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AI in Film Versus Real Life6/12/2023 Artificial intelligence has been in the film business since the genre’s inception, with films that feature the idea of robots taking over from human being made. While it may seem like a new phenomenon, filmmakers are already researching it for many years. Movies have been a vital part of the entertainment industry for decades. In today’s fast-paced world, it is no surprise that people prefer to watch a 90-minute movie instead of a book that takes up over 300 pages. If this video is informative and entertaining, what if it also explores AI and other advanced technologies? Expectation vs. Reality The number of films that feature artificial intelligence has significantly increased over the past few years. This is good, as it shows that people are becoming more aware of technology. However, it also means that more movies will inevitably depict sensationalized interpretations of AI. This could cause people to have misapprehensions about its practical applications. Myths and Misconceptions in Hollywood In some of the most famous Hollywood movies of all time, such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, a machine designed to control a space vessel’s systems begins to “think” for itself and takes its own course without the crew’s involvement. Despite the technological advancements in artificial intelligence over the years, we still don’t have fully autonomous AI. In other words, we aren’t yet at a point where Terminators are likely to appear. AI can perform these tasks mainly due to how human-made and comprehensible its capabilities are. For instance, in the healthcare industry, doctors are currently using AI’s natural language processing abilities to improve their skills in providing effective and accurate medical advice. Despite the technological advancements in AI over the years, it is still impossible to function fully without the input of humans. That’s why the public must be aware of its potential to improve the world around them. AI professionals should also be happy that mainstream audiences are starting to see the technology. Artificial intelligence can help solve various problems that people previously thought impossible. It can also help improve the world by opening up new opportunities for everyone. AI professionals play a vital role in educating the public about technology. The post AI in Film Versus Real Life first appeared on Alexander Kremenchutsky | Technology.via Alexander Kremenchutsky | Technology https://ift.tt/3DaCVI0
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More details are emerging about the upcoming revamp of the Sonos Move portable Bluetooth speaker, including the revelation of a feature that would allow for seamless transitions between Bluetooth and Wi-Fi modes. Lowpass newsletter author Janko Roettgers spotted that the apparent Sonos Move successor has just passed through the FCC, and he singled out a key feature buried within the FCC documents: the speaker’s ability to transmit simultaneously on both its Bluetooth and Wi-Fi radios.
The first-generation Sonos Move, which was released back in 2019 (and pictured above), already has both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi wireless capabilities. But if you want to switch from one to the other, you’ll need to press a physical button on the back of the unit, meaning you can only use either Bluetooth or Wi-Fi at any given time. The next-gen Move, on the other hand, can apparently transmit on both its Bluetooth and Wi-Fi radios simultaneously, just like the manufacturer’s other portable speaker, 2021’s Sonos Roam, as well as the recently released Sonos Era 100 and 300 speakers. The ability to connect via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi at the same time would allow the next Sonos Move to smoothly hand off the tunes it’s playing from a Bluetooth-connected phone to Wi-Fi-enabled Sonos speakers. ![]() The first-generation Sonos Move has a physical button for switching between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modes. Ben Patterson/Foundry The FCC documents don’t reveal many other details about the new Sonos Move, or what other changes it might include versus the original. An April 15 letter from Sonos to the commission requests that product photos, the user manual, schematics, and other salient exhibits be withheld from public view “indefinitely,” which is fairly typical. The existence of the revamped Sonos Move was first reported by The Verge back in March. Sonos has yet to tip its hand about the new Move. It’s not clear exactly when the second-generation Move will make its debut, but the speaker’s appearance at the FCC probably means we won’t have to wait long. Sonos does like to announce new products in the spring and late summer, so September seems like a good bet. The first Sonos Move made its debut back in the fall of 2019, and it was notable for being Sonos’s very first portable Bluetooth speaker. Unlike Sonos’s second portable speaker, the compact and lightweight Sonos Roam, the six-pound Move is big, bulky, and weighs roughly as much as a bowling ball. A scoop handle in back to make the Move easier to carry. That said, the Move offers great battery life and superb sound for its size (read our full Sonos Move review). Stay tuned for more second-gen Sonos Move news, and–one we get our hands on a test unit–a full review. via TechHive https://ift.tt/necUCFS
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At a glance
Expert's RatingPros
Cons
Our VerdictEarFun’s future-proof Air Pro 3 ANC Wireless Earbuds combine well-heeled sound with what could be the next big things in Bluetooth technology. Price When Reviewed$79.99 Best Prices Today: EarFun Air Pro 3
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Pardon me while I stand and salute EarFun’s new flagship noise-cancelling earbuds, the Air Pro 3. These feature-filled mighty mites deliver dynamic, detailed, and full-bodied sound. While they’re just a bit shy in bass articulation, they deliver much of what you’ll get from buds with much higher price tags. Comfort level is good—I can wear them for hours—and the active noise cancellation (ANC) is improved compared to the company’s earlier, wiping away a goodly amount of plane, train, and bus noise as well as walk-about wind noise.
What really sets the Air Pro 3 apart from its mid-priced competition is a futuristic feature set that could grow in usefulness and service for years to come. Tapping the brand-new Qualcomm QCC3071 audio chip, EarFun outmaneuvered the majors to deliver the very first earbuds to support the next-generation Bluetooth LE Audio architecture, working hand-in-hand here with the equally new LC3 (Low Complexity Communications) codec. Collectively, these upgrades could provide a rash of user-friendly enhancements--if hardware makers on the playback side of the equation also adopt these standards and play to their strengths. As it stands, however, that’s a very big “if.”
