Apple : Best gaming chair 2019: the best PC gaming chairs |
- Best gaming chair 2019: the best PC gaming chairs
- Xbox X019: all the biggest announcements from Microsoft's event
- Everwild is a new Xbox exclusive that looks a lot like Breath of the Wild
- Project xCloud game streaming is coming to Windows 10 with loads of new games
- Xbox One Black Friday deals knock $150 off consoles in massive sale event
- Xbox Games Pass gets Rage 2, Witcher 3, and a whole load of Final Fantasy
- Xbox Scarlett games won't leave older Xbox One consoles behind, says Microsoft
- Carl Icahn buys stake in HP, calls for Xerox deal
- The best 13-inch laptop 2019: the top 13-inch laptops we've reviewed
- The best Dell laptops 2019
- Best laptops for kids 2019: the top laptops for kids in elementary school and beyond
- Best touchscreen laptops 2019: the best touchsceen laptops we've tapped this year
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- The Mandalorian release date, episodes, cast, our verdict, and where to watch
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| Best gaming chair 2019: the best PC gaming chairs Posted: 14 Nov 2019 01:52 PM PST The best gaming chairs don’t get enough attention. Sure, you can use any chair at hand. But if you’re sitting down for hours on end grinding through the best PC games, the last thing you want is to be uncomfortable, or worse, in pain. Get rid of that old office chair you found on the street and find something that meets your needs as much as that new gaming PC and new gaming monitor does. Or even you’re not rocking a brand-new rig, you owe it to yourself to have a worthy throne from which to game. The options, of course, might seem endless. From the best gaming chairs to no-name knockoffs that fall apart right after the warranty expires. This is where we at TechRadar have come to help. We’ve used a lot of chairs and have collected the best gaming chairs available right now. Some might blend in at the office while others will look like they were stolen right out of a race car. Either way, there’s an aesthetic for everyone. Check out our picks for the best gaming chair to find the setup that’s right for you. The sooner you can comfortably sit down, the sooner you can play. And since we have quite a bit of experience with sitting, we know to look for in the best gaming chairs. Also, considering that Black Friday and Cyber Monday are fast approaching, some great deals might pop up on some of our picks. Best gaming chairs, at a glance:
Secretlab Titan boasts SoftWeave fabric exterior and extremely plush padding. Whereas most gaming chairs try to market themselves as being luxuriously upholstered with leather, Secretlab has shown fabric is the way to go. Between the Secretlab Titan’s SoftWeave fabric exterior and extremely plush padding, you won’t find anything softer or more comfortable this. This throne of gaming chairs also comes with a larger seat, subdued molding and built-in lumbar support, so it really is unlike anything else on the market.
If you're looking for a no-compromises gaming throne, the noblechairs Epic Real Leather is it. It’s no exaggeration to call the Noblechairs Epic Real Leather the best gaming chair. From the cross-thatched embroidery to the real leather of its namesake, if you’re looking for a no-compromises gaming throne, this is it. Plus, it’s surprisingly quick and easy to set up. And, once the set-up is complete, the Epic Real Leather is a dream to sit on – and you can customize your position however you want. Just do us a favor, and read the instructions while you’re setting it up.
The ErgoChair 2 has a very modern and stylish aesthetic to it that will appeal to anyone. If you’re looking to sit back and play games all day in comfort, but you don’t want a chair that looks like a gaming chair, you’ll want to take a look at the Autonomous ErgoChair 2. Marketed as an office chair, the ErgoChair 2 has a very modern and stylish aesthetic to it that will appeal to anyone that doesn’t use RGB as a personality trait. It’s not all style, either, as the ErgoChair will also let you adjust basically every part of the chair, so that no matter how your body is built, you’re guaranteed to be comfortable while gaming.
The SecretLab Omega 2020 doesn't just rely on looks alone. Incorporating that sleek, Mad Men-level sophistication with that SciFi gaming look, the SecretLab Omega 2020 is simply stunning, especially if you opt for the PU leather model. But, the SecretLab Omega 2020 doesn’t just rely on looks alone; one of the best gaming chairs of 2019, this one comes with a head pillow and a lumbar pillow – both memory foam – and offers even better support than its predecessor. That’s not to mention the improvements over the 2018 model, like the metal support on the armrests, that makes the SecretLab Omega 2020 feel so much more robust. So expect, after a grueling gaming session, to just go straight to napping for a couple of hours without moving an inch – without having to worry about the chair falling apart on you.
The Respawn-300 combines the racing-seat design and lumbar support. Leather and fabric have their advantages, namely to comfort and texture, but sometimes a mesh office chair is best – especially if you live in a warmer climate, where breathability is of utmost importance. The Respawn-300 combines the racing-seat design and lumbar support and mesh material from some high-end office chairs. It really does take comfort to another level and is one of the best PC gaming chairs you can buy today.
The Corsair T2 Road Warrior is covered top to bottom in breathable PU leather. Corsair is known for making popular and high-end PC components and gaming peripherals, and now it’s making a mark in PC gaming chairs. This has resulted in one of the best gaming chairs we’ve ever sat in. The Corsair T2 Road Warrior is covered top to bottom in breathable PU leather with neck and lumbar pillows wrapped in microfiber, you’ll be able to game in both comfort and style. And, with its rollerblade-style wheels, you can move it around on any surface without having to worry about scratching up your floor.
The noblechairs Icon gaming chair is more affordable than the flagship Epic Real Leather. Noblechairs is well known for crafting some of the best gaming chairs out there – and the Noblechairs Icon makes it clear why. While it’s more affordable than the flagship Epic Real Leather, it’s still extremely comfortable and one of the best PC gaming chairs out there. This is thanks to its nice lumbar pillow, which you can easily remove if you don’t like it.
Rather than sticking to a form factor that's designed to limit your movement, the Edge GX1 instead aims to give an ergonomic experience. The Edge GX1 is a gaming chair that actively avoids the popular racing style that is increasingly popular with modern gaming chairs. Rather than sticking to a form factor that’s designed to limit your movement, the Edge GX1 instead aims to give an ergonomic experience, where comfort is the priority – while also providing a premium chair. And when we say premium, we mean it, with the Edge GX1 costing £800, a huge amount for a gaming chair. It’s hand-crafted in the UK, and there’s some great touches, such as inflatable lumbar support. It’s a huge asking price, but we’ve been using it for a while now, and it is very comfortable. You’ll have to adjust a bit, but once you get it right, it’s worth the high price. It ships worldwide from the UK, but US and Australia readers should beware the high shipping costs. You can only buy this chair direct from Edge
These people are going to be absolutely enamored with the Vertagear Triigger 350 SE. There’s a certain subset of the PC gaming community that needs to have the absolute best of everything, at whatever the cost. These people are going to be absolutely enamored with the Vertagear Triigger 350 SE. It features over 350 individual components with a mix metal, mesh, leather and high-end plastics to create the ultimate PC gaming chair. If you have the money to spare, and you can’t stand to have anything less than the best, you might want to give this chair a look.
Nitro Concepts C80 Pure Series is an impressively sturdy gaming chair. The Nitro Concepts C80 is a gorgeous, comfortable gaming chair that could easily blend in in an office environment – it looks more expensive than it is. Nitro Concepts made one of the best gaming chairs by keeping the price down, while keeping compromises to a minimum – like using polyurethane instead of leather. And, no compromises were made in the build quality, either – this is an impressively sturdy gaming chair. Just make sure you get a friend to help you put it together – constructing this thing had us tearing our hair out.
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 |
| Xbox X019: all the biggest announcements from Microsoft's event Posted: 14 Nov 2019 01:48 PM PST X019 is officially in full swing and, while we didn't get any official news on Xbox Project Scarlett, there were plenty of other big announcements during X019's special Inside Xbox stream to keep us going for the next while. So what were the biggest announcements of X019? Well, Xbox Game Pass is getting a heap of new titles, more than 50 new titles are coming to Project xCloud's preview and Microsoft revealed its Black Friday deals. And that's just the tip of the iceberg, Rare, Dontnod and Obsidian also revealed their new IPS. So, strap in, and we'll take you through all the biggest announcements you may have missed from X019. We've also embedded the Inside Xbox stream below, so you can catch up on all the action.
X019: what is it?Outside of E3 2019, X019 is Microsoft's biggest event of the year. Marketed as "the annual global celebration of all things Xbox", the event is typically Microsoft's way of updating fans on the things it announced at E3 as well as making big new announcements or providing first looks at upcoming games and/or hardware. X019: the biggest announcementsBig updates to Project xCloud 50 new games are coming to Xbox Game Pass Rare is developing a new game called Everwild Black Friday Deals The Xbox One X will get a minor price drop down to $349.99 and will be available inside a number of bundles including the Gears 5 Special Edition bundle, while select Xbox One Controllers will get a $20 price drop from November 24 to December 2. In terms of Black Friday game deals, Microsoft used XO19 to announce that Forza Horizon 4, Sea of Thieves: Anniversary Edition, State of Decay 2 and Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice will all be 50% off this holiday season. Microsoft also announced that Gears 5 will get a smaller (but still appreciated) 33% discount for Black Friday. Tell Me Why reveal Grounded reveal
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| Everwild is a new Xbox exclusive that looks a lot like Breath of the Wild Posted: 14 Nov 2019 01:46 PM PST During X019, Sea of Thieves developer Rare announced its new exclusive IP for Xbox One - and it's giving us serious Breath of the Wild vibes. The new game, Everwild, was shown off in a short trailer that showcased a magical world that seems to be inhabited by quite a few interesting creatures. We're not quite sure what the gameplay will be like, but the Everwild trailer (embedded below) suggests it'll be a bit like Monster Hunter World - without killing the monsters. Check out the YouTube trailer below: Rare has created some beloved franchises over the years, including Banjo-Kazooie and its spiritual successor Yooka Laylee. Since its acquisition by Microsoft, it's been focusing on games for the Xbox platform and it looks like Everwild is set to be a notable exclusive. Craig Duncan, Studio Head at Rare wrote in the press release that, "While Everwild is still early in development, we are very excited about the unique potential of the game we are creating. The Everwild team is focused on building an experience that allows for new ways to play in a natural and magical world. "The development team, led by Executive Producer Louise O’Connor, is creating something truly original and incredibly special that aims to be more than just a new IP. Everwild will give you memorable, engaging and meaningful experiences for players everywhere to share." While there's no Everwild release date as of yet, the timing of the announcement suggests it could be a cross-generation title, landing on Xbox Project Scarlett as well as Xbox One. A press release for the announcement calls it "as big a moment for Rare" as the launch of Sea of Thieves back in 2015, so it's clear the plans for Everwild are sizable. Mentions of players being able to "share" experiences also suggests some online or multiplayer component, meaning we could see something in the vein of Sea of Thieves' online world. We also found out that November 20 will see Sea of Thieves' Seabound Soul update be released for free, adding in a new Tall Tale campaign with the following description: "Join Captain Pendragon to uncover the mystery of the feared ship, the Ashen Dragon, and reveal the secrets of a sinister new threat."
