Review: Kensington’s SD5000T Thunderbolt 3 Dock Packs Some Neat Security and Convenience Features

Earlier this week, Kensington launched its entry into the Thunderbolt 3 dock market with its SD5000T Thunderbolt 3 Docking Station, an enterprise-focused accessory that incorporates a couple of unique features in the form of a Kensington lock slot and the ability to mount the dock to the rear of VESA-compatible displays for “Zero Footprint Mounting” with a separate bracket accessory.

I’ve since had a chance to spend some time with the SD5000T, so I’ve been able to test it out to see how it stacks up against the competition.

The dock arrived in a plain white box with a product label on it, which Kensington tells me is the B2B packaging. Retail units will obviously have fancier packaging.

Inside the box was the dock itself, a large power brick identical to ones used by many of the other Thunderbolt 3 docks, and a 0.5-meter Thunderbolt 3 cable. Kensington also includes three separate power cables with compatibility for the major US, UK, and mainland European standards.

The SD5000T is fairly attractive, constructed primarily of matte black plastic with a band of brushed aluminum with chamfered top edges around all four sides of the dock except for the two front USB ports. The gap in the aluminum band around the USB ports provides a bit of visual interest without being overly distracting.

Kensington’s dock has a horizontal design very similar to most other Thunderbolt 3 docks on the market, measuring about 8.5 inches wide by about 3.35 inches deep by just about an inch high and weighing just over three quarters of a pound. A small Kensington word mark is molded into the plastic on the top left rear corner of the dock, but it’s a subtle inclusion that doesn’t distractingly stand out like the branding on some other docks.

Setup is a breeze, requiring the power brick be plugged in and connected to the dock and the Thunderbolt cable connected from one of the ports on the back of the dock to the computer. Any other cables for peripherals and displays are easily connected to the dock. When the dock is powered on, a subtle blue light shines on the front to indicate its status. The SD5000T supports a full 85 watts of charging over Thunderbolt 3, so it can power even a 15-inch MacBook Pro over the same cable used to pass data and video.

I own a number of displays, most of which are VESA-compatible, but none of them will work with Kensington’s Zero Footprint Mounting solution, and that’s the problem with this feature. All of my VESA displays require that you remove the foot from the display and attach a separate backplate that includes the VESA mounting holes.

If you use these displays sitting on a desk as I and many other people do, you can’t also mount Kensington’s dock on the back of the display. There are, however, some displays on the market that do include accessible VESA mounting holes even with display’s foot attached, so if you have one of those monitors this would be a great way to get the dock off of your desk.

As with the other Thunderbolt 3 docks I’ve looked at, I tested Kensington’s dock with a 2016 MacBook Pro and a pair of LG UltraFine 5K displays over Thunderbolt 3, one connected via the dock and the other hooked up directly to the MacBook Pro. The display connected via the SD5000T worked just fine, utilizing its full 5K Retina resolution at 60 Hz. Alternatively, you can connect a pair of 4K displays to the dock, one over Thunderbolt 3/USB-C and one over DisplayPort. Other standards like HDMI and VGA can also be used with appropriate DisplayPort adapters.

The SD5000T includes a trio of USB ports running at 5 Gbps, one Type-A and one Type-C on the front and one Type-A on the rear. It’s a pretty typical number of USB ports for docks like this and a Type-C option is a nice inclusion, but I still wish Kensington and other manufacturers would match OWC’s five USB ports for maximum flexibility.

Connecting a fast USB 3.1 Gen 2 external SSD to the MacBook Pro through the dock yields read and write speeds of around 350 and 320 MB/s respectively through both the Type-C and Type-A ports on the dock, on par with 5 Gbps USB ports on other Thunderbolt 3 docks I’ve tested.

That’s a bit slower than 420/410 MB/s speed seen when the SSD is connected directly to a 5 Gbps MacBook and can’t compare to the ~500 MB/s speeds seen when connecting it directly to the 10 Gbps MacBook Pro, but it’s still plenty speedy for most uses.

Other ports on the rear of the dock include Gigabit Ethernet and separate 3.5 mm audio in and out ports. Kensington’s famous lock slot is also included, and while it’s not really necessary in my home office, institutional customers will no doubt appreciate the added security.

At a list price of $350, Kensington’s SD5000T comes in at the high end of Thunderbolt 3 docks, matching Belkin’s dock and priced $50 higher than similar offerings from OWC, Elgato, and CalDigit. While general consumers may find it hard to justify the high-end pricing, institutional customers could be more willing to spend a bit more to get features like the Kensington lock slot and VESA mounting option (mounting plate sold separately for $9.99), as well as a three-year warranty that more closely aligns with typical replacement cycles than the shorter warranties offered on competing docks.

