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Google wants to make it easier for you to trade-in your old Android and save money

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Google Pixel 9 Pro XL review front handheld

If you’ve been tempted by something on our best Android phones list and are looking to upgrade your current model, then you may want to do a trade-in to save some money – and it looks as though Google has plans to make that process easier.

As spotted by Android Authority, edits being made in the main Android codebase suggest technicians who are checking that a phone works will be able to put it into a special ‘evaluation mode’, and run tests from there.

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What do IP ratings mean? Waterproof ratings explained

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What do IP ratings mean? Waterproof ratings explained

Most flagship phones these days boast some level of water resistance, and you’ll find “IP ratings” on everything from the Apple iPhone 16 to the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. But that got us wondering: Just what do manufacturers mean when they use terms like “waterproof” and “water-resistant?” What constitutes a “rugged” device? Just how many times can you drop your phone in the toilet before you can expect it to bite the dust?

As it turns out, some terms that describe a phone’s ruggedness are actually standardized, and there’s a whole lot more to them than meets the eye. IP ratings measure a device’s resistance to water, dust, and other particles, while military specs describe structural integrity. Some certifications are a little less precise than others, but taken together, they give a rough idea of how the best waterproof smartphones will hold up against the elements.

Here’s everything you need to know about IP ratings — and as a bonus, we’re throwing in in formation about MIL-STD certifications for physical damage, too.

The ratings behind a ‘rugged’ product

Unihertz Atom Review
Unihertz Atom Mark Jansen/Digital Trends

“Rugged” is just a word, a marketing ploy as meaningless as “summer-proof,” “water-resistant,” or “dustproof.” All make nice bullet points on a phone’s spec sheet, but they aren’t all that descriptive — “rugged” and “water-resistant” devices can short just as easily as “non-rugged” devices when they fall into water (as well as shatter when they hit concrete).

A certification is something completely different. When a phone has a certified rating of some sort, a third party has conducted tests to ensure that it can survive conditions like hard falls, dusty shelves, extreme heat, certain kinds of radiation, and deep pools of water.

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Phone, tablet, and PC manufacturers measure the ruggedness of devices using two systems of standards: The Ingress Protection (IP) rating, published by the International Electrotechnical Commission; and the Military Specification or Military Standard (MIL-STD), which is developed by arms of the U.S. Military and Department of Defense.

Ingress Protection rating

Pixel 6 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro in hand.
The Google Pixel 6 Pro (left) and Apple iPhone 13 Pro (right). Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

A smartphone’s IP rating is determined by how well it holds up against dirt, dust, and water. Ratings range from 1 to 6 for dust and dirt and 1 to 9 for water, with the first and second digits in the rating indicating how well it withstands exposure to solid particles and liquids, respectively. The maximum rating for solid objects, IP6, means it lets in very little dust and dirt, and a water-resistance rating of 8 indicates it can be submerged in water for minutes at a time. A phone with those specs would earn an IP68 rating.

To make matters more complicated, a high IP rating doesn’t necessarily mean dust, water, or debris won’t enter a phone’s enclosure. Rather, it indicates that when dust and water do make their way through a phone’s seams, they won’t enter in sufficient quantities to cause malfunction. So the IP67-rated iPhone SE will not be as resistant to water entry as the IP68-rated iPhone 16 Pro, even though both phones will come out of the pool just as wet.

However, IP ratings are not all-encompassing, and phones need not pass every lower test to snag a higher rating. For example, for a smartphone to nab the coveted IP68 certification, it has to pass the tests for IPX7 and 8 — but is not required to test for water jets on the IPX5 and 6 levels.

That’s the reason you sometimes see a smartphone with multiple IP ratings. The Sony Xperia 1 IV is rated both IP65 and IP68, which signifies it’s resistant to total immersion and high-pressure water jets. However, as you might expect from us continuing to use a very old phone as an example, such practice has become very rare. Most companies default to IP68 and leave it there.

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Here’s a breakdown of the ratings for solid foreign objects.

Level Object size it protects against Effective against
0 Not protected No protection against solid objects
1 >50mm Protection against large surfaces like the back of the hand
2 >12.5mm Protection against finger-sized objects
3 >2.5mm Protection against thick wires and similar objects
4 >1mm Protection against wires, screws, etc.
5 Dust-protected Some protection against dust, and complete protection against contact
6 Dust-tight Complete protection against dust and contact

There’s a separate chart for water ratings. Note they’re described in terms of “water nozzles” and “jets” — a manufacturer like Samsung, Apple, or Google can choose to expose their phone to high-pressure blasts of water from an industrial hose and see how it fares over time.

