29 Jun
Blog

How to perform Skater Exercise most effectively

Skater training is classified as cardio training. It can get your heart pumping faster and increasing the heart rate in no time. This is how it keeps the heart healthy and burns calories. Skater exercise has other advantages as well, such as that it doesn't require any equipment anytime, anywhere, all you need is a little space. Properly performing the skater exercise can also help you build stability and knee strength.

The exercise involves quick transition movements. Performing the exercise regularly can help develop balance and coordination in the body. In addition, it can boost your other exercise routine as balance and coordination are very useful for advanced exercises. Do the exercise with slow movements and fewer sets, but the tip does each rep correctly.

Further in this article, we will tell you how to properly do the exercise so as not to waste time counting each repetition.

Muscles worked.

The exercise mainly focuses on the glutes, outer thighs, and core.

Level of difficulty

The difficulty level of this exercise in advance if you keep your transition quick and smooth. Practice is key for this.

What is the most effective way to do skater exercises?

Follow the steps below.

1. Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart and your arms resting on your sides.

2. Bend over a little and gradually take your right leg behind your left leg and further to the side of your left leg.

3. Use it to swing both hands to the left.

4. Press and hold for 1 second.

5. Now jump back with your left leg directly to the right side by squeezing your glutes.

6. Keep swinging your arms to make the movement generally smooth.

7. Repeat on both sides until the set is complete.

our recommendation

Duration: 30 seconds

Sentences: 3

However, as a beginner, keep the transition slow.

If you find it difficult to move, try lowering the repetitions.

How do I integrate skaters into your routine?

Incorporate this exercise into your cardio workout for better results.

Read your article on cardio exercise: cardio workout.

You may also prefer to include it in your total body exercise program as it targets your entire lower body.

Related article: Home Exercise.

Take that away

Skater training is classified as cardio training. Plus, it's a great way to burn calories. We recommend that you count each repetition. To do this, just follow the steps above in your transition with ease.

Remember, exercise is key. As a beginner, take the exercise easily and practice daily until you achieve a smooth transition and ease during the movement. After you have acquired the expertise in this exercise, you will be able to perform each set according to your capacity.

29 Jun
Blog

OnePlus Nord CE 5G Review: A Cheap Phone Made to Last

OnePlus Nord CE

“The OnePlus Nord CE 5G is a lightweight, affordable phone with a two-day battery that is future-proof and long-lasting with 5G and a range of software updates, provided you're not too demanding. But just a little more money brings you something better. "

  • Two days of battery life

  • Reliable, fast software

  • Light

  • Screen lacks liveliness

  • Processor struggles with intensive tasks

The OnePlus Nord CE 5G is a phone that is designed to last for a few years and is good value for money with no high starting price. It's no surprise that the Nord CE 5G has such a strong bang-to-buck ratio on paper as OnePlus has focused on delivering quality hardware for years. But is a value-oriented data sheet enough? Now that I've spent almost two weeks with the Nord CE 5G, it's clear why you don't have to spend more, but it's also clear why you should.

design

My Nord CE test model is in the color Blue Void and it's nice. It's obviously closely related to the Ultramarine Blue on the OnePlus 8 Pro, but with fewer shades of green and prefers to turn subtly into purple around the edges instead. It catches the light well and the back of the glass – not Gorilla Glass, but from another unnamed manufacturer – is handy and feels cool.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The chassis is made of plastic. It weighs 170 grams and is 7.9 mm thick, and that's thinner and lighter than the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G, Realme 8 5G, and the first OnePlus Nord. The rounded case and flat screen make it comfortable to hold, but the plastic volume and power buttons feel cheap.

It's unfortunate that the Nord CE 5G doesn't have that wonderful OnePlus alarm slider that has been standard on most other OnePlus phones from the start and is an integral part of the brand's identity. This is despite the company's insistence that the Nord CE is just as much a OnePlus phone as these more expensive devices. It has a 3.5mm headphone jack on the bottom of the phone which can be enough for some compensation.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

I could complain about the lack of imagination in the design – it's basically the same as the first Nord, and how many more times will we see this shape camera module on a phone? – but it seems a bit silly to do so. The OnePlus Nord CE 5G has a pretty, completely undemanding design that is more noble than the price suggests and is a real eye-catcher in this special color. It's one of the cheapest 5G phones you can buy, but you would never know if you just looked at it from the back.

screen

Here's the first time you want to spend more on a phone, and a small downgrade from last year's Nord. The Nord CE 5G has a 6.43-inch fluid AMOLED screen with a refresh rate of 90 Hz and Full HD resolution, which is a decent spec on paper but misses HDR10 +. In reality, it can't compete with the screen on phones that cost little more, like the Galaxy A52 5G.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

It lacks warmth and vibrancy when it comes to watching video, even after you've dug into settings and made sure Vivid is set to display mode. Watching Carfection's Shelby Mustang GT500 review reveals the screen's coldness as the crazy green paint job didn't show up like it did on higher-end screens.

At maximum brightness, the screen is visible in all lighting conditions, but it loses a bit of clarity at extreme angles. It comes standard with a screen protector that is covered in fingerprints and it really doesn't make the front of the phone look very attractive. I wiped this phone a lot more than most of the others.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Hard comments? Possibly, but OnePlus is good at screens, and while the 90Hz response rate is much to be welcomed, the Nord CE 5G's performance can't compete with that of the Galaxy A52 5G, and even the Google Pixel 4a adds some of the life to it, that is missing the screen of the Nord CE. However, it is very similar to the Realme 8 5G, which suggests that we should expect it from a phone at this price point.

camera

On the back of the OnePlus Nord CE there are three cameras, a 64-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel wide-angle camera and a third 2-megapixel monochrome camera, which can be used separately. The main camera's photos are bright and colorful, but sometimes a little too saturated, and it struggles in difficult lighting conditions. The wide-angle camera becomes even more saturated and struggles in the shadows, where it loses details.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The camera app will show a 2x zoom option, but this is not an optical mode and if you use it the final picture will lose detail. The monochrome camera takes pure black and white photos, but with a low number of megapixels, although I've still enjoyed using it in the past. The video mode can record at up to 4K at 30 frames per second, there is a night mode for still images and a pro mode.

