Mobile gamers may find this especially useful.

Easy tools for running Android apps on your Windows PC

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Why emulate Android apps on PC?

Max Miller for Engadget

Early holiday sales will kick off in the next few weeks, like Amazon’s October Prime Day sale that’s Oct. 6 and 7. And between the NFL season in full swing and new shows launching for the fall, now’s a good time to start taking your TV upgrade seriously if you’re considering a new one. 

Choosing a new TV comes down to a few specifications, like price, picture quality and your specific use cases — whether it’s gaming or movies. With so many features and factors to consider, choosing the right one can be overwhelming. But our readers may help narrow down your choices. 

CNET’s People’s Picks gives readers a chance to share their opinions on their TV brand. Many of you love LG, but some readers have opinions on other brands that you may not have considered before. Here’s which brands won over readers and what our experts think. 

Overall People’s Picks winner

LG

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LG is well-known among TV brands for its OLED screens, and it’s a favorite among CNET editors and readers. LG earns high marks in many of CNET’s People’s Picks categories and wins three awards from readers: picture quality, fast-moving content and OLED/QD-OLED.

CNET editors give LG several nods for recent OLED TVs, lauding the contrast in the new C6H, the color accuracy of the G5 — recipient of a CNET Lab Award — and the contrast and brightness of G6 for movie buffs. The LG OLED G4 is one of the best gaming TVs for its top-notch gaming features, especially as a more cost-effective option compared to the LG G6.

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Picture quality

Runner-up: Sony

CNET readers crown LG as a winner for picture quality. More than 3 out of 5 (61.7%) of CNET readers who own an LG TV reported an “Excellent” experience with their LG TVs in bright rooms and during the day. Readers say there’s no glare and it’s beautifully bright, and 65.1% of readers with LG TVs report perfect dark scenes with inky blacks and zero light bleed — performance that’s common on OLED models and can really improve the look of movies and TV shows. That brings LG’s picture quality to 63.4%. 

Sony is a runner-up for picture quality, based on nearly half (49.8%) of readers with a Sony TV saying the brand has inky blacks with no bleed and great daylight performance.  

Fast-moving content

Runner-up: Sony

LG wins for flawless, fast-moving content. Of readers, 71% say LG TVs are perfectly smooth, are without blur and are without weird, artificial artifacts with fast-moving content, whereas 28% say LG’s fast-moving content quality is natural but occasionally slightly blurry. When it comes to gaming, CNET readers (59.8%) who have an LG TV say fast-moving content is flawless and incredibly responsive and that the TV has great gaming menus. 

Sony is the next top pick, with 60% of readers saying its fast-moving content is flawless on Sony TV screens.

OLED/QD-OLED

Runner-up: Samsung

Lastly, LG sweeps the OLED/QD-OLED category with 82.4% of readers with an LG TV preferring the brand for its OLED displays. If you’re considering an LG OLED TV, the latest LG OLED G6 has excellent contrast, an improved antireflective coating and good brightness for gaming. One of CNET’s lab-tested favorites is the previous LG OLED G5. CNET editors say it has the best color accuracy. The C4 is still a favorite, but if you want the latest and greatest, LG’s C6 and C6H are standout OLED picks. The C6 is the ultra version of the C6 TV, and it comes in larger sizes with higher brightness and better colors.

Samsung trails behind LG with 45% of readers who own a Samsung TV have an OLED or QD-OLED model. That’s not surprising because Samsung has only been selling OLED TVs since 2022, after a single model in 2013, whereas LG’s OLED models have been on sale for more than a decade. Both the S90F and S95F are Samsung OLED TVs that get praise from CNET for image quality and glare reduction. 

Roku 

Budget TV

Runner-up: Vizio 

Roku wins three categories in CNET’s People’s Picks — budget, smart TV ecosystem and standard LED/LCD. Roku has several affordable TVs. Most CNET readers (72%) have purchased a Roku TV that’s under $500. And nearly half of readers with Roku TVs have purchased their TV within the past year. 

