How to Get Great Wi-Fi, Even in Your Backyard
Work and Wi-Fi go hand and hand these days — for a lot of us, anyways — and now that the weather is nicer (and you’re tired of sitting at the same make-shift-quarantine desk) you’re likely looking for more ways to work outside. Maybe out on your porch or in a park? That means extending your home’s Wi-Fi network so you can get coverage in places you normally didn’t, or creating your own mobile Wi-Fi signal that you can take with you. Here’s what you can do.
Get a Wi-Fi extender.
A Wi-Fi extender, also known as a Wi-Fi booster, is a device that plugs into the wall and repeats the wireless signal from your router. It won’t improve the signal in areas of your home that you already get Wi-Fi, as it simply extends the signal to cover more areas of the home. The good news is that a number of great Wi-Fi extenders that are affordable and easy to set up, like the Rockspace Dual-Band Wi-Fi Range Extender. If you have a dead zone in your house or directly near it, like a porch or a yard, and you want a low-cost way of curing it, a Wi-Fi extender might be your best bet.
Price: $35
Upgrade your router.
If the issue is with your Wi-Fi’s speed and range, and you’re comfortable with spending a little more, you might want to think about upgrading your router. A lot of homeowners end up using the modem and router given to them by their internet service providers, of which they pay a monthly fee, which is an easy solution (they don’t have to mess with all those wires) but it actually might be the worse and more expensive option (especially in the long run). The Linksys MR7350 Wi-Fi 6 Router is a great option in terms of speed, coverage and enhanced technologies (like support for Wi-Fi 6).
Price: $120
Get a mesh router system.
A mesh router system is a great option for people who want to cure multiple Wi-Fi dead zones in and around their home. You can think of them as a system of Wi-Fi extenders that all talk to each other and create a larger Wi-Fi throughout your home; one mesh hub plugs into your modem and then you place other hubs all-around your home. It’s a modular system so the great thing is you can scale up by getting more mesh points anytime you want. The other big advantage of a mesh Wi-Fi network is that it creates one signal Wi-Fi network, whereas each Wi-Fi extender makes a separate network (which can complicate the user experience). Mesh routers that support the latest Wi-Fi 6 standard, like Netgear’s Orbi system, are a bit expensive at the moment, but it’s the best way to guarantee amazing connection everywhere in your space.
Price: $398
Get some extra cable and move your router.
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This might be the easiest solution but also one you might not want to do. Routers are ugly to look at after all, which is why most of us hide them in a cabinet, under a desk or in some out-of-the-way location in our homes. The problem is that where the router is a huge factor in its signal quality. The signal can be halted by thick walls, pipes, large appliances and any other dense objects, which is why it’s best to place them out in the open. To get better Wi-Fi on your deck, it could be as simple as buying a longer ethernet cable and an acceptance that it’s OK to see your router a few times a day.
Price: $14
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How to Factory Reset Your HomePod or HomePod mini
There are a number of reasons why you’d want to reset your HomePod or HomePod mini. If you’re selling or giving it away, you want wipe all your personal information from it. You may have moved or switched your home Wi-Fi and your HomePod just might not be responding. Or for whatever reason, your HomePod might not be working properly. All these are good reasons to factory reset the smart speaker.
You can factory reset it from the Home app on your iPhone, iPad, Mac or even iPod Touch. You can factory reset it right from HomePod or HomePod mini itself, too.
To reset your HomePod or HomePod mini using the Home app, you simply have to remove it as an accessory. To do this:
- Open the Home app on your iPhone.
- Find the HomePod or HomePod mini under “Favorite Accessories.”
- Press and hold on the HomePod button.
- Scroll down and select “Remove Accessory” at the bottom.
- Select “Remove.”
You can also factory reset your HomePod or HomePod mini without the Home app. You just need to go to the smart speaker and follow these instructions:
- Unplug HomePod or HomePod mini.
- Wait 10 seconds and then plug it back in.
- Wait another five seconds, then press and hold the top of HomePod.
- Keep holding. The white spinning light will turn red.
- Keep holding. Siri will then tell you the HomePod will reset.
- After you hear three beeps, you can stop pressing the top of the HomePod.
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The LG UltraFine Display OLED Pro is a monitor creative professionals will love
At the online-only CES 2021 expo, it was a showdown among Sony, Samsung, and LG and their display technology. Some were going big, while others were approaching things from a unique perspective. While most of us recognize these brands for their cutting-edge televisions, creative professionals rely on another segment for their work. With 4K-resolution panels becoming even more ubiquitous, we are welcoming the arrival of monitors such as the UltraFine Display OLED Pro.
Samsung extends its lead on the smartphone segment of the consumer electronics market. However. its display division faces tough competition against the likes of Sony and LG. The UltraFine Display OLED Pro is the latter’s answer to Apple’s Pro Display XDR. Users who are adamant about making the jump to the Cupertino tech group’s ecosystem of products will be glad to know that there are alternatives out there.
LG’s press release reads: “With its accurate color reproduction and outstanding HDR and SDR picture quality, LG’s UltraFine Display OLED Pro (model 32EP950) is an ideal solution for creative industry professionals such as visual effects artists and producers working in film or animation studios. This 31.5-inch 4K monitor boasts a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1. This is courtesy of more than eight million pixels with independent dimming control.
It also covers around 99 percent of the Adobe RGB and DCI-P3 color space. Those with a keen eye for detail will love what it brings to the table. With the help of LG Calibration Studio, users can fine-tune every aspect of the UltraFine Display OLED Pro according to their requirements. The monitor ships with one USB Type-C with 90W charging, one HDMI, two DisplayPorts, and three USB Type-A ports.
Images courtesy of LG
Should You Replace Your Desktop Monitor with An OLED TV?
