Apple Seeds New Version of macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 Beta 2 to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Apple seeded the second beta of macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 to developers earlier this week, but it appears an updated version of the second beta was just released this afternoon.

The original beta had a build number of 17E150f, while the new update available today from the Developer Center lists a build number of 17E150g. It’s not clear why Apple has released an updated version of beta 2, but the new beta is also available for public beta testers.

Registered developers can download the beta from the Apple Developer Center or through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store with the proper profile installed.

macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 beta 2 didn’t introduce any major new features, but it did change “iBooks” to “Books” to mirror changes made in iOS 11.3.

The update includes bug fixes and performance improvements for issues that weren’t addressed in macOS High Sierra 10.13.3, and it offers support for some features that are also available in iOS 11.3, like Messages on iCloud, which uploads all of your iMessages to the cloud. It will also support Business Chat, a feature coming when iOS 11.3 and macOS 10.13.4 are released to the public.

macOS 10.13.4 also includes the smoke cloud wallpaper that was previously only available on the iMac Pro, and it introduces a warning when opening up a 32-bit app as part of an effort to phase them out.

In the future, Apple plans to phase out 32-bit Mac apps, just like it did with 32-bit iOS apps. Apple says macOS High Sierra is the last version of macOS that will support 32-bit apps without compromises.

Related Roundup: macOS High Sierra
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Gear Up: Carved wood phone cases for Pixel and other smartphones

Not all smartphone cases have to be rugged and tough or durable enough to withstand a drop from two stories. Sometimes we just want people to pay attention to our favorite phone. We spent $800 on this thing and we want everybody to look at it. That’s where you get yourself a nice fancy case like something from Carved.

As a company who specializes in wood cases, there are tons of options to choose from across multiple smartphones. Prices range from about $29 to $39, on average. You can select from incredible designs of plain wood, abstract artwork, animals, or vibrant patterns, shapes, or stripes. Some of the higher end designs can fetch around $59.

Depending on what phone you’re looking at you will find dozens of  designs to choose from. And, should you not see something that appeals to you, you can upload your own artwork or choose from a custom map.

We’ve been sent a couple of these phone cases in the past and more recently were offered Satellite Series for the Pixel 2 family. They truly are gorgeous and eye-catching but also practical, too.

Design is one of-a-kind and is made from real wood and seashell — and sometimes both. In this particular instance the Pixel 2 case features a rubber bumper with openings for the ports. It’s slim and doesn’t bulk up your phone, but it does make it just a little difficult at times to find the buttons. With that said, the buttons do respond nicely to pressing.

One of the things we like most about the Carved cases is that each one is unique. Even though you might order two of one particular designs, you’ll get two entirely different products in the end. The wood and resin mix is never the same.

1 of 7

If you own a Pixel or Pixel 2 (or Pixel XL, Pixel 2XL), anything from the Samsung Galaxy S6 on up, or the iPhone from the last few years, you owe it to yourself to at least check these out. We’re really big fans of some of the artwork and would love to hop between one design and another on a regular basis. Check out the Katy Lipscomb stuff and see what we mean.

In addition to phone cases, Carved also offers wood wallets, Bluetooth speakers, power banks, cables, and t-shirts. There’s really quite a bit to choose from in the store so we definitely recommend checking things out.

Manufactured in Indiana, Carved products are shipped for free in the United States and only $3.99 International. Products include a one-year warranty and will be replaced or refund it at no cost.

IPVanish VPN review – one of the best VPNs, for many reasons

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a great way to ensure increased security and privacy when connected to both private and public networks. A quick glance at our Android Authority Deals page and you’ll see there are numerous options when looking for a VPN service. Like everything else in the tech world, the endless choice means it’s not hard to find something that best suits your needs. 

In this new series, we will be taking a closer look at of some of the best VPN services. We’re starting with an IPVanish VPN review, as this is a well known service that consistently stays close to the top of most “Best VPN” lists you’ll find on the web. 

