Monday, January 20, 2020

Apple : Internet Explorer has a major security flaw, but Microsoft can't patch it yet

Apple : Internet Explorer has a major security flaw, but Microsoft can't patch it yet

Internet Explorer has a major security flaw, but Microsoft can't patch it yet

Posted: 20 Jan 2020 02:00 PM PST

Following the reveal of a major security flaw in Internet Explorer that is currently being exploited by hackers, Microsoft has confirmed its existence though the software giant has no immediate plans to release a patch to fix it.

The security flaw in the company's legacy browser was first disclosed by a division of Homeland Security called US-CERT, that reports on major security flaws, in a tweet which contained a link to a security advisory concerning the bug. According to the advisory, the vulnerability has already been “detected in exploits in the wild”.

All supported versions of Windows, including Windows 7 which will no longer receive security updates, are affected by the flaw according to Microsoft.

Internet Explorer vulnerability

The vulnerability concerns how Internet Explorer handles memory and an attacker could leverage the flaw to remotely run malicious code on an affected computer. It also bears a striking resemblance to a similar vulnerability that was recently disclosed by Mozilla.

The Chinese security research team Qihoo 360 was the first to find the security flaw being used by attackers in the wild. However, the research team, Microsoft and Mozilla do not yet know which attackers are exploiting the flaw, how they're doing it or who they're targeting.

The security flaw appears to be serious enough that even the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has issued a warning regarding it, which reads:

“The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) encourages users and administrators to review Microsoft’s Advisory ADV20001 and CERT/CC's Vulnerability Note VU#338824 for more information, implement workarounds, and apply updates when available. Consider using Microsoft Edge or an alternate browser until patches are made available.”

Microsoft is currently working on a fix for the issue but a patch likely won't arrive until the company's next round of monthly security fixes which is scheduled for February 11.

Via TechCrunch

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Tour Down Under 2020 live stream: how to watch cycling online from anywhere

Posted: 20 Jan 2020 01:31 PM PST

Cycling fans rejoice! The opening race of the World Tour calendar kicks is here with the Santos Tour Down Under 2020 in South Australia. Our guide below will take you through the steps you'll need to live stream Tour Down Under 2020 cycling action no matter where you are in the world.

Featuring all 17 UCI WorldTeams, the Tour Down Under is an early indicator of who'll be challenging for the upcoming Spring Classics.

Much like the Australian Open tennis, organisers of the Santos Tour Down Under have confirmed the 2020 race will be going ahead as planned, despite the bushfires ravaging Australia, however air quality will be monitored throughout.

With 921.2km of riding and 12,047m / 39,524ft of climbing, the riders will be glad that the weather looks set to be kinder this year, with temperatures expected to be in the low 20 degrees for the duration. With its uphill finish, stage 2 in Sterling looks set to be a key moment, while an even more demanding uphill finish in Paracombe on stage 3, and a final gruelling flossing stage finale atop Willunga Hill makes this a race that perhaps favours strong climbers rather than sprinters. 

South African Daryl Impey is looking to notch up a third-straight overall victory in the race, but will likely face stiff competition this year from the dual Aussie challenge of Richie Porte and Rohan Dennis.

You can watch live all the action from southern Australia using our live streaming guide to the Tour Down Under 2020.

Live stream Tour Down Under 2020 from outside your country

We have details of all the Australia, UK, US and Canada broadcasters further down this guide. The good news for cycling fans in Australia is that it's on free-to-air TV.

If you're obsessed by watching the cycling and refuse to miss a stage - even when you're away on business or on holiday - then you'll be disappointed to see your domestic coverage geo-blocked when you try to stream online from abroad. That's where utilising a VPN (Virtual Private Network) really helps. It let's you virtually change the ISP of your laptop, tablet or mobile to one that's back in your home country. Thus letting you watch as if you were back there.

Live stream Tour Down Under 2020 for FREE in Australia 

How to stream Tour Down Under 2020 live in the UK for FREE

How to watch the Tour Down Under 2020: US live stream

How to watch the Tour Down Under 2020: Canada live stream

How to live stream Tour Down Under in New Zealand

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EU calls for five year ban on facial recognition

Posted: 20 Jan 2020 11:13 AM PST

A leaked draft of a white paper has revealed that the European Commission is considering a temporary ban on the use of facial recognition technologies in public areas for up to five years.

A temporary ban would give regulators the time they need to figure out how to prevent facial recognition from being abused by both governments and businesses. However, exceptions to the ban could be made for security projects as well as for research and development.

The European Commission laid out its plans in a draft of an 18-page white paper, obtained by EURACTIV, though the completed version is slated to be published in February.

The white paper proposes imposing obligations on both the developers and users of facial recognition while also calling on EU countries to create an authority to monitor the new rules surrounding this controversial technology.

Temporary ban on facial recognition

The ban will last between three and five years and while it is in place, “a sound methodology for assessing the impacts of this technology and possible risk management measures could be identified and developed”.

The white paper also features five regulatory options for AI across the EU which include voluntary labeling, sectorial requirements for public administration and facial recognition, mandatory risk-based requirements for high-risk applications, safety and liability and governance.

Facial recognition has a high potential for misuse which is why the European Commission's plan to impose a temporary ban while it weighs all the options makes a great deal of sense.

Last year San Francisco outright banned the use of the technology by police while China has taken the complete opposite approach by requiring the country's mobile carriers to scan the faces of all new mobile users using facial recognition software.

  • Also check out our complete list of the best VPN services

Via The BBC

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PS5 controller may get voice commands and built-in mic to up your A-game

Posted: 20 Jan 2020 10:03 AM PST

We've all experienced it – that moment when you've sunk hours into a game only to be hit by a doozy of a puzzle or a monster of a boss that stops you right in your tracks. But what if you could just ask your console for help instead of having to whip out your phone and Google a guide? Well, Sony may let you do just that with the PS5 controller, according to a new patent.

This Sony patent (published by WIPO) describes "a controller device that is held by a user's hand, including a microphone, a tactile presentation device that presents a tactile sense to the user's hand, and a speaker.

"While the user is inputting voice from the microphone, the sound of the speaker is suppressed, and tactile presentation control by the tactile presentation device is performed."

In other words, the controller can accept voice commands through its built-in microphone, much like smart speakers such as Amazon' Echo range.

Whether this patent is for the PS5 controller is still speculation, but it lines up with several Sony patents we've seen before that have suggested voice commands will be coming to the PS5.

PlayStation Assist

Previously, patents for what seems to be the PS5 controller have suggested the new gamepad will include a built-in microphone. While the inclusion of that may seem slightly odd – it wouldn't be replacing a gaming headset – when put together with this new patent, it starts to make sense.

