Highly Requested Dark Mode Comes to Outlook Web Mail Service

Microsoft today launched a much-requested dark mode for its Outlook.com web mail service. The company teased the new mode earlier this month, suggesting it would be reminiscent of last year’s Halloween theme for Outlook.

The new dark mode actually adopts shades of grey to generate panel contrast, providing a more polished look as a result. You can enable it from the Quick settings menu (the cog wheel icon in the upper right). Currently it only works with the default blue theme.

The dark mode for Outlook.com is one of the most highly requested features for Microsoft’s web mail service, according to listings on the Outlook.com feedback site, although there’s still no word on whether a similar mode is coming to the mobile Outlook app.

Last month, Microsoft launched a rebranded version of its Microsoft News app for iOS with a dark mode. Several other iOS apps have similar modes, including Twitter, YouTube, Reddit, and Twitch, while Apple’s upcoming macOS Mojave also includes dark mode support.

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Top 5 reasons to be excited about the Xiaomi Mi A2

With an 18:9 display, all-new cameras, and Android One, the Mi A2 has plenty to offer.

The Mi A2 is now official, offering robust hardware backed by the promise of quick updates via Android One.

Xiaomi’s phones have always stood out for the sheer value for money they offered, but MIUI takes some getting used to. That’s what makes the Mi A2 such an enticing option — you’re getting that same great hardware as well as a pure Android experience. Here’s what you can look forward to from the Mi A2.

Android One on Xiaomi hardware is still great

The launch of the Android One-based Mi A1 last year was a major departure for Xiaomi, which has touted its MIUI skin as a key differentiator since its inception.

The Mi A1 didn’t push the needle in terms of sales nearly as much as the Redmi Note 5 series, but it was a hit with users looking to get an uncluttered software experience along with great hardware.

The Mi A2 doesn’t deviate much from that ideal, and the software is near-identical to last year. There are a few additions from Xiaomi — including a Mi Remote app to facilitate usage of the IR blaster, Mi Store, Mi Community, and Xiaomi’s own file manager, but aside from that, it’s the same great Android experience as you’ll get from any Android One phone today.

Although the Mi A2 is launching with Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box, Xiaomi says it will deliver the Android P update shortly after it becomes available.

Snapdragon 660 is the best mid-range chipset right now

Xiaomi rolled out a few devices with the Snapdragon 660 over the course of the last 12 months, but the Mi A2 is the first global device from the manufacturer to feature the chipset. And that’s great, because the Snapdragon 660 is one of the best chipsets available today.

The Snapdragon 660 has Kryo 260 cores that are clocked up to 2.2GHz. The Kryo cores offer the same level of performance as the Snapdragon 820, and it manages to do so on devices that retail for under $400.

Alongside the Snapdragon 660, the Mi A2 also offers up to 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. That particular option will set customers back to the tune of $410, the 4GB/64GB option strikes the sweet spot, coming in at just $325.

The 18:9 panel offers more screen real estate

I’m not a fan of the notch, and thankfully Xiaomi didn’t go that route with the Mi A2 (the A2 Lite, though, does have one). The Mi A2 has a more sensible 18:9 panel, and while there are noticeable bezels at the top and bottom, you do get much more screen real estate in roughly the same dimensions as the Mi A1.

The 5.99-inch FHD+ (2160×1080) screen on the Mi A2 is backed by Gorilla Glass 5, which should offer a decent amount of protection against tumbles.

Talking about design in general, the Mi A2 is significantly thinner than its predecessor, and that’s immediately evident from the moment you pick up the phone. The design language hasn’t changed all that much from last year, and the black variant of the Mi A2 in particular looks very similar to that of the Mi Max 2.

Both the front an rear cameras have been overhauled

The rear camera on the Mi A2 now features a 12MP + 20MP configuration, and unlike last year, the secondary sensor isn’t a telephoto lens. Instead, it is used primarily for taking photos in low-light conditions.

Like the OnePlus 5T last year, the Mi A2 automatically switches between the two sensors based on the amount of ambient light available. The 20MP IMX376 sensor is preferred over the 12MP IMX486 module as the former relies on pixel binning to reduce noise for low-light shots.

To make things more interesting, Xiaomi is rolling out the ability to switch between the 12MP or 20MP camera manually — the 12MP lens is denoted the standard lens and the 20MP listed as the low-light sensor in the manual mode settings.

