It sounds ridiculous, but these beaver bots are designed for disaster zones

Engineers, scientists and other researchers will often look to the natural world to find solutions to problems. That is what a team at the University at Buffalo, New York recently did when it created a beaver-inspired robot which, believe it or not, could turn out to be a lifesaver in a disaster zone.

The robot built by graduate students Maira Saboia Da Silva, Vivek Thangavelu, and others doesn’t physically resemble a beaver. Instead, it’s a mini-rover vehicle which uses a camera, custom software, and a robotic arm to lift and deposit nearby objects — modeled after the way the beaver builds dams from whatever it can find in its location. In this case, however, it uses the nearby objects it finds to build ramps which allow it to overcome obstacles to reach its destination. In the real world, the robot could be used for rescue missions in disaster zones — for instance, utilizing whatever rubble and other objects it can find to help it reach trapped people.

“Animals don’t make a complete plan before they start,” Nils Napp, assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, told Digital Trends. “Instead, they keep evaluating cues as they build and respond to them. For many animals, we don’t exactly know which cues they respond to, and how those cues map to the final function of the emerging structure. In the case of beavers, we know they respond to the sound of moving water, and that stopping water from rushing results in a working dam. In our robots, we were able to map geometric cues to a final function, which is to enable mobility. That’s where the inspiration came from. In the future, we would also like to expand the types of functional structures our robots can build including dams and levees.”

At present, the autonomous robot has only worked with beanbags of different sizes to simulate various objects. In 10 tests, it moved anywhere from 33 to 170 bags, each time creating a ramp to reach its target location.

“It’s really difficult for robots to work in messy, real-world, outside environments,” Napp continued. “In factories and inside homes the world is structured, and that allows robots to reason about what they should do next. We were looking at how animals solve problems in the wild, and one common approach seems to be that they continuously analyze and modify partially built structures until they fulfill some specific function. We applied this idea to robots, enabling them to assess structures and add material where necessary until their task is complete.”

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How facial recognition software helped identify the Capital Gazette shooter

The day after the deadly shooting left five people dead in the newsroom at Capital Gazette, a seemingly unusual fact has emerged about how police identified their suspect.

According to The New York Times, ABC News, and others, after capturing the suspect, Jarrod Ramos, authorities used facial recognition technology to identify him.

After he was in police custody, Ramos refused to cooperate with authorities. He at first evaded identification when the fingerprint scanning machine malfunctioned, causing police to speculate that he’d filed off his fingerprints prior to the attack. With an uncooperative suspect and malfunctioning fingerprint machine, investigators were left to use other methods to ID him.

Local police sent an image of Ramos to the Maryland Combined Analysis Center, Anne Arundel County Police Chief Timothy Altomare told reporters, which then compared the image to photos of known offenders contained in the Maryland Image Repository System (MIRS) database. MIRS contains more than ten million photos, including those of known offenders and every driver’s license photo in Maryland. It can also access the mug shot database maintained by the FBI, which contains some 25 million faces.

Ramos had previously been convicted of harassment and was likely present in the database.

MIRS photos have helped Maryland authorities identify criminals in the past. A robbery suspect was caught after police compared an Instagram photo to the state DMV database, which linked them to the suspect. Facial recognition is also used at DMVs around the country, reports The Verge, to minimize ID fraud and duplicates.

Catching and identifying criminals is obviously essential but if you’re worried about the connection between facial recognition technology and the steady creep of surveillance into every aspect of our society, you’re not alone. Privacy advocates have challenged this use of facial recognition, calling it a threat to civil liberties. One concern is that, although authorities are instructed to remove the photos of people who’ve been arrested but found innocent, systems like MIRS aren’t often inspected to ensure that’s the case.

Facial recognition technology has been in the news lately after the American Civil Liberties Union revealed that police departments were testing Amazon’s facial recognition software in the field.

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Microsoft calls its foldable Andromeda device “disruptive”

Ryan Smalley | Behance

There have been numerous leaks surrounding Microsoft’s dual-screen Andromeda computing device in recent months, which is widely believed to usher in a new pocketable PC form factor to bridge the gap between what a smartphone and a laptop can do. Now, according to recently leaked internal emails, we are learning that Microsoft is positioning Andromeda as a “new and disruptive” device that will be part of the company’s Surface hardware family.

“It’s a new pocketable Surface device form factor that brings together innovative new hardware and software experiences to create a truly personal and versatile computing experience,” Microsoft’s internal document described Andromeda, according to The Verge.

