ReportWire

Tag: Buying Guides

  • The Best Chromebooks for Every Budget

    The Best Chromebooks for Every Budget

    [ad_1]

    Chromebooks can come with a lot of different hardware inside, so it can be hard to figure out exactly what you need. Fortunately, the Chromebook Plus program has made the jumble of specs easier to parse. ChromeOS is also light enough that it doesn’t require incredibly beefy specs to get a good experience. Here are some general tips on what to look out for.

    Processor: For the best experience, you should avoid older Chromebooks with Intel Celeron processors. The Chromebook Plus specifications offer a good baseline to guarantee speedy performance, and I’d recommend going with at least an Intel Core i3, Core i5, or AMD Ryzen 3 7000 processor. Just watch out for overspending on configurations with Intel Core i7 processors unless you need the extra horsepower for multitasking Android games, Linux apps, and dozens of Chrome tabs. While Intel and AMD dominate the processor scene, you’ll occasionally find Chromebooks using ARM processors like the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 in the Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3 above. These can be fine for very basic tasks, but they won’t fare as well under sustained, intense loads (at least until something newer comes along).

    RAM: Always opt for at least 8 GB of RAM if you can afford it. You won’t find 4 GB of RAM in anything other than basic, super-budget Chromebooks, but it severely limits your ability to multitask. If you want to avoid slowdowns, 8 GB of RAM is the standard you should aim for.

    Storage: Unlike a Mac or Windows PC, a lot of your Chromebook work will live on the web. This means you can typically get away with less storage, but I wouldn’t recommend going below 128 GB. If you can afford it, you’ll be much more comfortable with at least 256 GB. You’ll get the best speed out of an NVMe solid state drive, so look out for that on the spec sheet when you’re comparing models.

    Screen: The vast majority of Chromebook displays you’ll find will be IPS LCD panels, and that’s just fine. Until OLED displays make more of a dent in the Chromebook space, IPS LCD screens offer the best contrast and color accuracy. If you’re shopping in the extreme budget range, watch out for TN LCD panels, as they’re generally lower quality and offer worse viewing angles. For resolution, a 1,920 x 1,080-pixel resolution should be your standard. You’ll get crisp visuals at 13- and 14-inch screen sizes and it’s passable at 15 inches. Higher resolutions will look even better, but be wary of the battery life tradeoff you’ll see from pushing power to more pixels.

    Ports: USB-C ports have become commonplace on the newest Chromebooks, so there’s no longer any excuse to buy one without them. Try to get one that charges over USB-C so you can recharge with a portable power bank when you’re on the go. A microSD card slot can also be beneficial if you want an easy way to expand your storage on the fly. You’ll find that some Chromebooks support Thunderbolt 4 over their USB-C ports as well. While that’s an excellent option to have if you plan to plug your Chromebook into some high-end monitors, it isn’t necessary for most people. Instead, you can get similar external monitor support (and spend a lot less) with an HDMI port or DisplayPort over USB-C support.

    [ad_2]

    Daniel Thorp-Lancaster

    Source link

  • The 9 Best TVs We’ve Reviewed, Plus Buying Advice for Normies

    The 9 Best TVs We’ve Reviewed, Plus Buying Advice for Normies

    [ad_1]

    Saving up for a new screen? Even if a giant TV is no longer the third-most-expensive thing some Americans own after their house and car, it’s still a big decision. Whether you’re a videophile or a normie looking for your first foray into Ultra HD, the best TVs available right now are bigger, brighter, and cheaper than ever before.

    To help you navigate the dozens of seemingly identical TV models from Samsung, LG, TCL, Hisense, Sony, and other manufacturers, we’ve watched hundreds of hours of content to pick out the favorites from our recent reviews. We’ve listed everything from the very best TV we’ve tested to the best sets you can buy on a tight budget—with a few excellent choices in between.

    All of these models have at least 4K Ultra HD pixel resolution (one has 8K), because there’s no reason to buy a standard HDTV anymore. TVs now come with wonderful displays, but they’re usually terrible at audio and can have lackluster interfaces, so you should consider investing in a good soundbar or pair of bookshelf speakers and a TV streaming stick. If you’re unfamiliar with much of the lingo TV manufacturers use, our How to Buy a TV guide can help.

    Updated June 2024: We’ve added the Hisense U8N, the TCL QM8, the Samsung S95D, and the Samsung QN900C. We also added the Sony Bravia 7 to Honorable Mentions, and the Roku Pro Series as an upgrade to the Roku Plus Series.

    Power up with unlimited access to WIRED. Get best-in-class reporting that’s too important to ignore for just $2.50 $1 per month for 1 year. Includes unlimited digital access and exclusive subscriber-only content. Subscribe Today.

    [ad_2]

    Parker Hall, Ryan Waniata

    Source link

  • Get Clicky With Our Favorite Custom Mechanical Keyboards

    Get Clicky With Our Favorite Custom Mechanical Keyboards

    [ad_1]

    Your keyboard is the most direct line of communication between yourself and your computer —whether gaming, working from home, or doing anything else in front of a screen. Why not invest in one that’s reliable, fun, and enjoyable? I love mechanical keyboards—I even open up boards and tinker with them. Over the past few years, I have tested dozens, ranging from the fastest gaming keyboards to those offering elevated typing experiences. These are the best mechanical keyboards of the hundreds you can find online.

    With keyboard advances over the past few years, you can’t go wrong with anything in this guide—everything I recommend is well-built, sturdy, and feels great to type on. That said, what I like might not be what you like—more than anything else, the “best” keyboard comes down to what features you want and what kind of feel you prefer when typing.

    We have more PC peripheral guides, including Best Keyboards (which include styles like chiclet keyboards), Best Gaming Mice, Best Computer Speakers, and Best Computer Monitors.

    Power up with unlimited access to WIRED. Get best-in-class reporting that’s too important to ignore for just $2.50 $1 per month for 1 year. Includes unlimited digital access and exclusive subscriber-only content. Subscribe Today.

    First, Read Our Mechanical Keyboard Explainer

    Things can get pretty in-the-weeds when shopping for a mechanical keyboard. You’ll probably come across terms like switches, PBT keycaps, hot-swappable, 75% keyboards, TKL, and so on. If you’re curious about what these mean, I recommend you read my comprehensive How to Choose and Customize a Mechanical Keyboard guide.

    You do not need to understand all of these words if you want a fun, good, mechanical keyboard that just works—almost all of my recommendations below are fully assembled keyboards. They’re all hot-swappable, so you don’t have to feel locked to a particular type of switch. Spend some time with your new board, and if you want to make a tweak or try a new set of switches, well, that’s the beauty of mechanical keyboards—you can customize them whenever you’d like.

    [ad_2]

    Henri Robbins

    Source link

  • How to Avoid Scams and Shoddy Wares on Amazon

    How to Avoid Scams and Shoddy Wares on Amazon

    [ad_1]

    Step 2: Amazon’s search should choose the right Department automatically, but if needed, you can navigate to the top of the left rail and click on a Department that fits.

    Step 3: Once the page refreshes, scroll to the bottom of the left rail and choose “Amazon.com” as your Seller.

