9 easy things you can do to stay safe on your Android phone

For most of us, our smartphones are a veritable treasure trove of personal data. They contain precious photos and videos, a list of everyone we contact, and details of our web browsing habits. We use them to navigate, to shop, and to bank. As devices go, they’re our closest confidants, and so it’s important to take steps to secure them.

Smartphone theft is actually in decline, largely thanks to improved security measures that effectively kill stolen smartphones, blocking the once booming overseas resale market, but not everyone is taking advantage of these protections. Many Android smartphones are stolen or go missing every day and data theft through malware remains a serious issue.

By taking a few simple steps when you first set up your Android device, you can ensure that, even if your phone is stolen, thieves will never get their hands on your data. You’ll be able to access your photos, contacts, and other personal data, and restore it to a new device. In some cases, you may even be able to recover your lost Android smartphone.

Securing your Android smartphone is all about preparation. It’s no good locking the stable door after the horse has bolted. You must set up security measures now.

Set a screen lock

The first step to securing your Android phone is setting up a screen lock. Every Android smartphone supports this option. It will help prevent people from being able to access your phone.

The exact location in the settings menu may vary slightly, depending on your phone, but you’re looking for security and screen lock settings.

• On stock Android, go to Settings > Security > Screen lock.
• On a Samsung Galaxy, go to Settings > Lock screen and security > Screen lock type.

The three standard options are to set up a password, PIN, or pattern. Many phones also now offer biometric measures such as fingerprint scanners, facial recognition, and iris scanning. The level of security they afford varies, but all of them are more secure than no screen lock protection.

If you want to make things difficult for a thief or snooper, then choose a longer password, PIN, or pattern. A basic four-digit PIN has 10,000 possible combinations. If you add an extra digit that rises to 100,000 possible combinations. The same logic applies to passwords and pattern locks, just make sure you memorize it.

You can go a step further and require an unlock when you turn on the device, before your phone boots up. This offers an extra layer of difficulty for thieves to access your data if your phone  was off when stolen. To turn this feature on, head to Security > Secure startup > Require pattern to turn on phone.

Smart lock

Security often has to be balanced with convenience. If you’re annoyed at the prospect of having to enter your PIN or password all the time, you might consider using Smart lock. It allows you to set some scenarios where your Android phone will automatically unlock without prompting you to enter your PIN, such as when it’s in your home, or when it’s connected to a specific Bluetooth device or system, such as your car. This does compromise your security settings, so consider the risks carefully before you decide to use it.

• In Android 6.0 and up, you can turn it on via Settings > Security > Trust agents, and then tweak how it works in Settings > Security > Smart Lock.
• On a Samsung Galaxy, go to Settings > Lock screen and security > Secure lock settings > Smart Lock.

Signing into a Google account

The next step is to make sure that you are signed into your Google account on your Android smartphone. This gives you access to a wealth of different features, including device tracking, automatic backups, and factory reset protection. Make sure that you memorize your Google account password.

It’s a smart idea to use 2-step Verification with your Google account. It allows you to link your phone to your Google account securely. If you enable it, then you’ll be prompted to sign in as normal, but you’ll also be sent a code via text, which you can then enter to verify your phone.

Once registered, you’ll go back to just having to enter your password as usual. But if anyone else manages to get your Google account password, they won’t be able to sign in on a new device because they won’t have access to the code – and you’ll get an alert about any sign in attempts.

Android Device Manager

There are a few different ways to track a cell phone, but if you signed into your Google account on your Android smartphone, then it will be tracked automatically. You can visit Android Device Manager in a web browser on any device, and sign in to your Google account to see the last known location of your phone. If it’s connected to Wi-Fi or a mobile network, then the position should be current.

You can use Android Device Manager to ring your phone, lock it, or even erase all the data on it remotely. We do not recommend confronting a thief if you do find your phone this way — contact your local authorities instead.

Artificially bright clouds might save the Great Barrier Reef

Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is dying due to changes in ocean temperature, and conventional attempts to save it (such as improving water quality or limiting fishing) haven’t panned out. However, scientists might have an unusual approach that works: tweaking the clouds above the reef. They’re investigating the possibility of lowering the ocean temperature by artificially brightening clouds, increasing their ability to reflect heat away from the sea below. It’s not as far fetched a concept as it sounds.

