Apple : Best iPhone apps for business in 2019 |
- Best iPhone apps for business in 2019
- Grab a free speaker with BT's 12GB data SIM only deal for effectively £9.50/pm
- New iPad rumor suggests a foldable 5G version is on the way
- England vs Sweden live stream: how to watch Women's World Cup 2019 match for 3rd place from anywhere
- Kia e-Niro: the EV for the people
- Tour de France 2019 live stream: how to watch the cycling online from anywhere
- USA vs Netherlands live stream: how to watch Women's World Cup 2019 final from anywhere
- Save big on unlimited data mobile phone deals with Three's 'half price for six months'
- 5G speeds and coverage aren't just patchy where you are, it's worldwide
- The Google Pixel 4 could have a 16MP telephoto lens, based on camera app code
- Amazon Prime Day VR zones go live in 6 cities across India
- India vs Sri Lanka live stream: how to watch Cricket World Cup 2019 from anywhere
- Gears 5: release date, news and trailers
- Gears 5 multiplayer tech test begins in July
- 10 top tennis games for Android and iOS
- These Samsung phone deals are worth a look if you're scared of Galaxy Note 10 pricing
- Best USB flash drives of 2019: Memory sticks for all your data storage needs
- Amazon Prime Day 2019: early deals on the Echo and Echo Dot live now
- Best movies on Netflix (July 2019): 20 films you need to watch right now
- Best Linux laptops of 2019: the top open-source notebooks
| Best iPhone apps for business in 2019 Posted: 06 Jul 2019 08:31 AM PDT The iPad has been positioned and pushed hard as a tool for businesses, but these days many companies produce apps which are just as at home running on your iPhone (which is an even more handily portable device, of course). However, deciding which business apps to use on a mobile platform can be a headache, and the last thing you need is an iPhone that's filled with so many apps you don't know which to use or prioritize. This is especially the case when there are likely other apps and services you need to use your iPhone for, on top of immediate business uses. We've therefore taken a look at some of the biggest and most useful business software for your iPhone, to help keep your mobile platform free from clutter. Better still, if you use some or all of these apps, the chances are your business will be running to a good degree of efficiency and productivity.
Image credit: Salesforce With Salesforce establishing itself as such a prominent enterprise platform, its only right they took care of business on mobile. Thankfully, for fans of the platform who like to work on the move, the Salesforce app has plenty to keep you productive outside of the office. The service’s CRM data tools, communication tool Chatter, diary organization, and business process features can all be utilized from your iPhone or iPad. You can also receive updates from accounts on the go, tap into conference calls, access your sales actions via the publisher, log calls, create and update opportunities, and complete sales tasks. Contextual notifications keep you up to speed wherever you are, as do report dashboards and live updates from your business. If something requires an action, the aforementioned Chatter tool enables you to start conversations with colleagues, with the ability to attach photos and files too. For organizations that use Salesforce and encourage mobile productivity from their workers, the Salesforce app is an excellent tool to have in the software arsenal.
Image credit: Trello Enterprise organization and project management is always a complex, multifaceted affair, but Trello aims to ease the headache by bringing everything together on one easy-to-use platform. The breadth of features on Trello means virtually everyone in your organization is served, from sales and marketing to HR and operations, and teams can design and customize the platform to suit their needs. It also includes over 100 integrations with productivity tools like Google Drive, Slack, and Jira. Those who use Trello on iPhone and iPad received good news earlier in 2018 when a significant update took place on the app. Among the improvements was the custom fields power-up enabling you to organize information in new, visually appealing ways, enhancements to the calendar and date selector, clickable links in checklists and comments, plus the ability to attach and send multiple files at the same time. For an app of this nature, Trello is surprisingly easy on the eye and with a slick UI bringing together it’s range of tools and features, this is a very strong mobile tool for work on the move.
Image credit: Microsoft Microsoft may be the company that many Apple users love to hate, but Microsoft's Office suite remains the most widely used around the world, especially when it comes to docs, spreadsheets, and presentations. While there are other office software providers out there, a recurring problem with some is that what you see on the screen for your document can differ radically from what is printed out. Microsoft Word is the app you'll probably find yourself using at some point, whether you want to or not, with Excel and PowerPoint possibly following behind. The good news is that Microsoft's apps are free to download on iOS, but the bad news is that they come with limited functionality – unless you subscribe to Office 365. Whether you personally care for the Microsoft brand or not, its Office software remains the default for most larger businesses, so you may find yourself having to use the Office apps more often than not – and be thankful for them all the same.
Image credit: Hot Schedules Hot Schedule is dedicated to managing schedules and shifts between managers and employees. Not only does it allow managers to set shifts, but it also allows employees to swap shifts with each other. This can provide significant time savings for managers, as all they have to do to publish a shift pattern, and workers who want more hours can claim extra shifts they need, while those who need to reduce their hours in a particular week can do so. Managers can monitor everything as much as they need to, allowing assigned shifts to be held or swapped as required. And, of course, employees also find it an invaluable app for helping manage their own work-life balance. While Hot Schedule might not seem the most obvious app to include in this list, it's definitely useful to consider if you do have multiple employees. Additionally, even with its admittedly minimal cost of $2.99, it's the most popular business app in the Apple AppStore.
Image credit: Wrike Built in the cloud, Wrike is a one-stop-shop for project management, planning and team collaboration. Adaptable to tasks both big and small, organizations ranging from SMBs right up to Fortune 500 companies are among Wrike’s purported 15,000 users. Rather than merely serving as a mobile add-on to your Wrike account, the iOS app aims to be a standalone, multi-functional service in its own right. From creating a brand new account with Wrike to managing workflow across your business and sharing reports, virtually every phase and feature can take place in the app. The tools include live inbox communication, access to folders, projects and tasks, assigning and scheduling work, sharing images and files, tracking time spent on tasks, accessing personal and shared dashboards, and viewing and sending performance stats to people both inside and outside of your organization. While the iOS app is free, Wrike accounts themselves are at the more expensive end of the market, with packages for small to medium size businesses (5-200 users) costing $24.80 (£19) per user, per month. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Grab a free speaker with BT's 12GB data SIM only deal for effectively £9.50/pm Posted: 06 Jul 2019 07:50 AM PDT BT loves to give away an impressive freebie - a quick look at any BT broadband deals will show you that. But something we're less accustomed to is the company going big on its SIM only deals. And yet, here we are with free speakers, reward cards and impressive pricing. The general gist of this offer is this - get a 12GB data (and unlimited calls and texts) SIM only deal from BT for £15/pm and receive a free JBL Bluetooth speaker worth £119. But here's where the offer gets really interesting. On top of the free speaker, BT is also giving away a £65 reward card - in other words, a pre-paid Mastercard to spend in-store or online as you please. If you take into account the value of that reward card, you're effectively only paying £9.59 per month. That is an absolutely exceptional price for this much data, especially considering you're still getting the free wireless speaker. If you don't happen to have your internet with BT you can still get this offer, but you will be paying slightly more...£20 a month to be exact. But you do still get both the speaker and the £65 reward card. You can see this offer below, as well as all of BT's other SIM only offers, all with the speaker and reward card. Need something to pair with your brand new SIM? check our guide to the best SIM-free phones around.
BT SIM only deal + free JBL speaker
What benefits does BT Mobile offer?One of the major benefits of going with BT is the BT Wi-Fi hotspots. With five million hotspots across the country you can get access to the internet wherever you are, helping you save your data. On top of that is the benefits of getting discounts for your whole family. If you have BT broadband, every single member of that household can grab a discount on their phone or SIMO.
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| New iPad rumor suggests a foldable 5G version is on the way Posted: 06 Jul 2019 06:30 AM PDT Put this on the more speculative end of the scale for now, but one analyst firm has suggested that Apple is already working on a foldable, 5G-ready iPad to shake up its tablet line-up in the near future. The tip comes courtesy of the Economic Daily News and IHS Markit analyst Jeff Lin, and it's based on the familiar supply chain sources. A bending iPad could be with us as soon as next year, the report says. Apparently the iPad would have a MacBook-size screen but we don't get much in the way of other details. It might be a true foldable like the Huawei Mate X, or two separate screens connected with a hinge.
