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5 mistakes people make when lifting weights at home
5 mistakes people make when lifting weights at home
One of the most important aspects of any workout, but especially weight lifting, is practicing good form for each exercise you do. But that can be difficult to master when you don't have someone watching you and showing you what to do IRL.
It's always a good idea to work with a trainer in some capacity, at least at first, even if it's on a video or Zoom chat, so you get a baseline of what to expect in your workout. But if that's out of your price range, or you just want to get started now, let this be your guide.
Below, two certified trainers share the most common mistakes people make when they start out with weight lifting, plus their best tips to stay safe and get the best results as you start your home strength training routine.
Why should you lift weights at home?
"Weight training builds muscle which, apart from appearances, can help promote a healthy metabolism and support sustainable fat loss and/or weight loss efforts," says April Whitney, certified personal trainer and founder of Smalletics. "Weight training also improves bone density which is important for women especially, who are at an increased risk of osteoporosis with age."
If one of your goals is to lose weight and boost your metabolism, strength training is the way to go. But if that's not your goal, weight lifting offers a ton of other benefits like improving posture, flexibility, mobility and sleep, and helps reduce stress and improve energy too, according to Whitney.
Lifting weights at home is convenient because you can do it anytime that fits your schedule.
Gary Yeowell/Getty Images
"One of the misconceptions about weight training is that you need fancy machines," Whitney says. "In reality, you can reap the benefits of strength training and get functionally fit right from your own home with just a pair of dumbbells or resistance bands in combination with bodyweight exercises."
Another benefit of lifting weights at home is the intimidation factor is significantly lower for newbies. For some people, entering the weight room at a crowded gym is intimidating enough to make them want to quit or avoid getting started in the first place.
"You can take the time you need to learn the moves and build confidence in what you're learning," Whitney says. "It's also convenient to have an at-home routine, and you can squeeze it in on your own terms without traveling or abiding by the gym's schedule."
Now, let's explore five common beginner weight-lifting mistakes and how to fix them.
1. Using incorrect form
Learning correct form is one of the most important parts of your weight-lifting routine, since not using correct form and technique can lead to injury.
"Some common mistakes with form include not correctly engaging or bracing the core and also not spending enough time learning the basic prime movements of the human body, which include the hip hinge, the squat and the press," Whitney says.
Good form is imperative to prevent injury and help your muscles get stronger.
Amanda Capritto/CNET
How to fix it
"Spend time early on studying deadlift, squat and press videos, including the chest press and shoulder press, or hire a coach who can give you feedback, whether in person or virtually," Whitney says.
If you don't want to hire a trainer, you can also record yourself doing each workout move with your form to watch after. "If you're not in the market for a trainer, I suggest propping up your phone and recording yourself," says Tatiana Lampa, a certified personal trainer and founder of Training with T. You can compare your own form to a video demonstrating the proper form, and then readjust as needed.
2. Skipping the warm up
It's tempting to jump straight into a workout, but with weight training, it's especially important to take the time to warm up properly. "Your warm up doesn't need to be a long elaborate routine, but it's really important to get your overactive (tight) muscles lengthened and inhibited," Lampa says.
How to fix it
You can start with foam rolling, or a dynamic yoga flow to warm up your body. "From there start activating the muscles you'll be working," Lampa says. "I like to start with some core and glute work before my workout."
3. Using the same weights for months at a time
The key to getting strong and seeing the results you want with weight training is to progressively challenge yourself. In other words, don't let your workout feel too easy.
"To continue to make progress, you must increase the demands (the resistance) on your body by increasing the weights every four to six weeks, or whenever you can. You want to be able to perform all of the reps of a given exercise with good form, with the two final reps feeling challenging," Whitney says.
How to fix it
If the reps you do start to feel easy, then you know that's a sign to move up a few pounds. "The good news is, the research shows you can make a lot of progress here if you are new to weight training. This is colloquially referred to as 'newbie gains,'" Whitney says.
If you have the budget, this is the time to invest in a new set of dumbbells or a kettlebell. But if you're not ready to spend the money, or can't find weights to buy (there's an ongoing shortage), you can use household items that you already have.
You may be eager to lift heavy, but starting out too heavy is one way to get injured.
IngredientsPhoto/Getty Images
4. Overtraining or using weights that are too heavy
On the flip side of not progressing your weights often or challenging yourself is overdoing it.
"It can be easy to fall into a trap of thinking you need to lift the heaviest weight possible to see progress, however this can backfire leading to injury or overtraining," Whitney says.
How to fix it
"If you can't finish a set without taking a break or severely modifying your form, that's a sign to drop the weight lower, until you find the right amount of challenge," Whitney says. "Proper form at a lower weight will train you better than a heavier weight with improper form in the long run."
5. Not following a program
There's nothing wrong with following YouTube or Instagram workout videos to help you get started, but you will get the best results if you have some sort of workout plan or strategy in place.
"You'll save a lot of time and energy investing or finding a proven program," Whitney says. "Not only will the workouts be progressive with time, but it will also teach you how to perform the exercises safely, educate you around what weights to choose, how to track progress and more (if it's a good program!)."
How to fix it
You can search online for workout programs that focus on your goals, like programs to help you lose weight, or simply build muscle. You can also download apps with guided videos, or some plans have the workouts laid out for you in a PDF or printable calendar you can follow.
No matter what type of program you choose, Whitney recommends "beginners start weight training anywhere from three to five days depending on their current level of fitness. They should be able to increase their weights within the first four weeks if they have been consistent."
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.
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Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 4 Is Too Expensive and That's the Point
Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 4 Is Too Expensive and That's the Point
Among the devices revealed at its Unpacked event last week, Samsung showed off its new flagship Galaxy Z Fold 4 foldable phone, which packs improvements like better multitasking software, a slimmer design and a more durable body. One thing Samsung didn't change is the sky-high $1,800 price tag -- which few consumers can likely afford. But that exclusivity is exactly why the Fold 4 exists.
It may seem perplexing to keep the Z Fold 4 at about twice the price of other premium phones when Samsung wants foldables to become more mainstream, as CEO TM Roh said during Unpacked. I argued that price cuts would be the best way Samsung could combat Apple this holiday season. Since Samsung is holding steady with the Z Fold 4's price, it's clear the company is content to keep it a niche device that's out of reach for all but the most deep-pocketed consumers.