Most likely, this would work by spraying salt particles that are just large and abundant enough to brighten low-level marine clouds that tend to hover around coastlines. The salt would promote droplet formation and lead to larger, denser clouds. The approach could scale up as needed, and it’s fairly eco-friendly — the biggest concern may be the ships you’d need to brighten clouds along the Great Barrier Reef, which runs for more than 1,400 miles.

Whether or not such a project goes ahead is still far from certain. The research team is starting climate modelling in May to determine whether or not brightening would make enough of a practical difference, and there’s no guarantee that it does. It’s not clear that there are enough of the right clouds in the area. And of course, any effort on this scale would require significant government support to stand a chance.

If the technique does work, though, it wouldn’t necessarily be limited to coral fields. The Summen Project, a university-backed study of how climate affects redwood trees, is exploring the possibility of using a similar artificial fog to give redwoods moisture and protect them against climate change. The techniques developed here could theoretically help in many situations where water vapor is key to protecting nature.

Source: Myer Foundation, MIT Technology Review

China proves its first resupply spacecraft can reach orbit

China’s space program just hit a milestone: according to Reuters, its first cargo probe has successfully proven that it can ferry supplies to orbit. Tianzhou-1 took off from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center in the mainland on April 20th. In the early hours of April 22nd, Eastern time, it performed an automated docking maneuver to attach itself to the country’s orbiting lab, the Tiangong-2. You can think of Tiangong 2 (or “Heavenly Space Lab”) as China’s experimental space station, which housed two astronauts for a month in October 2016. The country is using it to test new technologies for the larger manned space station that it hopes to establish in orbit by 2022.

Based on state media reports, China considers the event a huge accomplishment, since Chinese President Xi Jinping has decided to make its space program a priority to strengthen national security. It also provides an “important technological basis” for the construction of the country’s permanent orbiting lab. In its current form, it can reportedly fly autonomously for up to three months while carrying up to 6 tons of goods and 2 tons of cargo.

While Tianzhou-1’s success is a cause for celebration for China, some United States officials might see it as a cause for concern instead. In a 2015 annual report it prepared for Congress, the US Department of Defense claims China has been heavily investing in space capabilities “designed to limit or prevent the use of space-based assets by adversaries during a crisis or conflict, including the development of directed-energy weapons and satellite jammers.”

Source: Reuters

The EFF calls out Google for privacy issues in the EDU sector but the school districts need educated, too

Chromebooks for education is an excellent program, but it looks like the educators need a little more teaching when it comes to getting started.

The EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation) has renewed their charge against Google, Microsoft, and Apple for the way student privacy is handled in their respective educational markets. They say “Students and their families are backed into a corner.”

As students across the United States are handed school-issued laptops and signed up for educational cloud services, the way the educational system treats the privacy of students is undergoing profound changes—often without their parents’ notice or consent, and usually without a real choice to opt out of privacy-invading technology.

We should want the EFF to act as a watchdog when it comes to our privacy. Or our kids’ privacy.

This is a serious problem, and we should want the EFF to keep pushing and pushing until they can’t find anything to push. With about three-quarters of the education market, Google will certainly be looking out for its own bests interests as will Apple and Microsoft who still find the education sector a pretty lucrative peach. Online privacy for children — especially young children under the age of 13 — is a thing we should all care about and everyone needs to advocate.

The bigger problem is that the teachers and administrators running these programs on the local level aren’t informing students or their parents or even other teachers about the things they should know. And that something Google (and their industry rivals) needs to fix, too.

Teachers love Chromebooks. Students love Chromebooks. The people in the school districts who pay the bills love Chromebooks. But it takes more than love to manage a school system where students are working through the cloud. There needs to be better support and training because sometimes the people running the program and who have control aren’t sure how to use it.

We all had teachers we remember fondly. Mr. Aquisto taught me how to weld when I was 10 and I’ll never forget that. Or him. Teachers don’t make enough money to be doing what they do just to get rich and retire. They care about their students and want to prepare them for life as an adult. But most of them aren’t IT professionals or security researchers. The love of teaching isn’t going to be helpful when it comes to getting a student set up to use a Chromebook with their own Google account while being aware of the potential privacy issues.

Even the best science teacher can need help rolling out Chromebooks while minding student privacy.

Some of the bad practices the EFF points out are admins creating accounts and filling in the personal details for faculty and students without any advance notice, not allowing students or their parents finish the setup process themselves and read the privacy policy and terms of use, allowing children under 13 to get set up with a Google Account without parental consent, and not offering an alternative method of learning for children whose parents would opt-out if given the choice. We expect Google to try and collect data using every legal method available, but the idea that these sort of things are happening is worrisome. And avoidable.

