Samsung’s Wireless Charger Duo can charge two devices at the same time

Brenda Stolyar/Digital Trends

Apple teased a wireless charger last year that could charge up to three devices at the same time, but even though the pad was supposed to arrive earlier this year, we’ve yet to see it in actual existence. Well, Samsung has beaten Apple to the punch with its new Wireless Charger Duo, a wireless charging pad that’s capable of charging two devices at once.

Sure, it can’t charge as many devices as Apple is promising, but it’s still a step above single device wireless charging pads. The Wireless Charger Duo has two charging spots — on one side there’s a circular stand to rest a smartphone on, and the other side is flat, permitting users to lay a smartwatch or another phone on it. Both devices charge simultaneously, and Samsung said it supports fast charging.

The Duo isn’t even the first dual charger for Samsung. The company released the Dual Wireless Charging Tray last year, but it simply was a flat charging pad. With the new product, you have the benefit of propping your smartphone up so you can easily see the screen.

Apple’s AirPower wireless charging mat will be capable of charging three devices at once, such as an iPhone, AirPods in the wireless charging case, and the Apple Watch. But since different devices need different amounts of power, the pad will reportedly be able to detect which device is placed where and then supply the correct amount of power to each one. Some rumors claim the AirPower charging mat will be released in September alongside the 2018 iPhone devices, though others aren’t as confident.

Apple has yet to publicly comment on the status of the AirPower since announcing it at its event in September last year, but for now you may be able to use the Samsung charger to juice up two of your Apple devices. Of course, if you’re an Android user, you can use the Qi-supported Wireless Charger Duo to top up your smartphone and smartwatch as well.

Samsung announced the Wireless Charger Duo alongside the Galaxy Note 9 and Galaxy Watch at its Unpacked event in New York City.

We’re still waiting to hear more on pricing and availability, and we’ll update this story as soon as we have more information.

This is a developing story.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Here’s everything we know about Apple’s AirPower wireless charging mat
• The best wireless phone chargers for your iPhone or Android
• Nomad creates a wireless charging pad just for the Tesla Model 3
• Samsung Galaxy Watch: Everything you need to know
• Samsung’s S9 and S9+ Prime Day bundles include an Echo and an Echo Spot

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 vs. Galaxy Note 8 vs. Note 5: All the changes of note

Leading the charge toward bigger smartphones, Samsung’s stylus-toting Note series has built a loyal, growing audience. This year’s Galaxy Note 9 looks a lot like its predecessor, but there are some important improvements and new features to consider.

Samsung’s latest productivity powerhouse sports a souped-up S Pen, but what else sets it apart from last year’s Note 8 or 2015’s Note 5? We decided to pit Galaxy Note 9 vs. Galaxy Note 8 vs. Galaxy Note 5 to find out precisely how the specs differ and examine whether it’s worth upgrading. If you’re wondering what happened to the Note 6 and the Note 7 — Samsung skipped the sixth version, and the seventh was the subject of an infamous recall due to the phones catching fire.

Specs

Samsung Galaxy Note 9
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
Samsung Galaxy Note 5

Size
161.9 x 76.4 x 8.8 mm (6.37 x 3 x 0.34 inches
162.5 x 74.8 x 8.6 mm (6.40 x 2.94 x 0.34 inches)
153.2 x 76.1 x 7.6 mm (6.03 x 3.00 x 0.30 inches)

Weight
201 grams (7.09 ounces)
195 grams (6.88 ounces)
171 grams (6.03 ounces)

Screen Size
6.4-inch Super AMOLED display
6.3-inch Super AMOLED display
5.7-inch Super AMOLED display

Screen Resolution
2,960 x 1,440 pixels (516 pixels-per-inch)
2,960 x 1,440 pixels (521 pixels-per-inch)
2,560 x 1,440 pixels (518 pixels-per-inch)

Operating System
Samsung Experience 9 (over Android 8.0 Oreo)
Samsung Experience (over Android 7.1.1 Nougat upgradable to 8.0 Oreo)
Samsung Experience (over Android 5.1.1 Lollipop upgradable to 7.0 Nougat)

Storage Space
128GB, 512GB
64GB, 128GB, 256GB
32GB, 64GB, 128GB

MicroSD Card Slot
Yes, up to 512GB
Yes, up to 256GB
No

Tap To Pay Services
Samsung Pay, Google Pay
Samsung Pay, Google Pay
Samsung Pay, Google Pay

Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 with water carbon cooling system
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
Samsung Exynos 7 Octa 7420

RAM
6GB, 8GB
6GB
4GB

Camera
Dual sensor 12MP rear with dual OIS, variable aperture, 8MP front
Dual sensor 12MP rear with dual OIS, 8MP front
16MP rear, 5MP front

Video
2,160p at 60 frames per second, 1,080p at 240 fps, 720p at 960 fps
2,160p at 30 frames per second, 1,080p at 60 fps, 720p at 240 fps
2,160p at 30 frames per second, 1,080p at 60 fps, 720p at 120 fps

Bluetooth Version
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth 4.2

Ports
3.5mm headphone jack, USB-Type C
3.5mm headphone jack, USB-Type C
3.5mm headphone jack, MicroUSB

Fingerprint sensor
Yes
Yes
Yes

Water resistance
IP68
IP68
None

Battery
4,000mAh
3,300mAh
3,000mAh

App Marketplace
Google Play Store
Google Play Store
Google Play Store

Network support
T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, Sprint
T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, Sprint
T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, Sprint

Colors
Ocean Blue, Lavender Purple
Midnight Black, Maple Gold, Orchid Gray, Deep Sea Blue
Black Sapphire, Gold Platinum, Silver Titan, White Pearl

Price
$1,000
$595+
$295+

Buy From
Samsung

Samsung, Amazon

Amazon

Review Score
Hands-on
4 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5 stars

Performance, battery life, and charging

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The Note 9 features Qualcomm’s latest flagship processor in the shape of the Snapdragon 845 and it offers some serious improvements over the Snapdragon 835 you’ll find in the Note 8 or the proprietary Samsung Exynos 7 Octa 7420 in the Note 5. Most importantly it’s faster and more power efficient, but it also brings more advanced artificial intelligence support, not to mention improvements in security, connectivity, and camera performance. The Note 5 is still a decent performer today and capable of running graphically-challenging games, but it’s no match for the Note 9. The improvement over the Note 8 will be less obvious unless you really push it. Samsung has added a special water carbon cooling system for the Note 9 so you can game or engage in other intensive tasks for longer.