    Step 4: Now you will only see “Pixel 8A” products sold directly by Amazon.com.

    If you still don’t see “Amazon.com” as a seller, try hitting the “See More” button. It will bring up a dense but readable alphabetical page of sellers. If Amazon is one of those sellers, it will show up in the list. You can use CTRL+F (Command+F on Mac) to search for the word “Amazon.com.” Sometimes you’ll see “Amazon Warehouse,” but that only sells used and refurbished items.

    Avoid Fake Discounts

    When people see that a product they like is on sale, a little wave of excitement washes over them. Instead of thinking about how much we’re spending, we start to think about how much we’re saving. Coupons and discounts exist because they create a sense of urgency that causes many people to buy things they normally wouldn’t. Some sellers abuse that pricing power. There are a lot of products on Amazon that are endlessly on “sale” and that makes it hard to know if you’re getting an actual bargain.

    Luckily, there’s an easy way to check. Just copy the URL and paste it into CamelCamelCamel. You’ll get a page with a graph on it showing every price fluctuation in the past year. A lot of products have deceptive sale prices like this, to varying degrees. Knowing what the actual going rate is for a product puts you in charge.

    Alternatively, the Keepa extension for Chrome will add a similar box right into Amazon.com pages for you, though it does try and get you to register for free, and it might slow your browsing down.

    Photograph: Louryn Strampe

    Tools like Keepa and CamelCamelCamel may also help you determine the best time to buy an item. Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K Max, for instance, consistently fluctuates between its normal $60 price down to $40, like it is now. And that all-time-low includes special sales like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, meaning you (probably) don’t need to wait to score a good deal. The tools can help you spot similar trends in other products, like televisions, which tend to get a lot cheaper when Christmas draws near.

    Don’t Trust Every Review

    Amazon’s 5-star review system is supposed to make choosing products simpler, but it’s easily gamed. If you’re looking at an expensive product from a company you’ve never heard of, or if there are hundreds or thousands of very positive reviews, do a little sleuthing. Many sellers try to manipulate reviews to get their products listed more prominently on Amazon.

    Fakespot is an excellent tool to help you spot deceptive reviews. Just plug in an Amazon URL and it’ll give you a report. It isn’t a flawless tool, but it will give you a hint at whether a lot of reviews are fake or suspicious, and it spits out an AI-generated summary to try and help you parse the information further. We’ve got more advice on detecting fake Amazon reviews here.

    [ad_2]

    Jeffrey Van Camp, Louryn Strampe

    Source link

  • 17 Awesome Management Games for Armchair Tycoons

    17 Awesome Management Games for Armchair Tycoons

    [ad_1]

    Before kids and other responsibilities, when I regularly gamed into the wee hours, playing management sims was one of my favorite things to do. I spent countless days building in Sim Tower, SimCity, and Theme Park. I ran a studio in The Movies, managed a menagerie in Zoo Tycoon, and constructed the pyramids in Pharaoh. My villainous lairs in Dungeon Keeper 2 and Evil Genius were beyond compare. I built impregnable castles in Stronghold, and I sank days into Game Dev Story—a game about making games.

    These games are the perfect foil to multiplayer madness, offering a table of absorbing escapism for one. As the kids have grown, I’ve found myself with a little more time to scratch that management and building itch, and these are the games that have sucked me back in.

    A note for potential players: While there are often console versions, you tend to get better controls and greater depth if you play on PC.

    Updated June 2024: We added several games, including Against the Storm, Manor Lords, and Galacticare, switched a couple of titles for newer releases, and updated details and pricing throughout.

    Power up with unlimited access to WIRED. Get best-in-class reporting that’s too important to ignore for just $2.50 $1 per month for 1 year. Includes unlimited digital access and exclusive subscriber-only content. Subscribe Today.

    [ad_2]

    Simon Hill

    Source link

  • 20 Amazon Prime Perks You Might Not Be Using

    20 Amazon Prime Perks You Might Not Be Using

    [ad_1]

    Prime Video is also included with your membership. There are some killer originals, like Fallout and The Boys in addition to other movies and shows. Purchased separately, Prime Video costs $9 per month. Note that these plans are with commercials. If you’re a Prime member and you want to go ad-free, it’ll cost another $3 per month.

    Finally, we’d be remiss if we didn’t talk about Amazon’s members-only event, Prime Day. The annual “holiday” has outperformed both Black Friday and Cyber Monday in years past, but not every Prime Day deal is actually a bargain. The WIRED Gear team always covers the event to make good deals easier to find—our coverage is unique in that we only write about deals on products we have personally tested and can verify are great buys rather than flooding our posts with questionable random brands. This year, Prime Day is in July. Official dates have not yet been announced, though we anticipate the sale will fall on a Tuesday and Wednesday in the middle of the month. Early Prime Day deals are usually available in the days leading up to the sale, and we’ll have the best for you here.

    Amazon Day

    Overwhelmed by the sheer number of boxes at your door? (Honestly, as a product reviewer, same.) Amazon Day lets you schedule all of your deliveries to arrive on a certain day of the week. Rather than dealing with a box or two at a time on multiple days, you can get one package with all of your orders on whichever day you prefer. If you use Amazon Day, you aren’t locked in. That means if you’re ordering something you need quickly, you can still opt for the fastest shipping method. Amazon Day is a good way to cut back on cardboard (and your carbon footprint).

    Exclusive Deals

    Even outside of Prime Day, Amazon Prime members are eligible for special members-only discounts. That might mean a few bucks off your portable charger purchase, a 20 percent off coupon to use on dog food, or better prices on new Amazon devices. Individual discounts vary, but we see these sorts of promotions pretty frequently—and, as with Prime Day, not all of them are good.

    Early-Access Lightning Deals

    Both during and outside of special events like Prime Day and Black Friday, Prime members get early access to select Lightning Deals. You will be able to shop 30 minutes before other customers. Whether Lightning Deals are worth your money is another discussion entirely, but it’s a perk worth checking out.

    No-Rush Rewards

    If you don’t need your order to arrive right away, sometimes at checkout you’ll see the option for free No-Rush Shipping. Usually, choosing No-Rush Shipping gets you a free $1 digital credit to use on things like ebooks, digital games, movies, and the like. The rewards sometimes expire after a certain duration. I’ve used No-Rush credits to get as much as $10 off digital games on release day. Since video game discounts are rare, especially right after release, this can be lucrative if you time it correctly (and don’t mind waiting for your purchases to arrive).

    Grubhub+

    Amazon Prime members get free access to Grubhub+, which includes free delivery on orders over $12, plus an assortment of Prime-exclusive discounts at various restaurants throughout the year.

    Amazon Fresh

    Amazon Fresh lets you order groceries via Amazon and get them delivered to your door. It’s not available in all areas, but it is a different way to shop if you’re trying to avoid in-person trips. You also get a selection of products from Whole Foods available through Amazon Fresh. Somewhat confusingly, there are similarly named physical Amazon Fresh grocery stores in some cities.

    Since Amazon bought Whole Foods several years back, you can usually find picks from Whole Foods store brands within Amazon’s grocery services. It might make a good way to try something new or stock up on items you already like.

