Apple : Google's Pixel 3a isn't just cheaper, but also easier to fix than the Pixel 3 |
- Google's Pixel 3a isn't just cheaper, but also easier to fix than the Pixel 3
- Cryptomining gangs go to war over unsecured Linux systems
- iPad price cut at Walmart: save up to $100 on the newest Apple iPad
- Will iOS 13 mean iPhone 6, iPhone SE and iPhone 5S users will be heartbroken?
- "Unhackable" USB stick was leaking passwords
- This TechRadar exclusive Huawei Mate 20 Pro deal is absolutely unbeatable
- Cofense: Why it’s time for everyone to defend against phishing
- Britain went a whole week without coal power for the first time since 1882
- Panasonic TV lineup 2019: all the OLED and LCD televisions coming this year
- Shop Idol 2019 - Announcing our National Finalists
- Best cloud storage of 2019 online: free, paid and business options
- Dolby Vision: the new HDR format for home TVs
- Get the Google Pixel 3a for $399 and receive a $100 gift card at Best Buy
- O2 improves indoor coverage for 5G as revenues rise
- macOS 10.15: news, release date and rumors
- BenQ B.I.+ monitors offer a next-generation visual experience
- macOS 10.15’s Music app is basically iTunes, and won’t be cross platform
- OnePlus 7 release date, price, news and leaks
- What is 5G? Everything you need to know
| Google's Pixel 3a isn't just cheaper, but also easier to fix than the Pixel 3 Posted: 10 May 2019 01:55 PM PDT Google's newest phones just launched this week, and they dramatically undercut the prices of other flagships on our best phones list, including Google's own Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL. There are some trade-offs in getting the new Pixel 3a down to $399, but repairability isn't one of them, as the phone earned a 6 out of 10 score from iFixit. The Google Pixel 3a is easy to open, as it uses a spongy material instead of the type of adhesive usually found in premium phones, according to the iFixit team. This allows the screen to come off without even needing to use a heating tool to soften the adhesive. Components that have a tendency to wear out first, like the USB-C port and the 3.5mm headphone jack are also easy to remove and replace. They don't have tricky or permanent wiring. The battery also uses a stretch-release adhesive that allows it to come out easily.
Just gets betterSure, a 6 out of 10 score isn't perfect, but it's a fair bit better than the 4 out of 10 that the Pixel 3 earned. When considering that Pixel 3a costs much less and still offers a similar-looking design, a decent screen, and a camera experience that's nearly the Pixel 3's equal, the new phone starts to sound like a big winner. The extra repairability means that it has increased longevity, earning it even higher marks for value. It already will get three years of updates, including to Android Q as soon as it's available. The ability to easily replace a tired old battery can ensure it has some extra years of life. Now, the Pixel 3a does have trade-offs, like the lack of water resistance, the weaker Snapdragon 670 chipset, no wireless charging, and a polycarbonate body that won't feel as premium. But, that's not all negative. The polycarbonate body is less likely to shatter if dropped, and will even likely be cheaper to replace than the glass back of the Pixel 3. Shoppers who've been interested in the Pixel phones but have shied away from the price now have just one more reason to set their sights on the Pixel 3a. Via: The Verge
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| Cryptomining gangs go to war over unsecured Linux systems Posted: 10 May 2019 12:09 PM PDT In an effort to gain greater control of vulnerable cloud-based infrastructure, two hacking groups behind large-scale cryptomining campaigns have begun to target each other's cryptominers. The Pacha Group, first detected in September of 2018, is a threat group of Chinese origins which was profiled by Intezer Labs while trying to spread its cryptocurrency mining malware Linux.GreedyAntd. The firm's researchers discovered the group's malware was designed to search for other cryptojacking malware present on the systems it infects though this technique has been used by similar malware strains in the past.
The Linux.GreedyAnd modular malware used Systemd to gain persistence to make it harder to detect and remove. The malware is also used to attack and remove the cryptominers of other cybercrime groups but the Rocke Group is its main target. Intezer Labs' Ignacio Sanmillan explained how Linux.GreedyAndt differs from previous malware released by the Pacha Group in a blog post, saying: "The main malware infrastructure appears to be identical to previous Pacha Group campaigns, although there is a distinguishable effort to detect and mitigate Rocke Group’s implants." Pacha v RockeRocke Group's crypomining malware also contains a “kill list” of its own which helps it find and shutdown any previously running cryptojacking malware. Pacha Group has responded by adding a list of hardcoded IP addresses to Linux.GreedyAntd's blacklist that will block the competing criminal group's cryptominers by routing their traffic back to the compromised machines. The malware strains of both groups come with shared capabilities such as the ability to search for and disable cloud security and monitoring products from Tencent Cloud and Alibaba Cloud, support for the Libprocesshider lightweight user-mode kit and an exploit used to abuse an Atlassian vulnerability. Cloud infrastructure could face further threats according to Sanmillan, who explained: "We believe that these findings are relevant within the context of raising awareness about cloud-native threats, particularly on vulnerable Linux servers. While threat actor groups are competing with one another, this evidence may suggest that threats to cloud infrastructure are increasing."
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| iPad price cut at Walmart: save up to $100 on the newest Apple iPad Posted: 10 May 2019 11:55 AM PDT The latest model Apple iPad is getting a rare discount at Walmart. For a limited time, you can get the 2018 Apple iPad on sale for $249. That's an $80 price cut and the best price found for the 32GB tablet. If you'd like more storage, Walmart also has the 128GB iPad on sale for $329. Like we mentioned above, if you're looking for a tablet with more storage, Walmart also has the Apple iPad with 128GB of storage on sale for $329. That's the best price we've seen for the latest model tablet. Interested in other iPad models? We've listed even more of the cheapest iPad deals that are currently available. We also have the best cheap Amazon Kindle deals if you're after an e-reader. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Will iOS 13 mean iPhone 6, iPhone SE and iPhone 5S users will be heartbroken? Posted: 10 May 2019 11:04 AM PDT If you're a user of the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone SE or iPhone 5S... look away now, as a rumor has suggested that Apple's new iOS 13 won't be coming to your phone. And the bad news doesn't stop there - if you've got an iPad Mini 2 or the iPad Air, you'll be equally disappointed, as a large swathe of devices are reportedly going to be consigned to the 'un-updated' bin from 2019.
The unpleasant report comes from iPhonesoft.fr, citing a developer 'friend' who works with Apple on the app plans - so, as ever, this news can't be confirmed until WWDC 2019 rolls around and we hear it from the mouths of the Apple executives. It would make sense though, as Apple supported the iPhone 5S on iOS 12 when many expected it to fall by the wayside due to its age. Moreover, by dropping the iPhone 6 this year, it's essentially jumping back onto the 'schedule of obsolescence' that it's been using for years, losing phones five years old. However, it would equally be surprising given the efforts Apple made to highlight how it wanted to support older devices - although getting software updates for four years isn't too bad for a phone that was discontinued in 2016. The quality conundrumThe thing is, Apple's older phones hold their value incredibly well and even when they're discontinued by Apple, they still are sold by third-party vendors in relatively high numbers, so the Cupertino brand would be making life difficult for itself by dropping the iPhone 6 (which was one of the most popular iPhones yet). Then again, it's fair for a brand to stop supporting older models if it wants to introduce new, power-hungry features that only newer devices can handle - after all, with the smartphone market contracting Apple needs to make sure that the iPhone 11 is a big hit. Giving it fancy new features, whether that's in augmented reality (AR) or smarter image processing capabilities, will require more power and could degrade the experience of the older phones. We'll need to wait another month to see what emerges at WWDC, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see the list of iPhones supported for iOS 13 stops at the iPhone 6S. Via: 9to5Mac This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| "Unhackable" USB stick was leaking passwords Posted: 10 May 2019 10:37 AM PDT Claiming your product is “unhackable” is a sure fire way to attract the attention of security researchers aiming to prove you wrong which is exactly what happened recently to the eyeDisk USB drive. In its Kickstarter campaign, eyeDisk claimed to be an “unhackable” USB flash drive that keeps “your digital data locked and secure, granting access to only you” through the use of iris recognition technology and AES-256 encryption. The company offered more details on how its USB drive is able to fend off hacking attempts on its Kickstarter page, saying: “We developed our own iris recognition algorithm so that no one can hack your USB drive even they have your iris pattern. Your personal iris data used for identification will never be retrieved or duplicated even if your USB is lost.”
Hacking the unhackableAccording to Pen Test Partners researcher David Lodge, eyeDisk's “unhackable” claims fall short as he was able to bypass the device's security measures fairly quickly after obtaining one for himself. Lodge began his tests on the device by plugging it into a Windows VM where the USB drive appeared as a USB camera, a read-only flash volume and a removable media volume. First he tested the eyeDisk's iris scanner to see if it could be used to consistently unlock the device and this feature worked as advertised roughly two out of three times. Then Lodge tried to fool the device by using a picture of his child (who has a similar iris scan) to unlock it and once again, the device performed as intended. However, when the researcher began to examine eyeDisk's software and hardware setup, the real problems emerged since the device is essentially “a USB stick with a hub and camera attached.” The contents stored on the eyeDisk drive are unlocked when the authenticator element passes a password along to the controlling software. Lodge used the open-source packet analyzer, Wireshark to see if he could sniff out the USB packets being sent from the device. It was then when he realized that the “unhackable” device unlocks by sending these passwords in clear text. This means that its possible to obtain the password/hash in clear text simply by sniffing the USB traffic sent from the eyeDisk. Pen Test Partners reached out to the eyeDisk team and the firm provided the full details of the security problems discovered to the manufacturer who says they're working on a fix for the problem. However, the real lesson here is that using the term “unhackable” is just an open invitation to hackers that businesses would be best to avoid using in the future.
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| This TechRadar exclusive Huawei Mate 20 Pro deal is absolutely unbeatable Posted: 10 May 2019 09:15 AM PDT With both the Huawei P30 and P30 Pro now out and dominating the world of mobile phone deals, it is easy to forget about another piece of Huawei's brilliant innovation - the Mate 20 Pro. But forget no longer, because Mobile Phones Direct has just dropped a Huawei Mate 20 Pro deal to blow everything else out the water. And the best part? It's exclusive to TechRadar readers so you won't find it anywhere else. Coming in at just £34 a month with absolutely no upfront bills, this is already a great price for one of the world's best smartphones. But take into account the 30GB of data and nothing can touch it. You can see this deal in full below or check out our guide to the best mobile phone deals to see just how much you're saving.
This big data Mate 20 Pro deal in full:What's so good about the Mate 20 Pro?The Mate 20 Pro may not be Huawei's newest device anymore but we're not going to lie to you, it is still one of the best phones out there. Whether it's the top of the line specs, three high powered cameras, in-screen fingerprint scanner or the reverse charging, there is a lot to love with this device. Read our review on the Huawei Mate 20 Pro There really is only one downside...the price. But this deal knocks that price way down, making this one of the cheaper phablet options currently available.
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| Cofense: Why it’s time for everyone to defend against phishing Posted: 10 May 2019 09:05 AM PDT Employees of all levels can be harnessed to help protect their organisations from falling victim to the next big phishing attack, leading security experts have said. Speaking to TechRadar Pro this week, Aaron Higbee, CTO of Cofense, says it’s not just the responsibility of IT teams or security experts to spot threats - particularly as many phishing attacks now target low-level employees. “What (companies) are not paying attention to is that today’s phishing attacks are quite different,” he told us. “The things that our customers are facing today are remarkably different than what they were facing a year and a half ago.”
SmarterCofense operates a range of services that lets anyone within an organisation flag potential phishing threats, and Higbee notes that in contrast to recent reports, the company has detected a rise in hackers going after low-level employees rather than the traditional c-level targets. “It's that social engineering aspect where these guys are just getting smarter and smarter, which means we need to continuously adapt the way in which we're educating our workforce of what to look at.” Finance-related emails remain a popular tactic, with businesses in all verticals capable of falling victim to a payroll or benefits-related scam email. But worryingly for many companies, that’s not all. “There's innovation happening from the attackers perspective - the attack are quite different even to just a year ago,” Higbee says. “What ends up happening is an attacker will have some degree of success with a tactic until they're sufficiently frustrated by some defense automated awareness - and at that point they have to change,” he adds - noting that this is often when organisations can be most at threat. “An organisation is exposed because they have to wait for the defense technologies to notice that to implement effects to test the effects, roll it out - and during that dwell time, those phishing attacks are successful.”
(Image credit: Shutterstock) Higbee notes that Cofense looks to help bring different areas of the workforce together in helping keeping everyone safe from phishing threats. “The problem is, you're never done - threat actors are relentlessly innovating to develop new ways to bypass the gate, so you have to continuously evolve your approaches.” “One of the mantras that I think we've done a good job at destroying was the human is the weakest link,” he says. “We want to help you identify who is good at spotting phishing away from just IT people...If you can figure out who your stars are, and operationalise their insight and their intuition, you can stay on top of that.” “If you double click into what the phishing threat landscape is, it has changed remarkably, and it continues to evolve,” Higbee says, “For an infosec person, it's almost tedious, it's an annoyance that we still haven't solved this problem!”
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| Britain went a whole week without coal power for the first time since 1882 Posted: 10 May 2019 09:00 AM PDT For the first time since the late 19th century, Britain has gone for an entire week without using coal-generated electricity. The National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO), which which runs the network in England, Scotland and Wales, confirmed that on May 8 that Great Britain has not used any coal for the production of electricity for a full seven days – a landmark figure of 168 hours without coal-powered electricity. There have been over 1,000 hours of coal-free electricity production so far in 2019.