• What is VPN and why do I need one?
• Best VPN apps for Android

Getting started

Creating an account

You will first need to create an account and pay for the service. There is unfortunately no trial period available, but if you are unhappy, IPVanish provides a no questions asked money back guarantee in the first 7 days. You’ll need to use an email address, but if you are looking for complete privacy, it’s easy to set up a dummy account just for this. You create a user name after this, so the email address is required only for the initial verification and when requesting customer support.

Payment and pricing

IPVanish VPN offers various payment options like debit and credit cards, PayPal, and Bitcoin. There are also country-specific payment methods available, such as AliPay (China), GiroPay (Germany), CashU (Middle East, Russia, some South American countries), DineroMail, and a lot more.

IPVanish VPN is available for $10 a month, with discounts offered if you opt for longer subscriptions. The price falls to $8.99 a month for the 3 month plan ($26.99 billed every 3 months) and an even cheaper $6.49 a month for a yearly subscription ($77.99 billed annually). It’s not the most expensive VPN around, but it is on the higher side.

There are also ways to get it even cheaper. When first creating an account, a pop up will appear, offering a 20 percent discount on the first billing cycle.

Android Authority also has a deal available providing up to 25% off the regular rate. This drops the price to $7.50/month (billed monthly), $6.74/month (billed quarterly), and $4.87/month (billed annually).

 

Buy IP Vanish now!

Installation

IPVanish has easy to install apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Amazon Fire TV. You can also manually set up a VPN on your existing Wi-Fi router (depending on compatibility), buy a router with IPVanish pre-installed, and find detailed guides to set it up for Linux, on a Chromebook, and on a Windows phone.

You can find the apps and all the guides here, and the iOS and Android apps can be downloaded from the App Store and the Google Play Store respectively. For the purposes of this IPVanish VPN review, we will be looking at the Windows and Android apps.

IPVanish Setup and settings

Windows

Logging in

Once you download the app and log in, you will see the Quick Connect page, which displays visible IP address and location, an information menu, and drop down lists for a country, city, and server number.

You can either manually make those selections or simply tap connect, or the large on/off button, to get started. If you make a manual selection, the app will remember your choice the next time you launch it. The large bar in the center shows you a real time graph of your download and upload speeds.

Connecting to a server

The next tab takes you to the server list. IPVanish features a robust and growing list of over 950 servers in over 60 countries, so it shouldn’t be difficult to find an appropriate server close to you. In the List view, categories include Country, Response Time, and Load.

I generally use Response Time as the filter and connect to the first on the list. While you can see how many servers are available in that country, you can’t select a specific server on this page. It will automatically select the best one for you. If you’re looking for a specific choice, you can find it among the drop down menus in the Quick Connect section. A map view is also available to make things easier.

Settings menu

• General
  •  In the General settings menu, you can set the app behavior on startup, when the app opens, and when you close it. At the bottom of the page are buttons to contact customer support and to enable “Simple mode.” Simple mode just shows you two drop down lists for country and city, and a connect button.
• Connection
  • This menu sets which VPN Protocol is used. Options include PPTP, L2TP, and OpenVPN TCP/UDP. There’s more details about the various protocols here. If you don’t know what any of that means, we recommend using the OpenVPN TCP protocol for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
  • You can also enable other settings like KillSwitch, which automatically kills your network connection if the VPN connection drops for any reason. Enabled by default are IPv6 protection and DNS Leak protection.
  • If using OpenVPN, you have the option to “Obfuscate OpenVPN traffic.” This is particularly useful in countries that block VPN services.
• IP Settings
  • Here you can set up a periodic IP address change here. The minimum time period is 45 minutes, and while the connection will temporarily drop when the IP address changes, this is a way to stay even more anonymous while using the VPN.
• Account Details and Information
  • Account Details tab includes your email address, account status, current tier, and renewal date. You can also log out here.
  • The Information tab holds the Terms of Services page and Licenses.

Android

You can download the IPVanish app from the Google Play Store. If it doesn’t work for some reason, there are useful guides available to manually configure your Android device with L2TP and PPTP.

The app is compatible with Android smartphones running Android 4.0 and above, and a recent update also fixed most bugs found with Android 8.0 Oreo. The app is simple and easy to use. It doesn’t offer as many options and advanced settings as the Windows app, but it’s a simple way to start using the VPN.

