Need to work from the road? Here are the 5 best laptops with LTE

Now that mobile computing is shrinking down to thin-and-light designs and convertible form factors, the smartphone isn’t quite the major focal point in our Facebook trolling and email reading. And while you can still hop on the internet outside the home using your phone as a hotspot, the setup process is annoying. All we want is to open our laptops and just surf with no manual connections required. This is where our list of the best laptops with LTE comes into play.

With the recent push for “always connected” PCs, you’ll want to know what’s the best of the best along with the data plans that support them. Our list details the best that you can find, in our opinion, along with three other great picks. Here you’ll find LTE connectivity, eighth-generation Intel CPUs, great battery life, great screen resolutions, and more to create the best laptops with LTE you can purchase right now.

The Best

Surface Pro ($1,500)

The Surface Pro may not have the largest screen in our batch, but it’s a solid device sold by Microsoft. The problem is that out of the seven set configurations, only one sports LTE connectivity. That’s the Core i5 model costing $1,449. It’s also not part of the new “always connected” family, thus its download speed will be slower than the recent Snapdragon-based LTE capable laptops that fall under the new “always connected” umbrella.

In this model you’ll find a 12.3-inch PixelSense display with a 2,736 x 1,824 resolution powered by Intel’s seventh-generation Core i5-7300U processor and 8GB of system memory. The graphics are handled by the processor’s integrated HD Graphics 620 component while the Windows 10 Pro operating system resides on a 256GB SSD. All of this is powered by a battery promising up to 12.5 hours of local video playback.

Port-wise, the Surface Pro includes one full USB-A port (5Gbps), a Micro SD card reader, one Mini DisplayPort connector, a headphone jack, a port for the Surface Type Cover (sold separately) and a Surface Connect port. Connectivity is handled by Bluetooth 4.1, Wireless AC, and a 4G LTE Advanced cat 9 modem supporting download speeds up to 450Mbps. You can read our review here.

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The Rest

HP Envy x2 ($900)

Matt Smith/Digital Trends

Like the Surface Pro, the HP Envy x2 sports a 12.3-inch screen but with a lower 1,920 x 1,280 resolution. Yet unlike the Surface Pro, HP’s latest detachable falls under the “always connected” umbrella packing Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 all-in-one-processor. Backing the screen is integrated Adreno 540 graphics and 4GB of system memory (LPDDR3).

As for other goodies crammed into this detachable, you’ll find 128GB of storage, an HP Wide Vision 5MP camera on the front, a 13MP camera on the back, and a pair of Bang & Olufsen speakers. Powering this device is a 49WHr battery promising up to 22 hours.

For ports, the Envy x2 includes one USB-C port (5Gbps), one Nano SIM slot, one Micro SD card reader, and a headphone jack. Connectivity is provided by Wireless AC (867Mbps), Bluetooth 5, and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X16 LTE cat 16 modem promising download speeds of up to one gigabit per second (1Gbps). You can read our review here.

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Microsoft

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (starting at $1,140)

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Lenovo’s sixth-generation ThinkPad X1 Carbon is the largest laptop in our bunch with a 14-inch screen. But in this case, you have six starting points to customize the 2-in-1 to fit your needs, including four processor options ranging from the eighth-generation Core i5-8250U to the Core i7-8650U sporting the same integrated UHD Graphics 620 component.

This laptop provides options for a 1,920 x 1,080 display with a brightness of 300 nits, and a 2,560 x 1,400 display with a brightness up to 500 nits. Memory is served up in either 8GB or 16GB configurations, and you have a choice of storage solutions spanning 256GB to 1TB on an M.2 SSD. All of this is powered by a 57WHr battery promising up to 15 hours on a single charge.

For ports, the ThinkPad provides two USB-A ports, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, one headphone / microphone combo jack, one Micro SD card reader, and a fingerprint reader for password-free logins into Windows 10. Wireless connectivity consists of Bluetooth 4.1, Wireless AC (867Mbps), and an optional Fibocom L850-GL 4G LTE Advanced Cat 9 that adds $100 to the total price and provides download speeds of up to 450Mbps. You can read our review here.

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Lenovo

Asus NovaGo ($700)

Matt Smith/Digital Trends

Like the HP Envy x2, the Asus NovaGo falls under the “always connected” umbrella, promising a constant internet connection. It relies on the same Snapdragon 835 chip and Snapdragon X16 LTE Cat 16 modem as HP’s model, promising a super-long battery life of up to 22 hours on a single charge via a 52WHr battery.