Level Object size it protects against Effective against
0 Not protected Nothing
1 Dripping water Protection against 10 minutes of dripping water
2 Dripping water when tilted up to 15 degrees Protection against 10 minutes of dripping water when tilted 15 degrees from normal position
3 Spraying water Protection against 5 minutes of spraying water at any angle up to 60 degrees from the vertical
4 Splashing water Protection against 5 minutes of splashing water
5 Water jets Protected against at least 3 minutes of water spraying from a 6.3mm nozzle from any direction
6 Powerful water jets Protection against at least 3 minutes of water spraying from a powerful nozzle (12.5mm) from any direction
7 Immersion up to 1 meter Protection against 30 minutes of water up to 1 meter of submersion
8 Immersion beyond 1 meter Protection against continuous immersion in water up to depth specified by the manufacturer
9 High-pressure,
close-range jets
Protection against continuous high-pressure, close-range jets of water from any direction — including high-temperature steam jets

Here’s a list of some devices (and a case) with a detailed description of what you can expect from them in terms of water and dust resistance:

Phone IP rating Effective against
Apple iPhone SE IP67 Complete protection against dust and contact; protection against 30 minutes of water up to 1 meter of submersion
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra  IP68 Complete protection against dust and contact; protection against continuous immersion in water up to depth specified by the manufacturer
Sony Xperia 1 IV IP68/IP65 Complete protection against dust and contact; protection against continuous immersion in water up to depth specified by the manufacturer; protected against at least 3 minutes of water spraying from a 6.3mm nozzle from any direction
Caterpillar CAT S61 IP68/IP69 Complete protection against dust and contact; protection against continuous immersion in water up to depth specified by the manufacturer; protection against continuous high-pressure, close-range jets of water from any direction — including high-temperature steam jets
Pelican Marine (iPhone case) IP68 Complete protection against dust and contact; protection against continuous immersion in water up to depth specified by the manufacturer

For an idea of how an IP certification is determined, take a look at this video of a test being conducted on behalf of electronics company Siemens. It ended up getting an IP67 rating — the same rating as the iPhone SE (2022) — which means it’s been shown to withstand exposure both to objects and up to about 3 feet (or 1 meter) of water for 30 minutes.

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Military specifications and standards

An iPhone 7S Plus being held in landscape orientation in two hands.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Military Specifications and Standards number in the hundreds and certify a product’s ability to handle specific scenarios. For example, there are MIL-STD-810Gs that certify products to handle nuclear radiation exposure, drops onto concrete, rapid temperature changes, and a wide number of other environmental conditions.

Test Method 500.5 Low Pressure (Altitude) Test Method 501.5 High Temperature Test Method 502.5 Low Temperature
Test Method 503.5 Temperature Shock Test Method 504.1 Contamination by Fluids Test Method 505.5 Solar Radiation (sunshine)
Test Method 506.5 Rain Test Method 507.5 Humidity Test Method 508.6 Fungus
Test Method 509.5 Salt Fog Test Method 510.5 Sand and Dust Test Method 511.5 Explosive Atmosphere
Test Method 512.5 Immersion Test Method 513.6 Acceleration Test Method 514.6 Vibration
Test Method 515.6 Acoustic Noise Test Method 516.6 Shock Test Method 517.1 Pyroshock
Test Method 518.1 Acidic Atmosphere Test Method 519.6 Gunfire Shock Test Method 520.3 Temperature, Humidity, Vibration, and Altitude
Test Method 521.3 Icing/Freezing Rain Test Method 522.1 Ballistic Shock Test Method 523.3 Vibro-Acoustic/Temperature
Test Method 524 Freeze / Thaw Test Method 525 Time Waveform Replication Test Method 526 Rail Impact
Test Method 526 Rail Impact Test Method 527 Multi-Exciter Test Method 528 Mechanical Vibrations of Shipboard Equipment (Type I — Environmental and Type II — Internally Excited)

Military Standards ratings comprise an exhaustive number of certifications, but there’s a big problem: They aren’t standardized. Manufacturers can conduct different tests and end up arriving at the same conclusion, which is partly the fault of the 810G system — it’s meant to be flexible depending on the device being tested. But it makes it a little harder to know what to expect.

Take the 810G’s “temperature shock” certification, for instance, which measures a device’s ability to withstand fluctuating temperatures. The temperature range isn’t defined, and neither is the amount of time, leaving plenty of wiggle room for a smartphone maker to claim that its handset is 810G-certified without having to explain what that really means.

The 810G’s “solar radiation” standard is the same. Basically, any phone that can survive roughly three days of direct exposure to sunlight without becoming nonfunctional (or discolored) before, during, or after the test meets the device’s requirements. That’s not exactly the most useful measure.

