Saturday, February 8, 2020

Apple : Save 67% on one of the world's best VPN services plus a cloud storage freebie

Apple : Save 67% on one of the world's best VPN services plus a cloud storage freebie

Save 67% on one of the world's best VPN services plus a cloud storage freebie

Posted: 08 Feb 2020 11:59 AM PST

How do you tend to celebrate your birthday? Cakes? Presents? Parties? Not IPVanish - the highly-regarded VPN service is throwing around massive discounts and handy freebies to mark its 8th year in web security.

For just $47.88 or the equivalent of $3.99 a month you can get a one-year subscription of IPVanish. That's 12 months of ultimate protection online and restriction-free exploration of the internet.

IPVanish is a world leader in the VPN game and one we rank highly (taking the #3 spot in our best VPN service guide). You're getting a fast performance, connection of up to 10 devices, unlimited usage, access to over 1,300 servers and most importantly, the ability to unblock Netflix in overseas countries and other restricted sites.

And, as an added bonus, IPVanish will also give you a year's access to SugarSync cloud storage. That's a full 250GB space for all your photos, tunes and videos. When we reviewed the service, the biggest problem we could find was that it was too expensive...so not a problem with this offer!

If all of this sounds like your ideal package then scroll down to see all of the details in full or check out our best VPN deals guide for all of the very best offers on cyber privacy.

VPN deal: 67% birthday discount from IPVanish

What can you do with a VPN

There are traditionally two main reasons you might want to get a VPN - protecting yourself online and avoiding internet restrictions. In terms of online safety, a VPN uses encryption technologies to mask your IP address so you can't be tracked. Simply, it makes it a lot harder for you to be traced on the internet.

Their other use is a bit wider in its functionality and realistically more popular. VPNs can allow you to work around restrictions online which means watching your favourite channels in other countries, getting cheaper deals on flights and trains and watch any country's Netflix no matter where you are. 

See also:

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Live stream XFL: how to watch the new football league online from anywhere

Posted: 08 Feb 2020 11:47 AM PST

Football fans won’t have to wait until September to watch their favorite sport - the XFL is back! After a 19 year hiatus, Vince McMahon has relaunched his alternative football league and we’re here to make sure you catch every one of the 43 games in the 2020 season - regardless of where in the world you are - with our XFL live stream guide.

The XFL is a winter and spring football league that originally debuted in 2001 but only lasted one season. While its first iteration was known for gimmicks (both on and off the field as it was created by the WWE’s chairman) the relaunched XFL will be "football and football only".

The 2020 XFL season will feature eight teams that are divided into two divisions. The New York Guardians, DC Defenders, Tampa Bay Vipers and St. Louis Battlehawks will play in the East Division while the Seattle Dragons, Los Angeles Wildcats, Dallas Renegades and Houston Roughnecks will play in the West Division. Each team will play a total of 10 games this season with five games at home and five on the road.

As for the schedule, the XFL season will be much shorter than the NFL’s 17 week regular season and there will be 10 weeks of regular play from February to April with four games played per week. After week 10, the top two teams from the East Division and West Division will face off in the playoffs to earn a spot in the 2020 XFL Championship Game on April 26.

Will the relaunched XFL be able to carve out a place for itself and succeed where McMahon’s last attempt at creating an alternative football league failed? Read on to discover how to get a XFL live stream from anywhere in the world.

How to live stream XFL football from outside your country

If you’re trying to watch XFL football from the UK, US, Canada or Australia, keep reading as we have listed all of the ways you can watch every game in the 2020 season on TV or online down below. However, if you live in a country where XFL isn’t broadcast or happen to be traveling abroad when a game you’re trying to watch is being shown, then you’ll likely be unable to view it as a result of geo-blocking.

While you could search the internet trying to find a less than reputable stream from Reddit, we have a better solution. By using a VPN, you can easily change the IP address of your laptop, tablet or smartphone to appear as if you were in a different place where an XFL stream is being shown. 

2020 XFL Schedule

Week 1

- Seattle Dragons at DC Defenders: 2pm ET Saturday, February 8 on ABC

- La Wildcats at Houston Roughnecks: 5pm ET Saturday, February 8 on Fox

- Tampa Bay Vipers at NY Guardians: 2pm ET Sunday, February 9 on Fox

- St. Louis Battlehawks at Dallas Renegades: 5pm ET Sunday, February 9 on ESPN

Week 2

- NY Guardians at DC Defenders: 2pm ET Saturday, February 15 on ABC

- Tampa Bay Vipers at Seattle Dragons: 5pm ET Saturday, February 15 on Fox

- Dallas Renegades at LA Wildcats: 3pm ET Sunday, February 16 on ABC

- St. Louis Battlehawks at Houston Roughnecks: 6pm ET Sunday, February 16 on FS1

Check out the full 2020 XFL schedule here

How to watch every XFL game in the US

  • Hulu with Live TV $54.99 per month - Hulu gives you access to ESPN, FS1, ABC and Fox among other channels and you’ll also be able to watch the service’s own Hulu Originals.
  • Sling TV starting at $20 per month - With Sling’s combined Orange & Blue plan you’ll get access to ESPN, FS1, Fox as well as many other channels. The service costs just $20 for your first month but after that the price increases to $45 per month.
  • FuboTV starting at $54.99 per month - FuboTV’s base plan gives you access to 103 channels including Fox, FS1 and FS2. The service doesn’t include every channel you’ll need to watch XFL this season but there is a great deal of variety plus you’ll get 30 hours of Cloud DVR and the ability to watch on two screens at once.
  • YouTube TV $49.99 per month - YouTube TV gives you access to more than 70 channels including Fox, ABC, ESPN, ESPN 2, FS1 and FS2 which means you’ll easily be able to watch every XFL game this season. YouTube TV also provides you with unlimited cloud DVR storage in case you want to record a game for later.
  • AT&T TV Now $65 per month - AT&T Now gives you access to over 45 channels including Fox, FS1, ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC. While more expensive than the other options on this list, AT&T TV Now also comes with HBO for the same price.

How to stream XFL live in the UK

How to live stream XFL football in Canada

How to live stream XFL football in Australia

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How to watch a UFC 247 live stream and all you need to know about Jones vs Reyes

Posted: 08 Feb 2020 11:45 AM PST

After McGregor’s monstrous 40 second win at the last UFC bout, you would be hoping for a worthy pairing this time round? Well you’re in luck, live stream UFC 247 tonight and you'll see the #1 pound-for- pound fighter Jon Jones step into the ring with undefeated Dominick Reyes.

A relatively new member of the UFC, Reyes made his debut in 2017. Now he’s rocking a 12-0 track record, with seven of those wins being knockout. So will he pass through UFC 247 with flying colours, racking up another win? It’s unlikely.

If Reyes’ competition was any other fighter in the light heavyweight division, we would be less sure but Jon Jones is no normal fighter. Like we said above, he’s the premium pound-forpound fighter in the UFC. That kind of position only comes from an impressive track record: 25-1 to be exact. And that defeat wasn’t him losing on points or getting knocked out...that came from disqualification.

What we’re trying to say is that a UFC 247 live stream is one you won’t want to miss. One of the G.O.A.Ts of the industry sat alongside the likes of Georges St-Pieree and Anderson Silva, Jon Jones will be Dominick Reye’s biggest challenge yet.

Alongside the title fight, expect great performances from Valentina Shevchenko against Katlyn Chookagian in the women’s flyweight division and of course the featherweight match up between Mirsad Bektić and Dan Ige. No matter who you’re there to see, scroll down to find out everything you need to know about UFC 247. 

Live stream UFC 247 from outside your country

Worry not if you're a huge UFC fan but aren't in the country to watch UFC 247 when it happens. If you find the coverage is geo-blocked, you can try using a VPN to change your IP address to a country where the fights are airing and watch this main card just as if you were back at home.

How to watch UFC 247 online in the US exclusively on ESPN

Catch a UFC 247 live stream in the UK:

Watch a UFC 247 stream over in Australia 

Stream UFC 247: Jon Jones vs Dominick Reyes

The UFC 247 card in full:

Main Card:
Jon Jones V Dominick Reyes (Light Heavyweight)

Velntina Shevchenko V Katlyn Chookagian ( Women's Flyweight)

Juan Adams V Justin Tafa (Heavyweight)

Mirsad Bektic V Dan Ige (Featherweight)

Derrick Lewis V Ilir Latifi (Heavyweight)

Prelims:
Trevin Giles V Antonio Arroyo (middleweight)

Alex Morono V Kalinn Williams (Welterweight)

Lauren Murphy V Andrea Lee (Women’s Flyweight)

Early Prelims:
Miles Johns V Mario Mautista (Bantamweight)

Dominigo Pilarte V Journey Newson (bantamweight)

Andre Ewell V Jonathan Martinez (Bantamweight)

What's so exciting about UFC 247?

Two title fights - one in the light heavyweight division, one the women's flyweight - both featuring four fascinating fighters. Just the two headline fights alone makes the UFC 247 a worthy watch, add in all of the top-notch line ups below and its one not to miss. 

Those who love a heavyweight dual for the ages will be here for Jones and Reyes, anyone keen to watch dominance in the flyweight division can't miss Valentina and Chookagian and then both of those fights will be followed by a wealth of talent.

Who are Jon Jones and Dominick Reyes?

If you have even the faintest interest in UFC you will have heard of Jon Jones. The pound-for-pound #1 fighter is a living legend and every fighter to go up against him is looking to dethrone him.

Known for his lethal elbows, devastating blows to the chest and overwhelming stature, he's a brick wall you'll struggle to break through. However, if someone is going to step up and beat him, it will be Reyes.

One of the best up and coming MMA fighters, Reyes is currently undefeated and quickly racking up wins. He's become known for his lightning fast kicks and massive knockouts, if he manages to catch Jones off his guard, it could be the fight of the decade, if not a life time.

Who is the favorite to win the Jones vs Reyes fight?

