Climate change will displace millions. Here's how we prepare | Colette Pichon Battle

Climate change will displace millions. Here's how we prepare | Colette Pichon Battle

Scientists predict climate change will displace more than 180 million people by 2100 -- a crisis of "climate migration" the world isn't ready for, says disaster recovery lawyer and Louisiana native Colette Pichon Battle. In this passionate, lyrical talk, she urges us to radically restructure the economic and social systems that are driving climate migration -- and caused it in the first place -- and shares how we can cultivate collective resilience, better prepare before disaster strikes and advance human rights for all.

Click the above link to download the TED talk.

7 Virtual Monitor Apps to Maximize Your Ultrawide Monitor

The advent of ultrawide and 4K monitors gives computer users more screen real estate than ever before. But with so much space for activities, keeping your screen organized is difficult. How do you keep your work documents in one single area, or make sure that Spotify opens in the same place each morning?

Some monitor manufacturers have taken this into account. You can use monitor and desktop dividers to control every area of your screen, with extra snap-to grids, numbered areas, and much more.

Here are the best free and premium virtual screen divider and monitor management apps!

1. MaxTo

MaxTo is a great screen divider and window management app. As the tagline suggests, it is “The window manager you didn’t know you missed.”

You can use MaxTo to divide your monitor into regions using the app’s sliders. You can readjust the sliders without issue, allowing you to control your dividers on the fly. Once the regions are in place, you can shift your windows around the regions, holding the Shift key while dragging to snap your window to a region.

There is also the option to save different screen region layouts. You can load different screen layouts depending on your workflow, without having to drag your sliders. Another handy MaxTo feature is Recipes. You can program your MaxTo Recipe to open multiple programs across your window regions at the press of a single shortcut.

MaxTo is a premium monitor management app. A lifetime subscription costs $29 at the time of writing. However, there is a free trial available if you want to test MaxTo before committing.

Download: MaxTo for Windows (Free Trial)

2. GridMove

GridMove is a free monitor and window management tool. It comes with several window management features, such as different interaction methods, pre-made snap-to-grid templates, and customizable hotkeys.

You can also create personal snap-to grids for your desktop and monitor requirements. The custom option is perfect for ultrawide monitors with larger screen proportions than the default options. There is also an extensive GridMove forum thread with other user’s custom grids. Overall, GridMove is a handy free window management app.

Download: GridMove for Windows (Free)

3. Desktop Divider

Desktop Divider splits your monitor into multiple “adjacent non-intersecting zones,” which Desktop Divider refers to as tiles. Desktop Divider tiles are customizable. You can create tiles of varying sizes to perfect your monitor layout.

There are also some handy shortcuts to help you manage your widescreen monitor. For example, you can set the number of tiles you want, then shift between the tiles.

Download: Desktop Divider for Windows (Free)

4. Divvy

Divvy lets you “divvy up” your screen real estate into several easy to use areas. You can use the integrated screen grid to create areas that suit your work style, then assign keyboard shortcuts to quickly move your app windows between them.

Alternatively, each time you move a window, the Divvy grid appears, and you can slot your window into a specific size.

Divvy is a premium tool, which costs $14 for both Windows and macOS. There is also a free trial, so you can test Divvy out before buying.

Download: Divvy for Windows | macOS (Both Free Trials)

5. AquaSnap

AquaSnap brings the snap-to functionality of modern operating systems to older versions of Windows. You can use AquaSnap to quickly split windows into equal sizes, snap to defined window grids, and much more. Another handy AquaSnap feature is snapping several windows together, allowing you to move them at the same time.

Although AquaSnap was designed with older versions of Windows in mind, the extensive snapping and ability to move several windows together makes it a worthwhile app for ultrawide monitor users. Or, if you’re one user that hates snap assist, learn how to switch snap assist off with just a few clicks.

Download: AquaSnap for Windows (Free)

6. Virtual Display Manager

Virtual Display Manager (VDM) is a powerful monitor management tool with support for ultrawide and multi-monitor setups.

VDM can split each monitor into up to 16 individual virtual displays, allowing fine-grained control over your monitor. You can specify the scale of each virtual display, tailoring the virtual displays over each monitor. There are several virtual display configuration pre-sets, but you can just as easily set up and save a personal configuration.

Also, the Virtual Display Manager configuration panel makes it easy to switch up your configuration, changing your setup on the fly.

VDM is a premium tool, which costs $35 for a single PC license. There is also a free trial available for testing before you purchase.

Download: Virtual Display Manager for Windows (Free Trial)

7. Fancy Zones

The winner of the best window manager tool undoubtedly goes to Microsoft’s Fancy Zones. Fancy Zones is an extension of the Windows 10 snap tool. It brings the functionality of several other apps on this list into a Windows 10 specific app.

Fancy Zones splits your monitor layout into several easy to use monitor layouts. The default layouts include rows, columns, grids, and a handy priority grid. Each grid adds extra snap-to lines to your monitor, allowing you to push your apps around the screen with ease. If Fancy Zone’s default grids are not to your liking, you can create a custom grid layout with multiple zones.

To use Fancy Zones, you must install the PowerToys utilities, then enable Fancy Zones through the utility manager.

Download: PowerToys for Windows (Free)

The Fancy Zones app is part of the revitalized Microsoft PowerToys project. PowerToys was a set of freeware system utility apps Microsoft developed for Windows 95 and Windows XP, and now for Windows 10. Many of the original PowerToys are now integrated into the Windows operating system, such as Command Prompt Here (opens a Command Prompt window in your current folder) and Send to X (send the selected file to a location from the context menu).

You can install the PowerToys utility, then check back periodically for any new utilities.

