When disaster strikes, this secret Verizon bunker keeps your phone working

It takes a lot to protect a cell network. Hurricanes, earthquakes, and tornadoes snap towers like toothpicks. Hackers probe the backend for vulnerabilities; and smartphone-touting concertgoers, fair attendees, and sports fans push cell sites to their limits.

Verizon Wireless, the largest wireless network in the U.S. by number of subscribers, spends a lot of time thinking about how to keep its grid from going down. During a tour of the carrier’s network switching center in Yonkers, New York, we got an inside look at the equipment designed to withstand everything from gale-force winds to Mariah Carey concerts.

“Our switches have to survive everything,” Michelle White, executive director at Verizon, told Digital Trends. “You go back to when [the terrorist attacks on] 9/11 happened and a lot of people became really attached to their devices because they used them to stay in touch with family and friends. The value we bring to our customer is highlighted through those crises.”

Entering through the (padlocked) front door

From the outside, Verizon’s Yonkers, New York office looks conspicuously normal. The gray low-rise building, which is located about an hour north of Midtown Manhattan by train, is nestled in an overgrown forest hillside dotted with hotels. But it’s not your average office building. A metal barricade and padlocked double doors keep out onlookers without the proper security clearance. You won’t find its exact address on the map — type it into Google, and you’ll find a nearby perimeter highway.

“One of the easiest ways for someone to hurt us is our communications,” Christine Williams, a Verizon network supervisor and our tour guide, said. “That’s why we do everything in our power to shield the network. We have firewalls [and] and entire team devoted to security.”

That might sound a little hyperbolic, but the Yonkers building is an attractive target. This switching center handles call, text message, and data routing for one of Verizon’s largest markets: New York City. It’s one of two that service the greater New York area, Williams explained, as we entered the bowels of the building’s equipment floor.

The building’s switching room routes more than 300 million data connections.

The building’s switching room — rows of servers, AC units, and circuit breakers — routes more than 300 million data connections through multicolored fiber-optic wires. If you send an email to a coworker, Snapchat message a friend, or post a picture to Instagram from Midtown Manhattan, the Bronx, or Queens, chances are it’ll hit the Yonkers building’s wires first. It’s also responsible for routing voice calls.

“When you’re on the local cell tower or wherever you may be, the switch is running that call,” Williams said. “If you’re making a landline call to somebody, it connects you to every [other switch] out there. And if you’re calling a mobile center, it would hit this switch, travel long distance across the country, and connect to another local switch to find your corresponding person.”

Protecting the brain

It’s like a big computer, White said. The switch is “the brains” that have the information on how your calls should be handled.

Just like brains, they’re temperamental. The switches need to be kept within a certain temperature range to prevent overheating, and they draw power from a custom circuit that converts incoming AC (alternating current) power to DC (direct current).

Why DC instead of AC? The voltage in AC current — the kind that powers your hairdryer and coffee pot — periodically reverses, which can affect the switches’ stability. DC current, on the other hand, supplies electricity at a constant voltage.

Kyle Wiggers/Digital Trends

“With the regular power outside, there are spikes — it goes up and down, and the computers don’t like that,” White said. “So we work off DC batteries.”

They switches are also insulated to protect against flooding. Four long hallways buffer the switching room against any rainwater that might make it past the past the facility’s surrounding hillside, and data is piped in through two separate fiber feeds on either end of the building.

“We put all the important equipment interior to the building, surrounded by hallways so that if there’s a flood or hurricane or any kind of natural disaster,” Williams said. “It’d have to go through a lot to get to our most critical processing.”

The same is true of the building’s backup power. Two diesel-powered generators, each the size of an entire room, supply enough electricity to power a 400-home subdivision. If the building’s two connections to the power grid were cut or if severe weather knocks out local power, for example — they can supply enough energy to run the building’s switches for eight hours.

“It’s sort of like the portable generators you use to power your house when there’s a flood or outage, but on a much bigger scale.” Williams said. “They run simultaneously, and each one of them by themselves could handle all the AC and DC power the facility needs. Even when there’s a little bit of a loss, they start powering the air conditioners, lights, and everything that doesn’t run off of DC power.”

Ready for game day

The Yonkers building handles more than just switching. A cement parking lot houses what White called the “farmyard” equipment: portable towers and generators with colorful acronyms like COWS (Cell on Wheels), COLTS (Cells on Light Trucks), and GOATS (Generators on Trailers).

“We’re usually heavily involved behind the scenes. We pull out all the stops.”

They’re smaller, modular versions of the cell towers that dot the side of the road, and they’re used to bolster local network capacity. Ahead of events like festivals, fairs, and football games, Verizon engineers decide which (and how much) equipment to deploy based on data like historical attendance, time of day, and traffic.

They aren’t cheap. Verizon charges municipalities more than $50,000 to set up a COW, and the event organizers are on their own when it comes to the generator required to power it.

Natural disasters are a different story. During the recent Rim Fire near Yosemite National Park, Verizon volunteered phones, mobile hot spots, and solar-powered network equipment to emergency personnel. In 2015, when two convicts escaped a New York’s upstate Clinton Correctional Facility, the carrier established a satellite uplink so that investigators could stay in touch.

“We’re usually heavily involved behind the scenes,” White said. “We pull out all the stops.”

Next-gen readiness

White doesn’t expect the Yonkers switch to change all that much in the coming years. The most dramatic upgrades will be on the inside, where network techs will swap out and consolidate switches as Verizon transitions to Gigabit 4G LTE and 5G.

Right now, roughly half of the building’s server room houses 3G switches and call-only computers. Its 4G equipment takes up a single metal rack.

“Everything’s shrinking,” Williams said. “We don’t need as much space as we used to.”

The old equipment is less power-efficient and slower, too, which is one of the reasons Verizon plans to sunset its 3G network in the next three to four years. It’ll transition customers to 4G LTE, which can handle talk, text, and data simultaneously.

