Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 hands-on review
Research Center:
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
Android tablets have been floating in limbo for quite some time. Google never pushed developers to create apps designed specifically for tablets, unlike Apple did with the iPad, and that left a lackluster user experience when you wanted to get some work done. A Bluetooth keyboard or stylus never really helped. For productivity, your best bet was going the Windows route with a two-in-one like the Microsoft’s Surface line, or with Apple’s iPad range. Samsung’s trying to change all that with its latest tablet, the Galaxy Tab S4.
At a quick glance, the Tab S4 — a gorgeous device — looks like any other Android tablet. But Samsung has brought over its DeX desktop mode from its smartphones, which enables a far more productive interface. Let’s take a closer look, and we’ll explain what what we mean.
Refined design
The Galaxy Tab S4 has a much more contemporary look over last year’s Tab S3, and that’s thanks to uniform bezels around the 10.5-inch screen. The larger screen size (up from 9.7-inches last year) doesn’t mean the tablet is bigger, as the shrunken bezels helped Samsung maintain almost the same size.
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends
There’s no more home button or Samsung logo on the front, so it looks clean and minimal. In landscape orientation, the power button sits at the top edge, next to a volume rocker. You can double-tap the screen to turn it on, eliminating the need for a physical home button.
On the bottom edge in the same orientation is the pogo pin connector that can attach to Samsung’s keyboard cover (more on this later), and on the right edge is where you can plug a USB Type-C cable in to charge the Tab S4. There’s a headphone jack next to the charging port.
The Galaxy Tab S4 has a much more contemporary look over last year’s Tab S3.
Like last year’s Tab S3, there are four speakers tuned by AKG, the Austrian acoustics company, in the four corners of the Tab S4, but Samsung said the tablet sounds “louder than ever before” thanks to support for Dolby Atmos sound. The sound is spatial, but it didn’t get as loud as we’d like in a room with some background chatter. It doesn’t sound as good as the iPad Pro’s quad speaker setup, and we also noticed the Tab S4’s keyboard cover completely muffles the speakers, making them sound incredibly poor. It’s odd, considering you’ll likely want the tablet sitting upright with the keyboard cover when you’re playing music or videos, but we’ll have to do more testing to make sure this is a persistent problem.
The AMOLED screen is a different story — it’s absolutely gorgeous. With a 2,560 x 1,600-pixel resolution, the display is sharp, gets incredibly bright, and is vibrantly colorful. The 10.5-inch size also doesn’t feel too small. It’s lightweight and compact enough to carry around, and it will fit in your backpack or purse without any problems. There’s enough bezel around the screen to comfortably hold the tablet without touching the screen, too.
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends
The back of the tablet is all glass, which means you’ll want to take extra care handling it. There’s not much happening on the back — except for all the fingerprints it picks up — but the rear camera design, which seems inherited from early Galaxy devices, looks a little dated.
The Book Cover Keyboard costs $150 (although there’s a deal through September 8 that cuts the price in half), and it’s comfortable to type on. Placing the tablet inside is relatively quick and simple, though it’s due to this keyboard that the audio sounds muffled — there are bumpers covering the speakers, which seems like an oversight. Samsung also has a cover available without the keyboard.
The S Pen looks more like a fountain pen; it’s a lot more elegant.
Attached to the keyboard cover is a little cap you can slide the S Pen stylus into, which is included with the Tab S4. The S Pen looks more like a fountain pen; it’s a lot more elegant than previous iterations. It’s feels nice to hold and use, but we’d have liked if it had a bit more weight to it. It’s a little too lightweight, which makes it feel cheap and easily breakable.
Samsung has brought several S Pen features from the Galaxy Note 8 over to the Tab S4, including Screen Off Memo, which only works in tablet mode, but it lets you write on the screen without having to turn it on. There’s also Air Command, which lets you press the button on the S Pen to open up a list of apps for quick access; Live Message, where you can draw on photos and turn them into animated GIFs; and Translate, which translates text the S Pen is hovering over. In our brief time with it, we still don’t feel like the S Pen is a necessary addition to the Tab S4, and we’re more likely to utilize a Bluetooth mouse.
DeX interface
The highlight of the Tab S4 is the new DeX interface. Previously, you’ve only been able to place a Galaxy S8, S9, or Note 8 on Samsung’s DeX Station or DeX Pad docks, and connect it to a monitor to access Samsung’s DeX Android desktop interface. Now, when the Tab S4 connects to the keyboard, it automatically launches DeX.
