Apple : Exclusive: The foldable Huawei Mate X will have the new Kirin 990 chipset |
- Exclusive: The foldable Huawei Mate X will have the new Kirin 990 chipset
- Marvel’s Avengers game: release date, news, trailers and first impressions
- Gamescom 2019: schedule, dates, predictions, news and rumors
- The titanium Apple Card comes with a series of insane care instructions
- Splunk acquires SignalFX in largest acquisition to date
- The best PC gaming headsets of 2019
- The best gaming PC 2019: 10 of the top gaming desktops you can buy
- Best gaming mouse 2019: the best gaming mice we've tested
- The best gaming monitor 2019: the 10 best gaming screens of the year
- Best Wi-Fi extenders of 2019: top devices for boosting your WiFi network
- Best dual-camera phones in India for August 2019
- Microsoft, Intel and others are doubling down on open source Linux security
- Three Asus ZenBooks get AMD Ryzen processors amid Intel Comet Lake launch
- Android 10 release date, new features and everything you need to know
- Magecart hackers target popular poker software
- Amazon TV deal: save on the Toshiba Fire TV and receive a free Echo Dot
- Get a cheap iPhone bargain with this affordable big data iPhone 7 deal
- An 'iPhone Pro,' 16-inch MacBook Pro and new iPads are now all expected this year
- The Bose Portable Home speaker sports sleek looks and 360-degree sound
- Best Apple Watch apps we've used in 2019
| Exclusive: The foldable Huawei Mate X will have the new Kirin 990 chipset Posted: 22 Aug 2019 01:56 PM PDT The Huawei Mate X will indeed pack the Kirin 990 chip, TechRadar learned at a Huawei briefing in New York City. Yanmin Wang, president of CEE, Nordic and Canadian Regions of Huawei’s Consumer Business Group, confirmed to TechRadar that the company’s Kirin 990 chip would be coming in the next foldable, the Huawei Mate X. “Yes," said Wang, "it’s coming very soon.” TechRadar previously learned that the Mate X won't launch in September, with its release date pushed back to November. Even with this news, some of Huawei's official language still mentions September. Back at MWC, when the phone was first announced, Huawei said it was coming with the Kirin 980 chipset that first debuted in the Huawei Mate 20 in October 2018. In other words, it makes sense that the company’s cutting-edge foldable would pack the most powerful processor it can. Given Huawei’s precedent of release cadence, we expect the Huawei Mate 30 to launch with the Kirin 990 as well, and the same is likely to be the case with the yet-to-be-confirmed Huawei P40. Huawei originally told TechRadar that the Mate X might come out as early as June 2019, then the release date was pushed back to September, and now we've been told to expect it in November. Reasons for this vary: we learned that the hinge was slightly refined in versions following the model shown off at MWC 2019 in March, but given how little 5G networks have been built out, Huawei has not felt rushed to put out the phone. That’s because, unsurprisingly, the Kirin 990 is 5G-compatible, with a 5G modem integrated on the chip, Wang told TechRadar. That’s unlike the Snapdragon 855 and Snapdragon 850 modem combo. Kirin 990 and 5GA HuaweiCentral report asserted that Huawei will introduce two Kirin 990 processors at IFA 2019: a main processor and its 5G-compatible variant. But TechRadar has only heard about a single 5G-compatible chipset. The Kirin 990 will be 7nm with a lower power consumption than the Kirin 980 and support for all of the “mainstream” 5G formats, Wang said. But he wouldn’t clarify whether that included both high-frequency 30GHz to 300GHz millimeter wave (making up most of the 5G carrier networks in the US) and lower-frequency formats like sub-6, which typically don’t deliver as fast of speeds but have more coverage area. China has spent $180 billion in the last five years installing around 350,000 5G-operable base stations, according to an April 2019 IEEE Report, heavily favoring lower-frequency 3- and 4-GHz bands - in other words, sub-6. It’s unclear how much of this infrastructure Huawei built, though Huawei claimed in a statement to have up to a 50% share of the country’s 5G equipment market per the South China Morning Post. Ergo, we don’t yet know if the “mainstream” 5G bands the Mate X will support will work with both mmWave and sub-6 – though it will at least work with the latter given its dominance of the Chinese smartphone market (38% in Q2 2019, per Reuters). In addition to the Mate X, the Kirin 990 will come to Huawei’s high-end phones in 2020, Wang said. Whether that includes the next generation of Honor phones, which have traditionally gotten the latest Kirin chips – and ergo, whether they will be 5G-compatible – Wang said: “Maybe. Anything can happen.” This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Marvel’s Avengers game: release date, news, trailers and first impressions Posted: 22 Aug 2019 01:46 PM PDT After two years of secrecy, Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics are nearly ready to talk about their first Avengers game – or, as we know it, Marvel’s Avengers. At Square Enix's E3 2019 press event, we finally got our first look at the game in a story trailer that seems to riff on some of the biggest moments from the Avengers comics. You'll play as your favorite Avengers in an all-new story set in the Marvel universe featuring many Avengers throughout the game (with the exception of Hawkeye) as you save the day from an evil force. According to Crystal Dynamics, the game has 'an all-star cast' that includes Laura Bailey, Nolan North and Troy Baker, some of the most preeminent voice actors in the videogame industry. It was at this year's E3 that we also learned that the game will have a multiplayer component alongside a single-player campaign, though it wasn't shown off during the event. What we've heard from Crystal Dynamics in a closed-door briefing is that you'll assemble into teams of four online, customize your characters and fight online together through new scenarios. Crystal Dynamics says this content will be free and will come at a constant clip. Last, but not least, we got a confirmed release date: May 15, 2020. Here's everything we know about Square Enix’s big foray into the Marvel universe. [Update: We found out lots more about Marvel's Avengers at Gamescom 2019. Read on to find out more.] Cut to the chase
Image credit: Crystal Dynamics Gameplay impressionsWhile no one was allowed to play the game at E3 2019, Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics were allowing attendees to stop by and see an in-depth hands-off demo. The way the game works is that you'll control each Avenger individually and control switches automatically between segments – a flying sequence you might play as Iron Man while a battle scene might use Hulk, for example. Each character has their own set of abilities that mirror what we've seen from comics, movies and other games, and combat largely looks like Marvel's Spider-Man, full of fluid dodging, combo attacks and Quick-Time Events. It's a real cop-out to end the comparison at Marvel's Spider-Man, but that seems to be the look and feel Crystal Dynamics is going for – something that's easy to pick up and makes you feel powerful. The problem here is that, while all the characters have their own skills in combat (activated by the trigger buttons), there really wasn't a ton of variation in the actual gameplay. Most times, characters are shuffled into a battle arena, brawl for a few minutes with some fodder enemies, and then control shifts to the next Avenger in the sequence. It feels safe, but not all that exciting. What Crystal Dynamics and Eidos Montreal (who's co-developing the game) did get right are the massive set-pieces that serve as the main stage for the action. In the demo we saw, The Avengers were fighting to save civilians on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco from terrorists led by (spoilers!) Taskmaster. The segment of gameplay we saw involved all five of the game's playable Avengers and culminated in a boss battle. The pacing leading up to the battle felt great, as did some of the Quick-Time Event segments that emulated the movies' big-budget action. Marvel’s Avengers trailers and screenshotsIt was supposed to be shown privately at San Diego Comic-Con and then released after Gamescom 2019 but the official gameplay footage for the game was leaked by attendees at the Comic-Con panel. In what appears to be a more complete version of what was shown behind closed doors at E3 2019, the trailer shows off the prologue of the game's main story campaign which involves footage of Thor, Hulk and Iron Man in action as they defend an A-day event in San Francisco that's gone somewhat awry. Given it's a leaked trailer it's not the clearest footage in the world so do bear that in mind if you'd rather wait for the official thing. Outside of the logo tweeted out by the game’s Twitter handle, there hasn’t been much in the way of official art. What we do have, however, is the game’s first teaser trailer that came out last year. Check it out below: The big unveiling for the game came at E3 2019, when Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics really let loose a lot of details and clips. We've embedded the Avengers E3 2019 trailer below: We've also got a number of screenshots from the trailer, embedded below: Marvel’s Avengers news and featuresMaybe cross generation? During a Q&A session at Gamescom 2019 we asked Crystal Dynamics about whether Marvel's Avengers will be a cross generation title, considering it's releasing next year and the team plans on supporting it for the long haul. While the devs didn't outright confirm or deny, the smirk and laugh we got suggested this is the case. Stadia Crystal Dynamics has confirmed Avengers is coming to Google Stadia. Skill trees As you progress you will unlock skill points and trees which allow you to specify your playstyle. Skills include both classics and new moves, and are categorized under the following: primary, speciality, capability and utility. Earn and upgrade gear You can customize your gear to suit your playstyle. Gear has varying rarity and, as you progress, you can unlock perks for pieces of gear. War table Players choose either hero missions (single player campaign focusing on one hero) or war zone missions (can be played with any hero in a team of up to four people) from the war table. Hero missions will flesh out the story and allow you to unlock new heroes, while war zone missions expand the narrative. Who is the bad guy? Crystal Dynamics has now shared that the Avengers will mainly be battling against a corporation called 'Advanced Idea Mechanics' (aka AIM), who believe science will save the world. With superheroes outlawed following the A-Day incident, AIM has replaced them with AI - who also keep the supers in check. Cosmetic microtransactions Avengers will have a marketplace where players can buy cosmetic outfits for their heroes. While some outfits can be unlocked, other must be bought with real-life money. According to Crystal Dynamics, there are outfits spanning the history of Marvel's comics, TV shows, films and more. San Diego Comic-Con San Diego Comic-Con has been and gone but not without important happenings for Marvel's Avengers fans. In a panel for the game, hosted by creative director Shaun Escayg explained to attendees that the game would allow players to play through an original Avengers story, with customisable heroes and online multiplayer. There will be the main story campaign where you'll play as the various Avengers, and then the online co-op which is where you'll do your character customisation. This customisation will include skill trees as well as appearance changes. There was also footage of the game shown. While this footage was supposed to be for attendees only and released around Gamescom to the public, it was leaked and you can see the leaked footage for yourself in our trailer section above. The footage showed the prologue of the game's main story campaign which sees an A-day event in San Francisco gone wrong following an explosion. Footage of Thor, Iron Man and Hulk in action against the minions of Taskmaster. It shows the different kind of moves and skills each hero brings to the table but also reveals that more than the core group will appear in the game. Ms Marvel makes an appearance in the footage but whether or not she'll be playable is unknown. Offline and solo gameplay It's been confirmed that Marvel's Avengers will offer players the chance to play offline and alone, despite its focus on the online multiplayer experience. In an interview with GamesIndustryBiz, Crystal Dynamics boss, Scott Amos, said that players "can have a complete experience and have fun" even if they never go online. No paywalls or Loot Boxes It's also been confirmed by Scott Amos that paywalls and Loot Boxes will not be a feature of the game. It seems that monetization will come from entirely optional cosmetic purchases. These will allow players to invest in their favorite heroes and make them look exactly as they want them to. "The idea, from the beginning, is that we want you to be able to customize your hero; how they look, how they play, the gear they have and how they use it," Amos said. "Your Black Widow could be different to my Black Widow – just a little, maybe a lot – depending on what you favor and how you unlock things." Of course, players will also be able to earn customization items as they play as well. Official reveal Marvel’s Avengers was finally revealed at the Square Enix E3 2019 press conference on Monday evening, giving us our first real look at the game since it was announced back in January 2017. A "tribute to Stan" Crystal Dynamics has revealed that the Marvel's Avengers game is a tribute to Stan Lee, who passed away in 2018. When we asked if Stan would be making in appearance in the game, the developer seemed coy but hinted we will be seeing the legend make a appearance.
Image credit: Crystal Dynamics Gameplay The most important thing we saw was the gameplay, which looked to be a third-person adventure in the same vein as Marvel's Spider-Man. We know we'll get the chance to play as almost all of the most famous Avengers at some point, with the exception of Hawkeye who sadly wasn't part of the unveiling. Marvel’s Avengers will feature “continuous single-player and co-operative gameplay”, and that players can “assemble in teams up to four players, master extraordinary abilities…and combine powers” – i.e. an online multiplayer component that Crystal Dynamics has yet to reveal, but we're hoping we'll hear more about that later. Focus on story Marvel’s Spider-Man blew us away last year with a story full of heart, characters we cared about, and some sensational performances to boot. Square Enix and developer Crystal Dynamics have a wonderful opportunity to deliver a narrative befitting the unbelievable roster of Marvel characters they have inherited. Thankfully, it looks like they're doing just that with Avengers. We know the game takes place after A-Day, the day the Avengers get honored for their service to the community. This day of jubilation is quickly ruined, however, and our heroes our ripped apart – which gives us real Disassembled vibes. Apparently the heroes come back together and will have to face a new threat that wasn't revealed in the trailer. Continuous content? Crystal Dynamics emphasized the idea of a “continuous” game in an “ever-expanding world”. All this content may come first to PS4 thanks to a deal between Square Enix and Sony, but all of it will be free on every platform. Recent games-as-a-service titles such as Destiny, Anthem, and The Division 2 aren’t exactly lauded for their top-tier narratives, so we’re hoping the reveal will confirm the experience won’t be diluted in favour of ever-lasting revenue.
Screenshot taken from the E3 Colosseum website. Fresh, diverse range of playable heroes Decades of comics, and 22 movies over 11 years of the Marvel Cinematic Universe ensure fans are well versed on many classic Marvel heroes. While we love Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, and Thor, we think it’s time to introduce some fresh, lesser-known faces in Marvel’s Avengers. Unforunately, for whatever reason, Hawkeye wasn't part of the presentation and Hank Pym – a.k.a Ant Man – only got a supporting role. We’d love to see Khan take centre stage, perhaps even alongside other more recent Avengers, such as Iron Heart, Miles Morales, and Squirrel Girl. Why not? It's Crystal Dynamics' biggest game ever In a recent interview, Crystal Dynamics studio head Scott Amos told GamesIndustry.biz that this is the developer's biggest game to date, requiring five studios from around the globe to make: "We've had to change how we work, how we are organised as a team, the number of people we need to do this, the number of external partners... We've had to go hire experts like Shaun Escayg, who is our creative director. He told stories for Uncharted and The Last of Us [at Naughty Dog], we needed him to help tell this story. Dave Fifield was a game director who worked on Halo and Call of Duty, we needed him to help us with multiplayer," Amos said. The five studios working on the title are Crystal Dynamics at Redwood Shores, a new studio in Bellevue called Crystal North West, Crystal Dynamics' partners in the Netherlands, Nixxes, Eidos Montreal and even Square Enix Japan. Five teams to bring the five Avengers to life? Sounds about right.
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| Gamescom 2019: schedule, dates, predictions, news and rumors Posted: 22 Aug 2019 01:27 PM PDT Are you ready for Gamescom 2019? With the August gaming event now underway, and some of the biggest titles in the gaming calendar set to be on show, you better be. While Gamescom isn't typically a big show for announcements – that's usually the remit of the earlier E3 2019 event in July – journalist and presenter Geoff Keighley has been shaking up the formula, hosting a pre-show announcement livestream called Opening Night Live, which featured announcements and new content from Square Enix, Google Stadia, Epic Games and many more to open the Gamescom 2019 event. TechRadar will be live from Cologne all this week, bringing you all the latest news, announcements and previews from Gamescom 2019. So without further ado, here's everything you need to know about Gamescom 2019 including the latest news, rumors, exhibitor schedules and our predictions about what we're likely to see at the show. UPDATE: What are the latest scoops out of Gamescom? Check out our hands on Luigi's Mansion 3 review, the new HP Pavilion Gaming 15 laptop, or the state of Cyberpunk 2077's possible multiplayer mode. For everything else, read on below.
Gamescom 2019 games
Gamescom 2019 is, of course, all about the games. This is the biggest gaming event in the world, which means there are hundreds of games on the show floor. Luckily, we here at TechRadar are on the floor playing the hottest games at the show. We went ahead and collected all of our hands-on coverage in one place:
Gamescom: Opening Night LiveFor the first time for the massive gaming event, Geoff Keighley (the creator of The Game Awards) kicked off the start of Gamescom will a live show called Opening Night Live. As promised, there was a wide mix of world premiere content and announcements, including another attempt by Hideo Kojima to explain the bewildering Death Stranding game and its assortment of babies, BTs (shadow creatures), and urination mechanics. You read that right. We also got a Little Nightmares II reveal, a new Gears 5 trailer, a release date for The Witcher III on Nintendo Switch, and news that Devil May Cry 5 and Blair Witch Project are both coming to Xbox Games Pass. Hearsay not enough for you? You can see the stream for yourself below: Sony at Gamescom 2019
Sony's presence at Gamescom 2019 marks the company's first public appearance of the year – and we're very excited following such a long period of radio silence. The silence has certainly been broken, with the news that Sony has acquired its longstanding partner Insomniac, which was behind its brilliant Marvel's Spider-Man game. There was certainly something said about Death Stranding, but we'd be lying if we said we understood all of it. There wasn't much in the way of The Last of Us: Part 2 or Ghost of Tsushima either. Despite announcing the PS5 earlier this year – and with a leaked patent showing off a possible console design – we don't think it's likely that Sony will reveal more about its next-generation console during Gamescom 2019. But we can always hope... Microsoft at Gamescom 2019
Microsoft Xbox is going pretty hard for Gamescom 2019. Xbox will have nearly 200 booths on the show floor, including the first public hands-on of both Minecraft Dungeons and Gears 5's Horde Mode. Fans will also have the opportunity to try out Project xCloud. We didn't get the scoop on Halo Infinite or Sea of Thieves we hoped for during Opening Night Live, but a new Gears 5 trailer went some way to making up for it. During a special Inside Xbox episode before the event, Microsoft also promised ray tracing support for Minecraft, which should give the blocky sandbox game even better-looking blocks. We're still waiting for more details on Xbox Project Scarlett, but hey ho. Xbox will also be hosting Open Doors at the Gloria Theatre from August 21 to August 23. Entry to Xbox Open Doors is free and fans will be able to participate in community events, game tournaments, panel sessions and other experiences. Check out the opening times below:
Nintendo at Gamescom 2019
Nintendo hasn't shown anything particularly new at Gamescom this year, instead offering hands on with the same titles as at E3 2019. However, it did give us a chance to get some hands on time with Luigi's Mansion 3 and to take a dip into Pokémon Sword and Shield. On the show floor, attendees also got a chance to play The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, The Witcher 3, Astral Chain, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, and Dragon Quest 10 S: Echoes of an Elusive Age. Nvidia at Gamescom 2019
Nvidia appeared at Gamescom 2019 with one goal: expand ray tracing. And, well, that's exactly what it did. Rather than introducing a new generation of graphics cards like it did last year, Nvidia reinforced the current Nvidia Turing lineup with a host of new games that feature ray tracing technology. These include Synched: Off-Planet which will use ray-traced reflections and shadows, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare remake, which comes with ray-traced shadows and new downloadable content for Metro Exodus called The Two Colonels. The upcoming Watch Dogs: Legion will also get ray-traced reflections, and Dying Light 2 will get real-time ray tracing. However, perhaps the biggest news is that Minecraft will be getting ray tracing support in a free update. We got a chance to play some Minecraft with ray tracing enabled, and we can honestly tell you that it completely transforms the game. Changing the lighting engine has made the game look completely different, whether its from shockingly realistic water to the eerie red glow as you start nearing some lava in a tunnel.
Intel at Gamescom 2019
Intel appeared at Gamescom 2019, but rather than launching new desktop processors aimed at challenging AMD Ryzen 3rd Generation processors, Intel instead talked about how it was still the best place for PC gaming. Intel detailed that not only was the Intel Core i9-9900K still the best processor for gaming, but explained that through the use of software, Team Blue is focused on making PC gaming better for everyone. Intel clearly has an eye on the competition, though, with a sly swipe at AMD, which it says has “done a great job closing the gap, but we still have the highest performing CPUs.” It also helped recontextualize Ice Lake and Intel Gen11 graphics in a way that made sense for gamers. Integrated graphics on Ultrabooks, starting this year, should be able to handle some more intense gaming workloads than years prior – though don't expect to enable ray tracing on them. We did miss out on getting new Intel Xe graphics card information, but Intel assured us that more information on its discrete graphics cards is on the way. We just have to wait and see. Dell and Alienware at Gamescom 2019
At Gamescom 2019, Dell announced a whole host of Alienware and Dell G Gaming products. This includes the Alienware Aurora R9, a gaming desktop that follows in the footsteps of the fantastic Alienware Area-51m. Just in time for that new desktop, Alienware also revealed the AW3420DW gaming monitor, a refreshed version of the beloved AW3418DW – one of the best ultrawide monitors. And, if that's just not enough screen for you, Alienware also showed off the massive AW5520QF gaming monitor – a whopping 55-inch OLED gaming monitor coming in with a 4K resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. You're going to need one hell of a graphics card to power it, but it's definitely a sight to behold. We also got new Alienware gaming peripherals and the Dell G5 gaming desktop, an entry-level prebuilt gaming PC that should make it easier for people to get into PC gaming without dropping a fortune on Alienware's pricier output. HP at Gamescom 2019
It's not all fun and games of course – even at Gamescom – with some serious hardware releases being announced at the event as well. You can check out our hands on HP Pavilion Gaming 15 review for our first take on HP's affordable gaming laptop, and what it brings to the company's 2019 range.
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| The titanium Apple Card comes with a series of insane care instructions Posted: 22 Aug 2019 01:16 PM PDT Apple's physical, titanium Apple Card comes with its own set of cleaning and care instructions – seriously. Having just released its credit card in the US, Apple has published a support page for the Apple Card detailing how to clean and care for it. As it turns out, the Apple Card requires more TLC than the everyday credit card that lives in your wallet. In fact, Apple would prefer its titanium card to not live in your wallet at all – especially if it's leather, like most wallets. Apple's titanium Apple Card is actually coated in a white material, and apparently this material can be subject to stains and discoloration that, if untreated, may be irreversible. Again, this is a credit card we're talking about.
Wax on, wax offFirstly, cleaning the titanium Apple Card will require a "soft, slightly damp, lint-free microfiber cloth" followed by a "soft, microfiber cloth with isopropyl alcohol." And, you better not use any old household cleaner or abrasives. Also, Apple explicitly states that fabrics like leather and denim can cause discoloration that is irreversible. It's almost as if this should have been considered when creating a product that most commonly lives in denim pant pockets and leather wallets. Should you have to store your Apple Card in something so pedestrian as pants or a wallet, make sure that either is "made of soft materials" and that the card is not touching any other credit cards. Finally, you should obviously not place the titanium Apple Card near magnets or magnetized devices, as that could disable the card's magnetic strip. On second thought, if Apple Card truly lives within your iPhone, maybe just don't bother with the physical Apple Card altogether?
