Samsung’s Chromebook Pro is down to $479 for one day only

Limited time offer.

Samsung’s Chromebook Pro hit $450 during the holidays, but right now Best Buy has every other retailer beat on pricing. Amazon has it for $499, as does B&H. Samsung currently has it for $549.99.

It features a 12.3-inch touchscreen LCD display and comes equipped with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. Not sure if the Chromebook Pro is for you? From our review of the Chromebook Pro:

This is far and away the best Chromebook Samsung has ever made relative to the competition at the time, and considering how strong the market has become that’s an extra bit of praise. It’s extremely thin and light without feeling cheap, has an excellent display and plenty of power for any Chromebook user while hitting a reasonable price point of $550. It also has the added bonus of a stylus that performs just as well as Samsung’s Note line of phones and tablets.

This is a solid Chromebook, and at this price, you won’t find much better out there. Be sure to grab one now, before the discount is gone.

See at Best Buy

Samsung may ditch the S-series branding in 2019

The Galaxy S9 could be the last Samsung phone to feature the iconic S-series brand.

We’re just a few short weeks away from the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S9 at MWC in Barcelona, and as we’ve seen from rumors and leaks, the phone will be a minor upgrade over the already great Galaxy S8. This would naturally lead us to believe that 2019’s Galaxy S10 will be a much more exciting device, and a new report suggests Samsung will commemorate this by doing away with its S-series branding.

According to GizChina, the Galaxy S9 will be Samsung’s last phone in the S-series before moving on to something different. Samsung’s been using the S naming scheme since 2010 with the original Galaxy S, and with next year being home to the release of Samsung’s tenth S-series flagship, the company will reportedly ditch the Galaxy S10 name in favor of Galaxy X – not unlike what Apple did with the iPhone X last year.

Samsung’s said to be doing the name change in an effort to reduce clunky naming schemes (such as Galaxy S15 and S17), but this does create for some confusion considering that Samsung’s foldable smartphone has been rumored as the Galaxy X for quite some time now.

If Samsung does stick with the X branding for its primary and foldable phones, we could see something along the lines of the Galaxy X, Galaxy X Plus, and Galaxy X Foldable. Then again, Samsung could also name its foldable phone something entirely different and reserve the X branding for its primary releases instead. It’s too early to say for certain but even so, it will be something to keep an eye on as we go throughout the year.

With that said, what do you think about Samsung possibly retiring the S-series brand in favor of something different?

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+

• Galaxy S8 and S8+ review!
• Galaxy S8 and S8+ specs
• Everything you need to know about the Galaxy S8’s cameras
• Get to know Samsung Bixby
• Join our Galaxy S8 forums

Verizon
AT&T
T-Mobile
Sprint
Unlocked

Multi-Window on phones is the best Android feature you’re probably not using

Lately I’ve found myself trying to do more in a shorter time, which means employing tools my phone already offers — like Multi-Window.

At the end of 2017, I promised that I would spend less time on my phone, since I wanted to reclaim some of that often-wasted time for other things, like reading or spending more time with actual humans. But I need to use a phone — and often many phones — for work, so picking it up less often is a tricky negotiation.

In recent months, I’ve found myself relying on a feature that debuted in 2016 with Nougat but improved quite a bit with Oreo: Multi-Window. This isn’t some new thing: Samsung had its own version of the feature for years before Google integrated it into Android at large, but so few apps supported it that it became a game of sorts to see which combinations would work. But today, in early 2018, almost all apps support Multi-Window in some way unless they need the entire screen, like a game or photo app; and even those that don’t explicitly support, like Spotify, work pretty well.

Thanks to smart resizing, Multi-Window even works nicely on smaller phones like the Pixel 2.

Multi-Window has become somewhat of an addiction for me — even on small phones like the Pixel 2 (not the 2 XL), I find myself watching a YouTube video (in portrait mode) on top while scrolling through a webpage in Chrome or keeping apprised of my coworkers in Slack. In the mornings, I use the Clock app to start a coffee timer while catching up on my RSS feeds in Newsblur.

There isn’t a multi-window solution for every multitasking problem, but the beauty of it — and all phones running Android 7.0 Nougat and above can use it, which accounts for around 30% of devices — is that it’s so flexible. An alternative sizing of around 65/35 lets portrait users see more of one app, which is my preferred view for watching YouTube videos, since it’s not possible (at least where I live) to just listen to the audio in the background.

Multi-Window is the best Android feature that no one is using.

