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Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G Review: Samsung's Premier Phone Is Pretty Badass


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Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G review: Samsung's premier phone is pretty badass


Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G review: Samsung's premier phone is pretty badass

The Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G, unveiled alongside Samsung's Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus phones, proves that sometimes you have to do something twice to get it right. While just as bold as last year's Galaxy S20 Ultra, the S21 Ultra is a refined second take on the concept. There's still the 100x Space Zoom, but it's easier to use. There is still the "big for the sake of being big" design, but it looks more appealing. And there's still a high price, but at $1,200 (£1,149, AU$1,849) it costs $200 less than the S20 Ultra in the US

If you want the absolute best specs and features, the S21 Ultra is undoubtedly appealing. The phone will also attract camera nerds, thanks to the improvements. The addition of S-Pen support -- it's the first Galaxy S phone to support the stylus -- will likely catch the eye of Galaxy Note users looking for a different option.

Like

  • Gorgeous phantom black finish
  • Two telephoto cameras
  • The screen is spectacular
  • S-Pen support

Don't Like

  • It's heavy
  • Lacks a microSD card slot
  • $1,200 is still expensive

Last year's Ultra model seemed like it came out of nowhere. It was a phone all about excess that, by sheer fate, was launched at the beginning of a global pandemic and recession. Its bold, behemoth take on the Galaxy S line was undercut by its $1,400 (£1,199, AU$1,999) price and issues with its nearly domino-size camera system.

Overall, the S21 Ultra is a major update both in terms of hardware and software over the S20 Ultra. And when you factor in a lower price, it all kind of makes sense. And that's why the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra earned a CNET's Editors' Choice Award. The whole Galaxy S21 lineup is available to purchase -- here's how you can buy one.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy S21 vs. S21 Plus vs. S21 Ultra

The Galaxy S21 Ultra has the best black finish

I wouldn't call the S21 Ultra's design radically different, but my review unit has the best black finish I've ever seen on a phone. It's the stuff that goth dreams are made of. The color is called phantom black, and seeing it in person makes you understand why Samsung made a nearly three-minute video explaining the blackest black finish. The S21 Ultra also comes in phantom silver and there are limited-edition phantom finishes in titanium, brown and navy, which can only be found on Samsung's website.

The camera bump is large and melts into the sides of the phone, which are glossy black. And while the regular S21 and S21 Plus looks snazzy in their two-tone colors, the all-black S21 Ultra is cool, elegant and badass all at the same time.

Read more:  Galaxy S21 drop test: It broke on the first drop

The S21 Ultra is heavier than last year's S20 Ultra and the iPhone 12 Pro Max. It's the second heaviest phone I have tested in the past year, just behind the Asus ROG Phone 3.

The display is brighter and adds S-Pen support

Around the front is one of the most impressive displays I've seen. It has a Wide Quad HD resolution and a variable refresh rate between 10 and 120Hz, which is determined by what's on the screen. And just to be clear, it can be set to 120Hz without the hit to resolution that the S20 Ultra had. The 6.8-inch display is bright and the contrast is gorgeous. Covering the front and back is Corning's Gorilla Glass Victus.

355-samsung-galaxy-s21-ultra-with-stylus

Support for the S-Pen means you can draw, write, edit photos and sign documents on the S21 Ultra.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Under the screen is a larger ultrasonic fingerprint reader which feels peppy. I had a hard time telling if it was faster than the one on the S20 Ultra. The display also has S-Pen support.

The Galaxy Note phones line always tempted me, but I didn't think I'd use the S-Pen enough to justify getting one. I like the iPad Pro-Apple Pencil approach Samsung took with the S21 Ultra. Without an S-Pen, you can still enjoy using the S21 Ultra. But if you're S-Pen curious, you can buy a new S-Pen or find an old one and it will work. There's a lot you can do like draw, take notes and sign documents. I love editing photos and making adjustments with the S-Pen.

There are a few S-Pen considerations. The S21 Ultra doesn't come with an S-Pen and doesn't support Bluetooth or gesture functionality. For example, the S21 Ultra can't send you a notification if you leave your S-Pen behind. Also, the Ultra doesn't have a built-in slot to store an S-Pen. Samsung does sell cases for the phone that include S-Pen storage.

The S21 Ultra has two telephoto cameras

The S21 Ultra's camera system received several significant updates. There are four rear cameras: one wide, one ultrawide and two telephoto cameras. The time-of-flight sensor on the S20 Ultra is gone; in its place is a laser autofocus module.

The 108-megapixel sensor on the main camera is new and has better autofocus for both photos and videos. There's even a new focus enhancer tool that pops onscreen to help the phone focus faster. The tool looks like it might be switching to a wider view to do so.

Read more: S21 Ultra vs. iPhone 12 Pro Max vs. Pixel 5: Which phone has the best night mode?

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There are four rear cameras: wide, ultrawide and two telephotos.

Patrick Holland/CNET

The dual-telephoto cameras add a number of benefits. One has 3x magnification and the other 10x. This means when you zoom in, there are two places in your zoom range where the image isn't cropped and where you'll capture the best image quality. Another benefit is stability. The two cameras are paired to help make zooming in, even at 100x, easier and more steady.

At 30x or higher, a zoom guide appears to help you find the specific spot that you're zoomed in at. You can lock it so the cameras  don't move, which turns the guide yellow. This works quite well. Obviously you have to be careful not to move the phone around too much, but it's less finicky and frustrating than the S20 Ultra.

