VirCities: Complicated, but fun if you’re willing to put in the time (review)
Mobile games have always been my antidote to boredom for as long as I can remember. I remember sitting in math class, playing Phoenix on my TI-83 calculator. Let’s be real, what teacher is going to punish you for “using” your calculator in math class? This was the perfect cover and the real reason why I didn’t learn anything in algebra.
Let me introduce you to VirCities, an economic and political simulator for mobile platforms. It is a complex game that gives you the freedom to make all the decisions you would make as a citizen in a fictional society.
- Developer: ILKFINKOM LTD
- Price: Free (In-app purchases)
- Download: iOS and Google Play
Overview
This is one of the most complex mobile games I have ever played. VirCities is a virtual world run completely by the citizens. The first thing you’ll do is to choose what city you want to be a citizen in. The cities have different languages so it is imperative to choose English, if you only know how to speak English. There is always the option of changing cities later but it will cost you.
There are limited things that you can do when you first start the game. The main focus in the earlier stages of the game will be to level up your character and make money. This will be primarily done through finding a job. The options are fisherman, scientist, builder, farmer, worker, cook, miner, and lumberjack. I chose scientist, which is fitting because that is the profession I chose in real life.
It will cost you energy to work and you will be rewarded with money and experience. You can increase your skill set by working more, which will increase your salary. Your salary is also dictated by the economy. For example, during a war, the highest paying jobs will be in the weapons factories.
Another way to make money is to fight off criminals in your city. This part of the game brought back nostalgic memories of playing Mafia Wars six years ago. The mechanics are very similar in that you spend energy to fight and will win or lose based on the strength of your character. You can work out in a stadium to increase attributes or equip your character with weapons.
As you progress throughout the game, there are a variety of activities you can participate in. This is where the complexity of the game comes in. You can open businesses, fight neighboring cities, join political parties, and open a newspaper. Trading centers are available to trade goods to other players to make a profit.
There are in-app purchases that range from $0.99 to $99.99. These in-app purchases are only to buy vGold which is a special currency in the game. There are special options such as moving to a new city that only cost vGold.
Impressions
The developers designed this game for the hardcore players who want to be able to control every facet of the game. The concept of the game is very interesting. I like that the players control every decision in the game, including how the city is run. However, my biggest criticism is that they made this game too complicated to even begin playing. Usually a game will have a tutorial or introduction phase. The developers decided to opt out of a tutorial because they wanted to keep a minimal text interface. I spent a majority of time in the beginning of the game, clicking aimlessly trying to figure out what I was supposed to do.
The developers decided instead to write a guide, which is actually quite helpful. This leads to my second issue with the game. I chose the English mode because I only know how to speak English. However, many parts of the game are in different languages. The chat room and news section of the game have many posts that are in Russian. There were various sections in the guide which were in different languages or just had a blank page.
Despite all the issues, I had a pretty fun time playing this game once I got familiar with it. This is a game that I would not get bored very quickly because there are an abundance of things to do. The high replay value of this game makes it worthwhile to play. The game needs to be refined to make it easier for new users to play. It took me an hour of reading the guide and researching what to do to figure out how to play the game. The majority of players are not willing to spend that amount of time and will uninstall due to frustration.
Conclusion
Mobile games will continue to be very popular because it is such a good way to kill time. VirCities is an economic and political simulator for mobile platforms. The game lets you control a citizen who can make all the decisions you make in real life. You can choose a job, open a business, or write for the newspaper.
If you need to relieve some pent-up rage, you can go fight off street criminals and make your city safer. This game has the potential to be a great game, but the developers need to fix the language issues and introduce a tutorial to benefit the new player. This game is perfect for users who are tired of endless runners, or games that offer no real gameplay options.
Acer Swift 7 review – CNET
The Good This is an insanely thin 13-inch laptop, in an eye-catching gray-and-gold design with an extra-wide touchpad. It has one of Intel’s newest CPUs.
The Bad The tiny keyboard keys don’t feel especially premium, and this isn’t the fastest slim 13-inch in the bunch. The 1,920×1,080-pixel screen doesn’t support touch, and the only ports are USB-C.
The Bottom Line It’s hard to argue with a 13-inch laptop under 10mm thick. The Acer Swift 7 wins on that front, but other laptops offer more power and features while adding just a few millimeters of bulk.
The Acer Swift 7 jumps into the lead position in the latest PC arms race towards ever-thinner systems, by slipping in under the magic 10 mm mark.
It’s a good reminder that there’s nothing as exciting as some solid competition between PC makers. Companies compete to hop on the latest bandwagon, hoping to not get left behind on whatever the next shift in computer design is. Sometimes it’s hybrid hinges or 4K screens. Other times it’s a literal race to the bottom, as PC makers compete to offer the least expensive product that will hold a charge and at least open a web browser, as seen in wave after wave of $300-or-less Chromebooks (or long before that, netbooks).
