Apple’s 500th Store and First in Korea Opening January 27 Ahead of 2018 Winter Olympics

Apple today announced that its first retail store in South Korea opens on Saturday, January 27, at 10:00 a.m. local time, just a few weeks prior to the 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Pyeongchang on Friday, February 9.

The store is located in the upscale Garosu-gil shopping area in the Gangnam District of Seoul, the capital of South Korea. The location will be open seven days per week and, like other Apple retail stores, it will host Today at Apple sessions and have a Genius Bar for device repairs and troubleshooting.

By the looks of it, this should be Apple’s 500th retail store around the world. That total includes the Apple Park Visitor Center and Infinite Loop locations, which both sell Apple products alongside promotional merchandise, and it also factors in the rare permanent closure of Apple’s Simi Valley store last year.

It’s possible that Apple could announce at least one other new store opening between now and late January, such as its nearly ready Vienna, Austria location, in which case the Korean store would obviously not be exactly 500th. We’ve reached out to Apple for an official store count and we’ll update if we hear back.

Apple is promoting its Garosu-gil store with a colorful, animated greeting in both English and Korean on its website, with a matching mural along the storefront that now reveals the January 27 opening date to those passing by.

Apple Garosugil in Seoul: Mit einem herzlichen “Nice to meet you” kündigt Apple die baldige Eröffnung vom ersten Apple Store in Südkorea an. — #AppleGarosugil #애플스토어 #AppleStore pic.twitter.com/4iEcat906r

— Storeteller (@storetellee) January 8, 2018

Apple confirmed plans to open its first store in South Korea just over a year ago, and both construction and hiring have been underway since. The store was originally reported to open December 30, but the location evidently wasn’t quite ready in time, and it’ll now officially open in less than two weeks.

Apple’s first two stores opened in May 2001 at shopping malls in Tysons Corner, Virginia and Glendale, California. By our count, Apple now has 271 retail stores in the United States, while this Garosu-gil location will be its 229th retail store elsewhere, pushing it to the 500 mark in less than 17 years.

Apple remains in the process of renovating dozens of those stores with a fresher aesthetic. Many of the locations have expanded by adding a floor or taking over adjacent storefronts, while some stores have relocated entirely.

Related Roundup: Apple StoresTag: South Korea
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Review: Ten One Design’s Mountie+ Turns Your iPad Into a Second Screen Attached to Your Mac

Ten One Design’s new Mountie+ is an update to its existing Mountie, a device that’s designed to allow you to attach an iPad or iPhone to your laptop for use as a second display. The Mountie+, which I’ve been using for the last few weeks, was created for Apple’s larger 10.5 and 12.9-inch iPad models.

With the Mountie+, I can attach an iPad to the left side, right side, or top of my MacBook Pro using a simple double clamp mechanism. Made from plastic, one side of the clamp buckles onto my MacBook Pro, while the other side is meant to hold the iPad. I had to take my iPad Pro’s Smart Cover off to use Mountie+, but it will work with slim cases attached.

The clamp works using soft pieces of grippy rubber to grasp both the display of the MacBook Pro and the iPad Pro, and there are different sized rubber inserts to fit different devices. The grip is super tight and fitted to both devices, so the iPad Pro is going absolutely nowhere while in the Mountie+. There is absolutely no slippage, and even when I pull on my iPad with a good amount of force, it does not budge.

The first Mountie+ I had actually gripped my MacBook Pro too tight and caused visible distortion to the display even with the correct inserts. I was concerned about long term damage, so Ten One Design sent a replacement. The second Mountie+ had no issues with fit and did not cause prolonged screen distortion when I clamped it shut.

For the record, if you have one that fits a little tight like I did, Ten One Design will swap it out for you. To be honest, I’m still mildly concerned about the pressure the mount exerts on my MacBook Pro, but the original Mountie has been around for quite awhile and it’s not an issue that’s been raised, so it appears to be safe.

For my setup, the Mountie+ worked right out of the box, but some people may need to make component swaps. In that situation, I think it’s a little unclear how the Mountie+ works and which components are needed — I felt like Ten One Design needed to include clearer instructions. It’s not immediately clear which side of the clamp goes where, nor how you’re supposed to position it.