 Jon Jones is looking like the favorite to win by every bookie out there and a pretty large majority of fans. Realistically, Reyes would have to pull out a bit of a miracle if Jones’ history is anything to go by.

What are the other highlights from UFC 247?

While the title fight is obviously going to be the most exciting part for most fans of the sport, there are a few other matches to get amped about. 

Valentina Shevchenko has been dominating the women's flyweight division and many fans expect the same fate in her duel with Chookagian as Jon Jones with Reyes - a dominating win.

Valentina is a punishing fighter likely to dominate the entire match and if we're honest, unlikely to be beaten. Only Chookagian, her number 1 contender, stands a chance.

When did Jones and Reyes last step into the ring?

Jon Jones last entered the Octagon back in July, 2019. He beat out Thiago Santos in a round 5 decision. As for Reyes, he won two fights back in 2019, one in October and one in March. Most noticeably, Reyes took on popular fighter Chris Weidman winning by a first round knockout. 

What does a UFC fan receive with their ESPN+ subscription?

Quite a lot as it happens - a subscription to ESPN+ opens up access to over 20 exclusive live UFC Fight Nights, alongside original content including Dana White’s Contender Series, UFC Destined, and Ariel & The Bad Guy, plus classic fights, replays, and there’s also the perk of fewer adverts. 

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The cheapest laptop could now challenge the PS5 and Xbox Series X thanks to GeForce Now

Posted: 08 Feb 2020 08:00 AM PST

GeForce Now could be a genuinely disruptive technology in the gaming war. By using Nvidia’s remote streaming technology, you can use the internet to remotely access a powerful gaming PC and run the very latest games – and rather than the power of your hardware determining your gaming experience, it’s the quality of your internet connection.

Basically, it means you could buy the cheapest Windows 10 laptop that can run the GeForce Now app, and you should be able to play games that normally would require hugely expensive hardware to run.

Take a look at the minimum specification you need to run GeForce Now:

  • Windows 7 64-bit or above
  • Dual core x86-64 CPU with 2.0GHz or faster
  • 4GB of system memory
  • GPU that at least supports DirectX 11

The only thing that’s a bit demanding is the fact you need a 64-bit operating system, and a DirectX 11 GPU. However, on the GPU front, integrated Intel HD Graphics 2000 graphics are supported, which means laptops from the past few years will meet these specs.

Compare that to the minimum specifications for Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, which can be played via GeForce Now:

  • Intel Core i7-3770/AMD FX-8350 or better CPU
  • 8GB RAM
  • Nvidia GTX 770 4GB/AMD Radeon R9 290 4GB or better GPU

That’s a huge difference in requirements – and if you go for the recommended specs, the gap is even wider.

Another thing to note is that if you want to play Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus locally, you also need 55GB of storage. On old and cheap laptops, that’s a huge amount. With GeForce Now, the game is installed remotely, so you only need to download and install the GeForce Now client – which is 70MB.

Why buy an expensive gaming laptop?

The hardware of the remote PCs you connect to via GeForce Now are powerful enough to play games at high graphical settings – and if you go for the Founder’s subscription ($4.99 a month), you get ray tracing support as well – something only the latest (and most expensive) GPUs can usually handle.

In theory, then, for $4.99 a month and a cheap laptop, you could have a gaming device that would seriously challenge the PS5 and Xbox Series X.

That’s a seriously exciting proposition.

So, does it work? I’ve been playing the aforementioned Wolfenstein II on a laptop from a few years ago, with an aging 7th gen Intel processor and only integrated graphics. While it’s still an OK laptop for word processing and web browsing, it certainly not usually capable of playing games – especially graphically-demanding title like Wolfenstein II.

Games like this are now playable on older laptops

This is using a Wi-Fi connection as well, certainly not optimal conditions for streaming a game. And while it didn’t feel as immediate and responsive as playing the game locally, I was mightily impressed.

The fact that you can also run GeForce Now on Mac means that owners of Apple’s PCs can finally play previously Windows-only games. Thanks to GeForce Now, you may no longer have to miss out on some of the best PC games ever just because you’re using a MacBook.

I actually played PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds on a MacBook in the beta version of GeForce Now, and again I was impressed – especially as this was a game you shouldn’t be able to play on a MacBook.

So, does GeForce Now mean I’ll never buy another GPU, gaming laptop or games console again? Well, I don’t think I’ll ever stop gaming on a desktop PC. I love having a powerful machine that can play games at 4K resolutions without worrying about my internet speeds or paying a subscription.

GeForce Now could solve my issues with gaming laptops

But I’ve never been truly sold on a gaming laptop. They are either too big and bulky, or simply too expensive, with hardware that will go out of date, and won’t be easily upgradable (unlike with desktop PCs). Plus, the less said about their paltry battery lives, the better.

GeForce Now has the potential to address many of these complaints. Because Nvidia is looking after the remote hardware, I’m sure it will keep the PCs powering games on the service updated.

And, because you’re streaming the game, rather than playing it locally, it means your laptop isn’t working so hard – and therefore battery life is much longer.

But what about the PS5 and Xbox Series X? I’ll probably still get a PS5 in the future – after all, no matter how good GeForce Now is, Sony’s exclusives won’t be on the service. And there’s no way I’m missing out on Last of Us 2 and the next Uncharted.

As for the Xbox Series X – if all the games Microsoft is making for its next gen console are also going to arrive on PC – and likely GeForce Now (especially if they are also on Steam), then why would I want to buy a new Xbox console when I could just stream to my existing Nvidia Shield console – which also supports GeForce Now?

Not long ago, Microsoft’s Phil Spencer said that Google and Amazon were Xbox’s chief competitors now, not Sony and Nintendo. I think Microsoft should now be more worried about Nvidia.

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The Xiaomi Mi 10 is launching on February 13 via an online-only event

Posted: 08 Feb 2020 07:30 AM PST

You've seen the leaks, you've read the specs, and now we know exactly when the Xiaomi Mi 10 phone is going to be unveiled to the world – Thursday February 13, as per a post on social media by Xiaomi itself.

Considering how much we liked the Xiaomi Mi 9 and its variants, we're very much looking forward to seeing what Xiaomi has done with the Mi 10: it looks as though this might be one of the most powerful phones of early 2020.

Not that it won't have some strong competition though – Samsung is holding its own event on February 11, during which we're expecting to see the Galaxy S20 and the Galaxy Z Flip phones announced.

Xiaomi usually likes to hold traditional press events with an audience when it's launching its new hardware, but the coronavirus outbreak looks to have put that out of the question. The February 13 show will be livestreamed instead.

Specs appeal

We've heard about the specs of the Xiaomi Mi 10 and a possible Pro model ahead of time: both phones are set to boast 6.5-inch OLED displays running at a 90Hz refresh rate, so they certainly count as high-end as far as the screens go.

Inside we're expecting the Snapdragon 865 chipset to make one of its first appearances this year, while configuration options are likely to include up to 12GB of RAM and up to 256GB of internal storage space. A 5G option is also a distinct possibility.

As far as cameras go, it looks as though the same 108MP camera that featured in the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 is going to make another appearance, as part of a four-camera array on the back of these handsets.

This is all rumor and speculation of course, albeit well informed rumor and speculation, so don't take it as fact just yet. When Xiaomi announces the phones in full on Thursday, we'll bring you all the details as we get them.

Via XDA Developers

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The impact LiFi will have on technology

Posted: 08 Feb 2020 06:50 AM PST

Our increasingly connected world is in the midst of a huge problem: a rapidly growing number of users, devices and services competing for a limited radio frequency (RF) spectrum. The issue is that this spectrum, which includes 3G, 4G, 5G, WiFi and Bluetooth, is a finite resource, with analysts anticipating that it will cover only 5% of capacity demand in the coming years.

Cue ‘LiFi’, a technology that uses part of the visible light portion of the electromagnetic spectrum to transmit information at very high speeds. LiFi is already having an impact on the connectivity and lighting landscapes, principally because it can provide the right ecosystem that can tackle the connectivity challenges of the new digital age and enable the billions of smart devices that are shaping how we communicate, work and ultimately, live our lives.

What is LiFi and how does it work?

LiFi communication is similar to WiFi, but provides faster, more secure and higher capacity connections using LED luminaires and lightbulbs as access points, instead of radio base stations and wireless routers. LiFi, therefore, merges lighting and telecommunications, opening up the potential for fast, secure and reliable wireless connectivity over lighting infrastructure. This means that every light socket could become a LiFi access point. Considering there are approximately 40 billion light sockets in the world, the opportunities for satisfying the ever-increasing demand for fast and dependable connectivity are huge.

LiFi works best in a connectivity ecosystem

A common misconception with LiFi is that it aims to replace RF wireless technologies like WiFi. This couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, LiFi is complementary to WiFi. It is designed to bring significant connectivity advantages and work together with other wireless technologies to complement them both on the access side and in smart devices. In this way, a connectivity ecosystem encompassing LiFi, 5G and WiFi can provide the greatest bandwidth and support a greater quality of service for customers.

To put this in practical terms, future smartphones and laptops will have these multiple connectivity methods built-in, giving users the ability to seamlessly switch among LiFi, WiFi and 5G to take advantage of the best signal available at the time. The devices could even combine signals from, for example, LiFi and WiFi for the greatest possible speed and bandwidth.

Adding advanced levels of security

Within this connectivity ecosystem, LiFi will be able to compensate for the security limitations that RF technologies frequently suffer from. These include the vulnerability to electronic eavesdropping as well as both emission of and susceptibility to interference. As LiFi cannot pass through walls, LiFi signals are not accessible to a nearby resident, business or passing member of the public, which offers much superior privacy in the home and enterprise office settings. This is especially important for sectors such as finance, legal, pharmaceutical, intelligence and defense industries that have very robust wireless security policies where maintaining Wi-Fi networks can become very challenging.

