Macworld There’s something of a misconception when it comes to the Mac: that Mac apps cost more, just like the computer itself. While powerful tools like Photoshop or Final Cut Pro certainly have price tags commensurate with their robust feature sets, many of the greatest Mac apps won’t cost you anything more than the time they take to download them. A quick note before we begin. Apple has changed its security settings in macOS, so you’ll need to allow your system to open a couple of these apps. A dialogue box may pop up telling you a certain app “is an application downloaded from the Internet. Are you sure you want to open it?” Click Open to proceed with the installation. These are the best free Mac apps we use, in alphabetical order. Amphetamine – free anti-sleep app Foundry Amphetamine will keep your Mac awake. Featuring a menu bar-based interface, the app lets you temporarily override your Mac’s sleep schedule (even when your MacBooks’s lid is closed) and even adds a few useful features like activating only when connected to specific Wi-Fi networks and keeping only certain drives awake. Download Amphetamine. Audacity – free audio editor IDG Amateur Mac recording engineers have known about the power of Audacity for years. A robust desktop client for recording and editing multi-track projects, Audacity will let you edit and add effects just like you would with Logic Pro X without needing to spend hundreds of dollars on a bunch of features you won’t need. Granted, the interface is quite a bit outdated, but you need only spend a few minutes with it to see just how powerful it is. A killer tool for podcasting, recording audio books, and creating video voiceovers, Audacity will turn your Mac into a multi-track recording studio, and it won’t cost you a dime. Download Audacity. Backup and Sync from Google IDG Even the most stalwart Mac fans have to admit that Google does photos better than Apple, despite Apple’s improvements over the years. While there ids no longer the unlimited free storage there once was, with instant syncing across virtually any device, and an amazing search engine, Google Photos is everything we wish Apple Photos would be. But you might not know that there’s a super easy way to get photos from your Mac into your Google Photos library. Google offers a small utility called Backup and Sync that will automatically upload images stored on your Mac. The simple menu bar app works with your Google Drive to continuously scan for images in folders of your choosing to keep your photo library in sync. And it’s so efficient, you won’t even know it’s working. But thats not all! Backup and Sync makes an extremely effective cloud storage solution for all file types. In fact, if you use more than just Apple gear, it’s probably the best cloud storage solution. Get Backup and Sync. BBEdit – free HTML and text editor BBEdit Professional software developers have been singing BBEdit’s praises for years, but you don’t need to spend a bundle to get on board. The free version of BBEdit is a full-featured editor in its own right, sporting powerful features such as multiple clipboards, automatic backups, live search and syntax-highlighting support for more than 20 programming languages. But you don’t have to be a Swift coder to appreciate it—anyone who writes and edits large chunks of text on their Mac should grab a copy. Download BBEdit. Google Chrome – free web browser Foundry The debate over which is the Bbst web browser for Mac is one that won’t be settled anytime soon, but in the meantime, every Mac user should have a copy of Chrome alongside Safari in their Dock. Fast, smart, and endlessly customizable, Google’s browser is an excellent alternative to Apple’s, with speedy surfing, smart syncing, and Google Assistant-style voice searches. And with a dedicated store filled with extensions and themes, finding ways to enhance it is way easier than it is on Safari. Google has even added some intelligence to Chrome on Mac with AI-based search tools in a Chrome for Mac update. Download Chrome. ClearVPN – free Mac VPN IDG There are lots of VPN clients available for the Mac, but few of them are as straightforward and effortless as ClearVPN, which has a free plan. Rather than let you choose from a complicated list of servers, ClearVPN’s straightforward interface will automatically route you to the best option based on what you want to do, whether it’s private browsing or watching Netflix outside the U.S. Everything else happens in the background—protocols, servers, and encryption are handled in real-time using MacPaw’s Dynamic Flow Technology that automatically selects the best server for your needs. Heavy users will want to subscribe for $13 a month, but the free plan—which offers few shortcuts including Netflix streaming and ad-free browsing—is a great addition to any Mac. Read our review of ClearVPN for more information. Download ClearVPN. Duplicate File Finder – free duplicate file remover IDG If you’ve been using your Mac for a while, there’s a good chance you have accumulated duplicate files along the way. And some of them could be eating up precious space on your drive. You could run a full disk cleaner to find and root them out, but if you want to quickly find double files and get on with your day, make space for Duplicate File Finder in your Applications folder. Simply drag a folder onto its window and within seconds you’ll have a full report of the duplicates on your machine, letting you see what they are and where they’re hiding, and letting you delete them in a snap. Unless you opt for the $5 pro version, you’ll have to deal with the occasional ad, but it’s an indispensable tool nonetheless. Duplicate File Finder is part of MacCleaner Pro, which features in our Best Mac Cleaner roundup. Get Duplicate File Finder from the Mac App Store or Nektony. Foxit PDF Reader – Free PDF reader Foundry Foxit PDF Reader is a free document viewer that supports advanced annotation tools. This lets you control the size, color, and style of inserted text or shapes. The app also packs some handy customization features, such as support for changing the document’s background shade, reversing and rotating pages, signing forms, and more. Beyond tweaking the PDF file, this Mac app can read the text aloud, measure distances, calculate areas, magnify selected spots, and have AI analyze your document. It’s certainly more capable than Apple’s Preview app and most free PDF readers we’ve used. See how Foxit PDF Editor compares to other PDF tools in our round-up of the Best PDF editor for Mac. Get Foxit PDF Reader. GarageBand – Apple’s music maker IDG If you want to make music on your Mac there’s no better place to start than GarageBand. Loaded with loads of instruments, sounds, loops, and beats, GarageBand will help you make killer tracks whether they’re bound for a stage, screen, or just your ringtone. And in true Apple fashion, its interface is drop-dead simple, letting you record, scrub, and mix just by dragging and dropping. You can use real instruments or virtual ones, and an array of pre-recorded tracks and samples will let you compose a great song even of you can’t hold a tune. And if you’re clueless about where to begin, there are even a couple piano and guitar lessons to get you started. Get GarageBand from Apple. Grammarly – free grammar and spelling checker IDG Spell-check on our iPhone is awesome, but it’s not so great on our Mac. That’s where Grammarly comes in. Available as a Mac app or a Safari extension, it adds a powerful spelling and grammar engine to Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, or anywhere else you type words. (It even works in our CMS, which is why this blurb is free of errors.) Easy to use and basically restriction-free for most people, Grammarly will be a lifesaver for anyone with clumsy typing fingers—especially if you’re stuck using one of the problematic MacBook keyboards. Get Grammarly from the Mac App Store. IINA – free Mac media player IDG While VLC (above) will always have a place on our Mac, IINA is making a strong case for supremacy. Its sleek, minimal design makes it feel like a fresh and modern video player, while features like dark mode and picture-in-picture put VLC to shame. But IINA’s best feature is its uncanny ability to play basically any file type you throw at it, from years-old local files to YouTube playlists. Plus, it’s written in Swift and open-source, so you can bet the features—including native M1 Mac support—will keep on coming. Download IINA. Kindle – free book reader IDG Sometimes you just want to curl up with your Mac and read a good book. With the Kindle app for Mac you can do just that. Like iBooks, but for all of your Kindle books, comics, and Kindle Unlimited subscriptions, you’ll be able to access all fo your Amazon.com purchases  right on your desktop. With a full-screen mode, five font options, a dark theme, and adjustable point sizes, brightness, and page widths, you can customize your reading experience just the way you like it. There’s also a built-in dictionary and easy annotating, and Amazon’s Whispersync tech will let you pick up right where you left off on any device. Except, you know, from an actual