Quicken 2019 for Mac Launches With Web Access

Quicken today announced the launch of Quicken 2019, the newest version of its popular finance and budgeting software for PC and Mac.

Quicken 2019 introduces web access for the first time, designed to allow Quicken customers to manage their finances online using Chrome, Safari, and other web browsers.

Users are able to check their balances, monitor transactions, view budgets, check spending trends, view past expenses, and access info on their accounts and investment holdings at any time.

A customizable web dashboard created for the web access experience lets customers customize their personal view to see full details on all features Quicken has to offer or a streamlined view with just essential information.

“Millions of people use Quicken to help them manage their financial lives. Because Quicken is important to them, our community of users is incredibly engaged. We prioritize updates primarily based on feedback from these users, and adding web access was the number one requested enhancement,” said Eric Dunn, Chief Executive Officer of Quicken. “As an agile, independent company, we’ve been able to deliver this highly-anticipated feature, among other exciting new customer-inspired updates, on schedule and with great quality. This increased pace of releases and improvements is something our customers can count on and look forward to in the future.”

Quicken 2019 also features several enhancements on the desktop, which are designed to offer up an overall faster experience. Quicken for Mac, for example, is up to twice as fast.

The software opens up quicker, charts and graphs load twice as fast, and backing up is four times faster than it was in previous versions of Quicken.

Quicken in 2018 launched a new monthly membership feature so customers who pay for a subscription will get access to Quicken 2019 at no additional cost. There are several plans available for purchase at different price points.

Quicken Starter with budgeting is available for $34.99 for a one-year membership, while Quicken Deluxe is available for $49.99 per year.

Quicken Premiere, with portfolio monitoring functionality and tax advice, is priced at $74.99 per year, while Quicken Home & Business is priced at $99.99.

Tag: Quicken
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How to Add, Remove, and Rearrange Menu Bar Icons in macOS Mojave

The macOS menu bar is a great place for quickly accessing system and application functions using menu extras or “menulets”, but it can get cluttered pretty quickly as more and more icons vie for a space there.

If the corner of your Mac’s screen is fast becoming an eyesore, here are some quick and simple actions you can perform to bring order to the chaos, plus a few additional tips for making the most of Apple’s menu bar extras.

How to Rearrange Icons in the Menu Bar

Plenty of menu bar icons offer useful shortcuts to app and system functions, and may take up permanent residence on your screen. But left to their own devices, the arrangement of said icons is likely to become haphazard. Fortunately, re-organizing them is simple, once you know how to do it.

Hold down the Command (⌘) key.
Hover your mouse cursor over the icon you want to move.
Holding down the left mouse button, drag the icon into your preferred position on the menu bar. Other icons will step aside to make space for it.
Let go of the left mouse button.
Note that the Notifications icon in macOS is designed to sit in the far right corner of the menu bar and cannot be moved elsewhere.

How to Remove System Icons From the Menu Bar

Icons linked to system controls can be easily removed from the menu bar in the following way:

Hold down the Command (⌘) key.
Hover your mouse cursor over the icon you want to remove.
Holding down the left mouse button, drag the icon out of the menu bar and onto the desktop.
Let go of the left mouse button.
If the icon doesn’t vanish with a “whoosh” sound, then it was likely put there by a third-party app you or another user installed. In that case, look for an option in the associated app’s settings such as “Show in Menu Bar” and uncheck it.

How to Add System Icons to the Menu Bar

If you removed a system icon from the menu bar and would like it back, or if you’d like to add a fresh one, you can find options in the associated preference panes. For example, to reinstate the AirPlay icon in the menu bar:

Click the apple symbol in the far left of the menu bar and select System Preferences….

Select the Display preference pane.

At the bottom of the pane, check the box to “Show mirroring options in the menu bar when available”.
Similar menu bar options relating to Sound volume, Bluetooth, Siri, Time Machine, and Accessibility status can be found in their respective preference panes. In addition to Wi-Fi status (listed below), the Network pane will also offer “menulet” options for things like modems and VPNs if you have them set up, while menu bar icons related to keyboard, battery, user account, and date/time are located less obviously in the following preference pane menus and tabs:

• Keyboard -> Input Sources -> Show Input menu in menu bar.
• Energy Saver -> Show battery status in menu bar.
• Network -> Wi-Fi -> Show Wi-Fi status in menu bar.
• Users & Groups -> Login Options -> Show fast user switching menu as Full Name / Account Name / Icon.
• Date & Time -> Clock -> Show date and time in menu bar.

