#also i switched from apple to android and my only complaint is that the new phone is literally huge comparative to my iphone mini

[that-pissed-off-tolkien-blogger]

Nooooooooooo of all the things to not transfer over to my new phone why did the picture of Ratbag I used for my screen saver have to be one of them?????

Yes I can do it manually but like that means more time I am without his precious face!! THE TRAGEDY

[regentcorpse]

Added after I wrote this, I know my grammar is a mess in this. This post is 2223 words, longer than most high school essays which averaged 1500 words. If you don’t want to read all of this it has been separated into paragraphs and most of the conversation points are in the last three paragraphs. This sentence was added in after word count, the original post was on Facebook which is why the link in this does point to my own blog: My sentence structures are not correct, and this is Facebook and I don’t give a crap about that here. I did try to do my best to make it somewhat understandable with several ideas and conversations all in this. Also I didn’t originally separate it into paragraphs. If a sentence seems out of place at the start or end of a paragraph, my bad. But please read, comment opinions, not angry but constructive to build a conversation. I also don’t know how but this became more like an info blog post, but valid points and openings for conversations are made.

These newish Apple features like the Memoji, like it’s aight but still lacking in so many hair styles and facial depth, forehead, chins, and noses. Hopefully the will add a lot more features to be able to make it more like you, in a cartoon version. I’m about to check out the full bitmoji app to see what all they have, but I feel like apple should of used bitmoji, and since Apple has a version, I know android does. How is their version in your experience? (Please reply even if you don’t know me, I want to have decent conversations with people, but I hardly have anyone to talk to about random stuff like this.) Also the fact that Apple has Memoji in their database of words and not Bitmoji, is extremely weird, and pointless not to have it.

I don’t know how I feel overall about Apples decisions on these updates. They seem to be trying to almost build a legit social media around their platforms, I wouldn’t be surprised if they make something like Google+, which will most likely fail all together as a product, not because it will be awful but because we already have the social media giants that control most people’s lives, work, and reputation.

Facebook is for memes mostly and socializing with like minded people with their pages and groups. Not to mention that so many people use their marketplace now as well, which did shock me that it took of with other apps offering the same thing before Facebook did. To those who didn’t know, yes, Facebook stole that idea from OfferUp and LetGo(I think there was another around before the marketplace.)

You have Snapchat, the goofy fun social media where you can have personalized stories, private or public, and I may be wrong but they are also the ones that introduced the idea(maybe didn’t originally have the idea, but did introduce it, I think. Let me know if I am wrong please, I would like to know.) Next, the thing that made Snapchat big originally was the disappearing pictures after 10 seconds, which you couldn’t edit when the app first came out, the initial release didn’t even have filters or all the extra stuff they have now, it was so basic and simple and blew up. Another thing that made Snapchat big in the same way, disappearing photos meant disappearing nudes for both male and female, only that at first they could be screenshots, that didn’t notify you. In a future version, they disabled screenshoting photos from the default system buttons, but of course people found ways and made apps to get around it. Snapchat then started to block accounts for using those apps, then came the solution of notifying users of screenshots and then recordings when Apple released that feature. I know Snapchat probably wasn’t the first to make the goofy photo filters, but they did make it so much easier and almost more advanced with their simple facial mapping(yes it is simple since it’s meant to work with phones without facial recognition and all the other fancy face features.). Now Snapchat is a place to socialize in groups, or privately with friends through photos, messages, and video. Another big use now is the porn industry, where I think it’s safe to say only females succeed at making a lot of money with. It also seems to avoid spam bots and stuff. I’ve never received anything from a fake user or bot, besides their built in Snapchat bot, so that is honestly impressive and I applaud them for trying to keep it safe and friendly, except for the usual douchebag guys that send dick picks and stalk girls no matter their age. Danger lurks at all corners of the internet, and making friends is easier now, and just an add and a message away sometimes. But be careful who you add and honestly block anyone who harasses you or sends you unwanted images. And report them, help improve internet society and safety. This goes for all social media platforms.

Instagram is built solely around the personal sharing of photos to a feed and nothing else really. I know everyone was shocked that it became as big as it did, considering you can do the same thing in Facebook, and easily share other peoples photos to your friends. Although it is just photos, the people on there that are successful, actually do influence people and promote sponsors and their products. Some use it to get money, for their more explicit content. It followed Snapchat in adding stories, then filters, and has been successful in its endeavors. You can find everything legal on their as well as some illegal content such as drug use. As mentioned above, yes bots and fake accounts exist, be weary in who you talk to and exchange messages and photos with on here as well.

Twitter has been around for a long time and honestly, I see it being the first to die, due to overall lack of community and now with all the user interface updates and whatnot, it can be difficult to understand how the social environment of it works. Basically you get I think 140 characters to insert into the status prompt or whatever you/they want to call it. I personally don’t use it much, I get on there to see any updates from game companies and some of my favorite authors and music artists. I do this maybe once a week or two. I honestly don’t understand the point in twitter nor how getting followers and conversations started on there, if you have any suggestions for me please let me know if you are still somehow reading this.

Tumblr, ye olde blogging platform, one of the best until the pornography bam that yahoo added once their app was removed from the Apple store after I think being reported for child pornography. A lot of people lost their blogs and thousands of followers and countless hours of work. Many others had a lot of their content censored by a community guidelines photo or by being completely removed. So yes we can all agree that it’s a good thing they are trying to do what they can to combat child pornography of Tumblr, but a lot of people saw this as a complete change of environment for tumblr, whether being used for art, music, porn, pizza, cats etc.. Another big complaint that caused this change is how easy it was to lie about your age and turn off the content filter that got rid of the majority of inappropriate content. It was literally just a search option, then they tried moving it to your phone settings to the app setting in there to turn it off, which was still too easy. I can say you will still see pornographic content on Tumblr, mostly by accident, but there are people still posting getting around their image search algorithms. Past that to summarize, it’s basically a bigger version of Twitter, allowing for blog posts of most media types now, they have a reblog button to repost on your own page(these also get their own sub domains where it follows such as mine regentcorpse.tumblr.com. This is not for promotion, just an easy example(it’s a new blog with only like one blog post, but yes is my personal blog.) You can use your own domain if you own the address and route it to tumblrs name-servers, which most domain hosts have guides available to help you understand the process and set it up. They follow Wordpress in allowing themes which are only visible in a web browser and not the Tumblr mobile app, but on mobile you can edit the color scheme and fonts to what they have stock. To be like twitter with the features of Wordpress except custom plugins, it is a phenomenal platform still where you can truly be yourself and no one actually has to know who you are, you just post the content you love, the content you create(except for the porn content that a lot of people now went to Snapchat and Twitter for, and probably some private instagrams). You can find almost everything you heart desires within lawful reasons, I mean honestly you could probably find someone to buy illegal stuff from like guns, drugs, etc but I’ve never looked for that type of stuff on there. I love cyberpunk culture and there are so much content around it on tumblr. It also has pretty decent privacy setting for a blog, which can be password locked I believe and you can set permissions for it to be only people you follow or follow you, or no one or everyone can message you, ask questions(which can be anonymous), and submit content to your blog(also can be anonymous). The tumblr community can be toxic but also so helpful and beautiful seeing some of the ways people come together on there. It can range from legit bugs to books and quotes to programming and even professional use.

There is also LinkedIn, which is a very professional platform where you can add your professional resume and skills and may get recruited to jobs. I remember something like this tried to launch on Facebook but I do believe it failed out, as I haven’t seen anything about it or a link since they probably removed it.

So this leads me to ask What would an Apple Social Media Platform consist of? How would they try to outdo the others, and how would they make it appealing enough for people to use/switch to. Yes Apple is a big name, but so was google which failed at social media. They had good ideas but went about it completely wrong.

I feel like Apple would attempt to make a platform around creativity and art of all types. I feel like it would be a platform that would combine GarageBand, IMessages, Memoji, and all their other great apps into one. If they added collaboration on projects a lot easier in that aspect, and didn’t force themselves into everyone(Yes, Google that’s a shot at you.), they could make a truly great platform where we could see great things made by groups, communities, artists, and I could see them adding some sort of collaboration for web developers and programmers, which I would like to see knowing that Facebook, the corporation not social network, owns Oculus, and they already have a lot of resources for developers. Do you think Apple might be working on a social media platform, or do you think they will just keep adding out of place features? Do you think they would succeed in it or absolutely fail? Do you think Apple would stand a chance against the other giants that have been around and built up their user base? Also another issue is how exclusive Apple is with everything, just the fact you can log into Apple TV and watch it on a Windows Pc is a miracle. Do you think Apple will make it exclusive or would they put in the effort of being their media platform to everyone no matter their device? Remember everyone had a MySpace, now you never even hear about it, Facebook was a surprising switch with it having limited functionality and basically no customization options for your profile like MySpace and some other media’s had.

I want to hear your thoughts, opinions, and speculations about this, let’s start an open and friendly conversation, no hate or trolls, I don’t want all of that and your comments will be deleted and I may even block you from seeing posts like this on your feed and my page. This is at an end because my thumbs are tired and my phones dying and Facebook is lagging from how much I just put on here, but seriously comment, let me know what’s running in your mind, even what you would like to see change in social media in general or even in specific ones. I hope you all do open a nice and positive and informative conversation, I want to see that on Facebook more and I want to make friends I can talk about this type of stuff with in depth or even as broad as mostly common knowledge.

[alphawave-writes]

DPD chapter 25- Annuit cœptis: part 2

Richard sees Gavin's dad naked and learns Gavin's embarrassing secret childhood. The investigation into Philip lead to a shocking reveal about the true murderer. You guys can find this fic on AO3 and FF.NET

RA9 was an elusive murderer, but with a highly specific motive to go on, it felt like they were finally gaining traction. After Gavin spent the night ruminating about the events surrounding Arthur's suicide, he was able to come up with a new list of suspects. Fortunately, it was a small list of people, almost all of which were stationed in Detroit. Unfortunately however, getting in contact with these people and crossing them off the list was a much harder job than either Richard or Gavin anticipated. The prime suspects were Percy Conrad and Philip Seymour but the closure of CyberLife and their subsequent dismissal from the company made finding them difficult. The only other suspects on the list—an NX700 by the name of Rachel and Gavin's father, Wilson Reed—were at opposite ends of the city and required the pair to split up.

The odds were against them: a vicious time limit, the scrutiny of the world, and Gavin's own tragic past loomed with vicious snarling teeth, a three-headed Cerberus that wouldn't let the pair escape hell without a fight.

Richard's one respite was that Gavin was motivated by a determination stronger than gravity itself. The source of this determination, Richard did not know if it was selfish or selfless, but he believed it was good for Gavin. The world had kicked Gavin until he was black and bruised but finally, finally he began to rise, began to fight. Gavin threw himself into his work, not because he wanted to avoid the pain of the recent and distant past but because of his desire to see justice done.

If Richard was honest, he was envious that Gavin could grow like that. The magical change from hot-headed brute to the brilliant rational detective was a sight to see. Richard didn't know if he was capable of such change as an android. At the very least, he will try and match the detective's fervor. He too wanted to see RA9 taken behind bars.

"Are you sure you should meet my dad?"

Richard watched Gavin sipped his coffee loudly as he quickly browsed through the files Connor had sent minutes ago. Perkins was looking into Percy Conrad and Philip Seymour as well and was going to interview them. Connor promised to update them both as soon as possible. Gavin set the tablet down on the kitchen table and stretched his arms behind his back.

"It will be fine," Richard said.

"You sure?" Gavin yawned, creating a few tears to wipe away the crust in his eyes. His hair was sticking in weird ways and he was in due need for a shave but Richard couldn't help but stare at Gavin's scar-riddled chest. He suppressed a smile. Despite himself, he was a little bit proud for being the cause of Gavin's sleepy state this morning.

"You said you wanted to interview the NX700, Rachel."

"If I interview my dad, I'm gonna get complaints about being biased again. The media's already got themselves in a nip twist by the fact I'm still working on the case, and once they hear my dad's a suspect, I'm never gonna hear the end of it." Gavin took a big gulp of his coffee. When he set the mug down, his lips were pressed into a line. "Also, er…I might've…told my dad about us."

Richard blinked once. Just once. "Should I be worried?"

"Fuck no, my dad's fine with the whole android thing, and he knows I'm gay. I'm just saying, er…fuck, how do I say this…he's got a special way of welcoming people."

"Does he not like me?" Richard narrowed his eyes in confusion. "Are you not close to him?"

"Dad calls me up every now and then but we haven't met in a while. As for the first question—" Gavin chugged the rest of his coffee, wiping the beads from his lips with his forearm, "—you're gonna find out later today."

And indeed Richard did indeed find out when he came to the address of a reasonably posh house in Grosse Pointe. Rows of vintage houses with perfectly manicured gardens and snobby old men and women who looked down upon him greeted him once he stepped out of the taxi, though Richard wasn't sure if it was because he was an android or because he arrived in a taxi.

He approached the house of Gavin's father, almost a perfect mirror image to its neighbours were it not for the curious interior that Richard caught sight of through slitted curtains. He rung the doorbell. After a few seconds, a gruff voice rung out over the intercom.

"Who is it?" They rasped.

"My name is Richard. I'm an RK900 android from the DPD, and I need to talk to you about an ongoing investigation."

He heard the grumbles of displeasure.

Richard let out a sigh before adding, "I'm…also Gavin's boyfriend?"

The intercom shut off. Richard was thinking that he might be refused but with his hearing he could hear the faint noise of bare feet shuffling down the stairs. He waited with bated breath as the door creaked open.

And a completely naked old man revealed himself, leveling a pump shotgun right into Richard's chest. A quick scan confirmed that it was definitely Wilson Reed, Gavin's father. A cursory glance downward revealed that the apple didn't fall from the tree in terms of the size of certain bodily parts. Richard didn't know how to feel about this new piece of information.

"So," a sly smile crept up Wilson Reed's cheeks, "you're the one dating my son?"

Richard willed himself to stay calm even as his LED threatened to flash yellow. He had been expecting Gavin's father to be eccentric. He couldn't show he was scared. "Yes," he said. "We are dating."

Wilson Reed glanced up and down Richard's body, as if appraising him. He looked into Richard's eyes, which was difficult, because he was well over a head shorter than Richard. His eyes narrowed. "Living together?"

Richard nodded. "For a few months."

"You two done it together?"

Richard's cheeks flushed. "Yes," he quietly admitted, still keeping his hands up.

"Is that so…" Seemingly satisfied with the answer, Wilson Reed put the shotgun away behind the front door, ushering Richard in. Richard quickly lowered his arms and looked around the neighbourhood, seeing a couple people purposely avoiding eye contact with him, before entering.

It's a stylish yet cosy mansion inside. It's not as perfect as the exterior of the house was but it was built for comfort, with comfy leather sofas and rustic timber tables sat side by side modern IKEA-style shelves stacked full of DVDs and the single largest TV screen Richard had ever seen outside of a billboard advertisement. He turned his head and saw Wilson Reed struggling to put his pants on near the staircase. Out of respect for the man who was seconds ago wielding a shotgun, Richard stood where he was by the door, waiting patiently until Wilson Reed was equipped with pants.

Wilson Reed turned back to Richard with a gentle smile. It suited his rosy cheeks and plump face, but it didn't suit his potentially homicidal tendencies. One hand holding up his slack trousers, he gestured for Richard to follow him and the android silently obliged, going through many short corridors until he found himself in a small study. On the table were a variety of tablets with different police reports about Gavin and a few magazines. Wilson Reed reached for one of the magazines and threw them in Richard's direction. Richard caught it and read the front cover. An LGBTQ magazine held a picture of him and Gavin staring with haunted eyes into the cameras shortly after 42's suicide. The tagline was not much better: All you need to know about Detroit's gay homoandro powercouple.

Wilson Reed grabbed an old polo shirt from the chair and slung it on. "You didn't get scared earlier."

It took Richard longer than he'd like to get what Wilson Reed was saying. He lowered the magazine slightly. "A little bit. More about your nudity than the shotgun."

"You weren't scared of the shotgun?" Richard shook his head. "Why?"

"You didn't take the safety off," Richard pointed out.

Wilson Reed snorted. "Fuck, you noticed. I was hoping you wouldn't." His eyes followed Richard's gaze to the magazine and his lips pull up into a smile. "Of all of the stuff I'd have thought Gawain would be in, I didn't think a gay magazine would be one of them."

"Gawain?" Richard asked.

"That's his name."

"Gawain?!" Richard repeated.

"Blame his mother. She wanted a Knights of the Round Table theme for her kids. Had she gone through with the third pregnancy, he'd have a younger brother called Bedivere."

Richard cringed. "That's a horrible name for a child." Considering the names he initially considered for himself before settling on Richard, that might've been hypocritical for him to say.

"I know, right?" Wilson took the tablet from Richard's hands and stared at the photo. He sighed sentimentally. "Always knew Gawain would be a lawman. You know he legally changed his name to Gavin when he was still in high school? That's when I knew he was gonna be a law man."

It's fascinating learning about Gavin's childhood, and Richard was sure to tease him about it the next time they meet, but there were more pressing issues. For all he knew Wilson Reed was purposely trying to distract him. "Mr. Reed, I must ask you about your whereabouts on the mornings of the 12th, 13th and 14th."

Wilson's eyebrows furrowed. "Why?"

Richard frowned, mentally deliberating on whether to tell Gavin's father, but the man was astute, catching the meaning behind Richard's hesitation. Wilson Reed sat down in his chair, dazed.

"No…"

"We believe the killer is motivated to bring justice to those they believe meant ill will for Arthur." Richard paused. "Few know the nature of Arthur's death. You are one of them. That gives you motive."

"I didn't kill anyone. The gun's for show, look, I'll even show you, it's actually a lighter if you just flick this switch and—"

"Mr. Reed," Richard said forcefully.

For a second Wilson stared incredulously into Richard's eyes but the weight of the situation finally hit him in the stomach and it sent him reeling. He stared dejectedly between his knees for a few seconds, a million emotions flashing before him, before swiveling his chair to the desk. He moved aside books and tablets to grab a dust-covered photo at the edge of his desk. It's an old photo of Gavin after graduating from the police academy. He was grinning into the camera, holding his mother in a one-armed hug beside him. Richard saw this photo before. Gavin had a better quality copy on his bedside table.

He watched as Wilson took the back off of the photo frame, pulling the photo out. Wilson stared at it, his eyes cloudy with a melancholy Richard couldn't even begin to comprehend. After a few seconds, he handed it to Richard.

"Why are you giving me this?"

"I've been at home all week. Haven't really gone out anywhere or seen anybody so I don't got an alibi to give you—" He tapped the photo, "—but I hope this might make up for a lack of alibi."

With Wilson's prompting, Richard flipped the photo to the other side to find a message written in fine pen.

If any hot guy says 'fuck the police', I'm obliged to show them this picture and give them your number. Sorry, don't make the rules, it's not my fault I got the coolest bro in the world. (Mom, if you're reading this, you also look nice btw).

