Feiyu Tech’s Vimble 2 is both a smartphone gimbal and a selfie stick

Selfie sticks make for less awkward selfies, but you also can’t adjust the camera angle when your smartphone is a few feet in the air — or at least you couldn’t. During this week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the popular China-based gimbal company Feiyu Technology announced a new gimbal with an extension pole built into the handle. It’s called the Vimble 2.

The Vimble 2 is both a gimbal and a selfie stick. The Vimble 2’s integrated controls allow smartphone photographers to adjust the angle of the phone, making it easier to get the right composition when using the extension. The extension pulls out from between the handle and the smartphone, which means those controls are still accessible when using the gimbal while it’s extended. The extension isn’t huge, but adds 5.5 inches to the handle in order to hold the smartphone a bit farther out.

The Vimble 2 incorporates a new stabilization algorithm working alongside the built-in brushless motor, which the company says offers “smooth image stabilization under all circumstances.” All circumstances might be a bit of a stretch, but previous gimbals from the company have offered excellent stabilization at an affordable price point.

While earlier Vimble models offered features like face tracking and panorama modes, the latest version brings object tracking and video editing inside the app. A new hyperlapse mode is also included.

Made from composite material, the Vimble 2 uses an ergonomic shape for more comfortable use. Full specs aren’t yet available, but the company says the battery lasts for “hours” and can also be used to charge a smartphone through the USB port on the handle.

The Vimble 2 is the company’s first announcement of the year, but new accessories including a tripod and time-lapse device are also on display during CES this week.

Feiyu Tech has now made omore than 20 different types of gimbals and stabilization systems, including a waterproof option for GoPros, as well as systems designed to handle larger cameras.

The company hasn’t yet announced the price or release date for the Vimble 2, though there will be at least three different color options. The earlier Vimble C retails for around $120, so the price point could be similar.

Editors’ Recommendations

• DJI Ronin S is a one-hand gimbal for DSLRs; Osmo Mobile 2 embraces vertical video
• Tiffen Steadicam Volt review
• Joby gives the GorillaPod arms for adding accessories to mobile shoots
• The best smartphones you can buy
• Sharp shooters: The best camera phones you can buy

Feast your eyes on the 5 best desktops of CES 2018

Laptops and mobile gadgets of all kinds might be stealing the show at CES 2018, but there have also been some strong and delightfully unusual showings from desktop manufacturers. While they might not be as eye-catching as a pair of AR glasses, these desktops are decked out with the latest hardware and impressive lighting rigs. Here they are, they best desktops of CES 2018.

Origin Millennium

The 2018 Origin Millennium just might be the desktop to beat this year. We got to spend some quality time with it and really put it through its paces. This is a precision-engineered machine that is every bit as impressive inside as it is outside. Running an 8th-generation Intel Core i7-8700K, 16GB of RAM, two Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080Ti graphics cards, the Millennium obliterated our benchmarks. Plus, all that hardware resides in a custom-made chassis with two smoky tempered-glass doors.

Asus ROG Strix GL12

A new entry in Asus’ strong lineup of ROG-branded desktops, the ROG Strix GL12 features the latest hardware and a slick black exterior. The chassis features Asus’ proprietary Aura lighting system that’s capable of reproducing 16 million colors. Internally, the Strix features an unlocked 8th-generation i7-8700K processor, with a factory overclcok of 4.7GHz. It will be available with graphics options including the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080Ti.

MSI Trident 3 Arctic

The first of two impressive MSI desktops shown off at CES 2018, the Trident 3 Arctic bucks the trend of black-and-red styling and instead embraces a refreshing snowy white aesthetic. The whole PC is packed into a tiny set-top-box-style case that wouldn’t look out of place on your desk or in your living room. The compact Trident 3 Arctic features the latest 8th-generation Intel Core processors, and up to an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 graphics card.

MSI Infinite X

A more traditional gaming rig than the Trident 3, the MSI Infinite X offers high-end hardware and promises unparalleled performance. The Infinite X features an unlocked 8th-generation Intel Core i7-8700K, 16GB of RAM, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080Ti graphics card and a Silent Storm Cooling 3 Pro cooling system.