View full gallery Sarah Tew/CNET
One current trend I can get enthusiastically on board with is the recent run of ultra-thin laptops that pack reasonably mainstream power into ever-smaller bodies.
First teased a few months ago as one of the first laptops to make use of Intel’s new seventh-generation Core i-series CPUs, the Acer Swift 7 ended up being more interesting than the minor processor update it was promoting. At 9.98 mm thick, this 13-inch laptop with a Core i5-7Y54 CPU is, according to Acer, the slimmest on record (or at least the thinnest standard clamshell laptop).
Sizing up the competition
Its main competition is the very similar HP Spectre, as well as the recent Asus ZenBook 3, and even Apple’s 12-inch MacBook. Still, before we get caught up in shaving tenths of a millimeter off these things, note that the Swift 7 and Spectre are both just about 10 mm thick (9.98 mm and 10.4 mm), while the ZenBook 3 is pretty close, at 11.9 mm thick. That’s a very small difference, and you’d be hard-pressed to notice, even when they’re sitting next to each other. All three of those Windows laptops manage to be so slim in part because of what they leave out. All are locked to relatively unimpressive 1,920×1,080-pixel-resolution displays, and all lack a touchscreen.
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On the left is Apple’s new MacBook Pro, on the right, the Acer Swift 7.
Sarah Tew/CNET
The 12-inch MacBook is a relatively hefty 13.1 mm in comparison, and while it lacks a touch screen, it does have a higher resolution display, which carries Apple’s Retina designation. And what about the granddaddy of thin laptops, the MacBook Air? A positive behemoth, at 18 mm thick.
Even more so than the HP Spectre, which it closely resembles, the Acer Swift 7 has caught the attention of many visitors to the CNET Labs in the past few weeks. Its black-and-gold design is striking, and when opened on a table, the incredibly thin body draws the eye. The interior is highlighted by an extra-wide touchpad, not as large as the new MacBook Pro’s pad, but still larger than the HP Spectre or ZenBook 3, and which partially makes up for smallish keyboard keys that don’t have an especially premium feel and lack the usual backlighting.
View full gallery Sarah Tew/CNET
With only a pair of USB-C ports for both charging and accessories, plus a headphone jack, this is also another nail in the coffin of multiport laptops. Previously, that concept had been limited to outliers such as this and the 12-inch MacBook, but now that Apple has gone all-USB-C in the new mainstream MacBook Pro, look for that to quickly become the new standard. And, get ready to bring a handful of dongles with you for any non-wireless connectivity that’s required.
Apple iOS 10 review – CNET
Apple’s new software for iPhone and iPads is here.
Originally unveiled back at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in June, the company’s new operating system includes an exhaustive list of features, including upgrades to the Siri voice assistant, photos, maps and — my personal favorite — the ton of new ways to interact with friends using the Messages app.
All things iOS 10
- iOS 10: All the new features, tips and guides
- 23 hidden features in iOS 10
- 15 ways iOS 10 will make the iPhone better
Any iPhone 5 and newer will run Apple iOS 10, as will most recent iPads (sorry, iPhone 4 and 4S) — check out the complete list here. Features that use 3D Touch for pressure sensitivity will only work on the iPhone 6S, 6S Plus and the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.
Some of the additions are admittedly more interesting than others, but they’ll all help build on Apple’s OS empire. In order of my favorites, here they are.
iOS 10 beta’s best parts
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1. Incredibly interactive messages
Disco balls! Invisible ink! Emoji out the wazoo! This is Apple jumping on the zeitgeist of social messaging with the new Messages app in iOS 10. This is Apple’s most developed change to the sprawling software, and also its broadest-reaching and most light-hearted. You’ll get:
- Rich links that show photos and video when you paste a URL
- Better access to the camera and photo gallery
- Emoji appear in your predictions list (and you can tap words to replace with emoji)
- Emoji appear 3 times larger in the chat dialog
- Text bubbles paste in sizes ranging from extra-small to extra-large
- Double-tap a bubble to send a reaction
- Invisible ink message you scrub with your finger to unveil
- Animated stickers (like from JibJab)
- Pay friends using Apple Pay, right in the message
Messages for iOS 10 is now open to developers, so expect a dizzying amount of options by launch.
2. Lock screen becomes more of a hub
You’ll be able to:
- Raise the phone to wake the lock screen
- Use 3D Touch to jump into a notification
- Respond to messages from the lock screen
- Slide right to open the camera
- Slide left to open widgets
- Access to the new Home app
This, too, will work with third-party apps, which means that you may be able to take care of much of your business without even needing to unlock the phone (we expect this to be optional, in case you’re worried about others messing with your lock screen.)
3. Voice-command Siri to do stuff in your favorite apps
Expanding on the theme of newfound openness, Apple is letting app-makers latch on to Siri, so you can dictate Apple’s voice assistant to do your bidding in other apps. Example: “Siri, use WhatsApp to tell Andy I’m running 5 minutes late.”
