Ninth Beta of tvOS 12 Now Available for Registered Developers [Update: Public Beta Available]

Apple today seeded the ninth beta of a new tvOS 12 operating system to developers for testing purposes, one week after releasing the eighth beta and more than two months after introducing the new software at the 2018 Worldwide Developers Conference.

Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV, the tvOS 12 developer beta can be downloaded onto the Apple TV using a profile that’s installed through the Xcode software. Subsequent betas can be downloaded via the software update mechanism on the Apple TV.

tvOS 12 introduces support for Dolby Atmos sound, which was activated in the second beta. Apple says that when tvOS 12 launches this fall, iTunes will be home to the largest collection of Dolby Atmos-supported movies.

Customers that have previously purchased movies that gain Dolby Atmos support will see free upgrades to their titles, much like the rollout of 4K support.

Building on single sign-on, a new zero sign-on feature will further simplify the cable authentication process. With zero sign-on, the Apple TV can detect a user’s broadband network and automatically sign them into supported apps they receive through their accompanying cable subscription.

Zero sign-on will be available for Charter Communications customers this fall and will expand to additional cable providers in the future.

Aerial screensavers now include location information and there are new screensavers captured in collaboration with the International Space Station.

Other improvements tvOS-related improvements include AutoFill passwords from iPhone, an Apple TV Remote automatically added to Control Center on the iPhone or iPad, and Apple TV support on Home control systems like Control4, Crestron, and Savant.

tvOS 12 is available for developers and public beta testers to work out bugs and other issues ahead of a fall public launch.

Update: Apple has also made a new public beta of tvOS 12 available to public beta testers.

Related Roundups: Apple TV, tvOS 12Buyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Neutral)
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Apple Seeds Eleventh Beta of iOS 12 to Developers [Update: Public Beta Available]

Apple today seeded the eleventh beta of an upcoming iOS 12 update to developers for testing purposes, just a few days after seeding the tenth beta and more than two months after introducing the new software at the Worldwide Developers Conference.

Registered developers can download the new iOS 12 beta from Apple’s Developer Center or over-the-air after installing the proper certificate.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
iOS 12 brings several major new features, with Apple revamping the operating system from top to bottom to make iPhones and iPads, especially the older models, faster and more responsive.

On the iPhone X, there are new Animoji characters along with “Memoji,” which are customizable, personalized, humanoid Animoji that can be used both in Messages and in FaceTime, and there are new camera effects in both of those apps.

Apple originally planned to introduce Group FaceTime support in iOS 12, but the feature was removed in iOS 12 beta 7 and will not be reintroduced until later this fall in a future update to iOS 12.

Siri is smarter in iOS 12 with a new Shortcuts feature that lets you create multi-step customized automations using first and third-party apps that can be activated with Siri voice commands. Shortcuts can be created through the Shortcuts app, available as a beta from Apple’s Developer Center.

Apple built comprehensive time management and monitoring tools into iOS 12 with Screen Time, allowing you to keep track of how much time you’re spending in apps on your iPhone and iPad. App limits can help you cut back on iOS device usage, and robust parental controls are included for families.

Updated Do Not Disturb options make activating Do Not Disturb more intuitive and simple, and a new Do Not Disturb at Bedtime feature cuts down on nighttime distractions and sleep interruptions.

Grouped Notifications make incoming notifications easier to view and manage, while a new Instant Tuning feature lets you tweak your notification settings right on the Lock screen on a notification-by-notification basis.

Apple News has a new Browse feature, the Stocks app has been redesigned and brought to the iPad, iBooks has been overhauled with a new look and a new name — Apple Books — and Voice Memos has been revamped with iCloud support and an iPad app.

ARKit 2.0 introduces new capabilities like shared experiences that let two people see the same AR environment on separate devices, and persistence, which allows AR experiences to be saved across multiple sessions. There’s also a new Apple-built Measure app for measuring objects using AR capabilities.

iOS 12 includes a revamped and rebuilt Maps app that uses a new Apple-designed Maps engine that will display foliage, pools, buildings, pedestrian pathways, and other map elements more accurately. The new Maps also includes significant improvements to traffic, real-time road conditions, construction, and more, plus it will enable Apple to push out changes and fixes more quickly.