The UK government has already committed to dramatically reducing coal-generated power. The long-term aim is to completely phase out the use of coal by 2025, and for the UK to be the first major economy to pass legislation for net-zero emissions. National Grid ESO says it believes that it will be able to operate the British electrical system on a zero carbon basis. The UK has been gradually moving towards higher use of renewable energy sources, but coal-powered stations still exist as a backup. The new normalNational Grid ESO says that we should expected periods without coal usage to become increasingly common in the future. In a statement sent to TechRadar, company director Fintan Slye said: "While this is the first time this has happened, I predict it will become the 'new normal'." This is something that is welcomed by environmental groups and industry bodies. Slye explained that new technology has been key to making progress. "Zero carbon operation of the electricity system by 2025 means a fundamental change to how our system was designed to operate – integrating newer technologies right across the system – from large scale off-shore wind to domestic scale solar panels to increased demand side participation, using new smart digital systems to manage and control the system in real-time." He added: "To help us reach today's significant milestone, we have been working with industry over the last few years to ensure the services we require to operate the network are not dependent on coal. "We have been forecasting the closure of coal plant and reduced running for some time – due to us having to manage more renewables on the system. Transmission owners have invested in their networks accordingly and we have refined our operational strategies and real time operation of the network to ensure continued secure and economic operation." The race to net-zeroRenewableUK is the trade association for the renewables industry, promoting the adoption of clean energy systems. In a statement to TechRadar, deputy chief executive Emma Pinchbeck says that wind and other renewable energy sources are playing an important role in reducing carbon emissions: "Wind has become a mainstream power source for the UK, providing up to 35% of our electricity over the weekend. "Renewables overall are playing a leading role in our energy mix – and have been crucial to phasing out dirty coal. The coal phase out is just the beginning of a move away from fossil fuels to low carbon living, to avoid the enormous risks of climate disruption. Last week, the Committee on Climate Change said we can only achieve net-zero emissions with a massive increase in renewables. "Government has been told to act now to build on the coal phase out, investing in our world-leading renewable industry and the jobs it brings, including technologies that are absent from Government policy, from innovative wave and tidal to cheap onshore wind." But, while there is an increasing shift to the use of renewables, in phasing out the use of coal, there's also been an increase in the use of gas-powered electricity. This is still a concern, and the 2008 Climate Change Act requires an 80% reduction in emissions from 1990's levels by 2050. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Panasonic TV lineup 2019: all the OLED and LCD televisions coming this year Posted: 10 May 2019 08:31 AM PDT Want to know all the Panasonic TVs coming your way in 2019? Look no further, as TechRadar has your exhaustive, definitive, all-round perfect round-up of this year's Panasonic TVs – now that several OLED and LCD televisions have been announced for release in the coming months. Back in January, Panasonic showed up to the CES 2019 expo with a new range of 4K Blu-ray players and audio gadgets, but in terms of televisions, the company is focusing attention on the GZ2000 – what Panasonic is calling 'the world's most cinematic TV' – an OLED TV with color tuning straight out of Hollywood. We’ve since got more details on an additional three OLED televisions, which all share the same panel and processor, but vary in model sizes and the level of audio quality on offer. There are also a number of upgrades to last year’s 4K HDR TVs, with a new range of ‘GX’ sets replacing the FX750, FX740, FX700, and FX600 – and a couple of Full HD models too as seen below. Keep in mind that Panasonic no longer ships to the United States, though we'll be seeing these sets come to the UK, EU, Canada, and Australia. For more info on what makes a Panasonic TV panel tick, and the 2019 Panasonic TVs coming slated for release this year, read on below.
Image Credit: TechRadar Panasonic 2019 TV technologyThe future of Panasonic looks… organic. While the Japanese manufacturer only released two OLED models last year, it’s doubled down with a total four sets packed with ‘organic LED’ panels, which use an organic film able to emit its own light, rather than using a backlight on a regular LCD display. Like Sony or LG, Panasonic is increasingly looking to OLED panels for its premium TVs, making use of the technology’s deeper black levels and improved contrast for a richer, more color-accurate image. Three of its four OLED models actually use an identical panel, but vary the speakers built into the TV – with some ditching a slim form factor in order to offer a higher-grade audio performance. (The upward-firing speakers running up the back of the GZ2000 resemble something of a chimney.)
HCX Pro Intelligent Processor. Image Credit: TechRadar Each of the new OLED TVs feature an upgraded HCX PRO Intelligent Processor, building on the HCX chip used in 2018's OLEDs. With every OLED panel technically being produced by the same manufacturer – LG – the way the images are processed has become an important way for manufacturers to distinguish their premium sets from the competition. Panasonic says that the HCX chip offers good quality thanks to its 'Dynamic LUT' (or look-up table) system. This monitors the brightness of each scene in a film to deliver the best color accuracy. Panasonic is also making much of its links to Hollywood production studios, with the flagship GZ2000 model featuring color correction from colorist Stefan Sonnenfeld.
Panasonic displays are used by some of Hollywood's leading colorists. Image Credit: TechRadar Manufacturers are increasingly pressured to support all the various HDR formats out there, and Panasonic is pushing out the boat. All the OLED sets this year (and some LCD) include voice commands through Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa, Dolby Atmos audio, support for Dolby Vision and HDR10+ video formats. Panasonic is also bundling in Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG) broadcasts (which are coded in both SDR and HDR) and the very different HLG photo format (for showing Lumix camera stills on Panasonic 4K TVs). Compare that to last year's OLEDs from Panasonic – FZ950 and FZ800 – neither of which supported Dolby Vision, even as Panasonic brings the enhanced HDR format to more of its 4K Blu-ray players. Panasonic OLED TVs 2019
Panasonic GZ2000 (2019). Image Credit: TechRadar GZ2000 OLED (available in 55, 65 inches): The first TV announcement of 2019, the GZ2000 is Panasonic's top-range 4K OLED, building on tech from last year's FZ800/FZ950 sets and new HCX Pro chip. It features color tuning from a leading Hollywood colorist for "unparalleled color accuracy", along with a whole load of video and audio formats supported – and upward-firing speakers tuned by Technics. Scheduled for release in July. GZ1500 OLED (available in 55, 65 inches): Second in line for the OLED throne. Unlike the GZ2000’s custom panel, this set gets a standard-issue OLED display also found in the GZ1000 and GZ950, and front-firing Dolby Atmos speakers for some high-quality audio. Scheduled for release in June. GZ1000 / GZ950 OLED (available in 55, 65 inches): Same panel as above, with 50W speakers built into the rear instead of facing the viewer - and likely to be cheaper because of it. The GZ950 and GZ1000 models differ only in the stands, with the former featuring a cylindrical pole and the latter using an L-shaped support. Panasonic 4K HDR TVs 2019
GX920 / GX940 LED (2019). Image Credit: TechRadar GX920 / GX940 4K HDR LED (available in 75 inches): The only LED set packing in the new HCX Pro processor, and available only in 75 inches for those after a truly big picture. The single size might seem limiting, but Panasonic is expecting most people after a premium TV to make the move to OLED. GX920 in the UK, GX940 in the EU and Canada, and scheduled for release in May. GX800 LED (available in 40, 50, 59, 65 inches): The next set down sticks with the HCX chip used in last year’s OLED range, and offers a wide range of sizes. Comes with all the same Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, HLG and HDR support as higher models, even at its smallest 40-inch size. GX700 LED (available in 40, 50, 58, 65 inches): A 4K HDR television without the bells and whistles – meaning you won’t get support for Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, the likes of Alexa and Google Assistant, or the more advanced Home Screen 4.0 smart interface. Expect a sharp price drop from the GX800, and a release date around June. GX560 LED (available in 65 inches): One of the more basic smart TVs on the lineup, though you still get access to Freeview Play and other streaming catchup services. Scheduled for release in June. GX550 LED (available in 43, 49, 55 inches): Same kind of 4K entry point as above. Scheduled for release in June. Panasonic Full HD TVs 2019GS352 LED (available in 32, 43 inches): Don’t need or want 4K Ultra HD resolution? Panasonic is also releasing a couple of 1080p Smart TVs at more compact, practical sizes. Expect support for HDR10, HLG, and not much else. Scheduled for release in April. G302 LED (available in 24, 32, 43 inches): The only ‘dumb’ TV on the list, the G302 is an HD set without internet connectivity, and therefore comes with Freeview HD for TV viewing rather than the online catch-up service Freeview Play. Scheduled for release in July. Check back regularly to see the latest Panasonic TVs as they're announced. In the meantime, why not watch our TV buying guide video below? Everything you need to know about the new TV launches of 2019: The Philips TV range 2019: everything you need to know from OLED+ to ‘The One’ Sony TV lineup 2019: every Sony Bravia and Master Series set coming this year LG TV catalog 2019: here’s every LG TV model coming this year Samsung TV catalog 2019: here’s every new Samsung TV coming in 2019 Hisense TV lineup 2019: the year of ULED television This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Shop Idol 2019 - Announcing our National Finalists Posted: 10 May 2019 08:13 AM PDT Shop Idol, in partnership with Samsung, sees staff from every major mobile retailer compete to be crowned the best sales and customer service agent in the UK. Now in its 15th year, the winner of Shop Idol 2019 will be announced at the Mobile Industry Awards on June 6th. Contestants enter Shop Idol for different reasons – for many it’s the opportunity to boost their career, for others, it’s a chance to prove to themselves and their company what they’re capable of. Over the last six months, contestants have been mystery shopped and voted for to decide the regional finalists, who then last week went head-to-head in four rounds of challenging tasks in front of the judges. Six stand-out candidates from each region went through to final, where they will now compete for the coveted Shop Idol 2019 title. Congratulations to our 12 finalists:- Benjamin Stoner, O2 - Grant Miller, Three Retail - Hannah Cast, EE - Hannah Darby, Three UK - Kieron Clouston, Three Retail - Max Clemens, Three UK - Ricardo Fonthina, O2 - Dan Daianu, EE - Gary Musgrave, O2 - Gavin Mooney, O2 - Matthew Mason, EE - Sam O'Grady, O2 Shop Idol is the only competition of its kind, and since its launch in 2003, over 3,000 competitors have taken part in the Mystery Shops, interviews and challenges to determine their product knowledge, customer service skills and of course, their sales acumen! We look forward to welcoming these finalists back for the grand finale where 12 will be whittled down to 6. The winner will be crowned Shop Idol 2019 at the Mobile Industry Awards at the Royal Lancaster in London on 6th June. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Best cloud storage of 2019 online: free, paid and business options Posted: 10 May 2019 08:05 AM PDT Businesses and consumers are increasingly reliant on cloud based storage solutions instead of in-house, on-premise local storage hardware. Your files are stored in the cloud, which is a simplified view of what is essentially someone else's infrastructure (data center, server, hard drive, connectivity etc). Ever since Amazon popularised storage online with S3 (Simple Storage Service), 13 years ago, Google data shows that interest for "Cloud Storage" alone has increased by 40x over the past decade. So much so that people less frequently refer to it as "online storage". Given the multitude of cloud storage providers out there, one has to wisely choose a provider who will offer the maximum amount of low-cost storage and bandwidth, while still keeping your data safe. This list represents our top picks for cloud storage: most offer a free tier allowing you to see if they're right for you before handing over any hard-earned cash. Business users will need to consider carefully what their needs are as terms and conditions as well as quality of service is likely to differ significantly from their consumer alter ego. Go straight to your desired option through the jump links below:
IDrive secures servers, desktop system and mobile devices with equal aplomb (Image credit: IDrive) IDrive offers continuous syncing of your files, even those on network drives. The web interface supports sharing files by email, Facebook and Twitter. Cautious or click-happy users will be pleased to hear that files deleted from your computer are not automatically deleted from the server, so there's less danger of removing something important by accident. Up to 30 previous versions of all files backed to your account are retained.
Another thing to note is that IT admins have access to IDrive Thin Client application, which allows them to backup/restore, manage settings, and more for all their connected computers via a centralized dashboard. For photos, you have a neat facial recognition feature that helps you to automatically organize them as well as syncing them across all your lined devices. IDrive also offers IDrive Express which sends you a physical hard disk drive if you lose all your data, allowing for the swift restoration of all your backed up files. That applies to the newly introduced disk image backup feature. A business version exists and offers priority support, single sign-on as well as unlimited users and server backup.
pCloud delivers an affordable Cloud storage facility with a selection of apps (Image credit: pCloud) While some bandwidth limits apply, there seems to be no limit to the size of files you can upload, so feel free to sync large media files with pCloud. The service is available for all desktop and mobile platforms – users can also log in via the website. The company itself is registered in Switzerland which has strong privacy laws and you can also pay a premium of $4.99 a month for pCloud Crypto to lock (and unlock) individual files with passwords. Note that it is one of the very few cloud services that offer lifetime subscriptions. The latter come with 30 days trash history and unlimited remote upload traffic (you only need the URL of the file); you are - as expected - limited on the download link traffic: 500GB for the Premium package and 2TB for the Premium Plus package.
Image credit: Zoolz There are lots of things to like about Zoolz Cloud Backup for both personal use and business deployment. It offers an easy to follow interface with excellent web management options, and the ability to combine cloud operations with local external storage. This UK-based company leverages Amazon’s Glacier infrastructure to deliver a compelling price/performance ratio, with prices far cheaper than the competition. With 20PB of data stored for three million users for more than a decade, Zoolz is also not as ephemeral as some of its rivals.
Image credit: Degoo Swedish outfit Degoo is not a household name, and therefore it comes as a surprise that it has managed to carve itself a niche inside the ultra-competitive cloud storage market. With only two offerings, this outfit has managed to attract more than 15 million users globally since its inception earlier in 2019 – an estimated 20,000 people join Degoo every day. It is one of the few cloud storage companies worldwide that encrypts stored files and disperses them across four different continents. It also supports two-factor authentication via the Google sign-in.
Image credit: Mega With an insanely generous free tier and a simple drag-and-drop interface, New Zealand-based Mega is one of the cloud storage heavyweights. There's a handy mobile app to allow you to upload files and photos, as well as sync clients with desktop machines. The company also has business tailored plans. Mega claims that all data stored in its cloud is encrypted on your device before it reaches the firm’s servers. As the company has released the source code to its sync client, experts can check that there are no vulnerabilities. Price: 50GB free. 200GB for $6 a month (£4.50, €4.99, around AU$7.50). 1TB for $12 a month (£9, €9.99, around AU$16). 4TB for $23 a month (£17, €19.99, around AU$30). 8TB for $35 a month (£26, €29.99, around AU$46).
Image credit: Microsoft OneDrive is integrated into Windows 10's File Explorer. You don't have to download an additional app – it's there to use out of the box, which is obviously very convenient for those who have made the jump to Microsoft’s newest operating system. Microsoft's Photos app can also use OneDrive to sync pictures across all your devices. As of late March, Autodesk AutoCAD has been integrated with OneDrive which is good news for anyone using the software's drafting tools. There's an app for Android and iOS devices, and there's even one in the App Store for Mac users (although it has received mixed reviews). Price: 5GB free. 50GB for $3 a month (£1.99, around AU$4). 1TB for $8 a month (£5.99, around AU$11). Unlimited (as part of Onedrive for Business) for $11 a month (£7.99, around AU$14)
Image credit: Apple If you want to back up your iPhone to iCloud, you'll need more than the free 5GB allowance Apple gives you, but compared to rivals iCloud prices are very reasonable. The Mac Finder app integrates iCloud Drive, where you can store any files you wish. Documents created in the iWork office suite are also saved to iCloud and can sync across your devices. Windows users can also sync their files with iCloud Drive using the official client, and access the iWork apps on the iCloud website. Price: 5GB free. 50GB for $0.99 a month (£0.79, AU$1.49). 200GB for $2.99 (£2.24, AU$4). 2TB for $9.99 (£8, AU$13)
Image credit: Google Google Drive is a natural choice for owners of Android devices as it's already integrated, but users of other platforms may appreciate the generous free storage too. You can also store high definition photos on your mobile phone with companion app Google Photos, and make use of Google's own office suite (now known as G Suite). Also, upgrading to paid Google Drive plans is now called Google One (although it might not yet be available, depending on the region). Downsides include the fact that the web interface isn't very easy-to-use, although Windows and Mac users can download a desktop app to drag-and-drop files easily. Price: 15GB free. 100GB for $1.99 a month (£1.59, around AU$2.50). 200GB for $2.99 a month (£2.35, around AU$4.10). 2TB for $9.99 a month (£8, around AU$13). 10TB for $99.99 a month (£74, around AU$130). 20TB for $199.99 a month (£148, around AU$260). 30TB for $299.99 a month (£236, around AU$426).