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| Splunk acquires SignalFX in largest acquisition to date Posted: 22 Aug 2019 01:14 PM PDT Splunk has announced that it will acquire the cloud monitoring company SignalFX for $1.05bn, in its largest acquisition to date. According to Splunk's CEO Doug Merritt, the purchase will enable the company to provide its customers with a single data platform capable of monitoring cloud-native infrastructure and enterprise applications in real time. In a press release announcing the acquisition, Splunk explained how the combination of the two companies will allow organizations to work across their entire data landscape, saying:
“The combination of Splunk and SignalFx will give IT and developers a data platform that allows them to monitor and observe data in real time, no matter the infrastructure or data volume, helping them cut costs, boost revenue and improve the customer experience. This enables organizations to work across their entire data landscape, not just silos in the data center or cloud-native environments.” Splunk financial resultsIn addition to announcing its plans to acquire SignalFX, Splunk also revealed that its second quarter financial results had managed to beat Wall Street's expectations. The company reported a quarterly net loss of $100.8m (67 cents per share) and its non-GAAP earnings came to 30 cents per share on revenue of $517m which is up by 33 percent from the same period last year. Wall Street expected earnings of 12 cents per share on revenue of $488.35m and the good news led to Splunk's shares being up more than six percent after hours. Splunk also reported that its software revenues for the second quarter came to $350m representing a 46 percent increase year-over-year. The company was even able to land over 500 new enterprise customers during Q2. Splunk's acquisition of SingalFX is expected to close in the second half of its current fiscal year following regulatory approval.
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| The best PC gaming headsets of 2019 Posted: 22 Aug 2019 01:04 PM PDT Full immersion into a game requires more than just one of the best gaming PCs. It also requires great visuals and fantastic audio. And the best way to get great audio with a PC set up is through the best PC gaming headsets. Whether it’s to hear over the fans blasting away inside your PC or the fact that gaming monitors usually come without speakers, you’ll want to look into a quality pair of cans. Maybe you want a little privacy or want to avoid waking the neighbors or roommates. Either way, quality audio is of the utmost importance for an immersive gaming experience and one of the best headsets is your best way to get there. And for that immersion, to experience every detail inside the worlds of the best PC games, it’s not just about sound quality but also a good sound stage. Whether it’s hearing your own death ad nauseum in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, or experiencing running around apocalyptic Washington D.C. in Division 2, you’ll want a pair that can place you in the middle of the action. We’ve rounded up the best headphones here, loaded with all the bells and whistles you could ask for, so check out the best PC gaming headsets on the market 2019 has to offer.
HyperX Cloud Revolver S When we first sat down to review the HyperX Cloud Revolver S, we were a tad conflicted. On one hand, it boasts incredible 7.1-channel surround sound, delivered through Dolby's trademark digital signal processor. On the other, it's extremely expensive when compared to other similar headsets. Fortunately, as one of Kingston's most subdued pair of cans we've ever seen (or heard), the pure comfort and top-notch sound more than make up for its high price and weirdly placed detachable mic. And that’s why it tops our list of the best PC gaming headsets. Read the full review: HyperX Cloud Revolver S
SteelSeries Arctis Pro SteelSeries is known for offering impeccable audio, but the SteelSeries Arctis Pro takes things to the next level. This headset doesn’t just offer up immersive surround sound for all the explosive action of your favorite games, but thanks to its included DAC (digital to audio converter), the Arctis Pro also serves you well when listening to your favorite music. One of the best PC gaming headsets to date, this one’s a little on the pricey side, but when you consider just how comfortable and exceptional sounding this headset is, well, it’s easy to see why it’s one of the best gaming headsets you can buy today. Read the full review: SteelSeries Arctis Pro
Astro A50 Wireless Back when the original Astro A50 was released, we called it a ‘game-changing, experience-enhancing headset.’ Thankfully, its wireless successor follows close behind – while adding in wireless functionality. It’s not ready to rock with your PC, but with PS4, Xbox One and legacy consoles as well – it’s a headset that’s robust and versatile. Read the full review: Astro A50 Wireless
Beyerdynamic Custom Game While it’s more expensive than we’d like, the Beyerdynamic CUSTOM Game is one of the best PC gaming headsets we’ve used in some time. It doesn’t feature flashy surround sound or wireless functionality, unfortunately. However, this headset does excel in two of the most important categories: sound and comfort. Seriously, once you put it on and experience your games in headphones this amazing, there’s no looking back. Read the full review: Beyerdynamic Custom Game
Corsair HS50 Stereo Gaming Headset Usually when you're purchasing anything, including gaming peripherals, you get what you pay for. You don't go into Walmart, pick up a $50/£50 gaming headset and expect to be blown away, at least not usually. Well, Corsair takes this rule and turns it on its head. The Corsair HS50 is, for the budget gamer, the best PC gaming headset you can get today. Retailing at $50 in the US, the HS50 has sound and mic quality that rivals headsets that are double the price. Everything, down to the build materials, radiates quality. If you don't mind forgoing some extra bells and whistles – like 7.1 surround and Bluetooth connectivity, for example – then you need to take a look at the Corsair HS50. Read the full review: Corsair HS50 Stereo Gaming Headset
SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless Compromises are a part of everyday life, but nobody actually enjoys making them. Luckily, you won’t have to with the SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless. With it, you can get high quality lossless audio playback with a wireless headset. And, when you add the unique and ultra-convenient dual-battery charging system that lets you wear this headset in perpetuity to the mix, you have a formula for one of the best PC gaming headsets we've ever had the chance to use. If you have the money, and you absolutely need the best wireless headphones money can buy, this is your best bet. Read the full review: SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless
Creative Sound BlasterX H7 Tournament Edition Creative has made a name for itself over the years for crafting sublime audio products – and the Creative Sound BlasterX H7 Tournament Edition further cements that legacy. Instead of just sitting back and iterating on the same winning formula of its previous products, Creative gives the Sound BlasterX H7 a full overhaul, resulting in a PC gaming headset that looks just as great as it sounds. If you’re looking for a comfortable, solid and meaty-sounding headset, the Creative Sound BlasterX H7 Tournament Edition is one of the best PC gaming headsets you can get. Read the full review: Creative Sound BlasterX H7 Tournament Edition
Logitech G Pro Gaming Headset The Logitech G Pro gaming headset touts raw performance over your traditional ‘gamer aesthetic’, and it’s comfortable enough to wear for extended periods of time. This headset doesn’t provide much else, but it doesn’t need to. The Logitech G Pro Gaming Headset focuses squarely on providing outstanding quality, rather than filling out a sheet of bells and whistles. If value is what you’re searching for, the Logitech G Pro may be the best PC gaming headset for you. Read the full review: Logitech G Pro Gaming Headset
Anyone can simply just listen to their games, but with the Razer Nari Ultimate, you can feel them as well. This gaming headset has haptic motors in the ear cups that make your ears vibrate. That’s more than enough to make this at least a curious headset, but when paired with the long battery life, amazing sound quality and comfortable build, it’s clearly one of the best gaming headsets out there. Do yourself a favor and turn off the haptic feedback, even when you’re listening to music. Read the full review: Razer Nari Ultimate
Astro A20 If you're searching for one of the best PC gaming headsets, but the $300 price tags on those high-end cans make your stomach turn, you should take a closer look at the Astro A20. Boasting solid stereo sound performance in a wireless headset, not to mention the superb 15-hour battery life, this headset has all the necessary qualities that you might want in its price range. Sure, it doesn't come with surround sound, but it more than makes up for it with its economy and battery life. Read the full review: Astro A20
With its Republic of Gamers brand, Asus has built a reputation for being the name behind some of the best gaming peripherals to constantly meet consumer standards. The Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700 joins their ranks. Packed with 50mm Neodymium drivers and Bluetooth compatibility, this gaming headset provides fantastic sound quality without being tethered with a wire. It’s even compatible with other gaming platforms, so you won’t have to switch between different headsets. It’s a little pricey, but considering how good this headset sounds and how flexible it is, we’d say it’s worth it. Read the full review: Asus ROG Strix Fusion 700
HyperX Cloud Flight The HyperX Cloud Flight is a long-lasting wireless gaming headset that boasts up to 30 hours of battery life. This means you can likely get two full days of gaming in between full charges. There is a catch, however – unlike the Cloud Flight’s competition, namely the Astro A20, this gaming headset only offers stereo sound, ditching any surround sound capability. You can thankfully get circumvent that by messing around with the Dolby Access app, though, and the sound profile is balanced enough to make this a non-issue, making this one of the best PC gaming headsets in 2019. Read the full review: HyperX Cloud Flight
Corsair unveiled one of the best PC gaming headsets late last year with the Corsair HS50, and now, it has taken it to the next level by making it wireless and flourishing it with virtual surround sound capabilities. These features on their own might make a great gaming headset, but when you add in the fantastic Corsair CUE software on top of it, you get a complete package that would make a great addition to your gaming setup. Read the full review: Corsair HS70 Wireless Gaming Headset
Corsair Void Pro RGB Wireless It wasn't that long ago that Corsair was only known for PC components. However, over the last five years or so, it has possibly become better known for its gaming peripherals. With products like the Corsair Void RGB Wireless, it's not hard to understand why. While at first glance, some may scoff at the asking price, the Void Pro RGB Wireless delivers on that price point with great build quality, fantastic sound fidelity and – perhaps most importantly – RGB lighting. Plus, if you've already got a full arsenal of Corsair peripherals, the Void Pro RGB Wireless fits in perfectly, and can even synchronize lighting effects with other peripherals through the Corsair Utility Engine. Read the full review: Corsair Void RGB Wireless
Turtle Beach Elite Pro Tournament If you're the type of gamer who likes to let the world know you're playing games, the Turtle Beach Elite Pro Tournament may just be the best PC gaming headset for you. Not only is it extremely comfortable to wear, but its 50mm drivers mean that sound quality is always top notch – even if it could have a bit more bass in the mix. You really do have to like the 'gamer aesthetic' however, as its plastic build and orange highlights personify the style. Still, if you can get past or embrace the looks and the price tag, there's a lot to love about the Turtle Beach Elite Pro Tournament. Read the full review: Turtle Beach Elite Pro Tournament Bill Thomas and Gabe Carey have also contributed to this article Image Credits: TechRadar
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| The best gaming PC 2019: 10 of the top gaming desktops you can buy Posted: 22 Aug 2019 12:47 PM PDT Whatever games occupy your wishlist, investing in the best gaming PC you can afford is crucial. Getting one of the best gaming PCs as your main machine not only helps take your gaming experience to a new level, but also gives you many years of use. It might even win you a multiplayer games or two. With exciting new titles out there and on the way, like Doom Eternal and the Outer Worlds, it’s even more critical than ever to get one of the best gaming PCs that are equipped with the latest and greatest components. Now that Nvidia’s Super RTX graphic cards as well as AMD’s Navi cards and Ryzen 3rd generation chips are making their presence and power known in the computing world, there are even more options for you, regardless of whether you want to splurge or save. And, it doesn’t matter whether you favor Intel, AMD or Nvidia as most PC manufacturers will let you personalize and choose the best processors and best graphics card for your preferences and budget anyway. To help you out, we assembled the best gaming PCs available, all of which we tested and reviewed ourselves. From popular manufacturers like Alienware to more exotic brands like Origin, this list covers a wide gamut of use cases. These are the best gaming PCs money can buy right now. You'll definitely find one to match your gaming needs and budget.
The Corsair One has been among the best gaming PCs ever since it came on the scene a few years ago, and the Corsair One i160 only takes things to the next level with Nvidia Turing graphics and Intel Coffee Lake Refresh processors. This gaming PC can handle 4K gaming in a chassis that’s not much bigger than your average gaming console. It’s pricey – that much power kind of has to be – yet it’s certainly worth it if you’re looking for a small form factor machine without compromises. Read the full review: Corsair One i160
The Alienware Aurora R7 is a wonder of engineering, cramming full-sized PC components into a chassis that’s more compact than your typical mid-tower PC case. At the same time, it still succeeds in being easily upgradeable, and it looks darn good. When you’re dropping this much money on a gaming PC, you’d expect at least one of these things to be true, but the Alienware Aurora R7 does them all. And that’s why it’s not hard to see why this is one of the best gaming PCs on the market in 2019. Read the full review: Alienware Aurora R7
Touting one of the best Micro ATX cases we’ve come across so far is hardly The Corsair Vengeance’s only accolade. This beautiful machine has a lot more going for it that makes it not just the best gaming PC, but also one of the best PCs to hit the streets. Among its list of incredible features are its easily upgradeable and highly customizable chassis – thanks in large part to its tool-less design – and its spectacular performance. This best gaming PC definitely stands its ground against the most powerful gaming machines on the market. Need we say more? How about that gorgeous RGB lighting? Read the full review: Corsair Vengeance Gaming PC
While the Decepticon look this gaming PC sports might only be for some, there’s definitely something for everybody as far as configurations go – whether you’re a casual gamer on a budget or a hardcore one willing to drop a lot of dough for a souped up rig. At less than $1,500 (about £1,180, AU$2,170), you’re getting more than enough power to get you through AAA games, albeit probably not on Ultra. At $2,335 (about £1,835, AU$3,235) or more, you’re getting a considerable amount of power and storage. Plus, HP Omen Desktop PC comes in a tool-less design, making it upgradeable. There isn’t any doubt that this one belongs on our best gaming PCs list. Read the full review: HP Omen Desktop PC
If you’re looking for the best gaming PC under $1,000, the Intel Hades Canyon NUC may just be your dream machine. This teeny gaming PC isn’t just cost-effective, but space-saving as well. In fact, it resembles a set-top box more than a gaming PC. Don’t let its size fool you, however – it houses all the power that the best gaming laptops should, with an 8th-generation Intel Core i7 processor and discrete AMD Radeon graphics. You’ll have to provide your own RAM, storage and your own OS, but if you have extra PC hardware lying around, there are still plenty of savings to be had. Read the full review: Intel Hades Canyon NUC
This rectangular monster is definitely worthy of its moniker as it boasts lots of power… more than enough, in fact, for most gamers’ needs. When you’ve the funds for an upper-tier configuration, you’ll get a behemoth. Unfortunately, budget minded buyers will have to be satisfied with gameplay at medium settings, since the lower end models don’t pack the same firepower. Still, because of its high upgradability and tool-less design, such buyers are only an upgrade or two from the best gaming experience on Ultra or Max settings either. Plus, we’ve honestly seen more expensive machines for those specs. Read the full review: HP Omen Obelisk review
Much like the excellent Dell XPS 13, the Dell XPS Tower is a lesson in cramming beefy specs into a slender design. This modest gaming PC looks a lot like the computer that’s been collecting dust in your dad’s office, rather than something that could burn through the latest and most demanding PC games. Beneath that unassuming exterior however, the Dell XPS Tower is one of the best gaming PCs on the market, fitted with an 8th-generation Intel Coffee Lake processors and Nvidia GTX 10-series graphics cards. With the Dell XPS Tower Special Edition, you’re getting one of the best gaming PCs money can buy, all without the off-putting ‘gamer aesthetic’. Read the full review: Dell XPS Tower Special Edition
When you grab a new machine from Origin, it’s almost like you’ve built it yourself. But, you do have to be acquainted with PC components to decide for yourself what goes into the rig and how much money you’re willing to spend. So, our only real criticism of the Origin Millennium is that you can put together a similar gaming PC yourself and save hundreds of dollars. On the other hand, because of its svelte design and flexible specs – not to mention, the convenience, we bet you won’t even want to. Read the full review: Origin Millennium
In true Alienware fashion, the Area 51 Threadripper Edition pushes the boundaries of both technology and your bank account. It’s extremely powerful, distinctly boasting the latest AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1950X across all of its configurations. The Area 51’s triad-design hasn’t altered much since its release back in 2014, but the inside of this desktop is basically tool-less to upgrade, not that you would even need to consider it’s already one of the best gaming PCs of 2019. Read the full review: Alienware Area 51 Threadripper Edition
It was only a matter of time before the best gaming PCs started rolling out with the newest Coffee Lake Refresh and Nvidia Turing parts, and the MSI Trident X was the one to lead the charge. This small chassis PC doesn’t pull any punches, and will absolutely demolish any game you throw at it, at any resolution. Just remember that the thin metal build is a little flimsy for travel, and its price tag is a bit hefty. However, if you’re seeking no-holds-barred power that will fit right in your living room, you can’t do much better than this. Read the full review: MSI Trident Bill Thomas, Gabe Carey and Michelle Rae Uy have also contributed to this article Image Credits: TechRadar This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Best gaming mouse 2019: the best gaming mice we've tested Posted: 22 Aug 2019 12:32 PM PDT For any of the PC games you want to play, getting the best gaming mouse possible will feel like night and day. If you really want to get the most out of that best gaming PC, then a gaming mouse can be the final piece in your rig to help you reach your gaming performance potential. One thing to keep in mind though is that just because a mouse is more expensive, doesn’t mean it’s always better. For example, with the SteelSeries Sensei 310, you can get a great-looking mouse with a first-rate sensor for less than the cost of a new AAA game. Since it’s such an integral part of the gaming experience and can really affect, you will want to look for the best one available. If you just spent a big chunk of change on that snazzy new computer, you’ll want everything attached to it to be of similar quality. So when you’re in the market for the best gaming mouse, you’ll want to be aware of how much value you’re getting for that performance. And don’t forget to pick up a new gaming mouse pad.
Image Credit: TechRadar When it comes to the best gaming mouse, features, balance and performance are all present in equal measure in the SteelSeries Rival 710, securing it a top spot on our list. This behemoth of a gaming mouse – at least, in terms of power – is a bit expensive, but when you weigh that price against the customizable OLED display, haptic feedback (great for you MOBA players) and excellent build quality, the SteelSeries Rival 710 is still a very solid purchase. The kicker? Everything is modular, even down to the sensor, so you never have to feel like you’re missing out on the latest tech. Read the full review: SteelSeries Rival 710
There are a couple reasons why Razer Viper is our new favorite esports gaming mouse. Along with its lightweight ambidextrous design, true 16,000 DPI and Razer Chroma lighting, this powerful little mouse also features 1000 Hz Ultrapolling, Optical Mouse Switches rated for 70 million clicks and 8 independently programmable Hyperesponse buttons. If you want a gaming mouse to give you that extra competitive edge, you’ve found it here. Read the full review: Razer Viper
Image Credit: Corsair The best gaming mouse is always going to be the one that brings excellent performance at a reasonable price. And, the Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless is the poster child for this ideal price-and-performance match. You’ll have a wireless mouse that has RGB lighting, touts a long battery life and doesn’t at all suck, for less than $50. The ergonomics unfortunately favor right-handed users, but at this price and with this impressive performance, there’s not much else to complain about. Read the full review: Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless
Image Credit: Logitech Aesthetically, you generally have two main choices when you’re in the market for the best gaming mouse: a high-performing mouse that looks like it would fit in the office, or a mouse that lives and breathes that “gaming life.” The Logitech G502 fits squarely in the latter category, with its robotic design. But, if that doesn’t intimidate you, then you get adjustable weights, a jaw-dropping 16,000 DPI sensor and superb performance as well. It’s not ideal for users with bigger hands, but other than that, this one has definitely earned its spot in the best gaming mouse list. Read the full review: Logitech G502 Hero
If you’re in the market for an affordable mid-range gaming mouse, then the Roccat Kain 120 AIMO may just be the best gaming mouse for you. To start, it’s got a great design and solid build, as well as a decent number of customization options that let you personalize it according to your gaming style and needs. Of course, it’s exceptional to use as well, satisfying, responsive, and very reliable. This new offering from Roccat will without a doubt give you that gaming edge. Read the full review: Roccat Kain 120 AIMO
Image Credit: Cooler Master If you’re searching for the best gaming mouse that’s both economical and functional, then the Cooler Master MasterMouse MM520 is an ideal addition to your gaming rig. It won’t win any beauty contests, but packing quality Omron switches and a relatively sensitive sensor capable of up to 12,000 DPI makes it a good purchase. Those make it easy to ignore the unappealing design – particularly if you use a claw grip. Read the full review: Cooler Master MasterMouse MM520
Image Credit: TechRadar Have you been getting into the World of Warcraft: Classic beta lately? Then you’ll want to look into the Razer Naga Trinity. Razer’s Naga mice have always been fan favorites in the MMO community, and the manufacturer has taken things to the next level with Naga Trinity. With it, you’re getting three easily swappable side plates, allowing you to configure your mouse however you see fit. Add the insane 16,000 DPI sensor and Razer Chroma RGB lighting to the mix, and you’ll be topping the DPS meters in no time. Is there any doubt that the Razer Naga Trinity belongs on the list of the best gaming mouse? Read the full review: Razer Naga Trinity
Image Credit: TechRadar If you catch yourself rolling your eyes at some of the gaming mice out there in 2019 that sport ridiculous, over-the-top designs, then you should take a look at the HyperX Pulsefire Surge RGB. Boasting extremely reliable Omron switches and entrancing RGB lighting – not to mention, an impressive 16,000 DPI sensor – you’re scoring the best gaming mouse for an outstanding price. Plus, it’ll fit right into any office, at least once you turn down the lighting effects to show off its more accessible design. Read the full review: HyperX Pulsefire Surge RGB
Image Credit: Corsair Most of the best gaming mice on the market are either too small or too light, or even a bit of both, leaving gamers with big hands with few options. To make matters worse, some of the big mice out there come loaded with gratuitous buttons and weird shapes that make them more like asylum-seekers from an alien robot planet. The Corsair Ironclaw is just the opposite. It’s an eye-catching mouse for big-hand users, with a design that won’t make you want to squirrel it away in your desk drawer every time company comes around. It’s quite tough as well, so it can handle quite a bit of heavy use, making it the best gaming mouse for you. Read the full review: Corsair Ironclaw RGB
Image Credit: Michelle Rae Uy When you take stock of all its amazing features, it might shock you to learn that the Gigabyte Aorus M5 is only $69. This stunner is among the best gaming mouse of great value that we’ve tested this year. It’s also very customizable, not to mention boasts great ergonomics and fun RGB lighting. As far as features that will give you the gaming advantage, it boasts an adjustable weight distribution system, on-the-fly DPI adjustments and Omron switches tested for 50 million clicks, to start. If you’re looking for a mouse that gives you more bang for your buck, this is it. Read the full review: Gigabyte Aorus M5
How to choose the best gaming mouseWhile you’ll definitely find the best gaming mouse of your gaming dreams, doing so might take some time and effort. That’s expected; there’s a ton of complicated technical jargon that goes into the best gaming mice – terms like polling rates and DPI ratings that a regular buyer may not be familiar with. For the record, you’ll want a higher number of both, even though these two terms mean very different things. For newcomers to the world of PC gaming, when you come across the term DPI, that is shorthand for ‘dots per inch.’ The higher the number, the wider the range wherein you can specify how sensitive your mouse is. If you don’t have a lot of desk space available, but you still want accuracy and precision, then opt for the best gaming mouse with a higher DPI rating that can toggle to a lower DPI, in case you get a bigger desk. Meanwhile, a high polling rate means you’re getting faster response times. The polling rate is measured in hertz, and it usually ranges from around 125 to 1,000Hz. The latter means that your mouse’s position is reported to your computer 1,000 times per second. Other key gaming mouse factors you’ll want to keep in mind are ergonomics – particularly if you’re left-handed – and RGB lighting. Gabe Carey and Michelle Rae Uy have also contributed to this article
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| The best gaming monitor 2019: the 10 best gaming screens of the year Posted: 22 Aug 2019 12:23 PM PDT Regardless of whether you’re tackling the next RPG the size of a continent or getting in a quick round of Overwatch, it’s more important than ever to get the best gaming monitor possible, especially as PC games become ever more immersive. You don’t want to just go out and get the most expensive monitor out there however, as there are some things you’ll want to consider. There are such a wide array of displays out there that you’ll have to decide on what you want out of a gaming monitor or what the best gaming monitor for you even looks like. If you’re looking to get immersed for hours on end in Assassin's Creed: Odyssey or the upcoming Control, or anything implementing the new holy grail of lighting in games, Ray Tracing, you’ll want to look at a 4K display with HDR. This might not be ideal for everyone however. For those who spend most of their time playing esports like Overwatch, the name of the game is speed, as what might be the most important is a high refresh rate and low response time. The best graphics cards and processors are pushing the envelope on this front, so you may want to look into a 240Hz screen to put you over the edge. Since there are so many features and options to consider, it can be hard to figure out what the best gaming monitor for you might be. Luckily, we’ve tested a huge amount of gaming panels and used our expertise to round up the best gaming monitors for you to consider. And yes, we’ve reviewed every single monitor on this list, so rest easy knowing that these selections are worth your attention.
