These ‘Substitute Phones’ are fabricated for fidgety phone fingers

Smartphones are more ubiquitous than ever,. Doubtless, a lot of that usage is related to work or entertainment.

However, there are other reasons we’re constantly swiping and tapping our phone screens. The simple act of doing so can be enjoyable for some people, and can give you something to do with your hands even if you don’t really want to be connected all the time. If you’ve ever wanted to play with your phone while not actually using your phone, then Klemens Schillinger’s Substitute Phones may be just what you need.

The Substitute Phone made of high-quality, heavy-duty plastic designed to mimic the look and feel of a traditional smartphone. The devices feature stone beads which are designed to simulate the various gestures one would make on their smartphone. In a way, you can think of them as phone-shaped fidget spinners. They fulfill the same tactile urge to touch and swipe that your actual smartphone does, but will give you a break from the constant text messages and notifications.

“The object, which some of us describe as a prosthesis, is reduced to nothing but the motions,” the product description reads. “This calming limitation offers help for smartphone addicts to cope with withdrawal symptoms.”

While speaking with Dezeen, Schillinger said that the device had two inspirations. The first was the large amount of time he spent looking at his smartphone even when he didn’t necessarily want to use it. The second was writer Umberto Eco who, when attempting to quit smoking, substituted his pipe for a stick in order to simulate the sensation of holding a pipe without the nicotine.

“It was the same thing, but without the nicotine, just the physical stimulation,” he told Dezeen. “I remembered this and thought to make phones that would provide the physical stimulation but not the connectivity.”

The Substitute Phone is the second creation that Schillinger has created in an attempt to help explain our relationship with technology. The first was the Offline Lamp, which would only turn on when a smartphone-sized device was placed in its drawer.

These ‘Substitute Phones’ are fabricated for fidgety phone fingers

Smartphones are more ubiquitous than ever,. Doubtless, a lot of that usage is related to work or entertainment.

However, there are other reasons we’re constantly swiping and tapping our phone screens. The simple act of doing so can be enjoyable for some people, and can give you something to do with your hands even if you don’t really want to be connected all the time. If you’ve ever wanted to play with your phone while not actually using your phone, then Klemens Schillinger’s Substitute Phones may be just what you need.

The Substitute Phone made of high-quality, heavy-duty plastic designed to mimic the look and feel of a traditional smartphone. The devices feature stone beads which are designed to simulate the various gestures one would make on their smartphone. In a way, you can think of them as phone-shaped fidget spinners. They fulfill the same tactile urge to touch and swipe that your actual smartphone does, but will give you a break from the constant text messages and notifications.

“The object, which some of us describe as a prosthesis, is reduced to nothing but the motions,” the product description reads. “This calming limitation offers help for smartphone addicts to cope with withdrawal symptoms.”

While speaking with Dezeen, Schillinger said that the device had two inspirations. The first was the large amount of time he spent looking at his smartphone even when he didn’t necessarily want to use it. The second was writer Umberto Eco who, when attempting to quit smoking, substituted his pipe for a stick in order to simulate the sensation of holding a pipe without the nicotine.

“It was the same thing, but without the nicotine, just the physical stimulation,” he told Dezeen. “I remembered this and thought to make phones that would provide the physical stimulation but not the connectivity.”

The Substitute Phone is the second creation that Schillinger has created in an attempt to help explain our relationship with technology. The first was the Offline Lamp, which would only turn on when a smartphone-sized device was placed in its drawer.

HP Spectre 13 (2017) review

Research Center:
HP Spectre 13 (2017)

The Windows PC market moves fast, and sometimes companies make claims that are quickly superseded. Such was the case with the original HP Spectre 13, which was first advertised as the “world’s thinnest laptop.” Soon after, Acer released its even thinner Swift 7, which beat it out. Now, in our latest HP Spectre 13 review, we look at the update to the Spectre, which has been significantly redesigned and is now touted as “the world’s thinnest touchscreen notebook.”

Our review unit was equipped with an eighth-generation Intel Core i7-8550U, 8GB of RAM, a 256GB solid-state drive (SSD), and a Full HD (1,920 x 1,080 or 165 PPI) resolution display, at a retail price of $1,400. HP will be offering higher-end configurations and a 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160 or 331 PPI) display, but pricing has not yet been announced.

A lovely little jewel of a notebook

HP’s redesigned Spectre 13 is as thin as ever at just 0.41 inches thick, in spite of its new touch display, and it’s incredibly light at 2.43 pounds. But as you probably know, HP isn’t exactly the only company trying to slim down its products. There are plenty of notebooks around that are sold for their tiny size, including the 12-inch Apple MacBook at just over half an inch thick and the Huawei MateBook X at 0.49 inches. The Spectre 13 out-thins both of those — and throws in touch display electronics as the icing on top. It’s still not quite as thin as the Swift 7, but it’s impressive nonetheless.