book. Download Amazon’s Kindle app for Mac from the Mac App Store. Onyx – free Mac cleaner IDG Mac maintenance might not be as vital to the day-to-day operation of your Mac as it once was, but slowdowns still happen. And when they do, Onyx will clear them up. A general-purpose utility with more tools than a Swiss Army knife, Onyx packages maintenance scripts, cache cleaning, and permissions repairers to keep your Mac in tip-top shape. Its simple interface makes it quick and painless to run all kinds of cleaning solutions, but its best feature might be the individual optimized versions Titanium Software offers, going way back. Onyx is one of a number of Mac cleaners we review in our Best Mac Cleaners group test. Read our review of Onyx. Another free Mac cleaner worth a look is Piriform Software’s CCleaner. Download Onyx. Pages/Numbers/Keynote – the free office apps on every Mac Foundry Apple’s productivity suite has been a benefit to new Mac buyers for years, but now everyone can get them. Previously available for $20 apiece, for a while now they have all been free, and you won’t find a better set of tools without opening your wallet. With professional features, powerful collaboration, and tremendous cross-platform versatility, Apple’s office suite of Pages, Numbers, and Keynote can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with apps sporting much higher price tags. Things like Touch ID protection and real-time tracking belie its free status, and of course, there are iOS companion apps that are also free so you can work wherever you are. And don’t worry if you have a mountain of Word, Excel, or PowerPoint files—it’ll work with those, too. Get Pages, Numbers, and Keynote from the Mac App Store. Polarr Photo Editor – free photo editor IDG While most photo storage apps offer a rudimentary set of editing tools, serious Instagrammers are going to need a little more creativity. Look no further than Polarr Photo Editor. The free version of Polarr offers the same great interface as the subscription version, with enough tools, filters, brushes, and slides to turn your bland selfies into social-media worthy masterpieces. You’ll be able to add text, tweak colors, remove spots, and apply masks like you can with Photoshop, just without the subscription to Creative Cloud. We look at the best free photo editing apps for Mac separately. Download Polarr Photo Editor from the Mac App Store. Raycast – free shortcut app Foundry While Apple’s Spotlight technology tends to do a good job of quickly finding files of all kinds via its indexed, system-wide search engine, Raycast may just do it better. Raycast, developed by Raycast Technologies, functions as a quick, on-the-fly application launcher, wherein you can quickly access files by typing in a few keywords, tell Raycast what function to perform (such as searching user folders, etc.), and then let Raycast go to work. While you’ll need to permit Raycast to search through local drives the first time using it, the program is intuitive, simple, and, for many people, everything they wish Apple’s Spotlight technology could be. Download Raycast. Shazam – free music recognition app IDG We all know how great the Shazam app is on our phones, but it might be even better on the Mac. It does the same thing—identify songs that it hears and direct you to where you can buy them—but on the Mac it’s always listening for music. And as soon as the Shazam app hears a song, it’ll identify it for you, whether it’s played on your Mac or somewhere else in the room. And now that Apple owns Shazam, It’s kind of like a peek at what is almost certain to be a future macOS feature that you can play with right now. Get Shazam from the Mac App Store. Simplenote – free note taking app IDG Don’t let Simplenote’s name fool you—the only thing simple about it is the decision to download it. No matter how or what you write, Simplenote promises to fit neatly into your workflow, with a syncing and organizational system that rivals the most powerful note-takers around. The deceptively powerful app puts a premium on speed and efficiency, offering a clean, lightweight interface that lets you breeze in and out of your notes, organize your thoughts, and quickly find things buried under a mountain of text snippets. Get Simplenote from the Mac App Store. Slack – free team collaboration and messaging app IDG Since its launch in 2013, Slack has quickly become the first name in business collaboration and messaging, and its free Mac app is the best way to keep in touch with your team. Bringing everything you love about the web interface to your Dock, the Slack desktop app lets you quickly switch between groups, change your status, drag and drop files, and, of course, communicate with your team members. A lightning-fast search gives you instant access to buried messages, and granular notifications will keep you apprised of only the most important correspondences. It’s so good, you might not want to turn it off at the end of the work day. Download Slack. Spark – free email app IDG Apple’s default email client gets better with each macOS revision, but if you’re looking for something different, Spark will be a refreshing change of pace. Smart, stylish, and speedy, Spark will help you get control over your inbox with powerful filters that help you focus on the messages that need your attention. It works with Gmail, iCloud, Outlook, and just about any other email address, and its companion iOS apps will keep all of them perfectly synced. With a deceptively powerful interface and a slew of advanced features, Spark just might ignite your passion for email again. Or at least make you not hate it as much. Download Spark from the Mac App Store. Spotify – free music streamer IDG Apple Music might come free with every new Mac, but unless you subscribe for $10 a month, it’s kinda useless for listening to anything other than your purchased music (although there are ways to get Apple Music for free). That’s not the case with the Spotify app. Whether you’re a premium subscriber or a free one, the Spotify app for the Mac is chock full of tunes to get you through your workday. It also makes an excellent podcast directory and player. Just like the iPhone app, you can listen to anything you want with two limitations: shuffle mode is always on and visual and audio ads occasionally pop up. Download Spotify. VLC media player – free media player IDG Video formats are constantly changing, and you no doubt have all sorts of movie files littering your Mac’s drive. But if they haven’t been encoded in 64-bit or MPEG, QuickTime might not be able to play them. That’s where VLC comes in. Open-source and omnipotent, the media player will play, stream, or convert just about any video format you can throw at it, while sporting a clean, minimal interface that strips away unnecessary controls and puts the focus on the content. It’s so good, you might forget it didn’t cost you anything. Download VLC. The Unarchiver – free unzipper ZIPs and RARs might not be as prevalent as they were when the Mac operating system was named after big cats, but if you still have expanding and extracting needs, The Unarchiver’s immediate and inconspicuous processing will help you quickly get at the files hidden inside. With dozens of supported formats and drop-dead simple one-click operation, the app will dutifully extract and expand all sorts of extensions, in numerous languages and virtually any compression method. Get The Unarchiver from the Mac App Store or direct from MacPaw. Wake Up Time – free clock app with alarms IDG With no Clock app, setting an alarm on your Mac isn’t quite as easy as it is on your iPhone. But with Wake Up Time, it is. Featuring a skeuomorphic design that looks like a modern clock radio, the app will let you choose an alarm time and one of eight pre-loaded sounds (including a rooster and a cow), or pick one of your favorite songs to play when the time arrives. You can even download a helper app that will put your Mac to sleep until the alarm is ready to go off—because machines need some down time too.  Get Wake Up Time from the Mac App Store. WhatsApp Desktop – free text messaging WhatsApp If you send a lot of WhatsApp messages, you need to get WhatsApp Desktop on your Mac. There’s not all that much to it—it basically mimics the web interface in a floating window—but it’ll sync your chats so you don’t have to reach for your phone every time you want to read or respond to a message. You will, however, need to have your phone within range and connected to Wi-Fi, and you won’t be able to make calls, but if you’re a chromic Whatsapper, it’s a must-have. If you have an iPad and want WhatsApp on that read: How to get WhatsApp on iPad. Download WhatsApp Desktop Zoom – free video conferencing IDG Since 2020 we all need a copy of Zoom on our Macs, alongside Teams, no doubt. The Zoom Mac app is the best way to get hooked up with your colleagues or family. It has an easy interface for both joining and creating meetings, with quick audio and video settings and easy view options. And you’ll get a bunch of options that aren’t available on the web, such as chats, contacts, and a status icon. Download the Zoom Mac app.

