Apple : Google Fi customers will get 5G from Sprint's network |
- Google Fi customers will get 5G from Sprint's network
- Lenovo's first noise-cancelling headphones challenge Bose and Sony
- Android is now even more secure
- Nubia Alpha is a wearable that thinks it's a foldable phone
- Security flaws in 4G and 5G revealed
- How to watch This Time with Alan Partridge online: stream from the UK or abroad
- What is 5G? Everything you need to know
- Sony will make a 5G phone, but only when the tech rolls out
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- Lenovo teases first 5G laptop powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx
- Lenovo unveils new ThinkPads at MWC
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| Google Fi customers will get 5G from Sprint's network Posted: 25 Feb 2019 02:14 PM PST Google Fi customers will get 5G, too – and unsurprisingly, they’ll get it through the service’s existing partnership with Sprint and use the latter’s 5G infrastructure once it’s rolled out, the companies announced in a press release. As a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), Google Fi already leases telecom networks from Sprint, T-Mobile, US Cellular and Three to provide service to its customers. So it’s not much of a surprise that Fi picked one of those to secure 5G functionality for its customer base. But it is interesting that an MVNO has struck a deal that presumably gets them 5G at the same time as a telecom’s primary customers. Per the press release, Sprint’s 5G network is launching in the first half of 2019 and “when this rolls out, Google Fi customers with Sprint 5G compatible 'Designed for Fi' phones in a 5G coverage area will be automatically connected to the network.”
That restricts Google Fi 5G hopefuls a bit, unfortunately. Despite opening Fi up to phones from Apple, Samsung and OnePlus, this means only Designed for Fi phones (seen here) work with Sprint's network. They'll need to be Sprint 5G compatible, too, though it’s unclear what that includes. MVNO 5G with caveats, coming to cities firstSprint’s 5G network will start in nine cities in the first half of the year, covering downtown metropolitan areas in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, New York City, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. Google Fi users will get 5G in these areas and automatically switch to Wi-Fi or LTE networks when moving between them, as the service works now. Of course, they need the right phone to use 5G at all, and they’ll need to be in a 5G coverage zone, naturally. These zones might be smaller than you’re used to with LTE. Sprint isn’t launching its 5G service on millimeter wave as it lacks licenses to broadcast on the airwaves, instead opting for the 2.5GHz mid-band spectrum, which is faster than LTE but doesn’t reach as far, per The Verge. To augment coverage, Sprint will rely on its Massive MIMO radio tech, which it started rolling out last year to enable the company to offer both LTE and 5G on the same radio.
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| Lenovo's first noise-cancelling headphones challenge Bose and Sony Posted: 25 Feb 2019 12:31 PM PST This year, Lenovo will release two new noise-cancelling headphones that will carry its Yoga moniker into the audio realm. The new headphones — the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 ANC and Lenovo Yoga ANC — are expected to go on sale around June and July, respectively, and compete with the Microsoft Surface Headphones. According to Lenovo, the on-ear headphones are intended to be companions for the company’s laptop series for which they’re named after, but they should still work with any device, be it Windows, Android, iOS or otherwise.
In terms of technical details, Lenovo claims the headphones will use both traditional active noise-cancellation (ANC) and something called electronic noise-cancellation (ENC) that’s used on the microphone to block out noise while you’re making calls. That being said, while other headphones are more focused on blocking out commuting or traveling noise (the sound of a jet engine or drone of a bus, for example), Lenovo’s headphones are intended mostly for office use. That fact will help separate the Lenovo Yoga and ThinkPad X1 ANC from other similar style headphones like the Sony WH-1000XM3 and Bose QuietComfort 35 II, and puts them closer in line with the Microsoft Surface Headphones. In terms of battery life, Digital Trends reports that they'll boast around 15 hours with noise-cancellation turned on, and around 20 hours with noise-cancellation off. The Lenovo Yoga ANC will go on sale in July for $170 (around £129, AU$235), while the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 ANC will go live in Europe in June for around $150 (£115, AU$200) with release in other territories to be determined.
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| Android is now even more secure Posted: 25 Feb 2019 11:40 AM PST Android users looking for improved security are in luck as the FIDO Alliance has announced that Google's mobile OS is now FIDO2 Certified. Users with smartphones running Android 7.0 or higher can now take full advantage of their device's built-in fingerprint sensor for secure passwordless access to websites and native apps that support the FIDO2 protocols. Developers will also be able to add FIDO strong authentication to their Android apps and websites through a simple API call.
Google's Product Manager Christiaan Brand praised the announcement, saying: “Google has long worked with the FIDO Alliance and W3C to standardize FIDO2 protocols, which give any application the ability to move beyond password authentication while offering protection against phishing attacks. Today’s announcement of FIDO2 certification for Android helps move this initiative forward, giving our partners and developers a standardized way to access secure keystores across devices, both in market already as well as forthcoming models, in order to build convenient biometric controls for users.” FIDO2FIDO2 is already supported by the world's leading web browsers including Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Mozilla Firefox with preview support available on Apple's Safari. FIDO2 is comprised of the World Wide Web Consortium's (W3C) Web Authentication specification and FIDO Alliance's corresponding Client to Authenticator Protocol (CTAP). Together, these standard allow users to more easily and securely login to online services with FIDO2-compliant devices such as fingerprint readers, cameras and FIDO security Keys. Executive Director at the FIDO Alliance, Brett McDowell explained how greater availability of FIDO2 would encourage developers to make their sites passwordless, saying: “FIDO2 was designed from day-one to be implemented by platforms, with the ultimate goal of ubiquity across all the web browsers, devices and services we use every day. With this news from Google, the number of users with FIDO Authentication capabilities has grown dramatically and decisively. Together with the leading web browsers that are already FIDO2 compliant, now is the time for website developers to free their users from the risk and hassle of passwords and integrate FIDO Authentication today.”
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| Nubia Alpha is a wearable that thinks it's a foldable phone Posted: 25 Feb 2019 11:10 AM PST Nubia has bridged the gap between wearable and smartphone with the Nubia Alpha, a device with all the features and functionality of a phone but which wraps around the wrist like a fitness band. Unveiled by Nubia at their press conference at MWC 2019 the Nubia Alpha is a strange hybrid device – and a rather fascinating one.
Nubia has bridged the gap between wearable and smartphone with the Nubia Alpha, a device with all the features and functionality of a phone but which wraps around the wrist like a fitness tracker. Its 4-inch 960x192 OLED screen follows the strap of the watch around the wrist, covering roughly half the wrist. The Nubia Alpha doesn’t exactly have smartphone specs, with 1GB RAM and 8GB internal memory, and only 500mAh battery power, but with a 4-inch flexible OLED screen it doesn’t really need it. The device is even kitted out with a 5MP front-facing camera, so it truly does come with all the functions of your phone. Nubia suggests the device will last 1-2 days of regular use, or a week on standby, which we’ll test when we get our hands on it for a review. You can use the Alpha to call and text, and use a variety of apps and the internet, without a connection to a smartphone, which sets it apart from many other fitness trackers which connect via Bluetooth to your smartphone. Instead it uses eSIM technology, so it won't necessarily replace your phone. The Nubia Alpha is running Nubia's own operating system, designed more as a wearable OS than a smartphone one. One interesting feature of this is air controls, which let you scroll through, or backtrack out of, a menu just through hand gestures. If you use wearables for their fitness tracker possibilities you’ll find the Alpha sporting all the necessary functions like heart rate monitoring and sleep tracking. It can also store and play music, using the Nubia Pods. These wireless earphones are launching along with the Nubia Alpha, and link with the device. There are two versions of the device launching – Bluetooth and eSIM models, with the latter available in a gold variety. The Bluetooth model will launch for €449 (roughly $510, £390, AU$710) in Europe, North America and China, sometime in the second quarter of the year. The eSIM versions will be available a little later, releasing in April in China followed by a crypic "Q3" for Europe and "Q4" for North America. The black version will cost €549 (around $620, £475, AU$870), and for the 18K gold finish you'll be paying €649 (about $740, £560, AU$1,030). MWC (Mobile World Congress) is the world's largest showcase for the mobile industry, stuffed full of the newest phones, tablets, wearables and more. TechRadar is reporting live from Barcelona all week to bring you the very latest from the show floor. Head to our dedicated MWC 2019 hub to see all the new releases, along with TechRadar's world-class analysis and buying advice about your next phone. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Security flaws in 4G and 5G revealed Posted: 25 Feb 2019 10:48 AM PST A group of academics have discovered three new security flaws in 4G and 5G networks which they say could be used by attackers to intercept phone calls and track the locations of smartphone users. This is the first time that vulnerabilities have been found that affect both 4G and the upcoming 5G standard in relation to law enforcement's use of cell site simulators often referred to as “stingrays”. Syed Raiful Hussain, Ninghui Li, Elisa Bertino, Mitziu Echeverria and Omar Chowdhury all contributed to a research paper titled “Privacy Attacks to the 4G and 5G Cellular Paging Protocols Using Side Channel Information" which details how these new vulnerabilities can defeat even the latest protections in 5G designed to make it more difficult to spy on mobile users.