As luck would have it, a pair of the EarFun Air Pro 3 landed on my doorstep just a few days after TechHive published my earlier EarFun Air S review. Those similarly styled nozzle-tipped buds are also much more affordable alternatives to the “true wireless” offerings from Apple, Bose, Jabra, and the like. While I liked the battery features, price, and overall sound profile of the Air S, I had gripes: Those buds are slippery in my ears and need periodic readjustments to stay seated in primo position. They also have mediocre noise cancellation and flakey touch controls. The Air Pro 3 addresses and largely fixes those issues, making me feel just a little prescient. ![]() 1. Compared to the EarFun Air S (left), the Air Pro 3 (right) shows a more smartly sculpted enclosure and a helpful, dimpled touch-spot. Jonathan Takiff/Foundry The curvature of the new buds’ enclosure has been shaved and reoriented, so these things sit still and maintain a tighter seal in my ear canal—which is crucial for both passive and active noise cancelling—and they deliver fuller bass performance. The newly planted dimples at the top of the earbuds’ pipes aren’t just a cute decorative design element, they help the wearer land a finger on the right location for some thermal touch control operations. EarFun’s user guide, however, still doesn’t adequately explain how to get the volume up (using the right-hand bud dimple control) and the volume down (on the left-hand bud) to cooperate. The instruction to “tap once” should really suggest “quickly flick your fingertip up (or down)” in the thermal touch zone. Let your finger linger and the bud’s sensor will interpret the gesture as a double-tap, pausing the music. It’s very strange. And its very annoying. On the upside, I’m happy to report that the Air Pro 3’s noise cancelling has been upgraded with a six-microphone-array—the earlier model used four mics—and I found that it works reasonably well at suppressing a variety of whining/roaring motor as well as wind noises. It’s still not much help at shushing the sound of other people chatting in your presence (live or on TV), or for suppressing extraneous environmental noise when answering phone call. Callers have said I sound muffled and asked “Are you outside?” even when I wasn’t. I haven’t encountered these issues with today’s most sophisticated ANC earbuds—the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II, the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation), and as my colleague reported, the Sony WF-1000XM4—but you’ll pay three or four times more for a set of any of those. How does the EarFun Air Pro 3 sound?![]() EarFun has a well-featured app that includes battery tracking and customizable EQ settings. Jonathan Takiff/Foundry The EarFun Air Pro 3 cozy up kindly in your head, with a very clear and present midrange and well-articulated high-end response. There’s a tad more bottom-end kick here than in the Air S, although the wooly warm bass is still not as nuanced as you get in top-tier buds. I’m also happy to report that the factory-set equalizing of the three noise-cancelling modes has been adjusted, so the sound contouring of the most energy-efficient “Normal” setting is now more balanced and less trebly. A less-than-ideal maximum volume level remains an ongoing EarFun issue with the Air Pro 3. They play loud enough for me indoors, but on a noisy city-street stroll, I really craved more kick from a new collection of rock concert performances I found on Amazon Music: Glory Days, Glory Shows!, compiling tunes from Springsteen (of course), Bowie, The Doors, Genesis, Talking Heads, Chuck Berry, and Roger Waters. As I discovered with the Air S, it is possible to compensate, to circuitously crank up the volume of the Air Pro 3 at least a couple decibels by opening the EarFun app’s EQ screen and pushing up the virtual sliders on all six frequency bands to the max position. Do that and you’ll find there’s more than enough volume to play with, albeit with some signal compression. This sonic squeezing is hardly noticeable or troublesome when listening outdoors; but in quiet zones, with less distraction, my crude trick blunted the intimate charms of Melody Gardot’s cooing chanteuse vocals and arty-acoustic ensemble on the aptly named The Absence, until I remembered to hit the EQ-reset button. That returned all the frequency sliders to the “flat” position, restoring the sweet sonorities to Ms. Gardot’s sonic landscape. ![]() The EarFun Air Pro 3 fit well and are comfortable for long listening sessions. Jonathan Takiff/Foundry What else is new with the EarFun Air Pro 3?EarFun’s top-of-the-line earbuds support Bluetooth 5.3—they have to, to work with Bluetooth LE. Their deeper bass response is thanks to their 11mm wool composite drivers. They deliver run time of about 7 hours with ANC on, 9 hours with it turned off. And their charging case can deliver four full recharges. The case itself can be recharged with its USB-C cable or on a Qi pad (provide your own). You can track both the buds’ and the case’s battery level in the app. Activating Game Mode reduces the audio lag time to 55ms (from 100ms in the Air S) to improve gamer twitches and video lip-synching; but in the “no free lunch” department, Game Mode reduces battery run time. I was surprised to discover the absence of one common feature of modern earbuds, which will automatically pause the music when you pull them out of your ears. The AirFun Pro 3 keep playing and will shut down only if you disconnect them the paired device or return them to their case. They will pause the music and temporarily switch to a phone call, even if you’ve been streaming music from a different Bluetooth source. That’s how the multipoint connection works: You can pair the buds with two devices at the same time, one active and the other in standby. ![]() You can charge the EarFun Air Pro 3’s charging case with a Qi charger or a USB-C cable. The case will recharge the buds four times. Jonathan Takiff/Foundry A word about the next generation of BluetoothIn development since 2015, Bluetooth LE’s advancements are several and significant. Start with lower power consumption for longer battery run time. And the Bluetooth SIG says the new LC3 codec can compress a 1.5Mbps audio stream to just 160Kbps, compared to 345Kbps using the SBC codec that arrived with the original Bluetooth spec. Some other promised Bluetooth LE features have yet to be delivered, but the biggest problem is the classic “Which comes first, the chicken or the egg?” dilemma going on here. There might be a few not-ready-for-prime-time issues, too. Even with Bluetooth 5.2 and 5.3 compatibility baked into multiple new smartphone models, and notations of “LE Audio” popping up in a few spec sheets (e.g. the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4), smartphone makers have yet to fully embrace the new standard. Are the EarFun Air Pro 3 a good value?Even if your playback device can’t take full advantage of the EarFun Air Pro 3’s advanced Bluetooth features, these wireless earbuds deliver a whole lotta performance using technologies–including the AAC and aptX Adaptive codecs—that are more widely supported today. And they do it at a very reasonable price. Add in the long battery life and—most importantly—very good audio performance, and you have a strong value in personal audio. via TechHive https://ift.tt/wh8DfUP