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends
DeX is Samsung’s desktop Android mode, which adds a traditional operating system dock at the bottom with the Android navigation keys and an app drawer, and there’s a system tray on the bottom right so you can access settings and notifications. Apps sit on the home screen like a Windows laptop. You can open multiple app windows, and you can resize them all to your liking.
It’s immediately clear you’ll want to keep using DeX mode when this device is docked with a keyboard.
While every Android app will work in this mode, not every app will convert to a tablet interface. Almost all of Samsung’s apps will, and the company has gradually been adding support for more third-party apps. We spent a month last year using the DeX interface through a Galaxy S8 as a replacement to our laptop, and it was perfectly capable of handling most of our tasks, though we largely used Samsung’s web browser app. Things might get more tricky if you need to run specialized software, though DeX does work with virtual computers, and you still have access to every Android app available. We’ll be spending more time in this mode to see if it has improved.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 Compared To
Microsoft Surface Go
Apple 10.5‑inch iPad Pro
Apple iPad 9.7
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3
Apple iPad Air 2
LG G Pad 10.1
Lenovo ThinkPad 10
Microsoft Surface 2
Razer Edge Pro
Barnes & Noble Nook HD+
Dell Latitude 10
Dell XPS 10
Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2
Acer Iconia Tab W700
Acer Iconia Tab A700
You can switch back to the tablet interface at any time. It’s not as fast as we’d like — you need to open the quick settings menu, tap the DeX tile, and it will then take around 3 seconds to swap to tablet mode. A one-button switch on the system tray would have been a nicer alternative.
Standard Android 8.1 Oreo is perfectly capable, though it’s immediately clear you’ll want to keep using DeX mode when this device is docked with a keyboard. We’d have liked Samsung to build a trackpad into the keyboard cover, so we wouldn’t have to rely on the touchscreen or a separate Bluetooth mouse.
Strong specs
The Galaxy Tab S4 is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 processor with 4GB of RAM. We haven’t done a lot of testing yet for this first look, but we didn’t run into any glaring problems with performance. It may be last year’s processor, but it should still be able to run almost everything you throw at it.
There are 64GB and 256GB models available, but a MicroSD card slot lets you add more space if you need it. The Tab S4 has a 13-megapixel camera on the rear and an 8-megapixel camera on the front, though we haven’t had a chance to test either yet.
Samsung has also thrown in a massive 7,300mAh battery inside, which the company said will make the tablet last through 16 hours of video playback. That’s quite impressive if it’s true, and we’ll certainly be testing those claims.
Price and availability
The Galaxy Tab S4 comes in Wi-Fi and LTE variants, though the latter will only be available through Verizon at launch. More carrier support will come in the third quarter, including Sprint and US Cellular.
Both models will be available for purchase starting August 10, with the Wi-Fi model up for sale through Amazon, Best Buy, and Samsung’s website. The 64GB model will set you back $650, and the 256GB version costs $750.
At $650, the Tab S4 is expensive, especially when you factor in an extra $150 for the keyboard cover. At $800, you can get plenty of other excellent Windows laptops, an iPad Pro, or almost any Chromebook. We’ll have to do a lot more testing to see if the Tab S4 is a viable laptop replacement with DeX mode, and whether it’s worth purchasing over the aforementioned products — stay tuned for a full review soon.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 hands-on review
Research Center:
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
Android tablets have been floating in limbo for quite some time. Google never pushed developers to create apps designed specifically for tablets, unlike Apple did with the iPad, and that left a lackluster user experience when you wanted to get some work done. A Bluetooth keyboard or stylus never really helped. For productivity, your best bet was going the Windows route with a two-in-one like the Microsoft’s Surface line, or with Apple’s iPad range. Samsung’s trying to change all that with its latest tablet, the Galaxy Tab S4.
At a quick glance, the Tab S4 — a gorgeous device — looks like any other Android tablet. But Samsung has brought over its DeX desktop mode from its smartphones, which enables a far more productive interface. Let’s take a closer look, and we’ll explain what what we mean.
Refined design
The Galaxy Tab S4 has a much more contemporary look over last year’s Tab S3, and that’s thanks to uniform bezels around the 10.5-inch screen. The larger screen size (up from 9.7-inches last year) doesn’t mean the tablet is bigger, as the shrunken bezels helped Samsung maintain almost the same size.
