Corsair’s latest SSD boasts extremely fast speeds at a more affordable price

Upgrading to a faster solid-state drive is one of the easiest ways to get a speed bump out of an aging PC and Corsair is making it more affordable to make the switch to a speedy SSD. The company’s fast NVMe-based Force Series MP510 SSD is one of the fastest on the market and the drive comes in at a more affordable price than competing offerings from Samsung and Western Digital.

“Utilizing the ultra high-speed NVMe PCIe Gen3 x4 M.2 interface for maximum bandwidth, the MP510 leaves traditional SATA 6Gbps and even previous generation M.2 SSDs in the dust,” the company claimed in a statement. “Loading everything from large video and image files to games, applications or the operating system faster than ever before, the MP510 supercharges your system’s performance, whatever you’re doing.” The drive’s M.2 2280 form factor makes it compatible with most desktops and laptops.

Corsair boasts sequential read speeds as fast as 3,480MB per second and sequential write speeds as fast as 3,000MB per second for the Force Series MP510. This places the MP510 in the same class as Samsung’s 970 Pro and 970 EVO models as well as Western Digital’s Black drives.

The Samsung 970 EVO and 970 Pro models, for comparison, boast read speeds of 3,500MB/s and write speeds of 2,500MB/s, which the company claims is 32 percent faster than last year’s 960 EVO models. Western Digital’s 2018 Black SSDs boast up to 3,400MB/s read speeds and 2,800MB/s write speeds, depending on the model. While read speeds between all three brands are within range of each other, Corsair’s MP510 faster write speeds over these two competitors gives it an advantage.

Despite matching and besting the performance of its competitors, Corsair’s MP510 also is more affordable, with a starting price of just $69 for a 240GB-capacity SSD and topping out at $474 for 1,920GB, or approximately 2TB, of storage. The MP510 is an upgrade from Corsair’s previous MP500 series. For comparison, the Samsung 970 EVO sells for $99 for a 250GB drive, while the similar top-end 1,920GB model retails for $577. That represents a savings of more than $100 for the Corsair MP510 at the high end. Western Digital’s 2018 Black series SSD also starts at $99 for the 250GB edition but tops out at just 1TB for $357.

The Force Series MP510 is also available in 480GB and 960GB capacities. All configurations of the MP510 drives are available for purchase now through Corsair’s web store, except the 1,940GB model, which is currently listed as out of stock. The MP510 is backed by Corsair’s five-year warranty.

If you have additional storage needs, you can also consider adding an external storage drive as well.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Samsung’s external X5 SSD blazes like the stick-shaped drive in your desktop
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• Intel’s ruler-shaped SSD packs 32TB of storage, aims to redesign servers
• Intel Optane memory: Everything you need to know
• SSD vs. HDD

New Windows 10 19H1 preview lets users remove more pre-installed Microsoft apps

A fresh Windows 10 install usually traps consumers with some pre-loaded Microsoft apps and services, but that may have just changed. With the release of the latest Windows 10 19H1 preview build on October 17, Microsoft is letting some consumers remove more of the pre-installed inbox app bloatware from their PCs.

Any pre-installed third-party games and apps can already be removed from Windows 10 — including Candy Crush — but some stock Microsoft inbox apps can’t be ditched as easily. The new 18262 preview build now allows for quick and easy deletion of core stock apps like 3D Viewer, Calculator, Calendar, Mail, and Movies & TV, Paint 3D, Snip & Sketch, Sticky Notes, and Voice Recorder.

Microsoft’s removal process is as simple as right-clicking one of these apps on the Start Menu and selecting uninstall, or visiting the context menu in the All Apps list. Previously, the only removable stock Microsoft apps included Solitaire Collection, My Office, OneNote, Print 3D, Skype, Tips, and Weather.

Though these apps are light in size, it is a welcome change for the consumers who are looking to free up space on their PCs. It also is good for those who don’t utilize these Microsoft apps or have found better third-party alternatives downloaded through the store.

This same preview build also introduces some other new features to the Windows 10 experience. DPI Awareness in Task Manager, some new troubleshooting improvements, and new abilities in Narrator to read by sentence are highlights of the changelog for this release.

