Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Apple : OnePlus 8 Pro case leak supports extra camera rumors

Apple : OnePlus 8 Pro case leak supports extra camera rumors

OnePlus 8 Pro case leak supports extra camera rumors

Posted: 25 Feb 2020 03:08 PM PST

Another leak for the OnePlus 8 Pro reveals alleged photos of a case for the phone that supports prior rumors of extra sensors on the rear camera suite – most likely, a time-of-flight sensor to measure depth of field. 

These case photos, first posted on Weibo, show a vertical oval that should fit a rear camera block that looks a lot like that of the OnePlus 7 Pro and OnePlus 7T Pro phones, but there’s an extra smaller cutout beside it that could be making room for the aforementioned sensors.

It’s unclear if this alleged case is for just the OnePlus 8 Pro or if it will fit the standard OnePlus 8 as well, which is another way of saying we don’t know how its rear camera block will look. While the OnePlus 7 just had a shortened vertical oval without the ultrawide or telephoto lenses, the OnePlus 7T included them, but in a circular camera bump.

This case supports the assertions made by previous leaks showing the OnePlus 8’s supposed design, from sketches to renders, in another way: it doesn’t have a pop-up selfie camera, which was the norm in the 7 Pro and 7T Pro. Instead, prior renders suggest the OnePlus 8 and/or OnePlus 8 Pro will pack a front-facing camera in a punch-hole instead, though there’s no way for this case leak to help prove that.

Via PhoneArena

  • The OnePlus 8 Pro could be on of the best phones of 2020

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iPhone 11 and 11 Pro deals US: get the best prices for February 2020

Posted: 25 Feb 2020 02:04 PM PST

The iPhone 11 and 11 Pro is Apple's latest smartphone, and it's available to order from all major carriers and retailers like Walmart and Best Buy. To help you wade through all the different plans, we've listed the best iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro prices and deals that are available in the US today. 

The Apple iPhone 11 features a 6.1-inch LCD display, while the iPhone 11 Pro comes with a Super Retina XDR OLED display in either a 5.8-inch or 6.5-inch size. The iPhone 11 and 11 Pro both have updated camera hardware with a Wide and new Ultra-Wide camera on the back of the iPhone 11 and Wide, Ultra Wide and Telephoto cameras on the iPhone 11 Pro. The multi-camera system allows you to capture ultra-wide photos and videos, and even "zoom-out" after a photo is taken to see more of the captured image. The front-facing camera on all new models is now an upgraded 12MP TrueDepth camera that can capture wider angle and even slow-motion selfies.

The battery received an upgrade with Apple stating that the iPhone 11 provides a one hour longer battery life compared to the XR, the Pro offering four more hours of battery life when compared to the XS, and the Pro Max offering 5 hours more battery life compared to last year's XS Max. All the new phones feature the A13 Bionic chipset which Apple claims is the fastest processor ever in a smartphone.

The iPhone 11 comes in six new color choices which include black, white, yellow, purple, green, Product Red and the 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max is available space gray, silver, and gold, as well as a new midnight green option.

The iPhone 11 has a starting price of $699 for the 64GB storage model which is actually $50 cheaper than the iPhone XR was on launch last year. The 64GB iPhone 11 Pro is priced at $999, and the 64GB iPhone 11 Pro Max is priced at $1,099, which is the same price as the XS and XS Max when they launched last year in the US.

iPhone 11 deals from US carriers:

iPhone 11 Pro deals from US carriers:

iPhone 11 Pro Max deals from US carriers:

The iPhone 11 Pro Max, the bigger version of the 11 Pro, is priced at $1,099 from carriers such as AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and Verizon. Sprint is offering the Pro Max for $45.84 on a Sprint Flex 18-month lease, and Verizon is offering up to $500 off with select trade-in and Unlimited. AT&T is offering up to $700 off when you switch to AT&T and port-in your number, or up to $500 off without port-in.


Learn more about the newest iPhone with our hands on iPhone 11 review, iPhone 11 Pro review, and iPhone 11 Pro Max review.

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Open Cybersecurity Alliance debuts open source language to tackle fragmentation

Posted: 25 Feb 2020 01:56 PM PST

The Open Cybersecurity Alliance (OCA) has launched a new language framework with the aim of tackling fragmentation between cybersecurity tools.

The OCA is a consortium of cybersecurity vendors whose members include IBM, Crowdstrike, McAfee and others. The alliance's new language framework called OpenDXL Ontology is the “first open source language for connecting cybersecurity tools through a common messaging framework”.

OpenDXL Ontology is now available and its goal is to create a common language between cybersecurity tools and systems. By removing the need for custom integrations between products such as endpoint systems, firewalls and behavior monitors, the OCA hopes to help fight fragmentation.

OCA's latest open source project is based on the Open Data Exchange Layer (OpenDXL) which is an open messaging framework created by the consortium to develop and share integrations with other tools. Currently close to 4,000 organizations are using OpenDXL in an effort to improve tool integration.

OpenDXL Ontology

The goal of OpenDXL Ontology is to improve sharing through a language that can be used by any vendor. This means that vendors can provide one set of tooling which can then be reused across many cybersecurity products.

One additional benefit of the open source framework and tooling, according to the OCA, is the elimination of requirements to update integrations when new software versions are released or functionalities change. In a blog post announcing OpenDXL Ontology, the alliance explained how tools will work together using its new language framework, saying:

“For example, if a certain tool detects a compromised device, it could automatically notify all other tools and even quarantine that device using a standard message format readable by all. While previously this was only possible with custom integrations between individual products, it will now be automatically enabled between all tools that adopt OpenDXL Ontology.”

The OCA was formed in October of last year and the cybersecurity consortium is made up of 26 companies including its newest members Armis, Recorded Future, Gigamon and Tripwire.

Via ZDNet

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How does a VPN work?

Posted: 25 Feb 2020 01:28 PM PST

In simple terms, a VPN (or Virtual Private Network) offers a secure way to connect to the internet, encrypting the data you send over the connection to protect it, while also giving you better levels of privacy online.

VPN technology has been around for years, but there has been a spike in interest over the last few months. This has been fuelled by various factors, including increased concerns about governments monitoring online activities, ISPs potentially reselling user data, and of course those ever-present hackers looking to intercept data for nefarious deeds.

So it’s not surprising that many people are turning to a VPN to defend themselves from these looming dangers. An understanding of how a VPN works will assist users in deciding if and when to use this technology, the types of threats it can protect them from, and any limitations therein.


Corporate VPN

There are two basic types of VPN: corporate and consumer. Corporate VPN, also known as remote access VPN, is a method to allow an off-campus employee to connect to the private corporate intranet in a secure fashion while offsite. Security is maintained via a password, and in some cases via a security token or smartphone app that generates one-time passwords.

There are two essential pieces of a corporate VPN. The first is the remote access server (RAS), also called the network access server (NAS, but this term gets confusing as NAS is also an acronym for network attached storage), which is the server that a user connects with over the internet to access the corporate network. The second component is the VPN client software, which establishes the connection to the RAS, and ensures privacy through the encryption process.

This technology is useful for offsite workers, or workers on the road who still require access to resources on the private internal network of the business. After the remote worker is authenticated, they are connected to the corporate intranet via an encrypted tunnel; in other words, a private connection gets established over the public internet. Corporate VPN has enabled remote workers to collaborate with their colleagues using services such as desktop sharing. 

For larger businesses with multiple campus locations, and in turn multiple LANs, an even more robust solution is required. This is site-to-site VPN, which facilitates employees at multiple locations sharing corporate resources by securely connecting geographically separate campuses together.

Consumer VPN

The second type of VPN is the consumer VPN, which is the variety that most folks think of these days when the term VPN is mentioned. With a consumer VPN, the user is connected to the private network via an encrypted tunnel, which is known as a VPN tunnel. The data transferred via the tunnel is encrypted to keep it private and prevent it from being intercepted.

With the user transmitting encrypted data to the VPN server via the virtual connection, which then hooks up with the worldwide web, it keeps the user’s activities more anonymous and secure. The ISP cannot see the data transferred, but only that the user is connected to a private server.

Consumer VPNs have many uses contributing to their current popularity. Some common uses include:

  • Anonymity from ISP tracking
  • Greater security while using public Wi-Fi hotspots
  • Obtaining access to geo-blocked websites
  • Getting around country-specific internet censorship

VPN artwork


Methods of setting up a VPN for a home user include at the level of the computer, or at the router. Setting up a VPN individually on a PC offers the advantage of simplicity, and it is easier to try out a new service without committing fully to it. While desktops and laptops can be configured this way, and even Android and iOS phones, not all devices – like smart TVs or media boxes – will have the capability to connect to a VPN service.

On the other hand, having the VPN at router level offers the advantage of having the whole network on the VPN without individually configuring each device, meaning that the aforementioned devices like smart TVs will be covered.

A crucial component for a VPN is the tunnel that connects the user to the VPN server, which is the key to keeping the data private. At this point, remember that to send and receive data over the internet requires it to be divided up into packets. To keep each data packet secure, it gets wrapped in an outer packet which is encrypted through a process known as encapsulation. This outer packet keeps the data secure during the transfer, and forms the basis of the VPN tunnel. Upon arrival at the VPN server, the outer packet is removed, to access the data of the inner packet, and this requires a decryption process.

Performance issues

A VPN connection is generally speaking slower than a non-VPN connection. This is due to three factors:

  • The encryption process
  • The transmission to the VPN server which is geographically further away, often in another country
  • The decryption process

IPLeak.net


Given the multiple steps in this whole process, you might well ask: how do you know if the VPN is working? And is your location really being kept private and hidden? Thankfully, we do not have to rely on a leap of faith here, and the anonymity can be easily checked with an IP leak test.

Just point your browser at IPLeak.net, wait a few seconds, and the report allows you to see if your local or public IP address, or your ISP DNS address gets displayed – hopefully they won’t. With the VPN functioning correctly, these addresses will be hidden and not displayed, and the leak test will confirm that privacy is being maintained.

VPN is a technology with plenty of useful applications, as well as limitations. With an understanding of how a VPN achieves privacy via the tunnelling process, users can successfully leverage the tool to good use, thereby enhancing their internet experience.

For users who value their anonymity and security online, it is well worth choosing, configuring and maintaining a good VPN service (there are even quality free services) to keep internet traffic encrypted and safe.

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Best free website builder 2020

Posted: 25 Feb 2020 12:25 PM PST

Creating a website used to be the domain (geddit?) of professional designers and coders, but thanks to free website builder applications, these days it's something anyone can tackle.

The problem is that there are so many website creation applications and services vying for attention that it can be difficult to know which one to opt for – this is where we can help.

We've collated the very best free website builders available, including a mixture of offline software and online tools.

It's usually quicker, easier and more efficient to create and edit a site entirely online with a WYSIWYG editor, but if you want complete control over every aspect of your site's design and web hosting, you'll need a desktop-based free website builder.

