Apple : The Huawei P30 Pro camera just got even better somehow

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• The Huawei P30 Pro camera just got even better somehow
• Samsung is making a vertical TV for all your Instagram Stories
• Best website defacement monitoring service of 2019
• Best blogging platforms of 2019
• VMB launches new 500MBps broadband for SMEs
• Best managed WordPress hosting 2019
• Europe lags behind in race to the cloud
• The best Huawei phones of 2019: find your perfect Huawei
• Samsung TV sale at Walmart: save up to $500 on Samsung 4K TVs
• GoDaddy shuts down 15k subdomains used in massive spam campaign
• The best Sony phones of 2019: find the right Sony Xperia smartphone for you
• The best free logo maker 2019
• The best iPhone 7 Plus deals and UK contracts in April 2019
• The best iPhone 8 Plus deals and UK contracts in April 2019
• Best Nintendo Switch games: must-have games to play in 2019
• The best free painting software 2019
• AMD's 50th Anniversary Ryzen 7, Radeon VII parts paint your PC red
• The best iPhone 6S deals and UK contracts in April 2019

The Huawei P30 Pro camera just got even better somehow Posted: 29 Apr 2019 12:37 PM PDT We just updated our best camera phone page to name the Huawei P30 Pro the best for taking photos in 2019 (so far), and it's about to get even better soon. The promised dual-view video recording mode has arrived in a software update, according to XDA Developers, and it allows you to capture video from two perspectives. Apple to step up the iPhone 11 camera game Like Huawei? Here are the Best Huawei phones Also a contender for best camera: OnePlus 7 Specifically, you're now able to simultaneously record 'panoramic' and 'close-up video images', according to the official  EMUI 9.1.0.153 release notes in China. In practice, this seems to record both standard and zoomed-in footage. The update still needs to launch worldwide, but we know what the resulting footage looks like: it appears in a split-screen video format, as demoed below. (Sorry, Huawei P30 standard owners – the report only mentions the update coming to the P30 Pro.) Why the Huawei P30 Pro is the best camera The P30 Pro combines its powers of the main camera and the 'periscope' telephoto lens, which is icing on the cake. There are four cameras on the phone's rear (the above, plus an ultrawide and depth-sensing time-of-flight lenses) and one front-facing shooter. The entire camera array handles low-light scenes without much trouble compared to its competition, and the 40MP main camera sometimes beats the Google Pixel 3. As Huawei continues to tweak the software of the P30 Pro, we're destined to get an even better camera while we wait for the Google Pixel 4 to reclaim its crown. The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 should have a great camera This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Samsung is making a vertical TV for all your Instagram Stories Posted: 29 Apr 2019 11:56 AM PDT Continuing the trend of creating new form factor screens, Samsung has announced a new TV for the South Korean market called 'The Sero' that can swivel to display videos vertically, similar to how you watch content on your phone.  The Sero, a close cousin to Samsung's Serif and The Frame TVs, will be part of the manufacturer’s 2019 Samsung TV lineup and will also use a quantum dot screen similar to the ones we’ve seen in its other QLED TV series. What are Samsung's rivals up to? Here's every Sony 2019 TV coming this year As well as every LG 2019 TV Speaking of, don't miss our review of the LG C9 OLED! According to the specs provided by Samsung, the TV is 43-inches across from corner-to-corner and features 4.1-channel audio through its 60w speakers. The Sero will also include Bixby. Because a TV this strange wouldn’t be complete without Bixby. The Sero will be available exclusively in Korea for now with no international release in the near future – which is a shame, because at just 1.9 million won (around $1,600, £1,260, AU$2,300), there are plenty of influencers who'd buy it ironically.  Vertical screens: fad or functional?  Admittedly, even to us the idea of a vertical TV sounds a bit laughable - especially considering the TV’s eye-watering price tag. And yet, while Samsung is really taking vertical screens to their limit, other tech companies are behind the idea of smaller vertical screens. Just look at the Facebook Portal, a Google Home Hub-type display that connects you with friends and family members on Facebook.  Whether vertical screens will take off outside of the computing world remains to be seen, but you can't blame Samsung for not trying. Looking for a better TV? These are the best 4K TVs of 2019 This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Best website defacement monitoring service of 2019 Posted: 29 Apr 2019 11:45 AM PDT In July 2001, the Code Red worm infected over 359,000 hosts which were running a vulnerable implementation of Windows NT. Visitors to compromised websites were greeted with the message: "HELLO! Welcome to http://www.worm.com! Hacked By Chinese!" Code Red and the phrase "Hacked by Chinese!" have long since passed into internet legend but the danger of website defacement is clear and present. Hackers can target your site at any time, so unless you are viewing a page as its been changed, it's hard to respond quickly. In this guide, you'll discover an elegant solution to the issue of website defacement in the form of the very best security tools on the web today. These automate the task of regularly checking your domains for anomalies and make sure to notify you if any unauthorised changes are detected. There are options to match all budgets from free services suitable for the occasional blogger to premium platforms for large business owners. We've also highlighted the best website hosting services  Visualping Visualping is a deceptively simple tool which offers powerful protection against website defacement. Users of the website or iOS/Android mobile apps need only enter a URL and their email address to receive regular updates of any changes made.   The tool works by making regular snapshots of the page in question then comparing these on an hourly, daily or weekly basis. It can also be customized to trigger an alert for tiny, medium or significant changes. Visualping is not designed specifically for website defacement. As the developers' website mentions, it will work equally well for checking on the release on concert tickets or a new product launch. However its ability to display superposed 'images' as well as the fact you can control the frequency Visualping checks for changes means it's certainly fit for purpose. The basic free version of Visualping allows you up to 2 free checks per day. Costs vary after this on a very reasonable sliding scale depending on the number of checks required. For instance, to have Visualping check your site 40 times a day (every 36 minutes) would cost just $13 (£9.72) a month. If you need to monitor multiple domains consider installing the Visualping Chrome web extension. Once installed just click the Visualping button to start monitoring the current page. Through to its name Visualping may not be able to detect invisible to changes to pages such as modifications of source code. If malware is a concern consider one of the other tools in this guide. You can sign up for Visualping here StatusCake StatusCake is a many-layered treat for webmasters. This British-based site offers a way to check your pages for defacement and downtime from a variety of locations: the project maintains 48 monitoring centers in 28 countries around the world. Many centers support the more recent IPv6 protocol. This offers subscribers a much more refined experience over simpler competitors. Not only can you adjust the frequency of checks but you can also specify the location from which you want to monitor pages. StatusCake even offers a speed test to show how quickly a page loads when checked. There is a free package which can perform up to 10 checks at 5-minute intervals. This is fine for hobby bloggers and those with very monolithic websites but business owners can benefit more from a paid subscription. These are very competitively priced compared to other monitoring services. StatusCake's 'superior' subscription, for instance, costs only $24.49 (£18.50) a month and performs up to 100 checks at 1-minute intervals. You can lower that to $20.41 per month with annual billing. Regardless of which package you choose, StatusCake includes multiple notification options including email, text message and even push notifications via Android/iOS. This service also works with some party apps such as PagerDuty. You can sign up for StatusCake here Sucuri Sucuri began in 2010 under the guiding hand of developer Daniel Cid who envisioned a tool which could give webmasters better insight into the security status of their websites. It's safe to say that Mr. Cid has been successful. The cloud-based SaaS (Software as a Service) Sucuri works not only as a monitoring platform but contains many tools to help prevent malicious attacks by hackers such as a Firewall, anti-virus and DDoS protection. This may be why Sucuri was acquired by legendary hosting provider GoDaddy in March 2018. The Sucuri Website Firewall can handle malware prevention through use of a dedicated whitelist, so that only authorised parties can connect to your site. Sucuri also regularly monitors changes to your pages and can display appropriate warnings. Furthermore, there is a free website malware and security scanner that you can use at sitecheck.sucuri.net. The service also maintains a dedicated incident response team, who work 365 days a year to assist you with restoring your site if anything goes wrong. Subscribers to the 'basic' Sucuri package for $199 (£149.46) per year are guaranteed a response within 12 hours to all support requests of this kind. The basic tier also includes features such as the firewall (with support for whitelists and blacklists), continuous scanning for defacement and malware cleanup. Sadly, there is no free trial for Sucuri, however the main site offers a money back guarantee within 30 days if users aren't satisfied. You can sign up for Sucuri here OnWebChange OnWebChange is one of the most versatile and useful tools when it comes to defacement protection. Since it was originally developed by Briton Tom Carnell in 2009 the service has exploded and can boast tens of thousands of users. This is due in part to the sophisticated monitoring features. In the first instance, users can select one or more areas to monitor within a web page. This is ideal if you maintain pages with dynamic content. OnWebChange will notify you each time a change takes place, either via email or via push notifications in Android/iOS. Power Users can also use a HTTP CallBacks with their own login data to adjust website content automatically e.g. to restore a defaced page.  The generous free tier offers subscribers advanced CSS (Page Content Selection) as well as the ability to scan both PDF and plain text files for changes. Free tier users are permitted a maximum of 3 tracked sites a month. Checks are made up to 30 times (roughly once a day). Premium subscribers such as those who opt for the 'Solo' package for $1.40 (£1.05) a month, benefit from advanced features such as unlimited trackers and checks every 30 minutes. The highest tier of subscription simply called "Premium", enables 5 minute tracking with some additional features. You can sign up for OnWebChange here IPVTec IPVTec was created in 2014 under the supervision of a founding member of cybersecurity firm IPVSecurity who was unhappy with the monitoring solutions available to clients at the time. Like Sucuri, the monitoring toll IPVmon is cloud-based meaning setup is minimal and you can start monitoring no matter how small the resources of your own network. The monitor routinely checks for website defacement but also contains a number of other handy features such as verifying your SSL certificates are in date, detecting if pages are unreachable, as well as scanning for malware. Emphasis has been placed on pro-active searches for anomalies to prevent problems before they occur. This includes actively scanning for domain hijacking and DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks as well as defacement. If any irregularities are detected, users are notified with details via text message and email. Messages include a recommended 'call to action' to remedy the issues. IPVTec also has a dedicated dashboard for viewing notifications. Sadly there is no free version but the IPVTec website offers subscribers a free 30 day trial to accustom themselves to the platforms features. The basic (Pro 5) package costs $24 (£17.94) a month ($19 a month annually) and permits monitoring of 5 pages and a single domain. You can sign up for IPVTec here  Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons (Peter Angritt)   Check out the best website hosting services This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Best blogging platforms of 2019 Posted: 29 Apr 2019 10:56 AM PDT 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. We've also highlighted the best website hosting services 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.  You can sign up for Blogger here 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 Blogger plan for $3 (€2.7, £2.3) 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.  You can sign up for WordPress here 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.  You can sign up for Jekyll here 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.   You can sign up for Tumblr here 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.  You can sign up for Typepad here Check out the best website hosting services This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

