Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 review
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Dell XPS 13 2-in-1
Once bulky and awkward, 2-in-1 devices matured with grace in 2016. Awesome new options from Acer, HP, and Lenovo suddenly made the 2-in-1 a reasonable alternative to a traditional clamshell laptop. Unlike their predecessors, these devices didn’t sacrifice laptop usability to gain tablet convenience.
There was one company notably missing from their ranks – Dell. But that changed at CES 2017, as the company proudly launched its XPS 13 2-in-1. The late arrival of this system puts all the more pressure on it. In mid-2016 it would’ve had little competition. Today, that’s no longer true.
You’ll need at least $999 to buy the XPS 13 2-in-1. That only snags you a Core i5-7Y54 processor, 4GB of RAM, and a 128GB hard drive. Since the Dell’s competitors tend to offer 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD in base models, this new XPS faces an uphill battle. Can it emerge victorious, or does it disappoint?
Staying true to its heritage
The original Dell XPS 13 is now two years old, so you might expect the company to go a new direction with the design of its 2-in-1. Instead, the company has stuck to the formula. The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 we received, with its matte silver display lid, is hard to distinguish from the original XPS 13 we reviewed in 2015. Only an indentation near the display hinge – and the fact this model has two small hinges, rather than one broad hinge – gives it away.
Luckily for Dell, the original’s formula is still rather unique. The combination of a professional metal exterior with soft-touch, faux-carbon-fiber weave interior, is unlike anything else sold today. We still think it’s a great design. It’s subtle enough to fit in at a meeting, but luxurious enough to justify the XPS line’s pricing. And the soft-touch interior feels more inviting that the cold aluminum or magnesium used by rivals.
Dan Baker/Digital Trends
Dan Baker/Digital Trends
Dan Baker/Digital Trends
Dan Baker/Digital Trends
Of course, the XPS 13 2-in-1 does make an important tweak to the formula. The display hinge allows 360-degree rotation, making it possible to enjoy a tablet experience. Dell’s hinge design works as well as its rivals, such as Lenovo’s Yoga line, or HP’s Spectre x360 laptops. Swinging it up is a breeze, and stay in place once adjusted where you’d like. The XPS 13 2-in-1 is also slightly smaller and lighter than both the HP Spectre x360 and Lenovo Yoga 910, which means it’s easier to use as a tablet.
More: Dell XPS 13 review (Kaby Lake)
Make no mistake; this device still isn’t thin enough, or light enough, to entirely work as a stand-alone tablet. An iPad Air is still far lighter, so if you want a tablet specifically, the XPS 13 2-in-1 won’t do. But the XPS 13 2-in-1 comes as close to that experience as any 2-in-1 with a 360 degree hinge, and it’s perfectly fine for half-hour bouts of web surfing from a couch.
Limited ports, webcam woes, and a stylus joins the party
Unlike the normal XPS 13, which tries to support legacy connections, the XPS 13 2-in-1 goes all-in on USB Type-C. There’s only two such connections available, one of which also handles Thunderbolt 3. Either USB Type-C port can be used to charge the system. There’s also a microSD card reader, a headset jack, and a lock slot.
Dynamic Power Mode isn’t a gimmick – it boosts performance noticeably.
The slim connection options aren’t strange in this category, but users should keep them in mind. You’re probably going to need a dongle. At least Dell includes one USB Type-C to USB Type-A adapter in the box.
Several wireless connection options are available including 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, and Miracast. This is about the best you’ll find on a modern PC.
Unfortunately, Dell hasn’t resolved the awkward location of the XPS 13’s 720p webcam. It remains below the display in laptop mode, which leads to an unflattering angle. However, Dell say the webcam’s orientation will rotate if the 2-in-1 is switched to tent mode, or tablet mode, which puts a band-aid on the problem. The webcam will support Windows Hello after a planned Windows update, according to Dell. A fingerprint reader with Windows Hello support is also included.
Finally, the touchscreen is compatible with Dell’s Active Pen, an active stylus that supports 2,048 levels of pressure sensitivity. This is not included, but sold for $49. Dell didn’t send one for use with our XPS 13 2-in-1 review unit, so we can’t comment on its quality.
A class-leading keyboard, with a mediocre touchpad
It’s great the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 makes a passable tablet. Frankly, though, that’s a secondary concern. We think every 2-in-1 needs to be built on a great laptop. That means it needs a great keyboard.
And the Dell XPS 13 has a great keyboard. Though slightly smaller than some competitors –- a design decision that translates to small backspace key –- the keyboard is otherwise near perfect. Each key provides smooth, long travel, and an enjoyable bottoming action that’s firm without feeling harsh. The overall experience is essentially identical to the regular XPS 13.