The updated Maps app is available in the Northern California area during beta testing. After iOS 12 launches, Apple will continue rolling out the new maps to additional U.S. locations

New betas of upcoming operating system updates always introduce tweaked features and new functionality, and we’ll be outlining what’s new in the seventh beta below. We also rounded up all of the changes that were introduced in the previous betas: beta 2 and beta 3, beta 4, beta 5, beta 6, and beta 7.

Later betas have had fewer changes because we’re approaching the end of the beta testing period, with a public launch for iOS 12 planned for September alongside new iPhones.

Update: Apple has also made a new public beta of iOS 12 available to public beta testers.

Related Roundup: iOS 12
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‘Waterworld’ no longer seems sci-fi, so an artist designed your future gills

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Blistering heat. Flooded streets. Preoccupied politicians and corporations more concerned with profit than protecting the planet. Earth’s future looks pretty bleak.

There are ways to mitigate the most devastating effects of climate change — clean energy offers alternatives to fossil fuels and science may help us help us save some species — but the fact is Earth will change and we’ll have to adapt along with it.

That realization sparked an innovative — if a bit dystopian — project by Jun Kamei, a materials scientist and student at the Royal College of Arts in London. After learning about studies showing how sea level rise could flood many coastal cities and displace billions of people across the globe by 2100, Kamei began to wonder what our future would look like — and what humans would look like in the future.

“What kind of products would humans start to design to adapt our aquatic future?”

He envisioned a scenario in which coastal megacities “like New York, Tokyo, Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore, and Hong Kong become semi-submerged,” he tells Digital Trends. “I was interested about what kind of new products human would start to design to adapt to this kind of future.”

In the tradition of biomimetic design, Kamei began to conceptualize a garment that could let people adapt to a more aquatic lifestyle. He studied air-breathing insects that survive underwater by using a reservoir of air trapped beneath their exoskeleton, which acts as a sort of gill and barrier between the insect and the water, allowing oxygen molecules to seep in.

Running with this idea, Kamei created Amphibio: a 3D-printed garment designed to capture air and replenish oxygen, while dissipating carbon dioxide underwater.

The garment is comprised of three parts: the gills, which are worn around the chest like a vest, the mask, and a tube to connect the two. Think of it as a mix between free diving and scuba diving, with some futuristic flair for good measure.

Made out of a porous and hydrophobic material, the gills are aesthetically striking, like scaled armor. Kamei wasn’t willing to divulge much about the material itself (he recently filed a patent for it) but in a short video he demonstrates how the gill is capable of extracting low levels of oxygen from water. Kamei doesn’t yet have a working prototype for the mask but offered a glimpse at what it might look.

“Artistically, I like it. Scientifically, I’m very dubious.”

The garment’s scaled form serves a function. By corrugating the material, Kamei increases the Amphibio’s surface area and allows more oxygen to seep through. That’s pivotal — humans breathe a lot oxygen. In fact, our appetite for oxygen is so voracious, Joseph Bonaventura, a professor of marine science and conservation at Duke University, thinks the Amphibio is a bit out of its depths.

“We burn basically 500 liters of oxygen per day on average,” he says. “That’s eleven-thousand liters of air per day. That’s a huge amount.” Surface water contains about ten milliliters of oxygen per liter, meaning the Amphibio would need to extract oxygen from some 50,000 liters of water at 100 percent efficiency to sustain a breathing human.

Bonaventura has, as they say, done the math. In the 70s he invented the Hemosponge: an artificial gill technology funded by the Office of Naval Research and DARPA. He admires Kamei’s aesthetic but isn’t convinced from a technical standpoint.

“Artistically, I like it,” Bonaventura says. “Scientifically, I’m very dubious.”