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends
There’s no more home button or Samsung logo on the front, so it looks clean and minimal. In landscape orientation, the power button sits at the top edge, next to a volume rocker. You can double-tap the screen to turn it on, eliminating the need for a physical home button.
On the bottom edge in the same orientation is the pogo pin connector that can attach to Samsung’s keyboard cover (more on this later), and on the right edge is where you can plug a USB Type-C cable in to charge the Tab S4. There’s a headphone jack next to the charging port.
The Galaxy Tab S4 has a much more contemporary look over last year’s Tab S3.
Like last year’s Tab S3, there are four speakers tuned by AKG, the Austrian acoustics company, in the four corners of the Tab S4, but Samsung said the tablet sounds “louder than ever before” thanks to support for Dolby Atmos sound. The sound is spatial, but it didn’t get as loud as we’d like in a room with some background chatter. It doesn’t sound as good as the iPad Pro’s quad speaker setup, and we also noticed the Tab S4’s keyboard cover completely muffles the speakers, making them sound incredibly poor. It’s odd, considering you’ll likely want the tablet sitting upright with the keyboard cover when you’re playing music or videos, but we’ll have to do more testing to make sure this is a persistent problem.
The AMOLED screen is a different story — it’s absolutely gorgeous. With a 2,560 x 1,600-pixel resolution, the display is sharp, gets incredibly bright, and is vibrantly colorful. The 10.5-inch size also doesn’t feel too small. It’s lightweight and compact enough to carry around, and it will fit in your backpack or purse without any problems. There’s enough bezel around the screen to comfortably hold the tablet without touching the screen, too.
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends
The back of the tablet is all glass, which means you’ll want to take extra care handling it. There’s not much happening on the back — except for all the fingerprints it picks up — but the rear camera design, which seems inherited from early Galaxy devices, looks a little dated.
The Book Cover Keyboard costs $150 (although there’s a deal through September 8 that cuts the price in half), and it’s comfortable to type on. Placing the tablet inside is relatively quick and simple, though it’s due to this keyboard that the audio sounds muffled — there are bumpers covering the speakers, which seems like an oversight. Samsung also has a cover available without the keyboard.
The S Pen looks more like a fountain pen; it’s a lot more elegant.
Attached to the keyboard cover is a little cap you can slide the S Pen stylus into, which is included with the Tab S4. The S Pen looks more like a fountain pen; it’s a lot more elegant than previous iterations. It’s feels nice to hold and use, but we’d have liked if it had a bit more weight to it. It’s a little too lightweight, which makes it feel cheap and easily breakable.
Samsung has brought several S Pen features from the Galaxy Note 8 over to the Tab S4, including Screen Off Memo, which only works in tablet mode, but it lets you write on the screen without having to turn it on. There’s also Air Command, which lets you press the button on the S Pen to open up a list of apps for quick access; Live Message, where you can draw on photos and turn them into animated GIFs; and Translate, which translates text the S Pen is hovering over. In our brief time with it, we still don’t feel like the S Pen is a necessary addition to the Tab S4, and we’re more likely to utilize a Bluetooth mouse.
DeX interface
The highlight of the Tab S4 is the new DeX interface. Previously, you’ve only been able to place a Galaxy S8, S9, or Note 8 on Samsung’s DeX Station or DeX Pad docks, and connect it to a monitor to access Samsung’s DeX Android desktop interface. Now, when the Tab S4 connects to the keyboard, it automatically launches DeX.
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends
DeX is Samsung’s desktop Android mode, which adds a traditional operating system dock at the bottom with the Android navigation keys and an app drawer, and there’s a system tray on the bottom right so you can access settings and notifications. Apps sit on the home screen like a Windows laptop. You can open multiple app windows, and you can resize them all to your liking.
It’s immediately clear you’ll want to keep using DeX mode when this device is docked with a keyboard.
While every Android app will work in this mode, not every app will convert to a tablet interface. Almost all of Samsung’s apps will, and the company has gradually been adding support for more third-party apps. We spent a month last year using the DeX interface through a Galaxy S8 as a replacement to our laptop, and it was perfectly capable of handling most of our tasks, though we largely used Samsung’s web browser app. Things might get more tricky if you need to run specialized software, though DeX does work with virtual computers, and you still have access to every Android app available. We’ll be spending more time in this mode to see if it has improved.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 Compared To
Microsoft Surface Go
Apple 10.5‑inch iPad Pro
Apple iPad 9.7
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3
Apple iPad Air 2
LG G Pad 10.1
Lenovo ThinkPad 10
Microsoft Surface 2
Razer Edge Pro
Barnes & Noble Nook HD+
Dell Latitude 10
Dell XPS 10
Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2
Acer Iconia Tab W700
Acer Iconia Tab A700
You can switch back to the tablet interface at any time. It’s not as fast as we’d like — you need to open the quick settings menu, tap the DeX tile, and it will then take around 3 seconds to swap to tablet mode. A one-button switch on the system tray would have been a nicer alternative.