Other tools already available include PowerRename (extensively integrate file renaming options) and the Windows Key Shortcut Guide (holding a Windows key for about 1 second produces a short keyboard shortcut guide). The PowerToys team is also developing an animated GIF screen recording tool and a tool that allows you to maximize any window to a new desktop.

Managing Your Ultrawide or 4K Monitor

If you have an ultrawide or 4K monitor, or even a multi-monitor configuration, managing your screens is important. Making the most of your screens means extra productivity and better PC experience all-round.

Are you wondering about setting up several monitors? Check out the complete guide to setting up multiple displays in Windows 10.

Read the full article: 7 Virtual Monitor Apps to Maximize Your Ultrawide Monitor

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The 7 Best Smart Scales of 2020

Getting fit isn’t easy. If you want to live a more healthy lifestyle, it takes perseverance and a good attitude on the journey

But the good news is that technology can help. In tandem with a smartphone app, a smart scale can help keep you motivated to lose weight. Some models can also calculate BMI and track changes in your body composition.

Here are seven of the best smart scales on the market.

1. QardioBase 2 Wireless Smart Scale and Body Analyzer

QardioBase 2 Wireless Smart Scale and Body Analyzer QardioBase 2 Wireless Smart Scale and Body Analyzer Buy Now On Amazon $149.99

A great all-around choice is the QardioBase 2 Wireless Smart Scale and Body Analyzer. You’ll use the scale with the companion app available for smartphones and even the Amazon Kindle Fire. All of the information that the scale collects syncs with other apps, including Apple Health, making it a perfect companion to use with an Apple Watch. You can also sync with MyFitnessPal, Google Fit, and others.

Along with weight, the scale measures BMI and tracks changes in your body composition like muscle percentage, body fat, water, and bone. If you don’t want to worry about specific numbers, you can switch to a smart feedback mode that will help you recognize progress with emojis.

The built-in battery provides up to a year of use on a single charge. The scale can recognize up to eight unique users, making it great for families. The scale also features a dedicated pregnancy mode that allows women to track their weekly progress and even add pictures to the numbers. You can select from a white or black version of the scale.

2. Fitbit Aria 2

Fitbit Aria 2 Fitbit Aria 2 Buy Now On Amazon $99.00

If you’re firmly a fan of Fitbit fitness trackers, make sure to take a look at the Fitbit Aria 2. The smart scale measures weight, body fat percentage, lean mass, and BMI. All of that information will sync to your Fitbit dashboard, and is viewable in the app and on the Fitbit website.

Thanks to the tight Fitbit integration, you can see precisely how your activity impacts weight. All of the information is shown in easy-to-understand graphs. When you reach a goal weight, you’ll earn achievement badges and share with friends through the app.

The scale takes power from three AA batteries. Up to eight different users are recognized using the Aria 2. You can select from a black or white version of the scale.

3. Withings Body+

Withings Body+ Withings Body+ Buy Now On Amazon $62.99

The Withings Body+ is another great scale to use with Apple Watch. You can view all of the information from the scale on the companion Withings Health Mate watch app. It also syncs with other major apps like Apple Health, Fitbit, and Google Fit. You can monitor body weight, body fat, water percentage, muscle mass, and bone mass.

Powered by four AAA batteries, the scale can go for up to 18 months before needing to switch the cells out. When stepping on the scale, you can view the daily weather forecast and see the previous day step count if you’re using a Withings activity tracker. Anyone with an Amazon Alexa device can also take advantage of a skill to find out about weight trends by day, week, or year with a simple voice command.

The scale, available in black or white, tracks the information of up to eight different users. There is also a pregnancy mode that offers additional insight and a baby mode for small children.

4. Garmin Index Smart Scale

Garmin Index Smart Scale Garmin Index Smart Scale Buy Now On Amazon $113.32

Another popular maker of fitness trackers, Garmin, has a smart scale that can be used within its own ecosystem. The Garmin Index Smart Scale measures a number of different metrics, including weight, body mass index, body fat, and skeletal muscle mass. The scale recognizes up to 16 different users.

You’ll use four AAA batteries for power that can last up to nine months. All of the information is available to view in the companion smartphone app or the Garmin Connect online account. You can select from either a black or white version of the scale.

5. Eufy BodySense Smart Scale

Eufy BodySense Smart Scale Eufy BodySense Smart Scale Buy Now On Amazon $29.99

The Eufy BodySense Smart Scale is one of the best smart scales for anyone on a budget. The scale can measure several different data points, including weight, body fat, BMI, bone mass, and muscle mass. The scale recognizes up to 16 unique users.

The recorded data is available to view in the companion app, too. All of the measurements can also sync with Apple Health, Google Fit, and Fitbit. The scale uses three AAA batteries for power.

6. iHealth Lite Wireless Smart Scale

iHealth Lite Wireless Smart Scale iHealth Lite Wireless Smart Scale Buy Now On Amazon $79.99

Your whole family can easily use the iHealth Lite Wireless Smart Scale. The scale can track measurements for up to 20 unique users. You can see both weight and BMI results in the companion app. The information can also sync to Apple Health and Samsung Health.

This makes the iHealth Lite among the best smart scales for Apple Health. An ambient light sensor will automatically adjust the LED screen so you can easily and clearly see the readings in any room. The scale takes power from four AAA batteries.

7. RENPHO Bluetooth Body Fat Scale

RENPHO Bluetooth Body Fat Scale RENPHO Bluetooth Body Fat Scale Buy Now On Amazon $22.99

The RENPHO Bluetooth Body Fat Scale can measure 13 different data points, including weight, BMI, body fat percentage, body age, muscle mass, and skeletal mass. Athletes can take advantage of a special mode that provides more accurate body composition information. The mode is also for anyone with above-average muscle mass and activity levels.