BenQ EX3501R HDR has been a major selling point for the best TVs for some time now. And yet, the feature has not yet gained the same popularity in the best gaming monitors sphere. Luckily, the trailblazing BenQ EX3501R takes HDR and runs with it, creating a curved ultra-wide that is not only what we would call ‘gaming monitor goals,’ but a total beauty as well. BenQ touts this monitor as a ‘video enjoyment monitor.’ However, from the moment you boot up your go-to HDR-enabled games, you’ll know immediately why it’s number one on our list of the best gaming monitors. Read the full review: BenQ EX3501R
Alienware AW3418DW The Alienware AW3418DW is one of the few gaming monitors that deliver a level of immersion that only a 21:9 aspect ratio can, while also offering up a high refresh rate. With a dense 3,440 x 1,440 resolution, ridiculously fast 4ms response times and a speedy 120Hz refresh rate, the AW3418DW gives you the best of both worlds. All these features don’t come cheap though, so budget-minded gamers might want to look elsewhere or start saving up. Still, it’s not hard to see why it’s one of the best gaming monitors 2019 has to offer. Read the full review: Alienware AW3418DW
AOC Agon AG352UCG6 Black Edition The AOC Agon AG352UCG was one of the best gaming monitors we ever got our hands on, so when we heard that a follow-up was coming – one that comes with a higher refresh rate and better contrast – it was hard not to get excited. The AOC Agon AC352UCG6 Black Edition carries over the original’s best features but ramps them up to 11, making it a stunning display on which to experience ultra-wide gaming. It’s expensive, yeah, but if you have the hardware to back it up, you’ll be doing yourself a disservice by not investing. Read the full review: AOC Agon AG352UCG6 Black Edition
Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ The Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ might just be the most advanced – not to mention, best – gaming monitor to add to your arsenal... as long as you’re ready to pay for it. This display features a gorgeous 4K Ultra-HD resolution and HDR, as well as G-Sync and a lightning-quick 144Hz refresh rate. These specs add up to one of the most impressive gaming monitors that’s ever existed – and when you see it in action, it will blow you away. The only thing that holds this gaming monitor back from true greatness is its ridiculous price tag. But, then again, if you have this kind of cash lying around, you should be able to afford a PC powerful enough to drive it. Read the full review: Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ
BenQ PD3200U While originally made for CAD professionals, the BenQ PD3200U is also great for gaming, making it one of the best gaming monitors you can buy today. This is mostly thanks to its rock-solid focus on graphic design so it’s able to offer incredibly wide viewing angles, which means that your friends can watch your game in comfort. And, unlike most 4K monitors on the market, you won’t have to mess around with the settings to get the best picture, since every unit is individually calibrated by BenQ before shipping. This is definitely one of the best gaming monitors out there, even though it wasn’t actually designed for gaming. Read the full review: BenQ PD3200U
While all of its extra frills make the MSI Optix MPG341CQR an even more appealing selection for potential buyers, it does an outstanding job of standing out on its own. The use of VA rather than IPS panel technology, for one, is a welcome advantage, offering punchier colors and better contrast. Plus, its super-wide 1440p resolution and 144Hz refresh certainly give gamers an edge. The best part might be that this display is also reasonably priced, making it one of the best gaming monitors to consider in 2019. Read the full review: MSI Optix MPG341CQR
BenQ Zowie XL2540 Don’t be turned off by its limitations. The BenQ Zowie XL2540 still absolutely deserves its place right up there on the best gaming monitors list. It forgoes flashy lighting effects for a blazing 240Hz refresh rate and rapid 1ms response time. There aren’t any adaptive sync options, unfortunately, but if you have a setup that’s able of keeping up with this refresh rate, then this gaming display will blow you away. The BenQ Zowie XL2540 keeps things simple by supplying you with a ton of visual presets, an “S Switch” control pod for managing those presets and even a pair of adjustable light screens. This is one of the best gaming monitors to consider if you’re a pro or hardcore gamer. Read the full review: BenQ Zowie XL2540
Samsung CHG90 QLED With this monitor, Samsung not only brings QLED to gaming displays in a massive way, but also gets bragging rights as the widest ultra-wide monitor on the market today. Coming in at 49.5 inches, this behemoth takes up a lot of space – expect it to jut out over the sides of your desk. However, with its spectacular 3,840 x 1,080 resolution and HDR, you won’t be able to look away. Even if you choose not to play in this resolution (it will require a powerful rig), you can still use all that extra real estate to browse the internet or watch movies on the same screen. Its price tag is gargantuan as well, but for a monitor this incredible, it may very well be worth it. Read the full review: Samsung CHG90 QLED
A bit of HDR is always a welcome addition, even if it’s not true HDR. And yet, the AOC Agon AG322QC4 has more aces up its sleeves. That includes a 144Hz refresh rate, FreeSync 2 and a 3,000:1 contrast ratio, ranking this among the best gaming monitors of 2019. And it offers users beautiful, super smooth visuals, all while looking good doing so. It’s not exactly a steal, but the Agon AG322QC4 is still reasonably priced for gamers who aren’t shopping in the bargain basement. Read the full review: AOC Agon AG322QC4
MSI Optix MAG271CR When you’re playing competitive first-person shooters like Overwatch or Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, you’ll need speed above all else in order to stay on top of the leader boards. That’s where displays like the MSI Optix MAG271CR come in handy. With a 1080p resolution, 144Hz refresh rate and 1ms of latency, you’re equipped with incredibly fast, super smooth gameplay, as long as you have the hardware to drive it. After all, 60Hz panels are so 2014 – the best gaming monitors in 2019 are all about the high refresh rates. Read the full review: MSI Optix MAG271CR How to buy the best gaming monitor in 2019If in the market for the best gaming monitor 2019 has to offer, know that there are a few things to keep in mind before choosing which display should grace your desk. You’ll want to familiarize yourself with the following terms and specifications to help guarantee that you’re getting the best gaming monitor that’s most ideal for you. It also means you won’t have to pay extra for additional features that you might not actually care about. Screen size: When looking for the best gaming monitor, one of the most important things to consider is the screen size. Larger display sizes can lead to more immersive gaming experiences as the game fills more of your field of vision, but you'll also have to make sure that you have the space to keep a large monitor. And, it goes without saying that the larger the monitor, the higher the price as well. Aspect ratio: The aspect ratio of a gaming monitor helps determine the width and height of the display. Most widescreen monitors have an aspect ratio of 16:9, while older monitors have closer to a square format of 4:3 that might feel pretty out of date in 2019. Ultra-wide monitors with aspect ratios of 21:9 are rapidly growing in popularity, as they offer a wider view of your games, which is why many ultra-wides have made our list of the best gaming monitors 2019. Resolution: One other critical factor to consider when searching for the best gaming monitor for your needs is the resolution. The higher the number, the sharper the picture. You will, however, require a more powerful graphics card for anything over Full HD (1,920 x 1,080), even if many gaming monitors feature resolutions as high as 2,560 x 1,400 (WQHD) and 3,840 x 2,160 (4K). Refresh rate: When you’re mostly looking to play Counter-Strike and other first-person shooters like it, refresh rate is even more vital. The higher the refresh rate, the more frames per second (fps) the monitor can support, leading to a considerably smoother gaming experience. A 60Hz refresh rate is still the most common in 2019, but refresh rates of 144Hz and even 200Hz are becoming more prominent – not to mention, more and more necessary. Response time: The best gaming monitors offers low response times, which means you’re getting fast and fluid actions, with little to no input lag. The lowest response time for TN monitors (we’ll get to this in the next section) is 1 millisecond, whereas the newer IPS monitors typically have slower 4ms response times. When you’re playing games competitively, it’s vital to keep this number as low as you can in order to avoid latency. Panel type: This is where things get a little technical. The type of panel a gaming monitor uses will largely contribute to its response time and image clarity. TN (twisted nematic) panels, which are often more affordable, have the lowest response times but usually don’t come with great viewing angles. IPS (in-plane switching) panels, on the other hand, have fantastic viewing angles and color reproduction, but usually have higher response times. Meanwhile, VA (vertical alignment) panels are between the two, although its slow response times makes these panels rare in the gaming world. Viewing Angle: While most people play games right in front of their gaming monitor, this isn’t always be the case, particularly when there is an audience. A monitor’s viewing angles tell you what angle you can look at the monitor from and still make out a clear image. The closer these numbers are to 180, the better your viewing experience will be when standing further to either side of the monitor or looking at it from above or below. G-Sync and FreeSync: You've probably noticed that many of the best gaming monitors in 2019 come with either G-Sync or FreeSync technology – sometimes even both. These help keep frames per second (fps) smooth, combat screen tearing and minimize input lag. G-Sync is developed by Nvidia, so it requires an Nvidia GPU. And, the tech is built into the monitor, which can bump up their price tag. FreeSync, on the other hand, was made by AMD. Since it is free to use by manufacturers, the monitors that have them are usually more economical. Check out our HDR Explained video below. Gabe Carey, Bill Thomas and Michelle Rae Uy have also contributed to this article Image Credit: TechRadar
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| Best Wi-Fi extenders of 2019: top devices for boosting your WiFi network Posted: 22 Aug 2019 12:12 PM PDT The best Wi-Fi extenders will ensure that your wireless network reaches every nook and cranny of your home or office, especially if you’re trying to cover a substantial space. In this list you'll discover the very best Wi-Fi extenders that have the sole purpose of boosting your Wi-Fi network, guaranteeing that your devices can securely and reliably connect to the internet. The best Wi-Fi extenders can make such a huge difference if you find your devices hobbled from slow network connections – or even dropped connections, at that – without you needing to drop a fortune on routing network cables through your property. Wi-Fi extenders function by covering anywhere the Wi-Fi network starts to break down. They connect to the original network and then extend the signal so that you have more wireless coverage. The best Wi-Fi extenders we listed are worth looking into for anyone who lives or works in a large building or space, as you’ll find that your Wi-Fi network can get weak – or disappear entirely – in the furthest corners of the building. If you want to super-charge your Wi-Fi network, check out our list of the best Wi-Fi extenders you can get in 2019.
Wanting to expand your network coverage and get network-based cybersecurity as well? The Plume Superpods will do the job, though they don’t come cheap. You see, the Plume SuperPods act as one of the best Wi-Fi extenders right out of the box. But perhaps more significantly, they also come with a subscription service to protect your network from cyber attacks, as well as remove ads from the internet. But, even if you don’t care about that extra software, the exceptional performance is more than enough to make this Wi-Fi extender worth your consideration at the very least. Read the full review: Plume SuperPods
Over the last few years, Netgear has basically turned itself into a household name in the networking world. And, they’ve put their extensive expertise to great use with their AC1200 Wi-Fi Range Extender EX6150. This superb extender is a simple device that you can inconspicuously plug right into any electrical outlet, and definitely has our vote for one of the best Wifi extenders in 2019. As an added bonus, the EX6150 boasts fast and easy installation, free of any hassling installation software. Just follow the easy-to-read instructions and you’ll have fast and reliable Wi-Fi covering the entire home or office.
D-Link's Wi-Fi Dual Band Range Extender (DAP-1520) is small and discreet, so that while it offers exceedingly robust performance, boosting your Wi-Fi network throughout your home or office, it’s also almost undetectable to anyone who isn’t explicitly searching for it. The unassuming design does come with some inherent flaws, however. For one, it doesn’t have an Ethernet port for extending a wired connection. Also, unlike some of the other best Wi-Fi extenders, the antennae are internal, and while that does allow it to disappear into the background, it does mean range is a bit more limited. Despite these, it is still one of the best Wi-Fi extenders 2019 has to offer.
TP-Link is a Chinese networking company that has been steadily gaining popularity in the west, and with good reason. With devices like the TP-Link RE350 AC1200 Wi-Fi Range extender, it’s easy to understand why: this extender – among the best Wi-Fi extenders you’ll find at the moment – does the job well, and it’s cheap. It’s not going to be the fastest Wi-Fi extender out there, but with the range this extender offers at the price it’s available at, it’s a steal. Finally, thanks to an LED signal indicator on the front, installation is a breeze.
The Linksys RE6500 AC1200 is yet another Wi-Fi extender resembling a router. This sturdier design lets Linksys include four gigabit Ethernet ports, which essentially empowers you to expand your network to internet-connected devices that require an ethernet connection. It also has an audio output jack so it can connect to an audio system, allowing you to stream digital music from your PC to your audio receiver. This is a pretty robust and versatile device, and one of the best Wi-Fi extenders for the money.
If you’re wanting a reasonably cheap way to beef up your Wi-Fi network, and you’re ok with compromising a little on performance and features, then the D-Link DAP-1320 Wireless N300 Range Extender might just be one of the best Wi-Fi extenders for you. This petite device comes without any Ethernet ports, and it doesn't feature dual bands or 802.11ac, which is currently the fastest form of Wi-Fi. However, it is designed well and is made to last. And best of all, it's a quick, easy and cheap way of boosting your Wi-Fi network as long as you don’t expect too much network traffic.
The Linksys Velop provides a solid argument for a wireless mesh network’s ease of setup. Seeking to replace both your router and your now-antiquated range extender, the Velop comes at a time when companies like Google and Netgear are trying to accomplish the same thing. The main way Linksys hopes to stand out from its competitors in the wireless mesh networking space is with a user-friendly setup that anyone with a smartphone can easily do. With just a visit to the App Store or Google Play marketplace, you’ll have the Linksys Velop up and running in a matter of minutes. It's certainly a worthy addition to our list of the best Wi-Fi extenders in 2019. Read the full review: Linksys Velop
If you need a fantastic way to upgrade your network so you can have great coverage anywhere in your house, a powerline adapter is a remarkable option. Not only do they offer the same functionality as the best Wi-Fi extenders, but the Trendnet Wi-Fi Everywhere Powerline might just be a dream come true. It’s not exactly visually pleasing, and the price tag might be a bit much. However, this unit more than makes up for those issues with sheer performance. And, unlike other powerline adapters, the Trendnet Wi-Fi Everywhere features a clone button that will clone the SSID and WPA key of your network so that it can double as a Wi-Fi extender. Read the full review: Trendnet Wi-Fi Everywhere powerline 1200 AV2
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| Best dual-camera phones in India for August 2019 Posted: 22 Aug 2019 10:58 AM PDT Two's better than one, and so dual camera phones were born. While they are not new, smartphone makers have been experimenting for years to optimise and find the best combination at different price segments. While Huawei has broken new ground with its smartphones like the P30 Pro, its competitors like the Pixel 3/XL have shown that great photos can still be captured with just one sensor. On the other hand, there are phones like the Galaxy A9 that fail to match the quality with even four sensors. There was a time when there were few phones with two rear cameras, but things have changed so much that the trend has entered the budget phone market too. So, what are some of the popular dual-camera phones that we can find in the Indian mobile market today? Let’s have a look.
Image credit: TechRadar Xiaomi has dominated the budget and entry-level smartphone segments for a long time now. This is no different this year either - the launch of the Redmi Note 7 Pro changed the market dynamics yet again. Offering a high-resolution, premium-grade 48MP camera at budget prices was the primary clincher for the Redmi Note 7 Pro. As for selfies, the 20MP front camera grabs a decent amount of detail, and you can use the screen as a fill flash to brighten things up and even things out.
Image credit: TechRadar Samsung has introduced a new affordable smartphone this year with the launch of the Galaxy S10e. However, don't go by its affordable price tag - the Galaxy S10e still offers stellar camera performance thanks to the 12MP wide-angle lens and the 16MP ultrawide angle lens. Samsung has optimised the two cameras enough to make the S10e a great performer even under challenging conditions. Samsung has continued to use a variable aperture which changes as per the situation. Essentially, this means that the low-light performance improves as it lets more light to enter the camera. Read the full review: Samsung Galaxy S10e
Image credit: TechRadar If you're looking for an all-rounder with a well-above-average camera in its class, the OnePlus 7 might just be your thing. The dual rear camera features a wide-angle lens paired with a 48MP sensor, as well as a secondary 5MP depth sensor. The front camera is a 16MP sensor with f/2.0 aperture. While OnePlus has struggled with camera performance for a while now, the company has slowly but surely optimised the overall image quality. This reflects in the performance of the OnePlus 7, which manages to take great images in daylight conditions and decent performance in low-light. Read the full review: OnePlus 7
Realme has essentially shown up out of nowhere to challenge established players like Xiaomi. The Realme X is one of those very well balanced smartphones from the company that offer a lot of value for money. The Realme X's dual camera setup with a 48MP primary snapper and a 5MP depth sensor works great in daylight conditions. It also captures portrait shots with decent level of expertise. The one area that it does struggle in, like many other smartphones, is low-light conditions. Nevertheless, considering the money that you're paying for it, the Realme X is a noteworthy option. Read the full review: Realme X
Image credit: TechRadar The Honor View 20 Pro has two rear cameras. But the second is a ToF (time of flight) 3D camera, rather than one that adds a zoomed or wide-angle view. Huawei has also improved the AI mode, offering a much more natural photo when compared to older phones. There’s a multi-exposure mode for night shooting too. It’s very similar to the super night mode introduced in the Huawei P20 Pro. The Huawei View 20 is a very good option if you are focusing on the image quality. The fact that it uses Sony's hi-res sensors works in its favour, but it also benefits from much of the camera processing development work put into phones like the Huawei Mate 20 Pro and P20 Pro. Read the full review: Honor View 20
As is the trend with many phones at this price point, Sony’s 48MP sensor is the Oppo Reno’s main camera. It has an f/1.7 aperture and in combination, the camera can take high quality photos. The second camera is a 5MP depth sensor with an f/2.4 aperture which is useful for portrait photos. It does particularly well with subject detection and the blurring stays realistic alongside maintaining natural skin tones. As for the quality of selfies, the camera works best outdoors with plenty of light available. Its HDR is impressive, with portrait mode working well for edge detection too. What particularly impressed us was that Oppo’s night mode does not necessarily require a tripod for the best results. Except for the absence of an ultra-wide lens and telephoto lens, this camera is stellar. Read the full review: Oppo Reno
Image credit: TechRadar At first glance it appears that the iPhone XS and XS Max have the same camera as the iPhone X. The dual rear camera module has two 12MP sensors- one wide-angle and one telephoto- with the same f/1.8 and f/2.4 apertures. However, there are some key differences. The iPhone XS Max and XS both feature Smart HDR, absent in the iPhone X, which ensures that all areas of the photo are well lit and detailed. You can also edit the level of background blur in portrait shots, something that iPhones have been lacking for a decade. The 7MP camera has also been upgraded over its iPhone X counterpart. It also gets the new Smart HDR mode as well as portrait mode, and implements the bokeh effect digitally. If you don't mind shelling out Rs 99,900 and above, then the iPhone XS and XS Max are two of the best camera phones in the market right now. Read the full reviews: iPhone XS | iPhone XS Max
The Galaxy Note is is currently the best dual camera smartphone in India. The newly launched flagship bears the same camera setup as the Galaxy S9 Plus. The dual 12MP rear camera uses variable-aperture technology to switch between an f/1.5 aperture for low-light photography and an f/2.4 aperture for normal lighting conditions. The secondary lens enables 2x optical zoom, which helps to capture sharp telephoto snapshots for distant subject. It has a fixed f/2.4 fixed aperture, and it retains the optical image stabilization like the primary lens. It works well, and it's very useful for those with shaky hands. There was ample of noise in the night-time shots with the telephoto lens, everything else remains perfectly crisp. Front camera does selfies at 8MP and has autofocus, which is a first for a Galaxy Note phone. The camera app is filled with tons of mode options like AR stickers, wide group selfies, HD Super Slow Motion at 960fps and more. The camera app is dense, but it's still very easy to use and fast. On top of everything, users get to opt for multiple storage variants as huge as 512GB storage with microSD card support. Read full review: Samsung Galaxy note 9 review
Comparing the iPhone XS and iPhone X with the same photo, it’s clear that the Smart HDR mode is the key difference here. While the overall quality of the snap is largely the same, the detail and brightness throughout is improved, which bodes well for when your photography skills are poorer but you still want to get a great picture. Apple is talking up the improved portrait mode too, with both the ability to take better pictures of people (with smarter capabilities of working out where the edges of their head lie, so they stay sharp against a blurred background) and the capability of adjusting the level of blur behind them.
