Apple : Companies aren't keeping their cloud data secure |
- Companies aren't keeping their cloud data secure
- iPhone 12 could have telescopic telephoto lens, according to patent
- The best Xbox One X prices, bundles and deals in October 2019: where to buy the 4K Xbox
- Adobe is deactivating thousands of user accounts
- The cheapest Xbox One bundle deals and sale prices in October 2019
- Wales vs Fiji live stream: how to watch Rugby World Cup 2019 match from anywhere
- Wi-Fi 6 routers: the best Wi-Fi 6 routers you can buy in 2019
- Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order: gameplay, release date, trailers and news
- Could your next smartwatch replace your phone?
- Any laptop or PC can get Wi-Fi 6 with this single upgrade
- When it comes to esports, Intel is backing university students as the future
- iPhone XR deals: latest price drop takes fight to iPhone 11 ahead of Black Friday
- OnePlus 7T Pro release date, price, news and leaks
- US blacklists Chinese AI startups
- Remember Intel Kaby Lake-G? Well, it's dead now
- Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order's recommended PC specs are stressful
- Your next Android phone will come with an app to monitor your irresponsible usage
- Disney Plus streaming service pricing, launch date, and exclusive shows
- Best cloud storage of 2019 online: free, paid and business options
- The best iPhone 6S deals and UK contracts in October 2019
| Companies aren't keeping their cloud data secure Posted: 08 Oct 2019 02:48 PM PDT As organizations increasingly turn to the cloud to store data, a new global study from Thales, with research from the Ponemon Institute, has revealed that only a third (32%) of organizations employ a security-first approach to data storage in the cloud. To compile its 2019 Thales Global Cloud Security Study, the firm surveyed more than 3,000 IT and IT security practitioners from Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, India, Japan, the UK and the US. Of those surveyed, only one in three (31%) organizations believe that protecting data in the cloud is their own responsibility. Thales' study found that nearly half (48%) of organizations have a multi-cloud strategy with AWS, Microsoft Azure and IBM being the top three cloud providers. On average, organizations use three different cloud computing service providers and 28 percent are using four or more.
Despite storing sensitive data in the cloud, almost half (46%) of respondents revealed that storing consumer data in the cloud makes them more of a security risk with 56 percent noting that it poses a compliance risk as well. Additionally, organizations believe that cloud service providers bear the most responsibility for sensitive data in the cloud (35%), ahead of shared responsibility (33%) and themselves (31%). Although businesses are pushing the responsibility of securing data in the cloud onto cloud providers, only 23 percent of respondents said security is a factor when choosing a cloud service. Lack of encryptionThales discovered that a little over half (51%) of businesses and other organizations still do not use encryption to protect sensitive data in the cloud. However, the study uncovered regional disparities in terms of data security with German organizations being the most advanced in their use of encryption at 66 percent. The study also revealed that organizations have begun to hand over the keys to their encrypted data to cloud providers. Nearly half of cloud companies (44%) provide encryption keys when data is stored in the cloud, ahead of in-house teams (36%) and third parties (19%). Additionally, 53 percent of cloud providers are controlling these encryption keys themselves despite the fact that 78 percent of respondents say it is important that their organization retains control of the keys. Of those surveyed, 54 percent think cloud storage makes it more difficult to protect sensitive data and this figure is up from 49% last year. Vice president of market strategy for cloud protection and licensing activity at Thales, Tina Stewart provided further insight on the study's findings, saying: “This study shows that businesses today are taking advantage of the opportunities that new cloud options offer, but aren’t adequately addressing data security. Having pushed the responsibility towards cloud providers, it is surprising to see that security is not a primary factor during the selection process. It doesn’t matter what model or provider you choose, the security of your business’ data in the cloud has to be your responsibility. Your organisation’s reputation is on the line when a data breach occurs, so it is critical to ensure in-house teams keep a close eye on your security posture and always retain control of encryption keys.”
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| iPhone 12 could have telescopic telephoto lens, according to patent Posted: 08 Oct 2019 02:16 PM PDT A pair of new patents suggest future iPhones – perhaps even the iPhone 12 coming next year - could use multiple lenses stacked in front of an angled mirror, telescope-style, to make better optical telephoto lenses without a bigger camera bump. If that sounds familiar, it’s how the Huawei P30 Pro manages to achieve a 5x telephoto lens: by stacking lenses lengthwise within the phone’s body and using a mirror to angle the shot out of the phone’s back. For once, Apple is chasing Huawei. The US Patent and Trademark Office granted Apple two patents on Tuesday – the first for a "folded lens system with five refractive lenses" and the second for a lens with "three refractive lenses.” The former’s paperwork includes this diagram - note that the shorter end faces out through the back of the phone, assumedly where camera blocks are on modern phones.
The five-part version offers the equivalent of 35mm focal length in the range of 50 to 85mm fit for a wide-angle camera, Apple Insider pointed out. Likewise, the three-part version offers 35mm-equivalent imaging for between 80-200mm, which would be useful for telephoto lenses. In other words: Apple might use this horizontal-stacking-with-mirror setup for more than just its zoom photography. The advantage of rerouting much of the magnification horizontally is obvious. Phones can only stack so many lenses within the current thickness of phones: the iPhone 11 Pro is 8.1mm (or around 1/3 of an inch) thick, and consumers aren’t fond of camera blocks protruding far beyond the back of phones. Getting higher optical magnification – which is fundamentally superior to digital zoom – without making phones thicker is a design win (even if more room must be made within the guts of phones to accommodate). Patents promise tech in future iPhones – sooner or laterWhether these designs actually make it into Apple’s next smartphone, the assumedly-named iPhone 12, or a future model is impossible to tell. Heck, it could never end up in an iPhone if the company finds a superior strategy for zooming in – or just abandons the idea entirely. But given Huawei has already realized this design in a production phone – with zoom lenses that placed it at the top of our best camera phones list – we’d imagine Apple is looking for ways to improve the photographic capabilities of its next flagship handsets. If this isn’t the way, we’d be curious to see what Apple ends up choosing.
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| The best Xbox One X prices, bundles and deals in October 2019: where to buy the 4K Xbox Posted: 08 Oct 2019 01:43 PM PDT We've actually had a solid few months of excellent Xbox One X prices recently. It's still the most expensive console on the market, but we're seeing bundles coming in way under the initial release price, and often with a free game too. Gamers looking for the most powerful console ever made have have been keen to pick up Xbox One X deals since release but there was a high cost to pay in the early days. Until recently, prices have been high at most stores if you weren't sure where to look. That's where we come in as our dedicated team of Deal Hunters cut through the chaff to bring you only the very best Xbox One X deals every day, and we've got some excellent ones for you today. In this article you'll find a comparison chart with the lowest prices on where to buy the 4K HDR Xbox One X console from a wide range of the best retailers. After the comparison chart we've put together a collection of the latest bundles in the USA and UK. These Xbox One X bundles will save you money over buying the items separately. If you're after information on the latest Australian deals, head over to our Australian page. The best Black Friday Xbox One X deals and pricesIf the deals below don't grab your attention, fear not. Black Friday is coming up next month and it's a fantastic oppournity to find massive deals on Xbox consoles. Lucky for you, we've created a Black Friday 2019 deals guide so you can find all the top sales in one place. The best Xbox One X pricesUS Xbox One X bundles are really stepping things up now after seriously slow start at launch. There's never been a better time to buy actually as you're getting genuine discounts and free content for the first time in ages. What is the Xbox One X price?The Xbox One X MSRP is $499 in the US and the UK RRP currently sits at £449. So sure, it looks like UK gamers are paying considerable more as the direct currency conversion would have it at £390. On the plus side, retailers are starting to cut prices and we're seeing games bundled in too. So you should never pay those costs for the console alone today. Why should I buy an Xbox One X?Just to be clear, this is not what you'd call a 'next-gen' console. Instead it's a more powerful version over the current Xbox One lineup. To simplify things, it's akin to Sony's PS4 Pro. Both consoles are aimed at gamers with a 4K HDR TV who want the best graphical performance possible on their favored console. There will be modest performance boosts on non-4K TVs too, but you're kind of missing the point without a 4K HDR TV. The Xbox One X will play all Xbox One games and there are no games released exclusively for the Xbox One X, so there's certainly no reason to throw away your older Xbox One. The Xbox One X is the most powerful console ever made though, even outshining some of the specs of the PS4 Pro. But given the huge asking price, you'd hope as much. The Xbox One X is making bold claims about true native 4K gaming though and if you have a 4K TV with High Dynamic Range (HDR) technology, the Xbox One X is ready to seriously impress with the likes of Forza Motorsport 7, Metro: Exodus and Anthem acting as true jaw-droppers in the graphics department. Where can I buy an Xbox One X?Most of the usual big name retailers are stocking the Xbox One X. Prices are much better than they were at launch now too. Keep an eye on the highlighted Xbox One X bundles above and our comparison chart, which we'll keep up to date on the latest prices for the Xbox One X on its own. So feel free to bookmark us and check in again soon to see if we've found the deal that's right for you. What is the Xbox One X release date?It's here now! The Xbox One X came out on November 7 2017. That was a worldwide release date too. What if I don't care about 4K or want to save money?The standard Xbox One S is a fantastic games console and you'll easily be able to get one with a few games for around $220/£200 or less. There are cheap deals all year round on our Xbox One deals and PS4 prices, deals and bundles pages. Only kidding. I want 4K HDR in my face right now.4K TVs with HDR are nowhere near as expensive as you'd think. The prices have come down much faster than the original HD TVs, so you can get a decent model for a low price. Hell we've seen some nice ones for less than the price of the Xbox One X itself (what a ridiculous world we live in). For the best of the best, take a look at our best TV article. We've also rounded up the best cheap 4K TV deals too in the UK, and also a collection of US TV deals. How big is the hard drive in the Xbox One X?For now, the only option available is the 1TB option, that's 1000GB of storage. There are no official plans for larger versions.. With some 4K-friendly update patches to games coming in at over 100GB, we certainly wouldn't hold out for a cheaper 500GB Xbox One X, as it'd be a bit pointless to be honest. We think gamers are going to fill up the 1TB Xbox One pretty soon. Thankfully the Xbox One X is compatible with external hard drives using USB 3.0. So if you need some extra storage, check out our list of the best external hard drives. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Adobe is deactivating thousands of user accounts Posted: 08 Oct 2019 12:48 PM PDT The US software giant Adobe has announced that it will soon cancel the subscriptions and deactivate the accounts of all Venezuelan users in an effort to comply with US sanctions on the country passed over the summer. The company will give Venezuelans until October 28 to download all of the files stored in their Adobe accounts before they are deactivated. Adobe is currently emailing impacted users with detailed instructions regarding the change. The ban applies to users of both Adobe's free and paid services including Adobe Creative Cloud. After the deadline, users will no longer be able to purchase new services and they also won't be eligible for refunds.
Executive Order 13844Adobe has decided to stop selling its software and services in Venezuela because of Executive Order 13844 which was signed by President Trump in August in response to human rights violations carried out by the country's current president, Nicolas Maduro. The order, which was backed by the US Department of Treasury, bans all US companies from doing business with Venezuelan firms. The US also has similar full bans in place for Iran, North Korea and Syria. While not all US companies follow these bans, tech giants normally do to avoid fines and legal repercussions. Google, Apple, Microsoft, PayPal and many other large US tech firms have banned users from countries the US has imposed sanctions on. For instance, in July Microsoft began enforcing the US Treasury ban on GitHub after purchasing the service last year.