Kamei recognizes the challenges with the device. For one thing, the current prototype doesn’t pull nearly enough oxygen from water to sustain living, breathing human being. In the device’s concept photos, the Amphibio has a surface area of about 43 square feet. Kamei thinks the final design would require something around 344 square feet — that’s more surface area than two average-sized bedrooms! He may be able to implement more ridges to increase its square footage, but that would likely result in relatively restrictive, full-body suit.

Regardless, Kamei thinks Amphibio remains “in the realm of the ‘not impossible.’” Whether or not the gills work, it’s a conceptually interesting project that delves into solutions for surviving in a crucial potential future of our planet.

Today, billions of people rely on oceans as their primary source of food. But few civilizations have turned to truly aquatic lifestyles. It’s not unlikely that climate change will continue to spiral out of control, and in that semi-submerged future our dependence on the ocean’s bounty will only grow even greater. The “underwater world would become a new urban environment,” thinks Kamei, so why not take advantage of it?

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Asus Zenfone 5Z tips and tricks

The Asus Zenfone 5Z packs plenty of tempting features into an enticingly affordable package, but some of its capabilities are less than obvious. The Zen UI (user interface) that sits atop Android isn’t always the most intuitive, so we’ve drafted this guide to help you to unlock its best secrets. These are our top Asus Zenfone 5Z tips and tricks.

Before we get started, you should consider grabbing yourself some protection – check out the best Asus Zenfone 5Z cases for suggestions.

How to hide the notch

We’re not big fans of the notch trend, but the extra real estate can prove handy for connectivity icons and battery status. If it really bugs you, Asus has included the option to hide it, rendering the notch black so it doesn’t stand out as much, though it does still house the same icons.

To turn it off, go to Settings > Display and toggle Hide notch on. Sadly, it doesn’t do anything to fix the crammed-together time and battery icon at the top right.

How to customize your home screen

You can tap and hold on any empty portion of home screen to access the customization options, just like with any other Android device, but Asus gives you a lot of options to play with. In addition to Wallpapers and Widgets, you can tap Edit Home Screen to change things like Icon alignment and Scroll effects.

There’s also a Preferences option that enables you to configure AppLock, Hide apps, and tweak more settings in the Home screen option. We always toggle off Add icon to home screen, but there are lots of other options in there.

How to take a screenshot

If you want to capture an error or a high score in a game, you can snap a screenshot in the usual Android way: Press and hold the Power and Volume down keys at the same time.

Asus has also included a second option in Settings > Advanced > Screenshot that lets you tap and hold the Recent apps key to capture your screen. You can also turn off the accompanying sound and notification in here if you want to and switch between JPEG and PNG file formats.

How to use Twin Apps

If you have a couple of accounts for the same app, like maybe a personal Facebook or Twitter account and a work one, then Asus allows you to open both at the same time with Twin Apps. You’ll find it in Settings > Advanced and it supports Facebook, LinkedIn, Messenger, Play Games, Twitter, and YouTube.

How to use A.I. features

Asus has packed plenty of A.I. smarts into the Zenfone 5Z, but not all of it is switched on by default. Dip into Settings > Advanced > A.I. features and you’ll find a list with toggles. You can tap on each option to learn more about what it does. Our favorite is the A.I. charging option, which is designed to learn how you like to charge your phone and top it off at the optimal time for battery health. That means it might charge slowly overnight and only hit maximum just before your usual wakeup time, but charge at full speed when you plug in for a top-up during the day.

How to use ZeniMoji

If you like the idea of being a cute owl or cat, or perhaps a cartoonish person, then you might want to play around with ZeniMoji. It’s the Asus answer to Apple’s Animoji or Samsung’s AR Emoji, but you may be wondering how to find it. Open the Selfie Master app in the app drawer and you’ll see the ZeniMoji option at the bottom right.

You can select your character along the bottom and record videos or use it in an app. Facebook Messenger is the default but tap the three dots at the top right and you can hit Select app and switch to Google Duo. The ZeniMoji icon should also pop up during video calls and livestreams, but you can tweak things in Settings > Advanced > ZeniMoji.

