Apple : Cybersecurity experts join forces to combat coronavirus security threats

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• Cybersecurity experts join forces to combat coronavirus security threats
• Massive MSI gaming laptop sales kick off this weekend
• Novel cyberthreats: how to stay safe when working from home
• How to watch Friday Night Dinner online: stream Season 6 from anywhere
• Maze ransomware hits insurance giant Chubb
• Best WordPress themes for portfolios in 2020
• These cheap Xbox One deals offer the perfect boredom breakers this weekend
• Best website builders for portfolios of 2020
• Best website builder for musicians in 2020
• OnePlus 8 official render leaks show clearest view of the budget flagship yet
• Castlevania season 4 on Netflix is confirmed and the show will return
• Where to buy a Nintendo Switch: when will stock return?
• Noise Cancelling podcast episode 4: Huawei P40, PS5 and extortionate webcams
• Google sent out thousands of warnings about nation-state attacks
• How to watch Contagion: stream the movie online anywhere
• Best single-player games 2020: the top games for playing solo on console and PC
• The best cheap laptop deals in March 2020: prices start at just $99
• The top 10 best pandemic movies you can stream right now
• The best TVs under £1000 in 2020
• Xiaomi just launched the cheapest ever 5G phone, with some pretty decent specs

Cybersecurity experts join forces to combat coronavirus security threats Posted: 27 Mar 2020 01:59 PM PDT The coronavirus outbreak has led to a rise in hacking attempts and cyberattacks which is why an international group of close to 400 volunteers with expertise in cybersecurity have banded together to form a new group to combat these threats. The group, called the Covid-19 CTI League (for cyber threat intelligence), has members in more than 40 countries and includes professionals who sold senior positions at major companies including Microsoft and Amazon. VP of cybersecurity strategy at Okta, Marc Rogers is one of the four initial managers of the effort and he said the group's top priority would be preventing cyberattacks against medical facilities and frontline responders. In fact, the Covid-19 CTI League has already begun working on dealing with hacks of health organizations. Hackers are spreading malware through coronavirus maps Hackers target WHO as coronavirus spreads Malware strains using coronavirus to avoid detection Covid-19 CTI League The newly formed group is currently using its contacts at internet infrastructure providers to help stop phishing attacks and other financial cybercrime which preys on people's fears of the coronavirus to trick them into installing malware on their computers. Rogers explained to Reuters how the coronavirus has led to a huge surge in phishing attacks, saying: “I’ve never seen this volume of phishing. I am literally seeing phishing messages in every language known to man.” According to Rogers, the Covid-19 CTI League has already managed to dismantle one campaign that used a software vulnerability to spread malicious software. However, he did not share any more details as the group is choosing to keep its operations close to the chest to avoid any retaliation from the cybercriminals it's trying to stop. Rogers also revealed that law enforcement has been surprisingly welcoming of the group's collaboration. Also check out our complete list of the best antivirus software Via Reuters This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Massive MSI gaming laptop sales kick off this weekend Posted: 27 Mar 2020 01:40 PM PDT These MSI gaming laptop deals are offering some fantastic prices on incredibly powerful machines this weekend. That's a great shout if you've been looking for a new rig, or you're after a work laptop that can double up for play when you need it to.  We're seeing discounts across the US and UK range this week, with prices starting at just $699 in the US. If you're shopping in the UK, you can pick up some fantastic specs including hexa-core i7 processors, RTX 2060 graphics, and speedy SSDs for as little as £1,198. We rarely see such power at that price point, making now a great time to snag a gaming laptop deal on an impressive machine.  These MSI gaming laptop deals are bringing high-performance machines down to price points they rarely hit. That means you're picking up excellent value if you grab a gaming laptop this weekend, with some fan favorites available for particularly cheap prices.  Shop all MSI gaming laptop deals in the US at Newegg  Shop all MSI gaming laptop deals in the UK at Scan MSI gaming laptop deals in the US MSI gaming laptop deals in the UK Looking for more? You can check out all the latest gaming laptop deals right here on TechRadar. Or, complete your new rig with best gaming mouse deals and cheap gaming monitor sales online right now.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Novel cyberthreats: how to stay safe when working from home Posted: 27 Mar 2020 01:00 PM PDT As companies are forced to quickly transition to telecommuting and remote work, the ongoing pandemic is giving rise to new forms of cybercrime. Some experts have labelled this phenomenon Fearware as hackers capitalise on anxieties about the virus and target employees working from less secure home offices. Hackers have created coronavirus tracking apps that install ransomware, coronavirus attachments that contain malware, and phishing emails claiming to be from the CDC and WHO that steal personal information. Even public health systems aren't immune to this risk. Hackers recently attacked the US Department of Health and Human Services to test the department's infrastructure for security exploits. Just as proper hygiene is key to avoid spreading disease, there are a number of basic online rules to protect yourself and your company from cybersecurity risks. Luckily, there are some easy-to-follow and practical tips on how to secure your home and corporate computer while working remotely. Most people would benefit from using a VPN and a trusted antivirus at minimum, but some of our tips are dependent on whether you’re using a company device, a personal device, or a shared computer.   Here's our list of the best antivirus services on the market Working from home: the mouse, monitor, keyboard and router you need Here's our choice of the best VPN services of 2020 Working on a company device? · Use your company’s VPN or invest in a personal VPN provider in order to secure your connection. While a VPN won’t protect against all attacks, it is a helpful first defence against opportunistic hackers.   · Use two-factor authentication whenever possible, especially if you have access to corporate resources. Without two-factor authentication, it’s hard to track users and identify if a login is real. · Be extra careful with clicking on email attachments and messages with links, especially if they appear to be from a health agency. All the uncertainty around coronavirus has given digital thieves the perfect chance to perform phishing attacks by using fake CDC or WHO emails that offer alerts on the Covid-19 updates in your region. It’s better to avoid opening such messages, clicking on similar ads, and installing tracking apps. You can easily get all the updates on official websites, without any personal data required. Working on your own device? · Make sure you are running the last updates of your operating system and software. These updates are critical for both macOS and Windows computers as they often provide security patches for known exploits. · Use a trusted antivirus software like BitDefender, Avast or a bundled security suite such as Mackeeper (which includes features such as antivirus, VPN, and antitracking) installed directly from the official website. · Turn on data encryption on your computer to prevent unauthorized access to your information. Use FileVault on Mac and BitLocker on Windows. Sharing a family computer? · Explain cybersecurity basics to your kids. In the disease control world, kids are sometimes called “super-spreaders” because they share lots of things, good and bad. The same can be true for online viruses. Remind your kids not to ignore messages from strangers, avoid opening unfamiliar links or attachments from friends, and to never download apps without your permission first.   · Use different accounts on your home computer for every member of your family. Often, all members use one account with admin rights, with the same access to everything and the same saved passwords. Create different accounts without admin rights for each member of your family. · If you do suspect you’ve been targeted with a virus or have been hacked, run a scan with your local antivirus. Most antiviruses allow you to restart the computer in a safe mode and check it. If you still have trouble, contact your computer’s technical support for help or reach out to our team. Along with social distancing, practice virtual distancing: don’t click on any links, attachments, or emails from unknown senders and be cautious with things sent from friends. And as we all relearn the importance of good old-fashioned handwashing, it’s a good time to remember that antivirus software is the best way to protect ourselves online. Alun Baker is CEO at Clario Check out our list of the best identity management software available This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

How to watch Friday Night Dinner online: stream Season 6 from anywhere Posted: 27 Mar 2020 12:51 PM PDT It's back! Madcap sitcom Friday Night Dinner returns to the screens this Friday for a much needed blast of chaotic laughs. As ever, the show centres on eccentric Jewish family the Goodmans and sons Jonny (Tom Rosenthal) and Adam (Simon Bird) traditional weekly visits to the suburban London family home for dinner with parents Jackie (Tamsin Greig) and Martin (Paul Ritter). Something inevitably goes wrong each week and dinner never gets eaten – with their weird neighbour Jim (Mark Heap) often the source of blame. Its a show that can be relied upon to deliver silly giggles - something thats much needed in these uncertain times - so read on to find out how to watch Friday Night Dinner online from pretty much anywhere in the world.  The new series brings with it a wide range of new disasters to befall the Goodman family, including Martin's ill-fated purchase by of an inexplicably awful caravan that Jackie refuses to step foot in, while hapless neighbour Jim has a grim clean up to contend with after his house is flooded with raw sewage. Tracy Ann Oberman and Rosalind Knight both reprise their roles as Aunty Val and Horrible Grandma, however one familiar face that won't be returning is Jim's dog Wilson, who passed away in the tea-jerking season 5 finale. Writer Robert Popper has promised the series will be more intense, and with Jonny and Adam both having new girlfriends, expect some even more awkward encounters between the brothers and their parents. Read on to find out how to watch Friday Night Dinner and stream the new series online from all corners of the globe. Here's how to watch The Walking Dead online How to watch Friday Night Dinner in the UK  How to watch Friday Night Dinner from outside your country Friday Night Dinner is all set to be rolled out at a time when people are desperate for something new to watch. If you're looking to get stuck in but find yourself stuck abroad in the lockdown, you might worry that you'll be unable to watch show using your normal streaming service, due to pesky geo-blocking restrictions. Fortunately, there's an easy solution. Downloading a VPN will allow you to watch Friday Night Dinner no matter where you are. This simple bit of software changes your IP address so that you can access episodes live or on demand as they become available, just as if you were lying on the couch munching your favorite takeout. How to watch Friday Night Dinner in the US Can you watch Friday Night Dinner in Australia? How about streaming Friday Night Dinner in Canada How to watch Better Call Saul season 5 This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Maze ransomware hits insurance giant Chubb Posted: 27 Mar 2020 12:28 PM PDT The Switzerland-based cybersecurity insurance provider Chubb, which helps businesses deal with data breaches, has revealed that is has fallen victim to a data breach itself. The insurance giant is currently investigating a “security incident” that involves unauthorized access to data belonging to an unnamed third