You need to try these new Apple Watch 7 features

You need to try these new Apple Watch 7 features

After setting up your new Apple Watch Series 7 that you got this holiday season and pairing it with your iPhone, it's time to check out all the new features and tweak a few settings to make the most of your new Watch. The Apple Watch Series 7 comes with a larger screen, faster charging and a more durable design. That might not sound as exciting as the blood oxygen sensor that debuted in last year's Series 6. (Here's how the Apple Watch 7 compares to the Apple Watch 6.) But the Series 7's new features have the potential to add more convenience to a lot of everyday tasks, from checking the time to resp onding to texts and tracking your sleep. 

Apple unveiled the $399 Apple Watch Series 7 during its product launch event on Sept. 14 alongside the iPhone 13 family, a refreshed iPad Mini, and a new entry-level iPad. The new Apple Watch is a light update to the Series 6 that's ideal for people looking to replace a watch that's several years old.

Read more: Apple Watch 7 review: A slight upgrade compared to last year's smartwatch

If you're considering the Apple Watch Series 7 or already bought one, here's a breakdown of what's new and why it matters. You can also check out all the Apple Watch Series 8 rumors we've heard so far.

Apple Watch Series 7 has a QWERTY keyboard

The Apple Watch Series 7 should be easier to type on. 

Apple

The Apple Watch has a new QWERTY keyboard that takes advantage of its larger screen, which is about 20% bigger than the Series 6, allowing you to type similarly to how you would on a phone.

What's new: A full-size keyboard means that you aren't limited to sending a canned response to a text, scribbling a quick note or dictating a message, as is the case with the Apple Watch Series 6.

How you'll use it: The Apple Watch Series 7's QWERTY keyboard lets you tap each key to type, or use Apple's QuickPath feature to swipe between letters without lifting your finger. You'll still want to use your phone for messages longer than a short sentence, but it still generally makes it easier to text using the watch.

The bottom line: The Series 7's QWERTY keyboard makes it easier to send longer and more complex messages that are uncomfortable to scribble or too private to dictate. It's another example of how the Apple Watch has evolved to become better at working independently of your phone in the years since its launch. 

Third-party Apple Watch apps like FlickType already allow you to type on your Apple Watch, but having it as a native option on the watch results in a smoother experience. It also means watch owners won't have to rely on third parties for this potentially vital tool, which is important considering some keyboard apps have been accused of participating in App Store rating scams.

Read more: Apple Watch 7 upgrade: How to trade in your old watch to get the best deals

Larger screen on the Apple Watch Series 7 amps up reading

The Apple Watch Series 7's larger screen can fit more text.

Apple/Screenshot by Sarah Tew/CNET

The Series 7 is Apple's first major redesign since the Series 4 launched in 2018. The new watch comes in 41-millimeter and 45mm sizes for the first time, representing a shift away from the 40mm and 44mm sizes that were available on the Series 4 through Series 6. 

What's new: The Apple Watch Series 7's screen is about 20% larger than the Series 6's and more than 50% bigger than the Series 3's. The borders that frame the screen are also 40% smaller than those of the Series 6, allowing Apple to expand the screen size without making the device much larger. But don't worry, older watch bands are still compatible with the Series 7. 

How you'll use it: The Series 7's larger screen makes it better at its most important job: showing information that's easy to see at a glance so that you don't have to grab your phone. The larger screen means the Series 7 is capable of displaying 50% more text without having to scroll, making reading text messages, emails and notifications more convenient. 

There's more: Apple also updated the user interface in its apps to make better use of that larger screen. Apps like the stopwatch, activity and timer now have larger buttons, meaning it's easier to hit snooze even when you're still half asleep. You also get specific watch faces that are optimized for the Series 7's bigger display, such as a new version of the Modular face that can fit complications with more information. I've been using this new watch face to see my activity progress, the time and weather forecast at a glance.

And don't forget, WatchOS 8 introduces the ability to set Portrait mode photos as your watch face, and the Series 7's larger screen is better able to show them off.

Read more: Apple Watch Series 7 vs. Series 6: The biggest changes coming in Apple's new smartwatch

A brighter screen in always-on mode

Apple/Screenshot by Sarah Tew/CNET

Apple also updated the Apple Watch's display in a different way by making the screen more visible in always-on mode. It's another addition that makes it even faster to get quick bits of information from your watch. 

What's new: The Apple Watch Series 7's screen is up to 70% brighter in always-on mode when your wrist is down, according to Apple. However, Apple specifically says this applies to indoor usage.

How you'll use it: The Series 7's improved brightness means it is even easier to see information like the time, your activity rings and your next meeting without having to wake the watch's screen. It feels like a step toward making the Apple Watch's screen appear the same whether it's asleep or in use, and doing so creates a more seamless look that doesn't feel jarring when switching between awake and idle mode. 

To use this feature, you'll want to make sure the always-on display setting is turned on in the Apple Watch's settings menu. On your Apple Watch's app screen, press the settings icon, scroll down to Display & Brightness and tap Always On. From there, make sure the switch next to Always On is toggled on. 