Asus also gives you the option to apply a beauty filter in real time for video streaming or video calls. It’s called BeautyLive and it’s also in the Selfie Master app and in Settings > Advanced.

How to use hardware keys for the camera

If you open the camera app and tap the gear icon to access the settings, then you can scroll down to find two handy options: Set volume key as with Shutter or Zoom as the options, and Instant Camera, which lets you double click the volume key to launch the camera.

How to use the fingerprint sensor to check notifications

Simon Hill/Digital Trends

This is a handy option if you only have one free hand. Go to Settings > Advanced > Fingerprint gesture and toggle it on and you can swipe down with your finger on the fingerprint sensor to pull down the notification shade and see your latest notifications. You can also swipe down again to expand your quick settings or swipe up to close it.

How to use gestures

The Asus ZenUI has support for all sorts of gestures such as double tapping the screen to turn it on and off, placing the phone facedown to mute it, and drawing different letters on the screen to launch different apps. You’ll find all these options buried in Settings > Advanced > ZenMotion.

If you scroll down to the letter gestures, which work on a dark screen to quick-launch apps, you can toggle them on and off individually, but you can also tap to change the apps that get launched by each letter.

How to schedule the blue light filter

Too much blue light at bedtime can make it more difficult to fall asleep, so if you like to browse in bed, you should turn on the blue light filter. There’s a quick setting toggle for it in the notification shade, but we prefer to schedule it to turn on and off automatically. To find it, go to Settings > Display and scroll down to the bottom to tap on Splendid.

You can tweak the Blue light filter with a slider and you can toggle on Turn on as scheduled, then tap on it to specify hours or set it to come on at sunset.

How to tailor the audio

Our last tip is about taking full advantage of the audio in the Zenfone 5Z. If you look in Settings > Sound & vibration and scroll to the bottom, you’ll find AudioWizard. You can switch between profiles for Rock and Pop, but you can also select Custom and then tap in the middle to create your own equalizer settings. There’s an option to Play music preview, but be warned that it plays a rather cheesy song about Asus.

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New Android Messages update adds Dark Mode and Material Design 2

The newest update for Android Messages is bringing Google’s new Material Design 2, as well as a long-awaited Dark Mode.

Following the release of Android 9.0 Pie‘s all-new look for the Android ecosphere, Google has been updating its Android system apps, with Google Contacts and Google Phone receiving updates to bring them into line with Material Design 2. Judging by this update, Android Messages is the next to get the upgrade to Google’s new style.

The changes are mostly in line with what we’ve come to expect from Material Design 2. The big old blue border is out, and the whole app’s background is now just plain white. Contact icons have changed slightly, too; the bold colors of old are out, replaced with softer, pastel colors. It’s a change that makes the app slightly more modern, and slightly easier on the eye. One exception, though, is that the white is eye-blindly bright, and it’s likely for that reason that Google has also included a Dark Mode that changes the overall color scheme to black. You’ll be able to trigger Dark Mode from the right-hand context menu.

Aside from the changes in color palette, the differences are fairly subtle — but look close and you’ll find them. On the main window you’ll now find the dates of sent text messages on the right of the screen, rather than below the contact’s name. The “+” button to start a conversation has been changed to “Start chat” and has been painted in a lighter shade of blue — to match the pastel colors, no doubt. Finally, the color of replies within conversations has been inverted. Your texts will now be in light blue, with your recipient’s texts in white — an inversion of the older version.

Keen eyes have noticed that these particular features have been appearing and disappearing from the Android Messages app throughout August, so there’s no guarantee that these are here to stay — yet. But they’re definitely on the way, and we can likely expect them soon, even if they don’t stick this time.

If you want to try out these changes for yourself, you don’t have to wait for the update to appear on the Google Play Store. All you have to do is download and install the right APK file for your phone, force-close your Messages app, and reopen.