The Z Fold 4 sits atop a strata in which it has no real rivals. It's essentially a Ferrari amid Mercedes and BMWs. Creating that level of exclusivity is entirely the point, giving Samsung an exciting and aspirational product that generates buzz and interest in the entire lineup. Chipping a few hundreds dollars off its price won't make a difference, said IDC Research Director Nabila Popal.
Keeping the Z Fold 4 at $1,800 is "the right move, in my opinion, even if it won't be affordable to the masses," Popal said.
This dynamic, which runs counter to the idea that a lower priced foldable may spur interest in the category, is one of the predicaments this whole area faces. Foldables occupy an exciting niche of the phone business, which has seen an endless parade of drab metal and glass slabs come through for more than a decade. But the high price tag keeps them from really breaking out.
The only answer is to slowly build up the market and interest through a combination of exciting, but less attainable, options like the Z Fold 4, and the comparatively affordable $1,000 Z Flip 4.
Samsung is hoping the Z Fold 4's dynamic design -- which is still impressive in person -- gives the company a pop ahead of Apple's own event next month and generates excitement about foldables in general.
Samsung is relying on the Z Flip series to sell the vibe of foldables, transitional phones that alter their shape. And Samsung has work to do, because they're still scarce in the wild, with research firm IDC estimating that a bit over 7 million foldables shipped in 2021 compared with 1.3 billion smartphones sold last year.
From a market perspective, the small volume the Z Fold 4 could get may help Samsung gain back some of the global share of high-end phones, as Apple sells seven of every 10 $800-and-up premium phones globally.
Screenshot by CNET
No price cuts while parts are expensive
Though price cuts would help Samsung make its foldable phones more mainstream, the company may have little choice but to keep its prices static. Unlike truly mainstream products, like Samsung's Galaxy S series, which have flat displays and components used in many other smartphones, the small volume of foldables sold every year have specialty parts.
"That means the very specialized components required ... are still only produced in small quantities and therefore are likely still very expensive," Technalysis Research analyst Bob O'Donnell said.
That leads to a chicken-and-egg problem that impacts every specialty device: Parts can't get cheaper until they're made at scale, and there's no point in making them at scale while consumers buy too few of the pricey devices using those parts. That's the reason so few phone-makers are making foldables, including Apple, O'Donnell said.
"We can't really ignore the fact that the supply chain is not really ready for an Apple-level product, and that's part of the reason Apple hasn't [made a foldable] either," O'Donnell said.
Samsung is splitting the difference with the Z Flip 4, a clamshell foldable that has half the footprint of a "flat" smartphone when it's closed, yet unfolds to show an inner screen as large as any regular phone's display. Samsung sees the Z Flip 4 as an "entry device" that turns bold buyers into foldable lifers, an on-ramp for consumers to eventually upgrade to the bigger, pricier Z Fold line.
Samsung says the Z Flip is the better-selling series, accounting for 70% of the company's foldables shipped, but both devices serve different demographics. The Z Flip is stylish but ultimately just a shrinkable version of a typical 'flat' smartphone, not a junior edition of the productivity-enhancing Z Fold devices that unfold into tablet-size screens.
More foldables are being sold every year, and IDC predicts shipments will grow to 25 million foldables in 2025. Whether that's enough volume to enable cheaper foldables is tough to forecast. Samsung has at least gotten creative with offering foldables with more value.
Facebook on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4.
Screenshot by CNET
Cheaper foldables through trade-ins and carrier deals
The industry is working to make foldables a thing. You can get a Galaxy Z Fold 4 for less than $1,800 through Samsung's generous trade-in values and various carrier deals. Samsung retains its elite price tag, carriers get more customers signed on to their services, and customers get their hands on the next evolution in phones.
Samsung's trade-in deals knock $1,000 off the list price of a Z Fold 4 if you send in your older Z Fold 3, Z Fold 2 or this year's Galaxy S22 Ultra. But trade-in values are still pretty generous for the original Z Fold or other flagship Samsung phones from the last few years. Apple's priciest phones also get decent trade-in value, but you'll get barely anything for phones from Google, Motorola, LG or OnePlus.
Carriers can also save you money on the Z Fold 4, with Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile offering varying trade-in deals to lower the price by up to $1,000. Verizon also offers $800 off a second Z Fold 4 after buying a first, should your household need two foldables.
The other option is to wait for Black Friday or the holiday season, when Samsung may introduce new deals to discount its foldables.
Just don't hold your breath for Samsung to discount its most premium mobile device. Unlike the Z Flip 3, which got a $150 price cut once its successor was revealed this week, the Z Fold 3 has the same $1,800 price on Samsung's website that it had when it launched a year ago. With high parts prices, years of R&D to recoup, and a lack of competition, there's not much pressure for Samsung to lower its prices.
Samsung is "leading in this space at the moment and can afford to charge a premium before other Android players ramp up in this space, and perhaps even Apple in a couple of years," Popal said.
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Why You Shouldn't Take Your Indoor TV Outside for the Summer
Why You Shouldn't Take Your Indoor TV Outside for the Summer
Summer is here, and with the sunny days and warm weather, you're probably eager to spend as much time as possible outside. If you have a nice outdoor space like a deck or gazebo, covered or not, you might be curious if you can enjoy TV outside too. After all, watching the big game with friends, movie nights with the family, even just sitting by the pool and binge-watching a new show all seem better enjoyed on a big screen rather than your phone or tablet.
Dedicated outdoor TVs are expensive, however. The brand-new Element outdoor Roku TV is one of the cheapest we've seen and it still costs $1,300, mainly because it's designed to be relatively weatherproof. So why not save hundreds of dollars and bring a standard TV outside? A simple wall mount, perhaps an extension cord to a nearby exterior outlet, and you're good to go, right?
Not so fast. Much like putting a TV in the bathroom, even if it seems your display is away from direct splashes of water, it's in peril. Mounting a regular TV outside is the fastest way to destroy it, other than enthusiastic defenestration. Here's why.
No Groot, we can't watch Tree of Life again.
Kelvin Murray/Getty Images
The fragility of televisions
Heat, humidity and direct sunlight are the enemies of all TVs. For example, here's what LG lists as the operating temperatures for one of its LCD TVs:
Operating temperature 0 to 40 degrees C (32 to 104 degrees F)
Operating humidity less than 80%
Most parts of the US fall outside that range at least a few times a year. LG also advises to "keep the product away from direct sunlight" and not to place the TV in an "area exposed to rain or wind." Other manufacturers have similar temperature and humidity ranges for their televisions.