You’ll then be able to preview the message within the Siri app before sending it on its way.
Press here, pay somewhere else!
CNET
4. Buy stuff from your Mac, but pay from your iPhone
You could already answer iPhone calls on your Mac, but a change to Mac and iPhone software means you’ll be able to pay for things as well. Let’s say you’re shopping on your laptop. Come checkout time, you can place your thumb on the iPhone home button and use TouchID to authenticate the purchase taking place on a totally different device (with an Apple Pay partner). Genius.
Also, Apple Pay is coming to Safari on iOS.
5. New keyboard tricks spare your tired, typing hands
While you’re typing, Siri can now anticipate what you might want to do or say and suggest information you may need, like a contact’s phone number, or an action, like put your dinner reservations on the calendar.
6. Control your smart home from any screen
A quick swipe to call up the Control Center gets you quick access to gear in your house that works with Apple’s HomeKit, like a doorbell camera. In addition, the brand-new Home app groups controls for all your HomeKit-enabled appliances into one screen for you to adjust one at a time or as part of a “scene,” or profile. (Bonus! You can say “Good morning, Siri” — or tap it on the Home app — to launch the morning scene.)
7. Paste iPhone URLs on your Mac, and vice versa
As part of the same set of iPhone/Mac bridging software called Continuity, you’ll also have a universal clipboard that will let you paste URLs and other text on either your Mac or your iPhone or iPad. As a Mac user who has access to an iPhone (and a million other phones as well), the convenience factor is going to be huge.
iOS 10 makes organizing your photos easier with facial recognition
Apple enhances its photos app on iOS 10 with new facial and scene recognition tech that makes it easier to search and organize your photos.
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8. Find photos more easily
iOS 10 uses facial recognition software to automatically build albums of people, places and events. This takes a lot of organizing work out of your hands, and also makes photos a heck of a lot easier to search.
Apple plays catch up to Google with Maps update
Apple opens up its Maps app to developers and beefs up traffic and routing options.
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9. Better mapping for your phone and car
I’m a Google Maps kind of gal, but Apple is making a big effort to catch up. It’s refreshed Maps app starts with suggestions when you slide up. It also bakes in alternate routes, traffic information along the route, as well as gas stations and restaurants — the app will also tell how you much time a fill-up will take. You can order an Uber from the app (and track it), and even book a dinner reservation with OpenTable and pay with Apple Pay, all without leaving the app.
If you have Apple Car Play, turn-by-turn directions read out on your car’s instruments.
Apple Music gets simple with cleaner look and design
At WWDC 2016 Apple introduced a new Apple Music with personalized recommendations and an easy way to see your downloaded music.
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10. Music app redesign lets you rock and rap along to lyrics
You can sum up the completely redesigned Music app like this: Lyrics, discovery and recommendations. For music lovers who don’t use a third-party service, this one makes music easier to find than before. But the best part of the app was still the way it was announced on stage.
11. Automatic photo albums and videos
Click the Memories tab in your iOS 10 photo reel to see auto-organized albums (see #8) and video highlights, like of a family vacations. You’ll also see a map of all your locations, and other related content, like another event where Grandpa and Grandma also tagged along.
You’ll be able to easily reach contacts that use third-party services.
Tyler Lizenby/CNET
12. More ways to contact friends from the address book
I suffer from having contact information spread out across all my chatting platforms, so I love the idea of Apple making it easy to contact friends on third-party apps (like What’s App, for example) directly from their contact card.
Likewise, a VoIP call from this service or others can integrate into the lock screen and your list of recent calls. iOS 10 will also include voicemail transcription, and you can use a third-party app to suggest if an unknown caller is spam (Apple demoed Tencent.)
13. Reading subscription magazines in the News app
You can already see newsfeeds laid out in snazzy ways, but in iOS 10, you’ll be able to also see spreads for content you already subscribe to, like The Wall Street Journal. Breaking news notification also make the cut. This is how the old Newsstand should have always been.
14. Delete unwanted Apple apps
You know those apps on your home screen that you never use and don’t really want? You can yank ’em out in iOS 10. Here’s how.
15. Collaborate in a Note
I use Notes all the time to write stories and to-do lists, so the option to collaborate is pretty welcome.
Fitbit Charge 2 review
Buy now from Amazon
Fitbit has gained massive success in the fitness tracking and wearable communities by offering quality products at affordable price points, and perhaps that’s why the Fitbit Charge HR was so successful. With a long-lasting battery, accurate activity tracking and an easy-to-use companion app, the Charge HR was much more than just a glorified pedometer. It wasn’t all that attractive, though, and still very much looked like a standard fitness tracker.
