NBA LIVE Mobile: Basketball in your pocket (Review)
The confetti has fallen, the fans have celebrated and the NBA Finals are over. The Cavs have been crowned champion and now that it’s all over what do you do next? Well, I’ll give you one option. Head over to the Play Store and register for the new NBA LIVE Mobile app. The fast-paced NBA action in the palm of your hands is sure to get you ready for next season.
Developer: Electronic Arts
Cost: Free with in-app purchases
Getting started
Like all apps, the first thing you have to do is go through a set-up process. This includes setting your age, login preference, username and favorite team. Afterwards, you go through the tutorial that includes teaching you how to shoot, pass, you know the basics. And of course, they will walk you through the app itself. After all, that you’re ready to play.
Game Play
NBA LIVE Mobile isn’t too far off from another EA game called Madden NFL Mobile in terms of gameplay. While I won’t go into great depths explaining all the ins and outs, I’m going to give you the brief overview of how to get started in building your dynasty.
You are given four modes of play that include live events, head-to-head, season, and leagues. In order to play these modes, you have to build a team. You are given starter packs of players in which to play. These players have divided up automatically into different lineups based on different skills.
When playing a game of any kind you will choose which lineup you want to use unless otherwise noted. Some games require certain lineups for the challenge presented. Once you buy new player cards the are inserted into the appropriate lineups.
Let’s touch on the different modes of play. Live events consist of your season games and various skill challenges that help you improve your skills. Some may be locked until you reach the appropriate skill level. Head-to-head games show all the people who are playing those games. You may challenge anyone to match-up.
NBA LIVE has an interesting take on head-to-head. Each player takes control of a quarter. Meaning, if you start a game with an opponent, you play the first and third quarter vs the other team’s AI team, and they take the 2nd and 4th quarter vs your AI. With this style of gameplay, there is less chance of lagging and ruining a game which makes it more enjoyable.
Playing a season is not much different than playing a season on traditional consoles. The exception being you don’t play as many games and each quarter last two minutes. But you do play the finals, but I couldn’t tell you what that’s like since I’m not very good. That means you’ll need to play and tweet me the experience. That’s a joke of course, except the part where I suck at the game.
Finally, the last mode of gameplay is leagues. There are already a number of leagues that you can join or for 5,000 coins you can create a league. I would suggest joining a league to start.
You should also note that all events cost you stamina to play. You start off with 15 stamina and with each level you gain, you gain the ability to have more at one time. So after level ten you may be able to have 16 stamina instead of 15. After you use your stamina up it replenishes after a certain amount of time, or you can buy more with in-app purchases.
Controls
Controls are a short area to go over but let’s get through it quickly. At the bottom left you’re going to have your “joystick” to move your player around. Over on the right, it’s broken into two categories, offense and defense. Offense consist of pass, drive (sprint) and shoot while defense has two controls, guard, and block. Going through the tutorial will explain how to use these.
Here is a quick tip they don’t tell you that I learned while playing. When you hold down the guard button while on defense, letting go of the button and tapping it will help your player steal the ball.
Everything else
To acquire all the extras, head over to the store and purchase various random player packs. You can use real money, or money you’ve earned by leveling up after games or beating certain challenges. The better you play, the more experience you get and faster you level up. If you want a specific player or want to get rid of excess players you can use the auction section. This is the feature they have that I didn’t even know I wanted but makes perfect sense.
Review
EA has certainly stepped up its game with this amazing pocket version of basketball. The graphics are very smooth showing no signs of lag or hiccups. You can only do so much with graphics on mobile, but the movements and look of the players are exactly how they should be and not all, for a lack of a better word, janky.
I personally believe where most games like this fail are the controls. Developers seem to forget no matter how much you want it to be, it’s just isn’t a normal control pad. EA stepped up and made the controls the right way for mobile. Don’t think you’re going to get the same experience as a Playstation, after all, it’s still a phone.
1 of 9
Summary
NBA LIVE Mobile is an overall fun game to pick up and play. It’s simple enough for a novice to understand yet elegant enough for a seasoned gamer to enjoy on the go. I don’t normally see these games translating to mobile this smoothly.
It is still in beta but expected to come out this week. So head on over and preregister to get notified when it releases.
Preregister at the Play Store
How to recover lost Google contacts for Android
What to do when you’ve lost your Google contacts?