So whether you're looking to create a site for your business, a new blog, or you just fancy creating an online presence for yourself, here are the best free website builder services to help you out.

  • If you want website builders with more oomph and features, check out our best website builder shortlist which includes paid-for services.

Wix

Wix makes it very easy to design a website, while giving experts plenty of power to customize elements if they need it

Wix is a big-name website builder which offers a free plan, enabling you to have the run of this service without having to put your hand in your pocket. And you benefit from one of the most impressive website editors in the business.

This editor can be run in ADI (Artificial Design Intelligence) mode, which has a very basic interface to keep everything really simple and user-friendly. This is great for beginners, as you can create a basic site without even remotely breaking a sweat (a range of attractive templates are provided, as well).

Those who want to get more involved with tweaking the design of their website can step up to the full Wix editor, which boasts powerful functionality, and the ability to really hone your website and get it looking just as you want. Visual previews of page elements make it easy to pick what you need for any particular part of a web page, too.

Wix is so polished that putting together your site using the editor feels more like using a native application rather than a website builder, and it also sports excellent support for a diverse range of media, and quality customer support as well, even on the free plan. In addition, Wix Turbo was recently released which improves the performance and speed of all Wix websites.

Powerful blogging functionality rounds things off nicely, and you’re getting a truly high quality offering with the free version of this website builder.

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Constant Contact

Constant Contact provides an intelligent website builder and ecommerce store platform, both of which are free to use.

Setting up a website is easy using drag-and-drop functionality, allowing you to set up a design simply and easily, and insert the features you need. 

Settings are automatically optimized for mobile platforms and SEO, and there is a free image library with over 50,000 images included as part of the package.

The ecommerce platform allows for online payments through Paypal, Mollie, or Stripe. There are order and inventory features that automatically updates inventory with orders, and sends an email alert when items become out-of-stock.

While the basic level website is free, there are paid plans which add more features. Additionally, there is also a paid email marketing option available to allow you to reach new customers.

Overall, Constant Contact does a good job of setting up the basics. The free plan is a great way to set up your website, and there is a 60-day free trial if you do upgrade.

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Weebly

If you want to create a website as quickly as possible, look no further than Weebly. It's so easy to use, you'll have a great-looking site online in mere minutes

Weebly offers you two ways to build your website. Both involve creating it online, and both are as quick and painless as possible.

The simplest option is to use the basic editor builder which will guide you through a series of questions before automatically creating a site for you. There is scope for customization, but the focus here is really on fast results for anyone who is terrified of designing websites.

A more hands-on approach is available if you decide to use the standard Editor. There are literally hundreds of stylish templates to choose from – and, yes, they are genuinely impressive – which you can tweak and tailor to your needs using a beautiful WYSIWYG editor.

Despite being a cloud-based website builder, Weebly gives you a great degree of control over the look of your site and placement of page elements. You can also liven it up using additional features such as a newsletter and live chat. This power and flexibility make Weebly a top-notch website builder.

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WordPress

WordPress is the tool of choice for many blog owners. It takes a little getting used to, but once you've mastered it, you'll love its flexibility

Causing a slight degree of confusion, there are actually two different versions of WordPress. The more complex variant can be downloaded from wordpress.org, and you will need to upload it to your own web space and install it using the automated online installer. You can then customize the templates and use add-ons to make the site your own.

This is the route many bloggers go down, but there is a simpler option for people who don’t want the hassle of fiddling about with scripts and getting dirty with hardcore editing.

The hosted version of WordPress lets you create your own site on wordpress.com. You can create everything from a blog or photo site, to a fully fledged online store, and there are a number of templates to choose from. Additionally, Mailchimp users have a benefit of adding a Mailchimp block, which can grow your mailing list among other things.

Whether you're creating a static site, or a blog-style site with regularly updated content, the online editor is a joy to use and allows just about anyone to create an impressive, professional-looking site. The only downside is the limited range of plugins and templates compared with the desktop website builder.

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WebSite X5

WebSite X5 makes building a website on your desktop easy, with good-looking templates and an intuitive site builder

Incomedia WebSite X5 received an overhaul in April 2019 with new templates, an updated interface, new paid versions and more. The main thing to note is that the service now has a free version for everyone (note that the free version for TechRadar readers is still available to download). There are two paid versions, Evo and Pro, priced at $59.99 and $139 respectively. This is a one time purchase and naturally, both versions come with additional and improved features compared to the free one. There is also a demo version of both paid versions that you can try out.

Unlike WordPress and Wix, WebSite X5 is a desktop website builder, which means you can work on your site offline and have more freedom to make your website look exactly the way you want.

There's a range of ready-made templates to choose from, or you can create your own design from scratch. Next, build up your site map, showing the hierarchy of your pages and how they connect to one another – a feature you won't find in most web-based site builder apps.

Once that's done, you're ready to start building your pages using Website X5's simple drag-and-drop interface, which includes tools for editing both rich text and photos. 

If you don't want to be tied down to an online site builder, WebSite X5 is the tool for you.

CoffeeCup Free HTML Editor

CoffeeCup Free HTML Editor isn't a WYSIWYG website builder, but it provides a live preview of your site as you create it

CoffeeCup Free HTML Editor is one of a dying breed of web building programs that don't use a CMS (content management system). While not in the same league as the likes of Adobe Dreamweaver, Free HTML Editor packs quite a professional punch. With split screen code/preview views, it's possible to see the effect the changes you make have straight away.

To help you get started quickly, there are a number of templates built into the program, and there are some very nice features such as tag and code suggestions as you type.

For absolute beginners, the program might seem a little overwhelming to start with, but it's worth sticking with – assuming you have some HTML knowledge. There is one slight issue; a number of features, such as spell-checking and code optimization, are only included in the paid-for version of the program.

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Joomla

If you've used WordPress before, you might be interested in the power of Joomla. It's not as easy to use though, so beginners are better off sticking with a simpler option like Wix

Joomla is a well-known name in the CMS world. It may not be as popular as WordPress, but it offers the same two options: build a site using the web app at launch.joomla.org and have it hosted on the company's servers, or download the software from joomla.org and host it yourself.

If you choose the latter option, you'll notice that the interface is much less approachable than WordPress. It's not completely impenetrable, but there are lots of menus and options to work through and it doesn't feel quite as polished as WordPress.

Joomla's online website builder is nearly as complex, but doesn't involve the same setup process, making it a better option for beginners. Its key selling point is a huge collection of themes and extensions, which provide endless ways to customize the way your site looks and works.

You might also want to check out our other website hosting buying guides:

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Amazon sale: deals on the 4K Fire TV Stick, Cube, and more

Posted: 25 Feb 2020 12:08 PM PST

If you're looking for a cheap streaming device, then head over to Amazon's Fire TV sale that's happening right now. You can find discounts on Amazon's best-selling Fire devices, which include the 4K Fire TV Stick. 

For a limited time, you can get the 4K Fire TV Stick on sale for $34.99. That's a $15 discount and the best price we've found for the Alexa-enabled streaming device. Amazon also has the Fire TV Stick on sale for $24.99 and the all-new Fire TV Cube on sale for $89.99.

The 4K Fire TV Stick allows you to stream your favorite content in 4K Ultra HD resolution. Just plug the stick into your TV, connect to the internet, and watch your favorite movies and TV shows from apps like Hulu, Amazon Video, Netflix, and more. You'll get access to tens of thousands of channels with storage capacity for thousands of apps, games, and Alexa skills. The Fire device also includes an Alexa voice remote so you can browse shows, launch movies, adjust the volume, and more completely hands-free.

These deals are limited-time offers, and we don't know how long Amazon will have Fire devices on sale, so you should take advantage now before it's too late.

Amazon Fire device deals:

See more of the best cheap Amazon Fire Stick prices and deals and the best cheap Amazon Fire tablet deals and sales.

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Chelsea vs Bayern Munich live stream: how to watch Champions League football from anywhere

Posted: 25 Feb 2020 11:57 AM PST

Unbeaten in their last five Champions League matches, Chelsea come into tonight's clash with German giants Bayern Munich on a high. It's got all the ingredients of a massive knockout night and we'll help you discover how to get a Chelsea vs Bayern Munich live stream, no matter where in the world you are.

The Blues notched up a much needed domestic 2-1 victory over bitter London rivals Tottenham at the weekend, ending a run of four Premier League matches without a win. Frank Lampard's side will need to put in a similar performance at home this evening against a Bayern Munich side that has not lost a competitive match since the beginning of December.

Bayern were somewhat below par at home against bottom of the table Paderborn in the Bundesliga one Friday. While they eventually edged to a 3-2 victory thanks to a late double from Robert Lewandowski, Hans-Dieter Flick's side looked to be playing with one eye on tonight's game in London.

With 38 goals in 32 games for Bayern this season, Lewandowski is in the best form of his storied career, and containing the prolific Polish striker will be key to any Chelsea success tonight. The Blues will also need to get grips with the absence of midfield dynamo N'Golo Kante who remains sidelined with injury with Mateo Kovacic set to deputise. 

Meanwhile, Bayern welcome back Jerome Boateng and Benjamin Pavard who missed Friday's Bundesliga match through suspension.

Who will make it through to the quarter-finals? Read on to find out how to watch, no matter where you are in the world, with TechRadar's guide to getting a Chelsea vs Bayern Munich live stream.

Use a VPN to watch Champions League football when away from home

Scroll down to find out your football viewing options for tonight's match in some of the major Champions League watching countries around the world. And if you're out of the country and are worried that you won't catch the game, don't sweat. With the option of using a VPN service, you can tune into this fixtures no matter where you are in the world. And best of all, it's really easy to do.

How to stream Chelsea vs Bayern Munich live in the UK 

How to live stream Chelsea vs Bayern Munich in the US

How to live stream tonight's Champions League match in Canada for FREE

How to live stream Chelsea vs Bayern Munich in Australia

How to watch Chelsea vs Bayern Munich in New Zealand

How to live stream tonight's UEFA Champions League match in India

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Microsoft makes Azure Sphere available to all

Posted: 25 Feb 2020 11:53 AM PST

After launching a preview of Azure Sphere almost two years ago, Microsoft has announced that its comprehensive security solution aimed at securing Internet of Things (IoT) devices is now generally available.

The software giant first introduced Azure Sphere back in March of 2018 and at that time, the company said the technology it uses first came from a Microsoft Research project called Sopris. The security solution is also based on a version of Linux built by Microsoft.

Principal group program manager at Microsoft, Halina McMaster explained that Azure Sphere is made up of four components in a blog post, saying:

“Azure Sphere is a fully realized security system that protects devices over time. It includes four components, three of which are powered by technology, the Azure Sphere-certified chips that go into every device, the Azure Sphere operating system (OS) that runs on the chips, and the cloud-based Azure Sphere Security Service. The fourth component may be the most important: our Azure Sphere team. These are some of the brightest minds in security and they’re dedicated to the security of every single Azure Sphere device.”

