Apple : The best cheap 4K TV deals and sale prices in the US - May 2019

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• The best cheap 4K TV deals and sale prices in the US - May 2019
• YouTube Originals will soon be available to stream for free
• Hackers target Office 365 business accounts
• Valve Index vs HTC Vive Pro vs Oculus Rift S: the VR headset showdown
• Apple Watch deal: get the Apple Watch Series 3 on sale for $199
• Businesses still aren't encrypting their removable devices
• Microsoft launches Azure cloud services for AI and blockchain
• HoloLens 2 developer edition revealed
• Disney Plus vs Netflix: who will win?
• Get the world's best smartphones with these £24/pm mobile phone deals
• Metroid Prime 4: everything we know so far
• Cyberpunk 2077: release date, trailer and news
• Dragon Age 4: everything we know so far about the open secret of a sequel
• The Apple Watch 4 gets a rare $50 price cut at Amazon
• BT's new Stay Fast Guarantee promises its most reliable broadband ever
• Best free and public DNS servers of 2019
• Final Fantasy 7 remake: trailers, release date, news and features
• Mad Box: a gaming console that wants to take on Xbox and PlayStation
• GTA 6: all the latest news and rumors for Grand Theft Auto 6
• Over 2 billion YouTube users are logged in and watching every month

The best cheap 4K TV deals and sale prices in the US - May 2019 Posted: 03 May 2019 02:09 PM PDT We've gone through top retailers such as Amazon and Walmart to find the best cheap TV sales and deals that are currently going on (we've also got a roundup of UK retailers). You can find Black Friday like prices on a variety of best-selling 4K TVs from brands such as Samsung, Sony, LG and more. You'll find discounts on 4K TVs, smart TVs, different model sizes, and a variety of prices that will fit any all TV viewing needs. You will find all of our curated deals below. We've divided them into three different size categories as well as our pick for the best cheap TV deal of the week. These days you really don't have to pay much more to get a Ultra HD 4K set instead of an older-style HD one. If you're after the hottest tech in TV though, you may want to take a look at the cheapest OLED TV prices. Whether you want a small TV with a price tag to match or something to show all the colors of the rainbow (and a few million more) with HDR, we've found plenty of options. Read on to find the TV you want at a great price! TechRadar's cheap TV deal of the week Cheap TV deals (40-49 inch) Cheap TV deals (50-59 inch): Cheap TV deals (60-85 inch): More cheap TV sales: Not found the right cheap TV for you today? Or maybe you'd prefer to directly browse the TVs at your favourite retailers instead of our highlights of the best cheap TV deals? We're updating this page on a regular basis, so you may have better look another day. If you want to take a look for yourself now though, here are the direct links to a the full collection of TV deals at multiple stores.  Amazon Walmart eBay Jet Tiger Direct P.C. Richard & Son Newegg Samsung B&H Photo and Video 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

YouTube Originals will soon be available to stream for free Posted: 03 May 2019 01:27 PM PDT YouTube is opening the floodgates on its Originals show library: Starting soon, you’ll be able to watch popular YouTube Premium shows like Cobra Kai, Lazer Team and Liza on Demand for free with ads.  Previously, YouTube Originals were locked behind a paywall and were available to YouTube Premium and YouTube TV subscribers – but that’s set to change. Netflix vs Disney Plus: Here's how Disney Plus will stack up against Netflix Amazon Prime subscriber? These are the best Amazon Prime shows in 2019 Love TVs? Don't miss our review of the LG C9 OLED That said, there are two caveats here: The first is that not all shows will be available for free immediately, nor will they stay that way indefinitely. (Basically, shows could move between paid and free at any time, so you’ll have to move quick.)  The other caveat is that the shows will have interstitial advertisements like you’d find on longer YouTube videos. The reason behind the shift in strategy is to give advertisers a premium placement spot – think primetime programming on traditional cable – and it could be used to help promote shows that might not otherwise have much of an audience. ...so it'll be like regular YouTube? Pretty much, yeah. According to a YouTube Blog post explaining the changes, a good number of these shows will become available to stream for free soon – and that will include the third season of its flagship show, Cobra Kai.   Sure, these shows will now be competing against the 400 hours of YouTube content every minute to the site but, if YouTube wants to get serious about its premium content offering, this is a good way to start. Still skeptical? Check out the first season recap of Cobra Kai below. Need something new to watch? These are the best Netflix shows in 2019 This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Hackers target Office 365 business accounts Posted: 03 May 2019 01:09 PM PDT New research from Barracuda has revealed that account takeover attacks are one of the fastest growing email security threats as hackers set their sights on Microsoft Office 365 accounts. The IT security company recently analyzed account takeover attacks targeted at its customers to discover that 29 percent of organizations had their Office 365 accounts compromised by hackers in March of this year. In March alone, over 1.5m malicious and spam emails were sent from hacked Office 365 accounts highlighting the potential impact this security threat poses. One in five email attacks use compromised accounts Phishing scams account for half of all fraud attacks Cloud security and the evolution of attack methods Hackers executed the account takeover attacks using a variety of methods including reusing stolen credentials, brute-force attacks, social engineering, phishing and even SMS to trick their victims into providing their account details. Account takeover attacks Office 365 account takeover attacks begin with infiltration and many hackers impersonate Microsoft and other large firms as a means of tricking users into disclosing their login credentials. In fact, Microsoft is the most impersonated brand in the world with 1 in 3 attacks impersonating the company. Once an account has been compromised, hackers rarely launch an attack straightaway. Instead, they monitor email and track activity in the company to help maximize their chances of executing a successful attack. One trick that scammers use to avoid detection is setting up mailbox rules to hide or delete any emails they send from the compromised account. According to Barracuda's March 2019 analysis, hackers set up malicious rules to hider their activity in 34 percent of the nearly 4,000 compromised accounts. After the reconnaissance has been completed, cybercriminals use the harvested credentials to target other high-value accounts in an organization with executives and finance department employees being prime targets. They also use compromised accounts to monetize attacks by stealing personal, financial and confidential data to use it to commit identity theft, fraud and other crimes. To protect your business from account takeover attacks, Barracuda recommends using AI to scan your emails, deploying account takeover protection, using multi-factor authentication, monitoring inbox rules and suspicious logins and training employees to recognize and report attacks. Worried about your Office 365 account falling victim to hackers? We've also highlighted the best Microsoft Office alternatives This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Valve Index vs HTC Vive Pro vs Oculus Rift S: the VR headset showdown Posted: 03 May 2019 12:43 PM PDT It has been a historic week for fans of virtual reality gaming: Just as Facebook dropped the details on the launch of the Oculus Rift S, Valve jumped in to offer up its own details on its high-end Valve Index VR headset.  It was a one-two punch of premium VR news that will radically reshape the VR landscape that has been dominated, largely, by the cheaper, console-focused PlayStation VR.  The only problem with all these new options, however, is that two brand-new headsets - plus the pre-existing (and very good) HTC Vive Pro - could paralyze potential adopters of high-end VR.  If all this valuable VR hardware has you in a daze, allow us to clear up the confusion, call out the differences and generally compare the three best-performing headsets heading our way in 2019.  Here's how the HTC Vive Pro, Oculus Rift S and Vive Index are stacking up. Design As head-mounted devices, there are some similarities between all three of these headsets, but they all take somewhat different approaches. The Oculus Rift S uses a Halo-style headband with a knob that tightens the band to fit snug on your head. This allows for less pressure against your face from the display housing. There's also an adjustable band that goes over the top of your head. The HTC Vive Pro and Valve Index use similar headband styles, with a tightening band that goes around the sides of your head and a top strap. This style can result in a bit more pressure on the front of your face. But, all three use a knob to dial in the tightness, making it very easy to take on and off and fit to different users heads. Audio The Rift S features small speakers built into the headband for stereo audio, but also includes a 3.5mm headphone jack to use with your own headphones. The Vive Pro has built-on headphones that you can position over your ears as needed. Meanwhile, the Valve Index has a similar audio design to the Vive Pro, but uses small speakers that don't press directly onto the ears. Setup, cameras and connectivity All three headsets require cables running from the headset to a powerful PC. The Valve Index has a cable that splits at the end into USB 3.0, DisplayPort 1.2, and 12V power connectors. The HTC Vive Pro cable connects to a breakout box with power, DisplayPort, and USB 3.0 connnections. The Oculus Rift S keeps it simplest with a cable the splits into a USB 3.0 and HDMI connector. All three headsets also have cameras on them. The Valve Index includes two cameras on the front that aim slightly downward, but they currently have no function. The HTC Vive has two on the front that aim straight ahead, and they can enable native hand and finger tracking in some programs. The Rift S has five cameras with two in front, two on the sides, and one on top, and these are used for tracking and pass-through of your surroundings when needed. As we'll explore more in the Tracking section of this comparison, the Rift S only needs the cameras built onto it for VR. The Vive Pro and Valve Index meanwhile also need external base station cameras to track the movement of the headsets and controllers. Display Image Credit: Valve The displays are an incredible important aspect of VR headsets, as they can serve to make or break the experience. And, between the Vive Pro, Valve Index, and Rift S, there are considerable differences in display. Pretty much at the bottom of the stack is the Oculus Rift S. It uses a single 2560 x 1440 resolution fast-switch LCD panel with an 80Hz refresh rate. While this improves on the resolution of the original Rift, it reduces the speed of the refresh rate, and the LCD doesn't offer the rich blacks of OLED panels. The headset does use improved lenses that reduce reflective aspects we saw in the original Rift. But, there's only software IPD adjustment (for setting the distance between your pupils), which doesn't have as much range or effectiveness as a hardware slider than moves the screens and lenses. The HTC Vive Pro steps things up with its displays. It uses two separate AMOLED displays the combine for a 2880 x 1600 resolution and run at 90Hz for smoother motion. While AMOLED displays have their issues when it comes to screen-door effect in VR, the bumped up resolution of the Vive Pro mostly eliminates that problem. The Vive Pro offers a 110-degree field of view and hardware IPD adjustment.  The Valve Index tops the field in most respects. With dual displays canted at 5-degrees, it's offering a 130-degree field of view with hardware IPD adjustment. And, that view is crisp with a combined resolution of 2880x1600. While that resolution matches the Vive Pro's, Valve is using LCD panels that have more subpixels than typical pentile OLED displays, making for clearer imagery. And, Valve tops all that off with a 120Hz refresh rate that can bump up to 144Hz, for incredibly smooth visuals that may dramatically improve immersion. While the LCD's in the Valve Index may not offer as impressive a contrast ratio as OLED's, the rest of the package seems like it'll help it stand above its competitors. Tracking We'll start with the Oculus Rift S because it has a unique system compared to the others. The Rift S uses what's called inside-out tracking. Using the five cameras built onto the headset, the Rift S maps the area around you, and as you move, it changes your view in VR. It doesn't need external cameras to track its movement. This makes it the simplest to get set up. The cameras also track controller movements. However, with no cameras on the rear of the headset, the Rift S has to guess at their movement, and can't precisely track them behind users backs. Both the HTC Vive Pro and Valve Index use outside-in tracking. This requires external cameras placed around a play space to monitor the movements of the headset and controllers. Two cameras can effectively create a large play space and track controller movement even behind users backs. The setup process is more involved though. The overlap doesn't end there either, as both headsets can use the same SteamVR 1.0 and 2.0 base stations. Controllers The Vive Pro uses the same wand controllers as the original Vive. They have side grip buttons, triggers, two thumb buttons and a touch wheel on top.  The Rift S uses new controllers with side grips, triggers, two thumb buttons, a menu button and an analog stick. These buttons are capacitive as well, so the Rift S will detect when your thumb is resting on them even if they aren't depressed. The Valve Index controllers go much further. For one thing, they use straps that hold them to your hands, so you don't need to hold grip them to keep them in your hands. The also have triggers, two thumb buttons, a system button, a vertical touchpad for thumbs, an analog stick, and grip sensors. The combination of buttons, sensors, and pressure sensitivity allows for the controller to track each finger independently for more realistic and nuanced recreation of your hands in VR. Price Image Credit: TechRadar The Oculus Rift S really sets itself apart on price. At $399 (around £300, AU$550), it's the cheapest by far, and that price includes the headset, controllers, and everything else needed to use the Rift S. The Rift S also has easy access to the Oculus's list of exclusive games (though other headsets can access many of these games through workarounds). For ease of access to VR, this is definitely the winner, especially considering it doesn't demand as much from a PC to run. The HTC Vive Pro and Valve Index are both considerably expensive. The HTC Vive Pro headset alone costs $799 (£799, about AU$1,045), and to get two controllers and SteamVR 1.0 base station bundle, you'll add $299 (around £200/AU$400) to the price.  