VMB launches new 500MBps broadband for SMEs Posted: 29 Apr 2019 10:51 AM PDT Virgin Media Business (VMB) has launched Voom 500 business broadband to improve the connectivity of SMEs by offering download speeds of up to 500Mbps and upload speeds of up to 35Mbps. This speed boost will allow the telecom's business division to deliver broadband service that is more than four times faster than the equivalent speeds offered by its rivals. New and existing business customers will be able to take advantage of the new download and upload speeds on May 2nd. Network downtime is incredibly costly for SMBs Wix launches new software platform for entrepreneurs and SMBs 1 in 10 UK businesses are at risk from cyber threats Additionally, customers will be able to choose a range of additional options to suit their needs including increased upload speeds and support options. Voom Fibre With VMB's Voom Fibre, businesses will have a choice between three price plans and upload speeds with a number of add-ons and discounts on additional services to help them tailor the product to the specific needs of their business. Prices start from £30 per month though there are two additional options priced at £40 and £55 a month. Managing Director at Virgin Media Business, Peter Kelly explained the company's decision to launch Voom Fibre, saying: “We have, for many years now been the champions of small business, in particular entrepreneurs, through both our VOOM Competition platform and our Pioneers Community.  With the launch of Voom Fibre we want to unleash every small business by providing the digital backbone they need for their business. For UK small business to thrive in this evolving digital economy they should have the technical ability and capacity in place so they can focus on development and growth, we are removing a barrier and enabling them to fulfil their digital potential - offering them all the speed they need to achieve success.” VMB is also helping SMEs connect with each other through socializing and developing their community. The community will be a UK-wide network of seers and providers of advice where a geo-located platform will enable entrepreneurs to share, co-create and collaborate with other SME owners in their local area. We've also highlighted the best small business software This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Best managed WordPress hosting 2019 Posted: 29 Apr 2019 10:05 AM PDT As a content management system, WordPress offers one of the easiest and quickest ways to set up your own blog or website. With a few clicks of the mouse, you can select from one of hundreds of templates, as well as create interactive content such as contact forms. The usefulness of WordPress has not been lost on website hosting providers. In this guide, you’ll discover some of the very best vendors on the market today who offer managed WordPress hosting.  This is a great way to avoid the time and trouble of hosting your content from scratch as managed Wordpress hosting providers take the trouble of creating and maintaining your website away from you. The best Managed WordPress hosting provider of 2019 WP Engine might be a slightly more onerous proposition for the casual user, but a more demanding audience will love WP Engine's speed, power and high-end premium features as well as the profusion of high quality WordPress themes it can provide through StudioPress We've also highlighted the best WordPress hosting WP Engine WP Engine is the leading WordPress digital platform. It hosts excellent uptime, WordPress specific security and unlimited monthly transfers. WP Engine includes many great tools needed for web hosting. These range from automated backups to 24/7 support (phone support on Growth and Scale packages).  You can use WP Engine’s ‘actionable intelligence’ to gain insight into the performance of your pages, content and applications. WP Engine has four different price plans. All include free migration and free page performance. If you pay for a year’s subscription upfront, you get four months free. Prices start off at $35 per month which include a 60-day risk free guarantee. WP Engine also have a ‘Custom’ tier for larger businesses who want a plan more tailored for their individual needs. Some users have asked for a mid-range pricing option between the $35 and $115 tiers with the most expensive tier, Scale, costing $290 per month and offering support for up to 15 sites. At the moment, if you choose monthly billing, there is a 10% discount on all plans for your first payment. Alternatively, if you choose annual billing, you get three months free. You can sign up for WP Engine here GoDaddy Pro GoDaddy Pro is part of GoDaddy Inc, founded in 1997. It offers users a more robust, wider range of tools for developers and businesses. While it doesn't mention WordPress in the opening few introductory phrases, GDP is actually wholly focused on WordPress installs. GoDaddy Pro offers client management tools and advanced support. This solution allows developers to add multiple clients and manages their accounts from one single dashboard.  GoDaddy gives users access to a management dashboard. From here all products and clients can be viewed. The dashboard can alert the user via SMS and email to any issues the client may have. As GoDaddy Pro has been designed to make developer’s lives easier, the platform is user-friendly and everything is at your fingertips via the dashboard. Access to the dashboard is free and includes reporting and basic maintenance for as many WordPress sites as needed. Paid services include cloud backups, migration, uptime monitoring and automated security checks. These can be purchased as add-ons to your free plan. Users have noted that bandwidth monitoring is not included. You can sign up for GoDaddy Pro here Bluehost Bluehost is a web hosting company owned by Endurance International Group. It was founded in 2003. It’s part of a web hosting family that includes HostMonster, FastDomain and iPage. Bluehost tries to make the daunting task of starting a new web site easy. It offers plenty of options to those new to web hosting while still offering tools for the more experienced user. All new subscribers can set up a WordPress site with a single click of their mouse. Also, newbies can rely on Blue Spark, a specialized service that helps new users with everything WordPress related.  Bluehost are currently offering all their WordPress plans at a reduced rate. Prices start at $2.95 (£2.2) a month for a single WordPress site complete with 50GB of website space. The ‘Plus’ and ‘Premium’ packages are on offer for $5.45 (£4.10) per month. These both include unlimited WordPress sites and unlimited website space. The ‘Premium’ package includes domain privacy and SiteBackup Pro. Furthermore, WP Pro plans are available, which bring additional improvements and features with prices starting at $19.95. More inexperienced users have reported that the dashboard can be difficult to navigate if you do not know all the terminology. You can sign up for Bluehost here WordPress VIP WordPress VIP is a fully managed cloud platform. Users of VIP have access to expert guidance, code review and around the clock support. Users get their own Git repository and ZenDesk account. Once your code is ready, you send it to the VIP team. Experts at VIP go through each line of code in your repository. This can take 4-6 weeks. If any issues are found, they’re raised on GitHub. Once these have been removed the code is transferred to your project and you are online. VIP adhere to strict coding standards. One of the main attractions of VIP, is their ‘always on’ support. VIP engineers watch for any issues that may arise and fix them proactively on behalf of the client. Once rectified, a report will be sent to you explaining what occurred. Users will need to contact VIP directly in order to get a quote. Some users have reported delays with setting up and building sites. You can sign up for WordPress VIP here SiteGround SiteGround was founded in 2004. It provides shared hosting, cloud hosting and dedicated servers. SiteGround lets you choose from one of their four data centers on which to host your website. These are based in the US, Amsterdam, Singapore and the UK. SiteGround offers users CloudFlare CDN, free SSL certificates and daily backups of their website’s data. All of their shared hosting plans include managed WordPress. The platform’s customer support includes live chat as well as a phone in option. All support services are available 24/7. The ‘StartUp’ plan begins at $11.95 (£9.28) per month ($3.95 for initial payment) which includes one website, 10GB web space and is suitable for 10,000 visits monthly. The ‘GrowBig’ plan for $19.95 (£15.47) monthly ($5.95 for initial payment) allows for multiple websites, 20GB of web space and is suitable for 25,000 visits. SiteGround’s ‘GoGeek’ plan starts at $34.95 (£27.08) per month ($11.95 for initial payment) which includes 30GB of web space and is suitable for 100,000 visits monthly. SiteGround do not offer a free trial but do have a 30-day money back guarantee. Some users reported issues with being automatically logged out when signing in on multiple devices. You can sign up for SiteGround here DreamHost DreamHost is owned by New Dream Network, LLC which was founded in 1996. It’s both a web hosting provider and a domain name registrar. DreamHost’s ‘Shared Starter’ plan starts at $2.59 (£2) per month. This includes a shared hosting server, 1 WordPress website, unlimited traffic, 1-click SSL certificate, fast SSD storage, 24/7 support and an upgrade to add email. The ‘DreamPress’ package starts at $16.95 (£12.8). This includes all of what the ‘Shared Starter’ plan has to offer along with 30GB SSD storage, JetPack free preinstalled, daily backups and a few other things. All of DreamHost’s hosting solutions are a fully managed service. Inexperienced users have reported issues with getting started.  You can sign up for DreamHost here InMotion InMotion Hosting is an employee-owned and -operated domain name and web hosting company founded in 2001. InMotion offers dedicated, shared, virtual private server and WordPress hosting along with several Ecommerce tools.  Their WordPress hosting plans start off at $4.99 (£3.8) per month (for initial payment) and include one website, 40GB SSD storage and is suitable for 20,000 visitors a month. InMotion have six price plans available and all of them offer unlimited data transfers. Besides having numerous price plans for each of their hosting options, InMotion have numerous free add-ons, free ecommerce tools and unlimited emails. While they do not have a free trial, they do include a 90-day money back guarantee. Some users have complained that InMotion is not as competitively priced as other hosting providers. You can sign up for InMotion here HostGator HostGator was founded in 2002. It provides shared, reseller, VPS and dedicated web hosting. HostGator’s Website Builder comes with a handy drag and drop feature. The builder includes a wide range of themes. Some of the features are pre-built to help make the process easier and faster. HostGator claim that load times for WordPress sites are up to 2.5 times faster than other providers due to their superior server architecture. The utility offers a WordPress Cloud Interface where you can manage backups, access all your email accounts and other hosting options. You can also allocate server bandwidth from here. HostGator offer three WordPress cloud hosting plans. The ‘Starter’ plan is currently $5.95 (£4.64) per month for 1 site, 100,000 visits per month, 1GB free backups and a free SSL certificate. The ‘Standard’ plan is on offer at $7.95 (£6.19) per month for 2 sites, 200,000 visits per month, 2GB backups and a free SSL certificate.  HostGator’s ‘Business’ plan is also on offer at $9.95 (£7.73) per month. This includes 3 sites, 500,000 visits, 3GB backups and a free SSL certificate. According to online commentators, the purchase price for additional domains can be quite steep. You can sign up for HostGator here 1&1 IONOS 1&1 (called 1&1 IONOS since October 2018) is owned by German company, United Internet. It was founded in 1988. It offers domain registration, cloud servers, virtual private servers and dedicated servers. 