We already know that Apple is investigating both 5G technologies and folding screens, but we wouldn't take this prediction too seriously just yet – 2020 seems like a quick turnaround for Apple to get this out the door. Foldables, 5G incomingWhile this year has seen foldable phones appear for the first time, the likes of Samsung and Huawei are yet to put them on sale to consumers – it's a very difficult technology to produce and get right. Apple usually waits until it can get something properly implemented before adding it to their devices, whether it's wireless charging or waterproofing, and it's likely to be the same with folding screens. The 5G part of this particular prediction is more believable: Apple has been tipped to bring out a 5G iPhone in 2020, so iPads wouldn't be too far behind (or might even appear before the phones do). Other analysts have suggested a 5G iPad is in the pipeline, and it may well be something that's kept to the Pro line of devices – but the consensus seems to be that 5G-enabled models won't show up until 2021. Via 9to5Mac This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| England vs Sweden live stream: how to watch Women's World Cup 2019 match for 3rd place from anywhere Posted: 06 Jul 2019 05:03 AM PDT It's usually the game nobody wants to play in, but the build-up to today's third-place playoff between Sweden and England suggests both sides are looking to end their campaigns on a high. To see who takes the bronze medal at the 2019 Women's World Cup, make sure that you have all the information to get an England vs Sweden live stream. Their 2019 Women's World Cup journey has been an inspirational one for millions of viewers watching back home, but England striker Ellen White says there will be "huge disappointment" if the Lionesses do not finish third in France. Sweden coach Peter Gerhardsson is similarly focused about the game, telling reporters: "Ending up third of course feels a lot better than ending up fourth. We'll do everything in our power to try to do that." As well as signing off from the tournament, the game will also provide one last appearance at this level for a number of players, with England and Chelsea midfielder Karen Carney revealing she will retire from international football following today's match. The advantage looks to be with England going in to the match - as well as having to lift themselves after missing out on the final, Sweden will also be suffering from fatigue after their gruelling semi-final with the Netherlands went to extra time. Don't miss any of today's action by following the instructions below and grabbing a live stream of England vs Sweden wherever you are in the world.
Watch a FIFA Women's World Cup 2019 live stream from outside your countryIf 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 stream the Lionesses live in the UK
Live stream England vs Sweden 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.
How to watch a FIFA Women's World Cup third-place playoff live stream in Canada
How to watch England vs Sweden live stream in Australia
How to watch a England vs Sweden live stream in New Zealand
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| Kia e-Niro: the EV for the people Posted: 06 Jul 2019 05:00 AM PDT The Kia e-Niro does what few of the current crop of electric vehicles can manage. It offers a complete EV (electric vehicle) experience for the people. While Tesla may still be pushing the boundaries of EVs, its cars come with a price tag which puts them out of reach of the many. Meanwhile offerings such as the Nissan Leaf and Renault Zoe occupy the opposite end of the market, providing an entry-level proposition to those who want to take their first step in the all-electric future – they are small however, and with less range per charge, limiting their appeal. The e-Niro falls into an affordable bracket and while it’s not 'cheap', you do get plenty of bang for your buck here, and plenty of tech. It’s built on the same platform as Kia’s standard, mid-size SUV Niro, but the blue accents around the bodywork highlight that this in an all-electric offering. Plug in, charge up, and off you go. EV in disguiseThe first thing we noticed about the Kia e-Niro is the fact it doesn’t look like a hybrid or electric car. The quirky styling of the Toyota Prius, BMW i3, Tesla Model S and co. are a jarring presence on our roads, but the e-Niro could easily glide past you and you’d never know it was quietly saving the planet. Of course, if you were listening, you’d notice the e-Niro doesn’t produce any engine noise thanks to the presence of its electric motor, rather than a traditional combustion engine. Visually your clues are the subtle blue highlights on the front and rear, signaling – to the observant passers-by at least – you are doing your bit to help the environment. While the lack of eye-catching design may disappoint some, it’s not a negative point as it has allowed Kia to focus on what’s actually important. Making a good EV. Inside, the cabin is spacious, comfortably accommodating four adults on long journeys, and you can happily pop three kids in the back seats. There’s plenty of storage too, with deep door pockets, a cubbyhole built into the central armrest between the front seats, and a sizable, 451L boot. As this is an SUV, you get an elevated ride height, providing an enhanced view of the road, while overall the Kia e-Niro doesn’t feel all that much bigger than a standard family saloon. Comfort features such as climate control, heated seats and a heated steering wheel are all included as standard too, making the e-Niro an enjoyable place to be. Hit the road and you’ll be surprised at just how light and agile the e-Niro feels as you flick it through corners and accelerate on straights. There is a slight bit of lag when you initially push the accelerator to the floor, but the electric powertrain catches up quickly and delivers a welcome surge of force to get you moving. Charge me upKia claims you can get 282 miles from a single charge with 'mixed use', which you'll be unlikely to hit, but we managed around 260 miles which is still a respectable performance. One of the nice things about electric vehicles is being able to top them up at home, and the Kia e-Niro comes with a home adaptor which lets you plug directly into your standard household socket – although you're looking at 29 hours plus to charge from 0-100%. That's a long while to wait for your car to recharge, but leave it overnight and the e-Niro should regain around 20%, which works out at roughly 50 miles, and you're not going to be pulling up outside your house on 0%. It's easy to charge, and there are three lights on top of the dash (and visible from outside the car) providing you with a rough, quick-glance indication of the current charge level of the car. If you have a dedicated car charger installed at your home you’ll be able to reduce this charge time, and if you find a fast public charger you could see top-up times tumble to around an hour (with a 100W connection). It’s the public chargers – or lack of – which is still one of the biggest stumbling blocks for electric vehicles. It’s hugely dependent on your location, with busy, built up areas usually offering a high number of charging points, but they're much harder to come across the further out you go. This means there’s still a certain amount of range anxiety with the e-Niro, and long trips need some planning to ensure there are suitable chargers en route. Chargers are only going to become more abundant in the coming years, but it’s something you need to consider if you’re thinking of purchasing the Kia e-Niro today.
The flap on the front hides the charging port. Image Credit: TechRadar The tech we wantThe best part of the Kia e-Niro is the level of technology that's included in the price. There’s a sizable touchscreen display in the center console, with an easy to use and responsive interface. The EV page gives you various stats regarding the battery in the car, including current charge level, estimated recharge times, and the location of the nearest public charging point if you were to get caught short when out and about. Manufacturer-provided satellite navigation can be hit and miss, but the system Kia uses is one of the better ones, although it’s still no match for Google Maps when it comes to usability and functionality. The good news here is you can take advantage of Google's (or Apple's) mapping service in the e-Niro, as the car supports both Android Auto and Apple Carplay. This allows you to connect your smartphone via the USB port at the base of the center console, and then use the mapping apps along with music applications such as Spotify on the e-Niro’s touchscreen display. It works well, and you can use the on-wheel controls to manipulate music playback from your phone and trigger your handset’s smart assistant (Siri or Google Assistant) for voice commands – which also work well. Another nice addition is the wireless charging pad just above the USB port, allowing you to top up a compatible smartphone without having to plug it in. Add to that the easy to use cruise control and adaptive lane assist – which gently nudges you back to the middle of your lane if it detects you getting a little too close to the edge – making driving the e-Niro even easier. And yes, there’s a reversing camera too, so it’s even easy to park. The Kia e-Niro is surprisingly well-equipped, it has got a range which should be able to deal with most modest commutes and school runs, and it has got plenty of space for people and their stuff. It may not dazzle with design, or blow you away with speed, but it has got plenty to give at a price which is more attainable.
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| Tour de France 2019 live stream: how to watch the cycling online from anywhere Posted: 06 Jul 2019 03:59 AM PDT Are you ready to ride along with the 2019 Tour de France? The waiting is finally over and it's time for the world's elite cyclists to take to the streets and mountains of France (and Belgium) to see who deserves the glory - and that rather fetching yellow jersey! Geraint Thomas, as defending champion, will have to work hard this year with tough competition from all sides. Luckily for you, it's a much easier task to live stream Tour de France cycling action from wherever you are in the world by simply reading on. The 2019 Tour de France is looking like an exceptionally exciting one as there is no clear favourite with lots of strong riders out this year. Four-time champ Chris Froome has already crashed out with serious fractures so he won't be in with a chance at a fifth win this time. His Ineos teammate and current champion Geraint Thomas also crashed out recently but will be back to defend his title this year. Another potential contender that's pulled out this year is 2017 Giro champion, and second placer on last year's Tour, Tom Dumoulin of Team Sunweb. After knee problems he's backed out. So all in all there is a very open road this year that could make for some fantastic battles. The chance to win is more within reach than ever for some who may have not stood a chance otherwise. Keep your eyes peeled for Team Ineos' up-and-coming Egan Bernal, the 2014 winner Vincenzo Nibali and Richie Porte, Romain Bardet, Thibaut Pinot and Nairo Quintana. You can watch a 2019 Tour de France live stream from wherever you are in the world...here's how.