Users are in control of their wireless security and can manage it by simply drawing the curtain and locking the door. In addition, LiFi users can also host a private wireless network in their home that is not connected to the internet. This wireless network could hold their most private digital items such as passwords, family photographs, financial information and would be virtually un-hackable. Imagine a desk lamp or a living room pendant lamp discretely holding your most important digital information which is only accessible by light, and only you know it’s there – a ‘digital safe’ in your home for the digital age.

Organisations, on the other hand, can leverage more advanced LiFi security features such as asset tracking, behavioral analytics and end user device hardware encryption. In addition, as each LiFi enabled light has a unique IP address, businesses will be able to simply deploy advanced geo-fencing in a LiFi network. This level of security is possible because each light in a LiFi network has its own unique identifier, which allows network managers to track users very precisely and analyse their behavior.

Where can LiFi be used?

LiFi-powered high speed, secure and low latency connectivity does not only boost productivity levels, but also supports high-bandwidth innovative and disruptive applications such as autonomous systems, artificial intelligence, edge computing and virtual, augmented and mixed reality.

The number of consumer and enterprise use cases can be endless. The smart home network environment as well as activities like media and gaming streaming benefit from high quality connectivity performance, allowing all users to enjoy full bandwidth. Users and manufacturers of technology for rugged devices and security-demanding industries mentioned earlier, such as military and defense, benefit from high-speed connectivity that is more secure, reliable, and able to deliver bandwidth beyond the capabilities of conventional wireless communications.

Fulfilling the connectivity promise

The digital age requires ‘universal’ connectivity that does not compromise on speed or security. By embedding a LiFi component into devices, LiFi technology can overcome the greatest hurdle to the take-off of IoT, the risk of an RF spectrum crisis. LiFi stands at the center of an evolving connectivity ecosystem that encompasses the RF spectrum. This disruptive ecosystem can ensure the connected world stays connected.

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Out with the gray, in with the pink: we need more brightly-colored laptops

Posted: 08 Feb 2020 05:50 AM PST

For the longest time, all the best laptops and Ultrabooks have all kind of looked the same. Sure, there are different form factors and shapes but they've all had one thing in common: they're all drab as hell. However, with the recent release of the MSI Prestige 14 Rose Pink Edition, an unapologetically pink laptop with serious horsepower, and the Razer Blade 15's Quartz color option, we might be on the precipice of change. 

I mean, I use a 13-inch MacBook Pro as my personal laptop, but it's not because I'm in love with the aesthetic or anything. In fact, in order to spice up that laptop, I've covered it in copious stickers so I never have to look at that boring design.

And, well, I just shouldn't have to do that. We're living in the golden age of ~**the aesthetic**~ and we should be able to express ourselves through the color of the laptop we choose to occupy our desks every day. 

MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)

Yawn

Sorry Jony Ive, but the MacBook Pro is boring

I kind of just need to rip off the band-aid right away on this one, but if you walk into a room and everyone is using a MacBook Pro - which is also just called going to a coffee shop in Manhattan - every single one looks pretty much the same.

You just enter into this sea of gray, as both the Space Grey and the Silver are pretty similar, at least at a glance in a crowded room. It's true that the MacBook Air comes in the Gold color option, and while it's very aesthetically pleasing, it's still just using a fanless 8th-generation Amber Lake processor. 

And I get it: some folks really are into that faceless corporate design that is exemplified by the MacBook Pro. But I don't think everyone - even professionals - is into that kind of aesthetic. We need something more. 

This is what I want my desk to look like every day

The march of the pink laptops

When I got a press release announcing the MSI Prestige 14 in all its pink glory with a pink dragon keychain, a laptop case and a pink mouse, I was immediately sold on it. Finally, a laptop with serious horsepower, targeted at creatives - and it doesn't look like it would stifle creativity with the sheer blandness of its design. 

And that's not even the first high-end laptop that's embraced the pink. One of the best things I saw at IFA 2019 was a pink Razer Blade Stealth. That svelte chassis looked phenomenal in its Quartz color option. Little did I know when I first laid eyes on it, however, that the machine I saw was exclusively the version with integrated graphics - and the version with the GTX 1650 won't come in that vibrant hue. 

That's a damn shame, and Razer still hasn't updated its thin and light "gaming laptop" that, unlike the original Razer Blade Stealth, can actually game with the Quartz color option. 

There seems to be this incredibly toxic trend in electronics in general where people are essentially forced to choose between performance and style. But why should we choose? I want both, and I know I'm not alone. 


Proof that pro laptops don't have to look boring AF

Case in point: the HP Elite Dragonfly

I don't even want to hear that unique colors are unprofessional, especially after the HP Elite Dragonfly hit the streets with its amazing Iridescent 'dragonfly blue' finish. HP could have easily launched a laptop with the pro features it offers and sold it to many traveling businesspeople without much issue. 

It's a laptop that offers excellent performance, is so lightweight I was constantly in fear that I left it in the office, and comes with a metric ton of security features which will make it the favorite of IT departments worldwide. But I don't think that's why it's one of the most celebrated laptops on the market right now - I think the design is what really takes it over the edge.

Look, right now I have something like 6 laptops on my desk - this is my life now - and there are only two laptops that I can glance over and identify immediately: the Alienware m15 and the HP Elite Dragonfly. 

You know what the common thread between these two laptops is? They both have elegant and stand-out designs that make them visually appealing and unique, without sacrificing on high-end performance. 

I'll admit that this is a huge part of why the HP Elite Dragonfly is currently TechRadar's pick for the best laptop on the market. Sure it's expensive, but not only do the security features make it less likely that your computing life will be ruined by haplessly surfing the web, but I think it's an excellent starting point that we hope other computing manufacturers will follow in the future. 

All I'm saying is that I hope devices like the MSI Prestige 14 Rose Pink and the Quartz Razer Blade are successful. I've seen too many laptops announced with exciting color options that never make it to market out of fear they won't sell. So I guess I've got a request for you, dear reader: if you want a pink laptop, get one. Buy one and rock that shit, and we'll start seeing more super aesthetic laptops in the future - a future I desperately want to live in. 

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Samsung Galaxy S20 release date, price, news, leaks and everything we know so far

Posted: 08 Feb 2020 05:38 AM PST

The Samsung Galaxy S20 family of smartphones is set to in the coming days, and we're expecting to hear about three new devices on February 11 when the company hosts its own Unpacked event.

What new Samsung phones should you expect? So far, we're anticipating the Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20 Plus, and Galaxy S20 Ultra to be unveiled on Tuesday.

We initially expected this to be the Samsung Galaxy S11 series, but consistent leaks and rumors have suggested the devices will now be called the Galaxy S20 series. 

Even Samsung's own website has now listed accessories that call the phone the Galaxy S20, so it's highly likely these won't sport the Galaxy S11 branding we originally expected.

It's also likely we'll be seeing the introduction of a new foldable phone too with leaks of the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip coming thick and fast over the last few weeks.

Looking for the full picture of what the Galaxy S20, S20 Plus and S20 Ultra are set to offer? We've got all the most important leaks and rumors below as well as the confirmed information from Samsung so far.

Latest leak: One rumor says the Galaxy S20 4G edition will come with a smaller RAM version at 8GB to allow for a slightly more affordable price in some markets. That said, we don't know how much that's expected to cost.

Cut to the chase

  • What is it? The next Galaxy S smartphone series from Samsung
  • When is it out? Announced February 11 (this coming Tuesday), likely out March 6
  • What will it cost? Likely more than $899 / £799 / AU$1,349

Samsung Galaxy S20 release date and price

The Samsung Galaxy S20 launch date is locked in for Tuesday, February 11 in San Francisco. That's almost a whole year after Samsung unveiled its 2019 trio of flagship Galaxy phones.

When will the S20 actually be available to buy? If you pre-register your interest on the Samsung website for its next flagship phone you'll be told the phone will be delivered on March 6. That seems likely to be the worldwide release date.

Originally we expected the Samsung Galaxy S11 price to be similar to the $899 / £799 / AU$1,349 launch price for the Galaxy S10. That was for its lowest storage size, and the price went all the way up to $1,149 / £999 / AU$1,699 for the highest.

That may still be the case, according to one big leak that suggests there will be both 4G and 5G versions of the Galaxy S20 and S20 Plus while the Galaxy S20 Ultra will just come in 5G.

We've seen multiple leaks over the last few weeks - the main ones are for European price, US price and a final one for UK prices - and we've combined the information (plus our best estimates for Australia) in an easy to read chart below.

Which phone?UK leaked priceEuros leaked priceUS leaked AT&T priceAustralia estimate
Samsung Galaxy S20 4G£799€900 - €1,000N/AAU$1,350-AU$1,650
Samsung Galaxy S20 5G£874N/A$899AU$1,700
Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus 4G£999€1,100N/AAU$1,775
Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus 5G£1,074N/A$1,099AU$2,100
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G£1,149€1,349$1,299AU$2,200

Don't take these prices as gospel as there's no certainty that these leaks are accurate, plus the conversions are only estimated pricing as well so could be a lot different when the phone is on shop shelves.

Plus one leak has also suggested some markets will get an 8GB of RAM version of the 4G phone to ensure there is a more affordable option. Exactly where you'll be able to buy that is currently unclear, and we don't know how much cheaper it'll be.

Accompanying the launch of the Galaxy S11 series there also might be new premium wireless earbuds to rival the Apple AirPods Pro called the Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus. Given that the original Galaxy Buds were introduced alongside the Galaxy S10, it makes sense that the new ones would come out with the next Samsung flagship.

Samsung Galaxy S20 design

We've now seen plenty of leaked renders of the Samsung Galaxy S20 series, and while there are variations between lots of them, they all clearly show the same general idea.

November 2019 was when we first started seeing images of the Samsung Galaxy S11 appearing, and below you'll find a selection of the best ones we have seen so far that we believe to be accurate.

Starting with the standard Samsung Galaxy S20, we've seen the below image courtesy of leaker Ishan Agarwal and 91Mobiles.

Nearly all renders point to the rear cameras being housed in a large bump in the top left of the back of the phone. The exact layout of them is unclear though, with some renders showing them in an organized row and others pointing to a more messy splattering.

