Apple : Poor passwords putting many businesses at risk |
- Poor passwords putting many businesses at risk
- Yes, Razer is actually going to make a toaster now
- SAP software flaw puts thousands of companies at risk
- Best business smartphone of 2019: top mobiles for work
- The best mobile plans for business 2019
- Save £200 on a SIM-free Samsung Galaxy Note 8 deal from Amazon before midnight
- 768k Day may cause major internet outages
- Best gaming laptops 2019: the 10 top gaming laptops we've reviewed
- New Mac Pro release date, news and rumors
- The best student laptops: all the best options for school
- Best laptop for DJs 2019: The best laptops for music production
- The best SIM deals for business in 2019
- UK porn block: everything you need to know
- The best mobile broadband deals of 2019
- Best small business routers 2019: top routers for work
- The best MSI gaming laptops 2019: our pick of the gaming powerhouses
- The best cheap TV sales and 4K TV deals in the UK - May 2019
- The best Asus gaming laptops 2019
- These are the best PopSocket phone grips we've seen
| Poor passwords putting many businesses at risk Posted: 02 May 2019 11:25 AM PDT New research from OneLogin has revealed that UK IT leaders are putting their business data at risk by not effectively managing employees' passwords. In conjunction with World Password Day, the Unified Access Management firm surveyed 300 IT decision makers across the UK to uncover their attitudes towards password hygiene and the emphasis placed upon internal policies to protect business networks. Despite the fact that 98 percent of IT decision makers have company guidelines in place around password complexity and 95 percent fell their current password protection measures and guidelines provide adequate protection for their business, OneLogin's research has revealed there is still a lot of work to be done.
Of those surveyed, two thirds (66%) don't check passwords against common password lists and over three quarters (78%) don't check employee passwords against password complexity algorithms. This poor password hygiene is leaving UK businesses vulnerable to cyberattacks. Password hygieneChief technology officer and founder at OneLogin, Thomas Pedersen provided further insight on the firm's password management report, saying: "This report should be a reminder to every business leader in the UK to carefully review their password management. Cybercriminals thrive on companies overlooking fundamental security requirements, which becomes an open invitation for any hacker on the hunt for easy passwords." While the majority of respondents do practice good password hygiene, many indicated that basic fundamentals are often lacking. Fewer than 19 percent check passwords against rainbow tables, over half (51%) don't require special characters and just under half (47%) don't require numbers and upper and lower case characters (37%). OneLogin also found that only 53 percent require single sign-on integration, only 35 percent have implemented password complexity policies and 70 percent have not implemented password rotation policies.
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| Yes, Razer is actually going to make a toaster now Posted: 02 May 2019 11:12 AM PDT Razer, the company behind the impressive Razer Blade laptops, is making a toaster. Though this may not be the first time you've heard this news, this time it appears to be happening for real. It may have started as a joke, but Razer has been backed into a corner by fans pleading for a Razer-branded toaster. Now, the company's CEO, Min-Liang Tan, has announced that it will begin working on a Razer Toaster, CNET reports. The Razer Toaster joke has been ongoing for years. Starting back in 2013, it was furthered along by a Facebook group fervently requesting Razer actually come out with the product. And, in 2016, Razer added fuel to the fire with its Project Breadwinner April Fool's Day prank, which showed off a very Razer-esque design, Razer-logo-emblazoned slices of toast and LED lighting, of course.
How we got hereAfter the initial joke, which was a tweet at Tan about making a Razer toaster, a Razer fan named Mark Withers created a Facebook page and applied pressure to Tan about the prospect of the toaster. Tan relented and said the company would make the toaster if Withers could get 1 million likes on the Facebook page. The page has yet to hit a million likes, but has surpassed 40,000 and saw 12 fans brandishing tattoos for the toaster, so Tan officially liked the page himself and had this to say on Facebook: "Alright - I didn't think these guys were going to make it - but they did. It was to hit 1M likes and with each Razer Toaster tattoo being equivalent to 100K likes each....and they now have 12 Razer Toaster tattoos. Well....what can I say. I've just officially liked their page - and I'm going to put together my team of designers and engineers. It will take a few years - but I'll be sure to share the progress - and make it a community affair. A Razer Toaster - For Razer Toaster Lovers. By Razer Toaster Lovers." It sounds like it's going to be a long while before the company releases the toaster, but Tan's comments didn't land on April 1 this time. So, maybe the company isn't kidding this time. The next question: what about Razer Household? That's another Facebook group dedicated to even more Razer-branded household appliances. So far, Tan has this to say, "Guys. I don't know what you guys are up to but this isn't going to happen. Ever."
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| SAP software flaw puts thousands of companies at risk Posted: 02 May 2019 10:53 AM PDT Security researchers have discovered new ways to exploit vulnerabilities in SAP software which could leave up to 50,000 companies, that haven't properly protected their systems, at greater risk of being hacked. The German software giant SAP previously released guidance on how to correctly configure the security settings of its software back in 2009 and 2013. However, data compiled by the security firm Onapsis has revealed that 90 percent of the affected SAP systems have not been properly protected. The firm's chief executive Mariano Nunez provided further insight into the risk organizations face by not configuring the security settings of their SAP software correctly, saying: “Basically, a company can be brought to a halt in a matter of seconds. With these exploits, a hacker could steal anything that sits on a company’s SAP systems and also modify any information there – so he can perform financial fraud, withdraw money, or just plainly sabotage and disrupt the systems.”
SAP responded to Onapsis' findings by saying that “SAP always strongly recommends to install security fixes as they are released.” SAP software flawSAP software is currently used by more than 90 percent of the world's top 2,000 companies to handle everything from employee payrolls to product distribution and industrial processes. According to security experts, an attack on those systems could have huge implications both for the victim organization as well as the wider supply chain. For instance, SAP customers collectively distribute 78 percent of the world's food and 82 percent of global medical devices. Mathieu Geli, security consultant at Sogeti, was one of the researchers who developed the exploits released online last month and according to him, the issue concerns the way SAP applications talk to one another inside a company. If a company's security settings are not configured correctly, a hacker could trick an application into thinking they are another SAP product to gain full access without having to login. Onapsis' researchers have named the exploits “10KBLAZE” because of the threat they pose to “business-critical applications”. Luckily though, the company has said that it will share its ability to detect the vulnerabilities with other security vendors to help secure all SAP users against any potential attacks. Via Reuters
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| Best business smartphone of 2019: top mobiles for work Posted: 02 May 2019 10:30 AM PDT For many of us, having the best business smartphone is absolutely essential, as we’re more and more reliant on these little computers in our pockets to get our work done. With many manufacturers offering smartphones that are perfect for workers of all levels, we’ve updated this guide to give you the very latest buying advice to help you choose the best smartphones for business use. If you want the very best business smartphone, no matter what the cost, then the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is the one to go for. It's got a spec list to die for, including a huge screen, bags of RAM, a huge 4,000mAh battery and up to 1TB of storage. It's also got a microSD slot and a headphone jack – something that many modern smartphones lack. It's also got some great business-specific features, such as an improved Bluetooth stylus (known as the S Pen), and if you plug it into a USB-C dock or USB-C to HDMI, it can be used in DeX mode, replicating a desktop-environment that can replace your desktop PC. Seriously impressive. Read the full review: Samsung Galaxy Note 9 review You'll be in good hands if you opt to give your employees the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus, which is also our pick for the best smartphone in the world right now. It improves on almost every aspect of the phones that have come before it, with supremely powerful components, a dazzling 6.4-inch QHD Super AMOLED display and a top notch camera - but it's not all fun. The battery has also been given a huge boost to 4,100mAh, which means you can comfortably use it all day without worrying about recharging it. While it doesn't quite have the business focus of the Galaxy Note 9, which is our pick for the best business smartphone, it's still one hell of a great handset from Samsung. Read the full review: Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus review The OnePlus 6 is our newest phone on this list, and like its predecessor, it is an affordable flagship handset, and offers one of the best Android phone experiences on the market, especially when using it for work. You have the choice of either 6GB or 8GB of RAM depending on your needs - for most people 6GB will be more than enough. The battery life could be better, so make sure you have easy access to a charger if your work depends on you always being connected, and there's still no microSD support on the OnePlus 6, much like previous OnePlus phones, but you do have the choice of either 64GB or 128GB of internal storage. The true highlight of the OnePlus 6 is the price, though, and this may will be one of the best devices for you on this list if you're looking to spend as little as possible on a top-of-the-range phone for your business needs. Read the full review: OnePlus 6 If you're looking for the best Apple business smartphone, then the iPhone XS is the one to get. It's the pinnacle of Apple's smartphone design, offering a gorgeous 5.8-inch OLED screen, improved battery life and an amazing camera that's arguably the best you'll find on a smartphone. It's very expensive though, but if you want a business smartphone that can do almost everything, and with a gorgeous design, then this is the one to get. If you're on more of a budget, but still want an Apple device, consider the iPhone 8, which is also on this list. Read the full review: iPhone XS review Samsung has produced another excellent productivity-focused device with the Samsung Galaxy Note 8, making it one of the best smartphones for business. Thanks to the large Infinity Display you get loads of screen space to work on, without