Live stream Tour de France 2019 from outside your countryIf you're in any of the UK, US, Canada, Australia or New Zealand, keep on scrolling to see where your daily 2019 Tour de France live stream can be found. That's all very well if you're in your home country, but if you're away on business or your holidays and try to watch one of those feeds, you'll soon discover that they're geo-blocked. That's certainly annoying, but not a disaster - downloading and installing a VPN can come to your rescue. Doing so allows you to log your laptop or mobile device's IP address on to a server back in your home country. Thus allowing you to watch the Tour de France online as if you were back at home. It's extremely easy to do...
How to live stream the Tour de France 2019 FREE in the UK
How to watch the Tour de France 2019: live stream in the US
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| USA vs Netherlands live stream: how to watch Women's World Cup 2019 final from anywhere Posted: 06 Jul 2019 03:30 AM PDT After four weeks and 51 matches, we're finally about to reach the final of what has been an absorbing 2019 Women's World Cup - inspiring millions of viewers across the globe on the way. It all comes down to just two teams, and with our help you can get a USA vs Netherlands live stream from absolutely anywhere in the world. The USA come into tonight's game as record breakers after becoming the first team to reach three consecutive finals having already done so in 2011 and 2015. For the Dutch it marks the first time they've reached the World Cup final in what is incredibly only their second ever World Cup appearance. The two teams have only ever played each other on two occasions - both were friendlies and both matches ended in a 3-1 victory for the USWNT. Having made an explosive start to the 2019 Women's World Cup with a record 13-0 win in their Group F opener, the USA have been made to work increasingly hard for their place in the final as the tournament progressed. Having had testing knock-out stage wins against Spain and France, their 2-1 semi-final win over England may have come at a cost with Rose Lavell picking up an apparent hamstring injury in the clash. A similar problem also makes usual skipper Megan Rapinoe a doubt for today's match. With 80 percent of the Dutch viewing public tuning in to see the Oranje Lionessess win their gripping semi-final over Sweden, the Netherlands team will feel like they've already claimed something of a victory by capturing the imagination of a country which has only played the sport at a professional level for 12 years. Don't miss any of the action from tonight's final by following the instructions below and grabbing a USA vs Netherlands World Cup final live stream wherever you are in the world.
Watch a FIFA Women's World Cup 2019 live stream from outside your countryIf 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 live stream the 2019 Women's World Cup final 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 US VPN allows you to watch all your domestic sports coverage from abroad.
How to stream USA vs Netherlands live in the UK
How to watch a FIFA Women's World Cup final live stream in Canada
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| Save big on unlimited data mobile phone deals with Three's 'half price for six months' Posted: 06 Jul 2019 03:25 AM PDT Whether it be a SIM only deal or a brand new mobile phone deal, Three is the go to name for unlimited data offers. But, as satisfying as it is to blast through HD streams for hours on end, the cost of having no data caps can be massively off-putting. Luckily, Three has come big with its most recent offer, helping to crush those overwhelming price tags. On a huge host of unlimited data contracts and SIM only deals, you can currently get half price bills for the first six months of your contract. That means paying as little as £11 a month for an unlimited data SIM or even £29 for the iPhone XR. While these prices do then jump back up to their usual costs after those six months are up, this offer will help slash the costs of your overall spending across the 24 months. Ready to go big on streaming and not worry about your costs? We've listed all of the highlights of this offer below. With offers across the top flagships - including iPhones and Samsungs - there is a huge range of unlimited data offers to choose from.
Three's superb SIM only deal in full:Why go with Three?If you haven't already been won over by these amazing offers then you'll be excited to hear that Three doesn't shy away from offering up some extra incentives as well. Whether that be free exclusive prizes or extra roaming. You can see all of best parts of a Three SIM only deal or Three mobile deals down below.
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| 5G speeds and coverage aren't just patchy where you are, it's worldwide Posted: 06 Jul 2019 03:00 AM PDT 5G is here, but even if you live in one of the few cities around the world which have the next generation of mobile network switched 'on', you'll likely find the coverage (and speeds) far from spectacular right now. The good news is, you're not alone. We've already tested the new 5G networks in the US and the UK, where speeds and connectivity vary wildly, and we've now taken our 5G road trip to South Korea. With a Samsung Galaxy S10 5G in hand, we spent three days in the South Korean capital, Seoul, testing out the coverage and speeds and the results are... just as predictable. Seoul is considered one of the most technologically advanced cities on the planet, but its 5G networks don't appear to be faring any better than those in the US and UK during the fifth generation mobile network's initial few months.
Day 1: our first South Korean 5G experienceWe receive our Samsung Galaxy S10 5G handset, and hastily unbox, login and setup the phone. Checking the signal, it says it has got full 5G signal. Speed test time. Our handset came with a Korean Telecom (KT) SIM installed, and it's the only network we had access to during our time in South Korea. Firing up Fast.com we found speeds were hugely variable, bottoming out at around 40Mbps and peaking (for us, at least) at around 360Mbps. Now, we were sitting in a room of around 50 journalists who had all just got the same phone and were performing the same tests - so our handset would have been battling for bandwidth. However, the 360Mbps score is at least promising, but by the time we had returned to our hotel the Galaxy S10 5G was only reading LTE in the signal bar. Time to charge up and get ready for more testing in the morning.
Image Credit: TechRadar Day 2: improvements, in placesWelcome to Day 2, if you've made it this far... well, there's no praise because you've not exactly come far. Just keep reading, yeah? With a solid day ahead of us, and plenty of movement between the center of Seoul and the outer suburbs, it's a perfect opportunity to test the length and breadth of KT's 5G coverage as we bounce along on a bus. 5G signal wasn't available inside our hotel, but stepping outside we got full bars of 5G, and a couple of speed tests later showed that high speeds were available. We managed to clock a mammoth 830Mbps, which far exceeds the 4G speeds you're able to get. However, as we started to move through the center of the city the 5G signal jumped to 4G and back numerous times, and as we hit the outskirts it appeared we'd left the next generation network behind us. Like with the roll-out in UK and US cities, Seoul has 5G in its center, but it's yet to reach further out just yet. Day 3: downloads in a flashAnother day, and a few more speed tests see us grab 5G speeds of up to 700Mbps. What does that mean in terms of your usage? Well, both WhatsApp and Instagram (both less than 40MB) downloaded in an instant - and in these early days of 5G it's fast downloads and buffer-free streaming which are the clear use cases for the technology. It's not like we have been left waiting for ages for apps to download on 4G, but these high speeds are just the tip of 5G's capabilities. Over the next few years, as the networks roll out to more of the population, and developers start to explore what's possible with a faster, more reliable and almost latency-free network, we'll see the true power of the network. For now though, unless you're living in a 5G coverage zone in a major global city, it's still worth waiting for 5G networks to roll out further, and for prices to drop and more handsets to become available, before shifting over to 5G. We'd say leave it at least a year, but if you can hold on for 18-24 months you may find yourself in an even better 5G position. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The Google Pixel 4 could have a 16MP telephoto lens, based on camera app code Posted: 06 Jul 2019 02:30 AM PDT What treats will the Google Pixel 4 have in store for us? A 16MP telephoto lens as part of its rear camera array, if the latest rumors are to be believed – rumors based on code spotted in the official Google Camera app. Some digging by the folks at XDA Developers revealed a reference to "Sabre" (Google's codename for telephoto) and the word "telephoto" itself. Further investigation by the team at 9to5Google turned up a reference to a 16MP image. This is based on the 6.3 version of the Google Camera app, which is only available as part of the Android Q beta at the moment. We're expecting Android Q to launch before the Pixel 4 phones arrive in October.