After logging into the app, you’re greeted with a simple page that shows you the connection status, your IP address, and location, followed by a large Connect button. The Quick Connect section lets you select the country, city, and server. These settings are automatically saved for the next time you launch the app.

The hamburger menu has Server, Account, and Settings options. The Server page has just the list view from the Windows app, and you can filter the list only by country, city, and ping time. Tapping on a location will connect you to the best server in that city.

The Settings menu has the General and Connection options, just like the Windows app. The general settings are largely the same, with options to set up the app behavior, contact support, view a tutorial, and read the terms of service here.

The Connection tab is a lot simpler. You can select Auto Reconnect, and the available protocols include only OpenVPN TCP and OpenVPN UDP. Obfuscation (Scramble) is enabled by default, and you can also set up IP address changing.

Ease of use

While both apps are pretty easy to use, some flaws are hard to ignore. It is difficult to log out of both. In the Android app, you have to go to the Account section in the side menu and tap on the three dots at the top right corner to log out. You have to go the Account section in the Windows app as well, but there is a button present to log out, and doesn’t require any additional steps.

Both apps are quick to launch and connecting to a server is easy. Things get confusing if you want to dive into the settings and change things to your liking. The drop down menus and filters don’t always work as expected either. The Windows app has a lot more options and better server sorting. The Android app is basically a slightly more robust version of Simple mode and works as well as expected.

Security and privacy

IPVanish provides a lot of security and privacy options. Apart from when you first setup an account, the service keeps no log of VPN use. As mentioned, you  have the option of using a burner email address and can use an anonymous payment method like Bitcoin to keep your privacy completely intact.

Features like DNS leak blocking, a Kill Switch, Obfuscation, and the ability to periodically change the IP address are huge security positives. Every encryption protocol is available, including the best right now: OpenVPN. OpenVPN uses 256-bit AES encryption, with SHA-256 for authentication, and RSA 2048 for handshaking purposes.

We tested for IP leaks, WebRTC detection, and DNS leaks using ipleak.net and found no issues. Along with its zero logging policy, you get a very secure service.

Keep in mind that IPVanish is based in the U.S.,  which could be worrying, as warrants and subpeonas have been served to companies for their data and logs in the past. IPVanish’s zero logging policy should ease some concerns, but the U.S. is still not the best place for a VPN to be based, because of the possibility of future compromise.

Speed

(top) Actual speed – Bangalore, India, (Row 1- left to right) India (closest server), Singapore, Germany (Row 2 – left to right) UK, Australia, US

Speed, ping time, connection time, and reliability are some of the most important factors in choosing a VPN. Using a VPN will always decrease the speed and increase the ping. Barring that, the faster the VPN, the closer you may get to the actual speed of your network.

It took an average of 12 seconds for IPVanish to connect to a VPN, which is quite fast. The connection itself was extremely stable and reliable. I’ve been using IPVanish for a long time now, even before I needed to do this review, and I’ve only come across the issue of a dropped connection twice.

To test the speed, I used the Ookla Speed Test. I ran the tests at different times of the day as well, to circumvent network speed fluctuation. For server selection, I used the one closest to me and locations around the world like the U.S., Australia, U.K., Germany, and Singapore, to show the range of connection speeds. You can find the average results in the table below.

Actual	4 ms	77.32 Mbps	34.22 Mbps
Delhi	102 ms	12.68 Mbps	11.39 Mbps
Singapore	190 ms	23.81 Mbps	21.64 Mbps
London	151 ms	10.54 Mbps	11.49 Mbps
Frankfurt	232 ms	11.03 Mbps	13.12 Mbps
Sydney	293 ms	5.43 Mbps	4.89 Mbps
Ashburn	285 ms	8.39 Mbps	2.62 Mbps

None of the speeds were close to my actual network speed, which is understandable. However, the speed was good enough when connected to locations far away like Australia and the US for general browsing and even media streaming. The latency is generally quite high, and bad for gaming. Streaming media hasn’t been an issue though.