Recently discovered Windows 10 code revealed that Andromeda could become the ultimate convertible computing device with the capability to transform into any one of five form factors depending on usage. While today’s convertible notebooks with 360-degree hinges can only be used in up to three usage modes, Andromeda can transform between closed, flat, convex, concave, and full modes.

Essentially, Andromeda can be opened like a book and is compatible with a digital stylus, similar to Microsoft’s Courier concept from nearly a decade ago. With expanded inking capabilities planned for Windows 10, Andromeda could be positioned as a paper notebook or paper planner replacement. This wouldn’t be too far of a stretch given that Surface Chief Product Officer Panos Panay had described the Surface Mini, a tablet that was canceled before it was launched by Microsoft, as a capable Moleskine notebook replacement.

Though Andromeda’s transformative capabilities are generating a lot of buzz, it’s still unclear what processor will power the device. Microsoft has traditionally relied on its partnerships with Intel and AMD to run Windows on x86 processor architectures, but the company has also worked with Qualcomm to bring Windows to ARM-based CPUs. It’s rumored that Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon 850 and the powerful Snapdragon 1000 processors are designed for new form factors, like PCs with foldable or dual displays such as the one rumored to debut on Andromeda. A Snapdragon processor may make sense given Andromeda’s positioning as a potential phone replacement and Microsoft’s push for Always Connected PCs using Qualcomm’s chipset. “It will blur the lines between mobile and stationary computing,” another Microsoft document stated, according to The Verge’s report.

Even if Microsoft decides to leverage Snapdragon processors for its new computing form factor, Intel is also readying challengers in the dual-screen space. Intel’s dual-screen Tiger Rapids PC concepts will be adopted by partners Asus and Lenovo. Dell is also rumored to be working on its own device codenamed Project Januss.

Earlier reports suggest that Microsoft’s exciting Andromeda convertible could debut as early as late this year. The device is anticipated to launch as the Surface Phone.

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Microsoft calls its foldable Andromeda device “disruptive”

Ryan Smalley | Behance

There have been numerous leaks surrounding Microsoft’s dual-screen Andromeda computing device in recent months, which is widely believed to usher in a new pocketable PC form factor to bridge the gap between what a smartphone and a laptop can do. Now, according to recently leaked internal emails, we are learning that Microsoft is positioning Andromeda as a “new and disruptive” device that will be part of the company’s Surface hardware family.

“It’s a new pocketable Surface device form factor that brings together innovative new hardware and software experiences to create a truly personal and versatile computing experience,” Microsoft’s internal document described Andromeda, according to The Verge.

Recently discovered Windows 10 code revealed that Andromeda could become the ultimate convertible computing device with the capability to transform into any one of five form factors depending on usage. While today’s convertible notebooks with 360-degree hinges can only be used in up to three usage modes, Andromeda can transform between closed, flat, convex, concave, and full modes.

Essentially, Andromeda can be opened like a book and is compatible with a digital stylus, similar to Microsoft’s Courier concept from nearly a decade ago. With expanded inking capabilities planned for Windows 10, Andromeda could be positioned as a paper notebook or paper planner replacement. This wouldn’t be too far of a stretch given that Surface Chief Product Officer Panos Panay had described the Surface Mini, a tablet that was canceled before it was launched by Microsoft, as a capable Moleskine notebook replacement.

Though Andromeda’s transformative capabilities are generating a lot of buzz, it’s still unclear what processor will power the device. Microsoft has traditionally relied on its partnerships with Intel and AMD to run Windows on x86 processor architectures, but the company has also worked with Qualcomm to bring Windows to ARM-based CPUs. It’s rumored that Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon 850 and the powerful Snapdragon 1000 processors are designed for new form factors, like PCs with foldable or dual displays such as the one rumored to debut on Andromeda. A Snapdragon processor may make sense given Andromeda’s positioning as a potential phone replacement and Microsoft’s push for Always Connected PCs using Qualcomm’s chipset. “It will blur the lines between mobile and stationary computing,” another Microsoft document stated, according to The Verge’s report.

Even if Microsoft decides to leverage Snapdragon processors for its new computing form factor, Intel is also readying challengers in the dual-screen space. Intel’s dual-screen Tiger Rapids PC concepts will be adopted by partners Asus and Lenovo. Dell is also rumored to be working on its own device codenamed Project Januss.

Earlier reports suggest that Microsoft’s exciting Andromeda convertible could debut as early as late this year. The device is anticipated to launch as the Surface Phone.

