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Xiaomi's Mi 9 Pro is a 5G phone that costs only $520
Xiaomi's Mi 9 Pro is a 5G phone that costs only $520
On Monday, Chinese phone-maker, Xiaomi unveiled the Mi 9 Pro 5G. It's a premium phone, with a blazing fast Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+ processor, a 6.39-inch AMOLED display and triple cameras on the back. That's all on top of 5G, of course. The Samsung Galaxy S10 5G has similar features and costs $1,299. The good news here is that the Mi 9 Pro 5G costs around $520. The bad news is that this price is a conversion from the Chinese cost of 3,699 yuan -- because the phone is unlikely to launch in the US. (That Chinese price converts to AU$770 and £420.) As with other Xiaomi (and Huawei, Oppo and Vivo) phones, keen buyers will be able to import it. It launches on Oct. 31 in China.
Xiaomi did say an international version is coming, but those details will be unveiled at a "later date."
That $520 is for a model with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage space, but there are three other variations. On the top end is a 4,299 yuan ($605, AU$890, £485) model with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of space. Xiaomi says we'll be able to download a 1.9GB game in 15 seconds using 5G, so we're going to need all the storage space we can get.
The company put big emphasis on the phone's battery and battery paraphernalia. It comes with a 45w charger which can be used to charge both the phone and USB-C-based laptop, such as the MacBook Pro. It's also compatible with wireless charging. Using a 30w wireless charger, which Xiaomi will sell separately, you'll be able to charge the Mi 9 Pro from 0% to 100% battery in 69 minutes. Nice.
Like Huawei's Mate 30 Pro, announced last week, the Mi 9 Pro 5G features reverse charging, meaning you can use it to charge other phones. Xiaomi said you can also use it to charge wireless earphones and even wireless mouses. It charges at 10w, above the P20 Pro's 5w. (Huawei hasn't specified how fast the Mate 30 Pro's reverse charging would be, but it did say it'd be faster than the P20 Pro's.)
6.39-inch AMOLED display
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+ processor
48-megapixel camera + 12-megapixel telephoto lens + 16-megapixel ultra-wide angle camera
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How Much Cheaper Are Store-Brand Groceries Than Name Brands?
How Much Cheaper Are Store-Brand Groceries Than Name Brands?
This story is part of Home Tips, CNET's collection of practical advice for getting the most out of your home, inside and out.
Store-brand groceries might not have all the flashy packaging and advertising oomph of your favorite cereal, seltzer and snacks. If you can grin and bear a cheesy knockoff in place of those name-brand products, though, you can save a bunch on your monthly food spending.
In a summerlong series on saving money to combat inflation, we've calculated whether it's cheaper to buy groceries online or in person and laid out some strategies for saving at Whole Foods. But it turns out one of the most surefire ways to save at the supermarket is by letting some of that brand loyalty go by the wayside.
If you're curious about exactly how much you can save buying store-brand groceries, I've done the math and the final figures are pretty shocking. On average, it's about 40% in total savings across various grocery categories. I compared the cost difference for buying name brands versus store-brand products at two popular grocery stores. Read on for a full savings breakdown in case you decide to make the switch.
Read more:Is Grocery Shopping Online Cheaper Than at the Store? I Did the Math
Who makes store-brand products?
First things first, it's well documented that most major food manufacturers label their products under a number of different brands, including generic or store brands. According to recent statistics captured by the Private Label Manufacturing Association, one in five store-brand products is manufactured by a private label manufacturer. It makes sense: Those manufacturers can then appeal to people who are paying at either price. But they want you to go for the brand name price, rather than the store brand. That's why advertising exists; to make you believe that brand name products are somehow better, when the truth is that identical products are often going down parallel conveyor belts, getting two different labels at the end of the production line.
This store-brand toasted cereal retails for around $2. A box of General Mills Cheerios is more like $5.
David Watsky/CNET
Now, this doesn't necessarily mean that all store-brand, O-shaped, toasted oat cereals are actually General Mills Cheerios in disguise, but it stands to reason that for a lot of store-brand products, the quality or flavor is potentially equal to their name- counterpart. And considering the opportunity for savings, they're certainly worth a taste test. While some brand-name products are unlikely to have a generic equivalent, (like, is anyone really seeking off-brand Cool Ranch Doritos?) commodity items like canned beans or rice would seem especially safe bets in the store-brand category.