Read the full review: iPhone XS
The LG G7 ThinQ is an impressive little phone from the brand (irritating name aside), bringing with it a strong package and a decent price in many regions. There's an attempt to right the wrongs of the LG G6 - and it's resulted in a good alternative to the traditional big hitters. The smart camera here is great if you want to capture more of the picture, with a much wider field of view bringing in more information. The smart sensor tries to work out what's in front of you - with great results, but only when it gets things right. It's not the best camera out there, but you can take some stellar shots. Read the full review: LG G7 ThinQ review
The OnePlus 6/6T doesn't feel out of the place alongside the likes of Samsung, Sony or LG. In fact, the company has made a better value for money device when compared to most flagship currently. While the OnePlus 6T is a complete powerhouse in the performance department, it's no less in the optics department too. It has the same camera configuration on paper as its predecessor, but OnePlus has increased the size of the sensor on the main 16MP camera by 19%, and it now has a 1.22um pixel size (up from 1.12um), enabling it to pull in more light and thus perform better in low-light conditions. Which makes it one of the better phones for photography in its range. Read review: OnePlus 6T
The Honor 10's camera is actually the area where you can expect the it to perform better than its expensive alternatives. On the back of the Honor 10 sits a bug-eyed pair of camera lenses. One uses a 16MP colour sensor, the other a 20MP monochrome sensor. Huawei and Honor have used a similar setup before, the higher-resolution 20MP camera being used to let you zoom at 2x and see more detail than you would from simply cropping into the standard 16MP image. The camera performance is commendable and there's virtually zero shutter lag. Focusing is reasonably fast and you can use Auto mode and get the best possible shot in most cases. Read the full review: Honor 10 review
The recently announced Mi A2 is the second generation of Xiaomi's Android One device. After the success of the Mi A1 and the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro, Xiaomi has announced the slightly costlier Mi A2. Since its partnership with Xiaomi for the Mi A1, search giant Google has partnered with Nokia, Motorola and other OEMs for premium Android One devices. Now, the two companies have partnered once again for the Mi A2. The Mi A2 offers several upgrades over its predecessor, including an all new 18:9 display, improved cameras and an upgraded SoC. While these upgrades are good, the company has also taken some steps back by slightly reducing the battery capacity instead of increasing it and removing the 3.5mm audio jack. Read the full review here: Xiaomi Mi A2 Review
The Honor Play is one of the most powerful devices from the company in the country and has been priced very competitively. The main highlight of the device is the Kirin 970 SoC, which is the company's current flagship SoC. The Honor Play is gaming centric device and has been equipped with the company's GPU Turbo, a software and hardware solution that is claimed to increase the device's performance by up to 60% while reducing the battery consumption by up to 30% while gaming. Coming to the cameras, the device sports a dual rear camera setup consisting of a 16MP primary sensor and a 2MP secondary depth sensor. The cameras come with features such as phase detection autofocus and EIS. Honor has said that it will push an OTA to enable AI stabilisation on the device in the coming days.
Similar to the MI A2, the Redmi Note 6 Pro also succeeds to an already great smartphone and brings enhanced cameras as the key update over its predecessor. It is also the first Xiaomi phone to have two cameras on the front for selfies, meaning it can click bokeh photos from both the sides. The Redmi Note 6 Pro is capable of capturing impressive shots in both low and good light situations. Even in low light scenarios, the phone clicks clear pictures with a decent amount of details. Another thing that we specifically like about the Redmi Note 6 Pro camera is how well it captures colours even in low-light. Pictures clicked in low light with the Redmi Note 6 Pro doesn’t show heavy noise or grain, and that's something rare on smartphones of this range. The only downside is the inconsistent edge detections in bokeh shots. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Microsoft, Intel and others are doubling down on open source Linux security Posted: 22 Aug 2019 10:47 AM PDT Microsoft is continuing its broad ongoing push to contribute with open source projects, joining the newly created Confidential Computing Consortium, an initiative launched by The Linux Foundation which aims to provide better security for data which is actually in use by apps on a computer, or in the cloud (as opposed to at rest, or not being used). Microsoft is far from alone in this endeavor, and is joined by Intel in the consortium, along with ARM, Baidu, Google Cloud, IBM, Red Hat and other tech giants.
The overarching aim is the adoption of ‘confidential computing’ and the use of Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) to secure data which is actively being used. The Linux Foundation explains: “Current approaches in cloud computing address data at rest and in transit but encrypting data in use is considered the third and possibly most challenging step to providing a fully encrypted lifecycle for sensitive data. “Confidential computing will enable encrypted data to be processed in memory without exposing it to the rest of the system and reduce exposure for sensitive data and provide greater control and transparency for users.” In other words, the operating system could be compromised by some kind of malware, but the data being used in a program would still be encrypted, and therefore safe from an attacker. Open EnclaveThere are a number of central elements going towards achieving this, and Microsoft’s contribution is its Open Enclave SDK, an open source framework that facilitates the building (and verifying) of hardware-protected trusted apps. These TEE-toting apps will be able to run across multiple hardware architectures, currently including Intel SGX and ARM TrustZone (and Linux and Windows on the software front). The SGX (Software Guard Extensions) SDK is a big part of the puzzle which Intel is open sourcing here, along with Red Hat Enarx, which provides hardware independence when it comes to securing apps via TEEs. The latter is similar to Open Enclave, but unsurprisingly with more of a Linux focus. The ultimate end goal here should be better security for important data across the board, broadly speaking, and while this consortium and its aims obviously have a business focus, remember it’s often your personal data that these big organizations are processing and crunching. So, in a very real way when it comes to data breaches and the like, it’s often your security that is at stake. Mark Russinovich, chief technical officer at Microsoft, enthused: “The Open Enclave SDK is already a popular tool for developers working on Trusted Execution Environments, one of the most promising areas for protecting data in use. “We hope this contribution to the Consortium can put the tools in even more developers’ hands and accelerate the development and adoption of applications that will improve trust and security across cloud and edge computing.”
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| Three Asus ZenBooks get AMD Ryzen processors amid Intel Comet Lake launch Posted: 22 Aug 2019 10:24 AM PDT With IFA 2019 on the horizon, plenty of computer manufacturers are taking the opportunity to upgrade their popular products. Now, Asus has done just that with new versions of three of its ZenBook laptops, which will come with AMD mobile processors (CPUs). Asus's ZenBook models are thin and light Ultrabooks with premium designs and the occasional high-end feature, like thin bezels, fingerprint scanners, or even special trackpads that have extra functions. But, for the most part, they've run on Intel processors. Now, two ZenBook 14 models will get Ryzen mobile processor options and one ZenBook Flip 14 will as well. The configurations available are all quad-core CPUs, and will be either Ryzen 7 3700U or Ryzen 5 3500U CPUs. They also feature integrated Radeon Vega Graphics. It's worth noting that even though these processors have the same naming scheme as Ryzen 3000-series, they use the older Zen+ architecture and not the new 7nm (nanometer) Zen 2 architecture.
A busy fieldThese updates come at the same time as plenty of other manufacturers' product revisions. But, the upgrades that have stood out most in recent days have actually been for laptops with Intel insides. HP refreshed its Pavilion gaming laptop and desktop with options for AMD processors. But, with the release of a series of Intel Comet Lake CPUs, the bigger news has been the machines that include the new hardware. Dell put Intel Comet Lake processors into its XPS 13 and Inspiron devices, and MSI made the move to include Comet Lake chips in three new laptops. These are all machines that the Asus ZenBook models are likely to run up against in competition. Asus may win some aspects of the competition, with incredibly thin screen bezels and a chic design. But, the six-core option available from Intel's Comet Lake processors will likely outperform the Ryzen options coming to the ZenBook line. This will differentiate the computers for those that need sheer performance. The Ryzen processors may help Asus keep the price of the new ZenBook models lower than the competition, though. We don't currently have prices on the models, so we'll have to wait and see.
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| Android 10 release date, new features and everything you need to know Posted: 22 Aug 2019 10:24 AM PDT We know so much more about the next big Android operating system update since it was introduced as Android Q at Google IO 2019 - now officially rebranded as Android 10. "As a global operating system, it’s important that these names are clear and relatable for everyone in the world," Google VP of product management for Android, Sameer Samat, wrote in a blog post. "We think this change helps make release names simpler and more intuitive for our global community." Yes, the Android 10 update isn't slated to come out until August, but right now you can download and install Android 10 final beta (aka beta 6) and enjoy the slightly tweaked gesture controls, as well as dark mode and all the bug fixes and optimizations up to this point. As this Android Developers Blog post explains, the beta 4 release collects the final Android 10 APIs and official SDK before the full Android 10 launch later in the summer. Exciting! We know that Dark Theme, the long-awaited system-wide dark mode, is the biggest shift from Android Pie. We're also seeing the Android 10 beta launch on non-Pixel phones, though we're expecting it to launch on Google's first-party handsets before the others, like previous Android releases. What else is new with Android 10? We've got a working features list below, based on what we've tested in the ongoing beta and and saw at Google IO. Cut to the chase
Android 10 release date
Google's Android 10 developer beta is already here – at least if you own one of 23 of the compatible Android 10 beta phones, including all Pixel phones to the OnePlus 6T.
Even the Essential Phone got the update. We'll have to see if the OnePlus 7 gets added to the Android 10 list on May 14 when the phone will launch worldwide.
The Android 10 release date timeline (Image credit: Google) Google has outlined six stages to its six-month-long beta process, including the initial release, three incremental updates, one update with final APIs and the official SDK, and then two release candidates. That's all before the final version of Android 10. Its monthly updates should give us an official Android 10 release date in August, and historically, that's when we've seen the final update launch in past Android versions. But that doesn't mean every Android phone will have Android 10 by August. The roll out to other Android phones will happen throughout 2019 and even into 2020, as various manufacturers add their own features and interfaces to the operating system. There's a chance you'll have to wait months after the initial Android 10 release before you see the OS update on your device. Android Q: what's newWe're getting a better idea of the new Android 10 features to come thanks to the beta of Google's mobile operating system. Additional features and bug fixes have come with all the beta releases up through the sixth and final beta that came out in early August. Some of the changes are confirmed, while others remain rumors. Here's what you can expected ahead of the official Android 10 release date in August. Beta 6 (Final)The sixth and final beta doesn't add much - mostly bug fixes and optimizations - but it does allow apps to semi-disable the swipe-to-go-back gesture. In essence, apps can block the gesture from working on a certain part of the screen (specifically. there’s now a “200dp vertical app exclusion limit for the Back gesture"). But it won't block the gesture from working entirely - we'll have to see if that exclusion zone is large enough for users to keep from accidentally swiping out of an app (say, when they're gaming) when they expect not to.
Image Credit: TechRadar Android Q won't have Android BeamOne feature Android 10 won't have is Android Beam, the NFC peer-to-peer sharing method when two devices are nearby. Placing phones back-to-back will do nothing in the beta and final software, we confirmed at Google IO. Will Google replace Android Beam with another peer-to-peer sharing method? That remains to be seen. We may have to wait until the final Android 10 release date to see it, or maybe when the Google Pixel 4 launches (excepted in October).
Closing privacy loopholesA report from the International Computer Science Institute found that over 1,300 apps on the US Google Play Store routinely scraped personal data from users even if explicitly denied by relevant permissions settings. Appmakers have been using multiple clever workarounds to get the info they wanted: if a user set their permissions to not share location data, the apps took their MAC address from routers connected to the phone. They stored the device-identifying IMEI number accessed by one app and shared it with others. They even determined user locations with image metadata. Google is reportedly fixing these issues with the full release of Android 10 in August, though presumably not in any planned beta beforehand.
Android 10 beta 2 foldables emulator (Image credit: Google) Foldable supportAndroid 10 is preparing for foldable phones in 2019, or "foldables and innovative new screens," according to the Android Developers Blog post. The Samsung Galaxy Fold – while it was in our hands briefly – seamlessly switched between the folded and unfolded screen states. By Google natively supporting this type of UI continuity in the backend, it'll likely come to more foldable phones when they launch with Android 10 onboard. For developers, Android 10 beta 2 includes a 'foldables emulator' in Android Studio 3.5, according to Dave Burke, Google's VP of Engineering.
Android Q 'bubbles' multitaskingYou've seen the bubbles UI before if you've used Facebook Messenger chat heads. It's an easy way to keep active conversations on-screen as small floating profile pics, while going about your normal tasks in the rest of the interface. You can tap the pic when you want to switch back to the conversation. Google is supporting this idea throughout Android 10 and calling it a new way to multitask. So far, its examples are coming to Messages and Hangouts. But Google is reducing development time, interactivity consistency, and user privacy safeguards, so expect to see it in additional apps outside of Google's ecosystem.
Dark Theme, the system-wide dark modeThere's a system-wide dark mode coming to Android 10 and it's called Dark Theme. We've tested in out at Google IO and it works as intended, but needs to roll out to more of the menus. So far it's limited to the settings menu. It's very early. You'll be able to trigger Dark Theme in two different ways, and both are in the notification shade. The first way is with a dedication Dark Theme quick settings button that switches between the default Light Theme and new Dark Theme. The second way is to turn on a Battery Saver mode, which automatically turns on Android 10 Dark Theme. This is a boon for phones with OLED screens, which will burn fewer pixels by essentially turning off pixels in regions of the display that are intentionally black.
New Android 10 privacy featuresThe Android Developer Blog post announcing the developer beta confirmed a heavy emphasis on boosting privacy in Android 10, a focus that was reaffirmed in the Google IO 2019 keynote. Users will have more control over app access to location info, shared files and repositories like Photos and Videos. Another helpful change: instead of apps automatically switching focus when they have an Activity in the background (like an alarm or call), appmakers can opt to send high-priority notifications first. Android 10 beta 3 also introduced a new feature – Scoped Storage – which allows users to control how apps access external storage (say, in a MicroSD card). It will also better protect users from being identified by restricting access to non-resettable device identifiers, like your phone's serial number and/or IMEI, and randomizing its MAC address when connected to different Wi-Fi networks. These might be some of the most onerous changes for developers in Android 10, which is why, as the Android Developers Blog post reads: "We are bringing these changes to you early, so you can have as much time as possible to prepare." Project Mainline: security updates in the backgroundAnother new endeavor announced at Google IO 2019 is Project Mainline, which enables Android devs to update critical parts of Android (so-called 'modules') without a full software package – and critically, without a full update from OEMs. These surgical upgrades download in the background from Google Play and load them up whenever the phone next reboots. They will mainly be used to improve privacy and security, though the Android Developers Blog post also mentions game developers will use it to update modules for consistent platform implementation. All devices that can run Android 10 will be able to get Project Mainline. 5GAndroid 10 has some particular tricks up its sleeve for 5G. New APIs will enable apps to detect user connection rate and latency, as well as detect if the connection is metered. This will give developers more refined control over how much data to send to users, especially when they have poorer connections or have data-downloading limits. Live Caption, and moreOne of several accessibility features announced at Google IO 2019, Live Caption does what it says on the tin – captioning video and audio in real-time. The feature doesn't require an internet connection, transcribing text from the device's own speech recognition and NLP. On the Google IO 2019 stage, we saw Live Caption used in combination with Live Transcribe to input incoming audio to text, then have a user text a response which was spoken. In the demonstration, the combo – called Live Relay – allows a texting user to interact on a phone call without ever speaking a word. The last accessibility feature coming to Android 10 is Project Euphonia, which aims to improve Android's verbal recognition to better process words spoken by users with speech impediments. Developer tools for apps: system settings, connectivity, media and moreDevelopers will be able to show contextually-important system settings within their apps, which harnesses the 'Slices' feature that came in Android 9 Pie. So instead of having to navigate to Settings to switch on Airplane Mode or toggle Wi-Fi or Mobile Data on/off, say, you'll be able to do that right within your mobile browser. There are also tweaks to connectivity, including 'adaptive Wi-Fi' that enables high performance/low latency modes, which would be useful for things like online gaming or voice calls. Like all the depth and blur in Pixel camera software? In Android 10, apps can request depth data (JPEG + XMP metadata + depth and confidence map) to, say, offer "specialized blurs and bokeh options in your app," as the Android post suggests. "You can even use the data to create 3D images or support AR photography use-cases in the future." Android 10 will also support more multimedia codecs: AV1 to let media providers stream high-quality video, Opus for audio encoding, and HDR10+ for high dynamic range video "on devices that support it" – like, say, the Samsung Galaxy S10 family. As for gaming, the Android 10 beta enhances support for OpenGL along with bug fixes and more functionality. More permissions to preserve privacyAndroid 10 will revamp permissions, from the general to specific, and we've heard that users will be able to better view what info they've shared. Here's what we don't know for sure, but have heard about: per the aforementioned XDA Developers leak, users will be able to look at a broad overview of which apps they've given permission for certain things, like location or microphone access. There's a search function that lets you filter by permission item, allowing you to quickly see which apps you've given access to your camera, contacts, location and so on. You can also look at permissions each app has been granted and toggle them individually to set whether access is off, on, or only on while the app is open.
Developer toolsThere are plenty of new developer tools described by the XDA leak, but it's not clear how all of them will function. Freeform windows return, which lets you enable them after pressing and holding an app icon in the recent apps overview. On the other hand, XDA also found a feature called "Game Updates Package Preference" whose purpose is a bit of a mystery. Another, titled "force desktop mode," seems like it would push Android to an external display, Samsung DeX-style. Not all of the UI is finished, either, making some features – like screen recording – not totally comprehensible. Face ID-style authentication for logins and purchasesAnother dive into the developer build XDA Developers acquired revealed the OS might get a feature iOS users have bragged about for awhile: Face ID. The next version of Android might support phones packing the hardware to use facial scans for authentication. It's unclear just how it will work, or if it would combine sensor readings for a comprehensive scan of facial features. But we did get hints via error codes in one of the OS' APK, which variably tell the user to move the phone in different directions for the device to get a better look at their face. Other strings of code found by XDA are also promising, like one that blatantly informs users they can "Use your face to unlock your phone, authorize purchases, or sign in to apps." Whether phones will be able to use Face ID is another story: they need to have the hardware installed – whether that's sensors or the right specs – for the feature to work.
Goodbye back button, hello (only to) gesture controlsWhile recent Android phones from different brands have tried to push their own gesture controls for years, the OS has always kept its static three-button navigation as an option. Those days might be at an end as that XDA preview build showed only gesture controls, per Tom's Guide. From the looks of it, users may only be able to use the navigation system present in the Google Pixel 3: a small pill at the bottom of the screen that you can swipe in the cardinal directions to get around. It's key to note that Android allows brands to develop their own navigation methods and systems to go along with their overlays, so it's very unlikely that this will be the only way to navigate. This build is also a bit out of date, so who knows if something as integral as OS movement would be finalized that far out. Anything else?There were a couple other additional Android 10 odds and ends from that XDA leak, including a pair of new accessibility settings. Both apply to how long notification messages stay up, and seemingly apply to different kinds of notifications. The first are for "messages that ask you to take action," while the other apparently refers to notifications that pop up with simple reminders. You can toggle these to stay up between 30 seconds and 2 minutes. We're also seeing official support for HDR10+. A few phones this year, including the Samsung Galaxy S10 series, support the codec, and expect that trend to continue as Android 10 launches on new devices. That's all we've seen for now, but new details will surely come up in the coming beta versions, at Google IO 2019 in May and from any leaks in between.
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| Magecart hackers target popular poker software Posted: 22 Aug 2019 10:17 AM PDT Magecart credit card skimmers typically target users through their web browser when shopping online but new research from Malwarebytes has discovered that cybercriminals were able to compromise poker software to do so as well. Poker Tracker is a software suite used by online poker enthusiasts to improve their chances of winning by making decision using statistics compiled from the gameplay of their opponents. Malwarebytes first began its investigation into Poker Tracker when its anti-malware blocked the software from connecting to a domain known to host credit card skimmers. The firm's security researchers installed and ran the software at which time they discovered it was connecting to ajsaxclick[.]com and retrieving a malicious JavaScript file. At first Malwarebytes believed that the application had been compromised but this would be quite unusual as credit card skimmers have only been observed on websites.
Upon closer inspection though, the researchers found that the software can load and display web pages from PokerTracker's subdomain 'pt4.pokertracker.com'. The cybercriminals hacked both Poker Tracker's software and its website and injected them with malicious code that the software loaded every time it launched. This led any payment made through the software or its website to copy the attacker with the payment details. CMS issueThe cybercriminals that compromised PokerTracker's website were able to do so because the site was running an outdated version of Drupal CMS. The site was running Drupal 6.3.x while the latest release is 8.6.17 and in that time, many known vulnerabilities have been patched. However, Malwarebytes security researcher Jérôme Segura noted that it was unusual to see credit card skimmers targeting Drupal since they typically are found on ecommerce platforms with Magento being the most popular target. The cybersecurity firm informed PokerTracker regarding the issue and it has since been fixed but Segura explained in a blog post that we should expect to find credit card skimmers in unexpected locations going forward, saying: “What this incident tells us is that users might encounter web skimmers in unexpected locations—and not just in online shopping checkout pages. At the end of the day, anything that will load unvalidated JavaScript code is susceptible to being caught in the crosshairs. As a result, the Magecart robbers have a nice, wide playing field in front of them.”
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| Amazon TV deal: save on the Toshiba Fire TV and receive a free Echo Dot Posted: 22 Aug 2019 08:47 AM PDT Amazon's back to school sale includes discounts on popular devices that include Fire TV sticks, tablets, security cameras, smart speakers, and more. Amazon is also discounting the best-selling Toshiba 4K TV that has the Fire TV experience built-in. This limited-time offer also includes a free Echo dot with your purchase of the TV. Amazon also has the Toshiba 32-inch and 50-inch 4K TV on sale. Both TVs have the Fire TV experience built-in and include a free Echo Dot at checkout. Amazon TV deals:Shop more of the best cheap TV sales and 4K TV deals that are currently going on, and you can also shop the best cheap Amazon Echo prices, deals and sales for Alexa. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Get a cheap iPhone bargain with this affordable big data iPhone 7 deal Posted: 22 Aug 2019 08:34 AM PDT Usually when choosing your phone contract, there is a hard choice you have to make. Do you want a cheap contract or a heap load of data? Well thanks to a tasty offer from Three, you can get both. The offer in question is part of Three's 100GB data offers. You're getting an iPhone 7 for just £28 a month and £29 upfront with, yep you guessed it - 100GB of data. Most of the cheapest iPhone 7 deals around right now offer plans under 10GB so this just blows everything out of the water. With 100GB of data, you're set to stream for hours, game for days and social for...well, the whole month straight. And because you'll be on Three, you also get access to the network's usual Advanced Plan perks like roaming in 71 destinations worldwide and access to Three's Wuntu app for weekly offers and the odd free coffee. Sound like your kind of contract? You can see all of the details down below or check out our guide to the best mobile phone deals if you're not quite convinced.
Is the iPhone 7 a good phone?This might now be one of Apple's older devices but that doesn't mean this is a bad phone. In fact, at this price tag this is probably one of the best phones around. It features a camera that operates well in low-light situations, it's water resistant and has a strong 1970mAh battery life. On top of all of this, the iPhone 7 has a pretty powerful processor considering its age. Read our full iPhone 7 review This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| An 'iPhone Pro,' 16-inch MacBook Pro and new iPads are now all expected this year Posted: 22 Aug 2019 08:14 AM PDT Apple is now expected to release not only a new 16-inch MacBook Pro, but also an iPhone Pro with massively upgraded cameras, new iPad and iPad Pro models, as well as a new Apple Watch 5 before the end of 2019, Bloomberg reports. The news comes mere weeks ahead of the anticipated September Apple event, during which we are banking on seeing a new range of iPhone 11 models. Now, chances are high we'll see much more during the show. Beyond that, Bloomberg's anonymous sources also say that Apple is working on new models of its AirPods that will be more premium and therefore pricier, as well as a new HomePod, for an early 2020 release.