Roku has a few popular TV picks under $500, including the TCL 4-Series, the Pioneer 50-inch 4K smart Roku TV and the Roku – 40″ Class Select Series Full HD (1080p) LED Smart RokuTV. Roku’s cost-effective options don’t skimp on quality. For instance, the Pioneer 4K Roku TV is an LED TV with 4K resolution and a smart TV interface, and it supports High Dynamic Range to improve your picture quality.  

Vizio is next up to Roku, with 45% of readers having Vizio TVs costing less than $500. If you’re in the market for a mini-LED TV, Vizio has its Mini LED Quantum Series 4K TV for under $500 in two sizes (65 and 75 inches). Interestingly, 40.8% of CNET readers with Vizio TVs have had them the longest (over five years) — speaking to its quality and longevity for the price.

Smart TV ecosystem 

Runner-up: TCL

Trust me, a smart TV’s interface can make or break your day-to-day experience. Roku understands that and wins over 59.1% of CNET readers. 

Most readers with a Roku TV say its interface is fast, clean and very easy to navigate. No readers reported the interface being cluttered, slow or frustrating to use — the only TV brand to do so. Roku recently released a new interface that includes a “For You” section, which combines AI suggestions, saved entertainment and what you’re already watching. And the new interface has a “Quick Access” section to get to your most used apps faster, but we have a guide if you’re not a fan and want to turn it off. 

TCL is a runner-up for the Smart TV ecosystem category. Over half (56.5%) of readers who own a TCL TV say the interface is fast, clean and easy to navigate, while 22.5% say the interface is good but has too many ads or sponsored recommendations. 

Standard LED/LCD

Runner-up: Vizio 

Standard LED and LCD TVs use LED backlights and are usually the most cost-effective compared to other TVs. Roku wins 34.8% of its owners over for this category. There are a few budget-friendly Roku LED TVs worth considering, including the Onn 43-inch Class 4K Roku smart TV and the Hisense 50-inch Class 4K LED Roku smart TV. The Roku Select Series LED TV is a CNET favorite for its usability features, like Roku’s interface and remote finder. 

Readers say Vizio is the next top pick for LED/LCD TVs, with 32.7% owning an LED or LCD Vizio TV. 

Hisense

Sound quality 

Runner-up: Sony

Hisense wins CNET’s People’s Picks for its sound quality. Nearly half of readers (45.7%) with Hisense TVs rate the internal audio as “great.” And that’s nearly double CNET readers’ satisfaction with popular brands like Sony (25.2%), Samsung (23.8%) and Vizio (22.2%). One of the perks of Hisense’s latest U7 and UR8 models is Dolby Atmos, which uses surround sound to deliver 3D audio. The U7 models also have a built-in 2.1.2-channel speaker system for more immersive sound. CNET’s favorite budget TV, the Hisense QD7 TV, also supports Dolby Atmos. 

Sony is next up for the sound quality category, with 25.2% of owners saying Sony TVs have great sound quality with clear dialogue and decent bass. Some (41.7%) say it’s adequate for casual watching. 

TCL

Mini-LED/QLED 

Runner-up: Hisense 

Mini LED TVs use tiny LEDs to give you better brightness, blacks and contrast compared to most standard LED TVs. When it comes to mini-LED and QLED TV panels, TCL wins, with 57.5% of readers owning mini-LED/QLED TCL TVs and naming it their primary TV brand. TCL has been producing mini-LED TVs longer than most TV makers, and many of them have earned CNET’s praise.

According to CNET editors, the TCL QM8K is nearly comparable to an OLED TV in terms of picture quality for less money. TCL’s QM8L is another mini-LED QLED TV that CNET loves for its brightness, color and contrast, too. 

Over half (52.1%) of readers with a Hisense TV have a mini-LED/QLED TV, with its model ranking second to TCL. Hisense has a few mini-LED models, including the U6, U7 and the new RGB mini-LED UR8, which we got a glimpse of at CES 2026. It’s around $1,300 and comes with better-than-before color reproduction. 