What about battery life? You could also choose to keep this feature turned off if you want to maximize battery life, and Apple hasn't said whether the brighter always-on screen will affect the watch's power consumption. I've been wearing the Apple Watch Series 7 daily with the always-on display setting turned on, and it typically lasts for about a day and a half. But battery life will always vary depending on your usage, and activities like using GPS connectivity while running will cause it to drain faster. 

Read more: Best Apple Watch accessories

Apple Watch Series 7 charges faster than Series 6 

The Apple Watch Series 7 should charge 33% faster than the Series 6.

Apple/Screenshot by Sarah Tew/CNET

The Apple Watch Series 7's battery lasts as long as the Series 6, but the amount of time it takes to charge your watch has dipped. 

What's new: The Apple Watch Series 7 can charge up to 33% faster than the Apple Watch Series 6, according to Apple. It takes 45 minutes to charge from zero to 80%, and 8 minutes of charging should enable 8 hours of sleep tracking. In CNET's testing of the new Apple Watch, reviewers found this to be true. Charging the Watch for at least 30 minutes made the battery jump from zero to 54%. In comparison, the Series 6 only replenished 37% in the same amount of time. 

How you'll use it: We've been asking for more battery life out of the Apple Watch for years, but that's especially relevant now that Apple has added native sleep tracking to its smartwatches. Rather than extending the watch's battery life, Apple makes it easier to quickly charge the watch during short windows throughout the day, presumably so that you don't have to charge it overnight. The idea is that you'll be able to top off the watch's battery whenever you have a few spare minutes.

The bottom line: The Apple Watch Series 7's faster charging speed is another way in which Apple is trying to make its smartwatch a more capable sleep tracker. In addition to making the Series 7 easier to charge in a pinch, Apple also added the ability to measure respiratory rate during sleep with its WatchOS 8 update. Taken together, these improvements could help Apple catch up to Fitbit, which offers multiday battery life on its watches and more in-depth sleep metrics. 

Read more: Best Apple Watch bands for 2021

The Apple Watch Series 7 has a brawnier build

The Apple Watch Series 7 comes with tougher crystal and is dust resistant. 

Apple/Screenshot by Sarah Tew/CNET

Exercise tracking has become one of Apple's biggest areas of focus for the Apple Watch. The Series 7 is more suitable for outdoor activity since Apple claims it has a more durable build. 

What's new: The Apple Watch Series 7 is rated for IP6X dust resistance (a first) and is coated in a crystal cover that Apple says is 50% thicker than that of the Apple Watch Series 6. That means you'll feel at ease wearing it to the beach or during a hike. 

How you'll use it: The Series 7's increased durability pairs nicely with the new cycling features in WatchOS 8. The new software brings an updated version of fall detection that Apple says can tell the difference between falling off a bicycle and a different type of accident. Apple also says WatchOS 8 can automatically detect outdoor cycling workouts. (See Lexy Savvides' test of the new Apple Watch cycling features here.)

The bottom line: We put Apple Watch Series 7's durability to the test. Those who want a truly rugged watch have military-grade options from Garmin and Casio to choose from, or could opt for a rugged Apple Watch case. But these updates suggest Apple is trying to push the Apple Watch beyond basic workouts and appeal to those who might need a more durable watch for activities like rock climbing. That's the premise behind the rumored Explorer Edition, which Bloomberg reports will come with greater impact resistance and could launch in 2022.

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Amazon echo s spooky spider amazon echo s spooky day all the stones amazon echo s spooky lane snl amazon echo silver amazon echo spot amazon echo auto amazon echo dot 3rd generation amazon echo studio amazon echo 2nd generation

Amazon Echo's spooky sounds and stories can get you ready for Halloween. Here's how

Amazon Echo's spooky sounds and stories can get you ready for Halloween. Here's how

Spooky season is here. That means it's time to pick out costumes, candy and cue up your favorite Halloween movies. But Alexa has a few ways to help you get in the Halloween spirit, too. Your Amazon Echo device can play spooky sounds throughout the house, control smart lights and tell scary stories once you add a few Alexa skills. The voice assistant can even help you find a last-minute costume just in time for your spooktacular soiree (more below). 

You can add Halloween skills from the Amazon site or a voice command to give your home a creepy vibe (most of them are free). And if you want to really go all out, Google and Ring have a few Halloween tricks and treats to give all of your smart home devices a spooktacular feeling. 

We'll show you how to set up some of our favorite Halloween skills so you can use them this weekend (and year-round if you're obsessed with Halloween, like me). Here are our favorite ways an Amazon Echo ($37 at Amazon) can make your home spooky on All Hallows' Eve. And if you're having trouble with your Echo-enabled device, here are a few common problems and easy solutions. 

Scare neighbors with your Echo speaker 

If you've got multiple Echo speakers, it can be fun to place one outside, out of sight, to spook others. For example, you can broadcast creepy sounds or play Halloween music. You can also use the Drop In feature on the speaker to let trick-or-treaters know from a safe distance that you enjoy their costume or how much candy to take. Note that it may be best to set out small bags of candy to avoid dozens of hands touching each piece. You should also make sure your Echo is out of the rain to prevent any water damage. 

Play spooky sounds

It's not Halloween without creepy sounds, and there are many Alexa skills that provide them. You can also say, "Alexa, let's get spooky" to prompt Alexa to give you ideas.