Menu Bar Extras

For one reason or another, some menulet options remain hidden in System Preferences by default. Interested users can find the full collection in the System folder: Open a Finder window, from the menu bar select Go -> Go to Folder…, and then navigate to /System/Library/CoreServices/Menu Extras.

Some of the extras in this folder are pretty obscure, but one or two might come in handy – like Eject if you use an optical drive, or Ink if you connect a graphics tablet to your Mac, for example. Just double-click any that look useful and they’ll be added to the menu bar. They can be removed just as easily using the Command (⌘) key method described above.

Finally, users looking for a more comprehensive method of managing menu bar icons should consider third-party app Bartender 3 ($15).
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Google Announces Pixel 3 Smartphone, ‘Home Hub’ Smart Speaker, and Pixel Slate Tablet

Google today held its annual “Made by Google” fall event, unveiling a new line of products that included the all-new Google Pixel 3 smartphone, a screen-based smart speaker, and a new tablet. Notably, Google pointed out at the beginning of its presentation that 2018 marks the 20 year anniversary of the search giant.

The central announcement at the event was the 5.5-inch Google Pixel 3 and 6.3-inch Pixel 3 XL. The Pixel 3 XL has an edge-to-edge display and a notch at the top of the smartphone that holds its front-facing camera system, akin to iPhone X onwards. Unlike Apple’s smartphones, the Pixel 3 XL has a chin on the bottom of the device.

The company focused on the Pixel 3’s advanced camera, including an HDR+ mode and “Top Shot,” which automatically captures multiple shots with HDR+ and recommends one that might be better than your photo. Night Sight will enhance photos captured in low-light scenarios, and Google compared nighttime images on the iPhone XS with those taken on Pixel 3. Users can also now edit the depth of field effect in portrait mode, like on iPhone XS and XS Max.

The second camera on the front of the Pixel 3 smartphone allows for a group selfie feature, which captures 184 percent more of a scene than the iPhone XS, according to Google. The new smartphone also has a few AR features on the camera called Google Playground, including characters from The Avengers and an animated version of Childish Gambino created in partnership with Donald Glover.

Outside of the camera, Google Pixel 3 has a Call Screen feature, where Google Assistant can answer a call for you when you can’t or don’t want to pick up the phone. The Assistant asks the caller who is calling and to leave a message, and the entire conversation is transcribed live on the smartphone, so you can read along as the conversation happens.

Google Pixel 3 is available to pre-order today and launches on October 18 in the United States and other countries, starting at $799. The Pixel 3 XL starts at $899, and both are available in Just Black, Clearly White, and Not Pink. A new Qi-compatible Pixel Stand will also be available for $79.

Google Home Hub is the company’s latest smart home speaker, allowing users to access YouTube, Google Photos, and more on its 7-inch screen. Google says it decided to not include a camera in Home Hub to enhance privacy, and an Ambient EQ feature automatically adjusts display brightness in relation to the light in the room.

The company gave numerous examples of how you can use Google Home Hub, including following recipes in the kitchen provided by Tasty, or controlling smart home products. In regards to the latter feature, Google built a “Home View” section on Home Hub, where you can drag down from the top of the screen to see a quick update on your smart lights, locks, and thermostats in one place, like Apple’s Home app on iOS. The Google Home mobile app is also updating to match Home View’s design.

Google Home Hub will cost $149 and launch later this month on October 22.

The company then went on to talk about the Google Pixel Slate, a new Chrome OS tablet that is aimed at use both in the workplace and for entertainment at home. The tablet has dual front-firing speakers, 8MP rear and front facing cameras with portrait modes, a 12-hour battery life, and a 12.3-inch Molecular Display with 293 pixels per inch.

On Pixel Slate, Chrome OS has been adjusted to specifically fit the tablet. This includes features like split screen, a new app launcher, deeper integration with Google Assistant, family link, do not disturb, and “nightlight” to reduce blue light on the display at nighttime.

Google Pixel Slate will start at $599 when it launches later this year in the United States. A connected keyboard and case accessory, the Slate Keyboard, will cost $199, while the Pixelbook Pen in a new midnight blue color (to match Pixel Slate) will cost $99.

More information on Google’s announcements can be found on the company’s website and on the Made by Google YouTube channel.

Tags: Google, Google Pixel
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Apple Seeds Third Beta of watchOS 5.1 to Developers

Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming watchOS 5.1 update to developers, one week after seeding the second watchOS 5.1 beta and three weeks after releasing the new watchOS 5 operating system.

Once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Apple Developer Center, the new watchOS beta can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General –> Software update.