If you want a big, beautiful display for your computer why not use a TV? Most TVs have an HDMI input so you can just connect it to your computer and use it exactly like an external display. And unlike most computer monitors, plenty of TV sets boast beautiful OLED displays. The good news is that this is totally possible. The bad news is that it’s not as easy as just pugging in and going about your day.
The newer, the better
If you’re planning on plugging your computer into any old OLED TV you’ve just got hanging around, you might want to think twice.
If the display you’re thinking about using has less than 4K resolution, it’s going to look pretty awful at close range, especially if it’s large. Bigger might seem better, but at a viewing distance of just a few feet, a screen much bigger than 30 inches is going to mostly cause pain in your neck unless you adjust your setup to be much further away than you would be from a traditional screen.
What’s more, older TVs typically haven’t supported the high framerates you’ll want out of a monitor. TV’s that only support the 24fps standard for movies will be prone to lag when watching videos, playing games and even moving your mouse around the screen.
Newer TVs are solving these issues, however. There are 4K TVs, both LED and OLED, that are between 24 — 42-inches, which is a good size for monitor. Just in 2021, LG has announced plans to release a 42-inch OLED TV, which would be its smallest to date. Its previous smallest was a 48-inch OLED TV.
Many of today’s best 4K TVs have advanced technologies that allow them to support a high resolution picture and high refresh rates, which are vital for people looking to use their TV as a gaming monitor. The main feature to look out for support for chroma subsampling, or chroma 4:4:4. This means that the image will be uncompressed and look best while playing 4K content.
OLED’s Achilles’ Heel
An OLED TV might seem like an obvious choice to use as gaming monitor. The big thing you have to worry about with OLED TVs, is burn-in.
Burn in is when previous images are “burnt into” the display so that they’re still visible you’re watching or doing something else. It’s a problem that LED displays do’t have to worry about but that OLED displays in particular are susceptible to.
Burn-in isn’t a huge issue for people who use an OLED TV as a traditional TV because the picture is usually changing frequently enough to prevent it. If a TV is being used as a computer display, however, there will be many, many static elements like a desktop background and icon docks that will be at risk of becoming burnt in very quickly.
You can mitigate these issues by modifying your settings to minimize static images on the display. Setting your desktop background to black, auto-hiding any icon docks, keeping your desktop completely free of clutter, and enabling very aggressive screensaver settings can all mitigate the potential risk, but it will still be there.
The safest setup would probably be to use an OLED TV only as a second screen, devoted solely to videos, gaming, and other similiarly kinetic content.
That, our start saving up to grab an honest-to-goodness OLED computer display.
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Best 22 Metal Wallets
An attractive and functional piece of gear, this Trayvax metal wallet gives you the slim and sleek profile you need in a card-carrying wallet, coupled with a pleasing design. This handy and affordable metal money holder can store up to 20 denomination bills and 15 bank or membership cards, so you can confidently head off a night out with everything you need, from your ID to your cab money to get home with.
It has a specially designed window so that you can keep your ID facing upwards to display without having to take it out of the wallet. You can be sure that all of your data is kept secure thanks to RFID blocking which comes as standard thanks to the anodized aluminum protection, which has been coupled with a laminating surface of fiberglass.
As this is classed as a tactical wallet, you’ll also find features such as military grade paracord which binds it together, a bottle opener, and a small but effective pry bar. Made in the good old US of A, this nifty steel wallet comes with a warranty that will last your entire life – 65 years!
Specs
- Card Capacity 15
- Dimensions 4.125 x 2.625 x 0.48 inches
- RFID Blocking Yes
The Best Active Speakers of 2021
Active speakers combine all of the traditional components of a stereo system into a pair of speakers. The amplifier is built inside the speaker and it’s optimized to provide the best possible sound quality for that specific speaker. Most active speakers have a sufficient number of inputs for all of your playback devices and, in most scenarios, a pair of powered or active speakers require only a power source and a minimal number (if any) of cable connections.
The two biggest advantages of modern active speakers are 1) sound quality and 2) ease of use. An active speaker pair is able to deliver stereo sound in a way that popular Wi-Fi speakers, such as a single Sonos Play:5, simply cannot. The speaker-and-amp combo means that active loudspeakers have less moving parts; there’s no need for a separate receiver or an external amplifier, like you would need with passive bookshelf speaker system. And since most active speakers support both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth streaming, you can easily stream music using the service (Spotify, Tidal, Qobuz and Apple Music) you already use. Simply open your preferred music app, select the music and the source (your loudspeakers), and then press play.
Essentially, active speakers generally sound superior to traditional Wi-Fi speakers, and they’re just as simple and easy to control (there are a few active speakers, however, that don’t support wireless streaming). And with a multitude of inputs and connectivity options, they’ve way more versatile. In addition to streaming from your smartphone or laptop, it’s easy to connect most modern active speakers to your television or to your turntable, too.
Active loudspeakers won’t be perfect for everybody. They’re powered speakers, meaning they do require a power source, and aren’t portable. They’re notoriously powerful, so maybe not great for small rooms; and they’re more expensive thanks to there being more components inside each speaker. Active or powered loudspeakers also lock you into a “sound” that was selected by the designer based on all of the internal components (amplifier, DAC); unlike a passive loudspeaker system whose sonic flavor can be altered by changing the other components.
KEF LS50 Wireless II
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Best All-Around
KEF released the LS50 Wireless II in late 2020 and they’re essentially updated and better-sounding versions of the LS50 Wireless (released in 2018). They use the company’s new proprietary Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT), which greatly reduces distortion. They have a new cone neck decoupler and motor system, which, again, helps eliminate distortion. The cabinet size has also been adjusted to give the speakers more bass. Finally, the LS50 Wireless II have adopted one of the best features from their smaller brethren, the KEF LSX, in that the two speakers don’t have to be tethered together; this allows you to place the speakers further apart which is convenient, although it does mean that the speakers will sacrifice some audio quality.