Both the Note 9 and Note 8 have an ample 6GB of RAM for easy multitasking but the base model Note 8 offers 64GB of storage while the Note 9 starts at 128GB. There’s still the option to go for 128GB or 256GB Note 8 handsets, but if you jump up to 512GB in the Note 9 you’ll also jump to a whopping 8GB of RAM. There’s also support for further storage expansion via the MicroSD card slot. The Note 5 lags behind with 4GB of RAM and 32GB, 64GB, or 128GB of internal storage with no room for expansion.

While there’s support for fast charging, with Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 2.0 standard in the Note 9 and Note 8, as well as wireless charging for all three of these phones, the Note 9 streaks ahead in the battery department with an extra 700mAh of battery life over its most recent predecessor. That’s an enormous jump from the already impressive 3,300mAh capacity in the Note 8 or the 3,000mAh capacity in the Note 5. With light use, the Note 9 may even have the stamina to go two days between charges.

Winner: Galaxy Note 9

Design and durability

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Very little has changed on the surface for the Note 9 compared to its direct predecessor. Samsung has spent a few years perfecting its curved Infinity Display and the Note 9 has the same glass sandwich design as the Note 8. The good news is that it feels expensive and still looks a bit futuristic. The one thing of note that Samsung has fixed is the fingerprint sensor placement, which is now in the middle of the back beneath the camera module instead of to the right of it. This is a positive tweak that makes it easier to find and use without looking, and reduces smearing on the lenses. The Note 5 is also a glass sandwich, but sports the older Samsung home button on the front and lacks the curved display of the newer smartphones.

Drop the Note 8 or 9 and you’ll be hoping the Gorilla Glass 5 is enough to guard against damage, but the smart move is to get a case. There’s no difference in terms of durability here and both phones score an IP68 rating that means they can survive a dunk in up to 1.5 meters of water for up to half an hour. The Note 5 makes do with Gorilla Glass 4 and lacks any real water resistance.

Winner: Galaxy Note 9

Display

Malarie Gokey/Digital Trends

Samsung’s Super AMOLED display is still the best in the business, so you’ll find it largely unchanged here. Both the Note 9 and Note 8 sport a 2,960 x 1,440-pixel resolution and an 18.5:9 aspect ratio, but the Note 9 display is a hair bigger at 6.4 inches compared to the 6.3-inch screen in the Note 8. Samsung has managed to squeeze the screen-to-body ratio just a little higher. The Note 5 has the same awesome display, but it’s more squat with a 5.7-inch display with the once-standard 16:9 aspect ratio. It still boasts a 2,560 x 1,440-pixel resolution which is every bit as sharp as the newer phones.

Winner: Galaxy Note 9

Camera

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

You’ll find dual 12-megapixel lenses in the main rear camera module and an 8-megapixel front-facing camera in both the newer Note smartphones. The Note 5 lags way behind with a single 16-megapixel lens and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. On paper the camera in the Note 9 looks very much like the camera in the Note 8, but there are two major improvements worth highlighting.

Firstly, the Note 9 features the same variable aperture upgrade we saw in the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus, which allows the main 12-megapixel lens to adjust between f/1.5 and f/2.4 depending on the conditions.  The Note 8’s main 12-megapixel lens is fixed at f/1.7. The dual setup allows for a great bokeh effect and 2x optical zoom, but the Note 9 is able to handle low-light conditions a lot better than its predecessor because the wider aperture is capable of taking in more light. We’ve seen what this camera setup is capable of in our S9 Plus low light camera test and we compared it directly with the Note 8 in a Samsung smartphone camera shootout.

The second big upgrade is in the video department where the Note 9 can shoot 4K at 60 frames per second (fps), 1080p at 240 fps, and 720p at a super slow motion 960 fps. The Note 8 is limited to 30 fps, 60 fps, and 240 fps respectively. The Note 9 also features AI scene recognition, where it’s capable of detecting and fine-tuning up to 20 scenes, and Flaw Detection, which alerts you to errors such as when someone blinks in a photo, or if there’s a smudge on the camera.

Winner: Galaxy Note 9

Software and updates

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The Galaxy Note 5 shipped with Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, which has since been updated to Android 7.0 Nougat, while the Note 8 originally shipped with Android 7.1.1 Nougat, but has been upgraded to Android 8.0 Oreo since then. The Note 9 will come with Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box. All of them have Samsung’s Experience user interface over the top, which is much improved and more streamlined than the old TouchWiz skin.

It’s not clear whether the Note 5 will be updated to Android 8.0 Oreo, but it seems unlikely and we definitely don’t see it being updated again beyond that. The user experience in terms of software is going to be virtually identical with the Note 8 and Note 9. We fully expect both of them to get upgrades to Android 9.0 Pie and probably Android Q as well, but since the Note 9 is newer it’s likely to get future upgrades for a bit longer than the Note 8, and that’s why it wins this round.