    Amazon Household

    For families, Amazon Household is a good way to share benefits between multiple people. You can share membership perks with two adults, four teens, and four adults. Parents can use Amazon Household to approve teens’ orders or set up parental controls on kids’ content.

    Amazon First Reads

    Each month, Prime members can check out Amazon First Reads. That’s two Kindle books from the selection for free. Non-Prime members can get their two books for $2 apiece. As a reminder, you can read Kindle books even if you don’t have a Kindle device, thanks to the free app available for phones and computers. We also have a buying guide to help you pick the right Kindle.

    Prime Reading

    In addition to First Reads, Prime members get access to tons of Kindle books via Prime Reading. There are more than a thousand items to choose from. Aside from books, you can access audiobooks and magazines, plus comics via Comixology. WIRED senior editor Michael Calore mentioned Prime Reading as one of his quarantine lifesavers in this Gadget Lab podcast episode.

    Prime Gaming

    Every month, Prime members are eligible for various rewards via Prime Gaming (formerly known as Twitch Prime). This includes in-game loot in a variety of popular games, free game downloads, free downloadable content (DLC) and expansions, and more. You also get a free Twitch subscription—which sounds like you can watch Twitch for free, but “Twitch subs” are actually subscriptions to individual Twitch streamers, and they normally cost money. With the free subscription you get from Amazon Prime, you can support channels you enjoy—creators make some money off the subscription, but it won’t cost you anything extra.

    $10 off Game Preorders

    This discount used to be much better, but it’s still worth looking into if you are in the market for a new video game. Occasionally, Prime members can receive $10 off when they preorder a game. Eligible titles show up here when they’re available. Some video games also have free Release Date Delivery—just look for that shipping option when preordering a game.

    Prime Try Before You Buy

    Buying clothes online can be an arduous process. Prime Try Before You Buy (formerly Prime Wardrobe) offers a selection of items you can try on at home before committing. Pick out what you want and you’ll get it for a week. If it’s a winner, you can keep it. If it’s not a perfect fit, you can return the items for free. I prefer to use this method when pieces are already discounted, since the price you’ll pay if you decide to keep something is whatever the price was at checkout.

    Unlimited Online Photo Storage

    Prime members get access to unlimited full-resolution photo storage, and 5 gigabytes of video storage as well. You can store, print, and share photos using the Amazon Photos app and back everything up to the cloud. If your account ever loses Prime status, you’ll need to pay at least $2 per month to keep storing your photos and videos, so this shouldn’t be your primary backup method. You might want to consider using one of these options as well.

    Discounted Amazon Kids+

    Amazon Kids+ (formerly FreeTime Unlimited) is Amazon’s content service for kids. The service is compatible with several iOS, Android, and Amazon devices, like Fire Tablets. It essentially provides a bevy of parental controls whilst giving kiddos access to age-appropriate shows, books, games, and the like. Kids+ costs $8 per month, but Prime members can snag the subscription for $6 per month (or $79 and $48 per year, respectively).

    Additional Perks for Specific Customers

    Expecting a new addition to your family? Select Prime members can claim a free Baby Registry Welcome Box by creating a registry that has at least $10 worth of purchases (by themselves or others). Learn more here.

    Select wireless carriers have special cell phone plans for Prime members. Members also get 10 percent back as a credit each month. These plans aren’t for everyone—and your current provider may be cheaper—but they could be a good option for those seeking prepaid, inexpensive phone service.

    [ad_2]

    Louryn Strampe

    Source link

  • The 18 Best Portable Chargers for All of Your Devices

    The 18 Best Portable Chargers for All of Your Devices

    [ad_1]

    There are a few things worth thinking about when you’re shopping for a portable charger.

    Capacity: The capacity of a power bank is measured in milliampere-hours (mAh), but this can be a little misleading because the amount of power you get out depends on the cable you use, the device you’re charging, and the charging method (Qi wireless charging is less efficient). You will never get the maximum capacity. We try to provide an estimate of what you’ll get in terms of charges for devices.

    Charging speeds and standards: The charging rate for devices like smartphones is measured in watts (W), but most power banks list the voltage (V) and the amperage (A). Thankfully, you can calculate the wattage yourself simply by multiplying the voltage and amperage. Unfortunately, getting that maximum rate also depends on your device, the standards it supports, and the charging cable you use. Many smartphones, including Apple’s iPhones, support the power delivery standard, meaning you can use higher-power power banks to recharge the device with no issues. A few phones, such as Samsung’s Galaxy S range, support a supplementary PD protocol called PPS (Programmable Power Supply) that goes up to 45 W. Many phones also support Qualcomm’s proprietary Quick Charge (QC) standard. There are also other proprietary fast-charging standards, but you won’t generally find power banks that support them unless they come from the smartphone manufacturer.

    Pass-through: If you want to charge your power bank and use it to charge another device simultaneously, it will need pass-through support. The Nimble, GoalZero, Biolite, Mophie, Zendure, and Sharge portable chargers listed support pass-through charging. Anker discontinued support for pass-through in some of its products because it found that differences between the output of the wall charger and the input of the device charging can cause the power bank to cycle on and off rapidly and shorten its lifespan. Monoprice does not support pass-through charging, either. We would advise caution when using pass-through, as it can also cause portable chargers to heat up.

    Travel: It’s safe to travel with a power bank, but there are two restrictions to keep in mind when you board a flight: You must have the portable charger in your carry-on luggage (it cannot be checked), and it must not exceed 100 Wh (watt-hours). If your power bank has a larger capacity than 27,000 mAh, you should check with the airline. Below that should not be a problem.

    [ad_2]

    Simon Hill, Scott Gilbertson

    Source link

  • The 16 Best Electric Bikes for Every Kind of Ride

    The 16 Best Electric Bikes for Every Kind of Ride

    [ad_1]

    You’ve seen the bikes around your neighborhood. They look like so much fun! You want one! But ebikes have so many different specs and price points. Here’s what I would consider, in your position.

    Can I build my own bike?

    Many affordable bikes now come direct-to-consumer—meaning that they are pre-tuned or partially assembled in a box. As Peter Flax recently noted in Bicycling magazine, these bikes do not get nearly the testing or vetting that bikes from a bigger manufacturer get. Unless you’re not riding much or for many miles, or are experienced with modifying your own bike, I recommend working with an established manufacturer that has a dealer network. I also do not recommend a smart ebike. As we can see with VanMoof’s recent implosion, you may have difficulty getting your smart ebike repaired if the company folds.

    Why do some bikes cost more?

    They have higher-end components. Batteries and motors from high-end brands like Bosch and Shimano often are more powerful and cover more distance, with a 90- or 120-mile range, as compared to the 15-20 mile ranges you’ll see on more affordable bikes. However, this may not matter if you have a short commute.

    What terrain do you live on?

    If you live in a flat area, you’re probably fine with a 250-watt motor, which is the European speed standard. However, if you live near hills or haul a lot of stuff, you might want to consider a 500-watt or 750-watt motor and a few extras, like hydraulic disc brakes, which will help prevent you from skidding into traffic.