If you think you’ve somehow lost all of your Google contacts on your Android phone, don’t sweat. The Google account associated with your Android device (that you likely set up when you set up your phone) keeps a handy backup for just such an occasion.
If your Google account is synced with your phone, then you should be able to restore a backup of all of your contacts as far back as 30 days. You’ll just have to access and restore things via your computer. Here’s how.
How to recover lost Google contacts for Android
You would’ve had to enter all of your contacts into your Gmail account for this to work. Google won’t retrieve contents stored on your SIM card.
Launch your web browser from the desktop, taskbar, Dock, or application folder of your computer.
Navigate to your Gmail account.
Click the Gmail dropdown in the upper lefthand corner of your screen.
Click Contacts.
Click More just under the search bar.
Click Restore Contacts…
Click a time to restore to. If you click Custom you can set it to restore from as far back as 29 days, 23 hours, and 59 minutes ago.
Click Restore.
Pick up your Android phone.
Launch Settings from your home screen, the Notification Shade, or the app drawer.
Tap Accounts.
Tap Google.
Tap the account that your contacts are associated with if you have more than one.
Tap the menu button in the top righthand corner of your screen. It’s three vertical dots.
Tap Sync now.
Your phone should now sync with your Google account and the Google contacts you thought were lost from your phone should now be right back where they belong.
Android flagships in 2017: Where next for high-end phones?
Are smartphones becoming boring? Diminishing returns at the high end? Plateauing hardware? Not so fast …
It’s true that mid-priced Android phones are better than ever right now, with handsets like the OnePlus 3 making top-tier performance and build to more attainable than ever. And as a result, the gap between a $400 phone and a $700 device has never been narrower.
But that doesn’t mean the days of traditional flagship phones are over. There are still many valid reasons to spend top dollar on a phone in late 2016 or early 2017. Even as the majority of cheaper smartphones become basically good enough, mobile innovation hasn’t completely stalled.
Let’s take a look at how phones can still be exciting in the future, and why you still might want to buy one of the very best Androids out there.
These days, phone performance is pretty much good enough across the board. Well, with a few exceptions —
- The manufacturer got the balance of hardware wrong (hey there phones with a 1080p display and Snapdragon 615)
- Cases of crappy software optimization (hey there Moto X Play and LG G Flex 2)
- When you’re buying a super-low-end phone with garbage internals (hey there Wileyfox Spark)
In most other instances, Android 6.0 Marshmallow is mature enough to run well on any reasonable level of hardware. So why would you want to go beyond this baseline?
Expect VR to usher in an age of 4K screens and ever more powerful silicon to drive them.
Well, the first is a niche area, but one that’s primed for massive growth in the next year — virtual reality. With the arrival of Google’s Daydream platform, VR will act as a catalyst at the high end. We’ve already explored how the jump up to 4K displays in upcoming phones like the Samsung Galaxy S8 might be driven by VR, with super-dense screens needed to provide a sharp VR experience.
And as you increase display density, ever more horsepower is required to push those extra pixels, particularly if you’re gaming in VR.
Indeed, a big part of Google’s Daydream initiative has to do with making sure the hardware’s up to scratch. Daydream-certified phones have to meet certain standards in terms of performance (so the thing runs smoothly), thermals (so it doesn’t overheat in the process) and latency (so you don’t experience nauseating lag when moving around). And those are likely to become major factors in future high-end CPUs — the ones that’ll drive phones at the $700 level, but not necessarily $400 and below.
MORE: What the coming wave of 4K phones means for VR
Even if you’re not interested in VR, other areas of mobile technology are far from plateauing — in particular battery tech. While we’re more or less used to charging our phones (at least) overnight, new types of battery chemistry are in the works which could drastically improve battery life in the near future. While most current gadgets use lithium-ion batteries, future batteries based upon lithium-sulfur cells could pack significantly more charge into a smaller space, while also being much safer.
From our recent Smartphone Futurology series:
The most likely candidate for the next-generation in smartphone battery life is lithium-sulfur. It’s almost ready for mass production, and has shown promising results in both its capacity and safety improvements whilst being relatively cheap to manufacture. […]
[Lithium-sulfur] is an extremely attractive replacement for current technologies as it’s just as easy to produce, has a higher charging capacity. Better still, it doesn’t require highly volatile solvents which drastically reduce the risk of fire from shorting and punctures. Li-S cells are actually near production and are being tested, [however] its non-linear discharge and charging response requires a completely new charging circuit to prevent rapid discharge.
