There is a point that comes in the career of almost every artist: you’ve made all these works and feel like you are not doing enough to show them off. A strong website is an essential part of marketing yourself as a creator and, with templates that allow you to drag together different website elements visually instead of through coding, Squarespace is often the platform that creative types opt for.
SEE ALSO: Best Squarespace templates for mobile websites
We’ve taken a look at the templates that fit the needs of a range of different artists — from the painter to the musician, from the artist looking to simply show off work to the studio that needs to sell prints or schedule art classes.
Is Squarespace good for artists?
Yes! The combination of beautiful templates and no-web-experience-needed entry point has for years made Squarespace a popular choice for artists who desperately need a website but do not know much about coding or design. A majority of the templates on the site are built primarily with images in mind and make it incredibly easy to show off your painting or drawings. But if you happen to be a sculptor, a musician, or another kind of artist not mentioned on this list, fear not as there is almost certainly already a template for you as well.
Which website features are most important for artists?
While that will depend on what type of work you do and how you want it to look, a few core functions are necessary for anyone looking to draw attention to a creative portfolio. Knowing how many images you’ll want to display, as well as how you want them displayed, will allow you to make a few basic decisions about overall layout. After that, the possibilities are endless so take time to think about what it is you’ll need. While some artists just want to display a portfolio, others will want their site to have a blog, a podcast, or an online store where they can sell their work.
If you ever had to pinch-and-zoom your way around a website, trying to press microscopic buttons just to get to the next page, then you probably know how important it is that your website can adapt to the small screen. Squarespace is a website design and hosting platform that ensures that every one of its 90+ templates will resize itself for a legible mobile experience, but some templates offer even more options with customizable features you can play with just for the mobile version of your website.
Among these templates, some of the mobile features are pretty basic and come down to adjusting font size. But others, such as any of the 40+ templates within the Brine template family, offer many ways to tweak the mobile version of your website and give your phone-holding viewers a strong first impression.
Do Squarespace websites work on mobile?
Every Squarespace template is built off the concept of responsive design, which changes the dimensions of your website as viewers adjust the size of their browser or switch devices to read your content from a tablet or phone. On mobile, all of your content will stack vertically, eliminating the need to pinch, zoom, or scroll horizontally. Aside from making your site easier to use, there are many benefits to having a mobile-optimized website, such as having a higher SEO indexing priority and the opportunity to take advantage of some mobile-only customizations.
How to make a Squarespace website look good on mobile
When you’re using your desktop to design your website, the first thing you should do is adjust the size of your browser so you can preview how design elements will shift in the mobile view. If you’re using spacer blocks on the desktop version of your website, bear in mind that these will disappear in the mobile version as the priority is to stack each element vertically. When deciding how to layout your website, you should think about the potential reader who has just arrived and where they are coming from. Did they click through from your Instagram profile or find one of your blog posts on Google? Because everything on mobile is stacked vertically, you should put your most important information at the top of the page every time.
SEE ALSO: Here are the best Squarespace templates
If your website features many photos, you should also consider uploading them at reduced file size, since large-format images can cause your mobile site to load more slowly. (Peep our picks for the templates that photographers will love here.) Squarespace recommends keeping your page under 5 MB to make sure it loads quickly and if you are using your website for blogging, you can also toggle on Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) to quicken the pace of how fast your posts load.
What is the best Squarespace template for mobile websites?
We selected some of our favorite Squarespace templates for mobile websites, not just from the all-star Brine family, but also other templates that may have features better-suited for your business.
Yes, of course, there’s something special between you and your sweetie. But perhaps it’s time to add in a little something else.
Fortunately, we find ourselves in the golden age of couples sex toys. There’s now something for everyone — including these pop culture sex toys for anyone obsessed with Game of Thrones or Doctor Who. If you have an itch, then it’s pretty much guaranteed there’s a sex toy out there that can scratch it. (Just make sure it’s not one of these.)
SEE ALSO: Best vibrators (the good, the great, the orgasmic)
For anyone new to the sex toy game, the humble vibrator or a quality cock ring is a great place to start. (Need something bigger? Try these. Looking for solo inspiration? Check out Feeling Yourself, our series dedicated to all things masturbation.)