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Nope, there’s still no sign of Spotify HiFi, but the music-streaming giant is testing a different feature that would keep your tunes spinning even when you’re offline. Spotify (check out our Spotify review) has long offered the ability to download music tracks for offline playback, but a new “Your Offline Mix” feature would automatically download a playlist of recently played songs, perfect for keeping your toes tapping if your device unexpectedly loses its data connection. Spotify CEO Daniel Ek teased Offline Mix on Twitter, saying that it’s “designed for times when you might not be online.” Ek also shared a screenshot of the feature, which revealed that Offline Mix can download hours of music automatically. If Offline Mix sounds familiar, you might be thinking of YouTube Music’s offline “mixtape,” which automatically downloads a collection of tunes based on your previous listening history. YouTube Music’s offline mixtapes get refreshed every 24 hours while you’re connected to Wi-Fi, and it’s a feature reserved for paid Premium members. As with many of Spotify’s tests, Offline Mix has in fact been percolating for some time, with TechCrunch noting that an earlier version of the feature was first spotted back in 2020. It’s not clear when–or if–Offline Mix will be officially rolled out to Spotify users, or whether you’ll need to be a paid Premium subscriber to use the feature. Given that only Premium users can download Spotify tracks for offline listening, it’s a safe bet that free users won’t get Offline Mix access–again, assuming the feature ever officially launches. via TechHive https://ift.tt/JsHf21w
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Netflix’s newly imposed crackdown on password sharing may not be the turnoff that many were expecting, if recent tallies are any indication. According to the Wall Street Journal, Netflix may have actually reaped a “windfall” of new subscribers after lowering the boom on password sharing. Citing data from analytics firm Antenna, the Journal reports that Netflix may have scooped up more new subscribers during a four-day period in late May than it did in any other four-day span since 2019, when Antenna first began its tracking. Notably, the four-day period in question (May 23-25) took place just after Netflix announced its new account-sharing policy and pricing in the U.S. and other territories. Netflix, which has estimated that more than 100 million households have shared their account passwords with others, lost subscribers for the first time in a decade in the first quarter of last year, but the streamer has been slowly adding to its subscriber tally again following that disastrous Q1 2022 report. Of course, the figures from Antenna are just estimates, and only over a brief four-day period. For hard data, we’ll have to wait for Netflix to release its next quarterly earnings report, which is due in July. But if Antenna’s data holds up, it could be a sign that a fair number of Netflix users who had been sharing someone else’s password have decided to go legit rather than ditching the service altogether. Antenna’s findings also counter worrying reports (for Netflix, anyway) that the streamer lost a million users in Spain following the password-sharing crackdown. Netflix announced in late May how much it would charge subscribers in the U.S. and other regions to share their accounts with those outside their households. In the United States, you’ll need to cough up $7.99 a month per “extra member.” The move followed more than two years of tests and pilot programs, with Netflix slowly but surely inching its way toward a broader password-sharing crackdown. Netflix can detect whether you’re sharing someone else’s password using a combination of IP addresses, device IDs, and “account activity from devices signed to the Netflix account,” and it may also ask you to verify your device using a four-digit code sent to the account holder. But while Netflix now offers an above-board way to share your account with someone outside your household, it hasn’t begun actively blocking Netflix password-sharing freeloaders–or at least, not yet. via TechHive https://ift.tt/5RhJBot
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Expert's RatingPros
Cons
Our VerdictThis is a comprehensive smart scale that will give you all the fitness information you need, as well as additional health data on your heart and nerves. Between the scale and the app, Withings delivers a high-quality experience. Price When Reviewed$199.95 Best Prices Today: Withings Body Comp
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The Withings Body Comp is the mid-range model in Withings’ latest smart scale lineup. It’s bookended by the Body Scan (reviewed here previously) at the high end, and the more wallet-friendly–but still comprehensive–Body Smart (our review is in the works). The Body Comp provides all the fitness readings you’d expect to find in a $200 smart scale; plus, vascular age and a nerve health score. So, is the Body Comp just right–or just middling? At the top end of the scale (apologies) is the Body Scan, which we’ve reviewed previously. Fitted with a retractable handle embedded with additional electrodes, it will give you a segmental body composition analysis and measure your heart rhythm. It’s also extremely pricey. What does the Body Comp look like?The Body Comp has a simple, attractive design, with a toughened glass platform that sits on a plastic base. It comes in black or white. We tested the white model, which you’ll see in the photos accompanying this review.