The Kensington SD5000T is available now from Kensington for $349.99, but B&H Photo is currently offering it at a discounted price of $299.95. B&H Photo does not yet have the dock in stock, however, and it is expecting orders to ship out around June 30.

Note: Kensington provided the SD5000T Docking Station to MacRumors free of charge for the purposes of this review. No other compensation was received. MacRumors is an affiliate partner with B&H and may earn commissions on purchases made through links in this article.

Tags: Thunderbolt 3, Kensington
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Huawei Honor 6X phone reivew

Google made it clear at I/O that there is a huge focus on lowering the cost of purchasing an Android device. With the announcement of Android Go, coinciding with the launch of Android O, it is clear that Google is pushing for manufacturers to develop and release phones at even lower prices than they are now.

Speaking of budget devices, we have been reviewing a unit from one of the big names in low-cost devices. The Huawei-made Honor 6X aims to take many of the key features that users want and wrap them up in a device that is much more affordable than those carrier offered phones. Let’s take a look under the hood and see what $250 can get us in 2017

Style

The Honor 6X is a very classy device; sporting a single piece milled chassis holding all of the internals in place and a 2.5D piece of glass for the touchscreen. I would have loved to see some Gorilla glass here for scratch resistance but those are some of the sacrifices we make when getting a phone in this price range.

The initial inspection reveals that the phone comes with a preinstalled, lightweight, plastic screen protector. It isn’t much but it is nice to know that since we are not getting top dollar glass, Honor has thought to give us some extra protection out of the box.

The front, from top to bottom sports the ear speaker, an 8MP front-facing camera, and a simple Honor logo at the bottom. It is nice to see that there are no hardware buttons to mess with and we have an Android device the way it was intended.

Top

Bottom

The left and right side house the usual SIM/SD card slots and the volume rocker and power buttons respectively. The card slot is easy to open and even easier insert your SIM and SD card (or double SIM cards if you prefer) into. The volume and power buttons are placed intuitively for hand placement and are pronounced just enough to be easily usable but not enough to be annoying or catch in a purse or bag.

In typical fashion, we find the microUSB port centered on the bottom of the device between what appear to be dual speakers. Unfortunately, only the one on the right is actually a speaker, the other appears to be simply for decoration/symmetry. We also find a 3.5 mm audio jack on the top-left side of the phone.

Finally, we flip this bad boy over and find some pretty cool stuff for a budget phone. We are greeted with a LED flasher, a dual camera (12MP + 2MP) and a fingerprint sensor reminiscent of the one on the Huawei Mate 9. More on the camera later but the fingerprint sensor has never had issues reading either of the fingers I have set up. I have even placed my finger upside down and it logged me in without issue.

Hardware

Now that we have talked about what comes on the outside, I think it’s time to talk about what we get on the inside of the Honor 6X. According to the Huawei site, the highlighted specs are as follows:

• Display: 5.5” 1920p x 1080p full HD display with 16 M colors, 403 PPI
• CPU: Huawei Kirin 655 Octa-Core Processor
• Operating System: Android 7 and Huawei Emotion UI 5.0
• Memory: 3GB RAM, 32GB ROM
• Camera: 12MP + 2MP rear; 8MP front
• Battery: 3340 mAh

While it is always nice to see what kind of specs are packed inside of a device, the bigger question is what does that all equate to? Well, let’s take them all one piece at a time.

The full HD display is larger than my Galaxy S7 and equally as vibrant to the eye. Watching YouTube is a dream and I have yet to see any games or images that don’t display as expected.

The CPU and RAM have been able to tackle every task I have thrown at them without issue. Even some of the larger games I have played have no issues with frame lag or heating up.

Battery life is AMAZING. Honor designed the 6X with the intention of it lasting 2 days for the average user and I am happy to say that it does that without exception. As I have said in my other reviews, I use my device for work emails and work calls and the Honor 6X has lasted two days on all but 2 occasions, but both of those days were extremely high use days and the battery lasted longer than expected in both cases.

Camera

As you can see from the camera roll above, the camera is a decent quality for a budget phone. There are almost as many controls in the 6X camera as we found in the Mate 9, which makes sense considering they are running the same OS (thanks to the recent Android 7 update). The images are crisp and clear and the shutter speed seems to be exactly what I expect out of the camera on a phone in this price range.

Software

The last feature that we have not touched on is the software. When I first received the review unit, it had Android 6 and EMUI 4.5 installed. My major issue with this setup is that there was no option for an app drawer. Seriously, if I wanted a phone with no app drawer I would go Apple and not worry about it.