For couples ready to take things a bit further in the bedroom, remote controlled and app controlled models mean that you can integrate these high-tech gadgets into your love life seamlessly, and completely hands free. They can even help close the physical gap for couples in long distance relationships.
Whatever you’re looking for, there’s certainly a couples toy worth trying. Here are our picks:
The world of sex toys for men has more options than ever before. From sex toys for trans men to sex toys designed specifically to satisfy your geekier side, the wide range of options available means there’s truly something for everyone.
While it may seem sometimes like male sex toys are getting left out of the current sextech revolution, that’s far from true. Real sex positivity applies to everyone, which is why we’re excited about sex educators and smart companies that are working to buck the stigmas associated with male masturbation and backdoor experimentation.
SEE ALSO: Best sex toys for couples 2019
Thinking about experimenting with anal play? Ready to size up from plugs to prostate massagers? You’re in luck. We scoured the web to find the best male-oriented sex toys for every need — all built to heighten sexual pleasure — and great whether you’re looking to go solo or pair up with a partner.
Note: For the purpose of this article, we are looking primarily at toys that are intended for use by people who are assigned male at birth, which means they are recommended with the same enthusiasm for anyone with a penis/prostate regardless of gender identity. We’ve also included a couple of products specifically geared towards transgender men.
4K TVs are more mainstay than luxury these days. In fact, they’re now generally easier to find than non-4K TVs, which is all the more reason to make sure you’re getting the best option for you.
What does 4K actually mean?
The term “4K” refers to the screen’s resolution: Televisions that support 4K will have a horizontal resolution of 4,096 pixels. Most retailers use the terms “4K” and “UHD” (ultra high definition) interchangeably, but UHD TVs are technically a little different — they generally have a resolution of 3,840 x 2,160.
The difference comes down to the terms’ separate origins. “4K” originated with the Digital Cinema Initiatives, which establishes content and spec requirements for major film studios, and was intended to describe films that would be screened in a theater. “UHD” originated as a term for consumer TVs. (If you’d like to learn more about the terms’ history, ExtremeTech has a very detailed explainer on the subject.)
If you just want to buy a good TV, however, you’ll be fine with anything labeled “4K,” “UHD,” or “4K UHD.” Yes, “4K UHD” is technically an impossibility, but we imagine you’ll be too busy watching movies to get caught up in semantics.
Wait, I thought 4K TVs were super expensive.
They used to be, but not anymore! In fact, most larger TVs are 4K these days — and since the category is much more saturated than it used to be, they’re on sale pretty frequently.
SEE ALSO:
For a movie night under the stars, an outdoor projector is your best bet
There is some variation in price within the category, depending on whether you’re outfitting a full-on home theater or just looking for a nice option for your living room. However, if you want a 4K TV under $1,000, you won’t have any issues finding one.
What’s the difference between QLED, OLED, and LED?
The jargon around 4K TVs can be confusing. Here’s a super basic breakdown. (If you want more info, here’s a good explainer from PCMag.)
An “LED TV” is an LCD TV with LED (light-emitting diode) backlights, which illuminate the screen and help you see the picture. These TVs are extremely commonplace.
OLED TVs, which are generally much more expensive, use organic light-emitting diodes (OLED!) to both create the picture and make it brighter and more visible. They’re known for their excellent contrast and picture quality.
“QLED” is a term developed by Samsung to describe its own TVs. The “Q” stands for “quantum.” These are basically LED TVs with a cool twist: They use Samsung’s “quantum dots” technology to accommodate a wider range of colors and make each hue more precise.
I’ve heard of 8K, too. Is an 8K TV worth it?
Not yet. They’re cool, but there’s not enough 8K content out there to make them worth it at this time. That being said, they could be soon, so keep an eye out.
In case you haven’t heard, Apple’s new 24-inch iMac is an absolute dreamboat of a desktop — and those colors? *chef’s kiss*
“With its fun aesthetic, compact size, smooth performance, and more,” it basically “begs to be used anywhere but the office,” says tech reporter Brenda Stolyar, who bestowed Tim Cook’s latest M1 machine with a coveted Mashable’s Choice Award after taking it for a test drive. (Here’s the full review of the new iMac.)
