The indie gem Minit, released back in 2018, felt like a breath of fresh air. The monochromatic adventure game took a seemingly absurd time constraint — killing the player every 60 seconds — and turned it into both a passionate love letter to top-down classics like The Legend of Zelda and an ingenious and clever quest that threw constant surprises at the player.
Now, the core team behind Minit — Nuclear Throne and Disc Room developer Jan Willem Nijman, designer Kitty Calis, composer Jukio Kallio, and artist Dominik Johann — are back with a new spinoff title, Minit Fun Racer. The game takes the same core idea and applies it to a side-scrolling biking game reminiscent of arcade titles of decades past. All proceeds of the game, which is being published for free by indie label Devolver Digital, go to charity, including Doctors Without Borders and Special Effect.
Minit Fun Racer releases today for $2.99 on both Steam and itch.io, with the latter store having a pay-what-you-want option for those who’d like to give more.
Image: Devolver Digital
Minit Fun Racer has less of a narrative than the game it’s based on and an even tighter time constraint of less than 10 seconds to begin with. You’re simply plopped down onto a highway full of obstacles and challenged to find your way to the end before the timer runs out and you start over from the beginning. But Minit Fun Racer lives up to the original by hiding scores of secrets to find through experimentation.
The main engine of progress in the game is earning coins and using the currency to unlock new upgrades, which, in turn, help you progress further along the route. But there are Easter eggs and fun little side quest-style unlockables — like an air horn for waking up the sleeping cats by the side of the road or an impromptu helicopter chase if you bump two cop cars — that make the game worth exploring in full.
“We wanted to make a full game, not just something you would buy just for charity,” says Calis. “The bigger it gets, the more we can help, and in the end we want people to have a good time and to do good, too.”
In my first few play sessions last week with a preview build of the game, I died — a lot, as is expected. But after my first few upgrades, I felt like I was making steady progress and really enjoying the fast-paced, trial-and-error design. And the new music from Kallio, a longtime collaborator of Nijman’s who also co-wrote the catchy Fall Guys soundtrack, is a fantastic addition.
“Our philosophy has always been if you have fun making something it really shines through in the final product,” Nijman says. Asked about other Minit spinoffs or sequels in the future, Nijman and Calis say they aren’t yet ruling out future works — or as Nijman called it, a “Minit cinematic universe” — using the game’s pixel art style or its core time constraint.
The other day, I saw a game named Valheim atop the Steam Early Access sales charts, with overwhelmingly positive reviews. Polygon seemed to like the $20 Viking-themed survival game, and I thought friends might like it, too. I wasn’t ready to commit quite yet — I waffled a while before giving it a go. Know who bought it while I was making up my mind? One million other people.
On February 10th, just eight days after launch, indie developer Iron Gate announced that Valheim had already sold 1 million copies. Five days after that, Valheim reached 2 million sales. Here are a few other facts you might like to know:
It has now been the second-most played game on all of Steam at one point, ahead of every game save Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and it’s comfortably sitting at number three now.
It’s already set a top-ten record for concurrent players on Steam with roughly 392,000 on Monday, knocking Grand Theft Auto V off that top 10 chart.
It topped the Steam Top Sellers list during Valve’s Steam Lunar New Year sale — despite having zero discounts.
Screenshot of SteamCharts, taken February 16th.
Screenshot taken February 15th, the last day of the Steam sale.
As PC Gamer points out, Valheim’s trajectory is unlike anything we’ve seen before.
The closest parallel is perhaps PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds — which similarly came out of Steam Early Access, sold oodles of copies during Steam sales (also without being on sale), set a record for the Steam game with the most simultaneous players (3.2 million) that still stands today, and kicked off the entire battle royale genre that spawned today’s Fortnite, Apex Legends, Call of Duty: Warzone,and more. But even PUBG took months to reach the kind of numbers that Valheim already has now, and that was with a genre-defining, action-packed, nail-biting, streamer-friendly game that makes for a delightfully tense watch.
Valheim, by comparison, is slow and methodical. It’s part of an established genre of survival games where you scavenge and harvest, chop and dig, hunt and skin, then build better tools to do it all more efficiently over and over again. Only here, you’re also a badass Viking who can (eventually) build fortresses and ships, you’re hunting down gods for sport, and you’re exploring a gobsmackingly gigantic map filled with idyllic scenery, charming music, a touch of lived-in mystery, and some enemies that stomp me convincingly enough that I get a slight Dark Souls vibe out of it. Oh, and when you cut down trees, they fall and hit other things (like you) for massive damage! That’s never going to get old.
The game’s graphics may seem dull at first but can be picturesque, particularly with eye candy like depth of field, tessellation, and sun shafts. Screenshot by Sean Hollister / The Verge
As Cass Marshall at Polygon points out, it’s also incredibly accessible and easy to learn — I’d convinced myself that I disliked survival games due to their typically rigid mechanics, but in Valheim everything seems to make sense without thinking too hard. I don’t need to spend ages punching trees to build some basic tools, there’s no need to acquire blueprints (recipes unlock as soon as you find new materials), and I don’t have to painstakingly plan how I want my house to look before I start building. You can instantly demolish a portion of a structure and refund your materials if it’s not quite right.
In fact, building is fast enough that I’m starting to build temporary forward operating bases before I venture into each new area, like the tiny fort below that took all of five minutes and I’ve since expanded twice.
It gets real dark at night. Fire is a must if you’re planning to stay up.Screenshot by Sean Hollister / The Verge
There’s no telling how long the magic will last for me or for the game’s 2 million players and counting, of course. It’s been all downhill for Among Us on PC, which currently only attracts one-tenth of its peak player count of 438,000 last September (though it could still be wildly popular on mobile).
But I imagine word-of-mouth may keep Valheim going for a while. I can’t wait to try the game’s two- to ten-player co-op mode with my circle of friends, and that means more copies in the wild.
If Valheim does have staying power, expect to hear this game’s name on a lot of lips in the months to come. If history’s any indication, we’ll soon see a rush of knockoffs, fake-outs, and attempts to make other games play more like it, and there may be a lot of pressure on Iron Gate to port the PC-only game to consoles and phones as well.
Five years into its manufacture of high-end headphones, Focal has now launched an enhanced version of its Clear circumaural open-back headphones geared more towards music creators. The Clear Mg Professional sport similar 40mm drivers with ‘M’-shaped inverted domes, but they’re made out of magnesium rather than an aluminium/magnesium alloy. The French audio brand claims this new cone is lighter, more rigid and better damped, delivering a sound that’s “even more precise”.