• Spooky Halloween Sounds will play a continuous loop of unsettling noises until you tell Alexa to stop. Just say, "Alexa, start Spooky Halloween Sounds" to get started.
• Spooky Sounds plays 50 minutes of original spooky sounds (in a continuous loop), complete with an audio Easter egg hidden within. Say, "Alexa, open Spooky Sounds" to begin.

• Spooky Scream will play a random scream after a set time of your choosing. Say, "Alexa, ask Spooky Scream to start in 5 minutes." Turn up the volume and wait for your unknowing victim to fall into your trap.

You can also request audio like the Spooky Sounds for Halloween EP on Spotify. Alexa has other creepy sounds available, including Haunted House and Scary Halloween Sounds to turn your Alexa device into a Halloween sound machine. 

Spooky sounds are sure to scare the neighborhood kids.

Chris Monroe/CNET

Play Halloween-themed games

If you're looking for an eerie game to play, there are quite a few Alexa skills to choose from. But if you'd rather have Alexa pick for you, just say, "Alexa, let's get spooky."

• The Magic Door is a popular interactive adventure game. If you take the Dark Forest Path, it will lead you to the Witch's mansion in search of the Wise Wizard.
• Ghost Detector is exactly what it sounds like. You must detect and capture ghosts to earn Ghost Bux, which you can use to buy "improvements, gadgets and missions" for further gameplay.
• Haunted Adventure is just one of several spooky adventure games.
• Halloween Feel the Pressure is a spin-off of Feel the Pressure with a Halloween twist. You must answer questions based on a letter of the alphabet. You need 10 correct answers in a row to "save your soul."

Ask Alexa to tell a scary story 

Want to hear something chilling, yet kid-friendly? Simply say, "Alexa, tell me a spooky story" and you'll hear a short story voiced by an actor. They're pretty cheesy, so they're best for younger ears.

If you want to hear something a bit scarier, you can try the Scare Me skill. Just say, "Alexa, ask Scare Me to tell me a scary story." It'll read you a short, two-sentence scary story. Kids can also use the Scooby Doo! Mystery Inc. Theater for scary stories. Just say, "Alexa, I'm ready for a mystery from Scooby-Doo" or "Alexa, tell Scooby-Doo I want to solve a mystery" from any Echo-enabled device. The skill is free but requires a parent's permission in the Alexa app. 

Still not scary enough? Try creating your own scary story using the Alexa Halloween Blueprint. You can even use names of the people in your home as the characters in the story.

Alexa can tell you scary stories. 

Alina Bradford/CNET

Play Halloween music

One of Alexa's best tricks on Halloween is playing party music. You can easily make a playlist with all your Halloween favorites on Amazon Music or Spotify -- like this Halloween Party Soundtrack -- and ask Alexa to play it. Or you can use the Halloween Music skill. 

Greet visitors with spooky sounds

Use your Alexa-compatible video doorbell, like Ring, to talk to trick-or-treaters who are waiting at your door. With the Ring doorbell, you can have it say "Boo" to anyone who comes to the door. You can also change the chime to a spookier tone. Your Ring doorbell has a few other spooky features and hardware accessories. 

You can also use the Trick the Witch skill for your Alexa device to entertain your guests with a witch voice. Just say, "Alexa, start Trick the Witch" to get started. Lamona, the witch, is an interactive game that trick or treaters can take part in while practicing social distancing. Or you can enable Halloween Facts to share facts about Oct. 31 with your visitors. 

When you hear the doorbell, or think you hear it, tell Alexa to "Answer the front door" or "Show [camera name]" to see who's there.

A video doorbell will show you who's at the door.

Chris Monroe/CNET

Create a smart haunted house

You can turn your home into a haunted house using your Echo devices. You'll need to replace your regular bulbs with smart bulbs and change the colors to orange, purple and red. However, it's much more fun to set up a routine that you can trigger by saying, "Alexa, make it spooky," rather than a boring "Alexa, change the lights to red."

For example, you could create a routine that turns the lights orange and plays Halloween music. If you've got a smart plug, you can even plug a Halloween decoration into it and set it to come on with the routine. 

Spookify your house with smart bulbs.

Josh Miller/CNET

Get help with a last-minute costume 

If you're one of those people who wait until the last minute to find a costume (guilty), Alexa can help you come up with some ideas. Using the Halloween Costume Ideas skill, Alexa will list some ideas until you find one that you like.

Just say, "Alexa, open Halloween Costume Ideas." Then answer the yes-or-no questions until you come across the perfect costume idea.

Lighten up with Halloween jokes

If you're spooked out by the end of the night, have Alexa lighten the mood by telling jokes. Just say, "Alexa, tell me a Halloween joke." The joke it gave me was, "Why shouldn't you date a spirit? So you don't get ghosted." The jokes may not be fall-over funny, but at least they can distract you from the scary stories you listened to earlier in the night.

When Halloween's over, dive into the 10 weirdest things your Amazon Echo can do, the four best uses for an Amazon Echo in your living room and four places to avoid putting your Amazon Echo in your home.