Perhaps the most common standard for rugged devices is MIL-STD-810G, which is an umbrella designation with a number of durability subcategories — namely protection against drops and falls. This pops up a lot on phone cases designed to offer drop protection, but military drop test standards vary depending on the tests that case manufacturers run on their rugged cases.

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More than IP67

The CAT S61 back in full.
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

For devices like the iPhone SE, certification goes as far as dust, dirt, and 1 meter of water. But if you drop an iPhone SE onto concrete from 4 feet up, don’t expect it to come out the other end unscathed.

Perhaps more importantly, just because a phone has achieved a certain certification doesn’t mean it’ll hold up to abuse. Manufacturers conduct tests under lab conditions far different than the real-life scenarios you’re likely to find yourself in. In one particularly egregious example, Sony sent marketing materials that showed the company’s IP68-certified Xperia phones being used underwater … accompanied by a warning not to use them as depicted.

That’s not to dismiss IP ratings and military certifications wholesale. As an informed consumer, you should absolutely find what ratings your device has before you buy it. But you should also take them with a grain of salt. No device is rugged in every way, and water, dust, and drop tests are conducted in labs — not the real world.



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Samsung could launch a cheaper Galaxy Z Flip model next year

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Samsung could launch a cheaper Galaxy Z Flip model next year

Multiple reports in the past few weeks suggested that Samsung is planning to launch an affordable book-style Galaxy Z Fold model. However, last month, the company confirmed that no such smartphone is in the works. But, the brand could be planning to launch a cheaper Galaxy Z Flip model, suggests a report from Korea.

A cheaper Galaxy Z Flip variant could launch in 2025

According to the Korean blogger Yeux1122, Samsung is planning to launch a cheaper Galaxy Z Flip model next year. The phone will be launched as the Galaxy Z Flip FE. The tipster also suggests that it will be launched alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Unfortunately, the source hasn’t revealed anything about the specifications of the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip models.

Furthermore, according to a Samsung executive, the brand is “considering ways to lower entry barriers” for its foldable models. This will allow more Samsung fans to enjoy the foldable smartphone experience. Notably, the executive also hinted that the brand is “preparing new form factors”. This could be indicating the rumored Samsung tri-fold handset.

An affordable Z Flip model could help Samsung better compete with its rival brands

Notably, an affordable Galaxy Z Flip phone could help Samsung to better compete with the competitors in the foldable segment. The company’s market share in the foldable segment has significantly dropped this year. In 2023, the brand led the foldable market share with 60 percent share. However, its market share has dropped by half to just 30 percent this year, according to various media reports. Huawei has already taken the top spot from Samsung in the foldable smartphone segment.

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So, a budget Galaxy Z Flip model makes sense as it would help the brand to regain the market share of the foldable segment. The other brands like Motorola and Nubia are offering their foldable offerings at more affordable price points than Samsung. The brand’s newest Z Flip model, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 starts at $1,099. There aren’t many details available, but the Galaxy Z Flip FE could have modest specs compared to the brand’s flagship Flip models.

As of now, there’s no word regarding the exact launch time frame for the upcoming Flip models. But we can expect them to see the light of the day in the July-August period.

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The best ergonomic mouse for 2024

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The best ergonomic mouse for 2024

There’s about a one in three chance you’re reading this on a desktop computer — and you might be wondering whether there’s a way to make your computing-at-a-desk experience more ideal for your body. Sitting for hours on end appears to be the biggest detriment to our health, which is why getting up regularly or switching things up with a standing desk can help. Then there’s the health considerations of peripherals like mice and keyboards. A traditional mouse can constrict your wrist and put pressure on your forearm, something ergonomic mice can alleviate with their more natural orientations. I tried out around 20 highly rated vertical, semi-vertical and trackball mice to see which ones felt good, worked well and most importantly, did anything to alleviate my chronic shoulder tension. Here are the best ergonomic mice I found.

Like everything related to ergonomics, the mouse design that works best for you will depend on your body and what you need to do on a typical day. So the shapes, added features and how the mouse communicates with your computer will determine which you should get.

When we’re talking about ergonomic mice for productivity purposes, it usually refers to mice that look distinctly different from the standard, typically with shapes that tilt your hand towards a more “handshake” position instead of facing your palm downward. A vertical ergonomic mouse has the most severe up-and-down angle, semi-vertical mice split the difference and trackball models stay put on your desk while your thumb controls the movement of the cursor. Gaming mice have an ergonomic category as well, but that simply refers to a mouse with curves designed to fit either the right or left hand. It differentiates those mice from ambidextrous models, which don’t conform to a particular hand.

Each of three ergonomic mice shapes can help address different concerns. If you’re trying to avoid twisting your forearm, a vertical mouse could be what you need. Clicking a vertical mouse feels more like pinching your finger and thumb together, which could relieve certain other wrist issues as well.