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| Project xCloud game streaming is coming to Windows 10 with loads of new games Posted: 14 Nov 2019 01:45 PM PST While all eyes may be on what's in store from the next Xbox, the so-called Project Scarlett, it's not the only hand Microsoft has in the next-gen gaming space. It's also pushing its Project xCloud game streaming service – which is set to get considerably better in the coming months. Currently in a limited preview mode, Project xCloud lets you stream full Xbox One games to mobile devices from the cloud. In 2020, it's going to expand beyond its current mobile constraints to serve games up to Windows 10 PC users, too. Currently available to select users in the UK, US and Korea, it's also going to expand to support play in Canada, Japan and Western Europe. And while it's not yet being given a launch date for all gamers to try, it is also expanding accessory support for the service too – you'll soon be able to pair up PlayStation 4 DualShock 4 pads with the service, as well as gamepads from Razer. And that's not all. According to the press release accompanying the news: "In 2020 we will enable gamers to stream from the cloud Xbox games that they already own or will purchase. We will also add game streaming from the cloud to Xbox Game Pass. Gamers will be free to discover, choose, and play their favorite games anywhere and everywhere." Rounding off the Project xCloud announcements is the news that more than 50 new titles will become available to stream through the service, too. Project xCloud supported gamesHere's what the full line-up for Project xCloud will look like through 2020, broken down by studio [Note that an *asterisk* denotes a game already on the service]: 505 Games • “Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night” • “Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons” Avalanche Studios • “theHunter: Call of the Wild” Bandai Namco • “Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown” • “RAD” • “SOULCALIBUR VI” • “Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition” • “Tekken 7” Bigben Interactive • “WRC 7” Capcom • “Devil May Cry 5” Codemasters • “F1® 2019” Curve Digital • “For the King” Devolver Digital • “Absolver” EA • “Madden NFL 20” Fatshark Games • “Vermintide 2” Focus Home Interactive • “Vampyr” Funcom • “Conan Exiles” • “Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden” IO Interactive • “Hitman” Klei Entertainment • “Mark of the Ninja: Remastered” Koch Media • “Dead Island: Definitive Edition” KRAFTON • “TERA” Mad Dog Games LLC • “World War Z” Pearl Abyss • “Black Desert Online” Rebellion • “Sniper Elite 4” SEGA • “Puyo Puyo Champions” Square Enix • “Just Cause 4” • “Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition” • “World of Final Fantasy® Maxima” Studio Wildcard • “ARK: Survival Evolved” Take-Two Interactive • “Borderlands: The Handsome Collection” • “WWE 2K20” Team17 • “Overcooked!” • “Yoku’s Island Express” THQ Nordic • “Battle Chasers: Nightwar” • “Darksiders 3” tinyBuild • “Hello Neighbor” Unknown Worlds • “Subnautica” Wargaming • “World of Tanks: Mercenaries” • “World of Warships: Legends” Xbox Game Studios • “Crackdown 3” • “Forza Horizon 4” • “Gears of War: Ultimate Edition” • “Gears 5” * • “Halo 5: Guardians” * • “Halo Wars 2” • “Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice” • “Killer Instinct” * • “Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition” • “ReCore: Definitive Edition” • “Sea of Thieves” * • “State of Decay 2” • “The Bard’s Tale IV: Director’s Cut”
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| Xbox One Black Friday deals knock $150 off consoles in massive sale event Posted: 14 Nov 2019 01:45 PM PST When it comes to sales for Black Friday and Cyber Monday it's usually the retailers we turn to. But Microsoft with its Xbox console line looks set to definitely be worth a look during the deals rush. It's just announced that, well, basically everything it sells will be getting a substantial discount from the run-up to and through Black Friday, from November 24 until December 2. Xbox One console dealsLets start with the consoles. Microsoft is offering up to $150 off consoles, including any Xbox One X style you like, bringing the price of its current top machine down to $349.99. This includes all bundle offers, letting you pick up a raft of games with that price tag, too. If that's still a bit steep, there's $100 off the Xbox One S console family, including the Xbox One S All-Digital edition, which will go down to just $149.99, with Minecraft, Sea of Thieves and a premium Fortnite Battle Royale bundle that include the Legendary Rogue Spider Knight skin. Xbox accessory dealsWhen it comes to accessories, Microsoft is knocking $20 off Xbox Wireless controllers, including the Night Ops Camo Special Edition, Sport Blue Special Edition and Kait Diaz Gears 5 Limited Edition pads. If you're after a customised controller, with components in any shade you choose, you can get the Xbox Design Lab controllers for $10 off, with a free engraving deal running between December 3 and 31. Xbox games and Game Pass dealsThe Xbox Game Pass subscription is one of the best-value offers in all of gaming at the moment, giving you instant access to a library of top Xbox titles for your Xbox One console. It includes day-and-date access to any new first-party Xbox One games on the day of their release, too. It's a bit mad. So it's great to see that Xbox Game Pass Ultimate – which not only gives you access to an Xbox Live subscription (needed for online play) and the regular Game Pass library access, but also access to Xbox Game Pass for PC, which has a growing library of PC games to play too – is also getting a discount. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is going to cost just $1 for three months access from November 14, and will also include 1 month of play with EA Access (EA's Game Pass equivalent), 3 months of Discord Nitro, and 6 months of Spotify Premium (providing you're a new user). It's well worth a look, though note that you'll be charged the full monthly price of $14.99 a month after that three month period expires, so remember to cancel your account if you're not hooked by that point. Finally, loads of individual games are being discounted from November 24 until December 2. These include: Gears 5 for 33% off Forza Horizon 4 for 50% off Sea of Thieves: Anniversary Edition for 50% off State of Decay 2 for 50% off Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice for 50% off FIFA 20, NBA 2K20 Legends Edition, Borderlands 3 Super Deluxe Edition will be discounted too – though the amount by which they will be cheaper is yet to be revealed. TechRadar is scouring every retailer and rounding up all the top deals over the Black Friday period, and we’ve put all the best Black Friday deals and Cyber Monday deals in easy-to-navigate articles to help you find the bargains you’re looking for. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Xbox Games Pass gets Rage 2, Witcher 3, and a whole load of Final Fantasy Posted: 14 Nov 2019 01:45 PM PST Xbox Games Pass is expanding. On the eve of X019, the annual event for all things Xbox, the bigwigs at the gaming platform saw fit to announce a new fleet of titles coming to its subscription-based game library, Xbox Games Pass – with some already being available. Subscribers can now play Avalanche Studios' wasteland shooter Rage 2, as well as the critically-acclaimed 3D puzzle game The Talos Principle, among others. And if they don't whet your appetite, there are over 40 other titles that have been announced for Xbox Games Pass in the coming year, from The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt which, yes, is on basically everything these days) to episodes 4-5 of narrative adventure Life is Strange 2. But perhaps the highlight is the sheer number of Final Fantasy games coming to the service – including Final Fantasy 7 (not the 7 remake), Final Fantasy 8: Remastered, and Final Fantasy 15, but there's a whole load of other FF titles making Xbox Games Pass a must-have choice for fans of the franchise.
There were already plenty of reasons to subscribe to the service, which gives access to over 100 Xbox One games for a monthly subscription fee of $9.99 / £7.99 / AU$10.95 – a price that the competing PlayStation Now service has recently matched. Microsoft has also been pushing Xbox Games Pass with brand-new titles being available from day one, such as the tentpole shooter Gears 5 or Obsidian’s sci-fi RPG The Outer Worlds. We don't have exact release dates for most of the incoming games, though we know some will be coming before the year is out – and you can see the full list of announced games below.
The Outer Worlds is on Xbox Games Pass now Xbox Games Pass: new titles available now
Rage 2 is now on Xbox Games Pass Xbox Games Pass: what's coming 2019-2020?Some will land this side of 2020, some will land once we've entered the new year, but you can expect all of them within the coming months.
The massive Final Fantasy 15 is incoming Xbox Games Pass: titles definitely coming 2020Titles certain to drop in 2020, most likely in the latter half of the year.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps is the sequel to one of the best Xbox exclusives What's leaving Xbox Games Pass?Alas, it's not all good news. If you were enjoying or looking forward to any of the games below, they'll be departing the service on November 30.
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| Xbox Scarlett games won't leave older Xbox One consoles behind, says Microsoft Posted: 14 Nov 2019 01:45 PM PST We waited with bated breath for news on Xbox Project Scarlett at X019. After all, Microsoft had already spilled some details on its next generation hardware earlier in the year, including a release window, so Xbox’s annual event would be the perfect time to follow-up with a full reveal, right? Apparently not. There’s been little to no mention of Xbox Project Scarlett at X019, instead we've had announcements of new IPs, updates on Project xCloud and the expected reveal of Xbox's Black Friday deals. While we may be disappointing at the lack of next-generation news, according to Microsoft Game Studios head Matt Booty, there's plenty to look forward to on the horizon. We sat down with the Xbox exec at X019 in London to discuss Xbox Scarlett's absence and what Microsoft Game Studios is focusing on when it comes to Xbox Project Scarlett games. Where's Project Scarlett?
"We will have other beats throughout the year and other beats between now and the launch of Scarlett, where I think obviously we'll be sharing more news," Booty tells TechRadar, when we ask about the absence of Xbox Project Scarlett at X019. "But we really want the focus of X019 to be about engaging with the fans." That means a focus on games, and Xbox certainly had plenty of news to share on that front: New IPs from Sea of Thieves developer Rare and Obsidian Entertainment, not to mention a truckload of games coming to Xbox Game Pass, led X019's announcements. But Microsoft is still very much holding its cards to its chest. "We have things that we haven't talked about yet," Booty teases. "Some things we'll be talking about before the end of the year and then, headed into 2020, we have got one of the most dense lineup of games that I can remember in recent history in terms of first party." Despite not explicitly discussing Xbox Project Scarlett, Xbox’s upcoming game lineup does give us a pretty good taste of what to expect when it comes to next generation Xbox games.
Xbox isn't holding these games for Scarlett's release, a move that would - on paper - make much more sense. Instead, Microsoft wants to emphasize that the leap to Scarlett doesn’t mean other consoles in the Xbox family (or their owners) are being left in the dust. The future of Xbox aims to include the whole family, suggesting that the newly released titles the company has announced today - and plan to reveal in the near future - will be cross-generation, compatible with both Xbox Scarlett and Xbox one. "Perhaps we feel confident about our content pipeline so that we feel like we don't have to save everything up for [Scarlett]," Booty tells us. "But then I will also say that, really for any device these days, when you launch a new device you are not eliminating all of the devices in that family. "When Scarlett launches there will still be the Xbox One S out there, there will still be Xbox One X, and we really need to approach that family of devices, the same way we approach PC - content scales to meet the device. I think that's going to be the case for anybody. We will absolutely lean in on the power of Scarlett, we think is going to be the best way to play and it will be the best thing you can put in your living room, but we also want to understand that there will be a family of Xbox devices out there." It's an approach that could give Microsoft leverage over Sony in the future, helping it to both retain and build a community over the entire Xbox family. Especially when we take into account Sony is aiming to quickly transition its PS4 player base to PS5. "I think we are really focused on delivering on that promise," Booty tells us. "Knowing that if a player invested in Xbox, if they invest in Scarlett, then they can make that investment and feel good about being an Xbox owner and knowing that we're going to bring content going forward, which is going to range all the way from existing big franchises to announcements about big IPs." Xperimental
But, of course, Microsoft games are no longer beholden to one console. Xbox Game Pass has proved a roaring success across console and PC, allowing the company to publish games that perhaps were never on its radar, and giving Microsoft's in-house developers more room to experiment. "It just allows our game creators to do what they do best, which is make a game," Booty explains. "Now whether that's The Outer Worlds, where it's a standalone single player game that's about 25 hours long, or a game like Bleeding Edge, which structurally looks closer to a free-to-play a game, it can go into Game Pass and it has room to live there. "It has really freed us up from having to think about designing around a service or around a business model, and being able to just design the games that the team wants to work on." More room for a larger variety of games could potentially reduce the quality of the titles. However, Microsoft is acutely aware of keeping Game Pass' library from merely becoming a menagerie of any and all Xbox games. "I don't want Game Pass to become the place where half finished or lower quality games end up," Booty tells us. "It's not at all our intention. Given particularly some of the challenges that we've had recently with some things coming out of the Xbox Game Studios, that may not have been at the quality level that we want, I think for the the time being, we're going to stay very focused on improving our execution and improving the quality of games that we make." Endurance test
And that high quality is something which will be a key factor in Xbox Project Scarlett's game offering. That, and creating something which will last. When it comes to late 2020's console wars, the technology may be neck and neck, so what can Xbox do to set it apart from Sony? "When the technology becomes sufficiently advanced, you can almost do anything," Booty tells us. "I think what becomes important is to focus on 'what are the things that will endure' and those are stories and characters. I think it's our job to create those and then use the technology that's in hand to bring them to life. We never want to go out and make a game that's designed around a piece of technology, I think we would rather say 'look this is the world that I envision, this is the thing I want to bring to life, what technology is available to me that can do that the best?'"