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

The refreshed Spectre 13 also sports a new Ceramic White and Pale Gold color scheme that is the yin to the previous model’s yang. You can still choose the Ash Silver and Chrome Luxe version, but our review model convinced us that if you’re going to choose such a thin and beautiful notebook, you might as well select the one that stands out. It’s a unique color scheme that sets it apart from the sea of MacBook and Surface clones.

It’s a gorgeous design that looks like a fine piece of jewelry, with a fit and finish to match.

To make sure that lovely white surface stays pristine, HP utilizes a special scratch-resistant Advanced Electro Deposition (AED) process on the aluminum lid and keyboard deck and carbon fiber bottom. The Spectre 13 has also been trimmed of any excess width and depth, with the display’s bezels reduced to 5.3mm (from 15.03mm) and the top bezel to 9.7mm (down from 16.04mm). That’s similar to the Dell XPS 13, with its side and top bezels of 5.2 mm. The angles have been chiseled for a cleaner look, and the diamond cut around the lid makes it easy to open.

All in all, it’s a gorgeous design that looks like a fine piece of jewelry, with a fit and finish to match.

Our only complaint with the design and build is directly related to the Spectre 13’s thinness. While the chassis feels solid enough when the lid is closed, there’s some give when pressing on the bottom and the keyboard and the screen significantly bends under relatively light pressure.

As long as you’re just opening the lid and not twisting it, though, you’ll appreciate the hinge’s smooth action — which can be used with single-handedly — and how well it holds the display in place. However, the odd design, in which the display isn’t as deep as the chassis and folds down to lie flush with a metal strip along the back of the machine, means that the display doesn’t open as wide as you’ll find on most notebooks.

Overall, the Spectre 13 is a lovely-designed machine that’s as much a work of art as it is a notebook. It’s thin and exceptionally light, albeit at the cost of sheer rigidity.

Future-proof but limited connectivity

With the Spectre 13, you can have any kind of port you want, as long as it’s USB-C. As with the previous model, the new Spectre 13 offers up three USB-C ports to go with the 3.5mm audio jack, and that’s it. Two of them support Thunderbolt 3, however, and that’s a real plus.

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

Nevertheless, you’ll be relying on dongles to connect legacy peripherals (although the Best Buy version does come with a USB-C to USB-A adapter). The MacBook has fewer ports with its single USB-C Thunderbolt 3 connection, and the MateBook X increases the count to two USB-C ports. The Asus ZenBook 3 Deluxe, on the other hand, duplicates the Spectre 13’s triplet of USB-C ports, two with Thunderbolt 3. The more ports the better, but the Spectre 13 is in line with the competition in this department.

Wireless connectivity includes the increasingly typical 2×2 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi adapter and Bluetooth 4.2 combo. HP has built in its Connection Optimizer technology that aims to keep Wi-Fi connections fast by picking the least congested connection available.

Surprisingly good keyboard for such a thin machine

Somehow, HP managed to squeeze an excellent keyboard into the Spectre 13’s frame, with an impressive 1.3mm of key travel — significantly more than on a laptop like the ZenBook 3 Deluxe or MacBook Pro — that provides for a surprisingly good typing experience. There’s plenty of snap, giving a precise feel, and we found ourselves quickly ramping up to our usual typing speed. The keyboard is uniformly backlit, but oddly enough there’s only one rather bright setting that is a bit much in darker environments.

The Spectre 13 sports one of the best keyboards you’ll find on such a thin-and-light notebook.

In addition, HP moved the speakers from the sides to reside underneath the display. This let the company expand the keyboard to provide excellent spacing as well as to add the same row of home keys along the right-hand side that you’ll find on some other recent HP notebooks. All the keys are the right sizes and in the right places.

All in all, this is one of the best keyboards you’ll find on laptops of the thin-and-light variety. It’s vastly superior to the “typing on a block of wood” experience of the recent MacBook keyboards, and it’s even better than the aforementioned ZenBook 3 Deluxe’s keyboard, which we considered very good for the form factor.

The touchpad is a little less pleasant. To begin with, it’s not a Microsoft Precision Touchpad, but rather utilizes Synaptics drivers. Therefore, its gesture support was a little less precise than we like. The glass surface is smooth, though, and it’s been increased 15 percent in size from the previous generation, with a shape that mimics the display’s widescreen aspect ratio. You’ll be happier with the larger touchpad on the MacBook, as well as the more common Microsoft Precision touchpads you’ll find on other modern Windows notebooks like the Dell XPS 13.

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

The display on the new Spectre 13 also supports multitouch, and it’s a nice addition. Even without pen support or the ability to rotate into tablet format, having a touchscreen makes it easier to push buttons and scroll the display, and we’re glad to see HP add the feature.