Love and kisses and all that gay shit,

Arthur

Richard couldn't help but smile. He wasn't sure if the copy Gavin had held this message or not so just in case, he took a snapshot and saved it into his memory. He handed the photo back to Wilson, who carefully put the photo back into its frame and returned it to its designated spot on the desk.

"Those two were thick as thieves," Wilson explained. "You know why Arthur wrote that message? Because he couldn't make it to the graduation. And you know what was the first thing Gawain said when they finally saw each other one week later? 'Don't worry about it'. That's it. Wouldn't accept Arthur's apology because he said there was nothing to forgive."

"It's a touching story, but how does this help me?"

"If your killer knows all about Arthur, they'll know all about Gawain too. And if they know all about Gawain…"

"They'll be one step ahead of us," Richard finished.

"Yeah…" Wilson uttered. "Hate to say it, but maybe my son shouldn't get so involved."

There was a beat of silence where nothing could be heard but the faint fumble of cars driving down the street outside. In that moment Richard thought of Gavin and his actions during the case, the things he said when it was just the two of them, the abrupt confession of love the other day that never failed to leave Richard smiling.

"You're wrong," he said. "The killer is wrong too." Richard gazed meaningfully into Wilson's eyes. "Gavin has changed."

Wilson scoffed with humour. "I'm not surprised, if he's dating an android of all things."

"It's not just that. Gavin is the most unpredictable man I know, and I say that as a good thing. Plenty of expectations are leveled over him and yet he constantly defies them. When everyone expects him to lash out, he keeps a level head. When the world expects him to act stupidly, he thinks rationally. I highly doubt that the killer truly knows Gavin because he's impossible to define. In the context of this case, in light of what the killer may know about us, that might be Gavin's greatest strength." Richard crossed his arms. "Gavin has truly changed, and for the better, I think."

Wilson's reaction was delayed, taking him a fraction of a second to consider Richard's words, but when they do register, his lips curl upward into a sweet, almost gentle smile. It's a smile Richard was familiar with, because Gavin would occasionally make those sweet smiles for him, usually in the comfort of his apartment, alone with each other.

"You and my son are serious, huh?"

Richard smiled bashfully. "Saving each other's lives multiple times tends to do that to a couple."

"But do you love him?" Wilson asked, leaning forward in his chair slightly as he steepled his fingertips.

"I do love Gavin," Richard said, surprised by the ease in which the words spilled out of his synthetic lips. He quickly collected himself, hoping Wilson did not notice the flash of yellow on his right temple. "I hope I have your blessing."

Wilson smirked. "I only just met you. Like all the other boys Gawain brought home, you gotta earn my blessing."

Considering this was Gavin's father, the man who leveled a shotgun naked at him mere minutes ago, Richard suspected earning his respect was going to be something ridiculous. Not that that would stop him. He'd do almost anything for Gavin. "What do I have to do?" He asked.

"You wanna earn my blessing? Catch the motherfucker who thinks he can toy with my son, and make him rot in jail."

Richard smiled wickedly. That was something he would gladly do.

After finally leaving Wilson Reed's house (but not before Wilson revealed more childhood stories about Gavin), Richard was en route to Philip Seymour's address. Along the drive, it's Connor who updated him on new information on the case. Perkins had found and interviewed Percy Conrad, who in turn revealed Philip Seymour's address. Once it was revealed he was a suspect in the murders, he practically threw Philip under the bus, citing an incident Philip masterminded that led to their simultaneous dismissal from CyberLife and their subsequent hiding from RA9. Connor claimed that Percy Conrad was vague in describing the inciting incident, but insisted that it was quite bad. Connor gave him and Gavin Philip Seymour's address.

"I bought you some time, but I will have to report this to Perkins in half an hour," Connor said through the mental uplink.

"It's fine, Connor. Half an hour is more than enough. ETA 3 minutes to Philip Seymour's address."

"I'll continue my research into him, try and figure out how exactly he got fired. At the moment, however, it seems like he is our primary suspect."

Richard pursed his lips. "Even though he's a human?"

"I'm…still working on my theory on how." The sound of a forced chuckle could be heard through the connection before they disconnected. The taxi stopped in front of Philip Seymour's place. A few blocks away, Richard could see Gavin sitting in his civilian car. As he got out, so too did Gavin. Richard walked over to Gavin and broke out into a grin. Something about seeing the man he loved just made him feel better somehow.

Gavin leaned onto the car. "My dad didn't give you too much crap, did he?"

Richard went around to the trunk of Gavin's car, retrieving a briefcase. "He tried to shoot me with a shotgun naked."

"Huh. He must like you," Gavin murmured.

Richard shut the trunk and turned to Gavin. "How is threatening me with a shotgun a good thing?"

"If he didn't like you, he'd have brought out the shovel too," Gavin said casually.

Richard recalled seeing a shovel right next to where the shotgun was kept. He suppressed a shiver as he followed Gavin to the front steps of the house.

Gavin pointed at the briefcase. "Gonna tell me what's in that case?"

"My new back-up plan. If one of us ever needs to make an escape, I can camouflage myself as you." Richard opened the briefcase slightly to reveal a bunch of folded up clothes, including a perfect replica of Gavin's trademark red hoodie.

Gavin rolled his eyes, smiling. "No offense, but that's not going to work. You're way taller than me. There's no way you can mimic me."

Richard was glad Gavin had responded in that way, because now he could prove him wrong. He turned to Gavin and transformed slowly, letting the skin shift and morph until his face and skin was an almost perfect representation of Gavin. He cleared his throat in an obnoxiously loud manner and, in a perfect echo of Gavin's voice, said, "My name is Gavin Reed, and I love cock. I love it so fucking much because it helps me compensate for my tiny dick—"

"OK, I get it—"

"—because my dick, which is tiny, has been compared by many to look like a baby's pacifier."

"—What the fuck, Richard, stop. Seriously." Gavin playfully slapped at Richard's arm. The camouflage melted away shortly afterwards. An incredulous chuckle bubbled from Gavin's throat. "Y-You absolute dick."

"Still think I can't camouflage as you?"

Gavin snorted. "We both know my dick is not tiny."

"I know," Richard grinned, "but mine's bigger, Gawain."

Before Gavin could even splutter a retort, Richard rung the doorbell, effectively silencing the man.

Instead of an older human opening the door as Richard expected, an android was the one standing in the doorway. They smiled politely, the expression only reaching their lips and not their eyes. Their LED was gone, removed some time ago, but if it was still there, Richard would think it would perpetually shine blue.

"May I help your gentlemen?" The android asked.

Gavin wasted no time flashing his badge. "We're here to see Philip Seymour."

"Of course, right this way." The android sidestepped so they may enter. Gavin entered first, with Richard trailing behind, taking in the strange expression on the android.

The android led them to a sitting room filled with a variety of different good luck charms. Gavin was asking meaningless questions to the android and it's then that Richard saw the first crackles of emotion on their expressionless face, that emotion being surprise. Richard did not pay attention to what Gavin was saying, for Richard already knew what the purpose of the conversation was, and that was to distract the android while he scanned the area undisturbed. Richard scanned the bookcase that was filled to the brim of books on astrology and pseudo-sciences, the kitchen in the next room that looked like it had never been used, and finally the android that was in the room with them. It's a typical HK400 model but even from a preliminary glance, there was something strange about the android in front of him. What specifically was so strange about it, Richard could not yet figure out.

Richard retracted the skin on his hand, ready to extract more information from the HK400 while it was still distracted by Gavin when he heard the sound of heavy footsteps on the wooden floors. Flesh had returned just as a chubby man in his 40s slowly walked in, accompanied by another android. Philip Seymour's profile appeared in Richard's periphery. The only thing of interest in the profile was that he was extremely near-sighted, but the man wasn't wearing his glasses. He might as well be blind as a bat at the moment.

"You're that famous detective on the TV," Philip drawled, gesturing vaguely for them to sit on his leather seats. "You must be here about those awful murders."

Gavin crossed his arms instinctively, making no move to sit down. "We are," he said, already wary of Philip.

Everything in Richard's body and mind was screaming that Philip was danger incarnate, but for the life of him he could not figure out why that was his initial response. The answers were locked away in the recesses of his mind, and Richard did not yet have the key.

The HK400 slinked away while the other android, a PL700 from Richard's analysis, came from behind to offer Gavin a drink from a tray. The detective shook his head. The PL700 retreated. The corners of Philip's lips inch downward for a microsecond before returning to a placid smile.

"What brings you here then?" Philip asked.

"You've heard about the RA9 murders, right?"

Philip Seymour's eyes narrowed. "You're not suggesting I am involved, are you?"

"Of course not," Richard lied, not missing a single beat. "We are merely addressing security threats to the most probable targets, which unfortunately includes you. This will mean officers will be assigned to your care indefinitely."

Philip's eyes widen in shock and his stress levels jump. He clicked his fingers impatiently to his side, prompting the PL700 to quickly retrieve a pair of glasses from his pocket. Philip quickly slid them on and stared intently at Richard. His eyes focused on the scar on Richard's cheek.

"…What was your name again?" Philip asked cautiously.

"Richard," he said slowly. The grip on the briefcase was tight.

Philip nodded in acceptance, but the crease in his brows remained. He turned to Gavin. "You don't have any suspects?"

"Our primary purpose is the protection of the city and its people," Gavin said, probably quoting some old handbook for cops. "We are looking into the murderer, but it is equally important that potential key targets are protected."

Philip nodded stiffly, flicking his wrist in the direction of the PL700. They quickly grab a bottle of bourbon on the lone table and poured a glass, handing it to Philip. He takes a big gulp, not even bothering to savour the flavor and makes a show of disgust as it burned his throat. By his side, the PL700 stood motionless, a servant at the beck and call of his master.

"We need to take a look around your house," Gavin continued. "For security reasons."

Richard glanced at Gavin who was already staring pointedly in his direction. I'll distract him, you go dig up some dirt the detective's eyes said. Richard nodded microscopically.

"Very well," Philip sighed, unable to hide the grumble of anger in his voice. He and the PL700 lead Gavin through the house, leaving Richard alone with the HK400. Richard waited as Gavin is lead through the ground floor and up the stairs, their footsteps going softer and softer until they could be heard no more.

He did not waste the opportunity he was given. He snooped through the ground floor, searching the kitchen, the downstairs bathroom, the dining room, searching for the evidence of fowl play he knew was here somewhere. In opening a door to what he thought was a supply closet, Richard instead encountered a narrow staircase descending into darkness. The basement, his mind supplied, but he didn't need to enter to know that there was nothing of interest. Just a beat-up old car that hadn't seen the light in well over a few years, and a workbench covered in thirium packets. Withholding a sigh, Richard closed the door.

"May I help you?" The HK400 asked.

His eyes widen, the only indicator of his surprise aside from his yellow LED. Richard quickly put on a fake smile, "I'm fine," he said, when he noticed something off. A theory that sprang into mind, one that explained the strange behavior of the android in front of him.

Ignorant of this, the HK400 remained smiling.

"You're…not deviant," Richard said.

"That is correct, I am not," the HK400 stated. "I am a household android tasked with taking care of my owner, Philip Seymour."

Richard couldn't recall meeting an android that had yet been touched by the gift of deviancy. Unconsciously the skin on his hand retracted, and he briefly wondered whether he should liberate this android like Connor had done so before him. Richard knew roughly how to do it, and it might provide him some answers, but then he recalled his own discovery of deviancy, how it took Gavin's help to feel a sense of control. He recalled Regina and how she lashed out after deviancy.

Maybe another time, he thought as he grasped the HK400 by the wrist. Investigation first.

Richard held onto the HK400's wrist for less than three seconds, before he violently retracted his hand, his LED flashing red. In those precious few seconds, Richard saw almost a year's worth of incriminating footage, saw the obsession, the writing on the walls. Worst yet was this feeling that bubbled within him, the knowledge that he had scraped the surface of something much more sinister than a few murders. In those three seconds, he'd opened Pandora's box and saw the wicked, twisted truth and the sins it represented.

He staggered back, the systems keeping his posture temporarily malfunctioning. The HK400 smiled woodenly. There was no emotion in its eyes, not even as Richard reached for the emergency panel and shut the android down manually.

Quickly and quietly, Richard hurried up the stairs, trying to find Gavin. All the doors were closed except for one, which was slightly ajar. Richard peered through as his mind desperately tried to conjure a way to get both him and Gavin out of his wretched house alive and uninjured. The narrow possibilities began to ring through his head when suddenly the uplink is forced open, and he heard the shrill panic of Connor's voice.

"Nines! Get out of there!"

"Connor, I know. I don't have time for this," Richard said hurriedly through the uplink, not even bothering to hide his terror.

"Philip Seymour was fired from CyberLife for stealing androids and reprogramming them."

"What? Reprogram?"

"I don't know how exactly, but I don't want to find out. You need to get out of there now!"

Richard knew Philip Seymour had to be involved in the murders, he had to be. All the evidence was stacking up against him, but there was no way he could have physically have done it. He was too short and too slow, and everything else had pointed to a singular android culprit. He was clearly the mastermind, but who was the pitiful android he had ensnared for this purpose? Who?

The sound of a body crumpling to the ground took Richard back to reality. He leaned closer to the gap in the door in time to see Philip glaring down at Gavin's body. It's then that he saw it on the wall behind Philip, the final piece of the puzzle, the identity of the culprit.

"No…no," Richard mouthed, as he attempted to scurry away. He still had the Gavin disguise in his briefcase. He could find a bathroom to change, wake Gavin up, and switch places before they know the difference. It's the only way to ensure Gavin's survival. He whipped his head around, only to find the PL700 stare emotionlessly at him. Richard glanced downwards far too late, the crackle of electricity from the taser seizing his body in jittery spasms. His systems overload one by one, fireworks exploding within his plastic body. He collapsed on the ground and closed his eyes.

Richard found himself in the one place he never wished to see again: the graphical interface he had once dubbed 'the forest'. A swell of panic rose as he saw what he thought to be Regina, his tormentor, but the genuine fear she showed him was all that he needed to know that this was another entity altogether. An entity that merely shared Regina's face and body. An entity purposely designed to only appear in times of stress when he's found conflicting data. A stress ball made corporeal in an imaginary world.

"Morpheus," Richard gasped.

The look on Morpheus was not calm like when they first met. Instead it was harrowed and haunted. "Richard," she said quietly.

"Please, let me out of here. I need to help Gavin. Let me wake up."

"If you awaken, the chance for self destruction is high."

"Please," Richard begged, "just for a few seconds. If not to save myself, then to make sure Gavin is OK." He tugged at her sleeve desperately. "Please…"

Morpheus looked down to her feet for a few seconds before nodding. Her hands move and a screen is projected in front of her. It's Richard's emergency feed, originally designed for human technicians to review his cases for any faults in his logic. There was no video but the sounds of a conversation could be heard.

"—really think we should reset it? It's too dangerous," Philip's muffled voice said.

Another voice chimed in, "It is merely an android, one that just so happens to be working on the case against us. If we reset it, we can raise it our own way. Control it. It will be instrumental in acting out our revenge."

Richard could feel the stress levels in him rise. It's a voice he was familiar with, but the way they spoke brought chills up his spine. What used to sound so full of life was now an empty shell, void of emotion.

"You think?" Philip paused. He didn't need visuals to hear the malicious smirk spread across his face. "Then let's do it. Set the machine up. We're resetting the RK900."

The video cut out and Richard stared wide-eyed, trying to stop his hammering heart from exploding within him. He collapsed on the ground, begging helplessly to wake up, to stand up and rescue Gavin. But Morpheus stood with a frown on her face, shaking her head. Tears flow uninterrupted from Richard's face as he pleaded and pleaded with Morpheus but she remained unmoving. She placed a single hand on his shoulder, the only bit of comfort the artificial construct could reproduce.

[adrenalineguide]

Volkswagen’s Golf GTI Autobahn and Kia’s Stinger GT Limited: Bringing fun back into driving

 Text and Photos by Michael Hozjan

Whether you like it or not summer is over and with it comes the fall driving season. A time of year usually reserved for amateur car rallies, a last look at a vintage car show in New England, apple picking with some wine tasting in the townships, and of course leaf peeping in the Laurentians.  I usually save this time of year to bring you a roadster or two but this year I’ve had so much fun with the two sedans featured here that I just had to include them as best picks for hitting autumn’s open road. Oh and of course you can bring another couple along for the fun.

 Volkswagen Golf GTI Autobahn: the original hot hatch offers more than performance.

Every once in a while I come across a car that fits me like the proverbial glove, a vehicle that just feels right. Volkswagen’s Golf GTI is one such vehicle.  The original hot hatch instills sporty performance, comfort and practicality but there are a number of features that separates it from other hot hatches, first and foremost is its overall feel. It’s quality personified, German engineering at a bargain price. Plant your butt in the Recaro buckets and your thighs and ribs are cradled in a way few other cars in this price range… and for that matter many pricier cars do.  The thick leather steering wheel feels like you’re in control long before you even turn the ignition on.

The GTI takes the practicality and roominess of the Golf, tosses out the 1.8L four cylinder and replaces it with a 220 horsepower 2.0L turbocharged four cylinder, ten more than last year. Even better, it pumps out a whopping 258 lb-ft of torque that peaks at a low 1500 rpm so, yes it sends you back in the seat. Cosmetically the GTI adds a more aggressive front fascia in keeping with its persona that is highlighted by its trademark red stripe on the grille, and dual exhaust. If you miss the GTI badging, red brake calipers easily set it apart from the run of the mill Golf. 

Two trim levels are offered starting with the base GTI at a very reasonable $30,595 equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission and the trademark plaid seating. The upscale Autobahn starts at $35,895 My Autobahn came with the same plaid seating (thankfully) which is a no cost option over the standard leather units, and the 6-speed automatic DSG. More on this $1400 option later.

 The Autobahn package replaces the base car’s 17 inch tire/wheel combo with 18 inch units, an 8.0”high rez touchscreen to support the nav, cd player and other infotainment paraphernalia that we’ve come to expect from today’s rides. It is one of the most user- friendly multimedia systems on the market. Take note Honda. An 8-speaker Fender Premium Audio System with a subwoofer is included for those times you want to listen to your favorite songs instead of the sweet melody of the powerplant. Additionally, the Autobahn buyer gets LED headlights with adaptive front lights that steer into the turn as well as a panoramic sunroof.  My tester also came with the $1750 Driver Assistance Package that includes adaptive cruise, blind spot and rear traffic alert, autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection and park assist. 

Aside from the usual audio adjustments, nav controls, the infotainment screen also lets you know how much boost the turbo is churning out and even how many g’s you’re pulling on acceleration or in a corner. OK that last one may be a little mickey-mouse.

Rear seat passengers will profit from the straight roof with ample headroom and there’s enough (22.8 cu.ft.) luggage space with the rear seats up to carry a weekend’s worth of luggage for four to your destination and 53 cubic feet with the rear bench folded. And getting to the destination is what the GTI excels in.