Price: $2,500
Bowers & Wilkins Formation Duo
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Best Upgrade
In 2019, Bowers & Wilkins released the Duo as part of its Formation series, which also includes an all-in-one speaker, soundbar and wireless subwoofer. The Duo speakers take bits from the company’s other high-end speakers; for example, they have the same carbon dome tweeter found in B&W’s 700 series and the Continuum cone driver from its 800 series. The other neat thing about the Duo is that, along with all its Formation speakers, they’re are able harness leverage the company’s new wireless mesh network technology (called Formation Wireless Technology) that enables them to stream up to 96/24-bit audio, which B&W claim is twice the fidelity of other high-end wireless speakers. Obviously, the price and look of these speakers might not be for everybody, but if you’re looking for the best of the best in active speakers, these are certainly up there.
Price: $4,000
KEF LSX
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Best Budget
KEF introduced the LSX as a more affordable alternative to the award-winning LS50 Wireless, and for many music listeners, the smaller design may be a smarter buy. The LSX feature KEF’s signature Uni-Q driver array with a 4.5-inch midrange driver, and 0.75-inch aluminum dome tweeter which is powered by a 100-watt power amplifier inside each loudspeaker. The LSX can be set-up as a completely wireless system – meaning the two speakers don’t need to be wired together, like the LS50 Wireless, giving you more freedom to place them wherever you want around your room – but they can achieve higher resolution audio (up to 24-bit/192kHz) when tethered together. One aspect of the LSX that is somewhat glaring is the omission of an internal phono pre-amplifier, so be prepared to add your own if you want to listen to vinyl.
Price: $1,249 $999
Q Acoustics Q Active 200
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Released in 2021, the Q Active 200 are the company’s first pair of active speakers. They can stream high-res audio (up to 32bit/192kHz) and are designed to compete with the likes of the KEF LS50 Wireless II. That said, the Q Active 200 are unique in a few key ways. First, the wired connections (such as HDMI, optical, RCA and line-in for a turntable) aren’t into the rear of one of the speakers but built into a separate hub; this makes it easy to hide unsightly wires. And secondly, Q Acoustics designed them as stand-mounted speakers and developed a special “Tensegrity” stand to show them off and get them sounding best. The catch is that these special stands will cost you an extra $500.
Price: $2,000
Vanatoo Transparent Zero
Vanatoo has flown under the radar for a number of years with its Transparent One Encore active speakers; which are one of the best sounding active loudspeakers below-$1,000, but if you’re operating on a limited budget youo need to pay close attention to their Transparent Zero desktop speakers which offer a lot more sound quality than you would expect for the price. The Transparent Zero support Bluetooth aptX, include USB, optical, and analog inputs, and 4 x 48-watt per channel class D digital amplifier. The 4-inch aluminum woofer, 4-inch passive radiator, and 1-inch soft dome tweeter offer a full-range presentation with surprisingly deep bass response considering the size of the cabinet. The angled-baffle makes them work well on desktops and bookshelves and that should appeal to students or people who work remotely.
Price: $359
Kanto Audio TUK
Kanto is well known for its affordable active loudspeakers, and the TUK might just be its best. It has ribbon tweeters, which many higher-priced speakers have utilized for years, allowing them to deliver a superior level of detail and airiness. Each speaker has an AMT tweeter and a 5.25-inch aluminum midrange woofer, so in addition to playing rich, detailed audio – they also get loud; the TUK are particularly adept with electronic music, pop, and hip-hop. Kanto has wisely chosen to integrate a MM phono stage, USB DAC, headphone amplifier, and support for Bluetooth aptX HD making the TUK one of the most complete active loudspeaker packages available at any price. Pro tip: the optional stands should be considered mandatory. The TUK will appeal to anyone looking for a complete home or desktop system that comes with everything you need in the box to begin enjoying right away.
Price: $800
Acoustic Energy AE1 Active
The AE1 are the one active speaker pair on this list that don’t support Wi-Fi and Bluetooth sources – you can’t stream music to them – but they have a huge sonic edge. They feature a full-range two-way design, with a rather robust 50-watt class A/B power amplifier in each loudspeaker. The AE1’s 5-inch woofer, and 1-inch metal dome tweeter have a directness about them that makes them sound far more authoritative than comparably priced systems. The AE1 offer transparency, detail, and impressive soundstage depth in a package that does not take up a lot of space. While you can connect sources to the AE1 directly and use its awkwardly-placed rear volume control, the better route is to connect the loudspeakers to an inexpensive pre-amplifier like the Schiit Audio Freya which will provide greater flexibility and more inputs. The AE1 may not offer the wireless flexibility of its rivals – but it beats almost all of them if sound quality is your biggest priority and don’t mind having to connect them to your playback sources.
Price: $1,390
Dali Callisto 2C
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With the Callisto 2C, Dali enters the active arena with a three-piece system (2 loudspeakers and Sound Hub) designed for stands or placed on a sturdy media credenza. Powered by a 250-watt class D power amplifier, the Callisto 2C’s 6.5-inch woofer, and unique tweeter array which consists of a 1-inch soft dome tweeter, and hybrid ribbon module can fill a large listening space with ease. The system produces an enormous soundstage with one of the smoothest sounding tweeters you’ll likely to hear. The Sound Hub – which is upgradeable, making this system somewhat format-proof for the foreseeable future– accepts digital and analog sources and transmits to the loudspeakers supporting up to 24-bit/96kHz playback. The system is also MQA-certified if you enjoy streaming from Tidal in that format. If you are looking for a full-range wireless active loudspeaker that can work with both music and movies, and you have a relatively large space to fill, the Callisto 2C might just be what you’re looking for.