Side Menu

Optimizer

Thankfully, the update from Huawei was released and both Android 7 and EMUI 5.0 were installed. My favorite change is obviously the option to add the app drawer back to the OS. I really like a clean home screen. The update to EMUI also brings some enhancements to maintain your precious battery life. Huawei has put some major effort into app management and keeping the device bloat free, putting conservation of RAM and CPU at the top of the priority list. As mentioned above, I regularly get 2 full days out of a single charge and I largely attribute that to the EMUI software.

Conclusion

My overall experience with the Huawei Honor 6X could be described as surprising. I did not expect to enjoy using it as much as I did, especially after I got my app drawer back. There is a delightful mix of quality, budget-friendly hardware, software that is mindful of resource management and style that makes this $250 phone just delightful to use and comfortable to purchase.

The real question is, where can you pick one up? Honor just announced that the 6X will be available at over 460 Target locations in the US. You can find a target with the 6X near you by checking out this web page. It can also be picked up at Amazon with Prime shipping or from our friends over at B&H. No matter where you choose to purchase your Honor 6X the price remains the same at $249.99.

FCC greenlights OneWeb to deliver satellite internet in the US

Providing internet to remote users beyond the telecom grid has always been a difficult dream to realize. But as Trump assured supporters in Iowa yesterday that better rural broadband would get looped into his infrastructure plans, the ambition at least has the White House’s attention. Actual beyond-the-grid solutions have been varied and still, alas, experimental. A company working to support that population with a novel network of internet-beaming satellites, OneWeb, just hit an important milestone: The FCC has approved its request to broadcast internet on certain frequencies, giving it access to the US market.

That just gives OneWeb access to market: It still has to create and deploy its proposed global web of 720 small satellites, which are specced to hang out in non-geostationary low-Earth orbit. It isn’t alone in the satellite internet dream, either, with SpaceX planning to start launching its 4,000 tiny signal-beaming machines that make up its network in 2019, while the European Space Agency just signed a pact with 16 other Euro companies to someday deploy its “Satellite for 5G” solution.

Satellite internet isn’t the only solution for rural and remote internet users. Google’s long-running Project Loon proposed beaming it from aerial balloons, but it’s still in uncertain development after the team’s lead left in March. Facebook itself pondered a microsatellite network, but sidelined that for Project Aquila, an airliner-sized drone (that’s still very much in the testing phase) that will stay aloft for up to 90 days beaming signal down to Earth.

Source: FCC

MSI employee confirms concerns over high TDP of AMD Vega graphics cards

Why it matters to you

AMD’s Vega graphics cards will probably need a reasonably hefty power supply unit.

As hyped as many people are for AMD’s Vega graphics cards, MSI’s marketing director may dampen that excitement a little by hinting that there are concerns about how much power they may actually draw. However, he did claim that MSI was working on it, so we may see a few different versions with varied power requirements.

While we have been told repeatedly by AMD that its upcoming Vega line of graphics cards were real top-tier parts, easily able to square off with Nvidia’s high-end graphics cards, power draw is not something we have heard much about. As Hexus points out, one source recently suggested it could be as much as 375W for the water-cooled Vega Frontier Edition card, but that has not been confirmed.

However, if MSI’s marketing director’s statements are anything to go by, clearly Vega draws more than people would normally expect of a graphics card. Considering Nvidia’s Titan XP pulls as much as 250W, Vega must need a lot of juice to function correctly.

Videocardz translated the original quote from the MSI employee who posted on the Tweakers forums. They said: “I’ve seen the specs of Vega RX. It needs a damn lot of power. We’re working on it, which is a start so launch is coming closer.”

The employee later confirmed that saying this had not breached any non-disclosure agreements and does not expect any repercussions from AMD or MSI, though of course, the news has got tongues wagging.

These statements suggest that MSI will be able to lower the power requirements or thermal design power (TDP) of the Vega graphics cards with its own cooling and power solutions. However, whether they are set to debut alongside the Frontier Edition remains to be seen.

Despite all the concern over high power draw though, if AMD can offer the kind of performance it has been teasing in recent months, then a 100 or so extra watts of power is unlikely to turn off the big PC enthusiasts out there who want bleeding-edge performance over anything else.

We will need to wait a few more weeks to confirm any of this though. AMD is set to launch the new range of cards at Siggraph 2017 which runs from July 30 through to August 3.

Chromecast Audio review

Research Center:
Google Chromecast Audio

Buy it now from:

Google Target

Best Buy Walmart

Update: Added new information about Google’s Home app, new competitors, and more details about multiroom streaming.