That new cone is complemented by a 25mm diameter and 5.5mm high copper voice coil, while the new honeycomb grille inside the earcups work to extend the higher frequencies and follow the cone’s ‘M’ profile more closely to reduce any distortion or other adverse effects.
(Image credit: Focal)
Those familiar with Focal’s excellent home headphone line-up – featuring the Utopia, Stellia, Elear, Elegia, Radiance and newly announced Celestee – will recognise the Clear Mg Professional’s aesthetic design, centred around 20mm memory foam, perforated fabric-coated earpads, a matching microfibre and leather headband and a black-painted aluminium yoke. Bundled accessories include 6.35mm and 3.5mm cables and a carrying case (pictured above).
The Focal Clear MG Professional will be available from this month, priced £1299 ($1490).
MORE:
Best audiophile headphones 2021: the ultimate high-end headphones
Focal Arche headphone amplifier review
Join us for the What Hi-Fi? Virtual Show on Saturday 24th April
Soundboks, a Danish company that started out by crowdfunding, says that it has built the world’s loudest portable wireless loudspeaker, which it claims can deliver 126dBSPL.
When considering this measurement, it’s worth noting that the company doesn’t state the distance from the loudspeaker at which this sound pressure level was measured, nor the frequency at which it was measured, nor a bandwidth over which it might be delivered.
Best portable outdoor loudspeakers
According to Forbes magazine, Hjalte Emilio Wieth, Jesper Theil Thomsen, Christoffer Nyvold and five of their friends built battery-powered speakers in a garage to satisfy orders ahead of the Roskilde music festival in 2015.
Afterwards they raised $870,000 on Kickstarter and $2.5 million from investors including Matthew Bellamy (Muse) and Tue Mantoni (a former CEO of Bang & Olufsen).
(Image credit: Soundboks)
The latest ‘3’ version of the Soundboks uses three Class-D amplifiers, each rated at 72-watts continuous per channel, to drive two 254mm bass/midrange drivers and a 25mm compression tweeter via a 2.5-way crossover.
The amplifiers (built by Merus Audio) are powered by a single 12.8V, 7.8Ah Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) battery that Soundboks claims will enable 40 hours of playback at mid-volume or five hours at full volume.
The company says the battery can be fully recharged in 3.5 hours. Extra plug-in battery packs are available so you don’t have to waste time recharging. Bluetooth is 5.0 with Soundboks claiming “lower latency stereo performance” through the use of SKAA Audio’s Pro SKAA circuitry.
Best outdoor speakers 2021: portable, wireless, waterproof
(Image credit: Soundboks)
“We have finally created the speaker we always wanted,” says Thomsen. “Over the past four years we’ve been integrating community feedback with the vision of the speaker we have always wanted to build; the result is the new Soundboks. We were very focused on creating an unmatched sound experience, wireless connectivity and battery life were critical for that.”
(Image credit: Soundboks)
Up to five individual Soundboks 3’s can be interlinked, so there’s a free app that allows you to specify whether a specific unit will handle the left or the right channel, or operate in mono. The app also allows you to equalise the sound to your own preference, or use one of Soundboks’ own sound modes: Bass+, Power, or Indoor.
In addition to Bluetooth, there are two mic/line inputs (XLR, 6.35mm phone) and a 3.5mm stereo input. There is also a 3.5mm stereo output jack for physical linking to completely eliminate latency when operating multiple units.
Available now, the Soundboks 3 (also known as ‘The New Soundboks’) sells for £815 $999, AU$1599.
As part of iOS 14.5, Apple is updating its emoji with new variations from the Unicode Consortium’s 13.1 release, including new skin tone options for popular emoji, several new smiley faces and hearts, and some deliberate Apple redesigns.
The changes to skin tone and gender presentation are probably the most important to note. Popular emoji like “Couples Kissing” and “Couples with Heart” now have many more skin tone variations for all options.
Skin tone variations for the “Couples with Heart” emoji in iOS 14.5.Image: Emojipedia
In addition to more skin tones, the bearded emoji has also been adjusted to allow for not just the neutral “Person:Beard” but also “Man:Beard” and “Woman:Beard.”
The various beard options in iOS 14.5.Image: Emojipedia
On the more unusual side of things, Apple’s update also includes several variations on smiley faces like “Exhaling Face,” “Face with Spiral Eyes,” and the elusive “Face in Clouds.” Hearts, another emoji go-to category, also has two new members joining its ranks, “Heart on Fire” and “Mending Heart.”
Exhaling face, face with spiral eyes, and face in clouds.
Image: Emojipedia
Heart on fire and mending heart.
Image: Emojipedia
Finally, Apple is also making tweaks to some existing emoji: the rock-climbing emoji will now feature a helmet, the syringe emoji is now a more generic one rather than one filled with blood, and the headphones look like the AirPods Max.
The syringe change could be a legitimately helpful one for anyone writing about COVID-19. Not only is the new syringe way less intimidating when emptied of blood, but it’s also more applicable to vaccinations, which will hopefully become a lot more common soon. The headphone change, on the other hand, is just Apple branding, the same way that the preexisting mobile phone emoji was designed to look like an iPhone.
A comparison between the two versions of the syringe emoji.Image: Emojipedia
Apple says all of these emoji are available in the new release of the iOS 14.5 beta, which also comes with a nice little change to the Apple Music app. According to users on Reddit running the beta, you can now add and remove music from your queue with the same kind of swiping gesture used in Apple’s Mail app to archive, delete, or flag emails.
The full release of iOS 14.5 is also said to include several other helpful additions like support for the new Xbox and PlayStation controllers, the ability to set Siri’s default music streaming service to Spotify, and the ability to unlock your phone with your Apple Watch.
Sonos has long been rumored to be developing a premium set of noise-canceling headphones to join the company’s ecosystem of speakers and multiroom audio products. A new design patent filing at the German Patent and Trademark Office seems to provide a glimpse at a farther-along, more refined product than what we saw from the US Patent and Trademark Office in September. These latest filings were registered in December and published in late January.
One notable difference is that the Sonos wordmark is visible on this design; it wasn’t present on the previous filing. (That said, it’s in broken lines, which doesn’t count for much in a design patent and signifies that placement could change.) Another evolution is that the rods coming out of the headband now go straight down into the ear cups; there’s no additional part that wraps around the back of each ear cup as we saw before. Again, these are broken lines, but the solid lines also show an evolution from the design we saw before. There are obvious tweaks to the outer ear cup shape.
The latest headphone patent from Sonos (left) shows a more refined design than an earlier USPTO filing (right).