The same 20MP IMX376 sensor is present up front as well, and it also uses pixel binning to produce selfies that are full of detail. Like most of its devices this year, Xiaomi is leveraging AI smarts to include a portrait mode for the front camera, and there’s also an LED flash module at the front that kicks in when taking selfies in low-light scenarios.

The Mi A2 builds on the strengths of its predecessor in this area, and could just be one of the best

You get Quick Charge 3.0 as standard

One feature that’s thankfully intact from last year is Quick Charge 3.0. Xiaomi hasn’t always offered a compelling charging solution on a majority of its phones — sticking to 5V/2A instead — but the Mi A1 and the Mi Max 2 were the exceptions last year in the budget category.

The Mi A2 comes with a standard 5V/2A charger out of the box, but you will be able to use a third-party wall unit to top up at 18W.

More to come

We’ve barely scratched the surface with the Mi A2. The phone has plenty going for it, and the hardware updates make it a much more compelling option if you’re looking to pick up a phone for under $400.

As for availability, Xiaomi says the Mi A2 will be heading to over 40 global markets in the coming months, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to get a hold of the device.

What are your thoughts on the Mi A2? Let us know in the comments below.

Google Street View gives woman a special gift — an image of her late mother

A former Florida woman hoping to glimpse a little piece of her past got more than she bargained for when she took to Google Street View to take a peek at her old residence. Denise Underhill, who now resides in the U.K. in Tamworth, Staffordshire, had an overwhelming desire to call her mother, which unfortunately was not possible given that her mother passed away in 2015. But thanks to modern technology and infrequently updated Street View imagery, when Underhill decided to do the next best thing — take a look at her mother’s old home using the mapping service — she saw not just her mother’s house, but her mother as well.

“As I went about my housework, I somehow instantaneously had the impulse to call my mother, but realized that it was completely out of the question,” she told the Tamworth Herald. “I decided to Google Earth my mother’s home to see how it looked, considering … she had passed away in 2015 and the property had been sold.”

The home was relatively easy to find, given that a tall silver birch tree serves as something of a landmark. And when she zoomed in, Underhill was shocked to find an image of her mother watering plants in their old garden.

“I got the biggest surprise ever! I just couldn’t believe it,” she told the Herald. “At the foot of the driveway was my mother. She was watering the garden, just as she always did. I was absolutely astounded – it made my day. You never know what photos are being taken but they really do last a lifetime.”

Underhill added, “I think someone wanted me to see this.”

Much of Google Street View’s imagery is regularly updated on a yearly basis, thanks to camera-equipped Google cars roaming urban and rural streets alike, which means that it is not necessarily common for someone like Underhill to have seen a dated but precious photo. Today, hundreds of thousands of contributors help keep Google Street View as current as possible, and the company is always expanding its reach with hopes of offering users glimpses at other parts of the world.

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You can now buy a real-life Iron Man-style jetsuit … for the price of a house

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Have you ever wanted to soar through the air in an Iron Man-style suit like a real-life superhero? Do you have the financial resources of a real-life Tony Stark to go along with it? If so, you may want to queue up (or get your butler to do so on your behalf) to pay the sum of $446,000 for your very own version of British inventor Richard Browning’s jet-propelled suit, which recently went on sale at high-end London-based department store Selfridges.

Comprising five jet engines, a 3D-printed structure, and a head-up display for showing your remaining fuel levels, it’s the closest you’ll get to live as a true comic book hero — supervillains not included.

We previously wrote about Gravity industries’ flying exosuit project at the start of last year. However, inventor Richard Browning noted that plenty of upgrades have happened since then. “A huge amount of modifications have happened since 2017, learned from flying at events,” he told Digital Trends. “We consolidated the two rear engines into one large one, improved efficiency and power, made it smaller, and changed the geometry of the arm mount in a way that’s made a dramatic difference to stability.”

For a look at the finished market-ready suit, check out the B-roll footage below. While it’s not a slickly edited video package, it gives you some idea of how the suit functions in the real world:

Browning said that no license is needed to fly the suit (although, if you’re going to spend your kid’s college fund, you probably need written permission from your spouse), and that training takes just a few minutes. “We’ve had a pilot with five minutes’ training who managed to hover untethered very happily,” he continued. “A lot does depend on fitness level and aptitude, but you don’t have to be a superhero or superhuman to fly it. It taps into an innate human balancing ability in a really uncanny way, so it’s extremely accessible.”