A slightly below-average display that’s just good enough

Our review unit came equipped with a 13.3-inch Full HD display, which is the baseline for today’s premium notebooks. HP will also offer a 4K UHD option that will make for a very sharp display indeed.

According to our colorimeter, the Spectre 13’s display is a little worse than average compared to similar premium notebooks. Contrast was a bit low at 740:1 at full brightness, which was just 266 nits, and thus had a hard time overcoming bright lights. The Dell XPS 13 and Asus ZenBook 3 Deluxe both exceeded 900:1 in contrast, and 300 nits in brightness.

Colors were also slightly less dynamic, with only 71 percent coverage of the AdobeRGB gamut and 94 percent coverage of sRGB. Most displays in this class hit at least 72 and 95 percent, respectively, and the XPS 13 was a standout at 77 and 98 percent. The Spectre 13’s color accuracy was also a little worse than average at 2.54, where anything less than 1.0 is considered excellent.

Subjectively, the Spectre 13’s display was pleasant enough to use, although we did notice that video was darker than we’d like. That makes sense given the gamma results of 2.4 (2.2 is perfect). We wish it was brighter, though, and offered up more contrast to make black text on a white background pop more.

Punchy audio, just don’t turn it all the way up

HP moved the speakers from the sides to just below the display on the newest Spectre 13, adding more space for the Bang & Olufsen-tuned speakers to work. The result is audio that’s impressive for such a tiny machine.

HP Spectre 13 (2017) Compared To

Asus Zenbook 3 Deluxe…

Asus ZenBook Flip S

Huawei Matebook X WT-W09

Toshiba Portege Z30-C1310

Razer Blade Stealth

Toshiba Portege Z20t

LG Ultra PC 14Z950

HP Spectre 13t

Samsung ATIV Book 7

Acer Aspire M5 Touch

Acer Aspire Timeline Ultra M5

Acer Aspire S5

Lenovo IdeaPad U310

HP Folio 13

Asus Zenbook UX31

Volume can get very loud, enough to share a movie or TV show with friends, and music was surprisingly enjoyable. Even bass was a bit better than we expected, and the midrange and lows were pleasant — at least, up to around 80 percent volume. Beyond that, though, everything starts to run together. The good thing is you shouldn’t have to pass that threshold to properly fill a medium-sized room.

Impressively fast for such a thin and light machine

Our review unit was equipped with the eighth-generation Intel Core i7-8550U, a 15-watt quad-core processor that promises improved performance yet increased efficiency. The new CPU has provided significant performance improvements in all the machines we’ve reviewed so far.

The Spectre 13 keeps up the pace. In the Geekbench 4 synthetic benchmark, the machine scored 4,916 in the single-core test and 14,301 in the multi-core tests. Those are excellent results that compete well with the other Core i7-8550U machines in our comparison group and blow away seventh-generation notebooks.

On the more challenging Handbrake test that encodes a 420MB video file to H.265, the Spectre 13 was able to complete the process in 672 seconds. Given that this test really stresses the CPU and generates some heat, this is an impressive showing. It’s much faster than other thin notebooks using the same processor, including the latest Dell XPS 13 and the ZenBook 3 Deluxe, and even competes with our speed champ so far, the thicker and heavier Lenovo Yoga 920.

The Spectre 13 offers impressive performance for such a thin and light machine. It’s faster than we expected it to be, and its performance is due in part to some work that HP put into it the cooling system. There’s an infrared sensor that measures when the surface of the chassis gets too hot to the touch and modulates the fans, and HP engineered a hybrid cooling solution that manages to let the CPU run at full speed for longer periods.

You’ll be more than happy with the Spectre 13’s performance for all of your general productivity needs. In real-world use, it’s plenty quick and can handle anything you’re likely to throw at it — even the occasional high-end task like video encoding, which usually makes thin-and-light notebooks stutter.

More than fast enough storage speeds

HP equipped our Spectre 13 with a 256GB Samsung PM961 SSD. That’s a great choice, given its generally excellent performance in both reading and writing data.

The Spectre 13 couldn’t quite squeeze all the performance out of the Samsung SSD in our benchmark testing. It scored 906 megabytes per second (MB/s) on the CrystalDiskMark read test and 964 MB/s on the write test. That’s slower than some other machines using the same drive, such as the Lenovo Yoga 720 that scored a remarkable 2,060 MB/s read and 1,209 MB/s write and the Asus ZenBook 3 Deluxe that scored 1,349 MB/s read and 1,285 MB/s write.

Even so, the Spectre 13 is plenty fast in reading and writing information, and you’re unlikely to notice the discrepancy. Throughout our testing and in writing this review, the notebook never slowed down. It might be small, but the Spectre 13 is a speedy little machine for pretty much any productivity task.