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| The cheapest Xbox One bundle deals and sale prices in October 2019 Posted: 08 Oct 2019 12:38 PM PDT Freshly discounted cheap Xbox One bundle deals have appeared this week and we've found some fantastic discounts. So if you've decided it's finally time to opt for a sweet Xbox One deal, then you're in luck. Microsoft is really pushing discounts on the 1TB consoles now too, which are much more accommodating for your library of games and their large install sizes than the 500GB models, which seem to have been discontinued now. The Division 2, Anthem, Battlefield V, Forza Horizon 4 and more are all aboard the Xbox One deals train today. If you're excited to hear about what's coming up in the world of Xbox, be sure to check in on our extensive coverage of E3 2019. We've also just added a section below dedicated to rounding up the best prices for the newly-announced Xbox One S All-Digital Edition, although you might want to hold off on that version of the Xbox console for a while. We'll tell you why further down. Retailers are stocking some cheap Xbox One deals as standalone purchases, but the best value is to be found with the bundles with extra games. Xbox One bundles nowadays often cost less than the standalone consoles prices too, so be sure to check out our hand-picked list of the best Xbox One offers below the comparison charts. Or maybe you're looking for a 4K upgrade? Then you'll want to take a look at the latest Xbox One X bundles. Looking to buy in the US or Australia? You'll want to head on over to our US page or AU page.
Microsoft finally announced the long-rumoured Xbox One S All-Digital Edition in April 2019 and it's available right now. As the name suggests, this version of the Xbox One does not come with a disc drive. So you will not be able to play physical games or blu-rays on this version. The Xbox One S All-Digital Edition costs £199 in the UK and comes with codes for Forza Horizon 3, Minecraft and Sea of Thieves. To be honest, we're not entirely convinced at that price point as you can get the regular version for a similar price and with newer games. Actually, we regularly see standard Xbox One S bundles on this page go for even less, so be sure to check out the offers further down the page before jumping on this. The new console offers no technical improvements over the original S model, so this should only be considered when the price reaches a more appropriate level. Naturally, we'll keep this page updated when it does.
The slimmed-down design of the Xbox One S looks much better than the original chunky box and the power brick is now a thing of the past. The main draw though is 4K visual support meaning you'll be able to watch specialised Blu-Ray and Netflix content in 4K on your new 4K TV. The Xbox One S is now the standard console and has replaced the older model that's been phased out at retailers. The Xbox One S is cheaper too, so we've stopped covering deals on the older model as you're getting better value with the newer version and we've not spotted any decent stock for months now. More Xbox One dealsStill not found your ideal Xbox One deal in our highlights of the best offers out there? Why not check out more Xbox One bundles directly from the retailers from our list below?
The new Xbox One X is capable of displaying games in glorious HDR 4K and is the most powerful console ever made. Sadly, it has the price-tag to match too as it's way more expensive than the Xbox One S. The comparison chart below is mainly full of prices for the new console on its own. However, we're starting to see better offers appear online where you can get discounted (or sometimes free) games included too. For more details, head on over to our extensive Xbox One X bundles page for the best value deals. If you're looking to play your Xbox games online or take advantage of the free Games with Gold initiative, you'll want to check out our cheap Xbox Live Gold deals page where's we've found prices considerably cheaper than the default price. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Wales vs Fiji live stream: how to watch Rugby World Cup 2019 match from anywhere Posted: 08 Oct 2019 12:23 PM PDT After holding off a second-half fightback to claim a memorable victory over Australia in their last game, Wales now look odds-on to qualify for the 2019 Rugby World Cup quarter-final stages. And you can watch all the action live and in full no matter where you are in the world by following our Wales vs Fiji live stream guide below. A win should seal it, but Fiji come into the game on a high following an impressive win over Georgia that has kept their hopes of reaching the next phase alive, too. Wales head coach Warren Gatland wouldn't appear to be taking any chances going into Wednesday's game, sticking with a largely unchanged side from the one that impressed against the Aussies. Ross Moriarty and James Davies come into the side for Aaron Wainwright and Justin Tipuric, and there's a boost with confirmation that Dan Biggar has been given the all-clear to play despite taking a heavy knock in their last game. Fiji have to win to give themselves a faint chance of qualification, and have unsurprisingly stuck with the same team they fielded against Georgia - the one exception being Viliame Mata who comes in to start at number eight ahead of Peceli Yato. You can watch all the action from this crucial game from pretty much anywhere on Earth by following our Rugby World Cup Wales vs Fiji live stream guide below.
How to watch the 2019 Rugby World Cup from outside your countryIf you're abroad for any of the Rugby World Cup and don't want to miss out on catching the coverage from your home country, you'll inevitably find it geo-blocked when you try to stream online. But don't sweat. With the option of a VPN, you can tune into those fixtures no matter where you are in the world without resorting to some dodgy feed on Reddit. And best of all, it's really easy to do (or read on for details on how to stream coverage from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA).
How to stream Wales live in the UK
How to watch Wales vs Fiji in Australia
How to watch Wales vs Fiji live in New Zealand
How to live stream Wales vs Fiji in the US
Live stream Wales vs Fiji in South Africa
Live stream Wales vs Fiji in Canada
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| Wi-Fi 6 routers: the best Wi-Fi 6 routers you can buy in 2019 Posted: 08 Oct 2019 11:16 AM PDT Just when we were getting used to Wireless-AC, there's a new standard creeping its way onto the market. Thankfully, the Wi-Fi Alliance has realized how confusing the 802.11b/g/n/ac/ax nomenclature is for consumers. So, now you'll be looking for the best Wi-Fi 6 router instead of trying to figure out what random letter combination is the latest and greatest. So what's Wi-Fi 6, and why should you care? Well, Wi-Fi 6 is the successor to 802.11ac (commonly branded as Wireless-AC) and promises lower latency, greater range, and faster speeds. While older devices can't benefit from these advantages, newer ones, like the iPhone 11 and Galaxy 10 lines – not to mention Ultrabooks equipped with Ice Lake processors – come equipped to use Wi-Fi 6. Additionally, many of these newer modems feature great non-Wi-Fi features, like multiple 1 Gbps ethernet ports, MU-MIMO, great hardware, and web interfaces that offer both ease-of-use and plenty of options for power users. If you're in the market for a new router, there's really no reason not to future-proof your home network and get the best Wi-Fi 6 router you can afford. Since the technology is still new on the market, you'll pay a bit more, but you won't have to worry about upgrading a year or two down the road to take full advantage of your new device's capabilities. We haven’t had a chance to test all of these routers ourselves, but don’t worry – we here at TechRadar are Wi-Fi experts, and we’ve used our tech expertise to find the best Wifi routers on the market right now. And, because we’ve included our exclusive price comparison tool, you can be confident that you’re getting the best Wi-Fi 6 router deal on the internet.
The Asus RT-AX88U has all the bells and whistles that you could want out of a router, including Wi-Fi 6 compatibility. It's our favorite on our list because it offers so much while resting on the lower end of the current Wi-Fi 6 router price range. One advantage of this router over others on the list is the 8 LAN ports. At twice the amount the most other routers carry, the RT-AX88U can save you from having to buy an ethernet switch. Combine this convenience with the excellent web interface and gamer-friendly features and you have one of the best Wi-Fi 6 routers available right now.
Sometimes running ethernet cable just isn't an option, and if you're a gamer, that can be disastrous. If you're stuck in this situation, the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 can help ease your pain. With 8 antennas, MU-MIMO, and options to prioritize gaming traffic, this router can help reduce the latency that makes gaming via Wi-Fi a pain. This router has the same great, easy-to-use interface as the RT-AX88U, but only has 5+1 LAN ports. One of those LAN ports is a 2.5 Gbps line, though, which is great for connecting a NAS or other device that needs a lot of available bandwidth on demand.
Netgear's Nighthawk routers have always come highly recommended, and the Wi-Fi 6 models are no different. This is another Wi-Fi 6 router that ticks a lot of boxes when it comes to features, and surprisingly is on the cheaper side of the market. The one thing that made the RT-AX88U beat out the AX8 is the fact that it only has 5+1 LAN Gigabit LAN ports. Otherwise, this router is a good alternative for ASUS's model.
The Nighthawk AX12 is Netgear's analog for the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX11000, and as such it a great alternative. Inside the Batwing-looking appendages on the side are eight antennas for increased range and high-performance even when multiple devices are connected. This is another great router if you have a device that needs high bandwidth on demand. One of the 5+1 LAN connections is a 5 Gigabit port, which once again, is great if you have a NAS.
This package is for those who have a large area they need Wi-Fi in, but still want Wi-Fi 6 connectivity. The RT-AX92U isn't quite as feature-packed as most Wi-Fi 6 routers, but with this bundle you get two routers for the price of any one of the others on our list. Since these are designed to work as mesh routers, it's easy to get them going. You hook up one like as normal, then use the second as an extender. It's a perfect package for multi-story or sprawling households that one router just can't cover. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order: gameplay, release date, trailers and news Posted: 08 Oct 2019 11:08 AM PDT Hold on to your lightsabers: there's a new Star Wars game on the way, and it's called Jedi: Fallen Order. And we've now got the first concrete details about it, thanks to E3 2019 and an extended gameplay trailer that dropped in June. In development by Respawn Entertainment (the studio behind Apex Legends and Titanfall), Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order was announced during E3 2018 but we didn't get a proper look at the game until early in 2019, during a special panel at the annual Star Wars Celebration in Chicago, before EA lifted the covers completely at E3 2019. While the official reveal only gave us a glimpse at a story trailer, it was more than enough to get us hyped for the upcoming game. E3 2019 gave us a far more meaty look at the game - including some lightsaber-fueled gameplay - before the developer dropped an extended demo at the end of the month. While fans of the galactic franchise have seen official tie-ins in the form of Star Wars Battlefront I and II, the new entry takes on a different tack, focusing on a single-player experience more in line with 2008's The Force Unleashed – and we have all the concrete news and wild speculation you could want below. [Update: EA announced the PC requirements for Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order earlier today before quickly clarifying some key details: If you want to run the game at the recommended spec, you'll apparently need 16GB of RAM, an AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 or Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 GPU plus an AMD Ryzen 7 1700 or Intel Core i7-6700K, not the 32GB of RAM that appeared in the initial recommended specs list. Phew!] Cut to the chase
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order release dateEA has now confirmed Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order will release on November 15, 2019, just in time for Christmas and the long-awaited release of Star Wars Episode IX: Rise of Skywalker. If you pre-order the Deluxe Edition ahead of the game's launch, you'll get two exclusive in-game lightsaber colors plus an exclusive hilt, in addition to skins for your droid and star ship. EA and Respawn will also include a digital art book in the Deluxe Edition and a few behind-the-scenes videos. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order trailers and storyYou'll take the role of Cal Kestis, a former Jedi padawan (AKA, a student of the Force). The game is set in the period following Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith – the fateful time when the evil Emperor Palpatine executed Order 66, which saw the Jedi ambushed and killed by their own supporting Clone Trooper soldiers. Few survived and were forced into hiding. And that seems to include Cal! A youngster only partially through his training, Cal has been forced into hiding, working construction sites and trying to keep a low-profile as the Jedi-hunting Imperial Inquisition continues to track down any remaining survivors. The reveal trailer shows Cal having to use his Force powers to defend himself against rogue troopers, and to save a friend from falling from an accident. The trailer suggests the game will have some lavish set-pieces and environments, and hinted at a very-story-driven experience to enjoy. A story trailer released in September gave an even better idea of what to expect from the game's main story, showing that Cal is not only on the run from the Empire, he's actively racing them to get to an item related to the Jedi Order. Check it out both trailers below: You can also watch the EA Play 2019 gameplay reveal for the game below, but note that you're going to have to jump into around the 30 minute mark to skip the build up portion, that's basically just 30 minutes of an EA logo! If you just want to see the game in-action, there's a brand-new official gameplay trailer that should provide everything you need to know about the game - including a few surprises. (Spoiler warning!) This is the same demo that journalists and attendees saw at the EA Play event. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order gameplayEA Play 2019 showed us a 15 minute slice of gameplay from the game, roughly 3 hours into the game. We were shown Chewbacca's homeland Kashyyyk, where Jedi Cal is trying to kickstart the rebirth of the Jedi order. But the poor Wookies are enslaved by the Empire! So Cal has to try to help them out.