- Fitbit Charge 2 vs Charge HR
- The best fitness trackers
Now Fitbit is back with a follow-up to the super popular Charge HR. With an all-new design, a bigger screen and even more useful activity tracking features, does the Charge 2 have what it takes to become your next wearable? We find that out, and more, in our full Fitbit Charge 2 review.
Review notes: I’ve been using the Fitbit Charge 2 as my main fitness tracker for 17 days. The Nexus 6P has been my smartphone companion of choice for the duration of this review.
Design
Prior to 2016, Fitbit had a design problem. It wasn’t that the Charge HR, Surge or Flex looked ugly, per se, they just looked like every other fitness tracker out there. Then at the beginning of 2016, the company launched two new fashion-focused devices, the Alta and the Blaze, which marked somewhat of a turning point for the company. Fitbit started using more high-quality materials like stainless steel in its devices, and that’s especially true for its latest fitness tracker.
- Fitbit Alta review
- Fitbit Blaze review
The Charge 2, like the Alta before it, sports a stainless steel chassis and a big, tap-enabled display. You’ll find one button on the left side of the device which is used for cycling through different modes and functions. Tapping the button will allow you to cycle through the current time, heart rate, activity start, stopwatch, relaxation timer, and active silent alarms. You can remove any of these and reorder them all from within the Fitbit companion app. Alternatively, you can tap on the display to cycle through your daily stats, which include steps taken, heart rate, distance traveled, calories burned, stairs climbed and active minutes.
A bigger display also means there’s more room for smartphone notifications
This new, larger display is certainly a welcome addition, as it not only allows for more information to be shown on one screen but also for more unique clock faces. There are quite a few to choose from – 7 to be exact – and they all offer a good mixture of style and functionality.
A bigger display also means there’s more room for smartphone notifications. While the Charge HR was only able to provide call notifications, the Charge 2 supports call, text and calendar events. The display isn’t actually that big, though, so notifications are sometimes difficult to read.
See also: The best smartwatches59
Something else worth noting – one of my main gripes with the Charge HR was that the display scratched pretty easily, and I’m happy to say that issue has been fixed this time around. I’ve been using the Charge 2 for a few weeks now, and we still have yet to see any scratches on this thing.
Another major design change you’ll notice with the Charge 2 is support for interchangeable bands. The Charge 2 is offered in Black, Blue, Plum and Teal color options, as well as Special Edition Lavender/Rose Gold and Black/Gunmetal colors. You can buy any of these bands separately from Fitbit’s website for $29.95 each. You can also opt for a fancier leather band in Brown, Blush Pink or Indigo if you don’t mind shelling out an extra $69.95.
Features and performance
As is par for the course of most fitness trackers in this price range, the Fitbit Charge 2 will track your steps taken, distance traveled, calories burned, floors climbed, active minutes and sleep. You’ll notice we didn’t mention swim tracking, though, and that’s because this device won’t survive in water. Yet again, Fitbit decided to forego proper waterproofing on its flagship fitness tracker, which we must say is a tad upsetting at this point. Fitbit has long been an innovator in the fitness tracking world, but the company is extremely behind in this area. Garmin, Withings, Misfit, Xiaomi, and most of Fitbit’s other direct competitors have managed to launch fitness trackers with decent waterproof ratings, so it’s a shame to see the Charge 2 sport a “splash proof” rating.
It should be noted that Fitbit did launch its very first waterproof fitness tracker, the Flex 2, at the same time as the Charge 2.
When comparing them against one another, we found that both the Charge 2 and Charge HR are basically on par with one another in terms of step tracking, with each one being just a handful of steps off from one another after a run or walk. We also took the Charge 2, Charge HR and Garmin vívoactive HR out on a walk for 500 steps, and all three came back within 4 steps of each other. Both the Charge 2 and Charge HR counted 506 steps, while the vívoactive HR counted 502.
See also: How to use your fitness tracker to actually get fit2
Floors climbed and active minutes metrics are pretty much spot on as well, but unfortunately, since the Charge 2 doesn’t have a GPS on board distance metrics won’t be all that accurate. It is compatible with Fitbit’s Connected GPS feature, which allows you to use your phone’s GPS to get more accurate distance tracking and pace results. That of course means you’ll have to carry your phone with you when you’re exercising, which isn’t all that convenient for most people.
Like most recent Fitbit devices, the Charge 2 comes with Fitbit’s PurePulse optical heart rate monitor, which will help you keep track of your active and resting heart rate. We’ve been very impressed with the Charge 2’s resting heart rate readings, though active readings, unsurprisingly, can be a little off at times. We tested the PurePulse heart rate monitor against the Wahoo TICKR X chest strap on multiple occasions, and much of the time, the PurePulse sensor came up short by about 5bpm or so.