Dell Inspiron 5675 gaming desktop review

Research Center:
Dell Inspiron 5675

Investing in a gaming desktop can be an intimidating prospect, as there’s a lot of options out there, at a lot of different price points. Finding one with the speed and versatility to get the most out of the latest games is easy enough, if you don’t mind spending a fortune. It’s tougher to find a desktop that can do all those things for less than $1,000, but during our Dell Inspiron 5675 review, we came to realize that it just might fit the bill.

The Inspiron 5675 features an AMD Ryzen 5 1400 processor, 8 GB of RAM, an AMD Radeon RX 580 graphics card, and a 1TB hard drive. Built with AMD’s latest hardware and clad in a stylish chassis, the Inspiron 5675 aims to offer solid, reliable gaming performance on a budget. Let’s see if it’s up to the task.

Custom quality

While the Dell Inspiron 5675 is no Alienware, it has a certain style to it. Dell has blended a streamlined, office-friendly sensibility with a few strokes of gaming audacity. The case is a standard metal column shrouded in a silvery plastic shell, accented with black angled vents which wrap around the case.  The bright blue internal lighting seeps out of those vents, and looks great from every angle.

An internal grille gives the light a textured look, depending on your viewing angle. It’s not as elegant as a simple tempered glass side-panel, but it’s a dash of originality that’s nice to see in an affordable gaming desktop. One of the benefits of going with a custom build from a big company like Dell is that you can expect a certain degree of build quality, which is definitely evident here.

The Asus G11DF, a direct competitor to the Dell Inspiron 5675, features a very different aesthetic. It’s not quite as audacious as Asus’ ROG lineup usually is, but it features a glossy black design broken up with glowing red panels on the front and side of the case.

Where the Inspiron looks chic and a bit understated, the Asus G11DF looks like a more typical gaming PC. Unfortunately, it also looks like a budget gaming PC. Put the two desktops side by side and you’d never guess that the Asus G11DF and Dell Inspiron 5675 were the same price. The Inspiron looks like a more expensive machine even if it isn’t.

Port-land

Around the back-side of the Inspiron 5675, you’ll find a standard array of ports — six USB Type-A ports, an Ethernet port, five audio input/output jacks, an adorably quaint pair of PS/2 ports, and two HDMI and DisplayPorts on the video card. On the front-side of the PC there are four more USB Type-A Ports, an SD Card reader, a headphone jack, and a single USB Type-C port.

That’s a lot of ports, and enough variety to ensure you’ll never have any trouble plugging in your devices or accessories — for now. While USB Type-A isn’t going anywhere soon, it would’ve been nice to see a few of those slots make way for a few additional USB Type-C ports, if only to make sure the Inspiron remains as future-proof as possible.

Keep your hands outside

A custom-built chassis, like the one on the Inspiron 5675, is designed to be a closed system, a product as static as a smartphone or game console. Sure, you can pop open the side by removing a couple screws — the side panel slides open easily enough — but once you’re in there, it’s hard not to feel unwelcome.

You can pop open the side, but once you’re in there it’s hard not to feel unwelcome.

All the internal components are right where they should be, and even if it is a little cramped, there’s some room for expansion — like an extra RAM slot. But the Radeon RX 580 video card is bolted in with a metal bracket which requires a fair amount of patience to remove. The bracket holds the card in place, and we’d wager it exists to prevent damage in shipping. We’ve encountered broken PCIe slots due to rough handling more than once in the past. However, the bracket is perfectly sized for the Radeon RX 580, and might not fit abnormally sized graphics cards. Upgrading to a different card might mean ditching the bracket.

The internal cable management is inelegant, but gets the job done. None of the internal components are obscured by cables, but they are threaded through the case haphazardly, like some kind of multi-colored weed growing inside the computer. It’s also worth mentioning that cooling was a bit of an afterthought here.

The case only includes two fans, an 80mm fan on the CPU’s cooling block, and a 92mm fan mounted on the case. Usually, we’ll see a pair of fans on the back of the case, one or two on the front, and a much taller or quicker air cooling fan on the CPU. What’s provided is sufficient for the hardware in the system, though again, doesn’t offer much room for expansion.

It’s not atypical for budget systems to be a little cramped and spartan inside. The Asus G11DF, for instance, also features limited cooling, and some internal brackets which keep hardware from moving around — and make it a pain to remove or upgrade components. At $950 though, there just aren’t very many PCs on the market that are going to offer the same kind of luxurious interior you’d get out of a more expensive gaming rig.

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Internally, the lighting is provided by a single blue LED strip, which was missing a screw in our review model. When we opened the case, it just kind dangled in place. Once we figured out where it was supposed to be and fastened it in place with one of the many extraneous screws inside the Inspiron 5675’s case, it filled the case with an icy blue light. We don’t expect this to be a common issue, but it’d certainly annoy us if we’d purchased the desktop.

The Inspiron’s custom-built case is a best and worst-case scenario. While the exterior build quality is excellent, and the internal quality is robust, it’s not really designed for expansion. If you did upgrade the video card a year or two down the line, you might need to remove the bracket which, though probably not a functional issue, could be confusing.

Keeping up with Intel

Equipped with a mid-range quad-core Ryzen 5 1400 processor clocked at 3.2GHz, the Inspiron 5675 is a scrappy little machine. It’s not going to outrun its Intel competitors, but this little guy has heart — and a killer price tag. On its own the Ryzen 5 1400 retails for about $160, which makes it one of the least expensive modern quad-core processors on the market. It can even handle two processing threads per core, which means it’s able to handle eight threads at once. That’s a feature Intel quad-cores gain only once they hit the $300 mark, with the Core i7-7700.

However, the price is only part of the equation here. Let’s see how well the Ryzen 5 1400 performs in everyday use.

On Geekbench, we can see where the Ryzen 5 1400 scores in relation to similar processors. With a score of 3,377 on single-core performance, it lands just ahead of the Asus G11DF’s own Ryzen 5 1400, which hit 3,440. Both are quite a bit behind the top-end Intel Core i7-7700K, which managed an impressive score of 5,007.

Multi-core performance was a similar story, with the AMD chips coming tied for second  behind the Intel chip. That’s not too much of a surprise, since comparable Intel processors usually outclass their AMD counterparts, offering better performance in exchange for higher prices. The important thing to note here is the margin of the Intel chip’s victory. While it is well ahead of the Ryzen 5 1400, it’s not so far ahead that you’d notice the performance gap for gaming, which isn’t typically very CPU intensive.