We should also note that we’re looking at the older Body Comp model, which has a monochrome display. The latest version has a color display; that’s the model you’ll get if you buy one now. If you’ve only ever tried a budget-friendly scale, you’ll immediately notice that the Body Comp feels solidly made and heavy. It’s powered by four 1.5V batteries, which are included and should last for 15 months with a daily weigh-in. At 12.8 x 12.8 inches, it’s a larger scale, which might make it a more comfortable option for some people. The more budget-priced Renpho Elis Solar Smart Scale, for example, is just 11 x 11 inches, which makes it a tighter fit for bigger feet. When you unbox the Body Comp, you’ll notice that it comes with additional, wide plastic feet, which you can attach to the underside if you prefer to use the scale on carpet. ![]() Emma Rowley / Foundry It’s worth mentioning, however, that you’ll probably get the most accurate reading on hard flooring. In any case, what’s most important is consistency: weigh yourself at the same time of day, in the same spot, to get meaningful readings. There’s a large, monochrome display at the front of the scale. It also shows a good range of measurements: not just weight and BMI, as some scales do. The measurements are easy to read and it’s clear which is which; that can be a problem with smart scales that flash a lot of values before you can decipher them. ![]() Emma Rowley / Foundry In the app, you also have the option of changing which measurements are displayed on the screen. How do you set up the Body Comp?Once you’ve downloaded the free app–available for iOS and Android–you’ll need to create an account. Later, you can add up to seven other user profiles. You’ll be able to follow setup instructions in the app and on the device’s screen. In our test, pairing the device to our account and joining our Wi-Fi network was a straightforward business, although it doesn’t necessarily follow that that’ll be the case for everyone. It’s a good idea to have your Wi-Fi name and password ready and to move the scale near your router during setup. You can still use the Body Comp even if your Wi-Fi signal is weak, as it’s also Bluetooth-enabled; however, you won’t get the optional weather and air-quality readings that pop up at the end of your weigh-in. I doubt you’ll miss those much. What does the Body Comp measure?What do you need a smart scale to do? Obviously, accuracy is a factor. Withings scales promise precise weighing accuracy–the brand claimed an accuracy of 0.2lbs for its Body+ scale. It’s hard to test this, except by comparing it to other scales, which we did. But we can also say that if you leave it in the same place and test them repeatedly, it returns the same numbers again and again. Move your scale, however, and the figures will change slightly, which is why using it in the same spot each time is important. But then for most people–athletes aside–pinpoint accuracy isn’t vital. What’s important is weighing yourself consistently and looking at longer-term trends, rather than worrying over a pound or two here and there.
Stand on the scale with bare feet and the Body Comp will provide you with a wide range of metrics. It measures your weight (and you can choose the display unit from kg, st and lbs, and lbs). It also measures your BMI, your muscle, fat and bone mass percentage, and visceral fat. This last measurement is important because visceral fat–the type that wraps around your organs–is considered more dangerous than subcutaneous fat. You could, for example, be overweight while having a healthy level of visceral fat. The app will evaluate your measurements as well as display them. But, if you’re beginning a fitness journey, you can switch off recommended ranges. This will allow you to log changes to your weight, for example, without a daily reminder that it’s not exactly where you want it to be. Then there are the heart health measurements. The Body Comp will display your heart rate, give you a vascular age and measure your pulse wave velocity, which is a measure of arterial stiffness. The final key measurement is nerve health. The Body Comp takes a reading from the sweat glands in your feet to determine the state of your nerve health. Like the heart health measurements, if you’re basically okay in this area, it won’t tell you much. If you’re among the 11 percent of the U.S. population, or 6 percent of the U.K. population, who have been diagnosed with diabetes, this is a useful measurement to keep an eye on. This scale can give diabetics and people with some autoimmune conditions an early warning of nerve problems they’re more likely to face. Overall, Withings tends to err on the side of providing more data than most people need. But this is a nice-to-have problem. Withings also rounds up your measurements to give you an overall health improvement score. It’s really hard to say how meaningful this is, but people trying to take better care of themselves might find it encouraging to see this number rise with their efforts. What is the Withings app like?High-quality hardware aside, one of the key differences between a Withings scale and a budget rival is the high-quality app experience. If you’re going to pay more for a scale, this is one of the chief reasons to do so. The app is well laid out, with a homepage showing your latest measurements, which, when you click on them, show trend graphs.