Standard Android 8.1 Oreo is perfectly capable, though it’s immediately clear you’ll want to keep using DeX mode when this device is docked with a keyboard. We’d have liked Samsung to build a trackpad into the keyboard cover, so we wouldn’t have to rely on the touchscreen or a separate Bluetooth mouse.
Strong specs
The Galaxy Tab S4 is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 processor with 4GB of RAM. We haven’t done a lot of testing yet for this first look, but we didn’t run into any glaring problems with performance. It may be last year’s processor, but it should still be able to run almost everything you throw at it.
There are 64GB and 256GB models available, but a MicroSD card slot lets you add more space if you need it. The Tab S4 has a 13-megapixel camera on the rear and an 8-megapixel camera on the front, though we haven’t had a chance to test either yet.
Samsung has also thrown in a massive 7,300mAh battery inside, which the company said will make the tablet last through 16 hours of video playback. That’s quite impressive if it’s true, and we’ll certainly be testing those claims.
Price and availability
The Galaxy Tab S4 comes in Wi-Fi and LTE variants, though the latter will only be available through Verizon at launch. More carrier support will come in the third quarter, including Sprint and US Cellular.
Both models will be available for purchase starting August 10, with the Wi-Fi model up for sale through Amazon, Best Buy, and Samsung’s website. The 64GB model will set you back $650, and the 256GB version costs $750.
At $650, the Tab S4 is expensive, especially when you factor in an extra $150 for the keyboard cover. At $800, you can get plenty of other excellent Windows laptops, an iPad Pro, or almost any Chromebook. We’ll have to do a lot more testing to see if the Tab S4 is a viable laptop replacement with DeX mode, and whether it’s worth purchasing over the aforementioned products — stay tuned for a full review soon.
With Sprint’s flash sale, customers can lease an iPhone 8 for $8 per month
For those looking for a good deal on an iPhone, Sprint announced its flash sale. Until August 9, the carrier is offering the iPhone 8 for $8 per month to new and existing customers.
Of course, with any carrier deal, there are a few caveats. For starters, you have to sign up for the new line of service with the Sprint Flex lease plan. Introduced in 2017, the leasing program allows customers to lease a device for 18 months — after 12 monthly payments, you can swap it out for a new phone. If you want to own the device by the time the lease ends, you can either continue making monthly payments for an additional six months or pay off the remaining balance in one payment.
With the 64GB model of the iPhone 8, you’ll receive $21.17 per month in bill credit for the first two months and the remaining months will cost you $8 per month. In comparison, the iPhone 8 from Sprint would normally cost you $29.17 per month — making this an affordable deal.
But it’s important to note that if you plan on keeping the device at the end of the lease, you will end up paying a remaining balance of more than $500. So, you might be better off upgrading to a new device rather than shelling out a large sum of money toward the end.
In addition to the flash sale, Sprint also included its new revamped unlimited plans announced last month. While the carrier originally only offered the Unlimited Freedom Plan, it’s now offering the Unlimited Basic and the Unlimited Plus plan.
The Unlimited Basic Plan is geared for those who aren’t looking for a plan that’s too feature heavy. It costs $60 per line with a second line for $40 and every line after that will come out to $20 (with AutoPay). You will receive unlimited talk, text, and data in the United States along with unlimited talk and text in Mexico and Canada — among a few other perks, including a Hulu subscription. One downside is that your LTE hotspot data is reduced from 10GB to 500MB and video streams up to only 480p.
Meanwhile, the Unlimited Plus plan is more of an upgrade — offering a few more featured. In addition to unlimited talk, text, and data in the United States, you have 15GB of mobile hotspot data and streaming in full HD — up to 1080p. As for pricing (after AutoPay), it will come out to $70 for the first line and $50 for the second — each line after that will come out to $30 each.
As for Sprint’s flash sale, the promotion is currently going on. Customers can only sign up for it through Sprint’s site or by calling the carrier’s toll-free number.
