Samsung opening new ‘Connected Customer Care Center’ in South Carolina with 400 employees

Image courtesy of Samsung

The goal is improved customer support, but this will also generate hundreds of new jobs in Greenville.

Samsung is making it clear that the company values U.S.-based customer service by opening another massive customer service center in South Carolina. The new “Connected Customer Care Center” will open with 200 employees by the end of 2018, and will expand to 400 in total by 2020. The new center will bolster the already-large presence Samsung has in South Carolina, where there are currently 600 employees.

Phone-based customer service is bad … and Samsung’s trying to change that in the U.S.

The goal of the customer service center is to provide more, and even better, after-sales support for Samsung’s growing lineup of consumer electronics — and not just the individual products, but how they can all interact and work together in your home. As these relationships between products get more complex, the customer service needs to advance with them — and this Care Center will provide additional space for training all of these employees.

The new Connected Customer Care Center will have full-time onsite training, along with what Samsung calls a “connected living lab” where customer service personnel will be able to see and use the products in person before offering support to customers. This is a level of customer support you don’t always see, and is often the cause of frustration when calling in to a company for help with your product. Samsung says it will also be offering facilities for video call support for when customers need that level of help.

The hope is that you’ll never have to call Samsung for support, but if you do, the experience should be better going forward than it ever has been in the past. You can thank this expansion for the improvement.

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+

• Galaxy S9 and S9+: Everything you need to know!
• Galaxy S9 review: A great phone for the masses
• Complete Galaxy S9 and S9+ specs
• Galaxy S9 vs. Galaxy S8: Should you upgrade?
• Join our Galaxy S9 forums

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Samsung to Open State-of-the-Art Connected Customer Care Center

The world-class facility will bring 400 jobs to South Carolina and provide cutting-edge care resources to U.S. consumers

July 12, 2018 – RIDGEFIELD PARK, N.J. – Samsung Electronics America, Inc. today announced it is opening a new breakthrough Connected Customer Care Center in Greenville, South Carolina. The 34,928 square foot facility will support the company’s move towards integrated connectivity between Samsung products and services, and ensures that not only are the company’s hardware products ready for integrated multi-device use, so too are the company’s critical support systems.

To date, 71 percent of U.S. households have at least one Samsung device, and nearly one third of U.S. households have three or more Samsung products. These numbers grow every day, as do the way consumers use their products. For years Samsung has been investing in delivering major, transformative benefits to the way consumers use Samsung devices – extending and expanding the way each product works together to create continuous user experiences. The new site will help support consumers’ desire to seamlessly connect their devices and will ensure they get the most out of Samsung’s products and service offerings.

“The way consumers are using technology devices is changing. We are entering a world in which the way consumers use and switch technology products is constant and seamless,” said Michael Lawder, senior vice president of Customer Care at Samsung Electronics America. “Today’s announcement goes beyond our commitment to providing superior care for Samsung products, and ensures that Samsung customers are able to receive world-class education, training and support to connect their products and maximize their use however and whenever they would like.”

The facility, which will bring 200 additional Samsung support jobs to South Carolina in 2018 and a total of 400 new jobs to the region by 2020, is part of the company’s continued efforts to deliver exceptional customer care at more touchpoints throughout the U.S. It will include two advanced training centers for onsite agents, a showcase of the latest Samsung products across all categories, a private and secure video chat support area, and a connected living lab with Samsung and competitive products that will allow agents to test the real-life consumer experiences. Employees will also be able to enjoy a collaborative, open work environment, an onsite café and a variety of other amenities.

Samsung will open the new site in partnership with Alorica, the world’s leading platform for customer interactions. Harnessing Alorica’s expertise in customer service experience, customer retention and insights from more than 600 million interactions, agents will be able to deliver augmented, streamlined customer experiences for Samsung users across the entire Samsung ecosystem of products.

The facility will be located at 901 Holland Road in Simpsonville, S.C. and will be Samsung’s second customer care location in the state. The company opened up its first product support center, which employs more than 600 people, in Simpsonville, S.C. in 2009. With this new location, there will be more than 1,000 Samsung support jobs in South Carolina by 2020. In addition, earlier this year Samsung opened a $380 million home appliance manufacturing plant in nearby Newberry, S.C.