To install the update, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it must be placed on the charger, and it has to be in range of the iPhone.

watchOS 5.1 includes support for Group FaceTime, with Group FaceTime calls able to be answered in an audio-only capacity on the Apple Watch. Group FaceTime allows you to chat with up to 32 people at one time.

The watchOS 5.1 update brings a full-screen new “Color” watch face option for the Apple Watch Series 4, with users able to choose between multiple shades. There’s also a filled-in circular color option for older Apple Watch models that joins the standard Color clock face.

Alongside macOS 10.14.1 and iOS 12.1, watchOS 5.1 introduces support for more than 70 new emoji characters like face with hearts, red hair, gray hair, curly hair, super heroes, kangaroo, peacock, parrot, lobster, cupcake, mango, and more.

No other new features were discovered in the first two betas of watchOS 5.1, but should we find something new in the third beta, we’ll update this post.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 5Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)
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Apple Seeds Third Beta of tvOS 12.1 to Developers

Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming tvOS 12.1 update to developers for testing purposes, one week after seeding the second update and three weeks after releasing the tvOS 12 update.

Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models, the new tvOS 12.1 beta can be downloaded onto the Apple TV via a profile that’s installed using Xcode. Subsequent betas can be downloaded over-the-air.

We’re not yet sure what fixes and changes the tvOS 12.1 update might bring, but it’s likely to focus on bugs that have been discovered since the release of tvOS 12. No new changes were discovered in the first two tvOS 12.1 betas.

Apple’s tvOS updates have historically been minor in scale, and Apple does not often provide us with detailed notes outlining what’s new, but we’ll update this post should any changes be found in the third beta.

Related Roundups: Apple TV, tvOS 12Buyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Caution)
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Apple Seeds Third Beta of iOS 12.1 to Developers

Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming iOS 12.1 update to developers, one week after seeding the second beta and three weeks after releasing iOS 12, a major new version of the iOS software.

Registered developers can download the new iOS 12.1 beta from Apple’s Developer Center or over-the-air once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Developer Center.

iOS 12.1 includes several new features that Apple promised would come to the new iPhone XS and XS Max devices. The beta introduces support for the eSIM, which is a digital SIM that lets you activate a cellular plan from a carrier without the need to use a physical SIM card.

Carriers will need to implement support for eSIM, which is likely to happen after iOS 12.1 launches. In the U.S., AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile will support eSIM.

The iOS 12.1 update brings a new real-time Depth Control feature, which lets you adjust the depth of field of your Portrait Mode photos before you capture them. Right now, in iOS 12, Depth Control is only available for post-capture editing.

If you tap on the “F” icon at the top of the screen while capturing a photo you use Depth Control to adjust the amount of background blur in an image.

In addition to these iPhone XS and XS Max features, iOS 12.1 reintroduces the Group FaceTime feature that was removed from iOS 12 during the beta testing period. Group FaceTime was present in many early betas but was ultimately removed because Apple needed more time to test it.

Group FaceTime is designed to let iPhone and Mac users conduct video and audio chats with up to 32 participants at one time, with new camera effects features included.

The update adds more than 70 new emoji to iPhones and iPads, with options that include red hair, gray hair, curly hair, cold face, party face, face with hearts, mango, kangaroo, peacock, lobster, cupcake, and tons more.

As for bug fixes, iOS 12.1 addresses a charging problem that could cause iPhone and iPad models running iOS 12 to fail to charge when connected to a Lightning cable while the screen is off and it fixes a bug that caused iPhone XS and XS Max models to prefer 2.4GHz WiFi networks to 5GHz networks, resulting in perceived slower WiFi speeds. Both of these bugs have also been addressed in the iOS 12.0.1 update, released yesterday.

If any additional new features are found in the third iOS 12.1 beta, we’ll update this post with details.

Related Roundup: iOS 12
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This is the result when a quadcopter strikes the wing of an aircraft

Quadcopters are a huge hit with consumers and the devices are continuing to sell like hotcakes.

While the vast majority of drone owners fly their machines safely and responsibly, there are a tiny number who are choosing to ignore the rules and take potentially catastrophic risks with their flying machine.

We’re talking about drone flights close to airports, reports of which have been on the rise in recent years, an apparent reflection of the increase in drone ownership.

With little research having been carried out on the impact of a drone strike on an aircraft, and thankfully very few real-life cases to examine, a team at the University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI) decided to hit the lab to find out more.

The researchers set about designing a test to mimic a midair collision between a drone and an airplane at an impact speed of 238 miles per hour.