Here’s how it works: Open up the buckles on the Mountie+, put the thinner side on the MacBook Pro with the smaller tabs facing the display side, and then put the thicker side on the iPad Pro. Line everything up and then close the buckle to clamp it all down tight.

Fit wise, the Mountie+ cuts into the display of my MacBook Pro and blocks a small bit of the display, and the same goes for my iPad. It’s distracting at first, but I positioned it in an area where there’s nothing that I need to see (my dock), so it’s less bothersome.

It’s absolutely something to be aware of, though, if you have a 2016 or 2017 MacBook Pro with the slimmer bezels. On older models, there’s no obstruction because the bezels of the device are thicker. I can charge an iPad while it’s attached to my MacBook Pro because the Mountie+ leaves the Lightning port accessible.

I primarily tested the Mountie+ with my 10.5-inch iPad Pro, which I positioned in portrait mode to the right of my display where I could access it easily with my right hand for touch gestures. I used the iPad for things like Twitter, watching videos, and keeping an eye on the news while I worked during the day, and it was super handy to have an extra display right there within eye view.

If you pair this with screen mirroring software like Duet Display, it can serve as a full secondary display for your Mac. Though I had mine in portrait mode on the right side, the Mountie+ can be used anywhere on the MacBook and with your iPad in portrait or landscape orientation.

I did use the Mountie+ with my 12.9-inch iPad Pro, but it felt too heavy and unstable. Even with the 10.5-inch iPad Pro attached to my MacBook Pro, I was worried about its top heaviness and the extra weight pressure on the hinge of my machine. Ten One Design recommends making sure heavier tablets paired with lighter laptops are positioned with the bottom of the tablet resting on a desk, which does help take the pressure off of the MacBook.

Mounting the 10.5-inch iPad Pro on the left and right sides of my MacBook Pro worked well, but on the top, it was too much weight and I couldn’t reliably keep it stable. You could use the Mountie+ at the top of the display with a smaller iPad like the iPad mini, or an iPhone, but it doesn’t work well with a top-mounted iPad Pro.

While I liked having my iPad Pro positioned right next to my MacBook Pro, I did find myself wishing there was a way to tilt it towards myself just a bit for a better viewing angle, but that’s not really something that’s possible. It mounts straight to the side and since the clamps are straight, there’s no adjustment possible.

Bottom Line

The Mountie+ is an interesting solution for adding a secondary display to your MacBook Pro using equipment you’ve already got on hand. It works with all of Apple’s laptops and all recent iPad models (iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPad mini, etc), and because it has several rubber pad options for different fits, it also works with non-Apple devices.

I don’t recommend the Mountie+ for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro unless you’re going to be using it on a flat surface, but it works well with the 10.5-inch models on down. I do wish there was an option to tilt the iPad to get a better viewing angle, but that’s a minor complaint.

I think the Mountie+ will be of particular interest to those who already use the iPad as a secondary screen with software like Duet Display, but it’s also handy if you want to do things like keep an eye on your Twitter feed or watch YouTube videos while using your Mac for other purposes.

Because I’ve only had an opportunity to use the Mountie+ for a few weeks, I don’t personally know if it’s going to have any longterm effect on the hinge or the display of a MacBook, but Mountie’s website suggests it should not be a problem because the weight of the device is evenly distributed along the length of the Mountie+ to avoid subjecting the hinges to undue stress. Still, I’d recommend using with caution, i.e., don’t leave your iPad attached to your MacBook Pro all the time.

At $35, it’s not overly expensive and it’s a neat little accessory to have on hand whenever you need a second display in a pinch.

How to Buy

Mountie+ can be purchased from the Ten One Design website or Amazon.com for $34.95.

Note: Ten One Design provided MacRumors with a Mountie+ for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.
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Syllable D9X – a pair of truly wireless earbuds with a quirky design and spotty performance

Design

Just to give you some fair warning, dear Android Guys, this is going to be something of a rant, design-wise. I have many nits to pick with Syllable’s D9X, and a good number of them are likely petty and/or highly subjective. You’ve been warned!

The D9X Bluetooth headset have a truly unique design, in that it features a removable battery in each earpiece that can essentially be hot-swapped on the fly in seconds. These little 80mAh “tabs” – for lack of a better word – can be stored and charged in a 400mAh case (four batteries are included in the retail unit) and the whole setup itself can then be stored in a hard-sided carrying case or felt bag (also included).