Even without employing Multi-Window, an increasing number of people are watching regular 16:9 video content in portrait mode. Perhaps some are just too lazy to turn the phone around, but the likely reason is that it’s just easier to hold a phone upright than having to balance it in landscape mode.

Moreover, the proliferation of phones with taller 2:1 (or in Samsung’s case, 18.5:9) aspect ratios make Multi-Window even more useful, because these phones have considerably more vertical space to work with to accommodate additional content in portrait mode. So that YouTube video ends up taking the same amount of vertical space as on a phone with a 16:9 display, but there’s a lot more room for a web browser or Twitter feed as a result.

Multi-Window doesn’t just take a single form, either: on phones, it can also show up as a small floating window above another app. The most notable example is Google Maps, which shrinks down to a little thumbnail during navigation and can be easily expanded to fullscreen with a couple of taps. This versatility really does enhance the experience, especially when, as a passenger in the car, I can visually reference step-by-step navigation instructions without being beholden to the foreground app.

The more I experiment with Multi-Window, the more useful it becomes. And because it’s built into Android, I find myself using it now more than ever. Of course, the feature is best utilized on larger devices like tablets and Chromebooks, but given that phones today act like both of those things — I do everything on my phone, including work-related tasks — I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing.

Android Oreo

• Android Oreo review!
• Everything new in Android Oreo
• How to get Android Oreo on your Pixel or Nexus
• Oreo will make you love notifications again
• Will my phone get Android Oreo?
• Join the Discussion

Google+’s Android app is getting a major update for the loyal few

A “brand new” version of Google+ is coming soon with a lot of changes under the hood.

In the world of social networks, Google+ is, well, Google+. It used to be a fun place for talking to friends about virtually any topic, but thanks to unrelenting spam and users migrating to other platforms, it’s become something that I check a handful of times a year. However, for those of you that continue to be loyal Google+ users, big things are on the way.

Google+ Engineering Manager Leo Deegan recently took to the social network to announce that a “brand new version” of the site’s Android app will be enabled over the coming days. The updated app is said to look very similar to the current one, but that it’s also “the culmination of a complete rewrite of many core features using Google’s latest Android app infrastructure which will allow our Android team to build new features on a modern tech stack.”

What does that mean for the end user? While the UI should remain mostly unchanged, Deegan says that there are improvements to scrolling and rendering, there’s a new design for photo lightboxes, and there are tweaks to Google+’s comments (such as the ability for author’s to see greyed-out spam comments).

Deegan notes that there are a couple known bugs, but as with all updates, these should be worked out soon. There’s no specific timeframe as to when the update will drop and how it’ll be released (either as an APK update or a server-side change), but even so, it’s reassuring to see Google putting time and effort into the platform.

If you’re a former Google+ user but have since moved to another social network, will these changes entice you to come back?

Bring order to chaos with this $11 cord management cable holder

Never reach for a loose cable again.

The CSHope multipurpose magnetic cord management cable holder is down to $11.19 with code K6FG7KGV. That code brings it down from its street price of $14 to the lowest price we’ve ever seen. It even beats out the coupon on the product page (unfortunately, they don’t stack).

The holder is easy to install with 3M adhesive for the bottom and magnetic buckles for all your different cables. The buckles have 4mm grooves, which should fit any standard cables. Because of the removable adhesive, you can stick this thing anywhere you might need it, including your desk, a coffee table, or the dashboard of your car. It comes with a 13-month worry free guarantee.

See on Amazon

How to transfer contacts to a new Android phone

New phone, who dis?

Changing phones is already a strenuous time, getting all of your apps set up the way you had them, getting your services — and more importantly your game progress — synced up, and getting all of your text messages copied over from your old phone. While transfer software can get most of your data backed up and restored no sweat, it doesn’t seem to always work for getting 100% of your contacts moved over.

Never fear! It’s easy to manually export your contacts, and it doesn’t take any special apps.

Note: These instructions have been written using a Google Pixel with the Contacts app and Downloads app, but the basic steps should work on most Android phones. If these exact steps do not match your device, look for the Export option in your Contacts/People/Phone app.

• How to export all contacts
• How to export a single contact
• How to import contacts from a VCF file

How to export all contacts

Open the Contacts app. On some phones, this app may go by People, Address Book, or Phone Book.
Tap the three-line menu icon in the top left corner.

Tap Settings.

Tap Export under Manage Contacts.
Select every account to ensure you export every contact on your phone.
Tap Export to VCF file.