The Valve Index actually manages to fly in under the HTC Vive Pro. For the headset alone, you'll pay $499 (£459, about AU$710). And, for a full bundle that include the Index controllers and SteamVR 2.0 base stations with enhanced range and field of view, you'll pay $999 (£919, about AU$1,425).  You can save a bit of money on the HTC Vive Pro or Valve Index if you already have some other VR hardware, though. Both headsets can use each other's controllers and tracking base stations. So, for example, if you have Vive base stations and controllers, you can simply buy the Index headset and get full functionality. Still, both devices are more expensive, and with their higher-resolution, high-refresh-rate displays, they'll also require more powerful (read: expensive) PCs to run them. So which one is right for you? Without holding the Valve Index in our hands and playing some games with it, it's tough to say for certain which high-end headset will win the day. We certainly like the more affordable price of the Oculus Rift S as well as the way it tracks your movement without the use of any external base stations but its specs leave something to be desired.  That said, if you want the most premium VR package, the Valve Index is worth waiting for - its controllers add another layer of immersion to VR and it has a higher field-of-view, a really important specification when it comes to VR gaming.  Last but not least, the HTC Vive Pro might make the most sense for creatives and VR arcade owners thanks to its high-res screen and compatibility with third-party hardware - however, it could be obsolete after the Valve Index arrives later this year. For now, though, it's a tried-and-true gaming headset that's a significant step up from the original Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. Overall, we have high hopes that the Valve Index will be everything the company promised years ago when it said it was working on virtual reality, and it could be the game-changing hardware the PC needs to catch up with PlayStation VR. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Apple Watch deal: get the Apple Watch Series 3 on sale for $199 Posted: 03 May 2019 12:05 PM PDT If you've been holding out and waiting for a discount on the Apple Watch 3 , then now is the perfect time to snag a fantastic deal. Walmart has slashed the price down to $199 on the Apple Watch Series 3. That's an $80 discount and the lowest price we've found for the Apple smartwatch. The Series 3 Watch is like having an Apple iPhone on your wrist with bonus health-focused features. The Apple Watch 3 offers heart rate monitoring and will notify you when an unusually high or low heart rate is detected. The waterproof smartwatch can also measure calories burned and tracks how many minutes of exercise you've done. The Series 3 features GPS technology and has an impressive battery life of up to 18 hours. The Apple watch also includes basic smartwatch features such as the ability to make calls, stream music and receive notifications. The Apple Watch 4 is also currently on sale but will still set you back $350. This makes the $199 price tag on the Apple Watch 3 extremely appealing. We don't know how long Walmart will have the smartwatch on sale, so you should take advantage of this killer deal while you can. If you're interested in a smartwatch with LTE connectivity, Walmart also has the Series 3 with GPS and cellular on sale for $299. This allows you to get internet and phone connectivity on your watch even when your iPhone is far away. Discover more Apple watch sales with the best cheap Apple Watch prices and deals that are currently available. Interested in other smartwatches? We also have the best cheap Fitbit sale prices and deals that are happening now.  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

Businesses still aren't encrypting their removable devices Posted: 03 May 2019 11:51 AM PDT Despite the fact that unsecured data could lead to large fines under GDPR, new research has revealed that unencrypted USB devices are still widely used by businesses. According to new research from the global security firm ESET and Kingston Technology, 55 percent of businesses don't encrypt their removable devices which could potentially leave them exposed to data leaks. Cybersecurity specialist at ESET, Jake Moore provided further insight on the research's findings, saying: “With GDPR one-year milestone just a month away, it is interesting to see what businesses are doing differently to protect themselves from cyber security issues and fines. The survey reveals that companies are still not adequately protected from data leaks as this level of unencrypted devices means anyone can access personal data without security clearances. This poses significant security concerns for firms that do not have the processes in place to ensure their data is safe. One of the ways to do this is through the use of encryption. However, the survey reveals that password protection is still widely used amongst businesses even though it lacks in sophistication.” Security becoming one of the top workplace worries Half of organizations lack the security talent needed to remain secure Tackling cybercrime with a culture of security Unencrypted removable devices ESET and Kingston surveyed over 500 British business leaders to learn how they are protecting their companies from cyber threats that may be harmful to their organizations. In addition to revealing that businesses aren't encrypting their removable devices, the survey also found that 62 percent of executives had seen USB devices in unsecured locations such as desks, drawers or exposed office spaces where an employee or visitor could access them without permission. Companies can better protect their infrastructure and possibly even their reputations by making a small investment into encrypted USB drives. We've also highlighted the best secure drives to help protect your data This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Microsoft launches Azure cloud services for AI and blockchain Posted: 03 May 2019 11:17 AM PDT Microsoft has announced a series of new Azure services and developer technologies ahead of its Build conference next week that will make it easier for developers to to create new AI, mixed reality, IoT and blockchain projects. The company will help developers and data scientists apply AI to any solution through Azure Cognitive Services which can give applications the ability to see, hear, respond, translate, reason and more. Microsoft is also launching a new Cognitive Services category, called Decision, that delivers specific recommendations to users for more informed and efficient decision-making. The company is even bringing AI to Azure Search by making its cognitive search capability generally available. Customers will soon be able to apply Cognitive Services algorithms to extract new insights from both their structured and unstructured content. Microsoft launches new government IT services Microsoft expands open data push Microsoft ups cloud security with Azure Sentinel launch New innovations in Azure Machine Learning will also help simplify the process of building, training and deploying machine learning models. A new visual machine learning interface will enable developers to create machine learning models without the need for writing code while MLOps capabilities with Azure DevOps integration will provide them with reproducibility, auditability and automation of the end-to-end machine learning lifecycle. Azure Blockchain Service Last year Microsoft announced Azure Blockchain Workbench to provide developers with a simple UI to model blockchain applications on a preconfigured Azure-supported network and now the company is taking things a step further with Azure Blockchain Service. The new service simplifies the formation, management and governance of consortium blockchain networks to allow businesses to focus on workflow logic and app development. Azure Blockchain Service even deploys a fully managed consortium network which offers built-in governance for common management tasks such as adding new members, setting permissions and authenticating user applications. Microsoft also announced that JP Morgan's Ethereum platform, Quorum, will be the first ledger available in Azure Blockchain Service. This will give customers of both companies the ability to deploy and manage scalable blockchain networks in the cloud. Executive vice president of the Microsoft Cloud and AI Group, Scott Guthrie provided further insight into company's recent announcements, saying: “It’s an incredible time to be a developer. From building AI and mixed reality into apps to leveraging blockchain for solving commercial business problems, developers’ skillsets and impact are growing rapidly. Today we’re delivering innovative Azure services for developers to build the next generation of apps. With 95% of Fortune 500 customers running on Azure, these innovations can have far-reaching impact.” We've also highlighted the best cloud hosting This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

HoloLens 2 developer edition revealed Posted: 03 May 2019 09:58 AM PDT Ahead of its upcoming Build conference later this month, Microsoft has announced the HoloLens 2 Development Edition to help jump-start developers mixed reality efforts. The company first unveiled the second edition of its mixed reality headset at this year's Mobile World Congress though the device has yet to ship out to developers. As of now, we know that HoloLens 2 will launch later this year with the Development Edition arriving alongside the standard version of the headset. The HoloLens 2 Development Edition will cost $3,500 to buy outright or developers can choose to pay $99 per month with Microsoft's installment plan. Microsoft HoloLens 2 brings even more VR power Toshiba’s AR smart glasses that rival HoloLens are now on sale Microsoft’s HoloLens to lead the growth of mixed reality devices The Development Edition does not include any special hardware or different features from the retail version of the HoloLens 2 but instead includes $500 in Azure credits as well as a three-month trial of Unity Pro and Unity PiXYZ plugin to help bring engineering renderings into Unity. HoloLens 2 Development Edition Those interested in purchasing the Development Edition of the HoloLens 2 will first have to join the Microsoft Mixed Reality Developer Program by signing up on its site. However, those who have already pre-ordered the standard edition will be able to change their order later this year. The news that the Development Edition will cost $3,500 could be a sign that the regular edition could release at a lower price point once it's available for purchase later this year. GM of Industrial at Unity, Tim McDonough explained what developers will be able to achieve by pairing HoloLens 2 with its platform in a blog post, saying: “Pairing HoloLens 2 with Unity’s real-time 3D platform enables industrial businesses to create immersive, interactive experiences that accelerate business and reduce costs. The addition of Unity Pro and the PiXYZ Plugin makes it easy to import 3D design data in minutes rather than hours. The addition of Unity Pro and PiXYZ Plugin to HoloLens 2 Development Edition gives businesses the immediate ability to create real-time 2D, 3D, VR, and AR interactive experiences while allowing for the importing and preparation of design data to create real-time experiences.”  Microsoft also revealed that Unreal Engine 4 support for HoloLens 2 will be available by the end of May. Via TechCrunch This is everything you need to know about AI This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Disney Plus vs Netflix: who will win? Posted: 03 May 2019 09:57 AM PDT Just as you get used to shelling out every month for a Netflix subscription, someone like Disney has to turn around and announce a competing streaming service.  Let’s face it, there are a lot of TV streaming platforms now: While Netflix carved the way, the likes of Amazon Prime, Hulu, HBO Go and more have flooded the market, giving viewers more avenues for on-demand content than ever. Disney murmured about a possible streaming service for much of 2018, with an official announcement only coming in April of this year. Originally called ‘Disney Play’, the Disney Plus service is set to launch in late 2019, and it will almost certainly make a splash. A lot of you may wonder whether Disney Plus will be worth an additional subscription fee, or switching over entirely from your Netflix account. That will probably come down to your budget and the sort of titles you’re after – and we’re still several months from Disney Plus launch either way. In the meantime though, we’re here to run through everything you need to know about the pair of them. Disney Plus vs Netflix: basic overview Netflix and Disney Plus are both on-demand streaming services for watching TV shows and films. Netflix is the one to beat for any new challenger entering the fray, with a whopping 140 million subscribers worldwide and a hugely broad content library. There are now plenty of other streaming services online (Hulu, HBO Go, Amazon Prime Video), but none have carved out quite as much of the market as Netflix, which has become a home for original drama, comedy specials, kids’ TV and animation, and a wide range of other genres. Image Credit: Netflix Netflix has however relied on a lot of classic TV shows which get increasingly expensive to license – Friends, The Office, etc – and is having to learn more on its own attempts at original programming, with billions plunged into its Netflix Original productions like Stranger Things and Master of None.  