    I would also look for a mid-drive motor instead of a hub-drive motor. Mid-drive motors are located in the center of your bike and feel more natural. A hub drive is on your rear axle and shifts your center of gravity backward, which takes some getting used to. It can throw you off balance when you’re going up steep hills.

    Follow some basic safety tips.

    Not sure where to start? The biking advocacy group PeopleForBikes recently released their safety education program, E-Bike Smart, which they created in collaboration with the League of American Bicyclists and Bicycle Colorado. Do not leave your bike battery charging overnight, and do not let your children ride your bike unsupervised. An 80-pound child should not be piloting a 65-pound bike, even if the motor makes it possible for them to do so.

    [ad_2]

    Adrienne So

    Source link

  • Analog Photography: The Beginner’s Guide to Film Cameras

    Analog Photography: The Beginner’s Guide to Film Cameras

    [ad_1]

    We’ll start with color film, which comes in two flavors, positive and negative.

    Positive Film vs. Negative Film

    Positive film records the image as you saw it when you pushed the shutter. It produces rich, saturated colors and tends to have strong contrast. It’s much less forgiving in my experience. You need to get the exposure right and there’s not much you can do about it after the fact if you don’t. I tend to avoid high-contrast scenes with positive film (or use graduated neutral-density filters to reduce contrast). Positive film is usually mounted as slides when you have it professionally developed.

    Negative film records the opposite of what you saw. In black and white, everything is reversed, blacks are white, and whites are black so that when you shine light through it to print, the black areas hold back the light, making them lighter in the print, and light areas let more light through, rendering them dark in the print. The same is true of color negative film, but it tends to look more like a yellow-orange mess as a negative. Negative color film often has a softer look than color positive, with lower contrast, and higher dynamic range.

    Which should you use? I suggest experimenting to see which you like the best. Below are a few film recommendations based on the type of images you want to make.

    Best Film for Landscapes

    Best Overall

    Fujifilm Fujichrome Velvia 50

    Fujifilm’s Fujichrome Velvia 50 is ridiculously expensive at $30 per roll, but I’ve still yet to find any other color-positive film that looks as good as Velvia. Its color saturation is legendary (tending toward the red/magenta), and its neutral gray balance means you almost never get weird colors in shadows and highlights. The price means I don’t shoot it very often, but when I’m heading out into the wilderness, this is what I bring.

    Runner-Up

    Kodak Professional Ektachrome E100 Color Transparency Film

    Kodak’s E100 is a new film for me, but I’ve shot a few rolls now, and I can say that it is very different from Velvia. There’s none of the Velvia warmth; colors are rather neutral with a mild green cast to the highlights. If you’re looking to shoot landscapes with a different look than the past 50 years of Velvia-influenced images, this is the film I’d recommend.

    Budget Pick

    Kodak Professional Ektar 100 Color Negative Film

    This is another new one for me; I have shot only two rolls of this color-negative film, but so far, my overwhelming impression is that this is film stock that replicates what you get with a digital camera. Grain is very fine, and colors are extremely close to what my Sony digital sensor records: natural-looking color tending toward the cooler side. I’ll confess I didn’t like it the first time I saw the results, but it’s growing on me, and the price is difficult to beat.

    Best Film for Portraits

    Kodak Professional Portra 160 Color Negative Film

    Portrait films need to handle skin tones well. My favorite, Fujifilm’s 160 Pro, has been discontinued, which leaves the ever-popular Kodak alternative. At $14 a roll, this is probably the best value in film, period. Porta 160 is a great film for portraits, rendering skin pretty much as it is most of the time. If you need something faster for shooting in low light, there’s also a 400-speed version and even an 800-speed version. I find that one to have too much grain for color portraits, but if that’s the look you want, it’s available.

    Best Black-and-White Films

    There’s a seemingly endless array of black-and-white films out there, including reissued versions of some of the most popular films from previous decades. This is a very biased list since “best” in this case is purely subjective. Again, experiment to figure out which you like.

    Best Overall

    Kodak Professional Tri-X 400 Black and White Negative Film

    Tri-X was launched in the 1940s and has been in continuous production ever since. It’s gone through a few changes over the years, the latest being a reengineering in 2011 that reduced the grain (which is when it got the TX designation). A favorite of photographers as diverse as Sebastiao Salgado, Vivian Mayer, and Gary Winogrand, Tri-X is beloved for its versatility, with just the right amount of grain and contrast that give images a certain look and texture that nothing else matches. There are rich black shadows, great contrast, and enough grain without being too much. Tri-X is also dead simple to process if you do it yourself. If I could only shoot one film, this would be it.

    Runner-Up

    Ilford HP5 Plus Black and White Negative Film

    Another versatile film, Ilford’s HP5 has a wide exposure latitude, meaning it’ll do well in mixed and difficult lighting. It has less overall contrast than Tri-X, giving it a smoother look. It also pushes very well, without becoming overly grainy like Tri-X tends to when you push it. If you want a good all-around film with a smooth, even tonality, this is a good pick.

    Best for Low Light

    Kodak Professional T-Max P3200 Black and White Negative Film

    Let’s get something out of the way first. Kodak calls this a “multispeed” film; there’s no need to shoot it at 3200. I like to shoot it at 800 and process it at 1600. It took me a few years to realize what I was doing there was making my T-Max look more like Tri-X, but the point is, the T-Max 3200 is more versatile than the speed implies. That said, I tend to reach for this when shooting in the evenings or out at night.

    Developing Film

    There used to be a film development lab on every street corner. Or at least in those little kiosks in parking lots, but those days are gone. That said, there are plenty of professional labs out there with mail-order businesses and quick turnaround times. Most of them will be happy to scan your negatives as well, though this does add to the cost.

    There are hundreds of good labs out there, and your best bet is to go to the photography store nearest you and talk to them. Building a relationship at your local photo shop will help you get better results, because they’ll know what you like and what you don’t and can help you push and pull and communicate with the lab as needed. That said, many camera stores have outsourced their development to big online services (the store nearest me sends film off to Nation’s lab), so make sure you ask where they’re developing.

    [ad_2]

    Scott Gilbertson

    Source link

  • The Best Camera Bags, Straps, and Backpacks

    The Best Camera Bags, Straps, and Backpacks

    [ad_1]

    We’ve tested a lot of camera bags. Here are others we really like but have been eclipsed by our top picks.

    Long Weekend Morro Convertible Backpack for $150: I strongly considered replacing our top backpack pick, Brevite’s The Jumper, with the Morro. They’re very similar in style and organization, with the Morro offering an extra pouch and, in my view, a nicer design (especially in the moss color). This is still an excellent backpack that doesn’t scream camera bag, and you get front and side access to your gear (make sure you add the Camera Cube bundle, which adds an extra $70 to your purchase). It’s lightweight, can fit a 16-inch laptop, and is made of water-resistant materials with a two-layer waterproof coating. My only gripe is the camera cube is an awkward fit, jutting out a bit at the openings. If the company altered it slightly, this would be my favorite camera backpack at the sub-$200 price.