Azure Sphere chips

Azure Sphere chips are now being built into IoT devices to power single-chip computers with processors, storage and memory called microcontrollers. The MediaTek MT3620 was the first dedicated Azure Sphere chip and it launched alongside the service's preview back in 2018.

Last year though, Microsoft revealed that it is also working with NXP Semiconductor NV on a newer chip for Azure Sphere called the I.MX 8 which has been designed to handle AI and graphics processing tasks. The software giant is also currently working with Qualcomm on another Azure Sphere-certified chip that will provide secure connectivity for IoT devices.

McMaster went on to provide more details on the built-in security in each Azure Sphere chip in her blog post, saying:

“Every Azure Sphere chip includes built-in Microsoft security technology to provide a dependable hardware root of trust and advanced security measures to guard against attacks. The Azure Sphere OS is designed to limit the potential reach of an attack and to make it possible to restore the health of the device if it’s ever compromised. We continually update our OS, proactively adding new and emerging protections.”

Now that Azure Sphere is generally available, expect more businesses to adopt the service as organizations look to expand their fleets of IoT devices in the securest way possible.

Via Silicon Angle

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Napoli vs Barcelona live stream: how to watch Champions League football from anywhere

Posted: 25 Feb 2020 11:30 AM PST

Following concerning dips in form before Christmas, tonight's Champions League clash in Naples brings together two sides that appear to have turned a corner in 2020 - so football fans will no doubt be keen to know how to watch a Napoli vs Barcelona live stream.

Napoli won their third game on the spin across all competitions after staging a comeback to win 2-1 against Brescia in their Serie A clash on Friday. Barcelona, meanwhile, have been on a recent surge, enjoying four wins out of four in La Liga following a convincing 5-0 victory over Eibar on Saturday.

That match saw Lionel Messi bag four goals, nicely ending a four-match streak for the Argentine without a goal in La Liga – his longest drought since 2013. 

Perhaps more significantly, Messi's performance saw him set a new record as the first footballer ever to hit the 1000 mark for combined goals and assists - a nice piece of history to have to his name ahead of this huge Champions League match.

Both teams have key players missing, though, with home side Napoli missing centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly - and striker Fernando Llorente also likely to miss out thanks to illness. Meanwhile, Barcelona will be without the attacking threat of Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembele.

The match has added intrigue in that it marks Barcelona boss Quique Setien's first match managing a side in Europe's elite-club competition.

Read on to find out how to watch tonight's game. No matter where you are in the world, our guide to getting a reliable Napoli vs Barcelona live stream for the first leg of this crunch European tie has you covered.

Use a VPN to watch Champions League football when away from home

Scroll down to find out your football viewing options for tonight's match in some of the major Champions League watching countries around the world. And if you're out of the country and are worried that you won't catch the game, don't sweat. With the option of using a VPN service, you can tune in to a Napoli vs Barcelona live stream tonight no matter where you are in the world. Best of all, it's really easy to do.

How to stream Napoli vs Barcelona live in the UK 

How to live stream Napoli vs Barcelona in the US

How to live stream tonight's Champions League match in Canada for FREE

How to live stream Napoli vs Barcelona in Australia

How to watch Napoli vs Barcelona in New Zealand

How to live stream tonight's UEFA Champions League match in India

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Researchers tricked a Tesla Model S into speeding with a piece of tape – how could hackers cheat our cars in the future?

Posted: 25 Feb 2020 11:00 AM PST

As the advent of autonomous driving inches forward year by year, there’s an incredible opportunity to cede control over to the machines. AI can help look for dangers on the road and adjust our speed long before problems occur. It’s an exciting time because machine learning in cars is almost magical.

The first time, a car like the Subaru Legacy Outback tells you not to look down at your phone, or a Ford Explorer applies the brakes suddenly when you fail to notice the semi-truck that just pulled out in front of you is when you realize how far we’ve come.

Curiously, these new advancements could also present an opportunity for hackers. While the AI tech in cars never needs to sleep and is always vigilant, it is not that hard to trick the machine learning routines, even with a piece of tape.

Over the limit

Recently, researchers at McAfee announced an 18-month project where they attempted to alter the cruise control abilities in two 2016 Tesla Model S cars. They applied tape to a speed limit sign and then drove the Model S, watching as the vehicle jumped up in speed by 80 miles-per-hour. It only took one extension of the number three on a speed limit sign that said 35, changing it to read 85 instead.

The companies that developed some of the autonomous driving tech in the Tesla S refuted the claims by saying a human driver would also read the speed limit sign inaccurately, and that’s exactly when I started wondering what this all means.

Tesla Model S

I agree that human drivers are likely not that perceptive. On a highway recently, I noticed how a departure lane I took off the main highway was posted at only 35 miles-per-hour (coincidentally enough).

I slowed down to 35, but I wondered why the city lowered the speed so quickly from 75 miles per hour. It was accurate, but it didn’t make sense to me. The road was nowhere near a residential area.

However, the fact that I was wondering is the important factor.

Tesla Model S

Autonomous tech in cars might not do this. Experts who responded to Mcafee did say the Model S also uses crowd-sourced data and likely also uses GPS data, which is much harder to spoof. That said, it made me wonder.

Autonomous cars will need to do more than read speed limit signs. They will also need to interpret the conditions and the setting — it would not make sense to suddenly go from 35 MPH to 85 MPH. If it is a simple calculation from one number to another, it won’t work.

New tricks

In the future, I wondered how hackers might trick cars in other ways. We’re on the verge of cars connecting to the roadway and to other cars. Recently, an artist demonstrated how hauling a wagon full of smartphones could trick Google Maps into thinking there was traffic congestion. What else could they do?

I can envision someone creating a stir by sending out fake signals about other cars on the road, sending notices about road closures, or even worse — tapping into car systems from the side of the road and telling them to brake suddenly.

Tesla Model S

At the same time, it is a lot of fuss over something minor. Fewer and fewer cars are reading roadway signs and are determining speed based on GPS data instead. No research has ever shown that hackers could cause cars to brake suddenly, and when there are examples they are usually in controlled environments. 

I think it is mostly a curiosity. We like to be able to fool the machines, and that’s a good thing. As long as they don’t ever start fooling with us.

On The Road is TechRadar's regular look at the futuristic tech in today's hottest cars. John Brandon, a journalist who's been writing about cars for 12 years, puts a new car and its cutting-edge tech through the paces every week. One goal: To find out which new technologies will lead us to fully self-driving cars.

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PayPal bug let hackers defraud Google Pay users

Posted: 25 Feb 2020 10:37 AM PST

Hackers have discovered a bug in PayPal's Google Pay integration which they are now actively exploiting to execute unauthorized transactions.

Users on PayPal's forums, Reddit, Twitter and Google Pay's Russian and German support forums have all reported seeing mysterious transactions show up in their PayPal history which originated from their Google Pay accounts.

According to the victims, hackers abused their Google Pay accounts to buy products using linked PayPal accounts. Most of the illegal transactions that have occurred so far have taken place at stores in the US with a number of them happening at Target stores across New York. As of now, most of the victims appear to be German users.

Based on public reports, the damages from these fraudulent transactions are in the tens of thousands of euros range and some of them even go over 1,000 euros.

Possible explanation

The German security researcher Markus Fenske believes that the recent string of illegal transactions appear to be similar to a bug that he and fellow security researcher Andreas Mayer reported to PayPal in February of last year.

According to Fenske, the bug he discovered has to do with the fact that when you link a PayPal account to a Google Pay account, PayPal creates a virtual card with its own card number, expiration date and CVC. When Google Pay users make contactless payments using funds from their PayPal accounts, these transactions are charged using this virtual card.

Fenske believes that hackers have discovered a way to figure out the details of these “virtual cards” and they are now using them to carry out unauthorized transactions at US stores. However, Fenske's theory is just that as he and Mayer are just guessing as to the real cause of these attacks.

PayPal's security team carried out an investigation into the matter and according to the online payments giant, they have addressed the issue which was being exploited but it is still worth checking your PayPal statements for any irregularities.

Via ZDNet

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Snapdragon 865: phones list, specs and 5G capabilities

Posted: 25 Feb 2020 10:16 AM PST

Update: We've got more information on all the phones that are set to include the Snapdragon 865 chipset. And, we've already gone hands on with Samsung's Galaxy S20 family of smartphones, which all include the chip.  

The Snapdragon 865 chipset is 'loaded with 5G,' according to chip maker Qualcomm, and it's ready to power the next round of flagship-level Android smartphones starting with the recently released Samsung Galaxy S20 family.

The official Snapdragon 865 phones list is slowly growing, with phones from Samsung, Sony, and many more showing up. We also expect many unconfirmed devices to join the party with the likes of a Galaxy Note 20, LG G9, OnePlus 8, Google Pixel 5 and so on. Samsung leads the pack, and though we missed out on many other launches as a result of MWC 2020's cancellation, there are still many Snapdragon 865 phones in tow.

Qualcomm's 5G-capable chipset, unveiled at its annual Snapdragon Tech Summit in Hawaii late last year, foreshadows what to expect from your next phone. It'll be in the majority of the best phones – basically everything except Huawei phones and Apple iPhones. 

But even iPhone owners should pay attention to the new Snapdragon 865 features. Qualcomm's roadmap often shapes where the mobile devices industry goes, and we know Qualcomm's modems are going to start being used in a 5G iPhone, likely one or more versions of the iPhone 12.

And even if you don't intend to buy a premium Android phone, some of the features, including 5G, do trickle down to mid-range chipsets, like the simultaneously announced Snapdragon 765. Though, high prices of these devices may leave some room for Qualcomm-competitor MediaTek to grow with its Dimensity 800 and 1000 series chipsets.

Snapdragon 865 features are primarily focused on expanding 5G speeds, doubling down on gaming performance, and improving photo and video quality on the many, many cameras employed by smartphones these days.

Snapdragon 865 phones list

The biggest Snapdragon 865 question we've gotten is: which phones will use the Snapdragon 865 chipset? That's easy to speculate about, but much hard to answer with 100% certainty. Fortunately, we already know a few phones for sure that have gotten or will get the new chipset. Here are the confirmed Snapdragon 865 phones so far:

  • Samsung Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20 Plus, and Galaxy S20 Ultra
  • Sony Xperia 1 II
  • Black Shark 3
  • Lenovo Legion Gaming Phone
  • Xiaomi Mi 10, Mi 10 Pro
  • Oppo Find X2
  • ZTE Axon 10s Pro
  • Vivo Apex 2020 Concept Phone
  • Nubia Red Magic 5G
  • Realme X50 Pro
  • Redmi K30 Pro
  • Sharp Aquos R5G
  • FCNT arrows 5G
  • iQOO 3

Qualcomm Snapdragon 865

With the exception of the Samsung devices in that list, all of these phones come with the Qualcomm FastConnect 6800 subsystem, which supports Wi-Fi 6 and improvements to Bluetooth connectivity both downstream and, most notably, upstream.

