The New 3D Printing Technique That Will Revolutionize Tech

Imagine 3D printed, wearable devices that soldiers can print and use in combat. Or health monitoring devices that sense your pulse, blood pressure, or temperature are closer to reality? A new achievement by a University of Minnesota team of scientists is on the verge of making both happen. This new 3D printing technique could revolutionize the tech industry, making wearable printables the next big thing.

Challenges of 3D Printing on Human Skin

Conventional 3D printers use molten plastic in the printing process. This type of material is super-hot and too rigid for use on curved surfaces. The University of Minnesota’s original concept uses materials that set at room temperature. They’re also safe for direct application onto human skin, although the team hasn’t attempted it yet.

This printer creates flexible sensors using layers of a custom material that functions much like ink. This is different from typical 3D printers, which use liquid plastic deposited on a flat surface.

Revolutionizing 3D Printing Tech

If this 3D printing technique catches on, the future of tech may lie in wearable chips for a range of uses. Consider a printable sensor that can detect if toxic chemicals are present. Even a wearable alert that tells a child when he or she is near a deadly allergen. For the military, this advancement is huge, because it could mean on-the-spot printable devices to ensure the safety of troops concerned about chemical warfare.

Similar advancements in the medical field include a 3D printer pen for inserting new cartilage into patients. Another example of flexible, temperature controlled 3D printing used in a revolutionary way. Emerging 3D printer concepts promise chemical-responsive bio-inks (developed by researchers at the University of California), 3D printed tattoos and smart device touch-tats that interface with your tech.

The Future of 3D Printing

As 3D printing becomes cheaper and more mainstream, it’s hard to imagine the advances that are yet to come, but all signs point to endless practical and entertainment uses. Sure, building a 3D model of the Eiffel Tower is great. But remotely diagnosing health conditions and preventing allergic reactions are tremendous technological advancements.

New 3D printing techniques and adapted printing materials are changing fast. Luckily, there’s no shortage of brilliant minds to keep pushing forward. We’ve already seen 3D printed artificial limbs, entire houses, and handy household gadgets. It’s anyone’s guess where it will take us to next!

App Highlight: Airport Guy Airport Manager

The App

Developed by Rottz Games, Airport Guy Airport Manager is a new app with only around 100,000 installs. Having been updated on April 8, the developer is constantly fixing various bugs. Airport Guy Airport Manager is a game where your mind will be put to the challenge to manage an airport.

What it does

You’ll be put in charge of an airport responsible for building new terminals and runways in order to land multiple incoming aircraft. Get them refueled, refilled with passengers and send it on its way. Sounds easy right? Multiple runways and terminals means you’ll need to keep on your toes to avoid any collisions.

Expanding your airport will see new buildings and research capabilities to make your airport more streamlined and increased traffic flow. There are two game modes: sandbox where you have unlimited lives no matter how many collisions occur, or hardcore where you only have 5 lives.

• Build: Build Air Traffic Control Towers to increase the airflow and unlock VIP airplanes.
• Research: Use the research lab to improve your airport and unlock airplanes.
• Fires: Build fire stations to put down fires during emergency landings.
• Collisions: Avoid collision between airplanes, and land them before they run out of fuel!
• Vultures: Kill vultures to keep the airspace safe and make an extra cash.
• Visit: Visit airports from other players, and share your airport design to the world.

Why we like it

It’s no secret that I love simulation games that require you to think on your feet. This is a perfect title to have stored on your device for when you have time to kill. It is incredibly challenging on its easiest setting so there is certainly scope as far as longevity of keeping you interested in the game.

How to get it

Airport Guy Airport Manager is available for free from the Google Play Store. You can download it right here.

V-MODA Crossfade 2 Wireless Headphones review

V-MODA, a brand who specializes in high-quality headphones and audio equipment, recently launched its first Bluetooth speaker in the REMIX (read our review). But, that’s not the only thing that V-MODA is releasing this spring. Indeed, it’s back with a new set of Bluetooth headphones in the form of the Crossfade 2.