Along with the companion smartphone app, the scale can also sync with Apple Health, Samsung Health, and Google Fit. Apple Watch users can view the data on their wearable device thanks to the RENPHO app. You’ll use three AAA batteries for power, and the scale can track data from an unlimited amount of users.

The Best Smart Scales to Help Track Weight Loss

Using one of these smart scales, you can better track your weight loss and view different trends from all of the different information collected.

And using a smart scale is just one piece of technology that can help you become more fit. Make sure to take a look at our rundown of the best fitness trackers with heart rate monitoring as well.

Read the full article: The 7 Best Smart Scales of 2020

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What Does TBH Mean? It’s Not What You Might Think…

“TBH” has been around for a long time, but what does TBH mean? Even if you know its original meaning, you may be unaware that this old term now has a couple of new meanings.

So, what does TBH mean, and what are the different ways of using it? In this article, we’ll explain all, helping you use the term correctly so you don’t embarrass yourself on social media.

What Does TBH Mean?.. “To Be Honest”

The most popular use of the initialism TBH is, “To Be Honest.” This explanation sounds simple enough, but its usage and meaning can change depending on what website you’re on.

How to Use “To Be Honest” As a Phrase

Using TBH as a phrase is the oldest and most traditional use of the initialism. There isn’t anything special about this term or any special rules for using it. This is what TBH means on Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, in text messages, emails, and on forums. Whenever you’d type out the full phrase “to be honest,” you can instead replace it with “TBH”.

You’ll usually find this initialism at the start or end of a sentence. It can be typed in either lowercase or upper-case, or have the T capitalized at the beginning of the sentence. People rarely put dots between the letters, so don’t worry about doing that.

TBH’s primary use is to declare that a statement is coming from the honesty of the person speaking it. Its usage can range from snarky attacks to humble self-reflection. It can also be used jokingly when the poster isn’t genuinely being honest but uses the acronym for added comedic effect.

this is better than any other option tbh https://t.co/L6wveANs8W

— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) January 12, 2016

You can use this version of TBH anywhere you like. TBH is recognized internet-wide, from message boards to social media. If you’re typing something in a casual setting, feel free to drop a TBH, should the need arise.

TBH is very similar to the other internet term, “In My Opinion” (IMO). IMO can also be used at the beginning or end of a sentence to signal that the user is giving their honest opinion on a topic.

imo war is bad and should be avoided, but you don’t need my opinion any more than I need yours so let’s all agree to go read some real reporting by reputable outlets (on why war is bad and should be avoided).

— Hannah Keyser (@HannahRKeyser) January 3, 2020

You may also see TBH’s close cousin “To Be Fair” (TBF) on social media posts or forums. This is when someone is giving an honest take that’s typically playing devil’s advocate to a statement or opinion.

Tried to find @tha_rami at the Dutch Destiny 2 community event tonight, but couldn't find him. Tbf there were no Telesto's available ;) pic.twitter.com/RTKRNFpo3w

— Steven Kokshoorn (@StevePharma) January 3, 2020

How to Use “To Be Honest” As a Noun

If you venture onto Instagram, you’ll see that TBH takes on another meaning. Users will use TBH as if it were a noun; for example, “like for a tbh” or “I’ll give you a tbh.” So, what does TBH mean on Instagram?

On Instagram, TBH still keeps its meaning of “To Be Honest.” However, to “give a tbh” means to give an opinion on someone’s appearance or personality.

People will often post images that say “like for a tbh.” This means that whoever gives the picture a like will receive a compliment in return. When used for complimenting, TBH typically goes at the very start of the sentence (“tbh I love your hair”).

Some may argue that a TBH Instagram post goes against the true meaning of “To Be Honest,” as people are dissuaded from criticism. Some Instagram users, however, won’t give a TBH if they don’t have anything nice to say about the requester, which they believe is honest enough to fit the original meaning of TBH.

If a user is looking for something more genuine, they may ask for a “tbh and rate.” This is where the original poster rates the commenter out of 10, and gives them a first impression in the form of a TBH. Due to the scoring nature of this request, the TBH will be more honest than complimentary.

A brave user may ask for a “tbh, rate, and date.” This is the same as above, but the replier will also state if they’d date the person or not.

Instagram is full of terms related to the platform and the users who use it, and it can be confusing for a newcomer. Be sure to study up on the common Instagram terms everyone should know to understand what people mean.

What Does TBH Mean?.. “To Be Heard”

Some users also report that TBH stands for “to be heard.” It’s not as common as “to be honest,” but it can be found if you look hard enough.

In this instance, TBH is used to indicate a post of someone who wants to be heard. This can be a personal problem or an issue with the world that they want to bring up and receive recognition for.

I feel like an alien when I go back home for holidays and everyone in my family has their families now and hangs together. I wish they would include me. #tbh

— Ryan Kiser (@ryanmkiser) December 25, 2019

However, this usage of TBH isn’t as well-known as the other two. As such, if you do use TBH to mean “to be heard,” you may confuse users who think it means “to be honest”. Which is something to bear in mind.

How to Understand Internet Lingo Better

TBH is an excellent example of how initialisms can grow and develop over time. While people mostly know that it means “to be honest,” not many know of its unique usage on Instagram or its alternate meaning of “to be heard”.

If reading your social media feed feels like you’re trying to crack the Enigma code, be sure to learn the trendy internet acronyms and slang words used across the internet.

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5 Web Frameworks Worth Learning for Developers

As a web developer, you’re always on the lookout for ways to make coding easier. One way to do this is by using code libraries that eliminate repetitive code or give you more power.

You need to write a lot of code to develop a web app. The design, layout, server logic, and database all need to be coded. It takes a lot of work, but there are ways you can save time.

To code more effectively, you can turn to something known as a web framework. Here are five frameworks that will give your web apps more power.