It can't compete with the Google Pixel 4a in terms of photo quality, but that's not really surprising, and the Galaxy A52 5G's camera gives photos a warmer, slightly more attractive look. That being said, and apart from the inconsistency between the main and wide-angle cameras, the Nord CE's camera takes photos that you'll be happy to share, but they may need to be edited beforehand. OnePlus includes an editor in its Gallery app, but the filters are mostly terrible and the customizations aren't as extensive as in Snapseed or Google Photos.

Where the Nord CE stumbles is when you try to do something too technical. It's stupid trying to focus in portrait mode, and it often refuses to focus on something that seems too close to it. Provided you aren't expecting too much, the Nord CE 5G's camera is fine, but if you experiment and really enjoy playing with the camera, it won't often impress.

Performance and software

My Test Nord CE has 8 GB of RAM, more than enough for most smartphones, and is paired with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G processor. The 750G released in 2020 is a confusing little thing. It's a step up from the Snapdragon 765G in the First North with newer Kryo 570 cores, but its Adreno 619 GPU is a step backwards compared to the Adreno 620 in the 765G. It's made in an 8nm process instead of a 7nm process, but uses the same X52 modem and supports both Sub-6 and mmWave 5G connections.

The Snapdragon 750G is newer than the still-current 765G, and although the G in the name indicates that the processor is geared towards gaming, the Nord CE 5G is happiest when playing casual games like Asphalt 9: Legends, which is rather fast and more exciting than anything more intense.

Genshin Impact is playable with minimal slowing down, but the phone gets warm, verging on hot, after playing for a while, especially if you spend a lot of time fighting. While I have never received an overheating warning, after long sessions with Genshin Impact, I have received a “Your phone's operating temperature has returned to normal” on a few occasions. What lets the Nord CE down more when playing is the sound, which is delivered through a single speaker and can be uncomfortably tinny.

The phone wins in general software, however, with OnePlus's excellent OxygenOS 11 running smoothly and bug free during my time with the phone. I like the always-on screen, which can be customized in a number of ways, and the battery scheduling feature for overnight use. I didn't have any issues with app compatibility or updates, and the settings menu is easy to navigate. It's one of the Nord CE 5G's greatest strengths.

OnePlus Nord CE 5G always on the screen

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

oneplus nord ce 5g review apps

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

oneplus nord ce 5g review browser

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

OnePlus Nord CE 5G settings

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

While the Snapdragon 750G sounds like it should be a little powerhouse, it's not always as snappy as I'd like it to be. For example, it can stall while multitasking. It's not a deal breaker, but you will definitely notice an improvement in speed and responsiveness when using a more powerful phone. The Nord CE is fine for general use, and it has enough power for casual gaming too.

Battery and security

The OnePlus Nord CE is a great phone for casual use, and the battery reflects that. Use it carefully – around two hours of screen time – and barely 30% is consumed before the end of the day. On some quiet days, the OnePlus Nord CE 5G still had power at the end of the second day when connected to either Wi-Fi or 4G LTE. Play games for an hour, play a video, and mix it up with general usage, and the battery should still last a full day with some spare.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

OnePlus' proprietary Warp Charge 30T Plus charge reliably brings the 4,500 mAh battery to 70% in just over 30 minutes, but it takes at least a full hour to reach capacity. Battery life and fast charging are two of the best things about the Nord CE 5G. The Galaxy A52 5G is the Nord CE's archenemy, and while Samsung's phone outperforms the Nord in some places, the Nord's fingerprint sensor is superior. It works really well, even though it's placed quite low on the screen, and there's a quick face-unlock system there as an alternative.

Price and availability

The OnePlus Nord CE 5G has only been announced for the UK, and it is unknown if it will ever officially come to the US. In the UK, it starts at £ 299, around $ 420 for the 8GB / 128GB version and £ 369 / $ 525 for the 12GB / 256GB model. It is now available for pre-order through the OnePlus online store and is sold through Amazon, John Lewis retail stores and the Three Network. It will be released on June 21st.

Our opinion

The OnePlus Nord CE 5G proves that an affordable phone can be powerful, good-looking, and come with great software. If this covers all of your needs then great, you will be happy with it. However, this is where it is worth understanding whether you should spend a little more to get a superior product that will last even longer, and while there is nothing wrong with the Nord CE 5G, making sure your new phone lasts is crucial.

It's Samsung's fault that the Galaxy A52 5G made such a strong offer. It has an IP67 water resistance rating for increased durability, a better screen, a good camera, two days of battery life, and looks just as pretty (maybe even a little more modern). Add an equally robust software commitment and microSD card slot, and it's worth the extra over the 8GB Nord CE 5G as it will almost certainly last longer.

At no point did I feel the need to rip my SIM card out of the Nord CE 5G, so its frustrations never climbed high, and the brilliance of OxygenOS makes up for some of them anyway. However, there is no escaping the fact that while the OnePlus Nord CE 5G is a solidly reliable phone that is reasonably future-proof with 5G and two years of software updates, if longevity is one of your goals and it really should be at all costs, a balanced one Longer-lasting phones are available for little more money.

Is there a better alternative?

The price of the OnePlus Nord CE 5G is very competitive. We recommend going for the £ 299 8GB / 128GB version as it represents the best value. In the UK, the Realme 8 5G and Xiaomi Redmi Note 5G are challenging the Nord CE on price, but there's little to technically separate them.

We recommend the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G because it has a generous, well thought-out range of functions, is probably more stylish and durable and has a larger, more beautiful screen for little more money. It costs $ 499 in the US and £ 399 in the UK. Getting a 5G phone under $ 500 in the US is a challenge, but also consider the Google Pixel 4a 5G if the camera is a priority.

How long it will take?

The Nord CE doesn't have a waterproof rating or a particularly tough case, so you'll need to put it in a bag if you want to protect it. OnePlus offers a selection of very colorful cases that are perfect for the job. There is good news on the software side, with the company promising two years of updates and three years of security updates. Provided your usage doesn't change there is no reason not to hold up for three years.