1&1 boasts excellent customer support and easy to use web creation tools. More inexperienced users might find this provider more suitable to their needs. 1&1’s ‘Basic’ packages starts at $1 (£1 for UK) per month for the first 6-months and then $9 (£6 for UK) per month thereafter. This includes 1 WordPress project, 25GB SSD storage, unlimited visitors and managed WordPress. Upon registration you are offered a domain name free for 12 months. This is only valid upon purchase of any of their plans. Users that sign up for the ‘Business’ plan receive 2 WordPress projects, 100GB SSD storage and unlimited visitors. This plan starts at $1 (£1 for UK) per month for the first 12 months and then $11 (£8 for UK) per month thereafter.  The ‘Pro’ plan starts at $1 (£1 for UK) for the first 6 months and then $15 (£1 for UK). It includes 5 WordPress projects and 200GB SSD storage, as well as SiteLock malware protection and RailGun CDN. Online commentators have complained about long periods of downtime.  You can sign up for 1&1 here You might also want to check out our other website hosting buying guides: WordPress Cloud hosting E-commerce Dedicated server Small business Windows Managed Green Business Colocation Email hosting Resellers VPS Shared Cheap Website builders Best website hosting This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Europe lags behind in race to the cloud Posted: 29 Apr 2019 09:42 AM PDT New research from O'Reilly Media has revealed that Europe is struggling to keep pace with global cloud development. The company's Evolving Data Infrastructure report also revealed that companies in the region have been slower than others to adopt the necessary tools and capabilities for cutting-edge solutions such as analytics and artificial intelligence (AI). European organizations are aiming to make progress this year by investing heavily in data solutions to catch up. However, persistent skill shortages may continue to derail the region's efforts to emerge as a world leader in future technologies. Europeans "have lost control" of their personal data A recipe for avoiding disaster in the cloud Mobile phones are too fragile for European businesses Businesses in Europe have been slower to adopt cloud-based data infrastructures than the rest of the world with less than a quarter (24%) having used cloud in production for over four years. Surprisingly as many as a third (32%) of European companies say they are 'just exploring' cloud options and are yet to commit. Looking to the future Despite falling behind in cloud adoptions, European organizations broadly align with the rest of the world when it comes to their future priorities. The region has invested heavily in solutions that will help improve accessibility and usability of data with 59 percent building or evaluating solutions in data integration and extract, transform, load (ETL) processes. When it comes to adopting DevOps modes of working, Europe has been slightly faster than the rest of the world with almost  half (48%)  of the organizations surveyed saying they are using specialized DevOps roles for machine cloud computing services and deployments, compared to 47 percent worldwide. However, European progress in data infrastructure and analytics is being held back by skill shortages in several key areas. Data science talent is in especially high demand (47%) as well as data engineering (37%) roles. Companies in the region are also finding it slightly higher on average to fill roles in security. Chief Data Scientist and Program Chair for the Strata Data Conference at O'Reilly Media, Ben Lorica provided further insight on the report's findings, saying: “Innovation needs a strong foundation. Years of delayed investment and a reliance on legacy infrastructures may be holding European organisations back in the global race to the cloud. Yet, whilst they have some way to go before they achieve parity with their counterparts, it’s positive to see so many investing in data. A strong core of organised, clean and actionable data is crucial for any AI or analytics project. Provided companies become more competitive in attracting the best talent, 2019 may be the year that the continent turns a corner.” We've also highlighted the best cloud hosting This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The best Huawei phones of 2019: find your perfect Huawei Posted: 29 Apr 2019 09:14 AM PDT Huawei is the second biggest smartphone manufacturer in the world after Samsung, and it's got there by offering up some excellent devices along the way. It's grown in strength significantly over the past couple of years, to the point that if you're looking for the best Huawei phones around, there's a wide range to choose from. At the top of the range are the flagship Huawei P30 Pro and Huawei Mate 20 Pro, but our best Huawei phones list also includes great, affordable handsets such as the Huawei P Smart. That means when it comes to picking the best Huawei phone for you, it can be tricky. With that in mind we’ve highlighted the best Huawei phones the firm currently has to offer and ranked them.  However, not everyone’s budget and needs are the same, so just because something is lower in this list it doesn’t mean it will be a worse choice for you than something higher. And let's not forget, Huawei's most exciting phone of 2019 is yet to go on sale, with the foldable Huawei Mate X slated to land in stores in the coming months. Certainly one to keep an eye on. Ultimately you shouldn’t go wrong with any of these phones, and our list will show you at a glance their specs, highlights and main weaknesses, so you can make an informed choice as to which is the best Huawei for you. Best Samsung Phone | Best Sony Phone | Best iPhone | Best Nokia Phone Get the best prices and bargains with our guide to Huawei phone deals Image Credit: TechRadar The Huawei P30 Pro is the best Huawei phone you can buy right now. It's the best phone we've used when it comes to photography with the cameras the P30 Pro's real party piece, providing staggeringly good 5x and 10x zoom, and a digital 50x zoom with gets you insanely close to objects far off in the distance. Its low-light capabilities are also top-notch. The large 6.47-inch screen on the P30 Pro may 'only' have a Full HD+ resolution, but it's bright, clear and colorful providing an excellent canvas for your apps and games. There's no worry when it comes to the P30 Pro potentially running out of juice, the battery life here is excellent. We regularly got to the end of the day with 30% or more left in the tank. The P30 Pro not only sets a new standard for Huawei, it sets a new standard for the entire mobile industry. Its cameras are quite simply astonishing, the design is eye-catching and the power plentiful. It’s a true flagship smartphone. Read more: Huawei P30 Pro review Image Credit: TechRadar The Huawei Mate 20 Pro is the best Huawei phone you can buy right now, offering up a heady mix of design, power and performance with a few party pieces thrown in too. It builds on the excellent P20 and P20 Pro, offering up even more screen, enhanced triple rear cameras and an in-display fingerprint scanner. The Mate 20 Pro packs a huge 6.39-inch display giving you a huge amount of space for gaming and movies, and its QHD resolution and HDR10 support ensures everything looks great. There is a wide notch at the top of the display though. It also boasts three cameras on the rear, nabbing the excellent 40MP wide-angle and 8MP telephoto lenses from the P20 Pro - but the third sensor is new. It's an ultra-wide 16MP snapper allowing you to cram even more of your surroundings into each shot. The Mate 20 Pro is a full-featured phone for a full-featured price - it even has a few tricks you won’t see elsewhere, and more powerful specs than most of its competitors. Read more: Huawei Mate 20 Pro review Image Credit: TechRadar The Huawei P30 has a smaller screen than the P30 Pro, and makes do with just the three rear cameras and a maximum zoom of 30x, but it's still one of the best Huawei phones around. With a 6.1-inch display the P30 is a little easier to manage in the hand than its larger sibling, and with a Full HD+ and plenty of colour it's a top smartphone screen. You can expect to get excellent battery life from the Huawei P30, with the phone often lasting a day and a half on a single charge without issue. While the three cameras on the rear aren't quite as good as the four on the P30 Pro, they still offer up an impressive shooting experience with 5x, 10x and 30x zoom and great low-light abilities. There's heaps of power, a handy headphone jack (something the Pro can't boast) and a more manageable form factor for one-handed use. And of course, it's a little cheaper too. Read more: Huawei P30 review Image Credit: TechRadar The Huawei P20 Pro may not be Huawei's latest flagship any more, but it still has a lot going for it, with the highlight being its exceedingly impressive and versatile triple-lens rear camera. That camera allows for 3x optical zoom and proves surprisingly adept at night shots, which is usually a setting that phone cameras really struggle with. Other highlights of the Huawei P20 Pro include a big, long-lasting battery, and an even bigger AMOLED screen that delivers vivid colors on a large scale. The Huawei P20 Pro also has a striking design, with a metal frame and a glass back, that optionally comes in a gradient color scheme that sees the colors shift from purple at the top to a turquoise shade at the bottom. Like any good flagship the Huawei P20 Pro also has facial recognition, a fingerprint scanner and lots of RAM. There’s no wireless charging and the chipset isn’t quite a match for some flagships, but it’s not far off, and as a complete package the Huawei P20 Pro can compete with any other handset, as its strong ranking in our best smartphones list attests. Read our in-depth Huawei P20 Pro review Image Credit: TechRadar While the Huawei Mate 10 Pro landed back in late 2017 it’s still a very strong handset. And while there are now larger Huawei handsets, this is still a big phone, with a 6.0-inch 1080 x 2160 AMOLED screen giving you plenty of space to enjoy apps, games and video. As with the P20 Pro, the Mate 10 Pro also has great battery life, thanks to the big 4,000mAh juice pack inside it. And the design, while lacking the flashy colors of Huawei’s newer flagship, still impresses, thanks to a glass back, a metal frame, minimal bezel around the screen and water resistance. Elsewhere you get a powerful dual-lens camera, loud stereo speakers and exactly the same chipset as the Huawei P20 Pro, making this a surprisingly powerful phone for its age. Read our in-depth Huawei Mate 10 Pro review Image Credit: TechRadar While no match for the P20 Pro, the standard Huawei P20 is still a very strong phone in its own right, and cheaper too. It has much in common with its Pro companion, including a stylish metal and glass build, a Kirin 970 octa-core chipset, facial recognition and loads of storage. Plenty more differs though, as with the Huawei P20 you get a dual rather than triple-lens camera, a 5.8-inch 1080 x 2240 LCD screen and a smaller 3,400mAh battery. Still, taken in isolation those are all still very solid specs. In fact, while neither the camera nor battery is quite a match for the P20’s larger sibling, both are still strong enough for us to praise them in our review. So if you want something slightly smaller and slightly more affordable than Huawei’s headline handset, the P20 is a good option. Read our in-depth Huawei P20 review Image Credit: TechRadar The standard Huawei Mate 20 may be worse than the Huawei Mate 20 Pro, but it’s still a strong phone in its own right and it’s cheaper too. Other than the lower – though still high – price, highlights include a 4,000mAh battery which in our tests delivered excellent life, and top-end power, thanks to the use of an octa-core Kirin 980 chipset and up to 6GB of RAM. The Huawei Mate 20 also has a triple-lens camera on the back. This isn’t the same selection of lenses as its Pro-level sibling, but still makes for a versatile setup. And in some ways the Mate 20 actually has the Mate 20 Pro beat, as its 6.53-inch screen is larger, and it has a headphone port, which the fancier phone doesn’t. Read our in-depth Huawei Mate 20 review Image Credit: TechRadar Strangely, the Huawei Mate 20 Lite actually arrived before the standard Huawei Mate 20, but it has similar strengths and weaknesses to the Huawei P20 Lite. The Mate 20 Lite has a big, sharp screen for example, with a 6.3-inch 1080 x 2340 display that comes in at 409 pixels per inch. It also has a fairly high-end build, with a glass back, a metal frame, a notch on the front and a high screen-to-body ratio. Another high point of the Huawei Mate 20 Lite is its camera, as it has a dual-lens one on both the front and back and uses AI to bring out the most in your snaps. The