What Is a Web Framework?

A web framework is a library of code that simplifies common tasks. Knowing when to use one can cut down on repetitive code when you’re writing an app. Writing repetitive code goes against some key programming principles and makes life difficult.

Using a framework is easy. Just choose a framework, install on your machine, and deploy it within your app. From there, write your app using all the code now available to you via the framework.

There are frameworks for front end and back end development, made with various programming languages.  Let’s take a look at some top picks, in no particular order.

1. Django (Python)

What Is Django?

Django is a framework in the incredibly popular Python language. This framework puts an emphasis on speed, security, and scalability.

Python developers get a boost on the back end with Django. If you’re comfortable with the language you’ll feel right at home. Python can do some pretty amazing things developing on the web, so there’s no shortage of benefits.

Benefits

Django first and foremost has the advantage of being written in Python. Many programmers in data science, machine learning, and software engineering are choosing Python. You can find a lot of resources to learn the language, which is well documented. Here are the best websites to learn Python and explore more.

Django creates an entire back end with one click. It lets you work with any front end language you want, which gives you some flexibility when you write your app. Documentation for Django is extensive and up-to-date.

Security features are built in to help you combat hacking. For example, you can:

• Keep passwords safe
• Protect your app from clickjacking attacks
• Defend against SQL injection attacks

2. Ruby on Rails (Ruby)

What Is Ruby on Rails?

Ruby is normally used to develop computer programs, but Ruby on Rails came along and made it a great option for web development. You will need a basic grasp of Ruby to be successful with Rails. It’s not trendy, so an interactive guide to learning Ruby may help.

Ruby on Rails is a pretty heavy framework, which means it launches some pretty large file sizes. It lays the entire foundation for both the back end and the front end using the Model-View-Controller (MVC) pattern.

Benefits

Ruby on Rails is reliable and secure. Web apps like Hulu, GitHub, Square, and SoundCloud were built using Ruby on Rails. It’s able to handle the scale of these apps, so you can feel comfortable using this for your app as well.

It’s open-source with a robust community of developers pitching in to improve its features. Over 5,000 developers contribute, many of whom push updates regularly.

Ruby on Rails is a heavy framework, so it’s not right for every application. Simple web apps are better served with a lighter framework with smaller files. But if you’re building a full-scale app Rails can give you nearly everything you need.

3. React (JavaScript)

What Is React?

React is a JavaScript framework that became popular thanks to Facebook. It gives you new ways to write re-usable code in your front end layouts. React uses its own language known as JSX, and is used to build pieces of code called components. 

A React component is a reusable piece of code that can contain HTML, CSS, or JavaScript. You can build anything from small modules to entire HTML layouts inside of components. React can render, or display, these components on the web browser.

Benefits

Using components can eliminate repeated code as you build your app. Use JSX to create a user interface (UI) or layout in a  component, then call the component whenever you need it.

React is relatively fast thanks to the way it was designed. Normally, HTML and JavaScript are processed through the browsers document object model (DOM). React uses its own DOM to render elements, and then pushes them through to the browser DOM.

When you write code to make an update to the React DOM, it only updates the necessary information and does not try and update the entire DOM. This means a significant boost in speed.

React is easy to test using the React Testing Library or Jest.

4. ASP.NET Core

What Is ASP.NET Core?

Microsoft built ASP.NET to work as a complete Back End framework for their programming language C#. It can also run F# and Visual Basic but there are lots of reasons to use C#. Microsoft might make you think Windows, but ASP.NET Core works for macOS and Linux also.

ASP.NET Core is open-source and free to use. You can create web apps and mobile apps with ease. Developers who are used to programming using Microsoft’s stack will feel pretty comfortable.

Note: Microsoft currently supports both ASP.NET (their Windows framework) and ASP.NET Core (Windows/macOS/Linux). Their names are nearly identical, so download accordingly!

Benefits

ASP.NET Core is pushed by Microsoft because of its flexibility coding with any OS. You might be a developer that wants to use macOS for web development. Microsoft had to make a stack that was able to code outside of Windows, and they’ve done it with ASP.NET Core.

Visual Studio and Visual Studio Code work well with ASP.NET Core, so if you’re using those to write apps you have an advantage.

ASP.NET Core is updated several times a year by Microsoft to keep it secure. It has a strong ecosystem of packages, known as NuGet packages, to make coding quicker. It’s flexible on the front end, you can use frameworks like React or Angular with it.

5. Laravel (PHP)

Why PHP?

Once a king of web development, PHP has fallen slightly out of favor in recent years and has an unfortunate reputation as an old language.

There’s still plenty of reason to use PHP. WordPress uses it, and if you maintain code for older apps you may run into PHP quite often. Developing new apps with PHP is also not uncommon; Laravel is a modern library that makes it easier.

Benefits

Laravel takes PHP and combines it with modern concepts like MVC architecture and object-oriented programming. You won’t encounter limits on building a full-scale PHP app. Security features are also built in to help keep your apps safe.

Perhaps the best thing about using Laravel is its vast ecosystem of tools and packages. You can find PHP tools to manage servers, test your app, Oauth authentication, debugging and more. All these are built by a community of developers to make Laravel more useful.

Learning More Web Development

Web frameworks are all about making life easier as a web developer. You can use any of these frameworks to get ahead, or perhaps take a look at some coding apps that make programming a little easier.

You’ll get even more out of these tools by continuing to learn about web development. Learn more about HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to get ahead. You can also check out some great tools that will upgrade your web development skills.