A concept render of the iPhone Pro. iPhone 11 could be a bigger deal than we thoughtThere is an absolute ton of details to dig into, so let's begin with the new iPhones. Before today, many expected the 11 series of new iPhone models to be a rather lukewarm update. That does not now appear to be the case at all. According to Bloomberg, there will be three new iPhones for 2019, with two 'Pro' models to succeed the current XS and XS Max models featuring three-sensor rear camera arrays and a new XR model. This new camera array on these Pro models will reportedly allow users to capture ultra-wide angle photos and video as well as photos in an even more enhanced high dynamic range (HDR), now that three photos can be taken at once and digitally merged with enhanced software. Finally, this camera array will approach image resolutions and video recording capabilities rivaling that of professional hardware, complete with improved software that can edit content as it's being captured or recorded. The new Pro iPhones specifically will also gain the wireless power delivery feature made popular by the Samsung Galaxy S10. This will allow these higher-end iPhones to wirelessly charge other devices, like other iPhones or the AirPods with the wireless charging case. These Pro iPhones will look identical to 2018 XS iPhones from the front, with the screen resolution and camera notch unchanged. However, some color options will feature a matte finish in the back as opposed to today's glossy plastic. More invisible changes will allegedly include a Face ID camera with a wider-angle sensor that can be used even when the iPhones are flat on a table, vastly improved water resistance and new OLED displays with Haptic Touch instead of Apple's pressure-sensitive 3D Touch technology. This last feature works exactly how sustaining a finger press on an iPhone XR works. Apple's next iPhone XR will feature a second camera that is capable of optical zoom as well as an enhanced portrait mode; it will also be available in green. At long last, all of the new iPhones will reportedly feature faster A13 processors that contain a new AMX component that can handle math-heavy computing tasks generally associated with augmented reality. And, of course, none of them will feature 5G connectivity – it looks like that will be the iPhone 2020's big feature.
This year's 13-inch MacBook Pro. Huge MacBook Pro, iPad Pro and iPad changesBloomberg's reporting supports previous reports that Apple plans to debut a 16-inch MacBook Pro this year, possibly during its September iPhone event. This MacBook Pro will actually be closer in size to the existing 15-inch MacBook Pro, thanks to slimline bezels that will finally be featured in Apple's laptops. Of course, this is the latest attempt by Apple to win back professional users – accompanied by the imminent launch of the new Mac Pro desktop. As for iPad, Apple apparently plans to update both the iPad Pro models and a new entry-level iPad intended for schools and budget users. Both the 11-and- 12.9-inch iPad Pro models will receive better cameras and likely the A13 processor inside. However, the cheapest iPad will be bumped up from 9.7 inches to 10.2 inches, finally sunsetting the 9.7-inch screen size from Apple's tablets since their debut way back in 2010. Bloomberg, sadly, has no other details on the new iPads, Pro or otherwise.
Last year's Apple Watch 4 model. Apple Watch 5 and products slated for 2020Finally, will reportedly launch the Apple Watch 5 before the end of the year, most likely at its September event. This new model will be a minor upgrade, focusing on new case finishes, like ceramic and titanium, and optimizing for watchOS 6 coming soon as well. The aforementioned new AirPods and HomePod are allegedly being set up for 2020 launches. These newer AirPods will be more expensive than today's, bringing water resistance and noise cancellation to sweeten the deal. At very long last – this has been a massive leak, hasn't it? – Apple's 2020 HomePod speaker will reportedly feature just two tweeters, down from the seven in the current model. It's unknown why this change is happening, but perhaps it's to focus on other features. All told, it's looking like either Apple's September event will be absolutely massive or we'll be seeing Apple more than once on the keynote stage before the end of the year. Either way, Apple is clearly looking to end 2019 with a fireworks finish.
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| The Bose Portable Home speaker sports sleek looks and 360-degree sound Posted: 22 Aug 2019 07:39 AM PDT Bose has long been a huge player in the world of portable speakers – and its latest model, the Bose Portable Home Speaker, should serve to cement that reputation even further. The new Bluetooth speaker packs wireless connectivity, a 12-hour battery life and 360-degree audio into a super compact form, coming in at just 2.3 pounds (around 1kg).
The Bose Portable Home Speaker, which will be available in black and silver from September 19, will cost $349 / £369.95 / AU$499.95 – ever so slightly less expensive than the pricey Bose Home Speaker 500. No sweet-spot necessaryMeasuring 7.5 inches tall, the portable speaker is wrapped in an anodized aluminum enclosure. Inside, there are three passive radiators, a high-excursion driver and a proprietary deflector that Bose says deflects "clear, lifelike sound evenly in every direction". Despite it's small size, Bose says its latest speaker delivers powerful bass, and, "unlike conventional speakers, there’s no sweet-spot for placement or listening" – that means you can sit wherever you like in relation to the speaker, and it should still sound fantastic. With 12 hours of battery and an IPX4 rating, it's suitable for listening to outside and on-the-go (although you probably shouldn't take it to the pool), and its rugged design means it should survive slight knocks and bumps.
If you like to listen with your hands full, you can use your voice to control the Bose Portable Home Speaker, with both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa built-in to access "playlists, podcasts, news, weather, smart home devices, and more," according to Bose. iPhone and iPad owners will be able to stream their music via Apple AirPlay 2, while Spotify users can stream via Spotify Connect. With all those features packed in to such a small package, Bose will surely be looking to fend off competition from the yet-to-be-released Sonos portable speaker – we'll have to wait a little while to find out which brand will win in the next battle of the Bluetooth speakers, but we're excited to find out.
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| Best Apple Watch apps we've used in 2019 Posted: 22 Aug 2019 07:19 AM PDT It’s been an interesting year for even the best Apple Watch apps. In the spring it seemed as if the Watch had lost its sparkle, with many big-name apps either languishing or being pulled from the Watch altogether. The problem wasn’t that Apple Watch apps are a bad idea, though. Far from it, as our selection here demonstrates. It was that sometimes, apps were designed to answer the wrong question: “could we make a Watch app?” but not “should we?” Now, watchOS 6 is set to bring an App Store to your Apple Watch for the very first time. That may encourage app developers to take the Apple Watch more seriously, so 2019 may be a big year for great new apps on your wrist. The Apple Watch 4 is proving pretty popular too, and that's why you're probably here checking out the new apps. In fact, it's one of the best smartwatch options out there, and now we're at the fourth generation it's becoming a particularly accomplished smart option for your wrist. Our favourite apps, the apps that are still here after a bumpy year, both should and could have been made. They exist because they’re useful, or because they’re entertaining, or because they make your life that little bit better. In this round-up you’ll find apps for podcasting and procrastinating, for getting fit and getting stuff done, for messing around and for sorting stuff out. Before you get into our list remember to head into the Apple Watch main app on your iPhone - that's where you'll see a list of the apps already installed on your phone that can also be transferred to your Watch. If you see any you like the look of here, you'll need to download them to your iPhone first. And make sure to check this article weekly, as we'll add a new app each week, highlighted below. Apple Watch app of the week: Meditation by 10% Happier
Some apps promise to change your life. Not this one: it just says it can probably make you 10% happier. Meditation By 10% Happier is a former Apple award winner, offering guided meditations, videos, talks and even content to play as you drift off to sleep. It also provides little nuggets of wisdom you can dip into when you’ve got a moment in your busy day, and the content is updated weekly to stave off familiarity. The title comes from the best-selling book and life coaching site Ten Percent Happier, in which ABC news anchor Dan Harris decided to change his life after an on-air panic attack. It’s designed to distil the things Harris found on his journey from skeptic to, well, 10% happier. As you’d expect, the bulk of the content is for your phone, but it makes good use of your Apple Watch by reminding you when it’s time to chill and enabling you to play audio meditations from your wrist. As with most apps in this genre, the core app is free but most of the content requires a subscription. That’s $99/£87.99/AU$139.99 a year or $9.99/£5.99/AU$11.99 a month, and you can try the app for 7 days before paying. Best Apple Watch apps for fitness and runningThere's no denying that the main thrust of the Apple Watch since the second model is for fitness: it's packing GPS, heart rate, water resistance and improved sensors to make the most of the fact people like to work out with this thing - it even connects to gym equipment. This list of Apple Watch fitness, running, wellbeing and health apps are nearly all must-have - if you're going to do one thing with your new Watch, use it to become a healthier you in mind and body.
Seven - 7 Minute Workout
What can you do in seven minutes? You could listen to one and a half pop songs. You could watch one-tenth of an episode of Game of Thrones. Or you could change your life. That’s what Seven promises. It’s an app based on the idea that anybody can get much fitter if they can spare just seven minutes a day. No gym memberships, no equipment, just you and your Apple Watch. We’d recommend starting with the phone, though: it shows you how to do each exercise properly, something the Apple Watch’s screen isn’t big enough for. There’s no point knocking yourself out for your seven minute stretch if you’re doing it wrong and causing more harm than good. Once you know what you need to do though you can rely on your Watch to time your exercises and breaks and to record your activity. The app is easy to use, packed with useful exercises and provides good visual feedback and motivation. You can compete with your friends or just earn in-app achievements, and if you sign up for the $9.99/£9.99/AU$14.99 monthly subscription you get access to over 200 exercises to keep your regime interesting. By enabling you to exercise anytime, anywhere, Seven might just help you get the exercise habit.
Swing Tennis Tracker
Built for serious tennis players under the guidance of Andy Roddick and James Blake, Swing Tennis Tracker is designed to analyze your swings as well as record your stats. It isn’t just a solo app: it can also sync scores with other Apple Watch users on the court. There’s excellent Siri integration for starting matches and practice, integration with the Activity and Health apps, and excellent visual feedback to show you how hard you’re hitting. The Watch component concentrates on the recording and feedback, while the phone app takes care of scores, stats and video, as well as providing action advice after each hit. It’s a great app for individual players but it can also be used by parents, coaches and in teams, to track others’ performance too. There are two subscription plans, the $4.99/£4.49/AU$7.99 per month Premium and the $9.99/£9.49/AU$15.49 Pro. The former unlocks historical statistic graphics, head-to-head records against non-Swing users and unlimited analysis graphs for each session, while the Pro subscription adds video lessons from tennis pros and intelligent analysis of your performance that identifies key areas for improvement after each session. Start With Yoga
Image credit: I/O Assembly
Start With Yoga does exactly what the name suggests: it’s designed to help you get started with Yoga. It was designed partly out of frustration with other yoga apps, which didn’t come with independent Apple Watch apps. As the developer told us: “Most yoga apps need you to look at your phone, which doesn’t really work for yoga.” Hence this yoga app for your Apple Watch, which enables you to stay far away from the distractions of your iPhone. It’s very simple, and that’s part of its charm. You get five pre-defined routines to begin with, and you can use the iPhone part of the app to create your own custom ones from the clear and cute illustrations. Tell the app how long you want to hold a position for, and it will monitor each stretch, moving on to the next one when it’s time. The emphasis is very much on yoga beginners here: while the app doesn’t include some of the more advanced positions more experienced practitioners might expect, there’s nothing here that’s likely to put your back out either - although as with any exercise app, always get expert advice if you have any health or fitness issues that might affect your ability to exercise. Clue - Period & Cycle Tracker
Image credit: BioWink GmbH
Period tracking apps have been having some bad press lately: it emerged that the popular Femm app was the work of a right-wing religious group, relied on unlicensed physicians and lied about the effectiveness of birth control. That’s a shame, because period trackers can be really helpful – something that Apple agrees with, as it will be bringing cycle tracking to watchOS 6 later this year. If you’d rather not wait for Apple, Clue comes with the stamp of approval from the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology, the house magazine of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. It’s based on science, not scripture: as the developers put it there are “no flowers, pink or butterflies – just the facts about your cycle.” It tracks not just your cycle but your wider health (you can record birth control, emotions, changes to your skin and hair, and much more), and it can help you predict periods for the next three cycles by intelligently analyzing your historical data. The Watch app provides that information in a simple and private way, using colored rings to show periods, fertility windows and even when PMT is likely to start. If you prefer, you can see the information in list form. Tag Heuer Golf
You may know Tag Heuer for its reassuringly expensive timepieces, but you might not know about its prowess in making smartwatches for golfers. With the new Golf app, the company brings its golfing talents to your Apple Watch. The main iPhone app is free, but the Apple Watch companion is only available to subscribers. If you subscribe, you get most of the features of the firm’s smartwatch: maps of nearly 40,000 courses worldwide that tell you where the hazards are, shot distance measurement and real-time statistics. You can track not just your own scores but those of up to three friends too. As you’d expect, the companion iPhone app is well designed and makes good use of the information from your Watch: it can show you not just how well you performed today, but how well you performed in your last 20 rounds or all time. It’s packed with stats: the best score to par, the longest shot, the putts per hole… there’s probably a section rating the garishness of your trousers too. The price might seem steep but golf doesn’t come cheap – and when you consider that you’re getting much the same feature set as a watch that can cost four figures, it does represent comparatively good value for money. Fabulous - Daily Motivation
We were going to write about this ages ago but we couldn’t be bothered. Boom boom! If you’re struggling to get stuff done, Fabulous hopes to help. It’s an odd little app that does a little of everything: health tracking, yoga, exercise advice, mindfulness, dieting and psychology. It’s based around making little but significant changes to your life: helping you clear your head or work your abs, tracking your health or fitness goals and reminding you to stay hydrated. If you’re watching your weight the app also has a weight loss program inspired by the Atkins and HCG diets. The app claims to be based on “major scientific studies” but of course you should always seek medical advice before embarking on any diet. The bulk of the work happens on the iPhone app, with the Watch app as a simple companion reminding you what to do and enabling you to tick off the items on your daily schedule. As is often the case with fitness apps, the main features are reserved for subscribers: to access the personal coaching feature you’ll need to pay a monthly or yearly subscription. ActivityTracker Pedometer
We’ve covered ActivityTracker before, and it’s had some significant updates since we last looked. In addition to support for the Apple Watch 4, the latest iPhones, iOS 12 and watchOS 5, it boasts four new complications for the new Infograph watch face and an updated engine to more accurately record activity times. As before, the main app is designed to track your activity without using your phone or watch’s GPS features, so it’s less demanding on battery life. It uses your device’s motion processor to record and calculate steps taken, stairs climbed, calories burned, distance traveled and active time, and you can see how well you’re doing on an hourly, daily, weekly or monthly basis. You can also import your historical data from Apple’s Health app so you’re not starting from a clean slate of data. If you subscribe to the Pro version for a modest $4.99 / £4.99 / AU$7.99 it offers complications for instant stats on your Apple Watch and synchronization of steps between iPhone, Watch and the Health app. Pro users can also move data from one iPhone to another. Whether you subscribe or not the Watch app gives you an overview of the last hour, day and week in the form of attractive and effective graphs. Slopes
Late in 2018, Apple introduced improved snowboarding and skiing tracking for the Apple Watch Series 3 and later. That’s been a boon for snow apps such as Slopes, which can use the improved APIs to gather more useful information than ever before. With Slopes you can track your speed, vertical, distance, lift vs trail time and more, getting the information you need right now on your wrist and sharing that data with the iPhone so you can analyze it later. Slopes is very clever. It automatically detects runs and lifts, it can replay your runs in 3D with heat maps showing your speed on each bit of the run, and it even integrates with your photo library to automatically display photos you took on your skiing or snowboarding trips. The app also integrates with the Apple Health app, recording details of your workouts and the calories you’ve burned. As with many sport apps the core version of Slopes is free but there’s also a premium subscription that introduces extra features. Here that means live run-by-run breakdowns, unlimited run and lift stat breakdowns, premium maps and even virtual 3D mountains to show you where you’ve been. An annual pass is a very reasonable $19.99/£12.49/AU$17.99. Strava
Strava is one of the most popular running and cycling apps around, but it’s always required you to have your phone or a non-Apple smartwatch to track your travels and record your vital statistics. Not anymore. If you have an Apple Watch 2, the Strava Apple Watch app can use its GPS to record your run without requiring you to strap a phone to anything. The interface isn’t as pretty as the iPhone app’s interface, but when you’re running or cycling that doesn’t matter: the information you need is presented cleanly enough and the app is simple and straightforward to use. The main app is free and offers essential features including distance, pace, speed, elevation and burned calories, and there’s a premium service for $5.99/£5.99/AU$9.99 per month or $59.99/£54.99/AU$89.99 per year that offers more detailed post-exercise analysis, live performance feedback and personalized coaching - although not through the Watch. However, if you’re someone who uses the premium features like Beacon on the main app, you might not find Strava on the Apple Watch to your liking compared to using it on the phone. Nike Run Club
The ongoing love-fest between Nike and Apple continues to bear fruit: the latest iteration of the Nike Run Club app introduces some welcome improvements. It now integrates with Siri Suggestions, which means the app can now suggest good times for a run based on your previous runs (the feature is off by default so it won’t nag you if you don’t want it to), and there are new Apple Watch complications including one for the Infograph face that shows how far you’ve run this month. There’s hardly a shortage of running apps in the App Store but Nike’s budget is a bit higher than most, so the app feels a lot more premium than many others. It tracks and stores all your runs thanks to your Watch’s built-in GPS, enables you to listen to audio guides as you run, offers a range of challenges to keep you motivated and has good social sharing features, so you can turn your friends into cheerleaders. It’s very well designed and the Watch app doesn’t sacrifice substance for style: while visually it’s very attractive it also shows all the information you actually need as you’re pounding the pavements. It’s a really good running app. Cardiogram
We’ve written about Cardiogram before: it’s a very valuable health tracker that enables you to see how your heart is working over time, and which enables you to look for spikes related to what you eat, how you exercise and whether you’re particularly stressed at work. All you need to do is wear your Apple Watch, which checks your heart rate every five minutes. Cardiogram then crunches that data to give you an insight into what your body’s doing. What’s interesting about Cardiogram now isn’t the app itself, but the partnerships that are starting to emerge. In the US, Amica Life and Greenhouse Health Insurance are offering life insurance for Cardiogram users with any version of the Apple Watch: simply use the Cardiogram app and you can be eligible for up to $1,000 (around £775/AU$1,400) in accidental death cover for 12 months, with the option to purchase up to $50,000 (roughly £39,000/AU$70,000) more from within the app. $1,000 isn’t a lot in the great scheme of things, especially in America, but it’s a lot for free. You don’t have to share data either, the insurers bet that people who use Cardiogram are more likely to take steps to improve their health than people who don’t. As with most health things, such partnerships are subject to regulatory approval, and the Cardiogram partnership is currently available in Wisconsin, Arizona, Indiana and Georgia. Expect more states and more partnerships soon. Nike Training Club
Nike and Apple are best friends forever, so it’s not a huge surprise to see Nike unveil another Watch app. This one’s really good, too. Describing itself as “your ultimate personal trainer”, Nike Training Club has more than 180 workouts covering strength, endurance, mobility and yoga, and they’re all free. There are daily personalized picks based on your previous activity, flexible training plans to help you achieve your fitness goals, and tips from top trainers. The app splits jobs between phone and Watch. The former is where you do the planning and tracking; the latter is what you wear while you’re actually working out. By necessity as well as design that means focusing only on the information you really need right now, such as your heart rate and how many reps you still have to do before you can undo all your efforts with some cake and beer. The app is by no means unique in its combination of Watch and workout tracking, although it does have Nike’s immediately recognizable and individual visual style. But what’s significant about this app is that none of its many workouts are hidden behind in-app purchases or pricey subscriptions. Everything in the app is free. Lifesum
Like many health-related apps, Lifesum really wants you to take out a subscription: that’s $44.99/£34.99/AU$69.99 per year, though it sometimes runs a 30% off promotion. The core app is free, though. Its goal is to help you think about what you eat and what activity you do and to make positive changes to make yourself healthier. On the iPhone, Lifesum enables you to count calories and track your meals, discover healthy recipes and track your progress towards your goals. It works with other apps too, so for example if you’ve got a Fitbit or use Runkeeper it can get data from them. On the Watch it’s a much simpler affair, urging you to stay hydrated, showing your progress towards your resting, moving and stretching goals and doing everything through a kind of little Tamagotchi character. It pulls data from the Apple Health app as well as the Lifesum app to ensure you get the widest possible picture of your intake and activity, and you can add data as well as view it: for example, you can take a note of what you’re eating via the Watch app and then enter more details on the iPhone later. Unusually there isn’t a Watch complication, but the app does tie in with the Watch’s notification system to keep you updated. Headspace
If you’ve ever felt that life is just that bit too busy or stressful, Headspace could help. It’s based around mindfulness, which is all about getting you to feel calmer without too much effort. In fact, it’s the opposite of effort: mindfulness is about taking a break from the rush. The Apple Watch app is part of a wider offering for iPhone and iPad: it acts as a reminder and a coach, urging you to pick an exercise and focus on it for the allotted time. It also has an SOS mode for when things feel too much and you need help instantly. But it’s the main app that does most of the work, with daily mindfulness exercises and sessions designed to help with everything from workplace stress to sleep problems. It’s very well done but one thing that might raise your stress levels is the cost: while the app is free to try it really needs a subscription to unlock its most useful features, and that subscription is $12.99/£9.99/AU$19.99 per month or $94.99/£74.99/AU$149.99 per year. That’s an auto-renewing subscription too, so you need to disable that in iTunes if you don’t want it to recur automatically. WebMD
Medical apps don’t just exist to persuade you that your mild headache is terminal brain cancer. They can help keep you healthy too. While WebMD does indeed let you compare your symptoms with various illnesses and conditions to scare yourself silly, that’s not the most interesting thing about it or its Watch companion app. WebMD enables you to detail your medication schedules, with dosage information and the option to be reminded of what you need to take and when you need to take it. This can be in the form of a notification, or you can have it as a Watch face Complication so it’s right there in the middle of the display. It can also remind you of any prerequisites, such as whether you need to take your medicine with food or on an empty stomach. It’s the sort of simple but very useful thing the Apple Watch does well. Over on the main iPhone app there’s plenty more to discover. You can read up on the side effects and precautions of specific pills or patches, find out if you need to go hiding from the flu or just catch up on the latest health and wellbeing news from various credible sources. HeartWatch
How’s your heart? If you don’t know the answer, this app can shed some light. It might even save your life, as it did for James Green: the app alerted him about an unusual spike in his heart rate, and it turned out to be a pulmonary embolism. If it weren’t for the alert, Green might well have died. You don’t really need more of a sales pitch to justify spending three dollars on staying alive, but HeartWatch isn’t a one-trick app. It pulls information from the Watch’s heart rate sensor to track what it’s doing when you wake, when you sleep, when you work out and when you just go about your day. The reason for the different types of activity is simple: you don’t want your app warning you about elevated heart rate if you’re doing something designed to elevate your heart rate, an issue that used to drive us daft when exercising with our Apple Watch set to the defaults. It won’t work without the Health app installed - that’s the route by which it gets its data - but you can also import data from other health apps if you use other kinds of connected health monitors. One Drop Diabetes Management
We’re increasingly intrigued about HealthKit, Apple’s framework for health monitoring apps: we’ve already seen apps that can warn of rare but potentially lethal heart conditions, and now we’re seeing a whole host of specialist apps that can integrate with specific monitoring hardware to help with particular conditions. As the name suggests, this one’s for people with diabetes. One Drop makes Chrome, a Bluetooth blood glucose meter that’s sold as a package with testing strips. If you have the meter the app gets information from each test, but if you don’t it’s still a useful app to help monitor your diabetes. The app enables you to log your activity, your food intake and your medication and to share that information with HealthKit and the Health app (if that’s what you want to do). As ever the main iPhone app is where all the detail is, with the Watch app taking care of quick data recording and progress notifications. The iPhone app builds on the basics with a database of foods’ nutritional information, historical data, insulin pump data and the ability to schedule reminders for your medication. WorkOutDoors
If your idea of good exercise involves going far from the madding crowds, you’ll like WorkOutDoors. It’s a workout app that’s based around vector maps that you can easily rotate and zoom, tracking your location and your progress. It uses the Watch’s GPS (if you have a GPS-enabled Watch) so there’s no need to take your phone on a hike, cycle or snowboard run, and features such as breadcrumb tracking, custom points of interest and customizable stats displays enable you to make the app truly your own. In a nice touch you can export your workouts from the iPhone app in GPX format, which can be imported into many other workout apps and sites. It’s very, very well thought out. For example, something as simple as the stats display is available in a variety of sizes to suit different kinds of activity (not to mention different levels of eyesight). It makes good use of color-coding to make routes crystal clear, waypoints can provide extra information such as directions, and the map automatically rotates as you move so you’re always sure of the right direction. It’s a brilliant app for pretty much any outdoor activity. Streaks
The trick to living better isn’t to damn near kill yourself on a treadmill and then give up after a few weeks. It’s to make smaller, lasting changes to your life, changes that you can and will actually stick to. And that’s what Streaks offers. Whether you’re trying to eat more healthily, exercise more or break a smoking habit, Streaks enables you to track positive and negative habits. It offers a range of reporting tools so you can see exactly how well you’re doing, and you can track up to 12 different tasks at once. They needn’t be exercise or eating tasks: you can remind yourself to walk the dog, study, take vitamins or practice a musical instrument. It’s good to see wheelchair users included in the default tasks list too. Where Streaks really shines is in its integration with the Health app, which enables it to pull data to use for monitoring suitable targets you’ve set. That reduces a lot of the form-filling of similar apps, and it’s particularly effective if you’re trying to work on good healthy habits or eliminate unhealthy ones, or both. There’s a Complication too, so that you don’t forget your goals, and the whole thing is customizable so that you can get it just-so. Elevate Dash - Brain Training and Games
We’re not convinced by the supposed science of brain training - it’s a sector that makes bold claims based on very flimsy evidence - but there’s no doubt that spending time learning or practicing useful things is better for you than mindlessly swiping through trivia on Twitter. Elevate claims that its brain training app will “improve critical cognitive skills that are proven to boost productivity, earning power, and self-confidence”, and it does so by setting little tasks for you: choosing the correct meaning of words, calculating percentages and so on. Correct answers earn points, and you can track your progress on the main iPhone/iPad app as well as on your Watch. The Watch’s small screen means the games you get are very simple ones, but that works well when you’re on the move. The app is free and lets you play 4 mini-games. If you want to access the full selection of 40+ Elevate games you’ll need your iPhone or iPad and a subscription to the premium membership package, which is $4.99/£3.99/AU$7.99 per month or $44.99/£34.99/AU$69.99 per year. If you could do with a boost to specific skills - working out restaurant tips, perhaps, or improving your vocabulary - then you might feel that’s well worth the money. Peak - Brain Training
From a team of developers, psychologists and neuroscientists, Peak is a great app for keeping your brain active. The Watch version offers three games, ideal for the smaller screen. Some of these seem simple at first, but they quickly become more challenging. There are workouts to test memory, focus and problem solving – all of them fun, engaging, and the ideal to while away the daily commute. Runtastic Six Pack Abs Workout
If you've been meaning to get that six-pack tummy but just don't have time to go to the gym, this iPhone app has high-quality videos of avatars performing crunches, situps, stretches and core twists that you can do in your own time on your bedroom floor, say. Initial workouts with Runtastic are free, more come as in-app purchases. And if squinting at your precariously perched iPhone isn't doing it for you, the Watch app means you can see an animation on your watch, with vibrations on your wrist to start and end a set. It's easy to use and works well. Now you'll have to find another excuse not to work out. MyFitnessPal
Information is power and if you're trying to lose weight, calorie tracking is a good way to stay focused. MyFitnessPal works out a daily calorie allowance based on how much weight you want to shed. Eat a meal and your allowance is spent, take exercise and you earn credit. The Watch gives you a running total of remaining calories and how that breaks down into protein, carbohydrates and more. It can integrate with your steps total so you don't have to add those manually. It's simple but convenient and helpful. Walkmeter GPS Pedometer
If walking's your thing, Walkmeter helps track your every step, showing your perambulations on a map and generating detailed graphs. The Watch app has clear data reporting and you can start and stop a walk from your wrist using the Watch's Force Touch actions. Apple's own Workout app does a lot, but this app has more detail and the mapping detail on the iPhone is great. The app is free but for full Watch performance you need to upgrade to the Elite version for $9.99/£9.99/AU$14.99. There's a lot here, including training plans and announcements as you hit targets or distances. CARROT Fit
You may know CARROT from its weather app, which combines Dark Sky-style weather forecasting with sarcasm and lies. But CARROT wants to make you unhappy in many other ways - and what’s better for a sadistic AI than being in control of a fitness app? Enter CARROT Fit, which takes a somewhat unusual approach to motivating you to get healthier and lose weight. CARROT promises to “get you fit - or else”. To achieve that it offers a dozen punishing exercises (more are available via in-app purchases) accompanied by threats, ridicule, bribes and the occasional compliment. It’s rude, crude and much more entertaining than trying to complete the rings on Apple’s own activity tracker, and we’re pretty sure it’s the only fitness app that rewards progress with cat facts. But there’s a proper fitness tracker in here too: it’ll track your steps and weight loss, remember your workouts and add data to Apple’s health app. Most of the personality is in the main iPhone app, but the Watch alerts include such cheery prospects as “seven minutes in hell”. If you find getting fit or losing weight a little bit tedious, CARROT might be the, ahem, carrot that you need to get motivated. Lose It!