There are still plenty of devices we're not sure about yet, though. Here's a list of rumored Snadpdragon 865 phones:

  • LG G9
  • LG V60
  • OnePlus 8 and 8T
  • Moto Z5 (will probably have a different name)
  • Asus Zenfone 7
  • Samsung Galaxy Fold 2
  • Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Plus
  • Google Pixel 5 and Pixel 5 XL
  • Asus ROG Phone 3
  • Nokia 10

There are surely more Snapdragon 865 phones from companies like Xioami, Oppo, and Meizu, though it's harder to draw successors to their current lineups. Rest assured, we expect most flagship Android phones to run this chipset.

And when it comes to Moto, its flagship phone could use the 865 chip, but we don't know if there'll ever be a 'Moto Z5'. Motorola's aging Moto Mod idea has limited the company's ability to offer a redesign, as the mods are all backward compatible. After four years of much of the same, we expect a full fresh and perhaps a new name.

Snapdragon 865 specs

Qualcomm is touting new architecture among its Snapdragon 865 specs, made up of a Kryo 585 CPU, Adreno 650 GPU, Spectra 480 ISP, Hexagon 698 processor and sensing hub. All of them will play a key part in deciding what your next phone is capable of doing. 

Its CPU can run up to 2.84GHz, according to Qualcomm, and the GPU is supposed to offer 20% faster graphics rendering. We'll be running Snapdragon 865 benchmark tests soon to confirm these numbers.

The standout in the Snapdragon 865 specs sheet, however, is the 35% increase in the power efficiency for intense tasks, like gaming. As powerful as GPUs have become in smartphones, we know peak performance only lasts so long before throttling sets in. Qualcomm says it wants to go the distance with the new 865 chip.

Snapdragon 865 has 5G, but without integration

The Snapdragon 865 is driving 5G in two ways: it'll offer faster download speeds – up to 7.5Gbps – and be found in more smartphones you actually want in 2020.

Qualcomm's Snapdragon X55 5G modem achieves these peak download speeds via mmWave and sub-6 standards, the backbone of 5G. But it also employs tricks like Dynamic Spectrum Sharing, which combines 5G and 4G spectrum for faster throughput.

Upload speeds are also set to improve, reaching 3Gbps in ideal 5G conditions. That's something we really haven't seen from carriers in our 5G speed tests in the US, as the hype around uplink speeds has long trailed good download speed performance.

Interestingly, the Snapdragon 865 is being coupled with the Snapdragon X55 5G modem as a separate chip. This means the modem isn't actually integrated into the mobile chipset, but you also won't be able to get a Snapdragon 865 phone without the 5G chip. They're a couple, so don't expect new 865 phones to be 4G-only.

That's more of a concern for smartphone manufacturers, which have to account for the modem within the confines of their devices and find ways to power the modem separately. But these concerns could affect the size and battery consumption of the next smartphones.

Snapdragon 865 is ready for 200MP photos, 8K video

Besides 5G, the most consumer-facing perks of the Snapdragon 865 chipset are the camera improvements. You'll notice an uptick in both photo and video quality.

Specifically, the Qualcomm Spectra 480 Image Signal Processor boosts the megapixel count to 200MP. Note: it's really up to phone manufacturers to use these grandiose capabilities, so you may not actually see 200MP smartphones yet. Case in point: the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra only went up to 108MP.

Similarly, two years ago, we saw Samsung ditch HDR video capture when it was employed by the 845. This was reportedly done to keep parity with its Exynos chip, which didn't have HDR video capture capabilities and went into Galaxy S9 and Note 9 in some regions. The Galaxy S10 ended up being Samsung's first to capture HDR video.

When it comes to video for phones poised to use the Snapdragon 865 chipset, we're going to see 8K resolution video, one billion shades of color and support for the HGL format and Dolby Vision captured in real time. 

Dolby Vision capture is going to be important simply because other phones out there right now have high-end screens that support seeing Dolby Vision. But capturing it is going to be limited to 2020's Android phones – meaning your friends will see you amazing footage on their phone screens and have instant camera phone envy. 

Slow motion video can be fun, but in 2019 it was fairly limited – super slo mo modes at 960fps often cut out after ten seconds. That's changing in 2020 with unlimited super slow motion video. You'll also see slo mo at 4K 120fps. Goodbye 720p slo mo video.

Desktop-class gaming on a mobile phone

Qualcomm talked about mobile gaming with the Snapdragon 865 chip – a lot. And every time it did, the chip team kept referencing 'desktop-class gaming'. It sounds like marketing bluster, but there's something to that with the Adreno 650 GPU.

Desktop Forward Rendering is the first thing highlighted in Snapdragon 865 demos, and we did see a difference. It brings new lighting and post-processing effects closer to those that we see on PCs and consoles. In the demo, there was a marble rolling around a simple puzzle/platform environment and it had superior multi-angle reflections and shadows.

Game Color Plus had the same impact when we demoed a hack-and-slash strategy game. It looked noticeably more vibrant and saturated, which normally isn't a big feat. But Qualcomm says Game Color Plus does more than raise the saturation slide bar, it smartly boosts saturation and tone mapping, as to not totally blanket saturate everything including skin tones. Okay, now that's important.

We're unlikely to see many or any smartphones with a 144Hz display refresh rate in 2020, but that's the new ceiling for the Snapdragon 865 chipset. Most phones have a 60Hz refresh rate, though the OnePlus 7 Pro and its successors brought 90Hz to their popular lineup and Sony's Xperia 1 II will get a 90Hz display while the Samsung Galaxy S20 family has leapt up to a 120Hz refresh rate.

One more desktop-class thing, according to Qualcomm. Adreno 650 graphics chip is set up to receive updated drivers over time, much like you'd experience from a GPU on a gaming PC. It sounds simple enough – updates happen through an app store – but phone manufacturers using the Snapdragon 865 play a critical role in issuing the updates, and we all know that they're slow with Android operating system updates.

We'll have more specs and benchmarking information after the Snapdragon Tech Summit and update this page when we get the results.

  • Comparison: Check out the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 feature set last year.

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Best website builder of 2020

Posted: 25 Feb 2020 10:12 AM PST

Website builders have been around for decades but a new generation now exploit new technologies like responsive and mobile platforms. A website builder can help individuals or businesses build anything from a simple single-page site to a professional web store, even if you've no design or HTML experience at all. 

Whether you're a sole trader or a multinational corporation, just about every business needs an online presence – in other words, a website. A growing number are adding bells and whistles like an email list or form facility, domain name registration and much more.

Even if you don't sell products online a site can help people find you, learn more about your skills and services, and provide a way to share your details with other potential customers. It's like having a permanent, always-on-call personal assistant, ready to answer queries. And website builders can even be free.

More experienced users can customize and fine-tune the design to suit their own needs, or perhaps install a more traditional web design package that allows them to build the perfect site from scratch.

There are free options, but these often have major restrictions, including limits on the size of the site and the lack of any ability to use your own domain. Fortunately, the commercial options are very reasonably priced, from around £5/$5 to £10/$10 a month, with hosting included.

To help you decide which option is best for your needs, we’ve picked out the cream of the crop: these are the five top players in the website building world right now. 

Wix has more than 100 million registered users

Wix is one of the most popular online website creators, offering a range of plans and products. The free version has Wix branding, limited storage space (500MB) and bandwidth, but move up to the most popular plan (unlimited) and there’s no Wix ads. You get unlimited bandwidth (hence its name) and 10GB storage, along with a free domain, Google Ad vouchers and much more. The e-commerce plans start with the "Business Basic" plan with a price of $17 (£13.30) per month.

An excellent collection of 500 plus templates gets the design process off to a quick start. The drag-and-drop editor gives you all kinds of tools and features to explore – an image editor, video backgrounds, animations, social buttons, an integrated site blog – and just about everything can be tweaked, tuned and restyled. Furthermore, as of recently, Wix introduced Wix Turbo, which increases the speed and performance of websites substantially.

All the core editing functions are really smartly designed, and operate more like a native app than your average website builder. Wix does have some weaknesses, with tech support seeming a little sluggish and limited in some respects. But there’s no denying that the superb editor and range of top-notch templates make it easy for web building novices to create something impressive.

best web builders

1&1 IONOS is one of the biggest web hosting companies in the world

There’s a lot to like here in terms of a powerful drag-and-drop editor bristling with professional features and highly customizable templates, but at the outset, let’s make it clear that this isn’t the cheapest service around.

There’s no free plan (or indeed trial – although there is a 30-day money-back guarantee), and the most basic plan is priced at $5 a month (£5 for UK) (first month is free). That gives you unlimited pages and web space, a simple integrated blog, limited SEO settings, plus website backup and restore, so it’s a touch pricey for what you get.

That said, 1&1 IONOS MyWebsite offers a wide range of responsive templates, and an editor which provides loads of potential adjustments and tweaks, all with plenty of visual feedback and context-sensitive menus to help streamline the whole process. What’s clever here is that the top-level stuff is easy to use and understand for beginners, yet expert users can dive more deeply into the menus to really play around and customize elements. You also get your own personal consultant free of charge.

Other highly useful features include the ability to point to your old website in order to import media content from there straight into your new site. This could be a huge timesaver for some. There also an e-commerce plan starting at $20 per month.

best web builders

Weebly is one of the few website builders that offer a free hosting tier.

Weebly is another big name in the website building world which offers a powerful editor and capable set of features. There’s a free plan, which like Wix limits space to 500MB and imposes ads on your site.

However, if you move up to the Professional plan – at $12 (£9.5)  a month – the ads and storage limit are dropped, plus you get a free domain, and even support for a web store containing up to 25 products. The supercharged Business plan lets you create sites with unlimited web store products and high-end store features like product reviews and discount coupons, retailing at $25 (£19) a month.

The service offers hundreds of professionally-designed web templates, covering just about any site type. The drag-and-drop editor is neatly designed, although you don’t get full control over where you can position elements on the page, and the interface can seem a little cluttered. A further niggle is that there is no global Undo feature.

Like Wix, we found tech support was a little wobbly in terms of sluggish responses, but Weebly offers a host of powerful features, some very stylish templates, and easy access to free images for your site is another definite boon.

best web builders

As we’ve seen, many a website builder pitch themselves towards novices and making life easy for the less site-savvy out there, but what about experts who want powerful low-level control? Those are the users Voog has in mind.

So you don’t get many templates here, for example, and there’s the bare minimum of media support – but what you do get is a compact drag-and-drop editor which does its best to stay out of your way. There are weaknesses here, and the interface is somewhat clunky in respects – and it’s another which lacks a global Undo function – but it has some real power you can drill down into.