Frankly, the whole thing is just a bundle of madness. Every time you want to use the D9X, you have to remove the two earpieces and charging case from the carrying case (which, yes, means you have to have a case to hold the case), then remove and insert a battery for each earpiece (making the whole process quite difficult unless you have a flat surface on which to assemble it).

Carrying Case

The carrying case is too large for a pocket – it’s meant to be attached to a bag via carabiner – and since the charging case hold the batteries but not the earpieces, that means you either have to stick the earpieces in your pocket separate from the charging case, or put all three pieces in the felt bag and put that in your pocket. It’s all very inefficient.

That said, though, the carrying case itself is surprisingly well-made. It’s got a high-quality zipper that never snags or catches, a soft-but-sturdy outer shell, and a precision-molded interior padding that holds each piece loosely in place. There’s a Syllable logo on the cover – the only splash of color on the entire package – but the logo itself is so unidentifiable you’d be hard-pressed to name the brand if you saw it.

Charging Case

If there’s a true highlight to the design of the D9X, it’s the way the charging case feels. The black aluminum chassis feels great in-hand, and the clear plastic lid clicks open satisfactorily.  While the two charging slots for the batteries feature a magnetic connection, the two storage slots do not – which means the extra batteries have a tendency to pop out willy-nilly. I wish the case had a spot for the earpieces themselves – as mentioned above it makes transportation something of a challenge – but overall the charging case is a highlight of the D9X.

Earpieces

As impressive as the charging case is for the D9X, the build of the earpieces is that disappointing. The chassis is made of a gross gloss plastic, which clashes awfully the second you connect a battery – made of that same classy black aluminum as the charging case – to the earpiece. The single button design of the earpieces means you can’t do a whole lot with them, but on the other hand I much prefer it to the multi-button design of some other Bluetooth earbuds.

Attaching a battery automatically powers on the D9X, and removing the battery obviously powers it off. The batteries secure easily enough, though the connection is mostly magnetic – and as such, a slight bump will knock it clean off. Wearing the D9X is comfy – the various sizes of Silicon buds and earhooks make for a custom fit, and finding the right combination of sizes makes for a custom-fit that holds well even when working out. The earhooks are especially nifty, slipping on right over the buds and fitting on a small bulge between the chassis and bud. Of all the Bluetooth earbuds I’ve tried, I think these fit the best.

Performance

Generally speaking, when it comes to Bluetooth earbuds of the truly wireless variety – especially sub-$100 ones – you pay the price for portability and price. Depth of sound is often lacking, volume rarely tops out at something that’ll blow brain matter out your nostrils, music often has a tinny (not to be confused with tiny) quality, and mic performance often makes you sound like you’re talking from far, far away – which, yes, is often the case, but it shouldn’t sound like it. Truly wireless earbuds are a relatively new technology, and it’ll likely be a long while before its performance catches us up with the tried-and true technology of its wired companions.

And the D9X is no exception. In addition to the dubious design decisions details above (my oh my, that alliteration), Syllable’s earbuds suffer from finnicky connection and lackluster maximum volume. Surprisingly, though both the clarity and depth of sound in the odd little buds is great – for a sub-$100 headset, that is.

My personal experience with the D9X got off to a rocky start. The two earbuds took more than a minute to “find” one-another, and an additional 30 seconds to pair up with my phone. Subsequent connections were much more convenient, but that initial pairing process was pretty rough. The maximum volume output of the D9X is noticeably lower than others of its kin; in my quiet room with just the clackety-clack of my mechanical keyboard filling the silence, that volume level was just perfectly adequate. But outside, or in a busy workplace – let alone a crowded bus – it’s severely lacking.

As a result, and with most products like it, the D9X performs well in some aspects and rather flawed in others. It’s far from perfect – but at $79.99, can you even reasonably expect anything close?

Battery/Charging

In terms of battery life per individual charge, the D9X is pretty strong. Each 80mAh tab is good for 2 hours of playback – not bad at all in the Bluetooth earbud arena. But when you take into account the two sets of included batteries and 400mAh in the charging case, you wind up with almost 10 hours of playback – excellent for Bluetooth earbuds. If there’s one aspect of performance where Syllable’s earbuds truly excel, it’s battery life. It has its design flaws and its performance isn’t top-tier, but if battery life is your niche, the D9X is your Huckleberry. Beyond the battery mechanics themselves – which I whined about ad nauseam above – the only knock I have on the D9X in terms of battery is the Micro-USB port on the charging case. It’s time to join us in the USB-C era, Syllable (though to be fair, few Bluetooth manufacturers have yet to jump aboard that bandwagon).