Only beta testers running Fast Ring or Skip Ahead Windows Insider builds will be seeing all the new Windows 10 features today. These could likely roll out in April to all consumers once beta testing is complete. Enrollment in the Windows Insider program is easy, and all it takes to get started with these new Windows elements is to click on a few menus and then restart the computer.

Windows Insider builds are usually unstable, and features have been known to be removed before a full public release to consumers not enrolled in the program. Though a small feature like the ability to remove pre-loaded apps is likely to make the cut, it is sometimes hard to predict which Insider features make it to the final release.

Editors’ Recommendations

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• Microsoft confirms Redstone 5 as Windows 10 October 2018 Update

The best accessories for the Galaxy S8

The Galaxy S8 is still a fine phone in 2018, and whether you’ve just picked up one for cheap or have been rocking your S8 since day one, you’ll get the most out of your phone by pairing it with the best accessories. From cases and headphones to battery packs and chargers — and other cool stuff — here’s what you need.

Samsung’s most stylish

Galaxy S8 Alcantara case

Samsung makes great cases for its phones, and the best one right now is soft, colorful and really grippy — it’s the Alcantara case. Not only does it look great, but the suede-like material makes the slippery phone more comfortable to hold and adds a bit of friction, too.

$29 at Amazon

Slim protection

Spigen Rugged Armor

The Spigen Rugged Armor case is a great option for any phone but looks especially good on the taller Galaxy S8. It’s a slim case that tapers a bit on the sides to let the curved display shine but delivers Spigen’s air cushion protection in the corners.

$10 at Amazon

Keep charged

Samsung Wireless Charger Convertible

Samsung unveiled this convertible wireless charger alongside the Galaxy S8, and it’s an even better option now that it’s down in price. Designed to be a nice functional show piece for charging your phone on your living side table or at the office.

$56 at Amazon

Expand your storage

Samsung EVO Plus 128GB Class 10 microSD card

Getting 128GB on a top-class microSD card for under $30 is an amazing deal, especially if it will breath new life into your Galaxy S8 that might be running near storage capacity. Samsung’s cards are ideal for use in smartphones, and the price can’t get much better than this.

$28 at Amazon

Portable power

Anker PowerCore+ 21000

The charger comes with two USB-A ports and a dual-direction USB-C port for charging your phone and the charger itself. Genius! And, because there’s so much room in the battery (20100mAh), it should top up your Galaxy S8 five or six times without needing to be topped up itself.

$70 at Amazon

Best battery case

Mophie Juice Pack

The Juice Pack plugs into your Galaxy S8’s USB-C port to top it up with 2950mAh of additional juice, and the case itself, like the phone, charges wirelessly using Qi technology, so you can use the same wireless charging pad you do for your phone — all for around $60.

$60 at Amazon

Mobile VR

Gear VR w/ new controller

If you’ve never tried Samsung Gear VR before, you’re in for a real treat. Samsung partnered up with Oculus to provide one of the best mobile VR experiences you’ll find, with compelling games to play alone or with friends, tons of streaming video apps and VR exclusive experiences, along with its own functional social media platform.

$95 at Amazon

Fitness tracker and more

Samsung Gear Fit2 Pro

The Gear Fit2 Pro has a curved, vertically-oriented OLED display with enough battery life to last up to four days. It receives notifications and tracks steps and runs, and it’s also fully waterproof and has a built-in GPS.

$180 at Amazon

Wireless earbuds

Samsung Gear IconX (2018 Edition) fitness headphones

Samsung’s Gear IconX still sound great and have a bunch of fitness features you’ll need a Galaxy S8 to use, but they’re also just great standalone headphones.

$134 at Amazon

These are the best accessories for the Galaxy S8. If you’ve had your phone for a while now, we’ll always recommend a quality battery pack like the Anker Powercore+ 21000 or the Mophie Juice Pack to ensure your phone never dies on you.

UK Daily Deals: Amazon devices, noise-cancelling headphones, 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 on Amazon Echo and Fire hardware, Xbox Live Gold membership, Amazon Music Unlimited, TaoTronics noise-cancelling headphones, and much more!

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

For more UK deals coverage, be sure to keep an eye on Thrifter UK and follow the team on Twitter for the most up-to-the-minute coverage.

The Neato Botvac D5 robot vacuum cleaner has dropped to $420 today only

User friendly and down to a great price.

