Considering the Nest Thermostat, but aren’t entirely sure if it’s worth the investment? The company aims to help sway your decision by showing just how much money the home connected device can save you. Nest isn’t your average programmable thermostat, it’s a smart device that learns and adapts to your preferences.

The company found that consumers in the US with Nest installed saved between 10-12% on their heating bills.

Apple is reportedly constructing its first retail store in the New York City borough of Queens, with plans to open the store sometime later in 2015. The location is reportedly at the Queens Center Mall and will be the largest such mall-based Apple Store in New York.

A few months ago, rumors hit that Apple would open its first store in Brooklyn soon but 9to5Mac now reports those plans have changed. It states:

News of the Brooklyn store first broke out in December with an opening date target of April 2015. Apparently unspecified delays mean that this target will be now be later in the year or even in early 2016. The Brooklyn store, earlier reports said, will be located in Williamsburg in a vintage looking building on Bedford Ave. and North 3rd Street.

The same report also says a new Manhattan-based Apple Store is in the works, to be located on 74th Street and Madison. However, it may not open until late in 2015.

Source: 9to5Mac

The S-View Flip Cover provides you with instant access to your Note 4 and its notifications all through the scratch-resistant window of this case. The polyurethane leather texture is comfortable to hold, not bulky and even adds a professional look to your device. Get yours in charcoal or white today for only $41.95

Made from a glossy and matte double molded polycarbonate, this durable frame conforms perfectly around the BlackBerry Z30 to provide casual protection against minor drops. The bumper even slightly elevates the phone from flat surfaces, keeping it safe from unwanted scratches and scuffs.

Once a week, myself or Richard Devine try to do an editor’s desk post. It’s an opportunity for us to talk about larger things than just today’s news or reviews, including community business, or things that irk us.

Today’s post will be rather short one as I am out of the country missing the warm weather.

This iPhone 6 Plus case is tough. Not just in a protection standpoint, either. We’re talking looks, too. It has reinforced corners with a custom shock dissipation system that absorbs those nasty impacts. It also has an embedded anti-microbial agent that prevents the growth of odor and stain-causing bacteria.

Increase security and also speed up the login process in a few key apps

Though the Finger Scanner wasn’t as big of a deal at the launch of the Galaxy Note 4 as it was when it debuted on the Galaxy S5, Samsung kept it around hiding within the home button ready to boost your phone’s security. The swipe-style scanner may not be as convenient as what’s available on some phones, but the way its integrated into the phone to work for your lockscreen, Samsung Account, PayPal and other apps makes it valuable to set up.

The setup process takes some time, as does getting the right feel for how to swipe on it for the best results, but in the end it’s a net positive. Read along and let us show you how to get the Finger Scanner up and running.

iCloud can keep all your contacts in sync across all your devices and on the web. Not only that, iCloud gives you the option to export your contacts right from iCloud.com. That’s convenient for anyone who is adding new email services, switching services, or simply wants a local backup for extra peace-of-mind.

Once downloaded, you’ll be able to import or upload the standard .vcf file type to any app or service that supports it.

How to save all your iCloud contacts to your computer from iCloud.com

1. Go to http://www.icloud.com in any web browser and log in to your iCloud account.
2. Click on Contacts.
3. Click on any contact in the All Contacts section and hit Command + A to select all (Control + A on Windows).
4. Click on the gear icon in the lower left hand corner.
5. Click on Export vCard…
6. On your Mac, you should be asked to import your contacts right into the Contacts app. On a Windows computer, you should have the option to save the archive wherever you’d like.

If you want to backup your data from the Mac’s Contacts app instead of iCloud, you can do that too:

• How to manually back up contacts on your Mac

Thanks to the ever-complicated nature of the US tax code, Apple — the most profitable company in history this past quarter — is planning to issue $5 billion in bonds to pay for their ongoing stock repurchasing program and dividends. Yes, Apple, the company that made an eye-watering $18.04 billion in profit last quarter, is looking to borrow money.

Here’s exactly what Apple told the SEC they’ll do with the money:

We intend to use the net proceeds from sales of the notes, which we estimate will be approximately $__billion, after deducting underwriting discounts and our offering expenses, for general corporate purposes, including repurchases of our common stock and payment of dividends under our program to return capital to shareholders, funding for working capital, capital expenditures and acquisitions and repayment of debt. We may temporarily invest funds that are not immediately needed for these purposes in short-term investments, including marketable securities.

(yep, blank billion dollars)

The bonds would mature in 5-to-30 years. A 10-year bond would be expected to have a yield about 0.95 percentage points higher than one issued by the United States Treasury today.

But why would Apple, with $179 billion in cash on hand, want to borrow a measly $5 billion? It all boils down to taxes — much of Apple’s cash is stored with overseas subsidiaries in places like Ireland (Apple is in no way unique among international corporations in this regard), and bringing it back to the United States to spend on things like stock repurchases and dividends would see that cash hit with a a 35% tax. Which, understandably, Apple would like to avoid.

Many in industry and government have pushed for an overseas tax holiday as a way to bring that money back to the US at a reduced tax rate, but such ideas have generally floundered at becoming actual law. Most recently, President Barack Obama proposed levying a one-time tax on these overseas holdings anyway, an idea that’s drawn substantial criticism from both sides of the aisle and questions about how exactly the US government would tax earnings that are technically outside its jurisdiction. In the meantime, Apple’s borrowing money here because it costs them less in interest than trying to use the money they have over there.

Source: Apple; Via: Wall Street Journal

Microsoft has released yet another Android-exclusive app, Pictureseque, as part of its Microsoft Garage program that it first launched in October. The app, now available on the Google Play Store, is a lock screen that offers users access to the many terrific images that the company has posted on its Bing.com homepage.