How to unlock every suit in Spider-Man for PS4

Don’t be like Peter just starting out. We all deserve better suits than old clothes found in our closets.

Spider-Man features 27 different suits for Peter to wear as he’s stopping crime throughout the city. These range from iconic suits pulled straight from the comics to some funnier suits that Insomniac designed just for the game.

Most of them require you to level up within the game and earn tokens to unlock them. You can earn these by completing side activities like fighting crime, research tasks, and finding Peter’s backpacks around the city. The remaining suits are gated behind specific story missions or completing 100% of every district.

Note: The name of one of the final suits you unlock can be considered a spoiler, however we have included it in this list.

• Advanced Suit
• Classic Suit Damaged
• Classic Suit Repaired
• Noir Suit
• Scarlet Spider Suit
• Spider Armor – MK II Suit
• Secret War Suit
• Stark Suit
• Negative Suit
• Electrically Insulated Suit
• Spider-Punk Suit
• Wrestler Suit
• Fear Itself Suit
• Stealth “Big Time” Suit
• Spider Armor – MK III Suit
• Spider-Man 2099 Black Suit
• Iron Spider Suit
• Velocity Suit
• Spider Armor – MK IV Suit
• Spirit Spider
• Spider-Man 2099 White Suit
• Vintage Comic Book Suit
• Last Stand Suit
• Anti-Ock Suit
• Undies Suit
• Homemade Suit
• Dark Suit
• ESU Suit

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See at PlayStation

Advanced Suit

Unlocked with:

• Complete 5th main story mission Something Old, Something New
• 1 Backpack Token
• 2 Crime Tokens

Classic Suit Damaged

This is the suit you start off the game with.

Classic Suit Repaired

Unlocked with:

• Complete 5th main story mission Something Old, Something New
• 2 Backpack Tokens
• 2 Crime Tokens

Noir Suit

Unlocked with:

• Complete 5th main story mission Something Old, Something New
• 2 Backpack Tokens
• 1 Base Token

Scarlet Spider Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 4
• 3 Crime Tokens
• 2 Landmark Tokens

Spider Armor – MK II Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 5
• 1 Landmark Token
• 1 Base Token
• 2 Research Tokens (You must reach a certain point in the story in order to earn Research Tokens)

Secret War Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 7
• 1 Base Token
• 2 Backpack Tokens
• 1 Research Token

Stark Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 9
• 1 Base Token
• 3 Crime Tokens
• 1 Research Token

Negative Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 11
• 2 Landmark Tokens
• 1 Research Token
• 1 Base Token

Electrically Insulated Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 13
• 3 Crime Tokens
• 1 Base Token
• 1 Research Token

Spider-Punk Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 16
• 2 Backpack Tokens
• 3 Base Tokens
• 2 Landmark Tokens

Wrestler Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 19
• 2 Backpack Tokens
• 2 Base Tokens
• 2 Research Tokens

Fear Itself Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 21
• 6 Challenge Tokens
• 2 Base Tokens
• 3 Research Tokens

Stealth “Big Time” Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 23
• 4 Challenge Tokens
• 2 Base Tokens
• 3 Landmark Tokens

Spider Armor – MK III Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 26
• 4 Challenge Tokens
• 2 Base Tokens
• 4 Crime Tokens

Spider-Man 2099 Black Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 29
• 2 Base Tokens
• 4 Crime Tokens
• 4 Research Tokens

Iron Spider Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 31
• 3 Challenge Tokens
• 3 Base Tokens
• 4 Crime Tokens

Velocity Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 33
• 4 Challenge Tokens
• 2 Backpack Tokens
• 2 Landmark Tokens

Spider Armor – MK IV Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 35
• 4 Challenge Tokens
• 4 Base Tokens
• 3 Landmark Tokens

Spirit Spider

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 37
• 6 Base Tokens
• 6 Challenge Tokens
• 6 Crime Tokens

Spider-Man 2099 White Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 39
• 4 Base Tokens
• 4 Challenge Tokens
• 4 Crime Tokens