Image credit: Box Box's website currently seems to be pushing its Business plans as clicking ‘sign up’ takes you to the pricing page where for $15 per user (£11, around AU$19) you can benefit from advanced collaboration options and unlimited storage. But there is a 10GB free option, too. As Box has been around for a while, it is supported by a number of mainstream apps such as Google Docs and Office 365. It's also integrated with G-Suite, which means Docs, Sheets and Slides are automatically saved and managed in Box. Additionally, like OneDrive, it's also been integrated with AutoCAD. The Box Sync client is available from the Downloads page for Mac and Windows, plus there's also an official Android client. Price: 10GB free. 100GB for around $10 a month (£7.50, around AU$13)
Image credit: NextCloud NextCloud isn’t an online cloud storage provider itself, but offers free software to download and install a cloud storage service on your own server. Using a server on your home network for cloud storage is much faster. You can also enable encryption and make sure the information never leaves your home network, which is far safer. If you've no server or IT experience, you can even purchase a preconfigured NextCloud Box (if you can find one) which comes with a 1TB hard drive and will work with an inexpensive Raspberry Pi board to keep your data synced. Unfortunately, NextCloud Box is sold out but you can check out the alternatives on their website Price: Free to install and use. Self-hosting so storage costs vary.
Image credit: SpiderOak SpiderOak is part of a new trend of zero knowledge cloud storage providers. The website claims that after installing the client your data is encrypted before syncing. Unfortunately since SpiderOak hasn’t made the client source code public, there's no way to confirm this. The SpiderOakOne client is available for Windows, Mac and Linux as well as Android and iOS (although, both Android and iOS are read-only apps, meaning you can only view files, and can't upload or sync anything). You can also log in via the web interface but privacy lovers may prefer not to as it exposes your password to SpiderOak employees. Price: 21-day free trial. 150GB for $6 a month (around £4.5, AU$8.25). 400GB for $11 a month (around £8.4, AU$15). 2TB for $14 a month (around £10.7, AU$19.25). 5TB for $29 a month (around £22.1, AU$39.9)
Best free cloud storage
Image credit: Google Free storage allowance: 15GB (expandable) If you're a Google user, you already benefit from Google Drive integration, such as the ability to save email attachments from Gmail. However, anyone can sign up for the free cloud storage, even if they don't have a Gmail address, by creating a new Google account. Google is also in a process of releasing Google One as a sort of substitution for Google Drive, although depending on your region it might not be available yet. With 15GB of space for new users, Google Drive is one of the more generous cloud offerings, and there are occasional ways to boost this capacity free of charge. The catch is that this Google storage space is also shared with a user’s other Google services including Gmail and Google Photos. Mobile apps are available to allow easy access for iOS and Android users, and Google’s Backup and Sync desktop app lets you synchronize files from your PC to the cloud. Google Drive also includes online office tools for word processing, spreadsheets and presentations which can makes sharing files with others effortless.
Image credit: pCloud Free storage allowance: 10GB (expandable) You might not recognize the name, but if you're looking for a decent chunk of cloud storage free of charge, pCloud could be just the ticket. To kick things off, you're given a fairly generous 10GB to play with, and there's a bandwidth allowance of 50GB of downlink traffic per month. While we're primarily interested in the free version of pCloud, note that you can upgrade to 500GB of space for a monthly plan of $4.99 (£3.70), or 2TB for $9.99 (£7.50) a month – both of which are great deals for storage. You also have annual and lifetime plans, which are a cheaper option in the long run. The initial 10GB free offering can also be expanded up to 20GB via an additional 4GB for completion of offers, as well as referrals that add 1GB each. It’s also worth noting that pCloud offers well-designed desktop and mobile apps that supplement the website for seamless integration into a user’s workflow. With no limit on file sizes, and simple sharing options, pCloud is a great way to send large files to friends and colleagues – it's even possible to share with people who aren't using the service themselves. Add in decent streaming options and a neat online interface, and pCloud is well worth a look.
Image credit: Microsoft Free storage allowance: 5GB Coming from Microsoft – a company with plenty of money to throw at the cloud – it's a little disappointing to find that OneDrive doesn’t include more space free of charge. Free users get a mere 5GB of storage, although it's relatively inexpensive to increase this to 50GB. If you have Office 365, you'll automatically get boosted to 1TB of space, but not everyone wants an Office subscription. Like Google Drive's appeal to Google users, OneDrive will be a good fit for anyone who is committed to using Microsoft's services. There's neat integration with Outlook.com, for instance. It's also integrated with non-Microsoft services like AutoCAD. OneDrive also ties in nicely with Windows 10, and there is a selection of reasonable mobile apps to facilitate access on the move. It's possible to share files with other people even if they aren't OneDrive users (complete with customizable permissions), and the ability to edit files online without downloading them is a welcome touch.
Image credit: Dropbox Free storage allowance: 2GB (expandable) Dropbox is a stalwart of the free cloud storage world, with a web interface that remains streamlined and easy-to-use. Despite its popularity, Dropbox actually has one of the least generous free packages for new users (just 2GB), but there are various ways to boost this space without paying, including inviting friends to join (you get 500MB per referral up to 16GB), completing the Getting Started guide (250MB) and contributing to the Dropbox forum (which elicits 1GB per 'Mighty Answer' provided). DropBox really comes into its own when you start delving into the service’s extra features. There's a great collaborative working tool called Dropbox Paper that acts as a group workspace, and – if you install the desktop app – you can back up photos automatically. The File Requests feature also allows you to request another user to upload a file to your Dropbox account. There are desktop apps for Windows, Mac and Linux, and mobile apps including Android, iOS and even Kindle. This gives Dropbox broad appeal, as does the support for third-party apps and services. The web version of Dropbox lets you edit files without needing to download them, and really the only thing that counts against the cloud storage service is that most alternatives offer more space to free users.
Image credit: MediaFire Free storage allowance: 10GB (expandable) MediaFire has been around for over a decade, and those years of experience really show. You're given 10GB of free space initially, but you can boost this by an extra 40GB through activities like referring friends and following MediaFire's social media accounts. Few people would disagree that 50GB of free cloud storage is impressive. Free accounts carry ads, but this is a small sacrifice to make. There's support for large files up to 20GB, and the sharing options are very impressive, even allowing sharing with non-users. The web-based interface is excellent too, and MediaFire offers mobile apps for convenient uploading and downloading on iOS and Android. These make it easy to access files you're storing in the cloud, and include convenient features such as automatic photo syncing.
Best business cloud storage
Image credit: SpiderOak SpiderOak is a collaboration tool, online backup and file hosting service founded in 2007. The platform allows users to access, synchronize and share data using a cloud-based server. The company places a strong emphasis on data security and privacy. They offer a cloud storage, online backup and sharing service which they claim uses a ‘zero knowledge’ privacy environment. This means the client is the only one who can view all stored data. Not even SpiderOak themselves have access to your data. SpiderOak’s main focus is on privacy and security. As a result, the tool itself has a very basic design. This makes the admin console and all central device management very straightforward to use. They also include a handy drag and drop feature for organising files. From the centralized device management dashboard, users can access settings for all applications such as backup selection and sharing. The dashboard also allows users to manage their accounts, set group permissions and gain insight into usage. Prospective business clients will need to contact SpiderOak’s Sales Team directly to obtain a quote. 500 users minimum is required. Online commentators have observed that SpiderOak lacks many of the collaboration tools available from other cloud storage providers.
Image credit: Tresorit Tresorit is a cloud storage provider based in Hungary and Switzerland. It was founded in 2011. The provider emphasizes enhanced security and data encryption for businesses and personal users alike. If you are concerned with ensuring that your stored data is kept safe online then Tresorit is the service for you. This provider allows you to keep control of your files through ‘zero-knowledge encryption’ meaning that only you and the chosen few you decide to share with can ever see your data. Your Tresorit account can also be secured by two-factor authentication login. Furthermore, you also have features like Document Scanner which securely scans and uploads documents directly to Tresorit. Tresorit’s ‘Small Business’ Packages starts at $25 (£19.60) per month (or $20 monthly for the annual plan) for teams with 2-9 users. This includes 1000GB encrypted storage, secure access on up to 10 devices and synching of existing folder structure. Tresorit’s ‘Business’ plan begins at $30 (£23.30) per month (or $24 monthly for the annual plan) for businesses with over 10 users. This comes with extras such as digital rights management, remote wipe and phone support. At the time of writing there is a 50% discount on "Business plan", so you can pay as low as $12 (£9.4) per month The ‘Enterprise’ tier weighs in at $34 (£26.65) per month (or $27 monthly for the annual plan) for businesses with more than 100 users. Extras included in this are personalized staff training, admin API and on-premises deployment. In order to sign up for this plan, users need to contact Tresorit directly. All tiers come with a 14-day free trial. The extra security offered by Tresorit makes it relatively expensive compared to other cloud backup solutions. However most users will probably appreciate the greater piece of mind and extra features offered by Tresorit.
Image credit: Egnyte Egnyte was founded in 2007. The company provides software for enterprise file synchronization and sharing. Egnyte allows businesses to store their data locally and online. All types of data can be stored in the cloud, whilst data of a more sensitive nature can be stored on servers on-premise. This makes for better security. Business teams can work how and where they want with an easy to use collaboration system through Egnyte’s content services platform. Egnyte integrates with popular industry applications such as Office 365 or Gmail. This allows both remote and internal employees to access all files with ease. Egnyte’s ‘Office’ plan starts at $8 (£6.21) per employee per month. This covers 5-25 employees, 5TB of storage and 10GB max file size. The ‘Business’ packages starts at $15 (£11.65) per employee per month. This includes 25-100 employees, 10TB online storage and 10GB max file size. In order to take advantage of their ‘Enterprise tier’, which includes over 100 employees, 25GB max file size and unlimited storage, you will need to contact Egnyte directly. Egnyte offer a 15-day free trial for all packages. Users have observed that some files, such as photos, can take a long time to load.
Image credit: Dropbox Dropbox is one of the oldest cloud storage providers. It was founded in 2007. To date it is one of the simplest storage providers to use. Dropbox can be installed on most computers or devices and syncs easily between apps. The app can store almost any kind of file while never having any issues with compatibility. You can drag and drop files into the desktop app with ease. You can also share files with other users easily through links. These can be shared with users who don’t have a Dropbox account. As Dropbox has been around for a long time it integrates with most other apps such as MS Office and Slack. All files and folders can be shared with other users even if they are not part of your account. These users will be limited to their own plan's storage limits. Dropbox Business can be connected to your personal account so you can access all your files in once place. Personal account feature "automatic camera upload" is now also available to Business accounts, as of November 2018. The dashboard is simple and easy to use. From here, admins can see how many team members they have as well as any pending invites. You can restrict sharing, and allow/block commenting as you see fit. The dashboard allows you to access settings and to monitor usage. Dropbox offers a 30-day free trial which asks for your payment details. Your plan will automatically upgrade after the trial at which point your card is charged. The ‘Standard’ plan starts at $12.50 (£9.71) per user per month starting at 3 users and includes 3TB storage. The ‘Advanced’ package begins at $20 (£15.70) per user per month with unlimited storage. In order to subscribe to the ‘Enterprise’ tier, users will need to contact Dropbox directly. Some users have commented on the lack of online editing tools.
Image credit: Box Box is a cloud content management and file sharing service for businesses. It was founded in 2005. Box offers strong management capabilities and security features. The interface is made for ease of use and is simple to navigate. The dashboard allows access to settings, files and folders. Admins can manage all users, monitors activity and control sharing. As Box has been around for a while, it is supported by a number of mainstream apps such as Google Docs and Office 365. The Box Sync client is available from the Downloads page for Mac and Windows. There's also an official Android client. Box offers a 14-day free trial for all packages. Their ‘Starter’ plan is priced at $5 (£3.88) per user per month. This includes 100GB secure storage, 2GB file upload with a maximum of 10 users. The ‘Business’ plan starts at $15 (£11.80) per user per month which includes unlimited storage, 5GB file upload and no maximum number of users. The ‘Business Plus’ package is $25 (£19.60) per user per month and comes with unlimited storage, 5GB file upload and unlimited external collaborators. In order to subscribe to Box’s ‘Enterprise’ plan, users will have to contact them directly for a quote. If you choose to share files external users are limited to read-only access.
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| Dolby Vision: the new HDR format for home TVs Posted: 10 May 2019 08:03 AM PDT Update: Dolby Vision's premium HDR format is starting to pop up in some unexpected places beyond the world of TV screens – first in the Xbox One S and Xbox One X gaming consoles, as well as the all-new iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. But what's so exciting about Dolby Vision, and why should it be on your TV, let alone your smartphone? We've run you through everything you need to know in the article below. Dolby Vision is the game-changing advancement to TVs that we've needed for the past decade. Yes, 4K has given us additional pixels, but it's HDR that has made those pixels really shine in a way they never have before. Dolby Vision, in more or less words, is the jet-engine fuel that powers the best-looking content on Earth. It's the format that more studios are turning to and harnessing its potential to deliver colorful, dynamic and calculated images on a scene-by-scene basis. All of which will show up on your TV at home. If you haven't heard of Dolby Vision before today, that's OK. It's a technology that's still rolling out to producers, and has just recently permeated the TVs, consoles, smartphones and Blu-ray players you bring into your home. It's new, yes, but from what we've experienced, it's exactly what home cinema needs to match the silver screen. Best of all? It's available for you to bring home right now. What is Dolby Vision?Dolby Vision is a type of HDR – probably the second most popular after the ubiquitous HDR10 standard that's included on all HDR TVs and players. And while it bases a lot of its technology on the basic HDR standard (Dolby played a key role in the development on it after all), it's a better solution. The main improvement from an end-user’s perspective is that it places an additional layer of information on top of a core HDR10 video signal which contains scene-by-scene information which Dolby Vision-capable TVs can use to improve the way they present their pictures. This means better brights and darker blacks, and this enables TVs to display the full range of colors in the Rec. 2020 standard. If HDR blows you away now, wait until you see Dolby Vision.