And it makes even more sense when we consider another patent that Sony filed last September, for an AI-powered voice assistant called 'PlayStation Assist'.

This voice assistant reportedly would be able to dynamically respond to queries and provide "gaming assistance", such as pointing out health packs on a map or reminding you what your objective is, similar to what Google has said its Stadia controller will do. 

So it could be that this patent for a controller with a voice command system refers to the PS5 controller, which may work with PlayStation Assist. 

It's worth noting that these patents may not be linked, and the devices described in them may never see the light of day; however, we certainly wouldn't be surprised to see Sony add a voice command feature to the PS5 controller.

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Avatar 2: release date, first images and everything we know

Posted: 20 Jan 2020 09:42 AM PST

The original Avatar was a bona fide phenomenon. With performance capture, luscious CG backgrounds and 3D photography far beyond anything we'd ever experienced before, James Cameron's epic became the highest grossing film of all time when it hit cinemas in 2009. Success like that tends to breed sequels – but they usually make it into cinemas a little quicker than this…

Originally slated for 2014, the as-yet-untitled Avatar 2 is the first of four sequels in production. It's a return to the beautiful moon of Pandora, where the indigenous Na'vi people (the tall blue ones with tails) fought off the human invaders who were destroying their land to mine precious "unobtainium". 

One of their number, paraplegic marine Jake Sully, ended up falling for Neytiri, one of the Na'vi, and ended up with his consciousness permanently downloaded into his "avatar" Na'vi body. Avatar 2 will pick up the couple's story now that they have kids, introducing new Na'vi and humans to the mix.

But what else can we expect from the movie that – until 2019's Avengers: Endgame – was the biggest blockbuster hit of all time? We've sent out an early recon mission to Pandora to find out everything you need to know about Avatar 2's release date, title, plot, cast and more. 

Avatar 2 release date (and Avatar 3, 4 and 5's release dates)

You know that Star Wars-shaped hole that’ll be making December release schedules feel rather empty after The Rise of Skywalker? From 2021 onwards, Avatar sequels will be on hand to fill it. 12 years after James Cameron's original movie smashed box office records, Avatar 2 will be making its debut on December 17, 2021. 

Avatar 3, Avatar 4 and Avatar 5 were written simultaneously and are also in the works, but we won’t have to wait nearly as long for those – they’re currently slated for December 2023, December 2025 and December 2027 releases if you want to get them in your diary early.

The next three, as-yet-unannounced Star Wars movies will be on hand to fill Avatar-shaped holes in December release schedules in 2022, 2024 and 2026. 

Cut to the chase

  • What is it? The big-budget return to Pandora, the vibrant world James Cameron created for the original Avatar back in 2009.
  • Where can I watch it? This will be an absolutely massive tentpole release, so there shouldn’t be a shortage of multiplexes where you can see it – as long as James Cameron doesn’t set the technical bar so high that average cinemas can’t handle the screening specs. You should expect it to arrive on Disney Plus after its theatrical release.
  • When can I watch it? December 17, 2021.

Avatar 2: first images revealed

The first images of Avatar 2 – concept art from the watery parts of Pandora – were unveiled during CES 2020. They show more of the movie's ocean-based settings. Check out a couple more images below:

Does Avatar 2 have a proper title?

Nothing official beyond Avatar 2. A 2018 BBC report claimed that the four new films may be titled Avatar: The Way of Water, Avatar: The Seed Bearer, Avatar: The Tulkun Rider and Avatar: The Quest for Eywa (Eywa being the name of the Pandoran deity worshipped by the Na’vi). 

Alas, if you think they sound a tad uninspiring, the bad news is that they may well be real. "Those titles are among the titles that are in consideration," Cameron told ET. "No final decisions have been made yet."

Alternatively, he could just keep things simple by going the Alien route with Avatars, Avatar3, Avatar Resurrection and Avatar Vs Predator. Or maybe not.

Avatar 2's story: what we know

Plot specifics are currently as elusive as the 'Unobtainium' the human invaders were trying to extract from Pandora in the original Avatar. We do know, however, that the story will pick up around a decade after the first film, and that Jake Sully (whose human consciousness was permanently downloaded into his Na’vi body) and Neytiri now have children. It’s also been confirmed that much of the movie will take place around Pandora's oceans, with the newly introduced sea-faring Metkayina clan playing a key role. 

"We made the decision for the sequels not to do necessarily what other science fiction movies do, which is if they want water they go to the ocean planet; and if they want snow, they go to the ice planet," Cameron's long-term producing partner Jon Landau said in an interview with Slashfilm. "We looked at all the wonders the Earth shows us, and we realized we could travel our whole lives and not see all the true wonders Earth has. So Jim made the decision to set the sequels all on Pandora. Our stories introduce us to different environments, and also different cultures." 

Of course, there are also going to be run-ins with those annoying, moon-pillaging humans of the Resources Development Association (RDA). "The storyline in the sequels really follows Jake and Neytiri, and their children," Cameron told Variety. "It's more of a family saga about the struggle with the humans."

While Avatar 2 will be the second act of a five-movie saga, the plan is for it to function as a film in its own right, while still being part of a wider arc. Indeed, Cameron's desire to craft a story that was truly worth telling is one of the main reasons Avatar 2 has taken so long to materialize. 

"We're making standalone movies that will stand alone," Landau told Slashfilm. "Rather than rushing into doing the sequels, because Jim doesn't rush it, we have to build our foundation, and that’s the scripts. Knowing that we wanted to tell multiple stories, we didn't just want to solve one script. We wanted to solve the scripts for all of the movies we wanted to make before we ventured out into making them. That's what took us the time."

Avatar 2 cast: new and returning characters

Unsurprisingly, Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana are stepping back into their performance capture suits to play leads Jake and Neytiri, while Giovanni Ribisi (RDA chief Parker Selfridge), Joel David Moore (sympathetic human Norm Spellman) and CCH Pounder (Na'vi spiritual leader and Neytiri's mother Mo'at) are all reprising their roles.

There are also surprise returns for Sigourney Weaver and Stephen Lang, whose characters Grace Augustine and General Quaritch both died in the first movie. Cameron confirmed to Entertainment Weekly way back in 2014 that Weaver is coming back as "a different and in many ways more challenging character" – it seems reasonable to assume Grace's return may have something to do with her consciousness passing into the Tree of Souls. 

Grizzled soldier Quaritch, meanwhile, seems set to be a key antagonist in the four new movies. "I'm not going to say exactly how we're bringing him back," Cameron told Deadline in 2013, "but it's a science fiction story after all. His character will evolve into really unexpected places across the arc of the new three-film saga." It's worth bearing in mind this quote is from almost seven years ago (it's now a four-film saga), and you never know what might've changed in the meantime. 