Despite Delhi being the location closest to me, I consistently get better performance when connected to Singapore, likely because there are lot more servers available. One odd thing however is that even though the apps show the location as Singapore, the speed test reads it as Ontario, and I’m not entirely sure why that is.

Overall, the speed is good enough for me to get what I need done. While I’ve seen some reviews where the speed and latency are quite close to their actual network speeds, that hasn’t been the case here. However, that may have happened because I am in India, so I also asked my colleague, Jimmy Westenberg, who lives in Illinois to run speedtests using IP Vanish. You can see the results below.

(top) Actual speed (Row 1 – left to right) US (closest server), UK, Germany (Row 2 – left to right) India, Australia, Singapore

We can now see what those other reviews were talking about. There was actually a boost in the speed when connected to the closest server, which is really impressive. However, when connected to servers in the UK, Germany, and other countries, the drop in ping and speed are similar to what I experienced, in the 60% to 80% range. Once again, connecting to a Singapore server popped up as a different location on SpeedTest, and the high ping and extremely low speed are disappointing.

Key features

• Allows up to 5 concurrent connections on multiple devices— more than a lot of the competition.
• Zero logging policy
• Torrenting is okay, but remember to respect your country’s copyright laws. We do not encourage or condone any illegal activities.
• Access to a variety of online services and apps like HBO, Spotify, Sling TV, ESPN, and a whole lot more. You can find the full list here. Netflix and Hulu don’t work, even if you have a Netflix account and are looking to access the U.S. catalog.
• In countries where these apps are restricted or blocked, you can get access to Whatsapp, IMO, Facebook, Gmail, and others. This includes unblocking VOIP services that some of these apps feature.
• Recent updates introduced Kill Switch, Obfuscation, and DNS Leak protection.
• Keep your device safe when using public Wi-Fi networks.
• Above average price, but discounts are available.

Final thoughts

That’s it for our full IPVanish VPN review. IPVanish is a simple VPN to use with apps available for every major platform, and support for Wi-Fi routers, Chromebooks, and more. The security and privacy features are fantastic, and beyond what some competing services offer.

The speed has been pretty average in my experience, which could be because of my location, but the stability and reliability of the connection are impressive. Unfortunately, some of things people use VPN’s for like circumventing geolocation blocks on Netflix aren’t possible here. For almost everything else, IPVanish is a great choice.

We’ll have a better picture of how it stacks up against the competition as we continue this series of VPN reviews. If there is a particular VPN you would like us review, let us know in the comments!

Buy IP Vanish now!

HBO taps ‘Pod Save America’ hosts for election specials

HBO has already brought one hit podcast (2 Dope Queens) to its slate of comedy specials this year, so it makes sense they’d look to another one for new content. Pod Save America will bring the hosts (and maybe the format) of its twice-weekly political podcast to the network with a new series of specials. Co-hosts will include Barack Obama speechwriter Jon Favreau, Senior Advisor Dan Pfeiffer and National Security spokesperson Tommy Vietor, as well as Jon Lovett, a producer for HBO’s political drama, The Newsroom.

The HBO version of Pod Save America will consist of four hour-long specials that will focus on the 2018 midterm elections. The podcast itself debuted when Donald Trump was inaugurated in January of last year, and has garnered 175 million downloads with guests like Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris and Cory Booker.

“The best part of Pod Save America is taking the show on the road and meeting activists, candidates and people who are getting involved in politics for the first time,” said Favreau, Lovett and Vietor in a statement. “They know that the 2018 midterms are the most important elections of our lifetime, and the energy and excitement on the campaign trail is infectious. We are so grateful that HBO is taking a chance on us, even though these live shows will have so few dragons and sex robots.”

Source: HBO

Not happy with Pinterest search results? Refine it with text and photo queries

Break out the birthday candles. Pinterest’s visual search engine Lens is now a year old, and gaining new skills. On Feb. 8, Pinterest announced the addition of text searches that work within the visual search tool, allowing users to give Pinterest Lens a bit more direction on the intent of the search. According to Pinterest, users make an average of 600 million searches every month.