The researchers are set to reveal their findings at the Network and Distributed System Security Symposium in San Diego this week. Torpedo, Piercer and IMSI-Cracking attacksThe first of the attacks the group discovered is called Torpedo which exploits a weakness in the paging protocol used by carriers to notify a phone before a call or text message comes through. The researchers found that several phone calls made and canceled within a short time period can trigger a paging message without alerting the target device to an incoming call and this can be exploited by an attacker to track a victim's location. Once a victim's paging location is known, an attacker can then hijack the paging channel to inject or deny paging messages. Once the Torpedo attack has been carried out, attackers can then launch a Piercer attack which allows them to determine an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) on a 4G network. The IMSI-Cracking attack can then be used to force an IMSI number on both 4G and 5G networks where IMSI numbers are protected with encryption. These attacks put even the newest 5G-capable devices at risk from stingrays and Hussain points out that all four major US carriers are affected by Torpedo. Attackers can carry out these attacks with just $200 worth of radio equipment. Outside of the US, almost all cell networks are vulnerable to these attacks including several networks in Europe and Asia. Hussain and the other researchers have reported these flaws to the GSMA and the industry body representing mobile operators will likely fix the Torpedo and IMSI-Cracking flaws first. Fixing the Piercer vulnerability will be up to carriers though Torpedo remains the priority as all of the other flaws depend on it to work. Via TechCrunch This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| How to watch This Time with Alan Partridge online: stream from the UK or abroad Posted: 25 Feb 2019 10:39 AM PST AHA! He's back. The king of the Norfolk radio waves has managed to land another TV gig at none other than the BBC itself. Alan will no doubt be happy to share his presenting skills with the nation, along with lots of digs at those who thought he was all washed up after his book was pulped. The seri should be a night of belly laughing with quotes we'll be using for years to come – and you can watch it all online from anywhere you happen to be. Following on from Steve Coogan's Mid Morning Matters, Alpha Papa and Alan Partridge's autobiography – the same writing team are back, including Neil and Rob Gibbons, to open this new special. So hopes are definitely high for side–splitting fun. That's right Partridge naysayers - smell my cheese, you mothers! Alan last presented live television in the nineties, but that was axed after he accidentally shot and killed a guest live on air (oh Alan!). So expect there to be a few teething problems for this comeback. But, no doubt, it will end up being as hot as the innards of an apple turnover. The mock–live show, which sounds similar to The One Show and expect to see familiar faces like Alan's assistant Lynn – whose life is"technically not worth insuring" according to Alan – played by Felicity Montagu and the more recently added Sidekick Simon played by comedian Tim Key. Watching in the UK is easy enough thanks to BBC television and the BBC iPlayer, but for those outside the country you can still watch Alan Partridge online by using a VPN service. How to get one of those, and which is best for you, can be found out below. How to watch This Time with Alan Partridge online for free in the UK:To watch This Time with Alan Partridge in the UK, you simply need to have paid your TV licence and have a connection to a BBC One broadcast. It's also possible to watch the show via the internet live using BBC iPlayer or TVPlayer.com. You can also watch the show after it has aired using BBC iPlayer which is on a host of devices including smartphones, tablets and smart TVs. And if you're outside of the UK but still want to watch This Time with Alan Partridge online as it goes out, then there's an easy way to get around any geographical restrictions. Read on to take advantage of our nifty little VPN workaround. Stream This Time with Alan Partridge from outside your countryIf you're out of the country but still want to watch This Time with Alan Partridge live, it's still possible - and without too much faff. You can get around geo-blocks and watch via a dedicated TV streaming website as long as you appear to be in the UK. This is possible using the combination of a VPN and TVPlayer.com. Which VPN is best for you? Our tip-top fave is ExpressVPN . Read on to find out all you need to know about how to use that to watch This Time with Alan Partridge in three simple steps: Watch Knowing Me, Knowing You, I'm Alan Partridge and Alpha Papa onlineAlan has had a glittering career before this BBC appearance, of course. And you can enjoy every hilarious minute by watching old episodes of Knowing Me, Knowing You, I'm Alan Partridge and the feature film Alpha Papa – all online right now. Here's how. Watch Knowing Me, Knowing You online Lots of classic episodes of Alan in his prime are available in the form of his hit interview show Knowing Me, Knowing You. You can watch this online in a number of ways. There are plenty of clips and guest interviews on YouTube for quick and easily digestible tidbits. For full episodes head over to either Netflix, Google Play or TalkTalk TV. Watch I'm Alan Partridge online Thanks to the massive popularity of I'm Alan Partridge you watch the old episodes back online now – and yes, they're still funny. Your options include: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, PlayStation, Google Play or Microsoft. Watch Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa online This feature film was massive and, as a result, is available to watch nearly everywhere online. Deep breath now, here's the list: Amazon Prime Video – Subscribe This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| What is 5G? Everything you need to know Posted: 25 Feb 2019 10:36 AM PST What is 5G?5G networks are the next generation of mobile internet connectivity, offering faster speeds and more reliable connections on smartphones and other devices than ever before. Combining cutting-edge network technology and the very latest research, 5G should offer connections that are multitudes faster than current connections, with average download speeds of around 1GBps expected to soon be the norm. The networks will help power a huge rise in Internet of Things technology, providing the infrastructure needed to carry huge amounts of data, allowing for a smarter and more connected world. With development well underway, 5G networks are expected to launch across the world by 2020, working alongside existing 3G and 4G technology to provide speedier connections that stay online no matter where you are. So with only a matter of months to go until 5G networks are set to go live, here's our run-down of all the latest news and updates. 5G - the latest news25/02 - DEVICES - Sony will make a 5G phone, but only when the tech rolls out - It won't be left behind in 5G race... 25/02 - DEVICES - Lenovo teases first 5G laptop powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx - But, what’s taking so long – and where are the rest? 25/02 - NETWORKS - GSMA: One in seven connections will be 5G by 2025 - GSMA kicks off MWC with prediction for the market... 25/02 - DEVICES - Affordable 5G phones will arrive in early 2020 - Not a flagship exclusive for long... 25/02 - DEVICES - HTC 5G home hub gets you ready for superfast internet - Get your home or office 5G-ready... 24/02 - DEVICES - Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G may be your first 5G-ready phone - One of the first 5G phones of MWC 2019... 22/02 - DEVICES - Will Samsung enjoy first mover advantage with 5G? - Samsung beats rivals to 5G smartphone... 22/02 - ANALYSIS - Huawei: We make it cheaper and simpler to deploy 5G - Head of carrier business touts benefits of 5G kit ahead of MWC... 21/02 - NETWORKS - 5G could solve major 4G congestion - Current 4G download speeds differ greatly depending on country and time of day... 21/02 - DEVICES - Gemalto makes 5G SIM card available to operators - Gemalto pitches "world-first" 5G SIM card... 21/02 - NETWORKS - O2 5G confirmed to launch in these four cities in 2019 - O2 5G will go live in UK capitals this year... 20/12 - NETWORKS - 5G will account for a quarter of UK mobile data traffic by 2022 - UK will be second only to the US in 5G... 20/02 - NETWORKS - Vodafone 'world-first' connects smartphones to 5G network - Vodafone connects handset in Barcelona ahead of MWC next week... 19/02 - DEVICES - You may want to hold off buying a 5G phone until 2020 - This second generation 5G modem will make a difference... 19/02 - NETWORKS - Three trials cloud core 5G network with staff - Full rollout expected later in 2019... 19/02 - ANALYSIS - Does sports content hold the key to 5G adoption? - Tokyo Olympics and Euro 2020 could be first time many experience 5G... 18/02 - NETWORKS - UK 'doesn't need to ban' Huawei 5G kit - Huawei's 5G equipment is a 'manageable risk', NCSC apparently claims... 18/02 - NETWORKS - Vodafone UK switches on first 5G airport - Manchester Airport upgraded to superfast speeds for consumers to try out 5G... 15/02 - NETWORKS - Three brings 5G to the catwalk and its flagship store - Three shows off 5G to consumers at London Fashion Week... 13/02 - NETWORKS - UK switches on first 5G factory trials - Worcestershire 5G testbed goes live... 11/02 - NETWORKS - Sprint sues AT&T over '5GE' claim - Rivals clash in 5G row... 11/02 - ANALYSIS - AI, 5G and the race to completely autonomous vehicles - Now is the time to implement a data-centric architecture... 08/02 - NETWORKS - Trump anticipated to ban 5G networks from using Chinese tech - An executive order is expected to come before MWC... 07/02 - DEVICES - Vodafone trials 5G form factor device with Ericsson and Qualcomm - Operator takes step forward in 5G development... 06/02 - NETWORKS - US urges EU to reconsider role of Huawei in 5G - US ramps up pressure on Huawei with stark warning... 05/02 - NETWORKS - Ericsson joins O-RAN to drive intelligent 5G radio development - Ericsson extends commitment to open standards... 04/02 - NETWORKS - GSMA suggests Huawei 5G talks at MWC - Industry concerned at Huawei 5G exclusion following long-term controversies... 01/02 - DEVICES - Huawei 5G foldable phone teased in MWC 2019 press conference invite - Our first look at the world's first foldable 5G phone... 31/01 - ANALYSIS - Investing in a 5G future: The role of MNOs - 5G's 2020 rollout is fast approaching... 31/01 - NETWORKS - Nokia predicts staggered demand for 5G kit in 2019 - Nokia reports increased revenue and profit in Q4... 31/01 - DEVICES - 5G phones: these are going to be the first next-gen handsets - The new 5G phones of 2019 and beyond... 31/01 - DEVICES - LG hints strongly at 5G foldable phones for 2019 - Taking the fight to Samsung's Galaxy X... 28/01 - NETWORKS - Chinese EU Ambassador says Huawei 5G ban would be 'self-defeating' - Senior diplomat dismisses security fears as fabrications... 25/01 - DEVICES - Huawei says it'll show off a foldable 5G phone at MWC 2019 - The world's first 5G phone with a foldable screen... 24/01 - HARDWARE - Huawei reveals 5G modem and base station chips - Huawei chips will ease deployment and widen support... 22/01 - NETWORKS - Vodafone and O2 team up on 5G network sharing - Two operators look at options for mast infrastructure as they extend network sharing deal to cover 5G... 17/01 - NETWORKS - Huawei faces US probe as Germany considers 5G options - US DoJ reportedly accuses Huawei of trade secret theft... 14/01 - NETWORKS - US government shutdown is threat to 5G rollout - Industry body warns about impact of FCC shutdown... 14/01 - HARDWARE - Intel wants to be your one-stop shop for 5G - Intel VP tells us that “5G runs on Intel”... 14/01 - DEVICES - Apple looks at Samsung and MediaTek modems for 5G iPhone - Latest revelations from Qualcomm's antitrust trial... 12/01 - DEVICES - iPhone 11 tipped to have faster Wi-Fi, but 5G might have to wait - Better speeds for the 2019 iPhones? 11/01 - NETWORKS - Ericsson tests strengthen wireless backhaul's suitability for 5G - Ericsson and Deutsche Telekom trials achieve 'fibre-like' performance... 10/01 - NETWORKS - T-Mobile continues US 5G crusade with 600MHz call tests - T-Mobile completes multi-band call tests with Ericsson and Intel... 09/01 - DEVICES - 5G and fixed displays to drive smartphone sales in 2019 - Research suggests 5G might be silver bullet... 09/01 - NETWORKS - AT&T claims advanced 4G is '5G' - Software update claims advanced 4G is 5G Evolution... 08/01 - DEVICES - 5G can be tonic for smartphone saturation - GSMA Intelligence finds 80 per cent of developed world owns a smartphone... 08/01 - HARDWARE - Intel targets 5G base stations with 'Snow Ridge' chips - Intel hopes edge computing advantage will pay off... 08/01 - NETWORKS - The Galaxy S10 isn't at CES 2019, but Samsung's 5G plans are here - Samsung Galaxy S10 is here in pieces if you look closely... 06/01 - DEVICES - Byton confirms M-Byte car will be available in 2019 with AI, 5G and 48-inch display - That's a whole lot of screen... 04/01 - ANALYSIS - What to expect from 5G at CES 2019 - 5G could be the star of the show at CES 2019... 24/12 - ANALYSIS - Three CEO: Capacity, not speed is the true 5G revolution - Dave Dyson talks up Three's 5G strategy... 21/12 - NETWORKS - O2 confirms 5G tests will use Huawei kit - London 5G tests will be carried out using Huawei equipment, O2 confirms... 19/12 - NETWORKS - 'Strong' business demand for 5G could be tempered by network transformation - Gartner says operator focus is on consumer applications... 19/12 - NETWORKS - AT&T is second US operator to launch 5G - AT&T gears up for limited 5G launch... 19/12 - DEVICES - Top Samsung Galaxy S10 could have a massive screen and support 5G - But it might not be available everywhere... 