There are plenty of newbies joining the cast, too – including Cameron's reunion with his Titanic star Kate Winslet, who's playing a character called Ronal. There are also roles for Flight of the Conchords Jemaine Clement (Dr Ian Garvin), Harry Potter's David Thewlis (Peylak), Star Trek: Discovery's Michelle Yeoh (Dr Karina Mogue), The Sopranos' Edie Falco (General Ardmore), Game of Thrones' Oona Chaplin (Varang) and Fear the Walking Dead's Cliff Curtis (Metkayina chief Tonowari).

There are also seven kids joining the cast. Jake and Neytiri's children are played by Jamie Flatters (Neteyam), Britain Dalton (Lo'ak) and Trinity Bliss (Tuktirey), while there are three free-diving Metkayina kids confirmed: Bailey Bass (Tsireya), Filip Geljo (Aonung) and Duane Evans Jr (Rotxo). Finally, Jack Champion plays a human teenager born on Pandora, called Javier "Spider" Socorro. 

Avatar 2 is made with underwater mo-cap technology

From The Abyss to Terminator 2, Titanic to Avatar, a new James Cameron movie usually pushes the envelope when it comes to cinematic ambition. Expect Avatar 2 to be no different, as Cameron will undoubtedly be creating visuals unlike anything we've seen on screen before. 

One of the key developments will be world-first underwater performance capture technology. "The problem with water is not the underwater part, but the interface between the air and the water, which forms a moving mirror," Cameron told Collider. "That moving mirror reflects all the dots and markers, and it creates a bunch of false markers. It's a little bit like a fighter plane dumping a bunch of chaff to confuse the radar system of a missile. It creates thousands of false targets, so we've had to figure out how to get around that problem, which we did."

Cameron also wants to revolutionize the 3D experience in cinemas again, and it'll be particularly interesting to see how he fares here. Avatar's 3D visuals (arguably still yet to be bettered) kickstarted new levels of interest in stereoscopic projection, and for several years in the wake of its release, multiplexes were dominated by 3D screenings of blockbusters. 

Cinemagoers' interest has subsequently waned – a change Cameron has blamed on Hollywood's preference for converting 2D-shot movies into 3D in post-production, rather than using actual stereoscopic cameras – but in an appearance at the Vivid light festival in Sydney (reported by Movieweb), he said the Avatar sequels "will be, to the best of my ability, the best 3D that [it's] possible to make." 

Will the world still care about Avatar?

2009 was a long time ago. Over a decade has passed since Avatar first hit cinema screens, and 3D has largely drifted into memory as a fad. But people's fascination with Pandora shouldn't be counted out – they still want to be shown something they've never seen in a movie theater before, and Cameron is determined to provide that experience for his audience. We can't wait to see what he comes up with.

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Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai calls for AI regulation

Posted: 20 Jan 2020 09:38 AM PST

Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai has called for AI regulation to help govern how the emerging technology is used in his first big public move since being appointed as the head of Google's parent company last month.

Pichai shared his concerns regarding how and why AI should be regulated in a recent editorial in the Financial Times in which he wrote:

“Now there is no question in my mind that artificial intelligence needs to be regulated. It is too important not to. The only question is how to approach it”

A sensible approach that balances “potential harms, especially in high-risk areas, with social opportunities” is Pichai's recommendation and in his editorial, he also pointed to Europe's GDPR as a “strong foundation” for AI regulation.

The case for regulation

While Pichai calls for new regulation, he makes the case that in certain areas, there are already guidelines in place. For instance, existing medical frameworks could serve as “good starting points” for devices such as AI-assisted heart monitors. Self-driving cars on the other hand, will require governments around the world to “establish appropriate new rules that consider all relevant costs and benefits”.

Leveraging AI for the greater good is very important to Alphabet's CEO and he believes that letting the market decide how this technology will be used just isn't good enough, writing:

“Companies such as ours cannot just build promising new technology and let market forces decide how it will be used. It is equally incumbent on us to make sure that technology is harnessed for good and available to everyone.”

In his editorial, Pichai also referenced Google's AI Principles which were introduced in 2018 following criticism within the company over Google Cloud's work with the US military. The principles have been applied across Google and they specify areas where the company “will not design or deploy” its technologies.

If used incorrectly, AI could have devastating effects on humanity which is why regulation will likely come sooner rather than later.

  • We've also highlighted the best VPN services

Via 9to5Google

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Super Bowl 2020 live stream: how to watch the game online for free and without commercials

Posted: 20 Jan 2020 09:27 AM PST

With the Conference Championships having ended, we officially know who is going to the Super Bowl LIV in February. And if you're ready to catch all of the exciting action, keep reading as it's really easy to get a Super Bowl 2020 live stream on February 2 - no matter where in the world you are. And with our help, you can even watch without having to sit through the commercials.

So it will be the San Francisco 49ers that will be facing off The Kansas City Chiefs at the Super Bowl LIV. And although we have no predictions for which team may win, we will say that both teams are incredibly powerful. Between the 49ers stellar defensive tackle and the Chiefs' incredible offense it's very difficult to tell who will be victorious.

And if you're equally looking forward to the entertainment part of the Super Bowl (we don't blame you) you definitely should be! Shakira and Jennifer Lopez have teased aspects of their performances but it's set to be amazing.

Ready for the ultimate sporting event? Keep reading to find out all the information you need to know for the Super Bowl 2020 and where to live stream the event from anywhere in the world.

How to watch a Super Bowl 2020 live stream for free in the US:

Fox will be broadcasting the event live this time around with Joe Buck commentating alongside the legendary Troy Aikman - former Dallas Cowboys quarterback. 

Note that you will need a US IP address in order to access the Fox coverage otherwise you won't be able to access the content from abroad - if you want to do so, you'll have to follow our VPN guidelines above and log in with a VPN, choosing a US server location. 

Fox isn't you're only option though, with all of the top US-based streaming services all providing an alternative. Each one offers a free trial to get you started and has masses of other content and channels for you to enjoy if you subscribe:

  • Hulu with Live TV $54.99 per month - Hulu with Live TV includes CBS, Fox, NBC and ESPN.
  • YouTubeTV $49.99 per month - YouTubeTV gives you access to CBS, Fox, NBC and ESPN.
  • DirecTV Now $50 per month - DirecTV Now includes CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN and for $5 extra you can add the NFL Network.
  • FuboTV $55 for the first month - FuboTV includes CBS, Fox, NBC and the NFL Network.