Get the D9X on Amazon for $79.99

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Customer details may have been stolen from the OnePlus web store

OnePlus has opened an investigation into its web store’s payment methods after it emerged that some of its customers had been hit by credit card fraud shortly after making a purchase.

The issue arose when a user by the name of Superdutynick noticed that both of his credit cards had gained fraudulent charges after he made two separate transactions on the OnePlus store. Noting that the only common denominator was the OnePlus store, he started a poll on the official OnePlus forums asking other users had experienced a similar problem. When a significant percentage replied that they had and it was quickly followed by a similar post on Reddit that attracted hundreds of concerned comments, it became obvious that OnePlus was going to have to act fast.

The company did, in fact, react quickly. It responded with a forum post of its own explaining the situation, and later disabled all credit card payments on the website while the investigation was taking place. OnePlus team member Mingyu seems fairly certain what isn’t the cause of the leaks, saying that the recent Magento hack is not to blame, since the OnePlus website has been rebuilt since 2014, and had never included the Magento payment module on the previous Magento ecommerce site. Mingyu also did not believe it was as a result of a breach of OnePlus’s security, since no card details are stored on their servers.

Information security website Fidus seems to disagree with that idea, noting that OnePlus itself is not PCI-DSS compliant, and that while no information is stored on OnePlus’s website, there is a single page still hosted on OnePlus’ infrastructure where card details could be stolen, if an intruder has access. At this time, this seems to be the most likely culprit for the breach, though it’s worth waiting to see what OnePlus’ own investigation turns up.

OnePlus has been one of Android’s major success stories, with the company coming out of nowhere to become an established name within smartphones. It recently released its OnePlus 5T to great acclaim, and while no stranger to controversy, has generally had good press on its side. Thanks to its swift and decisive action to fix this issue as soon as it became apparent, we’re sure OnePlus will bounce back from this.

At this time, it seems that anyone who paid for their purchases via PayPal is in the clear, but OnePlus is urging anyone who has previously made a purchase on its webstore using a credit card to check their statements and get any unauthorized charges reversed wherever possible.

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Hutch can help you redesign your home, and the CEO is here to prove it

This Hollywood CEO isn’t just talking the talk about her interior design app Hutch — she’s now walking the walk, too. After all, what better way to convince customers to use your product than to be its champion yourself? To prove Hutch’s mettle when it comes to designing and decorating the home of your dreams (and of course, to improve the product by some hands-on testing), Hutch co-founder and CEO Bea Fischel-Bock decided to use the app in designing their own homes. The result? A fully redone pad and a series of new Hutch design filters to help others realize their home goals, too.

The Hutch app combines 3D technology with online shopping to help you virtually decorate your home. You only need to upload a photo of your space, or choose a Hutch template that closely resembles your room. Then, use Hutch’s 3D designer tool to try on new furniture and decor. Once you have figured out what goes where, use the Hutch app to start shopping — the company promises free shipping, free returns, and a price-match guarantee. While this all sounds well and good, Fischel-Bock wanted to ensure that her product was doing everything it promised, and put it to the ultimate test in an attempt to “adultify” her West Hollywood Spanish-style bungalow.

Fischel-Bock sought to create a more feminine, elevated, but relaxed aura. By browsing Hutch’s selection of content and filters (like the Elegant Entryway or Contemporary Eclectic Family Room), and swapping out specific products, she was able to visualize various styles for her home. For example, in her bedroom, the co-founder wanted to leverage the vertical square footage with lots of wall art and shelving. “My mom is an artist so I have picked up art throughout the years from my travels and visiting local flea markets,” Fischel-Bock told Digital Trends. “I used Hutch to find the newer art, and mixed and matched styles and mediums to give the wall a collected feel.”

She also used Hutch to search for neutral linens and various accents, like wooden side tables and woven rugs. “I would say my design style is California contemporary collected. I gravitate towards neutrals for key pieces and like to bring in color with accents and art,” Fischel-Bock told us. “My goal was to create a space where I could relax and unwind.”