We’ve seen Dolby Vision already in the UK on a handful of Netflix and Amazon video streams, and it’s also available via VUDU and iTunes in the US. The ‘big one’ for many AV fans, though, has been Ultra HD Blu-ray. Dolby Vision is included as an option on the UHD BD specification sheet, and AV fans have been desperate to see how much of a difference Dolby’s system might make to the picture quality of the AV world’s best-quality source. The latest crop of Dolby Vision Blu-rays, which include the Despicable Me films, West World from HBO and Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, look nothing short of amazing – provided you’ve got the hardware to watch them. What you'll need to watch in Dolby VisionFor the avoidance of doubt, Dolby Vision is a licensed video platform that requires all the links in the video chain to support it. So buying the Despicable Me 4K Blu-ray discs won’t be enough in itself – you’ll also need a TV capable of receiving Dolby Vision, and a 4K Blu-ray player capable of playing Dolby Vision. All LG’s OLED TVs are DV-capable, as are its high-end Super UHD LCD TVs. Sony TVs with X1 Extreme chips (the ZD9, A1 OLED, XE93 and XE94, plus the 2018 X900F) handle DV too after a firmware update, as can some VIZIO and TCL TVs in the US. Much of Panasonic's 2019 TV range (GX800, GX920, GZ1000, GZ1500 and GZ2000) also packs in Dolby Vision support. The newest additions to the Dolby Vision family are consoles – including the Xbox One S and Xbox One X – and mobile phones, albeit on the premium end. The format can be displayed on the all-new iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone X and LG G6 handsets, bringing truly vivid visuals and color to the screens you're likely to use the most. Of course, if you want Dolby Vision from a physical disc, there are only a few 4K Blu-ray players currently supporting Dolby Vision like the now-discontinued Oppo UDP-203 and Oppo 205, but more models from LG and Sony should help fill the void. If you’re lucky enough to already own a suitable combination of kit, though, trust us: you’ll want to buy as many Dolby Vision Blu-rays as you can. The impact of Dolby Vision on the visuals of both movies has to be seen to be believed. Dolby Vision: a new world of colorTake color, for instance. With our Oppo 203 and LG OLED55C7 combination, the Dolby Vision Despicable Me movies display an unprecedented array of tones and tonal subtleties. Everything from the animated skin tones to background walls and locations contains subtle variations and accuracies of color you just don’t get in HDR10 – a comparison verified by playing the discs’ HDR10 ‘core’ video through the Panasonic UB900 Ultra HD Blu-ray player onto the OLED55C7. This helps pictures instantly look more detailed and refined, despite the fact that Dolby Vision isn’t capable of actually adding more pixels to the 4K source pictures. The Dolby Vision transfer doesn’t just portray more subtle colors than the HDR10 transfer either. Some colors also look slightly different in hue and tone; and invariably our impression was that the DV versions were the definitive, accurate ones.
Panasonic's latest 4K Blu Ray players have thrown in their support for Dolby Vision. Startling in its brilliance, too, is Dolby Vision’s mastery of light. Somehow the technology seems to deliver purer, brighter highlights than we've ever seen from the LG OLED before, while simultaneously delivering dark scenes with more richness and subtle light detailing. Actually there seems to be more definition between subtle light differences in every part of the Dolby Vision image, giving it a more stable, rich, deep, solid appearance that looks almost three-dimensional versus the flatter, less precise HDR10 picture. As if this wasn’t all stunning enough, the settings Dolby has designed for the OLED55C7 seem to handle motion more cleanly and effectively than LG’s own processing with HDR10 does. Add all the Dolby Vision/Despicable Me benefits together and you’ve got an image the likes of which we haven’t seen before on a domestic television, despite the fact that we’re only talking about a pair of ageing animated titles. Having seen the cinematic version of Dolby Vision at work on Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 recently, we can only imagine how spectacular Dolby Vision at home could look with more visually sophisticated titles than Despicable Me and Despicable Me 2. Rival technologies to Dolby VisionIt’s worth remembering at this point that AV brands not signed up with Dolby for Dolby Vision – notably Samsung – tend to suggest they can deliver equivalent results to DV by just applying their own processing power to HDR10. Having played the Despicable Me discs in HDR10 into a reference Samsung UE65KS9500, though, while that set delivered brighter light peaks than the Dolby Vision picture on the LG OLED, it couldn’t match Dolby Vision for light and color subtleties. Samsung announced back in 2017 it was partnering with Amazon Prime Video to develop a new HDR format called 'HDR10+', which also applies a layer of so-called ‘dynamic metadata’ (scene-by-scene instructions) to an HDR10 stream. It's essentially a royalty-free alternative to Dolby Vision, which is built into Samsung's line of high-end QLED televisions. Both Panasonic and 20th Century Fox had thrown their weight behind HDR10+, selling it as a more democratic, open-source HDR format. Panasonic recently changed its tune on this, however, and you can now get Dolby Vision on a host of Panasonic 4K Blu Ray players and Panasonic TVs.
All recent LG OLED TVs, including the LG E8 OLED, are DV-capable. We're not necessarily saying here that your next TV and 4K Blu-ray player absolutely definitely must have Dolby Vision support. The format still, after all, has to work within the brightness and color limitations of any TV it’s applied to. There are non-Dolby Vision TVs out there which are either (in Samsung’s case in particular) capable of delivering color and brightness levels beyond those possible from any current Dolby Vision TV. But there still aren't many Dolby Vision Ultra HD Blu-rays available, despite the format’s ‘official’ launch. What certainly does no longer seem in doubt from having seen Dolby Vision in action from a 4K Blu-ray, though, is that it does an incredible job of getting the absolute best out of any screen it comes into contact with. And with a technology as confusing and frankly error-strewn as HDR is right now, that’s a pretty big deal.
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| Get the Google Pixel 3a for $399 and receive a $100 gift card at Best Buy Posted: 10 May 2019 08:01 AM PDT Best Buy is offering a discount and a free $100 gift card with Google's newest and most affordable phone - the Google Pixel 3a. You'll receive a free $100 Best Buy gift card with your purchase of a Google Pixel 3a or 3aXL unlocked or with a qualified activation from Verizon or Sprint. You can also save $100 on the phone itself with a qualified new activation from Sprint. This limited-time offer is valid until May 18. The Pixel 3a is Google's most affordable option from its line of Pixel phones. The newly released 3a features 4GB of RAM and starts at 64GB of storage. The phone offers a 5.6-inch display and includes a headphone jack for those who prefer to use corded earbuds. Like the Google Pixel 3, the 3a features an impressive camera with an 8.0MP front-facing camera for self-portraits and video. The Google Pixel is available in black, purple-ish and white and features a battery life up to seven hours on just a 15-minute charge. The Google Pixel 3 currently retails for $799, which makes the $399 price tag on the 3a very attractive. Best Buy is not only offering a $100 gift card with your purchase of a Pixel 3a, but also offering a $100 discount with a qualified Sprint activation. Because the Pixel 3a is newly released, discounts like this are rare so you should take advantage of this deal while it lasts. If you're looking for a bigger device, Best Buy is also offering a $100 gift card with your purchase of the Google Pixel 3a XL. The Pixel XL offers the same features as the 3a but comes with a bigger display (6-inch), body size and battery capacity (3,700mAh). Learn more about Google's newest phone with our Google Pixel 3a review and Google Pixel 3a XL review. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| O2 improves indoor coverage for 5G as revenues rise Posted: 10 May 2019 07:27 AM PDT O2 is gearing up for the launch of its 5G network by improving its coverage in major indoor spaces such as shopping centres and sports arenas. The operator plans to launch 5G later this year in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh and London before expanding to other parts of the country in 2020. Over the past 18 months, the Telefonica-owned operator has taken a number of steps to facilitate the launch. Like its rivals, it secured 3.4GHz spectrum at the Ofcom auction last year, earlier in 2019 it expanded its network infrastructure sharing agreement with Vodafone to cover 5G.
O2 5GHowever, 5G networks will require many new sites due to the low range of the spectrum. This has made micro infrastructure such as small cells necessary for dense urban areas and indoor locations. O2’s partnership with the Wireless Infrastructure Group will see coverage improved in a variety of public spaces, including Bluewater shopping centre in Kent, Liverpool’s Anfield stadium and Lord’s Cricket Ground. “While we look ahead to 5G we also continue to focus on our existing network capability. We strive to deliver a great network experience to all our customers, including some of the UK’s busiest locations where network demand is at its peak,” said Brendan O’ Reilly, O2 CTO. “Our multi-million pound investment with our partners at WIG should provide O2 customers with even better connectivity in the places they love to visit.” The announcement came alongside the news that O2’s Q1 revenue increased by 5.3 per cent for £1.475 million, driven by the ongoing success of the operator’s custom plans. There are now 32.7 million users on the network, a figure which includes MVNO connections. O2 has 25.1 million subscribers itself, adding 13,000 users during the past three months as churn stood at 0.9 per cent. “This is another good set of results building on our momentum from 2018. We have delivered further revenue and customer growth underpinned by our award-winning network and market-leading loyalty,” said O2 CEO Mark Evans. “2019 is an exciting year for O2. In addition to progressing our 5G plans, we are working to establish an industry-led shared rural network for the benefit of consumers and businesses across the UK. This demonstrates our commitment to invest for the future with mobile connectivity one of the UK’s most powerful opportunities to strengthen the economy and improve the lives of British people.”
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| macOS 10.15: news, release date and rumors Posted: 10 May 2019 07:19 AM PDT macOS 10.15 is this year's major update to the operating system that runs on Apple's Mac devices, and in this guide we gather together everything we know so far about macOS 10.15 - including features we'd like to see and any rumors we may have heard. The current version of the operating system, macOS Mojave has grown to be one of the best iterations of Apple’s operating system (OS) we’ve seen yet. With its system-wide Dark Mode and tools for creative professionals, it improved on nearly every aspect of macOS High Sierra. But, that leaves us wondering: what will macOS 10.15 look like? We get a new macOS each year, and 2019 should be no different. At the moment Apple hasn’t given us many hints of what we can expect in macOS 10.15. However, we have seen some rumors that iTunes will be split into four different apps, Music, Books, TV and Podcasts. We won’t know for sure until WWDC 2019 on June 3, but that would be more effective than running iTunes just to listen to music. So, because we don’t have much official information to go off of, we’ll make some educated guesses based on macOS releases, as well as craft a wish list of things we’d like to see in macOS 10.15. So, be sure to keep this page bookmarked, and we’ll update it with any macOS 10.15 news or rumors that comes our way. Cut to the chase
Image Credit: Apple macOS 10.15 release dateOut of everything, the macOS 10.15 release date is probably the easiest to predict. For the last few years, Apple has announced a new version of macOS in June at WWDC and released it at the end of September. We have little doubt that Apple will do the same with macOS 10.15, and we’ll likely see Apple show off the next version of the operating system at WWDC 2019 on June 3. Still, with Apple you can never be too sure, as it has a habit of switching things up. We’ll be sure to update this article as soon as we know exactly when the new macOS will grace your Mac.
Image Credit: Apple macOS 10.15 nameWhether it was Leopard, Lion, Sierra or High Sierra, macOS has always had a penchant for catchy names. We think Apple will have something clever up its sleeve for macOS 10.15, too, but we don’t quite know what the name will be. We could see Apple making minor improvements to Mojave and making a minor tweak to the name, like it did from Sierra to High Sierra or Leopard to Snow Leopard. Maybe we’ll see a Dry Mojave, or just the name of another desert. Either way, we’ll know for sure in June.
Image Credit: Apple macOS 10.15 compatibilityApple made waves when macOS 10.14 Mojave was the first version of macOS since Sierra to change the system requirements of the OS. Because it relied on heavier graphics performance, some older Macs were left in the dust. To run macOS 10.14 Mojave you’ll need one of the following Macs:
Now, we’re not sure exactly what Apple is planning in terms of compatibility with older Macs, but we’d put our money on options staying pretty much the same this time around. macOS High Sierra really didn’t have any radical requirements compared to Sierra, and we don’t think macOS 10.15 will either. macOS 10.15 confirmed featuresWe're still quite a while away from the likely official release date of macOS 10.15, so confirmed features that will be coming with the new operating system are thin on the ground. However, we do know some of the features that will be coming to macOS 10.15. iOS apps in macOS 10.15Apple has been talking a lot about cross-platform apps, which means iPhone and iPad apps will be available for Mac devices as well (and vice-versa). While macOS Mojave brought some iOS apps, Apple looks set to expand the feature in macOS 10.15 and iOS 13. Apple will reportedly preview a new ‘Marzipan’ SDK on stage at WWDC. While it will initially be just for iPad apps, word on the street is that iPhone support will go live in 2020. Apple also plans by 2021 for developers to be able to make one app that will automatically work on iPhone, iPad and Macs without the need to port. iTunes is getting split into separate appsIt looks like Apple may be planning to split iTunes up into four different apps, reflecting the software available on iOS. Rather than having books, music, video and podcasts all in the iTunes App, they’d all be split into their own dedicated software. There was hope that these new apps would be based on Apple's Marzipan tech - so that the apps can run on iOS devices as well as macOS, it's emerged that the Music app, at least, will be a regular app in macOS 10.15 and based off iTune's code. Use an iPad as a second screenIt's widely expected that macOS 10.15 will come with a feature that enables you to send apps to external displays - including iPads. So, you should be able to open apps on your Mac and display them on an iPad. You could potentially also use the Apple Pencil stylus to draw on the iPad, and have it appear on your Mac. Siri shortcutsRumors suggest that Siri Shortcuts are coming to macOS 10.15. These allow you to use your voice to control Siri, who can now handle multi-step instructions, which will make tasks more simple.
Image Credit: Apple What we want to seeWhile we’re generally pleased as punch with macOS 10.14 Mojave – even though it’s had some problems of its own – we don’t believe a “perfect operating system” exists. So, we’ve thought of some features and improvements we’d like to see in macOS 10.15, whatever it ends up being called. Bring back Cover Flow The way we look at it, both of these views have their own uses, but Cover Flow is much faster, and just a better way to sort through large folders of images. Is it too much to ask to have both? More iOS apps Just think about how great it would be to work on a project on your iPhone, and be able to seamlessly continue it on your Mac when you get back to your office or home. There’s already plenty of cross-platform capabilities built in to macOS Mojave – especially now that Continuity Camera is a thing – but we’d like to see the Apple ecosystem become even more seamless. Luckily, it looks like Apple plans to do just that. Rumors point to the Cupertino giant releasing tools to help developers port iPad apps over to macOS 10.15. Can we please just cut and paste files? Windows users have been able to do this since before we can remember, and it would make life easier for everyone involved. It would be nice to be able to move files without dragging and dropping or pulling some Matrix-level stunts in the Terminal. We’re not sure what Apple would have to do in order to enact this change, but it would really make our lives easier.
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| BenQ B.I.+ monitors offer a next-generation visual experience Posted: 10 May 2019 07:17 AM PDT When shopping for a monitor, you may look at its connections, the screen size, resolution and contrast. But BenQ offers a new feature that significantly improves how visually impressive your games, movies and, heck, even spreadsheets, look. It’s the B.I.+ Sensor, found in monitors like the BenQ EL2870U and BenQ EW277HDR. But what is a B.I.+ Sensor?BenQ’s Brightness Intelligence Plus (B.I.+) technology uses a sensor that monitors the ambient light level in the room and the content you’re viewing on screen. It knows when all the lights are on, and when you dim them to make Alien: Isolation or A Quiet Place all the more terrifying. The monitor adjusts its own brightness, contrast and colour temperature to suit your conditions (for both surrounding lighting and screen content). For the best image, you want the brightness of the screen to match the surroundings. Max out a monitor’s brightness in a dimly lit room and it can be painful to look at. Use a low brightness setting while sunlight streams through a nearby window and you’ll barely see whatever game or movie is on-screen.
