Saturday, May 11, 2019

Apple : Would you trade in your car for this e-bike?

Apple : Would you trade in your car for this e-bike?

Would you trade in your car for this e-bike?

Posted: 11 May 2019 12:00 PM PDT

Rad Power Bikes' RadWagon is a beast of a machine, but in a good way. It’s the end product of a business that was started up in Seattle by two childhood friends. Their love of bikes has resulted in a growing company that has its headquarters in the Pacific North West city. Unsurprisingly, however, Rad Power Bikes also has an office in Utrecht, Holland.

The European base is an obvious one as Holland is bike central on this side of the pond. It’s also a country where you’ll see all manner of bicycles. But even Dutch people, who think they’ve seen it all when it comes to two-wheelers, do a double-take when they clap eyes on the Rad Power Bikes RadWagon. What we have here, says the company, is an electric cargo bike.

Rad Power Bikes RadWagon battery

14Ah lithium-ion battery (Image credit: Rad Power Bikes)

Which is where the 'beast' bit of the equation comes in. Rad Power Bikes says in its promotional blurb that this is a bike that’s designed to replace your car. That’s a bold claim, but in some ways it’s kinda true. The RadWagon boasts a longtail frame, which although being a similar width to a conventional bike, means that it’s able to carry adults, kids and cargo happily, and in equal measure.

The other not-so-secret weapon in the specification of the RadWagon is its muscular e-bike credentials. This two-wheeler comes with a beefier battery than you get on a normal e-bike, due in part to the extra weight and load capacity it has to move from A to B. What’s more, once you get on and use it you soon realise that the RadWagon isn’t so much a bicycle as an electric scooter. Yep, it’s got a twist-grip throttle on the handlebars. This allows you to take off and get the wind whistling through your hair without pedalling. It’s a revelation.

Serious carrying power

Rad Power Bikes' RadWagon falls under the L1e-A electric bike category, which puts it in a very good place. Indeed, the Rad Power Bikes website explains:  L1e-A 'powered cycles' are defined as cycles designed to pedal, equipped with an auxiliary propulsion with the primary aim to aid pedaling. The propulsion should be limited at a speed of 25kmph and its maximum continuous rated power should not exceed 1,000W. L1e-A includes two-, three- and four-wheel vehicles.

Rad Power Bikes RadWagon hub

750W direct drive hub motor (Image credit: Rad Power Bikes)

So what’s the deal, we wondered, with having what is effectively an electric scooter at your disposal. Does it need a licence? The back end of the frame has a licence plate mounting point, which suggests so, but after checking rules and regulations, we found that the bike doesn't have to be licensed in the UK (where we tested it). That isn’t necessarily the case in other territories, but is surprising when you’ve got a powerful 750W 48V power system at your disposal via a direct drive hub that also benefits from regenerative braking.

The boost in power is substantial, as most standard EU-based e-bikes fall into the 250W category. Sure, the RadWagon is bulkier and a lot heavier – over 33kg in fact – but Rad Power Bikes insists that’s because it’s designed to replace your car rather than your road bike. We can actually see their point about its potential for making you decide to leave the car at home. 

Rad Power Bikes RadWagon brakes

180mm mechanical disc brakes (Image credit: Rad Power Bikes)

For example, the RadWagon makes it easy to nip to the store, buy a bunch of groceries and load them onto the back of the two-wheeler without breaking into a sweat. And you’ll have done it all in the time that normally you’d still be looking for a parking space in the car.

Amazingly, it can also carry an adult and a couple of small children using child seats correctly mounted on the back. Even in its standard guise there is a long wooden flat seat along with twin running boards that allows passengers to climb on board and enjoy the ride. It’s quirky, and it gets heads turning, but the RadWagon is much more capable than those lesser 250W e-machines. In fact, the only real downside is you’ll be held up on your travels as people stop to ask you what it is.

A lot of bike for your money

We recently got to try a Rad Power Bikes RadWagon, and the giant-sized bike is quite a thing. This substantial two-wheeler costs €1,799 all-in (about $2,000, £1,500, AU$3,000), which seems like a pretty good price, though spare/replacement battery packs are a considerable €599 (about $650, £500, AU$1,000) should you ever need one.

Nevertheless, you certainly get a lot for your money because the bike sports a strong design, good build quality and lots of quality components. The chainset, for example, is Shimano and that means you get silky smooth gear changes and dependability.

Rad Power Bikes RadWagon tires

Kenda K-Shield puncture-resistant tires (Image credit: Rad Power Bikes)

Other areas, like the beefy road tires with their K-Shield puncture-resistant linings that are made to handle heavy-duty scenarios add another level of comfort, while the front and rear disc brakes are great at stopping you and your weighty cargo. Handy when you’ve got a couple of kids and a bunch of shopping on board, for sure. Even the saddle is kind to your behind if you’re on the bike for any amount of time, while the overall riding position is upright, relaxed and really very enjoyable.

There’s some work to be done when the bike arrives however. While most of it is assembled, you’ll need to use the supplied toolkit to adjust the handlebars, add the pedals and also the running boards. You also need to put the front mudguard and headlight into position, and make all the other usual adjustments to ensure the ride height is right and so on. The front wheel, incidentally, is of the quick-release variety.

Rad Power Bikes RadWagon tail light

Integrated tail light with brake lights (Image credit: Rad Power Bikes)

Oh, and there’s also a neat feature in the shape of the deflopilator spring. This is basically a spring that runs between the frame and the forks. It makes sense as cargo bikes carry heavier loads and the deflopilator stops your front wheel from turning too far and running out from underneath you if you’re stopped or are parking it up.

The double stand is another neat touch that means that bike really is secure when this has been dropped down. Another cool feature are the lights, with an LED rear brake strip that illuminates when you pull on either brake leaver. Brake lights on a pushbike! 

Range and charging

Powering up the bike is easy enough, after you’ve charged the frame-mounted battery via the mains. You turn a key on the battery pack and then start the handlebar-mounted LCD display. This shows your speed, watts and there’s an odometer too so you can keep track of your mileage.

Power is shown with a bar/block design. Rad Power Bikes reckons you can expect between 40 and 72km on a charge, although that depends what you’re hauling around and which mode you’re in. Eco is obviously the way to go if you want ultimate battery economy. You even get USB power charging for good measure.

Rad Power Bikes RadWagon cargo rack

Long tail rear cargo rack (Image credit: Rad Power Bikes)

Don’t forget that the RadWagon is a regular bike too, so that seven-speed Shimano Acera drivetrain lets you do plain old pedalling if you prefer. That in itself is a good workout as you notice the extra weight of the bike. One thing you do notice is the length of the chain, which is lengthier than on a normal bike due to the long-wheelbase frame. We did wonder if this would be prone to stretching over time, although it’s too early to say. As for recharging, the battery took on average around five or six hours to get back to 100%.

Overall, we found the Rad Power Bikes RadWagon to be a great little (or should that be big) bike. While we got the impression that some of the component parts had been sourced from cheaper outlets in China, the overall feel is that this is a decent quality cargo bike. The price certainly reflects that. It’s a lot of fun too, handles surprisingly well even when you’ve got people or cargo on board and works well as just a pushbike if you’ve managed to drain the battery. 

The RadWagon also comes in either bright orange or pearl white, and either incarnation is easy to spot, which is another bonus for any bicycle rider. Just be prepared for all the attention you’ll get when you rock up to your local supermarket.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Monster Hunter World has a free trial on PS4

Posted: 11 May 2019 09:21 AM PDT

If Monster Hunter World completely passed you by when it released last year, you can make up for lost time by trying it out in a free trial on PS4 right now. 

From now until May 20, PlayStation 4 owners are able to play through the opening parts of Capcom’s monstrously fun game. 