Below you’ll find screenshots of the Wahoo TICKR X vs the Fitbit Charge 2 during the same run. Note the difference between the peak heart rate readings on the TICKR X (towards the end of the workout) and the Charge 2’s readings at the same point. The TICKR X recorded a peak reading of ~176bpm, while the Charge 2 was only recording ~130bpm at this point.
The Charge 2 will automatically track walking, running and biking, thanks to SmartTrack
One of the best things about using Fitbit devices is the company’s powerful automatic activity tracking software, or SmartTrack. The Fitbit Charge 2 is able to track walking, running, outdoor biking and elliptical workouts automatically, and will categorize each of those into groups – Sport (high-intensity movement activities like basketball and soccer) and Aerobic Workouts (Zumba, cardio-kickboxing, etc). SmartTrack is normally very impressive when it comes to recognizing which activities you’re doing, but we’d still recommend starting a workout manually if you can remember. Automatically-tracked workouts won’t track distance or pace, for instance.
In the screenshots below, you can see the screens labeled “Bike” are workouts where I started my activity manually from the tracker, and the screen labeled “Outdoor Bike” is the activity tracked by SmartTrack.
Speaking of automatic activity recognition, the Fitbit Charge 2 will automatically track your sleep every night. There’s no need to tap any sleep now button or anything before you hit the hay. Just make sure you fall asleep while you’re wearing your Fitbit, and it’ll have sleep stats waiting for you in the morning. The Charge 2 can record your total sleep time and sleep quality, which is measured by the amount of times you woke up and how many times you became restless throughout the night. Overall, we’ve found the Charge 2 to be quite accurate on the sleep tracking front, with no glaring errors as far as we can tell. The tracker also supports silent alarms, which is always nice to see on wrist-mounted fitness wearables.
Related: The best sleep trackers
Fitbit also introduced a few new features to the Charge 2 that should help users stay healthy and relaxed overtime. The first of these new features is a measurement of your Cardio Fitness Level. Found within the heart rate section of the Fitbit app, a personalized score based on an estimation of your VO2 Max (how well your body uses oxygen when you’re working out the hardest) will give you a rating on your overall cardiovascular fitness. Estimated VO2 Max is pretty much the gold standard for grading cardiovascular fitness. Basically, the higher your VO2 Max and Cardio Fitness Score, the better your cardiovascular fitness.
The higher your VO2 Max and Cardio Fitness Score, the better your cardiovascular fitness
While the Cardio Fitness Score will certainly help some folks make improvements to their workouts in the long run, the feature is kind of tucked away in the heart rate portion of the Fitbit app. You won’t find it on the home screen of the Fitbit app (aka Dashboard), and unless you were really exploring around the app you probably wouldn’t come across it. It’s just an odd place to put a big new feature, we suppose.
One other new feature present on the Charge 2 is on-device guided breathing. Fitbit calls this Relax. Once you navigate to Relax on your Charge 2, your device will begin walking you through 2- to 5-minute breathing exercises that should help you reduce stress, lessen anxiety and lower blood pressure. Each breathing session is powered by Fitbit’s PurePulse heart rate monitor, of course. It uses your real-time heart rate stats to measure your heart rate variability and determine the best breathing rate to suit your needs. Do we think this is a game-changing new feature? Not really, but the option is there if you need help calming down from time to time.
Fitbit claims the Charge 2 can last up to five days on a single change, and we’ve found that to be somewhat true. With moderate usage and the heart rate monitor set to automatic, we were only able to achieve a little over 4 days of battery life. It’s entirely possible to make it last an extra day with the heart rate monitor turned off, but you should expect less than that if you’re wanting to record your heart rate.
As far as charging is concerned, we much prefer this method over the Charge HR’s tiny charging cable. With the Charge 2, just clasp the charger around the device’s chassis, plug it into a USB outlet, and you’re all set. There’s even a little hole in the clasp to fit around the Charge 2’s physical button so you know which way to put it on.
| Display | 1.5-inch multi-line OLED Tap display |
Narrow OLED Tap display |
| Heart rate monitor | Yes, optical | Yes, optical |
| GPS | No, Connected GPS | No |
| Water resistant | No, splash proof | No, splash proof |
| Sleep tracking | Yes, automatic | Yes, automatic |
| Estimated VO2 max, guided breathing | Yes | No |
| Silent alarms | Yes | Yes |
| Notifications | Call, text and calendar alerts | Call |
| Battery life | Up to 5 days | Up to 5 days |
| Sensors | Optical heart rate monitor 3-axis accelerometer Altimeter Vibration motor |
Optical heart rate monitor 3-axis accelerometer Altimeter Vibration motor |
| Compatibility | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Web | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Web |
| Interchangeable bands | Yes | No |
| Colors | Standard: Black, Blue, Plum, Teal Special edition: Lavender/Rose Gold, Black/Gunmetal |
Black, Blue, Plum, Tangerine, Teal |
| Dimensions | Small: 139.7mm – 170.2mm (21.3mm wide) Large: 170.2mm – 205.7mm (21.3mm wide) XL: 205.7mm – 236.2mm (21.3mm wide) |
Small: 137mm – 157.5mm (21mm wide) Large: 157.5mm – 193mm (21mm wide) |
| Price | Standard: $149.95 Special edition: $179.95 Additional classic bands: $29.95 Additional leather bands: $69.95 |
$129.99 |
Software
Here at Android Authority, we’re huge fans of Fitbit’s smartphone companion app. It’s well designed, easy to use, and gives you all your important stats on the main screen in an easy-to-digest layout. The main home screen, or the Dashboard, gives you quick access to your daily stats, including your steps taken, heart rate, distance traveled, calories burned, floors climbed, active minutes, weight, sleep stats, food plan and water consumption. If you’d like to get detailed information on any of these stats, just tap on that category. You’ll then be taken to your weekly, monthly and yearly history for that metric.