Winner: Galaxy Note 9

Special features

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The Note 8 and Note 9 are two of the most feature-packed smartphones around. They both have Samsung’s Bixby on board, they can both double as desktop replacements with the Dex Station, and they both have support for the special S Pen stylus. However, the newer Note 9 has a souped up S Pen with Bluetooth support, which allows it to act as a handy remote control. You can still use it to sketch and take notes, but with the Note 9 it can also act as a remote shutter for the camera, a remote control for slideshows, and more. The Note 5 has the S Pen but lacks many of the other new features.

Winner: Galaxy Note 9

Price

If you bought a Note 5 when it first came out, you would have paid close to $700. An unlocked handset can be found for closer to $300 these days from retailers like Amazon.

The Galaxy Note 8 was north of $900 when it was first released, but you can pick one up unlocked direct from Samsung for $750 now and we expect further price reductions in the next few months. It’s also available from all major carriers and retailers like Amazon.

The Galaxy Note 9 starts at $1,000 and jumps to $1,250 for the 512GB model. You’ll be able to buy it direct or through any of the major carriers in the U.S. and beyond with pre-orders starting August 10 and the first handsets hitting stores on August 24.

Overall winner: Galaxy Note 9

It won’t come as a major surprise to find that this year’s Note is better than last year’s. The Note 9 offers a significant bump in performance and battery life, an improved camera, and the first major overhaul of the S Pen, which is what really sets this phone apart from Samsung’s Galaxy S9 Plus.

The Note 8 is still an excellent phone — this is refinement not revolution — and it may still be the better choice for some, especially if your budget is limited. If you already have a Note 8, then we’re not convinced there’s enough going on here to make an upgrade essential, but if you’re still using a Note 5 then you’ll really feel the benefit of upgrading to the Note 9.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Samsung Galaxy Note 9 vs. Galaxy S9 Plus vs. Galaxy S9: Which is right for you?
• Samsung Galaxy Note 9 hands-on review
• Samsung Galaxy Note 9: Everything you need to know
• Speed test: Galaxy S9 Plus vs. S8 vs. S8 Plus vs. Note 8
• OnePlus 6 vs. Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus: Which big phone is better?

Google Chrome now shows browser notifications in Windows 10 Action Center

Rather than using its own custom notification engine, Google Chrome will now switch over to display notifications using Action Center for Windows 10 users. With the latest Chrome 68 update, Google will begin integrating the browser’s notification into the Action Center, and initially the feature will be available to about half of all Chrome users. Over time, Google said that the new integration with Action Center will be available to all Chrome users on Windows 10.

“We’re now rolling out support for native notifications in Chrome 68 using the Windows 10 Action Center — super exciting,” Chrome developer Peter Beverloo announced on Twitter. “Would love to hear your feedback!” Beverloo noted that Google had worked with Microsoft’s Edge and Action Center teams to bring Action Center support to Chrome.

By integrating with Action Center, Chrome users will not only have a central location to view notifications, they’ll also be able to more easily manage their notifications. Action Center integrates notifications from across Windows 10 and various apps, and the Focus Assist feature allows users to silence notifications or only display priority notifications. Chrome 68 users will now benefit from Focus Assist with the new Action Center support. The feature can be activated to help users focus on work to minimize distractions, similar to the do not disturb function on many smartphones, and this can be a useful tool for gamers.

If you are one of the early Chrome browser users who have received the update, you can manually enable Windows 10 notification support. “Users who have received the update can enable the new notification experience manually by visiting the flags page (chrome://flags) and then searching for the native notifications option,” NDTV reported. A browser restart is required after you enable native notifications.

During the transition, Beverloo noted that there will be a slight decrease in the click-through rate for notifications as users get adjusted to seeing Chrome’s notification in Action Center. “Metrics show a slight decrease in CTR, something to be aware of if you’re a Web developer using notifications,” he said in a follow-up tweet. “It should pick up again as people get used to their notifications being in the Action Center. Support for `requireInteraction` is unaffected.”

In addition to supporting native notifications on Microsoft’s Windows 10 platform, Google’s Chrome browser also supports MacOS’s notification center. That support came last year.

Editors’ Recommendations

• How to turn off notifications in Windows 10
• The Pixelbook could soon run Windows 10
• SwiftKey is coming to Windows 10 to improve touchscreen typing
• Windows 10 in S Mode rubs me the wrong way
• Google’s Chrome desktop browser is about to receive a major facelift

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 vs. Galaxy S9 Plus vs. Galaxy S9: Which is right for you?

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Samsung has been turning out some excellent smartphones that are packed with features and dressed to the nines, but which of the latest Galaxy phones is the right one for you? This year’s flagship trio is seriously tempting, and there’s a lot of overlap in terms of functionality, but there are also some important differences.

Let’s take a closer look at precisely what sets the Galaxy Note 9, Galaxy S9 Plus, and Galaxy S9 apart and see if we can pick a winner.