On the road

Now in its seventh generation, the refinements just keep coming. Drivers will appreciate the larger brakes pirated from the Golf R parts bin. I didn’t experience any brake fade through my trip in the back roads of Quebec’s Laurentians and managed to scare the heck out of a Boxster driver, that ‘s how flat this car handles. If there was a weak link, it was the all-season rubber more tuned for a family sedan than a performance car.

The 6-speed dual clutch DSG automatic is a wonderful piece of engineering with launch control that will propel you down the road faster than any manual transmission, no matter how quick your shifting skills. There’s also the ability to go through the gears manually on the steering column mounted paddles. The GTI also features four driving modes, Eco, normal, sport and custom. Switch modes and both throttle and steering input response changes. I question however why the Eco mode, which lessens throttle response to the point of blandness, and makes the steering too light, why VW would include it in a car known for performance. Besides I still managed average 7L/100km even with my spirited drives.  

Electronically controlled limited slip differential helps you around the essess making an already great handler that much better.

But don’t think that for a moment the car’s performance suspension jars your spine. Even in Sport mode the GTI’s ride is comfortable, soaking up all but the biggest road imperfections.  

Not all is perfect

Sadly, not all is perfect in the Land of Oz, and neither is the GTI. The sunroof in my tester had an annoying squeak and the DSG (Direct-Shift Gearbox), as good as it is, would shut the engine off at red lights. Forcing me to restart the car manually as the stop/start feature deactivated. Volkswagen is already thinking of dropping the DSG trans because of complaints of hesitation when the light turns green – something I discovered is remedied by leaving it in manual mode. Lastly the tire pressure monitoring system kicked in with an erroneous low tire warning – a common ailment.

The verdict

Tough choice between the base car and the Autobahn, but having spent a week with the Autobahn, I would have to opt for the upscale model and forego the $1400 DSG. Regular readers know I’m biased towards manuals and with a car that’s as communicative as the GTI, the manual would just be that much more seductive.

The Golf offers mature styling, combing luxury, performance and agile handling like no other hot hatch. No wonder it has such a big following. Oh and while your spouse might say no way to many performance vehicles, the GTI may just be the wolf in sheep’s clothing to get you to live your dream. 

Price as tested: $39,045*  

Still not enough power? There’s always the 292 horsepower all-wheel-drive Golf R…. it’s only money.

* Dealer prep and destination fees not included

 Kia Stinger GT Limited: Kia’s big gamble brings big smiles

Suddenly the purveyor of sensible, economical, compact sedans and SUVs, Kia, has gone ape sh…oops, stir crazy and released a sedan that goes against everything it’s been known for and in the process released a performance sedan that I haven’t had this much fun with since my first time behind the steering wheel of Porsche’s Panamera. Ya, it’s that good.

Like the GTI, you just want to drive this car. Forget about the available 255 hp, 2.0L turbocharged four cylinder available in the base GT Line, the 3.3L twin turbo V6 mill is what your soul wants.

You might laugh when I tell you that the Stinger is touted as Korea’s answer to BMW’s 3-Series, but stay tuned and you’ll see why it’s not that insane of a claim. Penned by the same man that designed the Audi TT and the ’97 VW Golf, Peter Schreyer, the Stinger brings Teutonic design and engineering to the masses at affordable prices.

While the Stinger is available in either rear or all-wheel-drive elsewhere in the world, we Canucks only get the all-wheel-drive version. Available in three different trim levels beginning with the base GT Line which other than the 2.0L four includes Kia’s usual array of more bang for your buck - like leather seating, 18” wheels, 7” infotainment screen and a wireless phone charger for the paltry sum of $41, 895.  Next up the corporate ladder is the GT adding the deliciously quick 3.3L GDI twin turbo V6, Brembo brakes, 19”Michelin performance rubber, dynamic stability control and a full-width sunroof.  The GT Limited adds premium Nappa leather seating, heads up display, a 15-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, eight-inch infotainment screen with multimedia interface and nav.

Schreyer has moved up the ranks in Kia from designer to president. It’s easy to say that the Stinger is his baby and you can see his signature touches in things like the flat bottom steering wheel.

The end result is an edgy four-door grand touring sedan yet mature enough not to be mistaken for something out of a video game. There’s not a bad angle to the car but my personal favorite has to be the three quarter rear view, an angle that most other drivers will see. Schreyer’s design successfully combines luxury touches with sporty and stylish accents. Incorporating a high opening hatch to the family sedan eases access to the 23.3 cu.ft of cargo space in what otherwise would have been a miniscule trunk opening.  

Sit in the cockpit and you’re surrounded by metal, leather, plastic, but it all works. Schreyer’s love of airplanes is evident with the round aviation style vents on the dash and aluminum accents. Like the Sorento I reported on a couple of months ago, the Stinger’s interior is slick. The tilt and telescopic heated steering wheel has a memory feature found in pricier cars.

Luxury accouterments include air-cooled/heated Nappa leather front seats, heated rear seats, wireless cell charging, 360 degree camera system, as well as the usual gamut of items we find in today’s cars like lane keep, Android Auto/Apple CarPlay. The Stinger has the largest front seat passenger legroom I’ve seen in a very long time – think limo rear seat. Even with the front buckets pushed all the way back, the back seat still offers the adults in the back ample legroom but headroom is tight.

The open road

We’re talking autumn drives and the Kia surprises and feeds every sense of the driving experience. Schreyer saw a vision for Kia and he brought in ex BMW M Division boss, Albert Biermann to perform his magic on the Stinger.

Mr. Biermann’s input can be seen in the adrenaline inducing performance goodies which include items that are familiar to the Bavarian marque, like big Brembo brakes, 225/40R19 Michelin performance rubber and hi-performance shocks. The Stinger GT is the company’s first car to feature a continuously adaptive suspension system.

Yes we’re not getting the rear-wheel drive car but the good news is that this all-wheel-driver is rear-wheel drive biased so you can still toss the rear out, but the awd system will kick in and transfer up to 50% of the available torque to the front wheels when the need arises, so it’ll keep you out of trouble and make you look good in front of your friends.

The 8-speed automatic (with paddle shifters mounted on the steering wheel) is one of the smoothest quick shifting trannys going. Whether your climbing a steep grade, coming down the same grade, exiting the highway or accelerating to pass a slow semi, this tranny doesn’t miss a beat.

Set the launch control and the 376 lb-ft of torque will rocket you from zero to 100km just shy of 5 seconds, that’s faster than the V6 Porsche Panamera and the heads up display will keep you informed without taking your eyes off the road. Like the GTI, the Stinger’s Sport mode offers quick acceleration and crisp handling while not sacrificing anything in terms of cabin comfort. Steering is nicely weighted and the car has a nearly 50/50 weight balance thanks to the bulk of V6 being mounted longtitudely aft of the front axle.

This thing feels like a much smaller car, its agile, crisp and light on its feet. It corners flat and takes everything that you can throw at it and comes back for more.  Oh the large scoops flanking the grille and the vents behind the front wheels aren’t cosmetic, they’re open to let fresh air in and hot air to cool the big Brembos and keep fade to a minimum, not that I experienced any on my road trips.

The verdict

Affordable performance sedan isn’t an oxymoron any more. Kia has successfully managed to bring us German engineering and upped the ante for other manufacturers to give us affordable performance sedans. The affordability doesn’t end at the dealer; my fuel bill showed I averaged a very impressive 9.0L/100km with mostly highway travel.

Kia is gambling a lot on getting enthusiasts to take them as a serious performance/grand touring car company. The Stinger has won accolades from around the globe and rightfully so. Those of you who are still skeptics need only remember that it wasn’t too long ago that we never thought Toyota or Honda would be in the luxury car business going up against the likes of Mercedes. Stopping at the local shopping mall I was mauled by twenty something’s who wanted a closer look at the car.

“There’s a guy with a white one that works down the street and I saw another red yesterday.” It seems the younger generation is open minded to a Kia performance sedan and I’d be proud to have the Stinger in my driveway.  

If you’re looking for driving excitement and have been visiting Acura, Audi, Lexus and Porsche dealerships, do yourself and your family a favor and run don’t walk to you Kia dealership. Oh and did I mention the …warranty.  

Go ahead and book that weekend getaway in the Presidential Mountains of New England, you’ve got a great excuse to go.

Price as tested: $51,855*

*Includes freight, colour charge, and A/C tax

Oh and if you bring the kiddies to school, you’ll be the coolest mom and dad in the world pulling up in either of these rides.

[dipulb3]

The 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander is seriously worth your time

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/the-2022-mitsubishi-outlander-is-seriously-worth-your-time-3/

The 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander is seriously worth your time

Mitsubishi makes a lot more than just cars. This Japanese conglomerate manufactures everything from TVs and satellites to air conditioners and even nuclear reactors. The triple-diamond brand also claims to build the world’s only spiral escalator. But despite the groundbreaking products in other sectors, it’s been a long time since I’ve been able to recommend one of Mitsubishi’s automobiles. The 2022 Outlander, however, is so dramatically improved you should absolutely add it to your SUV shopping list.

Like

Standard third-row seat

Good fuel economy

User-friendly tech

Superb interior

Don’t Like

Third-row seat is just for kids

Not as sporty as it looks

Needs more oomph

Going Rogue

Mitsubishi has been allied with Nissan and Renault since 2016. Being a part of this international automotive coalition gives the company access to all kinds of cool stuff, like platforms and technology. This is why the new Outlander is fundamentally a Nissan Rogue underneath. The two vehicles feature the same powertrain and major dimensions, but they are not carbon copies. The 2022 Outlander’s tuning is totally different and it features unique interior materials. One other major distinction is the country of origin; the Outlander is assembled in Japan while the Rogue is screwed together in Tennessee.

Styling is another thing that sets this Mitsu apart from its Nissan sibling. The Outlander is slightly larger and far more attractive than before. I’ve got to say, this is a vehicle that looks much better in person than it does in photos. The front end is a lot more three-dimensional than it appears on a computer monitor or phone screen.

Have we met before?

Excluding the plug-in hybrid variant, which is still the previous-generation model (for now, at least), just one drivetrain is offered in the 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander: a 2.5-liter four-cylinder paired with a continuously variable transmission. If you’re acquainted with the Rogue, this powertrain combination should be as familiar. The engine delivers 181 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, which isn’t quite enough. Driven normally, this output is perfectly fine and has no trouble motivating the Outlander, but when you need to hustle or you’re transporting a full load, some more zest would be appreciated. At times, this Mitsubishi feels a step or three behind its turbocharged competitors, which include the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V and Mazda CX-5.

As for fuel economy, the top-shelf all-wheel-drive model seen here stickers at 24 miles per gallon city, 30 mpg highway and 26 mpg combined. In mixed use, however, I’ve been averaging better than 30, which is pretty remarkable.

Don’t expect any underhood fireworks here.

Craig Cole/Roadshow

Part of the reason this Mitsu is so economical is that it features a CVT. These transmissions are a big point of contention for a lot of enthusiasts these days, and while you may not love them, this one works reasonably well for what it is, responding quickly to throttle inputs and simulating gear changes under heavy acceleration for a somewhat more natural feel.

One classy cabin

The redesigned Outlander may be more attractive on the outside, but that’s only part of the story. Slide inside and about five seconds is all it takes to realize this is a whole new breed of Mitsubishi, and it’s seriously nice. Seriously.

From the clean, elegant dashboard design to the comfortable first- and second-row seats to the high-quality materials liberally employed, this SUV’s cabin is absolutely gorgeous. This SEL model with the Touring Package features real aluminum trim on the center console, beautiful contrast-color stitching and semianiline leather. I also adore the subtle diamond texture designers added to the window switches, a pattern that’s echoed on the air vent sliders, audio dials and driving mode selector. Nothing in this SUV looks cheap or feels flimsy, though the comely piano-black accents incessantly attract dust and smudges, so be aware of that and remember to bring some wet wipes.

The new Outlander’s interior is beautifully done, with loads of premium materials and an attractive design.

Craig Cole/Roadshow

The Outlander’s front bucket seats are super comfortable, supple enough to cosset your body yet still plenty supportive as to not cause undue fatigue on long trips. The second row is plenty cushy, too, though a skosh more legroom would be nice. Setting this SUV apart from the competition is its standard third-row seat. This is a great feature to have, on paper at least, but it’s super small, something Mitsu folks acknowledge. Really, it’s intended for children only, so don’t expect to cram your 6-foot, 4-inch uncle back there ’cause it ain’t going to end well.

Making life a little easier, there’s technology aplenty in the Outlander. Apple CarPlay is standard across the board, and on SE models and up it even connects wirelessly. Naturally, Android Auto is supported, too, though you’ll have to bring a cable. If you’re wondering, USB type-A and type-C ports are offered. Lower-end Outlanders feature an 8-inch infotainment screen, but this example is fitted with the fancy 9-inch display, which also comes with embedded navigation and a wireless charging pad. The infotainment system is, for the most part, straightforward and speedy, which is all you can really ask for, so no complaints here. If you need more screens in your life, a 12.3-inch reconfigurable instrument cluster is available, as is a 10.8-inch color head-up display.

Other available tech includes features like blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and automatic high beams, but the Outlander can be equipped with plenty of other amenities. And one must-have feature is Mi-Pilot Assist, basically Mitsubishi’s version of Nissan’s excellent ProPilot Assist adaptive cruise control system with lane centering. This feature works great, accurately tracking road lines and providing a very firm feel, much more so than competing systems. This practically makes the Outlander seem like a guided missile when you engage the system.

This redesigned Outlander has some pretty attractive angles, dontcha think?

Craig Cole/Roadshow

Refined, not sporty

When you’re not living life at redline, this SUV’s interior is impressively hushed, with minimal wind and road noise. In fact, it’s quiet enough to rival some luxury cars, which is pretty shocking for a mainstream SUV.

The Outlander’s steering is smooth and free of kickback, plus I love the thick steering wheel rim which is dressed up with perforated leather in this example. My tester’s 20-inch wheels (18s come standard on the Outlander) also look sharp, yet they don’t degrade the ride quality too much. This machine is reasonably firm but never abusive.

Mitsubishi is keen to bill the Outlander as a sportier alternative to other SUVs, but it isn’t. This vehicle is comfortable, refined and efficient, but it really doesn’t feel any livelier than competing car-based utility vehicles (especially when you bury the accelerator), which is just fine. It drives well for what it is and there’s generally little to complain about.

The 2022 Outlander is about as good as anything else it competes with.

Craig Cole/Roadshow

Pricing and availability

You can look for the 2022 Outlander at Mitsubishi dealerships very soon. The base price for a front-drive ES model is about 27 grand, but with the Touring Package, a couple options and $1,195 in delivery fees, this SEL example checks out for $37,995, which is a chunk of change to be sure. Justifying that price, however, the new Outlander is basically as nice as anything else in its class and when you throw in an excellent five-year/60,000-mile new vehicle guarantee as well as a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, this Mitsubishi becomes all the more appealing.

Sure, I wish the Outlander had a bit more powertrain gusto and I don’t always love that CVT, but its refinement, beautiful interior and loads of user-friendly tech are hard to argue with. In fact, this SUV may be better than the Nissan Rogue it shares so much with, which is a major win for the Mitsubishi brand.

[chiefmoondelusion]

Mac Os For Android Tablet

MobileTrans for Mac. MobileTrans for Mac (or you can use MobileTrans for Windows) is an. 【CREATIVELY WORK WITH ANDROID DEVICES】-Besides windows and mac os, M10K PRO pen tablet works with Android 6.0 or above version os phones, which support OTG function. 【PHONE MODE】- When under phone mode, no need install GAOMON driver. Work area is 158.8 x 89.3mm starts from left side of tablet.

Attaching a Second display to your existing Computer setup can be a huge productivity boost but before you hit the buy button on Amazon, ask yourself do you need a dedicated Monitor all the time? If your answer is some times, then I have the perfect solution for you.

Android tablet free download - Wacom Tablet, Android File Transfer, The Missing Sync for Android, and many more programs.

If you own an iPad, you must have heard Duet Display– a popular second monitor app for iPad. Thankfully, Android has them too. We tested almost every second monitor app for Android on the Google Play store, and here are our top picks. Let’s begin.

Use Your Android as a Second Monitor

Android smartphones and tablets are pretty versatile in terms of features, you can mirror your Android to another Android and as well as a computer. In general, you need need to install a second monitor app on your Android and install the app’s client app on your computer. Once done you can connect your Android to your computer, using a USB cable or WiFi (when both the devices are connected to the same network) and that’s it.

1. Spacedesk

Spacedesk is a popular choice to transform your Android into a second display monitor for Windows PC. You can connect your PC and Android via USB, Wi-Fi or LAN. The resolution is decent and you get touch support.

To get started, you need to install the necessary drivers on your Windows PC. If you need further help, here is a link to the documentation. The app is available for Windows 7 and above. Opening the app will automatically detect and display all PCs on the same server that has the drivers installed. Simply tap to connect. Launch the app on your Android and connect to your PC. The app should detect the IP address and name of your system.

To use your tablet or Android as an extended display, you just have to configure secondary display options in Windows. To do that go to the Control Panel and then Display Settings. Select Extend These Displays and click OK. You should now be able to use your Android as an extended display.

Spacedesk works well if you don’t want your phone to be bounded by a USB. But that’s the only complaint I have. Since it works wirelessly, there is a noticeable amount of lag. It’s good that you can switch to hotspot and USB.

Android File Transfer For Mac Os

Supported Medium: LAN, Wi-Fi, USB

Download Spacedesk (free)

2. Splashtop Wired XDisplay

Splashtop Wired XDisplay, as the name suggests, will require you to have a USB handy. Unlike Spacedesk, WiredXDisplay allows you to connect your phone only via USB. On the plus side, since you are connected by a wired medium, you get better resolution and frame rate. It supports Full HD resolution at 60 frames per second.

Wired XDisplay can be installed on both Mac and PC, giving it an edge over Air Display. Mobile apps are available for both Android and iOS. Splashtop uses USB over WiFi for one simple reason – it offers a more responsive and real-time experience. There is no lag whatsoever and you get a battery saver mode which drops the frame rate and resolution to save up on processing.

Supported Medium: USB

Download Splashtop Wired XDisplay (Free)

3. Google Remote Desktop

Like Remote Desktop for Windows, it also allows you to control your PC via your Android device. You can run commands on your PC from your Android phone. Basically, everything that you can do on your desktop can be done from the Android phone as well. Remote Desktop, like all Google products, is easy to use and simple to set up. You just need to have a working Gmail account. The ability to control your PC remotely is where it shines the most though.

Google Remote Desktop works seamlessly but you cannot use separate apps on both the screen. It doesn’t let you use your phone as an extended display.

Mac Os Android Tablet

Supported Medium: Internet

Run Mac Os On Android

Download Google Remote Desktop (free)

4. iDisplay

iDisplay is another display mirroring app on this list. iDisplay started with the macOS and iOS but quickly expanded to other Operating systems. You have apps for Windows and Android which makes it a good cross-platform solution. It supports 60 fps and plus offers multi-touch on the device you are using it on.

iDisplay has everything that the other app offers, with one caveat; USB support is not available for Android yet. It does support WiFi though and comes with multi-touch support.