the body being too bulky to carry around, and the S Pen stylus is something not a lot of other phones can offer and the all-round speed is almost breathtaking at times. It's certainly worth looking at if you want a brilliant business smartphone, especially now that its price has dropped. Read the full review: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Huawei is a Chinese manufacturer which has been steadily releasing some excellent smartphones that offer specs and features that rival its more established (and expensive) Western rivals. The Huawei Mate 20 Pro is the firm's best phone yet, and it's one of our picks for the best business smartphone you can buy in 2019. It comes with a huge 6.39-inch display with a QHD resolution and HDR10 support, plus a large battery that lasted a day and a half in our tests! Read the full review: Huawei Mate 20 Pro Google's flagship phones are brilliant performers, and the fact they come with stock Android without any annoying bloatware or complex user interfaces means they are great choices for business phones. The Google Pixel 3 is the latest entry and it comes with a decent 5.5-inch full HD screen, a battery that's capable of about a day's worth of use and one of the best cameras we've seen on a smartphone. If you want a pure-Android experience, the Pixel 3 is one of the best business smartphones you can buy right now. Read the full review: Google Pixel 3 Apple's iPhones are always popular options with great build quality, a simple user interface and a wealth of quality business apps at your fingertips. The iPhone 8 is one of the latest offerings from Apple, and it's faster, smarter and boasts a water resistant body for the first time. While Apple has also released the more premium iPhone X, its high price tag makes that a difficult smartphone to recommend for businesses. That's not to say the iPhone 8 is cheap - it's not - but if you're kitting out your team with these phones, you're going to get more for your money. If your firm is currently rocking iPhone 7 and 7 Plus handsets there's no need to upgrade, but for those using older devices - especially the 5 variants and below the iPhone 8 offers a far superior experience. Read the full review: iPhone 8 This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The best mobile plans for business 2019 Posted: 02 May 2019 10:24 AM PDT If you're looking for the best business mobile deals, then you've come to the right place, as in this guide we compare business mobile phone deals that offer you essential features and allowances, as well as the best handsets and from all the best UK networks. Whether you're after the new Samsung Galaxy Note 9, iPhone XS or Samsung Galaxy S9, a free phone, lots of data, the lowest possible monthly cost or all of the above, we'll help you find the perfect deal. Check out our list of the best business mobiles in the UK for 2019. We've also compiled alternative guides if you're interested in the best business SIM-only deals as well as the best business broadband and best mobile broadband deals. Underneath that you can browse through our individual handset guides for all of the best mobile phone deals out there. Best business mobile deals by network
Best business SIM-only dealsVodafoneThe cheapest around for data-hungry users Unlimited minutes | Unlimited texts| 20GB data | 12-month contract | £20 Should you agree to sign a 12-month contract, then Vodafone’s Red bundle is possibly the best offer in the UK. You get unlimited data, minutes (usable both in the UK and in the EU) and a whopping 20GB data to use with an extra 4GB to be used in the EU in 40 countries; you can always opt for the WorldTraveller option which allows you to use your UK allowance in an additional 58 countries worldwide for a fiver a day. Vodafone also offers a 30-day money-back warranty. Check out this deal on Vodafone’s website O2Terrific for globe-trotters Unlimited minutes | Unlimited texts| 32GB data | 12-month contract | £23 The Telefonica-owned company offers one of the most impressive packages in the line-up. It is also the most expensive although you get far more than most. Not only do you have unlimited minutes and texts in the UK and across Europe (well, there is a fair usage limit of 2,000 minutes and 2,000 texts in the EU), you also get 3GB to use in the EU and 120 UK to EU minutes. Great if you travel a lot to mainland Europe. O2 also offers a 30-day optional contract for an extra £2 per month. This deal has got a lot better in recent months, as it has upped the data to a huge 32GB, while cutting the cost to £23 a month. View this deal on O2’s website EEIt has a unique selling point Unlimited minutes | Unlimited texts| 30GB data | 12-month contract | £16 O2 might win when it comes to versatility but EE almost grabs the top spot when it comes to sheer value for money. This deal is a brilliant offer that gives you a huge 30GB of data for £16 a month. EE has upgraded its network to superfast 4GEE and you can even share your plan with three co-workers on the same bill; Note that, unlike many competitors, tethering and VOIP are allowed. View this deal on EE’s website A couple of the best phones for businessiPhone 7 dealsPrices just absolutely dived on the iPhone 7. Great news, considering it remains an excellent way to own an awesome Apple phone for meagre amounts of money. This for £28 pm from EE is the pick of the bunch. And once you've bought it, be sure to dive into the best iOS business apps. See more ace prices with our best iPhone 7 deals and best iPhone 6 deals BlackBerry KeyONE dealsBlackberry spent many years in the wilderness, but its return with the BlackBerry KeyOne is a massive return to form. The best deal out there bar none is this one on O2 where you get 4GB of data for £25 per month, with an upfront cost of £33.99. Click for more brilliant BlackBerry KeyONE deals Buying a mobile phone - what you need to knowThis posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Save £200 on a SIM-free Samsung Galaxy Note 8 deal from Amazon before midnight Posted: 02 May 2019 10:16 AM PDT With the Note 9 still maintaining a high price tag a year on from its release and the soon to be released Note 10 likely to cost even more, trying to grab one of Samsung's productivity power house devices at an affordable price tag is no easy feat. But luckily, Galaxy Note 8 deals have been steadily falling in cost and now have landed at a price tag we would deem 'affordable'. But even with all of the great prices we've seen on this device, none quite top the offer Amazon.co.uk has just come out with. Offering the Note 8 at a SIM-free price of £449, Amazon has undercut the nearest retailer by roughly £100 and the majority of the market by £200. While that is already a unbelievable price cut, it doesn't stop there. Amazon is also chucking in a free 64GB memory card with this offer, worth around £25, adding to the already brilliant value of this offer. Pairing this device with a cheap SIM only deal could allow you to undercut the rest of the Note 8 offers out there. Interested? We don't blame you, but you will have to act fast as there is a bit of a catch. This is part of Amazon's deal of the day and therefore will be coming to an end at 11.59pm tonight. This bargain Note 8 deal in full:
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| 768k Day may cause major internet outages Posted: 02 May 2019 10:01 AM PDT Major internet disruptions could be right around the corner as we approach 768k Day when the size of the global BGP routing table is expected to exceed 768,000 entries. Similar disruptions were experienced back in 2014, on what we now know as “512k Day”, when the Ipv4 internet routing table exceeded 512,000 BGP routes when Verizon advertised thousands of more routes to the internet. At the time, a number of ISPs and other organizations has provisioned the size of the memory for their router TCAMs for a limit of 512K route entries and some older routers suffered memory overflows which led their CPUs to crash. These crashes created significant packet loss and traffic outages across the internet with even large provider networks being affected.
Engineers and network administrators rushed to apply emergency firmware patches to set a new upper limit which in many cases was 768k entries. 512K Day served as a wake-up call for many ISPs and internet organizations but it seems they may have forgotten the chaos it caused as 768k Day is expected to occur sometime this month. 768k DayWhile five years ago ISPs and internet companies were unprepared for 512k Day, this time around most of the large providers who felt its impact have likely prepped and maintained their infrastructures reasonably well which could lead to less outages. However, there are still a lot of smaller ISPs, data centers and other providers who are part of the fabric of the internet. A good amount of service traffic transits through these 'soft spots' of internet infrastructure where maintenance on legacy routers and network equipment can be neglected or missed more easily. It's still entirely possible that we will see some issues or outages due to 768k Day during the next month or so. To prepare for any potential disruptions, it is a good idea to perform some preventative maintenance on any routers that receive full internet routes. Via ThousandEyes
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| Best gaming laptops 2019: the 10 top gaming laptops we've reviewed Posted: 02 May 2019 09:58 AM PDT The best gaming laptops have changed so much in such a short amount of time, and now they’re more powerful than ever before. Thanks to additions like Nvidia RTX graphics, the best gaming laptops can push the best PC games at higher resolutions and frame rates. You don’t need to put together the best gaming PC to get high specs and performance anymore. Plus, the best gaming laptops come in every shape and size. That’s why you shouldn’t judge a gaming laptop by its cover. Thanks to Nvidia Turing Max-Q graphics for laptops, there are a ton of gaming laptops that can hide in plain sight. Just look at the aptly named MSI GS65 Stealth. Don’t worry, if you want a beastly desktop replacement, that option is still open to you, with devices like the MSI GT75 that demand attention from anyone that steps in the room. So, whether you want a thicc desktop replacement, packed with the most powerful graphics and processors so that you can run the Division 2 and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice with the settings cranked, you’re in luck. Or, if you just want a thin and light gaming laptop that’ll let you play your favorite games on the road, we’ve got a few up your alley. There are even some more affordable laptops like the Dell G3. And, don’t worry, we’ve tested these gaming laptops ourselves, so you know they’ll be up to snuff. These days, many gaming laptop manufacturers seem to be locked into a race to see who can craft the thinnest gaming laptop that doesn’t compromise on power. And, right now, the crown might have to go to the Asus ROG Zephyrus GX701. At just 0.7 inches thick, this monster of a laptop houses an Intel Coffee Lake Core i7 chip, Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q graphics and 16GB of RAM. That means you can crank any PC game under the sun to max settings, and take it with you wherever you go. And, of course, it’s packed with RGB lighting that’ll dazzle anyone that looks at it. Read the full review: Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701 If you want to play some of the best PC games on the move, but you don’t want everyone to know you’re playing games, the MSI GS65 Stealth is the best gaming laptop for you. Coming in at just .69 inches thick and featuring impressive hardware like Intel Coffee Lake processors and Nvidia GeForce GTX 10-series – refreshed with RTX 20-series graphics at CES – the MSI GS65 Stealth packs a ton of power into a very svelte package. There’s nothing you won’t be able to throw at this thing that’ll slow it down. And, thanks to the subdued design, you’ll be able to bring this beefy rig everywhere you go, making it the best gaming laptop on the market right now. Read the full review: MSI GS65 Stealth For a few years now, the Razer Blade has been among the best gaming laptops on the market, filled with powerful components, beautiful displays and an elegant chassis. That’s all true for the 2019 model, too, which now rocks up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080. That is, frankly, a ton of power for a laptop this thin and light. Plus, even if that’s not enough GPU horsepower for you, you can use the Razer Core for future expansion. It’s an expensive device, but it might be worth it if style and power are equally as important to you. Read the full review: Razer Blade The best gaming laptops keep getting more expensive every day. Especially now that Nvidia RTX graphics are available, getting a powerful gaming laptop carries quite the toll. Luckily, laptops like the Lenovo Legion Y7000P are here to lighten the load. This budget-minded gaming laptop features an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060, which should be just fine for its 1080p 60Hz display. When it’s a question of getting the essentials in order to save some cash, the Lenovo Legion Y7000P is a no-brainer. Read the full review: Lenovo Legion Y7000P Some gaming laptops just don’t pull any punches, enabling you to run any game you can imagine without breaking a sweat – and the MSI GT75 Titan is one of these laptops. It’s a titanic desktop replacement packing 6-core Intel Coffee Lake processors, plenty of RAM and powerful Nvidia Pascal graphics. You’re not going to be able to carry it around with you, and it’s not going to be something you’ll be caught with in a coffee shop, but if raw power is what you’re after, look no further. Just be ready to break open your piggy bank. Read the full review: MSI GT75 Titan Thin and light gaming laptops are everywhere right now, but if you don’t care about that, and want a thick, heavy and monstrous laptop that can demolish any game you throw at it – the Asus ROG G703GI is for you. This is a massive – and expensive – laptop, but it justifies its size and price with gaming performance that rivals the best gaming PCs. Just don’t think you’ll be able to haul it along with you to your local coffee shop without its two power bricks – or awkward stares. Read the full review: Asus ROG G703GI It may not boast the most innovative design, substituting the usual black and red aesthetic for one that makes it feel like Halloween all year round (no complaints here). But, it’s undoubtedly one of the best when it comes to gaming in 1080p. In fact, we were able to crank the setting s all the way up in Overwatch without ever straying below 60fps. It doesn’t feature the longest battery life, but the screen, power and onboard sound system more than make up for it. Read the full review: Asus ROG Strix GL502
If you’re looking for a powerful gaming laptop, and you don’t want to spring for one of those svelte thin and light gamign laptops, the Acer Predator Helios 500 is a good option. Packed with up to an Intel Core i9 processor and full-fat Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 graphics, this gaming laptop will be able to handle any game you throw at it – even if it’s not the most portable device in the world. If you can get past the mediocre speakers and trackpad, there’s a lot to love here. Read the full review: Acer Predator Helios 500 When you’re setting out to buy one of the best gaming laptops, one of the first things you’ll likely notice is how expensive they can get. Luckily, the Dell G3 15 is not just extremely affordable, but it punches above its weight class with great 1080p gaming performance. With up to an Nvidia GTX 1060 GPU, you’ll be able to play all the latest games at 1080p without breaking a sweat, even if it’s not at max settings all the time. And, that blue on black color combo is quite a looker, if that’s your aesthetic. Read the full review: Dell G3 15 Over the last couple of years, there’s been a trend among the best gaming laptops to make them as thin as possible. And, the Gigabyte Aero 15 definitely fits the bill, while delivering top-end gaming performance. This laptop is just 0.74 inches thick, while delivering up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 and an Intel Core i9 CPU. However, this thinness is a double-edged sword: the Core i9 gets way too hot and can throttle. So, just keep that in mind if you plan on doing any sustained creative work, like editing all your gaming videos. Read the full review: Gigabyte Aero 15
Gabe Carey and Bill Thomas have also contributed to this article
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| New Mac Pro release date, news and rumors Posted: 02 May 2019 09:52 AM PDT Beyond Apple declaring support of the new Mac Pro through a press release for the iMac Pro sale date nearly two years ago, we don’t know much about it. However, Apple has recognized the public outcry for a Mac Pro 2019 by hinting that it’s working on a ‘modular’ and ‘upgradeable’ Mac Pro – whatever that means. We do know that a new Mac Pro is coming this year, but we don’t know exactly when it’s going to surface. Apple could potentially release it whenever, much like the iMac 2019, but we’re betting on a WWDC 2019 appearance, as rumors have previously suggested. However, because Apple is Apple, we could see the Mac Pro 2019 come out whenever the tech firm feels like putting it out there. If the new Mac Pro 2019 is going to be modular like Apple suggests, what will that look like? What will be upgradeable? Will it look like a juiced up HomePod? Before we dive into all the boundless speculation, let’s lay out some basics. Cut to the chase
Mac Pro 2019 release dateNow, while the new Mac Pro used to be the one Apple product we actually knew with absolute certainty could have been released in 2018, we were mistaken. It turns out the new Mac Pro has been confirmed for a 2019 release date. The current Mac Pro computer debuted at the June 2013 Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), with a December 2013 final release date. Of course, many purchasers didn’t get their computers until April 2014 on account of backorders.
Before that, the original Mac Pro was revealed to the world during the August 2006 WWDC, getting into the public’s hands within the same month. Rumors point to a WWDC 2019 announcement, and that would make sense since it’s a professional device, but we’re not exactly sure what to expect. Either way, WWDC is just over a month away at this point, so we’ll soon know whether or not these rumors hold any water. If WWDC 2019 comes and goes without any new hardware, much like it did last year, we could see Apple holding a special Mac Pro event, much like its October 2018 Mac event. Or, we could just see Apple release the new Mac Pro under the radar, much like the MacBook Pro or iMac 2019, especially considering that it is a professional product with a limited audience. Mac Pro 2019 priceWe have absolutely no Mac Pro 2019 pricing information from neither leaks nor Apple’s own remarks on the device. So, once again we’re left to speculate based on the pricing of previous Mac Pro models. The current Mac Pro, largely unchanged since its 2013 release, calls for a whopping $2,999, £2,999 or AU$4,899 to start. The only other model available hikes the price up by $1,000, £900 and AU$1,600, respectively, for some beefy component upgrades.
Given how long its been since the previous update to the Mac Pro, it would be unwise for Apple to drive the asking price any higher. However, if the new Mac Pro’s ‘modular, upgradeable’ nature turns out to be true, that could lead the firm to price the device accordingly, knowing that end users would no longer have to turn to it for upgrades. Mac Pro 2019 specsWhat will be inside the computer is, sadly, another unknown regarding the Mac Pro for 2019, save for a scant few details. For starters, we know that Apple is focused on issuing a Mac Pro with a modular and upgradeable design. “In addition to the new iMac Pro, Apple is working on a completely redesigned, next-generation Mac Pro architected for pro customers who need the highest performance, high-throughput system in a modular, upgradeable design,” Apple wrote in a December 2017 press release announcing the new iMac Pro, “as well as a new high-end pro display.” So, we know that Apple is intending to make at least some of the Mac Pro design easy to manage, upgrade and set up in different configurations. If true, the Mac Pro 2019 will have to work with a large variety of off-the-shelf parts – at least ‘off the shelf’ for business pros or IT managers.
Simply put, there wasn’t enough room in the last Mac Pro for storage expansion, and that needs to change in the 2019 model. We also know that Apple has a display in the works, presumably one that was designed with the performance of the Mac Pro in mind. As of last September, reports circulated that an 8K (7,680 x 4,320) resolution display was in development at Apple, and that it would compete with the 32-inch Dell UltraSharp monitor. It would come with either 10-bit dithering or native 10-bit colors as well. But, it reportedly won’t be a touchscreen, which isn’t surprising given Apple’s aversion to adding touch to the Mac. The other sliver of information that we have is that the Mac Pro 2019 may launch with a co-processor. We could see Apple going with something like the T1 (which manages the MacBook Pro Touch Bar and Touch ID) and T2 (which manages the iMac Pro hardware security and allows for the automatic ‘Hey Siri’ command). Whichever role it fills, it will offload critical tasks from the Intel processors that will likely be inside the Mac Pro 2019. How will this manifest inside the Mac Pro for 2019? The most likely scenario is the latter one: implementing the very same T2 chip inside the iMac Pro into this device. That would bring pro-grade security and on-demand Siri to the Mac Pro, the former of which is crucial for getting traction in office environments. However, the inclusion of the T2 chip might go against the Mac Pro’s ability to be serviced by users. It’s recently come out that Apple has locked out the iMac Pro and 2018 MacBook Pro, which both use the T2 chip, from being serviced by anyone other than Apple and its authorized service providers. AMD’s new Radeon VII graphics card, although marketed to gamers, is out now. We doubt this specific card will make its way into the new Mac Pro, but it is now officially supported on Apple devices. So, we could see AMD supporting the new Mac Pro with a 7nm Vega II graphics card. What we want to see in Mac Pro 2019All of these rumors swirling around a potential Mac Pro 2019 release puts us in prime position for a well-crafted wishlist. So, here’s what we hope to see Apple upgrade within the Mac Pro for 2019. More internal expansion Dual-processor options A keyboard and mouse included iOS apps on Mac Pro After WWDC 2018, though, we now know exactly how Apple is going to handle this. Instead of just opening the App Store on macOS, we’ll be getting a limited selection of key iOS apps ported over. MacOS 10.14 will have access to News, Stocks, Voice Memos and Home, with more eventually coming over in 2019. These apps will be redesigned to feel natural on macOS – so, no touchscreen necessary.