As to whether it will ever be accessible to those of us who haven’t founded startups worth seven figures and can’t afford to eat gold-encrusted lobster for lunch? Don’t worry: You haven’t been forgotten about. “Do we afford to make more affordable ones?” Browning said. “Inevitably, the cost will come down. We’re also working on an electric version which will be vastly more accessible. So watch this space.”

But maybe resign yourself to commuting the old-fashioned way for the time being.

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Google video shows possible all-white redesign for Gmail and its other apps

Google is reportedly working on a variety of changes to both its web and mobile apps. First spotted by Ars Technica, a new Material Design video surfaced with a preview of what we can possibly expect for the redesign of Android apps like Gmail, Google Photos, Google Drive, and more. The report thoroughly notes all the changes that could be released within the redesign.

The video was created by Adam Grabowski and Nicolo Bianchino — who worked together alongside the Google Material Design team —  and is meant to “showcase their updated design system for the internal teams.” While it has since then been set to private on Vimeo, it’s been re-uploaded to YouTube where everyone can view it. The design sizzle reel shows a variety of different shapes and effects with one common theme — everything is extremely white.

Implemented in 2014, the original Material Design user interface launched with Android Lollipop. The design language introduced a clean color palette — complete with deeper shadows and crisp edges. Last year, Google made it easier for other developers to apply the design to their own apps and games by adding a new color utility.

For starters, it appears the red UI elements Gmail is known for will be replaced by a white bottom bar and white background. The video also shows email attachments scrolling horizontally through the message screen. Controls such as “Mark as Read,” “Archive,” “Delete,” and “Reply All” are found within a bottom bar at the bottom of the screen. The same bottom button format appears on Google Drive, along with tabs up top and a search bar.

As for Google Photos, the app seems to look the same overall — other than the switch to a white background instead of the original gray. The sidebar that houses buttons such as “Photos,” “Albums,” “Photo Books,” and more, have transformed into round icons that sit at the top instead. A search bar has also been added to Google Trips, along with a colorful logo, search icon, and menu button.

Of course, it’s important to remember that these changes aren’t final. The visuals seen in the video are most likely mockups that are subject to change.

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• Google Tasks’ refreshing design will motivate you to complete your to-do lists

Google video shows possible all-white redesign for Gmail and its other apps

Google is reportedly working on a variety of changes to both its web and mobile apps. First spotted by Ars Technica, a new Material Design video surfaced with a preview of what we can possibly expect for the redesign of Android apps like Gmail, Google Photos, Google Drive, and more. The report thoroughly notes all the changes that could be released within the redesign.

The video was created by Adam Grabowski and Nicolo Bianchino — who worked together alongside the Google Material Design team —  and is meant to “showcase their updated design system for the internal teams.” While it has since then been set to private on Vimeo, it’s been re-uploaded to YouTube where everyone can view it. The design sizzle reel shows a variety of different shapes and effects with one common theme — everything is extremely white.

Implemented in 2014, the original Material Design user interface launched with Android Lollipop. The design language introduced a clean color palette — complete with deeper shadows and crisp edges. Last year, Google made it easier for other developers to apply the design to their own apps and games by adding a new color utility.

For starters, it appears the red UI elements Gmail is known for will be replaced by a white bottom bar and white background. The video also shows email attachments scrolling horizontally through the message screen. Controls such as “Mark as Read,” “Archive,” “Delete,” and “Reply All” are found within a bottom bar at the bottom of the screen. The same bottom button format appears on Google Drive, along with tabs up top and a search bar.

As for Google Photos, the app seems to look the same overall — other than the switch to a white background instead of the original gray. The sidebar that houses buttons such as “Photos,” “Albums,” “Photo Books,” and more, have transformed into round icons that sit at the top instead. A search bar has also been added to Google Trips, along with a colorful logo, search icon, and menu button.

Of course, it’s important to remember that these changes aren’t final. The visuals seen in the video are most likely mockups that are subject to change.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Here’s everything we saw at the action-packed Google I/O 2018 keynote
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• Android P beta 3: Everything you need to know
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Apple’s T2 chip may be causing issues in iMac Pro and 2018 MacBook Pros

Many iMac Pro owners have reportedly suffered numerous kernel panics — the MacOS version of the dreaded Blue Screen of Death in Windows — since they hit the market at the end of 2017. You can find a handful of threads on Apple’s community forums, including this one, detailing the trials and tribulations customers are experiencing with their expensive iMac Pros and Apple support. The problems apparently reside in the new MacBook Pro laptops, too.