Don’t even think about gaming

The Spectre 13 is equipped with integrated Intel UHD 620 graphics, which are unchanged from the seventh-generation version. That implies enough graphical prowess for the usual productivity tasks but doesn’t indicate a very powerful gaming system.

As expected, the Spectre 13 scored in line with other machines using the same integrated graphics. Its 3DMark Fire Strike score of 1,005 is average, and indicates a machine that’s not going to be a great choice for gamers.

We ran Civilization VI at Full HD, just for kicks. The Spectre 13 achieved 11 frames per second (FPS) at medium graphics and 6 FPS at ultra graphics. Unsurprisingly, that’s within the FPS range of every other machine we’ve tested using the Intel UHD 620 GPU.

Incredibly easy to carry around, but take your charger if you’re working hard

HP increased the battery capacity on the new Spectre 13 from 38 to 43 watt-hours using a new step-cell design. The eighth-generation Intel CPUs also promise better efficiency, at least when the CPU is running at its lower base clock speed than the previous generation. That led us to believe we’d see solid battery life.

The combination was generally fruitful. In our most demanding battery test, the Basemark web benchmark that taxes the CPU and GPU with a series of demanding web processes, the Spectre 13 managed just over two and a half hours — an okay result. Dell’s XPS 13 was the leader among eighth-generation machines on this test at three and a half hours, and the ZenBook 3 Deluxe lasted a few minutes longer than the Spectre 13.

On our test that shuffles through a series of popular web pages, the Spectre 13 managed five hours and 21 minutes. That’s a little weaker than we expected but still a decent showing. The XPS 13 lasted only a minute longer, while the ZenBook 3 Deluxe passed the six-hour mark. Lenovo’s Yoga 920 was the standout at over eight hours.

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

Finally, we see how long machines can loop through an Avengers trailer from local storage until the battery runs out. Here, the Spectre 13 lasted for a more competitive nine hours and 51 minutes. That’s 50 minutes longer than the XPS 13 and within five minutes of the Asus ZenBook 3 Deluxe. The Yoga 920 blew every other machine away at almost 14 hours of runtime.

These are mixed results, but they follow the trend we’ve seen with machines using eighth-generation CPUs. If you’re doing general productivity work, then the Spectre 13 will likely last close to a full day’s work. If you’re doing work that stresses the processor, then you’ll want to make sure you have your charger on hand. The Spectre is light enough, however, that you probably won’t mind carrying along a little extra weight.

Software

The HP Spectre 13 is equipped with the usual HP utilities to keep the machine updated and to provide access to technical support resources. In addition, the Dropbox app comes pre-installed to provide access to the included 30GB of free storage space for a year. Those are the useful apps. The McAfee and other trials are examples of bloatware that we’d rather not see – and are far less common — on a premium machine.

Warranty

HP offers a typical one-year parts and labor warranty for the Spectre 13. As usual, that’s disappointing for a machine that costs over $1,000.

Our Take

The HP Spectre 13 has been significantly redesigned, adding in a touch display in the same ultrathin chassis, and updating to eighth-generation Intel Core processors. It remains a solidly built machine, albeit with the slightest bit of flex due to the ultrathin materials, and performance is very good.

Is there a better alternative?

There aren’t that many Windows notebooks that are quite as thin and light as the Spectre 13. One of the more direct comparisons is the Asus ZenBook 3 Deluxe, which offers a slightly larger 14-inch display but still manages to fit into the same class of machine. It’s also equipped with the Intel Core i7-8550U CPU, and offers similar performance and battery life. It’s a little more solidly built — and a bit thicker and heavier — while also costing $1,700 with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD.

If you’re willing to accept a little more thickness and weight, then the excellent Dell XPS 13 is a good alternative. It’s just received its own eighth-generation update, and it also provides strong performance and battery life. At $1,300 for a Core i7-8550U, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD, it’s priced a bit less than the Spectre 13.

Another thin and light Windows 10 option is served up by the Huawei MateBook X. That machine is still mired with seventh generation Intel Core processors, but it provides a very good, higher resolution 13-inch 2,160 x 1,440 (200 PPI) display with a 3:2 aspect ratio that’s great for productivity. Our review unit came in at $1,100 for a Core i5-7200U, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD, making it less expensive than the Spectre 13 albeit considerably slower.

Finally, you could make the switch to MacOS and pick up the latest MacBook. You’ll gain Apple’s always-excellent design and build quality, along with a colorful and high-contrast 12-inch display at 2,304 x 1,440 resolution (226 PPI). You’ll also pay for it, at $1,600 for a Core i5-7200U, 8GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. And make sure you’re okay with the MacBook’s keyboard before you pull out your credit card.