As a tech journalist, I often travel across the US -- and sometimes out of it -- to attend product launch events, trade shows, and other briefings for news that readers care about. It certainly helps to be based in New York City, where most of the gadgetry madness tends to take place, but when I am out and about (for work or play), there's a bag full of tech that I always lug around with me.My treasure trove of electronics has evolved over recent years, transitioning to newer GaN chargers and more capable yet still portable camera systems. The five picks below are among my current arsenal of travel tech, and if you're traveling soon, I highly encourage packing a few of these items into your carry-on. I'll make this a little more exciting for you by stating the obvious: My phone and a reliable Bluetooth tracker are always with me, so I've opted not to put them on this list. Instead, you'll find products I've personally tested that are useful enough for you to consider for your next adventure. Sony ZV-E10 II Kerry Wan/ZDNET While smartphone cameras have become very capable at capturing life's moments, I still prefer the output of a larger image sensor and portability of a dedicated pocket camera, especially when I'm recording reader-facing shots of product demos and scenery. The camera I've most recently settled on is the Sony ZV-E10, famous for its ability to record up to 4K resolution through a 26-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor. The output I've gotten has been reliable and impressive, both for vertical and horizontal footage, which the touchscreen viewfinder quickly adjusts to as you rotate the camera.Also: I tested Sony's successor to one of its most popular vlogging cameras, and it blew me awayDoes carrying an additional camera feel unnecessary? Not when the quality is noticeably better than a smartphone, and it greatly reduces the battery consumption you'd otherwise put on your handset when recording videos. The best part is the battery life, which is powered by the same Sony NP-FZ100 cartridge found across the brand's more premium cameras. Show more Steam Deck OLED with Dbrand Killswitch case Kerry Wan/ZDNET I don't consider myself a hardcore gamer, but I've found traveling, especially when on long flights, to be the perfect opportunity to get my NBA 2K and Rocket League fix. Lately, my vehicle of choice for gaming has been the Steam Deck, a SteamOS-powered handheld with a punchy HDR OLED display, a fairly sizeable battery (twice that of the original Steam Deck LCD), and a swath of PC games that you can play with the standard analog sticks and gamepad or touchpads.Also: Valve's Steam Deck turned this 40-year-old dad into a gamer againThe Steam Deck OLED isn't the perfect portable gaming console, especially when it weighs a good 1.41 pounds, but it's the most consistent one I've tested, making it ideal for when I'm lounging on the plane or at the airport and want to immerse myself. I've been pairing my Steam Deck with a Dbrand Killswitch case, which greatly improves the grip and ergonomics of the device. There's also the benefit of more protection, for when you're stowing the system in a luggage or backpack full of other gear. Show more View now at Amazon Lenovo Go Wireless Power Bank 10,000mAh Kerry Wan/ZDNET Lenovo's power bank may look unassuming, but trust me when I say there's more to it than what meets the eye. Besides having a 10,000mAh capacity, meaning there's enough juice to power a phone (and other accessories like earbuds) two to three times, a fairly long USB-C cable is built into the battery pack, saving you the hassle of carrying a separate one. Also: The best power banks you can buyHere's the second trick: the Lenovo Go can wirelessly charge Qi-supported devices (though not Qi2) when you place them on top of the accessory, allowing you to charge two devices at once (via wired and wireless) if you're feeling adventurous.While the charge output is capped at 30W, many customers on Lenovo's website have found the power bank adequate for powering phones, tablets, and earbuds, and have been particularly satisfied with the built-in charging cable. Show more View now at Lenovo Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses Kerry Wan/ZDNET While the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are fantastic for recording hands-free videos, I've found them more practical as a wearable tour guide. Thanks to recent Meta AI updates, the glasses now even support live translations, broadcasting the translated audio of who you're speaking with as you're conversing. I've also used the smart glasses to identify unfamiliar landmarks, tell me the most popular food items at a local restaurant, play music from artists from the city that I've traveled to, and more.Review: Meta Ray-Ban Smart Glasses: The best AI-powered AR glasses to buy right nowThe general sentiment toward the Ray-Bans has been mostly positive, with friends and family members praising the ease of use, comfort, and various capturing capabilities. The price point of the glasses, starting at $299, is fairly competitive as well. (Pro tip: You can also use your vision insurance to buy them.) Show more Nomad 65W Slim Power Adapter Kerry Wan/ZDNET Besides carrying a portable battery pack, I also travel with Nomad's 65W Slim Power Adapter, which features two USB-C ports to charge tablets, phones, earbuds, and even laptops, like my MacBook Air. To help with portability, the prongs are collapsible, the charger is very slim, and it lies flush when plugged into the outlet. Carrying the accessory around is like carrying a pack of mints.Also: Nomad's 130W charger has one unique feature that's game-changing for meCustomers, including ZDNET's Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, have expressed satisfaction with Nomad's 65W Slim Power Adapter, appreciating the speedy power delivery and support for two USB-C inputs. I especially recommend this charging adapter for users with ultraportable devices like lightweight and smaller laptops and iPads. If you require a more powerful charging adapter, Nomad also sells a 100W variant of the same thing now. Show more View now at Nomad Goods Why should you trust me? When I'm not writing about technology, I'm probably working overtime as my family's IT support guy. And when I'm not working at all, I'm likely watching, reading, or consuming some form of content about technology. So when I make product recommendations, I suggest gadgets I've personally tested and have proven to deliver the value (if not more value) that manufacturers promise.My main expertise is mobile, from phones to wearables to accessories, which plays hand-in-hand with the topic of this story. I also travel about 10 times throughout the year, including from New York to California, so I've developed an understanding of which gadgets are essential and which are optional. Show more How do you pack electronics for traveling? When traveling, storing any devices with lithium-ion batteries, such as laptops, tablets, and power banks, in your carry-on baggage is best. If my gadgets aren't already stored in a tech pouch or cushioned bag, I'll surround them with clothing to prevent any damage during travel. Show more Other travel-friendly tech we think you'd love ZDNET Recommends

Memorial Day weekend isn’t just for barbecues and beach trips — it’s also a chance to score some of the best tech deals you’ll find all season. And despite the fact the holiday isn’t until Monday, May 26th, multiple retailers are already offering steep discounts on some of our favorite gadgets, from big-ticket items to everyday essentials.RelatedBelow, we’ve rounded up a few highlights, from LG’s C4 OLED and the Sonos Move 2 to the Garmin Forerunner 265, all of which are down to their best price to date. We’ve also included practical (and affordable) finds like video doorbells and Bluetooth trackers, so you can keep your valuables safe while you’re off on summer adventures. Our miscellaneous section is full of surprises, from discounted laptops and tablets, to affordable trinkets that’ll make life a little better. Whether you’re shopping for yourself or hunting for a last-minute graduation gift, there’s a little something for everyone, so let’s dive in.In this articleSpeaker dealsSonos Move 2$336$44925% off$336With double the battery life of its predecessor and better-sounding stereo audio, the Sonos Move 2’s improvements don’t stop there. It supports line-in audio, can stream Bluetooth audio to other Sonos speakers, and more.The second-gen Sonos Roam is available for an all-time low of $134 ($45 off) from Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and Sonos. Unlike its predecessor, the portable speaker is ready to use right out of the box and features a dedicated button for Bluetooth pairing. It isn’t as powerful as the Move 2 — and it doesn’t offer line-in support — but it still sounds great and integrates well with the rest of the Sonos ecosystem, which makes it relatively easy to switch music between the company’s speakers.Anker’s tiny Soundcore Select 4 Go is matching its all-time low of $19.99 at Amazon, down from $49.99. Along with IPX67 waterproofing, the Bluetooth speaker offers up to 20 hours of battery life and can be paired with a second Select 4 Go for stereo sound.Sony SRS-XB100$38$6037% off$38Sony’s adorable SRS-XB100 speaker offers USB-C charging, a built-in strap, and great sound for the price, rendering it a terrific travel speaker or home office companion. Read our review.The Beats Pill is on sale for around $99.95 ($50 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target, which is $2 shy of its best price to date. The portable speaker offers noticeably improved sound over the previous model, along with support for lossless audio via USB-C. It also offers twice as much battery life, adds IP67 water and dust resistance, and includes native Find My support on both Android and iOS. Read our review.You can buy the JBL Clip 5 at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target for around $49.95 ($30 off), which nearly matches its best price to date. The Bluetooth speaker offers a built-in carabiner so you can easily attach it to, say, a backpack, along with IP67 water resistance. The Clip 5 also offers Auracast support, so you can pair it with compatible JBL speakers for a stereo sound.Bose SoundLink Max$299$39925% off$299Bose’s SoundLink Max improves on the smaller flex with true stereo sound — and very powerful sound at that. It’s got a removable handle for easy transport, and there’s an aux input for playing audio when you want to listen at a higher quality than what Bluetooth can deliver.