Of all the error messages uploaded to these threads, there is one detail they seem to share: Bridge OS. This is an embedded operating system used by Apple’s stand-alone T2 security chip, which provides the iMac Pro with a secure boot, encrypted storage, live “Hey Siri” commands, and so on. It’s now included in the new 2018 models of the 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar.

But whether the T2 chip is behind all the kernel panics is up in the air. The symptoms and solutions are varied across complaints, such as iMac Pro owners daisy-chaining storage devices seeing crashes along with those with nothing connected at all. But Apple is aware of the problems and is apparently working on the issue behind the scenes.

“Looking at the Kernel Panic dumps, looks like someone may have been working on it, as the Kernel Version got bumped from 17.3.0 in January to 17.4.0 yesterday and it feels like I’m seeing fewer panics,” reads one post. “Where it used to panic once or twice a day it now appears to panic once or twice per week.”

Apple is replacing these machines — in some cases twice — but the problems still occur on the new hardware. One owner said he actually turned off the T2 security chip and never saw a Bridge OS-related problem again. Another user made a Time Machine backup, booted into recovery mode, erased and formatted the system disk, and restored from Time Machine for an error-free iMac Pro.

Apple suggests that iMac Pro owners wipe and reload MacOS from scratch, disable FileVault, and disable Power Nap, the latter of which worked for some iMac Pro owners.

According to the threads, the system crashes can be reduced if you don’t daisy-chain devices, don’t use a Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 adapter, turn off Power Nap, turn off Secure Boot, don’t unlock the device with Apple Watch, remove third-party kernel extensions, and turn off every power management option you can find. That’s quite a list.

Many iMac Pro owners claim the kernel panics actually happen mostly at night when the device is idle, pointing to a possible problem with the storage/hibernation mode and/or the wake-over-Ethernet feature. Several owners report crashing with only an Ethernet cable attached, but that could just be a coincidence.

Despite the annoying issues stretched across iMac Pro and MacBook Pro, the version numbers displayed in the error logs show that Apple is indeed on the case. An official fix for the hardware kernel panics is supposedly available in MacOS 10.13.6, although the update may not address sleep-related panics.

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IGTV is sweet — but you probably don’t need the dedicated app. Here’s why

Hillary Grigonis / Digital Trends

Instagram upended video sharing with the launch of IGTV, a home for vertical videos from influencers, vloggers, creatives and anyone that finds the one-minute limit on the feed too short. Unlike traditional video platforms like YouTube and, well, actual TV, IGTV is made for smartphones, which means videos are largely vertical. (After all, turning your phone sideways to watch a full-screen video is a whole lot of work). 

IGTV is both an Instagram feature and a standalone app. But if you tap the new TV icon in the corner of your Instagram feed, you’ll find an experience that looks nearly identical to the screen you see from the IGTV app. In fact, the differences between the two are so slight that many users won’t actually need the standalone app, but some may have a few reasons to try it.

What’s IGTV? How do you use IGTV?

Instagram calls IGTV a place for video that’s made for smartphones. Because of that focus, IGTV videos are largely vertical, and watching them feels similar to watching your Stories playlist. The other perk to IGTV is that the videos can be up to an hour long, compared to the one minute limit for videos shared to your Instagram feed. And because all Instagram users automatically have an account, many influencers and creatives have already started sharing content — which means IGTV may already be populated with videos from people you follow or topics you are interested in.

IGTV, whether built inside of Instagram or as a standalone app, has an identical user experience for viewing videos. The viewer launches directly into a video with a navigation bar at the bottom. You can tap through the navigation bar to look for videos from people you follow, popular videos, and videos you haven’t yet finished watching. A search bar also allows you to look for particular topics or people.

IGTV is designed for a full-screen viewing experience, which means you can’t actually see some of the viewing controls. A swipe towards the left will navigate to the next video on your list, a swipe to the right will go back to the previous video. A swipe up from the bottom will bring up the navigation bar again. (You can also click the browse icon after tapping on the video to find the navigation bar.)

Tapping on the video will bring up the icons to like, comment or send in a Direct message, along with details about the user sharing the video, the name of the video and how long the video is. IGTV is also designed for finding new creatives to follow — a tap on the username will bring up the option to follow that user, along with a filmstrip of that channel’s videos. The viewing experience is the same regardless of which app you use.

What the IGTV app has — that Instagram doesn’t

The difference between the built-in IGTV and the stand-alone app largely comes down to notifications and settings. When you first open IGTV, you’ll be asked to choose whether or not to receive notifications. If you opt-in, you’ll get IGTV notifications for new videos from creators you follow, as well as notifications about your own videos. IGTV notifications are separate from Instagram notifications.