If your Watch strap is feeling a little more snug than it used to, this app may be the answer: it’s designed to help you achieve your weight loss goals “without the unsustainable gimmicks, fad diets, restrictive foods, on-site meetings, or large price tags of other weight-loss companies.” It tracks the calories you’ve consumed and the goals you’ve set, focuses on nutrition as well as overall calorie intake, works happily with other fitness apps and trackers and provides an online peer group where everybody encourages each other to achieve their ideal weight. It also enables you to set exercise goals and focus on general wellness, so it’s not just about losing weight. The Apple Watch app doesn’t replace the phone app completely - for example, you’ll need your phone handy if you want to use the barcode scanner to automatically record what you’re eating, and the team-based features such as group challenges are phone-based - but it’s a great way to focus on your goals, monitor your progress and keep your motivation no matter how sorely tempted you may be. The program is $39.99/£29.99/AU$62.99 per year but you can explore the app for free without signing up. Mount Burnmore
Fitness fanatics look away now: for those that find exercise really boring, and their get up and go often gets up and goes while they stay sedentary. Mount Burnmore could be the answer to that lethargy: it turns fitness into a game. The concept is quite clever. Mount Burnmore depends on “active energy”, which it pulls from the Health app: the more calories you’ve burned, the more active energy you have in the game. When you have sufficient energy you can attempt to solve the game’s puzzles, which involve finding routes around the titular mountain, collecting in-game items and smashing things with a pickaxe. There’s a Complication that enables you to see your progress without launching the full game, and the app makes good use of the Digital Crown to help you navigate around larger levels later in the game. There are also leaderboards to compare with other players and in-game challenges to win freebies. It’s bright, breezy and a bit brash, and we suspect it’s best suited to older children rather than grown-ups - although if you do give this one to the kids you might want to disable in-app purchases, as they can be used to buy in-game items. Happier
Mindfulness, the art of focusing on being present and aware in the world instead of being constantly distracted by things and thoughts that don’t matter, isn’t something you’d associate with the Apple Watch. If you aren’t careful with your notification settings your Watch pings away merrily all day, interrupting countless trains of thought. But the Happier app hopes to use the Watch to make you feel better, not more harassed. The app itself is free, but it’s designed as a gateway to paid-for mindfulness courses. If you don’t go for them you can still take advantage of the app, though. You can tell the app how you’re feeling - we suspect “meh” is the most-used option - and it then responds with uplifting quotes to help you feel a bit more optimistic. It can pop up to remind you to take a meditation break, and you can dictate a positive thought to a private journal or to the Happier community. That’s not as daft as it sounds: there’s some evidence that keeping a journal of positive things can boost your mood over time. Just be careful what and how you share: one iTunes reviewer says that they were able to locate their private journal with Google. Best Apple Watch sleep appsIt's worth noting that there aren't a lot of apps for sleep tracking, as the Apple Watch can't really last overnight on battery. That said, there are some clever apps to do it, and many people are now on their sequel Apple Watch and can even have one for the day and one for the night - so sleep tracking with your 'Night Watch' is possible. AutoSleep Tracker
There are plenty of sleep tracking apps in the App Store, but AutoSleep is among the best. Now in version 6 it delivers more information than you could ever ask for, with good use of color-coding to prioritize information. AutoSleep presents its analysis in three key areas: Sleep, which as you’d expect tells you how long you slept for; Quality, which tells you how restless you were; and Readiness, which is an attempt to predict how well you’re going to cope with the day’s demands based on your recent sleep history. The interface is strongly and deliberately reminiscent of Apple’s own activity tracking, with the same use of colored rings to show what you’ve achieved. The Watch app even works if you don’t wear your Apple Watch to bed: simply touch the Watch in the morning and AutoSleep knows you’re up. If you do wear it to bed, though, the app will analyze sleep quality based on restlessness, time awake and heart rate – and you can adjust the sensitivity if you’re a very restless sleeper. It integrates with Apple Health and Siri Shortcuts, and it also works as a complication for your chosen watch face. Best Apple Watch apps for music, podcasts and audiobooksSoundHound
Music discovery, you say? Isn’t that what Shazam is for? The answer to that is yes, but also no – because while Shazam does a brilliant job of finding songs based on listening to the currently playing music, it doesn’t attempt to recognize your humming and singing. That’s SoundHound’s speciality. It promises to identify that song that’s driving you crazy: all you have to do is hum or sing a reasonably accurate version of it and SoundHound will do the rest. As you’d expect, it’s extremely hit and miss. That’s not all SoundHound offers, though. It brings up the lyrics of the song it has matched, which is helpful if you fancy singing along, and if your Watch is the cellular version you can recognize songs and grab lyrics without needing a connection to your phone. On your iPhone the app also offers a few features that Shazam doesn’t. You can bookmark songs and add them to Spotify playlists, and there are some useful voice-controlled features such as “okay Hound, show me lyrics for…” or “okay Hound, play today’s top songs.” It’s that voice control that really elevates SoundHound over rival apps, as it turns the app into a voice-controlled hub for pretty much any musical task. Pandora
Spotify isn’t the only streaming music giant to bring offline listening to the Apple Watch. If you’re in the US (the service isn’t currently available to international listeners) Pandora does it too. It has released a brand new app that enables you to listen offline, and rate and control your music without having to reach for your phone. The app itself is free, but you’ll need a paid-for Plus or Premium subscription to use it: like Spotify, the free tier doesn’t support offline music. Offline listening requires watchOS 5 or later. Plus subscriptions are currently $4.99 per month and Premium subscriptions are $12.99. The updated iPhone app brings support for Siri Shortcuts, and it also integrates with the Messages app so that you can send and receive songs without leaving the Messages app. There’s even an Apple TV app that uses the same subscription. Pandora is a good way to get hold of not just music but podcasts too. Discovering new content, whether music or podcasts, is simple thanks to a good selection of recommendations and playlists, and if you go for the Plus subscription you can create unlimited personalized stations as well as up to four stations for offline listening. Pocket Casts
Pocket Casts is a firm favorite among podcast users, with 8 years of constant improvements under its belt. Now in its seventh incarnation, it’s one of the best ways to stay on top of your podcast pile. It’s also eminently sociable with support not just for the Apple Watch but for Chromecast, Sonos, CarPlay and AirPlay. Although the app is perfect for beginners, there’s a lot here for serious listeners, including excellent filters, automatic downloads, listening history and extensive notifications. Version 7 enables you to listen to individual episodes without subscribing, streamlines the user interface, has excellent archiving that retains your playback history and supports Siri Shortcuts. There’s been a big effort to improve discovery, so the app makes it much easier to find new podcasts it thinks you’ll like as well as the podcasts you’ve found for yourself. As with other apps of this ilk most of the heavy lifting is done by the iPhone app, with the Watch app there to provide access to the features that make sense on your wrist: playback control, of course, but also speeding the podcast up or down, trimming silence and boosting the volume. You can see what’s next, browse new releases and scroll through the podcast charts too. Spotify Music
At last! Spotify finally makes its way to the Apple Watch with an app that does everything you might expect it to do. It plays music! It pauses music! It connects to other devices via the magic of Spotify Connect! It gives you playlists! It has a shuffle button! The one thing it doesn’t do, though, is stream: the music you hear via your Watch is coming from your iPhone, not directly to the Apple Watch. We’d expect that to change in future versions of the app. It hasn’t been optimized for the larger display of the Apple Watch 4 either, so it looks a bit odd on the most recent models. We’re big fans of and subscribers to Spotify: its catalog is enormous and it’s enormously sociable too, with apps for every conceivable platform. Being able to pay once for an ad-free subscription that works on your phone, tablet, Watch, TV, console and in the car is a fantastic thing. While the ad-funded version isn’t too annoying we think the higher quality and convenient offline listening features (already available on iPhone but coming soon to the Watch app too) of the paid-for Premium version are well worth the money. Overcast
If you love to listen to podcasts and you don’t already have Overcast, you’re in for a nice surprise: it’s a superb app, and its Watch integration is particularly well thought out. In addition to the usual controls and lists of shows and episodes, it gives you quick access to two really useful features: Smart Speed, which can make the podcast play more quickly without turning into Alvin and the Chipmunks; and Voice Boost, which can make indistinct speech noticeably clearer and compensate for podcasters who can’t pick a single spot in front of the mic. If you’ve ever strained to hear something only for the host to move closer to the mic and nearly blow your eardrums out, you should be rushing to the App Store already Overcast is free, or $9.99/£8.99/AU$12.99 without the ads. We’d recommend going for the ad-free version, because while the advertising isn’t too invasive this is an app that’s been put together by people who really care about the end user experience, and paying for the full app is a great way to ensure that they’ll keep on caring. Castro Podcasts
The Castro podcast app has been around for a while and has developed a loyal fanbase, and it’s just been given a major overhaul as well as an Apple Watch companion app. On your wrist it’s really very simple: it enables you to move around the audio, change the volume or move between episodes. On the iPhone the main app has been completely rebuilt with a brand-new playback engine to significantly boost speed and responsiveness, and the player screen now incorporates AirPlay controls for easier streaming to compatible hardware. It’s a very good app, and there are extra features if you go for the optional Castro Plus subscription, including getting rid of silent sections, mixing stereo down to mono, episode limits to prevent your device from downloading entire volumes of podcasts, and automatic start positions to skip past standard intros and other pre-content content. You can set these preferences on a per-podcast basis, which is a really useful option for power podcast users. You can try Castro Plus for a week before deciding whether to get it, and it’s available as a quarterly or yearly sub. Audible
You may know Audible already: it’s the Amazon-owned audiobook service that enables you to devour books on the move, in bed or anywhere else you can get comfortable. The catalog is vast, books are often narrated by very big names and the overall quality is very high. And now, you can use it without taking your phone with you thanks to its Apple Watch app. The app is compatible with every Apple Watch made so far and enables you to transfer audiobooks to your Watch, provided of course that you have enough available storage. It’s important to note that Audible doesn’t stream to your watch: you need to sync your audiobook(s) from your iPhone, which can take a while over the Watch’s desperately slow connection. But once the book has been transferred you can play, pause, fast forward and rewind. You could listen via the Watch’s speaker but we wouldn’t recommend it; Audible is best experienced on a decent pair of wireless headphones. We think the Audible Watch app is best suited to environments where you don’t want to have your phone: the gym is the one that springs immediately to mind: we can’t be the only people who’d rather listen to a book than pumping techno on a treadmill. Best Apple Watch apps for photo and videoLens for IG
Here’s good news for Instagram fans mourning the discontinued official Watch app: Lens for IG is designed just for you. It’s a wrist-based Instagram client that enables you to do pretty much everything bar upload photos to the service, and because Apple Watches have bigger screens now it’s actually nicer to look at than the original official app was - at least if you have one of the larger models. The app starts on your iPhone, but sensibly enough it doesn’t try to compete with the iPhone Instagram app: it’s there purely to connect your Watch app to the Instagram service so you can still get your Insta fix when your phone isn’t in your hand. There are seven sections to the app – Home, Stories, Activity, Explore, Messages, Profile and Search – and they all do what you’d expect. Home is where your timeline lives, and if you tap the comments button you can use Scribble, emoji or the built-in, gesture-based keyboard to write a message. It’s fun, but it’s also very new and like many version 1 apps it suffers a little from bugs such as crashing. But then, it’s free so you can forgive the odd issue and the version history shows a pattern of regular updates to squash bugs and solve problems. Camera Plus
While using Apple’s Watch as a remote control or viewfinder can be handy - we can’t be the only ones who use it to see what’s on top of cupboards or to read the meters when there’s loads of stuff between them and us - the app has always felt as if it could do more. That’s where Camera Plus comes in. As an iPhone/iPad app it’s an interesting and fun alternative to the iOS 11 default, with a useful feature that enables you to control the camera on one iOS device with the Camera Plus app on another. It adds an extra function to the Watch too. The Apple Watch bit is obviously a lot less ambitious, but it’s still useful. As with the Apple app, you can remote control the iPhone or iPad camera, turn the flash on or off, use a countdown timer and switch between the front and rear cameras. But where the Apple app offers the ability to turn Live Photos on or off, Camera Plus gives you the option to switch between photo and video. The main iOS app is clearly the driver here, with some fun and useful features including flexible flash levels for better exposure and the aforementioned iOS-to-iOS remote control. But the Watch app is a handy, or perhaps wristy, companion. HomeCam for HomeKit
You can probably guess what this one does from the title: it’s an app for cameras that use Apple’s HomeKit. The app is a remote viewer that enables you to check multiple cameras simultaneously, and if your hardware supports features such as temperature and air quality monitoring you can then take action by invoking other HomeKit devices such as connected air conditioners or heating. It can also combine data from multiple devices together, so for example you could overlay temperature data over a live camera feed, and it’s fully compatible with the new Siri Shortcuts feature in iOS 12, which enables you to create automated actions. You can also use it to control HomeKit features such as the lighting in a room, and you can add a Today widget for even faster access from your lock screen. The main action happens in the iPhone and iPad app, largely because of screen real estate: the Watch has many good features, but a giant screen isn’t one of them. That means the Watch app shows a single-camera view. It can use your Watch’s microphone and speaker as an intercom (again, if your camera hardware supports audio), but it’s best suited for quick camera checking when your iPhone isn’t handy. FiLMiC Pro
Here’s an odd one: FiLMiC Pro has a distinctly average App Store rating of 2.3 out of 5 at time of writing, and yet the developers’ shelves are groaning under the weight of the app’s many awards from reputable websites and publications who say that for video, it’s the best thing since bread came sliced. What’s going on? The short answer is that when you have hardly any reviews, one or two disgruntled users can send your rating down the drain. That’s clearly what’s happening here. Negatives first. FiLMiC Pro costs more money than many apps, and it can kill your phone battery in prolonged use. But it’s an incredibly powerful iOS camera app used by film-makers, journalists and hobbyists alike. Pair it with a decent editor and your iPhone is a pro-level film studio. The Watch app is really just a remote for the main event. You can record, pause and resume your recording and see what the phone camera’s pointing at, and you can play back what you’ve just recorded. It’s not really different from Apple’s own camera Watch app. But the app it connects to is a powerhouse: people complaining about the price tag should really be marveling that it’s possible to get something so good for so little money. Best Apple Watch apps for notes, passwords and making life easierVoice in a Can
What if you’d rather ask Alexa than speak to Siri? Voice in a Can brings Amazon’s personal assistant to your Apple Watch. We covered Voice in a Can when it was first released, but performance issues and various restrictions on what apps can and can’t do with Alexa made it more of a curio than a usable everyday app. That has changed: as before you can now use a Siri Shortcut to launch the app so you can start speaking to Alexa without having to jump through any hoops, but there’s no longer a huge delay between invoking the shortcut and anything actually happening. You can also change the trigger word, so for example you can stick with “Alexa” or amuse yourself with “Voice in a Can”. There are some things Voice in a Can can’t do. Amazon doesn’t let other apps control music playback or audio books, and some news content isn’t available either. But you can use the app to control your Alexa-compatible smart home devices, to use Alexa’s formidable question-answering skills, to play silly games, and to set timers. If you prefer Amazon’s assistant to Apple’s, Voice in a Can is currently the only app we’re aware of that enables you to communicate verbally from your Apple Watch. HomeRun for HomeKit
HomeRun has been around for a while to make it easier to control HomeKit devices from your wrist. The latest version, 1.2, is a significant upgrade. It’s all about routines, complications and Siri shortcuts. The previous version of HomeRun enabled you to create custom complications for your Apple Watch. Version 1.2 expands that to the Siri watch face, and both the Infographic and Siri complications now benefit from the app’s new Routines. Routines enable you to create different events for different times of the day and to change the complication or Siri watch face accordingly, so the button or link that appears at 8am will be different from the one that appears at lunchtime or home time. To create a Routine you do three things: specify when it should start, specify which scene it should activate and specify which icon and color the shortcut should have. If you’ve got a really complex life you can have multiple different complications, each attached to a different Routine, and you can also specify what should show up as a Siri shortcut at different times. It’s clever and genuinely useful stuff for anybody who likes to get things just-so, and a great demonstration of how cool Apple Watch apps can be. Dashlane Password Manager
Dashlane is one of the most popular and most highly rated password managers on iPhone and iPad, and it works on Apple Watch too. It doesn’t give you passwords, though. It uses your Apple Watch as an authenticator for two-factor authentication for your desktop or mobile device. When you want to access a site or get a stored password, you’ll be asked to enter the six-digit code that appears on your Apple Watch. Codes automatically expire after 30 seconds and only display if you’re logged into Dashlane on your phone. If someone tries to access Dashlane without the correct code, they won’t be able to get in. The app is free for a limited number of passwords: once you get beyond 50 logins you’ll need to shell out for a subscription. 50 might sound like a lot but if you use a lot of websites you’ll soon blast through that number. The paid version also provides a secure VPN service on your phone or tablet. It’s hardly the most exciting Apple Watch app, we know, but it is useful: it’s a great example of using the Apple Watch sensibly instead of trying to cram in apps that don’t work on its limited screen real estate. Voice Record Pro
You want to record something, but your iPhone isn’t handy. No Voice Memos for you! But that’s okay, because Voice Record Pro enables you to record on your Apple Watch instead. It’s the companion to a fully-featured iPhone app with support for Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Box and iCloud Drive for audio import and export, and with a good range of features including adjusting the volume, gain, pitch and speed; adding effects such as echo, reverb and distortion; converting files between different formats and editing ID3v2 tags to label MP3 files. The Apple Watch bit is considerably simpler but still useful for capturing ideas or even conversations, although of course you’re limited by the little microphone in the Watch: while it’s perfectly fine for audio notes, don’t expect to be recording studio-quality sound. You can play, record or trigger recording on the iPhone app, and when you’re recording on your wrist there’s a good simulation of a traditional VU meter to help you see if you’re being too loud or too quiet. It’s easy to navigate around your recordings and you can delete any ones that you don’t want to keep. The app is free, with an in-app purchase option to remove ads from the iPhone version. Google Keep
You may remember in 2017, when Google pulled its various Apple Watch apps. But now, it seems Google is back in the wristy business. This month the Google Keep app was updated with a new feature: support for the Apple Watch. Google Keep is essentially Apple’s Reminders for people who prefer Google’s way of doing things, and like Reminders it uses the cloud to sync with desktop and online versions of the app. You can use it to create, edit and share notes and to-do lists, to include photos and audio in notes and in a clever touch, to record voice memos and have Google automatically turn those memos into editable, searchable text. That feature is included in the Apple Watch app, but you can’t use your Watch to edit existing notes – although you can create new ones either via your voice, via scribbling or by entering emoji. You can also archive or prioritize notes by using Force Touch. The app keeps things simple by showing you the ten most recent notes, and while you can do dictation there’s no Siri integration. There isn’t a Watch face complication either. Here’s hoping that Google adds such features in later versions – assuming, of course, it doesn’t decide to stop supporting the Apple Watch in the future. OmniFocus 3
The Omni Group is well-known and well-loved for its productivity apps, and version 3 of OmniFocus is available not just for iPhone and iPad but for the Apple Watch too. It’s an extraordinarily useful project and task management app, but while it’s very powerful it’s also very easy to use. It also manages to pack a lot of information into the screen of your Apple Watch with good use of icons, numbers and bulleted lists. You can display a quick overview as a complication in the Utility Watch face, or call up the app directly to get an instant picture of what you need to care about now and in the immediate future. The standard and pro versions of the app are free trials, and you can then unlock Standard for $39.99/£38.99/AU$62.99. That gives you almost everything OmniFocus can do, but if you want to add customization options you can go Pro for $59.99/$54.99/AU$89.99 (if you go for Standard first and want to upgrade later, that’s $19.99/£19.99/AU$30.99). The customization enables you to create custom filters to create a custom perspective on your project, and you can reorder the Today’s Forecast to give you the information you want exactly as you want it. Calendars 5
You may know Readdle already: it’s the developer behind the superb Spark email app, as well as the popular and useful PDF Expert. Calendars 5 has been around for a while, but the Apple Watch support only arrived in December 2018. As we’ve come to expect from Readdle apps it’s well-designed and useful without unnecessary gimmicks or eye candy. The app works as a Watch face complication and as a dedicated app. It also supports Siri, so you can ask it to tell you what you’ve got scheduled or create a new item with just your voice. The app works with both iCloud and Google calendars for easy syncing, and it works both online and offline. The iPhone app is great too, with natural language input and support for the kinds of things you need a calendar app to do such as complex recurring events (for example, a class that runs every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday), custom alerts and event invitations. The app also includes a good task manager that enables you to track and clear your various to-do and task lists. It’s good on the iPad, too, where it takes full advantage of the big screen to give you a birds-eye view of your week or month. Fantastical 2