How to watch Super Bowl online in the UK for FREE:

How to watch the Super Bowl 2020: live stream in Canada

How to live stream Super Bowl action in Australia

Super Bowl live stream: worldwide coverage where you are

Super Bowl 53 was available live in seven languages and 170 countries and territories around the world.

We don't yet know exactly who will be showing the 2020 event, but we can tell you a few options from last year in some of the most popular territories for watching NFL: Mexico - ESPN, Fox, TV Azteca; Brazil - ESPN; South Korea - MBC Sports; Germany - ProSieben, DAZN; France - TF1, BeIN Sport; Argentina - ESPN, Fox; China - Fox Sports, BesTV.

How to watch Super Bowl online - our favorite live stream choice:

If, like us, you'd like to watch a live stream online without any commercial breaks, then following these three simple steps will help:

1. Download and install a VPN

2. Connect to a UK server location

3. Go to TVPlayer.com

Want to record the Super Bowl and watch it later? TVPlayer will also allow you to do that too. You'll need to sign up for a paid account, but the good news there is that the site offers a 14-day free trial so no payments required!

Want to watch the Super Bowl in Miami instead?

If you’d rather catch the action live in the arena instead, you can always buy tickets. Just be aware that they are quite expensive, the cheapest tickets you can get are priced at $4,799 each, and that’s for the very back of the stadium. Premium seats which are pretty close to the action are going at $12,999 to even $15,925 each.

The good news is that the premium seats tickets include access to the three hour all-inclusive 3-hour pre-game party at Gulfstream Park, meet and greet opportunities with NFL stars and Hall of Famers including Joe DeLamiellure, Floyd Little & Jan Stenerud and more! 

Super Bowl 2020 FAQ: your questions answered

If you want to know more about how to watch your favorite TV and live stream sport then click the link to see our dedicated guide

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Vodafone fibre broadband deal: the cheapest super-fast fibre package around

Posted: 20 Jan 2020 09:26 AM PST

The world of consumer tech is filled with incentives, freebies and elaborate discounts. But right now, one of the best incentives around for anyone looking to renew their broadband deal comes from Vodafone.

Pretty simply, Vodafone will almost double the average speed of your home internet for free, charging the same price for its Superfast fibre 2 package as it costs for its cheaper fibre 1 deal. That means whichever Vodafone plan you choose, you will just need to pay £23 a month.

While that easily makes this one of the cheapest prices you can get on faster fibre broadband deals, it gets even better for existing Vodafone customers. If you have a Vodafone phone contract you just need to pay £21 a month for those 63Mb average speeds.

We've listed everything you need to know about this Vodafone broadband deal below. Or, if you want to compare it to what else is currently available, head to our broadband deals guide.

Vodafone's cheap fibre broadband deal in full: 

What other broadband deals are there right now?

While Vodafone has the world of fibre locked down, there are some even cheaper prices if you're willing to drop your speeds. And its sternest competition no doubt comes from TalkTalk at the moment and its £40 Amazon.co.uk Gift Card promotion.

If you don't mind relying on cashback slightly, you can secure one of the cheapest fiibre packages through Plusnet. You're paying £22.99 a month for speeds averaging 36Mb but thanks to the £70 cashback on offer, you're effectively paying just £19.10.

But if you do really want fibre but want it from another name, BT could be a good option right now. With speeds averaging 50Mb at a price of just £28.99, this is one of the best prices you can pay for BT right now. BT will even throw in a £80 BT reward card on top - just watch the 24 month contract length.

Read more:

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Latest Amazon sales: top fitness tracker prices plus cheap iPads, Xbox One, PS4, AirPods and 4K TV deals

Posted: 20 Jan 2020 09:07 AM PST

We've gathered all the latest Amazon sales to bring you the best savings on the tech you've had your eye on for a while. This week we're seeing plenty of Garmin fitness tracker deals taking over from the Fitbit sales of yore, but we're also crashing back onto the couch with some excellent Xbox One and PS4 deals as well. Not only that, but these Bose, Beats, and AirPods sales are still offering fantastic headphone prices, and there are even some iPad deals out there to get your 2020 productivity on. 

We've listed all our favorite Amazon sales right here for you to peruse, with our top picks sitting right at the top. 

Amazon Daily Deals: Today's Top Picks

Massive Apple Watch and Fitbit sales at Amazon

Beats and AirPods sales coming in hot

New offers on iPad and Kindle sales

Nintendo Switch, PS4 and Xbox One deals still live

Cheap Echo speakers and displays

4K and smart TVs on sale

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The case for a privacy nutrition label

Posted: 20 Jan 2020 09:00 AM PST

In today's digital age, protecting your privacy online has never been more difficult. As our lives have become increasingly connected, it's hard for consumers to know how businesses collect and use their data. Some users have turned to ad and tracker blockers to protect their privacy while others are now using VPN services to prevent unwanted tracking online.

Ghostery is aiming to lead the way when it comes to how to better inform users regarding the privacy impact of digital services. TechRadar Pro spoke to company President Jeremy Tillman about this 'privacy nutrition label' as well as the company's decision to include a VPN in its new desktop app.

  • We've also highlighted the best VPN services round today

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Redefining retail: will 5G change the way we pay?

Posted: 20 Jan 2020 09:00 AM PST

5G is poised to power the next generation of internet connectivity and eCommerce. Faster and more reliable than anything that’s come before, 5G networks will enable people to communicate, consume entertainment and shop at unprecedented speeds.

The UK is one of the world’s leaders in the race to deploy 5G. The technology was first rolled out in the region by EE in May 2019, and several other providers have followed suit throughout the year.

Businesses in the e-commerce space, and indeed any retailer today, should be paying close attention to the arrival of 5G. While it wasn’t so long ago that payment options involved swiping a card and signing a piece of paper, or – heaven forbid! – handing over cash, the possibilities for closing a purchase nowadays are endless, from social media payments and digital wallets, right through to biometrics and digital currencies. In fact, the rise of new payment technologies is such that 60 percent of respondents said they believed their phones would replace their bank cards in as little as 5 years, according to FIS’ UK Consumer Behaviour & Payments Report 2019, released this month.

5G and mobile commerce

Browsing and buying products online is quickly becoming the norm, especially for younger age groups. According to the FIS report, 36 percent of social media users had made at least one purchase through a social media platform, while nearly 50 percent of users in the Gen Z (18-21) age group had – astonishingly, 26 percent of this age group does so every day!

The high-speed connectivity of 5G will only accelerate this trend, signaling the arrival of the next big retail evolution and presenting new challenges and opportunities for brands. 5G is set to power significant growth in mobile commerce, with Vodafone estimating that it will boost London’s economy by £30 billion by 2030.