Let’s be clear: None of these problems is Google’s fault. The Chromebook for Education platform is a very good thing that needs a group like the EFF to constantly police it so Google doesn’t go too far. Google offers support for the setup and administration of all the hardware and the admin software, and they aren’t obligated to do more. But they should want to.

The money spent to outfit a school district with Chromebooks may be less that it would be to use iPads or Surfaces, but it’s still a whole lot of money. It needs to come with a real live human being to train faculty members during the initial rollout and a way to contact them in person while the schools are participating. Something needs to change so teachers and school administrators aren’t following very bad procedures because they don’t know any better.

Google doesn’t have to offer more or better training for their EDU partners, but they should want to.

Using Chromebooks in a properly supervised education environment is a great way to prepare children of all ages for the future. The program needs to expand until every child in every school has access to the technology they need to learn as much as they can. But not at the expense of their privacy, and certainly not because the undertrained staff isn’t sure how to guard that privacy. I think part of “Don’t Be Evil” is educating your customers about the best ways to deploy and use the equipment they are buying.

Britain has its first day of coal-free power in 135 years

Coal power has been a fixture of British culture ever since the country’s first plant went live in 1882. It shaped the Industrial Revolution (and the air pollution that followed), was involved in major labor disputes and even led to a famous album cover. However, the country is now backing away from coal — and it just achieved an important milestone in weaning itself off of this dirty energy source. The National Grid has confirmed that, on April 21st, Britain went without coal-generated power for its first full day in 135 years. There had been relatively long stretches in recent times (19 hours in May 2016, for instance), but none as long as this.

As you might guess, the achievement comes down to an increasingly diverse range of energy options. Observers at Gridwatch estimate that about half of British energy on the 21st came from natural gas, while the rest was divided between nuclear, renewable and imported energy sources. It wouldn’t be accurate to say that Britain went green for 24 hours, then, but there was enough eco-friendly energy that coal wasn’t as necessary as it might have been in the past.

You can expect more of this in the future. The UK expects to shut down the last of its remaining coal power plants no later than 2025, and that means longer and longer stretches where coal is absent. Still, the celebration around this achievement sits in stark contrast to the US, where the current government is determined to prop up coal in spite of economic and environmental realities.

Via: The Guardian, BBC

Source: National Grid (Twitter)

Verizon’s Galaxy S8 won’t help you shop on Amazon

Samsung already gave a heads-up that Bixby wouldn’t be complete when the Galaxy S8 launched, but Verizon customers will have to make do with less than most… for a while, anyway. The American carrier has confirmed to CNET that its version of the S8 doesn’t currently let you use Bixby Vision to find products on Amazon just by pointing your camera. You can find images of that book you’re looking for, but you can’t shop for it. A Verizon spokesperson didn’t explain why the feature wasn’t available right away (Amazon and Samsung didn’t say either), but did promise that the network was “working with Amazon” to provide it in the future.

If you can’t wait, Amazon’s own app provides similar functionality — it’s just not baked into the camera app.

This probably won’t be a deal breaker for Verizon’s S8 buyers as a result. However, the omission is bound to leave people scratching their heads. Why leave out a feature that virtually everyone else has when there shouldn’t be any technical barriers to including it? It’s likely to just be a temporary loss, but it underscores the headaches that frequently come with carrier-specific phone variants — you may not know if you’re getting the best possible device until you already have something in your hands.

Source: CNET

Worried about your online privacy? Here are the best VPN services

Congress’ decision to repeal internet protections has many Americans worrying about their digital privacy. A Virtual Private Network — or VPN for short — allows you to safely send information when using public networks via a group of networked computers and faraway servers.

VPNs have seen hectic growth in the past years, as many competitors have entered the market, and VPN services have begun to converge with general privacy and unblocking services. That’s good news for you, because it means you get more features at lower prices. That being said, signing up for free VPN services — especially those dedicated to mobile apps — can be risky business. Know that all “free” services are making money off of you somehow, whether it be from advertisements or something less innocuous. In any case, let’s take a look at the best! Here are our favorite VPN services.