    Nanuk Backpack N-PVD 30L for $300: If you carry around a drone, this is a nice backpack with a compartment at the very top that can easily fit your drone kit. It’s a well-padded and structured bag that comes in several sizes (I tried the 30-liter version), and you can fit a tripod in the side pocket and hold it securely with a strap. There’s an easy-to-reach side pocket for quick camera access, but I don’t love how you access the main compartment. It’s on the rear of the bag, and the shoulder straps and waist straps constantly get in the way, which is just a bit annoying. Once inside though, there are padded sleeves for laptops and tablets and zippered pouches for extras. The main area is cavernous, so you’ll have to do some Tetris with the included Velcro dividers to lay everything out neatly.

    Clever Supply Camera Sling for $224: I love the look of this waxed canvas bag and its flourishes of full-grain leather. It’s a classic and classy design that makes me happy whenever I head out the door with my camera in tow. It’s comfy and easy to adjust the shoulder strap, and there are three grab handles on the top and sides so you have a lot of carrying options. It can fit my Nikon Z 6, two small lenses, and a compact tablet. (Smaller than 11 inches; it didn’t fit the OnePlus Pad.) There’s a zippered pouch inside to store storage cards and a zippered pocket on the exterior for cables. My main gripe is that opening the main compartment sometimes requires two hands—the zipper gets stuck on the corner so I need my other hand to keep the bag in place. I wish the front pocket also had more give; when the bag is full, it feels too tight to put anything in there.

    Peak Design Everyday Backpack for $280: This is the slightly bigger and more feature-packed version of the Everyday Zip we recommend above. Instead of a zipper that goes all the way around, you have two zippers for each side and a flap at the top that you can use Peak Design’s MagLatch system to cinch up if you don’t need the extra space up top. There are various pouches for organization throughout, as well as side pockets that can hold a compact tripod. I tried the 20-liter model, but if you have a lot of gear, you may want to spring for the 30-liter.

    Peak Design Everyday Sling for $160: The Everyday Sling has long been one of my personal favorites for everyday carry or heading out for a day of shooting. It comes with flexible dividers you can adjust or remove, depending on how much organization or storage space you need. It comes in 3-, 6-, and 10-liter sizes. The 10-liter version has room for a 13-inch MacBook Pro, a charger, and my FujiFilm X-Pro 2 camera. If you need room for additional lenses or a larger camera body, you might want to forgo the MacBook; it can get a little tight in there. —Jaina Grey

    Hex Backloader Backpack for $200: I usually prefer bags with side access, but I’ve been quite happy with the Hex Backloader. Yes, you need to take it off your back to access all your gear, but an access point at the very top makes it easy to quickly pull out the camera. The main compartment in the back is really spacious and is outfitted with tons of Velcro dividers, so you have lots of room for customization. There are organizational mesh pouches and pockets galore, a padded section in the front that can fit a 15-inch laptop, straps on one side for a tripod, and a pouch on the other for a bottle. It’s super comfy to carry around, sternum strap and all.

    Shimoda Explore V2 25 Backpack for $373: I like this backpack, but it’s a touch too expensive. It’s supremely comfortable to carry, thanks to its extensive padding, and the whole thing is water-resistant to keep your gear safe. I was able to stuff it with a surprising number of items despite its relatively slim size (all of which you can access from the rear), including a tripod in its side deployable pocket that you can cinch tight with a strap. There’s side access to the camera, tons of pockets for organization (I love the little pouch on the arm straps), and a padded sleeve for a 13-inch laptop.

    Wotancraft Scout Daily Camera Bag 9L for $299: If you’re after a stylish messenger, I’ve always liked the designs from Wotancraft, and the Scout is no different. It’s made of durable Cordura with some cowhide leather thrown in for the straps on the flap. The main compartment is spacious and separated by sturdy dividers, along with a padded laptop pouch that can barely fit a 13-inch MacBook Air. Two pouches in the front can loosely carry some small items, but there’s not much in the way of organization here. There is a luggage pass-through and a rear zippered pocket, but no side pockets and no easy way to attach a tripod.

    Ona The Bowery Compact Messenger Bag for $209:  I’ve owned this bag (the black waxed canvas version) for seven years, and it remains in great shape. It’s attractive and perfect for short outings, with plenty of padding and a divider to keep your gear protected. You’ll only be able to fit a camera and one extra lens. There’s a pouch on the back I’ve used to stow a Nintendo Switch or a Kindle, and I shove my cables, batteries, and SD cards in the pouch on the front. Unfortunately, the two side pockets are too tight to fit anything bigger than a pen or a microfiber cloth. One perk? You can quickly detach the strap to turn the Bowery into a camera cube for a bigger backpack. It comes in an array of colors and materials.

    Tenba DNA 16 DSLR Backpack for $230: You can access your camera from the front of this bag, and the compartment cooly folds out, like a drawer. There’s enough space to fit a big camera and a few lenses, but don’t forget the padded laptop compartment in the back, a roll-top you can expand, and another zippered area for additional items. You can comfortably put a water bottle and a tripod into each side pocket. I took it with me on a trip to DC, and the front looks a bit scuffed up already, but it’s an otherwise fine bag.

    Manfrotto Pro Light Frontloader Backpack for $234: Unzip the main front compartment and you can access all your camera gear neatly sectioned apart by the included Velcro divider system. This 25-liter bag is roomy, but that also makes it quite puffy on your back—you might bump into folks in crowds if you’re not careful. There’s side access for the camera, which is nice, but it’s an otherwise dreary-looking pack.

    Tenba Fulton V2 16L Backpack for $140: I prefer bags that have some way to quickly grab the camera, and that’s why the Fulton V2 isn’t higher above: The only way to pull out the camera is by taking the bag off and unzipping the back compartment. (Technically, you can access this compartment from the roll top, but that requires undoing a lot of Velcro.) Otherwise, it’s a nice, small bag that can fit a good amount of gear, with an expandable roll top to store lunch or spare clothes, a stretchable mesh side pocket for bottles, and a canvas side pocket that can fit small tripods. Tenba says this can fit a 16-inch laptop in the padded compartment on the front, but I could only squeeze in a 13-incher. It’s water-resistant and comfy to tote around.

    Lowepro PhotoSport Outdoor Backpack III 15L for $155: This pack looks good on the trail and can only fit a small DSLR or mirrorless in its removable cube (with side access!). It’ll mesh well with your other hiking gear, and there’s a good amount of room for snacks and anything else you’d want on short hikes (including a 2-liter hydration bladder). It’s made of 75 percent recycled fabrics.

    [ad_2]

    Julian Chokkattu

    Source link

  • Our Favorite Gender-Neutral and Inclusive Clothing Brands

    Our Favorite Gender-Neutral and Inclusive Clothing Brands

    [ad_1]

    The fashion industry writ large reinforces gender norms in many ways, but there’s one every one of us encounters daily: gendered sizing and styling. A faceless entity decides what a man or woman should look like, and if you don’t fit either mold or identify with either label, that’s your problem. Thankfully, there’s a growing segment that offers tools to opt out of that binary.

    Gender-neutral and gender-inclusive clothing brands offer a wider range of fits and styles than you might find at a traditional company. These companies make clothes for queer, nonbinary, and trans bodies of all shapes and sizes. I’ve tested and worn dozens of these and whittled down my favorites below.