This is likely still a few years off, but when next-generation lithium-sulfur batteries arrive you can bet that flagship phones will have them first. Battery anxiety is a daily problem for a lot of us, and thus yet another area for more expensive handsets to provide meaningful differentiation. Or to put it another way, if your margins are already slim at the $400 level, chances are you’ll think twice before splurging on a next-generation battery. At $700, you’ve got more wiggle room.
MORE: Smartphone Futurology: Exploring the next big thing in battery technology
The same is true of smartphone cameras, another area where there’s plenty of room for technological growth. Sure, most phones — even really cheap ones — can take good photos in daylight. But producing crisp, noise-free photos in a dark bar or outdoors by streetlight is still challenging, even for the very best of today’s flagships.
Expect to see even more dual-lens cameras in 2017.
That’s why we’ve seen this year’s flagships focus on low light photography, with ever wider apertures and larger pixels, and more advanced optical stabilization. Once you’re at the 12-16 megapixel mark, you don’t really need any more pixels — and so engineering effort can be spent in other areas. In the year ahead, expect more high-end phones to pack dual-lens cameras, especially if the iPhone 7 gives momentum to this trend, as is widely rumored.
There are countless examples where a dual camera setup could add real value. The most obvious is different types of lenses — the LG G5 is a great example, with its secondary wide-angle camera. Similarly, it’s not hard to imagine a second or third camera adding magnification — effectively letting you zoom in without relying on digital zoom. Or, like the Huawei P9, a second camera might be used to enhance contrast and assist with autofocus duties.
That quality smartphones are now highly affordable is a great thing, but that doesn’t mean flagships are a thing of the past. And while another iPhone-style revolution in this area may be a decade or more away — if it ever comes — there’ll be still plenty to entice buyers looking for the latest and greatest.
What do you want to see from the next generation of Android flagships? Let us know in the comments!
DJI makes it easier to keep your drone out of no-fly zones
DJI’s Geospatial Environment Online (GEO) software already kept pilots from flying its drones in “sensitive areas” and now the setup is getting a lot more useful. The UAV maker is making improvements to the system inside of its Go app that’s used to control Phantom and Inspire drones. By doing so, DJI gives pilots easy access to its geofencing system that keeps airports, prisons and power plants permanently locked down in addition to temporary restrictions around special events like stadiums and “national security events.”
The GEO system will also automatically update with temporary restrictions around wildfires so that drone pilots aren’t interfering with firefighting aircraft. DJI announced in January that pilots would be able to unlock restricted areas with a verified account. This ensures that things like inspections and model aircraft shows can still take place, even in a typical no-fly zone. However, locations that could cause national security issues, like Washington, DC, will not be able to be unlocked.
The improved GEO system is now available inside the DJI GO app for iOS and Android for use on all Inspire models and the Phantom 4, Phantom 3 Professional and Phantom 3 Advanced drones. Owners will need to update the app as well as the firmware for the control and the drone itself to take advantage of the update.
Source: DJI (PR Newswire)
How to make your yard smart
Ah, the joy of the yard. Sitting outside watching a movie in the summer is appealing enough, as is the idea of sitting in the car for your own private drive-in cinema.
Smart tech can also ensure your lawn is watered and mowed with no intervention from you though. You can keep cats off the plants automatically, with no more running round shouting “shoo”, but you can also control more stuff more easily.
Open the garage door with your smartphone, or set the lights to go on and off without even touching a switch are just a couple of possibilities. Here are a few gadgets to make your yard smart.
Hozelock Cloud Controller
British gardening brand Hozelock makes products available worldwide. The very latest of these is this unassuming looking timer which attaches to the garden faucet. At the other end you’ll put your lawn watering device or plant watering system.
It also connects wirelessly to the internet via a dongle on your router. This means that you can set it to water the plants at sunrise and sunset – apparently the times the plants like it the most – safe in the knowledge that it’ll adjust the timings automatically as the seasons change.
