Saturday, June 15, 2019

Apple : Best MDM solutions in 2019

Apple : Best MDM solutions in 2019

Best MDM solutions in 2019

Posted: 15 Jun 2019 11:52 AM PDT

The use of mobile devices within a corporation has become an ordinary part of modern business, but having so many devices operating both within and outside the company offices can be a real headache to manage.

This is especially because of the security risk they pose, as one lost cell phone with access to the company records could have serious consequences. Additionally, cell phones, tablets, and laptops all need to undergo routine software upgrades to keep them secure.

The issue is made even more complicated with BYOD-Bring Your Own Device-policies, which allow employees to bring in and use their own personal mobile devices for work to help improve efficiency, while creating yet another potential security situation.

This is where MDM-mobile Device Management-comes in, which are usually single platforms where all mobile devices in use can be monitored and managed. This means having a dashboard where IT professionals can see which version of an operating system is being used and whether any upgrades are required for those devices.

Additionally, MDM services can ensure that any company data used on a mobile device, whether provided by the business or brought in by staff, can be fenced off to protect and secure the data.

And in the event that a mobile device is lost, MDM services can help locate the device-or, alternatively, if it cannot be recovered, ensure that any company data is erased and the device locked against further use.

Overall, the increasing use of mobile devices and cloud platforms can contribute significantly to business efficiency and profitability. However, without the correct MDM solution for your business, these benefits may be outweighed by the costs. All the more reason to ensure proper Mobile Device Management is in place, to protect your business, employees, and customers.

Want your company or services to be added to this buyer’s guide? Please email your request to desire.athow@futurenet.com with the URL of the buying guide in the subject line.

Image Credit: Jamf

Jamf Pro offers comprehensive management of Apple mobile devices in the enterprise, describing itself as the “The Swiss Army knife to handle your users’ needs.” 

System administrators can troubleshoot iOS devices, keep them up to date, manage their security, and ensure all users have the apps and services they need. All of these tasks can be automated, offering a welcome convenience factor for IT professionals at the helm.

Additionally, the user interface is clear and simple to use, so unless you’re a total beginner in the world of device management, it shouldn’t take too long to get used to operating the Jamf Pro platform.   

The software can be run via the cloud or as an on-premise service, and also works with asset management tools, network access controllers and other IT services thanks to built-in integrations. Should problems arise, a helpful customer service team is on hand via phone, email and live chat in business hours – with a Premium Support service also available for added technical and strategic expertise.   

Jamf pricing begins at $2 per device per month for the Now Standard plan, or $4 per device for the Now Plus Plan. In both instances, the first 3 Mac or iOS devices are free.  For the more inclusive Jamf Pro Plan pricing begins at $3.33 per month per iOS or tvOS device, or $7.17 for the top tier.

Image Credit: Okta

Okta gives IT managers the tools to manage all the web applications entering the work environment, with on-demand identity and access management operational in the cloud and behind the firewall.

Its MDM products are plentiful, including single sign-on for speedy application access, multi-factor authentication for added security, lifecycle management for controlling the movement of people in and out of the organization, and universal directory, allowing you to manage every user, app, device, and API in your organization from one place. 

Given the endless stream of applications and technologies entering the typical company network, potential suitors of Okta will be glad to hear it boasts integration for over 5,500 apps, including Office 365, G Suite, AWS, Slack, Salesforce, Zendesk and Splunk. Okta’s security analytics and automated provisioning tools offer peace of mind when it comes to managing employee devices.  

A $1,500 annual contract is the minimum requirement for Okta’s products, which are generally considered on the pricier side, though volume discounts are available for enterprise customers with over 5,000 users.   

Image Credit: Scalefusion

There was much concern and consternation when Android devices first penetrated ‘the enterprise’, with many regarding the OS as somewhat insecure compared to business favorites BlackBerry and iPhone. But with device management solutions like Scalefusion (formerly MobileLock Pro) now in the market, IT managers are increasingly relaxed about an Android presence in their organization. 

Scalefusion is a cloud-based platform enabling users to control all their company’s Android devices. At the heart of the management controls is the system’s ability to lock devices into kiosk mode, replacing the standard device home screen with a customizable display that limits which apps and websites can be accessed by users.   

Control is further enhanced by making certain OS functions inaccessible – preventing employees from adapting device settings or installing unapproved apps – while websites can be blocked and whitelisted.

Administrators can also push files to devices from their dashboard, remotely send alarms to make devices ring, send out one-way message broadcasts to any number of registered devices, and remotely wipe all images, videos, and audio files from device galleries. 

But it’s not all bad news for the device carrier, as they can create device profiles with customized branding and use the pre-selected list of apps and websites at their leisure.

Pricing for Scalefusion begins at $30 per device per year for up to 25 devices with the Starter Tier. Pricing is reduced per device for the Pro and Business tiers: the Pro tier costs $24 per device per year for between 25 to 100 devices, and the Business tier is charged at $18 per device per year for over 100 devices. 

Image Credit: ManageEngine

ManageEngine Mobile Device Manager allows you to manage your organization’s mobile assets while maintaining strong security. It is available as both a cloud and on-premise service, and works across both Apple and Android devices. 

Mobile Device Manager boasts a wide array of features and tools: device enrolment provides platform-specific bulk enrolment options, and device management enables remote control of devices in real-time with the ability to set up profile policies depending on department or hierarchy.

The there's app management which can blacklist certain apps in the business side of a user’s device (which is kept separate to their personal profile), along with mobile security that safeguards assets and information through passcodes, geo-fencing and remote locking and wiping.

Remote troubleshooting allows you to remotely view and control devices in real-time, and mobile content management pushes documents and other resources to employee devices. Finally, audit tools can update admins on the device count in the network, see what apps are being used by whom, and spot if any go outside of the set boundaries. 

Pricing is free for the first 25 devices with both the Standard Edition and Professional Edition pricing tiers. After that, for the standard package, prices start from $10 per device per year-which is pretty good-with the professional tier charging just $18 per device per year.

Image Credit: Miradore

Aimed at small and mid-size businesses, healthcare companies and service providers, Miradore Online is a cloud-based MDM, looking after smartphones and tablets running Android, iOS and even Windows Phone.   

Among the control features are passcodes, device encryption and remote locking – plus the ability to wipe the device of all data should it be lost or stolen. Matters are better still for iOS devices in the network, as these can be put into Lost Mode, locking the phone or tablet and displaying a contact number for those who may find it.   

For bring your own device (BYOD) implementations, the nifty selective wipe feature enables the removal of all company-specific data from a device, while leaving personal data intact. 

Elsewhere in the platform, Miradore Online has tools to track the location of all devices (with information including longitude and latitude, zip code and street address), the ability to configure email, Wi-Fi, and VPN settings, plus restriction options can be set on data roaming, web content, and app availability.  

There's a free tier offering a free MDM solution for small businesses, with the Business tier with more features charged at $1 per device per month.

SimpleMDM

Image credit: SimpleMDM

SimpleMDM is a solution specifically catered toward Apple device management. Because it uses only Apple protocols, the aim is to provide a service that's especially easy, fast, and simple to deploy. 

This is especially due to SimpleMDM's support for the Apple Device Enrollment Program (DEP) which means that new devices can be shipped out already pre-configured for use. Apps and settings can be centrally managed to ensure they follow company best use policies for security purposes.

There's also support for Apple's Volume Purchase Program (VPP), but SimpleMDM can happily cope with legacy devices that might turn up with any BYOD program.

Features of the SimpleMDM service include two-factor authentication, as well as the ability to share keys and passwords across authenticated macOS devices. Devices can be tracked without an Apple ID, and forcefully locked or unlocked as required.

Pricing is simple and plain: $3 per device when paid for monthly, or $2 per device when paid for annually. Enterprise discounts are available for very large deployments. Additionally, there's a 30-day free trial with no credit card required.

Other MDM solutions to consider

Another MDM service that covers iPhone, Android and Windows is SureMDM. Producer 42Gears describes the product as a simple and ‘lean’ solution for the enterprise, targeting SMBs and startups. Features include application deployment, security policies, location tracking, screen sharing and remote troubleshooting.

Another notable market player is Hexnode MDM, which also covers iPhone, Android and Windows. Stay on top of devices in your network through individual and group management, a kiosk mode, app management, web filtering, tracking, geofencing and expense management, among other features.   

Cisco’s enterprise ubiquity stretches to mobile device management too, thanks to Cisco Meraki. The cloud-based platform provides centralized management, diagnostics, and monitoring for all the mobile devices managed by your organization, from iPads and Androids to Macs and PCs. 

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Canada vs New Zealand live stream: how to watch today's Women's World Cup 2019 match from anywhere

Posted: 15 Jun 2019 09:46 AM PDT

Group E is on a knife-edge at the Women's World Cup 2019 and a lot rests on the second games for Canada and New Zealand. Read on to find out how you can catch a Canada vs New Zealand live stream from anywhere around the world with our instructions below.

Canada opened their World Cup campaign with a hard-fought but deserved 1-0 win over Cameroon thanks to Kadeisha Buchanan's crucial headed goal. They can guarantee their place in the next round with a win today.

New Zealand will have to pick themselves up after a demoralising 1-0 defeat in their opening game against the Netherlands which saw them concede a header from Dutch substitute Jill Roord in the 93rd minute.

All eyes will be on Canada striker Christine Sinclair, who'll be itching to get on the scoresheet today. The 36-year-old hotshot is just four goals away from setting the record for the most international goals scored by a female or male soccer player worldwide, with retired USA forward Abby Wambach's incredible career tally of 184 within her sights.

Canada will certainly need Sinclair and her teammates to be more efficient in front of goal against New Zealand - the Canucks dominated play against Cameroon with 74 per cent of possession, but could only manage to scrape a win with a single goal. 

New Zealand won't be making it easy - they're a well-drilled side with one of the most well-organised defences in the tournament. Earning at least a point in this match will be crucial if the Football Ferns are to progress in to the next round, but can coach Tom Sermanni lift morale after such an agonising opening loss?

Don't miss any of the action by following the instructions below and grabbing a live stream of Canada vs New Zealand wherever you are in the world.

Watch a FIFA Women's World Cup 2019 live stream from outside your country

If you're in UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, we've got your viewing options listed below. If you're out of the country for today's match, you may find that geo-blocking will prevent you from watching your regular domestic coverage from abroad. You don't have to risk watching the match on a dodgy stream, however.

With the option of using a VPN service, you can tune into the match no matter where you are in the world, and its super easy to set up.

How to watch a Canada live stream in the FIFA Women's World Cup 

How to watch a live stream of New Zealand

How to watch Canada vs New Zealand: live stream in Australia

How to stream today's match in the UK 

Live stream Canada vs New Zealand in the US

- Discover our pick of all the US's best sports streaming sites

As well as opening up your viewing options for the Women's World Cup, using a VPN allows you to watch all your domestic sports coverage from abroad.

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India vs Pakistan live stream: how to watch Cricket World Cup 2019 grudge match from anywhere

Posted: 15 Jun 2019 09:30 AM PDT

There are a lot of people who have been waiting for this 2019 Cricket World Cup a long time - India vs Pakistan. There were rumours of more than 500,000 people applying to buy tickets to watch this live at Old Trafford, and we're expecting a worldwide audience in the tens of millions. National pride is at stake in this one - as well as a potential spot in the last four of the World Cup - and we've created this guide for getting an India vs Pakistan live stream, regardless of where you are in the world.

We'll forget about the international geo-politics of this encounter, and concentrate on the game itself. It's all set up to be a cracker, with both teams showing signs of brilliance already in the 2019 Cricket World Cup.


