You don't have wait for Apple to see what a foldable iPhone would look like in practice. China-based The Aesthetics of Science and Technology (AST) claims to have built a folding iPhone through heavy modifications. The engineers say they created the one-off with spare Motorola RAZR parts, their own 3D-printed elements and an iPhone X screen made more flexible by replacing the not-at-all-foldable glass and touch layers. An iOS jailbreak lets Apple's software run on the handset and introduces suitable features like a split-screen mode.
The result is largely what you'd expect — it looks like the love child of an iPhone and a Galaxy Z Flip, with all the compromises that come with an unofficial design. While the folding iPhone appears to work as advertised, there's a cavernous gap when it's folded. There's a smaller battery, no wireless charging and just one speaker. As you'd guess, the design also loses water resistance and any kind of real-world durability. The modded iOS also clearly isn't as optimized for flexible displays as Samsung's software for the Galaxy Z series.
This effort might also warrant some skepticism. Gizmodo notes that the team glosses over some important steps, including the need to rearrange key internals. While there aren't obvious signs that something's amiss, the initiative isn't definitive proof that a do-it-yourself folding iPhone is possible. It's certainly a greater challenge than adding a USB-C port.
Rumors have suggested that Apple may introduce an honest-to-goodness folding iPhone as soon as 2023, making this hacked-together handset more of a (very rough) preview than a desirable item in itself. Just wait long enough and you may get a far better product. The mod illustrates Apple's challenges, at least. A proper foldable iPhone would require major engineering changes and software tweaks to meet users' expectations. There are also problems that even brands like Motorola and Samsung have yet to overcome, such as displays that crease and (in some cases) crack.
You no longer need to pull out your phone to use Google One's virtual private network. Google has released One VPN apps for Mac and Windows systems. As on mobile, the VPN encrypts and otherwise masks your internet traffic. You can't use it to access content from other regions like you can with some VPNs, but it should help if you're worried about exposing your IP address (potentially useful for tracking) or using a public hotspot.
The VPN requires at least the $10 per month 2TB Google One plan, although you can share access with up to five other people. Desktop support is available in all 22 countries where the service is available, including the US, Canada, Mexico, UK and much of Europe. You'll need at least macOS Big Sur or Windows 10. There is a caveat — while the Mac app works for both x86 and ARM users, the Windows app doesn't support 32-bit or ARM-based systems. You'll have to look elsewhere if you're hoping to secure your ARM-powered Surface Pro.
As before, Google has independent bodies audit its VPN. It also shares the source code for its app libraries to ensure transparency. The audit for the desktop apps will be made public in the "coming weeks."
The desktop apps are arguably overdue when many VPN providers have long supported multiple platforms. This isn't necessarily the best option, depending on your needs. Mozilla's VPN includes regional server choices for $60 per year, and you can even get a free Opera VPN if you're only worried about protecting your browser activity. Google's advantage remains the bundle — you're really buying cloud storage that happens to include a VPN among its benefits.
If you've ever bought a game on Stadia, Google's soon-to-be-defunct cloud gaming service, it's worth keeping an eye on your bank balance and credit card statements. As of today, Google is starting to process refunds for Stadia purchases. The first wave of refunds will include those for purchases of games, add-on content and subscriptions made through the Stadia store. However, the company is not refunding Stadia Pro subscription fees.
Google says it will process the refunds automatically. It expects to issue most of them (including those for hardware purchases) by the time it shuts down the Stadia servers on January 18th. "We ask for your patience as we work through each transaction and ask that you refrain from contacting Customer Support as they will not be able to expedite your refund during this time," the company wrote in an updated support article.
If Google can't issue a refund automatically to your original form of payment, it will email you via the Google account through which you made your purchase(s). Folks who have deleted their Google account and no longer have access to the original form of payment may have to get in touch with Stadia's customer support team.
If you've made 20 or fewer Stadia store transactions on your account, you'll get one email for each successful refund, which will likely prove a bit annoying. If you've bought 21 or more games or addons, you'll get one email summarizing all the successful refunds.
Elsewhere in the updated FAQ, Google notes that players will be able to transfer their save data from Stadia to other platforms in some cases, but it's up to developers and publishers to support that. Ubisoft, Bungie, I/O Interactive, CD Projekt Red, Rockstar Games and Bethesda are working on ways to help players move their game progress to other platforms. Cyberpunk 2077 players can already export their save data to the PC version and sync it to consoles. Meanwhile, Ubisoft has said it will offer players who bought its products on Stadia PC versions of those games on top of the refunds they'll get from Google (though you'll of course need a powerful enough rig to run them).