Little is known about the Sonos headphones beyond the fact that they’re expected to cost the same as high-end competitors from Sony and Bose. It’s believed one of the headlining features will be a seamless handoff of music from the headphones to your Sonos audio system (and vice versa). But Sonos will likely need to deliver more than just that to sway consumers away from the market leaders and newer entrants like the Apple AirPods Max.
An adapter for earphones is also part of recent Sonos filings at the German Patent and Trademark Office. It’s not unusual for expensive headphones to offer replaceable ear cushions, so that could be what this is for. A USB-C port, various buttons, and a 3.5-millimeter cable input are also sketched out in the headphone drawings.
The German filing also shows drawings of an “adapter” for earphones.
Sonos CEO Patrick Spence confirmed during the company’s earnings call last week that the next Sonos product will be announced in March. That device could end up being a smaller portable speaker to complement the bulky Sonos Move. But during the call, Spence also confirmed that Sonos continues to aim to release “at least” two new products each year. The headphones could wind up being that second new offering for 2021 — assuming they don’t make a surprise appearance next month.
Fortnite’s violence-free mode, party royale, will soon be the home of a short film festival. Today, developer Epic announced “Short Nite,” which will feature multiple animated shorts, all broadcast on the virtual island’s big screen. The event will start on February 20th at 2PM ET, and Epic says the entire run will last around 30 minutes, though it will be rebroadcast for 24 hours, ending on February 21st at 2PM ET.
Here’s the list of movies you can expect:
Bench
Makin’ Moves
Rollin’ Wild
Car Park
Maestro
Oktapodi
A Single Life
Catastrophe
Commuter Glitch
Creature Comforts
Lynx & Birds
While this is the first Fortnite film festival, it’s far from the first time Epic has dabbled in experiences outside of gaming. In fact, party royale — a separate island where weapons aren’t allowed — was designed explicitly for this purpose.
Among other activities, it features a club and outdoor movie theater. Since the mode launched last April, it’s been used to host concerts from the likes of Anderson .Paak and Diplo, screen trailers and full-length movies, debut a BTS music video, and host important discussions. Epic even used the locale to reveal “Nineteen Eighty-Fortnite,” its animated short that helped kick off its ongoing feud with Apple.
Moon’s 680D network streamer couples refined sound quality and fine build with a generous features set
For
Refined, well-imaged presentation
Articulate and fluid midrange
Fine build and finish
Against
Needs more sonic punch
Bluetooth not aptX HD
If you’re the kind of person who judges hi-fi by its specifications, high-end network streamers present quite a problem. On paper, there’s usually little to separate them from those available at a fraction of their price. The mass-produced budget offerings often lead the way in cutting edge technology, thanks to economies of scale and the sheer buying power of the larger companies that invariably make them.
In order for smaller brands such as Moon to compete successfully, they have to look upmarket to price points where obsessive attention to engineering detail is valued and sound quality takes absolute priority.
Don’t take that to mean that this Moon 680D streamer is in any way a stripped-out purist affair. Music streamers from the likes of Linn and Naim have shown that it’s possible to have an extensive features set and still deliver great sound, and this Moon simply reinforces that.
Features
(Image credit: Moon)
You’ll find no shortage of connectivity here. There’s an impressive array of digital inputs taking in USB, AES/EBU, optical, and coax in both RCA and BNC forms. There are nine inputs in total, though number eight is reserved for the built-in streaming module and input nine is for aptX Bluetooth (though we would have hoped for aptX HD in a newly released product at this level).
Moon 680D tech specs
(Image credit: Moon)
AirPlay 2 Yes
Roon ready Yes
Inputs USB, AES/EBU, SPDIF, optical, ethernet, wi-fi, aptX Bluetooth
Frequency response 2Hz – 100kHz
Dimensions (hwd) 10 x 48 x 43cm
Weight 18kg
While Bluetooth invariably falls short of the hard-wired inputs in terms of performance, we’re still happy that Moon has chosen to include it. Such an input makes the 680D a more inclusive device, allowing a quick listen from a friend’s phone or to provide better sound reproduction from a YouTube video.
You can connect the 680D to your home network wirelessly, but we would recommend taking the wired ethernet route – not that there’s anything innately wrong with Moon’s wireless implementation, more that the cable approach is always the most stable way to go.
The analogue outputs are the usual sets of single-ended RCAs and balanced XLRs. In our set-up, which includes a Burmester 088/911 Mk3 amplifier, paired either to the ATC SCM50 or Wilson Benesch Precision P2.0 speakers, the Moon’s balanced outputs sound bolder and more dynamic. We use the Naim ND555/555PS DR music streamer as our digital source with an Apple MacBook Pro (loaded with Audirvana music-playing software and plenty of hi-res music) providing the USB signal and general back up.
Build
(Image credit: Moon)
Look inside the 680D and it’s hard not to be pleased by the build quality on offer. We’re impressed with the care taken over the circuit layout and power supply arrangement. The 680D uses Moon’s MHP (Moon Hybrid Power) power supply module, as used in the company’s even pricier, reference products.
The MHP module mixes both traditional linear and switch mode technologies to deliver a stable, low-noise and power-efficient energy feed to the signal circuitry. The digital and analogue sections are powered by separate outputs from the supply to avoid unwanted interactions and optimise performance.
Those wishing to boost performance further can add an outboard power supply unit in the form of Moon’s 820S, which at £7200 ($8000, AU$14,000) is a pricey upgrade and would almost double your outlay. We don’t have one on hand for our review, but we can’t help thinking that most potential buyers will think that a jump too far. That said, our experiences with Naim, Nagra and others have shown that such power supply upgrades invariably improve sound quality dramatically.
Each of the nine digital inputs feed into an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) that identifies the file type – whether that’s PCM, DSD or MQA – and re-clocks the signal accordingly. We have no complaints regarding the Moon’s file compatibility, which is up to 32-bit/384kHz PCM and DSD256 files and should, therefore, cover pretty much everyone’s music file collection.
The digital heart of the 680D is based around ESS Sabre’s ES9028PRO DAC chipset. The chip packs no fewer than eight DAC chips, configured so that four combine to create the signal for each channel. The output of each chip is carefully calibrated so that none of them are set to work at the same level. Doing this is claimed to reduce the effect of any distortion that may be common at any specific output level.
Great care has been taken with the digital clocking system, too. It is carefully positioned to minimise jitter effects and has a dedicated precision voltage regulator to ensure a stable power feed. Once the digital music stream is converted to analogue, it passes through a fully balanced output stage that, as expected, is packed with high-grade components.