Editors’ Recommendations
- How to buy the Apple iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus
- 8 months after its release, the iPhone 8 outsells the new Galaxy S9
- The best iPhone 8 Plus cases and covers
- The 22 best iPhone 8 cases
- The trickiest iPhone 8 problems, and advice on how to fix them
Possible Intel road map shows 9th-generation desktop CPUs arriving in 2018
Chinese website XFastest provides slides of what appears to be Intel’s processor roadmap for the remainder of 2018 and into 2019. Although the slides could be fake, they mirror recent rumors that Intel’s ninth-generation processors would begin to surface in the next several months. The roadmap shows the Core i7-9900K, the Core i7-9700K, the Core i5-9600K and the Core i5-9400 arriving in the third quarter.
These chips will be a refresh of Intel’s eighth-generation design for desktop chips, aka Coffee Lake-S, rather than its upcoming “true” ninth-generation “Ice Lake” design. This isn’t unusual for Intel as seen with the launch of its eighth-generation CPU family in August 2017 although those initial chips, based on a refreshed seventh-generation design, targeted thin-and-light laptops instead of desktops.
As previously reported, the Core i9-9900K will supposedly introduce an eight-core Intel chip to the mainstream market with a base speed of 3.6GHz, a maximum boost speed using two cores at 5GHz, and 16 threads. Meanwhile, the Core i7-9700K will supposedly be an eight-core chip as well but without Hyper-threading technology. It will have a base speed of 3.6GHz and a maximum boost speed of 4.9GHz using just one core.
Meanwhile, on the Core i5 front, the upcoming Core i5-9600K will supposedly be a six-core chip with no Hyper-threading, a base speed of 3.7GHz, and a maximum turbo speed of 4.8GHz using two cores. The Core i9-9400 will be a six-core chip as well, no Hyper-threading, a base speed of 2.9GHz and a maximum turbo speed of 4.1GHz using one core.
For the uninitiated, the “K” suffix means the processors will be unlocked, allowing you to overclock the chip’s speeds. The Core i9-9900K, the i7-9700K, and the i5-9600K will supposedly have a power draw of 95 watts while the “locked” Core i5-9400 will only have a power draw of 65 watts.
As for the first and second quarters of 2019, there are currently no labeled parts on the roadmap, but merely unnamed chips that will be based on the eighth-generation Coffee Lake-S refresh. Based on the slide, Intel could release another Core i9 part, a second Core i7 part, two Core i5 chips, and four Core i3 processors.
As Intel stressed during its recent 2018 second-quarter earnings call, the company is quite pleased with its 14nm product roadmap as it leads into 2019. The company’s seventh-generation “Kaby Lake” products introduced in 2016 are based on the 14nm+ process technology while the current eighth-generation chips are based on a refined 14nm++ process technology. Chips slated for 2019 are expected to use the 14nm+++ node (aka the third 14nm revision) while Intel’s 10nm process won’t mass produce chips until the end of 2019.
Intel is in dire need of an eight-core processor for the mainstream market given AMD introduced eight-core chips in 2017 with the launch of its first Ryzen processors. The only eight-core chip residing outside Intel’s server-focused processor family is the Core i7-7820X chip for enthusiasts released in 2017 packing eight cores, 16 threads, a base speed of 3.6GHz and a maximum boost of 4.3GHz. It currently sells for $400.
Editors’ Recommendations
- Leak shows Intel’s 9th-gen Core i7 desktop CPU won’t have hyper-threading
- Intel may debut a Core i9 desktop CPU for the general market in 2018
- Intel’s 9th-generation processor could launch next month with 8 cores
- Intel’s 10nm CPU finally makes it to retail in a refreshed Lenovo IdeaPad laptop
- Intel’s 10nm ‘Cannon Lake’ processors won’t arrive until the 2019 holiday season
Windows 10 update adds support for continuity functions via Your Phone app
Microsoft is rolling out a new update for testers in its Windows Insiders program that delivers iOS-like continuity features to Windows 10. Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17728 (RS5) is now available for users in the Fast ring, making it easier to access content between your Windows PC and your smartphone. Through the new Your Phone app, Microsoft will allow smartphone users to mirror content from their devices to their Windows 10 PC.
Microsoft initially announced the feature earlier this year at its Build conference, promoting features like the ability to view messages, photos, and notifications from your phone directly from your PC. However, in a blog post detailing the latest features of the 17728 release, Microsoft only mentioned a few features, and capabilities vary depending on which smartphone platform you’re using. In this build, Android users will only be able to access photos on the phone from their desktop, and iPhone owners will be able to share webpages between the phone and PC to continue the browsing experience.
