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A few months ago, we heard rumors of Ikea launching their own smart plug under their existing Tradfri smarthome product line. It’s now available in Ikea stores and online, but you probably shouldn’t buy it for a number of reasons.
Sight unseen, $10 for a smart plug sounds like an amazing deal. After all, the next cheapest smart plugs worth buying are usually only $16-$18, and that’s during a really great sale. However, there are a lot of caveats with this Ikea Tradfri smart plug, unfortunately.
For starters, you need the Tradfri gateway in order to connect the smart plug to your network, since it uses ZigBee rather than just straight-up Wi-Fi. It’s possible that it could connect to any ZigBee hub, like the Echo Plus, but that’s not officially known at the moment.
The Tradfri smart plug is expected to work with Apple’s HomeKit platform at some point in the future, so that’s definitely a plus, but there’s no word on whether or not it will work with Alexa or Google Assistant, which would be a huge downer if it didn’t work with voice platforms. However, existing Tradfri products do with Alexa and Google Assistant, but the smart plug itself is unknown.
In any case, rather than getting the Tradfri smart plug, it’s probably better to spend a bit more cash and get a Wi-Fi smart plug instead, like TP-Link’s Kasa smart plug, which can be had for $18. It’ll do pretty much anything you want it to, and it doesn’t require a separate hub or gateway.
However, if you already have a Tradfri gateway and use Tradfri products anyways, the Tradfri smart plug actually may not be a terrible bet, especially for such a low cost.
Source: Ikea via Pocket-Lint
We all enjoy and deserve a good night’s sleep, but to get that, you need the right environment. A key part of that is a set of good sheets. Here are our top picks for every preferance.
You’re probably wondering just how you can figure out the best type of sheets. There are two key things to take into consideration—the fabric used and thread count.
Fabric is the material like wool, cotton, silk, flannel, and so forth. Each of them feels a little different, as you’ll have noticed with the clothes you wear. Cotton sheets are the most common type out there, as they’re considered good for heat regulation as well as easy laundry care. Not all cotton is the same though. The longer the cotton fibers, the more soft and durable the fabric becomes. That’s why sheets like Egyptian cotton and Percale are so poplar.
Thread count relates to the number of parallel threads in a square inch of fabric. A higher thread count typically means it’s softer and more durable. For you, that means a thread count of 200 is fine but a thread count of 400 is notably softer.
There’s a catch though. Some manufacturers advertise a thread count far higher than that and sometimes into the thousands. How can that many threads fit into a single inch? Well, they can’t. Some manufacturers count not just each thread but each fiber that makes up each thread. A single thread can be four fibers twisted together with one company calling it one thread while another calls it four. Suddenly, buying the highest thread count isn’t so easy after all.
Fortunately, we’ve done your research for you. The sheets here are all good quality and sure to make your bed feel so much cosier. Here are the best sheets for a great night’s sleep.
Percale cotton is known for its crispness and durability. That might not sound instantly comfortable but it continues to soften after each wash, taking the edge off its initial stiffness.
Packing cubes may seem like a redundant addition to your suitcase or carry-on bag, but they’re actually fantastic tools for organizing and economizing your luggage. Why not make travel easier with an affordable set of packing cubes?
Whether you’re a travel novice or expert, packing cubes are great for making the most of your luggage. A good set of packing cubes can help you separate and organize your clothes for a trip, all while reducing wrinkles and making unpacking extra easy. Not to mention, packing cubes help to economize space, so you can fit an extra jacket or pair of jeans in your carry-on bag. You can even combine packing cubes with a vacuum bag, if you’re packing for an extended stay away from home.
There are a lot of options in the world of packing cubes, so finding a set that’s right for you can feel a little daunting. That’s why we’ve found the best packing cube sets at every price point and highlighted their best features (and shortcomings).
Yes, the Bagsmart 6-cube set looks more like a bunch of lunchboxes than a set of packing cubes. But that lunchbox aesthetic is actually a sign of quality and durability. The thick plastic lining of the Bagsmart packing cubes ensure that your clothes will remain dry and wrinkle-free. Plus, the Bagsmart cubes are durable enough to survive years of flights or any other form of abuse.
The largest cube in the Bagsmart set is 13.8″ x 13.8″, and the smallest cubes are 6.9″ x 6.9″. All of the Bagsmart cubes are about 3.5″ deep, which is actually perfect for large bags or carry-on suitcases. Although the tops of the bags are made of a thick plastic, their sides are actually a flexible mesh. It’s easy to see what’s in each bag, but you have to take them out of your suitcase first, which is good for privacy but also mildly inconvenient. All of the Bagsmart cubes have handles, which makes them great for hauling or hanging.