If you access the trial you’ll get to experience two of the five locations from the full game: Wildspire Waste and the Ancient Forest. You’ll be able to quest, explore and play online with players who own the full game. If you decide you’d quite like to keep hunting monsters and wish to pick up the full title, any progress you make in the trial will be carried over. 

Time to slay

This trial is perfectly timed for new players as Capcom has recently unveiled its DLC for Monster Hunter World, Monster Hunter World: Iceborne. If this trailer caught your attention, the free trial is a great way to test out the base game before committing yourself when the expansion releases in September this year.

In our review, we gave Monster Hunter World a “Play It Now” recommendation for the “careful refinement” and energy it brings to the classic series. If you start the free trial now, you’ll have a good number of days to see what all the fuss is about. 

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Why won't we let robots into our homes – and our hearts?

Posted: 11 May 2019 09:00 AM PDT

Last week, Anki, creator of adorable robots that are part toy, part virtual assistant and part pet, went out of business. “It is with a heavy heart to inform you that Anki has ceased product development and we are no longer manufacturing robots,” the company said in a statement, which promised to help owners keep enjoying their little mechanical pals for as long as possible.

So what went wrong? Why did Anki – a company that had attracted a huge amount of funding and interest in its earlier days – find itself so strapped for cash that it had to pull the plug? Why aren’t we welcoming little bots into our lives?

Anki Cozmo

Vector's expressions were designed by a professional character artist (Image credit: Anki)

They're too expensive

Robot vacuum cleaners are one thing – we might feel a little affection towards them, but they’re very utilitarian. When it comes to robots for fun and companionship, we’re much more hesitant.

One of the simplest explanations is cost: robots of any sort don’t come cheap, and that’s a big problem if your machine is seen as a toy with a limited shelf-life. Why pay over $100 for something that’ll be gathering dust on a shelf in a few months’ time.

Mekamon, by Reach Robotics, is an augmented reality battle-bot that retails for a cool $250/£250 (about AU$350). Today it can be found strutting around Apple stores, demonstrating the iPhone’s augmented reality chops, but getting the first units off the production line was a long, hard, expensive process.

After receiving a small dose of startup funding, the young company’s founders and one employee spent six months in constant crunch mode, working for 18 hours a day in San Diego and barely seeing the sun.

Reach Robotics, creator of Mekamon, has committed to supporting all previous versions of its robot so they don't become obsolete (Image credit: Reach Robotics)

“I was trying to go surfing and I went once, in the end,” chief operating officer John Rees told TechRadar when we visited the company last year. “San Diego’s a cracking spot for that, and I managed to get there once. That’s life as a startup, though.”

Once the company was ready to start actually making bots, the hard graft continued, and the founders spent a week at the production line making the first 20 by hand. Heartbreakingly, many of those early models then had to be tested to destruction to make sure they were safe to sell.

To justify its price to potential owners, Reach is thinking long-term. Although Mekamon is now in its second iteration, the company plans to continue supporting all its legacy bots. If you buy one of its charming spiders today, it won’t become obsolete when the next model hits the shelves.

The company also keeps its bots updated with new modes and games in its mobile app, meaning they keep growing and improving over time.

They'll soon be outdated

Colorado-based robot-maker Sphero found its bots lacking the long-term appeal to justify their price, which resulted in it backing away from a seemingly lucrative licensing deal with Disney. Although bots like the iPhone-operated BB-8 and Lightning McQueen sold well when their associated films were still showing in theaters, interest soon tailed off and sales dropped.

As a result, Sphero decided to move its attention to its own educational bots, which are designed with schools in mind and won’t date like a product tied to a movie. It was a bold move, but one that seems to have paid off.

“We at Sphero are in a unique position since we are a category leader in this space and already partner with more than 40,000 teachers across all subjects at 20,000 schools,” the company told TechRadar in a statement.

Sphero BB-8

Despite their short-term popularity, Sphero decided to move away from licensed robots to develop its own educational bots (Image credit: Sphero)

“To date, more than 1.4 million students have been positively impacted through Sphero Edu and our work to educate kids surrounding technology and computer science. We have an entire team dedicated to working with teachers and administrators in order to bring Sphero into the classroom.”

By thinking big and making sure that Sphero is about more than just the hardware, it was able to offer schools and parents something that will stay useful for years to come.

We don't trust them

Another reason we’re hesitant to allow robots to trundle across our floors and interact with our kids is safety. Almost all bots you can buy today are voice-activated, and most are internet-connected too, which means they could potentially be compromised.

A couple of years ago, TechRadar attended a demo of the Bitdefender Box hardware firewall, where the company demonstrated just how easy it is to take control of a smart device that’s not properly secured. Hard-coded admin logins, firmware that’s impossible to update, and unpatched vulnerabilities in cheap hardware mean a complete stranger can take control of a shoddily made device with just a few clicks and keystrokes.

It’s no wonder Christmas each year sees a raft of headlines about the risks of handing your child what’s essentially a cuddly webcam. Companies like Anki, Sphero and Reach take their responsibilities seriously and take every precaution, but it’s going to be a worry at the back of parents’ minds when they’re filling their virtual carts.

They aren't useful enough

Science fiction often presents robots as companions, but they always serve a practical purpose as well – R2-D2 is a stocky little engineering bot, Wall-E picks up trash and the Terminator, er, terminates.

Anki’s bots do a tremendous amount – particularly Vector, which can answer questions, tell you the weather, play games and recognize its owner’s face, all while joyfully roaming across the floor. A recent update also blessed it with Amazon Alexa support, granting it control over all your smart home devices.

iRobot Roomba

It's the useful but mundane robots that seem to have made themselves comfortable in our houses and apartments (Image credit: iRobot)

Unfortunately, apart from smiling at you and whizzing around your feet, most of that can also be accomplished by an Amazon Echo Dot. The robots that are more widely accepted tend to be those that take the strain out of everyday chores – bots for vacuuming, mopping and cleaning windows.

Perhaps if Cozmo and Vector had been able to clean the floor while they whizzed across them, more people might have been willing to adopt them – especially if they did it with a cheeky smile.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Pokémon Sword and Shield: everything we know about the 2019 Pokémon RPG

Posted: 11 May 2019 08:46 AM PDT

Nintendo has finally (finally!) announced the next generation of Pokémon games coming to Nintendo Switch: Pokémon Sword and Shield.

Using Nintendo's favored method of new game announcements – Direct presentations – The Pokémon Company has now released a brief trailer giving a quick look at the new Pokémon games. 

With a release date set for late 2019, there are only months to go before Pokémon fans get another fix on their Switch consoles.

2018's Pokémon Let's Go: Pikachu and Eevee games acted as a sort of reboot of the original Red and Blue titles for the Nintendo Gameboy, and for many didn't count as a 'core' Pokémon experience. Pokémon Sword and Shield are the first mainline Pokémon games to come to Nintendo Switch, and expectations will be high.

So what do we know, and what are we hoping to see when Pokémon Sword and Shield launch this year? Read on to find out.

[Update: Nintendo has announced the time and date of its E3 2019 livestream. This could be the perfect time for Game Freak to reveal more about Pokémon Sword and Shield.]

Cut to the chase

  • What is it? The eighth-generation of Pokémon games
  • When can I play it? It'll be late 2019
  • What can I play it on? Nintendo Switch

Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield

Image credit: Nintendo

Pokémon Sword and Shield: release date

Not long to wait now... The Pokémon Direct confirmed the late 2019 release date we heard from the official Pokémon Twitter account last year.

Given the usual releases of mainline Pokémon games, we expect to see Sword and Shield land in mid-November, just in time for the holiday season.

Pokémon Sword and Shield: trailers

The presentation doesn't give too much away, but you can see the first glimpse of the environments and art style in the trailer below – without any in-game footage. 