Trader Joe's beloved pepita salsa is just one example of a store-brand item that's gained fandom and loyalty all its own.
Trader Joe's
Here's how much you can save buying store brand: Wegmans vs. Stop & Shop
I chose both Wegmans and Stop & Shop to represent high-end and average grocery store chains, using Instacart to generate current prices.
Discount grocery stores such as Trader Joe's and Aldi keep their costs low because they deal primarily in their own brands. Wegmans is an interesting example since it has a lot of its own brand loyalty, not only as a grocery store chain, but also for its Wegmans label. (Seriously, I know people who would cross state lines to stock up on its flavored seltzers. Take that, LaCroix.) Stop & Shop is generally perceived as a midrange grocery chain, with good selection and good quality, and not considered expensive, but neither is it revered for its generic brand, which is simply called SB or Store Brand.
Despite perceptions, however, both Wegmans and Stop & Shop are relatively aligned on prices, for both national and store-brand products. Wegmans came out a little ahead in price for name-brand products, in fact: The whole order was about $2 less than Stop & Shop's. Store-brand prices were within 20 cents of each other for the full list at both stores.
*Indicates store-brand item whose quantity was greater for listed price
Buying store brand can mean huge savings
For both Wegmans and Stop & Shop, the huge savings in buying generic products can't be denied. The original shopping list of 20 staple items amounted to about $125 in both locations, with the store-brand version of the list coming to just under $75. That's an average of 40% savings over the whole list.
Granted, this doesn't represent a complete shopping list, since certain grocery categories were excluded intentionally. Some of these items, such as condiments, are products that you might shop for once in a while, rather than weekly. Regardless, the math is clear: Store-brand products are significant potential savings in your grocery shopping experience.
Certain grocery stores including Trader Joe's and Wegmans have managed to cultivate cult-like fandom for their own brands.
Wegmans
How I evaluated name brands vs. store brands
Using grocery shopping list templates available online, I generated a list of 20 common staple ingredients from the pantry, bakery, dairy, deli and freezer sections, covering a variety of prices. Items such as whole fruits and vegetables and butchered meats aren't typically subject to brand (or they're rarely revealed) and I discluded them for the purposes of this investigation. For each of the items I selected, I compared prices between national, well-known brands and the store brand of the same item, at roughly the same size, using Instacart. If there's a discrepancy in size, I've noted that with an asterisk, but did not adjust the price accordingly, since I wanted to reflect an accurate total of what you'd pay for a grocery list's worth of either name-brand or store-brand products.
In most cases, the store-brand model was the larger size of the two items anyway, meaning even more savings if you factor in its relative value. For example, at Wegmans, Bonne Maman Strawberry Preserves are $6.39 for 13 ounces, whereas Wegmans brand Strawberry Preserves are only $4.09 for a full 18 ounces, nearly 50% more product. The savings on your grocery receipt will amount to $2.30, but if you scale up the Bonne Maman price to match the same amount of store-brand product, its price would become $8.85, representing a savings of $4.76, or over 50%, for the Wegmans brand.
Read more: Hungryroot Review: Meal Kits and Grocery Delivery Together as One
Certain upscale and imported goods like Bonne Maman preserves will cost you significantly more than store brand.
Bonne Maman
Where are the biggest savings on store-brand items?
Between both Wegmans and Stop & Shop, the more the brand-name item cost, the more savings were typically available, not only in terms of pure dollars and cents but also as percentage savings between the brand name and store brand. Brand-name items above $5 tended to result in the largest percentage discount, with bigger-ticket items such as olive oil, coffee and spaghetti sauce pushing 50% off or more for their generic or store-brand counterparts.
Pricier items such as olive oil and marinara sauce are where you're likely to see bigger savings if you opt for store brand.
Colavita
Less expensive items, especially those under $2 to begin with, may offer only 10% to 30% savings overall. For example, approximately 17 ounces of Colavita Extra virgin olive oil costs $12.79 at Stop & Shop, whereas the equivalent store-brand olive oil costs only $5.79, which amounts to over 55% off the name-brand price.
On the other hand, 16 ounces of Goya chickpeas are only $1.19 to begin with. With the store brand being only 10 cents less, the savings only amount to 8%. Olive oil, however, is more likely to be subject to quality and flavor nuance, so while the savings can be much larger, it may be a matter of personal preference if the savings are worth it. Chickpeas are generally less subject to flavor or texture scrutiny.