If you’d like to change any of your tracker’s settings, click on the device name at the top of the Dashboard. Here is where you’ll be able to manage call and text notifications, move reminders, wrist placement, silent alarms and more.
- The best fitness apps for Android
There’s also a slide-out navigation menu on the left that allows you to access your Dashboard, daily challenges, friends and account settings. The Challenges section is home to plenty of daily and weekly goals that aim to help you go the extra mile (literally). You can also invite friends to take part in challenges with you. For instance, you and a friend can see who can take the most steps in 24 hours, or see who can take the most steps between Monday and Friday.
What’s more, you can also share data from the Fitbit app with a number of other services. Whether you’re using Lose It!, RunKeeper or MyFitnessPal, you’ll be able to share your data between applications.
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Should you buy it?
You can buy the Fitbit Charge 2 for just $149.95 on Amazon in Black, Blue, Plum and Teal color options. The Special Edition Charge 2 variant can be found on Fitbit’s website for $179.95, while extra leather bands are available for $69.95 each. So is it worth buying?
Yes, absolutely.
If you’re buying a fitness tracker in this price range, it’s hard not to consider the Charge 2. With a much improved design, bigger display, more smartphone notifications and a handful of new tracking features, the Charge 2 certainly offers a lot for its $150 price point. No, you don’t get a built-in GPS, the heart rate monitor could be much more accurate, and hardcore fitness buffs might find the feature set a little lacking. But despite its downfalls, the Charge 2 is a great option if you’re looking for a wearable to help keep track of your activity levels.
Want to pick one up for yourself? Head to the Amazon link below for more details.
Buy now from Amazon
What are your thoughts on the Fitbit Charge 2?
New MacBook Pros May Not be Compatible With Some Early Thunderbolt 3 Devices
Apple’s new MacBook Pros appear to be incompatible with Thunderbolt 3 devices that use controller chips from Texas Instruments, meaning some early Thunderbolt 3 products may not work with the new machines.
The incompatibility was discovered by Plugable (via 9to5), who found that their TBT3-DP2X and TBT3-HDMI2X graphics adapters were not compatible with Apple’s new MacBook Pros because they use a controller chip from Texas Instruments. As a result, Plugable will be postponing its upcoming Docking Station as it works on a compatibility solution.
Update 11/1/16: Apple has chosen to prevent Thunderbolt 3 devices using currently available controller chips from Texas Instruments from enumerating and functioning on the 2016 MacBook Pros. All current Thunderbolt 3 peripherals which use this controller chip are incompatible with the new 2016 Thunderbolt 3 MacBooks (To our knowledge, this includes all currently available Thunderbolt 3 devices including our TBT3-DP2X and TBT3-HDMI2X graphics adapters. Our Thunderbolt 3 cables do not require this chip, and therefore are compatible.)
Because of this, we’ve made the difficult decision to postpone our TBT3-UD1 Docking Station as we evaluate what is necessary to make this docking station MacBook-compatible. Our Flagship TBT3-UDV dock with Power Delivery/Charging is using the next generation controller chip from TI, and will be compatible with the 2016 Thunderbolt 3 MacBooks.
Because some existing or soon-to-be available Thunderbolt 3 accessories may not be compatible with the new MacBook Pro, customers who are looking to purchase docks, adapters, and other products should double check with manufacturers to ensure compatibility.
Many products on the horizon use Intel’s newer Thunderbolt 3 chipset and won’t be affected, and it’s also possible Apple could push a firmware update to add support for accessories with the older Texas Instruments controller.
Tags: Thunderbolt 3, Plugable
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Acer Chromebook R13 review
Acer made one of the first great Chromebooks with the C720. The R13 has what it takes to be the next great Chromebook.
The Acer Chromebook R13 is the latest in the new breed of Chromebooks designed with Android apps in mind.
Besides the things inside that better support Android apps (sensors and the like), the 13.3-inch screen flips a full 180-degrees for a tablet experience. Android and Google Play support is moving through the Chrome beta channel for the R13 and buyers can soon be using Android apps seamlessly alongside native Chrome apps. But plenty of other Chromebooks support, or will support, Google Play.