The Neato Botvac D5 laser-guided robot vacuum is down to $419.99 on Amazon. This deal is a price match of one of Best Buy’s deals of the day, so it won’t last much longer. This robot vacuum has been selling for around $480 recently, and the drop to $420 is the best price we’ve seen since last year.

The Botvac D5 and D7 are two of our favorite Roomba alternatives. The D5 uses LaserSmart technology so it can navigate and map where you live. The tech also helps it develop a more straight-forward cleaning pattern instead of the seemingly random movement of other robotic vacuum cleaners.

The unique D-shape design along with the brush layout underneath helps it clean corners and along walls. The internal filter captures up to 99% of dust mites and allergens, too. You’ll get 90 minutes of battery life with the D5, and it is designed to return and recharge at its base automatically. You can control the vacuum with your phone, through smart home systems like Amazon Alexa, and more.

See on Amazon

Spotify is getting an official app for Wear OS

You’ll be able to browse playlists, favorite songs, and more.

Wear OS’s app selection is actually pretty good, but ever since it was first released as Android Wear back in 2014, one of the biggest absences has been a proper Spotify app. Well, ladies and gentlemen, that’s finally changing.

On October 17, Spotify announced on its official blog that it’s launching a standalone Wear OS app for its streaming service so you can access the best bits of Spotify without having to ever touch your phone.

You’ll be able to use the app to browse through your favorite playlists right on your watch, and when you find a song you want to listen to, the playback screen will have controls for pause/play, skipping a track, going back to the previous song, adding it to your library, and sending it to another device using Spotify Connect.

Spotify’s partnering with Fossil Group to have its app installed on all Fossil Gen 4 and Micahel Kors Access Runway watches out of the box, but any Wear OS device will be able to download it, too.

Spotify says that its Wear OS app is rolling out of the coming week, so be sure to keep an eye out for it on the Play Store.

Spotify vs. Google Play Music: Which should you subscribe to?

These are the best smartwatches for fitness tracking

With how popular smartwatches have become, it’s starting to cut into the dedicated fitness band space. Rather than having a limited-use fitness tracker and a watch, you can now have just one device that does it all. These fitness-focused smartwatches have all of the same functionality of a dedicated fitness band, but also have larger screens and operating systems to handle the daily tasks of a smartwatch. Here are the best picks available in the category.

Does it all

Samsung Galaxy Watch

Samsung has the “smartwatch” part of the equation nailed and has seriously improved its fitness tracking to the point where it isn’t a downside of selecting a Galaxy Watch. There’s GPS for running and biking, automatic workout detection, workout guidance and tracking for all of your daily activity. It also has deep smartphone integration, with a super-useful interface and rotating bezel that’s a treat to use. Plus, the case is robust and capable of handling anything you put it through.

$299 at Amazon

Primarily fitness

Fitbit Ionic

Tons of people have trusted Fitbit with their fitness tracking of all kinds for years, and that’s essentially what you’re getting here. The Ionic is a perfect smartwatch for someone who really wants to focus on activity tracking first, and the other “smartwatch” stuff secondarily. Though it may be a bit big and blocky, the Fitbit Ionic has a bright display, GPS tracking, optical heart rate sensor, SpO2 sensor, 50-meter waterproofing and all of the other cool stuff like NFC and 2.5GB of storage space.

$249 at Fitbit

Simpler choice

Fitbit Versa

The Fitbit Ionic is clearly the best overall fitness device from the company, but for something a bit more balanced, the Versa is worth considering. Fitbit learned a lot from the Ionic, and the new Versa has a much smaller and better-designed case that looks more like a regular watch than a gadget. The unfortunate downside of the smaller, better-designed case is that it doesn’t have GPS like the Ionic does. If you want to run, walk or bike and get precise tracking, the Ionic is still the pick.

$199 at Fitbit

When picking a device that spans the gap between two product categories, there are bound to be compromises, and a fitness-focused smartwatch is no different. But in this do-everything fitness smartwatch realm, Samsung’s Galaxy Watch is the leader. Not only does it handle all of the smartwatch features you want, it also has the competition matched in terms of fitness tracking and workouts. If you’re already familiar with the Fitbit ecosystem you may actually prefer the fitness-focused Ionic or more general smartwatch-focused Versa, but know that you’re taking a larger trade-off in either case.