Sound
(Image credit: Moon)
The Moon 680D sounds pretty good from cold but improves considerably over a few weeks of use. Given time, it becomes clearer and more transparent, gaining an appreciable amount of openness in the process.
We start with the digital inputs, which prove remarkably consistent. In our experience, many high-end companies struggle to make their USB inputs sound as good as the others. We suspect that has something to do with the fact that the USB receiver module tends to be a ready-made unit bought from third-party suppliers that may not match up to the standards of the rest of the DAC circuitry. We’re pleased to report that Moon avoids any such issues.
Regardless of the input chosen, the sonic signature is familiar enough. The company’s products have always been smooth and refined performers and this one is no different. It’s a friendly and accommodating balance – one that isn’t easily provoked by bright or aggressive recordings.
That doesn’t mean the 680D isn’t revealing – this is a wonderfully detailed-sounding product – but rather that its easy-going nature means it doesn’t tend to get ruffled easily. We play Hans Zimmer’s The Dark Knight Rises OST (24-bit/192kHz) and the Moon delivers a large-scale and sumptuous sound.
There’s also a trace of extra warmth to the sound compared with hard-line neutral alternatives, such as the pricier dCS Bartók. That warmth isn’t overdone; it simply adds an attractive bloom to the sound, making it less demanding to listen to over longer listening sessions.
Instrumental textures come through convincingly and it’s easy enough to follow subtle musical strands in the dense production. We’re pleased with the Moon’s composure when pushed hard, as well as its ability to organise all that information into a cohesive and musical whole.
It’s rare to hear a network streamer render such an expansive and layered soundstage while populating it with such tightly focused instruments. Everything stays stable even when the music becomes busy – which, as you’ll know if you’ve heard this recording, is saying something, as Zimmer doesn’t hold back on his trademark bombast.
(Image credit: Moon)
But here, the Moon starts to split opinion. While loving its civilised approach to music making, we can’t help but wish for more muscularity when it comes to expressing dynamic contrasts and punching out crescendos. It’s not that the Moon can’t do these things, more that it sounds a little restrained while doing them.
Restraint is something that shouldn’t suit Kanye West’s Yeezus, yet the Moon’s agility and articulation make listening to this album a pleasure. Sure, a little more directness and rhythmic drive would be nice, but there’s no denying that the Moon can entertain. It conveys the attitude of the music well and there’s never any doubt as to what West wants the listener to feel.
We switch to the onboard streaming module and find it to be a slick performer. There’s a dedicated app, and it works well. Moon has been making streaming products for a number of years now and that experience tells in the consistency and stability of operation.
Over our test period, everything operates as it should, without issue. Alongside the ability to stream music files from a NAS drive on your network, the app also provides access to Tidal Masters, Qobuz Sublime+ and Deezer Hi-Fi. The 680D is AirPlay 2 and Roon-ready too. There really is little to complain about on the features front here.
Sonically, the balance matches what we hear through the digital inputs. There’s the same grace under duress and the kind of sophisticated and cultured delivery that works well across a range of recordings and genres. It’s an engaging listen, though given the expectations of the price point we still have questions over its dynamic punch and ability to communicate the momentum in a piece of music. These shortcomings are more obvious here than when using other digital sources (bar through Bluetooth, of course).
Verdict
The streaming module is essentially the same as that used in the company’s Mind 2 network streamer, which is available for £1950 ($1950, AU$3199) and looks like a good performer for the money. Whether it’s a good enough source to make the most of such an ambitious DAC design is open to question.
Regardless, there’s no denying that the 680D remains a strong performer overall. It’s slick in use, nicely made and built with care. We have no complaints about file compatibility, and we’re huge fans of its refined and articulate sonic nature. At the very least it deserves a place on the shortlist.
Famous Danish manufacturer Copland has released a top-of-the-range integrated amplifier in its latest CSA series. The new CSA 150 is a hybrid design, using a double triode gain stage (6922) with MOS-FET buffering.
The solid-state bipolar output stage is rated with an output power of 150-watts per channel into 8Ω and 230-watts per channel into 4Ω.
Best stereo amplifiers 2021
(Image credit: Copland)
According to Aleksandar Maksimovic of Audio Magic, which distributes Copland in Australia the new amplifier will deliver higher power when reproducing music. “Under dynamic conditions the CSA 150’s current feedback power plant will deliver several times its rated power, more than enough to drive almost any loudspeaker,” he said.
The Copland CSA 150 has a built-in DAC that uses an ES9018 Reference 32-bit DAC to provide multiple S/PDIF inputs (one coaxial, two optical) plus a USB input and has both PCM and DSD capabilities. An optional aptX HD Bluetooth module can be fitted if wireless capability is required.
(Image credit: Copland)
For analogue use, the Copland CSA 150 has three unbalanced line inputs, two balanced line inputs and a phono input (MM). It also has a dedicated headphone output stage and balanced and unbalanced line-level outputs.
Copland rates the CSA 150 with a frequency response of 10Hz to 150kHz (–3dB) and a signal-to-noise ratio of ‘better than’ 90dB (IHF-A).
The Copland CSA 150 is available now, listed at AU$8400 in Australia. Pricing in other regions is yet to be confirmed, but this works out at roughly £4690 / $6530.
Google’s Pixel handsets are some of the best smartphones money can buy. And unlike most of their rivals, they don’t come with crazy price tags. The most recent in the range, the Pixel 5, costs just £599 ($699, AU$999), which is very good value for such a well-specced handset.
The Pixel 5 launched at the end of last year, but already rumours are rumbling of a successor. It leaked recently that Google plans to launch a foldable phone at some point in the near future – could that be the Pixel 6? Or a separate device altogether?
Below, we’ll attempt to answer that as well as many other questions about the Pixel 6, such as what kind of specs it’ll have, how much it’ll cost and when it will launch. So let’s dive in and see what Google has in store.
Google Pixel 6: release date and price
It’s early days for the Pixel 6 – the Pixel 5 is only four months old, so we’re not expecting an official announcement until much later in the year. The firm always announces its Pixel phones in late September or early October, and we would expect this year to be no different. A launch then makes sense, allowing the phone to land on shop shelves just in time for the busy Christmas period.
Don’t believe us? Just look at the dates of Google’s past Pixel announcements.
Google Pixel: 4th October 2016
Google Pixel 2: 4th October 2017
Google Pixel 3: 9th October 2018
Google Pixel 4: 15th October 2019
Google Pixel 5: 30th September 2020
So the smart money is on a launch event taking place at the end of September or beginning of October.
