The biggest airplanes in the world

The biggest airplanes in the world are strange, beautiful monsters. They’re built for weird purposes, end up in odd jobs, and belong to a tight circle where each project is more impressive than the last. The result? A bunch of really awesome, giant airplanes for us to explore! From the newest entrant in 2017 to historical planes that still impress us today, here’s a quick rundown of the largest planes in the world, along with some fun facts about each one.

The Stratolaunch, funded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, was immediately hailed as the world’s largest airplane when construction finished in 2017. That title is a bit debatable though, because if you take an extra-long tape measure and look at the dimensions, some other planes are actually a bit longer from tip to tail. But the Stratolaunch does win in several other categories: It has the longest total wingspan thanks to the double-cockpit setup, and it’s designed to carry more weight than any other plane in existence — up to 500,000 pounds.

That last part is particularly important, because Allen’s intention is to use the Stratolaunch to send rockets into orbit around the earth (though it’s not yet certain how practical this is). That’s why the plane comes equipped with six Boeing 747 engines and an incredible wingspan of 385 feet. The Stratolaunch is so new that it will require considerable testing before experts are sure just how to fly it correctly.

Photo: Stratolaunch Systems Corp.

The Stratolaunch

Another plane that carries the title of the “biggest plane in the world,” the Antonov is actually a throwback, designed and built back in the 1980s by the Soviet Union. Its goal was quite similar to the Stratolaunch’s, with a plan to carry a space shuttle up through the atmosphere and into orbit. That didn’t pan out, but the Antonov aircraft did find another calling: carrying really heavy stuff to countries around the world. You may recognize this one-of-a-kind airplane by its famous twin tails.

With its six engines and 290-foot wingspan, the craft can carry emergency supplies and massive loads that would be very difficult for other airplanes to carry. It only flies a couple times a year these days, but still sees regular work and continues to hold the world record for carrying the heaviest payload: a 247-ton load of oil pipeline materials. We’ll see how long that record can hold with the aforementioned Stratolaunch on the scene.

Photo: Alex Beltyukov/Wikipedia

The Antonov An-225 (Mriya)

Here’s a blast from the past! The famous Spruce Goose still holds a spot as one of the biggest airplanes in the world, which is even more impressive when you remember that it was constructed of wood (birchwood, actually, despite the name) and completed in 1947 thanks to the ambitious dreams of Howard Hughes. The plane’s length stretches to 210 feet, and it was built to carry 150,000 pounds for troop and material transport in World War II — without today’s high tech gadgetry, like autopilot, to help out.

That plan didn’t work out: The Hughes H-4 took a long time to build, and by the time it was finished, the war was wrapping up and no one really needed it. Hughes, determined to pilot the craft at least once, took it up in the air and flew it for around a minute before bring the plane back down, presumably satisfied. Now it sits at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, which says that the plan is still in good shape.

Photo: SDASM Archives/Flickr

The Hughes H-4 Hercules (Spruce Goose)

Let’s turn to a commercial model: This Airbus is huge, but it’s also meant for passenger flights. The 4-motor carrier is nearly 239 feet long for extra capacity and has a wingspan of 262 feet. Its most unique feature is a large double deck that allows it to house two levels of seats and accomodate up to 555 passengers (early models actually allowed for a different configuration that could fit far more people, but far less comfortably). This Airbus also gets recognition for still being in regular service, making frequent trips across the world for those who want to travel in luxury.

Photo: Maarten Visser/Flickr

The Airbus A380-800

This Boeing model is an extra-large version of the 747 with a modified fuselage designed for extra carrying capacity…and a little light competition with the Airbus A380. With a length of around 250 feet and a wingspan of 225 feet, it doesn’t quite reach the Airbus in terms of size, but Boeing does claim that its model is lighter and more fuel efficient. It can carry up to 467 passengers on its intercontinental journeys, some of which may soon be piloted by robots.