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A semi-vertical mouse feels the most like a traditional mouse, with an angle closer to 50 or 60 degrees from your desk. Semi-vertical mouse clicks can feel easier too, since you’re pushing down instead of pinching. Some vertical and semi-vertical mice have an optional flange that supports the heel of your palm. Instead of pivoting on those bones to make the mouse move, your palm and wrist stay aligned and the entire arm controls the motion.

A trackball mouse can also keep your wrist from bending, as it keeps your forearm planted. My personal struggle is with neck and shoulder tension, so trackballs and very lightweight vertical mice work best for me as their configuration lets me keep my forearm from moving.

As this guide focuses on productivity mice, gaming-specific stats like polling rates and IPS values don’t really come into play. (My colleague Jeff Dunn does a good job of explaining those metrics in his gaming mouse review guide.) What matters here are numbers like DPI, or dots per inch, which indicates how sensitive a mouse is. The higher the setting, the faster your cursor will move across the screen. Low DPI settings let you do precision work like pixel-by-pixel editing in Photoshop. All the mice here have at least two and as many as five settings, ranging from 400 to 3,200 DPI. Mice that make it easy to switch from high to low DPI might make sense if you do a lot of detailed work.

Weight makes a difference in vertical and semi-vertical mice (but not trackballs, since they stay put). A lighter mouse will be easier to move around, which could put less strain on your wrist and arm. That said, a little weight can make the movements of your mouse feel more precise. For reference, a featherweight gaming mouse might weigh 45 grams and a large vertical mouse with a flange attached might weigh 140 grams. The latter may feel a little heavy, but a mouse with smooth feet and used with a decent mouse pad will feel lighter.

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It’s always nice to have easily clickable buttons, but that matters even more when body health is a concern. Pressing hard on a button tenses up my arm and shoulder like nobody’s business. Since it’s an action desk workers perform hundreds or thousands of times a day, it’s essential that it be effortless — nothing ruled out a mouse quicker in my tests than tough buttons.

a selection of ergonomic mice are arranged around an ergonomic keyboard on a white desk

Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget

All mice have the basics: a right and left button and a scroll wheel. All mice in this guide also have a DPI selector button. Some have other functions such as a scroll wheel that can click with a press or handle horizontal scrolling by tilting the wheel to the right or left. Many also have back and forward buttons for browser windows, and sometimes those two are programmable to perform different functions in other apps.

More complex mice have additional buttons to customize, typically using a mouse’s proprietary software. Depending on that software, you can set buttons to mute calls, copy and paste, undo and redo, switch tabs and more. Performing multiple functions without extraneous movement is a big plus in ergonomic design. Of course, there are a number of keyboards that let you program multiple functions into specific keys, which cuts down on superfluous movement even more, which you can read about in our ergonomic keyboard guide.

All the mice here will work with Mac’s operating system as well as Microsoft Windows, and some work with Chrome, Linnux and even iPadOS (though I didn’t test those) as well. They connect in three ways: Wired, via Bluetooth or with a 2.4Ghz wireless dongle. More devices have incorporated USB-C interfaces, but most mice still use USB-A. So if you have a laptop that only sports USB-C ports (looking at you, MacBook), you’ll need an adapter to use a wired or dongle-enabled mouse. You can use a hub or docking station for this purpose, but in testing this guide, I ran into connectivity issues using a wireless USB receiver in a docking station, particularly when there wasn’t a direct and completely clear path between the mouse and receiver. Everything worked far more reliably with just a direct USB-C to A adapter.

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The difference between wireless and Bluetooth is twofold: a wireless dongle connection tends to be quicker to set up. You just plug in the accessory, turn on the mouse (potentially granting permission for the device) and you’re set. For Bluetooth, you need to open the settings menu, activate pairing mode on the mouse, search for the mouse and then click connect. There’s also a bit more latency when using Bluetooth versus a wireless mouse. It’s not something most people will notice doing workaday stuff, but if you plan on playing some Overwatch after hours and want to use the same mouse, you might want to go with the faster, 2.4Ghz route.

After many hours of research and reading reviews, I gathered just over 20 mice with good claims to ergonomic design to test in my work setup. I mostly tried out mice geared towards a work-from-home or office setting, as opposed to gaming (we have a whole guide dedicated to that topic). I used each mouse for a few hours or a few days, noting how well they felt as well as how they performed. I mostly used a MacBook Pro M1 but verified Windows compatibility with an Asus ROG Strix laptop. For reference, my right hand measures 7.25 inches from the wrist crease to the tip of my middle finger, which is just under average for a man and large for a woman.

Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget

Connection: Wired USB-A or 2.4Ghz wireless dongle models available | Power: Wired model or 2 x AAA batteries wireless model | DPI options: 1,000, 1,500, 2,000 and 2,500 | Weight: 110-130g w/o flange, 150-170g with flange | Extra buttons: Forward, backward

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I really enjoyed using the Goldtouch Semi-Vertical mouse and it is probably the one I had plugged in the longest, just because I liked it. It’s one of the few non-gaming mice I encountered with adjustable weights. I took two of the four 5g discs out to make it around 120 grams and that, combined with the easy glide, made moving it feel effortless. The cursor movement is precise at all four DPI settings and the light-up Goldtouch logo on the side turns different colors depending on which speed you’ve selected (red is low, blue is medium, green is medium-fast, and purple is fast) which is far easier to discern than most mice that rely on a series of flashes to indicate speed.

It has a soft-touch, rubberized exterior with smooth metallic plastic buttons that are easy to click. As a semi-vertical mouse, it puts your hand in a natural, 60-degree tilt position that, to me, feels more comfortable than the straight-up-and-down of a fully vertical mouse. My medium-sized hand can fully palm the exterior with some distance left between the tips of my fingers and the ends of the mouse buttons, so slightly larger hands should still have room.

There aren’t a ton of extra buttons, just left, right, scroll, DPI and forward and back browser buttons (that aren’t programmable). The scroll button accurately adjusts between a slow line-by-line crawl and a page-swallowing speed run, depending on how fast you turn it. Maybe it’s just the review unit I got, but the wheel occasionally made the faintest squeak, though that’s starting to fade. The clicks are audible, but not annoying and the lift-off distance is just right. When you need to reposition the mouse, tilting it slightly to glide on its right edge doesn’t result in errant cursor movement.

The Goldtouch Semi-Vertical comes with an optional flange that attaches firmly with magnets. It adds a little weight but the mouse still glides admirably. The addition allows you to rest the heel of your palm so it moves along with you as you mouse. This is great for preventing any bending of your wrist as you move your whole arm instead. I didn’t use the flange other than to test it, as moving my whole arm just aggravates my shoulder tension. Goldtouch claims that the flange also adds a little extra length to support up to eight-inch-long hands.

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I tested the wired model but Goldtouch also offers wireless versions and, in a rare nod to our sinister-handed kinfolk, wireless left-handed mice as well. 

All three of those models require a USB-A port so if you don’t have one available and don’t want to buy an adapter, you can try Perrix’s Perimice 819 for a similar semi-vertical design. It’s a little smaller, so medium and large hands will use more of a fingertip grip. But it glides easily, has precise movement, a rechargeable battery and connects via Bluetooth or wirelessly with either a USB-C or USB-A dongle. Plus, it’s an ergonomic bargain at $35.

Pros
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  • Solidly built
  • Adjustable weights
  • Smooth glide
  • Semi-vertical design is extra comfortable
  • Removable flange glides easily
Cons
  • No programmable buttons
  • Faint squeak from the scroll wheel

$75 at Amazon

J-Tech Digital

Connection: 2.4Ghz wireless dongle | Power: Rechargeable battery | DPI options: 800, 1,200, 1,600 or 3,200 | Weight: 120g w/o flange, 140g with flange | Extra buttons: Forward, backward, scroll click, RGB (programmable)

The J-Tech Digital V638 feels a lot more premium than its $30 price tag would suggest. It has a comfortable vertical design, a rechargeable battery, a clickable scroll button and even some (optional) RGB lights to keep things interesting.

The exterior is a rubberized plastic with a satiny feel. It has a wider grip than many vertical mice, which results in less of a pinching motion when clicking, which may feel more natural for some. Palming the mouse and moving it around feels smooth and precise. There’s a slight protrusion between where your middle and ring finger rest that sort of reminds me of a flight-sim joystick. When you’re fully gripping the mouse, which is the most relaxed approach, the buttons are easy to click. But if your hand is backed off a little and using more of a fingertip grip, the buttons feel a little stiff towards the back. In practice, this just reminded me to reposition my hand for a better grip.

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The RGB lights are fun, glowing and pulsing in different patterns and colors, which can be changed by clicking the button just below the thumb rest. But if an onerous deadline has you feeling particularly unfestive, pressing and holding the button will shut down the glow entirely. Pressing the scroll wheel enables a left click and the scrolling itself is smooth with just the faintest ratchet as it turns. The other buttons are page forward and back browser controls, and while they’re programmable, it requires a third party software; J-Tech recommends X-Mouse Button Control.

A flange is also included and again attaches magnetically. The connection doesn’t feel as firm as the Goldtouch flange, but it’s not in danger of flying off. It’s unfortunately textured with curving lines, which feels uncomfortable, and the added drag with the accessory attached is noticeable. But the V638 is a relatively cheap yet solidly built option that I’d call the best budget ergonomic mouse.