Supported Medium: LAN, Wi-Fi, USB (except Android)

Download iDisplay ($18)

5. Air Display 2

Mac Os For Android Tablet Emulator

Air Display 2 works the same way for Mac the way Spacedesk does for Windows PC but it comes with a price of 14.99$. It turns your Android device into a secondary screen for your Macbooks. You can extend mirroring the screen to up to 4 secondary devices. On top of that, it also supports full HD displays.

It supports all the way back to Mac OS X 10.8 or Lion. You can also use your PC as a secondary screen for your Mac. But it doesn’t work the other way round like you cannot use Mac or any mobile device as a secondary screen for Windows. I read the FAQs section and it says they are working on a solution, but it also says that they are not “close enough” to provide an ETA.

On the plus side, it offers a more responsive experience thanks to the dynamic compression algorithm the team is using. It also supports retina display, something that is missing in Spacedesk. App also features Air Stylus which you can actually use the secondary device to draw designs on directly.

Mac Os For Android Tablet Download

Air Display works seamlessly but the issue is the pricing model. With every major upgrade Avatron Software i.e. the creator of Air Display increases the price. This is something which bothers long-time users like me but hey if money is not a problem then you are good to go. Another thing that bugs me is that you need to install Air Display Host on your iPhones, Androids, and PCs which you want to use as a secondary screen. But, Air Display can only be installed on Macs. So the cross-platform compatibility gets a little limited.

Download Air Display ($14.99)

6. Duet Display

Duet Display is a popular iOS app that allows you to mirror and extend your Mac’s display to your iPad or iPhone. And now that Apple is providing this feature natively via Sidecar, Duet Display is expanding its horizons with support for Android smartphones and tablets.

Also Read: Duet Display vs Sidecar: Is It Still Worth Paying for Duet Display?

Duet Display invited us to beta test their new app, and it worked fine on my Google Pixel and Windows 10. Although, I did encounter a few bugs such as connection breaks. Also, while you can connect your Android Smartphone wirelessly to a Windows computer, you still need to attach a USB cable if you want to use the Android app with macOS.

The app is competitively priced at $9.99 and offers a lot of features and supports a wide range of devices. You can get the app for both Android and iOS devices.

Download Duet Display ($9.99)

Use your Android Tablet as Monitor

These were some of the most efficient ways to create an extended display from your Android smartphones and tablets. Let me know how’s your experience with these apps and which one you ended up using for your devices.

[mortallyshadypatrol]

Full Mac Apps

On this website, I have covered a ton of paid apps, and that’s because in general, paid apps tend to offer more when compared to free apps. However, that does not mean that there are no good free apps out there. In fact, there are a ton of them. That’s why it is going to be a long article as I am bringing a list of 35 best free apps you can get for your Mac right now. Some of the apps on this list are evergreen and you most probably already have them installed on your device. But some of them are entirely new. Well, at least they are new to me and that’s the beauty of it. No matter, how old an app is, it is new for somebody out there. That said, no matter how avid a Mac user you are, I can bet that you will find new Mac apps in this article that you have never heard of before. So, open your Macs and get ready to download these awesome free Mac apps.

Facebook App For Mac

Video Download App For Mac

Mac Full Screen 2 Apps

Full Version Mac Apps

Best Free Mac App

Note: Be sure to read our must-have iPhone apps article to get the best apps for your iPhone in 2020.

Best Free Mac Apps You Should Install in 2020

While most of the apps in this list are free, some of them offer a paid option. That being said, when it comes to paid apps, I have only included those options that offer a generous free tier. I am using free versions of all the apps (that offer paid options) and find them suitable for most users. No app with a free trial or heavily restricted free tier has been included.

1. Audiobook Binder

The power of Mac. Taken further. Dedicated apps for music, TV, and podcasts. Smart new features like Sidecar, powerful technologies for developers, and your favorite iPad apps, now on Mac. Apr 06, 2020.

While you can listen to books in MP3 format, I like the M4B format more as it supports chapters. M4B is also the native format that Apple Books support. If you want to keep your music library separate from the book library, this is the format to use. Audiobook Binder is an app that lets you convert MP3 files into M4B files. It also lets you bind multiple MP3 files into a single M4B file and converts those MP3 files into chapters. You can also add custom book cover and edit book’s metadata including name, author, and narrator. I have been using this app for the past year and a half to listen to public domain audiobooks and lectures and it has never failed me.

Install:Free

2. LastPass

Password management is something people ignore. Since passwords are hard to remember and most third-party password managers charge a hefty monthly subscription fee, not everyone is aboard the strong and different password train. To those users, I suggest LastPass. LastPass offers a very generous free tier that allows you to use the software on two different machines. And if you want to use it on more, you can always use its web app that works everywhere. I have been using LastPass for the past two years to manage my passwords and I never had any problem.

Its apps are installed on my primary MacBook Pro (learn MacBook Pro tips and tricks) and my iPhone. Since it supports browser plugins and iPhone’s automatic password fill feature, I never have to type my password or remember them. All my passwords are secure, long, and use an alpha-numeric combination. If you are still using the same password everywhere or setting weak passwords, try out LastPass. It’s free for personal use and you have no excuses not to use it. Its one of the best free Mac apps that you can get.

Facebook App For Mac

Install:Free, $3/user/month

3. Brave

While I love Safari and use it for most of my tasks, it’s not perfect and I have to turn to other browsers from time to time. My biggest problem with Safari is its nescient extension library. Safari is also slow to adopt the latest web technologies. I know Apple does this to keep browsing private and secure, but sometimes it causes hindrance in my work. For a long time, I was using Chrome for this work but I hated two things about it. First, Google Chrome is a resource hog and decreases battery life, causes overheating, and several other problems. Second and more importantly, I don’t like sharing my data with Google more than I already do. It was one of the reasons why I switch from Android to iOS several years back.

The solution is the Brave browser. It’s a browser that is built on the same Chromium engine that Google Chrome uses, so you are getting all the features and extension support. But, since the creators focus on privacy, your data is always secure. It brings an automatic tracking blocker and even blocks most of the annoying ads. Since it blocks the most harmful scripts, you get to enjoy a faster internet. Also, in my testing, it’s far better than Google Chrome at handling resources. While it’s not as good as Safari, that’s a trade-off that I am ready to make. If you are also looking for a good Chrome alternative, you should try using the Brave browser.

Install:Free

4. CopyClip

CopyClip is a Mac utility that stores everything you copy in a clipboard. Copy-and-paste is so integral to our work that we cannot even imagine a time when this feature was not available. Still, Mac’s clipboard is probably the most neglected feature in the macOS. Even after so decades, you still cannot hold more than one entry in your clipboard. Enter, CopyClip. It’s a clipboard manager that saves entries into the clipboard. You can use a simple keyboard shortcut to easily copy any item and paste them anywhere you want. CopyClip not only saves text input but also preserves images and documents. While I use “Paste” for my clipboard management as it offers more features, for a free app, CopyClip works exceptionally well.

Install:Free

5. BBEdit

For a long time, it was hard to recommend a good free text editor on Mac. All the good ones were paid, and the free ones were just not up to the mark. Well, after a long hiatus, BBEdit, one of the most exemplary text editors, is back on the Mac App Store. For the past 20 years, BBEdit has been the text editor to beat and now that it’s back on the App Store with a freemium model, you can use it for free. Only the advanced features of BBEdit are hidden behind a paywall and 90% of regular users will not need those features.

Whether you want to write a long blog post, edit snippets of code, design website or web apps, BBEdit is the text editor to use. The best thing about BBEdit is how fast it works. It opens text files with hundreds of thousands of words in seconds and never falters. In my years of using this app, I have not lost even a single line of text. It has a powerful search that lets you locate and find keywords across files. There’s no free text editor out there that can match its prowess.

Install:Free, $49.99

6. NetNewsWire

The death of Google Reader placed a dark cloud over the future of RSS readers. But, if anything, RSS is showing a sign of resurgence in the past year or so. From the launch of acclaimed RSS reader app Reeder 4 to the rebirth of NetNewsWire, RSS readers are becoming popular again. And if you are looking to create a personal news feed, there’s no better app to do it with than NetNewsWire. Built on-top of free and open source reader named Evergreen, NetNewsWire is an excellent feed reader for Mac.

The app makes it easy to subscribe to RSS feeds and brings excellent search capabilities. It also brings a beautiful design and I adore its dark mode. It also supports online feed syncing services such as Feedbin. I still prefer Reeder 4 as it brings more features, but seeing how NetNewsWire is still young and free to use, I cannot fault it. If you are looking for a free RSS reader, you should try NetNewsWire.

Install:Free

7. DaVinci Resolve

While Macs come with a basic video editor for free (iMovie), anyone who is serious about video editing will have to go for the pro video editing apps. The problem with apps like Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere Pro is that they cost a lot. If you don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars, and still want to use a full-fledged video editor, DaVinci Resolve is the best option for you. Even when I am writing this, I cannot believe that such a capable video editor is free to use.

The latest version of the software, DaVinci Resolve 16 combines professional 8K editing, color correction, visual effects, and audio post-production all in one software tool. Color correction tools of DaVinci Resolve are better than most paid video editors including FCP and Premiere Pro. From custom timeline settings to facial recognition to keyframe editing, it brings all features that you require from a professional video editor. It is one of the best free Mac software that you can install. Free Mac apps don’t get better than this.

Install:Free

8. Folx

Folx is a powerful native download manager for Mac that not only works great but also looks cool. It features a true Mac-style interface and supports both direct and torrent downloads. The app also offers extensions for Safari, Chrome, Opera, and Firefox. The extensions help Folx in catching downloads and thus ensure that you are not using the crappy download manager of your browser. Folx can split downloads into multiple threads resulting in faster downloads and also support download pause and restart. The free version of the app is enough for most users. I was using it for years without any complaints. I only bought the paid version to support the developers. The extra features are nice to have but they have not drastically affected by usage.

Install:Free, $19.99

9. NightOwl

macOS Mojave introduced dark mode to our favorite desktop operating system. The dark mode on macOS Mojave is not half-cooked as it is on windows. When you turn on the dark mode on your Mac, not only it turns the system UI but also the stock apps. Not only that, apps that support automatic dark mode also adhere to the same guideline. Once you turn it on, they automatically default to dark mode.

While that's great in most situation, I wish Apple included a way to create a whitelist for apps that are not functional in dark mode. The default Mail app and the Evernote app are a few examples of an app that still work best in light mode. That's where NightOwl comes in. It's a menu bar app that allows you to create a whitelist of apps that you don't want to use in dark mode. Not only that, but it also allows you to quickly switch between dark and light mode with a simple click at its icon. You can read more about the app in our article here. The app is completely free to download and use with a voluntary donation.

Install:NightOwl

10. Unsplash Wallpapers

I want to start this article with an app which I have discovered just a couple of months back and have fallen in love. As its name suggests, Unsplash Wallpapers is a wallpaper app for Mac which gives you access to unlimited ultra-high resolution wallpapers for your Macs. One of the things that I love most about MacBooks is its display. Apple packs phenomenal displays on the Macs. Stop me if it’s just me, but I enjoy changing the wallpapers on a regular basis just because they look so damn beautiful on my Mac’s display.

Before I discovered Unsplash Wallpapers, it used to be a chore to change wallpapers. First, I had to find good wallpapers, then I had to download them, and only then I could use them. With Unsplash Wallpapers app, you can change the wallpaper just with one click. If you like a wallpaper, you can even download it. If you love wallpapers, you are going to love this free Mac app.

Install:Unsplash Wallpapers

11. The Unarchiver

This is one of the first free Mac apps that I download whenever I move on to a new Mac. The app is basically the best unarchiving app you can get for your Mac, free or otherwise. The Unarchiver cannot only unarchive common formats such as Zip, RAR (including v5), 7-zip, Tar, Gzip, and Bzip2, but it can also open formats such as StuffIt, DiskDoubler, LZH, ARJ, ARC, ISO and BIN disc images, Windows.EXE installers and more. Basically, it’s a one-stop solution for all your unarchiving needs.

Install:The Unarchiver

12. Amphetamine

We all know that Macs bring a long battery life and while some of it has to do with Apple’s excellent hardware, most of it is because of how macOS efficiently manages battery. One of the things that macOS does to preserve the battery life on your computer is to put it to sleep whenever you don’t interact with your Mac for a set period of time. While this is really good, sometimes you need to keep your Mac running even if you are not interacting with it. One of the examples that come to mind is when you are downloading a large file. If your Mac falls asleep during the download, it will stop it, and depending on the software that you are using to download the file, you might have to restart the download from the beginning.

Amphetamine solves this problem by allowing users to keep their Macs awake even when they are not doing anything. The app is powerful and allows users to keep their Macs awake for how much ever long they want. Not only that, users can also set triggers to keep their Macs awake. For example, you can tell Amphetamine to not put your Mac to sleep whenever a certain app is running. Lastly, it allows you to easily access all these features as it lives right there in your Mac’s menu bar. It’s one of the most useful apps for Macs and I love it.

Install:Amphetamine

13. GIPHY Capture

Gifs are all the rage today. More and more users are creating and sharing their own gifs. And if you want to be one of them then this is the tool you need. GIPHY Capture is an app that lets you capture and create gifs. Once you launch the app it will create a translucent green window with a capture button at the bottom. All you need to do is to drop the window on top of the video you want to capture and click on the capture button. Once you are done with the recording, click on the record button again to stop the recording. It is probably the easiest way to create gifs on your Mac.

Install:GIPHY Capture

14. Spectacle

Spectacle is one of the apps that I install instantly on a new Mac. Macs are good at many things but one thing that still eludes it is a good window management feature. Apple has not solved the window management problem in the latest macOS Catalina so I guess, we have to wait for one more year. In fact, the window management problem has become even worse in macOS Catalina in my opinion. If you are also fed up of Apple's native approach towards window management, you should Install Spectacle.

This is a simple menu bar app that allows you to easily resize and place windows with keyboard commands. I can easily set a window to either half of the display both vertically and horizontally, make it go full screen, snap it to the center, and more. Once you install this app, your window management workflow will become ten times faster.

Install:Spectacle

15. ImageOptim

ImageOptim is one of the most used free Mac apps on my MacBook Pro. In my line of work, I have to attach a ton of screenshots (like in this article). And before I upload any picture on my website, I pass it through ImageOptim. The app deletes all the unnecessary metadata such as GPS position and camera's serial number and compresses the image. This allows me to upload the image on the web without any privacy hazards and ensures that the file sizes are low.

The app is pretty easy to use. You just drag and drop images into its window and then click on the button at the bottom-right corner. If you share a ton of images on the web (whether on your blog or social media websites like Twitter and Facebook), it will be good for you to pass it through ImageOptim first. I have used paid image compression apps but nothing has been as good and as easy to use as ImageOptim.

Install:ImageOptim

16. Alfred 4

Alfred is an all-purpose tool for your Mac which can boost your productivity ten folds if you learn how to use it. Of course, there’s a learning curve to this app, but if you invest in it, it will pay you back. Alfred allows you to quickly launch apps, use text expansion snippets, search on the Mac and web, use hotkeys and keywords, and much more. Alfred used to be a paid app, but the developers were kind enough to release the app for free. There are add-on power packs that you can buy, to use cool features like Alfred workflows. But, for most normal users, the free app itself is enough to boost their productivity.

Install:Alfred 4

17. Pocket

Pocket is a popular read it later service which allows you to save articles offline so that you can read them later. I mostly browse for articles on my Mac and whenever I find something that I would want to read, I just save it in Pocket. Pocket has an excellent Safari extension that allows me to save articles and read them later. Since Pocket syncs across devices, all my saved articles are automatically synced to my iPhone where I can read them at my will. Recently, I have also started using Pocket as a research tool. Since Pocket allows me to organize saved articles using tags, I just tag the items I am using for research so that I can find them easily later.

Install:Pocket

18. Spark

Spark is my most favorite free app on Mac. For those who don’t know, Spark is an email client for Mac. I love spark because it intelligently categorizes all the emails that I receive into different categories, giving me access to the most important emails first. It also has a very robust set of features. I can easily snooze, archive, delete, and tag emails. I also love the fact that it allows me easily search for emails using natural language search. I can also search for emails based on attachments, and more. Lastly, Spark also has apps for both iOS and watchOS so no matter which device I am on, I can user Sparks to get through all my emails.

Install:Spark

19. GIMP

GIMP or GNU Image Manipulation Program is an open source photo editor for Mac which packs so many features that you won’t be able to discover all of them in your lifetime. It is basically Photoshop but free. You can use GIMP to perform any kind of image manipulation that you can think of. That said, since it packs so many features, GIMP also has a pretty steep learning curve. Also, being a free an open-source project, its user interface is not very intuitive and feels archaic. That’s why I recommend GIMP only to those users who need a robust photo editing software but cannot afford to buy one.

Install:GIMP

20. DarkTable

As per the description of the app on its website, 'DarkTable is an open source photography workflow application and raw developer. A virtual light-table and darkroom for photographers. It manages your digital negatives in a database, lets you view them through a zoomable light-table, and enables you to develop raw images and enhance them'.

Basically, it is super powerful photo editing app for Mac that allows you to use pro-level photo editing features for free. You are required to learn the app as it has a steep learning curve but once you get used to it, you won't go back to even the best-paid photo editing apps on the market. This one is definitely one of the free Mac apps that you can download in 2019.

Install:DarkTable

21. Simplenote

Simplenote is one of the best designed free Mac apps you can find. As its name suggests, Simplenote is an easy note taking app which allows you to easily jot down notes. What I love about this app is that even though it is completely free, your notes are synced across devices. Apart from its online sync features, I am also a fan of its clean user interface. Simplenote is also a really good app for someone who is looking for a clean app to write long-form content. You can use tags to organize notes easily and search for them using either their title, content, or tags. I have been using this app for quite a few years and I still don’t understand how it’s free. If you love writing, you will love Simplenote.

Install:Simplenote

22. Itsycal

Itsycal is an open source small menu bar calendar application for Mac. If you like Fantastical 2 for Mac, but hate that it’s priced so high, Itsycal is for you. Although Itsycal is nowhere as powerful as Fantastical 2, it brings all the basic features that you would want from a menu bar based calendar app. It shows you month view of your calendar, your upcoming events, and also allows you to create or delete events. I also love the fact that I can configure Itsycal to show not only the date but also the month and the day in the menu bar icon itself. It’s a good menu bar application and a must have for anyone who schedules everything on their calendar.

Install:Itsycal

23. Audacity

Audacity is one of those free Mac apps that is even better than most of the paid apps out there. For those who don’t know, Audacity is an audio editor app for your Mac (available for Windows PC too). If you are someone who deals with a ton of audio, you must have already heard about this software. If you have not, you probably don’t need it. Still, it’s such a good app that I couldn’t keep it away from the list. Just remember that if you ever need to edit an audio file to make it better, Audacity is the tool to do it.