The NovaGo sports the second-largest screen in our batch measuring 13.3 inches with a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution. It’s backed by the Snapdragon chip’s integrated Adreno 540 graphics and an unusual 6GB of system memory – typically we see 4GB, 8GB, 16GB or 32GB. The 128GB storage plays host to Windows 10 in S Mode, meaning the platform is locked to Microsoft Store apps until you upgrade to Home or Pro.

Other goodies thrown into the convertible include two USB-A ports, one HDMI port, a headphone / microphone combo jack, a Micro SD card slot supporting up to 256GB cards, a front-facing 720p camera, and a Nano SIM card tray for your wireless carrier’s SIM card. Wireless connectivity includes Bluetooth 4.1 and old-school Wireless N. You can read our review here.

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Microsoft

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These yeast colony patches are like living Geiger counters

Most people don’t think twice about the radiation when they check in for a routine X-ray. But for radiologists and workers at nuclear power plants, the risk is persistent.

To save them from side effects, workers use protective clothing and patches, called dosimeters, that keep track of radiation exposure and warn the wearer if they have reached dangerous levels. The only problem is, these patches are worn for a month or two before being shipped off for analysis. It can take another week after that before the results come in.

A faster way to measure exposure may soon be on its way, thanks to a team of researchers from Purdue University who have designed a dosimeter that can measure radiation exposure in near real time. It’s simple, made out of little more than paper and yeast, and costs pennies on the dollar. A paper detailing the device was published recently in the journal Advanced Biosystems.

The patch works by enveloping a yeast colony (the same kind used to brew beer and make bread) within freezer paper, aluminum, and tape. After being worn for a day or so, wearers place a drop of water on the patch and scan it with a system that measures how much yeast remains by how well the patch conducts electricity. Radiation kills yeast so, the less yeast, the higher the wearer’s radiation exposure.

“We put the yeast inside an electrical device, a capacitor, and when activated with water the electrical characteristic of the device changes,” Babak Ziaie, an electrical and computer engineer at Purdue and co-author of the paper, told Digital Trends. “When radiation goes through some of the yeast, it damages the yeast, so we can electrically detect radiation by detecting the response of the yeast to radiation.”

The patch’s biggest advantage is in its near real-time readout, which can help both radiologists and responses to nuclear disasters, who are exposed to much higher levels of radiation and may not have the luxury to wait weeks for results.

The patch can detect radiation doses down to one milliard, according to the researchers, which puts it close to par with conventional dosimeters. The researchers hold a patent to the device but have not yet decided on how the move forward with it commercially. Either way, it will still take several years for the device to go through regulatory approval before it comes to market.

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Georgia is paving the way for a high-tech, sustainable highway

The Ray

If you want to see what the highway of the future might look like, then you only need to drive down to Georgia.

On an 18-mile segment of Interstate 85 — stretching from the city of LaGrange to the Alabama border, 67 miles from Atlanta — a consortium of government agencies, global companies, and academic researchers, along with the Ray C. Anderson Foundation are working together to build a smart roadway. Using a variety of technologies ranging from electricity-generating surfaces to pollution-reducing ditches, it’s a real-world laboratory that’s paving the way to the roads of tomorrow.

It’s also aimed at demonstrating how a smart transportation corridor can not only be environmentally friendly, but generate revenue as well.

Cities across the globe are installing technology to gather data in the hopes of saving money, becoming cleaner, reducing traffic, and improving urban life. In Digital Trends’ Smart Cities series, we’ll examine how smart cities deal with everything from energy management, to disaster preparedness, to public safety, and what it all means for you.

That tantalizing possibility — making money off public roads — has attracted a lot attention to what is known as “The Ray,” the stretch of I-85 that includes the right-of-way land along the highway, the highway itself, and the Georgia Visitor Information Center in West Point. Officially the Ray C. Anderson Memorial Highway, the segment is named after the man who founded Interface Inc., a carpet manufacturer, and the namesake foundation that’s involved in the project. Anderson, who died in 2011, was recognized during his tenure at Interface for his efforts to make his company environmentally sustainable, and projects that promote a sustainable society is one of the nonprofit’s goals.

Like urban environments, highways present an interesting opportunity — and a significant challenge — for new technology solutions. Roadways impinge on natural habitats in 15 percent of the country, for example, and the cars and trucks that travel on them produce millions of tons of carbon dioxide annually.
And, there’s a lot of pavement out there: Over 164,000 miles of highway crisscross the United States. That’s enough concrete and tarmac to go around the world 6.5 times.

So far, most of those are roads do only one thing: carry vehicles. The Ray wants to show they can do much more.