The price is harder to pinpoint. Google positioned the Pixel 5 as a much more affordable handset, giving it a price tag of just £599 ($699, AU$999). A similar pricing strategy was also adopted by Samsung for the Galaxy S21, which costs £769 ($799, AU$1249). So can we expect the Pixel 6 to follow suit?
Maybe, but it’s far from a dead cert. Google usually sells a bigger, higher-specced and more expensive variant of its Pixel phones. The most recent, the Pixel 4XL, costs £829 ($899, AU$1280). But the Pixel 5 was the first to not to be joined by an XL version. Google could keep to this strategy, and re-position the Pixel range as solely a mid-range proposition. Or it could enlarge the size of the standard Pixel and up the price. Or, of course, it could launch a Pixel 6 XL and keep the standard Pixel 6 as more affordable.
It all depends on what else Google has planned for this year. If it does launch a foldable phone – said to be codenamed “Passport” – it will undoubtedly have a higher price tag, which would legitimise keeping the Pixel 6 as a mid-range affair. But if the folding phone is pushed back to 2022 or beyond, Google could well spec out the next Pixel and charge more for it.
It also depends on Google’s strategy for pricing the Pixel 5 lower in the first place. Did it foresee the economic fallout from the global pandemic and reckon that people would be less willing (or less able) to spend big on a smartphone? Or did it admit to itself that it couldn’t challenge Apple and Samsung’s dominance in the high end and decide to make a play for the middle market instead? How it positions the Pixel 6 might reveal a lot about its market strategy for the future.
Google Pixel 6: specs
(Image credit: Google)
The specs are a little tricky to call at this early stage, mainly because no leaks have revealed specs for the handset yet. But using our industry knowledge we can make some educated guesses.
For starters, Qualcomm recently launched its latest chipset, the Snapdragon 888. If Google wants to trick out the Pixel 6 with the best possible performance, it’ll likely opt for Qulcomm’s latest. But if it wants to keep it a mid-range device, it might use a less powerful processor, something like the successor to the 765G. This hasn’t actually been announced yet, but is widely expected to be called the 775G.
There’s also a rumour that Google is partnering with Samsung to develop its own range of chips. So there is a chance that the Pixel 6 could be powered by the first ever Google-made mobile chipset.
Even if Google does go the lower-specced route, we can still expect the handset to be 5G. The technology is becoming more and more common, and if Google hopes to convince people to buy and use its phone for years to come, 5G will be a necessity, even for a (relatively) more affordable handset.
Next up is the screen. High refresh rate displays are becoming all the rage with Android phones – and not just at the high end of the market. Indeed, Samsung is putting the tech into its mid-range phones. So we can probably expect the Pixel 6 to have either a 90Hz or 120Hz panel.
These refresh rates are better for rendering fast-moving content such as sports and games, meaning less blur.
At the moment, there are precious few leaks to go on in terms of hard specs, but we’re currently expecting the Pixel 6 to have same 6-inch screen size as the Pixel 5, with the same resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels.
Battery-wise, we’re expecting at least 4000mAh, matching the Pixel 5, and possibly more if Google opts for a bigger screen or more power-hungry processor.
Google Pixel 6: cameras
(Image credit: Patently Apple)
The cameras have always been one of the Pixel range’s highlights. Indeed, we called the Pixel 5’s snapper a “class-leading camera”. So what can we expect from the Pixel 6?
We could see the return of the telephoto lens previously featured in the Pixel 4. This was dropped for the Pixel 5, but could make a welcome comeback, either as a replacement to the ultra wide lens, or as a third camera in the rear array.
We could also see some exciting tech in the front-facing camera. Namely, it could be built under the screen itself. This isn’t just hearsay – Google has patented the tech (via Patently Apple). An under-screen camera would mean no unsightly notch or ‘pinhole’ obscuring the display. Not only would the handset look much sleeker, it would also enhance our enjoyment of films, TV shows and games.
Google wouldn’t be the first with this tech – it’s already been seen in the ZTE Axon 20 5G. And just because Google has patented it, that doesn’t mean it will implement it in the Pixel 6. But it certainly makes it a possibility…
Google Pixel 6: design
Google couldn’t be accused of being stuck in its ways when it comes to its phone designs. The Pixel 5 features an aluminium body covered by a thin skin of bio-resin plastic to enable wireless charging. It won plaudits for its simple but stylish look, so we have no reason to think Google won’t stick with a similar design for the Pixel 6.
Google Pixel 6: verdict
Too much about the Pixel 6 remains unknown to make any kind of judgement right now. That’s not exactly surprising, seeing as we’re a good eight months away from its launch. But if Google’s previous efforts are anything to go by, and judging by the prevailing standards of the current Android competition, it will definitely be one to watch in the run-up to its launch this autumn.
MORE:
Read the full Google Pixel 5 review
Check out the competition: Best Android phones for all budgets
OS agnostic? These are the best smartphones for music and movies
You’ll struggle to find a pair of speakers as easy to accommodate as the Amphion Argon1 at this price, and that is reason enough to celebrate
For
Fast and clean presentation
Well balanced
Versatile with placement
Against
Not expert timing
Dynamics lack some punch
Tough competition
A great-sounding pair of speakers is one thing – and the Amphion Argon1 certainly fit into that category – but what’s more impressive is when you can hear a company’s values with every note that is played.
In Amphion’s case, the Finnish manufacturer’s ambitious aim of creating versatile speakers that will pair with almost anything, and that you don’t have to rearrange the house to make sound good, is clearly evident. At this price, that skillset is rather hard to come by.
It has been more than a decade since we last tested a pair of Amphion speakers, and it’s fair to say we weren’t overly enamoured back then. That these diminutive gems are worthy of recommendation is even more welcome.
Build and compatibility
(Image credit: Amphion)
You may have heard of the Argon1 before – Amphion has been building these speakers for a significant portion of its 20-odd year history. We’re certainly not the first people to be won over by their form.
Amphion Argon1 tech specs
(Image credit: Amphion)
Type Two-way, vented
Drivers 2.5cm tweeter, 13cm woofer
Sensitivity 86dB
Frequency response 45Hz – 25,000kHz
Dimensions (hwd) 31.6 x 16 x 26.5cm
Weight 8kg
At around 32cm tall and 27cm deep, they’re the second smallest offering in Amphion’s bookshelf range, after the tiny Argon0, and are dwarfed by competitors such as the KEF R3. Though we wouldn’t recommend taking that bookshelf moniker seriously, it means the Argon1 will fit in pretty much any room – something you couldn’t say about their KEF rivals.