Digital Storm Project Spark

In the mood for something a little different? The Digital Storm Project Spark has you covered. This is an ultra-compact gaming desktop with an unbelievable amount of power packed into its tiny chassis. Featuring a brand-new 5 x 7-inch motherboard from ASrock, the Project Spark is just 12-inches tall. Despite its size, Digital Storm managed to pack it to the gills with powerful hardware. It can be outfitted with an 8th-generation Intel Core i7 processor, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 graphics card, up to 32GB of RAM, and even has room for up to three M.2 NVMe SSDs and one SATA SSD. At base specs, it will start at $1,300.

Editors’ Recommendations

• High-end gaming comes to CES with MSI’s curved gaming monitors
• Asus debuts ROG desktop, mechanical keyboard, cool lighting accessories at CES
• Origin Millennium gaming desktop review
• Asus announces suite of new All-In-One desktops, mini PCs, and more
• The best gaming laptops you can buy

4 Best Smart Plugs for Alexa, Google Home in 2018

Make your home smarter in 2018 with the right smart plugs that work with both Google Home and Alexa.

Amazon Echo and Google Home speakers have been growing in popularity over the last couple of years as the technology transitions from early adopters to finding a mainstream market. Both are functional, but at this point, there’s no clear leader, so maybe you’re interested in testing both out.

While you’re doing that, you should be sure to buy smart home accessories that are compatible with both AI assistants. One of the best places to start is with smart plugs that let you control the stuff already in your house, such as lamps, TVs, and air purifiers. We’ve rounded up the best options for smart plugs that work with both Alexa and Google Assistant.

• Samsung SmartThings
• TP-Link Smart Home Outlet
• D-Link Smart Plug
• AWAIR Air Filtration Smart Plug

Samsung SmartThings

Samsung’s SmartThings is a very capable and customizable home automation system that’s a great place to start for both Alexa and Google Assistant users. The starter kit includes a Hub for connecting different smart sensors for monitoring your home. The SmartThings Home Monitoring Kit comes with a Hub, two Multipurpose Sensors, a Motion Sensor, and an Outlet. You can configure them however you like in your home, then get instant notifications if anything is out of the normal. You can also buy additional sensors, including an Arrival Sensor and a Water Leak Sensor, along with more smart plugs for controlling different lamps and devices around your home.

Since SmartThings works well with both Google Assistant and Alexa, it’s a great starting point for building out your wireless smart home system. The Hub starter kit is a good place to start, as many other smart devices are compatible with the SmartThings Hub, plus you’ll get some smart sensors to play around with, too. Samsung has also begun consolidating all of its smart home products under the SmartThings umbrella, so just another great reason to start with SmartThings when setting up your smart home. The whole kit is $154.

See at Amazon

TP-Link Smart Home

TP-Link offers a line of smart plugs and switches that allow you to convert the lamps and appliances you already own into smart devices you can automate to power on or control with your voice.

Their newest smart plug, the Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini, is their most compact option yet, leaving the second outlet free. The outlets work with either Alexa or Google Assistant and thanks to the built-in Wi-Fi technology, no hub is required to get things connected. Pick up the Mini or a Smart Plug 2-pack Kit from Amazon, both starting around $45.

See at Amazon

D-Link Smart Plug

D-Link is another brand that offers a smart plug that doesn’t require a hub to connect to either Alexa or Google Assistant. You’re able to control devices plugged into the D-Link Smart Plug via the D-Link app on your phone from anywhere, but more importantly, you’ll be able to use and control things with your voice with your Amazon Echo or Google Home

While not as compact as the TP-Link mini plug, the D-Link is still a great option for any room in your house and starts at $29.99 on Amazon.

See at Amazon

AWAIR Air Filtration Smart Plug

Smart plugs are cool enough as it is, but AWAIR has combined the technology with its own air filtration technology to create an uber-functional smart plug. According to AWAIR, the air inside your home can be up to five times more polluted than outside, and that can end up aggravating allergies or asthma, affecting your concentration or sleep quality, and much more.