Winners of this competition in 1983 and 2011, India arrived late to the 2019 tournament to recover from another intense IPL. But Virat Kohli's men have looked no-less fresh for that, with a stonking win over South Africa (thanks, in large part, to Rohit Sharma's outstanding century) and then a strong victory over pre-tournament favourites Australia. Their batting line-up is looking particularly intimidating, while Jasprit Bumrah continues to show why he has risen to the top of the world rankings in this format.

Pakistan are really living up to their reputation as cricket's most unpredictable team. From shocking against the Windies to pulling off a shock against England and almost doing the same against the Aussies, it's near impossible to forecast what version of the team will turn up against India. Pretty much all of their batsmen have contributed with runs and could convert higher, and they'll be hoping that Mohammed Amir can impress once again with the ball.

Both teams will be desperate to win this match that resonates way beyond the field of play and the Cricket World Cup. Getting an India vs Pakistan live stream is the easy bit and you can continue reading to see how to watch from just about anywhere on Earth.

Watch a Cricket World Cup 2019 live stream from outside your country

Watching in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, US, India or Pakistan? We've got all the details you need about the broadcaster in your country further down this page.

But if you're away from your home country today, the minute you try to watch your domestic broadcast you'll discover that you can't because of geo-blocking. That's annoying, but by using a VPN you can watch it anyway without reverting to some dodgy, illegal feed you've dug out online.

How to stream 2019 Cricket World Cup online in India

How to watch the cricket in Pakistan

How to stream India vs Pakistan live in the UK 

How to watch India vs Pakistan: live stream in Australia

How to watch India vs Pakistan: New Zealand live stream 

How to watch India vs Pakistan: US live stream 

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Intellivision Amico: can the retro revival console offer something new?

Posted: 15 Jun 2019 07:00 AM PDT

When it comes to home technology, there's nothing quite as diverse as a modern-day video game console. Serving both as an all-inclusive multimedia experience and an angular box for keeping 12-year-olds occupied, the console we know today is far removed from its ancestral heritage. While it's important not to let nostalgia blindside us, sometimes it's hard not to remember a time when mindlessly blowing on cartridges was considered technical wizardry.  

As nostalgia for the early days of gaming continues to grip the community, we've begun to see the likes of Nintendo and Sony try and facilitate consumers, satiating their hunger with miniaturised classic consoles – like the NES Classic Mini or PlayStation Classic. 

But even the original game industry titans have re-emerged back on the hardware scene, promising core elements of classic gaming infused with modern hardware. 1977’s Atari VCS is seeing a modern update, while its one-time competitor, the Intellivision console, is being reborn as the Intellivision Amico.

With killer titles such as Earthworm Jim featuring on The Intellivision Amico, and a planned launch date in October 2020, will this resurrected console be able to teach the new dogs some old tricks? We spoke to the president of Intellivision Entertainment, Tommy Tallarico, to find out what the Amico could bring to today’s market after such a long time away.

Getting back to local multiplayer

The Intellivision Amico will be available in five distinct colors: Metallic Pearl, Obsidian Black, Vintage Woodgrain, GTO Red with carbon fiber (shown here) and Galaxy Purple. (Image Credit: Intellivision)

Tallarico is something of a rockstar in the industry, with his influence spanning over various generations of gaming. From Earthworm Jim and Metroid Prime to ambitious musical projects such as Video Games Live – an immersive concert event for classic gaming tunes – Tallarico has an impressive resume to bolster his new position.

On a transatlantic call between Scotland and California, we asked Tallarico what The Amico ultimately aims to achieve.  

"The big differentiator [today] is getting families and friends to play together in the same room, which doesn't happen anymore,” says Tallarico. “The idea of the console is to bring everyone together, similar to the way boardgames do. The reality is, your mom isn't playing Super Smash Bros and your Grandfather can't turn the PS4 on..."  

While this response might be a little tongue in cheek, it does highlight issues of accessibility of video games. Whether it's because someone can't find the time or is too intimidated to explore the world of gaming, the rapid growth and change in console gaming over the years has arguably alienated a huge group of past and potential gamers.  

"I don't mean to come across as putting these consoles down,”, he says. “I am a huge gamer and love everything these companies do, but there are 200 million of those consoles out there, and three billion people are playing on mobile, who don't consider themselves to be gamers.”

“We hope to pick up where the Wii left off, and focus on those ‘non-gamers’." 

Under the hood

Need more controllers? You can download a smartphone app to get more two players in the action. (Image Credit: Intellivision)

But what features, inputs, or – most importantly – games will actually be part of the Amico? 

Unlike the mystery around the new Atari VCS console revival, Intellivision has been anything but shy when it comes to the features behind their tech. While discussing the innovations the Amico hopes to bring to the table, Tommy detailed some new information about the console's connectivity.  

“Our entire system has RFID, which we'll be showing off at E3. It means I can take my Amico controller to your house, tap it on your machine – connecting automatically – and then play all of my games on your system.”

What is RFID? It’s a type of close-range wireless connectivity, which works in a similar way to the likes of Nintendo’s Amiibo figures, or wireless payment through cellular devices – and opens up possibilities for digital titles far beyond the original console. 

“My Mom, she likes bowling, right? I want to be able to buy her a bowling pin keychain which holds the new bowling game for Intellivision, with all she has to do is touch it right on the machine and within seconds, she’s playing the game. That’s what it’s all about.”  

Nintendo's Amiibo figures use close-range connectivity to add additional content to Nintendo titles. (Image Credit: Philip Hayton)

This is another example of the Amico paying close attention to innovations from big companies like Nintendo, with the likes of their Amiibo figures, but leveraging the technology in new ways. It will certainly be interesting to see how this unconventional form of video game collecting resonates – or doesn’t – with consumers.  

Tallarico also touched on the functionality of the Amico’s touch screen controllers, which bare a resemblance to the classic Intellivision joypads, equipped with a directional disc and touch screen in place of the original number pad. While these controllers are far from complex, their capabilities extend beyond what you’d expect from a controller with only a few buttons. 

“The controls we’ve created, with the disc and the touch screen, are unbelievable,” Tallarico says. “The whole disc is not only a button, but it’s 360 degrees, meaning you press right and it’s a button, or press left and it’s a button... it could actually be a thousand buttons in one. Every game will feel a little different, and you’ll hold it a little different.” 

Not only will the disc be used for traditional movement within a game, but also takes on the functionality of a classic button, it makes what seemed like a rather bare looking controller into something with a ridiculous amount of inputs. 

While it’s hard to tell what this will be like in practice, Tallarico continued to elaborate on how this might come into play when controlling some familiar arcade games.  

“Think about Missile Command, or Centipede. Both of those games had a trackball controller. I challenge you to try and play those games on a PS4 controller, it’s an absolute nightmare. Or on a mobile device, you can put your finger where you want the thing to go, but you can’t really feel anything – it’s not tactile. 

“When you hold our controller horizontal, with the screen on the left and the disc on the right, wherever your thumb goes is where the reticule goes. Want to fire a missile? You hit anywhere on the disc and it will fire in that direction.” 

The original Intellivision used two number-pad controllers, rather than the new model's touchscreen. (Image Credit: Philip Hayton)

Tallarico also let us in on some of the new gameplay experiences that we can come to expect from the Amico. We already know at this point that the Amico wants to involve as many players as possible, but this idea becomes even more intriguing when it comes to expanding the number of players on something that is traditionally single player. 

“Imagine we’re playing Missile Command in multiplayer. I'm the player on the bottom, you’re on the top of the screen, maybe a second and third player on the side. Now it becomes a completely different experience. Same with Centipede: what if everyone else in the room is the enemy, and the spider trying to get you? They’re trying to get away from you trying to take them out. Now, this single-player experience is for everybody.”

The return of Earthworm Jim

Anyone following the Intellivision Amico already will know that the console is getting its very own, brand new Earthworm Jim game, created with the franchise’s original development team. The exclusive title will commemorate 25 years of the iconic character – and utilize similar co-op to the other games on the system.

It bodes well for the resurrection of old fan favorites, though for the expected $3-8 pricing for the Amico's games, it doesn’t sound like it will be a fully-fledged AAA release.

“We got the exclusive rights to Earthworm Jim, 25 years after the release of the first game," Tallarico says, "and we’re doing a brand-new game exclusive to the Amico – but with the original team."

Earthworm Jim gets a brand new game, exclusive to the Amico. (Image Credit: Intellivision)

He added, “Again, the great thing about all these games is they’re all going to be couch co-op.” 

The idea of togetherness in video games is something that has changed dramatically throughout the years, with most video game socialising often taking place over a headset, rather than close enough to have a scrap when you lose against your friend. 

If there’s one thing we can say for certain, it’s that the Amico is going to give modernising core elements of classic gaming a good shot, with some throwback controller inputs that may still have a place in the gaming scene today. If nothing else, it may mean some lapsed gamers pick up a controller once again.

The Intellivision VCS is scheduled for release on October 10, 2020 in the US – with plans to come to the UK and Europe too. It is expected to retail for under $200 (£170 / AU$290), with games costing between $3 and $8 (around £4 / AU$7).

  • E3 2019 is the biggest gaming event of the year. TechRadar is reporting live from LA, telling you all about the biggest announcements of the week, from epic game trailers to shocking release date reveals. Follow our expert analysis of the keynotes and what we see on the E3 show floor.

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Samsung's Galaxy Fold might not show up until after the Note 10

Posted: 15 Jun 2019 06:30 AM PDT

It's not easy launching a foldable phone in 2019, as Samsung is quickly finding out: the latest reports from Asia suggest that its innovative Galaxy Fold handset won't be going on sale until August.

That means the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 might be out and available to buy before the folding handset that we first saw demoed back in February.

The bad news for folding phone fans comes from the Korea Herald, which says Samsung itself has denied the handset is going to be appearing in July (that was a prediction based on comments from a Samsung Electronics official).

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Apparently "little progress" seems to have been made on sorting out the folding hinge on the device, which has been the cause of numerous breakdowns in early review units.

The waiting game

The launch date in the US had been set for April 24, but that came and went after the first units to get into people's hands started suffering some durability problems.

Samsung then postponed the official on-sale date until a specified date in the future – we're still waiting to hear when that might be. Pre-orders for the phone have been canceled in the meantime.

The Galaxy Fold isn't the only foldable handset having problems either: Huawei has decided to delay the launch of its Mate X foldable, citing concerns over the longevity of the handset.

Getting the technology right is obviously a massive engineering challenge, but let's hope we see the Galaxy Fold and the Mate X made available to consumers before too long.

Via The Verge

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5G and the tactile internet: what really is it?

Posted: 15 Jun 2019 05:00 AM PDT

5G is the next generation of mobile internet connectivity. It offers speeds 10, or even 20 times faster than current 4G networks, with much faster data upload and download speeds, greater bandwidth, and more stable connections.

This will enable us to do everything we currently do with our mobile devices more quickly, including streaming live 4K video and downloading movies in moments.

However, the speed and capacity of 5G also opens up a wealth of new opportunities with other connected devices, including real-time interaction in ways that have never been possible before. 

One of the most exciting of these is tactile, or haptic communication – transmitting a physical sense of touch remotely.

What is the tactile internet?

The tactile internet will allow the sense of touch to be transmitted over long distances, with or without visual feedback – something that has previously been impossible due to the amount of data required, and the need for low-latency connections for real-time interaction.