Don't take this as official confirmation of the presence of a 16MP telephoto lens on the PIxel 4, but it does look likely that this code refers to one of the lenses inside the camera on the upcoming flagship (and maybe some serious zoom capabilities). The Pixel story so farThe Google Pixel series has always been able to produce stunning camera shots, of course, even with a single-lens rear camera. Google's AI-powered image processing software does a lot of heavy lifting behind the scenes. Based on the leaks we've seen so far, the Pixel 4 model is going to introduce a multi-lens rear camera on the back, with either two or three lenses to its name. That could be partly due to the arrival of the Google Pixel 3a and Google Pixel 3a XL earlier this year. With those mid-range handsets to fall back on, Google can push the specs and capabilities of the Pixel 4. Other rumors we've heard up to this point include improved color capture and possibly another display notch. All will be revealed later this year – the Pixel 4 phones should be launching around October time. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Amazon Prime Day VR zones go live in 6 cities across India Posted: 06 Jul 2019 02:17 AM PDT Amazon Prime Day 2019 kicks off on July 15 and the e-commerce giant has set up Virtual Reality (VR) experience zones in six cities across India. These VR zones will let users experience products on sale in different virtual environments before placing the order. Amazon Prime Day VR experience zones are present in Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Chennai, Pune, Hyderabad and Kolkata. Shoppers who are looking forward to grab great deals during the Amazon Prime Day and are living in the aforementioned cities can head to the VR zones to experience a life-size view of the products in their wishlist. Visit Amazon Prime Day VR experience zones in these locationsAmazon Prime Day VR zones can be visited in these locations: The experience zones are already operational in the above locations until July 16, 8PM IST. Experience Prime Day sale products in virtual environmentsBuyers can get up close with the products they're eyeing for this Prime Day by visiting the Amazon Prime Day VR experience zones. You can view Prime Day sale products in life-size, in 360-degree view and even in different environments. It will help prospective buyers have an overlook of the product without making the purchasing decision and by viewing products in their natural environment, they can better judge the product. Akshay Sahi, Director and Head of Prime, Amazon India said, “We are proud to bring to customers a one-of-a-kind way to experience the exclusive product launches and entertainment we have lined up for Prime Day 2019. We wanted a way to showcase hundreds of exclusive launches and bring them closer to customers. Through virtual reality, we are able to highlight the products as well as allow customers to interact with them. We are bringing the fun back to shopping by allowing customers to fly through the world of Prime Day, stroll through its streets, play games and have an enjoyable experience.” This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| India vs Sri Lanka live stream: how to watch Cricket World Cup 2019 from anywhere Posted: 06 Jul 2019 02:00 AM PDT India have been every bit as impressive as we were expecting in the 2019 Cricket World Cup. With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli firing on all cylinders and Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami doing the job with the ball, they're probably marginal favourites to win the whole thing. Can they demonstrate their dominance with another big win over Sri Lanka today? Find out by watching and India vs Sri Lanka live stream using the guide below. Aside from their impressive win against England, Sri Lanka will head home after today's game feeling somewhat disappointed with their performance at the 2019 Cricket World Cup. This final group match against does at least give them an opportunity to go out on a high and prove their worth against India, the tournament's best performing team thus far. Despite being comfortably already in the last four, India won't be taking their foot off the pedal with today's match providing the opportunity to seal their place at top of the round robin table and book in a semi-final slot against New Zealand rather than hosts England. Sri Lanka will be hoping to replicate their heroics of when the two teams last played each other on English soil during the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017, when the Tigers somehow managed to chase down India's 321/6 with seven wickets to spare. Expect a high scoring game - the weather forecast is warm and sunny for majority of the day in Leeds, meaning the pitch should favour those batting. You’ll be able to watch all the Cricket World Cup action with ease from anywhere in the world if you follow our India vs Sri Lanka live stream guide below.
Watch a Cricket World Cup 2019 live stream from outside your countryIf you're 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 in your region below. If you're away from home country and looking to tune in 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 safely without having to take a chance on an illegal feed from a website that's likely infested with malware.
How to stream 2019 Cricket World Cup online in India
How to stream India vs Sri Lanka live in the UK
How to live stream India vs Sri Lanka in Pakistan for FREE
How to watch a live stream of India vs Sri Lanka in Australia
How to live stream India vs Sri Lanka in New Zealand
How to watch India vs Sri Lanka: US live stream
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| Gears 5: release date, news and trailers Posted: 06 Jul 2019 01:47 AM PDT Microsoft's exclusive Gears of War series is one of the most popular to hit Xbox, with the Lancer and its chainsaw bayonet as recognizable as Halo’s iconic Warthog. And at the Microsoft E3 2019 keynote, the company announced Gears 5 is coming out September 10, 2019. Called Gears 5 rather than Gears 'of War' 5 the latest game in the series will have a female protagonist, Kait. Marcus Phoenix will still appear, but Kait will take the starring role as she leads her team on a personal mission continuing from the emotional ending of Gears of War 4. Microsoft shared more details about Gears 5 during it's E3 2019 conference: a new 3-player online and local co-op mode 'Escape,' a special character pack featuring Terminator skins in a crossover with the upcoming 'Terminator: Dark Fate' film, and a new teaser. Another fun addition: Gears 5 will get a Map Editor, a first for the series, per an Xbox official tweet. And if you sign up for the new Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, you can play the game four days early on September 6. [Update: The Coalition has confirmed that multiplayer tech testing will begin on PC and Xbox One in July. Read on to find out more about what will be included and how you can get involved.] Cut to the chase
Gears 5 trailersAt E3 2019, Microsoft gave more details about Gears 5, including the new 3-player co-op mode Escape. Here's the trailer, showing off the three new characters who will fight to get out of a Locust-infested area. Microsoft and The Coalition studio head Rod Ferguson confirmed Gears of War 5 during the Xbox Keynote at E3 2018. To go alongside the announcement we got a new trailer starring Kait Diaz, Marcus Fenix and the rest of the Gears crew. Locusts will again play a major role in the series when the game comes out later this year. You can check out the Gears 5 announcement trailer below: Gears 5 release dateGears 5 is coming on September 10, 2019, as Microsoft announced during its E3 2019 keynote. But you can get it four days early on September 6 if you subscribe to the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Gears 5 news and features
Multiplayer Tech Tests coming in July The Coalition has confirmed that it will be kicking off multiplayer tech tests for Gears 5 in July. The testing will take place across two sessions: July 19 to July 22 and July 26 to July 29. Pre-load will be available from July 17. According to the studio, those taking part in the tests, whether they’re on Xbox One or PC, will be playing three distinct Versus modes across two of the game’s new multiplayer maps. These modes will be Arcade, Escalation and King of the Hill. There will also be a chance to try out the new features Bootcamp and Tour of Duty. Access to the tests is included with Xbox Game Pass memberships but non-members can also get involved by pre-ordering Gears 5 from the Windows and Xbox stores or through participating third-party retailers who will be distributing the access codes. System requirements If you want to purchase the game or take part in testing sessions on PC you’ll need to make sure your machine is up to scratch. The Coalition has confirmed the minimum, recommended and ideal system specs required for Gears 5. Recommended specs
No loot boxes or season passes As we count down the days until Gear 5's September release, The Coalition has announced some more details around how players will be earning new content and items as they play. In Gears 5, all DLC maps will be free in both matchmaking and private play scenarios and there won't be any loot boxes in sight. New content will be earned through the Tour of Duty system. This will involve daily challenges and medals that you can complete to rank up and earn cosmetic rewards and you'll also get some of the in-game currency, Iron. It will, according to Coalition, be clear what's required of you to earn each item and there will be no premium, pay-only content in Tour of Duty. As well as getting a small amount of Iron through Tour of Duty, you'll also be able to buy it using real-world currency. All store purchases will also be direct so there won't be any RNG causing issues. Another way to unlock new content will simply be by playing - supply drops will happen at random as you rack up the hours and these can't be purchased with real-world currency. If you get a duplicate item, it'll automatically be scrapped and you'll be able to use the remnants to craft new items or upgrade skills. E3 2019 We got hands on with Gears 5 during E3 2019. Our first impressions of Escape Mode are that it's a fun co-op experience but that it runs the risk of growing repetitive. XO18 show During the XO18 show in November, 2018, The Coalition studio head Rod Ferguson promised "a bunch of innovations, a bunch of changes, a bunch of things that are really exciting and different but still feel like Gears of War" (via GamesRadar). Cult of personality During the XO18 show in November, 2018, The Coalition studio head Rod Ferguson
E3 2018 Gears of War 5 was confirmed during E3 2018, and will be called Gears 5 to be released in 2019. Following on from the ending of Gears of War 4, this game will follow Kait as the star of a new trilogy. Breaking her chain of command, the game will follow Kait as she breaks the chain of command and takes her squad on a decidedly personal mission. PC Gaming Microsoft has been pushing its PC Play Anywhere program, that sees you able to take your Xbox games and play them on Windows PCs. Gears of War 4 made use of it way back in 2016, so there’s no reason why Microsoft would drop the service for a sequel. (Which is a nice change, considering Gears of War 2 and 3 never saw releases on PC.)
What we want to see from Gears 5Unanswered questions Gears of War 4 ended with JD and Kait fighting their way through the Swarm to try and save Reyna, Kait’s mother, only to find it was too late. Reyna wasn’t dead but the Swarm were trying to integrate her into their hive and removing her would kill her. But, at Reyna’s request, JD and Kait tear her away from the Swarm. Before she does, Reyna teases a great mystery: she gives Kait a necklace that she says she was given by her own mother, Kait’s grandmother. The symbol is one Gears fans will recognize looks remarkably similar to one worn by Queen Myrrah of the Locust, your nemesis in original trilogy. A Gears sequel would have to explore this further – are Reyna and Kait descendants of the Locust?