For example, clicking a text box gives you the option to use bullet-point lists, insert tables or videos, or even edit the HTML source to customize effects. Voog also lets multiple users easily collaborate on a site project, and if you’re after nifty, unusual features like these, you won’t see them elsewhere.

The entry-level Standard plan is priced at $8.80 (£7.10) per month (billed annually) and gives you 5GB storage, and all the core features you’ll need, including SSL security (although it’s limited to 30 pages). If you know what you’re doing in terms of website design, and want some true power and customization capabilities, there is a 30-day trial you can check out (no credit card details needed).

best web builders

Jimdo is a somewhat quirky website builder targeted largely at novice users, but it’s well worth your attention for a number of reasons, not the least of which is a free plan which boasts more than the average offering.

Yes, there are the usual limitations including adverts, a 500MB storage limit, no custom domain, and very limited SEO. But there are a few features you won't get in other free plans, like a password protected area, for example.

The site editor itself is simple and consistent, even if it’s somewhat unconventional in terms of its design. Also, the editor doesn’t have as many functions and features as some rivals. For example, there aren’t that many templates, and the widgets on offer aren’t as plentiful as you might find elsewhere – plus there’s no global Undo (although Jimdo isn’t alone in this respect).

Another neat touch is a good web knowledgebase which means help is generally close at hand when it comes to troubleshooting. Overall, this is a compelling product, that is well worth giving a whirl.

You might also want to check out our other website hosting buying guides:

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Redmi K30 Pro and Oppo Find X2 confirmed as 5G Snapdragon 865 flagships

Posted: 25 Feb 2020 10:01 AM PST

The top-end chipset you can find in phones right now is the Snapdragon 865, which brings top speeds, high-res photo processing and 5G, and Qualcomm (who makes it) just dropped the names of a bunch of phones that'll have the system-on-chip.

Some of these phones we already knew about, like the Samsung Galaxy S20, Xiaomi Mi 10 and Sony Xperia 1 II, but the list also includes handsets that were only rumored, so this counts as confirmation of a few new devices.

Topping the list of the unannounced phones is the anticipated Oppo Find X2, due to launch on March 6, and the Xiaomi Redmi K30 Pro, which will likely launch in Europe as the Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro (the Redmi K20 Pro was released as the Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro there).

5G inside

Other phones listed include the Black Shark 3, Nubia Red Magic 5G, Asus ROG Phone 3 and Legion Gaming Phone (gaming phones of which we'd only heard of the former), the Zenfone 7, and the Vivo Apex 2020 Concept Phone, a device that likely won't have a global rollout, but we know is being shown off at the end of February.

From this announcement we know they will have top-end processing power, and due to the presence of the Snapdragon 865, they'll also be 5G devices.

These phones won't be the only Snapdragon 865 devices either, just the ones coming soon, with Qualcomm claiming that "more than 70 designs have been announced or are in development based on the platform" - which should spell more top-end handsets for later in 2020.

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The Mandalorian season 2: release date, Baby Yoda, Darksaber and what we know

Posted: 25 Feb 2020 09:20 AM PST

The Mandalorian season 2 on Disney Plus is our most anticipated show of 2020. After a divisive Disney era of Star Wars movies, most would agree that the streaming service's first major exclusive lived up to the hype. With The Mandalorian season 2's release date set for October 2020, Baby Yoda will be back in no time. 

Season 2 will likely focus on the search for Baby Yoda's homeworld, as heavily hinted at by The Mandalorian's finale. We also expect the next set of episodes to build on the revelation that Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) is wielding the Darksaber weapon, first seen in The Clone Wars. Esposito has recently suggested we'll see "major, major, epic, epic lightsaber action" in season 2. Rumors point towards Skywalker Saga characters appearing in the second season, too. 

Here's what we know about The Mandalorian season 2, including the release date, story and what we've learned about the Darksaber so far. We'll also discuss the potential spin-offs being prepped for the smash hit Star Wars TV show.

The Mandalorian season 2 release date: October 2020

The Mandalorian season 2 officially has a release date of October 2020, which Disney confirmed in its earnings report in February. 

Season 2 was already in the works when season 1 started releasing on Disney Plus – confirmation of a second season came from creator Jon Favreau after just one episode was released. This was the first ever set photo from the second season:

Favreau revealed a little more on Friday December 27, with a tweet confirming that the new season would be coming in Fall 2020. Only later was the specific month of October revealed by Disney. 

The Mandalorian season 2 story: the search for Baby Yoda's homeworld and Darksaber action

George Lucas had a rule that Jedi Master Yoda's species and home planet weren't to be disclosed, back when he was in charge of Star Wars.Now that Disney is in charge of Lucasfilm and Star Wars, though, it's likely that this has changed, as everything suggest The Mandalorian season 2 will focus on the search for “the Child” – aka Baby Yoda’s – home. 

During the season 1 finale, the Mandalorian Armorer on Nevarro tells the Mandalorian (real name Din Djarin) that because Baby Yoda is a foundling (and therefore probably not, as previously speculated, a clone), “By creed it it is in your care.” She then adds that, “You have no choice, you must reunite it with its own kind.”

Unfortunately for Mando, however, the Armorer didn’t have any information on where he might find them: “This you must determine,” she teases.

But as ever in Star Wars, there’s a degree of ambiguity here – and the identity of who the Mandalorian is actually looking for may come down to your own point of view. Perhaps Mando is, as it seems at first glance, looking for the homeworld of Yoda’s species. Or maybe he’s simply looking for Jedi who survived the Emperor’s Order 66 purge in Revenge of the Sith, some three decades earlier. 

Why the confusion? In the Outer Rim worlds that provide the setting for The Mandalorian, the Force exploits of the Jedi are just myth – indeed, the Mandalorian simply says of Baby Yoda’s Force abilities that “it can move objects with its mind”. 

“I know of such things,” the Armorer reveals. “The songs of aeons past tell of battles between Mandalore the Great and an order of sorcerers called Jedi that fought with such powers.” Crucially, when Mando asks if Baby Yoda is an enemy, the Armorer states: “Its kind were enemies but this individual is not.”

So seeing as Mandalore’s battles were with the Jedi, rather than specifically with Yoda’s species, this implies that Mando’s new bounty may actually be the Jedi...

Or maybe the Mandalorian will settle for simply finding out Baby Yoda's name. Apparently he has one, and Disney CEO Bob Iger told The Star Wars Show that he knows what it is – not that he's giving anything away. Speculation over Yoda's name continues.

Of course, we'll see more of Moff Gideon in season 2 of The Mandalorian, probably looking for revenge after the battle at the end of season 1. "Major, major, epic, epic lightsaber action happening on this show," the actor said at Fan Expo Canada (via Comic Book). Whoever Gideon is fighting with the Darksaber, though, won't be Mando or (heaven forbid) Baby Yoda. Either way, this means we'll see another character wielding a lightsaber in season 2. 

The Mandalorian season 2: spin-offs may be in the works

In an earnings call, Disney's Bob Iger hinted at more characters being introduced in The Mandalorian, with possible spin-offs being set up. He teased it as, "more coming from The Mandalorian thereafter, including the possibility of infusing it with more characters and the possibility of taking those characters in their own direction in terms of series". "More coming" from The Mandalorian could also mean a season 3 is planned.

The exact phrasing suggests spin-offs will focus on newer characters, rather than existing ones. We're sure a lot of fans would argue Gina Carano's Cara Dune would be a good fit...

One actor rumored for a role in season 2 is WWE star Sasha Banks. Who she'd be playing, though, is yet to be confirmed. 

The Mandalorian season 2: the Darksaber explained

Above: clips from The Clone Wars featuring the Darksaber.

When Moff Gideon cuts himself out of his stricken TIE Fighter at the end of The Mandalorian season 1 finale, he uses a blade that sounds much like a lightsaber, but looks rather different to the weapons we’re used to seeing in the hands of Jedi and Sith. More sword-like in shape, with a black blade surrounded by a bright glow, it should, however, be familiar to viewers of Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels. Because unless we’re very much mistaken, this looks like the legendary Darksaber.

This unique weapon is a key part of Star Wars – and particularly Mandalorian – lore. Originally created by Tarre Vizsla, the first Mandalorian warrior to join the Jedi order, it became a symbol of power on the planet of Mandalore. At the conclusion of Star Wars Rebels (set two years before the events of Star Wars: A New Hope) it ended up in the hands of Bo-Katan Kryze, who was deemed the rightful heir to the Mandalorian leadership.

But how did such an important weapon end up in Moff Gideon’s hands? We do know that at some point between the end of Rebels and Return of the Jedi, the Empire carried out the so-called “Great Purge”, all but wiping out the Mandalorians. We also know that Gideon was an officer in the Imperial Security Bureau (ISB) during the Purge, so could have obtained the Darksaber from Bo-Katan at that time. (If that does turn out to be the case, it’ll be intriguing to find out if Bo-Katan survived – she was played by Battlestar Galactica’s Katee Sackhoff in both The Clone Wars and Rebels, so this could be a chance to get a fan-favorite actor into the show.)

Alternatively, the Darksaber could have been in the possession of the Mandalorian “Tribe” living underground on Nevarro throughout The Mandalorian season 1 –Gideon may simply have obtained it when his Imperial remnant wiped out most of the Mandalorians in hiding. This seems less likely, however – surely the surviving Armorer would have protected such an important weapon with her life.

The Mandalorian season 2: Jon Favreau will direct an episode

Despite being the creator and main writer of The Mandalorian season one, Iron Man director Jon Favreau didn't direct a single episode – it didn't hurt the show at all, but season 2 will benefit from his input. "I didn’t get a chance the last time around because I was doing Lion King," Favreau mentioned to EW. "So I'll step in for one of them."

George Lucas has been on the show's set, too, resulting in this amazing photo:

The Mandalorian season 2: Original Trilogy characters rumored to appear

According to Deadline, “Insiders have hinted that several established characters from the Skywalker saga’s feature films mythology will make appearances during the show’s sophomore season.” Jon Favreau’s release date tweet above showed a picture of a Gamorrean, one of the so-called Pig Guards from Jabba’s Palace in Return of the Jedi, but we suspect that – if this insider's rumors are accurate – they’re referring to someone who’s a significantly bigger deal in the saga than that.

While Jabba the Hutt, Darth Vader and the Emperor are dead (or so the galaxy believes…) and Luke Skywalker is unlikely to crop up away from the saga that bears his name, there are plenty of big names in the Star Wars universe who’ll be operating around the time of The Mandalorian. It's set five years after the destruction of the second Death Star in Return of the Jedi, after all. Original trilogy survivors Han Solo, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, Lando Calrissian, C-3PO, R2-D2, and even Rebel legends Wedge Antilles, Admiral Ackbar and Nien Nunb could all cross paths with the Mandalorian and Baby Yoda. 

