I got to be Rey and it was so great.

They say that greed and desire are the path to the dark side. I don’t care.

I want to get my hands on the Star Wars Jedi Challenge that Lenovo and Disney have cooked up. Now. I got a brief demo with the Jedi Challenge after its unveiling at IFA 2017 and I think that it and AR games like it are definitely part of the future of gaming.

The Jedi Challenge is a multi-part system built around your phone (iPhone or Android, Lenovo’s not picky). Your phone serves as the processing unit and display, oriented facing down over your eyes and reflected into your eyes off an angled transparent pane. The headset in which your phone is slotted is more than just a holder for the phone — it has a pair of fisheye cameras on either temple which pick up the light on the end of the lightsaber hilt (styled after the Skywalker family blade, naturally) and light on the floor slightly larger than a golf ball. The lightsaber also has motion tracking built in and…

How do you back up your Apple Watch? Automatically!

Apple offers automatic backup services for most of its devices these days, and your Apple Watch is no exception. Here’s how the Apple Watch syncs your important data, and how you can force it to trigger a backup.

How Apple Watch backups work
What will my iPhone sync?
What won’t my iPhone sync?
How often does my Apple Watch sync?
Does my Watch backup live locally or in iCloud?

Can Apple Watch save data even when it’s not connected to iPhone?
What is an Apple Watch backup?
Can I move Apple Watch backups to a new iPhone?
How to manually back up your Apple Watch
How to restore your Apple Watch from backup

How Apple Watch backups work

Whenever your Watch is connected your iPhone via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, it automatically syncs your latest Health, Workout, Activity, and app data. The first three bits get synced to the Health app, where they’re either encrypted and stored in iCloud, or stored as part of your encrypted iPhone back…

Need to store your files? Check out these great hard drives for your Mac!

When it comes to storing data, personal information, and important documents, you can never save it in enough places. External hard drives are not only useful for storing data; they are an excellent way to transport files from one location to another.

There are an insane amount of options when it comes to external hard drives for your Mac, and it can be a pain to look through all of them; we’re here to help. Here are our top picks to use with your Mac.

Seagate Backup Plus 4TB
8TB Western Digital My Book
G-Technology G-DRIVE USB 3.0 4TB
LaCie Rugged RAID
Seagate Backup Plus Slim 2TB

Seagate Backup Plus 4TB

If you’re looking for a hard drive that not only offers a good chunk of space but also great software to use with it, look no further than the Seagate Backup Plus 4TB.

It comes with an addition 200GB in cloud storage that can be easily accessed by your iPhone or iPad via an iOS app.

The Seagate Backu…

While Apple has recently been quiet on the subject of net neutrality, the company has now given its two cents on the future of the open internet. The company has called on the FCC to maintain the current ban against ”fast lanes,” saying that such paid prioritization deals would hamper innovation and harm consumer experience.

From Recode:

”Broadband providers should not block, throttle, or otherwise discriminate against lawful websites and services,” Apple said in its comments. ”Far from new, this has been a foundational principle of the FCC’s approach to net neutrality for over a decade. Providers of online goods and services need assurance that they will be able to reliably reach their customers without interference from the underlying broadband provider.”

Paid prioritization plans, if allowed, could let broadband providers to charge content providers such as Apple, Google, and Netflix for faster delivery of movies, music, and other content. Currently, these plans are banned …

iCloud.com lets you connect to iCloud from any Mac or PC. Here’s how you can use it.

iCloud.com allows you to access much of your iCloud content from any web browser on a Mac or PC. Once you’ve signed in, you can use apps like Mail, Photos, and even the iWork suite right in your browser. Just as when you use iCloud on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, changes made in iCloud.com sync across your devices.

How to access iCloud.com from any web browser to use mail, contacts, calendars, and more
How to access and view photos in iCloud Photo Library on the web
How to hide your sidebar in your iCloud Photo library
How to upload Photos to your iCloud Photo library
How to share a photo or video in your iCloud Photo library
How to download a photo or video in your iCloud Photo library
How to delete a photo from your iCloud Photo library
How to recover deleted files from iCloud
How to recover contacts from iCloud
How to recover calendars and reminders from iCloud
How to recover Safari bookmarks from…

Arguably the safest place to buy and sell phones will now take care of your games.

The folks at Swappa do one thing very well — maintain a healthy environment for buying and selling used gear. What started as a phone swapping site has grown considerably over the years, and is now the best place to get top dollar for your used phone as well as get a sweet deal on a used phone when you need one.

This service has expanded several times in recent years, but the latest push into gaming is an area where used phone skills are really going to come in handy. Welcome to Swappa Gaming.

It’s exactly as simple as it sounds. If you have a game to sell, or you’re looking for a game to buy, search the site by game or platform and choose the price you’d like to pay. Sellers can offer games at whatever price they think will sell and provide proof right on the listing that the disc is either in pristine condition or has a few flaws you should know about.

Transactions on Swappa aren’t listed…

Considering a back-to-school upgrade of the 9.7-inch iPad (2017) or iPad mini 4? Here’s what you need to know.

The iPad is more affordable than ever, thanks to recent price cuts from Apple to its 9.7-inch and mini line, along with better storage options and great internal tech.

But if you already have an older 9.7-inch iPad or iPad mini, are these latest models worth the upgrade? Let’s take a peek.

Price

If you’re considering the 2017 iPad or iPad mini 4 instead of an upgrade to the iPad Pro, chances are it’s at least in part pricing-related. Apple’s two base-model iPads are the cheapest tablets the company has ever sold, and they’re inexpensive without a huge compromise on great features.

The iPads Pro begin at $649; in contrast, the 2017 iPad starts at $329, and the iPad mini 4 starts at $399. If you’re on a budget, the 2017 iPad or iPad mini 4 are great options to upgrade from a previous iPad.

If you’re still unsure about which model you want for your home, schoolwork, or …

”It’s time for the Jedi… to end.”

Luke’s chilling statement in the first trailer for The Last Jedi leaves a ton of questions, and it is going to be a while before we’re all able to sit in theaters and get the answers we’re looking for. Just like the launch of The Force Awakens, Disney has teamed up with tech and toy companies the world over for a unified launch of new things designed to celebrate this film.

This unified launch is called Force Friday II, and we’ve got the complete list of exciting new things for you to add to your collection.

Advanced Laser Battle Drones by Propel

Fly your favorite Star Wars vehicles in tiny drone form, and when you’ve got the hang of things there’s a special laser combat system where you can battle with friends and strangers alike.

Check out our Star Wars drone preview!

Jedi Challenges AR Game by Lenovo

Plug your phone into the headset, grab your Lightsaber, and prepare for a series of augmented reality games including Holochess and dron…

Train like a Jedi, with a little help from Augmented Reality.

Every Star Wars fan wants to participate in the universe somehow. Maybe you want a little BB-8 to follow you around everywhere, maybe you want to chill out in a slimy bar to play some Holochess, but most of you probably want to pick up a Lightsaber and show Kylo Ren who is in charge around here. While you can get your BB-8 on any time you like thanks to the folks at Sphero, those other two things weren’t possible until Lenovo introduced the Mirage AR headset.

Now, with the help of this headset and your iPhone, you can participate in the Star Wars universe with your own two hands.

Lenovo’s Mirage AR headset uses two fisheye cameras and your phone to provide an inside-out tracking experience where the Star Wars world is projected on the display in front of you. Instead of obscuring your vision, it uses a Tracking Beacon and a Lightsaber-shaped controller to put you in control of three different games. From Lenovo:

Ligh…