Price: $4,750
Keep Your Ideas Protected With the ICON Sleeve From Incase
Whether you got a new MacBook or MacBook Air for Christmas, or wrote it off as a business expense, it needs protection to make it last as long as possible. That’s where the Incase ICON…
The post Keep Your Ideas Protected With the ICON Sleeve From Incase first appeared on Cool Material.
The Best Portable Chargers for Your Laptop
The small portable battery you use to charge your smartphone probably can’t also charge your laptop. In order to charge a laptop, a portable battery needs to have two things.
First, it needs to have a USB-C port that supports Power Delivery (PD), which is a charging standard that allows it to output higher currents and higher voltages. But just because a portable battery supports PD it doesn’t necessarily mean it can charge your laptop. PD technology can be integrated into many devices whose power outputs can range from 18-watts to 100-watts.
Secondly, the portable battery needs to be able output at least 29-watts or 31-watts of power. The higher the wattage the better and we recommend a portable charger to be able to output between 45-watts and 96-watts — that’s a safe range to ensure it will definitely charge your laptop.
The below portable batteries are all powerful enough to charge a laptop. Most are able to fully charge your laptop once — 20,000mAh is about enough to fully charge your laptop (although it’s not an exact science) — so it really depends on how much you’re willing to spend as well as what other devices you want it to be able to charge.
Mophie Powerstation AC
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Best All-Around
The Powerstation AC is a 22,000mAh portable battery that’s capable of recharging any USB-C laptop at 30 watts. It has three ports — USB-C, USB-A and an AC output — and supports pass-through charging: when plugged into the wall and into a laptop, the Powerstation AC will charge your laptop first and then recharge itself. It also has a premium fabric finish which helps it look nicer than other portable batteries.
Price: $200
Goal Zero Sherpa 100AC
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Best Upgrade
The Sherpa 100AC is a beast of a portable battery. It’s fairly big, weighing two pounds and packs a 25,600mAh capacity, but it’s rugged enough to survive pretty much anything you can throw at it. It has two USB-A ports and two 60-watt USB-C ports, both of which support Power Delivery (PD), as well as a Qi-wireless charging pad and a built-in AC inverter. Goal Zero also sells a number of accessories, such as portable solar panels, so you can really live off the grid if you want to invest in building out your kit.
Price: $300
RAVPower 30,000mAh AC
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Best Budget
RavPower’s portable charger is the best option for anybody on a budget. It’s significantly more affordable than the other options on this list and, at 30,000mAh, it also has a larger capacity. It doesn’t have the most ports, but it still has one USB-C with Power Delivery, one USB-A and one 100-watt AC output — which is all most people will need.
Price: $130 $116
Mophie powerstation USB-C XXL
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The Powerstation USB-C Power Delivery XXL is a 19,000mAh portable battery. It’s a basically a smaller and cheaper version of Mophie’s Powerstation AC (above) that doesn’t have the AC port. It has a USB-C PD input and output, meaning you can charge it with the same USB-C cable you use to charge a MacBook Pro. And it has a fabric-wrapped body, making it feel more premium than other portable batteries.
Price: $150
Omnicharge Omni 20+
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The Omni 20+ is a super versatile 20,000mAh portable battery. It has two USB-A ports that support QuickCharge 3.0, a USB-C port that supports Power Delivery, and a 100-watt AC port so you can recharge quickly when it gets depleted. The top of the Omni 20+ is actually a 10-watt Qi-wireless charging pad. And there’s an OLED display that shows how much power the portable charger has left. Again, it’s super versatile.
Price: $199 $160
Goal Zero Sherpa 100PD
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The Sherpa 100PD is basically a lighter, smaller and more affordable version of Goal Zero’s Sherpa 100AC. It lacks the AC wall outlet and has one less USB-C port, but other than that a lot is the same. It has the same capacity (25,600mAh) and has a 60-watt USB-C port that supports Power Delivery, so it’s capable of providing power to your laptop. It has the same two USB-A ports and works as a wireless charging pad, too.
Price: $200
The Best Portable Chargers for Your Smartphone
If your smartphone is constantly running out of battery, a portable power bank (also known as a portable charger or portable battery) is pretty much your only solution short of getting a new one. There are a zillion different options out there, but if you want to charge your smartphone we suggest buying one that it small enough to fit in your pocket.
There are few other things to take into consideration before buying a portable power bank — here’s what you should know.
Buy one that uses the same charging port as your smartphone (or laptop).
We recommend buying a portable power bank that uses the same method of charging you already use. If you have an Android smartphone (or laptop that uses USB-C), get a portable power bank that charges via USB-C. If you have an iPhone, get one that charges via Lightning. You can buy a portable power bank that can charge wirelessly, too. This will just make your life way easier using the same cables to charge your smartphone and power bank. I promise.
Buy one that can fast charge.
Most of today’s portable power banks are integrated with some type of fast charging technology. The two most popular are Power Delivery (PD) and Qualcomm’s Quick Charge. The two technologies are a little bit different. Power Delivery only works with a USB-C to USB-C connection and allows the power bank to better control more watts and deliver more power — basically, they’re able to fast charge larger devices (if those devices support it). Qualcomm’s Quick Charge allows your smartphone to charge faster than you would with a traditional power bank (it outputs at 5A rather than 3A).
Buy from a reputable brand.
Finally, you should buy a power bank that’s made by a brand you trust. If you go on Amazon or another online marketplace, you’ll see a lot of cheap options made by company’s that you’ve never heard of. Stay away. Buy one from a notable brand — such as Anker, Mophie, Aukey or RavPower — and it’ll last longer and be more reliable.