party. Chubb spokesperson Jeffrey Zack told TechCrunch that the company had “no evidence” that the incident affected its own network which “remains fully operational”. SNAKE ransomware looks to encrypt an entire business network FBI: Over $140 million handed over to ransomware attackers Also check out our roundup of the best ransomware protection However, Zack did not comment further on the matter to the news outlet nor did he say if any of Chubb's customers were affected by the incident. Maze ransomware TechCrunch first learned of the breach from Brett Callow who works as a threat analyst at the security firm Emsisoft. According to Callow, the security incident was the result of a data-stealing ransomware attack launched by the Maze ransomware group. The Maze ransomware can be particularly damaging to businesses as it not only spreads across a network infecting and encrypting every computer connected to it but the ransomware also exfiltrates the data contained on those machines and sends it back to the attackers' servers. The data is then held for ransom and if an organization decides not to pay, the attackers publish all of the files Maze has obtained online. Callow also revealed that the attackers behind Chubb's security incident posted a listing on their website in which they claimed to have stolen data from the company in March. This listing appears to be legitimate as it includes the names and email addresses of three of the company's senior executives, including its CEO Evan Greenberg. As of now, the Maze ransomware group has not yet published any of the files they've stolen from Chubb but this could change if the company decides not to pay the ransom. We've also highlighted the best antivirus software Via TechCrunch This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Best WordPress themes for portfolios in 2020 Posted: 27 Mar 2020 12:08 PM PDT The days of printing your business portfolio and placing it in a cardboard folder are long since past. By placing your portfolio online you can advertise your brand by search engines, which will hugely raise your profile. It's also much easier to update your portfolio as you introduce new products or services.  One of the easiest ways to get started with your online portfolio is to use a bespoke theme for WordPress. In this guide, you’ll explore five such themes which have been created with portfolios in mind. We've also highlighted the best paid and free WordPress themes Grand Portfolio Grand Portfolio is designed to cater for those users involved in most areas of visual design. It works best for photographers, fashion designers and architects. The theme has a variety of gallery and portfolio modules. There are also choices for those interested in blogs and creating magazines. It’s useful for musicians as it has support for biographies along with event reservation support. Grand Portfolio themes can be viewed in split screen along with a full screen option for users who want to show off all their designs in their full glory. Users can utilize the infinite scroll option so that designs keep loading as you come to the end of each page. Users can customize elements color, background and typography with the built-in live customizer. Revolution Slider and iLightbox are included with the theme. These two premium themes usually cost around $34 (£25.87) each. Users gain access to the built-in ‘Content Builder’. This comes with a handy drag and drop feature.  Grand Portfolio is fully responsive. It has also passed Google’s mobile compatibility check meaning that it is SEO optimized. Users can purchase the regular license for $59 (£44.89) which includes future updates and 6-months support. An additional 12-months of support can be added for $17.63 (£13.41). Some online commentators have noted there is not a huge variety in demo layouts. You can sign up for Grand Portfolio here Kalium Kalium is designed specifically for portfolios. There are multiple styles available. Each of which can be edited with the Visual Composer, Revolution Slider and LayerSlider plugins. These are all premium plugins and usually cost around $25 (£18.8). Users can customize fonts, colors, footer styles and opt to integrate with social media. Kalium is compatible with WPML and Multilingual Plugin. It has been translated into over 16 languages. It includes support for RTL languages such as Arabic, Hebrew and Persian.  Users can customize their portfolio on the ‘Theme Option’s area. They can also choose some of the premade layouts. Users can select from over 100 portfolio types with options to align images, spacing and text options. Kalium is straight forward and easy to use. Newer users need not worry as no coding knowledge or experience is needed to start working on this theme. The theme is fully responsive and retina ready. It also comes fully documented making it simple to find the information you need to build your website. Users can purchase Kalium for $60(£49.5). This includes future updates and 6-months support. This can be extended to 12-months for an additional $18 (£14.8). At the time of writing, you can get 50% off for both regular license and additional support. You can sign up for Kalium here Portfolio Portfolio is designed by ‘MyThemeShop’. It is a multipurpose portfolio theme.  Users can use the options panel to customize their theme, make their own code edits, or design edits using the Photoshop PSD files.  These are included in the extended plan. Users can utilize the advanced portfolio filters to organize their work the way they see fit.  Users can also show as little or as much of their work as they want by controlling how many columns of images are displayed. You can also edit image sizes. Portfolio comes with more than 600 Google Fonts. Social media integration is also included. There are unlimited color, background and sidebars options. Users can also customize widgets for their page.  The theme is translation ready and supports RTL. The main source of support is through the theme’s forum. If an answer can’t be found, email support is also available. Portfolio can be purchased for $45 (£34.23) and is SEO ready, speed optimized and responsive. The company also offer a 30-day money back guarantee. You can sign up for Portfolio here Furion Furion is a portfolio theme which will display your work with a stylish twist. The theme includes several different portfolio layouts. These include grid and masonry with different column choices along with six hover animation styles. Each item on your chosen page includes 6 layouts, options to display gallery images in a slider, a media gallery and sticky information. Furion uses over 600 icons in Font Awesome along with the latest Google Fonts. The theme is also fully compatible with plugins such as Yoast which will help boost your SEO Support is available through a ticket system along with full documentation. Furion is also fully responsive so it will look just as good on your tablet or smartphone as it does on your desktop. Users can build responsive pages with no need for coding with Visual Composer. Furion is fully integrated with Slider Revolution. This means users with no experience will be able to create beautiful presentations. Users can purchase a regular license for $33 (£24.8) which includes future updates. Online commentators have noted that support can be slow to respond to tickets. You can sign up for Furion here Collective Collective is best suited for graphic designers, architects, photographers, interior designers and web designers. There are many homepage designs available. Most of these can be viewed in fullscreen and include descriptive overlay and vertical sliders.  Users can customize their forms with Contact Form 7. There is a collection of four sets of icons with over 2000 available to users.  Collective is fully responsive and translation ready. It is also fully compatible with WooCommerce. Widgets can be used on sidebars, footers and through WooCommerce. Users can customize their page with the page builder included with the theme. There are four demos and over 12 layouts available. Users can access page templates and a huge variety of portfolio layouts.  Users can purchase Collective for $39 (£30.2) which includes future updates and 6 months support. Support can be extended to 12-months for a further $10.13 (£8). There’s also a live demo. You can sign up for Collective here Top Image Credit: Collective We've also highlighted the best website hosting services This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

These cheap Xbox One deals offer the perfect boredom breakers this weekend Posted: 27 Mar 2020 12:07 PM PDT Cheap Xbox One deals are the perfect way to break the boredom, and you can pick up a console for far less this weekend thanks to these excellent Xbox One S All Digital Edition prices. At full price, this console offers little competitive advantage over the full system, but at these discounts, it's well worth picking up - especially if you don't want to commit to the more expensive models.  US Xbox One deals are starting at just $169.99 this weekend, a fantastic $80 price reduction on the three-game Digital Edition bundle. On the other side of the water, the UK is also enjoying discounts on the download-only console, with a £50 saving bringing prices down to £149 right now. This console is digital-only, which means there's no disk drive for physical games. If you're just looking for quick, cheap entertainment out of these Xbox One deals, this represents a fantastic opportunity to get playing for less. That's especially true thanks to these Xbox Game Pass sales as well.  If you think you're going to be in it for the long haul, however, and want to save on second-hand games in the future you might want to check out the latest Xbox One prices we've found from across the web. We're rounding up some of our favorites further down the page as well.  Shop all cheap Xbox One games here on TechRadar Today's best Xbox One deals and sales More Xbox One deals  We're keeping an eye on all the latest Xbox One deals and sales right here on TechRadar, but if you're after more Live Gold deals we've got you covered as well. We're even tracking Xbox One controller prices across the web too.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Best website builders for portfolios of 2020 Posted: 27 Mar 2020 12:00 PM PDT Creating a new website is a lot easier than it used to be – rather than learning HTML and CSS, you can just click and drag with your mouse and have something very professional-looking on the internet in minutes. The wealth of website builders means you've got a great selection of tools to choose from, but it can be difficult to pick out the best from a crowd of so many. To help you narrow down your choice, we've picked five website makers that are particularly well-suited to portfolio work and offer a good balance of price points and features. The best free website builder of 2020 The best website hosting services for 2020 All of these site builders offer simple ways of customizing your pages once they're online, so you can regularly change the look of your work, and make sure your talents are always being well promoted on the web. Weebly Weebly was first set up with the intention of making it easy to set up a portfolio of work online, and those origins stand it in good stead today, even as it has broadened its horizons to become more of a general website builder. If you don't mind a Weebly subdomain, some ads on your site, and a limit of 500MB storage, you can actually use it for free. While the choice of themes is relatively small, they're all fully customizable, and they all work on any size of screen, automatically reformatting to suit the display dimensions. Weebly has one of the most elegant and user-friendly website editor interfaces we've seen, so you can tweak your portfolio in exactly the way you want. One of the many areas where Weebly excels is in the way it calmly handles a lot of technical stuff quietly in the background: it gives you enhanced SSL security by default, and (on the paid options) advanced analytics for your website, plus the option to transfer over a domain name. If you want to get up and running quickly, would like to spend some – but not a lot – of time customizing your site, and need something that's going to be reliable and comprehensive, Weebly fits the bill. The fact that you can get started for free to see if you like it is an added bonus. Sign up for Weebly for free or from £3.9/$5 a month Cargo There's a lot that appeals to us about the website builder Cargo: the unconventional and varied choice of templates, the intuitive page tweaking interface you can edit them with, and the way that you can build up an entire site without paying a penny (you won't be charged until the site goes live). It's certainly got more of an edge than other comparable website builders, which might be good or bad depending on what you're looking for. The templates available are all eye-catching and bold, and will work best for people wanting to stand out from the crowd, whether that's with photography or writing. Every template is responsive and works on a variety of screens, while Cargo also offers some cool animated image effects you can play around with too. On top of that, the site builder is to be commended for its wide choice of fonts as well, plus, even more fonts are being added from time to time. Besides all of the features on the surface – including an online template editor that hits a nice balance between simplicity and customization – you get 6GB of image cloud storage, unlimited pages, unlimited bandwidth, the option to transfer over a domain name if you need to, and a ton of help and support (including tutorial videos). Sign up for Cargo from $8.25 (about £6.25) a month, free trial available IM Creator Built on the latest HTML5 technology and with useful extras like e-commerce and domain name support included, IM Creator is going to be too advanced and in-depth for some, but will suit other portfolio builders perfectly. That's not to say it's difficult to use – there's just more going on. You don't need to know a shred of code to get started, there are plenty of different themes and looks to choose from, and we like the way the themes are already pre-populated with content. That means you can just edit the sample material that's already there rather than starting from scratch, which can be more daunting. If you want to go deeper into your website building and customizations, then IM Creator makes this possible. The site editor includes a variety of gallery and slideshow options, plus image effects to drop over your uploaded pictures, and the option to change everything from the fonts used to the page margins. We'd recommend IM Creator if you're looking to stand out from the pack – it has a wide choice of templates and some detailed editing options too. On the other hand, it does need a bit more of a time and effort investment than other site builders. Sign up for IM Creator from $8 (about £6) per month Krop Krop is a creative jobs site and a portfolio builder rolled into one, so you know that its services are trusted by people in the same industry as you (or the same industry that you're trying to break into). What's more, its template options are some of the most well-designed that we've seen. The website builder ticks all of the boxes that you should be looking for. Setting a site up is quick and easy, you can register a custom domain if you want to, and making tweaks to the design and layout of your pages is very straightforward too. On top of that, you get neat extras like Dropbox and Instagram syncing, and Google Analytics integration. If you do know some CSS, then you can take more control over the way your site is designed. If not, you can just use the simple site editor instead – picking colors and fonts is as easy as clicking on a side panel. Those of you who are looking to get a gig at the same time as building your website can of course switch straight over to the job section of the Krop site to find work – there are some big-name employers on the portal. You can try out the service with a free 14-day trial. Sign up for Krop from $8.25 (about £6.25) a month, free trial available Adobe Portfolio Considering Adobe makes some of the best creative software in the business, you would hope it knows what it's doing in terms of displaying portfolios on the web – and we're glad to report that is indeed the case. This is slightly different to the other services we've mentioned here, because it's a free add-on to the Creative Cloud suite developed by Adobe. If you don't already pay for the programs then Portfolio is unlikely to tempt you to part with your cash, but if you are a CC subscriber, it's worth looking at this before venturing anywhere else. While it doesn't offer as many customization and layout options as some of the other site builders we've mentioned here (although, the popular feature request - video backgrounds, has been added), Adobe Portfolio does make the process of getting your work online simple and fun. Of course there's also the tight integration with Adobe's apps, so you can easily share your work straight from Lightroom to the web. You can also purchase and connect a domain if you wish. Pages are optimized for any device and certain ones can be password-protected if needed, and there's also the option to bring over a domain name you already own. For a simple portfolio maker that plugs right into the apps you already use (assuming that's the case), it's ideal. Sign up for Portfolio and Adobe CC from £9.98/$9.99 a month Check out the best website hosting services This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Best website builder for musicians in 2020 Posted: 27 Mar 2020 11:40 AM PDT A host of different services will now let you put a website online, quickly and easily, no coding skills required – but if you're looking for something to show off your talents as a musician then you need a more specific set of features. Primarily, a way of uploading and sharing your tunes in a simple and secure way, even if it's just snippets of songs rather than whole tracks or indeed albums. If you're a musician for hire then it can be useful to have some kind of booking system in place as well, or at least a contact form. On top of that, there are all the extras you might be interested in, like support for your own domain name or gallery pages to show just how many people came to your last gig. Here are our picks for the best website builder for musicians to create a presence online. We’ve also picked out the best website builder for photographers Bandzoogle You won't find too many website builder services aimed specifically at musicians, but Bandzoogle gleefully jumps in to provide a bespoke service specifically for bands and artists. While it lacks some of the polish of the big names, because it focuses on the musician niche in particular, it has everything you should need. That includes, of course, the ability to upload your own tracks and let visitors stream them from your website. You can get tracks organized into entire albums if you really want to go to town, or just share (or even sell) single tracks. And then, as well as that, you've got simple ways to post gig dates, blog updates, and so on. Whether you need to build a contact form or a video diary, Bandzoogle makes it easy, no coding required – you can really make a site that's as simple or as complex as you like, and the end result is something that looks like you hired a specialist. You've got over 100 themes to choose from (there is even one for crowdfunding), they're all straightforward to edit and tweak, and connecting up social accounts (including the likes of SoundCloud and Bandcamp) only takes a few clicks as well. As an added bonus, you can sell fan subscription, merchandise and tickets right through Bandzoogle as well. You can sign up for Bandzoogle here Wix Check out any list of website builders for any purpose and Wix is likely to feature on it, but not only does this service earn that high reputation, it also has some useful tools for musicians – not least the ability to upload your own tracks so visitors to your website can listen to them without any extra software or browser extensions. Platforms that you're probably already using, like Bandsintown and Songkick, can plug directly into your Wix site: you can set up integrations like these in just a few clicks. What's more, you can add on an e-commerce portal to your site, for the purposes of shifting albums, T-shirts, or whatever else you need to sell. Wix has a very solid selection of templates, with more than 500 to choose from, and if you delve into the music section you'll see there are options for solo artists, bands, DJs, producers, or anyone else connected to the industry. Have a click around these templates to see the kind of sites it's possible to create. After that you've got all the features Wix has become known for: a site editor that's a breeze to use whether or not you know what CSS stands for, custom domain name support, easy blogging and simple social media support, and a free tier that lets you work out whether Wix is for you before you part with any cash. You can sign up for Wix here Music Glue Music Glue is a little different to the other website builder services we've featured here: it focuses first and foremost on the merchandise and ticketing aspects of the music business, and indeed powers the online stores for some of the biggest names in the industry. Its pricing system is unusual too, taking a 10% cut of whatever you sell rather than a flat fee. That does at least mean you won't be out of pocket if your online marketplace doesn't attract much attention to begin with. There are no additional fees for payment processing, and customers can rock up with debit or credit cards, or PayPal. Music Glue is less impressive on the website building side, although you do get the basics – a choice of themes for the site attached to your online shop, the option to bring over your own custom domain name, tools for tweaking the code and layout of your site, and so on. It's possible to plug in social media accounts and even set up a mailing list. If your priority is the mechanics of selling music and tickets to your audience, then Music Glue is a good bet, and has some very famous clients on its books, as we mentioned. If you don't really have anything to sell right now and want to spend more time fiddling with a site design and layout, then maybe look elsewhere. You can sign up for Music Glue here Difymusic French site builder Difymusic isn't the most well-known service out there, and doesn't have the same breadth of tools and features as some of the big names – but where it really comes into its own is in getting your music online quickly and easily. If you'd rather just get your stuff up quickly with a few pictures and links, rather than spend ages choosing a theme and editing HTML, Difymusic could be for you. It relies on plug-ins – like Spotify or SoundCloud for getting your music up, for example – but it supports an awful lot of them, so you're bound to find something that works. If you want to sell merch and tickets, then you can pay to add that on your main site, with a one-time €9.99 setup fee (about £9 or $12) and then 5% commission based on sales, but the basics are free. Connect up your Facebook page and your YouTube channel and you're good to go in just a few minutes. Admittedly the choice of templates and editing options aren't very strong, but the designs you can play around with are decent enough, and certainly won't put anyone off your music. Difymusic lets you get started quickly, and scale up as required. You can sign up for Difymusic here Tumblr Tumblr isn't a website builder in the conventional sense – it's more of a half blogging, half social media platform – but if you take a longer look at what Tumblr has to offer, it's actual very appealing for musicians. For one thing, it's completely free to use, plus it already attracts a busy community of creatives. You can post up to one 10MB MP3 file every day, as well as links, text posts, videos, photos and more. Those MP3s appear as streamable files for visitors to your site – they can listen to the tunes in their browser, no plug-ins or extra software required, so it's a great way of showcasing your talents without paying anything. If Tumblr was simply a blogging platform and that was it, we probably wouldn't recommend the service, but it also supports pages alongside your blog (for a gallery or a contact form), custom domain names (so you can pay extra for whatever URL name you like), and posting from mobile apps too. On top of all that there are a host of themes to choose from, some of which cost money, but many are free, and a lot of them would suit a musician's portfolio. If the theme isn't exactly to your liking, you can tweak it with the integrated options or your own CSS, and switching between themes whenever you like is simple, too. You can join Tumblr here Check out the best web hosting services This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

