrying these all day, because 10x42s are considerably heavier. + +Our top pick at this size is the Vortex Viper HD Binoculars. These offer excellent clarity, crisp, clear views and good color accuracy. They are slightly less saturated to my eye, but I only noticed this in side-by-side comparisons with the Nikons above. The focus wheel is smooth, though I wish it were slightly faster. There is some blurring in the periphery (the edges of your field of vision through the lenses), but that's to be expected at this price. + +One thing to beware, Cabela's frequently sells the pre-2018 model of these at a steep discount, but doesn't labeled it as such. I have not tested that model and while the deal is pretty good, the optics are definitely different and potentially inferior. + +**Budget 10x42 pick:** [Celestron Regal ED 10x42 ($350)](https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1574179-REG/celestron_71391_10x42_regal_ed_binoculars.html). The Celestron Regal ED's are what I call a sleeper deal, which is to say you'll find very little about these on the web, but they're excellent binoculars and the price is almost impossible to beat. You get great field of view (6.5 degrees), a sharp clear image, and very little chromatic aberration. I have not tested a better binocular that costs less. + +**Nice Upgrade 10x42:** [Nikon Monarch HG 10X42 ($1,000)](https://www.amazon.com/Nikon-Monarch-10X42-Binocular-16028/dp/B01N249ENQ/). Nikon's Monarch HG offer a slightly wider field of view, are brighter, and sharper than the Vortex or the Celestron, though the price is accordingly higher. Still, if you have the money, and you're serious about binoculars the Monarch HGs are a great investment. If you want to keep going price-wise the [Swarovski EL 10x42 ($2,200)](https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1657688-REG/swarovski_37010_10x42_el_bnoculars_green.html) are deservedly legendary. + +### Best Ultralight Bins ++++large + +[#product: /products/6206990bd88b0a9fa5094b65] + ++++ + +These Olympus 10x25 offer a great compromise between resolving power, weight, and price. You get 10x magnification, but with a bright, large field of view that makes it easier to find your target. No other compact binoculars I've tested at this size, with this price, can match these in terms of optical quality. + +The only downside is that these aren't quite as compact as some options. These will fit in some of my pockets, but not all. If size is you main concern the Zeiss below are even more compact (though more expensive). + +**Nice Upgrade 8x25:** [Zeiss Terra ED 8x25 ($350)](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017I1SA3C/ref=twister_dp_update?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true). I have not tested these extensively, but I've used them enough to know that they're lightweight (10.9 ounces), and deliver a very nice, sharp image. They have 8x magnification and come with a nice rugged, waterproof case. These aren't just light either, the folding design means they also easily fit in your pocket. + +### Best for Kids + +Before I dive into why the Nocs are great for kids, let me be clear, Nocs are not kids binoculars. They would fit well in the ultralight category above. They're fine compact binoculars. I "borrow" them from my kids all the time. Nor would I suggest these as the best first pair of binoculars for young kids (in that case, see our budget pick below). All that said, for anyone over the age of 8, these make a great first pair of binoculars. + +At 8x25 you get good magnification, with a waterproof (IPX7 rating) and fogproof design in a lightweight package (11.8 ounces). These also have two things that specifically make them great for kids: rugged construction and a great, rubberized grip. I can't tell you how many trees and rocks these have bashed into while around my son's neck, and they're still as new. + +**Budget Pick for Kids:** [Let's Go Binoculars ($25)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078JFSH8P). If you've got little ones brand new to binoculars the price tag of the Nocs can be offputting. If you want to test and see if your kids actually use their binoculars before diving in there are a multitude of options. I'll be blunt, none of these are great, but they're cheap and light and don't cost a fortune. Another options is the [Obuby Binoculars ($30)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07S1VQ54K) + + +### Buying Advice, or Why The Price Range? + +You may have noticed that the binoculars in this guide span a huge price range, from under $100 to over $3,000. The reason for this comes down to two main factors, the quality of glass and coatings and the engineering behind them. + +All the binoculars listed here share the same BaK-4 prism design, which is a glass designation used by German glass maker, Schott AG. Within that design standard though there is still a significant range in quality, which accounts for most of the price differences. Simply put, the more you spend, the better quality to image will likely be. The quality difference is very obvious when comparing high end Leicas or Swarovskis to $300 models like the Monarch M5. + +Less obvious is the difference between the Monarch M5 and similarly priced 8x42 binoculars. The difference comes down to glass, the coatings, and + + + + + +I had the opportunity to meet dozens of fellow bird watcher in the past month and not single one of them ever talked to me about binoculars. However, if you spend time in online birding communities you'll see much debate about which are better, 8x or 10x. + +## How to Start a New Habit + +It's that time of year. Everyone you know will soon be hitting the gym, smiling while eating broccoli, or crushing out a last cigarette. For some, that really will be the last cigarette and the gym really will become a new part of life, but if you're anything like most of us you've probably experienced the letdown, perhaps even self loathing, of failing to stick to a New Year's resolution. + +I can't promise that this will help—anyone who knows me well would laugh hysterically at the idea of me guiding anyone to successful habit—but there are some things you can do to set yourself up for success. + + +### Forget About Goals, You Want Systems + +The first and most important part of changing something in your life is to forget the resolutions, forget the goals. Think instead of creating a system that allows you to do what you want to do. + +This advice is something I picked up from James Clear's book *[Atomic Habits](https://jamesclear.com)* ([$12, Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0735211299/) rel=sponsored}). If you find this article whets your appetite for a deeper dive into how you can create better habits, Clear's book is well worth a read. It has plenty of suggestions about how to set up systems that work for you and help to build, and support, the habits you want. + +That said, you can get a remarkable ways to building a system that supports your habit with some basic common sense. As WIRED Associate Editor Adrienne So says,"reduce friction wherever you can." Make it easy to go for a run by keeping your shoes by the door. Make it easy to eat healthier by keeping healthy food in the house. Make it easier to read by keeping your eyes open. + +As So says, "It's easier to work out every day if everything is all set up and you can run downstairs and do a 30-min Peloton strength video in 32 mins rather than spend like 35-40 mins looking for clean sports bras" + +It also helps to be honest with yourself about yourself. For example, while some people might run downstairs and actually do a Peloton video, even that seemingly simple thing is enough friction that I'd never actually do it. This is why I do body weight exercises—my body is always there, ready to go. I don't have to go anywhere or find anything, I just start exercising. Which is to say, if you have to do the proverbial symbol of iron will, gritting your teeth and toughing it out, you're unlikely to turn it into a habit. That doesn't mean there won't be moments where whatever you're doing won't be hard, but it should be hard to start. + +### Start Small and Progress Incrementally + +Gear Team Editor Michael Calore suggested I recommend the app couch to 5k to anyone who wants to build a running habit. It's a great app, and we do recommend it, and you know what it won't have you do? Run a 5K on the first day you use it. + +This goes along with the previous suggestion to ditch the goals. It takes a while to have to the strength and stamina to run 5 kilometers and if that's what you're focused on you're going to be disappointed every time you don't run 5K, and that's not going to make you want to keep running. + +The far better, and more encouraging plan is to run a little bit more today than you did yesterday. Incremental progress is the goal. This way you motivate yourself by being able to do more than you did yesterday, even if it's only a tiny bit more. Read 21 pages instead of 20 page, walk for 11 minutes instead of 10, and so on. + +Incremental progress is part of the reason I don't take days off and I recommend you don't either, at least for the first 90 days. Yes, it's probably more optimal to take days off if you habit is exercise related, but don't for the first 90 days. Depending on which study you want to site, it takes somewhere between 60-243 days to build a new habit. I've had good luck with about 90 and strongly recommend you go at least that long on your first try. + +On the internet of yore there was a story that Jerry Seinfeld supposedly told software developer and would-be comedian Brad Isaac. Isaac asked him if he had any tips on becoming a comic. Seinfeld's answer amounts to, well, build a habit of writing jokes. + +That's fairly obvious, but Seinfeld had a technique. He told Isaac to get a big wall calendar and every time he sat down and did the work, make a big X over that day. "After a few days you'll have a chain. Just keep at it and the chain will grow longer every day. You'll like seeing that chain, especially when you get a few weeks under your belt. Your only job next is to not break the chain." + +I have been unable to find any confirmation of this story, but even if it's apocryphal it's still excellent at advice. It also sounds like something a Seinfeld character would say. + +### Try Reducing Friction Even More + +One of the reasons we have trouble changing our habits is that we're highly emotionally invested in the habits we have. *I like doing nothing in the morning. I don't want to read/workout/cook/etc.* Overcoming this inertia and resistance to change is difficult, especially since this resistance is often not entirely conscious. This is part of why I have avoided suggestions about stopping habits you don't like (grab Clear's book if you're interested in stopping a bad habit, he has plenty of good advice on that score) and focused on creating new habit—there's generally less emotional baggage. + +What if, however, you reduced your emotional baggage to zero and instead of working on creating a specific habit, you trained your will itself? This is a common theme in older texts ranging from Catholic meditation guides to the [New Thought Movement](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Thought) of the early twentieth century. The idea is that the will is like a muscle and you need to built it up through strength training. + +I've seen countless versions of this exercise, but they all go something like this: sit down in a chair facing a wall. Pick a spot on the wall. Get up out of chair and go touch the spot in the wall. Return to the chair and sit down again. Rinse and repeat. Most books have you start out doing this ten times and work your way up from there. + +The idea is to force yourself (will yourself) to do something, but something in which you have no emotional involvement so that it's easy to do. This builds up a certain fortitude of the will that you can then apply to things where you are emotionally involved and still be able to do it. + +### Just Do It + +In the end Nike's slogan is right, you have to actually do it. Less succinctly, as one of my writing professors used to say, to be a writer, eventually you have to park your butt in a chair and actually write. To be a yogi you have to actually do yoga. To run you have to run. + +There's no easy way around the actual doing, you have to put on your grown up pants and, ahem, just do it. + +However, on the flip side of this, as Clear points out early on in *Atomic Habits*, the way to change who you are, is to change what you do. "Each time you write a page, you are a writer. Each time you practice the violin, you are a musician. Each time you start a workout, you are an athlete." Each time you just do it, you become it. + + + + + + + + + + + + + +## How to Buy a Laptop + +Buying a laptop is an exercise in confusion. Even if you know what everything means, and know exactly what you want, finding it can be difficult. Heck, just navigating the manufacturers' websites to try buying the model you want can be an exercise in frustration. + +We hope this guide will help you navigate the morass of modern laptops. + +#### Table of Contents +1. [Pick Your Operating System](#os) +2. [Know Your CPUs](#cpu) +3. [Pick Your Processor](#howmuchpower) +4. [How Much RAM?](#ram) +5. [How Much Storage Space?](#storage) +6. [Check Your Ports\!](#ports) +7. [Webcam and Other Worries](#webcam) +8. [Make Your Choice](#makeyourchoice) + +> If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. [Learn more](https://www.wired.com/2015/11/affiliate-link-policy/). + ++++anchor + +### First, Pick Your Operating System ++++ + #OS} + +Before you begin to look at laptops, you must figure out which operating system (OS) works best for you. Thinking through what software you need to run, and which operating systems that software runs on will help you determine the hardware you need. + +There are four major computer operating systems. Each has its strengths and weaknesses. Here's an overview of each: + +- **Windows**: This stalwart OS doesn't get much press anymore, but gets the job done. It's the best choice if you need Microsoft apps like MS Office, Access, or Outlook. There are also more Windows laptops to choose from than any other OS. +- **MacOS**: Apple's MacOS is a bit more beginner-friendly than Windows, but it's tightly coupled with the company's hardware. It probably isn't your first choice if you don't own an iPhone or iPad, and your options are limited to MacBooks. Be sure to read our guide to [picking the right MacBook](https://www.wired.com/story/which-macbook-should-you-buy/). +- **Chrome OS**: If you can do most of your laptop tasks in a web browser, ChromeOS is a good choice. Chrome laptops (called Chromebooks) are also among the cheapest (and least powerful) you'll find, so the OS is also worth considering if you're on a tight budget. The catch is that apps like Adobe's Creative Suite or Microsoft Office won't run. Some apps, notably Office, do have Android phone/tablet version you *might* be able to [install on your Chromebook](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/how-to-install-and-run-microsoft-office-on-a-chromebook-32f14a23-2c1a-4579-b973-d4b1d78561ad?ui=en-us&rs=en-us&ad=us), but I have found Android apps often don't run well. +- **Linux**: If you don't need MS Office, and don't mind a learning curve, you can install Linux on just about any piece of laptop hardware ever created. The catch is that popular apps like MS Office and Adobe's Creative Suite won't run. However, there are free, open source alternatives like [LibreOffice](https://www.libreoffice.org/), [Darktable](http://darktable.org/) (Adobe Lightroom replacement), and [GIMP](https://www.gimp.org/) (Adobe Photoshop replacement). + ++++anchor + +### Understanding Processor Names (CPUs) ++++ + #cpu} + +Once you know which operating system you want, and have some idea of the software you're going to run, you can figure out the minimum hardware specifications you'll need to get the job done. The first thing we suggest looking at is the processor, also referred to as the chip or the CPU. + +There are essentially two companies that make laptop processors: Intel and AMD. + +**Intel**'s main processors are the Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, and Core i9. The Core i3 is the least powerful, the Core i9 is the most powerful. We usually drop the "Core" from the name because it gets repetitive. + +Within each of these chip lines, Intel uses cryptic strings of numbers and letters that give you more information about that chip's capabilities and when it came out. Learning to decipher it will help you make better buying decisions. + +*Intel Core i5-10510U* is how a laptop manufacturer's websites may list the type of processor. + +Let's break it down. The first numbers ("10") refer to the generation chip, in this case it's a 10th-generation chip. The i5-9510U would be a 9th-generation chip, or one that's probably a year or so older. + +The next two or three numbers ("510") are related to performance. The higher these numbers are, the more powerful the chip is. This is only true within that chip line, though. The Intel Core i5-10510U is slightly more powerful than the Intel Core i5-10210U, but much *less* powerful than the Intel Core i7-10350U. The i7 chip is always more powerful than the i5, and the difference is greater than the difference between any two chips in the same chip line. + +The letter at the end of the chip name ("U," in our example) is Intel's designation for the chip's purpose. For laptops, the letters you'll see at the end are Y, U, and H. The only one you need to worry about are the Y series chips, which are optimized for battery life. That's good if you're frequently away from a plug for long periods of time, but that added battery life does come at the expense of some performance. + +**AMD**'s chip naming is just as difficult to decipher as Intel's. + +In the name AMD Ryzen 5 3600X, the “3” is the generation and the “6” is the performance level. A “6” would make this example a medium-powered chip, whereas a 3 or 4 would be more powerful (speedier). The next two numbers don't have much impact on anything. The “X” at the end indicates high performance. Other letter designations include U for ultra low power. + +Is there a huge difference between Intel and AMD chips? My experience, testing dozens of both every year, is that... it depends. Generally speaking an Intel i5 is instinguishable from a Ryzen 5 outside of very specific benchmarks. Which is to say they're close to the same thing in day to day use browsing the web or editing documents. The same goes for the Intel i7 and Ryzen 7, and the Intel i3 and the Ryzen 3. + +There are some places where you may notice a difference though, and one of them is graphics performance. In my testing, in both benchmarks and real work use, AMD's integrated graphics tend to perform better than Intel on graphics-intensive tasks—think editing video or playing games. Intel's most recent series of chips has closed that gap signficantly, but AMD still has a slight edge. If you do either of those things then you may benefit from buying an AMD machine, though what you really probably want is a dedicated graphics card, more on that below. + +The other place I have noticed a difference is with the AMD Ryzen 4000 series chips found in Chromebooks. These are powerful enough for most things and offer great battery life, a combination that's much more difficult to find in Intel Chromebooks. + ++++anchor + +### How Much Processing Power Do You Need? ++++ + #howmuchpower} + +If you're a typical user who runs a web browser, Microsoft's Office Suite, and perhaps even some photo editing software, we recommend a laptop with an Intel Core i5 8th-generation or later processor. That would be displayed something like “Intel Core i5-8350U.” + +If you can afford it, an Intel i7 chip makes a nice upgrade and will make your laptop feel snappier. The extra power often means shorter battery life though, so you'll need to balance that with your needs. A gaming laptop, for instance, would use an i7 (or i9) chip, but an i3 or i5 is usually fine for laptop you use for less demanding tasks. + +Likewise, for the average user the AMD Ryzen 5000 series will suffice, but the Ryzen 7000 makes a nice upgrade—again, at the cost of battery life. + +#### Are you a Power User? +If you compile software, edit video, or work with very large databases you're going to want more processing power than the rest of us. I suggest an Intel i7 or Ryzen 7. You'll also want to load up on RAM, but we'll get to that in a minute. + +#### Best Processors for a ChromeOS laptops + + +[#image: /photos/5fd7e26300c45b72f4a68f44]|||Lenovo Flex 5||| + +ChromeOS is built around Google's Chrome web browser and runs most software directly in the browser. That means it doesn't need big powerful Intel chips. That's the theory, at least. In my experience, Chrome OS does best with at least an Intel i3 chip, or, what I think is the best value you can currently get with a Chromebook: an AMD Ryzen 4000 chip. + +There are high-end Chromebooks with Intel i5 chips, and even some i7 models out there, but unless you're really all-in on ChromeOS, you're better off buying a more capable Windows laptop. + +The cheapest Chromebooks may use Intel's Celeron series processors. If your needs are excessively minimal, and you'll never do anything more than lightly browse the web, the Celerons will do. But if you're hoping to run Android apps or install Linux apps on your Chromebook, the Celeron processors will struggle, and frustrate you. + ++++anchor + +### What About a Graphics Card? ++++ + #gpu} + +All laptops technically have graphics cards, but most are bundled into the motherboard with the processor. This approach, known as "integrated graphics" is fine for most users. You'll be able to watch HD movies and even play less demanding games without issue. If you're a gamer, or do a lot of video editing, you'll want a laptop with a discrete graphics card, that is a separate, and much more powerful, graphics card. + +AMD and Nvidia make most of the graphics cards you'll find in laptops. You may sometimes see them listed as the GPU. + +Most Intel-based laptops will be paired with an Nvidia graphics card in the GeForce line, usually one of the Max-Q cards, which is the power-efficient, laptop-friend spin off of Nvidia's desktop cards. They are usually labeled with the card name, then Max-Q, for example, the GeForce GTX 1080 Max-Q. The Max-Q cards are generally about 15 to 25 percent less powerful than the desktop versions, but still plenty powerful for gaming and video editing. + +AMD's GPU line is called Radeon, and ranges from the top end Vega, and RX cards, down to R-series cards which mirror the Ryzen naming scheme where the Radeon R9 is faster and more powerful than the Radeon R5. + ++++anchor + +### How Much RAM Do You Need? ++++ + #ram} + +The more the merrier\! Random Access Memory, better known as RAM, is what your laptop uses to hold data while the processor does things with it. Think of RAM as your desk. All the things you're working right now should be able to fit on your desk. If your desk is too small, things fall off and you can't work on them. In the same way, if you run out of RAM you won't be able to open any more browser tabs or finish compiling your video. Eventually your laptops will freeze up and need to be restarted. + +*8 gigabytes of RAM should be plenty* for the average Windows user, though upgrading to 16 gigabytes will make your laptop much more capable (and is a necessity for gaming). One thing to investigate before you buy is whether or not the RAM is soldered to the motherboard. If it is soldered you won't be able to upgrade the RAM yourself. + +Again, if you're programming and compiling software or editing video clips, two tasks that require a lot of RAM, you'll want 16 gigabytes at minimum. You'll probably be happier with 32 gigabytes if you can afford it. + +As with processors, ChromeOS requires less. In a Chromebook you can generally get by with 4 gigabytes of RAM, though upgrading the 8 gigabytes will let you have more tabs open in your browser without slowing things down. + +RAM comes in couple of flavors, the older DDR3, which is less common these days, and the much faster DDR4 RAM. Most laptops these days use DDR4 RAM, but manufacturers will list the type of RAM on their sites so it's worth checking before you buy.\\ + ++++anchor + +### SSD Storage or Spinning Drive? ++++ + #storage} + +The hard drive is where you'll store all your data. Think of this as the filing cabinet next to your desk. The most common choice these days is a Solid State Drive or SSD, although some budget laptops still use spinning drives. + +*Go for an SSD drive if you can afford it—at least 256 gigabytes.* SSDs are faster, especially if they use an NVMe connection, which moves data in and out of the hard drive much quicker than the older standard, known as SATA. Sometimes you'll find laptops with both an SSD with NVMe to run the operating system, but an older SATA drive to store files. This gives you best of both worlds, speed where you need it, but still budget-friendly. + +The minimum amount of space we recommend is 256 gigabytes. If you store everything in the cloud, or are looking at Chromebooks, you might be able to get by with less, but it's good to have the space if you ever need it. If you plan to install a lot of games, software, or save a lot of photos or video, that will quickly eat up space. + +A side note: You may have noticed that your hard drive doesn't seem to ever have its advertised space. If a hard drive is labeled 512 gigabytes, it may only show up as having 490 gigabytes available in Windows. You aren't losing space, this just has to do with the difference between binary and decimal byte size calculations. The drive makers use decimal bytes, but Windows uses binary, which is why they report different sizes. They are both technically correct, though in practical terms the size Windows reports is the amount of disk space you can actually use to store files. + ++++anchor + +### Check for Ports\! ++++ + #ports} + + + +[#image: /photos/5fdd19b2fe6cb52eb1cc8ad7] + +While the CPU, RAM, and hard drive will have the biggest impact on performance, the amount and kind of ports on your laptop are important. Ports are the various ways of plugging things in to your laptop, like USB devices, or recharging it. + +*You will want at least one 1 USB-C, at least one 1 USB-A, and a microphone/headset jack. Look into USB-C charging, and an SD reader too.* + +I recommend laptops that can charge via USB-C. A laptop should say it can charge via USB-C on the page, or in the specs section. This method of charging allows you to use a portable battery charger if you ever needed an extra bit of battery, which can double the amount of time you can stay away from a plug. USB-C chargers also tend to be cheaper to replace. Do not ever buy those cheap no-name replacement chargers you see on Amazon. Just don't. Spend extra and buy the manufacturer's charger or a known brand. I have destroyed multiple laptop batteries by relying on junky chargers. + +Make sure your laptop has a SD or MicroSD card reader if you're a photographer and need to constantly download images from your camera. Otherwise you'll need to carry a dongle. + ++++anchor + +### Webcams and Hinges ++++ + #webcams} + + + +[#image: /photos/5ffe4a9bff8211dc377cd1c1]|||Acer Chromebook Spin 514||| + +Make sure there's a webcam. For some reason, there are still laptops in 2021 that don't have webcams. Most webcams are still 720p, especially on lower priced laptops. That's fine if you're not using it much, but with Zoom being a way of life for many of us these days, you might be happier with a 1080p camera. + +How is the hinge? This one is hard to test if you're buying over the internet. If possible, head to a local store, like a Best Buy, so you can actually hold the models you're interested in. Try opening it with one hand. That might sound silly, but trust me, not being able to open your laptop with one hand is annoying. + +Other points to consider: Can you safely carry it with one hand? Is it going to hold up to life in a backpack? How big is the trackpad? Are the buttons where you like them? Is the keyboard layout unusual in any way? + ++++anchor + +### Make *Your* Choice ++++ + #makeyourchoice} + + + +[#image: /photos/5fd7e0b67df8df42722fdb31]|||Microsoft Surface Pro||| + +Once you've narrowed down the field to a few models, read some reviews and look for things beyond the specifications, like the how the hinge holds up, how the keyboard feels, how the trackpad performs, and even how hot it gets in your lap. Reading reviews like ours here at WIRED come in handy because looking at specs won't tell you if a hinge is poorly made or feels sticky, or if the lid scratches easily. + +Your own feelings matter, too. Do you want something that looks a certain way? There's nothing wrong with that. Some people hate the idea of a plastic shell. Others wouldn't be caught dead with anything other than black plastic. Design is important in both practical and aesthetic terms. It's no fun to use a laptop you don't like. + +Sometimes what you like about something is hard to define, and on paper may not make much sense. For example I wrote this review on a Lenovo x270, which is, by the standards of this guide, outdated and underpowered. But I like it better than the much faster, newer, shinier laptops sitting on the shelf behind me, waiting to be tested. + +There is, as they say, no accounting for taste, so be sure to factor that into your decision as well. + + ++++anchor + +### Where to Buy ++++ + #wherebuy} + +When you know what you want it's time for the final, and sometimes most painful step: trying to find the laptop you want. You can buy straight from the manufacturer's website, or you can go with a chain like Amazon or Best Buy. Manufacturer's websites are sometimes overwhelming, especially when every different configuration is listed separately, which nearly every manufacturer insists on doing. + +Other times these websites use very deceptive pricing practices, like Lenovo, which lists absurdly high "list" prices but actually sells everything at a perpetual discount. This is where it helps to shop around. Even if you end up buying from the manufacturer, be sure to look at the prices at stores like Best Buy, Amazon, NewEgg, and B&HPhoto (despite the name, the latter often has great deals on laptops). + +Be sure to read through the specifications on each page to ensure you're comparing the model with 8-gigabytes of RAM to another model with 8-gigabytes of RAM, and so on. While I don't often buy laptops, I do search for deals to pass to readers all the time, and I find it helpful to write down the config that I'm looking for on a piece of paper and check each store's listing to make sure it's the same thing. + +Pay attention to any warranties as well, as it's nice to have a plan should something go wrong. This is a hard area to test, and the options vary widely according to where you buy your laptop, but I can say I have used warranties from both Lenovo and Dell and been satisfied with both. + +You might be wondering, why is it so hard to find what you want? I wonder that too. It would be nice if every PC laptop maker out there just copied Apple's website, which has a single page for each laptop and a range of configuration options you can customize to your liking. It doesn't seem that hard, but apparently it is. + +If you'd like to see various models compared don't forget to see [our guide to the best laptops](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-laptops/), the [best gaming laptops](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-gaming-laptops/), the [best cheap laptops](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-cheap-laptops/), the [best Chromebooks](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-chromebooks/), and [the best Macbooks](https://www.wired.com/story/which-macbook-should-you-buy/). + + +## RSS Guide + +Whether you are sick of social media, want to get rid of all the notifications, or just want to read all your news in one spot, an RSS reader can help. + +RSS stands for really simple syndication. It's a protocol that allows an RSS reader to talk to your favorite websites and get updates from them. Instead of visiting 10 different sites to see what's new, you view a single page with all the new content from your favorite websites. + +There are two parts to RSS: the RSS reader and the RSS feeds from your favorite websites. RSS has been around a while now, so there are quite a few very good RSS readers out there. Most of them feature built-in search and suggestions too, so you don't have to hunting for RSS feeds yourself and you just might discover some cool new sites to read too. + +I've been using RSS for over a decade and recently spent a few months trying out almost a dozen different RSS reader services. The picks below are the best RSS readers available right now. + +*Special offer for Gear readers: Get a* [***1-Year Subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off)***](https://subscribe.wired.com/subscribe/splits/wired/WIR_AFFILIATE?source=HCL_WIR_EDIT_HARDCODED_0_COMMERCE_AFFILIATE_ZZ)*. This includes unlimited access to WIRED.com and our print magazine (if you'd like). Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.* + +> *If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism.* [*Learn more*](https://www.wired.com/2015/11/affiliate-link-policy/)*.* + +##Best Overall +###[**Inoreader**](https://www.inoreader.com) rel="nofollow"} + +|||||||Inoreader Image|||||| + +Inoreader offers a well-designed readable interface, good search and discovery options, and a nice set of features that are both beginner-friendly and offer plenty of options for advanced users. There's a web interface as well as iOS and Android app. Inoreader handles more than just RSS feeds—you can add email newsletters, Facebook pages, Twitter searches, and podcasts too. + +Advanced users will like extra features like keyword monitoring. Enter your search terms and Inoreader will search all your feeds for any mention of that keyword or phrase and then create a feed of just those articles. You can also do the opposite and hide article matching a phrase. Inoreader also offers a nice automation system you can use to create rules and filter your feeds, giving some higher priority. For example you could get a push notification every time WIRED publishes a new review, but not the rest of our content. Note that the automation requires a pro account. + +Pro accounts also get some other nice features like the ability to integrate with IFTTT and Zapier, an offline mode for the mobile apps, and my personal favorite: keeping your YouTube account in sync with your RSS reading. That means you can watch YouTube videos in Inoreader and next time you login to YouTube you won't have a ton of unwatched videos that you've already watched outside YouTube. + +Inoreader offers three accounts starting with free (with ads), which is good for testing out the service to see if it meets your needs. If it does the Pro account is $7 a month (it's cheaper if you buy a year upfront), which brings more advanced features and support for more feeds. + +### Best for Beginners +###[**Feedly**](https://feedly.com/i/welcome) rel="nofollow"} + +||||Feedly Image|||| + +Feedly is probably the most popular RSS reader in the web and for good reason. It's well-design, easy to use, and offers great search options so it's easy to add all your favorite sites. It lacks one thing that make Inoreader slightly better in my view—the YouTube syncing—but otherwise Feedly is an excellent choice. It even has a few features Inoreader does not, like Evernote integration (you can save articles to Evernote), and a notes feature for jotting down your own thoughts on stories. + +Feedly also touts "Leo" the company's AI search assistant, which can help filter your feeds and surface the content you really want. In my testing I found that it worked well enough, but a big part of what I like about RSS is that there's is no AI—I don't *want* automated filtering. Depending on how you use RSS though this could be useful feature. + +Like the others here Feedly offers iOS and Android apps along with a web interface. + +Feedly is free up to 100 feeds. A Pro subscription is $8 a month (it's cheaper if you pay for a year up front), and enable more features like notes, save to Evernote, and ad-free reading. The Pro+ account gets you the AI-features and more for $12 a month. + + +### Best For DIYers +###[**Newsblur**](https://www.newsblur.com) rel="nofollow"} + +|||||Newsblur image||||| + +Newsblur is an old-school RSS reader. You won't find AI or YouTube syncing here. Newsblur is for reading RSS feeds and getting on with your life. It's refreshingly simple, but still has everything you need in an RSS reader. Newsblur can subscribe to all kinds of content (including newsletters), read full stories (even from RSS feeds that don't offer them), integrate with IFTTT, and even track story changes if a publisher updates an article. + +There are apps for iOS and Android, as well as the web-based interface. + +One thing that sets Newsblur apart is that it's open source. You can see the code on Github, and if you're comfortable with the command line you can even set up your own self-hosted version of Newsblur on your own server. + +Newsblur's free account is the most limited of the options here, with only 64 feeds and only 5 stories from each at a time, but Premium account is also the cheapest at $36 per year. That gets you access to all the features and unlimited feeds. + +### How To Get More Out of RSS + +The first thing you'll notice when you get into RSS is that not every website advertises it's feed. More often than not there is a feed, but finding it can be tricky. Fortunately there are some web browser extensions that can help. This Chrome extension and this Firefox add-on will add an RSS feed icon to your URL bar and you can click it to subscribe to almost any website you're on. + +Some websites don't have RSS feeds though, and in that case you can use a feed generator like [Fetch RSS](http://fetchrss.com) or [RSS.app](https://rss.app). Neither are perfect, but in my testing both were able to generate feeds for seven of the ten pages I tested, which is better than nothing. + +What about those three really stubborn pages? Well, I just ignore them and move on with life. There's a saying, that networks route around damage and not having an RSS feed is a kind of damage. Ignoring those websites is a way to route around it. That said + +We lost something when we stopped following individual content sources +While Reader is gone, Feedly (and others) have done a good job replacing it +You don’t have to give up the power of the aggregators; just add them as sources +RSS is clutter-free consumption, with fewer ads, no popups, etc +Curating your input garden is a meaningful part of the consumption experience +It’s relaxing to know you only have to check one place rather than N places + +## tents + + +The MSR Zoic 4 tent isn't quite as pricey as the Copper Spur, but it's not much heavier. I've used this with my three kids and there was plenty of interior space and the mostly-mesh tent provides great ventilation on warm summer nights (and leaving off the rainfly gave my kids an I a great view of the stars at night). It has double vestibules with enough room to keep boots and other gear out of the weather. + +One thing to note about this tent, MSR does not factory seam seal its lightweight tents, so you'll need to get some seam seal and do it yourself. It's not hard, though be sure to do it and let it thoroughly dry before you head out. REI has [a good guide to seam sealing](https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/how-to-waterproof-a-tent.html). + +backpacking tent for family and small group adventure. Sleep 4, so bring you and the little family or 3 of your best hiking partners. Sleep side by side and even sit up to play a game of cards comfortably when the rain is pouring. Hubbed poles make it quite easy to pitch and if the fly is off, you can point out the constellations to the kiddos right through the micromesh above. If the rain is falling, the fly creates 2 vestibules for extra storage and it's still easy to escape through either door. + + +There are hundreds of tents out there, picking one can be tough. If none of our top picks quite work for you, here are a few things to keep in mind while doing your own research. + +-**One Size Does not Fit All** There probably is no one tent that is the best choice for everything. For most people a 3-season tent is plenty. The term 3-season means a tent that can stand up to everything spring, summer, and fall can throw at it. If you're planning to snowshoe or cross-country ski into the backcountry, or if you live in north climes and want some protection against the occasion early or late winter weather then a 4-season tent might be appropriate. For the most part these terms come down to how much ventilation (e.g. mesh) the tent has. A 3-season tent will offer better ventilation, but will have a harder time retaining heat. + +-**Tent Design** The first thing to look for is floor space, namely is there enough for you and whomever you're camping with. Don't forget you'll probably have some amount of gear in there with you too. Make sure to look at the dimensions, not just square footage since all the floor space in the world is useless if you can't lie down without touching the end of the tent. + +After floor space you'll want to see about headroom. Can you stand up in the tent? How steep are the walls? The steeper the better, since that gives you more space to move around in. + +The other things I am fussy about is the vestibule. Is it big enough to store boots and other gear you want to stay dry, but don't want to have in the tent with you? If you're backpacking, is it big enough to safely cook under? + +- **Less weight means more money.** This isn't always true, but usually it is unfortunately. If you want to go ultralight especially, you're going to have to spend more. But before you fork out the big dollars, ask yourself: do I really care about saving 6 ounces? Are you going to notice those 6 ounces at the end of a 20 mile day? If the answer is yes, there is an internet sub-culture out there of people who obsess over saving ounces. The r/ultralight is a good place to start your research. + + + + +Camping is intense! No really. If you're going camping, you need a tent. Hammock lovers might disagree, and we love sleeping under the stars when weather permits, but most of the time, camping is synonymous with sleeping in a tent. But which tent? There are hundreds, ranging in price from under $100 to over $1,000. + +To help you figure out the best tent for your next adventure—whether you're car camping with the family or soloing Mt Whitney—we've spent years testing tents to find the perfect shelter for everyone. + + + + - REI Half Dome + - Ultralight Family Backpacking + +Take stroll through any campground in America and you'll see plenty of these no-frills Coleman tents. There's a good reason for that. They're cheap, available just about anywhere, and they get the job done. They're all you need, especially if you're only camping out for a week or two a year. + +This is our top pick for newcomers and the experienced a like. It's easy to set up, provides good rain protection and 3-season comfort, and the price doesn't break the bank. There is an even cheaper model without the extra bug screen vestibule, but living in the southern united states, I really appreciate the extra bug barrier (and the extra room to stash stuff). + + + + + - MSR tent +## Chef Knives 12/21/2020 *Mar 2021* + - Mandolin Slicer +While the chef knife is the foundation of the kitchen, there are other essential slicers. The mandoline is another tool I highly recommend, especially if these knives are intimidating. Whether its slicing cabbage for a slaw, cucumbers for dipping, or tomatoes for a sandwich, I reach reach for a mandoline. It's fast, precise, and dare I say, easier. That said, a mandoline alone is too single-use for me. I prefer this combination of slicers from Garrett Wade. It has a mandoline, as well as three graters and takes up hardly any space in your drawer. Between the two I can slice, grate, and shred to get just about any size result I need. The rubber base keeps them from sliding on the counter and the stainless steel construction makes for a solid, long lasting tool. They don't have any kind of guard or protection, so I suggest picking up some cut-resistant gloves as well. I like these Dex Fit gloves ($12.50, [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/DEX-FIT-Resistant-Comfort-Washable/dp/B074DTJ5ML/) rel=nofollow}). They'll protect your hands and they have a nitrile coating on the palms, which makes it easier to grip wet veggies. + +*Alternative Mandoline: This Mueller Mandoline ($30, [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Mueller-Austria-Adjustable-Mandoline-Slicer/dp/B01CT63964/)) is similarly multi-functional, though made of of plastic. + + + +## Cheap Laptops 12/15/2020 *Mar 2021* + - Acer ?? +## Photo Printing Services 10/19/2020 *Apr 2021* + - film + - mike's book +## Distance Learning Supplies 08/30/2020 *Dec 2020* + - which one was this again? +## Amazon Fire Tablets 07/17/2020 *Jan 2021* + +Amazon's Fire tablets are some of the only high-profile, ultra-affordable tablets around. The prices seem too good to be true—and in some ways, they are—but Fire tablets are also completely functional, reasonably capable devices. To help you decide if one of these slates is right for you, we reviewed every model. These are our unfiltered recommendations. + +Be sure to check out our many other [guides](https://www.wired.com/tag/buying-guides/), including [Best Tablets](https://www.wired.com/gallery/the-best-tablets/) and [Best Alexa Speakers](https://www.wired.com/story/best-amazon-echo/). + +*Updated for June 2021: We've added our impressions of the new Fire HD 10 range.* + +*Special offer for Gear readers: Get a* [***1-year subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off)***](https://subscribe.wired.com/subscribe/splits/wired/WIR_AFFILIATE?source=HCL_WIR_EDIT_HARDCODED_0_COMMERCE_AFFILIATE_ZZ7) target="_blank"}*. This includes unlimited access to WIRED.com and our print magazine (if you'd like). Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.* + +> *If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism.* [*Learn more*](https://www.wired.com/2015/11/affiliate-link-policy/)*.* + +### The Best Fire Tablet +[**Fire HD 10 (2021)**](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BX7FV5L/?tag=w050b-20) rel="nofollow"} + +The Fire HD 10 is the largest and fastest of Amazon's tablets. Amazon refreshed it in June 2021 ([7/10, WIRED Recommends]()) with a brighter screen and 3 gigabytes of RAM. Amazon also introduced the Fire HD 10 Plus with 4 gigabytes of RAM and wireless charging, which is worth the extra $30 if you plan to do more than watch movies and browse the web with your tablet. Amazon is hoping you might do more too, there's now a "productivity bundle" with a nice keyboard (no trackpad though) and a 1-year subscription to Microsoft Office 365. Working on the Fire HD 10 isn't bad, so long as you don't need Google Apps. None of Google's office apps work on the Fire HD 10, not even in the browser. + +The Fire HD 10 has a larger screen with more pixels (1080p) than its siblings, making it better for watching videos. And, like the Fire HD 8, you can shout commands at Alexa from across the room. To use Alexa's Show Mode, just swipe down on the notification overlay and check the Show Mode box. After that, you can set your HD 10 on a stand (if you opt for the Plus model, we like the [official wireless charging stand](https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Wireless-Charging-Generation-compatible/dp/B08R5RY2SS/?tag=w050b-20) rel="nofollow"}) and it essentially becomes an Echo Show. + +You can choose between a 32-gigabyte or a 64-gigabyte model (with a MicroSD slot on both so you can add up to 1 TB of storage down the road if you need more space). Whichever you choose, Amazon will serve up advertisements on the lock screen. To get rid of that you'll need to spend $15 more for the version without "special offers." + +[**The Fire HD 10 costs $150 at Amazon**](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BX7FV5L/?tag=w050b-20) rel="nofollow"} + +### The Best Value Fire +[**Fire HD 8 (2020)**](https://www.amazon.com/All-New-Fire-HD-8-Tablet/dp/B07TMJ1R3X/?tag=w050b-20) rel="nofollow"} + + + +[#image: /photos/5f08b2f892cb35f94cf6a0bf] + +The newly refreshed 2020 version of the [Fire HD 8](https://www.wired.com/review/amazons-fire-8-hd-tablets) is quite possibly one of the best values around for a tablet. The travel-friendly size, combined with a processor upgrade and a [Plus model ($110)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0839NDRB2/?tag=w050b-20) with 3 gigabytes of RAM and wireless charging, make the new Fire HD 8 series nearly as capable as its larger sibling. + +It’s portable enough to take with you anywhere, and its screen won’t torture your eyes when you watch Netflix. That said, the screen is not quite as nice as the one on the larger Fire HD 10, which boasts a higher pixel density. + +Still, the HD 8 has most of the benefits of the HD 10, including hands-free Alexa, stereo sound, USB-C, and nearly 12 hours of battery life. I recommend picking up [Amazon’s magnetic stand-up case](https://www.amazon.com/All-New-Amazon-Fire-HD-8-Cover/dp/B07Y91D1V6/?tag=w050b-20) if you plan on watching movies or TV, or, if you opt for the Plus model, the [Wireless Charging Dock](https://www.amazon.com/Made-Amazon-Wireless-Charging-compatible/dp/B085RVS6FV/?tag=w050b-20) rel="nofollow"} turns your tablet into an Echo Show speaker. + +[**The Fire HD 8 costs $110 at Amazon**](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0794RHPZD/?tag=w050b-20) rel="nofollow"} + +### The Best Fire Tablet for Kids +[**Fire HD 8 Kids Edition (2020)**](https://www.amazon.com/All-New-Fire-HD-8-Tablet/dp/B07TMJ1R3X/?tag=w050b-20) rel="nofollow"} + + + +[#image: /photos/5f08b348806a1fd1d138720c] + +Amazon offers kid-friendly versions of all its Fire tablets. We think the HD 8 is the best device for most kids. Compared to the older [Fire 7 ($100)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H8WS1FT/?tag=w050b-20), the larger screen is sharper and you get Dolby stereo sound with dual speakers. The [Fire HD 10 ($200)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KD7K4B1/) (which also has all those features) is *really* big in kid hands, especially with the Kids Edition case around it, so it's better suited for older children. + +The Kids Edition versions are exactly the same as the regular Fire tablets, except they come with a rugged case and a two-year worry-free guarantee, which means Amazon will replace the tablet for free if your kids break it. It also comes with one year of FreeTime Unlimited, offering access to kid-friendly movies, books, games, and apps. It costs $3 per month after the first year. + +[**The Fire HD 8 Kids Edition costs $140 at Amazon**](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WDDT3G5/?tag=w050b-20) rel="nofollow"} + +### Avoid the Fire 7 +The Fire 7 is Amazon’s cheapest tablet, with a tantalizingly low price. But if you're making more demands on your Fire tablet than a 3-year-old who loves [*Carl the Super Truck*](https://www.amazon.com/Super-Truck-Carl-the-Transformer/dp/B07QJTGMRS?tag=w050b-20) rel="nofollow"}, you should probably cough up a little extra and buy an HD 8. Like we said in our [Fire 7 review](https://www.wired.com/2017/10/review-amazon-fire-7-2017/), the 7-inch screen will feel somewhat cramped and its screen resolution is noticeably pixelated. You won’t love the mono speaker, which is easily blocked by a single finger. Its battery also lags behind the other two tablets, and the 8-gigabytes of internal storage is pitifully small, mandating a [MicroSD card](https://www.amazon.com/Sandisk-Ultra-Micro-UHS-I-Adapter/dp/B073JYVKNX/?tag=w050b-20) rel="nofollow"} from the get-go. + +### Amazon Sells Older Fire Tablets. Don’t Buy Them +Only buy one of the "9th Generation" or "10th Generation" Fire tablets. We suggest sticking to the tablets we talk about in this article ([also listed here](https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Fire-Tablet-Family/b/?node=6669703011)). + +If you're on a tight budget, the 2017 Fire HD 10 is often available refurbished for considerably less than the new one. The downside with it and other, older model Fire tablets is that they may not get software updates for a long as the current generation will. You'll also miss out on the faster processor and more RAM in the newer model (and the USB-C). + +It’s a pain, but if you're buying an old device you should also cross reference the latest update available for the tablet you’re going to buy ([find it on this sheet](https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=200529680) rel="nofollow"}) with the [latest version of Fire OS](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_OS) to see how up-to-date your software will be. + +### What’s WIRED About All Fire Tablets +**A Faucet for Amazon Content:** If you subscribe to Amazon’s Prime service, you can consume all the included movies, music, TV, and books while also shopping for all the items you can get with its free two-day shipping or browsing your free Amazon photo storage. You can do most of the same things from an Android tablet or iPad, but the Fire OS interface is crafted specifically to deliver Amazon goods, with swipeable pages for each type of media Amazon sells. + +**Built ‘Good Enough’:** Physically, Amazon’s Fire tablets are made of cheap-ish plastic, but they’re designed with enough care that the build quality won’t bother you too much. The Kids Editions are also some of the best-quality tablets for kids, encased in a rugged bumper, and all have MicroSD slots so you can add extra storage. (We recommend this [128 GB MicroSD card](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073JYC4XM/?tag=w050b-20) rel="nofollow"}.) + +**Cheap:** Did we mention the price? They all cost $150 or less, which is a price that would have legitimately shocked you a few years ago. They offer high value for the price. You can also get them with Amazon lock-screen ads, which will lower your price by $15. + +### What’s TIRED About All Fire Tablets +**Non-Amazon Content is Lacking:** The greatest strength of these tablets is also their greatest weakness. If you aren’t an Amazon Prime subscriber and don't plan to get your video, audio, or books from Amazon, the Fire tablet line is far less compelling. They do have Alexa, so that could be a plus, but again, that’s tied deeply into Amazon’s content library. + +You can download third-party apps like Netflix on Amazon’s Appstore, but the selection is *far* more limited than the apps available on [Apple's iPad](https://www.wired.com/2017/05/review-apple-ipad-2017/) or the Google Play Store on standard Android tablets. Tech-savvy users have found ways to add the Google Play Store or sideload apps, but these devices are built to serve up Amazon's library first and foremost. + +**Old Tech:** The tech inside these tablets is old. They all run on processors that would have impressed 4\+ years ago but show their age today with small fits of lag and a general lack of power. Since many of the apps are built with weak processing power in mind, you don’t notice it too much. The operating system is also dated (depending on which Fire tablet you're buying), which could hide some of the weaknesses. Amazon’s latest Fire OS is a modified version of Android 9 Pie, which came out in 2018. Amazon keeps updating its tablets to some degree, but not nearly as often as it should. + +**Short Warranties:** Only the Fire HD 10 comes with a full one-year warranty. Oddly, the smaller devices come with 90-day warranties. + +**Special Offers:** In the last year, Amazon's Special Offers ads have gotten more overt. We recommend you pay the extra $15 to buy a Fire tablet without them. + +*** +### More Great WIRED Stories +- How masks went from [don’t-wear to must-have](https://www.wired.com/story/how-masks-went-from-dont-wear-to-must-have/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_1&itm_content=footer-recirc) +- Poker and the [psychology of uncertainty](https://www.wired.com/story/poker-psychology-uncertainty/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_1&itm_content=footer-recirc) +- An infrastructure arms race is [fueling the future of gaming](https://www.wired.com/story/cloud-gaming-infrastructure-arms-race/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_1&itm_content=footer-recirc) +- How to get Safari's privacy features [in Chrome and Firefox](https://www.wired.com/story/get-safari-new-privacy-features-chrome-firefox/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_1&itm_content=footer-recirc) +- Everything you need to [work from home like a pro](https://www.wired.com/story/work-from-home-home-office-gear-guide/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_1&itm_content=footer-recirc) +- 👁 The therapist is in—[and it's a chatbot app](https://www.wired.com/story/therapist-in-chatbot-app/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_1&itm_content=footer-recirc). Plus: [Get the latest AI news](https://www.wired.com/category/business/artificial-intelligence/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories_Sections_1&itm_content=footer-recirc) +- 🏃🏽♀️ Want the best tools to get healthy? Check out our Gear team’s picks for the [best fitness trackers](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-fitness-tracker/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories&itm_content=footer-recirc), [running gear](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-running-gear/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories&itm_content=footer-recirc) (including [shoes](https://wired.com/gallery/best-trail-running-shoes-round-up/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories&itm_content=footer-recirc) and [socks](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-running-socks/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories&itm_content=footer-recirc)), and [best headphones](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-headphones-under-100/?itm_campaign=BottomRelatedStories&itm_content=footer-recirc) +## Barefoot Shoes Buying Guide 12/02/2020 *Mar 2021* + - amazon brands + - waterproof zeros + - vivobarefoot loungers + +Addis is Vivobarefoot's take on a barefoot casual or perhaps even dress shoe. It's leather, sourced from independent Ethiopian cattle farmers (hence the name). It's also one of the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn. If you're looking for a barefoot shoe for around town, this is one of the best looking barefoot shoes you'll find. The leather is soft and I had no issues with chaffing. I also, surprisingly, did not mind wearing these barefoot. Unlike what I expected, my feet did not get sweaty in the leather. That said, these are definitely the warmest of the shoes on this page, so keep that in mind if you live in a hot climate. + +These definitely run wide, especially in the toe box, so if you can try these on in person before you buy. + +## Kids Learning/Playing Tools 09/05/2020 *Mar 2021* + - More outdoor homeschooling +## Portable Grills 09/12/2020 *Mar 2021* +### Primus Kamoto + +This is my new go-to charcoal grill for quick trips. I still love the Weber above, but the Kamoto has the edge when it comes to portability. It collapses down to store flat, about 15 inches by 20 inches for the large version which is what I tested. Once extended it's big enough to handle 16-inch long logs (or charcoal) with 255 inches of cooking surface, which is enough to handle burgers and veggies for our family of five. After you're done cooking the Kamoto can double as a fire pit, handy for campsites where ground fires aren't allowed (e.g. the beach). + +While the portability and extra trunk space the compact design affords is nice, I am not crazy about the gilling surface itself, which consists of a thin metal grid. I find heavily marinated meats stick a bit more than they do with wider, thicker grill grates. On the plus side your asparagus won't drop through into the coals. My other concern is that relatively thin metal may warp with head over time. Since this grill folds up, that could render it unusable. To be fair, I've been using it regularly (about once a week) for about six months now, and it still collapses nicely, though one side has begun to bow out slightly. + +### Weber + +The Weber traveler's sturdy design and easy collapsing and extending system trump our previous pick in this category, the Coleman Road Trip. The Coleman had a nasty habit of pinching my fingers if I wasn't careful collapsing it, but that doesn't happen with the Weber because the release mechanism is nowhere near the actual hinge. The Traveler also offers a little more grilling space and is easier to transport thanks to sturdier wheels. + +Like the Q above, the Traveler uses a single burner that wraps around the entire bottom of the grill. That's covered by a two piece cast iron grill grate that's solid where it runs over the burner, which acts as a heat diffuser and keeps the burner from getting covered in grease. Speaking of grease, there's a slide out grease trap that easy to empty. There's a built in thermometer that's reasonably accurate, but I still suggest getting a separate, more accurate probe like the Weber Connect Smart Hub ([Amazon, $92](https://www.amazon.com/Weber-3201-Connect-Smart-Grilling/dp/B07YFDMSC5/) rel=nofollow}). + +No matter how you measure it the Traveler's 13,000 BTU burner gets plenty hot and really shines when searing. The 320 square inch grilling surface is big enough to grill for crowd. + +The only real knock against the Weber is that it is big. It'll fit in the trunk of most cars, but it definitely takes up a considerably amount of space. + + +## Camping Stoves 09/15/2020 *Mar 2021* + - update links +## Kids Education Games 03/25/2020 *Apr 2021* + - Sleeping Queens +## Kids Learning/Playing 04/04/2020 *Apr 2021 + - @call in +## VPNs 01/20/2021 *Apr 2021* +### Best For High Risk Use Cases + +**[Tor](https://torproject.org/)** + +If you're in a situation where personal security is of the utmost importance, whether due to domestic violence, government surveillance, or any situation in which you believe your life might be in danger, do not rely on a VPN. Use Tor instead. + +Using the Tor network accomplishes some of the same things as a VPN, but is a little bit different. Tor provides anonymity, meaning no one can figure out who you are, but not necessarily privacy (meaning they might still be able to see what you're doing. VPNs provide roughly the opposite, privacy, but not anonymity because the VPN provider knows who you are. + +Tor is simple to setup, all you need to do is [download the Tor browser](https://torproject.org//download/), and then it will connect you to the web. Once you're connect to the Tor network you can browse the web as you normally would. Except everything will be slower. When using Tor your request for a website first hops around the Tor network, bouncing between servers, before it emerges and connects to the actual site you want to visit. This makes Tor slow, sometimes incredibly slow, but it's necessary to protect your anonymity. And yes, you can combine a VPN with Tor, though that's somewhat beyond the scope of this guide. + +[Tor is free](https://torproject.org/). + + + + +NordVPN is based out of Panama, which not part of the Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, or 14 Eyes jurisdictions. That doesn't mean your government can't spy on you, but it does at least mean it will have to put in some extra legwork to do it (and yes, that's about where we are these days). NordVPN has been audited a number of times, most recently in June of this year, when VerSprite, a [third-party auditor](https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2021/06/23/2251681/0/en/NordVPN-completes-advanced-application-security-audit.html) found nothing amiss. + +I've never had an issue with speed using NordVPN, and the user interface of its apps is dead simple. Just click the country you want to use and the app will take care of connecting and configuring everything for you. If you want manual control you can connect by using NordVPN's configuration files. + + + +I won't lie, I am a huge fan of Fujifilm Instax printers. I like the Instax cameras too, but a lot of the time I don't want to carry something extra around. I prefer to shoot with my phone or mirrorless camera, and then print those images on an Instax printer. + +As much as I love Instax prints, the original format is rather small at 1.8 inches by 2.4 inches. That's no Polaroid. The square Instax format film is moderately larger (2.4 inches square), but until now if you wanted to make Fujifilm's largest format Instax prints (3.9 in by 2.4 in) you had to buy a camera. + +The new Fujifilm Instax Link Wide smartphone printer changes that, bringing the company's biggest instant film to a standalone printer. + +### Instax For the People + +My first Instax printer was a frivolous purchase that has turned into a integral part of how I interact with people when I travel, as well as sparked an interest in photography in my kids. + +They're not perfect, but there is something about the magic of an instant print that transcends its limitations. No they aren't gallery worthy prints, but they sure are fun. + +I still bring my SP-1 printer with me every time I travel. The prints are a nice small gift for people you meet when traveling. It's also a good ice breaker. I love photographing strangers, but I'm not an outgoing person so asking someone to take their portrait is sometimes tough for me, especially in today's world when everyone assumes you're going to put your image of them on Instagram. When you tell them you're not interested in social media, and then you offer them a print of the image right then and there, you have an entirely different conversation with that person. + +Even if you have no desire to travel or photograph strangers, I believe there's something about physical prints that makes a greater connection between view and image. You don't just scroll on by to see the next image. Trust me, make prints, you'll thank yourself down the road. + +This is part of why I like the new Instax Link Wide printer so much—it's the same great Instax prints, but bigger. The 3.9 inch by 2.4 inch prints are landscape oriented, which is too say the large edge of the white border is at the bottom of the long edge (though there's nothing stopping you from printing a portrait-oriented image if you like). + +Other than the size, the Instax Link Wide printer is much like Fujifilm's Mini Link. It's a relatively nondescript gray box, about the size of three CD cases stacked up. If you're under 30, it's 5.25 inches by 4.75 inches and an inch thick. There's a single button on top to turn it on and print the last image again. On the back you'll find a USB-A port for charging (USB-C would've been nice). You load the film into the bottom, close it up, and interact with it entirely through the app, which connects to the printer via Bluetooth. + +### The Instax Wide App + +The new Instax Link Wide app for iOS and Android is really the heart of the Instax Wide printer. Fujifilm apps are a mixed bag, but lately the Instax efforts has been improving. The new Wide app is very similar in functionality to the mini Link app that goes with the company's latest mini printer, the layout however is totally different, and in my opinion, much cleaner and easier to navigate. + +There are three printing options beyond what what the app calls "Simple Print", which just prints any photo you grab from another source. That source can be any other app you share from or your camera roll on your device. I did have one issue with a heavy green color cast when sharing an image directly from the Nextcloud app to the Instax Wide app. Downloading the same image to my phone and importing it from the camera roll solved the problem (I should also note that this bug came up in a pre-release beta version of the Instax Wide app). + +The other three options are similar to what's in the Instax Mini Link app. The first is a way to tile images for side-by-side collage prints (Instax Wide prints are large enough to print two Instax Mini prints side-by-side). Collage option range from side by side splits to 4, 5, 6, even 12 images to a single print. As you'd expect, images are pretty tiny trying to tile 12 images onto a 3.9 x 2.4 inch print. In fact, while I tested all of them, the only one I imagine actually using is the vertical side-by-side portraits, but that could just be me. + +There are also dozens of pre-made, customizable templates if you'd like to add text in a heart or a sidebar. A few of the templates use multiple images per print as well. + +The last option is the most creative, what Fujifilm calls "Sketch, edit and print," which allows you to photograph drawing and then use the negative space to let your images show through. + +There aren't many settings to speak of though one I suggest playing with the is the Print Mode Options. By default mine was set to Instax Rich Mode, which I felt over-saturated the colors a bit much for my tastes. I preferred the results in Instax Natural Mode, though this is a matter of taste. + +Once you have the image(s) you want selected you get to the editing screen where you can edit the image, adjust contrast, brightness, and saturation, apply filters, crop and rotate, add emoji "stickers", or add a QR code (which can link to URL, contain a hidden message, sound, or location). Use the QR code to embed a URL to your website and you have a fun, impromptu business card, or an easy way to send people to larger versions of your image. + +While there are quite a few ways you could use the Link Wide, in the end it's main goal is fun. It's not for museum quality prints. It's a printer for people who want photographs to be actual artifacts that exist in the real world. + + + +## How to Resell an iPhone 10/25/2020 *Apr 2021* + - Gazelle stopped. Or someone +## How to Buy Used on eBay 01/28/2021 *Feb 2022* + +The post-holiday season is a great time to buy used electronics. Everyone has pulled the wrapping off the latest model and they're ready to get rid of the older one. Whether you want to save things from the landfill or just want to score a deal, buying used is a great alternative. + +There are deals to be found in the used market, but unfortunately, there are plenty of scams as well. Telling the difference can be difficult. We've put together this guide to help you navigate the sometimes confusing waters of buying used electronics on eBay. + +If you're feeling hesitant about buying used, that's OK. Don't rush in blindly and buy the first thing that seems like a deal. It's good to do some research. And remember the old adage: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Still, if your budget is tight and you want the biggest bang for your buck, buying used is the way to go. Here's how to navigate it and, hopefully, come out ahead. + +*Updated December 2021: We've updated the example product and added some new tips to help you find better deals.