A highway powered by the sun

Perhaps the most ambitious idea is to turn all that pavement baking in the sun into a giant solar power source. At the West Point Visitor Information Center, the Ray is starting with Wattway, approximately 538 square feet of solar panels laid down on the road’s surface. Durable enough to withstand the traffic from tens of thousands of vehicles a year, the photovoltaic pavers are thin and skid-resistant, and can be installed over existing pavement, so there’s no need to tear up roads.

The Ray

“The next project is to see if it’s feasible to put solar panels in the shoulder of the road,” Costas Simoglou, director of the Georgia Center of Innovation for Energy Technology, told Digital Trends. Simoglou is interested in putting the panels on the side of the highway not because of durability concerns, but they would get more sun exposure.

Wattway was developed by the French transportation company Colas. The technology took over five years of research and development, working in conjunction with the French National Solar Energy Institute. Wattway currently provides electricity to the visitor center, but it could do much more.

Additional energy generated by Wattway could not only feed electricity back into the grid, but also power everything from street lights to traffic signals. It could be a source of electricity anywhere there’s pavement and people: shopping centers, airports, even bike paths. Solar panels on the road could also power needed vehicle-to-infrastructure communications for the forthcoming generation of self-driving cars.

Then, there’s the electric car charging stations. At the visitor center, there are charging stations for electric vehicles, sponsored by Kia Motors, which has a manufacturing plant in West Point. The stations are currently powered by pole-mounted photovolaic solar panels, and owners can power up their electric cars free of charge.

“But solar could be a new revenue source for the state,” Simoglou said. “There are already 25,000 electric vehicles in Georgia. So the state could eventually sell electricity” rather then charging gasoline tax.

Keeping vehicles in top shape

Roughly 700,000 people make a pit stop at the West Point visitor center every year. So, it’s not just an ideal proving ground for new technologies, it’s also a great way to show drivers the benefits these new smart systems have to offer them.

One of the most successful projects, for example, is the WheelWright system. People drive their cars slowly past the system’s wheel sensors, which take thousands of pictures of the tires in a few seconds. WheelWright, a British company, will then either spit out a paper report or text the driver with information on the tire pressure and tread wear on the car. The goal is to alert drivers when their tires are under inflated, which can reduce fuel efficiency and traction, or need to be replaced.

Kia

The technology has other possible applications, such as the thousands of truck weigh stations across the United States. Today, most commercial truck drivers do a visual — and not terribly accurate — inspection of tires and tread wear. The WheelWright system could do it more accurately and more quickly.

It’s not just the highway that benefits

Highways comprise more than just pavement, of course. Other parts of The Ray project are working to leverage the land alongside the road.

Instead of conventional ditches, for example, The Ray is utilizing so-called “bioswales.” Rather than simply facilitating rain runoff, bioswales are shallow drainage ditches that are filled with vegetation that is known to capture particulate pollutants, such as rubber, lead, and oil that can wash off the road. The plants, often switchgrass, are all native to Georgia, and some bioswales include compost to slow water movement and reduce the threat of sudden flooding in a rainstorm.

“We would love to have this carbon-free highway — zero waste, zero carbon, zero deaths.”

Other smart agriculture road work includes planting wheat farms along and around the highway. The project has been using intermediate wheatgrass, which have 10-foot deep roots that help prevent soil erosion, help retain clean water, and trap carbon. The perennial is currently in the midst of a three-year study along the side of The Ray.

The Ray just received state approval to install a 2-megawatt solar array in another right of way, said Simoglou of the Georgia Center of Innovation. The new solar array will be installed at an exit ramp near the city of LaGrange. Future solar array plans include using the panels strategically to also act as noise dampening walls — all of it covered by a pollinator meadow ground cover.

It has to be safe, too

Besides sustainability, smart infrastructure must be safe, as well. It’s estimated that $277 billion is lost every year in the U.S. due to car and truck accidents, according to the entities behind the projct.

“We would love to have this carbon-free highway,” said Harriet Anderson Langford, president of The Ray. “So that’s zero waste, zero carbon, zero deaths.”

Smart roads could include speed warning systems, for example. One technology is speed control pulsing. The system, developed by Innovia, involves embedding light studs in the road. The studs flash in sequence to warn drivers of trouble ahead — yellow to reduce speeds and red for congestion or traffic stoppage ahead.

The lights can also be used to encourage safe following distances, alerting drivers when they get too close or tailgate cars in front. A line of red studs along the dotted white lane dividers could also tell drivers there’s a vehicle approaching from behind and that it’s unsafe to change lanes. The smart dots could even be used to deliver lane departure warnings and alerts about black ice. It means any car, not just newer connected cars, could benefit from early alerts to help them avoid accidents.

