Apple is making 2018 iMac Pro, MacBook Pro repairs even harder

Apple is locking down certain Macs from third-party repairs, according to a report from MacRumors. Impacted models include the iMac Pro and 2018 MacBook Pro, which have advanced security features, and must pass certain Apple Service Toolkit 2 tests for successful repairs.

Citing internal documents distributed to Apple’s Authorized Service Providers, the report reveals Apple is using a new Service Toolkit 2 software lock. This essentially ends up making iMac Pro and 2018 MacBook Pro models useless if they are not repaired at specific locations approved by the company. The locking software impacts any repairs on the 2018 MacBook display assembly, logic board, top case, and the Touch ID board. Also impacted by the lock are any repairs on the logic board or flash storage present on the 2018 iMac Pro.

In both cases, if these systems are not repaired using the Apple Service Toolkit 2, the service will be rendered incomplete and the system won’t boot. Considering the recent hardware-based hacks, this is reportedly meant as a security measure intended to protect the Apple T2 chip, which holds encrypted storage information and Touch ID authentication.

Per a separate report from Motherboard, only Apple’s Authorized Service Providers will have access to Apple Service Toolkit 2, so this means these repairs can’t be completed at independent repair shops.

“For Macs with the Apple T2 chip, the repair process is not complete for certain parts replacements until the AST 2 System Configuration suite has been run. Failure to perform this step will result in an inoperative system and an incomplete repair,” explains the documentation.

When compared to HP, Dell, or Lenovo, Apple is known for putting up a walled garden of protection around its products, so this should not be too surprising. However, the news is a concern for consumers who may be looking to skip Apple and repair their devices solo without any help.

In fact, Apple and many other tech companies were recently involved in lobbying against right-to-repair laws, which aim to give consumers more rights and access to resources to repair their products free of any first-party intervention. Apple has yet to comment on the report, but considering the controversy inherent in this story, you might hear from the company soon.

Editors’ Recommendations

• The MacBook Pro’s tight security comes with an annoying compromise
• If you own a 2018 MacBook Pro, you will want to maintain data backups
• Apple repair program won’t upgrade older MacBook Pros to new keyboard
• Apple fixes MacBook Pro keyboard issue — sorta
• Apple’s T2 chip may be causing issues in iMac Pro and 2018 MacBook Pros

Fossil Q Venture HR review

Research Center:

Fossil Q Venture HR

It took a few iterations, but Fossil has come even closer to perfecting its smartwatches with the fourth generation Q Venture HR. As the name suggests, the women’s smartwatch now packs a heart rate monitor, but there’s also GPS and an NFC chip for contactless payments — that’s a lot more tech that now fits into an incredibly small, slim case. What’s unfortunate is the processor powering everything inside —  Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear 2100.

Qualcomm just unveiled the Snapdragon Wear 3100, a major upgrade that will help deliver 2 days of battery life and numerous other improvements, and it’s disappointing to see new watches running Google’s Wear OS launching without it. This is, however, one of the first watches we are using with Google’s updated Wear OS interface, which vastly improves the experience of using the watch.

Beautifully designed, even with the bling

The fourth-generation Fossil Q Venture HR is smaller than its predecessor, but we think the 40mm stainless steel case is the perfect size — especially for those with smaller wrists. At 13mm thick, it very much feels like a traditional watch, which immediately elevates the level of comfort when it’s on the wrist.

Brenda Stolyar/Digital Trends

While we still aren’t fans of a lot of bling on our watches, our Q Venture HR looks a lot more subtle than previous Fossil watches despite the ring of pave setting stones around the watch face. It ties in well with the gold case and 18mm blush leather strap, which altogether delivers an elegant look. Those who aren’t fans of the gemstones are in luck — the Q Venture HR comes in nine colors including a gold case with a brown leather strap, silver case with a gray silicone strap, and stainless steel. We do recommend going for the darker watch strap or even stainless steel — we found that our blush leather strap stained easily because of its light color, making it look worn out after only a couple of weeks.

The 40mm stainless steel case is the perfect size — especially for those with smaller wrists.

The pre-installed watch faces on the Q Venture are quirky, but there are a few others that are less loud. It’s easy to swap them for when you want a more suave look, or something more casual. You can also customize select watch faces by switching up the color scheme; for some, you’re able to add different “complications” as well. For example, on the Fashion Digital watch face you can change up the complications to show whatever you want to see the most like step count, Google Fit data, or your agenda. All customized styles can be saved in folders for easy access whenever needed.

There are three buttons on the right side as opposed to one. This is a nice change of pace as Fossil’s previous watches for women only offer one button, but their men’s watches usually have three offering more versatility. The extra two buttons let you trigger shortcuts to specific apps, and it’s customizable. On the Q Venture HR, the crown also can rotate, which means you can use it to scroll through the operating system instead of getting grubby fingerprints on the screen.

Redesigned Wear OS

The Wear OS redesign from Google is a big improvement over the previous user interface. It’s much more streamlined, and you don’t need to memorize a variety of gestures to accomplish simple tasks anymore. Simple swipes on the display will get you where you need to go, and the redesign overall makes smartwatches much more enjoyable to use.

A swipe down on the display brings you shortcuts like Google Pay, battery saver, Do Not Disturb mode, and more quick setting tiles that you can toggle on or off. The Settings icon is also conveniently placed above the tiles, to allow you to easily access it whenever needed. We do wish there was more customizability here — such as the ability to choose which tiles we want to appear in the menu, just like you are able to do on Google’s Android mobile operating system.

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Notifications are also more appealing to look at with each one stacked neatly on top of one another in chronological order. You’re able to expand a notification to read through it entirely, and collapse it when you’re done, which is a much faster way to interact with alerts than being taken to a separate screen per notification.

Swiping to the left now takes you to the redesigned Google Fit. With one quick swipe, we’re able to see our activity metrics, and tapping on the display shows more in-depth data. Seeing as how the Q Venture HR adds a heart rate monitor, it’s nice that this data is much more accessible. Having it available to view at a glance so easily makes us more motivated to work towards hitting our fitness goals throughout the day.

The new screen on the left of the watch face provides a personalized overview of the day.