Install:Audacity

24. Lightworks

Lightworks is a full-fledged video editing app which gives you access to all the tools that you will need to get your video editing on. To be fair, Lightworks also sell a Pro version of the app, however, the free version is powerful enough to handle most of the tasks. Whether you are a budding YouTuber or someone who just want to give an edge to their homemade videos, Lightworks is the right tool for you. What I love most about this app is that the website gives you ample tutorial videos to get you started. If by any chance you were looking for a free video editing software, look no further and download Lightworks.

Install:Lightworks

25. HiddenMe

HiddenMe is a small menu bar app which comes in very handy at times when you want to show a clean desktop without having to organize your stuff. The app lives in your menu bar and allows you to do one thing and one thing only, and that’s hiding everything on your desktop. With a click of the button, everything that’s on your desktop is hidden, giving you access to a clean desktop. I constantly use this app whenever I am giving a presentation or taking screenshots of my desktop for an article. This small application has saved me from embarrassing myself a number of times and it can do that for you too.

Install:HiddenMe

26. AppCleaner

Do you know that whenever you delete an app on your Mac, it leaves behind a ton of residual files which does nothing but eating up storage on your Mac? Well, it’s true and if you install and uninstall a ton of apps, you might have lost gigabytes of storage already. While there’s another app on this list which (Onyx) which can help you recover that storage, AppCleaner is an app which makes sure that the apps you delete don’t leave any residual files. Just launch the app and drag and drop the apps that you want to uninstall and it will take care of the rest. It is a must-have utility tool for any Mac user who wants to keep their Mac clean.

Install:AppCleaner

27. LiteIcon

LiteIcon is the app from the same developers who made the AppCleaner. It is a simple app which allows you to change your system icons quickly and easily. Simply drag an icon onto the one you want to change, and click the Apply Changes button. That's all you need to do. If you want your older icon back, just drag out the new icon. If you like to customize how your icons look on Mac, try out LiteIcon.

Install:LiteIcon

28. GrandPerspective

I have written about GrandPerspective a couple of times on this website and you might be familiar with it by now. For those who are new to our website, it’s an app which allows you to visualize storage on your Mac. Using GrandPerspective you can easily find out which files are using how much storage and find and delete the files which are not necessary. GrandPerspective is a very nice app for anyone who doesn’t have any idea as to where all his/her Mac’s storage went.

Install:GrandPerspective

29. Manuscript

Manuscript is a free Mac writing app for students which makes writing school assignments including dissertation easier. Manuscript is a powerful writing app which allows students to complete their assignments right from the planning stage to completing it. It lets students easily insert citations, figures, tables, mathematical equations, and more. The app also allows for importation of citations from various tools including Mendeley, Zotero, Papers 3, Bookends, and EndNote. If you are a student who is looking for a good writing app, you don’t have to look any farther than Manuscript.

Install:Manuscript

30. IINA

IINA is an open-source video player for your Mac which offers one of the best amalgamations of features and user interface. The app looks extremely beautiful and supports all the modern features including force touch, picture-in-picture, and even offers Touch-bar controls for the latest MacBook Pros. IINA also supports almost all the video formats that you can think of, including the ability to play even GIFs. The app also comes with theming capabilities allowing you to use either light or dark themes. I have discovered this app just a few weeks back and I am already in love with it. If you consume a ton of media on your MacBook Pro, this is the right app for you.

Install:IINA

31. OnyX

OnyX is your one-stop solution for all your Mac’s maintenance needs. In fact, I cannot describe the app better and more succinctly than what’s written on its website. OnyX is a multifunction utility that you can use to verify the structure of the system files, to run miscellaneous maintenance and cleaning tasks, to configure parameters in the Finder, Dock, Safari, and some of Apple's applications, to delete caches, to remove certain problematic folders and files, to rebuild various databases and indexes, and more. However, do remember that it is an advanced tool and hence before you do anything, make sure that you get familiar with the app as you don’t want to delete files which can corrupt your entire system.

Install:Onyx

32. SpotMenu

The last app on our list the SpotMenu app which is a nifty little menu bar application. The app basically allows you to control your iTunes and Spotify music player from the menu bar giving you access to controls such as play, pause, forward, and rewind. It’s a pretty basic application, however, it does come in handy. One thing that I like about the app is that it shows the name of the song that is currently playing right on your Mac’s menu bar. When you click on the icon, the drop-down window which harbors all the features also showcase the album art of the song that you are playing.

Install:SpotMenu

33. White Noise Lite

White Noise Lite is an app that helps you sleep better. If you are a light sleeper who wakes up multiple times in the night without any apparent reason then this app can help you sleep better. It brings fifty different HD quality ambient environment noises to help you sleep. The app brings a beautiful cover flow design which lets you easily swipe between cards to select different tasks. Although the app markets itself as a sleep enhancer, I mostly use to provide background music when I am working as it helps me concentrate. You should download this app right now and see if it helps you sleep better or work better. Whatever the result, you will be better off with this one in your arsenal.

Install:White Noise Lite

34. Shazam

Shazam is an app that needs no introduction. The app helps you discover songs by identifying whatever song is playing in the background. I personally use Shazam more as a tool to keep the list of songs that I have discovered. Suppose I am listening to a song and YouTube and want to save it. I just click on the menu bar icon of Shazam and it identifies the song and saves it on the list. I don't have to write it down anywhere. Later I can see the list and add to my Apple Music Playlist at my convenience. Shazam is a great app for discovering and keeping track of music that you like.

Install:Shazam

35. Muzzy

You know how when you accidentally yank headphones out of your iPhone, the music suddenly stops, well, Muzzy brings that functionality to your Mac. The app also does a lot of other things like allowing users to play, pause, and change the music from its menu bar app, integrates with Last.fm, shows songs lyrics, and more. However, I don’t care for any other features and I just use this app to stop music whenever I accidentally yank my headphones out. Sadly, the app only works if you are playing music through iTunes.

Install:Muzzy

Best Free macOS Apps: Final Thoughts

I hope that you found some apps which are useful to you. Do let me know which of these were your favorite and which ones you discovered. Also, if you know free apps that deserve to be on the list but aren’t, drop their names in the comments section. That’s all I have for this article. If you liked this article, share this on your social media profiles because we need your help to get the word out. As always, drop your opinions and suggestions in the comments section down below. We love to hear from our readers and your comments are always welcome.

You can browse and buy apps in the App Store on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, on your Apple Watch, on your Mac, or on your Apple TV.

Browse and buy

To download and buy apps from the App Store, you need an Apple ID. Your Apple ID is the account that you use to access Apple services. If you use other Apple services like iCloud, sign in to the App Store with the same Apple ID. If you don't have an Apple ID, you can create one.

If you're in the App Store on any of your devices and see the download button near an app, you already bought or downloaded that app. When you tap or click the download button , the app downloads to your device again, but you are not charged again. You can also see a list of apps that you purchased and redownload them.

Learn what payment methods you can use to buy apps and other content. You can also create an Apple ID without a payment method when you download a free app.

How to buy apps on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

Tap the App Store app on your Home screen.

Browse or search for the app that you want to download, then tap the app.

Tap the price or tap Get. You might need to sign in with your Apple ID. If you find a game that says Arcade, subscribe to Apple Arcade to play the game.

After your app finishes downloading, you can move it to a different spot on your Home screen. Apps stay up-to-date by default, but you can learn more about updating apps.

You can make additional purchases within some apps. If you set up Family Sharing, you can use Ask to Buy so that kids must get permission before they make in-app purchases. Learn more about in-app purchases.

If an app is sold with an iMessage app or sticker pack, you can open it in Messages.

How to buy apps on your Apple Watch

With watchOS 6, you can download apps directly from the App Store on your Apple Watch. You can also add apps to your Apple Watch from your iPhone.

Open the App Store app.

Browse or search for the app that you want to download, then tap the app.

Tap the price or tap Get. You might need to sign in with your Apple ID.

Apps stay up-to-date by default, but you can learn more about updating apps.

If you set up Family Sharing, you can use Ask to Buy so that kids must get permission before they download an app or make an in-app purchase. Learn more about in-app purchases.

Video Download App For Mac

How to buy apps on your Mac

Open the App Store.

Browse or search for the app that you want to download. Apps for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch don't always have a version for Mac.

Click the app.

Click the price, then click Buy App. If you don't see a price, click Get, then click Install App. You might need to sign in with your Apple ID. If you find a game that says Arcade, subscribe to Apple Arcade to play the game.

Mac Full Screen 2 Apps

After your app finishes downloading, you can find it and keep it organized in Launchpad. Apps stay up-to-date by default, but you can learn more about updating apps.

You can make additional purchases within some apps. If you set up Family Sharing, you can use Ask to Buy so that kids must get permission before they make in-app purchases. Learn more about in-app purchases.

How to buy apps on your Apple TV

Open the App Store on your Apple TV.

Browse or search for the app that you want to download, then select the app.

Select the price or select Get. You might need to sign in with your Apple ID. If you find a game that says Arcade, subscribe to Apple Arcade to play the game.

After your app finishes downloading, you can move it around on your Home screen. Your apps will update automatically.

You can make additional purchases within some apps. You can use Restrictions to restrict, block, or allow in-app purchases. Learn more about in-app purchases.

The App Store isn’t available on Apple TV (3rd generation or earlier).

Get information about an app

If you want to know specific information about an app, like what languages the app is available in, the app’s file size, or its compatibility with other Apple devices, scroll to the bottom of an app’s page. You might be able to tap some sections to learn more.

You can also contact the app developer for help with an app's functionality.

Get help with billing

Full Version Mac Apps

Learn what to do if you see a charge from an app that you don't recognize.

Learn how to cancel an in-app subscription.

If you can’t update your apps because your payment method is declined, update or change your payment method.

If you have another issue with an app, report a problem or contact Apple Support.

Learn more

Best Free Mac App

If your App Store is missing or you can't find it on your device, you might have parental controls turned on. Adjust your iTunes & App Store Purchases settings and make sure that you choose 'Allow' for the Installing Apps setting.

Learn what to do if an app unexpectedly quits, stops responding while installing, or won't open.

Learn what to do if you can't download apps, or if apps get stuck.

If you want to download apps that are larger than 200 MB over cellular, go to Settings > [your name] > iTunes & App Store, then tap App Downloads and choose the option that you want.

If you bought part of an apps bundle, the price of the full apps bundle is reduced by the amount you already spent.

[dipulb3]

2021 Chevy Suburban review: The incredible bulk

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/2021-chevy-suburban-review-the-incredible-bulk/

2021 Chevy Suburban review: The incredible bulk

Size matters, and if you want something big, the Suburban certainly is.

Craig Cole/Roadshow

If bigger truly is better, then the 2021 Chevrolet Suburban is one of the best SUVs ever made. From width to wheelbase, length to height, this new model is larger than its already-husky predecessor. Thanks to those outsized dimensions, this machine has an enormous appetite for passengers and cargo, making it ideal for large families or folks that regularly transport bulky freight. Fortunately, though, size isn’t everything. There’s plenty to like about the new Suburban that has nothing to do with its enormous dimensions.

Like

Comfortable in all three rows

Excellent infotainment tech

Refined powertrain

High-quality cabin

Don’t Like

Intimidating dimensions

Ponderous to drive

Gets pricey

The Suburban’s new and much-needed independent rear suspension provides numerous benefits, not the least of which is greater comfort in the aft-rows of seats. In my Premier test model, which is one step down from the range-topping High Country trim, the front chairs are supportive and nicely contoured. The second row is plenty spacious, and the seats adjust easily, even folding down and tipping up in one smooth motion to give you a broad path to access the third row, which can now comfortably accommodate adult passengers. Legroom and headroom are ample in the way-back, and the lower cushion is nicely elevated from the floor. Thanks to its extra passenger space, the new Suburban would be a great road-trip vehicle.

Climbing aboard, you feel almost tiny in this SUV because its dashboard is high and the interior wide enough that leaning over to touch the opposite door panel is a struggle. Intimidating dimensions aside, this Chevy’s cabin is pleasant. None of its materials or controls are luxury-car upscale, but nothing is flagrantly cheap, either. Everything is tightly assembled and handsomely laid out. The climate controls, which reside at the bottom of the center stack, are dead-simple to use and the new toggle-switch electronic shifter is easy to reach and immediately intuitive, though that didn’t stop me from pawing the air in search of a traditional column-mounted shifter. If you’ve got a lot of junk to stash, the Suburban’s center-console bin is huge and there’s an array of other pockets and nooks, including a nifty little cubby with a sliding lid right on the dashboard.

Popping up from the Suburban’s center stack is a 10.2-inch display, which is standard on every model. The viewing angles could be a touch better as there’s a slight color shift when you’re not looking squarely at the screen, but this is a minor complaint. The Suburban’s infotainment system is superb, snappy and intuitive. Also, thanks to the display’s generous proportions, all of the icons and menu buttons are large and finger friendly. Upping the ante, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both standard, though an integrated navigation system costs extra.

The new Suburban’s interior is comfortable and of high quality.

Craig Cole/Roadshow

Forward collision alert, automatic emergency braking, rear parking assist and a high-definition reversing camera are all standard fare for 2021. But setting my Premier-trim Suburban apart from lesser models is plenty of useful equipment. It features blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, frontal parking sensors and lane-keeping assist, which isn’t quite as effective as I’d like. Additionally, this vehicle is fitted with the $4,485 premium package, which includes goodies like a panoramic sunroof, a multicolor head-up display and even a super-useful 360-degree camera system, which gives you a range of different views to help make parking and low-speed maneuvering easier. This options group also includes adaptive cruise control. Chevy’s implementation of this technology isn’t the smoothest I’ve experienced, but it works well enough in most situations.

Predictably, the Suburban feels huge, almost like it takes up two-and-a-half lanes. The steering is appropriate for a vehicle of this size, moderately sharp and about as responsive as you could hope. Like GM’s other redesigned body-on-frame SUVs, three suspension setups are offered in this Chevy. Coil springs with regular shock absorbers are standard, you can also get coil springs with magnetic dampers, and then there’s a four-corner air suspension with magnetic dampers, which is only offered on Z71 and High Country models. My tester is fitted with the middle offering, which provides a beautiful ride, one that’s superior to the Yukon Denali I recently evaluated. I suspect that’s because the Chevy’s 20-inch aluminum wheels are significantly lighter than the GMC’s gargantuan 22s. It certainly wouldn’t be due to curb weight; there’s only a 3-pound difference between these two vehicles. Overall, this Chevy feels smooth and planted, its independently sprung rear never shimmies from side to side or bucks while going over large road imperfections.

Under its chest-high hood, the Suburban’s standard, 5.3-liter V8 is a bit overmatched. Unladen, its 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque provide decent acceleration, though it can feel a touch asthmatic climbing hills, fighting against gravity and this Suburban’s 5,824 pounds. Load it up and you will almost certainly pine for the 420-hp, 6.2-liter V8 which, unfortunately, is only offered in the High Country model. Oh well, at least the base engine is smooth and throaty sounding, plus the standard 10-speed automatic transmission, which was codeveloped with Ford, is a jewel. Responsive and refined, this gearbox’s tuning is far better than the Blue Oval’s, which often feels clunky.

Yep, there’s a V8 engine buried underneath all that black plastic.

Craig Cole/Roadshow

Another reason to opt for that larger engine is efficiency. With four-wheel drive, a Suburban with the 5.3-liter V8 is rated at 15 miles per gallon city and 19 mpg highway. In my hands, this vehicle is returning about 17 mpg in mixed driving, precisely its combined fuel-economy score. Stepping up to the 6.2-liter engine comes with scarcely any penalty. A comparable Suburban fitted with that powerplant is rated at 14 mpg city, 19 highway and 16 mpg combined. Too bad that bigger V8 isn’t offered across the range. Before the year is out, a 3.0-liter diesel engine will also be available.

As for capability, my tester is rated to tow up to 8,100 pounds. Maximum payload clocks in at 1,657 pounds. Cargo volume behind the third-row measures 41.2 cubic feet, an impressive amount. Fold the aft-most bench down, and that number grows to 93.8 cubes. Drop my tester’s second-row buckets and it offers 144.7 cubic feet of hauling volume, 23.2 more than you get in a comparable Ford Expedition Max.

You could do a lot worse than the 2021 Chevy Suburban.

Craig Cole/Roadshow

Matching its voluminous body, the Suburban seen here checks out for an astonishing $74,080, including $1,295 for destination. That is a lot of greenbacks for what should be a mass-market vehicle. As always, if you can make do with less — fewer features, a more workaday cabin and reduced capability — an entry-level, rear-wheel-drive LS model can be had for 53 grand, a much more approachable price.

The 2021 Chevrolet Suburban is a big deal, and not just because of its increased size. A far nicer interior, improved dynamics and loads of available high-tech goodies make this three-row SUV an excellent choice if you need a larger vehicle or just like intimidating other drivers.

[pogueman]

Google's Pixel Buds: Wireless earbuds for the extremely tolerant

Google’s Pixel Buds really sounded like they’d be pretty great. Imagine: Google’s version of Apple’s wireless AirPods. Same $160 price, same earbud-recharging carrying case (good for 24 hours’ worth of earbud recharges), and the same ability to let you speak, hands free, to your synthesized voice assistant, without having to pull the phone out of your pocket.

In fact, they sounded better than the AirPods, because the right and left earbuds are reassuringly connected by a wire instead of completely detached. The assistant is Google Assistant, which lots of people find superior to Siri. And above all, Google Translate is built in.

This is it! This is the “Star Trek” communicator! This is the Babel Fish! This is you, going forth into China or Norway or Brazil and having conversations with the locals—they speak, and you hear the English translation in your ears! For $160!

Or not.

As it turns out, the Pixel Buds sound terrific for music and respond well to Assistant requests. But the real-time translation thing is kind of a bust.

The Pixel Buds are wireless in the sense that they don’t plug into your phone—but there is a cord connecting the buds.

Meet the Case

The Pixel Buds come in a strange little clamshell case. It’s cheap-feeling plastic, covered with some kind of felt or fabric.

The buds charge in their fabric-covered case, thanks to a USB-C cable.

The earbuds themselves last 5 hours on a charge, but the case contains a recharging battery good for a total of 24 hours of earbud power. The case is otherwise a misfire, though. First, there are no indicators on the outside of it. Just to see if it’s charging, or how full the charge is, you have to open it and remove the earbuds. Baaaad design.

Second, the case doesn’t close unless the earbud cable is completely clear of the edges. To do that, you’re supposed to snap the right and left earbuds into their corresponding holes, and then wrap the fabric-covered cable twice around the case prongs, then thread it up the center and tap it flat.

It’s such a production that Google felt the need to include a diagram on the inside of the lid.

The latest Google phones don’t have headphone jacks—so Google offers these wireless earbuds.

Meet the Buds

The Buds are fussy in another way, too.