Walking through a tech-filled jungle corridor, gameplay at first doesn't look unlike Uncharted 4, with a tool that lets you swing from beams, and some wall-running ala Respawn's other game, Titanfall. Cal's pretty nimble, able to clamber up walls and climb as if he was Assassin's Creed's Ezio. He moves weightily. After meeting up with some resistance fighters, he carves his way through a door and comes across a burning refinery, using his lightsaber as a torch in the darkness. A battle ensues below and Cal needs to reach a troop of Stormtroopers , so force-pushes a tree below to make a path to them.
Here we see our first glimpse of lightsaber action. Cal can force pull and push troops, as well as throwing his lightsaber at them for a ranged attack. Combat is lock-on focussed, not unlike Dark Souls for one-on-one combat, but seems massively more forgiving. There also seems to be finishing animations that trigger when you've took a baddie to low health. Lightsaber combat, thankfully, looks weighty and measured – this will be a tactical fighting game, rather than a hack and slash, with the classic ability to slash blaster bolts back at an enemy.
Cal also seems to have the ability to focus the force and slow time, letting him take on dangerous foes, like flamethrower stormtroopers with a little more ease, as well as avoiding environmental hazards like spinning blades. One cool moment had him slow time, and force pull a stormtrooper towards him in time to use it as a human-shield against the very same blaster bolt it had fired at Cal moments earlier. The same technique can be used to halt a foe momentarily in its tracks – very Kylo Ren. So far, levels, though expansive, seem fairly linear – you're very much set along a path from one action scene to another, although the densely-designed levels prevent it from appearing too much like a series of corridors, back to back. Each scene has lots of AI interactions between NPCs, too – you'll see stormtroopers battling the native, giant-beetle-like creatures of Kashyyyk, and timing your attack against them could help to swing the odds in your favor.
Cal acquires upgrade points as he defeats enemies, and also seems to be able to complete side missions if he goes off the beaten path and explores levels in detail. C The timing of the story, set after Revenge of the Sith, also means there was a familiar face or two turning up. Rogue One's Saw Gerrera, aka actor Forest Whitaker, was present, as was a bot that looked like K2SO. You'll have to fight this one, though.
Skill points will go into your force abilities, letting you upgrade force pulls and push, double jumps and force slowing tricks. You'll get a droid, too, BD1, to help you on your way, offering the ability to hack terminals, heal your player and manage your hologram map, as well as being your buddy. You won't be able to turn to the Dark Side though – Cal's good to the core.
So far then, so good. This is a classic-era Star Wars game, giving you a taste of the most-loved period in Star Wars history. Rather than the original reveal's suggestion that Cal will be a weak newbie Jedi, he's going to be fairly advanced in his training. And, it's all cannon – these characters are going to turn up in the wider Star Wars universe. It looks visually impressive... except for the Wookies. They looked like the plastic figures from the 70s. A bit more free-flowing, walking-carpet Wookie hair please, EA! Minimum and Recommended PC specsThe minimum specs required to play Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order aren't too bad, and most older gaming PCs should be able to scrape by without a problem. Here's what you'll need:
That said, the recommended specs are a bit... loftier. If you want to run the game at the recommended spec, you'll apparently need 16GB of RAM (*originally EA said it would be 32GB before dialing the number back), an AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 or Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 GPU plus an AMD Ryzen 7 1700 or Intel Core i7-6700K. Here's all the details:
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order news and rumorsNew story trailer In a brand new trailer released in September 2019, fans got a better idea of what to expect from the main story in Jedi Fallen Order. We already knew that the game's protagonist, Cal, is on the run from the Empire but in the trailer it's revealed that they're trying to stop his mission to trawl the galaxy and find something related to the Jedi Order. Those Sekiro Comparisons Jedi: Fallen Order has recently attracted some comparisons to From Software's Sekiro with regards to its combat. Rather than be perturbed by this, though, Respawn Entertainment has said it finds it "badass" and "a little comforting". In a recent interview with Edge Magazine (via GamesRadar), lead combat designer Jason de Heras explained that "It just confirmed to us that you don’t have to limit everything the player does; let them have a little more agency, and then let the AI give them a slap on the wrist, or a punch in the face. It was a positive thing for us to know there was a game that was similar to ours. Very similar." The team readily admitted to being fans of From Software's games, though given Jedi: Fallen Order was in development before Sekiro's release the similarities can't be much more than coincidence. Game director, Stig Asmussen, said that he and his team had a look at previous Star Wars games to determine what worked in them and how those fun elements could be brought forward. The Jedi Knight games, for example, were singled out as being good examples of lightsaber combat because they "really sold the lethality of the lightsaber" and served as better inspiration than the kind of heavy-handed combat found in Force Unleashed. Protagonist potential In a recent interview with Game Informer, game director Stig Asmussen offered some insight into the decision making process behind Cal Kestis being chosen as the game’s protagonist. There was a point early on in the game’s development, Asmussen revealed, when an alien protagonist was considered but was soon discounted “because we felt like—no pun intended—that would alienate a lot of people.” While Asmussen admitted that he would be interested in an alien protagonist, he said the team wanted to make sure that “there was a real human connection to the character”. Having an alien protagonist in a Star Wars title certainly has the potential to offer a new and interesting perspective on the universe so it seems a shame that the opportunity was passed by. Fingers crossed it’s something that will be re-explored in the future. That said, Fallen Order has made a good impression thus far and hopes are high ahead of the game’s November launch. Retail box art Here's what the Standard edition look like:
Standard Edition (Image credit: EA) And the Deluxe edition:
Deluxe Edition (Image credit: EA) EA doesn't plan to release Fallen Order on Switch You can check out Ingram's reply to a fan tweet below: Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order was livestreamed – check it out But luckily for fans that couldn't make the trek to the event, EA livestreamed it. Check out EA's announcement tweet below for a chance to replay it: The galaxy-wide premiere saw the head of Respawn Entertainment, Vince Zampella, and game director, Stig Asmussen (whose previous work includes God of War 3), revealing the much-anticipated details of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order toys -confirmed Development is well underway A Padawan called Cal? Confirmed It's set after Revenge of the Sith This places it after the Galactic Empire hunted the 10,000-strong Jedi Order practically to extinction, leaving only a small fraction of Jedi alive (aka Order 66). With the promise that the game will be set 'in the dark times', it sounds like our Jedi protagonist may be more the hunted than the hunter.
Star Wars: Battlefront II. (Image credit: EA) Could famous Jedi appear? The single-player mode comes first – and there will be no microtransactions It looks like a multiplayer component won't be available at all in the game – surprising given EA's focus in recent years on games that extend beyond a single play session. Even more surprising is the fact that there will be no microtransactions at all, ever, in Fallen Jedi. It's great news considering the industry falls over itself to offer chunks of games piecemeal these days – but don't be surprised if that means there will be an aggressive DLC system instead. I find your lack of faith disturbing Jedi: Fallen Order has been handed to a different studio, albeit one that's still a subsidiary of EA. But Respawn has garnered a lot of respect as the studio behind Titanfall and Titanfall 2, two critically acclaimed sci-fi action games that pit players against each other in giant mechanized suits, and which both came with strong single-player and multiplayer offerings. (Image credits: Respawn Entertainment) Keep checking back here for all the latest Jedi: Fallen Order news This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Could your next smartwatch replace your phone? Posted: 08 Oct 2019 11:00 AM PDT When did you last check what your smartwatch can actually do? If you’re lucky enough to have the newest Apple Watch, then you’ve got one super-smart device strapped to your arm. The Apple Watch 5 has an always-on retina display that never sleeps (unless you tell it to). It can play songs, audiobooks and give you instant access to thousands of apps on the app store. With cellular connectivity, you can call, text and stream music without your phone. Its heart rate monitor and sensors allow for best-in-class exercise tracking and it has advanced ECG (electrocardiogram) heart-tracking tech built in. And that’s just the beginning. Although wearable devices still may not be for everyone, we know as they get smarter they become more popular. According to the latest statistics from research company Strategy Analytics, global smartwatch shipments have grown 44% in the second quarter of 2019 alone, with Apple maintaining its top position with a 46% share of the global smartwatch market.
We gave the Apple Watch 5 four out of five stars in our testing. Is this the future of smartwatches? As smartwatches gain more and more features, it’s not hard to imagine a future in which we’re turning to our smart wearables to fulfil all of the functions of our smartphones – after all, if your Apple Watch has cellular connectivity these days it can already make and receive calls and send texts. This begs the question: will advancing smartwatches make our smartphones redundant? And if not, what does the future hold for increasingly smarter and smaller wearable devices? Where we're at nowWhereas fitness and activity trackers are solely focused on collecting health and fitness data, like the Fitbit Charge 3 or Garmin Vivosmart 4, smartwatches do more. Sure, many also have plenty of health and fitness tracking features built in, but they also bring an interface to your wrist that allows you to view notifications, check your calendar, play music, interact with apps and, in some cases, even make and answer calls and texts. Mike Feibus, a principal analyst and president of market insight company FeibusTech, believes those interested in data about their health and fitness still need more from their wearables. “Smartwatches track a whole lot more than steps now, which is good. But users are still pining for more insights into their health and wellbeing, as opposed to just a flood of numbers,” he told TechRadar.
The TicWatch Pro is a smartwatch with plenty of fitness features on board too But those who want a wider suite of features are happy with what the market currently offers. “People who love smartwatches as smartphone extensions are as happy as they’ve ever been,” he told us. “You can control music, read texts, monitor phone calls, respond to email. Battery life is better and platforms are more stable and user-friendly.” We spoke to Donald Zhang, the VP of International Sales Marketing at smartwatch company Mobvoi, the brand behind the TicWatch range of wearables, about why users are increasingly interested in wearable tech. “Users want to be connected wherever they go and smartwatches make this possible,” Zhang told us. “Before you would have to have your mobile phone with you wherever you go, and now that’s not a requirement anymore.” He also told us that smartwatch buyers are becoming more diverse. Smartwatches no longer seem to be for early adopters, but there’s a rise in older users who, according to Mobvoi, are interested in staying connected and tracking their health. There’s also increasing interest in people who work in certain professions and can’t have their phone with them throughout the day, such as those working in nursing. What do smartwatches need to replace phones?Although plenty of smartphone features are being added to smartwatches, there’s still a long way to go before the device on your wrist can do the same everything that the one in your hand can. One of the biggest hurdles is battery life. Although the Apple Watch Series 5 is one of the most advanced smartwatches currently on the market, it’s still only expected to last around 18 hours on a single charge with regular use. The latest stats from the Rescue Time app suggest we spend more than three hours and five minutes on our phones every day, so for smartwatches to ever give us as much screen time as our phones, we need a battery boost. Creating ways to either add bigger, better batteries to smartwatches or make charging more seamless is important to the future of wearable devices. We’ve seen plenty of user friendly, wireless charging options for the Apple Watch, like magnetic charging docks and stands, but solutions that don’t even require you to take a wearable off would be even better. There are plenty of fitness trackers that run on batteries that only need replacing every six months, but there’s often a trade-off, such as a lack of a screen or reduced functionality. Another solution would be trackers that are solar-powered or self-powered by heat, sweat or your own movement throughout the day. This kind of tech hasn’t found its way to big-name devices yet, but some smaller startups have been working on tech that’s designed to run on kinetic energy. For example, the team behind Element1 was looking for crowdfunded investment a few years back (and unfortunately never found it). There are also several research teams investigating the use of kinetic energy for smart clothing, like this nanogenerator from the University of South Korea that uses textiles to generate power. Switching from phones to watches isn’t just about tech either, but the way we behave and adopt habits. Battery life is important in this respect because if you have to take a wearable device off to charge it throughout the day, there’s a big chance you either won’t ever put it on again, forget to put it on regularly or stop yourself from developing habitual behaviour when it comes to remembering to wear it often. Of course, battery life is just one element to consider. Smartwatches will also need better screens, more features and advanced connectivity to compete with our smartphones. But there’s one big problem: space. The key challenge of smartwatches is keeping the device itself slim, nice-looking and functional at the same time as adding new internal chips, sensors, features and advanced batteries.