They aren’t built to sound small, however. Amphion promises reference-quality midrange and deep bass from the Argon1’s 13cm aluminium-coned driver, which sits below a 25mm titanium dome tweeter. The tweeter sits in a deeply dished faceplate that aims to produce a degree of horn-loading and controls the unit’s dispersion characteristics.
While the metal speaker grilles can be removed each time you want to play music, they actually aid dispersion rather than hamper it – as most removable covers do if left on during playback. It all contributes to these speakers’ accommodating character, catering for plug-in-and-play, place it anywhere listening.
And that’s how it transpires. Placing the Argon1 with their back right up against the wall returns a bit more bass weight than having them out into the room, but in the latter position, the sound isn’t weakened at all. The character remains wherever you put them; it’s not often a speaker can promise that and actually deliver when tested.
Sound
(Image credit: Amphion)
That’s even better news when you consider that body and balance are major fortes of these truly likeable standmounters. The pursuit of such likeability can often lead to a roll-off of potentially tricky or easily provoked frequencies, but Amphion is confident in its ability to deliver treble and bass that is equally rich and detailed as the midrange.
There is a fullness to that midrange you might not readily associate with smaller speakers, best demonstrated by the lavish vocal lines that still have enough texture to remind us these are speakers with a four-figure price tag.
Don’t fret when you see Amphion boasting about these speakers’ bass response either; there is plenty of weight here, but they don’t sacrifice that mature balance trying to sound bigger than they are. Most importantly the low end is fast and detailed, leaving you the option to pair with a subwoofer if you crave more muscle, but by no means making that a necessity.
That is all complemented by a really strong sense of focus. While relatively mellow in character, the Argon1 have decent stereo imaging, which pans various instruments while placing melodies front and centre.
The problem is that the Argon1 come up against some incredibly tough competition. They are clean and fast, but in terms of detail, they struggle to lay a glove on the class-leading speakers around this price, including the KEF R3 and even more insightful KEF LS50 Meta.
(Image credit: Amphion)
Pitting the Argon1 against the R3 might not be an entirely fair fight – those who can accommodate the latter probably won’t be auditioning these Amphions. The LS50 Meta are a generally manageable size and also a few hundred pounds cheaper.
It makes us feel less demanding for wanting more of the KEFs’ strict timing and punchy dynamics from the Amphions. The Argon1 are not void of expression, nor would we call them boring, but they often fail to grab us when the music demands it. That also means that it’s important not to pair them with anything slovenly or apathetic.
But these are gripes only when you consider that the competition is stiffer than ever at this price point – and there is no pair of speakers that can claim to be perfect.
Verdict
In terms of a pair of bookshelf speakers that it’s possible to place anywhere, and pair with pretty much anything, you’ll struggle to find many more versatile than the Amphion Argon1. Added to a maturity that’s consistent with their four-figure tag, and we’re sure these standmounters will find many grateful owners.
(Pocket-lint) – Performing intervals during workouts are grueling enough without worrying about counting yourself up or down, which is why dedicated gym timers are an essential item for home gyms.
Having a clock on your wall provide time alerts can really help you focus on blasting out those final few reps, with most modern wall options able to be programmed for your specific session through remote control or a smartphone app.
If you prefer to keep things old-school, there are also more classic stopwatch-style or even sand timers to explore, too. Really, it’s all about what your setup requires and what fits your budget.
So, in order to help you level up and do away with the timer app on your phone, we’ve compiled some of the very best gym timers to center your workouts around. Time to explore.
Best gym timers you can buy today
Synergee
Synergee Interval Gym Timer
squirrel_widget_4148120
Synergee’s wall-mounted gym timer is one of many LED, rectangular options you’ll discover when perusing this area, but it’s important to know that some are more functional than others.
Thankfully, this is a great option to consider for those who need the ability to tweak for HIIT and EMOM workouts. With the included remote, users can customize the number of intervals and the time of each round down to the second, with reminders and counting up or down also available.
For what it’s worth, it’s also a very clear display – and the unit itself is available in a number of different sizes, making it easy to match to your space.
GymNext
GymNext Flex Timer
squirrel_widget_4154999
GymNext’s Flex Timer is the option to zero in on if you want to easily control your device from a smartphone or tablet.
The 2.3-inch display offers a really clear look at the timer function you’ve set, and you can even sync it up with your music and have the external speakers fade towards the end of each round.
Naturally, those speakers can also give you a buzz at the end of each interval, with the format for your sessions able to saved through the app.
Gymboss
Gymboss Interval Timer and Stopwatch
squirrel_widget_4148096
If you’re less interested in mounting something to your wall, this tiny Gymboss timer is a great alternative.
Able to keep track of intervals ranging between 2 seconds and 99 minutes, and repeat up to 99 in total, there’s no compromise in timer functionality here.
Really, this is the pick for those who like to have the time clipped onto their waist as they work out. With chimes and vibrations able to bet set for countdowns, as well as a stopwatch and clock view, it’s simple but does everything most users need.
BTBSIGN
BTBSIGN LED Gym Timer
squirrel_widget_3692676
For those who want a medium-sized timer for their home gym, BTBSIGN’s pick is a great option to consider.
The 10.98 x 3.58 x 1.61-inch unit is able to give you 12-hour or 24-hour time, count-ups or countdowns and custom intervals that you can easily return to. Plus, the remote even has pre-programmed options for Tabata and FGB CrossFit workouts.
Like all good timers, you can receive buzzes and beeps to signal new intervals or countdowns, too.
Seesii
Seesii Interval Timer
squirrel_widget_4148144
Seesii’s gym timer is another that won’t take up an entire wall, making it a neat wall-mounted option for home gyms.
The overall dimensions rest at 11 x 4 x 1.5-inches, with plenty of the typical functionality you would expect from a gym timer. Through the remote, users can set custom intervals, set countdown or count-up times or have it act as a stopwatch. Up to 10 pre-set interval sessions can be saved, too, meaning you won’t have to go through setup every time.
What’s more, for those who want to train outside, hooking up a power bank via the USB slot will allow you to time yourself in the great outdoors.
Seiko
Seiko QHL062Y
squirrel_widget_4155014
If you require a tiny gym timer with a bit of character, look no further than Seiko’s QHL062Y – modeled on the brand’s iconic clocks that sit on the edge of the running track.
Instead of logging you smashing world records, this dinky timer can instead be used to provide a stopwatch or countdown timer during your workouts.