This little guy has heart — and a killer price tag.

When you factor in price and performance, AMD’s new Ryzen chips are catching up to some of Intel’s star performers. We can see these margins played out in our Handbrake tests as well. The Dell’s Ryzen 5 1400 is the slowest of the bunch, finishing the encode in 11 minutes. The Asus G11DF’s Ryzen 5, on the other hand, completed the encode in a little over 9 minutes 30 seconds. Either way, that’s a win for AMD.

So clearly, the Inspiron is a little behind its competitors – but not by much, and that’s important in a gaming machine. Why? Because your processor doesn’t play a significant role in graphical performance. Picking up a capable yet inexpensive processor is often the best route, and the Ryzen 5 1400 offers decent, reliable performance at a bargain-basement price.

So. Slow.

Another way manufacturers can keep costs down is by opting for slower, cheaper hard drives like the one inside the Inspiron 5675. While it features a luxuriously large 1TB of space, it is remarkably slow.

During our tests, even moving large files around was a chore which took a bit longer than it should have. Given the results of our benchmarks, it’s easy to see why that was the case.

On our CrystalDiskMark tests, the Inspiron 5675 and its 1TB hard drive scraped by with a read speed of 190 megabytes per second, and a write speed of 195MB/s. Looking at a few similarly priced competitors, like the XPS 8910 SE and MSI Trident 3, that’s not too bad. Both of those systems have hard drives like the Inspiron. But if you compare the Inspiron’s hard drive to even a modest-performing PCIe SSD, the difference is clear.

Our review unit of the Acer Predator G1 featured a 512GB PCIe SSD capable of hitting a 530MB/s read speed and a 448MB/s write speed, far surpassing the Inspiron’s modest read and write speeds. Granted, our Predator G1 review unit was a $2,200 desktop. However, its higher price tag wasn’t because of its modest SSD, and including a slightly quicker drive in the Inspiron wouldn’t have inflated its price by much.

Even the Asus G11DF features a 256GB SSD with a read speed of 500MB/s and a write speed of 260MB/s, greatly eclipsing those of the Inspiron.

Luckily, you can upgrade the Dell Inspiron Gaming Desktop with a 256GB drive, which comes in addition to the 1TB mechanical disk, for only $100. We highly recommend it, as it will eliminate our complaints about hard drive performance.

Quicker than expected

One of the ways Dell was able to keep the Inspiron 5675’s price under $1,000 was by going with one of AMD’s latest graphics cards, the Radeon RX 580, instead of a pricier Nvidia option. The graphics card is the most influential part of your gaming experience, so let’s see how the RX 580 fares against the competition.

Here’s where things get interesting. Looking at these 3DMark scores, the RX 580 is neck-and-neck with two different systems both running Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 graphics cards — which typically retail for around $200. The RX 580 should retail for about the same price, but current market forces — bitcoin miners — have pushed prices up to around $500 in some cases. It’s hard to snag an RX 580 by itself right now, to the dismay of anyone looking to build their own budget PC.

Throughout our tests, the RX 580 was hot on the GTX 1060’s heels, pushing ahead in a few benchmarks. Looking at Time Spy, the Dell Inspiron 5675 and its RX 580 scored 3,810, to the Asus G11DF’s 3,668.

The GTX 1060 in the MSI Trident 3 fared a bit better with a score of 4,028, but that’s a very slim margin, and it illustrates that variances in hardware manufacturing can have an effect on performance. Even though the Asus G11DF’s GTX 1060 didn’t perform as well as the MSI’s, both were within striking distance of the RX 580.

But that’s just one benchmark. Let’s see if the RX 580 can keep up in actual games.

Once we started really putting the Inspiron 5675 and its RX 580 to the test, a few trends emerged. First, it’s clear that the RX 580 is a very capable card, but more than that, some games prefer it. There were a few games in our test suite that squeezed the most out of the RX 580, and pushed it past the GTX 1060.

At ultra-high settings, the RX 580 managed 93 FPS in Battlefield 1, to the GTX 1060’s 82 FPS. In Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, the RX 580 surpassed the GTX 1060 by a surprising margin, with an average of 46 FPS on ultra-high graphics settings. The MSI Trident and its GTX 1060 only managed 38 FPS at the same settings, while the Asus G11DF hit 41 FPS. That’s a difference you can feel in actual gameplay.

In For Honor, we see the Inspiron and its RX 580 hit 73 FPS on the Extreme graphics preset, gaining ground on the MSI Trident and its GTX 1060, which topped out at 56 FPS. The Asus G11DF fared a bit better, with an average framerate of 73 FPS, putting it right on par with the RX 580.

Let’s see how the Inspiron fares at 1440p.

Gaming at 1440p is still a bit of a luxury, and if the Dell Inspiron 5675 barely managed to chug along at such a high resolution, it wouldn’t be surprising. It’s a budget gaming rig after all, so 1440p might be asking too much of the poor little guy. Yet the Dell Inspiron exceeded our expectations, decent framerates. We think 1080p is the better match for this system, but 1440p isn’t out of reach, depending on the games you prefer to play.

In Battlefield 1, the Inspiron and its RX 580 never dipped below 60 FPS at 1440p, even at ultra-high detail settings. That’s not bad for a $950 gaming rig. Deus Ex presented more of a challenge, dropping down to 42 FPS at High settings, and 31 FPS at Ultra.

For Honor was a stumbling block for the Inspiron at 1440p.

Running through the rain-slick streets of Prague in Deus Ex, at 1440p with the graphics settings turned up, wasn’t as smooth as it could have been. It looked a bit choppy here and there, especially during gunfights, but even with most settings maxed out, we could maintain a playable framerate by tweaking the graphics settings a little. It was an acceptable experience, at least on par with console versions of the title.

For Honor was a stumbling block for the Inspiron at 1440p, however. The RX 580 just couldn’t maintain the 60 FPS required for online play with all the settings maxed. At Extreme detail settings, it hit 46 FPS, and at high it managed 58 FPS. Medium settings offered some refuge, and the Inspiron reliably hit 68 FPS with settings toned down, even at 1440p.