After just a week, the Hutch CEO had completed her project, transforming her house into a new home, and had also helped to create three new filters for the app: Petite Boudoir Bedroom, Collected Feminine Living Room, and Textured Tulum Dining Room.

While redesigning your home may seem like a daunting task, having the ability to do some trial and error with an app and some 3D technology might make things a bit easier. So put down those color swatches and pick up your phone — Hutch may just be the tool you need.

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Wi-Fiber is creating safer cities by combining wireless tech, smart streetlights

A small company based in Camp Springs, Maryland, is using two very different platforms to give cities and communities all over America a major upgrade. Wi-Fiber was named Best in Show in the Smart City category at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES), and is poised to transform cities like Las Vegas with a combination of cutting-edge wireless technology and an interconnected smart surveillance network.

The company has been very successful in deploying seamless gigabit-capable Wi-Fi networks. In Ballston, a neighbornood in Arlington County, Virginia, a mere half-hour away from Wi-Fiber’s headquarters, the company has deployed Blinked, a free Wi-Fi network that creates a seamless, wireless mesh around an entire area. Wi-Fiber’s solution in Boston consists of 32 access points placed on the tops of buildings eight to 20 stories tall. The company has deployed a similar solution in such underserved communities as government-assisted housing projects in Arlington, Virginia.

“To date, we’ve seen success by listening to the needs of the municipalities, their employees, and the citizenry,” said Chase Donnelly, one of the founding partners and now chief experience officer for Wi-Fiber. “Our wireless expertise has allowed for some remarkable deployments, but we’ve allowed ourselves to venture into previously uncharted territories at the behest of our clients and prospects. We’ve succeeded to date primarily from filling obvious gaps in the market often resulting from the realities of free-market principles. With each new deployment, we’ve deepened our understanding of the mechanics  of the market, the fiber routes of disparate cities, the challenges those cities often face, and the near- and long-term road maps of their smart efforts.”

Building a better city with a single, intelligent solution

These smart Wi-Fi networks are just one side of Wi-Fiber’s plan to transform cities. What made a big splash at CES was the company’s new “Intelli-Platform,” a cutting-edge smart surveillance system. The device connects onto existing streetlight poles, and in as little as 30 minutes, connects to power lines and activates the platform’s true purpose.

The modular housing consists of LD lighting with strobe and color-changing capabilities, two-way microphones, speakers, 4K cameras with facial and license plate recognition functions, as well as a gunshot detector, all with IoT, 2/5G Wi-Fi, and LTE connectivity. To round out the solution, Wi-Fiber integrated Zigbee’s IoT platform, allowing the unit to access or include virtually any device on its frequency.

This advanced surveillance system is completely modular, allowing system operators to snap in new components without replacing the entire unit. This simplified deployment saves users time and money by integrating lighting, communications, and surveillance into one unit.

A smarter, safer Las Vegas

The Intelli-Platform’s capabilities recently drew the interest of Dr. Michael Sherwood, the director of information technology for the city of Las Vegas, which in October suffered the largest mass shooting by an individual in American history. Sherwood has been proactively working to broaden law enforcement’s tool kits and is working with Wi-Fiber to keep Las Vegas safer by partnering with Wi-Fiber.

“Wi-Fiber offers more than just a lighting system,” Sherwood said at CES last week. “It’s a complete ecosystem that really allows us to look at our streetlight network as a real network now. As the city grows and evolves, the platform can grow and evolve with us. It’s a foundation for a complete sensor network to be built around it.”

In the case of the recent shooting, Donnelly notes that additional data points and a more complex surveillance platform may have saved additional lives.

“With just a single device, our gunshot sensors could have triangulated the gunshots, minimizing the time taken to locate the shooter,” he explained. “The video feeds could have offered real-time visual data on the ongoing concert and the built-in speakers could have issued auditory warnings or recommendations assisting in the fallout. The Intelli-Platform’s built in network could have served as a data offload, reducing the number of people unable to make calls, and could have fed live video or emergency warnings to mobile devices.”

For their part, Wi-Fiber’s founders look to their roots at Georgetown Prep, their alma mater, and its credo “Women and Men for Others,” for guidance moving forward.

