Here’s how to convert a Kindle book to PDF using your desktop or the web

I secretly cringe every time I hear how successful ebook readers are becoming. I myself, am a man of my own stubbornness, of tradition — and most importantly — of paper. Still, I cannot deny that the Kindle is one of the most convenient and efficient tools ushering in this new age of ebooks and digital media. The device offers a viable solution for anyone who wants to pack thousands of free and comparatively cheap publications into a single frame weighing less than 5 ounces.

But what happens when you decide you’d rather view your precious Kindle files as PDFs on your computer, or more likely, on another device that doesn’t support native ebook formats such as AZW or MOBI? Luckily, there are plenty of online and offline tools that will help you quickly convert files purchased through Amazon to a format that’s viewable on any number of PDF-supported devices. Below are two such pieces of software, along with detailed instructions on how to convert a Kindle book to PDF.

Are you a Kindle user? Read our picks for the best free Kindle books. If you’re new to Kindle, we recommend you take a look at how to share books on a Kindle, how to remove books from a Kindle, and how to get EPUB books on your Kindle.

Convert using EPUB Converter — web-based

As the name implies, EPUB Converter is a free online utility used to convert ebook files to and from their native format. The tool currently includes options for converting electronic publications, aka EPUBs, to PDF, MOBI, and AZW, among others, as well as one for directly converting Kindle files to PDF. It’s speedy, simple, and lacks a heavy desktop footprint. How’s that for sustainable?

Step 1: Access EPUB Converter

Launch your favorite browser, then navigate to EPUB Converter’s Kindle to PDF Converter.

Step 2: Upload and convert your Kindle file

Assuming you have the file(s) in question housed on your machine, click the yellow Add File button located below the PDF information and above the conversion instructions. Afterward, locate the Kindle file you wish to convert — most likely formatted in Amazon’s proprietary file type, AZW or MOBI — and click the gray Open button located in the bottom-right corner of the pop-up window. EPUB Converter also allows for simultaneous uploading and converting, so feel free to add as many files you’d like. When finished, click the yellow Start Upload button to the right of the file you just added.

Step 3: Download the PDF

Once the conversion is complete — a potentially lengthy process depending on the file size — right-click or CTRL-click the resulting PDF file and select the Save link as option to save the file to your desired location. Alternatively, left-click or single-click the link to prompt the download, or to view the PDF in your browser. EPUB Converter will host the file on its server for two hours, providing you with plenty of time to download your new PDF. You can repeat the process as many times as necessary by clicking the Add File button housed below your newly converted file.

Editors’ Recommendations

• How to convert a PDF to EPUB on Windows, MacOS, and Linux
• How to convert a PDF to JPG for easy viewing on any device
• How To Convert M4A files to MP3 format
• Need to convert a PDF into an Excel document? Try these methods
• How to convert your videos from MKV to MP4 in a few quick steps

Huawei MediaPad M3 tablet: Which storage size should you buy?

Picking the right tablet can make a difference.

Picking out a new tablet can be difficult, but after you’ve done the hard work of picking out the Huawei tablet, you have another just as important question that you need to answer before you can pick it up. That is, of course, figuring out what storage size is the right one for you. Huawei’s MediaPad M3 tablet comes in two different sizes, but knowing which one is the right one for you can be hard.

That’s why we’ve broken down the differences between sizes for you, so that the choice is easy to make.

What sizes are available?

The Huawei MediaPad M3 comes in two different storage sizes. You can snag a 32GB model for $299 or the 64GB model for about $350.

Aside from the differences in storage size, both models of this tablet have all of the same specifications. This means you no matter which size, you’ll get an awesome Kirin 950 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 5100 mAh battery.

Why do I need more storage?

So if both models have the exact same specifications, why bother spending the extra $50? Well, the answer really depends on how you plan on using your tablet, and that makes this a choice that only you can make for yourself. There are a number of things to keep in mind.

If your tablet is only going to be used for a handful of apps, or if you want to purchase a microSD card, then opting for the 32GB model is a solid choice and it ought to have plenty of space. If you’re looking for a new device to use every day for work, videos, fun, and photos, then you’re probably going to want to snag the 64GB model.