Pros
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  • Great value
  • Wider vertical rip feels natural
  • RGB lights are fun and optional
Cons
  • Buttons can be hard to click
  • Flange is uncomfortable, but detachable

$25 at Amazon

Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget

Connection: 2.4Ghz wireless dongle | Power: 1 x AA battery (included)| DPI options: 1,000, 1,500, 2,000 and 2,500 | Weight: 140g | Extra buttons: Clickable wheel, upper and lower thumb buttons, left, right and center mouse buttons

Upon opening the Evoluent VerticalMouse D, I was immediately transported to my childhood: It’s like a model of the Flight of the Navigator ship, all sleek lines and black metallic (another blast from the past). After getting over the nostalgia, I was impressed by the smoothest button clicks on any mouse I’ve tried. The thumb rest on the side is higher than on many other mice, and I found the placement made the vertical shape more comfortable for my hand. There’s even a little lip for the pinky to rest on, something I didn’t even know I wanted, but now all other mice seem like they’re letting down my smallest digit.

It’s heavier at 140 grams but it moves smoothly and quickly on its feet. The shape makes it easy to perform the smaller, more minute fingertip adjustments and quickly return to the full support of a palm grip. Scrolling has a satisfying clickiness and slow rotations are extra precise. The wheel itself is clickable, but on my unit it was pre-programed as a browser back button. The cursor movements out of the box were also way too accelerated.

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Thankfully, all the buttons and mouse speeds on the VerticalMouse D are customizable. Evoluent offers its own drivers for Windows, but the downloads page says that Mac support is forthcoming, as the company is waiting on a driver development kit from Apple that hasn’t been delivered despite “repeated emails” from Evoluent. In the meantime, I used USB Overdrive to change up the acceleration speeds (which afterwards felt accurate) and changed a few of the button functions.

In addition to the standard buttons, there’s a third near the right and left, so your pointer, middle and ring finger all have something to push. Two above and below the thumb rest are also customizable, but I programmed the top one to do nothing because I kept accidentally hitting it when I moved my hand from keyboard to mouse. I set the bottom button to show all windows (Mission Control) and the third mouse button to open the clipboard. Now there are two moves I no longer need to use my keyboard for, which is handy.

Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, Evoluent makes three sizes of its mice. I tested the medium, which worked well for my 7.25-inch long hand. But there’s also a small and large model. The company claims to have come up with the idea for a vertical mouse back in 1994. The mice it makes thirty years later seems to live up to that legacy with a comfortable, programmable peripheral that totally makes you feel like the navigator. 

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Pros
  • Higher thumb ledge and pinky rest are extra comfortable
  • An additional programmable button near the left and right buttons
  • Shiny!
Cons
  • A bit on the heavy side
  • Top programmable button is easy to accidentally bump
  • So, so shiny.

$115 at Amazon

Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget

Connection: Dual Bluetooth, 2.4Ghz wireless | Power: 2 x AA battery (included)| DPI options: 400 fixed, 400-800 dynamic, 800-1500 dynamic | Weight: 175g | Extra buttons: Clickable wheel with horizontal scroll, forward and back, two programmable thumb buttons, device switch button

I’m on my second Logitech MX Ergo Advanced trackball mouse, after the one I had for nearly six years finally started acting up. So I was pretty certain which trackball mouse would win the prize here. Well, I was wrong. While the MX Ergo is an amazing mouse that feels good in the hand and has a responsive roller movement, there were so many additional elements to like about the Kensington Pro Fit Ergo that it edged out my favorite. And it’s $30 less.

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The first thing that impressed me was the trackball ejector button. Because trackball mice stay in one place and don’t track over your desk, they’re actually better for surfaces that happen to accumulate cat hair (the lack of movement also helps to not disturb the depositor of said cat hair). But small bits of dust can still fall into the gap surrounding the trackball and mess with its roll, so occasionally you need to pop out the ball and clean the little supports in the socket. Getting the ball out was always kind of a pain — until now.

The Pro Fit Ergo has a slightly steeper tilt than the MX Ergo, which ultimately feels more natural, with less forearm twisting. The dynamic acceleration with the two variable DPI settings make cursor movements both quick and precise. Kensington’s software (or third party software like USB Overdrive) will let you program the two extra buttons as well as the forward and back button and multipurpose scroll wheel, which also has click and horizontal scroll abilities. There’s A device-switcher button cycles through the two Bluetooth and one wireless dongle connection. That’s a feature I could see using fairly often, given that the mouse is compatible with iPads, and trackball mice are excellent for use on the arms of couches.

One of the few gripes I have is that the DPI button is on the bottom — inconvenient for quickly swapping to precision mode in Photoshop and the like. I’m also not crazy about the hard-touch plastic on the exterior. It’s heavy at 175 grams, but since trackball mice need to anchor down, that’s actually a good thing.