All the information is easy to read and understand and there are plenty of explainers under each category. As an example, here’s some of the information the app provides on pulse wave velocity. ![]() Foundry This is not the kind of thing you’ll get from a budget scale, which is likely to take a more bare-bones approach, with basic charts and no information to help you interpret results–not that pulse wave velocity is offered as a measurement by any other brands. You can also join Withings+ service via the app. You’ll get a three-month free trial to see if it interests you, and after that it’ll cost you $/£/€9.95 per month or $/£/€99.50 per year. What you get for this is a bit more structure to your health journey. You can join six-week modules that’ll give you training and goals in aspects of nutrition, heart health, activity and sleep management. Other profiles are easy to set up. However, there was one annoyance during testing, which was that weigh-in information was repeatedly sent to the wrong profile. This is only likely to be a problem if you have two users with similar weight. What does the Body Comp cost?At $199.95/£189.95, the Body Comp is one of the more expensive smart scales around. There’s certainly no need to spend this much if you just want the basics, with reliable smart scales available for around $/£30. However, if you have a Withings fitness tracker, or you’re looking for a better app experience than a budget scale can provide, a Withings scale is a good option. But you’ll need to decide which model is right for you. We’d recommend the Body Comp for anyone who wants a full range of fitness measurements, plus some heart- and nerve-focused health monitoring. If you want more in-depth heart rate tracking, we’d suggest the Body Scan (UK, £349.95; U.S. buyers will have to wait for its launch). It also has the benefit of giving segmental body composition analysis, so instead of getting fat and muscle mass information, you’ll get much more accurate information on the fat and muscle makeup of your arms, legs, and torso–as well as how that measures up to Withings’ users overall. You can read our Body Scan review to find out more. If you just want a fitness-focused device, the Body Smart, at around half the price of the Body Comp ($99.95 in the US; £99.95 in the UK, although UK users will need to a join a pre-launch waiting list) will suit your needs. It delivers all the same metrics as the Comp–minus vascular age and nerve health information. Is the Withings Body Comp worth it?This is, quite simply, an excellent smart scale that delivers a superior experience across its hardware and app. Our only issue in testing came when weigh-in information was delivered to the wrong profile–but this is an issue for all Wi-Fi scales with users who share similar weights. You don’t need to spend this much, but a Withings smart scale is the gold standard for quality, and the Body Comp is an all-round great model. Buy it if you are looking for a comprehensive fitness scale that delivers some added health information on top. via TechHive https://ift.tt/yp8lwzD
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Avoiding the smoke-filled air caused by rampant wildfires by staying indoors is all well and good, but unless your home is hermetically sealed, some of those airborne pollutants will still make their way inside your home. If you want to ensure you’re breathing the cleanest air possible, you need to set up an air purifier. The best models can not only remove odors from the air, they can protect your health by cleansing the air of harmful vapors and particulate matter. To find the model that’s right for your needs, you should first consider the size of the room you want the appliance to treat. These are our top picks according to general room size. We can also take you on a deeper dive into the features you should look for in an air purifier. NuWave OxyPure Smart Air Purifier — Best for large rooms![]() Pros
Cons
Price When Reviewed: $599.94
Best Prices Today: $500.46 at Amazon$599.99 at Bed Bath & Beyond$599.99 at Lowe's
This powerful air purifier provides up to 1,200 square feet of coverage, and it will fit into your smart home ecosystem, too. It uses four types of filters to clean your air–three of which can be washed and reused–and its CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rates) of 332 to 369 cubic feet per minute are best in class. You can connect this smart appliance to your Wi-Fi network and control with voice commands, but NuWave’s smartphone app merely duplicates the touch controls on the device itself. We’d like it even better if we could program it to operate on a schedule. Jya Fjord air purifier — Best for mid-sized rooms![]() Pros
Cons
Price When Reviewed: $399 (plus shipping)
Best Prices Today: $199.00 at Jya$199 at Walmart
The Jya Fjord is rated to clean the air in rooms up to 667 square feet, with a CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate) of 265 cubic feet per minute. A small OLED touchscreen displays a small amount of information, but you can use the SmartMi Link app on your mobile device to get additional details and to control this excellent air purifier. This appliance is unusual in that it supports Apple’s HomeKit ecosystem in addition to Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. It’s a very good value, especially while it’s for sale at its introductory price of $319, including a free air filter, but read our in-depth review for all the details as to how we suggest you purchase one, if you’re of a mind to. Coway Airmega 150 — Best for smaller rooms![]() Pros
Cons
Price When Reviewed: $189.99
Best Prices Today: $165.73 at Amazon$189.99 at Coway
Coway’s Airmega 150 a pretty ideal air purifier for modest-sized spaces. Its minimalist design blends with any decor, and it is intuitive to operate right out of the box. While it doesn’t offer app control or integrate with other smart appliances, it also doesn’t have any of the attendant connectivity and interoperability hassles. The fact that it accurately monitors and responds to changing air quality, so you’re always breathing your best, is another reason for us to give it a strong recommendation. Wyze Air Purifier — Best for bargain hunters![]() Pros
Cons
Price When Reviewed: $169.99
Best Prices Today: $169.99 at Amazon$169.99 at Wyze
The Wyze Air Purifier may be big and loud, but it’s also powerful and affordable. Compatible with both Alexa and Google Assistant, the Wyze Air Purifier works with the excellent Wyze app, and it has enough horsepower to exchange up to 12,000 cubic feet of air per hour. An “Insights” feature tracks dust and pollen in the room and outside, and you also get your choice of three HEPA filters: allergen, “wildfire,” and formaldehyde. Coway Airmega Icon — Most attractive air purifier![]() Pros
Cons
Price When Reviewed: $649.00
Best Prices Today: $562.65 at Amazon$649.00 at Coway
The Coway Airmega Icon can treat the air in a good-sized room–up to 649 square feet–and its pretty looks go a long way toward compensating for its relatively low clean air delivery rates and higher-than-average price tag. In a market filled with utilitarian boxes and cylinders, the Airmega Icon is quite attractive. Features to look for when shopping for an air purifierHere’s a guide to some of the key operational features in the category. You might also want to check out our buyers’ guide to stand-alone air-quality monitors, which can keep you informed of the quality of air inside your home. Since most air purifiers are best deployed in a single room, you can easily move a less-expensive air quality monitor from room to room to track the quality of all the indoor air you breathe.