Specs

Samsung Galaxy Note 9

Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
Samsung Galaxy S9

Size
161.9 x 76.4 x 8.8 mm (6.37 x 3 x 0.34 inches
157.7 x 73.8 x 8.5 mm (6.21 x 2.91 x 0.33 inches)
147.6 x 68.7 x 8.4 mm (5.81 x 2.70 x 0.33 inches)

Weight
201 grams (7.09 ounces)
189 grams (6.67 ounces)
163 grams (5.75 ounces)

Screen size
6.4-inch Super AMOLED display
6.2-inch Super AMOLED display
5.8-inch Super AMOLED display

Screen resolution
2,960 x 1,440 pixels (516 pixels-per-inch)
2,960 x 1,440 pixels (531 pixels per inch)
2,960 x 1,440 pixels (568 pixels per inch)

Operating system
Samsung Experience 9 (over Android 8.0 Oreo)
Samsung Experience 9 (over Android 8.0 Oreo)
Samsung Experience 9 (over Android 8.0 Oreo)

Storage space
128GB, 512GB
64GB, 128GB, 256GB
64GB, 128GB, 256GB

MicroSD card slot
Yes, up to 512GB
Yes
Yes

Tap-to-pay services
Google Pay, Samsung Pay
Google Pay, Samsung Pay
Google Pay, Samsung Pay

Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, water carbon cooling system
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845

RAM
6GB, 8GB
6GB
4GB

Camera
Dual 12MP (with dual OIS) rear, variable aperture, 8MP front
Dual 12MP (with dual OIS) rear, variable aperture, 8MP front
12MP (with OIS) rear, variable aperture, 8MP front

Video
2,160p at 60 frames per second, 1,080p at 240 fps, 720p at 960 fps
2,160p at 60 frames per second, 1,080p at 240 fps, 720p at 960 fps
2,160p at 60 frames per second, 1,080p at 240 fps, 720p at 960 fps

Bluetooth version
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth 5.0

Ports
3.5mm headphone jack, USB-C
3.5mm headphone jack, USB-C
3.5mm headphone jack, USB-C

Fingerprint sensor
Yes (back)
Yes (back)
Yes (back)

Water resistance
IP68
IP68
IP68

Battery
4,000mAh

QuickCharge 2.0

Qi wireless charging

3,500mAh

QuickCharge 2.0

Qi wireless charging

3,000mAh

QuickCharge 2.0

Qi wireless charging

App marketplace
Google Play Store
Google Play Store
Google Play Store

Network support
T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, Sprint
T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, Sprint
T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, Sprint

Colors
Ocean Blue, Lavender Purple
Midnight Black, Coral Blue, Lilac Purple
Midnight Black, Coral Blue, Lilac Purple

Price
$1,000
$840
$720

Buy from
Samsung

Samsung, Amazon

Samsung, Amazon

Review score
Hands-on
4.5 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5 stars

Performance, battery life, and charging

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

All three of these phones boast Qualcomm’s current top of the line processor in the shape of the Snapdragon 845. That means silky smooth performance and power efficiency. Where things start to differ is the Note 9’s use of a water carbon cooling system to keep temperatures running low, so you can game for a longer period of time. The amount of RAM is also improved on the Note 9. The Galaxy S9 makes do with 4GB, which is enough RAM for most people. The S9 Plus and the Note 9 offer 6GB of RAM, which will be appreciated by multi-taskers, but you can also get a version of the Note 9 with 8GB of RAM.

You can pick up the S9 or S9 Plus with 128GB or 256GB of internal storage, but the base models of the S9 and S9 Plus make do with 64GB. The base model of the Note 9 starts with 128GB, and there’s also a 512GB variant (the one with 8GB RAM). They also all support expansion via MicroSD card.

Fast charging via Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 2.0 standard and support for Qi wireless charging is universal here, but battery capacity varies widely from 3,000mAh in the S9 to 3,500mAh in the S9 Plus all the way up to 4,000mAh in the Note 9. The extra RAM and battery capacity give the Note 9 an edge here.

Winner: Galaxy Note 9

Design and durability

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

With all three phones featuring Samsung’s curved Infinity Display, with glass backs and a metal frame, it’s clear these devices belong to the same family. However, the Note 9 is a little taller, wider, thicker, and heavier than the other two. The S9 and S9 Plus also look a bit more rounded, particularly from the front, while the Note 9 is slightly more angular.

What you prefer will depend on your needs and possibly your size. There’s no doubt that the Galaxy S9 is the easiest to handle, but you do sacrifice some screen size, battery life, and even a few features by opting for the smallest phone. All three have beautiful, if familiar, designs, but we suspect the Note 9 will be a bit too big for some.

On the durability front, all three phones score an IP68 rating which means they can be submerged in up to 1.5 meters of water for up to 30 minutes without damage. Despite the fact they all boast tough Gorilla Glass 5, it’s advisable to snag a case if you want to avoid drop damage.

Winner: Tie

Display

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The Super AMOLED displays that Samsung uses are top notch. All three boast a sharp 2,960 x 1,440-pixel resolution with an 18.5:9 aspect ratio. The Note 9 is the biggest of the bunch at 6.4 inches, while the S9 Plus display is 6.2 inches, and the S9 display is 5.8 inches. The bigger screens have a slightly lower pixel density because of the extra size, but you’ll have trouble telling these displays apart and they’re all excellent.

Winner: Tie

Camera

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The Galaxy S9 is the odd one out here with a single 12-megapixel lens in its main camera, though it does boast a variable aperture that can go from f/1.5 to f/2.4 to get the best shot depending on conditions. The S9 Plus and Note 9 pair that lens with a second 12-megapixel lens with an f/2.4 aperture that enables 2x optical zoom. We’ve been impressed by what you can do with the S9 Plus camera and the hardware in the Note 9 appears to be identical, so we’d expect similarly great things, including excellent low-light performance.

The 8-megapixel front-facing camera is the same in all three phones. They’re also all capable of shooting super slow motion footage and capturing 4K video at 60 frames per second.

Samsung has added artificial intelligence scene recognition to the Note 9 to identify 20 different scenes and set contrast, exposure, white balance, and color for optimal results. There’s also a new Flaw Detection feature that will alert you if something happened to ruin a shot, such as a subject blinking or a smudge on the lens. We need some time to test these features out and see how well they work, but we won’t be surprised if they come to the S9 and S9 Plus as well via a software update.