Should you buy it?

No. As good as it is, we recommend buying the Galaxy A52 5G for its added features and increased durability.

Editor's recommendations



29 Jun
Blog

A Six-Week Sled Training Program

As foolproof as sledging is, some people still slaughter it, resulting in poor shape and wasted energy.

While barbells and dumbbells get all the love (rightly) from strength enthusiasts, it's hard to hit the sled in terms of stamina.

Why sled training?

Continue reading

29 Jun
Blog

Amazing Benefits of Greens Powder On Your Physical Health

Everyone wants to stay healthy. But as with any endeavor, things are not easy and smooth. If you've been health conscious for a while, you probably know how much time, effort, and discipline it takes to lead a healthy lifestyle. In addition to a regular exercise routine, it is important to make sure that you are consuming the correct amount and type of food.

Unfortunately, maintaining a balanced diet can be quite difficult. With relentless food marketing these days, it's easier to eat a piece of bread, pizza, and pasta than it is to ingest the amount of fruits and vegetables your body needs. But thanks to the wide variety of green products that populate store shelves these days.

With a nutrient-rich powder, you can make up for the recommended serving of greens that you don't consume on a regular basis. But these greens have more to offer than convenient and easy to take. They have amazing physical health benefits that make a great addition to your diet. Read them here.

What is green powder?

Green powder is a dietary supplement that many athletes and fitness enthusiasts use for improved vitamin and nutrient absorption. They are made up of a wide variety of ingredients depending on the brand you are buying. As a rule, however, these greens consist of the following elements:

  • green juices
  • green vegetables
  • Algae and grasses
  • Fruits rich in antioxidants
  • Probiotics
  • herbal digestive enzymes
  • natural sugar substitutes

Since these are dietary supplements, be aware that these green powders are not technically regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Make sure that you are only buying them from a trusted source. Check as often as possible that the brand is certified by an external testing laboratory.

What Are The Physical Health Benefits Of Green Powder?

With so many fraudulent health products on the market, it's typical that everyone thinks about taking this green powder. If in doubt, you can always research. But plenty of evidence has shown a number of physical benefits you can get from this green powder, such as the following:

Improves immune function

Your body needs a diet high in antioxidants to give you the upper hand against harmful pathogens. Because powdered vegetables are high in vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, they're a great support for a healthier immune system. In particular, the anti-inflammatory properties of a green powder can help your body fight infection.

Provides a boost of energy

The natural release of carbohydrates and proteins in most powdered vegetable ingredients can provide your body with a constant supply of energy. Some of them also have green tea extract, which contains caffeine, which can help you feel more alert and energetic. If you are feeling tired all the time, try adding greens powder to your diet and watch your energy levels surge rapidly.

Regulates acidity

Processed foods and too many carbohydrates create an acidic environment in your body, which leads to some health problems. But even with a steady clean diet and multivitamin intake, it is extremely difficult to maintain a neutral pH level.

The good news is that green powder can help stabilize your overall acid load. There are numerous claims that they play a beneficial role in the alkaline effect on the human body and contribute to improved physical health.

Aids digestion

The job of the digestive system is to break down the food you eat into small particles that your body can ingest and use for energy, growth, and cell repair. However, it may not work properly, making the nutrients more difficult to absorb.

However, these green powders contain a number of digestive enzymes that are essential for nutrient absorption and speeding up the necessary chemical reactions in the body. You can certainly get a concentrated dose of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that work instantly in your cells by ingesting them.

Helps prevent chronic diseases

The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of green powder can reduce oxidative damage to your cells, which can protect you from chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes, and arthritis. Green powders are also known to help regulate blood sugar and cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Other advantages

It turns out that these green powders are also beneficial for physical and mental health. The herbal ingredients, especially the Brassica, in green powders support the hormonal balance, which has a direct effect on the health of the brain and psychological well-being. One study also found that high vegetable intake helped lower the rate of cognitive decline with age.

How do you use green powder for best results?

It's easy to use this green powder. Since they are in powder form, you can add them to your food or mix them with water for a quick green drink. However, there are a few things that you need to know in order to maximize its benefits. Note that even if greens powders are made with nutritious ingredients, they are not automatically good for everyone.

Here are the best ways to use them for the best results.

  • Check the product label: While green powder is known to contain concentrated fruits and vegetables, some brands may contain some chemical extras that your body doesn't need. Don't forget to check the product label when purchasing.
  • Follow the dosage recommendations: Excessive consumption of green powder can lead to unexpected side effects. Note that they contain various ingredients in condensed form, such as vitamins. Too many vitamins can cause nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Therefore, follow the recommended dosage for a green powder.
  • Take into account the timing of your intake: You can consume green powder at any time of the day, with or without meals. But it is much better to consider your exercise program. Taking it before and after a workout can make a difference. Regardless, find the timing that best fits your schedule and when you are most consistent.
  • Always get medical advice: It is always best to seek medical advice before taking these green powders, especially if you have certain health problems or are taking medication.

Should You Use Green Powder In Your Diet?

Greens powders are one of the most powerful nutritional supplements on the market. They can help you improve your overall health. If you are thinking of using them, make sure you have a full diet. Note that their nutrients may be limited and they shouldn't replace all your vegetables and fruits. Also, make sure you get them from a reliable source.

29 Jun
Blog

Jaybird Vista 2 Review: Tough Wireless Earbuds For Athletes

Jaybird Vista 2

"As long as calls are not a priority, the Jaybird Visa 2 earbuds are an athlete's best friend."

  • Completely waterproof and dustproof

  • Compact and secure fit

  • Great sound quality

  • Wireless charging

  • Very poor call quality

  • ANC struggles with wind noise

We were pretty impressed with Jaybirds Vista when it launched in 2019. As the company's third attempt at creating a premium, sport-friendly set of true wireless earbuds, the Vista for $ 150 (which debuted at $ 180) was virtually successful where the previous Jaybird Run and Run XT did not.

