HELM SERVER
There’s ever more reason to worry about entrusting our data to big tech com-
panies, but the convenience and ubiquity of web services like Gmail and iCloud
make it hard to consider anything else. Helm’s server aims to create a seamless
and equally convenient alternative, letting you host your own email, contacts,
and calendar, as well as store files and photos yourself—no snoopy tech giant
pulling the strings. Set up your Helm with its mobile app, then access its con-
tents from anywhere. Your data stays safe in your home, where it’s protected
by multifactor authentication, including a physical security key. The 4.3-inch-
tall Helm comes with an expandable 120 GB of storage, and it regularly
uploads a fully encrypted backup to the cloud so you won’t lose everything in a
fire. There are always some challenges to striking out on your own—like having
important emails caught in friends’ spam folders after you switch—but if you
want to get scrappy with your privacy, this handsome machine will help you do
it in style. ($99 annual subscription after the first year)
Helm’s personal server is a secure way to take back
control of your digital life. —Lily Hay Newman
FETISH
$499
PHOTOGRAPHS / NICOLLE CLEMETSON^029
GADGET LAB → SECURITY
Safe House