The Amazon Echo Frames are an interesting low-cost take on the smart spectacles, which save cost by focusing on audio-only Could smart eyewear be the future?Rather than cramming more tech onto our wrists, maybe we need to look elsewhere and ask: what if the future of smartwatches isn’t about watches at all? Smart glasses with voice assistants built-in to answer questions for us or reply to emails or with AR (augmented reality) capabilities to overlay virtual objects over the real world have been in development for some time now. Remember when Google tried to own this space with Google Glass? Although one single company is yet to create mainstream smart glasses, that could all be set to change soon. Earlier this year, Amazon announced its Echo frames, a pair of smart specs with Alexa built in. And rumors have been mounting for some time that Apple is working on its own pair of smart glasses with integrated AR tech. If smart glasses manage to take off, there might not be much use for smartphones or smartwatches in the future because our eyewear will handle calls, texts, web browsing and music streaming all from a small interface in front of our eyes. Smarter watches for smarter livingIf smartwatches are going to become widely used in the future, there are many who believe they may need to add more value than our smartphones – not just mimic the same features. Our wearables might become vital for our day-to-day lives in the future if they work well with other kinds of tech within our homes. For example, imagine if your Apple Watch could collect all kinds of data about your body and your habits. This could then be fed into your smart home devices to create highly tailored, personalized experiences. Your smartwatch could tell your smart home you’re showing signs of stress via its sensors and that you have a meeting tomorrow via your emails. This could then be used to tweak your smart lights, get your bath running and turn the heating on to get you into a better state of mind.
The Fitbit Versa 2 has Amazon's Alexa built-in, signalling a more joined-up approach between your wearable and your smart home “We’re starting to see Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home integrated into wearables,” Feibus told us. Most recently, Fitbit launched the Versa 2 with Alexa integration. Not only could this offer up tailored experiences, it also makes sense as a way to interact with the AI voice assistants in our homes because your smartwatch is always on you. “That’s a quick way to mobilize home automation command and control to spots in the house where the smart speakers aren’t,” he explained. Using AI to find out more about users is a key focus for Mobvoi. “In the future, we’re looking at integrating our smartwatches and AI with the smart home,” Zhang says. He explains that this could be anything from gesture control on your smartwatch turning on the lights in your house or speaking to your smartwatch to turn on your TV. But let’s not forget that even if tech advances enough to bring better battery, functionality and smart assistants to your wrist, it doesn’t mean everyone will be so quick to ditch their phones and change their habits right away. “It depends on the way people choose to use this technology,” Zhang says. “Some individuals like having a phone and a bigger screen, while others are quite happy to use a smaller watch face.” The Mobvoi team has found that some users are even opting to trade in their smartphone for an older ‘dumb’ phone and choosing a smartwatch instead. We may not know how smartwatches will develop in the future just yet, and whether they’ll replace our smartphones or that same smart functionality will come to advanced eyewear. But maybe a more useful answer isn’t to advance one particular type of technology and do away with another, but to give people more choice about the devices they choose to use.
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| Any laptop or PC can get Wi-Fi 6 with this single upgrade Posted: 08 Oct 2019 10:58 AM PDT The new Wi-Fi 6 standard is here in a pre-release form, replacing the older 802.11ac Wi-Fi found on many recent laptops, desktops, and mobile devices with 802.11ax. But, just because the standard is available for manufacturers doesn't mean devices are getting hardware to support it. It's still new, and even some of the best laptops come without it. But, we've got good news: In many cases, you can add Wi-Fi 6 to your device after you've bought it. How you get Wi-Fi 6 support on your device will depend on the type of device you have. Right now, there are few Wi-Fi 6 modules, and support for AMD systems doesn't appear available just yet. But, if you have a device powered by a 64-bit Intel processor, you can likely make the upgrade. Intel and Killer Networking have cards available, and more options will surely be coming in time. If you have a desktop computer, you can use PCIe connections to add in networking cards, while laptops can use an M.2 slot to fit in the necessary module. We'll go into a bit more detail below. Adding Wi-Fi 6 to a desktopThe currently available Wi-Fi 6 modules from Killer Networking and Intel are M.2 cards targeted at laptops, and they won't work in desktop M.2 slots as is. But, that doesn't stop them from working in desktops. You can add in one of these cards by using a PCIe adapter like this one. The M.2 card will slot into the converter, and then the converter will go into an open PCIe slot on your desktop's motherboard. The converter should also provide antennae that connect to small slots on the Wi-Fi 6 module. Once that's slotted into your computer, a quick driver installation will have you up and running on Wi-Fi 6. Adding Wi-Fi 6 to a laptopLaptops are becoming less and less upgradeable, with manufacturers soldering on components and sealing up cases. But, that doesn't mean you can't make this upgrade happen. All but the thinnest laptops and 2-in-1 tablets, like the Surface Pro X, tend to still have some level of access to the internals. And, even if components like RAM are getting soldered onto motherboards, networking adapters can still often be found as add-in cards. If you can open up your laptop (it may take a specialized toolkit), there's a good chance you'll be able to spot the small M.2 module currently powering your device's Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections. You'll simply unscrew the screw holding the Wi-Fi module in place, and unplug the antenna wires connected to your existing Wi-Fi module. Then, you'll just do the process in reverse to install your new Wi-Fi module. Future solutions may get even easierWhile the current processes for upgrading are simple, in the near future, it's likely even simpler solutions will come out. We'd expect PCIe cards with the Wi-Fi module built in to make upgrading desktop Wi-Fi much easier. And, we wouldn't be surprised to eventually see Wi-Fi 6 USB dongles that add the new connectivity in a simple, plug-and-play device. So, if you're on the market for a new computer and can't wait for models pre-fitted with Wi-Fi 6 support, you take some comfort knowing that simple upgrade solutions are available. You shouldn't need to upgrade your whole machine just to get a faster, more stable Wi-Fi connection. You will need to get a new Wi-Fi 6 router, like the Asus ZenWiFi mesh router, though.
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| When it comes to esports, Intel is backing university students as the future Posted: 08 Oct 2019 10:36 AM PDT Intel is a leading force when it comes to esports in the UK, offering some of the best computing hardware on the market and throwing its weight behind esport tournaments, such as ESL One and Intel Extreme Masters. However, the company is now looking to invest in the future of the industry and, in particular, university student esport talent. Earlier this year, Intel announced its sponsorship of the National Student Esports (NSE), the official body of university esports in the UK. You may not have heard of the NSE, but it's essentially the body fighting for university esports players to be taken seriously by the education system – an often difficult and frustrating task for those involved. Following news of the sponsorship, and the newly announced initiative between Intel, ESL and NSE, we sat down with those involved to discuss the competitive world of university esports and why students could be its future. Student sparks
The NSE is still a fledgling body, officially founded in 2018. Working with British University and Colleges Sport, the NSE aims to educate and advise universities on esports – helping them create a more hospitable environment for students interested in the industry. A large part of this is the NSE's British University Esports Championship, which sees 498 university teams battling to be crowned 'Esports University of the Year' and earn the recognition they deserve as a legitimate university team – as well as a chunky trophy for the cabinet. It's no easy feat. Unsurprisingly, esports isn't exactly viewed in the same vein as soccer or rugby, with students often fighting for dedicated gaming spaces or to be recognized as an official university team. "What you find working in the higher education esports space, is that the level of understanding between different institutions can differ quite dramatically," NSE executive director Jon Tilbury tells us. "The university that is running a games course is going to have an understanding of the games industry. So what we did was to make sure that the system is open as possible. Any group of five players from the same university, provided that they can verify that they are students of that University, are able to enter the competition."
So, what if you want to join the NSE's championship? Well, firstly, don't worry if your university isn't exactly being a supportive 'showmom', entering doesn't require membership fee from either the students or the university. There's also a wide range of games that your team can take part in including the likes of League of Legends and Overwatch. Students earn points depending on where they place in individual competitions, these then translate to points for an overall Olympic medal-type table for all the universities. The aim is to garner a level of respect for these students and esports as a whole – proving this isn't just a hobby but something that could actually become a career. "We have students that have developed matchmaking platforms and programs for them to use at their society LAN game event," Tilbury explains. "There are students that have written algorithms to analyze match data that we make available, and then turn that into content that thousands of other students have been engaged with. "In university sport we see a lot of clubs and teams using those professional skills, using sport as a way of developing those soft skills, to make them a more valuable employee in the future. But in esports we're seeing that from a more focused perspective." And, that's where Intel comes in. Intel(ligent) future
Intel has officially become a sponsor of NSE earlier this year – giving the body a much-needed boost in both external support and adding a level of recognition that encourages internal university support. While having the backing of Intel in name is certainly a positive, the computing company equally sees the promise in encouraging new esports talent within the UK. "A company like Intel getting behind it and supporting the growth of grassroots esports at a university level is important and should be taken seriously," Scott Gillingham, Intel's UK gaming and esports lead, tells us. "This is where I see an opportunity to bring in our expertise and then help the industry growing in the UK. With the NSE, it's not just specifically about esports players; it's all about the opportunities that are around esports. "Esports isn't just about the gamer. What [the NSE] is doing is helping build a pipeline of talent for the UK esports industry. Intel coming on board and sponsoring this helps validate the importance and growth of esports and this is something to be looked at and taken seriously, but also helping those universities." The first major push for this is in Intel's new FutureGen initiative in partnership with NSE and ESL – a program which aims to identify esports talent among students at UK universities. The program will offer successful applicants experience in esports, letting them have "hands on experience" with NSE and Intel development events before finishing the process with an ESL esport event – like esport work experience heaven. But, does it really work?
It's all well and good, these bodies and companies telling us how much they're helping students. But, we wanted to talk to someone who is directly affected by the Intel sponsorship to see if, on the ground level, this push is actually paying off. Enter Mark, a University of Nottingham economics student and avid League of Legends player. Much like any student, Mark played League for fun with friends before going to university and deciding he wanted to kick things up a notch by playing competitively – making a team between seven friends and eventually joined the NSE tournament. "I'd say on the whole it's been a positive experience," Mark tells us. "It's not that we're not taken seriously, I think it's generally a lack of understanding. There's been a notable difference since the NSE started in. It made people more open to it. If we want to reach out and ask how do we explain to our university or if we're putting on an event, whether they can help us. The reply is always: 'Yes, we'll do out utmost to really help you out'. The NSE is really great in that way." "Previously, maybe five or 10 years ago if you said you spend your time playing computer games, it would have been seen as a waste of time. Now, I can say I've helped build this community and put on these events and the perceptions has changed. I won't say stigma, but the stereotype about what gaming and esports is has changed." If you want to apply for Intel's FutureGen initiative then you can apply now. Applications will be open to all students studying full-time at UK universities, but not restricted to those playing in NSE. Welcome to TechRadar's PC Gaming Week 2019. We're celebrating the most powerful gaming platform on Earth with in-depth articles, exclusive interviews and essential buying guides that showcase everything PC gaming has to offer. Visit our PC Gaming Week 2019 page to see all our coverage in one place. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| iPhone XR deals: latest price drop takes fight to iPhone 11 ahead of Black Friday Posted: 08 Oct 2019 10:30 AM PDT We're big fans of the iPhone 11. The camera's ace, the battery life is better than ever and we'll even admit to raising a smile about the extra casing colours Apple added this time around. But less than a month into its shelf-life (and with Black Friday 2019 still a while away), we can see why the price tag would put some shoppers off. And that's where its predecessor comes in. As is the tradition, iPhone XR deals have taken a tumble since the flashier new kid in town took its place. Bad news for the XR's ego (iPhones have egos...right?), but great news for you. - Want to cut to the chase? See all of Mobiles.co.uk's XR tariffs here That's because the 2018 flagship is still an excellent vintage. The cracking 12MP camera, striking 6.1-inch Liquid Retina screen and lightweight dimensions have aged wonderfully. The only thing that looks diminished a year after release is the price. Nothing demonstrates that better than the two fresh tariffs from retailer Mobiles.co.uk below. It has slashed up to £90 off the upfront price of two big data O2 plans, with monthly bills starting at a very reasonable £33 a month, data limits from 30GB and unlimited calls and texts on both. So before you reluctantly settle for an iPhone 11 deal that's actually way more than you really wanted to spend, we seriously suggest casting your eyes down this page.