Following calibration work to ensure proper control of the speed, orientation, and trajectory of the drone, the team launched a 2.1-pound DJI Phantom 2 quadcopter at the wing of a Mooney M20 aircraft, a small piston-powered, propeller-driven aircraft.

You might have expected the quadcopter to shatter on impact, but as you can see in the video above, the mostly plastic flying machine instead tore open the leading edge of the wing as it bore into the airplane.

“While the quadcopter broke apart, its energy and mass hung together to create significant damage to the wing,” Kevin Poormon, group leader for impact physics at UDRI, said in an account of the experiment.

Poormon expressed interest in conducting further tests using similar and larger drones on other parts of an aircraft such as windscreens and engines to learn more about the threat to airplanes posed by the remotely controlled machines.

While regulations have some effect on how people fly their quadcopters, Poormon suggests manufacturers should consider designing drones that break up more easily on impact — to reduce damage to objects they collide with — as one way to increase safety.

UDRI’s test focused on the wing of a small aircraft, but for many people the real danger lies in impact with jet engines. Bird strikes can ruin an engine, but what about the effects if a drone — which contains harder materials and carries a potentially explosive lithium-ion battery — gets sucked into the engine of a plane shortly after take-off or as it’s coming in to land?

To date, there’s only been one recorded incident in the U.S. of a drone colliding with an aircraft. It happened in 2017 over New York City, and involved a Phantom 4 and an Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. In that particular incident, the quadcopter came off worse.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Caltech is training drones to ‘herd’ flocks of birds. Here’s why
• The history of drones in 10 milestones
• This quadcopter is a ‘flying battery’ that can stay in the sky for 2 hours
• This autonomous drone ambulance concept won its creator a $20,000 prize
• Engineers in the U.K. unveil the world’s first graphene-skinned airplane

HP x360 premium Chromebook bends over backward to impress

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An 8th-generation Intel Core processor, crafted aluminum chassis, premium Bang & Olufsen speakers, and a 14-inch full HD touchscreen are features that don’t typically come to mind when talking about a Chromebook. Beyond Google’s Pixelbook with a whopping $1,000 price tag, most Chromebooks are relegated to the budget lineup. However, HP intends to turn some heads with its latest x360, a premium Chromebook aimed at individuals who love Chrome OS but are seeking a bit more of a premium feel.

Starting with the machine’s design, HP is letting you know that the x360 isn’t an ordinary Chromebook. The device is designed with an aluminum chassis, including a 3D stamped metal keyboard deck. The top cover then goes through a process that creates what HP says is responsible for creating a ceramic-like white finish. Even the keyboard deck’s keycaps have been colored to match the machine’s gray-blue design.

On paper, the machine’s internals doesn’t appear to be slouching either. You won’t find a Celeron or Atom processor inside the x360; it comes stocked with either an 8th-gen Intel Core i3 or i5 processor, so we hopefully shouldn’t see any issues when watching high-resolution videos via Chrome. The Intel CPU is paired with 64GB of local storage — about standard for a Chromebook — and up to 8GB of DDR4 memory.

Featuring up to 14 hours of battery life, HP is also betting that its new machine will last you throughout the day, whether you are working or watching your favorite shows on Netflix. Entertainment shouldn’t be too shabby either with integrated Bang & Olufsen speakers and a full HD 1080p touchscreen display with ultrathin narrow bezels. Those concerned about ports need not be with two USB-C ports, one USB-A port, a MicroSD port, and audio jacks.

Existing fans of Google’s online ecosystem will be happy to hear that the purchase of HP’s latest Chromebook also includes two complimentary years of Google Cloud’s 100GB storage to plan to save your most important files and precious moments. Android fans can not only easily sync their devices, but also run their favorite Android apps directly on the Chromebook.

Available for pre-order beginning today, the HP Chromebook x360 will ship October 14 starting at $599. Alternatively, the x360 can also be pre-order via BestBuy.com or picked up in stores on October 21.

Editors’ Recommendations

• HP Chromebook x2 Review
• The best Chromebooks of 2018
• Samsung Chromebook Plus V2 review
• Lenovo beats Google to the punch with the first 4K Chromebook
• Google Pixelbook review

Bitplay’s unique mount brings new lenses, filters to Android and iPhone

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Bitplay’s popular lenses can now work with Android phones — and most any smartphone, for that matter. Bitplay recently launched the new universal lens clip, AllClip, alongside a new macro lens and two new M52 lens filters. The change brings Bitplay lenses and filters to a wider range of compatible devices while introducing a unique lens clip design that doesn’t block some of the smartphone screen.