It has the potential to make augmented and virtual reality far more immersive, help remotely-operated machines become more accurate, open up new avenues in healthcare, and provide new opportunities in education – and that’s just the start.

Image credit: vectorfusionart/Shutterstock

How does it work?

One of the biggest challenges for the tactile internet is creating the feeling of pressure against skin without a physical surface. There are several ways to achieve it – one of the most promising being tightly focused sound waves.

British company Ultrahaptics has developed a system that uses ultrasound to produce haptic feedback in mid-air. Its hardware features ultrasonic transducers (tiny high-frequency speakers), which are controlled individually to create different sensations on your skin. If you can't imagine that, think of the way you can feel the bass through your body at a loud concert.

These transducers are paired with a depth camera, which allows the system’s software to detect the position of your hand and react accordingly. A screen or VR headset can provide accompanying visuals and audio, making a virtual object tactile.

Microsoft is developing another form of haptic feedback, which uses air vortex rings. Like Ultrahaptics’ technology, the hardware is similar to a speaker diaphragm, but in this case the air is pushed through a small hole that turns it into a concentrated ring that can travel 8.2 feet with a resolution of 4 inches – much less precise than the ultrasound system, but at a far greater distance.

Augmented reality has already taken off in the fields of design and engineering, and the tactile internet would allow workers to interact more directly with their creations. Virtual objects will feel more solid, and together with the reduced latency of 5G, controls that once felt disconnected will feel tangible to the user.

Image credit:  PaO_STUDIO/Shutterstock

How can it be used?

One of the first uses of the tactile internet will undoubtedly be games – letting players feel the virtual environments they interact with – but it also has much wider potential.

One of the most important applications for the tactile internet is medicine . Once 5G becomes widespread, people in remote communities could get access to the kind of care that would once have required hours of travel. This will include real-time consultations via telepresence, but thanks to the tactile internet, treatment will also be possible vis remote-operated robotics.

Thanks to 5G, not only will it be possible to control robots remotely over long distances, doctors will be able to receive tactile feedback that will help them work with more precision.

For example, the tactile internet could allow a surgeon to feel the pressure being applied with a remotely operated scalpel, or enable an osteopath to manipulate a joint to help a patient recover from an injury.

The tactile internet, powered by 5G, also has the potential to improve life for people living with disabilities. Until now, braille smartphones have rarely evolved beyond concept drawings due to the difficulty of creating a surface that can physically change shape on the fly, recreating the necessary patterns of raised dots. With the tactile internet and haptic technology, braille telecommunication could become far easier, with emitters producing ‘bumps’ that can be felt and changed in seconds.

Image credit: g-stockstudio/Shutterstock

Together with augmented reality (AR), the tactile internet will also find uses in industry. For designers and engineers, it will allow them to manipulate 3D models in virtual space with more precision. 

Companies like Volvo area already experimenting with Microsoft Hololens and Google Glass to help with complex assembly on the production line, and the addition of haptic feedback could make work even easier and safer, providing tactile warnings if a components is misplaced and making it simpler to interact with instructions presented in workers’ field of view.  

For car manufacturers, the tactile internet will also make it easier to keep drivers’ attention on the road ahead. It will be many years before fully autonomous cars are widespread, and the popularity of infotainment systems with large touchscreens means modern cars are packed with potential distractions. With the tactile internet, drivers can interact with in-car systems by touch alone, without looking down at displays and controls. 

The possibilities are almost endless. If a task currently involves communication by audio or video, the tactile internet could add another layer of interaction.

When will it be here?

Microsoft’s vortex ring system is still at an experimental stage, but Ultrahaptics’ ultrasound technology is already commercially available as developer kits for anyone with an interest in the tactile internet.

At the moment, most applications have involved games in public spaces, but as 5G rolls out, we expect to see it put to much more novel use.

5G is set to transform virtual reality, with higher quality, smoother and more lifelike visuals and audio – and thanks to the tactile internet, you’ll not only be able to see and hear the virtual world, but feel it as well.

5G Uncovered, in association with Samsung, brings you everything you need to know about the next wave of connectivity - not just how fast it's going to be, but in just how many ways it's going to change your life. Our 5G Uncovered hub is carefully curated to show everything there is to know about the next generation of connection.   

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Xiaomi Mi Band 4 vs Mi Band 3: which affordable tracker is for you?

Posted: 15 Jun 2019 05:00 AM PDT

Xiaomi just announced a refresh of its best-selling fitness tracker. The last-gen tracker has proven to be one of the most popular fitness bands on the market right now, and it's likely because the price is so low.

It’s hard to find a more affordable and feature-packed device than the Xiaomi Mi Band 3, and that has meant the company has excelled at getting the health tracker onto wrists all around the world.

Despite the Mi Band 3 only being around a year old, Xiaomi has now introduced the Mi Band 4 in China. It has confirmed the Mi Band 4 will be coming to the UK later this year, and we have reason to suspect it may be set for the US and Australia too.

Below we’re going to talk you through all of the new features, so you can see how it compares to the Mi Band 3 and what a major change to the fitness band formula it is for Xiaomi.

Xiaomi Mi Band 4 vs Mi Band 3 display 

The display is perhaps the biggest change Xiaomi has made for its upgraded fitness tracker.

Every Mi Band product so far has had a black and white display, but that’s all changed on the Mi Band 4, as it’s the first one with a color screen and it’s also bigger than the Mi Band 3.

The Mi Band 3’s display is 0.78 inches with a resolution of 128 x 80. Again, that’s just black and white so you’ll just get to see your stats in monochrome.

If you opt for the newer Mi Band 4, you’ll get a slightly bigger display at 0.95 inches and a resolution of 120 x 240 as well as the benefits of a color screen. 

That’s likely to be a significant change for your wrist as it allows for a more vivid screen when you're cycling through different features and looking at the clock face. On that note, Xiaomi has included 77 different types of clock face on the Mi Band 4, allowing you to customize its look.

Xiaomi Mi Band 4 vs Mi Band 3 design 

Apart from the slightly larger screen on the Mi Band 4, the design is fairly similar. Both products are long, thin bands that sit on your wrist with relatively light weights of 22g for the newest tracker and 20g for the Mi Band 3.

In both cases the fitness tracker itself sits within a silicone band, which can be changed out if you’re looking for a style change. Any of your existing Mi Band 3 straps can be used on the Xiaomi Mi Band 4 too.

In the west, Xiaomi only sold the Mi Band 3 in black, orange and blue. In the marketing materials so far we’ve seen at least five colors for the Mi Band 4 including black, blue, purple, orange and beige.

Maybe we won’t see all of those colors land in the west, but it's likely you'll have at least some extra color options for the newer tracker.

Both products are waterproof up to 50 meters, so you’ll be able to take them swimming, but they're not appropriate for anything more intensive such as diving or being submerged for long periods of time.

On both trackers you'll also find a capacitive button at the bottom of the display to wake the screen and to select certain features.

Xiaomi Mi Band 4 vs Mi Band 3 features

Both fitness trackers come with similar fitness features including step tracking, a heart rate monitor, and a variety of automatic activity tracking modes for exercises such as cycling and running, though neither include GPS.

There’s a new six-axis sensor inside the Mi Band 4 though that allows for more accurate and automatic swim tracking. It can monitor Freestyle, Backstroke, Butterfly Stroke and Medley when you’re in the pool, so that may be a big selling point for you.

It’s worth noting that the fitness features here are relatively limited, but that’s just part and parcel of getting a fitness band that is more affordable than some companies top-end options. 

Both trackers are capable of displaying some notifications that you get through from your smartphone, such as incoming calls and instant messages from services like WhatsApp and Messenger.

They're both a little limited in this space though, as for example you won't be able to reply from your wrist.

There are a variety of features on board each tracker such as a weather forecast, an alarm and sleep monitoring. 

Both trackers are said to survive for around 20 days of average usage from a single charge. We found that claim to be true on the Mi Band 3, and we hope to see similar performance from the Xiaomi Mi Band 4 when we get to test it.

The Mi Band 4 is also set to support Xiaomi's own voice assistant, but it's unlikely the company will be introducing that feature to countries outside China. The same goes for NFC, which is available on both trackers in China.

Xiaomi Mi Band 4 vs Mi Band 3 price 

The Xiaomi Mi Band 4. Image Credit: Xiaomi

We only know the price for the Xiaomi Mi Band 4 in the UK, where it's set to cost £34.99 (around $45 / AU$65).

The Mi Band 3 was even cheaper than that at launch with a price of £23 (about $30 / AU$35) but it hasn't dropped down much further since its launch.

Obviously the Mi Band 4 is more expensive then, but it's such a small price difference in the UK that it would take a hefty discount on the Mi Band 3 to make it worthwhile buying the older version.

Takeaway

The Mi Band 4 isn't the most dramatic upgrade to Xiaomi's fitness tracker range, but the price of the two products is so similar that it seems silly to recommend the older Mi Band 3 to most people.

If price is your biggest consideration and you really want to save that £10 or $10 it may be worth getting the Mi Band 3, but the color screen alone is likely to be worth the extra expense for the Mi Band 4. All of this said, we won't know for sure until we get to fully review the Xiaomi Mi Band 4.

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Wireless headphones vs true wireless earbuds: which design is best for you?

Posted: 15 Jun 2019 04:00 AM PDT

There’s no doubt about it: wireless headphones are here to stay. Cutting the cord between your cans and your device, they rely on Bluetooth to transmit your music into your ears.

Just a few years ago, we might have persuaded you to opt for a pair of wired cans instead, as dodgy Bluetooth connections and poor sound quality plagued cordless options.

That’s all changed now – thanks to advances in Bluetooth technology like aptX HD, the best wireless headphones have never sounded better.

These advances have also paved the way for true wireless earbuds to dominate the audio market. You just have to look at the popularity of the Apple AirPods (2019), Beats Powerbeats Pro, and Samsung Galaxy Buds, to understand how successful the true wireless market has become in recent years. 

While regular wireless allows us to wear headphones a few feet from our music players, true wireless goes one step further by cutting the cord between the earbuds themselves.

But which kind of wireless audio tech is best for you? We take a look at some of the most important considerations when it comes to buying a new pair of headphones, including price, design, features, and sound quality, and give our verdict on whether you should opt for wireless headphones or true wireless earbuds.

Apple AirPods true wireless earbuds

The Apple AirPods are incredibly popular true wireless earbuds (Image credit: TechRadar)

Wireless vs true wireless headphones: what’s the difference?

Wireless headphones can be split into three different categories: wireless earphones connected via a neckband, wireless on-ear headphones, and wireless over-ear headphones – all are battery-powered and use Bluetooth to connect to your smartphone, laptop, portable music player, or even your turntable. 

For wireless over-ear and on-ear models, you simply lose the wire connecting them to your device – otherwise, they look pretty much the same as your regular pair of wired cans, and give you the noise-isolating prowess of over-ears without the need for cumbersome wires to connect to your device.

Wireless in-ear models, earphones, or earbuds (depending on your preferred vernacular), have a neckband connecting each earbud, making them ideal for runners who want the freedom of a wireless connection with the security of a wire keeping their earbuds firmly around their neck. 

True wireless earbuds on the other hand, have no cord whatsoever; no wires to get caught in your zipper, and nothing to keep each bud connected to each other. For some, this means true freedom; for others, untethered true wireless means constant danger of losing their expensive audio kit down the drain. 

Sony WH-1000XM3 wireless over-ear headphones

The Sony WH-1000XM3 wireless over-ear headphones (Image credit: Sony)

Wireless vs true wireless: which is best on a budget?