Costco's Kirkland is another budget store brand that has garnered its own customer loyalty.
Costco
Does every grocery store have its own brand?
While store brands are growing, not every grocery store has its own brand, and many just carry no-name or generic brands in addition to name-brand products. Among store brands, there are those that carry the name of the store in its proprietary label, such as Wegmans, Publix, Kroger and others that have a separate label for store-brand products, such as Stop & Shop's SB, Walmart's Great Value and Costco's Kirkland Signature. Whichever the case, it's worth getting to know your local grocer's store-brand products, to see where you may be able to generate huge savings in your grocery bill.
2024 chevy blazer ev debuts with up to 557 hp original ink 2024 chevy blazer ev debuts with up to 557 weather 2024 chevy blazer ev debuts with up to 557 bur 2024 chevy blazer ev debuts meaning 2024 chevy blazer ev debuts on wall 2024 chevy blazer ev debuts theater 2024 chevy blazer ev debuts datewise 2024 chevy blazer ev specs 2024 chevy blazer electric 2024 chevy blazer colors 2024 chevy 2500 hd 2024 chevy blazer ev
2024 Chevy Blazer EV Debuts With Up to 557 HP or 320 Miles of Range
2024 Chevy Blazer EV Debuts With Up to 557 HP or 320 Miles of Range
General Motors' Ultium electric car platform is mighty impressive, but so far the only production models we've seen use it have been the luxurious Cadillac Lyriq, the outrageous GMC Hummer EV and the expensive (at first) Chevrolet Silverado EV. But now Chevy has fully unveiled the new Blazer EV, which will be a wholly mainstream crossover when it goes on sale next summer.
A front three-quarters view of the Blazer EV was first shown last month, but now we've got a full set of images showing multiple trim levels of the new Blazer. More than just the existing gas-powered Blazer with an electric powertrain stuffed in, the Blazer EV is new from the ground up and has a look all its own with sculpted haunches, boomerang-shaped LED lights, short overhangs and a low, wide stance. Sportier trim levels like the range-topping SS have more air intakes and a larger faux grille up front, but even the base model looks great. The RS and SS get a full-width front light bar and illuminated logo that have a welcome animation and show charge status when plugged in. That prominent fender vent is functional, too.
The electric Blazer looks more modern than the gas-powered Blazer.
Chevrolet
The interior is an evolution of the current Blazer's, with design cues and tech taken from the Silverado EV. Every Blazer EV has an 11-inch digital gauge cluster and a 17.7-inch central touchscreen canted toward the driver, the latter of which has a physical volume knob and sits above a number of analog climate controls. There are a trio of round Camaro-style air vents in the lower dash, and some trim levels get rad integrated ambient lighting. The SS has orange accents and leather seats with a cool lightning bolt perforation pattern.
Not many performance details or specs are available yet, but Chevy did announce the Blazer EV's standout figures. The Blazer EV will be available with front-, rear- or all-wheel drive depending on model and battery size, and no matter the setup, the SUV has an independent suspension at all four corners. The Blazer EV SS will offer 557 horsepower and 648 pound-feet of torque and can hit 60 mph in under 4 seconds when using the WOW (Wide Open Watts) mode. Chevy says the SS has "the soul of a sports car." Regenerative braking will have legit one-pedal driving capability, and it looks like the Blazer has the same regen-activating steering wheel paddle as the Bolt EV. Range estimates fall anywhere from 247 to 320 miles depending on trim level. Here's a chart that'll help break some of it down.
Chevy Blazer EV Specs
1LT
2LT
RS
SS
Drivetrain
FWD
FWD or AWD
FWD, AWD or RWD
AWD
Range (est.)
247 miles
293 miles
320 miles
290 miles
Wheels
19-inch
19-inch
21-inch
22-inch
Check out that perforation pattern!
Chevrolet
Depending on the model, the Blazer EV can accept DC fast-charging speeds of up to 190 kW, with the ability to add 78 miles of range in 10 minutes of being plugged in. The Blazer EV comes with an 11.5-kW onboard charger, and owners will be able to use GM's Ultium Charge 360 service and over 100,000 public chargers across the US.