To combat this, AWAIR has developed a line of smart products that monitor the air quality in your home. Each device monitors five aspects that determine air quality — temperature, humidity, CO2, airborne chemicals, and dust. AWAIR monitors all these factors and churns out a quick guide that gives you a good idea of how clean the air is in your home at a glance and will also send tips to your smartphone offering tips and suggestions.

The AWAIR Glow is arguably the coolest device AWAIR sells — it plugs right into an outlet and can be set up to turn on an appliance such as a dehumidifier or air filtration system at a specific time or when levels get a bit high.

Once connected to Google Home or Alexa, you’re also able to use the AWAIR Glow to control whichever device you have plugged in using just your voice.

The Glow starts at around $119.

See at Amazon

Did we miss any?

Got a favorite smart plug that didn’t make our list? Let us know in the comments and we’ll check it out!

Huawei announces Q2 mesh Wi-Fi system with max speed of 1867 Mbps

Available in two main flavors.

Amidst all of the drama surrounding its Mate 10 flagship phone and its lacking availability on U.S. carriers, Huawei also used its time at CES 2018 to announce its first ever mesh Wi-Fi system. It’s called the Huawei WiFi Q2, and it’s available in two main variants – one base station and two satellites or three hybrid base units.

Both systems will essentially work the same, as the main difference lies with how much coverage you’ll get. The single base unit and two satellites should offer a comfy Wi-Fi blanket for up to five rooms, whereas the three base stations will provide coverage for five to seven rooms.

No matter which version you get, Huawei WiFi Q2 can be installed in just five easy steps and kicks out speeds of up to 1867 Mbps. It takes just 100 milliseconds to switch between satellites, and the whole system supports as many as 192 devices at once at 16 individual hotspots. Huawei WiFi Q2 also defaults to a 5Ghz network rather than the older 2.4Ghz, and there’s even a channel that’s used specifically for smart home gadgets.

Availability has yet to be announced, but Huawei says the Q2 will cost $219.99 for the single base station and two satellites and $349.99 for the three base station hybrid setup.

Samsung Galaxy S9 will be announced in February at MWC

Best Android apps for building better habits in 2018

New year, new habits, new you.

Trying to build yourself better habits isn’t always an easy process. It’s easy to forget or lose motivation halfway to your goals. Of course that’s unless you’ve got a decent app in your pocket that makes it easier to remind yourself to stick to that resolution. If you aren’t sure what apps will work, have no fear. We’ve done the work for you.

We’ve got the best habit building apps on Android for you right here!

• Google Calendar
• Habitica
• Habit Tracker

Google Calendar

When it comes to trying to build a new habit, one of the most difficult parts can just be remembering to try and fit it into your schedule every day. If you’re trying to figure out how to fit in time at the gym each day, or where to cram in 20 minutes for yoga when your schedule already seems fit to burst, then your salvation may come from an unlikely place: Google Calendar.

You can add recurring events to your calendar and tell it roughly what time of day you want to do it, then the app will automatically find a place to fit it into your schedule. If you swear by Google Calendar already, then you’ll be able to rest easy when you get an alert telling you it’s time for that new habit you’re trying to work into your routine that you aren’t missing something else important.

Download: Google Calendar (Free)

Habitica

Trying to motivate yourself into building new or better habits isn’t always as easy as you’d hope it might be. One way humans do make progress is by making and hitting goals, and that’s where Habitica comes in, trying to gamify habit making. You’ll make an avatar, fulfill a variety of tasks, and level up as you go.

When you get started, you’ll input the tasks and goals that you have for yourself, including those new habits you want to build. It literally turns the dreaded task of building a habit into something that is fun and that you want to check in on.

Download: Habitica (Free)

Loop Habit Tracker

For some people, the best way to build new habits is by tracking behavior and monitoring it as the days go by. If that’s what you’re looking for in an app, then Loop Habit Tracker is the one to take a peek at.

You’re able to load up all of the habits that you want to keep an eye on, and then check in each day to see your streaks grow as you build those habits. Once you’ve started to build a patter, you’ll get access to some awesome analytics that let you see where you’re succeeding and where you’re failing. This app is open source, 100% free, and perfect for the folks who like to track their habits as they build them.

Download: Habit Tracker (Free)

Are you keeping track?