With the update, users can search with both text and photo, rather than choosing just one search method. Pinterest explains that, if you are looking to find an armchair that matches your couch, you can snap a photo of the couch, but also type in “armchair.” With the combination of photo and text, the search results will include armchairs that have a similar style, rather than more couches with the same style. The text option allows Lens users to refine their search for a number of different reasons, even jumping categories, like taking an image of a piece of art, but typing in “tattoo” in order to find similar ideas in body art.

Pinterest says that Lens now understands five-times more objects as when the visual search tool first launched, including recipes, home decor, and fashion. Searches on Lens are up 140 percent compared to a year ago, with twice as many users trying out the visual search when compared to six months ago.

Pinterest says the visual model that supports Lens is rebuilt on a nightly basis, a process that helps the tool improve accuracy, along with learning to recognize new objects.

So what are those 600 million Lens searches looking for? The top categories include fashion, home decor, art, food, products, animals, outfits, beauty, vehicles, and travel. Looking at more specific searches, Pinterest says the current trending Lens searches are for tattoos, nails, sunglasses, jeans, cats, wedding dresses, plants, quilts, brownies and natural hair.

The Pinterest Lens team is now lead by Chuck Rosenberg, a former Google Computer Vision researcher who now works as Pinterest’s Head of Computer Vision.

Since last year’s launch, Pinterest has released several updates for the AI-powered search tool, including browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox, the ability to recognize multiple objects at once, and a zoom-enabled search option.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Pinterest’s expanded visual search tools help you find things you can’t name
• Sharing Pins in Messenger just got simpler with new Pinterest extension, chatbot
• Google Poly API, a 3D object and scene repository for developers, rolls out
• Instagram Direct wants to start a friendly selfie war with a new remix tool
• Instagram Stories now has an option to add photo-free text with Type Mode

The Moto Z2 Force display isn’t cracking or shattering, it’s reportedly peeling

When Motorola’s Moto Z2 Force launched last summer, one of its highlighted features was its proprietary “Shattershield” technology used on the display — which the company claims is guaranteed not to crack or shatter for four years. But owners of the Moto Z2 Force have been reporting the Shattershield is reportedly peeling off.

According to some, the Shattershield is peeling particularly around the fingerprint button and the corners of the screen — which you can see from the photos below by PiunikaWeb. While a reasoning behind this issue hasn’t been confirmed, it could possibly be due to the heat produced when charging the phone. If there’s a Moto Mod attached as well, the heat could be causing the top layer of the screen to curl up within the corners and other spots on the device.

Users have been taking to Motorola’s forum to report this exact issue since as early as to October, but more complaints are still appearing this month. Even though the top layer is meant to act as a permanent screen protector, it’s still designed to be replaced. In response to the issue, Motorola is charging its customers $49 for the repair.

A peeling Shattershield isn’t the only problem with the Moto Z2 Force display. While the company assures its “five-layer protection system” protects your device from ultimate damage, this doesn’t apply to scratches and cracks.

We were able to test the Moto Z2 Force in August and experienced the issue during our first day of testing. We had yet to even drop the phone, but found two visible scratches on the top of the screen while leaving it in our pocket.

In response to this particular problem, a Motorola spokesperson told Digital Trends that, “ShatterShieled addresses the top consumer pain point of cracked and shattered screens and we have seen overwhelming consumer response in favor of this product innovation. Like past generations, the structure does not contain glass and we encourage screen protector usage to guard against scratches. Moto Z2 Force Edition is as durable as the last generation with a more seamless integration of the top layer/liner.”

While the company hasn’t released an official statement regarding its screen shield adhesive peeling off, its solution to charge customers for a replacement has sparked anger among owners of the device. The Moto Z2 Force’s display and lens are protected in a four-year warranty and since it’s been out for less than a year, most users would like for the company to replace the Shattershield for free.