“When Samsung announced its intentions to build a manufacturing facility in Newberry, they told the people of South Carolina that they were dedicated to our community,” said Gov. Henry McMaster. “At every opportunity, this fantastic company has demonstrated that commitment, and today’s announcement that will create 400 new jobs in Greenville is just further proof that Samsung will be here for a very long time, investing in South Carolina and creating jobs for the people of our state.”

South Carolina was chosen as the location for the Connected Customer Care Center based on the state’s skilled workforce and the company’s existing facilities in South Carolina. Additional details on the site as well as the building’s formal ribbon cutting will be made available later this summer. For the latest in Samsung Customer Care news, visit the Samsung U.S. Newsroom.

Sprint’s adding a $70/month unlimited plan and neutering its $60/month one

The word “unlimited” is truly meaningless at this point.

U.S. carriers seem to have a hard time understanding what the word “unlimited” means, and most recently, this point is being proven once again with changes coming to Sprint’s plans.

Sprint currently offers one plan called Unlimited Freedom, but starting Friday, July 13, it’s being laid to rest in favor of Unlimited Basic and Unlimited Plus.

Unlimited Basic costs the same as Unlimited Freedom at $60/month for one line, but even so, is an all-around worse deal. Video streaming is now restricted to 480p instead of Unlimited Freedom’s full 1080p access, and when it comes to mobile hotspot use, Unlimited Basic customers only have 500MB of LTE data to use compared to Unlimited Freedom’s 10GB.

If you’re not a fan of those restrictions, Sprint’s more than happy to sell Unlimited Plus to you for $70/month. Unlimited Plus lets you stream in full 1080p like before, while also upgrading your mobile hotspot to 15GB of LTE data and throwing in a free subscription to Tidal’s $9.99/month plan. No matter which one you choose, both new unlimited plans still come with Hulu.

A little less than a month ago, Verizon made a similar change by adding a third unlimited plan to its lineup, making customers choose between Go Unlimited, Beyond Unlimited, and Above Unlimited.

Sprint and Verizon are both trying to market these changes as a way to give their customers more choice over what they want in their plan, and while that’s fine, continuing to call them “unlimited” is a flat-out lie at this point.

What is dual 4G LTE, and why should you care?

Carriers

• Which unlimited plan should you buy?
• Verizon’s Unlimited plans: Everything you need to know
• Everything you need to know about the T-Mobile ONE unlimited plan
• Everything you need to know about the AT&T Unlimited plan
• Everything you need to know about Sprint’s Unlimited Freedom plan
• Join the Discussion

Treat yourself to a UE Wonderboom for just $50 today

Combine them together for an even bigger sound.

Right now Amazon has the UE Wonderboom speaker down to just $49.99 in Midnight Blue and Deep Blue, which is a match for the lowest direct price drop we’ve seen. This is part of a big Amazon sale on audio and studio equipment. It is one-day only and exclusive to Prime members.

While compact, the Wonderboom speaker blasts sound out 360 degrees which helps kick up any party. It’s water-resistant and can last for up to ten hours on a single charge. The Bluetooth can connect from up to 100 feet away from your device. What’s cool about Wonderboom speakers is that two of them can be connected together for even bigger sound.

This speaker features a rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars on Amazon with almost 800 reviews.

See on Amazon

MoviePass: Everything you need to know

Here’s your one-stop-shop for all the MoviePass news, controversies, and more.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock lately, there’s a good chance you’ve heard a thing or two about MoviePass. Although the company was founded way back in 2011, it’s picked up a lot of steam over the past year or so with its too-good-to-be-true offer of allowing you to see one movie per day for just $9.95/month.

MoviePass has become one of the most disruptive companies of recent memory, and whether you’re looking for the latest controversies or want to learn more about the service before you sign up, you’ve come to the right place.

Without further ado, this is everything you need to know about MoviePass!