GM's Super Cruise hands-free driver-assist tech will be optional on the Blazer EV, along with new safety features like advanced parking assist and reverse automatic braking. Other available features include an automatic power tailgate, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, 22-inch wheels, multiple USB-C ports, a wireless phone charger, navigation with EV route planning and a powered charge port door.
The first Blazer EV models to go on sale will be the 2LT and RS trims, which will start at $47,595 and $51,995 respectively, both before destination. Those will hit dealers in summer 2023, with the $65,995 SS to come later in 2023. Then the entry-level 1LT will be launched in the first quarter of 2024 for $44,995 alongside a PPV police fleet model. The Blazer EV will be produced at the same Mexico factory that builds the current Blazer.
Signal whatsapp and telegram here s which secure messaging my healthevet signal whatsapp and telegram here s which secured signal whatsapp and telegram here s my number call me maybe signal whatsapp and telegram here she comes signal whatsapp and telegram here s lucy tv series signal whatsapp and telegram here s your perfect chords signal and power integrity simplified forex signal whatsapp group
Signal, WhatsApp and Telegram: Here's which secure messaging app you should use
Signal, WhatsApp and Telegram: Here's which secure messaging app you should use
If your choice of encrypted messaging app is a toss-up between Signal, Telegram and WhatsApp, do not waste your time with anything but Signal. This isn't about which one has cuter features, more bells and whistles or is the most convenient to use: It's purely about privacy. And if privacy's what you're after, nothing beats Signal.
You probably already know what happened. In a tweet heard 'round the world last January, tech mogul Elon Musk continued his feud with Facebook by advocating people drop its WhatsApp messenger and use Signal instead. Twitter's then-CEO Jack Dorsey retweeted Musk's call. Around the same time, right-wing social network Parler went dark following the Capitol attacks, while political boycotters fled Facebook and Twitter. It was the perfect storm -- the number of new users flocking to Signal and Telegram surged by tens of millions.
Read more: Everything to know about Signal
The jolt also reignited security and privacy scrutiny over messaging apps more widely. Among the top players currently dominating download numbers, there are some commonalities. All are mobile apps available in the Google Play store and App Store that support cross-platform messaging, have group chat features, offer multifactor authentication and can be used to share files and multimedia. They all also provide encryption for texting, voice and video calls.
Signal, Telegram and WhatsApp use end-to-end encryption in some portion of their app, meaning that if an outside party intercepts your texts, they should be scrambled and unreadable. It also means that the exact content of your messages supposedly can't be viewed by employees of those companies when you are communicating with another private user. This prevents law enforcement, your mobile carrier and other snooping entities from being able to read your messages even when they intercept them (which happens more often than you might think).
The privacy and security differences between Signal, Telegram and WhatsApp couldn't be bigger, though. Here's what you need to know about each of them.
Getty/SOPA Images
Does not collect data, only your phone number
Free, no ads, funded by nonprofit Signal Foundation
Fully open-source
Encryption: Signal Protocol
Signal is a typical one-tap install app that can be found in your normal marketplaces like Google Play and Apple's App Store and works just like the usual text-messaging app. It's an open-source development provided free of charge by the nonprofit Signal Foundation and has been famously used for years by high-profile privacy icons like Edward Snowden.
Signal's main function is that it can send -- to either an individual or a group -- fully encrypted text, video, audio and picture messages, after verifying your phone number and letting you independently verify other Signal users' identity. For a deeper dive into the potential pitfalls and limitations of encrypted messaging apps, CNET's Laura Hautala's explainer is a life-saver.
When it comes to privacy, it's hard to beat Signal's offer. It doesn't store your user data. And beyond its encryption prowess, it gives you extended, onscreen privacy options, including app-specific locks, blank notification pop-ups, face-blurring antisurveillance tools and disappearing messages.
Occasional bugs have proven that the tech is far from bulletproof, of course, but the overall arc of Signal's reputation and results have kept it at the top of every privacy-savvy person's list of identity protection tools. The Guardian, The Washington Post, The New York Times (which also recommends WhatsApp) and The Wall Street Journal all recommend using Signal to contact their reporters safely.
For years, the core privacy challenge for Signal lay not in its technology but in its wider adoption. Sending an encrypted Signal message is great, but if your recipient isn't using Signal, then your privacy may be nil. Think of it like the herd immunity created by vaccines, but for your messaging privacy.