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What you missed this week on CordCutters.com

When new schedules come out, Netflix is what folks care about.

It’s interesting to see what folks care about on a daily basis. For instance: When the new monthly listings land, we’ve found that about twice as many folks care about what’s new on Netflix, compared to Amazon Prime Video. And folks care about the listings for Hulu by far less than that.

Anecdotally, it’s probably because Netflix has better content. Better (and more) original series, and original movies. That’s not to say that Amazon Prime Video doesn’t have its own, it’s just that Netflix very much seems to churn through more. (And let’s be honest, some are stinkers.)

Or maybe it’s because the Amazon Prime Video app is pretty atrocious on anything that’s not a Fire TV. Something has to be done about that.

What’s new on Netflix in September 2018What’s new on Amazon Prime Video in September 2018What’s new on Hulu in September 2018

Plus … Black Panther!

CordCutters Podcast Ep. 2 is up!

The second episode of the CordCutters Podcast is up. And this time, we get personal. It’s been two years since my family got rid of cable TV. My wife, Shannon, and I discuss how we went about it, and what it’s been like in those two years.

Here’s what else you missed this week at CordCutters.com:

• Which is better for your home — A sound bar? Or surround sound?
• Speaking of sound bars, it looks like we have a price and rough date on JBL’s model with Android TV build int
• The Big Band Theory is calling it quits in 2019.
• Fubo TV has added Turner Network channels to its lineup.
• NFL Sunday Ticket can now tie into DirecTV Now — but only in a few markets.
• More Veronica Mars, eh?

And that, as they say, is that.

Introducing CordCutters.com

• The hardware you need
• All about streaming services
• What channels are on which service
• FREE over-the-air TV
• How to watch sports
• Join the discussion
• Listen to the podcast

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I dropped my Galaxy Note 9 without a case …

It isn’t ‘rugged’ by any stretch, but it’s tougher than I expected it to be.

I typically recommend that people who have a glass-backed phone consider picking up a case to keep their phone looking fresh over months and even years. I often do the same for my own phones, though I don’t typically use them long enough to warrant the “long-term protection” argument. Unfortunately, with the Note 9, I didn’t get anywhere near the “long-term” testing phase before I really wish I had a case on it.

While pulling bags out of the trunk of my car, I dropped my completely unprotected Note 9 from about four feet onto a jagged concrete floor, hitting the concrete wall next to it on the way down. Expletives were uttered as I reached down to pick up what was sure to be the phone equivalent of a crime scene. Though I haven’t shattered one of my own phones before, I’ve seen many people do so and countless others tell me about their experiences.

To my extreme surprise, the Note 9 survived. Yes, there’s damage — that much is to be expected from any phone, especially one made out of curved panes of glass. But the damage wasn’t critical; it was barely beyond cosmetic.

The extent of the damage is this: a couple small scuffs on the metal edges near the corners, and two portions of cracked glass about an inch in length on the top-left and bottom-right corners. Really, that’s it — from a four-foot drop onto concrete without any protection.

The cracks look bad, but you actually can’t even feel them.

The cracks themselves aren’t even as bad as they look at first glance. For whatever reason, the glass cracked in a way that it didn’t make it all the way through the pane. Of course the cracks spidered out from the metal edge where the impact occurred, but the cracks are underneath the surface of the glass, not all the way through — so you can’t actually feel them from the top, meaning there’s no chance of cutting my hand or snagging the glass on fabrics as I use the phone. With how many glass-backed phones I’ve seen that look like they were run over by a truck, this gives me confidence that Samsung (and Corning, maker of the glass) have done some work on this durability testing.

The glass probably wouldn’t have cracked without the pressure from the metal frame flexing.