$299 at Amazon$299 at Best BuyAirPods Max (USB-C)$480$54913% off$480The revised AirPods Max are much like the original model from 2020, but now with new color options and a USB-C port instead of Lightning.If Sony’s new $449 WH-1000XM6 headphones are out of your budget, Sony’s WH-1000XM5 are on sale starting at $298 (about $100 off) at Amazon and Best Buy, which is one of their better prices to date. While they don’t fold down for easy storage, they still deliver top-tier noise cancellation, sound quality, and comfort. The new model does offer some improvements, but the upgrades aren’t significant, making the XM5 a good option at this price. Read our review.Right now, you can pick up Bose’s QuietComfort Headphones from Amazon, Best Buy, and Bose for $229 ($120 off), which is one of their best prices to date. They’re foldable and exceptionally comfortable — much like their predecessor, the Bose QC 45 — and they retain lengthy battery life. However, the newer headphones sport adjustable noise cancellation and custom modes, though they lack support for higher-quality Bluetooth codecs and the immersive audio mode found on the QC Ultra Headphones.The Beats Studio Pro are available at Amazon in white starting at $169.99 ($170 off) or for $30 more at Best Buy and Target. The comfortable headphones offer improved noise cancellation and sound over their predecessor, with support for lossless playback over USB-C. They also work well with both iOS and Android devices, providing native support for each platform’s fast pairing and FindMy features. Read our review.Samsung Galaxy Buds FE$65$10035% off$65Samsung’s Galaxy Buds FE offer very good sound and noise cancellation for the money. They also feature a return of the wing tip design from the older Galaxy Buds Plus, the fit of which some may prefer. Read our review.Sony WH-CH520$38$6037% off$38The Sony WH-CH520 offer a lot for very little. The on-ear Bluetooth headphones provide 50 hours of battery life and support hands-free voice assistants, including Google Assistant and Siri. They also offer multipoint Bluetooth support and can tap into Google’s Find My Device network.Does a gaming headset count as headphones? SteelSeries’ Arctis Pro Nova Wireless for the PlayStation, Switch, mobile, and PC platforms is steeply discounted at Amazon, costing $226.71 (normally $349.99). We adore this model, having called it “close to the be-all, end-all gaming headset” in our 2022 review. Despite being a couple of years old, it’s still worth a buy, especially at this price.TV and streaming device dealsLG C4 OLED TV$797$150047% off$797The LG C4 is a 4K OLED TV that’s great for gaming, with a max 144Hz refresh rate and support for Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync variable refresh rate tech. It has a brighter panel and overall better picture quality than its predecessor.The latest Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max is on sale at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target for $39.99 ($20 off), which is $7 shy of its best price to date. The 4K streaming device is faster than the previous model, with double the storage and support for Wi-Fi 6E. When not in use, it can also act as an Echo Show display of sorts, so you can use it to see reminders, check the weather, and view other useful widgets. You can also have it display famous artwork or your own custom AI-generated images.You can also buy the latest Amazon Fire TV Cube at Amazon, Best Buy, and The Home Depot for $99.99 ($40 off), which is just $10 shy of its all-time low. The third-gen Cube functions as both a traditional Echo speaker and a Fire TV streaming device with support for Wi-Fi 6E, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and HDR. The 4K device also integrates well with Amazon Alexa for extensive hands-free voice control.You can buy the standalone Amazon Fire TV Remote for $27.99 ($7 off) at Amazon, which is $3 shy of its all-time low. The remote offers a pair of programmable buttons and backlighting, along with a useful remote finder feature that lets you quickly find it using your voice or by pressing a button in the app.Hisense U65QF TV (2025)$530$80034% off$530The Hisense U65QF TV boasts a 144Hz QLED display with full-array local dimming. It also comes with Google’s TV software built in, along with Dolby Atmos support.Smart home dealsRing Battery Doorbell Plus$100$15033% off$100This wireless Ring doorbell has great video quality, head-to-toe view, and speedy response times for a battery doorbell. It works with Amazon Alexa and can send alerts for people and packages with a Ring Home subscription.The Blink Mini 2 has returned to its all-time low of $19.99 ($10 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target. If you want to use the 1080p wired camera outside, you can also grab it with the weather-resistant power adapter for $29.98 ($20 off) at Amazon. The camera offers improved image and audio over the prior model, along with a wider 143-degree field of view and USB-C. It also retains useful features like two-way audio and motion alerts in an easy-to-mount design.Mill is selling its Mill Food Recycler for $874, down from $999. That’s not quite on par with its all-time low of $799, but it’s still a small way to save on the high-tech trash can, which can transform kitchen scraps into a compost-like material for your garden overnight. It helps keep your kitchen from smelling bad, cuts down on food waste, and reduces the trash you generate. Read our review.iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max and Autowash Dock$779$139944% off$779Through 5/24 at midnight, Verge readers can get a big discounts on this model by using the code VERGE620 at checkout. Read more about this model in our in-depth coverage.$779 at WellbotsThe Meross Outdoor Smart Plug is on sale for $20.99 ($10 off) at Amazon, which is just a few cents shy of its lowest price to date. The IP44-rated waterproof plug features a pair of independently controlled AC outlets and support for Apple Home, Alexa, Google Assistant, and Samsung SmartThings, allowing you to schedule and control your outdoor gadgets with just your voice.SwitchBot Smart Switch Button Pusher$21$3030% off$21If you’ve ever wished you had a robot that could push a button for you, that’s precisely what the SwitchBot Bot does. It’s simple, smart, and works on anything with a button. Stick it on the device you want to turn on or off, and you’re set.$21 at Amazon (with on-page coupon) $24 at SwitchBot (with code LMTM20)You can currently buy Coway’s Airmega AP-1512HH Mighty from Amazon and Coway for $169.99, down from $229.99, which is one of the better prices we’ve seen in recent months. The small HEPA air purifier features a four-stage filtration system that’s ideal for smaller rooms, and it automatically powers down after 30 minutes once it detects the air is clean.The weatherproof Blink Outdoor 4 is 50 percent off at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target, where you can pick it up for $49.99 for a limited time. The 1080p security camera includes upgrades like person detection, improved image quality, and a wider field of view than prior models, all while retaining support for motion detection, night vision, and two-way audio. It can also last up to two years on a pair of AA batteries.Amazon is selling a single Eero Pro 7, which can cover up to 2,000 square feet, for $549.99 ($150 off); you can also grab a pair for $799.99 ($150 off) or three units for $949.99 ($150 off). The dual-band mesh router supports the latest Wi-Fi 7 standard, offering speeds up to 3.9Gbps. Each unit also includes two 5Gbps ethernet ports and can function as a smart home hub with Matter support, a Zigbee radio, and a Thread border router.Blink Video Doorbell with Sync Module 2$35$7050% off$35Blink’s Video Doorbell is the best if you’re looking a budget-friendly buzzer that offers motion-activated recording and alerts, night vision, two-way audio, and up to two years of battery life.The Shark AI Ultra is on sale at Amazon for $349.99 ($249.99), which is about $55 shy of its all-time low. The robot vacuum navigates your home using lidar and uses Matrix Clean navigation to clean in a grid pattern for a more thorough and precise clean. It also comes with a self-cleaning brush roll, which is useful for cleaning up pet hair, along with a bagless, self-emptying base that can hold up to 60 days’ worth of debris.The second-gen Ring Indoor Cam is available at Amazon and Best Buy for $34.99 ($25 off), which is $5 shy of its best price to date. The wired camera features a physical privacy cover that lets you block the camera and microphone, while its redesigned mount lets you easily adjust the camera’s angle. It also retains a number of features from its predecessor, including 1080p resolution, color night vision, and two-way