The big thing to remember here is that for an extra $50 you double the space that you get with your Huawei MediaPad M3, which translates to more room for movies, games, photos, and updates down the line. If you prefer to pick up a good tablet and use it until it breaks, then the more space you have available. This means you can spend more time enjoying your tablet, and less time figuring out what you have to delete in order to update an app.

Which one should I pick?

Both models of the Huawei MediaPad M3 deliver a great experience, with a solid price tag. With two choices for storage, you can make the choice that’s best for how you’re going to use this tablet, or best for your budget. Have you picked up a MediaPad M3? Let us know which size you picked in the comments below!

See 32GB Huawei MediaPad M3 at Amazon See 64GB Huawei MediaPad M3 at Amazon

Huawei MediaPad M3 review: Great hardware, but the software needs improvement

PlayStation App finally updated with a modern interface

The PlayStation App has always been something of an eyesore, but the latest 17.11.0 update finally fixes that.

No matter how big of a PlayStation fan you are, there’s no denying that the PlayStation App has been ugly as sin for far too long at this point. Sony’s made solid improvements to PlayStation Messages and Communities, but the main PlayStation App has continued to look like something that hadn’t been updated since the days of Gingerbread.

Thankfully, with the latest 17.11.0 update, the PlayStation App has been completely redone with an interface that looks like it actually belongs in 2017.

The app is now broken up into four main sections – What’s New, Friends, Notifications, and Profile. What’s New functions similar to the page by the same name on your PS4, showcasing new games you might be interested in, trophies your friends have received, status updates, and more.

You access these different pages from the bottom navigation bar, and tapping on the PlayStation icon in the middle will reveal a menu for seeing upcoming events, looking at your trophies, going to the PlayStation Store, etc. Also present here are quick links to Sony’s other PlayStation apps, including PlayStation Messages, Communities, the new Second Screen app, PS Video, and PS Vue.

The update is available now on the Google Play Store, and as long as you’re running Android 4.1 or later, you should be able to download it without any issues at all.

Two new PlayStation PlayLink games are now on the Play Store

Galaxy Note 8 in ‘Deep Sea Blue’ coming to the U.S. as Best Buy exclusive for the holidays

A fresh color in time for the holiday shopping season.

The Galaxy Note 8 launched in four colors: Midnight Black, Maple Gold, Orchid Grey and Deep Sea Blue. Unfortunately, those in the U.S. only ever saw photos of the Deep Sea Blue color, as the closest it got to the country was availability up North in Canada. But now Samsung has announced U.S. availability of this great color option, and it’s coming exclusively from Best Buy. You’ll be able to get the Verizon, AT&T and Sprint models of the phone, as well as the U.S. unlocked model, in sleek deep blue.

See at Best Buy

The addition of the Deep Sea Blue color option strikes a nice balance between the all-dark Midnight Black and possibly too-light Orchid Grey previously available. The rich Deep Sea Blue shade does a better job of masking scuffs and scratches than Orchid Grey, while certainly standing out from the crowd better than Midnight Black. And considering its later launch, it’s far more unique in the U.S.

Perhaps at some point Samsung will decide to release the fourth Note 8 color, Maple Gold, in the U.S. as well. We can dream, right?

Best Buy’s “exclusive” for this color isn’t entirely exclusive, as it only pertains to the carrier versions of the phone in that color. If you want the U.S. unlocked model, you can pick it up from Best Buy or Samsung’s online store — some people may go for the latter to take advantage of Samsung’s trade-in or financing offers. Either way, you won’t be seeing this color available from other retailers or directly from the carriers.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

• Galaxy Note 8 review
• Complete Galaxy Note 8 specs
• Galaxy Note 8 vs. Galaxy Note 5
• Which Note 8 color is best?
• Join our Galaxy Note 8 forums

Verizon
AT&T
T-Mobile
Sprint
Best Buy

Press release:

Samsung adds Deepsea Blue color to Galaxy Note8 Portfolio in the U.S.