17/12 - ANALYSIS - The coming 5G revolution - How the next generation of mobile connectivity will bring emerging technologies to life... 17/12 - NETWORKS - Rivals claim Three's spectrum variation will hand it 5G advantage - Three now has 100MHz of continuous 3.6GHz spectrum... 14/12 - NETWORKS - 5G could add billions to world GDP - Unlocking the right 5G spectrum will make all the difference... 13/12 - NETWORKS - Huawei will do 'anything' to be trusted 5G partner - Huawei says if there's anything it can do to ease security concerns, it will do it... 10/12 - NETWORKS - Vodafone to use manhole covers to improve 4G and 5G - Vodafone hopes street level infrastructure will improve network... 10/12 - ANALYSIS - 5G is just the beginning for the future of smartphones - The future of mobile looks promising... 06/12 - ANALYSIS - Vodafone Business rebrand highlights strategic focus in 5G era - Vodafone Enterprise is now Vodafone Business... 06/12 - POLICY - EU approves new regulations to boost 5G rollout - EU passes new code despite industry opposition... 06/12 - PRODUCTS - OnePlus CEO confirms its 5G phone will cost $200 to $300 more than OnePlus 6T - But it isn't done with 4G devices... 06/12 - NETWORKS - We need rigorous 5G testing before we get in the driverless car - Autonomous vehicles will rely heavily on next generation networks... 05/12 - PRODUCTS - OnePlus will be the first to release a 5G phone in Europe - It's all thanks to some help from EE... 05/12 - NETWORKS - How 5G technologies can be implemented more efficiently - Knowing where to place 'small cells' will make all the difference... 05/12 - DEVICES - This Samsung 5G prototype phone has a notch... but it's in the corner - Updated with an official comment from Samsung... 04/12 - DEVICES - Here's the first 5G smartphone and, no, you can't buy it - It's a reference device from Qualcomm, but it promises a lot... 04/12 - NETWORKS - Nokia and Qualcomm complete 5G call interoperability tests - Another 5G testing hurdle is cleared ahead of launch... 04/12 - NETWORKS - Arqiva and CityFibre to build 5G small cell network in London - Hammersmith & Fulham will host UK's largest pilot to date... 04/12 - ANALYSIS - 2019 telecoms forecast: the year of 5G and open source - Canonical takes a look at some of the most important trends for next year... 04/12 - NETWORKS - MI6 chief warns UK on role of China in 5G networks - Alex Younger says there needs to be a conversation about Huawei's role... 03/12 - NETWORKS - Three Korean operators launch 5G networks - Operators bring forward South Korea 5G launch... 03/12 - DEVICES - Verizon and Samsung to launch 5G smartphone in 2019 - Companies will show off PoC this week... 29/11 - PRODUCTS - Toyota's new humanoid robot can be controlled remotely via 5G - A helping hand from afar... 29/11 - NETWORKS - 5G will require mobile operators to rethink the role of Wi-Fi - Operators may need to de-prioritise Wi-Fi in 5G era... 28/11 - NETWORKS - New Zealand 'blocks' use of Huawei 5G kit - Spark application rejected by New Zealand government... 27/11 - NETWORKS - 5G will have 'fastest ever' global rollout - Ericsson Mobility Report says Europe will fall behind without market changes... 23/11 - NETWORKS - O2 gears up for 5G with Massive MIMO trial - O2 trials technology in London head of 5G launch... 22/11 - NETWORKS - Huawei boasts of 22 5G commercial contracts - Head of Huawei carrier business touts end-to-end capabilities of its equipment... 22/11 - NETWORKS - Nokia creates Access Networks Division for end-to-end 5G - Nokia hopes organisational changes will give it 5G advantage... 21/11 - NETWORKS - EE and BT Sport plan UK's first 5G sport broadcast - EE Wembley Cup will be transmitted via 5G... 20/11 - HARDWARE - Huawei urges operators to trust its 5G vision as it shifts 10,000 base stations - Huawei Chairman Ken Hu details 'Cloud X' vision... 20/11 - NETWORKS - Three: 5G wireless broadband can be genuine alternative to fibre - Three-commissioned report touts price-saving benefits of 5G FWA... 20/11 - DEVICES - OnePlus could charge a high price for its upcoming 5G phone - Price tag for superfast device could be up to $100 more... 19/11 - NETWORKS - Faroese Telecom wants to bring 5G to Shetland - Shetland confirms talks with Faroese mobile provider... 16/11 - ANALYSIS - The week that UK 5G transformed from hype into reality - UK operators detail more about 5G launches in 2019... 16/11 - ANALYSIS - 2025: the year of 5G entertainment - Intel's Alex Gledhill tells us how 5G can benefit all areas of work and life... 15/11 - RESEARCH - Samsung invests $22bn in AI and 5G - Korean tech giant aims to control 20 per cent of the network equipment market... 15/11 - NETWORKS - US begins auction of 5G spectrum - US operators bid for high range spectrum to power mobile broadband services.. 15/11 - HARDWARE - German government 'urged' to consider Huawei 5G ban - Reports suggest push could have come too late... 14/11 - DEVICES - Verizon connects a smartphone to its 5G network - Verizon is currently the world's only commercial 5G operator... 13/11 - PRODUCTS - Intel will launch 5G modem next year - Chipmaker speeds up plans for 5G modem launch in 2019... 13/11 - NETWORKS - EE to launch 5G as 'premium' mobile experience in 16 UK cities in 2019 - Operator to upgrade 1,500 sites in the busiest parts of its network... 12/11 - DEVICES - OnePlus 7 may not be the upcoming 5G phone from the brand - Is a whole new OnePlus line on the way? 09/11 - NETWORKS - What role will 5G play in NBN's gigabit broadband vision? - 5G can boost FWA broadband to gigabit levels... 08/11 - POLICY - Ofcom CTO: Spectrum and security are biggest 5G challenges - Ofcom CTO Mansoor Hanif discusses the barriers to fulfilling 5G potential... 07/11 - NETWORKS - EE announces UK 5G trial expansion - Nine east London sites are now linked up to EE's 5G trial network... 07/11 - NETWORKS - How 5G will enable the next generation of IoT deployments - Canonical head tells us why next-generation networks are the key to innovation... 07/11 - NETWORKS - Three reveals £2bn UK 5G investment - 5G set to be a "game-changer" in the UK says Three CEO Dave Dyson... 06/11 - DEVICES - UK operators urged to 'consider' 5G equipment suppliers - Government aims to ensure UK's telecoms infrastructure is secure... 06/11 - NETWORKS - GSMA: Operators need prime spectrum to fulfill 5G potential - Industry body publishes paper ahead of WRC-19... 05/11 - NETWORKS - 5G operator revenues to reach £230bn by 2025 - Research suggests £46bn in 5G R&D will be well spent... 03/11 - DEVICES - Apple tipped to launch a 5G iPhone in 2020 - Super-fast speeds on the way... 31/10 - NETWORKS - BT CTO: Convergence of fibre, 5G and Wi-Fi will create 'one network to rule them all' - Howard Watson believes convergence will be a key differentiatior in telecoms... 30/10 - DEVICES - Oppo wants to release the first 5G smartphone - Oppo wants to beat LG to the punch after successful 5G tests... 30/10 - NETWORKS - Budget 2018: More funding for rural fibre but no new 5G commitments - Digital infrastructure largely a footnote in 2018 Budget... 26/10 - NETWORKS - Trump lays out US 5G strategy - Order looks to ease progress towards 5G network deployment in the US... 25/10 - PRODUCTS - Qualcomm works with Samsung on 5G small cells - Qualcomm and Samsung look to establish 5G leadership... 25/10 - NETWORKS - Vodafone switches on 'full 5G' trial in Manchester - Salford's MediaCity UK gets 5G coverage as Vodafone shapes up next-gen network... 23/10 - DEVICES - OnePlus 7 or OnePlus 7T will be first from company to support 5G - 2019 is the year OnePlus adopts 5G... 22/10 - NETWORKS - EU could back Wi-Fi over 5G for connected cars - Draft proposals could see Wi-Fi rules set before 5G... 19/10 - DEVICES - Operators may have to subsidise 'expensive' 5G smartphones - Early 5G smartphones could be too expensive for consumers... 19/10 - PRODUCTS - Huawei 5G folding phone could take on the Samsung Galaxy X in 2019 - Huawei knows when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em... 18/10 - NETWORKS - Ericsson sales boosted by early 5G adoption - Ericsson feels flush from operator investment... 17/10 - PRODUCTS - Samsung buys Zhilabs to power 5G analytics - Samsung's 5G efforts continue with purchase of analytics experts... 16/10 - NETWORKS - European mobile giants urge pro-5G investment policies - Leading CEOs urge EU regulators to consider importance of connectivity... 15/10 - PRODUCTS - US senators urge Canada to 'ban' Huawei from 5G deployment - US senators fear Huawei kit could harm US national security... 12/10 - PRODUCTS - New Nokia kit promises more rapid and effective 5G FWA deployments - Operators can get new high gain antennas and gateways... 12/10 - NETWORKS - Deutsche Telekom plots 99 per cent 5G coverage by 2025 - German operator details plans for 5G rollout... 08/10 - ANALYSIS - Differences in early 5G services will make it a 'marketing headache' - Analysts predict difficulties in 5G marketing as mobile broadband will be key adoption driver... 05/10 - NETWORKS - EE switches on 'UK's first' 5G trial network at Canary Wharf - EE gears up for 2019 5G launch... 04/10 - NETWORKS - Huawei tells FCC that US ban could mean country falls behind in 5G - Huawei hasn't given up hope in playing US 5G role... 01/10 - INNOVATION - Samsung partners with AT&T to build a 5G tech lab - Facility will research ways 5G could improve manufacturing... 01/10 - NETWORKS - Verizon turns on the world's first 5G network - Launch across four US cities could be a major landmark in the development of 5G... 28/09 - NETWORKS - Digital Catapult switches on Brighton 5G testbed - UK's latest 5G testbed goes live on the South Coast... 26/09 - ANALYSIS - Could 5G networks herald the arrival of a four-day work week? Increased productivity as a result of 5G powered technologies could disrupt the traditional work week... 25/09 - DEVICES - Manufacturers hope 5G and foldable displays will drive smartphone growth - Analysts believe the smartphone will be unrecognisable by 2027... 24/09 - NETWORKS - WIG raises £220m for 5G infrastructure - WIG to use additional funding for small cells and fibre... 21/09 - NETWORKS - Vodafone targets cities and rural areas for 2019 5G launch - Cornwall and the Lake District will be first to get Vodafone 5G... 12/09 - NETWORKS - T-Mobile signs $3.5bn 5G network deal with Ericsson - T-Mobile secures second major 5G equipment deal... 11/09 - NETWORKS - EE could launch the UK's first 5G network in 2019 - EE reallocates 3G spectrum ahead of 2019 5G launch... 11/09 - NETWORKS - European mobile operators bring forward 5G plans - Global 5G connections to reach 340m by 2021 as European optimism increases forecasts... 11/09 - GAMING - Nvidia shows how GeForce Now 5G streaming could make high-end gaming hardware irrelevant - Hitting 60 fps in Full HD resolution with no need for a beefy gaming laptop... 10/09 - NETWORKS - CityFibre SDN rollout to speed up 5G deployments and enable 10Gbps - CityFibre agrees deal with Calix to smarten its network.. 10/09 - NETWORKS - Ericsson radio updates and transport partnerships to accelerate 5G deployments - Ericsson says a series of developments will make it easier and quicker to deploy 5G... 08/09 - NETWORKS - How 5G will make our streaming dreams come true - Zero buffering, no waiting. Will 5G lead the way? 07/09 - FEATURE - Inside the 5G factory: How Nokia's research aids its own production - Nokia's Oulu facility has been involved in every generation of mobile technology... 05/09 - NETWORKS - San Marino will have Europe's first 5G network - Microstate will be a testbed for TIM... 05/09 - NETWORKS - China considers merging two major mobile operators in 5G push - Merger would create world's second largest mobile operator... 04/09 - PRODUCTS - UK''s 'first' large-scale 5G hub to test digital health apps in 2019 - West Midlands will become UK's first 5G hub... 31/08 - ANALYSIS - Golf's digital ambitions make it an unlikely 5G pioneer - Golf looks to new technologies - including 5G... 31/08 - NETWORKS - German operators will have no rural obligation for 5G - 5G spectrum auction will take place in 2019... 30/08 - DEVICES - Larger screens and 5G to drive smartphone growth through to 2022 - Smartphone market 'generally healthy' despite recent dip... 28/08 - NETWORKS - German regulator calls for fourth operator for 5G - Competition chief believes new entrant will kickstart German 5G... 28/08 - NETWORKS - Nokia secures €500m EU loan for 5G research - New funding will accelerate 5G technology R&D... 23/08 - NETWORKS - Major 5G trends become more apparent as first network launch nears - The past seven days have been a long time in the world of 5G... 23/08 - ANALYSIS - Huawei & ZTE banned from Australia 5G networks - Australian government says 5G architecture makes it too risky... 22/08 - PRODUCTS - Qualcomm to start shipping its 5G modems - However chipmaker says it doesn't expect 5G phones to launch this year... 22/08 - NETWORKS - Speed takes centre stage as operators ramp up 5G testing - Report suggests 82 per cent of mobile operators worldwide are testing 5G... 22/08 - DEVICES - Nokia expects to make €3 from every 5G smartphone - Finnish giant sets rate for its essential 5G patents... 20/08 - NETWORKS - Government to test 5G on UK railways - DCMS invites participants for pilot to see how 5G can improve transport sector... 20/08 - NETWORKS - Verizon and Nokia test 5G with a moving vehicle - Partners make progress in mobile broadband and connected car apps... 17/08 - NETWORKS - 5G network slicing could be worth £51bn to mobile operators - Researchers say efforts by operators and vendors could bear fruit... 16/08 - NETWORKS - Cisco posts healthy revenues ahead of 5G push - Cisco is happy with innovation roadmap as it prepares for next generation networks... 16/08 - NETWORKS - Telstra switches on 5G for the Gold Coast, but wider availability remains murky - Australian telcos Optus and Vodafone say there’s a long road ahead... 15/08 - NETWORKS - O2 tests light-based wireless transmission ahead of 5G tests - Li-Fi is pitched as a Wi-Fi alternative... 