So what's so good about the iPhone XR?As one of the best iPhones currently on the market (even with the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro out!) there is a lot to love with the iPhone XR. Above everything, the battery really stands out. Before the launch of the iPhone 11, this was the biggest Apple battery at 2942 mAh. Sporting Apple's Liquid Retina display and a powerful A12 Bionic chip, going for this more budget flagship doesn't have to mean taking a hit on specs. Read our full iPhone XR review Mobiles.co.uk - Best Online Retailer award winnerNot sure if Mobiles.co.uk is the right retailer to buy from? Having won Best Online Retailer at the Mobile Choice Awards last autumn, you can rest easy knowing Mobiles.co.uk is a safe bet. With some of the market's best pricing, fast delivery and excellent reviews - you can see how they managed to bag that title. Read more:
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| OnePlus 7T Pro release date, price, news and leaks Posted: 08 Oct 2019 10:22 AM PDT The OnePlus 7T Pro release date is on the horizon – we're expecting the handset to launch in a matter of days, at which point we'll probably find out how much it will cost and when we'll be able to get our hands on it. Specifically, OnePlus is holding an even on October 10 and we're expecting the OnePlus 7T Pro to be the star of the show. The Pro handset hasn't been explicitly confirmed for the event, but we know there will be something besides the OnePlus 7T and OnePlus TV, and the company has described the 7T range as a series, suggesting one or more other handsets are coming. The OnePlus 7T and TV both launched at an India event on September 26, but the OnePlus 7T Pro was never mentioned, so we're still waiting to see the expected successor to the OnePlus 7 Pro. Update: It's looking ever more likely that the OnePlus 7T Pro will land on October 10, and in a new, lighter blue than seen in the 7 Pro. Plus, we've seen leaked images of an unannounced OnePlus handset - though it's probably the OnePlus 8.
While OnePlus hasn't actually confirmed the existence of the OnePlus 7T Pro at all, enough leaks and rumors have surfaced to suggest it's real, and could be shown off at the October 10 event. With that in mind, we've collected everything we know about the OnePlus 7T Pro so far, as well as what we'd predict, to try and paint a picture of the device before its upcoming release. Cut to the chase
OnePlus 7T Pro release date and priceWhile the OnePlus 7T launched in India on September 26, no worldwide release date was announced: that could be because it will come out alongside the OnePlus 7T Pro after the aforementioned October 10 event. In true OnePlus style, it could become available about a week after the event, and if the OnePlus 7 launch is anything to go by there could be significant queues to pick one up.
OnePlus 7T Some stores in the US have stopped selling the OnePlus 7 Pro, which suggests the improved device is coming soon. OnePlus has also teased that we'll see the OnePlus 7T 'series' on October 10, strongly suggesting that more than one handset will be shown off - so the Pro is very likely. The OnePlus 7T Pro price is a mystery so far. We don't even know the exact OnePlus 7T price in most regions save for the US (however the OnePlus 7 didn't launch there) and India. In the latter, the 7T is a little more expensive, so we could see the 7T Pro increase in price a tiny bit. The OnePlus 7 Pro launched for $669 / £649 (roughly AU$1,000) for its most affordable model, and we could see this increase to $700+ / £700+ (around AU$1,300) for an improved model, depending on just how different it is. OnePlus 7T Pro leaks and rumorsIf you're looking forward to a totally new, novel OnePlus 7T Pro, there's a bit of bad news: it looks like the smartphone could be a very minor upgrade over the OnePlus 7 Pro.
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition. Could the 7T Pro have a similar variant? Leaked renders of the OnePlus 7T Pro show a smartphone that isn't visibly different to the non-T phone in any way. In fact, not one, not two, but three image leaks suggest the phone is identical in terms of design. The screen is set to be 6.67 inches, with the 7 Pro's 90Hz refresh rate, but there's now a Snapdragon 855 Plus processor, which is an improvement on the 7 Pro's 855, in that it's better optimized for gaming. It may, however, come in a new lighter blue hue than we saw in the OnePlus 7 Pro, according to a leak shared in a tweet by Samsung_News: Further hints that not much has changed come from the 'OnePlus 7T Series' teaser image above, which shows the outline of a phone that looks a lot like the OnePlus 7 Pro. We have seen leaked renders of an unannounced OnePlus phone with more substantial changes - most notably a punch-hole camera, as you can see below, but this is said to be the OnePlus 8, set to launch in 2020. If the OnePlus 7T Pro seems a disappointing upgrade from the 7 Pro, US people might be the most disappointed. While phone fans there couldn't pick up the OnePlus 7, we've heard the OnePlus 7T Pro won't launch in the States either, so the OnePlus 2019 portfolio in the US only consists of two phones. That's it, in terms of leaks, so there's a lot we don't know. We don't know the OnePlus 7T Pro camera specs, price, improvements from the 7 Pro and a lot more. Let's hope that's because it's such an exciting secret that OnePlus has made sure to keep it tightly under wraps, and not because the smartphone is a truly minuscule step up from the 7 Pro. We'll likely know more on October 10, when OnePlus hosts its global product launch to bring its new hardware – probably the OnePlus 7T Pro – to the world. What we want to seeThe OnePlus 7 Pro was an impressive phone, but it could be even better with these upgrades. 1. A class-leading camera
The OnePlus 7 Pro has lots of lenses but they could use work While the OnePlus 7 Pro has a decent camera, it's not among the best around, and given that the OnePlus 7 Pro is essentially a flagship, it’s not unrealistic to ask for it to have a truly top camera. So we hope that the OnePlus 7T Pro does. We’d particularly like to see low-light photo quality improved, along with the ability to zoom in further. 2. An IP ratingWhile OnePlus claims that the OnePlus 7 range does have some water resistance, there’s no official IP rating, meaning no certainty as to how water resistant the phones are. The lack of an IP rating was apparently to save money – since it costs money to get the phones certified, and since even with such a certification most brands don’t cover water damage as part of the warranty. It’s a reasonable argument, but for the OnePlus 7T Pro we’d still like the reassurance that an IP rating provides, and ideally improved water resistance too, since various third-party tests suggest the OnePlus 7 range isn’t quite as water resistant as most flagships. 3. An in-screen camera
The OnePlus 7 Pro's pop-up camera is cool, but not without problems The standard OnePlus 7T has a teardrop notch for its front-facing camera, which almost feels dated in 2019. The OnePlus 7 Pro meanwhile has a pop-up camera, which is more modern and allows for an all-screen design, but also makes the camera feel more vulnerable. Not only that, it also makes facial recognition less appealing, since you have to wait for the camera to pop up, and since doing that dozens of times a day to unlock your phone could wear the mechanism out. So for the OnePlus 7T Pro we’d love to see an in-screen camera. That would allow the phone to retain the OnePlus 7 Pro’s all-screen design, without any of the problems that come with a pop-up camera. We should note that this is unlikely to happen. While the tech exists, it’s not yet available on any handsets, and with the T model likely to be a minor upgrade we wouldn’t particularly expect it, but you never know. 4. Wireless chargingOne small feature that OnePlus hasn’t yet embraced is wireless charging. This probably isn’t a huge deal for most people, but it is a standard flagship feature, so it’s something we’d like to see, especially with the OnePlus 7 Pro being more of a real flagship, rather than the usual more affordable alternatives that OnePlus offers. 5. A slimmer, lighter, smaller build
The OnePlus 7 Pro is a substantial handset The OnePlus 7 Pro in particular is a big, heavy and fairly thick thing, so we’d love to see the OnePlus 7T Pro get shrunk down slightly, and be a bit lighter. There will be limits to what can be done here while still offering a big screen and battery, but we reckon that refinements are possible. And the screen doesn’t really need to be quite as big as the OnePlus 7 Pro’s mammoth 6.67-inch one anyway. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| US blacklists Chinese AI startups Posted: 08 Oct 2019 10:06 AM PDT The US government has expanded its Entity List by adding a number of China's top AI startups including several firms which specialise in facial recognition. In total, 20 Chinese public security bureaus and eight companies including the video surveillance firm Hikvision and facial recognition firms SenseTime and Megvii have been added to the US blacklist. These firms will no longer be able to buy components from US companies without direct approval from the US government in much the same way that Washington tried to limit the influence of Huawei due to national security reasons.
The ongoing trade war between China and the US has already lasted 15 months but US officials have said that adding these Chinese AI startups and facial recognition firms to its Entity List is not tied to the resumption of trade talks between the two countries. Trade talk leverageIn a recent filing, the Commerce Department explained why it decided to add these new firms to its blacklist, saying: “These entities have been implicated in human rights violations and abuses in the implementation of China’s campaign of repression, mass arbitrary detention, and high-technology surveillance against Uighurs, Kazakhs, and other members of Muslim minority groups in the XUAR.” China responded by telling the US to stop meddling in its affairs and foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said that the country will continue to take firm and resolute measures to protect its sovereign security. Hikvision said that it “strongly opposes” the Commerce Department's decision and that in January, the firm hired a human rights expert and former US ambassador to advise it on human rights compliance. A spokesperson for the company explained that the decision will end up hurting the US economy, saying: “Punishing Hikvision, despite these engagements, will deter global companies from communicating with the U.S. government, hurt Hikvision’s U.S. businesses partners and negatively impact the U.S. Economy.” By adding these Chinese AI startups and surveillance firms to the Commerce Department's Entity List, the US could be hoping to gain the upper hand in trade talks with China or perhaps we may finally see federal regulation in regard to the deployment of facial recognition technology.
Via Reuters This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Remember Intel Kaby Lake-G? Well, it's dead now Posted: 08 Oct 2019 09:41 AM PDT Remember Intel Kaby Lake-G? It was Intel's line of laptop processors that paired Kaby Lake silicon with AMD Vega graphics for gaming laptops. And, well, it's been discontinued. This all comes via a Product Change Notice, spotted by our friends at Tom's Hardware. These processors were the product of an unholy union of Intel and AMD, and according to the report "Market demand for the products listed in the "Products Affected/Intel Ordering Codes" table below have shifted to other Intel products." Intel is on the cusp of releasing its own dedicated graphics architecture for both consumers and enterprise, so it's not surprising that Intel would axe these processors.
Don't forget about Intel Ice Lake either. Intel's 10th-generation "Project Athena" processors for Ultrabooks are packing the latest Gen11 graphics, which should be capable of powering some light gaming workloads. Even if they're really designed to allow the laptops to run Photoshop and other similar apps somewhat efficiently. This might also indicate when we can expect a followup to this team-up platform. Intel G-series processors will be discontinued after January 31, 2020, and while we don't think Intel will team up with AMD again – especially now that Intel Xe is a thing – we might see some H-series processors with Intel Gen11 graphics. Intel is really trying to push its integrated graphics as discrete-class. Either way, you probably won't find many gaming laptops with these Intel G-series processors in them after January – not that there were many to begin with. As for what Intel will replace them with, we'll just have to wait and see what Intel has in store.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order's recommended PC specs are stressful Posted: 08 Oct 2019 09:36 AM PDT Update: EA has reached out and clarified that the game will be recommending 16GB of RAM, rather than 32GB. The original article continues below. EA has released system requirements for its upcoming Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and for once they seem kind of reasonable. Well, at least until you look at the recommended amount of memory (RAM) to run the game. If you want to run the game at the recommended spec, you'll apparently need 32GB of RAM, meaning that only hardcore video editors and professionals can really get the full potential from this interstellar character action game. Now, of course, the minimum required amount is 8GB, so your lowly mid-to-high-end gaming PC should still be able to scrape by.