How long will it last?

The Spectre 13 is well-built, but it’s also very thin. You’ll want to make sure you treat it gently, at least if a slightly flexible chassis gives you pause. It’s equipped with eight-generation processors and plenty of RAM and storage space, and it uses futureproof USB-C ports. If you take care of it, you should get quite a few years of use.

Should you buy it?

Yes, particularly if you really want such a thin and light machine. You’ll get great performance and decent battery life along with a lovely appearance and a seriously svelte frame.

Android 8.0 Oreo for unlocked HTC U11 will be available November 27

The perks of buying unlocked.

The HTC U11 isn’t the most exciting phone of 2017, but for those in the market for a device with a stunning design, fast performance, and an excellent camera, it’s still a really good choice. The U11 shipped with a close to stock build of Android 7.1.1 Nougat, and thanks to HTC’s restraint of going too crazy with modifications of the OS, the phone is already scheduled to receive an update to 8.0 Oreo.

HTC’s Vice President of Product Management, Mo Versi, took to Twitter on November 26 to announce that Android 8.0 Oreo would soon be available for the U11 and that it’ll be rolling out on November 27.

This update will be available specifically for the unlocked model of the U11, but Versi says that HTC is working with Sprint (and presumably other carriers) to get Oreo out to other variants of the phone as quickly as possible.

Additionally, if you’re the owner of an HTC 10, U Ultra, or U11 Life, Versi confirmed that an Oreo update for all of these phones is still in the works.

HTC U11

• HTC U11 review
• HTC U11 specs
• Manufacturing the U11: Behind the scenes
• Join our U11 forums
• HTC U11 vs Galaxy S8
• HTC U11 vs LG G6

Amazon
Sprint
HTC

Microsoft Office is now available for all Chromebooks

Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint are all finally here for everyone.

Thanks to relentless software updates and exciting hardware options, Chrome OS is now a realistic alternative for a desktop operating system that can be used over the likes of Windows and macOS. One of the biggest additions to Chrome OS that makes this possible is the ability to download and run Android apps, but one selection of apps that’s been noticeably missing from certain Chromebooks is Microsoft Office.

Microsoft Office has been available for some Chromebooks like Google’s new Pixelbook, but on others, it either didn’t work properly or show up in the Play Store at all. This unsurprisingly caused a lot of irritation for Office fans that wanted to give Chrome OS a shot, but it looks like these headaches are finally coming to an end.

The folks at Chrome Unboxed recently discovered that Microsoft’s Office apps are all of a sudden showing up in the Play Store on all of their Chromebooks, including the Samsung Chromebook Pro, Acer C771, two models of the Chromebook 15, and the Pixelbook.

If you own a Chromebook, this means you can now head to the Play Store and download Microsoft Word, Excell, and PowerPoint. You’ll need a subscription to Office 365 in order to actually edit files on these apps if you have a Chromebook with a display larger than 10.1-inches, but even so, the fact that everyone now actually has the option to use these apps is great.

Are Microsoft’s Office apps showing up in the Play Store on your Chromebook? Let us know in the comments below!

Chromebooks

• The best Chromebooks
• Should you buy a Chromebook?
• Google Play is coming to Chromebooks
• Acer Chromebook 14 review
• Join our Chromebook forums

SEC knew about weak security years before hack

The hack that compromised the US Securities and Exchange Commission was a shock and more than a little damaging, but could it have been prevented? Unfortunately the answer is very likely yes. The Hill has combed through the SEC’s internal evaluations, and it’s now clear that the Commission had been warned about digital security issues for years. An inspector general audit warned about “weaknesses” in the SEC’s security measures back in 2013, and multiple warnings appear to have sometimes fallen on deaf ears. A June 2016 inspector general report said the SEC hadn’t “fully addressed” some problems from previous audits, and was at “increased risk” of intruders taking sensitive data.

That security was weak isn’t completely shocking when a number of American government agencies have fallen prey to hacks. Also, many government agencies have to make do with aging computers and infrastructure that can’t receive software updates outside of exceptional circumstances. The inspector general’s office itself has struggled with both poor funding and a lack of clear goals.

Still, the SEC had plenty of time to update its platforms and implement policies that weren’t necessarily dependent on newer technology, such as thorough data encryption. The hack also illustrates a serious problem with government cybersecurity in the US. If an agency as crucial as the SEC struggled to improve its security practices over the years, that suggests other important institutions also have a lot to learn about safeguarding critical data.

Source: The Hill

FBI failed to warn officials about Russian email hackers

It’s no longer a secret that Russian hackers have targeted the personal email accounts of American officials, but the FBI was apparently less than vigilant in giving these targets a heads-up. The AP has discovered through interviews that, out of nearly 80 people Russia’s Fancy Bear team tried to compromise (mainly in 2015), only two had been told by the FBI — even though the bureau reportedly had evidence for a year or more. In a few cases, the AP chat was the first time the victims learned they were in the crosshairs.