But we’d be much more interested to see General Hux’s dad, Brendol – a former Imperial officer who was instrumental in the formation of the First Order – or even (SPOILER ALERT) Rey’s parents. Now that we know they lived in hiding – pretending to be “nobody” before giving Rey away – any new glimpses at their backstory could enhance what we learned in The Rise of Skywalker.

Perhaps most likely, however, is the reappearance of various bounty hunters hired by Darth Vader to capture the Millennium Falcon in The Empire Strikes Back. IG-88, Zuckuss, Dengar, Bossk and 4-LOM are still theoretically looking for work in the time of The Mandalorian season 2, and definitely operate in the same hives of scum and villainy as our friendly neighborhood Mando. 

Maybe we’ll even see a return for the legendary Boba Fett… Yes, he was last seen being swallowed by the Sarlacc in Return of the Jedi, but the bounty hunter did manage to escape 1000 years of digestion in the old Expanded Universe “Legends” stories, a plot that could be ported over into official canon. And there’s also been plenty of speculation online that the mysterious figure on Tatooine who finds the body of the deceased Fennec Shand in Chapter 5, “The Gunslinger”, may be Fett himself – the jangling spurs might just be a clue...

And even if the owner of the spurs isn't Fett, one particularly interesting theory suggested on Inverse suggests it could be a member of the family – Ailyn Vel, his daughter in the Legends stories. Could this be the identity of this mysterious Funko Pop! Vinyl figure? 

The Mandalorian is the best slice of Star Wars in years

We can't wait for a second season of The Mandalorian. A couple of less thrilling episodes in the middle of season one aside, the simple storytelling and stylish imagery of this show made it a satisfying glimpse at a different side of the Star Wars universe. Creator Jon Favreau has plenty on the table to pay off in season 2. 

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These Xbox One X deals just got even better thanks to a free Game Pass Ultimate subscription

Posted: 25 Feb 2020 09:07 AM PST

Xbox One X deals hit $299 at Walmart over the weekend, but this week we're seeing even more of an incentive to grab a cheap Xbox One X right now. Walmart have also thrown in a free month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, or you can upgrade to three months for just $10 extra right now. This all means we're in the best time to be hunting for Xbox One X bundle deals thanks to fantastic sales on top titles in the US and some amazing cheap discounts in the UK. These prices are far lower than they were over Black Friday, so now's your chance to grab a cheap Xbox One X deal before the new console lands. 


Meanwhile, the UK is seeing some fantastic prices on cheap Xbox One X deals with costs dipping well below £300. You'll find top of the range bundles like this Forza Horizon 4 bundle for just £289 or Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order for £290 - fantastic prices on blockbuster releases. 

With Xbox Series X steadily creeping up, it's little wonder retailers are discounting these cheap Xbox One X deals with such abandon. That said, there's every reason to pick up the current powerhouse of the Xbox world right now. Now that the next console is firmly insights, we're seeing some fantastic prices landing on the current-gen console. Plus, games are only going to get cheaper once that new machine hits store shelves. 

You can find cheap Xbox One S bundles for even less right now, so if you're happy to forego some fancy features you might want to check out the latest sales. There are plenty of cheap Xbox games on sale right now as well - perfect for stocking up on the latest titles. 

Cheap Xbox One X deals in the US

Cheap Xbox One X deals in the UK

We're also tracking all the latest Xbox One S sales to keep you in the loop on the best prices out there. Plus, we're also keeping an eye on Xbox Game Pass prices and the best Live Gold deals as well. You'll find plenty more Xbox One X deals right here on TechRadar. 

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Oppo Find X2 screen is just as good as Samsung Galaxy S20's, according to brand

Posted: 25 Feb 2020 08:48 AM PST

We don't know that much about the Oppo Find X2 (other than that it will launch on March 6), but we do have one big steaming piece of information, direct from the company itself.

Oppo Vice President Brian Shen, who often talks very candidly about Oppo's new tech on his Twitter account, just tweeted an image which you can see below, revealing some of the upcoming Find X2's screen specs.

Along with a faint image of the phone, with a thin bezel and no visible front-facing camera, the image states the device will have a 120Hz refresh rate and a 3K screen.

Those are some impressive specs, as few smartphones have screen refresh rates as snappy as 120Hz, and most flagships only have around 2K resolution (although some, like the Sony Xperia 1 II, have gone up to 4K resolution).

As the headline suggests, these specs match the Samsung Galaxy S20 line, and the most premium of the line, the Galaxy S20 Ultra, has had its display dubbed the best on a smartphone.

That means the Oppo Find X2 could rival the Galaxy S20 series in terms of screen quality when it launches on March 6, (which is, co-incidentally, the release date of the S20 series in most parts of the world). The Find X2 could even, theoretically, have the best display on a phone in the world.

Still, there's more to a screen than just its resolution and refresh rate, and we can't say for certain whether one display is better than the other when we simply know two specs of one of the screens – we'll have to test both to come up with a decisive verdict.

TechRadar will be on the ground at the March 6 launch event to bring you all the news, reviews and analysis about the Oppo Find X2 and whatever else the company has in store.

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Disney Plus UK pre-order deal cuts the price down to a fantastic £49.99

Posted: 25 Feb 2020 08:43 AM PST

With Disney Plus UK releasing on March 24, you can now pre-order a year's subscription to the service for £10 off, dragging the price down to a very reasonable £49.99. You've only got until launch to take advantage of this though, because the price will then revert to £59.99 for a year.

Why should you subscribe to Disney Plus UK when it isn't even out yet? Even though Disney hasn't revealed the full list of content coming to the streaming service in the UK yet, we know the 12 months after launch includes the first two seasons of The Mandalorian, as well as upcoming Marvel shows WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. As well as a deep archive of Disney content, this is what you're really subscribing for. 

Here's the deal: 

When Disney Plus releases in the UK, expect over 1000 shows, movies, shorts and other forms of content. Its different content strands include Disney (obviously), Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar and National Geographic. But you can expect some Fox content in there too, like the X-Men movies and the Ice Age films. 

This deal is well worth it if you know you'll be streaming anyway – and you've got about a month to make up your mind. 

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PS5 release date, specs, news and rumors for Sony’s PlayStation 5

Posted: 25 Feb 2020 08:42 AM PST

PS5 (or PlayStation 5) is the next-generation PlayStation, releasing in late 2020, after a long and incredible decade that saw Sony emerge as the clear winner in the home console wars in the eyes of many (sorry Xbox).

So what do we know about the PS5 so far? The hysteria started in early 2019, when Mark Cerny, the chief architect on Sony's next console, confirmed that the company was working on the successor to the PS4 Slim and PS4 Pro.

We wouldn't get the official name or release date until much later, but Cerny did shed some light on the next-gen console's capabilities, revealing that it would retain a disc drive, and would have something to do with Sony's game streaming ambitions; other than that there was little else to go on.

Since then, Sony has been feeding us juicy tidbits such as an official PS5 release window, logo, name and a few key details about features. According to Sony, the PS5 still has big surprises to come – but it won't be revealing them at E3 2020, as the company has confirmed it won't be attending this year, again. 

That's not to say we won't see the PS5 anytime soon - the official PS5 website is now live, further fueling rumors that Sony is planning a PS5 reveal event in the near future, although this hasn't been confirmed.

In addition, we've had some surprising leaks, in the form of a Sony-registered patent that seems to show off the PS5's general shape, button inputs, and cooling vents – this was confirmed to be the PS5 dev kit in a leaked photo. However, we expect the end product design will be different for the PlayStation 5's official launch later in the year.

Sony can only keep the finer details of the next-generation PlayStation a secret for so much longer – especially with Microsoft having officially unveiled the Xbox Series X, and a number of notable features like quick-loading games and Smart Delivery (allowing gamers to play the "best possible version" of an Xbox game, no matter the platform you upgrade to). But between the rumored specs, likely next-gen titles, and official features we are aware of, there's plenty to keep us busy for now.

Here's everything we know about the PS5 so far – and what we hope will be revealed the closer we get to launch.

[UPDATE: The PS5 controller could tailor gameplay based on your vital signs. Read on to find out more.]

  • What is it? The Sony PS5 is the next-gen PlayStation console, replacing the PS4 Slim and PS4 Pro.
  • When will it release? "Holiday 2020" in the US, says Sony, so between October and December 2020. 
  • What can I play on it? Only a few titles have been confirmed, but expect all of Sony's big franchises, as well as in-development exclusives like Ghost of Tsushima.
  • Will PS5 have VR? Oh yes. The next-gen console will be compatible with current PSVR hardware, and there are also rumors of PSVR 2.
  • What will the PS5 cost? The PS4 and PS4 Pro were both $399 / £349 at launch, but we expect the PS5 will cost somewhat more. Leaks have suggested around the $499 mark.
  • Can I play PS4 games on the PS5? The PS5 will definitely be backwards compatible with "almost all" PS4 games - earlier generations are still to be confirmed.

God of War (Image Credit: SIE)

Sony has officially confirmed that the PS5 will release "in time for Holiday 2020" in the US, so likely some time between October and December 2020. A leak has suggested that the release date will be November 20, 2020 but that's yet to be confirmed – but it's in the right window, and it would leave time before Christmas to get those orders in.

This would put the PlayStation 5 in direct competition with Microsoft's Xbox Series X (formerly Xbox Project Scarlett), which is releasing during the same period. Game on.

However, there have been rumors that the coronavirus will delay the release date. But we don't think that's likely.

We're expecting to find out the PlayStation 5's release date when the next-gen console is officially revealed. Hopefully we won't be waiting long, as a launch event seems imminent. Read on to find out why.

PS5

Death Stranding

Sony hasn't officially confirmed a PS5 price yet and, according to the company, that's because it hasn't actually decided how much the next-gen console will cost.

In a quarterly earnings call (via Spiel Times), Sony's chief financial officer Hiroki Totoki revealed the company still hasn't nailed down the PS5 price.

"What is not very clear or visible is because we are competing in the space, so it’s very difficult to discuss anything about the price at this point of time, and depending upon the price level, we may have to determine the promotion that we are going to deploy and how much costs we are prepared to pay," Totoki explained.

“First, we must absolutely control the labour cost, the personnel cost, it must be controlled, and the initial ramp up, how much can we prepare initially, we will work on the production and the sales and we will have to prepare the right volume as we launch this," Totoki continued.

“It’s a balancing act it’s very difficult to say anything concrete at this point of time," Totoki said. But we do know that Sony is aiming for "the best balance so that we will be profitable in the life, during the life of this product."

While Sony may not have a price nailed down, there have been rumors about how much the PS5 could cost. One such rumor has suggested that the console will cost $499 in North America when it launches. 