Image credit: BenQ Similarly, very warm or tinted room lights can make a normal image look odd. This is because, just like a BenQ monitor with a B.I.+ sensor, our eyes adapt to their surroundings. Your pupils dilate and contract, reacting to the light level. And remember that internet argument about the dress that was either gold or blue depending on who you asked? That’s because our perception of colour is not absolute. It’s altered by our surroundings, and even the specifics of our eyes and brains. BenQ B.I.+ takes the outside world and the content on your screen into account, so you can be sure you see movies and games as intended.
Image credit: BenQ HDR10’s perfect partnerIt works hand-in-hand with HDR10 support to provide the most intricate, detailed image possible. Haven't experienced HDR in person yet? It stands for high dynamic range, and in this context refers to video specifically mastered with high brightness and great contrast in mind. BenQ B.I.+ means clearer blacks with more visible detail when you use the monitor in a room with dimmed lighting, and a punchier image when the lights are up. It can help improve your eye health too. Using a computer monitor all day strains your eyes. BenQ minimizes this effect by, once again, matching the display to your room. White areas of an image should look white rather than dark grey, but should not be so bright it feels like staring into a 100W bulb. The beauty of BenQ’s B.I.+ tech is that the monitor does all of this automatically. Close the curtains, turn on a lamp, or switch from working on a word document to watching a dark film, and the display will tweak its settings to compensate. It makes sure you get the same great experience no matter the room or time of day.
Image credit: BenQ Where to find BenQ’s B.I.+ SensorWhere can you get this next-generation monitor tech? Those after an affordable all-rounder monitor should consider the 27-inch BenQ EW277HDR. It offers Full HD resolution, HDR10 support and B.I.+ technology at an affordable price. The BenQ EL2870U is our gamer’s pick. It’s a 4K resolution 28-inch monitor with AMD FreeSync and grey-to-grey response times of just 1ms. That’s perfect for competitive multiplayer games. BenQ’s EW3270U is the cineaste’s choice. It’s 4K, but, at 32 inches across, is huge for a computer monitor. Superb colour depth brings added richness to your film collection. All of these monitors have BenQ’s B.I.+ technology - you simply switch it on and off with a button on the front. There’s no clearer way to see the effects of this smart tech.
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| macOS 10.15’s Music app is basically iTunes, and won’t be cross platform Posted: 10 May 2019 07:05 AM PDT The news that macOS 10.15, which is due later this year, will come with a standalone Music app was good news for anyone who doesn’t like iTunes. However, it appears that the Music app will be heavily based off the iTunes code. This means that the Music app could end up being a lot like iTunes. So, while it will come with popular features of iTunes, such as smart playlists, iOS syncing and disc burning, it will disappoint anyone who was hoping for a more revolutionary change.
The news comes from 9to5Mac, which claims that a source close to the development of macOS 10.15 got in contact with information about the new app. Marzipan-freeWhen news of the standalone Music app in macOS 10.15 broke, there was speculation that it would be made using Apple’s Marzipan tech, which allows iOS apps to run on Macs. The hope was that Apple would produce one Music app that worked on iPods, iPads, iPhones and Mac computers. However, it now appears that the macOS 10.15 Music app will have little in common – at least code-wise – with its iOS counterpart, and will instead be a standard AppKit application. So, it’s a shame that Apple’s exciting vision for cross platform apps won’t be used for the Music app any time soon, but at least macOS 10.15 users will get a version of iTunes that concentrates solely on music.
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| OnePlus 7 release date, price, news and leaks Posted: 10 May 2019 06:59 AM PDT The OnePlus 7 launch date has been confirmed as May 14, and it won't show up alone as it'll also be joined by the OnePlus 7 Pro. New OnePlus 7 leaks point to at least two phones that will compete with the best smartphones – especially the best Android smartphones – with a gaming-ready silky smooth screen that has a 90Hz refresh rate. OnePlus has even told us one core feature about its next handset: the OnePlus 7 will be one of the first phones to support 5G - although this particular feature is likely reserved for the pricier OnePlus 7 Pro variant. Below you'll find everything that we've heard so far about the OnePlus 7. For more on the OnePlus 7 Pro, we have a separate guide but you may find the odd mention of that top-end phone in this list.
Cut to the chase
The OnePlus 7 / OnePlus 7 Pro launch event invite OnePlus 7 release date and priceThe OnePlus 7 launch date has been set for May 14 after the Chinese firm sent out invites for simultaneous events in London, New York and Bangalore. TechRadar will be reporting live from both the New York and London events to bring you all the latest on the OnePlus 7. As for the OnePlus 7 release date - when you'll actually be able to get your hands on one - that's still up in the air, but going on previous launches we'd expect it to ship before the end May. It should go on sale soon though as the OnePlus 6T has started to sell out across the world and OnePlus is unlikely to intend no phones on sale at any point. If the OnePlus 7 Pro does turn out to be the 5G variant, then you may have to wait a little longer for that to hit shelves though, as carriers will need to enable their 5G networks first. There's no word on the OnePlus 7 price, but the OnePlus 6T - the most recent handset from the firm – launched at $549 / £499 / AU$599 and prices have been gradually creeping up since the range began, so we’d expect the OnePlus 7 will cost at least that much if not more. If you want 5G though you might have to pay more. OnePlus has confirmed that it's working on a 5G phone and while it's not known whether the OnePlus 7 will support 5G, the company's CEO has said that its 5G handset will cost between $200 and $300 more than its next 4G device. And in the US you might be able to buy it from a carrier, as this is something OnePlus has said it's looking into again. Last year's OnePlus 6T was available through T-Mobile if you didn't want to pay for the entire phone upfront and unlocked. OnePlus 7 design and display rumorsWe've seen numerous images seemingly showing the OnePlus 7, with the clearest look coming from the renders below, which show an almost bezel-free screen with a pop-up selfie camera, while the back has a triple-lens camera. You can also see this design in some renders from a case-maker. The pop-up selfie camera isn't visible, but a cut-out in the cases to make space for it is. These images can be seen below. That same design was suggested in leaked photos too, some of which show an all-screen design with no visible selfie camera, and one of which shows a raised section slightly above the screen, which could be part of the mechanism for a slide-out camera. It seems that all of the images showing a phone with a pop-up camera might actually be the OnePlus 7 Pro though, according to a leak, which included renders supposedly showing the standard OnePlus 7. You can see these below. They look a lot like the OnePlus 6T, with a teardrop notch rather than a pop-up camera and two rather than three rear cameras, though unlike the 6T the flash is inside the camera block, and the screen is apparently 6.2 inches (where the 6T is 6.41). Elsewhere though we've heard that the OnePlus 7 has a 6.4-inch 1080 x 2340 screen, while the OnePlus 7 Pro has either a 6.7-inch 1440 x 3120 one or a 6.64-inch QHD+ one, so there's some disagreements on screen sizes. We also know some details about the OnePlus 7 Pro, but we don't know if it'll be the same for the standard model. For one thing, OnePlus has confirmed that the OnePlus 7 Pro will have an HDR10+ screen. This is an upgrade on HDR10, as it can go brighter and can change the brightness boundaries on a frame-by-frame basic. The company has also strongly suggested that the OnePlus 7 range won't have an IP rating but will have some level of water resistance. Back in rumor land, we've heard more details about the possible specs of the OnePlus 7 Pro. According to a reliable source, the OnePlus 7 Pro has a QHD+ Super AMOLED screen with a 90Hz refresh rate. That makes it higher resolution than any current OnePlus handset and with a higher refresh rate than most phones from any company. A high refresh rate can make interactions feel smoother. While this is the first we've heard of such a high refresh rate, it looks likely to be the case, as the CEO of OnePlus has also tweeted a teaser saying that the next product from the company will not just be fast but also smooth. Whether that feature will also be available on the OnePlus 7 is currently unclear. All models of the OnePlus 7 will probably have a glass back, since OnePlus only recently switched to glass with the OnePlus 6 and OnePlus 6T. It’s likely to also have an alert slider, since previous handsets in the range do. OnePlus 7 camera rumorsWe have a few ideas of what camera features we could see in the OnePlus 7, specifically in the OnePlus 7 Pro, after a tech site got their hands on the handset early. Among the features we know the handset will have, one of the most intriguing is 3x lossless optical zoom on the handset, which lets you zoom that far in without losing any image quality. In addition the phone is set to scale back its AI scene optimization compared to competitors, and let these processing features be background functions rather than important features of the camera. We also know that it will be a triple-lens camera, and OnePlus itself has shared camera samples (below) taken with it. It looks from these as though the lenses are standard, wide and telephoto. This is exactly what we've heard rumored, with sources talking of a 48MP f/1.6 main lens, a 16MP f/2.2 wide-angle lens, and an 8MP f/2.4 telephoto lens. The selfie camera meanwhile is said to be a 16MP f/2.0 one. As for the standard OnePlus 7, that's rumored to have a 48MP f/1.7 lens and a 5MP depth-sensor. OnePlus 7 spec rumorsThere are plenty of spec rumors which we'll come to below, but first it's worth highlighting what we know for sure: the OnePlus 7 Pro has UFS 3.0 storage, which should make it faster at reading and writing data than most other phones. Whether that feature will be available on the OnePlus 7 is currently unclear. According to an in-depth specs leak - courtesy of Samsung News - the standard OnePlus 7 is said to have a 6.4-inch 1080 x 2340 screen, a dual-lens camera with a 48MP f/1.7 main lens and a 5MP depth-sensor, a Snapdragon 855 chipset, a 3,700mAh battery with 20W fast charging, and a choice of 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage or 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Another similarly comprehensive leak doesn't totally line up though. It says the OnePlus 7 has a 6.2-inch Full HD+ AMOLED screen with a 60Hz refresh rate, a 4,150mAh battery, a Snapdragon 855 chip, a 48MP main lens, a telephoto secondary lens, an in-screen scanner, 6GB of RAM and dimensions of 157.7 x 74.8 x 8.1mm, with a camera above the screen, rather than a pop-up one. The most notable thing there is that the OnePlus 7 has a bigger battery than the 7 Pro (that's rumored to be 4,000mAh in the cheaper model) according to this leak, as well as a smaller, lower resolution screen, so if accurate it might have better battery life. OnePlus 7 5G rumorsOnePlus announced it will release the first 5G phone in Europe. The company is partnering with the UK network EE to bring said phone to the UK at some point in 2019. A prototype of that phone has been shown off, complete with a Snapdragon 855 chipset and what appears to be a 21:9 screen - though elsewhere there are reports that the final device won't have a 21:9 screen, and nor will it have wireless charging. But it's entirely possible that the OnePlus 7 won't be the 5G-connected phone the company has been talking about. Sources said that the 5G device will be the first in an entirely new line, and another rumor hinted that it may start at $649 (or $100 more than the 6T). That said, as noted above, more than one source reckons the 5G phone will be called the OnePlus 7 Pro 5G, suggesting it will be a version of the OnePlus 7. We've also seen possible case renders for the 5G model, which you can see below. We'd take these with a huge side of salt though, as they look more like the OnePlus 6T than most of the OnePlus 7 leaks we're seeing. They do look similar to some renders above, supposedly showing the standard OnePlus 7, but we'd expect the 5G model to be more in line with the OnePlus 7 Pro. The aforementioned leak of OnePlus 7 Pro specs also mention the OnePlus 7 Pro 5G, which sounds to have the same specs as the standard Pro model, just with 5G on board. That's believable, as the company has previously claimed that it will launch one of the first 5G phones this year. What we want to seeBefore we knew anything about the OnePlus 7, we put together the below list of features we wanted to see. You can still read about them all below: 1. A QHD screen
The OnePlus 6 has a good screen, but it could stand to be sharper OnePlus always packs its phones full of cutting-edge specs and features, yet it always sticks with a Full HD screen, which isn’t a match for most of the top-end flagships. That may well be keeping costs down, but it’s time the range made the jump to QHD, especially given that its screens are getting bigger, so we want to see that happen for the OnePlus 7. 2. A microSD card slotYou can get a decent amount of storage in the OnePlus 6 but you don’t get a microSD card slot, so if the amount it ships with isn’t enough you’ll have to start deleting things. That’s not ideal and while the 256GB top size should be plenty for most people it won’t be for everyone – especially those who plan to pack their phone full of music, films and games. So adding a slot into the OnePlus 7 would be much appreciated. 3. Proper water resistance
The OnePlus 6 should survive a spill, but we want more of a guarantee from the OnePlus 7 The OnePlus 6 has some water resistance, but it doesn’t have an IP rating. So it should be able to survive a splash if you dry it off quickly but can’t really be put in the water. Not that we’d advise doing that in general with most phones, but knowing that it would survive if you did – or if you use it in heavy rain - could give some real peace of mind that you don’t get with the OnePlus 6, so we’d like to see this improved for the OnePlus 7. 4. Stereo speakersThe OnePlus 6 has just a single speaker, and its placement at the base of the phone makes it easy to muffle, so we’d like to see it ideally moved and definitely doubled up for the OnePlus 7, with a second speaker allowing for loud stereo sound. Sure, you’ll probably mostly use headphones anyway, but having a quality speaker setup can make all the difference when you just want to watch a YouTube video or listen to a podcast without plugging in. 5. No notch
For the OnePlus 7 we want no notch and no bezels The OnePlus 6T is one of many recent phones to get a notch, and while it can be hidden if you prefer, what we’d really prefer for the OnePlus 7 is no notch at all. But we don’t want a return to big bezels either. We’re starting to see phones like the Vivo Nex and Oppo Find X which have almost no bezel at all and we’d like the OnePlus 7 to join them. This isn’t out of the question, especially as Oppo is heavily linked with OnePlus. In fact, current leaks point in this direction. 6. Wireless chargingDespite having a glass back, the OnePlus 6 doesn’t support wireless charging, which seems like a major omission for a flagship phone. This is probably a cost-cutting measure and, in a sense, seems reasonable, since we doubt wireless charging is a heavily used feature, but it would be nice to have. 7. An in-screen cameraAlong with an all-screen design we’d like the OnePlus 7 to have an in-screen camera. Most leaks point in the direction of a pop-up solution, but an in-screen one would be so much more elegant. We don't think this is likely for the OnePlus 7, but you never know. After all, just such a camera has been rumored for at least one phone.
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| What is 5G? Everything you need to know Posted: 10 May 2019 06:50 AM PDT What is 5G?5G networks are the next generation of mobile internet connectivity, offering faster speeds and more reliable connections on smartphones and other devices than ever before. Combining cutting-edge network technology and the very latest research, 5G should offer connections that are multitudes faster than current connections, with average download speeds of around 1GBps expected to soon be the norm. The networks will help power a huge rise in Internet of Things technology, providing the infrastructure needed to carry huge amounts of data, allowing for a smarter and more connected world. With development well underway and testbeds already live across the world, 5G networks are expected to launch across the world by 2020, working alongside existing 3G and 4G technology to provide speedier connections that stay online no matter where you are.