Peripherals included, but you won’t want to use them

Dell ships the Inspiron 5675 with a mouse and keyboard, so you’ll be able to get up and running even if you only have a monitor. It’s nice for just getting it going right out of the box, but neither the keyboard nor mouse included are of very high quality.

The optical mouse is cheap hollow plastic with a flimsy cord, and the keyboard is oddly squishy for a desktop keyboard. Neither device is a pleasure to use, but they’ll see you through some light web browsing before they start to grate on your nerves.

Peripherals are always tricky territory for gaming rigs. Most gamers prefer to use their own hardware, and Dell seems to be counting on that here. The included devices are fine for getting the system up and running, but serious gamers will want to spend a little extra on better inputs.

Don’t worry about bloat

To be honest, there was always something satisfying about taking a scalpel and cauterizing torch to factory-fresh PCs laden with bloatware. The Dell Inspiron 5675 ships pleasantly light, with only a few branded — and useful — utilities for maintaining the machine. There’s no need to dig into the registry to carefully excise every last bit of unwanted bloatware.

If you absolutely must purge every last bit of branded freeware from your system, a quick trip through the Add/Remove Programs menu can easily slim things down further.

Warranty information

The Dell Inspiron 5675 ships with a one-year limited hardware warranty protecting against any manufacturer defects, and it includes one year of mail-in service for any defects in materials or workmanship. That’s not very long, but it’s on par with what you’d get from other manufacturers at the price point.

Dell Inspiron 5675 Compared To

Asus ROG Strix GD30CI

Velocity Micro Raptor M60

Origin Neuron

Alienware Area 51 (2017)

MSI Trident 9S6-B90611-02S

Digital Storm Velox (Kaby Lake)

Cybertron CLX Ra

Acer Predator G1

Digital Storm Aventum 3

Digital Storm Velox

Falcon Northwest Talon (2015)

Origin Millennium (2014)

iBuyPower Erebus

Gateway FX6800-01e

HP Blackbird 002

Our Take

The Dell Inspiron 5675 is a solid performer with a few drawbacks, but its low price and solid gaming performance make it a good choice, especially if you’re looking to step into the world of PC gaming for the first time.

Is there a better alternative?

There are a fair number of options available to you at less than $1,000. Each major manufacturer has at least one desktop around that price, but finding one with hardware comparable to the Dell Inspiron 5675 is tough without crossing that price threshold.

Acer, for instance, offers the Aspire GX-785-UR16, an Intel-based gaming desktop for around $900. It features an AMD Radeon RX 480 graphics card, which is a step down from the RX 580 in the Dell Inspiron 5675. The difference in price between the two machines is almost negligible, and the Inspiron’s superior graphical performance is definitely worth an extra $50.

Asus, on the other hand, offers the G11DF Gaming Desktop for nearly the same price as the Inspiron 5675, it retails for $1,000, depending on configuration. Featuring a Ryzen 5 1400 CPU, and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 GPU, it’s a worthy competitor to the Inspiron, so if you’d prefer to go with AMD and Nvidia instead of just AMD, it wouldn’t be a bad choice.

Overall, there are many alternatives to the Dell Inspiron 5675, but none are hands-down better for the price. The Dell gets a leg up due to its balance of price and performance.

How long will it last?

This is a tough question for the Inspiron 5675. It’s well-built, and it’s unlikely to fall apart after a few years on the job. However, its components aren’t quick enough to keep up with PC gaming trends for more than a couple years without serious compromise. Turning down your settings, sticking to 1080p, the Inspiron 5675 will probably last a few years, but by the time Destiny 3 rolls around, it’s going to be time for a new PC.

Should you buy it?

If you’re new to PC gaming, or you’re looking to get back into it, the Dell Inspiron 5675 is a great choice. It’s not going to break the bank, and it’ll see you through at least a few major PC game release cycles in style.

Alexa can control this exoskeleton for people with mobility difficulties

Why it matters to you

Voice-activated Alexa integration will make an exoskeleton for people with mobility difficulties easier to use.

For most of us, virtual assistants like Amazon’s Alexa are time- and effort-saving technologies for when we are too lazy to get up and find a notebook to make a list, or find the particular music track we want to listen to. A new partnership involving Toronto-based medical device and robotics company Bionik Laboratories is using Alexa in a more life-changing way: As an interface for controlling robot exoskeletons for people with mobility difficulties.

Using commands like “Alexa, let’s walk to the kitchen,” the use of Amazon’s Echo and Alexa tech with Bionik’s Arke lower body exoskeleton could be a rehabilitation and assistive technology game-changer for those who need it.

The Arke exoskeleton works using a combination of smart sensors, inertial measurement units, and artificial intelligence to allow users to walk around. Adding in voice-activated smart technology simply means incorporating another useful interface element — like adding a mouse to a computer that already has a keyboard. Alexa integration will allow Arke users to perform actions like quickly getting to their feet simply by saying, “Alexa, I’m ready to stand” or “Alexa, I’m ready to walk.” It can also be used to modify parameters like stride length when a person is walking, or to check how much battery is remaining.

Bionik Laboratories

“In building Arke, we had one goal in mind — to empower the user to take back their mobility and regain the ability to complete tasks that the rest of us deem normal, like walking to the refrigerator or going to get the mail,” Michal Prywata, co-founder, chief operating officer and director of Bionik, said in a statement. “This pairing of our robotic technologies with the power of Amazon’s Alexa further pushes the boundaries of what technology can do within the home healthcare industry, and we believe we will help many impaired individuals regain the mobility they once lost.”

It is not the only example smart-assistive technology in this field. Other companies are developing rival exoskeletons and autonomous high-tech wheelchairs. It is also not yet perfect since there are no onboard microphones on the Arke, so you need to be within striking distance of an Echo to use it. Still, this is totally a step in the right direction. Pun very much intended.