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Pros
  • Handshake position is super comfortable
  • Extra programmable buttons
  • Trackball design minimizes arm movements
  • Easy clicks and accurate tracking
Cons
  • DPI button on the bottom!
  • One programmable side button is easy to accidentally press
  • Hard plastic is a little unyielding, but it stays clean

$78 at Amazon

Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget

Connection: Wired, Bluetooth, 2.4Ghz wireless | Power: Rechargeable battery | DPI options: five stages, max 26,000 | Weight: 101g | Extra buttons: Clickable wheel with horizontal scroll, three programmable thumb buttons, profile switch button

Full disclosure: No one would mistake me for a gamer (and when I do get around to playing something, it’s on a console). But I wanted to see what an “ergonomic” gaming mouse would feel like compared to a standard, productivity-style option. There aren’t very many vertical gaming mice and virtually none made by a company I’m familiar with. I don’t imagine many trackball users make it very high on the leaderboards, either. So that leaves mice that the gaming world calls “ergonomic.” In that realm, ergonomic means shaped to fit a particular hand, with curves and cutouts that conform to palms and fingers. It’s distinct from ambidextrous mice that offer a standard oblong shape with less consideration for conforming to either hand.

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The mouse I tried from this category that felt the most comfortable turned out to be Jeff’s top pick in his best gaming mouse guide: Razer’s Basilisk V3. It’s light and super easy to whip around a mouse pad and, even at higher DPI settings, the cursor stops on a dime for precision clicks. It has a nicely textured, rubberized exterior and a comfy ledge for your thumb to rest on. There’s no tilt to speak of; your hand is pretty much twisted palm-down on your desk, but the light, easy and accurate movement keeps the strain down.

Then there’s all the stuff that makes it a good mouse for competitive play, like customizable buttons and multiple profiles so you can program unique actions for different games using Razer’s software. The scroll wheel has a chunky notched movement, but a button toggles to make scrolling super slick. There’s also a button near the thumb that comes programmed as a low DPI button so you can do precision things like aim in your wand or gatling gun, or clean dust from Photoshop images.

Pros
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  • Light, precise and speedy
  • Affordably priced
  • Thumb ledge is comfortable
  • Plenty of gaming customization options
Cons
  • Uses a palm-down orientation

$44 at Walmart

In our guide to the best productivity mice, we name the Logitech MX Master 3S the best you can get. As I considered its merits as a mouse, it was indeed an impressive option — it connected flawlessly, has a useful sideways wheel as well as the traditional scroll feature and the thumb rest is a nice touch. But the ergonomics didn’t quite do it for me. For one, it holds your hand in the standard, palm-down, claw-grip position.

Logitech’s Lift Vertical is likely one of the more popular ergonomic mice out there. It’s fairly lightweight, has an attractive design with a nice feel to the exterior. The buttons are easy to click and nearly silent. It also connects quickly using either Bluetooth or a dongle. Unfortunately, it doesn’t glide across the mouse pad all that smoothly, and the pinch grip the design requires actually aggregated my wrist. The cursor movements are fairly precise, though I occasionally had trouble getting the cursor to land just where I wanted it. Also, it’s small; my hands are too large for the Lift. Logitech’s Logitech MX Vert is essentially a larger version, but again, the skinnier shape was uncomfortable in my hands and it was tough to get the cursor to go where I wanted it to.

The HP 920 ergonomic vertical also has a flange for resting your palm, but it makes the mouse overly heavy to move around. Without it, however, it’s an extremely comfortable mouse with a premium feel, rechargeable battery, and two programmable thumb buttons. Unfortunately, the cursor movement was frustratingly imprecise and didn’t go exactly where I pointed, forcing a number of corrections — and extraneous movement is what we’re trying to avoid in ergonomic setups.

Apart from the rather loud clicks, I was impressed with the build and performance of the Turtle Beach Pure Air. It’s lightweight, moves smoothly, and has impressively accurate cursor movements. But despite being labeled an ergonomic mouse, it’s particularly light on the ergonomics. There’s a divot for your right thumb, so it can’t be called ambidextrous, but beyond that it’s a pretty standard (albeit quite nice) gaming mouse.

The PERIMICE-719 from Perixx is a solid mouse with an exterior that feels nice to the touch. It has a comfortable, semi-vertical design, accurate cursor moves and a satisfyingly ratcheted scroll wheel. Plus, it offers reliable connectivity with a wireless dongle and only costs $22. Unfortunately, it was too small for my hand. Only folks with smaller glove sizes (or don’t mind adopting more of a fingertip grip) will be able to get the most out of this one.