You also get a first look at three new starter Pokémon: the fire-rabbit Scorbunny, twig-monkey Grookey, and a sad-looking tadpole (sadpole?) called Sobble.

Pokémon Switch news and rumors

Nintendo E3 2019 Direct announced

E3 2019 is fast approaching and Nintendo has now confirmed the time and date it will be streaming its Nintendo Direct. The video will go live on Tuesday June 11 at 5pm BST/ 9am PT/ 12pm ET. Nintendo has also confirmed that it will be bringing back its Treehouse livestreams which will go live each day of the show, showing off gameplay from upcoming releases. 

Nintendo hasn't released any kind of schedule for either its Direct stream or its Treehouse streams so there's no guarantee of what will appear, but naturally we're hoping that Pokémon Sword and Shield will emerge from the tall grass at some point. The Treehouse livestreams especially would be a fantastic place for Game Freak to show off a little more of the new Pokémon region and how we'll be playing in it live on Switch. 

Made for handheld

While the Pokémon Let's Go games were developed with TV mode in mind, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa has stated that Pokémon Sword and Shield will "emphasize the fun of playing Nintendo Switch in handheld mode." Furukawa made the comments during Nintendo's March 2019 Financial Results Briefing (via Nintendo Life).

Gym Masters

As spotted by We Got This Covered, a (now removed) tweet by Nintendo of America suggests Pokemon Sword and Shield will see Gym Leaders replaced by Gym Masters.

The tweet was accompanied with images showing in-game soccer stadiums, suggesting these will serve as gyms.

Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield

Image credit: Nintendo

A whole new world

We know the game is set in a brand new region of Galar, rather than a rehash of Kanto or a previously visited territory. Galar seems to be loosely inspired by England's cities and countryside, with rolling hills and brickwork cities to explore.

The trailer also showed glimpses of jewel-encrusted mines and what might even be a football stadium (see the kit below), though we're waiting to see whether competing in a Pokémon-themed Football World Cup will be possible for players.

Brand new Pokémon

Yup, this is a new generation of Pokémon, meaning you'll be seeing a lot of new faces – as well as a lot of old ones. The trailer gave us a mix of familiar Pokémon like Pikachu and Hoothoot along the new starters, and we're hoping Game Freak manage to keep the new designs interesting (no ice cream or candelabra Pokémon, please.)

Modern to the core

Sword and Shield look to retain the look and 3D animation style of the Pokeémon Let's Go games that launched on Nintendo Switch last year.

Pokémon games haven't been flat 2D games in years, and has increasingly been moving towards full-size avatars and 3D environments. Some may miss the old-school pixel charm of the earlier games – and find the 3D creature models a bit bland – but for better or worse this is what we're getting.

Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield

Image credit: Nintendo

A fully-fledged Pokémon game

After the release of the simplified Pokémon Let's Go titles, there had been concern amongst fans that the 2019 RPG wouldn't offer the full gameplay experience they came to expect from mainline Pokémon games.

Head of the Pokémon Company Tzunekazu Ishihara assuaged these concerns in an interview with Famitsu magazine (via Siliconera). According to Ishihara, the 2018 Pokémon release will be a "completely different game" to Pokémon Let's Go. "It's is not an entry game," he says, "but a game that we want long term fans of the Pokémon series to look forward to."

Unlike the Let's Go games, it looks like Sword and Shield will be maintaining the random encounters so core to the usual series' gameplay, for example.

We don't have much to go on aside from the recent trailer, though with a 2019 release we're sure to see more of the titles at E3 2019 in June.

Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield

Image credit: Nintendo

Swords and shields

The Sword and Shield titles seem out of character for a series used to using colors and letters to list its titles. The England-setting is curious given the titles, though. Our instinct says we could see a spin on Arthurian legend, maybe with players facing off against the Knights of the Round Table? It certainly wouldn't be the most far-fetched thing we've seen in a Pokemon game.

We also wouldn't be surprised if the game's legendaries were based off the two wolves forming part of the Sword and Shield logos...

Pokémon Stars what?

What still confuses us is that we've been waiting for the long-rumored Pokémon Stars game for over two years now, after a 2016 report published by Eurogamer. published a report in late 2016 that said multiple sources had confirmed a new version of Pokémon Sun and Moon was being developed for the Switch under the code named Pokémon Stars. 

While it never materialized, 'Stars' could well have been a code-name for what eventually became the Let's Go games, or could still prove a Switch port for the Sun and Moon games.

Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield

Pokemon Sun and Moon on 3DS (Image credit: Nintendo)

Pokémon Sword and Shield: what we want to see

That's everything we know. Now let's get into the things we'd love to see from the rumored game.

Better graphics and animations

Game Freak pushed the Nintendo 3DS to its absolute limits with Pokémon Sun and Moon (to the point where 3D support had to be removed). That means Game Freak is ready to move beyond the limitations of the 3DS and we’d fully expect to see graphical advancements in the Nintendo Switch version. 

Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield

Image credit: Nintendo

The graphics and animations in Sun and Moon were already excellent, definitely the best we’ve seen so far from a Pokémon game, but moving to Nintendo Switch could very well allow for sharper character and environment models and much more expressive character faces.

Integration with Let's Go, obviously

As the only other Pokémon games to have come to the Switch, the ability to trade and battle with Pokémon Let's Go games is an obvious feature to include in the new games. Being able to bring new eighth-generation Pokemon to the Let's Go Kanto region, too, would be a neat perk if Game Freak allowed it.

Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield

Image credit: Nintendo

More motion controls

The Let's Go games put the Joy-Con controller's motion controls to use for throwing Poke-balls, though we could imagine some other fun uses for Pokémon mini-games. Boxing with a Hitmonchan? Steering a surfing Lapras? Fishing on the Galar shoreline? Just give us things to do.

Amiibo Support

We want Pokémon Amiibo support. There, we said it. Though Pokken tournament and Detective Pikachu have Amiibo figurines, we want to see even more introduced for the brand new mainline Pokémon game. Whether they unlock new accessories for mini games, new items of clothing, or new moves, we just know these will be highly collectible and probably adorable. 

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Animal Crossing on Nintendo Switch: release date, news and features

Posted: 11 May 2019 08:40 AM PDT

Nintendo has finally given the fans what they want. During a Nintendo Direct in September 2018, the company announced (via a short teaser trailer) that Animal Crossing is coming to the Nintendo Switch sometime in 2019.

While the trailer didn't give any details of new gameplay mechanics, or even which characters would return from previous games, it did give us an announcement - which is more than we had previously.

Logic told us it was just a matter of time until Nintendo made the announcement – Animal Crossing is a very popular series for Nintendo that helps shift a lot of hardware after all – but a new Animal Crossing title on the Switch guarantees to entice players new and old. 

That’s not only because Animal Crossing is already popular and successful, but because the game is a perfect match for Nintendo’s hybrid console. Animal Crossing’s sandbox nature makes it ideally suited to long play sessions on your TV, as well as shorter on-the-go bursts on the Switch’s handheld mode. 

While we don't have a ton of details on the game, here's what we know so far about Animal Crossing on Nintendo Switch.

[Update: Nintendo has announced the date and time of its E3 2019 Direct stream. This could be when we finally get to see more from Animal Crossing on Switch. Read on to find out more.]

Animal Crossing Switch release date

As vague as it is, all we know right now is that Animal Crossing on Nintendo Switch will be available sometime in 2019. We'll likely hear more about the game in the run up to E3 2019.

Animal Crossing Switch news and rumors

E3 2019 Nintendo Direct confirmed

E3 2019 is fast approaching and Nintendo has now confirmed the time and date it will be streaming its Nintendo Direct. The video will go live on Tuesday June 11 at 5pm BST/ 9am PT/ 12pm ET. The Nintendo Treehouse will also make its return with daily livestreams featuring gameplay of Nintendo's upcoming releases. 