That predicted growth is in part due to simple economics of speed – faster, cheaper internet on your mobile phone means more opportunities to shop. This even applies to big-ticket items, like cars, where online purchase hasn’t been practical up until now. Complex elements like credit checks and finance options which have previously slowed the payment journey could be processed much faster using 5G.

A new shopping experience

5G also brings other areas of innovation that could unlock additional revenue for retailers. 5G networks will enable a new level of access and ubiquity for groundbreaking retail technologies that leverage alternative reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and the Internet of Things (IoT). Imagine getting the best parts of the brick-and-mortar shopping experience without ever setting foot in a store. You’re not simply scrolling through a website: you’re actually looking at the shelves of a fashion retailer or supermarket via AR through your mobile phone, as well as exploring new offerings, hunting for discounts and deals, and even using a virtual fitting room to try on outfits; from the comfort of your couch.  

This futuristic consumer experience could be closer than we think, thanks to 5G and its unprecedented capability to handle huge amounts of data at high speeds. 5G will unlock a new wave of consumer preferences – and if eCommerce businesses want to win in the UK’s fiercely competitive digital environment, they must harness the power of 5G. Then, they can truly transform the customer experience, through innovative technologies like AR and VR. 

Of course, the possibilities of 5G are not limited to the digital retail space. 5G is also set to rapidly accelerate omnichannel commerce; bringing the digital and physical worlds together in a completely new way. Brick-and-mortar stores can connect to shoppers via their mobile devices – you might walk into a shop and receive a personalised SMS communication with a special deal just for you, based on your browsing history. Or, through facial recognition tools, retailers could soon be able to track the in-store products you spend the longest time looking at, then send you a digital offer to encourage online purchase after you leave the shop.

What’s more, 5G could help allay concerns about the security of mobile payments in the minds of those consumers who are yet to make the switch to mobile shopping. Based on data from the Worldpay from FIS payments platform, 43 percent of respondents who hesitate in adopting mobile wallets do so due to a lack of trust in the technology. However, 5G presents an opportunity for more accurate fraud prevention. Because the technology allows more data to travel throughout the network, multiple checks can be performed at once, against factors like geolocation, transaction amount, and merchant ID. 5G could also help to make mobile apps more secure, as providers will be able to address vulnerabilities through real-time updates.

Payments in the 5G era

As retailers consider how to innovate in the era of 5G, it will be paramount to provide the right payment experience; one that feels fast and frictionless, to match the overall 5G shopping journey. For online merchants, this means investigating the possibilities of innovative new payment systems – think facial recognition authentication, social payments and invisible payments. But it also means simply taking the first step to understanding consumers’ preferred payment methods in any given market and catering to these.

Retailers can prepare for the future today by doing a deep investigation into what opportunities 5G can unlock for their business – whether that’s new VR and AR shopping experiences, tailored omnichannel offerings, or enabling the quick and seamless payment choices which might make all the difference.

Pete Wickes, Senior Vice President, Corporate at Worldpay from FIS

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The best iPhone 7 deals and prices in January 2020

Posted: 20 Jan 2020 08:58 AM PST

There's no doubt that iPhone 7 deals are no longer the newest option from Apple but there is one thing this handset is still one of the best choices for - affordability. As one of Apple's cheapest phones around, this is a welcome change to the high price tags we see elsewhere.

The release of Apple's iPhone 11 and its two more powerful models was a big reminder of the costly nature of Apple and just another reason the iPhone 7 could be the ideal phone for you.

But despite its age the iPhone 7 still rocks many of the specs we have come to expect from Apple. A mid-size battery, strong processor and the much loved iOS features Apple has made famous.

When it comes to choosing the tariff for you there is still a surprisingly large range of iPhone 7 deals. Big data remains affordable and brilliant cheap contracts under £20 are readily available.

On this page you'll find all of the best iPhone 7 deals you can get right now. Whether you're looking for unlimited data, a free phone or any other type of tariff, you can use our comparison chart below to choose the cheapest option out there. Scroll down to find the best deal for you.

See also: iPhone 8 deals | iPhone 7 Plus deals | iPhone 7 SIM-free | Samsung Galaxy S8 deals | Best mobile phone deals | iPhone deals 

The Apple iPhone 7 might now have fallen behind, becoming one of Apple's older devices and yet, the specs till hold up. The battery might not be market leading but for the price you pay for iPhone 7 deals, the water resistance, impressive camera and strong processor are a perfect combination.

Read TechRadar's full iPhone 7 review


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What is AWS Outposts?

Posted: 20 Jan 2020 08:55 AM PST

AWS Outposts runs the AWS infrastructure today and debuted in 2019. In 2020, Amazon will also offer a VMware infrastructure that also runs in the same hybrid model.

For those who demand low-latency performance for massive data projects, there is nothing quite like a hybrid cloud computing environment. This “best of both worlds” approach means you can run low-latency apps in your own data center or on local servers (or in a co-location center), and yet the on-premise IT infrastructure connects seamlessly to the cloud. This allows you to scale easily and take advantage of a flexible cost structure in the cloud. Yet, you also use local resources for those projects that have the highest compute demands.

AWS Outposts is an ideal product for those with low-latency compute needs. It might be an enterprise application for credit card processing for thousands of customers, or it might be a university research project trying to find new chemical compositions.

The product is a replica of what runs in a remote Amazon data center. It consists of the hardware infrastructure, all of the services, the API (Application Programming Interface), management tools, and operations of AWS with the same console.

AWS Outposts is a hardware rack in an enclosure -- a physical product that you deploy at your own site. Yet, it is supported fully by Amazon in that the company installs, operates, and supports the hardware rack with its own team of engineers.

If you picture the hardware and software that runs in the cloud in an Amazon facility, then Outposts takes all of this same infrastructure and makes it available at your facility. It also connects you to the cloud for additional online storage, performance, and services. Perhaps most importantly, AWS Outposts connects you to the closest remote Amazon facility in your area to ensure the best throughput, compute power, networking, and storage in the cloud.

One key component of how this works is that companies who cannot afford to have any interruption in service and have major research projects, internal applications, or a legacy customer management system running in real-time can then scale up to the cloud. They can continue using on-premise infrastructure, but as the project grows and scales, they can move some of their projects to the cloud -- or even fully to the cloud eventually.

One example of a company that might use Outposts: If a major retailer already has many of its own internal applications, they might deploy Outposts as a way to continue running low-latency applications to process transactions. Yet, they can then also scale up as they add more products and more stores, taking advantage of the cloud computing connections.

Benefits of using AWS Outposts

This leads to an important overall advantage of streamlining IT operations in general for the entire company. One portion of your team will not have to manage and support the on-premise infrastructure, installing patches and managing security -- while another team manages the cloud environment and all that it entails. Instead, with one console managing both, and exactly the same services running locally and in the cloud, your IT staff can focus on the actual projects. The business objectives of the applications and data become paramount.