Now that Musk's and Dorsey's endorsements have sent a surge of users to get a privacy booster shot, however, that challenge may be a thing of the past.
Getty/NurPhoto
Data linked to you: Name, phone number, contacts, user ID
Free, forthcoming Ad Platform and premium features, funded mainly by founder
Only partially open-source
Encryption: MTProto
Telegram falls somewhere in the middle of the privacy scale, and it stands apart from other messenger apps because of its efforts to create a social network-style environment. While it doesn't collect as much data as WhatsApp, it also doesn't offer encrypted group calls like WhatsApp, nor as much user data privacy and company transparency as Signal. Data collected by Telegram that could be linked to you includes your name, phone number, contact list and user ID.
Telegram also collects your IP address, something else Signal doesn't do. And unlike Signal and WhatsApp, Telegram's one-to-one messages aren't encrypted by default. Rather, you have to turn them on in the app's settings. Telegram group messages also aren't encrypted. Researchers found that while some of Telegram's MTProto encryption scheme was open-source, some portions were not, so it's not completely clear what happens to your texts once they're in Telegram's servers.
Telegram has seen several breaches. Some 42 million Telegram user IDs and phone numbers were exposed in March of 2020, thought to be the work of Iranian government officials. It would be the second massive breach linked to Iran, after 15 million Iranian users were exposed in 2016. A Telegram bug was exploited by Chinese authorities in 2019 during the Hong Kong protests. Then there was the deep-fake bot on Telegram that has been allowed to create forged nudes of women from regular pictures. Most recently, its GPS-enabled feature allowing you to find others near you has created obvious problems for privacy.
I reached out to Telegram to find out whether there were any major security plans in the works for the app, and what its security priorities were after this latest user surge. I'll update this story when I hear back.
Angela Lang/CNET
Data linked to you: Too much to list (see below)
Free; business versions available for free, funded by Facebook
Not open-source, except for encryption
Encryption: Signal Protocol
Let's be clear: There's a difference between security and privacy. Security is about safeguarding your data against unauthorized access, and privacy is about safeguarding your identity regardless of who has access to that data.
On the security front, WhatsApp's encryption is the same as Signal's, and that encryption is secure. But that encryption protocol is one of the few open-source parts of WhatsApp, so we're being asked to trust WhatsApp more than we are Signal. WhatsApp's actual app and other infrastructure have also faced hacks, just as Telegram has.
Jeff Bezos' phone was famously hacked in January of 2020 through a WhatsApp video message. In December of the same year, Texas' attorney general alleged -- though has not proven -- that Facebook and Google struck a back-room deal to reveal WhatsApp message content. A spyware vendor targeted a WhatsApp vulnerability with its software to hack 1,400 devices, resulting in a lawsuit from Facebook. WhatsApp's unencrypted cloud-based backup feature has long been considered a security risk by privacy experts and was one way the FBI got evidence on notorious political fixer Paul Manafort. To top it off, WhatsApp has also become known as a haven for scam artists and malware purveyors over the years (just as Telegram has attracted its own share of platform abuse, detailed above).
Despite the hacks, it's not the security aspect that concerns me about WhatsApp as much as the privacy. I'm not eager for Facebook to have yet another piece of software installed on my phone from which it can cull still more behavioral data via an easy-to-use app with a pretty interface and more security than your regular messenger.
When WhatsApp says it can't view the content of the encrypted messages you send to another WhatsApp user, what is doesn't say is that there's a laundry list of other data that it collects that could be linked to your identity: Your unique device ID, usage and advertising data, purchase history and financial information, physical location, phone number, your contact information and that of your list of contacts, what products you've interacted with, how often you use the app, and how it performs when you do. The list goes on. This is way more than Signal or Telegram.
When I asked the company why users should settle for less data privacy, a WhatsApp spokesperson pointed out that it limits what it does with this user data, and that the data collection only applies to some users. For instance, financial transaction data collection would be relevant only to those WhatsApp users in Brazil, where the service is available.
"We do not share your contacts with Facebook, and we cannot see your shared location," the WhatsApp spokesperson told CNET.
"While most people use WhatsApp just to chat with friends and family, we've also begun to offer the ability for people to chat with businesses to get help or make a purchase, with health authorities to get information about COVID, with domestic violence support agencies, and with fact checkers to provide people with the ability to get accurate information," the spokesperson said. "As we've expanded our services, we continue to protect people's messages and limit the information we collect."