Our favorite feature, however, is powered by Google Assistant. It’s the new screen on the left of the watch face that provides a personalized overview of the day, from calendar appointments, restaurant reservations, traffic alerts, upcoming flight information, and more. For example, on our smartwatch, swiping to the right brings us to information for an upcoming flight we have and details on the hotel we’re staying at, along with weather updates of the city we’re currently in. Smart suggestions here also ensure you utilize all of the watch’s features, from reminding you to check your step count to tapping on “Top news” to see the latest headlines.

It’s important to note that Wear OS still works best with an Android phone, and those using an iPhone will encounter limitations. With iOS, you will have to always run the Wear OS app in the background for the smartwatch to stay connected. iPhone owners also won’t be able to interact with the notifications. You’ll only be able to accept or deny phone calls from the watch.

Smooth performance, nice display

Even though the Q Venture HR includes the two-year old Snapdragon Wear 2100 chipset, we haven’t run into too many issues with performance. Apps load fairly quickly, and the only lag we experienced came from using the Play Store on the watch. With 4GB of storage, you can also store music directly on the smartwatch.

Fossil Q Venture HR Compared To

Casio Pro Trek Smart WSD-F20

Diesel On Full Guard 2.5

Casio Pro Trek WSD-F30

Casio G Shock GPR-B1000 Rangeman

A.B. Art Touch X

Alpina AlpinerX

Haier Asu

Fossil Q Venture

Garmin Vivoactive 3

Emporio Armani Connected touchscreen…

Fitbit Ionic

Diesel On Full Guard Smartwatch

Garmin Vivoactive HR

Asus ZenWatch 2

Asus ZenWatch

The circular AMOLED display gets bright, making it easy to view content in direct sunlight. The colors pop off the screen and make the watch faces look more vibrant. The 1.19-inch display is only slightly smaller in size compared to the third-gen Q Venture which came in at 1.2-inches. But without the addition (and distraction) of extra gemstones, it feels like there’s room to see more content on the Q Venture HR.

More fitness features to use

The health and fitness tracking capabilities of previous Fossil Q Venture smartwatches amounted to  tracking steps, calories burned, and distance traveled through Google Fit and Google Fit Workout. The new Q Venture HR can measure your heart rate, and the results are logged in Google Fit.

If you opt-into the feature, the Q Venture HR will measure heart rate automatically throughout the day, updating your beats per minute every 20 minutes. It is automatically tracked and recorded via Google Fit during workouts — so you don’t have to worry about tracking while exercising. Otherwise, you can choose to measure your heart-rate manually throughout the day instead, which will preserve battery life.

Fossil offers exclusive watch face options that include heart rate as a complication — that way you can quickly measure it by tapping on your display. Using the “Essential Digital” watch face, we tapped on the heart-rate icon below the time and waited for it to measure our BPM. While our last measured heart-rate was always listed on the watch face, it’s hidden in ambient mode which is nice if you don’t want to share your heart rate to anyone who looks at the watch. The Google Fit app also offers a nice graph with all the heart rate measurements logged throughout the day — allowing you to see how it fluctuates.

Other features on the Q Venture HR include built-in GPS, which allows you to track your runs and bike rides without needing your smartphone. There’s also an NFC chip for contactless payments through Google Pay.

Same battery

The Q Venture HR still includes the same 300mAh battery as its predecessor, which only lasted for a little over 12 hours on the third-generation Q Venture. That’s without the addition of a heart-rate sensor and built-in GPS. We thought the addition of more technology would cause the battery to drain event faster, but our results were surprising.

The Q Venture HR still includes the same 300mAh battery as its predecessor.

Taking it off the charger about 5:30 a.m., we hit 52 percent around 12:45 p.m. (including the watch sitting in airplane mode for three of those hours). The watch still managed to last until 10:50 p.m. before having to place it back on the charger with 7 percent remaining. Even though we did conserve power on the flight, it’s safe to say the smartwatch is capable of lasting throughout an entire day — even with automatic heart-rate monitoring turned on.

What’s convenient is that the Q Venture HR does charge much quicker than the third-generation Q Venture. It’s still a puck-shaped charger, but this time there’s the addition of magnetic pins that clip into the pins on your smartwatch when charging. Fossil says it’s capable of charging your smartwatch’s battery to at least 80 percent in an hour — which we found to be accurate. After placing our smartwatch on the charger at zero percent at about 4:30 a.m., we were at 95 percent by about 5:00 a.m.

On a normal work day, we found the Q Venture HR lasted us a little over 12 hours. We took it off the charger at 8:30 a.m. and by noon it was at 57 percent. By the end of our day at around 5:30 p.m., it was at about 36 percent but managed to last up until 9 p.m. when we put it back on the charger before going to bed. It’s important to note that our battery life tests were made when the Q Venture HR was connected to an iPhone, and may differ with an Android.

Warranty information

The Fossil Q Venture HR is currently available from Fossil’s website. Depending on the style you choose, the smartwatch will range anywhere between $255 and $275.

Fossil offers a limited two-year warranty that covers any manufacturing defects, but it doesn’t cover accidental damage to the case or watch strap.

Our Take

The Fossil Q Venture HR is a beautiful smartwatch that offers all the necessary health and fitness features. Not only does it feature a heart-rate monitor, but includes a large, vibrant display all wrapped into a sleek case. While spending over $200 for a smartwatch that doesn’t include Qualcomm’s new 3100 chipset may seem questionable, the Q Venture HR runs smoothly and is great for everyday use.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes. If you’re looking for a smartwatch with an even larger watch face, the Misfit Vapor features a 1.39-inch display. While it doesn’t include untethered GPS, it does have a built-in heart-rate sensor. Our favorite part of the Vapor is the touch-sensitive bezel, that allows you to browse through menus and notifications by brushing your finger along the black edges of the watch. It’s also cheaper than the Q Venture HR, with a price tag of $200.

There’s also the Samsung Galaxy Watch for $330, which is the successor to the Gear Sport. It comes with a heart-rate sensor, stunning design, and a ton of fitness tracking features. Depending on which size you choose (42mm or 46mm), it lasted us between three to four full days — that’s including tracking workouts and receiving notifications.

But there’s the Fitbit Versa as well, which comes packed with tons of fitness features and a heart rate sensor, along with a beautiful design that allows you to wear it everyday regardless of the occasion. The $200 smartwatch also lasts for up to five days on a single charge, depending on how you use it.