The latest MoviePass news

July 12, 2018 — Support for IMAX and 3D movies will be available by September 3

While the addition of Peak Pricing isn’t the most welcome change to hit MoviePass, CEO Mitch Lowe recently shared some good news with Business Insider.

According to Lowe, MoviePass subscribers will be able to see IMAX, 3D, and other premium showings by Labor Day (September 3). A charge of $2 – $5 will be applied for these more expensive formats, but considering that IMAX tickets can cost as much as $20+ per ticket, that’s still a good value even with the $9.99/month recurring fee in mind.

As for MoviePass’s other new feature, Bring-A-Guest, that should also be rolled out around the same time.

Lastly, Lowe noted that Peak Pricing will be implemented for all MoviePass subscribers by the end of the month.

July 5, 2018 — Peak Pricing is now rolling out to all MoviePass users

After being announced late last month, MoviePass is officially launching its new Peak Pricing system.

Like we mentioned in the last news update, Peak Pricing will add a small surcharge to certain showtimes based on the movie you’re seeing and what time it’s playing. A red lightning bolt icon next to a showtime indicates that it is affected by Peak Pricing while a grey-colored one notes that Peak Pricing may go into effect for it soon.

If you’re checking in for a show with Peak Pricing, you’ll see a confirmation screen highlighting the amount you’ll be charged.

MoviePass notes that Peak Pricing is “rolling out gradually over the next several weeks.”

All the important details

There are two plans to choose from

Right now, you’ve got two options to choose from if you want to get MoviePass — MoviePass and MoviePass Unlimited.

The former of those two costs $7.95/month and lets you see three movies per month.

While it’s nice that MoviePass has this available if you want to save a couple bucks each month, I’d recommend going all the way with MoviePass Unlimited. For $9.95/month, you can watch one new movie per day in theaters every single day.

Both plans are billed monthly and can be canceled at any time.

See at MoviePass

E-ticketing makes everything easier

MoviePass is regularly partnering with more and more theater chains to support e-ticketing, and if you happen to live near one that offers this, you’re in for a real treat.

For theaters that don’t support e-ticketing, using MoviePass requires you to be within 100 yards of the theater you’re going to, check-in to the showtime on your phone, and then swipe your card to get your ticket. If the showing happens to sell out by the time you get to the theater, you can either choose another movie or call it a night.

However, if there’s a theater near you that does support e-ticketing, the process is way simpler. Once you find the showtime you want to go to, a “Get E-Ticket” button will pop up instead of the “Check In” one.

E-tickets can’t be canceled once you buy them, but they do have the added benefit of allowing you buy them wherever you are. Also, if you’re theater supports e-ticketing and reserved seating, you can even choose your seat right from the MoviePass app! Once you get to the theater, just type in the redemption code for your e-ticket or scan the QR code.

Right now, e-ticketing with MoviePass works at Goodrich Quality Theaters, Studio Movie Grill, and MJR Theaters.

Only 2D movies are supported, at least for now

As it currently stands, you can only use your MoviePass to watch regular 2D movies. In the near future, however, that will soon be changing.

By Labor Day (September 3), MoviePass will allow you to pay an upgrade fee to see RealD 3D, IMAX 2D, 3D, and other Premium Large Format movies.

That fee will range between $2 – $5 depending on what kind of premium show you’re seeing.

You can’t rewatch movies

As good of a deal as MoiePass is, it’s not without a few limits here and there — the first of which is the fact that you can’t rewatch movies.

MoviePass experimented with letting people rewatch the same movie over and over again for a few months but eventually decided to revoke the right to prevent ticket-scalping and other misuses of the service.

It would certainly be nice to have the option of seeing a movie again that you particularly like, but don’t expect this to come back anytime soon.

You can still benefit from your theater’s loyalty program

If your theater has a loyalty program that rewards you with points for buying tickets and concessions, you can link it up to your MoviePass account and still get rewarded for the tickets you “buy” with your MoviePass subscription.

As it currently stands, you can link loyalty programs from Goodrich Quality Theaters, D Place Entertainment, and Starlight Cinemas.