The 7 best browsers for Android

Browsing the web on your smartphone doesn’t have to be an exercise in futility. A good browser app can make even slow and unresponsive webpages better by speeding up images, saving your passwords, and enabling third-party plugins. The tough part is finding a browser you like. Fortunately for you,we’ve picked the most intuitive and robust mobile browsers we could find, but it’s ultimately a matter of taste: You have to find the browser that suits your needs. With that in mind, here are the best browsers for Android.

Not sure which desktop browser is right for you? Lucky for you, we’ve put together a guide outlining the best browsers in existence.

Google Chrome

Google Chrome has a cornucopia of features, a few of which include the ability to start searches from the address bar, browse the web privately with Incognito mode, and automatically fill web forms.

Unsurprisingly, Chrome really shines if you have a Google account. Once you sign in, it syncs your bookmarks, tabs, and history across devices, remembers your usernames and passwords, and autocompletes your web searches.

But you don’t need a Google account to take advantage of Chrome’s tabbed browsing, which lets you switch between webpages with a few taps. Ditto for Data Saver, which compresses images, fonts, and other web objects to speed up browsing and reduce your data usage.

Best for: Users already steeped in Google’s ecosystem.

Download now for:

Android

Opera

Opera Mobile, the team behind the Opera for Windows and MacOS, regularly gets new features via free updates. One of the more recent are a built-in ad blocker that zaps pop-ups, interstitials, and banner ads from webpages, and a redesigned search bar can scan QR codes.

Opera Mobile is a great browser, besides. It supports tabbed and private browsing, password management, and form auto-completion. And if you sign in with an Opera account, it syncs your session across other signed-in devices.

Best for: Users who want something that’s easy to use with lots of features.

Download now for:

Android

Firefox

Firefox, by the nonprofit Mozilla Foundation, is unique in that it supports extensions — third-party tools that augment your browsing experience in a variety of ways. There’s AdBlock Plus, text-to-speech engine Speechify and password manager LastPass — and that’s just scratching the surface.

Extensions aren’t Firefox’s only unique contribution to mobile browsers. Its night-viewing mode webpage colors in order to minimize eye strain. There’s a robust set of privacy controls that let you block ad networks from tracking your browsing habits. And Firefox has Chrome-like bookmark, history, password, and tab syncing features second to none.

Best for: Users who don’t mind a bit of tinkering.

Download now for:

Android

Firefox Focus

Mozilla’s Firefox browser is good for general-purpose browsing, but if you’re looking for something more security-conscious, there’s Firefox Focus. The app — which recently made its way to Android — features a stripped-down, streamlined interface that hides ads, shows you how many tracking programs are being actively blocked on any given page, and periodically reminds you to erase your browsing history.

Focus might not be the most holistic anti-tracking browser on the market, but it’s definitely one of the easiest to use.

Best for: Users concerned about web privacy.

Download now for:

Android

Puffin

CloudMosa’s Puffin browser doesn’t have quite the same pedigree as some of the competition. But it makes up for it with features like mouse cursor emulation, a virtual gamepad, and a theme chooser.

What truly separates Puffin from the crowd, though, is support for Adobe Flash content. It uses remote servers to download and stream Flash games and videos to your device. It’s not perfect — the browser’s free tier only lets you stream up to 12 hours of Flash content a day — but until Adobe retires Flash in 2020, it’s one of the best ways to use sites that won’t let Flash go.

Puffin also has a privacy mode, data compression, and a handful of add-ons like Twitter, Facebook, and Pocket.

Best for: Users who browse websites with a lot of Flash content.

Download now for:

Android

Dolphin

Dolphin launched more than four years ago, but has managed to stay relevant with features like Dolphin Sonar, which lets you search for things with voice (i.e., “search eBay for Nike Shoes” and “go to Google.com”). Gesture browsing lets you to bookmark webpages with finger gestures, and Webzine, Dolphin’s answer to Flipboard, aggregates more than 300 web sources in a variety of disciplines within an offline, “magazine-style” digest.

Dolphin is competitive in other ways. It, like Firefox and Puffin, supports add-ons, tabbed browsing, private browsing, form autocompletion, and password syncing. And it syncs via Dolphin Connect; log in with your Google or Facebook info, install the corresponding Chrome or Firefox extension on your computer, and your tabs, history, and bookmarks will sync in the background. There’s a reason Dolphin is also one of the best browsers for the iPhone.

Best for: Users looking for a kitchen sink’s worth of features.

Download now for:

Android

Samsung Internet Browser Beta

Samsung doesn’t just make phones. The aptly-titled Internet Browser, which had been relegated to its Galaxy smartphones, recently came to Pixel and Nexus devices, and it’s chock-full of useful features. It supports content blockers such as AdBlock and Disconnect, as well as a high-contrast viewing mode designed for users with impaired vision. You can also use the browser to sync bookmarks, saved pages, and tabs with non-Samsung devices via a corresponding Chrome extension.

Internet Browser’s other highlights include the newest, fastest version of Google’s rendering engine (v6), and an extension for Gamepad controllers. It’s available for all Android devices running 5.0 Lollipop or later.

Best for: Users looking for a no-frills browsing experience.

Download now for:

Android

Updated: Added Samsung Internet Browser Beta and Firefox Focus.

Uno Bolt is a fat-wheeled electric unicycle with Gyro Force technology

Why it matters to you

Not only is the Uno Bolt a fun-looking way to commute to work, its concept is unique enough to inspire a world-famous director to use it in his next film.

Within the last decade, there has been a large increase in options for commuting. As gyroscrope technology advences, developers are becoming more adventurous with their designs. One such example is the Uno Bolt, the world’s first fat-wheeled electric unicycle with Gyro Force.

The Gyro Force Technology used in the Uno Bolt is very similar to those found in hoverboards or other stand-up single-wheel transporters. According to the unicycle’s creator, Sean Chan, Gyro Force is “the quickets responding gyroscope to be put into a one wheel machine.”

Operating the Uno Bolt is as easy as tilting the body. Leaning forward accelerates while leaning back slows, brakes, and reverses. As expected, leaning left or right turns it while Tire Assist adjusts the air in the tire to prevent over extending a lean.