Photo: Boeing

The Boeing 747-8

The Convair isn’t the largest plane on our list, with a wingspan of around 230 feet and a length of only 162 feet — but what it lacks in size this large plane makes up for with sheer ambition and guts. The plane was designed to be a long-range heavy bomber back in the 1940s, and by the time it was built in the 1950s everyone had the Cold War on their minds. With six radial piston engines, the craft was ready to carry anything, as well as protect its load with 16 cannons positioned at all sides. It even housed nuclear weapons at one point, and variants of the B-36 carried out a variety of U.S. scouting and strategy missions. They were all eventually retired by 1959 as smaller, lighter bombers were developed, but the legend of the Peacemaker lives on.

Photo: US Goverment/Wikipedia

The Convair B-36

These $10 Mpow Bluetooth headphones should be your impulse purchase of the day

Our friends at Thrifter are back again, this time with another exclusive deal on a great pair of Bluetooth headphones!

Bluetooth headphones have become extremely popular over the years, but not everyone is interested in spending $100 or more on a pair of headphones. Luckily, there are a lot of great options that don’t require you to spend that kind of money. Mpow is a brand that is known for making high-quality headphones at extremely affordable prices, and this deal helps make them even more affordable.

Daily Steals is offering the Mpow Seals Sports Bluetooth headphones for just $9.99 with coupon code THRFTRSPORT2, which is $15 less than you can get them for at Amazon.

• Aerodynamics Stylish Design : The airflow surface of Mpow Seals is in accordance with the curve of the external ear, making you super comfortable while enjoying your exercises.
• IPX4 Waterproof Level : When we say IPX4 waterproof level, we mean it can resist any drops or splashes of water from multiple directions. It is made for sports.
• CVC 6.0 & apt-X Technology : apt-X technology, coupled with 6th generation CVC, you will never miss a beat and enjoy a crystal clear voice talking.
• Excellent Battery Performance : Up to 7 hours of continuous talking / music time and up to 240 hours of standby with a single charge, saving more time for fun!
• All In One : Last number redial, audio switch, smart voice alerts, multipoint connection, voice dialing(IOS devices) are all included in Mpow Seals!
  apt-X Technology for iPhone 6s / Plus / 6 / 5s, Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge S5, Note 4/3/2

To sweeten the deal even more, Daily Steals is also offering free shipping on the headphones, making them an easy impulse purchase. We’ve all spent $10 (or more) on something far less useful than these headphones, so why not order a pair for yourself right now!

See at Daily Steals

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TSA implementing stronger screening procedures for carry-on electronics

The move follows extensive testing during pilot programs at 10 airports around the country.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is implementing new carry-on screening procedures for electronics that will affect anyone flying to, from, or within the United States. The move comes after extensive testing in 10 major airports around the country, with the goal of improving security measures to stay ahead of any emerging threats to aviation security.

As explained in the official press release, the new security measures will require TSA agents to scan smaller electronics in the same way they screen laptops :

“As new procedures are phased in, TSA officers will begin to ask travelers to remove electronics larger than a cell phone from their carry-on bags and place them in a bin with nothing on top or below, similar to how laptops have been screened for years. This simple step helps TSA officers obtain a clearer X-ray image.”

You may have already dealt with these new screening procedures for electronics if you’ve recently flown out of LAX or one of nine other airports where the TSA has been conducting tests.

Over the coming weeks and months, as these new screening measures take effect across the nation, the TSA is encouraging travelers to keep their carry-on bags organized with all electronics kept accessible to ease the screening process. The TSA also acknowledged this new security policy may lead to passengers experiencing more bag checks than before, but it also states that they’ve identified “ways to improve screening procedures with quicker and more targeted measures to clear bags”.

If you’re a frequent flyer that consistently packs a lot of electronics in your carry-on this all might sound like another added headache to an already frustrating process. If this is you, you may want to look into TSA Precheck membership, which lets you skip past the security line by paying a $85 membership fee and submitting to a 10-minute background check and fingerprinting. TSA Precheck allows you to go through an expedited security check at over 200 US airports without having to remove your shoes, belt, jacket, laptop or electronics.