It’s an admittedly small list right now, but it’s one that should only grow more and more as time goes on.

What’s the deal with Peak Pricing?

MoviePass is always trying to find ways of adapting its business model as more and more people join, and one of those latest efforts is seen with Peak Pricing. On June 22, MoviePass said the following:

Under this plan, if the combination of demand for a title, date or part of day is higher, subscribers may be asked to pay a small additional fee depending on the level of demand. You can avoid this peak surcharge by choosing an alternative date or film.

In the MoviePass app, showtimes that are affected by Peak Pricing will be indicated by a red lightning bolt icon next to them. If a showtime isn’t currently in Peak Pricing but might enter it soon, you’ll see a grey icon.

The surcharge you’ll need to pay is entirely dependent on the movie and time, but as a point of reference, the screenshots MoviePass shared show a surcharge of $3.43. Thankfully, MoviePass will launch Peak Passes in the coming weeks that’ll allow you to waive the Peak Pricing fee once per month.

Peak Pricing officially launched on July 5 and is rolling out to users over the coming weeks. If you’re currently subscribed to an annual or quarterly plan, you won’t have to deal with Peak Pricing until your plan ends and renews.

Be mindful of the device authorization limit

If you’re someone that lives the two phone life or frequently goes from device to device, you’ll want to keep MoviePass’s device authorization limit in mind.

To “keep your account secure”, MoviePass only allows you to be signed into the MoviePass app on one phone at a time. However, if you do get a new phone or need to sign into another one for whatever reason, you can log into your account on another phone every 30 days.

Just download the app, enter your credentials, and confirm that you want to use that as your authorized device.

Updated July 12, 2018: Updated the plan information now that the iHeartRadio promo is over and added more details about premium movies.

Best Phone for Business in 2018

• Best overall
• Best for updates
• Best for note-takers

Best overall

BlackBerry KEY2

See at Amazon

BlackBerry is legendary when it comes to mobile device management and security, and follows that trend when using Android to power its phones. With the KEY2, you also get the keyboard experience that only BlackBerry can offer. The KEY2 is a great way to enjoy Android for people who still want a physical keyboard on their phone and peace of mind knowing a company is concerned about security. The KEY2 offers a significant bump in specifications over the KEYone to offer an even better experience that you’ve had before.

Bottom line: BlackBerry continues its reputation for excellent mobile security and having a great keyboard with the KEY2.

One more thing: The KEY2 is also the first BlackBerry with dual-cameras so photos for business or pleasure will look better than ever.

Why the KEY2 is the best

A phone you want to use can also keep your data safe — both personal and business data.

The phone you carry to serve your customers and keep things running smoothly at work needs to be able to do them quickly and keep all that data safe. The KEY2 is our top pick when it comes to these specifics.

BlackBerry has built a reputation on serving business owners with highly capable and very secure phones. That legacy lives on with its Android offerings. BlackBerry’s additions like the Hub and contact manager are proven to be effective ways to manage busy business accounts. The KEY2’s great physical keyboard means you’ll feel right at home if you’re coming from an older BlackBerry.

Google adds security-focused additions when they release a newer version of Android that help keep data safer while we carry it in our pockets or briefcases. But BlackBerry doesn’t solely rely on Google like most other smartphone manufacturers do when it comes to mobile security and instead have years of experience and a team dedicated to making sure the software on your BlackBerry phone is as safe and secure as possible.

And the KEY2 is a phone that does all this with no compromises when it comes to performance. The efficient yet powerful Snapdragon CPU and 6GB of memory mean you can do whatever it takes to keep things running smoothly all day without searching for a charger and power outlet. Whether you’re managing email, sorting through a spreadsheet at the airport, or watching a video in your downtime, the KEY2 can handle it all.

Best for updates

Google Pixel 2

See at Verizon

The Google Pixel 2 is the most secure Android phone you can buy, and one of the most secure phones of any available today.

Without disabling any security protections, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are protected against known public security exploits and remote installations are monitored by Google’s scanning software which blocks potential malicious content. Security is paramount when it comes to using a phone with all your important business contacts and details.