Just in time for the holidays, the Galaxy Note8 Deepsea Blue will be available exclusively at Best Buy stores and online at BestBuy.com and Samsung.com

Ridgefield Park, NJ – November 8, 2017 – Samsung Electronics America, Inc. today announced that the Galaxy Note8 Deepsea Blue will be available to U.S consumers beginning November 16 – just in time for the holiday shopping season. Consumers will be able to choose from AT&T, Sprint and Verizon carrier-specific versions of the Galaxy Note8 at Best Buy stores and BestBuy.com, as well as the unlocked versions available at Best Buy and Samsung.com.

With the addition of Deepsea Blue to the Galaxy Note8 portfolio, consumers will now have another color option to choose from in addition to Orchid Gray and Midnight Black.

Introduced in August, the Galaxy Note8, is the next level Note for people who want to do bigger things. With Galaxy Note8, consumers get Samsung’s most powerful smartphone camera featuring two 12MP rear cameras with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) on both the wide-angle and telephoto lenses to capture stunning photos, even in lowlight environments, a bigger Infinity Display that fits comfortably in one hand and the S Pen to communicate in more personal ways. The Galaxy Note8 is designed for the way consumers lead their lives and lean on technology today.

Samsung Trade-In Program

For U.S. customers who trade-in an eligible device, they can receive an instant trade-in credit towards a
Galaxy Note8 in any color. For more information on Samsung’s trade-in program, visit
Samsung.com/trade-in

Galaxy Note8 Features:

• Infinity Display: The Galaxy Note8 has the biggest screen ever on a Note device. The 6.3-inch Quad HD+ Super AMOLED Infinity Display lets you see more and scroll less. The Galaxy Note8 gives you more room to watch, read and draw—making it the ultimate multitasking smartphone.
• S Pen: Since its introduction, the S Pen has been one of the Note’s defining features. With the Note8, the enhanced S Pen includes a finer tip and improved pressure sensitivity, unlocking new ways to write, draw and interact with the phone and communicate with others, including:
• Live Messages which allows users to bring messages to life. Users can now handwrite a message, add special effects and share it as an animated GIF on several popular messaging and social apps.
• An improved Translate feature lets users not only translate individual words, but full sentences in 71 languages and instantly convert units and foreign currencies.
• Always On Display: This feature allows users to stay on top of notifications without unlocking their phone. In addition, the screen off memo allows you to take notes as soon as you take out the S Pen. From there, you can pin a note to the Always On Display, edit it right there and write as many pages as you need—up to 100 pages.
• Best-in-Class Camera: Samsung has set the standard for smartphone cameras, and with the Galaxy Note8 Samsung is delivering its most powerful camera yet
• The Galaxy Note8 is the first smartphone with two 12MP rear cameras with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) on both the wide-angle and telephoto lenses with a 2x optical zoom, so you can take great shots, even when zoomed. It also features an 8MP Smart Auto Focus front-facing camera for sharp selfies and video chats.
• For more advanced photo taking, the Galaxy Note8 Live Focus feature lets you control the depth of field, unlike some other smartphone cameras, by allowing you to adjust the bokeh effect in preview mode and even after you take the photo.
• In Dual Capture mode, both rear cameras take two pictures simultaneously—and you can keep both images: one close-up shot from the telephoto lens and one wide-angle shot that shows the entire background. The camera also has a Dual Pixel sensor with rapid auto focus, so you can capture sharp and clear shots even in low-light environments.

The Galaxy Note8 is built on the Galaxy legacy—a collection of unique features and capabilities that,
together, have redefined the mobile experience, including:

• IP68 Water and Dust Resistance
• Fast wireless charging
• Samsung Knox defense-grade security
• Powerful performance with 64GB of storage, 6GB RAM and expandable memory up to 256GB

For more information, visit: https://news.samsung.com/us/ or http://www.samsung.com/galaxy

The Nvidia Shield TV streaming media player is down to $170, its lowest price ever

Stream your favorite shows and play your favorite games all with one device.

The Nvidia Shield TV streaming media player is down to $169.99 on Amazon. This device normally sells for $200. This is a price match from Best Buy and part of Best Buy’s early Black Friday sale.