Norton Wi-Fi Privacy ($5 to $10 monthly or $50 to $100 annually)

Norton is a notable mainstay among antivirus software, but the California-based company does more than just protect your machine from potential malware — it also offers a robust “bank-level” security option for your mobile devices when using public networks. This includes ad tracking removal, tech support, international support, and a money-back guarantee. Note that downloads are free, but you’ll have to pay for the service itself.

The Wi-Fi Privacy service is available for most Windows and Mac computers, as well as for mobile Android and iOS devices. If you want to subscribe, pricing is based upon the number of devices you need protected; one device will run you $5 monthly or $50 annually, while ten devices costs twice that. Alternatively, you can bundle the service with Norton Security, which protects your computers and devices from viruses and safeguards your online transactions. Depending upon the package, the bundle costs between $70 and $100 per year.

Download now for:

iOS  Android

Private Internet Access ($7 a month, or $40 annually)

If the happy family on the homepage isn’t enough to convince you, maybe the fact that it’s one of the most reliable VPN services on the market is. It does everything you could want from a good VPN. hides your IP address, protects your information, and scrambles your browsing activity using a variety of encryption methods.

Moreover, you don’t have to download anything given the software will automatically start when you register — meaning you can quickly set up protection without taking up space on your hard drive — and the service is available on nearly every mobile device and desktop platform at your disposal.

The program creates a tunnel that filters your information and browsing history through an encrypted space, thus scrambling everything and making you anonymous. The service is also incredibly quick, regardless if you’re connecting to a server overseas or within your region, and the customer support and technical assistance is nigh unparalleled in the field.

Download now for:

iOS  Android

TorGuard ($10 a month)

With a name like TorGuard, the software better offer strong protection — or at least some sort generic floor cleaning. The software’s hallmarks lie in its ability to connect to a melange of services for different activities, with four different packages available based on various needs. The VPN service will run you $10 each month, but there’s a cheaper proxy service if you don’t need VPN-level privacy.

Like most VPN services, the program will prevent websites from viewing your personal IP address, thus preventing others from identifying you or your geographic location. From offshore email to unlimited server switching between 1,600 servers across the globe, TorGuard offers some pretty impressive scaling. Skilled geeks and professionals alike should take a look at the service, along with the discount bundles that come packaged with hardware.

Download now for:

iOS Android

VyprVPN ($7 to $9 a month, or $60 to $80 annually)

VyprVPN offers a full-service solution that’s divided into Pro and Premier packages. The company’s Chameleon technology utilizes an unmodified, open VPN protocol to scramble your metadata, preventing VPN blocking and unwanted throttling known to slow your streaming speeds when using popular services like Netflix.

Developer Golden Frog even owns and manages the VPN servers, instead of having another third-party company host its severs, ensuring reliable speeds and quick maintenance should a server go down.

You can have up to five simultaneous connections with VyprVPN, so it’s suitable for both families and small businesses. There are no price hikes based on data usage, and nearly every platform is supported, including routers, Blackberry devices, TVs, and Linux hardware. The service has been expanded in recent years, and now boasts more than 700 servers across 70 locations in six continents. There’s even a 3-day free trial so you can decide if Vypr works for you.

Download now for:

iOS Android

NordVPN ($6 to $8 a month)

With double, 2048-bit SSL encryption, it’s easy to see that NordVPN values your privacy. But the company has also worked hard to build up its server network to include 561 server locations in 49 countries around the world. The service also comes with a variety of security tools for encrypted chat and proxy extensions, and you can use up to six devices simultaneously, which is higher than many companies are willing to go.

The theme running throughout this service is personal security. From protected DNS queries to automatic kill switches, NordVPN wants you to know that your information won’t fall into the wrong hands. It makes sense, then, that the company also accepts Bitcoin for payments. However, compatibility may be a bit of an issue — iOS and Android compatibility are in the works but not yet available.

Download now for:

iOS Android

ExpressVPN ($13 a month, or $100 annually)

ExpressVPN’s “Fastest VPN on Earth” claim may be a bit difficult to prove, but the service offers a compelling list of features nonetheless. It also constantly tries to make consistent improvements in speed and simultaneous streaming capabilities, and with support for all major platforms (Windows, Mac OS X, Android, etc.), you won’t need to worry about compatibility. ExpressVPN topped BestVPN.com’s most recent list, so its relatively high prices are justified.