Photos from the S21 Ultra are excellent, with good detail and a wide dynamic range. There is a 108-megapixel mode, but I found that the 12-megapixel photos that come from pixel binning look consistently great.

Below are several photos I took with the S21 Ultra.

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The main camera was set to 12 megapixels, which uses pixel binning to combine nine pixels into one.

Patrick Holland/CNET
20210115-101620

One benefit of pixel binning is that it can bring out the details in a photo. Notice the different textures and details.

Patrick Holland/CNET
20210119-160234

I used the single-take mode in the camera app to capture photos and videos of this cute dog. Here's one of the pictures my S21 Ultra chose.

Patrick Holland/CNET
20210119-151425

There's so much for the S21 Ultra to capture correctly here: the barren tree branches, the water and the white fluffy clouds in the blue sky.

Patrick Holland/CNET
s21-ultra-1x-3x-10x

Here are three different photos I took from the exact same spot using the wide 1x camera (left), the 3x telephoto camera (middle) and the 10x telephoto camera (right).

Patrick Holland/CNET

In low light, the S21 Ultra's night mode is outstanding. Flaring on the lens is minimized and photos look bright without a bunch of image noise or noise-reduction smearing. Below are a few night mode photos I took:

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This might be my favorite night mode photo of the bunch.

Patrick Holland/CNET
20210120-183919

Here's another night mode capture. I like how the S21 Ultra brought out the colors in the sculpture.

Patrick Holland/CNET
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Night mode on any of the S21 Ultra's cameras. I took this shot with the ultrawide.

Patrick Holland/CNET

For selfies there's the same 40-megapixel camera that the S20 Ultra had. You now have an option to change the color tone to either bright or natural which is excellent.

20210119-161050

Here is a selfie I took with the natural setting.

Patrick Holland/CNET

Samsung added the ability to take raw 12-bit color photos. There's a new video feature called Director's View, which gives you a thumbnail preview of the video feeds coming from all of the cameras on the phones. As you record, you can switch between them. Within Director's View, there's a vlogger setup that gives you a side-by-side video view or a stacked one if you're shooting vertically. This means you can record yourself with the selfie camera and show what you're seeing or reacting to with any of the rear cameras.

On paper, Director's View seemed like something I might try once and not really use. But after some time using it, some people will definitely be into the feature. A downside to Director's View is that the final video is saved in HD instead of 4K or 8K. I'd love to see a similar thumbnail preview interface of all the rear cameras when recording a regular 4K video.

I'm excited to pit the S21 Ultra and its cameras against the iPhone 12 Pro Max and Google Pixel 5. Each phone takes a different approach to photography and will appeal to different people.

S21 Ultra has a Snapdragon 888 chip and 12 or 16GB of RAM

Powering the S21 Ultra is the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chip, along with 12GB of RAM, or 16GB in the most expensive model -- which also has 512GB of storage (see the chart below for prices). In my benchmark tests, the S21 Ultra scored better than last year's S20 Ultra. And in use, it handled everything I threw at it, even playing Xbox Game Pass Ultimate games on it.

650-samsung-galaxy-s21-ultra-gaming

You can use the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate app to play Xbox games on your S21 Ultra.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Supplying juice to the phone is a 5,000-mAh battery. I've easily been averaging a day and a half on a single charge. Battery tests on the S21 Ultra for continuous video playback on Airplane mode clocked an average of 22 hours and 57 minutes with the refresh rate set to Auto 120Hz. That's actually an hour less than the S20 Ultra lasted in the same test. Though keep in mind, in real world use my colleague Jessica Dolcourt found the S20 Ultra's battery drained like it was being bitten by a "thirsty vampire."

Below are the results of my benchmark tests for the S21 Ultra.

3DMark Slingshot Unlimited

Note:

Longer bars indicate better performance

Geekbench v.5.0 single-core

Note:

Longer bars indicate better performance

Geekbench v.5.0 multicore

Note:

Longer bars indicate better performance

Android 11 and 5G support

The Galaxy S21 Ultra runs Android 11 with Samsung's OneUI 3.1 top layer. And I like it a lot. I can now default to Google Pay or Google Discover News feed instead of Samsung's versions. The look for everything from settings to pop-up windows is clean and contemporary. And with a phone this big, OneUI helps make it easier to use one-handed.

Last, the Galaxy S21 Ultra has 5G and supports both sub-6 and mmWave flavors of 5G. You shouldn't get the Ultra for its 5G. But as 5G networks get better, so will your 5G speeds and connection. And then we'll really have something to talk about.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra specs vs. Galaxy S20 Ultra, Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, Galaxy Note 20


Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra Samsung Galaxy Note 20
Display size, resolution 6.8-inch AMOLED 2X, 3,200x1,440 pixels 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X 6.9-inch; 3,088x1,440 pixels 6.7-inch; 2,400x1,080 pixels
Pixel density 515 ppi 511ppi 496ppi 393ppi
Dimensions (Inches) 2.97x6.5x0.35 in 2.99x6.57x0.35 in 6.49x3.04x0.31 in 6.36x2.96x0.33 in
Dimensions (Millimeters) 75.6x165.1x8.9mm 76.0x166.9x8.8mm 164.8x77.2x8.1mm 161.6x75.2x8.3 mm
Weight (Ounces, Grams) 8.07 oz; 229g 7.76 oz; 220g 7.33 oz, 208g 6.84 oz, 194g
Mobile software Android 11 Android 10 Android 10 Android 10
Camera 108-megapixel (wide-angle), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 10-megapixel (3x telephoto), 10-megapixel (10x telephoto) 108-megapixel (wide-angle), 48-megapixel (telephoto), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), time-of-flight camera 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 108-megapixel (wide-angle), 12-megapixel (telephoto) 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 12-megapixel (wide angle), 64-megapixel (telephoto)
Front-facing camera 40-megapixel 40-megapixel 10-megapixel 10-megapixel
Video capture 8K 8K 8K 8K
Processor Snapdragon 888 Snapdragon 865 Plus Snapdragon 865 Plus Snapdragon 865 Plus
Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB 128GB, 512GB 128GB, 512GB 128GB
RAM 12GB, 16GB 12GB, 16GB 12GB 8GB
Expandable storage No Up to 1TB Up to 1TB No
Battery 5,000 mAh 5,000 mAh 4,500 mAh 4,300 mAh
Fingerprint sensor In-screen In-screen In-screen In-screen
Headphone jack No No No No
Special features IP68 rating, 5G-enabled, 100x Space Zoom, 10W wireless charging, 10x optical zoom 5G enabled; 120Hz refresh rate; 100x zoom; water resistant (IP68) 120Hz screen refresh rate, 5x optical zoom, 120Hz display; UWB sharing, S-Pen stylus; 5G connectivity; Wireless PowerShare; water resistant (IP68) S-Pen stylus; 5G connectivity; Wireless PowerShare; water resistant (IP68)
Price off-contract (USD) $1,200 (128GB), $1,250 (256GB), $1,380 (512GB) $1,399 (128GB), $1,599 (512GB) $1,300 (128GB), $1,450 (512GB) $1,000
Price (GBP) £1,149 (128GB), £1,199 (256GB), £1,329 (512GB) £1,199 (128GB), £1,399 (512GB) £1,179 £849 (4G) and £949 (5G)
Price (AUD) AU$1,849 (128GB), AU$1,949 (256GB), AU$2,149 (512GB) AU$1,999 (128GB), AU$2,249 (512GB) AU$1,849 (4G) and $AU$1,999 (5G) AU$1,499 (4G) and AU$1,649 (5G)

First published Jan. 21.


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2019 Honda Accord Review: The Driving Enthusiast's Family Sedan


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2019 Honda Accord review: The driving enthusiast's family sedan


2019 Honda Accord review: The driving enthusiast's family sedan

It's a bit of a surprise to see a brand-new midsize sedan arrive with three pedals and a six-speed manual transmission, and even more so when those pieces are attached to a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine with a not-insignificant 252 horsepower. But this unusual and unusually sporting version of the 2019 Honda Accord is an absolute delight to drive, one that'll satisfy your need for speed even if your life circumstances have moved you away from sport compacts and into midsize sedans.

Powertrain aside, the 2019 Honda Accord is a wonderful car in which to spend time. It nails the mission brief of a midsize sedan, delivering easy everyday livability that makes this car our top pick in its class.

About that engine

Of course, with "2.0T" right in the name, there's no way to avoid discussing the brisk acceleration enabled by that engine. A cousin to the 2.0-liter in the Civic Type R, the turbo mill endows the Accord with 252 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque, the latter offered all the way from 1,500 through 4,000 rpm. That's quite a bit more verve than the 1.5-liter turbo engine in other Accords, which serves up a perfectly adequate 192 hp and 192 lb-ft and mates either to a manual or a continuously variable transmission.

On boost, the engine whips the Goodyear Eagle Touring tires into a frenzy and pulls swiftly through the manual transmission's lower gears. It's quite exciting for what is, ultimately, an ordinary family sedan.

Fortunately the engine is not all about big boost, and operates smoothly and quietly in more quotidian driving situations. There's ample torque right off idle for spurting through city traffic and enough midrange punch you don't even need to worry if you forget to downshift before merging.

The optional 2.0-liter turbo engine is a real powerhouse.

Jake Holmes/Roadshow

Big credit also must go to the car's six-speed manual, which has to be among the loveliest gearshifts you can find in a new car today. Light enough to use with two fingers, direct enough that you never mistake one gate for another and paired with a just-right clutch pedal, it's the sort of stick-shift arrangement that takes no effort at all to drive -- even in stop-and-go city traffic. But I wouldn't fault anyone for buying this car with the optional 10-speed automatic transmission instead.

Daily driver extraordinaire

There's quite a lot of joy in the way the 2019 Honda Accord handles all aspects of driving, actually. With a great, commanding driving position and panopticon visibility in every direction, busy city streets are no chore at all. The Accord's steering is light but not without some sense of what the front tires are doing, the brake pedal reassuringly firm but not overly so. It's a car that feels like it was engineered by people who enjoy driving, and as a result, it's a car that is enjoyable to drive.

On the freeway, the Accord keeps wind and road noise remarkably hushed, while displaying well-mannered damping that keeps head-bobbing over dips and bumps to a minimum. However, those 19-inch wheels and low-profile (235/40 aspect ratio) tires struggle with cracked and brittle pavement. Impacts are both felt and heard in the cabin; other Accords ride more softly on 17-inch wheels with more tire sidewall, and that would be my preferred setup for daily-driving duty.

The Accord's interior is functional and well laid out.

Jake Holmes/Roadshow

This Accord Sport model does benefit in terms of handling from a quicker steering ratio, upgraded anti-roll bars and wider tires than, say, the more common EX trim. But experience in other models suggests all Accords are equally as satisfying to drive as this sporty-ish model.