15/08 - DEVICES - LG to launch 'first 5G smartphone' in 2019 - LG and Sprint will release a 5G-ready device in the US next year... 13/08 - NETWORKS - Ericsson hopes US 5G investments will speed up deployments - Ericsson makes investments in 5G R&D... 08/08 - NETWORKS - Samsung invests billions in 5G and AI - Samsung's £17bn investment programme looks to guard against smartphone slowdown... 07/08 - NETWORKS - US set to lose out to China in 5G race - Deloitte report urges policymakers to promote investment... 02/08 - DEVICES - Moto Z3 is the world's first 5G-upgradable smartphone, say Motorola and Verizon - The first 5G-almost-ready smartphone... 02/08 - OPERATORS - Three focuses on 5G after revenue and customer rises - Three now boasts 10.1m customers across the UK... 31/07 - DEVICES - Lenovo says it'll be the first to launch a 5G smartphone - Could be here before the end of the year... 30/07 - NETWORKS - Nokia and T-Mobile ink $3.5bn 5G network deal - US operator presses ahead with 5G rollout plans... 27/07 - OPERATORS - Mobile helps BT Q1 results ahead of 5G trials - Consumer division continues to offset BT business decline... 26/07 - OPERATORS - O2 invites FTSE 500 to trial its 5G - O2 presses ahead with 5G tests as it adds more customers... 26/07 - OPERATORS - Nokia looks to 5G after sales slowdown - Nokia says drop is to be expected but is confident for second half of 2018... 26/07 - OPERATORS - Sky Mobile extends O2 MVNO agreement to cover 5G - Sky Mobile now has 500,000 customers across the UK... 23/07 - REGULATION - UK Government promises new regulations and investment for full fibre and 5G - Government report outlines plans to deliver fibre to entire UK by 2033... 23/07 - PRODUCTS - Qualcomm's mmWave antennas pave way for first 5G smartphones - The first 5G smartphones should arrive in 2019... 20/07 - NETWORKS - Barriers to 5G could stop UK being a global leader - BSG report identifies issues and resolutions... 18/07 - NETWORKS - South Korea plans 2019 5G launch - "Korea 5G Day" will see new networks introduced a year ahead of schedule... 10/07 - NETWORKS - China Mobile, Intel and Huawei complete 5G interoperability testing - Tests pave way for China Mobile 5G launch next year... 09/07 - NETWORKS - SSE Enterprise Telecoms unbundles BT exchanges to boost broadband and Three 5G - SSE Enterprise Telecoms doubles its reach... 03/07 - NETWORKS - Samsung, Cisco and Orange hold multi-vendor 5G FWA trial - FWA will deliver a fixed-like broadband experience when 5G launches... 29/06 - DEVICES - OnePlus 7 could support 5G and be sold by US carriers - But don't expect it for a while... 28/06 - NETWORKS - "World's first" 5G network launches - Finnish operator Elisa claims global first in launching a commercial 5G network... 27/06 - ANALYSIS - The World Cup and 5G: the trials you need to know about - 5G will change how you watch football forever... 25/06 - NETWORKS - UK 'needs shared spectrum' for 5G - Ofcom urged to rethink 5G spectrum auction to ensure fairer rollout... 20/06 - NETWORKS - Vodafone launches 5G trials in seven UK cities - Vodafone to hold trials later this year with plans for a 2020 5G launch... 19/06 - NETWORKS - Mobile signal woes 'strengthens' business case for 5G - Only half of mobile users in the UK are happy with their speeds, but willing to pay more for faster service... 15/06 - NETWORKS - First standalone 5G network standard approved - 3GPP finalizes 'Release 15' of 5G after three years of work, meaning networks are on the way this year... 14/06 - ANALYSIS - Three CEO: 5G capacity is a 'big opportunity' to lead UK market - Dave Dyson says Three's spectrum holdings mean it could be the UK's 5G leader... 13/06 - NETWORKS - Vodafone: 5G smartphone uncertainty means focus on core network and IoT - Vodafone UK CTO says 5G will be a gamechanger, but smartphone innovation in the 4G era won't be matched... 12/06 - NETWORKS - 5G networks still set to arrive this year - Ericsson report suggests Europe will fall behind US and Asia on 5G adoption... 11/06 - NETWORKS - 'First ever' UK 5G report paints rosy picture - UK's 5G ambitions rely heavily on startup and research community... 06/06 - ANALYSIS - EU telecoms rule changes will hinder rather than help 5G, claim industry - Telecoms groups label the new EU code a "missed opportunity"... 06/06 - NETWORKS - EE to switch on 'UK's first' 5G trial in London - Residents and businesses in Tech City will get chance to try out 5G... 05/06 - PRODUCTS - 5G PCs coming from Intel and Sprint next year - US telecoms giant Sprint has joined the race to bring 5G to the masses, announcing at Computex 2018 to start shipping Intel-powered 5G computers next year... 01/06 - ANALYSIS - 5G UK - How far away are we really? - 5G will deliver immediate benefits in 2019, but the true mobile revolution will take time... 25/05 - POLICY - Mobile industry 'shouldn't wait' for 5G to roll out small cells - Small cells will be essential for delivering the 5G vision but industry warns there is no time too wait... 25/05 - POLICY - Nordic Prime Ministers reach agreement to support 5G - Joint agreement is welcomed by Nokia, Ericsson and regional operators... 22/05 - NETWORKS - Qualcomm details 5G small cell platform - Qualcomm wants to help operators and network equipment manufacturers densify 5G networks... 18/05 - NETWORKS - Verizon to bring 5G to Los Angeles in 2018 - Verizon says America's second largest city will be its next 5G location... 16/05 - NETWORKS - Mobile IoT networks to be a 'core component' of 5G - GSMA says NB-IoT and LTE-M deployments are paving the way for massive IoT powered by 5G... 14/05 - NETWORKS - 5G and network convergence drives growth of carrier-grade Wi-Fi market - Fixed and mobile operators look to densify network infrastructure... 08/05 - PRODUCTS - Why self-driving vehicles could be the biggest winner in a 5G world - Telefónica tells us why autonomous vehicles are set to be a key 5G use case... 08/05 - NETWORKS - Verizon and Samsung get 5G regulatory boost - Verizon and Samsung make major headway towards 5G... 03/05 - NETWORKS - Deutsche Telekom holds live 5G NR trial in Berlin - German operator says test will see how 5G NR behaves in real world... 02/05 - ANALYSIS - Why T-Mobile and Sprint merger would give the US a 5G lead - A truly national 5G network could ensure the US retains its advantage... 01/05 - NETWORKS - Three futureproofs backend infrastructure for 5G - Three and SSE Enterprise Telecoms deal with start with data centre connectivity... 30/04 - NETWORKS - T-Mobile and Sprint merger promises 5G progress in the US - America's third and fourth largest mobile operators are to merge... 18/04 - NETWORKS - Huawei dampens 5G expectations - Huawei CEO says consumer might not notice the differences... 17/04 - NETWORKS - China has narrow lead over US in 5G race - Government support and industry momentum gives China slight advantage, report says... 16/04 - DEVICES - 5G anticipation set to slow smartphone sales - Manufacturers hope for 5G boost as worldwide smartphone demand slows... 13/04 - NETWORKS - What does the Ofcom 5G auction mean for the UK mobile industry? - The long-awaited auction is over, paving the way for 5G...so what next? 12/04 - NETWORKS - Vodafone hits major UK 5G milestone - Vodafone is first UK operator to test 3.4GHz spectrum in preparation for 5G... 09/04 - NETWORKS - Europe set be left behind in 5G race - US and Asia will lead the way in 5G development, claims report... 05/04 - NETWORKS - Mobile networks fork out £1.4bn for 5G spectrum - Ofcom publishes the results of its 5G spectrum auction, revealing that the UK's biggest mobile network operators spent almost £1.4 billion... 28/03 - NETWORKS - 'World's first' 5G public trial switched on in Australia - Australian telco Telstra flips the switch on the world's first public trial of 5G at the Gold Coast... 28/03 - NETWORKS - 5G RuralFirst looks at smart farming, spectrum sharing and broadcasting - Government funded project will use Cisco tech to help transform rural lives... 28/03 - POLICY - UK5G group makes bid for global 5G leadership - Government and industry backed UK5G looks to establish UK 5G community... 27/03 - NETWORKS - GSMA: 5G will be dominant mobile tech in USA by 2025 - Mobile industry body report shows US will be a 5G leader... 27/03 - NETWORKS - Telefonica tests tech that could boost 5G broadband - Telefonica spectral efficiency trials hope to pave the way for better fixed wireless access (FWA)... 23/03 - NETWORKS - 5G networks are now just a year away - Korea Telecom plans commercial 5G launch next March... 20/03 - NETWORKS - UK 5G spectrum auction gets underway - Five bidders will battle it out for more of the UK's airwaves... 19/03 - NETWORKS - UK university makes major 5G breakthrough - University of Kent-based iCIRRUS consortium says Ethernet equipment can help deliver 5G networks... 16/03 - NETWORKS - O2 kickstarts the UK's 5G charm offensive to consumers - 5G hypetrain moves from industry into the mainstream... 15/03 - NETWORKS - Digital minister pledges to eliminate barriers to 5G deployment - Margot James says she wants to work with mobile operators and local government on 5G... 14/03 - NETWORKS - O2: 5G will save local councils and households £6bn a year - Report details how smart technologies powered by 5G can improve society... 12/03 - NETWORKS - Ofcom 5G spectrum auction will start next week - Ofcom confirms that bidding for 5G frequencies will begin on 20 March... 12/03 - NETWORKS - Government reveals £25m prize fund for UK 5G - £25m competition will see 5G testbeds located across the UK... 11/03 - DEVICES - 5G a key factor to seamless VR experience, says Lenovo EMEA President - Lenovo wants to create memorable experiences for its customers, but is that enough? 09/03 - NETWORKS - Ofcom plans new rural coverage obligations for 700MHz spectrum - Ofcom says 700MHz is an important opportunity to improve rural coverage as it plans for 5G future... 05/03 - NETWORKS - EU Parliament and US Congress take steps to accelerate 5G legislation - EU chambers reach provisional agreement while US Congress to vote on spectrum auction... 05/03 - DEVICES - HTC CEO: 5G will turn any VR device into the most powerful in the world - Cher Wang says the smartphone still has a role to play in VR... 03/03 - NETWORKS - Qualcomm hopes 5G vision will stand out from the hype - Qualcomm's influence in the industry is significant, so its 5G roadmap is worth listening too... 02/03 - NETWORKS - BT CEO: EE convergence even more important ahead of 5G - Gavin Patterson says BT never really left mobile and is preparing for converged network era... 28/02 - NETWORKS - Intel and NTT DoCoMo prepare 5G plans for Tokyo 2020 Olympics - After success at PyeongChang 2018, Intel is stepping up plans for next Olympics... 27/02 - NETWORKS - Satellite-supported UK 5G testbed will trial mission critical apps - Juniper Networks and Satellite Applications Catapult say satellite cannot be ignored... 27/02 - MOBILE - Qualcomm looks to make it easier to make 5G phones - Launch will help OEMs build 5G connectivity into more devices... 27/02 - NETWORKS - Ofcom confirms six bidders for 5G spectrum - All four mobile operators have been approved, with small cell operator and Hull fixed wireless firm joining... 27/02 - NETWORKS - Ericsson tells operators: 5G is ready - Ericsson has agreements with 38 operators around the world as 5G moves from idea to reality... 27/02 - PRODUCTS - Get ready for a 5G Internet of the Sky - Drones like the Ehang 184 will usher in a 5G-powered autonomous airspace... 26/02 - NETWORKS - Telstra plans to ramp up 4G speeds in the lead up to its full 5G rollout - Major cities in Australia to get increased bandwidth... 26/02 - NETWORKS - Cisco targets mobile operators with '5G Now' - Cisco wants to help operators prepare for the next era of networks... 25/02 - MOBILE - Huawei reveals 5G-ready modem - Test beds for 5G networks will be launched this year, Huawei reveals... 23/02 - NETWORKS - Why PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics are a 5G milestone - Athletes are making history at the Winter Olympics, but it's an important event for 5G networks too... 22/02 - NETWORKS - O2 reveals UK 5G test bed - Operator will test 5G applications at iconic London venue later this year... 19/02 - NETWORKS - Vodafone and Huawei successfully test IP Microwave backhaul for 5G - Vodafone and Huawei achieve 2Gbps on IP microwave link, claiming it shows the tech is viable for 5G... 16/02 - NETWORKS - Why startups and research can make the UK a 5G leader - Does the UK really need to be first to the mark or be an industry powerhouse to be a 5G leader? 16/02 - OPINION - No time to waste now 5G legal challenges are over - For an industry keen to avoid a repeat of the 3G and 4G auctions, Three's failed appeal removes a barrier to 5G... 14/02 - MOBILE - Fiber-like internet and a glimpse of our 5G future are coming to smartphones in 2019 - Qualcomm's new mobile modem offering speeds of up to 2Gbps... 14/02 - NETWORKS - 5G spectrum auction to go ahead after Three's legal challenge fails - Three's bid to decrease an overall spectrum cap falls on deaf ears and prevents further delay... 12/02 - NETWORKS - China Mobile plans 5G launch in 2019 - China Mobile joins a select few number of operators planning to beat original 2020 target... 08/02 - MOBILE - The first 5G smartphones are coming in 2019 - But you won't see 5G service everywhere by next year... 07/02 - MOBILE - 5G set to push mobile data use sky-high - Giffgaff research estimates customers will use nearly 100GB of mobile data a month by 2025... 05/-2 - NETWORKS - Telstra joins Optus on 5G bandwagon, also aiming for 2019 rollout - Australian carrier Telstra will trial new tech during Commonwealth Games... 05/01 - NETWORKS - AT&T set to run 5G trials - Company to adopt new 3GPP guidelines as it continues push for next-generation networks... 04/01 - NETWORKS - Samsung teams up with Verizon on 5G - New service to be launched in Sacramento later this year... 02/02 - NETWORKS - Optus 5G network rollout set to begin in early 2019 - Australian telco Optus announces its plans for 5G rollout... What will 5G networks mean for me?