What’s in the box?

• Crossfade 2 Wireless
• Exoskeleton carry case and 2 V-PORT Vents
• Carabiner clip
• Reinforced 1-Button SpeakEasy™ Microphone cable
• Elegant V-Micro USB Cable
• Gold plated 1/4″ Pro Adapter
• V-MODA sticker

Design

As we’ve seen time and time again, V-MODA knows how to craft a solid product. The same can be said here as the Crossfade 2 Wireless is built with premium materials that are both lightweight yet sturdy.

From the moment you take them out of the box you know you’re not getting a cheaply designed set of cans. In fact, the attention to detail starts at the box and its thicker cardboard with hints of fabric and leather. Interestingly enough, you have to cut a small section of ribbon to get into the box.

The Crossfade 2 Wireless features a soft padded headband; the ear cups have a memory foam wrapped in a soft (“durable vegan”) leather padding. These are over-the-ear headphones but they don’t come across as being too big. We found them to fit comfortably enough and just big enough to cover the ear.

V-MODA, as it is often wont to do, sticks with the industrial design and uses its fair share of visible metal and screws. The headphones look all at once very modern but also somewhat foreign. There’s plenty of the Milano studio and its Italian influence present but it’s balanced very well.

The left ear cup houses a microUSB port for charging, which we found somewhat odd. Given it was already turning to USB Type-C for the REMIX speaker, we figured V-MODA would opt for it in the Bluetooth headphones.

These are the type of headphones that you will want to hold onto for multiple years. Take care of them and you’ll have them at least five years. At that point, microUSB will no longer be near the standard it is today. Minor quibble? Sure, but it could be more of a nuisance or inconvenience down the road.

Over on the right ear cup, we locate the power and Bluetooth button, playback controls, the 3.5mm input, and microphone.

The headphones, while very comfortable to wear, can get a little sweaty after extended listening. We had these on when mowing the yard with a riding mower and using a weed trimmer and ended up needing to take them off a time or two. This was in late April and early May so we can only imagine things could get warmer in the heat of the summer. Summarily, we could not envision wearing these for workouts or in an active manner.

Generally speaking, we found the headphones to fit snugly without being too tight. Listening around the house and office was pleasurable, even for longer periods. We would have liked having full rotation on the ear cups but it’s not a deal-breaker.

Sometimes we like to put one cup up to our ear. DJ’s, for instance, need this in their headphones and will have to look elsewhere. The Crossfade 2’s, however, do fold up nicely and tuck away in the carrying case, a welcome difference from its predecessor.

As is the case with other products in the V-MODA portfolio, you can customize the headphones with 3D printed covers and materials.

Materials for 3D printed shields

• Fiber – 9 colors available
• Steel – Matte Black, Stainless Steel, Polished Gold, Polished Bronze, Matte Bronze
• Raw and Gold Plated Metals – Raw brass, Raw bronze, 14k Rose gold plated brass, 14k gold plated brass and Rhodium plated brass
• Precious Metals – Sterling Silver, 14k Solid Gold, 14k Solid Rose Gold and Platinum

Connection, Setup, and Controls

Connecting and pairing the headphones to a phone is as simple as powering them on and holding the button down for a moment. They’ll immediately seek for a device to connect with and you’re seconds away from listening to music.

As far as connection goes, the Crossfade 2’s didn’t stutter or start to disconnect until we tested for it. In other words, we had to put our phone down and walk away from it to figure out what sort of distance we could expect. Indeed, you’ll get about 30 feet from the source, which is par for the course.

When it comes to playback controls, you’ll use the right ear cup and its three buttons. One is your general multi-function while the other two are used for volume. Tap once and you can pause/resume playback; tap twice for skipping to the next track; tap three times to go back one track. A long press of the button will access Google Now (or Siri) for voice commands. We liked the response to the buttons as they definitely provide enough tactile feedback to know they’re pressed.