Vintage Comic Book Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 41
• 4 Challenge Tokens
• 4 Backpack Tokens
• 4 Crime Tokens

Last Stand Suit

Unlocked with:

• Reach level 45
• 20 Crime Tokens

Anti-Ock Suit

Unlocked with:

• Complete the main story campaign

Undies Suit

Unlocked with:

• Complete the game 100% (All main missions, side missions, activities, and districts)

Homemade Suit

Unlocked with:

• Find all 55 backpacks around the city

Dark Suit

Unlocked with:

• Complete all Black Cat Stakeouts

ESU Suit

Unlocked with:

• Complete all 50 secret photo ops

See at Amazon

See at PlayStation

Updated September 14, 2018: We added information on how to unlock the hidden ESU suit.

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How to get a higher resolution PS4 screenshot

The quality of the screenshots on your PS4 got you down? Try PNGs!

One of the many benefits of modern gaming is the ability to share your victories, defeats, and bizarre gaming experiences with your friends. One of the many ways that can be done is through the sharing of screenshots.

If you’re a PS4 user and you’ve found the quality of your screenshots leave a little bit to be desired, you are not alone. Fortunately, there is a way to increase the quality of your screenshots so that they can be shared in all of the glory for which you intended them.

By default, the PS4 saves all screenshots as JPEGs. This is an effective method of saving screenshots if the only thing you are concerned about is storage space. JPEGs may not take up a lot of space on your hard drive but that is due to the compression that is applied to the images. If you want to get a fuller richer image you are going to have to change the format in which your PS4 saves screenshots.

Switching from JPEGs to PNGs is a snap and here is how to do it.

From the main page of your PS4, scroll on over and select Settings

Next scroll down and select Sharing and Broadcasts from the settings menu

Once you are in the Sharing and Broadcasts menu, select Screenshot Settings

Now select Image Format

And switch your Image format from JPEG to PNG

You are all set. From now on when you take a screenshot it’ll be saved as a PNG. These images are going to take up a bit more space the JPEGs did but I think that you will be much happier with the quality of the images.

Have you made the switch?

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

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Alpine Halo9 review: Android Auto and CarPlay are big and brilliant

The Alpine iLX-F309 Halo9 has a floating 9-inch display but only needs a single-DIN space in your dash. It’s about $899 at Amazon.

This may well be the best way for just about anyone to get Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.

If you want to experience Android Auto — that is, if you want to experience Android Auto the right way — you’re going to need to do it on a touchscreen. Sure, you can get Android Auto on a phone. And that’s great, because it’s better than nothing and it opens the platform up to anyone with an Android phone. But it’s just not the same as having it on a big screen.

The problem is that not everyone can have a big screen. Some cars just can’t handle a double-DIN unit, which is to say they don’t have room for that much hardware.

Enter the Alpine iLX-F309 — aka the Halo9. It’s a $900 head unit that handles Android Auto as well as Apple’s CarPlay. It does either with just a single USB port — and more important is that it fits in a single-DIN space.

Oh, and the screen is 9 inches diagonal. Intrigued? Let’s forage on.

Alpine iLX-F309 Halo9

Price: $899 retail

Bottom line: It’s not inexpensive, but it’s incredibly easy (and fun) to use, with a large touchscreen, access to Android Auto and Apple CarPlay (among other sources), and it fits in most cars.

The Good

• Large capacitive screen in a single-DIN format
• Single USB port for Android Auto or CarPlay
• Dedicated GPS antenna
• Loads of options for car stereo enthusiasts

The Bad

• Not inexpensive
• No remote control
• Screen isn’t detachable for security

See at Amazon

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Spend the money — it’s worth it

Alpine Halo9 What I like

I’ve used Android Auto and Apple CarPlay for as long as they’ve been around. They are two of the more important features Google and Apple have added to their phones in recent memory, for one simple reason:

They make you safer in the car. That is, they’ll keep you from playing with your phone while you’re driving.