But for everything the new iMac can do, there’s one thing you won’t find under its hood — or that of any Apple-made computer, come to think of it — and that’s some sort of technology that can protect you from online snooping. Enter: virtual private networks.
What’s a VPN?
Without gettingtoo deep in the weeds — we’ve already done so here — a virtual private network, or VPN, is an encrypted connection between your Mac and a private, remote server. Some have likened it to “a secure tunnel for web traffic,” “a personal bodyguard for the internet,” and “an anonymous middleman that does your browsing for you.” But in the most basic sense, it’s a service that keeps you totally incognito on the web by masking your online activities and making it seem like your connection’s coming from somewhere you aren’t.
Is a VPN necessary for Mac?
“Hold up,” you’re probably thinking. “Isn’t macOS famously secure by default?” You’re not wrong, actually: All Macs and MacBooks ship with built-in antivirus software that blocks and removes malware, and any apps you download from the internet are swabbed for malicious code by Apple’s Gatekeeper tool. Furthermore, all of the data that lives on your macOS device’s hard drive is secured with FileVault 2, a full-disk program featuring XTS-AES-128 encryption and a 256-bit key.
It’s when any of your precious data ventures outside the localized protection of your Mac that things start to get dicey — and that happens every single time you connect to the web. Your Internet Service Provider, or ISP, tracks your every click to compile browsing logs they (sometimes) sell to marketers, who are champing at the bit to use your data for targeted ads. That information can also wind up in the hands of certain government agencies if your ISP is served with a subpoena.
SEE ALSO: Which Apple iMac color perfectly matches your personality?
Connecting to a public WiFi network is especially risky since you don’t know who set it up or who else is using it; wannabe hackers can easily hop on to intercept your internet traffic in some sort of “man-in-the-middle” attack when you’re browsing the web at a café, library, or airport.
A VPN takes care of those privacy issues and then some: With your IRL location hidden, you can skirt geo-restrictions that streaming services like Netflix have put in place and bypass government censorship in places like China. Online anonymity also means you’re free to dabble in torrenting/peer-to-peer file-sharing — not that we condone the illegal kind, FWIW. (For even more VPN use cases, click here.)
Which VPN is best for Mac?
There’s no specialized VPN for Macs, but almost all major VPN providers maintain support for macOS apps. So, with lots of options, you’ll want to think carefully about which features matter most to you: Do you want a VPN with a huge server network and split tunneling for streaming and gaming? Will you feel more confident browsing with a kill switch or multihop (double VPN)? Do you need support for a bunch of connections based on the size of your household? Do you have the budget for add-ons like a dedicated IP? (Here’s a refresher on any of those terms, if you need it.)
No matter what, make sure the VPN you choose ticks two important boxes: One, its privacy policy should explicitly state that it doesn’t collect or store any consumer logs that can be traced back to you — otherwise, what’s the point? (It greatly helps if said policy has been verified by a third-party audit, too.)
Two, your go-to VPN should be based somewhere privacy-friendly. Certain countries (including the United States) are part of global intelligence-sharing “Eyes” alliances and can force VPNs within their borders to cough up any user data they have on hand. Move a provider to the top of your list if it’s headquartered in Panama, Switzerland, Romania, or the British Virgin Islands, which don’t have laws mandating data retention.
We should also mention that we highly recommend paying for a VPN — there are some decent free ones out there, but their log policies can be questionable, and they’re definitely not going to be as robust as their paid counterparts in terms of network size and security features.
If you need a little guidance, just keep scrolling: We’ve put together a rundown of the eight best VPNs for Mac users as of 2021. (Note that all of them accept Bitcoin for anonymous payments, use AES 256-bit encryption — a standard military-grade protocol — and support iOS apps for a secure and seamless Apple ecosystem.)