Using a 1,000W motor, this 45-pound monowheel supports up to 280 pounds and can climb a slope up to 45 degrees. Powered by a lithium battery, the Uno Bolt can reach a top speed of 22 miles per hour with a maximum range of 25 miles. Once the battery is drained, a full recharge only takes 45 minutes, making this electric vehicle stand out. Users could ride to lunch and be fully charged before the meal is finished.

Additional features include a rearview mirror, bright LED headlight, hefty tire for on- or off-road travel, integrated display, and military-grade alloy frame.

“What inspired us to build a unicycle was [to see] if it was even possible,” said Chan in a statement to Men’s Journal. “Now our third version is complete. The second version was not released to the public but we ended up selling the V2 to James Cameron’s production company. Expect to see the V2 in the upcoming James Cameron movie, Alita: Battle Angels, coming out next year.”

The concept of an electric unicycle has been growing traction over the years. Other developers have already developed working models such as the motorcycle-inspired Ryno or the more modern MotoPogo. Even Ford has toyed with the idea of a detachable wheel that doubles as a motorized unicycle.

Pre-orders for the Uno Bolt are currently still open through Kickstarter with pledges of $1,000 or more. Color options include black and red, or golden.

From umbrellas to vaporizers, here’s all the gear you’ll want during the eclipse

It’s not every day you get a chance to sit back and watch as our sun is momentarily blotted out of the sky. In fact, there hasn’t been a viewable total eclipse from the United States mainland in 38 years. However, on August 21, many people across North America will an opportunity to see one. This is especially true for folks living along the 70-mile-wide stretch of land — known as “path of totality” — where a total solar eclipse will be visible for nearly three minutes.

While witnessing a 875,000 mile across ball of plasma fleetingly eclipsed by a drifting space rock is in and of itself an amazing experience, there are ways to enhance the event. To help you make the most of your eclipse viewing adventure, we’ve put together a quick list of the best solar eclipse gear you probably didn’t think to bring.

Stock Eclipse Glasses

As reflected by the recent Amazon solar eclipse glasses recall, there are many models on the market that do not meet the necessary optical safety requirements designated for viewing a solar eclipse. That said, American Paper Products, has been approved by NASA’s partner, the American Astronomical Society, to meet the international standard. The company’s Stock Eclipse Glasses are also one of the few models you can actually still purchase. Unfortunately, due to high demand the company recently reduced its minimum order to 25 glasses. We also have an article solely dedicated to solar eclipse glasses we will be updating leading up to the event.

Buy one now from:

American Paper Optics

Sport-Brella X-Large Umbrella

As one could imagine, millions of Americans will be migrating to the path of totality for the best views of the total solar eclipse. At many public parks — especially within city limits — space will be at a premium, and some individuals may consider setting up camp a little earlier to ensure their spot in the sun (and momentary lack thereof). However, camping out for hours on end before the event can become quite uncomfortable and hot (especially in mid-August). With this in mind, the Sport-Brella is a solid open-air option that offers UV protection to make the hours before and after the eclipse more enjoyable. Amazon also has a slew of other portable UV umbrellas for those looking to stay cool and mobile on Monday.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

Anker 21W Dual USB Solar Charger

When preparing for a solar eclipse weekend outing, bringing along a portable solar panel to charge your devices just makes sense. The Anker 21W features the PowerIQ function that adjusts the amperage of the power supplied to connected device. This allows the solar charger to replenish your devices while minimizing the risk of internal circuitry damage associated with overcharging, etc. As far as portability is concerned, this panel is as sleek and compact as they come. When folded, the entire unit is just 11 inches in length, six inches in width, and one inch thick, enabling easy stowing before and after the show. This Anker model is on sale for just 60 bones leading up to the big show.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

Helinox Chair Zero

Standing is hard — conversely, sitting isn’t. While we patiently wait on our personal exoskeletons to prop us up, there are a slew of camping chairs to keep us properly ensconced for the time being. While some more industrious individuals may prefer to stand for the entirety of the nearly three-minute solar event, many others may favor a chair-like device. With the ability to pack down to roughly the size of a water bottle and weighing just 17 ounces, the Helinox Chair Zero is our choice. Individuals who prefer larger or more padded camping chairs may want to peruse our list of other versatile camping chairs.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

Klean Kanteen Insulated Classic 20oz

We reviewed a series of insulated water bottles earlier this year and the Klean Kanteen Insulated Classic is still one of our favorites. This heavy-duty model is a combination of the original Klean Kanteen with a double-wall, vacuum-insulated design. This allows the Insulated Classic to keep your drinks hot for up to 20 hours and iced drinks cold for nearly 50 hours. This should be more than enough insulation for a stellar day trip and even individuals camping overnight for the event.

Buy one now from:

Klean Kanteen

Igloo Trailmate Journey Cooler

Unlike some of these other solar eclipse gadgets, you should see plenty of year-round return on investment with the Igloo Trailmate Journey Cooler. While a smaller cooler or insulated soft pack may suffice for individuals or smaller groups, larger gaggles of thirsty humans will require significantly more storage space. The Trailmate Journey Cooler has 10-inches of ground clearance and a pair of oversized, furrowed wheels, making this cooler much more agile and mobile than most stationary base camp options. For other slick offerings, read our full review of the best coolers on the market.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

Anker SoundCore Boost

A Bluetooth speaker is virtually an essential for any casual modern day outing, and the Anker SoundCore Boost is one of the best offerings on the market. At just eight inches in length and weight just one pound, this unit should fit into even the most cramped backpack or duffel with ease. The Anker SoundCore is more than capable of playing strictly the hits for up to 12 hours and a series of USB ports allow you to simultaneously juice up your other devices.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

Nikon COOLPIX P900

The Nikon COOLPIX P900 83x telephoto lens is a killer option for stargazing photographers, as the lens allows you to shoot from an incredible distance, giving you a closer image of the sun than a standard lens ever could. Also, here’s a truly hot tip straight from our DT photo team: Photographers will need to use a Neutral Density filter when taking photos of the sun while it is NOT in eclipse. During the eclipse, if the photographer is in the totality stripe, they can shoot the sun without a filter, but once the sun comes back out (or before the eclipse), they need to use an ND filter or they risk ruining (melting/frying) the camera sensor.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

Eclipse Albert Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod

When attempting to snap that perfect photo of the suns mesmerizing corona, timing and stabilization are key. That said, we highly recommend a top-of-the-line tripod situationally, and the Eclipse Albert Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod should be more than adequate. The legs can extend to a maximum height of 74 inches or as low as just under nine inches. The legs each individually fold 180-degrees for more convenient stowing during transport and storage. We’ve also curated a full article on tips and tricks for photographing a total eclipse.