Battery Life

The V-MODA Crossfade 2 Wireless headphones include a 430mAh battery which claims to provide up to 14 hours of playback. This might be the case, but we typically found ourselves charging up every 2-3 listens just to be safe. In essence, this would amount to at least ten hours between charging with us getting upwards of 12 hours a few times. Could you squeeze more out? Probably, but that will depend on your preferred volume level.

Sound

We tested a black pair of the Crossfade 2’s. Why does this matter? If you opt for the Rose Gold version of the headphones, you’ll get aptX support (HD audio) over Bluetooth. Nevertheless, the standard models are certified Wi-Res Audio in wired mode, and deliver “super-human” frequencies beyond 40kHz.

For those of you who like bass in their music, these are your cup of tea. Lows are very solid with a tight sound across various genres. In fact, some of you may find that bass somehow overshadows mid-range stuff like vocals and guitar. It’s not terrible, but there were occasional instances where we might have liked more clarity and space. We’ve certainly heard much, much worse and in headphones that aren’t all that much less expensive.

Highs came across very clear with a nice, balanced feel. You’ll pick up a lot of detail in your music, regardless of genre. Spoken word (audiobooks, podcasts, etc) is crisp and offers a good degree of pop to it.

When using the headphones for phone calls, the Crossfade 2’s performed as expected. Callers could hear us without difficulty — we didn’t have any complaints from people on the other end. The same goes for what we could hear in that it was loud and clear with only the rare instance of oddball noises or feedback.

Conclusion

Taken as a whole, we really like the V-MODA Crossfade 2 wireless headphones. They’re built with excellent hardware, are comfortable to wear for longer periods, and offer up solid sound.

Battery life is good enough to get us through a few days of listening without charging, which all we really need at the outset of a standard work week. If you’re more active and want to wear them for workouts or extracurricular stuff, you’ll need to keep a charger close by. Fortunately, the carrying case houses the headphones and the 3.5mm cord as well as the USB charging cable.

You might find the bass a little stronger than what you’re used to, especially if you’ve only owned cheap (lesser quality) headphones in the past. They’re certainly no worse than previous V-MODA models; a lot of listeners tend to appreciate that sound, anyhow.

If there’s a reason to pause when considering the Crossfade 2’s, it is going to be the cost. Not many people want to spend that much money on a pair of headphones. But, those who have before, or want to invest in something quality, the $330 price tag isn’t bad at all. Treat these nicely and we bet they’ll outlast most competitors. Factor in that you also get free engraving and customization with either 3D printed fiber or laser engraved aluminum and it becomes even more of a value.

App Highlight: Cookie Jam Blast

The App

Developed by Jam City, Inc, who is tagged as a top developer, Cookie Jam Blast is an established app with well over 1,000,000 installs. Having been updated on May 23, 2017, the developer is constantly fixing various bugs with the latest update seeing 20 new levels. Cookie Jam Blast is a bakery adventure where you can create new recipes across a number of challenges and game modes to earn rewards.

What it does

From the makers of Cookie Jam, the game has a number of challenges and game modes that require you to match colored treats to earn points. With over 200 levels the challenge inevitably gets harder where you rely on getting multiple matches to get boosters and help you clear the board. A number of excellent bakery themes islands await where if you’re lucky you’ll collect limited edition airships.

Features:
– Brand new game modes! Hundreds of new puzzles!
– Match 4 to create a Jelly Bee! Use it to shake up your board!
– Reveal the Yumsicle! Swap macarons to uncover hidden treats!
– Oh la la! Make matches to move the cupcake towards it’s box! Get it out for delivery!
– C’est Magnifique! Break the Waffles before you’re out of moves!
– Quick, get the Topplers! Make matches next to a Toppler before they move! Capture them all to win!
– Jam through levels and earn 20 stars to open a special prize!
– Spin the wheel to earn daily rewards!
– Connect with Facebook to sync your progress and share lives with your friends!