Business casual design

There's a lot to look about the stylish, modern design of the 2019 Honda Accord, which manages to be a whole lot less bland than the last-generation model. With a low nose and a curving roofline, the sedan has quite a sporty profile. I could do without the big chrome strip along the top of the windowline, but otherwise the Accord's jewelry, specifically the LED head- and taillights, nicely breaks up its big surfaces. Large 19-inch wheels, chromed dual exhausts and a trunklid spoiler are appreciated touches on this Sport model.

Functional interior

The cabin is equally pleasing to the eye, finished with high-quality materials that, despite the black-on-black color scheme, do not look in the least bit dour. Everything you touch, from plastics to switches to the teensy shift knob, feels nice, too. The two center cupholders are set deep into the console, so you can use taller coffee mugs or water bottles. The center console cubby itself is not enormous, though offers a USB and 12-volt power outlet to power gadgets. A cubby ahead of the shifter is home to another pair of outlets and can conceal a charging phone or iPod.

Honda's infotainment system works well and supports both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Jake Holmes/Roadshow

In true Honda fashion, the interior is extremely functional, with big knobs for the climate control, easy-to-find flaps covering the USB ports, big switches on the steering wheel and a superlegible, semidigital instrument cluster. While the right-hand side of the cluster is an old-school analog speedometer, the left-hand side can serve as a virtual tachometer or a trip computer, or can offer up any number of data pages for things like vehicle status, safety-system operation, music and phone calling info and even service schedules.

A big range of adjustment for the front seats and steering wheel makes finding a comfortable driving position a cinch, and there's head- and legroom to spare for average-size adults. The same is true of the second row, where you won't believe how much space passengers have. Even with the roof's sloping profile, back-seat headroom is generous.

Nor will you believe how much stuff you can fit in the trunk, which has a low liftover height, a wide opening and the ability to swallow a class-leading 16.7 cubic feet of your belongings. The back seats fold down easily, too, for transporting larger items if necessary.

The trunk is enormous, storage 16.7 cubic feet of luggage.

Jake Holmes/Roadshow

Plentiful technology

All Accords save the base LX and the Hybrid use an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment that supports Bluetooth, satellite radio, HD Radio, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Built-in navigation, a Wi-Fi hotspot and wireless phone charging are available on some models. It would be nice to have some USB ports in the back to keep the kids' tablets charged, too, though.

The touchscreen crams a lot of information onto its display, but its menu structure is simple to navigate and responses to inputs are near-instant. Redundant physical buttons surround the screen, making it easier to jump between options or to adjust settings by feel while driving.

Safety technology is in abundance and, best of all, most of it comes standard across all trim levels -- something that can't be said of all rivals. Standard equipment includes forward-collision warning automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning and lane-keep assist, traffic-sign recognition, automatic headlights and adaptive cruise control. That ACC is offered even on a manual-transmission car is a rarity. Blind-spot monitoring is also offered on most trim levels.

These wheels look great but don't do ride quality any favors.

Jake Holmes/Roadshow

Economy and pricing

One downside to electing the 2.0-liter engine is that fuel economy falls to 22 miles per gallon city and 32 mpg highway in this Sport model. While that's comparable to other high-powered midsize sedans -- the Toyota Camry XSE V6 also scores 22/32 mpg, for instance -- it's not too impressive by the standards of the class. Most shoppers will be more compelled by Accords equipped with the car's 1.5-liter turbo engine, which return up to 30/38 mpg in EPA testing. The Accord Hybrid, meanwhile, is rated for 47/47 mpg.

In terms of pricing, however, this Sport 2.0T falls right in the middle of the 2019 Accord range, at $31,630 as tested. The sedan's pricing structure largely mirrors its competition, with models powered by the base 1.5-liter engine running from $24,640 for an LX up to $31,040 for an EX-L. Opt for the 2.0-liter mill and you'll pay between $31,630 and $36,870.

This Accord Sport 2.0T is definitely the driving enthusiast's choice, what with its power and six-speed manual transmission. Yet spending a week behind the wheel of the Accord really just underlines how well-sorted the entire car is for whatever type of driving you like: City, suburb, or highway, the Accord handles it well. Plus, it's affordable, efficient, incredibly spacious and filled with technology that just plain works. With all that in mind, there's no midsize car we'd recommend more readily than the Honda Accord.


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Sci-fi Screenwriter Gary Whitta Wants Kids To Poop Like Vulcans


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Sci-fi screenwriter Gary Whitta wants kids to poop like Vulcans


Sci-fi screenwriter Gary Whitta wants kids to poop like Vulcans

Penny Arcade artist Michael Krahulik lends his talents to a book about potty training the Vulcan way. Gary Whitta

Science fiction author and screenwriter Gary Whitta has a pitch for the ultimate geeky parenting book on toilet training. "Pooping Is Logical" tackles the daunting task of teaching toddlers how to use the bathroom, with a "Star Trek" twist.

The book is told from the perspective of two very patient Vulcan parents who want to teach their child that not only is pooping is a natural process, but doing it in a toilet instead of a diaper makes much more sense. Vulcans are known for their logic and rationality, so they're ready to provide answers for little kids who always want to know, "Why?"

"With toddlers you're always looking to make the kind of stuff they don't always want to cooperate with more fun, whether it's getting dressed or transitioning out of diapers and onto the potty," Whitta told Crave. "There are a ton of books out there that can help with that, but I haven't really seen anything that comes at those subjects from a fun, geeky perspective. So we [Whitta and his wife Leah] came up with the idea of making a potty-training book set in the 'Star Trek' universe as a way of giving parents something that could be both fun and useful for them and their kids."