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| Carl Icahn buys stake in HP, calls for Xerox deal Posted: 14 Nov 2019 01:35 PM PST In an effort to help cultivate a merger between HP and Xerox, activist investor Carl Icahn has purchased a $1.2bn stake in HP Inc because he believes that a deal between the two companies could lead to big profits for investors. Icahn already owns a 10.6 percent stake in Xerox and after his recent purchase, he now owns a 4.24 percent stake in HP according to the Wall Street Journal. A spokesperson from HP informed Reuters that it is aware of Icahn's investment though the company is committed to doing what is in the best interest of all of its shareholders.
Xerox recently made a $33bn cash-and-stock offer for HP despite the fact that the company is three times larger than Xerox. While HP has confirmed Xerox's bid, the company has not disclosed the exact amount of the offer. Xerox and HP IncIcahn explained to the Wall Street Journal that a deal between the two companies makes perfect sense to him, saying: “I think a combination is a no-brainer. I believe very strongly in the synergies. There will probably be a choice between cash and stock and I would much rather have the stock, assuming there’s a good management team.” Ichan and his team began looking into HP back in February but the investor waited until April to buy shares in the company's stock. At that time though, he wasn't thinking about a potential deal between HP and Xerox. According to Ichan, a combined company is in the best interests of both sets of shareholders as the two printing giants could bring a more balanced portfolio of printer offerings to market while also cutting costs. The Xerox and HP deal is still in the early discussion phase and we won't know more until the companies decide to finalize the acquisition or one of them backs out.
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| The best 13-inch laptop 2019: the top 13-inch laptops we've reviewed Posted: 14 Nov 2019 01:02 PM PST There’s only one solid reason to go for one of the best 13-inch laptops on the market: portability. While 15-inch laptops are just right for many day-to-day workloads and creative endeavors, and 17-inch ones are great for gaming, their small, thin and light 13-inch counterparts hit that sweet, space-saving spot for any computing tasks you’d want to do on the go. Because of the limited space in their chassis, the best 13-inch laptops may not be as powerful as the 15-inch and 17-inch models. However, they are powerful enough to see you through many tasks and some light entertainment without being a burden in your bag. In fact, many of them are powerful enough to make our best laptops or best Ultrabooks lists. Whether you’re in the market for 2-in-1 laptop, something specific like one of the best Acer laptops, or still deciding between best Windows tablets or the best Macs, you’ll find something for you on this list. Keep an eye out for money-saving deals as well. With Black Friday just around the corner, you might just take one of these home for a bargain. Best 13-inch laptop at a glance:
Huawei MateBook 13 ticks all the right boxes. It’s not often that we find a 13-inch laptop that ticks all the right boxes with very little compromise. The Huawei MateBook 13 is one of those very few devices. Rocking the latest Intel Whiskey Lake processors and Nvidia MX150 graphics in a chassis that really should be too small to fit them all in, the Huawei MateBook 13 is a powerful machine that can easily slip into most backpacks or medium-sized tote bags. Even better for users who cannot afford to splurge, it’s budget-friendly. What more could you ask for? Read the full review: Huawei MateBook 13
The Dell XPS 13 is, without a doubt, one of the best 13-inch laptops right now. While its changes over last year’s model are subtle, there’s no doubt that the Dell XPS 13 is still one of the best 13-inch laptops money can buy. On the high end, the 4K display delivers a sharper picture across the board. But, even if you can’t afford the highest end model, the dashing design, long battery life and SD card slot aren’t going anywhere. More importantly, you’ve got a quad-core processor regardless of configuration you end up with. The Dell XPS 13 is, without a doubt, one of the best 13-inch laptops right now. Read the full review: Dell XPS 13
Google Pixelbook Go boasts many of its high-quality features, but without that steep price tag. If you’ve long been admiring Google’s premium Chromebook but the price is holding you back, then you might want to consider the new Google Pixelbook Go instead. Freshly-baked by Google, this alternative to the manufacturer’s pricey Pixelbook boasts many of its high-quality features, but without that steep price tag – namely, an incredible battery life and that coveted keyboard. If your computing use is limited to sending and responding to emails, creating documents and excel sheets on Google Docs and Sheets, and streaming movies and videos after work, then this one’s a winner. Read the full review: Google Pixelbook Go
HP Spectre x360's gem-cut build means it'll get your work done in style. One look at the HP Spectre x360, and you’ll find it to deny that it’s one of the most beautiful laptops on the market today. That gem-cut build means it’ll get your work done in style. It’s not all skin-deep, however. This stunning 13-inch laptop is packed with the latest Intel hardware as well, so you know it can get your work done. And, if that’s not enough, it can also be flipped around into tablet mode. The HP Spectre x360 really is one of the best 13-inch laptops out there. Read the full review: HP Spectre x360
Surface Book 2 will handle your daily workload effortlessly and in style. While the 13-inch version isn’t the most powerful Surface Book 2, it still makes for one of the best 13-inch laptops on the market. Whether you’re a professional or a creative or even a student, the Surface Book 2 will handle your daily workload effortlessly and in style. What’s more, the dynamic fulcrum hinge is much improved this time around, complementing the robust quad-core processor. And, unlike many other 2-in-1 laptops, the keyboard is removable to make it much more manageable, as well as thinner, when in tablet mode. Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Book 2
Razer Blade Stealth is thin, light, and packed with the latest Ultrabook-class internals. You may be expecting a gaming laptop, especially given Razer’s reputation. But in reality, the Razer Blade Stealth just happens to be one of the best 13-inch laptops to buy today. It’s thin, light, and packed with the latest Ultrabook-class internals – including dedicated MX150 graphics so you can play your favorite titles on the go. The 8th-generation Intel Whiskey Lake Processor makes this laptop a force to be reckoned with. Of course, that comes at a cost. However, the sheer style and build quality might be worth it. Read the full review: Razer Blade Stealth
HP Envy x360 13 (2019) boasts a premium build, 9 hours of video playback and a stellar performance. Thanks to its sleek 13-inch design, this 2-in-1 is slimmer that you would have expected, which works in your favor when using it in tablet mode. There are other excellent reasons why you must consider the HP Envy x360 (2019) when sorting through the best 13-inch laptops on the market. This one boasts a premium build, 9 hours of video playback and a performance that will get you through most of your schoolwork and project, all without burning a hole in your pocket. Read the full review: HP Envy x360 (2019)
Surface Laptop 2 is one of the best 13-inch laptops right now. The early Surface Laptop had our vote for one of the best 13-inch laptops, due to its stunning screen, competent internals and solid build quality. We are, therefore, happy to see its sequel, the Surface Laptop 2, doing everything better and taking some features to a new level. You won’t find any major changes, but the faster 8th-generation CPUs, 8GB of RAM and, most importantly, the removal of Windows 10 S all add up to making the Surface Laptop 2 one of the best 13-inch laptops right now. Read the full review: Surface Laptop 2
Lenovo Yoga C930 has a few aces up its sleeve. While slightly bigger than your usual 13-inch laptop, this nearly 14-inch 2-in-1 challenger has a few aces up its sleeve – including longevity, power and durability. This means that the latest Lenovo Yoga C930 will last users long enough to get through their day-to-day workload and squeeze in some entertainment at the end of each day. To round it all out, this device also has a nice display with deep colors, a great keyboard and a decent trackpad. It may not have the best graphics performance, but it definitely more than makes up for that, making it one of the best 13-inch laptops 2019 has to offer. Read the full review: Lenovo Yoga C930
MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019) has slightly more powerful components than last year's model. The MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019) is a minor update to last year’s model, with slightly tweaked internals. However, seeing as the 2018 model took a spot on our best 13-inch laptops list, the 2019 refresh with its small improvements is just as deserving of that spot. The design remains the same, which is good news if you’re a fan of previous MacBook Pros, but with slightly more powerful components so if you’ve been looking to upgrade your aging MacBook Pro, this one affords you that chance. Read the full review: MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019) Bill Thomas, Gabe Carey and Michelle Rae Uy have also contributed to this article
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| Posted: 14 Nov 2019 12:15 PM PST You can’t go wrong with one of the best Dell laptops if you’re looking to replace your aging model with one that’s solid, powerful and great looking. Dell’s portable computers have come a long way from their humble origins. These laptops are built to last and boast powerful internal components that will see you through your computing needs, whether that’s immersive gaming, demanding creative tasks or a heavy day to day workload. If you’re looking for a desktop replacement for your gaming or one of the best gaming laptops, we’ve got something on this list. If you’re looking for a thin and light laptop to take with you while traveling, we’ve got a couple of the best Ultrabooks here. Need a budget one of casual use at home? We put that one the list as well. No matter what your budget looks like or what your computing needs are, you’ll find one on our list of the best Dell laptops on the market this 2019. And, with Black Friday rolling in soon, you should be able to score some massive discounts. Best Dell laptops at a glance:
Dell XPS 13 now boasts the new Intel Whiskey Lake processors. The Dell XPS 13 has been our favorite Dell laptop for a few years now, but it’s also easily one of the best laptops on the market in 2019. There’s a lot to love here. While there was the issue of the webcam placement, the Dell XPS 13 2019 has fixed that. It’s also now boasting the new Intel Whiskey Lake processors, which means its faster. If you’re looking for a premium Ultrabook that hardly makes any compromises, the Dell XPS 13 2019 is certainly one of the best Dell laptops around today. Read the full review: Dell XPS 13
Alienware Area-51m is a performance beast fitted with high-end processors and high-end graphics cards. Hands down, the Alienware Area-51m is a stunner of a gaming laptop, with a beautiful yet unique chassis and a comfortable keyboard to complement it. But it goes beyond looks; it’s also by far the most powerful gaming laptop on the market right now (and obviously, one of the best Dell laptops). Not that it’s perfect, as it does get really hot and its fans can get very loud. However, it’s a performance beast fitted with high-end processors and high-end graphics cards, and your gaming experience with it will be an absolute pressure. Read the full review: Alienware Area-51m
The Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 is a beautiful device with ample grunt for gaming. The Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 cuts no corners, bringing in some serious power within a thin and light package that flits easily between its laptop and tablet modes. The XPS 15 2-in-1 weighs a shade under 2kg and is only 16mm thick, which makes it easy to travel with as well as use on the move. It's also a beautiful device, and although it doesn't have the XPS 13's discrete graphics card, it still has ample grunt for gaming. Despite those sleek lines, it also offers an impressive array of ports: two Thunderbolt 3 and two USB-C, plus a headphone jack and MicroSD card reader. The XPS 15 2-in-1 has come down in price considerably since launch, and is amazingly affordably-priced considering its specifications. It’s easily one of the best Dell laptops you can buy. Read the full review: Dell XPS 15 2-in-1