The rise of Disney Plus is also removing a lot of Disney-owned content from the service, such as any films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Netflix’s popular Marvel TV shows (Dardevil, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and Iron Fist). Disney makes serious money (an estimated $300 million) putting its films and properties on Netflix and other services, so it must have pretty high profit forecasts for its own service to so goodbye to those earnings. We spoke to analyst Stephan Paternot, CEO of film finance marketplace Slated, for his take on Disney's prospects, and we're told "Disney will probably utterly dominate across the board", due to the strength of its various subsidiary services like ESPN. "It’s simply breathtaking how well positioned they are with ESPN (leader in live sports), Disney+ (a deep, and growing library of the biggest family friendly franchise brands of all time), and Hulu (which is the closest thing to Netflix and is slowly gaining on them, in part thanks to live and ad-supported tiers)." Paternot also commented on Disney's ability to "cross-monetize" its various brands and assets between film, TV, music and merchandizing giving it a competitive price advantage over Netflix, and therefore the freedom to take bigger financial risks. Disney Plus vs Netflix: price and availability To start, Disney Plus will definitely undercut Netflix on price. Disney Plus will cost $5.99 per month (around £4.60 / AU$8.55) per month or $69.99 per year (£54.70 / AU$99.80) in the US. That's a decent amount under Netflix’s $8.99 (£7.99 / AU$9.99) per month Basic plan. Image Credit: Shutterstock Netflix has three total price tiers, with the Standard plan allowing HD viewing and up to two screens being watched at the same time – while the Premium plan ups this to four screens and UHD / 4K resolution viewing. We haven’t heard anything about pricing tiers for Disney Plus, but we’d be very surprised for the service not to support 4K, and it’s likely this will come at a premium. Other Disney-owned platforms like ESPN+ (and Hulu, which Disney has a 60% stake in) could well be available via a discounted group package, or purchased as individually priced add-ons through the Disney Plus portal. Disney Plus will be launching November 12 in the US, though we expect a wider global rollout shortly after, possibly in the new year. Disney Plus vs Netflix: features and user interface We have little to go on for Disney Plus' interface, aside from the below screenshot Disney shared earlier this year. What we do know, however, is that unlike Netflix's genre-based categories, Disney Plus has buttons for five distinct 'channels' – Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic – and a jumble of content from the channels beneath them. Netflix notably has a trailer auto-playing at the top of its home page, but it looks like Disney plans a rolling banner ad instead. Then again, months ahead of release there's a lot that could change in the meantime. We expect some kind of algorithm for suggesting content on the home page, though the layout makes us think things will be organized by production studio rather than say comedy vs drama or horror. Image Credit: Disney Like Netflix, we know Disney Plus will be available on the usual round of mobile, laptop, and smart TV apps – though a recent Disney presentation also let slip plans to come to Nintendo Switch, which Netflix is still curiously absent from. Disney Plus vs Netflix: content The reduced price is largely down to the small content library Disney will have at release. Disney’s CEO Robert Iger stated that “our plan on the Disney side is to price this substantially below where Netflix is. This is in part reflective of the fact that it will have substantially less volume." While Disney has access to a lot of high-profile franchises (Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, etc), it won't have the endless library of content we expect from Netflix (around 6,000 titles). We should however get every Disney film ever made on the service, possibly from day one: that's everything from the original Snow White and Aladdin movies to the Star Wars films and entirety of Pixar. New Disney films will then be added to the service within the following year after a theatrical release. Disney is also producing a number of new shows for the service, including a live-action Star Wars series written and produced by Jon Favreau (Iron Man, The Jungle Book) called The Mandalorian. Not to mention spin-off shows featuring Tom Hiddleston's iconic Marvel trickster, Scarlet Witch and Vision, and possibly Hawkeye. There's clearly plenty of scope for Disney to leverage its existing IP beyond the big screen, while its recent purchase of 20th Century Fox will also bring the entire Simpsons catalogue and more to the service. Image Credit: Disney Therein lies Netflix's greatest problem: franchises. Netflix licenses a lot of classic shows like the Office, Friends, and Arrested Development, but is trying to build up a library of original content to avoid difficult licensing negotiations and hefty distribution fees. Paternot suggested Netflix would do fine "in the short to medium run, but were likely to be pushed into a "narrower content lane" as they lose out on Disney-branded franchises. With titles like Orange is the New Black, Master of None, Bojack Horseman, and GLOW on the Netflix platform, however, there are still some real must-watch titles not going anywhere. Not to mention over 100 Emmy nominations for various shows, and recent Oscars for last year's incredible Roma. Netflix as a whole can feel like a matter of quantity over quality, but there are enough high-profile shows and variety to ensure most viewers will remain catered for. Takeaway It's hard to say for sure before Disney Plus is officially released, but it's clear that Disney's streaming service will have some high-quality titles, both new and old, to attract fans to the service. The monthly subscription price is already pretty attractive, and gives you a month's worth of content for the price of buying a standalone Disney movie off iTunes or Rakuten TV. But we don't yet know exactly what we're getting for the money, especially if those outside of the US end up getting fewer titles or a less attractive price point. It's likely that Netflix will keep the edge with its sheer number of titles, and therefore more likelihood of having something for each of its users. Even with Disney's various acquisitions, Disney Plus is likely to be more of a niche proposition, and if you're not a die-hard Marvel fan or a parent needing some distracting Disney cartoons, it's hard to see Disney Plus becoming part of your daily routine in the same way as Netflix. Apple TV Plus vs Netflix: can Apple eclipse its rival? This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Get the world's best smartphones with these £24/pm mobile phone deals Posted: 03 May 2019 09:44 AM PDT If the past year or so has proved anything, it's that a phone price of over £1,000 is the new normal. Keeping up to date with the latest and greatest phones has become a costly investment many are no longer willing to make. But luckily, there are still some options if you look closely enough. Yes, some of the top handsets will still cost you in excess of £50 a month. But do some digging and you can grab yourself one of the world's best mobile phone deals for around £24 instead. The likes of the Google Pixel 3, Huawei P30 and Honor View 20 all grace our guide to the best smartphones and yet, they can all be yours for affordable price tags. Below we've listed each of these devices, all at £24 a month with upfront costs well below £100. But if you're considering any of these phones we would advise a relatively quick purchase. A Samsung Galaxy S10e deal was also going to make this list until a last minute price rise, showing that deals this cheap don't tend to hang around long.  Not fancying these devices? Check the competition - the best mobile phone deals These super cheap flagship phone deals: This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Metroid Prime 4: everything we know so far Posted: 03 May 2019 09:40 AM PDT It was during its E3 2017 livestream that Nintendo announced Metroid Prime 4 for Nintendo Switch with a logo and little else. No release date, no developer information, no footage. Nothing. To say fans were left hungry for details is an understatement; ten years is a long time sans new Samus. A brand new Metroid Prime title for the Switch is an exciting proposition - the Metroid Prime games, released between 2002 and 2007, were critical gold for the GameCube and Wii consoles; to see the series return on Nintendo’s most successful console in years would be fitting. However in January 2019 fans were disappointed to learn that Metroid Prime 4 is now even further away as Nintendo scrapped the project and decided to start again with the help of Retro Studios.  Regardless of the extra wait time, we're excited to see Metroid Prime 4 on the Nintendo Switch (whenever that will be). So here's everything we know about Metroid Prime 4 on Switch so far. [Update: Retro Studios has announced that it's looking for people to join the Metroid Prime 4 development team! Read more below.] Cut to the chase What is it?  A brand new Metroid Prime game  What can I play it on? Nintendo Switch  When can I play it? No release date just yet, but don’t expect it for a while  Release date We weren't quite sure when Metroid Prime 4 would release but now we know it definitely won't be for a while as Nintendo announced in January 2019 that it had scrapped the project and started again with help from Retro Studios.  Trailers Back at E3 2017, Nintendo released a first-look trailer for Metroid Prime 4. Check it out below: News and rumors Retro Studios is hiring for Metroid Prime 4 It was something of a shock when Nintendo announced that it would be starting from scratch on the development of Metroid Prime 4 with Retro Studios. The latest news from this new phase in the game's development is that Retro Studios is now hiring and looking to increase numbers on its development team. The roles are wide-ranging and all are based at the studio in Austin, Texas.  These advertisements suggest that the game is still in the early stages of development so it could be some time before we get any more solid updates on its progress. If you're a world class developer and a fan of Metroid, though, this could be your big break! Nintendo scrap Metroid Prime 4 and start again In a shock announcement back in January 2019, Nintendo revealed in a development update video that it scrapped the current project as it wasn't happy with the current progress. However, Nintendo still plans to reboot the project with help from original creators Retro Studios.  “This change will essentially mean restarting development from the beginning, so completion of the game will be delayed from our initial internal plan,” Nintendo's senior managing executive officer Shinya Takahashi explains in the update video. “We strongly recognise that this delay will come as a dissapointment to the many fans who have been looking forward to the launch of Metroid Prime 4.” You can watch the development update from Nintendo below: Bandai Namco developing Metroid Prime 4? After it was first announced, Nintendo did tell us one thing about the developer of Metroid Prime 4 - Retro Studios, the studio behind the original trilogy, wouldn't be working on it.  The developer was then a mystery, until a report from Eurogamer in February 2018 stated that it was Bandai Namco working on the game.  With information from several anonymous sources, Eurogamer reports that Metroid Prime 4 was initially being worked on by Bandai Namco Singapore, before Bandai Namco Japan took the lead so that Singapore can focus on another title.  Though nothing has been confirmed by Nintendo itself, this is a rumor that’s been going around since fans started to piece together the LinkedIn job descriptions on the pages of various Bandai Namco Singapore staff. The story There’s so little Metroid Prime 4 information out there that piecing together the story is nigh impossible. What we will say is that Metroid Prime 3’s ending didn’t strike us as open enough for any kind of direct continuation. Though Samus’ went into hyperspace, giving the opportunity for a sequel to enter a new world or galaxy, we’d say the core story of the original trilogy is now closed.  Back in 2015, Eurogamer interviewed series producer, Kensuke Tanabe, who stated that “The stories of Dark Samus and Phazon are done” adding that any new games in the series would focus on other Prime-series elements. Given that the game is not being created by Metro Studios, this is likely to have an impact on the story or, the very least, the direction of the franchise. Gameplay One thing we can be fairly confident in is that, like other Prime games, Metroid Prime 4 is likely to be a first person shooter. Other than that we can’t say what kind of gameplay changes will arise from either the new developer, or the new Switch platform. Coming in as a fresh start with a new developer, there’s actually plenty of room for Metroid Prime 4 to innovate. Given The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario franchises have embraced more open worlds, we wonder if this is something that Nintendo will want to bring into the Prime series, too. It’s like that, like other Switch games, there will be optional motion controls with the Joy-Cons - we’re imagining aiming, firing, an environment scanning, for example.  What we want to see A more open world As we said above, this is a new start for Metroid Prime and a new developer means room for changes. Though we’re worried it could be a case of ‘be careful what you wish for’ we’d be interested to see the Metroid Prime games follow in the footsteps of Zelda and Mario to embrace a more open-world format. The first three titles were already pretty big, but the Switch offers more scope. We think the Super Mario Odyssey approach of large interconnected worlds could translate well. The Metroid series is replete with interesting environments we’d love the chance to see more of and the Switch is the console that has enough power to make that possible.  Be accessible Just as a new start with a new developer is a chance for innovation, it's also a chance to welcome a new generation of Metroid fans. It's the same with any series that goes on for a long time - there's a certain amount of assumed knowledge and lore that makes coming in as a new player feel more like a chore than a joy.  We'd love to see Metroid Prime 4 take a Monster Hunter: World approach by retaining what makes it great while giving new players a way in.  New weapons and abilities The Metroid series has some seriously cool weapons and abilities for Samus’s armor and we’d like to see more of them. By all means, bring back the classics but bringing a couple of exciting new upgrades to the table will make us feel like we’re truly progressing in the game as well as the franchise as a whole.  Make it feel like a true Switch game With its motion controls and HD Rumble, the Switch has more than its portability to help its games stand out. We'd love to see Metroid Prime 4 make the most of them, though perhaps more of the HD Rumble and less of the motion control.  Motion control could create some fun and interesting shooting and environment scanning opportunities, but integrating HD Rumble into puzzle solving or integrating it into combat situations to act as an enemy alert would be interesting. Bring in Sylux Back in 2015, producer Kensuke Tanabe said that the ship at the end of Metroid Prime 3 actually contained Sylux, a Hunter from Metroid Prime: Hunters.  Tanabe said that he'd like to create a Metroid game which featured both Sylux and Samus and explored their dynamic, something which we'd also like to see happen; the characters have an unexplored and potentially interesting history. It's known that Sylux isn't the biggest fan for Samus or the Federation, yet he uses a Federation weapon. That alone has us thinking he'd make an engaging villain for a new title.  (Image credits: Nintendo) These are the best Nintendo Switch games you can play right now  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Cyberpunk 2077: release date, trailer and news Posted: 03 May 2019 09:33 AM PDT Cyberpunk 2077 is a neon cyberpunk game that has The Witcher 3 developer CD Projekt Red moving from a gritty, high fantasy world to an equally gritty, science fiction world metropolis. It's based off the pen-and-paper RPG of the same name, but plays a hell of a lot like The Matrix game we've always wanted. We caught our first peek at the game behind closed doors at E3 2018 – you can check out what we saw in the 48-minute walkthrough video below – and all signs point to another big showing at the expo this June. Cyberpunk 2077 is a game that looks vastly different from its developer's The Witcher series, with towering neon skyscrapers, bionic enhancements and a focus on vertical movement rather than wide open plains. It's also all in first-person.  The internet is crawling with news and rumors about this PC, Xbox One and PS4-bound game, so we’ve collected everything that's been said about Cyberpunk 2077 here for your convenience and we'll be constantly updating this page as more details emerge. [Updated: Vampire Bloodlines and Deus Ex were inspirations for the game's Quest Director. Read on to find out more.] Cut to the Chase What is Cyberpunk 2077? A brand new IP from CD Projekt Red What's the Cyberpunk 2077 release date? Hopefully 2019, but possibly as late as 2021 What systems will Cyberpunk 2077 be released on? PS4, Xbox One and PC (almost certainly 4K consoles too) Cyberpunk 2077 trailers After a veritable truckload of hype, CD Projekt Red released 48 minutes of gameplay footage, based on the demo journalists saw at E3 2018.  In it, you'll see what gunplay looks like, character creation and backstory assignment, plus how you'll upgrade yourself via cybernetic enhancements. You'll meet some of the characters in Cyberpunk's seedy crime circuit and explore the city on foot and in vehicles. (Quick warning: the trailer contains nudity, violence and swearing.) Check it out below: We were treated to a brand new Cyberpunk 2077 trailer during E3 2018 which you can watch below: In March 2019, we got yet another video, this time of the development team gearing up for the E3 2019 showcase event. Those hoping for a 2019 release may want to start to brace themselves however – though the game remains without a release date, the suggestion of the video below is that development is still in full swing, and a release date may be some time away yet: Cyberpunk 2077 is the game that could make me leave meat space for good Waiting for Cyberpunk 2077? Here are nine games to play until release Henry Cavill is bewitching in first clip from Netflix's Witcher series Cyberpunk 2077 release date In the game’s first official teaser trailer, it’s stated that the game will be coming “when it’s ready.” Though we'd hoped that would mean a 2019 release date, it's starting to appear as though it will slip into 2020. This is despite an investor call in early 2016 that suggested that Cyberpunk 2077 would be released before June 2019. It was also said in this call that CD Projekt Red is planning to release two new triple A RPGs before 2021.  It was later clarified in forums that Cyberpunk 2077 would be the first of these games to arrive and work on the second would not start before Cyberpunk 2077 was finished.  Considering The Witcher 3 took around three and a half years to develop, a 2019 release didn't seem unmanageable for the studio. But the scale of the development, as well as rumours of the game being a cross-gen Xbox Two and PS5 title, is starting to make it appear as if the game will take longer than initially anticipated. As well as a deadline they’ve no doubt set for themselves, the studio also has a deadline from the Polish government.  In December 2017 they were given a grant of more than $5 million from the government to research new game techniques related to multiplayer, animation and city creation. The sizeable sum came with a project deadline attached, and if it does relate to Cyberpunk 2077 then it’ll mean the game really does have to be released in 2019. The government said so, which ironically isn’t particularly Cyberpunk.  In a 2017 financial presentation, CD Projekt Red revealed that Cyberpunk 2077 is under "intensive development" and that at the time there were more than 300 developers actively working on it. For context, there were 100 developers working across Gwent and the Witcher 3's 4K patch.  Cybperunk 2077 news and features Vampire Bloodlines and Deus Ex were inspirations for the game Given it’s based on a tabletop roleplaying game and Cyberpunk is already a massive sub-genre in science fiction, we knew Cyberpunk 2077 hadn’t been totally pulled from the ether without any kind of influence. But we’re always interested to find out about some of the more subtle influences on the game and the way it plays, some of which Quest Director Mateusz Tomaskiewicz has revealed in a recent interview with gaming publication AreaJugones. Tomaskiewicz said that games such as Deus Ex, Vampire Bloodlines and Elder Scrolls had influenced him in his work on Cyberpunk 2077's quests. He cites the original Deus Ex as a particular influence and praises the ways in which it gives players the freedom to complete missions in multiple ways. This suggests we can expect a great deal of freedom and complexity and non-linearity in Cyberpunk 2077’s missions as well as in the protagonist you'll be using to cause havoc in the game world which is something quite different from the tight gameplay-loop found in The Witcher.  CD Projekt Red is working on two AAA titles – both to be released by 2021 CD Projekt Red has confirmed it still plans to release two AAA titles by 2021. While we know one of these titles will definitely be Cyberpunk 2077, we're still in the dark about what the second title could be. This release window was reaffirmed on the official CD Projekt Red forums, with moderator Donata Popławska confirming the studio is sticking to its original roadmap. "As far as the strategy of the CD Projekt Capital Group for 2016-2021 is concerned, its plans to release the second AAA game by 2021 remain unchanged," the moderator wrote (translated via Resetera user Antiax).  However, Popławska did not expand on what the second AAA title to be released in this time frame could be. "We are currently focusing on the production and promotion of Cyberpunk, so we do not want to comment on further projects," they continued. Cyberpunk 2077 will be at E3 2019 According to a tweet from the official Cyberpunk 2077 Twitter account, CD Projekt Red will be at E3 2019. So hopefully that means we will be seeing more gameplay footage from Cyberpunk 2077. Lady Gaga could be making an appearance? According to french site ActuGaming, Lady Gaga and CD Projekt Red are collaborating for Cyberpunk 2077 and the artist has already visited the Polish studio to take part in motion-capture – suggesting she will have a character role in the game itself. In addition ActuGaming claims the collaboration will be officially announced at E3 2019, with Gaga rumored to be making an appearance at the gaming convention. Last year Gaga tweeted a strange mix of letters and numbers, which the official Cyberpunk 2077 Twitter account replied to with "Of course! Of course we will!", suggesting the A Star is Born actress would be involved with the game in some way or another. E3 2018 confirmed features We got to spend some time watching a demo of Cyberpunk 2077 during E3 and we learned some interesting things about the game.  It's a first person RPG set in a huge open world known as Night City – a metropolis split into six districts, each offering a different environment to explore. During the demo we only saw a small part of one of them.  Players can create their own character called V and embark on their journey to crawl up from the criminal underbelly. This is a dark game and though The Witcher series is mature, this takes it to a new level.  As you'd expect, the game lets you augment your body using various bits of tech – illegal or otherwise – and you can use drugs to enhance your combat, or a kind of digital brain-hack called 'Braindance'. We know weapons are wide ranging and seriously creative, with smart guns and bullets as well as terrifying Mantis Blades for melee. There are no loading screens in Cyberpunk 2077 and the story and side quests are branching and numerous, and your choices genuinely impact the outcome. You can read more about how impressed were were by what we saw. E3 2018 secret message CD Projekt RED used the Xbox Showcase to show its latest trailer for Cyberpunk 2077. But it's more than just a trailer. Spotted by Polygon, there's a moment in the trailer with hidden text with more information on the game which is revealed when you enhance the image. In the message CD Projekt first apologises for "staying silent longer than we planned" but following the release of The Witcher 3 Blood and Wine the developer wanted to wait until it had "something meaningful and substantial" to show. It goes on to say that the vision for Cyberpunk is "an alternative version of the future where America is in pieces, megacorporations control all aspects of civilized life, and gangs rule the rest." This game will, CD Projekt says, be a "true single player, story-driven RPG" where you'll be able to create your own character. At the moment the developer isn't ready to confirm any kind of release date and asks for more patience. It also says it has "no bloody clue" about how big the game is but does say it's "seriously big." It could be on the next generation of consoles CD Projekt Red has hinted that Cyberpunk 2077 could be developed for both current and next gen titles. GamingBolt has reported that during a presentation at the Pareto Securities Gaming Seminar 2018 event, the studio's CFO Piotr Nielubowicz and CEO Adam Kiciński mentioned Cyberpunk 2077 hinted that it may be being developed for future hardware. The slide in question stated the team was developing the title for “current and next-generation technology”. Given the game's current timeline, it's possible it could be a dual launch title on current and next-gen systems: PS4 and PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Two alike. It will be on Steam Good news Steam fans: Cyberpunk 2077 will definitely be coming to the platform. At the Pareto Securities Gaming Seminar (via PCGamesN) the studio’s CEO Adam Kiciński gave a presentation in which he confirmed that the game would not be exclusive to GOG. There's been a lot of furore over the Metro Exodus being 'removed' from Steam and onto the Epic Games Store, but it looks like CD Projekt Red is steering clear of that minefield. It’s going to be bigger than The Witcher 3 It would have been a pretty safe guess to say that Cyberpunk 2077 is going to be a big game, but in an interview with MCV in 2015 visual effects artist Jose Teixeira said it’s going to be “far, far bigger” than anything the studio has ever done.  In fact, he said that The Witcher 3 was being treated as a learning experience and that they could do better. To do better, the studio has doubled in size with studio head Adam Badowski saying that after The Witcher 3, Cyberpunk 2077 needs to be “even better, even bigger, even more revolutionary” than what had originally been planned.  You’ll be travelling on more advanced tech than boats and horses So, we know the game map is going to be intimidatingly big. How will we get around it, then? Well fortunately, moving out of the high fantasy realm gives CD Projekt Red a little more freedom when it comes to creating vehicles. Don’t expect horses and basic boats here – a job listing for a Senior Vehicle Artist for the studio said they’d be expected to work on “incredibly complex vehicles, planes, bikes, robots and mechanics.“ There may be multiplayer It was confirmed years ago that the game would have multiplayer elements but what exactly they’ll be is unclear. It was said, though, that the game would mainly focus on single player.  The company president said in March 2018 that these elements are not on the table right now, so it's possible that they'll be introduced after the game's release in a sort of online world like GTA Online.  There will be online As well as multiplayer, CD Projekt's CEO has confirmed that there will also be online elements to the game. In an interview with Polish tech site Strefa Inwestorow Kiciński stated that “Online is necessary, or very recommended if you wish to achieve a long-term success. At some point, we have mentioned that there will be a certain online element related to Cyberpunk.” Whether or not the online elements will feed into the multiplayer is unclear. But there won't be microtransactions The studio also tweeted to quell fears over microtransactions in online components, stating that Cyberpunk 2077 will be "nothing less than" the Witcher 3, adding that players will "get what [they] pay for" with "no hidden catch." It appears that while many studios are feeling the need to move to a service model to ensure their titles make money, CD Projekt is staying committed to the story-driven single player experience with Cyberpunk 2077, one which served them very well with The Witcher.  Things we'd like to see Combat inspired by the original tabletop RPG We know that the designer of the tabletop RPG Cybperunk on which Cyberpunk 2077 is based is heavily involved in the creation of the game. We hope his involvement extends to the game's combat because the combat system he created in his own game was fairly revolutionary for the tabletop genre. Rather than involving drawn out and long turns, it was fast, brutal, gritty and overall perfectly suited to the spirit of Cyberpunk. A big part of Cyberpunk combat involves upgrading your body with new abilities and robotics which would be perfectly in line with a video game character development system like those created by CD Projekt Red.  In Pondsmith's game bodily enhancement has to be carefully considered – it's a balancing act where every benefit has a drawback. When a player makes robotic additions to themselves they reduce their humanity and empathy leading to an uncontrollable state of cyberpsychosis. This has the potential to be a really interesting system if it's adapted for the game and could be used in a similar manner to excessive consumption of combat-enhancing potions in The Witcher.  Keep checking back here for all the latest Cyberpunk 2077 news  (Image credits: CD Projekt Red) Read more: Waiting for Cyberpunk 2077? Here are nine games to play until then This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Dragon Age 4: everything we know so far about the open secret of a sequel Posted: 03 May 2019 09:23 AM PDT They say good things come to those who wait and we’re hopeful that will be the case for Dragon Age fans who are patiently hanging on for news of the fourth instalment in the franchise.  After being an open secret for so long, Dragon Age 4 has now been confirmed by executive producer Mark Darrah and we’ve even been teased by a minute-long trailer.  At the moment we’re cautiously calling the game Dragon Age 4 but this title isn’t confirmed and the series’ naming pattern makes it hard to predict for certain whether we’ll be looking at a named or a numbered game.  