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Wear same clothes everyday what is a pair of pants two pair of pants this is a pair of pants why are pants called a pair this pair of pants wear the same clothes more we wear the same shirt wear the same clothes more two pair or pairs wearing the same clothes wearing the same clothes every day

Wearing the same pair of pants for a year straight connected me to my past

Wearing the same pair of pants for a year straight connected me to my past

"We're all stories in the end. Just make it a good one, eh?" -- Matt Smith as Doctor Who

The lines on our faces. The scars on our bodies. The electric white of worn denim in the crook of our knees. I was reminded recently why I love raw denim, a fabric that hasn't been treated, prewashed or distressed. My raw-denim jeans start off as a deep, dark blue. As I wear them, a faded line curves along the shape of the pocket knife in my front left pocket. Threads poke out on the seams. An oval of ivory forms on my right knee. My jeans are a story.

That story starts decades ago in Galesburg, Illinois, with two kids running across the lawn of our childhood home. It's me chasing after my older brother Ara. I'm dressed in his hand-me-downs: a striped shirt and red corduroy pants rolled way up at the cuffs. I'm his shadow. I don't want to wear dresses. I want to wear what my brother wears. I want to be like him. All these years later, I haven't changed. It's jeans and T-shirts for us both.

I'm 365 days into wearing the same pair of jeans. (Don't worry. I do wash them.) Along with hundreds of others around the globe, I am participating in a jeans-wearing competition called the Indigo Invitational. One year. One pair of raw jeans that started as pure, unadulterated denim.

My pants are surviving thanks to my amateurish patch jobs. I love these jeans and this "denim-head" community more than ever. It's now the final day of the competition, and it's bittersweet. 

When crotch shots are OK

I'm not a crotch shot kinda person, but on March 22, 2021, I posted one to a Facebook group. I took a closeup of the nether regions of my jeans (I wasn't wearing them at the time) where a series of faded spots were starting to show through the fabric, threatening to leave unseemly holes in the crotch (known in the denim-head community as a "crotch blowout"). My post asked for help battling the breakthroughs. The denim denizens of the Indigo Invitational Fade Competition Facebook page didn't bat an eye.

I received a sweet outpouring of suggestions (use old tea towels for patches, find a good denim repair shop) and encouragement. The responses gave me the motivation to get to work on saving my jeans myself. I'm a sewing hack. But it's working. I'm doing my own repairs and my jeans persevere. 

It helps that denim is such a small-d democratic fabric.

Brian Szabo, Indigo Invitational co-founder

Indigo Invitational co-founder Bryan Szabo, a freelance writer and editor who lives in Budapest, Hungary, has pondered why this diverse international group of jeans aficionados is so darn friendly.

"It helps that denim is such a small-d democratic fabric. Though it used to have strong blue-collar and rebellious associations, those connections have largely faded," he tells me. "We're all connected by our love of denim, and I think that the members of the community understand that that love is a beautiful and fragile thing." 

This is the second year of the Indigo Invitational. In Year One, 115 "faders" (dedicated wearers who enjoy watching their jeans fade over time) signed up, and 65 finished. Year Two -- which kicked off on Oct. 1, 2020 -- had 850 registrants. Dedicating yourself to wearing a single pair of jeans for months on end and then submitting photographic proof every month isn't easy. There's a high attrition rate. As of July, there were just under 400 competitors still in the mix for Year Two. I'm one of them, and my pants continue to tell their story. My story.

My big brother Ara and me. I've always wanted to be just like him. I later received those pants he's wearing, as a hand-me-down.

Amanda Kooser/CNET

Thanks, brother

My brother isn't participating in the Indigo Invitational, but he's the reason I am. In 2012, our late stepdad (we called him "Pop") sent Ara a pair of raw-denim Tellason jeans, made in California. Pop was like that. He was a librarian, who adored research, and had somehow researched himself into the chill little corner of the fashion world where denim-heads dwell. 

I saw my brother's jeans, how they held together, how they faded, how they became unmistakably his, and I wanted that for myself.

This was in keeping with my history as his little sister. I always followed along in his wake, climbing into apple trees, examining colorful rocks on the ground, crawling into caves. He was -- and still is -- an explorer, a vision of what shy, quiet me could become if I only followed his path. That impulse hasn't changed decades later. But there was no way short, lady-hips me was going to fit into my grown lanky brother's hand-me-down jeans, so I had to find my own way into raw denim.

I was tired of fast fashion -- cheap, mass-produced clothes that don't last -- and of jeans that fall apart in mere months. My thighs rub together when I walk, and I would burn through jeans by way of crotch blowouts where the thin fabric would just break apart, usually when I was out in public. 

My first pair of raw denim was from Canadian brand Naked and Famous. In 2016, I bought "The Straight" in a fabric described as a "12.5 oz indigo rope dyed Japanese selvedge denim, woven on vintage shuttle looms in a right hand twill construction." You don't have to know what that all means, just know it was a door into a new world for me.

Sisterhood of the raw-denim pants

Raw denim, which goes against the fashion trends of pre-faded, pre-ripped, pre-softened jeans, would be a lonely place for women if it weren't for the internet. Most faders are guys, who have a million more denim options to choose from. Only a select few manufacturers make raw jeans for women. 