Rather than slip over the top of the device, the AllClip is a pressurized grip that adjusts to cradle the back of the smartphone. The design, the company says, doesn’t cover any portion of the screen while fitting the lens to the rear camera. The lens portion of the mount sits on a slider, which allows the lens to move in order to sit over the built-in camera, even as it accommodates different sizes and camera placement across different devices. The AllClip, Bitplay says, can accommodate standard-sized smartphones between 58mm and 80mm. The clip can also be stashed on a strap for easier carrying, and the holster doubles as a smartphone kickstand.

“AllClip is designed to provide a much better and more intuitive way to use high-quality lenses on almost any smartphone in the market,” said Jack Chang, Bitplay’s CEO. “Users can enjoy the top class optical enhancement with the ease of use.”

Along with accommodating Bitplay’s existing line of lenses, the new AllClip also launches with the Premium HD Macro lens. The 3x macro lens offers vivid, sharp images, Bitplay says. Wrapped in an aluminum housing, the lens also includes a detachable hood for fighting flare. 

Bitplay’s filter options also see expansion with the announcement, adding a Star and GND or graduated neutral density filter to the M52 series, which connects using the M52 adapter. Like the DSLR filter by the same name, the Star filter turns spots of light into stars. The GND darkens a portion of the image, often used for creating dramatic skies without overexposure. Like the other filters in the series, Bitplay says, the new filters are scratch-proof.

The AllClip sells for about $20. The filter adapter retails for about $14, the M52 Star filter goes for $23, and the M52 GND filter costs $68. The new macro lens launches with a $50 list price.

Editors’ Recommendations

• This odd accessory helps photographers shoot through glass with less glare
• Because lasers are cool, Nikon has new dot-sight accessory for Coolpix cameras
• With an updated clip design, Olloclip X lenses will work on (almost) any phone
• All about that bokeh: Meet the Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master with updated autofocus
• Moment is the first to outfit the Galaxy Note 9 with photography lenses

Superpowered MSI Trident X packs RGB lighting, Intel 9900K, and a GTX 1080 Ti

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We’re only a day on from Intel officially unveiling its 5GHz, eight-core, 16-thread Core i9-9900K CPU, and MSI is hot on its heels with an announcement of a system packing the powerful new chip. It’s pairing it up with the most powerful consumer graphics card ever released, the Nvidia RTX 2080 Ti, and the case it’s in is festooned with RGB LEDs for all of your custom lighting needs.

The last couple of months have seen some exciting hardware reveals in the desktop PC market, with both Intel and Nvidia debuting new-generations of hardware that they claim are the most powerful gaming chips the world has ever seen. In the case of Nvidia, its ray tracing-capable RTX series 2080 and 2080 Ti eclipsed the longstanding Pascal-generation of GTX 1080 and 1080 Ti cards after two long years of pricing problems, and in Intel’s, it finally fired back at AMD’s Ryzen chips with ones of its own that can boost themselves as high as 5Ghz at stock speeds.

Both of those pieces of flagship hardware are present in the top configuration of the new MSI Trident X, though there are options for more modest — but still exceedingly powerful — hardware like Intel’s Core i7-9700K CPU, and Nvidia’s RTX 2080 and 2070 graphics cards. Whichever options you pick though, the hardware is all packed inside a compact, 10-liter chassis with RGB lighting and the option of glass side panels to show off your fancy new hardware.

To make sure such a small form factor system stays cool with such powerful hardware, MSI has reportedly separated the GPU, CPU, and PSU into their own internal chambers, meaning they can be cooled individually without impacting each other’s thermals. The motherboard form-factor isn’t mentioned, but it will be based on the Z370 Intel chipset. Memory and storage options include up to 32GB of 2,666MHz DDR4 and options for both M.2 and 2.5-inch SSD and HDDs, so there’s space for terabytes of storage if needed.

Since this is an entirely air-cooled system and sports at most a 650w PSU, we wouldn’t expect this system to have tons of overclocking headroom, but it will certainly be a very capable system with enough future-proofing to last through many years of gaming. It’s slated to go on sale in November, as per Windows Central with a starting price of $2,300 — expect the price to rise significantly with top-tier components.

For a look at some of our favorite gaming PCs available right now, check out this list of the best of the best.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 vs. GTX 1080
• Nvidia GeForce RTX GPUs: Everything you need to know
• A.I. makes Nvidia’s RTX 2080 twice as powerful as the GTX 1080
• We tested Nvidia’s RTX 2080 and 2080 Ti. Are they a worthy upgrade?
• Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 vs. RTX 2080 Ti