Dell Latitude 7490 has many of the makings of a great computer. (Image credit: Dell) Despite the derivative design, the Dell Latitude 7490 has many of the makings of a great computer and one of the best Dell laptops 2019 has on offer. It’s all thanks to its excellent performance, a long battery life, and more than decent memory and storage options. It isn’t the cheapest, but it’s definitely worth the price. Read the full review: Dell Latitude 7490
Dell G5 15 5590 will see you through 1080p gaming and last you up to 10 hours of battery life as well. A gaming laptop that delivers a solid performance without costing you a pretty penny is key when you’re a gamer looking to upgrade on a somewhat limited budget. Dell’s 15-inch G5 may not have the highest end specs, but it will see you through 1080p gaming and last you up to 10 hours of battery life as well. All while boasting a robust, appealing, arguably thin chassis and a port selection that’s up to par. Read the full review: Dell 5 15 5590
You'll be hard pressed to find a better machine for serious gaming. The Dell Alienware 17 R5 is a mighty gaming machine in more ways than one. Equipped with an Intel Core i9 processor and overclocked GTX 1080 GPU, it’s incredibly powerful. It tips the scales at 4.4kg so this certainly isn't a laptop you'll be tossing into a work bag. However, you'll be hard pressed to find a better machine for serious gaming. It's a sound investment, as that top-end processor, which runs the latest AAA titles with ease, ensures it'll serve you well for several years to come. It's certainly at the higher end of the price scale, but factor in the trademark Dell build quality, and it's definitely worth the outlay. Read the full review: Dell Alienware 17 R5
Alienware combines incredible performance, stunning display and gorgeous design in the m15. If you're willing to shell out a bit more money on your gaming laptop, then you'll be impressed by Alienware's combination of incredible performance, stunning display and gorgeous design in the Alienware m15. That's impressive considering this laptop's thin and light packaging. And, that's without mentioning its decent battery life. Plus, as far as premium gaming laptops go, this one's actually cheaper than its main rivals. Read the full review: Alienware m15
Dell Inspiron Chromebook 11 (3181) 2-in-1 is affordable, easy to use and durable. While the Dell Inspiron Chromebook 11 isn’t the most powerful Chromebook or Dell laptop on the market, it is what Chromebooks need to be: affordable, easy to use and durable. It’s great for doing all your web browsing, movie watching and minor productivity tasks with, all while being rugged. What more can you ask for? This small Chromebook is one of the best Dell laptops to consider, especially for kids and students. Read the full review: Dell Inspiron Chromebook 11 2-in-1
Dell G3 15 When it comes to gaming, more often than not, you have to invest in premium parts to get that gaming edge you want. That’s especially true if you’re going for smooth 1440p or 4K gaming. In other words, while there’s a number of budget gaming laptops out there, very few really get you to where you want to go. Among those few is the Dell G3 15 gaming laptop, Dell’s affordable answer for gamers who want solid performance without splurging. It's all thanks to those latest yet economically-priced internals it's fitted with. It's probably not going to get you competitive level, but if you want a cheaper laptop to game on for the sake of gaming, this will go a long way. Read the full review: Dell G3 15
The Alienware Area-51m is all you could ever want in a gaming laptop, coupling that stunning yet quirky white chassis with power… lots of it. Its comfy keyboard and VR readiness are just cherries on top. If you happen to shell out a couple of thousand dollars on this laptop’s looks alone, we’d be the last people to judge. It won’t be for naught, anyway as this packs a hefty punch, and not just in gaming. This is so far the most powerful gaming laptop on the market currently, but it’s also among the best Dell laptops the manufacturer has ever rolled out. Read the full review: Alienware Area-51m This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Best laptops for kids 2019: the top laptops for kids in elementary school and beyond Posted: 14 Nov 2019 11:56 AM PST Is now the right time to upgrade your child’s tablet to the best laptop for kids? You’ve come to the right spot, as we here at TechRadar gathered all the best ones we could find in 2019 to make your laptop shopping a tad easier. But how exactly did we choose the ones that made the cut? Well, much like with all our buying guides, we handpicked each one to make sure they meet a set of requirements. And, in this case, we considered a few factors. First and foremost, the best laptop for kids will usually take the form of a rugged laptop, something that will survive a few bumps while in the backpack or even a drop. Though not often, the best laptop for kids might take the form of an affordable tablet, whether that one of the best laptops alternatives out there or a 2-in-1 hybrid laptop. This way, they have a computer powerful enough to see them through all their schoolwork and let them effortlessly watch their favorite shows in after. If you’re looking for one for a younger kid or for a child who isn’t used to a Windows or macOS environment, it might be a good idea to get a laptop that’s incredibly secure or maybe simple enough to use. The best Chromebooks can tick both those things off the requirements’ list. And finally, the best laptops for kids must also be affordable. After all, it’s like getting them their first car. You don’t want to get them something premium and pricey only to have it destroyed, stolen or even replaced later on. We put together a list of the best laptops for kids, all of which we tested and reviewed ourselves. With this list, we’ll go through all the devices with rugged frames, rigid parental controls and budget-friendly price tags. You should be able to find the best laptop for kids that your own kids will love, and possibly even for cheaper with Black Friday just around the corner. Best laptop for kids at a glance:
Google Pixelbook Go ticks off all the requirements of the best laptop for kids and then some. The best laptop for kids must be secure, simple to use and can outlast them past naptime. Google Pixelbook Go ticks off all those requirements and then some, with its astounding battery life and Chrome OS environment. Google rounds those out with an incredible keyboard and a 1080p webcam. This is the Google Pixelbook of your dreams, minus that steep price tag. And, while the kids might enjoy watching their favorite cartoons and playing casual games on that sharp display, you’ll also love using this for that occasional work email you have to squeeze in between spending time with them. Read the full review: Google Pixelbook Go
If your kid needs a very affordable laptop to get some schoolwork done, get the Dell Inspiron Chromebook 11 3181 2-in-1. A Chromebook make for the best laptop for kids because it’s practically mistake proof, and the Dell Chromebook 11 2-in-1 is a fine example of that. Drop it, and it’s fine. Download any malicious software? Well, you can’t! It’s one of the most secure environments for your kids to use a computer, made better by parental controls that you can set yourself. If your kid needs a very affordable laptop to get some schoolwork done, you won’t want to miss out on this excellent device. It even transforms into a tablet for a bit of light gaming post schoolwork. Read the full review: Dell Chromebook Inspiron 11 3181 2-in-1
Acer Chromebook Spin 11 is the laptop to get the kids if you want something that won't break the first time it gets dropped. When your kids have finally graduated to a proper laptop for writing up papers for class, but you still want to get them something that won’t break the first time it gets dropped, then the Acer Chromebook Spin 11 might just be the laptop for you. It’s powerful enough to get through the kids’ daily schoolwork, and it’s a 2-in-1 so they can flip its comfortable keyboard around to turn it into tablet mode for playing Android games or watching their favorite shows in their downtime. The display is a bit dim, and it’s unlikely to blow you away as far as performance, but it’s cheap, solid and reliable. What more can you ask for from the best laptop for kids? Read the full review: Acer Chromebook Spin 11
The robust Acer Chromebook 15 will see your kids through more demanding projects. When your kids approach double-digit years, they’re going to need something a bit more robust to support them through more demanding projects, as well as sharper streaming. Acer’s latest 15-inch Chromebook is, therefore, the best laptop for kids – or yours, at least – bringing serious sophistication to your kids’ computing experience and needs, from its design to its great features like a full HD display, fast USB 3.0 connections and an HDR webcam. Keep in mind that this laptop is ideal for adolescents, as you’re swapping its lack of kid-proof features for a larger size, a more luxurious experience and a great price tag. Read the full review: Acer Chromebook 15
Asus Transformer Mini T102HA is the perfect laptop for kids to get used to a classic computer configuration. If your kid wants a tablet, but you want them to get used to a classic computer configuration, the Asus Transformer Mini is the perfect compromise. This tablet brings plenty of power and ports to the table – not to mention, a fingerprint sensor, stylus and keyboard cover – all in the box. That’s a lot of value for a budget price. Rounding it out is the 11 hours of battery life, so they can get through all their schoolwork and squeeze in some Netflix before bed. If your kids are just too used to tablets to unceremoniously jump to a traditional laptop, this is the one of the best Asus laptops for that transition. Read the full review: Asus Transformer Mini T102HA
The MacBook Air is still among the best laptop for kids who love the macOS environment. The 2015 MacBook Air might not be the newest kid on the block, but it’s still among the best laptop for kids who love the macOS environment – unlike the 2018 model. We know that parents aren’t made of cash, but it’s the cheapest Apple laptop out there, and the 2015 MacBook Air is available at bargain prices, especially in third-party websites. It also has excellent battery life, an operating system that’s smooth and easy to navigate, and a form factor that’s light and thin. The best Macs are famous for outlasting Windows laptops – and this one might just last your kid throughout high school and possibly even college. Read the full review: MacBook Air
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| Best touchscreen laptops 2019: the best touchsceen laptops we've tapped this year Posted: 14 Nov 2019 11:41 AM PST The best touchscreen laptops have forever changed the laptop landscape since their conception, primarily because the emergence of the best 2-in-1 laptops changed the way we see and use laptops. For one, touchscreen laptop users can get into the habit of utilizing their laptop the way they would a tablet to squeeze in some entertainment or a bit of gaming after work. The fact that there are now more touch-friendly operating systems – like Windows 10 and Chrome OS – available only strengthen these touchscreen laptops’ case. Of course, even in 2019, not all laptops under the sun offer touchscreen capabilities. MacBooks, for one, have stayed the course, leaving Apple’s knack for designing excellent touchscreen display to their even more portable cousins. However, there are many touchscreen laptops out there, enough so that choosing the best one for you may not be an easy of an endeavor as you might think. That’s where we come in. We’ve reviewed a number of these touchscreen laptops ourselves, and we meticulously picked out the best ones out there. This list should make your hunt for one of the best touchscreen laptops easier. Keep an eye out for money-saving deals as well, as Black Friday rolls around. Best touchscreen laptops at a glance:
Dell XPS 13 boasts that covetable 4K touchscreen feature. The touch model in the Dell XPS 13 line has every single thing we love about this highly-rated laptop, from its upgraded 8th-gen processor to its battery life boost. Of course, the display also inherits that excellent quality, with top-notch color reproduction, HDR features and 400 nits of brightness – as well as bezels that are practically non-existent. Better yet, it boasts that covetable 4K touchscreen feature, making it all the more useful for many productivity and creative endeavors. Is there any doubt why this tops our best touchscreen laptops list? Read the full review: Dell XPS 13
Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition more than meets the standards of videographers, photographers and designers. Razer has redesigned its best gaming laptop to turn it into a mobile creative workstation touting a jaw-dropping performance that meets the standards of videographers, photographers and designers. This laptop packs a serious punch. But, it also rocks a stunning, factory-calibrated 4K display with the touchscreen model on hand, giving video editors not just incredibly sharp content but also lots of space to work on while they’re editing on the go. If a fast and seamless workflow is of utmost importance in your day to day, then the Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition is the best touchscreen laptop for you. Just be ready to splurge. Read the full review: Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition
You can't go wrong with HP Envy x360 13 (2019) for productivity or for entertainment and Internet browsing. If a 13-inch slimline 2-in-1 laptop that gets you through your daily computing routine, whether for productivity or for entertainment and Internet browsing, is all you need, then you cannot go wrong with Envy x360's AMD upgrade. This laptop not only packs the latest AMD mobile CPU, but also boasts a premium chassis that will be the envy of other laptops at your office, making it deserving of its moniker. Better yet, it offers 9 hours of video playback, lasting you an entire work day without charging. Read the full review: HP Envy x360 (2019)
Microsoft's Surface Laptop 2 has a stunning display. Over the last few years, Microsoft has been hard at work in crafting some of the best touchscreen laptops on the market. Devices like the Surface Pro 6 and the Surface Book 2 are brilliant. However, it’s the new Surface Laptop 2 that really takes the cake, expertly combining that traditional laptop form factor with touchscreen technology in the most compelling way possible. Not only is its display dazzling, but it also boasts a charming chassis and a powerful hardware behind it. Some may lament the absence of Thunderbolt 3, but when it already does so many things right, it’s hard not to love the Surface Laptop 2. Read the full review: Surface Laptop 2
Samsung Chromebook Pro has an incredible touchscreen for handwriting notes. The Samsung Chromebook Pro is akin to an extremely large Samsung Note device in that it has a stowable stylus and an incredible touchscreen for handwriting notes. What’s even better is that every single thing you write down on the Samsung Chromebook Pro is saved to Google Keep, which digitizes your handwriting into a text document for convenient searching later. Plus, taking into consideration this Chromebook’s access to the Google Play Store for all the best Android apps, it isn’t hard to see why this is one of the best touchscreen laptops. Read the full review: Samsung Chromebook Pro
The HP Spectre x360 is one of the best laptops. The HP Spectre x360 is not just one of the best touchscreen laptops out there, but it’s also one of the best laptops, full stop. It strikes that perfect balance between tablet and laptop. As a tablet, it has superbly slim bezels for immersive entertainment and is light enough to hold for a long period. As a laptop, it can power through any work you throw at it without having to scramble for the nearest outlet, with its long battery life and powerful full-fat Ultrabook processors. Read the full review: HP Spectre x360
The Lenovo Yoga C930 boast high-quality IPS Glossy touchscreen display. Not only is the new Lenovo Yoga C930 one of the best hybrid laptops we’ve reviewed to date, but it’s also deserving of a spot on our best touchscreen laptops list. It’s all thanks to that high-quality IPS Glossy touchscreen display, which not only offers stylus support, but is also available in both Full HD and 4K – nifty if you work with high resolution photos. Get all your productivity tasks out of the way, and then throw in some decent gaming post work. Read the full review: Lenovo Yoga C930
Surface Book 2 (15-inch) boast a larger screen and extremely beefier hardware. The Surface Book 2 15-inch delivers the same great touch and pen experience as the Surface Pro. However, it also takes it to a new level by boasting a larger screen and extremely beefier hardware. Thanks to its quad-core processor and potent discrete GPU, it’s well-equipped to handle your most ambitious art projects, not to mention some of the best PC games that are currently taking up all your free time. If this isn’t one of the best touchscreen laptops on the market right now, we don’t know what is. Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Book 2 (15-inch)
Lenovo Yoga C630 boast a 13.3-inch, wide-angle FHD stunning display with touchscreen functionality. Budget users seeking touchscreen functionality will appreciate the value the Lenovo Yoga C630 offers. This 2-in-1 starts at $629 (about £517, A$927), with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 850 Processor, 4GB RAM, 128GB of SSD storage and integrated Qualcomm graphics. That means that it’s a lightweight option for those folks who aren’t entirely convinced by the Chrome OS environment. It has a few aces to top it all off, including the Lenovo Active Pen, a Fingerprint Reader and more than 23 hours of battery life. And what of the display? It’s a 13.3-inch, wide-angle FHD stunner, with touchscreen functionality, of course. Read the full review: Lenovo Yoga C630
Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Extreme mobile workstation is among the best touchscreen laptops for you. In the market for a potent powerhouse and you have the funds to shell out a considerable amount of cash, then Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Extreme mobile workstation is among the best touchscreen laptops for you. It has several configurations on hand, depending on your needs and budget. At its most basic, however, it’s already pretty powerful, fitted with a solid graphics card and a 4K multi-touch display that is an absolute knockout. For gamers, this display also boasts the Dolby Vision high dynamic range (HDR) technology for top-notch image quality. Read the full review: ThinkPad X1 Extreme Mobile Workstation Michelle Rae Uy, Gabe Carey and Bill Thomas have also contributed to this article
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| This is one VPN you won't want to download Posted: 14 Nov 2019 11:14 AM PST Security researchers have discovered that an Iranian state-sponsored hacking group has built and been operating its own private VPN which it uses for hacking, reconnaissance and even everyday web browsing. According to new research from Trend Micro, the group, codenamed APT33, is Iran's most sophisticated hacking unit. The group was responsible for the Shamoon malware back in 2012 which was used to wipe the hard drives of more than 35,000 workstations at Saudi Arabia's Saudi Aramco. The group recently resurfaced and launched a series of new attacks targeting the oil and aviation industries. So far in 2019, APT33 has infected an American company that provides national security services, a university and a college in the US, a victim associated with the US military and several other victims in the Middle East and Asia.
However, while Trend Micro was investigating the group's latest attacks, it was able to gain a great deal of insight into how APT33 manages its hacking infrastructure. APT33Trend Micro's researchers discovered that APT33 used four layers between its operators and their targets to help the group avoid detection. First they used a custom-built network of VPN nodes to hide the IP addresses and the locations of their operators, they then employ a bot controller layer made up of intermediary servers, next a C&C backend layer is made up of servers which manage its malware botnets and finally a layer of proxy servers is used by the C&C servers to hide from infected hosts. However, the biggest revelation made by Trend Micro is the fact that APT33 had set up and was operating its own private VPN network as opposed to using commercial VPN servers to hide their location. This actually made the group easier to track as the researchers only had to look out for a few IP addresses whereas with a commercial VPN they would have been far less detectable. Trend Micro explained how APT33's private VPN made the group easier for it to track in a blog post, saying: “Setting up a private VPN can be easily done by renting a couple of servers from datacenters around the world and using open source software like OpenVPN. Though the connections from private VPN networks still come from seemingly unrelated IP addresses around the world, this kind of traffic is actually easier to track. Once we know that an exit node is mainly being used by a particular actor, we can have a high degree of confidence about the attribution of the connections that are made from the IP addresses of the exit node.” This isn't the first time we've seen a group of hackers create and operate their own VPN as earlier this year, hackers who used many of the tools and techniques of the Chinese-affiliated threat actor group APT10, built a VPN for greater convenience within the networks of mobile carriers they had previously infiltrated.
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| Intel Xe graphics card leaks, and it might not even be for PC gaming Posted: 14 Nov 2019 10:49 AM PST We've been sitting here, waiting for Intel Xe graphics cards (GPUs) for years at this point, but we might have finally seen something that gives us an idea of what they'll look like. And, PC gamers might want to brace themselves. Intel's first Xe graphics cards will be code named "Ponte Vecchio," according to a leaked press deck spotted by VideoCardz. Rather than taking on AMD and Nvidia in the perennial graphics card war, however, these Intel Ponte Vecchioi GPUs will instead be intended for Exascale computing. So, they'll probably be very powerful and very expensive.
This is all a part of a supposed "Project Aurora," which will see these Intel Xe graphics cards launch alongside some new Xeon processors and a new API for programmers. All of this further cements these graphics cards as non-gaming PC components, but it at least means some interesting technology may filter down to the consumer market at some point, even if we don't know what that technology looks like yet. There's still hope for anyone waiting for Intel gaming graphics cards with bated breath, though. According to VideoCardz, there was a slide in the press deck that said we'd see gaming cards from Intel eventually – we just might not see them right away. Whenever we see Intel Xe graphics cards enter the mainstream, however, it will be about time. We can't wait to see what the graphics card landscape will look like once a third company enters the ring. Who knows, graphics cards might become affordable again once Nvidia has some tough competition at the high end. But, we'll just have to wait and see what happens. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Buying a .org domain could get much more expensive Posted: 14 Nov 2019 10:39 AM PST The manager of .org domains, the Public Interest Registry (PIR), has announced that it will be acquired by the private equity firm Ethos Capital and as a result of the acquisition, the price of .org domains could soon increase substantially. Previously, PIR was a non-profit domain registry but once the deal closes during the first quarter of next year, it will officially be part of a for-profit company. This could certainly make things confusing for consumers as the top-level domain .org has typically been associated with non-profits while .com was reserved for commercial entities.
In a press release announcing the acquisition, CEO of the Public Interest Registry, Jon Nevett did his best to reassure non-profits that its change in ownership won't affect the .org community, saying: “Since the inception of Public Interest Registry, our mission has been to enable the .ORG Community to use the Internet more effectively and change the world for the better. That will not change. We have enjoyed a long and successful relationship with the Internet Society, and are thrilled that we will be able to continue – and expand – our important work with Ethos Capital while sustaining our commitment to the .ORG Community going forward.” Price capsEarlier this year, the internet registration outfit ICANN agreed to remove price caps on rates for .org domain names and this came as a shock as to many non-profit organizations which just can't afford to pay a higher price for their domains. When the idea of removing price caps on these domains was initially proposed in March, feedback on the move was less than positive and only six of the 3,000 public comments on the proposal were in favor of the decision according to Review Signal. After the public comment period closed, PIR published an open letter in which it said that it had “no specific plans for any price increases for .org”. However, now that PIR is part of a for-profit company, this could certainly change and non-profits and other institutions which have relied on inexpensive .org domains for years could have to pay a great deal more than they currently do. While it would be ideal if PIR kept .org pricing consistent with what it is now, the chances of that are unlikely and non-profits should begin preparing to pay more to keep their sites up and running in the future.