    Every garment in this list links to its manufacturer and also some other retailers that carry these garments. On some third-party retailer websites, the items we’ve highlighted are placed in gendered clothing sections, which is disappointing considering it’s 2024 and these items are explicitly gender-neutral. I’m just giving you a heads-up so you’re not surprised to see the gender-neutral underwear I recommended get categorized as “for women” at Amazon.

    Power up with unlimited access to WIRED. Get best-in-class reporting that’s too important to ignore for just $2.50 $1 per month for 1 year. Includes unlimited digital access and exclusive subscriber-only content. Subscribe Today.

    If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more.

    Both&

    Both& offers a wide assortment of tops and bottoms based on a sizing system the company developed independently. Rather than using existing size frameworks, Both& developed its signature length-to-width ratio by surveying its community, asking people what they liked and didn’t like about the way traditionally sized clothing fit their bodies.

    The result can be seen best in its signature tees. Not only are they made from durable heavyweight cotton, but they also hang on your body in a way that creates a silhouette that steps outside the shapes that gendered garments often reinforce. The Khazeel tee, for instance, hangs in such a way that it easily conceals the presence of a binder, while the drop shoulder cut hangs off of, rather than skims, the body.

    TomboyX

    I’ve been a TomboyX wearer for years now and can’t help but sing its praises. With everything from shorts, briefs, and thongs to bras and outerwear, I’ve never had a TomboyX garment that disappointed. Underwear can be tricky for queer and trans people for any number of reasons, but TomboyX has a wide variety of cuts and fits, with sizes that go up to 6X.

    I’m a big fan of the bikini briefs and boy shorts for everyday wear, and the 9-inch shorts for wearing around the house or under skirts. The bra selection is also one of my favorites of any company on this list. TomboyX offers traditional number-letter sizing on some of its bras but offers standard S to 4X type sizing on other bras. If you’ve had trouble finding a bra that fits, I can’t recommend the all-day bralette enough. It offers support and breathability, plus fits perfectly under any top.

    Wildfang

    Originating in my hometown of Portland, Oregon, Wildfang has been a mainstay of the gender-neutral fashion scene for years. Its founders sought to break free from gender norms and offer clothes that can be feminine, masculine, neither, or all of the above.

    With inclusive sizing going up to 4X on some garments (unfortunately, some top out at 3X) and including tall sizes, it’s pretty easy to find things that will fit your body no matter your body’s shape or gender presentation. Some of the pants do tend to have a higher crotch than you might expect, even on the larger sizes, so you might have to size up on those depending on your proportions—or get the tall size.

    I’m a huge fan of the high-waisted coverall. Not only do you get to wear a flight suit like an astronaut or space miner, but they’re fashionable, come in a variety of vibrant colors, and fit so well you’ll want to wear it all the time even if it’s way too warm out to be wearing a full-body coverall.

    Another mainstay of my wardrobe (and my partner’s) is the essential cropped button-up. As just an outer layer, it can turn a sports bra and a pair of pants into an outfit, and the fit hangs off your body rather than squeezing it or circus-tenting off of it like traditionally sized men’s button-ups can.

    Thistle and Spire

    I’ve historically had a complicated relationship with lingerie. If it fits my bust, it doesn’t fit my shoulders; if it fits my waist it doesn’t fit my butt, and so on. I could write a dissertation on the lingerie brands that have failed me. Instead, I want to highlight my new favorite: Thistle and Spire. If you’re active in online sex worker (OnlyFans, Fansly, etc.) communities, you’ve seen some of these garments, for good reason.

    Thistle and Spire offers inclusive sizing and size details on its garments that tell you what you need to know about how each item fits. A part of the reason for that is its dedication to offering garments that will make you feel hot no matter your size, gender, or sexual orientation. And you’ll see that dedication reflected in the models wearing each garment. Finding lingerie modeled by someone with a body that looks like yours is an extremely affirming experience.

    Thistle and Spire’s entire catalog is ornate, sexy, and creative, but my favorite is the Medusa set. The bralette fits my bust (and shoulders) perfectly and offers a high degree of adjustability to make sure it fits the body just right. The same goes for the matching bottoms. Here’s another thing Thistle and Spire does that feels like it should be impossible: the lingerie is comfortable. It supports my body where it needs to be supported, and it’s comfy to wear for long periods, so much so that you’ll want to wear it everywhere—you can!

    Just throw on some pasties (Thistle and Spire offers these too) and you can wear the bralette as an actual top. They even ship in a mesh bag you can use to wash them (in delicate mode).

    The Fluxion

    Shopping for a binder is hard. The best results you’ll get come from stores that take your measurements and custom-make you a binder made for your specific body, but that can take a long time, and it’s expensive.

    When shopping for binders for my partner, hearing about the wait filled them with dread. So I set out to find a middle option: a binder that fits them the way they want and ships in a shorter time frame. That’s how I found the Fluxion.

    The binders are durable and well-made, with sturdy stitching on every seam, and a comfortable cotton lining inside a Lycra shell. It feels like a tight swimsuit material, and during testing I found it does a great job of binding a large bust on a small frame, or a medium bust on a large frame. Because they’re made from Lycra, they do stretch out and need to be washed to get the tautness back. That’s something you don’t have to worry about as much on binders made from non-stretch fabrics or custom-made binders like those offered by companies like Shapeshifters.

    [ad_2]

    Jaina Grey

    Source link

  • The Best Smart Bulbs to Light Up Your Life

    The Best Smart Bulbs to Light Up Your Life

    [ad_1]

    Remember the allure of the Clapper? No more getting out of bed to hit the light switch! It seemed cutting edge on ’80s late-night infomercials, but thankfully technology has come a long way since then (though you can still buy it). You can now control the lights, set timers and schedules, and change colors with your smartphone or your voice if you have a voice assistant—no clapping required.

    Smart bulbs are a great place to start when creating a smart home. Most options are relatively cheap, they’re easy to install, and they’re something you use every day already. Plus, there are no cameras or door locks for someone to hack into and no wiring to mess with. Do you want to try voice controls? Consider getting a smart speaker or smart display, but you can always use the smart bulb’s app.

    I test each model of bulb for one to five days on two small Ikea lamps in my living room, with the tests lasting longer when the bulbs perform well in earlier tests. My tests start with color tests for vibrancy, color range, and brightness, paying special attention to how easy the app controls are. I then connect each bulb to my full smarthome setup and smart speakers (depending on compatibility). Of the dozens of bulbs I’ve tested over the years, these are the best smart bulbs.

    Updated June 2024: We’ve added Lifx A19 bulbs as our pick for Apple Home users and Philips Hue Soft Warm White bulbs as our recommendation for smart filament bulbs.

    Special offer for Gear readers: Get a 1-year subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off). This includes unlimited access to WIRED.com and our print magazine (if you’d like). Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.

    [ad_2]

    Nena Farrell

    Source link

  • Power Up Anywhere With the Best Travel Adapters

    Power Up Anywhere With the Best Travel Adapters

    [ad_1]

    With a familiar sliding pin design, this adapter also covers more than 200 countries. Taller and heavier than our top pick, this is OneAdaptr’s most powerful release to date, and it employs gallium nitride technology to deliver up to 100 watts. Aside from the universal AC outlet, you will find two USB-C ports and two USB-A ports on the bottom. Both USB-C ports offer 100-watt charging, and both USB-A ports are 18 watts, but 100 watts is the maximum in total, so when you plug in multiple devices, it divides between them.