Nintendo hasn't released any kind of breakdown with regards to what we can expect to see in its Direct stream or in the Treehouse streams but naturally we're hoping that Animal Crossing will crop up somewhere. It'll mark around nine months since the game's announcement and E3 would make a perfect time to unveil some bigger details as well as some footage, especially given the game is expected to launch in 2019. 

Officially announced
Nintendo officially announced Animal Crossing for the Switch during a Nintendo Direct in September, 2018. 

Nintendo Switch arrives in Animal Crossing Pocket Camp
Okay, so this wasn't really a direct sign that an Animal Crossing game will be released for Nintendo Switch but it set our rather desperate minds into a swirl of conspiracy theorising. 

The Switch item was put into the Animal Crossing Pocket Camp game as a daily bonus item to encourage players to log in day after day. 

The (almost certainly fake) leaked images
One of the first signs that there’s an Animal Crossing release coming to Switch was in the form of some leaked images which claimed to show the game. There were two images in total: one which showed what’s supposed to be the game’s opening screen and another which showed the actual game. 

Unfortunately, both were almost certainly fake. Still, it’s evidence that there's high fan demand for a Switch release. Admittedly, we are definitely intrigued by the idea of an Animal Crossing Globetrotter.

You can see both images below:

Nintendo’s trademark
In January 2018 it was revealed that Nintendo had applied for a new Animal Crossing trademark in Japan for a wide range of purposes, including software for a home video game machine, portable electronic game machine, and smartphone devices. Now, we already have the smartphone device application in the form of Animal Crossing Pocket Camp, but we’ve yet to see the portable and home game machines. A Nintendo Switch release would tick both of those boxes. 

As well as this, the trademark also covers stuffed animals, game machine controllers, board games, playing cards, protective carrying cases, and trading card games, so it’s clear that Nintendo still has big plans for the series. 

It’s been a long time since the last mainline release 
The last mainline Animal Crossing release was New Leaf all the way back in 2012. That’s now six years ago and, given before this the usual release gap for mainline titles was around three to five years, we’re inclined to say we’re due a new game.

What’s also interesting is that the Wii U never received a mainline title (no, Amiibo Festival absolutely does not count) despite the fact that many fans expected to see one. It’s possible that Nintendo started work on an Animal Crossing Wii U or settled on waiting to launch one for the Switch, and although we can’t be sure of this, we think it’s likely that a Switch launch is coming. Regardless, the core Animal Crossing team finished up with Splatoon 2 development a while ago – so they must have something new in the pipeline. 

The success of previous releases
Previous DS and 3DS Animal Crossing releases have sold extremely well for Nintendo – both Wild World and New Leaf each surpassed 11 million sales. While there is the caveat that previous home console releases for GameCube and Wii haven’t done nearly as well, we’re inclined to say that the Switch will buck the trend here thanks to its hybrid nature, and Nintendo will have a hit on its hands. Given one of Nintendo’s most staunchly handheld titles, Pokemon, is now confirmed to be coming to the Switch, we don’t think it’s likely the company will keep Animal Crossing languishing on the 3DS for much longer. 

What we want to see from Animal Crossing on Switch

Wider, more dynamic, cast
We love our Animal Crossing neighbors, but there’s no denying that they can become somewhat samey. It's a problem that’s not helped by repetitive interactions. We’d love to see a new Animal Crossing introduce even more new faces to the neighborhood and perhaps include a few more ways to get to know them. Seeing more dialogue and more well-rounded personalities would make us very happy players.

More furniture 
Decorating in Animal Crossing is one of the biggest and best parts of the series (just look at Happy Home Designer for evidence of that). But, we’d like to see even more pieces of furniture appear in a new game. New styles and themes would be welcome, perhaps with more customization options.

Bigger spaces or more areas
With the power the Switch offers, we think we could get the biggest and most expansive Animal Crossing ever. Although we love that Animal Crossing is all about being in a small town, we also enjoyed the move towards a city vibe that came with New Leaf. In Animal Crossing on Switch we wouldn’t like to take this a lot further, but it’d be nice to see some new areas or districts in town that offered a few more amenities or places to visit.

More chances to craft your own story
Moving into the mayoral role was one of the best aspects of New Leaf, but we’d like to see something a little different in the next installment. Perhaps more choice in what role you play in the town. Pocketcamp allows players to take up the role of a holiday camp owner, so perhaps in a new mainline game we could see a few more career options. 

Of course, for those interested in continuing along the mayor route that would still be there, but it’d also be exciting to see shopkeeper or cafe owner paths open up. Creating your own designs or crafting furniture to sell to the locals, or collecting ingredients from your town and others to add some interesting flavors to your cafe menu – all of these sound like enjoyable pursuits in an Animal Crossing world. 

Mobile tie-in
Animal Crossing Pocket Camp was a welcome release after we hadn’t seen anything from the series in a while, but it doesn’t scratch the itch quite enough for us due to its shallowness. However, that doesn’t mean we’d like to see the mobile game abandoned entirely when a mainline release launches. 

It’d actually be nice if Nintendo managed to tie the mobile and console releases together in some way so that players can get more depth out of the mobile game, and give us another way to enjoy the console release. Whether that’s unlocking and transferring items, earning money or improving relationships, we’d just like a way to keep playing even on days where we can’t carry our Switch. Now that we've seen it's possible with Pokemon Let's Go, our hopes are even higher. 

(Image credits: Nintendo)

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The 2019 iPhone XR could come in two new colors

Posted: 11 May 2019 06:30 AM PDT

It's quite the weekend for iPhone 2019 rumors it seems – as well as revealing camera and charging upgrades to the next batch of Apple phones, inside sources have also hinted at new colors coming to the phone set to replace the iPhone XR.

This time it's Japanese blog Mac Otakara passing on the leaked info, and the gist is that green and lavender colors are going to be among the six available when the iPhone XR 2 arrives in September.

Two colors make way for the new shades: coral and blue. White, black, yellow and red will remain available, apparently, just like they have been with the current iPhone XR.

Another tidbit offered up by Mac Otakara focuses on the silicone cases coming with the premium iPhones this year – white, black, spearmint, yellow, red and lilac are the colors said to be on the table.

Upgrades are coming

Colors aside, we've already heard plenty of leaks and predictions around what Apple might do with the follow-up to the iPhone XR (we're still not sure on the naming scheme is going to go with, by the way).

With the successors to the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max apparently getting triple-lens rear camera upgrades, the new and improved iPhone XR is being tipped to get an extra lens on its camera too – which would make it a dual-lens snapper.

That should mean it's capable of taking proper portrait photos and matching the 2x optical zoom already available on the more expensive phones, but we'll have to wait until September to know for sure.

Internal antenna upgrades and an in-screen fingerprint sensor have also been mentioned, though Apple will presumably again want to differentiate between the top-level iPhones and the more affordable third model again.

Via AppleInsider

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

How to watch Leinster vs Saracens: live stream European Champions Cup final 2019 rugby from anywhere

Posted: 11 May 2019 06:18 AM PDT

The moment is here - the European Rugby Champions Cup final, aka the Heineken Champions Cup final, which sees Ireland's Leinster take on England's Saracens in a final that could make the Irish club champions for a record fifth time. And you can live stream Leinster vs Saracens - regardless of where in the world you are.

This is the tournament that puts the top European rugby clubs against each other for glory. This year Ireland's Leinster and England's Saracens have qualified for the final after another gruelling campaign. 

Leinster have won the cup for four years now, a record only it and Toulouse have managed. So if Leinster can best Saracens in this year's final that will put the team as the sole record holder that has managed five victories.

Saracens won back-to-back trophies in 2016 and 2017 before losing to the Irish giants last year. This will be a chance to reclaim the silverware. So this game should be a great one with both Saracens and Leinster performing powerfully at the moment and eager to win this year.

