What is the cheapest way to fly FPV drones?

Best answer: Piloting drones is an expensive hobby from the outset, and you’re going to end up spending more money in the long run if you cheap out on components when you’re just starting out. We’d recommend practicing with an RC simulator first, and then starting out with an affordable FPV drone kit for beginners.

• Amazon: RealFlight X with InterLink X Controller ($180)
• Amazon: Hubsan X4 Storm Professional Version ($130)
• Amazon: DJI Mavic Air FPV Bundle ($1328)

Drone racing is an expensive hobby

Drones are easily among the coolest tech industries to emerge in the early half of the 21st century. While radio-controlled planes and copters have been a popular hobby for decades, the advent of the affordable consumer-grade quadcopter has led to an explosion in popularity, with drones being used for both professional and amateur film and photography projects, search and rescue missions, or simply as an excuse to get outside have some fun.

But anyone who’s invested in a drone kit will tell you that it’s an expensive hobby from the outset that only gets more expensive along the way with replacement parts and enticing upgrade opportunities. It’s the same deal with most hobbies, except of course for the added risk involved with crashes or your drone losing controller connection and flying off into the sunset.

Earn your wings with a digital drone

A FPV screenshot of a nighttime drone race course from RealFlight X

Speaking from personal experience, the first drones you buy are going to take some abuse as you learn the ropes of controlling your drone. As you learn how to control yaw, pitch, and roll, you’re bound to encounter some ‘piloting error’ that might lead to a hard landing or, in a worse case scenario, crashing into a tree or some other obstacle.

RC simulators allow you to get in your flight hours and hone your piloting skills in a risk-free environment.

Legally speaking, you’re also going to need to be aware of any no-fly zones in your area as well as the local laws regarding drone registration, and you’re best off finding an abandoned space free of trees, power lines, vehicles and roadways, and anything else that might cause issues. It’s a lot of responsibility and can be very restrictive if you simply don’t have access to a safe space to practice — that’s part of the reason why RC simulator software is a great first investment for a novice drone pilot.

Simulator software allows you to get in your flight hours and hone your piloting skills in a risk-free environment. We’ve recommended a PC program (sorry Mac users) called RealFlight X, which is a radio-controlled flight simulator that lets you test fly over 100 different model aircraft including a couple different styles of quadcopter to choose. From there, you’re given millions of acres of virtual space to test fly in, including racing courses for testing your FPV prowess. Most importantly, the software comes with a physical controller that mimics the real RC transmitters with dedicated control of all the different drone functions.

RealFlight X is the latest version and demands a PC with some really good specs — 30GB of hard drive space, 32GB of RAM, and a Nvidia GTX 1060, Radeon RX 480 or equivalent video card — for optimal performance. Anything less will likely lead to some frustrating frame rates, so if you don’t already own a premium gaming PC, you might be more inclined to buy RealFlight 8 for the same price, offering virtually the same training experience with the same controller but without demanding so much from your PC’s specs.

Want to get into racing? Here’s an affordable starter kit

Consumer drones from makers such as DJI are typically what we’d recommend because they include a ton of valuable safety features that help to avoid collisions and keep your drone safe. DJI also offers its own kits for FPV flight along with great customer support for their products. The downside is the pricing — you can get a DJI Mavic Air FPV kit that includes the DJI Mavic Air and DJI FPV Goggles for a whopping $1328.

That’s a steep investment for the average person, especially if you’ve never bought a drone before. There’s no denying that a DJI drone is a product and a worthwhile investment if you want something that’s been designed to be easy to set up and use, but dropping a cool G on a hobby isn’t going to be realistic for everyone. That’s why we’d recommend checking out something like the Hubsan X4 Storm Professional Version which offers a much more affordable entry point for FPV drone flight.

This palm-sized drone is built around a 720P HD camera and transmitter and includes a rather basic controller and a chunky-yet-functional headset and LCD monitor that allows you to fly from your drone’s perspective. It’s still very much in the “toy drone” category when it comes to its appearance but it will give you a good sense of what real-life FPV flying is like and has mostly positive user reviews on Amazon.