“Snap a pic on your Android, see it on your PC. You can finally stop emailing yourself photos,” Microsoft detailed in its blog post. “With Your Phone app, your Android’s most recent photos sync to your PC automatically. Need to add a photo to your presentation? Want to spruce up that selfie with some Windows Ink action? Just drag and drop.”
Microsoft did not mention the ability to view notifications or messages in this Windows 10 update. In the past, various PC manufacturers, including HP and Dell, have bundled software to make it easier to interact with your phone through the Windows desktop.
To begin using the Your Phone experience, Microsoft recommends you open the app on your Windows 10 PC after you install the latest update to begin the process of linking your phone. For Android devices, Android 7.0 or higher is required. “For PCs tied to the China region, Your Phone app services will be enabled in the future,” Microsoft said.
In addition to the new Your Phone features, Microsoft also made added some improvements to Narrator and made a number of performance fixes with this latest build.
There are, however, a few notable known issues with the build. Microsoft is aware of an issue with Start reliability and performance issues, and users with Windows Mixed Reality headsets may need to re-pair their controllers for a second time before they start appearing in the handset. Developers in the Fast ring must remain in same ring to enable additional content, such as activating developer mode.
Editors’ Recommendations
- Windows is back on your phone, and this time it’s a good thing
- Don’t get too comfortable! At Build 2018, Microsoft showed plans to change Windows
- SwiftKey is coming to Windows 10 to improve touchscreen typing
- How to download the Windows 10 April 2018 Update
- Microsoft’s latest Windows 10 Insider Preview release all about fighting malware
Best Smart Plugs for Google Home in 2018
Turn your traditional gadget into a smart one with a smart plug.
Smart home devices are great — I’ve been obsessing over them since recently moving into a century-old house — and they all work together to make life a little easier and more convenient. It isn’t always about being too lazy to reach for the light switch; most smart gadgets allow you to access and control the various appliances in your house remotely so that you won’t, say, run up the electric bill by forgetting to turn off the air conditioning.
You don’t have to replace your perfectly good hardware to benefit from that remote access, though — at least, as long as you only need to be able to turn your devices on and off. Smart plugs are a great way of turning traditional gadgets into smart ones; they sit between your device and the power outlet, and essentially act as remote-controlled gatekeepers of power. Flip the switch on your phone, and that gate opens and — bam — your lamp or microwave powers on. You can even just tell your Google Home to turn the device on.
Sounds pretty great, right? So what’s the best smart plug you should buy?
- Belkin Wemo Mini
- Belkin Wemo Insight
- TP-Link Kasa
- iDevices Outdoor Switch
Belkin Wemo Mini
Belkin has perhaps the best brand recognition within the smart plug market, thanks to its popular Wemo plug, but the Wemo is big and bulky, which means you can’t fit two of them onto a standard wall outlet. Thankfully, that’s a non-issue with the newer, much smaller Wemo Mini, which barely occupies more space than the plug itself.
As you would expect, the Wemo Mini works with Google Home, along with Alexa and HomeKit, and allows you to remotely power any device you plug into it. It even ties in with services like Nest and IFTTT to further automate your gadgets so that you can automatically turn the lights on inside when you get home at night or turn the fan on when it gets too hot outside. Best of all, the Wemo Mini is pretty affordable at $29.98.
See at Amazon
Belkin Wemo Insight
The Wemo Mini is great, but there’s one thing it’s missing: you would think a smart plug would be able to keep track of the electricity it’s managing. It’s great to have an idea of exactly how much power your connected device is using, and how much that’s costing you each month. The Wemo Insight does just that, giving you … well, insight into your daily and monthly usage, breaking down how long you leave your devices on and how many watts of power that all amounts to.
Aside from its power analysis, the Wemo Insight is more or less the same as the Wemo Mini, albeit a tad larger. You won’t be able to fit two of them on an outlet, but you can still turn on the attached device through your phone or voice assistant. Run your coffee maker through it, then set up your Google Home to make you a fresh cup of joe in the mornings with a quick voice command! The Wemo Insight is useful, but that analysis will cost you — it runs for a hefty $44.99 on Amazon.
See at Amazon
TP-Link Kasa
$30 is a fairly high barrier of entry for first-time smart plug shoppers — and even for experienced users, that price can rack up fast when you’re buying multiple plugs for around the house. For $10 less than the Wemo Mini, TP-Link’s Kasa offers the same remote control and smart assistant compatibility.