How fast will 5G be?It’s still not exactly known how much faster 5G will be than 4G, as much of the technology is still under development. That being said, the networks should provide a significant upgrade to current download and upload speeds - with the GSMA proposing minimum download speeds of around 1GBps. Most estimates expect the average speed of 5G networks to reach 10Gb/s, and some even think transfer rates could reach a whopping 800Gb/s. This would mean that users could download a full-length HD quality film in a matter of seconds, and that downloading and installing software upgrades would be completed much faster than today. Will I be able to get 5G networks on my phone?Existing smartphones, tablet or other devices that were released when 4G networks were the standard may not be able to connect to 5G to begin with, or may incur extra costs to do so. However following the 2020 deadline for the initial rollout, we should soon see devices coming with 5G connection as default. Don't worry though - although 5G should represent a major step up from current 4G and 3G networks, the new technology won’t immediately replace its predecessor - at least, not to begin with. Instead, 5G should link in with existing networks to ensure users never lose connection, with the older networks acting as back-up in areas not covered by the new 5G coverage. So-called “4.5G” networks (also known as LTE-A) are set to fill the gap for the time being, offering connections that are faster than current 4G networks, although only certain countries such as South Korea can benefit from them right now. Once launched however, implementing 5G may be a slower process. Much like the gradual takeover of 4G networks from the previous generation, existing network infrastructure may need to be upgraded or even replaced in order to deal with the new technology, and homes and businesses may also need to get new services installed. It’s not yet known how 5G networks will take over from existing networks, but again, much like the rollout of 4G, you may not be able to immediately connect to the new networks without upgrading your technology. What will a 5G network need?The GSMA has outlined eight criteria for 5G networks, with a connection needing meet a majority of these in order to qualify as 5G:
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| Sony will make a 5G phone, but only when the tech rolls out Posted: 25 Feb 2019 10:17 AM PST Think that Sony isn't interested in 5G just because the Sony Xperia 1 doesn't support it? Think again. Sony is showing off a new prototype 5G device at MWC 2019, and the company has confirmed to TechRadar it won't be pursuing 5G in the consumer space until 5G is fully offered by mobile networks. Instead of packing it inside a commercially available phone - think LG V50, Huawei Mate X or Samsung Galaxy S10 5G - the company is showing off a prototype that's never intended to come to market. Patience at SonyThe device is being shown on both Sony and Qualcomm's booths at the show. The prototype is sporting Qualcomm's Snapdragon 855, which is the same chipset as inside the Xperia 1. The Snapdragon 855 is capable of supporting 5G - that's the chipset inside the LG V50 - so why won't Sony's latest flagship support 5G? Mitsuya Kishida, President of Sony Mobile told TechRadar, "Obviously, we are heavily cooperating with our partners to develop for 5G, and depending on the country and the customers need we will introduce the 5G model accordingly. "It will be a separate model and depend on the country, again. How to introduce the solution is going to be different for our customers." However, he did confirm that Sony was intending to have a device on the market when the 5G wave of phones fully begins. Whether that means we'll see a variant of the Xperia 1 - much like how Xiaomi has plans to rereleased the Mi Mix 3 with a new 5G version - or a completely new phone remains to be seen. It's also a benefit of Sony's schedule of releasing a new flagship phone every six months too.
By the time 5G begins its rollout later this year, Sony may be ready to introduce the Xperia 2 that is likely to still sport the Snapdragon 855 but may be ready with 5G compatibility. Kishida continued, "Being the first in 5G... that’s not what we’re trying to achieve. I’m really happy that our engineering skill and the speed of development towards 5G, I’m very comfortable with that." One of the other reasons for Sony avoiding 5G at this stage is also down to the effect it can have on the design of the phone too. Silke Schild, head of external communications at Sony Mobile told TechRadar, "We don’t want to compromise on the design [of the Xperia 1] either, integrating additional antennas etcetera." That may mean the next phone from Sony is set to be thicker and heavier so it can support 5G, but we likely won't know that for quite a while now and it may be IFA 2019 at the earliest for us to next hear about a flagship Sony handset. MWC (Mobile World Congress) is the world's largest showcase for the mobile industry, stuffed full of the newest phones, tablets, wearables and more. TechRadar is reporting live from Barcelona all week to bring you the very latest from the show floor. Head to our dedicated MWC 2019 hub to see all the new releases, along with TechRadar's world-class analysis and buying advice about your next phone. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Mobile phones are too fragile for European businesses Posted: 25 Feb 2019 09:52 AM PST New research has highlighted the fact that businesses in Europe are spending more than ever on mobile phones for their employees as increased costs and loss of productivity from phones being too fragile for the work environment helps make the case for rugged devices. Cat phones and the Bullitt Group conducted a survey of mobile phone buyers at 497 European Businesses to reveal that 69 percent are spending more on company phones than ever before with more than half of respondents saying repair and replacement of broken devices is a growing problem for their business. In the last three years, 99 per cent of business phone buyers have had to deal with damage to company phones and 86 percent say that there has been damage significant enough to require repair or replacement to an employee's device.
According to the survey, the most common causes for device repair are broken screens (69%), physical breakage (47%), water damage (44%) and faults caused by dust or sand getting into the device (21%). Impact on productivityProductivity also goes down significantly when employees are forced to go without a mobile phone while it's being repaired or replaced. Of those surveyed, 31 percent of businesses reported a major impact on productivity while a further 40 percent reported a notable impact on their productivity. Long repair times exacerbate this issue with just 21 percent saying repairs take up to one working day while the majority (63%) said repairs can take from two days up to a working week. Additionally, 16 percent of respondents have seen some repairs take even longer. According to research from CCS Insight, one in three European consumers have experienced a broken smartphone screen in the last three years. Without insurance, replacing a broken smartphone screen is not cheap and can cost anywhere between $170 to $400. These costs can escalate even further in a business setting where buyers procure multiple devices for their workforce. CCS Insight's Chief of Research, Ben Wood provided further insight on the findings of the survey, saying: “The fragility of modern smartphones has become a real issue. It is little surprise that business are looking for more rugged devices given the costs associated with repairing smartphones and negative impact on productivity when a device breaks.”
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| The best free SEO tools of 2019 Posted: 25 Feb 2019 09:40 AM PST Techradar, one of the largest technology websites in the world, is visited by millions of users each month, the majority of them coming through Google and other search engines. The web is awash with SEO tools and resources, but it pays to do your homework first and pick your kit carefully. Just like the practitioners within the search marketing industry itself, there's the good the bad and, well, the ugly. Here is our list of six of the best free tools around today.
1. Google Search ConsoleEven if you're not headstrong on SEO, whatever the size of your site or blog, Google's laudable Search Console (formerly Webmaster Central) and the myriad user-friendly tools under its bonnet should be your first port of call. The suite of tools gives you valuable information about your site at a glance: it can assess your site's performance and observe potential problems to troubleshoot (like negative spammy links), help you ensure your site is Google-friendly and monitor Google's indexing of your site. You can even report spam and request reconsideration if your site has incurred a penalty. Plus, if you don't refer to their Webmaster Guidelines now and again, well, you've only yourself to blame if you go wrong. Search Console is constantly updated, and new features are on the way, such as new URL inspection tool or the new sitemaps report. 2. SEOQuakeSEMRush’s SEOQuake is one of the most popular toolbar extension adored by millions. It allows you to view multiple search engine parameters on the fly and save and compare them with the results obtained for other projects. Although the icons and numbers that SeoQuake yields might be unintelligible to the uninformed user, skilled optimisers will appreciate the wealth of detail this add-on provides. Gauge details about number of visitors and their country, get a site's traffic history trended on a graph, and more. The toolbar includes buttons for a site's Google index update, backlinks, SEMRush ranking, Facebook likes, Bing index, Alexa ranks, web archive age and a link to the Whois page. There’s also a useful cheat sheet and diagnostics page to have a bird’s view of potential issues (or opportunities) affecting a particular page or site. 3. Google AdWords keyword plannerKnowing the right keywords to target is all-important when priming your web copy. Google's free keyword tool, part of Adwords, couldn't be easier to use. Plug your website URL into the box, start reviewing the suggested keywords and off you go. Jill Whalen, CEO of HighRankings.com is a fan and offers advice to those new to keyword optimisation: "make sure you use those keywords within the content of your website. It's really a question of being descriptive as keyword phrases typically describe what you offer. Think about the fact that you're trying to answer someone's question at the other end of the search engine. They're typically searching Google because they have a question or a problem to solve. Make your website answer those questions and solve those problems and it will be the one to show in the search results." 4. Google OptimiseYet another Google tool on that list (not a surprise isn’t it). Optimise is not for the faint hearted and will make even seasoned SEO experts uncomfortable. SEO isn't all about rankings and without the right balance of content that engages with your visitors and drives conversions, you're earnest optimisation could be wasted. Google’s free service helps take the guesswork out of the game, allowing you to test your site's content: from simple A/B testing of two different pages to comparing a whole combination of elements on any given page. Personalization features are also available to spice things up a bit. Note that in order to run some of the more complicated multivariate testing, you will need adequate traffic and time to make the results actionable, just as you do with Analytics. 5. Live Keyword AnalysisAny seasoned search engine optimisation specialist will tell you keywords matter, and while simply clawing keywords into your text arbitrarily can do more harm than good, it's worth ensuring you have the right balance. Live Keyword Analysis is a breeze to use: simply type in your keywords and then paste in your text and your keyword density analysis will be done on the fly. Don't forget to proof and edit your text accordingly for optimum readability. A must for website copywriters especially as you don’t need to register or pay for anything. 6. AhrefsGoogle's Pagerank algorithm underpins most of what makes the current world wide web work the way it does. Understanding backlinks (sites linking to you) allows website owners and publishers to understand what link opportunities they might be missing out on. Enter Ahrefs, arguably one of the most powerful players out there. They maintain one of the largest live backlink indexes currently available with 16 trillion known links, covering 200 million root domains. While Ahrefs isn't free, the backlink checker feature is, which provides a useful snapshot that includes your domain rating, the top 100 backlinks, top 5 anchors and top 5 pages, the strict minimum to provide with a feel of what Ahrefs has to offer.