“We look to build solutions offering a better tomorrow,” said Donnelly. “From here, our mission is simple: to socialize and realize all that is possible with Wi-Fiber’s proprietary mesh capabilities and one-of-a-kind approach to smart connectivity. Here at CES, we recognized the vastly different approach we’re taking to these core concerns held by municipalities. We feel driven to deliver, not only to expand our business but more importantly, to solve problems, to interconnect endless technologies, to safeguard the innocent, assist in the capture of those looking to do harm, and to create a better tomorrow.”

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Everything you can do on the Overwatch League app, and how to use it

Blizzard’s Overwatch League kicked off in January, and it instantly dominated game streaming service Twitch, with hundreds of viewers tuning in to watch their favorite teams from around the globe compete in nail-biting matches. For fans who would rather watch on their phone, Blizzard’s official Overwatch League iOS and Android apps allow you to keep up with league easily. You can every match on the go, check scores and overall standings, view replays, check up on news, and even set alerts for when your favorite team is about to play. Let’s take a look at all the things you can do on the Overwatch League app, and how you use them.

Sign into the app and adjust your settings

If you plan to follow the Overwatch League regularly, the first thing you’ll want to do is sign in with your Blizzard ID, A.K.A. your Battle.Net account. You can use most of the Overwatch League app’s features regardless of whether or not you connect your Blizzard account, but signing in will give you the ability to follow your favorite teams and get phone alerts to remind you of scheduled game times.

To sign in, hit the user icon in the top left corner of the app and you’ll come to a page asking you to sign into your Blizzard account. Use the same username and password you use to sign into Blizzard’s Battle.net service — despite the name change, they are one and the same — and your account will be connected automatically.

From here, hit the “settings” option and you’ll be able to toggle match spoilers on and off – if you want to watch matches after they air, it’s best to hide them – as well as set match alerts as push notifications on your phone. You can also change your stream language to French or Korean instead of English.

Go back to the user page, and you’ll see a tab for “followed teams.” Click this and you’ll see a list of every team in the Overwatch League. Hitting the star by any team will follow them, giving you alerts for their matches, a shortcut to their page at the top of the app, and automatically syncing them to your account on the Overwatch League website.

Home page

Select the clock symbol at the bottom of the app to go to the home page. This gives you a snapshot of everything happening in the Overwatch league, including upcoming matches, videos, and news.

All matches taking place on the current day will be selectable at the top. Just scroll from side to side to select the match you’re interested in, and you’ll be taken to a page for that particular match, which shows the teams’ rosters. To set an alarm for the start of the game, tap the alarm in the top right corner, or ellipses symbol next to it, which you can use to add the match to your phone’s calendar.

Matches page

The scoreboard symbol at the bottom of the app will take you to the “matches” page. This is broken up by the four “stages” in the regular season, which you can change using the arrow at the top of the page – you can also set alerts for any matches you’re interested in here.

Click on any complete match (those with a score shown next to the teams’ names) to go an individual scoreboard page: On these pages, you can watch on-demand replays of each match. If the match hasn’t taken place yet, you’ll see the alarm symbol next to the teams’ names, instead, which you can also use to set an alert.

Standings page

The trophy symbol at the bottom of the app will take you to the “standings” page. This page is the most basic of the three, showing the current division leaders for the Pacific and the Atlantic, as well as those who would qualify for a wildcard spot in the playoffs should the season end today – a blue dotted line underneath these teams denotes those who would not make the playoffs in this scenario.

By default, this page shows the wildcard standings. Select “division leaders” and you’ll see the two divisions categorized separately, and selecting any team will take you to their organization’s page, complete with a schedule, videos, news, and a look at their roster.

If you click the three-lined icon in the top right of the standings page, you’ll see a menu which allows you to view the standings by particular stage, the playoffs, the grand finals, or even the “all-star weekend.” Each stage’s page also features the dotted blue line: In this case, it shows which teams will compete for the top prize in that particular stage, which earns teams a cash bonus.

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How to browse and add Alexa skills from any computer

How can I control Alexa from the web?

While the Alexa app on phones and tablets is the default for setting up and managing an Amazon Echo, you can do quite a bit with Amazon’s website if you prefer. Just like shopping for anything else on Amazon, you can search for Skills to add to your personal Alexa and take advantage of the larger screen in the process. All you really need is the ability to log in to your Amazon account, and you can use any browser to manage your Alexa Skills.