Mini flash drives, first aid kits, and more are discounted today

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

There’s never a shortage of deals available, but sorting through all of them can be difficult at times. We’ve handpicked all the best tech, and everyday essentials discounts that you can take advantage of right now and brought them to one central location. From robots to cable modems, these are today’s best deals.

Tech Deals

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Everyday Essentials

If you want to know about the deals as soon as they are happening, you’ll want to follow Thrifter on Twitter, and sign up for the newsletter, because missing out on a great deal stinks!

Essential reportedly cut around 30% of its employees

It’s no secret that Essential’s been faced with rough waters for the past few months, but things appear to be worse than some might have expected. According to a report from Bloomberg, the Andy Rubin startup has now let go about 30% of its entire workforce.

Essential’s hardware and sales teams were the main focus of these cuts, and in an email, a spokeswoman for Essential said the following:

This has been a difficult decision to make. We are very sorry for the impact on our colleagues who are leaving the company and are doing everything we can to help them with their future careers. We are confident that our sharpened product focus will help us deliver a truly game changing consumer product.

That “truly game changing consumer product” likely refers to the AI-focused device that we learned about earlier in the month. That report claimed that Essential’s next smartphone will primarily be focused around artificial intelligence and voice commands — creating a phone that knows what you want to do and results in you spending less time looking at a screen.

This mystery phone could be unveiled as soon as CES next January, but don’t hold your breath for it quite yet. Essential’s already canceled the Essential Phone 2 and its Essential Home in months prior, and now with this round of staff cuts, the company’s future is more uncertain than ever before.

Essential is reportedly making a phone based primarily on voice commands

Essential Phone

• Essential Phone review
• Essential Phone specs
• The latest Essential Phone news
• Join our Essential Phone forums!

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What live TV services does the Amazon Echo Show support?

Best answer: The Amazon Echo Show supports live TV with Alexa skills, and now directly with support for Hulu. You can watch any programming that’s included in your Hulu subscription on the Echo Show, as well as a variety of TV stations that can be accessed through Alexa’s skills.

Amazon: Amazon Echo Show ($229.99)

What’s an Amazon Echo Show?

The Echo Show is the next generation of the Amazon Echo, its groundbreaking wireless, voice-controlled smart speaker. The Echo connects to Amazon’s Alexa Voice Service and allows you to access music, make calls and send text messages, ask questions and get information in response, connect to your smart home devices, and more. Add in video capabilities, and you’ve got the Echo Show, which does everything the Echo speaker does, with a host of additional visual enhancements.

A 10.1 inch HD touchscreen and 5 MP front-facing camera add another dimension to the Echo Show’s functionality. Now, as you listen to Amazon Music, you can view lyrics and album art. You can call up weather forecasts, and access your calendars and to-do lists. The Echo Show still supports voice-activated calls, which also include video calling. Searches now include the ability to see the results of your queries on screen. As with all of its products, Amazon wants to make it easy for you to make purchases from them, and you can now see products before you buy them.

It’s a video device as well

It would be a shame if you couldn’t watch video on a device with an HD screen. Originally, the Echo Show only provided native support for Amazon Prime Video and YouTube. However, it didn’t take long for creative Echo Show enthusiasts to take advantage of the Alexa Skills Kit to create skills that enabled live TV watching. The Stream Player skill enables viewing of live streams from a long list of TV stations, by tapping into their freely available internet feeds. If that menu of sources doesn’t satisfy your thirst, and you’re handy with writing code, you try your hand at hacking out something like this fellow did to get his fill of BBC and other UK stations.

If you’re still looking for more variety, and aren’t up to the task of coding your own Alexa skill, fear not: with the advent of the 2nd Generation Echo Show, Hulu will now be supported for live TV viewing. If you’ve already invested in a first-gen Echo Show, don’t fret! Amazon promises that Hulu will be available on the earlier model as well. Now that they’ve broken the ice, it’s likely that we’ll be seeing support for more live TV services in the not-too-distant future as well.

Our pick

Amazon Echo Show

$229.99 at Amazon

Watch Hulu on Amazon Echo Show

The 2nd Amazon Echo Show sports a 10.1″ HD touchscreen, and offers a variety of visual functions. It now also supports live TV with a subscription to Hulu