To understand the benefits of running AWS Outposts, it’s important to first cover a few of the AWS services that are available. This is one of the most important benefits -- that you can run AWS services that normally are available in the cloud as local services.

For example, Outposts lets you run Amazon EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud) locally. This means you can run virtual servers inside your own facility as though they are in the cloud, expanding and reducing servers as needed for your applications and data. You can also run Amazon Elastic Block Store (or EBS, which is a traditional block file storage service).

This year, Amazon will also offer Amazon S3 (Simple Storage Service), the primary cloud computing storage service that powers many web applications and websites, for AWS Outposts. Once you deploy the services you want to run locally at your own site, you can extend those services to the cloud -- using the same console interface and the same Amazon services.

What this all means is that companies have a unique infrastructure that runs locally and in the cloud, but all of the services are the same and use the same interface. This simplifies the management and maintenance required for your entire computing infrastructure.

The alternative to this is, quite frankly, a bit of a nightmare. Hybrid products usually provide a completely different set of management tools, tools to install, hardware to manage, and interfaces that are designed to help you connect to the cloud but often end in frustration. Because some hybrid on-premise products are not designed or developed by the same company as the cloud provider itself, it’s a confusing and complex undertaking.

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Xbox One deals delight as price drops bring Black Friday level discounts

Posted: 20 Jan 2020 08:48 AM PST

Those Xbox One deals have returned to offer fantastic savings on the Xbox One S, Xbox One X and All Digital Edition consoles. Walmart and Amazon are the culprits of the latest Xbox One sales, offering prices to rival those of Black Friday in this new wave of discounted Xbox bundles. If you're after a full console, disc drive and all, you can pick up a $212 Xbox One S bundle with Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order included.  Looking for the 4K upgrade? You can also bag an Xbox One X deal with the Gears of War collection for just $349 as sales return to Black Friday level discounts this week. 

Meanwhile, those looking to take advantage of the current Game Pass roster or who simply want the cheapest Xbox One deal possible can pick up an All Digital Edition on sale for just $149.  

That low price is courtesy of the fact that this console does not have a disc drive. If you're looking to save on pre-owned physical games or to build up a case collection you'll want to check out the full Xbox One S bundle for $63.99 more. Plus, if you're even thinking about picking up Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, you'll be missing out by not going with that excellent bundle deal.

Xbox One X deals are kicking off as well, with prices taking a $150 cut only previously seen over the Black Friday weekend. You can find a range of consoles for as little as $349 this week, making a 4K upgrade even easier.

These Xbox One deals have been sorely missed over the last few weeks as prices have been rising back to their usual retail positions for the New Year. It's never too late to save on a brand new console, however, so these sales could have come at just the right time for a January mood booster. 

Today's best Xbox One deals

If these cheap Xbox One sales aren't taking your fancy, why not check out our full collection of Xbox bundles. Or, while you're stocking up on Microsoft goodies, you'll want to take a look at these Xbox controller deals and Game Pass prices. 

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How to make a Valentine's Day card the easy way with a photo card provider

Posted: 20 Jan 2020 08:41 AM PST

You may have seen increasingly more chocolates, roses and candy hearts popping up and around and that could only mean one thing..... it's officially romance season which means Valentine's Day is coming!

And we know half of you are groaning and half of you are jumping up and down in excitement. And if you're feeling the pressure to impress, a customized Valentine's Day card could be just the ticket.

A photo card is the easiest and still very personal way of showing your loved one you care. Custom-made, inexpensive but equally unique. And if you're thinking this all sounds a bit too difficult or daunting, we're here to ease your fears and answer all your questions - from where to start, to how to get your photo card looking truly professional.

So keep reading so we can give you our top five top tips to consider when designing your dream Valentine's Day card.

And of course, if professionalism and good value are what you're looking for, consider selecting Mixbook. We consider it (and have for quite some time) as the best photo card provider.

And of course, if professionalism and good value are what you're looking for, consider selecting Mixbook. We consider it (and have for quite some time) as the best photo card provider.

Get the best - TechRadar's #1 photo book provider

1. Money, Money, Money 

We have to admit - Valentine's Day is not well timed as it's either (usually) two weeks before or two weeks after you get paid. But, fret not - photo cards in general are relatively inexpensive, which means you won't have to break the bank to declare your love. 

We recommend for you to first come up with a budget that you're comfortable with and then consider all the variables from the size of the card, to the type of paper to the number of cards you want printed. You could see that measly cost of $1.50 for one card transform into $61 for 30 cards (wow, how many Valentine's do you have!). 

And if you're on a strict budget, then your best best would be Simply to Impress, as its photo card prices are significantly lower than the competition all year long. You can get a Valentine's Day card for as little as $0.74.

One last thing would be to always have an eye-out for discount as these photo card providers usually have seasonal discounts.

2. Let's go back to the beginning

This gift is all about the romance so make sure you show it! Scroll through your old photos with your partner, have a think about all the memories you've made (and rejoice!). 

Take your time to pick your favorite photos (or photo) and what it represents to you. This concept also applies if you're sending out photo cards to family members to wish them a happy Valentine's Day.

There's plenty to consider so take your time, fine-tooth comb it and come to your ideal photo card. If you're looking for diversity in the theme of your cards, both Snapfish and Mixbook have a wide range - from romance-themed to cards filled with puns. 

3. Love is in the air

Whether this is to send happy Valentine's wishes or simply a gift to your partner, the theme is love - so you need to make sure the photo card reflects that!

This is where for all the creative types - you can really run wild, whether it's a collage of photos or you're picking different colors and fonts, these photo book providers have an endless range of options. Mixbook even has photos with real foil (take your pick between gold or silver) which creates a very unique look.

If you really want to dial up the romance, Simply to Impress has heart-shaped cards in all different colors and sizes and it's having a sale! You'll have to hurry as this ends Monday, January 20.

Either way go over your smartphone albums, memories, even if they were quick snaps - remember to thoroughly search your social media (or/and theirs).

4. Timing is important

Let's be honest, timing is everything! No one likes to be kept waiting - so if you're under pressure, we recommend the earlier you start the better. 

Even if you get express shipping, dispatching your photo card(s) take time - they need to be printed and depending on the number you've ordered this could be a while.

Not to mention, even if you do select the fastest shipping option, there are always a few unpredictabilities that can happen. And there's nothing worse than spending ages curating the perfect photo card just to have it not arrive in time.

And it's important that you do it with care , but if you are time pressured we do know that Mixbook has an express option that (at an additional cost) can get you your photo card in three business days.