Anyone know where I can get more salt for this margarita? Wait, never mind.
Matthais Clamer/Getty Images
You might be thinking, "I have the perfect spot that's covered and out of the sun." Can you install a regular TV in a seemingly "safe" environment? You could. No one will stop you. I'm sure it will even work the first few times you try. Just know that TVs are intricate, fragile devices. Used normally they can last many years. Used outside of their prescribed environment, like adding heat, moisture and sunlight, the TV will age significantly faster. If you can afford to replace a TV every few months or every year, you do you. I'm sure TV manufacturers will be extremely pleased. Just don't expect any warranty coverage.
Samsung
Dedicated outdoor TVs are expensive
Several companies make TVs designed for the elements. This is more difficult than it sounds. Sealing a TV against moisture, plus any curious wildlife, limits the TV's ability to cool itself. Heat, as we've discussed before, is by far the biggest enemy of TV longevity. So this rugged redesign, plus the additional components and weather sealing, increase the price.
That Element Roku TV is a 55-inch model with IP55 dust and water resistance but at $1,300 it costs four times as much as a regular Roku TV -- and other outdoor TVs cost even more. Samsung's The Terrace is IP55 and costs $3,500 for a 55-inch model. Another big name in the space, SunBrite, specializes in outdoor TVs and its similarly sized TVs cost around $3,000.
The Nature channel in 8K looks so lifelike!
UrbanCow/Getty Images
Which is to say, doing the job "right" not only isn't cheap, but likely beyond the means of anyone looking to just watch some Netflix on the patio. Fortunately, there are some other options.
What, Mom? You told us to go outside. We're outside.
Andy Ryan/Getty Images
'TV' under the stars
Another option, though still not "cheap," is a TV enclosure. These help protect your TV from the elements, including the front screen, vents on the back, and so on. Some models even have optional antiglare screens, highly important as even a bright TV is going to have trouble competing with the sun. They can also have heaters or fans, to help keep the TV in its comfort zone. However, these enclosures often cost as much as the TV itself. They'll also extend your poor TV's life, but not indefinitely. It's not an outdoor TV now. It's an indoor TV wearing a nice coat.
If you're just planning on watching at night, consider a projector instead. These are likely cheaper than a TV plus enclosure, and are small enough to easily bring back inside when you're done for the night. They can project onto the side of your house, or better yet, a collapsible screen. Even a big sheet works quite well. Battery powered models aren't particularly bright, but just need Wi-Fi to stream. For larger, brighter models, you'll need to run a power cable. These can create images 100 inches or larger with ease, however, making backyard movie night something truly special.
If none of these work for you, consider getting a wheeled cart so the TV is only outside when you're actually watching it. That's definitely not as cool, or as easy, as mounting a TV outside, but it will save you money in replacement costs in the long run.
As well as covering TV and other display tech, Geoff does photo tours of cool museums and locations around the world, including nuclear submarines, massive aircraft carriers, medieval castles, epic 10,000 mile road trips, and more. Check out Tech Treks for all his tours and adventures.
He wrote a bestselling sci-fi novel about city-size submarines, along with a sequel. You can follow his adventures on Instagram and his YouTube channel.
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DJI Phantom 3 Advanced review: The sweet spot for features, performance and price
DJI Phantom 3 Advanced review: The sweet spot for features, performance and price
DJI currently has three versions of its Phantom 3 drone: the Standard , Advanced and Professional . While there are several important differences between the entry-level Phantom 3 Standard ($799, £649 or AU$1,299) and its two linemates, the feature gap between the Professional and Advanced amounts to two things.
The Phantom 3 Professional shoots video in 4K (3,820x2,160-pixel) resolution and has a 100-watt battery charger. It retails for $1,259, £1,159 or AU$1,950. The Advanced captures video in 1080p (1,920x1,080) and has a slower 57-watt charger, but costs $999, £899 or AU$1,550. That's it.
The 4K video from the Professional is a step up from the Advanced's full-HD results. But it's not a big step up, and unless you want or need the extra resolution and have a computer powerful enough to play and edit 4K video, the Advanced's 1080p video doesn't disappoint. And since the drones' features and controllers are the same, the Phantom 3 Advanced is as easy to recommended as it is to fly. Which is to say it's really easy.
Joshua Goldman/CNET
Design and features
The quadcopter itself is, for the most part, unchanged from its predecessor, the Phantom 2 Vision+. You'll find all the same convenience features like color-coded, self-tightening propellers for easy installation and replacement, and a slot-loading battery pack, though it's a newly designed battery making the Phantom 2's batteries incompatible with the 3.
The three-axis gimbal on its belly stabilizes the camera in roll, pitch and yaw directions keeping the video looking smooth even with sudden stick movements or wind gusts. Plus, the camera can do a 90-degree tilt, letting you shoot straight down, straight ahead and anywhere in between. The camera is permanently attached to the gimbal, so if you irreparably damage one or the other, you'll have to replace the entire gimbal-and-camera assembly. It also means you don't have the option of using the camera for anything else, unlike models that use GoPro or other small cameras such as 3D Robotic's Solo or EHang's Ghost.
The Advanced's camera features a Sony-made 12-megapixel 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor behind a new f2.8 20mm lens (35mm equivalent), which gives you a 94-degree field of view. That's much narrower than the Vision+ camera's 140-degree field of view resulting in far less distortion.
Joshua Goldman/CNET
Sitting to the back of the gimbal is the new Vision Positioning System, a set of sensors to help the Phantom 3 hover while indoors when GPS isn't available. There are many caveats for it to work properly, however, such as not flying over sound-absorbing materials, water or highly reflective surfaces. It's also only effective up to about 10 feet (3 meters). If you're thinking of getting the Advanced to fly above crowds in an arena or auditorium, you better up your piloting skills first.
When you're outside, GPS is used to help the drone determine its position and yours and is what makes it possible for the drone to stop and hover in place when you release the controller's sticks as well as delivering accurate location data for safety features like automatically returning to a home position. The more satellites it can lock onto, the better off you are, so DJI added the Russian navigational system, GLONASS, which lets it tap into more satellites than GPS alone.