Naturally this should be treated with skepticism, but it would be welcome news if the console did launch at this price, as it's only $100 more than the launch price of the PS4 and PS4 Pro.

PS5

However, a report in Bloomberg suggests that the rising costs of DRAM and NAND flash memory parts – crucial for the smooth functioning of the console’s onboard processor, and also in high demand for new smartphone releases – makes balancing the books for the PS5 retail price difficult, and that Sony may even be putting off its pricing decision to figure out what cost to put on consumers.

The report states that manufacturing costs are expected to hit $450 per console unit – around £350 / AU$670. That makes it highly likely the RRP will start above that, not lower than £470, and probably closer to the $499 price tag that the Xbox One (and Xbox One X) first launched with.

Microsoft’s plans for the Xbox Series X are key here, as Sony could well decide to sell the hardware at a slight loss to stay competitive with the other console. The PS4 benefited from a lower cost than the Xbox One, and Sony likely won’t be keen to reverse that for this generation.

We can expect that the console's price will be in line with the technology it uses, but Sony will also have to be aware of its competition. It's unlikely, with the Xbox Series X, that Microsoft will repeat the mistake it made by launching the Xbox One at a prohibitively high price point, so Sony will have to ensure that it doesn't make a similar mistake by making the PS5 too expensive.

When it comes to the PS5 and Xbox Series X, players see 'affordable price' as the most important factor according to a Twitter poll by Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon. Boon asked Twitter users what the most important thing was for them when it comes to next-gen consoles.

The poll received a total of 50,295 responses, with a 37.5% majority of users saying 'affordable price' was the most important factor. 'Plays last-gen games' (AKA backwards compatibility) came second with 30%, 'better graphics' received 19.2% of votes, while 'exclusive games' was the least important with just 13.2% of votes. 

It's worth noting that a Twitter poll isn't exactly reflective of the overall player base, especially as it's unlikely younger players will be on the platform. So, while this poll can be useful as a steer, the reality is likely to be a lot more complex. Regardless, we expect price to be a key factor in whether players pick up a PS5 or Xbox Series X - even if it's not the most important.

PS5

Ghost of Tsushima (Image Credit: SuckerPunch)

  • Bespoke 8-core AMD chipset (based on third-generation Ryzen architecture and with Navi GPU)
  • SSD storage system
  • Backwards compatibility with PS4 games and PSVR hardware
  • 3D audio
  • 8K TV support

So what is the PS5 packing under the hood? We don't know a huge amount about the PlayStation 5's specs, but here's what we do know.

That AMD one-two punch of CPU and GPU unlocks the powers of ray tracing, an advanced lighting technique that can bring next-level immersion to gaming visuals. It's Hollywood tech that's used in big-budget CGI spectacles, putting into context the levels of visual fidelity you can expect from the PS5.

Ray tracing is enabled by GPU hardware rather than software level, Mark Cerny told Wired. “There is ray tracing acceleration in the GPU hardware,” he explained. 

Sony has confirmed that the PS5 will support 8K gaming, and we think AMD SmartShift could be the secret sauce that makes this possible.

With 8K TV support comes far more detailed textures, and much larger-scale ones at that. The news of a bespoke SSD drive will be heartening then – just because the games will be getting more complex, that doesn't mean they'll be slower to load. It's estimated that the new SSD is 19 times faster than traditional SSD storage methods (but given the speed difference between the SSD and the optical drive, installation of games will be mandatory).

Not only that, but by harnessing the power of the SSD, developers could potentially reduce the install sizes of games because, as Cerny told Wired, “there is no need to duplicate data to compensate for slow seek times that optical drives and HDDs have”. 

The PS5 will benefit from simplified data management due to its SSD, and this will allow players to have more control over installing and removing games, for example by allowing players to install (or remove) only certain parts of a game – so instead of installing the full game, you could choose to just install the single-player mode and then do multiplayer later, or vice versa.

PS5

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End (Image Credit: Naughty Dog)

Physical games for the PS5 will use 100GB optical disks, inserted into an optical drive that doubles as a 4K Blu-ray player, and the next-generation hardware will boast a completely revamped UI.

Speaking about the new UI to Wired, Cerny said: "Even though it will be fairly fast to boot games, we don't want the player to have to boot the game, see what's up, boot the game, see what's up.

"Multiplayer game servers will provide the console with the set of joinable activities in real time. Single-player games will provide information like what missions you could do and what rewards you might receive for completing them – and all of those choices will be visible in the UI. As a player you just jump right into whatever you like."

Audio will reach a new "gold standard" on PS5 too, according to Cerny, thanks to a new audio engine that will deliver immersive sound – particularly if you're using headphones. While the details remain unclear, expect something resembling the experience of a Dolby Atmos setup.

Sony's PS5 next-generation console will also offer improved cloud gaming performance, and "dramatically improved graphics rendering" power.

That's the word straight from the company itself, as it showed off a sneak peak during a corporate strategy presentation.

Marvel's Spider-Man (Insomniac Games)

In a statement sent out following the presentation, Sony said the "two keywords for the future direction of PlayStation are 'immersive' and 'seamless'", with the 'immersive' experience "created by dramatically increased graphics rendering speeds, achieved through the employment of further improved computational power and a customized ultra-fast, broadband SSD".

The company also reinforced the importance of its cloud-gaming plans with Playstation Now, and somewhat surprisingly doubled down on its underused Remote Play feature, saying the "evolution" of this would in the future "provide a seamless game experience anytime, anywhere".

Remote Play is already available as part of the PS4 package, enabling you to stream a game direct from the console to a computer, smartphone, tablet or PS Vita handheld console. But Sony says that going forward it will be "leveraging the latest computing, streaming, cloud, and 5G technologies" to allow it, and the performance of PlayStation Now, to improve.

If that's not enough, Sony has confirmed the PS5's "incredibly powerful" backwards compatibility will let you play online with PS4 players, with Ubisoft's CEO revealing the next-gen console can play "almost all" PS4 games.

There have also been rumors that the PS5 could be backwards compatible with the PS3, PS2, and original PlayStation, meaning its games library could stretch right back to the glory days of the mid 90s.

PS5

We've seen several leaked images of the PS5 dev kit, with each showing the same console design, along with the above render based on one of those images, courtesy of Let's Go Digital).

What does the render above show us? There are a number of buttons: on/standby, reset, eject (for the double-layer 100GB-reading Blu-ray drive), system initialization and network initialization, all on the front-left. There are also a number of status lights, numbered '0' to '7', which likely relate to CPU cores engaged, but which could also be status lights for controllers connected.

To the right are six USB ports (one USB 2.0 and five likely USB 3.0 ports – the final port being obscured by a cable). A small circle above could well be a camera built into the console, according to earlier patent filings.

Interestingly, rubber feet appear to be on the top side of the console, suggesting that devs are being encouraged to either flip the console for stress testing and convenience, or to stack them when working on demanding games.

However, these images should only really be used to speculate on what the final design of the consumer console will be, rather than considering it wholly indicative on the machine to come. If we look at older PlayStation dev kits, the final product rarely resembles the dev kit.

Dev kits are specially designed to be robust, and to support a console working under extreme load so as to allow the developers to push their creations to the maximum without frying the hardware they're working on. They're also designed to help developers find any flaws in the final PS5 consumer hardware design. 

With Sony still several months away from the launch of the PlayStation 5, there's plenty of time for its team to create something a little less alien-looking.

PS5

While we may not know exactly what the PS5 will look like, Sony did reveal the PS5's official logo at CES 2020. It's essentially just the PlayStation 4 logo with a '5' replacing the '4'.

But Sony PlayStation president, Jim Ryan, did tease during Sony's CES keynote that “there’s plenty to share about the PS5 in the months ahead. And we look forward to sharing more details, including the content that will showcase the platform and the future of gaming”.

PS5

The PS5 will come with a new controller, according to Sony. The PS5 controller (we don't know the official name yet) will include haptic feedback to replace the DualShock 4's rumble technology, designed to improve the controller's feedback and therefore player immersion. 

The PS5 controller will also feature adaptive triggers, which Sony says have "been incorporated into the trigger buttons (L2/R2)". These adaptive triggers will allow developers to program the resistance of the triggers to simulate actions more accurately.

In an interview with Business Insider Japan (translated by Gematsu), SIE CEO Jim Ryan said: “3D audio and the haptic feedback support of the controller are also things that, when you try them, you will be surprised at how big a change they are. Even just playing the racing game Gran Turismo Sport with a PlayStation 5 controller is a completely different experience. While it runs well with the previous controller, there is no going back after you experience the detailed road surface via haptic control and play using the adaptive triggers."

PS5

The entire PS4 library, including PSVR games, will be supported by the PS5; that much is known. But we're now hearing more about confirmed – and rumored – PS5 games.

At this point, any first-party PS4 game in the pipeline – from Ghost of Tsushima to The Last of Us 2, would be prime candidates for PS5 cross-gen upgrades. We've also heard enough chatter around a Horizon Zero Dawn sequel and new God of War game to assume we'll be seeing both land on the PS5 console.

But what about third-party titles? We've had confirmation that Gearbox's new IP Godfall is coming exclusively to PS5, as is a new title from Bluepoint Studios. We will also see a remake of THQ Nordic's cult classic Gothic, Gollum and Outriders land on PS5. In addition, Ubisoft has confirmed that Watch Dogs: Legion, Rainbow Six Quarantine, and Gods and Monsters are all coming to Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 - with a new Assassin's Creed and Far Cry also rumored to be coming to the platforms. We also know Rainbow Six Siege will be available on PS5 and Xbox Series X from launch. 

It's likely that we'll see the likes of Starfield and The Elder Scrolls 6 coming to Xbox Series X too.

In addition, not only has EA has said that Battlefield 6 will be coming to Xbox Series X, but the company has sung the praises of the incoming next-generation machines during an investor call.

"The power of the new consoles is gonna be substantially greater than existing consoles," said EA CFO Blake Jorgensen.

"We can do a lot more [with PS5 and Xbox Series X]. Things we’re doing will blow people’s minds."

While this is a good start, we're expecting plenty more third-party games to be announced in the coming months. 

According to a survey by GDC, when it comes to developer interest it seems the PS5 is already beating Xbox Series X – and the Nintendo Switch.

That's according to GDC's State of the Game Industry 2020 survey, which surveyed 4,000 game developers on a variety of industry topics ahead of GDC 2020 in March. And, of course, the next-gen consoles were top of the agenda.

When asked which platform they planned to launch their next project on, 23% of those surveyed said the PlayStation 5, while 17% said the Xbox Series X and 19% said the Nintendo Switch .

When it comes to the platform devs are most intrigued by, the PS5 once again leads the pack when it comes to consoles, with 38%, but the Switch only just behind on 37%. Again, the Xbox Series X is seriously lagging behind, piquing the interest of just 25% of devs. 