Let’s not pretend that you’re never going to use your phone in the car. That’s simply not realistic. But that doesn’t mean you can’t use your phone in a safe and secure manner. If your vehicle doesn’t have an option for Android Auto or CarPlay built in, the Halo9 may well be the best aftermarket option.

Consider this: A 9-inch display is great. I’d almost argue it’s a little too big, actually — some of the graphics in Android Auto and (especially) in CarPlay get a little glitchy at that size but at just WVGA resolution, with round icons occasionally gaining corners, and individual pixels very much visible in places. That’s nitpicking, though. My wife has a 7-inch touchscreen in her car (capacitive, at that), and I’m never going back.

The trick, then, is how to get a 9-inch display in a car that decidedly was not built for such a beast. That’s bigger than even what a double-DIN setup would allow.

In this case, Alpine has the screen extended from the body of the head unit, which fits nicely inside a single-DIN space. It’s somewhat adjustable, so you can find the right fit between any controls and your air-conditioner vents. But do know that this isn’t the sort of thing you’ll be adjusting on the fly. So you’ll want to work with your installer to make sure you get things fitted as well as you can before you drive off.

The Halo9 is a great aftermarket experience for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Period.

While it’s adjustable, it’s not mechanical. The screen doesn’t get sucked back into the body of the head unit, nor does it easily remove for added security. It’s going to stand out a bit, very much in a good way, unless you’d prefer the interior of your car to be a little more inconspicuous. It’s nowhere near the 15-inch touchscreen of a Tesla Model 3, but this thing is going to get noticed.

For shared vehicles, you’ll love the fact that the Halo9 requires just a single USB port for Android Auto and CarPlay. Just plug in with the appropriate cable, and you’re set. No tweaking settings, no second port needed.

And while I’m not usually a fan of aftermarket user interfaces, Alpine’s is one of the better ones. You’ve got a mess of options, from Bluetooth and HD Radio to satellite radio, Pandora, and an aux port. And Alpine allows you to set favorites from any of the inputs (including phone calls, by the way), making it extremely quick and easy to access just about anything, should you decide to venture outside Android Auto or CarPlay.

And that’s just the bare bones. There’s a wold of options in addition to all that, including backup cameras and the KAC-001 Accessory Controller, and the iDatalink Maestro Module.

What I don’t like

Look, there’s not too much to not like here. I can nitpick over the small graphical hiccups in Android Auto and CarPlay at that 9-inch size and WVGA resolution, but that’s not really Alpine’s fault. Google and Apple maybe didn’t really take this product into consideration when designing things, and it’s something that maybe could improve in software at some point.

And I’m maybe not crazy about the capacitive buttons below the screen. This is where you’ll adjust the volume and get into the favorites and seek and fast forward and all that jazz. Capacitive buttons aren’t ideal for this because they don’t have any sort of tactile feel to them. But keep in mind that if your steering wheel has controls on it (and mine doesn’t) you’ll probably not need them too often. So while maybe I’d prefer a remote control in this instance, it’s not a deal-killer. (Especially given how much the Halo9 already costs.)

There’s also no support for optical media — no CDs or DVDs — and no SD card. I’m actually fine with that — they’re outdated forms of media and something I haven’t wanted to use in years anyway. But if it’s one of those things you just have to have, you’ll want to look elsewhere.

And, finally, it’s possible that a 9-inch screen is just too big for you. I’ll strongly disagree, though, and am willing to come to your house and argue that you’re wrong until you see the light.

Just saying.

Alpine iLX-F309 Halo9

4.5
out of 5

There’s not too much to overthink here. The Halo9 fits a very large screen in a small space. It supports both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and it does so with just a single USB port. It’s got a ton of bells and whistles beyond that, sounds great and is easy to use, even if you’re not a serious car stereo enthusiast.

It’s more expensive than other Android Auto and CarPlay options — but it’s also a much better experience.

See at Amazon

Spotify’s ridiculous offline limits are finally getting raised!