For iOS users who want to take advantage of all the features on a smartwatch without any restrictions, we recommend the Apple Watch Series 4 which comes equipped with an electrocardiogram app and the ability to recognize an irregular heart rate.

How long will it last?

The Fossil Q Venture HR should last you beyond the two-year limited warranty. But the battery will deplete overtime, and it’s unclear how long it will receive software updates — especially with the launch of the new Wear 3100 chipset. At 3ATM, it’s not swim-proof so you shouldn’t wear it while doing laps in the pool or shower with it on.

Should you buy it?

Yes. If you’re fond of the design, and are looking for a smartwatch that tracks all your important health and fitness metrics and allows you the freedom to wear it everyday, the Q Venture HR is a good choice.

The best phones you can buy from T-Mobile

T-Mobile has a good lineup of phones at a variety of price points. For a no-compromise high-end phone, the Galaxy S9+ is the best phone available on the carrier right now. But not everyone wants to spend over $800 on a phone — we have several other great picks for less money, both new phones and some that are a bit older but have moved to palatable pricing to what was once a high-end device.

Top pick

Samsung Galaxy S9+

The Galaxy S9+ gives you everything you could ask for in a high-end phone. It has all of the latest and greatest specs, an industry-leading display, a great pair of rear cameras and software that lets you customize it to exactly what you need. The hardware is beautiful and robust, and there’s an expansive ecosystem of accessories built to support it.

$840 at T-Mobile

Coming up

LG V40 ThinQ

The LG V40 isn’t on sale just yet, but when it is it will be a direct competitor to the Galaxy S9+. It’s a little bigger, and has a really fun triple-camera setup that gives you more variety of shots. The rest of the experience rounds out just like Samsung’s, with excellent performance and all of the hardware features you expect to get for the money.

$920 at T-Mobile

Budget pick

Moto E5 Plus

The Moto E5 Plus is one of our best overall picks for a cheap Android phone, and it’s great that T-Mobile has it. It’s basically a cheaper version of the higher-end Moto G6, with a big 6-inch display and a nice-looking design. The battery is also massive, with no-caveat all-day battery life from a 5000mAh capacity.

$225 at T-Mobile

Extra cheap

Moto E5 Play

The Moto E5 Play is all about value. For just $150 (or $6/month), you’re getting a really solid and familiar Motorola experience that doesn’t skimp on performance or software. Sure it has a smaller 5.2-inch display and just 16GB of storage, but it’s capable of doing everything you need to and last a full day doing it.

$150 at T-Mobile

Former flagship

LG G6

The LG G6 is a bit old at this point, but in LG’s lineup it’s only one generation old at this point and it’s worth considering at a substantial price cut to $360. For that kind of mid-range money you’re getting what was a flagship phone 18 months ago, with excellent hardware, great performance and a dual-camera setup that’s fun to shoot with.

$360 at T-Mobile

Big and cheap

LG Stylo 4

When your two buying criteria are size and price, LG has you covered. For the same price as a Moto E5 Plus, you can get the even larger LG Stylo 4 — and it has the added bonus of packing a stylus, which nothing other than the Galaxy Note 9 (at four times the price) offers. It doesn’t have as smooth of software as the E5 Plus, but if you want the biggest possible screen for little money, this is your pick.

$250 at T-Mobile

These are all of the best phones that T-Mobile offers, from the super-high-end down to some value-focused picks. No matter your budget or needs, there’s something here for you. If you want the absolute best, you’ll want to go for the Galaxy S9+, but for a fraction of the cost you can still get a great phone with the Moto E5 Plus — and there’s something else in each price bracket in between.

Mpow 059 Bluetooth headphones are outclassed by the competition

Good headphones that are outdone by the competition.

Wireless headphones are becoming more and more prominent as brands continue to kill off the 3.5mm headphone jack from our smartphones. There are premium options such as the Bose QC35 and Sony WH1000XM3, but if you don’t feel like plopping down $350+, there are plenty of other choices for much, much less.

Mpow is one brand that’s been kicking out a lot of affordable audio gear, and one of its most popular offerings are the Mpow 059 headphones. They’re rated as the best-seller for over-ear headphones on Amazon, and while they do cram in a lot for such a low price, Mpow’s other, slightly more expensive option is probably the better pick for most people.

Here’s what you need to know about the Mpow 059!

An OK budget option

Mpow 059 Bluetooth Headphones

$35 at Amazon

Affordable headphones that get the job done.

The Mpow 059 do a lot of things right for such a low price, but when compared to Mpow’s newer H1 headphones, they become a tough recommendation.

Pros

• Good sound quality for the price.
• Up to 20 hours of battery.
• Available in a lot of colors.

Cons

• Not very comfy.
• Cheap plastic.
• Mpow H1 are a much better purchase.

Mpow 059 Bluetooth Headphones What I like

For $35, it’s hard to really complain about anything with the Mpow 059. As long as the headphones turn on and play music, that’s basically already a win for this price range.

The sound quality here certainly won’t blow you away, but it’s actually rather enjoyable for all kinds of music. Everything does sound slightly muffled, but it’s nothing that gets in the way of enjoying your tunes. Whether you’re jamming out to Logic, CCR, or This American Life, everything sounds perfectly fine.

Battery life is possibly the second-most important feature of wireless headphones right after sound quality, and this is an area in which the 059 shine. The original version was only rated for 13-15 hours of playback, but following an update from October 2017, that’s been increased to up to 20. In other words, you’ve got plenty of juice for road trips, long workout sessions, you name it.

Lastly, a small touch that I really appreciate is all the colors that you can choose from. There’s a variety of single and two-tone finishes in black, red, blue, pink, green, and gray that all look fantastic in their own special way.

Mpow 059 Bluetooth Headphones What I don’t like

Corners need to be cut somewhere for headphones of this price, and for the 059, that unfortunately fell on its build quality.

The Mpow 059 are constructed mostly out of a very glossy plastic that instantly looks and feels cheap. Fingerprints stick on it with ease and I have a feeling it wouldn’t hold up well at all in the event of a drop.

There’s padding in the headband and around the speakers that try and keep you comfortable while jamming, and while they do alright for shorter listening stints, longer sessions usually resulted in some ear discomfort.