What we do know, though, is that Dragon Age is definitely coming so we think it’s only appropriate to keep an eye on the latest news and begin piecing together a picture of what the game might look like when it finally takes flight. As such, we’ve put together this this hub of news and rumors to keep you on top of the latest happenings from the land of Thedas.  Cut to the chase What is it? The fourth instalment in the popular RPG franchise, Dragon Age What can I play it on? Not confirmed but it's likely to be Xbox One, PS4 and PC When can I play it? At least a couple of years away  Dragon Age 4 trailers The Game Awards 2018 had plenty of reveals but one of the biggest was a teaser trailer for Dragon Age 4. At only a minute long, the trailer doesn’t give much away but the hashtag TheDreadWolfRises as well as the appearance of Inquisition’s Solas is enough to pique any fan’s interest.  You can watch the teaser trailer below: Dragon Age 4 release date Despite the fact that the game’s development has long been a very open secret, Dragon Age 4 has only just been officially announced by BioWare. But, even now, BioWare isn't ready to say much about the game. "Hey everyone, we have been working on a new Dragon Age game for quite a while now and I am pleased to finally tease the existence of this project," said Mark Darrah, executive producer on a BioWare blog post. "While we won’t be sharing any details for now, I can tell you we have been building a new team around a core of Dragon Age veterans, people I’ve worked with on Dragon Age, Jade Empire, and some of whom I’ve worked with since the Baldur’s Gate days. "I’m so excited to show you more!"  Back in May 2017, writer Alexis Kennedy revealed that he was working on a part of the game’s story in an interview with Eurogamer. This part of the story, he revealed, is “well-segregated from other parts of the game”. At this point in time, the game was still clearly in the very early stages of development.  A later report from Kotaku suggested that some of the Dragon Age development team had been pulled off the title to focus on creating Anthem which would understandably cause delays to the game's development.  In addition, a report by Venture Beat suggests Dragon Age 4's release date is at least three years away and a title for the fourth installation hasn't even been chosen yet "according to sources familiar with the studio". Basically, it looks like Dragon Age 4, if that is its real name, is still early in its development and it could be a while before BioWare open the curtains on any kind of release window. At the moment we’d expect the game will release on PS4, Xbox One and PC but it’s hard not to note that preparations for the next generation ramping up and it’s uncertain whether consoles such as PS5 and Xbox Two will be here by the time Dragon Age 4 is released.  Dragon Age 4 news and rumors Live Service elements may be included but they aren't likely to be like Anthem Back in January 2018 a report from Kotaku suggested that Dragon Age 4 could include live elements, stirring some fan concern that this could mean an always-online multiplayer approach.  However, in Kotaku’s most recent April 2019 report it’s been suggested that while Dragon Age 4 game could potentially include Anthem-like live elements, it won’t simply be “Anthem with dragons”. One developer told Kotaku: “The idea was that Anthem would be the online game and that Dragon Age and Mass Effect, while they may experiment with online portions, that’s not what defines them as franchises. I don’t think you’ll see us completely change those franchises.” This suggests that any live plans for Dragon Age aren’t likely to take the form of a shared online world exactly like Anthem’s and will still be suited to the single-player adventuring Dragon Age is known for.  In a tweet in January 2018, Casey Hudson also stated that the “live” elements being considered are actually ways of continuing the game’s story after the main story has been completed.  A big take away from Kotaku’s report is that at this early stage in the game’s development, as with any game, very few things are absolutely set in stone, with another developer stating: “They have a lot of unanswered questions. Plus I know it’s going to change like five times in the next two years.”  So, regardless of what Dragon Age 4’s live elements look like now they could change drastically over the next few weeks, months or even years. Official announcement After years without an update, BioWare officially announced during The Game Awards 2018 that it will be returning to Thedas in a new Dragon Age title.  The Game Awards 2018 According to a report by Venture Beat (and understood to be correct by Eurogamer), we expected an announcement regarding Dragon Age 4 during The Game Awards 2018.  What that announcement turned out to be, interestingly, was the game's first 1-minute-long teaser trailer that re-introduced Fen'Harel, the elven god of betrayal, and Solas from Dragon Age Inquisition.  We didn't get any gameplay or story details but, for now, the confirmation from BioWare is enough to keep the hype train chugging. Roundabout confirmations Regardless of whether or not BioWare had confirmed it, Dragon Age fans were pretty certain that another game was going to be in the works. Partly because they had faith in the power of their sheer force of will and partly because over the last couple of years there have been hints from BioWare that something would indeed be happening. It’s the secret that was never really a secret.  The most recent non-official confirmation has come from executive producer Mark Darrah, who tweeted in January 2018 that he’s working on both Dragon Age as well as BioWare’s next big IP, Anthem.  Though he’s now left the company, BioWare veteran Mike Laidlaw was tweeting that there was still another couple of games in Dragon Age series yet back in mid-2017. Even before that, Alexis Kennedy became the writer that launched a thousand headlines after comments he made in an interview with Eurogamer were taken as a semi-official confirmation of the game’s existence and his place in it.  In the interview Kennedy teased that he's been "given considerable autonomy to work on a storyline bit of lore which is well-segregated from other parts of the game.“  ”I don't want to exaggerate the degree of the chunk [I'm writing],“ Kennedy he was at pains to add. ”It's nothing that grandiose, but it is distinct. It's a bit of lore which has not been addressed much to date in Dragon Age.“ Story and character Every game in the Dragon Age franchise has had a heavy emphasis on story and character and fans will be glad to know that Dragon Age 4 isn’t likely to be any different. After Mark Darrah tweeted that he was working on the game, BioWare general manager Casey Hudson chipped in with his own elaborative tweet. In this tweet he said it was “too early to talk details” but the game would be “story & character focused.” It’s not clear whether this will be a brand new standalone game or whether it’ll continue on directly from Inquisition. Certainly, the end of Inquisition's Trespasser DLC suggests there is a story thread to follow with Solas, which would see the Inquisitor chase the elf down to stop his plans. The teaser trailer from The Game Awards 2018 also hints heavily that this will be the case. We already know there are writers working on lore and side quests, following Alexis Kennedy’s interview with Eurogamer in 2017 in which he confirmed he was working on a part of the game that’s “well-segregated” from the rest and focuses on some lore that’s not been widely addressed.  Kennedy, who has worked on titles such as Sunless Sea and Fallen London, said the subject matter would not be surprising to those familiar with his work. To us this implies that his quest (or quests) will include thoughtful choices, themes of tragic love and desire and an underlying sense of unease.  New live elements In the January 2018 Kotaku report on Anthem and Dragon Age, it was mentioned that sources had informed Kotaku that Dragon Age had been “rebooted” in order to implement more “live elements” into the game. Naturally, there was some fan panic in response to this given EA’s increasing penchant for service-based games. Fans expressed concern that BioWare was going to take the Dragon Age series down a Destiny 2, always-online multiplayer route.  That doesn’t appear to be the case, however. In his tweet, Casey Hudson also stated that the “live” elements being considered are actually ways of continuing the game’s story after the main story has been completed. This is something we’ve already seen in games such as Assassin’s Creed Origins.  Things we'd like to see A world like Dragon Age: Inquisition We hope that the next Dragon Age game has a map similar to the one in Dragon Age: Inquisition, by which we mean we hope it's big and open without being overwhelming. It was the perfect follow-up to the closed and repetitive maps of Dragon Age 2 and we’d like this approach to continue.  Explore more of Thedas There’s one very notable part of Thedas that players have yet to be allowed to explore and that’s the Tevinter Imperium. Once the most powerful nation in Thedas, the Imperium is a shadow of its former self. Its history, stratified social structure and maintenance of a magocracy would make it an immensely interesting and different part of Thedas to allow players to explore, while allowing the franchise to continue to explore themes of social injustice, power and prejudice.   The fact that the area is references throughout other Dragon Age games is enough to make us think it’s a viable setting for Dragon Age 4. However, the ending of Dragon Age: Inquisition’s Trespasser DLC makes us think it even more likely, as it sees the Inquisitor stab a dagger into a map of the Imperium with a vow to track down Solas. Solve that cliffhanger Our previous point brings us to this one – we’d really like that Solas storyline to continue to be explored. He’s the perfect focus for the next game and the player’s approach to him is the perfect narrative crux.  (Image credits: BioWare) Everything we know about Anthem, BioWare's next big game This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The Apple Watch 4 gets a rare $50 price cut at Amazon Posted: 03 May 2019 09:19 AM PDT If you've been waiting for the price to drop to snag yourself an Apple Watch 4, then now is the perfect time. Amazon has the Apple Watch Series 4 on sale for $349. That's a $50 discount and the lowest price we've found for the best-selling smartwatch. The Apple Watch Series 4 is the latest model smartwatch from Apple that offers an upgraded design and additional health benefits. The smartwatch features a larger display and speaker that Apple claims is 50 percent louder than previous models. The added health benefits include a built-in ECG, fall detection and emergency SOS. The Series 4 features GPS technology and tracks heart rate, calories burned and popular workouts. The Apple watch also offers the basic smartwatch features such as the ability to make calls, play music, and receive notifications. This particular deal from Amazon includes the 40mm model Apple Watch and comes with a space gray aluminum case with a black sport loop. This is an extremely rare discount and the best price we've seen for the Series 4 smartwatch. We aren't sure how long Amazon will have the watch on sale so make sure to take advantage of this stellar sale while you can. If you're interested in a smartwatch with a cellular plan, Best Buy has the refurbished Apple Watch Series 4 on sale for $449.99. Best Buy's refurbished products are Geek Squad Certified which means they've been thoroughly tested and repaired to a like-new state. Discover more Apple watch sales with the best cheap Apple Watch prices and deals that are currently available. Interested in other smartwatches? We also have the best cheap Fitbit sale prices and deals that are happening now.  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

BT's new Stay Fast Guarantee promises its most reliable broadband ever Posted: 03 May 2019 08:34 AM PDT BT broadband is committing to a speed guarantee, both for new and current customers, that it says will mean it's the most reliable service yet. It's hoping it will ensure that BT broadband deals stand out from the rest in the UK right now.  This offering guarantees both broadband speed and excellent customer service. The BT Stay Fast Guarantee, will mean automatic personalised line checks and 24/7 speed monitoring so that every customer gets the best internet connection speed they possibly can. The news comes in the wake of new regulations from Ofcom that mean broadband providers have to pay customers fines if they don't deliver the speeds they have sold them. As such, if BT doesn't have a broadband line working optimally within 30 days after a fault is reported, the customer will be given £20 back up to four times a year. BT will also offer "expert customer service" based in the UK and Ireland to resolve any issues that come up as quickly as possible. Kelly Barlow, BT's Marketing Director, said: "With our new Stay Fast Guarantee, we don’t just guarantee customers’ broadband speeds, we constantly check and optimise them, so they’ll get reliable broadband speeds all day every day. "If a customer’s broadband falls below their personal speed guarantee then we have an expert team of service agents on hand to get things back to normal as soon as possible - ensuring they get the best and most personal broadband experience." Want to see how this compares to the competition? Check out our guide to the best broadband deals.  