Dan Baker/Digital Trends
Keyboard backlighting is standard, though only two brightness settings are available. Both are dim enough that they’re usable in a dark room. Some light leaks around the keys, and particularly from a few function keys, but the overall look is like other high-end laptops.
More: The best laptop you can buy
The touchpad has also changed little from the original XPS 13, and it’s one trait that’s starting to feel outdated. There’s nothing wrong with it, as it feels perfectly responsive, and it’s large for the XPS 13 2-in-1’s footprint. But competitors have new tricks. Acer and HP now use ultrawide touchpads that offer almost twice the usable space, and Apple has moved to a gigantic touch surface that absolutely dwarfs this Dell.
A beautiful display with a few quirks
Dell has long used its expertise in displays to enhance the XPS series, and the XPS 13 was a standout at time of its introduction, not only because of solid test results, but also because of an optional 3,200 x 1,800 touchscreen. Times have changed since then. Most competitors now offer similar options. Some, like the Lenovo Yoga 910, even serve up 4K resolution.
On paper, Dell doesn’t move the display forward. The base XPS 13 2-in-1 has a 1080p touchscreen, which our review unit equipped, and the most expensive models improve that to 3,200 x 1,800 resolution. The usual IPS panel technology is offered, behind Gorilla Glass NBT. That’s great. It’s also nothing new.
Let’s start with the bad. We measured a maximum brightness of just 251 lux. That’s bright enough for most situations, but noticeably dimmer than competitors. The HP Spectre x360 and Lenovo Yoga 910 hit 355 and 340 lux, respectively. Another oddity is the gamma curve, which came in at a measurement of 2.6. That indicates a display that skews way darker than it should. And indeed, blacks do appear overly dark on the XPS 13 2-in-1.
These oddities are balanced by solid results elsewhere. The color gamut spans 97 percent of sRGB and 75 percent of AdobeRGB –- both numbers are a point or two behind the Dell’s main competitors. However, the XPS 13 2-in-1 produced an excellent contrast ratio of 1120:1. That’s on par with contrast standouts like the MacBook Pro 13, and the Microsoft Surface Book. As mentioned, the XPS 13 2-in-1’s display is not bright, so strong contrast comes from excellent black level performance.
Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 Compared To
Acer Spin 7
HP Spectre x360 13-w023dx
Samsung Notebook 7 spin
Dell Inspiron 17 7000 2-in-1 (2016)
Acer Switch Alpha 12
Dell Inspiron 13 7000 2-in-1 (2016)
Huawei Matebook
Vaio Z Flip
Toshiba Satellite Radius 12…
Dell XPS 15
Dell Inspiron 11 (2015)
Dell Inspiron 13 7000 Special…
HP Envy Spectre 360x – 13-4003dx
Toshiba Satellite Click 2 Pro
HP Spectre 13t x2
It’s clear this 2-in-1’s display makes some sacrifices, and those sacrifices won’t work for everyone. We’re not sure why the backlight is so dim, or why the gamma skews so dark. Still, in subjective viewing, we were impressed by the screen. It delivers vibrant color and inky blacks, traits that help high-quality videos and games pop. A professional photographer won’t be pleased with this screen, but a more casual user will come away impressed.
The speakers don’t stand out
The XPS 13 2-in-1 has speakers, and they produce sound. Moving on…
Seriously. Sound quality is not a priority for this system, and it shows. The speakers don’t sound bad, and they provide clear sound in most situations, at most volumes. But they’re not loud, and they don’t sound crisp – good enough for a meeting, or a podcast, but inadequate for watching a movie. You’ll want to pair it with headphones, or external speakers.
Dell’s Dynamic Power Mode isn’t a gimmick
The XPS 13 2-in-1 is thinner and lighter than the normal XPS 13, yet retains an equally excellent keyboard, and bundles in touchscreen. Something had to give, and that something is the processor.
Dell has opted for Intel’s low-powered “Y-Series” processors, formerly known as the Core M line. These chips are designed to draw less power, but suffer a performance penalty for it. Our review unit came with the Core i7-7Y75, while base models of the XPS 13 come with the Core i5-7Y54.
To eek every ounce of performance from the Y-Series, Dell has introduced a feature called Dynamic Power Mode. Normally, the Intel processor works with a maximum thermal design power (TDP) of seven watts. With Dynamic Power Mode, Dell can temporarily increase that to nine watts. It’s like bumping up the rev limiter on a high-performance sports car — without the risk of blowing the engine.
Does it work?