Showcase for others to follow

So far, the costs associated with The Ray project are relatively small. The organization’s executive director, Allie Kelly, says The Ray spends about $1 million a year. The money comes from the Georgia Department of Transportation, private corporate partnerships, and the Ray C. Anderson Foundation endowment.

For government departments like the DOT it’s a chance to test new smart infrastructure technologies. For the private firms involved, it’s an invaluable real world testing bed to improve their technologies. (Colas, for example, believes it will now be able to bring the cost of its solar pavers down to the equivalent of roof top solar panels.)

For The Ray, it’s a way to spread the ideas and solutions for a smart road infrastructure to other states and communities. There’s now a constant flow of new visitors to the Georgia site, from Florida and Missouri state reps to researchers from the asphalt industry and academic institutions.

“All this smart stuff can be overwhelming, especially for town managers” trying to balance budgets, Simoglou said. So The Ray is out to shown them not only how smart roads can be sustainable, but also be a sustainable business.

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New York City caps ridesharing licenses, deals major blow to Uber and Lyft

While it might seem like a mindless convenience to grab an Uber or Lyft straight from your smartphone to get to your next obligation, the two ridesharing companies are actually at odds and locked into an ugly clash with regulators in metropolitan areas. More specifically, in New York City, city regulators just placed a cap on how many operational licenses it grants for potential Uber and Lyft drivers, mainly in an effort to save the city’s integral Yellow Cab system.

Taxicab liveries and Uber and Lyft rideshares are at odds because Uber and Lyft have long threatened the taxicab companies for stealing their business. It’s resulted in controversy that has even led to some to engage in physical altercations with each other as drivers fight for their own share of fares.

The threat has many worried after some taxicab drivers even committed suicide for the financial burden from the onslaught of overwhelming competition from Uber and Lyft.

To try and keep the playing field level in such a highly competitive market for individual cabs and drivers, New York City Council voted to cap the number of licenses available for ridesharing services for one year.

It’s the first major blow to one of the major ridesharing companies that have ultimately relied on the largest U.S. metropolitan city as its main source of business. It’s also the first major U.S. city to place such a cap.

Worawee Meepian

“The city’s 12-month pause on new vehicle licenses will threaten one of the few reliable transportation options while doing nothing to fix the subways or ease congestion,” Uber said in a statement.

“These sweeping cuts to transportation will bring New Yorkers back to an era of struggling to get a ride, particularly for communities of color and in the outer boroughs,” Lyft said in its statement.

The policy wasn’t met without controversy, obviously from the ridesharing companies. But the city continued to support its decision, saying it will not only help the dwindling taxicab industry, it will also aid in reducing traffic congestion and could potentially hike driver paychecks on both sides from a possible hike in fees for riders. In July, Uber sent an email to its 5 million subscribers in New York to notify them that riders could face rate hikes, longer wait times, and increased difficulty searching for service to the city’s outer suburban areas.

According to the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, the explosive growth from Uber and Lyft completely overturned the morale of taxicab drivers, leading to as many as six taxicab drivers committing suicide over the past several months from a seriously uncertain financial future — especially when you consider the costs of just even obtaining a medallion (license to operate a taxicab) in New York City.

Reuters reports the number of ridesharing vehicles skyrocketed from 12,600 in 2015 to about 80,000 this year. The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission report that there are 14,000 yellow cabs in service throughout the metro area.

Although this particular cap only applies to the New York City metro area, New York isn’t the only city experiencing this clash between government-sanctioned taxicab and livery services and private ridesharing programs. Other cities abroad have seen strikes and even violent riots between taxicab drivers and ridesharing drivers competing over fares. And we’re certain this probably won’t be the last of such decision among governmental bodies of major metro cities as ridesharing continues to grow at rapid rates.

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Engineers in the U.K. unveil the world’s first graphene-skinned airplane

Graphene, the versatile miracle material that can be used for everything from creating better speakers for hearing aids to body armor that’s stronger than diamonds, has another application to add to its résumé. In the U.K., engineers at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) recently unveiled the world’s first graphene-skinned plane at the “Futures Day” event at Farnborough Air Show 2018. Called Juno, the 11.5-feet wide unmanned airplane also boasts graphene batteries and 3D-printed parts. The combination adds up to a pretty darn impressive whole.