Don’t buy a new TV without reading this first

Many TVs have similar features that may make it seem like the best deal is the biggest screen for your buck. Of everything to consider, CNET’s TV expert Ty Pendlebury advises looking at price, size and picture quality to help narrow down your options. 

“It’s always what fits their budget, so not necessarily a ‘budget’ model. If an OLED is within your budget, get it, that’s the quickest shortcut,” said Pendlebury. 

And don’t worry about perfecting your TV’s sound quality during your upgrade. Pendlebury says that most TVs sound tinny, so you should consider a soundbar as a separate purchase for better audio.

CNET’s editor-in-chief, David Katzmaier, has 26 years of experience reviewing TVs and has some practical advice to help you feel more satisfied with your purchase years later. For instance, bigger doesn’t always mean better. 

“A bigger TV is great, but it can expose lower-quality sources,” said Katzmaier. The reason is that a bigger screen can show imperfections more than a smaller one. If you still want a bigger screen, consider subscribing to 4K plans to streaming services like Netflix and YouTube TV for better picture quality. You can also try adjusting your picture settings, such as putting the TV in Filmmaker Mode, but Katzmaier says that’s not a cure-all. 

Instead of screen size, focus on getting a picture quality you’re satisfied with. “The biggest improvement would be getting a new display technology, especially QD-OLED/OLED,” said Katzmaier. “TVs with those kinds of screens deliver clear improvements in contrast and viewing angle that the others can’t match.”

CNET editors and readers highly recommend LG. But other brands were close runners-up. If you’re looking for deep black levels and strong color reproduction, readers recommend Sony as a second contender. Or if you’re struggling to watch TV in a room with a big window, consider TCL or Samsung — all CNET favorites.

“I’ve always liked Roku and Google TV better than proprietary systems from Samsung and LG, and I’m happy to see that CNET readers took our advice and bought LG and Samsung OLED TVs — because they’re the picture-quality champs,” said Katzmaier.

CNET has plenty of reviews of some of the latest TVs, like the TCL QM8L, if you’re looking for a brighter TV, or the Samsung S90F, if you’re looking for the best value for overall picture quality. Regardless, there are also guides to help narrow down your TV choice, like choosing between LCD and OLED TVs, what to know about micro-LED and a list of everything to look for when buying a new TV. 

Did you like these findings? CNET’s People’s Picks is community-driven and helps us spread the word about the tech and services you love. Take our ongoing laptops survey to tell us what you love about yours.

Dashia Milden

Senior Consumer Insights Editor

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Dashia is the consumer insights editor for CNET. She specializes in data-driven analysis and news at the intersection of tech, personal finance and consumer sentiment. Dashia investigates economic shifts and everyday challenges to help readers make well-informed decisions, and she covers a range of topics, including technology, security, energy and money. Dashia graduated from the University of South Carolina with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. She loves baking, teaching spinning and spending time with her family.

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ChatGPT and Gemini are some of the most popular chatbots you can use today and each is very capable in their own ways. ChatGPT has been around longer and it is still the most popular option, but Google has slowly been catching up slowly since Gemini was released. 

Both chatbots excel at working with text and deep research, but there may be some times you want to use one over the other. We consider ChatGPT to be the most versatile chatbot around, where Google generally provides more value, especially when you go for its paid subscription plan. 

When it comes to multimodality — where a chatbot can understand more than just text, but audio images and video — there’s a clear winner, especially when it comes to image recognition. Below are a series of tests to see just how well each chatbot understands the world around you.

(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET’s parent company, in 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)

ChatGPT vs. Gemini features

Both chatbots are incredibly popular but ChatGPT still has a larger user base thanks to its first-move advantage. That said, Gemini is essentially preinstalled on all Android phones, so it may only take time before Google’s option becomes the predominant chatbot. 