Like all types of headphones, prices vary, and neither wireless or true wireless models will necessarily be more expensive than the other – it really depends on the brand. 

Our favorite wireless over-ear headphones, the Sony WH-1000XM3 cost $349 / £300 / AU$499, for example, and offer superb noise-cancelation, a comfortable build, and an impressive 30-hour battery life.

That doesn’t mean you can’t get wireless over-ears and on-ears for budget-friendly price – skip out on the noise cancelation and premium materials, and you can get models like the Jabra Move Wireless headphones for $99 (£79, AU$126).

Wireless in-ear headphones tend to be even cheaper; our favorite model, the Optoma NuForce BE Sport4s are quite often on sale under $60 / £70 / AUD$85.

True wireless earbuds vary in the same way; with our favorite models ranging from the $299 / £259 / AU$449 B&O Beoplay E8s to the wallet-friendly, $99 (about £75 / AU$135) Optoma NuForce BE Free5s. 

Verdict: Both! Price depends more on the brand and the materials than whether your headphones are wireless or true wireless nowadays. 

  • Looking to save money on your next pair of headphones? It could be worth waiting until Amazon Prime Day 2019

Optoma NuForce BE Sport4s

The Optoma NuForce BE Sport4s (Image credit: Optoma)

Do wireless headphones sound better than true wireless earbuds? 

Not necessarily – these days, sound quality depends more on the drivers inside your headphones or earbuds rather than whether they use wireless or true wireless technology.

With recent advances in Bluetooth technology like aptX HD, wireless and true wireless listening is getting better all the time; sure, audio purists will argue that wired headphones will always offer superior sound quality. 

This is because, traditionally, wireless headphones transmitted a compressed version of your music from your device to your headphones over a Bluetooth network. This compression lowered the resolution of your music, sometimes making it sound artificial and digital. 

While the latest versions of Bluetooth are able to transmit Hi-Res Audio wirelessly, you need a device and headphones that support these high-quality codecs to feel the full benefits – otherwise, you may find yourself listening to a compressed version of your tunes. 

Wireless headphones are vulnerable to interference from other devices. According to Decibullz, “any device that gives a wireless signal matching the frequency of the signal used by your wireless headphones can interfere and degrade sound quality”.

Grado GW100s headphones

Over-ear and on-ear wireless headphones like the Grado GW100s (pictured) tend to sound better than in-ear models – but not always. (Image credit: TechRadar)

This can be an even bigger problem with true wireless earbuds – after all, there’s an extra step of Bluetooth transmission (between the left and right buds) than wireless models for problems to occur. 

That’s not to say wireless headphones sound better than true wireless headphones as a rule; in optimum conditions, with a decent music playback device, there’s no reason for one type to sound substantially better than the other. 

Instead, sound quality usually comes down to the drivers used inside your headphones’ speakers; powerful drivers in premium materials make bass frequencies sound more thumpy and give your music more oomph. 

Generally, over-ear headphones sport larger, more powerful drivers than their in-ear counterparts, and for some users, this gives a more enjoyable listening experience.

Don’t dismiss in-ear wireless or true wireless models, though; the Earin M-2 true wireless headphones sound fantastic despite their small size.

Verdict: Wireless over-ear headphones (usually).

Sony WH-1000XM3s

The Sony WH-1000XM3s (Image credit: Sony)

Should I buy wireless or true wireless headphones for noise-cancelation?

Sound quality is also affected by the seal of your wireless or true wireless headphones; the more snugly they fit against your ear canal, the better noise isolation you’re going to get, and the better your music will sound. 

In-ear models, wireless or true wireless, tend to offer a more snug fit as they sit against the opening of your ear canal, creating a seal.

It’s also worth considering noise-cancelation; this is when your headphones block out sound from your environment, allowing you to enjoy your music in peace  an important factor for those listening in noisy environments like planes, trains, or loud offices. 

Noise cancelation comes under two categories: passive and active. Passive noise-cancelation is when your headphones physically insulate your ears from the noise of the outside world.

Over-ear headphones tend to do this better than in-ear models, by virtue of large, padded ear cups that enclose your entire ear. 

Active noise-cancelation (ANC), rather than using the physical barrier of an earcup, uses clever electro-acoustic technology to “make a mirror-image of the disrupting noise’s sound wave”, effectively canceling it out. 

As they don’t rely on the physical barrier of over-ear headphones, active noise cancelation can work with in-ear models too – but a combination of both passive and active noise cancelation is your best bet for blocking out the world around you. 

As you can’t get true wireless over-ear headphones (each can is of course connected to the other), you’re best bet for effective noise cancelation is to buy a pair of over-ear wireless headphones with ANC technology built-in – like the Sony WH-1000XM3s, for example. 

Verdict: Wireless over-ear headphones.

Monster iSport Victory wireless in-ears

The Monster iSport Victory wireless in-ears are our favorite running headphones. (Image credit: Monster)

Are wireless or true wireless headphones best for working out?

No-one wants to wear a pair of over-ear headphones for a sweaty workout – so this one’s between wireless in-ears and true wireless earbuds. 

As long as they have a sweat resistance IP rating – IPX4 and above – and offer a decent level of bass to bolster your running performance (your workout is probably not the time to listen to contemplative folk music), either wireless or true wireless can be fantastic. 

The question you need to ask yourself is whether you want to additional security of the neckband afforded by wireless in-ear headphones – if you’re paranoid about losing a true wireless earbud down the drain, stick to wireless.

That being said, if you hate the feeling of a wire pounding against your neck as your run, true wireless is the way to go; no cords to get tangled in makes for a freeing running experience that can’t be rivaled by neckband models. 

Verdict: Wireless in-ear headphones or true wireless earbuds.

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The UK porn block is now one month away, and it's still a terrible idea

Posted: 15 Jun 2019 03:50 AM PDT

The controversial UK porn block comes into effect on July 15 2019. According to the government it’s going to save the children from online awfulness, and there won’t be any negative effects whatsoever.

But I just know it’s all going to end up like my sex life – a combination of severe disappointment, intense embarrassment and a terrible mess. So it’s worrying that nobody seems to be paying attention to what's coming down the tracks.

Porn in the USA (but not the UK) 

The UK porn block is based on the belief that if we make porn slightly harder to access, kids – and in this case "kids" includes 16 and 17-year-olds, which of course means they’ve reached the age of consent – won’t see any of it by accident, and can't see it even if they try.

As you may be aware, there’s a lot of porn on the internet. And as you may also be aware, very little of that is made in the UK. So while we can demand overseas sites implement all kinds of things, they can tell us to go whistle.

Aha! The UK government says. We’ve thought of that!

And they have. Sites that don’t implement age verification will be blocked. 

Remember how blocking the Pirate Bay stopped all piracy forever?

Exactly.

And that’s not the worst of it. 

A pandora's box of privacy issues 

Whenever somebody suggests a new law, we should ask two questions: one, will it solve the problem? And two, is it going to hurt? I think in those case the answers are “no” and “not in a good way” respectively.

We call it the UK porn block, but it isn’t really a block – that comes later. The law creates a mandatory age verification regime. When you visit a website and it identifies you as a UK visitor, you’ll be asked to prove your age. No proof, no porn.

As a bad comedian might put it: you’ve heard of cookie consent; this is nookie consent. 

The problem with age verification is simple: unless you buy a kind of porn pass in the local newsagent, which will apparently only work for a single device, it ties your real world photo ID to the porn sites you visit. In some cases just the URL of a site may make it very clear what your sexual orientation is and what your sexual preferences are. Do you really want that to end up on a government-mandated database? The data may be anonymised, but that doesn’t mean it’s anonymous.

We may think of ourselves as pretty enlightened about this stuff. After all, everybody’s turned their social media banners into rainbows to mark Pride Month. But the reality is that for many people, their sexuality, gender identity or sexual preferences can be used to hurt them. For example, LGBT+ people are abused and hounded online and off, while newspapers take great delight in kink-shaming and pillorying anyone with the slightest public profile who doesn’t stick to the missionary position.

That means the existence of any database of people’s porn preferences is worrying, because if the information gets out it can damage people’s lives. The schoolteacher who’s into some harmless kink. The LGBT+ teen who hasn’t come out yet. The crusading journalist the government wants to discredit. The businessman someone wants to blackmail. You get the idea.

Massive data breaches are so common we barely notice them any more, and if a system can be abused it usually is. If we can’t even trust the police not to abuse the Police National Computer, why should we trust companies located far beyond Europe and beyond the reach of our data protection regulation? 

Will they share their data with, say, the Home Office if they’re asked to? How long before some enterprising lawyer sees the potential? We’ve already seen fitness trackers’ location data used in divorce cases. Fancy discussing clown porn in court?

It’ll take more than Viagra to make this stand up 

Maybe I’m spending too much time in a tinfoil hat. But even if there were no privacy concerns, the UK is trying to make and enforce a system that won’t work.

We already block porn to try and keep it from kids, and the UK government says that that blocking isn’t effective. The solution? Block sites that don’t introduce age verification. “Filtering doesn’t work! Let’s do more of it!”

The UK porn block is very limited. It only applies to sites designed to make money from sales, subscriptions or ads where more than a third of their content is commercial pornography. It won’t affect social media at all, although it could encourage them to kick off people making perfectly legal adult content. 

It places an incredible burden on the BBFC, which has to decide which overseas sites count as pornography. And there are the usual risks of overblocking and mistaken blocking.

And then, of course, there are VPNs.

It’s safe to say the makers of VPN software are feeling pretty aroused right now. Sites will detect UK users by their IP address; use a VPN service and you’re immediately "in another country". So we expect to see a big spike in searches for 'best VPN for porn' in the UK from July 15.

It’s just as well there aren’t tons of affordable, reliable VPN services for every conceivable kind of device. That would make a mockery of the whole thing.

Won’t somebody think of the grown-ups? 

I’m a parent, so this legislation is designed to reassure people like me: of course I don’t want my five-year-old seeing sexually explicit content. But this parent has been reporting on porn filtering since the days of USENET, so forgive me if I’m more cynical than the average madam.

Once this infrastructure is in place for porn, what’s next? What else will we have to petition the authorities to let us see, to have recorded in a database somewhere? Do we really think it’s a good idea to tie people’s photo ID in with their porn habits? Can we trust anyone not to abuse the data?

I think you should be wary of anything that comes from people yelling “think of the children!” All too often, that means they don’t want you to think at all.

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Le Mans live stream: how to watch the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2019 online from anywhere

Posted: 15 Jun 2019 03:34 AM PDT

Smell the burning rubber and taste the coffee to keep you awake, it's time for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. We have all the 2019 Le Mans live stream details right here.

This year sees the Circuit de la Sarthe as home to the 87th Le Mans which has cars race for, you guessed it, 24 hours straight. This year will be the biggest yet with an expanded field of 62 cars taking part in the endurance event. 

Last year's 24h of Le Mans winner Toyota Gazoo Racing will be defending its title having only just joined the World Endurance Championship Super Season in May 2018. With ex-Formula One driver Fernando Alonso racing for said team it's going to be a tough race to take, especially when you consider the team has already won the LMP drivers' championship. 

It's not an easy win guaranteed though with Signatech Alpine Matmut and Jackie Chan DC Racing in the running. 

Porsche has secured the GT manufacturers championship but the GTE Am fight is still to be won the number 56 of Team Project 1 Porsche of Jorg Bergmeister, Patrick Linsey and Egidio Perfetti have a 23-point lead over the number 54 Spirit of Race Ferrari of Francesco Castellacci, Giancarlo Fisichella and Thomas Flohr in both the drivers’ and teams’ championship battle. The number number 77 Dempsey-Proton Racing Porsche, 90 TF Sport Aston Martin, number 98 Aston Martin and number 61 Clearwater Racing Ferrari are also all still in the fight.