Aukey Sprint Lightning Power Bank
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Best All-Around
Aukey’s Sprint power bank has a number of things going for it. First, it’s super thin and can easily fit in your pocket. Two, it can USB-C, Lightning and micro-USB input ports, which some consider overkill, but it means that you can recharge this power bank with any major charging cable. And three, it has a 20,000mAh capacity which enough to charge whichever smartphone you have several times over.
Price: $60 $36
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Mophie powerstation plus mini
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Best Budget
The best thing about the powerstation plus mini is its integrated charging cable with a Lightning and micro-USB connections. It means that you don’t have to remember to bring charging cable, which is the biggest hassle and the thing that’s most likely to get lost or broken. Throw in the fact that for some reason Amazon is selling it for under $10, and it’s a no brainer buy. The only downside is that its 4,000mAh is barely enough to get any smartphone back to 100 percent.
Price: $10
Mophie powerstation with PD
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Best Upgrade
Mophie makes a wide variety of portable power banks and this powerstation with PD is one of its best all-around options. Its 10,000mAh capacity is enough to completely charge your smartphone twice over and it charges via USB-C, which is the same connection as most new-age laptops and Android smartphones. It also has a 18W USB-C output port with Power Deliver (PD) so it’s able to fast charge your smartphone.
Price: $50
Anker PowerCore Slim 1000
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The PowerCore Slim is a 10,000mAh portable battery that’s capable of charging most of the latest smartphones tw0-and-a-half times over. It has two input charging ports, micro-USB and USB-C, so it’s versatile in the way you can recharge it. Its only output port is a USB-A 2.0. The catch is that it only comes with a micro-USB charging cable — no USB-C cable or wall adapter — which is why it’s so affordable.
Price: $19 $16
RavPower 1000mAh Compact Portable Charger
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RavPower is another one of our favorite maker of portable chargers. This pocket-sized option is nice because it supports Power Delivery (PD) and can charge most smartphones faster than other power banks. It also has 20-watt USB-C input that supports PD, so you can recharge it really fast, too. It comes with a USB-C to USB-C cable, but no wall adapter.
Price: $30
Mophie Powerstation Wireless
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The Powerstation Wireless is unique because it’s portable power bank and wireless charging pad. It has a 10,000mAh capacity that’s similar to many other options on this list, but it wireless charge any smartphone that supports Qi-wireless charging. So you don’t even have to fuss with a cable if you don’t want to. It has an additional USB-A port if you want to use a charging cable.
Price: $30
Anker PowerCore+ Mini
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The PowerCore+ Mini is a lipstick-shaped portable charger. It only has a 3,350mAh capacity, which isn’t enough to fully recharge most smartphones, but if it’s a good option for people looking for a cheap and really pocketable charger. It charge via micro-USB.
Price: $20
Belkin Boost Up Charge (Play Series)
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Belkin’s 10,000mAh portable charger has a built-in stand that’s perfect for people who like to watch videos on their smartphone while it charges. And since the stand is retractable, it doesn’t make the charge any bulkier. There are two out ports, one USB-C and USB-A, so it’s capable of charging two devices at the same time.
Price: $45
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Hop on the all-electric SONDORS Metacycle and cruise in style up to 80 mph
We’ve come along way since electric vehicles were considered impossible due to the technical limitations at the time. Currently, the industry mas more than we can sink our teeth into, which is why manufacturers make it a point to stand out. Even two-wheeled transportation is switching over to battery power, which is exciting. Kicking off 2021, SONDORS is sharing details about its Metacycle that comes with a frame unlike any other.
Manufacturers know that they need to create something that is visually appealing to draw our attention. With the Metacycle, SONDORS is doing just that courtesy of its unique frame. The result is a retrofuturistic aesthetic that’s just awesome. Unlike traditional configurations, engineers and designers have more leeway when it comes to a lot of aspects.
For example, you can see that the frame of the Metacycle sports a huge cutout. On a regular bike, this is where one would normally find the fuel tank. What follows would then be the engine right under and. Instead, SONDORS cleverly uses the space to house the battery and shave off some weight without compromising the ride’s structural integrity.
SONDORS is optimizing the “exo-frame” and adding extras owners will love. A hollow section just above the ergonomic saddle functions as a compartment for wirelessly charging compatible devices. The transparent cover allows you to check for any notifications.
The 72V 4,000 Whr battery operates the PMAC hub motor to push the Metacycle up to speeds of 80 mph. Meanwhile, range on a full charge should be around 80 miles. You can get it in three colorways: Naked Silver, Arctic, and Supermassive. The latter would be our go-to choice for the awesome all-black stain finish.
Images courtesy of SONDORS
How to Tell When Your Free Trial of Apple TV+ Expires
Apple launched its TV show and movie streaming service, Apple TV+, over a year ago — in November 2019 — and one of its big promotions was offering a one-year free trial of Apple TV+ for anybody who purchased an iPhone, iPad, Mac computer, Apple TV streaming box or an iPod touch.
Apple just announced that it would be extending the free trial period of Apple TV+ until July 2021 for people who first signed up for the streaming service in November 2021. This means that those initial subscribers are actually getting 21-month free trial.
It does mean that you have a new date to cancel by if you don’t want to be charged, though.
Here’s how to quickly check to see when your free trial of Apple TV+ runs out.
• Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
• Select your name (appears at the top).
• Select the Subscriptions tab.
• Find the Apple TV+ tab and check where it says “next billing date.”
People who signed up for the free trial between November 21, 2019 and June 21, 2020 should see a renewal date of June 21. This obviously benefits people who signed up earlier for the streaming service; if you signed up for Apple TV+ in June 2020 or later, who get a one-free trial and not the 21-month free trial.
After the free trial runs out, a subscription to Apple TV+ will cost you $4.99/month or $49.99/year.