Come for the easy setup, stay for the algorithm-based recommendations

One of the most popular names in the music world today isn’t a band or a record label: it’s an app called Spotify. Spotify was one of the earliest and most popular music streaming services on the market today. The service is available on almost every platform, from cars to home assistants to high-end speakers to phones, tablets, and computers. Spotify’s prowess with data analysis and algorithmic music suggestions have made the service addictive for music-hungry users, and as the first major service to offer student pricing, it’s spread like wildfire on college campuses across the country.

Here’s what you need to know before and after you dive in with it.

The latest Spotify news

September 14, 2018 — Spotify is raising its offline limits!!

Spotify’s offline limits have been one of the bigger sticking points for Premium users. While Spotify’s 10,000 song library limit takes a while to reach, the 3-device, 3,333 song limit for Spotify’s offline content has been quite easy for users to hit, especially if they subscribe to any huge community playlists. Well, after years of persistent user complaints, Spotify is upgrading its offline limits to 10,000 songs on up to 5 devices. A Spotify spokesperson confirmed to Rolling Stone:

At Spotify, we’re always working on improving the experience for our users. We can now confirm that we have increased the number of offline tracks per device — from 3,333 on three devices to 10,000 tracks per device for up to five devices.

Being able to use more devices with Spotify’s offline content is great news, but the fact that you’ll be able to download your entire library on a single device is even better, since most users only use one phone at a time, and want to be able to access all of their music offline rather than just a third of it.

All the big details

Getting Started

Spotify is built to be as easy a listening experience as possible, and for most users, making an account is as easy as pressing one button. From setting up an account to getting your library established, we’re here to help you avoid as much pain as possible while you make the switch.

Getting started with Spotify

Pick your subscription

There are a lot of subscription styles out there for Spotify, but which one will fit you — and your family members — best? We break down the difference in Spotify subscriptions beyond the price points and show their prices and pitfalls, especially the very tight strings wrapped around Spotify Premium for Family subscriptions.

How to pick a Spotify account

Play your music everywhere

One of Spotify’s perks is that users can play back their music just about everywhere: their watch, their phone, their TV, their car, their smart speakers, high-end speakers, their computer, and just about everything in between. Best of all, connecting to all of these diverse devices uses the same simple UI: Spotify Connect. Here’s how this musical magic works and what it works with.

Spotify Connect: What it is and why it’s awesome

Settling in with Spotify

Once you’ve gotten your account up and running, it’s time to start mastering Spotify and making it work for you. From library management to offline playback and beyond, there are some simple things you can do to turn your Spotify experience up to 11.

Top 5 tips to make the most of your Spotify subscription

Playlist problems persist…

Playlists are a big part of any music service, but they’re doubly important on Android because playlists curated by everyday users can be highlighted by Spotify’s search and shared with your friends, family, and followers. There’s just one little problem: you can’t really edit playlists properly on Android. Or Chromebooks, for that matter.

Spotify has a playlist problem on Android

… but Spotify’s playlists have a secret ally

Even if you can’t tweak your playlist order, description, and image on Android, it’s still possible to build a big, beautiful playlist on Spotify. If you start running out of ideas for additions to your playlists, don’t worry. You can leverage the work you’ve already done and Spotify’s algorithms to expand your playlist with Playlist Radio.

Use Spotify’s radio to build bigger, better playlists

Queues, subqueues, and frustration

Managing and mixing up your queue on Spotify is a bit of a minefield for two reasons. The first is that rather than showing your listening history by letting you scroll up in your playlist, whatever you’re playing is at the top of the queue and what you last listened to is at the bottom if it’s visible at all.

The second is that Add to Queue doesn’t do what it’s called, which can turn an already confusing queue into a vanishing, inconsistent tur-queue-ken.

Spotify’s Add to Queue is a lie

Offline mode could use some work

We take our music out for a run, we bring music into the shower, and we always bring music when we travel, be it by plane, train, or automobile. And since we bring our music where our internet sometimes cannot follow, that means that offline modes for our music apps are important. Offline for Spotify is lackluster at best, and that’s disappointing for a whole host of reasons.

