A survey recently published by BlinkAI found more than one in three American smartphone buyers plan to keep a device for more than three years, and only 10% plan to upgrade yearly. This is a long-term trend: the company’s 2015 survey found most buyers were on a two-year replacement cycle. Modern phones are powerful enough to make a long-term commitment practical, but my experience shows there are diminishing returns to keeping a phone beyond three years....

Is Microsoft Word Free? Yes, But Be Aware of the Limitations The short answer is simple: yes. Microsoft Word can be used for free. There’s one important requirement you must fulfill. You need a Microsoft account. All modern versions of Word require you to log in with a Microsoft account, even if you have no intention of paying. Using Microsoft Word for free comes with limitations. These vary based on your platform but, in general, using a free edition of Microsoft Word will restrict formatting and page setup options to a basic set of tools....

The J-Tech Digital 4x1 HDMI Switch offers users a respectable 4K experience, with a 30Hz refresh rate and a preview mode for all connected inputs. With rear ports and a soft black aluminum body, it looks at home on any console or desk. While the switcher performs as expected, there are some significant caveats, lacking 4k/60Hz support and HDCP 2.2 compatibility. In 2019, most 4K content is encoded in HDCP 2....

How Does SMS Work? The SMS allows any Mac to detect sudden motion that would indicate the device has been dropped, knocked over, or in danger of a severe impact. Once this type of motion is detected, the SMS protects the Mac’s hard drive by moving the drive’s heads from their current active location over the spinning magnetic disk platters to a safe location retracted into the side of the drive mechanism....

Finding a perfect blend between useful features, size, and audio quality is tough for computer speakers, given all the varied tasks they’re used for. The Logitech Z337 speakers aim to find that balance while also working under a very low price tag. They may not have the absolute best sound quality for their price, but they have several advantages over their competition, and they’re good-looking. Design and Accessories: Tiny monsters with lots of character There are few desks that are too small to accommodate the Logitech Z337 speakers....

What Is an M4V File? Developed by Apple and nearly identical to the MP4 format, a file with the M4V file extension is an MPEG-4 video file, or sometimes called an iTunes video file. You’ll most often find these types of files used for movies, TV shows, and music videos downloaded through the iTunes Store. Apple may protect M4V files with DRM copyright protection to prevent unauthorized distribution of the video....

What Are the Controller Options for Mario Kart 8? You can play Mario Kart 8 with any controller that’s compatible with the Wii U. If you play with the Wii U gamepad or the Wii remote, you can control your vehicle by rotating your controller like a steering wheel. MK8 also supports accessories for the Wii like the Wii Wheel and Wii U accessories like the Wii U Pro Classic Controller....

Kang said she found a visible pain point in her previous work in nuclear weapons security after often feeling down and stuck in her position. As a result, she switched her mindset in 2015 to launch InnovatorsBox, a tech company specializing in culture, leadership, and team development for organizations. Kang describes InnovatorsBox as a creative educational firm that helps employees at other companies tap into their untouched creativity through workshops, consulting , and, most notably, online tools and courses....

The Moto G Stylus (2021) is the second iteration of the hardware, superseding the fantastic Moto G Stylus (2020). Following on its predecessor’s heels a mere nine months later, the Moto G Stylus (2021) features a bigger display, an improved stylus, and an incrementally better processor. Specifications such as the amount of RAM, display resolution, and Android version all remain unchanged. Yet others, specifically the rear camera array, are in some ways bafflingly worse....

What Is an MSR File? There are a variety of file formats that use the MSR file extension to store data for different types of software, one being for a MineSight resource. A different file that uses the .MSR extension might be a Bersoft image measurement file, a LaVision ImSpector file, an OzWin CompuServe Access SYSOP file, a manifest summary record, or a report file associated with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) software....