Hands-on images of the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus meanwhile, as it's called in the leak, make us think that the lenses and flash will be arranged in two rows in the camera bump, as that's what the pictures show. The chin under the display looks worryingly thick though.

We've also seen renders of cases and images of a screen protector that back up these ideas, and renowned tipster Evan Blass has recently posted a picture showing the back of the Galaxy S20 Plus and the Galaxy S20 Ultra.

Samsung Galaxy 20 promo


As you can see from the image above, the camera arrays are arranged in rectangular blocks rather than a strip – and it looks as though if you pre-order the S20 Plus and S20 Ultra you'll also get a pair of Galaxy Buds Plus wireless earphones thrown in as well.

A later leak of another screen cover suggests the device will have thin bezels, though the leaker noted that the 'S11's "forehead" and "chin" are very optimistic', suggesting they could be thicker than the images show.

We've also heard that the Samsung Galaxy S11 could move the punch-hole camera to the top center of the screen, similar to the Galaxy Note 10 range, as we've since seen in leaked images. 

The source adds that the camera would be smaller than on the Note 10 range though. You can see how this might look in the images above and the one below.

Samsung Galaxy S20

In terms of materials, we'd expect the front and back to be Corning Gorilla Glass as most phones use. While premium devices typically have an aluminum frame, the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra could have a top-end stainless steel frame instead if one leak is to be believed. 

Currently only top-end iPhones and certain other handsets use this pricey and heavy material in their builds, so if true this shows the S20 Ultra is set to sport a truly 'premium' design.

A later leak points to the colors: the S20 will apparently come in Cosmic Grey, Cloud Blue, and Cloud Pink; the S20 Plus in Cosmic Black, Cosmic Grey, and Cloud Blue; and the S20 Ultra in Cosmic Grey and Cosmic Black. 

Interestingly, this leak also suggests the curved 3D edges typical of the S-line will be toned down to more subtle 2.5D angles, meaning the screen might only have minimal curves.

Multiple leaks have now also suggested there won't be a 3.5mm headphone jack on any of these devices.

Samsung Galaxy S20 display

A big upgrade for the Galaxy S20 series is likely to be a 120Hz refresh rate technology on the screens that should offer smoother interactions than the 60Hz found on the S10 range.

We've seen this technology leak multiple times, but perhaps the best evidence yet has been a hands-on of the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus from XDA Developers that has video evidence of the phone's higher refresh rate.

There's no guarantee this will be included on all devices, but it's looking very likely for the Galaxy S20 Plus at least. 

It also looks like the 120Hz setting will only be available when the phone is on Full HD+ resolution. That's the default setting on modern Samsung smartphones, but it's thought you'd be able to increase the resolution to WQHD+ while getting a 60Hz refresh rate.

Samsung Galaxy S20

The most enduring size rumor suggests that the Samsung Galaxy S20 will have a 6.2-inch screen, the S20 Plus will have a 6.7-inch one, and the S20 Ultra will have a 6.9-inch display. That’s a pretty sizeable increase on the previous generation.

One huge leak backed up the Galaxy S20 refresh rate and screen size rumors, adding the resolution of each would be 3200 x 1440. That would mean the smallest device would technically have the best pixel-per-inch count.

The S20 range could also use a new screen tech, as Samsung has trademarked the name SAMOLED, which sounds like a new take on the AMOLED screens used by its phones.

We don't currently know how SAMOLED would differ, but that may be the company's new name for the top-end 120Hz refresh rate.

It's also thought the whole Galaxy S20 range will come with ultrasonic in-screen fingerprint scanners. That same XDA Developers leak above has claimed Samsung is using such tech on the Galaxy S20 Plus.

Samsung Galaxy S20 camera

We’re expecting the Samsung Galaxy S20 range to have some impressive camera equipment, but the S20 and S20 Plus are sure to differ quite a bit from the S20 Ultra.

We have seen an incredibly detailed spec dump, where three sources simultaneously revealed information on the cameras, and it gives us a huge look at what to expect (if true). All the details are below in an easy to read chart:

CameraSamsung Galaxy S20Samsung Galaxy S20 PlusSamsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
Main12MP12MP 108MP
Telephoto64MP64MP 48MP
Wide-angle12MP12MP12MP
ExtrasToFToF
Front-facing camera10MP10MP40MP

We've added the selfie camera count to that list which came not from the aforementioned leak but a subsequent one. This latter leak echoed the camera specs with the addition of the selfie camera megapixel resolution.

Those are some pretty impressive specs if true, although it's curious that the telephoto sensors have a higher megapixel count on the lower end devices. 

We've heard a range of zooms cited for the telephoto lenses, but it seems to be 3x optical / 30x digital for the Galaxy S20 and S20 Plus, and a whopping 10x optical / 100x digital for the S20 Ultra, although that seems too good to be true. We have heard quite a few 100x digital zoom leaks though, so who knows?

In fact, the first leaked photo of the rear of the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra suggests the phone will come with the 100x digital zoom. You can see the phone's rear in all its glory below:

That latter spec from the leak above could be wrong though, as we've also heard that all the devices will have 5x optical zoom. This comes from news that a company has been supplying this type of zoom lens to Samsung for the devices, and it's a slightly more plausible spec than 10x zoom.

As for the 108MP sensor on the Galaxy S20 Ultra, that might not actually take 108MP photos, as Samsung has applied to trademark a tech called 'Nonacell', which is believed to combine nine pixels into one, and is rumored to be present in the 108MP camera.

That means it would actually take 12MP shots, but with huge pixels which should allow for great low light performance. It might also be able to take 108MP shots but we're not sure currently.

We've also now heard more details about the 64MP telephoto camera on the Galaxy S20 and S20 Plus. This apparently won't be able to combine pixels for 4-in-1 shots like some lenses, or 9-in-1 like the 108MP camera is rumored to, so you'll always be taking pure 64MP shots.

It will also apparently be this camera that's used for 8K video recording, and the camera will supposedly be capable of 'pixel cropping' to assist zoom. We assume that's in addition to an optical zoom, letting you get in even closer with a hybrid zoom, but the source was unclear on that point.

We’ve also heard loads of cool features trademarked by Samsung that could end up in the handset, from ‘Space Zoom’ astrophotography mode to a 'Bright Night Sensor', which sounds a lot like a low light mode but with dedicated hardware.

Samsung Galaxy S10

The camera on the Samsung Galaxy S10

The company is also said to be producing a new feature called 'Quick Take' that will allow you to press the button once and take the same photo from multiple shooters.

This information is from Max Weinbach, and it could let you take a zoomed picture as well as a standard one, or an ultra-wide at the same time as the basic picture.

Samsung is also rumored to be putting the best optical image stabilization (OIS) of any phone in the Galaxy S10 Lite - and if it does, it's likely to also include the tech in the S11. That would make sense, as low light and especially night sky photos could benefit from longer exposures, which usually need either a tripod or decent OIS to prevent blur.

Elsewhere, mention of several new camera features has been found in official Samsung software. There's a Director's View mode for tracking a subject, Single Take Photo, which could use AI to automatically take photos at the optimal moment, the return of Samsung's Pro Video mode, allowing you to adjust the ISO, exposure and the like when shooting video, and some new Live Focus bokeh effects.

Samsung Galaxy S20 battery life

Samsung Galaxy S10

Samsung Galaxy S10 with its reverse wireless charging

So far, it seems like the Samsung Galaxy S20 range will have impressive battery capacity. One big spec leak has provided a lot of detail that includes the cell sizes for the new phones.

It suggests the Samsung Galaxy S20 will have a 4,000mAh cell, the Galaxy S20 Plus will sport a 4,500mAh cell and the Galaxy S20 Ultra will have a 5,000mAh one.

Just because the battery is bigger in the Ultra doesn't necessarily mean it will last longer as that cell will have to power more specs in the device, including a larger screen.

These battery sizes are looking quite likely, and it's expected the same 45W fast-charging tech and 15W wireless charging from the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus will also be on all three devices.

An industry insider has suggested the reason the upcoming phones can use such big batteries is due to shrinking a part of the internals, a technique which the iPhone 12 could use too.

Previous rumors have also suggested Samsung is working on a battery health feature, which could tell you how worn out your S11's battery is.

Samsung Galaxy S20 specs and features

We’re pretty certain the Samsung Galaxy S11 will come with the Snapdragon 865 chipset unveiled in late 2019, which has been benchmarked with scores that beat any other phone. 

Well, it will probably have this processor in the US, but most other regions will likely get an upgraded Exynos processor, probably the 9830.

We've heard that the Samsung Galaxy S20 devices (as the leak suggests) will all come with a base 12GB of RAM, although that could go up to 16GB or possibly even beyond. Who would need this much RAM in a smartphone is beyond us, but it's indicative of the premium nature of the devices.

A rumor also suggests the Galaxy S20 Ultra, the top-end device, will have 128GB / 256GB / 512GB storage options, with a slot for a microSD card that will add another 1TB of space. We don't know the options for the other devices, though.

All three Samsung Galaxy S20 / S11 phones are expected to be IP68 waterproof and dust resistant, according to one leak.

A more unlikely feature that the S11 could pack is a spectrometer, which could be used to determine the chemical composition of objects. Samsung has patented a phone-like device with just such a feature, so it's possible, but it sounds a bit far-fetched and niche.

The iPhone 11 and Google Pixel 4 have similar systems, where instead of using in-screen fingerprint sensors, they use facial recognition, and this is a rather secure form of unlocking (compared to Samsung's current photo-based facial recognition) but it's slower than using a fingerprint.

There’s also a leak suggesting Samsung phones will get an AirDrop-like service called Quick Share to easily swap files between nearby Galaxy phones. This could be extended to older Samsung phones with a software update, though it’s unclear if it will come to other Galaxy products (like the Tabs). 

The final point is the confusion over Samsung's 5G strategy with these devices. It may well be that each and every Samsung Galaxy S20 phone features 5G, or the company may be offering 5G variants of each instead.