I have goofy ear cartilage; like about 10% of the population, I’m missing the antitragus, the bottom cartilage flap that holds most earbuds in. As a result, I can’t keep these things in my ears—they fall out constantly—and when they are in, the hard plastic gets painful after only a few minutes. I haven’t heard other people complain about the Buds falling out, but complaints about the discomfort are common.

The earbud cord goes through a hole in the bottom of the bud and then doubles back down into the top, forming a loop. You’re supposed to tuck this loop into your upper ear cartilage to help hold the thing in place. Unfortunately, the loop’s size tends to slip when you take the buds in or out of your ears, so you wind up having to adjust them often.

You’ll spend a lot of time fussing with the Loop.

All of this means that the Pixel Buds are fussy and inconvenient to get in and out, especially compared to the AirPods (sorry, Apple haters). With those, when you want to listen to something—say, a Facebook video that you decide to play—you just flip open the case’s lid, grab a bud, and slap it in.

Note, too, that these buds aren’t intended to block background noise. That’s good from a safety standpoint—you’ll hear traffic—but not so great for use on planes and downtown, where ambient noise will ever be with you.

Bud Control

Each Pixel Bud is made of two globs of plastic: One that’s supposed to go into your ear, and a larger part that’s touch sensitive (on the right earbud only).

You tap this surface to play/pause music or answer/hang up calls; double-tap it to hear notifications or your upcoming appointments; and you keep your finger pressed on it when you want to talk to Google Assistant.

These massive plastic bulbs aren’t the most comfortable thing to jam in your ears.

In that regard, the Buds are terrific: You don’t have to say “OK Google” before every command. Just touch that right bud surface, in the manner of a newscaster saying, “This just in!”

You can also swipe forward on that bud surface to adjust the volume when music is playing. That’s a lot more convenient than having to speak your volume-adjustment commands, as you must on the AirPods.

Google Assistant works exceptionally well with the Buds— if your phone runs Android Marshmallow or a later version (that’s the late 2015 edition). You can listen to notifications, dictate texts and emails, ask for information, place and answer calls, start and stop music—all without ever hauling your phone from your pocket. It’s just incredibly responsive and quick.

The only problem with that touch-sensitive right-bud surface is that it’s hard to avoid touching it during the origami session of putting the buds back into their case. You wind up starting music playback accidentally. Auuugh.

(One last comparison: The Apple AirPods pause music automatically when you remove one from your ear, and resume the music when you put it back in. The Pixel Buds, lacking the “Am I in the ear?” sensor, doesn’t do that, and you really miss it.) Live Translation!? And now what we’ve all been waiting for: live real-time language translation!

Sort of.

First, it works only with Google’s own Pixel 2 phone. If you have any other Android phone, you’re out of luck.

Here’s how it works.

You open up Google Translate, touch your earbud, and say, “Help me speak French” (or whatever language).

You hand your phone to the French speaker. While pressing your right earbud, you say, “Excuse me. I’ve hurt my foot. Is there a hospital nearby?”

The phone thinks for a moment (assuming you have an internet signal), and then both speaks and displays the French version: “Excusez-moi. Je me suis fait mal au pied. Y a-t-il un hôpital à proximité?”

You point to the little microphone button on the lower-right side of the screen, and gesture for the French speaker to hold it down while speaking. She might say, for example, “Vous devrez prendre le train pour Paris. Il n’y a rien autour d’ici.”

After she does so, you hear, in your earpiece, her answer: “You’ll have to take the train to Paris; there’s nothing around here.”

Repeat from step 3 to continue the conversation.

The translation feature is no better or worse than just using the Google Translate app by itself.

The translations—well, they’re exactly what you’d see on Google’s Translate web page. A perfect translation is rare; usually, you get the gist; and sometimes, you get hilarious or disastrous misfires. (I told a Chinese-speaking friend, “I love your work! You should get a promotion!” And she heard, in Chinese, “I want your job. You need some improvement.”)

The dirty little secret is that you can do this translation stuff without the Pixel Buds, and without a Pixel phone. Any Android phone running the Google Translate app does all of this already; the only difference is that you’re hearing the English translation in your earbuds instead of from the phone’s speaker.

(If you do have a Pixel phone, another benefit awaits: Automatic pairing when you open the charging case. That’s supposed to make a “Connect?” message pop up on the phone, so a single tap makes the connection. I had a lot of trouble getting that to happen, though; I wound up having to press the Pair button inside the case. Speaking of pairing: You have to pair these things manually every time you switch devices—from phone to laptop, say. It’s not automatic, as it is on the Apple ones.)

Not your best buds

There are lots and lots of fantastic wireless earbuds; here’s my review of 40 of them. Most of them cost less than the Buds, fit more comfortably and solidly, and don’t require any Boy Scout knot-tying every time you put them away.

What they don’t do, of course, is let you touch the right earbud when you want to speak to Google Assistant. But the Pixel Buds command a very steep price—in usability, convenience, comfort, and dollars—for that luxury.

More from David Pogue:

Royal Caribbean’s big bet on new tech

Battle of the 4K streaming boxes: Apple, Google, Amazon, and Roku

iPhone X review: Gorgeous, pricey, and worth it

Inside the Amazon company that’s even bigger than Amazon

The $50 Google Home Mini vs. the $50 Amazon Echo Dot — who wins?

The Fitbit Ionic doesn’t quite deserve the term ‘smartwatch’

Augmented reality? Pogue checks out 7 of the first iPhone AR apps 

David Pogue, tech columnist for Yahoo Finance, is the author of “iPhone: The Missing Manual.” He welcomes nontoxic comments in the comments section below. On the web, he’s davidpogue.com. On Twitter, he’s @pogue. On email, he’s poguester@yahoo.com. You can read all his articles here, or you can sign up to get his columns by email. 

[bh944]

2018 Honda Fit Sport 6MT Review

By Bradley Harris

So I'll admit... I ended up getting behind the wheel of my Lunar Silver 2018 Honda Fit Sport rather unexpectedly. I wasn't even totally sure about getting a new (to me) car, as I had no down payment, and have recently been making the majority of my income from Uber, which is a hard gig to get financing approval on. However, I got an email from a Honda dealer advertising financing for all, so I decided to give it a try at least.

When I arrived, I specified that if at all possible, I'd like a car with a manual transmission. As luck would have it, the only manual car available was a slightly used Fit Sport. After a quick test drive, I liked the look and was rather impressed with the transmission and unexpectedly peppy pickup, the space, and the Android Auto integration. On top of that, the dealer was willing to give me some time with the car to earn the down payment with Uber, so I said, "Let's make this deal happen!" As it turns out, I couldn't imagine many other cars making me happier to drive it with Uber than this car, and really, it is simply a solid automotive value - period.

In terms of exterior styling, I rather like the car a lot. This is where the "Sport" trim moniker makes the most impact, as exterior aesthetic upgrades are the only changes Honda made in creating the Sport trim, other than adding contrasting orange stitching to the otherwise very very black interior, which at least has varied textures and some metallic finishes to keep it from looking like a black hole of plastic. Honda added sporty-looking front and rear bumper caps with orange trim lines, as well as sill extensions, a roof spoiler, and gloss black wheels to achieve a sportier look, and by most accounts, it's successful. I've received a few compliments on the look of the car.

Overall, "Fit" is perhaps the most apropos name Honda could have given this car. It's diminutive dimensions, at 161.8 inches long, 67 inches wide, and 60 inches tall mean that it can fit in even some of the tightest parking spaces without issue, making it ideal for impacted parking areas in urban environs. Don't let its small size fool you, though, as its capacious interior, assisted by that 60 inch height, has 39.5 inches of headroom in the front seats and 37.5 inches in the rear, 41.4 inches of front / 39.3 inches of rear legroom, and 54.8 inches of front / 52.6 inches of rear shoulder room. I've regularly had people 6' - 6'2" sit in the front seat without complaint with someone comfortably seated behind them that was anywhere from 5'2" to 5'9". I myself, at 5'10", find the Fit accommodates me quite well seated behind myself, with 3 inches of additional kneeroom between me and the front seat no less! A very regular comment I get is, "Wow! What car is this again? It's so roomy in here!" Honda's designers and engineers have achieved nothing short of a small miracle getting so much space from such compact dimensions.

In terms of luggage space, it has 16.6 cubic feet with the "Magic Seat" second row up and 52.7 cubic feet with it down, so called magic because with one pull of the lever located on the back of each section of the 60/40 split folding seat, the seat goes down in one fell swoop to create a totally flat rear load floor. For reference, that 16.6 cubes of space with the seat up is as much as you'll get in the trunk of most mid-size family sedans, including Honda's own Accord, at 16.7 cubic feet, and it's incredibly useable, with only minor intrusions from the spaces for the rear shocks. I once helped an Uber rider cart home 7 large plants from Home Depot, folding the 60 section of the Magic Seat to accomodate it all. We both were impressed. (Funnily enough, she chose to ride in the 40 section of the seat in the second row amidst her small forest, rather than ride shotgun, because it would be weird sitting up front I guess... 😂)

All the controls and instruments fall easily at hand, and honestly, it's an intuitive and easy cabin to figure out. One niggle I've found, though, is that the center armrest is quite small and a bit low for my liking, which is too low for my right arm when not busy steering or shifting. Also, the only item I thus far have needed to reference the owner's manual for is the infotainment system. While I've not tested the old head unit with the digital adjustment for volume which was much maligned, the volume knob/power button is the only hard control for infotainment aside from the brightness button. Overall, it's a pretty easy-to-use system, but figuring out the display screen options was a bit of a head scratcher, even after I referred to the manual. It took some digging in online forums for me to finally understand how that part works, which is a frustration which shouldn't be the case, but which in the grand scheme, isn't all that huge.

The last niggle, and this is a rather large one, is that the system can be quite glitchy from time to time. I'll be driving, and the Android Auto will cut out saying my phone isn't compatible with Android Auto (me thinking, "Aaaaaaaaall of a sudden"). This one isn't much of a bother, as it just takes a quick unplug/replug of the cable into the phone to fix it. The bigger problem is that the system will completely shutdown at random, not often, but often enough that I've begun to think it has a mind of its own. Worse, it takes the system around 2-3 minutes to completely reboot and start up again, during which a lot of navigating would have needed to happen, and the silence which it creates can be defeaning when Uber riders are onboard. Thankfully, Android Auto does pickup the slack on the device at times, continuing to announce directions from it, and if it doesn't, the Uber app is showing the route as well. The system's excuse that it suddenly lost power is invalid, however, as this mishap happens most while in motion, and it's something Honda needs to address.

As for positives of the infotainment, while I don't have an iPhone to test Apple Carplay integration, the Android Auto integration is👌🏼. One can stream from any audio source on their phone when using Android Auto, and Google Maps is better than almost any nav system an automaker could integrate into the system. What's even neater is that with my Uber app set to navigate from Google maps, when I hit navigate in the driver app, it pulls up on Google maps in the center stack screen and starts navigating with only a second or two load time.

The upgraded audio available with the Sport and above, at 6 channels (two tweeters near the base of the windshield, and one full range speaker in each of the 4 doors) and 180 watts of total output, is rather decent for a car in this class, and can reach up in volume with little sound distortion aside from some bass muddiness. It has adequate connectivity too, with streaming Bluetooth audio as well as a USB port and 12V outlet lower in the center stack above a bin just behind the cupholders where one can store their phone. An additional outlet and USB port are in the center console. No AUX outlet means easy switching between your device and a passenger's for audio source duty isn't easily possible, though in most cases I think many will find that a plus. Additionally, there are no charging ports behind the console for the second row.

For everyday driving duty, the audio system is more than adequate for most, though if you're someone like me who LOVES the music they listen to, you'll want to upgrade this system beyond what Honda can give you at this price point. Price considered though, the system is quite good.

The shifter, which is leather covered and stitched like a baseball (nice touch!) in the aforementioned contrasting orange (same as the sturdily-upholstered cloth seats and steering wheel for added sporty appeal), falls easily at hand, fitting in the palm beautifully and comfortably. So does the leather-lined three-spoke steering wheel, which feels nice to hold, has just the right diameter, and contains easy to use controls for cruise control, audio, and Bluetooth phone functions.

The rev counter and speedometer are analog and are very legible, while there's a digital gauge for fuel economy and fuel tank level which also shows the odometer, trip information, fuel range, and a few other useful data points. The fuel economy gauge is fun to play with as you monitor accelerator usage, and there are lights next to the speedometer that change from blue to green as revs climb, fitting with the name "Earth Dreams" Honda has given to its latest set of engine tech. I personally feel adding a red light as one approached redline would be a nice-to-have addition, especially since this is the "Sport" model.

There's actually quite a copious number of beverage holders, with a spot for bottles on each of the four doors, as well as two reasonably-sized cup holders ahead of the shifter, and one cup holder that expands out of the dash up at the drivers left side near the air vent. That placement is very very convenient, I've found.

One last note on the cabin. Build quality is stellar! Panel gaps and trim fittings are all tight, and after about 18,000 miles of driving, there's been no squeaks, rattles, or other untoward noises.

Soooooo, finally, how does it drive?

Competent. Very competent. Its responses are mostly well-controlled, with quick, responsive steering and a composed ride quality; though, as can be expected for a car in this price range, sharp impacts are heard and felt, and there is a bit of float and flopping over on quick transitions that I wish the "Sport" moniker could have dialed out. Also, the rear end will stutter and skip a bit on broken pavement when near the limits of the tires' adhesion, thanks to its torsion-beam rear axle. As it is, all suspension and mechanical settings are the same across the board for the Fit from trim to trim. The steering is relatively numb, though there is a tiny bit of feedback coming through the steering right at the limit. You can feel the tires begin to break traction and push into understeer, but the buildup to that is quiet, as is the case with most electric steering setups these days. A bit of lift throttle will quickly reign in the front end, which otherwise will generally go where it's pointed with precision. The short wheelbase really helps with making the car lithe and responsive, as does it's low 2,648-pound weight.

The shifter is mostly a joy to work, with silken glides from gate to gate and a solid, mechanical feel as it enters the gear. However, from time to time, the shifts can get a touch balky, and even refuse to enter the gate, which necesitates a full clutch out/in to get it to cooperate. Pedal placement is also great for whether you heal-and-toe or not.

Overall, though, the Fit is a relatively slow car that can be quite fun to drive fast, as its limits are within reach on the street and can be explored without necessarily endangering your license. Freeway onramps become your skidpad, and feeling the 1.5 liter's i-VTEC cam changeover as you reach freeway speeds in the upper range reminds you why anybody makes a big deal about it. There's a noticeable increase in acceleration as it happens, at you really feel every one of its 128 horsepower working. It's acceleration, while not breathtaking, is surprisingly peppy. It has a rather delightful VTEC song, too, with a full induction sound that will give you flashbacks of some of Honda's greatest engines.

In terms of fuel economy, this little machine is a sweetheart. It's EPA-rated at 29 city / 36 highway / 31 combined, and in mixed driving, I'm getting anywhere between 32 and 35. Plus, with just a 10.6 gallon tank, I'm super happy paying only about $26 per fillup of 87 octane at current prices in my area hovering around $3.19. As an Uber driver, this kind of fuel economy/cost are a boon, as it means I can make a lot more money from each tank than I can in many other vehicles, and the expense doesn't cut too much into the profit.

The Sport trim includes none of the Honda Sensing suite of safety tech available on the EX and EX-L, but being an enthusiast, I personally don't want or miss any of it. While there are many consumers who find comfort in the extra safety, there's just no replacement for good driving, and I find that this car, with a manual, is great car for honing one's skills to become a better driver for everyone. The tall greenhouse on the Fit means that sightlines all around are phenomenal. A camera checking my blind spots would be redundant, as doing it in this car is easy to do myself. With my hands full between the shifter and steering and my feet with the pedals, my attention is squarely on my driving, and it makes me very aware of what I'm doing and how I can do it better. There's no room for distracted driving!

Honda has built a real winner with the Fit, and despite the Sport trim only looking sportier than its other trims, its driving dynamics, while not outright sporty, are at least composed enough to be fun in between serving commute duties. With a mixture of space, versatility (+1 for the hatchback), economy, and infotainment tech, the Fit Sport is a great car for enthusiasts on a budget who must make some compromises for life. Commuters on a budget will find they had to compromise very little, if at all, with the Fit, and with the extra safety tech of upper trims and niceties like leather, heated front seats, and a moonroof, the Fit is capable of fit-ting most people's needs and lifestyles very, very well at a price that won't break the bank.

[un-enfant-immature]

Apple’s AirPods Pro set a pricey new standard for earbuds

“These $250 earbuds are nice.” That’s the first thing I wrote to a co-worker after unboxing and trying on the new AirPods. After wearing them around the New York City streets, the subway and into a couple of cafes, that pithy review stands.

Here are a few more words: They’re super comfortable. I’ve used a lot of different Bluetooth earbuds. It’s a weird perk of my job. The AirPods Pro (baffling pluralization aside) are probably the most comfortable, with the possible exception of the Powerbeats Pro, another Apple-manufactured joint venture. That one, however, relies on a lot more plastic to get the job done, with a full over-the-ear hook system.

Apple announces AirPods Pro with noise cancellation

The new AirPods, on the other hand, just hang comfortably. This is a big win for those who’ve experienced ear discomfort from all sort of different designs. [Sheepishly raises hand.] Granted, every ear is like a beautiful, unique snowflake, and not everyone will have the same experience. That said, the company’s clearly done a lot to correct for the complaints about the original AirPods, using both a more ergonomic design and finally giving in to the sway of silicone tips.

Why Apple waited this long on the latter bit is beyond me, but the company has finally done so on its own terms. Each Pro box ships with a total of six tips (a right and left in small, medium and large), with the medium on by default. These, however, are not your standard, run of the mill silicone tips. A firm yank will pull them off to reveal a hard outer edge that snaps into the bud [picture above].

The company says this is part of ensuring a better fit. Another benefit is that the attachment is much more secure. This is a definite plus, speaking as someone who has accidentally littered the streets of New York with earbud tips. These are far less likely to fall off while getting them out of your pocket. If you do lose one, Apple will be selling replacements for probably a buck or so.

Along with an enlarged body, you’ve no doubt noticed that the stems are notably shorter. That’s because the company has been able to consolidate more of the electronics into the top. The stem remains as a way of handling the earbuds. It also now houses a haptic button that replaces the standard AirPod tap interaction. Instead, you give the stem a squeeze, triggering a subtle clicking sound in the process.

By default, a single squeeze pauses and plays a track, whereas a squeeze and hold cycles between noise cancellation and transparent modes. All of this can be adjusted in iOS, once you’ve downloaded version 13.2. Setup on iOS is as easy as ever, requiring you to simply open the case near an iPhone or iPad. Android and desktop pairing, meanwhile, involves the more standard Bluetooth setup.

