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The best drones for photos and video
By Signe Brewster This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commission. Read the full drones guide here. After 45 hours of research and test flying 14 models, we think the DJI Mavic 2 Pro is the best drone for aspiring aerial photographers and videographers thanks to its high-end camera, autonomous obstacle avoidance, long battery life, and portability. Pilots of all skill levels will find it to be exceptionally reliable and easy to fly. The Mavic 2 Pro features a Hasselblad-branded camera (DJI bought a majority stake in the camera brand in 2017), which captures 20-megapixel photographs and 4K videos that look more colorful than those captured by the competition. Its ability to sense and avoid obstacles in all directions and steadily hold its position even in moderate winds lets you focus on your cinematography instead of worrying about keeping the drone steady. It also features DJI's smart-flight modes like ActiveTrack, which directs the drone to autonomously follow and film a subject while still avoiding obstacles. Its 31-minute battery life means you don't have to land for a battery swap as often as other drones, and at 8.4 by 3.6 by 3.3 inches folded and 2 pounds, you can take the Mavic 2 Pro almost anywhere—it fits exceptionally well in our top pick for drone backpacks. It's also compatible with the DJI Goggles FPV headset we recommend. The Mavic 2 Zoom looks and flies identical to the Mavic 2 Pro, but it trades out the Hasselblad camera in favor of a different camera that can zoom 2 times optically and 2 times digitally (with software that avoids losing detail), for up to 4x usable "lossless" zoom. However, filming with more than 2x zoom will require you to shoot at 1080p instead of 4K. It's a great choice for aerial photographers and videographers who need to work from a distance, whether they're shooting a child's soccer match or wildlife. Like our top pick, it features DJI's obstacle avoidance and smart-flight mode tech, plus a 31-minute battery life and foldable body. If you're just getting into drone photography for personal use and social-media sharing, the DJI Spark is a less expensive model that still includes collision avoidance. Compared to our top pick, the Spark has shorter battery life and range, and it can't capture 4K video (just 1080p), but it weighs half as much and folds up to about the size of your hand. It still includes the important features you need from a video drone, including image and flight stabilization and an included controller, and it has gesture controls and smart-flight modes like ActiveTrack.
The best wired fast chargers
By Nick Guy and Sarah Witman This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commission. Read the full wired fast charger guide here. Smartphones are capable of charging a lot faster than they could just a few years ago, but you may not know it because some phone makers (mainly Apple) have continued to include slower chargers in the box. If you have a newer iPhone, you'll need to pick up a third-party USB-C PD unit if you want the fastest possible charging. We spent more than 20 hours testing and researching 14 power banks, wall chargers, and car chargers to find the best fast chargers for home, for car, and even for multiple devices. If you want to get the fastest possible charge for your iPhone 8 or newer model, we recommend Anker's PowerPort II PD. It's expensive compared to the chargers that Apple includes with iPhones, but it can charge a phone twice as fast—from empty to about 50 percent in only half an hour. Android phones that support 18-watt USB-C PD like the Google Pixel 2 will also charge at their fastest rate with this charger. Plus, the PowerPort II PD is the only 18 W wall charger we tested that has an additional USB-A port that can charge a second device at standard speeds. Aukey's 18 W Power Delivery Wall Charger is the smallest USB-C PD charger we tested—it's just a little larger than Apple's included 5-watt charger—but it was just as fast as our other picks. It lacks a second charging port, but it's a great option if you just need to charge one phone at top speed or if you need the smallest charger. Nekteck's PD 45W Type-C Car Charger is the best option for fast charging in the car. Its USB-C port and included cable can charge at up to 45 watts, suitable for pretty much any device (including most laptops), and its USB-A port supports 12-watt charging so you or a passenger can charge a second phone at the same time. The Nekteck charger is the only certified model that sports such high charging rates, and it's the only one to come with a USB-C to USB-C cable. While the rest of our picks are good for when you're stationary, Aukey's PB-Y13 10000mAh Power Bank with Power Delivery is the best option for the fastest charging while you're on the move. Like the other USB PD chargers we tested, it can get your iPhone charged about halfway in half an hour. And with its two USB-A ports, you can power your other gear as well. If you want to fast-charge an iPhone or iPad, you'll need to purchase Apple's USB-C to Lightning Cable separately. Apple doesn't yet allow any other companies to use official Lightning connectors on USB-C cables, so none of our picks come with a cable that will work with iPhones.