* + +### Know What You Want and What It's Worth +Making smart decisions on used gear starts with knowing *exactly* what you want, specifically the options available, and how those options affect the price. For example, let's say you want to buy an iPad. One of our favorite iPads is the 2020 iPad Air [(7/10, WIRED Recommends](https://www.wired.com/review/apple-ipad-air-2020/)). + +Our first step is to find out how much this iPad costs new. It never ceases to amaze me how often I see used products listed on eBay at *higher prices* than the original price from the manufacturer. For example, someone bought [this](https://www.ebay.com/itm/165230729842?epid=15040889178&hash=item267884da72:g:J6EAAOSwzg1htoWZ) iPad Air off eBay for $100 more than they would have paid buying it directly from Apple. Don't be that person. + +It's easy to find out prices on things that are still available, like the 2020 iPad Air, because you can check the current price on Apple.com. If you're looking for something that's no longer available in stores it's a little trickier. More on this in a moment, but for now let's stick with the iPad Air. We're going to go for the base model, which features 64 gigabytes of storage space and connects via Wifi. Right now at Apple.com you can buy that for $600. If you want more memory or cellular connectivity, the price goes up. You need to know all the prices for all the models you're interested in so you can make an educated purchase. + +The same goes for other types of devices. If you're looking at phones or laptops, know the specs for each configuration and make sure the items listed match what you want. Don't be afraid to message sellers and ask specific questions. + +So we've fond the current retail price, but prices fluctuate, and it's nice to know what something has been selling for *lately*, even if it may not be selling for that price right now. A tool we on WIRED's Gear Team use all the time is [CamelCamelCamel](https://camelcamelcamel.com/) rel="nofollow"}, a website that tracks price changes over time. The catch is that CamelCamelCamel only tracks prices on Amazon.com. That's not the entire market, and there may be other websites with deals you won't see looking at CamelCamelCamel's data, but it's a good starting place. + +Find the URL of the thing you want to buy on Amazon (don't worry if Amazon doesn't actually have it in stock, all you need is the URL). Now paste the Amazon URL into CamelCamelCamel to learn that, yes, [the iPad Air costs right around $600](https://camelcamelcamel.com/product/B08J6FD94H). + +\|\|\|\|\|\| CamelCamelCamel Graph Image \|\|\|\|\|\|\|\| + +Look at the graph of the price over time and you'll notice that the price of an iPad Air on Amazon has spent the last few weeks at $580, and before that it spent months being $540. Drag the slider to show just the price change over the last three months and you'll see that (as of December 2021) the price of the iPad Air was actually only $600 for about a week. The other 11 weeks it was between $540-$580. Keep that in mind as we move to the next step. + +### Price Checking eBay +Now that you have a list of models, configuration options, and prices from Amazon and Apple, it's time to do the same thing on eBay. There are other auction sites out there, but eBay is the largest and best known. That said, there are some other sites worth exploring, particularly for mobile devices. Be sure to check out our [guide to selling your old phone](https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-trade-in-or-sell-your-iphone/), which has a good overview of different auction sites that specialize in phones. If you're shopping on Amazon, we also have a guide on [How to Shop Safe](https://www.wired.com/story/how-shop-safe-amazon/). + +Now that we know what we want, search eBay for the exact model. In this case, I would start by searching for "[iPad Air 2020](https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=ipad+air+2020&_sacat=0&LH_TitleDesc=0&_fsrp=1&LH_Complete=1&LH_Sold=1&rt=nc&Storage%2520Capacity=64%2520GB&_dcat=171485)" and restrict it to the 64 gigabyte model using a filter. + ++++inset-left + +[#image: /photos/5e20cfd24f9afb000997165b] + ++++ + +Now scroll down and check the option to only show "Sold Items". Take the ten most recent sales, add up the price, and divide by ten. That's the average price of your configuration; don't pay more than that under any circumstances. And make sure the result is less than the price of a new iPad Air, and ideally less than the price of those recent sales we saw on CamelCamelCamel. + +Be sure to note the lowest price from eBay's recent sales—that's your awesome deal. Finding the lowest price can be tricky. In this case, I would sort the results by price, low to high, and then start adding search operators and get rid of results you don't want. For example, adding "-parts" will get rid of iPad Air parts, and adding "-AS-IS" will get rid of broken iPads. (If you want to hide something from your search, just put the minus sign ("-") in front of the term and eBay will ignore it.) + +Our results will then tell us that the average price of a used [2020 64-GB Wi-Fi iPad Air on eBay](https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=ipad+air+2020&_sacat=0&LH_TitleDesc=0&_fsrp=1&LH_Complete=1&LH_Sold=1&rt=nc&Storage%2520Capacity=64%2520GB&_dcat=171485) is roughly $540. In other words, on average, eBay is not a great place to buy an iPad Air. That said, there are deals within that range, so you may just have to save your search and wait for the deal you want to pop up. You can save searches by clicking the "save this search" button, and you'll get notifications when new items that meet your search criteria are listed. + +\|\|\|\|\|\| Ebay Search Image \|\|\|\|\|\|\|\| + +Depending on the item, how old it is, and how sought after it is, you may have to adjust your search a little bit. For example, there's a camp stove I've been wanting for years, but listings only come up once or twice a year and they sell very fast for pretty much whatever the seller asks, which makes my average and lowest formulas less useful. That's an edge case, though. In most situations, this is how I figure out the best deal and what I'm willing to pay. + +Okay, so now we know the deal price is around $540 (and that's new from Amazon), and a great deal would be below that. Uncheck the Sold Items option and see what's currently listed that fits your criteria and has a price between the lowest price and that deal price. If the average eBay price *is* a deal then you'd look for anything below that price. Those are the deals worth considering. + +Remember to check the shipping price. You'll run into a lot of people who list an item at 20 percent below everyone else, but then charge big money for shipping and the total cost to you ends up being more. Avoid those sellers, they're con artists. + +This brings me to the next important point: Price is not the only thing to consider when buying on eBay. + +### Know the Seller +We don't just want the lowest price, we want the best quality item at the lowest price. I've found that, unfortunately, photos aren't a good indicator of product quality. I've purchased many items with terrible photos that have turned out to be in excellent shape, and I've purchased things with excellent photos that turned out to be junk. (I returned them.) + +A much better metric to judge the quality of an item is the seller's feedback rating. A good seller—who is most likely selling a high-quality item in good condition—will have a feedback rating of 99.8 percent or better. The more I buy the more I tend to stick with 100%. I very rarely buy from a seller with a feedback rating of 99.6 percent or less. + +That leaves a gray zone—sellers with a 99.7 percent rating. In those cases, click the "detailed feedback" link and read through the recent feedback. It could be there was only one negative rating and it was several months ago. Everyone makes mistakes. Sometimes, a low rating comes from things that weren't really the seller's fault, like a package being lost in the mail, so it pays to read through actual reviews and see what's up. If the seller has a rating of 99.6 or below, I personally don't care what the price is, I don't bid. + +I have purchased dozens of laptops, phones, cameras, camera lenses, cast iron cookware, musical equipment, and even prepaid cell phone plans off auction sites. In all that time, I have only been ripped off once, but even then I ended up getting my money back. I didn't get the item I was after, but I didn't lose anything either. + +That said, it probably bears repeating: If a deal sounds too good to be true, it is. + +### How to Bid +Once you've found an item you want, and you know how much you want to pay, it's time to ... wait. I strongly suggest you bid only at the last second. And I mean that nearly literally. I only bid when there are about 5 to 10 seconds left. I wait until the auction is ending, then I look it up on my phone, because I think eBay's app has a better interface for actual bidding (it's terrible for browsing), and in those last few seconds I enter the maximum amount I'm willing to pay. + +The reason you don't want to bid earlier is it gives your competitor a chance to react. If you go ahead and outbid someone days, or even hours before an auction ends, they're going to come back and outbid you. Often my guess is they will come back and outbid you even if you drove them over their original max bids. You don't want to give other people time to get into the emotional experience of bidding on eBay. Only auctioneers want to whip bidders into auction fever. We want them to never see us coming. + +Once it's down to those last 20 or so seconds, then you enter your max bid. At that point, a kind of automated bidding war begins. This one is not emotional though, it's pure machine-based, cold hard logic. + +The site takes your max bid and holds it, but all it puts into the actual auction is a bid that's 50 cents more than whatever the current highest bid is. But then that other high bidder may have entered a higher total bid than was shown, so eBay bumps their price up. Then your eBay robot responds, and so on, going back and forth until someone hits their max bid. If it's the other bidder, you win. And because you bid at the last second, the other bidder didn't have time to reconsider and possibly up their max bid. + +The downside to this strategy is that if the other bidder has a higher max bid than you, they will win. That's OK because you already submitted your max bid. To go higher would mean you were paying more than you know you should. So this last-minute method also saves you from yourself. And honestly, I always bid this way and rarely end up losing. + +### Other Tips +Not everything is quite a simple to figure out as a relatively new iPad. With older electronics you'll want to ask the seller about the current state of the battery, it's not a deal of the battery won't hold a charge and costs a fortune to replace (as most do these days). Laptops and tablets can often tell the exact state of the battery, if you're concerned message the seller. Sometimes the better deal is the slightly more expensive item that has a full capacity battery. + +Just about every device has some quirk you want to watch out for and it pays to do your research ahead of time. For example, digital cameras are rated for a certain number of shutter attenuations before the shutter mechanism will need to be replaced. Look up what the camera you're interested in is rated for and then look at shutter count when consider eBay listings for that camera. Similarly camera lens can get fungus in them, and the shutter blades can be oily, be sure to ask the seller about these things before you buy. + +I rarely buy things using the Buy It Now button (which means there's a fixed price, no bidding). Typically people who sell this way are resellers (they have a large stock of the item and sell it all the time), and while they may offer an OK deal, it's typically not a great one. That said, I've found eBay to be a good way around supply chain shortages lately. I can often find things on eBay that are sold out on Amazon and elsewhere. These aren't usually deals, but hey, at least you can actually buy the item. + +The last bit of advice I have about avoiding being scammed is don't pay with anything other than PayPal. I don't necessarily mean you have to use a PayPal account, but make sure the transaction is processed through PayPal. If someone wants a money order or check, that's a scam. I also avoid local pickup items in most cases. (Vehicles and appliances are the only things I'd consider for local pickup.) + +Perhaps the best advice I can give is the most difficult to follow: Try to remove your emotions from the equation. When buying used, think of your heart and brain as the two voices whispering in your ears. Your heart may be set on a new (to you) laptop, but your brain is better at sniffing out scams, won't get sucked into auction fever, and it's what you should listen to when you find yourself thinking, *that's almost too good to be true*. +## Best Kids Podcasts 03/01/2020 *Oct 2021* + - New https://likeyoupodcast.com/podcast/29-growing-like-wildflowers/ + + + ### Live from Mount Olympus +[**Apple**](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-from-mount-olympus/id1547669099) rel="nofollow"}, [**Google**](https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL2ZlZWRwcm94eS5nb29nbGUuY29tL0xpdmVGcm9tTW91bnRPbHltcHVz) rel="nofollow"}, [**Stitcher**](https://www.stitcher.com/show/live-from-mount-olympus) rel="nofollow"} + +My kids are working their way through the [Percy Jackson book series](https://www.amazon.com/Jackson-Olympians-Paperback-covers-poster/dp/1484707230/) rel=nofollow} and can't get enough of all things Olympian, so this new podcast was an instant hit. It follows the adventures of a young Perseus who is on a quest to save his mother from an evil king. *Live From Mount Olympus* mostly sticks to the Greek stories as you may remember them, though there are some additional characters. New episode arrive every Monday. + +## Best Password Managers 03/02/2021 *Oct 2021* + +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 able to remember hundreds of them anyway. + +Now that so many people are working from home, outside the office intranet, the number of passwords you need may have significantly increased. The safest (if craziest) way to store them is to memorize them all. (Make sure they are long, strong, and [secure](https://www.wired.com/2016/05/password-tips-experts/)\!) Just kidding. That might work for [Memory Grand Master Ed Cooke](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Cooke_\(author\)), but most of us are not capable of such fantastic feats. 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. Be sure to also have a look at [our guide to VPN providers](https://www.wired.com/story/best-vpn/) for some more ideas on how you can upgrade your security, as well as [our guide to backing up your data](https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-back-up-your-digital-life/) to make sure you don't lose anything if the unexpected happens. + +*Updated November 2021: We've updated our top pick to note 1Password's new desktop app, and added some notes about Apple's built-in password manager, iCloud Keychain.* + +*Special offer for Gear readers: Get a* [***1-Year Subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off)***](https://subscribe.wired.com/subscribe/splits/wired/WIR_AFFILIATE?source=HCL_WIR_EDIT_HARDCODED_0_COMMERCE_AFFILIATE_ZZ)*. This includes unlimited access to WIRED.com and our print magazine (if you'd like). Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.* + +> *If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism.* [*Learn more*](https://www.wired.com/2015/11/affiliate-link-policy/)*.* + +### Why Not Use Your Browser? +Most web browsers offer at least a rudimentary password manager. (This is where your passwords are stored when Google Chrome or Mozilla 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. + +WIRED readers have also written me asking about Apple's macOS password manager, which syncs through iCloud, and has some nice integrations with Apple's Safari web browser. There's nothing wrong with Apple's system, in fact I have used Keychain Access on macOS in the past and it works great. It doesn't have some of the nice extras you get with a dedicated services—like being notified about security breaches—but it handles securing your passwords and syncing them between Apple devices. The main problem is that if you have any non-Apple devices, you won't be able to sync your passwords to them since Apple doesn't make apps for other platforms. If you're all-in on Apple though, this is a viable, free, built-in option worth considering. + +### How We Test +The best and most secure cryptographic algorithms are all available via open source programming libraries. On one hand, this is great, as any app can incorporate these ciphers and keep your data safe. Unfortunately, any encryption is only as strong as its weakest link, and cryptography alone won't keep your passwords safe. + +This is what I test for: What are the weakest links? Is your master password sent to the server? Every password manager *says* it isn't, but if you watch network traffic while you enter a password, sometimes you find, well, it is. I also dig into how mobile apps work: Do they, for example, leave your password store unlocked, but require a pin to get back in? That's convenient, but it sacrifices too much security for that convenience. + +No password manager is perfect, but the managers reviewed below represent to very best I've tested. They're as secure as they can be while still remaining convenient and easy to use. + +### Best Overall +[**1Password**](https://cna.st/affiliate-link/372k3dFnGHfzkpwb6SnE6HRadtCvNiKgfM7MHmiFpZ3NF99n1Z9r2Cp5Jn83YvfHER5dxUGH5gzqLFVU2?cid=5ce3031cfd8c3451c5008275) rel="nofollow" isAffiliateLink="true"} + + + +[#image: /photos/5ce876e11dc26e34f63b885c] + +What sets 1Password apart from the rest of the options in this list is the number of extras it offers. + +It's not the cheapest (see our next pick for that), but in addition to managing passwords, it will alert you when a password is weak or has been compromised (by checking against Troy Hunt's excellent [Have I Been Pwned](https://haveibeenpwned.com/passwords) database). + +Like other password managers, 1Password has apps that work just about everywhere, including macOS, iOS, Android, Windows, and ChromeOS. There's even a command-line tool that will work anywhere, and the company recently launched a [client for Linux](https://support.1password.com/install-linux/) in beta. There are plug-ins for your favorite web browser too, which makes it easy to generate and edit new passwords on the fly. + +1Password recently announced a new version of its apps, 1Password 8. I've had a mixed experience with them. On one hand it finally works with Windows on Arm. However, on macOS Monterey I've had problems with autofill not working, keyboard shortcuts stopping until I relaunch the browser, and other bugs. The issues so far are not enough to make me change our top pick, but it's definitely something I am keeping an eye on. The company also recently reduced the free-trial period from 30 days to 14 days. + +If you frequently travel across national borders you'll appreciate my favorite 1Password feature, [Travel Mode](https://www.wired.com/2017/05/clever-new-way-protect-data-border-also-add-risk/). Travel Mode allows you to delete any sensitive data from your devices before you travel and then restore it with a click after you've crossed a border. This prevents anyone, even law enforcement at international borders, from accessing your complete password vault. + +In addition to being a password manager, 1Password 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.) + +1Password also offers tight integration with other mobile apps. Rather than needing to copy and paste passwords from your password manager to other apps (which puts your password on the clipboard in plain text at least for a moment), 1Password is integrated with many apps and can autofill. This is more noticeable on iOS, where inter-app communication is more restricted. + +[**1Password costs $3 per month ($36 per year, $60 a year for families). There is a 30-day free trial**](https://cna.st/affiliate-link/372k3dFnGHfzkpwb6SnE6HRadtCvNiKgfM7MHmiFpZ3NF99n1Z9r2Cp5Jn83YvfHER5dxUGH5gzqLFVU2?cid=5ce3031cfd8c3451c5008275) rel="nofollow" isAffiliateLink="true"} + +*After signing up,* [*download the app*](https://cna.st/affiliate-link/XG6wkdXU37uC7ABZ2sjkLNhMwueSFhAxMcHPjNp4Hkc1ZnuyXpQoLdetngNfgnWoMiH3qt4rZr9iKWdtwrWzno9i6Hr6Bp?cid=5ce3031cfd8c3451c5008275) rel="nofollow" isAffiliateLink="true"} *for Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, ChromeOS, or Linux. There are also browser extensions for* [*Firefox, Chrome, and Edge*](https://cna.st/affiliate-link/2hc5hQAHwfj8VPYK7Qk9GwUbxRSgyWyQM4qy5vcfKEJkBx5RHvRYJwAv1AB7qCyoKZbCumnhQv7C4WbVsiGLQZ8jDKvt8bq3nazqW1pqkti?cid=5ce3031cfd8c3451c5008275) rel="nofollow" isAffiliateLink="true"}*.* + +### Best Free Option +[**Bitwarden**](https://cna.st/affiliate-link/3rJ1H6FZDz2voPY9rdAqz1br3yQqU6gMPESK8Gh3g1YJpLYQ32gVuX32HuYQb12T25erCe?cid=5ce3031cfd8c3451c5008275) rel="nofollow" isAffiliateLink="true"} + + + +[#image: /photos/5d8a8098e0e34e00092662eb] + +Bitwarden is secure, open source, and free with no limits. The applications are polished and user-friendly, making it the best choice for anyone who doesn't need the extra features of 1Password. + +Did I mention it's open source? That means the code that powers Bitwarden is freely available for anyone to inspect, seek out flaws, and fix. In theory, the more eyes on the code, the more airtight it becomes. Bitwarden has also been [audited for 2020 by a third party](https://bitwarden.com/blog/post/bitwarden-network-security-assessment-2020/) to ensure it's secure. It can 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 extensions for all major web browsers. Bitwarden also has support for Windows Hello and Touch ID on its desktop apps for Windows and macOS, giving you the added security of those biometric systems. + +Another thing I like is BitWarden's semiautomated 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 fills 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 supports that as well. + +Bitwarden offers a paid upgrade account. The cheapest of the bunch, Bitwarden Premium, is $10 per year. That gets you 1 GB of encrypted file storage, two-factor authentication with devices like [YubiKey](https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-use-a-yubikey/), FIDO U2F, Duo, and a password hygiene and vault health report. Paying also gets you priority customer support. + +[**Bitwarden is free ($40 per year for families)**](https://cna.st/affiliate-link/5dDTGqLnfGoTeXJ3EncTtjGe5rDnTF2QYh9XwwiRQSKnHfJ8gT8pwbG5NFMyFgN14QFnyEFEyfJSgm4KbJDRZQ3AA?cid=5ce3031cfd8c3451c5008275) rel="nofollow" isAffiliateLink="true"} + +*After signing up,* [*download the app*](https://cna.st/affiliate-link/AHcgzb2EnUb7vSbwV2ncnKVVTo1caqPU4Fm2Z2M6QtRSmQyjfSw431jURBh8rW42dQK1TZuJXPRBxPZxYn?cid=5ce3031cfd8c3451c5008275) rel="nofollow" isAffiliateLink="true"} *for Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS, or Linux. There are also browser extensions for* [*Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Edge, Vivaldi, and Brave*](https://cna.st/affiliate-link/372k3dFnGHfzkpwb6SnE6HRadtCvNiKgfM7MHmiFpZ3NF99n1ZA5K8R87qeBqppMm3ZdMX7Quehpo5fHD?cid=5ce3031cfd8c3451c5008275) rel="nofollow" isAffiliateLink="true"}*.* + +### Best Full-Featured Manager +[**Dashlane**](https://cna.st/affiliate-link/372k3dFnGHfzkpwb6SnE6HRadtCvNiKgfM7MHmiFpZ3NF99n1ZAB2Zwm5FhEvY22g7V2nZGX3jb6yeuvz?cid=5ce3031cfd8c3451c5008275) rel="nofollow" isAffiliateLink="true"} + + + +[#image: /photos/5e3335a856bcac00087f0a24] + +I first encountered Dashlane several years ago. Back then, it was the same as its competitors, with no standout attributes. But recent updates have added several helpful features. One of the best is 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 has been compromised. + +We also like the option not to store any password data on Dashlane's servers. If you use this feature, you are responsible for managing and syncing your password vault between devices. It's less convenient, but your passwords stay with you. + +Setup and migration from another password manager is simple, and you'll use a secret key to encrypt your passwords, much like 1Password's setup process. + +Dashlane discontinued its desktop app earlier this year, moving to a web-based user interface. The desktop apps will shutdown officially on January 10, 2022. I primarily use passwords in the web browser anyway, and Dashlane has add-ons for all the major browsers, along with iOS and Android apps so the lack of desktop app doesn't bother me, but it's something to be aware of if that's important to you. + +Dashlane Premium costs $6.49 per month ($60 per year). Dashlane offers a 30-day free trial, so you can test it out before committing. + +[**Dashlane Premium (recommended) costs $6.49 per month ($60 per year)**](https://cna.st/affiliate-link/372k3dFnGHfzkpwb6SnE6HRadtCvNiKgfM7MHmiFpZ3NF99n1ZAB2Zwm5FhEvY22g7V2nZGX3jb6yeuvz?cid=5ce3031cfd8c3451c5008275) rel="nofollow" isAffiliateLink="true"} + +*After signing up,* [*download the app*](https://cna.st/affiliate-link/47v5BiBrmU3MqVi7x5MscyU8oZ3ZnDjPNaYKkCo2P41BhJX6iH7immkX31knUJnZUwkpSVDdtwhwfhsrPnw6b?cid=5ce3031cfd8c3451c5008275) rel="nofollow" isAffiliateLink="true"} *for Android and iOS, and grab the browser extensions for* [*Firefox, Chrome, and Edge*](https://cna.st/affiliate-link/47v5BiBrmU3MqVi7x5MscyU8oZ3ZnDjPNaYKkCo2P41BhJX6iH7immkX31knUJnZUwkpSVDdtwhwfhsrPnw6b?cid=5ce3031cfd8c3451c5008275) rel="nofollow" isAffiliateLink="true"}*.* + +### Best DIY Option (Self-Hosted) +[**KeePassXC**](https://cna.st/affiliate-link/AHcgzb2EnUb7vSbwV2ncnKVVTo1caqPU4Fm2Z2M6QtRSmQyjfSwEoF38XjJZT6Sb4xxTLjH34viYhVcJZL?cid=5ce3031cfd8c3451c5008275) rel="nofollow" isAffiliateLink="true"} + + +[#image: /photos/5ce8771de2751d04edfcf520] + +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 keeps 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://cna.st/affiliate-link/xXAuEUCDojGd34tPPCGJeLmrFXqVdbmHQjFEPQC8Jppux2TMcwf2EMdcwh7JsWtnAwKKfqPc?cid=5ce3031cfd8c3451c5008275) rel="nofollow" isAffiliateLink="true"} or Edward Snowden's [recommended service](https://techcrunch.com/2014/10/11/edward-snowden-new-yorker-festival/), [SpiderOak](https://cna.st/affiliate-link/3rJ1H6FZDz2voPY9rdAqz1br3yQqU6gMPESK8Gh3g1YJpLYQ32gcAatwFtTqoXMahqQSyc?cid=5ce3031cfd8c3451c5008275) rel="nofollow" isAffiliateLink="true"}. 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. Like Bitwarden, KeepassXC is open source, which means its code can be and has been inspected for critical flaws. + +[**KeePassXC is free to use**](https://cna.st/affiliate-link/AHcgzb2EnUb7vSbwV2ncnKVVTo1caqPU4Fm2Z2M6QtRSmQyjfSwEoF38XjJZT6Sb4xxTLjH34viYhVcJZL?cid=5ce3031cfd8c3451c5008275) rel="nofollow" isAffiliateLink="true"} + +*Download the* [*desktop app*](https://cna.st/affiliate-link/AHcgzb2EnUb7vSbwV2ncnKVVTo1caqPU4Fm2Z2M6QtRSmQyjfSwEoF38XjJZT6Sb4xxTLjH34viYhVcJZL?cid=5ce3031cfd8c3451c5008275) rel="nofollow" isAffiliateLink="true"} *for Windows, macOS, or Linux and create your vault. There are also extensions for* [*Firefox*](https://cna.st/affiliate-link/vk6RbnasmJnwmwREFiTMkCu8HunQQyPN8wR3hpkjhVcUru3ZiWPkWTF5Jgy6X5BmP18GLV385vQzJ19LXgQp9kWZJZYpjnCx93NJStqkJYAgsrZgj8Dzgd8FDXw6MDDQ?cid=5ce3031cfd8c3451c5008275) rel="nofollow" isAffiliateLink="true"}*,* [*Edge*](https://microsoftedge.microsoft.com/addons/detail/keepassxcbrowser/pdffhmdngciaglkoonimfcmckehcpafo)*, and* [*Chrome*](https://cna.st/affiliate-link/Z4VF5z94P8qadMWVCUZHGxJqrF9QRwZQM4o9ca14WyT123UqAuA6MEQiTHK1QWUtVuKVm3tC5eDbPRTcsSBKgGXejAFWkiqfbiptJoLQGP4SctVJga9NV5CJXwmK1ks2ZrfhE9u2P7dVwpGV7G4vvdZDKJgtnvo2jZAq8?cid=5ce3031cfd8c3451c5008275) rel="nofollow" isAffiliateLink="true"}*. 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"}*.* + +### Another Option +[**NordPass**](https://cna.st/affiliate-link/eT4EcdNoScKzBYXZ62KoSxvi16QDV2DKdaNn9YH1gYZaqP4rrKUwaSxXbiXNkM1DX6ei?cid=5ce3031cfd8c3451c5008275) rel="nofollow" isAffiliateLink="true"} + +[#image: /photos/5e3335ca348ef000086b5d62] + +NordPass is a relatively new kid on the password manager block, but it comes from a company with significant pedigree. NordVPN is a [well-known VPN provider](https://www.wired.com/story/best-vpn/), and the company brings to its password manager much of the ease of use and simplicity that made its VPN offering popular. The installation and setup process is a breeze. There are apps for every major platform (including Linux), browser, and device. + +The free version of NordPass is limited to one device; there's no syncing available. There is a seven-day free trial of the premium version, which lets you test device syncing. But to get that for good, you'll have to upgrade to the $36-a-year plan. (Like its VPN service, NordPass accepts payment in cryptocurrencies.) + +Like our other favorites, NordPass uses a zero-knowledge setup in which all data is encrypted on your device before it's uploaded to the company's servers. Other nice features include support for two-factor authentication to sign in to your account and a built-in password generator (which has plenty of options to handle those poorly designed sites that put weird requirements on your password). + +The company also recently introduced a personal information storage feature to keep your address, phone number, and other personal data safe and secure, but easy to access as well. + +[**NordPass is free, though we suggest upgrading to a premium plan ($36/year)**](https://cna.st/affiliate-link/eT4EcdNoScKzBYXZ62KoSxvi16QDV2DKdaNn9YH1gYZaqP4rrKUwaSxXbiXNkM1DX6ei?cid=5ce3031cfd8c3451c5008275) rel="nofollow" isAffiliateLink="true"} + +*After signing up,* [*download the app*](https://cna.st/affiliate-link/372k3dFnGHfzkpwb6SnE6HRadtCvNiKgfM7MHmiFpZ3NF99n1ZA8aQ78RJZABBJar2au9wBeYPgiqVGQW?cid=5ce3031cfd8c3451c5008275) rel="nofollow" isAffiliateLink="true"} *for Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS, or Linux. There are also browser extensions for* [*Firefox, Chrome, and Edge*](https://cna.st/affiliate-link/372k3dFnGHfzkpwb6SnE6HRadtCvNiKgfM7MHmiFpZ3NF99n1ZA8aQ78RJZABBJar2au9wBeYPgiqVGQW?cid=5ce3031cfd8c3451c5008275) rel="nofollow" isAffiliateLink="true"}*.* + +### Honorary Mentions + + +[#image: /photos/5ce87750b2569847a06b2c11] + +Password managers are not a one-size-fits-all solution. While we think our top picks cover most use cases and are the best choices for most people, your needs may be different. Fortunately, there are plenty of very good password managers. Here are some more we've tested and liked. + +- [**RememBear ($36 per year)**](https://cna.st/affiliate-link/KecyowosjiXJRznZsXrvPhHfRSimfU5mMeARLpVJAbmZBHPYNuqMzM837sVudRAR4q2x1MAeDEv?cid=5ce3031cfd8c3451c5008275) rel="nofollow" isAffiliateLink="true"}**:** 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. For beginners, RememBear has everything you need and a clever, approachable user interface. It's missing some features that advanced users might want, like a robust password strength checker. There's a free trial that will let you test the app, but the free plan doesn't sync. A premium account is $36 per year and includes syncing with end-to-end encryption, secure backups, and priority customer service. Sadly, you don't get an actual bear. +- [**Enpass (free, $24 per year, or one-time $80, for premium)**](https://cna.st/affiliate-link/3rJ1H6FZDz2voPY9rdAqz1br3yQqU6gMPESK8Gh3g1YJpLYQ32gdeTrcBNw7ZtznygMZwc?cid=5ce3031cfd8c3451c5008275) rel="nofollow" isAffiliateLink="true"}**:** Like KeePassXC, Enpass does not store any data on its servers. Syncing is handled through third-party services like Dropbox or NextCloud. Enpass doesn't do the syncing, but it does offer apps on every platform. That means once you have syncing set up, it works just like any other service. And you don't have to worry about Enpass being hacked, because your data isn't on its servers. If you're comfortable setting up the secure syncing yourself, Enpass makes a great password manager. +- [**Keeper Password Manager (free, $35 per year for Unlimited)**](https://cna.st/affiliate-link/AHcgzb2EnUb7vSbwV2ncnKVVTo1caqPU4Fm2Z2M6QtRSmQyjfSwVFvQhZ4M4PTx5bJSXULeX9RZhDBZYfQ?cid=5ce3031cfd8c3451c5008275) rel="nofollow" isAffiliateLink="true"}**:** Keeper offers a variety of security-related tools, including a password manager. Keeper works much like 1Password and others, storing only your encrypted data, and offers two-factor authentication for logging in to your account. Like Dashlane, Keeper has a lot of extras, including dark-web monitoring, meaning it will check publicly posted data to make sure yours isn't available. +- [**Pass (free)**](https://cna.st/affiliate-link/372k3dFnGHfzkpwb6SnE6HRadtCvNiKgfM7MHmiFpZ3NF99n1ZAB2Zwm5kZauTY6Nkr2rn3zNd4AT4A2z?cid=5ce3031cfd8c3451c5008275) rel="nofollow" isAffiliateLink="true"}**:** Pass is a command line wrapper around GPG, which is to say this is only for the nerdiest of users. It has support for managing encrypted .gpg files in Git, and there are third-party mobile apps available. It's definitely not for everyone, but it's what I use. + +### 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. When you type that into the password manager, it unlocks the vault containing all of 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 for generating a strong master password. + +**Apps and extensions:** Most password managers are full systems rather than a single piece of software. 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 of 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 the cloud-based password managers we discuss 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 attacks](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 about hacks:** Software has bugs, even your password manager. The question is not what do you do *if* it becomes known that your password manager has a flaw, but what do you do *when* it becomes known that your password manager has 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 we list store only encrypted data and none of them store your encryption key, meaning all an attacker gets from compromising their servers is encrypted data. + + + +## Action Cameras 03/28/2021 *Aug 2021* + - occu thing + +Oclu's 4K action camera has a very different take on the action camera, eschewing the usual design for a flat body with the primary screen on top of the camera. The result is a camera that can fit places others can't. Think the bottom of a skateboard, or under a motorcycle helmet visor for instance. The Oclu shoots 4K at 30 frames per second or if you want slo-mo footage, 1080p at 120 fps. I found the video and image quality to be on par with what you get from the GoPro Hero 8. + +The one place the bigger names pull ahead of the Oclu is in image stabilization. The Oclu does have stabilization, but it doesn't help nearly as much as what you get with the GoPro Hero 9 or Insta360 One R. Sound of the other hand is excellent and I got far less wind noise than with other cameras. + +. + + + - other one + - insta360 mini +## Drones 01/18/2021 *Jul 2021* + - bird thing + - paper airplane + - amazon crap one + +## Hard Drives + + + +# Guides New + +## Permacamping Kit for the Back of Your Car +People are going to start hanging out in yards. They're going to keep a cooler in their car, camp chairs and like they're going to go hang out. On the fly. Perma camping setup + +## Shooting Film in a digital world + ## Services + ## Do it how scanner + +### Black and White +What draws photographers to black and white? +Is it just photographers? +Do non-photographers ever opt for black and white? +What percentage of instagram is monochrome? +What percentage of Flickr, 500px, etc. + +What would it take to feature some images by Charlene on Wired? + +## sleeping pads + - six I think? +## How to get started with Linux + - what is Linux how to download a distribution + - how to run it alongside Windows or Mac using bootcamp and dual booting on Windows + - replacing applications that you might be used to on Windows that aren't available on Linux + +## Sleep in your car + +## Plastic Alternatives + +Plastic is bad on ten different levels + +There are hundreds of ways to reduce plastic. Since everyone's household runs differently, the best place to start reducing single use plastics in your life is to start noticing where you use them. There are some common cases that are easy to solve. Bring your own reusable bags to the grocery store, avoid beverages in plastic containers, and other things you already know. + +There's + +Other alternatives are less well known + + + +You might already bring your own grocery bag to the supermarket, but chances are slim that you bring your own produce bags along for the ride, too. This kit gives you three different reusable produce bags, each one specifically made for a different kind of food, from carrots and onions to bulk bin nuts. When you’re not using them, roll them up and put them in a pouch shaped like an apple. + + +produce bags -> mesh reusable +freezer bags -> silicon reusable +water bottles -> metal/BPA-free +straws -> metal/paper +plastic wrap -> beeswax +low tech storage: mason jars, wax paper +contain microfibers: http://guppyfriend.com/en/ + +# Reviews + ## Nocs Provisions Field Issue 8x32 Binoculars Nocs Provisions, which makes some of [our favorite binoculars](https://www.wired.com/story/best-binoculars/), has a new model it calls the Field Issue, a 32mm binocular that hits the sweet spot between magnification, price, and weight. @@ -8,7 +1430,7 @@ While our binocular guide suggests 8x42 is the best all-around binocular size -- Like the company's previous releases, Noc's Field Issue binoculars are colorfully coated with a soft, but rugged, ridged thermoplastic. A bit like Ruffles, but binoculars. The result is something that's tough, portable, and simple to use. -## Approachable +### Approachable I've always thought of Nocs as the most approachable binoculars. They're colorful and friendly. If consumer products can be friendly. They don't scream *I am expensive and delicate* the way some binoculars do, and in fact they're neither. No false advertising here. That's part of why in the binocular guide I recommend them to both kids (especially the 7x25, which fits well in kid hands) and adults new to binoculars. @@ -27,3 +1449,2793 @@ I've also always liked that when you buy a pair of Nocs you get everything you n All Nocs come with a lifetime warranty, which I have not yet tested, but accounts around the web suggest that Nocs stands behind what they make. And all Nocs ship in a plastic-free, post-consumer recycled box printed with soy ink, which lessens the environmental impact a bit too. If you're in the market for a new pair of binoculars that are light weight, well-built, and reasonably priced, Noc's Field Issue 8x32s make an excellent choice. +## Nomad Grill Review + +The Nomad portable grill is to grills what the Yeti is to coolers: better in every way, but expensive. That both come from Texas is coincidence. Probably. + +The Nomad is a new take on what a portable grill should be, or even can be. It's refreshingly low tech, compact, cooks phenomenally well, and unlike many "portable" grills, it can genuinely go anywhere. It's as close to a perfect portable grill as anything I've tested. + +### Wandering Grill +I've [tested a lot of portable grills](https://www.wired.com/story/best-portable-grills/) over the years and the Nomad is hands down the best built portable grill I've ever used. + +From the perforated, anodized-aluminum shell to the cast-aluminum grill boxes inside, everything about the Nomad feels solid and well-made. The heavy duty handles and latches are strong, even the grilling surface is held solidly in place with high-temperature resistant magnets. + +The design of the Nomad is different than most grills. It's essentially a suitcase, which means you can carry it with one hand. The solid construction doesn't make it light—it's 28 pounds with one grill grate, 31 pounds if you opt to buy a second—but it's not awkward and unwieldy like our current top pick portable charcoal grill, Weber's Jumbo Joe. + +When collapsed in suitcase carrying position the Nomad looks like a cross between something Jason Bourne would use as a carry on, and some kind of live animal cage. I told one person who asked about it that my kids had a pet wolverine and this was it's cage. For a second I think they believed me. + +Once you get where you're going with your Nomad you can set it up on any flat surface. Thanks to the engineering behind the Nomad, it never gets hot enough to harm wood, metal, stone, or sand. I would not put it on a plastic table, but it should work fine everywhere from your truck tailgate to your local park's picnic table. While flat on the ground is the most awkward way to cook on the Nomad, it also works. + +The Nomad is also pleasingly low tech. There are no Bluetooth temp sensors, apps, or anything else. This is grilling of the old school, relying on your skills and experience. The Nomad does have a built-in thermometer on left side of the "top", but there is no digital anything here. Thankfully. + +If you buy a Nomad and are in search of some grilling guidance, we love [American's Test Kitchen cookbooks](https://shop.americastestkitchen.com/america-s-test-kitchen-master-of-the-grill.html), and we have a guide to our [favorite summer cookbooks](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-cookbooks-summer-2022/). + +### Cooking on the Nomad + +For typical high-temp grilling the Nomad folds in half giving you two sides to grill on. The catch is that the grill for the second side is sold separately and will set you back another $130. If you get the extra grill grate you'll have total of 425 square inches of cooking surface. Nomad claims this is enough for 30 burgers. I did not test the second grill grate, but cooking singled sided there was enough room for 12 burgers of the size I like them. + +The other things to note is that this is a cambered grill, which means if you get both grills you'll need to flip on over before closing it up. Nomad also points out that you can cook with it flipped over, making it something like a veggie basket. + +There are two features about the Nomad worth mentioning when it comes to cooking. The first is the twin air vents. In single sided mode you end up with one air vent at the bottom, one at the top. If you have both sides open they're both at the bottom. They're much smaller vents than what you'll find on typical grills, but they work well because of a second feature: the longitudinal raised slats. These ribs running the length of the grill pan hold Nomad's special charcoal cylinders off the bottom of the grill, making the air flow around the better and allowing you to maintain higher temperatures even with the lid closed. + +The bad news is that if you use regular charcoal briquets the airflow isn't as good and you won't be able to get temps as high. I cooked my way through the sample box of Nomad Charcoal in about four cooks and then switched to the regular Kingsford briquets you can buy almost anywhere and was never able to get the Nomad back up above 400 with the lid closed. + +That said, I can't think of many situations in which you'd want to get temps that high, aside from perhaps baking a pizza. If that's your use case, you can always buy more charcoal from Nomad. It's $36 for a 10 pound box. + +While I do not like bespoke charcoal (I can't even believe I had to typed the phrase "bespoke charcoal") because of the price, Nomad's charcoal is better than what you get at the big box stores. It's denser, burns hotter and longer, and gives off less smoke. My kids even discovered it's good enough to double as art charcoal. If you've got the money to burn (literally), Nomad charcoal is worth it. + +Since the Nomad can be closed up, suitcase-style, it can be used to smoke as well as grill. Smoking with the Nomad is a little trickier than with Weber's Jumbo Joe, at least at first. It took some careful tweaking of the vents to get the air flow to the point that it was maintaining the temperature I wanted, but once I had it dialed in, the temp held well, better than the Weber in fact. + +The only thing I found annoying about smoking in the Nomad was needing to lift off the entire grill grate to feed in some fresh fuel. A hinged grill grate would be a nice option (especially since the magnets would hold it securely in place the rest of the time). + +It's also worth noting that as a smoker you have slightly less room than the Jumbo Joe. A single side of the Nomad is 212 square inches, while the Jumbo Joe manages 240 square inches. In practice this isn't a huge difference. I managed to smoke nine chicken breasts, and another time I fit two racks of ribs. In fact, even without the second grill grate I never felt cramped cooking for five (two adults, three ravenous children) on the Nomad. + +### Nomad tk +When I pulled the Nomad out of the box and looked inside my first thought was what a nightmare to clean. This turned out to be only partly true. Cleaning the Nomad on site is a bit of a pain. Flipping over a 28 pound suitcase to dump out the ash is awkward. The good news is that if you're just out for the day, you can close up the Nomad and head home without doing a thing. You don't even really need to wait for it to cool since the outside never gets more than warm. + +Once you're at home a hose will make quick work of cleaning up the Nomad, a pressure washer will work even better, but I've been getting by just fine with a hose. + +The grill grate takes a bit more effort to clean. I do not recommend using any thing but bristle-free scrapers, I've been cleaning mine periodically with a green scrubber and occasionally throwing some wood in at the end of a cook to burn off the grate. Follow that up with a fresh seasoning and your grate should be clean and ready to go for your next cook. + +The Nomad is the best portable grill I've used. That said, the Weber Jumbo Joe remains a very good grill at the faction of the price of the Nomad. Still, if you've got the budget for the Nomad you will not find a better grill and it will not disappoint. + + + +## System76 Pangolin Review + +Linux may not have evolved (yet!) into the mainstream desktop operating system its advocates had hoped, but fans of free software have never had it so good. Dell, Lenovo, HP, Purism, and System76 all sell excellent Linux-based hardware. Time travel back to 2012 to shout the good news and you'll have trouble convincing even the Linux faithful that the future is even brighter than they're dreaming. + +And yet here we are. For the past six weeks I've been working on a System76 Pangolin laptop without ever giving a thought to the fact that I am not using Windows. Everything just works. The operating system is integrated with the hardware. The hardware is outstanding (more in that below), and I am hard pressed to find anything to complain about. + +### AMD Inside + +System76 has been making Linux laptops for longer than most of the big names that it now competes against, and in most respects is way ahead of everyone else. The Pangolin line launched two years ago as the company's first AMD laptop. The latest iteration features a Ryzen 7 6800U processor, with 32 gigabytes of RAM, and up to 16 terabytes of SSD storage. + +As you might expect, 16 terabytes does not come cheap. The base model Pangolin is a reasonable $1,300, which gets you a single 250 gigabyte SSD (with a slot for a second). Fully decked out at 16 terabytes you'd be looking at $4,213. Most of us don't need that much storage, but I especially like having two drive slots, which gives you a lot of flexibility to upgrade down the road. + +The 15-inch form factor is my least favorite part of this laptop—it's just too big for me—but if you love a huge screen and a 10-key number pad, the Pangolin delivers. That said, the big, wide screen is nice, and major bonus point for the matte display. The 1920×1080 FHD screen has a 144 Hz refresh rate, which is nice for gaming. + +The size makes the Pangolin on the heavy side at just shy of 4 pounds. That's not overly heavy for a 15-inch laptop, but it definitely feels large coming from a 2.5 pound 13-inch laptop. The build quality is great. It's not quite Thinkpad-level great, but as close as you're going to get without buying a Thinkpad. + +Pangolin remains impressively thin at under an inch despite the plethora of ports that System76 has packed in. There's Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI 2.0, a single USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port (with DisplayPort support, but not Thunderbolt), three USB-A ports, a 3.5mm headphone/microphone combo jack, and a full size SD card reader. I can't tell you how much I miss full size SD card readers. Also note that unlike the previous model, this Pangolin can charge over USB-C. System76 provides a barrel-style charge cord, but I primarily it using my own USB-C charger (this [Satechi](https://www.amazon.com/Satechi-108W-USB-C-3-Port-Charger/dp/B09888WNM4)). + +It's also worth noting that System76 has included a hardware camera kill switch for privacy. I was curious how this works and after a bit of tinkering, discovered that it does indeed completely drop the camera from the system bus. It's a nice little feature for those that want it—saves you some electrical tape anyway. + +I really like the Pangolin's keyboard. The keys have a pleasant bounciness to them with a nice return. The keys seem every so slightly larger than what I am used to on my Lenovo, which took a minute to adjust to, but once I was comfortable I much prefer the System76 keyboard. That said, I am not a fan of number pads and the way they make the rest of the keyboard (and trackpad) off-center. It didn't bother me enough to be a deal-breaker, but I'd love to see an option to not have a number pad, I have no problem with dead space to the side of my keyboard. I should also mention that I am a key pounder and everyone in my family commented on how quiet the Pangolin keyboard was compared to, apparently every other laptop I type on. + +The AMD Ryzen 7 6800U chip delivers impressive performance. Sysbench scores were well above any other Linux laptops I've tested recently (I got 4,786 events per second on a single core). It doesn't have a dedicated GPU, but I found the integrated graphics perform very well compared to previous generation AMD graphics. If you're looking for a full-time gaming rig, this probably isn't going to cut it, but for the casual gamer the Pangolin will be able to hold its own. The bottom line is this is a plenty powerful machine for most people. The only real limitation for some will be the 32 gigabytes of RAM, which is not upgradeable. + +Battery life in Linux is often... not great. I am happy to report that the Pangolin managed 8.5 hours of battery life in our standard battery drain test, which involves playing a 1080p video at 75 percent brightness with networking turned off. That's actually quite good for a screen this size and the better news is that in real world use I almost always got through a full workday without needing a charger. + + + +Downsides: 32 gb ram, no 4k, no Thunderbolt + +### Pop_OS! Linux + +As with all of System76’s Linux-powered laptops, the all-new Pangolin comes with System76’s custom built Pop!_OS Linux distribution installed. As I said when I reviewed HP's Dev One laptop, which also ran Pop!_OS, Pop!_OS provides the best user experience I've seen in a Linux desktop. It manages to be easy enough for Linux newcomers to find their way around, while still offers a good amount of power-user features. Want tiling windows? Just toggle a switch in a toolbar menu. There are loads of (customizable) keyboard shortcuts for developers who eschew the mouse, and there's plenty of trackpad gestures to control workspaces, window focus, and more. + +As a long time Linux user perhaps I am biased, but to my mind the user experience of Pop!_OS is better than what you'll get on macOS or Windows. + +If you do have an issue, this is one of the easiest systems to get some help. At the bottom of the Settings menu, there's a Support panel. From there you can get to online documentation, community support chat (which often includes system76 engineers), and, if all else fails, you can submit a support ticket, complete with log files for system76's support staff to help you out. + +If you're a seasoned Linux user with your own prefered distro you can of course wipe Pop!_OS and install your favorite. I tested Arch Linux and it installed and worked without any special effort on my end. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +Every time I review a System76 laptop some neckbeard shows up in the comments a bit like Comic Store guy from the Simpsons, "ahem, excuse me, this are actually just rebranded Clevo laptops," so let's get that out of the way first. Not really. System76 works with upstream manufacturers like Clevo to spec out systems with hardware components that work with Linux and then write drivers where needed to make sure that the finished product is a seamless experience. Naturally Clevo also offers up a similar-looking chassis for sale, but there's none of the custom firmware or drivers that make it works so well. + + + +## Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 + +I have an affinity for the tangible that probably betrays my age more than anything, but nowhere does this hit me as hard as in photography. I [love photo prints](). I love photo books. I love instant images like Fujifilm's Instax prints. + +Thank goodness for Fujifilm, which stepped in to save instant film when Polaroid dropped the ball at the beginning of the digital era. + +Since then Fujifilm has turned out an array of Instax cameras and printers and I have been a sucker for nearly all of them. I still have the original SP-2 and SP-3 printers and still use them all the time. + +Fuji's latest effort in this realm is the Instax Mini 12, which is the latest version of what I'd call the cheapest fun camera you can buy. It's an adorable little bubble of plastic that makes the best way to get started with Instax. + +The Mini 12 replaces the Mini 11 and changes a couple of small things that are quite big deals. + +The first is that Fujifilm has made parallax correction work in close up mode (enabled by twisting the lens to close up). That correction means you don't have to guess where the center of the frame is for close up objects. What you see is what you get now, eliminating those terrible, ill-framed close ups that sometimes happened with the Mini 11. + +I also really like the new twist lens. This is both how you get into close up mode, and how you turn the camera on. I'll confess I had to consult the manual the first time to figure this out (after pressing the shutting button a dozen different ways), but once the dim little light bulb in my brain started working again, I came to appreciate a design that makes it virtually impossible to turn this thing on by accident. + +Other upgrades include a new automatic flash control that detects brightness levels and only fires when needed. That's a step up from the Mini 11 which fires the flash for every photo. That said, the Mini 12 fired the flash far more than I would have liked, but perhaps my dream of a good low light Instax camera is just that. Whatever the case the Mini 12 is certainly a step up when it comes to flash handling. + +Some things remain the same. The lens is still a 2 element plastic lens (60mm f/12 equivalent). There is no focusing. Everything is auto exposure. If this camera has a motto it would be: keep it simple. There's also still the little mirror on the front for framing your selfies. + +The one thing I don't particularly like about the Instax 12 is the look. The body is in the same vein as the Mini 11, with a kind of Bob Ross, fluffy fluffy cloud vibe to both the shape and range of available colors. It's fun and playful and I can see why Fuji uses it, it turns the camera into a very friendly, approachable object. It screams *this is easy and fun*. + +For those like me, wanting something more, well, camera-like, there is always the [Instax Mini 40 ($100)](https://www.amazon.com/Fujifilm-Instax-Mini-Instant-Camera/dp/B091D8C7RC) (or if you feel like splurging, the [Mini 90 ($205)](https://www.amazon.com/Fujifilm-Instax-Mini-Neo-Classic/dp/B00FR85IRK/)—see our [guide to instant cameras](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-instant-cameras/) for more options). + +### The App + +To go along with the Mini 12 Fujifilm has released a new app called Instax Up. The app is free for Android and iOS. The key function is that it will "scan" (um, photograph) your Instax prints, allowing you to store and share them online. If you have photos in any other Instax apps, you can import them to Instax Up so everything is in one place. + +Once an image is in the app you can edit it with a few simple controls, add notes, even geotag it using a map. If you amass a sizeable collection of scans you can filter and search by Instax film type, date scanned, or any tags you've added. You can also share the image to any other app on your phone. + +Sigh. So yes, now you can post even your Instax selfies on Instagram. So much for the tangible. I get it, I get it. I am old and curmudgeonly. Fujifilm no doubt has a boatload of market research to prove the intelligence of this move. Me, I deleted the app as soon as I had proved to myself that it worked as advertised. + +In my world, Instax prints are something you stick on the wall, with tape. And they stay there until the sun bleaches those moments back to nothing, leaving us only the cool of the evening and those memories we etched in our minds. + +Whatever the cause the Mini 12 is the cheapest, easiest way to enter the Instax world and it remains my top pick for anyone who wants a dead simple, incredibly fun camera. + + + +## Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 Review + +Dell's XPS 13 laptops are some of our favorites. The latest version did not wow us like past releases, but the XPS line remains thin, light, powerful enough, and an all-round good deal for a premium laptop. + +For years now Dell has produced a convertible, 2-in-1 version of the XPS 13 that was essentially the laptop verion, but with a 36-degree hinge. This year, however, Dell has done something different with the 2-in-1, offering a detachable keyboard with a tablet screen that has more in common with the Surface Pro 9 than the XPS 13 laptop. + +In some ways the XPS 13 2-in-1 bests the Surface Pro at its own game, but in other, potentially important ways it does not. + +### tk What Works + +I've been testing Dell XPS 13s for seven years now. I even bought one years ago (the last developer edition with a nose cam alas) but my first impression of the new 2-in-1 version was: this is not an XPS 13. After weeks of using it, I still stand by that. There is much to like here, but thinking of this as an XPS 13 does this hybrid laptop-tablet a disservice. This is something else entirely. + +Dell sells the XPS 13 2-in-1 in a variety of configurations, starting at $1,049, but that does not get you the keyboard folio, which is a $100 add-on. You definitely want the keyboard too, without it the XPS 13 is considerably less useful (mostly do to Windows 11's tablet limitations). + +Call the starting price $1,149 then. That gets you an Intel Core i5, 8 gigabytes of RAM and a 256-gigabyte SSD. The configuration I tested had the i5 processor, but bumped the RAM to 16 gigabytes and the SSD to 512 gigabytes, which brings your total price to $1,299 (including the folio Keyboard). For reference a similarly specced Microfot Surface Pro 9 would set you back $1,399 and would only have a 256 gigabyte SSD. Fully decked out the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 with an i7 chip, 1 terabyte SSD, folio keyboard and stylus is $1,699 to the fully decked out Surface 9's $2,600 (though the Surface would have 32 gigabytes of RAM, which is not an option on the Dell). + +The XPS is the clear winner when it comes to price, but there are some trade offs. + +The XPS lacks the Surface's kickstand-style design, which allows you to rest the screen at any angle you like. The XPS 13 is held up by the folio, which slides down the back of the tablet, locking in place with magnets. That means it's limited to only those angles where there are magnets. The most obvious is the first, the angle you'd want for typing at a desk. After that you have to slowly slide the folio down until you feel it lock in place. In the end there are three possible angles (that I could find anyway), but switching between them is a not simple like it is with the Surface. + +As with any folio-style keyboard typing in your lap is awkward, but possible. I wrote most of this review with it balanced in my lap. That said, if you primary want to type with this in your lap, I have a device for you: it's called a laptop. + +Typing on the Dell folio keyboard is not unlike typing on the XPS 13 Plus ([7/10 WIRED Review](https://www.wired.com/review/dell-xps-13-plus/)). The keypress is shallower than an ordinary laptop, but still deep enough that feel like you pressed something and the response is springy in a satisfying way. One thing to note, this keyboard does not tilt like the Surface Pro. + +The other thing to consider here is that, given that most of us do want a keyboard, pairing a 1.6 pound tablet with a 1.26 pound keyboard give you a 2.8 pound device. The Dell XPS 13 laptop weighs 2.6 pounds and has a screen that can be adjusted to any angle. The main reason I can see to pick this over the laptop is for those who primarily want a Windows tablet. + +When it comes to performance the 2-in-1 XPS 13 proved curiously powerful, considering its thermal limitations. In fact, it scored better in the Geekbench test suite than the XPS 13 laptop I briefly tested last year. In theory these are the same chip, and given the fanless design of the 2-in-1 I would expect *worse* performance. And yet, in benchmarks it came out slightly ahead. In real world use I did not struggle or encounter a long to lag. And I spend most of my time in Windows using Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), which is notoriously heavy on the CPU. + +Suffice to say that performance of the i5 model, which uses a 12th-generation Intel U-Series processor, is good enough for most of the use cases in which you'd want a hybrid device like this. If you're thinking you want this for video editing, you are wrong, you do not. Nor is it a good gaming setup. But for browsing the web, working with documents, even editing very large spreadsheets, the XPS 13 was plenty snappy. + +XPS 13 2-in-1 comes with a very different, and in my view much nicer, display from its laptop sibling. Like the Surface Pro it uses a 3:2 ration screen with a 2880 x 1920 pixel screen. With 500 nits of brightness, it works great outdoors and is plenty sharp. Dell also says there's support for DisplayHDR 400 and Dolby Vision, which you won't find in the XPS 13 laptop. It's also protected by Gorilla Glass Victus and its a touchscreen (it also works with the sold-separately pen) + +Another place that the tablet XPS 13 outshines its laptop sibling is the webcam, which is a 5MP camera which streams very nice 1080p video. I'd really love to see this camera in the regular laptop. + +Dell XPS 13s have never had many ports and every year we seem to get fewer. Like the XPS 13 laptop, the 2-in-1 has just two Thunderbolt 4 ports. You do get adapters for any USB A devices and a 3.5mm headphone jack, but seriously Dell, just build a headphone jack into the device. + +Probably the biggest disappointment of the XPS 13 2-in-1 is battery life. In our standard local video playback battery test I got only 6 hours 43 minutes of battery life. In real life use I didn't ever manage to get through a workday without plugging in. Battery life is only marginally worse than the Surface Pro, so it's not bad for a Windows tablet, but it's a far cry from what you get from even an average laptop. + +The final thing I will note is that so far there is no developer edition of the 2-in-1 with Ubuntu Linux install by default. I was able to install and run Arch Linux without any major issues, but you might run into some hardware compatibility issues with older Linux Kernels. Touch support varies considerably across Linux desktops, but in my experience it's generally no worse than Windows, which isn't that great. + + + + + + + + + + + +## Fujifilm X-T5 Review + +The Fujifilm X-T5 is the best camera the company has ever made and, for the right photographer, it might be the best camera you can buy right now. + +Once the flagship mirrorless in the X series cameras, that role is now filled by the X-H2, which leaves the X-T5 free to become a great stills-oriented camera aimed at photographers. It's not perfect—the autofocus could be better—but if you love manual controls, the ergonomics of classic film cameras, and the distinctive color and character of Fujifilm's X series cameras this is the camera for you. + +### Classic Style + +The X-T5 represents a return to form for the X-T line. It's smaller and lighter than it's predecessor, and doesn't have much in the way of new video features. Instead it takes mainly stills-oriented features from the flagship X-H2—including the new 40-megapixel APS-C sensor, the fifth-generation X-Trans Processor, better autofocus, and in-body image stabilization. + +The new sensor is the highlight. This is the first APS-C sensor that matches the image quality of what's in my Sony A7RII. It's not as large or high resolution as newer full-frame cameras like the Sony A7RIV, but it's good enough that, when editing images, I never found myself thinking "I wish I'd shot that in full frame." + +The X-T5 shoots surprisingly good video footage as well, but lacks some high-end features, like ProRes support (available over HDMI), that you'll find on the X-H2. Likewise the flip-out variable angle rear screen so handy for shooting video is gone (again, it's been relegated to the X-H series cameras). The clear message here is if you want a high-end hybrid still and video camera, the X-H2 is the camera for you. The new X-T5 is very much geared toward still photographers, and manages to find the near-perfect balance between technical chops and that ill-defined thing photographers call "character". + +First the technical chops. As noted the 40 megapixel sensor is wonderfully detailed and doesn't fall victim to the higher noise issues that sometimes come with more megapixels. That said, this will depend somewhat on how and what you shoot. I tend to use fast lenses in low light situations, and rarely shoot over 1600 ISO. In testing I found that once you went over that, noise became more of an issue. 3200 is still usable, but I would not go above that. + +There is also the fifth generation X-Trans processor, which Fuji claims is four times faster than the X-Trans 4. This is also part of the new autofocus system which, while very good within the Fuji X-series cameras, is not that great compared to what you get with Nikon or Canon systems. If you need extremely fast, completely accurate autofocus, you're better off with Nikon, Canon, or Sony. For most people's purposes though the autofocus of the X-T5 is good enough. What troubled me more than the speed was that sometimes, especially with eye-tracking turned on, the autofocus just missed. I've seen other reviewers with similar experiences, which makes me hope that this is something Fujifilm will address in a future firmware update. + +While autofocus still isn't the best, the new in-camera image stabilization is fantastic. Fujifilm claims the IBIS system will buy you 7 stops of hand holding, but I found it was even better than that. I have fairly steady hands, but I was able to shoot quite a few usable images at 1/4 of a second hand held. + +Now for the character, which I think of in two parts. First there is the distinctly Fuji output of the RAW files, and especially the in-camera JPGs, which can be customized, tweaked and tuned in ways that no other camera maker even begins to approach. When you meet rabid fans of Fujifilm cameras, this is usually the thing that hooked them. There are in fact hundreds of "recipes" around the web for tuning the in-camera JPGs to simulate various looks, from old film stock to whatever creative look you're into. I happen to like the [old film stock recipes](https://fujixweekly.com/recipes/) that Ritchie Roesch of Fuji X Weekly makes available. + +The upgraded sensor hasn't lost the distinctive character of Fujifilm images, which to my mind is more than just the in-camera JPGs, Fujifilm lenses have a warmth and color rendition that's unique to the X Series. Everything Fujifilm fans love about color, rendering, and the character that these cameras and lenses produce remains with the new sensor. + +The other half of that character is the design of the camera. The Fujifilm X-T5 looks more at home next to my old Nikon F3 than it does next to the Sony A7. I spent three weeks with the X-T5 and in that time I had two people come up to me and ask if I was shooting with a film camera. To me this captures the look and feel of this camera better than anything I could say. + +Some might argue that appearances don't matter or that Fuji cameras are for hipsters, but I think that misses the point. Form and function are intertwined, one serves the other. Film cameras were designed they way they were because it was the simplest method of making all the settings available to the user. The manual dials to control ISO, shutter speed, and (on most lenses) aperture aren't there to make the X-T5 look cool or retro, they serve a purpose: you can set all those things before you bring the viewfinder to your eye. That way the exposure is dialed in and you can focus on composing. The X-T5's manual features serve a purpose—to get the technical aspects of photography out of your way quickly so you can focus on the creative part. + +The only time I found the dials got in the way, was when I wanted to put the camera in full auto mode so my kids could try it. That requires turning the shutter speed dial, ISO dial, and lens aperture dial to A setting, which is cumbersome. But the X-T5 isn't priced or really aimed at entry-level photographers anyway so I don't see this as a huge issue. + +Not everything can be controlled with dials. You'll still want to get into the menu system, which I found easy to navigate (but I am coming from Sony, which I think has the most confusing menus in a camera). There's no touch capability when browsing the menu system on the scree (as with previous models, the touch features are limited to focus and shooting). The first thing I do with any camera is turn off touch completely, but if that's something you want be aware that it's not here. You can navigate through using the D-pad, selecting options with the center button. + +Finally, it's worth noting that this camera has a new battery system, which is frankly excellent, but as part of it there is no way to put a battery grip on the X-T5. I have never felt the need for a battery grip on any camera and definitely didn't on the X-T5, but if that's something you swear by, no that you aren't getting it here. + +In the end what made me like that X-T5 so much is that it's a rather opinionated camera, but one that shares my opinions—autofocus is nice, but not necessary, all important settings should be dials, and what really matters is that undefinable something extra you see in the results. The only place the X-T5 and I part ways is that I want all that in a rangefinder body like the X-Pro or X-E series cameras. In the mean time though, the X-T5 is mighty tempting and as good as it gets for Fujifilm photographers. + + + + + +## Nemo Osmo Dagger Review + +Reasonably light, very spacious, and easy to set up and take down. +Interior comfort is fantastic—there’s sufficient room side-to-side and lengthwise for two people to comfortably sleep. +Large and functional vestibules make it easy to organize and stash gear. + +New Osmo fabric is resists sagging in wet weather, holds up well in wind. More sustainable fabric. Reasonably light. Large, spacious vestibules. Roomy interior with excellent star gazing potential. + + +ility slant. +Nemo boosted interior storage with the latest model, and I had no trouble finding room for all of the essentials inside. + +At a campground last week I watched someone set up what looked like an old-school canvas tent, complete with a wood burning stove in it (it is winter), and I thought see, you don't really need all that expensive high tech gear, army tents still work. When I got home I looked up that tent and realized it was more expensive than most of my backpacking equipment combined. Never mind, I'll stick with the lightweight nylon. + +Recently I've been using Nemo's Osmo Dagger 3P tent, a three-person (sort of) freestanding, double-walled tent made of a new fabric Nemo calls Osmo. It's not cheap either, but the new Osmo fabric is a nylon polyester blend, made with 100 percent recycled nylon and polyester yarns woven in such a way that it stretches less and repels water more than nylon alone. It's also made without the use of flame-retardant chemicals or fluorinated water repellents (PFC and PFAS). Nemo is using this new fabric on its Dagger and Hornet Elite tents. + +While the new fabric is a nice extra, what I like most about the Dagger 3P is just that it's a solid, roomy, lightweight tent capable of withstanding considerable wind without so much a ripple in the tent. + +### Specs + +Nemo makes both two and three person model of the Osmo Dagger. While I have only tested the three person version, aside from the dimensions and weight there isn't any difference between the two. In fact, given how roomy the three person is, this is one tent where I would say couples looking at the two person version don't need to size up to have enough room. + +The three person model is 90 by 70 in for a total of 41 square feet of living space. I had no trouble getting three 25-inch sleeping mats in it and the length was enough to accommodate my five feet ten inch height with about five inches to spare. The max height at the center of the tent is 42 inches, making it rather lower profile, which helps make it aerodynamic. That squat aerodynamic aspect proved welcome during a couple of very windy nights testing in the Porcupine Mountains, where local wind sheer was well over 50 MPH. + +Setting the tent up wasn't hard. The Dagger comes with one multi-segmented pole that's single down the main length of the tent, forking at each end with a cross pole in the middle. The four end points fit into corner jakes feet connectors. The all-in-one design does mean the poles are slightly bulkier when packing it up, but it makes setup super simple. The cross-body pole does a good job of staking out the sides to create more vertical sidewalls for increased living space. + +The sidewalls of the inner tent start off solid Osmo fabric for the first six inches, and then transition to white no-see-um mesh that's still see through, but less than black, which affords you a bit more privacy even with the rain fly off. The top of the tent is black mesh, which provides great ventilation and makes for excellent for stargazing on clear nights. That said, the huge amount of mesh means this tent is definitely in the three-season category. I did not have an opportunity to test it below freezing, but did spend several Autumn nights in the lower 40s Fahrenheit and was quite comfortable. + +The rainfly is where the bulk of the Osmo fabric comes in and I did indeed find that it lives up to its hype. I didn't encounter any torrential rains, but as noted it held up in some high winds and moderate rains. + +This might sound incredibly shallow, but I also very much liked that the Dagger is a muted gray-green rather than the more neon color schemes of some other Nemo tents. + +The rainfly provides two equal vestibules at either door. Doth have zippers at either end for venting or getting in and out. There's also two vent flaps at the top with stays to keep them open so condensation doesn't build up in a prolonged rain storm. The vestibules were plenty big enough to store three packs and three pair of boots, and you can get what Nemo calls landing zones—an option vestibule floor that clips into color-coded tabs on the tent and vestibule, creating a little gear hammock just off the ground. + +Inside organization is a little bit limited. There are some side pockets on the walls and overhead pockets that are primarily intended to hold a headlamp and diffuse the light. Personally I just need a pocket for glasses and a headlamp, which the Dagger offers, but if you like tons of storage space, that's something to keep in mind with the Dagger. + +The Dagger is what Nemo calls an ultralight tent, which means it's light, packs small, but also that it's a little more fragile than a heavier, more traditional nylon tent. I didn't have a footprint, but I would highly suggest one to help protect the floor. I also find that ultralight tents benefit from more careful attention to site selection, set-up, and breakdown. Spending a minute to clear sharp debris before you pitch your tent will go a long way to helping it last. + +### Conclusion + +I really love this tent. It's lightweight, packs small and is easy to divide between hiking partners. Setup is quick and it sleeps three with gear. The new fabric performed well and is relatively environmentally friendly. It stacks up will against the competition as well. It is longer than the popular MSR Hubba Hubba, with more vestibule space. On the other hand the Hubba Hubba has more storage options in the form of a gear loft and larger pockets. + +For me though, the Nemo Osmo Dagger is one of the best tents on the market right now. + + + + +## Hasselblad X2D 100C Story + +Hasselblad's name is synonymous with medium format photography. From the iconic 500 series film cameras to 2016's X1D, which was the first digital, compact (well, relatively), medium format mirrorless camera. The original X1D's image quality was outstanding, unfortunately the rest of the camera left much to be desired. Even the second model, which sped things up considerably, was still not quite there (6/10, WIRED Review). + +Now Hasselblad has released the X2D 100C, along with some new XCD lenses, and I am happy to say, that this is the camera Hasselblad fans have been waiting for—it delivers stunning, massive RAW files, is plenty fast enough, and remains compact enough to feel like you're shooting with a DSLR. + +It's still a Hasselblad. At $8,200, plus another $4,000 or so for a lens, it's not an affordable camera, but for the right kind of photographer, the X2D delivers. + +### What's New + +The centerpiece of the X2D is the new sensor. The sensor is the same physical size as that of the X1D II, but the megapixel count is double. The sensor is 11,656 x 8742 pixels, which actually puts it slightly over 100 megapixels, and has a 4:3 aspect ratio. Hasselblad also touts the 15 stops of dynamic range the 16-bit files will deliver. If all that sounds familiar that might be because Fujifilm's GFX100 medium format mirrorless uses a very similar sensor (most likely it's the same sensor). + +That hefty sensor size renders some incredibly sharp images with very nice micro-contrast in the details. It is in every way better than the previous sensor Hasselblad used in the X1D, and one of the best on the market right now. The only downside is that you get some massive image files. If you end up with an X2D be sure to grab some spare SSD storage drives (and we have [a guide to SSDs here](https://www.wired.com/story/best-portable-external-storage-drives/)) because RAW files from this camera are over 200 megabytes per image. Even the "fine" JPEGs are between 60 and 80 megabytes, depending on the scene. + +The other, to my mind, even better upgrade in the X2D is the new processor. Huge image files are nice, but not so great if it takes forever to shoot them, as it did with the X1D. This time around I found that, while no speed demon, the X2D is fast enough that I didn't notice any lags. The processor upgrade is paired with an autofocus upgrade that now uses 294 phase detection points, which covers nearly all of the sensor. The autofocus also now uses phase detection, which helps make it noticeably faster. + +While the autofocus system in the X2D is a huge improvement, it's nowhere near what you'll find in full frame flagship cameras like the Sony A9 or Canon R5. It reminded me a lot of Fujifilm's autofocus system, which on paper isn't very impressive, but out in the real world, at least for the kind of shooting I do, both the Fujifilm and Hasselblad autofocus is good enough 90 percent of the time. The X2D is not the camera I'd grab to shoot sporting events, and it definitely had some trouble in backlit scenes (which is where all autofocus systems fall down), but for most situations is was accurate enough, though it does tend to hunt at times. The toher thing to note here is that to get the full benefit of new autofocus speed you'll need to be using one of Hasselblad's new lenses. While the company's legacy glass will work with the X2D, it won't be nearly as fast focusing. + +Other improvements in the X2D include in-body image stabilization, which Hasselblad says offers up to 7 stops of stabilization. The company says you can shoot handheld at up to one-second, which was borne out in my testing. I am lucky enough to have pretty steady hands, but I was able to shoot all the way up to 1.5 seconds without blur. On the flip side, any shake is very visible with a sensor that records this level of detail. + +The viewfinder also sees a serious upgrade, moving to an OLED display with 5.76 million dots of resolution and a 60 frames per second refresh rate. It is quite simply the best digital viewfinder I've ever used. + +The rear touchscreen is similarly nice, I would even go so far as to call it phone-quality. It pairs nicely with Hasselblad's intuitive menu system (I was able to fine and change all the settings I needed quickly, without having to parse through a labrynth of menus). + +Hasselblad has ditched the top dial it used on previous models for a small LCD screen on the top right side of the body that offers a quick overview of the current settings, including aperture, shutter speed, ISO, white balance and exposure mode, as well as how many shots are remaining and the current state of charge. + +And finally the moment you've been waiting for, the video features in the X2D: there aren't any. I rather like that there's no video, despite my editor's protests that "it's a $13K camera system that doesn't shoot video?" Yes, yes it is. If you want a medium format camera that does video, the Fujifilm tk is what you're after. More on that camera in a minute. + +While all the upgrades, the sensor, the gorgeous viewfinder, the faster processor, are all welcome—especially the processor, it would be difficult to oversell what an upgrade that is over the previous X1D, which, frankly, was just dog slow—my two favorite features in this camera are actually quite small and might even escape your notice at first. The first is that the X2D has a built-in 1 TB SSD. It also has a CFexpress Type B card slot, which you can use as primary, or a backup, but the SSD is incredibly nice to have. It was so much easier to just connect the camera to my laptop to dump files, which was orders of magnitude faster than using a card. It left me wondering why every camera maker doesn't offer an internal drive. + +The second small, but welcome feature I loved was how fast the X2D charges. I never removed the battery. Instead I just plugged the camera into my laptop (via the USB 3.2 Gen 2 port), transferred over my shots, and then shut the camera off and left it sitting there why I did a bit of image editing. When the camera is off the LCD panel offers a percentage view of the battery's current charge. Needing to shut the camera off is the only downside, but otherwise it was so nice to just top off the camera charge at the end of the day and to not have to worry about charging up batteries. Hasselblad rates the X2D at 420 shots per charge. I never maxed it out, but out shooting one day I took 112 shots and when I got back the battery meter read 70 percent, which is pretty close to the spec sheet. + +### Lenses + +Along with the new X2D Hasselblad is launching a new line of XCD V lenses. At the moment that consists of a 38mm, a 55mm, and a 90mm lens. I tested the 38 and 55. Note though that, if you already own any X1D lenses they’re all compatible with the X2D (for that matter if you have H6 lenses there’s an adaptor so you can use them with the X2D too). That said, the new lenses are very impressive. + +My favorite feature is the excellent manual controls on these lenses. Pop the clutch ring forward and you can manually focus to your heart's content. The focus ring has good travel and works much better than older XCD lenses which used a focus-by-wired system that, frankly, wasn't very good. This ended up being my preferred method of shooting. + +One thing to note, these, as with all other Hasselblad lenses, are leaf shutters, which means the shutter is built into the lens. This makes the lenses expensive, but it allows for very fast sync speeds. The ability to control ambient light (via fast sync speeds) has always made the Hasselblad almost unbeatable for environment portraiture. + +### Should You Buy the X2D? + +You can't evaluate this question without accounting for your budget. If the Hasselblad is in your budget, it's well worth considering. The shooting speed and autofocus performance, both of which are on the slow side, means many will be happier to trade the image quality of the Hasselblad for the speed of a Canon or Nikon full-frame. For those photographers the X2D is probably not the way to go. + +For the right kind of photographer though the X2D is going to be one of the best cameras currently available. The richness of details in the RAW files, the lovely, slightly cool Hasselblad color rendering, and the leaf shutter make this camera (especially paired with new lenses) capable of incredibly shots you won't get from any other system. + + + + + + +--- + +## Garmin Forerunner 255 + + +The Garmin's Forerunner line of GPS-enabled fitness trackers is bewilderingly complex and the company updates Forerunner models so often even those of us who test them for a living have trouble keeping up sometimes. That's a good thing—new features are almost always a plus—but it does make picking the right model a challenge. + +To further complicate your decision, Garmin recently updated its Forerunner 255. The latest model brings multi-band GPS support, barometric altimeter, and much-improved sleep tracking, among several dozen other welcome additions. + +The result is a multi-sport, runner-friendly watch. At $350, this is one of the best value-to-features watch in the Garmin lineup. + +### New and Noteworthy + +For years now I have used the Garmin 245, which falls in the middle of Garmin's Forerunner line, and is aimed mainly at runners. With the new 255, Garmin has retired the 245. At first I thought this might be a mistake, after spending several months with the new 255, I am inclined to agree with Garmin, this is better than the 245 in every way. + +As with any fitness tracker, how much any of this benefits you will depend on what you're doing. For reference, my workout routine is body weight-based, with alternating walking and sprinting sessions thrown in throughout the week. I also used the 255 on hikes, paddle boarding, and for sleep tracking. + +Like nearly all non-touch Garmin watches the Forerunner 255 has five buttons: three on the left side and two on the right. I find the buttons more reliable to navigate with than the touch screen models, but the main thing to note is: there's no touch screen here. The watch face is fully customizable, with a good selection of default watch faces you can use to customize to your liking. + +There are quite a few new features worth mentioning, but the one I was most excited about is the sleep tracking. The Forerunner 255 tracks heart rate variability (HRV), Sleep Stages, and gives you an overall Sleep Score, with a new Morning Report feature, similar to what Apple offers. + +To try to test the accuracy of the Forerunner 255, I had my wife, who uses an Oura ring to track sleep, use it for a few weeks (it takes 19 days before the Forerunner will start making recommendations based on the sleep data it has collected). To keep this review to a reasonable length, the result was that she is no longer worried about replacing her Oura (given that company's trajectory). The Forerunner's data matched that of the Oura and is very nearly as comprehensive. tk what's missing. + +Of particular use is the new "Morning Report" feature, which gives you a nice summary of where your body is at, combining sleep data, recovery data, and training data along with the weather.It's a good way to get a quick overview of where you're at and what you want to do that day, training-wise. + +The other thing that jumped out at me in the first week was the new auto-detection features. The Forerunner knew when I was doing pushup and logged them, it knew when I was walking, running, resting. It's particularly well-suited to interval training thanks to the automatic detection. Also useful are the training and recovery tools, which previous models I've used lack. They're not as comprehensive as what you'll find in the more expensive 955, but together with the sleep tracking they can give you a more accurate impression of where you're at and how to get to where you want to be. + +Other features worth mentioning include, multi-band GPS support (with dual-frequency support), which makes for more accurate GPD tracking, a barometric altimeter and compass, useful for hitting the trail, and a ton more cycling support including VO2Max and the ability to connect to many bike gadgets via Bluetooth. The GPS support is worth noting because it is much more accurate, but it takes a heavy toll on the battery. + +I was able to get right around the advertised 30 hours using GPS-only, but enabling the multi-band support dropped that to just over 15 hours. Since super accurate GPS isn't something most people need all the time I suggest using it only when you need it, the same way you'd save battery life by turning off pulse ox and other battery-intensive features when you don't need them. + +The final thing I find worth mentioning is that you can now fully configure your watch from the Garmin app on your phone. Naturally you can change settings from the watch, but the ability to set things up on your phone makes life so much easier, especially given the emphasis here on creating workout plans based on future events. The daily suggested workouts can be connect to future calendar events, for example an upcoming race, the app can use to automatically creating workouts for that distance. + +### Conclusion + +The Forerunner 255 comes in two sizes now, 42mm and 46mm. They are both $349. There is also the Forefunner 255 Music, which is $399 and can store tk hours of music (roughly tk songs). Although I tested the Music model, it's not a feature I use much. It works. + +The problem with fitness trackers is that most of use only use maybe half of the features available. The question is, do you use the features the Forerunner 255 offers? Personally I find it a huge upgrade over the 245 and Venu for the sleep tracking features. + +Despite sometimes being billed as a triathlon watch, there are almost no swimming friendly features. If you're into triathlon, the 945 is the watch to get. It's expensive, but powerful. If you don't care about the sleep tracking features, have no need for new automatic run/walk/stand detection and similar features, the far cheaper Garmin 45 might fit the bill. + + + + + + + + +## Fire HD 8 and 8 Plus Review + +As much as a I dislike Amazon as a company, nay, a cultural force, I find the company's cheap tablets strangely compelling. Fire tablets are one of the best values out there, and the new Fire HD 8 is no exception. + +Note though that I said "value". It's not the fastest, nor the fanciest, nor the sturdiest, but for the price the Fire HD 8 is a compelling option for those that are all-in on Amazon content—subscribe to Prime, love Alexa and so on. + +The Fire HD 10 remains a more versatile tablet, but the smaller 8-inch models are worth a look if you don't want to spend that much. + +### What's Right + +Amazon has not messed with the design of the Fire HD 8. The 2022 version looks identical to the previous model, retaining the same screen, form factor and all-plastic construction. Like the previous model that all-plastic construction is surprisingly sturdy. I've dropped mine from about waist height on a hardwood floor several times without doing any damage. That said, it's not as well made as more expensive, metal tablets. + +It is slightly lighter than the last model according to the spec sheet, but it's not something you're going to notice much. At tk pounds, the Fire HD 8 is pretty heavy for its size. + +The 2.0 GHz hexa-core processor is new and in my testing was marginally faster. Amazon claims the new Fire HD 8 is 30 percent faster than the previous release, my experience using them side by side is that it's slightly faster, but in most tasks, like browsing the web or playing video, you won't notice a huge difference. Considered on its own, let's charitably say that this is not a speedy tablet. It gets the job done, but put it up against just about any other Android tablet on the market and it's going to lose. Again though, it's fast enough to do what it's designed to do, which is deliver Amazon content. + +That Amazon content lands on an 8-inch 1280 x 800 pixel display, which is not great. It's the sort of thing that would send David Lynch into fits, but it works well enough if you don't care that much about deep rich colors and solid blacks. Pixelation is still painfully visible in text, but no worse than any other tablet at this price. + +The Fire HD 8 is available in either 32-gigabytes or 64-gigabytes of storage. The more the better if you can afford it. You can expand that storage capacity up to 1-terabyte using the microSD card slot. + +One of the highlights of the Fire HD 8 is the impressive battery life. Amazon is touting 13 hours, I only managed 10:22 streaming video, but that's still very good.The downside is that charging up is slow. The provided 5 watt charger took... so long I went and found a 15 watt charger. With the 15 watt I was able to get it recharged in under 3 hours. Still not fast but better than the provided option. + +If you want slightly more power there is also the Fire HD 8 Plus, which offers an extra gigabyte of RAM, wireless charging, and a 5 megapixel camera (to the base models 2 megapixel—neither are very good so don't let this be the selling point of the Plus). The extra RAM is very welcome and makes the Plus model worth the extra money if you've got it. That said, the difference here is not as noticible as it is with the 10-inch Fire HD where the Plus model turns that slate into something you can get real work done on. If you want to get real work done, neither Fire HD 8 tablets are for you. + +Along with the Plus model Amazon has quite a few other bundles, like the Fire HD 8 Kids models, which feature protective cases, some extra software and content bundles along with parental controls. There's also now a Gaming bundle that comes with a Luna Controller, though give the limiations of Fire OS, I can't imagine this appealing to many. + +There in lies the main rub with Fire tablets—Amazon's software. + +### What Wrong + +Out of the box Amazon's Fire tablets offer an experience that reminds me most of the hyper ad-saturated world of Idiocracy. From the moment you try to unlock your Fire HD 8 you are confronted with an onslaught of ads and design dark patterns engineered to get you clicking on stuff, especially if you opt for the ad-supported models. Just don't. Spend the extra $20 to free yourself from some of the ads. Don't worry, you'll still have Amazon content pushed on you every time you so much as look at your Fire HD 8. + +Fire OS has been updated to run on Android 11, which is still two full versions behind stock Android, but other than the app switching screen and few minor theme details, I could not tell much difference. Fire OS remains extremely limited by its App Store. + +Out of the box Fire HD 8 tablets do not offer any Google apps, and no access to the Google Play store. The selection in the Amazon App Store is what you might call lacking. Want to watch YouTube? Chat on Slack? Nope, not happening. Even if you want to argue that this is tablet mostly for consumption, and doesn't need much of what's in the Google Play Store, YouTube is a glaring omission. My suggestion would be that if you have specific apps you want to use, browse Amazon's App Store before you buy to make sure what you want is available. + +What about "sideloading" Google Play? We do have a guide on how to Install Google Play on Your Fire Tablet, but unfortunately that guide doesn't work for this model. Or at least it doesn't work with the current version of Fire OS. Some Reddit users who have recieved a software update to Fire OS 8.3.1.3 claim that they have been able to install and use Google Play. My review unit is so far stuck at Fire OS 8.2.1.2, which I can confirm will install the Google Play Store itself, but does not allow you to login and install any apps from it. I will update our guide with info on how to do it once I can confirm that it works. + +### Conclusion + + +## GoPro Shrinkage + +The Hero 11 Mini is 13 percent smaller than the Hero 11 Black. That doesn't sound like a whole lot, and in some ways it isn't, but for situations where wind resistence and drag are a factor—on your motorcycle helmet for example—it's a big enough deal that any size reduction helps. + +The Mini is about the same depth (technically it's actually 4mm wider) and height as the full size Hero 11. Where it's smaller is the width, which is 20mm less than the full size camera. To save that space GoPro got rid of all the screens on the Mini. In addition to the weight and size savings, this has the distinct advantage of making the Mini more rugged. The big screens on the Hero 11 Black are the most vulnerable points and most of the destroyed GoPro's I've seen have involved either the screen or the lens cracking. The Mini eliminates at least the possibility of destroying a screen. There is technically a tiny LCD on top of the camera to show you things like the current shooting mode, but in order to frame your shots and delve into settings the Mini requires the GoPro Quik app. + +Until the Mini arrived I'll confess I had never really used the Quik app to set up my GoPro. Even shots where I am not going to be monitoring—like strapping it to the front of a paddleboard or surf board—I still set up everything using the back screen. + +The app works fine, and the transition from screen to app is easy to make—the app is mostly the same menus as you get with the screen interface, with one notable exception. At first I thought the Mini did not do Timelapse because it's not a menu item in the Quik app when paired with the Mini like it is with the Black. That is, in the UI for the Black there are three shooting modes: Video, Timelapse, and Photo. In the Quik UI for the Mini there is only one button: Video. But when you click to change your video settings, you'll also find Timelapse, along with all other special modes like Star Trails, Light Painting, and so on. + +Moving TimeLapse mode doesn't bother me that much once I figured it out, but what it means is that you can't save presets here in the main menu like you can in the Black. That makes switching video modes difficult. You either have to do it on the camera, which, using a single line LCD screen to navigate is a tedious and awkward process, or you have to pull out the app and change modes that way, which honestly, is also tedious. The message here is that if frequently changing shooting modes is part of your workflow, the Mini is not for you. That said, this seems like something that could easily be solved by a software or firmware update. + +There are two other small design differences from the Hero 11 Black. The Mini has not one, but two sets of flip down feet for mounting. Like the full size, there are two feet on the bottom, but you also get a rear mount point to point the camera forward. Again, I see this as a huge advantage for helmet mounting since it will get you a forward looking shot without sticking the camera up as high on the helmet. + +The other big difference is there's no removable battery. The good news is that the battery inside is the same as the Enduro that's now standard on the Black, so shooting times are pretty close. The Hero 11 Mini claims 73 minutes when shooting 5.3K at 30fps. I got 70. The same settings on the Hero 11 Black lasted 73 minutes. Pretty much a wash. The difference of course is that you can swap batteries on the Black and you can't on the Mini. You can however power it with an external power pack. As of this writing there is no pass through door for plugging in a USB cable, but you can just pull off the side door, plug in a USB-C cable it in that way. + +The internals of Mini are nearly identical to the Black. The Mini uses the same nearly square sensor, shoots at the same video resolutions and frame rates, and to my eye and ear produces the same results. That said, there is one big thing missing and one small thing to be aware of. + +The biggest missing features is that the Hero 11 Mini doesn't have a Photo mode. You can pull 24 megapixel stills out of 5.3K video clips—which, to be honest, is all I do anyway—but there is no dedicated photo mode, and no ability to shoot RAW photos like you have in the Black. + +The other big missing feature is GPS. The Mini has no GPS support. + +### What Works and What Doesn't + +The Mini does work great if you want something physically smaller. It is (I think) designed primarily for scenarios where you set it up, mount it, and shoot without changing anything. I was initially enthused about the Mini. I do a lot of shooting where I don't need a screen or monitor the footage at all. But, what I do do is change shooting modes quite a bit, especially frame rates and that's just too awkward to do to make the Mini enjoyable to use. + +If you frequently change settings, spend the money to get the full size Hero 11 Black. On the other hand if you're planning to mount this on a helmet and go, the smaller form factor and cheaper price make the Mini an easy sell. Likewise if you've already got a full size GoPro the Mini could serve you well as a second camera—again because that's a scenario where you're likely to set up and shoot without changing settings. + + +## DJI Osmo Action 3 + +DJI can't make up its mind about what sort of action camera it wants to build. Every iteration gets better, from the original with its color front screen, to the second version with it's clever modular, magnetic design, to the latest version which is in many ways a synthesis of the best parts of the first two. + +Design-wise and functionally there's much to like here. If the new Osmo Action 3 were going up against the GoPro Hero 10 it would be very competitive. Unfortunately the GoPro Hero 11 is [already on the scene](https://www.wired.com/review/gopro-hero-11-black/) and DJI's latest effort struggles to compete with the Hero 11's video and image quality. + +That said, if you don't need vertical video, 5.3K footage, or the 27-megapixel stills of the Hero 11, the Osmo Action 3 is much more affordable and still makes a very solid action camera. + +## Osmosis + +The first Osmo Action brought a color screen to the front of the action camera, a move that GoPro later copied. Now DJI has upped the ante again by a touch screen to the front of the Osmo Action 3, allowing you to not just frame shots, but control the camera as well. + +It might sound cramped to try to touch the little screen, but it works surprisingly well. I had no trouble adjusting basic settings like mode, shooting resolution, and other oft-used settings. + +When the Osmo Action 3 first arrived I'll confess I was disappointed to see that it came with a cage with mounting brackets on the bottom. I incorrectly assumed that was it for mounting. In fact DJI took the best part of the Action 2—the powerful magnetic mounting system—and brought it to the Action 3 in the form of a quick release mounting system. This is the first mounting system I've used that trumps the GoPro in many ways. + +It's by far the fastest, easiest way to move, for instance, between a flexible tripod, and a helmet mount. There's no unscrewing and fiddling with the threaded screws of GoPro mounts. There are third-party quick release mounts for the GoPro that offer similar functionality, but they aren't as simple and elegant as what DJI has done with this magnetic mount. And despite what you might think, it's very hard to accidentally knock these magnets off—it never happened in my testing, which included a few attempts to hit it as hard as I could without breaking the camera. + +The other place the Osmo Action 3 impresses is battery life. DJI claims 160 minutes. I only managed 140 (with the rear screen off, the front screen used about half that time), but that's still leaps and bounds beyond the GoPro Hero 11's 70 minutes, which seems downright paltry in comparison. Also impressive is the recharge time—I was able to get batteries fully recharged in 52 minutes. DJI is also selling what it calls a "multifunctional battery case", which is a very slick case that also serves as a charging hub, powering up three batteries at a time. Throw that in your bag and you've got well over six hours of shooting time before you need to recharge. To shoot six hours with the Hero 11 would require six batteries. + +So far so good. Externally the Osmo Action 3 is chock full of clever innovations. Where it's less impressive is the sensor inside. The Osmo Action 3 sticks with the 4K resolution of its predecessor. Most of the time what will get the job done, but I have found that the Hero 10 and 11's 5.3K resolution comes in handy when you want to crop and still export to 4K. I am also fond of shooting at 5.3K for the ability to pull out higher resolution still images. + +The Osmo Action offers the same framerates at 4K as you'll find in other action cams, allowing for 120 frames per second at 4K and 240 frames per second in 1080p, which is plenty of frames to get those dramatic slow motion shots you crave. When you switch to 120 fps, the Osmo will warn you that at 25 C, the camera will overheat in 9 minutes. + +While high quality video is part of the equation, what you really want in an action camera is a great stabilization system. DJI’s RockSteady isn't quite GoPro smooth, but it's pretty close. The main time you'll notice some noise and blurring is in low light (indoors for example). This wasn't really an issue in most of my footage, but the GoPro Hero 11 did clearly outperform the Action 3 in low light situations. + +One thing DJI does really well is the 360 degree HorizonSteady, which corrects shakes for any horizontal rotation and keeps a straight horizon. It works really well and allowed me to get some shots I would have messed up otherwise, but alas it's limited to 2.7K footage. I'm looking forward to this working in 4K in a future version. + +The least impressive aspect of the Osmo Action 3 is the still photos. With only 12 megapixels available in this sensor, the results just don't match up with what the GoPro Hero 11 is capable of with its 27 megapixel sensor. + +While there are a couple of limitations to be aware of–namely the 4K resolution limit, and so-so still images–overall the Osmo Action 3 is a compelling alternative to the GoPro, especially when you consider that it sells for just $329 with no annual subscription necessary to get that price. The Hero 11 on the other hand starts at $500. You can get the Hero 11 for $400 if you sign up for a one-year GoPro subscription, but that will renew at $100 per year. If you don't need the higher resolution or the backup and cloud services that a GoPro subscription offers, DJI's Osmo Action 3 makes a much cheaper alternative. + + + + + + + +## Insta360 X3 Review + +For years now Insta360 has been working to merge the world of 360 video with the action camera. The Insta360 One RS (8/10 WIRED Recommends) has an interchangeable lens system allows exactly this flexibility. Still, you do have to change lenses, which not the easiest thing to do in some situations. + +Enter the Insta360 X3, successor to the One X2 (Insta360 has dropped the "One" in the name). This is primarily a 360 camera, but you can opt to shoot out of a single lens, which turns it into an action camera. This is where the X3 shines, it's the perfect camera for the 360 enthusiast who might occasionally want to shoot more straightforward action footage. + +### What's New + +The X3 retains the same raw video specs found in the X2, shooting 5.7K at 30 frames per second in 360 mode. That said, there is a larger half-inch, 48 megapixel sensor and a brighter lens, making the video output of the X3 significantly better than the X2. + +If I hadn't recently tested the Insta360 One RS 1-inch 360 Edition ([8/10, WIRED Recommends](https://www.wired.com/review/insta360-one-rs-1-inch-360-edition/)) I'd be ready to say the X3 produces the best 360 video I've seen. But the One RS 1-inch 360 Edition does offer better video results thanks to its 1-inch sensor and those huge Leica lenses. Still, it's also over twice the price, significantly heavier, not fully waterproof, and more awkward to shoot with. + +Let's just say you'd be hard pressed to find higher quality 360 video in a camera the size and price of the Insta360 X3. At the very least it's leaps and bounds better than the X2, with far sharper details when I zoom in on a scene. + +The X3 also introduces the ability to switch between lens modes, shooting 360 video through both lenses, or using a single lens to shoot traditional 4K video. It's worth noting that in single lens mode the frame rate is limited to 30, but otherwise it feels very much like shooting with a good 4K action camera. This adds an extra dimension to the X3 and makes it more competitive with Insta360's own One RS system. If you're primarily in it for 360 video, and only occasionally plan to shoot some action footage, this is the camera I'd recommend. If your use case is the reverse, the One RS is the way to go. + +The X3 isn't just video though, it can also shoot spherical still images at 72 megapixels, which are impressively detailed. There are not many places online to post such images without cropping them down, but it's kind of a cool feature to play with. I had fun using this on a timer at the end of selfie stick for immersive street photography-type shots. You can later auto-animate these images into panning videos using the Insta360 app. + +While the X3 looks very much like the X2, there are some welcome differences, including more physical buttons. Just below the screen there are two buttons, one to start and stop recording, and another switch between lens modes. On the side there's a power button and a Q button for quickly switching between your presets. The screen is also much larger (2.29 inches) and brighter in the X3, making it easy to use even in direct sunlight. The battery door and SD slot cover are also a bit tighter in this update, which helps the X3 remain waterproofed to a depth of 33ft (10 meters). There's also a new 1800mAh battery, which will get you decent shoot times. I managed over 1.5 hours shooting 4K. Insta360 claims 81 minutes shooting 5.7K video at 30p, which feels about right based on my testing. + +It's worth noting that the larger battery and other changes do make the X3 slightly heavier, but I still found it quite comfortable to carry around and not to much on the end of a selfie stick either. + +As I've noted in other Insta360 cameras, the company's FlowState stabilization compares very well with anything else on the market, including the GoPro. When applied to 360 footage I do sometimes notice a bit of shimmery effect, particularly around the seams where the video is stitched together, but it's not hard to minimize this by making sure your main subject remains centered. + +Keep in mind that, while the video quality here is very impressive, 5.7K isn't nearly as sharp when it's spread across a full spherical scene, as it is when you shoot with a traditional single wide lens, which covers roughly 160 degrees of a scene. This won't be all that noticeable when you're viewing your footage in Insta360s app (or other 3D video player), but when you go to export your video to a traditional flat format player like YouTube, you will only get a 1920 x 1080 resolution video (to export "flat" video in 4K you'd need to shoot 360 footage in 12K). That said, the only camera I've used that outputs a better looking 1080p reframed video is the far more expensive One RS 1-inch Edition. The X3 produces truly impressive video, especially when you remember that this is a camera that's easy to hold with one hand. + +If you want maximum resolution the X3 is capable of shooting 8K timelapse video, which looks amazing, even exported to flat formats. + +As with it's other cameras, the X3 connects with Insta360's mobile editing app, which remains one of the best editing apps I've used. No, it's not Final Cut Pro, but for an app that runs on your phone it's impressive. Even if you have no idea what you're doing you'll be able to figure out keyframes, jump cuts, and other edits thanks to the built-in tutorials. There are also some automated editing tools, including nose cam, sky swap, and street lapse, which are all fun the play with. What's impressed me the most though about the app is all the helpful tutorials. Honestly, even if you don't own an Insta360 camera, the app is worth browsing just for the how-to info. For those that would like something more powerful than a phone to edit with, Insta360 also offers a desktop-based editor for Mac and Windows. + +If 360 degree video is your thing, the new X3 represents the best value camera on the market right now. Insta360's One RS 1-inch Edition does produce better results, but it's $800 versus the X3 at $450. If you mostly shoot action footage and dabble in 360 the One RS is probably the better buy. But for those sold on 360 footage who want to dabble in action footage this is the camera to get. + + +## Framework Laptop Review + +The world is littered with the burnt, abandoned hulks of tech companies that promise big things and delivered nothing. Last year when Framework launched a modular, repairable, upgradeable laptop I was skeptical. WIRED did not review it in part because, however good it might have been, much of its appeal depends on the company continuing to exist. + +Well, here we are over a year later and not only does the company still exist, but they've made good on their promise, releasing a second version of the Framework laptop, along with modular components that owners of the first version can use to upgrade if they wish. + +That's some measure of success, but then Framework needs to keep