Getting Fantastical 2 up and running on your watch can be time consuming, but it’s worth it: one of the very best iPhone calendar apps around develops even more powers when you add its app to your watch. You can also add it as a complication, which means you’ll see details of your schedule right there in the watch face. To actually make it work you’ll need to install Fantastical to your watch and then open the iPhone app, not the Apple Watch one. This is where you specify what information should be sent to the watch, and the options are extensive. You can choose from events, calendars, reminders and lists, include a map of the event location, show end times and specify how reminders should appear, and you can even specify what should happen if you tap on the Fantastical 2 complication on your watch face. It’s that kind of thought and attention to detail that makes us love the app so much. The best thing about Fantastical 2, though, is that it understands you. Force Touch the app, tap on Add Event and Siri starts listening. It knows what you mean by “lunch with Dave”, automatically putting the appointment at 12 noon, and it knows that if you say “to-do get dinner on the way home” you’re adding an item to a to-do list. Siri’s voice recognition performs brilliantly when it’s limited to such a specific set of instructions. SimpleCommands
This is an intriguing one. SimpleCommands enables you to connect your Apple Watch to various other devices – LIFX lights, TP-link switches, Wink doors, Nest thermometers, Netatmo home automation and so on – and soon, services such as Spotify, Lyft, IFTTT, Todoist and Twitter. Once you’ve established a connection, you can then control that connection via your iPhone or Watch (you need to set them up in the iPhone app first). Your Watch then becomes what the developer calls a listener. All you then need to do to make something happen is tell the listener what to do. The main benefit is that to paraphrase Radiohead, everything’s in its right place: whether it’s your aircon or your lighting system, it’s all done from a single app on your wrist. Brilliant, right? Well, potentially. The list of coming soon connections is longer than the list of currently supported ones, and early adopters say it’s a bit flaky: we’re still in version one-point-something territory, so you should expect bugs. But if you’re fed up having to use different apps to control every different digital thing in your life, this could be the thing to make your digital life much more comfortable. IFTTT
If This Then That, IFTTT for short, may be one of the most useful things on the internet. As the name suggests, it enables you to create scenarios where if this happens, it does that. And the ‘that’ can include all kinds of things, with a selection of connectors for software and hardware alike. For example, you can automatically change your thermostat based on the weather forecast, or send someone a message when you’re near the shops, or backup your photo collection to a cloud storage site at a particular time or when a particular event occurs. It’s absolutely brilliant, and the main iPhone app enables you control more than 600 different apps as well as smart home devices such as Hue lights and Nest thermostats. As you’d expect the Watch app doesn’t do everything. What it does do is provide quick access to IFTTT functions you’ve already installed or created on your phone, so for example you might post a quick tweet or turn your smart lights on or off. That simplicity is no bad thing, because of course the whole ethos of IFTTT is to reduce the amount of effort you use to communicate with your various bits of technology. 1Password
A reliable and secure password manager is a must-have in these days of security breaches and hacks, and 1Password is one of the best. And it turns out that it’s also one of the best password managers you can use on your Apple Watch. Our favorite apps don’t just port entire iPhone apps across. They think about what you’re actually likely to need on your wrist, and do that instead. In the case of 1Password that means you choose the pieces of information you want available on your Watch, so for example you might want details of a few logins, one credit card and a couple of notes, or perhaps the PIN codes for everyday locks. If you’ve ever frantically scrolled through an iPhone app or contacts list to try and find the PIN for a bank card you don’t use very often, the appeal should be obvious. Where 1Password gets particularly clever is in its support for team and family accounts, so you can share sets of information with everybody who needs it. And if a site you use has been compromised, 1Password will alert you to change your password. It’s great stuff, and comes with a glowing recommendation from Apple. Drafts
On the face of it, and by face we mean Apple Watch face, Drafts doesn’t seem to offer much for six quidbucks: it enables you to dictate text and save it for later. But it turns out that it does an awful lot...it just does it in a really simple way. On the iPhone, Drafts is designed to make it easy to capture ideas, thoughts, to-dos or anything else. It has an email-style interface for easy navigation and it enables you to send your Drafts to a whole bunch of other apps and services: email, message, apps in your Share sheet, social media and so on. It supports Markdown for easy formatting, and it hooks into the iMessage app to provide stored “snippets” of text and/or emoji for instant replies. Bringing Drafts to the Watch makes it even faster. Tap on the microphone icon to capture and it does just that - but it also enables you to add to existing drafts using either your voice or the Scribble input, which means it’s brilliant for those moments when you think of something really clever to write or something you’d missed from your to-do list. It’s the kind of app you’ll quickly learn to love. Hours
Many of us need to track the time we spend on specific tasks, but the team behind Hours rightly point out the three big pitfalls of time tracking: we forget to start tracking in the first place, forget to stop when we change tasks, or just forget to stop the timer(s) altogether. Hours hopes to address that by making it really, really easy to start and stop and switch. The iPhone app is a very beautiful thing, with a visual timeline that makes it easy to see what you’ve been up to. The Watch interface is much simpler, but just as effective: you can see the list of tasks with a timer icon for each, and if you tap on a task you can add a verbal note as well as starting or stopping the timer. There’s a Complication for instant access, and the app will prompt you from time to time to see if you want to keep the selected timer running. The standard version is free and ideal for self-employed or freelance types, but the $7.99/£5.99/AU$12.99 upgrade to Pro adds multi-device synchronization, web access, reporting and data visualizations, team creation and management, and online backup, which means it’s a great team tool too. Just Press Record
One of the most useful things about the Apple Watch is that it enables you to do things without having to take your phone out of your pocket or bag. Just Press Record brings that handiness to voice recording, enabling you to capture bright ideas, rambling monologues or memos when you’re out and about. The interface is just a big red button with a picture of a microphone on it, and as you might expect you tap it to start recording. The phone app can transcribe your recording to turn it into text - which means your recordings become searchable by keyword - and it recognises formatting commands such as “new paragraph” and “comma”. To use it is to feel like you’re living in the future: we remember when dictation and transcription required a powerful PC and endless patience, and now you get much better results with a watch. Isn’t technology brilliant? In addition to its recording and transcription features, the app syncs automatically via iCloud, so you can access it on all your devices - including macOS, for which there’s a separate app - and it uses the Watch’s own local storage so that you can record even if your phone isn’t currently connected. Evernote
Organize your life better with Evernote, the brilliant note-taking app which saves photos, text, recipes, bookmarks, voice notes and more. On Apple Watch you can set reminders and check off tasks easily enough. You can dictate new notes for those brilliant ideas you mustn't forget just by tapping the Plus button or Force Touching the screen. The Watch app can search existing notes using voice – though this wasn't as reliable as I'd have liked. Even so, if you're an Evernote fan it brings an extra level of convenience. OneNote
If there’s one thing the App Store isn’t short of, it’s note-taking apps. But it’s worth taking a look at OneNote, especially if you work across a range of Mac and PC devices, because as it syncs via Microsoft’s cloud, it’s a very good cross-platform app with particularly well-designed iPhone, iPad and Mac apps to organize pretty much everything. We use it for shopping lists, to-do lists, random scribbled ideas in the wee small hours and anything else we think we might need to refer to later, and unlike some rival cross-platform services it’s completely free. Microsoft hopes you’ll like it so much you’ll embrace Office, which is available for a very low price as part of a premium OneDrive plan. Microsoft has become rather good at keeping its Watch apps simple, and OneNote is no exception: tap the cross icon to dictate a new note, or tap a notebook or note to see its contents. And that’s pretty much all it does - and that’s all it needs to do, because any watch screen is poorly suited to complex tasks. We’d much rather have speed and simplicity than any ill-conceived bells and whistles. Knock
Passwords are essential, but they’re also rubbish. The ones you can remember are easy to guess, the ones that are hard to guess are equally hard to remember, and if you do passwords properly it can be a pain to enter complicated strings of text and characters when you’re in a hurry. Wouldn’t it be better if you could prove your identity to your Mac with your Watch? That’s exactly what Knock does. Knock is a simple idea brilliantly executed. Provided your Mac is of relatively recent vintage - an Air from 2011 or better, a MacBook Pro or iMac from late 2012, a 2013 or later Mac Pro and so on - you can use Knock to automatically unlock your Mac or Macs by tapping the Apple Watch app. It’s connecting via Bluetooth Low Energy - hence the reliance on relatively recent Macs; older ones don’t have Bluetooth LE - which uses tiny amounts of energy, so you don’t need to worry about the app killing your Watch’s battery any more than usual, and it works instantly if your Mac isn’t in sleep mode. It may seem quite pricey for such a simple app, but think about how much time you spend locking and unlocking your Macs in a year. Note that you may not need this if you have a recent Mac running macOS Sierra, as there’s a similar feature built in, but Knock is compatible with slightly older Macs too. Find Near Me
Guess what this does. Go on, guess. Yep: it finds things near you. Sadly that doesn’t mean the TV remote, your keys or the gaming controller – whoever finds a way of doing that which doesn’t involve sticking Bluetooth tags to everything will become a trillionaire – but it does mean cash machines, bars and coffee shops. The only in-app purchase is $2.99/£2.99/AU$4.49 to remove adverts from the iPhone app. It works exactly like you’d expect. First, you choose the category of thing you want to find. Then, you scroll through the results. And to finish, you tap the one you want to find out more about. From there you can then be guided on foot, in the car or on your bike. The app makes extensive use of Google Maps, and that means it’s only as good as the Google Maps data: some users report inaccuracies such as long-shut businesses. If you’re wondering why you can’t just use Google Maps and cut out the middleman, it’s because Google canned its Apple Watch app last year: if you want Google Maps on your wrist, you need a third-party app that hooks into it. Like this one. Deliveries
Is there anything more annoying than missing a delivery of something you’re really excited about? Yes: there’s missing a delivery of something that you really need to have in a hurry. Deliveries can help ensure that neither of those things happen to you. It supports stacks of services including UPS, FedEx, US Postal Service, DHL, TNT, Canada Post, City Link and Royal Mail, can track packages, can add delivery dates to your calendar and can record past deliveries in case you need to refer to them later. It’s unnecessary for the odd package, but it’s useful if you do a lot of online shopping or if you’re in the middle of a project, such as furnishing a flat. On the Watch the app acts as a ready reminder of what’s in and what’s incoming, so for example it’ll show you if an item has just been delivered as well as the ETA of any other outstanding deliveries. There’s a Complication too, which works particularly well on the Utility watch face and shows you the most recent delivery. If you have the macOS version of the app too you can automatically sync between Mac and mobile via iCloud or the developer’s own cloud sync service. Clicker
We’ve described the iPhone as the Very Hungry Caterpillar of tech, munching its way through entire product categories as stand-alone devices become iOS apps. We’re often delighted by the simplest things, and Clicker is one of those things. It’s a replacement for those hand-held clickers people use to count things, and it’s appropriate for counting people, days, laps, drinks or anything else you might want to quantify. To use it, just tap on the screen and tap again when you want another click. Haptic feedback means you don’t need to look at the watch, and you don’t need to have the clicker display all day: when you’re ready for a new click you can pull it up from its Complication. You can record up to 2,147,483,647 taps. And that’s pretty much it: there are only two other options: subtract, to remove a mistaken click, and reset, to start again. It’s hardly a must-have but it’s actually very handy, so for example we’ve seen users tracking how often they smoke during the day or how many glasses of water they’ve had. We wouldn’t recommend using it for counting sheep, though - or at least, not on the first-generation Apple Watch, whose battery isn’t really up to working nights. Stocard
One of the things we hoped Apple’s Wallet/Passbook app would deliver was an end to purses and wallets full of loyalty cards: our purse is so packed with the damn things that if we sit down with it in a back pocket one of our buttocks is a good six inches higher than the other. Wallet hasn’t quite changed that yet, but Stocard has a pretty good try. Stocard enables you to scan and store your loyalty cards (and some other cards such as some membership cards; generally speaking if it has a barcode or QR code on it, Stocard can probably digitize it), and then access them from your iPhone or Apple Watch when you’re at the checkout. Whether it works or not depends on the store infrastructure: until recently the self-scanners in Tesco didn’t like it, but now that they’ve been upgraded they scan happily. The cards are automatically added to your Apple Wallet as well as kept inside the Stocard app. The main benefit for you is convenience, as not only does Stocard reduce the amount of cards you have to carry without forcing you to miss out on loyalty points, but it also provides you with details of relevant special offers as you shop. Best Apple Watch apps for email, chat and messagingMicrosoft Outlook
Image credit: Microsoft
Microsoft makes some lovely iOS and Apple Watch apps, and this is one of them: it brings the power of Office apps together with Siri Shortcuts, enabling you to ask when your next meeting is or tell the team you’re running late. The Apple Watch app has been re-engineered to make it incredibly fast (the iPhone app is faster too), and it’s a great way to access email on the go if you’re in a Microsoft-based environment. In addition to improving things under the hood, Microsoft has also made some visual improvements. It has been updated to take advantage of the Complications available on the Apple Watch 4, so if you use the Infograph or Infograph Modular watch faces you can now configure a Complication to show the next event in your Outlook calendar. As with other iOS Office apps, Outlook is freemium: the app itself is free but it really needs an Office 365 Home or Office 365 Personal subscription to be truly useful. They’re currently $9.99/£8.99/AU$13.99 and $6.99/£6.49/AU$9.99 a month respectively as in-app purchases, but you can save a bit of money if you buy them directly from Microsoft instead. Shift Keyboard
If you think putting a normal keyboard on such a small screen is a step back, developer Adam Foot hopes to prove you wrong. The keys are sized for easy, accurate typing and compared to voice recognition or Scribble handwriting recognition there’s less risk of errors: what you tap is what you get. It’s worth noting that while Shift Keyboard can replace the keyboard on your iPhone, Apple doesn’t let apps do that on the Apple Watch: on your wrist, Shift Keyboard runs as a stand-alone app. It does provide a complication for your Apple Watch face so that you can quickly access it, though. The main attraction here isn’t so much the keys as the ability to add multiple emoji to your messages, something the Apple Watch isn’t brilliant at. All you need to do is create your emoji-packed message in the app and send it to Messages. If you tend to send messages that rely on a lot of visuals then Shift Keyboard will pay for itself quickly in terms of time saved, but if like us you tend to be more about plain text then it might be a harder sell. FlickType Keyboard
FlickType wants to make your Apple Watch text input faster and more accessible, promising up to three times faster input than using dictation or Scribble handwriting recognition. It uses the standard QWERTY layout but can read your letters aloud, enabling you to type eyes-free, which is particularly useful for blind or partially sighted users. The app uses an algorithm to try and guess what you’re trying to write based on the pattern of your taps – so it should get the right result even if you make a typo or two. If it does get things wrong or your typos are too hard to comprehend you can edit with a quick flick of the finger. The app also supports emoji and text shortcuts for even faster input. And it is very, very fast, with impressive accuracy. In an interesting reversal of the usual pricing model, the Apple Watch version of FlickType is free – but if you want to use the app on your iPhone or iPad you’ll need to subscribe. That’s presumably because Apple doesn’t let third-party keyboard apps replace the default Scribble service, so the app isn’t quite as flexible on your wrist as it is on your phone: you have to copy your text from FlickType into the app you’re using. Telegram
Oh, the drama: Telegram 5 initially dropped its Apple Watch companion app, but now it’s back! Back! BACK! The reason for this is that Telegram 5 has been rebuilt from the ground up to make it faster and more efficient; the Watch update simply wasn’t ready in time. Telegram is a secure instant messaging service that works on iPhone, iPad and once again, Apple Watch. It enables you to group chat with up to 30,000 people, which is more than enough for most of us, and unlike other messaging services it’s really good at sharing things like documents, zip files and other useful things. It’s both free and ad-free, and if you’re worried about privacy you can take part in Secret Chats where messages self-destruct after a specified time. As with all private apps that doesn’t stop somebody taking a screenshot, taking a photo or duplicating content in some other way, but the end-to-end encryption does mean you can be confident that others aren’t listening in. Telegram’s main selling point is its efficiency. It’s designed to do its job with the minimum amount of data transfer necessary, something that’s important in places with poor network coverage or for people with metered data connections, and it’s also designed to operate with the minimum load on your battery. Tweetbot 4
If you aren’t already familiar with Tweetbot 4, it’s the best Mac and iOS Twitter client bar none. This is why it can charge $4.99/£4.99/AU$7.99 for an iOS app and people gladly pay it, and it’s worth checking out on the Apple Watch too. Tweetbot doesn’t unleash the Twitter firehose onto your wrist - we can’t think of anything guaranteed to kill your battery more quickly - but it does give you exactly the information you need when you aren’t looking at your phone. The developers have rightly assumed that if you have your phone to hand you won’t be using the watch instead, so they’ve concentrated on making an app for when you can’t or don’t want to pull your phone out of your pocket or purse. And that’s clever. Its Activity pane shows you what’s happening in your feed, so if somebody’s followed you or replied to you or tweeted you then you’ll see it in Activity. Tapping on the item opens the appropriate tweet or user page, and with tweets you’ll see icons for a quick reply, a retweet or a like. If you push into the screen using Force Touch you get an offer to create a new tweet, and both it and the reply option use Siri for dictation, because on-watch typing would be frankly horrible - and you can dictate a direct message or follow/unfollow accounts from the app too. Outlook
Microsoft earned well-deserved death stares from many Watch users when it bought and retired the excellent Sunrise Calendar iOS app, but its Outlook app is worth adding to your wrist. It’s from the new, interesting Microsoft, not the staid bore of old: it works well, looks great and won’t crash your watch. Outlook is a combined email and calendar app that connects to Microsoft Exchange, Office 365, Outlook.com, Hotmail, MSN, Gmail, Yahoo and iCloud, and its main claim to fame is the focused inbox: instead of showing you everything emailed, it shows the most important stuff only and learns by watching your swipes. It’s particularly good in a corporate environment, where its talents cope admirably with endless meeting requests, time changes and backside-covering email traffic, enabling you to prioritize things that matter and forget about things that don’t. That doesn’t mean it’s only for corporate types, though. Outlook is a really, really good email app and boasts a useful Complication that enables you to see what’s next on your schedule from the main Apple Watch display. If you have a busy life, a busy inbox or both it’s a very useful app to have on your arm. Spark
There’s no shortage of apps promising to make email fun again, and Spark is one of our favorites: on our Mac and on our iPhone it does a superb job of showing us what we want and hiding what we don’t. The Apple Watch app is as well thought-out as its siblings, with the ability to use Messages-style quick replies as well as emoji and dictation. It’s quite possible to reply to most everyday emails without reaching for your iPhone, although the option to Handoff is there if a message is too long to bother scrolling through on your wrist. The main selling point for Spark is its Smart Inbox, which groups messages from multiple accounts into personal, notification and newsletter categories. It then displays how many unread messages you have for each category in the Watch app’s home screen. You can pin messages for quick access, and you can snooze them to hide them for a specified period of time. We find ourselves using that last one a lot: messages we can’t process properly on our wrists are quickly snoozed so they’ll resurface when we’re back at our Macs. If you have to handle a lot of email Spark is a massive time saver. Twitterrific
There are lots of reasons to love Twitter, but there are lots of reasons to find it annoying too. Promoted tweets filling your timeline, people talking about subjects you couldn’t care less about, people retweeting people you couldn’t care less about, Piers Morgan… wouldn’t it be great if you could have a Twitter without all of those things? Don’t look to the official app for that any time soon. Go for Twitterrific instead. Now in its fifth incarnation, Twitterrific on iOS is a superb Twitter tool. The Watch features require a $2.99/£2.99/AU$4.49 in-app purchase to work fully, and they’re worth paying for: you can track your stats, be notified about direct messages, favorites, new followers and other action, use Handoff to start replies on your phone, compose tweets via dictation and block idiots instantly. We’d recommend keeping notifications to an absolute minimum unless you only follow a few people - Twitter can be incredibly noisy when you follow and/or are followed by lots of people - but the Watch app is a great way of staying on top of Twitter while you’re out and about. It also reduces the risk of picking up your phone and thinking “while I’m here I’ll just check…” and losing hours to trivia. Canary Mail
Canary Mail is a first: it’s the first third-party email app to use the Apple Watch 3’s 4G/LTE connection so you can access your email without lugging your iPhone around. The feature is officially in beta but if you’re in the market for a new email app it’s a compelling reason to consider Canary over other iPhone email clients. The Watch support delivers short extracts of emails and the ability to quickly reply via scribbling or voice dictation. The main iPhone app is very good indeed, supporting all the main email providers (including iCloud and, if IMAP’s enabled on the server, Exchange) and enabling you to use PGP, to use natural language search and to bulk-delete irrelevant or spammy emails. It offers email templates for frequently used messages, easy unsubscribing and integration with cloud storage, to-do and calendar services, and the none-more-black interface looks particularly good on the iPhone X’s OLED display. It’s worth keeping an eye on the price if you’re considering Canary: it’s gone from being offered as a free trial for a few days with in-app purchases to $4.99/£4.99, and then to the current price of $9.99/£9.99/AU$14.99. Best Apple Watch apps for education and learning
LookUp