Winner: Galaxy S9 Plus/Galaxy Note 9

Software and updates

You’ll find Android 8.0 Oreo with Samsung’s Experience user interface on top on all three of these devices. There are a few extras on the Note 9 designed to serve the S Pen, but for all intents and purposes the software is going to feel identical whicever you choose. We fully expect all three phones to get the Android 9.0 Pie update and the Android Q update on a similar schedule, so it’s difficult to separate them here.

Winner: Tie

Special features

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Samsung has always been generous in the special features department and so you’ll find these three phones offer all sorts of extras including A.I. assistant Bixby, support for virtual reality with Samsung’s Gear VR headset, and the ability to use your phone as a desktop computer, though the S9 and S9 Plus require Dex Station or Dex Pad to dock whereas the Note 9 only needs a USB Type-C to HDMI cable.

The obvious standout here is the S Pen, which only the Note 9 has and it has been beefed up considerably compared to previous versions. With Bluetooth Low Energy support you can now use the S Pen to control your phone from up to 30 feet away. You can use it to snap a photo, skip a music track, and more. It does require power, but just 40 seconds in the Note 9 will give it enough charge to go for 30 minutes. You can also still use it to sketch or take notes, including screen-off memos.

Winner: Galaxy Note 9

Price

The Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus are widely available right now. You can buy them unlocked direct from Samsung or other retailers, and you can pick them up from all the major carriers. The S9 starts from around $670 right now and the S9 Plus can be found for as low as $820.

Samsung is charging $1,000 for the 128GB Note 9 and an eye-watering $1,250 for the 512GB and 8GB RAM model. You can pre-order it starting from August 10 and it will land in stores on August 24. It will also be supported by all the major carriers.

Overall winner: Galaxy Note 9

The Note 9 scrapes a win overall here, but with caveats. All it really offers over the S9 Plus is the S Pen, A.I. in the camera, and some extra battery capacity. If you’re not interested in the S Pen we think the more svelte and cheaper S9 Plus is a better bet. Both the S9 Plus and Note 9 really benefit from the second 12-megapixel lens in the main camera, and they also boast more stamina and RAM than the Galaxy S9, but the gap between Samsung’s biggest smartphones is extremely narrow.

Editors’ Recommendations

• LG V35 ThinQ vs. Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus vs. Galaxy S9: Flagship standoff
• HTC U12 Plus vs. Galaxy S9 Plus: Clash of the plus-sized phones
• Moto Z3 vs Samsung Galaxy S9: Which flagship is more worthy?
• OnePlus 6 vs. Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus: Which big phone is better?
• Samsung Galaxy S9 review

Intel’s ruler-shaped SSD packs 32TB of storage, aims to redesign servers

(Credit: Walden Kirsch/Intel Corporation)

Intel now provides what it deems as the world’s densest and totally silent solid-state drive, but you’ll never install it in your desktop PC. Instead, it’s a long device resembling an old 12-inch ruler that is designed to bring 32TB of speedy storage to data centers. It joins two other “ruler” SSDs in the company’s DC P4500 Series.

The DC P4500 Series is based on Intel’s 3D NAND technology that stacks memory cells like skyscrapers rather than spread them out horizontally as seen with standard SSDs. This is a better design because storage capacity isn’t limited to the SSD’s physical horizontal space. Intel’s 3D NAND is also supposedly faster because data travels up and down via “elevators” rather than seeks out destinations using “streets.”

But as the “ruler” description implies, the DC P4500 Series doesn’t use your typical “cartridge” SSD form factor. The SSDs measure 12 inches long, 1.5 inches wide, and 0.33 inches thick. They’re designed to fit in a 1U server slot measuring 1.75 inches high and 19 inches long that is capable of packing 32 rulers SSDs side by side. They also require half the airflow, reducing cooling costs.

“A new form factor itself isn’t all that exciting, typically,” says Intel’s Wayne Allen. “But because [the ruler] impacts everything about server design and helps increase performance and reach new levels of density, it’s a big deal. We’re redesigning the data center with this — that’s the most fun part of it for me.”

The idea is to design ruler-based servers so that fresh air can hit the processor, which not only enables processors with higher speeds at the same cooling cost but improves the data center’s overall cooling efficiency. That design starts with the massive amounts of storage used by each storage. With these ruler SSDs, Intel says it’s “delivered a 10x power reduction and a 20x space improvement.”

Currently, data centers mostly rely on hard drives. They’re cheaper than SSDs and provide more storage space per dollar, but rely on moving mechanical parts — picture a vinyl record turntable — whereas SSDs do not. That means hard drives are less reliable and generate more heat, thus they require high amounts of air conditioning to keep them cool, unlike SSDs.

Intel’s 32TB SSD doesn’t appear to be available for data centers just yet, but the 4TB and 8TB models can give us an indication of its performance. Both connect to a PCI Express NVMe 3.1 x4 interface enabling sequential read speeds of up to 3,300MB per second and sequential write speeds of up to 1,900MB per second. They use a mere 18 watts of power while writing, 13 watts while reading and four watts while remaining idle.

Intel’s upcoming 32TB SSD will consist of 64 layers, while the current 8TB and 4TB only have 32. All three are based on Triple Level Cell NAND, meaning each memory cell can store three bits of data. The “ruler” form factor is actually based on a new industry specification called EDSFF that you can read about right here.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Micron’s four-level memory tech stacks the storage in its new SSD
• SSD vs. HDD
• Dell has a new Developer Edition mobile workstation with Ubuntu, 3 more on way
• Intel Optane DC could boost Xeon servers with up to three terabytes of memory
• New laptops may see more storage as SSD prices expected to fall through 2019

Microsoft uses fish cams to monitor undersea Project Natick data center

Microsoft added two new fish cams to its underwater Project Natick data center, allowing researchers and the general public a view of marine life around its technology project. The undersea cameras not only provide for relaxing imagery of fish swimming by the data center, but it will help Microsoft researchers observe the environmental impact created by sinking a data center onto the ocean floor and the exterior conditions of the data center in sea water.