Getting a Le Mans live stream is actually pretty straightforward, and there are even some very nice options to watch it all absolutely free.

Get a 24 hours of Le Mans live stream from outside your country

Because of the sheer time-span of the 24h of Le Mans race, watching options aren't that readily available. We've given you some information below if you're in the UK, US, Canada or Australia. Then, even if you have one, you'll find that it's geo-blocked when you try to watch it from abroad.

Free stream! Who's showing a free Le Mans live stream?

Good news motor racing fans – the entirety of the 24 Hours of Le Mans is being shown absolutely FREE.

The bad news...this is only in France (sorry to get your hopes up!). France.TV will be live streaming the entire 24 Hours of Le Mans 2019 via the French broadcaster's website.

But that's not the only way, so maybe you can forgive us. Some of the international broadcasters have free trials with their coverage...

How to live stream Le Mans 24 Hours 2019 in the US for FREE

This year Le Mans will be shown in the US on MotorTrend TV and the MotorTrend app, with the full 24 hours broadcast live for your viewing pleasure. That means you can enjoy the action via your laptop, mobile app or tablet.

MotorTrend costs $5.99 per month subscription, or $59.99 for the year. Plus, and here's the best bit, it does a FREE 14-day trial meaning that you can sign up and watch the entire 24 Hours of Le Mans without paying a cent!

Want to watch that MotorTrend stream but are away from the US while the race is on? Then check out the information above about downloading and installing a VPN to get around any geo-block.

How to watch Le Mans 2019: Canada live stream

For the first time ever, the Le Mans endurance race will be shown on Velocity - part of the Discovery network - with the full 24 hours broadcast live for your viewing pleasure. So that means you're looking at requiring cable to watch.

And if you want to watch the broadcast in another territory, then there's always that VPN route. 

How to watch Le Mans 2019 in the UK

For UK residents, the Le Mans 24 Hours will get the Eurosport treatment. That means Eurosport 1, available in lots of broadcast and streaming forms, is the channel you need for the Saturday and/or Sunday. Eurosport is available with basic Sky TV packages or with a Eurosport Player monthly (£6.99) or annual pass (£4.99/pm or single payment of £39.99) that also gives you access across loads of devices.

Want to access the action but are outside the UK? Then grab a VPN service and change you IP to a UK location.

How to watch the Le Mans 24 Hours: Australia live stream

Australia is getting Le Mans 2019 via Eurosport too. That means it can be watched via the Eurosport website or through the app or, of course, via a broadcaster that offers the channel.

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Never mind Prime Day, save 10% off everything at eBay until midnight tonight

Posted: 15 Jun 2019 03:18 AM PDT

Missed your chance last month? Don't worry, eBay is brightening up our weekend again with a fantastic voucher code smashing 10% off everything on the site until midnight tonight. So if you thought you'd have to hang on for those Prime Day deals next month, you might find a better deal today as we've already found some of the best prices of the year on a bunch of great tech finds.

You just need to enter the eBay voucher code PRICEWIN at checkout to save 10% off anything that takes your fancy.

There are a few caveats, to consider before you head on out. There's a minimum spend of £50 and a maximum discount of £100. Usually, these eBay code only require a minimum spend of around £20, but the maximum discount is then around £60, so we prefer today's offer of course so we can make an even bigger dent in prices of more expensive tech like laptops, game consoles and TVs.

  • Discount: 10% off everything
  • At: eBay.co.uk
  • Voucher code: PRICEWIN
  • Expires: 23:59 Saturday June 15th
  • Minimum spend: £50
  • Maximum discount: £100

Let's take a look at some of the best offers we've found so far to use the eBay voucher code with. These are from big-name electronics stores on eBay. Currys, AO.com, ShopTo all have major eBay presences nowadays, usually with unique prices on new items not found on their regular websites. We've linked directly to categories below if you'd like to browse them, but take a quick look at our highlights too before you go. 

The PRICEWIN eBay voucher code goes live today at noon.

Looking for a bit of inspiration? We've rounded up the latest tech offers for a long list of products and a huge range of retailers over in our cheap deal guides. 

Or maybe this is the weekend your going to get that overpriced internet bill sorted via one of our best broadband deals. If you're looking to treat yourself to a new phone, be sure to peruse our roundup of the cheapest contracts and SIM-free handsets in our best mobile phone deals guide- it's definitely better than going into a phone shop on the high street. 

And if you're looking to shure up your device's privacy and access region-locked content you'd be surprised just how cheap VPN deals are this week. 

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US Open 2019 live stream: how to watch Round 3 Pebble Beach golf online from anywhere

Posted: 15 Jun 2019 03:11 AM PDT

36 holes down at the 2019 US Open and it's still pretty difficult to predict who's going to walk away with the championship. There's been some spectacular scoring (and some equally spectacular Pebble Beach scenery), but there's still a lot of golf to be played. A lot of big names are well in contention going into Round 3 and we'll tell you how to watch a US Open live stream from anywhere in the world - there's even a FREE option to enjoy, too.

Gary Woodland has the clear outright lead after Round 2, but Rory McIlroy is currently loitering with intent and is installed as favorite at the bookies. The big question of the week remains whether Brooks Koepka can be stopped after winning the last two editions of the US Open and coming off the back of an impressive PGA Championship victory.

But what of the resurgent Tiger Woods? He completed his remarkable comeback trail by winning the US Masters in April. And his hunger for titles surely won't end there - he'll have fond memories of Pebble Beach as Tiger still has the record for the biggest ever winning margin in a major tournament at this very course at the 2000 US Open. But he's a few shots back at the time of writing.

And then there's previous major winners Justin Rose, Louis Oosthuizen, Henrik Stenson and Adam Scott all in contention as well.

The great news is that you can see exactly how it will all play out - the birdies, the bogeys and everything in-between. We can tell you how to watch it all, even if you're outside the United States. Keep reading to see how to get a 2019 US Open live stream from any corner of the Earth.

Live stream golf for free at USOpen.com

Well here's a stroke of good news (pun very much intended) if you're looking to casually follow the golf online. The official tournament website, USOpen.com, will be live streaming some of the best action. 

But, it's very limited in what it can offer this week. The schedule currently says that it will be showing a US Open live stream of featured groups every single day, as well as shots at holes, 7, 8 and 17. That's great if you're only interested in following the players it selects for you, but not so good if you want full and proper coverage.

Aside from the USOpen.com live stream, we have more US watching options below.

How to get a US Open live stream from outside your country

We're going to guess that if you've landed on this page, you're going to want something more extensive than that free stream described above. For you, we have full details on which networks are showing the golf in the US, UK, Canada and Australia.

Try to watch your domestic US Open coverage while out of the country however, and you'll soon be faced with a block. That's because broadcasters implement a geo-restriction to stop non-nationals from watching their coverage. Fair enough, but annoying if you've paid for a pricey subscription and still want to watch.

How to watch the US Open golf in the US

  • Hulu with Live TV $40 per month - Hulu with Live TV includes CBS, Fox, NBC and ESPN.
  • FuboTV $35 for the first month - FuboTV gives you the first month at a discounted rate but after that the price increases to $45 a month. The service includes CBS, Fox, NBC and the NFL Network but does not come with ESPN.
  • PlayStation Vue From $45 per month and the ideal choice for PS4 owners thanks to its access to the likes of ESPN, NBC, Fox, Disney and other essential networks. Crank up the price and you can add the likes of Showtime and HBO, too.
  • DirecTV Now $50 per month - DirecTV Now includes CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN and for $5 extra you can add the NFL Network.
  • YouTubeTV $40 per month - YouTubeTV gives you access to CBS, Fox, NBC and ESPN.

If you're outside the US this week but want to access one of the above options, then you can use a US VPN to effectively transport your computer, phone or tablet's IP back to a stateside location. 

How to watch the US Open live: UK stream

Live stream the 2019 US Open golf action in Canada

How to get a US Open live stream in Australia

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Tyson Fury vs Tom Schwarz live stream: how to watch today's fight online from anywhere

Posted: 15 Jun 2019 02:58 AM PDT

Tyson Fury, the Gypsy King, is back in the ring today and this time he's taking on the undefeated German, Tom Schwarz, in none other than Las Vegas. The event should be as spectacular as you'd expect from this boxing showman and you can live stream Fury vs Schwarz as it happens - it's even FREE to do so in some areas.

Tyson Fury (27-0-1) will represent the UK while Tom Schwarz (24-0-0) will be the front-man for Germany on the night. As you can see from those figures this is going to be a real-world show of what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. 

The 30-year-old Fury stands taller at 6ft 9in and has more wins at 27 with a draw in there, too. But even that was a controversial 12-round split draw against WBC World Champion Deontay Wilder.

Whereas Schwarz has the age advantage at 25 years-old but is shorter at 6ft 6in and also has less experience with 24 fights. He's won them all, but the list of defeated opponents is a lot less impressive than Tyson's. So will it be a foregone conclusion, or is this another Anthony Joshua-style upset in the making?

Fury has always wanted to fight in Las Vegas and this, as his debut, should make for a very excited and focused performance. Fury has said: "I really love my job at the minute, more than I have ever done before. I used to think boxing was a chore, a job to go to. I trained hard for a fight and then put a ton of weight back on. Now I enjoy what I do, keep fit even when I am not boxing. I almost live my life as a routine training camp now."

You can live stream Tyson Fury vs Tom Schwarz fight anywhere in the world using the guide below. The cost varies quite a lot over the world, with the UK hosting an expensive PPV that's undercut massively in the US by ESPN+ and even more by German channel MDR that has the whole thing absolutely FREE!

Live stream Fury vs Schwarz from outside your country

If you've been looking forward to this fight and already know where to watch, your plans may be scuppered if you're out of the country when it's on. That's because broadcasters geo-block their coverage if you try to watch from abroad.

But there's a clever workaround for this, which is perfectly legal (assuming the broadcaster's Ts&Cs allow it) and it involves using a piece of software called a VPN - better that than trying to get some dodgy stream from Reddit.

How watch the Tyson Fury fight in the UK

Live stream Tyson Fury vs Tom Schwarz in the US

Watch the Fury vs Schwarz fight FREE in Germany

How to watch Fury vs Schwarz: Australia stream

At the time of writing, we can't see any evidence that the Tyson Fury and Tom Schwarz boxing behemoth will be shown at all. As a last resort, we suppose you could try downloading a VPN service and then signing up for an option from another country. We'll be sure to update this section if we hear anything differently.

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The Google Pixel 4 may have been spotted in the wild for the first time

Posted: 15 Jun 2019 02:30 AM PDT

We might have caught our first glimpse at the Google Pixel 4 out in the wild, after a phone looking very similar to the one Google teased last week was spotted being used in London.

An image of the phone was shared by 9to5Google – you can see the square rear camera array on the back and... that's about it. The snap doesn't really tell us anything new about Google's upcoming handset.

The phone does appear to have a large front-facing bezel at the top of the display, the anonymous tipster who took the phone noted, which we think is going to be housing a dual-lens camera.

And the handset looks as if it's wrapped up in one of those official Google Pixel fabric cases that we've seen appear with previous Pixel launches as well.

Google Pixel 4 leak

Does this look like the Pixel 4 to you? (Image credit: 9to5Google)

We're bracing ourselves for a host of Pixel 4 leaks between now and October, which is the month when we're expecting the next Google flagship to be officially announced.