To watch all the European Champions Cup action read on to find out how you can enjoy the final where you are, wherever that may be. Live stream Leinster vs Saracens in the European Rugby Champions Cup final with our guide.

How to watch the European Rugby Champions Cup final for free in the UK

There's fantastic news for rugby fans in the UK...you can watch the European Rugby Champions Cup final from the comfort of your home this year with free-to-air coverage from Channel 4 (also being shown on BT Sport 2 if you prefer the paid-for channel's coverage). That means you can also enjoy it wherever you are using their apps - All 4 and BT Sport - for smartphone, tablet and laptop viewing.

Don't worry if you're away during the game and discover that the streaming is geo-blocked you can still watch using a handy VPN. It's really straightforward to do so in three very easy steps:

  • Want to watch the Spanish Grand Prix? See how to get an F1 live stream

Using the best VPN is obviously only OK if you don't breach the Ts&Cs of your country's broadcaster. But it's worth noting that it isn't just open to UK rugby fans. If you're from somewhere else, happen to be abroad this weekend and still want to catch your domestic coverage of the big Leinster vs Saracens final, then the same process applies to you.

In the US, Canada or Down Under and want to catch the game? We have some key information for you, too.

How to watch the European Rugby Champions Cup final: US stream

The European Rugby Champions Cup final will be streamed online via NBC Sports Gold which you can watch online at the NBC Sports Gold page here. You will need to have access to that via either NBC, NBCSN or NBC Sports Gold. Either way, you'll need your cable details handy.

Not got cable? There are plenty of over-the-top TV streaming services you can use instead - loads of which come with a completely free trial. A couple of great examples are Sling or Fubo.

Out of the US today? Then grab a VPN, follow the instructions above and you'll be watching the rugby in no time.

How to watch the European Rugby Champions Cup final: Canada stream

The European Rugby Champions Cup final will be streamed online via the growing sports streaming site DAZN. DAZN has become the go-to service for loads of events in Canada including boxing, soccer and all this year's Six Nations rugby games.

Signing up to DAZN costs $20 per month or $150 for an entire year. But the great thing is that you can also give it a whirl with a 30-day money back guarantee - perfect if you fancy Leinster vs Saracens but don't want to pay for the privilege.

How to watch the European Rugby Champions Cup final: Australia stream

For Australia the European Rugby Champions Cup final will be streamed online via Rugby Pass which you can watch online at the Rugby Pass page here. Although getting a Leinster vs Saracens live stream involves either a really long night or super early morning.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Get one month free with Smarty Mobile's cheap SIM only deals exclusive to TechRadar

Posted: 11 May 2019 06:04 AM PDT

In the world of SIM only deals, competition is fierce. To succeed, the best of the best will offer options around cashback, unlimited data, the cheapest price, or in the case of Smarty, a completely free month on your SIM.

Now, you might be thinking, paying absolutely nothing for your first month sounds suspicious...what's the catch? There is no catch, exclusively for TechRadar readers, you simply buy one month and the second will cost you nothing, pretty great right?

The even better news is that Smarty Mobile is flexible with it's plans. That means you can sign up for just 1 month if you want to, giving you a 2 month SIM only plan from as little as £3.12, an unbeatable price.

Decide to stay longer than 2 months and you'll still get your free month but also get to enjoy Smarty's money back on unused data scheme (explained below), bringing even more affordability to this offer.

You can see each Smarty package below, each at a different price and data point. If you would rather go for something different, more data perhaps? then you can find all of the options on our SIM only deals page.


Smarty's SIM only deals in full:

Save on your bills with unused data

On the merits of the above promotion alone, Smarty is looking like a clever SIMO option at the moment for new and old SIM-free mobiles alike. But its other USP is really worth reminding you about, too.

It will give you money off for any data allowance that you don't use in a month. So if you have a month where you hardly use your phone away from the Wi-Fi at all, you may be eligible for money off your next phone bill. 

The tariffs include a base price of £5 per month which is non-refundable. So whichever plan you go for (other than the basic 1GB or unlimited data options, of course) you will get a discount on your next month by £1.25 per GB you don't use.

Worried about reception? Again there's nothing to be afraid of - Smarty piggybacks on the Three network which covers 97% of the UK.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

New report predicts reversible charging and camera upgrades for the 2019 iPhones

Posted: 11 May 2019 02:30 AM PDT

If Apple launches new iPhones when it normally launches new iPhones – September – then we're just four months away from seeing the 2019 models (which may or may not come with the iPhone 11 label).

A new report from Bloomberg spills plenty of detail on what to expect from this year's iPhone refresh, based on talks with inside sources "familiar" with Apple's plans.

There's mention of reversible charging, so you'll be able to pop your AirPods (and other gadgets) on the back of the 2019 iPhones to juice them up – something we've already seen on phones like the Samsung Galaxy S10.

The new versions of all three iPhone models – the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR – will gain an extra rear camera lens, Bloomberg says, designed to offer improved zoom and (in the premium model) ultra-wide angle shots.

All the upgrades

That's not the only camera upgrade coming though: Apple is apparently working on an "auto-correction feature" to fit people back into a photo if they're accidentally cut out. We're not sure how that would work but it sounds... interesting.

Bloomberg also predicts that the new iPhones will come with Apple's as-yet-unannounced A13 processor chip upgrade, which is to be expected, and that the XS and XS Max replacements will be half a millimeter thicker.

We've heard some of these rumors before, around reversible charging and extra camera lenses, but the extra corroboration makes us more confident that these changes are indeed in the pipeline.

No doubt we'll hear more leaks and predictions around the 2019 iPhones as the launch day nears – here's everything we know about the new models so far.

Via MacRumors

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

VPNs can solve public Wi-Fi anxiety

Posted: 11 May 2019 02:00 AM PDT

The way you behave online is heavily influenced by where you are located and local online alert cues, new research has claimed.

A study carried out by a team from the Media Effects Research Laboratory at the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications (Penn State) examined four types of online behavior: unethical behavior, ethical behavior, disclosure of financial information and disclosure of personal information. 

The researchers recruited paid volunteers from Amazon Mechanical Turk to answer a few questions regarding their online behaviors in a coffee shop, a university, an AirBNB and at home.

Three other variables included using a VPN (clearly labelled via a VPN icon), a terms and conditions window (as found on most public Wi-Fi) and no cue.

Stating the obvious

The results were unsurprising: add a VPN logo or a T&C makes people more likely to disclose information or behave unethically. People are also more likely to behave in public spaces like a cafe.

The authors had a few words of advice for VPN providers, some of which have already been implemented. "For example, we suggested that designers could incorporate cues such as, 'Warning: this is a public network,' or 'VPN: anonymous browsing,'" said Maria Molina, one of doctoral candidate in mass communication who worked on the project.

"These results indicate a need to leverage the positive heuristics triggered by location, VPN logo and a terms and conditions statement for ethical design practices," added S. Shyam Sundar, James P. Jimirro Professor of Media Effects, who worked the project.

Results of the study came only days after NordVPN, a VPN provider, was criticised by the regulator for UK’s advertising industry for producing an advert that, in a nutshell, claimed that public Wi-Fi was inherently insecure. 

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

What is a smart water bottle?

Posted: 11 May 2019 02:00 AM PDT

The health, fitness and wellness industries are booming – and it shows in tech too. There are lots of new fitness trackers, apps and other devices available to buy that are designed to help you take better care of your physical and mental wellbeing.

Sure, fitness tech has been around for a long time, but now there’s more focus on a more holistic approach to wellness, with brands like Fitbit focusing on sleep as much as your steps, Muse 2 encouraging you to relax, focus and meditate, and Oura giving you a readiness score for the day.

That’s why it’s no surprise more niche products have cropped up in this space: meet the smart water bottle.

