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Snag extra $10 cash on all Apple trade-ins for Earth Day

by | Apr 21, 2017 |

Save the earth and get paid! Fight that e-waste nightmare by trading in your old Apple gear this week for cash, and you can take advantage of our Earth Day bonus: You’ll get an extra $10 on every trade-in — just use the coupon code “earthday” Whether you are upgrading Apple devices, or trying to get rid of an old one that’s just sitting around, participate in the easiest buyback program on the internet.

And from now until April 22, we’ll be throwing that $10 on top of your normal (already high) buyback price. more…

The best HomeKit-enabled products that save energy for Earth Day

by | Apr 21, 2017 |

From 9to5Toys: Earth Day 2017 is upon us, so it’s time for our annual look at how you can save money by adding a few simple accessories to your home. Elgato, Philips, Ecobee and many others have released a number of products geared towards saving energy (and your hard-earned cash). Chances are, as an avid 9to5Toys […]

Friday 5: Awesome paid Mac App Store apps [Video]

by | Apr 21, 2017 |

On this week’s edition of Friday 5, we explore several additional paid Mac App Store apps that I use on a regular basis. Apps include titles like Bumpr, which lets you choose the browser that links are opened in, along with Affinity Designer, a remarkably deep vector illustration app that can be had for an outstanding price.

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9to5Toys Lunch Break: $350 off 12-inch MacBook, iPad mini 4 Wi-Fi 128GB $350, Apple Watch Bands from $9, more

by | Apr 21, 2017 |

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Best Buy 4-day Sale includes $100 off iPad Pro, $350 discount on MacBooks, more

Daily Deals: iPad mini 4 Wi-Fi 128GB $350, Logitech K830 Illuminated Keyboard $60, more

Save 30% on Apple Watch bands from Clockwork Synergy

Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Pro w/o Touch Bar $1,280 ($219 off, Tax NJ only)

Apple’s Touch Bar-equipped 13-inch MacBook Pro 512GB now $1,740 shipped

Apple’s entry-level 13-inch MacBook Air on sale for $750 shipped

Beats Powerbeats3 W1-enabled Wireless In-ear Headphones down to $130 shipped

BeatsX Wireless In-Ear Headphones go to $120 at Amazon and Best Buy

Beats Solo3 Wireless On-Ear Headphones $160

Duet Display for iOS/Mac goes 50% off: $10 (Reg. $20)

Review: Pad & Quill’s Leather Roll Top Backpack has impeccable craftsmanship and style

9to5Rewards: SkylinkNet Plus Alarm System Starter kit [Giveaway]

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Sony 2.1 Channel Sound Base with Bluetooth and HDMI $118

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

The Gamller controller won’t drain your iPhone battery and makes playing games a snap

VAUX makes Echo Dot portable, adds battery and external speaker

Knops are the volume control to your life

MORE DEALS STILL LIVE:

Lutron Caséta Smart Lighting Bundle w/ HomeKit support: $120 (Reg. $160)

Sony 75-inch 4K HDR Smart Ultra HDTV $2,899 shipped ($1,000 off)

Sony h.ear Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones back to $179 shipped

TP-Link Wi-Fi Smart Plug with Alexa control starting at $18

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Happy Hour Podcast 116 | tvOS 11 rumors, iPad multi-user, Apple Watch NikeLab, and Earth Day challenges

by | Apr 21, 2017 |

This week Benjamin and Zac discuss new tvOS 11 rumors, the possibility of account switching on iOS, Nike’s newest Apple Watch, Apple’s Earth Day Activity Challenge, and their new lofty goal of making products from 100% recycled materials. 9to5Mac’s Happy Hour podcast is available for download on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

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Leedarson plans HomeKit support & product line w/ new Gateway hub

by | Apr 21, 2017 |

Leedarson, one of China’s largest manufacturers and exporters of white labeled lighting products for companies like GE and others, will soon launch HomeKit support for a wide range of home IoT products. It’s also planning an entrance into the HomeKit space as its own brand, with a lineup of lighting, sensors, IP cameras and other home products planned for next year.

The company showed off the new products with HomeKit during IFA’s Global Press Conference in Lisbon this week ahead of the consumer trade show’s main event in September.

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Review: Final Draft 10, the Mac app that aims to make light work of screenplay writing

by | Apr 21, 2017 |

Regular readers will know I’m a big fan of Scrivener, having used the app to write three novels, two novellas and a travel guide. But when I accidentally found myself working on a screenplay for a comedy series, I thought I’d try the industry-standard software for the job: Final Draft.

Final Draft comes highly recommended, used by all the top studios and praised by such screenwriting talents as Aaron Sorkin, James Cameron, JJ Abrams, Sofia Coppola and more. Ben Stiller said that ‘Final Draft is the only screenwriting software I have ever used, and it is the only one I ever will use.’

But priced at a hefty $250 for the Mac app and another $20 for the iPad companion app, it’s not a trivial investment for most of us. So what does it do to earn such praise and justify the cost … ?

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Type A vs. Type B: Does Personality Type Matter at Work?

by | Apr 21, 2017 |

typeAtypeBatwork-compressor.jpg

We begin with a cast of two characters. One is organized, ambitious, competitive, and sometimes a little impatient. The other is laid-back, collaborative, creative and, sometimes, a little messy.

Do you identify with one more than the other?