We wouldn’t say it’s the most advanced option on this list, but it’s certainly got the most retro charm – and it’s a really great pick for casual use.
Comsmart
Comsmart Sand Timer
squirrel_widget_4155015
There are undoubtedly more advanced options on this list, but, sometimes, the old ways are still the best for some.
So, if you’re the type to record your personal bests and reps with a notebook and pen, you might also enjoy timing your intervals with sand.
There are six pieces in this affordable and old-school set – giving you options for countdowns of one minute, three minutes, five minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes or a half-hour.
Whether you’re building a game that beeps when you lose a turn, an alarm clock that wakes you up or just a cute display that plays 8-bit music, a low-cost piezo buzzer can be a great part of your Raspberry Pi Pico project. The extremely-cheap buzzers — you can often find them for less than $1 apiece — are dead-simple to program in MicroPython and can even vary the frequency to produce musical notes.
There are two types of piezo buzzers: active and passive. Active buzzers will make noise if they are just hooked up to power with no microcontroller involved while passive ones will not. Passive buzzers are preferred for this kind of project because they offer a better range of sounds, though in our testing, both worked.
Below, we’ll show you how to wire the Raspberry Pi Pico to a piezo buzzer and program it in MicroPython to play a short tune.
Here’s what you need
Raspberry Pi Pico: See our article on how to set up Raspberry Pi Pico.
Passive Piezo Buzzer: We used these, but any will do. An active buzzer may also work.
Two jumper wires: We used female-to-female jumpers, but if you are also using a breadboard, you’ll need male-to-male jumpers.
Wiring a Buzzer to Raspberry Pi Pico
This couldn’t be simpler. You connect the ground pin on the buzzer to a GND pin on the Pico and the positive buzzer pin to a standard GPIO pin on the pico, in our case GP15. Our passive buzzer didn’t have negative or positive labels on its pins and worked with either one plugged into either Pico pin.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Programming the Buzzer
1. Start by importing Pin and PWM from the machine library and sleep from the utime library.
from machine import Pin, PWM
from utime import sleep
2. Initialize PWM (aka pulse width modulation) on Pin 15 and assign it to the variable buzzer.
buzzer = PWM(Pin(15))
3. Assign a freq property to buzzer. You must choose a number that ranges between 10 and 12,000. The higher the number, the higher pitched the sound. Let’s try 500.
buzzer.freq(500)
4. Set the duty_u16 property of the buzzer object to 1000. This makes the buzzer as loud as it can be. A lower value is quieter and 0 is no sound at all. Considering how quiet these buzzers are, maximum volume isn’t very loud at all.
buzzer.duty_u16(1000)
5. Set a 1 second delay and then set duty to 0 so that the sound stops. If you don’t do this, the buzz will continue, even after the program is finished executing.
sleep(1)
buzzer.duty_u16(0)
Your final code for this simple test should look like this.
from machine import Pin, PWM
from utime import sleep
buzzer = PWM(Pin(15))
buzzer.freq(500)
buzzer.duty_u16(1000)
sleep(1)
buzzer.duty_u16(0)
Playing Music with a Buzzer on Raspberry Pi Pico
Because you can use different frequencies, you can create a full array of musical notes. There are a few lists of musical note frequencies online and many of them trace back to Brett Hagman’s Arduino tone library on Github. We’ll use these values to create a list we can use to play any song early in our code.
1. Import the necessary libraries and initialize PWM on pin 15.
from machine import Pin, PWM
from utime import sleep
buzzer = PWM(Pin(15))
2. Create a dictionary called notes with the following values.
5. Create a function called bequiet that will silence the buzzer by change duty_u16 to 0.
def bequiet():
buzzer.duty_u16(0)
6. Create a function called playsong that you will use to iterate through the array of notes and play each or pause when it sees P.
def playsong(mysong):
for i in range(len(mysong)):
if (mysong[i] == "P"):
bequiet()
else:
playtone(tones[mysong[i]])
sleep(0.3)
bequiet()
Here’s what’s going on here. First, we create a for loop that iterates through all the values in the mysong array. If the value is equal to P, it triggers be quiet and, if not, it triggers playtone. Note that playtone requires a numeric frequency value so we have to get the number for each note from the tones list. If we just playtone(mysong[i]), it will fail because it will try to play the string “E5,” instead of frequency 659, which is the integer it needs.
For each tone or pause, the system maintains state for 0.3 seconds of sleep. If you want a faster tempo, you can lower that time. If you want a slower tempo, increase it.
7. Trigger the playsong function with the song parameter.
playsong(song)
When you run this code, you will hear your buzzer play a familiar melody. Here’s what the complete code should look like:
If you like the look of the Samsung Galaxy S21 but think the price is a bit steep, you could be in for some good news. Samsung is reportedly working on a cheaper model of the handset, to be known as the S21 FE (Fan Edition).
That’s according to SamMobile‘s sources. Seeing as Samsung made a less expensive version of the S20 known as the S20 FE, the rumour sounds solid to us.
So what can we expect from the S21 FE? Here the sources go a bit quiet. But it’s reasonable to assume similar specs to those of the Galaxy S21. It will have 5G, plus 128GB and 256GB storage options, Android 11, and a choice of four finishes: grey/silver, pink, violet, and white. But that’s all we know for now.
Could it also come with a microSD card slot, which was missing from the S21 range? Quite possibly, according to the rumours.
And the launch date? It’s not expected until the second half of this year. The S20 FE launched last September, so chances are Samsung will stick to that release schedule.
As for the price, the S21 came in cheaper than the S20, so an even lower price tag for the S21 FE starts to look like a bargain.
MORE:
Read the full Samsung Galaxy S21 review
These are the best Android phones going
And these are the best smartphones for music and movies
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While many of us moved to home offices when companies sought to avoid COVID-19 infection, for some people, working at home is the norm. One of those people is Sam Byford, Asia editor for The Verge, who works out of a home office in Tokyo, Japan.
We talked to Sam to find out how he has equipped his own home office and to see whether it matters these days if your remote desk is five miles away or about 6,700 miles away from your organization’s main office.
Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do at The Verge.
I’m from the UK, and I’ve been based in Japan since 2008 — first in Osaka, now in Tokyo, where I live with my wife and our dog and our bunny. I came on board The Verge just as the site launched in 2011.
I am now The Verge’s Asia editor, which means two things really. I handle much of our Asia-specific coverage, of course, but I’m also an editor who happens to be in Asia, which is helpful from a time zone perspective. If critical news breaks after the US signs off and before Europe wakes up, or if someone needs an edit on a piece that we’re timing for the morning in the US, that’s often me.