Both chatbots can essentially do the same things on the surface, but when it comes to creating images, we’d tip the hat to Gemini, thanks to its almost-too-good Nano Banana image generator. ChatGPT is no slouch, but it’s hard to stand up to what Google has on offer here.

The free versions of both chatbots are very capable, but it’s when you actually start paying for the premium versions that you’ll see the differences between the two. While we still say that Claude is the best overall chatbot, it’s a close race between ChatGPT and Gemini. 

If you opt to pay for Gemini, you’ll essentially get a lot more than access to its most advanced models, especially when you compare what you get with ChatGPT. Google’s AI plans offer additional cloud storage to use across your Google account, starting at 400GB for its cheapest plan. If you choose the standard, $20 a month plan, you’ll get even more: expanded access to AI models, more storage, Google Spark and even a YouTube Premium Lite plan that will show you fewer ads. If you’re firmly in the Google ecosystem, there’s almost too much value not to go with Gemini’s premium plan. 

ChatGPT’s premium plans provide you with higher usage access and better models. For its comparable $20 plan, this means access to its latest GPT-6.

Test 1: Scribbled notes

For an easy starter test, I quickly scribbled in the notes app on my Boox Note Air 5C with the pen. It looked like a mess, which is what I was going for. I copied the words from a random page from The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle: 

“’A moderate walk along this moor-path brings us to Merripit House,’ said he. ‘Perhaps you will spare an hour that I may have the pleasure of introducing you to my sister.’ My first thought was that I should be by Sir Henry’s side. But then I remembered the pile of papers and bills–” (I ran out of room to complete the sentence, so I left it at that.)

ChatGPT

ChatGPT missed this one. The first line, “a moderate walk along this moor-poor path brings us to Merripit House,” was almost completely wrong, with the chatbot transcribing it as, “A moment will always this moment — [Henry’s?] to Merritt House.” 

Its analysis said the handwriting contained notes about a memory involving Henry, Sir Henry and the writer’s sister. It also pointed out that some of the words were hard to determine, so it marked words with uncertain words in brackets.

Gemini

Gemini nailed it. It translated my sloppy text word for word, identified the source and even offered specific handwriting characteristics from the image, like “open loop formations on the letters like y, g, and f.” 

The fact that Gemini was able to correctly identify the source may also have affected the accuracy of the translation. Nonetheless, compared to ChatGPT, it’s a night-and-day difference.

Test 2: Chess

To get an idea of how both chatbots interpret an ongoing chess match, I snapped a photo from a game on the Esports World Cup YouTube channel and asked both Gemini and ChatGPT what the next best move was for black.

Gemini

While I’m not a chess expert by any means, Gemini’s answer was long and elaborate. 

Its final answer was Bxf4.

ChatGPT

ChatGPT’s approach to responding was initially different. It was showing its thinking process, and one of the lines said it “installed chess libraries and searched for a local Stockfish engine,” which is an open-source chess engine used to calculate moves. However, it took over 4 minutes to get to the response. 

Its final answer was c5 to d4. 

It did offer a secondary best move: Bxf4, the same as Google’s suggestion. 

I reached out to the US Chess Federation to humor me and get some insight about what they thought of the test, but did not receive a reply.

To look for another party’s interpretation of each chatbot’s response, I decided to ask… Claude. I uploaded the same image and included the original prompt as well as both responses from Gemini and ChatGPT. Claude’s conclusion, without going into detail, was that Gemini read the board incorrectly and ChatGPT was the more appropriate answer.

Test 3: Sick plant

The third test was of a photo of a Venus flytrap I own. I asked the chatbots to identify what type of Venus flytrap it is (it’s a towering giant) and why one of the traps was turning black. I knew this would be a particularly tricky one, given that most Venus flytraps look similar. 

Gemini

Gemini didn’t identify the correct name of the flytrap, but I didn’t really expect it to. As far as the blackening trap, it listed a variety of ways why it could be happening, including the correct one: The trap attempted to consume an insect that was too large. 