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| The Mandalorian release date, episodes, cast, our verdict, and where to watch Posted: 14 Nov 2019 10:26 AM PST What is The Mandalorian? The first live-action Star Wars TV show is absolutely one of the biggest deals on the Disney Plus streaming service, and now that the platform is live, fans are digging into its first season. The premiere of The Mandalorian finally landed on November 12 – in some countries, at least – and staggered weekly releases will be bringing the rest of the season soon. That means it can't be binged, but it'll certainly keep us talking about it for a while to come. UK viewers will have a good few months to wait, sadly, with all of the irritation, Twitter spoilers and piracy that's bound to entail. The show charts the story of a galactic bounty hunter, in the vein of Boba Fett – the iconic, if briefly appearing character from The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi (though more on him below). With a star-studded lineup that include's Narcos' Pedro Pascal in the lead role, and the massive support of Disney and the Star Wars franchise backing the live-action space western, this is set to be a big one. It's not the only Star Wars TV show coming our way either. A Rogue One prequel series, following the life of Cassian Andor (played by Diego Luna) is set to come to Disney Plus down the line, while we also have word of an Obi-Wan Kenobi TV series with Ewan McGregor reprising his role. But The Mandalorian is the first show of its kind for the platform, and all eyes will be on whether Disney manages to keep the magic of Star Wars alive in what looks like a grittier take on the universe (compared to the mainline films). Here's everything you need to know about Star Wars: The Mandalorian, including when episodes are dropping, where you can find it, and what formats and resolutions you can expect to watch it in.
Pedro Pascal plays the helmeted Mandalorian protagonist
Is it worth getting Disney Plus just for The Mandalorian?That's a complicated question. If you love Star Wars, Disney Plus has the original trilogy in 4K for the first time, so it's actually a decent proposition anyway if that universe means a lot to you. As for the show, it makes a great first impression. The opening episode is a lean 39 minutes long, which is oddly respectful of your time, when so many shows on streaming services are bloated in length. It's a tight, Western-style story without too much dialogue. This doesn't feel like a Star Wars epic: it feels like one small story set in that universe, primarily in the criminal underworld, which is incredibly refreshing. If you're on the fence about the service, get a 7-day # trial and watch a few episodes of The Mandalorian for yourself. And check out our review of The Mandalorian if you want more thoughts on the first episode. The Mandalorian FAQ: quick questions answered
The Mandalorian was first announced in an Instagram post by Jon Favreau, who is credited with creating and writing the series. It takes place seven years after the end of Return of the Jedi – meaning this is long before Rey, Finn, and Kylo Ren from the current trilogy (The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker) enter the picture. The Mandalorians are a military people in the Star Wars universe, from the planet Mandalore, and have appeared in both the Star Wars Rebels and Clone Wars animated series. They've had a checkered history in the Star Wars canon, with the Tales of the Jedi comic series from Dark Horse seeing the Mandalorians even siding with Sith forces against the Jedi, so you can expect some gray moral areas or alliances beyond the light and dark sides of the Force. As per Favreau's post, it will follow a "lone gunfighter in the outer reaches of the galaxy", meaning we'll get a look at some brand new locales not previously touched upon in the Star Wars films – though still with some Stormtroopers to fight (as in the trailer below).
The Mandalorian release date: when can I watch it?As a launch title for the Disney Plus streaming service, the Mandalorian is now live in the US, Canada, and The Netherlands. The service then launches in Australia and New Zealand on November 19 – with the UK and remaining European countries getting the show in March 2020. We're sad about it too. The show will be releasing episodes weekly, too, rather than dropping the whole season at once – but you can sample the show premiere by signing up to Disney Plus here. The Mandalorian trailersWe got our first The Mandalorian trailer at August's D23 expo, showing off the eponymous bounty hunter in action – with what looks like a robot companion joining the fight too. Are robots to Star Wars heroes what pets are to Disney princesses? We'll let you decide. Just two weeks out from its November 12 release date, Disney Plus dropped another trailer for The Mandalorian, and this time we even get to hear the mysterious bounty hunter speak for the first time. You can check out the action-packed second trailer below. And just one week from release, a short trailer introduced several brand new characters, including Ming-Na Wen's Fennec Shand, an assassin in the series. The Mandalorian cast, crew, and directors
Carl Weathers in The Mandalorian With Jungle Book director Jon Favreau – who you may know as handler Happy from the MCU Spiderman movies – at the helm, and the weight of Disney and Star Wars behind him, it's unsurprising that The Mandalorian will have some big-name talent attached to it. Pedro Pascal, who played Javier Peña in the Netflix crime series Narcos, plays the masked bounty hunter and titular character. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Pascal described the character as a "mysterious, lone gunfighter," adding that “He’s got a lot of Clint Eastwood in him." Other actors include Carl Weathers (from the Rocky and Predator series) and Gina Carano (Deadpool) – the latter of which you can be sure will be taking part in some kick-ass action sequences. Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad), Emily Swallow (Supernatural), Omid Abtahi (American Gods), and Nick Nolte (Affliction) are also attached to the series.
Taika Waititi voices a droid, likely providing some comic relief Legendary director Werner Herzog has a prominent role in The Mandalorian, and in episode one hires the titular antihero for an important job. There'll be numerous directors for the first season's episodes, including Dave Filoni (Star Wars Rebels), Deborah Chow (Jessica Jones), Rick Famuyiwa (Dope), Bryce Dallas Howard (Solemates), and Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok) – the last of whom will also be voicing the IG-11 droid seen busting caps in the trailer.
So, is Boba Fett not in it?The Mandalorian played by Pascal in the trailer isn't Boba Fett, apparently. However, since Disney clarified the characters survival after what many thought was a grisly demise in Return of the Jedi, we wouldn't be surprised to see him in some form, especially since The Mandalorian is set only seven years after the events of that film. We'll just have to wait and see... Where can I watch The Mandalorian TV show?
Disney Plus will be a one-stop home for Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic content The Mandalorian is exclusively available on the Disney Plus streaming service, which will come to browsers, iOS, Android, Android TV (for Nvidia Shield TV, Sony TVs, and Hisense TVs), PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Roku streaming devices, Apple TV HD, Apple TV 4K, Google Chromecast, and Xbox One. After reaching a deal with Amazon, the Disney Plus app will be on Fire TV devices too. The Mandalorian: 4K, HDR, and Dolby Atmos
Of course, if you've gone to the fuss of buying a 4K TV, or one that can support HDR (high dynamic range) for enhanced contrast and colors, you'll be wanting to know if The Mandalorian will make the most of these premium TV technologies – and it will! The entire season of The Mandalorian will be available to stream in 4K HDR. From what the trailer has shown us, the sweeping desert landscapes and galactic skies will no doubt benefit. Unlike Netflix, which requires a premium subscription plan to access high-resolution content, Disney will be throwing in 4K and HDR streaming for its baseline monthly price ($7 in the US). Disney Plus will support HDR10 and the dynamic Dolby Vision HDR format, though not the HDR10+ format found on Amazon Prime Video. Dolby Atmos surround sound audio will also be supported – for TVs or Dolby Atmos speakers able to play the format.
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| Posted: 14 Nov 2019 10:05 AM PST Our guide to the best iPhones doesn't get updated very often, as Apple only releases its iPhone handsets once a year, so there's very little change, at least compared to other brands that release new phones in multiple waves every year. The most recent iPhones are the iPhone 11 range, consisting of that, the iPhone 11 Pro and the iPhone 11 Pro Max. These three premium smartphones took the top places on our list, displacing the iPhone XS range and all previous Apple smartphones. So the best iPhones are the new iPhone 11 handsets, but what order do they rank in? And what are the best iPhones from previous years that still hold up? Check out our list to discover what our extensive testing has found out. The introduction of the iPhone 11 range also saw a shake-up in Apple's official iPhone line-up, and now it's got a spectrum of handsets covering all price points – as well as a mounting graveyard of discontinued handsets. You can still pick up the 'discontinued' iPhones at various retailers and carriers, but the 'official' ones will be easy to come by. Naming a best iPhone isn't as simple as looking at plain specifications, because value and usability aren't defined so easily – and even those metrics get changed since the best iPhone deals can sway the value of each device. As such, we've taken the time to use each iPhone extensively in order to compare all the features and functions that new and older iPhones provide. We've snapped with their cameras, played many games, and weighed the value you get for the price. So without further ado, here is our list of the best iPhones on the market right now, bearing in mind that the clock is ticking before this list gets completely overhauled.
The iPhone 11 isn't the highest-spec Apple phone, but it supersedes the iPhone XR 'budget flagship' in better ways to become the standout phone of its generation in terms of sheer value. True, it misses out on a telephoto lens, but like we found with the Samsung Galaxy S10e, a coupling of main and ultrawide lenses serve most photo needs. While it doesn't get an OLED display, its LCD screen at least allows the phone to keep its best-in-generation battery life crown. And it even gets a bit more RAM - up to 4GB from its predecessor's 3GB. Add in iOS 13 and all the new tweaks coming in the iPhone 11 series and this phone is a lean, mean, photo-taking machine - and all for the cheapest an iPhone has debuted since the iPhone 8.
The iPhone 11 Pro is a more advanced smartphone than the base iPhone 11, but it isn't the best iPhone just because its price is a big step up too. Sure, the smaller screen is one-hand-friendly, the screen quality is a bonus, and it's Apple's most affordable handset with three rear cameras, so it's a decent phone all in all – that's why it's at our second spot on the list of our best iPhones! But money is a concern for most people when they're looking for a new smartphone, and the big price step up may be questionable for most people when you put the stats side-by-side with the iPhone 11.
The iPhone 11 Pro Max is not only a confusing shift in naming convention - it's the biggest, fastest, baddest iPhone out there. It's also the most expensive. Not much has changed from the iPhone XS Max, aside from the upgraded camera suite - but then again, adding an ultrawide lens is a big upgrade. The photo software has been upgraded, too, and switching between zoom levels is far smoother here than in other phones. The battery level has been improved a staggering 4 hours over the iPhone XS Max, according to Apple. And if you can get beyond the truly weird-looking triple-lens rear camera block, this is truly the most powerful iPhone out there.
Image credit: TechRadar This is actually the best-selling iPhone from Apple, and for several good reasons. First, we get it, you refuse to budge from the 4.7-inch iPhone screen size and, frankly, we don't blame you. Every time we go back to this iPhone with 'normal' dimensions, we feel like we just went on a smartphone vacation. Second, its price is way more reasonable for a lot a folks than the iPhone X and iPhone 8 Plus. Just because the size is the same as iPhones of old, doesn't mean the technology behind it is, though. The iPhone 8 features the same A11 Bionic chipset as the iPhone 8 Plus and the iPhone X, and it too debuted wireless charging and fast charging on an Apple smartphone. The camera is still fantastic, even if it doesn't have the dual-lens capabilities that are exclusive to the X and Plus, and you'll dig iOS 11 at this size more so than the even smaller iPhone SE.
Image credit: TechRadar The iPhone 8 Plus is almost the best iPhone if you're not willing to take the plunge into Apple's proposed smartphone future and need that Touch ID fingerprint sensor. It remains popular due to its screen size, cheaper price and physical home button. It does have several key features you'll like, however. It's among the first iPhones to have both wireless charging and fast charging, and the camera has improved. Its dual-lens camera doesn't have OIS in the telephoto lens (a feature saved for the X), but it's still a great way to snap a photo at long distances. It won't turn nearly as many heads with its bezel-heavy design, but the iPhone 8 Plus is the iPhone built for big hands and slightly smaller wallets than the new iPhone X.