The survey also revealed that 10% of developers are currently working on a game for the next-gen consoles.

However, while we know of a few third-party games in the pipeline for the PS5, there's still no confirmation on what the PS5's launch titles will be, but we're expecting first-party games to take the lead.

In addition, Sony has confirmed that the PS5 will prioritize AAA games over indie games in an effort to focus on "serious gamers".

PS5

With Microsoft having officially revealed the Xbox Series X, we're waiting with bated breath for Sony to unveil the PlayStation 5. While the company isn't giving much away about when that'll be, there are several rumors which suggest a PS5 reveal event will take place in February.

Rumors of a February reveal were ignited last year, when a 'leaked marketing email' from Sony found its way to 4Chan. The email claimed that a "PlayStation Meeting 2020" was scheduled for February 12, and would see the PlayStation 5 revealed in all its glory.

But that date has now passed and no PS5 reveal took place. There have been other leaks which also suggested specific dates in February for a PS5 reveal, but these dates have also passed.

A February reveal is looking less and less likely. We're now in February and have heard nothing of an event from Sony. But perhaps that's because the reveal event is actually in March?

One PS5 leak claims that Sony's next-gen console will be revealed at a PlayStation Meeting in March, with pre-orders opening as early as March. 

That's according to Twitter user @PSErebus, who previously correctly leaked the Last of Us Part 2's initial release date; however, as always, we're treating the claim with a suitable dose of skepticism.

PS5

However there's still a slim possibility we will see the PS5 revealed in February as Sony has suggested the PlayStation 5 will follow the release schedule of the PS4 - which was revealed at a PlayStation Meeting on February 20, 2013 before being released in November of the same year.

In an earnings call (via GamesRadar),  Sony's senior executive vice president, Hiroki Totoki, suggested the PS5 reveal schedule will be similar to that of its predecessors.

"It's very difficult to really discuss this timing-wise,"Totoki said. "But as of today, we will provide the guidance at a time period which is comparable to the past. So we will not change the time schedule."

PlayStation fans on Reddit believe that Sony's next-gen console will be revealed on February 29, at New York City's Sony Hall. As there's a private event booked for that date and because they believe Sony will host the reveal event in a Sony-branded venue. But we're not quite convinced by this theory.

Regardless of exactly when the reveal is, it looks like a PS5 launch event is imminent, especially given that Sony has now launched the official PS5 website which allows fans to sign up for updates on the next-gen console. 

PS5

A rumor has cropped up suggesting that Sony will double down by launching the PlayStation 5 Pro at the same time as its base-model PS5.

As spotted by Wccftech, noted Japanese games journalist Zenji Nishikawa made the claim in a video on his YouTube channel, and while that kind of thing wouldn't normally be considered a rock-solid lead, Nishikawa has been proven correct in the past with his predictions about the PS4 Pro and Switch Lite.

According to Nishikawa, the PS5 Pro will cost around $100-$150 more than the basic PS5 console. The report states that Sony is taking this approach because it has "acknowledged the interest in a high-end model and wants to give players what they want right from the beginning of the generation".

While a PlayStation 5 Pro is likely onthe cards, we don't think it'll release at the same time as the regular PS5. In our opinion, it's more likely that Sony will wait around three years (2023) before giving the console an upgrade - usually this happens mid-cycle and the PS5 lifecycle is estimated to be around six to seven years. 

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The cheapest Dyson sales, offers and deals for vacuum cleaners in February 2020

Posted: 25 Feb 2020 08:31 AM PST

Dyson vacuum cleaners have become some of the most highly sought after items in the home thanks to their excellent build quality, suction power, and eye-catching design. So where are the cheapest Dyson sales happening right now?

We've got you covered as we've just updated our guide to the best Dyson vacuum cleaner deals with our price comparison technology searching through the best retailers for the best prices. With some of the older Dysons being put out to pasture now, we've highlighted the most recent models, along with some of the older ones we still think are worth a look when the price is right.

Dyson's cordless vacuum cleaners with a pole attachment are the most popular options nowadays, so that's what we've covered first. And while all of the V-series models we've mention can also be used in handheld mode by removing the pole, there is a bespoke handheld Dyson called the V7 Trigger we've highlighted too. After that, you'll find our picks of the best remaining traditional upright Dysons if you prefer the raw power and always-ready options provided by being able to plug-in directly to the mains at home. 

Dyson isn't stopping with just vacuum cleaners either, the company has also made one of the world's top-rated hairdryers too. Take a look at the latest Dyson hair dryer prices if you don't believe us.

cheap dyson deals prices offers Dyson V11 Absolute

If you're after the very best cordless vacuum cleaner on the market, the Dyson V11 Absolute can't be beaten. The UK company has somehow made the V series' Air Watts (AW) suction even higher than the V10s in the latest model. There's even a fancy LCD display, because apparently Dyson is getting too fancy for mere coloured lights.

This improved tech makes it the most expensive Dyson on the market though and it's a bit heavier than the older model with a longer charge time. But if you're after that top-level performance on carpets and hard surfaces, this is the Dyson deal for you. 

If you're willing to compromise and grab a slightly less powerful model, you could save a lot of money by checking out the cheaper V11 Animal or V10 Dyson deals. 

cheap Dyson V11 Animal deals prices sales

The Dyson V11 Animal has probably caught your eye today as it's a fair whack cheaper than the V11 Absolute. Let's find out why.

The V11 Animal is just as powerful, but doesn't come with a soft roller cleaner head, which is excellent on hard surfaces as it's able to pick up fine dust that the regular roller version might miss. Otherwise, attachments are the same as those found on the V11 Absolute. So, if you're not too bothered about the diminished (but still pretty great) performance on hard surfaces - perhaps you're going to be cleaning carpets more anyway - you may as well save the cash by checking out the latest V11 Animal deals.

dyson deals

This was the top end cordless Dyson until the V11 came along, but given the massive difference in price, this might be the most sensible option for most buyers. Compared to the V8 (there was no V9, number fans) it has improved suction, better battery and a larger dirt bin. The V10 also marks the first time we had a genuine alternative to a corded vacuum cleaner. In the box, you'll find a direct drive cleaner head, soft roller cleaner head, docking station, and a charger. The Absolute also comes with a selection of quick-release items like the combination tool, mini motorhead tool, mini soft dusting brush, and the crevice tool.

With the arrival of the V11, you'll find plenty of Dyson deals on these V10 models, making them ever more affordable. 

Dyson V10 total clean cyclone prices deals offers

Only available in the UK. For the extra cost at launch (£50 more) it could be said you didn't really get enough to justify the extra cost of the V10 Total Clean over the Absolute. Since then though, Dyson deals have meant that prices have naturally dropped and you might be able to get the Total Clean for a price closer to the Absolute's if the extras appeal to you. 

Extra attachments aside, the V10 Total Clean is the same excellent cordless vacuum cleaner as the Absolute. You'll still find a direct drive cleaner head, soft roller cleaner head, docking station and a charger in the box, however, the quick-release attachments are different. Here you're getting a mattress tool, an up-top adaptor (for those hard to reach cupboard tops, for example), an extension hose, combination tool, mini motorhead tool, mini soft dusting brush and the crevice tool.

cheap dyson sales deals offers

It's all in the name here, the Dyson V10 Animal is specifically designed to suck up all those annoying pet hairs from your carpets and furniture. Where other vacuums often seem to just push the hair in deeper, the V10 Animal really dives in to get them out. Tools included with the V10 Animal include a combination tool, crevice tool, mini motorised tool and a soft dusting brush.

What you don't get in the V10 Animal package (hence the cheaper price) is the soft roller brush which is especially good on hard surfaces as it provides more complete coverage and gathers finer dust and dirt particles that the regular roller might not pick up. So if you have more hard floors than carpets at home, you may want to take a look at the Absolute models instead.

cheap Dyson Absolute hoover offers

Just a few short years ago, the V8 was the ultimate version of Dyson's cordless rechargeable vacuum cleaners. The Absolute model comes with a soft roller head (great for hard floors) in addition to the regular one, and still provides a fairly powerful clean. The main draw here is the price, with Dyson vacuum cleaner deals discounting the older V8 model more and more nowadays. If prices remain similar to the V10, however, it's more worth your while paying a little more for the later version. 


cheap Dyson animal deals

You'll save about £100 / $100 in general on the latest V8 Absolution Dyson vacuum cleaner deals over the V10. So, for a third less than the next model up, what are you getting for your cash? 

The V8 cordless vacuum cleaner is a lightweight vacuum cleaner that's still very capable despite its lower power. The main difference between this and the Absolute above is the lack of a soft brush roller head, which is great for picking up finer dirt on hard surfaces. If you're using this more for carpets though, then you might as well save the money with the cheaper V8 Animal version.

Dyson V7 Trigger deals sales prices

The Dyson V7 Trigger wipes the floor with handheld vacuum cleaners as you know them. You know the ones we're on about - those weedy little things that look more like an anteater's nose than a vacuum cleaner and barely make hairballs wobble never mind removed. So if you're ready for a whopping 100 Air Watts of suction, check out the V7 Trigger.

These are best suited for getting to those hard to reach places like doorframes as well as cleaning up dust from hard surfaces or removing pet hair from the sofa. If your home doesn't have any carpets, this is a very viable option instead and can be easily stored in smaller places a regular vacuum cleaner wouldn't fit. Naturally, all of the cordless vacuums mentioned earlier on this page allow you to remove the tube for a handheld mode too, although they're significantly more expensive than these Dyson V7 Trigger prices.

cheap dyson vacuum cleaners

As you've seen with the other Dyson vacuum cleaner deals on this page, they're far from cheap. For the most part at least, as the Dyson Light Ball is less than half the price of the newest cordless vacuum cleaners.

Sure you've got a power cord on it and upright vacuums aren't ideal on the stairs, but if you want a powerful cleaner with the Dyson name on it, the highly manoeuvrable Light Ball comes highly recommended thanks to it's 90W of suction power that can handle carpets and hard surfaces alike.

It has a larger storage bin than the cordless Dysons too so you certainly won't need to empty it anywhere near as often. While not as powerful as some of the more expensive upright Dysons we feel this one offers the best value for money given the sharp price increase on the others.

cheap Dyson offers

Looking for something lightweight but not bothered about going cordless yet? The Dyson Small Ball is one of the lightest upright vacuum cleaners in Dyson's range at 5.5Kg and has a collapsible handle allowing you to store it in smaller spaces than most uprights. The Small Ball is also available in an 'Animal' variant that comes with a turbine tool for getting stubborn pet hair off the furniture.

cheap Dyson hoover offers

So you're after the beast huh? The 120AW suction power rating should pick up anything you and the kids can throw on the carpet. Hell, those carpet tacks better look out! With a 2.18 litre storage bin you'll be hoovering for ages before needing to empty it out and the 15m reach should let you get around most of the house without having to swap plugs.

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