One of the things that make the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL the best is that they use the latest — and most secure — version of Android. More importantly, the changes and code behind these fixes are available for peer review so they can be made more robust.

Bottom line: The Google Pixel 2 will always have the latest and most secure version of Android for the duration of its lifetime.

One more thing: Verizon carries the Pixel 2 and your account rep can take care of any order.

Best for note-takers

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

See at Amazon

There’s something about the Note line that screams business, and the Note 8, in its 6.3-inch glory, is one of the best options for smartphone buyers who want a little more than the average experience. The Note 8 is essentially a Galaxy S8+ on steroids, with two cameras and the all-important S Pen. If you’re a note-taker — like the old-school kind — the Note 8 is one heck of a phone. And it’s secured by KNOX, Samsung’s excellent on-device and cloud security software.

Bottom line: It’s expensive, but it feels expensive. The Note 8 is one of the best business phones you can buy.

One more thing: You can get the Note 8 at every U.S. carrier.

Conclusion

Media outlets like to give Android a bad reputation when it comes to security, and it’s difficult to blame them. Old, outdated software from manufacturers with no real concern for your security or privacy are the norm when it comes to phones running Android. The phone you use to run your business can’t be this way.

The KEY2 has the BlackBerry legacy of security and professional tools behind it, and the move to Android also makes even more services available. When it comes to the day-to-day needs of running a business or having your staff using the best tools possible in a safe and secure way, you can rely on the BlackBerry KEY2. You also can’t go wrong with the Pixel 2 or the Note 8 if you have more specific needs like bleeding edge Google compatibility or using the excellent S Pen.

Best overall

BlackBerry KEY2

See at Amazon

BlackBerry is legendary when it comes to mobile device management and security, and follows that trend when using Android to power its phones. With the KEY2, you also get the keyboard experience that only BlackBerry can offer. The KEY2 is a great way to enjoy Android for people who still want a physical keyboard on their phone and peace of mind knowing a company is concerned about security. The KEY2 offers a significant bump in specifications over the KEYone to offer an even better experience that you’ve had before.

Bottom line: BlackBerry continues its reputation for excellent mobile security and having a great keyboard with the KEY2.

One more thing: The KEY2 is also the first BlackBerry with dual-cameras so photos for business or pleasure will look better than ever.

Update July 2018: The BlackBerry KEY2 is now the best phone for your business, but the Pixel 2 and Note 8 are also worth considering.

Grab the Certified Ethical Hacker Bootcamp for just $39!

Not all hacking is bad hacking. The word itself is associated with negativity usually, but it can be used for just as much good as it can bad. Have you ever thought how cool it would be to research vulnerabilities and try to discover them on your favorite websites while working for them? It would be pretty sweet, right? But, how do you even get started?

Become an ethical hacker for only $39! Learn More

Meet the Certified Ethical Hacker Bootcamp, a perfect way to get going. The boot camp offers access to more than 40 hours of content that you can access at any time of the day, along with nearly 150 lectures on different topics. From learning perimeter defenses to gaining practical experience with DDoS attacks and more, there is a wide variety of great information here that will help you advance your current career, or help you make a move to a new one.

The bootcamp includes:

• Access 526 lessons & 877 hours of content 24/7
• Learn from industry experts in an interactive, lab-filled environment
• Foster skills in incident management, penetration testing & more
• Explore common threats, such as viruses, social engineering & DDoS attacks
• Understand the necessary steps to secure a system
• Prepare to ace the EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker v9 exam upon completion

This sure sounds like it would cost a lot, right? Well, normally this boot camp is priced at over $3,000, but right now you can pay just a fraction of that. You won’t set yourself into a financial debt to try and learn something new here.

Become an ethical hacker for only $39! Learn More

Priced at just $29 for a limited time you’ll get everything mentioned above and even more. Don’t miss out on this deal or you may regret it later.

How to use Hidden Space in OxygenOS

Have apps you want to keep out of your main app drawer? Hidden Space is for you.