Whether you’re trying to break bad habits you already have or you’re trying to make new strides by building better habits, there is an app out there that can help you get the job done. From calendars to habit trackers, you’ve got options when it comes to getting some help in making positive changes in the New Year. Are you using an app to keep to New Year’s resolutions or make new habits? Let us know about it in the comments below!

Future Samsung phones will have a working FM radio chip

Coming to residents in the U.S. and Canada via NextRadio.

Between downloading local files and the vast array of streaming services, your options for listening to music while on the go are more abundant than ever before. Now, thanks to a new partnership with NextRadio, future Samsung phones will ship with a working FM chip so you can access and listen to local radio stations.

Most phones have the tech to support FM signals, but they’re unfortunately often disabled from doing so due to pressure from wireless carriers. LG, Motorola, and Alcatel have previously joined NextRadio in offering active FM chips to their customers, but Samsung is definitely the biggest name to be added so far.

In other words, expect the 3.5mm headphone jack to stay on future Samsung phones.

Listening to music on a radio station through FM signals might sound archaic compared to streaming your favorite tunes on Pandora or iHeartRadio, but there are serious benefits that it brings. You can still listen to FM stations even when you’re without a reliable data connection, and in addition to music, they’re also a great source for local news, weather, and other information.

Also as a fun side note, this announcement is also pretty much a guarantee that Samsung will be keeping the 3.5mm headphone jack on at least some of its phones for the foreseeable future. Wired headphones serve as the antenna used for picking up FM signals, and seeing as how we’re already expecting the Galaxy S9 to keep the 3.5mm port, this seems like further reassurance of what we were already hoping for.

Upcoming Samsung phones in the United States and Canada will have access to these working FM chips, and you’ll be able to tap into them with the NextRadio app on the Play Store.

Huawei announces Q2 mesh Wi-Fi system with max speed of 1867 Mbps

Don’t worry about running out of juice with Anker’s $36 PowerCore II 20000mAh charger

Power everything in your world!

Anker’s Powercore II 20000mAh portable charger is down to $35.99 with code Y18A1260 on Amazon. This charger normally sells for $50, and this is one of the lowest prices we’ve ever seen. The only price lower was a deal we shared when it dropped to $30 on Black Friday.

The PowerCore II has two PowerIQ USB ports for output and one microUSB port input for recharging. It can identity the device plugged into it and deliver the best possible charge as a result.

Features include:

• PowerIQ 2.0: Our brand-new exclusive technology. Intelligently identifies your device to deliver the fastest possible charge.
• Ultra-High Capacity: Packed to the brim with days of power—charges the iPhone 7 over 6 times.
• Rapid Recharge: Top up the battery in as little as 5 hours using a Quick Charge charger.

All Anker products are covered by an 18-month warranty.

This charger comes with a microUSB cable, but you can add an $8 Lightning cable, $5 microUSB cable, or $8 USB-C cable to charge whatever you need.

See on Amazon

Two-factor authentication: What you need to know

You should use two-factor authentication on every account that offers it. Here’s an explainer of what it is, and why you want it.

You see a lot of talk on the internet about two-factor authentication (or 2FA as it’s commonly called) but most times its just people like us telling you to use it. And we’ll continue that trend and start this bit of prose by telling you to use 2FA whenever and wherever you can. But we’re also going to let you know what it is, and why it’s important that you use it. Read on.

What is two-factor authentication?

To put it in simple terms, two-factor authenticat (2FA) means that you need to present two different things from two different sources that prove who you are. Generally, there are three different types of ID that can be used for 2FA purposes when it comes to online accounts:

• A thing that only you should know. Things like a password, a PIN, an account number, your street address or even the last four digits of your Social Security number fit the bill here.
• A thing that you can hold in your hands. This means your phone, an authenticator fob, or a USB security key.
• A thing that is part of you like your fingerprint, retina pattern or voice pattern.

When you have 2FA enabled on an account, you need two of these three things to get access.