Mate 20 Lite also has a big, 3,750mAh battery, though this only translates to average life, and as with the P20 Lite its chipset is a bit of a drawback, but if you want a Huawei phablet on a budget this is a strong option. Read our in-depth Huawei Mate 20 Lite review Image Credit: TechRadar The Huawei P Smart is one of Huawei’s most affordable handsets, so its price is definitely a plus, but it wouldn’t be in this list if it was simply cheap. For one thing, it has an attractive design, with an aluminum back that looks like something you’d expect to pay more for. It also has a fairly sizeable 5.65-inch screen with a trendy 18:9 aspect ratio and a 1080 x 2160 resolution, making it sharp too. Plus, the Huawei P Smart has a dual-lens rear camera, and though the selfie camera only has a single lens, it and the rear snapper are both capable of background blur in shots. Performance isn’t perfect, and you sacrifice some features such as fast charging, but overall the Huawei P Smart is a budget beast. Read our in-depth Huawei P Smart review Image Credit: TechRadar Despite having P20 in its name, the Huawei P20 Lite is no match for the rest of the range and nor is it a flagship. Instead it’s a mid-ranger, but it’s quite a good one. For one thing, it looks good, with a glass-backed design that’s similar to the Huawei P20, down to the notch on the front. It also has a similarly good screen to its pricier sibling, as it has a 5.84-inch 1080 x 2280 display with a pixel density of around 432 pixels per inch. Plus it has face unlock, a dual-lens rear camera, an octa-core chipset and 4GB of RAM. However, this is a mid-range chipset and not as good as the ones some similarly priced alternatives have. But power aside the Huawei P20 Lite doesn’t feel like too much of a step down from the full P20 experience. Read our in-depth Huawei P20 Lite review Load your phone up with the best Android apps This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Samsung TV sale at Walmart: save up to $500 on Samsung 4K TVs Posted: 29 Apr 2019 08:53 AM PDT If you're looking to save money on a new TV, then you've come to the right place. For a limited time, you can find discounts on a wide array of Samsung TVs at Walmart. The deals include fantastic savings on Samsung 4K HDR TVs that even include 2019 models.  A standout deal from the sale is the Samsung 65-inch 4K TV that's on sale for $597.99. That's a massive $500+ discount and the lowest price we've found for the UHD TV. The 65-inch TV features smart capabilities, so you can stream your favorite movies and TV shows all in one place using the Samsung remote. You can also control other smart home devices from your TV by downloading the SmartThings app. You'll enjoy a stunning picture with sharp contrasts and vibrant colors thanks to the 2160p Ultra HD resolution. The Samsung TV will also look good in your home thanks to ultra slim design and clean cable solution. This week-long sale ends on Sunday May 5, so be sure to snag one of these discounted TVs before it's too late.  See more Samsung TV deals below. Samsung TV deals: See more of the cheapest OLED TV prices and deals and shop other cheap TV deals and sale prices that are currently going on. You can also learn more about our top-rated TVs with our guide on the best TVs of 2019: the big-screen TVs worth buying this year. Learn more about Prime Day with our guide on Amazon Prime Day 2019: everything you need to know for the July deals event. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

GoDaddy shuts down 15k subdomains used in massive spam campaign Posted: 29 Apr 2019 08:52 AM PDT Web hosting provider and domain registrar GoDaddy has taken down over 15,000 subdomains following a two year investigation into a spam operation that tried to sell consumers fake products. First users would receive a spam email promoting a product and if they happened to click on any of the links contained within the message, they would be sent to one of the fraudulent subdomains which were hosted on legitimate sites without their owner's knowledge. All of the subdomains that were part of the scam shared one thing in common, they all sold products backed by fake endorsements from celebrities including Stephen Hawking, Jennifer Lopez, Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton, Wolf Blitzer, the cast from Shark Tank and others. How web hosting affects security The 10 most common cybersecurity scams uncovered World's largest web hosting sites hit by security fears In terms of the fake products being peddled on these scam subdomains, the majority were health-related such as CBD oil, weight loss pills and brain supplements. Hacked GoDaddy accounts The massive network of shady domains was first discovered by security researcher Jeff White at Palo Alto Networks two years ago and since then he has been collecting the spam emails sent out in the campaign and indexing the subdomain URLs promoting these fake products. White shared his findings with GoDaddy earlier this year and the company then launched its own investigation into the matter in which it discovered that the group behind the scam had likely used either phishing or credential stuffing attacks to gain access to its customers' accounts. After gaining access to a user's GoDaddy account, the cybercriminals would create a subdomain for their legitimate sites that would later be used to host shady product pages and lure users with spam email campaigns. The web host has put the number of hacked accounts at “several hundred”. After taking down more than 15k subdomains from its servers, GoDaddy also reset the passwords for the accounts that had been compromised and notified the users that had been impacted. In related web hosting news, ICANN, the organization which oversees the domain name system, has proposed an end to price caps on the .org, .info and .biz top-level domains. The move comes at a time when the domain name system has seen thousands of new extensions added over the past five years, all of which are free to set their own prices. If the change does go into effect, the cost of hosting a website could rise significantly over the next few years. Via ZDNet Also check out the best web hosting This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The best Sony phones of 2019: find the right Sony Xperia smartphone for you Posted: 29 Apr 2019 08:42 AM PDT Sony has a fantastically loyal fan base for its smartphones, but even if you're not fully aligned with the Xperia way of doing things there are some enticing handsets on offer and we're here to find the best Sony phone for you. Its high-end smartphones are designed for those who love media on the move, with large screens, plenty of power under the hood and, in some cases, eye-popping 4K displays. Sony takes the technology it's developed for its TV and camera ranges and crams it into smartphones, offering you solid specs and enticing features. Whether it's a flagship that packs a punch, or a mid-range handset with a mix of design and specs, if you're decided that you want to buy from this brand there's one for you in our best Sony phones round-up. However, if you're hankering for the latest and greatest from Sony you might want to hold on. The Sony Xperia 1 was launched on February 25, 2019, but won't hit stores (and likely our review team) until June. Once we have put the Xperia 1 through it's paces we'll update our best Sony phones article so you can see where it lands in our rankings. Best Samsung Phone | Best Huawei Phone | Best iPhone | Best Nokia Phone Image Credit: TechRadar The Sony Xperia XZ3 is the best Sony phone you can buy right now, offering up a great mix of features that are particularly handy if you're addicted to movies, TV shows and gaming on your phone. The main feature on the XZ3 is its 6-inch HDR OLED display, with a QHD+ resolution, ensuring video looks great. If you have a Netflix or Amazon Prime subscription, the HDR content offered by these services really shines. There's enough power under the hood, and the camera on the back is a solid snapper, although it won't blow you away. Read our in-depth review: Sony Xperia XZ3 Image Credit: TechRadar There's just one spec you really need to know about the Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium. It has a 4K display. This isn't the first Sony phone to pack a 4K screen (it's actually the third), but it's the newest generation and the one that you can actually easily buy. If you have a bank of 4K video, or have the right subscription on streaming services, no other smartphone can offer you the clarity and detail on screen. However if 4K content isn't your priority there are probably better Sony phones to suit your needs, so keep on reading! Read our in-depth review: Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium Image Credit: TechRadar The Xperia XZ2 is technically two flagship generations old (having been superseded by the Xperia XZ3 and then more recently by the Xperia 1), but it's only a year old itself and still has plenty to offer. There's the HDR-supported QHD display, feature-packed camera, 4K HDR video recording and you can even capture super slow motion footage at 960fps in Full HD. What's more, it's now more affordable than ever with several price drops since launch. The design isn't going to wow you, but at this price it's a reasonable compromise. Read our in-depth review: Sony Xperia XZ2 review Image Credit: TechRadar Smartphones are getting bigger and bigger each year, and Sony phones are no exception - well, apart from the Xperia XZ2 Compact. This dinkier device comes with a 5-inch display, which is small by today's standard, and it means the XZ2 Compact nestles nicely in the palm. Don't be put off by its diminutive proportions though, as this handset packs the same power and camera as the larger, former-flagship Xperia XZ2 - ensuring it can still cope with most apps and games you throw at it. Read our in-depth review: Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact Image Credit: TechRadar If money is a little tighter, but a big screen smartphone is a must, this could be the Sony phone for you. The Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra boasts an affordable price tag and a large 6-inch display, giving your games, videos and apps plenty of space. What's more, the XA2 Ultra offers great battery life. You can easily get a day and a half from a single charge. The camera feels like it should be better, the design isn't the most attractive or modern, and the Android overlay won’t be to everyone’s taste, but these are compromises you should be able to live with. Read our in-depth review: Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra Image Credit: TechRadar This is the cheapest Sony phone in our round-up, and the Xperia XA2 represents great value for money if you opt to get it on contract. It's a reality no-frills phone, but its performance is rock-solid and despite being thicker than most it's easy to handle and scores fairly high on the plain likability factor.  If a Sony phone is a must, but your finances don't allow for much wiggle room this is the handset for you. Read our in-depth review: Sony Xperia XA2 Image Credit: TechRadar Want something a little different? Something to spark conversations with friends, family and maybe even strangers? Say hello to the very, very tall Sony Xperia 10 Plus. This Sony phone boasts a skyscraper of a screen with the 6.5-inch display boasting a 21:9 aspect ratio making it perfect for movie playback. It's not always easy to find movies at 21:9 on the popular streaming services, but when you do find one the experience is great. It's rather unwieldy in the hand though, and the battery could be better. Read our in-depth review: Sony Xperia 10 Plus Image Credit: TechRadar Like its plus-sized sibling, the Sony Xperia 10 also boasts a 21:9 aspect ratio screen, but this time it's in a slightly more manageable (but still tall) 6-inch form factor. Its performance, battery and camera are slightly weaker versus the 10 Plus, but overall it's still a solid, mid-range smartphone with the latest software and a range of features. Read our in-depth review: Sony Xperia 10 This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The best free logo maker 2019 Posted: 29 Apr 2019 08:34 AM PDT The best free logo maker will make it quick and simple to create a unique design for your business, even if you have no prior experience. Image is important. Whether you're designing a website, coming up with an aesthetic for your company,or need an emblem for a project, a logo provides and instantly recognizable means of identification. It's something that companies put huge amounts of money, time and resources into getting right, but most people and small businesses are working with tight budgets, so it's just as well that there are so many excellent free logo makers out there. With a little bit of time and effort, you can create a stunning logo without having to part with a single penny. If you don't fancy the idea of handing a bundle of cash to a professional designer or company, you can use one of the following free logo makers to see what you can come up with on your own. With templates and power image-editor-style controls, you might be surprised just how easy it is. Image credit: Canva 1. Canva and Canva Logo Maker A huge choice of designs and a drag-and-drop editor for customizing them Canva is about more than just logos – you can use the site to design posters, banners, cards, invitations and much more besides. There's a huge selection of templates and base designs to help get your started, and you can ensure that your creation will meet your needs by specifying the correct dimensions (in pixels, inches or millimeters) at the start. An online editor makes it easy to add and customize graphics, images and text to your logo – just drag and drop into position, resize as necessary and tweak to your liking. If you're making a logo for a business or group project, you have the option of collaborating so everybody can put their ideas forward – a nice touch.  