audio.Smartwatch and wearable dealsGarmin Forerunner 265 (42mm)$350$45022% off$350Garmin’s midrange Forerunner watch adds a new OLED display, a week’s worth of battery life, and dual-frequency GPS for better accuracy. Read our review.Garmin’s 41mm Venu 3S is on sale at an all-time low of $349.99 ($100 off) at Amazon and REI. The Venu 3S is our favorite Garmin smartwatch, one that combines contactless payments and other smart features with a broad swath of health tools, including period tracking, abnormal heart rate alerts, and fall detection. It features a microphone and speaker for taking calls, too, though you’ll need your phone to take advantage of said feature since the 3S lacks built-in cellular connectivity. Read our review.The 49mm Apple Watch Ultra 2 is on sale for $739 ($60 off) at Amazon and Best Buy, which is one of the better prices we’ve seen this year. The rugged wearable offers the brightest display of any Apple wearable, along with the longest battery life. It also packs Apple’s S9 SiP and second-gen ultra wideband chips, allowing you to take advantage of Apple’s handy double tap feature. Read our review.Google Pixel Watch 2 (41mm, Wi-Fi)$150$25040% off$150The Pixel Watch 2 lasts a reliable 24 hours on a single charge with the always-on display enabled. It offers the same Qualcomm processor as the newer Pixel Watch 3, along with a multipath health sensor, Wear OS 5 compatibility, and a host of welcome safety features. Read our review.Best Buy is selling the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 in the 40mm / Wi-Fi configuration starting at $219.99 ($80 off) with an extra Samsung band. The latest Samsung wearable is faster than its predecessor and can track your location even more accurately courtesy of its new dual-frequency GPS. It also sports a host of new features, like FDA-cleared sleep apnea detection and irregular heart rate notifications. Read our review.Garmin Fenix 8$800$100020% off$800The Garmin Fenix 8 adds smart features like the ability to take calls on the wrist, and an on-board voice assistant.Outdoor and travel dealsGarmin inReach Mini 2$300$40025% off$300Garmin’s palm-size inReach Mini 2 satellite communicator provides off-the-grid contact with subscription plans starting at $14.95 a month.The LifeStraw Peak Series Straw — which can filter bacteria, parasites, and microplastics from water — is on sale at Amazon and REI starting at $17.58 ($7 off), one of its best prices to date. You can use the handy outdoor gadget to drink directly from streams or rivers, yet the convenient design also allows you to attach it to bottles or connect it to gravity hose systems. The Peak Series model also features a more durable design and faster flow rate than earlier models, which is a boon for anyone in the backcountry.You can buy the Epicka Universal Travel Adapter starting at $19.54 at Amazon. The all-in-one adapter sports a single USB-C port and four USB-A ports, so you can power up a wide range of gadgets in more than 200 countries, including the UK, Japan, Australia, Italy, and more.Best Buy is selling the Starlink Mini for $499.99 ($200 off). The DC-powered Mini comes with a built-in Wi-Fi 5 router that’s integrated directly into the portable satellite dish. It delivers speeds over 100Mbps and takes just minutes to set up, offering quick and easy internet access while on the go (with a qualifying internet plan starting at $50 a month). Read our review.Tile Mate$20$2520% off$20The latest Tile Mate helps you keep track of your personal belongings from up to 350 feet away, which is 100 feet wider than its predecessor’s range. It’s also platform-agnostic, and can send SOS alerts if you pay for the $14.99 monthly Life360 Gold subscription.You can buy the AeroPress Original for around $31.95 ($8 off) at Amazon, Walmart, and Target right now. The 3-in-1 coffee maker is one of our favorite coffee gadgets, as it easily brews 10 ounces of regular coffee or multiple espresso-style shots in about a minute. It’s also easy to clean and comes with accessories like a scoop, stirrer, and paper macro filters, so brewing up a cup of coffee on the go is even easier.The Thermacell E90 Mosquito Repeller is available for $42.49 (about $7 off) at Amazon. The rechargeable device repels bugs within a 20-foot radius for up to nine hours at a time using its built-in battery. It also comes with a nine-hour cartridge, though 40-hour refills are also available.BioLite FirePit Plus$300$40025% off$300BioLite’s portable FirePit Plus cuts back on unwanted smoke, functions either as a charcoal or wood-fueled grill, and fans the flames via a large battery pack and built-in fan.Other miscellaneous dealsDell’s 16 Plus Windows laptop that released earlier this year is seeing steep discounts when you buy directly through Dell itself. We’re particularly impressed with the discount on the model that has a 2,560 x 1,600 resolution screen (instead of FHD+ in the base configuration), 16GB of RAM, Intel’s Core Ultra 7 256V processor, and 1TB of NVMe storage for $799.99 (normally $1,149.99).2024 iPad Mini$399$49920% off$399The seventh-gen iPad Mini comes with Apple’s A17 Pro chip and support for Apple Intelligence. It’s also compatible with the Apple Pencil Pro and offers faster Wi-Fi and USB-C speeds. Read our review.Amazon’s latest Fire Max 11 tablet is on sale for $174.99 ($50 off) at Amazon and Best Buy. The slate is the most powerful and capable in Amazon’s current lineup of budget-friendly Fire tablets. It sports a bright 11-inch display and support for optional accessories like a keyboard and stylus, though it’s still better suited for entertainment than real work. Read our review.You can buy an Anker 341 USB-C Hub for $25 ($14 off) at Amazon, which is just $2 shy of its best price to date (Anker is also matching the price when you use promo code WS7DV2R8BLKO). The 7-in-1 hub packs a variety of ports into a compact, travel-friendly design, including two USB-A 3.0 ports, a USB-C data port, a USB-C power port with up to 100W passthrough charging, and both SD and microSD card slots.Belkin’s older MagSafe 2-in-1 Wireless Charging Stand is down to $73.99 ($17 off) at Amazon, which is one of the lowest prices we’ve seen. It delivers up to 15W of power to MagSafe-compatible iPhones, with a pad that can also charge a pair of AirPods or a second Qi-enabled device, all while propping up your phone at a convenient viewing angle.Glocusent book light$20$229% off$20Glocuscent’s book light hangs around your neck to illuminate whatever you’re reading, while offering adjustable brightness and warmth settings.$20 at Amazon (with on-page coupon)You can pick up PowerA’s Enhanced Wireless Controller starting at $35.62 ($25 off) at Amazon, which is $3 shy of its best price to date. A number of designs are on sale, too, ranging from an Animal Crossing-inspired option to Mario-themed ones. Overall, the colorful gamepad is a good budget model for the Nintendo Switch, complete with support for Bluetooth, remappable buttons, and motion controls.Anker’s 610 Magnetic Phone Grip is on sale for $12.79 (about $3 off) at Amazon. The sturdy donut-shaped ring attaches securely to MagSafe-compatible iPhones while also doubling as a kickstand.Hoto 3.6V Screwdriver Tool Set$70$11036% off$70Hoto’s tool set is an exercise in practical minimalism. The handy starter kit includes a variety of starter tools aimed at small- to medium-sized jobs, including pliers, a claw hammer, a self-locking tape measure, and — of course — Hoto’s classic LED-lit electric screwdriver.$70 at Amazon$80 at HotoIf the mere prospect of summer already has you sweating, Jisulife’s adorable handheld fan is on sale at Amazon in an assortment of colors starting at $14.39 (about $4 off), matching its all-time low. Jisulife’s bag-friendly option is a pretty no-frills affair, though it does pack a built-in stand and can charge via USB-C; it also doubles as a 4,800mAh battery pack, as if its base functionality and the adorable bear ears weren’t enough.The Slice Auto-Retractable Box Cutter is on sale for $14.60 (about $5 off) at Amazon, which is its best price so far this year. The ceramic blade automatically retracts, making it a safe tool for opening packages around the house or office.Update, May 23rd: Checked prices and added the iRobot Combo 10 Max, the Dell 16 Plus laptop, the Bose SoundLink Max, and the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless.See More:

Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNETA thief who steals your smartphone can try to crack it themselves, sell it locally, or use it to commit fraud. But your stolen phone could also travel as far away as China. A recent investigation by The Financial Times (paywall) found that a particular building in Shenzhen's Huaqiangbei district is home to a treasure trove of second-hand iPhones, including stolen devices.Though several locations in and around the Huaqiangbei district are hot spots for trading used phones, FT's investigation focused mostly on the Feiyang Times building. Much of the buying and selling here is for phones that were legitimately traded in by their owners, according to the reporter who covered the action. But at least some of the activity involves stolen phones, leading the Feiyang Times to be known as China's "stolen iPhone building." Also: 5 warning signs that your phone's been hacked - and how to fight backThe Times relates one unfortunate individual whose iPhone 15 Pro was stolen by thieves in London. Using tracking technology, the victim followed the phone to its final destination in the Huaqiangbei district. After sharing his experience on LinkedIn, he discovered that many other people had encountered similar situations. A woman in North Carolina whose phone was stolen tracked it on its journey from Charlotte to Miami and then finally to Shenzhen, according to WRAL News. In this case, the thieves compounded the crime with a spin on the usual ransomware ploy. In texts sent to the woman, they told her that unless she deactivated the stolen phone, they would sell her private information on the black market, meaning the dark web. Phone theft is on the rise, especially in major cities like London, Paris, and New York. In February, the UK's Metropolitan Police said that phone theft in London is a business that generates £50 million ($67 million) per year. In one week, UK police officials captured 1,000 stolen devices and made 230 arrests, FT reported. A phone that can be cracked easily due to a weak passcode is more lucrative to thieves. In that case, they can steal any personal information and then wipe the phone to sell it as fully functional. However, even a locked and protected phone is valuable. Thieves can simply strip it and sell the used components -- sort of a chop shop for mobile devices.Also: Rebooting your phone daily is your best defense against zero-click attacks - here's whyOne phone seller who spoke to the FT reporter revealed that phones with security measures such as IDs generally sell for about 70% less than unlocked ones. Such phones are then broken down into parts and sold in Shenzhen at a small profit.OK, now that you're sufficiently worried about carrying around your phone, how can you protect it from thieves? Miguel Fornés, a cybersecurity expert at VPN and security service Surfshark, shares his thoughts on phone snatching and offers tips on securing your phone. 1. Take advantage of anti-theft settings iPhones and Android devices both offer theft protection features that can help you better secure your phone. On an iPhone, go to Settings and select Face ID & Passcode. Swipe down the screen, tap the setting for Stolen Device Protection, and turn on its switch.Also: 7 ways to lock down your phone's security - before it's too lateOn an Android device, head to Settings and select Google or Google services. Swipe down the screen for All Services and select Theft Protection. You can now turn on options such as Identity Check, Theft Detection Lock, Offline Device Lock, and Remote Lock. 2. Use the Find my feature iPhones and Android devices also both provide a Find My tool to help you locate a stolen or lost phone. On an iPhone, go to Settings, tap your account name at the top, select Find My, and tap Find My iPhone. Turn on the switches for Find My iPhone, Find My network, and Send Last Location. You can then sign in to another Apple device or the iCloud Find website if you need to track your device. On an Android device, go to Settings, select Security & privacy, and then tap Device finders. Select Find My Device and turn on its switch. To track your phone, you can use Google's Find Hub app on another device or sign in to the Find My Hub website.3. Save your phone's IMEI number If your phone is ever stolen, your provider or even the police can use the IMEI number to try to track it down and even disable it. To find your IMEI number on an iPhone or Android phone, launch the dial pad in the Phone app and dial *#06#. You can then take a screenshot of the IMEI number and the other numbers on display and store the information in a safe and secure place. 4. Use a strong passcode Do you use a simple four-digit number for your passcode, maybe something like 1234? That's just asking for trouble. As with any PIN or password, you need to use one that's strong and secure to prevent a thief from accessing your phone. On an iPhone, you can create a custom numeric or alphanumeric code. On an Android device, you can create a numeric code with up to 16 digits. Though it may be tempting to stick with a four-digit code, consider one with at least six digits for added security. And don't use the same PIN everywhere. "Let's be honest, using the same login everywhere is basically leaving your digital front door wide open," Fornés says. "Avoid simple PINs, like 1234 or birth dates. This makes it harder for thieves to access your phone, even if they watch you type it in. Never use the same passcode for your phone and apps, especially banking. If a thief unlocks your phone, reused PINs could grant full access to sensitive data." 5. Turn off access to Control Center on an iPhone Control Center on an iPhone provides easy entry to key features and controls. For this reason, you should prevent access to this screen when your device is locked. On your iPhone, go to Settings and select Face ID & Passcode. Also: How to open Control Center on your iPhone without swiping from top: 4 easier waysSwipe down the screen to the section on "Allow Access When Locked" and turn off the switch for Control Center.6. Back up your device You can always replace a stolen phone with a new device. But you can't replace the photos, files, or other important information on it unless you have a backup. For that reason, make sure you back up your phone and all its content on a regular basis. You can easily back up and sync your iPhone or Android phone with all its data and then recover it if necessary. "Your more cherished memories might be easily recovered in case of a stolen phone," Fornés says. "After all, nowadays the device is just a 'container' of our data. Be sure your images, documents, etc., are properly backed up."7. Protect your physical space Finally, you naturally want to avoid having your phone stolen in the first place. That means you need to safeguard it when you're in public areas, especially in crowded places. "Always stay vigilant in public, especially in crowded or high-risk areas," Fornés says. "Keep your phone out of sight when not in use. Use an anti-spying screen so people around you can't easily see what you're doing. Also, consider using an anti-theft case with a chain or metallic lanyard to deter quick snatching."Get the morning's top stories in your inbox each day with our Tech Today newsletter.Featured

Owlcat Games of Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous and Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader fame has announced a new CRPG in the 40K universe. Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy is coming to Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, and though a release date is unknown, you can check out the first trailer below. Players control as Inquisitor tasked with investigating heresy in the Calixis Sector. You’ll look into conspiracies, interrogate individuals and ultimately root out corruption. However, the developer teases the possibility of going too far for the sake of your mission, and since every decision has weight, things could take a dark turn. That’s not even accounting for the Tyrant Star in the sky and the impending Long Night spawning all kinds of horrors. Fortunately, you won’t be alone, instead commanding a band warband of different companions, including Epione Spes, a medicae specialist; Haymar Devos, an Astra Militarum member; Conscript 0-118-B or COGG, an Ogryn who also served the Astra Militarum; Ra’akhti, a Kroot tracker; and Laarthyr Cairnareth, an Aeldari Corsair. Stay tuned for more details in the meantime.

In a pretty barebones press release accompanied by a couple of pictures and detailed specs, Ricoh surprise announced that its long-awaited GR IV camera will launch this fall. The GR IV will adhere closely to the design of the GR III from 2018, and it will continue to use an autofocusing 28mm-equivalent f/2.8 lens and only a rear LCD for composing photos and videos, with no electronic or optical viewfinder available.The GR IV’s exterior looks very similar to the GR III / GR IIIx, with an oval-shaped shutter button, on / off switch and mode dial up top, and a smattering of rear controls to the right of its LCD. Its buttons look redesigned, removing the spinning dial from around its four-way directional pad. And its adjustment thumb wheel, labeled “ADJ,” looks like it may be a fully turning dial instead of just a back-and-forth toggle that moves left or right. (I may be wishcasting that last part, because I think the thumb toggle on the GR III is annoying and fiddly.)Image: RicohImage: RicohWhat’s known for certain based on its spec list is that the GR IV retains the built-in ND filter of the GR III, but it slightly ups the resolution of its large APS-C sensor from 24 megapixels to 26. It will also have a higher ISO range that reaches 204,800 at its maximum setting, and five-axis stabilization instead of three-axis stabilization. The GR IV’s lens may be the same focal length and maximum aperture as previous generations, but it’s a new seven-element design in a new arrangement utilizing an additional aspherical element that should yield better corrections. The upcoming camera will also have face and eye-detection for its autofocus tracking, and 53GB of usable built-in storage. Onboard storage is great, and it’s much more than the GR III’s 2GB, but the GR IV is also downsizing from full-size SD cards to microSD.While there isn’t a price yet, Ricoh has confirmed the GR IV is expected to release in the autumn of 2025, with a variant featuring a Highlight Diffusion Filter (HDF) to come “after winter 2025.” The announcement also details that the GR III is scheduled to be discontinued in July, while the GR IIIx continues “for the time being.” The Ricoh GR cameras have carved out a niche among street photographers who value their super compact size and fairly affordable prices compared to a Fujifilm X100 or Leica Q. As cool and fun as I thought the just-announced Fujifilm X Half might be, the GR IV has instantly become my most anticipated camera of 2025.See More:

What Can Cloud Storage Do for You?The best cloud storage services integrate nicely with other apps and online tools, making the experience of viewing and editing files stored online feel natural. You want the other software you use to be able to retrieve or access your content, so it's a big deal to make sure you use a service that easily integrates with your existing tools. Box and Dropbox are particularly strong in this regard.(Credit: Google/PCMag)The range of capabilities of cloud-based storage services is wider than you may realize. Many of them specialize in a specific area. For example, Dropbox focuses on keeping a synced folder accessible everywhere and sharing folders with colleagues outside your company. Proton Drive emphasizes secure cloud storage. If you mostly store images, you might want a storage service that specializes in hosting photos (two top options are Google Photos with a Google One account and Adobe Lightroom). Some cloud storage providers, such as Apple, Google, and Microsoft, are generalists, giving you folder and file syncing, media playing, device syncing, and backup. These products double as collaboration software because they let multiple people edit the same file in real time.Distinct from but overlapping in some cases with cloud storage are backup services, particularly ones that create online backups. Some of them, such as Acronis Cyber Protect, specialize in data protection and recovery, while others, like IDrive, combine data protection with syncing and sharing capabilities.Most cloud services offer some form of backup due to their intended function. Basically, any files uploaded to a cloud service are also protected from disk failures, since there are copies of them in the cloud. But dedicated backup services sometimes can create a full disk image of your machine so you can restore not just your files, but everything, including system settings and programs. Syncing, by contrast, is about backing up and managing selected files only.(Credit: Box/PCMag)What Is the 'Cloud' in Cloud Storage?There's a half-joke in the tech world: "There is no cloud. It's just someone else's computer." To clear up any confusion, the cloud part of cloud-based storage refers to storing files somewhere other than your computer's hard drive. Usually, it means the service provider's servers. Having data in the cloud allows you to access your files online. Your data is usually encrypted before making the journey over the internet to the provider's servers, and it remains encrypted while it lives on those servers. Recommended by Our EditorsWell-designed services don't upload a brand-new copy of your files whenever you change one little thing. Instead, the file syncing service looks for changes to your files and uploads only them, saving your connection bandwidth.(Credit: Dropbox/PCMag)You can access your cloud files through an app or utility software installed on your computer. Once it's installed, it usually shows a small notification icon and creates your synced folder structure that fits into Windows Explorer or the macOS Finder. You can also get to the files via your web browser. Of course, you need an internet connection for it to work, but if you are temporarily without a connection, that's okay. The service waits until the next time you do have a connection and takes care of business then. For a deeper explanation, see our explainer on cloud computing. Free vs. Paid Cloud StorageMany services give you free cloud storage as part of their entry-level account. They usually come with limitations, such as the amount of storage you get or a tight cap on the size of the files you can upload. We encourage you to sign up for the free tier of service first and try out the cloud service for several weeks before you commit to upgrading. This way, you can fully integrate the cloud service into your life for real-world testing. You get a feel for how it works and determine what might go wrong with your setup.(Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)What could possibly go wrong? Human error accounts for many cloud storage tragedies, but the dropped internet connection is another common troublemaker. Not to mention that every internet service suffers the occasional outage. Ask around (or just look through our review comments), and you'll hear sad stories of how cloud storage can go wrong. One of the benefits of paying for an account is that it usually comes with additional support from the provider, so if anything goes wrong, someone from the company can help you resolve the issue.There are many other reasons to pay for cloud storage, from getting a lot more space (a terabyte doesn't cost all that much anymore) to being able to upload huge files. That last benefit is relevant to graphic designers, video editors, and other visual artists who often host enormous files. Other perks of paying for your cloud storage often include increased access to file-version history (meaning you can restore an important business proposal to the version you had before your colleague made a bunch of erroneous changes), more security, and more features for collaboration and teamwork.

Uzzy Gabe’s little helper Member Oct 25, 2017 34,452 Hull, UK More info will be shown on the Warhammer Skulls stream in a moment I'm sure.  Granjinhaa Member Dec 28, 2023 9,642 fuck yes   Count of Monte Sawed-Off Member Oct 27, 2017 5,055 Day 1   Glio Member Oct 27, 2017 27,788 Spain They sold it to me with that Kroot on the thumbnail.   Jubilant Duck Member Oct 21, 2022 9,238 yooooo   Rise2Ragnarok Member Oct 28, 2017 234 Excited for this, I had a pretty fun time with Rogue Trader. Hopefully this is even better then that sort of like how Wrath of the Righteous was better then Kingmaker IMO   hydruxo ▲ Legend ▲ Member Oct 25, 2017 22,729   Burt Fight Sephiroth or end video games Member Oct 28, 2017 9,644 ... still haven't put more than an hour into Rogue Trader...   Saucycarpdog Member Oct 25, 2017 20,315 Might even have full voice acting going by their previous comments   Zebesian-X Member Dec 3, 2018 25,350 fuck man it feels like rogue trader just dropped, I gotta get to that   Glio Member Oct 27, 2017 27,788 Spain Saucycarpdog said: Might even have full voice acting going by their previous comments Click to expand... Click to shrink... Confirmed on the Steam page.   Skittles Member Oct 25, 2017 9,603 Will they put minorities in this one?   SilkySm00th Member Oct 31, 2017 5,188 more inquisition eh? Call me when they make an Ork version of this game! (my SM friend will buy the shit outta this)  General Tso Member Jan 10, 2018 530 crazy how many releases the Warhammer franchise gets every year, very happy for people into these games   Marven Member Oct 25, 2017 708 Northeast Illinois Hell ya! Can't wait. I loved Rogue Trader.   Lord Vatek Avenger Jan 18, 2018 24,740 I hope the romance options here are more varied. Rogue Trader dropped the ball with availability and quality of the same-sex romances compared to Wrath of the Righteous imo.   OP OP Uzzy Gabe’s little helper Member Oct 25, 2017 34,452 Hull, UK Warhammer Skulls stream here.  JoeInky Member Oct 25, 2017 4,058 Doesn't Owlcat have Russian ties? I've been avoiding Rogue Trader and Space Marine 2 because I was under the impression that both developers had ties to Russia, but couldn't remember where I heard it from  Mudcrab Avenger Oct 26, 2017 3,958 Day one baby!   Glio Member Oct 27, 2017 27,788 Spain SilkySm00th said: more inquisition eh? Call me when they make an Ork version of this game! (my SM friend will buy the shit outta this) Click to expand... Click to shrink... Ironically, the Inquisition is one of three viable options for having a party with multiple alien species (Rogue Traders, Tau and the Inquisition).   Lord Vatek Avenger Jan 18, 2018 24,740 JoeInky said: Doesn't Owlcat have Russian ties? I've been avoiding Rogue Trader and Space Marine 2 because I was under the impression that both developers had ties to Russia, but couldn't remember where I heard it from Click to expand... Click to shrink... Owlcat is Russian, yes, but near as far as we can tell they've moved to Cyprus.   Mezoly Jimbo Replacement Member Oct 25, 2017 5,253 Oh we gonna be there. Owlcat games are great. Was worried they won't make a cRPG   GravaGravity Member Oct 27, 2017 4,727 "tough choices" look as far as I can tell the correct choice in everything warhammer is always "KILL EVERYTHING", so I find that hard to believe in a less glib fashion I've been looking forward to playing Rogue Trader once all the DLC and patches are out, if that hits I'll gladly get this as well   Dictator Digital Foundry Verified Oct 26, 2017 5,523 Berlin, 'SCHLAND Lord Vatek said: Owlcat is Russian, yes, but near as far as we can tell they've moved to Cyprus. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Chances are high there is a little Bit of something im Cyprus but actually all dev is in Russia   Gareth Member Oct 25, 2017 6,423 Norn Iron data Member Oct 25, 2017 5,355 Hell yea, looking forward to the inquisitor role   SilkySm00th Member Oct 31, 2017 5,188 Glio said: Ironically, the Inquisition is one of three viable options for having a party with multiple alien species (Rogue Traders, Tau and the Inquisition). Click to expand... Click to shrink... If they did a story with a heavy presence of FreeBootaz i would be there with bells on lol  Cheesetriangles Member Dec 5, 2017 2,504 Can't wait day one.   Aeana Member Oct 25, 2017 7,570 They're doing founder's packs just like Rogue Trader. https://darkheresy.owlcat.games/#founder   CognitiveAtrophy Member Oct 27, 2017 2,522 I love Owlcat, but I can't stand the 40K universe. Wake me up when they announce a new Pathfinder.   