They sounded great and were compact and sturdy in design. But time is not waiting for anyone, and if you want to be the best running headphones or simply the best for any type of intense activity in 2021, you need more. Much more. Can Jaybird's new Vista 2 claim this award for $ 200? Let's find out.

What's new?

If you are familiar with the original Jaybird Vista and are wondering what will bring you an additional $ 50 investment, the following are new to Vista 2:

  • Active noise cancellation (ANC) and transparency modes
  • Longer battery life
  • Wear sensors for music auto pause
  • Better dust and water resistance
  • AAC bluetooth codec support
  • Wireless charging
  • "Find my" function for each earphone and the charging case

What's in the box?

Jaybird Vista 2Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

In the box, which is almost entirely recyclable, you will find the Vista 2 earphones already in their charging case, a USB-A to USB-C cable for charging, earplugs in three sizes (Jaybird calls them "Eargels") and some paper documentation.

design

Jaybird Vista 2Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Sports-oriented earbuds are often bulky affairs, but Jaybird has stayed true to the pocket-friendly design of the Vista.

You know the phrase, "If it ain't broken, don't fix it," and that sums up Jaybird's approach to Vista 2. Put them side by side with the original Vista and you can see that much has been preserved. They have the same compact and ergonomic shape, the same eargel style with the integrated stabilizing fins and an almost identical charging case, although the new one has more rounded contours. However, Jaybird has eliminated the small indentation on the front edge of the lid, which makes opening the case difficult, especially with sweaty or wet fingers.

Sports and fitness-oriented earbuds are often bulky affairs with large ear hooks and even larger charging cases. It's great to see that Jaybird has stayed true to the design it created with the Vista.

Also retained (and improved) is the Vista's class-leading durability. Not only do the earbuds meet the MIL-STD-810 standard for environmental resistance, they now also have an IP68 rating for complete dust and water protection, while the charging case has its own IP54 rating. Keep in mind that the earbuds do not float and bluetooth signals do not carry well through water. Therefore, swimming with them is not recommended. For fun, I leave the earbuds on the bottom of a sink filled with water. When I ripped them out 30 minutes later, they seemed fine.

The contacts on the charging case are corrosion-resistant, so all you have to do is wipe off excess water and you're good to go. The case can now be charged wirelessly, which is especially useful if you have a phone that can wirelessly charge accessories like the Samsung Galaxy S21.

The most noticeable difference is the woven fabric that now covers the outer part of the earbuds. Jaybird calls it "WindDefense" fabric and, as the name suggests, is supposed to act as a windsock and prevent wind and other noises from disturbing the microphones.

Underneath this fabric is a physical button that can be used to trigger the usual actions like controlling playback, selecting tracks, etc., but now each earbud also has an embedded accelerometer for tap control.

Comfort, controls and connections

Jaybird Vista 2Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Given the choice between in-hook earbuds like the Powerbeats Pro and earbuds with internal fins like the Vista 2, I'll be using the fins every time. It's true that when you put them on, they're a little less comfortable, but they're easier to put on and there's no hook to bother my glasses. Not to mention how much smaller they are!

You may not want to wear them for hours, but they are more than comfortable enough for a two-hour workout.

As for the fit, don't worry: the combination of the stabilizing ribs and the conical shape of the silicone earbuds make it very difficult to accidentally remove the Vista 2. If anything, they can be a little tricky to remove thanks to the incredible sealing of the eargels. You may not want to wear them for hours, but they are more than comfortable enough for a two-hour workout.

Under the fabric outside, the hidden buttons click with a satisfactory feel, and the free Jaybird app allows you to select specific functions for each click sequence on each earbud. When you include the three click types (single, double, click and hold) and the optional double tap gesture, that's eight options, more than enough to cover play, skip tracks, volume, ANC mode, and more. My only minor flaw is the volume control. It's only accessible via the click and hold gesture, which I find too imprecise for volume adjustments. You're probably better off using your phone's controls for this.

The double-tap gesture, which is mainly used to toggle between ANC and transparency (or "SurroundSense" as Jaybird likes to call it), is also reasonably responsive, although I've experienced a couple of times having to repeat it with a slower cadence.

The built-in wear sensors (new for Vista 2) let you automatically pause your music when you remove an earbud (and resume it when you put it back in). It can be turned on or off in the app and I found it to be very responsive to changes.

Fun to browse the different sound recipes that others have discovered and shared.

Jaybird claims that as a Class 2 Bluetooth device, the Vista 2 can be about 10 meters from a phone or tablet before it is disconnected. This is certainly true outdoors. Inside, it's closer to 20 feet depending on the obstacles between the earbuds and their source device.

And yes, you can use each earbud independently for music or phone calls if you need to.

Sound quality

While the Vista 2 is geared towards athletes who, let's face it, don't just sit around for critical listening sessions, the Vista 2 sounds great. Out of the box, the signature is balanced, if a little tame, but once you jump into the Jaybird app and start tweaking the EQ, these earbuds really shine.

Simply switching from the standard “flat” EQ to the Signature setting was enough to increase the overall dynamic range significantly, and it also helped bring out details in the mids and highs while delivering punchy bass.

Speaking of EQ, one of Jaybird's most interesting features is its social sound settings. Users can create their own custom EQ setting, name it, and share it with other Jaybird users. I suspect most people will find the handful of built-in EQ options sufficient, but it's fun to browse the various sound recipes that others have discovered and shared.

There is also a personal EQ function that creates settings based on the audible frequencies. In the end, I preferred the built-in settings, but it's a nice touch.

As you'd expect from exercise earbuds, there's plenty of deep bass on tap. And while this gets a little exuberant and sometimes dulls the midtones, these EQ settings can help fine tune how much boom you want to accompany your activity.

Noise cancellation and transparency

Jaybird Vista 2Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

The Jaybird Vista did a fine job of passive noise isolation thanks to those tight fitting eargels, but the Vista 2 takes it up again with the addition of ANC. It's not a massive change in the noise cone when you turn it on, but it is exactly what you need to reduce outside noise enough so that it no longer disturbs your concentration.