Even better, you can change the schedule remotely from your phone, or press a button on the controller for a few minutes’ extra water if you need to. Clever, efficient and reliable.
hozelock.com
WORX Landroid robotic mower
WORX
It was only a matter of time after the advent of robotic vacuum cleaners that we should see a robot for the lawn.
This mower can be set to saunter around the garden to keep the grass at a proper length. Instead of a regular mower which you’d probably use a couple of times a month, this machine can cut the grass every day.
It’s quiet enough not to wake you and it can manage slopes, too, of up to 20 degrees.
amazon.com
Optoma HD28DSE projector
Optoma
If you fancy home cinema in the garden, this projector is a good place to start. You need a projector of significant brightness for outdoors, at least 2,000 lumens. This model manages 3,000 lumens so no worries there.
With the right glasses, you can even show 3D movies. You’ll need to invest in something like the Elite Yard Master weatherproof screen (honestly, a sheet won’t do) and some speakers that will work outside.
Of course you’ll also need a decent Blu-ray player like the one below, to have something to watch. Please remember to avoid nights with a full moon, and take care not to annoy the neighbors.
amazon.com
Sony BDPS3700 streaming Blu-ray Disc Player
Sony
Sony’s player is light and compact enough to be carried out to the garden to plug into the projector. It works with DVDs which it can upscale to almost Full HD resolution.
Blu-ray discs, of course, will look glorious. Of course, you can use it indoors, too, and this player has Wi-Fi built-in so you can stream content from sources such as Neflix and Hulu Plus, as well as play from disc.
You can also play PlayStation 3 games though the TV, even if you don’t have a games console. The first Blu-ray players took an age to spring into life but this one is ready to go in a second or two.
amazon.com
ScareCrow Motion Activated Animal Deterrent
ScareCrow
Need to keep cats from wandering over your plants? When the ScareCrow senses an animal in your garden, it makes a startling noise and releases a short burst of water, to tremendous effect.
Even if it misses a sprightly feline, it’ll give it enough of a surprise to make it wary of coming back. It works at day and night and protects up to a 1200 square foot area, though do remember to replace the battery every six months. It also works to deter foxes, dogs and other animals, too.
amazon.com
Open Sesame HNAOS01 garage opener
Open Sesame
Remote controls for the garage door are great, but maybe you don’t have enough of them. One for each of the cars would be nice, and maybe one to keep in the house so you can close the door again when you’re safely inside.
This system is an addition to the one that came with the garage. It’s a small Bluetooth box and a smartphone app so you can use your iPhone or Android handset to control the door.
Have as many remotes as you have cellphones! The device is password-protected so nobody can pair their phone to the system without knowing it (so be sure to change it from the default).
amazon.com
Honeywell ECONOSwitch 7-Day Solar Programmable Light Switch Timer
Honeywell
Program your lights to come on and off exactly as you’d like them with this timer. It’s simple to setup and very flexible with seven programs that can apply to a single day or repeat every day.
It works with LEDs and other bulbs and it is easy to install. You can set it so the lights go on and off at sunset and sunrise, which can save electricity in the long run, of course.
Want to turn the lights on right now? The program swtich also works as a regular on/off switch. Best of all, it automatically builds in daylight savings so you don’t need to reprogram twice a year!
yourhome.honeywell.com
The Honeywell Lyric Water Leak and Freeze Detector is an early warning system that notifies you on your smartphone when a leak is detected or the temperature drops below a temperature of your choice. By catching it early, you may be able to avoid expensive repairs and loss of treasured items. To find out more visit Honeywell.com
This article was created in association with Honeywell.
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Samsung won me with VR but is losing me with updates
I want to get a Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, I really do. I like my Galaxy S6 Edge, with its striking curved screen, and the new model improves on it in nearly every way. Most importantly, I like to dabble in virtual reality — I’m not ready to commit $700+ to a PC-based headset yet — and I can still get a new Gear VR headset free with the S7 Edge. Shamefully, though, my S6 Edge hasn’t received an update to Android 6.01 Marshmallow, leaving me high and dry with Lollipop. I certainly didn’t expect that with a $800 flagship phone, and I refuse to let it happen again.
Marshmallow first came out on Nexus devices in October 2015, and “Nougat,” aka Android 7.0, will probably arrive around the same time later this year. The new release is full of interesting features, including a multi-window mode, improved settings and, most importantly to me, a new VR mode. For those reasons, and also the fact that I like having the latest software, I would like to get it as soon as it arrives.