Most design elements are free (certainly enough for you to create a great looking logo), though a few are only available to premium account holders. If you're pressed for time and looking for a quick solution to your logo needs, Canva also offers a dedicated logo maker specifically for the purpose. Enter your company name, choose a category (options include schools, sport, music, car and food) and then pick a few logo designs that appeal to you, to give the app an idea of your preferred style. All the logos were made using Canva. You’ll then be prompted to sign in, if you haven’t already done so, either using your Facebook or Google account, or by creating a new login using an email address. Making an account means you can save your progress and resume work on your logo later, on any device. Once you’re signed in, Canva will create a logo based on your preferences, which you can tweak and edit to your heart's content. Canva and Canva Logo Maker Image credit: Logaster 2. Logaster A minimalist free logo maker that produces crisp, modern designs If your needs are modest, Logaster is a great service. You can create a logo online and download a small version free of charge, though a high-resolution file will cost £9.99 (about US$13, AU$18), and will be necessary if you need to print it. A straightforward wizard guides you through the logo-making process and presents you with a number of templates to choose from. Once you've picked a design you can tweak colours and the overall concept, but there are no advanced image editing tools. Depending on your needs, that could be an advantage or a drawback. Logaster's designs are all fairly simple, with a definite, identifiable look. You're provided with a zip file containing small versions of your design in a range of colour schemes. These are low-resolution, they're fine for using online as long as they're not enlarged. Logaster Image credit: Online Logo Maker 3. Online Logo Maker A powerful free logo maker full of advanced tools for more confident users As long as you don’t need a large logo, Online Logo Maker could be just what you've been looking for. It features an impressive online image editor that you can use to create logo and business cards, combining text and images. There are libraries are images and shapes that can be dropped into place, resized, repositioned and recolored. You can also upload your own graphics, if there are any you want to use. There's support for layers, so it's simple to combine elements to create something that looks seriously impressive. Layers can be duplicated, and there are undo and redo options so you can try out idea non-destructively. Your logos are saved so you can come back and edit them whenever you want. Small versions of your creations can be downloaded free of charge for use on websites, social media and email signatures, though there's a fee if you'd like higher resolution versions that can be used on letterheads, T-shirts and other printed materials. Online Logo Maker Image credit: The Free Logo Makers 4. The Free Logo Makers An impressive free logo maker if you need a design to use online only The Free Logo Makers lets you create logos online for free – but that's not quite the full story. Although it's free to design and download your logo, there's a limited choice of sizes and formats. If you want large or vector versions, you'll have to opt for one if the three paid-for packages. Whichever route you take, you'll always start with one of the sites' hundreds of logo templates. Browse or search through the massive selection, choose one you like, then begin customizing it. The online editor is very impressive, giving you access to a lot of tools, including layers, to help create the perfect, personalized logo. You can send your finished creation to yourself via email, or use the automatically generated code to add the image to your site. The Free Logo Makers Image credit: Squarespace 5. Squarespace Logo Maker A quick way to create your own modern, eye-catching logo designs Squarespace is a website building service, but it also offers a logo maker that you can use independently. Squarespace Logo Maker has a strong focus on simple, minimalist designs, which is perfect if you're looking for something stark and eye-catching. After adding the text you want to use (up to two lines, such as a company name and a tagline), you can then add customizable icons. There are relatively few options to play with, but that's not necessarily a drawback, and means you can create an effective logo in just a few moments. You can only download logos at a relatively low resolution without paying a subscription fee, and the image files are watermarked, but the watermark is so small and faint as to be all but unnoticeable.  Squarespace Logo Maker Create an online presence with the best free website building software This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The best iPhone 7 Plus deals and UK contracts in April 2019 Posted: 29 Apr 2019 08:31 AM PDT This plus sized iPhone from Apple was launched alongside the iPhone 7 in September 2016. Until the iPhone X landed, we thought it was the best iPhone on the market, with big improvements on the camera and battery fronts from previous large-screen iPhones. If you're looking for a big screen iPhone that won't break the bank then the 7 Plus could be a good fit. Prices fell very nicely on the advent of the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus and it is far cheaper than the big iPhones like the XS Max - if you go for the earlier iteration you could even end up paying around £300 less than it costs to get the newer massive iPhones. 7 Plus prices can now be found for less than £30 per month. If you're dead set on grabbing this huge iPhone now, then to help you navigate we've got a handy comparison tool which is designed to help you zero in on the cheapest deals. Underneath that we've chosen what we think are the best value options overall for the biggest networks out there. And if you still need some persuading, we've added a brief review of the iPhone 7 Plus to the bottom of the page. See also: iPhone 8 Plus deals | iPhone 8 deals | Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus deals | iPhone 7 deals | iPhone 6S Plus deals | Mobile phone deals Top 5 best iPhone 7 Plus deals this month: Unlike some other sites we don't manipulate the order of these deals for commercial gain, so the handpicked deals below really are the best iPhone 7 Plus deals for EE, O2, Three and Vodafone right now. Don't forget - if you're looking for something a little different, our comparison widget above is the perfect way to sniff out your perfect deal. This page is for the best iPhone 7 Plus deals in the UK, but if you're after Australian deals, check out the best Australian iPhone 7 Plus deals page.  There's no denying the iPhone 7 Plus's brilliance - just look at the fantastic cameras, supercharged performance and waterproof design. But that doesn't disguise the fact that it doesn't build massively on the iPhone 6S. If you want true innovation, you'll have to pay the extra for 2017's iPhone X. Read more in TechRadar's full iPhone 7 Plus review This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The best iPhone 8 Plus deals and UK contracts in April 2019 Posted: 29 Apr 2019 08:22 AM PDT Apple is the king of brilliant, yet expensive phones. With devices such as the iPhone XS Max and XR costing eye-watering prices, it can make sense to go back a models and pick yourself up one of Apple's older plus size models.  This is where the iPhone 8 Plus deals come in. If you want one of the newest large screened Apple smartphones, but the price of the iPhone XS make you feel dizzy, then the 8 Plus will be the one for you. So how are iPhone 8 Plus prices looking. On average, if you shop wisely (using our price comparison chart below) you'll save yourself around £300 if you go for this handset over the iPhone X. We've seen monthly tariffs as low as the £25 region if you're prepared to stick a wedge down upfront. Still feeling a bit overwhelmed by these prices? Don't forget that iPhone 8 deals are also available if you'd prefer the smaller smartphone, along with the smaller prices. And you can save £10 on the upfront cost of any iPhone 8 Plus deal at Mobiles.co.uk by using the voucher code 10OFF at the checkout. See also: iPhone X deals | iPhone 8 deals | iPhone XS Max | Samsung Galaxy Note 8 deals | Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus deals | Best mobile phone deals | Best SIM only deals The 5 best iPhone 8 Plus deals you can get in the UK right now: iPhone 8 Plus price: how much does it cost? A mighty £699. That's how much the 64GB iPhone 8 Plus will cost you in the UK according to the RRP. That might seem like a lot but that's one hundred pounds cheaper than when it first came out. Need more memory? Then your only other option is spending an extra £150 and grabbing a £849 256GB iPhone 8 Plus.  If you opt to buy the iPhone 8 Plus upfront without a contract you will save money in the long run, but of course £699 is a lot of money to pay. If you can afford it though it the way to go once you pair it with a cheap SIM only deal. This is the iPhone you want if you can't quite afford the iPhone X or iPhone XS Max. It's got the larger battery, same powerful innards and strong camera. If you don't mind the poorer screen, it's a good option - and the screen is still a beaut. And we prefer it quite a lot more to the regular iPhone 8. Read more in TechRadar's full iPhone 8 Plus review This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Best Nintendo Switch games: must-have games to play in 2019 Posted: 29 Apr 2019 08:18 AM PDT Long gone are the days when gamers called the Nintendo Switch a "Zelda machine". Two years into the console's lifespan, the Nintendo Switch has a lively and jam-packed assortment of titles to keep you occupied, whether you're nestled into your sofa, linking up to your TV, or blasting quick gaming sessions on your commute. You now have the choice between Nintendo's tentpole releases like Breath of the Wild or Super Mario Odyssey – obviously both on this list – or indie darlings like Little Nightmares or Wargroove providing smaller but equally worthwhile adventures to be played on the Switch. Looking to enhance your experience? Check out our picks of the best Nintendo Switch accessories Not got the console yet? These are the best Nintendo Switch deals around But with so of the best video games out there, how can you narrow down your options? Well, we've done our best to bring together the very best titles to have come to the Switch so far – all of which are available to download or buy right now.  If none catch your eye, don't worry, because we'll be trying the latest and greatest Nintendo Switch games and updating this list throughout the year. We have a separate guide for the best online multiplayer Switch games, but otherwise sit back in your gaming chair and read on for the best 30 Switch games currently available on Nintendo's bestselling console. Watch our review of the Nintendo Switch below! For the first time ever, Square Enix is bringing some of its most-revered 32-bit era Final Fantasy games to a Nintendo console. First up – Final Fantasy IX. It has been brought to the Nintendo Switch as a reworking of the recent PC and PS4 versions, with new added on-the-go portability thanks to the Switch's form factor. Now, admittedly, the Switch port leaves some things to be desired as it carries over some problems introduced by the ports to other systems. But Final Fantasy IX remains a classic of a JRPG, and one that shouldn’t be missed on the Nintendo Switch. A charming high-fantasy tale, it was the series at its 32-bit height, pushing the PlayStation to its limits. This Nintendo Switch version takes advantage of the more modern hardware by smoothing out background textures and bringing a far greater level of detail to character models. And then, of course, the stone-cold classic that is Final Fantasy VII. For many it will have been their first introduction to JRPG gaming – all big-haired sad-boys and turn-based magic battles. But its epic, sci-fi tinged tale of a world on the brink of collapse, and a rag-tag gang of freedom fighters trying to save it, is perhaps more relevant today than it was back in 1997. Of the two ports, it's the more polished, too – it's quality-of-life improvements, such as sped-up battles and skippable random fights have been more seamlessly integrated. It's the best way to play the game today. Being able to bring lengthy titles like these out and about with you, before settling in for a longer dedicated session at home is likely just what some will need to finally finish this games after having owned them on several platforms over the past two decades. Read our full review: Final Fantasy IX on Nintendo Switch is a fantastic game, and an OK port Have you ever had one of those moment where you’ve done something really cool, and there was no-one around to see it?  