Geekbench 4’s single-core test gives Dynamic Power Mode a chance to strut its stuff. The XPS 13 2-in-1 actually beat the HP Spectre x360, which is powered by a 15-watt Core i7-7500U. It also left the Acer Spin 7 in the dust, despite the fact Acer’s system was reviewed with the exact same processor.
The benefit becomes harder to see in the Geekbench 4 multi-core test. There, the XPS 13 2-in-1 does fall behind the HP Spectre x360 and Lenovo Yoga 910, but it also continues to run rings around the Acer Spin 7. The XPS 13 2-in-1 is over 25 percent quicker than the Spin 7.
So far, so good, but there is some bad news. Handbrake held back the XPS 13 2-in-1, which required over thirty minutes to transcode our 4K test clip to x.265. That’s actually a bit longer than the Spin 7, and twice as long as the HP and Lenovo.
That result is not unusual. Handbrake is the worst enemy of the Y-Series, because it forces the chip to run flat-out for a long time. Eventually the processor, which is passively cooled, hits its power peak. It simply can’t sustain maximum performance long enough to complete the test.
The question, then, is how you plan to use your system. In most situations, the XPS 13 2-in-1 performs surprisingly well, giving little ground to competitors with chips that draw more power. If you plan to run a processor-demanding task for a half-hour, though, the XPS 13 2-in-1 will fall behind.
More: CES 2017 proves 2-in-1s are becoming the new normal
We think Dynamic Power Mode does its job. Just be aware of its limits. We doubt many readers are considering the XPS 13 2-in-1 for video editing or similar processor-heavy work, but if you are, think again – you’ll need a larger laptop for that.
The SSD is no slouch
A variety of hard drive options are available with the XPS 13 2-in-1, ranging from 128GB to 1TB. Our review unit came with a 256GB solid state drive connected over PCI Express. The drive was a Toshiba XG4, which is common in laptops.
There’s nothing to complain about here. While the drive isn’t the fastest we’ve tested, it performs well across the board, and its write speeds are better than average. This certainly isn’t going to hold you back.
Not cut out for gaming
Gaming is not this system’s goal, as is true with most 2-in-1 laptops. Intel HD graphics powers games and, because it’s on a chip with a lower power draw than typical, performance suffers. Dynamic Power Mode does not apply here.
3DMark’s Fire Strike test drives the point home. There, the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 scores just 608, which is about 30 percent less than the HP Spectre x360. The Lenovo Yoga 910 does even better, scoring 933.
To be clear, none of these laptops are great for games, but the XPS 13 2-in-1 is notably worse. Running Civilization VI at 1080p resolution is unenjoyable no matter the settings, unless you have a thing for slideshows. Players will have to reduce the settings of most new 3D games to the lowest preset to have any hope of acceptable performance.
Smaller battery doesn’t cut endurance
At just 2.7 pounds, and no greater than .54 inches thick, the XPS 13 is easy to tuck into a bag. It’s not as slim as competitors like the Acer Spin 7, but a tapered chassis helps it feel small enough.
To keep it small, Dell has reduced the battery’s capacity from 60 watt-hours (in the most recent XPS 13) to a more mundane 46 watt-hours. That’s not bad; it’s barely less than the Apple MacBook Pro 13, which is a fair bit heavier, and larger. But any reduction will make frequent fliers feel skeptical.
Thankfully, the reduction in battery size doesn’t have much impact on endurance. The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 lasted four hours and fifty-four minutes in our demanding Peacekeeper test. That’s exactly the same as HP’s Spectre x360, and more than either the Lenovo Yoga 910 or the Acer Spin 7. The Dell XPS 13 with Core i7-7500U processor does last slightly longer, hitting five hours and seven minutes.
The XPS 13’s design remains unique.
Our 1080p video loop extended the battery to 10 hours, 37 minutes, which exceed the Core i7-equipped Dell XPS 13, and also beats the Lenovo Yoga 910. The HP Spectre x360 lasted just six additional minutes.
It’s clear that Dell’s reduction in battery size hasn’t compromised endurance. The XPS 13 2-in-1 lasts longer than average. Do note, however, that versions with the 3,200 x 1,800 display will not last quite as long, due to higher power draw from the screen.
A bit too much bloat
The XPS line has always forgone the bloatware, and there’s little to be found on the XPS 13 2-in-1. McAfee Antivirus does make an appearance, complete with an upgrade nag-screen, and there’s also a Dell warranty sign-up.
Warranty information
Dell ships the XPS 13 2-in-1 with a one year warranty. That’s typical for a notebook, no matter its price. However, Dell does offer a unique support plan called “Premium Support.” The company says this plan, which starts at $89 per year. This plan activates on-board diagnostics that can advise you of a problem, such as hard drive failure, before it happens, and schedule a fix before the failure occurs. It’s an interesting option, but it’s hard to say if it’s worth the price.