While the viewing experience may be identical, the icons are different in the IGTV app. Inside the navigation bar, you’ll spot your own profile picture next to the settings shortcut. This is where you can create your own channel. It just takes a few taps before you can add videos to share with existing Instagram followers. Tapping your profile picture will now take you to your channel, where you can add videos, view shared videos, and see how many followers you have. 

Unlike YouTube, where creators can have multiple playlists and channels, IGTV allows just a single channel per user account — regardless of the app you use. To make a second channel, you’ll need a second Instagram account — something some users already do to keep different passions separate, like a photographer who keeps separate accounts for her personal and professional work.

We should note while where you find things is a bit different between the apps, there’s no actual difference in functionality. Upload options are identical, as are the tools for viewing analytics. The real difference between the two comes in the form of the different settings, which are streamlined for the IGTV experience within the IGTV app.

While the IGTV service looks to be full of potential as a platform tailored to the way we watch videos on smartphones, most users probably don’t need to download the IGTV app. Power users, however, may appreciate the streamlined nature of the dedicated app, as well as the ability set different notification settings between it and Instagram proper.

IGTV is young, however — and launching IGTV as a separate app could mean the platform has plans for expanding in ways that would make the original Instagram take up too much space. Neither app, for example, has the option to crop a horizontal video into a vertical one, and you won’t find Instagram’s famous filters within IGTV. For now, there’s little reason to need both apps, but future updates could widen the gap between the two.

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Lenovo ThinkPad T480s review

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Lenovo Thinkpad T480s

Lenovo’s ThinkPad represents one of the most iconic lines of laptops ever made, appealing specifically to people who want great performance and robust build quality. Lately, though, a host of other machines offering as much or more value have been exerting some real pressure on the brand. Enter the ThinkPad T480s, which slots in next to the X1 Carbon to present ThinkPad-level business acumen without the thin-and-light focus.

We looked at a lower-end ThinkPad T480s configuration, with an 8th-generation Intel Core i7-8550U CPU, 8GB of RAM, a 256GB PCIe solid-state drive (SSD), and a 14-inch touch display. That configuration comes in at $1,700 (on sale right now for $1,360), though you can beef it up to a whopping $2,665.

The ThinkPad T480s isn’t inexpensive, it’s not particularly small or light, and it competes directly against its sibling, the X1 Carbon. Does it bring enough to give it an edge?

If you like the ThinkPad design, you’ll like this one

You can identify a ThinkPad from across a room, and the ThinkPad T480s is no different. It features the same jet-black exterior with glowing red “i” as every other ThinkPad. Opening it up, you’ll find the familiar black keys with white lettering surrounding the usual red TrackPoint nubbin and an extra set of buttons. If you prefer the ThinkPad look, you’ll be welcomed by the familiar aesthetic. However, long gone are the days when the ThinkPad was the only laptop with a distinct look. For example, the Microsoft Surface Book 2, Dell XPS 13, and MacBook Pro all have a unique, visual identity we like — and even prefer to the ThinkPad.

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

The ThinkPad T480s also upholds the line’s typical focus on providing a robust build quality. There’s the usual adherence to the MIL-STD-810G spec for durability and protection against the elements, and the materials feel good in the hand and evoke confidence in the notebook’s ability to withstand a few tumbles. But the lid is a little more flexible than we’d like, and the ThinkPad T480s doesn’t seem like it’s in a different class against competitors like the MacBook Pro, XPS 13 and the Huawei MateBook X Pro.

If you prefer the ThinkPad look, you’ll be welcomed by the familiar aesthetic.

Compared to the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, the T480s is rather chunky at 0.73 inches thick (compared to 0.62 inches), and it’s heavy at 2.9 pounds (compared to 2.49 pounds). That also makes it quite a bit larger than the XPS 13 and thicker than the MateBook X Pro, but it’s still competitive with the Surface Book 2 with its large fulcrum hinge.

One advantage of being slightly thicker and larger than the competition is it affords dramatically improved connectivity. The ThinkPad T480s is a prime example, packing in a host of connections while supporting Lenovo’s innovative USB-C side docking stations. Out of the box, the ThinkPad T480s has a USB-C Gen 1 port, two USB-A 3.0 ports, a USB-C with Thunderbolt 3, a full-size HDMI port, a gigabit Ethernet port, an SD card reader, and an optional smart card reader. Whew. And then there’s the typical 3.5mm combo audio jack and 2×2 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2 radios. That’s all important stuff for business people, who will appreciate never having to carry dongles or adapters with them.