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5 things Apple fixed with iOS 12

Brenda Stolyar/Digital Trends

Read more about iOS 12

iOS 12 Review

Five reasons to install iOS 12

How to download iOS 12

All the new features in iOS 12

Every year, Apple’s mobile platform grows and evolves to become more useful. The latest iteration of iOS introduces a slew of newly-minted features, but instead of focusing on these here, we’re going to take a look at some things Apple has fixed with the most recent iteration of its mobile operating system. Some of these are unexpected while others have been on the horizon for far too long, but all make for a better user experience.

Before we dive in, however, we must point out that there are still some problems that iOS 12 doesn’t even try to fix, but hey, there’s always next year, right?

Notifications

Apple has added quite a few options for managing your notifications in iOS 12, but you’ll need to head into Settings > Notifications to finetune them. Here, you can decide whether apps should be allowed to send notifications at all, and if so, whether they should appear on the Lock Screen, in the Notification Center, or as Banners. You can also turn Sounds and Badges on or off.

There’s also a handy new option called Notification Grouping, which is set to Automatic by default and mercifully groups together multiple notifications from the same app, meaning you’ll no longer receive blocks of Twitter notifications when your latest tweet blows up.

Brenda Stolyar/Digital Trends

To round off the list of improvements, Siri will now take note of which notifications seem to be important to you over time, and will make suggestions and offer shortcuts to quickly get rid of the alerts you don’t need.

Do Not Disturb

Do Not Disturb mode allows for better sleep, but Apple has enhanced the feature in iOS 12 with a new feature called Bedtime Mode. Not only does the tool automatically silence notifications at night, it also prevents your lock screen from showing anything until the morning.

You can still turn Do Not Disturb on and off whenever you want, but now you can also choose to turn it on for an hour, until evening or morning, until you leave a specific location, or until a calendar event, such as a meeting, ends. This is helpful if you often find yourself turning Do Not Disturb on and then later wondering why your phone has been so quiet, only to realize you forgot to turn it off again.

Photos

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

We prefer Google’s Photos app to Apple’s, but iOS 12 does introduce a handful of improvements to Apple’s proprietary software. For starters, the app can now combine keywords and offers suggestions when entering text in the search field. There’s also a new For You tab that suggests photos you might want to share and the contacts you might want to share them with based on who is in the photos. This makes it easier to share photos with friends and family after a get-together or big event.

Face ID

For now, this one is exclusive to the iPhone X. Apple has added the option to add a second face to Face ID via Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Set Up an Alternate Appearance. If you have an alter ego, or you want your partner or a family member to have access to your phone, this allows you to do so.

There’s another fix to Face ID worth noting. When a facial scan fails, you can now try again more easily by swiping up, which will quickly trigger a rescan and prevent you from having to put your iPhone to sleep and wake it up again.

Passwords

You can already use Face ID to authenticate logins, passwords, and credit card details, but with iOS 12, you can also use Touch ID, which is great news for anyone who doesn’t have an iPhone X. Apple has also made it easier to automatically create strong passwords, which are stored in your iCloud Keychain and autofill across your devices.

You’ll also find that SMS passcodes now pop up as autofill suggestions — no more having to memorize them or flicking back and forth. And if you prefer to use a third-party password manager, Apple now allows you to access passwords stored elsewhere when typing in apps or Safari, though, this will require the password manager developer to update their app.

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What’s the difference between 4G and LTE?

When you’re looking at buying a new phone, you might find that there are way too many acronyms to choose from, between CDMA, GSM, LTE, and WiMax; the list goes on. What does any of it mean? It can be easier to focus simply on the differences in these networks as they apply to you directly. The simplest explanation is that the “G” in 4G stands for generation, because 4G is the fourth generation of mobile data technology, as defined by the radio sector of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU-R). LTE stands for “Long Term Evolution” and applies more generally to the idea of improving wireless broadband speeds to meet increasing demand.

What is 3G?

When 3G networks started rolling out, they replaced the 2G system, a network protocol that only allowed the most basic of what we would now call smartphone functionality. Most 2G networks handled phone calls, basic text messaging, and small amounts of data over a protocol called MMS. With the introduction of 3G connectivity, a number of larger data formats became much more accessible, including standard HTML pages, videos, and music. The speeds were still pretty slow, and mostly required pages and data specially formatted for these slower wireless connections. By 2G standards, the new protocol was speedy, but still didn’t come anywhere close to replacing a home broadband connection.