“We installed two video cameras on the outside of the pressure vessel to observe environmental conditions near our data center,” Microsoft announced on Project Natick’s webpage.

Microsoft

Microsoft officially unveiled the second phase of Project Natick in June by sinking the 40-foot pod just off of Scotland’s coast. The undersea data center contains 12 racks and 864 servers that host 27.6 petabytes of data as an experiment. By positioning a data center in the ocean, Microsoft believes that it could deliver data faster, given that most a large percentage of people live near or along the coast. The data center connects to the internet via a large undersea cable, as well as the Orkney power grid in Scotland.

Additionally, the colder ocean water provides a natural source of cooling, and Microsoft is powering Project Natick entirely on renewable on-shore wind and solar and off-shore tide and wave energy sources. “A Natick data center co-located with offshore renewable energy sources could be truly zero emission: no waste products, whether due to the power generation, computers, or human maintainers are emitted into the environment,” Microsoft said.

Pending results from its experiments with Project Natick, Microsoft may locate more data centers in the ocean in the future. Given its underwater placement, Microsoft envisions Natick as a self-sustainable data center that could operate for up to five years with no maintenance required, which is the expected lifespan of the computers on board.

“After each five-year deployment cycle, the data center vessel would be retrieved, reloaded with new computers, and redeployed,” Microsoft said. “The target lifespan of a Natick data center is at least 20 years. After that, the data center is designed to be retrieved and recycled.”

The data that Microsoft collects from phase 2 will help it refine its designs and plans as it moves towards productization. Right now, however, Microsoft states that Natick is still in research phase, and it’s still too early to determine if it will be commercialized.

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Wish your AirPods were as tricked out as your car? Hadoro can make that happen

Do you love Apple’s AirPods but wish they were lighter and tougher? The next iteration of the earbuds may be both smarter and stronger with water resistance, but when they might actually come out is currently anyone’s guess. Fortunately, French designer brand Hadoro Paris has you covered with its own redesigned take on the iconic earbuds that makes them both lighter and tougher.

In its quest to make the AirPods tough while keeping them lightweight, Hadoro turned to a material that car enthusiasts are well acquainted with: Carbon fiber. With an unusually high weight-to-strength ratio, it’s a no-brainer to use for an accessory that is meant to go everywhere with you.

Carbon fiber is five times stronger than steel and twice as stiff, but much lighter at the same time. Hadoro also points out that carbon fiber is Batman’s material of choice for his suit. You don’t necessarily need Bruce Wayne’s level of fortune to afford Hadoro’s redesigned AirPods, but due to both the cost of carbon fiber and the laborious process of producing these headphones, you can expect to pay quite a bit more than you would for the standard model.

Putting the redesigned AirPods together isn’t a quick or easy process. Hadoro’s engineers start by carefully disassembling the original AirPods case while keeping the components intact. At the same time, the new parts for the new case are carved from solid blocks of carbon fiber. The carbon fiber AirPods themselves are coated with a black soft-touch finish, while the case is engraved with Hadoro’s signature logo.

Hadoro Paris’s resigned AirPods are available via the company’s website and sell for 650 euros or roughly $750. If you would like to have yours further customized, personal engraving with up to four characters is available for 50 euros, bringing the price of the full price up to just over $800. The original AirPods component kit is packaged alongside the customized version and the carbon fiber case, just in case you need to … well, we’re not really sure why, but it’s better to have it than not.

If these would be your first set of AirPods and you want to know about any potential issues, take a look at our guide to common AirPods problems and how to fix them.

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Hacker plays ‘Doom’ on John McAfee’s ‘unhackable’ BitFi Bitcoin wallet

A 15-year-old bedroom hacker has managed to get classic first-person shooter Doom running on the allegedly “unhackable” BitFi crypto-wallet touted by tech-evangelist and paid promoter John McAfee. Although the Bitcoins that the wallet gives access too still appear unaffected by the hack, it doesn’t bode well for the device, which some have described as little more than a modified Android phone.

BitFi is a cryptocurrency device that is designed to provide a hardware portal to a cloud-connected wallet. Bitcoins and other altcoins aren’t stored on the device itself, but it does facilitate transactions. Although it has drawn some interest from security professionals and crypto-enthusiasts, it garnered most of its attention through affiliation with tech personality, John McAfee, who claimed it was unhackable. He also placed a bounty on it, offering $250,000 to anyone who could hack the device and steal Bitcoin from the cloud-connected wallet.

Within weeks, several hacks of the device had been completed, leading to people modifying its boot screen. Now, a self-described “adversarial thinker” has rooted it completely. Saleem Rashid was able to get Doom running on the Bitfi wallet without much difficulty. He has previously shown how it’s possible to extract sensitive information from other hardware wallets, like Trezor.

In recognition of @Bitfi6 and @officialmcafee and their prestigious @PwnieAwards accolades, we'd like to show you @spudowiar playing DooM on his #BitFi secure wallet! Congratulations! pic.twitter.com/50qZZu1MnF

— Abe Snowman (@AbeSnowman) August 9, 2018

Although John McAfee has been keen to point out that such hacks do not qualify for the quarter-million-dollar reward, as they have not extracted the coins from the attached cloud wallet, this rooted hack is just the beginning. As “Abe Snowman” alludes to in the replies to the above tweet, there are reasons that security researchers are heading down this path of cracking the device.