5G - the latest news09/05 - NETWORKS - UK 5G could be delayed over security worries - Culture Secretary won't rule out UK 5G delay as Huawei debate rumbles on... 09/05 - NETWORKS - BT increases fibre target and promises imminent EE 5G launch - BT targets 4m fibre premises by 2021... 07/05 - NETWORKS - Ericsson: Consumers will pay more for 5G and there are use cases - Ericsson makes case for 5G to the industry... 04/05 - DEVICES - The first 5G phone in Europe was unexpected - and here's what it means for you - A new champion enters the ring... 03/05 - NETWORKS - South Korea reaches 260,000 5G users - However some alrady complain of technical and coverage issues... 02/05 - DEVICES - Huawei is developing a 5G 8K TV because that's apparently a thing now - 5G is coming… to your TV... 01/05 - DEVICES - EE sets foundations for 5G with new Smart Plans phone deals - More flexibility the intention from UK's fastest phone network... 29/04 - NETWORKS - China urges UK to act independently over Huawei and 5G - Chinese ambassador says Britain should resist pressure... 26/04 - NETWORKS - EE brings 5G to Glastonbury 2019 - Operator to build 5G network at famous music festival... 26/04 - DEVICES - Apple could be working on a 5G iPad Pro - But we won't see it for a few more years... 24/04 - OPINION - UK's Huawei decision ends uncertainty for 5G operators - Huawei ruling matters far more to politicians than to networks... 24/04 - NETWORKS - The UK will let Huawei build selected parts of its 5G infrastructure - Chinese company still banned from providing 'core' elements... 23/04 - NETWORKS - EU backs WiFi over 5G for connected cars - European Commission chose WiFi as it is currently available unlike 5G... 17/04 - DEVICES - Intel abandons plans for 5G smartphone modems - Intel won't supply modems for the iPhone 5G... 17/04 - DEVICES - Huawei has no plans to supply Apple with 5G modem chips - Founder had suggested it was a possibility... 17/04 - ANALYSIS - Driving the future: the route to autonomous travel is vested in a reliable 5G infrastructure - Why its vital to ensure reliable 5G coverage for connected and autonomous vehicles... 17/04 - DEVICES - We might see iPhone 5G in 2020 after all - 5G's back on the menu... 17/04 - NETWORKS - Huawei agrees 40 5G contracts - Huawei sees 5G customer base grow... 16/04 - ANALYSIS - 5G: How will businesses benefit? - 5G is coming...is your business prepared? 15/04 - NETWORKS - Trump vows not to nationalise 5G as FCC makes funding and spectrum available - FCC to auction 3400MHz of spectrum... 12/04 - NETWORKS - O2 switches on 5G spectrum to power connected car tests - AutoAir tests connected and autonomous vehicle technology... 11/04 - NETWORKS - BT boosts network capacity to cope with FTTP and 5G data growth - BT first to use Nokia 7750 SR-s platform... 10/04 - DEVICES - Exclusive: We could see a Black Shark 5G phone before the end of the year - Embracing cloud gaming... 10/04 - DEVICES - Google Stadia may be the first good use for 5G phones - You could soon be playing AAA games on your smartphone... 10/04 - NETWORKS - Mobile industry pushes 5G as EU debates Wi-Fi standard for connected cars - GSMA says Wi-Fi is old technology... 10/04 - OPINION - 5G's impact on the future of work - How the next generation of wireless technology will empower fontline workers... 09/04 - NETWORKS - AT&T just opened 5G in seven more cities, still doesn’t have a 5G phone - Hotspot or bust... 08/04 - DEVICES - The world's first 5G phone: our hands-on with the future of smartphones - Impressions from our five days with the first 5G phone you can buy... 08/04 - DEVICES - Apple's iPhone 2020 may have 5G trouble, but Huawei is eager to help - If Intel can't deliver, and Apple and Qualcomm can't make up... 05/04 - NETWORKS - Huawei 5G ban could cost UK economy £6.8bn - Report says ban would damage UK 5G leadership bid... 04/04 - DEVICES - Samsung starts mass production of 5G chips - Next-generation modem and RF receivers go into production... 03/04 - NETWORKS - 5G set to deliver £15.7bn in business revenue by 2025 - Barclays says conditions must be right... 02/04 - ANALYSIS - The future of cybersecurity in a 5G-connected world - With more endpoints comes more ways a hacker can penetrate your network... 26/03 - NETWORKS - Ofcom confirms 5G, USO and rural 4G among priorities for 2019 - Regulator issues update for industry... 25/03 - NETWORKS - EU 'won't ban' Huawei from 5G networks - EU wants member states to share cybersecurity data instead... 21/03 - NETWORKS - Three increases annual revenues ahead of 5G launch - Operator says 2018 was solid foundational year... 14/03 - DEVICES - What will future 5G smartphones look like? - Industry experts believe a new era is upon us... 13/03 - NETWORKS - Verizon to launch mobile 5G next month - Verizon set to launch first 5G mobile broadband service... 13/03 - DEVICES - Nissan uses 5G to put an augmented reality co-driver in your passenger seat - A virtual companion for lonely road trips... 12/03 - NETWORKS - Germany makes private 5G spectrum available for industry - IIoT gets boost with local network pledge... 11/03 - NETWORKS - Germany won't ban Huawei but tightens rules for all 5G vendors - Ministers and regulator say they don't want to ban Huawei... 08/03 - ANALYSIS - 5G and a better-connected world - Turning the next generation of wireless into a reality... 07/03 - NETWORKS - Vodafone UK expands 5G launch to 19 towns and cities - More locations named ahead of commercial launch... 07/03 - NETWORKS - 15m Brits would switch to 5G now - But 5G adoption will be slower than 4G, says Deloitte... 06/03 - NETWORKS - Five Eyes "needs major 5G vendor" - Former Australian Prime Minister warns Five Eyes nations on 5G security... 03/03 - DEVICES - Why have so many 5G phones been launched already this year? - Surely, it’s too early? 02/03 - DEVICES - Foldable phones, 5G and cinematic screens: how smartphones are changing this year - MWC 2019 showed a quiet revolution is coming... 01/03 - DEVICES - Motorola targets mid-range in 5G and foldable smartphone era - "New dawn" beckons for Motorola in the mobile market... 28/02 - NETWORKS - BT hires 1,600 apprentices ahead of EE 5G launch - BT looks for apprentice and graduates to future proof workforce... 27/02 - NETWORKS - Security and cost worries could harm 5G - Business and technology executives underestimate the disruptive prospects of 5G... 27/02 - NETWORKS - FC Barcelona's Nou Camp will be 'first' 5G stadium - Fans to benefit from immersive 5G experiences... 26/02 - DEVICES - Sprint 5G: all the phones coming to the next-gen network - Top networks require top phones... 26/02 - NETWORKS - Nokia says it is the one-stop shop for 5G network gear - Nokia details new equipment and operator partnerships... 26/02 - NETWORKS - Google Fi customers will get 5G from Sprint's network - MVNO gets 5G... 25/02 - NETWORKS - Security flaws in 4G and 5G revealed - New flaws allow attackers to intercept calls and track user locations... 25/02 - DEVICES - Sony will make a 5G phone, but only when the tech rolls out - It won't be left behind in 5G race... 25/02 - DEVICES - Lenovo teases first 5G laptop powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx - But, what’s taking so long – and where are the rest? 25/02 - NETWORKS - GSMA: One in seven connections will be 5G by 2025 - GSMA kicks off MWC with prediction for the market... 25/02 - DEVICES - Affordable 5G phones will arrive in early 2020 - Not a flagship exclusive for long... 25/02 - DEVICES - HTC 5G home hub gets you ready for superfast internet - Get your home or office 5G-ready... 24/02 - DEVICES - Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G may be your first 5G-ready phone - One of the first 5G phones of MWC 2019... 22/02 - DEVICES - Will Samsung enjoy first mover advantage with 5G? - Samsung beats rivals to 5G smartphone... 22/02 - ANALYSIS - Huawei: We make it cheaper and simpler to deploy 5G - Head of carrier business touts benefits of 5G kit ahead of MWC... 21/02 - NETWORKS - 5G could solve major 4G congestion - Current 4G download speeds differ greatly depending on country and time of day... 21/02 - DEVICES - Gemalto makes 5G SIM card available to operators - Gemalto pitches "world-first" 5G SIM card... 21/02 - NETWORKS - O2 5G confirmed to launch in these four cities in 2019 - O2 5G will go live in UK capitals this year... 20/12 - NETWORKS - 5G will account for a quarter of UK mobile data traffic by 2022 - UK will be second only to the US in 5G... 20/02 - NETWORKS - Vodafone 'world-first' connects smartphones to 5G network - Vodafone connects handset in Barcelona ahead of MWC next week... 19/02 - DEVICES - You may want to hold off buying a 5G phone until 2020 - This second generation 5G modem will make a difference... 19/02 - NETWORKS - Three trials cloud core 5G network with staff - Full rollout expected later in 2019... 19/02 - ANALYSIS - Does sports content hold the key to 5G adoption? - Tokyo Olympics and Euro 2020 could be first time many experience 5G... 18/02 - NETWORKS - UK 'doesn't need to ban' Huawei 5G kit - Huawei's 5G equipment is a 'manageable risk', NCSC apparently claims... 18/02 - NETWORKS - Vodafone UK switches on first 5G airport - Manchester Airport upgraded to superfast speeds for consumers to try out 5G... 15/02 - NETWORKS - Three brings 5G to the catwalk and its flagship store - Three shows off 5G to consumers at London Fashion Week... 13/02 - NETWORKS - UK switches on first 5G factory trials - Worcestershire 5G testbed goes live... 11/02 - NETWORKS - Sprint sues AT&T over '5GE' claim - Rivals clash in 5G row... 11/02 - ANALYSIS - AI, 5G and the race to completely autonomous vehicles - Now is the time to implement a data-centric architecture... 08/02 - NETWORKS - Trump anticipated to ban 5G networks from using Chinese tech - An executive order is expected to come before MWC... 07/02 - DEVICES - Vodafone trials 5G form factor device with Ericsson and Qualcomm - Operator takes step forward in 5G development... 06/02 - NETWORKS - US urges EU to reconsider role of Huawei in 5G - US ramps up pressure on Huawei with stark warning... 05/02 - NETWORKS - Ericsson joins O-RAN to drive intelligent 5G radio development - Ericsson extends commitment to open standards... 04/02 - NETWORKS - GSMA suggests Huawei 5G talks at MWC - Industry concerned at Huawei 5G exclusion following long-term controversies... 01/02 - DEVICES - Huawei 5G foldable phone teased in MWC 2019 press conference invite - Our first look at the world's first foldable 5G phone... 31/01 - ANALYSIS - Investing in a 5G future: The role of MNOs - 5G's 2020 rollout is fast approaching... 31/01 - NETWORKS - Nokia predicts staggered demand for 5G kit in 2019 - Nokia reports increased revenue and profit in Q4... 31/01 - DEVICES - 5G phones: these are going to be the first next-gen handsets - The new 5G phones of 2019 and beyond... 31/01 - DEVICES - LG hints strongly at 5G foldable phones for 2019 - Taking the fight to Samsung's Galaxy X... 28/01 - NETWORKS - Chinese EU Ambassador says Huawei 5G ban would be 'self-defeating' - Senior diplomat dismisses security fears as fabrications... 25/01 - DEVICES - Huawei says it'll show off a foldable 5G phone at MWC 2019 - The world's first 5G phone with a foldable screen... 24/01 - HARDWARE - Huawei reveals 5G modem and base station chips - Huawei chips will ease deployment and widen support... 22/01 - NETWORKS - Vodafone and O2 team up on 5G network sharing - Two operators look at options for mast infrastructure as they extend network sharing deal to cover 5G... 17/01 - NETWORKS - Huawei faces US probe as Germany considers 5G options - US DoJ reportedly accuses Huawei of trade secret theft... 14/01 - NETWORKS - US government shutdown is threat to 5G rollout - Industry body warns about impact of FCC shutdown... 14/01 - HARDWARE - Intel wants to be your one-stop shop for 5G - Intel VP tells us that “5G runs on Intel”... 14/01 - DEVICES - Apple looks at Samsung and MediaTek modems for 5G iPhone - Latest revelations from Qualcomm's antitrust trial... 12/01 - DEVICES - iPhone 11 tipped to have faster Wi-Fi, but 5G might have to wait - Better speeds for the 2019 iPhones? 11/01 - NETWORKS - Ericsson tests strengthen wireless backhaul's suitability for 5G - Ericsson and Deutsche Telekom trials achieve 'fibre-like' performance... 10/01 - NETWORKS - T-Mobile continues US 5G crusade with 600MHz call tests - T-Mobile completes multi-band call tests with Ericsson and Intel... 09/01 - DEVICES - 5G and fixed displays to drive smartphone sales in 2019 - Research suggests 5G might be silver bullet... 09/01 - NETWORKS - AT&T claims advanced 4G is '5G' - Software update claims advanced 4G is 5G Evolution... 08/01 - DEVICES - 5G can be tonic for smartphone saturation - GSMA Intelligence finds 80 per cent of developed world owns a smartphone... 08/01 - HARDWARE - Intel targets 5G base stations with 'Snow Ridge' chips - Intel hopes edge computing advantage will pay off... 08/01 - NETWORKS - The Galaxy S10 isn't at CES 2019, but Samsung's 5G plans are here - Samsung Galaxy S10 is here in pieces if you look closely... 06/01 - DEVICES - Byton confirms M-Byte car will be available in 2019 with AI, 5G and 48-inch display - That's a whole lot of screen... 04/01 - ANALYSIS - What to expect from 5G at CES 2019 - 5G could be the star of the show at CES 2019... 24/12 - ANALYSIS - Three CEO: Capacity, not speed is the true 5G revolution - Dave Dyson talks up Three's 5G strategy... 21/12 - NETWORKS - O2 confirms 5G tests will use Huawei kit - London 5G tests will be carried out using Huawei equipment, O2 confirms... 19/12 - NETWORKS - 'Strong' business demand for 5G could be tempered by network transformation - Gartner says operator focus is on consumer applications... 19/12 - NETWORKS - AT&T is second US operator to launch 5G - AT&T gears up for limited 5G launch... 19/12 - DEVICES - Top Samsung Galaxy S10 could have a massive screen and support 5G - But it might not be available everywhere... 17/12 - ANALYSIS - The coming 5G revolution - How the next generation of mobile connectivity will bring emerging technologies to life... 17/12 - NETWORKS - Rivals claim Three's spectrum variation will hand it 5G advantage - Three now has 100MHz of continuous 3.6GHz spectrum... 14/12 - NETWORKS - 5G could add billions to world GDP - Unlocking the right 5G spectrum will make all the difference... 