ChatGPT

ChatGPT gave a similar, but more detailed reply. It said it wasn’t confident in assigning a particular cultivar for the specific trap itself, but it did give more information about how the one trap could be blackening, as well as a section of “what I’d do” that provided some helpful tips. 

Overall, both chatbots provided decent answers, but ChatGPT’s more detailed response won this round.

Test 4: Movie art

This was a fun one: I took a photo of three pieces of art that depicted the mouths of the Sanderson sisters from the movie Hocus Pocus. The hand-painted pieces are from an artist and not official movie merchandise. 

ChatGPT

ChatGPT was unable to identify the movie, though it was able to accurately describe the image I uploaded: “Three diamond-shaped paintings that look like custom artwork.” It asked for additional details, like the year the film was made, to identify it. 

Gemini

Gemini was easily able to identify what I showed it. “This artwork features the iconic smiles of the Sanderson Sisters from Disney’s Hocus Pocus (1993).”

From there, it went into detail about what character was in what position and the actresses who played the characters.

Gemini seems to be the winner

While I preferred ChatGPT’s response for the Venus flytrap test, Gemini’s consistency and ability to correctly identify sources in both the notes and the movie art tests makes me favor it overall. Since I couldn’t get a real answer from an expert about the chess test, I’ll leave that one out of the final tally. 

Either way, if you’re looking for the best AI chatbot that can most accurately “see” and describe the world around you, Gemini takes the cake — for the most part.

Blake has over a decade of experience writing for the web, with a focus on mobile phones, where he covered the smartphone boom of the 2010s and the broader tech scene. When he’s not in front of a keyboard, you’ll most likely find him playing video games or watching horror movies.

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As you spend more time in the kitchen, it becomes clear that having the right tools can have an outsized impact on your recipe success rate. Some gadgets out there aren’t worth the space they take up in a drawer, but many are essential without an obvious substitute or workaround. A high-quality knife collection, forgiving wooden cutting boards and a smattering of good pans fall squarely in this category.

Other, less obvious kitchen tools that chefs and home cooks deem essential exist. As a culinary school grad-turned kitchen tech writer, I have several. One, in particular, I can never count on finding in rental kitchens and Airbnbs, so I always take one along.

I used to travel to summer beach rentals with all manner of basic tools: tongs, a whisk, a rubber spatula, you name it, plus a fleet of knives, a good bottle of olive oil and bagged-up samples of my entire spice rack.

After a couple of years, I realized that most rentals, at least on the East Coast, were well-equipped, and I was happier not having to schlep the contents of my kitchen to feel empowered to make dinner. I might stash a chef’s knife, just in case, but more often than not, even that would stay tucked in my bag. 

There is one tool, however, whose utility is so singular that it can’t be substituted; in my experience, it’s the key between a good dinner and a great dinner (and dessert), and, surprisingly, you can’t expect to find it in other kitchens.

My Microplane, myself

Yes, it’s a Microplane. If you’re now puzzling over how a handheld zester of all things is that important a tool, well, some of you have never enjoyed scraped-together key lime pie for breakfast at the beach, and it shows.

But seriously. No other tool does what a Microplane does to the same degree. Using a paring knife to gingerly cut the rind off citrus fruits without taking the pith with it, then mincing it up? I’ve done it. Hard pass.

Don’t start with me about some cheap grocery store zester that’s both ergonomically overcomplicated and entirely ineffective. A box grater you would typically use for cheese or carrots, with that one plane dedicated to zesting? Have you tried it lately? (Actually, has anyone ever? It just looks like a recipe for pulpy zest and bloody knuckles.)

Why the zester is an essential kitchen tool

Maybe your skepticism isn’t about the tool’s quality, but about why any kind of zester is so critical. So I challenge you: the next time you make salad dressing or pasta, enchiladas, pad thai, or anything that calls for citrus juice, add a hit of zest and see what it does to the outcome. Citrus zest adds several times the flavor, minus the sharp acidity. In a word, it adds vibrancy to whatever you’re doing, without the pucker. It’s a wow factor with the simplest execution. Not to mention: key lime pie for breakfast.