And, it's kind of a shame, too, because the rest of the system requirements are downright reasonable by today's standards. Developer Respawn's action game only recommends an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 and an Intel Core i7-6700K, which should mean this game will be pretty easy to run at maximum settings. Here are the minimum system requirements for Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order:
And, here are the recommended requirements:
Will you really need 32GB of RAM?So, that recommended RAM capacity, we don't think you'll actually need that. We recently did some testing to see how much RAM you need in a gaming PC, and even in the most memory-intensive games, we only see about 12GB of RAM usage for the whole system. It's unlikely that, if the game can run on 8GB of RAM, that a 32GB RAM kit will see a significant boost in performance over a 16GB kit. That's not to mention the fact that Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order will be running on current console generation hardware, which only has 8GB of memory that's shared between the CPU and GPU. Now, sure, game consoles like the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X have barebones operating systems that basically are suspended in the background during gameplay, but EA is recommending four times the system memory here. It is entirely possible that we're completely wrong here and that 32GB of RAM will result in a transcendent gaming experience in Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order. Who knows, maybe there's some unique graphics setting in the options menu that will eat up more RAM than most gaming PCs have. You can trust that we'll be putting this game to the test either way. And, inflated system requirements like this are harmful to people who may not be super familiar with PC hardware. It's entirely possible that someone's going to see these system requirements and think they need to shell out hundreds of dollars for a 32GB kit of RAM that they really don't need. We've reached out to EA and Respawn for comment, and we'll update if anything changes.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Your next Android phone will come with an app to monitor your irresponsible usage Posted: 08 Oct 2019 09:27 AM PDT Google wants you to use your phone in a healthy way – that is, not too much. This is nothing new. But to show that it is serious, the company is making it obligatory for all of its Android partners to pre-install some form of digital wellbeing app on devices with Android Pie or Android 10 installed. Google has its own Digital Wellbeing app complete with parental controls, and it users know a great deal about how they use their smartphones. It can reveal how long individual app have been used, the number of times they have been launched, and how many notifications apps have generated. For anyone seeking to detach from their phone a bit more, this is helpful info to have.
But Digital Wellbeing is about more than just providing Android users with stats about their phone usage; it also includes some features that let you limit usage, and others that simply encourage you to put your phone down. This will come as great news to parents who are eager to extricate their children from their phones, and is also good for anyone looking to improve their digital health. Phone manufacturers are free to offer up an alternative digital wellbeing app; Google hasn't been foolish enough to force its own app on them. However, as detailed by 9to5 Google, in order to meet Google's requirements, any alternative app must provide information about the total amount of time the screen is on, the number of times a device is unlocked, and the number of notifications received. You'll get square eyes...News of the requirement was first shared by XDA Developers, which revealed that the policy came into play on September 3. A document seen by the site says that both new and existing devices with Android Pie or 10 installed "MUST have a digital wellbeing solution with parental controls at the top level of the settings app, either by integrating Google Digital Wellbeing app or developing a custom wellbeing and parental control solution that complies with the feature requirements." Google goes on to say that "for Android products that already ship with a preloaded digital wellbeing solution and are upgrading to Android 9 or 10, the feature requirement [...] MAY be granted an exception after a review by Google". It is likely that most partners will simply default to using Google own tools as it offers numerous extra features such as website timers, screen time goals, and focus mode. The fact that there is flexibility to use a custom solution will be welcomed by some manufacturers. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Disney Plus streaming service pricing, launch date, and exclusive shows Posted: 08 Oct 2019 09:24 AM PDT The Disney Plus streaming service – or "Disney+", as the platform is styling it – is set to shake up the TV streaming market for good. But in a landscape already populated with the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, or the incoming Apple TV Plus, what is Disney Plus going to bring to the table? The answer is... quite a lot. Disney Plus will be an all-in-one video destination for movies, TV series, and cartoons from Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, and Marvel – packing plenty of existing movies and TV shows along with a stack of brand-new content. With Disney's acquisition of Fox now complete, we'll also be seeing the likes of The Simpsons, and even X-Men titles, come along to the service.
While the Disney Plus streaming service has only gone live in the Netherlands – giving residents a free trial as Disney tests out its platform, before a global launch in November – we've got a good look at what Disney Plus offers so far (see our hands on Disney Plus review for more on the interface and feel of the platform). Read on for all the latest news on Disney Plus pricing, subscriptions, and what movies and shows will be available on the service when it launches later this year – and which lucky territories will be able to get started on Disney Plus in November. Disney Plus FAQ: quick questions answered
Our first look at the Disney Plus interface Disney Plus release dateThe Disney Plus streaming service will launch on November 12, 2019 in five territories: US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the Netherlands. There's no UK launch date confirmed, though we expect / hope it will be following soon after. Disney will be looking to bring the Disney Plus platform to "all major markets within the first two years", so it does look like the rollout will go wider over time (via ScreenRant).
Disney Plus pricing and bundlesThough Disney Plus only put out its US pricing at first, we now have details about a lot more territories. Disney Plus will cost $6.99/m (around £6 / AU$10) in the US, $8.99 in Australia and Canada, $9.99 in New Zealand, and €6.99 in the Netherlands. No UK pricing has yet been announced. In the US, this means it looks like Disney has kept its promise about undercutting Netflix – at least for now. "I can say that our plan on the Disney side is to price this substantially below where Netflix is. That is in part reflective of the fact that it will have substantially less volume," said Robert Iger, The Walt Disney Company's chairman and CEO. "It'll have a lot of high quality [content], because of the brands and the franchises that will be on it that we've talked about. But it'll simply launch with less volume, and the price will reflect that." Iger also suggested that the price could rise gradually over time as the service expands, which is hardly surprising—Netflix's prices have risen alongside its pivot towards original content. However, Disney then turned heads with its plans for subscription bundle that will certainly rival Netflix in terms of price – while possibly offering closer to the site's volume of content. The US-focused bundle will include Hulu (with ads), ESPN+ and Disney Plus for $12.99 per month – the same price as Netflix's Standard subscription. It's a good deal if you want all three services or if you live in a home with multiple age ranges who could enjoy the full range of content on offer. If you're in the UK, journalist Tom Butler pointed out on Twitter that you can already get some of the content that's planned for Disney Plus on the Disney Life app for £5 (around $6 / AU$9). But that doesn't include some of the biggest draws of the new streaming platform, like Marvel and Star Wars properties – although it does currently have past seasons of The Clone Wars.
The Clone Wars is still on the Disney Life app, but will it stay there? Disney Plus app: where can you find it?Where will you be able to find the Disney Plus app? Disney has announced the list of platforms that will support Disney Plus at launch, including Apple TV, Roku streaming devices, Google Chromecast, iOS and Android, PS4 and Xbox One – as well as the Android TV platform that supports Nvidia Shield TV, Sony TVs, and Hisense TVs. There's no sign of Amazon's Fire TV Stick on that list, but we're hopeful it will come either at launch or soon after – especially since Amazon Prime will be carrying Disney Plus shows in at least territory from launch. We caught wind of a planned Disney Plus app for Nintendo Switch – despite the trouble other streaming services aside from YouTube and Hulu have had getting onto the Nintendo Switch console – though all signs suggest that won't be happening in 2019.
Will Disney Plus have 4K HDR streams?So what kind of quality can we expect from Disney Plus video streams? Apparently, Disney Plus will stream to up to four devices simultaneously in 4K resolution and HDR (high dynamic range) at no extra cost – with up to seven user profiles on the platform. Not all content is available in 4K / HDR, of course, and you'll still need a 4K TV to watch the content that is. Netflix, by comparison, requires a premium plan to get 4K / HDR streams. Even better, according to Dolby, the service will support both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, making it great for cinephiles out there.
Disney Plus: Marvel TV shows and filmsMarvel fans, rejoice: not only will you get a huge back catalogue of MCU movies on Disney Plus, but you'll also get a number of original TV series and spin-offs with some of your favorite characters. The first will be Falcon and The Winter Soldier (starring Anthony Mackie), coming in Q3 / Fall 2020, around a year after the platform goes live – so we'll have some time to wait before exclusive content really gets going. Hiddleston-lovers will be happy to hear that next in the new Marvel line-up will be the Loki TV show, a six-episode miniseries featuring the iconic trickster and landing in early 2021 (via MTV News). We also know from San Diego Comic-Con that the series will kick off after Loki's sudden escape in Avengers: Endgame, via the Tesseract. Who knows what japes he'll get up to after that? 2021 will also see WandaVision, a spin-off following Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) that will tie into the events of the Doctor Strange sequel – and a Hawkeye TV show, with Jeremy Renner reprising the role.
The Defenders ended too soon, but Marvel is looking to bring more "street-level heroes" to the Disney Plus platform Marvel's head of television, Jeph Loeb, has said there'll be more "street-level heroes" coming to the Disney Plus service too, with Marvel TV shows set to replace or expand on the likes of Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Daredevil, Iron Fist, and The Defenders – all of which were axed from their home on Netflix (via Deadline). Interestingly, there's also going to be a Marvel TV show that puts a different spin on the MCU. Called Marvel's What If...?, the animated series is based on a comics series and will give fans a glimpse into what might have happened if some of the universe's biggest stories went a little differently. Like how would Agent Peggy Carter have fared if she'd taken the super soldier serum instead of Steve Rogers? At Disney's D23 Expo in late August, Marvel President Kevin Feige announced three new series – She-Hulk, Moon Knight and Ms. Marvel – that would all debut on the service, too. When it comes to old Marvel movie properties, we can expect those to be pulled from Netflix as soon as contracts run out before being moved across to Disney Plus when it launches. In an earnings call with investors, Disney CEO Bob Iger clarified that 2019's Captain Marvel would be the first Disney movie exclusive to the service – and we know Endgame will follow the month after launch.
Disney Plus: Star Wars TV shows and filmsYes, Disney owns Star Wars, with the rights to stream a large back catalogue of films, shows, and programming set within George Lucas' universe. But one of most exciting original announcement so far is that of a brand new live-action Star Wars TV series from Jon Favreau (Iron Man, The Jungle Book) who will both write and executive produce the show, called The Mandalorian. It's not the only new Star Wars episodic content that'll be on the service early on, either. Rogue One's Cassian Andor (played by Diego Luna) will also get his own prequel TV series exploring his life before the events of the 2016 film. We also now have word of an Obi-Wan Kenobi TV series, with Ewan McGregor to reprise his role from the prequel movies (The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith), a surprise that was met with a standing ovation at D23. At San Diego Comic-Con 2018, Disney announced that a new, concluding season of animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars will also be on the service – but you can check out exactly what films and TV series are hitting the service in our Disney Plus Star Wars guide.
Disney and Fox join forces Disney Plus: 21st Century FoxDisney's acquisition of Fox was a very, very big deal – especially for Disney Plus. Fox own the rights to a huge amount of classic television, including The Simpsons, which will see every episode in its 30-year history come to the Disney Plus streaming service. Fox also oversees the X-Men IP, which was made for some very strict stipends about what can and can't be shown in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (such as the word 'mutant' never being used onscreen). The merger could pave the way for mutants appearing in the MCU, or at the very least having some form of reboot for the Disney Plus service. Given the disappointing box office returns of the last couple of X-Men movies, it may be just what the franchise needs. We will, however, be getting a bunch of animated 90s cartoons of X-Men, Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, and others (via HypeBeast). Keep in mind that Sony still owns the rights to Spider-Man and a number of associated characters like Venom and Black Cat (with some of the above being somewhat lent to Marvel). What you waiting for, Disney?