You’ve been using 2FA for most of your adult life. The companies who process credit card payments for online retailers usually force you to enter the three-digit code on the back of your credit card as well as the card number, then provide the billing address. The numbers on the card (both front and back) are a way to make sure you have the card in your possession for the first method of authentication, then the address you provide has to match what the card issuer has on file as a second way to prove who you are. That’s 2FA. Back when the world still used checks to pay for things, most businesses wanted two forms of physical ID from a well-recognized place like your state DMV or your school as a way to make sure you are the person whose name is on the top of the check. That’s also 2FA. And to get those IDs usually requires multiple things from different places to prove who you are.

You’ve been using 2FA all along and probably didn’t realize it.

Using 2FA for your online accounts is a little bit different, but still uses the same principle — if you can provide more than one method to prove who you are, you probably really are who you claim to be. For an account somewhere like Google, or Facebook or Amazon you need to supply a password. Your password is something only you should know, but sometimes other people can get hold of it. When you add a 2FA requirement — like an authentication token sent to your phone or a USB security key that you plug into your computer — a password is no longer enough to get into your account. Without both pieces of authentication, you’re locked out.

Is two-factor authentication secure?

Yes and no. Using 2FA on an account is a lot more secure than not using it, but nothing is really secure. That scary thought aside, using 2FA is usually sufficient protection for your “stuff” unless you’re a high-profile target or really unlucky.

Using 2FA is usually sufficient protection for your onlione accounts and services.

On the positive side, if you’re using 2FA and some fake phishing email manages to get you to supply your password they still can’t log into your account. The way most people use 2FA for online accounts is to have a token sent to an app on their phone and without that token, the email scammer isn’t going to have any luck getting access. They will enter your account user name or ID, then the password, and then they need to supply that token to go any further. Unless they have your phone, the work involved in bypassing the second ID requirement is enough to get the bad guy to say “forget it!” and move to someone else.

On the other hand, if you are someone like President Obama or Mick Jagger, it’s worth it to try and get into your accounts. And there are ways. The communication between the people supplying the authentication token and your phone are safe for the most part, so attackers go after the website or server asking for the credentials. Auth tokens and cookies can be hijacked by very clever folks, and as soon as one method gets patched they start looking for another. This takes a lot of knowledge and hard work so that means that the end result has to be worth it all. Chances are you and I aren’t worth the trouble, so 2FA is a good way to secure our accounts.

How do I use two-factor authentication?

It’s easier than you might think!

Setting up 2FA on an account is a three step process. You need to provide your current credentials by typing in your password again (this helps keep someone else from adding it to your account), even if you’re currently logged into the service. Then you go into the account settings and enable 2FA on your account. This lets the server that manages your login know that you want to enable it, and they will get everything ready on their end after they ask what type of authentication you will be using — most common are codes sent to your phone as an SMS message or through an authenticator application. Finally, you affirm the change by supplying a token back to the server. If you’re using an app this might be a barcode you have to scan or manually entering some information into the app. If you chose to use SMS a code will be sent that you need to enter on the website to finish things up.

The next step happens when you want to log into that account again. You’ll enter a username or ID, then a password, and then be asked to supply an authentication number. That number is sent as an SMS if that’s how you set things up, or in the app on your phone if you decided to go that route. You type that number into the text field and you have access.

Most services will store an authentication token on your phone or computer, so the next time you want to log in you won’t have to supply the code again. But if you want to set up access from another place, you’ll need a code.

Read more: How to set up 2FA on your Google account

The process for each service that offers 2FA will be slightly different, but this is a good example of how things will work.

Wrapping it up

Now that you know a little more about 2FA, we hope you’re inspired to set it up and use it wherever you can. Most popular services — Google, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Steam and more — offer 2FA. It’s fairly easy to set up and the peace of mind you’ll have makes it well worth it.

Updated January 2018: In light of the recent round of security issues, we have refreshed this page with the most relevant information.

Black Box VR plans to open a boutique, high-tech gym

When I was in high school, my workout regime involved marching band, Denise Austin VHS tapes and copious rounds of Dance Dance Revolution. Not only did I play DDR in bowling alleys and arcades whenever I had the chance, but I had a metal dance pad at home (PlayStation 2 with a converter to make it run on my Xbox 360). Late last year, a decade after graduating high school, I bought a plastic dance pad and busted out my PS3 just to play DDR again, with the idea of incorporating it into my workout routine.