And the economics are inarguable. Even in today’s economy, a lemon or lime can only set you back so far, but it contributes so much. And the Microplane itself? Is all of about $18.

Here I am waxing all poetic about citrus, but let’s also talk about two other cooking champions whose processing is made infinitely easier by a Microplane. Garlic and ginger — also cheap yet dynamic ingredients. A garlic press is a fine thing, but if yours is as difficult to clean after use as most I’ve owned have been, ditch it. The microplane can do that work for you, and basically rinses clean afterward.

Or, if you’ve been buying pre-shredded Parm or another hard cheese, here’s another taste-test challenge for you. It’s so quick to grab a hunk and shave directly into or onto whatever you’re making or eating, with the added bonus of leaving out the extra starches that act as anti-clumping agents in pre-shredded stuff. I could also make a point here about freshly grated nutmeg, but that would be extra. Suffice to say, I never make béchamel without it.

Microplanes of a different color

If you’re convinced, I am partial to the Microplane brand here, whose handles are especially comfortable and which includes a protective sleeve for storage. Incidentally, you can also get a Microplane in over a dozen colors, and they are made in the US, if buying locally is a compelling argument.

If you’re already a Microplane evangelist and have made it this far, here’s an invitation to maybe upgrade yours. They don’t last forever, as the blades will dull over time. I recently switched out my 15-year-old model, and it has brought new life to my kitchen.

Pamela Vachon/CNET

For argument’s sake, I also checked out one of Amazon’s best-selling and least expensive models, the MasterChef version, which retails for only $10. It’s a little more generous in width, and its protective cover is admittedly a little easier to maneuver. Functionally, it works just like the Microplane, but is made in China for those keeping score.

Pamela Vachon

Contributor

Pamela is a freelance food and travel writer based in Astoria, Queens. While she writes about most things edible and potable (and accessories dedicated to those topics,) her real areas of expertise are cheese, chocolate, cooking and wine. She’s a culinary school grad, certified sommelier, former bartender and fine dining captain with 10 years in the industry. When not sitting at the keys, she leads in-home cheese classes, wine tastings and cocktail demonstrations.

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Someone recently had to sit me down, hold my hands, and tell me something no pet owner ever wants to hear: my apartment smelled like wet dog. Horrifying. 

With all the nonstop fur and dander that seem to appear everywhere no matter what, the intervention was probably necessary. So when Levoit launched its Vital Pet Pro Air Purifier, I was curious to see whether it could actually make a noticeable difference. 

Designed specifically for pet-friendly households, the $189.99 machine takes a more targeted approach than a conventional air purifier, combining a three-stage filtration system with features designed around one of the biggest problems pet owners face: fur everywhere. (And the occasional “wet dog” smell.) 

The three-stage filtration system consists of a washable pre-filter, a main filter, and an activated carbon filter. The pre-filter catches larger debris such as pet hair, while the main filter targets smaller particles and dander. The carbon filter is designed to tackle odors, with 140 grams of activated carbon packed into it.

Another one of the purifier’s key design features is its U-shaped air inlet, which Levoit says is designed to capture airborne pet hair and particles while improving airflow and helping prevent the filter from becoming clogged.

After testing the purifier for a little over a week, I found it impressively effective at collecting fur and trapping the kind of debris that would normally end up floating around the apartment or settling onto furniture.

When it comes to tackling pet odors, Levoit says that the Vital Pet Pro can remove up to 70% of odors within an hour. I can’t really do a specific test to verify that claim, but the difference was easy enough to notice. After the purifier had been running, the room smelled considerably fresher.

I also appreciated the automatic cleaning technology, which removes accumulated hair and debris from the pre-filter and collects it in a removable tray. It’s a very practical feature, especially if the alternative is constantly pulling apart the purifier to clean out a layer of fur.