We know what you’re thinking: do we really need a smart water bottle? For most of us, the answer is no. This isn’t tech that you need, but a great-looking water bottle is the must-have gym accessory – why not make it smart?

Reusing an old Evian bottle just won’t cut it anymore. Not only is it bad for the environment to rely on plastic bottles, but they don’t look good and they’re not built to withstand trips to the gym or the yoga studio.

That’s why well-designed water bottles have become popular recently. Brands like Chilly’s and Klean Kanteen have been scoring serious style points and are now being stocked in high street stores alongside clothes and accessories.

It makes sense then that a number of companies are banking on our love for fancy water bottles, our love for tracking our health and fitness, and our love for our smartphones.

But what makes this next generation of water bottles smart? Are they really more useful than useless? And is hydration tech becoming an important sub-section of wellness tech in its own right?

The H2OPal gives you a personalized hydration goal for the day. Image credit: H2OPal

How do smart water bottles work?

Although the use of the word ‘smart’ has become a little vague recently, in this case, it generally means that the water bottle is connected to your phone – most of the examples below connect via Bluetooth.

Aside from that, there’s no one kind of smart water bottle, but instead a fair few on the market that offer different features.

For example, both DrinKup and the Thermos Connected Hydration Bottle have smart lids containing sensors, which can tell you how much you need to drink, the temperature of your water and your goal for the day. The main difference being the DrinKup’s lid also has a built-in display for real-time info when your phone isn’t around.

The H2OPal and Bellabeat Spring are both designed with different consumers in mind but are focused on working out exactly how much water you should be drinking each day based on all kinds of things, like your activity levels and whether you’re pregnant.

There are also some very simple offerings, like the Hidrate Spark, which simply glows when you need to take a sip. Or the super minimal Joseph Joseph Dot, which tracks your water intake with simple light ‘dots’ throughout the day – no phone needed.

Although they’re just a handful of all the smart water bottles available, they give you an idea of what to expect: some tech smarts added on to functional, good-looking water bottles.

Spring sends you regular reminders to drink water throughout the day. Image credit: Bellabeat

Why are smart water bottles good?

Drinking enough water each day is an important part of improving your health and fitness. Unfortunately, there’s no shortage of stats suggesting very few of us are drinking enough water. A recent study found one in five people don’t drink any water on a given day – relying on calorie-packed, super sugary drinks instead.

Although we could probably all do with downing a little more H2O throughout the day, smart water bottles still aren’t going to appeal to everyone.

The category is too small to find any official buying data. But we imagine smart water bottles will predominantly appeal to those who take their health and fitness seriously and see hydration as another part of the well-being puzzle – it certainly seems to be these people that they’re marketed at.

However, let’s not overlook some of the less obvious reasons people might need a smart water bottle. There are those who could require lots of hydration for health reasons, the elderly who may forget to drink enough without a reminder, or those in jobs that require a lot of concentration at the detriment of eating and drinking.

Smart water bottles follow many of the same principles as other kinds of fitness tech and trackers. They remind you to pick up good habits, they monitor what you do, they sometimes add gaming elements to your daily life, and they help you set – and stick to – goals.

Aside from the tech, many of the smart water bottles we’ve tried so far are also really well-designed and are good for keeping your water cool in their own right. You don’t have to compromise on looks for tech smarts.

The DrinKup bottle vibrates and sends a little <3 when it's time to, erm, drink up! Image credit: DrinKup

What are the negatives of smart water bottles?

As we’ve already covered, no one really needs a smart water bottle. It’s nice-to-have tech for those interested in health and fitness rather than a necessity.

As with all tech, it’s also worth shopping around for the best option for you. There are going to be varying features and varying levels of quality on offer. With that in mind, do check out the reviews, privacy policies and small print before buying a smart water bottle and signing up to its accompanying app.

Another negative is that you’ll obviously need to consider charging most of them. The DrinKup needs charging only every 30 to 90 days, and many of the other examples in this article are similar, but it’s still another piece of tech to consider.

But rather than this being a case of balancing the pros with the cons, it’s more about whether the idea appeals to you or not.

During a quick poll of people we know, some laughed at the idea, whereas others said they don’t drink enough water so this would be handy. Many others weren’t that fussed and thought reminders on their phone would probably be just as effective.

Which smart water bottles do we recommend?

There are lots of smart water bottles available to buy right now. Some have a really simple way of notifying you that you need to drink more, with a light or vibration, others have more features added in, so you’ll need to figure out what’s likely to encourage you to drink more and how much of a push you need.

Other than that, most on the list are quite similar. They have an app that shows you how much water you’ve had to drink throughout the day, a type of goal setting – manual or personalized – and a way of alerting you to drink up.

Our favorite bottle is DrinKup ($69, around £50 / AU$100). It’s a great-looking smart water bottle that’s available in a range of colors and it has a smart lid with a circular display that has a 5 x 16 resolution.

The lid shows you how much water you’ve drunk today already – presented as a percentage with LED lights. It also vibrates when you need to drink and keeps track of how much water you’ve had today, which you can view from within the app. A nice feature also measures the temperature of your drink.

It’s the only bottle on the list that can tell you how much water you’ve had to drink without needing to sync to your mobile device. Although that generally only takes seconds with the other bottles, it still removes some of the friction.

If you already have one of the Bellabeat wearables, like the Leaf or Leaf Chakra, then the Bellabeat Spring ($89 / £70 / AU$129) is probably the best option for you. It tracks how much water you’ve had to drink throughout the day – and how much more you need.

Bellabeat Spring calculates the optimal amount of water for your body. Image credit: Bellabeat

Like some of the other bottles, it works out the right amount of water for you based on your activity level, age, height, weight, local weather and even if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. You can quickly check on how much water you’ve had to drink through the Bellabeat app, just shake the Spring to sync it.

Built with fitness in mind, the H2OPal ($99, around £75 / AU$140) can track your water intake, send you notifications when you need to drink and allows you to check out your progress over time. It can also provide a personalized hydration goal for the day if you fill in your details within the app.

Unlike the other devices on the list, the H2OPal may come with a water bottle, but it’s actually the silicone bands around the bottle that contain the sensors. That means you could technically switch out the bottle for another glass one or a plastic bottle.

The Hidrate Spark ($45, around £35 / AU$65) is one of the nicest-looking bottles on the list – kind of like it has been sent from the future – but is also one of the simplest. The Spark syncs with your phone and glows when you need to drink. That’s it. We can’t work out whether there’s beauty in its simplicity or if it just seems a bit pointless? It’s also BPA-free and dishwasher safe.

This is one of the few bottles on the list that isn’t insulated, which means your water will eventually reach room temperature. For some this might not be an issue, but if you like your icy cold water to stay icy cold, this isn’t one for you.

That white rim at the base of the EQUA bottle glows when it's time to drink. Image credit: EQUA

Similar to the Spark, the EQUA Smart Bottle (roughly $65 / £50 / AU$95) glows underneath when you need to drink up. You can then see how much water you’ve had from within the app, which is calculated using an accelerometer within the bottle.

This one wins extra style points because it looks great and comes in a range of nice shades.

Our favorite simple bottle is from designers Joseph Joseph. Image credit: Joseph Joseph / Selfridges

The Joseph Joseph Dot ($13 / £12 / AU$18) is by far the simplest option on the list, but for many, it could be the most effective.

It’s technically not a smart bottle, because there’s no dedicated app or personalized water goal. Instead, one of the four lights on the bottle lights up every time it’s refilled. Simple, but effective given your recommended daily water goal will be around four bottles worth of water.

From Thermos, famed for its insulated flasks and bottles, the Thermos Connected Hydration Bottle ($59.99, around £45 / AU$85) can tell you how much water you’ve had to drink, as well as monitoring its temperature in real-time.

