Pope Francis often spoke with great sympathy for immigrants and refugees. NPR's Scott Simon reminds us that the Pope's father fled Mussolini's Italy, immigrating to Argentina.
(Image credit: AP)
Yemen is an ancient birthplace of the coffee trade, and immigrants fleeing its civil war have brought their culture here in the form of cafes. Hundreds of Yemeni coffee shops have opened in the U.S.
Frame Material and Build Quality: Made with a powder-coated aluminum base, with scratch-proof nylon casters.
Dimensions: Height: 87cm, Width: 51cm, Depth: 56cm
Weight: 8.5kg
Upholstery Options and Materials: Made from a wide range of premium materials, leather, vegan leather, and mesh.
Maximum Payload: 110kg (approximately 17 stone)
Straight away, the chair’s packaging gives an idea of its quality - it is well packed, with each piece individually protected, and the parts are heavy and fit well together.
Admittedly though, this chair is difficult to assemble. Undoubtedly the chair takes two people to put together, and it isn’t an easy task. The instructions weren’t as clear as they could’ve been, and all-in-all, this took about 30 minutes for us to build. We actually managed to assemble it back-to-front at first, but we'd had a long day, so that's probably user error.
The chair is assembled in two halves, so make sure you have a fair bit of room before you start. It's a little fiddly, and there are a fair few parts that you need to keep track of - but it's worth the effort.
The quality of the seat is undeniable, the backrest is thick but breathable, and the material is cool and comfy. As you first sit down, there’s no wobbles or flimsiness, and you can definitely feel the care that has gone into the design.
Branch Ergonomic Chair Pro: Price & availabilityAt $499, the Branch Ergonomic Chair Pro covers the middle ground between some of the most expensive chairs around, and the most premium office chairs.
It is a bit of a step up from the Ergonomic chair ($359), but comes with six more points of adjustment, and a much sturdier build - having taken on five years of customer feedback.
The Branch Ergonomic Chair Pro looks simple and elegant, you wouldn’t guess it was such a hassle to assemble.
The premium quality of the parts gives the chair a durable feel and a clean appearance, with the mesh design means the chair has great airflow, and the materials give it a really cool feel - even in direct sunlight.
I'm a one of those people who can never sit still, but with all the adjustments that this chair allows, I can get comfortable however I'm sitting, even if I do then switch my position a few minutes later!
I've also got a cat who loves to sit on my lap, and I'm happy to report that the base of the chair is more than wide enough for me to comfortably cross my legs (and for anyone wondering - the material does not collect cat hair at all!).
Particularly great for me (although probably not great for my posture), is the back rest, which you can adjust to pretty much any angle - and the ergonomic support means my back hasn't hurt even after 9 hours of use - and sadly, yes, I have tested this.
The wheels are bigger than expected, but make the chair feel very stable and allow me to swivel off to the printer when I need to.
The chair also has the option for vegan leather, so is suitable for a wide range of customers.
There’s very little wobble at all in the build, except a slight shake in the arms - but the height-adjustable armrests have a nice smooth surface and padding, and are wide and secure enough to keep things like notepads, pens, or even mugs on if you're feeling risky and have your hands full.
A small piece of the back support did snap off quite soon after unboxing the chair, which looked to have been damaged in transit (see below) but overall the quality is fantastic.
(Image credit: Future) In useThe chair sits quite low, I’m 5”7 on a tall day, and the highest the chair goes isn’t as high as I would expect. I can plant my feet firmly on the floor when its at its highest, which isn’t usual in my experience.
There are a lot of options to adjust the chair, with the height, the headrest, arms rests, the recline, and also the seat position. This can make the process of adjusting slightly fiddly, since there are so many different levers. However, it’s great to have such a customizable experience.
The arms rests are a little too easy to adjust for my liking - and knocking them a little means they sometimes rotate a bit by accident. That being said, the arm rests are wide and comfortable, and can even be removed if needed.
The recline on the chair is easy to navigate, but can be a little sticky. I've definitely had a few hours stuck in an ever so slightly too relaxed position so far, but eventually managed to get it sorted.