Read the full article: 5 Web Frameworks Worth Learning for Developers

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Cherry goes downmarket with its new Viola mechanical keyboard switches

Cherry has long been the de facto standard for mechanical keyboard switches. Since mechanical keyboards are, almost by default, significantly more expensive than membrane or dome-switch keyboards, that has kept the company out a large part of the market. Now, on the last day of CES 2020, the company is launching its new Viola switch, the company’s first fully mechanical switch for the value market, meant for keyboards that will cost somewhere between $50 and $100.

As the Cherry team told me ahead of today’s announcement, its engineers spent well over a year on designing this new switch, which only has a handful of parts and which moves some of the complexity into the circuit board on the keyboard itself. A lot of the work went into the design new self-cleaning contact system (which the company quickly patented) and to ensure that the switches’ materials would be able to handle regular use despite the simplicity of the design.

Because of this new design, the new Viola switches are now hot-swappable, so if one ever goes bad, swapping in a new one shouldn’t take more than a few seconds. And because the company stuck with the same industry-standard cross-stem design for attaching keycaps, keyboard manufacturers can reuse their existing designs, too.

Like most new switches, the Cherry Viola supports LED lighting, which in the case of this new design, can be mounted right on the circuit board of the keyboard.

If you’re a keyboard aficionado, you won’t confuse the new Viola switch with any of Cherry’s high-end MX switches. For a lot of users who want a mechanical keyboard at a value price, this looks like it’ll be a great option.

I didn’t get a chance to spend a lot of time with the new switches, but as best as I could tell, the current version resembles a quiet MX Brown switch. Cherry itself discourages any comparison’s, though. Even the name is clearly meant to remove any confusion that this switch is part of the MX series and while Cherry has plans to offer similar switch variants as the MX Black, Brown, Blue, Red, it won’t recycle those colors for those switches either. While the company tells me it isn’t all that worried about the new switches cannibalizing the MX market, it’s not leaving that to chance either.

One major difference with the Viola switches is that Cherry isn’t giving any guarantee for how many keystrokes they will withstand — at least not yet. The company tells me it may give some guidance at a later point.

Like all other Cherry switches, the Viola switches are built in the company’s factory in Germany and all of its suppliers, too, are building their products in the country as well.

For the MX switches, though, the company is now raising its guarantee from 50 million keystrokes (which was already a lot) to 100 million. Some pro-gamers actually reach those numbers (and the switches usually continue to function well beyond that), but for everybody else, it’s just an assurance that the company stands behind its products. To achieve this, the team made some minor adjustments to switches and especially the guide rails on the inside of the switch housing. That won’t change the actual typing experience, though.

The first keyboards with the 100-million MX switches are already available and the first Viola keyboards will become available soon.

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DuckDuckGo still critical of Google’s EU Android choice screen auction, after wining a universal slot

Google has announced which search engines have won an auction process it has devised for an Android ‘choice screen’ — as its response to an antitrust intervention by the region’s competition regulator.

The prompt is shown to users of Android smartphones in the European Union as they set up a device, asking them to choose a search engine from a list of four which always includes Google’s own search engine.

In mid-2018 the European Commission fined Google $5BN for antitrust violations attached to how it operates the Android platform, including related to how it bundles its own services with the dominant smartphone OS, and ordered it to remedy the infringements — while leaving it up to the tech giant to devise a fix.

Google responded by creating a choice screen for Android users to pick a search engine from a short list — with the initial choices seemingly based on local marketshare. But last summer it announced it would move to auctioning slots on the screen via a fixed sealed bid auction process.

The big winners of the initial auction, for the period March 1, 2020 to June 30, 2020, are pro-privacy search engine DuckDuckGo — which gets one of three paid-for slots in all 31 European markets — and a product called Info.com, which will also be shown as an option in all those markets. (Per Wikipedia, the latter is a veteran metasearch engine that provides results from multiple search engines and directories, including Google.)

French pro-privacy search engine Qwant will be shown as an option to Android users in eight European markets. While Russia’s Yandex will appears as an option in five markets in the east of the region.

Other search engines that will appear as choices in a minority of European markets are GMX, Seznam, Givero and PrivacyWall.

At a glance the big loser looks to be Microsoft’s Bing search engine — which will only appear as an option on the choice screen shown in the UK.

Tree-planting search engine Ecosia does not appear anywhere on the list at all, despite appearing on some initial Android choice screens — having taken the decision to boycott the auction because it objects to Google’s ‘pay-to-play’ approach.

Ecosia CEO Christian Kroll told the BBC: “We believe this auction is at odds with the spirit of the July 2018 EU Commission ruling. Internet users deserve a free choice over which search engine they use and the response of Google with this auction is an affront to our right to a free, open and federated internet. Why is Google able to pick and choose who gets default status on Android?”

It’s not the only search engine critical of Google’s move, with Qwant and DuckDuckGo both raising concerns immediately the move to a paid auction was announced last year.

Despite participating in the process — and winning a universal slot — DuckDuckGo told us it still does not agree with Google’s pay-to-play auction.

“We believe a search preference menu is an excellent way to meaningfully increase consumer choice if designed properly. Our own research has reinforced this point and we look forward to the day when Android users in Europe will have the opportunity to easily make DuckDuckGo their default search engine while setting up their phones. However, we still believe a pay-to-play auction with only 4 slots isn’t right because it means consumers won’t get all the choices they deserve and Google will profit at the expense of the competition,” a spokesperson said in a statement.

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Star Wars Voyager 1

Star Wars Voyager 1

Razor Tomahawk: Reinventing The Desktop Gaming PC

Razer always pushes the limits when it comes to PC gaming. For the company’s first step into the desktop space, it’s completely changing the way you go about building a desktop computer.

The company is best known for its lines of mice, keyboard, and other gaming peripherals. However, since the release of the Razer Blade laptops, the company has become a major player in the PC device space.