Mpow 059 Bluetooth Headphones Final verdict

Since the world of wireless headphones is always expanding, the Mpow 059 face stiff competition every single day. This doesn’t seem to have phased them too much since they’re still reigning as the top seller on Amazon, but Mpow actually has a newer pair of headphones that cost almost the same and are better in nearly every way.

The Mpow H1 have a clearer sound profile at the expense of some bass, battery life is still rated for up to 20 hours, the shiny plastic is replaced with a much classier matte setup, and the overall fit is much more comfortable for my head and ears. Oh, and they’re just $1 more.

3
out of 5

That’s not to say the Mpow 059 are bad headphones by any means, but unless you really are in love with their design or need that more powerful bass, most people are probably better off with the H1.

See at Amazon

Get up to $600 off the Galaxy Note 9 when you trade in your current phone

Live in the U.S. or Canada? Here’s what you need to know about buying the Galaxy Note 9!

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 9 is here, and as you probably know by now, there’s a lot to get excited about. The all-new S Pen is more powerful than ever before, the cameras are shaping up to be the best we’ve seen from Samsung to-date, and the massive 4,000 mAh battery should be perfect for road-warriors.

Galaxy Note phones are usually available just about everywhere, and with the Note 9, that’s no different.

Whether you live in the United States or Canada, here’s everything you need to know about where to buy Sammy’s latest and greatest.

Current Promos

• Now through November 3, Samsung is offering double your regular trade-in value when you hand over your exisitng phone — resulting in a max savings of up to $600. On top of that, you can also get a free Gear360 or Gear VR.
• If you’re on AT&T, you can save 75% off a second Note 9 after you buy your first at full price and also get up to $600 back when you trade in your existing phone.
• T-Mobile’s outright pricing is down to $870 and $1119.99 for the 128GB and 512GB models, respectively.
• Save $200 at Verizon over 24 months and get up to $300 back on your trade-in when you switch.
• Lease the Note 9 on Sprint and pay just $20/month for 18 months with Sprint Flex.
• Get a free $200 prepaid gift card when you buy the Note 9 at Xfinity Mobile.
• Take $200 off the Note 9 when you trade in your current phone at Bell, Rogers, and Samsung Canada.

United States

• AT&T
• Sprint
• T-Mobile
• Verizon
• Straight Talk
• U.S. Cellular
• Xfinity Mobile
• Amazon
• Best Buy
• B&H
• Samsung

The Galaxy Note 9 is currently available to purchase in the United States in Ocean Blue, Lavender Purple, and Cloud Silver. Starting October 12, Midnight Black will become available.

AT&T

Starting first with AT&T, the carrier has both the 128GB and 512GB models that are priced at $999.99 and $1249.99, respectively. While you can pay that full price upfront if you’d like, you can also finance both storage configurations over 30 months for $33.34/month and $41.67/month.

If you’re looking to get more bang for your buck, AT&T’s running a buy one get one 75% off promo that requires a new line of wireless service and TV through DIRECTV.

You can also get double the regular trade-in value of your current phone up to $600 and take 50% off the Samsung Wireless Charger Duo when you buy the Note 9.

See at AT&T

T-Mobile

Moving over to T-Mobile, everyone’s favorite Un-Carrier is selling the Note 9 in 128GB and 512GB flavors. Full retail pricing is normally $999.99 and $1249.99, respectively, but for a limited time, T-Mobile’s knocking these down to just $870 and $1119.99.

Alternatively, you can get the 128GB model for $30/month and $150 down on an equipment installment plan or the 512GB version for $399.99 down + $30/month for 24 months.

On top of those already solid savings, T-Mobile will also let you take $720 off the Note 9 via 24 monthly bill credits when you add a new line of service.

See at T-Mobile

Verizon

Similar to AT&T and T-Mobile, Verizon is also selling the 128GB and 512GB Note 9.

By default, you’ll pay $999.99 and $1249.99 for each model, respectively. For Verizon’s installment plans, you’ll pay just $33.33/month for the 128GB unit and $43.74 for 512GB over the course of 24 months.

Those monthly rates will result in a total of $200 in savings compared to the retail pricing, and if you trade in your current phone, you’ll either get $100 back if you upgrade your line or $300 back when you switch from another carrier.

See at Verizon

Sprint

If Sprint’s your carrier of choice in the U.S., your choices are a bit more limited. Specifically, Sprint is not selling the 512GB Note 9.

Instead, you can only pick up the 128GB model. Pricing is the same at $999.99, but you’ve also got the option of leasing it for 18 months with the Sprint Flex plan for $41.66/month. For a limited time, however, Sprint’s cutting that down to just $20/month.

See at Sprint

Straight Talk

Post-paid carriers are fine and dandy, but if you prefer buying pre-paid, Straight Talk Wireless has your back as it’s also carrying the Note 9.

Similar to Sprint, Straight Talk is selling just the 128GB model. Here, the price is slightly discounted to jsut $949.99.

If you prefer to pay month-to-month, you can either get a $46.17/month for 24 months or $115.92/month for 15 months plan depending on your credit history.

See at Straight Talk

U.S. Cellular

U.S. Cellular isn’t nearly as popular as the above carriers on our list, but even so, it’s still carrying the Galaxy Note 9. Better yet, you can choose to pick up either the 128GB or 512GB configuration!

Pricing is the same at $999.99 and $1249.99, and for a limited time, installment pricing has been reduced to $28.30/month for the 128GB model and $36.64/month for the 512GB one. No matter which one you pick, the installment plan runs for 30 months and requires $0 down with 0% APR.

See at U.S. Cellular

Xfinity Mobile

For the last U.S. carrier on our list, we’ve got Xfinity Mobile.

Like most other carriers, Xfinity Mobile is selling the Note 9 in 128GB and 512GB options for $999.99 and $1249.99. You can buy the phone outright if you’ve got the cash, or finance it over the course of 24 months to lessen the stress a bit on your wallet.

If you purchase a Note 9 on Xfinity Mobile, activate a new line, and port over an existing number, you can get a $200 prepaid card that you can use wherever you’d like.

See at Xfinity Mobile

Amazon

Stepping away from carriers, Amazon is one of the many retailers in the U.S. that’s got the Note 9 up for grabs.

The phone’s available on Amazon in both 128GB and 512GB flavors, and while the 512GB model costs the regular $1249.99, the 128GB version is a bit lower at $979.

See at Amazon

Best Buy

Best Buy is the go-to store for all things tech, and as expected, can purchase the Note 9 here, too.