(Image credit: Future) Final verdictOn the whole, I’ve had a great experience with this chair. I've been using it for a few months now and can say it has made my work from home days a lot more comfortable.
I've personally chosen to remove the top head rest, as it sat a little awkwardly against my neck, so if you're on the shorter side, bare that in mind. That being said, it was easy to remove, it is adjustable, and I don't find myself feeling like anything is missing.
As long as you can find a friend (or maybe two) willing to help with the set-up, it’s worth it. The chair is sturdy and fantastically comfortable, and stays cool even if you’ve been using it all day. I've moved house since I first got this chair, and must admit this was one of the most difficult things to transport thanks to its size and weight, but I did make sure to bring it with me since I enjoy it so much.
It's on the expensive side and it is a little bulky, but if you're looking to invest in a good quality chair that will last, then I recommend considering this chair as an option.
If you’re looking for a reliable chair for everyday use, the Ergonomic Chair Pro is certainly worth considering.
Samsung has confirmed that it's working on a tri-fold foldable phone, and while we don't have too many details about it yet, the latest leak around the handset gives us some more information about the screen size.
This tip comes from well-known leaker Digital Chat Station (via Notebookcheck), who says that we're looking at a main screen size of around 9.9 inches. That's a little smaller than the 10.2-inch display sported by the Huawei Mate XT tri-fold.
It also lines up rather neatly with previous rumors around this Samsung device: those rumors have predicted a main screen size of 9.96 inches and an outer screen size of 6.49 inches, which also indicates a key difference from the Huawei Mate XT.
Whereas the three panels of the Mate XT fold back on each other, leaving a third of the screen visible when it's closed, the Samsung tri-fold is expected to fold inwards – so all of the main display gets covered up when it's shut, and a second display is needed.
More leaks and rumors The Galaxy Z Fold 6 should get a successor this year (Image credit: Future)This same leak suggests that the Samsung tri-fold will be launching this year. It may show up sometime in July, which is when the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 are expected to be unveiled.
Other whispers we've heard around this Samsung tri-fold are that it'll offer 2,600 nits of brightness on its screens, which is a very decent figure and matches up with what's already offered by the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6.
There's also been talk that the tri-fold might end up being called the Samsung Galaxy G Fold. That's by no means official yet, but that moniker would fit in neatly with the other foldable phones that Samsung already manufactures.
It's going to be interesting to see how Samsung prices this phone. Obviously, it's going to have to cost a lot because of the tech, but we're hoping that it's not prohibitively expensive – and that it goes on sale worldwide.
You might also likeThe White House says it will release more details of the meeting, which it described as "a very productive discussion."
(Image credit: Ukrainian Presidential Press Office)
The White House says they will release more details of the meeting, which they called "a very productive discussion."
(Image credit: Ukrainian Presidential Press Office)
The BenQ GP520 is a promising projector for those on a tight budget. At $1,499, it provides a much cheaper alternative to the Hisense C2 Ultra and JGMO N1S Pro 4K. While there are plenty of other examples of the best projectors that can compete near its price, the BenQ GP520 has a solid edge where brightness is concerned. An LED light source lets it hit a high of 2,600 ANSI Lumens, and that’s plenty to provide a pleasing image even if you don’t completely black out your viewing space.
The GP520 beams a sharp and modestly colorful 4K picture and supports HDR10+ high dynamic range. In the right viewing conditions, it can look downright great for a projector at this price, and even has solid motion handling.
BenQ rounds out the GP520 with a potent pair of speakers that will do the job when you don’t have time to sort out a better sound system, and it has integrated Google TV for streaming. The projector is small and easy to move about, making it viable as a go-anywhere all-in-one theater system. While there are plenty of ways the GP520 could be better, it’s a great option for those on a budget.
BenQ GP520 review: Price & release date There are no optical adjustments on the GP520, which uses automatic keystone and autofocus, and even framing and obstacle avoidance, to configure its picture for new setups (Image credit: Future)The BenQ GP520 is a recent entry to the market and comes in at a modest price. At $1,499, it’s a small bargain next to the BenQ W2720i, and is cheaper than the BenQ X300G and BenQ X3100i in the company’s gaming projector lineup. It doesn’t have the gaming chops of those latter projectors, but it delivers a big, bright 4K picture for the money.