With a presence in 145 locations across 94 countries, you also won’t need to worry about international travel. There aren’t thousands of servers, but the existing servers are all well placed throughout common travel destinations and urban centers. Any package will land you unlimited bandwidth and speed, a guaranteed 99.9-percent uptime, 24-hour customer service, and simultaneous connections for up to three devices. With so many guaranteed features, it’s no wonder this vendor is considered among the best.

Download now for:

iOS Android

SafetyIP ($10 a month, or $90 annually)

SafetyIP is one of the more expensive VPN services on the market, sure, but that doesn’t mean you should write it off. The service offers connections from a wide variety of protocols — SSH tunnels, PPTP, OpenVPN, etc. — along with servers in more than 40 countries. The current package also allows for up to three simultaneous connections and unlimited data transfer, and because the service uses obfuscated servers, they cannot be detected and blocked as a traditional VPN connection.

SafetyIP doesn’t seem to take any shortcuts when it comes to customer support, either. The service comes paired with 24/7 support, meaning you can get in touch with a knowledgeable staffer any time you need. Moreover, the software comes with a so-called “kill switch,” which automatically disconnects you from the internet if the VPN should ever disconnect. Additional facets, namely the mobile support and the software’s ability to bypass restrictions on video conferencing, just add to the list of hallmarks.

Download now for:

Windows MacOS

Windscribe (free, $9 a month, or $90 annually)

If you’re looking to ‘try before you buy’ — that is, sign up for a free VPN before committing money to it — Windscribe is one of the best options out there, offering 10GB/month bandwidth and access to eight servers for free. You’ll be limited to just one device unless you pony up some cash, but for most people that’ll be just fine. The paid “pro” subscription allows access to all 45 servers, and unlimited devices; as long as you’re not looking for blazing fast speeds, it’s a great choice for families to protect everyone’s privacy at once.

Windscribe offers a very thorough privacy policy, promising not to log connection data or IP addresses, and session data automatically expires after three minutes. The desktop app is simple to use and non-intrusive, while the browser extension acts as a sort of de facto ad blocker, which can improve browsing speeds. The mobile app is similarly easy to use, and looks great. Windscribe isn’t the VPN for techie-types; it simply isn’t fast enough. If you’re more concerned about safety and security, though — as well you should be — it’s an excellent option to consider.

Download now for:

iOS

Is your daily commute a drag? Here are some of the best car apps for iPhone

In the age of connected things, the car is no exception. With cars like the Tesla — which allow drivers to download updates to their vehicle as if they were updating their smartphone — to services like Apple’s CarPlay, those of you who love technology are certainly getting your fill of dashboard gadgetry. We realize that not all of you own a car that is compatible with these services, so we have put together a list of the top ten car apps for your iPhone to make your daily commute a lot more tolerable. We have iPhone car apps to help you navigate, entertain you, and keep your car running, so let’s hit the road.

Waze

With accident and real-time traffic condition reports, Waze is a must-have when it comes to navigation. What makes Waze so neat is that you can use it to send your location and estimated time of arrival to friends or colleagues with a simple tap. The app also has a sense of community, as you are encouraged to contribute and get other people’s reports on traffic conditions. In addition to having great up-to-date maps for navigation, you can use Waze to find the nearest gas stations and information on places of interest and businesses.

Download now for:

iOS

Open Road

Here’s an app that takes navigation to the next level. It aims to be the go-to app in your car by offering one-tap calling and music, in addition to navigation. Open Road costs $2 to purchase and it doesn’t have an ad-supported version that you can try. The good news is that you will get all the premium features for that up-front price. What makes this iPhone car app different is that it tries to be comprehensive, so you can use it while driving with one-tap shortcuts to your favorite contacts and playlists. This app is compatible with Spotify, and it even has its own Find My Car feature.

Download now for:

iOS

My Mechanic

We’ve all had car trouble, and My Mechanic lets you keep track of your vehicle’s health and diagnose issues. This app will even work with an OBD-II telematics device to diagnose your car, and then help you find a good mechanic in your area. You have the option to purchase the Mechanic Advisor Connection Key from mechanicadvisor.com that will connect to your car, and through this app, you will be able to see exactly what issues your car has. This app is a great tool to help you keep your car in good health, and put you in touch with the best mechanics nearby.

Download now for:

iOS

DashCam

If you don’t already have a camera on your dash, then the DashCam app may save you from insurance fraud or bad traffic tickets, or provide the right information to the police in case of an accident. The app will also record helpful information like your route and your average speed, and it stores the video locally within the application. You can also share a video on YouTube, send it through email, or play it back through an AirPlay enabled device. This app supports both landscape and portrait mode.