Satellite acquisition speeds are noticeably faster compared to the Phantom 2 Vision+, so you can lock on and start flying more quickly. Also, with the Vision+ there were times I would struggle to get a solid lock on six satellites (the minimum for GPS-assisted flight). The Advanced never had a problem grabbing onto 10 satellites or more in a matter of seconds and regularly had upward of 15 in my testing. This makes a huge difference when it comes to putting the drone in the exact position you want for photos and video.
Joshua Goldman/CNET
The controller and DJI Go mobile app (formerly called Pilot) are important, too, of course. The Advanced and its controller have DJI's Lightbridge technology for better image transmission between the sky and ground. Lightbridge allows for a continuous connection back and forth between the two and increases flight range over the wireless range extender used for the Phantom 2 and the entry-level Phantom 3 Standard. This does mean you'll need your iOS or Android device's charging cable to use it, but the performance improvement is well worth it.
On each of the top corners you'll find discrete camera controls for starting and stopping recordings, taking pictures, reviewing your shots and two wheels, one for adjusting exposure compensation, ISO and shutter speed and the other for the gimbal's tilt. Two customizable buttons are on the bottom as well that can be used for a handful of gimbal or camera functions. Overall it's a great setup, but more than a few times I accidentally switched to playback mode while trying to snap a photo.
DJI also included a Return-to-Home button for those times when panic starts to set in and you just want to bring it on back. The controller's battery is built in and will last through several flights before you'll need to recharge it. DJI simplified charging, too, using one power supply with two cables attached: one for the controller's battery and one for the drone's.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Connecting your iOS or Android smartphone or tablet is as simple as plugging in your device's charging cable into the USB port on the Advanced's controller. (It'll keep your device charged while you use it for flying, too.) Then, with the controller and drone turned on, you just open the DJI Go app and tap to get the camera view.
The controller's device mount can handle phones and tablets big and small, however the app is optimized for use with the iPhone 5S, 6 and 6 Plus. Android device support is thin, with just the Samsung Galaxy S5 and Note 3, Sony Xperia Z3, Google Nexus 7 II, Google Nexus 9, Xiaomi Mi 3 and ZTE Nubia Z7 Mini listed. I tested with both a 6 Plus and a Galaxy S5 and the app performance was clearly stronger on the iOS device with the S5 occasionally freezing up forcing me midflight to restart the app.
In addition to a first-person view from the camera, you get complete camera controls, meters for signal strengths, GPS and battery life and access to settings for the whole system. It will also notify you if a firmware update is necessary (which occur with some regularity) and, eventually, you'll be able to do the updates through the app; currently they're done by downloading a file to a microSD card and popping the card into the drone's camera.
The app can also be used for automated take-offs and landings, if you don't want to handle them with stick commands, and triggering the Return-to-Home safety function. Another new safety feature of sorts is the Beginner Mode. This sets up virtual barriers called a geofence with a maximum altitude and flight distance of 30 meters (98 feet), giving you a safe way to limit where the drone can travel. It's pretty amazing to see in action as you send the Phantom full throttle toward its limit and the drone stops as if it's been snagged in an invisible net.
As for the camera settings, video recording options include full HD (1,920x1,080-pixel) and HD (1,280x720-pixel) resolutions at 24, 25, 30, 48, 50, 60 frames per second and you can choose between MOV or MP4 formats. Thanks to the Lightbridge technology, you can even use it to live-stream video straight to YouTube and uses your mobile device's mic for capturing audio.
Joshua Goldman/CNET
For photos, you can capture in JPEG, DNG raw format or both simultaneously. Shooting modes include single shots or bursts of three, five or seven; HDR and auto exposure bracketing (0.7EV bias) of three or five pictures; and time-lapse continuous shooting at 5-, 7-, 10-, 20- and 30-second intervals. You can also control ISO, exposure compensation and white balance.
At the time of this review the Phantom 3 Advanced (and Professional) didn't have DJI's Intelligent Flight features including waypoint navigation, point of interest (POI) flight planning or Follow Me function, but these are now available.
Waypoint navigation lets you set up a multipoint path for the drone to follow while you control the camera, while POI flight planning allows you to autonomously fly a circle around a subject, keeping it centered. Follow Me sets the drone to track your movement based on your orientation. Support for SDK apps already created by third-party DJI developers is available as well, giving the Advanced more features and future potential.
Joshua Goldman/CNET
Flying
If you're reading this review, you probably already know that DJI's Phantom quadcopters have a reputation of being extremely easy to fly (and fly away, but it's something I've never experienced). With the Phantom 3 the experience has only improved.
DJI has added a flight simulator to the mobile app (iOS only) that you can use to learn your way around the app and controls. I found it to be a little frustrating because the actual drone performs so much better in real life. Regardless of safety features and how stable the Phantom 3 is, I highly recommend taking your first flights out in an open area where there are no people or distractions.
Again, if you don't want to use stick commands, you can takeoff and land with a tap and a swipe on your screen. With GPS, the drone will just sit and hover wherever you leave it. Start flying a bit too close to a tree and you can just let go of the sticks and it will stop while you regroup and steer away. You can fly without GPS, but if you release the sticks the Phantom won't stop but instead continues to drift in the direction it was last headed. It's a gut-wrenching experience watching $1,000 float away seemingly uncontrollably, so it's best to fly with GPS until you fully understand the controls.
Joshua Goldman/CNET
The app is well laid out and at a glance you can see all the information you need. There's even a battery timeline meter giving you estimates on everything from remaining flight time to the power required to return home or land.
Speaking of battery life, DJI says you'll be able to get up to 23 minutes of flight time. I was able to get to just under 21 minutes of flying -- nothing too aggressive, mostly hovering in place and in light wind -- before it took over and landed itself. That flight time is very good when you factor in all that it's doing to stay in the air while recording video. It does feel short, though, especially if you're trying to get out some distance for a picture and still make it back. And extras are pricey at around $149, £125 or AU$205 each.
Video and photo quality
Closely examining the 4K video of the Phantom 3 Professional or DJI's higher-end Inspire 1 straight from the camera against the 1080p clips from the Advanced, there are noticeable differences, mainly in the level of fine detail and sharpness of subjects. There is better detail from the 4K and it's especially visible if you're viewing on a large TV or monitor. So, if it's necessary for you to capture the highest quality video without ponying up a ton more cash, the Phantom 3 Professional is the better choice.