BenQ GP520 review: Design & features The GP520's included Google TV remote control (Image credit: Future)Like many recent mainstream home projectors, the BenQ GP520 has a simple, boxy design. With a compact, gray case and a blue accent around the lens, it looks a lot less like office equipment than other BenQ projectors. Inside, it packs an LED DLP projection system, dual 12-watt speakers, and the Google TV streaming platform. It’s a compact projector that’s easy to move and set up in new positions.
While some competitors have started including gimbal stands for angling their projectors, the GP520 has simple rubber feet that can extend to make small angle and tilt corrections. That said, the GP520 is equipped with tripod holes on the top, bottom, and rear for adaptable setups. You’ll want a rather sturdy tripod to secure this projector, though.
The GP520 will automatically configure its picture for new setups, including keystone and autofocus adjustments, and even framing and obstacle avoidance. Aside from focus, these are all digital adjustments that reduce the resolution of the 4K picture.
The BenQ GP520 runs the Google TV smart TV system, and while this provides plenty of functionality for finding and streaming content, the hardware running it isn’t so capable. After making a selection or trying to access a menu, the OS will hang up for one or several seconds. For instance, trying to access the picture settings menu from the main menu, the delay was long enough for me to be convinced the system had glitched (it didn’t).
Around back, the GP520 offers up a pair of HDMI 2.1 ports (one with eARC), a 3.5mm audio output, two USB-A ports (one for service only), and a USB-C port. That last one is special, as it not only supports 20 watts of charging power for a connected device but also serves as a DisplayPort input.
The back of the projector also features a small vent for exhausting heat, and while plenty of heat comes out of the back, the fans are not very loud. On top, it has buttons for volume, Bluetooth pairing, and power. The sides of the projector are covered in large grills that allow air to flow in and sound to come out of the speakers. While the GP520 is compact, BenQ uses a large and heavy external power brick that could get in the way of a convenient and tidy setup.
The remote included with the GP520 is basic and feels a bit cheap, but it does the job. It has the typical Google TV layout with a circular navigation dial, a microphone button for voice controls, and quick buttons for home and back. Interestingly, it includes a zoom control to quickly shrink the image down and blow it back up, and also has a dedicated button to automatically adjust keystone and focus. Thankfully, the remote has a shortcut button to change inputs, making it much quicker to jump from the somewhat slow Google TV operating system to any other input without getting bogged down in unresponsive menus.
The BenQ GP520 puts on a good show, beaming a picture with 2,600 lumens of brightness. In a well-lit room, you’ll want to stick with content like cartoons and TV, but if you can draw the curtains and dim your space, the GP520 is good for movies. Enemy of the State had great visuals and solid contrast on my 100-inch screen, even with light slipping through my blinds during the day. Black levels weren’t incredibly deep, but it still looked good.
Watched in these same conditions, a 4K Blu-ray of Dune looked excellent in the GP520’s HDR10 picture mode. The picture had sharp detail, and there was also detail in dark shadows, such as fabrics and the Harkonnen armor. Occasionally, the projector exhibited judder during panning and tilting shots, but it was very subtle. There’s also an Auto HDR picture mode, but this shifts to a cooler color temperature and introduces the soap opera effect along with other odd motion artifacts.
Elevated black levels seen on the GP520 can be a little distracting when it displays letterboxed movies or larger areas of black, but contrast is nonetheless quite good. The GP520 performed well in Paul’s duel with Jamis toward the end of Dune. I’ve seen other projectors struggle greatly with this fairly dark scene, but the GP520 presented it clearly and brought out plenty of detail, including in Jamis’ face.