![]() Most air purifiers use multiple filters to trap increasingly small airborne particles and typically include a HEPA filter and a activated carbon filter to neutralize odors. This particular filter is used in some Blueair air purifiers. In recent years, however, the EPA has reported that the typical air quality indoors (where we spend about 90 percent of our time) is much worse than it is outside, with some airborne pollutants two to five times more concentrated in the home than outdoors. These pollutants include combustion byproducts, pet dander, mold, pesticides, ozone, natural gasses like radon, and the all-encompassing category of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which include everything from formaldehyde to trichloroethylene to chloroform. (These gasses can be 10 times higher indoors than outdoors.) And none of this stuff is healthy to breathe. Do air purifiers protect you? The experts (including the EPA) say that HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filters are effective at reducing airborne contaminants of all types—including viruses—but are careful to note that on their own they are not enough to protect you from viruses and bacteria, and that you should still practice the standard battery of safeguards even if you have a great purifier on hand. That said high-quality air filters are effective at reducing (but not eliminating) indoor pollution. While we don’t have the facilities to scientifically test the pollution-reduction claims of each purifier, we do report on the manufacturers’ specifications on that front. via TechHive https://ift.tt/Qv2P7Kg
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Staying indoors will give you some protection from the smoke and other airborne pollutants outside, but don’t take your home’s indoor air quality for granted. Research shows that 96 percent of homes have at least one indoor air quality problem. An indoor air quality (IAQ) monitor will help you stay on top of that with real-time reporting on the levels of common pollutants and other air quality issues inside your home. The culprit could be anything from excessive dust to high humidity to emissions from household cleaners or building materials. Without an IAQ monitor, these things can go undetected, even in the face of allergy-like symptoms or more dramatic health effects that can result from indoor pollutants. If you want an appliance that can do something about your indoor air quality, check out our top picks in smart air purifiers. These our top picks in indoor air quality monitorsAirthings View Plus — Most sophisticated air quality monitor![]() Pros
Cons
Price When Reviewed: $299
Best Prices Today: $299 at Airthings$299.96 at Amazon
Housed in a white oblong case, the Airthings View Plus air quality monitor takes smart home multitasking to the limit. It not only has seven built-in monitoring sensors, but it can act as a hub to add many more, displaying the results on its interactive screen, on the Airthings app, or over a web-based interface. It’s one of the few indoor air quality monitors capable of detecting radon. Davis Instruments AirLink — Best indoor air quality monitor, runner-up![]() Pros
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Price When Reviewed: $195.00 when reviewed, current price is $215
Best Prices Today: $215.00 at Davis Instruments$218.35 at Amazon
Davis Instruments is well known for its excellent weather stations, and its AirLink air quality monitor exhibits the same precision and expert reporting. This device is unique among the monitors we’ve reviewed in that it can measure particulate matter as small as 1 micron, and it can be deployed indoors or out. But it doesn’t measure other types of air pollution, such as carbon dioxide or VOCs. Airthings Wave Mini — Best budget-priced indoor air quality monitor![]() Pros
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Price When Reviewed: $87.99
Best Prices Today: $79.99 ($59.25 / 100 g) at Amazon
The Airthings Wave Mini is a great entry-level indoor air quality monitor, and is a perfect complement to the Radon-detecting Airthings Wave Plus. It can also operate as a node in a network of air quality monitors, with the Aithings View Plus acting as the central hub. What to look for when shopping for a smart air quality monitorMost IAQ monitors will alert you to unsafe levels via an indicator light and/or push notifications to your smartphone or tablet. Some indoor air quality monitors will also track outdoor air quality to provide context for your indoor readings. Measurements are typically displayed on a screen on the IAQ device itself as well as in a companion app on your mobile device. Once warned, you can take action to reduce indoor pollutants—perhaps by opening some windows. Some monitors will even trigger other smart appliances—such as an air purifier, a fan, or a dehumidifier—to help improve indoor air quality. Ultimately, a good IAQ monitor should provide enough clues for you to investigate and eliminate the source of your air quality woes. Top indoor pollutantsIf our top picks don’t match your needs, this guide will help you understand the most common air pollutants, so you can find one that does. Most IAQ monitors currently available can’t monitor for all of these, so choose the ones that matter most to you. PM level: Particulate matter, or PM, is a mix of particles and droplets in the air. PM varies in shape and size, but those of 10 micrometers in diameter and smaller can adversely affect your health because they can be inhaled. PM2.5 refers to fine particulate matter—that with a diameter of two-and-one-half microns. PM1 is particulate matter measuring 1 micron. Sufficient exposure to PM2.5 can irritate the eyes, nose, throat, and lungs, leading to allergy-like symptoms and shortness of breath in otherwise healthy people. It can also exacerbate existing medical problems, such as asthma and heart disease. The World Health Organization considers PM2.5 the world’s single biggest environmental health risk. Indoor PM2.5 levels can be influenced by outdoor sources like vehicle exhaust, wildfires, and power plant emissions. But many indoor activities produce PM2.5 as well: Cooking, burning fireplaces, and smoking are just a few common sources. VOCs: The acronym stands for volatile organic compounds, gases emitted from a variety of materials that can have short- and long-term health effects. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, concentrations of many VOCs can be up to 10 times higher indoors than outdoors. ![]() The Awair app gives you an air quality score and breaks down the temperature, humidity, and CO2 and “chemicals” levels. Sources of VOCs include many common household products, including hairspray, cosmetics, cleaning fluids, disinfectants, paints, and varnishes. Burning fuels like wood and natural gas also produces VOCs. Formaldehyde is one of the most common VOCs and can be found in many building materials, including plywood, glues, and insulation. Formaldehyde is also used in some drapes and furniture fabrics. You can read more about formaldehyde and its sources in this article from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Short-term exposure to the low levels of VOCs can cause throat irritation, nausea, fatigue, and other minor complaints. Long-term exposure to high concentrations of VOCs has been linked to more severe respiratory irritation as well as liver and kidney damage. Products can emit VOCs even when they’re in storage, though to a lesser extent than when they’re actively being used. Carbon monoxide: By now, most people are aware of the deadly effects of high concentrations of this odorless, colorless gas. But exposure to lower levels, sometimes given off by fuel-burning appliances, can also cause adverse reactions, including confusion and memory loss. A few air quality monitors claim they can detect these lower levels. The only reliable way to be alerted to this notoriously hard to identify killer, however, is with a standard carbon monoxide detector. Radon: Radon is a naturally occurring colorless, odorless gas that is the leading cause of lung cancer in the United States after smoking, according to the EPA. As it’s a byproduct of the naturally occurring breakdown of uranium in soil, rocks, and water, it’s ubiquitous both indoors and out. Typically, indoor radon levels must be checked using charcoal-based kits and require you to test your levels for up to 90 days. You then need to ship the kit to a lab for analysis and wait for the results. An indoor air quality monitor with a radon sensor can provide faster results by monitoring levels in real time. Currently, the Airthings Wave is the only monitor in our guide with this capability. Carbon dioxide: While the effects of high levels of CO2 were long thought to be benign, research has found that concentrations as low as 1,000 ppm can affect people’s cognitive function and decision-making performance. The greatest source of indoor CO2 is people themselves, as it’s a byproduct of our respiratory function. Coupled with poor ventilation, this commonly leads to high levels of CO2 in many homes. Fortunately, CO2 sensors can be found on most air quality monitors. Temperature and humidity: These levels can affect more than your comfort. High temps and excessive humidity promote mold and mildew growth. These can cause structural damage to your home and cause allergy-like symptoms in those with sensitivities. Monitoring these levels can help you prevent home and health problems and tip you off to potential sources like foundation cracks or leaks and poor insulation. via TechHive https://ift.tt/z25eIcW
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Did you snooze on YouTube TV’s original $100 discount for the upcoming season of NFL Sunday Ticket? You now have another chance to save, although the offer’s not as generous this time. YouTube TV’s latest offer is $50 off the whole season of NFL Sunday Ticket, or half the discount of YouTube TV’s initial Sunday Ticket deal, which expired on June 6. The broad outlines of the new NFL Sunday Ticket deal are similar to last time: The same discount applies to the price of the full season, regardless of the Sunday Ticket package you sign up for. Specifically, here’s how it breaks down:
As with the previous deal, there’s a series of caveats to keep in mind before signing up for YouTube TV’s new NFL Sunday Ticket offer:
The latest NFL Sunday Ticket offer expires on September 19, roughly two weeks after the season begins. Make sure to check out Jared Newman’s column for all the details about NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube TV, including streaming features, the scoop on NFL RedZone, and more. via TechHive https://ift.tt/23iC6xW
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At a glance
Expert's RatingPros
Cons
Our VerdictThe small but mighty Sound Burger personal portable turntable offers vinyl aficionados pleasing sound, Bluetooth connectivity, and rechargeable battery power. Price When Reviewed$199.00 Best Prices Today: Audio-Technica Sound Burger (model AT-SB2022)
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Audio-Technica’s charmingly compact Sound Burger is a portable, battery-powered turntable that’s just the ticket for bin-hunting expeditions and going on the road to share your beloved vinyl collection with friends. This deceptively small, 2-pound record player streams to Bluetooth speakers or headphones, and it has a 3.5mm line-level output for connecting to powered speakers or an amplifier. True to the notion “what goes around comes around,” the “new” Sound Burger is an updated version of a portable phonograph that Audio-Technica brought to market in 1983, 40 years ago. Marketed in the U.S. as the Mister Disc, the turntable was a belated response to the personal headphone craze sparked by the 1979 launch of the Sony Walkman portable cassette player.
Like the model before it, the Sound Burger’s footprint isn’t much bigger than two 1-pound boxes of dry spaghetti noodles stacked on top of each other. It can play at two speeds—33 1/3- or 45 rpm—and it features a well-isolated belt-drive motor that spins a 3.5-inch aluminum platter. Its manually operated tone arm is fitted with a moving-magnet cartridge and a long-life (400 hours) diamond stylus.