Gabe Carey has also contributed to this report
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| The best student laptops: all the best options for school Posted: 02 May 2019 09:51 AM PDT School isn’t cheap. Books, tuition, accommodation and even food can add up. But, you shouldn’t have to spend thousands of dollars on the best laptops for students. In fact, student laptops will be budget-minded devices that have great style and plenty of power, but they’ll do it without charging an arm and a leg. Saving up for a shiny new laptop when you’re spending all your money on textbooks and ramen can be quite hard, though. So, the best student laptops will put value above having the best processors and graphics cards. You won’t be limited to Windows 10, either – the best Chromebooks are some of the best laptops for students, as you can get all your work done on the cheap. Going to school is a stressful time, we know, but that’s why you should ensure that you have one of the top laptops for students. You don’t need to add the pressure of running around campus with a dying laptop to your plate. So, that’s why we went ahead and gathered up the best student laptops you can buy today: no one should be limited to an ancient relic just to get some work done, and you shouldn’t have to sell a kidney, either. Here at TechRadar, we love it when a laptop can perfectly balance price and performance without any compromises, and the Huawei MateBook 13 comes closer to hitting that perfect balance than anything in 2019 so far. Thin, light, quick and affordable, this beautiful 13-inch Ultrabook will let you get all your work done in style, without dragging down on your wallet. The battery life is a little weak, but that’s a worthy sacrifice to make here – just carry the charger around with you. Read the full review: Huawei MateBook 13 Dell’s flagship laptop has always placed among the best laptops – for college students, professionals and even casual, everyday users. But, the Dell XPS 13 2019 brings back the entry-level option, making it more affordable for college students again. And, Dell managed to fix our biggest issue with the XPS lineup – the webcam. The manufacturer has moved the webcam up to the top of the display, where it belongs, so your friends and colleagues don’t have to stare up your nose when you’re in a video call. Read the full review: Dell XPS 13 While the first Surface Laptop was already one of the best student laptops, it was held back by sub-par performance, a lack of ports and Windows 10 in S Mode. With the Surface Laptop 2, however, everything is better – except for the ports. It’s packed with 8th-generation Kaby Lake Refresh processors, full-fat Windows 10 Home and a black color option. We wish it had even a single USB-C port, but that doesn’t change the fact that you’ll be able to get all your work done in style with this laptop. Read the full review: Surface Laptop 2 When you’re looking for a laptop for school, you should aim for a golden balance between price and performance – and a dollop of style can’t hurt. The Microsoft Surface Go, then, isn’t just one of the best Windows tablets, but it may just be one of the best student laptops, especially from a value perspective. Don’t be fooled by the low-power components, either – Microsoft has engineered this tablet to be able to keep up with all your schoolwork without breaking a sweat. Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Go Dell’s XPS lineup has been among the best laptops for college students for years now, and the new XPS 15 is no different. Taking the approach of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’, not much has changed year over year – but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. What you’re getting here is a reliable Ultrabook with enough horsepower to carry you through all of your coursework without costing an arm and a leg. While the entry level is perfectly fine for most people, you can configure this thing with up to a Core i9 CPU and 32GB of RAM, transforming the Dell XPS 15 into a killer media editing workstation. We just wish Dell would move that webcam. Read the full review: Dell XPS 15 When you’re looking for a laptop for school, you don’t need some bougie affair from Apple, that looks like something out of a designer catalog – you need a laptop that’s going to get the job done. And, the Acer Swift 5 should be near the top of your list. This budget-friendly Ultrabook is packed with the latest 8th-generation Intel processors and enough RAM and SSD storage to get you through pretty much any assignment. It’s not the most aesthetic laptop in the world, but it’s hard to argue with that price. Read the full review: Acer Swift 5 The Microsoft Surface lineup has built a reputation for itself for being among the best Windows devices out there – gorgeous touch screens, incredible performance and long battery life. The Surface Pro 6 continues this tradition, even if it doesn’t bring anything new to the table. What you’re getting here is a speedy Windows tablet that can effortlessly turn into a laptop through the Surface Type Cover. You can get your work done and then effortlessly transition into break time. Read the full review: Surface Pro 6 If you’re a student that’s on the market for a laptop that will let you do all your research and type up papers, and nothing else, the Dell Inspiron Chromebook 11 2-in-1 is going to be right up your alley. Most schoolwork that’s not specialized (i.e. engineering) can be done on a Chromebook while saving hundreds of dollars. The Dell Chromebook 11 2-in-1 won’t be able to do much heavy lifting, but at under $300, it doesn’t need to. This is the best laptop for students that need to save a few bucks. Read the full review: Dell Inspiron Chromebook 11 2-in-1 We were left waiting for Apple to renew the MacBook Air for years, as it languished with a 5th-generation Intel Core processor and an out of date, low-resolution display. Thankfully, those days are over. Apple has ushered the MacBook Air into the modern age, with 8th-generation fanless processors, a thinner and lighter design, and perhaps most importantly – a Retina display. No more do you have to compromise on modern features if you want an “affordable Mac”, and that makes the MacBook Air one of the best laptops for college students. Read the full review: MacBook Air If you’re not too concerned with cash, and you’re a macOS addict (we get it), the 2018 MacBook Pro is the most powerful MacBook that’s ever existed. With its impressive hexa-core processors, and up to a whopping 32GB of memory, this cupertino workstation will get you through whatever you throw at it. It also includes the much-improved third generation Butterfly keyboard that will not only be less distracting to the students around you, but will be less prone to failure if some dust comes within 10 feet. Read the full review: MacBook Pro 15-inch (2018)
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| Best laptop for DJs 2019: The best laptops for music production Posted: 02 May 2019 09:45 AM PDT Whether you’re a musician or a professional DJ, having one of the best laptops packed right next to your headphones is important. You’re going to need one of the best processors and plenty of fast RAM, as these will help the best laptops for musicians handle multiple music tracks. Also, a fast SSD, capacious hard drive or both is also recommended, as you’ll be working with large file sizes. And, if you have to travel from gig to gig all the time, you need a laptop that can handle a beating or two. You probably don’t need to go all out, picking up one of the best rugged laptops, but you should definitely look for a laptop that won’t break if you look at it the wrong way. And, while we’re on the subject of mobility, a thin and light Ultrabook will do wonders for your back. While the MacBook Pro may be the default for most musicians, plenty of the top laptops for music production will run Windows 10 instead. To make it easy to find your next laptop, we went ahead and included our exclusive price comparison tool, so you know you’re finding the best deal. If you want to see a more comprehensive list of prices and retailers, just click the ‘see all prices’ link on each widget. The best laptops for music production and DJs:Image Credit: Apple The new Apple MacBook is the slimmest, slickest and best-looking Macbook the Cupertino company has ever created, and it’s one of the best selling laptops on the market. This, along with the excellent music production software available for Macs means it’s the best laptop for music production. It’s an extremely slim and light notebook that you can take anywhere without even noticing the weight, and gives you the same slick macOS performance. Read the full review: Apple Macbook Image Credit: Apple For years, the MacBook Pro has had a reputation as being the go-to laptop for musicians all over the world, and the 2018 version is no different. As long as you can justify the price of entry, the MacBook Pro is one of the best laptops for musicians. With its Core i9 CPU and up to 32GB of RAM, you’re going to be able to load up as many tracks as you want in Logic Pro X without crippling your laptop. It’s also surprisingly durable – you don’t need to worry about things bumping into it in your tour bag, thanks to its robust aluminum unibody design. Read the full review: MacBook Pro (15-inch, mid-2018) Image Credit: Microsoft If you want a music production laptop that can double as a Windows tablet in your downtime, the Surface Pro 6 should be at the top of your list. Not only does it pack the hardware necessary for music production, but it has a beautiful display, and plenty of legacy connections for connecting your equipment. It lacks USB-C and Thunderbolt 3, but if you’re just in it for music production, that shouldn’t really matter. Read the full review: Surface Pro 6 Image Credit: Dell The Dell XPS 13 has been one of the best laptops you can buy for a few years running now, and the 2018 version is no different. For aspiring music producers, the XPS’ move to an 8th-generation Intel Kaby Lake R CPU should be appealing, as it will trim down the time it takes to process tracks, allowing you to minimize downtime. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to find a 1TB storage drive anymore, but when you get a laptop that looks this good and runs this fast – it’s a worthy tradeoff. Read the full review: Dell XPS 13 (2018) Image Credit: Microsoft With all the 2-in-1 laptops that convert into a tablet, packed with unnecessary features, sometimes a straight Windows 10 laptop is just what you need. Luckily, Microsoft has released the Surface Laptop 2, one of the best laptops in its arsenal. Not only does this thing feature a quad-core processor and plenty of RAM, but it has a lovely touch display and all the ports you need – even if it’s lacking Thunderbolt 3. As long as you don’t need Logic Pro X, you really can’t go wrong with the Surface Laptop 2 – it’s one of the best laptops for music production. Read the full review: Surface Laptop 2 Image Credit: Apple We’ve been left wanting for a new MacBook Air for a few years now, and we finally got a new one. The new MacBook Air brings Apple’s thin and light mainstream laptop into the modern day with a sleek aluminum build, a Retina display and an actual modern processor. This all makes for one of the best laptops for musicians that want to stay with macOS – though you’ll want to invest in a couple of dongles, the two Thunderbolt 3 ports aren’t compatible with a lot of music equipment. Read the full review: MacBook Air Image Credit: Dell If you're looking for a larger and more powerful laptop for running music production software on, then the Dell XPS 15 could be for you. Packing the same InfinityEdge technology as the smaller XPS 13, the screen extends right to the edge of the machine which means it's as small as it's possible to make a 15-inch laptop in 2017. It's quite pricey though, depending on which version you get. The very top end version has a 4K color-accurate display, which can give you an excellent overview of all the tracks you're working on. Read the full review: Dell XPS 15
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| The best SIM deals for business in 2019 Posted: 02 May 2019 09:35 AM PDT In this guide to the best SIM deals for business in 2019, we look at which contracts you should go for that offer SIM cards for your existing equipment, while also providing the data, calls and other features you'll need. Thanks to the rise of BYOD (bring your own device), many companies have found that you don't need to supply handsets to its employees, but instead offer SIM cards that they can use with their existing handsets. This can save you and your business money, as the SIM-only deals are a lot cheaper than contracts where you're also paying for a smartphone. If your company is thinking of signing up for a SIM only contract, then you've come to the right place. We’ve looked at the best SIM only deals from all the main mobile phone operators in the UK (the four big networks and three MVNOs) and, in no order of preference, here are the ones we think are the best for micro, small and medium businesses. (Note that Three doesn’t do SIM-only for businesses and is therefore excluded from our listing). It should also be noted that companies do not have to report anything to HM Revenue and Customs or deduct or pay tax and national insurance if they provide the employees with one SIM card (or mobile phone) and the phone contract is between the employer and the service provider. VodafoneThe cheapest around for data-hungry users Unlimited minutes | Unlimited texts| 20GB data | 12-month contract | £16.67 Should you agree to sign a 12-month contract, then Vodafone’s Red bundle is possibly the best offer in the UK. You get unlimited data, minutes (usable both in the UK and in the EU) and a whopping 20GB data to use with an extra 4GB to be used in the EU in 40 countries; you can always opt for the WorldTraveller option which allows you to use your UK allowance in an additional 58 countries worldwide for a fiver a day. Vodafone also offers a 30-day money-back warranty. Check out this deal on Vodafone’s website O2Terrific for globe-trotters Unlimited minutes | Unlimited texts| 20GB data | 12-month contract | £24 The Telefonica-owned company offers one of the most impressive packages in the line-up. It has also got a major price drop, falling to just £24 a month (down from £30). Not only do you have unlimited minutes and texts in the UK and