Image credit: TechRadar The iPhone XR is a great upgrade for the average consumer who doesn't want to pay for the most expensive iPhone money (a lot of money) can buy. This is Apple's 'cheap' iPhone, at least when it comes to recently launched handsets. It's also the best iPhone of the new trio for battery life. It stands out with a variety of iPhone XR colors: Blue, White, Black, Yellow, Coral, Red. This contrasts heavily with the rather muted colors of the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. Yet it shares the same internal specs: Apple's fast A12 Bionic chipset and a 12MP dual-lens camera with a single lens on back. You don't get the dual-lens camera like you do on a higher-tier iPhone, so you miss out on telephoto shots. But Smart HDR is the real perk to taking great photos, and that's here. It's cheaper, it's more colorful and it has a big 6.1-inch screen. That's enough for most people, especially those who aren't insistent on an impressive OLED screen.
Despite the iPhone SE's small size and relatively modest price tag, it's still an upper mid-range phone. It has the same boxy yet premium design as the metal-clad iPhone 5S and the same powerful Apple A9 chipset and rear camera as the iPhone 6S. It lacks the 3D Touch features and higher-resolution front-facing camera of the iPhone 6S and beyond. The screen is also less impressive all round, thanks in large part to a lower contrast ratio. But it compares well to many mid-range handsets. It's also the most powerful 4-inch iPhone you can get, so for fans of compact form factors this is an obvious choice. But the best bit is its price, as it's one of the cheapest iPhones you'll find on the market and it's something of a bargain by Apple standards.
Image credit: TechRadar The iPhone XS Max is the best iPhone you can buy right now. It's Apple's biggest and best iPhone – if your hands and wallets are large enough. It has an expansive 6.5-inch OLED screen with HDR10 support to make colors pop. It's the perfect phone if you want a giant screen. Behind that huge screen is an improved dual-lens 12MP camera. Apple outfitted it with Smart HDR and increased the sensor size to capture larger pixels. Don't let that static 12MP number fool you. The iPhone XS Max (like the XS) has new depth-sensing capabilities for adjustable bokeh (background blur) during and after a shot. The TrueDepth camera returns with faster Face ID recognition, and your 7MP selfies get better depth control and Smart HDR, too. And, of course, Animoji returns with the iOS 12 benefit of having Memoji now. The iPhone XS Max is more expensive than the iPhone X and iPhone XS that replaces the X, of course. But if you're paying for it over the course of two years in a contract (or through the Apple Upgrade Program), it's not that much more month-to-month.
Image credit: TechRadar Believe it or not, the iPhone XS is Apple's best 'small' phone. It has a 5.8-inch screen, so it's more one-hand-friendly than the Max, but still a sizable upgrade for some people. It's an upgrade over its predecessor iPhone X, a previous best iPhone recommendation, though you'll have to look more closely for the changes – the design isn't different at all. It has a Smart HDR-capable 12MP camera, enhanced TrueDepth front-facing camera, and a fast A12 Bionic chipset, exactly like the larger iPhone XS Max. In fact, this all-screen phone is pretty much the iPhone XS Max in a smaller form factor. It does have a smaller battery than the Max and obviously a smaller screen, but you will still capture the same great photos and videos on this device and play the same games. There's no different there.
Image credit: TechRadar The iPhone X is as impressive as it is expensive, but it's not as pricey as its successor iPhones. Millions of Apple fans picked it up in its first few months of existence. It's the future of Apple's smartphone. It has a large all-screen display, except for a notch cutout at the top that houses a new TrueDepth Camera. This takes selfies to another level and can also map your face to an iPhone X-exclusive Animoji. If you don't know what that is by now you probably won't care. The iPhone X is Apple's 10th anniversary smartphone and has just about everything iPhone users have been asking for, from a more forward-leaning design to faster specs and new features. You'll just have to get used to Face ID instead of reaching for that non-existent fingerprint sensor.
Don't fancy the large iPhone 7 Plus? Why not opt for the iPhone 7, which is a smaller and cheaper alternative. This was one of the first iPhones to lack a headphone jack, but it does come with a water-resistant design that means your phone is likely to survive the odd dip in the sink rather than just being frazzled right away. There's no dual-lens camera on the iPhone 7, but you can still take some absolutely incredible photography with the 12MP sensor. If you own an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6S, you may not see much difference with the this phone but the newer processor and camera tech may be enough to entice you to buy it if you can't stomach the high price of the iPhone 8.
When it came out the iPhone 7 Plus was the best phone Apple had ever made, and it remains a winner for its longevity and price. It's larger than the iPhone X though despite its smaller display, so if you're after a smaller phone with a bigger screen, this won't be the best choice for you with its 5.5-inch 1080p display. The big upgrades over older iPhones are the waterproof design and a new dual-lens camera that allows you to snap with two 12MP lenses at the same time. It allows for better optical zoom as well as a bokeh mode to blur the background of your photos and put the main focus on the foreground. Battery life on the iPhone 7 Plus is much improved upon the iPhone 6S Plus, and while it's still a costly option it's much cheaper than it was at launch, making it one of the best iPhone choices for people looking for a deal.
The iPhone 6S, as you probably know, is getting old. The Apple A9 chipset and a chunky 2GB of RAM, up from 1GB on the previous model, make it far superior in raw power to its predecessor though, and still reasonably speedy by today's standards, and it's got some other tricks too. It has a 12MP rear camera and a tried-and-tested 8MP front-facing camera, which at the time was the best selfie shooter Apple had on a phone. It does sport largely the same design and screen as the iPhone 6 though and the latter in particular is starting to feel a bit dated in the face of super sharp QHD screens from rivals - and from the newer iPhone X. This was the first iPhone to sport 3D Touch though, which makes the screen pressure-sensitive and offers new tricks for enhanced emailing and shortcuts around the home screen. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 14 Nov 2019 09:44 AM PST A good pair of headphones are an absolute essential for many of us. Aside from breathing new life into our favorite songs, they keep us entertained and distracted with music, podcasts and audio books when we're traveling to work, working out or just trying to disconnect from everyone else. We spend a lot of time with our headphones – and if you're looking for a new pair, you're going to want a pair of the best headphones you can find. It's our mission to hook you up with a pair of great-sounding headphones – the best headphones money can buy, even when you're on a budget. Below you'll find our selection of the best headphones for each form-factor, and we've even picked out a less-costly option for each so that a lack of finances won't stop you from finding a pair of headphones you'll truly love.
If there’s anything surprising about the new Sony WH-1000XM3 it’s that they’re so consistent with what Sony has released in the last two years in the form of the Sony WH-1000XM2 and Sony MDR-1000X. To wit, they’re a dominant noise-canceling pair of headphones that can beat anything Bose has with both arms behind its back. That’s because, while Bose has done a tremendous job working out its noise cancelation algorithm over the years, Sony has spent that time perfecting audio playback while simultaneously creating an adaptable algorithm that doesn’t just create a single sterile sound barrier, but multiple kinds that can tailor itself to whatever situation you’re in. Beyond being exceptional at keeping external noises at bay, these impressive Sony headphones are Hi-Res Audio-ready, sporting aptX, aptX HD and LDAC codecs, plus will offer Google Assistant support right on-board. If you need a headphone that can live up to any challenge and excel in any environment, these are the pair for you.
After spending a few weeks with both the 1MORE Triple Driver in-ear headphones and the 1MORE Quad Driver in-ear headphones we were blown away at just how much value each one gave in their prospective price ranges. At its price tag, it’s hard to think of a better sounding and built headphone than the 1MORE Triple Driver. That said, if you want just that little extra refinement and luxury materials, the 1MORE Quad Drivers are still a bargain at twice the price. There’s very little we can fault the Triple Drivers for. Its rubber cable is annoying and its remote control feels cheap but these are just nitpicks. But, for its price, it’s impossible to do better than 1MORE's Triple Driver in-ear headphones.
If you have a tendency to lose or break headphones but still value sound quality, it’s hard to think of a better value than the RHA S500u. These headphones have no business sounding so good for the price, sporting a balanced soundstage with a slight mid-bass bump. Bass is slightly emphasized but not egregiously and features good impact while maintaining good control – and highs, while sibilant at times, makes music sound more exciting.
For your money, you can't do any better than Grado's SR60e. The third-generation of the Brooklyn, NY-based company's Prestige Series is its best and most refined yet. The SR60e in particular is a smart choice if you're looking for an entry-level set of headphones that sounds like it should cost you way more than it does. Its open-backed ear cup design makes them a more breathable experience than what most on-ear headphones can deliver. In a few words, it's our gold-standard when it comes to on-ears.
While the original Plattan headphones were just fine for a pair of on-ear headphones, Urbanears wasn’t satisfied with being mediocre. The company took customer feedback to heart and addressed many complaints about comfort, sound quality and isolation. For the most part, Urbanears succeeded, making the Plattan II a worthy sequel to the company’s most popular headphone. In short, these are basic headphones without a ton of features. But, because they're feature-light, you get a good-sounding pair of wired headphones for significantly less than you would otherwise.
While Beyerdynamic may not be as well known as its German brother, Sennheiser, the audio company has a history of creating some of the best sounding audio gear on the market – the company’s DT770, DT880 and DT990 were renown for their excellent build and sound quality. Above them all, however, stands the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro, an open-back version of the Beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pro, a headphone which won our Editor’s Choice for its imaging, design and value for the money. Both headphones are priced the same, so you won’t find a deal picking up one over the other. The difference here comes down to sound. As they’re open-back, the DT 1990 Pro are meant to be used at home or in the studio for serious analytical listening. Sound is able to get in and out but the good news is that the open-back design gives you the DT 1990 Pro a great sense of space. Soundstage is quite wide, too, allowing even the most lackadaisical listener to pinpoint the exact location of where each instrument is playing. If you've been searching for a pair of Hi-Fi headphones that are used by some of the world's leading audio engineers, these are them.
Audiophiles typically shun wireless headphones because of poor sound quality. However, Bluetooth audio has improved tremendously over the years. There are now plenty of wireless headphones that can please the music enthusiast, with Hi-Res Audio support being more and more prevalent. That said, the Audio-Technica ATH-SR5BT feature some of the best wired and wireless sound quality for a budget headphone. They play well with all music genres and offer a near-flat response curve. They're extremely comfortable for long listening sessions and are well built. Battery life is equally impressive with nearly 40 hours of playback from a charge, and while they lack some features of more expensive wireless headphones like active noise cancelling and multi-device pairing, these are tradeoffs worth making for phenomenal sound.
While we think the Sony WH-1000XM3s are the true best noise-canceling headphones, the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 are a close second – and for the sake of offering an alternative, we've included them in this list. Traditionally, noise-canceling headphones have been designed to block out the environmental sounds around you, so that you can hear your music more clearly (or catch some shut-eye on a noisy flight). This can be really effective if you’re listening to music. If you’re making a phone call however, the person you’re speaking to can still hear everything that’s happening around you, whether you’re standing on a busy street or trying to speak on a rumbling train. The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 seek to remedy this, by applying noise-cancelation to phone calls as well as music, which is fantastic feature. The sound quality is undeniably good, with a vibrant, lively character and well-balanced soundstage. If you’re trying to decide between buying the Sony WH-1000XM3s and the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700, we’d recommend going for the former because of that lower price and better battery life. That being said, you wouldn’t be making a mistake if you opted for the Bose cans instead (and we wouldn’t blame you if you did) – they sound great, look stunning, and the noise-cancelation is out of this world.