Is the Sound Burger a good-sounding turntable?The Sound Burger is true to the vinyl-sounds-sweeter code, painting warm, dynamic musical portraits. Its ATN3600L cartridge is a mite bass shy, but delivers a vital mid-range presence and articulate high end, gently rounded off at the top of the RIAA curve. So, listeners won’t suffer the indignities of too much record surface noise or ear fatigue. In fact, it sparkles brightly when connected—wired or wirelessly—to higher-quality gear. In my testing, the Sound Burger made for a picnic-ready match-up with a couple Ultimate Ears Roll 2 portable speakers. But it sounded even better mated with a recent vintage Bose SoundLink Revolve+, and it could have passed for a full-weight turntable when I made a hard-wired connection to a pair of KEF LS50 Wireless II powered speakers. ![]() The Audio-Technica Sound Burger (bottom) compared to the 1983 Mister Disc turntable that inspired it. Jonathan Takiff/Foundry I found its belt-drive motor to be stable, speed accurate, and rumble-free. AudioTechnica says the Sound Burger has a signal-to-noise ratio of better than 50dB (DIN-B), and that it exhibits wow and flutter of less than 0.25 percent (WTD) at 3kHz. Unlike the clunky tone arms and short-life needles that so many other small portables torture records with, the spring-balanced arm and conical-shaped diamond needle on the Sound Burger hold the grooves well without inflicting damage. (I played several discs multiple times over to prove the point.) Yes, the cartridge here is tracking at 3.5 grams—a gram (or two)—higher than I dial-in on turntables fitted with pricier elliptical diamond needles, but that extra gram is a necessity here, given the less stable environments in which this player might operate and the less compliant (i.e., stiffer but sturdier) nature of the cartridge’s cantilever. What’s required to set up the Sound Burger?![]() Sound Burger buyers should remove but retain this transport screw, because this turntable is meant to be mobile. Jonathan Takiff/Foundry The whole thing comes pre-assembled, so setting up a Sound Burger is easy as pie: There’s no belt installing, cartridge connecting, or balancing of the tone arm to do. Your only mechanical chore is to remove—but retain—the extra-long transport screw, so you can re-install it for long-distance traveling. The owner’s manual suggests re-installing the screw whenever you’re moving about. Charging the Sound Burger’s lithium-Ion battery pack demands 12 hours of AC-power connection, and then delivers 12 hours (at least 15 albums worth) of playback time. The turntable’s charging cable features a ferrite choke, but you’ll need to scrounge up a USB-A charger. You can keep spinning discs while the turntable is plugged in, even if its battery is fully depleted when you start the party. ![]() The Sound Burger sounded great streaming to a Bose Soundlink Revolve+ Bluetooth speaker. Jonathan Takiff/Foundry Operating the Sound Burger is likewise a snap. Pop the lid, and extract the round rubber insert that holds down the tonearm and doubles as both LP record stabilizer and 45-rpm single adapter. Slide off (and try not to lose) the protective needle cover (a serious downgrade from the flip-down stylus shield the older Mister Disc used to protect its stylus), pivot the tone arm out until it clicks, place your record, lower the Sound Burger’s lid (optional), pick your speed (if you haven’t already), and hit the power button. The turntable will start spinning when you move the arm over the record, and it will keep spinning when the needle reaches the inside run-out zone, until you hit the power button again or lift-off and move the arm out to its standby zone. Listening modes on the Sound BurgerMost Bluetooth source devices (e.g., smartphones, tablets, computers) have you steer the connectivity process with a custom app. That’s not how the Sound Burger handles it. You’re somewhat flying blind while pairing this thing to speakers or headphones. Audio-Technica’s instructions say power it on, hit the side-mounted Bluetooth connection button, then tap (or slide) the Bluetooth pairing button on the device you want to connect. If the designated partner—say, a speaker—has previously paired with a different source—your smartphone, for instance—the speaker will likely not link automatically with the Sound Burger. You’ll need to go into that phone’s Bluetooth settings and disconnect it from that speaker; you might even need to tap “forget this device.” Now, switch the Sound Burger’s power off, and then on again. Repeat the Bluetooth pairing moves at both ends and hope for the best. ![]() The Sound Burger (left) gained Bluetooth and it has a 3.5mm line-level output, but it lost the wired headphone and stereo RCA outputs found on the earlier Mister Disc portable turntable. Jonathan Takiff/Foundry Curiously, the Sound Burger made automatic friends and started playing through a NAD C700 streaming receiver that was one flight up without my even cueing the latter to switch on its Bluetooth mode. On the bright side, I learned here that the record player’s Bluetooth range is true to its spec: at least 33 feet. Once successfully paired, the Sound Burger remembers the connections it makes and will reconnect with up to eight different partners, one at a time. I’ve generally had fewer handshake issues between the Sound Burger and powered speakers than I’ve had with it and headphones and earbuds that have been previously paired with other devices. I did get the turntable to link readily with a Sony WH-1000XM4 wireless headphone, because the Sony Connect app sniffed it out and visually confirmed that the Sound Burger was looking to hook-up. I also made a fast, easy pairing with fresh-out-of-the-box open-ear Cleer ARC II Sport earbuds. ![]() An ice chest, the Sound Burger turntable, and a pair of Ultimate Ears Roll Bluetooth speakers make good picnic pals. Jonathan Takiff/Foundry Is the Audio-Technica Sound Burger a good value?Audio-Technica produced a limited-edition, red, 40th Anniversary Edition of the Sound Burger that quickly sold out. With the current production, you can get the portable turntable in black, white, or yellow. The Sound Burger is a product whose time has come again. I bet you can find a good use for one. via TechHive https://ift.tt/LJp7Noa |