Stay productive on-the-go with the $24 iClever Foldable Bluetooth Keyboard

The team at Thrifter is back again, this time with a folding Bluetooth keyboard for a great price!

Looking for a super portable keyboard solution, or maybe just a way to free up some desk space? The iClever Foldable Bluetooth Keyboard is currently available for just $23.99 when you enter the promo code CJLJBQI6 at checkout, which is this item’s lowest price ever.

iClever’s keyboard can fold up into a very small and portable size (328 x 102 x 6 mm while unfolded, 158 x 102 x 13 mm folded), and the back also doubles as a pseudo-case for the product as well. With a built-in rechargeable battery, you’ll be able to work for 40 hours continually to give you no excuse to go to bed early.

It also features a U-shaped design which angles your wrists inwards while typing instead of forward like standard keyboards do, which iClever claims results in less wrist, shoulder, and arm fatigue after long periods of use. This keyboard does have standard sized keys like the others, however.

Whether you plan to connect via Bluetooth to your computer, tablet or smartphone, it’s likely to be a great fit as the reviewers on Amazon seem very happy with it leaving it at a 4.5 out of 5 stars ranking.

See at Amazon

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There are great Google Pixel deals available from Woot! and Verizon right now

Now these are the kinds of deals we want to see.

As the rumors start to really heat up surrounding the new Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2, we finally have some substantial discounts on the current-gen phones. Both Woot! and Verizon have really good deals, pricing these phones well below their consistently high starting prices that have held on even several months into their lives.

Woot! has the best deal available right now, although in typical Woot! fashion it’s for refurbished phones. $399 for a Pixel, or $449 for a Pixel XL — both in black. That’s a fantastic deal, particularly for the larger Pixel XL, which still sells for $769 on the Google Store. The usual caveats about buying a refurbished phone apply, but that price is really great and likely worth it.

See at Woot!

Verizon perhaps has a better deal, all things considered, as it’s selling a brand new Pixel for $420 and Pixel XL for $540. That extra cash gets you a new phone rather than a refurb one, and it also lets you choose the white/silver model if that’s more your thing. Unlike typical Verizon deals this also doesn’t require monthly payments — it’s only available at this price if you buy outright.

See at Verizon

If you’ve been eyeing a Pixel or Pixel XL but were worried about getting one at this point because their successors are going to be announced soon, this is a great way to get a great phone for an appropriate price.

Google Pixel + Pixel XL

• Google Pixel and Pixel XL review
• Google Pixel XL review: A U.S. perspective
• Google Pixel FAQ: Should you upgrade?
• Pixel + Pixel XL specs
• Understanding Android 7.1 Nougat
• Join the discussion in the forums!

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Verizon

Fender’s Mustang GT amps pack an overkill of digital options

Playing the electric guitar in a cover band can be complex. You need to be able to sound like a wide range of different guitar players, each with their own distinct sound — much of which is based on their unique amplifier and effects profile. The Fender Mustang GT series of amplifiers, consisting of 40-, 100- and 200-watt models, aims to squeeze a range of classic Fender sounds into a single digital cabinet.

Imagine being able to sound like Prince, AC/DC and Chic in quick succession onstage without having to change out any of your gear. That’s the Mustang GT promise, and — for the most part — Fender succeeds. With a full-featured set of pre- and post-effects modules, customizable presets and a deep catalog of amplifier emulation available, Fender has made it pretty easy to sound however you want, provided you’re OK with a solid-state sound rather than a tube-based one.

My normal guitar setup is pretty simple. I use a Mexican-made Telecaster that plugs into a couple of effects pedals (overdrive, delay, distortion, sustain), then a vocal harmony box. The guitar signal then connects to a Fender Super Champ amplifier, which is tiny but packs enough wallop for almost any gig I’ve ever played — from small two-person stages to large clubs.

The thing is, I spend a lot of time trying to approximate the sounds of the various artists we cover, from Michael Jackson to the Human League to Hot Chocolate. It’s never perfect, and I don’t want to manage a massive pedalboard full of all the expensive stomp boxes I’d need to fully recreate all the different guitar sounds. The Fender Mustang GT series of amps seemed like the perfect way to have more sounds at my disposal without having to do more research — or investment — than I’m willing to.