Many of us already identify as either a “Type A” or “Type B” personality. Or, maybe you see yourself as a hybrid of both — like those of us who schedule our time and manage to-do lists like maniacs, but can’t recall the last time we made our beds. New Call-to-action

Here’s how the two types tend to break down, according to the American Psychological Association:

  • Type A: “A complex pattern of behaviors and emotions that includes excessive emphasis on competition, aggression, impatience, and hostility.”
  • Type B: “As compared to Type A behavior pattern, a less competitive, less aggressive, less hostile pattern of behavior and emotion.”

But if you’re anything like me, you might be thinking, “Well, that seems a bit restrictive.” That’s why we’re going to dive a bit deeper into each one. But first — let’s have a little fun.

Type A vs. Type B Personalities

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of these personality types, check out this infographic to see if there’s one with which you identify more than the other:


A-B-Personality-Infographic.png

While the options above might be generally easy to associate with either Type A vs. Type B workplace personalities, you may have found yourself identifying with a little bit of both. And that’s normal — it’s hard to check off all the boxes for one category.

It’s a visual, very informal representation of the A/B personality test — take it with a grain of salt, since it doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of the original version of this assessment. That began in the 1960s, when researchers David C. Jenkins, Stephen Zyzanski, and Ray Rosenmen sought a way to measure the correlation between certain behaviors and coronary heart disease.

That study lead to the development of the Jenkins Activity Survey (JAS): a multiple-choice questionnaire that was distributed for use among psychology professionals in 1979. Today, many A/B personality tests are adaptations of the JAS, like this one — designed primarily for university students — available through UNC Charlotte’s Department of Psychology.

Screen Shot 2017-04-13 at 11.18.51 AM.png
Source: UNC Department of Psychology

Today, it’s hardly the only personality inventory of its kind, and almost seems a bit antiquated. In the last few decades, we’ve seen more complex assessments emerge, like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®), DiSC, and Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI®). Sure, we might still make general references to it — for example, I’ve lost count of the number of times each day I declare how Type A I am — it seems like the classic A/B dichotomy isn’t sufficient enough to comprehensively measure someone’s personality anymore.

It poses the question: Is there still room for the old fashioned Type A vs. Type B labels in the workplace? Or are they, as a reliable measure of personality, defunct? And in the end, do all of these elaborate assessments and profiles really just lead to Types A and B?

Does the A/B Personality Construct Have a Place in the Office?

The fact that many people identify with characteristics ascribed to both Type A and Type B — depending on the context — is why these more elaborate personality inventories were created. For example, DiSC is a test that assesses someone’s personality based on four behavioral drivers:

  1. Dominance
  2. Influence
  3. Conscientiousness
  4. Steadiness

Someone who scores high in steadiness, for example, tends to be friendly, empathetic, and places a lot of importance on being well liked and avoiding risk. That might sound a bit like Type B, right?

Someone who scores high in influence, on the other hand, tends to be outgoing, spontaneous, enthusiastic, unfocused, and optimistic. But wait — those also sounds like Type B traits.

But despite both steadiness and influence erring more toward the Type B side, each sounds like it has a pretty distinct character, working style, and approach to collaboration. See? As we said — that’s why these more detailed personality profiles exist.

Now, let’s take a look at someone who scores high in conscientiousness. This person tends to:

  • Be a data-driven problem solver.
  • Work deliberately and at a conservative pace.
  • Want to be correct and accurate.
  • Communicate in a more non-verbal manner.

So which bucket does this person fall into: Type A, or Type B?

The value that this person places on accuracy might scream, “Type A!” But the conservative pace might lean a bit more toward Type B. It’s more difficult to place this one into a single category — again, that’s where a more detailed personality inventory becomes particularly useful.

How Much Does “A” or “B” Really Matter?

When we’re able to categorize things, it gives us the impression that we can better understand our surroundings. It’s human nature — the A/B personality constructs, like many other identifying “buckets,” likely exist because of our instinctive compulsion and desire to identify the unknown.

But much of the time, these categories leave out important details. After all, if you don’t fit neatly into one bucket, what are you supposed to do?

Good news — that doesn’t really matter.

What does matter, however, is how you operate in and respond to day-to-day workplace scenarios. Which systems help you stay organized? How many unread emails do you feel comfortable having in your inbox? How far in advance do you care to plan out your lunch?

Answering those questions can help you identify and align your priorities, and ultimately determine which factors are going to help you be most successful and productive at work.

So While There’s No Need to Be “A” Or “B” …

… it might be helpful to look into some of the newer, more detailed personality inventories. Many of them, like the DiSC, are designed to help you gain more honest insight into the questions above — the ones that help you shed light on how you approach deadlines and collaborate, for example. Having that information can help you better prepare for team projects and high-pressure scenarios, and self-identity detrimental behaviors of which you might not have been previously aware.

So, while there’s no need to pressure yourself to uphold one personality type or the other — whether it’s Type A or Type B, introvert or extrovert, ENTJ or ENJF — it’s important to know what’s going to help you do your best work.

Do you think understanding formal personality types are important at work? Let us know in the comments.

This post was originally published in July 2015 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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Review: Koogeek Smart Socket adapts your existing bulbs to work with HomeKit & Siri voice control

by | Apr 21, 2017 |

There are many ways to add HomeKit-connected lights to your home, allowing you to turn them and off from your phone at a tap or with your voice using Siri. You can buy special Philips Hue bulbs, change wall switches with Lutron or Elgato, or plug in lamps to a smart plug socket.

The Koogeek Smart Socket is a different approach to the same problem. It puts an adaptor between your existing light fitting and bulb. All you have to do is screw it in. Keep reading after the jump for my full hands-on …

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