Replace the band on your 46mm Samsung Galaxy Watch

The Galaxy Watch is a great match for any Android phone, especially since you can easily make it your own. Not only can you choose from a number of watch faces, the watch bands are easily replaceable to better match your style. Here are the best replacement bands for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 46mm!

Totally metal

V-MORO 22mm Stainless Steel Strap

This strap from V-MORO is made of heavy duty stainless steel, and it can go on in an instant with the built-in clasp. It’s available in black or silver to better match your watch, and it can be installed with the quick-release pins.

$16 at Amazon

Wooden wonder

LDFAS 22mm Wood Band

This band will definitely help you stand out from the crowd, with the red sandalwood in between each link. You can get this band in either black or silver steel, and both look great with the red wood. There’s a clasp to get the band on and off your wrist, and quick release pins to join the band and watch.

$30 at Amazon

Super stretchy

Speidel Stainless Steel Watch Band

These stretch watch bands are my personal favorite because they’re super easy to slip on and off, and they’re the perfect fit. You’ll likely need a jeweler’s help to get that perfect fit, but it’s worth it. This one from Speidel comes in either a straight end for easier installation or with a curved end to better match the contours of your watch.

$35 at Amazon

Lovely leather

Berfine 22mm Vintage Genuine Leather Watch Band

Few things are as classy as a nice leather watch band, and this one from Berfine is plenty stylish. It comes in black, brown, or dark brown, and it’ll fit your Galaxy Watch perfectly. You get a heavy metal buckle and lighter stitching, so your watch pops even more.

$18 at Amazon

A bit less expensive

Fullmosa Genuine Leather Watch Band

If you prefer thinner leather — or just want to save a few dollars — this band from Fullmosa is great as well. You can choose from 10 different bands and buckle color combinations to best match your style, and there’s an included installation tool to get the band on your watch. The buckle is heavy metal, so it’ll be nice and sturdy on your wrist.

$11 at Amazon

A different style

EACHE 22mm Genuine Leather Watch Band

This band from EACHE is still leather, but a bit different style than the other picks. There are 14 different bands and buckle color combinations that’ll fit your Galaxy Watch, and all of them will look great. There’s no visible stitching along the sides of the band. Instead, it’s closer to where the band attaches to the watch.

$16 at Amazon

For the fitness gurus

KADES Silicon Replacement Strap

The Galaxy Watch comes with a silicone band so it can be used when you work out, but this band is going to be a little better. There are more perforations on the band, so your wrist will breathe a bit easier. More perforations also mean a more exact fit, definitely important if you’re monitoring your heart rate. The strap comes in nine different colors, and there are bundles if you want to get multiple colors.

$10 at Amazon

Totally secure

PBCOBE NATO Strap

If you want a watch band that won’t budge, you want a NATO strap. This one from PBCODE is made of heavy-duty nylon, and it comes in eight different colors. The only buckle color is silver, so keep that in mind if you want one for your Galaxy Watch.

$16 at Amazon

Mix and match

CIVO NATO Strap 4 pack

If you want to swap out different bands to change up your style, this set from CIVO is for you. You get four straps of different colors and patterns, and there are 15 different bundles to choose from. The kit includes an installation tool, and a few replacement pins to keep the bands attached to your watch.

$14 at Amazon

No matter what your style is, it’s easy to find a replacement band for your Galaxy Watch. The watch takes standard 22mm straps, so any band that size will also fit your watch. And since watchmakers have used that size for centuries, it shouldn’t be hard to find the perfect watch band for you.

Canada Daily Deals: All-new Echo Bundles, GPS running watches, and more

Whether you’re looking for new tech gear or household items, we’ve got you covered.

We found plenty of great deals today that include big discounts on newly-announced Amazon Echo devices, Polar GPS running watches, countertop AeroGardens, and much more!

View the rest of the deals

Each day, the Thrifter Canada team scouts out and shares amazing deals on products you know and love, helping you find the best prices on the ‘net.

For more Canadian deals coverage, be sure to keep an eye on Thrifter CA and follow the team on Twitter.

Belkin Introduces BOOSTUP Wireless Charging Dock With iPhone XS/XS Max/XR and Apple Watch Series 4 Compatibility

Belkin today introduced its BOOSTUP Wireless Charging Dock for wirelessly charging an iPhone and Apple Watch at the same time. There is also a USB-A port for charging a third device like an iPad via Lightning cable.

Belkin BOOSTUP Wireless Charging Dock
The dock is compatible with the new iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR, with wireless charging up to 7.5W, and all Apple Watch models at 5W/1A. It also works with the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X. The extra USB-A port also has an output of 5W/1A for wired charging of other devices.