5. Sizing

Of course this depends on what you're looking for and what you want but you need to find the ideal size for the theme and type of photo you are sending out. 

Say you want to have a collage of photos neatly arranged with writing, you'd be looking at more of a 7x10 to make it fit.  

However, if you're only looking at adding one photo on it then a regular 5x7 would be fine.

In this respect, some photo card providers can have a work around the size or an added feature let's say. Simply To Impress has some really cool and original card shape and designs.

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Save big with OLED TV deals - price drops on high-end displays across US and UK

Posted: 20 Jan 2020 08:23 AM PST

OLED TV deals are hotting up, especially in the run-up to the Super Bowl. There's nothing like awe-inspiring clarity and breathtaking dynamic color to make your living room stand out, and every movie, show, and game looks striking on a well made OLED TV. That's why we're looking these recent LG OLED TV deals to offer excellent savings on a new television for 2020. These sets are at the cutting edge of OLED technology, offering fantastic intelligent features and powerful processors to improve every aspect of the viewing experience. These deals make owning a cheap OLED TV easier than ever. 

We've found some amazing prices on cheap LG OLED TVs. To hit that perfect sweet spot of price tag and feature set, this range of LG C9 OLED displays are offering some awesome TV deals as we head into 2020. The LG C9 is an overall excellent display from a manufacturer well known for its high-end televisions and even better A9 upscaling processing. 

Plus, the C9 model is one of the more feature-rich variations of LG's OLED lineup - introducing amazing audio and visuals to any living room. The second-generation A9 processor optimizes each standard definition show for a 4K result, meaning you always get the best picture with even smarter analysis under the hood. 

Add to that the eye-boggling clarity of an OLED screen's color pinpointing, helped by the Dolby Vision you get straight out of the box and HDR 10 Pro, and you've got yourself an amazing display. 

Saving big with these stunning OLED TV deals is a great way to start the year and with a feature set and quality of picture like this one, you'll be set for 2020's entertainment. 

Today's best LG OLED TV deals

More LG OLED TV deals

Looking for a cheaper display? You can find some great OLED TV prices around the web if you know where to look (and thankfully we do). Or, if you're looking for a great television without spending high-end money you might want to try a 4K TV deal. 

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What happens when we unmask the hackers?

Posted: 20 Jan 2020 08:10 AM PST

Cyber-threat activity has become an increasingly common topic of discussion in the media, and society in general. Why is this? Because of public disclosures, which have helped to shine a light on a hitherto murky part underworld of malware and hacking across the internet. But until now, little has been considered about the potential impact of these disclosures on the attackers themselves.

That’s why BAE Systems recently compiled a new report, analysing motivations for public disclosure of threat activity and attacker responses that appear to have been influenced by it. 

Who discloses publicly and why?

Disclosures comes from a variety of sources, from government agencies to threat intelligence teams in private security companies to researchers from human rights groups, or even individuals or groups who prefer to remain anonymous.

Why do they typically want to disclose?

There’s really a range of motivations from the various parties. Some researchers or companies may want to publicly attribute an attack to a particular country or entity, or at least to reveal more information about the attackers, in order to boost their organisation’s reputation while offering useful intelligence to the wider community to improve collective defences. 

Often research like this can help to drive a more effective industry-wide response to a particular threat, and could even disrupt adversary operations. Sometimes the aim of publicly revealing details about a group is done primarily to name and shame them like governments looking to indict specific individuals and announcing that they’re using certain TTPs and indicators (“burning”). Other may want to “dox” individuals involved in attacks and publicly reveal their personal details.

How do attackers respond?

It’s important to remember that no two attackers are the same. Whether we’re talking about state-sponsored operatives, financially motivated criminal actors, hacktivists, or even private investigators, they all have their own distinct motivations and characteristics that inform their decisions. As such, it’s impossible to know without asking them directly what precipitated a certain course of action or response. 

That said, there’s considerable evidence that they do take action in response to public disclosure of their activities and sometimes hackers even monitor what is being reported about them. TRITON group actors have been observed monitoring open source coverage of their activities, for example. Responses fall into three basic categories. They may “go quiet” and cease current activity; “change up” to alter aspects of their operations; or “get angry.” Some actors may also continue their operations unchanged.

Why might an attacker go quiet?

Ceasing activity is a natural response to public disclosure. Attackers know that researchers and perhaps governments are onto them, and don’t want to continue being tracked or risk attribution to their country or agency. One of the first incidents of this kind was Mandiant’s 2013 report on APT1/Comment Crew, a state-sponsored group that was consistently active but whose C&C servers fell silent immediately following the disclosure. 

However, going quiet doesn’t mean this is the last we’ll hear of these hackers. Especially in the case of state-sponsored operatives, it might mean they’ll re-emerge under a different guise. This happened when Middle Eastern APT Operation Cleaver was called out in 2014. Its members are thought to have reappeared the following year in the form of the OilRig group.

What is the risk of hackers changing their tactics?

Most threat groups that are burned in public disclosure go quiet before subsequently changing their approach and tooling. The danger here in drawing attention to the fact we’re on to them is that they’ll disappear altogether or change tactics to avoid being found again. This happened most notably with an East Asian state-backed threat group, which was burned in the landmark CloudHopper report in which BAE Systems and PwC revealed large-scale attacks on managed service providers (MSPs). 

Following that report, the group shifted to new techniques and tools, swapping PlugX for Quasar RAT and a new custom tool called RedLeaves. It became more careful and siloed its campaigns based on tools, targets, and IT infrastructure, which made it more difficult to map out its operations. In some cases, there’s a risk that the group in question decides to fight back. 

Security vendor ClearSky’s investigations into the Charming Kitten group led the attackers to launch a spoofed version of the ClearSky website designed to harvest credentials from the firm’s employees and customers. In a similar petty and vindictive fashion, Kaspersky’s 2018 report uncovering the operations of MuddyWater led the group to upload a YouTube video demonstrating how to “disable” the Russian security firm’s antivirus product.

Are there any unintended consequences of disclosure?

You never know how attackers are going to react. But along with the responses outlined above, there can also be some more serious consequences of public disclosure.

The first is replication. Once tools and techniques are made public knowledge, other threat groups could use them in their own attacks. This happened when a novel SMB watering hole technique used by Eastern European group Dragonfly was subsequently used by Middle Eastern threat groups.  

Attackers could also use copied tools and techniques to plant false flags in their own operations, in order to mislead researchers. The destructive Olympic Destroyer malware targeting the Pyeongchang Olympic Games in 2018 was found to contain elements linking it to numerous groups based around the world; however it was finally discovered to be the work of an Eastern European Group.