Frankly, though, the full-HD clips from the Advanced look pretty great as do its photos, and they're more than suitable for sharing online and/or viewing on a phone, tablet or laptop. It's also a huge jump in quality from the Phantom 2 Vision+. For those considering an upgrade from that model to the Professional, your needs might be met with the less expensive Advanced.
Joshua Goldman/CNET
The live-streaming quality to YouTube is just OK. You have to have a pretty strong wireless connection to keep the video moving smoothly and even then the results were a bit glitchy and compressed. Still, it's sort of amazing it can do it at all and could be helpful for professional uses.
Lastly, whenever you record a video, a compressed 720p version is stored to your mobile device. To help make the most of these clips, DJI built in a basic video editor to the Go app. You can use it to cut up your clips, gather them up and then combine them into one movie. DJI also included some style templates with music you can apply before you save. Then you can just share away.
Joshua Goldman/CNET
Conclusion
The DJI Phantom 3 Advanced is a great little aerial photo and video machine, however it's the whole system -- the drone, the controller and the app -- that make it so easy to pick up and just start flying. It's not inexpensive, but compared with the $900 Parrot Bebop with its Skycontroller , you won't regret spending the extra money. And if you don't need the Professional's 4K video, you can put your money toward a spare battery or two so the good times don't come to an end after 20 minutes.
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Sony X80K TV Review: Google TV Smarts, Basic Features and Picture
Sony X80K TV Review: Google TV Smarts, Basic Features and Picture
Sony has been making TVs for 60 years and today it's known for best for expensive, high-performance screens. In 2022 it continued the trend by releasing a kitchen sink worth of high-tech displays, from 8K to mini-LED to QD-OLED, and most demand serious cash. So far 2022 is more about tightening belts than bells and whistles, however, so I took a look at Sony's cheapest TV first. The X80K is a decent all-around performer, and could appeal to TV shoppers on a budget who just want a Sony, but you can certainly do better for the money.
Like
Accurate color
Capable Google TV smart system
Plenty of connectivity
Subtle, understated design
Don't Like
Mediocre contrast and black levels
More expensive than competing TVs with better picture quality
In early summer the X80K costs about the same as the Samsung QN60B and the TCL 6-Series. In my side-by-side comparison of the three in CNET's TV test lab, the Samsung looked slightly better overall than the Sony, with superior brightness and contrast, while the TCL totally trounced them both. That might be a surprise if you're new to the TV buying game and just paying attention to brands -- wait, a TCL looks better than a Sony? -- but if you look at their underlying technologies, it makes perfect sense. The Sony and Samsung use basic LCD backlights while the TCL leverages step-up screen tech, namely full-array local dimming and mini-LED.
Beyond picture I did like Sony's Google smart TV system and no-fuss design, and it comes in a wide array of sizes. Later in the year it's sure to receive hefty price cuts, like TVs always do around the Black Friday and the holidays, that could make it more competitive. For now, however, the X80K doesn't do enough beyond its name to stand out.
Sony KD-X80K sizes, series comparison
I performed a hands-on evaluation of the 55-inch Sony KD-55X80K, but this review also applies to the other screen sizes in the series. All sizes have identical specs and should provide very similar picture quality.
Sony KD-43X80K, 43-inch Sony KD-50X80K, 50-inch Sony KD-55X80K, 55-inch Sony KD-65X80K, 65-inch Sony KD-75X80K, 75-inch Sony KD-85X80K, 85-inch
The X80K series is the entry-level in Sony's 2022 TV lineup, with relatively basic picture features. It's missing the HDMI 2.1 gaming features, 120Hz refresh rate and mini-LED backlight found on step-up models, for example.
James Martin/CNET
Keep it simple, Sony
The X80K blends in rather than stands out with a dark gray color along the bottom of its frame. The other three sides are black and their edges angle in slightly. The stand consists of simple A-shaped legs splayed far to either side. Seen from the side, the X80K is substantially thicker than the Samsung Q60B (2.83 vs. 1 inch), which could be a consideration if you want as flush a wall-mount as possible.
I like Sony's simple remote. The keys are laid out in familiar fashion and the requisite shortcut buttons for YouTube, Netflix, Disney Plus and Prime Video are onboard, and I appreciated the dedicated input key that some clickers lack. I could do without the number key and another dedicated to an over-the-air grid guide at the bottom, but some users might appreciate them.
James Martin/CNET
Google TV: Feature-rich and promo-heavy
Among all of the smart TV systems I like Google TV second-best, after Roku, and its implementation on the Sony X80K is the TV's best feature. Highlights include excellent voice results thanks to Google Assistant, tight integration with Google apps in particular YouTube and YouTube TV, and more apps overall, thanks to the Play store, than proprietary systems like Samsung and LG.
Responses were quick enough but felt a step behind most Roku TVs I've used. Once I selected a profile it took a long second or two for the main For You home page to populate with thumbnails, for example. I didn't love the large chunk of space at the top devoted to promotions of shows and movies on various services. I also wish the "continue watching" row was higher-up rather than placed below the "top picks for you" and apps rows. Top picks seemed to take into account my preferences for sci-fi shows and movies once I went through the "improve your recommendations" screen, but there was still plenty of content I didn't care about. Suggestions across different apps are a fine idea, but I personally the simplicity of Roku app-centric menus.
James Martin/CNET
Google TV's profiles worked well. I was easily able to set up a kid's profile, and I appreciated that appropriate apps like YouTube Kids and PBS Kids were suggested for me to add, and that Netflix automatically invoked the kids profile. During setup I was also prompted to set screen time limits, create a profile picture and more. Google TV's system provides better parental controls than Roku, although Fire TV is similarly robust.
Modest features, extra connections
Key features
Display technology
LED LCD
LED backlight
Direct
Resolution
4K
HDR compatible
HDR10 and Dolby Vision
Smart TV
Google TV
Remote
Standard with voice
As an entry-level TV the X80K's lack major picture-enhancing extras. It has a 60Hz refresh rate rather than 120Hz, although it does offer smoothing, aka the soap opera effect, if you want to turn it on. It supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos formats, as well as standard HDR10, as do many other mid-priced TVs.