Again, these packing cubes are worth the money. They can hold a lot of clothes, they’ll keep your things from getting wrinkled, and they can handle the mistreatment that all luggage inevitably experiences. But you may want to consider a less expensive or smaller set if you travel infrequently.
The Shacke Pak 4-cube set is a great, mid-range packing cube set with tons of space and durability. It can hold a ton of items, even though it only comes with four cubes. The largest cube in the Shacke Pak set is 17.5″ – 12.75″, and the smallest cube is 11″ – 6.75″. All of these cubes are 4″ deep, which is more than enough space for all of your bulky sweaters and jeans. They all have little mesh windows, so that you can see what’s in each cube at a glance. And the Shacke Pak even comes with a travel hamper, which is a better place for your dirty clothes than the floor of a guest room or hotel room.
The Files app, added in iOS 11, supports zip files. You can open them, see their contents, and extract files without any third-party apps. You’ll still need an app from the App Store if you want to create zip files.
When you download a zip file in Safari, your iPhone or iPad will offer to open it in the Files app. Tap “Open in Files” to do so. You can also save zip files to the Files app from other applications.
You’ll be prompted to choose a location for the zip file. You’re saving a copy of the zip file to this location.
Select a location—like your iCloud Drive or a folder on your iPhone—and tap “Add.”
Tap the zip file in your Files app to open it.
Every iPhone has a SIM card slot on its right side. That slot houses a tray that holds your iPhone’s SIM card. That SIM card lets your phone connect to your carrier so that you can make and get mobile data.
You might never need to access your SIM card if you bought your iPhone with one pre-installed from the carrier. However, if you buy a phone unlocked and SIM-free, or are buying used, you’re going to need to be familiar with what a SIM card is, and how to swap one out.
Thankfully, accessing an iPhone’s SIM card tray is not complicated, but you will need three things before you get started.
That final one can be a little tricky. Depending on which iPhone you have, there might be a SIM card removal tool in the box. If there is, you’re good to go. If not, they’re stupid-cheap on Amazon, but you can also use an unfurled paperclip, a needle, or pretty much anything else that is slim and pointy. Just try not to stab yourself as you go.
Once you have your SIM card removal tool (or a proxy), poke it into the small hole that forms part of the SIM tray. You should feel some resistance, and you need to push through that a little. If this is your first time doing this, it might feel a little odd, but you do need to exert a bit of force to get the tray out. Once you do that, the tray will start to eject, and all you need to at that point is pull it the rest of the way out.
Once the tray is out, remove any pre-existing SIM card and install the new one. Ensure that you have it the correct way around using the notched corners as a guide. Once the card is installed in the tray, re-insert the whole thing into your iPhone, ensuring the pin hole lines up with the hole in the phone as you do.
Android Auto probably gets my vote for the best Android tool that often gets overlooked, and Google just announced some nifty features to make it even better—especially if you have a dedicated head unit for Auto in your car.
For starters, Auto will soon be able to offer up message preview when your vehicle isn’t moving. This way, you can quickly see what a message is without having to have it read aloud but it still continues to prevent distractions while you’re driving.
I already know what you’re thinking here: but I don’t want everyone else in the car seeing my messages! I’m with you on that—and this feature can be disabled. Phew.
What’s even better, however, is the improved media options. Google Play Music, Play Books, iHeartRadio, Pocket Casts, and Spotify will all benefit from larger album art and a more intuitive, touch-friendly layout when looking for something to listen to.
Search results when using your voice are also getting improvements. Currently, when you tell Google Assistant to play music, it just starts playing whatever you requested; for example, “Play Whiskey Myers” will simply shuffle all Whiskey Myers songs (which isn’t a bad thing—they don’t have a bad song).
With the new update, however, when you search for something, it will offer curated search results with that artist, genre, or album. That’s so much better.
In 2002, Nintendo released the WaveBird controller for the GameCube. It was the first truly great wireless controller: functionally identical to the standard pad (sans vibration), with super-fast performance and long battery life. Now you can relive the joy of that on the Switch.
Every major home console since, from Nintendo and its competitors, has included wireless controller functionality built-in. It’s now the standard: wired pads are relegated to bargain bins and a few models made for die-hard purists afraid of a millisecond or two of wireless latency.