Why we like it

Anyone that is familiar with Candy Crush will appreciate Cookie Jam Blast. It takes the popular concept of matching multiple items to clear a board and gradually becomes more challenging as you progress. The themeing is a nice added touch and round off this well designed title. It’s definitely one to have a go. My concern is the longevity of the app as to keep it current and feel this one map slip off the radar after a few plays.

How to get it

Cookie Jam Blast is available for free from the Google Play Store. You can download it right here.

T-Mobile slashes the iPhone 7 by $100, offers family plan for $35 per line

Why it matters to you

T-Mobile’s summer promotion may be the cheapest way to get a 256GB iPhone 7.

If a cell plan with a decent amount of data, flexible terms, and a killer smartphone sounds appealing, here’s some good news: T-Mobile has your back. The self-coined Un-carrier’s new summer promotion slashes the price of Apple’s iPhone 7 — and lets new customers pick up a second handset at no extra charge.

Starting June 2, T-Mobile will begin selling the 256GB iPhone 7 for $700 — $100 off, or the same price as the 128GB iPhone 7. And subscribers who opt to pay with T-Mobile’s no-interest Equipment Installment Plan get an even sweeter deal: A free iPhone SE in the form of a $400 rebate.

T-Mobile’s offering cheap accessories alongside cheaper phones. This summer, it is discounting the price of all Mophie Juice battery cases and screen protectors (if you buy two or more). And ahead of Father’s Day, the carrier is knocking 30 percent off the price of screen protectors, anti-fingerprint phone cases, wall chargers, and more.

To coincide with the phone deals, T-Mobile is offering a limited-time break on rate plans. This summer, new and existing customers can sign up for a 4-line unlimited text, talk, and 4G LTE data plan for $35 each (including taxes and fees) after bill credits and with AutoPay enabled. Alternatively, they can reserve Alcatel Linkzone, a 4G LTE hot spot which supports up to 15 devices simultaneously, for $48 (normally $72).

The new promotions, discounts, and sales follow T-Mobile’s “Thankiversary.” In June, the Magenta carrier launched an event celebrating the one-year anniversary of T-Mobile Tuesdays, a weekly promotion that gifts customers free movie tickets, ridesharing credits, takeout pizza, and more. It launched a Twitter contest — The T-Mobile “Thankathon” — that let tens eligible T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T customers bid for “tens of millions of dollars” in prizes, including Lyft tickets, Baskin-Robbins ice cream, gas for a year, a $2,000 StubHub gift card, and a trip for four to any event at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The freebies don’t stop there. On June 6, existing T-Mobile subscribers get a free T-Mobile trucker hat, 25 cents per gallon off Shell gas, and two free movie or game rentals from Redbox. And this summer, they will get four movie tickets for $4, free Baskin-Robbins ice cream up to $4 in value, and a Baskin-Robbins sundae for $1 when they buy one at the regular price.

“Thanks to Un-carrier benefits like T-Mobile Tuesdays, unlimited data with taxes and fees included and the nation’s fastest LTE network, T-Mobile now tops customer satisfaction scores and net promoter scores, and Un-carrier customers are more likely to recommend T-Mobile,” T-Mobile said.

After a long wait, we are finally able to purchase the Dojo for ourselves

Why it matters to you

Protecting your home from digital invaders is no small task, but luckily, the Dojo can help.

Updated on 06-01-2017: The Dojo is now available. 

In 2015, an HP study found that all the connected home security systems it tested had critical flaws — from encryption issues to a failure to require strong and complex passwords — that left them vulnerable to spying. In the wild west of the smart-home landscape, the responsibility of policing our devices rests on consumers’ shoulders, and most of us do not know where to begin.