Our Take
We gave the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 our Best of Computing at CES 2017. Handing out such an award is always a risk. Sometimes, a device doesn’t hold up to closer scrutiny. But Dell’s latest is rock solid. It posted great scores in our benchmarks and, just as importantly, is a joy to use every day. Just be prepared to pay for quality. Starting at $999, or $1,299 as-tested, this is not an affordable machine.
Is there a better alternative?
Plenty of excellent competitors exist including the Acer Swift 7, Asus Transformer Book 3, HP Spectre x360, Lenovo Yoga 910, and Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga X1. Many of these systems are quite good, but the HP Spectre x360 is the 2-in-1 to beat.
The DT Accessory Pack
ProCase 13 – 13.5 inch sleeve case
$20
Logitech MX Anywhere 2 wireless mobile mouse
$57.70
Aukey USB-C Hub with 4 USB 3.0 ports
$13
Choosing between the Dell and the HP is difficult. They offer similar performance by most metrics, including battery life and display quality. However, Dell’s XPS 13 2-in-1 starts at $999, while the HP Spectre x360 starts at $899. HP also bundles twice the RAM and hard drive space in its base model, both of which are upgrades you’ll notice every day. Dell’s advantage lies in its size. It’s noticeably smaller than the HP in every dimension, and that makes it easier to use as a tablet.
How long will it last?
The XPS 13 2-in-1 has the latest, 7th-generation Intel processor technology, and most models equip a solid-state drive that connects over PCI Express. Bluetooth 4.2 is supported, though Wireless AD is not. Still, this laptop is as future-proof as any sold today.
Should you buy it?
Yes. The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1’s strength lies in how well it melds the productivity of a laptop with the convenience of a tablet. Like the HP Spectre x360 and Lenovo Yoga 910, it’s a great laptop, and it’s more usable as a tablet than either. We recommend shoppers go for the step-up models, rather than the baseline entry – and if you do, you’ll end up with one of the best 2-in-1s ever made.
New pig-human hybrid embryos could be used to grow transplantable organs and tissues
Why it matters to you
The shortage of organs suitable for transplant may be alleviated as scientists get closer to using animals to grow human organs.
Scientists for the first time have created an embryo that is part human and part pig as part of a groundbreaking experiment that published this week in the biochemistry journal Cell. This incredible chimera was developed by a team of researchers from the Graduate School of Agriculture and Department of Advanced Bioscience at Kindai University in Japan. Heralded as one of the most successful chimeras to date, the experiment is a leap forward for the field of regenerative medicine, which is searching for ways to produce human organs using animal models.
The complicated procedure involves the injection of human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells into a developing pig blastocyst. These iPS cells are a type of stem cell that has been created from an adult cell and has the ability to differentiate into a variety of cell types including neuronic, cardiac, pancreatic and more. In the procedure developed by the Kindai team, a laser beam was used to make an opening in the outer membrane of a pig blastocyst cell. The channel was wide enough for a needle to deliver the human iPS cells into the matrix of the developing embryo. The resulting hybrid cell was then implanted into a female pig (sow) and allowed to develop for four weeks.
More: SkinGun helps burn victims quickly regrow skin by spraying them with their own stem cells
After a month of in situ development, the embryo was harvested and analyzed. It was found that a small fraction of the pig embryo was composed of human cells. The human stem cells that were present had grown into precursor cells capable of eventually developing into heart cells, liver cells, and neurons.
Though researchers cautioned that the results were “highly inefficient,” the experiment hold promise as a model to better understand human embryonic and stem cell development as well as explore human disease progression. These results also may lead to the future use of farm animals as a host for growing transplantable human tissues. The future application of the technology may provide organs suitable for transplant and could help lessen the worldwide organ shortage that currently exists.
Fatal final words: Driver habits study shows most common texts before crash
Why it matters to you
There’s something you can do so friends and family won’t feel pressured to return text messages while driving.
Every day distracted driving factors in more than eight fatalities and almost 1,200 injuries in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Texting while driving isn’t the only dangerous distraction, but a recent survey of drivers’ behind-the-wheel texts by AutoInsurance Center reveals why people continue to text and what they text about, including final messages before fatal crashes.
AutoInsurance Center surveyed 2,060 drivers about their in-car texting behaviors. The survey looked at generational differences, message importance, how frequently they sent texts while driving, most common messages, and more. The company also analyzed 21 final text messages sent before fatal crashes.