Elsewhere, there was a disappointing update for those hoping that Google will unlock the Bluetooth functions on the Stadia Controller so it can more easily be used on other platforms. For now, the company hasn't committed to doing so. It says you'll still be able to use the peripheral by connecting it to another device via USB-A or USB-C.
Don Lewis, a pioneer in the worlds of synthesizers and electronic music, died on Sunday at the age of 81. In the 1970s, Lewis created the Live Electronic Orchestra. The system enabled him to control multiple synthesizers and other instruments simultaneously using custom keyboards, around a decade before MIDI became a standard.
Lewis worked on some well-known mainstream synths as well. He collaborated with Roland founder Ikutarô Kakehashi on the company's drum machines. Among those was the TR-808, which is perhaps the most important drum machine of all time. Lewis also designed sounds for the Yamaha DX7, along with Hammond and ARP instruments, as Pitchforknotes.
As a performer, Lewis took to the stage at venerated venues such as the Sydney Opera House, Carnegie Hall and the Apollo Theater. He collaborated with big-name artists including Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson and the Beach Boys.
While Lewis may not have been a household name, his contributions to electronic music are critical and undeniable. For those keen to learn more about Lewis' life and career, you may be interested in checking out a documentary called Don Lewis and the Live Electric Orchestra. The film will air on PBS in February.
You didn't have to wait long to see Twitter's reworked verification system in action. The Vergereports that the social network has begun adding its subtle "official" checkmarks to major accounts, including those of celebrities, large publishers and politicians. This includes Engadget, The Verge and general publications like The New York Times. Curiously, though, new Twitter owner Elon Musk doesn't have the mark yet — you'd think he'd adopt it quickly given the many impersonators who use his name to pitch crypto scams.
VP Esther Crawford previously stressed that the "official" badge won't be available for purchase, unlike the blue checkmarks that will come with an $8 Twitter Blue subscription. Those that previously received blue ticks won't necessarily get the second label, however. It's not yet certain if those seeking the extra mark will need to go through further vetting.
The complete rollout should be relatively quick. Twitter has been testing the "official" checkmarks for a while, and previously said the deployment should wrap up in the coming days.
To some extent, this feature is fixing a problem Twitter created for itself. Musk and others have blasted the previous approach to verification as an unfair "lords and peasants" system that disenfranchised ordinary users while enshrining a selected elite. While that's true, the old method also established authenticity — the changes to Blue effectively break verification by letting determined fraudsters pay to get a checkmark next to their name, even if that carries the risk of a permanent ban. The "official" mark brings back that trust, although it asks Twitter to once again decide who's deserving of special recognition.
For many people, the first cup of tea is often the highlight of their day. And while you don’t need much to make a great brew, there are a number of tools and gadgets that can make the whole experience a lot more enjoyable. So this holiday season, whether you’re looking for a present for you or someone you love, check out this list of our favorite gifts for tea lovers.
Hiware Borosilicate glass pitcher
Hiware
After the handle on my previous pitcher developed a crack, I went on a search for a simple but durable container that could support my iced tea addiction and after a year and a half, this thing has not disappointed. Its heat-resistant borosilicate glass means you can pour boiling water directly into the pitcher without worrying about it shattering and its huge 68-ounce capacity holds enough to keep an entire family hydrated. Meanwhile, the stainless steel lid prevents leaves or stuff like fruit pulp from escaping. And at $20, this pitcher is just great value.
If you know someone who always brings their “famous” iced tea to parties or picnics check out Hario’s Cold Brew bottle. It holds up to 750ml of liquid and comes with a removable strainer to keep tea leaves from spilling out. There’s even a grippy silicone top for easy handling and a removable stopper that acts like a cork. And if you’re worried it’s a little pedestrian looking to make a lasting impact, Hario makes a champagne bottle version too.
When it comes to boiling water in style, Fellow’s Stagg EKG Kettle can’t be beat. It’s available with a huge range of finishes and accents including walnut, cherry and maple woods. There’s an LCD panel built into the base for choosing a specific temperature (down to the degree) while the hold feature keeps water hot for up to an hour. The gooseneck spout is also great for friends or family that like making mudwater (aka coffee) with a V60 or similar brewer. And if that’s not enough, just this fall, Fellow introduced a new pro model that supports customizable brew settings, WiFi connectivity and more.
For those on your list that prefer function over form, you really ought to consider Breville’s IQ Electric Kettle. In addition to having nearly double the capacity (57 ounces vs 30 ounces) of the Stagg, it has dedicated temperature settings for a lot of major types of tea (green, white, oolong and black). It’s also a bit more powerful with an output of up to 1,500 watts, so there’s less waiting around for the water to heat up.