going for many more years to really fulfill its promise. Still, if you bought the Framework laptop today, and the company disappeared tomorrow, you'd still have a great laptop with easy access to upgrade the RAM and SSD, which is more than I can say for most laptops these days. That said, given how great this laptop is, I don't expect Framework to disappear any time soon. + +### Modular Madness + +The Framework laptop is available in two forms. The first is your typical ready-to-use laptop. You order the configuration you want, and you still get all the modularity, but it arrives complete and ready to use. The other option is the DIY version. Here you can increase your level of customization—already have a good SSD? Order your Framework with no drive and save—but the trade off is you'll need to crack open the case (a mere five screws) and install your hard drive, RAM and additional ports before you start using it. Then you'll have to install Windows or Linux. + +Being a DIY person, I tried out the DIY version. Framework sent a laptop, 2 8-gigabyte RAM modules, and 500-gigabyte SSD. Opening the laptop was very easy thanks to the included Torx screwdriver, which also has a spudger at the other end. Once the RAM and SSD were installed I got to choose which ports I wanted. + +There are four port "slots" on a Framework laptop, which allows you to mix, match, and upgrade your port selection at any time. All the various options plug directly into the motherboard via USB-C and lock in place so they won't fall out. I opted for 2 USB-C slots, 1 USB-A, 1 micro-SD card reader, and the built-in headphone jack. Other expansion slot options include another USB-A, HDMI, DisplayPort, and Ethernet adapter. They're all hot swappable too so if you need to make a change on the fly you can. I would love to see a full size SD card reader option here, but maybe I am the last person still using an SD card since I haven't seen a full size reader on a laptop in years. + +Once the laptop was all assembled and configured the way I wanted it was time to install an OS. Framework supports Windows 11 and a few different Linux distributions (while I was testing Framework released a Chromebook option as well, but this requires different hardware). Having used nothing but Linux for over 15 years now, I, obviously, installed Linux. I started with what I think is the best Linux option for newcomers, [System76's Pop_OS](https://pop.system76.com), which I covered in more detail in my [review of the HP Dev One](https://www.wired.com/review/hp-dev-one-linux-laptop/). I also tested Ubuntu, which Framework supports, and Arch Linux, which Framework does not officially support, but worked just fine (Framework does support Manjaro, which is based on Arch). + +### How the Hardware Fares + +Once I had Linux install and configured the way I like it (very minimal, using [SwayWM](https://swaywm.org) as a window manager), I ran a handful of benchmark tests, getting the results you would expect from the 12th-generation Intel i7 chip in the model I tested. Performance of the Framework is on par with other 12-generation Intel laptops I've tested this year. What I immediately noticed running the benchmark tests though is that the Framework's battery took a serious hit. + +In more real world usage I was able to squeak out about 6 hours most of the time, which is acceptable, but not great. I was able to get that figure up to 7 after I installed and ran through some Linux-based battery optimization tools. There's a great page on the Framework Community forums with battery tips for Linux users. You could possibly get a little bit better results in Windows, but most benchmarks I have seen of Windows machines come in around the same time. + +The Framework features a 13.5-inch, 2256 x 1504 pixel display, with a 3:2 aspect ratio, making it great for document work (I love the extra vertical room a 3:2 screen offers). The screen is plenty bright, though it is quite reflective. Colors were good, though not as nice as the OLED screens that are increasingly turning up in laptops at similar price points. There's a black bezel around the screen which is magnetic. You can customize the color via the Framework marketplace. At the top of the screen there are hardware switches for the camera and microphone. The entire screen and all its components are replaceable and upgradeable. + +The keyboard is nice, with a generous 1.5 mm of travel for those of us who like to pound on our laptops, seeking that satisfying clack of a mechanical keyboard. It doesn't have that clack of course, but it still felt good to type on. I was less a fan of the trackpad which felt mushy when I clicked. It's upgradeable natch, so perhaps Framework can iterate on this down the road. + +That is about all I have to say about the hardware itself. Up against recent releases like the new Surface Laptop, Asus, Dell XPS and others the Framework falls a little short. It's very nice, but it's not quite as "premium" as some others out there. What sets the Framework apart though is the serviceability and the potential to upgrade components down the road. + +If you think about it, that feels backward. Once you use the Framework you'll find yourself wondering, why aren't all laptops built for people to service and upgrade them? If you know what you're doing you can upgrade the SSD in most laptops. Sometimes the RAM. But upgrade the motherboard? Unlikely. + +This, above all else, is the reason I am recommending the Framework. It's the best laptop you buy if your criteria includes being in control of what you own, being able to upgrade, downgrade, service, and repair your laptop. If you bought the first generation of Framework, congratulations, you're early to the future because you can [upgrade your motherboard right now](https://frame.work/products/12-gen-intel-upgrade-kit?v=FRUPGRDKIT02) if you want. + +As for the rest of us, no the Framework isn't perfect, I'd love to see better battery life and an AMD option, but it's close enough that I think it's worth the gamble. It'll be what I buy next time I need a new laptop. + + + + + +## Components + + + +good aspect: +But I simply accept that most laptops only have at best 4 year lifespans. +I mean, the nice thing about this is that the lifetime of each component is not tied to the others. If you break the chassis, you get a chassis; if you want a new CPU, you swap the main board; if they iterate on the touchpad, you swap the touchpad. + +## GoPro Hero 11 Black + +GoPro defined the action camera, and it remains the top pick in our action camera guide. The truth is I rarely use my GoPro for anything action related and, according to GoPro, I am not alone. This fits with what I've seen out in the world. Most people you see using GoPro's don't have them mounted on a helmet or strapped to their chest. + +GoPro's latest Hero 11 Black is still every bit the action camera for those that *do* mount it on their helmet and "bomb the slopes," as my editor likes to joke, but it's also a really great, lightweight, easy-to-use, well, camera. + +GoPro's latest iteration adds even more user-friendly features, including a new sensor format that makes it easier to shoot vertical video for popular platforms like Tik Tok, simplified settings, tk, and more. + + +## TK + +Side-by-side the only difference between last year's Hero 10 Black and this year's Hero 11 Black is the blue number on the side. Otherwise the body is the same, meaning all your accessories, lens filters, mods, and add-ons will work with the Hero 11. + +However, unlike say, the iPhone 14, [which requires a magnifying glass](https://www.wired.com/review/apple-iphone-14/) to tell from it's predecessor, the Hero 11 Black brings quite a few welcome changes to the Hero line. + +The biggest and most obvious change is the new sensor. The sensor is marginally bigger, but only vertically, which gives it an 8:7 aspect ratio. Previous models could shoot in 16:9 and 4:3, but the new 8:7 makes the Hero 11 a better choice for shooting the abomination that is vertical video. Just kidding, it makes life easier for you Tik Tok lovers, because you can now shoot in 8:7, crop to vertical for platforms that use that abomination *and* also crop to 16:9 for sane video sharing. + +While I make fun of vertical video, I do recognize its popularity and I think that GoPro moving in this direction makes it an even more useful camera for a wider audience. Even those of us who dislike vertical video are often compelled to crop things for platforms that require it. + +The larger sensor also allows for what GoPro is calling HyperView, and even wider angle shot than the SuperView option in the Hero 10. While this is useful in some tight settings—think rock climbing, for instance—the distortion at the corners is extreme. + +The other good news with the new sensor is that you can now extract 24.7 megapixel stills from your videos. To me, this is one of the best things about a GoPro—shoot video so you don't miss anything and then just use the Quik app (or other software) to extract still images out of the video. This is how I manage to get great photos of my kids running around without dropping $2,000 on a super fast, fancy camera. + +If you shoot stills with the GoPro those images also get a slight quality bump, up to 27 megapixels from 23 in the Hero 11. Far more interesting on the still front though is the ability to shoot RAW images in burst mode. Previously burst was limited to JPEG files. The ability to shoot RAW in this mode gives another option for the scenario above—where you want to end up with a still, but you also want to shoot continuously. Burst mode isn't video, so there's still some chance you'll miss that perfect moment, but that risk is offset somewhat by the advantage of being able to develop a RAW image in my RAW editing software. + +The video specs are very close to the Hero 10. The Hero 11 can record 5.3K video (up from 5.2K) at up to 60fps, 4K at up to 120 frames per second, and 2.7K at up to 240 frame per second if you want to shoot high-res slow motion clips. + +The final hardware change worth noting is that GoPro's longer lasting Enduro battery, previously available separately, is now standard in the Hero 11. GoPro claims that the Enduro extends shoot times by 38 percent. In my experience battery life is ultimately determined primarily by what you're doing. Taking the default use case—shooting 5.3K at 30 frames per second in sunny conditions—I was able to get one hour and 13 minutes of footage. That's much better than the standard battery that came with the Hero 10 and gave up the ghost well before the one hour mark. There are also numerous way to extend battery life, like turning off Wi-Fi and GPS if you don't need them, or enabling Extended Battery Mode, which limits your video quality, but it's better get the footage at 5.3K 30 frames per second than miss it because the 60 frames per second killed your battery. + +The biggest news in the software department is The Hero 11's new option to shoot in 10-bit color. Shooting in 10-bit color gives you greater dynamic range when you shoot in a flat color profile and do all your color toning in post. In other words, 10-bit color is most useful to those who love editing video and fine tuning their color toning in their post production workflows. + +As somehow who largely dreads post production video editing, I was far more excited about some of the other new software-based features in the Hero 11 Black, especially the star trails feature. If you've ever tried shooting star trails before you know how laborious of a process it is, stacking hundreds of images, so this will probably blow your mind: the Hero 11 can shoot perfect star trail video with a single press of a button. And here again the ability to pull a 24 megapixel still out comes in handy to grab star trails images. + +Other new software modes include a light painting mode if you want to have some fun with a flashlight, and a vehicle lights mode to easily turns night time car lights into rivers of white and red. + +In keeping with the idea of less work for the user there are now two modes available in the GoPro: Easy and Pro. The camera ships in Easy mode, and offers a streamlined interface for those who aren't going to wade deep into the GoPro's color settings and other fine tuning details. If you are a Pro, or just used to the old UI, it's, um, easy to switch to Pro, which is the familiar old GoPro interface. + +Another nice feature isn't directly related to the Hero 11, in fact it works with all GoPro's going all the way back the Hero 5, that is more control over Auto Highlights video. You do need to be a GoPro subscriber for this one, and you have to turn on Auto Upload. Once you do the Quik app will automatically generate edits and put them in your Quik app. That much has been around for a while, but GoPro will be introducing the ability to edit Auto Highlight Video without downloading the source files to your mobile device. You'll end up editing a low-resolution proxy, but then when you export or share to another app it'll send the high resolution version. Unfortunately this was not available for testing when I was writing this review. + +Alongside the new Hero 11, GoPro is introducing a new camera, the Hero 11 Black Mini, which is a Hero 11 Black in a smaller form factor sans screens. That means there's no way to review your footage and no way to even frame the shot in many cases (you can pair it with the Quik app and frame that way). That might sound strange, but for many of GoPro's core uses cases, that is the people that really do strap GoPros to their body and go surfing or climbing or motocross riding, the weight savings and streamlined form factor trump screens (which you can't see anyway when it't on your head. + +There's another aspect I like about the Mini though. A while back Leica released a digital rangefinder with no screen, that is, no way to review your images. The Leica was impractically expensive, but I rather liked the message behind it: just shoot. Stop checking to see if you "got the shot" and just shoot. The Hero 11 Mini reminds me of that ethos. As GoPro's head of Product pointed out to me, it's not the kind of camera that you sit there shooting at your kid's party—being less in the moment—rather you stick it in the corner, push record and go back to living. + +All that said, I did not actually test the Hero 11 Mini, and still think, for most people, the Hero 11 Black is the best action camera to buy. + + + + + + + + +## MSR Freelite 2-Person Backpacking Tent + +My backpacking life is an endless struggle between my desire to carry as little weight as possible, and my desire for comfort in the backcountry. + +Lately comfort has come to mean good food. That is, real food, not boil-in-pouch food. If I can carve a little weight out of my basic kit—tent, sleeping bag, pad, clothes, etc—I can bring bacon and eggs without overloading myself. This is why the MSR Freelite first piqued my interest. + +At just two-pounds for the two-person version, the new Freelite shaves 9 ounces off the previous model, but remains surprisingly spacious. It's well-ventilated, features plenty of storage pockets and gear lofts, and unlike many tents at this weight, offers two doors with two vestibules. + +## Ultralight and a Little Tight + +There are three Freelite models available, a 1-person, the 2-person I tested, and a 3-person. MSR bills the 2-person model I tested as a "semi-freestanding tent for backpacking pairs." I think what MSR means by that is that this tent is great for two people who don't mind being, well, close. + +At 50 inches wide, the Freelite offers room for your standard 25-inch wide inflatable pad. I tested it using a [pad from Sea to Summit](https://seatosummit.com/products/ultralight-insulated-mat), and the [Tensor pad from Nemo](https://www.nemoequipment.com/collections/ultralight-sleeping-pads/products/tensor). + +One of my favorite aspects of the Freelight is that there's no taper. The Freelite is truly rectangular: the width at the feet is the same at the width at the head. The tent is 82 inches long, and the inner walls are steep, making it good choice for taller folks. I am 5'11" so it's a little tough to truly test, but I would think it would be comfortable for people up to 6'3". + +While it's just wide enough to accommodate two, there isn't much room besides. For couples, or if, like me, you're backpacking with kids, this is the near perfect amount of sleeping space. I shared it with my 10-year-old and found it to be plenty roomy. If you don't want to be right next to your hiking partner, you might want to look at the [3-person model ($480)](https://www.msrgear.com/tents/backpacking-tents/freelite-3-person-ultralight-backpacking-tent/11513.html) which adds 12 ounces, but is over a foot wider. + +One of the ways MSR has saved on weight in this tent is the pole structure, which consists of a central hub pole that sprouts out in three directions, and a cross-pole that fits over on top horizontally. The hubbed pole ends fit into aluminum grommets at the base of the tent. The grommet straps can then staked out using MSR's "Needle" stakes. Weighing a mere quarter of an ounce, these little stakes looked flimsy and made me a little nervous. I brought a few other stakes I needed to test as a backup, but in the end, I went with these. They're light and thin, but stood up to some heavy pounding with rocks, and worked great with guy loops at the base of each pole. + +Once you have the grommet straps at the base staked and the hub poles set up, the tent clips in place and then you can install the cross pole. The cross pole helps increase headroom (38 inches tall by my measurements) and stretched the mesh side to side, allowing the Freelite to have nearly vertical sidewalls, which goes a long way to making this tent feel roomier. Altogether it took me about three minutes to set up. + +One thing to bear in mind though is that this is not a free standing tent. You need to stake out both corners at the foot of the tent in order for it to function properly. Additionally there the vestibules require a stake each, making for a minimum of 4 tent stakes to pitch it. + +Staking out the foot of the Freelite was easy enough in the north woods of Michigan where I did my testing, but it's something to keep in mind if you are primarily camping on slickrock mesas out west where staking is impossible and the only options is tying guy lines to rocks. I did test using only rocks to set it up, and it definitely works if you have the rocks to do it, but a semi-freestanding design would probably not be my top pick for backpacking in the canyon country. + +For those of us not camping on rock, the trade-off of needing to stake out the foot area is well worth the weight savings. + +The inside design offers a good amount of storage space. There's two gear loft pockets—each with enough room for a headlamp and pair of glasses, as well has two "media" pockets in the corners with a small hole at the bottom for headphones or a power cord if you bring that sort of thing in the backcountry. + +The Freelite has a head end where the nylon fabric comes up higher to protect from wind gusts, and foot end that's all mesh. On cold nights I'd suggest sticking with the head as the head, but at my daughter's insistence we slept the other way for maximum star gazing through the mesh walls at the foot. The only downside to sleeping backwards is that it's harder to get in and out, and theoretically, a little colder. + +There are doors on both sides of the Freelite, and both doors have vestibules, making it easy to get in and out without disturbing your tent mate. The zippers are lightweight, but were easy to use and didn't snag or catch in my testing. The vestibules open up wide and only open over the door so you can get in and out of the tent without having to climb over any gear stashed on the other side of the vestibule. + +Like the Nemo Hornet, which uses a similar design, the rainfly is cut higher at the head end of the tent to save on weight. While I did not have any problems with this, pay attention to how you stake out your rainfly because the higher portion of the rainfly is more likely to flap in the wind, and could potentially let water drip on the inner tent if the fly is not staked and guyed out properly. That said, I had no issues with it even on a very windy, gusty night of testing. + +MSR stopped making tent-specific footprints a while back to cut down on waste. If you plan to camp on rough ground though I highly suggesting getting one. I did not test it, but MSR's [Universal Footprint 2-person Regular ($45)](https://www.msrgear.com/tents/tent-accessories/universal-footprint/universal-footprint.html) will fit the Freelite 2-person. + +The Freelite 2's square design and high headroom throughout make it somewhat unique. Similar tents include the [Nemo Hornet 2-person](https://www.rei.com/product/139940/nemo-hornet-2-tent), which is 6 ounces heavier and slopes off sharply at the feet making it less roomy, and the [Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL2](https://www.rei.com/product/188354/big-agnes-tiger-wall-ul-2-solution-dyed-tent), which is heavier, but does have slightly larger vestibules. That said, like the Nemo, the Tiger Wall slopes off sharply at the feet. We have not tried either, but based on specs, and my experience in the Freelite, I would take it over the Nemo. If your hiking partner is not your significant other, the roomier Tiger Wall UL 2 might be a better option. + +The MSR Freelite 2 is one of the best ultralight 2-person tents I've tested. It's light enough to bring on a solo trip, large enough for couples, and is one of the cheaper options in this weight/size class. + + + + + + +## Review title info +the main headline at the very top is always: Review: Company Product Name (ex: Review: Apple iPhone 14) +site headline (first one after the body copy) does not follow this format and is one where you can actually have a bit of fun. (ex: The OnePlus 10T Is Zippy but Bland) +Social headline can be the same as the site headline. +SEO Headline always has the following format: Apple iPhone 14 Review: Crazy Expensive but Fast +Pro tip: for deks, try not to have an echo, which means there's no repeated word from the headline above. (Ex: If the headline says "Apple" or "iPhone 14", don't say Apple or iPhone 14 in the dek.) + +## Celestron StarSense Dobsonian TeleScope + +We live in a time of abundance for the astronomy enthusiast. There are dozens of apps designed to help you navigate the skiess, find good viewing locations, and weather windows for optimal viewing. On top of all that optics have never been cheaper and integration between hardware and software has never been better. + +Celestron's new StarSense Dobsonian telescope is a great example of that. With a smartphone cradle on the scope, and an app that's calibrated to it, you can easily find your way around the night sky even if you have no idea how to visually navigate the stars. + +## Dobsonian + +I've previously tested and loved Celestron's StarSense Explorer DX telescope ([9/10, WIRED Recommends](https://www.wired.com/review/celestron-starsense-explorer-telescope/)), which uses the same smartphone app and cradle. The tech here is both impressive and simple, combining the power of a star map in your phone with a mirror on the telescope to handle the navigation for you. The difference with the Dobsonian model is that it's much larger and more powerful. + +A Dobsonian telescope is a Newtonian telescope, with what's know as an altazimuth mount. The mount, which turns in a circle and allows the scope to move up and down, supports the weight of a larger mirror, and put the balance point near the bottom of the scope. The result is a big telescope that's not too heavy and is easy to move around thanks to the ground mount. + +Celestron has released two nearly identical models, one is an 8-inch scope and the one I tested, a 10-inch scope. Aside from the size (and thus light gathering power) the design is identical. + +The StarSense arrived in two packages, the base, which is packed and assembled like a piece of IKEA furniture, and a massive box containing the scope itself, which arrived fully assembled. All you have to do is put together the base, which took about 20 minutes and remains assembled. To move it around there's a handle for carrying (it's a little bulky but manageable). + +The scope also has a handle and is much lighter and easy to carry. It comes with dust covers to keep your mirrors protected when moving it around. The scope fits into the base and tightens down with two large knobs. You then position the scope using these knobs. Then attach the phone cradle mount. The last step is to add the star spotting scope which is used mainly to calibrate the app (or if you plan to navigate manually). + +Once its assembled, you need to calibrate the scope using a fixed object about a quarter-mile away (I used a small building). Drop your phone in the holder, open the app and it will walk you through the process. + +This is the heart of the Celestron system—the phone cradle on the telescope that holds your phone in place. The app uses your phone's camera, pointed down into a mirror on the cradle, to figure out where your telescope is pointed, and then directs you which way to move it to find whatever you want to look at. + +If you've never tried using a telescope without a smart app, it's difficult to understand the magnitude of what Celestron had with it's smartphone enabled telescopes. The best I can say is that although I took two semester of astronomy years ago in college, I still find using a telescope challenging. + +That's why I love the Celestron StarSense system, I don't have to spend hours trying to find stars for my kids to look at. I just pull up something in the app, and follow the arrows until I have it in the eyepiece, and I'm done. The kids look, there are oohs and ahs, and none of the frustration and waiting and loosing interest that would happen if I navigated by hand. Eliminating that overhead of learning how to use a telescope is a huge win for getting kids interested in astronomy. There is still much value in learning how to use a telescope, but that can come down the road after the interest is sparked. + +Might I also suggest, if you're trying to get kids interested, that you start with the moon. It's huge, you can see tons of detail, and you can teach them some telescope technique, like looking at the edge of the object to find details. + +Another nice feature of the app, when you are looking at other objects in the sky, is the description section, which gives details on the object, and the observation suggestions. For example is you want to see a star cluster the StarSense will suggest a lower power eyepiece so you can see the whole cluster in a single view. + +How much you see through this telescope or any other does depend on where you live to some extent. Setting this up on a rooftop in Manhattan will not reveal nearly as many stars as I saw testing in around the north shore of Lake Superior. Light pollution in cities makes star viewing challenging. At the same time I was hampered at times by trees. The best views you'll get will be from the top of a mountain or out in the middle of the desert, which is why the portable aspect is important. + +Those question is, do you opt for the more expensive larger Dobsonian scopes, which definitely offer a better view of the stars, or go for the cheaper Explorer DX 102 refractor telescope, which is more portable? In the end I think both are great choices. I think the Dobsonian is particularly great if you have kids because the size makes it both impressive and the Dobsonian design is such that it's easier for kids to move it around and take part in the process of navigating the stars. + + + + +## Haikubox Review + +Identifying birds by the song is the holy grail of bird watchers. Some people seem to be naturals, hearing a song once and remembering it forever. If you're like me—not one of those people—you've probably had the thought, why isn't there a [Shazam](https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-identify-songs-with-phone/) for birds? + +Surely if Shazam can identify a song with a few seconds of bad audio playing over some blown out speakers, someone can figure out how to do the same for a bird singing clearly in a nearby tree. + +That, in a nutshell, is what the creators of the Haikubox have done—created the Shazam of bird song. + +That in itself is welcome and remarkable, but the Haikubox turns out to the much more than that. It's one of the rare pieces of technology that actually increases your connection to the world around you rather than cutting you off. + +## Neural Net Smarts + +Bird migration started early this year. I know this because my Haikubox told me. Not in so many words, but it started announcing new warblers arriving by the middle of August, which means they're already heading south to the their winter grounds in Central and South America. + +With a full time job and three kids, I don't have time to get out and bird everyday so I likely would have missed the Cape May warblers when they came through for a couple weeks at the end of August. They never stay long and I always thought they stuck to the birch clearings a good mile up the road. Thanks the Haikubox, I know that while they do tend to spend their days elsewhere, they pass by my home in the mornings and I was able to see them because the Haikubox alerted me whenever it heard one. + +This is magic of the Haikubox—it expands your world. + +For something so remarkable, the Haikubox is decidedly prosaic in appearance. It's a 4-inch by 6-inch rounded square box about 2-inches thick. On the bottom is a sealed exit for the power cord and a small microphone that records sounds around the Haikubox. While the Haikubox is weather resistant and I have had no trouble with it in the rain, the company recommends keeping it out of direct sunlight and don't submerge it. Once you have a good spot, plug it in, connect it to your Wi-Fi network via the Haikubox Connect app and the Haikubox will start recording audio 24/7. + +That's the end of the hardware, but that's not where the magic really lies. Once connected to your wireless network, the Haikubox send its recorded sounds to the servers at Cornell's world-renown ornithology lab. + +The [Cornell Lab of Ornithology](https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/) has thousands of bird song samples and a neural net for processing them. Neural networks are a form of machine learning software well-suited to recognizing patterns in audio—its how Siri and Google Assistant understand your voice—and can filter out bird songs from background noise. In order to find patterns though, the neural net first needs to learn what the pattern is, which is where [Cornell's library of bird song recordings]() comes in, it provides the training the AI needs to learn which sounds are bird songs and which ones are you watering the garden. + +Cornell has been tweaking its neural net for some time. If you'd like to experience this without investing in a Haikubox, you can grab Cornell's Merlin Bird ID app, which relies on a small subset of the data and an AI processor similar to what the Haikubox uses. Haikubox create David Mann tells WIRED that the Haikubox uses a modified version of BirdNet, which is called BirdNet for Haikubox. + +Neither BirdNet nor BirdNet for Haikubox is perfect, but it's impressively accurate most of the time. Even better, you can use the Haikubox app to help the AI improve. + +## Haikubox App + +To see which birds your Haikubox has heard and attempted to identify, you can use the Haikubox app for Android, iOS, or the web-based interface. The first time you open the app you set up an account and then you can login via that account from any device. The data in each app is the same, and I used all three in course of my testing. I found the mobile app more useful for notifications, but preferred to go through explore the species info in the web app, since I could open eBird and other extra info in background tabs. + +Once your Haikubox has had a few hours to record it will begin to show you the species it thinks it has heard. Each identification gets a nice color image, a couple of links to Cornell's [All About Birds]() and eBird websites for more info on that species. There's also a button to listen to the Haikubox recording and an option to tell the AI whether or not it's correct. You can even say, "no it's a..." and enter the species name if you're confident you've got it right. If you're not a bird song expert don't worry, you can still let Haikubox know when it has recorded wind chimes or sprinklers or other noise that occasionally tricks it. + +By default the Haikubox will show you a screen with the bird calls it has picked up on in the last two hours and has medium confidence about. You can change the duration to the last six hours, 12 hours, or 24 hours. The longer time spans are good for figuring out what's happening at night around your Haikubox. There are also two other confidence settings, high, and no filtering at all. The latter I found too noisy to be helpful. High is useful for eliminating most of the questionable sounds, but I stuck mainly with the default. + +There are three other views available for your overall bird song data. One is real-time, which shows you what's outside right now. In my case this is almost exclusively red-breasted nuthatches and black-capped chickadees. Then there's a view with the top ten most frequently heard birds, and finally a screen with all the birds heard this year. I found this one useful for going through and confirming the neural net's guesses. One thing I suggest to Mann is adding a button to listen to a known-correct eBird recording next to what the Haikubox found. This was you could listen side by side and that might help with the tougher recordings. + +And sometimes there are recordings that are tough to figure out. The Haikubox is convinced there's a mute swan around me, which is technically possible, though I have never seen one, nor has anyone else on eBird this summer. In cases like this I waffled. At first I marked it wrong because the audio was very indistinct, but then it came up again, and sounded almost exactly the same and I wasn't so sure anymore. I marked it "not sure" and started keeping an eye out for a mute swan whenever I'm near the lake shore. + +That's part of what I like about the device though is that it provokes you to investigate the world more closely. + +Another way the app does this is through alerts. The first alert I turned on what for new species. Whenever the Haikubox hears something that it hasn't, I get a message on my phone. But you can also turn on alerts for particular species. In the case of the cape may warbler mentioned above, I was out of town the first time it showed up, so I turned on an alert for every time the Haikubox hears one and, after a couple of days of missing them in spite of the alerts, I finally saw some. + +## Conclusion + +It's worth mentioning that by default the Haikubox shares its data with Haikubox's parent company, Loggerhead Instruments, as well as Cornell. Mann assured me there are multiple levels of filter designed to ensure that human voice is never stored. By default you can see other Haikubox's on the network. I found it fascinating to browse through and see what other people are recording, but if this feels like a violation of privacy to you, it's easy to turn off. Head to your Account page (the person icon in upper right) and click on the box that says "Make Private", and then click Save. Everything remains the same in terms of functionality, but other users will not be able to browse your data. In the spirit of sharing and citizen science I left mine open for all to see. + +There are two ways to buy the Haikubox. You can get one with a lifetime membership for $400, or you can buy one for $190 and pay a $70 a year membership fee to access the data. It's not cheap, but then bird watching in general is pretty cheap—all you need is [a good pair of binoculars](https://www.wired.com/story/best-binoculars/) and a guide book. Or maybe that's just how I am rationalizing the expense to myself. + +Even if you're not a hardcore bird watcher, the Haikubox is a great way to expand your understanding of the world. It will awaken a curiosity and will lead you to deeper understanding of what's happening in the world around you. + + +—Like ExpressVPN— + + + + + + + +--- +The art of birding by ear has always separated the truly gifted birder from the rest of us. But help is on the way for those of us who struggle. A scientific research project designed to track birds by their sounds has turned out to have a wonderfully practical use for the common birder. + +It can decipher birdsongs the way the Shazam app identifies music. + +--- + +## Pau Hana Solo Backcountry Stand Up Paddle Board + +Inflatable paddle boards are great for those of us without the means to transport solid core boards, but they still aren't exactly small. While the [Bote board](https://www.wired.com/review/breeze-aero-inflatable-paddle-board/) that I loved did have backpack straps on the bag, it wasn't something you'd want to carry very far that way. + +What if the water you want to paddle doesn't have easy access for a car? That's where Pau Hana's new Solo Backcountry SUP comes in. It packs down impressively small, weighs only about 25 pounds, and comes with a dry bag backpack that actually comfortable. Will you want to bring it on a PCT thru hike? No. But if you want to get to some more remote waterways that require a hike or bike ride first, this is the board to get. + +## + +The Backcountry in the name refers to the fact that this is a "hikeable" SUP. That is, it's small and light enough that you can theoretically hike in with it. Everything about it is indeed compact, from the included pump to the paddle itself. While this does involve tradeoffs (which I'll get to in a bit), it is impressive how small this board and all its gear gets. It's no bigger than your standard overnight backpacking pack and weighs about the same as what you'd bring on a week long trip—the board and everything you need to paddle weighs 23 pounds. Throw in a couple quarts of water, some snacks, and [a camera](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-action-cameras/), and you're looking at about thirty pounds for a day on the water. For reference, the loaded back weight of the Bote I tested previously is 48 pounds. + +The Solo dry bag pack features a solid, but unpadded, hip belt and chest strap which help to stabilize the load when its on your back. I should note that while it is about the size and weight of your typical backpacking load, it rides very differently. You can't control where the weight falls on your back by rearranging small items like you can in a backpack. The result is that you bear most of the weight on your shoulders no matter what you do. The hip belt is mainly there to keep it from sliding around on your back. Even then I probably wouldn't be super happy going more than a few miles with it on my back. And don't forget that once you arrive you have to inflate it by hand too. + +While I found the Solo portable enough to get to some places I had not been before, it will still be too much weight for some users to cart around of their backs. The good news is that the Solo also rides well on a rear bike rack, which is another possibility if the weight is a bit much for your back. + +The good news is, when you get the board out and inflate it, it's incredibly light: just 14.8 pounds, which makes it lightest board we've tested by a long shot. It does have a somewhat lower max rider weight though. Pau Hana says it will support riders up to 215 pounds. + +The other 8.2 pounds in the 23 pound total are the compact pump, paddle, fins, repair kit, leash, and the dry bag backpack itself. The dry bag is an especially nice touch since, not only does it serve as a carrying bag, but when you get on the water it'll keep your stuff dry. Aside from the portability, the dry bag was my favorite feature of the Solo. + + +## On the Water + +I found the Solo to be a very maneuverable board. I was a little disappointed that I didn't get to try it in the ocean because I think it would have been surfable. Wisconsin in oceanographically challenged though so I had to make do with lakes, albeit a rather large one. The downside to that maneuverability though is that the board was a little less stable than some others I've used. That's not to say it's difficult to ride or paddle, just that it takes a little more getting used to than some of the more forgiving, wider, beginner-friendly boards. + +The deck has a nice grip texture that never gets slick or slippery and the construction feels very solid. Like many paddle boards the Solo uses a woven drop stitch, which ensures that when the threads hit their max length (when you've fully inflated it) they hold. The Solo uses a very lightweight surface material (one of the reasons it's so light), but it didn't feel any weaker for it and it has stood up well to plenty of rocky landings and underwater branches clawing at the bottom. + +What I do not like about the Solo is the paddle. + +Every design decision involves some trade offs. Pau Hana wanted to make the Solo back down very small and so it ditched the traditional hard paddle for a soft paddle with a rigid bottom bar that adds some rigidity. The result is a paddle that packs up very small, but lacks power in the water. It works enough that you can get around, but there is definitely a loss of power. The soft paddle clamps onto the shaft with a plastic clamp that ended up breaking the second time I used it. I just tossed it and stuck a hose clamp on it instead, which works, but will of course rust eventually. + +In the end though I didn't like the paddle and I decided to reversed the trade off and bring a solid plastic paddle along, strapped to the outside of the pack. It didn't make much difference to the weight or carry of the pack and it's an option I'd love to see Pau Hana add since not everyone has spare paddles lying around. + +The other trade off worth mentioning is the small removable fins. You don't get anything like the stability of a three fin setup (with a bigger middle fin) here like you do on the Bote, that trade off didn't bother me, but it does make this a board better suited to those with some experience. The removable part was a little more worrying. I had quiet a bit of trouble getting one of the fins to lock in place and I've seen similar reports around the web, including one person who lost a fin. In my experience they lock in place pretty solidly, but getting them to do so can take some serious work. + +Finally, I have seen a number of people saying that their pump doesn't register PSI. I can see how they came to that conclusion because it seems to take forever to get it to register anything, but just keep going. Eventually you will get a PSI reading and I had no trouble getting it to the recommended 10-12 PSI. + +## Portable Price Premium + +Whether or not you should get the Solo boils down to a simple question: is the portability worth the price for you? If you primarily paddle in places with easy access, AKA you drive right on up, unload and launch, then the extra money isn't worth it. However, if you regularly find yourself wishing you could figure out a way to get your board into to some water that's just a little too far to carry your typical SUP, the Solo is might be worth it. + +I enjoyed my time with the Solo and was able to launch from and explore places I never thought I'd be able to get to with a paddle board. That alone would make it well worth the investment in my view. + + + + + +## Nighthawk M5 5G Router + +Since I moved out of my house in Athens GA in 2017 and into an RV and later a rural farmhouse in South Carolina, I have relied entirely on mobile broadband for my connectivity. I started off with a Verizon MiFi hotspot, but quickly realized that that was not enough. I bought an MVNO plan with unlimited data on AT&T and later added a similar plan on T-Mobile. + +With the exception of the Verizon device all the MVNO plans I have used require you to bring your own device. You can technically use your phone for this. I have, and still do with Google Fi, but my internet experience changed considerably for the better when I got the Netgear Nighthawk M1 router. With an Ethernet port and MIMO antenna ports to improve reception via third-part antennas, I was able to squeeze more out of the limited network speeds you get in rural America. + +I still use the M1. In fact I'll be uploading this story using the M1, but I dropped it once and cracked the case such that I can no longer use the Ethernet port. While I like the Gl.inet Spitz ([7/10, WIRED Recommends](https://www.wired.com/review/spitz-v2-4g-lte-wireless-router/)), it lacks a built-in battery, which is handy when you're traveling. + +Enter the Nighthawk M5, the latest model in Netgear's 4/5G router line. It's essentially the M1, upgraded with a touchscreen and 5G support. Unfortunately it gets a price increase too—it's now $700. Still, if you depend on mobile broadband for internet, it may be worth the investment. + +### Why a Hotspot + +If you have good cable, DSL, or fiber internet coming to your home, there's no reason to get a mobile hotspot. But if you live in a rural area where mobile broadband is the only option, a mobile hotspot like the Nighthawk M5 provides you with much better wireless range around your home (or RV), far longer battery life, and allows more devices on the network than using your phone. No, you don't *need* a mobile hotspot, but it sure is nice to have. + +As with all things mobile we suggest buying the Netgear Nighthawk M5 unlocked so you can use it on whichever networks you prefer. Most of the listings I have seen for the M5 are unlocked, but I expect AT&T will eventually offer a locked version (they have done so with all of the previous Nighthawk M-series routers). I tested the M5 using an AT&T chip provided by Netgear and using a T-Mobile chip I pay for. The M5 is certified to work with AT&T, but also supports T-Mobile. + +The best feature of the Nighthawk M5 is that it supports C-band 5G, which means you'll have better 5G reception (potentially, C-band support varies by carrier). What you don't get is mmWave 5G. That'll be disappointing for anyone wanting to use the M5 in a city where mmWave is supported, but for anyone in rural areas I think the lack of mmWave support this is a good thing because it means there are still MIMO antenna ports. To support mmWave the M5 would need to support different radio frequencies, which would mean no MIMO antenna support. Since mmWave support is almost nonexistent outside of cities, I'm happy to swap it for better antenna support for the frequencies that actually available in my area. + +### TK + +The Nighthawk M5 is about the size of a slice of Velveeta cheese and 1-inch thick. It's slightly larger and thicker than the M1, though not enough that you'll notice unless they're side by side. Like its processors the M5 is a square, black plastic hockey puck with an Ethernet port, a USB 3.1 Gen-2 port for charging and tethering, and TS-9 antenna ports on the back of the device. + +On top of the M5 is a small 2.5-inch touchscreen display that offers control over most of the settings you'll regularly use, including setting up your network and controlling which devices are connected. For advanced settings you can connect to Netgear's configuration panel in your browser. + +Setting up the M5 via the touchscreen was incredibly simple and I had no issues getting connected and personalizing my network info. Once it was set up, I had no trouble connecting any devices. I turned to the web-based interface for more complicated tasks like changing the IP range for devices or using a custom DHCP server. There are also mobile apps for iOS and Android. + +In my testing battery life was not as good and the M1, but still not too bad. I got around 12.5 hours in everyday use, working, streaming, etc. As with the M1, I found that heat has a lot to do with battery life. Do not, for example, leave the M5 on your dashboard in the sun, this is a recipe for overheating during that important Zoom call, which has happened to me with every almost mobile router I've tested. This is where the antenna comes in handy, since you can put it in the hot sun and keep the M5 out of it. + +It's also possible to run the M5 without the battery, keeping it plugged in via the USB-C port. I recommend doing this when possible as it will extend the life of the battery—only run on battery when you have to. + +I was a little disappointed in the WiFi range of the M5, it's considerably less than the M1, about 50 feet if you had good line of sight to the router, more like 25 feet if you had walls or other obstacles to deal with. That's fine for RV and Van dwellers, but not so great if you're in a house in the country. + +The real problem with the Nighthawk M5 though isn't the device itself, it's the state of mobile broadband in rural America. Even with all three carriers at my disposal, the best speed I have ever achieved around the U.S. and Mexico is 45 Mbits per second down and 20 Mbit per second up. And that was only because I happened to be parked literally under a cell phone tower. My average speed is 25 MBit per second. Most mobile broadband plans also cap data at 50 to 100 gigabytes, which pretty much means you aren't going to spending your evenings on Netflix. Or not many of them anyway. This is what you deal with in rural America. + +Given that we're starting from a pretty dismal spot it makes sense to optimize what you can, which is why I like the Nighthawk routers. The M5 isn't cheap, but it offers good reception, can be extended with antennas, is easy to use and configure, and offers passable WiFi range. Given the C-band support, which isn't common yet in hotspot routers, this is your best bet if you have good AT&T or T-Mobile signal in your area. + + +## Review Ledger Nano X +If you're serious about owning crypto, you need a hardware wallet. For most people the Ledger Nano X, which offers a good balance between handholding and simplicity, and the security features you need to make sure your crypto stays under your control, is a good choice. + +Crypto remains, despite the pretense of "big money" a very wild west environment. Hacks are common, with even some of the biggest names in the industry losing crypto to hackers. The simple fact is, if you don't have the private keys to your crypto purchases, you don't really control that money. At the same time, if you do have the keys, you need to keep them securely locked up, not just stashed on a hard drive. That's where Ledger's Nano X comes in. + +### What You Buy When You Buy Cryptocurrencies +The first thing to understand about cryptocurrencies is that when you buy one, you are not buying a thing. There is no coin or bill like you have with traditional currencies. When you buy a cryptocurrency what you're buying is a public and private key, both cryptographically generated on the blockchain. These keys are unique and unlock your portion of the blockchain, which you can then spend anywhere that takes that currency. + +Because this is very abstract and difficult to wrap your head around—and even more difficult to actually use in the real world—most of us buy our crypto through a crypto exchange or brokerage, like Coinbase or Kraken. The brokerage stores those private keys for us. A crypto brokerage is conceptually similar to a bank, but with some very important differences—most notably that your crypto brokerage is not insured by the federal government. + +While you might be fine storing your crypto in an exchange, the truth is you don't really own that crypto. You are at the mercy of the exchange. If the exchanged is hacked and your private key stolen, you are out of luck (and money). Exchanges also sometimes disappear overnight, whether they declare bankruptcy or perhaps the founders decide to skip town with everyone's currency. All this and more has happened. If you want to truly own your crypto, you need a hardware wallet like the Nano X. If you don't have your private key on a hardware device under your control, you don't own any crypto. + +### Cold Storage + +Before we go further I need to mention one important thing. Only purchase your Nano X directly from Ledger. Any other source could potentially be compromised. Yes they are available on Amazon. Yes, it does appear to be a legitimate Ledger Storefront. I still highly recommend buying directly from Ledger. Ledger has free shipping so there is absolutely nothing to be gained by buying from Amazon and you introduce considerably risk in doing so. + +That said, there could still be issues. Ledger will run you through some questions when you first set up your Nano X, but some obvious things to keep in mind. The Nano X should come shrink wrapped in plastic. The seed phrase should not be filled in. If anything seems fishy, stop and contact Ledger. + +What you'll get when your Nano X arrives looks a bit like a swiveling USB stick, with a small screen on the front, in part because it *is* a USB stick with a screen on the front. + +The Nano X is what's commonly referred to as a "cold storage," which means it stores your key offline. That eliminates the possibility of a hacker gaining access to your private keys on your hard drive, but it introduces another problem: what happens if you lose your Nano X? [WIRED has some first hand experience with the pain of losing crypto keys](). + +Fortunately you can avoid making the mistakes WIRED made in the early days of crypto. You can lose the Nano X and still have access to your crypto. The key is the 24-word seed phrase you set up when you first connect the Nano X to your PC. Lose that seed phrase and yes, you would lose your crypto. But provided you hang on to that, and you're good. That seed phrase, not the hardware itself is what really what protects your crypto. The Nano X hardware device is a convenience device that makes sending and receiving crypto easier, but the real key is the passphrase. + +Fortunately you can avoid making the mistakes WIRED made in the early days of crypto. You can lose the Nano X and still have access to your crypto. The key is the 24-word seed phrase you set up when you first connect the Nano X to your PC. Lose that seed phrase and yes, you would lose your crypto. That seed phrase, not the hardware itself if really what protects your crypto. The Nano X hardware device is a convenience that makes sending and receiving crypto easier. + +The first thing your Ledger Nano X will do is walk you through is downloading the companion app, Ledger Live. There are versions available for just about every platform, I tested it on Linux. + +First you plugin your Nano X and run through all the verification steps. The Ledger apps makes this fairly simple, including generating the 24-word phrase, which is really just some random words. You will have to verify them. Remember this is the important part. Do not lose that phrase. + +### Own Your Crypto + +Once your Nano is set up, it's time to move your cryptocurrency out of any exchange accounts you've been using. To do this you'll use the Ledger Live app to set up an "account" for each currency you own. This creates a Public Key to send your cryptocurrency too. And herein lies the main rub of the Nano X—not every currency is supported. All the big coins—Bitcoin, Etherum, LiteCoin, and dozens more—are supported. Ledger is also continually adding support. When I first started testing there was no support for Cardano, which I owned, but support has been added since then. + +Once you have the public key, you can simply go to whatever exchange you've been using to buy your crypto and then send it to the address you generated in Ledger Live. *Pro tip:* the first time you do this, send a very, very small amount of crypto. My first transaction to my Nano X was for $3 worth of ETH. Once I verified it had arrived safely, then I transferred the rest. Start small, verify, then go for it. + +Once all your crypto is moved over to the Nano X—that's it, you're done. Congrats, you own cryptocurrency. + +If you want to send crypto from your Nano X, you'll need to unlock your Nano X and attach it to your laptop (or you can connect to your phone via Bluetooth, but beyond testing this once to ensure it worked, I did not do this as I prefer a hardware connection). + +### Conclusion and disclosure + +I started testing the Ledger Nano X in 2021 and have used it for almost a full year now and I have never had any problems with it. I have not tested other wallets yet—the Trezor Model T is on my list for future coverage—but after using the Nano X for so long I really can't imagine what else I would want. I have sent Bitcoin to and from over a dozen exchanges without issue (a guide to best ways to trade crypto is coming, based on all this testing), I have traded directly from the Nano X using Coinify, and have sent Bitcoin directly from one Nano X to another. Everything just worked. + +We at WIRED are sensitive to the potential conflict of interest involved in mentioning any cryptocurrencies in articles and normally do not own shares of anything we write about. In this case, that would be impossible though, so, full disclosure: in the process of testing the Nano X I traded cryptocurrencies and made a profit doing so. I sold the entirety of my crypto holdings in March 2022, and currently have no money invested in any cryptocurrencies. + + +## Insta360 One RS 1-inch 360 Edition + +Insta360's One RS modular action camera is [one of our favorites](https://www.wired.com/review/insta360-one-rs-action-and-360-camera/). The ability to swap lenses—from a typical action camera wide angle lens, to a 360 lens, to a Leica-designed lens with a 1-inch sensor—makes it more versatile than a GoPro. Insta360 is now building on that modular foundation with the new One RS 1-inch 360 Edition. + +The 1-inch 360 Edition sports dual lenses and dual 1-inch sensors co-engineered with Leica, and builds on the system that One RS owners already have. The Core module is the same as the action camera, but the new 360 version adds a bigger battery, a case to hold the battery and core module, and a lenses unit with dual sensors and lenses that sits on top, a little like ice cream on a cone. + +The result is a camera that produces that best looking video 360 video footage I've ever seen. + +### The 360 View + +Before I dive into the One RS 360 Edition, I should probably say that I have never been a huge fan of shooting 360 video. This is mostly because, well the human eye doesn't have a 360 degree view of the world, so um, how do you show 360 degree video to it? Sure, there's VR goggles that so far almost no one owns or uses, but even then, you can't see it all at once. The use case that makes sense to me is to capture an entire scene in 360 because you don't know ahead of time where you want to point the camera and then later, in post processing, edit the video into a normal view. This use case means you have to have a good video editor, and Insta360 is the only 360 camera system I've used that makes editing your 360 footage easy enough to make shooting it worthwhile. + +That said, if you are into 360 degree footage for its own sake, this camera is remarkable. The footage I shot is sharper and captures more detail than any other 360 camera I've used, including several of Insta360's own past efforts. If 360 video is your thing, this is your camera. + +Between the 2 sensors you get 6K video (a step up from the 5.3K that the 360 mod is able to shoot), and 21 megapixel still images. In combination with the improved sensors you get two huge lenses that are much more capable than the much smaller lenses on the 360 Mod sold with the action camera. + +The quality of video is noticeably better than what I was able to capture with the One RS. It's sharper and has less noise. This was especially obvious when shooting in low light and zooming in to look at leaves or grass or type on signs. + +The thing to understand about the 6K video though is that it sounds like a crazy high resolution, and it would be in the normal camera, but the One RS 360 edition is capturing everything around you. Professional level cameras, shooting footage for the VR goggles no one buys are typically shooting 10K and up to achieve that level of detail. Still, 6K is a step up for consumer level cameras and the clarity here is good enough that if you're framing and cutting down to produce normal video, you shouldn't notice much difference in video quality from footage shot with a 4K camera. This is especially true if your video's destination is YouTube or TikTok, both of which heavily compress video anyway. + +This opens up the possibility of using the Insta360 One RS 360 Edition a one-person camera rig. Any 360 camera can do this of course, but the improved video quality on the 360 Edition mean that the reframed footage doesn't suffering the loss of quality you'd get doing this with most other 360 rigs. + +The downside to the huge lenses on the 360 Edition is the weight. This is largest, heaviest 360 camera I've used. It feels especially awkward mounted at the end of a selfie stick. File that as reason #132 that you should never use a selfie stick. If you must though, know that Insta360 does not recommend a selfie stick over 4 feet when you're doing anything like running, biking, skiing, etc. That said, I stuck it out the window while I was driving 55 MPH and it was fine, so it's not like you can't stress it, just know that strong jolts could snap your selfie stick. + +The other possible downside to these lenses is that they're spherical and really hang out there. They seem like they'd scratch easily. Insta360 includes a soft rubber cover, but mine had a nasty habit of collecting sand on the inside if I was anywhere near a beach. For all that though, in over two months of testing, I have not scratched the lens. That hasn't stopped me from worrying that I will though. I should note that Insta360 sells a $79 add-on service which covers a one-time accidental damage repair for one year. That's better than nothing, but not nearly as good as GoPro's free replacement coverage for $50 a year. + +As weirdly heavy as the One RS 360 edition feels at the end of the selfie stick, it's fine when you're holding it in your hand. It's a bit like carting around an ice cream cone. A good bit of the extra size and weight come from the much larger battery. Insta360 claims you can shoot for 62 minutes. I could not confirm that because I don't have an SD card large enough to hold that much 6K footage. More realistically, shooting a few minutes here, a few minutes there, I was able to get through a weekend's shooting without needing to recharge. Suffice to say that battery life will not be a filming limitation. + +The microphones on the One RS 360 Editing are pretty good when the environment cooperates. If you're shooting in a windy situation though you're better off with an external mic. There's an adapter that connects to the side (and is automatically cropped out of your footage). I attached a Rode wireless mic and got much better audio that way. + +Finally, it's worth noting that, unlike the previous One RS releases the 360 Edition is not an action camera. There's the big, potentially scratchable lenses, it's not waterproof without a case, and it lacks the high frame rates you want for slow motion footage. + +### Editing 360 + +As noted above, there are very few places you can upload 360 footage. Facebook has a viewer, but in most cases you're going to be editing your footage down and panning through the 360 view. This adds overhead, but thankfully Insta360's Android and iOs apps are excellent. There's also a desktop app and an Adobe Premiere plugin. I have briefly tried the desktop app, but for the most part I find an iPad the best place to edit my Insta360 footage. + +Nothing has changed here from previous releases. You can transfer files from the camera over to your phone or tablet and then edit. There is some compression happening when you edit on mobile and fewer export options. More serious videographers will want to use Insta360’s desktop app for Windows and macOS, which gives you a larger view of you footage and can export in Apple’s ProRes format, among others. + +Much as I like Insta360's apps, I should note that for newcomers there will be a learning curve. They make editing 360 footage much easier than anything else I've tried, but they still require you know how to use keyframes and other video editing tools. There are good tutorials both in the app and online, and when you're getting started the automatically generated edits make a good starting point, but it does take some time to master the art of editing. + +### Should You Buy It? + +As much as I enjoyed shooting with this camera, I think the audience for it is limited. At $800 for the full kit and $650 if you've already got the core unit from the Insta360 One RS, this is a significant investment. The image quality is better than the smaller 360 mod on the action camera, but it's less rugged and if your footage ends up on TikTok anyway, you're not going to notice the image quality improvements. + +Still, if you're all in on 360 footage and need the highest possible image quality in a consumer camera, the Insta360 One RS 360 Edition is what you want. + + + +To be honest I am not even that big of an action camera fan. Even the action cameras I have, I have mostly because of how fast they turn on and start recording, not because I am putting them through their paces in extreme-sports-filled weekends. I say this not to denigrate what Insta360 has created here, because it really is remarkable + + +I understand the appeal of the 360 camera, but I + + +This spring Insta360 updated its core module with more processing power, which made the camera a bit faster, but now that extra power makes more sense. + + +$800 +$650 if you already own the One RS core. + + + +## HP Dev One Pop!