Just like the Note 8, Best Buy allows you to purchase the Note 9 through AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, or completely unlocked. Best Buy typically matches any promotions being offered by carriers, in addition to running its own from time to time. As such, if you’re looking for the vest best deal, you’ll want to hit up Best Buy’s site to see what’s being offered.

If you decide to buy the Note 9 through Best Buy, the retailer is offering a free 32-inch TV with activation of the Note 9 on Verizon, AT&T, or Sprint, or if you buy it unlocked. Additionally, Best Buy is the only place in the U.S. where you can buy the Cloud Silver color.

See at Best Buy

B&H

B&H is known for offering killer deals on new tech, and with the Galaxy Note 9, that’s no different.

You can pick up the Note 9 at B&H in 128GB and 512GB flavors and pricing is the same at $999.99 and $1294.99. However, B&H gets a nice edge as 0% tax is collected on your order if you live outside of New York or New Jersey.

Want more? B&H customers also get a free Samsung Fast Charge Qi Wireless Charging Stand that would normally set you back $49.99.

See at B&H

Samsung

Rounding out our U.S. picks, the Galaxy Note 9 is also being sold on Samsung’s official website and through the ShopSamsung app. Shocking, right?

Along with selling the unlocked version of the phone, Samsung also lets you buy the AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile Verizon, and U.S. Cellular variants. And, although it should go without saying at this point, the 128GB option costs $999.99 and the 512GB model is $1249.99.

Starting October 5 and going through November 3, anyone that buys a Note 9 and trades in their old phone can get double the regular trade-in value up to $600. On top of that, buying a Note 9 also makes you eligible for a free Gear360 or Gera VR.

See at Samsung

Canada

• Bell
• Rogers
• TELUS
• Freedom Mobile
• Samsung Canada

Similar to the United States, the Galaxy Note 9 officially went on sale in Canada on August 24.

The 128GB Ocean Blue model is available at all carriers/retailers, but if you want the 512GB Midnight Black option, you’ll need to buy the Note 9 directly through Samsung.

Bell

The first Canadian carrier on our list, Bell, is selling just the 128GB Note 9.

Buying the phone without any service will set you back $1379.99, and depending on the two-year term that you choose, you can decrease the upfront cost to either $749.99 or $549.99.

If there’s a Bell store near you, you can walk in, trade-in an eligible device, and take an entire $200 off the phone.

See at Bell

Rogers

Rogers is also carrying the Galaxy Note 9 in the 128GB flavor! Here’s what the current pricing looks like:

• No Tab — $1299
• Talk & Text Tab — $1299
• Smart Tab — $899
• Premium Tab — $749
• Premium+ Tab — $549
• Ultra Tab — $269

In-stores only, Rogers is offering a $200 discount on the Note 9 with an eligible trade-in on a 2-year Share Everything plan.

See at Rogers

TELUS

TELUS is carrying the 128GB Note 9, and depending on which plan you choose, the outright price varies quite a bit:

• Pay $300 outright and then $115/month on a 2-year Platinum plan
• Pay $550 outright and then $105/month on a 2-year Premium+ plan
• Pay $750 outright and then $95/month on a 2-year Premium plan
• Pay $900 outright and then $85/month on a 2-year Standard plan
• Pay $1440 outright to buy the phone with no associated plan

As part of an in-store only offer, TELUS will take $250 off the Note 9’s price when you trade-in an eligible phone.

See at TELUS

Freedom Mobile

If Freedom Mobile is your carrier of choice, you’re in luck!

The 128GB Galaxy Note 9 is available with all of Freedom’s plans, and right now, pricing is as follows:

• $1300 with no plan
• $820 + $20/month MyTab Boost for 24 months on current $30+ plans
• $600 + $25/month My Tab Boost for 24 months on current $40+ plans
• $149 + $35/month My Tab Boost for 24 months on current $50+ plans
• $0 + $35/month My Tab Boost for 24 months on current $60+ plans

See at Freedom Mobile

Samsung Canada

Last but not least, you can get the Galaxy Note 9 directly through the Samsung Canada website.

You can get the same Ocean Blue model with 128GB that’s available at all the carriers, but this is the exclusive place to go if you want the 512GB Midnight Black configuration.

The 128GB Ocean Blue Note 9 will set you back $1299.99 while the 512GB Midnight Black model costs a whopping $1629.99.

Now through October 31, you can trade in your old device and get a minimum of $200 back in credits on top of your regular trade-in value.

See at Samsung

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 review: Welcome to the one comma club

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

AT&T
Verizon
T-Mobile
Samsung
Amazon

Updated October 2018: Refreshed this list with all of the latest available deals!

These are the best icon packs for Android

App icons are different shapes, sizes, and color schemes and follow different design guidelines. Samsung’s icons look different than Google’s icons, look different from Microsoft’s icons, look different from every other developer’s icons. Adaptive icons have sought to bring some order to this chaos, but with little luck. Thankfully, icon packs are here to pick up the slack. Icon packs are plentiful, colorful, and they come in every style under the sun. I love Whicons, but all of these packs are fantastic.

Goes with everything

Whicons

If you only download one icon pack, make it Whicons! This free icon pack is simple, its icons are easy to identify, and Whicons goes with just about every dark and vivid wallpaper you can imagine.

Free at Google Play

Little white lines

Lines

Outline packs may take different thicknesses and sizes, but Lines remains my favorite. It’s been around for a really, really long time — just look at that Settings icon! — but Lines always comes through when I need a wireframe pack.

Free at Google Play

Glassy gleam

Emptos

This glassy icon pack is as rare as it is beautiful. Transparent squircles give a look of consistency to your app drawer and home screen, but the white logo shapes within are still instantly identifiable.

$1 at Google Play

Teardrops of darkness

Oscuro

Hex black teardrop icons cut through bright and dim wallpapers alike, but the shaded stencil logos within them allow some wallpaper details to show through, as seen on the YouTube and AC logos.

$1 at Google Play

Little black icon pack

Zwart

Zwart is the yin to Whicon’s yang, its evil twin, and deliciously dark standout. When light icons can’t keep their definition against vivid wallpapers, Zwart stands bold and firm.