13/12 - NETWORKS - Huawei will do 'anything' to be trusted 5G partner - Huawei says if there's anything it can do to ease security concerns, it will do it... 10/12 - NETWORKS - Vodafone to use manhole covers to improve 4G and 5G - Vodafone hopes street level infrastructure will improve network... 10/12 - ANALYSIS - 5G is just the beginning for the future of smartphones - The future of mobile looks promising... 06/12 - ANALYSIS - Vodafone Business rebrand highlights strategic focus in 5G era - Vodafone Enterprise is now Vodafone Business... 06/12 - POLICY - EU approves new regulations to boost 5G rollout - EU passes new code despite industry opposition... 06/12 - PRODUCTS - OnePlus CEO confirms its 5G phone will cost $200 to $300 more than OnePlus 6T - But it isn't done with 4G devices... 06/12 - NETWORKS - We need rigorous 5G testing before we get in the driverless car - Autonomous vehicles will rely heavily on next generation networks... 05/12 - PRODUCTS - OnePlus will be the first to release a 5G phone in Europe - It's all thanks to some help from EE... 05/12 - NETWORKS - How 5G technologies can be implemented more efficiently - Knowing where to place 'small cells' will make all the difference... 05/12 - DEVICES - This Samsung 5G prototype phone has a notch... but it's in the corner - Updated with an official comment from Samsung... 04/12 - DEVICES - Here's the first 5G smartphone and, no, you can't buy it - It's a reference device from Qualcomm, but it promises a lot... 04/12 - NETWORKS - Nokia and Qualcomm complete 5G call interoperability tests - Another 5G testing hurdle is cleared ahead of launch... 04/12 - NETWORKS - Arqiva and CityFibre to build 5G small cell network in London - Hammersmith & Fulham will host UK's largest pilot to date... 04/12 - ANALYSIS - 2019 telecoms forecast: the year of 5G and open source - Canonical takes a look at some of the most important trends for next year... 04/12 - NETWORKS - MI6 chief warns UK on role of China in 5G networks - Alex Younger says there needs to be a conversation about Huawei's role... 03/12 - NETWORKS - Three Korean operators launch 5G networks - Operators bring forward South Korea 5G launch... 03/12 - DEVICES - Verizon and Samsung to launch 5G smartphone in 2019 - Companies will show off PoC this week... 29/11 - PRODUCTS - Toyota's new humanoid robot can be controlled remotely via 5G - A helping hand from afar... 29/11 - NETWORKS - 5G will require mobile operators to rethink the role of Wi-Fi - Operators may need to de-prioritise Wi-Fi in 5G era... 28/11 - NETWORKS - New Zealand 'blocks' use of Huawei 5G kit - Spark application rejected by New Zealand government... 27/11 - NETWORKS - 5G will have 'fastest ever' global rollout - Ericsson Mobility Report says Europe will fall behind without market changes... 23/11 - NETWORKS - O2 gears up for 5G with Massive MIMO trial - O2 trials technology in London head of 5G launch... 22/11 - NETWORKS - Huawei boasts of 22 5G commercial contracts - Head of Huawei carrier business touts end-to-end capabilities of its equipment... 22/11 - NETWORKS - Nokia creates Access Networks Division for end-to-end 5G - Nokia hopes organisational changes will give it 5G advantage... 21/11 - NETWORKS - EE and BT Sport plan UK's first 5G sport broadcast - EE Wembley Cup will be transmitted via 5G... 20/11 - HARDWARE - Huawei urges operators to trust its 5G vision as it shifts 10,000 base stations - Huawei Chairman Ken Hu details 'Cloud X' vision... 20/11 - NETWORKS - Three: 5G wireless broadband can be genuine alternative to fibre - Three-commissioned report touts price-saving benefits of 5G FWA... 20/11 - DEVICES - OnePlus could charge a high price for its upcoming 5G phone - Price tag for superfast device could be up to $100 more... 19/11 - NETWORKS - Faroese Telecom wants to bring 5G to Shetland - Shetland confirms talks with Faroese mobile provider... 16/11 - ANALYSIS - The week that UK 5G transformed from hype into reality - UK operators detail more about 5G launches in 2019... 16/11 - ANALYSIS - 2025: the year of 5G entertainment - Intel's Alex Gledhill tells us how 5G can benefit all areas of work and life... 15/11 - RESEARCH - Samsung invests $22bn in AI and 5G - Korean tech giant aims to control 20 per cent of the network equipment market... 15/11 - NETWORKS - US begins auction of 5G spectrum - US operators bid for high range spectrum to power mobile broadband services.. 15/11 - HARDWARE - German government 'urged' to consider Huawei 5G ban - Reports suggest push could have come too late... 14/11 - DEVICES - Verizon connects a smartphone to its 5G network - Verizon is currently the world's only commercial 5G operator... 13/11 - PRODUCTS - Intel will launch 5G modem next year - Chipmaker speeds up plans for 5G modem launch in 2019... 13/11 - NETWORKS - EE to launch 5G as 'premium' mobile experience in 16 UK cities in 2019 - Operator to upgrade 1,500 sites in the busiest parts of its network... 12/11 - DEVICES - OnePlus 7 may not be the upcoming 5G phone from the brand - Is a whole new OnePlus line on the way? 09/11 - NETWORKS - What role will 5G play in NBN's gigabit broadband vision? - 5G can boost FWA broadband to gigabit levels... 08/11 - POLICY - Ofcom CTO: Spectrum and security are biggest 5G challenges - Ofcom CTO Mansoor Hanif discusses the barriers to fulfilling 5G potential... 07/11 - NETWORKS - EE announces UK 5G trial expansion - Nine east London sites are now linked up to EE's 5G trial network... 07/11 - NETWORKS - How 5G will enable the next generation of IoT deployments - Canonical head tells us why next-generation networks are the key to innovation... 07/11 - NETWORKS - Three reveals £2bn UK 5G investment - 5G set to be a "game-changer" in the UK says Three CEO Dave Dyson... 06/11 - DEVICES - UK operators urged to 'consider' 5G equipment suppliers - Government aims to ensure UK's telecoms infrastructure is secure... 06/11 - NETWORKS - GSMA: Operators need prime spectrum to fulfill 5G potential - Industry body publishes paper ahead of WRC-19... 05/11 - NETWORKS - 5G operator revenues to reach £230bn by 2025 - Research suggests £46bn in 5G R&D will be well spent... 03/11 - DEVICES - Apple tipped to launch a 5G iPhone in 2020 - Super-fast speeds on the way... 31/10 - NETWORKS - BT CTO: Convergence of fibre, 5G and Wi-Fi will create 'one network to rule them all' - Howard Watson believes convergence will be a key differentiatior in telecoms... 30/10 - DEVICES - Oppo wants to release the first 5G smartphone - Oppo wants to beat LG to the punch after successful 5G tests... 30/10 - NETWORKS - Budget 2018: More funding for rural fibre but no new 5G commitments - Digital infrastructure largely a footnote in 2018 Budget... 26/10 - NETWORKS - Trump lays out US 5G strategy - Order looks to ease progress towards 5G network deployment in the US... 25/10 - PRODUCTS - Qualcomm works with Samsung on 5G small cells - Qualcomm and Samsung look to establish 5G leadership... 25/10 - NETWORKS - Vodafone switches on 'full 5G' trial in Manchester - Salford's MediaCity UK gets 5G coverage as Vodafone shapes up next-gen network... 23/10 - DEVICES - OnePlus 7 or OnePlus 7T will be first from company to support 5G - 2019 is the year OnePlus adopts 5G... 22/10 - NETWORKS - EU could back Wi-Fi over 5G for connected cars - Draft proposals could see Wi-Fi rules set before 5G... 19/10 - DEVICES - Operators may have to subsidise 'expensive' 5G smartphones - Early 5G smartphones could be too expensive for consumers... 19/10 - PRODUCTS - Huawei 5G folding phone could take on the Samsung Galaxy X in 2019 - Huawei knows when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em... 18/10 - NETWORKS - Ericsson sales boosted by early 5G adoption - Ericsson feels flush from operator investment... 17/10 - PRODUCTS - Samsung buys Zhilabs to power 5G analytics - Samsung's 5G efforts continue with purchase of analytics experts... 16/10 - NETWORKS - European mobile giants urge pro-5G investment policies - Leading CEOs urge EU regulators to consider importance of connectivity... 15/10 - PRODUCTS - US senators urge Canada to 'ban' Huawei from 5G deployment - US senators fear Huawei kit could harm US national security... 12/10 - PRODUCTS - New Nokia kit promises more rapid and effective 5G FWA deployments - Operators can get new high gain antennas and gateways... 12/10 - NETWORKS - Deutsche Telekom plots 99 per cent 5G coverage by 2025 - German operator details plans for 5G rollout... 08/10 - ANALYSIS - Differences in early 5G services will make it a 'marketing headache' - Analysts predict difficulties in 5G marketing as mobile broadband will be key adoption driver... 05/10 - NETWORKS - EE switches on 'UK's first' 5G trial network at Canary Wharf - EE gears up for 2019 5G launch... 04/10 - NETWORKS - Huawei tells FCC that US ban could mean country falls behind in 5G - Huawei hasn't given up hope in playing US 5G role... 01/10 - INNOVATION - Samsung partners with AT&T to build a 5G tech lab - Facility will research ways 5G could improve manufacturing... 01/10 - NETWORKS - Verizon turns on the world's first 5G network - Launch across four US cities could be a major landmark in the development of 5G... 28/09 - NETWORKS - Digital Catapult switches on Brighton 5G testbed - UK's latest 5G testbed goes live on the South Coast... 26/09 - ANALYSIS - Could 5G networks herald the arrival of a four-day work week? Increased productivity as a result of 5G powered technologies could disrupt the traditional work week... 25/09 - DEVICES - Manufacturers hope 5G and foldable displays will drive smartphone growth - Analysts believe the smartphone will be unrecognisable by 2027... 24/09 - NETWORKS - WIG raises £220m for 5G infrastructure - WIG to use additional funding for small cells and fibre... 21/09 - NETWORKS - Vodafone targets cities and rural areas for 2019 5G launch - Cornwall and the Lake District will be first to get Vodafone 5G... 12/09 - NETWORKS - T-Mobile signs $3.5bn 5G network deal with Ericsson - T-Mobile secures second major 5G equipment deal... 11/09 - NETWORKS - EE could launch the UK's first 5G network in 2019 - EE reallocates 3G spectrum ahead of 2019 5G launch... 11/09 - NETWORKS - European mobile operators bring forward 5G plans - Global 5G connections to reach 340m by 2021 as European optimism increases forecasts... 11/09 - GAMING - Nvidia shows how GeForce Now 5G streaming could make high-end gaming hardware irrelevant - Hitting 60 fps in Full HD resolution with no need for a beefy gaming laptop... 10/09 - NETWORKS - CityFibre SDN rollout to speed up 5G deployments and enable 10Gbps - CityFibre agrees deal with Calix to smarten its network.. 10/09 - NETWORKS - Ericsson radio updates and transport partnerships to accelerate 5G deployments - Ericsson says a series of developments will make it easier and quicker to deploy 5G... 08/09 - NETWORKS - How 5G will make our streaming dreams come true - Zero buffering, no waiting. Will 5G lead the way? 07/09 - FEATURE - Inside the 5G factory: How Nokia's research aids its own production - Nokia's Oulu facility has been involved in every generation of mobile technology... 05/09 - NETWORKS - San Marino will have Europe's first 5G network - Microstate will be a testbed for TIM... 05/09 - NETWORKS - China considers merging two major mobile operators in 5G push - Merger would create world's second largest mobile operator... 04/09 - PRODUCTS - UK''s 'first' large-scale 5G hub to test digital health apps in 2019 - West Midlands will become UK's first 5G hub... 31/08 - ANALYSIS - Golf's digital ambitions make it an unlikely 5G pioneer - Golf looks to new technologies - including 5G... 31/08 - NETWORKS - German operators will have no rural obligation for 5G - 5G spectrum auction will take place in 2019... 30/08 - DEVICES - Larger screens and 5G to drive smartphone growth through to 2022 - Smartphone market 'generally healthy' despite recent dip... 28/08 - NETWORKS - German regulator calls for fourth operator for 5G - Competition chief believes new entrant will kickstart German 5G... 28/08 - NETWORKS - Nokia secures €500m EU loan for 5G research - New funding will accelerate 5G technology R&D... 23/08 - NETWORKS - Major 5G trends become more apparent as first network launch nears - The past seven days have been a long time in the world of 5G... 23/08 - ANALYSIS - Huawei & ZTE banned from Australia 5G networks - Australian government says 5G architecture makes it too risky... 22/08 - PRODUCTS - Qualcomm to start shipping its 5G modems - However chipmaker says it doesn't expect 5G phones to launch this year... 22/08 - NETWORKS - Speed takes centre stage as operators ramp up 5G testing - Report suggests 82 per cent of mobile operators worldwide are testing 5G... 22/08 - DEVICES - Nokia expects to make €3 from every 5G smartphone - Finnish giant sets rate for its essential 5G patents... 20/08 - NETWORKS - Government to test 5G on UK railways - DCMS invites participants for pilot to see how 5G can improve transport sector... 20/08 - NETWORKS - Verizon and Nokia test 5G with a moving vehicle - Partners make progress in mobile broadband and connected car apps... 17/08 - NETWORKS - 5G network slicing could be worth £51bn to mobile operators - Researchers say efforts by operators and vendors could bear fruit... 16/08 - NETWORKS - Cisco posts healthy revenues ahead of 5G push - Cisco is happy with innovation roadmap as it prepares for next generation networks... 16/08 - NETWORKS - Telstra switches on 5G for the Gold Coast, but wider availability remains murky - Australian telcos Optus and Vodafone say there’s a long road ahead... 15/08 - NETWORKS - O2 tests light-based wireless transmission ahead of 5G tests - Li-Fi is pitched as a Wi-Fi alternative... 15/08 - DEVICES - LG to launch 'first 5G smartphone' in 2019 - LG and Sprint will release a 5G-ready device in the US next year... 13/08 - NETWORKS - Ericsson hopes US 5G investments will speed up deployments - Ericsson makes investments in 5G R&D... 08/08 - NETWORKS - Samsung invests billions in 5G and AI - Samsung's £17bn investment programme looks to guard against smartphone slowdown... 07/08 - NETWORKS - US set to lose out to China in 5G race - Deloitte report urges policymakers to promote investment... 02/08 - DEVICES - Moto Z3 is the world's first 5G-upgradable smartphone, say Motorola and Verizon - The first 5G-almost-ready smartphone... 02/08 - OPERATORS - Three focuses on 5G after revenue and customer rises - Three now boasts 10.1m customers across the UK...