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Technology

Americans are turning to VPN services to bet on the US election

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US Presidential Election background. United States Elections 2024 concept

There are just a few days left before the most awaited presidential election of the year and the polls still show a very close race between the two candidates: former President Donald Trump and current Vice President Kamala Harris.

It’s in this divisive and uncertain context that increasingly more people in the US have been turning to the best VPN apps to access Polymarket, a popular online betting and prediction platform, to bet on who’s going to be the winner.

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Technology

NYT Mini Crossword today: puzzle answers for Monday, November 4

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NYT Mini Crossword today: puzzle answers for Saturday, September 21

The New York Times has introduced the next title coming to its Games catalog following Wordle’s continued success — and it’s all about math. Digits has players adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing numbers. You can play its beta for free online right now. 
In Digits, players are presented with a target number that they need to match. Players are given six numbers and have the ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide them to get as close to the target as they can. Not every number needs to be used, though, so this game should put your math skills to the test as you combine numbers and try to make the right equations to get as close to the target number as possible.

Players will get a five-star rating if they match the target number exactly, a three-star rating if they get within 10 of the target, and a one-star rating if they can get within 25 of the target number. Currently, players are also able to access five different puzzles with increasingly larger numbers as well.  I solved today’s puzzle and found it to be an enjoyable number-based game that should appeal to inquisitive minds that like puzzle games such as Threes or other The New York Times titles like Wordle and Spelling Bee.
In an article unveiling Digits and detailing The New York Time Games team’s process to game development, The Times says the team will use this free beta to fix bugs and assess if it’s worth moving into a more active development phase “where the game is coded and the designs are finalized.” So play Digits while you can, as The New York Times may move on from the project if it doesn’t get the response it is hoping for. 
Digits’ beta is available to play for free now on The New York Times Games’ website

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Science & Environment

Next U.S. president shouldn’t surrender America’s energy dominance, Total CEO warns

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Next U.S. president shouldn't surrender America's energy dominance, Total CEO warns


The U.S. has a 'clear competitive advantage' on energy, says TotalEnergies CEO

Whoever wins the 2024 U.S. election should work to preserve America’s energy dominance rather than risk losing it, Total CEO Patrick Pouyanne told CNBC on Monday.

The U.S. is the world’s largest oil producer, accounting for 22% of the global total, according to the Energy Information Administration, with Saudi Arabia next, producing 11%. The vast majority of U.S. crude is consumed within the country, which is also the world’s largest oil consumer.

“U.S. energy has been unleashed. In fact, when you look to what happened since the last two, three years, production of oil has never been so high … [the] revolution of U.S. shale is really taking place,” Pouyanne told CNBC’s Dan Murphy at the annual Adipec oil conference in Abu Dhabi.

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Roughly 64% of total U.S. crude oil production is shale and the French international energy firm CEO said the U.S. will also soon be No. 1 in liquified natural gas (LNG) production.

“I think that is part of political rhetoric,” Pouyanne said. “My view is that whoever the [winning] camp is, in fact, energy is really one of the big competitive advantages for the U.S. and whoever will win [will put] U.S. first, I would say.”

Looking ahead to the election, former President Donald Trump and the Republican party have long been proponents of U.S. shale production, pushing for deregulation of the industry and an expansion of drilling projects — drawing the ire of climate activists and many on the left.

Conoco Phillips Eagle Ford Shale Drilling Rig in Texas

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Source: Conoco Phillips

But Democratic contender and Vice President Kamala Harris has now changed her position on fracking, expressing support for the controversial oil and gas extraction process and pledging not to ban it as president, despite years of vocal opposition.

Short for hydraulic fracturing, the process — which uses vast quantities of water and can be damaging to the environment — paved the way for America’s shale revolution, jolting the country’s oil production from a record low of 5.1 million barrels per day in 2008 to its historic high of nearly 13 million barrels per day in 2023.

“Kamala Harris has declared that she’s supportive of shale oil fracking and shale gas. So I think it’s part of the game,” Pouyanne said. “Again, for me, today, the U.S. has a clear competitive advantage on energy compared to many [in the] rest of the world. So I will be surprised to see whoever is elected lose the competitive advantage.”

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Energy dominance also plays a role when it comes to U.S. exports and geopolitical strength, as the country has been able to boost oil and gas supplies to Europe as the continent cuts its Russian imports following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. The U.S. supplied almost half of Europe’s LNG imports in 2023, according to Cedigaz, with most of that produced by shale drilling.

Pouyanne noted that President Joe Biden’s administration had been more restrictive on opening new acreage for drilling, “but at same time, they approved a project from Alaska,” the Total CEO said.

“So, I mean, it’s more balanced than we think,” the Total CEO added. “And my view is that, again: ‘USA first,’ whoever will be president.”



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