OnePlus 8 official render leaks show clearest view of the budget flagship yet Posted: 27 Mar 2020 11:25 AM PDT We’ve finally gotten a good look at the standard OnePlus 8 thanks to a leak, and it appears just like the previous non-Pro models: packing most of the features as its pricier sibling, but will likely be on the cheaper end of ‘budget flagship’ territory. The images come courtesy of noted leaker @OnLeaks in partnership with tech site Pigtou, accompanied by spec details aligning with rumors we’d heard before: the standard OnePlus 8 will supposedly pack a 6.55-inch display with a 90Hz refresh rate, a Snapdragon 865 chipset (and subsequently, 5G connectivity) and come in either 8GB RAM/128GB storage or 12GB RAM/256GB storage.  OnePlus 8: all we know about OnePlus' new phone Best phones: where the OnePlus 8 could rank Best Android phones: the OnePlus 8 might be the budget answer The three cameras on the back are alleged to include a 48MP f/1.8 main shooter, with a 16MP ultra-wide lens and 2MP macro lens. The front-facing camera clocks in at 16MP, per the new leak; the phone will also have a 4,300mAh battery and use OnePlus’ 30W Warp Charge fast charging. A clearer picture of the affordable sibling All this info aligns with details we’d heard in a separate OnePlus 8 leak earlier this week, giving us a clearer idea of what the more affordable model will pack compared to its assuredly pricier sibling. Nearly all the early leaks explored the OnePlus 8 Pro, leaving us a bit unsure which features would be coming in both and which would be reserved for the top model.  From what we’ve gathered – by which we mean, what most leaks agree upon – the standard OnePlus 8 will have a 6.55-inch display, while the Pro will have 6.67-inch screen. Both seem to have ditched the OnePlus 7’s pop-up selfie camera and opted instead for a punch-hole in the top-left corners of their displays. Other leaks suggest the OnePlus 8 Pro might get a 60MP main camera instead, while additional lenses alongside the camera bump might be time-of-flight depth sensors. The front-facing camera might be bumped up to 32MP, too. And now for official news: always-on displays are coming Apropos of probably nothing, OnePlus tweeted that it's finally bringing an always-on display to its phones – but didn’t say when, or which devices will be getting the feature. The one thing we know? It’s on the Oxygen OS Product Team’s roadmap.  Perhaps it will be included in the new OnePlus 8 line, which is expected to launch in mid-April, or perhaps it will have a wider release via a software update. It seems like a simple option to add at the end of the typical screen shut off times, but there may be more to balance with display and operating system concerns. Via Android Authority The Motorola Edge Plus: check out all we know about a potential OnePlus 8 competitor This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Castlevania season 4 on Netflix is confirmed and the show will return Posted: 27 Mar 2020 11:17 AM PDT Castlevania is probably the best screen adaptation of a game ever, and one of the best Netflix shows to date. With gorgeously-animated action scenes, as well as sharp dialogue and characterization from writer and show creator Warren Ellis, we now know season 4 is official. Netflix confirmed the show was picked up again on March 27 2020. Season 3 leaves plenty to be picked up next year – even if the show ended on a pretty unhappy note for everyone, particularly Trevor Belmont and Hector.  Below, here's everything we know about Castlevania season 4 so far, including its return on Netflix, what producers have said about the future of the show, and where we think the story will take us next.  Best anime, including Castlevania The Witcher season 2: what we know The best horror movies Castlevania season 4 is official on Netflix Castlevania season 4 has been confirmed by Netflix. Check the tweet out above for the announcement. Netflix's fast renewals may be down to animated shows requiring a long lead time for production purposes, especially as each successive season of Castlevania has been longer than the last.  The show remains popular – on season 3's launch day, it was top 5, as star Richard Armitage shared on Twitter.   It won't necessarily slow down production of season 4, but in an interview with Collider, writer Warren Ellis explained he's currently working with Castlevania's executive producer Kevin Kolde on a Netflix animated series called Heaven's Forest. Ellis calls it a "cultural remix of the Ramayana".  While Castlevania will return, then, it seems likely this other project will come first. Netflix ordered eight episodes of Heaven's Forest back in October 2019.  Castlevania season 4: what the producers have said about it In an interview with Collider, writer Warren Ellis and executive producer Kevin Kolde were asked about the future of the show. "I'm not sure where we can go, to be honest with you, in terms of our answer," Kolde says. "At the end of Season 3, [the story is] at a very different place than you think it’s going to be. Season 3 sort of starts with new hope, new beginning, and you think everything's going to be great and happy, and then Warren pulls the rug out from under you, and it goes to shit. So look, there's definitely unfinished business and unfinished stories that I think we could easily [continue.]" It's clear from the finale that there are more stories to be told with these characters.  Ellis added his thoughts on the show's status quo at the end of season 3. "Yeah, it doesn't necessarily end happily, but it feels kind of truthful to the situation that was instigated at the top of season one. These things have happened in the world, they don't go away. There is no reset. It's not like everyone is going to forget about vampires, night creatures, and magic. And these things are now off the leash and reveling to some extent, in the chaos." Castlevania season 4: what will happen next?  Castlevania season 3 ends fairly miserably for most of the central cast, with a few threads left to be picked up for season 4 (spoilers obviously ahead).  In the final moments of episode 10, Alucard retreats into his castle, much like "dear old dad" Dracula, leaving the dead bodies of friends-turned-betrayers Taka and Sumi outside to ward off visitors – with an uneasy sense that this ally may be pushed down a darker path than we hoped. Trevor and Sypha manage to close the Infinite Corridor, and prevent Dracula (Adrian Tepes) from returning to Earth, and even help character Count St Germain enter the portal to search for his long-lost... person of interest. But with a burned-down village and some monstrous secrets behind them, Trevor and Sypha are far from their happy selves we saw at the start of the season. Hector, meanwhile, is enslaved by Lenore – he's now her "pet", as she puts it. The finale makes it clear that any night creatures made by Hector will obey him, and therefore Carmilla's court, giving them a lot of power going forwards. It's a very dark ending for the character, without much sense of an easy escape from the situation. Fellow forgemaster Isaac's arc ends on a more positive note, with hope for his future and a small hint that his aims may have changed from destruction of the human race to something more redemptive, or constructive – even if he's going to be using an undead army and spilling a lot of blood along the way. All of this should play into Castlevania season 4, now that the show has been renewed. How to read The Witcher books in order This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Where to buy a Nintendo Switch: when will stock return? Posted: 27 Mar 2020 11:13 AM PDT If you've been searching for a Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch Lite recently, you've probably noticed something important: these consoles are selling out everywhere. It's leading to inflated prices by third-party sellers, and in the midst of this, Nintendo's share price has been climbing rapidly. Everyone wants one of these consoles, and it's no surprise: they're rad as heck, with a world-beating selection of games to play. Below, we've gone into the reasons why the Switch is selling out for context, and provided our predictions for when it'll be back in stock based on our past experiences of covering the console during peak sales periods. Plus, we'll also let you know where to buy a Nintendo Switch once that stock does return, and highlight any current Switch or Switch Lite stock we can find. Check out our Nintendo Switch bundles and deals page for an around-the-clock update on how the console's supplies are doing, but you're much more likely to find a Switch Lite out there right now than the base Switch.  The best Nintendo Switch games Where to buy Nintendo Switch now - last remaining stock If you're looking for the full, dockable Nintendo Switch console in the US, UK and Australia, you may have a little longer to wait. Stock has completely dried up.  However, if you're looking for where to buy a handheld-only Nintendo Switch Lite, you may be in more luck. There's still a smattering of stock across the US, UK and Australia for you to take advantage of.  Why is the Nintendo Switch selling out? It's a combination of a few factors: the global pandemic has led to a rush of people buying the console to fill their hours indoors, which isn't surprising. At the same time, Animal Crossing: New Horizons has released, a long-awaited game and a massive crossover hit that's captured the imaginations of a wider, mainstream audience. The Switch has been regularly selling out for a while now. This has just exacerbated the issue.  In addition, back in February, Bloomberg posted a report warning that a potential bottleneck with component supplies coming out of China (caused by coronavirus) would see stock dry up as soon as April. If the reasoning mentioned in that report was correct, it looks like they were pretty on the money with the timing, except stock looks like it'll be gone even faster than that.  "Nintendo Switch hardware is selling out at various retail locations in the US, but more systems are on the way. We apologize for any inconvenience," is what Nintendo told THR in a statement. So, more stock is on the way. But when will you you be able to buy a Nintendo Switch? When will the Nintendo Switch be back in stock? Assuming supply chains are functioning normally, our prediction is it could take around a month for stock to return. What are we basing this on? Well, in the UK last year, the Switch sold out during the Christmas period, and it took until late January for stock to be replenished at every major retailer.  Another reference point in the US: Amazon's last remaining Switch Lite model you can pre-order at the time of writing has an in-stock date of May 7, 2020. That doesn't seem unlikely as a realistic date that we could see wider stock for that particular unit. That said, it's possible Nintendo is taking other measures to meet the unprecedented demand, and we could see consoles arrive a bit sooner. We'll have to wait and see.  Again, these are just predictions, but you can be guaranteed that when the Switch does come back, folks will be rushing to claim the new consoles. It's very likely to sell out again.  In the meantime, our advice is to avoid being gouged by third-party sellers who are inflating the price. $299.99/£279.99/AU$469 is the MSRP/RRP for the regular Switch, while $199.99/£199.99/AU$329 is the price for the Switch Lite. Paying above that isn't worth it unless you're picking up a bundle with games and accessories.  Where to buy Nintendo Switch when stock returns As soon as those consoles hit that warehouse, retailers are going to want to get them on the shelves. And you can bet they'll be flying into delivery trucks just as quickly. If you hear word that the Nintendo Switch is back in stock in the US, Amazon and Walmart will be your best bet.  With massive warehouse inventories, speedy delivery, and quick checkout processes, these retailers are primed to pick up your Nintendo Switch order ahead of the queue. Plus, in all our time covering Nintendo Switch bundle deals, these stores have consistently won out in value, meaning you're more likely to grab some extras for your cash.  