So it’s strange that, with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for the Switch coming out in a few days and Smash fans desperate to use the familiar, comfy GameCube controller layout, Nintendo hasn’t made any WaveBird controllers in over fifteen years.
You can play Smash with a wired GameCube controller—in fact, you’ve been able to more or less continuously for all of that time—but if you want that experience without wires, you have to track down an ancient, original WaveBird. And it’s not going to do you any good if you want to play other Switch games on it.
PowerA, makers of the MOGA mobile controllers and various other gaming accessories, is here to fill that gap. The company’s new Wireless GameCube Controller features the classic layout that Smash players crave, with the Bluetooth connection and extra face buttons the Switch needs. It also has a second “Z” button (called L1 on more conventional layouts) and a “clickable” thumbstick and C-stick, covering all of the same control inputs as the Switch’s Joy-Con and Pro controllers. It’s the WaveBird come back to life, and it’ll work with all of your other Switch games, too.
In eager anticipation of Smash Bros. Ultimate, I picked up the PowerA controller at GameStop. You might need to do something similar: it’s sold out online, and scalpers are offering it at ridiculous markups over the $50 retail price. (Seriously. On Amazon it’s currently on a 1-2 month backorder.) See, Nintendo? There’s a market for this thing!
The PowerA controller apes the GameCube layout almost exactly. This isn’t the typical third-party imitation, the perennial “little brother’s controller” bought because it was half the price of the Nintendo option. You could tell me that this was an official Nintendo product, and I’d be prepared to believe it.
The next version of Windows 10 is codenamed 19H1 and expected for release around April 2019. In 19H1, Windows Update now displays an icon in your notification area when you have to reboot your PC for updates.
This new icon was highlighted by Microsoft in a blog post announcing Windows Insider build 18290:
Starting with 19H1, when your device has an update requiring reboot (including new builds we release) you will see Windows Update icon with orange indicator in the notification area (system tray) alerting you to restart your device.
Some people may not like the extra clutter, we think this is a great idea. It’s a more unobtrusive way to highlight updates than a big “You need to restart your PC” message that interrupts what you’re doing. When you see the icon, you know that you should probably restart your PC at some point that day. Consider it an advance warning before Windows Update gets really annoying.
This system tray icon was off by default on our test system. To enable it on Windows 10 19H1, head to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Advanced Options and set the “Show a notification when your PC requires a restart to finish updating” option to “On.”
Right-click the icon and you’ll see options to restart immediately, schedule a restart time, open Windows Update, or temporarily hide the icon.
Whether you want to add a little flair, or you want some text to flow along with the curve of another element (like clip art or a logo), making your letters curve along a path in Word is pretty easy.
First, click “Insert” on the main Word ribbon.
Click “WordArt” from the text options.
Select the style you want your WordArt to be. You can go for anything from plain-looking text to something super-fancy.
Type your text in your newly selected WordArt box.
Google Assistant is really good and quite useful, mostly because Google is constantly adding new features to make it better. Today, Google announced a slew of new features for Assistant—but they really shine on Home Hub.
If you’re a Nest Hello user, you can already see on your smart display (like Google Home Hub) when someone rings your doorbell. But soon you’ll also be able to talk to them before going to the door. When someone hits you up on the ol’ doorbell, just tap the “Talk” button on your smart display to find out exactly what they want. The only downside is that it’ll be harder to ignore them when someone knows you’re home.
Assistant’s “Broadcast” feature is neat—just say “Hey Google, Broadcast <some words>” and it will send a recording of your voice saying those words to all the Google Homes in your house. The issue is that this is one-way communication, at least until now.
With Broadcast Replies, users will be able to respond to these broadcasts from smart displays, Android phones, and even other Google Home speakers. It’s like an intercom that works anywhere.
One of the best features of the Google Home Hub is Google Photos’ integration so it’s a digital picture frame when it’s not doing something more productive. Regardless of how well you curate your Google Photos collections, however, there’s always one or two pictures that slip through the cracks and show up when you don’t want them to. Starting now, you’ll be able to dismiss those photos and never see them on your Home Hub (or other Smart Display) again. Cool.
Along the same lines, you’ll also be able to “favorite” photos that you really like. Also cool.
Finally, touch alarms will make their way to the Quick Settings panel on Smart Display. Pretty useful for quick timers and whatnot.
Gone are the days of using third-party screenshot tools and recording your screen in Quicktime. Apple includes built-in tools for taking screenshots and recording videos in macOS Mojave, and they’re pretty good.