Buy one now from:

B&H

Pax 3

Want to get a little baked before you watch the moon blot out the sun for a couple minutes? We highly recommend bringing along the latest Pax vaporizer. It’s far more discreet than a bong or a blunt, but will get you blitzed just the same. We’ve tested a boatload of different vapes over the years, and the Pax 3 is still our top pick when it comes to loose leaf vaporizers. Unlike most others, the Pax 3 boasts a slim build that fits easily in the palm of your hand. Check our hands-on review for details.

Buy one now from:Pax

Windows Story Remix will be in Fall Creators Update, but missing at least one feature

Why it matters to you

Despite earlier reports, it does appear Windows Story Remix will be in the Fall Creators Update – but it will be missing at least one feature.

At Build 2017, Microsoft unveiled a suite of creative tools called Windows Story Remix, which allows users to quickly and easily blend photos and videos into a video clip that’s perfect for sharing via social media. There was a broadly positive response to the tool — but it it now seems the release version will not be as complete as shown on stage.

Microsoft product marketing manager Ashlie Little has been fielding questions about Story Remix on Twitter this week. Yesterday, one user inquired about the availability of a special effect involving imported 3D models from Remix 3D when the Fall Creators Update launches later this year. Little replied saying that it won’t be live at launch, but confirmed that it’ll follow shortly afterward.

Chris Pratley, Microsoft’s corporate vice president for photo and video, weighed in not long after. He confirmed that Little only meant that specific feature will be missing. Some had taken the tweet to mean that the entirely of Windows Story Remix could be absent.

Story Remix will be in the Store when RS3 launches (auto-updates the existing Photos app). RS2 minimum, but RS3 for full functionality.

— chris pratley (@chrispr) August 15, 2017

Story Remix will apparently be available as an automatic update to the Photos app via the Windows Store when the Fall Creators Update drops. Pratley went on to suggest that announced features will continue to be added to the app throughout the lifespan of this iteration of Windows 10, so it’ll constantly be receiving new updates with new content.

So what will be available at launch? According to another tweet from Pratley, the special effects that were showcased on stage at Build 2017 will be available for users, and more will follow on “soon after.”

It’s good to hear that Story Remix will be a part of the Fall Creators Update at launch, even if it might not be as comprehensive a version of the app as some would hope. Just last month, it was confirmed that the Timeline feature wouldn’t be ready in time for launch, with Microsoft’s vice president of Windows suggesting that it would be shipped to Insiders shortly after the update is released.

Microsoft is yet to offer up an official release date for the Fall Creators Update — but since Insiders can already jump ahead to future builds, it can’t be too far off.

Using Google Chromecast Audio as a whole-house audio alternative to Sonos

Great-sounding music is made easy with a Chromecast Audio. And you’ll save a fistful of dollars, too.

If you’re thinking about setting up a whole-house (or even just a single-room) streaming audio solution, Sonos systems are pretty much what you’ll find recommended by folks on the internet. They are easy to set up and the Sonos service offers a decent choice of streaming content providers. But the price tag — you’ll be spending hundreds per room for individual Sonos amps or speakers — can be tough to swallow. We’ve got a solution: Use a Chromecast Audio and a few standard components and save a whole lot of money.

Three things make the Chromecast Audio a good (or even better) alternative — the Chromecast has its own 96KHz / 24bit capable audio hardware, the 3.5 mm combination output supports optical as well as analog connections, and the Google Cast app lets you create groups or zones so you can stream your music to specific sources just like you can with a Sonos. There is even a high dynamic range setting for hi-res music files. And you won’t have to hack or mess around with any hardware, either. Plug your Chromecast Audio into a set of powered speakers, or a small amp and passive speakers, or even an A/V receiver, and cast some music.

Getting started

You’ll need three things — a Chromecast Audio, something to play the music that’s streaming and something to initiate it. The Chromecast Audio is the easy part — you’ll find one them for sale at Google as well as plenty of other online retailers or on the shelf at Walmart or Best Buy. One will set you back about $35 unless you find it on sale.

To tell the Chromecast what to play, you’ll need an Android or iOS device or a computer running Google Chrome (a Chromebook works really well, too). Install the Google Home app and it will walk you through finding your Chromecast(s) and setting them up. You’ll then be able to stream from popular online services like Google Play Music, Pandora, Spotify and plenty of others. You can also stream your own hi-res music from a network-attached storage device using a server like Plex or an app like BubbleUPnP for your Android phone. Or you can mirror local files from your Android phone or tablet or cast audio directly from a Chrome tab across your local network. There are plenty of options when it comes to the source of your music, and more apps are adding Google Cast support all the time.

The Chromecast Audio is designed to be plug and play with other equipment.

Playing back the sound is really the only part you’ll need to think about. You need a way to get the audio from the Chromecast’s 3.5 mm jack to a pair of speakers (either powered or via an external amp). There is nothing special about how this is done. In fact, you can plug a pair of headphones into your Chromecast Audio and it plays exactly as you would expect. That means you can let your needs and your budget decide what you use here.

Adding some speakers

Probably the best solution would be to use a small bookshelf amplifier and a pair of passive speakers. The amp can cost as little as $20 and still deliver great sound because we’re not necessarily looking for bells and whistles — we just need a way to increase the power of the signal and pass it along to some speakers. Decent bookshelf speakers start at $50 or so, while great ones can be bought for about $100. You can even splurge and use a pair of studio monitors (along with an amp capable of driving them) for one or more rooms if you plan on streaming a lot of hi-res music. The folks where you buy your speakers will be able to help you if you’re not sure what to buy, Just tell them what you’re planning to do and they’ll point you towards everything you would need. Add in a few cables and you’ve just built a great audio streaming setup without breaking the bank.