This OnePlus 8T, however, has me wondering if I could switch. It’s not innovative in a folding-phone way, no, but it makes my iPhone XS feel kinda sad and slow. I honestly could see myself using the OnePlus 8T for day to day life, personal and professional, thanks to its speedy responsiveness, gorgeous screen, and long-lasting battery. Will I, though? Probably not, since I’m pretty committed to using AirPods, iMessages and FaceTime (my folks can only handle so many different apps to stay in touch), and my massive collection of apps and games that also show up on my iPad Pro....

No matter which electronic hardware is in a pair of headphones, there’s one aspect that affects the sonic signature more than anything else. Headphones can be open or closed, sometimes referred to as open-back or closed-back. Although less common, some headphones meld the best of both worlds by being semi-open. To most users, the open or closed state of headphones shouldn’t matter as long as the audio experience is enjoyable....

Last week, the FDA ruled that hearing aids can be sold over-the-counter (OTC). This will bring hearing improvements to millions who previously could not afford medical-grade hearing aids. Prices should drop, and with a huge market ready to exploit, technology companies will step in and improve the offerings. “These devices have great potential to increase access to hearing technology for individuals who felt that traditional hearing aids were financially out of reach or due to poor access to hearing healthcare professionals,” Rebecca Lewis, audiologist and audiology director of the Adult and Pediatric Cochlear Implant Program at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica told Lifewire via email....

What Is the I2C Protocol? I2C is a serial communication protocol that only requires two signal lines. It was designed for communication between chips on a printed circuit board (PCB). I2C was originally designed for 100 Kbps communication. However, faster data transmission modes have been developed over the years to achieve speeds of up to 3.4 Mbit. The key feature of I2C is the ability to have many components on a single communication bus with only two wires, which makes I2C perfect for simple applications....

PCM Basics PCM analog-to-digital audio conversion can be complex, depending on the content being converted, the quality desired, and how the information is stored, transferred, and distributed. In basic terms, a PCM audio file is a digital interpretation of an analog sound wave. The goal is to replicate the properties of an analog audio signal as closely as possible. Analog-to-PCM conversion is accomplished via a process called sampling. Analog sound moves in waves, as opposed to PCM, which is a series of ones and zeros....

According to a report from the Motion Picture Association released in March, online video subscriptions passed the 1 billion mark in 2020 for the first time. A J.D. Power survey shows that American households had an average of four different streaming subscriptions in December—up from three in April 2020—and were spending an average of $47 per month. But while public spaces like movie theaters are reopening, one Hollywood expert thinks that consumers will prefer continuing to stream movies after the pandemic....

Changing the desktop wallpaper is one of the easiest ways to personalize your Mac. It ensures everyone knows it is yours, different from all the other Macs using the standard wallpaper supplied by Apple. Picture Formats to Use Desktop wallpaper pictures must be in JPEG, TIFF, PICT, or RAW formats. Raw image files are sometimes problematic because each camera manufacturer creates its own RAW image file format. Apple routinely updates the Mac OS to handle the many different types of RAW formats, but to ensure maximum compatibility—particularly if you’re going to share your pictures with family or friends—use JPEG or TIFF format....

I’m old enough to remember when Quake was the first-person shooter, grabbing the spotlight from Doom thanks to its more advanced visuals. Seriously, my friend Nick and I would spend hours in the game just marveling at how we could see enemy remains from different angles. 3D models were a huge deal back then. Naturally, I was excited to see how one of my most fondly remembered shooters holds up in 2021....

The report from consulting firm McKinsey & Company says that by harnessing the mysterious power of quantum mechanics, computers could find everything from better batteries to ways to capture emitted carbon. The company predicts that useful quantum computers could arrive by the end of the decade. “Meeting the goal of net-zero emissions that countries and some industries have committed to won’t be possible without huge advances in climate technology that aren’t achievable today,” the report’s authors wrote....

The Different Types of Cell References The three types of references that can be used in Excel and Google Sheets are easily identified by the presence or absence of dollar signs ($) within the cell reference. A dollar sign tells the program to use that value every time it runs a formula. Relative cell references contain no dollar signs (i.e., A1).Mixed cell references have dollar signs attached to either the letter or the number in a reference but not both (i....