    Almost every charging standard you can think of is supported, including PD 3.0, QC 4+, FCP, SCP, AFC, PPS, and more, so there’s a good chance you can charge your phone at the fastest rate possible. There is no grounding, so don’t plug in any gadget with a third metal pin. But there is a 10-amp fuse with a spare included, and this adapter conforms to IEC 60884, CE, and FCC standards. If you want more power or feel you can make do with less, we also tested and liked the OneWorld135 ($109) and the OneWorld30 ($39).

    Note: We have tested OneAdaptr’s range extensively and found they work well, but the company has had issues fulfilling orders, and we are concerned about the volume of negative reviews online. The company assured us that it has recently taken steps to improve fulfilment and customer service, and we will continue to monitor the situation.

    [ad_2]

    Simon Hill

    Source link

  • The Best Festival Accessories and Gear

    The Best Festival Accessories and Gear

    [ad_1]

    Of course, it’s good to be prepared with the essentials. But ultimately, festivals are about having fun. Here’s a list of festival accessories you might like to have on hand purely for the joy of them.

    Kandi-making kits: Trading beaded bracelets is a hallmark of electronic music, but thanks to the Taylor Swift Eras tour, more music genres are joining in. Any beads will work, but I highly recommend Stretch Magic elastic ($20)—the cheap stuff falls apart way too easily.

    Flow props: There are tons of toys that some dancers like to use. I’m partial to the Fiberflies Pixel Whip ($85), but the Flowtoys PodPoi ($135) are another popular choice. You can even get levitating wands and light-up staffs. These are super fun to dance with (and they’ll entertain your fellow attendees).

    An instant camera: Most of us have a perfectly capable camera in our pockets. But I like bringing my Instax along when attending festivals. You’ll get physical, tangible memories, and they can also be fun to photograph strangers (with their permission).

    Little gifts: Tiny ducks. Sprouts for your hair. Squishy animals. Festivals often have a culture of gift-giving. It’s not expected, but it can be nice to have something to pass out to the folks you meet. Consider bringing some trinkets with you—you might even make a new friend or seven.

    A night-light: If you’re at a camping fest, moving around in the dark can be treacherous. And sometimes you just want to grab a snack from the cooler without shining a flashlight around. I like this nightlight because it provides a gentle glow—enough to see with but not so bright that I wake up everyone in the vicinity.

    A camping towel: Sometimes it rains outside. Sometimes you accidentally spill an entire Beatbox in your tent. Whatever the case may be, a camping towel is handy. They’re super absorbent, and they dry quickly.

    Fun clothes: When it comes to festival clothing, you can be as bold or as practical as you’d like. Don’t sacrifice comfort in the name of fashion! But if you’re looking for fun clothes to wear, I recommend checking out IHeartRaves and Rave Wonderland. These are EDM-adjacent, but they’ll work for everything from Bonnaroo to Burning Man to EDC. Your favorite artists’ merch is probably a good starting point, too. And when in doubt, you can always accessorize—consider a bucket hat or a Pashmina-style shawl to make your outfit a little more adventurous.

    A bandana: We have a lot of feelings about the importance of a small multipurpose cloth. Music festivals are often dusty and dirty. A bandana works as a face covering, a sweat absorber, a quick place to sit, and an easy way to wipe up spilled drinks. Stash a few in your bag and you’ll be better prepared.

    [ad_2]

    Louryn Strampe

    Source link

  • Our Favorite Linen Sheets to Upgrade Your Summer Sleep

    Our Favorite Linen Sheets to Upgrade Your Summer Sleep

    [ad_1]

    I fell in love with linen bedding years ago. I bought a bright yellow linen duvet I was certain would bring my bedroom together. The yellow was just a phase, but sleeping on linen just clicked. Linen has a rougher texture and a lived-in look, which can turn some folks off from sleeping on it. But the fabric is breathable and dries fast, so you’ll stay cooler as you sleep and avoid sweaty sheets. (That’s why linen apparel is popular in the summer.)

    Linen is also strong and durable, softening up (slowly) after each wash without becoming thinner or weaker. Linen tends to be more expensive since high-quality linen will last a long time, so a linen sheet set is an investment not only in staying cool as you sleep (which is very important for sleep quality) but also in gorgeous bedding you can enjoy for years. I love sleeping on linen so long as it isn’t too scratchy, which is one of the many things I looked for while testing and searching for the best linen sheets. After sleeping on multiple sets (along with all kinds of other sheets!), these are the best.

    Read our Best Sheets guide if you want something a little softer, and check out our other bedding buying guides, including the Best Pillows, Best Mattresses, Best Cooling Mattresses, and whether you need a duvet.

    Special offer for Gear readers: Get WIRED for just $5 ($25 off). This includes unlimited access to WIRED.com, full Gear coverage, and subscriber-only newsletters. Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.

    What’s So Great About Linen?

    Bed made with white and natural linens a side table with a vase of hydrangeas and a cup of tea

    Photograph: Judy Davidson/Getty Images

    Linen is a woven fabric made from flax plants. It is a highly breathable material so it keeps you cool during the summer months as it doesn’t trap heat. It’s great for people who sleep hot. It’s rougher at first than a simple cotton set, but it should soften up the more it’s washed. Linen often has a higher price than other sheets, but it’s generally more durable than percale or cotton, so a good sheet set should last a long time.

    They’re not for everyone, but if you love linen apparel, you’ll probably love linen sheets. If you’re unsure, start with a single piece (like a duvet or flat sheet) and see what you think. Most of the options we recommend come in a linen set, but you can also buy many of these pieces separately, allowing you to try a linen pillowcase or fitted sheet before wading into a full-on linen bed.

    [ad_2]

    Nena Farrell

    Source link

  • The Best Bookshelf Speakers to Blast Your Tunes

    The Best Bookshelf Speakers to Blast Your Tunes

    [ad_1]

    Active (aka “powered”) speakers do not require a separate amplifier or receiver. Instead, they have amplification (which is what makes the sound loud enough to play through speakers) built in. These amps are often customized for their specific drivers and cabinetry, which can deliver performance benefits. Modern powered speakers also have other perks, like fully wireless designs (apart from power cables) and wireless support to source devices via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. They’ll typically provide physical connections for CD players, turntables, subwoofers, and TVs.

    Passive speakers are wired speakers that require a separate amplifier or receiver and speaker cables for playback. This creates more steps since you’ll need to find an amplifier with matching power specifications (more on this below). The benefit is that passive speakers are more versatile and dependable, letting you mix and match them in multiple systems and configurations. When treated properly, passive speakers can last for decades.