“This project is a genuine world’s first,” Billy Beggs, UCLan’s Engineering Innovation manager, told Digital Trends. “It represents the latest stage of an ongoing collaborative program between academia and industry to build on innovative research, and exploit graphene applications in aerospace. We are establishing a lead in the industrial application of graphene.”

While the 3D-printed elements and graphene batteries are certainly exciting, the graphene-skinned wings are the most promising part of the project. Specifically, it is hoped that the use of graphene can help reduce the overall weight of the aircraft to increase its range and potential payload. This is made possible because the graphene carbon used in Juno is around 17 percent lighter than standard carbon fiber. Other properties of the graphene can help it counter the effects of potentially dangerous lightning strikes, due to its extreme conductivity, and protect the aircraft against ice buildup during flight.

Working with UCLan on the project is the Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Center, University of Manchester’s National Graphene Institute, Haydale Graphene Industries, and assorted other businesses and research institutes.

“The U.K. Industrial Strategy highlights graphene as an example of a scientific discovery that needs to translate into industrial applications,” Peter Thomas, head of Innovation and Partnership at UCLan, told us. “Post-Brexit, the U.K. needs to continue to develop competitive advantage in aerospace through innovation.”

With Juno having made its stunning public demonstration, the next phase of the operation will include further tests to be carried out over the next two months. Should all go according to plan, airplanes such as this may well turn out to a particularly promising line of inquiry for graphene-related initiatives.

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Marc Jacobs Riley Touchscreen Smartwatch review

Research Center:

Marc Jacobs Riley Touchscreen

Throughout its existence, the Marc Jacobs aesthetic has become synonymous with words like quirky, playful, and fun. But with the Riley Touchscreen Smartwatch — the first of its kind for the brand — the design is the complete opposite, in a good way.

While the Riley Hybrid Smartwatch was Marc Jacobs’ initial attempt in the wearable space, we found it looked a bit too loud for our tastes. That’s why we were relieved to see the touchscreen version dials the original design down a few notches. While $295 is a higher price for Wear OS watches, the Riley Touchscreen Smartwatch blends a sleek and versatile timepiece with smart features, allowing you to track activities, fitness, and receive notification alerts.

But is it worth the high price? We take a closer look.

Sleek and refined design, chunky case

With a 42MM case, the Marc Jacobs Riley Touchscreen smartwatch doesn’t seem too large on the wrist when glanced from above, but at 11.2 mm thick it’s a little too bulky and heavy. After a while, we became used to the weight but still felt relieved when taking it off after wearing it for an entire work day. As a unisex smartwatch, men may find it isn’t too different than traditional watches, aside from it possibly being a little bit smaller.

It comes in three color variants — but we tested the rose gold case with a cement colored watch strap. Other options are a black case with a black watch strap and gold case with a white watch strap.

Even though it follows the common rose gold color scheme that’s become typical in women’s smartwatches today, the Riley Touchscreen is sleek. Similar to the Kate Spade Scallop smartwatch, both the case and strap look and feel high-end — giving the watch a chic and minimalist look.

The 1.19-inch AMOLED display is small in comparison to other smartwatches. Even though it’s the same size as the Kate Spade Scallop touchscreen smartwatch, the metallic bezel stops it from looking too overwhelming. So, those with small wrists won’t feel like it looks too big.

The subtle look of the case allows us to wear it both day and night.

It’s extremely versatile, blending in with all our outfits nicely — a task the hybrid version struggled with. While we thought a silicone watch strap would make the smartwatch look too sporty, the subtle look of the case allowed us to wear it both day and night, as well as comfortably at the gym. Rather than a buckle or clasp, the watch strap on the Riley requires you to slide one strap through the other and snap it closed through the preferred notch.

Unfortunately, the straps aren’t interchangeable, so you’ll have to commit to a specific color variant. But the solid color options make it easy to mix and match with all your outfits.

The crown on the right side of the Riley is a large button, which opens a list of installed apps such as contacts, the weather, and the Google Play Store when pressed. Hold it down to trigger Google Assistant – which we’ll get to later.

Large display, smooth performance

Like nearly all Wear OS smartwatches, the Riley is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear 2100 processor and backed by 512MB of RAM. With 4GB of storage, you can also store music on the smartwatch and play it via Bluetooth-connected earbuds. For the most part, we didn’t have any issues with performance. Scrolling through the menu felt fast and fluid, as did opening the apps.

The screen is vivid enough to allow the colors and graphics to pop.

The Riley Touchscreen Smartwatch has a display resolution of 390 x 390 pixels — which is fairly high for a 1.19-inch AMOLED screen. The screen is vivid enough to allow the colors and graphics to pop, it also gets bright enough to comfortably see content outdoors. But we did prefer sticking with the highest brightness level rather than keeping the setting on automatic.