Need for speed? Discover today's best UK fibre broadband deals This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Best free and public DNS servers of 2019 Posted: 03 May 2019 08:10 AM PDT DNS (Domain Name System) is a system which translates the domain names you enter in a browser to the IP addresses required to access those sites. Your ISP will assign you DNS servers whenever you connect to the internet, but these may not always be the best choice. Slow DNS servers can cause a lag before websites start to load, and if your server sometimes goes down, you may not be able to access any sites at all. Switching to a free public DNS server can make a real difference, with more responsive browsing and lengthy 100% uptime records meaning there's much less chance of technical problems. Some services can also block access to phishing or infected sites, and a few offer content filtering to keep your kids away from the worst of the web. You need to choose your service with care - not all providers will necessarily be better than your ISP - but to help point you in the right direction, this article will highlight six of the best free DNS servers around. We’ve rounded up the best website hosting services OpenDNS Founded in 2005 and now owned by Cisco, OpenDNS is one of the biggest names in public DNS. The free service offers plenty of benefits: high speeds, 100% uptime, phishing sites blocked by default, optional parental controls-type web filtering to block websites by content type, along with free email support if anything goes wrong. Commercial plans enable viewing a history of your internet activity for up to the last year, and can optionally lock down your system by allowing access to specific websites only. These aren't going to be must-have features for the average user, but if you're interested, they can be yours for around $20 (£14.30) a year. If you're an old hand at swapping DNS, you can get started immediately by reconfiguring your device to use the OpenDNS nameservers. If you're a newbie, that's okay too, as OpenDNS has setup instructions for PCs, Macs, mobile devices, routers and much, much more. Check out OpenDNS here Cloudflare Best known for its top-rated content delivery network, Cloudflare has extended its range to include a new public DNS service, the catchily-named 1.1.1.1. The product doesn't have any of the extras you'll often see elsewhere. There's no anti-phishing, no ad-blocking, no content filtering or other attempts to monitor or control what you can access, and what you can't. Instead, Cloudflare has focused much more on the fundamentals. These start with performance, and independent testing from sites like DNSPerf shows Cloudflare is the fastest public DNS service around. Privacy is another major highlight. Cloudflare doesn't just promise that it won't use your browsing data to serve ads; it commits that it will never write the querying IP address (yours) to disk. Any logs that do exist will be deleted within 24 hours. And these claims aren't just reassuring words on a website. Cloudflare has retained KPMG to audit its practices annually and produce a public report to confirm the company is delivering on its promises. The 1.1.1.1 website has some setup guidance, with simple tutorials covering Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux and routers. These are very generic - you get one set of instructions for all versions of Windows, for instance - but there are some pluses (IPv6 as well as IPv4 details) and you should be able to figure it out. If you have any problems, Cloudflare offers a community forum where you can ask questions or see what others are doing, a nice extra touch which we'd like to see followed by other providers. Check out Cloudflare here Google Public DNS Google has its fingers in most web-related pies, and DNS is no exception: it's free Public DNS is a simple and effective replacement for your own ISP's nameservers. Privacy can't quite match the 'we don't keep anything' promises of Cloudflare, but it's not bad. The service logs the full IP address information of the querying device for around 24 to 48 hours for troubleshooting and diagnostic purposes. 'Permanent' logs drop any personally identifiable information and reduce location details to the city level, and all but a small random sample of these are deleted after two weeks. There's a further benefit for experienced users in Google's detailed description of the service. If you'd like to be able to assess the significance of Google's privacy policy, for instance, you can read up on absolutely everything the service logs contain to find out for yourself. Google's support site offers only very basic guidance targeted at experienced users, warning that "only users who are proficient with configuring operating system settings [should] make these changes." If you're unsure what you're doing, check the tutorials from a provider such as OpenDNS, remembering to replace its nameservers with Google's: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4. Check out Google Public DNS here Norton ConnectSafe UPDATE: Norton ConnectSafe retired and the service isn't available anymore. Norton ConnectSafe is a free DNS service which can automatically block access to fraudulent, phishing and malware-infested websites, as well as optionally filtering sites by content. This is a familiar idea - OpenDNS and Comodo, amongst others, do much the same thing - but ConnectSafe has one important advantage. It takes its data from Norton Safe Web, a comprehensive database on more than 50 million websites in 23 languages. The service delivers probably the best web filtering performance around, and the ability to get it for free, without having to install any software, is a major safety plus. Setting up the service requires choosing from three levels of protection. The Security policy blocks malicious and fraudulent websites only, and uses the nameservers 199.85.126.10 and 199.85.127.10. The Security and Pornography policy adds support for filtering sexually explicit material, and uses the nameservers 199.85.126.20 and 199.85.127.20. The very strict Security and Pornography and Other scheme extends the filtering to block 'sites that feature mature content, abortion, alcohol, crime, cults, drugs, gambling, hate, sexual orientation, suicide, tobacco or violence' by using the nameservers 199.85.126.30 and 199.85.127.30. That's likely to lock you out of a lot of content, but it might appeal as a way to protect young children, and you don't have to use this policy everywhere. You could lock down your kids' tablet with this policy, for instance, but stick with the plain Security policy for your own laptop. There are only very basic setup instructions on the ConnectSafe site, but if you run into trouble, the tutorials on competitors such as OpenDNS may point you in the right direction. Just be sure to use Norton's nameserver IP addresses when you change your device settings. Check out Norton ConnectSafe here Comodo Secure DNS Comodo Group is the power behind a host of excellent security products, so it's no surprise that the company also offers its own public DNS service. Just as you'd expect, Comodo Secure DNS has a strong focus on safety. It doesn't just block phishing sites, but also warns if you try to visit sites with malware, spyware, even parked domains which might overload you with advertising (pop-ups, pop-unders and more). Furthermore, you can try out the Comodo Dome Shield service, which adds additional features to Comodo Secure DNS. Comodo claims its service is smarter than average, too, detecting attempts to visit parked or 'not in use' domains and automatically forwarding you to where you really want to go. Performance is key, of course, and the company suggests its worldwide network of servers and smart routing technology give it an advantage. DNSPerf's Comodo stats are less impressive, unfortunately. As we write, DNSPerf reports its average query time as around 72ms. That said, Comodo may still be interesting if you're looking for an extra layer of web filtering, and the support website has some short but useful instructions on setting the service up on Windows PCs, Macs, routers and Chromebooks. Check out Comodo Secure DNS here Quad9 Quad9 is a young DNS outfit which has been providing a fast and free DNS service since August 2016. The company sells itself on its ability to block malicious domains by collecting intelligence from 'a variety of public and private sources.' It's not clear what these sources are, but the website says Quad9 used 18+ 'threat intelligence providers' as of December 2018. That's a little too vague for us, and we're not convinced that using a large number of threat intelligence providers will necessarily help – the quality of the intelligence is generally more important than the quantity. There's no arguing about Quad9's performance, though. DNSPerf currently rates it seven out of ten for average worldwide query times, lagging behind Cloudflare and OpenDNS, but effortlessly outpacing contenders like Comodo. Drilling down into the detail reveals some variations in speed - Quad9 is on the sixth place for North American queries - but overall the service still delivers better performance than most. Setup guidance is a little limited, with tutorials for the latest versions of Windows and macOS only. They're well presented, though, and it's not difficult to figure out what you need to do. Check out Quad9 here Verisign Verisign was founded in 1995 and through the years offered various services, including several security services, like managed DNS. Verisign DNS service is free to use and the company highlights the three features they deem the most important and those are stability, security, and privacy. The service definitely delivers on that account, especially for the security and stability. As for the privacy, while you can never be 100% sure when it comes to the company claims, there weren't any issues and the company assures you that your public DNS data will not be sold to third parties. Performance, however, wasn't that great when compared to some other providers. Still, it's decent and depending on your needs, you might not be bothered by this. At the moment, DNSPerf.com ranks the service at tenth place, worldwide. On their website, you can find tutorials on how to set up their public DNS. Tutorials are available for Windows 7 and 10, Mac, Linux, and mobile devices. There is also a tutorial on how to configure DNS server settings on your router. All in all, Verisign offers a good alternative to some other DNS providers, plus it's free so it's worth checking out. Check out Verisign DNS here Got further questions about DNS? Here are some common queries along with our answers. What is DNS? The Domain Name System (DNS) is a phonebook for the internet, a framework which translates domain names, like facebook.com or twitter.com, into the IP addresses necessary for devices to load those internet resources. The mechanics of DNS can be quite complicated, as information isn't held in a single database, but rather distributed in a worldwide directory including a vast number of DNS servers. Fortunately, the average internet user doesn't normally have to get involved in any of the low-level technical details. Your ISP automatically provides you with access to a DNS server whenever you go online, and whenever you enter a URL into your browser, this will find the relevant IP address for you.  Your ISP DNS isn't performing? Verisign is one of many big-name companies offering a free alternative Why might DNS matter to me? DNS servers can vary hugely in speed, particularly in areas which don't always have the best internet coverage (Africa, South America, Oceania.) To take an example of a single day when we tested, DNSPerf.com reported Cloudflare achieved an average 4.43ms query time for Oceania, while Yandex was left trailing at 350.24ms. That's potentially more than a third of a second in extra waiting time before your browser is able to access any new website. This is an extreme example, to be fair. European or US lookups may see less than 30ms variation between most DNS services, and as your device or router will probably cache the address for reuse later, even this delay will only occur very occasionally. Still, a sluggish DNS server can noticeably slow down your browsing in some situations, and trying an alternative – especially as the best options are all free – is generally a good idea. There's a second possible benefit in terms of uptime. If your ISP DNS server fails, you might not be able to access some or all of your favorite sites. Big-name providers such as OpenDNS claim they've had 100% uptime going back years. How can I find the fastest DNS service? DNS speed depends on many factors, including your location, the distance to your nearest server, and that server having enough power and bandwidth to handle all the queries it receives. DNS Jumper is a portable freeware tool which tests multiple public DNS services to find out which delivers the best performance for you. The program has a lot of options, but isn't difficult to use. Launch it, click Fastest DNS > Start DNS Test, and within a few seconds you'll be looking at a list of DNS services sorted by speed. DNS Jumper can be useful, in particular because it's checking how servers perform from your location, but it doesn't run enough tests over a long enough period to give you a definitive answer. DNSPerf tests multiple DNS services every minute from 200+ locations around the world and makes the results freely available on its own website. This gives a very good general idea of performance, and also enables seeing how services compare on different continents, as well as assessing their uptime. How can I switch DNS servers? The steps involved in changing your DNS service vary according to your hardware and possibly your operating system version. Generally, you must start by finding the primary and secondary nameservers for the DNS service you'd like to use. These IP addresses are normally displayed very clearly on the service website, so, for example, Cloudflare DNS uses 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1. The simplest approach for home users is to update their router to use the new addresses. Most other devices will then pick up the new DNS settings automatically, with no further work required. To make this happen you must log in to your router (the default password may be printed on its base) and look for the current DNS primary and secondary nameservers. Make a note of the current values in case of problems, then replace them with the nameservers you'd like to use. If you run into problems, check out your DNS service website for any setup guidance. Keep in mind that you can also use the tutorials of other DNS providers, as long as you remember to replace their nameserver IPs with your preferred options. OpenDNS, for instance, has specific guidance for many different router types on its support site. If router tweaks aren't right for your situation, you may have to change the DNS configuration of each individual device. Cloudflare has short and simple guidance here, while the OpenDNS website goes into more depth. How can I find my current DNS servers? If you're troubleshooting your internet connection, or maybe thinking of switching DNS servers, it might be useful to check which DNS servers you're using at the moment. The simplest way to do this is to visit DNSLeakTest.com and tap the Standard Test button. Within a few seconds the website will usually display your DNS server IP addresses, host names, and sometimes (if appropriate) the name of your ISP. After that, life gets more complicated as there are several potential options. Your device could be set up to use specific DNS servers; it might ask your router to give it the best DNS servers every time it boots; or it might not know anything about DNS servers, and leave your router to handle everything. On Windows, you could get started by entering IPCONFIG /ALL in a command line window. Look for your network adapter and you should see its DNS servers specified in the list. If there's a single DNS IP address which points at your router – 192.168.x.x – that suggests the router is handling all DNS queries. Enter that IP address into your browser, log in to the router if necessary and your DNS servers should be listed amongst the settings. How can I test a DNS service? If your browser is telling you a website's 'server IP address could not be found', even though you're sure it's up and available, then this could be due to a problem with your DNS. But you might not want to go to the trouble of changing your DNS service to find out. Windows users can use the command line tool nslookup.exe to look at the results of any DNS server without touching their system settings. Run cmd.exe to open a command line window, then type: nslookup website.com Then press Enter (replace website.com with the address of whatever website you're trying to reach). Nslookup uses your default DNS server to look for the IP address of website.com. If it tells you it 'can't find website.com', this means your DNS server doesn't have a record for that domain. Next, tell the tool to use another DNS service by entering a command like: nslookup website.com 8.8.8.8 The 8.8.8.8 address uses Google DNS – replace that with any DNS service you like, such as 1.1.1.1 for Cloudflare. If nslookup returns errors using multiple servers, this doesn't look like a DNS issue. If one server returns an IP address and another doesn't, you might want to try setting up your system to use the working DNS and see if it makes any difference. You might also want to look over our many web hosting guides: Best WordPress hosting providers  Best cloud hosting providers Best Linux web hosting services Best e-commerce hosting Best dedicated server hosting Best small business web hosting Best Windows hosting services Best managed web hosting Best business web hosting Best colocation hosting Best email hosting providers Best web hosting resellers Best VPS hosting providers Best shared web hosting Best cheap web hosting Check out the best website hosting services This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Final Fantasy 7 remake: trailers, release date, news and features Posted: 03 May 2019 07:59 AM PDT First released in 1997, Final Fantasy 7 immediately cemented its place as one of the best JRPG titles around and introduced an entire genre to millions of gamers globally. Due to the success of Final Fantasy 7 over 20 years ago (and the pleads from die hard fans), Square Enix is releasing a remake.  