Rename the name if you want, then tap Save.

Open your Downloads folder on your phone.
Long-press the exported VCF file.
Tap Share (the three connected dots icon).

Tap and option: save to Google Drive or email it to yourself.

Once you’ve uploaded the VCF file to Google Drive or emailed it to yourself, you need only open the app on your new phone. The file will be opened and you will be asked which account you’d like to save the contacts to on your new phone.

How to export a single contact

Open the Contacts app. On some phones, this app may go by People, Address Book or Phone Book.
Tap the contact you wish to export.

Tap the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner.

Tap Share (the three connected dot icon).

Tap an option: save to Google Drive or email it to yourself.

Exporting individual contacts is also a great way to share your number/email with people, sharing a VCF file with your own contact information to friends, family, and co-workers so all they have to do is open it to add it to their phone book.

How to import contacts from a VCF file

Importing your exported contacts is even easier than exporting it:

Open your exported VCF file on your new phone from the email or Google Drive you saved it to.
Tap Just Once to open with the Contacts app. On some phones, this app may go by People, Address Book, or Phone Book.

Select the account you want the contacts connected to if you have more than one Google account on your phone.

Backing up and restoring your contacts is easy – so long as you have your old phone. Since you never know when yours might go belly up, consider now a prime opportunity to back up your contacts so that if your phone takes a dip in the pool, you won’t have to spend days figuring out how many contacts you’ve lost forever.

Questions?

Let us know in the comments below!

No, OnePlus is not working on a OnePlus X2

The OnePlus X2 is fake news.

Of all the phones OnePlus has released, one of the most peculiar was the OnePlus X. The X essentially took the guts of the OnePlus One, put them in a glass slab with a smaller screen, and cut the price to just $249. It was a great budget phone at the time, but it strangely never saw a successor.

A rumor recently popped up suggesting that a OnePlus X2 was finally in the works, and reported specs included the likes of a 5.5-inch display, Snapdragon 835, 4GB of RAM, and a price well under $300. I expect a lot of people would be interested in such a device from OnePlus, but shortly after this rumor started to pick up steam, OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei took to Twitter to debunk it.

Nope. 🤷‍♂️ https://t.co/hsFBhDFZ8J

— Carl Pei (@getpeid) February 6, 2018

In a later Tweet, Pei linked to an article about the science of fake news, saying “Fake news is a huge threat to human civilization. Let’s all do our part in stopping it.”

So, it looks like the OnePlus X2 isn’t happening after all. Just like how the Note 8’s S Pen doesn’t give you cancer.

Happy Tuesday, folks.

OnePlus 5T in Lava Red coming to North America and Europe on February 6 ‘while supplies last’

How to clean your PlayStation 4 console

Keeping your console clean is mandatory for the best gaming experience!

Your PlayStation 4 is a behemoth when it comes to delivering awesome games, movies, and even VR content. However, you may start to notice some slow down if you let dust build up over time, and nobody wants that. To keep your console running as efficiently as possible, you definitely need to keep it clean. Thankfully this is an easy task that should only take about 10 minutes of your time.

Compressed Air

The first thing that you want to do while cleaning your system is to go ahead and grab a can of compressed air. Your PlayStation 4 is covered with vents located at the front, sides, and back of the system, and these have a tendency to get absolutely covered in dust. To take care of this all that you need to do is go ahead and point the nozzle of the can at those vents, and then spray in short measured bursts. You ought to see the dust clear out of all the vents very quickly, and since PlayStation 4 consoles are black it’s easy to see where the dust has evacuated the system.

Now when you’re using compressed air you want to keep the nozzle a fair few inches away from the system so that the dust can escape properly. Likewise, you want to ensure that you hit all the vents on the system so you don’t miss built up dust somewhere. By cleaning out all of the vents, you’re ensuring the system is able to expel excess heat which helps reduce strain on the internal components. Also, make sure to hold the can upright so no moisture comes out when you spray it. Moisture is incredibly bad, especially if it gets into the inner components.

PS4 in need of a good dusting? You can order a two-pack of compressed air for $14 via Amazon.

See at Amazon

Microfiber Cloth

Now if your system frequently turns gray with dust, you might be tempted to hit it with a wet wipe of some kind. Do not, we repeat, do not do that. You never want to introduce any kind of moisture to the system. Instead what you’ll want to use is a microfiber cloth. Using the cloth you’ll want to wipe the entire system down. This includes the top, sides, front, and back. Depending on how you have your console set up, wiping down the bottom isn’t a bad call either. Depending on how much dust you are dealing with you may need to clean the cloth off a few times, but the shiny black of a clean console is very easy to differentiate. You can stock up on microfibre clothes for cheap with this Amazon Basics 24-pack for $13.50.