In the UK, Currys and Game are likely to offer the first bundles of the pack, though don't underestimate the power of Argos same day delivery if you want your console now. We'll likely see the best prices come out of Currys, who are normally reluctant to increase the cost of the console as demand reaches its peak, and if you're looking for the fastest checkout times to secure yours before everyone else, you'll want to keep an eye on Amazon as well. If stock has already been wiped clean at these retailers by the time you get there, you'll still be left wondering where to buy a Nintendo Switch. Luckily, plenty of non-tech retailers stock the Nintendo Switch as well, so you'll have luck with John Lewis, Jacamo and Studio among others. In Australia, Amazon is likely your best bet, though it's worth keeping an eye on other online stores, such as Kogan and eBay. Big retailers such as JB Hi-Fi and Big W are also likely to receive new stock, and game retailers such as EB Games and The Gamesmen are also expected to get more units soon. Don't leave yourself wondering where to buy a Nintendo Switch on the day, get prepped now and you have every chance of bagging one when the masses flock to the shelves. Right now, you're more likely to find a Switch Lite than you are a regular Switch, but stock is still selling out fast. Here's a quick price comparison chart for the Switch Lite: And here, you'll find a quick price comparison chart for the Switch itself.  We'll keep you updated on the Switch's stock levels.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Noise Cancelling podcast episode 4: Huawei P40, PS5 and extortionate webcams Posted: 27 Mar 2020 10:42 AM PDT The Noise Cancelling podcast is back for its fourth episode, and if you somehow missed it in previous weeks, here's a proper recap on our new weekly show. Noise Cancelling is your listen into the world of tech, giving you the info you need to know about what's happening in technology. This new podcast isn't just from TechRadar though as it includes our colleagues from sister sites Laptop Mag and Tom's Guide. It's presented by Gareth Beavis (Global Editor in Chief of TechRadar) and features Sherri L. Smith (Editor in Chief of Laptop Mag), as well as TechRadar's Vic Hood and the irrepressible James Peckham. Week four: $170 webcams Our fourth episode of Noise Cancelling features chat on the newly announced Huawei P40 family and the Nokia 8.3 5G. Plus we dive into the labs where we take a look at the new iPad Pro as well as compare the new MacBook Air with the Dell XPS 13. Unpopular opinions this week is all about webcams and how you will struggle to find one... but you may be able to find one particular model for a whopping $150. Listen to the episode below to find out why you may want one. All this and more on the all-new Noise Cancelling podcast - subscribe on Spotify, grab it on Apple podcasts or find us wherever you get your pods. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Google sent out thousands of warnings about nation-state attacks Posted: 27 Mar 2020 10:22 AM PDT Last year Google's Threat Analysis Group (TAG) sent out almost 40,000 warnings to users whose accounts were targeted by government-backed phishing or malware attempts. TAG works to counter targeted and government-backed hacking against the search giant and its users. While 40,000 warnings may seem like a lot, this figure actually represents almost a 25 percent drop in the number of warnings Google sent out in 2018. The company credits its Advanced Protection Program (APP) as well as the fact that attackers' efforts have slowed and they're more deliberate in their hacking attempts as reasons behind the decline in warnings sent out last year. Google is getting back to work on Chrome updates New Android zero-day affects millions of devices Fake HIV results disguised phishing scam After reviewing the phishing attempts that occurred since the beginning of this year, Google revealed that it has seen a rising number of attackers, including those from Iran and North Korea, impersonating news outlets or journalists. Often times an attacker will impersonate a journalist to seed false stories with other reporters in an effort to spread disinformation while in other cases attackers send several emails to build rapport with a journalist before sending a malicious attachment in a follow up email. Tracking zero-day vulnerabilities Zero day vulnerabilities are unknown software flaws that can be exploited by attackers until they're identified and  fixed. TAG actively hunts for these types of attacks because they are particularly dangerous and have a high rate of success. In 2019 alone, TAG discovered zero-day vulnerabilities in a number of platforms and software including Android, Chrome, iOS, Internet Explorer and Windows. Recently the group was acknowledged for identifying a remote code execution vulnerability in Internet Explorer tracked as CVE-2020-0674. Last year, TAG discovered that a single threat actor was leveraging five different zero-day vulnerabilities which is quite rare to do in a relatively short time frame. The exploits were delivered using compromised legitimate websites, links to malicious websites and email attachments sent in spear phishing campaigns. The majority of targets in these attacks were either from North Korea or individuals who worked on North Korea-related issues.  Security engineering manager of Google's TAG, Toni Gidwani explained in a blog post that the group will continue tracking bad actors and sharing the information it uncovers, saying: “Our Threat Analyst Group will continue to identify bad actors and share relevant information with others in the industry. Our goal is to bring awareness to these issues to protect you and fight bad actors to prevent future attacks. In a future update, we’ll provide details on attackers using lures related to COVID-19 and expected behavior we’re observing (all within the normal range of attacker activity)” Also check out our roundup of the best antivirus software This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

How to watch Contagion: stream the movie online anywhere Posted: 27 Mar 2020 09:17 AM PDT Surely there's nothing more natural than wanting to watch a movie about a pandemic during a pandemic? As the coronavirus sees the world lock itself down in full, and people self-isolate at home for fear of contracting or spreading Covid-19, here's how the truly thick-skinned can watch Contagion online - all your streaming options for the film are explained below, so you can uncomfortably blur the lines between fact and fiction from anywhere in the world. The 2011 film was directed by Steven Soderbergh, who's also behind other A-grade movies like Traffic and Erin Brockovich. It features a star-studded cast including perennial red carpet hoggers Marion Cotillard, Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Winslet.  We'd broadly class it as a thriller, one which juggles several cleverly interwoven plot lines to see a pandemic and its effects through the eyes of medical professionals, politicians and members of the public. Real-world inspirations for the film include the 2003 SARS epidemic and 2009 Swine Flu outbreak. Contagion was lauded by critics for its character portrayals, and also by health experts for its scientific accuracy - screenwriter Scott Z. Burns having consulted with members of the World Health Organization as part of the production process. It also fared well at the box office, grossing $135 million commercially after premiering at the Venice Film Festival.  Got nice in your veins? Read on to learn about all the online Contagion streaming options you need to watch the movie wherever you are during these unprecedented times. Like Contagion? Check out our guide to all the best pandemic movies Is Contagion on Netflix right now? Unfortunately, Contagion is not currently available to stream on Netflix in many countries, but there are plenty of great Netflix movies you can watch while self-isolating - including Outbreak, a 1995 medical disaster film that should provide equally uncomfortable viewing right now.  One exception is Netflix Canada, which does feature the movie in its line-up and lets you watch Contagion online or on your TV if you subscribe to the service. For Canadian Netflix subscribers still abroad, you need not fear, as downloading a VPN allows you to use the service just like you back home. We'll explain how all that works in more detail below. Got kids? Here's how to watch Onward right now How to watch Contagion from outside your country Hopefully, most people are safely at home and following their government guidance on social interaction during these difficult times. However, if you do find yourself out of your country for whatever reason, you'll likely be desperate to access the streaming services you normally use at home. You may not be able to, though, because of geo-blocking restrictions. Fortunately, there's an easy solution. Downloading a VPN will allow you to watch Contagion no matter where you are. This simple bit of software changes your IP address so that you can keep streaming movies and TV shows from all over the world. Something less serious? Why not watch Emma online instead? How to watch Contagion: streaming options for the US Superhero fan? Find out how to watch Bloodshot online Watch Contagion online: UK streaming options How to watch Contagion in Australia right now After another thriller? Here's how to watch The Invisible Man  How to watch Contagion online in Canada for free How to watch Better Call Saul season 5 This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Best single-player games 2020: the top games for playing solo on console and PC Posted: 27 Mar 2020 09:15 AM PDT Looking for the best single-player games available right now? Then you're in the right place.  It seems bizarre to consider that just a few short years ago many big publishers were writing off the notion of single-player games. Despite the push towards multiplayer shooters, live-service games, and then battle royale titles, quality single-player titles have been popping up all over the place. In the last few years, the best single-player games have dominated with fresh narrative and technical frontiers, which is why we’ve rounded up the best single-player games on offer right now.  Whether you're playing on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, or PC, there should be something here for you. So draw your curtains, unplug your phone, and prepare to jump into entire worlds built to entertain. The cheapest Nintendo Switch bundle deals and prices The best Xbox One prices, bundles, sales and deals The best PS4 prices, bundles, and deals The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt  Four years after its release, millions of gamers are still carrying on their solemn journeys across the war-ravaged low-fantasy world of The Witcher 3. It remains to be the apex of video game storytelling. Everything – from side-quests with lowly peasants to political tinkering of lords and barons – seems to be treated to the same degree of love and attention from the writers. This is the game that made surly, concrete-voiced hero Geralt of Rivia an icon (and soon to be star of a Witcher Netflix show). The world is not just astounding in terms of topographical scale and variety, but also impressive in its sense of history and life, as it seems that every village, castle ruins and cave has a story to tell.  The fact that The Witcher 3 remains as remarkable an experience today as it was when it first came out is proof of its groundbreaking role in the medium. Resident Evil 2 Remake A remake of one of the great survival horror games can be a poisoned chalice, but Capcom succeeded in creating a magnum opus both within the series and among all video game remakes. Like the original, Resident Evil 2 Remake has two coinciding campaigns as Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield. While it follows the narrative beats of the original game, it’s also an archetype of modern level design, as you solve puzzles and open up shortcuts around the maze-y Raccoon City Police Department.  Each zombie is a bullet sponge and mortal threat, resources are hardly adequate, and an unkillable blue man dressed like a hard-boiled detective marches after you through much of the game. Remake or not, this is one of the best horror games to date. Celeste The makers of Towerfall, one of the greatest couch multiplayer games around, took some of the game’s best mechanics and transformed them into a winning 2D platformer about climbing a mountain.  