Slow WiFi and an exposed Google history are an avid internet user’s worst nightmares, and the Obama-era rules that protect from these have been under attack since 2017. Hopes for change were all but crushed when a late 2020 vote affirmed the FCC’s commitment to erasing net neutrality. Squashing these protections essentially gives internet service providers the green light to dish unfair treatment to certain web traffic — like throttling a Netflix connection or charging extra to use a certain social media platform. And don’t get us started on how it could affect smaller sites with smaller budgets.
Discussions about the government’s right to spy on your digital habits without a warrant don’t exactly make anyone feel confident, either.
SEE ALSO:
California’s net neutrality law is a reality. Here’s what it means.
Whatever the reason, people are becoming more and more paranoid about the vulnerability of their internet usage (that, or they’re just really tired of American Netflix). In turn, Google has become littered with VPN reviews and lists of the best VPNs according to experts, tech publishers, and regular consumers alike. But if you wanted a more raw take on the day-to-day VPN experience from normal people (people with absolutely no filter), there’s only one place to go: Reddit.
What is a VPN used for?
The bottom line is simple: People don’t want other people watching what they’re doing online, even if they’re not doing anything wrong.
A VPN (virtual private network) is an internet security subscription that basically allows you to make up your own internet rules. It acts as a bodyguard between you and your internet service provider (and hackers, and other third-party weirdos) by hollowing out a personal anonymity tunnel through which you perform all of your internet activities. A VPN’s job is to plug the holes that could be making your data vulnerable to nefarious eyeballs, like creeps scouring public WiFi networks for personal information that could be used to steal your identity. VPNs are as wise of a precaution as antivirus software or a password manager (yes, this applies to Macs too).
Hackers love free WiFi for the same reason you do: Connecting to the internet requires no authentication. That network is littered with unsecured devices, many times belonging to working professionals with bank accounts and business credentials that have phishers frothing at the mouth. Often, the easiest thing for hackers to do is slide in between your device and the connection point. This Man-in-the-Middle situation is like eavesdropping, but on emails, credit card info, and work logins. Other hackers users public WiFi to unleash malware to all of the suckers using the network without protection.
Many folks avoid the public WiFi risk by recruiting their phone’s hotspot. But on the flip side, cellular data limits might be an issue — setting up a situation where both a laptop and phone need VPN protection. Many Reddit users suggest using something like EasyTether to share the VPN connection. Just download and enable a proxy app on your phone, configure it on your laptop, and you can enjoy a sort of reverse hotspot VPN-style.
Does a VPN help with streaming?
The convenience factor also plays a big role. VPNs also provide a way for people to get around internet roadblocks and censors. These can be location-based or around blocks to certain websites set by, say, your school.
All decent VPNs offer a wide selection of servers based in multiple geographic locations. Picking one of those essentially tricks your ISP into thinking your device is based there, maneuvering around geoblocks and opening the door to international content, like another country’s Netflix library or BBC iPlayer.
VPN criteria, as made *very* clear by Redditors
The specs that Reddit users care about in a VPN are easy to tally when the same ones (or multiple people bitching about the lack of the same feature) pop up in countless subreddits throughout the year. Here are the ones that were mentioned the most:
Streaming dependability is a given. Tons of people want a VPN solely to watch content from other countries, so a VPN’s ability to fake out geoblocks and get around a streaming site’s VPN blocks is crucial. The speed at which that content streams matters, too (a fast VPN should be able to upscale to HD without lag). Connection speed and location spoofing are dependent on the number of servers and where they’re located — more servers means less people hogging a single server’s capacity, and various locations means more streaming libraries from around the world. (Free VPNs typically don’t have the funds to support as robust of a menu of servers.)
For obvious reasons, most big streaming services aren’t psyched on the idea of VPN usage and will probably mention it in their terms and conditions. If they happen to sniff out your VPN-ridden IP address, you’re not necessarily screwed. The most likely repercussions would be the inability to access the streaming platform (even if it just worked the day before), but there have been instances of steaming services terminating subscriptions associated with spoofing.