There are hints that Adam Fenix, Marcus’ father, JD’s grandfather was close to Myrrah before the wars, so there’s a chance that Locusts and humans coupled but it would be new territory for a Gears of War game to explore. Wish List Besides continuing the campaign story, we’d like to see more of the changed world we were introduced to in Gears of War 4. Taking place 25 years after the original trilogy, the sequel is set in a world where humans were forced to abandon fossil fuels and collect together in small martial law-governed encampments and violent windstorms sweep the land, tearing up anything left unprotected. Gears of War 5 should explore that further, showing us how desperate humans are trying to fight off the Swarm on a planet that is trying to kill them.
The Coalition worked to make Gears of War 4’s battlefields more dynamic places, giving you the ability to pull enemies out of cover and leap forward with short range charges. A sequel should continue this, giving players greater freedom of movement and ways to break stalemates between human and Swarm forces. The original Gears of War cemented the cover shooter as a subgenre, now its sequels have to rattle its foundations by taking away the safety of sitting behind a low wall. (Image credits: The Coalition/Microsoft)
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| Gears 5 multiplayer tech test begins in July Posted: 06 Jul 2019 01:35 AM PDT The Coalition has confirmed that it will be hosting technical test sessions for some of Gears 5’s Versus multiplayer modes in July. First mentioned during E3 2019, these tests will take place across two sessions so if you can’t make one, be sure to block out your calendar for the other. The first session will run from July 19 until July 22, while the second will run from July 26 until July 29. Both sessions will include three distinct modes from Gears 5 across two of its new multiplayer maps. The modes will be Arcade, which is described as “a new approachable, frenetic Versus experience”, as well as the more familiar Escalation and King of the Hill. Stress testsTesters will also have a chance to try out new features called Bootcamp and Tour of Duty. Bootcamp is a place for players to practice skills and learn new mechanics, while Tour of Duty is a recently confirmed feature which essentially acts like a free Battle Pass with daily challenges and rewards. The Tour of Duty in the test will be a shorter version rather than the full thing. The primary aim for The Coalition for these testing periods is to put some pressure on servers before launch day and establish how they can handle a glut of players coming into the game at once. There is also, of course, the added bonus of getting player feedback on the modes and maps they’ll be playing through. The tests will be open to both PC and Xbox One players and available to pre-load from July 17. Those with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or standard Xbox Game Pass for PC or Xbox will find that access to the test is included in their membership. Non-members will be able to access the test by pre-ordering Gears 5 from the Xbox and Windows stores or from participating third-party retailers who will provide access codes. Participating retailers for each country are detailed on the official Gears 5 post. Naturally, PC players have the added issue of checking their system can keep up with the game and The Coalition has confirmed minimum, recommended and ideal system requirements for playing the test. The ideal system requirements call for Windows 10 with the May 2019 update, AMD Ryzen 7 or Intel i7 Skylake, AMD Radeon VII or NVIDIA GTX 2080 with 8GB VRAM, 8GB RAM and 15GB SSD. The Coalition has promised fans that more about Gears 5 Versus will be revealed in the weeks running up to the test launch, including a closer look at Escalation during the ELEAGUE Invitational tournament running from July 13 to July 14. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 10 top tennis games for Android and iOS Posted: 06 Jul 2019 01:00 AM PDT Strawberries and cream, white uniforms and a lot of grunting - there are few events so ingrained in the psyche as Wimbledon. Not all are lucky enough to be able to attend the event in person however, most will be stuck at home finding a Wimbledon live stream to get their fix - and perhaps with little to do in-between matches. What better way to psych yourself up for the next round of matches, than to indulge in a few of the finest tennis games available on mobile - be they on Android or iOS. From straight simulations, to arcade score attacks, clash of clans-style touch farming to statistic based simulators, there is something for everyone. Read on for ten of our top tennis games available on Android and iOS.
1. Tennis Champs Returns - Season 3
Image Credit: Jakyl Android: £3.59 from the Play Store Based on an old Amiga game, this option is a little unlike the rest on this list in terms of style. With pixel art straight from the 90s, it also features a deceptively simple control scheme that is easy to learn but difficult to master. Featuring a pick and play game style that nonetheless has some depth and which offers some room for experimentation and strategy, this is a solid option for those looking for a little challenge. It features quick play options as well as a deeper story mode through which to battle. 2. Stick Tennis
Image Credit: Stick Sports Ltd Android: Free from the Play Store Not so keen on simulation? Want a little instant gratification? Stick Tennis has your number. With lightning-quick gameplay, an easy control scheme focused on timings rather than positioning and an endearing art style, it should be near the top of your list if you are a fan of tennis in any way. This may have all the depth of Pong, but it is just as addictive. 3. Virtua Tennis Challenge
Image Credit: Sega Android: Free from the Play Store Seasoned tennis gamers will no doubt remember the Virtua Tennis games, released by Sega for various consoles across the 00s. Featuring quick arcade-y gameplay, they were a mainstay of the genre for years - and have now made their way to mobile. Though sporting a slightly ad-heavy model, this is nonetheless a well executed port of a classic series, offering addictive gameplay, enough challenge without being too difficult and a good variety of different courts and characters to choose from, along with well-implemented controls. 4. Ultimate Tennis
Image Credit: 9M Interactive Android: Free from the Play Store Rounding out the selection of simulation options is Ultimate Tennis. Though this option takes a slightly uncomfortable and leery approach to the fairer sex (think Dead or Alive), it nonetheless offers some depth and an engaging control scheme. Allowing play to take place one-handed, it focuses on timing as well as positioning, and encourages the user to take the initiative in setting up counter swings. With a modern presentation, this is well worth a shot for the asking price of nothing. 5. Timber Tennis
Image Credit: Digital Melody Android: Free from the Play Store Going again down the very instant route is Timber Tennis, by Digital Melody. A title which comes served with a healthy dollop of humour, this sees the player battling against fellow tennis players with balls, fireballs, bombs and more - all at a breakneck clip. Characters from previous games by the developer make an appearance too, replete with their lumber-related regalia and pixel art stylings. Played from a top down perspective and more than a little reminiscent of Pong, this is great for quick moments on the bus or otherwise. 6. Tennis Manager 2019
Image Credit: Rebound CG Android: Free from the Play Store Not interested in instant gratification? Looking for something a little deeper, which rewards a longer look? Enter Tennis Manager. Setting you up to guide a rookie player on their way through the ranks to reach the top of the world rankings, this title has you training your charge on a daily basis and micromanaging every facet of their existence to create a top talent. The art style may be a little lacking, however this is a good option for those looking for a little strategy as well as something of a challenge. 7. 3D Tennis
Image Credit: Mouse Games Android: Free from the Play Store Back into the world of simulation, here is another entry which offers a compelling control set along with interesting visuals and a polished UI. The key to 3D Tennis is its included physics engine, which is supposedly more advanced than the competition. This point aside, the game itself is fun and features both a ‘Quick Play’ mode for short bouts and a ‘World Tour’ mode for those looking for a little more to sink their teeth into. 8. Flick Tennis
Image Credit: Rolocule Games Android: Free from the Play Store There are times when simulation, instant gratification or even management can feel a little bloodless - when what you would like to play is something with a little soul, a bit of story. Flick Tennis, although very simple from a gameplay perspective (the title being very remarkably descriptive in this aspect) offers a full story mode, with animations, a soundtrack and a comic book narrative structure. This is a slightly offbeat entry which is nonetheless distinctive and worth a look - especially if you are in a more laid back state of mind. 9. Pong
Image Credit: CODA Masters Android: Free from the Play Store In addition to being part of the initial 'big bang' of videogames in the late 70s, Pong is itself a classic if slightly abstract tennis situation whose gameplay has more than stood the test of time. We like this version from CODA Masters in particular due to the small file size, the quick load, the minimalist interface which doesn’t try to improve on the original and the responsive controls. As a nostalgia sink or otherwise, this is a flagpole release for the tennis/table tennis genre. 10. Tennis Club Story
Image Credit: Kairosoft Co. Ltd Android: £4.29 from the Play Store In the mobile management genre, few developers have carved such an expansive niche as Kairosoft. Here the prolific game-maker has turned its magic hands to the tennis management genre, producing a title which is both addictive and hugely charming. This is an easy option to sink hours into, especially when bored on the commute, and is highly worth a look due to its unique art style and easy to learn interface. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| These Samsung phone deals are worth a look if you're scared of Galaxy Note 10 pricing Posted: 06 Jul 2019 12:42 AM PDT Yes, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 might now be just around the corner (August 7, to be precise) but considering it is rumoured to be coming with a price tag of £1,000+, it is likely to be taking a graceful leap over most users' budgets. Luckily, the release of a new phone tends to mean price drops on the older handsets. In this case, we're now seeing some excellent prices across a range of Samsung phone deals. Whether you want a decked out Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus, an affordable Note 9 with tonnes of storage or even just a cheap Samsung phone, there seems to be an option for everyone right now. We've listed our top picks below for Samsung deals to make you forget about the new and shiny (and oh so expensive) Samsung Note 10. Or you can see everything on the market with our mobile phone deals page
1. Go big on storage with the Note 92. The big kahuna of Samsung S10 Plus deals3. Flagship specs, affordable prices - we present the S10e4. Go cheap with this Galaxy A70 dealThis posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Best USB flash drives of 2019: Memory sticks for all your data storage needs Posted: 05 Jul 2019 04:31 PM PDT Buying the best USB flash drives for your needs is a necessary purchase, no matter how you're using your gear, and we're here to help. In this list for the best options, we look at USB flash drives that offer you safe and secure, portable storage for your important files.