Even Google is getting involved with the leaks this time around, posting a photo of the upcoming handset on Twitter. The square design for the rear camera is now confirmed, though we're not sure yet exactly what kind of optics it's carrying.

There has been talk of a "spectral sensor" on board the Pixel 4, which would be able to sense hand gestures above the phone, and possibly let users control the device without touching the screen.

Apparently the phone is going to come carrying a Snapdragon 855 chipset and 6GB of RAM too, putting it on a par performance-wise with some of the best phones of 2019. We should get all the details in a few months.

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Australia vs Sri Lanka live stream: how to watch today's Cricket World Cup 2019 match from anywhere

Posted: 15 Jun 2019 02:30 AM PDT

Having bounced back from their defeat against India with a solid win against Pakistan, Australia will today looking to consolidate their place amid the top four today Sri Lanka. No matter where you are in the world you can watch today's match by using our guide below to getting a Australia vs Sri Lanka live stream.

Getting on the pitch will be a start for The Lions, with Sri Lanka having had their last two 2019 Cricket World Cup matches against Pakistan and Bangladesh abandoned without a single ball being bowled thanks to the less-than-glorious summer England is currently experiencing. It's been 11 days since they last played and they'll want to add to their four points which has them currently in mid-table. 

In the two games where they've actually made it on to the pitch, Sri Lanka suffered batting collapses that has seen them bowled out on both occasions.

With one of those defeats coming at the hands of minnows Afghanistan, its looking like things could get brutal against Australia's more formidable bowling line up - anything but a routine victory for the Baggy Greens seems unlikely.

It's a big match for both teams and you’ll be able to watch with ease from anywhere in the world if you follow our Australia vs Sri Lanka live stream guide below.  

Watch a Cricket World Cup 2019 live stream from outside your country

For cricket fans in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, US or India and looking to find out how to watch the match, we've got all the details about the broadcaster with the rights to show the match in your region below. 

If you're away from home country and looking to see the action you'll likely to find you won't be able to thanks to geo-blocking. Thankfully there's a way to alleviate that frustration. By using a VPN you'll be able to watch the game without having to resort to watching via an illegal feed from a dodgy website.

Watch a live stream of today's match in Australia

How to stream 2019 Cricket World Cup online in India

How to stream Australia vs Sri Lanka live in the UK 

How to watch the cricket in Pakistan

How to watch the game in New Zealand

How to watch Australia vs Sri Lanka: US live stream 

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BT Broadband continues its big tech giveaway with fibre deals for another week

Posted: 15 Jun 2019 02:05 AM PDT

We have absolutely no shame in admitting that we love a freebie. OK, so they may be an eye-catching way for retailers and internet providers to draw in customers, but...who cares!? And BT Broadband is a consistent purveyor of freebies, most recently throwing in a pricey tech gift if you sign up for one of its broadband deals.

The offer reared its beautiful head a month or so ago, disappeared, and then came back last Friday. Now BT has confirmed that it will continue through for another seven days and is due to end on Thursday June 20.

With the choice of a free pair of JBL headphones, a Samsung tablet or an Amazon Echo all up for grabs, these are undoubtedly some of the best broadband deals in the UK right now (and one less thing to buy on the forthcoming Amazon Prime Day)

In terms of which of BT's packages offer these incentives, the standout deals come from the Superfast Fibre and Superfast Fibre 2 bundles. But as if the big tech freebies weren't enough to win you over, BT also offers BT Reward Cards with these deals. Depending on which package you choose, that could mean either £30 or £60 extra on top of this deal.

Ready to collect your new gift and super fast speeds? You can see all of the details of these offers from BT down below. Or check our guide to the best fibre deals to see what else is out there.

Find out more about these tech freebies:

JBL 650 Live Headphones - Featuring a high-end punchy sound, good levels of comfort and Google Assistant/Alexa support, these are a great set of headphones.

Samsung Tablet A - This tablet features a HD screen, powerful processor and a stylish design. One of the better Android tablets currently on the market.

Amazon Echo - the now legendary smart speaker, an Amazon Echo is perfect for any house. Change songs, ask questions and make reminders all by voice.

BT's new fibre broadband deals + free gift:

What is a BT Reward Card?

The Reward Card that BT sends out is a pre-paid credit card that you can use anywhere that accepts Mastercard. In short, that's around a million shops, cafes and restaurants around the world, so you shouldn't find it difficult to find places to spend, spend, spend.

It's an old-fashioned chip and pin card, rather than contactless. But do make sure that you claim your Reward Card within three months of installation, otherwise you'll lose out on all that cash.

Today's best broadband deals in the UK

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Cricket World Cup 2019 live stream: how to watch every game online from anywhere

Posted: 14 Jun 2019 11:46 PM PDT

The sound of leather on willow. The smell of the freshly mown grass. The nuisance downpours of rain! The 2019 Cricket World Cup in England and Wales is in full flow and we've already seen some big hitting, fearsome bowling and spectacular catches. 10 of the world's elite cricket-playing countries are competing title of best ODI team on Earth with only one to be left standing by the end on July 14 - you've come to the right place to find out how to live stream every last ball of the Cricket World Cup regardless of where you live.

So what should we expect from the 12th incarnation of Cricket World Cup? Well the hosts England enter the tournament as favourites (according to Betfair at least). Not only have they proved over the years that they should be feared in the unique British conditions, but Eoin Morgan's men come in on fantastic form, too. Their batsmen in particular have set new standards, with Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root all hitting form at the right time.

India have the world's two top ICC ODI ranked batsmen (Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma) and the number one bowler (Jasprit Bumrah) and will naturally be a feared force. But perhaps most attention will be on reigning champions Australia, as they welcome back suspended duo Steve Smith and David Warner.

With the likes of South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan and West Indies also involved and hungry to win the competition, it should be a fantastically exciting few weeks of daily cricket action. If you want to know where you'll be able to watch every single match, we'll tell you exactly where you can catch them online with a Cricket World Cup live stream.

How to watch the 2019 Cricket World Cup from outside your country

You don't have to miss a single minute of Cricket World Cup - even if you're abroad and discover that your home broadcaster's online coverage is geo-blocked (we hate it when that happens).

If that happens to you and you're desperate to watch that domestic coverage, there's still a way to get it that doesn't involve putting your security at risk with some dodgy, illegal stream from Reddit. You can simply use a VPN to login back to your country that is broadcasting the actions, and it's really easy to do:

Upcoming Cricket World Cup fixtures

Saturday June 15

Sri Lanka v Australia - The Oval, London (10.30am BST)

South Africa v Afghanistan - Sophia Gardens, Cardiff (1.30pm BST)

Sunday June 16

India v Pakistan - Old Trafford, Manchester (10.30am BST)

Monday June 17

West Indies v Bangladesh - Taunton, Somerset (10.30am BST)

Tuesday June 18

18 England v Afghanistan - Old Trafford, Manchester (10.30am BST)

Wednesday June 19

19 New Zealand v South Africa - Edgbaston, Birmingham (10.30am BST)

Thursday June 20

20 Australia v Bangladesh - Trent Bridge, Nottingham (10.30am BST)

Friday June 21

21 England v Sri Lanka - Headingley, Leeds (10.30am BST)

Saturday June 22

22 India v Afghanistan - Rose Bowl, Southampton (10.30am BST)

22 West Indies v New Zealand - Old Trafford, Manchester (1.30pm BST)

How to stream the Cricket World Cup live in the UK 

How to live stream the Cricket World Cup final in Australia (for FREE)

How to watch the Cricket World Cup 2019: New Zealand live stream 

How to stream 2019 Cricket World Cup online in India

How to watch the Cricket World Cup: US live stream 

What is the format of the 2019 Cricket World Cup?

The Cricket World Cup is a ten-team tournament. Each country plays each other in a round-robin format, after which the top four teams qualify for the semi-finals. The two winning semi-finalists then get to face off in the final on Sunday, July 14.

How long do Cricket World Cup matches usually last?

Most 2019 Cricket World Cup matches will start at 10.30am BST and end early evening – around 6.30pm BST. A number of day/night games will start at 1.30pm BST and finish under floodlights at around 9pm BST.

Cricket World Cup matches broadly follow the rules of One Day Internationals, with each side facing 50 overs within a 210-minute time limit. Add in drinks breaks for each side and a 30 to 40 minutes innings break and matches can run up to nine hours in length. Some matches are much shorter however - England’s capitulation to New Zealand in the 2015 World Cup saw play wrapped up within four-and-a-half hours, with the Kiwis reaching their 123-run target in just 12 overs.

What teams are competing in this year's Cricket World Cup?

Afghanistan
Having made their maiden World Cup appearance in 2015, Afghanistan aren't likely to be on anybody's list of pre-match favourites.

Australia
The five-time winners suffered a blow with injury ruling out fast bowler Josh Hazlewood, but are boosted by the return of key batsman David Warner after serving a ban for ball tampering.

Bangladesh
With outside odds of 80/1 to win the trophy, Bangladesh will be hoping talismanic batsman Tamim Iqbal continues his excellent ODI record which has seen him clock up over 5,000 runs.

England
The hosts are clear favourites going in to the tournament. Captained by Eoin Morgan, since the last World Cup England have beaten every country competing in the tournament in a one-day series with the exception of Afghanistan.

India
Their recent home ODI defeat to Australia doesn’t bode well, but India will be hoping to repeat their 1983 triumph which saw them win the World Cup on English soil.

New Zealand
Having been sensational throughout the tournament, the Kiwis reached their first ever Cricket World Cup final in 2015, only to fall short at the final hurdle against Australia. A strong top order of Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor, Kane Williamson and Tom Latham should see them in contention again this time.

Pakistan
Having played a recent test series in England, Pakistan come into the tournament well prepared. Tipped by many to at least reach the semis, the tournament’s most unpredictable side stand a good wildcard chance of glory.

South Africa
The Proteas come into the World Cup in fine form having won nine of their last 11 ODI series, however injuries in the run up to key stars like Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and Dale Steyn will raise concerns about their chances.

Sri Lanka
A run of just one win in the last 11 games suggest the 1996 winners will struggle in 2019. Much will depend on what form former captain and key batsman Angelo Mathews will be in if they are to get out of their current rut.

West Indies
Like Sri Lanka, the ODI form of the West Indies in recent times has fallen off a cliff. However, the emergence of Shimron Hetmyer and powerful batsman Shai Hope mean there’s some sense of optimism for a decent showing at the World Cup. 

What grounds are being used for the Cricket World Cup?

The Oval, London
Established in 1845, the home of Surrey County Cricket Club played host to the first-ever Test match on English soil between England and Australia in 1880. 

Trent Bridge, Nottingham

Home of Nottinghamshire CCC, the 17,500-capacity ground will host five World Cup matches, including England vs Pakistan.

Bristol County Ground, Bristol
Built in 1889, and subsequently bought by WG Grace, the ground has been home to Gloucestershire CCC ever since.

Hampshire Bowl, Southampton
The 17,000-capacity ground will host ICC Cricket World Cup fixtures for the first time in 2019, with five matches taking place at the venue.  

The County Ground, Taunton
Three World Cup fixtures will be held at the County Ground Taunton, home of Somerset County Cricket Club.

Old Trafford, Manchester
Lancashire County Cricket Club’s ground has the honour of hosting the most 2019 Cricket World Cup matches with six games set to be played there, including one of the semi-finals.

Edgbaston, Birmingham
Warwickshire CCC’s ground was the scene of the 1999 semi-final showdown between Australia and South Africa - arguably the greatest Cricket World Cup game of all time.

