If you have a child, it's almost guaranteed that they play mobile, PC or video games at home or at school. You'll have noticed that today's games go far beyond the Super Mario Bros. and Duck Hunts of years past, and not just in how impressive the graphics are: Developers have gotten super creative at sneaking in educational lessons where kids would least expect them. And one of the best ways to learn is when you're having fun.Check out our list of mobile apps, PC and video games that can educate and entertain your kids. Where on Google Earth is Carmen Sandiego?What your kids will learn: Capitals of countries, the locations of historic events and other geographical facts.Everyone's favorite jet-setting reformed VILE operative recently made a comeback after 30 years, stirring the hearts of '90s kids everywhere. Google Earth and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt released three new Carmen Sandiego games this year -- The Crown Jewels Caper, The Tutankhamun's Mask Caper and The Keys to the … [Read more...] about 15 video games that won’t rot your kids’ brains
How to fix iOS 13 Mail bugs on the iPhone
If you've upgraded to iOS 13 then you may have discovered that the Mail app is behaving a little oddly, which is a bit of a nuisance if you rely on this app for work.Must read: iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max: What are the differences?The most annoying bug seems to be the "no sender" bug, where messages in the inbox show "No Sender" as opposed to the sender's name for some users. This can turn an already chaotic mailbox into an unmanageable mess.A fix for this is to kill the Mail app from the multitasking tray and then reboot the iPhone. This should fix the issue, at least temporarily, and should buy you time until the next update lands.Another interesting bug is that the notifications badge on the Mail icon is erratic and unreliable. There's no workaround for this, so it's a case of grinning and bearing it until Apple gets around to fixing it. Another reported issue is the Mail app not retrieving email. Some users report that deleting the mail accounts and … [Read more...] about How to fix iOS 13 Mail bugs on the iPhone
Dolby Vision, HDR10, Technicolor and HLG: HDR formats explained
Most new TVs have high dynamic range capability, which can improve picture quality. Unfortunately there are multiple HDR formats and your TV likely can't decode them all. Companies like Dolby, Technicolor, Samsung, Philips and others each have different ways to create HDR video. In theory, they can all coexist inside your TV, though that's rarely the case. Streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, along with 4K Blu-ray discs, can also support multiple formats, though often they only have one or two. How do these multiple formats affect you? Well, just about every HDR-capable TV supports the most popular format, HDR10 or "generic HDR." Many also support Dolby Vision and HLG, while other formats, namely Samsung's HDR10 Plus and Technicolor's Advanced HDR, are just getting started. In CNET's TV reviews, both the capabilities of the TV itself and the way HDR is used in the movie or TV show have a greater impact on image quality than the specific HDR … [Read more...] about Dolby Vision, HDR10, Technicolor and HLG: HDR formats explained
iPhone 11 and 11 Pro drop test: We couldn’t crack these phones
What will it take to crack the glass on the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro? That's the question I'm asking myself after putting these phones through eight different drop tests, each time onto hard concrete. Try as I might, the glass on these phones just wouldn't crack. But that doesn't mean the phones were damage-free.At Apple's September event, Kaiann Drance, senior director of product marketing said the iPhone 11 glass is the "toughest ever in a smartphone, on the front and back." We know that glass is custom-made for the iPhone by Corning, the company behind Gorilla Glass.It's not the first time Apple has made such claims. Last year, marketing chief Phil Schiller said the iPhone XS had "the most durable glass ever built into a smartphone." We dropped the phone four times onto the sidewalk and the screen didn't crack.The iPhone XR, however, wasn't so lucky. On the fourth drop, the screen cracked. We decided to change things up with this year's drop test. Our test zone was a concrete … [Read more...] about iPhone 11 and 11 Pro drop test: We couldn’t crack these phones
The best Instant Pots of 2019
This year marks a decade since Instant Pot's founding, and the popular multicookers have skyrocketed to the top of the kitchen appliances market.With so many cooking functions, seemingly endless one-pot recipes and a cultlike following online, you might be thinking it's time to jump in. We're here to help. Read more: The best gas grills of 2019One of the first things you'll notice is that there isn't just one Instant Pot. Counting different Instant Pot models and size options, there are more than a dozen variations on the market (17, to be exact). How do you decide which of the Instant Pot models is right for you? While these appliances all look overwhelmingly similar on the outside, all Instant Pot's aren't created equal. If you're looking for an Instant Pot that performs specific food functions like cooking eggs, making yogurt or even canning fruit, you'll need to know which models can actually do that. Here are our favorite Instant Pot models for getting meals on the … [Read more...] about The best Instant Pots of 2019