With the announcement of the Razer Tomahawk desktop, the company is clearly looking to revolutionize desktop gaming by making a modular computer that requires almost no technical knowledge to actually build and upgrade.

The Razer Tomahawk is quite a bit smaller than your typical gaming desktop. In fact, it actually looks more like an external GPU enclosure than a full-fledged gaming desktop.

Rather than use a bulky motherboard, Razer is using an Intel NUC Element modular computer, which is obviously substantially smaller than a traditional PC. There’s also no desktop processor included since there’s no traditional motherboard to attach it to. There are slots for memory and storage, Wi-Fi 6 radio, plenty of ports, and everything that makes a gaming PC tick.

Razer has also designed a really sleek enclosure to go with the tiny NUC board. Like most Razer products, it looks really good and features tasteful lights to make your PC stand out from the crowd.

Razer hasn’t provided all of the details for the new PC, but it did say that it hopes to release the full system starting at around $2000 this June. This configuration would include a Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and a yet-to-be-announced RTX 20 GPU. There will also be an upgraded model that features a Core i9 with 64GB of RAM and a GeForce RTX 2080 Super.

Unfortunately, Razer had the PC behind a glass case at CES 2020, so we couldn’t actually take it apart and test the module components for ourselves, but it definitely looked quite promising. Having a gaming PC that takes up minimal space and one that can be upgraded insanely quickly is a pretty exciting proposition for any PC gamer.

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Gigabyte Reveals a Lineup of Beautiful and Affordable Gaming Monitors

When you hear “Gigabyte” you instantly think of the brand’s amazing graphics cards and motherboards. Surprisingly, Gigabyte is now dabbling in another aspect of computer hardware: gaming monitors. The company recently unveiled its trio of gaming monitors at CES in Las Vegas.

What’s the best part about these stunning monitors? They’re budget-friendly. Here’s a quick rundown of each new monitor.

The Gigabyte G27F is the most budget-friendly monitor of the group, with a price of about $250. For such a cheap 27-inch FHD monitor equipped with a 1ms response time and 144Hz refresh rate, you can’t go wrong. It also has two built-in speakers, along with FreeSync and G-Sync compatibility. Plus, you can easily adjust its height using the stand.

Want a mid-range curved monitor on the cheaper side? You’ll want to check out the Gigabyte G27QC. This stunning, 27-inch monitor features QHD resolution and a 165Hz refresh rate. It comes with FreeSync Premium, as well as G-Sync compatibility. When it releases, its price will be set around $350.

Lastly, the Gigabyte G32QC is the most expensive and the most unique out of the three. At $370, it won’t make a huge dent in your wallet, and that’s pretty impressive for such a beautiful curved monitor. This monitor has just about the same specs as the G27QC, but it has a larger size of 32 inches.

What makes this monitor stand out is its KVM (Keyboard, Video, Mouse) functionality. In other words, you can plug in USB-C devices such as your smartphone, laptop, or tablet, and have that device’s display appear on your monitor. You can then fully control the device using your keyboard and mouse, while viewing it on your monitor.

Unfortunately, Gigabyte’s newest monitors aren’t for sale just yet, and are expected to release sometime this spring. They’re definitely worth the wait—you can’t get a better price for gaming monitors like these. When spring rolls around, make sure to keep an eye out for any updates!

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Wahu Adaptive Sole: A Radically Different Kind of Shoe

The Wahu Adaptive Sole is exactly what you’d expect: it’s the sole of a shoe. But the trick is that it’s virtually magic. The Adaptive Sole adapts to the surrounding terrain by manipulating miniature cavities within its rubber role. By pressurizing the sole, it can adjust multiple petal-like pads in orientation to the terrain. In other words, the sole can change, and improve, how your feet come into contact with the ground.

These aren’t your grandpa’s shoes. The Adaptive Sole seems like something out of science fiction. While the Wahu possesses the ability to automatically adjust its feel and performance settings in response to terrain, it also includes some preset features. For example, if the wearer knows that there is snow ahead on the trail, they can pull out their smartphone and pair it with their shoe. They can then select the “snow mountain” preset on their smartphone. In response to the new setting, the shoe will then automatically expand its microcavities, increasing its snugness, and push the foot petals into climbing mode.

On top of providing an adjustable sole, the Adaptive Sole can also provide biofeedback data to its user including information on the wearer’s gait, which can help to improve workouts.

While Wahu representatives could not comment on their manufacturing partners or the licensees of their intellectual property, they did mention that a shoe based on their technology coming to market before the end of 2020.

But exact numbers on how durable the foot petals are, or how much the system would cost, remain unknown. My guess, based on how much high-end outdoor sports footwear costs, is in the $500 range. However, because there are no devices even remotely like the Wahu Adaptive Sole, anyone’s guess is as good as mine.

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GaN Power Supplies Revolutionize USB-C Chargers in 2020

Gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductors continue their revolution of the charger and power supply industry. The secret to their success is GaNFast technology. GaNFast is Navitas Semiconductor‘s proprietary implementation of GaN semiconductors. Chances are, if you find charger that’s much more efficient and smaller than your last model, it uses semiconductors from Navitas.

And, as of 2019, there are no other GaN-based semiconductors on the charger market.

What is Gallium Nitride?

GaN is a revolution in the physical materials that make up transistor technology. And it’s better in almost every way imaginable. The newer material is cheaper to produce, more efficient, and—above all else—it produces less waste heat. The new chargers come from a variety of companies. The big releases this year came from Aukey and Hyper. But there were many manufacturers with GaN chargers.

Aukey’s Four USB-C Chargers (100W, 61W, 27W)

Aukey is producing four new USB-C Power Delivery (PD) chargers for 2020. One is a 61-watt unit with dual USB-C outputs and the other is a 27-watt unit with a single USB-C PD output. It also includes two 100-watt units, one capable of USB-C and USB-A and the other only USB-C.