Whatever happens, we're almost certain you'll be able to purchase a 5G variant of the Galaxy S20, S20 Plus and S20 Ultra, so if you're keen to get on board with the new technology you won't be left behind.

While we now have a clear picture of what to expect from the Samsung Galaxy S20 range, we previously put together the below list of what we'd like to see Samsung include.

1. Better camera specs 

The Samsung Galaxy S10 has three rear cameras: the 12MP main sensor with a regular lens, the 12MP second sensor with a telephoto lens for distance shots, and the 16MP third sensor with an ultra-wide lens.

The three lenses are generally what we'd expect in a smartphone camera, but the resolution of each is a lot lower than in many other phones.

Handsets like the Honor 20 Pro have a 48MP main snapper, which is a big step up from 12MP, and even affordable handsets sometimes now come with four lenses (the extra is usually a time-of-flight or macro sensor for close-up shots), so to stay competitive in the smartphone camera game Samsung needs to up its game with the Galaxy S20.

Honor 20 Pro

The Honor 20 Pro's four cameras. Image credit: TechRadar

We've heard that Samsung is working on a 64MP smartphone camera that could be put in the Samsung Galaxy S11 – if this is true, the new phone would blow its competitors out of the water.

2. A 3.5mm headphone jack

If you're scratching your head thinking "the Samsung Galaxy S10 does have a 3.5mm headphone jack", then you're right – but it may be the last of its kind.

Newer Galaxy smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy A80 have ditched the headphone jack, so it seems Samsung is following suit behind many other smartphone companies in getting rid of the physical headphone port.

But since many, many people still use non-Bluetooth earphones, it's a feature that we'd love to see return in future Samsung smartphones, especially given it's one of the only high-end smartphone manufacturers to still be using them.

3. Different front-facing camera arrangement

The Galaxy S10 was one of the first phones to have a 'punch-hole' front-facing camera, which means the front snapper was in a cut-out section inside the screen, in the corner.

Galaxy S10 Plus

The Galaxy S10 Plus' punch-hole camera. Image credit: TechRadar

In theory this is a useful feature that replaces the top notch, so you get more screen real estate – but in practice the punch-hole takes just as much space, as there's a sliver of screen between the camera and the edge that just isn't used.

Going forward, we'd like to see the Samsung Galaxy S11 take a different tack – Samsung itself has said it's planning to drop the punch-hole in favor of a camera under the screen, but that could still be a few Galaxy S phones down the line.

4. Greater battery capacity

The Galaxy S10 had a 3,400mAh battery – that's fine, but you've got no hope of that lasting more than a second day of use, especially if you use your phone a lot.

We'd hope the Samsung Galaxy S11 battery life would surpass that – it will definitely have to have a bigger capacity to cater for all the new tech the phone uses, but we'd like to see a serious improvement on the capacity, perhaps 4,000mAh or above.

5. More launch colors

The Galaxy S10 comes in a few colors, most commonly prism white and black – but we always love a vibrant design in a phone, and so far Samsung handsets have often seemed a little dull.

Samsung Galaxy S10e

The vibrant Samsung Galaxy S10e. Image credit: TechRadar

We're not asking for the crazy back patterns of a Huawei or Honor phone, but it would be nice for the Samsung Galaxy S11 to launch in a few different colors.

The Galaxy S10 has a few colors that are only available in certain regions, like yellow, green or red, but if Samsung made these designs available from the get-go in all regions, we'd appreciate the design a lot more.

6. Affordable 5G

We're expecting there to be a Samsung Galaxy S20 5G – there was a Samsung Galaxy S10 5G, after all, and by the time the S20 launches 5G will be available in many countries.

However, the Galaxy S10 5G is even bigger than the Galaxy S10 Plus, and so is massive and expensive. Currently there are no affordable 5G smartphones on the horizon, but Samsung could really get ahead of the curve if the Galaxy S20, or Galaxy S20e, had a low price and ran on 5G networks.

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PS5 vs PS4 Pro: will it be worth the upgrade?

Posted: 08 Feb 2020 05:00 AM PST

PS5 vs PS4 Pro: which should you buy? As the PS5 launch date approaches, there's still the current mid-gen refresh, the PS4 Pro, to consider.

This beefed-up PlayStation 4 released in 2016 and represents a decent chunk of the 100 million PS4s sold this generation. Plenty of base PS4 owners upgraded to the Pro for the 4K-ready horsepower, and it remains the best way to play exclusives like God of War, Uncharted 4, and Horizon: Zero Dawn.

But now we're coming to the end of this generation, and the PS4 Pro vs PS5 dilemma is a worthy question. So, here's a breakdown of what we know about the two boxes so far, including their prices, specs, and flagship games, to help you weigh up whether it'll be worth upgrading from the PS4 Pro to the PlayStation 5.

PS5 vs PS4 Pro price

PS5 vs PS4 Pro

The most difficult thing about weighing up the PS5 price is that even Sony doesn't know it yet. That said, there are some ideas out there. 

It looks like the PS5 price won't be as bad as you think. PSErebus, who correctly estimated The Last of Us 2 release date, claimed in November 2019 that the PS5's RRP would be $499 (about £380 and AUS$745). And, while Sony admitting it didn't know the price of its upcoming box in February 2020 somewhat undermines the leak, this certainly wouldn't be a bad price considering the power of its rumored components.

The leak puts the PS5 price at $100 more than the PS4 Pro launch cost of $399 (£349, AU$559), but Amazon currently lists the Pro for around $320, £300 and AU$484 in the US, UK, and Australia, respectively.

That said, you can still do better than that. Thanks to recent Black Friday PS4 deals, the Pro plunged to as low as £299 with the recently-released Death Stranding. Either way, the PS4 Pro is highly likely to be the cheaper option, and its price will tumble even more once its big brother releases later this year.

PS4 Pro vs PS5 specs

There's still plenty to find out about the PS5's internals, but here's what we know so far:

  • GPU: Custom AMD Navi - capable of ray tracing
  • CPU: 8-core AMD Ryzen, 7nm Zen 2
  • Storage: SSD
  • Optical: 4K Blu Ray media player
  • Visuals: Native 4K 120Hz + 8K
  • Audio: 3D

One of the highlights is the AMD GPU and CPU pairing, which PS5 lead system architect Mark Cerny confirmed to Wired is capable of ray tracing. Seen in some of the prettiest PC games around, like Control, Metro Exodus, and Battlefield V, ray tracing is an innovative means of rendering light and shadows.

But since every 'ray' of light has its own simulated source, only now has the power required been viable in a console. In other words, ray tracing is going to make the rumored God of War 2 and Horizon: Zero Dawn 2 look properly next-gen.

And if that wasn't treat enough for your corneas, there's word of 8K support, too. But when it comes to whether you should choose between the 4K vs 8K consoles, know that 8K won't be a mainstream prospect for some years yet.

ps5 ray tracing

Excellent news for PlayStation players is the PS5's solid state drive (SSD) - a long overdue upgrade that PC players have enjoyed for years. Games are claimed to load 19-times faster, but we still don't yet know much storage we'll get yet. 

Meanwhile, the PS4 Pro is still held back by its ageing mechanical HDD. While the PS4's UI design felt seamless as you could easily pick up a game where you left off from standby or after visiting other apps, you'll eventually be envious of the few loading screens PS5 players will be enjoying. The Pro also doesn't have the 4K Blu Ray media player that the PS5 will.

Cerny also made clear to Wired that the PS5's audio will reach a new "gold standard" thanks to its upgraded audio engine. Whether or not that extends to a Dolby Atmos-style system, you're going to want to invest in the very best gaming headsets.

Meanwhile, here are the PS4 Pro's specs:

  • CPU: eight-core x86-64 AMD Jaguar
  • GPU: AMD Radeon with 4.2 teraflops
  • RAM: 8GB GDDR5
  • Storage: 1TB HDD

The refreshed mid-gen model proved a decent jump on the base PS4: it supports 4K streaming from Amazon and Netflix, but native 4K gaming isn't possible on all titles, and only then at 30fps. 

Naturally expect the PS5 to be a healthy power jump over the Pro, but if you're all about the best graphics, don't want a PC, and are platform agnostic, it's worth considering the most powerful console on the market today, the Xbox One X.

PS5 vs PS4 Pro games

ps5 or ps4 pro

If you buy a PS4 Pro now, we hope you've got some time off sorted: Bloodborne, God of War, Uncharted 4, The Last of Us, The Last Guardian, and Marvel's Spider-Man are exclusive to Sony's box, along with other killer multi-platform experiences like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Control.

However, we still don't know much about the PS5 launch lineup. There's not much to get players excited yet, so it might be worth holding fire until there's something that really excites you. Here's what's confirmed (so far):

That said, PS5 backwards compatibility with the PS4 has been confirmed for the upcoming console. This means those that skip a generation won't miss out: it looks like you'll be able to play most PS4 games on the new box, since they're based on a similar architecture to the PS5.

PS5 vs PS4 Pro verdict

PS5 vs PS4 Pro

While there's still plenty more to learn about the PlayStation 5 - the price being arguably the most crucial - there are few reasons to buy a PS4 Pro right now. Not only will the PS5 be the more powerful, faster box, but Sony's efforts to enable backwards compatibility means that even if you buy a PS5, it's likely you won't miss out on the PS4's finest experiences, and probably those older than that, too.

If you've been waiting this long to buy your first PS4, you might as well do so a little longer and either skip a generation and buy a PS5, or take advantage of an even cheaper PS4 Pro once the newer console launches.

That said, upgrading from a Pro is a tougher dilemma. The Pro already supports native 4K for many games at decent performance, and you'll need deep pockets for an 8K TV to fully benefit from the PS5's power. And that's only when 8K gaming is fully supported. As ever early adopters pay a premium, so it's worth waiting for the next-gen exclusive you really can't do without.