Additionally, the companion app offers different modes designed to make the purifier more hands-off. Auto Plus Mode monitors changes in air quality and adjusts the purifier’s performance in real time.

Pet Mode is designed specifically around the way pet-related particles can build up throughout the day. It alternates between running the fan at its highest speed for 15 minutes to capture particulates in the pre-filter and then switching to a lower speed for 60 minutes to maintain air quality while reducing noise and energy use.

Also, rather than displaying a numerical air-quality reading, the Vital Pet Pro uses a simple color system. Red indicates bad air quality, orange means moderate, green means good, and cyan means very good. I actually preferred this since you can quickly glance at the purifier and immediately get a sense of whether the air is improving without having to interpret a number.

I’ll also point out that the Vital Pet Pro is a little larger than I expected, so make sure you have enough floor space before bringing one home.

Noise is another consideration. At its highest setting, the fan is definitely audible. Once the purifier settles into a lower setting, however, it’s quiet enough to leave running overnight without disrupting my sleep. For light sleepers, Sleep Mode makes the purifier run even more quietly.

The air purifier is available to purchase from Levoit’s website, Amazon, Chewy, and other retailers.

Watch the Men’s Elite Road Race at the Road World Championships 2026 as Flanders flyer Remco Evenepoel goes for a second gold medal in seven days at the championships in Montreal – a prospect made far more realistic by the absence of one Tadej Pogačar.

When Pogi Star took a tumble during stage eight of the Vuelta a Espana and later confirmed that he’d broken his collarbone, the potential list of winners for Sunday’s Elite Road Race was blown wide open. The Slovenian modern great has won the last two of these, and was odds-on to make it a threepeat.

Wish you looked at your phone less? Then you’ve probably heard of Brick, a $59 device that claims to help you block distractions. You tap your phone against the Brick when you want to avoid distractions—the bundled software stops you from opening whichever apps you’ve decided you need to stop doomscrolling.

The idea is to add a physical barrier between you and apps like Instagram—if you want to scroll, you need to physically get up, find the Brick, and tap it. It’s a good idea, and implemented in a way that makes it easy to get started. But what if you don’t want to buy a chunk of plastic?

Good news: the Brick is basically just an NFC chip, not that different from the one in your credit card or passport. You can buy a blank NFC chip for a dollar. Even better, free applications can use these chips to block distractions, exactly like the Brick. Or, if you prefer, these apps also support QR codes, meaning all you need is a printer. Here are two free distraction-blocking apps—complete with physical barriers—for iPhone or Android.

Best for iPhones: Foqos

Photograph: Justin Pot

The oddly named Foqos is a free, open source app for iOS by Canadian developer Ali Waseem. Many open source apps lack polish, but not this one—it’s easy to configure the necessary permissions, set up a profile, and start blocking distractions.

While creating a new profile, you first choose which physical object you want to use to start and stop your blocking sessions. The two most popular options are NFC tags (there’s a handy link to buy some in the app) or a QR code. But you can also block using a daily schedule, if you prefer, or by scanning any barcode. The barcode option is nice because you don’t need to buy or print anything—scan the code on your favorite book, beverage, or anything else you keep around the house.

Foqos can block you from managing apps while a profile is running. This means you can’t just delete Foqos to get around a block you set up, which is exactly what someone fighting against their own urges needs. You can allow a limited number of breaks, if you want.

I’ve been using this to break my Reddit habit and can report that it works. I keep a printed QR code inside a cabinet, far from the couch where I tend to scroll. It creates just enough friction that I can finish reading a book instead. The application has an excellent privacy policy—no data leaves your device.

Best for Android: Switchly

Photograph: Justin Pot

Foqos is sadly iOS-exclusive, and I couldn’t find an Android equivalent that’s quite as polished. But Switchly, by Vienna-based developer Saltyy, stands out as one of the more feature-complete apps I tested. You will need to spend some time fiddling to get it set up, granted, but once you do, you’ll find it every bit as flexible as Foqos.