At a special event in September 2015, Google unveiled its second-generation Chromecast streaming device, and along with it, the all-new Chromecast Audio. It’s not often you see an upstart device stand side by side with something as revolutionary as Google’s seminal video streamer, but the Chromecast Audio has been positioned as the keystone for the company’s plans to delve into the world of multiroom audio. Offering whole-home functionality, Chromecast’s signature simplicity, and an affordable $35 price tag, the device is one of the most affordable and intuitive wireless adapters on the market. Follow below for our in-depth Chromecast Audio review.

Out of the box

Crafted into a sleek black disc with vinyl-style grooves along the top, the Chromecast Audio comes packaged with a power cord and a 5-inch 3.5 mm audio cable – that’s it. It’s a cute setup, but an audio cable that short and with that particular connection relegates it for use with powered speakers or Bluetooth speakers with an auxiliary input and not much else. If you want to add the Chromecast Audio to your hi-fi rig, you’ll want to pick up a different cable, such as a 3.5mm to RCA cable, or a 3.5mm to Toslink Optical cable — which is the preferred method for optimal sound. That raises the sticker price from $35 to more like $40-45.

Setup

Once you’ve got everything wired up and plugged into your speaker or sound system, it’s extremely easy to get going — just like the original Chromecast. After downloading Google’s Home app, you simply add the device as instructed, connect to your local network, fill in your Wi-Fi info, and you’re up and running. One caveat, here: Unless you’re wiring up the Chromecast to the wimpiest of speakers, you’ll want to go into the device settings right away and engage HDR music to lower the compression on your tunes.

Once you’re plugged in and online, you have your pick of the same wide selection of audio apps you’d get with the Chromecast for your TV, including Spotify, TuneIn, Rdio, Google Play, and throngs of others. The fact that the app is ready-built for Google’s new addition (thanks to years of app development) gives the Chromecast Audio a nice head start on its predecessor, though it makes purchasing the audio device for a home theater system a bit redundant if you’ve already got a video Chromecast, as it can simply run apps like Spotify through your TV.

Google Chromecast Audio Compared To

Roku Express

Amazon Echo Dot

4SeTV

SlimPort Nano-Console

Amazon Fire TV (2015)

Amazon Fire TV Stick

Google Nexus Player by Asus

Panasonic BDT360

Amazon Fire TV

TiVo Roamio

Kaleidescape Cinema One

Olive 06HD

Roku 2 XS

Sherwood R-904N NetBoxx

Bose Wave SoundLink Music System

The biggest draws of the Chromecast Audio include the ability to “cast” without the need for an HDMI port — or even a TV for that matter — as well as the ability to add multiple devices that can all work together over the same app. For those who have an extra hi-fi system here, or a powered speaker there, this allows you to essentially connect all of them over a single app, group them, and/or split them up for Sonos-like control, at a very nice price. Remember, however, that you’ll likely need to budget for cables, even when connecting with a 3.5mm input, since the compatible cable that’s provided is so small.

The limitations of the ‘cast’

As simplified as the Chromecast Audio is, iOS fans will run into some walls. Unlike similar devices that connect speakers over Wi-Fi (or Bluetooth for that matter), the Chromecast Audio can’t stream files directly from your iPhone or iPad when sourced from iTunes or Apple Music. Apple may be at least partially to blame, as the company has long-championed its own wireless streaming system, AirPlay. But regardless of which party is at fault, it’s a bit of a bummer for iPhone users. As you might guess, things are much easier for Androidians, who can use Chromecast mirroring to play any files on a phone or tablet.

The Chromecast Audio shines brightest by serving up super-stable streaming.

In addition, Amazon Prime Music — which comes free with a Prime subscription — won’t stream on the device either. Again, for a Bluetooth device, this simply isn’t an issue.

The Chromecast Audio has other limitations, too. You can’t directly stream audio files from a computer, or DLNA storage drive like many wireless music adapters, such as the $60 Muzo Cobblestone, for instance. There is a workaround for Google’s new device through Chromecast-supported server apps such as Plex, which allows you to cast any music files uploaded to your Plex library, but that might be more work than many users are willing to put in — especially considering all the other wireless options out there.

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Billed as a hi-fi device, Google has said that the Chromecast Audio is limited to 24bit/48kHz resolution, for now. That’s less than some Wi-Fi streamers (which top out at 24bit/192kHz), though it bests some pricier systems like Sonos, which streams at CD-quality (16bit/44.1kHz) resolution. In any event, a slightly lower sample rate shouldn’t be a problem for most users because: a) it’s a $35 device, and b) it’s essentially designed to stream from music services, the vast majority of which compress audio files well below even CD-quality audio. Users with a large number of hi-res tracks will likely want to find a more refined streaming solution such as a top-tier AV receiver.