Editors’ Recommendations

• You’ve spent a grand, now don’t skimp on the best iPhone X screen protectors
• Here’s how you can get your hands on the iPhone X
• Apple extends replacement program for MacBook Pros affected by ‘Staingate’
• Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra vs. Moto X4: 2018’s new midrange challenger
• Bigger isn’t always better: Five of the smallest smartphones worth buying

T-Mobile keeps adding more customers with low prices and freebies

The U.S. smartphone market is seeing pink. On Tuesday, February 6, T-Mobile announced record revenues and net income in the fourth quarter of 2017, proving that the Un-carrier is truly a force to be reckoned with in the mobile world. For the fourth year in a row, T-Mobile managed to add more than 5 million customers, and moreover, the company claims to be the only company in the wireless space that is “consistently growing service revenues.”

In the five years since the Bellevue, Washington-based service provider unveiled its Un-carrier campaign and tagline, American customers have seemed quite eager to join the network. T-Mobile’s reported customer base has grown by more than 39 million in total, which represents more than 100 percent growth. Quarterly profit also increased sharply, reporting a $2.2 billion gain thanks to the recent amendments to U.S. tax laws.

In the fourth quarter of 2017, T-Mobile reported adding 891,000 phone subscribers, slightly lower than its 2016 fourth-quarter results, when the company managed to add 933,000 subscribers. Still, these figures represent strong growth for the third-largest carrier in the country.

So what is driving this change? It would appear that lower prices and perks like T-Mobile Tuesdays, what with its discounted movie tickets and other freebies, are attracting more and more customers. Indeed, T-Mobile is continuing to take subscribers away from chief rivals Verizon and AT&T and is certainly holding its own in a market where there are plenty of players.

T-Mobile is also selling plenty of devices — last quarter, the company managed to sell or lease 9.7 million phones (both smartphones and non-smartphones), compared to 8.7 million units in the third quarter. And looking to this year, T-Mobile expects to add an additional 2 to 3 million subscribers. This appears to be in line with estimates from Wall Street — as Reuters reports, JPMorgan noted that these figures aligned with their own projections.

Key to T-Mobile’s growth this year could be Layer3 TV, a new startup that the company acquired late in 2017. As we noted in December, the company is planning to take on satellite and cable providers by launching a “disruptive new TV service in 2018.” Layer3 TV calls itself “the new cable,” and has its own IP network, which allows it to send high-definition video to homes at levels of bandwidth similar to Netflix. Layer3 TV is currently only available in five U.S. cities and provides more than 275 channels, including ESPN, NBC, AMC, and other popular channels at higher video quality than similar services. The TV provider also mixes video content from streaming services and social media with broadcast and cable channels.

Editors’ Recommendations

• T-Mobile wants you to ditch cable, satellite for its ‘disruptive’ new TV service
• Xfinity Mobile adds bring-your-own-device option for some iPhone users
• Watch ‘Maze Runner’ for cheap with the T-Mobile Tuesdays app
• T-Mobile, AT&T will help customers stay connected throughout the Olympics
• T-Mobile is best mobile network in all categories but one, OpenSignal says

Sharkskin helped Phelps swim faster — can it make drones fly better?

Inspiration can sometimes come from strange sources. Isaac Newton supposedly discovered gravity after watching an apple fall from a tree. More recently, Donald Glover says he got his rap name, Childish Gambino, from a Wu-Tang Clan name generator.

For a lot of engineers, the most reliable source of inspiration comes from the natural world, where often unusual designs come with a stamp of evolutionary approval. In recent years these bio-inspired designs have refined things like bullet trains, camouflage, and mini robots.

Now, in a paper published this week in the journal Journal of the Royal Society Interface, researchers from Harvard University’s School of Engineers and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have demonstrated how sharkskin scales (aka denticles) can help engineers develop better drones, planes, and wind turbines.

“We have demonstrated that shark denticles can be used to greatly improve aerodynamic performance in terms of both enhancing lift and reducing drag,” August Domel, a Ph.D. student at Harvard and co-author of the study, told Digital Trends. “This is important for two reasons. First, it helps us get closer to understanding the complex mechanics and morphology of sharkskin and why sharks have these tiny, tooth-like denticles embedded in their skin. Second, these designs show great potential for applications on many aerial devices such as drones, airplanes, and wind turbines, to improve their performance.”