Physical setup

At its most basic, the Mustang GT is an amplifier with all you need built in. Your guitar can plug right into the input on top with no additional hardware; you add effects before and after the amplifier sound itself via the built-in software. That means you can drop a virtual overdrive into the first part of your effects chain, then a wah-wah pedal, then choose the specific Fender amplifier you want to sound like. Fender also added the option to chain effects after the amplifier model, which gives you a seemingly infinite combination of effects and amp profiles to work with.

The amp’s chassis is all black, a different look than the silver tweed I’ve been used to from Fender. It’s a bold, modern look that draws compliments from audiences and sound guys alike. All the functions can be controlled from the buttons along the top edge of the Mustang, with a multifunction scrolling knob that manages the presets and menu selections. There are four buttons to the right of this controller knob and three soft-key buttons to the left. Farther left are the knobs that control the individual sound of each preset, including knobs for gain, volume, treble, middle, bass and reverb, along with a master knob that manages the overall volume.

Fine-tuning your sound is a simple affair thanks to all the buttons and dials at your disposal. There’s one 1/4-inch jack for your instrument cable to the left of the analog control knobs, with 1/8-inch jacks to the far right for plugging in a set of headphones or wired sound source.

The Mustang GT amps also function like a big Bluetooth speaker. I was able to connect to the 200 and play some of the songs my band covers via Spotify, then play my guitar along with them to practice my solos and various parts. While I’d never recommend an $800 amp to just play music through, you might as well if you’ve already got one. The sound is relatively flat without any color, as it’s acting more like a studio monitor when you’re playing music through it. If you like your tunes with a bit more bass or treble, you’ll have to use your music player’s EQ settings, as the physical controls on the amplifier only affect the guitar sound, not that of any streaming audio.

The rear of both the 100 and 200 amps has a balanced set of left and right XLR line out jacks, a micro-USB port to connect to your computer for recording, and two sets of jacks for an effects loop (if you need to add even more guitar effects to the end your signal chain). The GT 200 comes with a four-button foot switch, also available separately for the GT 40 and 100 models. Being able to control the amp with a foot switch is all kinds of great, but it’s limited. Quick Access mode only gives you the ability to switch among three presets from your amp, though you can assign any three of the 100 included presets you like (plus any of your own creations).

Presets mode, as you might guess, lets you scroll through all the presets — but in groups of three only. In other words, you can have presets 1-3 enabled on three of the foot switches, but then you have to depress the right two pedal buttons to put the switch into scroll mode, then choose the next three presets, 4-7, or press two buttons again to cycle to 8-10. It’s overly complicated and much faster to just twist the big knob on the amp or use the app to switch presets (if Bluetooth is working).

Effects mode essentially assigns the three foot switch buttons to one single preset. So if you have an overdrive, a delay and a wah-wah sound in your effects chain, you can turn them off and on with the three buttons. Again, this is fine if you have a simple effect chain but kind of useless if you have more than three effects assigned to a preset.

With all of this choice, how does the Fender Mustang GT sound? Honestly, the GT100 sounds a little brittle, especially at higher volumes. Both sound guys mentioned it when I used the amp onstage. The GT200, with its dual-speaker setup, has a little more well-rounded, fuller sound, but it’s still a solid-state amp. That means those looking for a warmer, fuller sound could be somewhat disappointed.

The Fender Tone app

While the Mustang GT does all the above on its own, Fender also created a companion app so you can control it from a distance. Once connected via Bluetooth, you can choose and customize any of the presets via the app instead of the physical knobs on the cabinet. The problem here is getting your amp to stay connected, especially in a live-performance setting.

My iPhone locks its screen after a given time; that’s how it saves my battery. Most of the time that it locked, however, there seemed to be a disconnect with the Mustang amp. I ended up fiddling with my phone for far too long onstage, to the point where I just gave up and used the knobs on the amp itself. If it had been placed in the back line of the stage, it would have been impossible for me to get to it.