Performance

When it comes to serving up brilliantly stable streaming, the Chromecast Audio really shines. Many wireless streamers with homegrown apps – from the Cobblestone mentioned above, to big players like Samsung and Denon – struggle with stuttering on occasion. Not so with the Chromecast. Whether we were casting from Spotify, or tracks from our Plex library, streaming was rock solid.

As promised, audio performance is definitely better than what you’ll get from Bluetooth devices, with more detail and better dynamic range that fosters a more intimate listening experience when connected to a quality speaker set. However, when we tested the Chromecast back-to-back with our Cobblestone, we actually heard a bit more clarity and instrumental timbre through the latter device, especially in the upper register. In comparison, cymbals and other percussive instruments sound a bit smoothed over with the Chromecast Audio, though both devices do a pretty impressive job for their price points.

Our Take

While there’s no shortage of competition in the wireless streaming marketplace, the Chromecast Audio is among the simplest, cheapest, and most convenient ways to make virtually any audio device in your home wireless, while linking a few together can bring multiroom audio to your home for a pittance.

How long will it last

Made of fairly light plastic, this isn’t the kind of device you expect to stand as a seminal home theater component. On the other hand, our original video-streaming Chromecast is pushing 3 years old, and hasn’t skipped a beat. With proper care, there’s no reason the Chromecast Audio shouldn’t last for years to come.

What are the alternatives

While there are plenty of pricier wireless speaker systems like Sonos, DTS Play-Fi speakers, and multiple other speaker choices, the first thing that comes to mind is the Muso Cobblestone we mentioned above. There are also tons of Bluetooth devices that will stream all your music (iOS or otherwise), including pricier ones like the impressive Astell and Kern’s XB10 and highly affordable ones like the $20 Jumbl. However, none of those adapters allow for multiroom streaming, and even without that feature, the Chromecast Audio is still a fantastic choice among the crowd for its functionality and affordability.

Should you buy it

Yes, but assess your options first. If you’re looking to stream music to your home theater system wirelessly, the original Chromecast works great and brings all of its video streaming features along for the ride. However, if you’re looking for an easy and convenient way to connect a powered speaker or home theater system without a the need for a TV or HDMI connection — or if you want to connect a number of speakers in a multiroom setup — the Chromecast Audio is an excellent way to go.

Highs

• Highly stable streaming
• Sounds better than Bluetooth
• Brilliantly simple setup
• Extremely affordable
• Multiroom audio support

Lows

• Won’t stream iTunes or Apple Music from iOS devices
• Third-party app required to stream audio from a computer
• Included audio cable is relatively useless

Airbnb is reportedly getting ready to launch a premium version of its service

Why it matters to you

If your typical Airbnb doesn’t quite meet your lofty expectations, the new service is aimed for those who enjoy the finer things in life.

Airbnb has always been known as the hotel alternative, but now, it seems as though the short-term rental service wants to get into direct competition with the giants of the hospitality industry. Earlier this week, Bloomberg reported that the San Francisco-based company is “close to launching a new service that will match guests with quality-inspected home and apartment rentals.”

According to Bloomberg, the new product offering would be geared toward more affluent guests — or at least, those willing to pay more. While Airbnb has seen plenty of adoption among younger travelers who are happy to give up a few amenities for the promise of inexpensive lodging, the service also wants to appeal to folks who are more accustomed to fancier hotels.

Apparently, this appeal will begin with a pilot program set to begin any day now. A select group of hosts has reportedly been contacted to take part in the trial and Airbnb is said to be sending inspectors into chosen properties to make sure that they satisfy a rigorous list of quality checkpoints. If the inspection goes well and the home is determined satisfactory (or really, exceptional), the hosts would be eligible for a special featured section of Airbnb’s website and mobile app.

While Airbnb certainly emphasizes the open community nature of its platform, it is also now making a more concerted effort to offer a premium service. Bloomberg reports this new initiative is known internally as “Select,” but an official public-facing name has not yet been agreed upon. That said, Bloomberg reports this new section could be ready to roll by the end of the year. We reached out to Airbnb for comment and will update this piece with any new information.

Bloomberg’s sources note that “offering a premium selection of rentals may help Airbnb lure older and wealthier travelers, who’ve been hesitant to book on the home-sharing platform because they believe it’s less polished than a luxury hotel room.” Considering that Airbnb gets a cut of all bookings, the more expensive the properties are, the better.

Mac malware is on the rise, but here’s why that’s not as scary as it sounds

Why it matters to you

Getting malware is like getting sick — it’s pretty much inevitable sometimes, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take the time to reduce your risk .

