Dan Frakes
The Wirecutter
San Francisco Bay Area, CA, United States
Contact Dan
Discover and connect with journalists and influencers around the world, save time on email research, monitor the news, and more.
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Past articles by Dan:
The Best School Backpacks for Elementary School Students
After testing them for an entire rough-and-tumble school year, we think L.L.Bean’s Junior Original and Original Book Packs are still the best for grades k-8. → Read More
The iPad Is the Best Tablet
We think the 5th-generation iPad is the best tablet for most people, thanks to its compelling combination of performance, features, screen size, and price. → Read More
The Best iPad Pro Keyboard Cases
We tested most of the currently available iPad Pro keyboard cases, and Apple’s own Smart Keyboard is the best option—so far—for both the 12.9- and 9.7-inch models. → Read More
Dear Wirecutter: How Can I Wipe and Restore Tablets and Phones for Travel?
This is how to wipe and restore your tablet or phone before you travel, with steps for iOS and Android users. → Read More
The Best Apple Watch Chargers and Stands
We tested about a dozen models and think the compact, stable, easy-to-use Spigen S350 is the best basic Apple Watch stand. → Read More
Our Favorite Mechanical Keyboards
Out of 31 mechanical keyboards we tested, the WASD Code 87-Key has the best combination of smart features and good build quality, with a minimalist aesthetic. → Read More
Our Favorite Mechanical Keyboards
Out of 31 mechanical keyboards we tested, the WASD Code 87-Key has the best combination of smart features and good build quality → Read More
The iPad Air 2 Is the Best Tablet
We long-term tested all of Apple’s tablets, and the iPad Air 2 is the best for most people. The iPad Pro is great for artists, gamers, and media editors. → Read More
The Best School Backpacks for Elementary School Students
We’ve looked at 20 backpacks over the last 3 years. See our favorites for elementary schoolers of all age groups, plus alternatives with more colors and rolling options. → Read More
The Best iPad Pro Keyboard Cases
We’ve tested the most promising iPad Pro keyboard cases, and Apple’s own Smart Keyboard is the thinnest, lightest, and most versatile. → Read More
What You Should (and Shouldn’t) Do to Extend Your Phone’s Battery Life
Everyone complains about smartphone battery life, so we’ve got a dozen suggestions that can help you get the most out of your iPhone or Android device. We partnered with The New York Times to… → Read More
What You Should Do to Extend Your Phone’s Battery Life: Reviews by Wirecutter
Everyone complains about smartphone battery life, so we've got a dozen suggestions that can help you get the most out of your iPhone or Android device. → Read More
The Best Gifts for Urbanites
It can be tough to find great gifts for someone who lives in the city and spends a lot of time out and about. Over the past year, we’ve spent hundreds of hours researching and testing all manner of gear your average on-the-go city dweller will appreciate, and we’ve come up with the best gifts to help make urban living more enjoyable—or, in some cases, more bearable. → Read More
Podcast 478: How to buy an iPhone
Stop laughing! It's harder than it used to be! Dan Frakes stops by to help us figure it out. Caitlin and Oscar also join us to discuss 'Steve Jobs.' → Read More
How to make a bootable OS X 10.11 El Capitan installer drive
Having a bootable hard drive or USB flash drive is a handy troubleshooting tool. → Read More
The Best Smartwatch for iOS (so far)
Most people don’t actually need a smartwatch, but if you own an iPhone and you’re looking to experiment with this new type of device, the Apple Watch Sport is your best option (so far). It offers more apps and tighter integration than the competition, though it’s more expensive than most Pebble or Android watches. → Read More
Articles by dan frakes
If you do the same things over and over, day after day, why not automate them using tools like Keyboard Maestro and TextExpander? Here are ten fast solutions for ten common tasks. → Read More
Mac Gems: Recovery Partition Creator adds OS X Recovery to any drive
To use OS X's handy OS X Recovery feature, or to enable FileVault on an external drive, you need a special recovery partition on your drive. This utility can add it if the OS X installer didn't. → Read More
Gear We Love: Rickshaw Commuter line takes the mess out of messenger bags
Rickshaw Bagworks takes what's good about messenger-style bags and makes them great for those of us who don't deliver by cycle. → Read More
You won't believe what we talk about on this week's podcast!!!
Chris Breen is joined by two-Dans Frakes and Moren to discuss the news of the week including iPhone 5 batteries, Gruber's numbers, Facebook and clickbait, Surface 2 under water, and TiVo for cable cutters. → Read More