across Europe (well, there is a fair usage limit of 2,000 minutes and 2,000 texts in the EU), you also get 3GB to use in the EU and 100 UK to EU minutes. Great if you travel a lot to mainland Europe. O2 also offers a 30-day optional contract for an extra £2 per month. View this deal on O2’s website EEIt has a unique selling point Unlimited minutes | Unlimited texts| 15GB data | 12-month contract | £17 O2 might win when it comes to versatility but EE almost grabs the top spot when it comes to sheer value for money. It undercuts its main rival by nearly £10 per month yet offers the same core features (unlimited data and texts, but data is slightly less at15GB). EE also upgraded its network to superfast 4GEE and you can even share your plan with three co-workers on the same bill; Note that, unlike many competitors, tethering and VOIP are allowed. View this deal on EE’s website BTNot the most attractive package on offer Unlimited minutes | Unlimited texts| 20GB data | 12-month contract | £30 EE is now owned by BT and yet somehow, the former easily trumps the latter when it comes to value for money. Just to put things in context, the equivalent BT package to the one above costs a whopping £72 a month, that’s an extra £52 compared to EE’s (or a 260% premium). You can choose to double your 4G speed to up to 60MBps for £4 per month and you will get access to five million BT Wi-Fi hotspots. This deal has also just got much better, as data has been doubled from 10GB per month to 20GB, without any additional costs! View this deal on BT’s website The People's operatorGreat for intra-team voice communication 1000 minutes | Unlimited texts | 2GB data | 30 day rolling contract | £9.99 TPO is a MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) that piggybacks on Three’s network to deliver its service. All its plans offer 10% of the value of the monthly spend to a nominated cause or charity, which is a rather laudable and uncommon marketing strategy. A 10-person SME can therefore, effortlessly donate a whopping £300 over the course of a year. This and the fact that calls between TPO colleagues are free could well entice SMBs towards this relatively new player. View this deal on TPO’s website The Co-operativeIdeal for short contracts Business Unlimited | Unlimited minutes | Unlimited texts | 3GB data | 12-month contract | £17 Perhaps the newest MVNO here, Co-op is better known for its supermarkets and its financial services. Like TPO, Co-op supports a few social and ethical projects and since it is a co-operative, its customers can become members as well. Its unlimited bundle – which is powered by EE - comes with no limit texts and minutes. Additional 1GB data bundles will cost £1.67 at a time. Note that a sharer bundle is also available but without the data component. View his deal on The co-operative business telecoms Virgin Media BusinessExcellent for dual-play Big Data | Unlimited minutes | Unlimited texts| 3GB data | 12-month contract | £11.67 If you plan to get mobile SIM-only services packaged with broadband, then the Big Data offer from VMB is worth looking at. The mobile service is underpinned by EE’s infrastructure and therefore like Co-op, provides with unlimited minutes and texts. Save £2 per month per SIM package if you opt for VMB’s Managed Internet Access package. Sadly, there is no sharer package for teams. View this deal on Virgin Media Business’ website This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| UK porn block: everything you need to know Posted: 02 May 2019 09:27 AM PDT The UK 'porn block' is coming into effect on July 15. After this date, all UK-based internet users will have to confirm that they are 18 or older to access adult entertainment sites. Given that Pornhub alone received 33.5 billion visits in 2018, with the UK providing the second-most users after the United States, the coming age-verification filter is likely to affect a huge number of people in the UK. While it's often called the ‘UK porn block’ that name is not entirely accurate. The age verification law is, in reality, part of section 25 of the Digital Economy Act, which has a number of sections relating to online legislation. The process works like this: once July 15 2019 arrives, adult websites will need to show a splash screen to UK users when they arrive on the site. This interstitial screen must contain no adult material at all and should inform visitors that they must prove they are over 18 years old in order to continue. If a user is able to use an approved age verification system then they'll enter these details, which will likely be a non-identifying username and password. If they don't have these details then the site might explain how to get them, but you won't be able to access the site without providing them...or that's the idea. All adult sites, whether hosted or based in the UK or not, will need to support this. Sites which don't support it may face a fine or be blocked in the UK entirely (or both). Eventually, when the scheme has been running for a couple of months, users will be able to report non-compliant sites. The British Board of Film Classification has been chosen to administer the scheme. It won't provide age ID checks itself but it will approve providers who do. It will be responsible for fining non-compliant sites and, if needed, requesting ISPs block those which don't verify age adequately. The stated goal of the UK 'porn block' is to protect children. The UK government says that young people are too easily able to see hardcore adult video and there is a need to protect them from stumbling across it by accident. You won't find many people who disagree with that sentiment. However, the result will be that all consenting adults will need to jump through hoops to prove that they are old enough to access things they're legally entitled to. As with most things like this there's a very good chance a lot of people won't know how this will affect them, so expect to see some confused and frustrated people wandering the streets on July 15. The UK porn block is designed to keep children safer online but there are still many risks (Image credit: Shutterstock) When is the UK 'porn block' coming, and how will it work?We know that from July 15 anyone using a website featuring content unsuitable for minors in the UK will be asked to verify their age. To do so users over 18 will need to provide proof that they are old enough to access age restricted sites. The verification can be done online or in a shop where a pass can be purchased that confirms the holder is aged 18 or over. The burden of proof in a shop is likely to be somewhat lighter than online. While you may be asked for photo ID, say a passport or driving licence, many shopkeepers will simply apply the common sense rules they currently rely on. If someone looks over 18 they probably won't be challenged to produce ID. From this perspective the shop-based approach might seem more of a privacy concern. People seeking adult content could pop into a shop anywhere in the UK and buy their pass, creating the potential embarrassment of someone they know spotting them. Online it's arguable that the process is more anonymous, but you will need to prove your age by uploading some form of identification. The main provider of age checking for this new legislation, AgeID claims that it won't retain any personal information, with the site claiming that it sends your data to a third party which it then queries to verify age... and you'll be able to choose your provider. Once your ID and password are provided you'll be free to log in to any age restricted site and personal information should never be exchanged. The question still remains, however, about how secure uploading an image of your passport or driving licence actually is. We may see different forms of age verification appear too. One natural way to do this would be for mobile networks to issue IDs to users. These companies already know and have verified your age in many cases, so issuing identification should be simple. What are the ways someone can verify their age?This is where things take a turn for the downright shady. Firstly, at the time of this article's first publication in May 2019, the BBFC is listing exactly zero approved age verification systems. However we know there are a couple of different options that will likely be part of the approved list and this is where it starts to get a bit concerning from a privacy perspective. The main verification technology is called AgeID and is run by a company called Mindgeek. Looking at Mindgeek's website you could be forgiven for assuming that this is some sort of internet security firm. It's not. At all. It's the umbrella brand behind some of the biggest adult websites in the world. Mindgeek runs PornHub, RedTube and YouPorn. It also owns content creators and provides payment and monetisation services to other producers of erotic content. AgeID will be an online system and visitors to adult websites will need to verify their age by uploading proof that they are old enough. The alternative, the PortesCard, will be purchased in shops where the vendor will confirm your age. The card contains a code which is valid for 24 hours after it is purchased. A companion app for mobile will enable you to turn that code into an AgeID and to log in. Two kinds of PortesCard are for sale, one for a single device and another for multiple devices. There is, of course, some concern that kids will share AgeID accounts with each other, meaning that if one gets hold of a PortesCard then they will give access to others. Some security will be implemented to prevent this but it's unlikely it will be entirely effective. The hassles and worries of both of these systems is just one of the reasons we expect many people to turn to VPN services instead. So, can you use a VPN to sidestep the porn block?Yes, it's a cast iron certainty that search terms such as 'best VPN for porn' will skyrocket in the UK the day the block comes into effect. Being able to skirt around geolocation restrictions, content blocks and web filters using a VPN is one of the primary uses of these services as well as providing privacy on the web. Commercial VPN services allow users on almost any electronic device to select a country from which they wish to appear to be located. Commonly this has been used by people to enjoy the US Netflix library from the UK as one example. The UK legislation that requires age verification is put in place when a user appears to be visiting from a UK IP address. If an adult site can't determine that from the provided location data then it will allow UK users to see the same content as if accessing from outside the country's borders. Internet service providers (ISPs) are powerless to prevent people avoiding the restrictions in this way because VPN traffic is encrypted and thus completely opaque to them - the ISPs have no way to see what their VPN-using customers are looking at when they're connected to one. It is possible that the government might try to place the same age restrictions on VPN providers. Namely, that they must verify customers are 18 or older. But this would need a separate law to enact and would almost certainly be wildly unpopular. It seems implausible, given that VPNs are already being used by terrorists and paedophiles and yet aren't being targeted, that the porn block will be any different. While the main reason for the block is to stop under-age children accessing inappropriate content, many will have concerns around the privacy of uploading their details to new services, or that they will be placed on some kind of database of pornography watchers, which is there the privacy of a VPN can provide some solace. The downside for those users is that VPNs cost money (albeit just a few dollars per month in most cases) and will add up to more than the cost of simply getting one of the porn passes from a registered provider. There are some free VPN services, most notably Hotspot Shield which offers a 500MB daily data allowance. Other free VPN apps tend to offer reasonably small data allowances or use your broadband connection to provide a reciprocal service to other users. This is less than desirable for most people and could have privacy implications of its own, so using a more reputable provider is key. TechRadar has tested every major VPN service out there and we rate ExpressVPN as the very best. Mindgeek owns the internet's biggest porn sites including PornHub, RedTube and YouPorn Will all adult sites comply with the UK block?It's highly unlikely that all sites offering adult content will comply with the so-called UK porn block. There are a number of reasons for that. They range from the cost simply being too high, right through to confusion about what's required. Bear in mind that most pornography sites aren't hosted in the UK nor are many of them based here from a business perspective. While larger firms will be aware this legislation is coming it's entirely possible that smaller ones won't have a clue or simply won't care enough about the UK to bother with it. While the UK government is promising fines for non-compliant companies, it doesn't have much jurisdiction in any other part of the world. It could, perhaps, put pressure on EU firms, but the UK decided to cut ourselves off from that source of support. What happens if sites don't comply?Fines of up to £250,000 can be applied to any company which doesn't comply with the UK's new porn block regulations. They can also be blocked by all UK-based ISPs if they refuse to implement the checks. These blocks will likely be of the same kind that the high court uses to prevent people accessing football streaming services, and torrent sites such as The Pirate Bay. ISPs have no choice about implementing these blocks and the public almost certainly won't be told anything at all about which sites and services have been blacklisted. For many users, websites they currently use will simply vanish and be replaced by an explanation from the user's ISP. How long will it take to apply the block?A very significant percentage of the internet is made up of pornographic content. Some estimates suggest that 4% of the top million websites provide pornography. That's around 42,000 distinct websites that host adult content. This is going to present the BBFC with a significant challenge, especially if these sites refuse to take action. To process each non-compliant site would be a lengthy process and will require the regulator be told about those not verifying a user's age or it discovering them