While it may add to the longstanding confusion between Starfleet officer Mr. Spock and parenting guru Dr. Spock, a Vulcan perspective on toilet training could have real advantages -- and be a lot less intimidating than being taught by Klingons.

"I always imagined that Vulcans would make good parents because while they may not be the most emotionally forthcoming they are certain to make sure that their kids are raised with a strong foundation in logic and good sense," Whitta told Crave. "So to come at the subject from the perspective that using the potty is healthy and good and normal and thus perfectly logical seemed like a good way to help reluctant children accept the idea, no matter what species they may be."

Some of the logical lessons the Vulcan parents communicate in the book include the fact that accidents can happen when you don't use the bathroom when you need to, and that flushing a toilet is much more hygienic than using diapers.

"My wife (who also works as a professional childcare provider) is currently working on a whole list of great potty-training advice that we're shaping to fit this narrative, which I think also has the added benefit of teaching children about the concept of logic and its value in all areas of life," Whitta told Crave.

The book is illustrated by Penny Arcade artist Michael Krahulik, who also happens to be a parent. "He's tremendous at conveying a child-like sense of whimsy and warm-heartedness whenever his comics touch on those areas," Whitta told Crave.

"A potty-training book based on the tenets of Vulcan philosophy? Yeah, I was interested!" Krahulik said on his blog.

While the book sounds like the perfect addition to a geek parent's bookshelf, Whitta has yet to find a publisher to make it official.

Here's a sample sketch of what you could find inside "Pooping is Logical." Michael Krahulik

"There are so many publishers going after that nerd mom/dad market right now, I think something like this would be very logical for any of them," Whitta told Crave. "It has much of the same novelty appeal as the tie-in books we see on the shelves right now, but with the added bonus of having actual utility as a parenting guide."

If Whitta can find a publisher interested in his "Star Trek" potty-training book, he also has a few other ideas in mind for a geeky parenting book series.

"I have an idea for a follow-up aimed at older kids and based on Klingon philosophy called, 'There is No Honor in Bullying,'" Whitta told Crave. "It's the story of a Klingon child who is having a tough time at school, but who learns to stand up for himself -- without resorting to violence. Meanwhile, the Klingon bullies learn that, while their culture is based on strength and honor, there is nothing strong or honorable about picking on those weaker than you."

"Star Trek" fans who want to make "Pooping Is Logical" a reality can help Whitta by tweeting about his book idea using the hashtag #PoopingIsLogical.

"Every little bit helps," Whitta told Crave. "The market is there, I'm sure of it."


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How MIT's Mini Cheetah Robot Got A Speed Boost


How MIT's Mini Cheetah Robot Got a Speed Boost


How MIT's Mini Cheetah Robot Got a Speed Boost

The four-legged Mini Cheetah robot from MIT just got one step closer to earning its epic name, thanks to a style of machine learning that's reminiscent of Neo in The Matrix.

With an unnatural looking gait that only a machine could devise, the robot is now capable of running 8 to 9 miles per hour, a significant increase from its top speed of about 5.5 mph back in 2019. So what changed?

mini-cheetah-3

Go, cat, go. MIT's Mini Cheetah quadruped robot.

MIT

Like Neo and Morpheus practicing kung fu in a simulated training environment, the Mini Cheetah was able to take what it learned from simulated trial and error and apply that knowledge to the real world, making it faster and more capable of traversing different terrains.

"We can train the robot to learn from its experience very quickly in simulation, and then deploy it in the real world," said MIT Assistant Professor Pulkit Agrawal.

mini-cheetah-mid-sprint

Fetch. The Mini Cheetah mid-sprint.

MIT

Next, the researchers are planning to use similar machine learning techniques to teach the Mini Cheetah how to manipulate objects in its environment.

To see the Mini Cheetah in action, check out the video in this article.


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Oppo R7s Review: Sleek And Stylish, But Not Worth The Price


Oppo R7s review: Sleek and stylish, but not worth the price


Oppo R7s review: Sleek and stylish, but not worth the price

Oppo's beautiful gold-colored aluminum R7s (it also comes in silver) looks more like a premium phone than its humble midrange innards would suggest, and it unfortunately costs more than other phones with similar specs.

To be sure, I like the R7s' iPhone-like looks, but with disappointing performance its $399 price cannot be justified. (The price converts to about £280.): For just about $100 more, you can snag a Google Nexus 6P, whose 32GB model sells for $499 ($449 for a limited time) in the US and £449 in the UK.

Although you can buy Oppo's phones through its online OppoStyle website, this R7s doesn't appear to support US LTE bands, which makes the phone an even harder sell for US locals -- you'd be paying quite a bit for a 3G-compatible phone with none of the superfast 4G speeds that you should be getting.

That said, if you live in the other parts of the world, such as Asia, Australia or the UK, and prize style over top-of-the-line power, the R7s' fashion-forward looks could lure you.

What's this R7s about? Doesn't Oppo already have the R7 and R7 Plus?

If you're confused, it's because Oppo is making a range of phones based on the original R7 phone. The R7, as you can see from our review here, is a 5-inch phone that sports a similar premium styling to the R7s. The larger R7 Plus, however, has a 6-inch display.