The best USB flash drives don't just allow you to quickly and conveniently move data from one PC to another. The brilliant memory sticks in this guide are versatile drives that offer plenty of storage space despite their small form factor. The best USB flash drives are also sturdily built, so they won't get damaged when you're travelling with them. The best USB memory sticks and flash drives also need to be dependable, so they don’t fail or break, making your data vanish into thin air. This means the best flash drives feature a durable build design. Speed is also a major factor. Not only will the best flash drives transfer files faster with a high-speed rating, but it will also make running a ‘live CD’ operating system from the flash drive possible. To help you choose which USB storage is right for you, we’ve assembled this list of the best USB flash drives you can buy on the market today. If USB drives are either too expensive (for the amount of storage you need) or their capacities are just not big enough (or you tend to lose them), feel free to check out our list of the best external hard drives.
If you want one of the best USB flash drives, one of the fastest in particular, then the Patriot Supersonic Rage 2 is definitely the one for you. Sure, the price is high, but we were blown away with just how fast this device is. If you need to move around large files quickly, then this is definitely worth the cost. It also comes with 128GB of storage space, which is a phenomenal amount to carry around in your pocket. Just make sure you don't lose it!
For the best USB flash drives, the cost of postage and packaging actually constitute more of the price than the USB stick itself. However, this incredibly compact and affordable drive is more than worth the cost of shipping. The Kingston Technology DataTraveler 100 Generation 3 is the most affordable 64GB USB 3.0 drive on the market with read/write speeds of 150Mbps and 70Mbps respectively.
One of the best USB flash drives is the brilliantly priced SanDisk Extreme CZ80. It offers plenty of storage space and quick file transfer speeds. Although it's priced more towards the budget end of USB sticks, the performance is anything but budget - this is a very speedy little performer. The slide-out design of this stick means you can tuck the USB interface into the body when not in use, minimizing the risk of it getting damaged when you're carrying it around.
This is the cheapest USB 3.0 drive on the market per GB. It comes with a two-year warranty and a capless/retractable cap design. It’s worth noting that Verbatim - a very well-known Japanese storage and memory manufacturer - sells it on its website and often has pretty good deals on the device.
PNY is another memory vendor turned player in the USB market. As one of the best USB flash drives, it features a capped design as well as read/write speeds of 80Mbps and 20Mbps respectively. These are not the fastest speeds out there so if you want something with more oomph, then check out some of the other USB drives in this roundup.
The Patriot Supersonic is a USB 3.1 drive (compatible with USB 3.0 and 2.0) from one of the most established memory players on the market, but a relative newcomer to this segment. It has a zinc alloy body with aluminum accent and reaches read/write speeds of 380Mbps and 70Mbps respectively, which is no slouch. Not only that, but it comes with a five-year warranty.
We're solidly in premium territory with one of the best USB flash drives, the Samsung T3. Not only does it offer absurdly high read speeds of up to 450Mbps thanks to Samsung's own 3D V-NAND technology, it also comes with a three-year warranty and has a USB Type C connector. Note that it is much bigger than a traditional flash drive and costs about five times a traditional hard drive of a similar capacity. In comparison, a 1TB SSD like the Samsung EVO 850 costs just £240. It comes with V-NAND like the Samsung Portable T1 and it does boast speeds of 530Mbps and 520Mbps in read/write mode respectively. Note that you will need to get a separate enclosure to get it to work with a standard USB port.
If you don't want a USB stick jutting out the side of your laptop or tablet while you use it, then a low profile USB stick is a good choice, and the SanDisk Ultra Fit CZ43 is an excellent choice. It's small and light enough to easily carry around, and when it's plugged into your laptop it doesn't stick out much from the body. It's also very cheap, at around £10 for the 32GB version, with 64GB and 128GB versions also available. It's not quite as fast as many of the best USB flash drives we mentioned here, but if you want a small form factor USB stick, it's worth the trade-off. How to choose your USB memory sticks?
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| Amazon Prime Day 2019: early deals on the Echo and Echo Dot live now Posted: 05 Jul 2019 03:55 PM PDT If you're looking to save money on some pre-Amazon Prime Day deals, then you've come to the right place. For a limited time, Amazon has the Echo Dot smart speaker on sale for $24.99. That's a 50% discount and only 0.99¢ more than the Black Friday price. Amazon also has the larger Echo smart speaker on sale for $69.99. If you're in the UK you can also find the Echo speakers on sale. Early Prime Day Echo deals:The Echo and Echo Dot are also on sale in the UK. If you're looking for other Amazon UK deals you can check out our guide to Amazon Prime Day 2019. Shop more deals with our Amazon Prime Day US roundup: everything you need to know for the July deals event. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Best movies on Netflix (July 2019): 20 films you need to watch right now Posted: 05 Jul 2019 03:32 PM PDT Best Movies on Netflix: TechRadar's round-up of the best films on Netflix's massive US catalog. If you're anything like us, you can spend hours searching for the best movies on Netflix only to come up empty handed two hours later. It's a whole bunch of wasted time and - if you lead a busy life - it's a huge time suck. Thankfully, we've done all the searching so you don't have to. In an effort to determine the best movies and films on Netflix, we've put together a list of the greatest possible films you can watch – curated by TechRadar editors and backed up with ratings from IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes. To that end, you can find four pages of Netflix's best films. The films aren't ranked in any particular order - and will change out over time - but this is a good starting point when you can't find something to watch. We'll try to keep this list as updated as possible each month with the latest must-binge movies - but, if you see something that's left the service or you have a film that you think is worthy of inclusion on this list, drop us a line.
