On paper, the QNAP TS-251A looks like a well-specced network attached storage device for home use (buy it here for $319), featuring a dual-core processor and ample 2 GB RAM. It even has a HDMI port and bundled IR remote, so you can plug it into a TV and use it directly.

There are a hundred different features you can use a NAS for but I’m focusing on what I use: backup and a TV shows / movies server. I am looking for units that are easy to use and maintain with enough performance to handle multiple video streams at once, as I use my NAS to provide content for every television in the house. Here’s my hands on with the QNAP NAS and how well it handles media and backup tasks …

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Apple made a big deal about the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus cameras, but since the announcement of the devices there’s been debate about just how much better the cameras actually are. Our own Jeff Bejanmin has noted of some of the differences with the camera, and now Consumer Reports is out with their analysis of the changes…

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Apple never comments on the amount of RAM it adds to its mobile devices, but it’s now well-known that the iPhone 7 Plus, with its 3 GB of RAM, has the most memory of any iPhone ever. Only the 4 GB-equipped 12.9″ iPad Pro bests the iPhone 7 Plus in this regard.

It’s largely speculated that the added RAM is there to help out with image processing in concert with the iPhone 7 Plus’ iSight Duo camera. Of course, this is Apple, so many questions remain that will likely go unanswered, but it seems like a logical explanation.

The standard-sized iPhone 7 still has 2 GB of RAM, which, after the dramatic performance differences yielded the last time there was a big RAM increase, may make some people think twice about buying the smaller version. But after an admittedly unscientific test or two, the amount of RAM probably shouldn’t be the top item on your priority list. more…

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macOS Sierra (which I almost forgot comes out tomorrow!) includes a new feature for developers to use tabs in any windowed app. You probably already use tabs in your web browser and Finder gained tabs in a recent OS X update, and macOS Sierra makes using tabs in other built-in apps like Text Editor possible.

Byword is a well-known text editor for the Mac that I personally use to draft stories and edit text for work when I’m not writing in WordPress in Safari. The latest update now lets you collect multiple Byword windows into a single Byword window with tabs just like Safari or Finder.

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As its efforts to switch to renewable continue, Apple today announced that it is joining the global renewable energy initiative RE100. In joining the program, Apple will continue to work on its commitment of powering its worldwide operations with 100 percent renewable. As part of the process, Apple will work with its manufacturing supply chain to push clean energy usage in that area, as well.

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The switch to Lightning headphones has been a headache for some, but Apple says that a fix is coming for a bug that’s plaguing some users. A variety of complaints have surfaced on Twitter that say the volume controls on Lightning EarPods become nonfunctional after a short amount of time…

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Since the Home button on iPhone 7 isn’t a mechanical button anymore, and is instead a capacitive solid-state button controlled by software, it’s no surprise that performing hard resets, entering recovery, and entering into DFU mode no longer works the same way on iPhone 7.

The good news is that you’ll only need to adopt a new button combination to perform each of these tasks. Have a look at our full video walkthrough, and we’ll show you how.
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Apple Watch Series 2 hit stores on Friday and I’ve spent the weekend testing its new features. From outdoor cycling and swimming in the ocean to comparing it to the first-generation Apple Watch, I had my own list of questions I wanted answered and I’m mostly happy with my experience.

I used the first-generation Apple Watch every single day since April 2015 and reviewed it in May 2015 after a couple of weeks. For me, the original Apple Watch was a tremendous improvement over my Pebble and basic digital watch with features like Siri, iMessage and Apple Pay plus a design that was good enough to continue with Series 2. A year in, I fully realized how effective Apple Watch can be as a fitness tracker which is where much of the focus on Series 2 exists.

Apple Watch Series 2 is similar enough that it’s easy to draw several conclusions about the new version after just two days. It’s a more capable fitness tracker and a better smartwatch thanks to its hardware changes, but the differences are more nuanced than what a spec sheet can tell you.

I’ll start by jumping straight to my conclusion: more…

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As part of its promotion of Earth Day this year, Apple had released a video on YouTube promoting its new iPhone recycling robot, Liam. The video anthropomorphized the robot, giving it a playful quality as it took apart iPhones to help recycle the materials to be used further down the line. Eagle-eyed viewers quickly noticed that the iPhone 6/6s in the video was missing the infamous camera bump. Some thought it was strange camera angles, but in Apple’s latest Apple Music promo, we see that familiar missing camera bump creep up again, and this time with the iPhone 7…

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Google today introduced Trips, a new app that lets you manage and organize everything about your vacations in one place. The app tries to solve a big pain point with international travel — Internet access — by automatically storing all your trip information offline, and it also makes suggestions during your trip based on what’s nearby to craft the perfect day plans… more…

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