Our pick

Hubsan X4 Storm Professional Version

$130 at Amazon

Best FPV Drone for novice pilots

The Hubsan X4 Storm should do a fine job at delivering an FPV drone piloting experience for beginners without the financial burden of purchasing a professional kit.

Practice digitally

RealFlight X with InterLink X Controller

$180 at Amazon

Best Software for practice flying

The best and safest place to learn how to fly a drone is in a digital space. RealFlight X is one of the best RC simulators, with RealFlight 8 a better option for those with a mid-range PC setup.

Hey big spender

DJI Mavic Air FPV Bundle

$1328 at Amazon

If money is no object…

For those looking to invest in a full-featured drone with all the FPV fixings, the DJI Mavic Air FPV bundle is a great option.

Canada Daily Deals: Philips Hue bundles, mesh networking systems, and more

Whether you’re looking for new tech gear or household items, we’ve got you covered.

We found plenty of great deals today that include big discounts on Philips Hue and Amazon Echo bundles, TP-Link Deco M5 mesh networking systems, free Google Home Minis with NVIDA Shield TV, and much more!

View the rest of the deals

Each day, the Thrifter Canada team scouts out and shares amazing deals on products you know and love, helping you find the best prices on the ‘net.

For more Canadian deals coverage, be sure to keep an eye on Thrifter CA, sign up for the Canadian newsletter and follow the team on Twitter.

AT&T’s WarnerMedia to Launch New Streaming Service in Fourth Quarter of 2019

AT&T’s WarnerMedia is working on its own streaming service to compete with Netflix, Hulu, Disney, and others, the company announced today.

According to AT&T, the upcoming streaming service is “another benefit” of the merger between AT&T and Time Warner. AT&T says it is committed to launching a “compelling and competitive product” that helps the company expand its reach.

AT&T’s streaming service will include the WarnerMedia collection of films, television series, animation, documentaries, and more. The plan is to “create such a compelling product” that it will help distributors increase customer penetration and help AT&T reach additional customers.

AT&T already owns DirecTV and offers live streaming content through DirecTV Now, HBO Go, and HBO Now.

At the Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit on Wednesday, WarnerMedia CEO John Stankey said that HBO will be a “lead brand” in the new service. From CNBC:

“Around HBO will come a great library of additional content from not only the WarnerMedia properties but also some selective third party licensed content,” Stankey said. “And the driver behind this is really straight forward. We know there’s customers who love to engage with our content — we’ve got a great history of building it — much of which they can’t get in one place.”

Along with HBO, the service will include content from Turner and Warner Bros.

According to Stankey, the new streaming service will feature a “compelling price point” when it launches in the fourth quarter of 2019.

Tags: AT&T, Time Warner
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Apple to Offer Original TV Content Free to Apple Device Owners

Apple is developing a new digital video service that will combine the company’s own subscription services and original television content with content from various media companies, reports CNBC.

Citing sources familiar with Apple’s plans, CNBC says that Apple will provide Apple-owned and created content for free to customers who own devices like the iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV, with the television shows housed in the company’s TV app.

Apple already offers its current popular TV show, “Carpool Karaoke: The Series” for free to all users within the TV app. “Carpool Karaoke” was initially limited to Apple Music subscribers, but was moved to the TV app as a free offering earlier this year.

The upcoming streaming service will also include subscription channels where customers will be able to sign in to access content from other companies like HBO and Starz. The channels will be similar to Amazon Prime Video channel subscription options, with customers able to access all of their content within the TV app rather than needing to download and sign into individual apps.

Apple has more than a dozen original television shows in the works right now, with the company aiming to produce television shows with broad consumer appeal that won’t taint its brand image. For that reason, rumors suggest Apple is avoiding risqué content that avoids nudity, raw language, and violence.

Current shows run the gamut from sci-fi to comedy, with a full list of all of Apple’s products available in our Apple TV roundup. Several shows have started the casting process, including “Serial,” a drama about a podcast that reopens a murder case, an untitled space drama from Ronald D. Moore, and an epic world-building drama called “See.”

Rumors have suggested Apple is spending $1 billion on original content in 2018, and according to CNBC’s sources, the company has been seeking out “tent pole” franchises that could draw customers to a future Netflix-style subscription service.