For its part, the FBI’s only official response is that it “routinely notifies” people and organizations of threats. Off the record, however, an unofficial source told the AP that the FBI struggles to cope with the volume of potential targets and had to prioritize alerts “to the best of our ability.”

Whether or not that claim holds water is another matter. Although the hit list (obtained thanks to Secureworks poring through targeting data) was daunting with over 500 US-based targets, there doesn’t appear to be evidence that the FBI launched a significant effort to warn those people and organizations. And there’s the problem: while it’s hard to know if the FBI could have notified all 500 in a timely manner, there doesn’t appear to have been a concerted attempt to try.

It’s not certain how much damage Russia’s email attack actually caused. The targets had to have opened questionable links and otherwise fallen prey, and some hadn’t occupied sensitive posts for years. However, the findings suggest that the FBI didn’t always have a sense of urgency when dealing with Russia’s coordinated hacking campaigns, and may not have taken them more seriously until the 2016 presidential election made clear they were a serious problem.

Source: AP News

Popular VPN provider TunnelBear jumps into password management with RememBear

Password management apps are becoming a necessity these days. We hear of a new security breach pretty much every week, and companies are slow to update their security flaws or even tell customers when they’ve occurred.

TunnelBear is a popular virtual private network (VPN) provider with a fun and accessible app that keeps your browsing sessions private. And now it’s expanding into password management with RememBear, a new privacy app currently in beta and available for Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac. You can also get it as a Chrome browser extension, with support for Safari and Firefox coming soon.

The company claims to have more than 20 million users for its VPN apps, which feature cute animations, such as a bear tunneling its way across Europe to a new location. The app is aimed at the casual user who may not know exactly what a VPN is, but still want to keep their browsing and email information as private as possible.

“There are plenty of VPN services out there, but they tend to be targeted at technical users,” cofounder Ryan Dochuk told Venture Beat. “Our apps have always focused on just making our service fun, simple, and approachable for everyone. It’s all about unlocking the benefits of VPNs for the average person.”

RememBear doesn’t break any new ground with its password management services, but its fun, intuitive interface is designed around ease of use. “Less than 3% of people currently use a password manager and many of the existing tools are still complicated and frustrating to set up,” the company wrote on its site.

There are a lot of password management services out there, and we recently did a rundown of the most popular ones. RememBear encrypts and stores all your password and credit card information, and it can auto-fill the information as needed when you’re purchasing or browsing various retail websites.

It can also create incredibly random passwords for everything you sign into online, You can even designate how long the password is and how many are special symbols or numbers. Once you sign up for the service, you can easily add new devices from the main menu to synch the app across your entire online presence. If you’re using an existing password management service but want to switch, RememBear also allows you to import your passwords from 1Password and LastPass.

The app is currently in beta and it’s free to use, although a subscription model will be an option when the final version is released. With a fun, user-friendly design and a reputation for airtight security, RememBear may be the perfect solution for less tech-savvy users wanting to safeguard their information online.

Awesome tech you can’t buy yet: Heated coats, folding ebikes, and more

At any given moment, there are approximately a zillion different crowdfunding campaigns happening on the web. Take a stroll through Kickstarter or Indiegogo and you’ll find no shortage of weird, useless, and downright stupid projects out there – alongside some real gems. We’ve cut through the fidget spinners and janky iPhone cases to round up the most unusual, ambitious, and exciting new crowdfunding projects out there this week. That said, keep in mind that any crowdfunding project — even the best intentioned — can fail, so do your homework before cutting a check for the gadget of your dreams.

Ravean Rugged — durable heated jacket

A good, warm coat is a must for the colder months — but if you need more warmth than normal insulation can provide, you should check out Ravean’s newest gizmo on Kickstarter: Ravean Rugged. “Like its predecessors, Rugged features multi-zone, on-demand heat that can be directed when you need it and where you need it most,” Ravean co-founder Bryce Fisher claims. “But it also includes new features including the world’s first patented heated thumb-hole cuffs, designed to keep your hands warm while your fingers and thumbs are free to handle intricate work.”

This new jacket is heated in both the core and back (as well as the cuffs), so you’ll be enveloped in a cozy cocoon the moment you slip it on. Rugged features three different temperature settings, and depending on which one you choose, can provide heat for anywhere between 2.2 to 6.5 hours — all thanks to its built-in 10,050mAh battery. And if you ever run out of juice, the jacket is compatible with most major power tool batteries, so it should be pretty easy to find a replacement power pack.