The GP520's Google TV smart interface (Image credit: Future)The GP520 falls a bit short on color, though, with its LED light source only covering 81% of the DCI-P3 color space. That leaves plenty of room for improvement, but such improvement will generally come from more expensive triple laser projectors, like the JMGO N1S Pro or Hisense C2 Ultra. This won’t hold the GP520 back with some movies, such as the aforementioned Enemy of the State, but it loses a little punch with content that benefits from especially vibrant color, like Cyberpunk Edgerunners.
The speakers on the GP520 pack a punch for a system of this size. The balance is a little crisp, putting a lot into the mids and rolling off the bass. Sub-bass is absent, so you’ll miss some meat from movies, TV, and games.
While the projector can run games with a reasonably low latency, it can’t switch to 1080p display and bump up the frame rate like some of its competitors. Regardless of resolution, the refresh rate is capped at 60Hz.
The BenQ GP520 may not be the best projector around, but it’s offering an excellent value. For one thing, it’s a complete package with integrated speakers and a streaming software that lets you power it up and start watching without any extra gear. It’s also offering solid performance for the money, with a picture that’s plenty bright, crisp, and with HDR10+ support. It could use a bit more color richness, a deeper black floor, and the option to increase refresh rate at lower resolutions, but for straightforward movie and TV watching, it’s quite good.
At $1,499, the BenQ GP520 sits in a proper place, steering clear of some of its more colorful triple-laser competition but offering better brightness compared to similarly priced projectors.
You want a bright picture
The BenQ GP520 scores high marks for its brightness, which helps it perform better in rooms with some ambient light. View Deal
You want a solid all-in-one at a great value
The BenQ GP520 checks all the boxes. It’s a bright 4K beamer with robust stereo sound and integrated Google TV. You can find this combination in other systems, but BenQ drives a hard bargain at $1,499.View Deal
You want setup flexibility
The BenQ GP520 may not have any optical adjustments, but it does have some decent flexibility thanks to its support for multiple tripod mounting locations and its ability to flip upside down, stay upright, or even tilt vertically. View Deal
You want a gaming projector
BenQ may be a big name in gaming, but the GP520 isn’t particularly well-suited for it. It caps out at 60Hz while some of its competitors can jump up to 120Hz or even 240Hz and deliver lower lag in the process.View Deal
You want the best picture for your money
Rivals from JGMO and Hisense may not be able to go as bright as the GP520 at the same price, but their triple-laser light sources make for absolutely stunning visuals. As long as you can control the ambient light in your viewing area, they’ll prove more impressive. View Deal
You like motion smoothing
Some devices do motion smoothing well, but the GP520 isn’t particularly adept at it. It can make panning shots and moving objects look smoother, but it introduces obvious visual artifacts into other sorts of motion. View Deal
JMGO N1S Pro
This triple-laser projector won’t beam quite as bright, but that may not be obvious when you’re appreciating its absolutely stunning color.
Read our JMGO N1S Pro review View Deal
BenQ W2720i
At a considerable markup, the BenQ W2720i steps up the visuals with better color and more advanced optics. This also allows for better positioning control for the image without relying too much on digital adjustments. It’s a little dimmer and a lot bigger, though, so it won’t work for everyone.View Deal
Xgimi Horizon Ultra
This model combines LED and laser projection for a bright and colorful picture, plus it has a more elegant design to fit in with your decor. But it also won’t be as bright for the money.
Read our full Xgimi Horizon Ultra reviewView Deal
How I tested the BenQ GP520 (Image credit: Future)I tested the BenQ GP520 at home, in real-world conditions. This saw it faced with ambient light coming in from numerous windows, in-room lighting, as well as ambient noise that both the projector and speaker systems had to overcome. The projector was tested both against a bare, white wall and an Akia Screens CineWhite screen. It was presented with streamed content, HDR and non-HDR, and PC gameplay.
My testing evaluates the projector’s performance with respect to its price and competition from other models I and colleagues at TechRadar have tested.
I have been testing projectors since 2021 and displays for even longer.
For a more detailed explanation of how we test TVs at TechRadar, check out the link.
Pope Francis was honored with a funeral Mass Saturday morning in the Vatican City's St. Peter's Square. These are some of the images that captured the grief of those mourning him around the world.
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