Suzy Marnell is a self-described military brat, who lives in Texas with her husband and three young boys. I know her through the Indigo Invitational Facebook group, where she's been posting photos of her Brave Star competition jeans and the repairs she's made to keep them in the competition. 

Marnell knows what it's like to live our double lives as jeans aficionados embraced by an internet community, but with few real-world jeans buddies who share our passion. "I have a ton of online friends I have made over the years through Instagram and Facebook raw-denim groups, but the majority of my friends in real life have no idea that I am such a nerd for denim," Marnell said. 

Indigo Invitational competitor Suzy Marnell did her own repairs on her denim.

Suzy Marnell

Like me, Marnell has lasted into the final month of the competition. She credits her fascination with the evolution of her jeans for keeping her engaged. She describes her experience as a woman in the raw-denim community as "entirely positive." But we can commiserate on the biggest challenges of being women faders: It's hard to find a pair that fits just right. 

"I think that discourages a lot of people, especially women," she said. But when you do find that right fit, it's magic. It becomes your second skin, your collaborative storyteller. 

One competitor shares a photo to the Facebook group of his legs. It highlights the "stacks," the pile-up of denim above his boots that happens when the pants are long and not cuffed. He had locked himself out of his car and was passing the time enjoying the white fades developing in the material. There's a dad in the group who joined the Indigo Invitational along with his daughter. At the start of the competition, they took photos together along a railroad track, arms around each other, new denim crisp in the glowing sunlight.

Szabo estimates the denim-head community is only about 5% female, but he's seen an uptick in interest over the last few years and hopes denim brands will take notice of a growing following of dedicated women.

"The more [jeans-makers] work on their fits and fabrics, tailoring each to the female form, the easier it will be for us to bring more women into this community," he said. "Once they find a pair that fits them right, the female experience of raw denim is nearly identical to the male one. It's revelatory. There's no going back."

Revelatory. I can attest to that. It doesn't matter whether I look cool to anyone else wearing raw denim; it makes me feel cool. That's saying a lot considering the awkward kid I was: the one wearing oversized Doctor Who T-shirts and begging my mom for a pair of Keds and a Guess bag so I could look just a little bit like the popular girls at school who wore oversized jean jackets, listened to Paula Abdul and had tons of friends. 

To wash or not to wash

But enough about my history. Let's get into how this whole one-jeans/one-year thing works. For starters, yes, I absolutely have worn the same pair of jeans every single day since Oct. 1, 2020. I've worn them to band gigs, while planting summer squash in the garden, while climbing the ladders at Bandalier National Monument, while fossil hunting in the Manzanita mountains, while standing at my computer for hours and hours. 

Here were my jeans, brand new, a year ago -- dark and crispy.

Amanda Kooser/CNET

I have worn these jeans so much that I'm now sewing patches into the crotch and stringing thread into the thin spots. Others in the competition are doing the same. I see updates on Facebook, where some of the most dedicated members are women posting their pants progress across the months. At this point in the competition, our jeans are showing the strain of so much time and motion.

It's not a requirement to wear your Invitational jeans every day, but most competitors strive to log as much time as possible. Some sleep in their pants. Some don't wash them. At all. They lay them out in the sun or spot-clean them to keep the funk-odor at bay. It's a way to get high-contrast fades that show the stark difference between the dark blue indigo and the white weft hidden in the threads. These are showstopper fades. Desirable fades. Real lookers.

Here is the same pair now. My flashlight has worn a hole through my denim. You can also see the faint outline of a coin on the smaller pocket.

Amanda Kooser/CNET

The whole "to wash or not to wash" question can be a heated topic. 

Here's how Szabo does it: "I try to make it to around the 200-wear mark before washing them for the first time, but making it this long isn't exactly easy in the summer, when I'm more active and tend to get my hands (and jeans) dirty." His ultimate advice is perfectly practical: If your jeans stink, wash them.

I've washed my Care Label jeans eight times so far. I do not have electric fades. Mine are what are called "vintage fades," where there's an overall lived-in and worn look to my pants. This will have an impact on my potential performance in the Indigo Invitational, where an international panel of eight judges (denim bloggers and influencers) and community voting will decide who has the best pants at the end of the year. 

"It's hard to ignore high-contrast fades. They're difficult to achieve, and they really jump off the screen at you," Szabo tells me. He expects those sort of fades will perform well this year, where one of the top prizes is a week-long trip to Japan, a country famous for raw-denim manufacturers and brands. That reward is sponsored by denim makers Soso, which is putting up $1,500 for airfare and a hotel stay. Other sponsors have pledged gift certificates, jeans, jackets and custom denim for winners.

I'm here for the camaraderie, to know I'm not alone in this, and for the incentive to focus in on a single pair of jeans.

I ogle eye-popping fades and think "Wow!" But I wouldn't trade my beat-up, lake-blue, multi-washed jeans for anything. I'm not here for the prizes. I'm here for the camaraderie, to know I'm not alone in this, and for the incentive to focus in on a single pair of jeans. And I'm here to be like my brother, and to be a cooler kid now than I was back when it felt like popularity mattered.

I'm taking Szabo's advice: "We urge all competitors to run their own race. Don't try to match your fades to those that appear to be the frontrunners. Tell a story that is yours and yours alone."