1. Roma
Image Credit: Netflix Genre: Period drama/Foreign film Who's it for? Cinema buffs and anyone looking to get a jump on Awards Season An astonishing ode to motherhood in all forms, Roma is the most personal film to date from visionary director Alfonso Cuarón (Children of Men, Gravity). On paper, Roma is not the easiest sell – a subtitled black and white film about a live-in housekeeper spoken almost entirely in Spanish and the indigenous Mixtec language, Cuarón's latest is nonetheless riveting from a cinematic standpoint. More a series of vignettes than a traditional three-act story, Roma examines the life of a Mexico City family in the early 1970s during a time of great social upheaval. Described by Cuarón as 90% autobiographical, the film provides some insight into the famous director's early life, although the story is witnessed primarily through the eyes of his caretaker, Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio), who would become a loved member of the family. One of the most gorgeously photographed films of the year, Roma deserves to be seen on the largest screen possible. Shot entirely in 65mm, Roma would make for an ideal theatrical experience. However, if that isn't an option, you won't be disappointed by the Roma's breathtaking 4K Ultra HD presentation on Netflix – just make sure you keep tissues on hand, because it's very likely you'll shed a few tears during the film. IMDB Rating: 8.5, Rotten Tomatoes: 96% 2. Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi
Image Credit: Lucasfilm Ltd. Genre: Sci-Fi Who's it for? Fans of sci-fi based around people named Skywalker. Love it or hate it, the 8th film in the Star Wars franchise is immortalized in the canon now. It stumbles in parts, slows to a crawl in others, and fails to do what you'd expect. Some might call these the markings of a failed film. But we'd say it's these traits - this break from tradition - that gave us a Star Wars film that we couldn't have ever imagined. Beyond simply defying expectations for the sake of it, The Last Jedi grapples with complex themes of morality in a new republic - with minority characters leading the charge as tried-and-true characters are laid to rest. This is jolting for a franchise that's been dominated by the same few characters for the last two decades but it's this change that pushes The Last Jedi in a new direction - one in which it can survive without its main heroes. It might not have the nostalgia of the originals or the fast, fun nature of Solo: A Star Wars Story, but sometimes we need to shed the skin tradition to create something new. (Hint: In case that's lost on you, that's the exact point that Yoda makes abundantly clear to Luke at the temple.) IMDB Rating: 7.3, Rotten Tomatoes: 91% 3. Blackfish
Genre: Documentary Who's it for? Activists and folks ready to be exposed to animal cruelty Blackfish, the controversial nature documentary that follows a misunderstood and often violent killer whale in captivity at SeaWorld, made a huge splash when it was released in 2013. Its story has moved audiences to take action in a way that few other films have ever done, going so far as forcing lawmakers' hands to introduce legislation that will demand that SeaWorld release killer whales back into the wild. It's an emotional ride through the highs and lows of the aquatic entertainment industry, one that reveals the real consequences of keeping animals where they don't belong. IMDB Rating: 8.1, Rotten Tomatoes: 98% 4. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Image Credit: Sony Pictures Genre: Animated superhero film Who's it for? Fans of the famous wall-crawler, super heroes in training There's little doubt that Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse is the best animated Spider-Man film ever made but, in all honesty, it might even steal the title as the best Spider-Man movie ever made. A harrowing tale that takes place across universes and timelines, the original Spider-Man Peter Parker must teach a new Spider-Man how to save the world one web at a time. As more Spider-Men (and Spider-Women!) get involved in Miles' training, everyone involved soon realizes that it's not the mask that makes the hero, it's the hero that makes the mask. Inspiring, heart-warming and extremely well-written, Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse is worth the watch. IMDB Rating: 8.5, Rotten Tomatoes: 97% 5. The Theory of Everything
Genre: Romance / Drama Who's it for? Empathetic scientists and romance fans The Theory of Everything is the romance-heavy version of Stephen Hawking's life. The stars Eddie Redmayne in the role of Hawking who, despite the overwhelming challenge of playing a character with progressive ALS (commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig's Disease), puts on an Oscar-worthy performance as the man who solved some of the greatest mysteries around black holes and their lives. While the film glosses over most of the science behind Hawking's greatest revelations, it does an exceptional job depicting the challenge of providing care for someone whose health is progressively declining. It's based on source material from Hawking's first wife, author Jane Hawking and her book Traveling to Infinity. IMDB Rating: 7.7, Rotten Tomatoes: 78% 6. Always Be My Maybe
Image Credit: Netflix Genre: Romance Who's it for? Fans of romance fans and the one who got away You may know Always Be My Maybe's leading lady Ali Wong from her raucous Netflix stand-up specials but it's as a successful celebrity chef that she really hits her stride. After a failed engagement Wong's character Sasha Tran heads to her hometown of San Francisco to setup a new restaurant only to run into her old bff played by Randall Park. Through the turbulence of the relationship, a sudden fling with actor Keanu Reeves and despite the differences in careers, the two try to make it work, and the journey from old friends to lovers is a joy to watch. IMDB Rating: 6.9, Rotten Tomatoes: 91% 7. Schindler's List
Genre: Drama Who's it for? Anyone in need of a lesson in human compassion This is one of the most affecting movies that you will ever see. Based on the true story of Oskar Schindler, a factory owner who begins to help his Jewish workers during World War II after he sees them persecuted by the Nazi Germans, the movie is a study in brevity. Steven Spielberg manages to find the human stories in the atrocity of WWII without shying away from the true horror of what happened during the conflict. Winner of several Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, Schindler's List is a film you won't soon forget. IMDB Rating: 8.9, Rotten Tomatoes: 96% 8. Beasts of No Nation
Genre: War Drama Who's it for? Joseph Conrad enthusiasts Beasts of No Nation stars Idris Elba as a war lord, and follows the story of Agu, portrayed by child actor Abraham, who is forced to become a child soldier during the civil war of an unnamed African country. What follows is a nightmare: boys stolen from their families are forced to kill and through blood take their vengeance on the world. It's a war movie with a profound message, and is probably the closest equivalent of Apocalypse Now that we're like to see in the 21st century. IMDB Rating: 8.0, Rotten Tomatoes: 91% 9. Fyre Festival
Genre: Documentary Who's it for? Anyone who needs a heaping dose of schadenfreude Billed as a luxury music experience on a private island, Fyre Festival was tirelessly promoted by social media influencers – but ended up being a complete and utter disaster, with multiple lawsuits being brought against the promoters. This illuminating documentary explores what went wrong, with some extremely personal accounts from the people who helped create it, and it’s a must-watch. IMDB Rating: 7.3, Rotten Tomatoes: 90% 10. The Dark Knight
Image Credit: Warner Bros. Genre: Action/Thriller Who's it for? Brooding comic book fans While it's not quite the visual treat that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is, Batman The Dark Knight is the quintessential super hero film blending the sometimes silly story of the comics with the hyper-realistic tone of Christopher Nolan film. The result is a picture long-remembered for its iconic portrayal of The Joker by Heath Ledger who posthumously won the awards for Best Supporting Actor at the Academy Awards, SAG Awards, Golden Globes and BAFTAs. If you haven't seen this masterpiece of a film, now's the time to watch it. IMDB Rating: 9.0, Rotten Tomatoes: 94% 11. The Hateful Eight
Who's it for? Desperadoes looking for a modern masterpiece There are few directors who have filmographies as celebrated as Quentin Tarantino, and The Hateful Eight only goes to further add to his illustrious career. Based several years after the Civil War in a cabin in Wyoming in the dead of winter, this high-intensity thriller puts a wide variety of suspicious individuals together in the same room, and it’s uncertain whether or not anyone will make it out alive. This film heavily features Tarantino’s masterful use of dialogue and cinematography to really make you feel like you’re part of the action as you suspiciously watch everyone in the room – trying to figure out who is trustworthy. IMDB Rating: 7.8, Rotten Tomatoes: 74% 12. Bird Box
Who's it for? Hardworking moms who aren't afraid of suspense Horror movies have fallen on hard times. There, I said it. Spending the past decade relying on jump shocks and excessive gore to win over new audiences, it's rare to find a film as well-made, thought-out and genuinely suspenseful as Bird Box. While the film draws some obvious comparison to 2018's The Quiet Place, Bird Box pits survivors against post-apocalyptic horrors who cause people to commit suicide when they're seen. Cue copious blindfolds to keep the monsters out of sight, but never are they out of mind for a mother tasked with ferrying two kids to safety. IMDB Rating: 6.8, Rotten Tomatoes: 63% 13. Avengers Infinity War
Who's it for? Marvel super fans and... nihilists, I guess? Infinity War is a feat of film-making. The Russo Brothers (the film's directors) were tasked with creating a unified Marvel crossover event with every character from the last 10 years. It's a big, bold vision for a universe that so innocently began with Iron Man one short decade ago, but it's woven seamlessly together via a cast of heroes and one singularly misguided villain with the power to wipe out half of all life in the universe. It's a bit heavy on action sequences but in between all the fighting lies a wonderfully wrought world that's straight from the panels of Marvel's comics. IMDB Rating: 8.5, Rotten Tomatoes: 84% 14. Her
Who's it for? Anyone looking for love in all the wrong places While it's a film that's almost certainly mocking tech lovers like us, Her is a beautiful look at a lonely man who's rescued by a futuristic fictional smart assistant. At times a bit heavy-handed with its messaging, Her provides a solid foundation for why human connection is more intimate than machines, even if the latter can remove the awkward initial dating phase using a personalized algorithm. IMDB Rating: 8.0, Rotten Tomatoes: 94% 15. The Incredibles 2