Split tunneling can aid with traffic jams as well. VPNs that support split tunneling let you route some of your traffic through the encrypted VPN tunnel while bouncing other traffic over the internet directly. One might choose to separate less demanding but high-security activities like web browsing from high-bandwidth but low-security activities like streaming or playing video games. Advantages include reduced traffic on corporate networks, better speeds and reduced latency for the chosen tasks, and more customized privacy. If you’re looking to tunnel to specific apps, look for an SSL VPN.
No DNS leaking is a good test of a VPN’s trustworthiness. Think of a DNS (Domain Name Service) as the internet’s phonebook: It’s the service that transfers host names for humans to understand (like Mashable.com) to IP addresses for computers to understand. A leaked DNS essentially blabs your browsing history to whoever’s watching on the other end — thus totally defeating the purpose of a VPN.
SEE ALSO: It turns out purposely messing with your targeted ads isn’t a good idea
A kill switch cuts your connection to the internet if a secure connection to your VPN drops without notice. This is less likely on a high-quality VPN with a hefty roster of servers that can balance the traffic of millions of users, but far from impossible. By default, your device will switch back to your personal IP address or, worse, a public one. The speedy end-all action performed by a kill switch essentially ensures that you aren’t unknowingly operating on a weak IP address. Some kill switches operate in the form of a firewall.
Jurisdiction — or the country in which a VPN is originally based — will dictate the privacy laws that VPN has to follow. Some places are nosier than others, mostly depending on their membership in an intelligence-sharing alliance (or not): The Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, and Fourteen Eyes are all but guaranteed to come up in any subreddit about a certain VPN’s privacy policy. Countries in these groups have agreements related to third-party sharing and may be following strict data retention laws, depending on their legal jurisdiction. (Let’s say a VPN is officially based in the US but has an office in Switzerland. The company can decide to follow Swiss legal obligations in order to avoid loopholes that make user data vulnerable.)
Not all VPNs run equally smoothly on every device, so app compatibility can make or break your VPN experience.Before signing up, make sure that your chosen VPN’s app doesn’t have major bugs on your operating system. For instance, some mobile VPN apps don’t play as well on iPhone as Android, or an app might keep getting killed depending on other apps sucking your phone’s battery.
Are free VPNs the move?
Reddit has strong feelings about this. It’s bluntly summed up here in response to an inquiry about the “best free VPN”:
Credit: reddit/screenshot
Reddit users will let you know that comparing free VPNs to paid VPNs just doesn’t make sense. It’s like comparing apples to oranges, and you’ll almost definitely be skimping on some crucial features by opting out of paying. Proof isn’t always provided, but many Redditors are convinced that free VPNs don’t follow a true no-log policy or sell your data to third parties. “Free” is sometimes synonymous with “slow” due to fewer servers in fewer locations.
The general consensus seems to be to only use a free VPN to test the waters, then cough up the credit card info (or Paypal, or Bitcoin, or Visa gift cards from your grandma). Most times, this can be done through a trusted paid VPN that has a free tier to experiment with, or via a free trial, which many services offer. In a rare turn of events, Reddit backs Windscribe’s free service hard. However, free VPNs can step up to the job for more temporary endeavors — like having access to your home country’s streaming services while going abroad for a semester or keeping up with a certain sport for a season. Because paid VPNs only really get affordable when a one or two-year subscription is met, it may not make sense to pay $10 or $12 per month for the few months that you need a VPN.
The Wireguard vs. OpenVPN debate: What VPN protocol is best?
If you know to check Reddit for VPN advice, you likely already have some general knowledge about VPN protocols. But here’s a breakdown if you need a refresher: A protocol is the rulebook that dictates how the VPN client talks to the VPN server and creates a tunnel, ultimately playing a role in security and vulnerabilities. Outdated-yet-popular protocols like L2TP/IPSec and PPTP, two more modern protocols often come up in conversation on Reddit: Wireguard and OpenVPN.
Both are open source, giving anyone in the community access to the source code to conduct their own investigation on potential security flaws — and Reddit users appreciate the ability to take things into their own hands. Wireguard’s simpler code base is a little easier to crack and offers technical perks like better encryption and connection times, but it’s not as polished as OpenVPN. OpenVPN, on the other hand, is the go-to for streams and gamers.