Luckily, there is Dojo from Dojo-Labs (acquired by U.K. security company BullGuard last year), a two-device system that monitors all your connected equipment for cyber attacks. One part connects to your router; the other, which looks like a smooth, black rock, sits out in the open and flashes different colors based on what is happening on your network. Green means good, orange means something is happening but the system is taking care of it, and red means you need to intervene. The display unit is battery powered and connects via Bluetooth. “This pet rock can be located anywhere at home and give you in the blink of an eye the overall situation of your home security without giving you all the details,” CEO and co-founder Yossi Atias told Digital Trends.

But red is not necessarily a danger sign. It could just mean your mom is trying to access your living room camera, so she can see the cute trick your dog is performing. The Dojo knows the difference between “human behavior” and “device behavior,” Atias said. “Only the human behavior scenarios will give users the choice to decide how the day-to-day interactions with the device is going to look.” You will get an alert on your phone asking if you want to keep blocking the camera or if you want to allow access just this once or all the time. You decide how often Mom gets a view of your living room.

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There is a certain way your security camera should behave and things it should never do. The cloud-connected Dojo analyzes all your devices’ metadata to build profiles of how they communicate. It can then keep a lookout for deviations from these profiles, without you having to do anything, except occasionally grant permission to people you know who want to access your devices.

As Dojo-Labs’ machine learning, algorithms, and cyber team learn new threats, it can deliver updates through the cloud connection. There is also multiple layers of profiling, Atias said. Your Nest’s behavior is analyzed based on the fact that it is a thermostat, it is made by Nest, and it is a specific model. It is normal for the thermostat to connect to Google’s cloud. “If this device suddenly connects to a server in Russia, in China, that’s an additional layer of deviation from its expected behavior,” Atias said.

Atias said the Dojo can even tell if your camera has already been hacked and help fix the problem. “Every device is suspect until proven otherwise.”

After a couple years of finessing and testing, Dojo finally began shipping to customers in the U.S. It will set you back $199, which includes your first year of service. From then on out, you can choose to pay $99 every year for continual service, or pay $10 on a monthly basis. So if you are looking to safeguard your house in the digital arena, this may just be a good shield to have in your arsenal.

Asus rounds out lineup with curved Strix-branded gaming monitors

Why it matters to you

Asus wants to provide the very best for PC gamers with three choices to enhance their visual experience, including two curved solutions.

Asus recently teased three new Strix-branded desktop monitors supporting AMD’s FreeSync technology: the XG32V, the XG258, and the XG27V. Each panel focuses on a specific niche of the PC gaming market to provide solutions for the entire paying audience. All three will hit the market in the third quarter of 2017.

Right now, the three panels aren’t listed on the Republic of Gamers website, thus we have to rely on the company’s latest announcement that doesn’t provide a lot of detail. However, all three will have built-in Aura RGB lighting that’s compatible with Aura Sync, which will synchronize your lighting choices and effects across all supporting devices for a synchronized light show.

As for AMD FreeSync, this technology will synchronize the frame output of a supporting AMD-based graphics chip with the refresh rate of the display. This eliminates screen tearing, stuttering, and viewed input lag that comes when the graphics chip and display are rendering visuals at different rates.

For starters, the Strix XG32V is a curved display with a decent 1,800R curvature, meaning that if the display were to create a complete circle, its radius would be 1,800 millimeters. It’s a bit more “rounded” than a monitor with a 3,000R curvature, which are supposedly more expensive to make, hence the current market saturation of 1,800R solutions.

Note that this particular display sports an IPS panel. That’s short for In-Plane Switching, and promises deep, rich colors and wide viewing angles. This technology is seemingly becoming the standard, replacing the older Twisted Nematic (TN) panel technology that’s typically best suited for gaming due to a higher brightness level and response time (how quick a pixel can change from black to white).

Here’s what we know about this panel so far:

Screen size:
31.5 inches
Screen type:
IPS
Resolution:
2,560 x 1,440 @ 144Hz
Curvature:
1800R
Ports:
2x DisplayPort 1.2
1x HDMI 2.0
USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A ports (unknown count)

Meanwhile, the Strix XG27V is a smaller, 27-inch display with the same curvature. Asus stresses that it’s an “affordable” curved solution although there’s no indication if the display relies on IPS or TN panel technology. However, Asus indicated that this model supports its DisplayWidget software for Windows-based display management.