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| Nvidia GTX 1660 Ti graphics for laptops could be in the works Posted: 25 Feb 2019 09:20 AM PST Hotly following the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti that just launched days prior, apparently we can expect a laptop version of the graphics card to come out soon. A new mobile Nvidia GPU codenamed 'N18E-G0' popped up in Notebook Check’s database, and the outlet strongly suspects this could the GTX 1660 Ti-class GPU meant for laptops. The codename lines up with those for existing notebook-based graphics processors, including the RTX 2060 (N18E-G1), RTX 2070 (N18E-G2) and RTX 2080 (N18E-G3). Unfortunately, Notebook Check doesn’t list any specific specs for this rumored GTX 1660 Ti for notebooks. However, we can make some assumptions based the original desktop version. The chip is almost guaranteed to be built upon a 12nm Turing architecture and feature GDDR6 memory – but, it probably lack any ray tracing or tensor processing cores.
Currently, one of the most inexpensive gaming laptops featuring RTX graphics is the $1,499 MSI GL63 in the US, and that’s on a model with only an Intel Core i5-8300H CPU, 16GB of memory and a 256GB drive. Internationally, the most-basic MSI GL63 runs for a little more at £1,649 in the UK and AU$2,499 in Australia, thanks to having a higher-tier Intel Core i7-8750H CPU inside. Comparatively, a laptop featuring a mid-range Nvidia GTX 1060 from the Pascal line of mobile GPUs could be had for as little as $1,099 (about £820, AU$1,450), as with the Acer Predator Helios 300. Although it's far from confirmed, we hope a mobile version of the GTX 1660 Ti will help bring down the price of Turing-powered gaming laptops to more approachable levels.
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| Lenovo teases first 5G laptop powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Posted: 25 Feb 2019 09:14 AM PST Lenovo may very well be the first out of the gate with a laptop using Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8cx processor, the company teased during an MWC 2019 press conference. The company kept mum about the product in the works beyond the fact that it will use Qualcomm’s new 5G connectivity modem for the 8cx platform, Anandtech reports. Given how premium (and pricey) the projected slate of 5G-supporting phones and other products have been, expect Lenovo's device to be expensive. And yet, ever since the Snapdragon 8cx's debut in December 2018 during Qualcomm’s Tech Day event in Hawaii, and even following CES 2019, we haven't heard of any Snapdragon 8cx products in the works until this Lenovo device. Which is very, very strange.
Given that following the initial announcement of Snapdragon on Windows 10 laptops – way back in late 2017 – was paired with not one but three devices using the technology, this is rather disconcerting. Why so slow to start?As to why we’ve not seen a single Snapdragon 8cx laptop on the market yet is anyone’s guess, but there are some likely causes. One, laptop makers are likely reticent to pick up on Snapdragon 8cx given the poor performance of the previous platform (Snapdragon 850) and the speed at which Qualcomm moved on from it to this version. Two, many laptop makers likely were – and still are – waiting for 5G to truly take off before investing into Qualcomm’s latest PC platform. And, three, it’s likely that some laptop makers are waiting to see how competitors use Qualcomm’s processor before making a move. Regardless, adoption of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx might be an uphill battle, especially if Lenovo’s first laptop to use the processor isn’t a slam dunk.
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| Lenovo unveils new ThinkPads at MWC Posted: 25 Feb 2019 08:53 AM PST Lenovo has announced a number of new additions to its ThinkPad line at MWC 2019 alongside a new portable monitor and a pair of headphones designed for today's mobile workers. The latest line of premium ThinkPad T and X laptops, which includes the T490s, T490, T590, X390 and X390 Yoga, continue the firm's efforts to drive innovation that matters to end users. Today's mobile workers want truly connected devices and the latest ThinkPad laptops deliver with high performance Wi-Fi and optional LTE-A global WWAN capability. For users who need even greater roaming connectivity, the ThinkPad T490 includes Cat16 LTE-A support with 4X4 Ultra Connect antenna configuration for up to Gigabit speeds and maximum signal strength.
The ThinkPad T490S, X390 and x390 Yoga also feature Intel's new Wi-Fi 6 Gig+ technology with Bluetooth 5.1 for premium Gigabit wireless connectivity. Added security with ThinkShieldTo help its users stay protected wherever they are and to secure its devices throughout their entire lifecycle, Lenovo has included its end-to-end security solution ThinkShield. The Match-on-Chip fingerprint reader on all of its latest ThinkPad laptops enhances the privacy of fingerprint information by ensuring the biometric image never leaves the chip which allows it to deliver a more secure identification for both login and online transactions. The company's new devices also include a physical camera cover called ThinkShutter that is available on both RGB and IR webcams to protect users from malicious webcam hackers while ThinkPad PrivacyGuard activates screen privacy at the touch of a button and can PrivacyAlert can even warn you if someone is snooping over your shoulder. Lenovo has also made significant improvements to the ThinkPad BIOS by updating it with a new modern GUI and implementing new manageability enhancements. Administrators can now set remote supervisor or privileged access passwords for better BIOS-level security and they can also restrict port access, delete all data from the hard drive suing Secure Wipe or remotely manage system deployment with WiFi PXE Boot or HTTPs Boot. However, the new BIOS' most impressive ability is its new self-healing feature that will revert to a known good backup copy in the event of BIOS corruption or a malicious attack. MWC (Mobile World Congress) is the world's largest showcase for the mobile industry, stuffed full of the newest phones, tablets, wearables and more. TechRadar is reporting live from Barcelona all week to bring you the very latest from the show floor. Head to our dedicated MWC 2019 hub to see all the new releases, along with TechRadar's world-class analysis and buying advice about your next phone.
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| The best iPhone SE deals in February 2019 Posted: 25 Feb 2019 08:46 AM PST The iPhone SE may have been officially removed from the Apple Store, but the budget Apple smartphone continues to sell at some seriously rapid speeds. That's largely because the cheapest iPhone on the market recently had yet another price drop and heading into 2019 it is still beautifully cheap - and on this page you'll find the best iPhone SE deals in the UK. Following Apple's product launch back in September, it feels like the iPhone SE 2 is still no closer to being released. But that hasn't stopped tariffs falling and you can now get iPhone SE deals on contract for a mere £15 per month - that means around £400 over the course of the contract! The tech world rejoiced when the iPhone SE was released. Finally, a new Apple phone that doesn't require you to remortgage your house and take on a second job - unlike iPhone XS Max deals! It looks and feels exactly the same as the iPhone 5S. But instead of sporting two-year-old hardware it's fully up to date, with a super-fast CPU and graphics, and the 12MP iSight camera straight out of the iPhone 6S. If cheap iPhone SE deals are what you seek, then you've definitely come to the right place. Use TechRadar's comparison chart to easily find the ideal plan, or scroll down further to find our pick of the best SE deals on the market. More options: iPhone 8 deals | iPhone 7 deals | iPhone 6S deals | iPhone deals | Best mobile phone deals Lower down the page you'll be able to read about all of the best iPhone SE deals on a model-by-model and network-by-network basis. But first of all here are the best deals so you can instantly see what the best offers are from EE, O2, Three and Vodafone. Launched back in March 2016, the 'Special Edition' iPhone SE was a rare example of Apple dropping its entry-level price to allow bargain-hunters a piece of the iPhone pie. It reduced the screen size from the iPhone 6, but kitted it out with the same camera as the iPhone 6S. In short, it's a premium smartphone with a lower price tag – and we like that! Read TechRadar's full iPhone SE review Now let's break down the best iPhone SE deals by network... Best iPhone SE deals on EEBest iPhone SE deals on O2Best iPhone SE deals on VodafoneBest iPhone SE deals on ThreeThis posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The best iPhone 7 deals in February 2019 Posted: 25 Feb 2019 08:31 AM PST It may now be in its terrible twos, but Apple's iPhone 7 remains one of the best mobiles we've ever used and the price of iPhone 7 deals is way less than its successors. So forget those iPhone 8 deals. Laugh in the face of iPhone XS deals and move on from those iPhone XR deals If you like the idea of buying an iPhone but aren't that enthusiastic amount the kinds of costs attached to them, then the iPhone 7 could be an ideal middle ground. That said, other than the fantastic 20GB+ tariffs knocking around on EE and O2 and a few standout three deals however if you were hoping for Vodafone deals you will be sad to hear that they're just not so competitive right now. On this page you'll find all of the best iPhone 7 deals you can get right now. Whether you're looking for unlimited data, a free phone or any other type of tariff, you can use our comparison chart below to choose the cheapest option out there. Scroll down to find the best deal for you. And don't forget that you'll get £10 off the handset cost if you get your iPhone 7 from Mobiles.co.uk - you just need to enter our exclusive 10OFF discount code when you get to the checkout. See also: iPhone 8 deals | iPhone 7 Plus deals | iPhone 7 SIM-free | Samsung Galaxy S8 deals | Best mobile phone deals | iPhone deals Top 5 best iPhone 7 deals in the UK todayAt the top of our guide you'll see what we've chosen as this month's best value iPhone 7 deals in the UK. These are chosen purely on the basis of value - unlike some other sites we don't manipulate the order of these deals for commercial gain! And if you're loyal to a particular network, we've picked out the best deals on the four major networks - those being EE, O2, Three and Vodafone. Vodafone has a habit of having great iPhone 7 deals one day and then removing them all in a instant so if you don't see any Vodafone deals then it is likely they are in one of those times. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Best blogging platforms of 2019 Posted: 25 Feb 2019 08:20 AM PST The popularity of blogging (which originally derives from ‘personal web log’) continues, whether for profit, or just to have a voice on the web, since over a decade ago when it first captured the internet as the ‘next big thing’. Some blogs are standalone sites, but others are a more personal section that fits into a larger, corporate web site. In order to blog, a blogging platform is required, which takes care of formatting the content in the form of text and images, and provides a framework for getting it onto a website. The blogging platform also makes it easier for a search engine to categorize the blog entries, and to be able to take advantage of marketing and advertising opportunities. So before you start cranking out posts, and welcoming your virtual visitors from around the world, you need to choose the best blogging platform to suit your needs. Check out these great options.
Blogger Ask any old-time blogger about what platform they started their blog with, and chances are they'll answer that it was Blogger. To this day, Google’s offering in the blogging space still retains several advantages, including that your existing Google account already means you have a Blogger account. A broke startup blog will appreciate that it is free to use, and it will even provide the blogspot.com domain name, as well as the option for a custom domain name. It is also one of the easier platforms to use, and provides a choice of templates that can be flexibly modified. As it is a Google offering, it easily integrates with other Google products, including Google Analytics that can provide information about your website’s visitors that should be used to help grow traffic. Also, your blog can be integrated with Google’s Adsense, that will analyze your content, and display relevant ads to monetize your blog, so you can pay for the coffee as you sit in Starbucks and blog into the night. With all that going for it, is there any reason not to use Blogger? Well, the problem is that as your blog grows, its simplicity means that you may outgrow Blogger at some point. In addition, it can be difficult to transition from Blogger to another platform. WordPress WordPress is a popular blogging platform which is used on a claimed 30% of web sites, that offers an excellent balance between ease of use, and more powerful options. They can handle all the details, and take care of the domain name, the security and the hosting for a one stop shopping option. WordPress offers hundreds of themes, with flexibility in fonts and options for a custom look. They also offer expert support, and credit card payments can be accepted via an available plugin. Pricing starts at the Personal plan for $5 (€4, £4) monthly billed annually, which removes all WordPress advertising. There is also a free tier available, which is suitable for a noncommercial blog as there is WordPress advertising, and no way you can monetize it. Jekyll The latest version of Jekyll (3.8.5) is a “simple, blog-aware, static site generator.” Content gets created in TXT files, which get placed into folders. Then you build your site via Liquid language templates. Jekyll then merges the content and the template together, and voila, a website is generated that can be uploaded to a server. For those that need a host, there is integration with Jekyll to host the website for free on GitHub. While there is a comprehensive ‘quick-start guide’ on the Jekyll website, it hardly offers the simplicity of some competing blogging platforms that can do this all from a web interface. However, the benefits that Jekyll offers are the advanced features, which include options for paginating posts, available plugins, templates, and community maintained themes. It also supports blog migration from other platforms. The plus here is that there is no cost to the platform, but the downside is that there is only community support, and the work takes place in the Ruby development environment, so many newbies will be put off. Tumblr While some blogs are well developed, and blur the line between a blog, and a full fledged website, at the other end of things we have Tumblr. It seems to be doing something right as it claims a staggering 450+ million different blogs. It focuses on the more concise end of the spectrum, with an emphasis on shorter content, like just an image, or link, that can appear as more of an alternate social media platform. Content is definitely more short-form, with posts consisting of a variety of material, for example, pics, jokes, quips, Spotify tracks, and video (just remember that adult content is no longer welcome). Like a social media platform, you can also follow other blogs, and republish posts you like to your own blog. The pro is that Tumblr is quite simple to use, costs nothing, and is ideal for use on a mobile device. However, this is not ideal for a more developed blog, as the content remains in the Tumblr ecosystem, and there is no way to monetize it. Typepad Typepad is a fully developed blogging platform, designed for the professional blogger. It offers a ton of flexibility, including the ability to publish from email, a web browser, or mobile. It also easily integrates with Google Analytics, and has its own affiliate plan. Typepad supports design customization with a Theme Builder for a custom look, and the option for creating your own custom template or modifying a theme with custom CSS. Typepad is also fully hosted, and has support available. After the initial 14-day trial, plans start at $8.95 (£8) per month for up to four blogs with unlimited storage.