Antivirus developer McAfee released its latest threat report on Friday, and there’s some big news for Mac users: Mac malware is more prevalent than ever before. It’s still not a huge problem, however and it’s also important to take McAfee’s numbers with a grain of salt — it is trying to sell a product after all.

First, let’s dig into the numbers to put things in context. According to 9to5Mac, there were about 700,000 documented instances of malware hitting Macs in the first quarter of 2017. That’s a lot, but keep in mind Windows machines were hit 700 million times in the same time period.

Naturally, that’s attributable to Apple’s smaller overall share of the PC market — it’s a smaller target, and malware creators want to strike the biggest targets possible to maximize the damage/profit of their illicit endeavors.

It’s also important to point out McAfee’s definition of malware includes adware — which it notes is largely to blame for the increasing number of detected malware instances on MacOS. Adware is irritating, and potentially dangerous, but it’s not quite as malicious as full-on malware. Still, it’s important to be vigilant, and MacOS makes it pretty easy to do just that.

One of the best things you can do to protect your Mac is limit yourself to software available in the Mac App Store. Of course, that’s less than ideal. The Mac App Store has grown a lot in recent years, but there are still some important software suites you might need to get elsewhere.

It’s kind of a pain sometimes, but MacOS Sierra automatically prevents software from being installed if it doesn’t come from a list of identified developers. However, you can manually install software from anywhere, but only after opening up the Security and Privacy pane of your preferences menu and personally authorizing the install.

In order to check on how your personal security settings are tuned, make sure you familiarize yourself with the aforementioned Security and Privacy pane. Also, it’s never a bad idea to take some common-sense measures to protect yourself — even if you’re only protecting yourself from some irritating adware.

Evernote can help organize your life – here’s how to use it

Evernote is a commitment, and requires religious use to get the full benefits. That means taking your entire paper-based filing system and converting it to digital — a time-consuming task.

The benefit is measurable, however. Notes can be saved and synced across devices and can include text, photos, voice memos, and uploaded or scanned documents. You can file notes into notebooks, and further categorize them into tags. Sharing is easy, and while the interface isn’t the easiest to learn, it is quite powerful.

Getting Started

You’ll need to set up an account to get started with Evernote. We recommend completing this process on the Web before downloading the desktop or mobile app. This way, you can get started using Evernote right away — and in some cases the apps work better as you don’t necessarily need to be online to access data.

Create an new account

Start by heading to the Evernote registration page. You can choose to use either your Google login credentials or an e-mail and password to sign in. Click Create Account and you’re done. Evernote doesn’t require that you activate your account, so it’s already ready to use.

Free accounts allows you up to 60MB of uploads, and syncing across two devices (Web access is included). Upgrading to Plus increases this to 1GB and costs $35 for the year, while Premium costs $70 per year and gives you 10GB of uploads. With both Plus and Premium, there is no limit to the amount of devices you can sync to.

(Note: While Evernote calls it “uploads,” we’ve noticed in our own use that it’s more accurate to call it bandwidth. As you sync to multiple devices, your available data will shrink. This might make it hard for many to stay with the strict confines of Evernote Basic.)

Each Evernote tier gives you more flexibility on what functionality is offered. The free account allows you to clip web pages and images, search for text inside images (a feature we’ve found extraordinarily useful), share and discuss notes, and add a passcode to your mobile apps. But we suspect many may want a bit more.

The chart below shows the difference between Plus and Premium in terms of features. We’ve colored the Basic tier features in blue so you can see the difference.

Plus

Premium

Clip web pages and images Search for text inside images Share and discuss notes Add passcode lock on mobile apps
Access notebooks offline
Forward emails into Evernote
Customer support via email

Clip web pages and images Search for text inside images Share and discuss notes Add passcode lock on mobile apps
Access notebooks offline
Forward emails into Evernote
Customer support via email
Customer support via live chat
Search for text in PDFs
Search for text in Office docs
Annotate PDFs
Scan and digitize business cards
Present notes in one click
Browse the history of your notes
See related notes and content

To prevent any hiccups, if you are planning to use Evernote across more than one device, upgrade your plan before you start to download the app to your desktops, laptops, and mobile devices.

Use the links below to install Evernote on the device of your choice.

For mobile

For computers

iOS
Mac OS X
Android
Windows

 Creating notes

Look for the ‘+’ button on the left-side menu and click it. A new screen appears asking you to give the new note a title. Give it a title, and then click on the body field below and start typing your note. When you’re done, click Done in the upper right hand corner which takes you back to the dashboard.

On the iPhone, look for the green ‘+’ button in the center of the  bottom app menu. It looks like this:

Android users, tap the green ‘+’ button on the lower right, it looks like this:

You’ll see a similar edit screen to the one we showed. So what if you want to add more than just text? If you’re using the web or desktop based versions, you can drag and drop files into notes, including photos and attachments. The various options are found in the toolbar.