Here are the scarce details:

Screen size:
27 inches
Screen type:
Unknown
Resolution:
1,920 x 1,080 @ 144Hz
Curvature:
1,800R
Ports:
1x DisplayPort 1.2
1x HDMI 2.0
1x DVI

Finally, the Strix XG258 is the only display in the trio lacking a curve. However, it makes up for the curvy loss by offering a high 240Hz refresh rate, meaning it’s capable of rendering 240 frames per second. Typically, a 60-frames-per-second rate is the sweet spot for fluid visuals, and anything above that just makes what you see even more buttery-smooth.

Here’s what we know about this display so far:

Screen size:
24.5 inches
Screen type:
Unknown
Resolution:
1,920 x 1,080 @ 240Hz
Curvature:
None
Response time:
1ms
Ports:
2x DisplayPort 1.2
1x HDMI 2.0
1x HDMI 1.4

Again, these three desktop displays won’t arrive until the third quarter of 2017. We expect more hardware details and pricing as we get closer to the retail launch.

Scientists extract genetic data from a mummy — and don’t plan to clone it

Why it matters to you

Studying a mummy’s DNA will offer us new insights into ancient history and how people lived during those times.

Are we totally out of our minds or does a project involving the successful recovery and analysis of DNA belonging to ancient Egyptian mummies sound like the start of the most Michael Crichton novel that Michael Crichton never wrote? In fact, it’s the basis for a real project involving researchers from the University of Tuebingen and the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History in Jena.

“Our proof of principle study shows that it is possible to retrieve reliable genetic information from Egyptian mummies via refined methodologies, a task that was not possible previously despite many attempts,” Dr. Wolfgang Haak, group leader at the Max Planck Institute, told Digital Trends. “This is exciting because it opens the door for future studies that can look at the complex history of Egypt from a genetic perspective, and see how the genetic makeup has changed through time. From our limited sampling we can already see that ancient Egyptians from 2,000-3,000 years ago looked different genetically than modern day Egyptians, and resembled ancient Near Easteners from the Levant.”

Previous projects with similar goals have struggled due to the effects such as the high humidity levels of many tombs, along with the chemicals used in mummification, contributing to DNA degradation. However, the researchers in this latest study were able to use cutting-edge techniques to successfully gather sufficient DNA from extracted bone and teeth samples. As a result, they were able to analyze genetic material from 151 mummies, dating between 1388 B.C. and 426 A.D.

It’s a fascinating new way of doing history, and will no doubt throw up plenty more interesting discoveries for historians to discuss at length.

“Future studies will be able to assess how the Egyptian genetic makeup was formed throughout the millennia of complex history at the crossroads of continents, and as a strong player in eastern Mediterranean and North African affairs,” Haak continued. “It will be important to contrast these insights with historical accounts.”

There is no mention yet of using the DNA samples to bring the mummies back to life, nor of using them to populate a theme park that spares no expense. We can only guess those plans are still in development.

Patent hints that Essential’s vision for the future could extend to AR glasses

Why it matters to you

Essential could one day deliver a pair of AR-enabled glasses that look no different from the ones you already wear.

Essential has big plans for the future, and they don’t end with its recently revealed PH-1 smartphone, 360-degree camera, and Home smart speaker. Patents unearthed by Patently Apple show the startup’s phone plans in full, right down to the device’s magnetic pins that support modular components. They also reveal that Andy Rubin, hailed as the “Father of Android” and now CEO of Essential, could be itching to pick up where Google Glass left off.

The glasses shown in Essential’s patent look much more like conventional frames than the design Google ultimately ran with. The display is embedded into the lenses, alongside multiple cameras. One faces the user to track their eyes, and the other looks outward to identify objects in the environment. When the latter camera recognizes something it its view, the glasses can present augmented reality overlays relevant to the subject.