Having an app to mess with is fantastic at home, though, since it allows you to both change the settings and order of effects visually. In addition, the app is where you grab presets from Fender’s “community” section, which has groups of settings for various genres and artists ready for download. I grabbed a preset to sound like Slash on “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” an AC/DC set for “You Shook Me,” a “Sultans of Swing” preset and a sound that mimics the lead on Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb.”

Not all of my downloads were winners, of course; many of these are created by amateurs at home, and the quality varies. Still, I was able to download 10 presets in a matter of seconds, each one ready to go on the amp with a tap on my iPhone or rotation of the dial on the amp itself. You can create set lists of presets, too, which would have been helpful onstage, if only the Bluetooth was reliable.

There are 110 preloaded effects presets on the amp already, with room for 90 more downloaded or created sets. The Mustang GT offers 21 different amp models, including popular models like Fender’s Champ, Twin Reverb or Deluxe. There are British amps in the list, too, with Hiwatt, Vox and Marshall models to add into your signal chain. There are 12 “stompbox” effects (which include distortion, compression and wah-wah sounds), 13 modulation effects (chorus, flanger, phasers and tremolos), nine delays and 12 reverb effects to choose from. It’s an overwhelming amount of choice, to be honest. Most guitarists look for their own unique sound that ends up coming from their own choice of amplifier and pedal effects. It almost feels like overkill to have so many options, but that’s the glory of digital.

While I’m no expert on the original sound of each modeled amp, I can say that the Super Champ model in the Mustang GT sounds very much like the actual Super Champ I use normally. All the 17 amp models have a unique sound profile to them, and I found myself gravitating to more-crunchy tones than I usually do, having access to them with the turn of a dial.

The built-in effects presets are a mixed bag, of course. The standouts include the auto wah-wah sound and a couple of fuzzbox effects, while the reverb settings tended to sound rather sterile. I had a ton of fun with the tremolo and tape delay effects, too, creating out-of-this-world, spacey guitar sounds in a matter of moments.

Having all of these sounds and effects available makes it much easier for me to play different songs. It’s a matter of a pedal press to move from the treble-heavy distorted sound for AC/DC’s “You Shook Me” directly to the chorus-laden tones of Prince’s “Purple Rain,” even if they’re one after the other in our set list for the night. Both sound much more authentic than the tones I was ever able to create with my few discrete guitar pedals.

Wrap-up

Ultimately, the Mustang GT amps are a solid choice for guitarists looking for a little help in finding and creating a diversity of guitar tones. Control via a mobile app sounds great on paper, and in a controlled setting like a rehearsal room or recording studio, it makes a ton of sense. If I were purchasing a new Mustang GT for myself, I’d opt for the larger, better-sounding 200 version. It also comes with the foot pedal, limited as it is, for a bit more control while playing.

If you’re looking for a real tube sound, though, no amount of digital modeling will get that elusive warm tone. It’s not that the GT amps sound bad; it’s more that they sound digital. That may be a good trade-off if you need a variety of sounds, like I do when playing a set list full of disparate tunes. If you don’t already have an array of pedals at your disposal, the Mustang GT amps can certainly keep you rocking, whether you want to play disco, punk, metal or blues.

Fitbit makes Cortana your new workout partner

Fitbit might have had a few issues (okay, many issues) developing their long-expected smartwatch, but they have some good news today if you use Windows. You can now use the Fitbit skill with Cortana, Windows’ virtual personal assistant. Microsoft introduced the Cortana Skills Kit earlier this year, which encourages developers to integrate their products with Cortana.

To connect Cortana to Fitbit, all you have to do is say, “Hey Cortana, open Fitbit.” Cortana will then prompt you to connect your Fitbit account. Once you do, you can use the personal assistant to keep track of your activity or log food and water. You can use the skill by saying such phrases as, “Hey Cortana, ask Fitbit to log I drank 8 ounces of water,” or “Hey Cortana, ask Fitbit how many steps do I have left today.”