See at Amazon

Swiffer Duster

Any feather duster will work, but these are best for doing gentle dusting for your PlayStation. With the soft feathers and lock-in ability, this is great to get into vents and indents in your PlayStation 4. You won’t have to worry about dust getting pushed into the PlayStation or any scratches that might arise since it’s so soft. You can get your hands on one of these on Amazon for $7.

See at Amazon

Do NOT clean with your vaccuum

If you try to clean your console with a vacuum, there is a chance that you will mess up the inner components because the static with the vacuum can cause problems. Unless you have an anti-static vacuum specifically for something like this, your household vacuum will be sure to ruin your PlayStation.

Cleaning your Dualshock 4 controllers

Much like your system, if your controllers sit on a rack all day long they are going to accumulate dust. All that you need to do is go ahead and use a cleaning cloth to wipe down the controller. While wet wipes are still a general no-no, they can be used on the controller so long as you are avoiding the headphone jack, and charge port. When wiping down the controller you’ll want to pay special attention to all of the buttons, the analog sticks, and the light bar at the back of the controller.

Specifically, you want to ensure theres no dust or grime blocking that light bar, especially if you are playing PlayStation VR games, since the camera needs to be able to properly see that light bar. Likewise, nobody wants to use a controller with sticky buttons caused by dust or debris. If that’s exactly what you’re dealing with, your best bet is to turn off the controller and then use a wet wipe to clean away the dust and grime. This can also be particularly handy for those times when you can’t actually see what is causing a button of analog stick to get stuck. Just ensure that the controller has plenty of time to dry out before use, and limit the amount of moisture as much as possible to avoid damage.

If you’re still a little anxious using that kind of moisture on a controller, your best bet is to use the compressed air on the buttons and analog sticks. Keeping it at a safe distance where you’re still able to blow out the dust, this will be the easiest way to get the dust out. It’s great for your controllers, and there is less of a chance of any harm to them since it’s much harder to get to the inside of them.

Cleaning your PlayStation Move controllers

The first thing that you want to do is pick your compressed air back up. With controlled bursts, spray all of the ports and crevices on the controller to make sure there isn’t any dust hiding in a sneaky spot. From there, all you need to do is go ahead and wipe down the rest of the controller with a microfiber cloth. If there is any sticky residue, use a slightly damp paper towel or wet wipe while avoiding all ports.

If you have a pair of Move controller that you want to bust out, but that are particularly dusty, there are a few things to remember. The PlayStation camera reads Move controllers by tracking the lights in the bulb of each controller, so you want to ensure that they are as clean of dust and debris as possible. Likewise, cleaning out the ports, and around the button ensures that you won’t get distracted while playing a game.

Tips

It’s basically impossible to keep your system entirely clear of dust, but there are a few things that you can do to help minimize the amount of dust or debris you need to clean. Just keep in mind that the PlayStation 4 console is essentially a dust magnet thanks to that shiny black exterior.

• Keep it away from pets: If you have dogs or cats, try to keep the console as far from the floor as possible so that animal hair isn’t getting stuck on your system.
• Avoid glass entertainment centers: Glass already has a tendency to attract dust, so if you set up your PS4 on a glass entertainment center you can expect your system to need a good cleaning about once a week or so. You can set your system in vertical orientation or invest in a dust cover to help keep the dust to a minimum.
• Don’t smoke in the house: Cigarette smoke causes faster dirt accumulation, and this definitely includes your console.
• Don’t take your PlayStation apart to try to clean the inside: Not only will this completely void your warranty, there is a higher chance of hurting your PlayStation, especially if you’re not a professional.

Keep it clean

PlayStation 4 consoles are going to get dirty; it doesn’t matter if they are sitting up on a shelf or hanging out on the entertainment center. What matters is knowing how to properly clean it up and get it back up and running in tip-top shape after it’s gone gray with dust. Armed with just a microfiber cloth and some compressed air, you can easily dispatch the army of dust bunnies that has taken up residence on your console and its controllers. Do you have a particular tip for cleaning your system? Is there something we missed? Be sure to drop us a comment below and tell us about it!