The dock is certified under Apple’s Made for iPhone program, compliant with the Qi standard, has the ability to charge through iPhone cases up to 3mm thick, and is compatible with Nightstand mode on the Apple Watch. The dock plugs into a wall outlet with a 45W AC adapter included for instant setup.

Belkin says the dock will be available in December at Apple Stores worldwide, priced at $159.99 in the United States.

Belkin also plans to introduce an updated PowerHouse Charge Dock for the iPhone and Apple Watch, for customers who prefer to charge their iPhone via Lightning connector. The new dock looks virtually identical to the previous version, but with a red-colored dial to raise and lower the Lightning connector.

The new PowerHouse Charge Dock
The new PowerHouse Charge Dock will be compatible with all iPhone models with Lightning connectors, including the latest iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR, as well as all Apple Watch models. Belkin says it will be available at select retailers in November, priced at $99.99 in the United States.

The existing Belkin Valet Charge Dock for Apple Watch + iPhone and PowerHouse Charge Dock for Apple Watch + iPhone are not compatible with the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR, according to Belkin.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 5, iPhone XS, iPhone XRTag: BelkinBuyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now), iPhone XR (Buy Now)
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MacRumors Giveaway: Win a Rain Design mBar pro or mBar pro+ Portable Laptop Stand

With several of our recent giveaways focusing on Apple’s new iPhone models that are launching today in the US and several other countries, today’s giveaway goes back to the Mac. Rain Design is kindly offering its portable aluminum stands for the MacBook and MacBook Pro to ten lucky winners.

Rain Design is offering 5 of each of its mBar pro and mBar pro+ folding aluminum laptop stands. The mBar pro (see our review) raises a laptop by 3 inches and the mBar pro+ elevates one by 5.5 inches. Both are made of anodized aluminum and come in silver and space gray to match Apple’s MacBook and MacBook Pro models. Both also come with a carrying sleeve.

The mBar pro retails for $54.90 and the mBar pro+ retails for $64.90.

To enter to win, use the Rafflecopter widget below and enter your email address. Email addresses provided will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and ship the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
This contest will run from today (September 21) at 12:00 pm Pacific time through 12:00 pm Pacific time on September 28. The winners will be chosen randomly on or around September 28 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address. The prizes will be shipped to the winners for free.

Tag: Rain Design
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Apple Stores Experiencing ‘Global’ Issue With iPhone and Apple Watch Reservation Pickups

We’re hearing from a number of readers over the past hour or so that Apple’s retail stores are having problems completing in-store reservation pickups for the new iPhone and Apple Watch models. Multiple customers have been told there is a “global” issue affecting Apple’s systems and we’re hearing there are some long lines building up as customers wait for the issues to be resolved.

Pickup line at Manhattan Village store in Manhattan Beach, California
Some customers have reportedly been told to cancel their existing reservations and make walk-in purchases from available stock, while others are simply being told to wait things out while staff members discuss how to handle the situation.

We’ll update this post if we hear more about the situation, but if you have an upcoming pickup window, you might want to be prepared for some delays.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 5, iPhone XSBuyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)
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A hot dog cooker could pull CO2 out of the air to help reverse climate change

Chemists working at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have demonstrated a new, energy-efficient method of pulling carbon dioxide (CO2) directly from the air. It could potentially be used to help fight back against the effects of climate change, which is partly the result of increased atmospheric CO2 concentration due to human activity. What magical, cutting-edge technology did the researchers use for their tech demo? An off-the-shelf air humidifier and a solar-powered hot dog cooker.

“First, we employed environmentally friendly amino acid sorbents, together with a household air humidifier to quickly absorb CO2 out of the air and convert it into carbonate ions,” Radu Custelcean, the ORNL chemist who conceived of the technique, told Digital Trends. “Second, we reacted the loaded sorbent with a simple guanidine compound (read: guanidines are naturally found in proteins and strongly bind negatively charged ions like carbonate), which stripped the carbonate ions from the sorbent solution and converted them into highly insoluble crystals. Finally, the carbonate crystals were gently heated with the solar oven to release the CO2, so it can be sent out for long-term geologic storage, and regenerate the guanidine.”

Currently, this technique has only been demonstrated in the lab, but it poses immense possibilities in the event that it can be scaled up and optimized. It could help address the problem of climate change by reducing the atmospheric CO2 concentration spat out by humans — and do so in a more efficient way than other methods.

“Scaling up should be feasible,” Custelcean continued. “Of course, we would not use a hot dog cooker at a million ton of CO2 scale, but the same principle could be translated at a much larger scale using standard parabolic-trough solar concentrators. At the same time, for the CO2 absorption step, one could use larger air-liquid contactors, such as those used in cooling towers.”