Four HDMI inputs (One with eARC)
Two USB 2.0 ports
Composite AV input (3.5mm)
Optical digital audio output
RF (antenna) input
Ethernet (LAN) port
Physical connections are better than many basic TVs' however, with a fourth HDMI as well as analog video. It's also the least-expensive TV so far to include an ATSC 3.0 tuner, so it's ready for NextGen TV broadcasts. Such broadcasts are rare today and once they become more common you'll be able to buy a tuner box to allow any TV to watch them, but it's a nice extra on the Sony nonetheless.
James Martin/CNET
Picture quality comparisons
I set up the 55-inch Sony X80K next to its direct competitor from Samsung, as well as less expensive Fire TV and a TCL with superior picture quality specifications. Here's the lineup:
Samsung QN55Q60B Amazon Fire TV Omni TCL 65R646
TV and movies: The Sony delivered the second-worst picture in the lineup overall, beating out only the Omni. Its main weakness was relatively weak contrast, caused by both lighter (worse) black levels and dimmer highlights than the Samsung.
Watching Hustle on Netflix, for example, the black around the credits and the shadows in the locker room were lighter and less realistic than on the other TVs, if only slightly worse than the Samsung and the Omni. The Samsung was also significantly brighter than the Sony in its most accurate picture modes, which made the film's HDR image pop more in comparison. The skin tones of Adam Sandler and the basketball players looked truer than the Samsung and Omni, but overall I preferred the Samsung's picture by a hair.
The story was similar with the challenging Spears and Munsil 4K HDR Benchmark montage on Blu-ray, where the Samsung looked a bit brighter than the Sony. Both outperformed the Omni, which showed less high-level detail in snowscapes for example, but the difference wasn't enough to justify the Sony's much higher price.
The TCL, meanwhile, was superior in pretty much every way to the others, with excellent contrast, deep black levels and powerful brightness that made the Sony, Samsung and Fire TV pale by comparison.
James Martin/CNET
Gaming: Playing Horizon Forbidden West, color was more realistic and accurate on the Sony, and similar to the TCL and LG, while the Samsung in every mode appeared more saturated and, well, game-y. Again the Samsung won for contrast and punch, handily, although to its credit the Sony revealed more details in the shadows, which is an advantage in dark games with enemies lurking in the shadows. The Sony lacked the comprehensive gaming stats display of the Samsung and both had similar (excellent) input lag, but overall I preferred the Samsung's punchier look. The TCL, meanwhile, combined a brighter image than either one with excellent shadow detail and, yes, colors as accurate (and better-looking) than the Sony.
Bright lighting: The Sony measured relatively dim, backing up my subjective impressions, and both it and the Samsung were less-bright than the TCL and a less-expensive Vizio, both equipped with local dimming. Below are my measurements in nits for select comparison TVs in their brightest and most accurate picture modes, using both standard dynamic range (SDR) and high dynamic range (HDR) test patterns.
Light output in nits
TV
Brightest mode (SDR)
Accurate mode (SDR)
Brightest mode (HDR)
Accurate mode (HDR)
TCL 65R635
1,114
792
1,292
1,102
Vizio M65Q7-J01
791
562
764
631
Samsung QN55Q60B
549
343
540
514
Sony KD-55X80K
369
357
446
387
LG OLED65C2
413
389
812
759
Despite its lower light output numbers the Sony is still bright enough for all but the most light-filled viewing environments. As with most TVs, the brightest modes for HDR and SDR (Game and Vivid, respectively) are less accurate. For the accurate results listed above I used Custom mode and I recommend X80K owners do the same to get good color in bright rooms. Note that with SDR, you'll need to disable the Auto Energy Saving setting (Settings > Display & Sound > Picture > Light Sensor > Off) to get full brightness.
The Samsung's screen was better than that of the Sony at dealing with bright reflections in the room. Sitting under bright lights, I saw my reflection in the black screen of the X80K more clearly (and it was more distracting) than in any of the other TV screens.
Uniformity and viewing angle: The screen of the X80K sample I reviewed showed no major issues with bright spots or dark areas, and in test patterns appeared more uniform than the Omni and similar to the other displays. Watching hockey I saw very little evidence of irregularities as the camera panned across the ice. From off-angle the Samsung maintained superior black level and contrast but Sony had better color, much like the TVs' respective performance from straight on.
James Martin/CNET
Picture settings notes
The most accurate settings were Cinema and Custom mode for both HDR and SDR, and Custom measured slightly more accurate so I went with that. Game is best for gaming, thanks to its low input lag, and color was similar to Custom and exceedingly accurate.
The X80K offers settings that engage smoothing, aka the soap opera effect, as I prefer to turn it off for TV shows and movies. You can experiment with the settings (Settings > Display & Sound > Picture > Motion > Motionflow > Custom) and it's off by default in the Cinema and Custom modes.
Geek box
SDR
Result
Score
Black luminance (0%)
0.075
Poor
Peak white luminance (SDR)
357
Average
Avg. gamma (10-100%)
2.46
Poor
Avg. grayscale error (10-100%)
2.27
Good
Dark gray error (30%)
2.07
Good
Bright gray error (80%)
3.04
Average
Avg. color checker error
3.08
Average
Avg. saturation sweeps error
2.52
Good
Avg. color error
2.67
Good
Input lag (Game mode)
11.93
Good
HDR10
Black luminance (0%)
0.084
Poor
Peak white luminance (10% win)
446
Poor
Gamut % UHDA/P3 (CIE 1976)
94.73
Average
ColorMatch HDR error
8.08
Poor
Avg. color checker error
1.54
Good
Input lag (Game mode, 4K HDR)
11.67
Good
See How We Test TVs for more details.
Portrait Displays Calman calibration software was used in this review.
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NextGen TV, aka ATSC 3.0, is continuing its rapid rollout across the country. Major markets like Los Angeles, Atlanta, Denver, Houston and more all have stations transmitting. Meanwhile New York, Boston, and many other markets are slated to have broadcasts later this year. While not every station in every market has a NextGen TV counterpart, more and more are coming on the air.
What's NextGen TV? It's an update to the free HDTV you can already get over-the-air in nearly every city in the US. There's no monthly fee, but you do need either a new TV with a built-in tuner or a standalone external tuner. The standard allows broadcast stations to send higher quality signals than ever before with features like 4K, HDR, 120 Hz, and more. ATSC 3.0 proponents also claim better reception indoors and on-the-go -- whether it's on your phone, or even in your car. The best part is that if you're watching it on your TV it uses the same standard antennas available today.