More: Cops can’t get drivers to put phones down
The most common reason cited by survey respondents for texting behind the wheel were pressure to quickly reply to someone they care about (26 percent), making plans (19 percent), not wanting to take too long to respond to messages (17 percent), and needing directions (15 percent). The remainder were boredom, pressure to respond to a work-related message, and loneliness.
When asked about the importance level of their texts sent while driving, only eight percent said the messages were very or extremely important. Otherwise, the messages were deemed somewhat important (39 percent), not particularly important (36 percent), and unimportant (18 percent). While the mix varied from millennials to baby boomers, message recipients were almost all the time family members or close friends, ranging from 87 to 92 percent. The rest were to colleagues or acquaintances.
A decided minority of drivers self-reported that they always or usually send text messages when driving, ranging from six percent of millennials to three percent of Generation Xers, and no baby boomers. Just over 90 percent of baby boomers said they never text and drive, with no texting reported by Generation X and millennials 58 percent and 49 percent, respectively.
The AutoInsurance Center analysis of final text messages, the last messages sent before fatal crashes, found the three phrases most often included in the messages were “Driving drunk,” “I’ll be dead,” and “I love you.” The CDC’s report that approximately one-third of crash fatalities involve alcohol shows a dangerous combination driving, drinking, and texting.
The AutoInsurance Center recommends that, in addition to never texting while driving ourselves, to let our families and friends know we would much rather have them reach their destinations safely than return messages they receive while they are driving.
The best hoverboard that you can buy
We know, we know. Technically, these boards don’t actually hover, but “hands-free scooter” just doesn’t sound as cool. It’s been a tough few years for the hoverboard industry. For a time, the damn things just wouldn’t stop catching fire. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, hoverboard-related fires between December 2015 and February 2016 were responsible for more than $2 million in property damages nationwide. Some college campuses and airlines have banned self-balancing scooters altogether, and the United Kingdom has completely outlawed their use in any public space.
More: Who certified the exploding Samsung Galaxy Note 7 safe? Samsung did
With all this negative publicity, you might wonder, “why buy a hoverboard?” Uh, because they’re awesome. These motorized, self-balancing devices are easy to pick up and tons of fun to ride, and, honestly, the hardest thing about a hoverboard is trying to look cool while riding it. These puppies can actually be an effective mode of transportation, capable of reaching speeds close to 10 mph and “hovering” for nearly 20 miles on a single charge. Best of all, there are finally self-balancing scooters on the market that are guaranteed not to explode violently at your feet! Amazon even rescinded its February 2016 decision to cease hoverboard distribution.
With that in mind, here are our picks for the best — and least explode-y — hoverboards on the market.
Our pick
Why you should buy this: It’s compact, affordable, and simple to control.
The best
Razor Hovertrax 2.0
Razor’s Hovertrax 2.0 is a fantastic basic hoverboard at a decent price.
$348.00 from Amazon
Who it’s for: Anyone and everyone
How much will it cost: $400
Why we chose the Razor Hovertrax 2.0:
Remember Razor? Chances are, you’re familiar with the scooter that put them on the map around the turn of the millennium. They haven’t gone anywhere, and now that they’ve received their UL 2722 safety certification, they’re making moves to get into the hoverboard game. The Hovertrax 2.0 — so named because the first edition was pulled from stores after safety concerns arose — is a true rival for the Swagtron series, offering all the same bells and whistles, for the same price, with a more recognizable brand name.
The Hovertrax is also capable of supporting 220 pounds for about an hour of riding, and it features a battery pack that automatically shuts off once it reaches a full charge. Razor’s board doesn’t bring anything new to the table, sure, but it’s bringing competition to a market that didn’t have much, if any, which is only a good thing for the future of hoverboarding.
Razor also released an upgraded version, called the Hovertrax DLX 2.0, that includes some awesome new paint jobs and multi-color LED displays. Unfortunately, they’re currently only available from Brookstone for nearly $600.
Read more here
These are the 12 best radio stations you can stream online
Despite the ever-growing number of music fans turning to streaming services such as Apple Music, Spotify, and Pandora for radio-style programming, the broadcast format is by no means dying. Offering listeners hand-selected singles at the cutting edge of music, radio DJs continue to be among the most important proprietors of new sonic trends around the globe, trusted curators with the all-important human touch. Instead of pumping in your favorite band to an algorithm, try tuning in to one of these twelve amazing online stations — you’re sure to find something you’ll enjoy.
Related: Our massive playlist of the catchiest songs ever will get you humming
Here is our list of the top 12 radio stations with internet feeds. For access to live streams, simply click the name of the station and stream via its website.