The next step for the project is for the researchers to find an industrial partner to work with. As Custelcean noted, to make an impact on climate change, the scale of CO2 removal would have to be in the order of 100 million tons a year. This would mean multiple such plants removing billions of tons of CO2 from the atmosphere every year in order to have a hope of stabilizing the climate.

A paper describing the research was recently published in the journal Nature Energy.

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• The best humidifiers for your home or office
• Beat the heat this summer with an affordable air conditioner
• ‘Waterworld’ no longer seems sci-fi, so an artist designed your future gills
• A nanofiber cloth could pull fresh drinking water straight from the air
• This CO2-sucking rock takes eons to form naturally. Now we can grow it in weeks

Apple Stores Delay Some iPhone XS and XS Max Pickup Orders Due to ‘Last Minute Logistical Issues’

Apple has emailed some customers who had an iPhone XS or iPhone XS Max scheduled for in-store pickup at an Apple Store today. The email says their orders “will not be ready for pickup” during their specified check-in time due to “last minute logistical issues,” according to several MacRumors readers.

As a fluid situation, it’s unclear how many customers are affected, how long orders may be delayed, or what the logistical issues are. We reached out to Apple for clarification, but didn’t receive any new information to share.

It’s certainly possible Apple may have enough in-store stock remaining later in the day to fulfill some or all of the delayed pickup orders.

@MacRumors 8am Pickup delayed. 😭 Why @Apple ? pic.twitter.com/EB82B1QsXA

— Mateo Lanz (@matgod) September 21, 2018

There is some evidence to support last-minute logistical issues. Yesterday, some customers saw their order status updated to “Shipment to Hold” on Apple.com, while UPS indicated that some orders originally scheduled for Friday, September 21 delivery would be postponed until Monday, September 24.

For the most part, however, it seems iPhone deliveries are on schedule. MacRumors was informed that “Shipment to Hold” statuses were erroneous, while many UPS order delivery estimates have returned to Friday, September 21.

Still, it’s possible that some percentage of iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max shipments from China have not arrived to Apple Stores in time for today’s launch, but our guess is as good as anyone’s at this point. Apple apologizes in its email and says it is “working quickly to resolve the issue.”

Apple says it will alert customers via email as soon as their orders are ready for pickup:

Important update to your Apple pickup order

Thank you for your recent order with the Apple Store. We know you’re excited to pick up your new product.

Unfortunately, due to some last minute logistical issues, your order will not be ready for pickup during your check-in time.

As soon as your order is ready for pickup, we’ll let you know via email.

We apologize for the delay in getting your new product into your hands. We’re working quickly to resolve the issue.

Apple

Apple Stores and authorized resellers may still have the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and Apple Watch Series 4 available to purchase in limited quantities for walk-in customers today, as an alternative solution. Online pre-orders can be returned to any Apple Store within 14 days of delivery.

Related Roundup: iPhone XS
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Deals: Save on Certified Refurbished Apple Watch Series 3, 2017 MacBooks, Anker Chargers, and More

Best Buy’s one-day sale today is discounting a collection of Apple Watch Series 3 models (GPS + Cellular) that have been officially refurbished by Geek Squad. Prices for the aluminum models are as low as $299.25 in 38mm and $321.75 in 42mm, both hitting around $100 below the original prices of the smartwatches. You can check out the sale today by visiting Best Buy’s Daily Deals page.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Best Buy is also discounting a few configurations of Apple’s MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro from Mid 2017 in another sale. The newest 2018 MacBook Pro models are included in this sale, but for those models you’ll find better prices at Adorama, which has the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar (2.3 GHz, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) for $1,599.00, down from $1,799.00 and the 15-inch MacBook pro with Touch Bar (2.2 GHz, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) for $2,099.00, down from $2,399.00

You can find a few of the MacBooks on sale at Best Buy below, and visit the company’s website for the full list. As a note, most of the prices for the 2017 models are being matched at B&H Photo.

• 13-inch MacBook Air, 1.8 GHz, 8GB RAM, 128GB HD – $899.99, down from $999.99 (matched at B&H)

• 13-inch MacBook Pro, 2.3 GHz, 8GB RAM, 128GB HD – $1,199.99, down from $1,299.99 (matched at B&H)

• 13-inch MacBook Pro, 2.3 GHz, 8GB RAM, 256GB HD – $1,399.99, down from $1,499.99 (matched at B&H)

• 12-inch Macbook, 1.3 GHz, 8GB RAM, 512GB HD – $1,499.99, down from $1,599.99 (matched at B&H)

Anker has a special Gold Box deal on Amazon today only, including up to 40 percent off wall chargers, car chargers, power banks, and more. There are also a few Anker discount codes that will be expiring over the weekend, which we’ve listed below:

• PowerPort Wireless 5 Pad – $14.39 with code 10WIRELESS, down from $15.99 (exp. 9/22)