What is 4G?

The ITU-R set standards for 4G connectivity in March of 2008, requiring all services described as 4G to adhere to a set of speed and connection standards. For mobile use, including smartphones and tablets, connection speeds need to have a peak of at least 100 megabits per second, and for more stationary uses such as mobile hotspots, at least 1 gigabit per second.

When these standards were announced, these speeds were unheard of in the practical world, because they were intended as a target for technology developers, a point in the future that marked a significant jump over the current technology. Over time, the systems that power these networks have caught up, not just in the sense that new broadcasting methods have found their way into products, but the previously-established 3G networks have been improved to the point that they can be classified as 4G.

What is LTE?

LTE stands for Long Term Evolution, and isn’t as much a technology as it is the path followed to achieve 4G speeds. As it stands, most of the time when your phone displays the “4G” symbol in the upper right corner, it doesn’t really mean it. When the ITU-R set the minimum speeds for 4G, they were a bit unreachable, despite the amount of money tech manufacturers put into achieving them. In response, the regulating body decided that LTE, the name given to the technology used in pursuit of those standards, could be labeled as 4G if it provided a substantial improvement over the 3G technology.

Immediately networks began advertising their connections as 4G LTE, a marketing technique that allowed them to claim next-gen connectivity without having to reach the actual required number first; it would be like the U.S. claiming they had landed on the moon because they got pretty close and the spaceship that got them there was a lot better than the previous ship. It’s not entirely trickery though, despite inconsistent speeds depending on location and network, the difference between 3G and 4G is immediately noticeable.

To make matters more confusing, you’ll also likely come across LTE-A at some point. This stands for Long Term Evolution Advanced, and it takes us a step closer to proper 4G. It offers faster speeds and greater stability than normal LTE. It’s also backward compatible and works by aggregating channels, so instead of connecting to the strongest signal in your vicinity, you can download data from multiple sources at the same time.

Apple is completely rebuilding Apple Maps — and it will start in iOS 12

A new version of Apple Maps is on the way in iOS 12, and it’s going to make the mapping service much more helpful and accurate, according to TechCrunch.

Apple Maps didn’t skyrocket to popularity the way Apple hoped. After a bumpy launch in 2012, the company tried to quickly patch the service and make it usable. While it has dramatically improved since, it can’t compete with the wealth of data available in Google Maps. The solution? An overhaul of the app that will show improved and more detailed visuals, better context awareness, responsiveness to changes like roadwork, and even details like pedestrian paths, making it useful even when you’re not driving.

Specifically, Apple is focusing on a few key aspects for the new Maps. For starters, Apple wants to improve accuracy, ensuring that the app doesn’t only stay up to date, but that it’s also updated far more regularly than it already is. Apple notes that in its current iteration of Maps, updated road infrastructure takes some time — but in the new version, it will be very quick and easy, which should help ensure that the app remains up to date.

TechCrunch

“Since we introduced this six years ago — we won’t rehash all the issues we’ve had when we introduced it — we’ve done a huge investment in getting the map up to par,” Apple Senior Vice President Eddy Cue told TechCrunch. “We’ve done a huge investment of making millions of changes, adding millions of locations, updating the map and changing the map more frequently.”

Building a new mapping app from the ground up isn’t easy. To do so, Apple has been collecting its own data and data from users — though the company is quick to point out that it’s doing so with privacy in mind. For example, instead of collecting data on trips from one point to another, it collects segments of those trips, so it couldn’t tell where a user was coming from or going. Those segments of data are collected anonymously too — so Apple employees themselves simply can’t know which users were taking which trips.

TechCrunch

That will continue as Apple continues to build Maps, and it will help inform a range of things. It’ll help Apple determine traffic, weather conditions, new construction, and so on — all with the help of the millions of iPhone devices in the world, and all privately and anonymously. Apple also combines that data with information collected from high-resolution cameras on satellites, and information collected from the Apple Maps-branded cars you may have seen driving around some areas of the U.S. That data helps Apple locate things like swimming pools, sporting areas, and more.

The new app will be available in the San Francisco Bay Area at launch, with the rest of Northern California to come this fall. Apple says it will be rolling the news Maps out section by section to different parts of the U.S. over the next year. This new Maps will be stitched into the current Apple Maps, but you should be able to tell the difference pretty easily. Eventually, you’ll see design changes in the Apple Maps app. Safe to say, Google has some serious competition on its hands.