Some sharks may be able to propel themselves from water with relative grace, but they are far from airborne creatures. Nonetheless, both fish and aerial vehicles have to move through fluid, generate lift, and limit drag.

Denticles from a shortfin mako shark.

Harvard University

“The surface of shark skin is covered by small bony scales that function during their swimming to both reduce drag and increase lift and thrust,” George Lauder, a professor of evolutionary biology and co-author of the study, said. “Evolution has operated on the skin of sharks for over 450 million years to arrive at structures that improve swimming performance. So it is natural to use shark scales as inspiration for improving the performance of all types of swimming and flying vehicles.”

The researchers looked specifically at the scales of the world’s fastest shark, the shortfin mako, revealing their trident-like design. They later replicated this design on the surface of a 3D-printed wing, testing 20 different variations to determine the most efficient, and showed how the configurations could decrease drag on drones and small planes, while giving them more airfoil lift.

Moving forward, Lauder and his colleagues will investigate the scales of a variety of shark species to explore the diversity found in this group of fish and how they may be applied to aerial and submersible vehicles.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Outrageously quick Milidelta robot moves too fast for your brain to comprehend
• If young blood can really halt death, things are going to get weird
• Controller? What controller? You fly this drone with your facial expressions
• Origami-inspired artificial muscles can lift 1,000 times their body weight
• Trucks, muscle, and futurism: 7 Detroit Auto Show rides we can’t wait to drive

The best true crime podcasts offer chilling insights into humanity

True crime has long been a popular genre in print and television, but since the runaway success of Serial in 2014, true crime has exploded in the podcasting world as well. What draws people to stories of deception, theft, and even murder? Is it a thirst for adrenaline? A way to cope with the horrors lurking in the world? Whatever your reasons for listening, we combed through the many true crime podcasts out there, assembling a list of the very best.

For those looking for different fare, we also put together a list of the best podcasts in general.

‘Crimetown‘

For many Americans, organized crime may seem like a relic of a distant past. The past informs the present, however, and as Crimetown shows, the roots of organized crime run deep in some cities. In season 1, hosts Marc Smerling and Zac Stuart-Pontier take listeners on a fascinating tour of Providence, Rhode Island, a small city with a surprisingly large mafia presence. Each episode tells a different chapter in the city’s sordid history, tied together by two giants: Mob boss Raymond Patriarca and Mayor Buddy Cianci. Crimetown is a polished, confident production, which should come as no surprise given that its creators also worked on HBO’s The Jinx.

‘Serial‘

The show that brought podcasts into the mainstream (and won a Peabody Award), Serial follows journalist Sarah Koenig and the show’s staff as they investigate a single story over the course of a season. The show’s serialized nature gives the storytelling an added dramatic weight, as episodes often end on revelations that leave listeners wondering where the next episode will go. Season 1 examines the case of Adnan Syed, a prisoner serving time for the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Hae Min Lee, but who claims to be innocent. Season 2 explores a more recent story, the capture and negotiated release of U.S. Army soldier Bowe Bergdahl, who was eventually charged with desertion. Serial is unique not just for its production values — Koenig and her fellow producers originally worked on This American Life, and that experience shines through in the audio — but for its insight into the journalistic process; as episodes are recorded as the investigation progresses, so listeners hear Koenig and company grappling with new evidence.

‘In the Dark‘

A Peabody Award-winning podcast, In the Dark follows the story of the abduction of Jacob Wetterling, whose disappearance in 1989 prompted a federal law implementing sex offender registration. Wetterling’s fate was unknown until 2016, when a man confessed to killing him. The first season of In the Dark follows Madeleine Baran’s exploration of the case, with a focus on the police investigation, and the ways in which it changed society and law enforcement — a distinct approach to the true crime genre.

‘Casefile‘

Many true crime podcasts have a decidedly American bent, but as Casefile demonstrates, murder is a global phenomenon. Produced out of Australia, Casefile tells crime stories from around the world, using creepy music and sound design to unsettle listeners. Episodes touch on a variety of topics, including serial killers and kidnappings gone wrong. The content is disturbing, but despite Casefile’s dramatic flourishes, it never feels ghoulish.