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The Best MagSafe Chargers for Your iPhone 12
Satechi
Apple’s four iPhone 12 models — specifically the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max — are the first to be integrated with the new MagSafe charging system. In addition to working with a bunch of new cases and accessories, the big advantage of MagSafe is that it can wireless charge any iPhone 12 model faster than any other Qi-wireless charger.
A MagSafe charger can charge any iPhone 12 model at 15-watts — save for the iPhone 12 mini, which charges at 12-watts over MagSafe — which is twice as fast as the 7.5-watts that any iPhone in the past few years can wirelessly charge over a Qi-wireless charger. And that’s a big deal.
The catch is that there are only a few true MagSafe wireless chargers available right now. A lot of third-party chargers aren’t true MagSafe chargers because, while they can magnetically hold and charge your iPhone 12, they will only charge it at 7.5-watts and not the faster 15-watt charging speeds. So before buying one, make sure you know exactly what you’re getting.
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6 Tips to Become an Apple Music Power User
Welcome to Product Support, a column devoted to helping you get the most out of the gadgets and software you already use.
Apple Music overtook Spotify in 2019 and it’s now the most popular music streaming service (at least in terms of paying subscribers) in the US. Being a subscriber comes with a lot of added benefits if you’re embedded in Apple’s ecosystem.
For example, if you have a HomePod and HomePod mini, you can only use voice commands with the HomePod and HomePod mini if you are Apple Music subscriber. (So there’s really no point in buying a HomePod and HomePod mini if you subscribe to a music streaming service other than Apple Music.)
Also, if you wear an Apple Watch, you need to be an Apple Music subscriber to download playlists and podcasts for offline listening. If you subscribe to any other music streaming service — except for Pandora, recently — you need to have your iPhone nearby and, in which case, you can only use your Apple Watch as a music remote to play/pause songs or skip tracks.
The other big advantage Apple Music is that it seamlessly integrates with your iTunes library, which is great if you’ve a built-up a large catalog over the years. The music will all appear in the same app and it’s really accessible. Also, it lets you store up to 100,000 tracks in the iCloud Music Library, which is separate from (and won’t blow up) your current iCloud storage storage plan.
(If you’re thinking of switching from Spotify to Apple Music, there are apps and programs that will carry over your playlists. To learn more, read our guide.)
Adjust your EQ settings
Apple offers a bunch of different EQ presets that you can choose from depending on your listening preference. The catch is that you can’t adjust these EQ settings from within the Apple Music app. Instead, you need to open the Settings app > scroll down and select Music > and then select the EQ tab. Once there you can choose from over 20 presets, whether you want more or less bass or treble, or EQ that caters to certain genres of music, like jazz, hip hop or rock.
Don’t let Music monopolize your iPhone’s storage
If you download a lot of songs, albums and playlists, you’re risking using up a lot of your iPhone’s built-in storage. Thankfully, Apple Music has a neat “Optimize Storage” feature that will automatically delete music that you haven’t listened to in a long time once it starts running out of storage. To set it up, you need to open the Settings app > scroll down and select Music > and then select Optimize Storage. Once turned on, you can then select the minimum storage threshold; when your iPhone reaches that threshold, it’ll start making space by deleting music.
Take advantage of Quick Actions
A pro Apple Music user knows all the little secrets and shortcuts. One of those is quickly accessing menus using 3D touch. If you long press on a song, for example, you’ll get quick-access menus to do things like download it, add to it to a playlist, or create a station around the song. You can do this same sort of thing by long pressing on a playlist.
Apple
Listen to live radio stations
Apple has brought a bunch of new features that you might now associate with a streaming service, such as access to music videos or listen to local radio (via iHeartRadio). Maybe most interestingly, Apple Music lets you tune into three live radio stations that you can choose from, Apple Music 1 (classics), Apple Music Hits (hits), and Apple Music Country (country), each of which is hosted by a high-profile artist. To access these live radio stations, all you have to do is open the “Radio” tab at the bottom of the Music app.
Play music videos on your Apple TV
You can access any of Apple Music’s great features on your iPhone, iPad and Apple TV, the latter of which is great for watching the many interviews or music videos that are unique to the streaming service. For me, I love to put on an endless loop of music videos so that they play in the background while I work. To do watch music videos on your Apple TV, open the Music app > swipe to Videos > and swipe down to the Videos categories menu. From there you select a specific video to play or browse entire genres. (Note: you can access music videos on your iPhone or iPad from within the Browse tab.)
Change the sound of your alarm clock
All Apple Music subscribers can change the sound of their alarm clock to any song — and it’s really easy. All you have to do is open the Clock app > select the Alarm tab > select Edit in the top-left corner > select the specific alarm > and select Song. You’ll then be able to pick a song from your Apple Music’s music library. (To add a song to your music library, you can just press the “+” button next to any song, or long-press on a song and select “Add to Library.”)
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Yes, You Should Still Be Buying CDs, Here’s Why
It’s 2020 and streaming makes up about 85 percent of how all music is consumed. Vinyl is in a resurgence, of course, with records outselling CDs for the first time in almost three decades. CDs, on the other hand, have been on the decline. Their sales have dropped by 95 percent since 2000 (the peak days of CDs), according to a new report, and are currently at their lowest level since 1986. To say CDs have lost their cool factor is a little bit of understatement.
Yet, there’s still good reason to buy them!
Yes, CDs sound better than vinyl.
One of the great myths in the audio world is that vinyl sounds better than CDs. It’s just not true. Sure, you might prefer the warm analog sound, specifically its crackling and other imperfections, as well as the visceral experience of actually dropping the needle on a spinning record, but CDs are simply the best sounding physical audio format that most people can get their hands on. Compared to vinyl, CDs are able to produce a wider dynamic range and more bass. Plus they’re not going to skip (unless scratched).