The inputs live up to the ThinkPad reputation

It’s not just the ThinkPad look and feel that are so iconic. It’s also the input options that identify a machine as a member of that line. It all starts with the keyboard, and the ThinkPad T480s sports the newer ThinkPad island keyboard style with the usual sculpted and backlit chiclet keys (two brightness levels). The switch mechanism provides deep travel and snappy feedback, but it also requires more than normal pressure.

If you like lots of feedback during typing, then you’ll probably love this keyboard. Some people, though, might find it more fatiguing than, say, the much lighter touch of the keyboards on the Dell XPS 13 and even the ThinkPad X1 Carbon. We found it difficult to adjust to after using so many keyboards that require a lighter touch.

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

The touchpad is nicely sized, even considering the extra buttons to accommodate the usual TrackPoint nubbin (more on that in a bit), and Lenovo smartly placed the fingerprint reader outside the touchpad. It’s a Microsoft Precision touchpad, and as with all such designs, we found it responsive with reliable support for Windows 10 multitouch gestures. We’re delighted to see that the MacBook line no longer holds such an advantage over Window touchpads.

At the same time, if you’re a ThinkPad fan, then you might prefer the TrackPoint, that little red nubbin sitting in the center of the keyboard. It’s a fine alternative to the touchpad, mainly because it lets you leave your keys on the home row for quick mouse movements. The version on the ThinkPad T480s was as accurate as ever, and it’s obvious why Lenovo keeps it around.

Lenovo Thinkpad T480s Compared To

Samsung Chromebook Pro

Lenovo Yoga 920

LG Gram 15Z970-A.AAS7U1 Laptop

Lenovo Yoga 720 15-inch

Razer Blade Stealth (2017)

Lenovo Yoga 720 13-inch

Origin EON17-SLX

Asus VivoBook V551LB-DB71T

Acer Aspire V7

Sony Vaio Pro 13

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (2013)

HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook

HP Spectre XT TouchSmart

Apple MacBook Air (11.6-inch)

Asus UL30A

There’s also a touch display that we found a bit less responsive to light pressure, but it remains convenient for scrolling web pages and quickly tapping the occasional on-screen button. The fingerprint scanner worked well for logging in via Windows 10 while using Match-on-Sensor technology that keeps the fingerprint data on the chip for added security. Finally, the webcam also enhances security thanks to the ThinkShutter physical privacy filter that slides into place to keep out prying eyes.

A matte display that avoids glare, but that’s about it

Our review unit came with a 14-inch Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) touch display with an anti-glare coating that succeeds in reducing glare. Lenovo also offers a WQHD (2,560 x 1,440) that’s quite a bit sharper and will appeal more to pixel-peepers.

In our colorimeter tests, the display was decidedly subpar for such an expensive notebook. Brightness was a disappointing 240 nits, which is low even for an anti-glare display. Color accuracy was just okay, contrast was a bit low at 780:1, and the color gamut was downright poor.

The matte display avoids glare as designed, but that’s about all it has going for it.

We won’t even bother to highlight any comparison machines, because all the systems in our group of competitors have significantly better displays. Just check out the graph, and you’ll see the ThinkPad T480S as the low-quality outlier. Our subjective experience wasn’t any better – the display came across as lifeless, with little to recommend it except for the reduction in glare compared to glossy displays.

The audio was also underwhelming, with unimpressive volume and distortion at maximum noise levels. Lows, mids, and bass were all lacking, whether watching a movie trailer or listening to music. You’ll want a pair of headphones for anything but quick YouTube clips.

Good performance, but nothing unexpected

Our review ThinkPad T480s was equipped with the increasingly common 8th-generation Intel Core i7-8550U. That’s the latest quad-core CPU that can scale up for demanding tasks while spinning down when possible for increased efficiency. Typically, it’s a great performer.

As it turned out, the ThinkPad T480s matched other similarly equipped notebooks in our tests. In the synthetic Geekbench benchmark, it was generally in line with competitors like the very fast Dell XPS 13 and the slightly slower Huawei Matebook X Pro. And in our Handbrake test, which encodes a 420MB file as H.265, the ThinkPad T480s again fell in between those two comparisons.