_OS Linux laptop + +HP's latest Linux laptop sees the computer maker collaborating with erstwhile competitor (or at least fellow Linux laptop maker) System76. It sounds like an odd combo, given that System76 makes its own competing laptops, but the collaboration works. + +The Dev One as HP is calling this laptop is a very nice Linux machine that packs enough punch for developers or creatives without hitting top-tier laptop prices. Even more impressive is the work HP and System76 have put into making Linux work perfectly with the AMD chipset. + +Combining HP's hardware capabilities and industry experience with System76's Pop!_OS desktop has produced the best all around Linux laptop you can buy right now. + +### HP Hardware +In a refreshing change from how most laptops are sold these days there is only one model of the Dev One. Another nice touch is that it gets a dedicated website, which makes ordering simple. Dell, are you listening to this? + +The Dev One costs $1,100, which gets you a 14-inch laptop with a 1000 nit 1080p screen, an AMD Ryzen 7 5850 chip, integrated Radeon graphics, 16 gigabytes of RAM and a 1-terabyte NVMe M.2 2280 SSD. The RAM and SSD are user-upgradable (RAM support caps at 64 gigabytes). Getting into the components is simple, there are just five screws between you and any upgrades you want to make. The nearest Windows version of this same laptop gets a 9 out of 10 on iFixit's repairability scale. + +As the name suggests the "Dev One" is aimed at the developer audience, much like Dell's XPS 13 Developer Edition. Despite the names though, these are really just laptops with Linux pre-installed. The Dev One will work well for almost any task, developer-related or otherwise. I am typing this review on a Dell XPS Developer Edition that doesn't see much development work at all these days, but it's still a fine laptop, don't let the "developer" deter you if you're not one. + +That said, I did put the Dev One through some developer-type tasks. I set up a Python development environment which was no trouble thanks to the extensive repositories Pop!_OS offers, and ran benchmark tests geared toward developer tasks (i.e., CPU and RAM intensive tasks). The Dev One worked well for all these things, and it was no slouch at editing 4K video either thanks to that AMD chip. If benchmarks are your thing, have a look at the [tests Phoronix posted on openbenchmarking.org](https://openbenchmarking.org/result/2206123-PTS-HPDEVONE06). The results are impressive. The Dev One runs circles around many of its Intel-based competitors. + +That said, I test a lot of laptops and I'll be honest, when the Dev One first arrived I was not immediately impressed. The design is conservative, I suppose that's fitting for the developer audience. It's not that the aluminum shell isn't attractive, it's just very middle of the road. This is no [XPS 13]() when it comes to design. Still the Dev One feels very well built, and is plenty portable at 3.24 pounds. It's thicker than the more svelte options out there, but one thing I do love is how easy it is to open. There's nothing worse than a laptop you have pry open with a fingernail, but the Dev One leaves plenty of space to easily pry open thanks to its bevel top. + +Just in case you were wondering, this is not simply a HP Elitebook 845 with Linux slapped on it. Even the keyboard has been changed to give the Windows logo key it's proper name: Super. + +The Dev One's crazy bright 1080p LED screen is nice. I will admit that, coming from the 4K screen back to 1080p leaves something to be desired. I'd love to see the Dev One with a 4K option, but given the 53-watt-hour battery, that's probably not in the cards without some other changes as well. The 1080 screen works well with Linux though, there's no issues with scaling like I sometimes have to deal with on my 4K screen. And the 1000 nit brightness makes it easy to work outside, which is nice. Most of the time though I dialed the screen brightness down to 50 percent or less to conserve battery. + +Battery life is okay. I managed seven hours doing light work in text editor and web browser with the brightness at 50 percent. That's not quite the all-day that HP claims, but it's pretty close. Turn up the screen though and start compiling software and the battery life drops significantly. I averaged about 3.5 hours whenever I did anything demanding. If there were one thing I could change about the Dev One it would be to drop in a bigger battery. + +Where the Dev One shines is the AMD chipset. It is a workhorse. Not only did it crunch through everything I threw at it, the fans rarely spun up. There is no dedicated graphics card, but AMD's integrated graphics power is impressive, much better than what you get with Intel. In fact, for most people, even casual gamers, the Dev One is more than enough power. To really see it bog down, I had to go download and compile the Android Kernel, which is not something most people are going to regularly do. + +AMD even stepped in and helped HP and System76 ensure that suspend and resume worked properly. Having installed Linux on AMD machines in the past as I have that is almost always the major pain point—suspend and resume never seem to work right. The changes that System76 and HP made were contributed back upstream so if you have an AMD machine with this chipset you too should have working suspend and resume whenever your distro updates to that Linux kernel. It's no surprise to see System76 contributing to the larger open source community, but I'm happy to see HP doing likewise. + +One thing that you won't find here is Coreboot, the open source BIOS firmware. Most System76 PCs use Coreboot with the TianoCore firmware, and an open source Embedded Controller firmware as well. While Coreboot isn't in this version both companies have said they would like to include it in future releases. + +### System76 Software + +My opinion of the Dev One started to change once I actually spent some time with it. As already noted, the performance is impressive, but what really won my over was Pop!_OS. Pop!_OS is by far the best user experience I've seen in a Linux desktop. It strikes a great balance between being easy to use for Linux newcomers and well stocked with power user features. Want tiling windows? Just toggle a switch in a toolbar menu. There are loads of (customizable) keyboard shortcuts for developer who eschew the mouse, and there's plenty of trackpad gestures to control workspaces, window focus and more. + +I say this as someone who prefers very minimal systems (I run [Sway](https://swaywm.org) on [Arch Linux](https://archlinux.org/)). In fact that's all I've used for going on five years now. That said, if I were buying the Dev One I would probably stick with Pop!_OS. + +Pop!_OS is one of the most customizable desktops I've used and unlike more complex window managers like Sway, the customization is done in well-designed settings apps. It's easier to use and more intuitive in my view than macOS, and certainly light years ahead of Windows 11 and its endless toggles. + +It's worth asking what System76 gets out of this arrangement. Presumably there is some kinds of financial deal, but beyond that it gets System76's operating system and name on a tier-one laptop. That kinds of exposure has previously been limited to Ubuntu and maybe Fedora. It's good to see System76 getting some of the recognition it deserves. + +Should you buy the Dev One? If you're in the market for a new Linux notebook, this is what I'd recommend. It's powerful, user-serviceable, has a fantastic OS, all the tools developers need and it doesn't cost a fortune. That's a combo that's tough to beat. + +## Bote Breeze Aero Review + +Nothing says summer like a day on the water. Be it sailing, kayaking, canoeing, rowing, inner tubing, or some other method of floating, immersing yourself in water is the time-honored way to stay cool in the heat. Of all the ways you can get on the water, one of the easiest, and most fun, is the stand up paddle board (SUP). + +I've been testing Bote's Breeze Aero inflatable paddle board for several months now in bays, marshes, and lakes, and I am here to say it has been a long time (like since I was a kid) since I've had this much fun on the water. If you're looking for a way to get a workout, explore the hidden corners of the marsh or lake, or keep your kids entertained and cool during those long summer days, the Breeze Aero can do it all. + +### SUP Inflatable + +Paddle boards are versatile watercraft. They can be used to exploring narrow, winding waterways, or as a kind of floating platform for the kids to play on. Where the traditional paddle board doesn't excel is storage and transportation: they're big, heavy, and awkward to transport. That's where inflatable SUPs like the Breeze Aero come in: it's everything that's great about a solid paddle board, but it packs down for easy storage in an apartment or the trunk of your car. + +There are even a few advantages to inflatable paddle boards: the additional buoyancy provided by the air makes them more stable, and they're much lighter and easier to carry (though let's face it, carrying an almost 12 foot long, 25 pound object is always awkward, especially if there's any wind). Falling on an inflatable SUP is also considerably less painful than a solid board, which is worth keeping in mind if you're buying with kids in mind. + +The downside is that an inflatable SUP board takes time to set up since you need to inflate it, and attach the fin in the case of the Bote Breeze Aero. It's not too bad, about 10 minutes with the hand pump, less if you spring for [the automatic pump ($200)](https://www.boteboard.com/products/aeropump-auto-electric-pump-ii?variant=39445287501963). You have to bring the pump with you of course, which adds some weight. Inflatable SUPs are also slower—since they have to be thicker—and less maneuverable. That said, both of those qualities are a plus for beginners. + +I've used both solid and inflatable paddle boards in the past and happen to much prefer the stability of inflatable boards. The Breeze Aero is my favorite of the inflatable boards I've tried. It strikes a good balance between weight, size, durability. It's not quite as tough as some triple-layer boards out there, but it's much lighter. The heavy duty PVC is held together with a composite drop stitch, which is a method of weaving together vertical fibers so that when the threads hit their max length (when you've fully inflated it) they hold. The end result in the Aero Breeze is a very study board that has stood up to everything I've thrown at it—including rocky landings, plenty of gnarled tree limbs clawing at its undersides, and transport on the roof of my car. + +I wish I could say the same for the bag it came in, which arrived ripped, an experience that seems to somewhat common judging by other reviews around the web. Bote sent my a heavier duty replacement bag that has held up well, but unfortunately does not seem to be available on their website. + +The Breeze Aero comes with a 3-piece adjustable paddle, a 10-inch removable fin (there are also to side fins that are permanently mounted), a repair kit, a hand pump, and the backpack. + +### On The Water + +The Aero Breeze is a great beginner paddle board. While I've tested a few boards, I am still learning the finer points, especially in rough water. I found the Aero Breeze to be one of easiest, most stable boards I've tried. Even my kids had no trouble getting up and staying up on it. + +With great stability tends to come a certain amount of sluggishness, but I found the Breeze Aero plenty maneuverable. I didn't run it through slalom courses or anything, but it responded well when I need to quickly point it into an oncoming boat wake for example. No inflatable will match the maneuverability of a solid board, but trade off between stability and maneuverability here is not as great as I had expected. + +One thing I wasn't such a fan of are the permanently mounted side fins on the bottom of the board. They're small enough that it's hard to see what they're adding in terms of maneuverability and stability, but large enough that they make the board bulkier when folded up. I wish there were an option to have just the detachable 10-inch center fin. + +One of the things I like about paddle boards is the way they can be adapted to a variety of needs. The bungie cords on the front of the Breeze allow for strapping down a cooler (Bote also owns Kula coolers) or anything else you might want to bring along. There are also tie downs for a seat that more or less turns your paddle board into a kayak. I used this setup to fish quite a bit and while I'm glad I never hooked anything huge (I'm not sure that would have ended well), it was fun and allowed me to cast into some places I wouldn't have been able to otherwise. + +The kayak-style setup is also adds some more family-friendly options. I loaded all three of my kids (to be clear, this was way over the weight limit and I don't necessarily recommend it), with me in the center on the seat paddling and we explored areas of a nearby lake that we'd never been able to get into before. + +### Conclusion + +As I noted above, the Breeze Aero is the most fun I've had on the water in a long time. It's a hefty investment, especially with the kayak-style seat, but one that will last and opens a whole range of family fun that we'd otherwise have no way to access. Did I mention it's also a workout? The day after my first long test paddle I was painfully sore. Exercise, play, exploration, fishing... what more do you need really? + + + + +## DJI Mic + +DJI is still best known for its drones, but that hasn't stopped the company from expanding into interesting areaa, whether its action cams or laser-firing robots. The latest foray afield from drones is a wireless microphone system, dubbed the DJI Mic. + +If DJI's Action camera began life as a GoPro clone, the new Mic is something of a Rode Wireless Go clone. Just as the action cam bested the GoPro in several ways, DJI has managed to turn out a compelling alternative to what many consider the industry leading wireless microphone. + +The DJI Mic is a clever system that's portable, easy to use, and offers good sound quality for the price. It's not going to be the best possible sound in a studio environment, but it's perfect for podcast interviews, field recordings, and vlogging when the receiver is mounted on a camera hot shoe. + +### Carrying Case + +DJI's Mic system consist of two transmission units and one receiver. The transmitters have a power and record button on the side, and a 3.5mm microphone jack, as well as a built-in microphone on the top. They have both a clip for attaching to clothing and a very powerful magnet for attaching to anything metal. It's a strong enough magnet that DJI recommends keeping it away from devices with SSDs and RAM. + +The receiver features a touchscreen for controlling settings on the front, a power button and USB-C port on one side, and a headphone jack and 3.5mm line out jack on the other side. This means you can monitor your recording and feed it though to any camera that can accept audio input. + +All this comes in a handy little carrying case that holds both microphone units, the receiver, a lightning adapter, and a USB-C adapter. This case serves as the charging unit for all three pieces in addition to keeping everything neat and tidy in your bag. A small pouch can then hold the case along with two provided windscreens for the mics and a couple of cords. The whole package is about twice the size of a deck of cards and very clever. + +I bring this up because we at WIRED use Rode wireless mics for all our video work and while the Rode's are similarly small, they lack the handy carrying case and are, frankly, a pain in the ass to deal with. They're always falling out of their velcro carrying pouch and disappearing into dark corner of my bag. Not so with the DJI Mic, which is always nice stored in its case and ready to go. + +The clever case aside, there is much here that's comparable to Rode's popular wireless microphone system. Where DJI comes out ahead compared to Rode is wireless range. DJI claims 250 meters. I found this reasonably accurate so long as line of sight is available. That said, I have trouble thinking of common recording scenarios in which this is helpful, if it is though, you have it with the DJI. + +The transmitters are heavier than I would have liked, but the clips held up well enough if you have a proper collared shirt. T-shirts are more challenging, but but I did get to stay. The included windscreens worked well, though a windy day at the beach still sounded, well windy, but in normal circumstance these will keep the breeze from interfering with your audio. + +The built-in microphones feature omnidirectional audio, which makes them useful for miking situations where you want to capture audio coming from several directions. Because they can be paired, you can even use them to record everyone around a conference table, for example, or any other situation where you have primary audio coming from multiple directions. + +The big question of course is how do they sound? Well, I am not a professional audio engineer, but I do do a lot of audio recording (primarily field recordings) and in most circumstances, to my ears the DJI sounded as good or better than the Rode Wireless Go. The transmitters seemed a little more finicky when using them directly as a lav-type mic. I had to play around the placement to get nice, crisp audio off a shirt collar—this would be one place I'd give the Rodes the edge—but as with most miking problems, the solution is playing with mic placement, not blaming the microphone. + +That said, if you already have better microphones, the DJI transmitters might still be worth it for a wireless features alone. Just plug those fancy Sennheiser lavalier mics in to the 3.5mm jacks (via an adapter if need be) and you've got a nice wireless setup. For most of us though, I think the built-in mics are fine in most situations. + +Another reason to prefer the DJI to the Rodes is the entire experience of using them is much nicer. They're easier to charge thanks to the case. They're easier to carry around, again thanks to case. The touchscreen interface on the receiver makes it easy to quickly change settings, and I've never found another system that makes it easier to switch from recording with the DSLR to recording with your phone. Again, everything you need is right there in the case. And thanks to the USB (or lighting) adapter dumping your audio for editing is as simple as plugging it into your device and copying over the files. + +For vloggers looking to step up their audio game, or for anyone doing podcast or interview recording DJI's system is well suited. It's good enough as-is, and if you want to invest in more expensive microphones down the road, it still makes a great wireless system for those mics. + + +## How to Switch to Google Fi + +Since it launched in 2015, Google's Project Fi has become one of the best ways to get an affordable phone plan. Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T may be the best known cellular providers, but Google Fi offers better data plans, more international coverage, and the simplest set up and billing system you'll find. What's more the company recently raised the data cap on its Unlimited Plus plan. + +In the beginning the catch was that Google Fi only worked on select phones, but these days it'll work on just about anything, though some features (like network switching) may be missing. + +I activated my Google Fi chip using a Nokia 5.3, which is not an officially supported device, but it worked just fine. I also tested the sim in the [Spitz router](), a Sony Xperia, and am using it now in a One Plus 7 Pro (which is officially supported). All that said, you should [double check the compatibility of your current device before you buy a plan](https://fi.google.com/compatibility). + +The reason I finally made the switch to Google Fi has to do with the data plans. Google likes to say that data is data is data. In other words, it shouldn't matter if you're calling, texting, or downloading web pages, it's all just data over the network. While I applaud that approach, the reality is Google is a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), and it has to lease wireless capacity from T-Mobile, which has a decidedly different view of data. + +Google Fi did recently up its data limits though, from 22 gigabytes a month to 50 gigabytes a month (for the same price). That's close enough to usable internet access for nomads and rural internet users like myself that I signed up. + +Here's how it works. + +### Pick a Plan + +Google Fi offers three plans. All of them include unlimited calls and text and none of them require a contract. There are also no sign up fees, though you will still have to pay taxes and government fees. + +* **Simply Unlimited Plan $50/month** This plan is probably the best choice for most users. It offers high speed downloads up to 35 gigabytes, after which you'll be throttled. The catch is that this data is only good on your phone (technically 5 gigabytes can be used for tethering, but if that's your use case, the next plan is your best bet) +* **Unlimited Plus Plan $65/month** If you want to use your Google Fi connection for more than just your phone, this is the plan you want. It comes with unlimited tethering, even in Canada and Mexico. After you activate your Unlimited Plus plan you can put your chip in a 4G hotspot like the Gl.inet Spitz router (8/10 WIRED Recommends). This plan also gets you 100 gigabyte of storage with Google One. +* **Flexible Plan $20/month + $10 per gigabyte used** This is Google's pay as you go plan. It's a good choice if you don't use much data. Data speeds are capped after 15 gigabytes, but if you're routinely going over that you're much better off with one of the other plans. + +All of the prices above are for a single line, they all go down slightly as you add more lines. For example I plan to add a second line to my Unlimited Plus Plan soon, which will make both lines $55 each, or $110 per month total (plus taxes and fees). + +### Activate Your Chip + +Once you've picked your plan and signed up Google will mail out a chip. It took a couple of days for mine to arrive, but I'll gladly take the slight delay if it saves me from setting foot in a T-Mobile store. + +Once your chip arrives, plug it in your compatible phone, download the Google Fi app (you'll need to be on WiFi to do this since your chip won't connect to the network yet), and follow the steps there. If you're porting in your old phone number it may take a little longer, but for me, setting up a new number it was up and running after about five minutes. + +That's it, you're done. I have traveled and lived in rural areas for the last five years I've tried just about every phone and hotspot plan around and none of them are anywhere near this simple. The only one that comes close is Red Pocket mobile, which I still use in addition to Google Fi. If you're interested in some other options, check out our guide to [MVNO phone plans](https://www.wired.com/story/guide-to-mvno-phone-plans/). There are cheaper plans for those that don't need to data, but in terms of ease-of-use and reliability, Google Fi is hard to beat. + +### Use Google Fi in a Hotspot + +You must activate your Google Fi sim card with an Android Phone using the Google Fi app, but once the activation is done, you can put that chip in any device your plan allows. If you go with the Unlimited Plus plan that means you can put your chip in an iPad, Android tablet, or a 4/5G hotspot. I do that later and it works very well. You are still bound by the 50 gigabyte data limit though so make sure you don't go too crazy with the Netflix. + +It used to be that to do this you had to ask Google for a data-only sim card. You will still see this advice all over the internet, but I confirmed with Google that a data-only sim is no longer necessary. tk—need to confirm this. + +### FAQs, Tips and Tricks + +* **Do I Need A Google Account?** Yes, you do need a Google account to sign up for Google Fi, but otherwise you don't need to be all-in on Google to use Fi. I have an Android phone and WIRED forces me to use Gmail, but otherwise I do not use any Google services other than Fi and it still works great. + +* **Is Google Fi tracking my every move?** Yes, but so is your current provider. The Google Fi Terms of Service say that it won't sell Customer Proprietary Network Information—things like call location, details, and features you use—to anyone else. + +* **I'm traveling and want to Use Google Fi abroad, will that work?** Yes. Fi's Terms of Service do require you to activate your service in the United States, but after that it should work anywhere Fi has [partnered with an in-country network](https://fi.google.com/about/international-rates). The one possible catch is long term travel. The ToS [says](https://support.google.com/fi/answer/6157794) that if you "use Fi service predominantly internationally, you may have your international capabilities suspended." There's no official clarification on what constitutes "predominantly", but unofficially I know several people who have been out of the U.S for years using Fi and have had no trouble. Still, as they say, your mileage may vary. + +There are several features available through the Google Fi app that you might not discover at first. + +One comes from Google's background with Google Voice, which has a feature that allows you to forward calls to any phone you like. This also possible in Google Fi. All you need to do is add a number to Fi's forwarding list and any time you get a call, it will ring both your cell phone and that secondary number—whether its a home phone, second cell, or the phone at the AirBnB you're at. This is very handy in places where your signal strength is iffy—just route the call to a landline. Similarly it can be worth enabling the Wi-Fi falling feature for times when you have access to Wi-Fi but not a cell signal. + +Another feature that's becoming more and more useful as the number of spam calls I get goes ever upward is call blocking. Android and iOS calling apps can block calls, but that just sends the caller direct to voicemail and you still end up getting the voicemail. Block a call through the Google Fi app and the callers gets a message saying your number has been disconnected or is no longer in service. So far as they know, you've changed numbers. To set this up open the Fi app and look under Phone Settings for "Spam and blocked numbers." Tap "Manage Blocked numbers" and then you can add any number you like to the list. If you change your mind all you need to do is delete the listing. + + + +### Setting it Up + +Google Fi is a T-Mobile MNVO. + + +### Mobile Hotspot + +Data is data is data. To everyone but an ISP. + + +## Coleman Cascade and 1900 Stove Review + +At the end of every circle you find yourself back at the beginning. This is the best way to think about Coleman's new Cacade and 1900 series 3-in-1 stoves. After playing around with interesting designs in stove shape, burner design, and power, as well as cooking surfaces, Coleman is coming back around to where it started, with stoves that look much like the company's classics from the 1950s and before (which are still much sought after in the used market). + +That doesn't mean these stoves are clones of the old ones. Both the Cascade series 2-burner and the 1900 series 2-burner features modern conveniences like electric ignition, hot plates, and grill plates, and both burn propane, not the mixed liquid fuel sources used in stoves of yore. Still, in other important ways, they are indeed throwbacks to an earlier age. + +The result is a camp stove that's both classic in design and modern in function. + +### Cast Iron Man + +Outwardly the new Cascade series 2-burner camp stove and the 1900 series 2-burner camp stove are nearly identical. The difference lies in color. Cascade is green—a pale green, similar to the company's older stoves rather than the dark forest green it uses today—with silver lanches and hingers, while the 1900 series is black with gold latches and hinges, but they are otherwise exactly the same shape and dimension—25 inches wide, 12 inches deep and 16 inches tall when open. + +That makes both slightly larger than the top pick in our guide to 2-burner camp stoves, the Coleman Classic, and just slightly smaller than our top pick for families, [the Primus Profile stove](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-camping-stoves/#612deb2cc614d797ab4b633c). In terms of usable space and room for pans though, both are every bit as spacious as the Primus. If, like me, you find the Classic slightly cramped (I am cooking for five when camping with the family), the Cascade and 1900 series are a much more usable size. + +The Cascade and 1900 stoves also share the same windscreen design, which features deeply scooped sides that made me nervous at first—how could this possibly block wind as well as the much larger side windscreens on the Classic when they have so much less material? The answer is that they really only need to block wind at the base, to keep the flame from going out, and at the base they're no different than any other windscreen on any stove. I did much of my testing in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, in up to 30 knot winds, and both stoves did as well as could be expected, though it's worth noting that no stove will cook well in 30 knot winds. + +The burners of both stoves are the same as what you'll find on the Coleman Classic. Which is to say that, while a larger pan will fit on the stove because it's wider than the Classic, the ring of flame is the same size. Both the Cascade 3-in-1 and the 1900 3-in-1 are capable of delivering 12,000 BTUs per burner. + +The burner size is toward the small side though, and it means that, with large pans, the outer edges get significantly less heat. Using a digital thermometer to temp around a 12-inch cast iron pan I found that temps varied by as much as 100 degrees from the center to the edge. Now it's possible to use this to your advantage, putting food you want to cook quickly in the center while rest is around edges, but I find this is more trouble than its worth in practice. The practical reality is that you'll get the best results with 10-inch and smaller pans, which heat much more evenly and in my testing rarely varied more the 50 degrees from center to edge. If you really need to evenly heat larger pans to get your group fed, I suggest something like the [Camp Chef Pro series stove](https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/camp-chef-pro-series-deluxe-2-burner-camp-stove). + +The good news is that Coleman's burner control knobs are the best I've used on a stove of this size. It's easy to light thanks to the electronic ignition switch and it's not difficult to dial it down to get your sauces simmering or crank it up to get the perfect sear on that Red Drum you landed surf fishing. + +What really sets these stoves apart from other Coleman offerings (like the Classic) is the cast iron grates. The heavy duty cast iron burner grates make cooking on these virtually indistinguishable from cooking on a gas stove in your home. + +My number one issues with camp stoves—not just Coleman, but all camp stoves—is that over time the metal grates bend and warp. You can't heat and cool stainless steel bars for too long before they begin to warp. I've never really held this against any of the stoves I've used over the years because this is just how nearly all camp stoves are designed. Some are better than others, this is part of why the Primus is an upgrade pick in our guide, it has heavier metal grates than the Coleman Classic. That said, it too eventually began to warp. + +The warping doesn't affect the function of the stoves much, but having now cooked on these Coleman 3-in-1 stoves for a couple of weeks—it is really nice to know that it's never going to warp. They're incredibly stable and they're unlikely to develop a wobble over time. That's part of the throwback aspect of these stoves, they're built like things used to be built, with solid, heavy duty materials that will last. + +The 3-in-1 in the name refers to the cast iron grill pan and griddle, which come with both stoves so you can swap out the two-burner grate for a grill and griddle. I prefer grilling over charcoal or wood when camping, but sometimes it's nice to get some grill marks on your chicken without spending 15 minutes getting the charcoal ready (and it's your only option in places where fires aren't permitted—an ever-increasing number of places). I also found that you don't really have to remove two-burner, you can put the griddles on top of it, which gives you even more cooking versatility. + +The flip side to the great construction and cooking abilities of both stoves is they aren't cheap at $210 and $230 for the black and gold 1900 series. For reference, you could buy 4 Coleman Classic stoves with the same money. However, the ability to fit larger pans make these a great option for families. If you have the money, and do enough camping to justify it, the Cascade 3-in-1 is a really nice upgrade and with some care and attention it should last decades. + + + + +## GL.iNet Spitz 4G LTE wireless router + +If you have fast internet, chances are good its because you like in the right part of a major Americal city. The rest of us get, well, this WIRED headline from 2007 sums is up nicely: [Rural America Will Never Get Fast Internet](https://www.wired.com/2007/08/rural-america-w/). Out here we get the scraps. These days, with 3G mostly shutdown, that's either nothing or, if you're lucky like me, 4G service. + +Rural 4G service is essentially your phone plan, but it has to serve, well everything. It's always metered (Google Fi offers 50 gigabytes a month "unlimited", which is what I've been using lately), and usually slow relative to something like the cable or fiber internet available elsewhere. + +One thing I've found can really squeeze a bit more out of these shoddy connections is a good 4G modem. I've tested half a dozen now, and am working on a guide, but GL.iNet's Spitz 4G LTE router is one the best and at around $200, it's realtively affordable. + +### Why You Need a Router + +Many of my neighbors in rural South Carolina just get by with their phones, either as their primary computing device or by using it as a hotspot. The phone-as-hotspot works, and for some it may work well enough, but in my case my phone doesn't get much reception indoors, so I've come to rely on 4G routers, which usually have larger antennas and get better reception. + +GL.iNet's Spitz 4G router looks like many other [routers in our guide](), albeit smaller. It's not until you open it up and find the sim card slot that you'd even know it was a 4G router. There's also a spot for a microSD card (up to 128 gigabytes) so you can use it as a media server if you like. The slot fits a micro sim. + +I tested the Spitz using a variety of sim cards from different carrier and MVNOs (which, if you're serious about having connectivity out here in the sticks you'll need). I initially tested using a T-Mobile sim, and an AT&T sim, but also got it to work with a Google Fi nano sim by carefully aligning it in the slot. I don't recommend this long term, but it works while you're waiting for your sim card adapter kit ([$4 Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Pcs-SIM-Card-Adapter-Kit/dp/B09WXT962J/)) to arrive, which you will need to use a Google Fi, or other nano-size sim chip in the Spitz. Gl.iNet has a [guide to setting up Google Fi on the Spitz](https://medium.com/glinet/how-to-use-google-fi-sim-kit-on-spitz-gl-x750-4g-lte-wireless-router-north-american-version-5bb716360fb2). + +The included LTE antennas manage to pick up signal that my phone can't. That said, it would be nice to have some MIMO ports to connect an external MIMO antenna. Otherwise though the hardware is simple and small. There are 5 LEDs on the top showing power status, WAN connection, 2.4Ghz, and 5Ghz activity and LTE connection status. + +Once you've got your SIM card inserted you connect to the wifi network and point your web browser to the Spitz admin page. This is a big part of what makes the Spitz very powerful. Behind the scenes Spitz is using the open source [OpenWRT modem firmware](), which allows you to use some tools and access features normally only found on much more expensive routers, like network wide VPN access, ad-blocking, parental controls, time-based controls and much more. + +Gl.iNet uses a custom skin, so if you're familiar with OpenWRT what you get with the Spitz will be slightly different. All the features are there—and you can install anything extra you want—but things might be in slightly different places than you're used to. + +There's really too much that's great about OpenWRT to go into here, but I think it's worth pointing out to features that help make the Spitz great. That first is what's known as band locking. Cell towers use different bands that cover different swaths of frequencies. Depending on where you are and what sort of towers are around you, some bands may be faster than others. This is partly due to local support, partly due to congestion, and partly due to something mystical, which is to say factors beyond your control. However, much of the time I have found that changing bands can make a big difference to speed. + +The Spitz makes it easy to change bands by running what are called AT commands. That might sound complex (and some of it is) but changing bands is easy. All you have to do is pick the right options from the dropdown menu and then click send. The web interface said the command had failed, but when I checked the band had indeed been switched. After experimenting with this feature, flipping though bands over the course of several weeks I found that where I am band 4 gives me about 2Mbps faster speeds than other bands. + +I also set up the Spitz to use Mullvad's VPN through the Wiregueard settings and now that I've set up a router-level VPN I'll never go back. Alas, sometimes I do leave the house so I keep the apps on all my devices for when I'm connected to other networks, but it's nice to not have to think about it at home. + +I did not play around with network-wide ad-blocking or some of the other OpenWRT features, but you can browse the project's [wiki](https://openwrt.org/reasons_to_use_openwrt) for more details. + +It should also point out that while I think the main use for the Spitz is an a 4G modem, it can also be used as a repeater, a WAN extension, or tethered to your phone. I did not extensively test any of these scenarios other than the verify that they all worked. + +The real appeal of the Spitz though is the controls you get through the OpenWRT firmware, which allows a level of customization and potential to tune your reception that you won't get in most other routers. That said, years of experience with flaky 4G networks have taught me that nothing is garanteed. The savior in one situation won't necessarily help at all in another, which is another part of what I like about the Spitz—it's cheap (for a 4G router). + +There is one drawback to the Spitz, which is that it doesn't have a 12V power supply, which means it's not a great choice for road warriors living out of vans (unless you have an inverter). If that's your use case check out the [Mudi](https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-e750/), which features the same great firmware, but has a battery and charges off USB-C, making it much more mobile-friendly. If mobile isn't a concern though the Spitz makes a great option. + + + + +## Skydio 2+ Review + +There will never been such a thing as the perfect drone for everyone. There are too many different reasons for owning a drone—some like to race, some like to shoot sweeping cinematic masterpieces, some want something to follow the fast-paced action. That said, if you fall into the latter category, the Skydio 2+ is darn near perfect for you. + +It does have some shortcomings to be aware of, I'll get to that below, but the tracking and collision avoidance software in the Skydio 2+ is better than anything else I've used by and order of magnitude. Best of all, Skydio wraps this sophistication in an incredibly simple, easy-to-use flight control system. + +### The Plus + +Skydio started out with the R1, a drone that was impressive in its feature set—it was fully automated, no controller necessary—but prohibitively expense and seemed aimed more at the enterprise market. The company followed that up with the Skydio 2, which brought the price down and added some more consumer-friendly features. + +The initial version of the Skydio 2 had two pain points: it could only stay aloft for about 20 minutes, and many people had trouble keeping the drone connected to the Wi-Fi at the further edges of its limited range (3.5 kilometers in the first version). + +The Skydio 2+ hardware update addresses those two issues with a bigger, more powerful battery and two pop-up antennas, which increase the drone's range and provide a stronger signal. + +The two hardware changes are minor, but welcome and the 2+ is all that Skydio is selling now. However, if you bought the 2, don't worry, the best of what's new in software will still work for you, and on this drone what's really impressive the software. + +That said, there's one other thing I wish Skydio had improved and that's the camera. It's capable of 4K footage at 60 frames per second, which is fine for the average user, but flying it next to the higher resolution camera in the Autel Evo Lite+ really showed how last-generation the Skydio camera is at this point. It uses a 1/2.3 inch sensor, similar to what you'll find in the DJI Mavic Mini, rather than the 1-inch sensor you find in the Evo Lite+ or DJI Mavic Air. The Skydio still produces great video results, but given how far ahead of the competition the rest of this drone is, it's disappointing that the camera isn't similarly ahead. + +I should also note that I found the white balance to be less than stellar and there's no support for D-log video, which is a bit like a RAW image is too still photography, allowing you to apply color correction is software. If you don't plan to edit and color grade your video than the lack of D-log won't mean anything it will most likely mean pros will want to look elsewhere. + +That's too bad because for pro photographers, the Skydio would otherwise be a great option (and it still is if you can live without D-log). The reason is that Skydio's automated flight features mean you don't need hours of flight experience to get great shots. + +### Keyframe + +The, ahem, key to Skydio's Keyframe automated flight system lies in its approach to obstacle avoidance. Instead of looking for objects to avoid, the Skydio 2 uses six onboard navigation cameras to build a real-time 3D map of its surroundings. It then uses this information, along with some AI smarts, to navigate its way through places that other drones can't manage. + +I tried as hard as I could to get the Skydio 2+ to crash into something while following me through some pretty dense trees, but it won't. It flew paths there was no way I could have flown on my own. The system is so good that after you use it a few time your trust in its abilities get to the point that I had to remind myself not to do certain things with the other drones I've been testing. Skydio's collision avoidance is without doubt the best I've ever used. + +That alone is impressive, but all that was in the original Skydio 2. What Skydio launched at CES earlier this year with the announcement of the Skydio 2+ was a new automated flight system it calls Keyframe. Keyframe takes Skydio's sophisticated 3D modeling capabilities and turns it into an automated flight system. You can create 3D tracks for the drone to fly. + +All you need to do is fly to where you want to start, mark it onscreen in the app, then fly to the next spot you want to be, mark it, and so on using as many points as want. When you've got all your keyframe points set up, the Skydio 2+ will then fly through them, producing a smooth, continuous shot along your flight path. The results look far better than what I was able to do by hand. I also found the "Cable" automated flight path very handy. It works the same way, but with just a start and end point and then a slider to adjust flight speed between the two points. + +### The Beacon + +There are three ways to control the Skydio 2+. The first is through the iOS or Android app. If you opt to buy the cheapest "kit" Skydio sells, the Starter Kit, this is how you'll control the drone. To some degree the experience here depends on your device. I flew it using a OnePlus 7 Pro and found it workable, though I much preferred the controller. The controller is $180 extra, but well worth it in my opinion. + +The third method of controlling the Skydio 2+ is the most interesting—using something called the Beacon. The Beacon reminded me of a Roku remote. It has no screen, but offers button controls of the basic features and it supports gestures. It's designed for use with the drone following you, and has it has built-in GPS which make the tracking more accurate. I found the gestures worked quite well and were handy when I walking, though less useful riding a bike or otherwise moving faster than walking. It's yet another thing that the Skydio 2+ offers that no other drone can really match. + +That in the end is what makes the Skydio 2+ compelling—the ability to fly like a pro, without the time investment it takes a pro to get the skills they have. The unfortunate downside is the slightly shorter battery life, and less impressive camera compared to our current top pick for most people, the DJI Air 2S. If you can live without the 1-inch sensor though, and don't know D-log from a log, the Skydio 2+ makes a great entry point to the world of drone-based film making. + + + +isn't as capable as the full controller, but it + +less capable, but still interesting—and will appeal more to those who want to focus on follow footage, but with more control. The Beacon is about the size of a small TV remote and expands on the rudimentary controls within the app with tactile buttons and, more interestingly, gesture controls. In short, hold down a button, wave the Beacon around, and the drone will follow. + + + + + + + + + + +## Autel Evo Lite+ review + +For years now DJI has dominated the consumer drone space. A quick glance at our drone buying guide reveals that half of our picks, including the top three, are all DJI drones. Part of that is DJI's excellent products, but part of it is also the lack of competitors. Until this year, there just haven't been a lot of compelling drones out there. + +That is finally changing though. Late in 2021 Autel released four drones designed to compete with the entire DJI line. The most compelling, at least on paper is the Evo Lite+, which offers roughly feature parity with our top pick for most people, the DJI Air 2S, but then adds some extras that make it well worth the extra money, especially for those using their drones primarily as flying cameras. + +### tk + +As you might have noticed from the images in this article, Autel has adopted a very DJI-inspired design for the Evo Lite+. Unlike the Skydio 2+ (review forthcoming), which re-interprets DJI's folding wing design in its own way, Autel has stuck with the tried in true. In fact, you'd be forgiven for thinking the Evo Lite+ was a DJI Air 2S. + +The dimensions are close enough that you wouldn't be able to see a size difference unless you have the two side-by-side. Autel has some more playful color options than DJI's standard gray. I thought this might make the Autel easier to see, but I did not find this to be the case in my testing—at any real distance, they're both black dots. One small difference is the camera shape and cover. The Evo Lite+ has a more rounded camera and what I would call an awkward protective cover. It's not a deal breaker but it's a little tricky to get on and off. + +The place you'll notice the most difference between the Air 2S and the Evo Lite+ is if you pick them up. At 1.8 pounds to the Air 2S's 1.3 pounds, the Evo Lite+ is significantly heavier. From what I can tell, the majority of this extra weight is in the larger battery and contributes to one of best things about the Evo Lite+: the over 40 minute flight time. + +I am so used to DJI drones that at around 25 minutes of flying I automatically start feeling like it's time to bring it home. But with the Evo Lite+, at 25 minutes you've still got another ten minutes of flying time before you need to start think about bringing it home. That's 30 percent more flying time that what you get from the Air 2S. + +Now I am not a drone racer, so I can't speak to that very well, but in terms of casual flying and filming, I did not notice the extra weight. The Evo Lite+ is plenty nimble in the air and stood up well to the high winds of North Carolina's Outer Banks (where I did the majority of my testing). + +### The Camera + +The Evo Lite+ packs a 1-inch, 20 megapixel CMOS sensor. This is identical to what you'll find in the Air 2S, with one exception: the Evo Lite+ has a variable aperture, which can be adjusted from f/2.8 to f11. The Air 2S has a fixed f/2.8 aperture. The ability to stop down the aperture in the Evo Lite+ is a huge advantage for both brightly lit scenes and to control depth of field. In many cases you can shoot scenes the Evo Lite+, and achieve a look that would require an additional neutral density to get the same look from the Air 2S. + +The other thing the Evo Lite+ offers is better low light performance. The Air 2S has a maximum ISO of 6,400 (in manual video capture) or 1,600 if you're shooting D-log. The Evo Lite+ can shoot ISO 48,000 thanks to a dedicated Night Mode. Now that number might sound like a recipe for noisy, mostly useless video, but surprisingly its not. Autel's Dark Mode algorithm manages relatively crisp video without scene-ruining levels of noise, even in moonlight. That said, I have never actually flown a drone at night (other than to test this feature) so how useful this is will depend a little on how you shoot. + +The camera you shoot with isn't the only camera that matters though. The EVO Lite+ also has obstacle avoidance sensors on the front, rear, and bottom of the drone. That mostly matches the Air 2, though DJI does have an upward looking sensor as well that can be important in some situations (like flying under tree branches). That said, the Evo Lite+ did a good job of avoiding everything I tried to run it into and I would say that overall its collision avoidance is on part with the Air 2S and should keep you out of trouble in most situations. + +My big gripe with Autel's Evo Lite+ is that it lacks built-in geofencing. That means it's up to the user to make sure they're flying safely, where they can, and obeying all local laws. That's a lot to put on users given the tangle of laws out there governing when and where you can fly these days. While I am usually in favor of letting the user have control over everything, in this case I much prefer DJI's "restricted zone" message over having to figure out where I can and can't fly. For testing purposes I relied on the FAA's [B4UFly app](https://www.faa.gov/uas/recreational_fliers/where_can_i_fly/b4ufly/) ([Android](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gov.faa.b4ufly2&gl=US), [iOS](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/b4ufly-drone-airspace-safety/id992427109)) to make sure I was during your flights. + +Autel also doesn't have the AirSense alerts DJI offers. AirSense, which first showed up in DJI +s drones in 2020, tracks the location of nearby manned and unmanned aircraft and alerts you if you're near anything. I've never had Airsense trigger an alert about anything, and it isn't on any DJI drone prior to 2020, but it would be nice to see something similar in Autel's drones. + +### App and Controller + +Autel's Sky app for iOS and Android is very similar to DJI's apps and is intuitive and easy to use. The controller I was less thrilled with it. It looks like an Xbox controller, which is fine, but it lacks any storage space for the removable joysticks like you get with DJI drones. Worse, Autel doesn't provide an extra joystick like DJI does. + +That said, the controller is easy to use and I had no trouble flying. By default the first time you take off the Sky app will put you in a beginner mode that limits speed and altitude. I suggest staying in this mode until you get comfortable and then turn it off. The Evo Lite+ is maybe slightly less responsive than the DJI Air 2S, due to the extra weight, but the weight is an advantage in the wind, which I dealt with a lot when testing. + +The Sky app offer a variety of flight modes, including Smooth, Standard, and Ludicrous. The latter enables a top speed of 42 miles an hour and more or less negates the obstacle avoidance features since you're not going to have time to react to any warning anyway. That said, it's fun to fly in Ludicrous mode. + +Overall the Autel Evo Lite+ is the first drone I've tested that holds its own against DJI's very impressive offerings. If you want the control of a variable aperture camera, along with the increased flight time, and don't mind the slightly higher price, the Autel Evo Lite+ trumps the DJI Air 2S. + + + + + + +## Insta360 One RS Review + +Insta360 has released its first hardware update for its modular action camera, the Insta360 One RS. The One RS builds on what the One R promised: namely, to combine the action and 360 degree video camera into a single, go-anywhere, do-anything package. + +The One R remains one of my favorite action cameras, especially for those who want the option of shooting 360 video by swapping a lens. This is something the GoPro just can't match, even with with the Max mod, which offers a wider (but still not 360 degree) field of view. All that said, I rarely shoot with the One R for two reasons. The first is that to get the image stabilization it offered you had to process video using the Insta360 app. The second is that the image quality doesn't match what I can get from the GoPro Hero 10. + +The new One RS solves both of these problems and makes this a camera worth considering if you're interested in stretching the shooting capabilities of your action camera. + +### The 360 Degree View + +I have to start with a confession: I hardly ever shoot 360 degree video. It's not a tool I find useful for the stories I want to tell. That said, I had, and have, a soft spot for the Insta360 One R and the way it turned the action cam into a 360 degree cam—the best of both worlds, assuming you need both worlds. + +Like its predecessor, the Insta360 One RS is made up of three parts: the battery pack, the lens and sensor (which Insta360 calls a mod), and the processor (which Insta360 calls the "core"). All three parts have been significantly upgraded in this release. + +That makes the upgrade path, or in this case paths, a little unclear. The modular design means that some of the new things are in the lens modules and some are in the "core" or non-lens module. In the end to get the full upgrade you have to buy a whole new camera. So much for the modular upgrade path. While that's disappointing, there's enough here that's new and very much improved that I think a full upgrade is well worth it. + +Let's start with what hasn't changed. The 360 lens and the Leica-designed 1-inch lens are unchanged. The 360 lens still shoots 6K footage, and the 1-inch still uses that same 1-inch sensor, which is still startlingly good for something this small. + +What is new on the lens from with the One RS is a new version of the 4K lens, which I think of as the GoPro lens because, well, it produces images and footage pretty similar to what you'll get from a GoPro. The new version of the $K lens, which is now called the 4K boost, has a larger 1/2-inch sensor. This allows for 48 megapixel still images and clearer, sharper video capture. + +The new 4K lens stacks up well next to the GoPro Hero 10. It'll shoot 4K at 60fps in 16:9, and 6K in 2.35:1 aspect ratio. The GoPro Hero 10 does manage 120fps in 4K mode, which will provide better slow motion videos, but otherwise I found the 4K Boost lens to be on par with almost everything the GoPro can do. GoPro's image stabilization is slightly better when you push both to the absolute limit, but most of us aren't going to do that which makes the comparison mostly a wash. + +The 4K Boost lens can be purchased as an upgrade and attached to your Insta360 One R and you could stop there. You'd get the higher resolution sensor and everything else would remain the same. + +However, as I noted above, the biggest problem with the Insta360 was that some of the action camera must-have features—like image stabilization—were tightly coupled with Insta360's mobile editing application. Because I prefer to edit video on a larger screen, using the software of my choice, I always disliked this aspect of the system. Clearly I am not alone, because the core module of the new One RS has been upgraded with built-in support for Insta360's FlowState stabilization system and horizon lock. There's no need to run your footage through the Insta360 mobile app just to get stabilized video. + +If you're upgrading from the One R, that means you could buy just [the core bundle](https://store.insta360.com/product/one_rs) and stick with your existing 360 or 1-inch lenses and you'd also have a significant upgrade to your system for $270. + +The biggest upgrade though is to grab the whole new system, which will also get you a larger battery and a much-improved case in addition to the new modules. + +The One R's case (which you need for full waterproofness, and to attach the camera to any mounts your might have) was fiddly and awkward to get on and off. The new case is much easier to use, you slide the body into place through the side, which means if you have the 1-inch Leica lens module you no longer have to take off the lens cover to get it in and out of the case. For me that alone makes the full camera system worth the upgrade. + +There's also now an accessory to attach an external microphone (this one is not backward compatible, the One RS has an additional mic port). I tested this with a Rode and, as you would expect, audio quality was noticeably better than what you get from the camera. The simpler case also makes changing batteries less of a hassle. + +### The Insta360 App + +I know I said I didn't like using the app, but really what I didn't like is to have to pass my video through the app just to get the image stabilization. With that now happening in the camera, the app feels less cumbersome and