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Parrot Anafi drone review

Research Center:

Parrot Anafi

In many ways, Parrot is to drones what Nintendo is to video games. Despite playing a pioneering role in bringing drones to consumers, Parrot has always leaned a bit more to the playful side of the spectrum, often overshadowed by competitors when it comes to performance and practicality. While DJI and Yuneec were busy making drones with 4K cameras and environmental sensing abilities, Parrot pumped out drones that could do backflips, shoot foam pellets, and get tossed around like frisbees.

The company’s latest drone is a step in a different direction. Anafi, as it’s called, is not only a departure from the company’s dance-themed naming convention (which brought us the Bebop, Swing, Mambo, and Disco drones) but also a triumphant departure from the casual side of the UAV market. This drone was built from the ground up for aerial photography and videography, and after putting it through its paces for the past few weeks, we’re convinced it deserves a spot at the big kids’ table.

Standout features and specs

This is a drone built to travel. Like DJI’s popular Mavic line, Parrot’s Anafi is equipped with hinged arms that fold inward, allowing it to slip inside a pill-shaped carrying case that’s no bigger than a water bottle. It definitely won’t fit in your pocket, but the average backpack or purse should have more than enough room to hold it.

The rest of the drone’s standout features are less obvious to the naked eye, but no less important. Arguably the most notable of these is the camera assembly. Nestled inside a vibration dampened three-axis gimbal, you’ll find a 4K camera capable of shooting HDR video — a feature that allows the drone handle high-contrast scenes more effectively. This camera is also equipped with lossless digital zooming abilities and 180 degrees of tilt freedom. These three features — HDR, zoom, and 180-degree tilt — are all things you simply can’t find on other drones in this price range (at least for now).

The Anafi brings no single game-changing, must-have feature to the table, but it does bring a lot of smaller, fresh ones.

Anafi is also outfitted with a range of smart filming and flight modes. Many of these are standard fare for drones in 2018, like auto-follow, orbit, and waypoint flying. Others, like Dolly Zoom, Hyperlapse, and Slow Motion, are more unique.

Parrot also included a handful of small, thoughtful design elements that help round out the package: a launch-from-hand function, 3D mapping software, a USB-C battery that can also be used as a smartphone charger, and the ability to fly the drone without a controller.

The Anafi brings no single game-changing, must-have feature to the table, but it does bring a lot of smaller, fresh ones. If the Anafi is anything, it’s unique.

Build quality and durability

Building a drone is a delicate dance: Manufacturers have to give the drone strength and sturdiness without making it too heavy — which is easier said than done. Strike the wrong balance, and you end up with a lightweight drone that’s too fragile, or a sturdy drone that’s too hefty. The key is finding a good middle ground.

Rich Shibley/Digital Trends

Historically, Parrot’s drones have leaned a tiny bit toward the fast-n-flimsy side of the spectrum. The Anafi is no different. It’s very well built, but definitely not quite as sturdy as DJI’s Mavic drones. The arms are more flexible and thin in comparison, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Based on our experience with earlier Parrot drones, this flexible design often makes drones very resilient and able to bounce back from crashes. It’s more willow, less oak.

Battery life and recharge time

Parrot equipped the Anafi with a 7.6 volt, 2,700mAh battery lithium-polymer battery, which allegedly provides 25 minutes of flight time on a full charge. That’s what’s printed on the box, but as usual, this spec is based on ideal flight conditions and isn’t necessarily a reflection of real-world performance, so we put it to the test. In a static hover endurance test (in which we send the drone up with a full battery and let it hover in place until it comes down for an automated emergency landing), Anafi managed to stay airborne for just shy of 23 minutes — which is pretty damn good for a drone of this size.

Anafi managed to stay airborne for just shy of 23 minutes — which is pretty damn good for a drone of this size.

Of course, flying around and making full use of the drone’s motors and processors drains the battery a bit faster, but even during our more rigorous flight tests, Anafi still managed to stay skyside for an average of 21 minutes. Compared to other portable drones, that’s pretty great. Yuneec’s Breeze can only manage about 12 minutes on a single battery, while the Hover Camera Passport can only hang for about 10. Even Anafi’s most formidable competitor, the DJI Mavic Air, can only stay aloft for 18 minutes.

When it comes time to recharge, you can expect anywhere from 1.5 to two hours to get from zero to 100 percent. It’s worth noting, however, that charge time is very much dependent on your charging setup. Anafi juices up via a USB-C charging port, which means you can charge your battery practically anywhere – but keep in mind not all USB chargers are created equal. The cheap one you plug into your car’s cigarette lighter puts out less juice than the one that came with your iPad, and charge times will vary accordingly.