From a size perspective, the 5.5-inch R7s sits right between its two brethren. It costs the same as the original R7 and $100 less than the R7 Plus. So choosing between the three really boils down to which screen size you prefer and whether the features borrowed from the R7 Plus, such as the fingerprint scanner, are important to you.

The iPhone 6S Plus also has a 5.5-inch screen. How does the R7s compare from a size perspective?

Interestingly, because the Oppo R7s doesn't need the extra space at the bottom for the iPhone's home button and TouchID sensor, it's a bit smaller in size and a little thinner, though not by much. Oppo has also moved on from having physical touch sensors on the bottom bezel -- the R7s uses software-based buttons for Back, Home and Menu, freeing up more space to further slim down the phone.

Where is this phone available?

Oppo is selling the R7s globally either through local retail channels or its own e-commerce site, OppoStyle. Oppo is also offering the phone through Amazon in some locations. Do check the manufacturer's website for more details.

Which 4G networks will the R7s work with?

The good news is like most international compatible phones out of China, the R7s will work on 4G networks in the UK, such as Three and EE, while also compatible with the Optus, Telstra and Vodafone networks in Australia. The bad news is, you'll be stuck with only 3G in the US.

Is the camera any good?

Well, yes, the camera's pretty decent. While it's not as good as the Samsung Galaxy S6 or the iPhone 6S, the rear 13-megapixel camera will take good pictures in places with enough lighting. My only issue is with low-light performance; it's tricky even on the best cameras and the Oppo R7s doesn't handle that too well, with pictures lacking the finer details.

One of the Oppo R7's dual-SIM slots can be used for reading a microSD card.

Aloysius Low/CNET

Which mobile software does it use?

The Oppo handsets don't run the most recent Android software, 6.0 Marshmallow. Instead, the R7s works on Android Lollipop 5.1. However, like many Android phones, it uses its own custom version of Android, called Color OS here.

What's different about Color OS?

Like iOS, Color OS (operating system) puts all your apps on the Home screens, without the app drawer, a signature Android trait. It does have some stuff that's unique to its OS, like the ability to draw gestures on the phone to launch apps or features.

Well, Color OS sounds interesting, but is there anything you don't like?

For one, Oppo doesn't utilize the larger screen real estate of the phone, and you'll find that the gap between icons quite large, resulting in wasted space. You could squeeze more apps in a row if Color OS were a bit better designed, but it's really a minor issue. The OS is generally pretty good and easy to use.

Does it have Google Play Services?

Yes. Phones selling in China alone do not include Google services, but since the R7s is destined for the global market, it comes packed with all of Google's services, such as the Play Store and Gmail.

The phone's pretty slim, so I'm guessing it doesn't have much space for the battery, yes?

Actually, it does! The Oppo R7s squeezes a 3,070mAh battery into its slim frame and should last you a full day. In our video tests, the phone easily lasted 12 hours 11 minutes.

I need more than 16GB of onboard storage; what are my options?

Count your lucky stars, as the R7s supports microSD card storage of up to 128GB. However, you'll need to use one of the two SIM slots for this, as there's no separate microSD card slot on the phone.

Gold is such a tacky color. What other choices do I have?

If you found the golden hue of the R7s not exactly to your taste, the phone also comes in silver, which is somewhat like the iPhone's space gray color.

How does the performance compare to other phones?

Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor, the speed at which the R7s loads apps, navigates and plays games is pretty much similar to the Oppo R7 and the Xiaomi Mi 4i. Testing on both the Geekbench 3 and 3DMark Ice Storm benchmarks show similar performance to the other two phones, though none of these are as fast as the top-tier phones from, say, Google, Samsung or Apple. Phones like the Redmi Note 2 offer slightly better benchmark test results because it uses a different chip.

Should I get something else then, such as the Xiaomi Mi 4i or a different Oppo phone?

If you're on a budget, the Xiaomi Mi 4i may be a better choice. The Redmi Note 2 will definitely be cheaper and slightly faster, thanks to its Mediatek Helio X10 chip, though the phone won't look as eye-catching as the R7s. If you're hankering for something bigger, the R7 Plus may be another viable option with its 6-inch display, though you'll pay $100 more to get it.

Is the R7s worth its asking price?

Not really, no. For about the same price or a little more gets you a much better phone (like the Google Nexus 6P), and there are plenty of other similarly-priced budget options to choose from. This does slightly edge out the original R7, thanks to a newer Android operating system, and you do get the R7s' beautiful metal build. That said, you'll wind up paying a premium for that aluminum design without getting any actual performance benefit, which doesn't seem worth it to me. With the R7s, Oppo sticks to its strategy of making premium midrange devices, though the verdict is still out on whether this strategy will pay off in the long run.

The Oppo R7s is a good-looking phone, but performance-wise, it's only as good as midrange devices.

Aloysius Low/CNET

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Apple Watch: It's Been 5 Years Since My Original Review, And It Holds Up


Apple Watch: It's been 5 years since my original review, and it holds up


Apple Watch: It's been 5 years since my original review, and it holds up

I'd love to say that when I first put on the Apple Watch, I'd never seen anything like it before. But of course, that's not true. By late 2014 I'd been surrounded by smartwatches for a few years. So when Apple announced it was making its own watch, my thought (as so often with Apple) was: finally.

The first smartwatch I reviewed at CNET was the Martian Passport, an analog watch that could make phone calls. It sounds so primitive now, but it was cool in early 2013. The Pebble Watch followed, and the Steel version became my favorite: It was like a Casio watch turned into a useful little pager-assistant. It was simple and had long battery life, and it was great.