Rubbee — ebike add-on

If you’re looking to upgrade your traditional bicycle to an ebike, then you generally have two options: either install a complicated retrofit kit, or ditch your analog bike altogether and buy a ready-made electric one. Wouldn’t it be nice if there were an easier option? Well, thanks to Austrian startup Rubbee, there finally is. Unlike most of other retrofittable ebike kits out there right now, the Rubbee is designed to be installed in just a few minutes. Using basic hand tools, the device can be affixed to just about any bicycle. Once you’ve got the mounts on, the electric drive module can be clipped on or off in seconds.

“Rubbee X works by providing electric assist directly to the rear tire via an electric friction roller,” Gediminas Nemanis, CEO of Rubbee, told Digital Trends’ Luke Dormehl in an interview. “It has modular batteries to extend the rides, regenerative braking, and not a single wire. We track the pedaling pattern by attaching a small wireless sensor to the pedal crank. This way, we know when and how much additional support to provide to the rider in real time. There are no buttons to push; just pedal and your power will be multiplied 2 to 3 times. It’s a pure electric assist system.”

Pluto — ultracompact SLA 3D printer

Back when 3D printing was just beginning to make its way into the mainstream, the only printers available to consumers relied on more or less the same technique to create parts — a process known as filament deposition modeling, or FDM. It’s the type of 3D printing you’ve probably seen before: a printer feeds a strand of plastic filament through a hot nozzle, then carefully deposits the molten goo onto a build plate, layer by layer, to create a 3D object. This is by far the most popular kind of 3D printer, but lately, a technology known as stereolithography has moved in to steal some of the spotlight.

Stereolithography, or SLA, creates objects by flashing a laser up into a pool of photo-reactive resin, which hardens when struck by UV light. Due to the precision of this technique, SLA printers typically create much better parts than FDM printers do. The only problem, however, is that these kinds of printers have been prohibitively expensive for the past few years, so most people haven’t had access to them — but that’s beginning to change. Right now, you can get the Pluto for around $800 on Kickstarter — which is pretty amazing.

Plankpad — gamified balance board

Let’s face it: for those of us not named Brock Lesnar or Arnold Schwarzenegger, working out can be kind of dull. That’s an issue that a new Kickstarter campaign hopes to solve. Hailing itself as “the world’s first interactive core trainer,” the Plank Pad is a home gym device that promises to sculpt you some killer abs by letting you play interactive fitness games on your smartphone. This should make the whole experience less of a drag, and hopefully make it easier to get in the habit of working out on a regular basis.

Here’s how it works. You start by downloading the accompanying Plankpad app on your smartphone and choosing a game. After that, just place your phone in the Plankpad’s recessed phone holder and start planking! As you play, you need to tilt and lean to move your character around, which helps target different muscles and provides a fuller workout. The board can also be used as a traditional balance board, allowing you to play games while standing up. You can even sync the app to your TV screen if you prefer to play games on a bigger display.

X1 Explorer — folding electric commuter bike

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: humanity is living in the golden age of rideable technology right now. In the past few years, electric motors have become smaller and more powerful, and batteries have begun to last longer — two trends that have coalesced and kicked off a renaissance in personal mobility devices. There are almost too many rideables to keep track of anymore, and they seem to get crazier and more advanced with each passing month. The latest addition to this burgeoning trend is the X1 Explorer — a folding, ultracompact electric bike designed for commuters.

Small and relatively lightweight, the X1 Explorer weighs just 44 pounds, making it more portable than most other ebikes on the market. In its standard riding mode, it resembles a compact bike with 10-inch wheels, a suspension system for smoothing out the ride, and a built-in LED light. Despite its svelte size, the Explorer boasts some admirable specs. The bike’s standard battery offers a range of up to 25 miles, while an optional larger battery pack can extend that distance out to as much as 37 miles. Both batteries allow the bike to cruise along at speeds approaching 19 miles per hour.  When the Explorer runs out of juice, you won’t have to wait long to get back out on the road, as the included wall adapter can allegedly recharge the bike in less than four hours.

Awesome tech you can’t buy yet: Heated coats, folding ebikes, and more

At any given moment, there are approximately a zillion different crowdfunding campaigns happening on the web. Take a stroll through Kickstarter or Indiegogo and you’ll find no shortage of weird, useless, and downright stupid projects out there – alongside some real gems. We’ve cut through the fidget spinners and janky iPhone cases to round up the most unusual, ambitious, and exciting new crowdfunding projects out there this week. That said, keep in mind that any crowdfunding project — even the best intentioned — can fail, so do your homework before cutting a check for the gadget of your dreams.