Jaybird's SurroundSense transparency mode lets you adjust how much sound to let in and how much effort to try to compensate for wind noise (low, medium, or high). When you're active (double-tapping one of the earbuds), you can have normal conversations with people around you or simply increase your awareness of traffic and other potential dangers. I really appreciate that you can decide whether to toggle between Off, ANC and Transparency or two of these modes with this double tap.

There is one downside, however, and it's a big one: wind noise isn't suppressed at all, and I'd even argue that it's more noticeable when the ANC is on than when it is off. Given that Jaybird specifically handled this with its WindDefense fabric, this is particularly disappointing.

Call quality

Jaybird Vista 2Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

As long as you are in a quiet indoor location or outdoors on a very quiet day, the call quality on the Jaybird Vista 2 is good enough for most types of calls.

But if there is even a slight breeze, that wind noise will completely erase your voice. Again, it's really weird considering the presence of this WindDefense fabric, not to mention the fact that these earbuds are entirely designed for outdoor living in every other way. If you're wondering why these earbuds only get 3.5 stars on our rating scale, this is the main reason.

Jaybird tells me it will keep updating its firmware to improve call quality, but there is a limit to what it can do since the microphone is placed on the Vista 2.

Find my earbuds

Jaybird Vista 2

Jaybird Vista 2

Most earbuds that have a "Find My" feature usually just give you the option to get the earbuds to emit a high-pitched howl so you can find them between the sofa cushions. Jaybird does this too, but goes a step further by showing you the location of each earbud and charging case on a map – something it can do since the case actually has its own bluetooth beacon.

The Jaybird app dutifully displayed the earbuds and case on a map, but I couldn't get it to force a tracking sound from the earbuds. Hopefully this will be fixed with a firmware update.

Battery life

The original Vista didn't boast particularly impressive battery life (six hours per earbud and 10 hours more in the charging case). The Vista 2 improves this significantly with eight hours per earbud and 16 hours in the case. The fast charging remains the same: five minutes gives you an additional hour of gaming time.

At a volume of 50% and the ANC switched on, the earphones knocked off after six hours. Turning ANC off should get you down to the stated 8 hour number, but I haven't tested this.

Our opinion

The only thing stopping the Jaybird Vista 2 from being the perfect workout earbuds is its terrible phone call quality. Otherwise, they absolutely hit it and offer the Powerbeats Pro some serious competition.

Is there a better alternative?

The Vista 2 hits a sweet spot in terms of equipment and price, without any direct competitors. For $ 150 is the JBL Reflect Mini NC gives you almost all of the features of Vista 2 and they have much better call quality. They don't have wireless charging, they don't last that long, and they're not as rugged as the Vista 2, but they give you a choice of voice assistants.

If you're a die-hard Apple fan and want to summon Siri hands-free, this is it Powerbeats Pro are still a very good choice, but their large ear hooks and lack of ANC or wireless charging make the regular $ 249 price tag seem unnecessarily high.

How long will they last?

With the Vista 2's incredible protection from water, dust, and other damage, it should last for years with regular use. Batteries are always the big unknown, but there's no reason to think the Jaybird Vista 2 will be better or worse than other brands. Jaybird supports the Vista 2 with a one year warranty.

Should you buy it?

Yes – that is, if you can put your terrible call quality behind you. When calls don't matter, the Jaybird Vista 2 are great sounding workout earbuds that are badass.

Editor's recommendations



29 Jun
Blog

An Intro to Daily Undulating Periodization

DUP has regained popularity with powerlifters and regular fitness goers in recent years for good reason.

So you've been going to the gym for a couple of years, have had fantastic results at times, but feel like your progress has stalled. You get to the same point and you don't seem to get stronger, you don't build muscle, and it's hard to stay motivated. Sound familiar? Well you are not alone.

There can be several reasons for this:

Continue reading

28 Jun
Blog

5 Most Common Habits Healthy People Share

If you want to improve your health and wellbeing, why not take a look at someone who is already committed to their health. If you observe the habits of healthy people, you will find some similarities. No matter how old they are, where they come from, what sport or activity they do, they all have similar habits. These habits are at the core of any healthy lifestyle and adopting these behaviors can help you be a little healthier too.

It can only take 18 days to develop a new habit and with enough determination and willpower you can make sure you get there. Developing healthier habits will help improve your physical and mental wellbeing, strengthen your immune system, give you more energy, and increase your lifespan. Now is the time to take control of your health, change your habits and adopt a new lifestyle that will make you happier and healthier in the future.

Let's look at just a few of the habits that healthy people have in common.

Regular exercise

Whether you're running, walking, biking, kayaking, surfing, roller-skating, dancing, or doing anything else that gets your blood pumping, you need to exercise. At least thirty minutes of moderate exercise a day can help reduce your risk for countless diseases and conditions. The healthiest people out there make exercise a part of their life so it never becomes a chore. They meet up with friends for a walk, do sports with the family, exercise with friends on fitness equipment, cycle to work by bike, and find other ways to stay active all day.

Stay hydrated

Healthy people always have a bottle of water close at hand. You will drink water throughout the day to stay hydrated, which will help keep muscles supple, reduce fatigue, and improve recovery. Drinking water throughout the day is critical to maintaining your overall health. Staying hydrated can also help you feel full throughout the day so that you are not consuming unnecessary calories.

Stretch often

If you have a friend who leads a healthy lifestyle, you may notice that they stop stretching all day. While they are unlikely to roll out a mat and go through a routine, they will simply do a few quick static stretches while standing around in a very natural way. When you are more active, staying limber and stretching often is critical to performance and recovery. Bring more stretching into your day and you will quickly feel the benefits.

To sleep well

Getting enough rest is critical to your health and wellbeing. While everyone is different, for most people, getting enough sleep means between seven and nine hours of sleep a night. Healthy people tend to go to bed early to make sure they are rested and ready for the next day. Being rested helps your body burn calories more efficiently, build muscle, and have a good rest so that you can perform at your peak.