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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip release date, news and leaks

Posted: 08 Feb 2020 04:26 AM PST

It’s becoming increasingly clear that Samsung has not one but two (or more) foldable phones in the works, because as well as a proper successor to the Samsung Galaxy Fold (which for now we’re calling the Galaxy Fold 2), the company is also heavily rumored to be working on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip.

While it’s possible that this is the Fold 2 in all but name, it sounds very different to the Galaxy Fold, with a likely different, smaller form factor and a lower price. Plus, some sources specifically suggest that both are in the works, so we’re treating it as a different device.

Below then you’ll find all the news and rumors that specifically seem to be talking about the Galaxy Z Flip, along with those which could be talking about either phone. And make sure to check back here regularly, as we'll update this article whenever we hear anything new.

Update: The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip name has been spotted on the website of Samsung itself, in a product listing for a protective case on the Romanian website. This makes us especially confident this'll be the name of the new foldable phone.

Cut to the chase

  • What is it? Samsung's next foldable phone
  • When is it out? Possibly February 11
  • What will it cost? Rumors suggest around $1,400 (roughly £1,075 / AU$2,075)

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip release date and price

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip will probably be announced on February 11. That’s when Samsung is holding its big smartphone event for the first half of the year and where we’re expecting to see the Samsung Galaxy S20 range, so it’s an obvious candidate.

It’s also something we’ve heard from a leaker, who added that the phone would be available to buy from February 14.

However, that’s not the only possible announcement date. The Galaxy Z Flip could alternatively land at MWC 2020, which takes place at the end of February. That has also been put forward by a source, albeit in an earlier leak.

And yet another source has said to expect a new Samsung foldable in April, but this claim is older still. Further confusing matters is that some of these sources could be talking about the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2, as that will probably also land sometime this year.

With all that in mind, our best guess is February 11, as the most recent leak points to that date, and it’s also the only one to mention the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip by name.

As for what the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip will cost, the latest leak there points to £1,300 (around $1,700 / AU$2,530), while the same source as the February 11 announcement date said to expect a price of $1,400 (roughly £1,075 / AU$2,075).

It's worth noting that these two leaks actually do line up, as Samsung typically charges around $100 more in US pricing than in pounds - so in reality if the Galaxy Z Flip costs £1,300 it will likely cost around $1,400.

Earlier leaks meanwhile (linked above) point to either 1,000,000 Korean Won (around $835 / £640 / AU$1,230), or roughly $1,500 (around £1,165 / AU$2,200).

We’re skeptical of the lowest of those prices, but the other options sound believable, as well as being similar. Any of those would make it cheaper than the $1,980 / £1,900 / AU$2,900 Samsung Galaxy Fold though, which makes sense, as the Z Flip is rumored to be a bit less of a flagship.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip design and display

Recent leaks have given us our clearest look yet at the design of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip: a succession of unofficial photos and videos mean that Samsung isn't going to have much left to reveal on stage on February 11.

This hands-on video was posted to YouTube and shows the phone opening and closing shut along its clamshell hinge:

Before that, we had the short video below, again giving us a good idea of what to expect when the phone finally appears. You can see how the hinge works and the secondary display that's on the back.

As you can see, the form factor when the screen is open is a lot like a typical smartphone, and when closed there's a tiny secondary display visible.

The leaked image below also shows this design, with a phone that looks a lot like the Samsung Galaxy S10… if the screen of the Samsung Galaxy S10 could be folded in half.

It’s a design that we’ve also seen in an image supposedly leaked from a Samsung presentation, though notably there the phone was referred to as the Samsung Galaxy Bloom, which is likely its code name.

For a long time we've been hearing that the phone will have a clamshell-like design, which would match the images above. New images submitted to Engadget show the same form factor in open and closed positions:

As for the screen, several sources have now said it’s a 6.7-inch one, which would make it smaller than the 7.3-inch Galaxy Fold. The most detailed of these leaks adds that the display has a 1,080 x 2,636 resolution and a 22:9 aspect ratio.

Another leak adds that it will have a Dynamic AMOLED screen and that there will be a fingerprint scanner on the side of the phone.

As with so much about the phone, some of the earlier leaks linked above refer to it as the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2, but we now believe they were talking about the Z Flip, as the leaks line up with recent leaks that mention the Galaxy Z Flip by name.

We’ve also heard multiple times that the Galaxy Z Flip will use ‘Ultra Thin Glass’, sometimes referred to as UTG. This could make the device slimmer, but is likely to have plastic layered over the top to make it more durable.

The phone is said to also have a small screen that’s visible when the main display is folded shut. This is apparently a 1.06-inch 116 x 300 one, so will probably mostly just be used for checking the time and notifications.

But you won’t be limited to just having the main screen open or closed, as you can apparently also lock it at 90 degrees, using the bottom half of the screen like a stand. You can see how this would apparently look in the tweet below.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip specs

The latest significant specs leak points to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip having a Snapdragon 855 Plus chipset, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage, with no microSD card slot, no 5G, and no 3.5mm headphone port.

The most notable thing there is that chipset, which while being one of the best in any phone at the time of writing, is likely to be superseded by the chipsets in most of the early 2020 flagships, including the Galaxy S20. So including it here marks the Galaxy Z Flip out as a slightly lower end phone, despite the inevitably high price.

That’s not totally unheard of though, as the Motorola Razr takes a similar approach. In fact, that phone’s chipset is positively mid-range. And while big name foldables are always likely to be expensive for now, using a lesser chipset can help keep the cost below astronomical levels.

Elsewhere we’ve heard that the Galaxy Z Flip might even just have a standard Snapdragon 855 chipset, rather than the Plus version. That seems less likely, but could reduce the price even further.

The Galaxy Z Flip is likely to have fewer lenses than the Galaxy Fold, above

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip camera and battery

The only camera leaks that refer specifically to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip state that it will have a dual-lens 12MP main camera, with both standard and wide-angle lenses, while the front camera might be a 10MP one.

Elsewhere we’ve heard mention of a 108MP sensor paired with a zoom lens, but that’s probably headed for the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 if anything, since that’s likely to be more of a flagship.

As for the battery, that’s rumored to be 3,300mAh, which would put it on the small side. It apparently supports 15W charging, which is ‘fast’ but nowhere near as fast as some phones.

It’s also said to support wireless charging and reverse wireless charging. Most of this battery information comes from just one source though, so we’d take it with an extra helping of salt.

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Cheap Logitech gaming mouse, keyboard, and headset deals offer big savings this weekend

Posted: 08 Feb 2020 04:14 AM PST

Logitech are offering up some fantastic gaming deals this weekend, with some excellent sales on cheap gaming headsets, keyboards and mice across the US and UK. 

We're seeing some fantastic models on offer right now, like the G502 Hero gaming mouse on sale for just $34.99 / £49.99 and the Logitech G613 Lightspeed wireless mechanical gaming keyboard going for as little as $59.99. Plus, there are plenty of cheap gaming headset deals around, with our highlights starting at $44.98 / £34.99. 

You'll find plenty of cheap gaming mouse deals and awesome keyboard and headset savings this weekend. Both wired and wireless options are included, and we're seeing some fantastic specs on offer too. 

With all that said, there's a lot of Logitech gaming deals to scour, so we'll let you get straight to the good stuff. 

Logitech gaming mouse deals in the US

Logitech gaming mouse deals in the UK

Logitech gaming keyboard deals in the US

Logitech gaming keyboard deals in the UK

Logitech gaming headset deals in the US

Logitech gaming headset deals in the UK

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Ireland vs Wales live stream: how to watch Six Nations 2020 rugby online from anywhere

Posted: 08 Feb 2020 04:13 AM PST

While both these sides made winning starts to their 2020 Six Nations campaigns, Ireland will be looking to improve upon last weekend's work as they welcome Wales to the Aviva today. It's promising to be a tense match in Dublin and you can watch all the action as it happens with our Ireland vs Wales live stream guide.

The Welsh looked every bit the favourites for this year's tournament, with a commanding 42-0 obliteration of Italy in Cardiff, while Ireland had to rely on resolute defence to see them though 19-12 against Scotland.

While new Ireland chead coach Andy Farrelll will draw encouragement from his side's superb defensive display, he knows his side are unlikely to be able to sustain that pressure against a Welsh side who were rampant in Cardiff last weekend.

Caelen Doris and Garry Ringrose are on the wounded list for the Boys in Green, with Robbie Henshaw and Peter O'Mahony promoted to the starting XV.

Wales head coach Wayne Pivac has unsurprisngly named an almost identical side to last week's, with Nick Tompkins earning a first start at outside centre following his excellent debut, with Johnny McNicholl making way.

You can watch this Six Nations match in its entirety - in some cases for free - by following our Ireland vs Wales live stream guide below.

How to live stream Ireland vs Wales in the UK for free

How to watch a Six Nations live stream when you're not in your country

If you're travelling outside of your home country - whether that be the UK or anywhere else - and try to start streaming the rugby via your regular native broadcaster, you'll likely run into problems as the broadcast will be location restricted. 

There's no need to miss the action, however. Help is at hand in the form of a VPN - simply download and install the software or an app from one of the many VPN services out there to trick your computer into thinking that it's back home. That way you can enjoy your home coverage (so long as you comply with the broadcaster's TS&Cs), without using an illegal stream from a risky source.

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Kaspersky says assault on customer data is inevitable

Posted: 08 Feb 2020 04:06 AM PST

Kaspersky believes collaboration among vendors and a commitment to educating staff are critical if businesses are to safeguard their data. 

The Russian security giant presented new research at an event in London attended by TechRadar Pro, revealing insight into the impact of what it calls cyber complacency (i.e. the unwillingness of businesses to act on the threat posed by cyberattacks).

Surveying businesses across the UK, Kaspersky found nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of IT professionals conceded their organisation is complacent about protecting customer data, highlighting an obvious issue.

Kaspersky believes this attitude is motivated by a dangerous cocktail of factors, including resourcing, budget and skills gap. 