Download now for:

iOS

GasBuddy

With over 60 million users, GasBuddy will help you find the cheapest gas anywhere you are. If you’re on the road, you can use GasBuddy to find a gas station by price, but also by distance if you’re almost running on empty. The app encourages you to participate and report on prices. You can even enter the daily competition to win $100 in free gas. This app is compatible with iMessage and the Apple Watch.

Download now for:

iOS

Audiobooks.com

If you’re planning a long drive, or just like to listen to audiobooks on your way to work, then you may want to take a look at Audiobooks.com. You can download the audiobook straight to your iPhone without having to sync it with your computer, or you can just choose to stream it over Wi-Fi or through your data connection. The app also has a selection of featured samples that you can listen to and a huge library of over six thousand free books. As a nice bonus, this app is also fully compatible with your Apple Watch and CarPlay.

Download now for:

iOS

NPR One

Here’s an app — that’s very easy to use — for listening to shows and podcasts from NPR and local public radio. You’ll have access to the shows that you already follow, and the app will also let you listen to any news that you missed with its Catch Up section. The more you use the NPR app, the more the app will learn what you like and bring you the stories that matter most to you. From news to podcasts, NPR One has something for everyone. This app is also fully compatible with the Apple Watch and CarPlay.

Download now for:

iOS

MLB.com At Bat

If you like baseball, you’re probably already familiar with this app. MLB.com At Bat has everything you need to know about baseball. One of the standout features of the app on iPhone is the ability to watch videos. You won’t be able to watch videos while driving, but you can listen to any games available through the radio feature. You’ll have access to stats, breaking news, schedules and more. Subscription prices are $3 per month or $20 per year, and you need to subscribe to access the radio feature. This app is also compatible with the Apple Watch and CarPlay.

Download now for:

iOS

Spotify

When it comes to music, Spotify is one of the most popular music streaming services. If you don’t use Apple Music, then you should check out what Spotify has to offer. When you open the app in your car, you’ll have three sections on top to access your library, browse, and radio. You can listen for free with ads, or if you want to get rid of all ads, you can opt for Spotify Premium. The premium service costs $10 per month, $5 per month for students, or $15 per month for a family package which includes you and up to six other people. This app is also compatible with CarPlay.

Download now for:

iOS

Pandora

Pandora’s app is as simple as they come. You just open the app, choose the station, and it will start playing your music. The idea of this app is that it will evolve with you and your listening tastes. Because Pandora learns from you, it will keep playing music you enjoy without needing input from you while you drive. An app that you can just set and forget is ideal while behind the wheel. If you want the experience to be free of ads, you can subscribe to Pandora Plus which costs $5 per month. For even more features — like downloading songs to listen offline and higher quality audio — you can subscribe to Pandora Premium for $13 per month. This app is also compatible with CarPlay.

Download now for:

iOS

Pain in the wrists? Type in comfort with these excellent ergonomic keyboards

Office work may not require the endurance needed for, say, a construction worker or a warrior monk, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy on your body. Sitting for hours on end and staring at an LED screen can be do a number on your body, to say nothing of the dangers posed by that most innocuous office device: The keyboard. Many people find that their hands and wrists hurt after extensive typing, as typical keyboards tend to force users to bend their wrists. Thankfully, ergonomic keyboards are available, which offer soft arm rests and convenient button placement. While the jury is out on whether or not ergonomic keyboards actually preserve users’ wrists, many people find them more comfortable. If you are interested in an ergonomic keyboard, here are some of the best on the market.

Microsoft Sculpt Ergo

While the Microsoft Sculpt may not be the fanciest keyboard around, it is easy on the arms, with a curved, cushioned palm rest to support the user’s wrists while they type. The keyboard is angled to keep wrists in a neutral position, and the keys are arranged in curves, emulating the curvature of human fingers. The Sculpt Ergo lacks customization options, but is a straightforward, reliable option. It’s also inexpensive.

Buy it now from:

Microsoft Amazon

Logitech K350

If you want a keyboard with a few more bells and whistles, the Logitech K350 may be the right choice. This keyboard is wireless, so it’s a convenient tool for those who may move around the office throughout the day. The cushioned palm rest and wavy keys are gentle on hands, and solid construction ensures that the keyboard will survive frequent travel. The K350 runs on AA batteries, and can run for a long time before you need to swap them out. If you like your keyboard to have designated keys for special functions, the K350 also offers those.