Our favorite learning apps for tablets and smartphones
By Courtney Schley This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commission. Read the full learning apps guide here. We spent over 25 hours researching and testing more than 35 educational and learning apps recommended by educators, experts, parents, and kids. We also studied research from child developmental psychologists and the American Academy of Pediatrics about children's app use and the pedagogical principles for creating learning apps. If your family has a tablet and you want it to be more than a game-playing and video-watching device, or if you're trying to find apps for your smartphone that will do more than keep your kids occupied in a pinch, we have some great suggestions.
The best LED desk lamp
By Anna Perling This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commission. Read the full LED desk lamp guide here. After consulting lighting and optometry experts, and spending 32 hours researching more than 40 desk lamps and testing 15, we think that the TaoTronics LED Eye-caring Table Lamp (TT-DL13) is the best lamp for most tasks that require focused light. It has the most brightness levels, color temperatures, and adjustability for customizing your lighting, and its light panel has the least glare. The TaoTronics LED Eye-caring Desk Lamp (TT-DL13) has seven brightness levels, with the top level more than bright enough for typical desk tasks; yet no matter how you position the lamp, its frosted panel prevents glare—other, pricier lamps created annoying reflections or bright points of light. It also has one of the most intuitive control panels we've seen, and its slim, unassuming shape looks good on a desk or a nightstand. The Fully Lumen LED Desk Lamp is virtually identical to our top pick—the only difference besides branding is that the Fully weighs a half pound more. But it's more than double the price of our top pick when purchased on its own. It's half off when bought with our pick for the best standing desk, so if you plan to buy both, we recommend buying the lamp from Fully for a one-stop shopping experience. If you're not picky about controlling brightness and color temperature, the IKEA Forså is a classic architect-style lamp with a replaceable bulb that you can swap if you want a different light temperature or color. It's also the most adjustable lamp we tested, and it's available in more colors. Its classic style may work better with different design schemes if you're not into the sleek, modern look of most LED desk lamps.
The best Cyber Monday 2018 deals you can still get
This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commissions. that support its work. Read Wirecutter's continuously updated list of deals here.
The best Cyber Monday deals 2018: The evening edition
This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commissions. that support its work. Read Wirecutter's continuously updated list of Black Friday deals here.
The best Cyber Monday 2018 deals
This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commissions. that support its work. Read Wirecutter's continuously updated list of Cyber Monday deals here.
The best Black Friday deals 2018: The evening edition
This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commissions. that support its work. Read Wirecutter's continuously updated list of Black Friday deals here.
The best Black Friday deals 2018: The afternoon edition
This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commissions. that support its work. Read Wirecutter's continuously updated list of Black Friday deals here.
The best Black Friday deals of 2018 so far
This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commissions. that support its work. Read Wirecutter's continuously updated list of Black Friday deals here.
More early Black Friday 2018 deals
This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commissions. that support its work. Read Wirecutter's continuously updated list of Black Friday deals here.
The best early Black Friday deals 2018: The Thanksgiving Day edition
This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commissions. that support its work. Read Wirecutter's continuously updated list of Black Friday deals here.
The best early Black Friday deals 2018
This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commissions. that support its work. Read Wirecutter's continuously updated list of Black Friday deals here.
Black Friday 2018 deals we're already seeing
This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commissions. that support its work. Read Wirecutter's continuously updated list of Black Friday deals here.
The best early Black Friday 2018 deals
This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commissions. that support its work. Read Wirecutter's continuously updated list of Black Friday deals here.
Can I trust my bathroom scale?