Piloting, control, and autonomy

Using the Anafi is a breeze on just about every level — and we’re not just talking about flying. The first thing we were struck by was how simple the pairing process is. With most drones, you have to wait a few minutes for your phone to connect to the drone, and then wait for the drone to connect to all the satellites it uses for positioning. Somehow, this process is nearly instantaneous with Anafi. As soon as you fire up the controller and plug it into your smartphone, you can start flying — and there’s something to be said for that kind of immediacy.

Parrot Anafi Compared To

DJI Mavic Air

Yuneec Breeze

Halo Drone Pro

DJI Inspire 2

DJI Phantom 4 Pro

DJI Mavic Pro

Hover Camera Passport

Propel Star Wars Battle Drones

DJI Spark

Parrot Bebop 2 FPV

3DR Solo Drone

eHang Ghostdrone 2.0

Yuneec Typhoon H drone

Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4K

dji Phantom 2 Vision+

The controls are nice and responsive, but not quite as tight and athletic as DJI’s drones. There’s a tiiiny bit of lag between user input and drone output, which makes the controls feel just a smidge on the slippery side. Let off the sticks, and there’s a brief but noticeable pause between when you relinquish control and when the drone comes to a stop. This certainly isn’t a dealbreaker, and it only takes a minute to adapt to — but it does diminish your confidence as a pilot. We definitely flew more cautiously with this bird as a result.

In terms of autonomy, Anafi performs admirably in most areas. Its automated flight modes all work exactly as advertised, while the automated filming modes produce consistent and reliable results. That said, it’s worth noting that Parrot’s auto-follow technology isn’t quite as robust as what you’ll find on a DJI drone.

We found ourselves longing for obstacle avoidance software while we nervously zipped through the trees.

One thing that’s notably absent on this drone is obstacle avoidance — which now comes standard on many UAVs in this price range. When it comes to environmental sensing, the Anafi is only equipped with a ground sensor, which effectively means it can’t sense and avoid obstructions like tree branches or power lines. Again, this isn’t necessarily a deal breaker, but it does force you to fly a bit more cautiously. We found ourselves longing for obstacle avoidance software while we nervously zipped through the trees at our local park.

Camera and accessories

The Anafi’s camera setup is the star of the show. Pretty much every other feature on the drone is something you can get elsewhere, but Anafi’s shooter is where Parrot packed in all the goodies that differentiate this drone from the rest of the pack.

In terms of raw specs, Anafi boasts a 1/2.4-inch CMOS sensor from Sony, along with a wide-angle f/2.4 ASPH lens. In addition to 21-megapixel still shots, it can shoot video in 1080p FHD at up to 60fps, 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160) at up to 30fps, or Cinematic 4K (4,096 x 2,160) at 24fps. It’s also equipped with an HDR mode, which essentially just boosts the camera’s contrast and allows you to capture good-looking footage even if the scene you’re shooting contains both bright and dark areas. Parrot has leaned on this feature pretty heavily in its promotional efforts, but in our opinion, HDR isn’t the drone’s most significant feature.

Rich Shibley/Digital Trends

What really won us over with this drone was the camera’s motion capabilities. In addition to lossless zooming, the Anafi’s camera also has 180 degrees of tilt freedom, meaning it can look straight down OR straight up — which makes it really fun and flexible to film with. Having the ability to look up, down and zoom while flying ultimately gives you a greater degree of creative freedom, and allows you to capture shots that you simply can’t get with other drones.

Our Take

This is unquestionably the best drone that Parrot has ever made — but there are a few things holding it back. Most notably, the sluggish controls and lack of obstacle avoidance detract from the flying experience, and ultimately force you to fly more cautiously.

However, Anafi makes up for its control shortcomings with a stellar camera assembly that provides a fun, dynamic, and creatively liberating filming experience. The drone’s zooming and tilting abilities, along with its unique filming modes, make the Anafi a standout in the portable drone category.

Is there a better alternative?

If you value flight performance and reliability more than taking pretty pictures, then you’d be wise to consider DJI’s Mavic drones. They’re more responsive, and are equipped with powerful obstacle avoidance that lets you fly with confidence — so if you’re not the most seasoned drone pilot, we suggest you go with DJI.