The Nvidia Shield TV has improved over previous iterations. Heck, this one gives you access to Amazon Prime Video, which is a step-up by itself. Sure, the Shield is more expensive than a Roku but the Shield is a gaming console, too, and a decent one at that.

Features include:

• Connected Google Life – Access all your Google content and smart home features with Google Assistant, share your Google Photos in 4K, and cast your favorite apps to your TV with Chromecast 4K.
• 4K HDR Powerhouse – Watch Netflix and Amazon Video in crisp 4K HDR, and YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV, and VUDU in 4K. Apps like HBO Now, Spotify, and ESPN meet all your entertainment needs.
• NVIDIA-Powered Gaming – Cast games from your GeForce-powered PC to your TV in 4K HDR at 60 FPS. Get NVIDIA-powered cloud gaming on demand with GeForce NOW. And enjoy exclusive Android games only on SHIELD.
• Smart Home Ready – Google Assistant lets you control your entertainment and smart home with your voice. Add SmartThings Link to wirelessly connect lights, speakers, thermostats, and much more.
• Get YouTube Red for 3 months free – $29.97 in value. Explore uninterrupted music, ad-free videos, and exclusive original movies and shows from your favorite YouTube creators. Limited-time offer ends 12/31.

The Nvidia Shield has 4.3 stars based on 904 user reviews.

See at Amazon

Add a Ring Video Doorbell to your front door for just $100

Know who’s at the door before the doorbell rings!

Is this deal for me?

The Ring Video Doorbells have become more popular over the past year, and there are several good reasons for that. If you’re in the market for one, or have considered one but weren’t sold on the pricing of it, today may be the day you make that purchase. Right now you can pick one up for $99.99 at Amazon and Best Buy.

This is one of the many items in Best Buy’s early Black Friday sale, and those prices are scheduled to run through Saturday at Best Buy, though it may not last that long at Amazon.

From being able to see who is coming to your door to being able to interact with people who are in places that they shouldn’t be right from your phone, there are lots of advantages to having a Ring Video Doorbell on the front of your home.

TL;DR

What excites us about this deal

Most of our posts come because an item hits a new low, but this is a really low price for this item. Previously, the low we saw on this was around $125, and that was nearly a year ago. This year it dropped down to $150 a handful of times, but not often. This is one of the most practical outdoor security camera options out there, and one of the least intrusive ones. The app is great, and you can be notified as soon as someone starts walking up to your house, and even interact with them.

Things to know before buying

This version of the Ring Video Doorbell only broadcasts a 720p video signal. The Ring Video Pro Doorbell or the 2nd-gen Video Doorbell bump you up to 1080p, but they are around $100 more. In order to access your videos at any time from anywhere, you’ll have to pay for a Ring Protect Plan which starts at $30 per year.

See at Amazon

OnePlus 5T will reportedly cost just $479 – same as the OnePlus 5

OnePlus might not increase the price for its latest flagship.

Similar to last year, OnePlus will be releasing two phones in 2017. We already got the OnePlus 5 this past summer, and in just a few days we’ll get our first official look at the OnePlus 5T. OnePlus has followed a trend of steadily increasing prices for its handsets with every new release, but according to a new report, this won’t be the case with the 5T.

TechRadar claims to have gotten its hands on an official document from O2 in the United Kingdom that indicates businesses will spend the same amount of money for the OnePlus 5T as they can for the OnePlus 5 when ordering phones through the carrier.

We’re only talking about enterprise orders through a single carrier in the UK, but if OnePlus is keeping pricing the same here, we’d expect the company to follow suit with consumers and other markets as well.

As such, this means that we can expect the OnePlus 5T to have a starting price of $479 in the United States when it officially launches. The recently discovered document is also said to confirm that the 5T will be available with either 64GB or 128GB of storage, so it’s also likely that the latter capacity will have a slightly increased price of $539.

OnePlus 5

• Complete OnePlus 5 review
• OnePlus 5 specs
• Which OnePlus 5 model should you buy?
• Camera comparison: OnePlus 5 vs. Galaxy S8
• The latest OnePlus 5 news
• Join the discussion in the forums

OnePlus
Amazon

Start with the $50 SmartThings hub and expand your smart home with a huge sale

All things SmartThings are on sale right now.