Next, Lenovo equipped the notebook with the Samsung PM961 PCIe SSD, a fast drive that typically means that booting, opening apps, and accessing large files won’t slow a machine down. Here, the ThinkPad T480s provided performance that was just slightly behind the curve compared to other similar notebooks.

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

Overall, the notebook’s performance was nothing special, and that’s not really a bad thing – the ThinkPad T480s is a solid performer for just about any productivity user. You’ll be able to churn through all but the most demanding tasks without delay, but you also won’t find the notebook to be the speediest option around.

Integrated graphics mean casual gaming is the best choice

You can configure the ThinkPad T480s with a discrete GPU, specifically the Nvidia GeForce MX150, but our review unit was limited to integrated Intel HD 620 graphics. We weren’t too excited about running our gaming benchmarks.

Unsurprisingly, the ZenBook S performed the same as other thin and light notebooks. It fell just slightly behind the ThinkPad X1 Carbon and XPS 13 in the 3DMark synthetic benchmark, with scores that promise nothing better than casual games or older titles at lower resolutions and detail. In Rocket League at 1080p and performance mode, it ran at 49 frames per second (FPS), which dropped to 22 FPS in high-quality mode.

In short, don’t buy this notebook, or at least this configuration, if you’re looking for portable gaming. You’ll at least want to step up to a configuration that includes the MX150 GPU, or better yet invest in a real gaming laptop instead.

Battery life was – surprise! – also average

Lenovo built 57 watt-hours of battery capacity into the ThinkPad T480s chassis, which isn’t terrible, though it seems that there must be some wasted space inside. Nevertheless, the Full HD display and efficient processor had us hoping for good battery life.

As with so much else about this notebook, the ThinkPad T480’s battery life was decent but not great. It managed just under four hours in our most aggressive Basemark web benchmark test, which fell short of every machine in our comparison group except the Dell XPS 13 – and that notebook was equipped with a power-hungry 4K display.

In our web browsing test, the ThinkPad T480s lasted for just under nine hours, behind all our comparison machines except, oddly enough, the slower X1 Carbon that did unusually poorly here. And in our test that loops a local video until the battery runs out, the ThinkPad T480 did better, going for almost 11 hours and slightly edging out the Huawei Matebook X Pro and the XPS 13. It once again soundly beat the X1 Carbon.

While its build is robust, and the classic ThinkPad look is all there, it doesn’t stand out from the competition in any meaningful way.

In short, the ThinkPad T480s will likely last you a working day on a single charge, but that doesn’t stand out. Most of its competitors will do the same, and they’ll do so while also being thinner, lighter, and easier to carry around.

Our Take

The ThinkPad T480s doesn’t make as much sense as its predecessors. It’s not as thin and light as the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, and its performance likely isn’t any better when comparing the same processor configurations. While its build is robust, and the classic ThinkPad look is all there, it doesn’t stand out from the competition in any meaningful way.

Is there a better alternative?

If you want a ThinkPad, then choose the X1 Carbon instead. It’s similarly priced at $1,754 ($1,315 on sale) for the same Core i7-8550U, 8GB of RAM, 256GB SSD, and 14-inch Full HD touch display. And if you crank up the configuration to a faster Core i7-8650U, 16GB of RAM, 1TB SSD, and WQHD display with Dolby Vision, you’ll add just $100 more. That will provide you with an equally robust build that’s thinner and lighter, a more comfortable keyboard, and a display that supports high dynamic range (HDR) video.

Or, you can step down a bit in size and look at the Dell XPS 13, which performs equally well and battery life in a chassis that’s significantly smaller. You’ll also spend less money, at $1,450 ($1,250 on sale) for the same configuration. You won’t enjoy MIL-STD-810G build quality, but the XPS 13 is no slouch in that department, either.

The ThinkPad T480s can also be equipped with an Nvidia GeForce MX150 GPU, and if you’re looking at that configuration, then the Huawei Matebook X Pro is a competitor. It, too, uses that GPU in a slightly thinner and lighter frame, and it offers superior performance at a $1,500 price point 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and a higher-resolution 3,000 x 2,000 display.

How long will it last?

The ThinkPad T480s is built extremely well and will hold up to some abuse. Lenovo built in the latest components, and so the notebook should keep up with most of the productivity tasks it will be asked to perform well into the future. The warranty is a little disappointing for a business-class notebook, providing only a year of coverage.

Should you buy it?

No. The ThinkPad brand alone doesn’t make the T480s stand out. There are better laptops out there around this price — and even better ThinkPads.