31/07 - DEVICES - Lenovo says it'll be the first to launch a 5G smartphone - Could be here before the end of the year... 30/07 - NETWORKS - Nokia and T-Mobile ink $3.5bn 5G network deal - US operator presses ahead with 5G rollout plans... 27/07 - OPERATORS - Mobile helps BT Q1 results ahead of 5G trials - Consumer division continues to offset BT business decline... 26/07 - OPERATORS - O2 invites FTSE 500 to trial its 5G - O2 presses ahead with 5G tests as it adds more customers... 26/07 - OPERATORS - Nokia looks to 5G after sales slowdown - Nokia says drop is to be expected but is confident for second half of 2018... 26/07 - OPERATORS - Sky Mobile extends O2 MVNO agreement to cover 5G - Sky Mobile now has 500,000 customers across the UK... 23/07 - REGULATION - UK Government promises new regulations and investment for full fibre and 5G - Government report outlines plans to deliver fibre to entire UK by 2033... 23/07 - PRODUCTS - Qualcomm's mmWave antennas pave way for first 5G smartphones - The first 5G smartphones should arrive in 2019... 20/07 - NETWORKS - Barriers to 5G could stop UK being a global leader - BSG report identifies issues and resolutions... 18/07 - NETWORKS - South Korea plans 2019 5G launch - "Korea 5G Day" will see new networks introduced a year ahead of schedule... 10/07 - NETWORKS - China Mobile, Intel and Huawei complete 5G interoperability testing - Tests pave way for China Mobile 5G launch next year... 09/07 - NETWORKS - SSE Enterprise Telecoms unbundles BT exchanges to boost broadband and Three 5G - SSE Enterprise Telecoms doubles its reach... 03/07 - NETWORKS - Samsung, Cisco and Orange hold multi-vendor 5G FWA trial - FWA will deliver a fixed-like broadband experience when 5G launches... 29/06 - DEVICES - OnePlus 7 could support 5G and be sold by US carriers - But don't expect it for a while... 28/06 - NETWORKS - "World's first" 5G network launches - Finnish operator Elisa claims global first in launching a commercial 5G network... 27/06 - ANALYSIS - The World Cup and 5G: the trials you need to know about - 5G will change how you watch football forever... 25/06 - NETWORKS - UK 'needs shared spectrum' for 5G - Ofcom urged to rethink 5G spectrum auction to ensure fairer rollout... 20/06 - NETWORKS - Vodafone launches 5G trials in seven UK cities - Vodafone to hold trials later this year with plans for a 2020 5G launch... 19/06 - NETWORKS - Mobile signal woes 'strengthens' business case for 5G - Only half of mobile users in the UK are happy with their speeds, but willing to pay more for faster service... 15/06 - NETWORKS - First standalone 5G network standard approved - 3GPP finalizes 'Release 15' of 5G after three years of work, meaning networks are on the way this year... 14/06 - ANALYSIS - Three CEO: 5G capacity is a 'big opportunity' to lead UK market - Dave Dyson says Three's spectrum holdings mean it could be the UK's 5G leader... 13/06 - NETWORKS - Vodafone: 5G smartphone uncertainty means focus on core network and IoT - Vodafone UK CTO says 5G will be a gamechanger, but smartphone innovation in the 4G era won't be matched... 12/06 - NETWORKS - 5G networks still set to arrive this year - Ericsson report suggests Europe will fall behind US and Asia on 5G adoption... 11/06 - NETWORKS - 'First ever' UK 5G report paints rosy picture - UK's 5G ambitions rely heavily on startup and research community... 06/06 - ANALYSIS - EU telecoms rule changes will hinder rather than help 5G, claim industry - Telecoms groups label the new EU code a "missed opportunity"... 06/06 - NETWORKS - EE to switch on 'UK's first' 5G trial in London - Residents and businesses in Tech City will get chance to try out 5G... 05/06 - PRODUCTS - 5G PCs coming from Intel and Sprint next year - US telecoms giant Sprint has joined the race to bring 5G to the masses, announcing at Computex 2018 to start shipping Intel-powered 5G computers next year... 01/06 - ANALYSIS - 5G UK - How far away are we really? - 5G will deliver immediate benefits in 2019, but the true mobile revolution will take time...
25/05 - POLICY - Mobile industry 'shouldn't wait' for 5G to roll out small cells - Small cells will be essential for delivering the 5G vision but industry warns there is no time too wait... 25/05 - POLICY - Nordic Prime Ministers reach agreement to support 5G - Joint agreement is welcomed by Nokia, Ericsson and regional operators... 22/05 - NETWORKS - Qualcomm details 5G small cell platform - Qualcomm wants to help operators and network equipment manufacturers densify 5G networks... 18/05 - NETWORKS - Verizon to bring 5G to Los Angeles in 2018 - Verizon says America's second largest city will be its next 5G location... 16/05 - NETWORKS - Mobile IoT networks to be a 'core component' of 5G - GSMA says NB-IoT and LTE-M deployments are paving the way for massive IoT powered by 5G... 14/05 - NETWORKS - 5G and network convergence drives growth of carrier-grade Wi-Fi market - Fixed and mobile operators look to densify network infrastructure... 08/05 - PRODUCTS - Why self-driving vehicles could be the biggest winner in a 5G world - Telefónica tells us why autonomous vehicles are set to be a key 5G use case... 08/05 - NETWORKS - Verizon and Samsung get 5G regulatory boost - Verizon and Samsung make major headway towards 5G... 03/05 - NETWORKS - Deutsche Telekom holds live 5G NR trial in Berlin - German operator says test will see how 5G NR behaves in real world... 02/05 - ANALYSIS - Why T-Mobile and Sprint merger would give the US a 5G lead - A truly national 5G network could ensure the US retains its advantage... 01/05 - NETWORKS - Three futureproofs backend infrastructure for 5G - Three and SSE Enterprise Telecoms deal with start with data centre connectivity... 30/04 - NETWORKS - T-Mobile and Sprint merger promises 5G progress in the US - America's third and fourth largest mobile operators are to merge... 18/04 - NETWORKS - Huawei dampens 5G expectations - Huawei CEO says consumer might not notice the differences... 17/04 - NETWORKS - China has narrow lead over US in 5G race - Government support and industry momentum gives China slight advantage, report says... 16/04 - DEVICES - 5G anticipation set to slow smartphone sales - Manufacturers hope for 5G boost as worldwide smartphone demand slows... 13/04 - NETWORKS - What does the Ofcom 5G auction mean for the UK mobile industry? - The long-awaited auction is over, paving the way for 5G...so what next? 12/04 - NETWORKS - Vodafone hits major UK 5G milestone - Vodafone is first UK operator to test 3.4GHz spectrum in preparation for 5G... 09/04 - NETWORKS - Europe set be left behind in 5G race - US and Asia will lead the way in 5G development, claims report... 05/04 - NETWORKS - Mobile networks fork out £1.4bn for 5G spectrum - Ofcom publishes the results of its 5G spectrum auction, revealing that the UK's biggest mobile network operators spent almost £1.4 billion...
28/03 - NETWORKS - 'World's first' 5G public trial switched on in Australia - Australian telco Telstra flips the switch on the world's first public trial of 5G at the Gold Coast... 28/03 - NETWORKS - 5G RuralFirst looks at smart farming, spectrum sharing and broadcasting - Government funded project will use Cisco tech to help transform rural lives... 28/03 - POLICY - UK5G group makes bid for global 5G leadership - Government and industry backed UK5G looks to establish UK 5G community... 27/03 - NETWORKS - GSMA: 5G will be dominant mobile tech in USA by 2025 - Mobile industry body report shows US will be a 5G leader... 27/03 - NETWORKS - Telefonica tests tech that could boost 5G broadband - Telefonica spectral efficiency trials hope to pave the way for better fixed wireless access (FWA)... 23/03 - NETWORKS - 5G networks are now just a year away - Korea Telecom plans commercial 5G launch next March... 20/03 - NETWORKS - UK 5G spectrum auction gets underway - Five bidders will battle it out for more of the UK's airwaves... 19/03 - NETWORKS - UK university makes major 5G breakthrough - University of Kent-based iCIRRUS consortium says Ethernet equipment can help deliver 5G networks... 16/03 - NETWORKS - O2 kickstarts the UK's 5G charm offensive to consumers - 5G hypetrain moves from industry into the mainstream... 15/03 - NETWORKS - Digital minister pledges to eliminate barriers to 5G deployment - Margot James says she wants to work with mobile operators and local government on 5G... 14/03 - NETWORKS - O2: 5G will save local councils and households £6bn a year - Report details how smart technologies powered by 5G can improve society... 12/03 - NETWORKS - Ofcom 5G spectrum auction will start next week - Ofcom confirms that bidding for 5G frequencies will begin on 20 March... 12/03 - NETWORKS - Government reveals £25m prize fund for UK 5G - £25m competition will see 5G testbeds located across the UK... 11/03 - DEVICES - 5G a key factor to seamless VR experience, says Lenovo EMEA President - Lenovo wants to create memorable experiences for its customers, but is that enough? 09/03 - NETWORKS - Ofcom plans new rural coverage obligations for 700MHz spectrum - Ofcom says 700MHz is an important opportunity to improve rural coverage as it plans for 5G future... 05/03 - NETWORKS - EU Parliament and US Congress take steps to accelerate 5G legislation - EU chambers reach provisional agreement while US Congress to vote on spectrum auction... 05/03 - DEVICES - HTC CEO: 5G will turn any VR device into the most powerful in the world - Cher Wang says the smartphone still has a role to play in VR... 03/03 - NETWORKS - Qualcomm hopes 5G vision will stand out from the hype - Qualcomm's influence in the industry is significant, so its 5G roadmap is worth listening too... 02/03 - NETWORKS - BT CEO: EE convergence even more important ahead of 5G - Gavin Patterson says BT never really left mobile and is preparing for converged network era... 28/02 - NETWORKS - Intel and NTT DoCoMo prepare 5G plans for Tokyo 2020 Olympics - After success at PyeongChang 2018, Intel is stepping up plans for next Olympics... 27/02 - NETWORKS - Satellite-supported UK 5G testbed will trial mission critical apps - Juniper Networks and Satellite Applications Catapult say satellite cannot be ignored... 27/02 - MOBILE - Qualcomm looks to make it easier to make 5G phones - Launch will help OEMs build 5G connectivity into more devices... 27/02 - NETWORKS - Ofcom confirms six bidders for 5G spectrum - All four mobile operators have been approved, with small cell operator and Hull fixed wireless firm joining... 27/02 - NETWORKS - Ericsson tells operators: 5G is ready - Ericsson has agreements with 38 operators around the world as 5G moves from idea to reality... 27/02 - PRODUCTS - Get ready for a 5G Internet of the Sky - Drones like the Ehang 184 will usher in a 5G-powered autonomous airspace... 26/02 - NETWORKS - Telstra plans to ramp up 4G speeds in the lead up to its full 5G rollout - Major cities in Australia to get increased bandwidth... 26/02 - NETWORKS - Cisco targets mobile operators with '5G Now' - Cisco wants to help operators prepare for the next era of networks... 25/02 - MOBILE - Huawei reveals 5G-ready modem - Test beds for 5G networks will be launched this year, Huawei reveals... 23/02 - NETWORKS - Why PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics are a 5G milestone - Athletes are making history at the Winter Olympics, but it's an important event for 5G networks too... 22/02 - NETWORKS - O2 reveals UK 5G test bed - Operator will test 5G applications at iconic London venue later this year... 19/02 - NETWORKS - Vodafone and Huawei successfully test IP Microwave backhaul for 5G - Vodafone and Huawei achieve 2Gbps on IP microwave link, claiming it shows the tech is viable for 5G... 16/02 - NETWORKS - Why startups and research can make the UK a 5G leader - Does the UK really need to be first to the mark or be an industry powerhouse to be a 5G leader? 16/02 - OPINION - No time to waste now 5G legal challenges are over - For an industry keen to avoid a repeat of the 3G and 4G auctions, Three's failed appeal removes a barrier to 5G... 14/02 - MOBILE - Fiber-like internet and a glimpse of our 5G future are coming to smartphones in 2019 - Qualcomm's new mobile modem offering speeds of up to 2Gbps... 14/02 - NETWORKS - 5G spectrum auction to go ahead after Three's legal challenge fails - Three's bid to decrease an overall spectrum cap falls on deaf ears and prevents further delay... 12/02 - NETWORKS - China Mobile plans 5G launch in 2019 - China Mobile joins a select few number of operators planning to beat original 2020 target... 08/02 - MOBILE - The first 5G smartphones are coming in 2019 - But you won't see 5G service everywhere by next year... 07/02 - MOBILE - 5G set to push mobile data use sky-high - Giffgaff research estimates customers will use nearly 100GB of mobile data a month by 2025... 05/-2 - NETWORKS - Telstra joins Optus on 5G bandwagon, also aiming for 2019 rollout - Australian carrier Telstra will trial new tech during Commonwealth Games... 05/01 - NETWORKS - AT&T set to run 5G trials - Company to adopt new 3GPP guidelines as it continues push for next-generation networks... 04/01 - NETWORKS - Samsung teams up with Verizon on 5G - New service to be launched in Sacramento later this year... 02/02 - NETWORKS - Optus 5G network rollout set to begin in early 2019 - Australian telco Optus announces its plans for 5G rollout...
What will 5G networks mean for me?
How fast will 5G be?It’s still not exactly known how much faster 5G will be than 4G, as much of the technology is still under development. That being said, the networks should provide a significant upgrade to current download and upload speeds - with the GSMA proposing minimum download speeds of around 1GBps. Most estimates expect the average speed of 5G networks to reach 10Gb/s, and some even think transfer rates could reach a whopping 800Gb/s. This would mean that users could download a full-length HD quality film in a matter of seconds, and that downloading and installing software upgrades would be completed much faster than today.
Will I be able to get 5G networks on my phone?Existing smartphones, tablet or other devices that were released when 4G networks were the standard may not be able to connect to 5G to begin with, or may incur extra costs to do so. However following the 2020 deadline for the initial rollout, we should soon see devices coming with 5G connection as default. Don't worry though - although 5G should represent a major step up from current 4G and 3G networks, the new technology won’t immediately replace its predecessor - at least, not to begin with. Instead, 5G should link in with existing networks to ensure users never lose connection, with the older networks acting as back-up in areas not covered by the new 5G coverage. So-called “4.5G” networks (also known as LTE-A) are set to fill the gap for the time being, offering connections that are faster than current 4G networks, although only certain countries such as South Korea can benefit from them right now. Once launched however, implementing 5G may be a slower process. Much like the gradual takeover of 4G networks from the previous generation, existing network infrastructure may need to be upgraded or even replaced in order to deal with the new technology, and homes and businesses may also need to get new services installed. It’s not yet known how 5G networks will take over from existing networks, but again, much like the rollout of 4G, you may not be able to immediately connect to the new networks without upgrading your technology.
What will a 5G network need?The GSMA has outlined eight criteria for 5G networks, with a connection needing meet a majority of these in order to qualify as 5G:
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