The 61-watt unit can simultaneously charge the equivalent of two laptops simultaneously.

The chargers include some fascinating options. Among these is Genki’s Nintendo Switch USB-C PD dock and charging station. The dock includes such ports as HDMI, allowing users to throw their Switch into the dock and send video to a larger screen while at the same time delivering a PD charge. The charger received an official license from Nintendo—meaning it almost certainly won’t endanger your device’s safety.

Hyper 100-Watt USB-C Charger

Far and away the best charger that I saw is the Hyper 100-Watt Charger. While it’s about the same size as most other brick-style chargers, it can hit 100-watts with two USB-C ports and two USB-A ports. Provided that it manages to get a USB-IF certification, the Hyper will be the highest wattage GaN charger with four USB ports.

Other Chargers

I didn’t see anything special about the other chargers with GaNFast semiconductors in them. Aside from being more efficient and smaller than silicon-based chargers, GaN-equipped chargers have to differentiate from one another using aesthetics, ports, features, safety standards, and quality control. For most consumers, though, the most important features are the number of ports and wattage output.

The EggTronic USB-C charger, for example, outputs 65-watts over a single USB-C port. The other chargers include:

• Verizon’s 30W USB-C charger
• Elixage’s 45W USB-C charger
• SlimQ USB-A + USB-C charger
• AMC Technology’s 65-watt USB-C charger
• Belkin’s 65-watt 2 port USB-C charger

Why Silicon Is Going Obsolete

The older material used in most transistors, and computer processors, is silicon. Silicon is an unusual material in that it can function as a conductor and a resistor of electricity. We refer to these materials as “semiconductors“.

Unfortunately, as engineers and scientists have tried to cram more and more transistors into shrinking spaces, the energy “leakage” from these silicon transistors has presented a serious problem. Science needed to come up with a replacement material that produces less waste heat at more denser transistor counts. And that’s where gallium nitride comes in.

GaN is a more efficient material for transferring electricity, it wastes less energy, and delivers power without heating up as much as silicon. Consequently, all consumer electronics that use transistors may one day use gallium nitride. While at present, GaN’s most popular uses are in charger and power-supply technologies, the future will involve a much wider spectrum of devices.

Navitas Semiconductor doesn’t only operate within the charger space. Its GaNFast semiconductors have made their way into numerous applications, including a Black Magic Designs external graphics card.

Perhaps one of the most useful future implementations is as a computer power supply inside the picoPSU power supply space. While there are scaling issues with creating larger wattage power supply units using GaNFast, such as with beefy gaming PCs. However, sub 400-watt computers could in theory support GaNFast power supply units, which is certain to lead to a renaissance in fanless and small form-factor computers.

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Altec Lansing Reveals a Suite of Fresh Audio Products at CES 2020

Audio company Altec Lansing had plenty to show off at CES 2020, including several new Bluetooth audio products. We took a look at the company’s booth during CES 2020, and a few of the new devices particularly stood out to us.

First up are the Nano Pods, which offer a compact true wireless earbud experience. The buds and case are both tiny, allowing them to easily fit in a pocket or purse. They offer four hours of use on each charge, with the included case powering them for an additional 16 hours.

The Nano Pods are available in a range of cool colors, allowing you to match your style. In case of a sudden rain shower, they pack IPX5 water resistance. They will be available later in 2020 and cost somewhere in the under-$50 price range.

Moving on from earbuds, Altec Lansing also had several new Bluetooth speakers to show off. The most impressive in its Everything-Proof Party Speakers line is the IMT810 Remix. Like all the existing Everything-Proof devices, this is totally resistant to water, dust, and other elements. 

This beast of a speaker packs a few features that help separate it from others. On the top of the speaker is a removable compartment where you can store any device you want to keep out of the elements, like your smartphone. The front has a slot for storing your phone, with an included strap for keeping it safe.

The speaker itself offers 18 hours of battery life, plus Qi charging to keep your phone topped up. Even cooler, the wireless pairing feature lets you pair two of these speakers together for even better sound.

Expect to see it around Q2 2020. The price is to be determined, but will be under $250.

Altec Lansing had lots more to show off in the audio department, including a new line of affordable active noise cancelling headphones, sports-focused earbuds, and smaller Bluetooth speakers. Anyone in the market for something new in this sphere should keep an eye on the company’s releases over the new few months.

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3 Notable Hearing Loss Solutions We Found at CES 2020

As we age, our basic senses continuously degrade. Hearing loss is one of the more debilitating and less easily treatable disabilities and it’s not just affecting the elderly. According to the WHO, over a billion people between the ages of 12-35 are at risk of hearing loss due to recreational noise exposure.

Many companies have released products to address hearing loss and we went to see a few of them at CES.

1. AudioCardio: A Workout for Your Ears

AudioCardio’s co-founder Chris Ellis told us that he had to watch his grandfather go from hearing loss to social isolation and dementia before he passed away. This story highlights the heartbreaking consequences of losing your hearing as you age. Together with his partner, who has a background in music production and has done research on how the brain processes sound, Chris founded AudioCardio to prevent and potentially reverse hearing loss using sound therapy.

All you need to start the therapy is AudioCardio’s app (iOS, Android version expected this month) and a pair of headphones. In the initial assessment, the mobile app measures your hearing abilities and determines which decibel levels you’re able to perceive. During your daily 30 to 60 minutes sound therapy sessions, you will listen to your own music, podcasts, or audio books. You will need to retake the assessment once a week and you should see improvements after as little as two weeks.

AudioCardio’s sound therapy has not been approved by the FDA, yet, but several studies and preliminary clinical trials show that their technology can restore up to 10dB of lost hearing. They are seeking FDA approval, which can take several years. Meanwhile, you can use their subscription service at $15 per month or $100 per year.