Ideal for Fitbit-lovers, the Thermos app can sync up to your account, filling in your hydration levels for the day. Like other devices on the list, you can fill in your details in the app and you’re then served up a personalized hydration goal for the day too.

The Hydra TechBottle ($59.99, around £45 / AU$85) is a little different to the rest in that it’s not really concerned with getting you to drink more water, but it does boast a bunch of tech features, including a light, a power bank, a speaker, a speakerphone, a sleep sounds app and much more. It’s a great idea for tech-savvy campers.

The Hydra TechBottle is water bottle meets portable speaker. Image credit: Hydra TechBottle

Although these are some of the best-looking bottles with the most useful tech packed in, there are plenty more smart water bottles on the market right now, each varying in price, performance and the features they have on offer.

What that means is, if you haven’t already laughed the idea off, it’s worth researching which has the features you need.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The Amazon Music 'catch' on this 99p Echo Dot deal is pretty tempting too

Posted: 11 May 2019 01:55 AM PDT

For sure there's more to this deal than simply being able to buy an Amazon Echo Dot for 99p instead of the usual £49.99 and we're here to cut straight to it, so you know if it's right for you. This is a UK-only offer, but we've included a deal our US readers might like towards the end of the article too.

To get the incredibly popular smart speaker at this low price you need to sign up for one month of the family plan of Amazon Music Unlimited which will cost you £14.99. This plan allows you to share access to over 50 million songs on six accounts to be played on smart speakers, mobiles, laptops, Fire TV devices and more. 

Amazon isn't insisting you sign up for a long period of time. All you need to do is pay for a single month after the free trial period ends. Amazon will then send you a discount code which you can use to discount an Echo Dot down to just 99p, saving you a whopping £49. The Echo Dot is a great match with the Amazon Music streaming service as you can request tunes simply by asking Alexa to find you a song or artist via a voice command.

Amazon Music Unlimited and Echo Dot deal

The promotion for the super cheap Echo Dot runs until May 24th, and once you have your discount code you have until June 30th to redeem it. You can see the full T&Cs on the promo page once you click through, but we've covered the most important parts - namely that you're free to cancel the subscription to Amazon Music Unlimited once that first payment of £14.99 has gone through.

If the 'family plan' is bit overkill for your needs, but you enjoy Amazon Music Unlimited, once you've received your discount code and ordered the Echo Dot, you could always downgrade your membership to standard version for £9.99 a month, or if you're an Amazon Prime member, £7.99 a month. Not a Prime member? Give it a go with a free trial and you can test our the super fast delivery options and film/TV streaming service too.

Amazon Prime Day will be here in July and with it, some huge discounts on multiple Amazon devices. And while it's possible that this promo might return, going off past years, we think it's more likely we'll see the Echo Dot go down to £29.99 - £24.99 at the absolute most.

And if you end up sticking with the Music Unlimited service, that might be a perfect opportunity to pick up some extra speakers to dot around the house or beef up the sound in one room.

What about the US?

Sadly, there's not a similar promo running Stateside today, but Amazon has unleashed some massive discounts on a range of its devices ahead of Mother's Day. You can get an Echo Dot for just $29.99 instead of $49.99 and the larger Amazon Echo speaker is available for £64.99 (save $35). You can see the full set of discounts here.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

How to watch the 2019 Giro d'Italia: live stream the cycling wherever you are

Posted: 11 May 2019 12:00 AM PDT

Don't worry cycling fans...you don't have to wait until the Tour de France to get your fix of top level cycling on the roads and hills of Europe. The Giro d'Italia is here having become one of the most widely anticipated riding events of the year. And with our help, you can get a 2019 Giro d'Italia live stream from absolutely anywhere you are.

In its 102nd year, the Giro is still as tough as ever with a mighty 21 stages covering 3,518.5 kilometres in just 23 days of riding. If that doesn't make your knees ache to read, they will at the three time trials, the five high difficulty stages and the mighty summit finishes.

Last year saw the UK's Chris Froome (Team Ineos) win the Giro d'Italia with Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb) and Miguel Ángel López (Astana) not far behind. It was Froome's climbing wins that set him in good stead for the overall victory after summiting both Zoncolan and the Jafferau as winner. The latter was stunning with a 3-minute lead win after an 80km solo lead.

This year has a lot to live up to. Froome will have to fight hard to defend his title against previous champions with the 2017 winner Dumoulin and two-time winner Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) both back and aiming for the win. Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) is also one to watch as a three stage winner last year. Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) has been doing well at the start of the season so far while Egan Bernal (Ineos) and Mikel (Landa Movistar) are also worth keeping an eye on.

So how can you enjoy all the tarmac-eating action? Read on to find out as we tell you the best options to live stream the Giro d'Italia. And the best bit is it's possible to do so absolutely free from some locations.

Get a Giro d'Italia live stream from outside your country

If you're desperate to watch every stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling but you're away from home and the coverage is geo-blocked, then you could always use a VPN to access it (assuming you're not breaching any broadcaster Ts&Cs, of course). You may be surprised how simple it is to do.

Live stream the Giro d'Italia for free

Good news...the Giro d'Italia is being shown absolutely free of charge.

Bad news...that's only the case in Italy.

This year the Italian broadcaster Rai is going to share the Giro d'Italia event coverage in Italy for free. It's the only broadcaster we've found that's live streaming all the action without a subscription of some kind. And Rai also has an Android and Apple app for watching on your tablet or phone instead. 

Yup, that means you can stream all the wheel spinning goodness on whatever device you're using, all on RaiSport +. The catch? Well, all the commentary will be in Italian of course! But below we've listed the major broadcasters in English speaking countries.

How to watch the Giro d'Italia: UK live stream

For UK residents the Giro d'Italia will get the Eurosport treatment. That means Eurosport 1, which is available in lots of broadcast and streaming forms, should make watching the racing simple. Eurosport is available with basic Sky TV packages or with a Eurosport Player monthly (£9.99) or annual pass (£39.99).

How to watch the Giro d'Italia: Australia live stream

This year all you lucky Australians will get the Eurosport coverage but only if you're a Foxtel subscriber. An HD package that includes sports, drama and entertainment should set you back about AU$58 per month on a one year contract.

How to watch the Giro d'Italia: US live stream

The Giro d'Italia 2019 will get coverage on good old Fubo.TV which means you can enjoy the cycling from multiple locations. Fubo is a sports focused streaming TV solution that lets you subscribe for what you want and stop when you're done – ideal for this event.

Since this is app powered and delivered over the internet, you can watch it on lots of different devices. including smartphones, tablets, Smart TVs and streaming boxes. That means wherever you are you shouldn't miss the action.

How to watch the Giro d'Italia: Canada live stream

Canadians will be able to get in on the Giro d'Italia 2019 action much in the same way as their US neighbours can. That means Fubo.TV access in Canada where the events will be streamed to whatever device you're using. Simples. 

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Exclusive: OPPO F11 to launch in India at Rs 17,990; first sale from May 15

Posted: 10 May 2019 10:53 PM PDT

Announced early in March this year, the Oppo F11 is all set to go on its first sale in India. The phone was announced alongside Oppo F11 Pro which is currently on sale and comes with a pop-up camera. Oppo F11 is the regular model in the series and as such does not have some of the features that are found on the Pro variant.

While there is no official word from Oppo about the release date of Oppo F11, a person familiar with the matter revealed to TechRadar India that it is going on sale from May 15, with pre-orders starting from May 13. Oppo F11 will be made available in one variant, with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, in green and purple gradient hues.

Oppo F11 with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage is priced at Rs 17,990.

Oppo F11 specifications

OPPO F11 features a 6.5-inch Full HD+ (2340 x 1080 pixels) display with a waterdrop notch design on the front. This gives it a 90.70% screen-to-body ratio and a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. 

It is powered by MediaTek Helio P70 chipset with an octa-core CPU and Mali-G72 MP3 as the graphics processor. This is backed by 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, with an option to upgrade storage by upto 256GB via microSD card.