The core mechanic is the ability to rush in eight directions, but as you progress, you’ll find yourself confronting a constant and growing trickle of different obstacles and challenges. Ultimately, Celeste amounts to a tough old time. Many levels can be played through in different iterations, and all that finger-cramping platforming is wrapped in a touching story about friendship and tribulation. Celeste feels as significant and seismic for the modern 2D platformer as Super Meat Boy was when it came out a decade ago. Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey  Taking a year off in 2016 to rethink the Assassin’s Creed series was a clever move by Ubisoft, because with Odyssey that decision really paid off. Looking to RPGs for inspiration, it’s an inconceivably large open-world adventure set in the scorched azure idyll of the Hellenic peninsula. It’s not just the backdrop and gloriously recreated Greek architecture that make Odyssey such a joy. It’s also in the way Alexios and Kassandra’s story weaves through history and myth, and in how it enhanced certain systems - like ship-sailing and level-based enemies - from earlier titles. Some will balk that it’s no longer the cloak-and-dagger assassin game the series is known for, but the reality is, it’s now become so much more. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild The game that helped the Switch sell bucketloads, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is still played regularly by fans even today – three years on from release. Setting players loose as longtime protagonist Link in a beautifully realized (and ruined) Hyrule, Breath of the Wild is the first truly open-world Zelda title and takes some cues from The Elder Scrolls franchise. Rolling plains, puzzle-filled shrines, and dense forests are there to be explored, while combat slowly reveals its impressive nuance after some tough early skirmishes. With crazy physics that allow for new solutions to each problem, Breath of the Wild is the gift that keeps on giving. Total War: Warhammer 2 While the Total War series stagnated with Rome 2, Creative Assembly made up for it by taking on for its next project one of the most inspired possible fusions of videogame genre and IP: epic-scale strategy and Warhammer. Total War: Warhammer 2 embraces the asymmetry of its source material, with each faction offering a distinctive tactical and narrative experience. If you also own Total War: Warhammer 1, all the major factions of the vibrant grimdark world are represented in the sequel.  Skaven lurk in city ruins and skurry through an underworld, Vampire Coast pirates embark on treasure hunts, and Dwarves hunker down behind heavy armour, ready to fight any infantry charge. Each campaign lasts dozens of hours, delivering endless clashes between the most well-crafted, inventive armies seen in a strategy game. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Sekiro is a tense, tough, and visually striking samurai game set in a more mythical feudal Japan, and it's one of the best single-player games you can buy. If you’ve played Dark Souls or Bloodborne, you’ll know what awaits, and already have an idea of whether its unforgiving style is for you or not. Some see the severe combat as sadistic, others see it as a highly challenging, high rewarding experience that has no equal. Whichever way you lean, you can’t question the meticulousness of Sekiro’s mechanics. Where Sekiro differs from its spiritual predecessors is that it’s less obtuse, with a linear, articulate narrative and the addition of more mainstream action-game elements.  You leap around vertically oriented levels in quest of shortcuts and secrets, while combat is about finding the right angle and timing for that legendary killing katana blow. It’s never easy to land, but once you start doing so consistently, you begin to understand what all that suffering is for. Red Dead Redemption 2 Rockstar’s latest might not be to everyone’s tastes, slowing the breakneck pace of the developers Grand Theft Auto series to a comparative crawl, but it’s one of the best single-player games available right now. Red Dead Redemption 2 offers a prequel to the original game, telling the story of Arthur Morgan, a member of the notorious Van Der Linde gang at the tail-end of the Wild West. A bad man looking to make amends for his many transgressions, Arthur’s narrative lacks immediacy but weaves itself through one of gaming’s most detailed open worlds with true artistry. Then there’s the animations, the sound, the little details, and the supporting cast of loveable (and not so loveable) rogues. An unmissable experience. Marvel's Spider-Man Taking one of the world’s most iconic characters and handing the reins to one of the most consistent developers in gaming turned out to be a match made in heaven for PlayStation fans. Telling an (excellent) original tale in a non-MCU Spider-Verse, Marvel’s Spider-Man is anchored by fantastic performances from Yuri Lowenthal and Laura Bailey as Peter Parker and Mary Jane. That’s to say nothing of new versions of the Wallcrawler’s rogues gallery and surprising relationships explored with longstanding characters. Thankfully, the gameplay is more than up to snuff, too. Combat is kinetic, exciting, and rewarding, and swinging from building to building to traverse a stunning recreation of New York is like something from our childhood dreams. What Remains of Edith Finch A breath of fresh air from the big-money behemoths that dominate this best single-player games list, Edith Finch is so poignant and exquisitely crafted that it will soften the hearts of even the most resolute walking-simulator naysayers. As the titular character, you meander about in her sizeable but recently abandoned family home set on a haunting, crepuscular island in Washington State. You explore the richly detailed house, visiting the still-furnished rooms of each family member where you get swept up in the dreamy haze of surreal vignettes that show you how they died. It’s a meditative game about piecing together the story of a family that seems to be afflicted by a merciless curse. Edith Finch is the kind of thematically heavy, highly curated experience that doesn’t seem to be quite done justice by the word ‘game’. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End Nathan Drake has become one of gaming’s most enduring heroes thanks to his everyman nature and quippy dialogue, but Uncharted 4 might be the game that solidifies his place as the most likeable gaming protagonist. On the trail of pirate treasure with his long lost brother, Drake’s final adventure is full of incredible action set-pieces including a car chase, a heist, and fights in plenty of crumbling buildings, each chapter is more unforgettable than the last. It’s a perfect closing chapter for the characters we’ve come to love over more than a decade, their conversations and interactions more believable than ever before. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain Metal Gear fans are understandably disappointed that Kojima’s final instalment didn’t tie up the series’ long, winding narrative as they’d hoped, but in gameplay terms ‘stealth action’ has never been better. Taking the infiltration-based mechanics to an open world and then layering plenty more on top, Metal Gear Solid 5 is a toy box of gadgets, gizmos, and missions players can attempt a near-infinite number of ways.  Carefully extracting enemies can allow you to recruit them to your cause, which then feeds into a huge metagame as players build out their ‘Mother Base’, which then offers extra benefits in the middle of a mission. It’s compulsive, with ‘just one more mission’ feeding into another, and then another. Hollow Knight Of all the genres to have re-emerged since the indie revolution nine-odd years ago, Metroidvania has been the biggest benefactor. The kinds of games that have come out haven’t just been throwbacks to the good old days of the 90s, but profound evolutions in their own right. Hollow Knight feels like the pinnacle of the last several years of Metroidvania design, and it's certainly earned its place in this list of the best single-player games. You traverse an enchantingly forlorn subterranean kingdom as the titular knight, incrementally gaining abilities, which then let you go down deeper into the world. It’s both cute and brooding, magical and daunting, filled with thoughtful touches like the fact that Hollow Knight physically pulls out a map whenever you look at the map screen.  God of War 2018's God of War is a soft reboot of the series and sees a fresh beginning for Kratos, the titular God of War. Here, the antihero has moved from ancient Greece to the frigid colds of Norse Mythology and started a new family. After the death of his wife, he takes his son, Atreus, to cast her ashes from the tallest mountain in the realm. Of course, things don’t go to plan, and our protagonist finds himself in the sights of a whole new pantheon of gods. With incredible combat (the Leviathan axe might be one of the best weapons in all of gaming) and a story that features absolutely no camera cuts, God of War is gaming nirvana. Dishonored 2  One of the tragedies of single-player gaming is that the immersive sim – sprung from cerebral first-person games like System Shock, Thief and Deus Ex – has seldom been a big seller. The future of masterpieces like Arkane’s Dishonored, therefore, has always seemed tenuous. Dishonored 2 casts you as a preternaturally skilled assassin on a revenge mission in the sun-kissed steampunk city of Karnaca. Each large area lets you explore apartments, shops and cluttered rooms from all angles before you swoop in on your objectives. It’s both visceral in its black-magic-and-blades combat, and ingenious in its level design, with the ever-shifting Clockwork Mansion and the time-travelling Crack in the Slab giving you some of the most memorable gameplay sequences you’ve ever played. Halo: The Master Chief Collection Ok, this is technically cheating, but if you own an Xbox One (or Windows PC), you really must invest in the Master Chief Collection (or download it from Game Pass). A collection of the big, green Spartan’s first four mainline adventures, the Halo games have aged impressively – particularly given the increase in resolution across Combat Evolved, Halo 3 and Halo 4. The main attraction, however, is Halo 2 Anniversary. With 4K visuals, reworked sound effects, and the ability to switch between original and Anniversary graphics with the push of a button, it’s one of the finest first-person shooter campaigns in history. The collection continues to grow, too – with Halo Reach and Halo 3: ODST also being added since launch. Best PS4 games: the most essential PlayStation 4 releases Best Xbox One games: the most essential Xbox One titles Best Nintendo Switch games: the top Switch games right now Best PC games: the top PC games right now This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The best cheap laptop deals in March 2020: prices start at just $99 Posted: 27 Mar 2020 09:09 AM PDT Cheap laptop deals are everywhere this week and we're working tirelessly to bring you the best ones right here, right now. We've got the latest from Dell, HP, Lenovo and many more this week - packing the latest processors, SSDs, and boatloads of RAM ready for all your multi-tasking needs. Everything can be found in this article, from cheap and cheerful streamers, all the way to working from home powerhouses ready to take anything you can throw at them. So, scroll on down to see what we've got on offer. You're sure to find what you're looking for here, and for much less cash than you may think. Not only have we found the best laptop deals out there, but we're also here to save you from the arduous task of comparing laptop specs. We've gathered all the information you need to know about each model and laid it out for your perusal. Check out the processors, storage solutions, and memory configurations on offer to help make an informed decision.  If you're a gamer, you'd be better suited to check out our selection of gaming laptop deals, as the models on this page are not usually built with gaming in mind. We've also rounded up a fine collection of cheap laptops on sale in the UK too. More top cheap laptop deals Where to find the best laptop deals in the US: We've compared prices on some of our favourite cheap laptops and run through the details on why we recommend them further down this page. But if you'd like to browse the latest laptop deals directly from your favorite retailers we've included a list of the most-recommended stores directly below.  