The press claiming the BitFi wallet has been hacked. Utter nonsense. The wallet is hacked when someone gets the coins. No-one got any coins. Gaining root access in an attempt to get the coins is not a hack. It's a failed attempt. All these alleged "hacks" did not get the coins.

— John McAfee (@officialmcafee) August 3, 2018

BitFi itself continues to defend the unhackable nature of its device, though it has made some statements to distance itself from McAfee, as PenTestPartners highlights. It also recently fired its social media coordinator after a series of defamatory tweets, which hasn’t left the company in good standing. Indeed, such actions have landed BitFi with a nomination for the “Lamest Vendor” of the year in the Pwnie Awards, which is quite an achievement in itself.

Although the BitFi hasn’t been demonstrably hacked to the point of releasing its bounty Bitcoins, the speed with which the supposedly unhackable and “storage-free” (it actually does have storage) wallet was hacked doesn’t bode well for its future.

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The best cases for the Galaxy Note 8

Keep your Note 8 protected from day one on with a quality case.

With the Galaxy Note 9 just around the corner, we’re starting to see some deep discounts on some of our favorite cases for the Note 8. This is great for anyone who has just upgraded to the Note 8, which is still one of the best phones available right now.

We’ve broken things down by the manufacturer and offered direct links to some of our favorite styles. But ultimately the choice is yours, and there are a ton of cases to choose from. Here are some of the best!

• Samsung LED Cover case
• OtterBox Commuter Series case
• Speck Presido Grip case
• Ringke Wave case
• Spigen Rugged Armor case
• Incipio Dual Pro case
• RhinoShield CrashGuard Bumper case
• UAG Monarch
• Seidio Surface Case w/ Holster
• Caseology Parallax Series

Samsung LED Wallet Cover case

OEM Option

Samsung is always good for creating cases that feature some awesomely unique features for its phones, and few are as cool as the LED Wallet Cover.

This brilliantly-designed case blends screen protection with functionality, allowing you to see the current time and view notifications via LEDs without exposing the screen — all you do is press the power button and presto! This case also features an interior pocket for storing your cash or cards, which can help you cut down on your pocket carry.

You can get yours for $35, or check out Samsung’s website to learn about the other cases they offer, too.

See at Amazon

OtterBox cases

Best Protection

The Note 8 was among the most expensive flagship phones released in 2017, so you’re going to want to keep it protected. When it comes to the best cases, many people instantly think of OtterBox. It has built a solid reputation of making great cases backed by outstanding customer service.

We’ll recommend the Commuter Series case since it’s a great combination of the rugged protection that OtterBox is known for and a slimmer design so it’s easier to slip into a pocket or purse. The Note 8 is already a massive phone so anything that can offer outstanding protection without adding unnecessary bulk.

However, you really get what you pay for from OtterBox, which includes the aforementioned customer service that’s there to help if any issues pop up.

See at Amazon

Speck Presido Grip

Best for Grip

Speck cases offer cases that stylish-yet-functional design options for those who want to add a bit of glitz and glamor to their phone.

Consider the Speck Presido Grip, a case that’s designed to prevent phone drops by giving you a case with a stylish and grippy exterior. On the inside, Speck says this case is made with Impactium polycarbonate material, which was specifically designed to absorb impacts from drops. But the main reason you’ll love this case is for those stylish angled ridges on the back. Combined with the matte finish of this case, your fingers are sure to love the feel of this case. It can be yours for as low as $14.40.

See at Amazon

Ringke cases

Fan Favorite

Ringke is known for making more flashy cases with interesting designs and patterns to help make your phone stand out from the rest of the pack.

Just check out the Wave case in Coastal Blue, pictured on the right. It’s a stylish two-piece case that combines a soft TPU layer with a hard PC shell that’s designed brilliantly. The exposed TPU on the back features waves that will feel great in your hands. You can get this case in a number of color combinations for just $11 on Amazon.

If you love the design of Ringke’s cases, you can check out their full line for the Note 8 on their website.

See at Amazon

Spigen Rugged Armor case

Most Rugged

For those who don’t want to sacrifice pocket space for protection, Spigen’s Rugged Armor case is a great option.

This sleek, one-piece case is rugged and sleek with carbon fiber accents that looks really nice on taller devices like the Note 8. It’s made of rugged TPU material so it’s easy to install and features a matte finish for a great look and feel. It’s a really slim case, too, so you won’t be adding a ton of bulk in exchange for a case that will provide rugged protection. Best of all is the price — you can get this reliable case for just $11 on Amazon.

See at Amazon

Incipio Carnaby Esquire Series case

Most Stylish

Incipio has a number of cases available for the Note 8, but we’re inclined to recommend the exceptionally stylish Incipio Carnaby Esquire Series case.

The Carnaby Esquire Series case is available in gray or blue for around $30. Each case features a TPU frame that helps disperse the shock from drops and the button covers and port cutouts are precise. It’s an elegant solution to keeping your Note 8 protected and available in three subtle shades of grey on Amazon.

See at Amazon

RhinoShield CrashGuard Bumper case

Keep it Simple

Alright, I know what a lot of you are thinking: I need a case that’s going to provide maximum protection for my Note 8; a bumper case just won’t cut it!

But as I learned from reviewing the RhinoShield CrashGuard for the Galaxy S8, this isn’t your average bumper. RhinoShield has developed a bumper case that offers truly rugged protection where your phone needs it most — in the corners, around the edges, and lips that come up around the front and back panels of glass.

It might be one of those instances where you need to actually try it before you’re fully convinced, but if you love being able to show off your brilliant new phone but also want to keep it protected from drop damage, you really can’t beat the RhinoShield CrashGuard. You can get yours for just $25.