Cortana also will interface with your Fitbit leaderboard and can tell you how you’re performing in comparison with the friends you compete against. The goal is to make Fitbit’s stats easier to access (and therefore, be more easily motivated by them) by not having to pull up the app or website every time you want an update. Additionally, Cortana will encourage you to meet your fitness goals through short motivational sayings that are customized depending on the time of day. If the support of an AI is what gets you out of your chair and moving, then hey, bring on all the Cortana integrations.

Source: Microsoft

Apple trims its iPod lineup to one lonely model

The iPod is clearly an endangered species after 15 years. Apple has quietly discontinued the iPod nano and iPod shuffle, yanking their product pages from its website. Both MP3 players are hanging around retail stores, but not for long — if you’re feeling nostalgic, you’d better plan a shopping trip in the near future. You do get a consolation prize, though. While the iPod touch hasn’t changed since its 2015 refresh, it’s now a much better value at $199 for a 32GB model (previously 16GB) and $299 for a 128GB version (originally 64GB).

We’ve asked Apple for comment. In a statement to Bloomberg, it explained the move as “simplifying” the iPod lineup.

It’s a sad day for iPod fans, especially if you liked using the shuffle as a low-cost, lightweight music machine for the gym. With that said, you could see this consolidation coming from a mile away. There just isn’t much of a market for MP3 players these days — the odds are that you’ll use your smartphone for music, and those that want something else will gravitate toward the iPod touch or a tablet like the iPad. Apple hadn’t updated the nano or shuffle in any significant way since 2012, and it was hard to fault the company when few people were buying.

We’d add that the industry shift from music downloads to streaming made the nano and shuffle seem like products of a bygone era. Neither iPod got Apple Music syncing support, which didn’t help, but even if they did… would they make much sense? It’s hard to go from a practically limitless selection of music to whatever you can fit into 16GB (at best), and it remains to be seen whether or not iPod shuffle-like players can succeed just by adding offline playback for streaming services. The iPod touch, meanwhile, is still viable in a streaming-focused world. The iPod line is likely to carry on for a while, then — it’s just a pale shadow of its former self.

Via: Bloomberg

Source: Apple

Scientists can turn crystals into reusable electrical conductors

For some time, scientists have been experimenting with crystals to see if they can become a new kind of memory storage. Now, scientists at Washington State University have figured how to make a transparent crystal conduct electricity. What’s more, it can be reconfigured and reused multiple times.

Researchers have been studying the possibilities of using crystals to conduct electricity, but it required extreme heat. Once the crystals were returned to room temperature, the effect faded within days. But this team was able to introduce electrical conductivity into the crystals at room temperature using light, based on an accidental discovery four years ago. As a result, the effects — an 1,000x increase in the crystal’s electric conductivity — persist for up to one year. One of the scientists then used a laser to etch a line into the crystal, which carried a current when electrical contacts were placed at both ends.

Matt McCluskey, one of the authors in the study that was published in Scientific Reports, compared the result to an Etch-a-Sketch. “It’s exciting that it’s reconfigurable. It’s also transparent,” he explains in the press release. “There are certain applications where it would be neat to have a circuit that is on a window or something like that, where it actually is invisible electronics.”

There’s a long way to go before this is a reality — just for starters, the circuit can only be erased by heating it on a hot plate. That’s not exactly practical for a window. But it seems like every lab you see in a sci-fi movie has some sort of transparent electronic computer. It’s always fun to see that technology might actually be catching up to what fiction imagines could be the case in the distant future.

Source: Eurekalert, Scientific Reports

Motorcycle helmets finally get decent heads-up display navigation

I’m a huge proponent of reducing any and all distractions while riding a motorcycle, scooter, or moped. Helmets and padded gear are great, but when you get down to it, riders are still just squishy people zipping through traffic next to giant machines that could kill you if a driver sneezes or decides to text a friend. So the idea of a HUD (Heads Up Display) for a motorcycle is equal parts intriguing and terrifying.