If you’re more concerned with image quality and flexible filming options, the Anafi is tough to beat — at least among drones with a portable form factor. The Mavic Air, Yuneec Breeze, and Hover Camera Passport are all solid contenders in the realm of portability, but they fall a bit behind Parrot in the camera department.

All things considered, we do think that DJI’s Mavic Air is an overall better drone than Anafi, but not by a huge margin. It has better flight controls, a solid camera, and is extremely portable — but it also costs $100 more.

How long will it last?

Years. Parrot released the Bebop 2 drone almost three years ago, and it’s still releasing firmware patches and app updates — so there’s no reason to believe it won’t do the same thing with the Anafi. As long as you can avoid catastrophic crashes, this drone should keep on buzzing for years to come.

Should you buy it?

Yes. Despite a few minor shortcomings, the Anafi is a great little drone that’s an absolute riot to play with. You won’t regret this purchase.

Data breach reveals some police departments aren’t prepared for active shooters

The personal information of police officers as well as some of the capabilities — and deficiencies — of local police departments are part of a large data breach affecting the federally funded Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training facility at Texas State University. ALERRT, as it’s more commonly known, helped trained 114,000 law enforcement officers how to handle active shooter scenarios, and the facility has worked with federal agencies like the FBI.

According to data breach hunter Flash Gordon, the database — which dates back to April 2017 and contains the names and work contact information of law enforcement officers, and agents from the FBI, Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Border Patrol — was uploaded to a web server without password protection. The breach also included information about the officers and their home addresses as well as the skills and capabilities of more than 17,000 instructors, according to ZDNet.

The ALERRT data breach also contained a database of more than 85,000 emails containing sensitive personal information, like an officer’s birth date or the last four digits of their Social Security number. “In the wrong hands this data could be detrimental or even deadly for the first responders who put their lives on the line every day,” security researcher John Wethington told ZDNet of the breach.

In addition to revealing personal information from law enforcement officers, the email database also contains insights on how prepared police departments and law enforcement agencies at handling active shooter situations. A few of the email exchanges detailed requests from several police agencies for training from ALERRT. Those agencies revealed that their departments did not have active shooter training and that a nearby agency with that kind of capability may be miles away. Given the large influx of request from local agencies, ALERRT did notify at least one police officer that it “couldn’t facilitate his request at this time,” according to ZDNet.

“This intelligence could be easily exploited by domestic terrorists or ‘lone wolves’ to exploit the weaknesses discussed in this correspondence,” Wethington said in ZDNet’s report. “For instance, an individual who wanted to push a particular state or local agency and the community it supports into a crisis need only look for an agency or community in this data that has expressed concern for their ability to respond to a active shooter.”

The database has since been removed, though it’s unclear if any of the information contained in the breach had been misused or obtained by malicious actors.

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7 Portable High-capacity Power Banks, Including 50,000mAh+ Chargers

These aren’t your pocket-friendly power banks, but they can be your lifeline when battery life runs short across multiple devices.

Given today’s power-hungry phones and tablets, any power pack under 20,000mAh shouldn’t be considered high-capacity. While the majority of these beefier backup batteries aren’t suited for storing in your pocket, they’re still compact enough to toss in a backpack, suitcase, or laptop bag for a quick charge when you need it. Check out these power banks that provide enough battery to keep up with the most demanding tech-lover.

• Anker PowerCore+ 26800 Quick Charge PowerCore+ 26800 PD
• EasyAcc Monster 26,000mAh Power Bank
• USB-C RAVPower 26,800mAh
• ZeroLemon ToughJuice V3.0 30,000mAh
• EcoFlow Tech River 412Wh
• Kenruipu 24,000mAh
• Maxoak 50,000mAh

Anker PowerCore+ 26800 Quick Charge / PowerCore+ 26800 PD

Anker brings two versions of the PowerCore+ 26800 to the market, one with Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 and one with USB PD (Power Delivery). Both offer a whopping 26,800mAh capacity and are only 7.1 x 3.1 x .9 inches in size. This is a power bank that you probably can fit into your pocket!

The Quick Charge model also features PowerIQ so that non-Quick Charge devices can still charge at up to 3 amps and can be fully recharged in about 6.5 hours. It’s priced around $70.

The USB PD model features a 30-watt USB-C port capable of charging laptops like a MacBook or Chromebook as well as your phone. It can be fully charged in about four hours and costs right around $120.