DIsney's live-action remake of Mulan (2020) will be coming to Disney Plus too Other Disney Plus movies, shows, and exclusivesIt won't all be superhero and space flicks, though. Many additional new shows and TV series have also been announced, including a new Monsters Inc. project called Monsters at Work, and a fresh take on the once-popular High School Musical franchise that, no joke, is called High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. For classic Disney lovers there'll be a live-action remake of Lady and the Tramp, while '90s kids will get a new live-action Mulan that will likely come to both theaters and the streaming service. Deadline suggests that projects based on Don Quixote, Sword and the Stone, and 3 Men and a Baby are in the works, along with other projects titled The Paper Magician, Togo, and Timmy Failure. If you want to rewind the clock all the way, however, Disney says it will include every movie that's ever been locked away in the Vault, and could possibly include some of the first, harder-to-find Mickey Mouse flicks. For younger kids there'll also be plenty of television programming from the Disney Channel, Disney Junior and Disney XD. Disney Plus will also be a home for DisneyNature documentaries, including Dolphin Reef – which will be narrated by none other than actress Natalie Portman (Jackie, Black Swan). Disney Nature works both in documentary films and animation, and will also be bringing animated feature Penguins to the Disney Plus service. All told, you can expect "thousands of hours" of Disney TV shows and films on the service, including existing content, and that new Disney, Marvel, and Star Wars films will be available to stream at some point following their theatrical releases.
Will Disney Plus have classic Disney movies?Oh yes. We have word that every Disney film ever made will be coming to the service, so everything from the original Lion King to... er... the new CGI Lion King should be available on the service soon after launch. What will Disney Plus be missing?The Disney streaming service won't have content from outside of the Disney ecosystem, as far as we know. That might seem obvious enough, but services like Netflix and Hulu have such diverse offerings because of their wide partnerships and licensing deals. But, of course, Disney has plenty of content to draw from, especially if all Fox content comes onboard as well, but this will still be a very Disney-centric offering. On top of that, there won't be any R-rated or adult-oriented content on the service. That stuff will go to Hulu instead, according to a report from Deadline. Though Disney has now closed its acquisition of Fox, it's unlikely then that the R-rated Deadpool will come to Disney Plus. There's talk however of a PG-13 take on Deadpool 2's X-Force for the platform (via ComicBook).
R-rated titles like Deadpool should head to Hulu rather than Disney Plus, which will be somewhat family friendly Also, the Marvel TV original series on Netflix won't be crossing over to the new Disney Plus service – as far as we know. That means the likes of Daredevil, Luke Cage, and Jessica Jones won't be rebooted on Disney Plus in their current iterations. They've all been cancelled from further seasons, but we're assuming previous seasons will continue to stay on the Netflix platform. That's not to say Hulu might not pick up these series and run with them, or maybe they'll get a more family-friendly re-imagining for Disney Plus? Should I subscribe to Disney Plus?We haven't tried the platform ourselves yet, so even though more information is revealed every day, it's hard to make a solid recommendation. But now details have been revealed about pricing, the early signs are certainly promising. Disney plans to tap into its estimable vault of franchises to create exclusive and potentially compelling new content, along with creating a single streaming service for watching all of the latest and greatest movies and TV shows from across the Disney creative ecosystem. Disney Plus will have less content than Netflix, but the price is lower – and Disney Plus may prove more appealing as an add-on to your current subscriptions, rather than a full-on replacement for Netflix or Hulu. The Disney streaming service won't be as comprehensive or wide-ranging as some rivals, but Disney, Star Wars, and Marvel fans might have trouble resisting some of the original shows and movies coming down the pipeline. We're certainly excited to see what Disney Plus has in mind for the live-action Star Wars series, above all, but other projects sound compelling as well.
Original reporting by Andrew Hayward. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Best cloud storage of 2019 online: free, paid and business options Posted: 08 Oct 2019 09:18 AM PDT Businesses and consumers are increasingly reliant on cloud based storage solutions instead of in-house, on-premise local storage hardware. Your files are stored in the cloud, which is a simplified view of what is essentially someone else's infrastructure (data center, server, hard drive, connectivity etc). Ever since Amazon popularised storage online with S3 (Simple Storage Service), 13 years ago, Google data shows that interest for "Cloud Storage" alone has increased by 40x over the past decade. So much so that people less frequently refer to it as "online storage". Given the multitude of cloud storage providers out there, one has to wisely choose a provider who will offer the maximum amount of low-cost storage and bandwidth, while still keeping your data safe. This list represents our top picks for cloud storage: most offer a free tier allowing you to see if they're right for you before handing over any hard-earned cash. Business users will need to consider carefully what their needs are as terms and conditions as well as quality of service is likely to differ significantly from their consumer alter ego. Go straight to your desired option through the jump links below:
IDrive secures servers, desktop system and mobile devices with equal aplomb (Image credit: IDrive) IDrive offers continuous syncing of your files, even those on network drives. The web interface supports sharing files by email, Facebook and Twitter. Cautious or click-happy users will be pleased to hear that files deleted from your computer are not automatically deleted from the server, so there's less danger of removing something important by accident. Up to 30 previous versions of all files backed to your account are retained.
Another thing to note is that IT admins have access to IDrive Thin Client application, which allows them to backup/restore, manage settings, and more for all their connected computers via a centralized dashboard. For photos, you have a neat facial recognition feature that helps you to automatically organize them as well as syncing them across all your lined devices. IDrive also offers IDrive Express which sends you a physical hard disk drive if you lose all your data, allowing for the swift restoration of all your backed up files. That applies to the newly introduced disk image backup feature. A business version exists and offers priority support, single sign-on as well as unlimited users and server backup.
pCloud delivers an affordable Cloud storage facility with a selection of apps (Image credit: pCloud) While some bandwidth limits apply, there seems to be no limit to the size of files you can upload, so feel free to sync large media files with pCloud. The service is available for all desktop and mobile platforms – users can also log in via the website. The company itself is registered in Switzerland which has strong privacy laws and you can also pay a premium of $4.99 a month for pCloud Crypto to lock (and unlock) individual files with passwords. Note that it is one of the very few cloud services that offer lifetime subscriptions. The latter come with 30 days trash history and unlimited remote upload traffic (you only need the URL of the file); you are - as expected - limited on the download link traffic: 500GB for the Premium package and 2TB for the Premium Plus package.
Image credit: Zoolz There are lots of things to like about Zoolz Cloud Backup for both personal use and business deployment. It offers an easy to follow interface with excellent web management options, and the ability to combine cloud operations with local external storage. This UK-based company leverages Amazon’s Glacier infrastructure to deliver a compelling price/performance ratio, with prices far cheaper than the competition. With 20PB of data stored for three million users for more than a decade, Zoolz is also not as ephemeral as some of its rivals.
Image credit: Degoo Swedish outfit Degoo is not a household name, and therefore it comes as a surprise that it has managed to carve itself a niche inside the ultra-competitive cloud storage market. With only two offerings, this outfit has managed to attract more than 15 million users globally since its inception earlier in 2019 – an estimated 20,000 people join Degoo every day. It is one of the few cloud storage companies worldwide that encrypts stored files and disperses them across four different continents. It also supports two-factor authentication via the Google sign-in.
Image credit: Mega With an insanely generous free tier and a simple drag-and-drop interface, New Zealand-based Mega is one of the cloud storage heavyweights. There's a handy mobile app to allow you to upload files and photos, as well as sync clients with desktop machines. The company also has business tailored plans. Mega claims that all data stored in its cloud is encrypted on your device before it reaches the firm’s servers. As the company has released the source code to its sync client, experts can check that there are no vulnerabilities. Price: 50GB free. 200GB for $6 a month (£4.50, €4.99, around AU$7.50). 1TB for $12 a month (£9, €9.99, around AU$16). 4TB for $23 a month (£17, €19.99, around AU$30). 8TB for $35 a month (£26, €29.99, around AU$46).
Image credit: Microsoft OneDrive is integrated into Windows 10's File Explorer. You don't have to download an additional app – it's there to use out of the box, which is obviously very convenient for those who have made the jump to Microsoft’s newest operating system. Microsoft's Photos app can also use OneDrive to sync pictures across all your devices. As of late March, Autodesk AutoCAD has been integrated with OneDrive which is good news for anyone using the software's drafting tools. In addition, you have a feature called Personal Vault, which gives you an added layer of protection. There's an app for Android and iOS devices, and there's even one in the App Store for Mac users (although it has received mixed reviews). Price: 5GB free. 100GB for $3 a month (£1.99, around AU$4). 1TB for $7 a month (£5.99, around AU$11). Unlimited (as part of Onedrive for Business) for $10 a month (£7.99, around AU$14)
Image credit: Apple If you want to back up your iPhone to iCloud, you'll need more than the free 5GB allowance Apple gives you, but compared to rivals iCloud prices are very reasonable. The Mac Finder app integrates iCloud Drive, where you can store any files you wish. Documents created in the iWork office suite are also saved to iCloud and can sync across your devices. Windows users can also sync their files with iCloud Drive using the official client, and access the iWork apps on the iCloud website. Price: 5GB free. 50GB for $0.99 a month (£0.79, AU$1.49). 200GB for $2.99 (£2.24, AU$4). 2TB for $9.99 (£8, AU$13)
Image credit: Google Google Drive is a natural choice for owners of Android devices as it's already integrated, but users of other platforms may appreciate the generous free storage too. You can also store high definition photos on your mobile phone with companion app Google Photos, and make use of Google's own office suite (now known as G Suite). Also, upgrading to paid Google Drive plans is now called Google One (although it might not yet be available, depending on the region). Downsides include the fact that the web interface isn't very easy-to-use, although Windows and Mac users can download a desktop app to drag-and-drop files easily. Price: 15GB free. 100GB for $1.99 a month (£1.59, around AU$2.50). 200GB for $2.99 a month (£2.35, around AU$4.10). 2TB for $9.99 a month (£8, around AU$13). 10TB for $99.99 a month (£74, around AU$130). 20TB for $199.99 a month (£148, around AU$260). 30TB for $299.99 a month (£236, around AU$426).
Image credit: Box Box's website currently seems to be pushing its Business plans as clicking ‘sign up’ takes you to the pricing page where for $15 per user (£11, around AU$19) you can benefit from advanced collaboration options and unlimited storage. But there is a 10GB free option, too. As Box has been around for a while, it is supported by a number of mainstream apps such as Google Docs and Office 365. It's also integrated with G-Suite, which means Docs, Sheets and Slides are automatically saved and managed in Box. Additionally, like OneDrive, it's also been integrated with AutoCAD. The Box Sync client is available from the Downloads page for Mac and Windows, plus there's also an official Android client. Price: 10GB free. 100GB for around $10 a month (£7.50, around AU$13)
Image credit: NextCloud NextCloud isn’t an online cloud storage provider itself, but offers free software to download and install a cloud storage service on your own server. Using a server on your home network for cloud storage is much faster. You can also enable encryption and make sure the information never leaves your home network, which is far safer. If you've no server or IT experience, you can even purchase a preconfigured NextCloud Box (if you can find one) which comes with a 1TB hard drive and will work with an inexpensive Raspberry Pi board to keep your data synced. Unfortunately, NextCloud Box is sold out but you can check out the alternatives on their website Price: Free to install and use. Self-hosting so storage costs vary.
Image credit: SpiderOak SpiderOak is part of a new trend of zero knowledge cloud storage providers. The website claims that after installing the client your data is encrypted before syncing. Unfortunately since SpiderOak hasn’t made the client source code public, there's no way to confirm this. The SpiderOakOne client is available for Windows, Mac and Linux as well as Android and iOS (although, both Android and iOS are read-only apps, meaning you can only view files, and can't upload or sync anything). You can also log in via the web interface but privacy lovers may prefer not to as it exposes your password to SpiderOak employees. Price: 21-day free trial. 150GB for $6 a month (around £4.5, AU$8.25). 400GB for $11 a month (around £8.4, AU$15). 2TB for $14 a month (around £10.7, AU$19.25). 5TB for $29 a month (around £22.1, AU$39.9)
Best free cloud storage
Image credit: Google Free storage allowance: 15GB (expandable) If you're a Google user, you already benefit from Google Drive integration, such as the ability to save email attachments from Gmail. However, anyone can sign up for the free cloud storage, even if they don't have a Gmail address, by creating a new Google account. Google is also in a process of releasing Google One as a sort of substitution for Google Drive, although depending on your region it might not be available yet. With 15GB of space for new users, Google Drive is one of the more generous cloud offerings, and there are occasional ways to boost this capacity free of charge. The catch is that this Google storage space is also shared with a user’s other Google services including Gmail and Google Photos. Mobile apps are available to allow easy access for iOS and Android users, and Google’s Backup and Sync desktop app lets you synchronize files from your PC to the cloud. Google Drive also includes online office tools for word processing, spreadsheets and presentations which can makes sharing files with others effortless.