One potential downside? ATSC 3.0 will also let broadcasters track your viewing habits, information that can be used for targeted advertising, just like companies such as Facebook and Google use today.
Read more:Best TV antennas for cord cutters, starting at just $10
NextGen TV to you
ATSC.org
Here's the top-line info:
If you get your TV from streaming, cable or satellite, NextGen TV/ATSC 3.0 won't affect you at all.
The transition is voluntary. Stations don't have to switch. Many have already, however, for reasons we'll explain below.
It's not backwards-compatible with the current HD standard (ATSC 1.0), so your current TV won't be able to receive it. Your current antenna should work fine though.
Stations that switch to NextGen TV will still have to keep broadcasting ATSC 1.0 for five years.
There are multiple models and sizes of TV with built-in tuners available now from Hisense, LG, Sony, Samsung and others.
As of the beginning of 2022 the majority of the largest markets in the US have at least one channel broadcasting NextGen TV. By the end of 2022, nearly all major and many minor markets will have multiple channels .
Here's the map of actual stations as of January 2022. Orange denotes stations that are live now. Blue is launching before summer. White sometime after the summer.
ATSC
How it will work in your home
Put simply: If you connect an antenna to your TV you will receive free programming, just like most people can get now. Yet, that is selling the potential benefits of NextGen TV short.
NextGen TV is IP-based, so in practice it can be moved around your home just like any internet content can right now. For example, you connect an antenna to a tuner box inside your home, but that box is not connected to your TV at all. Instead, it's connected to your router. This means anything with access to your network can have access to over-the-air TV, be it your TV, your phone, your tablet or even a streaming device like Apple TV. There will be traditional tuners as well, of course, but this is a new and interesting alternative.
This also means it's possible we'll see mobile devices with built-in tuners, so you can watch live TV while you're out and about, like you can with Netflix and YouTube now. How willing phone companies will be to put tuners in their phones remains to be seen, however. You don't see a lot of phones that can get radio broadcasts now, even though such a thing is easy to implement. We'll talk more about that in a moment.
'Voluntary'
In November of 2017, the Federal Communications Commission approved ATSC 3.0 as the next generation of broadcast standard, on a "voluntary, market-driven basis" (PDF). It also required stations to continue broadcasting ATSC 1.0 (i.e. "HD"). This is actually part of the issue as to why it's voluntary.
During the mandatory DTV transition in the early 2000s, stations in a city were given a new frequency (channel, in other words), to broadcast digital TV, while they still broadcast analog on their old channel. These older channels were eventually reclaimed by the FCC for other uses when the proverbial switch was flipped to turn off analog broadcasts. Since a changeover isn't occurring this time around, stations and markets are left to themselves how best to share or use the over-the-air spectrum in their areas.
Because there's no new bandwidth, broadcasters will temporarily share transmitters. Two or more stations will use one tower for ATSC 1.0 (HD) broadcasts and those stations will use another tower for ATSC 3.0 (UHD) broadcasts. This will mean a temporary reduction in bandwidth for each channel, but potentially a limited impact on picture quality due to the better modern HD encoders. More info here.
ATSC/TVTechnology.com
While it's not a mandatory standard, many broadcasters still seem enthusiastic about NextGen. At the beginning of the roll-out, then executive vice president of communications at the National Association of Broadcasters Dennis Wharton told CNET that the improvement in quality, overall coverage and the built-in safety features mean that most stations would be enthusiastic to offer ATSC 3.0.
John Hane, president of the Spectrum Consortium (an industry group with broadcasters Sinclair, Nexstar and Univision as members), was equally confident: "The FCC had to make it voluntary because the FCC couldn't provide transition channels. [The industry] asked the FCC to make it voluntary. We want the market to manage it. We knew the market would demand it, and broadcasters and hardware makers in fact are embracing it."
Given the competition broadcasters have with cable, streaming and so on, 3.0 could be a way to stabilize or even increase their income by offering better picture quality, better coverage and, most importantly, targeted ads.
Ah yes, targeted ads…
Broadcast TV will know what you're watching
One of NextGen TV's more controversial features is a "return data path," which is a way for the station you're watching to know you're watching. Not only does this allow a more accurate count of who's watching what shows, but it creates the opportunity for every marketer's dream: targeted advertising.
Ads specific to your viewing habits, income level and even ethnicity (presumed by your neighborhood, for example) could get slotted in by your local station. This is something brand-new for broadcast TV. Today, over-the-air broadcasts are pretty much the only way to watch television that doesn't track your viewing habits. Sure, the return data path could also allow "alternative audio tracks and interactive elements," but it's the targeted ads and tracking many observers are worried about.
The finer details are all still being worked out, but here's the thing: If your TV is connected to the internet, it's already tracking you. Pretty much every app, streaming service, smart TV and cable or satellite box all track your usage to a greater or lesser extent.
Return data path is still in the planning stages, even as the other aspects of NextGen TV are already going live. There is a silver lining: There will be an opt-out option. While it also requires Internet access, if this type of thing bothers you, just don't connect your TV or NextGen TV receiver to the internet. You will inevitably lose some of the other features of NextGen TV, however.
That said, we'll keep an eye on this for any further developments.
Free TV on your phone?
Another point of potential contention is getting ATSC 3.0 tuners into phones. At a most basic level, carriers like AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile are in the business of selling you data. If suddenly you can get lots of high-quality content for free on your phone, they potentially lose money. Ever wonder why your phone doesn't have an FM radio tuner? Same reason.
T-Mobile made a preemptive strike along those lines all the way back in September 2017, writing a white paper (PDF) that, among other things, claims, "In light of the detrimental effects that inclusion of ATSC 3.0 can have on the cost and size of a device, the technology trade-offs required to accommodate competing technologies, and the reduced performance and spectral efficiency that it will have for other mobile bands and services, the decision as to whether to include ATSC 3.0 in a device must be left to the market to decide."
"The market" determined you didn't need an FM tuner in your phone, and in the few phones that had an FM tuner, if you bought it through an American provider, it was almost always disabled.