Walmart Best Buy Lenovo Dell Amazon Newegg Sam's Club Jet HP The best cheap laptops of 2020 Here we have one of the few budget laptops with a processor nearly equivalent to a MacBook Pro from a couple of years back, that is if you opt for the Intel Core i5 configuration. The best part? Among the best Acer laptops right now, it's roughly half the cost of its Apple-branded rival. Now given that it sells at a range of different prices, the Acer Swift 3 can be an obtuse purchase, but lucky for you, the midrange model will get you by just fine. There are often plenty of cheap laptop deals on Acer products so you'll always be in a good position to grab a discount.  Read the full review: Acer Swift 3 This convertible laptop has always been about function over form. For one minuscule transaction, you’re getting a tablet equipped with an included keyboard and even a fingerprint scanner for more secure logins. Along with reliable performance and a magnesium-alloy chassis, it’s built to last – not to mention, one of the best Asus laptops you can buy when you're on the budget. As cheap laptops go, Asus is one of the most trusted brands out there so as long as you're getting the specs you need you can't go wrong.  Read the full review: Asus Transformer Mini T102HA While it may be outclassed by the Pixelbook and the Samsung Chromebook in terms of sheer power, the Acer Chromebook 15 can still pack a wallop while providing battery life that is frankly out of this world. It’s rare that a cheap laptop can truly provide all-day battery, but in our independent battery tests, Acer’s Chromebook lasted an astonishing 17 hours – on top of providing enough power to get your work done online. If you’re looking for a 15-inch Chromebook that will give you the most bang for your buck, look no further. Read the full review: Acer Chromebook 15  If you're looking for a Lenovo laptop, the Lenovo Yoga Book, and the Windows 10 version of it in particular, is the sort of futuristic fodder you would find in an episode of Black Mirror. It has a keyboard that doubles as a Wacom touch panel and, best of all, it’s cheap as hell. Now, of course, that comes with the caveat of a weak Intel Atom processor, but the rest of the Lenovo Yoga Book should go down in the history books. Lenovo laptop deals are often worth a look, even if you're just browsing, as they offer a decent range of prices and specs.  Read the full review: Lenovo Yoga Book With its slick lines and a slim silhouette, the Acer Chromebook 14 makes for a subtle, snazzy laptop. Although its display isn't the most attractive we've seen, it’s still acceptable for full HD. On top of that, the keyboard and trackpad adhere to the principle of ‘it just works.’ The battery life is satisfactory as well despite falling a bit south of Acer's 12-hour claim in real-world use.  Read the full review: Acer Chromebook 14 How much are good laptop deals?  In a budget of between $50 and $200, you'll be taking a look at the excellent range of Chromebooks on sale right now. Typically running Chrome OS, these budget laptop deals will see you through everyday web browsing, emails, and some light streaming for eye wateringly low prices. You'll be picking up anything from a 16GB SSD to a 64GB hard drive, but you'll also be looking to utilize the cloud for more storage. If you're punting a bit higher than $200, you'll be opening yourself up to more RAM, moving from 4GB to 8GB in most models, meaning your cheap laptop will be able to open programs faster, generally retrieving information and multi-task in a more streamlined manner. You'll also be picking up far more storage for your cash, with prices this week including either a 128GB or 256GB SSD. This SSD further streamlines your storage, acting as a lightning-fast drive to keep everything you need instantly attainable. Once you search for a laptop deal above $400, you may well start to find 16GB of RAM on offer as well as a few models with a 512GB SSD. Along with improved processors, that means exceedingly fast storage potential, keeping your cheap laptop zippy however many programs you have open. Laptops above this price range are also better suited to media editing than cheaper models. Not quite what you're looking for? Maybe our other laptop articles will have what you need: 15 best laptops you can buy in 2020 The best cheap MacBook deals Top 10 best gaming laptops of 2020 Top 10 2-in-1 laptops of 2020 The best home internet service providers of 2020 The best refurbished MacBook sales This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The top 10 best pandemic movies you can stream right now Posted: 27 Mar 2020 09:05 AM PDT Who could have imagined, when we entered 2020, that we’d be encouraged by our bosses to work from home, covetously stockpile pasta and anything in a jar, and get snippy with strangers over the last toilet roll in the supermarket? Or, indeed, that watching pandemic movies would suddenly become the next big thing?  But then we hadn’t anticipated the global spread of coronavirus, resulting in nationwide lockdowns, self-isolation for the sick and at-risk, and entertainment venues being shut indefinitely. As a result, there’s been a resurgence of interest in pandemic-themed films, with people apparently finding cathartic release in seeing their anxieties play out onscreen. But don’t take these depictions of social collapse, martial law, and apocalypse too seriously – they’re enjoyably exaggerated entertainments, mostly skimping on scientific facts. So, whether stuck indoors or just trying to find some relevant escapism, we’ve compiled a list of the best films about pandemics available to stream right now.  So much to stream! Here's all you need to know about Disney+ Contagion (2011) Every cloud has a silver lining, it seems. Steven Soderbergh’s medical thriller Contagion, released in 2011, raced back up the iTunes charts to take a Top Ten position this month, helped no doubt by the film’s parallels with the current outbreak of coronavirus. This fast-paced thriller charts the rapid transmission of a virus across the globe as scientists hurry to find a vaccine and social order disintegrates. Despite being a Hollywood thriller, this breathless multi-perspective narrative has been described as ultra-realistic - informed by the World Health Organisation and praised for its accurate depiction of a pandemic by scientists. It’s also got a Hollywood cast to make you weak at the knees – Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law, Marion Cotillard, Matt Damon – but seeing Paltrow catch the flu on film couldn’t have inspired confidence in her wellness brand, Goop. Available to stream in the US at: MaxGo and Amazon Cinemax UK: Paid rental - including Amazon, Sky Store and Chili Canada: Netflix and Crave + Australia: Paid rental - including Google Play and iTunes The Crazies (1973) Five years after George A. Romero’s seminal Night of the Living Dead, he gave us another film about human contagion - The Crazies. When a military plane carrying an untested bio-weapon crashes in the hills of a nearby American town, their water supply becomes contaminated causing local residents to die or become homicidal. The government draft in the military to quash the spread of the disease, given instructions to shoot on sight. The film’s low-budget quality heightens the grisly shocks as families retaliate against the hazmat-clad military while additionally fending off the violence-prone citizens. Starring Will McMillan and Jane Carroll, it’s a believable scenario executed with extreme flourishes. Failing to make an impact on its initial release, it’s now a cult classic with a 2010 remake starring Timothy Olyphant. Available to stream in the US: Amazon Prime Video and VUDU UK: Paid rental - including Amazon and Sky Store Canada: Paid rental on Google Play and YouTube Australia: Not available Outbreak (1995) Outbreak gave monkeys a bad name way before the rage-plagued primate in 28 Days Later. Opening in Zaire, Africa, a fictional disease called Motaba spreads to California after an infected capuchin monkey is smuggled into the country. The disease develops into a strain of influenza, and the small town of Cedar Creeks is placed under martial law as the infection rapidly spreads. Although based on Richard Preston’s nonfiction book The Hot Zone, the film takes plenty of grand liberties in the name of cinematic heroics – this is a Hollywood pandemic through and through. But it entertains with a talented cast, including Dustin Hoffman, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Rene Russo. There’s also an iconic scene in a movie theatre that, where they not already closed, would make you think twice before visiting the multiplex. Available to stream in the US: Netflix UK: Paid rental - including Amazon, Chili and iTunes Canada: Paid rental - including Cineplex and iTunes Australia: Paid rental on iTunes and Microsoft Twelve Monkeys (1995) Did someone know something we didn’t? There were two monkey-related pandemic flicks in 1995, this one from Terry Gilliam. Twelve Monkeys is a dystopian sci-fi fantasy set in post-apocalyptic Philadelphia in 2035. As most of humanity was wiped out by a virus in 1996, Earth’s remaining inhabitants live underground. Bruce Willis is Cole, a convict who volunteers to go back in time in the hope of reducing his sentence and finding the cause of the virus. But the past proves more bewildering than the future. Gilliam-esque camera angles and stunning production design are impressive, particularly a desolate Philly overrun by animals. Meanwhile, Brad Pitt bagged his first Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination as Jeffrey Goines: inmate and leader of the Army of the Twelve Monkeys. It’s an atypical performance that’s thoroughly engrossing, all nervous tics and a crazed glint in his eyes. Available to stream in the US: FuboTV and Amazon Showtime UK: Not available Canada: Amazon Prime Video and Crave Starz Australia: Paid rental - including Google Play and iTunes Last Man on Earth (1964) Richard Matheson’s 1954 novel I Am Legend has spawned three adaptations. Last Man on Earth was the first – starring horror legend Vincent Price – followed by The Omega Man in 1971 and the titular Will Smith blockbuster in 2007. The 1964 version is arguably the best. It revolves around the monotonous routine of Doctor Robert Morgan who, in the wake of a virulent plague, is left the last human alive. Although rather dated and low-budget, it’s an evocative portrayal of crushing loneliness, with Morgan patrolling the streets during the day to kill the infected undead, only to return home alone at night to barricade himself against the vengeful hordes. Available to stream in the US: Amazon Prime Video and Hoopla UK: Amazon Prime Video Canada: Amazon Prime Video Australia: Kanopy and Amazon Prime Video It Comes at Night (2017) Another gem from production company A24 (Hereditary, The Witch) this horror-thriller is full of slow-burn dread. In the aftermath of a planetary contagion, a lone family exist deep in the woods until a handful of survivors cross their paths – father Will, mother Kim, and their son Andrew. Although initially distrustful, they agree to share resources and begin to bond. But, following a series of strange incidents, suspicions start to emerge that maybe one of them isn’t well after all. Starring Joel Edgerton, Carmen Ejogo and Kelvin Harrison Jr., it’s a grim vision of life after a major pandemic. The families’ fears of infection come to life in nightmarish visions – of the diseased dead returning to life – while the film has an atmosphere of clammy claustrophobia. Don’t anticipate a happy ending! Available to stream in the US: Netflix and Kanopy UK: Paid rental - including Amazon, iTunes and Sky Store Canada: Paid rental - including Cineplex and iTunes Australia: Kanopy The Host (2006) Before Bong Joon-ho made history in 2020 – becoming the first South Korean to win an Academy Award with Parasite (2019) – he made this monster-movie with a little socio-political bite. Like The Crazies, the film shows mankind sow its own destruction when an American pathologist instructs his Korean colleague to dump formaldehyde in the Han River. A few years and lots of dead fish later, a gigantic amphibious creature emerges, attacking the local residents and kidnapping a young