The Kasa is significantly larger than the Wemo Mini — you won’t have room for a second smart plug on the same outlet, though small power cables should still be able to fit in the plug underneath the Kasa. TP-Link also supports scheduling, so you can set your lights to turn on at certain times while you’re on vacation so it looks like someone is still home. You can grab a TP-Link Kasa for just $19.99.
See at Amazon
iDevices Outdoor Switch
Being able to control your fan, microwave, or TV is great, but some appliances reside outside the house. From your electric grill to the various holiday decorations you’ll inevitably have to put out, there are plenty of reasons you’d want a durable, weather-resistant alternative to the indoor smart plugs we’ve listed so far.
The iDevices Outdoor Switch houses two plugs for remote access, and even provides the same power analysis as Belkin’s Wemo Insight, monitoring average use by hours and wattage, and estimated how much money your usage will cost you. You can set schedules for the Outdoor Switch too, so if you only want your inflatable tube man dancing in the mornings, you can set him to deflate by the afternoon. The iDevices Outdoor Switch is expensive at about $50, but its powerful features make it worth it.
See at Amazon
Which one is right for you?
At the end of the day, most smart plugs do more or less the same things. Finding the right one for you mostly comes down to your budget, where you want to use it, and whether or not you need to fit more than one onto a single wall outlet.
Have you used a smart plug? Do you have multiple plugs strewn across the house? Let us know in the comments below!
Lenovo Smart Display review: Google Assistant’s best face
This $12 Bluetooth speaker is meant to be used anywhere, even the shower
Jam out while you get clean.
Right now you can pick up this waterproof Bluetooth speaker with suction cup for just $12.49 at Amazon when you use coupon code PYZ3AAHN during checkout. Inside you’ll find a 5W speaker so you can play audio for yourself and your friends, and the built-in battery will last for up to 6 hours of playback per charge. It comes with a detachable suction cup so you can stick it to surfaces, and if there’s nothing to stick it to, you can use the included metal hook instead.
With more than 6,500 reviews this speaker maintains an incredibly impressive 4.3 out of 5-star rating.
See at Amazon
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 officially announced, includes DeX and costs $650
The new flagship tab launches August 10 at Amazon, Best Buy, and more.
After weeks of rumors and leaks, Samsung officially announced the Galaxy Tab S4 on Tuesday, August 1. This is the company’s latest flagship Android tablet, and while that may seem like an odd product to launch in mid-2018, there are some interesting things going on this time around.
Starting off with the specs, you’ll find a large 10.5-inch Super AMOLED display that has much slimmer bezels compared to last year’s Tab S3. There’s also a Snapdragon 835 processor, 4GB RAM, 64GB/256GB of internal storage (expandable up to 400GB), a 7,300 mAh battery, and Android 8.1 Oreo.
All of that’s fairly generic tablet stuff, but the Tab S4 stands out in a couple key ways.
First off, the thing comes with an included S Pen. Just like on the Note 8, you can use the Tab S4’s S Pen for writing notes, doodling, navigating through the UI, and more.
Samsung will also be selling an official keyboard case for the Tab S4, and when this is connected, you’ll automatically transition into Samsung DeX’s desktop interface directly on the Tab S4’s screen. In this mode, you can have multiple apps open at once in desktop-style windows, drag content between them, use keyboard shortcuts, and more. It’s essentially the same DeX experience you previously needed a sperate monitor for with the Galaxy S9, and that could result in the Tab S4 being genuinely useful as a productivity machine.
The Galaxy Tab S4 officially goes on sale on August 10 at Amazon, Best Buy, and Samsung’s own website. The Wi-Fi only model with 64GB of storage costs $649.99 while the 256GB option goes for $749.99.
Samsung’s also selling an LTE-equipped model that’ll be available at Verizon on August 10 as well, in addition to US Cellular and Sprint in Q3 2018.
Pre-orders open August 9 on Samsung.com, and if you place your order between then and September 8, you can take 50% off the $149.99 keyboard cover.
See at Samsung
Bose SoundSport Free review: Breaking the chains
Bose’s first attempt at truly wireless earbuds is a success.
Truly wireless earbuds are still in their infancy, but we’re already starting to see exciting products in this category. Bose made its foray in this segment last year with the $249 SoundSport Free. The earbuds sound fantastic, offer a five-hour battery life, and provide a secure fit that makes them a great option during workouts.