TV broadcasters, on the other hand, are huge fans of ATSC 3.0 on mobile phones. It means more potential eyeballs and, incidentally, a guarantee of active internet access for that return data path. John Hane of the Spectrum Consortium feels that tuners built into phones is "inevitable," and that international adoption of ATSC 3.0 will help push it forward. Wharton says that the focus is getting TVs to work, but mobile is in the plan.
Then there's portable TVs, of which there are HD versions on the market and have been for years. The next-generation ATSC 3.0 versions of these will likely get better reception in addition to the higher resolution offered by the new standard.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Cost (for you)
NextGen TV is not backward compatible with current TV tuners. To get it, you'll eventually need either a new TV or an external tuner.
However, you shouldn't feel a push to upgrade since:
1. NextGen TV/ATSC 3.0 isn't mandatory, and it doesn't affect cable, satellite or streaming TV.
2. HD tuners cost as little as $30 to $40 now, and NextGen TV tuners, which currently sell between $200 and $300, will eventually be cheap as well.
3. Even after they start NextGen broadcasts, stations will have to keep broadcasting regular old HD.
Here's the actual language:
"The programming aired on the ATSC 1.0 simulcast channel must be 'substantially similar' to the programming aired on the 3.0 channel. This means that the programming must be the same, except for programming features that are based on the enhanced capabilities of ATSC 3.0, advertisements and promotions for upcoming programs. The substantially similar requirement will sunset in five years from its effective date absent further action by the Commission to extend it."
In other words, the HD broadcast has to be essentially the same as the new 3.0 broadcast for five years, perhaps longer depending on future FCC actions.
Which brings us to point 3. By the time people had to buy them, HD tuners were inexpensive and are even more so now. The HD tuner I use is currently $26 on Amazon. The first generation NextGen tuners available now are more expensive than that, though they're not outrageous. We'll discuss those below. By the time anyone actually requires one, however, they'll almost certainly be affordable.
Which is good, because there aren't any planned subsidies this time around for people to get a tuner for cheap. I'm sure this is at least partly due to how few people actually still use OTA as their sole form of TV reception. Maybe this will change as more stations convert, but we're a ways away from that.
As you can see, there are lots of parts that need to get upgraded all along the chain before you can get 3.0 in your home.
ATSC/TVTechnology.com
Here's another way to think about it: The first HD broadcasts began in the mid-90s, but when did you buy your first HDTV? As far as the 3.0 transition is concerned we're in the late-90s, maybe generously the early 2000s, now. Things seem like they're moving at a much more rapid pace than the transition from analog to DTV/HDTV, but even so, it will be a long time before ATSC 3.0 completely replaces the current standard.
How to get NextGen right now
LG
If you want to check it out for yourself, many of you already can. The first stop is to go to WatchNextGenTV.com. That website will help you find what stations in your area are broadcasting, or which ones will soon.
Next up you'll need something to receive it. If you're in the market for a new TV there are several options available from Hisense, LG, Samsung, and Sony. Here's our list of all the 2022 TVs with built-in next-gen tuners.
If you want to check out NextGen TV without buying a new television, you'll need an external tuner. It's still early days, so there aren't many options.
The Tablo ATSC 3.0 Quad HDMI DVR
Nuvvyo
At CES 2022 Nuvvyo announced the Tablo, a quad-tuner box that can connect to a TV directly, or transmit over a network to Rokus, Apple TVs, or computers on your home network.
The Silicon Dust has two models, the $199 HomeRun Flex 4K and the $279 HomeRun Scribe 4K. Both have ATSC 1.0 and 3.0 tuners.
If you want a more traditional tuner, BitRouter plans to start shipping its first ZapperBox M1 tuners in the spring. You can reserve one now for $249. It doesn't have internal storage, but BitRouter plans to add the ability to save content on network-attached storage, or NAS, devices via a firmware update. They also plan to add the ability to send the content around your home network, like what the Scribe 4K does.
Zapperbox
Then there's what to watch. Being early in the process, you're not going to find much 4K content, possibly not any. This was the same with the early years of HDTV. It's also going to vary per area. There is certainly a lot of 4K content being produced right now, and that has been the case for several years. So in that way, we're in better shape than we were in the early days of HD.
Basic and paid cable channels over-the-air?
One company is using the bandwidth and IP nature of NextGen to do something a little different. It's a hybrid paid TV service, sort of like cable/satellite, but using over-the-air broadcasts to deliver the content. It's called Evoca, and right now it's available only in Boise, Idaho. Edge Networks is the company behind it, and it wants to roll it out to other small markets where cable offerings are limited, and broadband speeds are slow or expensive.
It's an interesting idea for underserved and often forgotten-about markets.
Read more: Cable TV channels and 4K from an antenna?
Seeing the future
The transition from analog broadcasting to HD, if you count from the formation of the Grand Alliance to the final analog broadcast, took 16 years.
Though many aspects of technology move rapidly, getting dozens of companies, plus the governments of the US and many other countries, all to agree to specific standards, takes time. So does the testing of the new tech. There are a lot of cogs and sprockets that have to align for this to work, and it would be a lot harder to fix once it's all live.
But technology moves faster and faster. It's highly doubtful it will take 16 years to fully implement NextGen TV. As we mentioned at the top, dozens of stations are already broadcasting. Will every station in your city switch to NextGen TV? Probably not, but the bigger ones likely will. This is especially true if there are already other NextGen TV stations in your area. There's a potential here for stations to make additional money in the long run with 3.0, and that's obviously a big motivator.
There's also the question of how much content there will be. If it follows the HDTV transition model, big sporting events in 4K HDR will come first, followed by lots and lots of shows featuring nature scenes and closeups of bugs. Seriously -- this was totally a thing. Then we'll see a handful of scripted prime-time shows. My guess would be the popular, solidly profitable ones that are produced (not just aired) by networks like CBS and NBC.
So should you hold off buying a new TV? Nope, not unless you only get your shows over the air. And even if you do, by the time there's enough content to be interesting, there will be cheap tuner boxes you can connect to whatever TV you have.
For now, NextGen TV seems to be well on its way.
As well as covering TV and other display tech, Geoff does photo tours of cool museums and locations around the world, including nuclear submarines, massive aircraft carriers, medieval castles, epic 10,000 mile road trips, and more. Check out Tech Treks for all his tours and adventures.
He wrote a bestselling sci-fi novel about city-size submarines, along with a sequel. You can follow his adventures on Instagram and his YouTube channel.