There were others, too: Samsung's first smartwatches were ambitious (a camera?). Google's first Android Wear watches arrived in 2014. Meanwhile, there were Fitbits and Jawbone trackers galore.

I say this to lay the groundwork for the Apple Watch and what its impact was. Like the iPhone wasn't the first smartphone, the Apple Watch wasn't the first smartwatch... but it made the biggest footprint. It was another step validating that a world of wearables was here to stay. 

I was able to wear the Apple Watch a month before it went on sale. I spent a ton of time with it, getting used to both how it handled phone calls, and the activity tracking rings. I looked at my heart rate measurements. I accidentally ordered an Xbox One with an early Amazon app.

The Watch was, much like the first iPhone, sometimes feature-limited. But it also had some features that already stood out.

My original review was updated a year later, which you can read here. Some parts have changed, clearly, and Apple has updated the OS. But I'll comment on what I wrote then, and how I felt, and how that's evolved. Quotes from the original review are in italics.

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The gold Apple Watch, way back when.

James Martin/CNET

An excellent design, with luxury overtones

Apple wants you to think of the Apple Watch as fine jewelry. Maybe that's a stretch, but in terms of craftsmanship, there isn't a more elegantly made piece of wearable tech. Look at the Apple Watch from a distance, and it might appear unremarkable in its rectangular simplicity compared with bolder, circular Android Wear watches. It's clearly a revamped sort of iPod Nano. But get closer, and you can see the seamless, excellent construction.

The first Apple Watch came in aluminum, steel and ramped all the way up to a gold model costing more than $10,000. Compared to other smartwatches, it screamed luxury.

Certain touches felt luxurious, too: the fine-feeling Digital Crown, which spun ever so smoothly like a real watch part, for instance. The OLED display, which was a first for an Apple product, looked crisp and bright.

The most amazing part, maybe, were the watch bands. Apple created a really nice series of specially designed straps, from a steel link to a clever magnetic Milanese mesh that were extremely expensive and impressively engineered. 

Its watch face designs were great, too, and they integrated some information from the iPhone that aimed to add at-a-glance ease of use. There was a Mickey Mouse watch face that danced! The Solar face showing sunrise and sunset, and the astronomy face that showed planetary alignments and moon phases, felt like magic. I wanted more, but Apple's assortment of watch faces was limited, and it didn't allow for third-party watch face design. That's still the case now.

A lot of the Apple Watch reminded me of the strides Apple began with the iPod Nano, which also had watch mode... and a Mickey Mouse watch face.

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Sarah Tew

New technologies at first: fantastic haptics, a force-sensitive display

All Apple Watches have a new S1 processor made by Apple, that "taptic" haptic engine and a force-sensitive and very bright OLED display, which is differently sized on the 38mm and 42mm models. The watch has its own accelerometer, gyrometer and heart-rate monitor, but no onboard GPS. It uses Bluetooth 4.0 and 802.11b/g/n 2.4GHz Wi-Fi to connect to your phone or your home network. There's a built-in speaker and microphone, but no headphone jack.

As I wore the watch on the first day, I felt a rippling buzz and a metallic ping: one of my credit card payments showed up as a message. Apple's "Taptic Engine" and a built-in speaker convey both a range of advanced taps and vibrations, plus sounds. Unlike the buzz in a phone or most wearables, these haptics feel sharper: a single tap, or a ripple of them, or thumps.

Sometimes the feelings are too subtle: I don't know if I felt them or imagined them. My wrists might be numbed from too many smart devices. I set my alerts to "prominent" and got sharper nudges on my wrist.

The first watch introduced some ideas that eventually made their way to other iPhones. A "taptic engine" delivered on some amazingly refined vibration effects, ranging from a purr to a ping to a gentle tap. These were way ahead of what anybody else was doing -- and they weren't just a gimmick. The notification types associated with unique vibrations felt distinct. Sometimes, the vibrating taps on the first Watch weren't as powerful as I wanted. But with later updates, the haptics made parts of the interface seem real: virtual wheels, clicking as if moving with invisible gears.

The more advanced haptics made their way to the iPhone next, making us used to them now. Other phones, game consoles like the Nintendo Switch, and VR accessories, have evolved haptics since, but the Apple Watch was the first mainstream device that upped the haptics game.

Force Touch was another wild idea: Apple made its watch display force-sensitive, meaning a deeper press could work like pushing a button. Though this idea was refined further into 3D Touch on the iPhone 6S, 3D Touch was a technology that never became as necessary as expected, and current iPhone models have dropped the pressure-sensitive display tech completely.

The Apple Watch still has Force Touch, though, and I think it always will.

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Digital Touch: I never used it much after that.

Sarah Tew

Lots of features. Too many features?

As you can see, this is a lot of stuff. Did I have fun using the watch? Yes, mostly, but there are so many features that I felt a little lost at times. There are so many ways to interact: swiping, touching, pressing harder into the display, a button and a clickable digital crown-wheel. Plus, there's Siri. Do I swipe, or click, or force touch or speak? Sometimes I didn't know where an app menu was. Or, I'd find getting back to an app I just had open would require an annoying series of crown clicks, swiping through apps, then opening the app again.

There's a reason I used the word "complicated" to describe my feelings using that first Apple Watch. Setting up bits of information, called complications, was slow and not always intuitive. Apps took a while to load, and were sometimes so slow that it was easier to check my phone instead. Quick glances and notifications, and phone calls, were fine. Apple Pay on the watch was clever, but would I use it? I wished the watch had more battery life.