CDs obviously sound better than streaming digital files, too.
If you’re streaming music from the likes of Spotify, Apple Music or Tidal, you’re listening to a compressed music file. That means that the audio data is being stored in less space, which results in a loss of information and the music isn’t going to sound as vibrant or as complete. MP3, AAC, WMA are all types of compressed music files. The best compressed digital music files are referred to as lossless because they don’t lose information, but only a few streaming services are able to play lossless or CD-quality audio. This includes Tidal and Amazon Music HD, both of which are pretty expensive.
CDs are really affordable right now.
If you’re looking for a superior audio format, CDs are the best deal you’re likely to get. To be frank, they’re cheap to buy. Audio shops and retailers are practically giving away used CDs, while new CDs are usually in the $12 to $15 price range. If you’re looking for vinyl, on the other hand, a new record will likely cost twice as much as that. Also, there’s the resale value of CDs and vinyl. It might not be much, but you can sell your old records and CDs online or to record shops; if you buy a digital song, like an mp3 file, there’s no resale value.
The CD booklets and album artwork are underrated.
In this streaming age, the album artwork seems to be more of an afterthought (to consumers, at least). Sure, you see a little picture of the album cover when you’re listening to a song, but you’re missing the story of the album. The 12×12 album cover of a vinyl record is still the gold standard, but the little booklet that comes with each CD, highting some behind the scenes shots or interesting artwork, and showing the lyrics to each song, is a nice middle ground between having to rely on digital images and having to store giant vinyl records. I always enjoyed getting a CD and flipping through the booklet while listening to it. It makes you feel more connected to the album, I think.
Audio companies are still releasing new CD players.
The portable CD player might be a thing of the past, but, believe it or not, big-time audio companies are still releasing CD players for the home. Why? Because audiophiles are still craving them. In the past few years, companies such as Cambridge Audio, Panasonic, McIntosh, Rotel and Sony have all released new CD players (or integrating them into digital streamers). They’re a great option for people who have a large CD collection and don’t want to pay for a music server (or spend the time uploading all their entire CD library to it). Also, high-end CD players aren’t terribly expensive.
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Everything You Need to Know About CES 2021
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the Consumer Electronics Show is still a go — completely digitally of course. Running from January 11th to 14th, CES 2021 will be featuring virtual versions of its typical main events: big press conferences from LG, Samsung, and more, with hundreds of product announcements for gadgets coming later this year.
We’ll be updating this page with coverage as the show goes on, so check back for updates.
The Best Tech Gadget Announcements ahead of CES 2021
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The all-digital nature of CES 2021 means the show is getting fuzzy at the edges. Here are some products that snuck out before it officially began.
The Best Things We’ve Seen Out of CES 2021
Gear Patrol
A running roundup of the most notable product releases of 2021, updated as the show goes on.
The Best and Wildest TVs of CES 2021
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From 8K to 4K, these are the best TVs that have been announced at CES 2021 so far.
All the Best Work-From-Home Gadgets of CES 2021
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From monitors to wireless keyboards, Wi-Fi upgrades and charging stations, these are the best desktop accessories that were announced at CES 2021 (so far).
The Best MagSafe Gadgets From CES 2021
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Apple introduced MagSafe this fall with its four iPhone 12 models and third-party gadget makers have had to play catch up — there are still relatively few third-party MagSafe accessories out there. That said, CES is inching to change that. We’ve rounded up the best new accessories that are compatible with the iPhone 12.
Here’s What CES Tells Us About the Rest of 2021
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CES is an whirlwind of gadgetry, but it’s also a crucial look at the year ahead for tech. Here are a few of the trends we spotted at this year’s CES that are bound to ripple out through the rest of 2020
The Best Fitness Tech of CES 2021
Bose
Thanks to the pandemic, the pace of at-home fitness innovation has clearly accelerated over the past several months. Products like Apple Fitness+, a new, rotating Peloton and countless screen-based workout platforms are just a few examples. Here are some eye-catching trends and items with the potential to have a big impact on your fitness ambitions in the coming year.
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All the Reasons to Still Buy an Apple TV In 2021
It’s 2021 and there are fewer reasons to buy an Apple TV streaming box. That’s because Apple has partnered with many of the biggest TV manufacturers, such as LG, Sony, Vizio and Samsung, and integrated most of the Apple TV’s best features – HomeKit, AirPlay 2 and even iTunes – into their TVs. The reason is simple: Apple wants as many people to have access to Apple TV+, its streaming service with original films and original shows (aka a competitor to Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video).
To watch Apple TV+ you need to have access to Apple’s TV app, which had previously only been available on Apple hardware: iPhone, iPad or Apple TV (it’s now available on Macs.) But now it’s available on pretty much every smart TV and operating system. This has left Apple’s streaming box in a tricky position. Do people really need it?
The answer is: yes. There are still a number of reasons to buy one of Apple’s streaming boxes – either an Apple TV 4K ($179+) or an Apple TV HD ($149) — because there are a number of things that Apple’s TV streaming box can do those new smart TVs with Apple TV-esque features can’t. Let’s explain.
The Reasons to Still Buy an Apple TV
Apple’s Dolby Atmos Experience
You need to have an Apple TV if you want to use either a HomePod or HomePod mini as a TV speaker. We recommend buying two — either two HomePods or two HomePod minis — that way you configure them in a stereo setup. If you have an Apple TV 4K and a HomePod, it supports Dolby Atmos audio; for Apple’s best Dolby Atmos system, you need two HomePods. Please note that the Apple TV HD doesn’t support Dolby Atmos and neither does the HomePod mini.
Want to set up a Dolby Atmos system with an Apple TV 4K and a HomePod (or two)? Here’s how.