    Impedance is a specification measured in ohms referring to a speaker’s resistance to electrical current flow. Most passive speakers’ nominal impedance rating (essentially the average impedance) is rated at 4, 6, or 8 ohms; the lower the number the less resistance to electrical current. You can think of it like plumbing pipes: the wider the pipe, the less opposition to pressure you get and the more flow, or electrical current, you’ll need. The upshot is that 4-ohm speakers are the hardest to drive, requiring the most power. Much is made about impedance in audiophile circles, but most good amplifiers and receivers are rated for both 8-ohm and 4-ohm speakers, with appropriate wattage ratings to match. For 6-ohm speakers, you’ll generally want an amplifier with a 6-ohm or 4-ohm impedance rating and enough power to match the speaker’s requirements (available in the manual or website).

    Speaker power requirements: Passive speakers include specifications for their minimum and maximum power requirements, measured in watts. Without getting too deep into the weeds about amplification types and power efficiency, a good rule of thumb is to pick an amplifier with a wattage rating per channel that closely matches your speaker’s power requirements for its nominal impedance rating. If you’re having trouble finding the right match, you’ll generally want an amplifier that meets your speaker’s minimum power requirements for its nominal impedance rating.

    Tethered connection options: Most modern amplifiers and active speakers offer multiple wired connections like analog input (RCA or 3.5 mm), digital optical input for CD players or TVs, and a subwoofer output for connecting a powered subwoofer. Many new systems connect to TVs over HDMI ARC too, letting you control basics like power and volume with your TV remote. They may also offer a phono input for turntables, though many of our favorite turntables come with a built-in phono preamp (or you can purchase a separate phono preamp as needed).

    Wireless connection options: Nearly all active speakers—and many modern amplifiers—support Bluetooth. Wi-Fi connectivity is also increasingly standard to access services like Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, AirPlay, and Google Cast. Wi-Fi is generally preferred over Bluetooth for its improved sound quality and conveniences like uninterrupted streaming and expanded wireless range.

    [ad_2]

    Ryan Waniata

    Source link

  • These Are Our Favorite Smart Displays

    These Are Our Favorite Smart Displays

    [ad_1]

    A smart display might be for you if you want the convenience of a smart assistant with the bonus of having something to look at. When you put Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa into a smart speaker with a tablet-size screen, you get a fun way to see the weather or album art, watch TV shows, follow video recipes, and even make video calls. We’ve tested most of the major displays and listed our favorites below.

    Be sure to check out our many other buying guides, including the Best Smart Speakers, Best Google Assistant Speakers, and Best Alexa Speakers.

    Updated June 2024: We’ve added a new section on smart displays to skip.

    Special offer for Gear readers: Get WIRED for just $5 ($25 off). This includes unlimited access to WIRED.com, full Gear coverage, and subscriber-only newsletters. Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.

    [ad_2]

    Nena Farrell

    Source link

  • Which Motorola Phone Should You Buy?

    Which Motorola Phone Should You Buy?

    [ad_1]

    The problem? While it has everything you need all at a low price, this phone will only get one Android OS update (to Android 15) later this year or early in 2025. It’ll still get three years of security updates, so while that means the phone will stay patched and secure, you won’t get new Android features past a year. There’s also more bloatware on this device than ever before, but at least much of it is easy to uninstall or disable. It comes with 128 GB of internal storage, but you can upgrade that thanks to a microSD card slot.

    If you can get past those flaws, the Moto G Power 5G 2024 is one of the best phones you can buy for less than $300, and better yet, it has already dipped as low as $282, so wait for a sale.

    Motorola promises one Android OS upgrade and three years of bimonthly security updates.

    If You Want a Stylus

    The Moto G Stylus doesn’t feel drastically different from the Moto G Power. It’s just as nice with the vegan leather back and delivers relatively smooth performance with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chipset and 8 gigs of RAM. Sure, there are some hiccups here and there, particularly when you juggle between apps, but it’s an otherwise snappy phone.

    For $100 more than its sibling, you do get some extra perks. Namely, the stylus. You can pull it out of the bottom of the phone to jot notes, sign documents, or doodle when bored. Motorola doesn’t have decent palm rejection, so don’t expect comfortable sketching sessions on this handset, but it’s handy to have around for those reasons.

    I eked out slightly better battery life, despite the same 5,000-mAh capacity as the Moto G Power 2024. It comfortably lasted a full day with heavy use, and a day and a half for average use. There’s still wireless charging, a headphone jack, NFC for contactless payments, and the same size 6.7-inch screen, though here you’re treated to a superior OLED panel that offers deeper blacks and richer colors. The screen has a 120-Hz refresh rate, just like the Moto G Power.

    Other upgrades include a bump to 256 GB of internal storage, dual stereo speakers, and a nicer camera system: a 50-MP main camera with a 13-MP ultrawide, plus a 32-MP selfie camera. The cameras are indeed better than what you get on the Moto G Power, with more vibrant colors and sharper details, especially with the ultrawide. However, it’s still not as good a camera as the Google Pixel 8A.

    Motorola promises one Android OS upgrade and three years of bimonthly security updates.

    Other Good Motorola Phones

    Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

    I suggest you stick to the phones above, but if your budget is tight, the phones below are OK buys. The Moto G phones receive one Android OS update and three years of bimonthly security updates.

    [ad_2]

    Julian Chokkattu

    Source link

  • The Best USB Microphones

    The Best USB Microphones

    [ad_1]

    Good content starts at the source. If you want to sound your best for coworkers, fans, or teammates, the mic you have built into your headphones, laptop, tablet, or smartphone likely won’t do the job. I’ve spent close to a decade with various USB microphones for podcasting, gaming, and even music recording, and I have to say up front: We’re living in a golden age of easy-to-use options. These days it’s not hard to find a great microphone with simple software for very little money. So we’ve rounded them up! These are the best USB microphones around.

    While you’re at it, be sure to check out our guides on How to Start a Podcast and How to Upgrade Your Home Audio, as well as our lists of the Best Home Office Gear to kit out your space further.

    Updated May 2024: We’ve added new mics from AKG, Audio-Technica, and Steelseries.

    Special offer for Gear readers: Get a 1-year subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off). This includes unlimited access to WIRED.com and our print magazine (if you’d like). Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.

    [ad_2]

    Parker Hall

    Source link

  • The Best Google Assistant Speakers for Your Home

    The Best Google Assistant Speakers for Your Home

    [ad_1]

    There are several voice assistants locked in a tug-of-war over who controls the smart speakers in your home: Amazon’s Alexa, Google’s Assistant, and Apple’s Siri. We prefer Google. Its Assistant answers questions more accurately, has a simpler setup process, and connects to a growing number of smart home devices. All the devices below have built-in Google Assistant, so you can ask it anything you’d search for on Google, or ask it to control smart home products like robot vacuums, smart plugs, lights, and TVs.

    Be sure to check out our handy guide on how to maintain your privacy as much as possible while still enjoying the luxuries of smart assistants. We also have many other buying guides, including the Best Smart Displays, Best Smart Speakers, and Best Alexa Speakers.

    Updated May 2024: We’ve updated this guide with details about Google’s AI script editor for Google Home, and we’ve added notes about using Google with Sonos.

    Special offer for Gear readers: Get WIRED for just $5 ($25 off). This includes unlimited access to WIRED.com, full Gear coverage, and subscriber-only newsletters. Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.

    [ad_2]

    Nena Farrell , Medea Giordano

    Source link