For the money, the JBL Live 650BTNC punch above its weight in terms of sound quality, build, and features. They offer your choice of either Google Assistant or Amazon's Alexa voice assistant, and can have their EQ customized by the JBL Headphones app. Battery life is rated at 20 hours with ANC and wireless enabled and if you use the JBL Live 650BTNC with a wire with ANC enabled, you can get upwards 30 hours on a single charge. If you don’t want to splurge on the Bose QC35 II or Sony WH-1000XM3, you’ll be satisfied with the JBL Live 650BTNC knowing that you’re getting much of the same performance at a reduced price tag.
Again, the Sony WH-1000XM3 are our true winners in this category, but if you want an alternative, the Jabra Elite 85h is it. Offering class-leading battery life, terrific style and plenty of personalization when it comes to sound profiles, the Elite 85h is easy to recommend. That said, purists will bemoan the lack of high-end codec support and there are punchier headphones on the market at this price point. When you consider that Jabra’s Elite 85h headphones are the company’s first attempt at premium wireless ANC headphones, the result is quite commendable. We can’t wait to see what the company’s next premium ANC headphones will accomplish.
For years, the Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2 were one of our favorite wireless headphones because of their excellent sound, build quality and features. Unfortunately, though, they were also kind of expensive. For a lot less, Plantronics now sells the still-very-good BackBeat Go 810, which uses less premium materials but sounds nearly identical to its more expensive predecessor. That being said, we feel the Go 810 are an affordable pair of ANC headphones that will please travelers and commuters who don’t want to spend too much money on headphones.
The Focal Stellias sound absolutely fantastic. Their wide-open soundstage and detailed, accurate sound treatment means they make any genre of music sound brilliant. If you listen to songs you think you know inside out, the Stellias' precise separation of the frequencies means that you will probably hear details you’ve never noticed before. If you like to keep things minimal in the headphones department, you probably won’t like the showy, opulent design of the Focal Stellias, and they can feel a little chunky for wearing on the commute into work. But if luxury is your thing, the full-grain leather cups, woven cables, brushed copper accents, and matching carrying case are likely to appeal. That luxury feel is translated right down to the presentation of the user manuals in a neat little leather-style wallet – and you may well expect to find this level of detail in exchange for parting with as much as the Focal Stellia costs.
The NuForce BE Sport4 wireless earbuds are that rare find: earbuds that are good for basically all situations, whether you're looking to take them out on a run or just wear them around town. They're ideal for exercise, although any urbanite will also find their lightweight functionality and impressive sound isolation highly appealing. If you want proof that wireless headphones can now compete with the best of them, look no further.
Considering it's still rare to get noise-cancelation in wired earbuds at all, the fact that Sony has managed to pack it into a pair that are not only wireless, but true wireless is very impressive indeed. The Sony WF-1000X manage to offer a level of noise-cancelation that's very good for a pair of earbuds – it won't offer the same isolation as a pair of over-ear cans, but if you're after a sleek form factor then the compromise is worth it. That being said, in spite of a few minor problems we feel that Sony has knocked the ball out of the park with the WF-1000XM3: not only are these hands down the best-looking True Wireless headphones out there, but they combine serious noise cancelling tech with fist-pumping musicality. If you don’t want the inconvenience of carrying full-size cans, they’re a persuasive alternative. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| You can get a killer gaming PC at Best Buy for less than the price of its parts Posted: 14 Nov 2019 09:38 AM PST If you're looking for a gaming PC, you've doubtlessly heard someone tell you to just build your own tower. Most of the time, we're squarely in that camp, too: it's cheaper, quicker and you get to know your computer system inside and out. However, just ahead of Black Friday, Best Buy has a system from Cyberpower PC that throws everything into question. Right now, you can pick up a CyberPower PC with an AMD Ryzen 7 3700X, 16GB of RAM and an AMD Radeon RX 5700 for just $1,049. For a PC with this kind of hardware, that's kind of an amazing early Black Friday deal. Now, this isn't the most powerful gaming PC on the market, or even the most stylish, but it is one of the most valuable. We went ahead and priced out a gaming PC using the same components, and it ended up around $1,129 – nearly $100 more. This is something we simply never see in the desktop PC space. And, the parts within are pretty powerful, too. With the Radeon RX 5700 and the Ryzen 7 3700X, you should have no problem playing pretty much any game at 1440p at high or ultra settings. There's even a wealth of RGB lighting on the case, which is obviously a huge bonus in 2019.
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| The best unlimited data plans in the US right now Posted: 14 Nov 2019 09:06 AM PST The best unlimited data plan should give you all the calling, texting, and data, with top contenders like Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint all offering something different in 2019. Consistent unlimited 4G LTE speeds are the goal, without ever being throttled down to 2G speeds. Little details like that can make it truly difficult to find the best unlimited data plans, but we’ve got you covered. We’ve spent hours sifting through the data plans from carriers – big and small – to see what plans they offer. And, we’ve dug into all the fine print, to the detriment of our vision, to see which data plans are going to cut you off, which might slow you down, and which will give you proper access to unlimited data. Even then, there’s a lot of variation in what you get, with some data plans restricting use of Wi-Fi hotspot or limiting video resolution to DVD quality. So, if you’re looking for a true unlimited data plan, we’ve got the best options picked out here. You won’t find any plans here that turn off your 4G LTE speeds after a certain level of usage. We’ve only included carriers that reduce the speeds available to you to address network congestion. Everything else fails to fit our definition of the word “unlimited”. We’ve also focused simply on the base tier of unlimited data plans for individual customers: no family plans making it seem like a carrier has a good deal, when in fact you need three more people to sign up with you; just the lowest cost plan that offers unlimited data, talk, and text. This means deals on phones and the value of extra perks like free Netflix or HBO aren’t factored into the rankings. Now that we’ve cleared up how we picked, let’s get straight to the rankings. Best value unlimited plans:
Best deal: Metro by T-Mobile unlimited plan for $50 (runs on T-Mobile network) Metro offers the best value unlimited plan on the market right now. For mobile phone users that want to pay as little as possible while getting as much data as possible, Metro is the right carrier. Metro runs on T-Mobile’s powerful network (though sometimes spotty in rural areas, in our experience). And it’s unlimited plan costs $50 with all taxes and fees included in that price. Users can stream DVD-quality video and use as much data as they want. They can also call and text to their hearts’ content. Metro even offers 5GB of high-speed hotspot data. There are some limitations to the plan. Users who exceed 35GB of data use in a month can see their speeds throttled during times of network congestion. Still, the plan remains highly competitive, with a soft data cap much higher than a lot of its similarly priced and even more expensive competitors.
Alternative pick: Visible (runs on Verizon's 4G LTE network) Boost Mobile's Unlimited Gigs plan used to hold this spot for its extra hotspot data at the same price as Metro, but we've found the plan from a new carrier called Visible to be a better option for budget-minded shoppers. Visible offers a value-focused plan with unlimited texting, calling, and data on Verizon's LTE network. The plan has a great price at $40, and that's inclusive of all taxes, fees, and other charges. Your bills will be straight forward. Visible has no point at which it will begin to throttle data speeds, however the company does keep a cap on speeds at all times. Users will be kept at a max of 5Mbps, which isn't crazy fast, but is enough for almost all mobile needs. Visible makes up for that limit by allowing unlimited video streaming and unlimited mobile hotspot on these plans. While some carriers limit the speeds of certain activities, like online gaming or music streaming, Visible just caps everything at 5Mbps. At the price, the only competition we could find was Teltik, which is only available to businesses and self-employed customers. And, there's currently a promotion that entirely removes the 5Mbps speed cap for new customers, and it lasts as long as they remain customers. Other contenders in this category:
Top of the Big 4:
3. Best offer: T-Mobile Magenta plan for $70 At first glance, the T-Mobile Magenta plan doesn’t look like it’s the best deal, but we factored everything in, and it added up. One big point in T-Mobile’s favor is that the $70 monthly fee is exact: all taxes and fees are already included. Sprint's plan appears cheaper at first, but its plan has variables (taxes and fees) that keep us from recommending it over T-Mobile. T-Mobile has the highest soft data cap of all four major carriers, tying with Sprint. It won’t begin deprioritizing T-Mobile Magenta customer data speeds until after they’ve used 50GB. That means customers who truly plan to get their money’s worth of unlimited data will get more mileage from T-Mobile. One constraint is that video streaming is limited to DVD quality. There are extra perks as well. Tethering is allowed at up to 3G speeds. Customers can use their phone while traveling in Canada and Mexico with unlimited talk and text and 5GB of 4G LTE data, along with some usability in more than 140 other countries. Plus, T-Mobile throws in a free Netflix subscription that didn’t even factor into our consideration (because it requires two lines, so individuals can't get it). Better still, for customers that don't need international features, the T-Mobile Simply Prepaid Unlimited plan is much the same as the Magenta Plan, but costs just $50 plus taxes and fees.
4. Alternative pick: Sprint Unlimited Basic plan for $60 Of the big four carriers, Sprint offers the lowest base price for its unlimited data plan. We do have some gripes with it, though. Sprint discontinued the Unlimited Freedom plan and introduced a new tiered plan system. The Unlimited Basic plan is the cheapest at $60, but has additional taxes and fees. While the price is the same as the old Unlimited Freedom plan, Sprint has reduced the mobile hotspot data from 10GB down to 500MB. It also only allows 480p video streaming, whereas before it offered HD video. There has been an upgrade to its data allotment though, as now customers can use 50GB of high-speed data before data deprioritization during network congestion. Sprint also throws in a free subscription to Hulu, and allows for some services abroad, including free texting and basic data in over 200 countries and full service with 5GB of LTE data in Mexico and Canada.
Base plan: Verizon Start Unlimited plan for $70 Verizon's base unlimited data plan is a bit more expensive than the competition as the $70 starting price for individual plans doesn't factor in taxes and fees. But, with that price comes uncapped data, calls, and texts, and 4G network coverage that consistently ranks higher than all of the other major carriers. Verizon's Start Unlimited plan offers DVD-quality streaming, but no mobile hotspot. Customers can also use their service for data, calls, and texts in Canada and Mexico. Though this is a true unlimited data plan, customers may experience reduced data speeds when the network is congested. And, that's regardless of how much data they've used in a month. With a price higher than it's competitors, we don't like that the plan has so many limitations.
Base plan: AT&T Unlimited Starter plan for $70 AT&T's base unlimited data plan starts at $70 for a single line, but AT&T's pricing structure is painfully confusing. It also has an access charge, but applies a discount for paperless billing and auto-pay as well as another random discount. Taxes and fees are an additional price. But, the cost gets you onto AT&T's network, which ranks highly in the US and works with many of the best unlocked phones. That AT&T Unlimited Starter plan doesn't allow Wi-Fi Hotspot usage, limits streaming to DVD quality, and can see reduced data speeds during times of network congestion. But, customers do get unlimited texting to over 120 countries, and free roaming in Canada and Mexico. AT&T does have a value option in the Prepaid Unlimited plan, which currently starts at $45 (down from its usual $55 price) a month with AutoPay. It's comparable to the Unlimited Starter plan while coming in at a lower price. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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