Bose has since slashed the price by $50, and the SoundSport Free is now available for $199. Let’s see if it’s the right time to pick up Bose’s first truly wireless earbuds.
Bose SoundSport Free
Price: $199
Bottom line: The SoundSport Free delivers impressive sound that’s full of depth and clarity. There’s plenty to like here if you’re in the market for truly wireless workout earbuds.
The Good
- Fantastic sound quality
- Snug fit
- IPX4 certification
- Decent battery life
The Bad
- Design isn’t for everyone
- Mushy control buttons
- Bulky charging case
See at Amazon
Bose SoundSport Free What I like
The SoundSport Free is made out of plastic, and the design makes the earbuds protrude considerably from your ears. The bulky design does make the earbuds seem ungainly when you’re wearing them, but they provide a secure fit.
The key to the secure fit is Bose’s StayHear+ wingtips, which hook to the outside of your ear canal, ensuring the earbuds don’t fall out even under strenuous activity. There are three wingtip sizes to choose from, and you should be able to find one that fits snugly in the ridges of your outer ear. I went for a long-overdue run, and I gave out before the earbuds.
The right earbud is the primary, and can be used on its own for calls. It also houses the buttons for music playback and volume controls, and a long press invokes Google Assistant. The built-in microphone works very well for calls and communicating with the Assistant, even in noisy environments.
The SoundSport Free has a rather bulky design, but it sounds amazing.
While the wingtips provide a snug fit, they don’t fully isolate ambient sound — and that’s a good thing as you’ll still be able to hear traffic sounds if you’re using the earbuds when running outdoors. But if you do manage to lose an earbud during a run, there’s a feature called Find My Buds in the Bose Connect app that lets you locate them. The app essentially pinpoints the location when they were last in Bluetooth range, and the earbuds emit a tone that makes it easier to find them.
The SoundSport Free manages to deliver an impressive amount of bass considering its size, along with crisp highs and detailed mids. Boston’s More Than a Feeling sounded wonderfully rich, with the earbuds translating Tom Scholz’s soaring vocals with precision. The earbuds also did a great job balancing the synthesized and live instruments on Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories.
When it comes to battery life, I got a smidgen over the quoted five hours, and the charging case provides an additional ten-hour charge. The case itself is rather bulky — just like the earbuds — but it starts automatically charging the buds as soon as you slot them in. It takes just over two hours to fully charge the earbuds, but you’ll be able to eke out 45 minutes’ worth of juice from a 15-minute charge. There’s also an IPX4 certification, making the earbuds resistant to sweat.
Bose SoundSport Free What needs work
The SoundSport Free offers integrated media controls on the right earbud, with a single playback control button located in between the volume rocker. The buttons are housed in a rubber casing, and they lack any tactile feedback whatsoever.
The stiff buttons take away from what is otherwise a great experience, and you’re better off not using them altogether.
Furthermore, there’s no NFC, so you’ll have to use the traditional Bluetooth pairing mode to connect the earbuds to your phone.
Bose SoundSport Free Review
There’s plenty to like in the SoundSport Free, particularly if you’re looking for a set of wireless workout earbuds. The sound quality is incredible, and the bundled wingtips provide a secure fit that ensures the earbuds don’t fall out even during strenuous workout sessions.
Sure, the bulky design isn’t for everyone, and the charging case isn’t as portable as other options in this category. But overall, Bose has managed to do a great job with the SoundSport Free.
4
out of 5
The snug fit, great sound quality, and IPX4 certification make the SoundSport Free a great option if you’re in the market for truly wireless workout earbuds. They’re not exactly affordable at $200, but you’re getting your money’s worth.
See at Amazon
Today you can score a KitchenAid Pro 600 six-quart stand mixer for $219
Did someone say homemade cookies?!
Amazon, through the end of the day, has the KitchenAid Professional 6-Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer on sale for $219. You can choose from Empire Red, Onyx Black, or Silver. This usually sells for over $100 more than today’s price, and it received tons of positive customer feedback.
This mixer has a huge capacity. You could make enough dough for 13 dozen cookies if you wanted to. The bowl-lift design provides sturdy support for stability, and the 67-point planetary mixing action helps to thoroughly incorporate ingredients.
Your mixer comes with a powerknead dough hook, flat beater, and wire whip. There are more than 15 optional attachments that you can buy separately, such as a masticating juicer, pasta press, or spiralizer.
See at Amazon