That’d be a bit like Nintendo’s 2012 release, New Super Mario Bros. U for the Wii U. The culmination of six years work which had kicked off with the New Super Mario Bros on the Nintendo DS in 2006, reimagining the classic 2D side-scrolling Mario titles, New Super Mario Bros. U was an under appreciated joy upon its release. This was simply by virtue of the Wii U console itself shifting so few units. New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe resurrects an under-appreciated platforming star on Switch, bringing Nintendo’s signature charm, a scalable challenge based on the characters you play as, and sits up there with the best 2D Mario games ever released. Whether you pick it up on the Nintendo Switch or are inspired to dust off a Wii U console, it deserves to be played. Wargroove is a turn-based strategy game set in a medieval fantasy world, one where trees become giant soldiers, vampires assassinate kings, and a royal dog commands his very good battalion to victory. And we can't put it down. It may look uncannily like Advance Wars - and plays largely like it too - but Wargroove manages to recreate the series’ blend of depth and accessibility while remaining fun in its own way too. You’ll find an engaging war narrative, packed with lively and witty encounters between the colorful cast of characters - with some gorgeous sprite animations - while offering plenty of strategy and a dedicated map-editor to create your own battle terrains. There's even cross-platform play with Windows and Xbox One! If the idea of throwing around the ol' Pokeball gives you the warm and fuzzies, check out Pokemon Let's Go: Pikachu and Eevee. Basically a re-imagining of Pokemon Yellow Version, Pikachu and Eevee take you through the Kanto region on your quest to become the Pokemon Master. Eight gym leaders, four elite masters and dozens of members of Team Rocket stand in your way, but as long as you can keep the rock, paper, scissors-esque battling system in mind, these games are a light-hearted stroll down memory lane.  That said, it's not the perfected version of the formula that Pokemon Stars could be when it releases in 2019, but for now it's hands down the best Pokemon game on the Nintendo Switch, and one that will easily keep us entertained for the next few months until we hear more Pokemon news at E3 2019.  Fan of old-school 16-bit RPGs? Wish they could get a HD facelift without losing the pixel-perfect magic of the 90s era? Octopath Traveller may be the Nintendo Switch game you'd dreamed for a time machine for as a kid. Channeling the magic of the early Final Fantasy games (and published by Square Enix, naturally), it melds pixel art with polygonal environments, like a love letter to the role playing games of old. Picking up the story of one of 8 uniquely-talented adventurers, there's an epic world saving story to follow, a clever turn-based combat system to master and a great voice-acted script to enjoy too. Fantastic fun. Captain Toad Treasure Tracker is a real gem in the Nintendo Switch game pile. A re-release of the well-received Wii U title, Captain Toad is an action puzzle game that puts you in the shoes of the Mushroom Kingdom's most lovable sidekick. While puzzles are a bit on the easier side for older 'kids' who might be playing (a term we'll use loosely here), pint-sized adventurers will have to use their noodle to collect items without running into the paths of enemies. It's good, clean, IQ-enhancing fun – which is the best kind of fun!  While we're all waiting for a new Metroid Prime game to land on the Nintendo Switch, you can still get your side-scrolling Metroidvania fix with the superb Hollow Knight. You know the score – you're placed in the center of a sprawling map that slowly reveals its scale as you unlock new abilities to traverse increasingly difficult traps, and take on ever-more monstrous foes. Secrets sit around every corner, and the sense of satisfaction you get when you backtrack to a previously-inaccessible location once armed with the right skills is unsurpassed in all of gaming. Hollow Knight separates itself from other Metroidvania titles with its distinct art style (mysterious underground bug city? Count us in), and its nods to the Dark Souls series, with tough boss fights and the strangely aloof citizens of its subterranean setting. Easily one of the best Nintendo Switch games around. Freshly-added to the Nintendo Switch line-up of games, if Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy is just half as popular on the Switch as it was for the PS4 it's bound to do very, very well. Maybe it's everyone's current love of nostalgia from their earlier days? Whatever the case, the remaster of Crash Bandicoot is very likely to pull at your heart strings. It has everything you knew and loved from the original game, but enhanced and revamped, and there are plenty of new levels and adventures that have been added to make this a better experience than ever. Mario and his crew are some of the most talented fictional characters in the known universe. They can golf, they can compete at the Olympics, some of them are doctors, plumbers and princesses. And now they play tennis, too, in this excellent Nintendo Switch game. Mario Tennis Aces has been heralded as a combination of Super Smash Bros. and the old Mario Tennis games released on the Nintendo GameCube and N64. To that end, gameplay is lightning-quick and requires superb reflexes.  The big changes this time around are the new super moves that cause rackets to break and balls to fly to nigh unreachable spots on the court. They add a new layer of strategy to the long-running Mario sport franchise and fun, too. Pick this one up at your earliest opportunity. Golden bananas, rickety minecarts and cranky kongs – the king of the gaming apes, Donkey Kong, is back! And it's already one of the best Nintendo Switch games out there. If you've previously been a Wii U owner, this may well feel like a very familiar adventure, as Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is actually a remake of that system's simian-themed platformer.  The Switch version is easily the definitive version of the game though, bringing not only with it the Switch's signature handheld play, but also a new 'Funky Mode' that lets you take control of Funky Kong, a returning character who is just that little bit faster and able to leap just that little bit further, making a very challenging platformer a tad easier for the smaller cheeky monkeys in your family. Star Allies is Kirby's debut on Switch – and it's a good one, even if it is largely your familiar Kirby fare. Fans of Kirby's previous adventures will recognize the colorful side-scrolling platformer gameplay and enemy absorbing powers, but there's a new mechanic which allows Kirby to throw hearts at enemies and recruit up to three of them to his side to be controlled by either AI or real-life friends.  Though it's not the most engaging single-player game, and might not leave long-time fans as satisfied as they might have hoped, Star Allies is a co-op experience that shouldn't be missed, especially if you're looking for a game to play with your kids.  Part software, part hardware, Nintendo Labo is a must-have for anyone who enjoys Nintendo's more quirky and play-focused ideas. Build your own cardboard toys, play games with them, explore how they work and reprogram them to do what you want. With Nintendo Labo the only real limit is your patience and imagination: build a fishing rod and catch a shark, build a piano and control a musical cat choir, built a robot and, well, become a robot. It's all possible with Labo.  Nintendo Labo is certainly one of the more original and even educational releases we've seen in years and it can only be played on the Nintendo Switch. It's easily one of the best 'games' for the device. Not everyone would have had the chance to enjoy Bayonetta 2 when it was first released back in 2014, thanks to its Wii U exclusivity. Fortunately, it's now a Nintendo Switch game too, finally giving it the reach it deserves.  Bayonetta 2 is an excellent game, with fast-paced and satisfying combat, jaw-dropping animations and frankly outstanding fashion choices. Even better, when you purchase a physical copy of Bayonetta 2, you'll also receive a free download code for the original game. More than anything, this is a great way to prepare for Bayonetta 3, which has been confirmed as being in development for the Switch.  Super Mario Odyssey is Mario's first real outing on the Nintendo Switch and he makes his debut in style. Odyssey is a 3D sandbox adventure that sees Mario travel between a wide range of worlds to save Princess Peach from the nefarious and maritally-minded Bowser.  Giving the old formula a bit of a refresh, this game sees the traditional Power Ups replaced with a new companion for Mario called Cappy. This sentient hat is Mario's weapon and friend and he can be used to possess enemies and objects to solve puzzles and defeat foes. In our full review for Super Mario Odyssey we called this game "one of Mario's finest adventures in recent memory" and recommend that you play it now – it's instantly one of the best Nintendo Switch games out there. If you decide to pick the game up for yourself, don't forget to check out our tips and tricks guide to help you get started.   Even for a series like The Legend of Zelda which rarely puts a foot wrong, Breath of the Wild is an absolutely phenomenal game on the Nintendo Switch. While past Zelda games have stuck pretty closely to the formula established by Ocarina of Time (the series' 3D debut), Breath of the Wild throws much of the established wisdom away.  Rather than having a pre-defined order you must use to approach each major mission, Breath of the Wild opens the entire map up to you almost immediately, allowing you to approach the game in whatever order you see fit. You can spend hours just climbing trees and brewing elixirs, or you can even head straight to the game’s final boss if you're feeling a little more confident.  Away from Breath of the Wild's unique structure, it's the puzzles themselves that make the game feel the most satisfying. While previous games rigidly allow for a single solution to each puzzle, BotW's physics-based problem solving means that there are often multiple solutions to each challenge depending on how you combine your various skills.  The result is a game that feels incredibly broad in scope, with so many little touches to discover that it’s hard not to fall in love with this long-running series all over again. Check out everything you need to know in our Breath of the Wild tips and tricks guide Mario Kart 8 on the Wii U was already one of the best entries in the franchise, and the Nintendo Switch version is no different. At its core the game offers the same excellent racing as the Wii U original, but there are also a number of new additions for this version of the arcade racer.  You've got the return of battle mode, new characters, all the previously released DLC tracks, and the ability to hold two special items at a time to add an extra layer of strategy to your racing. The new game is also a great way of playing the game in multiplayer. You can play online, in split-screen with up to four players, or link up to eight consoles together to play multiplayer wirelessly (where you can also play with up to two players per console).  It's a versatile release, and well worth picking up for anyone who missed out on Mario Kart 8 the first time around. Get ahead of the competition with our Mario Kart 8 Deluxe tips and tricks If you want to satisfy your arcade racing itch then Fast RMX is the game for you, and is a fantastic fit for the Switch.  With one part Wipeout and two parts F-Zero, the game has you racing futuristic hovercraft round a series of implausible tracks at breakneck speeds.  Fast RMX's main gimmick is that at any point your craft has either an orange or a blue polarity, which match with speed power-ups that are spread around the track. By switching your polarity as you race, you can maximize the benefits these power-ups bring.  