The F11 has a dual camera setup on the back which consists of a primary 48MP sensor with an aperture of f/1.8 and supported by PDAF. The secondary 5MP camera is a depth sensor which assists the main 48MP snapper to create pictures with a depth-of-field effect. On the front, there's a single 16MP selfie camera with an f/2.0 aperture and features like HDR support.

Oppo F11 has a 4,020mAh battery with 20W fast charging support courtesy of VOOC 3.0.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 may miss out on the new 64MP camera sensor

Posted: 10 May 2019 04:47 PM PDT

Just after Samsung announced a new 64MP camera sensor that could appear in next year's Galaxy S11, hopes of the sensor coming to the Galaxy Note 10 later this year were dashed by a reputable Samsung device leaker.

"To be sure, Samsung Note10 will not use 64MP CMOS," Tweeted  @UniverseIce, but also noting "This is not necessarily a bad thing."

The new 64MP camera sensor appeared alongside a 48MP sensor in a Samsung Newsroom post on May 9, expanding the company's lineup of sensors with 0.8-micron pixels. Both are expected to go into mass production in the latter half of 2019.

New camera technology is definitely exciting for anyone on the lookout for the next best camera phone. And, with new Samsung flagships often raising the bar for smartphone cameras, heightened expectations for the Galaxy Note 10 are only natural, especially in the wake of the new sensor news. But, if @UniverseIce is right, which seems plausible, it may not be all the bad for the Galaxy Note 10.

Because megapixels only count for so much

Given that Samsung itself has said mass production of the 64MP and 48MP sensors isn't expected until the second half of the year, it seems like a stretch to include them in the Galaxy Note 10. With the launch for that phone expected in late summer, the window between mass production of the sensors and launch of the phone would be incredibly small.

But, the Galaxy Note 10 camera can be a good one even without the souped-up sensor. For one, megapixels aren't the whole story, as pixel size can play a role in how well a sensor handles low-light photography. 

The 0.8-micron pixels in these new sensors are smaller than the pixels found in many best-in-class smartphone cameras like the Pixel 3's 12.2MP main camera, which has 1.4-micron pixels.

Samsung has done a good job with the 1.22-micron pixels in the Samsung Galaxy S10's main camera, and it can likely pull off something even better with the Galaxy Note 10 without the need for the 64MP sensor. 

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

OnePlus 7 Pro benchmarks have popped up with great, but not record-breaking performance

Posted: 10 May 2019 03:53 PM PDT

The OnePlus 7 Pro is showing its immense power, even if the new Android phone hasn’t officially launched yet. The latest leak for the new OnePlus phone is a pair of GeekBench benchmark scores tweeted by @rquandt, and they’re  showing excellent performance, though not quite the best performance of any Android phone.

The first benchmark shows a single-core score of 3,384 for the OnePlus 7 Pro's Snapdragon 855 chipset. It also scored 10,494 for the multi-core rating. The second benchmark is higher in both regards, with a 3,517 single-core score and a 10,811 multi-core score.

These are undeniably fast scores, and they bode well for the OnePlus 7 Pro positioning itself to be one of the fastest and best phones around. But, they don't earn it the top spot.

Are benchmarking tests all over the place?

The multi-score score these OnePlus 7 Pro models have mustered are very close to the Geekbench scores we got in our tests for Snapdragon 855 chipset in the Samsung Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10 Plus. Both of these phones earned a multi-core score of 11,002, giving them a slight edge over what we're seeing from the OnePlus 7 Pro.

That's the front of the pack at present, but that may not be the end of the story.

The leaked benchmarks only offer a small sample of the performance the OnePlus 7 Pro will be capable, and they're not official, as the phone hasn't launched yet. 

As not every phone will score the same, it's possible as more and more OnePlus 7 Pro models get benchmarked, we'll start to see scores that edge out Samsung. In fact, an earlier (though, also unconfirmed) OnePlus 7 Pro benchmarking test was reportedly faster than Samsung’s best performance

With the launch of the phone scheduled for May 14 and sales expected shortly after, we won't have to wait long to find out.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

3 ways Android Q is being built for 5G

Posted: 10 May 2019 03:19 PM PDT

Android Q has a lot of exciting UX additions and improvements, like Dark Mode, but it also has some under-the-hood additions to help usher in the era of 5G phones. Chief among them, we learned at Google IO 2019, are new capabilities for app developers to detect user data download speed and latency, as well as whether their connections are metered by carriers.

"[TechRadar saw] a phone running Android Q beta 3 load an 8K video in just over a second."

How does this help? With the massive download speed upgrades promised by 5G – up to 1Gbps, some carriers claim – users will be able to get data far more quickly than before, allowing them to load hours-long HD videos in seconds, for example.

At Google IO, Bhavin Rokad, Google’s head of Android Strategy, showed TechRadar a phone running Android Q beta 3 on a local 5G network load an 8K video in just over a second, even after flipping through different time stamps. We saw the device quickly download AR animations, just like we’d seen demonstrated during the keynote. And he explained how the operating system will help developers streamline their apps for 5G. 

1. Devs make apps seamless with more data

With Android Q, developers will have new APIs they can use to more finely detect how much data they can send to a user’s device and how much latency they’re experiencing.

The APIs can help devs determine whether their app should load up a small 5MB asset or a massive 100MB on the fly. With more information on connectivity, app devs can make more seamless and immersive experiences, sending assets at the right moments –- something that could improve streaming media in general, but also remove a lot of hiccups in online gaming sessions.

2. Devs could help users consume less data 


Those APIs will also let apps detect whether a user’s connection is metered – like if their account can only download data up to a cap – and only send large data packages when it’s appropriate (high connection, unlimited data, enough battery, and so on). 

Think of this like when you’re sending a photo over email or text and you’re asked if you want to send the original file size or one much smaller – but in this case, the app makes that decision for you. While some of these automated choices keep your phone alive longer, others could help limit how much data you consume, which is crucial if you’re reaching the end of your contracted monthly cap.

3. 5G connectivity visibility

Android Q will also make it clearer when users are actually connected to a 5G network. This is a pretty straightforward perk, but it bears mentioning given how early we are in the 5G race.

And by early, we mean nearly nonexistent. When we tested the first 5G US network in Chicago earlier this year, we couldn’t always tell when we were accessing the then-piecemeal 5G network.

It’s not just about getting those high speeds – it’s knowing when you’re getting them so you can comfortably send that big file or play a data-hungry game without wondering about your connection.


Carriers, 5G, and the unknown

But the data flow coming to the APIs requires some coordination with carriers, who must agree to pass along this info to developers. Google is still negotiating with carriers to grant this access – not, we understand, because they want to withhold this information, but because they haven’t had a strong motivation to do so.

Understandably, users won’t see these 5G features for awhile – especially since the 5G networks themselves have only just started launching in very small areas. The US saw its first network go live in April, and we found it to have erratic coverage in a small area with sometimes-high speeds.

US carriers have claimed their networks will start going live and expanding throughout 2019, but we’ll wait to see how much speed and coverage they deliver – and how much they’ll cost. Verizon initially charged $10 extra to access its 5G network, though they’re waiving that cost for now, presumably to encourage adoption (and offset the price of 5G-capable phones). 

The other question: what kinds of data caps users will have, and how much they’ll have to pay for them. These factors could seriously impact how developers implement these 5G APIs – will they need to limit the size of their assets anyway to make sure users don’t consume too much data, or will users just end up buying bigger data caps? 

Those unknowns will affect how developers build apps harnessing 5G connectivity, from back-end prioritization to giving users toggle options for controlling their data consumption. But until we know how these networks will function, and how carriers will implement 5G and make it usable to consumers, it’s unclear how developers will harness these Android Q features.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)