The small scuffs in the metal were to be expected. Most of my metal phones have such damage without any major drops. Aluminum is a pretty soft material as far as metals go (stainless steel is much harder, for example), and it’s no match for hitting concrete from this height. Knowing this also gives us insight into what likely caused the glass cracks here. You can see that a vast majority of the glass is undamaged, despite the massive drop. The only actual damage points on the glass come from the glass impacting the metal frame, not the concrete. As the phone hits the concrete, the metal and glass flex; and because the metal is softer, it bends more and hits the less-flexible glass, which causes it to give way and crack at that point.

If the phone were all aluminum, the flexibility of the metal would actually be useful because it has more room to dissipate that movement. But holding onto a glass pane, it was likely a major factor in the damage that did occur. This shows you just how seriously strong this glass is — if you were to drop an object the same size and weight of this phone, but with just glass on the back supported by perhaps plastic or rubber instead of metal framing, I don’t think it would’ve cracked at all. And even though it did, the damage was primarily cosmetic and not critical.

The Note 9 isn’t a rugged phone, but it can take more of a beating than I ever expected.

The purpose of this story isn’t to solicit a mixture of grimaces and empathy from Android Central readers. No, the moral of the story here is that the Galaxy Note 9 is surprisingly robust. I would never have done a purposeful drop test on this phone, or any other phone, because that really isn’t my sort of thing. But I found it so surprising how well the Note 9 took this type of typical drop onto concrete that I had to share. Not only was there no internal damage nor issues with the display or cameras, the only rear panel damage was effectively just cosmetic. All this from a glass-laden Samsung phone, which is typically mired online for being too fragile and too easy to irreparably damage.

Best Galaxy Note 9 cases

The Note 9, at least in my experience, was able to take a serious amount of punishment from a drop that nobody should expect a phone to take unless it is purposefully built to be rugged. But that doesn’t mean you should subject your shiny new Note 9 to such an amount of damage on purpose. To keep the damage you see here from even happening, pick from one of the dozens of awesome Note 9 cases out there. (The one shown above is the Samsung Rugged Protective Cover.) The results of my drop only show you that there’s more of safety net here than you think — if it were to be dropped or roughed up without a case, there’s a good chance it’ll survive at least once.

Whether you go with something thick or thin, covering the screen or not, your $1000 phone deserves a little extra protection. Just look at the photos above, and you’ll feel the same way.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9

• Samsung Galaxy Note 9 review
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• Join our Galaxy Note 9 forums

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Halve your pocket carry with a wallet case for Galaxy Note 9

Double up on function and halve your pocket carry.

The Galaxy Note 9 is already an enormous phone, and if you plan on carrying it around in your pocket, then the addition of your wallet is gonna weigh your pants down. If you’re already planning on slapping a case on that beauty, then why not get a case that’s not just a case and take the two-in-one approach?

These are the best wallet cases for Galaxy Note 9.

• ProCase genuine leather wallet case
• Spigen Slim Armor
• Spigen Wallet S
• Maxboost folio-style wallet case
• AKHVRS zipper leather wallet case
• Amovo 2-in-1 wallet case

ProCase genuine leather wallet case

ProCase’s leather wallet cases have that classic look about them that oozes sophistication and class. The $32 price tag might belie that, but the real leather, magnetic closure, and inner bumper show that this case is all quality.

See at Amazon

You can snag it in the original brown color or go with black if you’re looking for something sleeker or a lovely, deep red if you want something a little more flamboyant.

Spigen Slim Armor

Spigen makes some of the finest phone cases around. They’re of excellent quality and they’re incredibly affordable. The Slim Armor case continues that tradition at only $17. It’s a dual-layer case with a sliding slot on the back for up to three cards. Streamlined and compact, just how it should be.

See at Amazon

The main shell is made of flexible, durable TPU rubber, while the outer polycarbonate bumper holds everything in place. Snag it in black, blue, or lavender.

Spigen Wallet S

The $16 Wallet S from Spigen is a more traditional folio-style wallet case that has slots for two cards, as well as a cash pocket. There’s a magnetic closure, and the cover folds back into a handy kickstand for watching videos hands-free.

See at Amazon

The Wallet S leaves all of the necessary ports wide open, including the S Pen slot, so you can stay productive on the go.