The Samsung SmartThings Hub is down to $49.99 on Amazon. This is part of a greater sale on SmartThings devices, which includes the motion sensor, smart plug, multipurpose sensor, and more.

There’s even the full SmartThings Home Monitoring Kit for sale at $150. It normally sells above $200. It comes with a Hub and several other accessories, so you can just skip right to this bundle if you want to go all in.

Hubs like this act as the “brain” of any smart home. As you start adding more smart features, like a motion sensor or smart plugs, you want to be able to control all of them at once. The hub lets you connect everything to it and then control them from one single place. The $150 home monitoring kit, for example, can use that hub to connect all of your appliances, monitor your home and notify you when anything unexpected happens. The SmartThings Hub works with Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth, and other wireless protocols like ZigBee.

The Samsung SmartThings Hub is one of the best reviewed smart hubs out there. Tom’s Guide called it the Best Smart Home Hub in 2017. PC Mag named it their Editor’s Choice, gave it 4.5 stars out of 5, and called it “one of the most versatile home automation hubs around.”

Add a smart bulb or two to the kit to control your lights or a motion sensor if you need to cover more rooms.

See at Amazon

First 6 things to do with your Google Pixel 2 or 2 XL

We’re all excited about our new phones — but let’s remember some of the basics.

Opening up the box and pulling out a new Pixel 2 or 2 XL is a wonderful feeling, no matter how many times you’ve done it or what phone you’re upgrading from. The excitement of the new device may drive you to hop right in without thinking about some of the basic things — forgetting the core features that work best when you set them up from the start rather than getting to them later.

Here are a handful of tips to keep in mind when you unbox your Google Pixel 2.

Add lock screen security

We know this is an integral part of the setup process on all new phones, but there’s a chance you were so excited about your new phone that you skipped the lock screen setup portion. If you’re reading this now and don’t have a secure lock screen on your phone, do it now. It may seem inconvenient at first, but there’s little reason to leave our phone unsecured from anyone who has their hands on it.

Going into Settings then Security & location, you’ll see your various options for keeping your phone secure but also accessible. You’ll want to go to Pixel imprint and enroll both of your index fingers, and that’ll serve as the fastest way to keep your phone secure. You’ll need to back that up with another screen lock of some sort, and while most people choose a pattern you can do a PIN or even a long password if you prefer.

If you need more flexibility, check out Smart Lock for options to keep your Pixel 2 unlocked when it’s connected to a Bluetooth device, at a specific location and more. Just remember that these options are inherently less secure than a fingerprint!

Set up Google Photos backup

The Pixel 2 includes unlimited photo backup at original quality to Google Photos until the end of 2020 — but only if you actually set up the app to back up your photos! To make sure you don’t have to think about it later on when you’ve already taken photos, open the Photos app and go into the settings to find “Back up & sync.”

Make sure the toggle is turned on, and then check to make sure you haven’t accidentally also turned on cellular data and roaming backups — that is, unless you have an unlimited data plan and don’t care. While you’re in here you can also choose which on-device folders are backed up, such as screenshots or edited Instagram photos.

Learn the camera’s capabilities

The Pixel 2 has a fantastic camera, and for the most part can take great photos without any real work on your part. But to make the most of the camera, you’ll want to hop into its settings and get acquainted with a few of the features and options.

• Turn on location: It seems simple, but make sure that your location is turned on in the camera. It lets Google Photos search by location, and gives you an extra bit of context years down the road when you look at old shots.
• Use Smartburst with moving subjects: Press and hold the shutter button to take up to 10 frames per second. Super useful when you or your subject (or both) are in motion for a must-have shot.
• Choose your grid lines: It may feel distracting at first, but turning on grid lines will help you mind the proportions of your photos and line up horizons for great sunset shots.
• Use focus and exposure lock: One of the only “manual” controls is the ability to lock focus and exposure after adjusting them. Tap the viewfinder to set exposure and focus, then tap the lock button to keep it there.
• Don’t be tempted by the flash: The flash should only be used as a last resort. Google’s HDR+ processing is fantastic, and it really doesn’t need a flash as often as you’d think.
• Increase the panorama resolution: By default, panoramas are set for speed of processing rather than maximum resolution. You want maximum resolution — change the setting, and wait a few extra seconds for it to process.