OxygenOS — the software used on OnePlus phones — has a lot of bells and whistles that are worth checking out. If you’ve got apps installed that you don’t want other people to see or simply want to keep hidden for the sake of organization, one feature it comes equipped with is called “Hidden Space.’

Hidden Space was added to OxygenOS earlier this year, and if you’re wondering how to use it, you’ve come to the right place.

Swipe up to open your app drawer.

Swipe to the right (starting from the left edge of your screen) and you’ll see the Hidden Space area pop up.

Tap the + icon near the bottom right and select the apps you want to move to Hidden Space.

Tap the back arrow near the top left after selecting your apps.

Any apps you choose will be removed from your main app drawer and will now only show up in the Hidden Space.

If you put an app in Hidden Space but want to remove it:

Go to Hidden Space.
Tap the Edit button near the bottom right.
Tap the checked apps you want to remove.

Tap the back button near the top right.

Stay hidden 👀

Need more assistance with Hidden Space? Is there another OxygenOS feature you want us to explain? Let us know in the comments below!

Everything that’s new in OxygenOS

OnePlus 6

• OnePlus 6 review
• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5T: How much changes in six months?
• OnePlus 6 vs. OnePlus 5: Should you upgrade?
• These are the official OnePlus 6 cases
• The OnePlus 6 doesn’t work on Verizon or Sprint
• Join the discussion in the forums

Tronsmart Titan Plus review: The easiest way to charge multiple devices at once

The Tronsmart Titan Plus delivers a total of 90W over five ports.

Tronsmart is a Chinese accessory vendor that primarily deals in charging solutions, with its Titan series being one of the more robust five-port desktop chargers around. The first-gen Titan made its debut over three years ago — offering Quick Charge 2.0 across five ports — and the brand has rolled out an updated variant dubbed the Tronsmart Titan Plus with faster charging speeds.

Tronsmart Titan Plus

Price: $35

Bottom line: The Tronsmart Titan Plus is a great choice if you’re looking to charge several devices simultaneously. The five USB-A ports offer universal compatibility, and VoltiQ tech automatically selects the optimal charging speed for a particular accessory.

Pros:

• Quick Charge 3.0 on all ports
• Durable design
• Compatible with Huawei’s fast charging tech

Cons:

• Larger than other five-port chargers
• No USB-C to USB-C port

See at Amazon

The Tronsmart Titan Plus has the same design as its predecessor: it’s a big rectangular slab made out of plastic with five USB-A ports on one side, power input on the other, and an on/off switch. It has rubber pads at the bottom that prevent it from sliding around on your desk, and there’s an internal heat sink that ensures it doesn’t get hot when simultaneously charging several devices.

The highlight of the Tronsmart Titan Plus is that it offers Quick Charge 3.0 on all five ports, totaling 90W — or 18W per port. So you’ll be able to charge five phones at Quick Charge 3.0 speeds simultaneously. The charger relies on Tronsmart’s VoltiQ tech, which automatically determines the optimal charging speed based on the accessory connected. So if you’re connecting a phone, a tablet, wireless headset, or a powerbank, the Titan Plus will allocate power accordingly to each device.

The charger can switch between 5.0-6.5V at 3A, 6.5-9V at 2A, and 9-12V at 1.5A. It is also compliant with Huawei’s fast charging tech, so you’ll be able to use it to top up your Huawei phone. As the Titan Plus comes with five USB-A ports, it offers universal compatibility — you’ll be able to connect your iPad or any other accessory to it. There’s abundant choice if you’re looking to pick up USB-C cables, and this time I went with Dodocool’s $9 nylon braided USB-C cables.

If there’s a downside to the Titan Plus, it’s that there are no USB-C to USB-C ports — we’ll likely see a variant with USB-C ports in the next generation. The charger is also fairly large at 159x81x29mm, so you’ll need to make room for it on your desk.

4.5
out of 5

I’ve used the first-gen Titan for over two years before making the switch to the Titan Plus, and it is now my go-to option for charging the multitude of devices that I have lying around. For $34, the Tronsmart Titan Plus is incredible value if you’re looking to charge several devices simultaneously.