The S6 Edge came out in early 2015 (I have the international, unlocked version), and some folks have indeed received an Android 6.0 update. To find out if there was a problem with my phone or carrier, I contacted the company’s support line in France, and was told that the release had not rolled out to me yet. So what’s the delay? Some users have reported problems with the fingerprint scanner and passwords after updating, along with slowness and battery issues. If that’s accurate, then Samsung may have decided to work on Marshmallow before releasing it widely.
Does my phone still work with Lollipop? Of course, but that’s not the point. Marshmallow brings a more stylish UI, a memory manager that my phone desperately needs, an improved “do not disturb” function (which I desperately need), per-app battery optimization and more. Also, as someone who likes to have the latest software (and, since I write about it, I kind of need it), I’d really rather not wait for it.
To reiterate, I really like the Galaxy S6 Edge and Gear VR. Samsung wisely partnered with Oculus, and the Gear VR is easily the best mobile virtual reality headset out there. As I mentioned in my mini-review of the original Gear VR Innovator Edition, I love the potential of VR filmmaking (even if creators haven’t quite cracked it yet), and the headset-and-phone combo gives me a way to view content. That includes games like Land’s End and interactive VR films including The Martian VR Experience. In addition, Samsung has created a VR version of its web browser that allows you to see 360-degree videos and other content.
I don’t want to sacrifice VR for the latest updates, but what if I can have both? The best way to make sure you’ve always got the latest Android release is to get a Nexus phone. Unfortunately, there hasn’t been a VR option for Nexus that’s even close to as good as what Samsung has — at least, until Android Nougat came along.
For Nougat, Google has created a whole new VR platform called Daydream, and a VR mode with improved performance. It also created a reference headset that looks a lot like the Gear VR, but includes a motion-sensitive remote that resembles the controllers for the Vive and Oculus Rift. Its VR tech will only work on “Daydream-approved” smartphones, which will presumably include the company’s own upcoming Nexus models.
If things go as planned, Google’s VR should be on par with Samsung’s Galaxy S7/Note and Gear VR combination. There is a risk it’ll take Google a while to get to the same level as Samsung, which has a big head start and Oculus behind it. However, Google says that HTC, ZTE, Huawei, LG and, yes, Samsung have Daydream-ready phones in the works, and it’s partnering with HBO, Ubisoft, the NBA and others for content.
Until a few months ago, I was ready to get a Galaxy S7 Edge and the latest Gear VR headset.
This new information has created quite a conundrum for me. Until a few months ago, I was ready to get a Galaxy S7 Edge and the latest Gear VR headset. Now I’ve decided to wait until the fall, when the first Daydream-compliant smartphones and headsets arrive. I’ll continue to use my S6 Edge and Gear VR, and hopefully it’ll get the Marshmallow update before Nougat arrives.
I doubt my own experience is unique. Anyone who drops nearly a grand on a smartphone will want to wring the maximum utility out of it. Samsung delivered a great design, great screen and lots of power with the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, and the Gear VR gave users another good reason to consider it. With the discouraging delays to Marshmallow on my S6 Edge, however, I’ve lost confidence in Samsung’s ability to keep its latest model up to date. And once Daydream comes along, it’ll have lost one of the best advantages it had in the Android market.
FBI: Hillary Clinton shouldn’t be charged over private emails
Days after presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton spent a few hours speaking with FBI investigators about her emails, director James Comey provided an update. Comey said that while Clinton was “extremely careless” with her use of a private email server during her time as Secretary of State, the FBI found no evidence that she was trying to break the law by doing so. The director went on to explain that “no reasonable prosecutor” would bring charges against Clinton for how she and her team handled those messages.
“Although there is evidence of potential violations regarding the handling of classified information, our judgment is that no reasonable prosecutor would bring such a case,” Comey said.
Over the weekend, Clinton noted that she was happy to answer any further questions the FBI had on the matter, and that she’d been doing so for over a year. During that time, the US government has been investigating Clinton’s handling of government emails, releasing batches of messages turned up during the investigation. Comey reiterated today something we already knew: some of the messages contained classified information. Clinton has maintained that those messages were not marked as such when she sent of received them.