KEXP 90.3 FM — Seattle, WA
Seattle’s best public radio station is run in a partnership between the University of Washington and Paul Allen’s Experience Music Project, highlighting the best new alternative music from around the globe. Particularly known for its live studio sessions, KEXP is often among the first major media outlets to showcase up-and-coming bands the world over, making it a great place to hear new music before all of your Spotify-loving friends.
Download it now for:
Android iOS
KCRW 89.9 FM — Santa Monica, CA
An NPR-member station based out of the Santa Monica College campus, KCRW was founded in 1945 to train ex-serviceman in the then-emerging technology of radio. Now it’s just a great place to find emerging music. Creators of the famed Morning Becomes Eclectic radio program, a show which highlights new music and live performances from talented indie artists, KCRW is an excellent place to hear well-curated musical selections, as well as to catch up on national news.
Download it now for:
iOS Android
XRAY.fm KXRY 107.1 FM — Portland, OR
Portland’s most-acclaimed independent radio station serves up the sounds of the city’s popular underground music scene to a global audience. A crowd-funded station which formed in 2012, XRAY offers a varied selection of music and progressive talk radio programming, and has been broadcasting around the clock for nearly two years now thanks to the help of nearly 70 part-time DJs.
Download it now for:
iOS Android
Dublab — Los Angeles, CA
Dublab is an internet-only broadcast that showcases the cutting edge of the DJ universe five days a week. The station also offers each live show for download via its website during the two days a week it isn’t live. With a rotating cast of all-star DJs that includes world-renowned heavyweights like Daedelus, Teebs, Flying Lotus, and more, dublab is among the best streams on earth for fans of emerging beat music.
Download it now for:
iOS
KUTX 98.9 FM — Austin, TX
Owned and operated by the University of Texas in Austin, KUTX showcases a range of genre-specific programming ranging from indie and pop to disco, latin, and other genres. It’s an eclectic mix of shows, but they are each extremely vibrant and well-curated, making it an excellent place to find something new and unexpected.
Download it now for:
Android iOS
WFMU 91.1 FM — Jersey City, NJ
WFMU is the grandaddy of them all. The longest-running independent radio station in the U.S., this listener-funded station offers a freeform variety of eclectic shows that are sure to provide something for everyone. That said, such freeform formatting is a blessing and a curse, as some hours will prod listeners to tune in elsewhere.
Download it now for:
iOS Android
BBC Radio 6 — United Kingdom
When it was first launched in 2002, BBC Radio 6 became the first new station created by the BBC in more than three decades. A digital-only channel that focuses on alternative music from all over the globe, Radio 6 plays everything from guitar music to dance, jazz, and soul cuts.
Download it now for:
iOS Android
WWOZ 90.7 FM — New Orleans, LA
For those who aren’t lucky enough to live inside the Big Easy, WWOZ offers up the sounds of its fair city to the world, showcasing New Orleans’ famed jazz, soul, bounce, and R&B each day. The station’s selections center largely around the jazz tradition — which is still alive and well in the city — providing an amazing look inside one of the world’s most interesting and storied sonic universes.
Download it now for:
iOS Android Blackberry
WQXR 105.9 FM — New York, NY
Among the finest — and most listened-to — classical radio stations in the world, New York’s WQXR is also one of the oldest FM stations in the world. Showcasing the best of composers new and old, it’s an excellent place to tune into when looking for some serious music for work or study. It’s also the perfect pairing for that nice bottle of red wine you have stashed away.
Download it now for:
iOS Android
KUSF 90.3 FM — San Francisco, CA
The extremely varied sounds of the Bay Area are best explored via KUSF, the University of San Francisco’s radio station. A glimpse of the region which delves deep into the complex communities that have thrived there for decades, KUSF’s programming is overtly Californian, providing listeners with warm-weather jams which they’ll be hard-pressed to find elsewhere.
Download it now for:
iOS Android
Radio Free Brooklyn — Brooklyn, NY
A community radio station ran out of the basement of a bike shop in (you guessed it) Brooklyn, NY, Radio Free Brooklyn offers interesting independent programming throughout the day, with a variety of interesting talk and music shows to take you through your day the Brooklyn way.
Berlin Community Radio — Berlin, Germany
The cutting edge of Europe’s hippest city can be explored via Berlin Community Radio, which showcases the latest in underground music from Europe and beyond. Those who are tired of searching blogs for new sounds will almost certainly find their latest muse on these internet airwaves.
Super Bowl LI — Modern Dad’s guide to the big game!
The final game of the NFL season is nearly upon us. Here, now, is your Dad Guide to making the most of it.