While you can technically launch the screenshot tool from the “Other” folder in Launchpad, it’s best to learn the hotkeys. You can change all of these combos through the Shortcuts pane in the keyboard preferences, but these are the defaults:
From left to right, the tools on this bar:
The options menu also includes some additional settings that let you choose things like where the screenshot is saved and whether a timer is used.
After you’re done, you can hit “Capture” or “Record,” or just press Return. Keep in mind that if you’re recording a video, you’ll have to open it up again to stop the recording, or press the stop button in the menubar.
While most of what you see on the web is sized correctly, you might come across the occasional site you want to view bigger. You also might be faced with aging eyes and need a size boost for everything. Whatever your situation is, it’s easy to make content bigger on your Chromebook!
If there’s just one page you want bigger, you can zoom in by placing two fingers together on the trackpad, then moving those fingers apart. You can also press the Ctrl and + (plus) keys at the same time to zoom in
Zoom back out by placing two fingers separated on the trackpad, then bringing them together. You can also press the Ctrl and – (minus) keys at the same time to zoom out.
To reset a page to its default size, press Ctrl+0.
You can also make the default size bigger for every website you visit. Clicking the time in the lower-right corner of your Chromebook and then select the “Settings” icon.
Back button focus is just what it sounds like. Instead of using a half-press of the shutter button to activate autofocus, you hold down a dedicated button on the back of your camera instead. When you let go, the focus stays locked. Here’s why you might want to use it.
RELATED: How to Get the Most from Autofocus With Your Camera
The big advantage of back button focus is that it separates the act of focusing from taking photos. The default camera setup where the shutter button controls both actions makes certain things awkward, like trying to focus on a part of the scene that doesn’t fall nicely under an autofocus point. It can also slow down your camera’s burst mode while the autofocus hunts, stopping you from taking pictures.
With back button autofocus, you’re able to focus easily on any subject you want in the scene and then recompose your shot without having to worry about using any sort of AF-lock. And since your focus will stay locked until you change it, you can keep shooting without worrying about autofocus trying to refocus on something else. This is super handy when your subject isn’t moving too much.
Another nice feature is that you don’t have to choose between manual focus or single and continuous autofocus modes. If you enable back button focus and set your camera to continuous autofocus:
As you can imagine, once you’ve got the hang of things, this makes it much faster for you to react to different situations. And as I’ve said time and time again, it’s not about not using your camera’s automatic features; it’s about using them in such a way that you control how they work. Back button autofocus is one of those ways.
To set up back button focus, you’ll need to dig into your camera’s menus. You’ll normally need to do two things:
Insider Preview builds of Windows 10 have a built-in “time bomb.” Each comes with an expiration date, and Windows will eventually refuse to boot entirely after that date. Here’s how to check when that will happen.
This only applies to unstable Insider Preview versions of Windows 10. Stable versions of Windows 10 will never “expire” and stop working, even when Microsoft stops updating them with security patches.
When a build of Windows 10 expires, Microsoft says you will see a warning that you’re using an expired build. The warning will reappear once per day, and you will also see UAC (User Access Control) warnings. Previous reports have said that Windows 10 will reboot every three hours after it expires, so Microsoft may have made the expiration process less annoying.
In the past, Microsoft has said that expired builds will no longer boot two weeks after the expiration date. You’ll need to reinstall a newer build of Windows—or an older stable build that won’t expire—to use your PC once again.
Microsoft expires these builds to prevent people from staying with old, unstable versions of Windows 10. These builds of Windows 10 are made available for testing, and there’s no point in testing an old build that has a bunch of already-fixed bugs.
You can check the expiration date from the winver application. To open it, press the Windows key, type “winver” into the Start menu, and press Enter. You can also press Windows+R to open the Run dialog, type “winver” into it, and press Enter.
This dialog shows you the precise expiry date and time for your build of Windows 10. You should update to a newer Insider build of Windows 10 (or go back to a previous stable build) before the expiration date.
The First Toilet Shown On Television Appeared In An Episode Of? |
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There’s at least a lot of ways to clean your floor, but why limit yourself to the most painful and time-consuming methods? Ditch the old-fashioned mop and scrub brush for a powerful, hassle-free steam mop.
If you laid out your entire life on a sheet of paper, you’d probably be impressed by the number of mops that you’ve gone through. There’s a good chance that you bought most of those mops because that’s what was at the local supermarket, only to find that they just didn’t cut through the grease and grime at home like you thought they would. If that sounds family, it’s time to consider buying a steam mop. Not only are they more convenient than a regular mop, they’re also better at cleaning your floors.