Buy it now from:

Logitech Amazon

Kinesis Freestyle 2

Some people may find the design of some ergonomic keyboards doesn’t go far enough. For those who need even more comfort, the Kinesis Freestyle 2 –available for both Mac and Windows users — offers a fully split design, allowing users to position their hands as they see fit. The Freestyle 2 is wireless (well, except for the cord that connects the halves), operates over Bluetooth, and can pair with Android or iOS devices. Although it doesn’t have the nicest keys, the freedom to adjust the two halves is a nice (and unique) feature.

Buy it now from:

Kinesis Amazon

Adesso Tru-Form 150

People who do a lot of work in the dark naturally need a backlit keyboard. While some people find colorful keys to be gaudy, those who want to type the rainbow will feel right at home using the Adesso Tru-Form 150, which allows users to customize the keyboard with green, red, or blue lights, and adjust the brightness. The keyboard lacks a cushioned palm rest, but it is curved, at least, keeping wrists in a neutral position. The Tru-Form also possesses special function keys for adjusting volume and such. It’s not the most comfortable keyboard, but for those who must have lights, it should suffice.

Buy it now from:

Adesso Amazon

Matias Ergo Pro

While some people despise the loud clicking of mechanical keyboards, those who love it — and the thrilling shock of a key pressing against the switch beneath — may be unable to go back to standard keyboards. If you need a keyboard that is both mechanical and ergonomic, the Matias Ergo Pro offers everything you desire. Like the Freestyle2, the Matias is a fully split keyboard, so you can maneuver the two halves into whatever positions feel most comfortable. This keyboard also sports a cushioned palm rest for maximum comfort. At nearly $200, the Ergo Pro is not the cheapest option, but its virtues are many.

Buy it now from:

Matias Amazon

Don’t judge this yacht by its exterior — the inside rivals a luxury home

Why it matters to you

You could round up ten friends for a life-changing charter experience on the Ocean Emerald.

Some people think the Ocean Emerald looks like a floating hospital. Others are drawn to the industrial exterior and luxurious but livable interior spaces on the 41 meter (135 foot) superyacht,  according to Boat International.

The Ocean Emerald was built in Italy in 2009 by Rodriquez Yachts, a company since acquired by International SPA. The exterior and interior were designed by London-based architect Lord Norman Foster of Foster and Partners. The yacht’s 28-foot beam affords an owner’s suite that extends from side to side. The suite has a centerline king-size bed, a 60-inch television, ocean-view sofas, en-suite bathroom, and two private terraces. There are four additional staterooms for up to 10 guests plus quarters for the crew of eight, which includes the owner.

The Ocean Emerald is based in Thailand and is one of only a few superyachts available for charter. The owner, Nigel Plaskett, was a successful British manufacturer who sold his company three years ago. Plaskett has a home in Thailand but has his office on the yacht and always stays on board when the Ocean Emerald is chartered, usually 8 to 12 weeks a year.

Two 1,400 horsepower diesel engines have a range of up to 2,800 nautical miles with 6,868 gallons of fuel at a 14-knot cruising speed. Maximum speed is 18 knots, so if you want to water ski or wakeboard, you’ll have to be pulled by one of several watercraft stored in the garage.

Toys abound on the Ocean Emerald. A side-loading garage opens to store a 49-foot tender, two jet skis, and an 18-foot 4-passenger jet boat. No one will be left out if they are seeking fun in, on, or by the water because the yacht is also equipped with kayaks, a paddle board, towable inflatables, water skis, a wakeboard, four full sets of diving equipment, 12 sets of snorkeling gear, and fishing equipment.

Amenities on board include air Conditioning, Wi-Fi, a deck Jacuzzi, exercise equipment, and stabilizers for passenger comfort at anchor and underway.

Ocean Emerald is available for charter for $94,000 a week plus expenses. If you’re interested in renting, be sure to check with the broker handling the charter to learn exactly what “plus expenses” means, as it can vary widely in different parts of the world and with the type of charter contract offered. If, for example, “all expenses” includes all food, fuel, and anything else used during the charter, the total can easily add up to 25 to 50 percent of the base charter fee. In other cases, three meals and fuel for 3 to 4 hours of cruising a day are included in the base fee.