Free at Google Play

Sophisticated cutouts

Nimbbi

This pack turns its simple monochromatic logos and thin black border into an elegant affair. Like onyx cuff links buttoning up your home screen, Nimbbi offers sharp contrast to vast landscapes and geometric wallpapers.

$2 at Google Play

Going greyscale

Noctum

This classic pack is unique in both its shape and its particular shades of grayscale. Never quite black — only very, very dark grey — Noctum can be used quite well with black wallpapers, a feature I’ve taken advantage of in my Blank Panther theme.

$2 at Google Play

Shadows and circles

Lux Dark

Circular icon packs are some of the most popular, but Lux Dark shines a diamond in the rough. The bright, gradient-steeped color accents blend well with dark and colorful themes quite well.

$3 at Google Play

Keep it mellow

Mellow Dark

This pack tries to perfectly balance shadow and vivid color in flat Material icons that use repeating shape styles to evoke consistency in an app that isn’t completely forced into one particular shape.

$1 at Google Play

Can’t fight the moonlight

Moonrise

Moonrise, meanwhile, tries to add as much depth to its Material icons; icons are steeped largely in shadowed grays with delicately chosen color pops. This pack features a lot of shadowing, shading, and angled light-play.

Free at Google Play

Docked and locked

Ombre

Ombre is one of my favorite “shaped” icon packs. The bottom dock/bar is mostly plain, but for fitting icons, it transforms! The colors here are vivid enough to work with dark themes, even with the dark icon accents.

$2 at Google Play

Color on the lines

Outline Icons

Outline goes beyond the monotone of simple white to bring bright, bold colors to its neon-reminiscent icons. Being a technicolor pack, it’s a little easier to lose some of the more muted detail shades in some wallpapers, but this pack is a gem that shines in dark wallpapers and app drawers

$2 at Google Play

Pixel perfect

Pireo

Pireo keeps the layered look of the original 2016 Google Pixel’s round icons alive and strong two years later. It favors white for its icon backgrounds a lot, but the small shadow keeps them distinguishable, even on pure white wallpapers.

$1 at Google Play

Flat and round

Elun

Elun also emulates some of the 2016 Pixel’s style, but this pack is flatter, slicker, and far, far more colorful. Soft grays and vivid accent colors help it avoid an abundance of white, so icons like YouTube and the Dialer stand out more.

$2 at Google Play

Material magic

Urmun

Urmun is a pack built upon Material Design, one that emphasizes bold logos and sharp color palettes. Shadows add depth to this diversely-shaped, 4,300+ icon-sporting pack, and details are emphasized expertly.

$2 at Google Play

Sweet and colorful

CandyCons

Taking more of a shine to bright sugary colors and simple shapes, CandyCons is a sweet icon pack to keep around. Plentiful, colorful alternate icons make for great theming around the holidays.

Free at Google Play

Hip to be square

Krix

These ever-so-slightly-rounded square icons offer a flat look and a wide color array. Based on Xiaomi’s MIUI, this pack has over 3,000 icons and a uniquely blended style.

$1 at Google Play

Touch of TouchWiz

Aspire UX S9

A lot of icon packs emulate the Samsung Experience/TouchWiz look, but none do it with quite the style of Aspire UX. This wireframe pack’s more than willing to bulk up with original logos when the outline look doesn’t work, and I’m grateful for their discretion there.

$1 at Google Play

Basic beauty

Minimalist

Out of the darkness and into the light, Minimalist tends to favor square icons with its sun-faded palette and flat, minimal feel. While these icons are beautiful, it can take a moment to tell which apps are which.

$2 at Google Play

Go retro

Retororika

Retrorika has grown in downloads and icons for years while maintaining a sepia-stained look that skews the palette in new and often fun ways. Like Lloyd’s pink old-timey bathing suit? At least, I hope that’s a bathing suit.

$1 at Google Play

Magic rainbow rave

Unicorn

Unicorn very much matches the food craze that engulfed everything from cupcakes to donuts to Starbucks and beyond. Vivid pinks and purples contrast more muted blues and greens for a pack that’s rave-ready, day or night.

$2 at Google Play

All that glitters

Golden Icons

This beveled beauty of a pack is the little sister of Whicons and Zwart. While it lacks a golden mask to keep unthemed icons truly consistent, there are enough alternate icons to keep your app drawer golden.

Free at Google Play

BYOP: Build your own pack

Icon Pack Studio

If no icon pack can quite suit your tastes, don’t give up hope — just make an icon pack yourself! Icon Pack Studio lets you pick the colors, textures, styles, stencils, and more and covers every app on your phone no matter how obscure.

Free at Google Play

Fill the gaps

Adapticons

If you only need to plug one or two holes in your app drawer — or simply want to make an icon pack where every single icon can be individually customized, colored, and shaped — Adapticons is your app! Just be prepared; this can take a little while to do one by one.

Free at Google Play

There are a lot of icon packs, and while I love and enjoy keeping a wide array of icon packs at my disposal, I do find myself coming back to Whicons — it really does go with everything! When Whicons doesn’t quite fit a theme, Ombre usually does, and Icon Pack Studio gives me icons that are perfectly color-matched to my theme’s palette and covers every app in my drawer, popular or not.

Roku’s best streaming player, the Ultra 4K, is down to $76

Watch your favorite shows.

Right now you can pick up the Roku Ultra 4K streaming media player for just $76.49. The last deal we shared on this Roku is when it dropped to around this price back in June. Since then it bounced back up to around $89. This price is actually the lowest it’s ever sold for, even a few bucks better than that June mention. Roku makes some of the best streaming hardware, so if you’ve cut the cord already or are considering doing so, you’ll want to have one of these attached to your TV.

The interface is easy to navigate, and most popular streaming services have apps available. You can easily access Netflix, Hulu, Sling, and HBO Now from dedicated buttons on the remote. There’s also a voice search feature built into the remote, and a headphone jack. The Roku Ultra streams compatible content in 4K, and the box has a USB port and microSD slot.

See on Amazon

With Google lurking, gaming has never been more critical to Microsoft

Google has been a gigantic thorn in Microsoft’s side for many, many years, but things are about to get a whole lot worse for Redmond.

Google has been chipping away at Microsoft’s software empire for many years now, with Android in particular exploding as a software ecosystem to rival Windows itself. Android handsets armed with Google Play are a dominating force on mobile devices, while Microsoft’s efforts in the space fell spectacularly flat.