Listen to the pants

My jeans have something to say for me. They talk about how I keep my Google Pixel 3A in my back left pocket where it leaves a faded rectangle. They talk about how I like to be prepared, as you can see by the pocket knife fade in the front left and the cylindrical fade of a tiny flashlight on the right. The hushed tones of my right-knee fade speak of me kneeling in the ground, pushing morning glory seeds into the dirt. A UK public-libraries pound coin in the coin pocket etches a secret white circle into the fabric, telling of my love of reading and writing

"Denim is a storytelling fabric like no other," Szabo said. 

When you buy jeans that have already been blasted or pre-faded or distressed, you're wearing someone else's tale. When you put on a new pair of raw-denim jeans, you're holding the pen and it's the first word in the first sentence of the first chapter of a yarn of your very own.

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LG Wing hands-on: Here's what it's like to actually use the weird swiveling phone

LG Wing hands-on: Here's what it's like to actually use the weird swiveling phone

These days, phones are either rectangular slabs with one straight screen or, in the case of the Galaxy Z Fold 2 or Motorola Razr 5G, they're slabs with flexible screens that open up. But the LG Wing is neither. Instead, it's a phone with two screens, one of which swivels on top of the other.

Yes, it's weird and yes, it's expensive at $1,000 on Verizon (UK and Australia pricing have not been released yet, but that converts to about £775 and AU$1,394). But the design isn't as crazy or pointless as it seems. After pushing through the initial learning curve, which does take some time, my experience with multitasking and recording video got a boost thanks to the Wing's unusual shape.

The LG Wing isn't for everybody, and LG knows this. Its bulkier design and potentially steep price will automatically lead to many people writing it off. Also, not all apps will accommodate the two screens. Nevertheless, I appreciate LG's willingness to try something different. Swivel phones aren't exactly new, even if they aren't around much anymore: The VX9400 from 2007, for instance, is an early example of an LG phone with a similar design, and I myself owned a beloved Nokia 7370, which featured a screen that swiveled out as smoothly as a switchblade comb. But LG has applied that design thoughtfully enough for this current era of phones.

Whether or not people are willing to pay to give its $1,000 vision a shot is the big question. While it's not impossible to sell an expensive handset amid a pandemic when everyone is more budget-conscious, as Samsung has shown with its Galaxy Note 20, it's certainly risky to do so. And LG's record of selling experimental phones isn't stellar. Its modular G5 from 2016 and curved G Flex from 2014 weren't exactly top sellers. But fitting "more screen in less space" is always appealing, and the LG Wing, at the very least, executes its own concept well. 

In the US the LG Wing will be available first on Verizon, then AT&T in the fall and T-Mobile -- all on their respective 5G networks. 

LG Wing design: Spin me right round

I spent time with a preproduction model and found that the LG Wing is a straightforward phone when it's closed. It has a 6.8-inch display, wireless charging and an in-screen fingerprint reader. But it's also missing a few things that other LG phones have. It doesn't have a headphone jack, which LG usually keeps, and it doesn't have a formal IP rating for water protection.

And while it's not as heavy and thick as the Galaxy Z Fold 2 when it's folded, the LG Wing is still thicker and heavier than regular phones. It's about a third thicker than most phones, not twice like I first assumed, because the top panel is thinner than the bottom.

The phone only opens in one direction, clockwise, so to open it single-handedly, it should be in the right hand. (I'm a left-hander and I thought mine was broken and stuck when I first tried to open it, but it wasn't.) The motion does require some carry-through with the thumb, and if I didn't slide it strong enough, the top display would stop short of clicking straight. But most of the time it rotated fine and the mechanism feels sturdy. While I didn't go buck wild trying to rip these two displays apart, I didn't feel like I needed to be any more careful with it than with any other premium phone. LG estimates that the phone is durable enough to survive 200,000 rotations over the course of five years. If you want more protection, LG is working on cases, but those will undoubtedly add more bulk.  

The phone has a 6.8-inch display on top that rotates clockwise.

Angela Lang/CNET

LG Wing's 2 displays do double duty

Once the phone's open, you can do a variety of things in a variety of orientations. Multitasking is the most obvious benefit, like watching YouTube while looking up something on the web. If you're talking to a buddy over the phone and want to check your calendar to schedule a time to meet up, you can do that too. My favorite way to use it is having Maps display on the larger screen and music controls on the other one. This is especially useful in the car, when I want to skip tracks without fussing too much with the phone and taking my eyes off the road. Given the bulk of the Wing though, I suggest having a sturdy phone mount. When I found myself opening the same pair of apps often (Maps and Spotify, for instance), I paired them so they could launch quickly together. 

The back of the phone when opened.

Angela Lang/CNET

When held upside down, the phone opens up different experiences for gameplay. I played the racing game Asphalt 9 this way, with the bigger screen displaying the main gameplay and the smaller one displaying a roadmap. I'm not convinced this was useful, though. Plus the phone is top-heavy when held upside down, so it was uncomfortable to hold the thinly edged display in my hands after a while.

Having two screens to navigate one app is interesting too. With messaging, for instance, I can view a large part of the conversation while texting. But as I mentioned before, not every app is optimized. For instance, I'd love to watch a YouTube video while reading comments on the other screen, but I couldn't do that on the phone. And if you don't want to use the bottom display much at all, it can be turned into either a trackpad to navigate the top display, or blacked out completely and used as a physical grip.