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| Best camera flash 2018: dedicated flashguns for Canon and Nikon DSLRs Posted: 25 Feb 2019 07:45 AM PST The same flashgun won’t suit everybody. Some of us want something small, lightweight and simple to use, others might want a high-end model that’s really power-packed and full of advanced features. It’s equally true that some flashguns are vastly more expensive than others and, if you’ve got an entry-level DSLR, it doesn’t make sense to spend more on your flashgun than your camera. Whatever level of sophistication and price point you decide on, a flashgun is an amazingly versatile accessory. It’s supremely portable and can make a huge difference to the quality of lighting in almost any scenario, from night-time shots and gloomy interiors, to portraits on a bright sunny day. With TTL (Through The Lens) flash metering, dedicated flashguns can team up with your camera to enable automatic exposures in all sorts of shooting conditions. It’s generally easy to apply flash exposure bias if necessary, to fine-tune the power setting, or to use fully manual flash power if you prefer to be in control. Mid-range and high-end flashguns tend to have motorized zoom heads. These can automatically track the focal length or zoom setting of the lens you’re using, narrowing the beam of light for telephoto shots to make more flash power available. For extra wide-angle coverage, a flip-down reflector is usually included in the head of the flashgun.
Most flashguns also have bounce and swivel heads. These enable you to bounce the light output off walls and ceilings, instead of firing it directly at the subject. This can give a much softer quality of light that’s vastly more flattering for portraits. The softness of the light increases with the size of the light source so, if you bounce the light from a small flashgun off a large surface like a white wall or ceiling, it effectively becomes much bigger. The trade-off is that the intensity of the light reaching the target is reduced, so a flashgun with a larger maximum power rating or ‘Guide number’ become preferable. Another option is to use the flashgun off-camera. This enables the creation of ‘modelling’ with shadows, which gives images a much more three-dimensional look, rather than typical ‘flashgun’ lighting which can appear very flat. Many modern flashguns feature wireless master/slave connectivity for off-camera flash. This enables you to trigger the flashgun via an infrared link from a compatible DSLR, or in some cases from an RF (Radio Frequency) wireless trigger, as well as using multiple wirelessly connected flashguns to create more exotic lighting effects. Let’s take a closer look at the top 10 flashguns for both Canon and Nikon DSLRs. Best Speedlites for Canon DSLRs in 2018Canon makes a range of Speedlite flashguns to suit a range of price points and requirements, ranging from small and simple models to fully pro-grade options. We’ll look at all of those first, in price-ascending order, and then move on to the most appealing Canon-dedicated flashguns from independent manufacturers, including Hahnel, Metz, Nissin and Phottix. Small enough to slip into a spare pocket, this is a seriously downsized flashgun, running on two AA batteries instead of the usual four. It also lacks an LCD screen and onboard controls, so you need to make all adjustments from the host camera’s flash control menu. Even so, it’s compatible with high-speed sync and rear-curtain modes, and enables TTL flash exposure compensation and the use of manual power settings. There’s a manual push-pull mechanism for selecting either 28mm or 50mm zoom settings but no swivel facility, so you can’t bounce the flash off the ceiling if you’re shooting in portrait (upright) orientation, at least when the flashgun is mounted in the camera’s hotshoe. On the plus side, wireless slave mode is featured for off-camera flash. Performance is good overall and, in our tests, maximum output power isn’t much less than from the bigger Canon 430EX III-RT at corresponding zoom settings. One drawback, however, is that recycling after a full-power flash takes more than twice as long, at just over five seconds. A sizeable step up from the Canon 270EX II, this flashgun has a full set of onboard controls and an LCD screen, enabling intuitive and versatile operation without resorting to in-camera menus. It also adds a motorized zoom head with a 24-105mm range, and complements the 0-90 degree bounce facility with 150/180 degrees of swivel to the left and right respectively. Useful supplied accessories include a carrying pouch and stand, diffusion dome and colour-matching filter for balancing flash output with tungsten lighting. Flash modes include high-speed sync and rear-curtain options, but there’s no programmable repeat mode. The biggest update over the Mk II is the addition of RF (Radio Frequency) communication, while the previous infrared slave mode is also retained. However, if you want to use the new flashgun as a wireless master, you can only do so in RF mode, which rules out pairing it with most Canon flashguns, as they only support optical transmission. There’s a little more power on tap than from the 270EX II and recycling after a full-power flash is more than twice as fast, at 2.2 seconds when using NiMH batteries. In fully automatic ‘AI Bounce’ mode the 470EX-AI utilizes artificial intelligence to move its motorized head through 120 degrees of vertical rotation and a full 180 degrees to the left or right. It’s compatible with cameras launched in or after the second half of 2014, and works by firing a pre-flash pulse directly at the subject, then tilting vertically upwards and firing a second pre-flash pulse at the ceiling. The flashgun then calculates the optimum bounce angle and moves the head correspondingly. There’s also a semi-automatic AI Bounce mode, in which you can manually point the flash head in your desired direction. In other respects, the 470EX-AI is quite conventional. It lacks the RF (Radio Frequency) communication of the 430EX III-RT and both editions of the 600EX-RT. For wireless off-camera flash, it can therefore only operate via an optical link, and only as a slave, not a master. It also lacks a programmable repeat flash mode and a pull-out reflector card. Maximum output is slightly higher than that of the Canon 430EX III-RT and recycling is similarly swift, but batteries only last about two-thirds as long. Built to satisfy the demands of busy professional photographers, the 600EX II-RT has a robust, weather-sealed construction. Upgrades over the 430EX III-RT include a power rating of Gn 60, a bounce range that dips to -7 degrees as well as covering the more usual 0-90 degree range, extended swivel to 180 degrees in both left and right directions, and a bigger zoom range of 20-200mm. A crucial addition is that the 600EX II-RT can work in master as well as slave wireless modes, with both infrared and RF options. RF linking increases the range from around 10m to 30m, with the extra benefit of being able to work around corners or through obstacles, as well as being more reliable than infrared in bright, outdoor conditions. The Mk II is cooler-running than the original edition, boosting continuous shooting stamina by as much as 50 per cent. As with most pro-grade flashguns, you can also connect an external power pack to keep the flashgun going for longer. A programmable repeat mode enables stroboscopic output, unavailable Canon’s lower-grade flashguns. This Hahnel flashgun is available on its own or as part of two optional kits. The ‘Wireless Kit’ adds a hotshoe-mounting Viper RF trigger, and the ‘Wireless Pro Kit’ comprises two flashguns plus the RF trigger. The flashgun itself has a built-in RF transceiver enabling it to work in wireless RF mode as both a master and slave, over an impressive range of up to 100m. The addition of the Viper hotshoe-mounted trigger, with its on-board controls and LCD display, enables you to use one or more flashguns off-camera in RF wireless mode. A big difference compared with most flashguns is that the Hahnel is powered by a rechargeable Li-ion battery pack, instead of the usual four AA batteries. This enables a whopping 550 full-power flashes between recharging, and very rapid recycling speeds of just 0.7 and 1.5 seconds after a half-power or full-power flash respectively. Useful features include a 20-200mm motorized zoom head, a flip-down 14mm wide-angle diffuser and a pull-out catchlight/reflector card. There’s a full set of advanced flash modes, including high-speed sync, rear curtain and programmable repeat (multi-flash during a single exposure). At first glance, this Metz flashgun looks a bit basic without any onboard controls. The reason for this is the inclusion of an intuitive touchscreen interface, which reduces button clutter around the back. The motorized zoom head has a 24-105mm range, with the usual reflector card and wide-angle diffuser built in, although swivel movement in the right-hand direction is limited to 120 degrees. For off-camera and multi-flashgun setups, the Metz includes both master and slave wireless modes. Typical of flashguns at this price point, there’s no programmable repeat flash mode. During our tests, maximum output was noticeably down on the specified Gn 52 rating, more similar to that of the Canon 430EX III-RT. Recycling speeds are a little pedestrian too, taking just over four seconds after a full-power flash when using NiMH batteries. Overall, however, it’s an attractive flashgun at the price. This is Metz’s most sophisticated dedicated flashgun, with a host of up-market features and a powerful Gn 64 output rating. Highlights include a 24-200mm zoom range, a -9 to 90-degree bounce facility, and the availability of both master and slave wireless operation. There’s also an unusual secondary sub-flash module, which is great for adding fill-in lighting when you’re using the main head in bounce or swivel mode. Like the Metz 52 AF-1, intuitive on-board control is based on a touchscreen but, this time, it’s a colour rather than mono screen. Pro-grade enhancements include a programmable repeat flash mode and a socket for an optional external power pack. When using NiMH batteries, recycling speed is pretty quick after a full-power flash, at 3.4 seconds, but recycling takes more than twice as long with alkaline cells. On the face of it, this Nissin flashgun looks pretty basic, with on-board controls that boil down to a single Set button and control wheel. Rudimentary adjustments can be carried out, like TTL flash exposure compensation but, for almost everything else, you’ll need to resort to the host camera’s menu system. A big attraction of this kit is that it comes complete with Nissin’s sophisticated ‘Air 1 Commander’ RF transmitter that slots into your camera’s hotshoe. The flashgun itself works in both infrared and RF slave modes. Additional, optical slave modes include ‘digital’ and ‘film’ options, both with manual power settings. The digital option disregards pre-flash pulses when triggering, whereas the film mode triggers on the first pulse of light, more useful when slaving from studio flash heads. High-speed sync and rear curtain sync are available, but there’s no repeating flash mode for sequential bursts within a single exposure. There’s plenty of power on tap, with a generous Gn 60 rating and a lengthy zoom of up to 200mm. Recycling speeds are super-fast, at around two or three seconds when using NiMH or alkaline batteries respectively. The price might be budget, but the spec of the Pixel X900 certainly isn't. Featuring an impressive Gn 60 rating at its longest zoom setting of 200mm, the head also has -7 to 90-degree vertical bounce and full 180-degree swivel in both lateral directions as well. Like the Hahnel Modus 600RT, the Pixel X900 sports a rechargeable Li-ion battery instead of the more typical four AA batteries. This sees the Pixel X900 able to fire a staggering 700 flashes at full-power before needing to be recharged. Recycle times are quick as well at just under 1.5 seconds for a full-power flash. Another useful feature is the built-in 4W LED light on the front of the flashgun should you want to illuminate your subject with constant light. The X900 can be used as a master flashgun for wireless shooting, it's also compatible with Pixel's KingPro transceiver. As you'd expect, there's a full set of advanced flash modes on tap, including high-speed sync, rear curtain and programmable repeat (multi-flash during a single exposure). This high-end flashgun from Phottix boasts a Gn 58 rating at its longest zoom setting, although that only stretches to 105mm rather than the now often-featured 200mm. The head also has -7 to 90-degree vertical bounce and full 180-degree swivel in both lateral directions. Competing with own-brand, pro-spec flashguns, a programmable repeat flash mode is available, and the robust build features a weather-sealed mounting foot. There’s RF wireless connectivity with both master and slave modes. This is thanks to a built-in radio frequency transceiver, rather than a more simple receiver. The RF working range is 30m, and linking is compatible with Phottix Odin and Stratos radio triggers, as well as other Mitros+ flashguns. Recycling speed after a full-power flash with NiMH batteries is 3.5 seconds but recycling takes twice as long when using alkaline batteries.