Good nutrition

While there are tons of healthy diets to choose from, sticking to a long-term, sustainable diet is important. Food is energy and you need to make sure that you are providing your body with the best possible energy if you want to stay fit and healthy. Healthy people are usually healthy because they eat well, and when they have an unhealthy indulgence it is generally an occasional indulgence

Adopt some healthy habits

To improve your overall health, the habits mentioned above are a good place to start. However, over time, it is important to continue your commitment to your new healthy lifestyle by developing healthy habits that work for you. Focusing on your wellbeing will make you more relaxed, happier, and have more energy to make the most of each day.

28 Jun
Blog

Asus VivoBook Flip 14 Review: A Fast, Cheap AMD Laptop

Asus Vivobook Flip 14 review 3

Asus VivoBook Flip 14 2021

"The Asus VivoBook Flip 14 is a powerful budget laptop despite the disappointing display and build quality."

  • Outstanding productivity performance

  • Mostly attractive aesthetics

  • Affordable

  • Active pen is bundled

  • Upgradable RAM and storage

  • Mediocre build quality

  • Glossy display

  • Below average battery life

Everyone likes a good budget laptop. They may not seem as exciting as the latest and greatest, but budget-conscious laptops have their place. Not everyone has the resources or the need for a laptop that costs well over $ 1,000, but everyone deserves great things. Finding a diamond in the rough can be a lot of fun.

Most manufacturers have a distinct budget lineup, and in Asus' case, that's the VivoBook. The company recently launched the updated VivoBook Flip 14, an AMD-powered 360-degree convertible 2-in-1 designed to deliver solid performance and an exciting experience at a low laptop price.

I checked the VivoBook Flip 14 configuration for $ 629 (if Asus offers it on their website, it will sell for $ 600) which has an AMD Ryzen 5 5500U CPU, 8GB of RAM, a 512GB PCIe -SSD and a 14-inch IPS Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) display in the increasingly old-fashioned 16: 9 aspect ratio. You can also get a version with a 256GB SSD for just $ 529. Attractive features for the price, but does the VivoBook Flip 14 keep its value proposition?

design

The VivoBook Flip 14 is mostly made of plastic, with the lid lined with an aluminum alloy. You don't have to buy plastic for this price, but it's not uncommon. Unfortunately, the build quality was not up to the usual Asus standard, with a lid that bends with too little force and can cause LCD distortion, quite a bit of flex in the keyboard deck, and a case base that yields to pressure. The similarly priced Acer Swift 3 is more solidly built, and for around $ 300 you can grab the HP Envy x360 13, which is also much better built – unsurprisingly, both machines are on our list of best budget laptops . You won't find many 14-inch 2-in-1s at this price level, so I can't think of a direct comparison that we tested.

Aesthetically, the VivoBook Flip 14 is a little more impressive, if a little strange at the same time. It comes in a “Bespoke Black” color scheme that covers 99% of the chassis. There's a bright silver logo on the lid and some chrome bars around the touchpad, but that's mostly it. It is strange that the Enter key has a lime green border and lettering and stands out rather boldly – but at the same time I would say garish. And it's the only element on the laptop that bears that color, so it's not part of a theme.

If you're usually struggling to find Enter, the bold color scheme helps, but I usually don't run into this predicament so the color scheme detracts from the aesthetic for me. Still, I think the VivoBook Flip 14 looks better than the Swift 3 and is on par with the Envy x360 13. In fact, it's as attractive as a more expensive notebook like the MSI Prestige 14 Evo and has a more distinctive look than the Lenovo Yoga 7i 14 2-in-1, which is also about $ 300 more expensive.

The bezels are a bit big with a screen-to-body ratio of 82%. Premium laptops tend to be 90% or better, but the VivoBook Flip 14 isn't bad for a budget device. That makes the chassis a bit bigger, and it's not the thinnest or lightest 14-inch laptop at 0.72 inches and 3.31 pounds. The Yoga 7i comes in at 0.69 inches and 3.09 pounds, while the MSI Prestige 14 is 0.63 inches thick and weighs 2.85 pounds.

The Acer Swift 5, another 14-inch clamshell, is just 0.59 inches thick and fairly light at 2.31 pounds – it's also twice as expensive. Looking at our budget competition, the Acer Swift 3 is 0.63 inches thick and weighs 2.65 pounds, and the HP Envy x360 13 is 0.65 inches thick and weighs 2.92 pounds. Obviously, the VivoBook Flip 14 doesn't win the thin and easy battle.

Asus built its ErgoLift hinge into the VivoBook Flip 14, which is a nice touch considering the overall complexity of the 360-degree hinge. It works well, raises the keyboard deck to a more comfortable typing angle, and theoretically offers additional space for air to circulate – except there are no vents on the bottom of the laptop. Rather, the air is sucked in via the keyboard, so that the usual thermal advantages are not available. Anyway, the hinge is a bit stiff and the lid takes two hands to open, but it keeps the display in place in clamshell, tent, media, and tablet modes.

Asus has also built in some upgrade options. The SSD slot is easily accessible if you ever want to upgrade the memory, and of the test device's 8 GB of RAM, 4 GB is soldered to the motherboard and the other 4 GB is plugged in. So you can swap this out for an 8 GB chip if necessary and increase your RAM to 12 GB. A maximum of 16 GB is available, which of course has to be configured when ordering the laptop.

Connectivity is good, with a USB-A 2.0 port, a USB-A 3.2 port, a USB-C Gen 2 port, a full-size HDMI 1.4 port, a 3.5mm audio jack and a microSD card reader. A proprietary connector provides power, and given the AMD chipset, there is no Thunderbolt support. Wireless connectivity is a bit behind the times with Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 4.2.

performance

The VivoBook Flip 14 featured the first six-core Ryzen 5 5500U CPU we tested, and I was curious to see how it compares to the various Tiger Lake variants from Intel and the Ryzen 7 series. I got away impressed.

It didn't dominate Geekbench 5, with the lower single-core score typical of AMD chips and the more competitive multi-core score. It landed in third place in the comparison group, behind the Asus ZenBook 13 UM325UA with an eight-core Ryzen 7 5800U, which dominated, and the MSI Prestige 14 Evo with its four-core Intel Core i7-1185G7. In PCMark 10, the VivoBook Flip 14 took second place behind the ZenBook 13 and did particularly well in the content creation of this test. Accordingly, the Ryzen 5 5500U is competitive with Intel's Core i7 and significantly faster than the Core i5.