With augmented reality becoming the next great frontier for software developers and hardware producers alike, it’s not totally surprising to learn that Essential has an interest in the space. The company isn’t rushing to the market in its infancy, however. Patents are no guarantee of future retail products, and Rubin and company have even publicly admitted that their phone — which can currently be ordered ahead of  its release later in June — is not meant to equal Apple’s iPhone or Samsung’s Galaxy in terms of sales volume.

“We’ve gone after technologies and methods of manufacturing that aren’t designed to support 50 million devices,” Jason Keats, the company’s head of product architecture, told Wired in an interview. “We’re not for everybody. You know it’s going to be a little exclusive.”

So Essential is looking to expand slowly, and you likely won’t see its augmented reality plans bear fruit for some time. However, it’s also poised to expand in multiple directions. Those two little pins on the back of the PH-1 are there to further the phone’s capabilities in ways the company probably hasn’t even fully considered yet. Add that to the development of a Home hub meant to connect a network of disparate devices and Rubin’s creation of Playground, a startup accelerator firm, and it’s clear Essential’s vision doesn’t stop at what we learned this week.

Whether it will include these glasses is anyone’s guess.

4G explained: A guide to LTE, LTE-A, WiMax, HSPA+, and more

Update: Refreshed article for 2017 to reflect that 4G is now commonplace and 5G is on the way. 

The fourth generation of cellular technology, or 4G, has been around for some time now — in fact, we’re now hearing a lot about the initial stages of 5G. Despite that, however, 4G is likely to remain a major part of how you access the internet from your smartphone for the foreseeable future. Unfortunately, sometimes technologies like this — with their dozens of associated buzzwords — can be a little difficult to understand. Is it all a bunch of marketing nonsense or are these words you should know and understand? We’ve got the scoop in our official mobile broadband FAQ.

Read on to learn what 4G is, why you should want it, and what all this means for the future of wireless.

The basics of 4G

What is 4G?

Don’t let this surprisingly intuitive naming scheme spin you around: 4G simply means “fourth generation.” It’s the next step up in mobile internet speed from 3G, which is a term you started hearing in the early 2000s. When you browse the web in some rural areas and when 4G isn’t available, you’ll be on 3G. It uses the networks built by wireless carriers and transfers data over them at speeds up to 2 megabits per second (Mbps), making it possible to load a website and stream videos… just not very fast. That changed with 4G networks, which offer download speeds comparable to, if not faster than, the broadband internet you get on your laptop at home — all over the airwaves.

At launch, 4G networks offered speeds of around 1Mbps to 12Mbps, which was pretty fast for the time. Now, however, speeds are hitting closer to 100Mbps, while some 4G networks are even boasting speeds of a whopping 1Gbps, or 1,000Mbps. That’s probably a whole lot faster than even your home Wi-Fi network. If you want to know the speed of your Wi-Fi network, you can test it here.

Do I have a 4G-capable phone?

You most likely have a 4G-capable phone, if you bought it within the past 5 years or so. Even budget phones these days support 4G, and while they may not offer modems that reach massive 1Gbps speeds, they should still offer much faster speeds than anything you experienced on 3G or before that.

Does my wireless carrier offer 4G?

All four major carriers — AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile — offer super fast 4G speeds, but actual speeds vary widely both depending on the carrier and depending on your connection. On top of those four carriers, most smaller carriers offer 4G connections of their own, including MNVOs that piggyback on the networks of the “big four.” The big networks are also spending billions of dollars to both improve their 4G networks, and to begin offering 5G.

Check out our guides for the major four carriers’ family plans here.

What is the ITU?

The ITU, or International Telecommunications Union, is an agency of the United Nations that sets telecommunication standards for the world. The ITU coined the terms 3G and 4G and establishes which technologies meet the requirements to qualify for the labels. Initially, the ITU claimed that HSPA+ technology didn’t qualify as 4G, but reversed its decision in December 2010.