‘Swindled‘

While murders and kidnappings make for enticing stories, some of the biggest crimes in history are carried out not by men with knives or guns, but men in boardrooms. Swindled explores the world of “white collar” crime, which, although nonviolent, can be devastating for people and even communities. Each episode investigates a different case, such as an attempt to rig a lottery or an environmental disaster caused by a company recklessly dumping toxic chemicals. The stories are remarkable and often enraging.

‘My Favorite Murder‘

Murder is depressing. Listen to enough stories of people murdering people and strewing their limbs around in strange patterns, and it takes a toll on you. Thankfully, My Favorite Murder adds a dash of levity, making even the most gruesome crimes fun to hear about. Hosts Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark both have backgrounds in comedy, and they have a lively rapport, with the podcast often veering into improv. The show recognizes that humor has its limits, however, treating the victims in its stories with appropriate gravity. While the juxtaposition of murder with laughs may seem odd, many find it therapeutic. My Favorite Murder is a delightfully macabre addition to any true crime podcast rotation.

‘Dirty John‘

Having worked as a crime reporter and novelist, Christopher Goffard has experience with the darker elements of humanity and a knack for storytelling. Both of those qualities are on display in Dirty John, a six-episode series (and accompanying written feature) in which Goffard tells the story of Debra Newell, a 59-year old interior designer who meets a man named John Meehan on a dating site. Meehan comes on strong, but Newell falls for him, even as her daughters suspect something is off. Goffard interviews Newell and her family, among others, constructing a multifaceted narrative that may surprise listeners. It helps that Goffard has a measured, professional voice, making Dirty John feel at times like an audiobook.

‘Ponzi Supernova‘

In 2008, news broke that Bernie Madoff, a respected stockbroker and former chairman of NASDAQ, had been running a hedge fund that was essentially a giant Ponzi scheme, a revelation that blossomed into one of the biggest financial scandals in decades. What possessed Madoff to commit the crimes that led to his 150-year prison sentence? Steve Fishman goes straight to the source to find out in Ponzi Supernova, interviewing Madoff and the people in his life to construct a portrait of the man who became one of the greatest villains in modern finance.

‘The Grift‘

Author and psychology expert Maria Konnikova delves into the world of con artists with her podcast The Grift, which provides a detailed look into the minds of people who run scams. Each episode focuses on a different con artist, running the gamut from card sharks and art forgers to even a cult leader. The Grift lays out not just the art of the con, but what makes people susceptible to such schemes.

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New Apple News section lets you stay updated on all things Olympics

If you’re looking to follow all the action throughout the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, Apple News just may be the place for you to go. The iEmpire is looking to up its game, so to speak, when it comes to sports news by partnering with NBC Olympics to present a dedicated Winter Olympics section in its news feed. So now, if you scroll to the “For You” section of Apple News, you’ll see a selection of videos, articles, and infographics from a number of sources, all dedicated to the latest and greatest happenings in PyeongChang, South Korea.

But because this is Apple, it’s obviously not stopping at just delivering your news content. The new dedicated portal will also feature a planner that can help you determine when you need to plant yourself in front of a television (or computer or mobile device) screen to catch your favorite events. And if there are too many to remember, you can also add events directly to your calendar from Apple News. If you’re interested in keeping up with medal counts, you can do that through the app, and every morning, you’ll be able to check out a roundup of events and updates.

You can also watch clips from events directly within the Apple News app. If you want to watch live-streams, you can find links in Apple News, but will be redirected to the NBC Sports app for viewing.

It’s no surprise that Apple News has beefed up its Olympic offerings considering that rival Google recently debuted its own coverage plan for the games. With VR features, the help of Google Assistant, and a new “sports” category in Google Earth Voyager, fans will have plenty of ways to stay in the know (even if they can’t stay in the snow) these next couple weeks.

One thing that is slightly unclear is how well the Apple News portal will work in countries other than the U.S. After all, NBC coverage rights don’t extend internationally, so unless other partners are involved, it may be the case that you can only take advantage of Apple’s curated coverage from within the states. We’ll keep you updated as we learn more.

Editors’ Recommendations

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