The VivoBook Flip 14 was particularly convincing in two particularly compute-intensive apps, Handbrake and Cinebench R23. In the Handbrake test, which encodes a 420 MB video as H.265, the Asus was 31 seconds faster than the Prestige 14 Evo and only seven seconds behind the ZenBook 13. The results in the demanding Cinebench R23 test were similar, where At least in multicore mode, the VivoBook Flip 14 took just second place behind the ZenBook 13 and was significantly faster than the Prestige 14 Evo. And the Ryzen 5 5500U is a real step up from the previous generation, making the VivoBook Flip 14 an impressive budget performer.

As with all current Ryzen laptops we tested, the VivoBook Flip 14 excels in CPU-intensive tasks and will go through the typical productivity workflow. It can handle creative applications too, although its Radeon Graphics doesn't offer much in the way of enhancing applications that the GPU can take advantage of. Of course, this also applies to Intel's integrated Iris Xe graphics. In this comparison group, only the HP Envy 14 with its Nvidia GeForce GTX-1650 Ti brings real added value for these applications. Everywhere else, the VivoBook Flip 14 will do exceptionally well, especially given its $ 630 price tag.

Underdog Bench 5
(Single / multiple)		 Handbrake
(Seconds)		 Cinebench R23
(Single / multiple)		 PCMark 10 3DMark time spy
Asus VivoBook Flip 14
(Ryzen 5 5500U)		 1102/5432 131 1180/7579 5191 1099
MSI Prestige 14 Evo (Core i7-1185G7) 1593/5904 162 1479/6680 4866 1465
Acer Swift 3 2020 (Ryzen7 4700U) 1120/4831 152 N / A N / A 975
HP Envy x360 13 (Ryzen 5 4500U) 1101/4485 176 N / A N / A 902
Asus ZenBook 13 UM325UA
(Ryzen7 5800U)		 1423/6758 124 1171/7824 6034 1342
HP Envy 14 2020 (Core i5-1135G7) 1398/4741 190 1343/5028 5178 3147

One area that won't impress is gaming. The 3DMark Time Spy test result is nothing special, and the VivoBook Flip 14 performed poorly in Fortnite. It only managed 25 frames per second (fps) at 1080p and medium graphics, in line with laptops with Intel Iris Xe graphics. It reached 15 fps in epic graphics, which in turn corresponds to Intel's integrated GPU. Simply put, the VivoBook Flip 14 is not a gaming laptop at any cost.

display

Spend $ 630 on a laptop and you'll be giving up on something. There is usually a big tradeoff in display quality and the VivoBook Flip 14 is no exception.

First, it's not very bright at just 230 nits (we like to see 300 nits or more). This is almost identical to the 233 nits of the Acer Swift 3, and so the VivoBook Flip 14 is not alone among budget laptops with a weak display. The contrast is also poor at 720: 1, below the Swift 3's 770: 1 and well below our preferred threshold of 1000: 1. The Lenovo Yoga 7i 14 performs even worse with 690: 1, which shows that it is not only true budget laptops that suffer from poor contrast.

Next came the VivoBook Flip 14's colors, which were incredibly narrow. The coverage of the Adobe RGB color space was only 50% and the sRGB color space was only 66%. That's well below the 70% and 95%, respectively, that we normally see minimums on mid-range and premium laptops – and the HP Envy x360 13, which is on our top budget list, scored 71% and 96%, which is much better is. I notice that the Swift 3 was in the same class as the Asus at 48% and 64%, respectively. The VivoBook Flip 14's color accuracy was better than the Swift 3's 4.76 at a Delta E of 2.62 (1.0 or less is considered excellent), while the Envy x360 13 got a lower 2.26.

Subjectively, the VivoBook Flip 14's display wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. It's enough for web browsing and productivity apps, but that's about it. Viewing media on the 2-in-1 device was also not a terrible experience despite the poor colors and contrasts.

Two downward facing speakers provide audio with Harman Kardon tuning. The speakers get loud, but also distorted, with crackling at any volume above 80%. Treble was blown out and mids muffled, which resulted in a tinny sound. Of course there was no question of bass. You'll be fine with system sounds and the occasional YouTube videos, but anything else requires headphones or a pair of bluetooth speakers.

Keyboard and touchpad

The keyboard on the VivoBook Flip 14 is eerily reminiscent of HP's Specter keyboard, which is purposely a good choice. It offers good spacing, large keys with attractive and easy-to-read lettering and a number of Home, PgUp, PgDn, End and Fn keys on the far right. Unfortunately, although it looks like a Specter keyboard, it doesn't feel like it. There's a lot of travel and a nice click to the switches, but the ground motion is too abrupt. There's no crisp jump like HP, and the overall typing experience isn't nearly as comfortable. I would rate this keyboard a few steps behind the Specter and Dell XPS keyboards and way behind Apple's Magic Keyboard on the latest MacBooks. I will notice that the three-level backlight is even and useful.

To be clear, the touchpad is way too small. There's still plenty of room on the keyboard deck for a larger version, and the small size is reinforced by the fingerprint reader in the right corner. The touchpad is a Microsoft Precision version, so it works fine with good support for Windows 10 multi-touch gestures, but it's tiny.

The display is of course touch-enabled, as it is a 2-in-1, and an Asus active pen is included. It supports Windows 10 inking well, with smooth strokes and precise response.

The fingerprint reader mentioned above has Windows 10 Hello support for passwordless login. It was quick and accurate during my tests, and it was welcome on such an inexpensive laptop.

Battery life

Asus only put 42 watt hours of battery into the VivoBook Flip 14, which is not much for a 14-inch display even with Full HD resolution and a powerful CPU. I wasn't expecting great battery life.