I didn't like the overcomplicated feel. The design of the OS, and the card-like swappable mini-view apps that used to be on the Watch like a dock, changed over time. It's gotten better since.

Storing music on the watch, while it took a while to sync, was easier than attempts on Samsung Gear or Android Wear. Of course, I had to hunt for a good pair of Bluetooth headphones to connect with the watch.

Today I still forget to dive into and make the most of the apps on the watch. I just dusted off Walkie Talkie: it's cool. There's noise monitoring. One app lets me remote control my iPhone camera, which has been a huge help for my stay-at-home self-shot videos. The Remote app helps me when I lose the Apple TV remote every other day. 

Third-party apps, and the grid of options? It turns out I don't use them much at all. I don't dig down deep into the layers of functions. I prefer what's on the surface: watch faces, and their readouts. But I've come to appreciate the watch's surprising number of options and settings. It's better than not having them at all.

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The rings were the beginning.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Fitness: The ring idea was just the beginning

The Apple Watch doesn't work any fitness miracles that the rest of the wearable world hasn't already invented, and it doesn't ship with any new magical sensors that change the game. But the Apple-made integrated fitness apps, Activity and Workout, are far and away the best fitness apps on any existing smartwatch that isn't a dedicated "fitness watch" (Samsung Gear, Android Wear, Pebble and the like). A clever three-ring method of tracking daily activity, which simultaneously measures and rewards daily calorie burn, active exercise and standing up, feels like a fusion of rewards and metrics seen on the Nike FuelBand, Jawbone Up, Fitbit and others. 

I appreciated Apple's complete-the-ring motivational activity tracker, which felt inspired by wearables like the Nike FuelBand (not surprising, since Apple's head of fitness, Jay Blahnik, arrived from Nike). For the red ring's daily goals, it's great. It felt too easy to complete the blue Stand ring, and it still does.

There are tons of fitness advancements Apple has made on the Watch in the last five years: GPS, resting heart rate, workout controls, social sharing, third-party app integration, swimming, modes for accessibility, activity trends -- and I haven't even discussed Apple's massive health aspirations like adding ECG, checking for falls, monitoring elevated or irregular heart rate or women's health tracking. There is some form of coaching and motivation, too. But I'd still love to see more of that. I hit a wall when trying to be fit, and there's only so much watches seem to help.

The first Apple Watch was more of a Fitbit. Now, it's more of a health companion. Those two worlds still feel like they need to dovetail and grow. There are missing features, too, like sleep tracking, which feels like the inevitable next step.

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You still need an iPhone, just like in 2015.

Sarah Tew

It was, and still is, an iPhone accessory

Much like most other smartwatches, the Apple Watch isn't a standalone device -- it's a phone accessory. Android Wear, Samsung Gear, Pebble and others work the same way. But here, you must own an iPhone 5 or later to use the Watch. A few Apple Watch functions work away from the phone, but the watch primarily works alongside the phone as an extension, a second screen and basically another part of your iOS experience. It's a symbiote.

One thing I noted back then was that you needed an iPhone to use the Apple Watch. Unlike other wearables that can pair with Android or iOS, or even sync with a computer, the Apple Watch was always designed to live symbiotically with the iPhone.

That's still the case now. Even with independent cellular options, and an on-watch App Store, you can't use the Watch without pairing to an iPhone. And it still won't work with Android. It's a shame, because a fully standalone watch could be a really helpful tool for many people who don't have iPhones, and it could even be a phone alternative (for kids, maybe).

Apple's AirPods created a gadget trinity where the Watch, the iPhone and AirPods can all work seamlessly together. But that trinity is an expensive one. The entry price of the Apple Watch has dropped, at least. But it feels like an extension of the iPhone more than its own device, even now.

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The Apple Watch Series 5: much better, with a few similarities.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Today: the best watch in a war of attrition

You don't need an Apple Watch. In many ways, it's a toy: an amazing little do-it-all, a clever invention, a possibly time-saving companion, a wrist-worn assistant. It's also mostly a phone accessory for now. In the months and years to come, that may change: with Apple's assortment of iPads, Macs, Apple TV and who knows what else to come, the watch could end up being a remote and accessory to many things. Maybe it'll be the key to unlock a world of smart appliances, cars and connected places. In that type of world, a smartwatch could end up feeling utterly essential.

I think back to what the Apple Watch was competing against back then: Jawbone, Pebble, Fitbit, Google's Android Wear, Samsung's watches, the Microsoft Band. A lot of competitors are gone now. Fitbit was acquired by Google. Samsung still has watches. Garmin makes lots of dedicated fitness watches. There are still plenty of more affordable relative newcomers, too.

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The original Apple Watch, with the Pebble Steel, Moto 360 and the original iPod Nano with wristband (clockwise from top left).

Sarah Tew

In a field of fewer alternatives, the Apple Watch's consistent addition of new features and ongoing performance improvements has made it the best option. It's Apple's commitment to gradual improvements that has made it a stand-out watch now, especially compared to the struggles of Google's Wear OS.

The Apple Watch is still an iPhone accessory. And it's still not an essential product. But it's become a really fluid and useful device, one with lots of key upgrades that work, and one that's a lot easier to use.

What's the best smartwatch now? The Apple Watch. That doesn't mean I don't want to see improvements: battery life, sleep tracking, a watch face store and most importantly, Android support and true standalone function. If the last five years are any indication, Apple will tackle these problems on its own... time.


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