Finally, it goes without saying that an attack group will probably factor the disclosing organisation into future operations, whether this means retaliating or, more likely, adapting their TTPs to avoid detection in the next campaign.

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The best PS4 Pro prices, deals, and bundles in January 2020

Posted: 20 Jan 2020 08:00 AM PST

PS4 Pro deals and bundles are creeping back towards their usual price points now, but they're not there yet. There's still time to find an excellent PS4 Pro price lingering from last month's sales. In fact, we've found PS4 Pro bundles offering $62 off MSRP and prices sitting below £300 in the UK. That means you'll find the best deals going for a while right here, and with the PS5 just around the corner, you can bet you'll be saving on games in the future as well. Looking to buy in Australia? You'll want to take a look at our AU page.

The PS4 Pro can jumpstart your PlayStation experience if you've never picked up a DualShock before, or become the perfect 4K upgrade to give your collection of games one final push before the next console arrives. Plus, there are some fantastic-looking games out now to really make a PS4 Pro shine; Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Death Stranding, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, and The Outer Worlds are all serious lookers and jaws are bound to drop further when The Last of Us Part 2 eventually sneaks onto our 4K TVs.

So keep this page bookmarked to stay informed of the latest PS4 Pro bundles. If you're looking for more information on the PS4 Pro, take a look at our handy Q&A below the deals.

If you'd prefer a standard PS4, then check out our PS4 bundles (USA) or PS4 deals (UK) pages. Don't forget to top up your subscription with one of our discounted PlayStation Plus deals too.

What is the usual PS4 Pro Price?

The PS4 Pro price sits at $399 MSRP in the US and £349 in the UK. That means if you spot a deal above these price points, it's likely not going to be worth your cash unless it's good some hefty goodies included. 

PS4 Pro bundle deals (USA)

PS4 Pro bundles usually revolve around big name releases, so you can expect to see some deals and sales around those particular retail windows. However, there are usually plenty of PS4 Pro deals to be had if you know where to look, and lucky for you, we've developed an eye for cheap PS4 Pro prices. 

PS4 Pro bundle deals (UK)

Need an extra controller on the cheap? Take a look at the best DualShock 4 deals. We also have a guide to the best PlayStation VR deals too.

Cheap PlayStation Plus deals

If you're buying a PS4 Pro, you'll probably need a cheap PlayStation Plus deal too. PlayStation Plus (aka PS Plus or PS+) allows you to play PS4 games online, along with access to the Instant Game Collection, a bunch of free games for your PS4 each month. The default price for a year is now £49.99. We've shopped around for you though and found a range of prices. So check out our guide of you want the best PlayStation Plus deals.

What is the PS4 Pro?

Essentially, the PS4 Pro is an upgrade of the PS4, rather than a 'next-gen' console. The keywords to take in from the PS4 Pro are 4K and HDR. The new machine will allow game developers to include 4K options in their games, so expect the likes of Red Dead Redemption 2, God of War, Uncharted 4, Spider-Man, Days Gone, Horizon: Zero Dawn and more to look even better on a 4K TV.

HDR, or High Dynamic Range, is the other buzzword to be excited about as the PS4 Pro will allow for extra detail to be seen on a range of games and also a wider range of colors not usually displayed by traditional HD TVs.

Will my old PS4 games work on PS4 Pro?

Absolutely. If you're planning on upgrading to a PS4 Pro from an older PS4, all of your games will still work. Not every title will be patched to take advantage of the new 4K/HDR capabilities, but the default upscaling (if you have a 4K TV) will more than likely see some improvement to the visuals and the improved console power may give the frame-rate a boost on some titles.

What else can I watch in 4K/HDR on PS4 Pro?

The PS4 Pro is compatible with 4K and HDR, and the content options for both are increasing all the time on services like YouTube and Netflix. Amazon Prime Video is yet to be updated for 4K content on a PS4 Pro though, so you'll need to check out the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K deals if you want to enjoy 4K Prime.

Does the PS4 Pro support 4K Blu-rays?

No. This was a surprise if we're honest, especially as both the Xbox One S and Xbox One X consoles do. It's a bit of a gamble for Sony, but at the same time, 4K Blu-rays are very expensive for now and many consumers look to digital services to provide their 4K movies and TV content instead.

Do I need a 4K TV to run a PS4 Pro?

No, the PS4 Pro will still work on a regular 1080p TV, you won't get the benefits of upscaling or HDR though. You may see a slim amount of extra detail, or frame-rate boost, but we wouldn't expect a massive leap.

If you are thinking of buying a 4K TV soon, then it's probably a good idea to splash out on the PS4 Pro instead of the regular or new PS4 Slim as it'll future proof you for a while. Be sure to look out for a TV that supports HDR too, in order to take full advantage of the PS4 Pro's capabilities.

Will PlayStation VR be better on the PS4 Pro?

Yes, but only a little. The PlayStation VR frame-rate is better on PS4 Pro and the resolution gets a bit of a bump too. PlayStation VR will certainly work on the older PS4s too, you don't need a PS4 Pro to get involved there.

Does the PS4 Pro have optical audio support?

Yes! The optical audio output has been removed from the PS4 Slim though, which is a massive shame. PS4 Pro owners though will still be able to use optical connections for their soundbars and sound systems.

What are the best games on PS4 Pro?

We've dived through our back catalogue of PS4 games that have received a PS4 Pro update patch to see which ones look the best and have a noticeable difference. Take a look at our extensive feature - The best PS4 Pro games.

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Quick – the Sony WF-1000XM3 true wireless earbuds are cheaper than ever

Posted: 20 Jan 2020 07:55 AM PST

The best true wireless earbuds of 2020 are currently cheaper than they've ever been, thanks to a stellar headphones deal on the Sony WF-1000XM3 Wireless Earbuds from Amazon. 

Normally £220, these class-leading buds are available to buy for just £168 – a price cut of nearly 30%, which saves you over £60 of your hard-earned money. (Not in the UK? Scroll down for the best Sony WF-1000XM3 prices in your region.)

Today's best Sony WF-1000XM3 deal

We awarded the Sony WF-1000 XM3 a coveted full five stars when we reviewed them last year, thanks to their gorgeous design, class-leading noise cancelation, and great battery life. 

Their tiny 6mm drivers exude clarity and rhythm, conjuring a wide, expansive soundstage, with believable spatial detail that can rival even the best over-ear headphones. 

Whether this price cut means that there's a new generation of Sony true wireless earbuds on the horizon remains to be seen – we're certainly hoping to see the Sony WH-1000XM4 over-ear noise-cancelling headphones in the near future, so it's not completely out of the question. 

Not in the UK? Check out the best prices on the Sony WF-1000XM3 Wireless Earbuds in your region below:

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