• How to browse for Alexa skills in your browser
• How to add Alexa Skills from your browser

Want a shortcut? Here are our 10 favorite Alexa Skills!

How to browse for Alexa skills in your browser

The key here is remembering Amazon has a dedicated section for Alexa Skills you can access from the homepage of its website. From there, assuming you’ve used Amazon to shop before, everything should feel familiar.

Open your web browser and go to Amazon.com
Hover your mouse over the Departments tab in the top left corner of the home page
Move your mouse down to the Echo and Alexa section to expand your options
Click on Alexa Skills under the Content and Resources section

The Alexa Skills section of Amazon gives you several navigation options. There’s a banner for some of the most popular promoted Skills, individual categories for popular questions, and a full breakdown of every category on the far left. If you’re just browsing for what is available, your best bet is to pick a section and read on.

If you have a more specific idea of what you are looking for, the search bar at the top of the screen will now only show you Amazon Skill-related results. You can search for anything, and if there’s a skill for it you’ll get some results.

How to add Alexa Skills from your browser

Once you have found an Alexa Skill you’d like to try for yourself, all you need to do is enable it. Since Alexa Skills are added to all of your Amazon Echo accessories at the same time, the only requirement on the web is that you be logged in to your Amazon account from the browser you are using. Once you are signed in, enabling a Skill is easy.

Click on the Alexa Skill you want to enable
Click the Enable button on the right side of the page
Confirm the skill has been enabled by speaking one of the test phrases listed on the page

Once you have confirmed the Skill has been enabled, you’re all done! If you have decided this Skill doesn’t do quite what you were hoping, you can also use this same page to remove a Skill. As soon as you click the Enable button, it will change from orange to gray and now say Disable on it. Clicking this will remove the Skill from your account, and you’ll be right back where you started.

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Verizon’s TV streaming service will consist of multiple standalone apps

If this is true, Verizon’s approach will be very different from the likes of DirecTV Now, YouTube TV, etc.

Internet-based live TV streaming services have exploded over the past three years, and one of the latest companies to get in on this action is Verizon Wireless. There’s still a lot that’s unknown about Verizon’s offering, but according to a report from TechCrunch, we at least have a general idea of how things will work.

Verizon will reportedly bundle multiple channels together and offer them as standalone themed apps. For example, there may be separate apps for sports, news, comedy, etc. Content will come from properties that Verizon owns through Oath (such as The Huffington Post, Engadget and TechCrunch) in addition to premium content that’s offered by third parties. Pricing details are still unknown, but it sounds like there may be options for both ad-supported and paid content.

More isn’t always better.

Compared to what we’ve seen in this market so far, Verizon’s service sounds quite different. Whether you’re using AT&T’s DirecTV Now, YouTube TV, Sling TV, or even smaller services like Philo, the setup is very similar to cable and satellite companies in the sense that you use one app for watching all of your content in one place – whether it be through a guide of live programming or on-demand shows.

I sort of understand Verizon’s want to stand out from what’s already being offered, but having to use multiple apps to watch all of my favorite channels sounds like a nightmare.

What about you? Based on what we know so far, are you interested in Verizon’s TV service?

T-Mobile is getting into the streaming television business with Layer3 TV acquisition

Never forget another password with a subscription to Dashlane!

Keeping all your online accounts secure is so crucial these days — but then with so many different accounts to keep track of, it can be hard to keep things straight while avoiding one password to use for all accounts (never do this).

If improving the security of your accounts is one of your goal for 2018, you should consider checking out a top-rated password manager such as Dashlane Password Manager.

Built with patented security architecture, Dashlane is available across all platforms and browsers and makes it a breeze to log into all your favorite websites and apps. Dashlane will remember all your passwords and autofill them when it’s time to log in, and also allows you to generate a brand new strong and unique password with a single click. And since Dashlane does all the remembering and auto-filling, you don’t have to remember a dozen different cryptic passwords.

Right now, first-time users can save 50% off a yearly subscription to Dashlane, which are available in one-year ($19.98), three-year ($59.94), and five-year terms ($99.90). With a Dashlane subscription, you’ll be able to manage and secure 500 different accounts at one time, which gives you the peace of mind to focus on the things you want to do without getting bogged down trying to remember your own password. You’ll want to act now, as this deal is only here for a limited time!

See at Android Central Digital Offers