3 cameras and a gimbal

The Wing has three rear cameras: one standard camera and two ultra-wide cameras. One of the ultra-wide cameras has a gimbal inside, which is similar to the Vivo X50 Pro. Gimbals are used to stabilize and balance video even when you're moving around a lot. LG added a special Gimbal Mode with extra controls as well, so you can pan and follow your subject as they move. 

My video footage was steady, even as I was recording while walking quickly. Video looked more stable than the one recorded on the iPhone XS, which we happened to have on hand, and footage from the LG Wing lacked that pulsing effect the iPhone had too. When it came to picture quality though, colors were more true-to-life and objects looked smoother on the iPhone. On the front is a 32-megapixel camera embedded inside the phone and popup from out of the top edge when in use, which is a lot like the OnePlus 7 Pro, Vivo Nex and Oppo Reno 2. The selfies I took were bright, in-focus and clear.

Videographers may be interested in the suite of tools the LG Wing has, and Gimbal Mode adds an extra layer of control and creativity. Gripping the phone vertically while shooting horizontally also made it comfortable to shoot video. But if you're a casual video-taker, this isn't a must-have, and current iPhones and Pixel phones have excellent video stabilization features too. 

In bright, ample lighting the phone takes vibrant and clear pictures.

Lynn La/CNET

Another outdoor image taken on the LG Wing.

Lynn La/CNET

In this closeup shot, the flower petals on the foreground are in focus and sharp.

Lynn La/CNET

A photo taken with the phone's pop-up front-facing camera.

Lynn La/CNET

LG Wing's hardware and other specs

Powering the phone is a Snapdragon 765G chipset and a 4,000-mAh battery. Since I got a preproduction unit, I didn't conduct battery tests. Anecdotally though, the Wing had a decent battery life. With medium usage of both screens it was able to last a full day without charging.

LG Wing 5G specs

Display size, resolution	Main screen: 6.8-inch OLED; 2,460x1,080 pixels. Second screen: 3.9-inch OLED; 1,240x1,080 pixels
Pixel density	Main screen: 395ppi. Second screen: 419ppi
Dimensions (Inches)	6.67x2.93x0.43 inches
Dimensions (Millimeters)	169.5x74.5x10.9 mm
Weight (Ounces, Grams)	9.17 oz; 260g
Mobile software	Android 10
Camera	64-megapixel (standard), 13-megapixel (ultra-wide), 12-megapixel (ultrawide)
Front-facing camera	32-megapixel
Video capture	4K
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G
Storage	256GB
RAM	8GB
Expandable storage	Up to 2TB
Battery	4,000 mAh
Fingerprint sensor	In-screen
Connector	USB-C
Headphone jack	No
Special features	Swivel screen design; gimbal camera; wireless charging
Price off-contract (USD)	$1,000 (Verizon)
Price (GBP)	£775 converted
Price (AUD)	AU$1,394 converted

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Navigating foreclosure: How to find help, repair your credit and bounce back

Navigating foreclosure: How to find help, repair your credit and bounce back

The COVID-19 pandemic -- and its economic fallout -- have put millions of homeowners at risk of losing their homes. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau industry data in April showed that almost 3 million homeowners are behind on their mortgage payments. 

While the CARES Act provided temporary relief for homeowners, its moratorium on foreclosures ended on July 31. Although this means lenders can proceed with the foreclosure process, a moratorium on foreclosure-related evictions has been put in place by the Federal Housing Administration until Sept. 30. The White House has also extended the forbearance enrollment period for federally backed mortgages through Sept. 30, giving homeowners more time to enroll in housing protections that could last for up to 12 months.  

That said, some homeowners are still facing the resumption of monthly mortgage payments that have been paused for over a year -- and as a result, a mountain of debt.

If you own a home and are concerned about making mortgage payments, it's important to understand the foreclosure process. We'll walk you through everything you need to know -- from the best practices for avoiding it to surviving the aftermath. 

You can find out more information about buying a foreclosure here.

What is a foreclosure? 

Foreclosure starts when a homeowner has missed payments for a certain length of time -- usually, 90 to 120 days. At this point, the lender will attempt to recoup what they're owed on a mortgage. Once you're a few months late on your mortgage payment, the lender will put your loan into default.

If you don't make your mortgage payments for, say, three months, your lender can start a legal process to take ownership of your home in order to sell it. This allows them to get some of the money you still owe on your mortgage back.

The steps of the foreclosure process vary from state to state. 

The foreclosure process

Foreclosure doesn't happen overnight. Your mortgage lender is required to notify you well in advance of when your home officially enters foreclosure -- also known as preforeclosure. 

Preforeclosure

After you miss one mortgage payment, you might enter a preforeclosure period, but you often have another month to pay the balance owed before the bank takes serious action. 

"Making your mortgage payment after the 1st of the month won't be considered late," says James McCann, branch manager at Cornerstone First Mortgage. "Most mortgage servicers won't charge a late fee until the 15th of the month and even when they do, it's usually nominal. Mortgage payments aren't reported late until the 30th of the month."