lets you focus on editing your 360 footage, which is where it really shines. + +I still really like the Auto Frame feature, which parses through your clips and uses artificial intelligence–powered image recognition and tracking to frame shots for you. It's the fastest way I know of to turn 360 footage into something you can actually share with friends. Even when it doesn't get exactly what you want, it give you a good starting point to go back and refine it by hand to get the shot you wanted. + +### Versus the GoPro Hero 10 + +I don't think there's much of a comparison to be made here—to my mind these are very different cameras with very different goals. If you just want an action camera, get the GoPro Hero 10. It's smaller, lighter, and shoots slightly better quality video. On the other hand, if you want a GoPro and a 360 camera in one package, the Insta360 is the system to get. + +Yes it's bulkier, moderately heavier, and the image stabilization isn't quite as good, but it gives you options, and, personally, since I export video at 4K anyway (sometimes 1080p), the video quality trade off is negligible. + +The Insta360 One RS comes in a variety of configurations. The 4K edition, which is the new 4K boost lens, with the new core, and new battery is $300. If you want the 360 lens as well, and if you're new to the system, this is what you want, the Twin edition will set you back $550. There's also the 1-inch edition, which comes with the 360 lens and the Leica-designed 1-inch lens and also costs $550. + + + +## Cuisinart Waffle Iron Review + +If you think Waffle Irons are just for making waffles, I am here to change your world. + +Waffle irons are in fact the best way to make hash browns at home. They're also great for omelettes, cornbread, birthday cakes, cookies, falafel, and darn near anything else you can think to put in them. I know this because I have spent years [living a vintage RV with a broken oven](https://luxagraf.net/1969-dodge-travco-motorhome), [relying on a waffle iron](https://www.wired.com/story/waffle-maker-rants-and-raves/) for almost all my "baking." + +If your waffle iron is going to do all that though, it needs to be up to the task. When I first bought a waffle iron it was on a whim and I went with the cheapest one I could find. It worked, but it only made two waffles at a time. Here's a recipe for conflict: have three kids and then get a waffle iron that only makes two waffles at a time. + +When that ultra-budget model died I started looking around for a replacement that could make four waffles at a time and stand up to the greater level of not-technically-waffles abuse that I was going to throw at it. Most of all it needed to easy to clean. The Cuisinart 4-Slice Belgian Waffle Maker ticks most of these boxes and isn't terribly expensive either. + +Cuisinart's Waffle iron is solidly made, with a sleek stainless lid, surrounded by sturdy plastic. It's pretty good size—it's roughly 14 inches deep, 10 inches wide, and 5 inches high—and will take up considerable counter space if you leave it out. Fortunately it's not too heavy (10 pounds) so I shove it in a cabinet under the counter when it's not being used. + +The Cuisinart makes 1-inch thick waffles with reasonably deep holes. The results are not quite what I'd call a Belgian Waffle, but the precise meaning of that term is highly debatable—some say its the batter, some the thickness, some the shape. What matters from a I'm-not-just-making-waffles point of view is that the Cuisinart's waffle plates are cast aluminum, and well-coated in a non-stick material that really is non-stick. + +I've been using it 2-3 times a week for several months and there's no sign of wear on the plates, no scratches in the non-stick, and still no sticking—and I never grease it before adding batter. And that's making hash browns, cornbread, two birthday cakes, and plenty of other non-waffle cooking. + +The secret to long life of any non-stick coating is to never use metal tools of any kind on it. Get a good silicon spatula to help gently pry out your waffles. I use one very similar to [this Oxo ($12, Amazon)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B096WDH52Z/). The silicon won't scratch the Cuisinart's plates and because it's heat-proof you won't metal your spatula. + +The Cuisinart has a very simple, five-setting temperature control. A green indicator light lets you know when the waffle iron is ready, and then again when your waffles are done. That said, I almost never pay attention to the indicator light. Everyone in my family likes their waffles at different levels of brownness/crispiness so I'd constantly be fiddling with the temp settings to make everyone happy. Instead I set it 3 and then let the kids keep cooking it as much as they want. My pro tip here is to never open your waffle iron *before* the green light turns on, but don't assume your waffle is done just because the green light is on. + +I found that the Cuisinart offers a good range of brownness through the 1-5 settings and errs on the undercooked side, which is to say that setting it to five won't burn your waffles. + +Once you move beyond simple waffles to things like hash browns the temperature settings won't do you much good, in that case you'll want to time your cooking just like you would in an oven. + +My one gripe when it arrived was that you can’t pop out the plates, which makes them easier to clean. So far, however, this has turned out to be a non-issue. I wipe it down with a damp rag after each use. It's also not that heavy, so you can turn it around to get a good angle on all sides. That said, it would be nice if those plates came out, because at some point the non-stick will start to fail—I've never owned anything non-stick that didn't eventually become stick—and it would be nice to know you can scrub them if you need to. That said, I don't consider the non-removable plates a deal breaker at all. + +Whether or not you should spend $60 on the Cuisinart probably depends mostly on how often you make waffles. If waffles are a special treat you enjoy a couple times a year, a cheaper waffle iron might suffice. For those us who are more serious about waffles, the Cuisinart + + + + + + + + + +## Benchmade Knives + +Benchmade is best known for its folding pocket knives and hunting knives, but the Oregon City-based company recently started expanding its collection into the kitchen. There's a set of steak knives, a very nice looking carving knife, and most recently, a three-piece set of chef knives. + +I should say from the outset that I am generally opposed to knife sets, which typically include knives you don't really need. In this case though all three knives are knives every cook needs: there's a traditional eight-inch chef knife, a smaller six-inch utility knife, and a four-inch paring knife. + +For most cooks, aspiring or seasoned veterans, that's all the knives you need in one neat, handsome looking set. + +### + +I got my start in professional cooking as a Garde Manger at Five and Ten in Athens GA, under chef [Hugh Acheson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Acheson). About six months after I started several of the more experienced chefs pooled their money and ordered custom Japanese knives. If memory serves it worked out to about $200 each, which was way out of my budget. I still thought of being a chef as a way to pay for college, not something I'd end up doing full time for the next seven years of my life. I did not go in on this deal and I have regretted it ever since. + +Which is to say that good knives cost good money. This Benchmade set is no exception. The cheapest handles and inlays will still set you back $750, or $250 a knife. The Maple handled set with carbon fiber bolster that I tested costs $910, over $300 per knife. Not cheap, but then, they do have a lifetime warranty so you can think of them as a one time investment. And if you're really interested in becoming a better cook, there are few investments that will pay off as well as a good knife and plenty of practice with it. + +A good knife is more than a good tool, it's an extension of your hand. A good knife doesn't have to expensive, my favorite knife has no markings on it and I can't recall where it came from, but over the years it has become what a good knife, what all good tools, become—an extension of yourself. When you forget you are holding a knife, you have a good knife. + +When the Benchmade set arrived I immediately grabbed the utility knife (what I would call a petty knife) and about ten minutes later I forgot I was holding it, it melded into my hand. The blade was thin and able to slide under the flashing on a skirt steak I was cleaning without me really have to plan it, my fingers moved, the knife obeyed. A good tool allows you to operate on instinct and experience that way. + +The handles are comfortable, well balanced against the blade, although I questioned the wisdom of having pivot ring holes in a chef knife, where they're more likely to collect food and grime than in say folding knife. Otherwise those these are good looking, light, highly responsive knives. After several months of using them, I find that about 80 percent of the time, I still reach for the six-inch utility knife. + +They hold an edge remarkably well, which means less time spent sharpening. I have only felt the need to sharpen them twice since I got them, which is far less than I sharpened my own knives in the same time period. Frankly, these seem to hold an edge better than my Benchmade folding knife. That may be due to Benchmade's proprietary SelectEdge technology, which uses 14 degree angle. That can be tricky to maintain, but I used a Work Sharp field sharpener ([$30 at Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Work-Sharp-Guided-Field-Sharpener/dp/B009YKHZ96/), [$34 at Work Sharp](https://www.worksharptools.com/shop/sharpeners/manual/guided-field-sharpener/)), which has 20 degree guides, and then just brought it down to 14 from there. + +I think it's worth noting that, more than a knife for the fanatic, these are great knives for the newcomer. They are somehow more approachable and easier to work with than many of the knives in our knife guide. I can't pin down exactly why that is, but I have observed it in the rest of my family. + +Thanks to that knife guide, I test dozens of knives every year. All of them live in the kitchen drawer (I know, the horror, but it's a good stress test). The Benchmade knives are the first test knives my wife has ever used regularly (like me she usually prefers the unmarked knife of unknown origin). My kids also used these knives without hesitation. I don't have a logical explanation for this willingness of the inexperienced to dive right and grab these knives. Some of that might be that they're less exotic than many I test. They look like what most people think of when they think of chef knives. They don't have some crazy swirling pattern in the steel, and they don't look like they need hours of care when you're done with them (because they don't). But more than that, there's just something intangible about them that makes you want to pick them up and use them. They're good tools I think, and good tools tend to call out to you. + +Knife fanatics might roll their eyes at this sort of thing, but these knives won't make them happy anyway. They will rightly object that there are harder steels out there. That's true, though there are two options for the Benchmade set, either CPM-154 or 440c, the former being what I tested. The other big objection to these would whether or not they are a good value for the money. For this price you could order custom knives like my fellow chefs did years ago. If custom knives interest you, I would pursue that idea. If you know enough about your personal taste in knives, and have the money to order a custom knife, then that is what you should do. + +These Benchmade knives are a great choice for everyone else though. They're approachable, they're thin and light, they hold an edge remarkably well, they sharpen easily, and they come with a lifetime warranty. The latter is worth noting because in my testing the bolster fell off two of the knives. I'm not sure how or why this happened, and neither is Benchmade (I sent the knives back to them to try to figure it out). I do know that if it happened to you it would be covered by the lifetime warranty. However I can't find anyone else on the internet who has had this problem so my guess is I got an anomaly. +## Sony A7 IV + +Sony's new A7 IV full frame mirrorless camera is one of the best "entry level" mirrorless cameras on the market. Yes, there are higher resolution sensors, and you won't find some high end video features, but you'd be hard pressed to find a better all-around hybrid photo/video camera. + +This update adds a new 33-megapixel sensor, an insane, nearly unlimited buffer capacity (meaning you can pretty much keep shooting uncompressed RAW/JPG until the battery runs out), a much improved autofocus system with better eye tracking, and support for more video capture modes, including Hybrid Log Gamma for playback on HDR TVs. + +### What's New + +Physically the A7 IV isn't much different, though the grip is considerably larger than previous models, giving the camera a chunkier feel. The new grip is very similar to what the A7S III uses. I found it less comfortable than my A7RII, but of course how it feels will depend on the size of your hands. I suggest checking one out at your local camera store if you can. Despite the increased size, this is still one of the more compact full frame cameras in our [mirrorless camera guide](). + +The controls on the back remain fairly close to what you'll find on other recent A7 series cameras. There's a 4-way multi-controller that can also act as a dial, a joystick to position the autofocus point, and six buttons which are all programmable. It's enough external controls to ensure you really only need to dive into the menus once to set everything up the way you want. That's a good thing too because Sony's menu system is still labyrinthian and the less time you spend there the happier you will be. + +What's new and noteworthy about the A7 IV is mainly on the inside. The A7 IV uses a new 33-megapixel, backside illuminated CMOS sensor, which provides better resolution and potentially offers better image quality in low-light situations. The new sensor is a step up from the A7 III (which had a 24-megapixel sensor), as well as what you'll find in rivals like the Canon R6, Nikon Z6II, and Panasonic S1. + +At the same time the A7 IV is still very much the entry-level camera in Sony's line up. In terms of resolution the A7R IV, with its 60-megapixel sensor, remains in a class of its own. In terms of the rest of Sony's lineup, it's worth noting that it's very likely we'll see this same sensor wind up in the next A7C update, which I would expect later this year, and may well be worth waiting for if you want the smaller camera body. + +Where the sensor is new, the A7 IV's processor comes from the video-centric Sony A7S III, where it was notable for it's dynamic range. The A7 IV gets a similar boost, offering 15 stops of dynamic range, which opens an incredibly rich range of post processing possibilities. The new processor also makes the A7 IV quite a bit speedier than its predecessor (Sony claims it's up to 8 times faster. I did not have A7 III around to compare the two, but certainly never felt like the A7 IV bogged down). + +### Autofocus Power + +Along with the processor and sensor the A7 IV brings Sony's new autofocus system first seen in the flagship A9, to the entry level A7. The improvement here is difficult to overstate. This system, which Sony calls "real-time tracking", is really smart and really fast. + +I test half dozen high-end mirrorless cameras a year, each one promising to be faster at autofocus and yet most of largely indistinguishable when judged by results. I will confess that, on my own time, I only ever shoot manual focus lenses. I've been shooting manual focus since I picked up my first Minolta SR-T in 1988 and I'm reasonably fast at this point. In most situation—excluding wildlife and sports—I get fewer out of focus images focusing manually than I do with the latest and greatest autofocus. That is, until the A7 IV. + +The reason for my success with manual is two-fold. First there's practice and the muscle memory it builds. Those are important, but the second reason is that it's simple. I don't have to remember to switch modes as situations change, or move autofocus points using a touchscreen. All I have to do is turn the barrel of the lens. Similarly, Sony's new autofocus system is remarkably good not because it's fast (though it is that), but because it's simple. + +Sony's subject tracking makes it easy to highlight your subject and then the camera tracks it. All you do is put your auto focus points on the subject, then "half press" the shutter button as you would with any camera, but then the camera will "lock" not to that area of the frame, but to the actual subject. This means that when the subject moves across your frame, the camera continues to track it, adjusting the auto focus points to keep your subject in focus. + +This has two advantages over the "lock on" style systems you'll find in other cameras: The first is that it works. The second is also that it works. + +This is the first focusing system I've been able to trust to the degree that I stopped thinking about focusing at all and way able to just concentrate on composition and lighting, even with a subject in motion as I swung the camera around to follow it. That freedom to, ahem, focus your attention elsewhere, enables you to compose better images. Everything else that's new about the A7 IV pales next to that. Let's face it, with yearly upgrade cycles it's rare that the latest model of anything is really much better than the one before it when it comes to the images you actually create. The A7 IV's autofocus is an exception, this really will help you make better pictures. + +There are some other smaller things things to like here as well. The A7 IV’s buffer capacity is impressive. The combination of the new sensor and CFexpress card slot give the A7 IV an essentially unlimited buffer capacity. If you're a shutter mashing addict, you'll be happy here. I should also note that I found the color rendition in JPG files to be better than previous models. I primarily shoot RAW, but sometimes it's nice to have really nice JPG that requires no post processing and the A7 IV does a better job here than most Sony cameras. + +The A7 IV uses the same battery as the A7 III. It's substantial battery that Sony rates at 520 shots, but in practice this battery will get you through the day. If you're a wedding photographer maybe you still need a spare in the bag, but the days of the A7 line requiring a sling of batteries to get through a day are thankfully behind us. + +The A7 IV is an all-around solid camera. Its sensor produces sharp images with impressive dynamic range. The autofocus system is good enough that you'll miss fewer shots, and have more video options than previous releases. The not so good news is that this release is priced less like an entry-level model: $2,500 for the body. That's $500 more than previous A7s, though there is now the smaller A7C, which is $1,800. If you can afford it though, the A7 IV definitely delivers. + + + + + +## Vivaldi 5 + +Vivaldi is one of our [favorite web browsers](https://www.wired.com/story/vivaldi-4-2021/), and it recently announced another major release. [Vivaldi 5.0 is available](https://vivaldi.com/) for Windows, Mac, Linux, and, perhaps most notably given the changes in this release, Android. + +Version 5 of Vivaldi has some new features for the desktop, but much of what's new and intriguing in this release is focused on mobile, which for Vivaldi means Android (there is no iOS version of Vivaldi). Android tablets get special attention in this release, with several features aimed at improving the web browsing experience on tablets—something even Google hasn't managed to do. + +In fact the idea of an app optimizing for Android tablets as almost unheard of these days, and one of our major complaints about [iPad alternatives](https://www.wired.com/gallery/the-best-tablets/)—the software experience is subpar. + +With Vivaldi 5.0 though, at least you can have a great web browsing experience on your Android tablet. + +The most welcome features on mobile is actually available on both phones and tablets: tab stacking. For the mobile user experience of tab stacking Vivaldi has opted to display stacks as a second row of tabs nested under a primary tab. To create a new tab stack you long press the new tab button, which will open that tab in a second row beneath the primary tab. If you switch to another top-level primary tab, the second row of tabs is hidden away, but the tab that contains them gets a kind of hollow, outlined look to let you know that there are multiple tabs nested under it. You can also create tab stacks by dragging and dropping tabs within the tab switching and organizer page. + +Though I expected to tab stacking on tablets, I also found tab stacks very useful on phone screens. What I'd really like to see is syncing of the stacks, so I could pull a stack from my desktop browser straight over to my phone. Right now that's not possible. Still, even without the ability to sync stacks intact, I found tab stacking a great way to separate work and personal tabs on mobile. It's also a great way to "hide" a tab so if your kids pick up your phone this time of year, they don't see the potential gifts you're browsing. + +The other big change on mobile is one of the new tablet-specific features. Vivaldi's various panels—which give quick access to bookmarks, history, notes, and downloads—are now actual side panels like they are in the desktop version. The caveat is that they're only this way if there's room on the screen to display them that way, which effectively means on tablets. In experimenting with a couple of phones and two Fire tablets, I found that the panels were side panels only on the Fire tablets, on phones the panels still overlay the entire screen, even in landscape mode. + +Having the panels as sidebar overlays makes working with them easier, and less context-destroying then the old method which hides the tab you're currently using completely. This is especially useful with notes, which you can look through while the page you're currently browsing is still visible in the background. + +Other new features aimed at both tablet and phone users include more options for the tab bar. It can now be at the top or bottom of the screen, and you can now add close buttons for background tabs, and show them as favicons only (these two are both buried in settings and disabled by default). My favorite features though is that mobile tabs now change width dynamically, just like they would on the desktop browser. Fans of dark themes might enjoy the newfound ability to set a dark theme for specific pages. + +### Desktop Changes + +Not everything in Vivaldi 5 is about mobile. The desktop version gets two major new features: a translation panel and support for theme sharing. + +Vivaldi had previously introduced built-in translations for webpages, but the new panel allows you to translate just snippets of a page. You can even set it to automatically translate selected text. So you select something, open the translation panel, and your translation will appear below the original text in the panel. As with the full page version, translations are provided by [LingvaNex](https://lingvanex.com/). + +Vivaldi has always been a very themable browser. You can even go so far as to completely restyle it with a custom CSS file, but for most users that's overkill. Vivaldi's built-in theming tools make it relatively easy to customize the colors and backgrounds the way you want, but now it's even simpler to change the look of Vivaldi by downloading user themes from the new [themes website](https://themes.vivaldi.net/). + +### Conclusion + +I've previously called Vivaldi [the best browser on the web](https://www.wired.com/story/vivaldi-4-2021/). I stand by that, but I have one caveat: part of what makes Vivaldi the best browser on the web is its near infinite level of customization. You get to make Vivaldi the best browser for *you*, but that does take a bit of work on your part. Vivaldi 4 introduced some expanded defaults that help new users get up and running faster, and Vivaldi 5 has added some new options on mobile, but the fact remains that if you don't want to dive into the settings and customize your browsing experience to your liking, Vivaldi may not completely wow you at first. + +Then again it might, because it also has a host of features you won't find in any other browser—the ability to take and sync notes, an email client, RSS reader, full customization of keyboard shortcuts, mouse gestures, tabs stacks... [the list goes on](https://vivaldi.com/features/), and will no doubt continue to grow when Vivaldi 6 rolls around. + + +""" + +""" + +## DJI Mavic 3 + +DJI may have dropped the "pro" from the Mavic name when it released the third version if its flagship drone, but make no mistake, with a brand new, high quality camera, two lenses, and full manual exposure control, the Mavic 3 is aimed squarely at video pros. + +It's still a fun drone to fly, but the $2,200 price tag is there because of the camera and lenses, not the flying capabilities, impressive though those are. + +If your primary use for a drone is capturing high quality photos and videos, this is the best drone on the market by a wide margin. Chances are you don't need footage this good, but it sure is fun and offers incredible results if you can afford it. + +### Quality Image + +The Mavic 3 is available in two versions, the standard model, which is what I tested, and a "Cine" model that adds more built-in storage (a 1-terabyte SSD to the standard's 8-gigabyte SSD), and support for ProRes 422 HQ video recording. The ProRes support is a big deal for video pros, and the file size of ProRes footage is the main reason for the larger SSD as well. + +What's most impressive about this update to the largest and most powerful of DJI's Mavic series of drones is the new camera sensor. DJI has packed in a 20-megapixel Four Thirds CMOS sensor, the largest sensor available in the Mavic line (in terms of megapixels its the same as the 1-inch sensor in the [Mavic 2 Pro](https://www.wired.com/review/review-dji-mavic-2-pro/), but the sensor itself is larger, which means better detail). That means the Mavic 3 is capable of shooting 20 megapixel RAW still images, and video at 5.1K at 50fps, as well as 4K at 120 frames per second. + +Sensor size isn't everything though, and the Mavic 3 also has features two different lenses. The primary lens is a 24mm prime, built in conjunction with Hasselblad. It features an adjustable aperture ranging from f/2.8 to f/11. This is the lens I shot with 99 percent of the time. It's one of the best small lenses I've ever shot, and the Mavic 3 is the first drone I've used that produced better results than the aging [DJI Phantom 4 Pro+](https://www.wired.com/2017/06/review-dji-phantom-4-pro-plus/). + +The second lens is a 162mm telephoto lens with a 28x digital-optical hybrid zoom. This one records to a 12 megapixel, 1/2-inch CMOS sensor so the quality is nowhere near as good. It also lacks the manual controls (it's a fixed f/4.4 aperture) and can't shoot RAW, making it somewhat limited. Worse, in my testing, the results zoomed past about 8X were generally unusable, certainly unusable in a professional production. It's nice to have for certain situations where you need to zoom in, but it feels like DJI phoned this one in, perhaps it just didn't want to abandon the Mavic 2 Zoom capabilities. Just know that with the zoom enabled the image and video quality is nowhere near as nice as what you get out of the main lens. + +And what you get out of the main lens is insanely good. The footage I captured with the Mavic 3 is some of the best drone footage I've shot in the twelve years I've been testing drones. It's the first of the Mavic line that I think can serve as a replacement for the neglected (let's be honest, abandoned) Phantom 4 Pro+. There will probably never be a Phantom 5, but that's okay, because the Mavic 3 is capable of filling that role. + +It's not just image quality that's impressive though. One of the hardest things about shooting with a drone, particularly a fast moving drone, is keeping things in focus. To help speed up the Mavic 3's autofocus DJI has introduced what it calls Vision Detection Auto Focus. This system taps into the multiple vision sensors in the Mavic 3, the collision avoidance sensors, to speed up focusing. It's hard to say exactly how much this contributes, but focus is very fast, which is good because shooting at wider apertures (with smaller depth of field) means you need fast focusing. + +### Design + +The Mavic 3 is slightly larger than the Mavic 2, but it's also slightly lighter (8 grams lighter in the case of the standard model). The propellers are longer as well, and so are the 5000 mAh batteries, so if you're upgrading, unfortunately, none of your Mavic 2 spares will work with the Mavic 3. The batteries also now slide into the back instead of the top in the Mavic 2. + +The changes to the battery are worth it though, because the larger capacity means the Mavic 3 can stay aloft for quite some time. Flight time depends on too many variables to give a single number, but flying in normal mode, shooting 4K video at 30 fps I was able to stay in flight for just over 30 minutes. Cutting back on shooting I was able to get to 41 minutes, which is very close the DJI's 46 minute claim, and almost 15 minutes longer than the Air 2S ([9/10 WIRED Recommends](https://www.wired.com/review/dji-air-2s-drone/). + +Along with the slight body design changes, DJI has greatly improved the obstacle avoidance system with six fisheye sensors and two wide angle sensors that add up to 360 degree obstacle avoidance that even works in Normal mode. The Air 2S has similar capabilities, though its avoidance cameras have some gaps that the Mavic 3 does not suffer from. + +The new system is impressive in practice. I was impressed enough with my initial tests that for the first time ever I set it the app to use the most conservative settings, and actually tried to run it into a tree. I still could have hit the tree, but the amount of warnings I got would have stopped any normal person long before any collision occurred. That said, no collision avoidance system is perfect, exercise caution when flying around obstacles. + +At the opposite end of the spectrum there's sport mode, which has no avoidance protection at all and can now reach speeds around 42 miles per hour. + +The Mavic 3 will eventually have access to ActiveTrack 5, which DJI claims will be better at tracking subjects in automated flight modes. Which is to say the drone will move with the subject rather than just tracking with the camera. Consider the cliche shot of a car driving a windy mountain road, with ActiveTrack 5 you'd be able to automatically follow the car's movement. More interesting, DJI claims that the vision sensors will help track movement and even be able to relocate it should it disappear from the frame (again, think of the car on the road, momentarily lost in trees, ActiveTrack 5 should be able to find it when it re-emerges. + +Unfortunately DJI has followed the lead of far too many tech companies these days of announcing features, but not delivering them. We used to call this vaporware, but it's become par for the course with camera and device makers. It's a trend we'd like to see end, but for now, suffice to say that if these features are potential selling points for you, don't buy the Mavic 3 just yet. DJI says the new features will be available via an update early 2022. + +Surprisingly, the Mavic 3 uses DJI's Fly app. I say surprisingly because this is clearly a drone aimed at pros and the company's Go 4 app has plenty of settings pros would love—white balance controls, Aperture Priority mode, and more—that aren't in the Fly app. It's not the Fly app is bad, it just feel aimed at a much more casual user than what the Mavic 3 is likely to attract.Still, the variable aperture controls are easy to use, and you can customize your settings to suit your workflow. Perhaps one day more advanced features will be added to the Fly app. + +As it stands though the Mavic 3 is still an impressive drone. The Cine model especially, with the ability to shoot ProRes video, will be welcome news for professionals who need the high quality imagery. The Cine starts at $5,000 though, which is well beyond what more casual users are going to spend. + +The base model is not exactly cheap at $2,200, but it's more approachable than the Cine, and even the base model Mavic 3 produces the best quality video footage I've seen from a consumer drone. The long flight time, impressive obstacle avoidance features, and (in theory) ActiveTrack 5 make the Mavic 3 stand well above anything else on the market. + + +I got to test the Cine Premium combo. I am really impressed with the carrying case that converts to a back pack, the Intelligent flight batteries that are easy to insert, now in the back of the drone, and the close to 45 (realistic) minutes of flight time. It's nice to go out and know you'll have over two hours to get your desired shots with three fully-charged batteries. The drone is easy and enjoyable to fly and maneuver. I also found the new gimbal guard so much more convenient to attach and remove. The fact that omnidirectional obstacle avoidance worked when I was flying in Normal mode is a bonus. + + +## Action 2 Review + +Drone maker DJI is no stranger to great small cameras and lenses. The company's drones capture some of the best aerial footage around, which is why DJI's first stab at an action cam, the Osmo Action, was a hit. It was more or less a GoPro clone, but it brought a full color front screen, which has since been copied by GoPro. + +For its second take on the genre DJI appears to have cast a fond eye at another competitor—Insta360, which pioneered the interchangeable lens camera. Unfortunately while DJI's GoPro clone innovated in some really great ways, the Action 2 leaves much to be desired. + +On paper the Action 2's specs are solid, there's 4K video at 120 frames per second (fps), improved motion stabilization and a host of automatic capture modes, and other features that are at this point pretty standard on high end action cams. After spending a few weeks using the Action 2 though I am not impressed. I can think of only one reason I'd pick it over the GoPro Hero 10 or Insta360 One R: weight. + +### DJI's Teeny Tiny Camera + +The Action 2 isn't strictly an Insta360 One R clone. They're both modular, but with the One R the modularity consists of swapping different lens and sensor combos. DJI takes a different approach, making a single side of the ostensibly modular camera a functioning camera in itself. What you can add to that is either a battery pack with single back screen, which will be available in early 2022, or a dual screen module which is available now. + +While the modular approach is welcome, when I first unpacked the Action 2 I was most taken with just the lens portion, which functions as a tiny little camera on its own. + +After all, if there's one thing that's not great about the GoPro Hero 10 Black, it's weight. Or at least I assume it would be annoying to have a 5.3-ounce weight on your head. I very rarely strap any camera to my person, I don't find the resulting footage particularly interesting, but I recognize that many people do exactly this and for them, the DJI Action is a compelling possibility. + +If your primary use case for an action camera is in fact strapping it to your helmet while you, as my snowboarding roommate used to say in all earnestness, "bomb the slopes," then the DJI Action 2 will probably trump the GoPro and pretty much anything else on the market. It weighs in at 2 ounces, which is hardly even noticeable when it's on your helmet and certainly nothing like the over 5 ounces of a GoPro. The Action 2 is also tiny, which means less drag in wind and water. + +If weight is the most important factor then the Action 2 makes sense. And in addition to the tiny featherweight form factor you can turn it into a more traditional action cam by adding the battery and screen modules to the mix. Here, however, is where the quirks and disadvantage of the Action 2 begin to show themselves. + +DJI's magnetic attachment mechanism is, from a pure engineering standpoint, genius. It's solid and simple. You put the two cubes together and they snap in place. Doesn't get much easier than that. Two clips further secure the magnet, but you can still easily get it apart even with gloved hands. + +That said, you probably shouldn't try to take it apart with gloved hands because if you're wearing gloves then your probably in snow and only the lens portion of the camera is fully waterproof. Divers, fear not, there is a waterproof case you can buy for an extra $65 ([preorder](https://store.dji.com/product/dji-action-2-waterproof-case) rel=nofollow}), that will make the whole camera waterproof to 196 feet (60 meters). But then you lose the advantage of the fast change magnetic clip system. + +The lack of complete waterproofing is moderately annoying, but not a deal breaker unless you're planning to primarily use your action came in the water, if so, this is definitely not what you want. + +On the plus side the magnetic clip system means there's no difficult to open doors or port covers. The camera lens unit is completely sealed. You can also even hot swap the additional side modules without cutting your shot, which is a trick the Insta360 One R cannot manage. + +Of course you should also consider that the primary battery of the standalone lens unit somewhere in that seal compartment is not user replaceable and will eventually need to be replaced somehow. This is alarming reminiscent of when laptops stopped offering user replaceable batteries and something that I really hope does not become a trend. + +Similarly, there's no micro SD card slot on the main camera. You get 32-gigabytes of storage in the camera module. To expand that you can clip on either of the side modules (screen or battery pack), which have an SD card slot on them. This sounds limiting, and it is, but battery life will stop you long before the 32-gigabytes of built-in storage is filled up. + +The magnetic system has one other nice feature, though I am not sure DJI would condone this: you can snap it metal objects out in the world. Can't get your tripod close enough to that metal pole? No problem, just snap the camera directly to the pole. I must say I can't think of a recent situation where this would have been useful, but it is possible. I shot some gripping action footage of the kitchen cabinets from the oven's point of view by snapping the camera direction to the front of the oven. + +### Performance + +Setting aside the odd, possibly-useful-in-some-situations design, the Action 2 is a solid enough camera. Video tops out at 4K at 120 fps, which is a considerable step up from the original Osmo Action, though it doesn't match the 5.3K video you find in the GoPro Hero 10 Black. For now the only use I've had for 5.3K video is the ability to crop and still output 4K, but as monitors and TVs continue to bump the pixel specs, higher res video will become more important. + +The sensor captures 12 megapixel images and the lens will open up to an f/2.8 aperture. Given that most action is outdoors the f/2.8 lens will generally be fine, but I should note that I found low light performance—for example, shooting 4K video in a pine forest in the evening—noticeably noisier than the same scene shot with both a GoPro and the Insta360 One R. + +Overall I found image and video quality to be good enough, but not as good as the GoPro Hero 9/10. This is just personal taste, but I find DJI's video to be overly contrasty. I prefer a more neutral recording that I could tone by hand later, but if you're going straight to YouTube or Instagram, the results are plenty good enough for either platform. + +DJI has given its software-based features some love in this release too. RockSteady, the company's stabilization system is at version 2.0 and is really quite impressive. Between this and GoPro's recent improvements to its Hypersmooth stabilization, it's a bad time to be a gimbal maker. I can't see the need for one at this point. Which company has the better stabilization? They're close enough that in everyday use I couldn't tell any difference. If I really had to pick one I'd say DJI, but not by much. + +That said, for most people, I think the GoPro is a better choice. It's cheaper, image and video quality are marginally better, and every accessory on the market works with a GoPro. Very few accessories available are going to work with the Action 2, which makes the prospect of upgrading from a GoPro system potentially expensive. + +As it stands the DJI Action 2 "Power Combo", which adds a battery pack and single screen, is $400. That's nominally cheaper than a GoPro Hero 10, but, you get no front screen. The much better value in my view is the "Dual Screen" combo which will set you back $520, but offers a front screen. + + + + + + + + +## Husqvarna 435X AWD Automower + +I hate mowing the lawn. A vast expanse of unproductive grass is a waste to begin with—why grass when you could have a garden, or an orchard, or all sorts of other useful plants. That I have to push around a device just to maintain this green wasteland makes it doubly insulting. + +Fortunately this summer I unleashed the Husqvarna 435X AWD Automower on my lawn and never had to think about mowing it again. + +### Robot Love + +The Husqvarna 435X is the high-end, AWD version of the company's robotic lawn mowers. It's not cheap at $5,000, but there are cheaper models that can accomplish the same thing. The 435X is specifically designed to handle sloping yards and rough terrain, both of which feature heavily at the house I rent. The 435X never had any issues and never missed a beat. It did get hung up on fallen tree branches from time to time, but that was the only trouble it ever had in over six months of testing. + +The results of the 435X far exceeded my expectations. Admittedly, my expectations were low: just make it so I don't have to mow the lawn isn't asking much. The 435X is capable of much more than that, in fact it produced the healthiest, most well manicured lawn in our area, if I do say so. Every delivery person that every came to our house asked about the lawn and curious creature roaming it. The secret to the 435X's lawn care prowess lies in the spinning razor blades. + +Yes, the 435X is a robot equipped with spinning razor blades (I always made a point to be polite and kind to it in hopes that it will remember me in the inevitable robot uprising of the future). Because it mows much more regularly than you, or any lawn service, the 435X cuts tiny pieces of glass at a time, and this is secret to a healthy lawn. When you let grass get long and then mow it back, even with a catcher you leave significant piles of cut grass behind and these smother the grass that's trying to grow, opening the ecological playground of your yard to weeds. + +There is one secret to getting the perfect lawn from your robot helper: change the blades regularly. Husqvarna's official recommendation is to change your blades every 1-2 months with the caveat that it will vary depending on the type of grass and soil at your house. I found every two months to be about right. For testing purposes I let it go considerably longer and the quality of mowing suffered. I also found that it's good to check regularly to make sure all the blades are still there. I twice lost blades to limbs that had fallen and passed under the automower. + +The other thing you will still need to do is clear any debris that might end up on your lawn. At my house the lawn is shaded by some 100 year old pecan trees. They're wonderful for shade, but they do drop limbs pretty regularly in the wind and those limbs who hang up the 435X if I didn't clear them. Still, picking up the occasional limb is a small price to pay. + +This isn't an issue with the 435X because it's relentless. It mows rain or shiny, night or day, whenever and however much you want it to mow. I played with this quite a bit, moving all day every day vs mowing only a couple of days for only a couple of hours. I did not keep precise track, but it seemed to cover the roughly 1 acre of lawn it was tasked with in about six hours of mowing. + +I found that the results for mowing daily were not noticeably different than mowing three days a week, so that's where it ran for most of the time I had it, three days a week, six hours a day. I did not notice any impact on my electric bill no matter how frequently it mowed. Scheduling is handled by the Husqvarna app, which makes it easy to set your times, or turn it off, as I once did when heavy rains caused our yard to flood. The 435X connects via Bluetooth and also has GPS for mapping your yard. The far edge of my yard was beyond Bluetooth range to my house, so occasionally the Automower would get stuck and I would not no because it couldn't transmit, but most of the time it was not an issue. If you're not a fan of the app you can use Alexa and Google voice commands as well. It's even possible to use IFTTT to send messages to other devices. + +The 435X is also something your mower or lawn care service probably isn't: silent. Every now and then the 435 would make a noise went it hit something like a small branch, but most of the time it was totally silent. + +That brings me to the safety features. The automower detects obstacles and will stop before the blades get near anything. I tested this with everything from my feet to a car I parked in the automower's mowing area and it never failed. The Automower also has an alarm that will sound and GPS tracking system that will allow police to locate the mower should it be stolen. The Automower would also be mostly useless to anyone who took it since you need to know a four-digit pin to gain control of it. All that said, I did put the base station charger at the back of the yard, well away from the street so that at night anyone driving by would be unlikely to see it. + +The 435X is slightly differently shaped than other Husqvarna automowers so that it can handle slopes and uneven terrain. It's two section linked by a bridge. The front has two large wheels and headlights. It's also where you'll find the color LCD panel, which can be used to configure the mower without the app. The backend uses two smaller wheels on a pivot to turn the mower. Because the two sections are links, but slightly independent the 435X can handle uneven ground. + +There are two things I don't like about the Automower 435X. The first is the price. There's no way around it, at $5,200 this is fantastically expensive. If you're already paying for a lawn service, it might not be too long before the price balances out for you, and you gain something that's hard to put a price on: silence. + +The other downside is that the range of automowers is limited. I live on a three-acre property and alas, the 435X could only mow one third of that area. Unfortunately, the 435X must be fenced by a metal strip in the ground so you can't mow one acre one week and another the next, just rotating them. + +Still, if you can afford it, the 435X is probably the best, most helpful device I've ever tested. + + + +## Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Extreme + +The 15-inch X1 Extreme is the Thinkpad fan's Macbook Pro—the big, powerful photo and video editing machine creatives lust after. It's not cheap, but as they say, you get what you pay for and in the case of the X1 Extreme you get a lot for your money. + + +The biggest change in the fourth version of Lenovo's X1 Extreme is the new 16-inch display, with its 16:10 aspect ratio. The previous model had a 16:9 screen ratio, and I've written about the difference before when the Dell XPS series made the same change and I think it's worth saying again, this seems minor, but in practice that extra space is really nice. I think 16:10 is just about the perfect ratio for a laptop. + +The new screen—including the 4K option— also makes the X1 Extreme even more directly comparable to the Dell XPS 15 (8/10 WIRED Recommends). + +If you like ThinkPads there's no comparison to the Dell. All the signature ThinkPad elements are here. The understated matte black design is interrupted only by a small X1 in red on the lid, and the red rub between the G, H, and B keys. ThinkPad keyboards aren't what they used to be, which to say this is no X220, but it's still pretty great. It has 1.8 millimeter keys, which is about as heavy as you can find these days. + +If you're not a ThinkPad fan though, there are some things you might like better about the Dell. Both use the same processors and (optional) graphics cards tk check cards, and while I did find some slight differences in performance, they were pretty minor and not something I noticed in everyday use. + +That said, there is a big difference: the Dell XPS 15 offers an OLED display option and the X1 Extreme does not. If you want a 15-inch OLED laptop the Dell XPS 15 is my suggestion. + +If on the other hand, you're happy with the three IPS screens Lenovo offers (one of which is a 4K screen) then the ThinkPad is worth considering. You certainly get more ports. There are dual Thunderbolt 4 ports, along with HDMI 2.1 (which can drive a 120Hz external monitor), a audio jack, and an AC power port on the left. The right side has two USB Type-A ports and a full-sized SD card slot. Every laptop should have a full size SD card slot. Said every photographer. I can't remember that last laptop I tested with a full size SD card slot, kudos to Lenovo for keeping that alive. + +### This ThinkPad Goes to RTX 3080 + +One of my co-workers, who shall remain anonymous, quipped that the Surface Studio Laptop ([8/10 WIRED Recommends](https://www.wired.com/review/microsoft-surface-laptop-studio/)) is a laptop for creatives made by people who'd never talked to any creatives. I don't completely agree, but you know who definitely talked to some creatives? Lenovo. At least they talked to some photographers and video creators. + +Everything my pro photographer friends complain about is solved here. A 4K screen with good battery life? Check. The power to not just watch movies, but edit and render them? How about an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 graphics card? Check. Did I mention there's a full size SD card slot? How about HDMI 2.1 for monitoring shoots? + +This is a powerhouse machine, especially the top end model with the Intel i9 chip paired with the RTX 3080. Even the massive Dell XPS 17 tops out at the RTX 3060 card. While the lack of OLDE option might be disappointing, the screen I used (tk resolution) was one of the best I've tested. The color gamut support is good too, with 100 percent sRGB coverage and 83.5 percent coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut. The later puts it a mere .5 percent behind the OLED of the Dell XPS 15. The screen is plenty bright to at 400 nits. + +Where the X1 Extreme really stands out is the option to get Nvidia RTX graphics cards. The high end configuration especially is notable for using the GeForce RTX 3080 card, which is a lot of graphics card for a 15-inch laptop. It's probably still not going to make gamers happy, but if you're editing video this is one the most powerful 15-inch options out there. + +The very nice 1080p webcam, and a pair of speakers on either side of the keyboard round out the X1 Extreme's nice extras. The speakers especially are some of the best I've heard in a laptop—clean, clear audio, and an impressive amount of bass with no distortion. + + + +Lenovo sent me the 2,560×1,600 model, which is right in the middle, as it’s also offered in UHD+ options, with Dolby Vision support. + + + + + + + + + + + + + +## Dell XPS 15 2021 + +The Dell XPS laptops are some of the nicest Windows computers on the market. The 13-inch model has long been a WIRED favorite ([8/10, WIRED Recommends](https://www.wired.com/review/dell-xps-15-2020/)), and the new 15-inch gets the same upgrade that its smaller sibling got earlier this year: an OLED display. + +Sporting a new 3.5K OLED touchscreen display, the Dell XPS 15 is one of the best 15-inch laptops on the market. It's got plenty of power thanks to the latest Intel processors, a great trackpad and keyboard, and a stunning new OLED display. The only downside is the battery life. + + +### Subhead + +The 2021 XPS 15 uses the same 11th-generation Intel chips as the previous model, which we did not review in detail since nothing else had changed. The big news for the latest XPS 15 iteration is the new (optional) OLED screen. As with the XPS 13 OLED we reviewed earlier this year, you have to opt for the more powerful, Intel i7 chips to get the OLED option. That means the screen on the i5 base model remains unchanged, it's a 1920 x 1200 pixel FHD+ screen. + +If you option for the i7 or i9-based XPS 15 then you can choose between the 4k UHD screen and the new 3.5K OLED. The question of which is better is... it depends. If resolution is everything then the 4K wins. The 4K also has a slight edge in battery life, though my comparison there is based on last year's 4K model vs this year's OLED model so it's not a strict apples-to-apples comparison. + +The cheapest model with an OLED is $2,100. The model I tested featured the OLED, along with the 11th-generation Intel Core i7, Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti laptop GPU, 16 gigabytes of RAM, and a 512-gigabyte SSD. This configuration lists for $2,200. From there you can run it up to $4,600, adding the i9 Chip, up to 64 gigabytes of RAM and up to a whooping 8-terabytes of SSD space. There are some more reasonable configurations in between those two as well. + +While the base mode with the i5 chip is fine for basic computing needs, I would suggest the OLED screen and faster chip if you can afford it. It's a wonderfully bright screen, and the razor thin bezels give it an immersive quality that's unmatched in the rest of the 15-inch laptops I've tested. Editing photos and video on this machine is a real pleasure, to the point that I found myself out taking photos just so I could process them in Darktable on the XPS 15. And I've found that glossy OLED screens seem to do better in bright light than FHD screens. Certainly the 400 nit screen here was fine in all but direct sunlight. The main problem the screen suffers from in direct sunlight is that the high gloss surface picks up finger prints like crazy. If you keep it nice and clean, the sunlight and glare won't be an issue. + +The Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti graphics card is no slouch, especially when working with video. I happened to be testing this alongside the new Surface Laptop Studio, and in test after test, mostly real-world rendering in Premiere, the XPS came out ahead. The Studio does have the edge in screen refresh rates though, with 120 Hz to the XPS 15's 60 Hz. + +As noted above, Dell hasn't changed much other than the screens. Ports are still the same, with three USB-C ports (with Thunderbolt 4 support), a headphone jack, and a MicroSD card reader. I'd love to have a full size card reader, but at least there's three USB-C ports which is step up from the XPS 13, which only has two. + +The form factor is likewise unchanged. It's still the same slim, sleek, chassis with the same crazy thing, InfinityEdge bezels. It hasn't changed, but it's worth noting that the XPS 15 does weigh in at 4.2 pounds. Considering the size that's not too bad, but when you put it in a bag and lug it around for a day your shoulders will definitely know it's there. + +Keyboard and touchpad are the same, I find the touchpad a bit too big, but I am primarily a keyboard and mouse person, so I may be alone in that criticism (which I could also apply to half a dozen other 15-inch laptops. The keyboard is not quite Thinkpad-level good, but it doesn't slow me down or present any problem. + +My only real gripe with the XPS 15 is battery life. It's not bad, but it's not that good either. In two weeks of testing I only once made it though a full day's work on the XPS 15's battery. In our less subjective battery drain test (looping a 1080p video at 75 percent brightness) it managed a scant 7 hours thirty minutes. In most cases that's not enough to leave the power cord behind (well, I guess you could if you brought along a [portable battery]()). + +Depending on your circumstances the battery life could be a problem. I rarely head out to work for more than a couple of hours so it doesn't bother me, but it's definitely something to keep in mind. + +Otherwise though I think this is one of the best 15-inch laptops on the market. It lacks the hybrid capabilities of the new Surface Laptop Studio, but it out performed the Surface in my video testing. If you want a powerful 15-inch laptop and don't mind the shorter battery life, the XPS 15 is well worth considering. + + + + + + + +## Acer Swift 3 + +At a time when every laptop seems to want to out-clever the next, the Acer's Swift 3 is refreshingly restrained. It's not trying to impress with ultra thin bezels or single piece of machined metal hand filed by artisan robots. It's a laptop. It's a well-designed, well-built laptop that won't break the bank. This is why last year's Acer Swift 3 was the top pick in our [guide to budget laptops](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-cheap-laptops/). + +Based the few weeks I've spent living with this year's modest update, I see no reason to change that pick. The Swift 3 is a solid, no-frills, fairly-priced machine. It's not going to play graphics-intensive games very well, but the battery life is fantastic—it'll get you through a day's work or a late night studying without breaking a sweat. + +### What's New + +Before I dive in, I need to clear up some confusion. Acer calls two somewhat different laptops by the same name, the Swift 3. Both version use 11th-generation Intel Core processors. Both have the same keyboard trackpad, and fingerprint readers, but one—the one I am reviewing here—has 14-inch, 16:9, 1080p IPS display. + +The other Swift 3, which I have not tested, uses a 13.5" (2256 x 1504) 3:2 IPS display. Internal components are the same, but the resolution and shape of the display is different. Still almost everything that follows will be the same regardless of which model you choose. + +The new Swift 3 is a thin, silver, understated, innocuous looking laptop. It's all-metal construction feels solid and stands up well to life in a backpack, making it a good choice for the college-bound. It's also light, weighing just 2.6 pounds, which is pretty unheard of at the under $800 price point. As I said above, this is not laptop that's out to win design awards. It looks good, but mostly it's there to stay out of your way and let you get your work done. + +The keyboard is neither the best nor the worst I've used. I like thicker, more ThindPad-style keyboards and keys, but for chiclet-style keys, these have good travel and are plenty fast to type on. The trackpad is a marked step up from other Acer's I've used. It's more responsive and doesn't have that mushy feel that some Acer trackpads have had. + +Thanks to its slightly chunkier design, the Swift 3 has plenty of ports. There's two USB-A ports, a USB-C Thunderbolt port (which it can charge from if you have an adapter, or [portable battery](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-portable-chargers-power-banks/), that delivers enough power), a headphone jack and an HDMI out. There's no SD card port, so you will need a dongle to dump photos and videos from your digital camera, but otherwise you shouldn't need a bunch of adapters just to use the accessories you already own, which is nice. + +The model I tested featured 16 gigabytes of RAM, and a 512-gigabytes SSD paired with an 11th-generation Intel i7 processor with Intel's new EVO rating, which means it's optimized for battery life, quick charging, and instant wake. Notice that doesn't include performance. Still, I was impressed with the performance of the Swift 3. It felt plenty fast in the everyday tasks I threw at it, including browsing the web, video conferencing, and even rendering some short 5.3K videos shot on the new GoPro Hero 10 Black. Is it as fast as $2,000 flagship machine? Of course not, but it's plenty fast enough for most use cases. That said, this is not a gaming laptop. There are no gaming laptops for under $800. + +One place the new Swift 3 is head and shoulder above its predecessor is battery life. I was easily able to get in a full day's work without needing a charger (and "work" in this case means using a web browser, editing photos, office documents, etc). I often managed over 14 hours with this workload and if I dimmed the screen to 75 percent, I was able to get over Acer's claimed 16 hours. + +The biggest physical change from the previous model is a new hinge that's been adjusted to make way for a new speaker, which has surprisingly good sound. Thanks to the 300 nit display, with 100 percent sRGB coverage, and the good sound, the Swift 3 is great for watching movies. Blacks in the shadows are nice and deep, and colors appear richly saturated without being overly so. + +There is one thing I dislike about the Swift 3. It's the same thing I disliked about the last model—the non-USB charger. The Swift 3 *can* charge off the USB-C thunderbolt port, which makes the single pin charging cord even stranger. But you're stuck with the same small, fragile-looking single pin charger as the previous model. I say fragile, but my wife's Acer has the same plug, and it's three years old and the pin still works fine. Still, USB-C chargers, way of the future Acer. + +Despite the charger issue I think Acer's Swift 3 is one of the best deals on the market right now. For $800 you get a laptop that's powerful enough for most people, has phenomenal battery life, a good screen, and great sound. For most of us that's more than enough. + + + + +## Lenovo X1 Carbon (2021) + +Lenovo's X1 Carbon is one of the best laptops you can buy. At 2.5 pounds it's