Genre: Animated Action Who's it for? The kids and kids-at-heart in your house While there's no shortage of endearing animated films on Netflix (see: Coco, Moana, Spider-Man, etc...) The Incredibles does something none of the others do by building a successful sequel on a fondly remembered original film. The second Incredibles film might not hit the same star status that the original hits, but following the family through their new life as re-instated heroes is as adorable this time around as it was before thanks to Mr. Incredible's role as a stay-at-home dad. If you need something for the kids and don't want to sit through the same movie again, The Incredibles 2 shakes things up while building upon the 10-year-old franchise. IMDB Rating: 7.7, Rotten Tomatoes: 94% 16. Good Will Hunting
Good Will Hunting is playing a game of hide and seek on US Netflix. It's there one minute and gone the next - but, for now, it appears to have landed semi-permanently on the streaming service. In what is arguably the late Robin Williams' best performance, Good Will Hunting shows us a brilliant mind robbed of its potential by falling in with a bad crowd, only to be saved by an unconventional psychologist who's willing to get a bit too personal with his clients. Matt Damon's character's transition from broken toy to intellectual aspirant is beautiful behold and is a close second to Williams' meteoric performance. IMDB Rating: 8.3, Rotten Tomatoes: 97% 17. The Fundamentals of Caring
The Fundamentals of Caring is proof that you can take actor Paul Rudd, put him in literally any movie about any subject and he automatically makes it 10 to 20 times better. With any other actor in the leading role, The Fundamentals of Caring – based on the book by Jonathan Evison – would've likely had no lasting appeal. And yet, with Rudd behind the wheel of the ship the film becomes a comical road trip movie with a compelling twist that's one part Eurotrip and two parts 50/50. The stakes here are that Rudd is taking care of an emotionally sheltered, physically handicapped teen whose bark is fiercer than his bite. The friendship the two form ultimately help the other grow out of their shells. It may come off as trite, cliché and over-wrought at times, but if you stick through the saccharine, there's a well-crafted story here that might melt your heart. IMDB Rating: 7.4, Rotten Tomatoes: 79% 18. Jiro Dreams of Sushi
Jiro Dreams of Sushi is the uplifting documentary of one man who never gave up on his … uh, dreams. Jiro became the first three-star Michelin sushi chef in Japan and has been called a national treasure, all the while honing his mantra of being his best self. Jiro's commitment to his craft that carries the film – but it's his two sons, both famous sushi chefs like their father that make the film one of the best documentaries ever made. If you're hungry for a bit of inspiration in an evermore depressing world, pull up a seat. IMDB Rating: 7.9, Rotten Tomatoes: 99% 19. Coco
With Moana officially off Netflix for the time-being, Coco is the new de facto must-watch animated film on the streaming service. A gloriously colorful romp through a Dia de Los Muertos in the land of the dead, Coco teaches us about the importance of family and the power of chasing your dreams simultaneously. Though it follows all the familiar Disney beats that we've come to expect over the years, Coco is well written, wonderfully animated and terrifically acted. You may also find its many catchy songs stuck in your head for days after watching it. IMDB Rating: 8.4, Rotten Tomatoes: 97% 20. Dallas Buyers Club
This is a movie that was close to not being made. Just as shooting began, funding was pulled and it means that star Matthew McConaughey may have had to drop out, as he needed to put all the weight on he had lost for playing Ron Woodroof, an electrician diagnosed with Aids. Money was found, though, and we're glad it was as this is a sometimes harrowing but strangely uplifting account of someone who goes to the extra mile to get their hands on an experimental Aids drug that can lessen the effects of the disease. McConaughey is fantastic as the makeshift drug runner while his partner in crime is Jared Leto as Rayon, a trans woman who helps him on his journey. Despite the budget cut, there was Oscar nominations aplenty for the film with it winning Best Makeup. Considering the makeup was done on $250 budget, this is an impress feat. IMDB Rating: 8.0, Rotten Tomatoes: 93% This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Best Linux laptops of 2019: the top open-source notebooks Posted: 05 Jul 2019 02:56 PM PDT For some people, going with the best Linux laptops is the way to go, contrary to popular opinion that Microsoft’s Windows and Apple’s macOS are the only options for a notebook operating system. With this guide, we’re going to dive into the best laptops that are specifically built for the open-source operating system.
There aren’t any mainstream notebook vendors, beyond Dell at least, that offer Linux as a base OS option on a new laptop. This leaves us with other smaller manufacturers, which can carve out a niche for themselves with the best Linux laptops. Plus, you can still install Linux on pretty much any laptop, even though some manufacturers lock down their products, making installing Linux kind of a pain. We picked out five of the best Linux laptops on the market right now, all of which have been fine-tuned to run some of the best Linux distros (like Ubuntu, for instance). That means they’re guaranteed run the open-source OS out of the box without any tinkering.
Image credit: Dell The XPS 13 may no longer be the undisputed champion of the Ultrabook market, but it’s still one of the best Ultrabooks out there. And, one can only admire Dell for its unwavering Linux support on a flagship machine, making the Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition one of the best Linux laptops on offer. The laptop is customizable so you can configure it to be suitable for everything, from your routine office tasks to your gaming habits, depending on how much you’re willing to pay. If you wish, you can plump for the most expensive XPS 13, which has a 4K (3,840 x 2,160) InfinityEdge touchscreen. Though it’s worth bearing in mind that the higher-res screen will tax the GPU and CPU more, and may affect battery life adversely. The more wallet-friendly configuration runs with a Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) 13.3-inch InfinityEdge non-touch display. As this is touted as a 'Developer' edition, it's surprising there aren't more customisation options. The basic model comes with 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD, and cannot be upgraded during checkout. The more expensive version, on the other hand, allows you to choose between the default 512GB SSD or to pay extra for a 1TB solid-state drive. All models come preinstalled with Ubuntu 16.04 LTS and 8th-generation Intel CPUs. Read the full review: Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition
Image credit: System76 System76's Serval WS is the ultimate laptop powerhouse, not to mention one of the best Linux laptops on the market. Available with a 15-inch or 17-inch display, it incorporates an 8th generation Intel Core i7 CPU typically found in desktop machines. The Serval WS is highly customizable, with up to 64GB of system RAM and up to 12TB of storage on hand. A variety of Nvidia GeForce GTX 10-series GPUs are also on hand, and gamers will further appreciate the choice of either a Full HD or 4K display. It's obvious that a lot of thought and care has gone into the design of the Serval WS, considering that each key on the keyboard comes with its own multicolor backlight. The laptop, like all System76 models, comes preinstalled with either the firm’s own custom POP!_OS or Ubuntu Linux. This notebook also has impressive connectivity chops with both USB 3.1 Type-C and Type-A ports (the exact number of ports varies by model). One thing to be aware of is that this laptop is a fairly hefty beast, with the basic 15-inch model weighing 3.4kg and the 17-inch version tipping the scales at 4.17kg. This heftiness is matched only by the weighty price tag: the base 15-inch model is equipped with a GTX1060 and a relatively basic 8GB of RAM and a 250GB SSD for storage, but sets you back an eye-watering $1,989 (around £1,515, AU$2,695).
Image credit: Purism Purism embarked on a quest to build the most secure laptop ever, choosing (obviously) Linux distro PureOS to power the device. From that quest came Librem 13, one of the best Linux laptops on offer. Purism is the only notebook vendor on the market to offer physical kill switches as standard on its laptops. Instead of going mainstream, the company tapped into the crowdfunding community to gain more than $430,000 (around £300,000, AU$550,000) worth of funding, allowing it to adopt a stricter ethos than most firms when it comes to privacy, rights to free software and security. The Librem 13 might look and feel like a bog-standard laptop. However, there's far more to it than meets the eye (for example, the company designed its own motherboards). In addition, Purism’s commitment to Linux (and security in general) certainly goes beyond most of the vendors on this list.
Image credit: System76 One of the best Linux laptops to date, the Oryx Pro is definitely built for the operating system. Indeed, it currently offers a choice of either Ubuntu 16.04 or System76’s own Ubuntu-based Pop!_OS 17.10 on purchase. The chassis is made from lightweight aluminium with a matte black finish and graphics are provided by GeForce GTX 10 series GPUs. The Oryx packs an Intel Core i7 quad-core processor (with Turbo to 3.8GHz) into its thin frame, and offers a choice of display sizes (15.6 or 17.3-inch). By default, you get 8GB of RAM and a 250GB SSD, but the online store encourages you to customise the Oryx to suit your needs. You can pay extra to upgrade to 64GB of system memory with a 2TB SSD, if you wish and as long as you’ve got the cash – the top-end configurations get very expensive here. You can also choose between Nvidia’s GTX 1060 and GTX 1070 when it comes to the GPU. Plus, it’s also possible to add extra drives, purchase a laptop bag designed to carry and protect your machine, or extend the warranty to three years.
Image credit: System76 On paper, the Galago Pro from System76 is an absolute beast. And yet it weighs less than most laptops with a 13-inch screen. This is notebook rivals the Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition, touting an aluminium chassis and up to 32GB of RAM. The Galago Pro has two hard drive bays. The 'OS Drive' in the first bay is a 120GB SSD by default, but can be configured at up to 2TB when you order. You can also choose to install a second SSD in the other bay of up to 4TB capacity. If that isn’t enough, it has a 13.3-inch display with a resolution of 3,200 x 1,800, an Ethernet port, an SD card reader, two USB ports and a Thunderbolt 3/USB Type-C/mini-DisplayPort connector. In a nutshell, you will be hard pressed to get anything in Windows-land that can deliver this sort of compute power and storage capacity. Read the full review: System76 Galago Pro This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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