Maxboost folio-style wallet case

The stitching on this $10 Maxboost wallet case is eye-catching and stylish, and the space for three cards, as well as some cash, just adds to the value. Like any good folio-style wallet case, the cover folds into a kickstand, and the triangular magnetic closure adds a bit of unique flair.

See at Amazon

AKHVRS zipper leather wallet case

If you’re looking for a more substantial wallet replacement, then the $25 AKHVRS zipper wallet case is what you’re after. The distressed leather looks great, and there’re 11 card slots, two cash slots, and a zipper change pocket. The best part is the detachable magnetic phone case, so you can carry just your Note 9 or the whole wallet.

See at Amazon

This case comes in black, blue, brown, and red, and the inner detachable case is made of flexible TPU with a leather back, so it’s just as elegant on its own as the whole case together.

Amovo 2-in-1 wallet case

Amovo’s 2-in-1 case is another wallet with a detachable option, which is perfect for when you’re at home and don’t constantly need your cards on you. At $25, you can grab this one in blue, black, brown, red, and rose gold.

See at Amazon

The inner detachable case is sturdy, with a flexible bumper and a gorgeous leather back. It’s the perfect blend of strong protection and elegant style.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9

• Samsung Galaxy Note 9 review
• Galaxy Note 9 vs. Note 8
• Where to buy the Galaxy Note 9
• Galaxy Note 9 specifications
• Is the Note 8 still a good buy?
• Join our Galaxy Note 9 forums

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Managing multiple PS4 accounts on one console made easy

Managing multiple PS4 accounts isn’t as overwhelming as it may seem for newcomers.

Video game consoles are expensive for most families, so it’s understandable that many will have to share between just one. Managing multiple accounts on a single PlayStation 4 is relatively stress free, though it’s easy to feel overwhelmed if you’re unfamiliar with the process. Here are a few tips to get you started.

Creating multiple accounts

Before you even begin to set up multiple accounts, you’ll need to set up your first one.

When you turn on your console, you’ll be greeted with a welcome screen that allows you to choose whichever account you’d like. If one isn’t already set up, you’ll be prompted to do so. Fill in the applicable information it asks for such as your email, region, language, date of birth, address, chosen PlayStation Network ID (this cannot be changed currently, so make sure it’s a name you are comfortable with for the foreseeable future), password, and credit card information if needed.

Once you have your first account set up, you can either create another User ID for your console or an entirely new PlayStation Network account by selecting the box ‘New User.’ You must use a different email for each PSN account as you are unable to create multiple PlayStation Network IDs under one email using the same console.

Either way, at this point you’ll be asked if you want to play as a guest or create a new user. You should choose the Create a User option. The only time you might ever want to use the guest option is when you have a friend over for a quick video game session and don’t care about saving any data.

Under Create a User, you’re given the choice of skipping the process of creating a new PSN account or hitting ‘next’ to create one. If you skip, you’ll be able to quickly set up an account offline attached to your console, though if you’re looking to create multiple PSN accounts for different people, I wouldn’t recommend this option. Simple User IDs like this do not have access to many features such as multiplayer, PlayStation Plus, or the ability to purchase games. You’ll almost always want to hit ‘next’ and set up a new PSN account if you have multiple members of your family sharing one system.

Switching users

The easiest tip here is how to switch users. You won’t need to manually sign out of your console every time someone else wants to log in.

From the home screen, scroll all the way to the right and select Power.
Choose Switch User.

It’s as simple as that.

Sharing PlayStation Plus

Sony’s lagging behind with PlayStation Plus options for families, but there are still benefits that multiple users can get under one membership.

As long as the PS4 is set as the primary console for whichever account subscribes to PlayStation Plus, other PSN accounts on the same console can play online multiplayer, play downloaded games purchased with a PSN discount, and play the free monthly games available to PS Plus members.

What other accounts cannot do is use the PS Plus discount for themselves to take advantage of savings when purchasing games, access online game save storage, enable auto patch downloads, or access exclusive early game trials for PS Plus members.