The path to release hasn’t been smooth for this game, though. Four years after it was announced, we’re still not entirely sure when we’ll see the Final Fantasy 7 Remake released and we haven't seen much in the way of solid details about how the title will differ from the original. With news and rumors still churning around the great wide web but official information still pretty thin on the ground, we’ve gathered up everything we know has been confirmed and all the rumors surrounding the Final Fantasy 7 remake right here for your perusal. Cut to the chase What is it? A remake of the popular JRPG Final Fantasy 7  When can I play it? There’s no official release date just yet but we're hoping late 2019 What can I play it on? It’s been confirmed the game will come to PS4 first, but it may appear later on PC and Xbox One. It could even be a cross-generation title. Final Fantasy 7 trailer and screenshots The first trailer for the game was released upon the remake's announcement at E3 2015. The trailer is largely cinematic and you can watch it for yourself below: A further trailer (this time featuring gameplay) was revealed at PSX in 2015: Square Enix has also released a number of screenshots from the game which we've collected together below.  Final Fantasy 7 release date The Final Fantasy 7 remake has had something of a troubled development, so unsurprisingly we still don’t have a solid release date.  It's also very possible that the the game will end up having several release dates, as Square Enix has confirmed the game's story would be told episodically.  The game has been in the works since 2014 but there have been few significant official updates since the E3 2015 reveal.  In this time, development of the game has moved from external developer CyberConnect2 to Square Enix’s in-house team. Overhauls like this can cause big delays to a game’s progress but according to Square Enix's Naoki Hamaguchi the decision was made out of a desire to maintain “control quality as well as keeping the schedule stable.” Things may be further along than we think, however. In an interview with Famitsu, the game's director (Tetsuya Nomura) said that some parts of Final Fantasy 7 such as cutscenes are further along in development than the now-released Kingdom Hearts 3. This gives us hope that we may see the first portion of the Final Fantasy 7 remake at some point in 2019 still. Maybe. Perhaps. Something we do know is that the game will be available to PlayStation 4 players “first” as was promised at its E3 reveal. Saying “first” suggests this isn’t an outright exclusive and that the game will eventually come to Xbox One and PC. However, there was no indication as to how long the agreed exclusivity period would be.  The recent timed exclusive Rise of the Tomb Raider ran for 11 months on the Xbox One before coming to the PS4, while Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 was exclusive to PS4 for just three months. Given this variation it's hard to say how long FFVII's timed exclusivity might last.  We're also expecting Final Fantasy 7 remake to be a cross-generation release, likely releasing on both PS5 and the next Xbox alongside current generation consoles. Final Fantasy 7 news and rumors Nomura admits an announcement was premature Square Enix's Tetsuya Nomura has admitted that both Kingdom Hearts 3 and the Final Fantasy 7 remake were announced to early. "I am well aware of the fact that we announced it too early," Nomura told Italian gaming mag Multiplayer (translated by Kingdom Hearts Insider) . "But even in the industry, word was beginning to spread that we were working on the game, so we just decided not to keep it more secret and officially reveal it." Could the release date be a long way off? The highly-anticipated Final Fantasy 7 remake may not have a confirmed release date just yet but it seems like a safe bet to say that we’re probably not going to see it within the next year. In fact, according to a report from The Lifestream (via Destructoid) we might not see it for another five years.  Reports of turbulence in the games development emerged around a year ago and if they're true it's likely that they slowed progress somewhat. A recent behind-closed doors conversation between producer Yoshinori Kitase and development lead Naoki Hamaguchi suggests the game could be as far away as 2023. The conversation apparently took place at a recent Final Fantasy 30th Anniversary celebration event and a translated transcription has been uploaded by a Lifestream user.  The conversation doesn’t give much solid information in terms of release date or progress but Kitase and Hamaguchi say that they want the Final Fantasy VII Remake to have launched before Final Fantasy’s 35th anniversary in 2023.  Now, even if this conversation did take place the transcription makes it hard to read any kind of tone from this. It could very well be a joke in reference to the long development process that they also say is now running "smoothly." With no official comment from Square Enix on the matter we say take this with a pinch of salt for now. It's highly likely that we'll hear more about the game's progress and maybe a potential release window during Square Enix's E3 presentation this year.  It’s a reconstruction, not a shot-for-shot remake  The Final Fantasy 7 remake will follow the original game’s narrative and feature the iconic characters and locations that fans love.  Considering it’s so beloved there’s a lot of pressure on Square Enix to not stray too far from the original source material but according to director Tetsuya Nomura it won’t be a completely direct recreation. In an interview with Wired, Nomura said “We're not intending for this to become a one-to-one remake, or just the original Final Fantasy VII with better graphics.” Nomura has said that he wants the remake to "apply to the current era" and "the current generation of players." He added the caveat that he doesn't "want to change it so much that it's unrecognizable" but it has to be offering something "fresh and new."  To accommodate modern consoles and gamers, changes will naturally have to be made to the game both in terms of gameplay, mechanics and perhaps even to some elements of the story. For starters, early trailers show a game more akin to Final Fantasy XV mechanically, with fixed viewpoints and static backdrops swapped out for full-3D terrain, and a turn-based battle system removed in favour of a real-time action-orientated one. It’s episodic A significant way the remake is going to differ from the original game is that its story will be told episodically. This is a detail that was confirmed back in December 2015.  The reasoning behind the decision, according to series producer Yoshinori Kitase is that “a proper HD remake” just wouldn’t fit into one instalment and maintain the “same feeling of density of the original.” “We've seen everyone's comments and reactions to the news that Final Fantasy 7 remake will be a multi-part series and many have speculated correctly as to the reason why we have made this decision,” he said, “If we were to try to fit everything from the original into one remake instalment, we would have to cut various parts and create a condensed version of Final Fantasy 7. We knew none of you would have wanted that. “I hope that by explaining a little more about our design decisions that you can appreciate the size of this project and what we have planned for this remake. Going beyond the scale and depth of the world, narrative and gameplay from the original to deliver something that feels familiar yet new. As I said before, we like delivering surprises.” Each episode will apparently be its “own unique experience” but as yet we don’t know how many episodes there will be or how they’ll be structured in relation to the original story.  No more turn-based battles  As mentioned above, a major element that’s changing from the original game is a move away from turn-based battles.  In an interview with Famitsu, Nomura said that battles in the remake will be “action-based” rather than command-based. Nomura didn’t go into much more detail with regards to the game’s combat system but it’s widely expected that we’re going to see a formula more similar to Kingdom Hearts and FFXV.  This would mean a more active and seamless style of battling involving party members whom the player will be able to switch between.  Though the loss of turn-based combat will be mourned, a move towards a system like Kingdom Hearts will be more accessible to new players.  A PS5 release? PS5 development kits are now said to be out in the wild, with Sony's first-party development teams working almost solely on titles for the as-yet-unannounced next-gen system. With the ambition on display here, could Square Enix be planning to shift Final Fantasy 7's remake to the next machine? For Sony, it'd be a system seller right out of the gates for the new console generation, and for the developers you'd imagine it'd offer more processing grunt and a little longer in terms of the development window. This is speculation at this point, but as the sun sets on the PS4, and titles like Final Fantasy 7's remake being no closer to even having a release date, it starts to seem like the looming next generation machines may be now what they're being aimed at. (Image credits: Square Enix) Read more: PS5 games - all the games confirmed and expected on the PlayStation 5 This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Mad Box: a gaming console that wants to take on Xbox and PlayStation Posted: 03 May 2019 07:34 AM PDT Is there room for another video game console on the market? Slightly Mad Studios, the developer behind racing sims Project CARS and Need for Speed: Shift, seems to think so. The studio’s CEO, Ian Bell, made a surprise announcement on Twitter regarding an incoming console called the ‘Mad Box’ (full tweet below). It’s not much to go on, but the spectre of another high-powered next-generation console to compete with the PS5 or Xbox Two is enough to get some attention. However the water may have gotten too hot for Slighty Mad Studios, with the studo's online marketing director Nathan Bell telling PCGamesInsider.biz that the Mad Box's future is "questionable" following the announcement of Google Stadia. Here's everything we know so far about Slight Mad Studios' Mad Box. What is the Mad Box? The Mad Box is a proprietary video game console in the vein of Xbox or PlayStation. The name is reportedly an acronym of ‘Media Arts Development Box’, and/or a contraction of the ‘Madness Engine’ that Slightly Mad Studios uses to make its games. The tweet alone makes a grand claim for “the most powerful console ever built”, a term currently saved for Microsoft’s powerhouse, the Xbox One X – which is sure to see an even more powerful upgrade when the next generation of Xbox consoles launches, likely in 2020. Why should I care? All the intended Mad Box specs we have so far boil down to 4K resolution gaming, and – crucially – support for virtual reality headsets. 4K will be necessary for any next-gen console, with the push towards high graphical fidelity and games that can make the most of 4K television displays. While the tweet promises VR in 60fps (frames per second), Ian Bell clarified in a later comment that this meant “60fps per eye”, which would make it an impressive 120fps / 120 Hz refresh rate in total.  The refresh rate is how many time per second the image you see is refreshed or replaced, with higher refresh rate speeds meaning smoother motion and lower risk of motion sickness – crucial in VR. If accurate, this would match the top 120 Hz capability of PlayStation VR, and be beyond the 90 Hz of the HTC Vive or Oculus Rift. Given Slightly Mad’s own development experience, we could be looking some incredibly-rendered racing sims, and a console powerful enough for truly high-end VR gaming – speaking to Variety, Bell confirmed they were developing the console to be compatible with “most major VR headsets”, which is unlike anything Xbox or PlayStation are currently offering. Given how entrenched Microsoft and Sony's consoles are, though, the Mad Box could also end up as a console with no audience that noone can be bothered to develop any games for. Could the Mad Box happen? One the most pressing questions is how Slightly Mad Studios plans on getting such an ambitious console off the ground.  As the studio behind racing sims Project CARS and Need For Speed: Shift, without previous hardware releases to its name, the announcement seems slightly out of nowhere. We’d expect this more from a hugely bankrolled gaming division in Amazon or Google than from a moderately successful racing sim developer. If the investment is there, however – or comes in off the back of Ian Bell’s teasing tweet – we could see a console come to market in the next few years, whether or not anyone buys it. Reactions on Ian Bell’s Twitter have varied from excitement, to bemusement, to outright dismissal. To be fair, many things seem far fetched until they arrive, as the first Xbox likely seemed when it released to take on the Sony PlayStation. There’s no release date for the Mad Box as of yet, other than a vague ‘three year’ timeline, which would see the Mad Box released a year or so into the life cycle of the next-gen Xbox and PlayStation consoles. Ian Bell refers to the Mad Box as “beyond next-gen”. With little confirmed, and the exact scope of next-gen consoles still uncertain, it sounds like little more than hype – though we’d happily be proven wrong. TechRadar contacted Ian Bell for comment following the console's announcement, however he responded there is "little else" he can say at the moment.  Since then, the Mad Box's future has been described by Bell as "questionable" following the announcement of Google Stadia.  "Google's announcement of Stadia hasn't helped the project with our investors," Bell told PCGamesInsider.biz."We had some solid investment lined up but Google saying 'the future of gaming isn't in a box' hasn't done us any favours." Xbox Two vs PS5: predicting the future This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