Steam mops look like a cross between a Swiffer and a vacuum. They work by pressing steam through a cleaning pad, which quickly lifts dirt and grime off of your floor. And that’s all there is to it. I wish that there was a more exciting explanation for how they work, but sometimes it’s best to keep things simple. Just keep in mind that steam can damage unfinished floors.
One of my favorite things about steam mops is that they only use water, no chemicals or vinegar. You don’t have to worry about a powerful chemical smell assaulting your eyes and lungs every time that you decide to mop. If you happen to like the smell of pine sol and bleach you can spritz a little on the floor (just don’t put it in the tank, because the results range from “it’ll break” to “it’s dangerous”). If you want a “clean” smell when you mop (and hey, who doesn’t like a good huff of lemon-scented cleaner now and then), you could put a drop of lemon oil or the like on the floor or in a cheap aromatherapy diffuser.
With the explanation and minor caveats out of the way, let’s look at our top picks for sparkling floors.
There’s no point in mopping your floor if you’re not willing to sweep it first. You’d just be pushing dirt around. Thankfully, someone had the bright idea to make a hard floor vacuum cleaner that doubles as a steam mop. The Bissell Symphony can simultaneously steam and vacuum your hard floors, which cuts your cleaning time in half and eliminates your need for a dusty old broom. This makes the Bissell Symphony a great tool for both deep cleaning and day-to-day use. This steam mop comes with 4 reusable cleaning pads, which is more than enough to use it throughout the week. The Symphony would be a great option for people with a lot of kids, pets, or messy roommates.
But there are some downsides to such luxury. The Bissell Symphony is a lot bulkier than other steam mops because it doubles as a vacuum. It can’t swivel, it can’t pivot, and it can’t glide beneath your furniture. If you decide to steam and vacuum simultaneously (why wouldn’t you), then you’re probably going to be sucking up some moist dirt and debris. To avoid any gross crusty buildup inside of your vacuum, you might want to empty and rinse its reservoir after each use. Oh, and you can even steam and vacuum your carpet with the Symphony, but it won’t work nearly as well as a traditional vacuum or carpet cleaner would, so we’d suggest keeping this little wonder off the carpet.
The SharkNinja Lift-Away Pro is a powerful steam mop that doubles as a pocket steamer. Like other high-end steam mops, the SharkNinja has three power settings to cut through any light spills or heavy buildup. But you can also detach the center of the SharkNinja to clean curtains, walls, grease-covered kitchen cabinets, and showers.
Video doorbells are a great way to monitor your front door and receive alerts on your phone when someone comes knocking. But if you want a video doorbell that you can also use with your Google Home, you really only have one good option.
While several other video doorbells certainly work with the Google Home, the Nest Hello is really the only one that has full, true integration with Google’s smart speaker, thanks to Nest being a subsidiary of Google. So if you’re looking at buying a video doorbell and specifically want it to work well with your Google Home, the Nest Hello is the one to get.
One neat feature is having your Google Home announce when someone rings the doorbell, which can be great if you’re in areas of your home where you normally can’t hear the doorbell. However, what really makes the Nest Hello/Google Home integration shine is when you connect the doorbell to a Google Home Hub.
With the Home Hub’s built-in display, you can have your Nest Hello’s video feed automatically pop up on the screen whenever someone rings the doorbell, which is super convenient—it’s like a digital peephole that you can view right from your couch.
Aside from that, the Nest Hello is really one the best video doorbells, period. Nest offers a really great user interface within the app, and the doorbell itself is small enough that it’ll fit nicely anywhere you install it.
While it has aged slightly since its release back in 2013, the original Ring Doorbell is a great budget option at only $100.
A watermark is a faded background image that displays behind the text in a document. You can use them to indicate a document’s state (confidential, draft, etc.), add a subtle company logo, or even for a bit of artistic flair. PowerPoint doesn’t have a built-in watermark feature like Word, but you can still add them with a text box.
It’s not quite as easy to add watermarks to PowerPoint as it is to Microsoft Word. However, you can add watermark text to the background of individual slides or all slides at once using the Master Slide function.
We’re going to look at how to add watermark text to all slides in a presentation by using the Master Slide feature. If you only want to add watermark text to an individual slide, you can skip the steps for going to the Slide Master.
First, switch to the “View” tab on the PowerPoint ribbon.
Click the “Slide Master” button. This brings up the master slide layout for all of the slides in your deck.
Click on the first parent master slide.
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