Wear OS works best with Android phones

The Marc Jacobs Riley Touchscreen Smartwatch runs Google’s Wear OS 1.4. For people on Android, the watch is simple to use even if you’ve never owned a Wear OS smartwatch. To view your notifications, swipe up on the display, swipe to the left or right to change your watch face, and swipe down to access your settings. You can also swipe left or right to clear notifications and alerts. For messaging, you can either use the quick responses provided, swipe type, or voice reply.

When connected to an iPhone, the Wear OS capabilities are a bit more limited. As with Android, you’ll have to download the Wear OS app, but it also always has to run in the background. Otherwise, you won’t receive notifications to your smartwatch and will have to reconnect the watch to the app every time. If you pair with an iPhone then you also can’t answer text messages, though you can accept or decline calls.

You can enable Google Assistant by holding down the crown button, and it allows you to send messages, set reminders, and ask for weather updates. For fitness, the Riley uses Google Fit to track steps, distance traveled, and calories burned. But it doesn’t use GPS or a heart rate sensor for further tracking.

While you’re able to keep track of your activity using the smartwatch, you can also see a more in-depth analysis via the Wear OS app. It’s also where you’re able to control which apps you receive notifications from.

If you pair with an iPhone then you also can’t answer text messages, though you can accept or decline calls.

There’s a great range of pre-installed watch faces on the Riley Touchscreen smartwatch — from basic and understated to loud and eccentric. We found that any of the watch faces looks great against the plain rose gold case, no matter how flashy. While we enjoy the designs the one critique we have is that most of them are animated — which tends to deplete the battery.

We specifically enjoyed the “Make a MARC” watch face, which allows you to set multiple dials on the watch face to show different information. Ours specifically shows the amount of notifications you have, a second time zone, the date, battery status, and the weather. To edit each one, hold down on the watch face and tap on the part of the watch face you’d like to change. You can then save the changes on Marc Jacobs’ microapp.

With the Google Play Store available on the watch, there’s also the option to browse and install a variety of great third-party Wear OS apps.

Standard one-day battery life

The Marc Jacobs Riley Touchscreen Smartwatch has a 300mAh battery that supposedly returns 24-hours of use.  After taking it off the charger at 100 percent at 8:30 a.m., it’d be down to about 6 percent by 11:30 p.m. — and that’s with notifications on.

Brenda Stolyar/Digital Trends

With the Kate Spade Scallop, we found the battery lasted a bit longer if we didn’t use an animated watch face. With a static watch face displayed we still had 13 percent battery left at 2 a.m. While we had a static watch face displayed on the Riley Touchscreen, we did also keep the brightness at its maximum which drains the battery faster.

We used it with an iPhone, so for Android users, it’s important to note the battery might drain even faster — especially if you’re using it to reply to text messages. Regardless, it generally did last us through an entire work day and through the evening that followed.

Warranty information

The Marc Jacobs Riley Hybrid Smartwatch has a 2-year warranty that covers the internal pieces of the watch. External components – like the case, band, crystal, and battery – are not included.

The rose gold case with a cement colored watch strap; a black case with a black watch strap; and gold case with a white watch strap are all available for $295. Each one can be purchased through Marc Jacobs’ site.

Marc Jacobs Riley Touchscreen Compared To

Tag Heuer Connected Modular 41

Mondaine Smart Helvetica

Nixon Regulus

Alpina AlpinerX

Apple Watch Series 3

Motorola Moto 360 (2015)

LG Watch Sport

Huawei Watch 2 Sport

Huawei Fit

Apple Watch Series 2

Martian Passport MP100WSB

Garmin fenix 2

LG G Watch R

Martian Notifier Watch

Phosphor Touch Time

Our Take

The Marc Jacobs Riley is a fashion-forward watch that looks sleek on the wrist. With a large display, you can easily view your notifications in one swift motion and its subtle look makes it an easy go-to pick that will match with any outfit. While the battery depletes faster than we’d like it to, it did last us an entire day which is the average for most Wear OS smartwatches.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes. If you’re looking for another smartwatch with the same features and price but that’s a bit more feminine, there’s the Kate Spade Scallop Smartwatch. Aside from looking daintier, it’s also thinner than the Riley Touchscreen — the case measures just 9mm thick. With interchangeable watch straps, it’s more customizable too. We also found the battery lasted us a little longer.