Google has been leveraging its Android app ecosystem on its increasingly popular line of cheap Chromebook laptops. Chrome OS loaded with web apps and, now, a large array of Android apps is proving problematic for Windows in a casual computing context, particularly in businesses and schools who see Chromebooks as a cheaper alternative to a Windows laptop, strangled by legacy code. Google has been incredibly adept at exploiting Microsoft where it is weak, notably with the Chrome web browser, which has come to dominate Windows too.

Even Microsoft can’t ignore the rise of Chrome OS.

There are a few notable absences on Chrome OS when it comes to usability and versatility. It’s often missing more powerful applications, such as video editing and programming packages, but for Windows consumers, it’s also missing games. The vast legacy of Windows is one of Microsoft’s greatest strengths, granting it thousands of quality apps and, vitally, games spanning across decades and different hardware levels. Even if you’re running a potato PC, your device likely has better quality core games than the latest Android phone, and especially the latest Chromebook. But all of that could be set to change.

Recently, Google played its hand after years of speculation. Google is working on Project Stream, which will (if it works) allow you to experience “AAA” quality core games via Chrome OS, and of course, cheap Chromebooks. Notably, mega publisher Ubisoft is one of the first companies to jump on board, with Assassin’s Creed Odyssey.

If Google can credibly make streaming a viable way to access real games on the cheap across their devices, and not the usual Candy Crush-style pay2win garbage associated with Android, Microsoft could find Windows’ popularity with consumers plummet into nothingness. But it’s not like Microsoft isn’t gearing up to compete.

Next-gen streaming wars

Microsoft announces game streaming to mobile devices at E3 2018.

While powerful local hardware is not going away by any stretch, the battle for new consumers will be fought firmly within the streaming arena. Casual mobile gamers who have no intention of buying a $1500 gaming PC or a dedicated video game console tend to play whatever they can get access to on their Android or iOS devices, if the core gaming industry can expand to that market by lowering the barriers to access, it could prove extremely lucrative for everyone involved.

Sony has PlayStation Now, Google has Project Stream, Amazon is widely expected to be working on something similar, with Microsoft already having announced “console-quality” game streaming for phones and other devices. Recently I’ve heard credible rumors that Microsoft’s game streaming platform could be available as early Q1 or Q2 2019, which would make X0 2018 in November a good place to announce it.

Microsoft has a considerable head start here, but so too was the case with tablets, Cortana, Skype, and even smartphones.

Google and Amazon will exploit every weakness

Right now, you need pretty expensive hardware to game on Windows.

Microsoft has this uncanny ability to allow competing companies to react to changes in the market more quickly, whittling away at every gap and weakness in a Microsoft product while Redmond sits on its hands, overconfident and complacent. Microsoft cannot afford to allow this to happen with gaming if it wants to prevent Chrome OS from eliminating its main weakness with game streaming, potentially giving away an entire generation of potential gamers over to cheaper Chromebooks.

Losing Discord to Amazon, more especially Google, would be catastrophic for Microsoft in the coming streaming wars.

Microsoft’s main advantage here is that many millions of its customers already have a large library of expensive games primed for streaming. Those users you could say, are effectively already locked in. Problematically, they’re not really the audience Microsoft wants here. The whole point of streaming is improving access to gamers who want to play on the devices they already own, rather than investing in a new platform or device, and this is where Google has an advantage.

Project Stream will send games to a Chrome OS laptop, presumably an Android phone, and even a Windows PC via Chrome’s web browser. When it’s ready for the prime time, it will be advertised and pushed heavily across those platforms, since Google holds the keys to all the defaults on many millions of those Google Play-enabled devices.

Xbox’s presence on mobile phones isn’t great.

Google has already signed deals with Ubisoft and is no doubt working with other companies too, all of whom are eager to expand their profitability by reaching untapped device markets, namely mobile. All this is while disregarding Amazon’s play, which will no doubt factor in Twitch.tv and Amazon.com itself, and other mammoth gaming companies like Tencent.

Swimming in the midst of all this is Discord, which has become the gaming world’s de facto friends list. Discord has become the largest gaming social network by a significant margin, beating Skype and Xbox Live at their own game with a razor sharp focus on messaging and community building. Whichever cloud company manages to snap up Discord first (and one of them will, eventually) will plug a massive gap in their respective capabilities, while adding another screen upon which to deliver streaming games. Microsoft could simply modernize Skype and Xbox Live’s communication capabilities, but so far it has shown a staggering incapability to do so. Losing Discord to Amazon, more especially Google and Chrome OS, would be catastrophic for Microsoft in the coming streaming wars. Either company could simply embed their game streaming service directly into the app.

Time is of the essence

Microsoft might have a head start now — but as we’ve seen with various other Redmond products that hit market first and then wallowed in complacency — that head start could evaporate incredibly quickly.

Microsoft seems to have made many of the right moves, investing heavily in a future exclusive games portfolio, adding Mixer.com as a vehicle for building community, and so on. But many of Xbox Live’s other aspects, such as messaging and community tools, and presence on mobile devices, are really weak. Google, and others, will exploit these weaknesses with impunity.

It still feels like Microsoft as a company isn’t pulling in the same direction.

I’m not suggesting game streaming will fully replace local, powerful Windows PC hardware or PlayStation or Xbox consoles, but it could prove to be an incredibly lucrative way for big publishers to grow their audiences beyond the traditional install base. Core gaming could grow from millions, to billions, and that’s ultimately the goal here. The risk for Microsoft is that they won’t be part of the story, and that for future generations, Windows and Microsoft may no longer offer everything many people want from their devices, factoring in price.

Microsoft has a really troubled relationship with consumers lately, seemingly unsure whether they want to be a boring “productivity” company or something a little more fun, with Xbox and Mixer. It still feels like Microsoft as a company isn’t pulling in the same direction in this context, and if that’s true with regards to gaming and consumer products, that is ultimately the biggest weakness Google can exploit.

Related: Microsoft, ignore the threat of Discord at your peril

Apple Stores in Europe Offering Free Coding Sessions for Code Week

EU Code Week runs from October 6-21, and during the event Apple will offer more than 2,000 free coding sessions, with at least one free session every day in every Apple store in Europe. Like previous Today at Apple events, these sessions are open to all customers, and Apple says they are designed to help people of all ages and skill levels learn to code.