Peter Stern, who joined Apple in 2016, is working alongside iTunes chief Eddy Cue to establish deals with media companies in an attempt to put together Apple’s planned streaming service. Stern is said to have a lighter touch than Cue, with experience in the cable industry that could help him secure the content deals Apple has previously been unable to attain.

To go along with the video subscription service, Apple is also aiming to talk print media companies into joining Texture, the magazine subscription service that it purchased earlier this year. News organizations are reluctant to give Apple control of the subscriber billing relationship, a struggle Apple will need to overcome to establish a full newspaper and magazine subscription service.

Apple is planning to launch a revamped TV app in early 2019, which is likely when we’ll hear more about its upcoming subscription plans.

Related Roundups: Apple TV, tvOS 12Buyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Caution)
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After Tesla’s ‘best car’ boasts, the NHTSA stresses its scale only goes to five

In a verbose blog post, Tesla bragged about building the best car the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has ever tested. It proudly paraded the Model 3‘s five-star crash test rating and hailed the electric sedan as the car with the lowest probability of injury, a claim backed up by data. The statements initially went unchecked — Tesla published the post over the weekend — but it didn’t take long for the agency to issue a response.

It turns out that the Model 3 is indeed safe, as the crash test data shows, but the NHTSA stressed that its rating system doesn’t go above five stars.

“A five-star rating is the highest safety rating a vehicle can achieve. NHTSA does not distinguish safety performance beyond that rating, thus there is no ‘safest’ vehicle among those vehicles achieving five-star ratings,” the agency wrote on its official website. It didn’t specifically mention Tesla, but the timing of the announcement — and the nature of Tesla’s claims — leave little doubt that the statement is a response to the California-based firm.

Earning a five-star safety rating is an impressive achievement, and it’s easier said than done. It makes the Model 3 one of the safest new cars sold in America. Data gathered by the NHTSA (and analyzed by Jalopnik) does show the Model 3 has a lower probability of injury than any car tested since 2011. However, the relatively long list of new and late-model cars with a five-star safety rating from the NHTSA also includes the 2013 Subaru Legacy, the 2015 Audi A4, the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, the 2018 Subaru Impreza, the 2018 Volvo S60, and the 2019 Buick LaCrosse.

This isn’t the first time Tesla has raised eyebrows at the NHTSA. In 2013, it trumpeted the record-breaking 5.4-star safety rating earned by the Model S. This achievement made the S the safest new car in America, the company claimed. The NHTSA quickly stepped in to remind Tesla officials there is no such thing as a 5.4-star safety rating. It also established new guidelines that forbid automakers from advertising a score higher than five stars.

Bloomberg points out companies who make extravagant claims about crash test ratings can get in trouble with other agencies, including the Federal Trade Commission. That’s the last thing Tesla needs right now, it already landed on the wrong side of the Securities and Exchange Commission, but there’s no indication the FTC will take action against the company.

Updated 10-10-2018: Corrected the story to reflect that Tesla called the Model 3 the NHTSA’s best car, not its safest car, and added information about crash test data.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Aced it! Tesla’s Model 3 earns a five-star crash-test rating
• Here’s the latest news on the Tesla Model 3, including specs and performance
• Tesla aims for 6,000 Model 3s per week as it continues posting losses
• Whistleblower says a drug-peddling Mexican cartel thrives in Tesla’s Gigafactory

Google Pixel Stand hands-on review

Research Center:

Google Pixel Stand

Following an industry trend, Google’s latest smartphones — the Pixel 3 and the Pixel 3 XL — support Qi wireless charging. That means you can place them on any Qi-supported wireless charger, and the phone will charge up; there’s no need to fiddle around with cables. Google has made an optional charging stand to complement the new phones, but instead of releasing another basic accessory in a crowded market, the Pixel Stand brings the artificial intelligence in the Pixel 3 to the forefront, and it packs so many genuinely-helpful features that make it one of the smartest wireless chargers we’ve ever seen.

The basics

The Pixel Stand is a 10-watt wireless charging stand that’s made of silicone and polycarbonate. Only one color option is available — white — and while it matches all the different colors the Pixel 3 comes in, we wish the stand came in different colors as well. It may also attract a good deal of lint or dust over time. The device has a grippy bottom, so it won’t move around on any surface you place it on.