GTA 6: all the latest news and rumors for Grand Theft Auto 6 Posted: 03 May 2019 07:21 AM PDT With Red Dead Redemption 2 out of the way, we can now start thinking about the inevitable game in the Grand Theft Auto franchise: GTA 6. How can we be so confident about Rockstar's next move? Grand Theft Auto 5 has been one of the most successful game releases in the world and even though we're still enjoying GTA Online, it's now been nearly six years since launch which means a new one is only a few years (or less) away.  What we can say for certain is that we won't see a GTA 6 release date in 2019, so don't get your hopes up. After a hoax release date in some fake pop-up ads spread across the internet, Rockstar came out to inform us that we wouldn't be seeing the game during the next year.  Details may be thin on the ground, but that doesn't stop us gathering together the best pieces of gossip, rumor and fact for your personal pleasure. So without further ado, here's everything we know so far about GTA 6. Check out our video below on GTA VI: predictions on characters, locations, story and GTA Online. Cut to the chase What is it? The highly anticipated next entry in the Grand Theft Auto series When it is out? That’s the internet’s biggest mystery (but it won't be 2019) Will it launch on PC? Both GTA 4 and 5 made their way to PC (eventually), so hopefully GTA 6 release date : when can I play it? With Red Dead Redemption 2 now released into the wild, we're hoping a GTA 6 announcement isn't far away - but we will probably be waiting a while to play it. According to some reports, we could be waiting until 2020 for the next Grand Theft Auto, which would make sense. Rockstar has supported GTA Online, the multiplayer component of GTA 5, since the game launched back in September 2013 with regular content updates.  Now, Rockstar is busy focusing on getting Red Dead Online running smoothly - with the online mode currently in beta.  According to reputable industry analyst Michael Pachter, the game could be as far away as 2022. In an interview with Gaming Bolt, Pachter said that he thinks a 2020 announcement with a 2021 release would be the best case scenario, while a 2021 announcement with a 2022 release or later would be more likely.  Basically, expecting any news of GTA 6 any time soon is optimistic. We think it would make sense if the game followed the release pattern of its predecessor, Grand Theft Auto 5, whereby it'd release at the very tail end of the current generation, comfortably release on the new generation and straddle both for the widest install base possible. And with the next Xbox and PS5 right around the corner, it looks likely this could be Rocktar's plan. Xbox Two vs PS5: predicting the future GTA 6 trailer: when can I watch one? The thing about Rockstar Games is that it’s incredibly secretive. No trailer is getting out of that game studio unless someone seriously screws up.  Just look at what Rockstar did with both GTA 5 and Red Read Redemption 2. It teased an announcement a few days before dropping the first trailer for either game.  If there’s a GTA 6 trailer, you’ll know about it because the internet will explode - and we'll let you know. But we're not expecting one anytime soon. GTA 6 news and rumors: what do we know so far? Another rumor leak? This is definitely one to take with a big pinch of salt but according to a new leak, Grand Theft Auto 6 will return to multiple previous fan-favorite locations, take inspiration from Red Dead Redemption 2, and won't release on current generation consoles. Well, that's according to an anonymous post made on Pastebin, which has since been removed (via Comic Book) . According to the post, GTA 6 will allow players to travel between several big cities, including Liberty City and Vice City. The poster also claims you start off as a small-time drug runner before joining an infamous gang and kicking it with the big dogs. Job listings At this point we're probably just clenching at straws, but Rockstar have been hiring for a tonne of programming positions. We're hoping they're preparing to get development underway, but that is probably just hopeful thinking. The Know report on Vice City The most significant Grand Theft Auto 6 rumor came from YouTube channel The Know. It stated that an inside source told it that GTA 6 is coming 2021-2022 and is being developed under the code name Project Americas. The reason for this code name is apparently because players will be able to fly between the US and South America in the game, though the majority of the action will take place in the former. This in combination with the source's assertion that the game will largely be set in Vice City (the Rockstar version of Miami) suggests there could be a focus on drug running which would draw on the popularity of shows and movies like Narcos and Tom Cruise's Made in America. Particularly if Rockstar holds on to that 80s setting. With no comment from Rockstar, these rumors remain nothing more than, well, rumors. But they do pose an interesting proposition that would seize upon the particular fondness many fans of the series have for Vice City. GTA 6 is definitely coming and there are ideas What we do know about GTA 6 is that ideas are being thrown around for development, even if it’s just in the early stages. Rockstar President Leslie Benzies teased the game in an interview back in 2013 with Develop magazine.  “We don’t know what GTA 6 will be, but we’ve got some ideas,” said Benzies in the interview.  Okay, so it’s not much, but it’s certainly a snippet of solid information direct from the source.  Benzies went on to talk about what kind of ideas get the creative juices flowing over at Rockstar.  “We’ve got about 45 years’ worth of ideas we want to do,” he added. “We’ll pick the right ones.” “It comes from the idea first. Where it is going to be set is the first question. That then defines the missions; you’re doing different things in LA than in New York or Miami. “The map and story get worked up together, and the story is a basic flow of how it works out so you can layer the mission in.” We’re just pleased that Rockstar has so many ideas for what it wants to do with GTA 6. We just hope it sorts them into some kind of organised system and gets that game to us sharpish.  GTA 6 map: where will GTA 6 be set? Although there haven’t been any concrete reports as yet, every online titbit and juicy gossip morsel is pointing towards GTA 6’s map being absolutely massive.  We’re even not talking city-size massive, we’re talking potentially the entire of the United States massive.  Some rumors are suggesting that GTA 6 may end up spanning the entirety of the US, with some kind of teleportation system that cuts down the journey time between cities.  There are even some incredibly exciting rumours that Rockstar Games might have a ‘70s theme up its sleeve, so crack out those old bell-bottoms and disco balls. But there’s also another rumour that’s gathering strength, which would put GTA 6 a little closer to Rockstar Games’ British home – a London setting.  The reports actually started with a comment from Rockstar Games’ co-founder Dan Houser: “At the moment, it feels like GTA’s DNA is contemporary-ish, American-ish, English-speaking-ish, because that’s what it has been… But that doesn’t necessarily limit it to those, that’s just what we’ve done so far.” Rockstar Games sources suggest that London is the only non-US location to be whispered as a potential GTA setting.   For our money, we think a return to Vice City is on the cards, which would tie in to the rumors mentioned above. A recent report from The Know suggests that a return to Vice City in the 80s is actually in the works and that players will explore the rise in drugs at the time through the missions. In this rumored game, players will move between Vice City and South America, which would create a very interesting and entirely new kind of map. The GTA 3 trilogy was set across three locations, Liberty City, Vice City, and San Andreas. This mirrored the original Grand Theft Auto Game, which was also set across the same three locations.  The most recent Grand Theft Auto games, GTA 4 and GTA 5, have so far been set in Liberty City and San Andreas respectively, meaning that Vice City is the only location yet to be explored by the recent games.  The only question now is whether Rockstar will be tempted to complete the set.  GTA 6 rumors A female protagonist When asked about a female protagonist for GTA 5, instead of three male heroes (or anti-heroes), Rockstar co-founder and lead writer Dan Houser said in an interview with The Guardian back in 2013 that a female lead wasn’t really on the table, but not intentionally. “We didn’t really think about it this time,” Houser said. “That’s not to say that we couldn’t or we wouldn’t. This character set is just what came to us: it wasn’t, ‘we’ve got X and Y so we need Z’. We weren’t trying to do it off a checklist – I don’t think that will ever give you something that’s believable or engaging.” “In the future, could we do a game with a female lead? Of course. We just haven’t found the right game for it yet, but it’s one of the things that we always think about.” “It didn’t feel natural for this game but definitely for the right game in the future – with the right themes, it could be fantastic. But for GTA 5, this was the organic thing that came up, these were the characters that would display the themes we wanted to think about.” Likelihood: Strong. Fans have long clamored for a female hero in a Grand Theft Auto game, and it would be a wonderful change from all the murdered prostitutes.  Eva Mendez and Ryan Gosling Rumors of a female protagonist are super exciting, but there’s more.  Apparently, Eva Mendez is top of Rockstar’s list for playing said hero.  But again, there’s more. There’s a male lead on the list too and it’s none other than global heart-throb Ryan Gosling, who also just happens to be her real-life husband.  Likelihood: Questionable. GTA is a major gaming franchise that’s incredibly famous, especially outside of the gaming industry, so it’s possible some big names could be involved, but we’re not convinced.  Full support for virtual reality Another GTA 6 rumour involves virtual reality and according to the online rumblings, you may be able to play the entirety of GTA 6 in VR.  Specific headsets haven’t been mentioned, but since this is probably just a rumor we’re not that bothered. Likelihood: Questionable. GTA 6 might have a VR experience attached to it but playing the whole game in virtual reality would be insane.  Unless we’ve seen huge leaps in virtual reality in the years between now and the GTA 6 release date playing a whole GTA game in VR would prove testing for most stomachs.  Fast-paced, action-packed and played in long sessions, a VR GTA (in its current form at least) wouldn’t work.  Time travel or another futuristic twist With the murmurings of a seriously big map for GTA 6, there are also some rumors of time travelling being a major part of the game.  Yes… seriously. This isn’t Saints Row we’re talking about, but apparently there may be a futuristic twist to GTA 6.  According to a report from ChristianToday – really – the game will give players “the taste of time travel” where “teleportation [is] possible within a split-second”.  Likelihood: Utterly ridiculous. There are hilarious side-missions in GTA games, but having time travelling as a main gameplay mechanic is just not in Rockstar’s DNA.  Plus, ChristianToday has no screenshots, sources or any kind of proof, so we’re certainly sceptical.  Playing as either a cop or a criminal Another potential for the GTA 6 storyline is that you have the decision to play either as a cop or as a criminal. Or at least, if GTA 6 adopts the multiple protagonist feature of GTA 5, one of the characters you play as could be a police officer.  Likelihood: Strong. We could totally see this working, especially with the potential mayhem that could ensue if you’re playing a Trevor-style character half the time and a cop the other.  (Image credits: Rockstar Games) Read more: Most anticipated games 2019 This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Over 2 billion YouTube users are logged in and watching every month Posted: 03 May 2019 07:18 AM PDT YouTube has hit a new milestone, with over two billion viewers logged into the service and going square-eyed every month. That's a little over a quarter of the world's population. As CNET reports, YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki announced the news in a presentation to advertisers on Thursday. The site has been hovering just under two billion active monthly users since February, and has just tipped over the line. Discover how to download YouTube videos Check out our list of the best YouTube video converters Want another option? Here are the best streaming services It's not all rose-tinted filters, though. The share price of Google's parent company Alphabet plunged on Monday following news of slowing revenue growth – partly due to a drop in ad-clicks from YouTube. Your attention, please Having a quarter of the world's eyeballs on your platform is impressive, but not much use unless you can monetize them. YouTube's reputation has taken a battering over recent months, which led to companies including AT&T and Disney temporarily pulling ads from the platform. The site has had its work cut out fighting fires due to channels distributing fake news, and inappropriate comments being left on videos featuring children. It responded by suspending comments on videos featuring minors, adding a fact-checker for sensitive topics, and being more ruthless when deleting clips that violate its terms of service. "My top priority is responsibility, said Wojcicki in a post on YouTube's Creator Blog earlier this week. "We’re always balancing maintaining an open platform with managing our community guidelines. But to combat a number of concerning incidents we’ve seen in the last few months, we’ve had to take more aggressive action." The best free YouTube downloader 2019 This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

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