Activate as primary PS4

Activating your console as your primary PS4 is also an easy process.

From the home screen, navigate to Settings.
Select Account Management.
Select Activate as Your Primary PS4.

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The best wireless charging pads for the Galaxy S8

The Samsung Galaxy S8 supports wireless charging, so take full advantage of the convenience!

The Samsung Galaxy S8 is a beautifully designed phone packed with convenient features. That includes wireless charging, which allows you to forgo dealing with cables and elegantly have your phone charging on your desk at work or nightstand at home and simply grab it when it’s time to get up and go.

There are a variety of wireless charging stands and pad options compatible with the Galaxy S8, from chargers designed by Samsung to third-party products. Here are your best available options for the Samsung Galaxy S8.

• Samsung Fast Charge Convertible Wireless Charging Pad
• Samsung Fast Charge Wireless Charger pad
• Tylt Qi Wireless Charging Stand
• Aukey Wireless Charging Pad
• iOttie iON Wireless Mini Qi Wireless Charging Pad
• Anker 10W Wireless Charger

Samsung Fast Charge Convertible Wireless Charging Pad

Best Overall

Made by Samsung, this convertible charging pad/stand hides all the charging tech in a stylishly designed casing that has a leather-like look and feel. Get yours for $50 in tan or $60 in black.

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The charger comes with its own Samsung Fast Charge wall charger and let’s be honest, you can never have too many Samsung wall chargers. It’s pricey compared to other options on our list, but you’ll rest safe knowing your Galaxy S8 is being charged by other Samsung accessories.

Samsung Fast Charge Wireless Charger pad

Budget Samsung accessory

Samsung’s original wireless charging pad design is timeless and reliable. For the same fast charging speeds in a less-expensive (and smaller) package, look for Samsung’s last-generation flat wireless charging pad. Get yours for as low as $25.

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This UFO-like charging pad can charge all Qi-compatible devices and is Fast Charge-compatible with your Galaxy S8. It also comes with a Samsung Fast Charge wall charger, which is a requirement to get the fastest speeds. At just $25, you could easily get two — one for home, one for your work office — for the price of many other options on this list!

TYLT Qi Wireless Charging Stand

Most Stylish

TYLT has been in the wireless charging game for years, proving itself to be one on of the most trusted third-party manufacturers. This angled wireless charging stand lets you keep your phone accessible while it charges at your desk. Pricing starts as low as $28.

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Keep your phone functional and positioned so you never miss a notification with this angled charging stand. What really separates TYLT’s product from the rest is its bold color options — you can get this charging stand in black, red, blue and yellow starting at just $28.

iON Wireless Plus Fast Charger Qi Charging Pad

Most Refined

This is a wireless charging pad that doesn’t look like a cheap disc of plastic, so you’ll be happy to have this prominently placed in your office or living room. The kit comes with a wall charger brick and charging cable and can be yours for $50.

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This wireless charger from iOttie is the latest refinement from a company that has been making quality charging pad for years. The latest is Qi-compatible with Wireless Fast Charging up to 10W for the fastest wireless charging speeds for your Samsung Galaxy S8. Each charger is completed with a nice fabric finish that’s available in Ruby Red, Ash Grey, and Ivory White.

Anker 10W Wireless Charger

Budget Pick

Anker is a trusted brand for charging accessories, and it’s charging pad is slim, fast, and priced to move. With cool LED indicators around the edge and safeguards to protect your phone from overheating, this is your best budget pick at just $21.

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Anker’s reputation makes this an easy pick for anyone looking for a third-party wireless charging pad. It’s not as expensive as some of the other options on this list, but doesn’t skimp on design or features.

Do you charge wirelessly?

Have you owned any of the wireless chargers we’ve featured here? What has been your experience? Let us know in the comments below!

Update August 2018: Added the new iON Wireless Mini and the Anker 10W Wireless Charger to our list and updated pricing information.

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