For the mobile apps, within the note taking screen, look for a ‘+’. Tap that, and you’ll get a host of options of what you can add to a particular note. Here’s an example of what you’ll find in that menu on iOS — Android users will see similar options.

Web Clips

We’d recommend you also install the Evernote Web Clipper. The extension is available for every major browser, and it allows Evernote users to save Web snapshots or entire articles while retaining all text, links and images originally embedded in the page.

Browser

Google Chrome
Mozilla Firefox
Opera
Safari
Edge

Once installed, click the Evernote note button located in the top of your browser’s tool bar and log in using your given credentials. Click the Evernote button again, select the type of clip you’d like, what notebook you’d like it in, and add any tags. When finished making your selection, click the light-green Save button to add the Web clip to Evernote.

How to factory reset a PS4

Sometimes, you just need to start from scratch, even with a game console. Whether you’re trying to fix an error you haven’t been able to solve with our solutions guide, you’re having trouble beta testing the latest Playstation software update, or you’re getting ready to upgrade to the more powerful Playstation 4 Pro, you’ll want to know how to return your PS4 to pristine condition. To do that, you need to “factory reset” your PS4, which reverts it back to its original state.

A factory reset wipes the console’s hard drive, and can even remove its system software. It’s a last resort when a software glitch stops your PS4 dead in its tracks, particularly when booting up, or when you want to make sure the console no longer has your data on it. There are two ways to reset your PS4: From the main menu if you can access the PlayStation 4 dashboard, or from Safe Mode if the console is having boot-up issues.

Performing a factory reset is a big deal, though. It deletes all your data from the PS4’s internal hard drive, so you’re going to want to make sure that information is backed up if you can access it.

Remember: Once you factory reset your PS4, there’s no going back. Before using either of these methods, make sure that information is backed up if you can access it. You can backup to an external device or to the cloud — as you would if you were transferring data from one PS4 to another, for example — if you have a PlayStation Plus account.

Performing a factory reset from the dashboard

Step 1: Sign in to your PS4 and head to the settings menu

Step 2: Deactivate your PlayStation Account — If you plan to sell your PS4 or switch to a new console like the Playstation 4 Pro, you need to deactivate your account on the console. First, you’ll want to deactivate the machine as your primary PlayStation 4. That setting allows you to play downloaded games offline by identifying this particular PS4 as your PS4. Miss this step, and you’ll encounter a host of other problems when you sign on to a new PS4 and want to play your games.

Start in the settings menu and find the option for “PlayStation Network/Account Management.” Go to “Activate as Your Primary PS4.” Your PS4 will probably already be activated. If that’s the case, the “Activate” option will be grayed out and “Deactivate” will be the only choice you can select. If you want to be absolutely sure your account is deactivated, you can choose “Activate,” follow the on-screen prompts, and then return to this setting to select “Deactivate.” It’s worth being doubly sure your account is not activated on a PS4 you mean to factory reset.

Step 3: Sign back in with your user account — It’s different from your PS4 account. Then, head to the Settings menu again.

Step 4: In the Settings menu, find the “Initialization” option at the bottom of the menu — Here, you’ll find the two options you’re looking for: “Restore Default Settings” and “Initialize PS4.” The first option will clear your saved settings data and return the PS4 to its factory settings, but it won’t wipe your hard drive.

The second option is the big one that will clear your hard drive of data, including downloaded games, saved game data, and anything else you’ve added to the console since buying it. This will restore your PS4 to the pristine condition of how it came out of the box.

Step 5: Choose “Full” on the “Initialize” screen — The big wipe is the one you’re looking for. Note that it’ll take a long time — probably a couple of hours or more.

Once you’ve initialized the wipe, the PS4 will give you a progress bar showing how long it’ll take, but expect it to take even longer as the console goes through multiple steps. When it is finished, you’ll be able to set up your PS4 the same way you did the first time you turned it on. If you’re looking to sell it, you’ll be handing it over completely fresh and with no data attached.

Performing a factory reset from Safe Mode

If you’re having trouble with system software or other errors that are preventing you from getting to the Settings menu and re-initializing your PS4, you can access the same options from the console’s Safe Mode.

Step 1: Turn your PS4 fully off — Don’t set it to “Rest Mode.” You want the power completely off on your console so you can boot into Safe Mode.

Step 2: Hold down the power button until you hear two beeps — You need to physically push the power button on the console, rather than starting it with a controller. Hold it for about eight seconds. It will beep once when you first touch the button, and then again before booting up into Safe Mode. It will be labeled, and you’ll recognize it by its black background.