Headingley, Leeds
Adjoined by Headingley Rugby Stadium, the complex is home to Leeds Rhinos rugby league and Yorkshire Carnegie rugby union clubs as well Yorkshire County Cricket Club. The cricket ground has hosted Test matches since 1899 and has a capacity of 18,350.

Lord's, London
Widely referred to as the Home of Cricket, the iconic north London ground will host the 2019 Cricket World Cup Final.

The Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street
English cricket’s most northerly ground is also one of its most picturesque. Home to Durham CCC, the stadium is overlooked by the 14th-century Lumley Castle.

Cardiff Wales Stadium
The single ground in this year’s World Cup that is based outside of England, Glamorgan County Cricket Club’s stadium will host four fixtures during the tournament.

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MacBook 2019 release date, news and rumors

Posted: 14 Jun 2019 05:08 PM PDT

Last year came and went with no sign of the new MacBook. Instead, Apple launched the new MacBook Air – which some would argue replaced it. However, because the latest thin and light has been out for nearly 2 years, we’re more than ready for the follow up. Unsurprisingly, it didn't make an appearance at the WWDC 2019 alongside the redesigned Mac Pro 2019 and macOS Catalina, but we're definitely hoping it will make later this year.

Looking back, the MacBook 2017 is everything we’ve wanted since the thin and light rebirth back in 2015 – at least on paper. It boasts the powerful 7th-generation Intel Kaby Lake processors that gave it a massive boost to power, as well as the Butterfly keyboard, which is better than ever, despite some persisting issues. 

Now that we have Intel Amber Lake processors, we would love the MacBook 2019 to utilize these, taking a huge leap over the 2017 model and giving MacBook users an indisputable reason to upgrade. And, hopefully it’ll be as dramatic as the leap the new MacBook Pro experienced.

Cut to the chase

  • What is it? The next 12-inch MacBook
  • When is it out? Later in 2019
  • What will it cost? Presumably the same as current models

macbook 2019

MacBook 2019 release date

None of the most recent reports, rumors or leaks give any idea as to when and if we’ll see the MacBook 2019. Of course, we can happily speculate based on the previous three releases of Apple’s 12-inch laptop.

In 2015, Apple released the first MacBook in April, directly following a March keynote. That’s an increasingly common time for Apple to release a device, but that obviously didn’t happen this time.

However, Apple went all of 2018 without releasing a new 12-inch MacBook, and while we initially thought the blame was on Intel’s 14nm shortage – the Cupertino behemoth had no problem putting out the MacBook Air 2018. 

Furthermore, Apple didn't showcase the MacBook 2019 at WWDC 2019, which is hardly surprising as this year's hardware portion of the keynote focused entirely on the new Mac Pro 2019 and its 32-inch 6K Retina display, the Pro Display XDR. 

However, with the new macOS 10.15 boasting new features such as the Apple Music, TV and Podcasts apps (formerly iTunes), Sidecar and Voice Control, Apple could use that opportunity to show off a MacBook that’s obviously designed for entertainment – the MacBook 2019. 

Still, we’ll have to wait until Apple is ready to show the MacBook 2019 off, if it does happen. Don’t worry; we’ll be updating this page as soon as any information comes our way.

macbook 2019

MacBook 2019 price

This is another aspect where we’ll have to speculate based on the current pricing of the MacBook. 

Currently, the entry-level MacBook will cost you $1,299 (£1,249, AU$1,899) to start. Only one more model, with more storage and power, goes for another $300 to 450 on top of that. And, we think that Apple will launch the MacBook 2019 around the same price as these current models. 

There was speculation that Apple will be releasing a cheaper 13-inch MacBook, but that turned out to be the new MacBook Air. 

With the pricing so tight here, amounting to minute differences in hardware between offerings, we probably won’t see a price drop. The only way we see the current version of the MacBook budging on price is if Apple introduces sizable storage or higher power options, which will send the price up, rather than the opposite. 

For the MacBook price to come down, or for Apple to release a cheaper MacBook model alongside more expensive version, compromises would have to be made. Apple could lower the memory down to 4GB from 8GB, but we don’t think that’ll happen, especially because 8GB is standard these days. 

Instead, we believe the only way we’ll see a cheaper MacBook 2019 would be a MacBook with a 128GB SSD instead of starting with 256GB, which might be beneficial to those who’ve already invested in external drives. Considering how much Apple charges for a bump in storage, lowering that amount should equate to a considerable price drop.

We’ll keep an eye out for new rumors and update this article as soon as the MacBook 2019 price begins to crop up as we inch closer. 

macbook 2019

What we want to see in MacBook 2019

All of this uncertainty surrounding a possible MacBook 2019 release is fertile ground for a well-crafted wishlist.

So, while we wait for any kind of official word from the Cupertino behemoth, here’s what we hope to see Apple improve about the MacBook for 2019.

MacBook 2019 keyboard and screen

Throughout 2018, there were plenty of rumors that Apple had plans to design a MacBook with dual screens. One of these screens would be a capacitive touch keyboard. Early 2019, we stumbled upon a rumor that the touchscreen keyboard would have raised glass and haptic feedback, so it will feel as much like a traditional keyboard as possible. However, it’s easy to expect this to raise the price on any MacBook that implements it.

Even if this touchscreen keyboard doesn’t make its way into the 2019 MacBook, it doesn’t mean the Butterfly mechanism keyboard won’t be improved upon – especially after Apple admitted that some of the keyboards in recent MacBooks are faulty and is now offering to repair them for free. 

That’s why we’re pretty sure that the MacBook 2019 will feature the same third-generation Butterfly keyboard as the new Macbook Pro while MacBook Air will have with a membrane that makes it less prone to jamming up.  

More ports, please

One of the biggest problems with the 12-inch MacBook, ever since its initial release has been the all too obvious lack of ports. With just the one Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) port and a headphone jack, this port situation absolutely needs to change in the MacBook 2019. Even one additional port will help, so that you can charge while also connect a different device at the same time without needing a dock.

We’ve already seen Windows laptops accomplish this feat. Take the Huawei MateBook X, for instance, with its two USB-C ports, or even the similarly priced MacBook Pro, which has two. Maybe there’s room for a microSD card reader too, though that may be pushing it.

Punchier processors

Costing as much as it does, Apple really needs to put some more power into its 12-inch MacBooks. 

Then again, the MacBook has consistently used energy efficient Intel Core ‘M’ and ‘Y’ series CPUs up to this point, so we wouldn’t bank on seeing full-fat Ultrabook processors, as they’d generate too much heat for the tiny, thin chassis.

Now that Amber Lake Y-series CPUs have been released by Intel, we’d like to see Apple shove these latest 8th-generation processors into the new MacBook. However, at this point, those are essentially old tech already, so again, we’ll just have to see.

We’ve also seen some rumors that Apple is planning on crafting an ARM-based MacBook at some point, and if the iPad Pro 2018 were any indication, we could definitely see this happening. Apple would just have to work out some kinks in getting macOS to run on an ARM system.

It’s also safe to assume that Apple will put its T1 or T2 processor into the MacBook 2019 – as it has with all of its latest Mac releases.

Since the 12-inch MacBook lacks a Touch Bar, it’s safe to assume that if one of these co-processors is implemented, it will be used for the automatic wake and ‘Hey Siri’ functionality that’s currently unique on to the iMac Pro, MacBook Air 2018 and MacBook Pro 2018.

Sturdier build

The Apple MacBook already feels remarkably sturdy in hand, but over time it can become inundated with scratches – even if you are exceptionally careful. Lucky for us, Apple has recently filed a patent that details plans for making ‘indestructible’ hardware, through some unique coatings. This will be an excellent option for a premium device that most users won’t want to upgrade for four to five years, as well as help keep the MacBook looking as stunning as the day you opened it. 

Of course, we don’t know if this patent will ever see the light of day or even get utilized for the MacBook. However, this approach, alongside the improved Butterfly keyboard found in the MacBook Pro 2018, could make the MacBook 2019 a much more durable device, so we’re keeping our fingers crossed.

Stronger audio and video

Speaker performance and webcam quality are two corners that Apple obviously cut when in designing the MacBook. With the MacBook 2019, this needs to stop. Tinny speakers and a sub-HD webcam for a laptop this expensive and designed for entertainment simply isn’t acceptable, and not in this day and age.

Apple needs to simply beef up the webcam up to 1080p, to make it more worthy of its price tag suggests, and problem solved. The speakers, though, are a problem we don’t necessarily have a solution for. Supporting the speakers with down-throwing bass modules in the base might work? Otherwise, stick to your better made external speakers and headphones.

Bill Thomas, Gabe Carey and Michelle Rae Uy has also contributed to this report

Image Credit: TechRadar

  • These are the best Macs that 2019 has to offer so far

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macOS 10.14 Mojave release date, news and features

Posted: 14 Jun 2019 04:34 PM PDT

Now that macOS Mojave has made it on our Macs, bringing key iOS apps like News and Stocks to the fold, Apple’s OS is better than ever – not to mention, stocked with awesome new and improved features like the system-wide Dark Mode and increased productivity through Finder.

In the coming years, we’ll see more iOS apps coming to the best Macs. Apple confirmed this at WWDC 2019 with Project Catalyst, which makes it easier and more seamless for developers to bring their iPhone and iPad apps to mac. And, Project Catalyst is available to developers as of June 3 with the beta version of macOS Catalina, the macOS to succeed Mojave in Fall 2019, so we can expect app developers to be rolling out those macOS versions soon.

But until then, there’s already a lot to love in macOS 10.14. And, even though macOS Mojave has dealt with its own fair share of security issues, most notably KeySteal, the operating system is generally safe and secure. 

Apple’s macOS Mojave has been on our Macs for more than eight months at this point and most, if not all, of the problems have been addressed. Plus, any problems that do remain are outweighed by the benefits this new OS brings to the table. 

So, now that we have macOS Mojave, we’re going to dive into all of its features, alongside any new features that are added, so you can decide for yourself whether or not the upgrade is for you.

Cut to the chase

  • What is it? The 2018 edition of Apple’s Mac operating system, macOS
  • When is it out? macOS Mojave is out right now
  • What will it cost? macOS 10.14 is free

macos 10.14 mojave


macOS 10.14 Mojave release date

Apple unveiled macOS Mojave back in June 2018 at WWDC 2018, where most of its features were detailed.

This was followed by a public beta launch back in July, and finally macOS Mojave a full launch on September 24, 2018.

Apple is keeping macOS Mojave updated with all the latest features. The latest of these updates, macOS 10.14.4, brings Dark Mode to Safari, alongside the new Apple News+ service. Past updates included a fix for the FaceTime Bug that allowed people to access your camera without you answering their call, and a supplemental update to boost reliability for the 2018 MacBook Air.

Apple has also released macOS 10.14.5, which will likely be one of the last major updates to the operating system before macOS 10.15 is unveiled. This update focuses on stability, and is still very much worth downloading despite the lack of marquee features.

Keep it tuned as well, because we will keep this section updated with all the newest updates as they’re made available.

macos 10.14 mojave


macOS 10.14 Mojave features

Now that macOS Mojave has been out for a while, there are a lot of new features available to your Mac. We’re going to dive into a detailed run-through of everything your Mac can do.

From Finder improvements to more rigid security, the best Macs are about to become a lot better.

Read on to uncover all the new features macOS Mojave has on offer, whether or not you’ve updated your computer yet, so you can take full advantage.

macos 10.14 mojave


Dark Mode

Apple’s macOS Mojave brings in a system-wide dark mode, which extends to every first-party program on your Mac.