See at Amazon

UAG Monarch

Strong and Light

Urban Armor Gear is one of those ubiquitous brands for smartphone cases that delivers rugged protection while remaining relatively slim and lightweight. The UAG Monarch for the Note 8 is a great option, featuring a really grippy back panel that feels great in you hand.

There are some really smart design decisions here, including a soft rubber screen lip around the display and skid pads on the back, so your phone won’t be prone to slip and slide off any surfaces. These are also slim enough to not impede Samsung or Android Pay functionality and also allow you to wirelessly charge your phone without removing the case.

These cases start as low as $23 and as high as $60 depending on the style that you desire.

See at Amazon

Seidio Surface Case w/ Holster

Best Holster

Thin cases don’t need to be so bland and featureless. The Seidio Surface case is about as thin and slim a case as you’ll find, providing great scratch resistance around the back, a nice protective lip around the screen, and a pop-out kickstand on the back. It’s a dual layer case, too, so you should get ample coverage for drops, too. Cutouts around the ports and buttons mean your phone will be as accessible as it is with no case on.

It’s also thin enough to be compatible with wireless charging and is available in four stylish color options.

Get yours for as low as $13 and $29 if you’re also interested in the optional hip holster.

See at Amazon

Caseology Parallax Series

Dual-later Protection

If you want the best protection for your phone you want a case with two layers of protection. The Caseology Parallax series case offers just that, along with a very stylish geometric design along the back plate.

This case is designed around a TPU sleeve and a rigid polycarbonate frame which work together to offer superb protection. And that pattern on the back isn’t just for looks, the little grooves and ridges also help with grip for your finger tips.

Available in five unique colors, you can get yours for as low as $12 or $16 for some styles.

See at Amazon

Which cases are you going to buy?

There’s going to be a ton of accessories released for the Galaxy Note 8, but we want to know which are your favorites. Let us know in the comments!

Updated August 2018: These are still the best cases available for the Note 8 — and they’re cheaper than ever!

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

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Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is official with 6.4-inch display, 4000mAh battery

The time has come. Feast your eyes on Samsung’s finest.

We all knew it was coming. The speculation and leaks were just about all spot on. But everything was finalized today when Samsung took the wraps off of the Galaxy Note 9.

The Note 9 has a slightly larger 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display at the typical 2960×1440 resolution, which is wrapped in a familiar glass-and-metal body that comes in an all new slate of colors including Ocean Blue and Lavender Purple for the U.S. market. It’s marginally wider and thicker than the Note 8, but that makes room for a new 4000mAh battery — a 14% jump over the Galaxy S9+ and 21% over the Note 8. Samsung also managed to move the fingerprint sensor down to a more ergonomic position, which is welcomed.

At its core, the Galaxy Note 9 is identical to the Galaxy S9+. It has the same Snapdragon 845 processor, 6GB of RAM and supporting radios for LTE, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. It has the same stereo speakers, headphone jack, microSD card slot, USB-C port, buttons and fingerprint sensor. The cameras are entirely identical in terms of hardware. It charges at the same speed, both wired and wireless. It’s water and dust resistant to the same IP68 specification.

Having 512GB of internal storage is absolutely amazing.

Samsung has doubled the base storage on the Note 9, up to 128GB now, in a nod to its power user customer base. But the real stunner here is the option for 512GB of internal storage for the most extreme users. The SD card slot supports cards of that size (and larger) as well, so you’ll be able to put a 512GB microSD card in and have over 1TB of local storage. When you option up for the higher storage you also get a jump to 8GB of RAM — good for bragging rights, if nothing else, for now.

The Note 9 has an all-new S Pen, which in addition to its standard features carried over from the Note 8 also has wireless capabilities using Bluetooth. The S Pen can be used to launch apps and perform further actions inside each app with single- and double-clicks of its button. The actions are configurable for Samsung’s apps, and third-party developers will have access to customize their own actions later this year. Thanks to a supercapacitor inside, the S Pen works for 30 minutes and 250 clicks before recharging inside the phone in 40 seconds flat.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 hands-on preview

The camera hardware remains unchanged from the Galaxy S9+, but Samsung has improved what’s there with new “intelligent” software. “Scene customizer” detects objects in the frame — within 20 different scene types — and automatically applies camera setting changes to take the best possible shot. “Flaw detection” analyzes photos automatically to see when there’s blur, blinking eyes or other visual aberrations and suggests a re-shoot before you walk away.

Everything you could ask for is here — and the price is eye-watering to match.

DeX on the Note 9 has also been enhanced so that it can work without a full dock or hub — just plug in an HDMI cable using a USB-C dongle, and you can use the DeX interface on any monitor or TV using your phone as a trackpad and keyboard. The phone remains fully operational with its own apps and interface, while the secondary screen operates a desktop environment. If you want to go all the way, you can add in a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse without issue.

Here’s the big eye-watering detail: the price. The Note 9 starts at $999.99 in the U.S. for the base model with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The upgraded 8GB RAM and 512GB storage model will set you back a ridiculous $1249.99. Both are available from all major U.S. carriers, except for Sprint, which will only carry the base model. You’ll also be able to buy the phone unlocked from a variety of retailers, including Samsung and Amazon, in addition to all of the typical retail outlets like Best Buy, Costco, Sam’s Club, Straight Talk Wireless, Target and Walmart.

Pre-orders for the Note 9 open on August 10, and full retail availability kicks off August 24. During the pre-order period Samsung is offering free AKG noise-cancelling headphones ($299 MSRP) or an exclusive Fortnite Galaxy skin with 15,000 V-bucks ($149 “value”). You can also pick up both for just $99 combined.

Where to buy the Galaxy Note 9: Best deals for your new phone

Samsung Galaxy Note 9

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