How to right-click on a Mac

Some things you can always count on. Spring will follow winter, day will turn to night, and new Mac users will wonder how in the heck they’re supposed to right click without a right mouse button. Does that sound like a familiar problem?

Whether you’re using a MacBook trackpad or one of Apple’s accessories, we’ve got you covered.

MacBook trackpad

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Let’s start with the most common (and confusing) method of clicking: The MacBook’s trackpad. The multi-touch trackpad is sensitive, but it doesn’t include any obvious tells or buttons for left/right clicking, which can confuse Mac newbies. What’s worse, sometimes the rules changes for newer MacBooks.

Fortunately, there are a few easy ways to right-click no matter your preferences. All of these techniques also work for Apple’s Magic Trackpad, which is nearly identical to the MacBook version.

Using key commands

The first option is the easiest to use, especially if you’re coming from Windows. Just press the “control” key, and tap or click anywhere on the trackpad. The control key can be found on the bottom left corner of the MacBook keyboard, sandwiched between the function and option keys.

As long as it’s held down, the control key switches the trackpad to right-click mode, so just keep your finger pressed to keep right-clicking.

Two-finger click

Next is the one MacBook users use most, due to its ease of access. Because there are no individual buttons on a MacBook trackpad, you’ll need to perform a two-finger click to access right-click functionality. With your index finger resting on the center of the trackpad, click down with your middle finger. It works with other fingers, but this combination is the most accurate and consistent. Once clicked, it should bring up your right-click options immediately, regardless of where on the trackpad you click.

If it isn’t working, you’ll probably need to do some adjusting in System Preferences, which we explain below.

How to change preferences

Step 1: Head over to our friend System Preferences, which should be in your menu bar. This time, look for “Trackpad”, which should be right by the Mouse option. Select it and may sure that you are in the Point & Click tab.

Step 2: Look for “Secondary click,” and make sure that it is selected. Then choose the dropdown menu and take a look at your options.

Step 3: You should see an option for tapping on the trackpad with two fingers, or tapping on the right/left lower sides to start a right click. We’re fans of the two-finger approach, which is easy to learn and avoids those problematic times when you accidentally brush against the bottom of the trackpad to start a random right-click. However, feel free to experiment with all options to see which one you like the most.

Note: Newer Macs from 2015 or afterward use what Apple calls the “Force Touch” trackpad. This allows you to open new options based on how hard you press on the trackpad. That includes a Force Click, which happens when you press down firmly with one finger, and this may seem like a natural option for right-clicking.

However, Apple prefers to reserve the Force Click for other features, like previews and editing options. What Force Click does varies by app. It can never fully take the place of a right-click function, but we suggest you look at its features to see if you can use it to supplement other activities and make your work easier.

On the Apple Magic Mouse

Yutaka Tsutano / Wikimedia
Yutaka Tsutano / Wikimedia

Like the trackpad, the Apple mouse isn’t clearly divided into separate click zones and sometimes doesn’t support right-clicking out of the box, which can be frustrating. If you’re a little bewildered by the Apple mouse rules, don’t worry! There are customization options to set the mouse how you prefer it. Let’s look at your options.

Key commands

Like with the trackpad, just press the “control” key, and then click your mouse with one finger. This is usually the default method of right-clicking with an Apple mouse. The control key, when held down, switches the mouse to right-click mode. We know that this sounds a little weird, but some people actually prefer this approach.

Try using this option for a little while and see what you think.

Changing preferences

You can customize your mouse to respond a certain way to match your past habits instead if you prefer. These are found in a different menu than the trackpad settings, so follow these steps:

Step 1: Head to “System Preferences” in the menu bar, and then select “Mouse.” For the average Apple mouse, this should open up a window with two tabs. Make sure you are in the “Point & Click” tab, and look for an option that says “Secondary Click.” This option should be check-marked.

Step 2: There is a dropdown immediately below that selection that allows you to set the secondary click to the right or left side of the mouse. You probably want to choose the right side — Apple has little videos that show you what the current effects are if this gets confusing.

Step 3: When done, exit out and experiment with your mouse!

Unfortunately, there’s no option to directly control the sensitivity of these left/right clicks. We suggest you experiment a little and see if the Apple mouse is working for you or if you need to consider a replacement. After all, there are plenty of alternatives if you want to look outside of Apple hardware.

Now that you’re familiar with your Mac’s system preferences, consider using these tips to speed up your Mac as a whole.

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