Is WhatsApp more convenient than Signal and Telegram? Yes. Is it prettier? Sure. Is it just as secure? We won't know unless we see more of its source code. But is it more private? Not when it comes to how much data it collects comparatively. For real privacy, I'm sticking with Signal and I recommend you do the same.
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Best Apple Pencil Deals 2022: Save $30 on Apple Pencil 2
Best Apple Pencil Deals 2022: Save $30 on Apple Pencil 2
This story is part of Amazon Prime Day, CNET's guide to everything you need to know and how to find the best deals.
The Apple Pencil is a useful tool for iPad owners wanting to take note-taking or sketching to a whole new level. The first-party stylus offers precise pressure sensitivity and pairs with Apple's tablets for a fluid experience. That premium Pencil experience doesn't come cheap, though, so it's always worth scouring the web for an Apple Pencil deal.
Unlike a lot of Apple products, Apple Pencil deals are fairly frequent and can often crop up even outside of major sales events. We've done the hard work of searching all of the major retailers for their best Apple Pencil deals and rounded them up in one place.
Below is a current breakdown of the best Apple Pencil deals available right now, with a quick look at historic low pricing for both models.
Apple Pencil pricing 2022
Model
Apple Store price
Best price right now
Best all-time price
Apple Pencil (1st Gen)
$99
$99
$70
Apple Pencil (2nd Gen)
$129
$99
$99
Beyond the Apple Pencil, there are a few great Apple Pencil alternatives that are also worth considering, and there are frequent deals on those which we've highlighted farther down the page.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Best Apple Pencil (1st Gen) deals
Apple's first-gen Apple Pencil was originally released in November 2015 and has stuck around since then. At its debut, it worked only with the first iPad Pro model before support was added to subsequent models. It has a Lightning connector built into the end for charging the Apple Pencil right from your iPad, and has a removable tip that can be changed out after your current one starts to get worn down.
The first-gen Apple Pencil is compatible with all pre-2018 iPad Pro models, the iPad Air 3, the iPad Mini 2019 and all base-model iPads since 2018. Here are the best first-gen Pencil deals you can buy right now.
Best Apple Pencil (2nd Gen) deals
The second-gen Apple Pencil came about in October 2018 alongside the third-gen iPad Pro, and while it may look similar on the surface there are quite a few differences between the two models. One big difference is that the Apple Pencil 2 charges magnetically while attached to newer iPads, meaning there's no Lightning connector. The design is slightly refined as well, with one flat side that's used to charge and a sensor near the tip that enables Double-Tap features.
The second-gen Apple Pencil works with all 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pros (2018 and later models), as well as newer iPad Air (2020 and 2022) models and the iPad Mini 6. Here are the best Apple Pencil 2 deals you can get right now.
Best cheap Apple Pencil alternatives
While the Apple Pencil offers one of the best experiences when paired with the iPad, it may not be the best choice for everyone. There are a number of cheaper Apple Pencil alternatives that you can take a look at. Here are some of the best ones that are on sale right now.
Jamjake
This stylus is a great cheap alternative to the Apple Pencil if you want the overall style of the Pencil without the price tag. It has removable tips, can be turned on and off and even recharges via USB-C. It's 25% off for a limited time.
Adonit
This stylus pen has a nice sleek design and offers a black option that Apple does not currently have for its Pencil models. It offers up to 12 hours of battery per charge, and a 4-minute charge can give you an extra hour of battery life. It uses Micro-USB for charging and can charge and write at the same time. Note that offers may vary by color.
Zagg
Zagg's Pro Stylus offers an Apple Pencil-like experience without the price tag. It features palm rejection and tilt-recognition tech like the first-party option, offers automatic pairing and even attaches magnetically to the side of your iPad Pro or iPad Air (though you'll need to charge it via USB-C).
Apple Pencil vs. Apple Pencil 2: Which should you buy?
The decision here is simple: You have to buy the one that's compatible with your iPad. Unfortunately, Apple does not let you pick which Apple Pencil you want to use with which iPad. Instead, iPads are only compatible with a specific model of the Apple Pencil.