Best Speedlights for Nikon DSLRs in 2018Nikon markets its own range of Speedlight flashguns, ranging from small and simple models to fully pro-grade options. We’ll look at all of those first, in price-ascending order, and then move on to the most appealing Nikon-dedicated flashguns from independent manufacturers, including Hahnel, Metz, Nissin and Phottix. If you like travelling light, you’ll love the SB-300. It’s only about half the size of most flashguns and less than a third of the weight. Even the power source is downsized, as it runs from two AAA cells instead of the usual four AA batteries. It’s not all good news, however, as the baby Nikon is also a lightweight when it comes to maximum power output, with a lowly Gn 18 rating. And while there’s a generous 120 degrees of bounce angle, so the flash can literally bend over backwards, there’s no manual or motorized zoom facility, and no lateral swivel. The latter means that you can’t bounce the flash off a ceiling if you’re shooting in portrait (upright) orientation, when the flashgun is mounted in your camera’s hotshoe. There’s no wireless slave mode either, so off-camera operation relies on a cable connection or separate wireless triggering system. As is often the case with super-small flashguns, there’s no LCD screen nor onboard control buttons, so all adjustments need to be made from the host camera’s menu system. Although bigger than the SB-300, this Nikon flashgun is still smaller and lighter than most, and runs from two rather than four AA batteries. Drawbacks of the reduced size include the lack an LCD screen, which is substituted with basic status LEDs. There’s also no zoom head and no built-in wide-angle diffuser panel, nor a pull-out reflector card. On the plus side, the SB-500 does feature an additional LED ‘constant’ lamp, which is handy for shooting video and close-up stills. The wireless slave mode is a bonus (channel 3 only), but the commander mode only works with recent mid-range and up-market cameras from the D5500, D7200, D750 and D810 onwards. Maximum output is pretty respectable, representing a sizeable step up from the SB-300, although recycle speed is still sluggish, at nearly five seconds after a full-power flash when using NiMH batteries. There are plenty of high-end features packed into the SB-700, including a switchable range of illumination patterns, a powerful 24-120mm motorized zoom range and a full set of wireless commander and slave modes. That said, wireless connectivity is limited to infrared and lacks the radio frequency option of the SB-5000. The control panel is wonderfully intuitive, except for the fact that you can only switch from TTL-BL (Balanced Light) mode to standard TTL flash by changing the metering mode on the host camera body. Maximum output isn’t quite as powerful as in some independent flashguns at similar prices, but should prove sufficient for most shooting scenarios, even in bounce/swivel mode. Recycling speed is nearly twice as fast as in the SB-500, at 2.7 seconds after a full-power flash when using NiMH batteries. However, recycling takes twice as long with alkaline cells. Easily beating the SB-700 for maximum output, the SB-5000 has a powerful Gn 55 rating. It also boasts a bigger 24-200mm zoom range, adds a programmable repeat mode, and has a more comprehensive set of on-board controls. For rapid-fire operation, there’s a new integral cooling system that enables more than 100 continuous shots even at the full-power setting. Wireless connectivity gets a boost from the addition of RF as well as the more usual infrared linking. However, you can’t use the flashgun as a commander in RF mode, as it’s only fitted with a built-in receiver rather than a transceiver. Despite the generous maximum power output, recycling speeds are very fast at 2.3 seconds with NiMH batteries and just under three seconds with alkaline cells. If you want the best own-brand Nikon flashgun on the market, then look no further. However, there’s fierce competition from the likes of the Hahnel Modus 600RT, Metz Mecablitz 64 AF-1 and Phottix Mitros+ TTL Transceiver flashguns. This Hahnel flashgun is available on its own or as part of two optional kits. The ‘Wireless Kit’ adds a hotshoe-mounting Viper RF trigger, and the ‘Wireless Pro Kit’ comprises two flashguns plus the RF trigger. The flashgun itself has a built-in RF transceiver enabling it to work in wireless RF mode as both a master and slave, over an impressive range of up to 100m. The addition of the Viper hotshoe-mounted trigger, with its on-board controls and LCD display, enables you to use one or more flashguns off-camera in RF wireless mode. A big difference compared with most flashguns is that the Hahnel is powered by a rechargeable Li-ion battery pack, instead of the usual four AA batteries. This enables a whopping 550 full-power flashes between recharging, and very rapid recycling speeds of just 0.7 and 1.5 seconds after a half-power or full-power flash respectively. Useful features include a 20-200mm motorized zoom head, a flip-down 14mm wide-angle diffuser and a pull-out catchlight/reflector card. There’s a full set of advanced flash modes, including high-speed sync, rear curtain and programmable repeat (multi-flash during a single exposure). At first glance, this Metz flashgun looks a bit basic without any onboard controls. The reason for this is the inclusion of an intuitive touchscreen interface, which reduces button clutter around the back. The motorized zoom head has a 24-105mm range, with the usual reflector card and wide-angle diffuser built in, although swivel movement in the right-hand direction is limited to 120 degrees. For off-camera and multi-flashgun setups, the Metz includes both master and slave wireless modes. Typical of flashguns at this price point, there’s no programmable repeat flash mode. During our tests, maximum output was noticeably down on the specified Gn 52 rating, more similar to that of the Nikon SB-700. Recycling speeds are a little pedestrian too, taking just over four seconds after a full-power flash when using NiMH batteries. Overall, however, it’s an attractive flashgun at the price. This is Metz’s most sophisticated dedicated flashgun, with a host of up-market features and a powerful Gn 64 output rating. Highlights include a 24-200mm zoom range, a -9 to 90-degree bounce facility, and the availability of both master and slave wireless operation. There’s also an unusual secondary sub-flash module, which is great for adding fill-in lighting when you’re using the main head in bounce or swivel mode. Like the Metz 52 AF-1, intuitive on-board control is based on a touchscreen but, this time, it’s a colour rather than mono screen. Pro-grade enhancements include a programmable repeat flash mode and a socket for an optional external power pack. When using NiMH batteries, recycling speed is pretty quick after a full-power flash, at 3.4 seconds, but recycling takes more than twice as long with alkaline cells. On the face of it, this Nissin flashgun looks pretty basic, with on-board controls that boil down to a single Set button and control wheel. Rudimentary adjustments can be carried out, like TTL flash exposure compensation but, for almost everything else, you’ll need to resort to the host camera’s menu system. A big attraction of this kit is that it comes complete with Nissin’s sophisticated ‘Air 1 Commander’ RF transmitter that slots into your camera’s hotshoe. The flashgun itself works in both infrared and RF slave modes. Additional, optical slave modes include ‘digital’ and ‘film’ options, both with manual power settings. The digital option disregards pre-flash pulses when triggering, whereas the film mode triggers on the first pulse of light, more useful when slaving from studio flash heads. High-speed sync and rear curtain sync are available, but there’s no repeating flash mode for sequential bursts within a single exposure. There’s plenty of power on tap, with a generous Gn 60 rating and a lengthy zoom of up to 200mm. Recycling speeds are super-fast, at around two or three seconds when using NiMH or alkaline batteries respectively. Despite having a relatively small and lightweight build, this Nissin packs a real punch with a Gn 60 power rating. There’s a particularly smart colour display around the back, with an intuitive pictorial interface. Further attractions include a 24-200mm motorized zoom head, full 180-degree swivel in both left and right directions, and a neat range of supplied accessories including a pouch, stand and diffusion dome. Nissin has also squeezed in a secondary, constant LED light for video capture or close-up stills. Infrared and RF wireless slave connectivity are built-in but, to make the most of the latter, you’d need to buy the ‘Air 1 Commander’ RF transmitter which is sold separately. The maximum power output through the zoom range matches that of Nissin’s bigger Di700A flashgun, although recycling speed after a full power flash is just over a second slower. Overall, it’s a very versatile and powerful flashgun, with a refreshingly compact build. This high-end flashgun from Phottix boasts a Gn 58 rating at its longest zoom setting, although that only stretches to 105mm rather than the now often-featured 200mm. The head also has -7 to 90-degree vertical bounce and full 180-degree swivel in both lateral directions. Competing with own-brand, pro-spec flashguns, a programmable repeat flash mode is available, and the robust build features a weather-sealed mounting foot. There’s RF wireless connectivity with both master and slave modes. This is thanks to a built-in radio frequency transceiver, rather than a more simple receiver. The RF working range is 30m, and linking is compatible with Phottix Odin and Stratos radio triggers, as well as other Mitros+ flashguns. Recycling speed after a full-power flash with NiMH batteries is 3.5 seconds but recycling takes twice as long when using alkaline batteries.
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| Amazon 4K TV deal: the TCL 65-Inch 4K Roku TV is at its cheapest price ever Posted: 25 Feb 2019 07:43 AM PST If you're looking to upgrade to a smart TV, then look no further than this fantastic deal from Amazon. Right now you can get the TLC 65-inch 4K Smart TV on sale for $829.99. That's a $470 discount and the best price we've seen for this Amazon's Choice Roku smart TV. If you're looking for smaller screen size or a lower price tag, Amazon also has the TCL 55-Inch 4K Roku Smart TV on sale for $579.99. While that's not the lowest price we've seen for this TV, it's still an excellent deal for a 55-inch 4K smart TV and only $30 more than the Black Friday price. Shop more of best cheap TV deals and sale prices that are currently going on and read our review on the TCL 6-Series Roku TV This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Tokina unveils affordable opera 16-28mm f/2.8 FF lens Posted: 25 Feb 2019 07:39 AM PST Tokina has confirmed full details of its latest wide-angle zoom lens, the opera 16-28mm f/2.8 FF. The lens bears the same basic specifications as the company's existing AT-X 16-28mm f/2.8 PRO FX, although it arrives with a smarter design and additional internal technologies. Like that lens, however, it covers the dimensions of a full-frame sensor and is set to be available in Canon EF and Nikon F fittings, making it compatible with the likes of the Nikon D850 and Canon EOS 6D Mark II. Built around 15 elements arranged over 13 groups, the lens features three aspherical elements that include a large P-MO element towards the front of the optic. Three glass molded Low-Dispersion (SD) elements have also been included here, as are Multi Coatings on the elements to help improve light transmission. Like the previous AT-X 16-28mm F2.8 PRO FX, the new lens has an integrated petal-shaped hood at its front, partly to block extraneous rays of light from causing aberrations such as ghosting and flare but also to protect the bulbous front element from any damage. On the inside, nine blades make up the diaphragm to help keep bokeh round and natural, while the focusing motor makes use of a Silent Drive module for fast and quiet focus, something that works with a new GMR magnetic AF sensor to boost speed and accuracy. Focusing itself is internal, with the familiar One-Touch Focus Clutch mechanism also allowing the user to quickly switch between autofocus and manual focus by snapping the focusing ring back and forth. The lens is capable of focusing 28cm away from the subject, and has a focus distance window with markings in both feet and meters designed into its casing. Tokina also states that the direction of the manual focusing ring's travel has been designed to match that of Canon and Nikon lenses. The Tokina opera 16-28mm f/2.8 FF will be available in Canon EF and Nikon F mounts from March. The lens is already available to pre-order, priced at $699 in the US and £699 in the UK; pricing for Australia has not yet been confirmed. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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