The FBI director also explained that the bureau found no evidence that Clinton’s personal email server was hacked, but he didn’t rule out the possibility of unauthorized access. He noted that “this investigation was done honestly, competently and independently,” as a means of addressing criticism that the FBI will most certainly face for not recommending charges.
Of course, even though the FBI has concluded its investigation, that doesn’t mean that the ordeal is over. This will likely remain a hot top until the election as presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Donald Trump has been critical of Clinton’s email practices throughout his campaign. After the FBI announcement today, Trump tweeted “the system is rigged” and “as usual, bad judgement.” We’ll likely hear from both Clinton and Trump on the matter later today as both candidates have campaign stops scheduled in North Carolina.
Source: CNBC
Microsoft launches Skype Meetings, a group video chat tool
Microsoft has unveiled a free HD Skype tool for small business users called Skype Meetings. It runs on a browser and will let you meet with up to 10 people for the first 60 days, and a maximum of three after that. Users can also share screens and PowerPoint presentations, and the organizer can wield a virtual “laser pointer” or mute users. Such features are already available with Skye Business, but that app requires a paid Office 365 subscription. With Skype Meetings, however, anyone with a link can join a chat.
Microsoft’s regular (free) Skype product already allows group video chat with up to 25 folks, whether on PC or mobile. There’s also new competition via Sean Parker’s Airtime and Houseparty from Meerkat, though those apps are more aimed at social, not business users. Nevertheless, those products (along with existing ones like Google Hangouts) may have prodded Redmond to release the browser app.
While Microsoft already has a web-based version of Skype in beta, it lacks the collaboration tools from Skype Meetings. That means it’s technically giving its business users the first non-beta browser version of Skype. Not surprisingly, Microsoft is using the new tool to entice users to Office 365. It points out that with Skype Business you can “conduct large group meetings for up to 250 people … and initiate an IM, audio or video conversation from within apps like Outlook, Word and PowerPoint.”
The best fan
By Seamus Bellamy
This post was done in partnership with The Sweethome, a buyer’s guide to the best things for your home. Read the full article here.
After close to 60 hours of fan research, nearly a week testing products in an overheated house, and nine hours measuring air-blowing output with equipment from the HVAC industry, we found that the Seville Classics UltraSlimLine 40″ Tower Fan was the best fan for most people. The Seville is a well-built tower fan with a number of convenient features. It’s also the most powerful fan we tested.
How we tested
Using a handheld digital anemometer and decibel meter we charted the CFM and noise generated by each fan in our test group. Photo: Seamus Bellamy
We used a handheld digital anemometer to measure each fan’s cubic feet per minute (CFM) of airflow, which is a standard unit of measurement used by HVAC specialists, among others, to determine the volume of air moving through a space like a duct system. I combined the anemometer data with qualitative observations of whether I could still feel any wind.
We decided very early on in our process that we didn’t want to fall down a science hole on this guide, but rather, figure out which fans were qualitatively the best for most people. So we intentionally ignored factors such as the different sizes of the fans and velocity estimates. That said, we needed a metric to back up what I felt from each piece of hardware we tested. Even in an uncontrolled room where the fans vary in size, a higher or lower CFM reading could help to define the sensation I experienced while sitting in front of the machine.
I also looked at how much energy each fan used over the space of a month, as well as whether each device drew any power while switched off. For a real-world test, I spent five days and six nights living with all of the fans in my test group to see how they handled themselves in the heat. I took note of how easy the fan was to control, how wide an arc it could rotate in while oscillating, how loud each one was, what the quality of the noise was like, and whether the breeze from each fan was cooling and pleasant.
Finally, I checked the safety of each fan. Did its operating temperature get dangerously hot after running all day? Were the gaps in the grate big enough for fingers to fit through and touch the blades?
The best room fan
The Seville proved to be the most powerful fan out of everything we tested. Photo: Marshall Troy
The Seville Classics UltraSlimLine 40″ Tower Fan simply circulated more air than any other fan we tested, as measured both in a controlled test environment and in a home’s living room and bedroom. It has a compact 11.15 by 11.6 by 40.1-inch footprint and a stable design that was the hardest to tip over of any we tried. It comes with the best remote control in our test group, a 7.5-hour sleep timer, and an oscillating mode that makes it easy to share the breezy wealth with your sweaty, overheated friends and family. It wasn’t the quietest fan we found—it put out 67 decibels on its highest setting—but it was quieter than an extremely pricey competitor. It’s also difficult to take apart to clean internally, but that was a problem with every tower fan we tested.