Step 3: Choose the reset option you need — Like in the Settings menu, in Safe Mode you can choose “Restore Default Settings” to reset everything in the PS4 to its original software settings but keep your data. You can also choose “Initialize PS4,” which will wipe your hard drive and restore you to factory settings, but keep the system software — its operating system, in other words. The last option is “Initialize PS4 (Reinstall System Software),” which is an even fuller factory reset that will require you to reinstall the PS4’s operating system.

Step 4: If you’re not having software problems, pick “6. Initialize PS4” — That’ll restore your hard drive and software settings to the factory default but it’ll leave the operating system software intact. It’s the same as the option above (available in the Settings menu), and you’ll be able to choose between “Quick” and “Full” initializations. If that’s all you need, you’re done.

Performing a factory reset from Safe Mode and reinstalling system software

This is an even bigger wipe than the previous full initialization, removing all software from the console. If you do that, you’ll need to reinstall system software from another device. If you’re having software problems with the operating system, you’ll need to pick “7. Initialize PS4 (Reinstall System Software),” but there’s another step to the process to do first.

Step 1: Head to your PC and navigate to the official PS4 firmware page — There, you can download the latest PS4 firmware update so you can reinstall the data onto your PlayStation. You’ll also need an external hard drive with a USB connection or a USB flash drive to transfer the update to your PS4.

Step 2: Grab an external hard drive or USB flash drive with about 350 Mb of free space

Step 3: Create a new folder on your USB device and name it “PS4” — Inside that folder, create a folder and name it “UPDATE” in all caps. Save the firmware file into the “UPDATE” folder and you should be good to go.

Step 4: Boot up your PS4 in Safe Mode — Do it as described above by fully powering down your PS4 and then holding the power button until it beeps twice and boots to Safe Mode.

Step 5: Choose “7. Initialize PS4 (Reinstall System Software)” on your PS4 — Just follow the prompts. The console will wipe all data including system software, and then require you to plug in the USB device you saved the update to in order to reinstall the system software. When that’s done, your PS4 will be returned to factory settings.

Snag one of the best OnePlus 5 cases for peace of mind

The OnePlus 5 is a speedy, slick smartphone that offers great value for money. Compared to the top end of the market, it’s one of the best cheap phones you can buy. However, it’s not what you’d call a rugged device. There’s no water resistance here, and that slim, curved chassis is slippery. You’ve also got a protruding camera bump to worry about. Get yourself one of the best OnePlus 5 cases, and you can relax, safe in the knowledge that your shiny new phone is protected.

OtterBox Case ($30)

We’re pleased to see OnePlus partnering with OtterBox because it means there’s a decent, rugged case on offer in time for release. This isn’t as protective as something like the OtterBox Defender, but it is going to guard against most drops and bumps. The inner layer is soft, black silicone and there’s a hard, polycarbonate shell, in black or red, that goes around the outside. The fit is perfect and you’ll find a nice big tapered cut-out to ensure there’s no interference with the dual lens camera.

Buy one now from:

Otterbox OnePlus 

Official OnePlus 5 Protective Cases ($20+)

The range of official cases is quite varied, but they’re all minimalist shells with cut-outs for buttons, ports, and camera. The simple, polycarbonate, sandstone case will cost you $20, or you can pay another $5 for wood or Kevlar – we like the rosewood finish best. As we mentioned in our OnePlus 5 review, this is a very svelte phone, so the official cases are ideal if you don’t want to add bulk, but the flip-side of that is that they only offer limited protection.

Buy one now from:

OnePlus

Official OnePlus 5 Flip Cover ($20)

There is also a simple, fake leather, folio-style wallet case available for the OnePlus 5. It’s a shame that it’s made of polyurethane and not real leather, but that’s reflected in the price. Open the cover and you’ll find a thin plastic shell that hugs the corners of your phone to keep it in place. You have free access to all the ports and controls, and there’s a generous opening on the back for the camera. The cover also has a single slot for a credit card or ID. This one comes in gray or black.

Buy one now from:

OnePlus

Dretal Defender Case ($8)

Here’s a case that certainly won’t break the bank. This offering combines an inner TPU layer that’s flexible and shock absorbent with a hard, plastic outer shell. There’s a slight lip to protect the screen and cut-outs for the ports and camera. The stand out feature is the kickstand on the back, which allows you to prop it in landscape view. This one comes in blue, red, gray, silver, or gold. We wouldn’t expect the greatest quality at this price, but if you blew your budget on the phone it might do.

Buy one now from:

Amazon

It’s slim pickings right now, but we’ll add more OnePlus 5 cases to this list just as soon as they hit the market.