Super Bowl LI (which, uh, explains why I call it Super Bowly) is coming Feb. 5 (at 6:30 p.m. on Fox). And if you’re as excited as I am to see the Atlanta Falcons humiliate the New England Patriots (it could happen), then you’ll of course be glued to the game. But for those of us who have cut the cable cord, there are questions!!!
Like, how can you watch the Super Bowl without cable? Is anyone streaming it? Should I buy a new TV? Will Tom Brady cheat again? And can I see Phil talk into a dirty oven?
We answer all those questions — and more — in Modern Dad’s Guide to Super Bowl LI! Here are some handy links to everything I talk about in this vid.
- Indoor HD antenna
- Help for positioning said antenna
- The best sound bar and sub for your TV
- The more affordable sound bar and sub
- Amazon Echo Dot
Subscribe to Modern Dad on Youtube!
Yo is an actual at-home male fertility test you just use with your phone
Ah, technology.
Thanks to the wonder of a smartphones, as well as app-enabled devices, you can now test male fertility from the comfort of home. A new setup, called Yo, is able to turn your phone’s camera into a microscope powerful enough to zoom in on a man’s sample of “swimmers” and determine its concentration level. The higher the concentration, the better chance a man has at successful fertilisation.
The $50 (roughly £40) kit comes with a sample cup, a powdered solution you need to mix with your sample, a dropper to collect the sample, and a test slide for the sample. It also comes with a camera device that attaches to your Android phone or iPhone. Simply slip the test slide with the sample into the device, then connect your phone, and Yo will record a live video and simultaneously processing the results.
You’ll get a sample count along with an explanation of the results through the companion app, which is available for iOS and Android phones. Yo is FDA-approved, and according to reports, is a medically legit way of figuring out a male’s fertility status.
Yo is available to preorder now for $49.95 and will begin shipping in February. The kit includes enough supplies for two tests.
A whole new low in government trust
Our country changed so quickly in the past week that it feels like the pod doors have been sealed shut and an anti-gravity switch flipped inside our borders. From the outside, it probably looks like a snow globe scene of hell. The Doomsday Clock advanced ‘thanks to Trump,’ and it’s now only 2½ minutes to nuclear midnight, while The Economist Democracy Index downgraded the US from “full democracy” to “flawed”.
The Trump era has people afraid of malicious government tracking and spying in ways set to exceed the panic of the NSA-PRISM revelations. Infosec, hackers, and the general public have changed their attitudes about security and privacy practices in the short time since Trump took power. Use of encrypted apps has spiked among the general public. Email service Lavabit relaunched with a distinctly anti-Trump sales pitch. And now, a significant number of infosec professionals are saying they don’t want to engage with the new administration.
In a Twitter poll, 230 information security professionals were asked if they are more or less inclined to engage with US-government led cyber initiatives under a Trump presidency. 41 percent said that the Trump administration has a negative effect on their willingness to participate.
Some infosec professionals who run companies are taking a more public position.
Email service Lavabit relaunched last weekend on Inauguration Day in the United States to make a statement. Under pressure from a federal gag order in late 2013, Lavabit founder Ladar Levison shut down his email service to avoid complying with a US government request for his users’ emails. Lavabit returned with what they’re calling a Dark Internet Mail Environment (DIME), “a revolutionary end-to-end encrypted global standard.”
In “Lavabit Reloaded” Levison wrote:
“Former Lavabit users will be able to access their accounts in “Trustful” mode and update their credentials to the new DIME standard. Anyone who wants a future Lavabit account can pre-register for our next release available in all security modes… Today, the democratic power we transfer to keep identities safe is our own.”
Timing is everything. Right now the internet is currently seeing a burst in guides to keeping things private in Trump’s America as well as how to avoid Big Brother. Perhaps that’s why the reporting on Lavabit was more than a little too eager. Some reporters must’ve heard trumpets calling to arms against government surveillance; many praised Lavabit’s pros while forgetting to remind everyone of the cons.
For instance, Lavabit doesn’t yet have end-to-end encryption. And as ProtonMail detailed in a Reddit post:
“Lavabit claims to have solved their fatal SSL weakness using a hardware security module (HSM). However, this is disingenuous at best, deceptive at worst. Now instead of asking for the SSL key, the US govt will simply ask for the HSM. In other words, the original problem that killed Lavabit still exists.”
And Lavabit had a lot of problems to begin with. A big one, being that it’s located in the United States.
Which brings us back to the original issue.
Hackers and front line workers aren’t the only ones who don’t want to engage with a government they’re more afraid to turn their backs on than before. The general public has a newfound interest in anti-surveillance communications, jettisoning anything that might let the US government in on their privacy and security. We witnessed this before, but this time it’s distinctly different.