From there, click into Settings > Bluetooth > and then tap the “i” next to AirPods Pro. From here you switch between noise control modes, assign different functions to the button on the individual AirPods and fire up the Ear Tip Fit Test. Hit “play” and it will start a quick snippet of a song used to test the fit. If you have the right tip on, it will display “good seal.” If something is wrong, it recommends trying a different tip or adjusting the bud in ear.

Not only is every ear different, but some folks have a deal of differentiation between right and left. The mediums worked well for me, right out of the box. That’s me, Mr. Average Ears. Results may very.

Amazon Echo Buds review

The Pros sound great. They’re among the best-sounding earbuds I’ve tried, up there with the similarly priced Sony WF-1000XM3. As such, they’re in pretty rare air. Unlike the Echo Buds, you can’t adjust the levels in settings, but Apple’s buds are tuned well out of the box for a wide range of genres. So far, I’ve listened to Ryuichi Sakamoto, Danny Brown, The Hold Steady, Electric Youth and Sunn 0))), for a pretty diverse sampling. It all comes across rich and full — much as one would expect/hope from a $250 pair of earbuds.

The noise canceling, too, is up there with Sony’s. Apple’s works adaptively, similar to what it offers on its over-ear Beats headphones. That means the microphones are constantly listening to your surroundings and adjusting accordingly. It’s not quite a full immersion, like you would get from over-ear headphones, but with a tight seal, it does a pretty terrific job drowning out your surroundings when needed.

For those times you need to be more alert, there’s transparency mode, which uses the on-board mics to beam in ambience. Once again, it’s a good mix, letting in sound without completely overwhelming the music. That was one of my issues with the Echo Buds, which tended to overamplify things like an air conditioning unit. Though again, unlike the Echo Buds, you can turn transparency on an off, versus adjusting levels.

Bit of a side note here, but like their predecessors, these new models will probably go a ways toward shifting societal norms in terms of keeping your headphones in while engaging with others. These are the sorts of things that make me want to go all Andy Rooney on kids today, etc., etc.

Noise canceling and transparency have similar impacts on battery, knocking about half an hour off of the Pods’ built-in five hours. With the charging case factored in, total listening time should be about 24 hours in standard mode, per Apple’s estimates. I’m excited to push that to the limit as I board a plane to Asia early next week. Ditto for the comfort level — but after several hours today, all is still well.

The case is a little larger than the original AirPods, but is still carried comfortably in a pocket, unlike, say, the Beats or Sony models. The orientation has shifted, as well. It’s not wider than it is long, owing to the shortening of the AirPods’ stems. The new design means they’re slightly more difficult to maneuver into the case, but you’ll get the hang of that after a couple of tries.

Like the AirPods 2, the case can be charged both through the Lightning port or wirelessly. Tapping the case while charging will light up the LED, which will display as either yellow or green to let you know how far along your are.

So, yeah, thumbs up after half a day. No surprise there, of course. The $250 price tag will almost certainly make these cost-prohibitive for many, but after a few hours, it’s going to be hard to go back.

Look for a longer write up soon.

[lookafteratiger-blog]

Electrical Wiring Diagrams for Air Conditioning Systems Part Three Electrical Knowhow

As an authorized dealer we are required to adhere... An optional thermostat that can be controlled from an Apple or Android smartphone or tablet is also available. The district heating system can use heat sources impractical to deploy to individual homes, such as heavy oil, wood byproducts, or hypothetically nuclear fission. For less humid climates, you may want to consider a heat recovery ventilator HRV while in most areas you will want to consider an energy recovery ventilator ERV. I could go on and on. In cooler climates, the default setting of the reversing valve is heating. This blower is used for heating and cooling. As the person before me said, neither. The less insulated and more windows within the environment, the more likely you will experience greater air and heat loss. Homeowners can determine what size air conditioner they need by following these steps: There are two kinds of air conditioning systems to choose from -- single-stage and two-stage. Looked at the thermostat and it had switched to auxiliary heat. In your situation I would probably try to wire up an optionally programmable thermostat to a big relay, and control the temperature that way. There are two types of Manual J load calculations: Whole House : Provides the air conditioning load calculations for a whole house with an existing duct system. Poor maintenance can result in an air conditioner that performs poorly. It operates by extracting heat from your home and venting it outside to cool your home, or extracting heat from outside and pumping it indoors to heat your home. A heat pump uses the principle of heat transfer, which relies on the difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures to provide heating or cooling to a home. This apparently includes replacing the otherwise-fine air handler. Natural gas is not an option, thus my options are oil and propane. Needed an electrician and he referred me to the best guy are reasonable and work is down super quick. In just a short amount of time, enough material can accumulate on the coils to affect their performance. For any of these projects, the cost will vary depending on the quality, style and machine size you choose. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Most homeowners spent between:. Installing a new central air conditioning system in your home is a big job. Carrier is a fine brand the parent company ICP did have issues a few years ago with leaking evap coils however that has been fixed. A glance at a phone book or listings online will show dozens, if not hundreds of HVAC service companies in most cities. I was referring to the average costs for parts and labor—the latter being by far the most expensive, particularly in the height of the season, as you point out. Thermostat works on AC Repair Midway 32343 and I cleaned and checked all the contacts on thermostat,so I think thermostat is fine. I went to the apartment manager and he send a technician over who said there was nothing wrong. If it happens again, then you should put a complaint with Samsung regarding the same. Did you just turn your heater on for the first time this winter? You will lose every penny of energy savings. You need to tell us where the ugly noise is coming from to help you. I have checked twice if the is running or not. Or do I need to consider a different unit? Check for power at the evap fan relay. We do our best to stay on top of prices. I hope something here helps and works. Such a system contains a boiler , furnace , or heat pump to heat water, steam, or air in a central location such as a furnace room in a home, or a mechanical room in a large building. Conditioner with Heat Pump. You found the good stuff here, extremely well built units that are designed for both ease of installation and serviceability. Please Contact Us for references. Yes No Debbie of Qualicum Beach, BC on Feb. In the past, air-source heat pumps were more appropriate for warmer climates. The advantage of the low voltage control system is the ability to operate multiple electromechanical switching devices such as relays , contactors, and sequencers using inherently safe voltage and current levels. It is important to address this issue — a frozen air conditioner will not only cool improperly, but can actually be severely damaged if it keeps freezing up. My family is without heated water for another month during this cold winter. The Console whole house is an energy rated humidity machine, this means low spending on electricity bills. CompleteCheck: Covered under the TurboTax accurate calculations and maximum refund guarantees. Top Carrier Infinity Models:. AmazonGlobal Ship Orders Internationally. Could you tell me why this would happen as I have a brand new unit….

[palmphoneblogcom]

What do reviewers don't like about Palm?

What do reviewers don't like about Palm?

Before I get to Palm review myself, I read the great reviews on this phone and try to summarize the most fundamental criticisms I have found in reading.

summary of complaints

When I read all this, the following comes out to me:

missing nfc chip

missing jack connector

missing volume buttons

worse camera

life mode not only switch off notifies notifications but also WiFi and LTE

small phone size

messaging applications are unusable due to keyboard size

low battery capacity and low battery life

older versions of Android OS - 8.1 Oreo

high price

It seems to me that many experienced reviewers do not know what they want from such a phone. Before I go to the review, I will have to play with the phone, try out the possible use scenarios and maybe come to that.

Anyway, I recommend reading all the linked reviews and viewing the photo galleries because the view of Palm is truly breathtaking… d8-D

android authority

However, what was upsetting was how much power drained when the phone was in standby mode. Overnight, I could expect at least 20 to 30 percent of the battery to be gone if I didn’t plug it in.

The Palm Phone’s cameras get the job done, but don’t take it with you if you want to capture high-quality memories.

android police

The screen is too small to be comfortable with modern apps that expect more real estate—things get cut off, and typing is awful. TCL's attempt to make the experience minimalist with features like the launcher and Life Mode fall flat, too. The Palm Phone is fun to play with for a few minutes, but I can't imagine regularly taking this thing with me on a night out instead of my real phone. The awful camera alone is enough to put me off.

ars technica

What are you supposed to use this for? Is it a new-age iPod? A smartwatch alternative? A smaller phone to take on your fitness activities? It's not really good at any of these things.

First, the $350 price tag puts it firmly in smartwatch territory, which is a huge problem for justifying a lot of Palm's supposed use cases. You can get an Apple Watch Series 3 with cellular access for $380. You can also get an LTE-equipped Wear OS or Samsung watch for around this price.

Palm calls this phone a "wearable" and sells a variety of cases, armbands, and lanyards designed for easy portability, but nothing is more portable than a smartwatch. So, if you're looking to travel light, just get the smaller device.

The Palm phone isn't a great music player thanks to the lack of a headphone jack and physical volume rocker. Sure, you can pair Bluetooth headphones to it, but you can also just pair Bluetooth headphones to your smartwatch, which is going to be smaller and more portable.

The Palm phone also can't beat a smartwatch for fitness activities, since a watch is going to be lighter and easier to carry. Plus, a watch will do heart-rate tracking. Maybe you want to bring a real phone, because you hate the lack of a keyboard on a smartwatch and don't want to speak to your device in public—but the Palm phone is too tiny to comfortably type on. The body is so skinny that you can't hold it with two hands, and the keyboard on this skinny screen is so small that a fingertip presses about four keyboard letters at once. You're relying on autocorrect so much that you might as well use Wear OS' tiny keyboard.

Plus, a smartwatch has one more major feature that the Palm phone doesn't support: NFC. If you're out for a jog, you can run into a shop and buy a drink with your smartwatch. You can't make a payment with a Palm phone.

digital trends

No. The Palm doesn’t offer any value. The camera isn’t good, the battery won’t last you more than a few hours while you’re out, and it’s frustrating to type on. You’re better off saving yourself $350 by simply tapping on the ��Do Not Disturb’ button on your (already expensive) Android or iPhone and going about your day.

engadget

The Palm seemed like it could be the right device at the right time: it’s a tiny, secondary smartphone for times when you want to be more present in the real world. To the company’s credit, its namesake phone is a beautiful, well-built conversation starter. Unfortunately, the Palm’s size will make it too difficult for some to use, while some compatibility issues and poorly executed features are sure to frustrate others. Ultimately, Palm’s ambitions were admirable, but its first device feels like a half-baked answer to a serious problem.

mashable

Even though I didn't find the Palm as good at its job as simply adhering to those habits (and others), I'm still compelled by the idea and think it could be improved. I can live with its slow performance, but I'd like to see an even better camera and a more robust battery. Those enhancements would certainly add to the cost, but I feel that's not such a hard sell, and a more accurate picture of the Palm idea: I don't want a crappy phone, just one that's better suited to being more present IRL.

pc magazine

The idea of having two phones isn't insane. You might already have a work phone and a play phone, for instance. I've seen that as far back as Nokia's fashion-phone line from 2005. I personally wouldn't mind a tiny weekend phone. I'm the guy who's been asking for smaller smartphones for years now. The Palm phone, beautifully designed and tiny, should be the phone of my dreams.

But it fails to function well. I can forgive a low-cost phone for not having a Pixel-quality camera. The Pixel 3 costs $800. But the Whatsapp and iMessage problems, the weak Wi-Fi, the scratchy call quality, the tiny keyboard, and the lack of volume buttons all add up to a phone that's irritating, not relaxing, to use. Many of these annoyances are probably fixable with software updates, which just puts the Palm phone on the list of products that had to come out in November, whether or not they were ready.

slashgear

The Palm Palm, or whatever you’d like to call it, is a great effort by a company whose head seems like it’s in the right place, but not quite going the right direction. When I first imagined that this Palm device, I thought it was sort of absurd. I thought it was ridiculous mistake.Now I’m convinced that it was a really great effort put toward a device that might be sorta doomed.

Especially considering the cost of the phone, there can’t possibly be a large enough population of users ready to toss down cash for the privilege of having a phone for their phone. Imagine paying $350 USD for a phone that’s only able to act as a second phone for the phone you’ve already got in your pocket or purse.

tom’s guide

We all need to spend less time staring at our phones, so at least there's a good idea behind the Palm. But part of the problem is that the phone lacks the courage of its convictions. If we're supposed to use the Palm only intermittently, why preload it with apps that are contrary to that mission? And, why let people add even more apps that can potentially suck away time and attention? Features that do serve Palm's stated mission, like Life Mode, could stand to be fine-tuned, and it should be easier to control the phone's volume.

Then there's the matter of the Palm's $350 price tag — which isn't insignificant at a time when the prices of fully featured smartphones are on the rise. It's tempting to compare and contrast a companion phone like the Palm to an LTE-enabled smartwatch. You'd certainly pay more for the watch — the Apple Watch Series 4 starts at $499 if you want LTE connectivity — but you'd get a device that offers the same features as the Palm in a form factor that's better suited for at-a-glance uses. And the watch throws in health and fitness tracking features not found in the Palm.

the verge

The core of that ethos is something they call “Life Mode.” (Or, because the founders are dads, hashtag dad mode.) More than any other feature, the Life Mode on the Palm phone is what makes this a “time well spent” minimalist phone. When you turn Life Mode on by tapping a palm tree icon, it enables a set of Do Not Disturb and Low Battery settings.

In Life Mode, your notifications are obviously turned off, but Palm is also turning off the wireless radios. The cellular and Wi-Fi radios will only turn on when the screen is on. (Bluetooth will also turn off but stay on if you are connected to headphones.) It’s a much more aggressive way to turn off notifications and deny incoming phone calls. Palm specs the phone at eight hours of normal use without Life Mode on, so if you toggle it the Palm phone is expected to last a super long time on a charge.

Oddly, the Palm phone is not running the latest version of Android which has a bunch of Digital Wellbeing features built right in. The company tells me that they didn’t want to conflict with those Android 9 Pie features. Perhaps an update will come in the future, but it’s a miss for now.

[tech-battery]

OnePlus 8 review: Thinner, lighter, and prettier than the Pro

After announcing the OnePlus 8 family a couple of weeks ago, the company released the two handsets this week. While we reviewed the OnePlus 8 Pro flagship last week, it's now time to turn our attention to its non-Pro sibling, the OnePlus 8.

While the Pro is only available unlocked from OnePlus and Amazon, the OnePlus 8 is the one that you'll actually be able to get from carriers, including T-Mobile and Verizon. And since the OnePlus 8 5G UW is sold on Verizon, that makes it the only model that supports both sub6 and mmWave 5G.

Starting at $699, this is definitely the more mainstream version of the OnePlus 8 series, missing out on things like wireless charging and a 120Hz refresh rate on the display. It's still pretty awesome though, with a 90Hz OLED screen, and a particularly sexy Interstellar Glow color.

Compare Deals

Pricing is $699 for the model with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage, or $799 for 12GB RAM and 256GB storage. The Verizon variant is a bit more expensive at $799 for the 128GB model, but that's also for better 5G support.

Design

As far as design goes, the OnePlus 8 is superior to the Pro, at least in my opinion. Right out of the gate, let's start with the color. The OnePlus 8 comes in a color called Interstellar Pro, and it's gorgeous. As I remarked in my review of the Pro, I can't believe they reserved it for the non-Pro. Interstellar Glow is the clear winner of the color selection.

Note that if you love the Glacial Green that the Pro does come in, you can get that too. Interstellar Glow is a mirrored color that has a rainbow-colored gradient, which changes based on how the light is reflected off of it. Even the reflections look beautiful.

Yes, it is a fingerprint magnet, and no, the matte Glacial Green is not. That's a matter of preference, whether you want the prettier one or if you want the one that's easier to maintain. You might end up using a case too, such as the new Glacial Green Sandstone case that OnePlus is offering.

It's not just the color that makes me like the design better though. The camera bump is much smaller. If you're not using a case on the Pro, it sticks out like a sore thumb. On the OnePlus 8, the camera bump is a little bit more subtle. Also, the handset as a whole has a slightly smaller footprint, making it easier to hold.

It's also thinner and 19g lighter. Actual usability is something that I feel like we don't talk about as much as we should. Sometimes we look for power, camera performance, sexy displays, and battery life without taking a look at what that does to the overall form factor. It's worth talking about now because with the OnePlus 8, it might actually be a proper balance.

On the bottom of the aluminum frame, there's a USB Type-C port for charging, a speaker grille, and a dual nano-SIM slot. The unit that I have is unlocked, so I can't confirm that the carrier models are dual-SIM, although they're almost certainly not.

On the right side of the device, there's a power button and a switch to turn notification sounds on or off. There are three settings: on, vibrate, and silent. It's a nice and easy way to adjust this, something that OnePlus has been doing for years now. Outside of the Android world, I've only ever seen this feature from Apple, and I wish more OEMs did it.

Finally, the volume rocker is on the left side of the device. Not much to talk about there.

90Hz Fluid AMOLED display

OnePlus used a 6.55-inch 90Hz FHD OLED display, as opposed to the 6.78-inch 120Hz QHD OLED screen that's found in the Pro. There's some good and some bad here.

The good is that I don't think that there's a noticeable difference between 90Hz and 120Hz, or between FHD and QHD. For years, we've been used to 60Hz screens, and the smooth animations on higher refresh rates make for a pleasant experience, but I really think 90Hz is fine. OnePlus is actually the first to popularize the feature too with last year's OnePlus 7 Pro. And like I said, I don't think anyone can really tell the difference between FHD and QHD on a screen this small.

OnePlus brought the 90Hz refresh rate to the non-Pro lineup with the 7T, but that screen was flat. Now, the edges are curved, so if you're a fan of flat screens, as many people seem to be these days, you're out of luck.

The screen is beautiful, just like the one on the Pro. It has vibrant colors, true blacks, and smooth animations. The bad is just that it seems to be a bit buggy. If you turn on Night Mode, there are some real scrolling issues. Text is impossible to read, icons look distorted when scrolling through the app drawer, and more. This even happens when scrolling slowly.

It really takes away from the smooth scrolling and animations that I expect from a 90Hz display, and from what actually does happen when Night Mode is off.

There's also no always-on display, which is a real shame. If you raise the phone, you'll see a UI like the one above, which means that you don't have to press the power button to use the in-display fingerprint sensor. OnePlus is adding an AoD though; it just hasn't said when.

I want to reiterate that it has an in-display fingerprint sensor, one of the fastest and most accurate on the market. This is important because premium smartphones from Apple and Google only have facial recognition, which is unusable these days if you have to wear a mask all the time.

Zen Mode

Like the switch to control notification sounds, Zen Mode is another unique feature that OnePlus offers. It debuted with last year's OnePlus 7 Pro, and what it does is it simply keeps you from using your phone. Last year, you could set it to work for 20 minutes, but you can now set it to 20, 30, 40, or 60 minutes.

All you can do while in Zen Mode is make emergency calls, receive calls, and access the camera. Notifications are muted, but you'll still get them if you're wearing a smartwatch, oddly enough.

Once you're in Zen Mode, there's no way out besides riding out the clock. Even if you restart the phone, that won't help.