All that said, I’m no stranger to the idea of video games as exercise. Neither is Black Box VR.

Black Box VR is taking this idea to a ridiculous new level using HTC Vive and proprietary exercise hardware that turns working out into an immersive, competitive video game — or it turns video games into a workout, depending on your perspective.

Black Box VR intends to open its first boutique gym this year in San Francisco (think SoulCycle, but with more VR headsets), and the demo it brought to CES is a bite-sized example of what it plans to offer. Patrons will step into a literal black box, no bigger than 8 ft x 8 ft, and strap on an HTC Vive headset and motion-tracking forearm bands. And then the game begins: You’re standing in the middle of a stadium packed with cheering fans, facing oncoming attackers and, eventually, giant mythical creatures. You throw projectiles at the enemies by doing standing chest presses. The crowd cheers, the score ramps up and it’s all a lot of fun. In the demo, the tension ramps up rapidly to demonstrate the system’s ability to dynamically add weight over time, as players get stronger.

Eventually, Black Box VR wants to add the ability for players to compete live against other people working out across the world, but for now, the company plans to incorporate user profiles and local leaderboards into the gym.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

Astronaut apologizes for ‘fake news’ about his height increase

On January 8th, Japanese astronaut Norishige Kanai caused some concern when he tweeted that he’d grown about 9 cm (around 3 and a half inches) in his three weeks about the International Space Station. Well, it turns it that’s not actually the case. Kanai, who is a tweeted an apology last night, saying that he re-measured himself after the media flurry surrounding his announcement, and he’s only grown about 2 cm.

Typically, astronauts grow between 2 cm and 5 cm in space — their height may increase by as much as 3 percent. This is because in a zero-gravity environment, the lower back doesn’t have to do the work of carrying an astronaut’s body weight. This results in what’s called spinal unloading. Scientists still aren’t quite clear on the precise mechanics of how and why this happens, but it’s been studied in depth among the denizens of the ISS. Once back on Earth, and subject to the forces of gravity, astronauts’ spines once again compress and they return to their original height.

Kanai’s report of such a dramatic height increase was remarkable for multiple reasons. It would have been an outlier, compared to what other astronauts have described, and something that definitely needed to be studied. But there would also have been a more serious consideration, if it had been true.

Russian Soyuz capsules are currently the only spacecraft capable of ferrying astronauts to and from the International Space Station, and they are quite the tight fit. According to NASA, the Soyuz spacecraft can accommodate astronauts up to a height of six feet three inches. It’s possible that, if Kanai’s reported height increase had been accurate, it could have jeopardized his ability to fit inside the spacecraft that is supposed to return him to Earth in a few months.

The current commander of the ISS, cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin, raised questions about Kanai’s reported 9-cm height increase, which prompted the Japanese astronaut to take some new measurements. That’s when he discovered he had grown just 2 cm: Kanai reported his current height as 182 cm, or almost 6 feet.

It’s most likely an honest mistake, and Kanai was heartfelt in his apology, calling it “terrible fake news,” according to Reuters. However, it isn’t clear how the original measurements were taken and what led to the error. While it shouldn’t be necessary for NASA or other world space organizations to vet every single tweet, this is a good reminder that pretty much anything to do with space and astronauts is considered news. It’s a good idea to double and triple check everything before putting it out there.

The original tweet:

みなさま、おはようございます。今日は重大なご報告があります。

実は、宇宙に着いてからの身体計測があったのですが、な、な、なんと、身長が9センチも伸びていたんです！
たった3週間でニョキニョキと。こんなの中高生のとき以来です。

帰りのソユーズの座席に体が収まるか、ちょっと心配です。

— 金井 宣茂 (@Astro_Kanai) January 8, 2018

The apology:

計測ミス（？）なのに、大変な話題になってしまったみたいで、とんだフェイクニュースを大変失礼しました。

腰や背中は痛くないし、むしろ肩こりがなくなったくらいなので、やっぱり9cmは伸びてないと思います。さすがベテランのシュカプレロフ飛行士。
帰りのソユーズにも乗れそうで、少し安心です。

— 金井 宣茂 (@Astro_Kanai) January 9, 2018

Via: Reuters

Source: Twitter (1), Twitter (2)