2. Eargo Neo HiFi: The Invisible Hearing Aid

The stigma of wearing a hearing aid prevents many young people from seeking treatment. Eargo’s emphasis is on producing tiny hearing aids that are virtually invisible. At CES 2020, they announced the fourth generation of their hearing loss solution.

The Eargo Neo HiFi fits snuck and comfortably into any ear. A transparent pull-cord ensures that you can easily remove the hearing aid, but it’s shaped so that it remains invisible when you’re wearing it.

Setting up the Eargo Neo HiFi does not require a hearing test. Instead, it comes with three presets for mild, medium, severe hearing loss.

Until March 31, 2020, you can buy the Eargo Neo HiFi at the introductory price of $2,650. After that, they will be $2,950. The company does offer monthly financing. These hearing aids come with a 45-day money back guarantee, two-year warranty, and lifetime support.

3. OrCam Hear: Solving the Cocktail Party Effect

Conventional hearing aids struggle with isolating voices. In a busy environment, people wearing a hearing aid find it nearly impossible to follow a conversation as all the voices melt together; this is known as the cocktail party effect.

The OrCam Hear is an AI-driven solution that solves this dilemma by identifying lip movements and body gestures of a speaker. As the wearer of the device physically directs their attention to another speaker, the OrCam Hear can seamlessly switch to the new voice. The OrCam Hear is an add-on device that pairs to your hearing aid using Bluetooth.

The OrCam Hear is not available for retail, yet.

Bonus: Puro Sound Labs PuroPro

For young people, recreational noise exposure is the biggest contributor to early hearing loss. Puro Sound Labs has been addressing this issue with headphones for kids, limited to a safe volume of 85dB. At CES 2020, they announced a new line of headphones for adults, the PuroPro.

The PuroPro Bluetooth headphones feature two-stage active noise cancelling of 22-32dB. To further accommodate noisy environments, the PuroPro permits a maximum volume of 95dB, though you should not exceed this volume for more than 50 minutes a day.

The PuroPro will be available in late Q1 2020 for $199.99.

Don’t Let Hearing Loss Get You (Down)

As long as you’re not affected by significant hearing loss, you should seriously consider limiting your noise exposure. But keep in mind that hearing peaks at age 25 and declines as we age. Training your sense of hearing could slow down this decline. And if your hearing loss has progressed too far, smart hearing aids can artificially restore your hearing to some degree.

We have previously reviewed Nura’s Nuraphone headphones, which personalize sound to your ears and hearing abilities.

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The iKuddle Smart Litter Box Neatly Packs Your Cat’s Waste

No one likes cleaning out a litter box. If you have a cat, you’d probably say that cleaning the litter box is the most annoying part about caring for your feline friend. iKuddle strives to eliminate the cleaning process altogether—its smart litter box does all the work for you!

After your cat does its business inside the box, the iKuddle will wait three to ten minutes after your cat leaves. This way, it doesn’t start cleaning while your cat is still in the box. You also have the option of manually starting the cleaning process by pressing a button on the iKuddle itself, or by activating it through the box’s companion app.

The iKuddle uses a sifter that skims through the litter, dragging any clumps along the way. It then dumps all the clumps into the back portion of the box. When you’re ready to empty the box, simply hit the auto-packing button from the app or on the box.

What makes the iKuddle stand out from its competitors, is that it actually packs and seals the waste in a bag for you. With a press of the button, you can open the hatch on the back of the litterbox, remove, and throw out the pre-packed bag.

But what about odor? The iKuddle has that covered as well. Instead of dealing with an awful scent, the iKuddle uses a fan and carbon filter that eliminates any odors. It activates just five minutes following your cat’s visit. Just remember to replace the filter once every two months to keep your home smelling fresh.

Like I mentioned earlier, iKuddle also has an app to go along with it. This app actually uses data that it collects from the litter box. All of this comes together to form a profile of your cat’s health, and shows you how often it has been using the litter box.

This discreet and handy litterbox is a must-buy if you own a cat. However, it’s suggested to have one iKuddle for every two cats that you have. The iKuddle doesn’t come out for another two months, and it’s expected to have a price tag of $469.

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The GoDonut Is the Smartphone Stand You’ve Always Wanted

Smartphones are convenient to hold in your hands, but they’re a bit of a pain if you want to use them on a table or other flat surface. GoDonut has the solution with a flexible, portable, and affordable phone stand that we really liked on the show floor of CES 2020.

True to its name, the unit is a small circular ring with a hole in the middle. It’s made of a flexible material, so you don’t have to worry about warping or tearing the donut.

The GoDonut can hold your phone or tablet at three different angles. The smallest angle allows you to use your device as you would normally, totally hands-free. A slightly steeper angle is great for reading content like books or websites.

The final groove holds your phone straight up and down, which makes for a great passive item on your desk. Of course, the donut also supports holding your phone in landscape mode.

What makes the GoDonut so appealing is its universal compatibility. Aside from smartphones, the unit works with tablets and even Kindle devices. You may have to remove your phone’s case if it’s thick, but thin cases won’t impede its functionality.

No matter which orientation you use, the GoDonut securely holds your device. This lets you use it without worrying about your phone rocking all around. And because it’s so small, you can take it with you on a trip.

After giving it a try, we think the GoDonut is one of those products that you didn’t know you’d want until you try it. It’s so simple but quite effective, and anyone who uses their phone at a desk or table often will definitely get use from it.

If this sounds interesting to you, you can pick up a GoDonut now from Amazon or the official site. It’s available in several colors, with more planned for release soon. You can also opt for the GoDonut 360, which has a swivel base. This lets you spin your device around to view it from any angle.

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