How to take the best photos with your Google Pixel 2

Rearrange your notification quick settings

You know those quick settings found at the top of your notification shade? Those can be rearranged and set up however you like. After expanding your notification shade, give it a second swipe and tap on the pencil icon at the bottom of the shade.

Press and hold icons to drag them into their desired positions. The first two rows of the expanded view become the six icons you see with a single swipe of the notification shade, so choose wisely. If you don’t want an icon at all, drag it down to the darker portion of the window, then maybe bring up a less-used icon to the top so it’s available. If you add more than nine icons, the 10th and beyond go onto a second page you’ll have to swipe one more time to access.

If you go overboard and want to just put them back how they were as default, go into that edit mode, tap the menu button in the top-right corner and tap Reset.

Check out the wonderful wallpapers

Google has seriously upped its wallpaper game since launching the original Pixel and Pixel 2 back in 2016, and it continues the trend. There are just a handful of “pre-installed” wallpapers, but that’s augmented by a regularly updated catalog of great wallpapers (from Google’s Wallpapers app) in a whole bunch of different genres and styles.

You can wade through the dozens of wallpapers to find something that fits your style, or in some categories you can set a “daily wallpaper” and get a fresh one of that style each day. If you don’t like the particular wallpaper that shows up, you can hop back into the wallpaper section and tap once to load a new one in that category.

Keep track of that headphone adapter

Yup, this is a thing now. There’s a good chance this is your first phone without a headphone jack, and that means keeping an eye on that USB-C to 3.5 mm headphone adapter that comes in the box. If you regularly use one pair of wired headphones it’s a good idea to just keep the adapter attached to the headphones themselves, but if you swap around often you should keep in the back of the mind where it is — being left out somewhere without the adapter sure sucks.

Google sells replacement adapters for $9, but since the Pixel 2 and 2 XL were announced they’ve been out of stock more often than not. And right now it’s far from a guarantee that other USB-C to headphone adapters, if you somehow come across them in the wild, will work with your phone.

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

• Pixel 2 FAQ: Everything you need to know!
• Google Pixel 2 and 2 XL review: The new standard
• Google Pixel 2 specs
• Google Pixel 2 vs. Pixel 2 XL: What’s the difference?
• Join our Pixel 2 forums

Google Store
Project Fi
Verizon
Best Buy

T-Mobile’s Nest plan includes Nest Secure and Cam Indoor for $480

T-Mobile’s partnering with Nest to offer some impressive savings.

Nest is one of the biggest names when it comes to smart home security systems, but as awesome as the company’s products and services are, the costs can add up rather quickly if you want to take advantage of everything that Nest has to offer. T-Mobile recently announced that it’s partnering with Nest to be the exclusive cellular backup provider for the Nest Secure, and along with this, T-Mobile subscribers can score some hefty savings on Nest’s security offerings.

T-Mobile’s Nest Security Pack will officially be launching on November 10, and when purchased with T-Mobile’s Nest Plan that includes access to Nest Aware for just $10/month after a $5 bill credit, customers will be able to purchase a Nest Secure starter pack and Nest Cam Indoor for only $240 down and then $10/month for a total cost of $480.

That’s still a fair amount of cash to spend, but when you consider that the Nest Secure and Cam Indoor regularly cost $698 when purchased together, you’re looking at a really solid deal.

For that price, the Nest Secure comes with the Nest Guard base with keypad, a motion detector, and an alarm with a cellular backup service. You’ll get two Nest Detect motion and open/close sensors to place around your home, as well as two Nest Tag key fobs. As for the Nest Cam Indoor, T-Mobile’s Nest Plan includes Nest Aware so you can have access to intelligent security alerts and a backup for 10 days of constant video recording.

See at T-Mobile