• PowerPort Wireless 5 Stand – $15.74 with code 10WIRELESS, down from $17.49 (exp. 9/22)

• PowerPort Wireless 10 – $19.79 with code 10WIRELESS, down from $21.99 (exp. 9/22)

• 7.5W Fast Wireless Charger with QC Adapter – $41.39 with code 10WIRELESS, down from $45.99 (exp. 9/22)

• 7.5W Fast Wireless Charging Stand with QC Adapter – $44.99 with code 10WIRELESS, down from $49.99 (exp. 9/22)

• PowerPort Wireless 5 Pad and Stand – $35.99 with code 10WIRELESS, down from $39.99 (exp. 9/22)

• 5W Wireless Charger Charging Pad – $8.99 with code 10WIRELESS, down from $9.99 (exp. 9/22)

• 7.5W Fast Wireless Charging Stand – $26.99 with code 10WIRELESS, down from $29.99 (exp. 9/22)

• Zolo Liberty Total-Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds – $79.99 with code ZOLOPRO7, down from $98.95 (exp. 9/22)

Lastly, accessory company Choetech has a charging discount today, for a fast wireless stand charger that works with Apple’s iPhone X, 8, 8 Plus, XS, XS Max, and upcoming XR. If you’re interested, head over to Amazon, add the charger to your cart, and enter the code MACHO524 at checkout to get the accessory for $9.99, down from $17.99.

More of the latest sales can be found in our Deals Roundup, including 10 percent off any order you place with Pad & Quill.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals
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JackRabbot 2 is Stanford’s friendly new campus-roaming social robot

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Amanda Law

Amanda Law

Boasting a human-friendly appearance, with a two-fingered arm, squat body, and large cartoonish eyes, you could be forgiven for thinking that JackRabbot 2 is a character from some as-yet-unannounced sequel to Pixar’s WALL-E. In fact, it’s a real robot created by researchers at Stanford University — which was first shown off at an on-campus event this week.

The goal of the JackRabbot 2 project (known as “JR2” by its creators) is to build a robot that’s not just capable of navigating around the sprawling Stanford campus, but to build one that is also able to do so while surrounded by people. After all, if the future is going to see us live and work among robots (or vice versa), it’s important to figure out the rules of social engagement as soon as possible.

“JR2 focuses on being in human environments with humans,” Professor Silvio Savarese, associate professor of computer science, who leads the JackRabbot project, and Roberto Martín-Martín, postdoctoral scholar of Computer Science, told Digital Trends. “Previous technologies have focused on moving a robot from A to B. We focus on moving JR2 from A to B in a way that obeys human social conventions and etiquette. The robot respects personal space, groups of humans talking, and pays extra attention — even reducing the velocity if needed — when it is necessary to pass close to a person.”

As its name implies, JR2 is the second robot in the JackRabbot series. This one adds considerably more hardware to the mix, however — including two state-of-the-art GPUs, better sensors with 360-degree lidar, depth cameras on its head, microphones, and an arm. “JR2 can convey intentions to humans using its arm,” the researchers said. “But it can also interact with the environment, open doors and drawers, grab us a coffee, and bring it to us.”

It is also designed with more human interactivity in mind: for instance, communicating via arm gestures, smiling or frowning, and using lights, sounds, and a simplified voice.

In short, it sounds like the robot butler of our dreams, although the team notes that it is not quite consumer-ready yet. On a scale of 1 to 10, from fundamental research to consumer product, they rate JR2 as a 7.

“For example, in terms of mobility and social navigation, we are a bit higher, probably at 8,” they said. “When it comes to interacting physically with the environment with the arm we are a bit behind, probably at a 6. Interaction is difficult. We are working on these last two to three points to make mobile robots to be ready to deliver your products, guide you in airports, or assist you at home.”

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• Reprogrammable Braille could capture the Harry Potter series in a few pages
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New iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max ‘Experience’ Website Puts ‘.Apple’ Top-Level Domain to Use

Apple has launched a new iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max “experience” micro-site that puts its “.apple” top-level domain to use, as discovered on Reddit.

As noted by 9to5Mac’s Benjamin Mayo, the address of the micro-site is simply experience.apple/iPhone, with Apple using its .apple top-level domain instead of .com. Apple acquired ownership of .apple in 2015, according to the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority, but has rarely used it.

The micro-site itself is basic, with 3D renders of the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max that rotate as you tilt your actual iPhone. The page also allows customers to compare top-level features, screen sizes, and Space Gray, Gold, and Silver finishes. “Learn more” links lead back to Apple.com when tapped.

Apple is promoting the micro-site as part of its marketing campaign for the iPhone XS and iPhone XS across social media. To check it out, tap on this link from Safari or Chrome on a mobile device.

Related Roundup: iPhone XS
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