girl called Hyun-seo. As the military arrive to quarantine the area, they declare that not only is the mutant dangerous, but that it carries an unknown virus too. Starring Parasite’s main man Song Kang-ho, The Host is a blast – full of humour, thrills, and jaw-dropping action. Available to stream in the US: Roku Channel and Hoopla UK: Paid rental - including iTunes and Sky Store Canada: Hoopla Australia: Paid rental - including Microsoft and Google Play 28 Weeks Later (2007) Those infamous scenes of Cillian Murphy walking through an abandoned London in 28 Days Later (2002) seem eerily prophetic in the wake of coronavirus. The 2007 sequel however begins after the outbreak of the rage virus, with the infected dying of hunger and NATO instigating a safe zone in the capital. A degree of normalcy has returned to daily life and we’re introduced to a new set of characters: Don (Robert Carlyle), his children Tammy and Andy, and US Army Medical Officer Scarlet (Rose Byrne). But, after the children’s ill-advised trip to seek out their mother – presumed dead – those bloody, fleet-footed zombies are causing carnage once again. It’s a brisk, brutal film that the New York Times described as “exhaustingly terrifying”, with a sombre ending that implies the infected have reached European shores. The film’s savvy, pre-launch hype saw a biohazard sign projected on the white cliffs of Dover, declaring: “contaminated, keep out.” Available to stream in the US: Paid rental - including Amazon and DirecTV UK: Paid rental - including Amazon, Sky Store and Chili Canada: Paid rental - including Cineplex and Microsoft Australia: Foxtel Now Day of the Dead (1985) Although less well regarded than Romero’s first two entries in The Dead series, Day of the Dead aptly captures the sense that, in a world where zombies outnumber humans 400,000 to 1, there’s nowhere left to run. The encroaching zombie horde largely takes a backseat to the strained dynamics of the remaining survivors, who reside in an underground facility. These include Dr Sarah Bowman; a scientist dubbed “Frankenstein”, and a group of soldiers led by the increasingly unhinged Captain Rhodes. Scientific logic comes to blows with military force and soon the greatest threat to their existence seems to be each other. Originally dubbed 'the Gone with the Wind of zombie films' (before its budget was split in two), it’s a zombie flick with brains (and lots and lots of guts) and a worthy follow up to Romero’s ongoing exploration of societal collapse. Available to stream in the US: Max Go and Flix Fling UK: Paid rental from the Sky Store Canada: Tubi TV and Flix Fling Australia: Amazon Prime Video and Kanopy Zombieland (2009) Ending on a lighter note, and proving pandemics aren’t all doom and gloom, we have Zombieland, a Zom-Com in the same vein as Shaun of the Dead. Starring Jesse Eisenberg as Columbus and Woody Harrelson as Tallahassee, they’re two mismatched survivors: one has an extensive set of rules to keep him alive (“Rule 22: When in doubt know your way out”), while the other is happiest eating Twinkies and kicking ass. On their separate ways across the country, their trajectory changes when they fall in with two streetwise sisters, played by Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin, and end up at Pacific Playland. It’s a refreshingly fun, irreverent take on the genre, with a surprise cameo to please all 80s comedy fans. And, as well as the gore and guffaws, it manages to accommodate romantic and heartfelt moments too. Available to stream in the US: Paid rental - including Amazon and DirecTV UK: NowTV and Sky Go Canada: Netflix and Crave Starz Australia: Netflix How to stream the best pandemic movies when abroad We've listed out where to watch this selection of films in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. But if you're away from home and you discover that there's no way to watch them (your usual stream is likely to be geo-blocked when overseas and even Netflix doesn't have every film in every region) then you'll need to download a VPN to change your IP address to a server in the country where it is being streamed - it's much easier than it sounds, we promise! Firstly, grab the best service out there - we think that's ExpressVPN, thanks to its speed, security, simplicity of use an d superb customer service. ExpressVPN also has a 30-day money back guarantee and you can purchase an annual plan for a 49% discount and 3 months extra FREE. Once installed, select the location of your home country and simply click connect. You’ll then be able to easily watch your chosen film from pretty much anywhere in the world. Discover more: The best Netflix movies: from Inception to The Irishman Today's best Netflix VPNs: stay safe and secure when you stream From RuPaul to Gordon Ramsay - the best reality TV shows to binge on This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The best TVs under £1000 in 2020 Posted: 27 Mar 2020 08:44 AM PDT There are so many big, bold and high-performance TVs entering the market every day that it can feel overwhelming to figure out the best option to suit your budget.  That's why we've selected the very best TVs under £1,000. This means you can bring the warm glow of a new television screen to your living room without breaking the bank and spending an eye-watering four-figure sum. Most TVs nowadays offer up a number of smart features. What’s more, the feature set offered up on smart TVs is also rapidly expanding, with voice control integration and a host of firmware updates able to improve your user experience over your home Wi-Fi. But how do you make the right purchase on a budget? Well, it isn’t just a case of waiting for sales and retail promotions. There’s much more to consider.  For example: if you’re buying principally to watch sports, how good is a set’s motion handling? As you move up and down the price scale, image processing is usually the first aspect of a screen to be compromised. So even if you find a good bargain, you’ll need to take a good look at the specs on offer. Not quite your budget? Head to our guide to the best TVs under £500 instead Similarly, not every mid- or lower-range screen offers the same level of HDR performance, and there could be huge discrepancies in audio performance to consider as well. And don’t get too hung up on design. A slick narrow bezel design may look fashionably minimalist, but if TV’s sound system sucks, maybe your cash is better spent elsewhere?   The good news is you don't have to wade through reams of tech specs yourself to come to a conclusion. Here at Techradar we've done the hard work for you by finding the best TVs available for under £1,000. If you want the best budget TVs, you’ve come to the right place. What is the best TV under £1,000? Don't want to break £1,000? The Panasonic GX800 has plenty of the high-end format support you'd expect from its OLED range, but packed into a regular LED panel instead. You'll find HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision and even HLG (hybrid log gamma), meaning you'll never find yourself unable to play your favorite movies, 4K Blu-rays or news broadcasts in the highest quality format available. Of course, the panel isn't quite as impressive as, say, the Panasonic GZ2000, but the matched functionality makes the GX800 a great choice for the price. The GX800 is a 4K HDR television available in 40-inch, 50-inch, and 58-inch sizes for under £1,000 – with an additional 65-inch sizing for those willing to pay a four-figure sum (£1,300 RRP). Read our full Panasonic GX800 TV review When it comes to the best Samsung TVs, it’s all about QLED. The super-bright QLED displays offer hundred more nits brightness than most LEDs, with a quantum dot filter to enhance contrast across a 4K display. The Q60R isn’t quite as accomplished as its premium siblings, being the entry-level QLED and therefore the one with the lowest specs. The edge-lighting can be inconsistent, and you won’t get the tidy One Connect box of other premium Samsung TVs either. However, this is the cheapest QLED from Samsung this year, and offers a neat compromise for those on a mid-range budget wanting a taste of premium functionality. Its low input lag and responsive smart platform make it a great choice for gamers wanting a zippy experience, too – or just anyone feeling impatient. Read our full Samsung Q60R QLED TV review You don't get much more value than Hisense. The budget TV manufacturer consistently offers great prices on high-spec televisions, and the U8B ULED is great example of this. The smart platform is fast and responsive, while the inclusion of Dolby Atmos audio and Dolby Vision HDR means you're not losing out on the premium formats usually saved for more expensive sets. After a price cut from the original RRP, too, you've getting both the 55-inch and 65-inch models at a lot less than £1,000. There are corners cut, of course, to get such competitive pricing – mainly the basic local dimming that tends to turn any black areas of the screen into a uniform grey, and generally struggles with light/dark contrast, even if the high brightness can be a boon to HDR and ensuring rich colors with Dolby Vision. This is a TV, however, that makes up for its flaws with its strong pricing, format support, and smart platform, and is very much worth your consideration. Read our full review: Hisense U8B ULED Ok, so this TV technically isn't under £1,000 – but recent price drops have put the LG B9 at only £1,100, which is astonishing value for an OLED TV. We'll be waiting some time to see OLEDs get any cheaper, at least while maintaining some baseline of quality. And if you're after a compromise of price and performance on a mid-range budget, the LG is a brilliant choice.  If you think you can scrape that extra £100, it uses the same OLED panel as more premium sets like the LG C9 and E9 OLED. The relatively lower price is down to its lower-spec processor, the a7 gen 2, which does let a bit of video noise creep into dark scenes, but the flaws are minor and won't be noticeable for many. You'll be getting the expected 4K resolution, HDR support, and brilliant webOS smart platform of the best LG TVs too. Read the full review: LG B9 OLED Price not an object? These are the best TVs of 2019 Original contributions to this article were also made by Steve May. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Xiaomi just launched the cheapest ever 5G phone, with some pretty decent specs Posted: 27 Mar 2020 08:43 AM PDT Currently if you want a 5G phone you have to pay quite a bit more than a 4G phone, which isn't ideal given 5G isn't quite as ubiquitous yet, so there's little reason to switch. However Xiaomi may be about to change that. The company just launched the Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite, the first 'affordable' 5G phone, alongside the Mi 10 series of mid-ranged devices. All the phones are 5G-enabled, but the Mi 10 Lite is now the cheapest-ever 5G phone. These are the best Xiaomi phones Check out our Xiaomi Mi Note 10 review These are the best cheap phones When the Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite launches in May 2020, it'll cost just €349 (around $380, £310, AU$640), which is far more affordable than current-cheapest-5G-phone. the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G, which costs £699 / AU$1,399 (about $860). The Mi Mix 3 5G has reduced in price since its launch, but you'll still have a hard time picking it up for the Mi 10 Lite's price. Well, that price is for Europe, and while Xiaomi told us the phone will be coming to other regions at some point, including the UK, it's unlikely the price will be an exact conversion. For that low price tag, you're getting a 6.57-inch AMOLED screen, four rear cameras lead by a 48MP snapper and a 16MP camera on the front, a nicely sized 4,160mAh battery, and the Snapdragon 765G chipset. Those are some specs you'd more typically find in mid-ranged phones, but the Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite is toeing the line to budget-phonedom with that cost. Perhaps now that Xiaomi is releasing a truly affordable 5G phone, more people will be able to access the next-generation connectivity, or at least other companies will get the hint that 5G needs to be more affordable before people take it seriously. Check out everything you need to know about the Xiaomi Mi 10 series This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

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