It’s a neat feature, but it's overshadowed by how technically capable this game is. It looks fantastic whether you're playing it in portable or console mode, where it will run at a solid 60 frames-per-second.  It might not have the charm of its Mario-themed competitor, but Fast RMX is a great game for anyone seeking fast-paced arcade racing thrills. Splatoon was the closest Nintendo has ever allowed itself to get to an online shooter, and it did so by fundamentally turning the genre on its head.  That means no guns, no bullets, and ultimately no death. Instead, you play as characters with paint guns tasked with covering the map in your team's colors.  You can kill (well, 'splat') your enemies, but you do so only in service of buying yourself time to paint more of the map without your opponents (and their painting) getting in the way.  While Splatoon 2 is technically a sequel, in truth it's more of the same.  That's not necessarily a bad thing. The original game was tightly designed and well-balanced, and while the sequel makes some minor tweaks to the gameplay, the same Nintendo charm is still present in spades.  If you never played the original then Splatoon 2 is an easy game to recommend, but even if you did then it might be worth jumping in again to revisit it on Nintendo's portable system. For our money it's certainly one of the best Nintendo Switch games you can pick up. If you want to get ahead of the competition then our Splatoon 2 tips and tricks guide will help you do just that.  Bandai Namco's Little Nightmares is a big adventure on Nintendo Switch. First released on consoles and PC in 2017, this new take on the horror genre is a welcome addition to Nintendo's portable console.  Players take up the role of a young girl called Six, who is trapped in the Maw, a terrifying place filled with monsters that are larger than life. Across a range of platforming levels, players must help Six overcome her small stature and escape the Maw. Little Nightmares is a game with a palpable atmosphere – the different levels and their respective monsters are grim and frightening, and we frequently found ourselves tense and holding our breath as we tried to get through a level. It's unusual to get such a thrill from such thoughtful and quiet gameplay.  The Nintendo Switch release of the game is the Complete Edition, and contains all three DLC releases, the last of which was launched in February 2018.  Anyone who loves classic point-and-click adventure stories such as Broken Sword and Monkey Island will certainly want to direct their attention towards this recent release from LucasArts veteran Ron Gilbert. Mechanically, the game works like the classics of the genre with lots of slow-paced obtuse puzzle solving and verb-list clicking. Even visually it's very similar to the games that have influenced it.  If you're tired of playing the same classics on repeat, pick up Thimbleweed Park for your Nintendo Switch for an excellent new addition to the point-and-click genre. You'll travel back to 1987 for a neo-noir adventure that you won't want to leave. It's tough to know what genre to describe Arms as: at its core, the game is a fighting game where you attempt to land punches on your opponent using giant extendible arms. Punch-Out this is not.  What first appeared to be a slightly gimmicky title made to show off the Nintendo Switch's motion-sensing controllers actually turned out to have a surprising amount of depth and strategy to it, leading to some frantic multiplayer battles.  Nicely, the whole game can also be played with more traditional buttons rather than control schemes, so you don't have to get caught flailing your arms around on the bus when you play it as a portable game.  Having trouble landing your punches? Check out our Arms tips and tricks guide Over twenty years after its original release it's hard to know what more can be written about one of the most influential fighting games of all time. It easily jumps int our list of the best Nintendo Switch games you can buy right now. Ultra Street Fighter 2 is essentially the same Street Fighter 2 that's been continuously re-released on every console under the sun. Technically this version is based on Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo from 1994, which added super and air combos to the base game, but unless you're a die-hard fan this likely won't mean too much to you.  So don't go into this expecting a wildly different game from what you've played before. This is a traditional Street Fighter experience through and through, and the console's form-factor makes it perfect for quick multiplayer sessions.  Overcooked was one of the breakout indie hits of 2016, and now it's come to the Nintendo Switch in fantastic style.  There game is best played with a group of friends, which is perfect considering you always have at least two controllers with your Switch.  But what do you actually do? In essence you play as a group of chefs trying desperately to cook meals without your customers getting angry or your kitchen catching on fire.  With each person only able to do one thing at a time, and most meals requiring multiple stages of preparation, this forces you to split tasks up between you. The problem is that every task proceeds at a slightly different pace, meaning you're constantly having to change your plans to deal with problems as they arise.  It's frantic, it's great with friends, and it's a perfect fit for the Switch – one of the best experiences we've enjoyed on the console. Shovel Knight is not a new game – it saw its first release way back in 2014 on the PC after it was funded on Kickstarter, and since then versions have appeared on everything from the Vita to the PS4, the Nintendo 3DS and the Wii U.  But that doesn’t make it any less of a great game on the Nintendo Switch, where its 2D side-scrolling is as tight and responsive as ever.  Chances are you've played Shovel Knight on one system or another in previous years, but if you've yet to take the game on the go, or better yet if you’re looking to try its newest expansion pack, 'Specter of Torment', then the Switch is as good a place as any to satisfy your Shovel cravings. Another home console classic now given a new lease of life on Switch is LA Noire. It's unusual to see 18-rated games on Nintendo consoles, but it's nevertheless exciting that the Switch is building up a more mature library. Created by Rockstar, LA Noire is a 1940s detective title which puts players in the smart leather shoes of Cole Phelps. As Phelps, you'll dive into the seedy underbelly of LA, solving a variety of cases across the LAPD's Homicide, Vice and Arson divisions. Aside from letting you take a great game on the go, the Switch version of LA Noire has some neat features such as motion control support. This means you can pick up evidence at crime scenes and inspect it from every angle using the Joy-Con controllers.  Read more of our thoughts on LA Noire for the Nintendo Switch.  The legendary and hugely addictive dungeon-crawler finally come to the Switch. Sure, you've been able to play the game on PC, Xbox and Playstation for a good few years now – with over 30 million copies sold across all platforms, and a rumored Netflix TV series in the works – but this is the first time Blizzard's medieval fantasy RPG has gone portable. You pick one of seven distinct character classes and begin your wayward journey to take on the lord of terror himself, Diablo. Somehow accessible with satisfying depth to the gameplay, Diablo 3 strikes a perfect balance between hardcore and more casual gaming. The addictive loot system and character upgrades will keep you coming back again and again. And with the newly-added convenience of carrying about wherever you are, the Switch port makes a great case for grinding on the go.  Whether you're new to the series or just want another Diablo fix, this is one of the best titles available on the Switch right now. This crossover has surprised a lot of people, us included. Though Nintendo's Mario and Ubisoft's Rabbid rabbits doesn't seem like a combination that should work it really does. This is a turn-based tactical game and it's incredibly fun to play thanks to gameplay that's satisfyingly complex and deep without being overly difficult – though the difficulty increases, it's in a gradual way that doesn't result in feelings of being overwhelmed.  Mario Rabbids is also just a lovely game to look at – the level design is consistently fantastic and the world and its characters are adorable and colorful. Joining up with Mario lends Ubisoft's Rabbids a charm they've lacked until now, while Mario and co benefit from the partnership by gaining a bit more of a silly sense of humor which really benefits the Nintendo image.  With this partnership, Nintendo has managed to secure another appealing exclusive for the Switch, and one of the top games for the console. Stardew Valley is one of those games that always felt like it was supposed to be on a Nintendo console, and we couldn't have been happier when it was released recently for the Switch. If you've ever played a Harvest Moon game, you’re already familiar with the premise of Stardew Valley: it's an addictive farming simulator which sees you interact with townees to the point where you can literally marry them. Stardew Valley isn't just one thing though, it's a whole bunch of things at once. You can engage in crafting, fishing, cooking and even exploring procedurally-generated caves to mine for items and even take on monstrous enemies.  However, do keep in mind your health and energy, as you'll need to make sure your character is in tip-top shape in order to avoid suffering from exhaustion – lose health and you lose a considerable amount of money and items you’ve worked hard to attained. Stardew Valley will have you hooked for hours on end, for better or worse. (Better, definitely better.) Skyrim might be a game that's six years old, but the portability of the Nintendo Switch makes it feel fresh again. What was once an exclusively home console and PC experience can now be played on your commute and there's no denying that holding the wild world of Skyrim in the palm of your hand is exhilarating.  For a touch of novelty, the game also supports the console's Joy-Con motion controls so you can swing your sword and draw your bow in real life. It's a whole new way to play. This is the full open world Skyrim experience for the Nintendo Switch, including all DLC, so we're very confident in declaring it one of the best Switch games right now. Read more about our thoughts on Skyrim's arrival on Switch. It's not often you get to put a free game on the Nintendo Switch list but Fortnite Battle Royale is giving us this chance. We'd be amazed if you hadn't heard of it, but Fortnite: Battle Royale is the free-to-play hit from Epic Games which throws you into an online Battle Royale where you must fight and build to be the last person standing.  The game was announced and launched on the Nintendo eShop during E3 2018. If you've not had the chance to play the Battle Royale phenomenon, the Nintendo Switch offers one of the most convenient ways to do it – especially if you find a smartphone screen just a little bit too small to truly play at your best. And if you already have an account you can move seamlessly between your Nintendo Switch, smartphone, PC and Xbox console.  And last in our list of the best Nintendo Switch games currently competing for your money, we have Super Mario Party. When it comes to casual co-op gaming there's not much better out there, and it shows the Switch game catalog continuing to grow and get stronger over time. This is the latest in a long line of Super Mario Party games of course, but the 3D board game mechanics remain tight and engaging, and the game hides plenty of secrets and surprises along the way for you to discover. Most importantly, it's enjoyable to play, and keeps you coming back. What's left to be said about Dark Souls that hasn't already been spat out in blood, frustration and pure, unfiltered joy? The daddy of tough-as-nails adventure games, it's spawned a thousand imitators and a zillion curse words as adventurers stalk the deadly land of Lodran. Taking a methodical and precise approach to combat, it's as unforgiving as it is rewarding, making each hard-won victory against its monstrous foes a real achievement. Always fair, it's also a master of environmental story telling, revealing its secrets slowly as you gain command of its systems and best its enemies. Dark Souls: Remastered isn't quite as pretty on the Switch as it is on PS4 or Xbox One, but it does have the added benefit of on the go play (just don't go swearing on the bus). And there's a whole new wave of players to engage with when you activate its online mode – a key component of the series, with a new community eking out their first bold steps into its cruel world. The whole of history, in your hand. Well, that's at least what it feels like with Civilization 6 on the Nintendo Switch.  