Most alarming, though, is a willingness to push cybersecurity to the bottom of the agenda, in the hope an incident might never occur. In other words, businesses are basing their approach to security on the old adage ‘let’s cross that bridge when we come to it’.

Awareness of the dangers is clearly not the issue, as more than two thirds (69 percent) of businesses are concerned a breach would directly result in loss of custom. But irrespective of that fact, over half of UK organisations don’t have a cybersecurity policy in place, a figure that rises to a whopping 71 percent among medium-sized businesses.

“There’s greater awareness than there ever was before, within organisations and among the general public,” said David Emm, Kaspersky’s Principal Security Researcher. “But awareness doesn’t necessarily translate into businesses taking the appropriate action.”

Kaspersky’s job, then, is to find a way to remedy the discrepancy between awareness and action.

Back to school

Over the course of the discussion, Kaspersky, along with partners OGL and techUK, returned again and again to one topic: the critical importance of workforce education. Cybersecurity, the consensus had it, is primarily a human problem as opposed to a technical one.

Human error is at the heart of the cybersecurity equation, responsible for the vast majority of incidents. It could be as simple as an employee writing their credentials on a post-it note, or using an insecure application to view or exchange data. These scenarios are a consequence of a lack of understanding, both of the potential impact of a breach and proper data handling and security procedures.

Statistically speaking, employees are a liability when it comes to security, but this narrative appears to be changing within the security community. 

“The National Cybersecurity Centre has started to shift its language,” said Talal Rajab, Head of Cyber and National Security at techUK. “It’s no longer talking about people as the weakest link, but as the strongest. If you encourage good practice and train your staff, they can become the greatest barrier to attack.”

Whether a company has the least or most advanced technology in place, process and culture dictate the strength of a business's cybersecurity posture. A deep understanding among the rank and file of the variety of threats and the impact of a breach lays the foundation, which is built upon by technology - not the other way around.

Another important factor in countering cyberthreats is a willingness among the cybersecurity community to work together. After all, no vendor can boast complete oversight of the cybersecurity landscape. It follows that combining expertise is the only way to ensure businesses are supplied with the best protection. 

“The [cybercriminal community] is sharing information all the time in the dark corners of the web. We’re working with one hand tied behind our back if we’re not working collaboratively,” according to Rajab.

There is, of course, friction between the desperate need for collaboration between vendors and the need for each of them to turn a profit. “When you enter the realm of IP and proprietary tech, [collaboration] becomes a whole lot harder,” notes Emm.

The industry has to strike a balance between commercial gain, and ensuring research and development keeps pace with the rapid evolution of the threat landscape.

Ultimately, as Emm puts it, “you can’t make your home an impenetrable fortress, but you can raise the bar to a level that will prevent the majority of disasters.”

Raising the bar to this level requires an unwavering commitment to education within businesses, and an openness to collaboration among security bodies and vendors.

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Apple Macs could ditch Intel CPUs and switch to AMD, going by clues in macOS

Posted: 08 Feb 2020 04:02 AM PST

Apple could make Macs with AMD rather than Intel processors in the future, at least if clues spotted in the macOS operating system are anything to go by.

As highlighted on Twitter by @_rogame, a well-known leaker, the code for the macOS Catalina 10.15.4 beta contains various references to AMD’s APUs (which stands for Advanced Processing Unit – the firm’s name for a CPU with integrated graphics).

As you can see in the tweet above, there are mentions of Picasso, Raven, Renoir, and Van Gogh – and these follow previous references in past Catalina beta releases, as Mac Rumors observes.

So this could point to Apple planning a switch from Intel to AMD chips, and there has certainly been much speculation fired up concerning that prospect, although obviously, we shouldn’t get too carried away with this rumor.

It would, however, seem Apple is at least testing out – or has been testing – some of AMD’s APUs with a view to building a future Mac or MacBook around them.

Game for a Mac?

This also seems to have resurrected chatter about the purported $5,000 gaming Mac, a pretty wild rumor floated at the start of 2020, and one we were highly doubtful about at the time – and still remain so.

If it was even considering this line of attack, Apple wouldn’t be looking to build a high-end gaming machine around an APU – it would want to use discrete graphics for obvious reasons (note that Apple does indeed already use AMD’s GPUs in its products, such as the new MacBook Pro 16-inch).

But perhaps this does point the way to the possibility of something like a gaming-targeted Mac mini, in other words a more wallet-friendly offering which would make sense with an APU. That is, of course, wild speculation…

At any rate, in the broader picture, if Apple is mulling a switch to AMD, that raises the prospect of adopting powerful many-core Ryzen CPUs for Macs eventually, and that’s obviously a potential scenario Apple fans are getting excited about.

After all, the chatter about Apple switching away from Intel has been going on for some time now, and would seem quite plausible for various reasons. Intel’s chip shortages have affected Apple’s Mac sales in recent times, remember, and of course all the persisting security issues with Intel CPUs are doubtless another worry regarding the chip’s giant silicon.

Another possibility that the grapevine has been buzzing with is that Apple could switch to ARM chips, and the rumors that Intel will be ditched from Macs, one way or another, are certainly seeming to strengthen as the months go by.

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iPhone 5G could feature this major memory upgrade

Posted: 08 Feb 2020 03:37 AM PST

The iPhone 5G could be the most powerful Apple mobile device yet after US semiconductor giant Micron unveiled its next generation low power DDR5 memory (LPDDR5). 

The new chip is likely to make its way into the next iPhone, which could have 5G connectivity, but LPDDR5 will make its debut in the Mi 10, the new flagship from Xiaomi, marking the start of an era in which mobiles receive the most cutting edge technology, not computers.

The new component is being hailed as the ideal memory system for devices that require high performance without increasing power consumption (and dissipation) or footprint.

LPDDR5 meets all three requirements and, according to Micron, accesses data 50 percent faster and consumes 20 percent less power than its predecessors.

Figures from Micron show LPDDR5 delivers five percent better battery life, and a circa 20 percent speed gain. With greater power efficiencies, these projected numbers rise to 10 and 40 percent respectively.

The rising popularity of high pixel cameras (like the 108 million pixel sensor set on the Xiaomi CC9 Pro), concurrent apps demanding huge bandwidth and AI means that LPDDR5 is likely to become the defacto memory tech for flagship smartphones in 2020.

It remains to be seen whether Samsung will follow Micron’s lead and release LPDDR5 memory of its own to be used in its flagship devices after the Samsung S20.

Apple, meanwhile, is expected to launch a 5G smartphone as a successor to the iPhone 11, becoming the last of the big mobile vendors to offer 5G compatibility.

LPDDR5 with 6GB, 8GB and 12GB capacity will be available at launch.

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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip appears in more photo and video leaks

Posted: 08 Feb 2020 03:30 AM PST

Here at TechRadar we love a phone leak as much as anyone, but we're struggling to keep up with the cascade of advance information that's appearing about the Samsung Galaxy S20 and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip phones, due to be officially revealed on February 11.

New to the leaks pile as far as the foldable Galaxy Z Flip is concerned is a hands-on video posted to YouTube and flagged up by prolific tipster Max Winebach from XDA Developers. We've embedded it below so you can see the folding action in full.

The clip doesn't really tell us anything we don't already know – and comes from a source we haven't heard of before – but it gives us a look at how the phone closes up (with a reassuring snap sound) in high resolution.

You can also see the secondary display along the bottom of the back casing, which looks like it's going to be used to display the time, remaining battery life, and maybe a notification or two while the handset is closed.

Meanwhile we've got pictures too, courtesy of an anonymous tipster and Engadget, showing the phone both open and closed in a high level of detail. Check out that (rumored) 6.7-inch, 22:9 aspect ratio display.

When closed, the Galaxy Z Flip is much more compact of course: about half as long and twice as thick, as you would expect. Whether this'll encourage you to check your phone less or more often remains to be seen.

From what we've heard so far, the Galaxy Z Flip is going to arrive with a Snapdragon 855 Plus CPU inside, 8GB of RAM, and a maximum of 256GB of storage. That's going to give the Motorola Razr some stiff competition in the clamshell foldable phone field.

We're expecting both the Galaxy Z Flip and the Galaxy S20 phones to appear at Samsung's Unpacked 2020 event on Tuesday, February 11 – and we will be bringing you all the official news and our hands-on reviews then.

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BMW 1 Series M Sport: premium tech in BMW's entry-level model

Posted: 08 Feb 2020 03:00 AM PST

The BMW 1 Series is the German firm’s entry-level vehicle, but just because it’s the baby of the range doesn’t mean it rolls up under-equipped.

In fact, if you’re willing to open your wallet, you can stuff the BMW 1 Series full of flagship car tech, but even if you don’t go option crazy there is a solid grounding of features for you to enjoy.

While the 1 Series starts at £24,430, we got behind the wheel of the M Sport, which starts at £27,230. However, once the various packages are added - including two technology packs - the asking price of our particular model reached £35,185.

It’s not exactly cheap then, but the BMW 1 Series isn’t a budget car, it’s a compact premium vehicle with an awful lot to offer.

BMW 1 Series design and drive

BMW has improved the design of the 1 Series, with the car now boasting a sportier, sleeker aesthetic. As we had the M Sport model, ours came with a rear spoiler to add to the sporty look.

The front is dominated by the large BMW grille, which glints in the sun and adds to the car’s macho stance. It’s a look we liked, but it’s not for everyone and for those who prefer softer, more rounded styling the 1 Series may be a little much.

Inside, and the premium feel continues, with soft touch plastic and leather comprising most of the dash and surrounding areas. It’s a smart look, and doesn’t look too cluttered thanks to a lot of controls being available on the large touch screen display - reducing the number of physical buttons required.

It’s a comfortable place to sit too, with the front sport seats nicely cradling you without squeezing you too tight. They’re heated as well (front seats only), along with the heated steering wheel.

Another nice touch are the cabin’s ambient lights. They were set to blue as default in our 1 Series, but you have the option to change to a number of other hues including white, red and green.