Subreddits get much further into the weeds than this, and TechRadar does a sweet job of unpacking it all.
Here are the VPNs that Reddit users recommend the most in 2021:
We have evolved past the need for landlines. Welcome to the era of VoIP. At its simplest, a VoIP (also known as Voice over Internet Protocol) is a way of making phone calls through the internet rather than having to rely on a regular landline or your cell phone. Think of it kind of like FaceTime or Skype but typically far more advanced and specialized than those services.
While many VoIP services involve a subscription fee, don’t let the dollar signs fool you: they often end up saving you money and can prove to be cheaper than using a standard phone line. That’s particularly the case when dealing with long-distance calls or business conferences. Such services are also typically far more reliable, which is crucial for certain scenarios. And as more of the world moves online and businesses shift to more remote work, being able to stay connected and in contact anywhere is increasingly important.
Keep on reading and we’ll explain all when it comes to the wonders of VoIP and take a look at the best VoIPs, no matter what your situation is.
Why are VoIPs important?
VoIPs are important for many different people. For businesses, it can be hugely beneficial to have crisp and clear calls, no matter where you’re calling from. Most companies can’t settle for static and spotty signals when it comes to important conference calls and daily communications. VoIPs provide a steady connection and crystal clear call quality as long as you have an internet connection.
SEE ALSO: What the heck is a VoIP? An expert explains.
For those people with relatives around the world, they can enjoy cheap phone calls that remain high in quality and aren’t dependent on anything other than a regular landline for the relative. That’s particularly useful when dealing with friends or family who aren’t tech-savvy. You’ll save on those international charges that can add up in a hurry and spend more time talking about what is important to you rather than doing tech support for those on the other end of the line.
In all cases, the big benefit is the reduced costs. Regular calls and international calls cost a lot over time. Businesses have the additional expense of needing to pay for features like toll-free numbers or automatic call recording. These can all come as standard with certain VoIP services.
How do VoIPs work, exactly?
VoIP systems are much simpler than you might imagine. Put simply, they are a way to make calls over your internet connection instead of your landline or mobile network.
To get a little more technical, VoIP systems let you connect to a server that allows you to place calls to other telephone networks across your internet connection. It converts your analog voice signal — the kind that is used when placing a standard phone call — into a digital signal by your VoIP service provider and transmitted over your internet connection.
The result is an experience identical to placing a call over a landline or mobile network, except the call quality is better and the cost is typically cheaper.
What to look for when buying a VoIP service
There are dozens of different VoIP services out there, so it’s important to know what you are looking for and what will best serve your needs.
Think about why you are considering a VoIP service in the first place. If you’re looking to call relatives at a lower price, then you don’t need to worry about business features like toll-free numbers, fax, or automatic call recording. However, you do want to make sure the calls are crisp and high-quality, and voicemail features could be useful.
If you’re a small business, you don’t have to worry about conference call support for dozens of users, but you could probably do with some flexibility to expand the plan as your business grows. You also want to check that you can port your old number across if customers are used to that number from before.
And if you’re a larger business, you’re going to want to take a look at the full suite of features. Conference calling might become essential, especially if your workforce is becoming more remote-friendly. Fax services, as well as toll-friendly numbers and answering machine features are also likely to need some consideration.
In all cases, it’s vital to know what your budget is so you can keep to it accordingly. Read on to discover our picks for the best VoIPs.
Want to talk to your coworkers, but you don’t want to schedule a meeting? Try starting a huddle on Slack.
A huddle is Slack’s version of an audio call, but it’s much easier and an informal alternative to a scheduled call. When you start a huddle in a channel or direct message anyone in that channel or direct message can join. Sending an invite to a huddle notifies users in the channel or direct message that you started a huddle.
It’s not difficult to start a huddle, but you may need to give Slack permission to access your microphone. The process differs slightly from desktop to the mobile app.
Follow the steps below to start a huddle on Slack.
How to start a huddle on Slack desktop:
1. Open Slack
2. Select the channel or direct message you want to start the huddle in
3. Select the circle next to the headphones in the lower left hand corner
The gray button starts a huddle. Credit: screenshot: slack
Alternatively you can use the shortcut: command, shift, four.