It comes with an USB-C to USB-C cable, which plugs into the included 18-watt USB-PD (Power Delivery) wall adapter into the Pixel Stand. Google says the Pixel Stand offers fast wireless charging for the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL, but it’s important to note that it won’t be as fast as charging with the included wired USB-C cable you get with the phones.

The wireless charging stand itself looks simple and understated, which means it should blend into the home without sticking out. You can place any Qi-capable phone on it — including newer iPhones — in either landscape or portrait orientation, and the Pixel Stand will be able to juice it up because it has two charging coils (one on top of the other).

Smart features

The Pixel Stand may look like just another wireless charger, but there’s a good deal of special features that come alive as soon as you place a Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL on it.

Placing a Pixel 3 on the wireless charger also introduces a more helpful user interface on the always-on display.

Inside the Stand is a microprocessor that triggers a secure “handshake” when you place the Pixel 3 down (there’s no Bluetooth, NFC, or Wi-Fi involved in the connection). The Pixel asks the Stand for its unique ID number, and then the phone computes it so they both have the matching number, a process known as hashing. This number is then stored in both the phone and the stand. This ensures that your phone recognizes this specific Pixel Stand, in case you have multiple, because you can customize each Pixel Stand to have different purposes.

You can access the Pixel Stand’s settings in your phone’s Connected Device settings. One option is the ability to completely turn off your phone’s screen, including from the Pixel 3’s always-on display, so you get no visual disturbances. That’s handy if the Pixel Stand is next to your bed.

What’s also helpful is you can set a Pixel Stand to trigger your phone’s Do Not Disturb mode. This doesn’t necessarily turn off the screen, but it does mean the screen won’t light up or alert you to any notifications when the phone is docked. It’s another way of minimizing alerts if you’re trying to go to bed, but this is something you can toggle on or off. So, if you have own another Pixel Stand — say, by your desk — then you’ll likely want to make sure it doesn’t trigger Do Not Disturb mode.

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Alternatively, you can also turn your Pixel 3 into a digital photo frame when it’s on the Pixel Stand. You can set up “Photo Frames” using Google Photos, and your phone will display photos from albums you’ve selected. It’s a nice way of making use of what’s often a blank screen as you wirelessly charge.

But perhaps the feature we’re most excited to try is Sunrise Alarm. Fifteen minutes before your alarm is set to go off, the Pixel 3 will start showing an ambient light to help wake you up. It remains to be seen how useful this feature is, but we’ll certainly be checking it out when it’s available.

The Pixel Stand uses the power of Google Assistant to make your phone useful when it’s out of your hands.

Apart from these core features of the Pixel Stand, placing a Pixel 3 on the wireless charger also introduces a more helpful user interface on the always-on display. You get one-tap access to Google Assistant (or you can still say, “Hey Google”), and depending on the time of day, you will get suggestions to tap on — powered by Assistant. For example, if it’s early in the morning you’ll get the option to trigger the Assistant’s “My Day” feature. This will automatically pull up your calendar, reminders, and weather and traffic alerts, and it will start playing the day’s news or podcasts (you can tweak your source preferences in Assistant’s settings).

If you’re playing music on the Pixel 3, you’ll get big music controls on the always-on display when the phone is docked on the Pixel Stand, which makes it easier to tap and control playback. It will also display larger album artwork, which is a nice aesthetic.

Google Pixel Stand Compared To

Olloclip Filmer’s Kit

Merge Blaster

TimeFlip Magnet

Ventev Wirelesspro

Insta360 One

Samsung DeX Station

Oaxis InkCase i7 Plus

Ampy Move

Motrr Galileo

Typo keyboard case

Moga Mobile Gaming Controller

Iomega SuperHero

BlackBerry Presenter

Callpod Chargepod

Griffin Elan Holster

And finally, there’s also a smart home tie-in, though it seems to be quite limited at the moment. If you have a Nest Hello video doorbell, you can quickly see who’s at the front door with just a tap of a button when the Pixel 3 is resting on the Pixel Stand. There’s no mention of other smart home integration, but we imagine support for other products could be added over time.