If you’re looking for another unisex smartwatch with an even larger watch face, the Misfit Vapor features a 1.39-inch display. With a touch-sensitive bezel, you can browse through menus and notifications by brushing your finger along the black edges of the watch. There’s also a built-in heart rate sensor. As for price, it’s not as expensive, with a price tag of $200.

For iOS users keen to take advantage of all the features on a smartwatch, we recommend the Apple Watch Series 3.

How long will it last?

The Marc Jacobs Riley Touchscreen Smartwatch should last you beyond the two-year limited warranty. But the battery will deplete overtime, and it’s unclear how long it will receive software updates for — especially with reports of Qualcomm releasing a new chip in the Fall.

The smartwatch is IP67 water-and-dust resistant, so you can take it underwater up to 1 meter for 30 minutes — meaning it’ll survive a shower.

Should you buy it?

Yes. Even though it’s more expensive than other women’s smartwatches on the market, you’ll wear it enough to get your money’s worth. Its fashion-forward design makes a statement but is subtle enough to be worn every day

Here’s how Stanford scientists measured the speed of death

How fast does death move? No, it’s not a riddle, but an actual honest-to-goodness question examined by researchers at Stanford University. For the first time ever, scientists have been able to observe the speed at which death spreads across a cell once the self-destruct so-called “trigger wave” has been initiated. Their conclusion? Death moves at around 30 micrometers per minute.

“Trigger waves are just now being appreciated as a recurring theme in cell regulation,” James Ferrell, a professor of Chemical and Systems Biology and of Biochemistry at Stanford University, told Digital Trends.

For their study, the researchers used cytoplasm, the fluid inside a cell, taken from frog eggs. This was then placed in Teflon tubes several millimeters in length, after which the molecular “death signal” apoptosis process of cell death was initiated. Using a fluorescent technique associated with the activation of apoptosis, the researchers were able to watch the way that the cell’s self-destruction, marked by fluorescence, moved the length of the tube.

“Ideally you’d like to carry out the experiments in real cells,” Ferrell continued. “However there is a problem with that: Most cells are too small to make the distinction [obvious] between a trigger wave, where the wavefront moves with a constant speed, and random walk diffusion, where the farther you go, the slower you go.”

The researchers further backed up their observations by using fluorescence microscopy to study intact frog eggs. Due to the eggs’ opacity, this proved more difficult, but they nonetheless noted a similar ripple of pigmentation change at the egg’s surface as the trigger wave moved through it.

So what did the scientists learn from their research? Namely, that death inside a cell takes place a bit like a group of fans doing the wave in a stadium; as a series of rolling surges in which the self-destruction of one bit of the cell triggers the self-destruction of the next. Similar trigger waves are found in nerve impulses and, on a much larger scale, in the spread of wildfires.

“Trigger waves allow electrical signals to be propagated down axons, and allow waves of calcium to spread through cells, waves of mitosis, and — we now know — of apoptosis,” Ferrell said.

While this might sound of only theoretical interest, it could turn out to be vital information in future medical research, in which we either want dying cells to live (in neurodegenerative diseases) or living cells to die (in cancer). In terms of future work, the researchers hope to look at other “biological contexts” in which these trigger waves occur.

A paper describing the work was recently published in the journal Science.

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Here’s how App Actions in Android 9.0 Pie work, and how to control them

When accessing apps on your smartphone, you want it to take as little effort as possible — especially if they’re ones you use on a daily basis. Android’s latest operating system, Android 9.0 Pie, does just that with App Actions.

Powered by machine learning, the OS predicts “Actions,” or shortcuts, you’re about to perform based on your smartphone usage and the time of day. For example, in the morning at your usual commute time, App Actions might suggest navigation on Google Maps or resuming the audiobook you’ve been listening to, whereas plugging in your headphones after work might throw up a suggestion for a Spotify playlist or to call your partner or a friend.

Similar to Apple’s Siri Suggestions in iOS 12, different Actions will begin to automatically appear within the App Drawer on your phone the more you use it and it learns about your habits. To help you get the most out of the new feature, we break down how to use App Actions and how to turn it on or off.

How to turn App Actions on or off

Brenda Stolyar/Digital Trends

If you’re upgrading from Android 8.0 Oreo to Android 9.0 Pie on an existing device, the new App Actions should be turned on by default. If not, long-press on the home screen and tap Home settings, then tap on Suggestions and toggle on Actions. It may take some time to appear since the feature uses artificial intelligence to create suggestions based on your smartphone habits. To turn off App Actions, follow the same steps and toggle it off.