Strings Member Oct 27, 2017 34,533 Zebesian-X said: fuck man it feels like rogue trader just dropped, I gotta get to that Click to expand... Click to shrink... It was only a year and a half ago. Crazy fast for a new game announcement. EDIT: Looks like they announced the first about a year and a half before release. Three years is still such a fast turnaround these days.  Kemono ▲ Legend ▲ Member Oct 27, 2017 8,643 Loved rogue trader. Will be there day 1. But likely will wait for a loooooot of patches. Their games are fantastic but they need 6 months of patches.  xyla Member Oct 27, 2017 9,658 Germany So there's definitely Aliens in the party - no idea who the main guy in the trailer is. Owlcat makes good games, I hope they also have something in a fantasy setting cooking though.  Paroni Member Dec 17, 2020 4,809 Put the OG inquisitor in, you cowards.   xyla Member Oct 27, 2017 9,658 Germany Strings said: It was only a year and a half ago. Crazy fast for a new game announcement. Click to expand... Click to shrink... I bet it's gonna be early access for a year or so - they've had success with that on Rogue Trader too. And they've probably been smart when it comes to assets. They've build a lot for Rogue Trader, would be a waste, not to re-use them.  Cheesetriangles Member Dec 5, 2017 2,504 Please don't take the character that will most obviously be desired for romance and make them not romancable again.   Athrum Member Oct 18, 2019 1,827 Was hoping for Pathfinder 3, Wrath of the Righteous is an amazing game, but I'll bite. Rogue Trader was pretty cool (if buggy, really really buggy)   Glio Member Oct 27, 2017 27,788 Spain xyla said: So there's definitely Aliens in the party - no idea who the main guy in the trailer is. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Probably the inquisitor you work for.   Kalor Resettlement Advisor Member Oct 25, 2017 20,921 Been waiting for support to slow down for Rogue Trader before playing it and they've already announced the sequel.   Fawz Member Oct 28, 2017 3,975 Montreal Looks like a Standalone expansion to Rogue Trader, which I'm fine with as that's a good base to start from with lots of good points to expand towards. Not being shackled to the previous game for the base (namely Save file) likely gives them more freedom, as seen by new Races and the like   Count of Monte Sawed-Off Member Oct 27, 2017 5,055 Aeana said: They're doing founder's packs just like Rogue Trader. https://darkheresy.owlcat.games/#founder Click to expand... Click to shrink... Bought, plus the second season pass for Rogue Trader.  IAmFromSpace Member May 11, 2023 501 Rogue Trader was such a fantastic take on 40k, can't wait to see what they do.   OP OP Uzzy Gabe’s little helper Member Oct 25, 2017 34,452 Hull, UK Cheesetriangles said: Please don't take the character that will most obviously be desired for romance and make them not romancable again. Click to expand... Click to shrink... This is inevitable  Tovarisc Member Oct 25, 2017 25,810 FIN Can't recommend Vaults of Terra and Eisenhorn book series enough if looking to get Inquisition and Inquisitor vibe going. Athrum said: Was hoping for Pathfinder 3, Wrath of the Righteous is an amazing game, but I'll bite. Rogue Trader was pretty cool (if buggy, really really buggy) Click to expand... Click to shrink... Owlcat game being extremely buggy and beyond broken for a year after release is just how Owlcat rolls.  Cheesetriangles Member Dec 5, 2017 2,504 Uzzy said: This is inevitable Click to expand... Click to shrink... Someday I will get to kick the football.   LordGorchnik Member Oct 30, 2017 3,672 Day. Fucking. One. I still need to play past the first act of Rogue Trader. Been way too many good games lately.  7thFloor Member Oct 27, 2017 7,330 U.S. Damn I still haven't played Rogue Trader   Dakkon Member Oct 27, 2017 5,244 JoeInky said: Doesn't Owlcat have Russian ties? I've been avoiding Rogue Trader and Space Marine 2 because I was under the impression that both developers had ties to Russia, but couldn't remember where I heard it from Click to expand... Click to shrink... https://www.reddit.com/r/Pathfinder_Kingmaker/comments/ubmo1m/comment/i65mozh/ "Our headquarters had always been in Cyprus, with developers working from multiple countries. A lot of developers were located in Moscow until recently, but now many of us are relocating to Cyprus, Armenia and other places. If there was anything good in the pandemic, it is that it gave us a plenty of experience in coordinating and working on our projects online from multiple locations, so we can continue to create games for you guys." Click to expand... Click to shrink... So headquarters in Cyprus, they have a satellite office in Armenia, and most of them left Russia during the pandemic/Russian invasion of Ukraine it looks like. That said since the headquarters and thus operating country of the actual business is Cyprus, I'm pretty sure the Russian government doesn't directly get profits from the games or anything through taxation etc of the company.  Native_Vel Member Jun 5, 2022 2,041 Day one. Rogue Trader is fantastic but staying within the bounds of the Imperium will be exciting take.  Miracle Ache Member Oct 25, 2017 1,589 That's a shame. Rogue Trader was godawful. Wrath of the Righteous, on the other hand, was quite possibly the best CRPG ever made. 

Owlcat Games of Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous and Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader fame has announced a new CRPG in the 40K universe. Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy is coming to Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, and though a release date is unknown, you can check out the first trailer below. Players control as Inquisitor tasked with investigating heresy in the Calixis Sector. You’ll look into conspiracies, interrogate individuals and ultimately root out corruption. However, the developer teases the possibility of going too far for the sake of your mission, and since every decision has weight, things could take a dark turn. That’s not even accounting for the Tyrant Star in the sky and the impending Long Night spawning all kinds of horrors. Fortunately, you won’t be alone, instead commanding a band warband of different companions, including Epione Spes, a medicae specialist; Haymar Devos, an Astra Militarum member; Conscript 0-118-B or COGG, an Ogryn who also served the Astra Militarum; Ra’akhti, a Kroot tracker; and Laarthyr Cairnareth, an Aeldari Corsair. Stay tuned for more details in the meantime.

Fujifilm has already released one unusual camera this year in the GFX100 RF medium format compact, but it's latest model may be the most offbeat yet. The $850 X Half is an 18-megapixel digital compact camera, but it uses half of a 1-inch sensor to shoot 3:4 vertical photos. To drive home the retro vibe, it has a rear screen dedicated to displaying the camera's 13 film simulation modes and can only shoot JPEG and not RAW images. The name comes from "half-frame" cameras popular in the '60s, like the famous Olympus Pen F, that use a 35mm film frame sawed in half (18mm x 24mm in size). The backside-illuminated sensor on Fujifilm's X Half is, well, half that size in both dimensions (8.8mm x 13.3mm) or a quarter the area. It's also the smallest sensor on any recent Fujifilm digital camera, as the X-series uses the APS-C format and GFX models medium format. In fact, the X Half has the same 3:4 vertical ratio as Fuji's Instax Mini instant cameras — so you can make prints using an Instax Mini printer via the new dedicated X Half smartphone app.  Fujifilm The X Half naturally uses Fujifilm's film simulation and grain effect modes. Among the new ones are "light leak" for a blown-out quality that happens when film get exposed to light inadvertently, "expired film" and "halation," an effect caused by light bouncing off film emulsion layers. To really get you into that analog film mood, you can switch to the new Film Camera Mode that limits your view to the optical viewfinder, makes you pull a frame advance lever for each new shot and only lets you see the photos once they're "developed" through the X Half app. It even produces a "contact sheet" layout for 36, 54 or 72 images.  Another feature is 2-in-1 images that let you combine two still images or movies into one composition in-camera for extra artistic possibilities (using the film advance lever again). That also means the X Half can shoot video as well as photos, with a vertical or square size (up to 2,160 x 2,160) that looks ideal for social media — especially with film simulations applied. Also exuding nostalgic vibes is the "Date Stamp" function that lets you imprint dates in the bottom right of images, just like on old-school Kodak-style film camera.  On top of the main rear 2.40inch LCD 3:4 monitor, the X Half has an optical rather than an electronic viewfinder, adding another analog touch (and the accompanying parallax distortion errors). The camera itself is small enough to slide into a pocket and weighs just 210 grams (7.4 ounces). Other features include a built-in flash, massive 880 frame battery life and SD UHS-I card slot. The X Half looks like it could be coveted by social media users or anyone looking for a fun party or vacation camera. However, it's expensive considering that you can just get an Instax (or regular film camera and a lot of film) for a lot less. Fujifilm has definitely captured the photography zeitgeist before with models like the X100 VI, though, so I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes a hit. The X Half is now on preorder for $850 (in black, charcoal silver and silver) with shipping set to start on June 12.  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/fujifilms-x-half-is-an-850-digital-camera-with-an-analog-film-aesthetic-120013873.html?src=rss