Image credit: pCloud Free storage allowance: 10GB (expandable) You might not recognize the name, but if you're looking for a decent chunk of cloud storage free of charge, pCloud could be just the ticket. To kick things off, you're given a fairly generous 10GB to play with, and there's a bandwidth allowance of 50GB of downlink traffic per month. While we're primarily interested in the free version of pCloud, note that you can upgrade to 500GB of space for a monthly plan of $4.99 (£3.70), or 2TB for $9.99 (£7.50) a month – both of which are great deals for storage. You also have annual and lifetime plans, which are a cheaper option in the long run. The initial 10GB free offering can also be expanded up to 20GB via an additional 4GB for completion of offers, as well as referrals that add 1GB each. It’s also worth noting that pCloud offers well-designed desktop and mobile apps that supplement the website for seamless integration into a user’s workflow. With no limit on file sizes, and simple sharing options, pCloud is a great way to send large files to friends and colleagues – it's even possible to share with people who aren't using the service themselves. Add in decent streaming options and a neat online interface, and pCloud is well worth a look.
Image credit: Microsoft Free storage allowance: 5GB Coming from Microsoft – a company with plenty of money to throw at the cloud – it's a little disappointing to find that OneDrive doesn’t include more space free of charge. Free users get a mere 5GB of storage, although it's relatively inexpensive to increase this to 50GB. If you have Office 365, you'll automatically get boosted to 1TB of space, but not everyone wants an Office subscription. Like Google Drive's appeal to Google users, OneDrive will be a good fit for anyone who is committed to using Microsoft's services. There's neat integration with Outlook.com, for instance. It's also integrated with non-Microsoft services like AutoCAD. OneDrive also ties in nicely with Windows 10, and there is a selection of reasonable mobile apps to facilitate access on the move. It's possible to share files with other people even if they aren't OneDrive users (complete with customizable permissions), and the ability to edit files online without downloading them is a welcome touch.
Image credit: Dropbox Free storage allowance: 2GB (expandable) Dropbox is a stalwart of the free cloud storage world, with a web interface that remains streamlined and easy-to-use. Despite its popularity, Dropbox actually has one of the least generous free packages for new users (just 2GB), but there are various ways to boost this space without paying, including inviting friends to join (you get 500MB per referral up to 16GB), completing the Getting Started guide (250MB) and contributing to the Dropbox forum (which elicits 1GB per 'Mighty Answer' provided). DropBox really comes into its own when you start delving into the service’s extra features. There's a great collaborative working tool called Dropbox Paper that acts as a group workspace, and – if you install the desktop app – you can back up photos automatically. The File Requests feature also allows you to request another user to upload a file to your Dropbox account. Additionally, a feature called Dropbox Rewind lets you restore folders or your entire account to a specific point in time. There are desktop apps for Windows, Mac and Linux, and mobile apps including Android, iOS and even Kindle. This gives Dropbox broad appeal, as does the support for third-party apps and services. The web version of Dropbox lets you edit files without needing to download them, and really the only thing that counts against the cloud storage service is that most alternatives offer more space to free users.
Image credit: MediaFire Free storage allowance: 10GB (expandable) MediaFire has been around for over a decade, and those years of experience really show. You're given 10GB of free space initially, but you can boost this by an extra 40GB through activities like referring friends and following MediaFire's social media accounts. Few people would disagree that 50GB of free cloud storage is impressive. Free accounts carry ads, but this is a small sacrifice to make. There's support for large files up to 20GB, and the sharing options are very impressive, even allowing sharing with non-users. The web-based interface is excellent too, and MediaFire offers mobile apps for convenient uploading and downloading on iOS and Android. These make it easy to access files you're storing in the cloud, and include convenient features such as automatic photo syncing.
Best business cloud storage
Image credit: SpiderOak SpiderOak is a collaboration tool, online backup and file hosting service founded in 2007. The platform allows users to access, synchronize and share data using a cloud-based server. The company places a strong emphasis on data security and privacy. They offer a cloud storage, online backup and sharing service which they claim uses a ‘zero knowledge’ privacy environment. This means the client is the only one who can view all stored data. Not even SpiderOak themselves have access to your data. SpiderOak’s main focus is on privacy and security. As a result, the tool itself has a very basic design. This makes the admin console and all central device management very straightforward to use. They also include a handy drag and drop feature for organising files. From the centralized device management dashboard, users can access settings for all applications such as backup selection and sharing. The dashboard also allows users to manage their accounts, set group permissions and gain insight into usage. Prospective business clients will need to contact SpiderOak’s Sales Team directly to obtain a quote. 500 users minimum is required. Online commentators have observed that SpiderOak lacks many of the collaboration tools available from other cloud storage providers.
Image credit: Tresorit Tresorit is a cloud storage provider based in Hungary and Switzerland. It was founded in 2011. The provider emphasizes enhanced security and data encryption for businesses and personal users alike. If you are concerned with ensuring that your stored data is kept safe online then Tresorit is the service for you. This provider allows you to keep control of your files through ‘zero-knowledge encryption’ meaning that only you and the chosen few you decide to share with can ever see your data. Your Tresorit account can also be secured by two-factor authentication login and you can choose where to keep company data with Data Residency Options. Furthermore, you also have features like Document Scanner which securely scans and uploads documents directly to Tresorit. Tresorit’s ‘Small Business’ Packages starts at $25 (£19.60) per month (or $20 monthly for the annual plan) for teams with 2-9 users. This includes 1000GB encrypted storage, secure access on up to 10 devices and synching of existing folder structure. Tresorit’s ‘Business’ plan begins at $30 (£23.30) per month (or $24 monthly for the annual plan) for businesses with over 10 users. This comes with extras such as digital rights management, remote wipe and phone support. At the time of writing there is a 50% discount on "Business plan", so you can pay as low as $12 (£9.4) per month The ‘Enterprise’ tier weighs in at $34 (£26.65) per month (or $27 monthly for the annual plan) for businesses with more than 100 users. Extras included in this are personalized staff training, admin API and on-premises deployment. In order to sign up for this plan, users need to contact Tresorit directly. All tiers come with a 14-day free trial. The extra security offered by Tresorit makes it relatively expensive compared to other cloud backup solutions. However most users will probably appreciate the greater piece of mind and extra features offered by Tresorit.
Image credit: Egnyte Egnyte was founded in 2007. The company provides software for enterprise file synchronization and sharing. Egnyte allows businesses to store their data locally and online. All types of data can be stored in the cloud, whilst data of a more sensitive nature can be stored on servers on-premise. This makes for better security. Business teams can work how and where they want with an easy to use collaboration system through Egnyte’s content services platform. Egnyte integrates with popular industry applications such as Office 365 or Gmail. This allows both remote and internal employees to access all files with ease. Egnyte’s ‘Office’ plan starts at $8 (£6.21) per employee per month. This covers 5-25 employees, 5TB of storage and 10GB max file size. The ‘Business’ packages starts at $20 (£15.7) per employee per month. This includes 25-100 employees, 10TB online storage and 10GB max file size. In order to take advantage of their ‘Enterprise tier’, which includes over 100 employees, 25GB max file size and unlimited storage, you will need to contact Egnyte directly. Egnyte offer a 15-day free trial for all packages. Users have observed that some files, such as photos, can take a long time to load.
Image credit: Dropbox Dropbox is one of the oldest cloud storage providers. It was founded in 2007. To date it is one of the simplest storage providers to use. Dropbox can be installed on most computers or devices and syncs easily between apps. The app can store almost any kind of file while never having any issues with compatibility. You can drag and drop files into the desktop app with ease. You can also share files with other users easily through links. These can be shared with users who don’t have a Dropbox account. Also, teams can make use out of Dropbox spaces, which transforms folders into collaborative workspaces. As Dropbox has been around for a long time it integrates with most other apps such as MS Office and Slack. All files and folders can be shared with other users even if they are not part of your account. These users will be limited to their own plan's storage limits. Dropbox Business can be connected to your personal account so you can access all your files in once place. Personal account feature "automatic camera upload" is now also available to Business accounts, as of November 2018. The dashboard is simple and easy to use. From here, admins can see how many team members they have as well as any pending invites. You can restrict sharing, and allow/block commenting as you see fit. The dashboard allows you to access settings and to monitor usage. Dropbox offers a 30-day free trial which asks for your payment details. Your plan will automatically upgrade after the trial at which point your card is charged. The ‘Standard’ plan starts at $12.50 (£9.71) per user per month starting at 3 users and includes 3TB storage. The ‘Advanced’ package begins at $20 (£15.70) per user per month with unlimited storage. In order to subscribe to the ‘Enterprise’ tier, users will need to contact Dropbox directly. Some users have commented on the lack of online editing tools.
Image credit: Box Box is a cloud content management and file sharing service for businesses. It was founded in 2005. Box offers strong management capabilities and security features. The interface is made for ease of use and is simple to navigate. The dashboard allows access to settings, files and folders. Admins can manage all users, monitors activity and control sharing. As Box has been around for a while, it is supported by a number of mainstream apps such as Google Docs and Office 365. The Box Sync client is available from the Downloads page for Mac and Windows. There's also an official Android client. Box offers a 14-day free trial for all packages. Their ‘Starter’ plan is priced at $5 (£3.88) per user per month. This includes 100GB secure storage, 2GB file upload with a maximum of 10 users. The ‘Business’ plan starts at $15 (£11.80) per user per month which includes unlimited storage, 5GB file upload and no maximum number of users. The ‘Business Plus’ package is $25 (£19.60) per user per month and comes with unlimited storage, 5GB file upload and unlimited external collaborators. In order to subscribe to Box’s ‘Enterprise’ plan, users will have to contact them directly for a quote. If you choose to share files external users are limited to read-only access.
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| The best iPhone 6S deals and UK contracts in October 2019 Posted: 08 Oct 2019 08:55 AM PDT iPhone 6S deals might now be the oldest phone from Apple you can buy but that brings one excellent feature with it - some of the cheapest prices we've seen from Apple in a long time. It's fair to say we've had a good few models come out since iPhone 6S deals first hit the shelves. The 7's, 8'S, Apple's 10th anniversary X models and now even the iPhone 11 range. And with all of these new releases we've seen the iPhone 6S fall frequently below the £20 a month price point, something not just rare in phones but especially rare for Apple! Yes, the specs aren't quite what is on offer from the more modern Apple devices but they're nothing to laugh at, especially at this price. A 1715mAh battery and Apple's A9 Bionic chip make for a suprisingly competent level of power. And while the single lens on the back isn't quite the triple lens camera set-up we're getting used to, iPhone 6S deals offering a level of value you won't find elsewhere from Apple. If you want more than the minimum of data, then check out our comparison chart below, or head straight down to our pick of the best tariffs on the web. And if you don't mind holding out, Black Friday is just around the corner promising excellent iPhone 6S deals. See also: iPhone 8 deals | iPhone 7 deals | iPhone deals | iPhone SE deals | Samsung Galaxy S9 deals | Best mobile phone deals | iPhone 6S review
It may be very similar to its predecessor, but there's no denying that the iPhone 6s makes a fantastic alternative to the more expensive Apple devices like the iPhone 8 and iPhone XR. The phone works fluidly at nearly every task and will cost you a lot less than Apple's current flagships. Low end cost with high end features Read TechRadar's full iPhone 6S review This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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