Even Xcode gets a full makeover, completely in black, making those extended programming sessions easier on your eyes.

Third party programs are also adopting this new theme, with changes happening automatically for any app that uses standard colors through AppKit.

Even developers that don’t use AppKit are working on bringing Dark Mode to their applications. For example, in a recent bug report, Google Chrome developers confirmed they’re working on a way to implement Dark Mode into the massively used web browser – they just have some issues to iron out first.

Group FaceTime

Initially shown as part of the initial release of MacOS Mojave, Group FaceTime is released as part of macOS 10.14.1. This feature allows you to have FaceTime conversations with up to 32 people across iOS and macOS devices. 

Group FaceTime is implemented in a way that makes it remarkably intuitive in macOS Mojave. You can start a group FaceTime chat from any group iMessage thread, and invites are sent via a ringless notification, so it won’t be disruptive.

Once you’re in a Group FaceTime Chat, it automatically detects whoever’s speaking, bringing them front and center so that you’re always looking at the person actively speaking.

macos 10.14 mojave


Stacks

Your days of cluttered desktops are over, thanks to macOS Mojave. Whenever your desktop starts to look like a virtual hurricane blew through it after a full day’s work like ours does, just utilize Stacks.

With Stacks, macOS Mojave sorts similar files together so that you have a less cluttered desktop, organizing photos with photos, pdfs with pdfs and so on.

You’re even able to go through thumbnails using a two-finger scroll, so that you can make sure the file you’re looking for is actually in the stack. It’s terrific and useful.

macos 10.14 mojave


Gallery View

In macOS 10.14 Mojave, Apple has added a new Gallery View to Finder. This view lets you quickly browse through, annotate and edit files. No matter what kind of file you select, you are able to quickly and easily find exactly what you're looking for. 

This is made even better, thanks to the very detailed metadata display in the Preview pane. This feature makes it easier than ever before to take note of all the information of any file on your Mac.

Finally, thanks to the inclusion of Quick Actions in the Preview pane, you won’t even need to leave Finder to work on files. You should be able to edit images, add protection to files and more. You can even assign Automator tasks as Quick Actions to make browsing through files more effortless.

macos 10.14 mojave


Continuity Camera

If you often find yourself needing to implement a document or a photo on a project you’re working on, you’re in luck. With Continuity Camera, it’s easier than ever to do exactly that. 

Across a multitude of different apps - Numbers and Pages, for example – you’ll be able to simply Control + Click in the body of the document, and select “Take Photo” or “Scan Documents.” It’ll then open the camera on your iPhone or iPad, where you’ll be able to take a photo and instantly pop it right into what you’re working on.

It’s easy to use, it’s convenient, and it’s going to be a boon for anyone that needs to save some time while doing schoolwork or that next big project.

macos 10.14 mojave


Markup in Quick Look and Screenshots

Quick Look is already an easy way to look at files quickly, but macOS Mojave takes that accessibility even further. With the update, you are also able to quickly and efficiently use Markup to edit files you open in Quick Look. 

Additionally, Markup is implemented into screenshots. You are able to bring up any screenshot and instantly edit any content within. Being able to swiftly crop screenshots in macOS Mojave without any third-party photo-editing software is going to be a huge time-saver. 

When you capture a screen, you’ll see a preview image open up, similar to iOS 12, that you can click on to preview and edit your screenshot.

That's not all. Screenshots are still a simple shortcut away, but with macOS Mojave, a new easy-to-use menu includes screen-recording tools that allow you to capture animated content. And, perhaps most importantly, you can choose to save the screenshot to your clipboard, saving time – not to mention space – if you just need to send someone a quick screenshot.

macos 10.14 mojave


Apps

Apple News, Stocks, Voice Memos and Home are all brought over from iOS to macOS Mojave, with special care given to optimize them to fit your computer.

These apps leverage the power of the best Macs to deliver an awesome experience. Voice Memos, for instance, will automatically transfer any memos you take between your iOS and macOS devices – rewarding anyone who relies on the ‘Apple Ecosystem’ for a more seamless workflow.

This isn’t a full iOS app migration, however. In fact, since these apps are specifically redesigned for macOS, they feel like new Apps. Plus, the new Apple News+ service is available on Mac the same day as iOS. 

Apple did say that it’d be bringing more iOS apps to Macs this year, but we’ll have to wait until the later part of 2019.

macos 10.14 mojave


Security

Like you, Apple is concerned about your device security, and now macOS Mojave asks for permission with more features, including the camera and microphone. Mojave’s security also offers more robust protection for your file system.

On top of that, Safari also has its own share of security enhancements. Those include shutting down cookies that track you across websites, and making sure that Safari asks permission before it allows cookies of any kind to access your browsing data. Among these are those annoying social buttons that mysteriously appear on every page – Facebook and Twitter can’t track your activity outside of their own websites unless you grant them permission.

macos 10.14 mojave


New Mac App Store

The App store has been a crucial part of macOS for years now, but it always seemed a little out of place. That all changes with macOS Mojave. Apple has completely refreshed the Mac App Store, and it’s now designed exclusively for the best Macs.

It looks great, and it also lets you browse through apps depending on what you’re trying to install. If you’re looking for an affordable alternative to Logic Pro X or Adobe Photoshop, it’s organized so that you can easily find the best Mac apps for you.

The new Mac App Store also adopts the iOS App Store’s approach to editorializing its content. It’ll now have a much more modern interface with featured apps getting tutorials, spotlights and other such content. It really does bring the Mac App Store into the modern age.

What’s even more exciting is that a ton of third-party developers, like Adobe and Microsoft, are bringing their apps to the Mac App Store, so you won’t have to go through not-so trustworthy websites to get the apps you need.

macos 10.14 mojave


macOS 10.14 Mojave specifications

Unfortunately, with all these new features, some older Macs will have to go without updating to macOS Mojave. This is a departure from macOS High Sierra, which basically had the same system requirements as macOS 10.12.

macOS 10.14 requires at least 14.3GB of hard drive space for the installation, as that’s what was required last year. To be on the safe side, have at least 20GB of free space.

However, macOS Mojave does have more powerful hardware requirements than High Sierra. macOS 10.13 required at least 2GB of RAM and OS X 10.8 or later – that’s not the case anymore. These are the Macs supported by macOS 10.14 Mojave.

  •  MacBook (Early 2015 or newer) 
  •  MacBook Pro (Mid 2012 or newer) 
  •  MacBook Air (Late 2012 or newer) 
  •  Mac mini (Late 2012 or newer) 
  •  iMac (Late 2012 or newer) 
  •  Mac Pro (Late 2013 or newer, or older models with Metal-compatible GPU) 
  •  iMac Pro (2017) 

Unfortunately, while the required models rarely change year after year, they have with macOS 10.14. If you have an older MacBook, you might need to upgrade your device to enjoy this new version of the OS.

Images Credit: Apple

  • These are the best Macs we’ve tested within the past year

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What is a Google Chromebook?

Posted: 14 Jun 2019 04:25 PM PDT

You’re probably on here because you’re asking yourself, “What is a Google Chromebook?” You’ve probably seen the term Chromebook thrown around on the internet, and you might be wondering what exactly they are, and how they differ from traditional laptops.

In this guide, we’ll explain what a Chromebook is, list the pros and cons of these devices, and hopefully help you decide whether or not a Chromebook is the right device for you.

And, when you do decide that it is, then head on over to our Should I Buy a Chromebook? and Best Chromebook guides for an in-depth buying advice on specific models.

What is a Chromebook?

Let’s begin with a quick overview: what is a Google Chromebook exactly? Generally speaking, Chromebooks are light and cheap laptops that run Google’s ChromeOS operating system.

Most traditional laptops run on either the Windows 10 operating system or the macOS, if they’re Macs. Chromebooks, on the other hand, run on the ChromeO, a lightweight operating system that isn’t as fully featured as Windows 10 or macOS. In fact, when ChromeOS was first released in 2011, it was extremely bareboned, and you needed an internet connection to use apps such as Google Docs.

What is a Google Chromebook?

ChromeOS has evolved since then. Now install apps – including Android apps – and use it (to an extent) without an internet connection. However, it’s still more limited than Windows 10 and macOS. 

The fact that's it’s a lightweight operating system is one of the reasons why Chromebooks are so appealing to many users, in the first place. It doesn’t need powerful components to run, and it can use hardware that Windows 10 or macOS would struggle to run on, keeping the overhead price down. This enables Chromebooks to be much more affordable to users than other laptops.

That also means Chromebooks have impressively long battery life, easily lasting a whole work day – plus, some movie watching – on a single charge.

While we sometimes refer to the devices as ‘Google Chromebooks’, a number of major laptop manufacturers make Chromebooks. In fact, the first Chromebooks were released by Samsung and Acer in May 2011, and other manufacturers like Dell, HP and Asus joining have jumped on the bandwagon.

What is a Google Chromebook?

Of course, Google has also released its own Chromebooks over the years. Interestingly, while most Chromebooks are affordable alternatives to Windows and Mac laptops, Google’s Chromebooks, like the Google Pixelbook, are premium devices that show that a Chromebook can be as powerful, and as beautifully designed, as any MacBook or Windows laptop – and also just as expensive, if not more.

What software can a Google Chromebook run?

Now that you know the answer to the question: what is a Google Chromebook?, let’s get into how it works. Because Chromebooks run ChromeOS, you can’t simply install and run Windows or Mac programs. Instead, you are limited to Chrome apps and online apps that you can run through the Chrome browser, such as Google Docs.

The good news is that there’s a decent selection of Chrome apps. Plus, using online apps like Google Docs means you won’t need to install as many as apps, which is why many Chromebooks only need small hard drives – which again helps to keep their price low.

Additionally, Chromebooks are now also able to run Android apps, giving Chromebook users access to thousands of apps through the Google Play Store. Most modern applications have a version for Android devices, which means Chromebooks users have a huge range of software, from office suites like Microsoft Office to photo editors and even games, at their disposal.

What is a Google Chromebook?

Chromebooks can also run Linux applications, further bolstering the productivity benefits of the devices. Compatible Chromebooks can now use programs that were created for Linux, the open source desktop operating system.

While ChromeOS used to be seen as a limited operating system, the scope of the software you can now run on a Chromebook is truly impressive, making it – now more than ever – a viable alternative for more users.

Lastly, ChromeOS is a lot less prone to viruses and malware than Windows 10, as malicious users are more likely to attack Windows 10 devices due to their popularity. Using cloud-based services on a Chromebook also limits the number of files you download and install, and ChromeOS is automatically updated with the latest security patches to keep you safe and secure.

What is a Google Chromebook?

Chromebooks and education

Because of the affordability, long battery life and security of Chromebooks, they've become increasingly popular in the education sector.

They're indeed ideal laptops for students, as they come with pretty much all the software they would need, including word processors and presentation programs. The use of cloud services such as Google Docs also allows for online collaboration between students and teachers, and several manufacturers have made Chromebooks that are specially designed for students, with durable bodies that can survive being tossed into a backpack and carried around all day.

The Chrome Education License also enables schools to provide Chromebooks to students and easily manage the devices centrally, ensuring that only approved apps are installed.

Most importantly, the parental controls these Chromebooks have on hand can also ensure that students are kept safe from inappropriate online content.

So, to answer the question, 'What is a Google Chromebook?' Essentially, they're affordable laptops with simple designs, and they can surprise you with how flexible and adept they are for handling many day-to-day tasks.

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