PlayStation 4

• PS4 vs. PS4 Slim vs. PS4 Pro: Which should you buy?
• PlayStation VR Review
• Playing PS4 games through your phone is awesome

Amazon

Updated February 2018: We’ve updated this guide with all the latest information for keeping your console clean!

This $30 iPad stylus senses pressure via headphone jack

Stylus manufacturers have been working hard to replicate the sensation of writing and sketching on tablets over the years, hence the handful of styli that support pressure sensing and palm rejection these days. Unfortunately, these pens don’t come cheap, with the Apple Pencil asking for $99 but is still only compatible with the iPad Pro series. Even the other good styli with greater iPad compatibility start at around $50. However, Hong Kong-based GreenBulb has come up with a cunning solution dubbed SonarPen that only costs $30, yet it supports both pressure sensing and palm rejection by making use of the headphone jack. No charging nor wireless connectivity required here, just plug it in and sketch away.

Here’s how the SonarPen works: as the name suggests, it relies on audio signal to relay touch and pressure data back to the tablet. And since there is also touch input on the touchscreen itself, the SonarPen supports palm rejection by matching signals from both sides. The interesting part here is that the pressure detection is all analog up to the headphone jack, which is why SonarPen doesn’t have a figure for its pressure sensitivity levels; it all depends on the audio-to-digital signal conversion on the iPad.

Two weeks earlier, I got to try 3D-printed prototypes on three iPad models (a 12.9-inch iPad Pro, an iPad Air and a third-gen iPad), and they were consistently responsive in both Zen Brush 2 and GoodNotes. There were a few occasions when the SonarPen wasn’t detected after being plugged back in, which required us to relaunch the apps, but that should be fixed well before launch. According to inventor Elton Leung, SonarPen doesn’t need its own app; you just have to select SonarPen in supported sketching or note-taking apps, and apparently more apps will join the list soon. Likewise, you can customize the SonarPen’s shortcut button in those apps. When in other apps, though, the SonarPen still serves as a “dumb” stylus sans pressure sensitivity.

As for general usage, the size and shape of the SonarPen felt just like any ordinary pen, and the transparent disc around the replaceable conductive tip didn’t bother me at all. Similarly, the cable didn’t get in the way as long as the headphone jack was on the same side as my writing hand. The pen has a groove that cuts through the middle of the body for wrapping up the sturdy flat cable, so you don’t have to worry about it tangling up. Better yet, each SonarPen comes with a handy magnetic pen holder, which can be stuck to the back of your iPad via its 3M adhesive.

For a $30 stylus, the SonarPen is surprisingly capable with minimal fuss, and it’s compatible with all iPads except for the first-gen model, so this is a relatively cheap and cheerful way to turn your old iPads into sketchpads. For now, SonarPen is available for backing on Kickstarter with the usual early-bird discounts, and it’s expected to ship in June later this year.

Source: Kickstarter

Tesla’s big battery is undercutting Australia’s energy cartels

When Tesla installed the world’s largest lithium-ion battery in South Australia last year, it came with the promise that it would revolutionize the way electricity is produced, stored and sold in a region known for blackouts and market monopolizing. Less than two months later, that promise has been delivered to the tune of a multimillion-dollar saving, as the Tesla big battery essentially noped an attempt by Australia’s energy cartel to capitalize on power fluctuations and send the market into overdrive.

Traditionally, what happens during planned maintenance or system faults is that the Australian Energy Market Operator asks energy companies to contribute some of their network services, known as FCAS (frequency control and ancillary services). On January 14, it asked for 35MW. The major players — AGL, Origin and Engie — could only find 30MW of “low-priced” capacity (despite having more than 400MW available), so prices were set to go into orbit just as they had on 10 other occasions in the past 12 months. During these events prices reached AU$14,000/MW, with generators charging up to $7 million a day for a service that usually costs one-tenth of that.

Not this time, though, as the Tesla big battery rode in on a white horse and bid into the market, keeping prices down to around $270/MW. Experts say Tesla’s role probably saved around $3 million or more — good news for market players and consumers alike. According to Powershop Australia CEO Ed McManus, the Tesla big battery is already having a “phenomenal” impact. In this week’s RenewEconomy’s Energy Insider podcast, he said that January 14’s events “plays into the thinking of new players looking to come into South Australia to challenge the incumbents”, and that it’s been a “very, very significant development for generation investment and generation competition” in the area. Tesla’s not done turning the tide down under yet, either, as it this week announced further plans to create the largest-ever “virtual power plant” in the Australian state.

Source: RenewEconomy