That means the R13 has to stand on its own merit as a product worth buying over other more inexpensive models. At $399 we’re entering the same territory as Windows laptops that aren’t frustrating to use. The R13 needs to be great if we’re going to spend that much money. And I think it is.
See at Amazon
The hardware
The R13 really looks like a Macbook Air. It’s a good look.
It’s a beautiful laptop. Solid aluminum, a full 180-degree reversible hinge on the screen that feels solid, and ample room for your wrists while using it are the first things you’ll see. It very much looks like an Apple MacBook Air, which surely wasn’t an accident. We think of names like Apple or Sony when it comes to the great functional design of the things we use every day because they have put in the work to create them. It makes sense to see others follow the lead.
When you go beyond how striking the R13 looks you notice other great features like a full-sized USB 3 port and a USB-C 3.1 port. A “real” USB-C 3.1 port that can be used to charge other things, acts as the charging port for the laptop itself and offers high-speed data transfer. Add in an HDMI port and SD card slot and you have everything you would want in a new laptop when it comes to connectivity. Here are the full specifications from Acer.
| Operating System | Chrome OS |
| Display | 13.3-inch 1920x1080Touchscreen |
| Processor | MediaTek M8173C Core Pilot quad-core |
| Storage | 16/32/64GB |
| Expandable | microSD card |
| RAM | 4GB LPDDR3 |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11ac, BluetoothUSB-C 3.1, USB-A 3.0 |
| Charging | USB-C |
| Battery | Up to 12 hours usage |
| Camera | HD FOV webcamHDR |
| Dimensions | 326 x 228 x 15.5 mm |
| Weight | 1.49 kg / 3.28 lb |
The MediaTek processor wasn’t as big of an issue as I was worried it would be — see the next section for all the details — and the multiple storage options up to 64GB are something we haven’t seen from many Chromebooks in the past. Even the battery life estimate isn’t that far away from reality — I was able to get a full 10.5 hours before charging while using the R13 the same way I use any other computer during a workday. There is a lot here to like.
There are also a couple of things I didn’t like as much.
A Glossy finish on a touchscreen makes a mess of fingerprints and smears. Keep a cleaning cloth handy.
The 13.3-inch touchscreen display isn’t bad. But I’d much rather be able to say it was great, and I can’t. The 1080p panel is adequately bright, colors aren’t too far off from my recently calibrated monitor and the viewing angles aren’t terrible. At this size, I would have liked to see a higher resolution, but understand how that would impact price and performance (especially battery life) so I’m OK. it’s a decent 1080p display with nothing to complain about. Except for the glossy finish.
Glossy finishes on a touchscreen never end well, and the R13 was not an exception. Fingerprints quickly turn into smears with that wonderful stardust effect as light and color try to move through whatever human-being skin oils are made of. If you buy the R13 with the expectation of mostly using it as a tablet with the keyboard folded back, this could be an issue. It was for me.
My second gripe is half entitled tech-reviewer whinging. The SD card slot is for a Micro-SD card and not a full sized card. SD cards are cheap. I have a basket full of full sized cards between 16GB and 64GB. Plenty of other people with digital cameras will, too. Not being able to use them was a let-down, but is easily fixed by a trip to Amazon. I did not take the R13 apart, so I will assume this was a result of squeezing everything into the slim body.
There is nothing really bad here. And there is a lot of things that are great.
Everything else was acceptable. The webcam is as good or better than any other laptop and the audio was what you would expect both through the onboard speakers and headphones. The keyboard/trackpad combination is good, though not quite the level we’ve seen from Apple’s MacBook series or Google’s Pixel Chromebooks. Few are.
To sum things up, you have a beautiful laptop with a strong hinge system for tablet use with a decent display. The trackpad and keyboard are acceptable — even for someone who writes for a living — but not incredible. Legacy and current USB port options are awesome and so is a full-sized HDMI port. A micro-SD card slot and glossy touch screen are not.
The experience
Chrome OS is Chrome OS, regardless of what Chromebook you buy. This is great. The software and the experience are unified across the entire field and you’ll have the same features regardless of which Chromebook you pick up. And once you’ve signed in with your Google account, it’s literally the same because of the way your account data syncs.
Unlike Android, Google keeps the companies making Chromebooks on a leash.
One exception right now is support for Google Play and Android apps. Android on Chromebooks is a slow and methodical rollout. Only Chromebooks that support enough Android requirements — location, orientation sensors and other things we never think about inside a laptop — will be able to run Android. Those that will all go through a long beta process to ensure the Chrome experience isn’t negatively affected. A large portion of Chromebook sales are to businesses and schools, so we understand why the original experience needs to remain unaffected.