Price and availability

The Pixel Stand costs $79, and it’s available for pre-order now from the Google Store (it ships early November). While you can certainly find cheaper wireless charging pads, this price is in line with wireless charging pads from brands such as Mophie and Belkin. But where those wireless chargers simply juice up your phone, the Pixel Stand uses the power of Google Assistant to make your phone useful when it’s out of your hands.

While the Pixel Stand will charge any Qi-compatible phone, its features only work with the Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL. Don’t buy this if you own a Samsung or Apple phone — there are far cheaper alternatives — unless you are planning to upgrade to a Pixel 3.

Testing company says benchmarks in Intel’s favor over AMD were a mistake

Benchmarking company Principle Technologies admitted to a mistake in its testing between AMD and Intel’s latest ninth-generation chipsets. The firm will be re-testing the processors and will address earlier issues which skewed results benchmarks towards Intel.

Though the original benchmarks report in question was paid for by Intel, Hardware Unboxed was the first to point out that the original hardware testing was obviously leaning toward one chipmaker over the other. In testing 19 games, Principle Technologies reportedly used a less powerful CPU cooler when testing the AMD’s Ryzen 7 2700X, only overclocked the RAM on Intel’s chipset, and didn’t leverage all the cores onboard the AMD Ryzen.

Intel stood by the testing, issuing the following statement: “Principled Technologies conducted this initial testing using systems running in spec, configured to show CPU performance and has published the configurations used. The data is consistent with what we have seen in our labs, and we look forward to seeing the results from additional third-party testing in the coming weeks.”

Principle Technologies said the entire issue was due to Game Mode on the AMD Chips, which disables some of the cores onboard the Ryzen 7 2700X. It also said that the choice of a less powerful Wraith Prism Cooler CPU cooler was due to AMD recommending it. Finally, Principle Technologies said that the difference in overclocked RAM was due to “parity.”

This was partially echoed in the benchmarking firm’s official public statement: “For almost 16 years, we have tested products for our clients because they trust our integrity. We have worked not just for any one company but for dozens of the leading technology firms, including rivals such as Intel and AMD, Microsoft and Google, Dell and HP, and many others. Before going further, we thus must categorically deny any dishonesty in our work on this project for Intel or in any of our other projects.”

Benchmark testing is inherently controversial, so it makes sense to see Principled Technologies come out and explain itself. That is especially important when Intel is claiming that the Intel Core i9-9900K is the “best gaming processor yet.” Intel has yet to respond after Principle Technologies issued its separate statement on Wednesday, October 10.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Intel i9-9900K storms ahead of competition in potential early benchmark
• Leaked Intel processor could help Google Pixel Slate dual-boot into Windows
• The best Intel processors
• AMD vs. Intel
• Ready to upgrade? Intel announces the Core i9-9900K processor

This $20 OtterBox case will turn your Google Home Mini into Mickey Mouse

Oh boy.

The Google Home Mickey has arrived. For $20, this OtterBox case transforms your miniature home assistant into your favorite mouse-cot.

The rubber non-slip base props your Google Home Mini up whilst giving it ears and Mickey’s red suspenders. It also makes the power cord look like a tail, for added adorableness.

As of press time, the case is listed on the OtterBox website, but currently it is out of stock. You can enter your email address to be alerted when the item is available again.

If OtterBox makes the obvious choice and releases a Google Home Minnie, we’ll be sure to let you know.

See at OtterBox

Should you buy the Amazon Echo Dot (3rd gen) or a Google Home Mini?

We’re a virtual company made up of tech experts from across the globe. We live and breathe smart home technology, so if you’re just stepping into this exciting new tech space, we’re here to help set you in the right direction.

Amazon Echo Dot (3rd gen)

Our Pick

$50 at Amazon

Pros

• Supports speakers with Bluetooth or 3.5mm connection.
• Fresh design with a fabric finish.
• Easy to connect multiple Echo speakers.

Cons

• Lacks some features found in larger Echo speakers.

The re-designed Echo Dot is slightly larger and more rotund than the previous generation with a bigger speaker delivering better sound. You’re also able to connect your own speakers via Bluetooth or 3.5mm audio cable.

Google Home Mini

OK Google

$49 at Best Buy

Pros

• All-fabric design.
• Control Chromecast with your voice.
• Ultra-lightweight.

Cons

• No support for connecting external speakers.