That’s a great space you have. Was that an existing setup, or did you put it together once you knew you’d be working at home?
I’ve been working from home for as long as I’ve been with The Verge, but this is still quite a new setup. My wife and I moved into a bigger place at the end of last year, and it turned out to be good timing since we now both have our own offices and are both at home all day. I didn’t bring any furniture in the move and essentially started from scratch.
The “gaming” desk is on the left; the “working” desk is on the right.
I didn’t expect to see two desks! It looks like one is for gaming and the other for working.
That is exactly what they’re for! In our last place, I had a giant integrated setup on a single L-shaped glass desk. But I found it impossible to keep things organized, and I never really felt like I was off work. With this room, I decided to abandon the idea of coherent, tasteful interior design and went for an unassuming wooden desk for my Mac with an ostentatious gaming setup on the left.
Tell me about the desks themselves. Where did you get them, and how did you decide which ones to get?
They’re both from Rakuten, which often has a bunch of third-party sellers offering near-identical products of unclear origin. The wooden one is simple, but it has convenient storage and a shelf to raise the monitors. The gaming desk came from a seller called PandaTech, and it has RGB lighting, a cup holder, cable management, a USB hub, a controller rack, a headphone hanger, and a fitted mouse mat. I’m not usually into the RGB-heavy gamer aesthetic, but I thought it’d be fun to lean into it as a way to create distinct spaces in the same room.
Did you choose your chair especially, or is that just something you had available?
It’s a Herman Miller Sayl, which is a common chair — Vox Media’s NYC office has hundreds of them. I bought one without arms, though, because it works a little better for my posture. I’m tall, and it’s hard to find chairs that don’t encourage me to slouch. Also, I like the red.
This is obviously going to take a while, but could you tell me about your tech setup?
*deep breath* Okay, so my main work machine is a 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro. I basically never use it as a laptop unless I’m going to trade shows, which, for obvious reasons, I haven’t done since CES 2020, so I like this Brydge vertical dock that turns it into a skinny desktop computer and saves a ton of space. I go through quite a lot of mechanical keyboards, but right now, I’m using a Keychron K2, which is working out great. It’s comfortable to type on, looks good, and works seamlessly with macOS.
The MacBook is hooked up to two LG UltraFine 4K monitors, the discontinued 21-inch model and the current 24 inch. Below them, there’s an Apple HomePod for music and Mac audio, and next to that is one of three original Google Wifi routers we have around the apartment. The camera is a Nikon Df, which I use for most of my personal photography, and I also keep my Nintendo Switch Lite charging on this desk. There are a bunch of dongles, power cables, and wireless chargers in easy reach, plus my two current personal phones: an iPhone SE and a Pixel 4A.
My gaming PC lives under the other desk, and it’s a custom build from 2016. The monitor is an Asus PG279Q, and the speakers are Harman Kardon Soundsticks, which are also hooked up to my Sony record player across the room over Bluetooth. (I’m not an analog purist.) There’s an Oculus Quest VR headset, a Thrustmaster Airbus flight stick, and a Neo Geo Arcade Pro fight stick. There is a dedicated button on my gaming desk to cycle through the colored lighting.
And the Google Nest Hub?
The Google Nest Hub is a recent addition that I got for two specific reasons: to control my Hue smart lights and to keep an eye on Pascal, our unhinged Shiba puppy who spends most of the day upstairs and occasionally tries to destroy our living room. I have a cheap TP-Link Kasa camera hooked up, which does the job.
That’s a great toy collection. Do you have any favorites?
I would say the cacti, which come from an amazing cactus-themed zoo (yes) near Mt. Fuji that my wife and I went to this summer. You can pick the cacti yourself and choose the pots to plant them in, and I like bears and dinosaurs, so.
Cacti, bears, and dinosaurs.
Okay, I need to know about those polar bear basketball players hanging around your computer.
The bear is, for reasons I’m not sure I understand, the mascot character of a Japanese cosmetics brand called Smelly. There’s a store in Harajuku with a gacha machine featuring it in various poses, and I liked the basketball one, so I gave it a shot. Thankfully, it came out quickly.
Do you do game playing on both desks? (I see controllers on the right-hand desk.)
Not unless it’s work-related. The Switch just lives there on its charging dock, and those little handheld consoles are Game Gear Micros that I was in the process of reviewing. There aren’t really any situations where I’d play a game on a Mac when there’s a PC right next to it.
How do you keep the world out while you’re working — or do you need to?
I get locked in pretty easily. The outside light is super bright in the mornings here, even on cloudy days, so I just close the curtains for a few hours and settle in. We live in a mostly quiet neighborhood, so the biggest distraction is our dog, really.
I see you like basketball. (That may be putting it mildly.) Is there anything special about that poster?
My Torontonian wife got me into the Toronto Raptors soon after we met, and now I’m a big fan. This is a print of Kawhi Leonard scoring his iconic Game 7 buzzer-beater over the Sixers to send the Raptors to last year’s Eastern Conference finals on their way to the NBA championship. It’s a great, inspiring image that has taken on new meaning after Kawhi bounced to LA only to see his Clippers collapse embarrassingly in the playoffs this year. I should maybe get it framed or something, but honestly, I kind of like just having sports posters on my wall.
The Toronto Raptors and an OK Computer CD cover.
How about the small print on your wall?
That’s an OK Computer CD cover signed by Thom Yorke from Radiohead. My dad used to be an obsessive autograph hunter, and back when I lived in the UK, we’d often go to gigs together, and he’d wait around for hours afterward to get things signed. Radiohead was one of my favorite bands as a kid, so it’s a neat thing to have that reminds me of home.
Is there anything you’d like to change about or add to the current setup?
I’m mostly good, but I don’t think my gaming PC is going to last very long once next-generation consoles with much better CPUs are on the market. So I’ll probably be looking to rebuild in a year or so. I would also love for Apple to make a version of its 6K pro monitor that doesn’t cost $6,000.
Also, I recently bought Belkin’s ridiculously named Boost↑Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charger with MagSafe. Charging Apple devices has gotten more complicated recently, at least for me. Now that the Apple Watch tracks sleep, I’ve been charging it with a messy cable at my desk for an hour or so when I start the day instead of overnight. And the iPhone 12 mini turns out to be too small for most stands — the charging coil isn’t high enough on the back of the phone. Belkin’s new charger solves both of those problems.
Update February 11th, 2021, 5:15PM ET: This article was originally published on October 21st, 2020. Several links and prices have been updated, and the Belkin Wireless Charger has been added.
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