How to use App Actions

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

When in the App Drawer, App Actions will appear as a pair of rectangular lozenges underneath the first row of apps. For now, it only shows two suggestions at a time. When tapping on either one, it automatically launches the app and may jump directly to a specific point in it, such as a favorite playlist or frequently accessed message thread. You can also drag the specific action on to your home screen and save it as an icon. That way, the exact shortcut is bookmarked and will launch specifically where App Actions suggests.

How to tailor your App Actions

Brenda Stolyar/Digital Trends

If you think your App Actions aren’t accurate or you want to alter the apps, you can change them. By long-pressing on the Action, you can slide the app to the upper-right hand corner of the screen where it says “Don’t show.” This will remove the current Action and populate another suggestion in its place instead. If you accidentally long-press the app or change your mind, you can slide it over to “Cancel” in the upper-right corner instead. As mentioned above, this is also where you can turn an Action into an icon on your display by dragging it to the home screen.

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U.S. Navy wants to ‘weaponize slime’ to stop enemy ships

Whether it’s autonomous ships with no crew or ultra-strong underwater glue inspired by mussels, the U.S. Navy has some pretty intriguing research projects. Their latest? Weaponized slime, capable of being fired at enemy vessels to stop them in their tracks.

The synthetic slime is being created by a team of researchers at Utah State University, who have been awarded a 15-month Navy contract to carry out the work. It is based on the slime of a real, eel-like creature called a hagfish, which defends itself against would-be attackers by using a jet of slime to fill predators’ mouths and gills with goo. This slime swells up by a factor of several thousand when it comes into contact with sea water.

“We are attempting to create hagfish thread keratins synthetically,” Justin Jones, an assistant professor in the Department of Biology at Utah State University, told Digital Trends. “Hagfish thread keratins, in their native form, rival spider silk in their mechanical properties. The problem is that farming hagfish for these threads is likely impossible. That necessitates producing the individual proteins that comprise the thread keratin using another host system. We have chosen to produce the proteins in E. coli due to our group’s experience, the economics of scaling the process, as well as the robust amount of protein produced in this system.”

Once the slime proteins have been manufactured using modified E. coli bacteria, they will then have to be formed into fibers. For this, the team will rely on their previous experience “wet spinning” spider silk proteins to develop a method for re-creating the hagfish thread keratin fibers. The goal is to create a synthetic fiber comparable to its native counterpart.

At present, the U.S. Navy stops boats — such as those it suspects contain smugglers — by firing a plastic rope with a pneumatic launcher, designed to tangle in the boat’s propeller. The hope is that this new method could prove to be safer, more effective, and less likely to injure the occupants of the other vessel.

Before you start getting concerned about the possible polluting effects of firing massive amount of slime into the water like an oil spill — yes, they’ve thought of that, too.

“Hagfish thread keratins are comprised of protein and protein alone,” Jones continued. “Therefore they do not contribute to plastic waste problems in the world’s waterways. With mechanical properties that outperform some petroleum-based polymers, they are an ideal biomaterial to use to deploy in order to stop maritime vessels without causing further pollution.”

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Google Cameos helps celebrities post answers to the internet’s questions

Google wants to make it easier for celebrities to reach their audience. To that end, the company released a new app called Cameos, which is available for iOS and really targeted specifically at celebrities.

Through Cameos, celebrities can essentially record videos answering some of the more popular questions asked on the internet. Then, those videos will show up straight in Google’s search results — allowing users to get information about celebrities straight from the celebrities themselves.

Anyone can technically download the Cameos app, but once downloaded, most people won’t be able to use it. Cameos requires that access is granted by Google before it can be used. Celebrities who do gain access to the app can then browse the web for popular questions about them, then answer any questions they choose to answer through a video. After a celebrity starts using the app, Google says it will push them to answer new questions and searches as a way to make sure that content remains timely. Once a question is answered, Google says the response to the question will be posted quickly to Google search results, so that users can find the videos when they search for a celebrity.

Of course, just because this app is available, that doesn’t mean we should expect to see videos from celebrities showing up in Google search results anytime soon. First, celebrities have to start actually using the app, and there is no guarantee that will actually happen.

Cameos is actually an extension of the “Posts on Google” feature that has been rolling out over the past few years. The feature allows some people and organizations to post directly to Google search results. Initially, it was aimed strictly at only a handful of celebrities, movie studios, and sports teams, but over the past year or so, Google has been rolling out the feature to local businesses as well. Earlier this year, Google also expanded the feature to musicians.

Interestingly enough, the new app is currently only available on iOS — which probably says more about the people Google is trying to reach than Google itself. We’ll have to wait and see if an Android version of the app ever gets released.

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