Ravean Rugged — durable heated jacket

A good, warm coat is a must for the colder months — but if you need more warmth than normal insulation can provide, you should check out Ravean’s newest gizmo on Kickstarter: Ravean Rugged. “Like its predecessors, Rugged features multi-zone, on-demand heat that can be directed when you need it and where you need it most,” Ravean co-founder Bryce Fisher claims. “But it also includes new features including the world’s first patented heated thumb-hole cuffs, designed to keep your hands warm while your fingers and thumbs are free to handle intricate work.”

This new jacket is heated in both the core and back (as well as the cuffs), so you’ll be enveloped in a cozy cocoon the moment you slip it on. Rugged features three different temperature settings, and depending on which one you choose, can provide heat for anywhere between 2.2 to 6.5 hours — all thanks to its built-in 10,050mAh battery. And if you ever run out of juice, the jacket is compatible with most major power tool batteries, so it should be pretty easy to find a replacement power pack.

Rubbee — ebike add-on

If you’re looking to upgrade your traditional bicycle to an ebike, then you generally have two options: either install a complicated retrofit kit, or ditch your analog bike altogether and buy a ready-made electric one. Wouldn’t it be nice if there were an easier option? Well, thanks to Austrian startup Rubbee, there finally is. Unlike most of other retrofittable ebike kits out there right now, the Rubbee is designed to be installed in just a few minutes. Using basic hand tools, the device can be affixed to just about any bicycle. Once you’ve got the mounts on, the electric drive module can be clipped on or off in seconds.

“Rubbee X works by providing electric assist directly to the rear tire via an electric friction roller,” Gediminas Nemanis, CEO of Rubbee, told Digital Trends’ Luke Dormehl in an interview. “It has modular batteries to extend the rides, regenerative braking, and not a single wire. We track the pedaling pattern by attaching a small wireless sensor to the pedal crank. This way, we know when and how much additional support to provide to the rider in real time. There are no buttons to push; just pedal and your power will be multiplied 2 to 3 times. It’s a pure electric assist system.”

Pluto — ultracompact SLA 3D printer

Back when 3D printing was just beginning to make its way into the mainstream, the only printers available to consumers relied on more or less the same technique to create parts — a process known as filament deposition modeling, or FDM. It’s the type of 3D printing you’ve probably seen before: a printer feeds a strand of plastic filament through a hot nozzle, then carefully deposits the molten goo onto a build plate, layer by layer, to create a 3D object. This is by far the most popular kind of 3D printer, but lately, a technology known as stereolithography has moved in to steal some of the spotlight.

Stereolithography, or SLA, creates objects by flashing a laser up into a pool of photo-reactive resin, which hardens when struck by UV light. Due to the precision of this technique, SLA printers typically create much better parts than FDM printers do. The only problem, however, is that these kinds of printers have been prohibitively expensive for the past few years, so most people haven’t had access to them — but that’s beginning to change. Right now, you can get the Pluto for around $800 on Kickstarter — which is pretty amazing.

Plankpad — gamified balance board

Let’s face it: for those of us not named Brock Lesnar or Arnold Schwarzenegger, working out can be kind of dull. That’s an issue that a new Kickstarter campaign hopes to solve. Hailing itself as “the world’s first interactive core trainer,” the Plank Pad is a home gym device that promises to sculpt you some killer abs by letting you play interactive fitness games on your smartphone. This should make the whole experience less of a drag, and hopefully make it easier to get in the habit of working out on a regular basis.

Here’s how it works. You start by downloading the accompanying Plankpad app on your smartphone and choosing a game. After that, just place your phone in the Plankpad’s recessed phone holder and start planking! As you play, you need to tilt and lean to move your character around, which helps target different muscles and provides a fuller workout. The board can also be used as a traditional balance board, allowing you to play games while standing up. You can even sync the app to your TV screen if you prefer to play games on a bigger display.

X1 Explorer — folding electric commuter bike

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: humanity is living in the golden age of rideable technology right now. In the past few years, electric motors have become smaller and more powerful, and batteries have begun to last longer — two trends that have coalesced and kicked off a renaissance in personal mobility devices. There are almost too many rideables to keep track of anymore, and they seem to get crazier and more advanced with each passing month. The latest addition to this burgeoning trend is the X1 Explorer — a folding, ultracompact electric bike designed for commuters.

Small and relatively lightweight, the X1 Explorer weighs just 44 pounds, making it more portable than most other ebikes on the market. In its standard riding mode, it resembles a compact bike with 10-inch wheels, a suspension system for smoothing out the ride, and a built-in LED light. Despite its svelte size, the Explorer boasts some admirable specs. The bike’s standard battery offers a range of up to 25 miles, while an optional larger battery pack can extend that distance out to as much as 37 miles. Both batteries allow the bike to cruise along at speeds approaching 19 miles per hour.  When the Explorer runs out of juice, you won’t have to wait long to get back out on the road, as the included wall adapter can allegedly recharge the bike in less than four hours.