Offline mode on Spotify sucks out loud

Made For You is made in heaven

Finding something to listen to can be a tricky proposition for any music lover, but Spotify is known far and wide for their algorithmic prowess. And the best example of it isn’t the Discover Weekly or the year-end statistics. No, siree, the best use of Spotify’s number-crunching genius is a little section in Your Library called Just For You.

Spotify’s ‘Made For You’ is a love letter to music addicts

Spotify vs. Google Play Music

Spotify has a lot of competition, but perhaps the biggest competition they face on Android is convincing people that they’re better than the music player that came pre-installed on your phone: Google Play Music. To be sure, both services have their ups and downs, but here is a critical comparison of the two services to help you decide if you want to give Spotify your time, attention, and money.

Spotify vs. Google Play Music: The battle of the bigs

What’s your take?

What do you love or hate about Spotify? Let us know in the comments!

Whitestone Dome Glass Galaxy Note 9 case review: Corner save

Protecting the aesthetic and design simultaneously.

The Galaxy Note 9 is beastly: at nearly 6.4 inches tall and just over 7 ounces, when it falls it goes down hard. Anyone with a shattered glass back or front can attest to that. Whitestone’s Dome Glass clear case is just $10 but it does everything a good case should do: maintains the phone’s beauty while protecting as much of the device as possible.

A clear winner

Whitestone Dome Glass for Galaxy Note 9

$9.99 at Amazon

A clear case with no compromises

Whitestone’s Dome Glass is a clear case that adds much-needed grip and protects the Note 9’s four corners from impact.

The Good

• Doesn’t add much bulk
• Inexpensive
• High-quality plastic

The Bad

• Attracts dust and fingerprints

Whitestone Dome Glass for Galaxy Note 9 What’s good

Reviewing cases for big phones is a difficult proposition because as slippery or fingerprinty as a phone gets, the last thing you want to do is add weight or bulk to what may already be a pocket-protruding product. That’s the good news with Whitestone’s Dome Glass case, which is about as thin, light, and unobtrusive as it comes.

This is about as good a clear case as you’re going to get for $10.

Made with high-quality, flexible plastic (also known as TPU), the case’s best feature its grippy texture and reinforced corners, which make it easier to grip the slippery Note 9, and protect it from falls when those moments inevitably come. But while there is some give to the plastic, making it easy to install the phone, it’s thick and strong enough to give me confidence in its longevity — this case isn’t going to fall apart in a few months, and in the weeks I’ve had it on the phone, it’s yet to show the telltale discoloration that comes with cheaply-made clear plastic.

The Note 9’s side buttons are all easily accessed through the plastic perimeter, and the phone’s S Pen, a hallmark of Samsung’s series since its introduction in 2011, is quickly removed. Similarly, the bottom cutouts for the headphone jack, USB-C port, microphone, speaker, and S Pen, are all perfectly positioned.

Whitestone Dome Glass for Galaxy Note 9 What’s not good

As with all clear cases, it’s imperative you clean the phone, and the inside plastic, prior to inserting the phone every time, lest you end up with dust, lint, and obvious fingerprints. With this case and the oversized Note 9, there’s plenty of surface area for those tiny particles to get trapped, and that makes for a not-so-fun experience if you’re the fastidious type like me. I had to remove the Note 9 more than a few times, and then finally install the case in a steamy bathroom, to prevent said visual aberrations.

And while this is true of all cases, the Whitestone Dome Glass case, despite its transparency, still somewhat mars the Note 9’s visual appeal. Not by a lot mind you, but you miss the carefully-designed chamfers and other subtleties of the phone when it’s presented in a case.

Should you buy it? For a clear case, this is a great choice

There’s no question that, when buying a case, you want something that effects the right compromise between protection and protecting the visual appeal of the phone in your pocket. While the Note 9 is one of the tallest phones on the market, the Dome Glass case adds only a little weight and length to every dimension, and that it keeps my expensive phone from harm is more than enough reason to keep it on there in the long-term.