One of the easiest ways to brew better tea is by moving away from single-serving bags and switching to loose-leaf teas. That’s because typically tea bags feature lower quality leaves that often sit on shelves for months (or years) with the whole process favoring convenience over flavor. On top of that, the cloth or (more often) paper used to make tea bags can also impart unwanted flavors.
If you know someone looking to get into loose-leaf teas, they’re going to need an infuser, and OXO’s is one of the best. Its stainless steel basket won’t mess with the taste and its included lid traps heat in when steeping while also doubling as a saucer to prevent dripping once the tea is ready to drink. The basket is also a perfect size so it fits in practically any mug (and even many iced tea pitchers), and at just $15, it’s cheap enough to buy two or more so there will always be a clean one ready to go.
While Fellow’s Atmos Canister was originally intended to store coffee, it’s equally great at keeping tea tasting fresh and flavorful, even after long periods. That’s because simply twisting its lid removes oxygen from the canister, slowing down potential oxidation which can cause tea to taste dull and lifeless. It’s available in three sizes (0.4, 0.7 and 1.2 liters) and in a range of materials, though you’ll probably want to stay away from the glass version, as light is another source of potential oxidation. (Leave the clear one for cookies or something.) And while it’s a bit on the pricey side, in my opinion there’s no better way of keeping even the fanciest leaves tasting great over time.
For matcha lovers who don’t want to deal with the hassle of a traditional bamboo whisk or anyone seeking a way to quickly froth up some milk, Golde’s Superwhisk is a great pick. It has two different speed settings and a battery that can be recharged via USB. It even comes with an included travel case, so your giftee can take it camping or anywhere they want to enjoy some tea (or a latte).
For people who want to bring their brew on the go, this charming portable tea infuser bottle looks great and makes the whole process super easy. Tea goes in the top section and water goes in the bottom. Right before drinking they flip the whole infuser upside down to brew instead of letting the leaves become oversteeped after sitting in water all day. The portable infuser also features borosilicate glass with a double-walled construction, so it can handle high temperatures without burning hands. Admittedly, there are similar bottles for less, but between its innovative design and premium materials, I can’t think of a better way to drink tea on-the-go.
Getting into matcha can be intimidating for even long-time tea drinkers. Not only can matcha be expensive but, since it’s very finely ground green tea instead leaves steeped in water, it has a very different flavor profile and texture. So instead of buying someone a single type of matcha, give this matcha flight kit a try. It includes four different blends which range from bright grassy varieties to deeper savory mixes. There’s also a handcrafted bamboo scoop, a sieve, tea towel and most importantly, a motorized whisk for properly whipping up the perfect cup.
For complete newbies to tea, Adagio’s loose teas sampler sets offer a huge range of types and flavors to choose from. You can select specific types like green teas from China for the Sinophile on your list, or opt for more general mixes like seasonal blends or even herbal selections. Prices also start as low as $12 a box for four different types, which makes this one of the most flexible and affordable ways of gifting a wide range of teas without doing a ton of research.
The first time I had butterfly pea flower tea was on my honeymoon in Thailand and it was love at first sip. It has a sweet flora aroma with some subtle earthy notes. But its signature highlight is its color. When brewed alone, you get a deep blue hue with hints of green, but when you add acid suddenly the tea becomes bright purple or pink. And because butterfly pea flower doesn’t contain caffeine, between its color and taste, it’s a great way to introduce kids to tea. Steep it, chill it, add the juice from a couple lemons or limes and a splash of sugar (I preferred agave), and in no time you’ll have the perfect summertime iced tea.
NASA has once again delayed the launch of Artemis 1 in the face of a potentially dangerous weather system. The agency had penciled in the launch for the early morning of November 14th, but it's now retargeting liftoff for November 16th. The current two-hour launch window opens at 1:04AM ET. There's a backup launch opportunity scheduled for November 19th.
The latest delay is due to the threat posed by Tropical Storm Nicole. The new launch window is dependent on conditions being safe enough for NASA employees to return to work, as well as inspections after the weather system has passed. The agency says that pushing back the launch date "will allow the workforce to tend to the needs of their families and homes, and provide sufficient logistical time to get back into launch status following the storm."
Teams are securing equipment, property and facilities at the space center, which is in HURCON (Hurricane Condition) III status. Some personnel in a “ride-out” team will remain in place to monitor conditions across the site, including the SLS and Orion.
The Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft will stay on the launch pad this time. Before Hurricane Ian bore down on the Kennedy Space Center, NASA rolled back the rocket and spacecraft to the safety of the Vehicle Assembly Building. It rolled Artemis out to the launch pad again last week. The SLS can withstand winds of up to 85MPH (74.4 knots) and Nicole isn't expected to bring winds exceeding that speed. The rocket is also able to deal with heavy rain and NASA has secured the hatches to prevent water from getting inside.
Artemis 1 is a test mission that's scheduled to fly around the Moon. It's a precursor to humans returning to the lunar surface for the first time in over half a century. However, NASA's attempts to launch the SLS and Orion over the last few months have been beset by technical issues and inclement weather.
In a few short hours, Nintendo will stream its latest Indie World Showcase. Announced on November 7th, the company promised approximately 25 minutes worth of information about upcoming indie games that are coming to the Nintendo Switch. You can watch the entire event unfold on the gaming giant’s website, as well as its YouTube and Twitch channels. If you miss the livestream, don’t worry: we’ll have you covered with coverage of the major announcements from the event.
What will Nintendo announce Iduring Indie World? One can always hope for a more definitive release date for Hollow Knight: Silksong. Based on Microsoft’s recent announcement that the game would be available on Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass on its release date, some have speculated that Silksong would arrive before June 2023. That said, Nintendo is more likely to share updates about games like Oxenfree II Lost Signalsand Metal Slug Tactics. The latter was delayed this past summer until 2023.
Serif is determined to make its Affinity suite a more practical alternative for creatives who'd rather not pay for an Adobe subscription — or use a conventional PC, for that matter. The developer has released Affinity Version 2 apps that not only include major new features (more on those shortly), but the first edition of Publisher for the iPad. You now have all of the Affinity bundle on your tablet, and won't have to split your attention between your computer and iPad when it's time to design a page layout.
Regardless of platform, you should see some meaningful upgrades. Affinity Photo 2 now includes non-destructive RAW development, saved layer states, compound masks (that is, joining multiple masks together), live warping and live masks for elements like hue and luminosity ranges. Affinity Designer 2, meanwhile, adds non-destructive vector warping, a "knife" cutting tool, a shape builder and even tools for measuring lengths and areas. Affinity Publisher 2 now helps you add academia-friendly footnotes, endnotes and sidenotes. You can also create automatically repeating layouts and use a style picker. There's even a way to stitch multiple documents into a single book, although that's only available in desktop versions for now.
Some improvements are iPad-specific. A new radial menu provides access to common keyboard modifiers like Command and Option, while a quick menu offers clipboard options and nine customizable shortcuts. And if you're feeling the limits of your tablet screen, a compact mode keeps the brush and layer panels open while making more room for the image you're editing.
The one-time price may be more of a draw than before. You'd normally pay $170 for the entire Affinity suite across all platforms, but a launch sale drops that price to $100. That makes it relatively affordable compared to Adobe's Creative Cloud, which will keep you paying indefinitely. You can buy the individual Affinity Version 2 apps for $70 on the desktop ($41 on sale) and $20 (currently $12) on the iPad.
This outlay might not thrill you if you recently bought Affinity V1. You may likewise need to consider rivals like Adobe if you need further apps for animation, web design and other aspects of the creative pipeline. If these tools fit your workflow, though, the price is low enough that they should be reasonably easy to justify.
If you want to get a jump start on those inevitable New Year's resolutions, consider picking up the Fitbit Charge 5 while it's $50 off at Wellbots. Enter the code ENG50 and you'll see the discount when you check out. The Charge 5 made the cut as our favorite overall fitness tracker in our 2022 guide, because it just plain does what a wearable like this is supposed to do, aka reliably delivering sleep and activity stats. As Fitbit's flagship tracker, we don't see deals on the Charge 5 often. A $50 discount makes it one of the best prices we've seen so far.
Since the Charge 5 isn't a smartwatch, the battery lasts longer. While Fitbit promises up to seven days on a charge, we got through about five days when the screen wasn't set to "always on" and two and half days when it was. It's also less bulky than a smartwatch, which is nice for workouts, and the new touchscreen is bright and clear. The Charge 5 also has GPS to record your runs and hikes and Fitbit Pay so you can leave your wallet at home. In the end, we called it one of your best options for a GPS-enabled tracker. One of our few hesitations was the price, but with that $50 discount in play, that's less of an issue.
If you are looking for a smartwatch and all the bonus features that brings, there's also a discount code for Fitbit's Versa 4 smartwatch at Wellbots. Enter the code ENG80 at checkout and you'll get $80 off, bringing the price down to $150, which is an exceptionally low price for a smartwatch, especially one with GPS. It's also one of the few smartwatches (apart from Amazfit devices) that come with Alexa built-in.