The R13 was built with Android support in mind. All those requirements were accounted for and included. The R13 beta channel received support for Google Play in the middle of writing this review, and it really made a difference.
Make no mistake — Chrome runs really well on the R13. Browsing the web is a tier-one experience until you have more than 20 or so tabs open. This was an unexpected surprise based on experience with previous ARM CPU powered Chromebooks. The stutters and lag I expected at 10 tabs are not present and it’s clear that newer ARM chips are plenty more powerful than they used to be. 1080p video quality is only affected by the stream itself and not the CPU, which is nice and one of the areas where Intel Chromebooks used to outclass their ARM counterparts. ARM seems to have caught up or Chrome seems to be better able to support them. Likely, it’s a bit of each.
ARM Chromebooks have come a long way. It’s time to stop overlooking them.
The MediaTek CPU also means excellent battery life and great fanless performance without as much CPU throttling while under a heavy load. The benefits of an ARM CPU haven’t gone away, and now that the processor architecture better handles Chrome — or Chrome better handles the processor architecture — an ARM Chromebook is no longer something to immediately be concerned about. We see a similar experience from the ASUS Chromebook Flip, and now we know that wasn’t a fluke or a one-off.
Using the R13 for work made me appreciate the full-sized HDMI port and USB 3.0 port. I plugged it into a 1080p monitor while at my desk — things just worked with zero configuration — and was able to use a Logitech Unifying Receiver with a wireless mouse and keyboard. I was unable to try a Bluetooth keyboard, but a Bluetooth mouse connected without issue. I didn’t need to use the desktop peripherals, as the display, keyboard and trackpad were comfortable enough to use for long periods, but having the option and being able to have Netflix playing in one window while writing about Android things in another on a 27-inch monitor was quite nice.
I used the Acer R13 exclusively for a week and think I could use it every day without issue.
Another great thing about having a USB 3.0 port was being able to use an SD card adapter and not have slow file transfers while I waited for my micro SD card (and its adapter so it would fit in my camera) from Amazon.
The usual issues with Chrome OS apply. There is no Photoshop, though Polarr is a good replacement most of the time. There are no great video editing tools. I can’t use my normal tools to record our weekly podcast because there is no Chrome equivalent, and I haven’t had time to test and learn what’s available for Chrome yet. Chrome will work well for many people and a Chromebook is a good option for them. For others, it’s not there yet.
Android apps
Most of my time with the Acer R13 was without Android app support. Google Play isn’t available to the R13 unless you use the beta channel. I’m not going to base a review of a product while running beta software so I stuck to what’s consumer-ready. But for me, Android on Chrome OS makes a huge difference in usability.
Android and Google Play on a Chromebook changes the experience in a big way.
Most everything any of us need to do can be done on a Chromebook and Chrome apps. Companies like Slack and Microsoft have Chrome applications for their products, and they work. But they don’t always work exceptionally well and not nearly as well as a company’s Android version might.
Android apps on Chrome was Google’s way to fill the app gap. Chromebooks sell very well, but companies are yet keen on supporting yet another platform. Building Chrome apps is fairly easy. Building great Chrome apps is not. Companies tend to provide the easy version and Chrome users find ways to make it work if they need to use those services.
Adding Android app support changes this. Android is a major application platform and the dominant operating system from mobile devices. Everyone makes an Android app for their service and they tend to support all the features. By incorporating Android at the system level in Chrome, these apps also work on a Chromebook. And they work seamlessly.
Android support on the R13 is excellent and I expect it to move to the stable channel in short order.
Notifications from Android apps come the same way every other Chrome notification comes. Android apps use the same file system as Chrome and protected data files are secured with any sharing done the same way as it would be on an Android phone. If Android were running in a virtualized space, things wouldn’t be so seamless. Android is done so well on a Chromebook that the only issue is knowing where to go first when you need an app — Google Play or the Chrome Web Store.
Final thoughts
I’ve long wanted a true mid-range Chromebook. I’m OK with spending a little more (the R13 was $399 at the time this was written) for higher storage options and a nice durable build. Something like the R13 was exactly what I had in mind.
Acer’s built a 13-inch Chromebook that has excellent Android support. There are a few Android apps that won’t work on Chrome — launchers, widgets, live wallpapers and the like to name a few. The majority of what’s in Google Play works well, though. So far, everything I’ve needed and wanted works as good on the R13 as I had hoped. The recent beta version of Chrome on the R13 seems stable and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Android support move into production software with the next update.
I think the Acer Chromebook R13 is the best $399 computer you can buy.
The few negatives aren’t really negative. The display could be better, but it’s fine the way it is and I have no real complaints outside of the glossy surface. I’d love to have the same keyboard and trackpad experience on the R13 that the Chromebook Pixel gives me, but I wouldn’t expect it at this price.
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All things considered, the R13 is one of the nicest Chromebooks available and I recommend it without hesitation.
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