4
out of 5

At just $10, the Whitestone Dome Glass case for the Note 9 is a great deal.

See at Amazon

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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Skagen Falster 2 smartwatch now available for $275 and up

If you can live without the Wear 3100 processor, the Falster 2’s worth a look.

Back at IFA this August, Skagen announced its Falster 2 Wear OS smartwatch. The original Falster was a good-looking wearable that lacked a few key features, and with the Falster 2, we have an even better design and many of the features the original model was lacking.

There are now two buttons above and below the turntable dial on the right side of the frame, and these can be used for opening up your most-used apps. The bezel surrounding the circular display is also considerably slimmer.

Along with these good looks, you’ll find a pretty solid fitness focus, too. There’s now a heart-rate sensor so you can keep tabs on your ticker, built-in GPS for mapping runs without needing to carry your phone with you, and waterproofing.

And, if you like making payments with your watch, the Falster 2 has an NFC chip for Google Pay support. The Falster 2 is powered by the older Wear 2100 processor instead of the all-new Wear 3100, so if you want Qualcomm’s latest and greatest silicon, this may not be the watch for you.

The Falster 2 is available for purchase starting today and costs $275 for the watch with a leather or silicone band. If you step up to the new steel mesh band, you’ll spend $295.

See at Skagen

Google Wear OS

• The best Wear OS smartwatches
• Discuss Android Wear in the forums!

Would a plastic backing on a phone be a big deal to you in 2018?

A plastic body isn’t enough reason on its own to completely write off a phone.

Remember when Russian site Mobile-Review dropped an entire Pixel 3 XL early impressions review a few weeks ago, complete with unboxing photos and camera samples? There was a ton of information to unpack in the article, but in the hardware section specifically, the writer mentioned a rough plastic backing on the phone, to accommodate for the newly added wireless charging.

Plastic isn’t necessarily ideal in an expensive flagship, but it wouldn’t be the end of the world, either.

I’m doubtful that the Pixel 3 XL will actually ship with a plastic backing. Beyond the phone obviously being a pre-production unit that may or may not use the same materials as the final shipped product, let’s not forget that the Pixel 2 felt a lot like plastic, despite having an all-aluminum body, thanks to the paint on top. The Pixel 3 XL is in all likelihood glass around the back.

Even still, would it be that bad if the Pixel 3 and 3 XL were made of plastic? It would certainly reduce manufacturing costs, and plastic is significantly more durable than glass. Let’s not forget that plastic doesn’t immediately have to mean a cheap, flimsy shell reminiscent of the Galaxy S3; the Nokia Lumia 920 was terrifically durable, and it was made entirely of polycarbonate — yep, that’s plastic.

I get it, though. For the $850 or so we can expect the Pixel 3 XL to cost, a plastic back would be far from ideal given the premium materials used in similarly priced alternatives. So let’s talk about a different phone.

The POCO F1 has gotten a lot of attention lately for being a mind-bogglingly affordable vessel for the Snapdragon 845 and other top-end specs. The upgraded Armored Edition model offers a kevlar backing, but the $300 variant utilizes polycarbonate to keep costs low and durability high. While I’m sure some people will opt for the kevlar version, which also includes better specs, the F1’s driving selling point is its low price, and the plastic body won’t stop the vast majority of customers from buying the $300 model.

I’m not trying to make the argument that plastic would be a better choice than metal or glass in a flagship phone — though I’m sure some would, given the rather vocal anti-glass crowd who don’t appreciate the material’s fragility. I just don’t think a plastic body is enough reason on its own to completely write off a phone, especially since most people throw their phone into a case as soon as they get it anyway.

What about you? Would you buy a plastic phone in this day and age of curved glass and chamfered aluminum, even if the phone came at the same price? Would you actually prefer it? Let us know in the comments below!