You may have to give Slack permission to access your microphone.
The headphone icon turning blue indicates you have successfully started a huddle.
4. To invite people to the huddle select the person icon and search for who you want to invite.
Select the person icon to invite someone to the huddle. Credit: screenshot: slack
5. To leave the huddle select the headphone icon
To leave a huddle you tap the headphone icon. Credit: screenshot: slack
How to start a huddle on the Slack app:
1. Open Slack
2. Select the channel or direct message you want to start the huddle in
3. Tap the ringed icon in the upper right corner
Tap the icon in the upper right hand corner to start a huddle. Credit: screenshot: slack
4. To invite people to the huddle tap the middle gray circle. Then search for you user you want to invite and tap “Invite.”
Tap the “Invite” icon to invite a user to the huddle. Credit: screenshot: slack
5. Tap the red circle to leave the huddle
Select the “Leave” icon to leave the huddle. Credit: screenshot: slack
There you have it! Huddles are a great way to chat something out quickly with an impromptu call instead of typing away back and forth. If used properly it can be a great time saver, or a fun way to connect with friends or coworkers.
The first Rivian EV is here: Say hello to the R1T electric truck.
With a $73,000 starting price for the “launch edition,” the R1T is going up against other luxury EV brands like Tesla and GMC’s Hummer EV. The Tesla Cybertruck won’t be here anytime soon — production has been delayed until 2022. Rivian’s first vehicle was also held up during the pandemic and parts shortage. But at last, early reservation holders are receiving the truck before the end of the month.
The R1T is the first long-range electric pickup truck to be delivered, but its starting price is nearly double that of the upcoming Ford F-150 Lightning. It has over 300-mile range on its 135-kWh battery, plus four electric motors for each wheel. A slimmed down version is expected in January for about $67,500.
The first reviews of the car came in Tuesday after drives of a pre-production version through the Colorado mountains. The consensus: This is a fast, yet quiet battery-powered truck made for camping and outdoor enthusiasts. It can go from 0 to 60mph in three seconds.
TheDrive described it as an REI truck: “Its styling is outstanding, the thoughtful design of its storage and accessories will be catnip to adventurers, and its build quality inspires confidence,” reviewer James Gilboy wrote.
He was impressed while heading up a rocky pass and reminded that this is a quiet EV, not a hulking construction truck. He noted, “And not only was this off-roading easy, but it was also downright comfortable, not to mention as quiet as any hike. The only sounds were those of tires on rocks, creeks as we passed them, and the surprised yelps of wildlife that didn’t hear us coming.”
Bloomberg‘s Hannah Elliott enjoyed the Patagonia vibes of the rugged ride complete with camping gear, compartments, and attachments built in (there’s a gear tunnel and voluminous front trunk, or frunk). But she didn’t think it cut it as a tough truck, although it felt sturdier than any Tesla.
“Laden with vegan-leather seats and an all-glass panoramic roof, the R1T is no workhorse,” she wrote.
An inside look at the Rivian R1T. Credit: RIVIAN
As The Verge reminded readers, this is the first electric pick-up truck available, so it’s setting the tone for what’s to come in the space. “Rivian is going after the types of people who buy Subarus and Land Rovers,” reviewer Mitchell Clark summed up.
SlashGear’s Chris Davies was blown away after off-roading and trail riding, especially in a fully electric 6,000-pound truck. “The truck makes a more than convincing argument that electric is the natural next evolution of the pickup,” he wrote.
CNET Roadshow reviewer Antuan Goodwin came to the same conclusion: “The 2022 Rivian R1T is not just the first electric truck, it’s a really good truck.”
SEE ALSO:
Rivian to build exclusive fast charging network, similar to Tesla Superchargers
All reviews noted the lack of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity to the somewhat buggy main touchscreen, but Amazon’s Alexa digital assistant will be built-in eventually. Amazon is a main backer after all.
But ultimately the first batch of reviews stacks up with MotorTrend’s first impression from an exclusive ride last month: “100 percent amazing.”