As outlined above, the original Apple Pencil only works with the first- and second-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro, 10.5-inch iPad Pro, 9.7-inch iPad Pro, iPad Air 3 and 5th-gen iPad Mini and all of the base-model iPads since the 6th-gen model. If you have a newer iPad Pro, iPad Air 4th- or 5th-gen or the all-new 6th-gen iPad Mini, you'll need to opt for the Apple Pencil 2.
If you want to avoid this confusion, you can select from one of the non-Apple alternatives listed above, which generally have broader compatibility.
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Bezel-less Oppo R7 leaks on Chinese social media
Bezel-less Oppo R7 leaks on Chinese social media
Caught on video: Oppo's upcoming bezel-less R7. Screenshot by Aloysius Low/CNET
Chinese smartphone maker Oppo appears to be doing some magic with the design of its upcoming Oppo R7 phone, if this leaked video appears to be true.
The Android-powered handset alleged comes with almost non-existent bezels, with the large screen taking up the entire sides of the device, as you can see from the screen capture above.
The magic apparently lies in some visual trickery (which Oppo has filed a patent for) where the sides of the screen diffract the light to make it seem that the display extends all the way to the edge.
While the Sharp Aquos Crystal turned heads with its edge-to-edge display, Oppo's R7 looks even more convincing, since the Crystal still has a bit of an edge, while the R7 looks like it doesn't.
Other leaked specs of the R7 include a octa-core MediaTek processor, 4G support and a 20.7-megapixel rear camera. The phone's also rumored to be as slim as the Oppo R5 at just 4.85mm thick.
CNET has reached out to Oppo for more information. In the meantime, check out the video below. Note that it may not play for you as the video is hosted on a Chinese site that appears to have region locks for some countries.
2020 Kia Soul debuts at LA Auto Show, is cooler than ever
2020 Kia Soul debuts at LA Auto Show, is cooler than ever
The 2020 Kia Soul debuted Wednesday at the LA Auto Show, and it looks more or less like Kia's Soul always has, which is to say cute and boxy. This time around though, its gaze gets a little sterner, its lines get a bit sharper, its tech gets a bit better, and you'll be able to get it in six different trim levels. Well played, Kia.
The Soul will be available with either a base 2.0-liter naturally aspirated engine that produces a not-terribly-impressive 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, or a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine which makes a much more robust 201 hp and 195 pound-feet. The base motor can be paired with a six-speed manual or a CVT, while the turbo motor is mated exclusively to a seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission. There's also a forthcoming electric version!
The 2020 model year marks the debut of the third generation of Kia's quirky crossover, and in addition to its more sharply creased and ever-so-slightly-longer body, the Soul gets some new lighting changes. The front gets a narrow, squinty set of lights above and great big driving lights below, while the LED taillights wrap around the body.
Other exterior changes for the GT-line trim include a big, gaping front grille with two-tone trim and some fairly aggressively flared fenders. The new X-line trim gets some black plastic fender trim, grille-mounted fog lights, and brushed metal-looking accents.
Kia's new GT-Line Soul didn't have to sell anything for its rock and roll turbo four-cylinder.
Kia
Inside things get a little goofy. Of course, because this is a Soul, the interior accent lighting reacts to the music you're playing, only now you can set it to one of a handful of "moods" which include -- and I'm not joking here -- "Hey! Yo!" and Party Time, along with Cafe and Romance. You also get available wireless charging and dual-zone automatic climate control though, so it's not all lighthearted frippery in Soul town.
"The Soul has been a massive success since its introduction to the US market, blowing its (now defunct) rivals out of the water and establishing itself as an automotive icon with its fun-loving character and eccentric style," said Orth Hedrick, executive director of car planning and telematics at Kia, in a statement. "Even with an entirely new generation of competitors now crowding the marketplace, we are confident the all-new Soul will once again prove to be a tough contender given its unparalleled style and impressive level of invigorating technology and customization options."
The new Soul X-Line trim looks plenty off-road capable, but do us all a favor and stay off the Rubicon.
Kia
This is a modern Kia, so just as you'd expect, there's a ton of standard safety equipment alongside some available advanced driver assistance systems as part of Kia's Drive Wise technology. These include lane keep assist, high beam assist, lane change assist, blind spot warning, adaptive cruise control and more.