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

• Pixel 2 FAQ: Everything you need to know!
• Google Pixel 2 and 2 XL review: The new standard
• Google Pixel 2 specs
• Google Pixel 2 vs. Pixel 2 XL: What’s the difference?
• Join our Pixel 2 forums

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MacRumors Giveaway: Win an iPhone XS Max and Case Bundle From Casetify

To celebrate the launch of Apple’s new 2018 iPhones, we’re hosting a few special giveaways this week, and we’ve saved the best for last.

We’ve teamed up with Casetify to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a brand new 64GB Space Gray iPhone XS Max along with a Casetify Impact iPhone case bundle.

Apple’s 6.5-inch iPhone XS Max is its newest, biggest flagship device, and Casetify has an attractive, slim case ready to go for the new device and its sibling, the 5.8-inch iPhone XS.

Casetify’s Impact Cases for iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max are some of the slimmest cases available that also offer Military Grade drop protection. They measure in at 1.8mm thick, but offer protection from drops of up to 6.6 feet.

Priced at $49, the Impact Case features a dual-layer construction with a “Qitech” shockproof material that offers both impact resistance and shock absorption for protection from drops. iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max are made from glass to allow for wireless charging, so a case like the Impact is essential.

If you’re not familiar with Casetify, you should know that all of Casetify’s cases are ultra customizable. You can choose from millions of artist designs or upload your own designs.

The Impact Case features a high gloss finish that can be customized with any design and there’s a raised bezel to protect the screen when it’s face down. A flash absorbent camera ring is located at the back and the Qitech material at the sides adds style and protection. All Casetify cases work with wireless charging.

Casetify is giving an iPhone XS Max and case bundle to one lucky MacRumors reader, but those who don’t win can get a 20 percent discount on an Impact Case from the Casetify website, dropping the price from $49 to $39. Just use code MACRUMORS when checking out.

To enter to win the iPhone XS Max, use the Rafflecopter widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send 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 giveawayThe contest will run from today (September 14) at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on September 21. The winners will be chosen randomly on September 21 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.

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Apple’s unsafe Mac App Store is simply inexcusable

(in)Secure is a weekly column that dives into the rapidly escalating topic of cybersecurity.

Mac fans haven’t felt the love from Apple lately, but the problems go beyond a lack of new products. It’s become a matter of security.

A string of recent reports has shown certain apps in the Mac App Store were stealing data without user knowledge. These apps were supposedly vetted by Apple, and were popular, frequently-downloaded apps on the Mac App Store. Users had no reason to suspect the apps were malicious.

People’s trust in Apple has left them vulnerable, and it’s time Apple addressed it.

An app store legacy

The success of the iPhone has a lot to do with the app store’s curation. Each app available on iOS has an implied seal of approval from Apple. If you can download an app on your iPhone, it can be trusted. It’s safe. It’s a stark contrast from the Google Play store, which isn’t nearly as rigorous.

Adware Doctor app

Much of the iOS App Store’s credibility has carried over to the Mac App Store, but apparently, it’s not deserved. As reported by ThreatPost, an app called Adware Doctor has been copying people’s browsing history from Chrome, Firefox, and Safari, and sending it off to a China-based domain, for currently unknown purposes. The app requests access to several questionable functions, though because of the trust people have put in the highly-rated app, they often approve the access.

Adware Doctor was in the number four spot in the “Top Paid” app list, right behind first-party software like Final Cut Pro.

The app was able to pass through the security controls of MacOS undetected, pull sensitive browsing history data, and download it as a zip archive. That flies in the face of Apple’s own data privacy policies. Of course, security breaches happen. That’s something every software company in the world deals with. The real problem is Apple’s failure to quickly remove the app.

The data theft was noted first by Patrick Wardle, founder of Mac security company Objective-See. According to him, Apple had been alerted about the suspicious app a month ago, and at the time of going public with his findings, had failed to take action.