A grand strategy game that tasks you with leading a burgeoning nation to greatness, this is a game you can lose hours to. Whether you choose to be a domineering despot with a disposable army and a finger hovering over the big red nuclear button, or a peaceful diplomat making alliances and allies, Civilization 6 caters to whichever playstyle you can think of in order to bring your nation out on top. The Switch version lacks the PC titles' mod capabilities and newer gameplay rebalances that were introduced with the Gathering Storm add-on. But players have never had this much strategic depth available to them in a handheld title. If you want to test your grey matter against armchair strategists, it's one of the most engaging online titles on the Switch, too. This time-bending platformer sold an astonishing number of copies in its first week, and it's not hard to see why. Infused with a pulsing cyberpunk aesthetic, gorgeous pixel art, and a rewind mechanic for getting that perfect playthrough, Katana Zero oozes style.  It follows a samurai assassin with the power to control time, with plenty of slick slo-mo action and throwing knives to be enjoyed as they storm through henchman, police squads, and some nightmarish hallucinations. Katana Zero really leans into the weirdness of its sci-fi plot – and the brutality of its bloodshed – though you have the option of rushing through most of the dialogue if you're only really here for the action. For anyone after a hit of cyberpunk, or who wants the satisfaction of only passing a level when they haven't taken a single hit (and watching their success play back to them), Katana Zero is a wonderfully trippy platformer. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The best free painting software 2019 Posted: 29 Apr 2019 08:13 AM PDT Painting software has come a long way in recent years, and there are now superb programs available completely free that offer a realistic simulation of watercolors, oils, pastels, charcoal, and more. These free tools work well with a mouse, but are even better with a stylus or touchscreen for direct control over your virtual brushes and pens. Some of the latest painting software also lets you work in three dimensions, creating your own models and then applying your own textures and paint effects. You can combine these with 2D sketched elements to create scenes, and even print them in 3D. Here, we’ve picked out the very best drawing software for Windows. Some of these tools are designed for serious illustrators, while others are better for keeping children occupied without the mess of real painting. There’s something for everyone – the only limits are your imagination and skill. Krita is painting software designed with comic book artists in mind and offers a huge set of professional quality features (Image credit: The Krita Foundation) Krita is professional-quality painting software created by a team of artists with the noble aim of putting top-notch creative tools within reach of everyone. You can use Krita for any kind of drawing and illustration, but it's particularly great for comics and manga. There are panel templates, halftone filters, and perspective tools in addition to the usual brushes, fills and pens. Each brush is totally customizable, and you can save your bespoke brushes to use again later. Right-clicking anywhere on the canvas in Krita will bring up a selection wheel that lets you pick a new tool and select a colour in seconds – a system that's much easier than trawling through menus and settings Krita was created by artists for artists, and it shows in the dozens of thoughtful little touches that make it easier to create great paintings. There are handy drawing aids for creating straight lines, vanishing points and smooth shapes. You also get layers, masks, various transform tools, HDR support, and advanced selection functions. Krita is an incredibly powerful painting program, and it's yours to download and use completely free. Krita Artweaver Free offers realistic media, with a great choice of brushes, paints and other tools (Image credit: Boris Eyrich Software) Artweaver Free enables you to create beautifully realistic digital paintings by taking input – from your mouse, a stylus or, if you have a touchscreen PC, from whatever you feel like tapping the screen with – and applying ultra-realistic brush effects. In addition to familiar brushes such as conte brushes, calligraphy pens and airbrushes you also get a huge range of patterns and pens, enabling you to produce very complex images with the minimum of effort. It’s layer-based too, so you can build up your masterpiece in layers without losing the ability to change anything. Artweaver Free designed for artists of all ages, but we’ve found it particularly useful for children. Kids love experimenting with all the different brushes, and we love not having to clean up any mess afterwards. Artweaver Free Microsoft Paint 3D is great fun for kids, letting them turn doodles into three-dimensional models that can be painted and rotated (Image credit: Microsoft) Like the classic version of Microsoft Paint (which is was originally intended to replace), Paint 3D offers a small selection of drawing tools for doodling on a flat canvas. However, the real fun happens when you click the 3D Objects button. Here you can pick a model to import (current choices include people and animals), or better yet, draw your own shape and ‘inflate’ it to turn it into a three-dimensional model that can be rotated and viewed from different angles. You can choose a finish for your shape (options include matte, gloss, dull metal, and polished metal), paint its surface, and apply lighting effects. There’s no way to control the thickness of the 3D effect, so your object will always resemble something created with Puff Paints, but it’s great fun for kids of all ages. Multiple models can be positioned at different depths and combined to create a scene, and you can even bring doodles into the real world if you have access to a 3D printer. Microsoft Paint 3D Fresh Paint works brilliantly on a tablet, where young artists can paint using the fingertips (Image credit: Microsoft) Fresh Paint is another art app from Microsoft – this time designed to replicate the feeling of putting brush or pen to paper. The interface really goes to town with skeumorphism, with a plastic palette of colours that splatter when you dip your virtual brush, showing which shade you’re currently using and making a pleasing splat. You can wash the bristles in a cup of water before picking a different color, or use one immediately after another to blend them together on the brush. Fresh Paint can simulate watercolors, gouache, and all kinds of other material. As the name implies, you can interact with your work as though it’s not yet dry, smearing it and mixing colors together on the canvas. Experienced artists will be able to achieve great results with tools that behave like their real-life counterparts, while kids and novices will make an equally realistic mess. Microsoft Fresh Paint A professional-level painting program, MyPaint is incredibly flexible (Image credit: MyPaint) MyPaint is the brainchild of artist Martin Renold, who was frustrated by the limitations of his Wacom tablet’s proprietary software and decided to take matters into his own hands. Today, the open source software is an accomplished tool for serious artists. Its background as a Linux app means MyPaint works a little differently to most Windows apps, and it’ll take a little while to master its interface, but it’s well worth the effort if you’re a hobbyist illustrator and Krita’s focus on comics means it doesn’t quite fit your needs. MyPaint works best when used with a graphics tablet, but you can also use it with any other input device, including touchscreens. There’s the usual selection of customizable brushes, plus support for layers, and a handy scratchpad for creating sketches. You can also download and install additional brush packages created by other users – a perk of the source code being publicly available. MyPaint Take a look at our roundup of the best free photo editors This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

AMD's 50th Anniversary Ryzen 7, Radeon VII parts paint your PC red Posted: 29 Apr 2019 08:12 AM PDT AMD's 50th anniversary is right around the corner, with May 1 being the official date. But, AMD has given gamers a couple reasons to celebrate early, as it has confirmed the release of special anniversary editions of it's Radeon VII graphics card and it's popular Ryzen 7 2700X CPU. Both pieces of hardware are available right now, but will only be up for sale for a limited time. Along with some incentives, both the Ryzen 7 2700X and Radeon VII anniversary editions come with price tags that match the standard editions. So, customers won't be paying any extra to get these parts and celebrate AMD's birthday. Get the latest on AMD's Navi GPUs Here's what we know about AMD's 3rd Generation Ryzen CPUs See our review of the Radeon VII graphics card Design changes and perks The anniversary models are called the "Gold Edition," as AMD is celebrating it's Golden Anniversary (50th). Though gold is in the name, there's little gold about the products beyond the packaging. The Ryzen 7 2700X Gold Edition has AMD CEO Dr. Lisa Su's signature imprinted on the cover. Though, that won't be so visible when the CPU is slapped onto a motherboard and covered with thermal paste and a cooling system. The CPU costs $329 (about £255, AU$470) in the US, but is also available in from physical and online retailers throughout the Americas, Europe, Greater China and the Asia Pacific region. The Radeon VII Gold Edition, meanwhile, takes the gray metal cooling shroud of the the Radeon VII and replaces it with a bold red shroud that Team Red fans will likely appreciate. It will sell for $699 (about £540, AU$990) in the US, and is available at AMD.com. While AMD has made no mention of whether these are specially binned models that have higher overclocking potential, AMD is bundling them with some gaming goodies. Customers who buy them by June 8 will get a code for a free copy of the recent zombie shooter World War Z on PC as well as a free copy of Tom Clancy's The Division 2 Gold Edition with all the perks (a Year 1 Season Pass included) that brings, as well as some in-game accessories. Customers will also get an AMD50 sticker with Dr. Lisa Su's signature and a coupon for an anniversary t-shirt. Special discounts on AMD products will also be available from April 29 to June 8. AMD has said some products will be up to $150 off at Best Buy in the US starting May 1. Check out the possible improvements to Zen 3 processors This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The best iPhone 6S deals and UK contracts in April 2019 Posted: 29 Apr 2019 08:08 AM PDT When it comes to Apple, there is a clear divide between its top of the line flagship devices with their massive price tags, and Apple's earlier, far more affordable devices with their mid-range specs - the iPhone 6S falls into the latter category. We've had a fair few new iPhones since the 6S, we've had the 8's, iPhone X's and now the iPhone XS Max (bit of a mouthful really). The good news here is that these new releases have driven the prices of the iPhone 6S way, way down. Sub-£20 a month tariffs appear quite frequently now, so getting a great deal on Apple's 2015 flagship phone makes it a great budget option if you don't want to spend the earth on your new iPhone deal. If you want more than the minimum of data, then check out our comparison chart below, or head straight down to our pick of the best tariffs on the web. The 6S may be one of iPhone's older phones now, but it still features a lot of the features we have come to expect from flagships. It has improved battery life and 3D touch, where you can press a bit harder on the screen to get a different response. See also: iPhone 8 deals | iPhone 7 deals | iPhone deals | iPhone SE deals | Samsung Galaxy S9 deals | Best mobile phone deals | iPhone 6S review Check out all of the best iPhone deals around today  The top 5 best iPhone 6S deals in the UK this month: We've gone all Top of the Pops to show you our favourite five iPhone 6S deals on the market right now - we'll give you a clue...they're much cheaper than the iPhone XS! Read about all of the best iPhone 6S deals here, including tariffs on EE, O2 and Vodafone. It may be very similar to its predecessor, but there's no denying that the iPhone 6s makes a fantastic alternative to the more expensive Apple devices like the iPhone 8 and iPhone XR. The phone works fluidly at nearly every task and will cost you a lot less than Apple's current flagships. Low end cost with high end features  Read TechRadar's full iPhone 6S review This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

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