See at Amazon

Control up to 15 devices with the $140 Logitech Harmony Ultimate All In One Remote

Your entire living room on one device.

The Logitech Harmony Ultimate All in One Remote is on sale today only for $139.99 at Amazon. This $45 discount off the product’s average price is a deal exclusively available to Prime members, though you can start a free 30-day trial if you’re not yet a member to take advantage of this offer.

Amazon doesn’t usually offer Gold Box deals of the day which are Prime exclusive, however, the impending Prime Day event has unleashed a torrent of early deals like this one.

For a limited time, you could also grab the upgraded Harmony Ultimate 950 remote for $179.99 at Amazon.

Logitech’s Harmony Ultimate remote can control your entire home entertainment system (up to 15 devices at once), even devices hidden behind cabinet doors and walls. Its customization features allow you to create one-touch sequences which can turn on multiple devices or your entire setup at once, adjust and remap buttons, set device delays and timing among much more.

Its color touch-screen displays shortcuts to your most frequently used commands and services with space for up to 50 favorite channel icons. The remote comes with a recharging station as well and can be voice controlled using an Alexa device like the Amazon Echo Dot. Best of all, it works with over 270,000 devices currently and can connect to Wi-Fi to enable compatibility for others in the future.

See on Amazon

Maxed Out 15-Inch MacBook Pro Priced at $6,699 for 2.9GHz Chip, 32GB RAM and 4TB SSD

Apple’s new MacBook Pro models come with faster processors, more maximum RAM, and higher capacity SSDs all aimed at Apple’s professional users, but none of those upgrades come cheap.

Base prices for the 13 and 15-inch MacBook Pro models are unchanged from last year, with pricing on new 13-inch models starting at $1,799 and pricing on new 15-inch models starting at $2,399, but build-to-order customizations can tack on thousands of dollars.

The maximum stock $2,799 15-inch MacBook Pro ships with 16GB RAM, a 512GB SSD, a Radeon Pro 560X graphics card, and a 6-core 2.6GHz Core i7 processor, but with upgrades, an ultimate machine with top-of-the-line components costs $6,699.

That includes an additional $300 to upgrade to a 2.9GHz 6-core Core i9 processor, $400 to upgrade to 32GB RAM, and $3,200 to upgrade to the 4TB SSD.

Comparatively, a maxed out 2017 15-inch MacBook Pro was priced at $4,199 for a 3.1GHz Core i7 processor and a 2TB SSD.

It’s the new 4TB SSD upgrade that’s the most expensive, with Apple also offering more affordable 1TB and 2TB upgrades, for $400 and $1,200, respectively. Last year’s 2017 MacBook Pro models maxed out at 2TB of storage rather than 4TB, and didn’t offer RAM upgrades.

The highest-end stock 13-inch 2018 MacBook Pro with 2.3GHz quad-core Core i5 processor, Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655, 8GB RAM, and a 512GB SSD is priced at $1,999, but a fully maxed out machine will cost $3,699.

That’s an additional $200 for a 2.7GHz quad-core Core i7 processor, $200 for 16GB RAM, and a 2TB SSD for $1,200. 16GB RAM and a 2TB SSD are the maximum options for the 13-inch machine, with a 1TB SSD also available for $400.

In 2017, a fully upgraded 13-inch MacBook Pro was priced at $2,899 for a 3.5GHz Core i7 processor, 16GB RAM, and a 1TB SSD.

If you skip out on the SSD upgrades in the new machines, you can get a 15-inch MacBook Pro with maximum RAM and the best processor for $3,499, or a 13-inch model for $2,499, which is just a few hundred dollars more expensive than similar upgrades cost last year rather than a few thousand.

Most users won’t need 4TB of storage, but it’s a good option to have for those professional users who do need the extra capacity.

Apple’s new MacBook Pros with customizations will be delivered starting on July 18 with the fastest shipping according to Apple’s website, while stock configurations will be delivered starting on July 16. The new machines will be available in Apple retail stores later this week.

Related Roundup: MacBook ProBuyer’s Guide: MacBook Pro (Buy Now)
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