The Google Home Mini is a perfectly acceptable option for a compact smart home speaker — it just lacks some of the refinement that Amazon has developed over three generations of products.

It’s almost an unfair fight to compare the third-generation Amazon Echo Dot to the first-generation Google Mini, but you’ve got to give credit to Amazon for continuing to refresh it’s line of smart speakers each year while also keeping prices down.

Which AI assistant is right for you?

Both the Amazon Echo Dot and Google Home Mini are positioned as the most affordable smart speakers in their respective lineups. They’re perfectly capable for general use on their own, but work best as part of a network of connected speakers set up throughout your home.

Which speaker you opt for is going to largely depend on whether you already own another Amazon Echo or Google Home speaker, as there’s no cross-compatibility between the Amazon and Google ecosystems. If you’re coming in fresh and are open to adopting either AI assistant, the Amazon Echo Dot is objectively the better hardware product, but anyone using an Android phone has likely grown quite familiar with the Google Assistant. Amazon announced an impressive line of products alongside the new Echo Dot, so it’s worth checking out what other smart home stuff will be compatible as that just might be enough to sway your opinion. Purely in terms of hardware, the Echo Dot is our pick between the two.

There’s so much in common between these two products that hashing out the differences essentially comes down to brand loyalty.

Both Amazon and Google offer great support for an ever-growing list of connected smart home device to control your lights, lock your doors, and control appliances around your home. Both the Dot and Mini are perfect for bedrooms for setting alarms and delivering morning briefings or anywhere else in the house where you could make use of a voice-controlled assistant. Either speaker can be paired with brand-specific smart TV dongles or set top boxes for controlling home entertainment, and both cost around $50.

But the biggest differentiation is the Echo Dot’s ability to let you connect better speakers. Both the Echo Dot and Home Mini are designed to sound great, but limited by hardware constraints to maintain a compact size. With the Echo Dot, you’re able to connect more substantial speakers via Bluetooth or 3.5mm audio cable (not included) and enhance the existing speakers you own with the power of Alexa.

Amazon Echo Dot (3rd gen)

Our Pick

$50 at Amazon

For smart speaker newcomers

The Amazon Echo Dot is a great entry point for adding Alexa to your home. Designed to work in unison with Amazon’s affordable line of smart home products

Google Home Mini

Still OK

Google first crack at a side table smart speaker

$49 at Best Buy

As it stands, the Google Home Mini is still a great option but lacks some of the hardware features found in Amazon’s product. If you love using Google Assistant on your phone, this is the one you should get.

The Brydge G-Type keyboard was made exclusively for the Google Pixel Slate

This full-sized wireless keyboard is another great option for Pixel Slate owners.

If you’re a fan of the Google Pixel, you’ve likely already heard of yesterday’s announcements regarding the next versions of the smartphone: the Pixel 3 and 3 XL. That wasn’t the only unveil however, as Google also took the wraps off the Pixel Slate, a high-end tablet which offers the option of a detachable keyboard at an added price for even more versatility.

Having the ability to add on or remove a keyboard from your tablet at will is a great feature, but Google is charging an additional $199 for the keyboard on its website, with the Pixel Slate itself ranging in price from $599 to $1599. Depending on its configuration, this could get a bit expensive. Thankfully, third-party keyboard options are already starting to be shown off to give you a few more choices, such as Brydge’s G-Type keyboard.

Priced at $159.99, the G-Type comes in at nearly $40 below the price of the official keyboard. It was designed to offer three modes of use, from the standard laptop mode to tablet mode which allows you to flip the keyboard to the back of the Pixel Slate. It’s full-sized and equipped with Bluetooth 4.2, backlit keys with three levels of lighting, and the ability to last six months on a single charge. Brydge includes a limited lifetime warranty with its purchase, too.

With built-in Chrome OS shortcut keys and the largest trackpad ever found on a tablet keyboard, you should have no trouble whatsoever navigating the Pixel Slate. This keyboard was designed especially for the tablet after all, and it shows. It works with Google Assistant and charges via USB-C so you won’t need a separate charger to power it up.

Though the G-Type isn’t available for purchase yet, you can head to Brydge’s website and join the waitlist to be notified when it becomes available.

See at Brydge