At that point, your lender sends you a notice. Whether you just needed a little extra time or making the payment simply slipped your mind, if you make your missed payment at this time, the preforeclosure process stops. You'll probably need to pay a late fee and your credit score might take a hit, though.

If you miss two mortgage payments, the letters become more serious. At this stage, you'll receive a demand letter requesting the missed payments. You can still stop the foreclosure process at this point by sending in the money you owe right away.

After three to four months of missed payments (varies by lender), you'll get a notice of default. This notice will usually lay out a grace period (often 90 days) during which you can make up the money you owe to avoid foreclosure. This grace period is called the reinstatement period. If you don't take advantage of this final window to get caught up on your missed payments, your lender officially starts foreclosure.

Foreclosure

At this point, your mortgage lender starts the process of taking ownership of your home. This works because mortgages are secured loans, which means they're backed by collateral -- in this case, your home. 

When homeowners are unable to continue making mortgage payments, lenders start the foreclosure process to take back their collateral. Foreclosure ends with the lender either selling the home or adding it to their real estate portfolio. This allows the lender to recoup the money the homeowner was unable to pay. 

Types of foreclosures 

There are three different types of foreclosures, but processes will vary depending on where you live. Most states employ one of the first two types of foreclosures: 

Judicial foreclosure

A judicial foreclosure is an option in all states. During this process, the lender files a lawsuit with the court to initiate the foreclosure process. The homeowner then gets a notice of the suit in the mail and has 30 days to pay all of the money they owe. If they don't, the local sheriff's office or the court will sell the house at an auction and give the proceeds to the lender. 

Power of sale

Also called a statutory foreclosure, this type of foreclosure is legal in most states, provided your mortgage has a power of sale clause. This clause says that if your mortgage lender demands payment and you continue to fail to pay for the period of time laid out in the clause, the lender can sell the home to recoup their money. 

Strict foreclosure

The rarest type of foreclosure, strict foreclosure, is often avoided unless the outstanding mortgage amount is greater than the property's current value. The process is similar to a judicial foreclosure in that the lender files a lawsuit, but rather than selling the property at auction, the property enters the lender's real estate portfolio once the foreclosure is complete. 

Avoiding foreclosure

Foreclosures are stressful. But you can often avoid foreclosure, especially if you take steps as soon as you struggle to make your mortgage payments. Here are some tips to help with avoiding foreclosure.

Talk to your lender ASAP

Lenders don't want you to enter into foreclosure. They would much rather have you continue to make your payments (allowing them to make income off your mortgage's interest). If you're struggling to make a payment, reach out to see what support your lender can provide. 

"Talk with your current mortgage servicer to see if there's anything they can do to help," McCann says. "Your lender might offer a loan modification or forbearance plan that would allow you to lower or pause your payments." 

Consider selling

With real estate property values at notably high levels in many regions, homeowners who think they won't be able to keep up with their mortgage payments can consider selling before they end up in a foreclosure situation. With the proceeds from your home sale, you can pay off the outstanding balance of your mortgage and avoid foreclosure -- and the eviction and major hit to your credit score that comes with it. 

You don't necessarily go back to renting, either. McCann recommends working with a realtor to find out if you can downsize to reduce your monthly mortgage payment.

Explore a refinance

With mortgage rates at historic lows right now, refinancing can help you get through a financially challenging season -- and save you money over the life of your loan. Refinancing could allow you to lock in a lower rate, reducing your monthly mortgage payment.

"You can often time your refinance to skip a mortgage payment, which could give you a little time to get back on your feet," McCann says.

You might be able to get a short refinance, which means your lender forgives some of your outstanding balance, then refinances the rest.

Foreclosure assistance programs

There are also assistance programs that can serve as helpful tools in avoiding foreclosure. 

Until Sept. 30, you can enroll in a forbearance program if you have a federally held mortgage, e.g., FHA, VA, USDA and some Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae home loans. 

While federal programs beyond the COVID-19 forbearance are currently lacking, you can also get help from a housing counselor. You can click your state on their map to find information about foreclosure avoidance counselors near you. It's well worth choosing one approved by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development to help avoid foreclosure scams. 

Beware of foreclosure assistance scams

Unfortunately, unsavory individuals and organizations often take advantage of people facing financial hardship and foreclosures. And they may do it under the guise of old programs. Be wary of mortgage assistance from groups that recommend expired assistance programs like the FHA Home Affordable Program or the Making Home Affordable program. Although these programs are legitimate, they were established to help after the subprime mortgage crisis of 2008 and aren't accepting new applicants. 

For a full list of foreclosure assistance scams to avoid, review this guide from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. 

Surviving foreclosure

Avoiding foreclosure isn't always possible -- and it's not a financial death sentence. If none of the above resources can help you avoid foreclosure, your first step should be to find safe housing for yourself and anyone who lives with you.

From there, work on establishing a consistent income stream and building up your savings. Your credit score will take a dive after your foreclosure, but managing your money responsibly -- paying your bills on time and making sure you don't use too much of your other available credit, including credit cards -- will help you to rebuild it. From there, it's a waiting game. After seven years, the foreclosure will fall off your credit report and you'll have a fresh start again.

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