for itself. The cost and time this will take could be considerable and we won't know about the challenges it creates until the legislation takes effect and we can see the impact from July 15 onwards. UK porn block comes into force on July 15 (Image credit: Shutterstock) How will the UK porn block help under-18s?While it is a part of life, there are plenty of legitimate concerns about online pornography. Its failure to present a realistic view of sex, the treatment of women and the increasingly extreme nature of video content are all problematic. Some studies have shown that pornography has a detrimental effect on the sex lives of some people with some reports claiming that using it can lead to erectile dysfunction and changes to your brain. Many videos appear to coerce women into sex with money or harassment, giving a distorted view of consent and while almost certainly fictional acts they can give young people an inappropriate view of how sex should work in a normal relationship. Reducing the number of kids seeing these distortions could be seen as a very good thing. Although to buy in to that you'd first have to accept that the porn block will work, which is clearly not certain at all. Will this help parents?There are some advantages to the legislation that will help parents. If we assume it's a total success and all porn providers place a UK age gateway on their sites then perhaps young children will stumble across adult material less. In reality there is also a lot of porn on other services like Twitter, Reddit and image sharing sites. Because these companies aren't porn providers they also aren't required to construct an age-based gateway on their content. As always it's preferable for parents to educated and monitor their child's online habits. After all, seeing pornography is just one of the many dangers of unrestricted internet access. While a lofty goal, internet use in the under-16s should be carefully managed by parents but even the best intentions can't protect against inquisitive and resourceful young brains. What's more, whether we like it or not, many kids under 18 are already using VPNs and will simply continue to do so. The Digital Economy Act 2017 provides the legislation for the UK porn block What does the UK government say?The government says that keeping children safe online is a priority. Research by the NSPCC suggested that 28% of 11 to 12-year-olds had been exposed to pornographic content which jumps to 65% of 15 to 16-year-olds. David Cameron first started to talk about restrictions on porn in 2013. Initially these plans were that ISPs would offer age restrictions to customers that wanted them. Later ISPs started to apply content filters to new subscriptions with customers required to opt-out. This varies from provider to provider but Virgin Media made the filter its default in 2018. The EFF has a detailed list of major ISPs content restrictions. Mobile networks also offer content filtering which is switched on by default and can be deactivated by either calling your provider or using your online account settings to deactivate it. In July 2016 the Digital Economy Bill got its first parliamentary reading and included a section related directly to internet pornography. Made up of 17 sections it covers all of the legislation that was voted into law on April 27 2017. Originally it was supposed to be enforced from April 2018 but that was delayed until "Easter 2019". It was then delayed again, and is now supposed to be enforced from July 15 2019. Other than with VPN services, how else might people circumvent the block?The UK porn block relies heavily on a couple of things. Firstly a site must determine where a user is located in order to serve them an age restricted landing page. And secondly, when a site is blocked for failing to comply with age restrictions your ISP needs to know you're accessing it in order to prevent the requests being fulfilled. As highlighted, a VPN will stop you seeing the messages from the UK’s porn block because the traffic between you and the wider internet is encrypted. It also essentially cuts out your ISP from the equation - you're using their bandwidth but they can't see what you're actually viewing. But if you're worried about your children viewing inappropriate content, then it's worth noting there are other ways around it too. The service TOR uses a customised version of Firefox and routes traffic around the network using encryption in the same way a VPN does. The users of TOR all agree for a small portion of their internet bandwidth to be used by others on the network and this means that you appear to websites in a way that makes it very hard for them to understand where you are. TOR is a totally free way to somewhat hide who you are and is also unlikely to fall foul of the UK's porn block. There's also another technology that is being heavily pushed by Google and Mozilla to help secure the web. It's called DNS over HTTPS (DoH) and it adds an important layer of security to web traffic. In the same way that traffic between TechRadar and your browser is encrypted (look for the padlock in your address bar) it's possible to do the same with the initial lookup of a domain name. Usually, when you type in a website, your browser uses an unencrypted DNS server to turn techradar.com into a usable, numeric, IP address (185.113.25.56). Using DoH would prevent your ISP from knowing which site you were accessing and therefore any block simply wouldn't work. DoH is currently a little bit too complex to implement for most users. You need support within your router - we tested tools that encrypted DNS traffic but we still got Virgin Media's warning page for The Pirate Bay (a handy test site, as it's blocked under the same system non-compliant porn sites will be). Image credit: Shutterstock What about other ways to share adult content?This is perhaps the area in which the government has shown its absolute ignorance of the internet most obviously. Blocking adult entertainment sites might stop someone typing "porn" into Google and getting easy access to streaming video. What it does not help with, in the slightest, is the myriad other ways to share sex videos. Up and down the UK people are sending each other porn, either professional or homemade, via WhatsApp. If kids have access to a smartphone then they probably have either WhatsApp, Snapchat, Signal or Telegram. All allow the easy circulation of pretty much any type of video you like. And these videos aren't controlled by the strict rules that porn hosts place on their videos. There is a very real chance that kids will be exposed to far more worrying videos via WhatsApp than they would on PornHub. So-called revenge porn, where someone's intimate moments are shared without their permission, could spread far more widely. This is a very troubling situation and forcing sexuality underground is never a good idea. Then there is the considerable problem of BitTorrent and newsgroups. These services are commonly used to spread pretty much every type of video from every type of porn site. Kids who want to find porn will easily be able to, and nothing protects children accidentally downloading a video thinking it's one thing, and getting porn by mistake. The government has been trying for a really long time to stop torrents and other methods of illegally sharing video, and so far hasn't been successful. What are the adverse consequences of the block?Perversely there is an argument that the UK porn block will inadvertently make children less safe. One reason for this is that people are much more likely to use a VPN which then opens up different parts of the internet that may, for good reason, be blocked. Pornographic content, for example, isn't illegal but abuse images are, as is terrorism of course. So using a VPN may well allow young people to stumble across these types of material by accident. Certainly the government's key argument here is about protecting children from accidentally seeing things that could damage them. So what happens when someone is told at school to search for "beheading videos" and does so on a connection with no restrictions on accessing terrorist material online. This might sound like a leap, but VPNs and TOR may well give children access to the bits of the internet we really want them to stay away from. TOR, for all its legal uses also facilitates accessing dark web sites where drugs can be bought, and worse. Pushing vulnerable young people to use these technologies is a definite risk. There are also concerns that it could prevent young people from accessing vital information about their own sexuality that could cause them problems. This might have a profound impact on young people growing up in families where they don't feel able to ask adults around them about their feelings and want to turn to the web to understand. There is also the very real problem that the government is exerting control over the public internet. Nation states acting as the arbiter of what people can see without special permission is a worrying trend that we've seen in other parts of the world and would, likely, prefer not to see in the UK. Image credit: Shutterstock Is this a privacy disaster in the making?There is, of course, enormous potential for this block to backfire massively. One of the biggest problems is that Mindgeek provides a very significant proportion of the adult material online. It's also heavily involved in AgeID and, by extension, the PortesCard. While the company claims it's not retaining information used in the age verification process we don't know what potential there is to link the two. If records are somehow kept of the real name used in the age verification system then they could, conceivably be paired with someone's browsing history on PornHub. It's doesn't take a spectacular leap of imagination to see people being outed for their perfectly legal sexual preferences. The consequences of such information being uncovered by hackers or leaked through incompetence could range from mild bullying right through to people losing their jobs. The ultimate consequence is that it could cost lives if it drives people to take their own lives. Providers of age verification systems will, of course, have to abide by GDPR rules but mistakes are made and no amount of fining can prevent accidents or poor security from being a problem. What are the costs of compliance for adult sites?The porn block will have financial implications for everyone, in some cases those costs will be considerable. At the most basic level it will cost the taxpayer money because the government will invest time and money into policing it. There will also be potential lawsuits to defend, especially if the BBFC asks ISPs to block sites that the challenge that decision in court. The costs of implementing age checking will also have to be borne by someone. Porn sites will need to add the functionality to their sites. For large companies like Mindgeek that will be trivial, for smaller providers it might be too much to bear. For those who don't want to comply, blocking UK traffic is the simplest way to avoid large costs. To verify ages porn companies will need to pick one, or perhaps several, of the BBFC's approved identification providers. These companies obviously need to fund those ID checks and there are a couple of ways they'll do this. Mindgeek, which runs AgeID, will not charge consumers directly to verify their age. Instead it will charge porn companies for each customer they need to verify. Again, this is absolutely fine for big sites - although it's money they would presumably prefer not to spend. But smaller, bespoke providers will find it harder to find this money - it may well be cheaper for them to block UK customers entirely. The other option puts the cost of running the service on customers directly. It will be possible to pop to your local newsagent and buy a Portes Card which will cost either £4.99 for a single device or £8.99 for multiple phones, tablets or computers. You'll be able to buy one of these cards at any PayPoint retailer and most people live within a mile of one of those. It is, presumably, possible for paywall protected sites to use a customer's credit card to verify that they are over 18. However it may be that the BBFC doesn't deem this suitable protection, as minors may "borrow" credit cards in order to circumvent the block. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The best mobile broadband deals of 2019 Posted: 02 May 2019 09:24 AM PDT Looking for the best mobile broadband deals of 2019? Then you've come to the right place. For people who work remotely - or spend a lot of time commuting - then picking the best mobile broadband deal for their needs is essential. You don't want to be locked into a contract that doesn't offer you fast enough spees or enough data. On the other hand, you don't want to pay an expensive subscription each month for data and bandwidth that you simply do not need. This is where our guide to the best mobile broadband deals of 2019 can help you. On this page, you'll find links to the best mobile broadband deals currently available in the UK; the market is currently very competitive with some surprising names popping up. For the sake of clarity, we will be including tethering as an option. Tethering allows you to use your smartphone as a wireless Wi-Fi hotspot; you could even be looking at having an old or cheap smartphone as a hotspot or even use a dual-SIM smartphone like the OnePlus 3. Note that prices usually increase every year in line with the RPI (Retail Price Index). While free Wi-Fi hotspots may be present at almost every cafe, library and public space, the quality and speed of these free Wi-Fi networks leaves a lot to be desired. Plus, there are legitimate security concerns with using free networks like that, especially if you're using them for work. The best mobile broadband deals of the monthThese are the deals we recommend most highly. We try to pick out a deal for everyone, whether you're after the cheapest possible option or the best balance between allowance and cost over one month and 12/24-months deals. For light users and European travellersThree | 12GB | No contract | £27.99 We would recommend going the PAYG route if you're a light user for three reasons. Firstly, it gives you the flexibility to use more or less data each month. Secondly, you are not tied into any contracts and thirdly, PAYG beats any entry-level broadband-only SIM offers. We recommend the Three 3G/4G PAYG Trio Data SIM preloaded with 12GB of data and in theory, can even be used abroad as part of the popular Feel At Home scheme. It allows you to get online abroad at no extra cost in 42 destinations worldwide with new countries being added regularly. Check the terms and conditions with Three as these change frequently. It is also cheaper to buy it from Mymemory than purchasing it straight from Three. For medium usersThree | 20GB per month | 12-month contract | £20 per month Planning to use up to 20GB of data a month? Then pay monthly is your better option; otherwise, stick to the 12GB offer above. This deal means you get 20GB for the price of 10GB per month and is the ideal data tariff. Remember it's a 12 month deal. You can get the SIM delivered within three working days. Three also offer this deal as a monthly rolling contract, but the price does increase to £23 a month. For heavy usersVodafone | 30GB per month | 12-month contract | £25 per month If you need even more than 20GB of data a month, then Vodafone offers 30GB of data allowance every month for only £25, that's only £1.20 per GB. All Vodafone 4G Data SIMs come with Vodafone Global Roaming, giving you the freedom to use your UK data in 110 destinations worldwide. For an extra £5 a day, you can use your UK data allowance in our 60 Roam-further destinations – and you’ll be charged only on the days you use your device. Vodafone also offers contracts with up to 50GB of data each month for seriously heavy users. There are also options for monthly rolling contracts, which give you a bit more flexibility without tying you in for 12 months. For international travellersIf you often travel internationally and want to freely use the internet without having to think of costs, then it is hard, if not impossible, to beat Knowroaming's offering. It is offering a global SIM card for as little as $9.99 (about £8) with an unlimited data package costing only $7.99 (about £6.50) per day in more than 90 countries. We tried it during a recent trip to Japan and it worked flawlessly. The SIM comes with a free US and UK number with the option to purchase additional foreign numbers. There's an app to track your real-time usage and as a bonus, you get to use WhatsApp for free worldwide (that includes calls, photo and video messaging). Now that's a deal we can't say no to. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Best small business routers 2019: top routers for work Posted: 02 May 2019 09:16 AM PDT Welcome to our pick of the best small business routers of 2019. In this buying guide, we'll show you the top routers that are ideal for small and medium sized businesses - or even home offices. When looking for the best small business router for your needs, you don't have to worry about it being able to handle huge amounts of network traffic, but you'll still need something that has enough power to handle a number of employees and devices accessing the network 24/7. Modern routers now often come with dual or even triple band connectivity, as well as a slew of other features usually found on far more expensive enterprise-grade models, while costing considerably less. The complexity and requirements of running a wireless network these days mean that the best small business routers now have a much more varied feature set, as well as including hardware that’s often found in computers. The best small business routers should be quick to set up and easy to use and maintain, which means you won't need a dedicated IT team or administrator, which is good news for smaller businesses. All the powerful features found on this list of best small business routers will be easily accessible through an easy-to-use user interface, accessed either through a PC or mobile device. The best small business routers on this list have all been carefully picked by us due to their security, support, remote access, business grade VPN, WAN redundancy, connectivity options and scalability features, which are more important to business users than things like raw speed, value or QoS features. Asus has a reputation for manufacturing great consumer products and the Taiwanese firm – known for its laptops and motherboards – has been trying its hand at wireless products. The BRT-AC828 is its only business router and the device ticks a lot of boxes, even for small businesses looking for more than 10 simultaneous connections. Granted, it is excruciatingly expensive but packs the sort of features you’d never expect from a router like an M.2 slot to plug in an SSD to convert it into a mini-NAS. There’s a lot more here including support for RADIUS, the ability to aggregate four 1Gb Ethernet ports into a virtual 4Gb one (it has a mighty eight Gigabit Ethernet ports in all) and even support for LTE as a backup connection to improve resilience – the router already has two 1Gbps WAN ports that can be aggregated or used independently. As you’d expect from a top of the range router, it offers 4x4 MU-MIMO and theoretical speeds of up to 2.6Gbps with open plan coverage up to 100m (albeit on the 2.4GHz band). Asus has also partnered with Trend Micro to offer a built-in security package called AIProtection. If you want a good performing, no-nonsense router, then the Billion BiPAC 8900AX-2400 is well worth considering. Billion might not be as much of a well-known brand as some of the others on this list, but it has been around for more than a decade. We would especially recommend the BiPAC 8900AX-2400 to people with an ADSL2+ internet connection, as it can replace your existing modem as well. Of course, this involves a bit of tweaking – and it’s here that we offer a note of caution: this is a router suitable for people who are confident in setting up networks. If you want a plug-and-play stylish looking user-friendly router, this will not be for you. Don’t let its ugly looks (and the similarly clunky user interface) put you off, though: this is a great all-round router for your small business. Feature-wise, it can reach 2.4Gbps on both bands with an auto-failover feature should you connect a 3G/4G modem to its USB port. It is a bit lightweight compared to the competition in the connectivity stakes, though, with only four Ethernet ports and one USB 2.0 connector; but that’s reflected in its lower price. If you work in an office, and you’re ready to bring your networking into the modern age with one of the best routers for businesses, you seriously need to check out the Netgear Orbi Pro. It's a modular Wi-Fi mesh system, but it makes some design and performance changes that specifically cater to the business user. It’s not cheap, but if you run a business where you can’t afford anyone slowing down due to slow Wi-Fi, it’s worth every penny. Read the full review: Netgear Orbi Pro Linksys is one of the most recognisable names in small business networking. It’s no surprise, therefore, that the company was one of the first to deliver a tri-band router which uses MU-MIMO technology – and a whopping eight antennas – to deliver two 2.17Gbps streams with an additional 1Gbps stream for legacy 2.4GHz devices. Managing three separate bands requires some serious firepower which is why there’s a dual-core 1.4GHz processor at the heart of the EA9500. Linksys recommends pairing the device with its own Max-Stream AC1900+ MU-MIMO Wi-Fi Range Extender to offer seamless roaming and improve coverage. Other than two USB ports, the router comes with a hefty eight LAN ports and a WAN port. There are no specific business features other than WPA2 enterprise wireless encryption – you won’t be able to bond Gigabit ports and there are no redundancy/failover options, or security extras. Nonetheless, the fact that this device can be controlled from an app makes it ideal for busy small businesses. Technically speaking, the Nighthawk X10 is a consumer router but like the Asus model above, it offers features that you will usually find on business routers. As technically advanced as most routers on this list, it is rated at 2600Mbps using 4x4 MU-MIMO and has plenty of LAN ports – seven Gigabit ones, in fact. You can aggregate a pair of them to reach 2Gbps and there’s even a 10G LAN SPF+ connector for NAS access (assuming you’ve got a device that supports this technology). Add in a pair of USB 3.0 ports and some powerful hardware (quad-core ARM processor clocked at 1.7GHz, 1GB RAM and 512MB storage) and you can see why this Netgear router will appeal to businesses as well as enthusiast-level consumers. Its most intriguing feature, though, has to be support for 802.11ad which is a short range, high-speed connectivity that requires line of sight to work properly. Also known as WiGig, it operates in the 60GHz spectrum and aims to replace wires altogether. One unexpected goodie included with the router is a 6-month subscription to Amazon Cloud Drive (double check which one, though, as Amazon killed the ‘unlimited’ tier mentioned in the marketing literature) and that’s a great bonus for backup purposes. The Synology RT2600ac is what you get when you fuse a traditional wireless router with a network-attached storage device or NAS (well, it gives you a bit more besides, too). The company is mostly known for its NAS boxes and while the modem doesn’t boast the beefiest specs or even a conventionally attractive shell like most of the competition, the RT2600ac packs a ton of features (like built-in VPN and the ability to aggregate two WAN ports) that make it worth your while. While it only has 4GB of storage built-in, you can connect an external hard drive and configure your own cloud service similar to Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive. You can even download a selection of NAS-grade apps like a VPN client and server. Unfortunately, the app selection is sparse at the moment, and the ecosystem needs better community support – which hopefully it’ll get going forward. Though it’s not exactly fool-proof in terms of its setup process and the more complex functions it offers, the Synology RT2600ac is much more accessible than most NAS devices. Bear in mind that this is only Synology’s second attempt at devising a router of its own, so despite some shortcomings here, there’s plenty of room to improve. Read the full review: Synology RT2600ac
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| The best MSI gaming laptops 2019: our pick of the gaming powerhouses Posted: 02 May 2019 08:32 AM PDT Welcome to our pick of the best MSI gaming laptops of 2019. These days, the best gaming laptops are packed with more power than we’d ever dreamed of. MSI gaming laptops, especially, packed with Nvidia Turing graphics and Intel Coffee Lake processors are able to play all the latest AAA PC games maxed out at high resolutions – some with real time ray-tracing enabled. However, before you head out and pick up the first MSI gaming laptop you see on the shelf, there are a few things you need to think about. What games are you trying to play? Are you all about that eSports life, vying to top the leaderboards in Overwatch or be the last person standing in Apex Legends? Or, do you want to immerse yourself in the latest RPG with all the eye candy turned on? This is a lot to think about, but we’ve put our laptop expertise to good use, gathering up the best MSI gaming laptops on the market right now, so that you aren’t left grasping at straws. And, because we’ve included our exclusive price comparison tool, you can be sure you’re only getting the best deal on your shiny new MSI gaming laptop. Image Credit: MSI There’s this traditional image that many people have for gaming laptops: a thick brick of a device that you can’t carry around in your backpack. And, while there are a couple MSI gaming laptops like that, the MSI GS65 Stealth is the exact opposite. Measuring just 1.16 inches thick and weighing 4.19 pounds, this laptop will let you take up to an Nvidia RTX 2080 on the road, without blowing your back out. It also helps that it’s gorgeous: an all-black design with gold accents and RGB lighting. If you can afford it, you can’t go wrong here. Read the full review: MSI GS65 Stealth Image Credit: MSI Sometimes you just need a tank to get the job done. Sure, there are all kinds of gaming laptops out there that are thin and light and can get the job done. But, what if you’re looking for something with a bit of extra juice? Well, the MSI GT75 Titan is the MSI gaming laptop for you. This beast features full-fat Nvidia RTX graphics and up to 32GB of RAM, meaning that no matter which game you’re playing, nothing will slow you down. Even professional video editing programs will be smooth as butter, too, so you can record and edit your gaming highlights without breaking a sweat. Read the full review: MSI GT75 Titan Image Credit: MSI Gaming laptops, especially since Nvidia’s RTX lineup hit the street, are more expensive than ever. Packing a thin and light package with powerful hardware gets expensive, so when we find an MSI gaming laptop that offers a prodigious value, we take note. The MSI GF63 isn’t the most powerful laptop on the market, far from it, but with up to an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti, you’ll be able to get great framerates in your favorite esports titles without paying a fortune. Add that to the attractive chassis and super-thin bezels and it’s not hard to see why it’s just a great buy. It doesn’t come with an SSD out of the box, but with a screwdriver and 15 minutes of your time, you can fix that. Image Credit: MSI It’s easy to find an MSI gaming laptop that really grabs your attention, the svelte design of the GS65 Stealth, the titanic performance of the GT75 Titan. However, sometimes finding something right down the middle is the best move. And, while we haven’t reviewed the MSI GE75 Raider quite yet, the high-end specs should deliver comparable performance to a much thicker laptop without sacrificing portability. It’s not quite “thin and light”, but you should be able to carry it around. And, that space you’re getting over something like the GS65 Stealth means you can upgrade it however you want – you can even fit two NVMe drives in there. Image Credit: MSI If you’re looking to get your hands on an MSI gaming laptop with modern Nvidia RTX graphics, you may have already resigned yourself to paying nearly two grand. Luckily, you don’t have to do that – the MSI GL63 delivers an Intel Core i7 processor and an Nvidia RTX 2060 for less than the competition. We haven’t reviewed this mid-range gaming laptop quite yet, but these specs for this price is a no brainer. You do have to give up a little in the way of build quality, but that’s a worthy trade off.
