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Flipping through The Manual: Cutting boards, proper ribs, a lie-flat hammock

Burned out on apps, keys and screens? Improve your analog life this weekend! Digital Trends’ brother site The Manual exists to give men straight-up advice, from unspoken suit rules you need to know, to the latest in fashion, food, drink, travel, grooming and culture. Here are a few of our favorite stories to appear on The Manual lately.

Trekking: Get high with the Amok Draumr 2.0 hammock

Amok Draumr 2.0
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Camping hammocks are a totally feasible alternative to tents, so long as you have a few trees nearby. The Amok Draumr 2.0 is one the best, too, touting bug netting and a versatile design that allows you to recline or lie completely flat.

Read the full story on The Manual

May the sauce be with you: Cooking ribs by instinct

cooking ribs
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The power to cook ribs is a mysterious force that permeates the universe. Though some part of you already knows how to cook ribs, you might consider checking out this guide.

Read the full story on The Manual

Micro Guide: Key West

Key West guide
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There’s so much more to see in the incredible island paradise of Key West than most visitors ever consider.

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On Your Feet: The Converse Jack Purcell is as classic as they come

Converse Jack Purcell
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The Jack Purcell has been inspiring sneakers for 1935, and the 2015 remaster brings in new comfort and support without messing with a classic.

Read the full story on The Manual

Levi’s brings classic back with the Spring 2015 Made in the USA Collection

Levi's Spring 2015
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Levi’s has always been known for cool, classic, American style. Its Spring 2015 Made in the USA Collection again exemplifies Levi’s commitment to quality.

Read the full story on The Manual

Sawdust Wood Co., board but not boring

Sawdust Wood Co.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

We love handmade, high quality gifts – and quirky gifts made from locally sourced materials only seal the deal for us here at The Manual.

Read the full story on The Manual

Digital Trends Staff
Digital Trends has a simple mission: to help readers easily understand how tech affects the way they live. We are your…
The 4 best smart thermostats in 2024
A person operating the Google Nest thermostat.

A lot of folks may feel that a smart thermostat device is just a gimmick for the lazy that lets you control it remotely, but there are actually quite a lot of good things when it comes to smart thermostats. Depending on which model you buy and how much money you spend, there can be some significant savings, especially if you spring for the kind that learns your patterns and adjusts the temperature to eat up less electricity. Some thermostats even know what time of day electricity is expensive and adjust to use less of it to help bring your costs down.

As such, if you rely heavily on your HVAC, then having a smart thermostat can save you money and add a ton of convenience, even if you don't go for one of the smarter ones. Just knowing your energy usage over time can help you adjust and spend less money while also being a bit more eco-friendly. While there are a ton of options, we've collected four of our favorites below across various budgets and features, so be sure to check things out thoroughly and be sure a smart thermostat supports your HVAC system before taking the plunge.
The Best Smart Thermostats in 2024

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The best open-world games
The Witcher 3-Wild Hunt

Just like you probably enjoy getting to choose your own path in real life, you want to have the same freedom in your favorite video game. Open-world games like The Division 2 have only continued to grow in popularity since their release. 

While this genre of gaming can be a little intimidating for anyone without tons of experience in gaming, there are plenty of great open-world games to chose from. Ranging from first-person shooter games to RPGs and action-adventure titles, our list will have something for everyone.

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What is HDR TV? High dynamic range and why you need it
A Sony Bravia A80K 4K TV sits on a table in front of a large window.

HDR, or High Dynamic Range, is a TV spec you've undoubtedly seen in your TV's settings or while shopping for a new TV, and we're willing to bet that if you're here, you're wondering what the heck HDR is. HDR can be found in pretty much all of today's best TVs, from 8K to 4K to HDTVs, and in TVs across a wide range of price points -- HDR has become standard in most new mid-range and high-end televisions.

But what is it? When viewing TV, movies, video games, sports, or other content displayed in HDR, an HDR-capable TV will deliver extra-brilliant brightness levels, ultra-rich colors, an expanded color palette, and higher contrast.

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