The Multi-User Experience
Similar to how services like Netflix allow you to switch between different profiles, offering individualized experiences split between different members of the household, so too does the Apple TV. For example, if you watch a lot of action movies, and your wife watches dramas, and your son or daughter watches cartoons – all those movie and TV show suggestions don’t get muddled together. The Apple TV app that’s built into other smart TVs does not offer this multi-user experience.
You Want to Play Apple Arcade on Your TV, Right?
Apple Arcade is the company’s new subscription gaming service which lets subscribers play original games and they will be playable across iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV. If you have a smart TV that supports the Apple TV app, however, it will not support Apple Arcade. If you’re somebody who plans to subscribe to Apple’s new gaming service and you want to play games on your big-screen TV, you’re going to need an Apple TV streaming box.
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Apple announces Apple Arcade, its new subscription gaming service, at its March 2019 keynote.
The Apple TV Remote and a Superior Siri for Search
The Apple TV remote only comes and works with Apple TV streaming boxes, and it’s actually a very powerful navigation tool. Not only does it offer a super-easy way to scroll between thousands of Apple TV apps, as well as quickly get back to the Apple TV’s home screen, but it’s integrated with Siri so you can use your voice to quickly find content. Since the Apple TV streaming box is a completely “Apple experience,” Siri is actually a way more powerful tool.
The Epic Screen Savers
A relatively minor feature of the Apple TV that has ardent fans is its screen savers. When your Apple TV is idle for a certain number of minutes, its display switches to a screen saver, typically featuring beautiful videos. To date, Aerial screen savers have been super popular; these Aerials have been shot from places all over the world and from space. If you like these screen savers enough, you can also tap “Menu” button on Apple TV remote while in the main screen and initiate these screensavers whenever you like. Apple constantly rolls new screensavers, such as underwater, aerial and satellite shots. These Apple-specific screen savers are only available on Apple TV streaming boxes.
The Smart Home Advantage
The Apple TV streaming box, HomePod smart speaker, and any iPad can be designated as smart home hubs for an Apple smart home. The advantage of this is it allows you to control your HomeKit smart devices remotely. For example, if you want to use your iPhone to issue a HomeKit command, either through the Home app or using Siri on your iPhone (like “shut the garage door” or “I’m close to home, get the AC running”), the Apple TV or the HomePod is the thing that receives the command and executes it within the house. Since the Apple TV and HomePod are both always on, it also allows you to run smart home automations; a good example is that through HomeKit, you can have your smart lights turn on at sunset. It’s true that there is now HomeKit on non-Apple smart TVs, but they are essentially acting as HomeKit accessories – not as a Home hub. It’s not always on and they won’t let you issue a command remotely; you can’t say “turn on my lights” when you’re at work, for example.
A Superior Processor (No Lag)
The truth is that even though more smart TVs will have more Apple TV-esque features, there’s a good chance that they won’t run like one. All Apple TV streaming boxes have dedicated processors that are designed to make things run as smoothly as possible. Smart TVs that are running Apple’s software have a lot more going on and, the reality is there might be more lag if you don’t have an Apple TV streaming box. It’s still worth trying the built-in option if your TV supports it, but you can always spend the $179 if you aren’t happy.
It’s the Best Portable TV Streamer
Yes, they are expensive, but the Apple TV streaming box (HD or 4K) are still arguably the best portable streamers that you can buy. Most people don’t think of them or use them as portable devices – it’s true – but the Apple TV is actually a great gadget to take on vacation or a work trip. It has 32GB or more or storage, which is room enough to a great number of apps or games. Or you can easily connect the Apple TV to Wi-Fi and stream any of your favorite shows or movies, across various apps.
Price: $149+
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Grid Studio Framed Smartphones
While we absolutely love most aspects of the current, connected world that modern smartphones give us access to, there’s something to be said for the nostalgia of previous devices. We don’t have any desire to…
The post Grid Studio Framed Smartphones first appeared on Cool Material.
Apple Could Bring Back the MacBook’s Most Beloved Feature
It’s no secret that Apple is getting ready to announce the first higher-end MacBook Pros with its new M1 chipsets. The company released the first M1-based MacBook Pros and MacBook Airs to great acclaim in November 2020, but those were more entry-level models. Now people are excited to see what Apple silicone can do in a more capable machine.
That said, the upcoming 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros could have an additional new feature that’s poised to get people equally (if not more) excited. According to a recent Bloomberg report, it’s rumored that Apple is going to bring back the beloved MagSafe charger to upcoming models.
The MagSafe power connection was built into all Apple laptops from 2006 to 2016 — and people loved it. They loved the fact it made a strong enough connection to power a laptop, but was quick enough to release if you or somebody tripped over the cable. Plus, it made a wonderful snap sound every time it connected to your laptop. But Apple made the switch to USB-C in 2016 and shortly after MagSafe was phased out completely.
The return of a MagSafe charger doesn’t mean that Apple is getting rid of USB-C. These upcoming MacBook Pros are still expected to have a number of USB-C ports — most likely 4 — for connecting all of your other devices. The advantage of the new MagSafe power connection is that it supposedly will charge the new MacBook Pros even faster, (which is similarly true with the iPhone 12’s MagSafe charging system). Plus, you’ll get the quick release ability and snapping sound that made MagSafe so beloved in the first place.
Apple is expected to announce these new M1 MacBook Pros this coming March or April.
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Razer Project Brooklyn Gaming Chair Concept
Dedication to gaming is a big deal, and Razer just dropped the mother of all gaming chairs and screens at the virtual CES 2021 show. The Project Brooklyn is an immersive gaming chair with a…
The post Razer Project Brooklyn Gaming Chair Concept first appeared on Cool Material.