Starting with our web browser test that ran through a number of popular websites, the VivoBook Flip 14 lasted nine hours. That's a little less than average for this class of machine, but not a terrible result. The Acer Swift 3 managed just eight hours, while the HP Envy x360 13 managed a little over nine hours. In our video test, which plays a Full HD Avengers trailer until the battery runs out, the VivoBook Flip 14 lasted 12 hours, again slightly less than average, but not too much compared to the Swift 3's 10 hours disappointing. The Envy x360 13 beats both with 13 hours.

The VivoBook Flip 14 lasted just over two hours in the PCMark 10 gaming test, which stresses the CPU and GPU, which is average for the test. The Lenovo Yoga 7i managed just over 2.5 hours, and we didn't test the Swift 3 or the Envy x360 13 with this benchmark. In the PCMark 10 Applications test, which is the best indicator of battery life, the VivoBook Flip was again below average with just over nine hours. That still beats the 8.5 hours of the Yoga 7i.

Overall, the VivoBook Flip 14 was only a hair behind the pack in terms of battery life. It will likely take a full working day if you don't put too much stress on the CPU, but it definitely suffers from the small battery. However, this is again a budget laptop, and so the results are pretty good if you keep the price in mind.

Our opinion

The VivoBook Flip 14 is really very fast for a $ 630 laptop. Its build isn't the best, its battery life is slower, and its keyboard isn't one of my favorites. But a laptop that works like this for so little money shouldn't be neglected.

If you have a demanding productivity workflow or occasionally use creative applications, the VivoBook Flip 14 will give you the performance you are looking for. And nothing else is so bad about the laptop that you shouldn't think twice about it.

Are there alternatives?

I'll start with the Asus ZenBook 13 OLED UM325UA. It's not a 2-in-1, but it costs just $ 170 more for a color-accurate OLED display, a faster AMD Ryzen 7 5800U CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB PCIe solid-state drive. If your budget isn't that tight and you don't really need a 2-in-1, then the ZenBook 13 is a great option.

If you need a 2-in-1 and your budget is limited, the HP Envy x360 13 is a solid alternative. It's also a little more expensive, but you get better performance, better battery life, and a better display. What do you dislike?

How long it will take?

The VivoBook Flip 14 isn't the most solid notebook we've tested, but it's not bad for a budget device. It won't withstand extreme abuse, but with normal wear and tear at home and in the office, it should last for several years. You won't be surprised by the one-year limited warranty.

Should you buy it?

Yes, if you don't need a color-accurate display and you are short of money. The outstanding performance of the VivoBook Flip 14 makes up for many of its weaknesses.

Editor's recommendations



28 Jun
Blog

An Intro to Daily Undulating Periodization

DUP has regained popularity with powerlifters and regular fitness goers in recent years for good reason.

So you've been going to the gym for a couple of years, have had fantastic results at times, but feel like your progress has stalled. You get to the same point and you don't seem to get stronger, you don't build muscle, and it's hard to stay motivated. Sound familiar? Well you are not alone.

There can be several reasons for this:

Continue reading

28 Jun
Blog

The Perfect Warm-Up Exercise For Your Upper Body

Arm cross is known as a cardio booster exercise whose main motive is to improve body flexibility. This workout primarily targets the rotator cuff muscles, thus promoting flexibility in the upper body. It also works out your shoulder muscles, hamstrings, core, glutes, and quads. It is effortless to perform and does not require the use of equipment. This exercise is considered a warm up exercise that allows your triceps and back shoulders to work. The arm cross exercise prepares your muscles and joints for an intense workout and warms them up. They are considered a great stretching exercise that uses the muscles of the upper body.

Below is the perfect guide on the best way to do arm crosses.

How To Do Arm Cross Exercises Efficiently:

Below is the perfect guide for the arm-cross exercise, which consists of instructions, some things to keep in mind, and intensified variations of this exercise:

Directions:

1. First stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, your knees slightly bent and your arms outstretched to your side. This is your starting position.

2. Then cross your arms forward and immediately bring them back as far as you can.

Repeat this movement until one set is complete.

Things to be aware of:

1. Always remember to keep your back straight and your abs tight.

2. You should cross your arms in a steady and flowing motion.

3. Inhale slowly, always looking ahead during this exercise.

Variations:

Once you've mastered the art of performing arm-cross exercises without disabilities, there are some of the intensified variations you can try out below:

1. Side lunge with arms crossed

The side lunge with the arms targets the hamstrings, glutes, shoulders, quadriceps, and the inner thighs. This exercise stretches your arms, chest, shoulders, and upper back muscles. It is responsible for improving your body balance, increasing flexibility, and increasing your cardio performance.

Directions:

1. First stand upright with your arms stretched out horizontally to your sides and your feet shoulder width apart. This is your starting position.

2. The next step is to move your right leg to the side, bend your right knee and at the same time push your buttocks backwards. All of these movements should be performed while crossing your arms in front at the same time.

3. Then return to the starting position.

Repeat with your left leg.

Things to keep in the Understanding:

1. Always remember to keep your abs tight and your back upright throughout the exercise.

2. Continue facing forward and slowly inhale as you step to your side and cross your arms.

3. Exhale as you return to the starting position.

2. Crunches with arms crossed

This variant of the spider exercise does not require any special equipment and is therefore barrier-free. It mainly targets your obliques and hip muscles and is responsible for providing strength.

Direction:

1. First lie flat on your back and cross both arms over your chest. Then bend your knees while touching your feet on the floor. This is your starting position.

2. Now, while supporting your core, lift your shoulders and upper back off the floor.

3. Pause for a second, then return to the starting position.

Frequently asked Questions:

1. How many crosses of arms should I do?

It would help if you made spiders the way you want. If you want to do this exercise as an upper body warm-up workout, you can do it for at least 30 seconds.

2. Are cross arms safe?

Crossing your arms is of course very safe to perform and can be performed as a warm-up exercise for the upper body.

3. Which muscles do arm crosses work?

Arm cross exercises primarily work your glutes, hamstrings, shoulder muscles, core, and quads.

Conclusion:

Arm cross is an effective exercise that trains various upper body muscles. It helps in increasing body flexibility and increasing your cardio performance. In addition, it doubles as a great warm-up exercise to do before a mild upper body workout.

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