On the infotainment front, Kia is offering an available 10.25-inch high-definition color touchscreen with split-screen functionality. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also along for the ride, as is multiconnection Bluetooth (meaning you can connect two Bluetooth devices at once). Also available is an 8-inch head-up display and a 640-watt 10 speaker Harmon Kardon audio system.
The new Soul should hit showrooms sometime in the first half of 2019. Pricing will be available closer to its on-sale date.
Coffee grind size: Why it matters and what you should be using
Coffee grind size: Why it matters and what you should be using
Making better coffee at home is spending a little extra time on a few, simple steps, such as using the correct temperature water, weighing coffee instead measuring by volume, and grinding your own beans on the spot.
Of everything you might encounter when brewing at home, grinding coffee is arguably one of the most crucial steps, as grind size alone can dramatically change the taste of your cup. Grind size and consistency can be the difference between one of the best cups you've ever had and a bitter, undrinkable mess.
Discover how grind size affects your cup and which is right for your brew method of choice.
Why grind size matters
When it comes to grind size, there are three factors which make the biggest difference: contact time,extraction rate and flow rate. To put it simply:
The extraction rate of coffee grounds increases with a larger surface area.
To increase surface area, grind the coffee finer.
The higher the extraction rate, the less contact time is needed.
A finer grind can reduce the flow rate of water, increasing the contact time.
Knowing this, if you have a brew method with a short contact time, the grind should be finer. In an immersion brewer, which steeps coffee grounds in water for several minutes, the contact time is much higher and, thus, requires a more coarse grind than most other brew methods.
If the contact time is too high or the grind is too fine, it will result in an over-extracted brew which can be bitter. If the grind is too coarse or the contact time is too short, the coffee will turn out weak.
Finding the proper balance between the two will help in producing the best cup of coffee possible.
Different types of filters, pressure and temperature can also play a part in determining grind size, but most brewing methods operate between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit (90.6 and 96.1 degrees Celsius) with little to no added pressure.
Which grind size should you use?
With an array of different brewing methods, knowing which grind size to use is crucial to getting the best possible cup.
Taylor Martin/CNET
Turkish coffee calls for an extra fine grind size, similar to that of powdered sugar.
Espresso is a brewed through using pressure (approximately 9 bar) to force water through compacted coffee grounds. The contact time is very short, requiring an extra fine grind size.
The AeroPress is a popular single-cup manual coffee maker. It's similar to a French press in design and use, though users have come up with a laundry list of ways to brew. Recommended grind size is between medium and fine, depending on steep time.
Siphon brewers use pressure to force water into a chamber holding the coffee grounds. Once the steep has finished, heat is removed, which creates a vacuum in the lower chamber and pulls the water through a filter. This method calls for a medium-fine grind size.
Pour-over brewers come in an array of different sizes and shapes. While different brewers require varying grind sizes to control the flow rate of water, most pour over methods call for a medium to medium-fine grind.
A stovetop espresso maker or Moka pot is a coffee maker which uses steam pressure to force water upwards through a filter basket full of coffee grounds. The contact time is quite short, but the pressure (approximately 1.5 bar) is a bit higher than your typical manual brewer. It calls for a medium grind size.
A single-cup coffee maker, such as a Keurig or Verismo machine, is a drip brewer method, similar to the commercial drip brewers found in cafes. The contact time is fairly low, meaning it calls for a medium to medium-fine grind size, comparable to that of table salt.
Drip coffee is what you typically get from a cafe or coffee shop. It's made in large batches and contact time is dictated by a small hole in the bottom of the brewing basket, so recommended grind size varies between medium-coarse to medium.
The French press is an immersion brewer. Water is added to coffee grounds and allowed to steep for several minutes before straining out the grounds. This method calls for a coarse grind setting.
Cold Brew, unlike other brewing methods, is done at or below room temperature and takes between 12 and 72 hours. Due to the low temperature, the extraction rate is low, regardless of grind size. A coarse or extra coarse grind size is recommended, as it's easier to filter. A finer grind size will work just as well (with a slightly shorter steep time), but can cause the final product to appear a bit cloudy.
Of course, all the above recommendations are just that -- recommendations. They are subject to change based on preferences and slight differences in brewers. Getting the grind size exactly right requires some testing and tweaking.
If you feel your cup of coffee is a tad weak, try a slightly finer grind size next time. Or if the coffee tastes too strong or slightly bitter, test with a slightly larger grind size to see if it solves the problem.