Adware Doctor wasn’t just a small app that snuck through the fence. As ThreatPost points out, the app was listed in the number four spot in the “Top Paid” app list, right behind first-party software like Final Cut Pro. It was listed with endless five-star reviews, which were no doubt fake. It’s not hard to imagine why people would trust an app with such a high profile.

While Adware Doctor has since been removed, it took widespread media coverage for Apple to protect Mac owners who were actively having their data stolen. Apple’s failure to act quickly breaches the trust owners have put in Apple’s store.

It’s not just a few oddballs. It’s a trend

Adware Doctor isn’t the only app that’s been caught. In fact, an entire suite of apps from Trend Micro has been flagged for capturing the same data. That includes Dr. Antivirus, Dr. Cleaner, Dr. Unarchiver, and App Uninstall. Trend Micro initially denied the findings, but has since removed all such functions from the apps in attempts to get back into Apple’s good graces.

How could an app like this pass muster to begin with?

Malwarebytes said it has “taken as long as six months for a reported app to be removed.”

As it turns out, Adware Doctor was first accepted by Apple under the name of Adware Medic, which just happened to share its name with AdwareMedic app, a legitimate piece of software run by Malwarebytes. Trend Micro’s app was then removed, only to be re-accepted as Adware Doctor.

Not only did Apple approve an unsafe app, it approved it masquerading under the name of a proper app. That’s hardly top-tier espionage. If Apple could fall for that, what else might’ve pass by undiscovered?

Malwarebytes has been looking into that issue for years and reporting the appearance of junk software in Mac App Store. According to Malwarebytes, it’s sometimes “taken as long as six months for a reported app to be removed.”

With Apple’s renewed focus on the App Store in MacOS Mojave, we can only hope it takes back responsibility for cleaning up its mess. Yet with Apple’s attention squarely on iOS, we’re not getting our hopes up. If security isn’t a good enough reason to remember the Mac, then what is?

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Samsung’s going to up its (Galaxy) A game on October 11

What’s going on at Samsung? The company isn’t satisfied with launching the Galaxy Note 9, the Galaxy Tab S4, and the Galaxy Watch during the second half of the year, and has something else planned for October 11. Samsung tweeted a mysterious invitation to an online event, saying it will reveal something with “4x fun,” on the day. It comes from Samsung’s mobile division account, so we know it’ll be phone related.

Let the fun times begin, this October 11, 2018. pic.twitter.com/8zzWYAgiWB

— Samsung Mobile (@SamsungMobile) September 14, 2018

Visit Samsung’s website and a little more information is revealed. The October 11 event will introduce at least one new Galaxy A smartphone. The Galaxy A range currently consists of multiple models, all occupying the mid-range, with a focus on style, affordability, and decent features.

What about the 4x tagline? It’s possible Samsung will introduce an A series phone with four camera lenses, most likely two on the front and two on the back. Phone leaker Ice Universe recently tweeted a cryptic message saying, “Samsung Camera Camera Camera Camera,” which may or may not be related to the device it has planned for October 11. The 2018 Galaxy A8+ currently has a single lens on the rear and two on the front, making a dual-lens rear camera to join the Live Focus-equipped front camera setup a logical step forward for the most desirable Galaxy A model.

There is another camera feature where 4x would be an interesting addition — the zoom. Samsung, along with other manufacturers, already has a 2x hybrid zoom on some dual-lens camera phones. It has in the past introduced phones with far greater degrees of optical zoom such as the Galaxy S4 Zoom and the Galaxy K Zoom. However, this is only speculation and a degree of wishful thinking on our part.

Some online commenters have also hoped the October 11 announcement will be regarding Samsung’s folding phone — which we know as the Galaxy X — but this will not be the case. Recently, Samsung has hinted we may get a first look at the phone during the company’s developer conference in November, so we have to be patient for that one.

The Galaxy A 4x Fun event will take place on October 11 at 10 a.m. U.K. time. It will be livestreamed on the samsung.com website, and we will update here with any additional rumors and news, over the coming weeks.

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