Sessions include “How To: Get Started with Coding,” “Teacher Tuesdays: App Design & Coding Basics,” and “Kids Hour: Sphero Maze Challenge.”

“Coding is a critical skill that gives people of all ages the chance to create and share their ideas with the world,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Apple has long believed coding is the language of the future, and we’ve created a range of tools to make it fun and accessible for everyone. We’re thrilled to offer thousands of sessions in Apple stores for EU Code Week, and can’t wait to share our love for coding with young people and educators across Europe.”

Additionally, schools and coding organizations across Europe will be able to offer their own Swift workshops through Apple’s Everyone Can Code curriculum and the new coding challenges created for EU Code Week. One Swift Playgrounds app challenge is the “Incredible Code Machine,” and is designed for entry-level coders.

In the press release announcing its participation in EU Code Week, Apple touted a few milestones in the Swift coding language and Today at Apple coding sessions. According to the company, over 75,000 attendees have taken part in more than 14,000 coding sessions at Apple stores in Europe over the past year. Apple also says that there are now 1.5 million jobs across Europe attributable to the company’s iOS app economy.

Interested users in Europe can find local coding sessions on the Code Week website and on Apple.com.

Tag: Europe
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Review: iOttie’s iON Wireless Charging Stand Offers Upright Charging and an Attractive Design

When the first iPhones launched with wireless charging capabilities, many of the first wireless charging accessories designed for the new devices were the plain, flat wireless charging pads.

Now that companies have had time to innovate and come up with more efficient charging solutions, we’re seeing more and more upright wireless charging stands, like iOttie’s new iON Wireless Charging Stand.

Upright wireless charging stands offer several benefits over the flat wireless charging options, and are by far my favorite charging solutions for the iPhone X and new iPhone XS models. With a wireless charging stand, it’s impossible to place the iPhone at the wrong position for charging to start automatically, which is not the case with flat charging solutions.

When I’m using a flat pad, I have on multiple occasions put the iPhone a little bit left or right of the center of the built-in charging coil, which means it won’t charge. Then I have to adjust multiple times and double check to make sure everything is lined up.

With the little shelf that’s available on upright stands, there’s basically no room for error when positioning the iPhone, so it’s better for peace of mind, especially when charging an iPhone on a wireless charger at night. And, in addition to the no-hassle charging, upright stands offer the benefit of being able to look over and see the iPhone’s screen at a glance.

iOttie’s iON Wireless Stand, like its flat charger, is one of the more unique wireless charging accessories I’ve run into. It’s actually almost identical in design to the iON Fast Charging Pad Plus and the iON Fast Charging Pad Mini, but it’s a stand instead of a pad.

The iON Wireless Stand is covered in an attractive tweed-style fabric that’s available in gray, beige, and red, with the gray pictured in my images. It’s a little more professional looking than your average plastic charging stand, so I think it’s a great option for an office. It does, of course, look just as attractive at home on a desk or a night stand.

Size wise, the stand has a fairly small base (right around two inches square) so it’s not going to take up as much room as one of the flat charging options.

At the bottom of the iON Wireless Stand, there’s a grippy rubber pad to make sure that it stays in place on a flat surface without slipping around, and a plastic shelf at the bottom of the charger holds the iPhone in place. The shelf is covered with the same rubber material to ensure your iPhone is secure.

My phone didn’t slip or move while on the iON Wireless Stand, but these upright chargers are more prone to being knocked over or bumped which is something to be aware of. There are no side bars holding the iPhone in place on this stand, so if you give it a good knock, your iPhone runs the risk of falling off.

iOttie designed the iON Wireless Stand to be just a bit narrower in width than the iPhone X and XS, so when your phone is on the stand, the stand is hidden from view from the front.

At the back of the stand, there’s a USB-C port where the USB-C to USB-A cord plugs in to the charging brick that’s included with the stand. On the right side, there’s an LED that lights up while charging is taking place. The LED is a distraction, but it’s not so bright that it can’t be used at night in a dark room.

What I like about the iON Wireless Stand in addition to the fabric design is the 65-degree angle of the charging plate that the iPhone rests against. It’s in an ideal position for looking over at the iPhone when a notification comes in or glancing at the time at night. It can double as a stand for watching portrait or landscape videos.

Speaking of landscape mode, you can charge an iPhone on the iON Wireless Stand in either portrait or landscape orientation because there are two coils inside of it, which means the corresponding coil in the iPhone lines up properly in either position.

Like iOttie’s other wireless charging options, the iON Wireless Stand charges compatible iPhone models at 7.5W, the maximum wireless charging speed for Apple’s current crop of devices. Android devices charge at a faster 10W pace.

7.5W charging is not all that much faster than 5W charging in most charging conditions, but it is going to give you a little more juice.

I drained my iPhone X to 1 percent battery life, put it in Airplane Mode, and put it on the iON Wireless Stand to charge for an hour, which is the same testing protocol that I use for all wireless charger reviews.

In a one hour period, the iPhone X charged up to 38 percent, which is in line with the charging speeds that I saw from iOttie’s other 7.5W charging options and 7.5W charging pads from other companies.

Wireless charging is temperature dependent so the 38 percent metric was with the ambient room temperature at about 74 degrees. When it’s colder in the winter, I’ve seen 7.5W wireless chargers charge to about 45 percent within an hour.

I tested the iON Wireless Stand with a standard Apple Silicone case, but iOttie says it’ll work with cases up to 7mm thick.

Bottom Line

Now that Apple has embraced Qi wireless charging, there are hundreds of wireless charging accessories on the market at a range of price points. You can get cheap 5W wireless charger on Amazon for about $10 and there are a lot of 7.5W chargers out there now that aren’t too much more expensive.

At $49.95, the iON Wireless Stand is pricier than those plain charging pads you can get on Amazon, but I think for some people, the convenience of an upright stand and the design of the iON may be worth the price.

When compared to other premium upright wireless charging stands from Logitech and Belkin, iOttie’s solution is competitively priced at $20 less, making it an attractive choice for those looking for a quality charging stand.

How to Buy

iOttie’s iON Wireless Stand can be purchased from the iOttie website for $49.95 or from Amazon for $44.95.

Note: iOttie provided MacRumors with an iON Wireless Stand for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received. MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon and may earn commissions on purchases made through links in this article.
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