There’s no doubt that Trump winning the election helped launch Signal into the mainstream. The secure chat app’s downloads grew 70 percent globally near the end of 2016 (half a million were in the US alone). According to press “the app is getting more sustained daily downloads than Open Whisper’s encrypted products did after its second biggest boost: Edward Snowden’s revelations about the surveillance conducted by the NSA.”
It’s not unusual for a flood of new users and heightened activity on encrypted communication services when a government blocks a service or an app. When Brazil ordered cell phone carriers to block WhatsApp for 72 hours, interest in Telegram and iMessage spiked. These numbers usually calm back down — but this time they’re not.
According to its developer, the Android Tor browser Orbot has seen downloads in the United States go up 30 percent after the election — and they’re not declining. “We’ll see a time-bound spike for a day or a week and then things go back to normal. What’s different in this case,” Freitas told the press, “is things don’t go back to normal.”
And I doubt they will. We’re seeing a growing trend of people flocking to secure messaging and educating themselves about security and privacy. Which is really good.
Especially considering that the new administration has shown it’s both careless and ambivalent about security.
Presidential infosec, post-DNC hack
—@POTUS uses private email
—”old, unsecured” Android phone
—@POTUS has no 2FA
—Spicer tweets password 2x pic.twitter.com/sdOvLKrWLu— Thomas Rid (@RidT) January 26, 2017
We’ll probably also see infosec communities struggle and split. There will be painful moments where companies have to make heartbreaking decisions. They’ll be forced to face working toward a more secure world versus working for an administration that doesn’t care about security or tomorrow. One that loves to punish anything and anyone it perceives as a threat. The users will be caught in the crossfire, of course. And they’ll be awash in three times the number of snake oil security products hitting app stores as we saw after the revelations of NSA spying.
All of this signals a genuine crisis. It’s one where we feel shell-shocked, and ache for a time not all that long ago when we felt hopeful about the encryption argument. But if there’s anything to be gleaned from all these open expressions of government mistrust, it’s that we’re ready to fight for our privacy and security like never before.
Images: Andy Katz/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images (Man and phone, lead); Lavabit (Bird with email, from Lavabit DIME specificaitons document)
‘Pillars of Eternity II’ breaks crowdfunding goal in 24 hours
The sequel to Obsidian’s critically acclaimed isometric RPG Pillars of Eternity is officially a go. The studio announced Thursday that it’s campaign to crowdfund development on Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire reached its $1.1 million goal in less than a day.
Like its predecessor, Deadfire draws heavily on classic turn-based PC RPG’s like Baldur’s Gate and Planescape: Torment. For the second outing, Obsidian hopes to translate the heaps of fan support into a “truly living” game world with new features and more freedom to explore or define your character’s role. The storyline will once again bring players to the world of Eora, as they hunt down a god in the uncharted Deadfire Archipelago, but certain narrative elements can react not only to the player’s decisions in the game, but also to choices they made back in the original Pillars of Eternity.
The game is slated for delivery in Q1 2018 on Steam, GOG, Windows, Mac and Linux systems. Eager backers who dropped upwards of $1,000 to become an NPC or have their portrait included in-game should take that estimate with a grain of salt, however — the original Pillars of Eternity was hit with development delays throughout its cycle.
Source: Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire on Fig
Mark Zuckerberg lightly criticizes Trump order on immigration
Tonight President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States” that suspends refugee admissions for 120 days and suspends admissions from Syria indefinitely — among many other things (PDF). One of the voices criticizing this move is Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who posted tonight that “We need to keep this country safe, but we should do that by focusing on people who actually pose a threat.”
He also praised Trump’s vague statement to “work something out” for undocumented immigrants brought to this country at a young age by their parents. Calling the US “a nation of immigrants” and ignoring those who did not immigrate here, the exec claimed “we all benefit when the best and brightest from around the world can live, work and contribute here.” As criticism goes it wasn’t particularly striking, however it is the most Zuckerberg has said since Trump took office, and it will be interesting to see if over tech execs (many who oversee workforces including a number of workers on visas) join in.
Yesterday, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg also spoke out for the first time concerning an order Trump signed reinstating the “global gag order,” restricting government funding from health organizations around the world that offer abortions. She had faced criticism for meeting with Trump, but not participating or commenting on the Women’s March on Washington that took place after his inauguration. Her post did not mention Trump by name, but highlighted the “terrible consequences for women and families around the world” that could occur as a result of his policies.
Source: Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook), Sheryl Sandberg
AIVAnet 