lightweight, thin, and very portable. It offers plenty of power for most tasks, all-day battery life, and—unlike it's competition—plenty of ports for all your accessories. + +We're reviewed the [Linux version of the X1 Carbon](https://www.wired.com/review/lenovo-thinkpad-x1-carbon-linux-edition/) last year, and everything in this review applies to the updated version of machine too. The main change in the 2021 X1 Carbon is the move to 11th generation Intel processors, and the new slightly taller screen, which now has a 16:10 aspect ratio, just like the Dell XPS 13. + +### Carbon Fiber + +The new X1 Carbon is not a design revolution. It's last year's X1 Carbon with a new processor and slightly taller screen. That's a good thing though because the design of the X1 Carbon has always been very well done and doesn't need a makeover. It's lighter than most of the competition (especially the business class laptops like the Dell Latitude or tk), and the soft carbon fiber surface is a Thinkpad hallmark at this point. It depends on your aesthetic sense I suppose, but I've always much preferred the Thinkpad carbon fiber look and feel to aluminium and titanium laptops. + +All the familiar, and deserved famous, Thinkpad elements are here: the keyboard is excellent, the red pointer nub is between the G H and B keys, and there are three buttons at the top of the trackpad. The keys + +There are also plenty of ports. Unlike other ultraportable—I'm looking at you XPS 13 and MacBook Air—there are two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB A ports, an HDMI 2.0 port, a headphone jack and a Kensington lock slot. The only thing missing is an SD or micro SD card slot. Still one dongle is better than the half dozen you need with other laptops. + +The most noticeable change in the Gen 9 X1 Carbon is the new 16:10 screen size. As I said when Dell made the [same change to the XPS](https://www.wired.com/review/dell-xps-13-2020/), you wouldn't think this would be that big of a deal, but it really is noticeable in day to day work. + +That extra half inch of screen means there's more vertical room for documents, web pages and spreadsheets, which means less scrolling and generally makes life more pleasant. When I sent the X1 Carbon back to Lenovo, my X250's 16:9 screen suddenly felt more cramped than usual. Suffice to say that the move to 16:10 is a good one for the X1 Carbon line. The body size and weight difference compared to the 16:9 model is negligible, and any extra screen you can eek out of a laptop is a win for the user. + +I model I tested had the FHD+ (1920 x 1200-pixel) panel, but there's a 4K option available if you want it. There's no OLED screen for the X1 Carbon, which is disappointing. The 1080p version has a matte panel though which is a plus if you're working in brightly lit situations. It only gets to 365 nits of brightness, which isn't industry leading by any means, but it was plenty bright enough to sit outside on a summer day and do some work in the sunshine. + +Perhaps the biggest disappointment, aside from the missing SD card slot, is the 720p webcam. No Lenovo I've used has had an outstanding webcam, but this one is bad enough that my colleagues commented on how bad it was when I used it for a Zoom meeting. Given the amount of Zoom meetings the average corporate worker is doing these days, this seems like a huge oversight on Lenovo's part. To be fair though, no computer maker seems to be willing to put a decent camera in a laptop, so if you really need high quality video you're [better off with a third-party webcam](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-webcams/). + +With the slightly larger chassis from the 16:10 screen Lenovo was able to squeeze in a bigger battery, bring perhaps the most impressive battery life I've seen in a laptop this year: I regularly got well over 15 hours out of the battery in every day use. My daily workload consists of writing in Vim, browsing the web, email apps, office apps, watching videos, and some photo and video editing. The latter was the only thing I did that manage to put any noticeable dent in battery life, but that's to be expected. + +The trackpad has also been enlarged, a change I was less thrilled with. I rarely take my fingers off the keys, and I prefer to have more room for my palms, but that may be a writer's bias. + +The change to 11th-generation Intel processors is also a welcome upgrade. The model I tested featured the i7 chip with 16 gigabytes of RAM, and 512-gigabyte SSD (note that the RAM is soldered, so there are no upgrades down the road). The PCMark benchmarks I ran put the X1 Carbon right beside the rest of the 11th-generation Intel Core processor laptops. It's fast, but there's no discrete GPU so don't plan on using this for graphics intensive games or rendering huge video files. For most people's needs though the i7 is plenty powerful enough. If you're primarily just working with office documents, watching HD movies, and browsing the web you save some money and go with the Intel i5 model. + +I couldn't find the exact configuration I tested for sale on Lenovo's site, but there's a version with an i7 chip, 16 gigabytes of RAM, and 1-terabyte SSD that is currently on sale for $2,045. That's a reasonable price for those high-end spec, but the actual list price (not on sale) is supposedly $3,409 which is an insanely high price for this laptop. + +This is main problem with the X1 series (and for that matter Dell's Latitude series, many HPs and other "business" laptops), they're nice laptops, but the main buyers are large corporations, who don't pay these prices. Because consumer demand isn't as high the price is more than it should be. The solution is to wait for sales. If you can pick up an X1 Carbon with an i7 for around $2,000, or an i5 model for around $1,300, it's well worth it. + + + + +## Lenovo X12 Review + +Should you get a laptop or a tablet? Both? This is the question behind the success of Microsoft's Surface Pro series. It's a laptop. It's a tablet. It's not the best at being either of those things, but it's good enough at both for most of us. + +There is however another type of computer consumer, those of us who just assume there will be three buttons on the top of the trackpad, a little red nub in the middle of the wonderfully tactile keyboard, and ports for all our accessories. Lenovo fans. What if you love Lenovos, but want a Surface-style device? + +The answer in the Lenovo X12: a Surface-like laptop-tablet built for Lenovo fans. + +### Subhed + +Like the Surface Pro 7, or the Dell Latitude 7320, the X12 detachable is neither the best laptop you can buy, nor the best tablet you can buy, but it is pretty good at being both of those things in a single package. + +The first thing to understand it just how small the X12 is relative to a Lenovo laptop. I use an X270 most of the time, which is a 12-inch laptop, but, thanks to the X270's bezels, it dwarfs the X12. That said, the X12 is on the chunkier side for this class, the Surface Pro 7 is considerably thinner and more svelte, but that's about what you'd expect from Lenovo. + +Still, the case uses the matte black finish typical of anything sporting Lenovo's Thinkpad logo. The flip-out kickstand is every bit as good as what you'll get with a Surface Pro and much more stable than the Dell Latitude 7320. It's comfortable to type in your lap and didn't wobble or tip when I used the touchscreen in that position. + +Other things you'd expect from Lenovo are all present: the three-button trackpad, the red nub in the keyboard, and by far the best detachable keyboard I've tested. That said, it's still very much a tablet with a keyboard cover, not a true laptop keyboard of the kind that made Lenovo famous. My main complaint about the keyboard is the trackpad, which I found to unresponsive at times. + +The 12.3-inch display uses the 3:2 aspect ratio that's come to dominate the detachable space. It's nice to have a bit of extra vertical room for documents and webpages. The color of the X12 display is good, with well saturated blacks in movies. The color gamut covers 100% of the sRGB space and the screen is very bright—up to 400 nits—which helps cut through the glare in brightly lit situations. + +What's missing in the Thinkpad X12 is what's missing in every detachable, namely ports. There are two USB-C ports on the left side of the X12, and (thankfully) a headphone jack. While that's a little limiting, it's not worse than what you'll find on just about any small, high-end laptop, detachable or otherwise. The difference is that here any dongle you attach is going to hanging off the side of the screen, which is awkward. + +The X12 features a pen loop on the right side of the keyboard. It's not as nice as the tucked-away pen storage Dell offers, but Lenovo does include the pen. It's not the most responsive pen I've used (the Apple Pencil is tough to beat in that regard), but it works fine for jotting down notes or sketching. + +One pleasant surprise of the ThinkPad X12 was the battery life. Given how small and thin it is I wasn't expecting much, but I found that I never needed to charge it in the course of a day's work. It managed 9 hours 18 minutes in our video playback drain test, but I found it did even better than that in real world use. Of course it will depend on what you're doing, but with my workload chatting with co-workers on Slack, browsing the web, and writing in a text editor, I was often able to get very close to the 10-hour mark. + +The base model Thinkpad X12 starts at $1,100, which gets you an 11-th generation Intel Core i3 processor, 8 gigabytes of RAM, and 128-gigabyte SSD. The model Lenovo sent me was a step up from the base model, with an 11th-generation i5 processor, 16 gigabytes of RAM, and a 512-gigabyte SSD. This configuration will set you back $1,279. This would be the configuration I'd suggest for most people. You can save a little money by going back to only 8 gigabytes of RAM, which is enough of light-duty computing. + +There's also a higher-end i7-based configuration, but that strikes me as overkill for this machine. This isn't the device for gaming or video editing. Like other detachables, this is best suited to being an all-around machine—browsing the web, editing documents, video calls, watching movies on the couch, reading the news with a cup of coffee. Possibly this could change with Windows 11 supporting Android apps, thus (theoretically) making tablet-based gaming more appealing, but that's still too far in the future to say for sure. + + + + +##Dell XPS 13 (2021) + +Dell recently released an updated version of one of our favorite laptops—the XPS 13. The specs haven't changed much, but there is one big change. The XPS 13 is now available with an optional OLED display. + +## Same Old Excellence + +The Dell XPS line is one of the best selling Windows laptops on the market and for good reason, these are compact, powerful laptops with excellent 4K displays (if you opt for a 4K model), and the starting prices aren't too expensive (relatively speaking). If you want an ultrabook that lives up to that name, the XPS, especially the XPS 13, has long been our favorite. + +The 2021 XPS 13 uses the same 11th Gen Intel Core chips as the previous model. There's still an option to get Intel Iris Xe graphics, and the RAM choices, 8, 16, or 32-gigabytes are also unchanged. All that was good about the last model is still good about this one. + +Unfortunately, all that was not so good about the last model is also still present, namely the scant amount of ports. You get 2 USB-C Thunderbolt 4 capable ports, a headphone jack, and a micro SD card reader. I'd love to have third USB-C, since, if you're plugged in, and using a USB mouse, which I often am, I'm out of ports. + +My other gripe with the XPS 13 is battery life. The XPS 13 2021 edition managed 10.5 hours of runtime in our video drain test (which consists of looping a local 1080p video file). That's down a bit from last year's model and it's probably due to the OLED screen. But what was worse than the battery drain test was real world performance. The XPS 13 often struggled to get through a full day's work without a recharge. This puzzled me since I normally use an older XPS 13 (with a 4K display) and it has no trouble getting through the same day's work. Unfortunately, OLED is the culprit here. More on that in a minute. + +For most people the XPS 13's battery life will do. It usually made it about six hours before I needed to plug in, which isn't the best or worst out there. I'd still like to see Dell make that the next area of micro-optimization though (since that's what Dell seems to be up to with the last two updates to the XPS 13). + +## About that OLED + +Now on to what's new—the OLED screen. The resolution of the OLED model I tested is 3.5K (3,456 x 2,160 pixels), not quite the 4K resolution of the UHD+ display I own (and love), but the difference isn't noticeable in practice. + +Put any OLED screen next to any non-OLED screen and what you notice isn't the resolution, but the colors. Whether it's TVs, phones, or now laptops, OLED colors leap off the screen, they're more vibrant, more saturated, and more life-like. + +So what is OLED and why should you care? Well, the O is for organic (the LED is still light emitting diode). That's organic as in chemistry, not organic like the pesticide-free bananas you overpaid for at the supermarket. The light then is emitted by organic molecules, in most cases rings of carbon atoms. + +In a traditional display there is a backlight and then the light is emitted through a layer of stuff (the stuff varies by display type) that then shows whatever color that pixel is supposed to show at that moment. In an OLED display each diode acts as its own backlight. There is no always-on, battery draining backlight. This is why blacks look so good on an OLED display, they really are the absence of light, not something covering up a still-shining light. + +I know what you're thinking, if there's no backlight, why did the battery life seem to go downhill, shouldn't the OLED be using less power? Well, while there is no always-on backlight, when the screen is fully lit up—let's say by a mostly white webpage—then the OLED screen appears to use more energy. + +The answer, or an answer, is dark mode. Indeed all the OLED laptops I've tested have arrived with Windows in dark mode, which helps some (I turned it off and things did get worse), but if you're primarily on the web, which remains mostly white pages, OLED screens are probably going to tax your battery a bit more. I switched [Vivaldi]() to dark mode, and changed themes on Slack, Gmail and some other websites I use regularly and found that it did help. But overwhelmingly the web is bright and for now at least that's going to mean a hit to OLED's battery life. + +The big question then is—should you go for the OLED screen? The answer is... it depends. If you want better battery life, stick with the 1080p. On the other hand, going back to my 4K screen after the OLED is, well, a little dim and washed out. I think I can live with the shorter battery life. + + + + + + + +a completely lit up screen effectively + + +Why does battery life shorten? It appears that, with current OLED panels, a fully lit screen uses a bit more power than an LCD screen. Remember, there’s no backlight with OLED. Instead, each individual pixel is lit, as needed. When all the pixels are lit, they’re downing a lot of juice. + + +Price: ~$1,699 +Display: 13.4-inch OLED touchscreen (3,456 x 2,160 pixels) +CPU: +RAM: 16 GB +Storage: 512 GB SSD (1/2 TB also available) +Ports: 2 Thunderbolt 4/USB-C ports, headphone jack, microSD card reader +Size: 11.6 x 7.8 x 0.5 inches +Weight: 2.8 pounds + +## What is OLED and Why Should You Care + +Organic LED (OLED) displays each pixel acts as its own backlight, whereas traditional LED TVs have one layer with the pixels and one layer that lights up the pixels. This is why you often see odd greys and poor shadow details in regular LED TVs; even dark scenes have to be lit at least somewhat. With OLED, contrast is perfect, because the blacks are totally black, thanks to the pixels being “off” when told to be black. + + + +## Vecnos IQUI + +Last year was just about the worst time possible to launch a 360-degree camera aimed at the consumer market—capture 350 views of you and all your friends out having fun! That just wasn't 2020. + +Somehow Vecnos, a brand [spun out](https://www.wired.com/story/vecnos-360-camera-company/) of the Japanese company Ricoh, managed to survive the pandemic collapse of social life, and has kept incrementally improving its Iqui 360 camera, which unlike most 360 cameras, isn't an action camera. + +Last week the company release a new version with more colors available, and, more importantly, a significant update to its companion app. + +### Around the World + +360-degree content has yet to make it to the mainstream in large part because it's not easy to work with. Unlike a video captured with a smartphone or regular camera, 360 footage needs to be flattened out before it can be shared online. The typical “tiny globe” spherical images are the most common form of 360 photo found online because they're the easiest to share. + +Facebook is one exception to this rule. It does allow you to share 360 images that your friends can pan and tilt and explore, but if you want to put your 360 vids and images on Instagram or Twitter or elsewhere you're probably going to have to edit them first. + +And let's face, tweaking video footage before you can put it on the web? That's enough friction to keep most of us away. + +Where 360 footage has found a toehold is in the action camera market. This partly because the major camera brands in this market have released 360 cameras, notably [GoPro](https://www.wired.com/review/gopro-hero-9-black/) and [Insta360](https://www.wired.com/review/insta360-one-r/), but it's also the nature of the use case. When you strap a camera to your head and point your mountain bike down a 30 degree slope you have no idea what the story is going to be. A head-on view as you wipe out might be good footage, but it also might miss the reason you wiped out—the Sasquatch that was off to the left, out of the field of view of the camera. + +If you'd had a 360-degree view of the scene you could go back after the fact and use editing software to pan around inside that 360 footage, highlight Sasquatch, and then pan back to show yourself going head over heals. + +The place that story loses most of us is using the video editing software. Editing video is complex, time-consuming, and most of the software you need requires more powerful (and more expensive) hardware to run. Those YouTube channels you follow that make everything look professional, easy and effortless? Those people do a ton of work, work the rest of us aren't going to do just to share some 360 degree footage with our twenty friends on Instagram. + +Vecnos' Iqui camera aims to removes most of these barriers by simplifying the process of both capturing and sharing 360 photos and videos. It largely succeeds at the first goal. + +### More Cameras, Less Distortion + +Before testing the Iqui I would have called the phrase "consumer-oriented 360 camera" an oxymoron. But the Iqui goes a long way to making 360 cameras approachable to the non-professional, non-action-cam-loving market. + +Perhaps the best trick is that this is probably the only 360 camera you won't need a manual to use. The design is simple and intuitive. There are three buttons: power, shutter, and switch to toggle between video and still images. The only thing you probably won't discover on your own is that you hold down the toggle button to pair the Iqui with your phone, but the app will walk you through that. + +While the simplicity is good, the Iqui uses a proprietary charging plug, which, while not a deal breaker is annoying. The odd thing, for a camera otherwise so well designed, is that the adapter base has the USB-C plug on the bottom. That means to charge it, you have to lay it on its side. Why have a charging base to hold the camera if it can't hold the camera and charge? This is extra annoying because when you lay it on its side you risk scratching the lenses and there are a lot of lenses to potentially scratch. + +Most consumer-oriented 360-degree cameras use dual lenses, one in front, one in back, each capturing 180 degree field of view. This makes them affordable, but leads to considerable distortion at the edges of each image. That means you often end up with ridiculously stretched faces and objects when the software stitches the images together. + +The Iqui gets around this by squeezing four lenses in the camera, three shooting horizontally and one pointed straight up. That means there's less distortion in each image (because each camera has a smaller field of view), and less distortion in the final image as well. These are 360 images (and video) with far less distortion than you're used to. That alone makes the Iqui better than most of the 360 camera's I've tested. + +That said, the image quality from the Iqui is not the best I've seen. It looks good when shared via the apps exporting options (more on that below), but if you zoom in on shadows there's a good bit of noise present. These also aren't the sharpest images, with details sometimes a bit mushy. Again, neither of these are noticeable in the final product when shared on the web, but keep in mind that you won't be getting ultra sharp images like you would from a traditional camera lens. + +### The Software + +Arguably the most important part of the Iqui camera isn't the camera, it's the Iquispin Android and iOS companion apps that make sharing your 360 photos and video a snap. The problem with Iquispin, is that in removing the complexity of sharing 360 photos and videos it also cut out several features. The result is an app that's intuitive, approachable for newbies, but somewhat limited. + +This is where I need to mention that Vecnos, the company that makes Iqui, was spun out of Ricoh, which released the first consumer-oriented 360 camera, and more importantly, has a pretty great app for editing and sharing 360 footage from your phone. + +The Iqui has pedigree in other words, which is why when I first tested it last year I was a little taken aback by how limited the app was. To get your images out of Iquispin and onto the web you have two options: a screenshot of a region of your 360 image, or an AI-generated video tilting and panning around the image. If you just want the image, like those you see here, they are saved directly to your phone. + +There are filters that try to intelligently enhance images, and they work pretty well most of the time, but it would be nice to have some manual controls for those times when they don't. + +Last week's app update added a few more features, a facial detection system that uses AI to align the angles of each face in the 360-degree group photo, and a "beauty" filter that softens and brightens faces. If your idea of beauty correlates to heavily Photoshopped magazine covers, then the new filter has you covered. + +Unfortunately neither of those features don't change the fact that your editing and export options are limited. Still, this is primarily a software problem, and one that Vecnos can solve by updating its app, which is better than having to buy a whole new camera to get these features. + +### Should You Buy One? + +If your primary use case for a 360 camera is short videos panning around a 360 image of you and your friends, posted somewhere like Instagram, then the Iqui is one of the best cameras available. Its limitations won't get in your way and are easily trumped by the ease of use. The only hesitation I have is that it's a little pricey for what you get. + +If you want a full-featured 360 camera, and are willing to spend the time and effort to edit your footage, there are other options out there that offer more features and will handle a greater range of shooting scenarios. + + + + + + + + + + + +As mentioned, the app has evolved significantly since you first looked at IQUISPIN. The latest version adds two AI-enabled functions—“Magic,” which uses facial detection to choose the best automated motion and align angles with each face in a 360-degree group photo, and “Beauty,” with filters that soften and brighten facial features. + +Also, Vecnos is announcing two accessories: a tripod adapter so you can use IQUI with any selfie stick or tripod with a traditional ¼” screw mount and a unique rubberized lens cap. + + + + + + + + +which is known for its imaging products and printers as well as some of the best 360 cameras around. + +Ricoh will continue to make 360 cameras—the spherical videos captured by these devices have proven popular among amateurs and professionals creating immersive content. However, Shu Ubukata, the brains behind 360 imaging products like the original Theta series, will be leaving Ricoh (along with his team) to lead Vecnos as CEO. Vecnos will operate as a subsidiary of Ricoh, which is also the new brand's largest investor. +spun out of Ricoh Company, Ltd., today announced three new colors of its 360- +degree camera IQUI, in addition to a major update to its companion app, +IQUISPIN. IQUI is now available in gray, mint and pink on Amazon.com and at +b8ta, in addition to its original color, champagne gold. Vecnos will also launch +two new IQUI accessories this summer: a tripod adapter and a lens cap. +In the latest version of IQUISPIN, users can leverage artificial intelligence (AI) +via the new Magic editing function to automatically generate the ideal mini video +with just one tap. Magic uses facial detection to choose the best motion and +align angles with each face in a 360-degree photo, thereby significantly reducing +the time and effort required to transform a 360-degree photo into a mini video. +IQUISPIN also now offers a Beauty function featuring a selection of three different +facial filters that can be applied before transforming a photo into a mini video. +With the addition of the Beauty function, Vecnos is further streamlining + +## Fire 10 HD + +Wired: $150 is crazy cheap. It’s the easiest way to consume all things Amazon. Productivity bundle make real work possible, depending on your line of work. Battery life is comparable to any other tablet. MicroSD slot for extra storage. + +App selection is limited (no Google Play store). Runs an outdated version of Android. Keyboard bundle lacks a trackpad. Camera is terrible. + + +The Fire HD 10 isn't the best tablet you're ever going to use, not even close, but it is cheap, decently powerful, and good enough for many of us. + +Amazon's 2021 update to the 10-inch Fire HD 10 mirrors what we saw last year with the 8-inch model. There are now two Fire HD 10s, one with three gigabytes of RAM and a "Plus" model with 4 gigabytes of RAM. But Amazon has also added something it calls the Productivity Bundle, which consists of a Fire HD 10 tablet (3 gigabyte model), a Bluetooth keyboard case, and 12-month subscription to Microsoft 365 (which you should know, automatically renews if you don't cancel it). + +Yes, you read that right, Amazon is positioning the Fire HD 10 as a device you can get real work done on. Surprisingly, this turns out to be true so long as you don't need Google Apps to get work done. The Fire HD 10 is still hamstrung by Amazon's Fire OS, which lacks Apps (not just Google's) compared to Google's Play store. + +Still, with a keyboard and slightly better screen, the new Fire HD 10 is something like a netbook—a small, cheap, capable, go-anywhere device with some potentially deal-breaking caveats. + +## What's New in Fire 10 HD + +The new Fire HD 10 features uniform bezels on all sides, but otherwise isn't much different on the outside. It still sports a 1080p, 10.1-inch display, although Amazon claims it's 10 percent brighter than the 2019 model. I wasn't able to compare them side-by-side, but I didn't have any trouble using the Fire 10 HD in bright light. The screen isn't crazy good, but it's fine for browsing the web, watching videos, and other things you're likely to do with it. + +The extra RAM though is immediately noticeable. There's no longer any jittering when scrolling and opening apps was fast and smooth, not pausing, hanging, or noticeable delays that have always been pretty obvious in low-end Android tablets. Like last year's 8-inch model, this update finally makes the Fire 10 HD fast enough to no longer even realize you're using a low-end device. + +Battery life remains at about 12 hours. Obviously this depends on what you're doing, streaming back to back movies will eat up battery faster than just browsing the web. Still, it's within the range of much more expensive competitors. + +The build quality of Fire tablets has always been pretty good. Yes, they're plastic and bulkier than more expensive options, but they're surprisingly durable anyway. I've cracked the screen on two iPads, I've never had the same happen with a Fire, plastic or no. + +If you opt for the Plus model ($30 more) you're get an extra gigabyte of RAM, the option to charge it wirelessly (see our guide the [wireless chargers](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-wireless-chargers/)), and some extra colors to choose from. Amazon sent both the regular and the Plus models for testing. Most of the time I did not notice a big difference, but for only $30 more the Plus's extra RAM will make for a more future-proof purchase. + +The most interesting option is the Productivity Bundle with the bluetooth keyboard and Microsoft Office 365 subscription. That latter makes up for the fact that Google software is noticeably absent from the Fire 10 HD. That means no Google Docs, Sheets, Drive or any of the rest of Google's offerings. Worse, even the web versions won't load in the include Silk web browser and there aren't any popular alternative browsers available in the Amazon App Store. + +I have no idea if this is shortcoming on Amazon or Google's end, but it makes the Fire HD 10 a complete no-go if your workflow depends on Google Apps, as mine does unfortunately. Microsoft Office 365 is capable of doing everything Google's online office suite can do, the problem is if all your colleagues are using Google, and you need to be able to edit shared documents in Google, then that's a moot point. Curiously, after playing with Office 365 for a week I actually came to prefer it to Google's offerings, but that still doesn't help me get work done on the Fire. + +If your work isn't married to Google's office suite I suspect the Fire 10 HD would be a perfectly workable device. I researched, wrote, and published this review entirely from the Fire HD 10 and it worked great. The keyboard is definitely small, if you have large hands you may find it difficult to use. The closest competitor here is probably the equally cramped Lenovo Duet, which has a trackpad, something Amazon does not offer. I didn't miss it that much, but it would be nice to have some times. The keyboard has quite a few special keys to handle commmon tasks, and those trasks are customizable so you can set up whatever works best for your workflow, which is nice. + +There's also a new split screen mode in Fire OS which is handy for multitasking. + + +It's a start though. Apple's original iPad keyboards also lacked a trackpad so there's hope that Amazon will improve on its current offering (or you can get a 3rd-party keyboard with trackpad). + +Still, at the moment I wouldn't say get the Fire 10 HD for work. If you’re interested in an Amazon tablet, you’re probably an Amazon Prime member and this is where the Fire 10 HD excels. Prime gives you access to thousands of movies, original TV shows, music, books, and games. The [list of Amazon Prime perks](https://www.wired.com/story/amazon-prime-perks/) might surprise you, but either way the point, and best use of, an Amazon Fire + +## Fire 10 HD Kids + +I have not tested the Fire 10 HD Kids version, but it's worth noting that Amazon has changed its Kids lineup as well. There are now two kids versions. The difference here isn't RAM, it's padding and functionality. For kids under six the padded case remains unchanged and the specs match the adult version, the same locked-down kid-friendly content is available. + +Then there's the new kid's "Pro" aimed at older children (6-12). It has sleeker, less padded case, a new app store, a web browser, and the ability to make voice and video calls. The app store is locked down and limited in selection, but you can also expand things to include other apps like Minecraft. The kid-friendly web browser comes with built-in parental controls which can be used to filter out sites, only allow certain site, or disable the browser entirely. + +## The Best Tablet at This Price + +If you can afford the entry level iPad, it's a more powerful tablet with a nicer screen and much better selection of apps. It's also $325 to the Fire 10 HD's $150. Neither device includes a keyboard at those prices, but there's almost nothing else as nice as the Fire HD at it's price point. + +Here's the deal though: don't buy the Fire HD 10 at full price. Every year it's been available it's been on sale for roughly 50 percent off several times, including Prime Day, Black Friday, and other holiday sales. Score a Fire HD 10 for around $80 and you have yourself an unmatched deal. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +## Asus ASUS ZenBook 13 UM325S + +The Asus ZenBook 13 with its AMD Ryzen 5000 series chips is one of the best value laptops I've tested in a long time. The ZenBook series has long packed in the features at surprisingly competitive prices, but this model stands out for two reasons: the gorgeous OLED display and the Ryzen chips. + +What's remarkable about AMD's new Ryzen 5000U series processors is that you get performance that that often bests Intel's latest 11th generation ("Tiger Lake") processors for significantly less money. The ZenBook 13 AMD version starts at $800 for the Ryzen 5 model, which is plenty for most people. The slightly more expensive Ryzen 7 series I tested gets close to the performance of Apple's M1 chip, but again with a lower price tag. + +The ZenBook 13 is a lot of laptop for not a lot of money. + +## Design + +While the ZenBook 13 is a great value, there is one quirk you'll have to put up with, which is the keyboard. Some might call it cramped, which it is a little bit, though that wasn't my primary issue. What bothered me was the extra row of keys on the right side of the keyboard, which ends up making the QWERTY portion of the keyboard slightly off-center with the trackpad. This meant that every time I put my hands down on either side of the trackpad, I wasn't touching the keys I thought I was touching. + +The good news is that after about a week, my brain adjusted and this no longer happened. The bad news is that that the closer than usual key spacing does lead to an usually high amount of typos. I even foisted the ZenBook on my wife for a couple of days to see if it was just me, but no, she had the same experience. The solution here is obvious: ditch the extra row of keys and space out the rest of the keyboard accordingly, but alas, it is what it is. + +To me, it's not a deal breaker, and I say that as a writer who is constantly typing. But I do strongly recommend trying this thing in person if possible to see if it will bother you. + +Assuming the keyboard is not an issue, there's much to love about the rest of the ZenBook design. Asus ZenBook's have always been featherweight, svelte machines and this latest model is no exception. It weighs in 2.51 pounds, and it's just a hair over half an inch thick. + +When you open the ZenBook the lid hinge lifts the rear of the body off the surface, which gives the keyboard a comfortable roughly 3 degree slope and helps get a bit of air flowing under the chassis to keep things cool. Whether or not it's a result of this design I'm not sure, but only once in all of my testing did I hear the fans come on (to be fair, an hour long meeting running through Microsoft Teams will make any laptop sound like a jet engine). + +### The Ryzen 5000 Series + +Most of my initial interest in the ZenBook 13 was the AMD Ryzen 5000 series chip, and it does not disappoint. I ran some benchmarks against both the previous AMD (Ryzen 7 4000 series) and an Intel i7 Lenovo I'm testing as well. This is a little Apples to Oranges so I won't go too deep into it, except to say that the 5000 series outperformed both in almost every multi-threaded test, which is about what you'd expect. Where the Intel model is likely to win is in gaming. + +More interesting to me was the real world experience of rendering video, which was blazing fast, even next to the Ryzen 4000 series machine, and watching HD video, which looks great on the OLED display. This is one of the first OLED display laptops we've seen for under a $1000. It's only 1080p, unlike the 4K OLED in some Dell machines, but it still looks fantastic, with deep rich blacks and highly saturated colors. + +I was worried that the OLED screen would hurt battery life, but battery life on the Zenbook was decent. I managed 9 hours 43 minutes in our standard test, which consists of putting the brightness at 75% and looping a local 1080p video. In more real world situations, browsing the web, writing, listening to music, and editing the occasional spreadsheet I got close to 11 hours. That's not going to win awards, but suffice to say it's plenty of battery life for a full day of work and then some. The ZenBook also recharges incredibly quickly. + +The port selection on the ZenBook is generally pretty good. You get a microSD card reader, one USB Type-A, and two USB-C ports (though no Thunderbolt 4 support in the AMD model). There’s also nan HDMI out, but unfortunately no headphone jack. Asus does include a USB-C to headphone adapter, but I'd gladly trade the HDMI out for a headphone jack. + +I'd also love to swap the built-in camera for, well, something better. It's not the worst I've used (cheap Chromebooks take the prize there), but it's not great either. Colors are washed out, and overall the image looks mushy. Unfortunately that's true of almost every laptop I've tested this year. + +One thing you won't get in the AMD version of the ZenBook 13 is WiFi 6. For that you'll have to go Intel. The other quirky thing worth mentioning is the trackpad, which can be configured to be a number pad, yay! Asus is quite fond of these trackpad gimmicks, personally they're the only thing I've found that's less useful than Apple's touchbar, but I know some people love the extra features. I tested to make sure it actually worked as a number pad and then I turned it off and never thought of it again. + +There are a bewildering array of configurations [available for the new ZenBook 13](https://store.asus.com/us/search?q=zenbook%2013%20oled) rel=nofollow}. That hardest part about buying it is figuring out what you want, and then actually finding it on the Asus website. The model I tested featured a Ryzen 7 5000 series chip, with 16-gigabytes of memory, and a 512-gigabyte SSD, a configuration I can't currently locate on the Asus website. That's okay though because for most people with average workloads, the [Ryzen 5 5000 series model](https://store.asus.com/us/item/202103AM260000009/ASUS-ZenBook-13-OLED-Ultra-Slim-Laptop) rel=nofollow} with 8 gigabytes of RAM is going to plenty fast enough and it's only $800. If you want an ultraportable machine that's capable of some light gaming as well, there's the [Intel i7 model](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08XBF1269/ref=twister_B093VKNQCP) rel=nofollow} ($1,100) as well. + +If you need help figuring out which configuration fits your needs the best, be sure to read through our [laptop buying guide](https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-buy-the-right-laptop-for-you/). In the case of the Asus ZenBook 13 though, you really can't go wrong. This is great, budget-friendly machine with plenty of power for most people and an excellent display. The performance is very nearly as good as Apple's M1 and it's $400 cheaper. + + + +ASUS ZenBook 13 OLED Ultra-Slim Laptop, 13.3” OLED FHD NanoEdge Bezel Display, AMD Ryzen 5 5500U, 8GB LPDDR4X RAM, 512GB PCIe SSD, NumberPad, Wi-Fi 5, Windows 10 Home, Pine Grey, UM325UA-DS51 +Latest AMD Ryzen™ 5 5500U Processor (Up to 4.0GHz, 6 cores,8M Cache) with AMD Radeon™ +Windows 10 Home +Fast storage and memory featuring 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD with 8GB LPDDR4X RAM +Built-in IR camera for facial recognition sign in with Windows Hello +ErgoLift hinge and backlit keyboard and NumberPad +HDMI 2.0b, USB 3.2 Type-C, USB 3.2 Type-A, Wi-Fi 5(802.11ac), Bluetooth 5.0* + + +## rural internet + +Notes talking to brian@nycmesh.net +GuiFi in spain, northern england. one solution would be to Lay fiber, make it available at cost, let the cities work out the best way to get it to their citizens (Wisp networks, fiber, what have you) + +## Weber Smokefire EX4/EX6 + +I won't lie, I almost shoved the Weber SmokeFire down the hill and into the woods behind my house the I first time I turned it on. I was ready to cook, to dive into elemental things like fire and fat, the building blocks of human life if you will. The SmokeFire? It wanted to do a firmware update. + +This is world we have created people. Never mind though, the firmware update didn't take too long and I was able to do the initial burn off and get to cooking within the hour. Even better, the first thing I cooked on this pellet "smoker" wasn't smoked, or even slow cooked. It seared some steaks for the family and even smoked them for just a minute to give them a little extra mesquite flavor. + +One of the great things about cooking with wood or charcoal is that it's easy to use the same cooker as both a grill, that is for searing and other high-heat cooking, and then turn around and set it up to cook over indirect heat, for smoking or other slow cooking. + +It's much harder to do the same with a propane grill. Technically you can smoke on a propane grill, and it's not too bad if you have a dual burner grill, but in my experience the results aren't that great. Likewise most pellet cookers are good at smoking, but not much good at searing. + +That's what the SmokeFire was hoping to change when Weber launched it last year. Unfortunately, that initial release had some problems, which promoted Weber to push out an update this year. The result is a great smoker, not terrible different in that regard from the Traeger Ironwood 650 ([8/10, WIRED Recommends](https://www.wired.com/review/traeger-ironwood-650/)), and a pretty good searing grill as well. + +The basic principle of a pellet grill is that compressed sawdust pellets are burn by igniting them was a small heating element and blowing on them with fan. Picture yourself blowing on a small pile of twigs to get a campfire started and you have the basic idea. A small auger feeds more pellets from the storage hoper as they burn. Temperature is regulated by a combination of how fast pellets feed in and how much the fan blows, which is controlled by the smart phone app. + +The result is precision controlled cooking with very little effort on your part. + +I made ribs yesterday, on a work day, and it took me less than 30 minutes to cook them. MOst of that time was making the rub and getting them on the grill. After that all I had to do was set up the temperature probes—one to monitor the ambient temp around the ribs, another in the rack to monitor the temp of the meat—and set the temp of the grill. The rest of the day I went about my work and come 6 o'clock, the ribs were ready. I'd never attempt week night ribs over charcoal. Or at least not until my Dogecoin hits the moon and I retire. In the mean time, there's pellet smokers to simplify life. + +But what about when you don't want to smoke ribs? What about when you just want to grill some burgers? The SmokeFire does quite well there too. The SmokeFire shares much of its grilling internals with Weber’s gas grills. It uses the same inverted V shaped flame spreaders, which Weber calls "flavorizer bars". These spread the flames and help get more direct flame across the cooking surface, providing a better sear. Where it gets really interesting is that you can sear your burgers, cook them about half way, then dial back the temp, turn on the tk feature and get a bit of a smoky flavor into your burgers, the best of both worlds if you will. + +That's not to say that the SmokeFire is grilling perfection. I have main two gripes about the SmokeFire. The first is that there's considerable ash. None of it got on the food, but it was in the air around the cooker whenever I used it at high temps. The fan just seems overly agrressive sometime. Not a deal breaker, but something to be aware of and a good reason to keep the lid closed. + +My other problem with the SmokeFire is that the tempature varies considerably across the cooking surface. This can be used to your advantage of course. The center is the best place to get a good sear, and you can do that while keeping other things off to the sides so they cook slower, and don't dry out. For example, you can sear steaks in the center while keeping your shrimp off to the side of a surf and turf that's all done at once. The downfall is you're limited on the number of things you can sear at once because the sides didn't provide nearly as high of a searing temp in my testing. + +Those are relatively minor gripes though. My biggest problem with pellet smokers is the requirement to use the brand's pellets. In this regard the SmokeFire is no different than any other pellet cooker, for best results you'll need to stick with Weber pellets. + +If you search the web for the Weber SmokeFire reviews, you'll run across quite a few very negative reviews based on the 1st generation models Weber put out last year. I have not used that model, but I was very careful to test this new model to see if the problems people mentioned had been solved. In my experience the answer is both yes and no. + +Weber's apps got off to rough start, which I have covered elsewhere, but the current version, which not quite as slick as Traeger's, allows you to control every aspect of the grill and features some built-in recipe templates. That problem, along with the firmware updates for SmokeFire solves those problems. Weber has also added a panel to the hopper to make it steeper, so the pellets slide down the Augur easier. And there's a new Augur. That address all the issues except one: grease build up remains a potential problem. + +In my testing I did not have a problem with grease build up, nor did I experience any significant flaring. That said, it's easy to see how you could have problems, especially if you're cooking a lot of brisket or other fatty cuts. As with any grill, you'll want to clean up regularly. If you get a pellet smoker, get a shop vac as well. Trust me. That said, I'd say you should clean the Weber more than you'd need to clean the Traeger. The design just makes it easier for grease and ash to combine to clog up the drain holes. It's a problem that hasn't changed with the updated version. For many people this will be a deal breaker. However, I still think this is a great cooker, just realize you're going to have to clean it more frequently than many others on the market. + +It's also worth noting that The SmokeFire EX6 is a massive grill. The 1,008 square inches of cooking space can hold six racks of ribs with no problem, more if you use the upper shelf too (an extra 360 square inches of indirect cooking space). The slightly smaller EX4 (672 square inches of cooking space) might be better suited to those who aren't regularly grilling for a crowd. The EX4 is also a bit cheaper at $1000, versus the EX6's $1200. + +In the end I really enjoyed the SmokeFire. The food that can off it was absolutely fantastic, never dried out. Against the Traeger it's really hard to pick a winner. They both produce great results. The Traeger doesn't suffer from the potential grease clogging issue, but it's also considerably more expensive. So long as you're will the clean it, the SmokeFire makes a great all-in-one backyard cooker. + +## Asus ZenBook 13 + +13.9 mm thin +2.45lb +ultralight + +## Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 + +Microsoft's Surface Laptop 4 is everything I'd hoped the previous version would be, which is to say an excellent all-around, well-made AMD laptop. It isn't the most powerful laptop around, nor is it the cheapest, but it's powerful enough for most people and wraps Windows in a package that competes well with Apple's design smarts. + +### Outside + +The Surface Laptop 4 looks like the previous model. Technically it is slightly thinner, but unless they're side by side, you won't notice it. At just over half an inch thick (0.58 inches) and weighing only 3.4 pounds this is a remarkable portable 15-inch machine. For comparison that's half a pound lighter than the lightest configuration Dell XPS 15 ([9/10, WIRED Recommends](https://www.wired.com/review/dell-xps-15-2020/)). + +Among the noticeable changes in this release is a new "Ice Blue" option, but most of what was good about the Surface 3 remains unchanged here. The build quality is still excellent, the all-metal construction doesn't flex or bend when carried with one hand, and while it's not the easiest laptop to open with one hand, you can manage it. + +The 3:2 screen ratio also remains, as does the power connector, and the ports (yes, USB-A and headphone jack are still there, thank you Microsoft). + +What's different in this update is that you can now get both the 13-inch and 15-inch models with either Intel or AMD chips. If you opt for Intel you'll get 11th-generation Core i5 or i7 chips. If you prefer AMD, you'll get Ryzen 4000 series processors. If you're not sure which is best for your use case, check out our [laptop buying guide](https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-buy-the-right-laptop-for-you/). + +While chip updates are pretty standard for a new laptop release, Microsoft is claiming these changes, along with some other tweaks, will provide not just better performance, but also improved battery life compared to the previous Surface Laptop. + +Performance-wise the Laptop 4 is a huge step up from its predecessor. It runs circles around the Laptop 3 in every CineBench benchmark I ran. More impressive to me, the new version doesn't get nearly as hot even when pushing it with benchmark tests. + +I tested the 15-inch AMD Ryzen 7 4000 series configuration with 16 gigabytes of RAM and a 512-gigabyte SSD. As configured this Surface Laptop 4 is $1,700. That's roughly comparable to a similarly specced Dell 15-inch XPS and 16-inch MacBook Pro. The Ryzen 7 Surface fared well against the i9 Dell in benchmarks, though of course the latter was faster, much faster in some cases. I have never tested the 16-inch MacBook, but the Surface Laptop 4's results beat many of the MacBook benchmarks available online. It's worth noting though that, if you're in the market for a larger laptop, Apple is expected to release an M1-based MacBook Pro later this year. + +Compared to other top end laptops on the market now, the Surface is a pretty middle of the road machine in terms of performance. Using the older Ryzen 4000 series chips is a strike against it now that the Ryzen 5000 series is out. I have several laptops in testing right now with the Ryzen 5000 series chips and they are faster across the board and get better battery life. + +Where the Surface wins most of the time is in design, build quality, and the screen. I love the 3:2 ratio. It gives you more veritcal screen real estate which means less scrolling, which means you can focus more on what you're reading. The native resolution of 2,496 by 1,664 pixels isn't 4K sharp like the Dell XPS 15, but it's considerably better than "full HD" 1080p screens found in many 15-inch laptops. In terms of pixel density it's very close to what gets calls "quad HD" (2,560 by 1,440 pixels but on 16:9 display). + +I found the Surface display to be plenty sharp, with nice crisp text and excellent colors. The Ryzen-powered 15-inch version also uses AMD's FreeSync technology, which allows for on-the-fly refresh rate adjustments, resulting in very smooth animation, with almost no jerky movements. This is a feature you regularly find on gaming machines, but it's relatively rare on more consumer-oriented devices. And it might sound like a small thing, but after using the Surface Laptop 4 for a week, it was painful to go back to displays without it. + +Another big win for the Surface Laptop 4 is battery life. Previous models would struggle to get through a full day's work, but this one had no trouble. In our standard battery drain test (looping a locally stored 1080p video at 75 percent brightness) I managed 9.25 hours, which is one of the best battery times out there for a 15-inch machine. In real world use I managed even better times, just under 11 hours in most cases. + +As I mentioned earlier the ports are the same as the previous model, which means Microsoft's proprietary charging port remains, along with one USB-C, one USB-A, and a headphone jack. While I like the USB-A and headphone jack, it's disappointing that neither the Intel or AMD Surface Laptops support Thunderbolt on the USB-C port. + +I mention this mainly because both the Dell XPS 15 and Apple laptops support Thunderbolt, which means better connections to external monitors and data transfers speeds at far faster rates than USB-C offers. Depending on your situation though the USB-A port on the Surface Laptop 4 might be more of a win than the lack of Thunderbolt is a loss. I should mention that the USB-C port can charge the Surface Laptop 4, which is useful if you carry an [external battery capable of charging laptops](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-portable-chargers-power-banks/). + +The other weak point of the Surface Laptop in my opinion is the keyboard. It feels strangely spread out, the keys feel spongy and seem to lack the fast rebound of similar keyboards, like the Dell XPS 15. My other gripe is the lack of a right control key. Although I hardly ever see this complaint mentioned anywhere, so possibly I am the only person using the right Control key (also, it is possible to map the little menu key to control using third-party software, so this isn't a deal breaker by any means. The trackpad, as with previous Surface Laptops, is the best non-Apple trackpad I've ever used. + +If you want a 15-inch laptop for the extra screen real estate it affords, and don't have big plans—in other words, you're not editing video or gaming—the Surface Laptop 4 is a solid choice. It's got plenty of power for watching Netflix, editing documents, and browsing the web. What really sets it apart from similarly priced, and certainly cheaper, laptops is the build quality. However, if you're looking for a portable video editing workstation, gaming rig, or other performance-intensive tasks, there are better options available, like the Dell XPS 15. + + + +## DJI Air 2S + + +DJI's new Air 2S is one of the best drones I've ever flown. It's fast, agile, packs in a new high-resolution 1-inch sensor with up to 5K video, and brings some new AI-powered flying smarts to help you capture that perfect shot with the press of a button. + +### Same Body, New Insides + +\|\|\|\|\|secondary image\|\|\|\| + +The Air 2S is externally nearly identical to last year's Mavic Air 2 ([9/10 WIRED Recommends](https://www.wired.com/review/dji-mavic-air-2/)). The new Air 2S even uses the same batteries, which makes upgrading a little cheaper. + +While they're *nearly* identical, there are some improvements. The Air 2S adds an object detection camera to the top of the drone, which improves the collision avoidance system. The Air 2S is also technically heavier at 595 grams to the Mavic Air 2's 570 grams. That might not sound like an improvement, but I found the Air 2S a performed better in windy conditions, and more weight likely helps with that (a new drone arriving inevitably cues up a windy day). + +The similarities don't mean the Air 2S is just a repackaged Mavic Air 2 though. The big difference is the new 1-inch CMOS camera sensor. That's double the size of the Mavic Air 2, which used a half-inch sensor. It also jumps from 12 megapixels to 20 megapixels for stills, but the biggest difference, putting RAW images side by side in a photo editor, is sharpness. The new sensor has more detail and more definition in those details. + +The new sensor also means you can 5.4K video at 30fps. That's a good choice if you might want to crop, though the 4K at 60fps option will result in smoother video in most cases. + +On paper the new sensor matches what you'd get in the more expensive Mavic 2 Pro, although the Pro has a variable aperture and can stop down to f/11, which is a huge help shooting in bright daylight. Still, for the size and price, the Air 2S's sensor can't be beat. + +The new sensor alone is well worth the upgrade from the previous version, but there's some other nice updates as well. + +DJI has added a new collision sensor to the top of the Air 2S, which really helps when you're flying toward something at high speed, since the drone pitches forward, rendering the front sensor less effective. Try as might I could not get the Air 2S to fly into things in Normal or Cine modes going forward, backward, up, down. + +The Air 2S does lack the side to side sensors found on the more expensive Mavic 2 Pro, but it's a huge step up from previous drones of this size, at this price. As per usual, Sport mode turns off all obstacle detection, use at your own risk. + +The Advanced Pilot Assistance System (APAS) has seen an update as well, so that it now uses a wider field-of-view to detect obstacles. This means you can do more automated flying and worry less about what's around you. That said, perhaps I am old fashioned, but I still have a hard time trusting automation in tight flying situations. + +The Air 2S inherits DJI's O3 flight system (previously called OcuSync) from the company's recent FPV drone. While I haven't had time to review that one yet, I've flown it enough to say that the 12 kilometer range claim is accurate, and also applies here. DJI is claiming 31 minutes of flight time for the Air 2S. I never quite got there, but it was close: 30 minutes was my max, but to be fair I was flying in some windy conditions. + +### Automatic Video + +\|\|\|\|\|secondary image\|\|\|\| + +While the new sensor and collision detection are both welcome upgrades, my favorite part of the Air 2S is what DJI calls MasterShots. Open the MasterShots menu item, select an object and the app will automatically calculate flight paths for various types of shots. Send you drone off on its way, it records everything, and then combines it all into a single chunk of footage. It's a dead simple way to get a ton of b-roll without needing to do much of anything on your end. + +That said, it won't always work. For example, I tried to use it on my car sitting in front of my house. And while the app had no trouble detecting what I wanted and plotting a course, it couldn't actually fly that path because there was a large tree in the way of some of the shots it planned. My solution was to go up a bit higher and get what I could with MasterShots, and then do some careful flying by hand to fill in what else I needed. + +Luckily MasterShots isn't take it or leave it. All video that's shot in MasterShots is available separately from the final, app-produced edit. That means if you don't like the edited results you can still take the raw footage and edit it yourself in the software of your choice. + +The Air 2S is available today for $999 (includes the drone, remote controller, and one battery). There's also the Fly More combo for $1,299 which gets you two more batteries, ND filters (useful on bright days), a charging hub, and a shoulder bag. + + + +the first drone of its size to capture 20-megapixel still images or video in 5.4K with a new +one-inch sensor that was previously available only on larger, less agile drones. DJI continues to enable the effortless creation of imaginative content with the new MasterShots feature. This advanced feature uses automatic flight path planning to set the drone’s course while recording video. Upon completion of the flight, DJI Air 2S automatically merges the footage under one theme to create an eye-catching video. DJI Air 2S’s 31 minutes of maximum flight time and four-way directional obstacle sensors let the pilot focus on the shot while the drone’s safety systems warn when obstacles are getting close. APAS 4.0 is the most advanced autopilot system on any DJI drone and when turned on, seamlessly maneuvers around objects autonomously. O3, DJI’s third iteration of OcuSync, brings the most reliable transmission +technology in the drone market to this portable, foldable drone so users know their connection is stable. +The upgraded FocusTrack mode includes a suite of programmed modes like Spotlight 2.0, ActiveTrack +4.0 and Point of Interest 3.0 that easily mimic the focus, control and movement of a professional video +operator. +An All-In-One Tool for All Your Content Capturing Needs +Expand your creative vision and capture high-grade footage using a new one-inch sensor capable of +recording 20-megapixel still images, 5.4K video at 30fps or 4K at 60fps and 150Mbps. The one-inch +sensor is larger than the sensor on the original Mavic Air 2 and offers a larger pixel size of 2.4μm, +capturing more information and detail for better photos and videos. Get closer to the subject without +moving the drone using a new digital zoom that supports 4X zoom at 4K 30fps, 6X at 2.7K 30fps, 4X at +2.7K 60fps, 6X at 1080P 60fps and 8X at 1080P 30fps. DJI’s renowned three-axis mechanical gimbal +smooths out footage for professional-level quality and 8 GB of internal storage have been added. Users +can choose to record in H264 or H265, depending on their preferences for image detail and storage +capacity and can also choose from three video color profiles, Normal (8 bit), D-Log (10 bit) or HLG (10 +bit) to match their video needs. + +In addition to standard photo options like Timed Photo, AEB and Panoramas, DJI Air 2S’s SmartPhoto +mode records 20-megapixel photos using advanced scene analysis and deep learning to automatically +choose the best of three options that will create the most visually appealing image for you, including +HDR, Hyperlight