By Shannon Palus This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commission. Read the full blog on bathroom scales here. Bathroom scales are fickle devices. They can give you a different weight from day to day, or even moment to moment. Sure, the human body fluctuates over the course of the day and there are some crappy scales out there, but even relatively good scales can seem to be wildly inaccurate. We've seen complaints alleging that our pick for the best bathroom scale sometimes reports that the user has lost or gained as much as 10 pounds within a matter of minutes. But, after testing the scale in our homes for over a year, we're standing by it. Here's why.
The best vacuum cleaners
By Liam McCabe This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commission. Read the full vacuum cleaners guide here. We've done hundreds of hours of research and testing on vacuum cleaners over the past five years, searching for the best ones to fit all kinds of living situations and lifestyles. This guide will help you figure out the right kind of vacuum to suit your home, whether it's a small apartment or a big Victorian, covered with shag carpets or left with bare wood floors, or filled with kids and pets.
How to clean a humidifier
By Tim Heffernan This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commission. Read the full blog on how to clean a humidifier here. Cleaning a humidifier is not hard. Below, we'll walk you through the steps. But far more important than how you clean your humidifier is that you clean it. If you had to design an ideal appliance for growing microbes—mold, bacteria, amoebae—you'd come up with something like a humidifier. Ample water? Check. Ample air? Check. Lots of surface area? Check. Easy to ignore? Check plus. The impact of microbial growth in humidifiers is so common that it has a name: humidifier lung. The condition is a so-called hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Humidifiers can harbor microbes and blow them or their excretions into your air, triggering an immunoresponse. In acute (sudden, severe) cases, humidifier lung can present symptoms akin to an asthmatic or allergic attack, as Wirecutter's Tim Barribeau and his now-wife discovered: "I woke up feeling like we were dying. We both had incredibly tight chests, where we couldn't get in enough air to breathe properly, accompanied by constant coughing fits and tunnel vision." In chronic cases (low-level, long-term, untreated), it can cause permanent scarring of lung tissue and reduced lung capacity. The risk of humidifier lung is especially high for infants and children, which is why we spoke with the American Academy of Pediatrics for—and emphasize regular cleaning in—our guide to humidifiers for babies. But adults, as Tim's case illustrates, are also vulnerable. And although humidifier manufacturers are aware of the risk too, and take steps to eliminate microbes such as installing UV bulbs and antimicrobial treatments, they also recommend regular cleaning; the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers says to do it weekly on every humidifier. Better to be doubly safe than twice sorry. Furthermore, adults are also vulnerable to ignoring the health risks of dirty humidifiers even when they're fully aware of them. I can attest to this: I long-term tested our upgrade humidifier pick for about four months in winter 2017–18, and I can recall cleaning it exactly once. I knew full well that weekly cleaning was recommended—I'm the goldang author of our humidifier guides! Luckily, I got away with it. But don't be like me. Clean your humidifier at least weekly. Here's how:
The best USB-C adapters, cables and hubs
By Nick Guy and Sarah Witman This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commission. Read the full USB-C adapters, cables, and hubs guide here. When Apple introduced the 12-inch MacBook in early 2015, USB-C was merely a curiosity for most people, but now that many new laptops have dropped legacy ports, USB-C has gone from interesting to important. The 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro models, as well as Windows laptops from HP, Asus, Acer, and more, offer only USB-C ports, and a number of Android smartphones use USB-C as their only physical connection. This all means that a critical mass of people need cables, adapters, and other ways to get older gear working with newer devices. After 18 hours of preliminary research, we tested more than 58 USB-C accessories to put together this guide to the best ways to connect peripherals and devices to a USB-C–equipped computer. It's by no means exhaustive. USB-C can, in theory, replace every other port, and there are a seemingly infinite number of port combinations you might encounter. We focused on the most important tasks you'll likely face, such as connecting older peripherals like hard drives and hooking up an external display. We'll expand our coverage of USB-C as the field matures; we've published reviews of SD card readers, portable solid-state drives, portable battery packs, portable AC battery packs, Thunderbolt docks, Lightning cables, flash drives, car chargers, charging-port outlets, and laptop chargers, and we have more in the works. If you think we've missed something specific, please let us know.
How to use your existing phone overseas
By Geoffrey Morrison This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commission. Read the full blog here.