The light bars on the inside of the doors (above) are particularly eye-catching and provide a calming ambiance at night.

The three seats in the back provide enough room for kids or a couple of adults, while the boot provides a suitable storage area for a couple of large suitcases, the weekly shop or a pram.

In terms of drive, we had the 6 speed manual at our disposal, and along with the 1.5l engine the 1 Series delivered effective speed off the line and its light, nimble steering made it easy to flick through corners.

You can comfortably cruise at high speed too, and the insulated cabin ensures road noise is kept to a minimum for a relaxing experience. Press the Sport button, and the suspension stiffens and there’s a little more juice in the accelerator pedal if you’re feeling racier.

One slight niggle we had was putting the car into reserve. You’ve got to push the gear stick all the way to the left, but then slightly down, before going up. Sounds relatively easy, but in practice it’s far from a fluid experience. It will take a while to master.

BMW 1 Series specs and tech 

The BMW 1 Series is one of the cars moving in-car tech forward, and that can be seen from something as simple as its USB ports. There are four in total, but only one - the port between the cup holders and wireless phone charging pad - is the traditional size.

The other three (one under the central armrest, the other two accessible to the rear seat passengers) are all USB-C ports. This newer port provides faster charging, and is slowly being embraced by phone manufacturers.

What it means, however, is you’ll likely need to buy yourself a new charging cable for your phone if you want to use these USB-C ports - very few smartphones are bundled with a suitable cable, although it’s likely to improve in the coming years. Still, the cables aren’t expensive and once you’ve got them you can enjoy faster charging in your car.

The wireless charging pad - compatible with most wireless charging phones including the more recent iPhones - is on an angle and needs you to slide your phone down, into it where it will hold it in place. This stops the phone sliding about while you’re on the move, ensuring constant charging.

Shifting attention to the large 10.25-inch display in the center console, and we found BMW’s interface to be relatively intuitive, easy to use and responsive. 

It’s easy to tap in a destination into the nav (the nav is very good), find a digital radio station or connect your smartphone via Bluetooth which allows you to make and receive hands-free calls, as well as stream music to the 1 Series’ audio system.

Speaking of audio, the upgraded Harman/Kardon speaker system in our 1 Series provided wonderfully crisp audio, with a powerful sub woofer bringing deep bass reverberation.

If you prefer physical controls, the BMW 1 Series retains the iDrive control wheel by the gear stick, although we found it a clunky way to move around the on-screen options. Most of the time, using our fingers on the touch screen was much quicker.

You don’t have to use BMW’s interface though, as the 1 Series supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. And what’s even better is it supports wireless connectivity for these services, which means you don’t even need to dig out a USB cable to use them.

It means you can get your key phone apps - such as Apple Maps, Google Maps, Spotify, messages and more - on the main screen of the car with minimal fuss.

There is another screen on offer too, with an 8.8-inch cluster display behind the steering wheel which feeds you a host of useful information. Speed and revs are there as standard, and there flank the sat nav map which provides clear turn-by-turn directions.

We’re not done there either, as there’s also the option to get a HUD (heads up display) on the 1 Series, which sees additional information projected onto the windscreen. 

As you look out the car this information appears to hover just above the hood - not high enough to be in the way, but close enough to your line of sight to safely check your speed or next direction cue. In sport mode, you get a rev bar here as well, allowing you to nail those gear changes.

The steering wheel comes with a complement of buttons, allowing you to adjust volume and skip tracks, as well as change audio input between the likes of your phone and the radio. There’s also cruise control settings on-wheel, which make it easy to set your cruise limit.

Less flashy features, but ones which are certainly useful, include climate control, lane assist, automatic wipers and lights and blind spot warning lights on the wing mirrors - all of which make the BMW 1 Series easier, and less taxing to drive.

When you do manage to wrestle the car into reverse, you’ll find there’s a good quality rear camera to help guide you into places, and sensors all around the vehicle to ensure you don’t have a nasty collision.

If you're willing to splash the cash a little on the optional technology packs, the BMW 1 Series can offer you a vast wealth of features and gadgetry - there's even voice and gesture control options if you're feeling particularly flush.

It's not all about the flashy toys though, the 1 Series also delivers on the road. It's comfortable, quiet and with enough power and precision steering to provide some thrills along the way.

  • John McCann is getting behind the wheel to give you an alternative look at the wealth of cars – and the tech inside them – available today. From super-fast sports cars to tech-packed hatchbacks, he'll take you through a range of makes, models, power and price tags in his regular TR Drives column.

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Six Nations 2020 live stream: how to watch every rugby union game online from anywhere

Posted: 08 Feb 2020 01:23 AM PST

Thanks to the excitement of the first weekend, it's like the Six Nations has never been away. England were shocked in Paris, champions Wales dominated Italy and Ireland just overcame Scotland. And to make sure you don't miss any more of the action, we'll let you know exactly how to get a Six Nations live stream where you are this weekend.

Four of the six teams have new coaches since the 2019 instalment of tournament, with only England's Eddie Jones and Scotland’s Gregor Townsend still in place this time out.

Jones will have to use all of his managerial experience to lift a set of players who may still feel wounded after their 32-12 humbling by South Africa in the World Cup Final in Japan back in November. Wales come into the tournament as champions following last year's Grand Slam triumph, and it will be interesting to see how they fare under new coach Wayne Pivac.

With France set to host the World Cup in 2023, all eyes will be on the nation's new coach Fabien Galthie and the youthful squad he'll be looking to blood in the run up to that tournament. Ireland will have a familiar face looking on from the stands as coach, with former assistant Andy Farrell replacing Joe Schmidt in the hot seat. While much of Scotland's hopes will be resting on the shoulder's of talisman Finn Russell, however the stand-off's breach of discipline which saw him unceremoniously sent home during his teams preparation for their opening tie against Ireland has placed his involvement in the tournament in doubt. Oh...and then there's Italy, too!

For all the info about how to watch a Six Nations live stream, read on. And you can scroll down to see a list of next weekend's fixtures, too.

How to live stream Six Nations 2020 in the UK for free

Great news! Every single Six Nations match will be shown live in the UK on free-to-air television. The coverage is spread across the BBC and ITV, so take a look at our info box below to see what channel is showing which individual games.

If you're trying to watch online (either live or on catch-up) then you can get access via the BBC iPlayer and ITV Hub websites or mobile apps. Alternatively, just head to an online streaming TV service such TVPlayer.com, which has all of the UK's freeview channels (including the BBC and ITV) in one place. This means you can catch the match on TV, computer, tablet and smartphone for free if you're in the UK - or subscribe to TVPlayer Plus if you want to record it and watch later.

Not in the UK this weekend? No worries - just download and install a VPN and use a UK location to watch live as if you were back home. Full instructions below.

How to live stream the Six Nations when you're not in your country

If you're outside your country of residence - whether that be the UK or anywhere else - and try to start streaming the rugby via your native broadcaster, you'll soon discover that you can't as it is location restricted. But there's a way you can watch anyway. By downloading and installing a VPN, you can effectively trick your computer into thinking that it's back at home. That way you can enjoy your home coverage without having to find an illegal stream - assuming you comply with the broadcaster's Ts&Cs, of course.


Six Nations 2020: Fixtures and UK TV schedule

All times in GMT

ROUND TWO:
Saturday, February 8, 2020

Ireland v Wales, 2.15pm, Aviva Stadium, Dublin. TV - ITV SPORT + S4C
Scotland v England, 4.45pm, BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh. TV - BBC SPORT

Sunday, February 9, 2020

France v Italy, 3pm, Stade de France, Paris. TV - BBC SPORT

ROUND THREE:
Saturday, February 22, 2020

Italy v Scotland, 2.15pm, Stadio Olimpico, Rome. TV - ITV SPORT
Wales v France, 4.45pm, Principality Stadium, Cardiff. TV - BBC SPORT + S4C

Sunday, February 23, 2020

England v Ireland, 3pm, Twickenham Stadium, London. TV - ITV SPORT

ROUND FOUR:
Saturday, March 7, 2020

Ireland v Italy, 2.15pm, Aviva Stadium, Dublin. TV - ITV SPORT
England v Wales, 4.45pm, Twickenham Stadium, London. TV - ITV SPORT + S4C

Sunday, March 8, 2020

Scotland v France, 3pm, BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh. TV - BBC SPORT

ROUND FIVE:
Saturday, March 14, 2020

Wales v Scotland, 2.15pm, Principality Stadium, Cardiff. TV - BBC SPORT + S4C
Italy v England, 4.45pm, Stadio Olimpico, Rome. TV - ITV SPORT
France v Ireland, 8pm, Stade de France, Paris. TV - BBC SPORT

Divider

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Live stream the Six Nations in New Zealand

Live stream the 2020 Six Nations in Canada and more - for FREE

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How to live stream Six Nations rugby in the US

What is the format of the Six Nations?

Taking place each year from the beginning of February and concluding by the end of March, the tournament is contested by the international sides of France, England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales.

Each Six Nations team plays the other five once per season with home advantage in alternate seasons, giving a total of 15 matches per Championship. A win earns that team four points, while a draw earns both teams two points.  A losing side receives no points, however a bonus point can be picked up by a team regardless if they won, lost or drew if they score four or more tries in a game. Losing sides can also still pick up two bonus points if they score four tries or more in the process and lose by a margin of seven points or fewer.

The team with the most points at the season wins the Six Nations Championship Trophy. If the winning team has defeated all five other Unions, it is given the title ‘Grand Slam Winner’.

Who are the favourites for the 2020 Six Nations?

Beaten World Cup finalists England are current favourites with most bookies to lift this year’s Six Nations Championship trophy.

What happened in the 2019 Six Nations?

Regarded as outsiders at the beginning of the tournament, Wales clinched their first grand slam in seven years, with a clean sweep of victories against their five opponents.

Who has won the most Six Nations championships

England lead the pack with six championship wins, their last in 2017. Wales and France are both close behind on five.

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