Runner-up
The Vornado 660 can’t oscillate, but it can move a respectable amount of air. Photo: Marshall Troy
If our main pick is unavailable when the warm weather hits, pick up the Vornado 660 Whole Room Air Circulator. It can’t move as much air as the Seville Classics UltraSlimLine fan (in our tests, the Vornado produced a CFM reading of 406 compared with the Seville’s 550). It’s also significantly louder, has a larger footprint (15 by 11.75 by 13.5 inches versus 11.15 by 11.6 by 40.1 inches), can’t oscillate, and doesn’t come with a sleep timer or a remote. But it does have easy-to-use controls, a robust build quality, and an industry-leading five-year warranty.
Best personal fan
Powerful, a little loud, but capable of oscillating, the Lil’ Blizzard is a great little fan for a small amount of money. Photo: Marshall Troy
If you’re looking for a cheap, powerful fan to use at your desk, the Holmes Lil’ Blizzard 8-Inch Oscillating Table Fan is a great choice. When running on its highest setting, the Lil’ Blizzard produces 70 decibels of sound, which admittedly is a little loud. But, as its name suggests, the fan can oscillate or be locked into place. It comes equipped with two different speed settings, is easy to clean and—with its small 8.1 by 8.9 by 11.8-inch footprint—won’t hog all of the space on your desktop or side table. And though it might not be the most powerful personal-size fan that we tested (we’ll get to that in a minute,) the Holmes Lil’ Blizzard is a capable fan at a great price.
Best of both worlds
The AM06 is a compact, but powerful and feature-packed fan to consider if money’s no object. Photo: Marshall Troy
The very best desk fan we found is the Dyson Air Multiplier AM06 (and, at its price, you’d hope it would be the best). During our testing, the AM06 moved more air than any other desk fan. On its highest settings, this 4-pound, 5.8 by 12 by 19.7-inch fan could put out as much air as some of the room fans we tested—and it often worked as well as they did, despite being much smaller. The AM06 can oscillate in a 45-degree arc and it comes equipped with more speeds than any other fan—10—to help you dial in exactly the right level of air. Though it isn’t the quietest piece of hardware we tested, the noise it generates is of such an even quality that it helped me, a legendarily light sleeper and insomniac, drift off to a restful slumber. Other design details, like a sleep timer and a nicely shaped, small remote that stores on the side of the fan via a magnet, add up to a product that feels very polished. Last, it’s just handsome—that may sound superficial, but when you’re looking at something for three months straight, it’s nice to find it attractive. If you’re looking for a small fan that can fulfill multiple roles in your home (and you can afford to pay its current price of about $250), check it out.
This guide may have been updated by The Sweethome. To see the current recommendation, please go here.
White House launches a data initiative to reduce prison numbers
Just before the holiday weekend last week, the White House launched the Data-Driven Justice Initiative (DDJ), a new effort that will use wider data access to reduce prison populations. The US has been widely criticized for its tendency to over-incarcerate citizens — it accounts for 25 percent of the world’s prison numbers, even though it houses only 5 percent of the world’s population. And all of that comes at a cost: 11 million people are processed through America’s local jails every year, the White House says, costing around $22 billion. As part of the DDJ, 67 municipalities across the country are banding together to use data-powered strategies to keep low-level offenders out of jails, primarily by pushing them towards mental health and addiction help.
The White House is also calling on tech companies for help. Amazon’s Web Services group (the cloud computing folks) will convene a consortium to bring together data scientists, researchers and other technologists to come up with solutions for DDJ cities and states. Participants currently include the likes of Palantir, which is widely known for its data analytics, Motorola and Code for America.
As part of the DDJ, communities will also equip their police and first responders with strategies to de-escalate crisis situations to push people towards social programs and services. They’ll also use data to identify low-risk offenders in prison and figure out ways to get them released early. Similar strategies have been adopted by some US communities to resounding success, Wired reports. Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, for example, used data strategies to find low-risk offenders who could be released early. They were able to lower their prison population by 40 percent with jumps in reported crime.
Via: Wired
Source: The White House
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