Here’s an example of a good setup that would compare to a pair of Sonos Play 3 speakers or a Sonos Connect amp setup:

• A Chromecast Audio. These are around $35 and you’ll get the device itself, a 3.5mm patch cable, a power supply and power cord. Keep an eye out for sales here if you are thinking about doing more than one room!

See at B&H

• A bookshelf amp or car amp with a power supply. There are hundreds to choose from at every price point. I’ve found the SMSL SA50 to be the very best bang for your buck at around $70, but there are several like the Lepy LP-2020A that only cost about $25 and will work great, too. Be sure the amp you buy can drive your speakers. If you’re not sure about any of this, drop a link and a question in the comments and the resident audiophiles will be helpful.

SMAL SA50 amp

Lepy LP-2020A amp

• Speakers. The speakers you buy need to be able to fill up your space with sound. How big and what wattage you need depends on where you’re putting them. In general, I love Pioneer’s SP-BS22-LR Andrew Jones Bookshelf Loudspeakers. They’re about $100 and any decent 50-watt amp will drive them well. There are countless models of bookshelf speakers from every name out there if these are a little too large (they’re 7 x 13 x 9 inches in size) so you’ll have plenty of options. Just be sure the speakers you buy are a good match with your amp.

Pioneer SP-BS22-LR speakers

You can also buy active (self-powered) speakers instead of buying a separate amp and passive speakers. Powered speakers will plug into the wall and have their own internal power supply so don’t try to use a set of them with a separate amp unless you know what you’re doing! The Edifier R1280T speakers look great and sound really nice for $100, but you’ll also find plenty of other options. Just be sure to use active speakers without an amp — plug your Chromecast right into the input.

Edifier R1280T speakers

Even after adding in the cost of a few cables and things like speaker stands if you want or need them, this is a much cheaper alternative that sounds great and has support for more services than a Sonos system. The only downside is wiring things up, which should take just a few minutes because everything on this list will be plug and play. Now multiply the savings by the number of places you want to bring your music to, and you’ll have saved a lot of money.

A great-sounding system is easy to build, or you can plug a Chromecast Audio into your existing setup.

A Chromecast Audio is also really easy to drop into your existing home stereo or entertainment center. If you already have a great setup and would love to use Google Play Music or listen to your music across your own network, all you need to do is plug a Chromecast Audio into an open optical input using a Toslink cable and fire up the Google Cast app. Being versatile is a big plus, and a Chromecast Audio will fit most anywhere and connect to anything using standard cables.

Whether you’re just looking for a cheap and easy way to build a streaming stereo for one room or want to connect your whole house with multiple setups indoors or out, a Chromecast Audio is a great way to do it.

Update August 2017: Added some new gear recommendations that sound awesome!

Chromecast

• Chromecast and Chromecast Audio review
• Chromecast Ultra vs Roku
• Chromecast vs Chromecast Ultra: Which should you buy?
• Join the discussion in our forums

Chromecast:

Google
Best Buy

Chromecast Audio:

Google
Best Buy

Chromecast Ultra:

Google
Best Buy

YouTube TV is now available in 14 more markets

YouTube TV is now available in 29 markets total.

When YouTube TV launched earlier this year, it launched in 15 heavily populated markets, including Los Angeles, Dallas-Fort Worth and New York City. Today, Google has expanded the streaming TV service to 14 additional markets.

Here is a full list of markets YouTube TV is now available in:

• Atlanta, GA
• Baltimore, MD
• Boston, MA
• Charlotte, NC
• Chicago, IL
• Cincinnati, OH
• Columbus, OH
• Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
• Detroit, MI
• Houston, TX
• Jacksonville, FL
• Las Vegas, NV
• Los Angeles, CA
• Louisville, KY
• Memphis, TN
• Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL
• Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN
• Nashville, TN
• New York City, NY
• Orlando-Dayton Beach-Melbourne, FL
• Philadelphia, PA
• Phoenix, AZ
• Pittsburgh, PA
• San Antonio, TX
• San Francisco Bay Area, CA
• Seattle, WA
• Tampa, FL
• Washington, DC
• West Palm Beach, FL

The basic YouTube TV package runs for $35 per month, offering standard basic cable channels. The service also features an unlimited Cloud DVR so you can watch your favorite shows anytime. YouTube TV offers a one-month free trial, and users will receive a free Chromecast when they make their first payment, meaning either the Chromecast or the month of TV service is free, depending on how you look at it. Users can also add on Showtime for an additional $11 per month or Fox Soccer Plus for an additional $15 per month.

YouTube TV is available on Android, iOS, Chromecast, Apple Airplay, and in a web browser. Curiously missing from that list is Google’s own Android TV, though every Android TV device features Chromecast built-in.

Are you ready to give YouTube TV a shot? Share your thoughts below!

Learn more about YouTube TV!

Grab a 2-pack of TP-Link Smart Plugs for $40 at Amazon

Our friends at Thrifter are back again, this time with a $15 discount on Smart plugs

Smart plugs are a great addition to any house. If you don’t have any smart home equipment and want to get started, these plugs are one of the best purchases that you can make. Amazon currently has a 2-pack of TP-Link smart plugs priced at just $39.99 when you use the coupon code 15SMARTKIT at checkout. For two of them you’d normally pay around $55, so this is a $15 savings, bringing the cost per unit down to $20 each.

• Works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant for voice control
• Remote Access: Control devices connected to the Smart Plug wherever you have Internet using the free Kasa app on your smartphone
• Turn electronics on or off from anywhere with your tablet or smartphone using the free Kasa app (Compatible w/ Android 4.1 or higher & iOS8 or higher)
• Use Away-Mode to turn devices on and off at different times to give the appearance that someone is home while you are away
• Easy to use and install. Just plug a device into the Smart Plug and connect to your Wi-Fi network. Includes 2x HS100 Smart Plugs

If you’re just looking for a single smart plug, be sure to check out this deal on D-Link’s option for just $20.

See at Amazon

More from Thrifter:

• How to get the most out of your Amazon Prime membership
• How to save money when driving

For more great deals be sure to check out our friends at Thrifter now!