Here are some alternatives to consider if none of the phones above strike your fancy. Asus Zenfone 8 for $499: You can still buy the Zenfone 9’s predecessor (6/10, WIRED Review). It has flagship-grade performance as it’s powered by the top-end chip of 2021: Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888. It also has a 120-Hz AMOLED screen and… Continue reading 8 Best Phones With a 3.5-mm Headphone Jack (2022): Rugged, Cheap, Luxe
Author: Wired Magazine
Please Stop Freaking Out About This Giant Yellow Spider
Native to East Asia, Jorōs are one of many so-called golden orb weavers, named after the shiny silk they use to spin webs (which can be a whopping 10 feet wide, by the way). The spider was first spotted in the US by scientists in Colbert, Georgia, in 2014, though local accounts suggest it may have… Continue reading Please Stop Freaking Out About This Giant Yellow Spider
Best Sonos Setup (2022): Which Speakers and Soundbars Should You Buy?
Here at WIRED, we like Sonos speakers. We really do. Throughout the past decade, we’ve reviewed all of the company’s wirelessly connectable speakers, from its small shelf speakers to its TV soundbars, and we’ve recommended every one of them. But turning your home into a Sonos-powered shrine to sound isn’t cheap. Like Apple products, Sonos… Continue reading Best Sonos Setup (2022): Which Speakers and Soundbars Should You Buy?
Netvue Birdfy Feeder Cam Review: Fun But Wonky
Importantly, it’s a solid feeder, holding 50 ounces of seeds, with a nice perch big enough for a few birds (if they don’t mind the crowding) and a roof to keep everything relatively dry. The hinged roof is made for easy refilling, too. Just slide it open to one side, fill up, and click the… Continue reading Netvue Birdfy Feeder Cam Review: Fun But Wonky
7 Best Carpet Cleaners (2022): Budget, Spot Cleaners, Hard Floors
There is a lot to think about when shopping for or using a carpet cleaner, such as how much space you’ll need for storage and whether you should rent or buy. Here are some tips to keep in mind. Carpet cleaners are heavy and bulky, especially when filled with water. They can be harder to… Continue reading 7 Best Carpet Cleaners (2022): Budget, Spot Cleaners, Hard Floors
End-to-End Encryption Is Coming to Android Group Chats
Group chats can be chaotic enough without unwanted participants poking around. That’s why it would be nice to have an extra layer of security to keep all that hot goss contained. To that end, Google has opened a beta program allowing users of the Messages app on Android phones to sign up to have their group chats… Continue reading End-to-End Encryption Is Coming to Android Group Chats
China’s Police State Targets Zero-Covid Protesters
It was another busy week in security that saw big news about protests, surveillance, spyware, data breaches, and more. In the US, recent court filings detail how the FBI’s use of a controversial warrant yielded a trove of Google’s location data from thousands of devices in and around the Capitol on January 6. Meanwhile, in Iran,… Continue reading China’s Police State Targets Zero-Covid Protesters
Android Phone Makers’ Encryption Keys Stolen and Used in Malware
While Google develops its open source Android mobile operating system, the “original equipment manufacturers” who make Android smartphones, like Samsung, play a large role in tailoring and securing the OS for their devices. But a new finding that Google made public on Thursday reveals that a number of digital certificates used by vendors to validate… Continue reading Android Phone Makers’ Encryption Keys Stolen and Used in Malware
Devialet Mania Review: Bottom-Heavy, But Powerful
For all that Mania seems a slightly un-Devialet product as far as looks and specification are concerned, though, the company’s ethos comes strongly back into focus when the speaker starts doing its thing. Connected to an Apple iPhone 13 via AirPlay 2, and with music ranging from John Coltrane’s “My Favourite Things” to Nation of Language’s “This Fractured… Continue reading Devialet Mania Review: Bottom-Heavy, But Powerful
San Francisco’s Killer Police Robots Threaten the City’s Most Vulnerable
One effect of AB 481 is to add local oversight to hardware like the kind obtained through a US Department of Defense program that sends billions of dollars of military equipment such as armored vehicles and ammunition to local police departments. Equipment from the program was used against protesters in the wake of the police killings… Continue reading San Francisco’s Killer Police Robots Threaten the City’s Most Vulnerable