Camera

The OnePlus 8 has a triple-lens camera system, but it's inferior to the OnePlus 8 Pro. The main sensor is a 48MP Sony IMX586, and while it has the same f/1.75 aperture, the sensor is smaller. That means that low-light performance isn't quite on par with the Pro. There's also no telephoto lens, including a 2MP macro lens instead. And finally, there's a 16MP ultra-wide sensor.

The main sensor does support 4K video capture at 60fps, but there's no 8K video recording like we've seen on various Snapdragon 865 devices so far this year. It's likely because OnePlus wanted to use quad pixel binning for better low light performance. The front camera is still limited to 1080p at 30fps.

The camera does promise 2x lossless zoom, even though there's no 2x zoom lens. That's just generally what you get from such a high-resolution sensor.

There's actually a lot that I like about this camera, considering the specs and what it's lacking when compared to the Pro. Low-light performance is OK, but Nightscape mode gets the job done. As was also my complaint with the OnePlus 8 Pro, low-light performance with the ultra-wide camera is terrible, and you can't compensate for it with Nightscape because the feature only works with the main sensor.

OnePlus also likes to release software updates to improve the product over time. We've already seen numerous camera improvements via updates, such as better focusing in low-light conditions.

Performance and battery life

As always, performance is solid. The OnePlus 8 includes the best Android chipset on the market, the Snapdragon 865, along with up to 12GB RAM and up to 256GB UFS 3.0 storage. OnePlus had actually sent me the 8GB RAM OnePlus 8 Pro, but the 12GB RAM OnePlus 8, so this thing felt blazingly fast at all times.

It also includes a Snapdragon X55 modem for 5G connectivity, although most models only support sub6 5G. To be completely honest, you won't notice a massive difference between this and 4G right now, but it should get better over time. T-Mobile is the biggest name in this arena right now, since it actually has a nationwide sub6 network.

Verizon is more focused on mmWave, although it does have sub6 coming later on this year. The problem with millimeter wave 5G is that it only works in line of sight with a base station. You'll only ever get it outdoors, and it won't even work while it's in your pocket. Real 5G is going to be a combination of sub6 and mmWave, and the only variant of the OnePlus 8 that actually supports that is the Verizon model.

Battery life is pretty good, getting through the day without issue under moderate usage. Obviously, it goes down if you use it a lot, and what I mean if that if you play games on your phone for a couple of hours on end, you'll have to charge it before the end of the day.

Warp Charge 30T is awesome. A half-hour charge will keep you going for a while. The real shame is that there's no wireless charging. Even if it didn't have the magnificent 30W wireless charging that's available on the Pro, I'd take 10W Qi charging just to keep it on the wireless charging pad on my desk all day.

For benchmarks, I used Geekbench 5, AnTuTu, and GFXBench. First up is Geekbench 5, which tests the CPU.

This isn't the first Snapdragon 865 device of the year, so I won't dwell on these scores that are nearly identical as the ones I got on the OnePlus 8 Pro, Galaxy S20+ 5G, LG V60 ThinQ 5G, and more. Next up is AnTuTu, which tests everything.

The overall score is similar to the 576,696 one I got on the OnePlus 8 Pro, but the Pro did a lot better in the UX (particularly User Experience) section, and it was made up for in the memory section. I wonder if the 12GB RAM Pro would have had a better score here. Anyway, next up is GFXBench, which tests the CPU.

Conclusion

I believe that the OnePlus 8 series includes two phones that are the best on the market right now. Apple's iPhones and Google's Pixels are non-starters without a fingerprint sensor, and I really couldn't stand Samsung's software or camera on the Galaxy S20+. Motorola's Edge+ is a great all-around package, but it's a Verizon exclusive.

If you ask me, the real decision is between the OnePlus 8 and the OnePlus 8 Pro. The Pro costs $200 more for similar specs. It's $699 and $799 for 8GB/128GB and 12GB/256GB on the OnePlus 8, respectively, and $899 and $999 for the OnePlus 8 Pro. What you get for that extra $200 is 30W wireless charging (10W if it's not OnePlus's own charger), a better camera with a telephoto lens, and a 120Hz display.

Whether those extra specs are worth it is up to you, but I really like the OnePlus 8. In fact, I almost like it more regardless of the price. It's thinner, lighter, and it has a smaller footprint. It's prettier with its Interstellar Glow color, and it has a smaller camera bump.

[cdrforea]

Puma Smartwatch Review: This Smartwatch Isn't As Atheltic As It Looks

New Post has been published on https://bestedevices.com/puma-smartwatch-review-this-smartwatch-isnt-as-atheltic-as-it-looks.html

Puma Smartwatch Review: This Smartwatch Isn't As Atheltic As It Looks

"The Puma smartwatch looks good, but it doesn't work."

Slim and sporty design

built-in GPS

Sharp, bright screen

Slow and sluggish

Bad battery life

Uncomfortable

Too expensive

As the third largest sporting goods manufacturer in the world, Puma is a big brand, but the simply named Puma Smartwatch is the company's first foray into the world of smartwatches. The Puma Smartwatch is manufactured by the Fossil Group and has familiar specifications and the Google Wear OS.

Puma has monitored the sporty design and offers its own app with some deeper fitness features than typical Wear OS watches, but it's also one of the slowest and flawed ones we've tested – a high price for fitness.

Design and comfort

The Puma smartwatch definitely looks like this. It is slim and very light with a striking paint job that contrasts black with daylight yellow. This is a smart watch that is hard to ignore. It is reminiscent of the Fossil Sport, but there is only a single crown and the flanking buttons that you would normally find on Fossil smartwatches are missing.

Simon Hill / Digital Trends

A smooth, perfectly round, beveled aluminum dial is held from black plastic that extends from the tabs and has cut-off parts to achieve the eye-catching two-tone look. The crown is also yellow with the Puma logo.

The Puma Smartwatch has a silicone strap with a black latch and the Puma logo is embossed at the end. Because the Puma Smartwatch is light and slim, it slips easily under the cuff and rarely gets stuck – which can be a problem with an oversized watch like the Diesel On Axial.

However, the daylight yellow prevents it from fitting in. The Puma Smartwatch looks out of place with a buttoned shirt in an office environment or even with a casual outfit in a bar. This is a smartwatch that wants to go to the gym or run.

I was expecting the silicone wristband and light weight to result in a smartwatch that's comfortable and easy to forget you're wearing, but in fact I found the Puma smartwatch a little uncomfortable. The structured silicone band is a little stiffer than other silicone bands I've worn.

On the positive side, it grips your wrist and the oversized end of the strap ensures that it never comes loose even during a hectic workout. Although you can easily change the band, it can be difficult to find an alternative that fits your body. There are four dials designed by Puma, all of which are a bit boring. Aside from the ubiquitous Puma logo, they don't really match the rest of the design in terms of color or appearance.

The 1.19-inch AMOLED display looks good in a 44 mm case and is sharp, bright and legible in most lighting conditions.

Simon Hill / Digital Trends

The Puma smartwatch has a distinctive look that fits the brand, but it feels a little cheap and looks bad in non-athletic environments. In some markets, there are less eye-catching color options for white and rose gold or black and gray, which may offer a bit more stylistic versatility.

Software and performance

Wear OS looks good, but it doesn't work well. This is a complaint I had with the Michael Kors Access Lexington 2 and it's a complaint my colleague had with the Fossil Gen 5, but it's worse with the Puma Smartwatch. There were many random freezes when using this smartwatch, which were often left behind when the screen was swiped, and loading apps was consistently slow.

The Puma smartwatch is equipped with the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100 processor, but unfortunately someone made the wrong decision to use 512 MB RAM instead of 1 GB. The difference in daily use compared to Wear OS smartwatches, which I recently tested and which have 1 GB RAM, is pronounced. Using the Puma smartwatch is frustrating. It is slow and has to be reset far too often.

Simon Hill / Digital Trends

The rotating crown works well and is the best way to get close control when trying to swipe up or down a list. You can also install a number of apps from the Play Store, from shopping lists to music controls to all kinds of fitness options. Although there are more choices than ever, the overall level of polish and functionality isn't very impressive and still fades compared to the Apple Watch's special app store.

The Puma Smartwatch has a microphone, so you can use Google Assistant from your wrist. However, there is no speaker, so the answers are in text form. There is also support for Google Pay so you can pay from your wrist, which is sometimes convenient.

Internally, the Puma Smartwatch has 4 GB of storage space for music and apps. Most other current versions of Fossil have 8 GB.

GPS and app compatibility

As an outrageously sporty device, the Puma smartwatch has to shine in the fitness department, and I think it does too. You’ve integrated Google Fit for basic tracking. There's also a heart rate monitor, built-in GPS, and water resistance from 5 ATMs that you can swim with.

While Google Fit is enough for casual coaches to track their progress every day, more serious athletes may want to try the PUMATRAC app installed on the Puma smartwatch. However, you also need to install the companion app (for Android or iOS). on your smartphone. With PUMATRAC, you can leave your phone at home and track your heart rate, distance, pace, altitude and calories with the Puma Smartwatch. It's also packed with workouts, allows you to create a fitness workout plan, and even offers coaching.

Simon Hill / Digital Trends

I found that the Puma smartwatch was generally good for fitness tracking, but in some cases it had trouble getting a GPS fix and sometimes it couldn't sync with the Google Fit app on my phone will. There was no obvious reason for it. Heart rate, pace, and distance data all seem to be pretty accurate.

Battery life

Puma is optimistic that the smartwatch will offer a 24-hour battery life, but I've never come close to that. It got me through an average day, but only by switching to battery saver in the evening. If you are a very light user, you may be taken to bedtime. If you want to track your heart rate and get lots of notifications or use other apps, you can expect the steam to go out in the early evening.

The charging cradle has a magnetic contact and stays nicely in place. Charging only takes about an hour, but you will likely still have it charged overnight.

Simon Hill / Digital Trends

Price, availability and guarantee

The Puma smartwatch costs $ 275 (or £ 249) and can be purchased directly from the Puma website or from various retailers. It comes with a standard two-year warranty that covers defects in material and workmanship under normal use for the period from the date of purchase and lasts for two years.

Our opinion

The Puma Smartwatch is a well-known Wear OS device from Fossil, which is disappointed by the lack of memory and offers even more faulty performance than your usual Wear OS device. Poor battery life is also not an advantage. It looks sporty and has a good range of fitness tracking features, but is too expensive for what you get.

Are there alternatives?

If it's primarily a fitness tracking watch you're looking for, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 is the best choice. Depending on the size chosen, the price is almost exactly the same at $ 280 or $ 300. It has better software, more comprehensive training tracking, and better battery life.

For iPhone owners, the latest Apple Watch is the obvious choice. Starting at $ 400, it's much more expensive, but superior in every way. If that's too much, consider Apple Watch Series 3, which costs $ 200 or $ 230 depending on the size you choose. It's still a better option than the Puma smartwatch.

How long it will take?

It offers water resistance up to 50 meters, but the Puma smartwatch has an aluminum case and plastic eyelets. It is therefore difficult to say how well the shocks can withstand. It should take a couple of years.

Should you buy one?

No. There are better options for the same money or less.

Editor's recommendations

[dipulb3]

2021 Kia K5 first drive: Optima, optimized

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/2021-kia-k5-first-drive-optima-optimized/

2021 Kia K5 first drive: Optima, optimized

It’s weird: Just as midsize sedans fall out of fashion, there’s never been a better time to buy one. Segment leaders like the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry are the best they’ve ever been, to say nothing of stylish alternatives like the Hyundai Sonata and Mazda6. Kia’s been a longtime player in this space with its Optima sedan, but it’s poised to make an even bigger splash with the launch of that car’s replacement. Say hello to the new K5.

Before I get into the nuts and bolts of Kia’s new four-door, let’s talk about that name. K5 is what the Optima was always called in its home market, South Korea, where Kia uses a Kx naming strategy for its sedans (our Forte is known as the K3, the Cadenza is the K7, the K900 is — you guessed it — the K9). “This new car is such a big departure from the outgoing model that we thought it deserved its own name,” a Kia spokesperson tells me. No, this doesn’t necessarily mean Kia will be switching to any sort of whole-line alphanumeric naming strategy in the US, though the same spokesperson says that’s not out of the question if future products “meet this same high standard.”

Never mind the name; just like the Optima, the K5 is a lot of car for the money and this model makes a strong statement right off the bat. Its design is more refined than the Hyundai Sonata, though the Kia lacks some of its kissin’ cousin’s clever details, including the Sonata’s daytime running lights that blend into the chrome trim running. Still, the K5 gets a lot of things right: Its clamshell hood means there’s no unsightly cut line across the nose, the bright roofline accent wraps down below the rear window and the full-width LED taillights are broken up into segments of different lengths for some rump-end visual interest. It’s not perfect, of course. All of the the creases come together at the corners of the K5’s face and, to my eyes, it looks like someone wearing poorly fitted pants that bunch up by the crotch, an impression emphasized by the running-light signature that doubles as the turn signals. Oh, and pretty much all of the vents are fake, which is a Hyundai/Kia styling trend that cannot die soon enough.

In profile, the K5 almost looks like it should be a liftback — not unlike Kia’s larger Stinger — but it’s got a conventional trunk with 16 cubic feet of space. Base LX models ride on puny 16-inch wheels, but the uplevel LXS, GT-Line and EX trims get the attractive 18-inchers seen here. Speaking of which, you’ll notice two different K5s pictured in the gallery; the gray car is an EX, while the red one is a GT-Line. The latter gets a couple of unique design elements including LED foglights, larger (fake) vents on the rear flanks, a small decklid spoiler and a black roof. But don’t let these sporty-ish cues fool you. Underneath the skin, the GT-Line and EX are identical.

The K5 LX, LXS, GT-Line and EX models share the same powertrain: a 1.6-liter turbocharged I4, with 180 horsepower, 195 pound-feet of torque and an eight-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard, but the LXS and GT-Line can be had with all-wheel drive — a smart move, considering the Nissan Altima, Subaru Legacy and Toyota Camry are now also offered with this foul-weather capability.

These taillights are super cool.

Steven Ewing/Roadshow

In both the EX and GT-Line, the 1.6T is tuned appropriately. It’s neither particularly peppy nor sluggish, with all of its torque delivered from just 1,500 rpm. That means there’s ample power for around-town driving and the transmission doesn’t have to kick down multiple gears in order to provide adequate oomph for passing. This also helps the engine run as efficiently as possible and, to that end, the K5 posts excellent EPA-estimated fuel economy ratings. A base LX should return 29 miles per gallon in the city, 38 mpg highway and 32 mpg combined, while larger-tired LXS, GT-Line and EX versions are slightly less efficient, at 27 city, 37 highway and 31 combined. Add the aforementioned all-wheel drive and you’re looking at 26 city, 34 highway and 29 combined.

A more powerful K5 GT will hit the road later this year with unique chassis tuning, 19-inch wheels and — most importantly — a 2.5-liter turbo I4 engine with 290 hp, 311 lb-ft and an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. Consider this Kia’s version of the Hyundai Sonata N-Line, a car my Roadshow pal Antuan Goodwin drove in prototype form late last year.

Buyers looking for an entertaining midsize sedan will likely want to wait for the GT. The standard K5 models offer solid on-road manners, but they aren’t what I’d call sporty — not that they need to be. The K5 will spend the majority of its life on commuter duty and it’s nicely tuned for that purpose. The steering is light (if a tad overboosted) in the car’s default drive setting, but if you dial up Sport, a noticeable — and appreciated — bit of weight is added to the wheel’s action. Body motions are smooth and controlled and the K5 handles corners with more poise than an Altima, Camry or Legacy. I’m also happy to report that the US-spec K5’s brakes are easy to modulate, with progressive initial bite — much better than what my other pal Andrew Krok experienced in an early Korean-spec model in Seoul last year.

The K5 EX gets comfortable leather upholstery and open-pore wood on the dash.

Steven Ewing/Roadshow

Overall, the K5 falls somewhere in the middle of the class as far as driving dynamics and engagement are concerned. The Honda Accord and Mazda6 are more fun, but I’d rather drive the Kia than a Nissan Altima or the aged and irrelevant Chevrolet Malibu, a car I thankfully won’t have to talk about for much longer.

Where the K5 really sets itself apart from the class is inside. Like its Sonata corporate sibling, the Kia K5 has a stylish cabin that’s downright luxurious in higher trims. In my EX tester, soft leather seats are met with open-pore wood on the dash and all of the switchgear looks and feels great. Yeah, there are a few questionably cheap bits of plastic trim on the transmission tunnel and door cards, but it’s nothing too egregious. Weirdly, though, the electronic gear selector dial seen in the Korean-spec K5 isn’t available here — you get a standard PRNDL shifter, but given the inherent ease-of-use factor, that’s not a complaint.

Front passengers have plenty of headroom and the K5 feels open and airy, even with the panoramic sunroof shade closed. The rear seats are just OK, the sloping roofline means taller folks will need to duck to get in or out and the back isn’t as spacious as some of the K5’s competitors. The upward slope of the beltline and fastback-style rear window hurts visibility, too, though most people just rely on the standard backup cameras these days.

You definitely want the 10.2-inch multimedia screen, even if it means sacrificing wireless smartphone connectivity.

Steven Ewing/Roadshow

The K5 offers lots of multimedia tech, but there’s one big head-scratcher: The standard 8-inch UVO touchscreen infotainment setup features wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. But if you want the larger 10.2-inch screen with its better graphics and additional features, you’re stuck with a wired connection for the smartphone-mirroring tech. Kia recognizes that this is odd, though the company isn’t offering any sort of explanation. Furthermore, Kia says there are no plans to update the 10.2-inch experience to include wireless connectivity. So it goes. Thankfully, no matter the screen size, UVO is super responsive and easy to navigate, plus there’s an optional wireless charging pad that’s housed in a convenient little slot just ahead of the center console.

Driver-assistance tech is in similarly high supply, though most of the good stuff is only available through option packages on higher trims. Forward-collision warning, lane-keeping assist and automatic high beams are standard, but you’ll have to step up to the LXS to get blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. On the GT-Line, a Premium Package gets you adaptive cruise control, but it doesn’t include lane-keep assist. For that, you have to get the EX with its Premium Package, which unlocks Kia’s Highway Driving Assistant, bundling full-speed adaptive cruise control with lane-centering tech to make highway commuting a lot easier.

The K5 is one of the better midsize sedans on sale today.

Steven Ewing/Roadshow

A base 2021 Kia K5 LX comes in at $24,445 including $965 for destination, while a fully loaded, front-wheel-drive EX like my tester rings up for $32,355. The GT-Line I also sampled, meanwhile, comes in around $28,000. Across the board, the K5 is competitively priced within its class — even the forthcoming GT will top out just under $36,000 with all the option boxes checked.

The 2021 Kia K5 isn’t the best at any one thing, but it does everything a midsize sedan should. The Mazda6 is more fun to drive, the Accord is more refined and the Hyundai Sonata offers a little bit more in the way of trick tech. But as a fully baked package, the K5 is a big step forward for Kia — an optimized Optima, if you will — and that makes it yet another compelling option in this increasingly overlooked class.