If you’re going to charge four bucks, dollars or smackeroonies for a word-of-the-day app it had better be good – and LookUp is good, satisfying, pleasing and agreeable. Yes, we’ve been playing with its thesaurus. The main LookUp app has extensive definitions, the aforementioned thesaurus and the ability to create collections of favorite words, and it also comes in a user-friendly Watch form so you can improve your vocabulary when your phone isn’t handy. As you’d expect from a word-of-the-day app, every day you get a word – but it’s what happens afterwards that makes LookUp good. If you tap on the word on your wrist you get not just a definition but also example sentences, details of where the word came from and even the Wikipedia entry where appropriate. The app also supports Handoff, so you can move to your phone if you want to look into more detailed information or access the thesaurus. The natural home for LookUp is in the Siri watch face, but it also comes with complications you can use to call the app up whenever you feel like boosting your vocabulary. The app has also been tweaked to improve its performance, making it noticeably faster than before. Daily Dictionary
Daily Dictionary is a great example of the kind of apps that really work on your wrist: rather than blast you with notifications or try to cram tons of things into that relatively tiny screen, it delivers a little nugget of information that you might otherwise miss. That nugget, of course, is a word. Every day, Daily Dictionary comes up with a new word. That can appear in your Apple Watch face’s complication, or as a push notification, or you can call the app directly. The complication is well designed, as it also includes today’s date, so you don’t need to have as separate date complication, enabling you to use your limited complication space for something else. The word selection is practical rather than esoteric. The aim is to provide you with words you’ll actually use, so there’s no jargon or scientific terms you’re unlikely to use in your everyday conversations or writing. And the app enables you to see recent updates to catch up on any words you might have missed. The core app is free, although a small purchase of just £2.99/$2.99/AU$4.49 a year unlocks the ability to customize the Apple Watch display. Rosetta Stone
Rosetta Stone is one of the big brands in language learning, and its various apps have won shelves full of awards for its combination of effective teaching and user-friendly app design. The Apple Watch counterpart to its main iPhone app is a good example of how the Watch can be used to supplement more fully featured apps: it’s tailored to the kinds of environments where the Apple Watch is the perfect device for a quick practice. Rosetta Stone is all about real-life situations: ordering in restaurants, choosing things in shops, saying hello to people and so on. The Watch is ideally placed to practice that, and it’s set out with sensible categories and simple and fast navigation to get you to the bit you need, with audio examples of how to do it. The main thing to watch out for here is the price: while the app itself is free, it’s useless without a language subscription. There are 24 languages to choose from and they start at $109.99/£93.99/AU$159.99 per year per language, with bundles for languages such as Spanish and French offering 5 levels for $199.99/£199.99/AU$319.99. Think of the app as a demo for the Rosetta Stone service rather than a stand-alone app. Best Apple Watch apps for news and sportsBBC News
Of course, bigger screens such as phones and, you know, TVs are best for expansive looks at the news, so the Watch's little face is reserved for headlines and photos with BBC News. These appear in Glances and tapping on one takes you to a very slightly fuller version, and lets you access the other headlines. You can create a personalised news list on the iPhone and these show up in the Watch app, too. Ideal for snacking on headlines and letting you follow up with the main story elsewhere. NHL
NHL isn’t just for American hockey fans, its app is one of the few legal ways to watch NHL games in the rest of the world. The official NHL app has been given an extensive update for the 2018/2019 season, including the addition of Apple Watch support to display scoreboards and summaries and to notify you of the most exciting happenings. Sensibly there’s also an option to turn off notifications if you can’t tune in live and don’t want to spoil your viewing later. The main iPhone/iPad app is very comprehensive, offering highlights, radio broadcasts and video streams as well as tons of in-game information. For US fans actually visiting the games, it even shows you where to get food and drink in the arena. In a nice touch you can also customize the app to reflect your favorite team’s colors. High quality sports apps don’t tend to come cheap, and NHL is no exception: if you want to access the NHL.tv video you’ll pay £17.99/AU$27.49 per month to access the content from outside the US or $24.99 if you’re a US customer. We’re hoping the latest update crushes some of the bugs that seem to have plagued earlier versions of the app. There’s nothing worse than an app that freezes just before something really exciting happens. Best Apple Watch apps for math and moneyBlueWallet
This one’s more of an experiment for early adopters than a prime-time app for mainstream users: it’s a way to bring Bitcoin to the Apple Watch, and if you don’t have any Bitcoin or even know what Bitcoin is then it’s definitely not an app for you. It’s a spin-off from the popular BlueWallet Bitcoin app and based on the same Lightning Network, but unlike the main app there’s no opportunity to spend your riches in the included Marketplace: the Watch component is strictly read- and receive-only. If you’re wondering why anybody might want to receive Bitcoin payments on their Apple Watch, that’s a question that the app is designed to address: it has been released partly to find out whether people would actually use a Bitcoin app on their wrist. Speaking to coindesk.com, product and UX engineer Nuno Coelho suggests that “sometimes the convenience… with two taps from your wrist can be a relevant user experience, specially on the go or if you need to be fast.” Coelho says “if feedback is good, we’ll spend more time on the project… we’re trying to figure out how to build this stuff properly.” Calzy 3
We’ve raved about the excellent PCalc calculator app, but Calzy is a worthy rival. The latest version, version 3, is a significant redesign that’s been optimized for iOS 11. The most obvious difference is that the operators – plus, minus and so on – are on the same screen as the numbers, and that means it’s much faster to carry out multiple calculations, provided your fingers are fairly accurate: more buttons means a smaller tap area for each one. It also shows you the running total as you go along, so for example if you’re doing a calculation where it’s this plus that times whatever you’ll see the results as you tap. It’s not as comprehensive as PCalc, but if all you need is a straightforward calculator on your wrist it’s a good bit cheaper. The main iPhone app, as you might expect, does a lot more than the Watch app. It has light and dark themes, a customizable keypad, Handoff support and even a searchable history of every calculation you’ve made. It also offers currency rounding to keep numbers to two decimal places, and you can tap and hold to edit part of a formula if you realize you’ve made a mistake halfway through. PCalc
The apps we tend to love the most are the ones that solve real-world problems, and PCalc falls into that category. Yes, it's a fantastically useful calculator and scientific calculator, but much more importantly it prevents fisticuffs in restaurants. That's because of its handy bill splitter. Simply tell it how much the bill comes to, how many people are paying and how big a tip you want to leave, and the Watch app calculates how much each person should hand over. It supports watchOS 3's Scribble feature too, so you don't need to dictate or tap on a tiny keypad if you've downed that second bottle of wine. Alternatively you can use the Digital Crown to enter the figure in the tip calculator. That's not all the Watch app can do, though. It includes a converter for distances and other measurements, and if you Force Touch the app you'll see a Send To iPhone icon as well as the clear and undo buttons. And on the iPhone the main app is a great tool for serious calculating (and quick sums: there's a mini-calculator if you Force Touch the app icon). It's not the cheapest calculator app, but it's worth the money. Pennies
Pennies was a recent Apple Editor’s Choice, for good reason: it’s a very simple and effective budgeting app that allows you to get on top of your spending without having to spend too much time doing so. You can set weekly, monthly, bi-weekly, bi-monthly, one-off and custom budgets, track in multiple currencies - great for holidays or business travel - and on the Watch, all you need to do is record how much you’ve spent against a particular budget, so for example if you have a shopping budget you’d tap it, tap Spend, and then enter the total. The app then recalculates the amount you’ve got left, and if you wish you can have it displayed as a permanent Complication on the Watch face. Pennies isn’t interested in what you’ve bought; just what budget it should be allocated to. As the developer puts it, “it’s all about keeping things easy and flexible so you can get on with having fun, spending what you want, and saving money at the end of the month.” If like us you find personal finance a mix of tedium and terror, Pennies might be the app that helps you take control of your cash. XE Currency
Currency converters abound on the iPhone and XE Currency is one of the best. While the Watch version doesn't have the calculator feature found on the phone, it's a clear chart of how many euros, Argentine pesos or Australian dollars a British pound buys. You can add more currencies on the phone version – whatever's there is replicated on the Watch. A button at the base of the screen lets the iPhone app control the refresh rates, so you can avoid roaming charges. Best Apple Watch apps for travel, weather and going outCitymapper
Citymapper is the pre-eminent public transport app, so no wonder it's an Apple Watch essential. It tells you how to get around selected cities including London, Manchester, Paris, Barcelona and New York. As well as bus, train and subway times and directions, the Watch app even offers cycling routes and bike hire details such as London's rentable bikes. Once you've set up the journey on the phone, step-by-step notifications will appear on the Watch screen. You can start journeys to home or previously saved destinations right from the Watch, and it will even help you find your way to nearby bus stops and train stations. Brilliant, just brilliant. Transit
Transit is mainly for American users, but its city coverage extends to more than 50 non-US cities including London and Paris too. It’s a public transport app, and it works on a simple and largely accurate assumption: when you use the app, you’re in a hurry. That means instant information for departures on nearby routes and a Take Me Home button that tells you how to get home as quickly and simply as possible. In a single screen it offers directions, details of the station, the next three departures and the number of the service. Public transport tends to bring out the best in designers - think the simple genius of the London Underground map or the colorful signage on the New York subway - and that’s definitely the case here. Transit makes excellent use of color and typography to provide all the information you need in a very effective way. It may only shave a few seconds off your travel time, but if you’ve ever harbored dark thoughts when someone at the gate in front of you is wasting time you’ll know that for commuters, every single second counts. If you spend a lot of time traveling, you’ll save a lot of time with Transit. Microsoft Translator
You know you’re living in interesting times when one of the best apps for an Apple device comes from Microsoft. But Translator is superb. We refer to the Hitchhiker’s Guide to The Galaxy in another entry, and Microsoft Translator is the closest we’ve come to its Babel Fish - a fish you stuck in your ear to translate the universe’s many languages. Translator sits on your wrist rather than in your ear canal, but it does much the same thing. Speak into your watch and you’ll see the translation, and it remembers recent translations on Watch or phone so you can find them again easily. You can also pin translations for instant access to essential words or phrases. It gets even better if you use it on your phone, because it can translate in real time as you message somebody. You’ll see your typing with the translation in the same bubble, and it can even handle simplified Chinese and Arabic script. The amount of thought that’s gone into Translator is obvious. Want to translate a sign? Point your camera at it. Want to have a conversation in a language you don’t speak? The phone display splits with your words facing you and the translation facing them. Night Sky
Night Sky is one of those gee-whiz apps that you use to show off your iPhone, and the introduction of a complication to let you know if the International Space Station was overhead was cute in a geeky way. But the arrival of watchOS 4 has given the developers plenty of new toys to play with, and that means Night Sky is now one of those gee-whiz apps you use to show off your Apple Watch. With this version of the app, your Watch now gets the same Sky Tracking features as the iPhone app has: you can now raise your wrist and identify the stars, planets and constellations around you. There’s a time travel feature too, so you can track how the various heavenly bodies will move. It’s enormously clever and very impressive, and the main iPhone app isn’t bad either, as its Sky View knows of 115,000 celestial objects and enables you to increase or decrease light pollution, explore animated 3D models and customize notifications. If you sign up for the $1.99/£1.99/AU$2.99 monthly premium subscription you get access to worldwide sky tours that you can save for future use - for example if you’re planning to visit a particular location in the near future. Foursquare City Guide
Foursquare’s mission has changed somewhat over the years: what started off based around location check-ins and “king of the castle” bragging had to change when Facebook promptly copied the idea. Robbed of its raison d’être, these days Foursquare has separated the check-ins from the venue recommendations. Foursquare City Guide’s job is to find decent bars and restaurants wherever you are in the world (if you still want to be the mayor of wherever, that’s the companion app, Foursquare Swarm). The main interface of City Guide has five tappable areas: Search, Favorites, Food, Coffee and Nightlife. Tapping on the appropriate option takes you to a list of venues, but instead of just filtering by distance the app also filters by Foursquare user ratings - so a rating of 9.5 that’s 500m away will appear below a 9.7 that’s 100m further. The list gives you the name, price bracket, average rating and distance for each venue, and if you tap on a venue you’ll see reviews, photos, maps and other key information. The big selling point here is Foursquare’s global reach: it’s a really good app for travellers who don’t want to spend their time in the hotel bar or eating in faceless chain restaurants. ETA - Arrive on time
Like Citymapper, ETA will help you get somewhere. The title refers to its front-and-centre information. You add a location on the iPhone and save it. Then it'll give you timings for driving, walking or taking public transport. Some watch faces allow it as a complication, where it'll show the time it'll take to your top saved route. It knows what traffic is like so allows extra time for a drive in rush hour, say. On the Watch app you tap the chosen saved destination and it'll take you through to Maps for directions. Similarly, for public transport directions in select cities Maps will provide the directions. iTranslate
This powerful translation app works in 90 languages. It's free but for full Watch use you'll need the $6.99/£6.99/AU$10.99 in-app purchase which offers voice recognition and unlimited translations. A Watch complication means you can tap on the screen to start translating straight away and if you'll let it, iTranslate will use your location to figure out what language it should be translating to or from. It also responds to Time Travel so by winding the Digital Crown you can see phrases which change such as "Good afternoon" which is replaced by "Good evening" as you scroll forward. Dark Sky Weather
Dark Sky is the first app we put on any new Apple device, and the Apple Watch is no exception. In fact, we think Dark Sky is at its most useful when you’re wearing it on your wrist. What Dark Sky does seems very simple, but is actually very clever. It tells you what the weather’s going to do - not in a vague sense, but as in telling you that it’s going to bucket down in ten minutes and that the storm won’t stop for an hour. That means it’s the perfect app for anybody who’s thinking about going outside for any reason, or who’s already outside and really ought to be getting inside in a big hurry. In more dramatic climates it alerts of dangerous weather such as storms, and you can set it to notify you of specific kinds of weather that you select in the companion iPhone app. We use it to decide if now is a good time to walk the dog, if it’s time to get the kids back to the car or if we really shouldn’t be going out dressed like that; you might use it when you’re hiking or biking, or doing any other activity that could be affected by changes in the weather. If you used Dark Sky in the early days of the Apple Watch and found it painfully slow and unresponsive, give it another go: the current version runs on the watch, not on the phone, and the difference in performance really is dramatic. Yahoo Weather
Dark Sky and CARROT Weather get all the reviews, but Yahoo’s weather app is a lovely thing on the Apple Watch. It takes the same colorful, minimalist approach as the iPhone/iPad app, with screens showing trend lines for temperature, precipitation and wind speed, along with sunrise and sunset times and where the sun is right now, whether it’s going to rain and what the temperature highs and lows will be. You don’t get the right-now weather warnings of Dark Sky or the sass of CARROT, just a clear, easy to understand and really well-presented set of predictions. It’s not all sunshine and flowers, though. The host app is pretty big - 137MB, which is on the large side for a weather app, given that the UK Met Office app is 80MB and Dark Sky 20.8MB - and the accuracy of the weather forecasts seems to depend on where you live. US users seem very happy with it, but UK users say it’s a little pessimistic: while it rains a lot in Britain, it doesn’t rain quite as often as Yahoo Weather says it will. Then again, it’s better to warn of rain and be pleasantly surprised than to predict good weather when the skies are about to open. Circa
It’s not a surprise that the Apple Watch attracts a lot of apps built around the idea of time, but few of them are as simple and as useful as Circa. It’s designed for global travellers or people whose life involves communicating with people around the world, and answers a simple and important question: is this a good time? It may be a simple question, but it’s often a tough question to answer. If you’ve ever tried to find a time for a virtual meeting that works not just for you and your local colleagues but for colleagues halfway across the world you’ll know how much of a pain in the neck it can be. Are they EST or PST? Are they behind us or ahead of us? Circa remembers these things so you don’t have to, offering crystal clear guides to when people are going to be available and when they should be in their bed. It’s a niche app, but many of the very best Apple Watch apps are: it’s simple, beautifully designed and does exactly what it sets out to do. If you need this kind of thing, this is exactly what you need. TripIt - Travel Organizer
Whether you’re a road warrior or an occasional holidayer, keeping track of the various aspects of your trip can be a pain. TripIt solves that by pulling all your travel-related documentation together. All you need to do is send your travel confirmation emails - flights, hotels, car hire - to TripIt and the app will automatically organize them and tell you the information you need when you need it. If you use Gmail, Outlook.com or Yahoo mail you can get TripIt to monitor your mailbox automatically, which makes things even easier. If you’re in the US, it even tells you when it’s time to head for the airport. The phone app stores your itinerary and key documents, and the Watch app lets you know what’s important right now - so if you’re about to board a flight you’ll see the flight number and departure time, if you’re checking in you’ll see a booking reference and so on. Things get really clever with the Pro subscription ($48.99/£38.99/AU$77.99), which adds live flight notifications, seat tracking and alternative flight finding should your plans change. That’s probably unnecessary for most people, though: the free version of the app includes all the essentials you need for any kind of travel. CARROT Weather
We’ve mentioned CARROT Weather before: it’s our go-to app when we want the weather forecast delivered by a hyper-intelligent artificial entity that wishes we were dead. In this massive update the app becomes even more horrible, and we mean that in a good way. There are complications for your Apple Watch face as well as a completely misanthropic Watch app with all the weather information you could possibly need, displayed silently or spoken aloud depending on your preferences. We particularly like the way you can specify just how horrible CARROT is to you, along with its political leanings. And on the accompanying iPhone app there’s a really fun feature that uses Apple’s ARKit to bring the forecast into augmented reality. The developers are upfront about their pricing: if you want to use Weather Underground data instead of the default Dark Sky and take advantage of its radar pictures too, those features cost the devs extra money so you’ll need to pay another $9.99/£8.99/AU$14.49 per year for the Ultrapremium Club in-app purchase. There’s also a cheaper Premium Club ($3.99/£3.49/AU$5.49pa) that enables you to customize the complications, to receive weather alerts and to have background data updates. It’s worth it. Best Apple Watch apps for food and drinkGrocery - Smart Grocery List
It’s hard to get excited about grocery shopping, we know, but we’re all in favor of any app that makes it easier to ensure we actually get the things we need when we go shopping. Now in version 2, Grocery does just that. As you’d expect from the name it’s a grocery list app, but this particular app is built around Apple’s own Reminders, so it’s easy to access your lists and to share them online with others. It features Siri support so you can say things such as “Add eggs to my grocery list”, and you can create Siri shortcuts for groups of items – which is handy if there are specific ingredients you tend to buy together for particular meals. One of the cleverest features is the way Grocery analyses your shopping: as you tick off items it remembers the order in which you did them, so the next time you hit the shops your list will be in an order that reflects where things actually are in the shop rather than the order in which you remembered them. It does this on a per-store basis, and the different stores can be geofenced so that your Watch knows exactly where it is and where to find what you need. Just Eat
Proving that you should never underestimate our basic laziness, Just Eat created an app for people who couldn’t be bothered using the telephone to call for a takeaway. Now, it’s added an app for people who can’t be bothered reaching for their iPhone to open the Just Eat app. One day historians may look back on this as one of the key steps in the downfall of western civilisation. Then again, easy pizza! The Just Eat app is UK-only - if you’re in the US, try the Domino’s Apple Watch app instead - and it enables you to choose, order and pay for takeaways from the comfort of your wrist thanks to Apple Pay integration. You can also choose to collect instead of having the meal delivered, but let’s be honest: if you can’t be bothered getting your phone you’re hardly going to want to go outside to collect your food - although if you’re driving it’s handy to order a pickup with a few taps. The main iPhone/iPad app is much more attractive and informative, but when it comes to ordering regulars from your favorite local takeaways it doesn’t get much easier than having Just Eat on your wrist. Yelp
You’ve probably noticed something of a trend in our favorite apps: they tend to approach their mission by asking what useful things the watch can do rather than trying to cram an entire phone app into that tiny screen, irrespective of whether that’s sane or useful. Yelp is a great example of an app that gets it right. When you open it you’ll see just four icons: Restaurants, Bars, Coffee & Tea, and Hot & New. Tapping on the one you’re interested in then shows you a list sorted by distance, with the all-important star ratings and average cost listed on top of a photograph. Tap again and you’ll get the opening hours and a map, and of course you can read the reviews too - that’s what Yelp is all about. It’s particularly good for the kind of venues and experiences popular among bright young things in big cities, (the most committed Yelpers), but the database is truly enormous and doesn’t turn into tumbleweed whenever you venture into the countryside. Yelp’s app is very good for finding places in unfamiliar towns, or unfamiliar places in towns you know very well. Chipotle
I sometimes wear my messy Chipotle burritos while scarfing down the healthy-ish Mexican platters, but I'm also purposely wearing Chipotle on my wrist to send order to the store via my Apple Watch. While it's not the most groundbreak app, I can create a one-tap order with the Chipotle Apple Watch app and have my meal ready to go while I'm on the treadmill at the gym next door. It's as efficient as it is calorie rich. The best part is, I get the skip the always massive line. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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