and Scene Recognition. HDR modes merge several images together for a vibrant scene +while Hyperlight is designed for low-light scenarios and Scene Recognition can identify several common +settings and apply camera adjustments to capture photos that pop. +Pre-Programmed Modes for Pro-Level Footage +The DJI Air 2S has the most programmed flight modes and image capture modes of any DJI drone of its +size. These creative options include: +▪ MasterShots: Professional-level aerial footage has never been easier. After activating +MasterShots, the drone will autonomously plan a flight path, choose from three different image +capture modes, including Proximity, Portrait or Landscape, and start recording classic aerial +footage. Pilots can choose different themes and the DJI Fly app will generate a unique video +that’s ready to be shared with the world. +▪ FocusTrack: Focus on the scene and let DJI Air 2S do the hard work for you. Select your subject +by drawing a square around it on your mobile device, then choose from Point of Interest 3.0, an +autonomous flight path around the subject; ActiveTrack 4.0, a tool that seamlessly tracks the +subject and keeps it in the frame; or Spotlight 2.0, where the drone movement is controlled by +the pilot while it locks the subject into the frame. +▪ QuickShots: A staple DJI feature, QuickShot modes include Rocket, Circle, Dronie, Helix, +Boomerang and Asteroid. +▪ Hyperlapse: See the world sped up from the air and in motion with the Hyperlapse option in +resolution up to 4K. Content captured in 4K resolution and lower can apply digital stabilization +for an added layer of smoothness. +Safe and Intuitive Flight Operation in an Ultra-Portable Drone +DJI Air 2S uses four high-grade antennas and the latest version of DJI’s proprietary OcuSync transmission +tech, O3, to deliver a stable feed at a maximum distance of 12km 1 , even in areas with a high number of +signals. A maximum 31 minutes in the air gives pilots more time to capture visually appealing footage +while four-way sensors help reduce the risk of collision. The newly upgraded front, rear, bottom and top +obstacle sensors incorporate binocular zooming technology to recognize incoming objects from further +away at faster speeds. +DJI Air 2S uses the latest and most advanced version of Advanced Pilot Assistance System (APAS) 4.0, +which allows the drone to autonomously and seamlessly maneuver around, under and over obstacles. +While flying at normal speeds, the newly improved APAS 4.0 offers a wider field-of-view to detect +obstacles compared to previous versions. If pilots are flying at higher speeds, the as the angle of the +drone pitches forward more and the newly added upward obstacle sensor plays a critical part in +assisting obstacle detection. As with DJI’s latest drone models, the DJI Air 2S’s AirSense system warns +drone pilots of nearby airplanes and helicopters transmitting ADS-B signals, so they the drone can be +quickly fly moved to a safer location. Other standard DJI safety features of DJI Air 2S include an +improved Return-To-Home (RTH) feature, which can bring a drone back to its launch point if it loses + +## Lenovo X1 Nano + +If you like the size and weight of the MacBook Air, but prefer the keyboard and features of a ThinkPad the X1 Nano is for you. It's thin and light (1.99 pounds to be precise), but has the ThinkPad pedigree—great keyboard, red nub, and buttons at the top of the trackpad. + +Unfortunately it adopts some of the Air's bad habits as well, ports are limited to two USB-C ports and a headphone jack. The screen is an unsual 2,160 by 1,350 pixels, making it sharper than the XPS 13 base model, but not as sharp as the 4K option. I found it to be plenty sharp and bright enough to start at all day without eye strain. The battery life is great, I managed 17.5 hours in a battery drain test, that's five hours more than the XPS 13 managed. + +*Specs to look for: Intel Core i7, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD* + +## DJI April 15 embargo + + + +## Lenovo C13 Yoga Chromebook + +If you love ThinkPads and Chrome OS, Lenovo has a new laptop for you. + +The ThinkPad C13 Yoga Chromebook is everything ThinkPad fans love—great keyboard, sturdy, no-nonsense design, and yes, the little red TrackPoint—but instead of Window or [Linux](https://www.wired.com/review/lenovo-thinkpad-x1-carbon-linux-edition/), it runs Google's ChromeOS. + +It's not the cheapest, and it won't win design awards, but this is the nicest Chromebook I've used. The 2-in-1 design comes with a built-in stylus, the trackpad has buttons at the top, and there's plenty of ports. If you love Thinkpads and ChromeOS, this is the laptop for you. + +### Thinkpad Hardware +The C13 Yoga is Lenovo's first time bringing the ThinkPad name to a Chromebook so it's interesting to see what Lenovo sees as the defining characteristics of ThinkPad. Everything I love about my x270 is here in the C13 Yoga—the keyboard is physically nearly identical to every other ThinkPad of recent memory (the layout follows the Chromebook style), the TrackPoint is present, and the trackpad buttons are at the top. There's also a fingerprint reader and a slew of ports, including two USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, a MicroSD Card reader, and HDMI out, and, curiously, a phone style volume control rocker. + +Under the hood this is one of the first Chromebooks on the scene using AMD's new 3000C-series processors. The ThinkPad C13 Yoga comes in a few configurations, starting with the entry level model that uses the Athlon Gold chip, with 4 gigabytes of RAM. Then there's the Ryzen 3 model, also with 4 gigabytes of RAM, followed by the model I tested which has a Ryzen 5 chip with 8 gigabytes of RAM. Hard drive options range from a paltry 32 gigabytes to 256 gigabytes on the model I tested. All the SSDs use PCIe NVMe connections. + +The Ryzen 5 chip in my test unit was plenty fast. ChromeOS doesn't ask too much of processor, so that's not surprising. But even editing photos in an Android app, opening dozens of tabs in Chrome, and typing this is in Vim using the Linux features didn't slow it down at all. It's every bit as fast as premium Chromebooks like Samsung's Galaxy Chromebook or the Pixelbook. + +The 1080p screen is bright and sharp, a nice change from less expensive Lenovo Chromebooks which tend to have washed out, muddy screens. There's also an option to get a 4K OLED screen with the C13 Yoga, although given that battery life is good, but not great, I would hesitate to add a power hungry screen like that. + +As with most ThinkPads, Lenovo calls this an enterprise notebook. In this case that means some extra security features, including Google's H1 security chip and the fingerprint reader. It also features a physical webcam cover to block the camera. + +The weakest link in the C13 Yoga is the battery. I managed nine hours five minutes in our standard battery drain test (looping a local 1080p video). That's good enough, but not great compared to some similar Chromebooks in this price range. The Pixelbook Go managed nearly two hours more. That said, I never had the C13 Yoga run out of power in the course of day's work. + +Using the C13 Yoga in tablet mode is fine on a table or in your lap, but trying to hold it while standing up is difficult. At 3.3 pounds, the C13 Yoga isn't what I'd call lightweight. Still, including the Lenovo USI Pen in the higher priced models is a nice touch. Pop the pen out of the little garage housing on the front the C13 will automatically open Google Keep. The Pen has decent pressure sensitivity, and I had no problem using it with Android apps as well, like Adobe Illustrator. + +As a 2-in-1 it functions quite well and recent updates to ChromeOS have made it even more useful as a tablet, though, to be honest, I used it much more in "tent" mode watching YouTube or Netflix. The screen does pick us some glare if you're watching a video in a brightly lit room, but otherwise it looks quite good with strong blacks and still a good range of detail in shadowy scenes. + +Overall this is my favorite Chromebook that I've tested this year. The AMD chips are really impressive. All the lagginess and slowing down you think of when opening dozens of tabs on a Chromebooks are gone with these chips. Nothing I've managed to do has produced any slow down at all. The catch is of course that you're paying a bit more. + +I also like to point out that while ChromeOS is quite capable, the best experience comes from really investing in Google's ecosystem of services and apps, which is not for everyone. Still, if you're okay with the premium price and you want a Chromebook that's going to give you great performance now, and down the road this would be my pick. + + + + + + +## Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Tablet +Android tablets are a rare breed. *Good* Android tablets are even rarer. + +Samsung pretty much has the high-end Android tablet market cornered with its Galaxy Tab S7+ ([6/10 WIRED Review](https://www.wired.com/review/samsung-galaxy-tab-s7-plus/)), and at the other end of the market there's the ultra-cheap, under-powered Amazon Fire tablets. + +In between is something of a gap, and that's what Lenovo is hoping to fill with the Lenovo Tab P11 Pro. It's leaps and bounds beyond a Fire device, but doesn't quite have the power of the S7+. + +What it does have a magnificent screen and a much more budget-friendly price tag that make it great for watching movies on the go. That's the primarily use case here because Android on a tablet isn't good for much else. + +### The Right Hardware + +The screen is one of the highlights of P11 Pro. It's an ll.5-inch 2K OLED (2560 x 1600 pixels) that's every bit as nice and sharp as what's in my iPad Pro. It's got deep rich blacks and plenty of brightness, making the P11 a great way to watch movies. The JBL speakers are similarly impressive, with good bass output—better than any laptops I've tested lately. + +Unfortunately there is no headphone jack. There's a single USB-C port, and a Micro SD card slot. Lenovo does throw in a USB-C-to-headphone adapter, but if you want to charge your tablet while listening to headphones you'll need wireless headphones. + +The design and look of the Tab P11 Pro is somewhere between the iPad Pro and Lenovo's Duet Chromebook. There are a few different models, the plain tablet model looks more like an iPad, while the model I tested includes a soft cloth back with a kickstand, and detachable keyboard like the Duet. The kickstand design means it's a bit awkward and wobbly in your lap, but is fine when you use it on a flat surface. Strip away the case and the P11 Pro is surprisingly light, weighing in at just barely over a pound. + +The keyboard is cramped, but usable. The trackpad on the other hand is the one hardware weak spot. The button range is very small, toward the bottom of the trackpad and not especially responsive. It's not a deal breaker, but it definitely detracts from the usefulness of the trackpad. The folio model also includes a Lenovo Precision Pen 2, which I found great for sketching, pretty much just as good as the Apple Pencil in fact. It comes with carrying holster that can be magnetically attached to the back of the P11 Pro or stored separately. Regrettably it doesn't charge off the Tab itself you'll have to charge it in via a USB-C cable. + +The P11 Pro is plenty speedy for most tasks. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G processor coupled with 6 gigabytes of RAM in the model I tested handled everything I threw at it, including photo editing, video streaming, and a ton of open browser tabs. The base model only offers 4 gigabytes of RAM, and may be a little less snappy. If you can afford it I suggest spending the extra $50 for the 6 gigabyte version. + +Battery life is similarly impressive. It lasted 12 hours, 52 minutes in our battery drain test (looping a local 1080p video). In real world use I had no trouble getting through about a day and half of work. + +### The Wrong Software + +In many ways the P11 Pro is a slightly higher end version of last year's Duet Chromebook (8/10 WIRED Recommends), but it runs Android instead of Chrome OS and that's the real problem with the P11 Pro—Android just isn't great on a tablet. + +Few apps available have many features that take advantage of the tablet form factor. Over half of the apps I use on a regular basis were just phone size UIs blown up to fit a larger screen. Many didn't work at all in landscape mode. + +Like Samsung before it, Lenovo has tried to create a UI to work around Android's limitations on a tablet. Productivity Mode is Lenovo's name for it's customized multi-tasking UI. It's automatically activated whenever you attach the keyboard, or you can manually toggle it on and off in the pull down menu. + +Productivity Mode was clearly inspired by Samsung's DeX mode for the Galaxy Tabs. It laid out almost exactly the same way with a Chrome OS-style taskbar along the bottom of the screen. On the left there's the three Android buttons, back, home, and app list. Then there's a shortcut to open the app drawer, and then a Windows-style button list of your running applications. When Productivity Mode does what you want, it's great and you'll feel like you're using a real OS. + +Unfortunately Productivity Mode feels like a good idea that's only half-baked. It lack the polished workflow of what you'd get with an iPad Pro for example. The P11 Pro is $250 cheaper, but if you're really planning to use your tablet for work, I would suggest the extra money for an iPad Pro is worth it. + +The Tab P11 Pro is a good Android tablet though if you really want Android. If you're into mobile gaming, the 120 Hz screen refresh rate and faster processor of Samsung's S7 Tabs are a better choice. However, if don't plan to game, the Lenovo it has a visually nicer screen and makes a great way to watch movies on the go. And in pinch you can use it to get some work done too. + + + +## Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 + +Don't let the "2" fool you, the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 does not replace last year's Samsung Galaxy Chromebook ([8/10, WIRED Recommends](https://www.wired.com/review/samsung-galaxy-chromebook/)). Think of this as the stripped down, leaner, tk version, rather than a sequel. + +The original Samsung Galaxy Chromebook was a high end, premium machine with one of the nicest screens I've ever used, on any laptop. Unfortunately it arrived just as the pandemic took off and buying Chromebook that was the same price as a MacBook felt like maybe not the best choice. I can't say for sure that this influenced the design decisions Samsung made in creating the Galaxy Chromebook 2, but it certainly feels that way. + +The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 is still very much a premium machine, just a little less svelte, a little less power, and more importantly, a much nicer price. + +### Little Red Rocket +Like its predecessor (which will remain available), the new Galaxy Chromebook 2 comes in either Red or Gray, but really, you should get the red. The world needs more red laptops. + +Before I dive into what makes this machine a better value than the more expensive version, let's tackle what you don't get in this version. The big loss is the 4K OLED panel, which has been replaced by a 1080p QLED panel. It's not a bad screen by any means, and it's still nicer than what you'll find in most Chromebooks, but it's definitely a step down from the OLED. On the upside, battery life is better. + +Also missing in this release are the stylus and the fingerprint sensor. + +The Galaxy Chromebook 2 is 2.71 pounds, which is marginally heavier than the original, but where you'll really notice the difference is the thickness. This model is just over half an inch to the previous model's crazy-thin one-third inch height. It's lighter than most Chromebooks, but it's definitely more noticeable in your bag and harder to hold in tablet mode than the original, which was almost half a point lighter. + +There are two models available, the $700 version I tested features a 10th-generation Intel i3 processor, 8 gigabytes of RAM, and a 128-gigabyte SSD. There’s also a slightly less powerful model that uses a 10th-generation Intel Celeron processor, has only 4 gigabytes of RAM and a 64GB SSD. The cheaper model is $550. + +I find Intel i3 chips to be the sweet spot for Chromebooks. They offer enough power that you don't have to think about how many tabs or apps you have open, and they keep the price down compared to models with i5 or even i7 chips. The Celeron model will likely be fine as well, though less snappy. More worrying is the 4 gigabytes of RAM in that model, I would suggest going for the 8 gigabyte model if you can afford it. It will give you a more future-proof investment. It's not like websites are going to be gobbling up any less RAM tomorrow. + +For ports you get two USB-C, a Micro SD card slot, and a headphone jack. + +And now the million dollar question: how's the battery life? The previous model managed a paltry six and half hours in our standard battery drain test (playing a looped 1080p video at 75 percent brightness). I am happy to report that version 2 nearly doubles the battery life. It managed 12 hours 24 minutes, but more important than the test, I never worried about battery life in the course of using it all day. I did make sure to charge it every night, but it had no trouble lasting through a day of work and some YouTube in the evening. + +My least favorite part of the Galaxy Chromebook 2 is the keyboard. It's the same keyboard as the previous model, but for some reason it bothered me more. I will confess that I am fan of big blocky, Lenovo-style keys, for most people this keyboard will likely be fine. Worryingly though, I had some problems with keys repeating, reminiscent of the problems that plagued Apple's similarly thin butterfly keyboards. I still can't tell though if it's an actual problem or just me. + +Either way it's not enough to stop me from saying you should buy this Chromebook. Chromebooks still make the most sense for hardcore Google product users. If you live in Chrome, sync everything through Google Drive, post your photos to Google Photos, and email from Gmail, then the Galaxy Chromebook 2 is one of the best values on the market right now. + + +## Spark Grill + +Charcoal grilling is probably the oldest method of cooking on earth, old enough that its use predates recorded history. This is worth bearing in mind when a company says its innovating on charcoal grilling. Are you *really sure* no one has tried this at some point in the last 20,000 years? + +That's not exactly what Spark Grills claims, but it's close. Spark's mission is to bring together the flavor of charcoal with the ease of propane grills. + +Like any propane grill you've ever used, the Spark can be started by turning a knob. Like any charcoal grill you've ever used, Spark cooks your food with charcoal. On paper at least, the Spark Grill delivers a solution to exactly the problem it set out to solve. The real question is, is it a problem anyone needs solved? + +### Charcoal Flavor, Gas Simplicity + +Food cooked over charcoal has a distinctive taste. This is Spark's appeal: that great charcoal flavor, but with the convenience of a gas grill. + +Before I dive into how the Spark delivers on this claim it's important to understand that exactly *how* food acquires that distinctive charcoal flavor is influenced by everything from smoke (the specific aromas given off by burning wood that end up in the food), to how, when, and where any Maillard Reaction occurs. There are many variables at play when grilling over wood or charcoal: the kind of wood, the smoke, the heat, and more. + +Combining these variables is as much art as science, and is part of the fun of cooking over burning wood or charcoal. At least to some of us. + +Plenty of other people—understandably—just want to get a tasty grilled dinner on the table. + +If you fall in the later category, the Spark is aimed at you. + +This is a no-fuss, flip a switch and go, charcoal grill that imparts, in my testing anyway, about 80 percent of the flavor you'd get from a traditional charcoal grill. If you love the Pareto principle, the Spark is worth considering because it really does give you 80 percent of the results with 20 percent of the effort. Really, probably less than 20 percent of the effort. + +The mid-century modern inspired design of the Spark looks great. The clean lines and rounded corners make other grills look bulky and awkward. The bamboo cutting board and working area provide ample food prepping space, more than most grills I've tested. + +The Spark plugs in to an ordinary three-prong socket. It uses the electricity to automatically light your "Briq", as Spark calls its proprietary charcoal, and to operate fans which control the temperature of the grill. It's an ingenious system and it worked almost flawlessly in my testing. + +If you can turn on an oven, you can grill with the Spark. Turn it on, wait for it to heat up to your desired temp, and cook. It doesn't get much simpler than that. The Spark also has an app which connects via Bluetooth. You can use the app to adjust and monite temperature via your iOS or Android device. + +There were some hot spots, the left rear side of the grill was consistently hotter in temperature gun readings, and cooked noticeably faster. That's not unusual though, every grill I've ever tried has hot spots. What's unusual about the Spark is how you set up the two-zone system. + +Two-zone cooking refers to cooking with both direct and indirect heat. It's a cornerstone of great grilling, and simple to do with most charcoal grills: move the charcoal to one side. That side will be much hotter and becomes your direct cooking zone, and the other side is your indirect cooking zone. + +With the Spark it's a little more complicated. You have to remove the heat diffuser from the center. Then directly above the Briq is the direct heat, while all around it is the indirect cooking areas. It works, but it's awkward to move things around since they aren't just moved from one side to other, but arrayed in a circle. Still I would not call it deal breaker, it just takes some getting used to. + +The only real problem with the Spark Grill is the proprietary charcoal. It's not cheap, about $5 a Briq and one Briq is one cook. The more significant problem is the Briq options. Right now you're limited to high heat cooking. The Spark really excels from about 450 degrees up to 850 degrees, with 500 being the sweet spot in my testing. + +If you want to cook low and slow, say smoke some ribs or tackle the challenge of brisket, well, you're out of luck, at least for now. Spark's website says that it's working on a slow-burning Briq that will cook for up to 8 hours, but it's not available yet. And that gets to the heart of the problem with proprietary charcoal—availability. + +You can order Briqs online from Spark, but if the company goes out of business down the road you've got a $900, oversize paper weight. Actually, that's not strictly true. You can technically cook with regular charcoal, but everything great about the Spark stops being great. The precision temperature control is gone, it's a pain to light, and in the end cooks no better a $20 grill from a big box store. You want the Briqs. + +And therein lies the rub: expensive Briqs with limited cooking options. If you can live with that, the rest of the Spark is great and it really does deliver on its promise of charcoal grilling made simple. + + + + + + +## GoPro Hero 10 Review + +The most remarkable thing about GoPro's new Hero 10 might be that it exists at all. Somehow, in the midst of a chip shortage that has trucks piling up in lots and supply chains breaking down across the industry, GoPro has managed to release a new camera in which the principle upgrade is a new processor. + +What GoPro has managed to squeeze out of its existing design and sensor with the processor upgrade is impressive. The Hero 10 offers faster video—4K foot can now be shot at 120 frames per second, and 5.3K footage at 60 frames per second. The user interface is also snappier, start up time is shorter and menus are more responsive. The new processor is also capable of pulling higher resolution still images out of your videos. + +### Video Star + +The Hero 10 Black is outwardly indistinguishable from its predecessor other than the new blue logo. The form factor, screens, lens, and image sensor are unchanged. It is marginally lighter (3 percent), which is nice. On paper though the Hero 10 might look a little disappointing, but GoPro's new processor, dubbed the GP2, brings some impressive tricks to the Hero 10 Black that make it well worth the upgrade. + +The GP2 is the first upgrade to the GoPro's processor since the Hero 6 launched over four years ago. GoPro has put the extra processing power to work, making the Hero 10 do more with the same sensor as the Hero 9. In Hero 10 you can shoot 5.3K video at 60 fps, 4K video at 120 fps, or 1080 video at 270 fps, all of which produce very impressive slow motion video. + +The new processor is also driving the latest version of GoPro's software stabilization, Hypersmooth 4. The video stabilization of Hypersmooth is one of the key things that sets GoPro apart from its competitors, and it's a big part of why the Hero series has long been our [favorite action camera](https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-action-cameras/). + +Due to the way it crops, Hypersmooth was not previously available when shooting 5.3K footage, but in Hero 10 it makes its way to 5.3K 30 fps video. That means you can shoot smooth, high resolution video in 5.3K and crop it to 4K output. This reason alone is enough to make the Hero 10 worth the upgrade for pro photographers who shoot action. Hypersmooth also now works on 4K 60 fps footage and 1080p 120 fps footage. + +The other headlining improvement to Hypersmooth is horizon leveling. The Hero 10 can level horizons from a full 45 degree tilt (up from 27 degree tilt in the Hero 9). Unfortunately this one is not available when shooting 5.3K, but does work with 4K 60 fps footage. + +Nice as the Hypersmooth 4 improvements are, what I found far more useful is the new local tone mapping algorithm, which is now available in video as well as photos. Local tone mapping enhances the contrast in areas of low detail, which improves the impression of detail. The classic examples here are hair and grass, both of which tend to wash out and look muddy. Shooting the Hero 10 with local tone mapping alongside the Hero 9 without it revealed a significantly more "texture" to video of grass shot with the updated processor. + +Another place the Hero 10 gets a boost is the 3D noise reduction, which gets a new algorithm thanks to the new chip. The results are most noticeable in low-light videos, sunsets, night in the city and so on, but I also found that when combining this with the HDR tone mapping even footage walking though a sun dappled forest was noticeably better than what I got from the Hero 9 in the same situation. + +The last standout new feature in my view is the new lens cover, which is "hydrophobic", meaning it sheds water. I was skeptical of this until I used it and it really does work. In fact, if you use your GoPro around water, this might be the best features of all, since nothing ruins footage like water droplets on your lens. + +### Still Image Improvements + +While GoPros are probably best known as video cameras, they make pretty good still cameras as well. The image sensor in the Hero 10 is the same 23.6 megapixel sensor found in the Hero 9. But the output on the Hero 9 topped out at 20 megapixels. The faster processor in Hero 10 has enabled GoPro to bump the megapixel output to the full 23 megapixels. Side by side in a RAW editor the change wasn't hugely noticeable, but it does mean you can crop at bit tighter and still end up with the same pixel dimensions. Which is another way of saying, if you're printing posters from your GoPro images, your results with the Hero 10 will look better than the Hero 9. + +I should also note that this megapixel upgrade applies to all photo modes, Burst, Super Photo, and Night Photo, not just RAW images. + +Much more exciting in my view is the ability to pull 19.6 megapixel JPG stills from your 5.3K video. For most of us—possibly even pro photographers—this is large enough to easily print 8 x 10 images and will certainly look great on the 'gram, if that's your thing. This ends up being the main way I use the GoPro: shoot video of a scene and then pull out still images later. While I don't get a RAW file this way, I do end up more often than not, getting the actual image I want. + +There are a handful of other improvements in this release that are nice to have, including a higher frame rate on the front screen, which is particularly helpful for selfie crowd as the preview doesn't lag like it did in the Hero 9. Another nice feature is automatic cloud backup for those with a GoPro subscription. When you plugin the Hero 10 to charge it will automatically connect to your network and start uploading. Wireless transfers from GoPro to your phone are also faster. New in this release is ability to dump images and video to your phone via a wired connection. + +### Should You Upgrade? + +That depends on what you're doing with your GoPro. The Hero 10 is the fastest and most powerful Hero camera I've tested, but if you already have the Hero 9... that's still a very capable camera. If you've got an older Hero and are looking to upgrade, the Hero 10 is definitely worth it. + +All the accessories that work with the Hero 9 will also work here (so there's no waiting for your favorite third-party accessory makers to catch up) and the jump from Hero 8 to Hero 10 is a significant upgrade. + + + +# Rants and Raves + +## Kettlebell Rave + +I hate running. If I am running, it's because I'm being chased. Or I am chasing something. + +Neither of those scenarios come up much though. Every now and then I might do some trail running because I want to get to a particular location by sunrise or because I'm trying to track a bird. But running for fun? There is no fun in running. Have you ever watched someone running? Do they look like they're having fun? No, they look miserable. Because they are. + +I hate running so much that back in high school, when told I had to "take" a sport, I went through the list of options and picked rowing because it seemed unlikely to involve any running. I was right. Mostly. Now rowing turned out to be it's own special kind of physical hell far worse than running, but at least it wasn't running. I don't mind enduring hell, so long as it isn't running. + +Yet I've noticed that the old adage that "use your body or you'll lose it" becomes increasingly true as I age. I'd go back to rowing, but boats are expensive, and hard to transport when you [live in an RV](). I like to lift heavy things, but weights are also out for those us in RVs or apartments. What to do? I know what you're thinking, go to the gym you moron. I hate gyms. I might hate gyms more than running. It's a toss up. + +For years I got by with pushups, sit ups, and pull ups whenever there was an opportune tree nearby. It worked. Mostly. A little lacking in cardio perhaps, but I'm not trying to win a marathon, I just want to stay strong and age with a modicum of grace. + +Then I discovered GoRuck's sand kettlebells. Now I can lift heavy things and pack them away in tiny bundle when I'm done. + +For me GoRuck sand kettle bells hit the sweet spot between price, size, and workout potential. + +I should probably here note that my idea of a workout is very simple: work as many muscles as you can with the minimum of exercises necessary. After a bit of experimenting I found what I've been looking for ever since I stopped rowing: a brutally hard workout that doesn't take hours. The kettlebell swing combined with the Turkish get up give me a very well rounded workout (and I still do pushup and pullups as well). + +I'll be honest, I've never really liked sand weights, they tend to be poorly made. GoRuck's sand kettlebells are an exception to this rule, they're well-made and incredibly durable. They're heavy duty (1000D) Cordura nylon, and use a zipper system with a velcro flap that roles down (like a dry bag) to make sure no sand leaks out. In months of testing I have yet to see any sand leak out. Oh and if you don't happen to live near any free sand you can always grab a bag of play sand from your nearest hardware store. + +I started with the 35 pound sand kettlebell, which I think is a good option if you're in decent shape. While GoRuck doesn't endorse it (and it won't work for some excercises) you can under fill these if you buy a size that doesn't work for you. After a couple of months with the 35 pounder I ordered the 44 pounder as well and find that between the two I can create all sorts of complex, well-rounded workouts. That said, I mostly stick to swings and get ups. Like said, I am not a sophisticated person. Me swing heavy bag. Me happy. + +Even if you have plenty of space for iron kettlebells there's a lot to like about sand. I've dropped the 35 pound from about waist height on my foot with no injuries. Don't try that with iron kettlebell. These also don't hurt when you stub your toe on them. I have three kids, there are enough Lego pieces strewn across the floor, I don't need an iron kettle bell out to get me too. + +Then there's the beginner-friendly aspect. Sand is more forgiving than iron. I can't tell you how many times I dropped this thing trying to figure out the Turkish get up. I'm pretty sure I'd have some cracked ribs if I'd been trying to learn with an iron kettle bell. + +If you're curious about kettlebells or are looking for some home workout gear that doesn't cost a fortune, and packs up small when you need it to, GoRuck's sand kettlebells are hard to beat. That said, be warned: swinging a kettlebell looks easy enough, but do it a few hundred times and you'll be breathing hard and sore as heck the next day. As GoRuck would say, embrace the suck. Just don't run, cause running sucks. + + +## Matador Dry Bag Rave + +Autumn is my favorite time in The South. There's a day, usually in late October, when the humidity finally breaks, the air stirs, and you can feel it in your bones: summer is over. Those of you in the midwest see that as a shame because snow is coming, those of you in California are like what are seasons? + +But for those of us down here near the gulf of Mexico that cool, dryer air is a thing of beauty. The endless hum of the air conditioner cuts off and you can hear the insects again. The windows are thrown open and you can lay on the couch reading a book feeling the breeze and find yourself thinking, see, this is great. + +The problem is that wonderful afternoon coolness and breeze can blow away and by midnight your open window is soaking the couch and bag full of camera gear and batteries you left sitting on it. Which is precisely what happened to me earlier this year. + +The couch will dry, so will the bag, but the camera and batteries would have been ruined (including one, ahem, that wasn't mine) except that I had decided a couple month earlier to keep my batteries and cameras in dry bags inside my bag. I spend a lot of time near water so this isn't as overkill as it sounds, and the real key to this decision was the very not-bulky dry bags from Matador. + +A traditional rubber-type dry bag is bulky and difficult to get in an out of another bag—I have these but I really only use them when I'm actually on the water paddling. The genius of Matador's new bags is in their lightweight construction, the 8-lier bag weighs a mere 2.3 ounces. They're made of waterproof 70D ripstop nylon, which isn't bulky at all either. Despite that, they achieve an IPX7 rating (meaning they're submersible at a depth of 1 meter for 30 minutes). + +There are two sizes available, a 2-liter and an 8-liter. I use the 2-liter to store all my batteries, and the 8-liter to hold my Sony A7 along with a spare lens. This setup has the secondary advantage of providing me with a nice kit of batteries that I can grab on my way out the door and know that I have everything I need. It also has a flat bottom, which means you can set it down and it doesn't automatically crumple over (whether is stays upright depends on what's inside). + +The bags are not seam sealed, which gave me pause at first, but Matador claims the welded construction it uses is more dependable and durable than seam sealing. I've only had them for about three months so I can't comment too much on long-term durability, but so far they're fine and I've seen no evidence of any seam peeling or de lamination. + +Perhaps the best feature is the little clear vertical window running down the side of the bag, which allows you to see the contents of the bag without opening it. With only two (of different sizes), I know what's in them, but after the rain incident I ordered another one and it'll be nice to see at a glance which has batteries and which has clothes. + +I also love that the bag comes with a 1-year warranty and that the bags are eligible for repairs even after that. + + + + + + +## Rux 70L Storage Bin + +The secret to living well in small spaces—as I have for most of the last decade—is to be very organized. The key to being organized is, as Van Neistat so eloquently puts it, [kit your shit](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncZ1mO8mA44&t=67s). The key to that of course is having the right kits to put your shit in. + +A good kit does three things well. First, it has to hold all the stuff you need in that kit. Second, it has to make it easy to get whatever you need in and out of itself. Third, it has to take up no more room than is necessary. You don't want a giant plastic tube to hold the four wrenches, duct tape and bailing wire that make up the repair kit in the car. By the same token, don't try to stretch the heck out of that old canvas bag you inherited from who knows here just so the breaker bar can stay with the sockets. Get a bag that makes it easy to get the breaker bar in and out, otherwise the kit is a failure. + +As you might imagine with this basic life philosophy I have accidentally become a collector of bags, boxes, and bins. I spend more time than I should in military surplus stores (parachute bags will change your life), thrift stores, hardware stores, anywhere that's likely to have a box or bag. + +At this point you either nodding your head and smiling along to this story, or you stopped reading. For those of you still here, I have an awesome kit to tell you about: the Rux 70L waterproof bag/box packing system. It's a great kit for your big shit. + +Rux like to say that their 70L "packs like a box, carries like a bag" and I think that's a fair slogan that gets to the heart of why I like this box/bag—it's all the good parts of a box, combined with all the good parts of bag. + +The firm top and bottom help maintain a box structure and give it the ability to stack. They also make the lid very easy to open. At the same time the sides are soft so the Rux only ends up being as tall as what's inside, which means there's no wasted space. + +The Rux is waterproof, and there are a couple of ways to clip in a strap. The strap system is well designed and makes a good way to carry the Rux is it's not too heavy. When you really load it down you'll want to use the handles. + +There's also all sorts of accessories you can use to organize your gear. I did not test any of these, but if you need kits to put inside your kits—always a good idea—then the Rux system has you covered. + +Depending on how you use your Rux there's one more feature that may appeal: the Rux app. An app for a bag? Yeah, I know. But actually the Rux app is pretty handy for making a packing list of what's in you Rux (you can use it even you don't have a Rux). The key here is only use a packing list if you keep it up to date with the actual contents of your kit. Bad information is worse than no information at all. + +If you're the sort of person that likes to keep things organized and tidy, the sort of person who knows that you need to, ahem, kit your shit, the Rux 70L bag makes a great addition to your system. + + + + + +stores like a case, and travels like a boss. Ready when you are. + +Rux has a couple of good slogans for this box: garage to the beach. + +Fully collapsible design + + +## Cliffset + +There's a dilemma every city dweller faces eventually: where's the fork? Say you finally manage to find that Falafel Stand that's an oasis in the food desert of the financial district where you had a meeting this morning. Let's say the gods smile and you score an $8 falafel platter. This is why you live in a city right? Great food, stuff to do. But. How are you going to eat that lovely falafel? There's a pita sure, but you've got to get the hummus and baba ganoush and the rest in that pita. That's when you're handed a plastic fork. + +That plastic fork is an environmental disaster. Well, not as big of an environmental disaster as whatever electronic device you're reading this on, but still not great. + +That's not what bothers me about plastic utensils though. It's the plastic. You know what plastic is? It's a petroleum bi-product, meaning it's made from oil. Oil, that lovely black ooze that powers the city around you as you stand there, falafel in hand, contemplating your plastic fork, is essentially all the dead stuff of millennia past put in the earth, which squeezed it like a mesozoic juicer and out oozed the oil. Plastic is then refined from that dead stuff and allowed to cool and congeal into the shape of a fork. That thing, holding that bite of falafel you were about to take, is really a cold, congealed, stick of dead stuff. Bon appétit. + +Say no to cold congealed death sticks. + +This is where Cliffset's portable cutlery set comes in. It's made of high grade stainless steel, but more importantly for our portable city use case, it comes with a handy carrying case and a cleaning solution. It's really silverware with a dishwasher in the pouch. This is the key, because sure, you could go get a stainless steel fork for under a buck at the thrift store, but that fork is going to end up at the bottom of your bag rubbing shoulders as it were with those old concert ticket stubs, muffin crumbs, and who know what else. That, while ecologically friendlier than plastic, is just gross. + +The Cliffset pouch keeps your fork, spoon, and knife nicely ensconced in vacuum molded carrying case that's lined with ripstop nylon and sealed up with a zipper. No grimy ticket stubs or muffin crumbs will ever come in contact with your Cliffset. + +The best part though is the included cleaning tool and cleaning solution. A couple of squirts of the included cleaning solution (a mixture of food-safe alcohol, water, and lemon oil), a quick scrub with the cleaning tool, wipe it off with the included cloth and your Cliffset is ready to descend into your bag until the next time you need it. + +As an added bonus the utensils are plenty sturdy. The knife will cut steak with no trouble, and the cleaning tool, which includes raised ridges that fit in between the tines of the fork, is so good at cleaning that I've started using it on my silverware at home. + +The whole Cliffset weighs just 7 ounces and is about 6.5 inches tall, 2 inches wide, and just over an inch thick. You'll hardly notice it in a bag. There are a variety of colors to chose from and the Cliffset makes a great gift. + + + +## Mountain Tea Tumbler + + +I've spent most of my life in tiny kitchens, whether that was working as a chef working in small restaurants, renting tiny apartments of a chef's salary, or living in a 26-foot RV. It's been so long since I was in anything but a tiny kitchen that when I visit people with large kitchens I find myself feeling disoriented and confused—how do cook when you have to move from the stove just to get something out of the refrigerator? + +One consequence of tiny kitchen living is that you need tools that can handle multiple jobs. There's no room for single use gadgets. My chef knife is everything from a knife to a peeler to a muddler to a bottle opener. + +Similarly, as much as I love a good cup of tea, there's no way I'm going to have a separate tea brewer, thermos, and mug. I don't even have a kettle (amazingly, a saucepot seems to boil water quite well), let alone a brewer. + +This is where the Tea Spot's Mountain Tea tumbler comes in to save me, it's a brewer, thermos, and mug all in one. Even if your kitchen is so large it has a island, the Mountain Tea tumbler is a great way to brew. + +The Mountain Tea tumbler is an insulated 16-ounce thermos with a brewer basket that fits down into the top of it. Put your loose leaf tea in the basket, secure the lid, drop it in the thermos, and pour water over the top. Put the lid on, let it steep for your preferred amount of time, pull the basket out, and you're good to go. + +If you're drinking bagged tea you can skip the brewing basket and just drop your tea bag in (no tea snobbery here, I drink both). According to Tea Spot you can also throw in "fruits or herbs for a spa water experience." I have not tried this. + +You can drink directly out of the Mountain Tumbler and there's a handle you can use to clip it to your bag. I've throw this thing around and had it tip over countless times in the car and it has never leaked. It fits standard cup holders in your car and elsewhere. I can see where it would, but my cup holders are perpetually full of rocks, tiny children's figurines, and other bric-a-brac so I can't take advantage of this feature. + +Tea Spot claims the double walled design will keep your tea hot for six hours. That feels about right, though to be totally honest I don't think I've ever had a 16 ounce cup of tea last me more than an hour. + +The only thing you can't do with the Mountain Tea tumbler is put in the microwave, but with six hours of hot tea you probably wouldn't need to anyway. If you want a slightly larger brewer, there's also the Everest Tea Tumbler, which doesn't have the sipping lid, but is larger at 22 ounces. + + + + +## vivaldi mail +I am an inveterate sender of postcards. Postcards are perhaps one of the most obvious examples of Marshal McLulan's famous dictum, "the medium is the message.' The message a postcard sends, by its very medium is simple and immediately understood by everyone I think. Regardless of what you may write on them, postcards tell someone, *hey, I was out and about in the world and I was thinking of you*. + +For all instantaneousness of today's communication options, there's nothing that quite conveys that underlying, *I was thinking of you* the way a postcard does. Another aspect I find McLulanesque is the gap in time between the sending of the card and the receiving of the card. The card is independent of both sender and receiver, third parties carry it to its fate. + +I also love email, which I've always thought of as the digital equivalent of a postcard. + +It's true there's no physical limitations on an email like there are on a postcard (though email is similarly "open" in the sense that anyone can read them in transit), but there is the shift in time, similarly unknowable, and I would argue that good emails follow the same format as a postcard: simple, focused messages. + +Not everyone loves email, of course, but I am convinced that much of the dislike we have for email comes from the software we use to interact with it. That is, email clients. + +The technology behind email is one of the longest lasting, most-used set of protocols on the internet. Like the postcard it has stood the test of time. + +What we need are better email clients + +The Vivaldi web browser recently released an update with a built-in email client that's well worth checking out if your relationship with email is... not good. Yes, that's right, an email client built in to the web browser. The inevitable question in this day and age of ubiquitous web-based email (by which, let's face it, I mean Gmail) is—why? Why put an email client in the web browser when "everyone" uses web-based email? The answer is that not every does use web based email. In fact I have never used web based email, except for my work at WIRED, which requires me to use Gmail. I have always relied on email clients to fetch and then display my email. + +Let's talk about email clients. Here's my history for reference: Mutt, Eudora, Mailsmith, Opera, Thunderbird, Mutt/Vivaldi Mail. + +It's true, these days, Vivaldi email not withstanding, I mainly open and process my email with a console-based mail client first released in 1999. That might sound anachronistic, but I believe mutt is the main reason I *like* email. The reason mutt is great is because the only thing it does is display plain text. It's the back of the postcard, the meat of the message, and nothing else. + +That plain text limitation keeps your email experience simple and concise. Those ridiculous signature and disclaimers people put at the bottom of their emails? I don't see those. Images? I open those separately when I want to. Mutt keeps things simple and when you keep email simple it doesn't take much time or effort to deal with it. It also renders instantly, there's no waiting for Gmail to load the message. + +Unfortunately, there are people who believe that email should include formatting, special fonts, inline images, and all kinds of junk. For those emails, and as an extra backup, I've been using Vivaldi's Mail client since it was released as a beta last year. + +Vivaldi's mail client is aimed at much wider audience than mutt and includes all the features you'd expect in a modern mail client, including the ability to render HTML email and even create it. But just, don't. Step away from the font selection dialog and remember: it's a postcard, keep it simple. Vivaldi offers a setting to render everything as text and compose everything as text. Use them. + +The other thing I highly suggest you do with Vivaldi's Mail client—and every other client you use—is turn off all the notification and badges. The mailman doesn't come up to your window and flick postcards in your face, don't let your mail client do that to you. + +In Vivaldi both are on by default unfortunately. I can't fault Vivaldi for that, the world being what it is, just know that there is a setting to control notifications and badges and you should turn both off. Check your email when you feel like it, not when gamification tools agitate your serotonin level past the point of resistance. + +In addition to fetching and displaying your email, Vivaldi Mail will store your messages locally so that you can search email when you're offline. You can also compose and queue messages while you're offline and then send them later, when you connect again. + +As you would expect from the makers of Vivaldi, which offers more customizability than any other browser on the web, there are quite a few features that let you customize your Mail experience. One that's a little bit buried in Vivaldi Mail's settings is the ability to filter messages that match rules you define. For example I have a personal address and work address, so I created a filter to label all my work emails "work" and then I can view mail by label, so all work related email stays separate from personal even though both are actually stored in the same inbox. + +Labels sync to the server, though right now they have a prefix which means other mail clients probably won't recognize them. Vivaldi on the other hand will recognize labels you've already created in other clients like Thunderbird and Apple Mail, so if your migrating you won't lose your existing organization system. + +There are also plenty of features you'll recognize from popular webmail clients, searches can be saved as filters, calendar invites seamlessly integrate with Vivaldi's new built-in Calendar (there's also an RSS Reader), and there are plenty of keyboard shortcuts to help navigate through your email without resorting to the mouse, if that's your thing. + +That, in the end, is what I like so much about Vivaldi Mail: you can make it work the way you want. Too many email clients have a workflow in the mind and if it's not your workflow, too bad. There's no way to use them the way you want (Gmail, Thunderbird, I am looking at you here). + +Vivaldi Mail has some sensible defaults, but, like the Vivaldi web browser, Vivaldi Mail is customizable. You can make it work for you, rather than trying to figure out what it wants you to do. This is the first step in improving your email experience, getting a client that works with you. + + + + +Email is everything social media is not—decentralized, open, tk, and tk. + + + + + +# Blurbs + +## Goal Zero Sherpa 100AC + +Goal Zero recently updated its Sherpa line of portable chargers with better wireless charging capabilities—15 watts, up from 5 watts in the previous model. I tested the Sherpa AC, which features two USB-C ports (60 watt and 100 watt), to USB-A ports, and a 100 watt AC port for those devices that need a pronged plug. I think the Sherpa 100AC strikes a good balance between power storage (93 watt hours in my drain test) and weight (2 pounds). It's enough to charge up my Dell XPS 13 almost twice. + +You get a nice color LCD display that shows how much power you've got left, how many watts are coming in, how many are going out, and a rough guess as the how much longer the battery will last (if conditions remains the same). Recharge times vary depending on whether or not you have the Sherpa wall charger (sold separately), but I was able to get it to recharge in under 3 hours now matter what power source I used. There's also an 8mm port on the back for attaching a solar panel if you have one. The Sherpa is not cheap at $300, but if you don't need the AC out, and can live with a single USB-C (100 watt out, 60 watt in) the Sherpa PD is otherwise the same thing for only $200. + +AC links: +https://www.goalzero.com/pages/sherpa-wireless-100-power-banks +https://www.amazon.com/Goal-Zero-Wireless-Portable-Generation/dp/B0BFBTR94M/ + +PD links: +https://www.goalzero.com/products/new-sherpa-100pd-wireless-power-bank +(amazon doesn't seem to have the new PD yet) + +## Xero Aqua Cloud + +Ever since I went to barefoot shoes the one thing I've really been missing is a good pair of water shoes—something for paddling, stepping into streams while fishing, or wading in shallow bays where old fishhooks might be present. This year Xero added these Aqua Cloud sandals, which are pretty darn close to what I was after. They're great for paddling (I strapped them to the front of the SUP I tested so I had footwear for forays ashore), and fishing. Wading in sandals isn't the best, but that was true of my Chacos as well. Until Chaco gets around to making a barefoot shoe (not likely) these are my go-to sandal for all things water related, up to whitewater rafting, which is the one thing I keep my Chacos around for. + +## Fire 7 + +Amazon has finally refreshed its smallest Fire tablet, the 7-inch model. The 2022 version features a slightly more powerful processor, double the RAM, and longer battery life. Unfortunately, the paltry 16-gigabytes of storage remains, though the supported SD card size has gone up to 1 terabyte, so if you want storage (and you do with only 16 gigabytes built-in) you can add more. Also up for this release is the price, which jumps from $49 to $59. + +In the past we've recommended avoiding this one because it was underpowered and the small screen makes it less than useful. We haven't had a chance to test the new model in person, but based on the new specs, the Fire 7 now has enough power to keep up with Fire OS. That said, we still think you're better off spending $30 more for the Fire 8. If that's out of your budget though, the new Fire 7 will do. + + + + +## Beeswax + +Plastic wrap is the worst. Consider this: plastic is a petroleum derivative; petroleum is essentially millions-of-years-old dead stuff. Wrapping your food in plastic wrap is wrapping your food in dead stuff. It's also messy and annoying. + +There is a better way, beeswax wraps. These are pieces of cloth soaked in bees wax, which makes them water proof. There are a ton of brands out there, but my favorite is [Bees' Wrap](https://beeswrap.com/). Bees' Wrap wraps are organic cotton and use sustainably sourced beeswax (along with jojoba oil, and tree resin). They're long lasting (the company says a year, but I've used some longer than that) and won't break the bank. To fully replace plastic wrap in your day to day life, I suggest getting between four and six large wraps. Pro tip: wrap sticky things (soft cheeses, for example) in some parchment or wax paper and then wrap that with the bees wax wrap, that way you avoid making a mess on your wraps. If you do get something on the wrap be sure to avoid hot water when you clean them as it will melt away the bees wax. + + +Even if you leave aside the fact that its plastic. + +## Best Cheap Drone + +DJI and Parrot drones, while very nice, can be prohibitively expensive, especially if you're just starting out with drone. Amazon is littered with cheap knock offs, most of which are garbage, but Potensic's Dreamer Pro stands out for its solid build (it's plastic, but its still reasonably strong), comfortable controller, and 30 minute flight time. You get most of what you'll find in more expensive drones—4K camera, intelligent flight modes (follow, circle, return to home, etc), and a nice controller and app combo. What you don't get is weight, which means it's more susceptible to wind movement. There's also no collision avoidance features like you'll get with more expensive drones. Still, if you want to capture some quality 4K video without breaking the bank the Dream Pro is a good choice. + +## GoGo Bird + +I'll confess I thought the GoGo Bird would be terrible. It looks like a cheap plastic kite with a tiny motor. It *is* a flapping kite with a tiny motor, but it's also pretty great. It's a lot of fun, possibly the most fun you're going to have with a $40 drone. It can be tricky to fly at first, the controller is small and one-handed which takes some time to master. Once you get the hang of it though your flapping wannabe bird is surprisingly maneuverable. The biggest downside is the tiny battery, which lasts for about 8-10 minutes of flying time. The GoGo Bird does come with an extra batteries, but changing them is harder than it should be. Still, that's my only real quibble, which is impressive. Even more impressive this thing has held my kids' attention for going on six months now and that alone make it well worth the price. + + +## DJI Air 2S + +DJI's new Air 2S ([9/10, WIRED Recommends](https://www.wired.com/review/dji-air-2s-drone/)) is our top pick because it strikes the best balance between size, weight, image quality, intelligent features, and price. Its camera isn't quite as nice as the Mavic 2 Pro (see below) which has a variable aperture for more flexible shooting, but adding neutral density filters to the Air 2S can help make up for the lack of aperture control. + +The Air 2S is light enough to bring hiking (1.3 pounds), powerful enough to fly even in light winds, and can stay airborne for half an hour. The Air 2S features a newly improved collision detection system that should keep you out of trouble even when there are some trees around. The new 1-inch 20-megapixel sensor will capture the beauty of the scene in stunning 5K video footage or 20-megapixel still photos. + + +## Mattress +### Avocado + +Perhaps the highest praise I can give the Avocado is that I rarely think about it. Because I am asleep on it. + +The Avocado Green mattress is the only mattress my wife and I agree on. She likes a soft mattress, I prefer a firm mattress. This one somehow manages to be both without being too much of either. If you prefer super soft there's a pillow top version available as well. + +The Avocado is everything I wanted in a mattress *and* environmentally friendly. The Avocado Green mattress is a hybrid coil and foam design, made of organic latex, organic wool, and organic cotton. There's no polyurethane, fire retardants, or other materials used. The result is a mattress that is ecologically-friendly both in manufacture and in your home. It's made in the United States and offers a one-year trial, 25-year warranty, and free shipping. Like other mattress-in-a-box options the Avocado arrives compressed down. I had no trouble maneuvering the box through doorways and getting it into the bedroom. + +Queen: $1,499 + +https://www.avocadogreenmattress.com/collections/mattresses/products/avocado-mattress + +#### My Green Mattress + +Twin, $700 + +https://www.mygreenmattress.com/hybrid-mattresses/kiwi/ + +Despite how much I love the Avocado Green Mattress, it's not cheap. When it came time to get new mattresses for my kids, I went with the more affordable Kiwi Mattress, by My Green Mattress. The Kiwi is also a hybrid mattress with pocketed coils and certified organic cotton, wool, and latex. One interesting twist that makes the Kiwi appealing for kids is the two-sided option. It costs a little more upfront, but it means you can flip it over to extend its life, handy if your kids see a bed as trampoline in disguise. My Green Mattress offers a 20-Year Warranty and a 120-night trial. + +The Kiwi is definitely a firmer mattress, but I find it very comfortable and my children all say it's the most comfortable mattress they've slept on. + +## Small Space Garden + +#### Urbz Window Planter + +If space is really tight, consider the Urbz Window Planter, a small plastic orb that moves your counter top garden to the wall. It will attach, and I mean really, solidly attach, to any non-porous surface—windows, a tile backsplash, bathroom mirror, and more. I even got it to stick to some very smoothly varnished wood, although that wasn't quite as secure. These little planting pods are also easy to move around if you change your mind about where to put them. + +There's a water catcher so your floor won't get wet, and I was also pleasantly surprised to find that window plantings did not fry in summer or suffer from our cold winter. You will want to stick with sun-loving plants if you put the Urbz in a window, but I had great results growing everything from succulents to herbs in the course of my testing. —Scott Gilbertson + +#### Root Pouch + + + + + + + + + + + + |