See at Amazon (USB PD)

EasyAcc Monster 26,000mAh Power Bank

If you’re after more than just a pair outputs to keep your phones and tablets charged up, the EasyAcc Monster packs a 26,000mAh capacity and provides four USB ports as well as two Micro-USB inputs on the side that can work in tandem decrease recharge time up to 50%. With a total output of 4.8 amps, the more devices connected means a slower charge, but the overall convenience, functionality, and capacity outweigh reduced charging times.

Next to the USB outputs is a built-in LED flashlight that’s handy for seeing in the dark, and on top are four tiny lights that indicate how much battery life remains in the power bank. EasyAcc has added plenty of safety features to prevent any damage to your connected devices, too. You’ll pay about $47 for the EasyACC Monster.

See at Amazon

RAVPower USB-C 26,800mAh

The new USB-C RAVPower 26800 can output 30 watts through its USB-C port and has two “regular” USB ports that feature its iSmart technology to charge at up to 2.4 amps each. RAVPower says that its iSmart 2.0 system will automatically sense the correct charging current so that your devices that don’t use a fast-charging standard will still charge as fast as they are able. The USB-C port charges a MacBook at the same rate as the included charger, and can charge a Nintendo Switch while you’re playing.

Using both charging inputs, you can fully charge the RAVPower 26800 in 4.5 hours. The USB-C RAVPower 26800 costs about $80.

See at Amazon

ZeroLemon ToughJuice V3.0 30,000mAh

This beastly backup battery rocks an impressive 30,000mAh capacity that’s able to provide power to phones, tablets, and even laptops. It has a total of five USB ports three standard 1-amp outputs, one Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 output and one USB-C output so it’s compatible with almost everything.

It also features a rubber outer shell that makes the ZeroLemon ToughJuice V3.0 the most rugged power bank you’re likely to see. You’ll pay about $60 for it.

Remember, this power bank is too big to carry on a plane in the U.S. without talking to your airline first.

See at Amazon

EcoFlow Tech River 412Wh

This behemoth packs a wallop and comes at a steep price (about $600), but it’s your source for power when you wanna go totally off the grid for a while. This is the charging station you need for everything you take with you anywhere. It houses a 412Wh (that’s watt-hour) battery and features 11 independent outputs: 2 AC plugs, 4 USB ports, 2 USB-C ports, 2 DC ports, and a car charger.

It also has a solar panel, so you can take it anywhere and it’ll juice itself up (albeit incredibly slowly). Just note that, despite its AC outlets, the River won’t power a hair dryer or coffee maker (heating elements are no joke!).

That being said, our own Marc Lagace went into the forest and played electric guitar and did a whole bunch of other wild things; read his full review:

• The EcoFlow Tech River: Portable power wherever you need it: Full review

See at EcoFlow Tech

Kenruipu 24,000mAh

The name may sound a little funny, but the Amazon reviews don’t lie: this 24,000mAh power bank is great. It features four USB ports, and it has two ports to charge the bank itself: one Micro-USB and one USB-C, so you only need one charger to charge this and your Android phone.

The Kenruipu charger comes with its own AC adapter, comes in black or white, and costs around $31. If you’re looking for a quality budget option, then this is your best bet.

See at Amazon

Maxoak 50,000mAh

Maxoak’s high-capacity powerbank is portable, but it’s also about the size of a paperback novel. That’s what you get when you cram 50,000mAh into a portable battery bank, and this one should last you days if you’re out and about. Headed out of town on a camping trip for the weekend? You’ll likely be able to keep your phone charged the whole time with this and then some. It should also be able to charge most laptops (not MacBooks) a couple times over, and Maxoak even supplies 14 different power connectors. At about $136, it’s not cheap, but it is a lot of juice.

See at Amazon

A note on air travel: What you need to know

While traveling in the U.S., the Federal Aviation Administration allows you to carry a device (like a power bank) with up to a 100 Wh capacity. You are also able to carry a limit of two spare batteries between 101 Wh and 160 Wh with prior approval from your airline. All lithium batteries must be in your carry-on bag and can’t be stowed with checked luggage.

Most power banks list their capacity in mAh (milliamp-hours) and not Wh (watt-hours). Let’s do some conversion using a 3.7-volt average. You can calculate from Wh to mAh using this formula:

(mAh)/1000 x (V) = (Wh)

After some rounding off, that means you can bring a 26,800 mAh power bank on your flight. With approval, you can bring up to two 43,240 mAh (again, some rounding is used) along as well. Just be sure not to put them in your checked luggage!

Other countries may have different regulations, so you should check before you travel outside the U.S.

Updated June 2018: These are still the best high-capacity power banks to keep you juiced up on the go.