Done right, it keeps your head up and eyes off your gauges and whatever navigation system you have strapped to your handlebars. Done wrong, and it’s a one-way ticket to the emergency room because you were spending too much time going through menus and trying to find relevant information instead of paying attention to the car in front of you that just slammed on its brakes. A fender bender in a car is a annoyance. A fender bender on a bike could land you in the ICU.

In comes the $700 Nuviz, a HUD for full-face helmets. The device’s purpose is to keep you informed while riding without adding too much distraction that could lead to hospitalization. And for the most part, it succeeds.

It shows your speed, navigation, maps, calls and your music via a tiny mirrored see-thru display that sits below the vision-line of your right eye. It’s there when you need it and you can almost ignore it when you don’t.

To see the information about your ride, you peer downward at the display which is focused about 13.5 feet in front of you. That means you’re refocusing your eyes, but the same thing happens when you look at your gauge cluster. Fortunately, the main screen is tailored for quick glances. Your speed and next turn are easily discernible by quickly peeking downward without moving your head which is Nuviz’s advantage over the dials that came with your bike.

Plus, the Nuviz supports audio and comes with the headset that can be installed in a helmet or it’ll sync to Bluetooth-enabled helmets. It’s a bit of a multimedia experience right on your noggin.

My apprehension about the potential for distraction intensified when I installed it on my helmet. From the outside, it’s huge. And while its 8.5 ounce weight didn’t bother me, for some folks with lightweight helmets, that might be a deal breaker. But when I actually put on my helmet all I saw was the tiny display which was a relief.

Riding with the Nuviz also reduced my anxiety. With the combination or visual and audio cues, I was finally able to navigate to a destination without pulling over and checking my phone or attaching it to the mount I bought a few years back and have only used twice because I’m sure my iPhone will fall out of it and break into a thousand pieces on US 101.

The display was bright enough to be legible in direct sunlight, although there were some tiny rainbow-colored dots that appeared in the glass. It wasn’t enough to block the information, but it’s there and while beautiful at times, it’s just another thing you’ll catch yourself looking at.

Navigating the menu system was simple enough with the supplied controller you attach near your left handlebar. An up and down lever scrolls through the main features and it’s surrounded by four action buttons. After a few hours riding using it becomes as second nature as activating my turn signals, high beams or horn.

The controller is also how you turn on the device’s 8 megapixel camera. With it you can take video and photos of your ride. The quality won’t replace a GoPro, but the photos were good enough to capture deer in the brush next to the road. The 1080p video quality is reminiscent of a smartphone from five years ago. It’s basically satisfactory and really the allure is that you don’t have to stop and pull out a camera to capture a moment.

It also might lead to gigantic slideshows, I took 100 photos during a ride around Mount Tamalpais. It’s very easy to just tap the photo button on the controller while riding.

Yet those are the kind of rides the Nuviz is built for. Long excursions on roads without heavy traffic. It was only during that type of jaunt that I felt comfortable turning on music (something I would never do while riding in San Francisco) and taking photos. The companion app makes creating a route with multiple stops that you send to the device a breeze and the actual navigation both on screen and in ear, was easy to follow without being overly distracting.

The device and controller are both easy to remove and reattach to your bike and helmet so you don’t have to check your bike every five minutes during lunch breaks. That also means you can ditch the whole system when doing short rides around town. In my experience, the Nuviz didn’t add much value to my daily commute. I know where I’m going and the roads are for too congested to even think about using it.

Plus, when it’s attached to your helmet, it’s never 100 percent gone. The tiny display, while helpful, is still in your peripheral. You sort of learn to ignore it, but when you’re lane splitting (only legal in California) and keeping an eye out for one of San Francisco’s many bike-swallowing potholes, you don’t need another (no matter how small) distraction.

But for weekend jaunts, the Nuviz is outstanding. It’s eight hour battery life should keep you on your route for the entire day and it’s on-board GPS and downloaded maps means even if you lose signal, you won’t get lost. For Kawasaki KLR and BMW GS riders, it’s a great little companion. But for daily riders in congested cities, it’s best to focus on the act of riding.