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| The best cheap TV sales and 4K TV deals in the UK - May 2019 Posted: 02 May 2019 07:40 AM PDT We've been super busy this week adding lots of highlights of the very best cheap TV sales. TV prices on some fantastic Ultra HD 4K TVs have been dropping nicely in recent months in the UK. We've got you covered if you're looking for TV deals in the US too. We've tried to find something for everyone here. So we've got you covered for multiple size categories and we've looked at both ends of the pricing scale so you can get a cheap TV on a low budget, or you might find a higher quality set for a lower price than you expected - although those super new 8K models aren't coming down any time soon. Not to worry though, as some of these HDR 4K TV deals will make your jaw drop. Netflix, Amazon, Sky TV and the like are all increasing their 4K content too so you won't be short on Ultra HD content to watch. Standard HD content will be upscaled on these TVs a bit too, so you can feel the benefits of 4K straight away. We keep our eye on the latest TV deals throughout the year, so we're poised to find you the best price whenever the need to replace your old TV arises. We're fully behind the 4K TV movement too as a competitive market has seen prices reach affordable levels much quicker than when HD tellies first came around. One look at the prices below and you'll see what we mean. So much so, we'll rarely even mention regular HD TVs here seeing as Ultra HD TV deals are so cheap today. Finding you the best cheap TV dealWe've split our carefully curated 4K TV deals into different size categories immediately after our pick for cheap TV deal of the week. Whatever your budget, we're sure we can find something for you. Note: all of our selected TV sales highlights are for 4K/Ultra HD TVs and include a built-in freeview tuner as standard. Pretty much every deal comes with Smart TV functionality built-in along with HDR technology. If they don't, we'll clearly mention it. The best cheap TV deals you can buy todayExtra retailer cheap 4K TV sales links:Not found the right cheap TV for you today? Or maybe you'd prefer to directly browse the TV sales 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 luck 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 sales at multiple stores. More large screen 4K TV salesIf you're after more seriously large TV deals, we should warn you, they don't come cheap. However, if you want to see some more large screen TV deals -we're talking about 65 to 85-inch TVs- we'd recommend heading over to AO.com, John Lewis, Currys and Amazon as they seem to stock more models than most UK retailers. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The best Asus gaming laptops 2019 Posted: 02 May 2019 07:39 AM PDT Every year PC gaming gets bigger and bigger, and the hardware that powers it gets more powerful. But, what if you want to take that power on the road? Well, there are plenty of Asus gaming laptops that will let you do just that. With powerful hardware, gorgeous displays and dazzling aesthetics, Asus gaming laptops are leading the scene right now. But, picking the right one for your needs can get a bit complicated. So, you should ask yourself what you plan on doing with an Asus gaming laptop: do you want to play Apex Legends on the go, trying to be the last one standing? Or, do you want to experience Devil May Cry V in all of its edgy glory? No matter what kind of games you want to play, there will be an Asus gaming laptop for you. And, we went ahead and gathered up some of the best Asus gaming laptops on the market, so you can spend less time shopping and more time in game. We also included our exclusive price comparison tool, so you can get a sick deal on the Asus gaming laptop of your dreams. Make sure you check out our pick of the best Asus laptops as well, if you're not just looking for an Asus gaming machine. Image Credit: Asus If you travel a lot, but you don’t want to be separated from the best PC games when you do, finding a thin and light Asus gaming laptop like the Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701 is a dream come true. Rocking up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080, there isn’t a AAA game out there that will be out of reach. Plus, it’s so thin, light and stylish that you’ll want to take it everywhere you go. Read the full review: Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701 Image Credit: Asus Sometimes a thin and light gaming laptop just isn’t going to cut it. Sure, they’re fun to carry around to play games on the subway or something, but when you need to pull out the big guns, a thick desktop replacement like the Asus ROG G703 is going to be your best bet. This beast only comes with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 and can be packed with up to 64GB of RAM so you’re going to cut through everything without a problem. As long as you have the cash, this is the most powerful Asus gaming laptop you’ll find anywhere. Read the full review: Asus ROG G703 Image Credit: Asus When you go out looking for an Asus gaming laptop, you’ll find plenty of budget options and a lot of extremely expensive devices. However, the Asus ROG Strix Scar Edition is the best of both worlds, bringing performance on par with the best gaming PCs without setting you back thousands of dollars. It’s not the slimmest laptop in the world – not even the slimmest laptop on this list, but in terms of hardware, you’re getting exactly what you’re paying for, and we can’t complain about that. Read the full review: Asus ROG Strix Scar Edition Image Credit: Asus The Asus ROG Strix Hero II is marketed as a laptop for esports, and while its 144Hz display and RTX 2060 GPU is great for that, this Asus gaming laptop is capable of so much more. At 1080p, this attractive mid-range laptop should be able to play most, if not all, AAA games at 1080p with all the settings maxed out. It is a bit on the expensive side, but so are all Nvidia RTX laptops. Read our hands-on: Asus ROG Strix Hero II Image Credit: Asus We here at TechRadar love a thin and light gaming laptop, the ability to bring the best PC games on the road without having to compromise on performance is a win. And, while many super thin gaming laptops come with an extremely heavy price increase, the Asus Zephyrus M manages to keep things reasonable. We haven’t been able to get our hands on it for testing but, trust us, this isn’t a gaming laptop you’re going to want to pass on. It has yet to be refreshed with Nvidia RTX graphics, and while that’s a bummer, it does mean that you’ll likely find some sweet deals.
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| These are the best PopSocket phone grips we've seen Posted: 02 May 2019 07:26 AM PDT The best PopSockets aren't just about finding an easy way to hold your phone – they also help you show off what you care about, or just look great. For those who don't know, PopSockets are accessories that you stick to the back of your phone to give you something easy to grip when you're holding it – you can also pop them down so they don't take up much space, and don't get in the way when your phone is in your pocket.
But it can often be hard to find a great PopSocket for you – some shops only sell boring plain ones, and if you look online you're faced with hundreds of different designs, so it can be hard to get your head around them all. That's why we've researched the best popsockets for you, whether you're looking for something subtle and delicate to complement your phone, or a design that shows off your artistic or geeky side. These are products that we haven't had in our test labs, but based on our experts' opinion and knowledge of the most reputable brands around, we think these are worth looking at. Our selections, ranked in no particular order, take into account online reviews, brand reputation, product capability and unique features, to help you pick through the maze of choices available to you. Best PopSocket for sports fansImage credit: PopSockets If you're a big sports fan you probably use your phone to stream sports and catch up on match results – so why not use a PopSocket to let people know that? A football or soccer PopSocket will let everyone know not to bother you because you're watching the game, and you can get other sports PopSockets in a range of designs for whatever game you prefer. Best PopSocket for your inner geekImage credit: PopSockets If you want to find the best PopSocket to show off your geeky side, you can hardly go wrong with this Death Star grip, which fortunately doesn't have the same design flaw as the 'real' Death Star. There are plenty of other Star Wars PopSockets if the villain's base isn't your go-to image from the films, and loads of other geeky PopSockets you can find branded with Batman or Avengers logos. Best subtle PopSocket for black phonesImage credit: PopSockets Sometimes you want a PopSocket that doesn't stand out, but actually blends in with your phone, so if you're looking for a subtle black PopSocket, this grip is one of the best you can get. Its ridged black circles aren't plain and boring, so you're going to be a good-looking PopSocket, but if you've got a black phone it won't look garish or too vibrant either. Best subtle PopSocket for white phonesImage credit: PopSockets This white PopSocket will look great on a white phone – its minimal design and pastel-esque colors stand out against a white background, but also don't look too bright or ugly. Polka dots are always fashionable, so you're never going to find your PopSocket going out of fashion. Best subtle PopSocket for black or white phonesImage credit: PopSockets If a ridged black PopSocket, or white polka dot design, doesn't tickle your fancy for the PopSocket you choose, this marble-patterened grip can go with both white and black phones. Marble always looks great as a design, and this textured pattern will make your phone look elegant and high-brow. Best PopSocket for fans of the finer thingsImage credit: PopSocket If you're a classy and sophisticated person you want your PopSocket to reflect that, and so your best option is to get a gem-encrusted PopSocket like this one. Of course this PopSocket isn't made from actual gems, as that would cost a lot, but it looks a lot like one, which is close enough. If pink isn't your favorite colour there's a wide range of gem-style grips to go for, so take a pick to see if any of them grab your fancy. Best PopSocket for animal loversImage credit: PopSockets There are so many animal PopSockets to pick from, but our favourite has to be this cute turtle design, that's simple enough to go well with many different phones, but also shows off one of the best animals around. If turtles aren't your favorite animal, there are PopSockets of a range of other animals, like elephants or cats, so you're more than likely to find whichever creature you prefer. Best PopSocket for foodiesImage credit: PopSockets We're getting hungry just looking at this donut PopSocket, which is as colorful and tasty looking as Homer Simpson's favorite snack. You shouldn't buy this PopSocket if you're looking for a subtle grip – it's big and bold and it'll stand out on your phone, but if you're a proud sweet-tooth or food lover, you need to let everyone know. Best cute cartoon PopSocketImage credit: PopSockets It's always nice to have a cute design, pattern or animal on a phone or phone case, so why not extend that and have a cute PopSocket too? This llama PopSocket looks cute and happy to be on your phone – if it is a llama, because although the PopSockets company refers to it as such, it looks suspiciously look a unicorn to us. Best PopSocket for outdoor loversImage credit: PopSockets If you're an outdoor lover you're going to be using your phone a lot outside, to take selfies and keep the music going, so what better than an outdoors PopSocket to show up your love of nature? This ocean PopSocket has a design that makes you want to drop your work and run to the beach – so if you live for sea, surf, sailing, or sangria on the beach, how better to let people know than by keeping the sea near you at all times. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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