Apple : Alphabet's cybersecurity firm Chronicle joins Google Cloud |
- Alphabet's cybersecurity firm Chronicle joins Google Cloud
- Google Maps will soon give you a heads-up on your busy train commute
- Jony Ive leaves Apple to form independent design firm
- Brazil vs Paraguay live stream: how to watch the Copa América 2019 quarter-final online from anywhere
- Malvertising campaign infects popular YouTube to MP3 conversion site
- France vs USA live stream: how to watch Women's World Cup 2019 match from anywhere
- Spotify Stations vs Pandora: what’s the best way to get streaming radio?
- Best small business software of 2019
- The LG C9 OLED 65-inch 4KTV gets huge price drop on Newegg today
- Best iPhone 2019: which Apple phone is the best?
- US government is working on mysterious malware detection project
- Here's what it's like to play Final Fantasy 7 Remake if you never played the original
- Verizon 5G: phones, coverage map and rollout cities
- Apex Legends Season 2: Battle Charge update, start date and new characters
- Norway vs England live stream: how to watch today's Women's World Cup 2019 match from anywhere
- The best Fitbit Versa prices and sales in June 2019
- The best cheap smart home devices and gadget deals in June 2019
- How to watch Glastonbury Festival 2019 online for free: live stream the entire event from anywhere
- Best managed WordPress hosting 2019
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| Alphabet's cybersecurity firm Chronicle joins Google Cloud Posted: 27 Jun 2019 02:39 PM PDT Google's parent company Alphabet has announced that it will fold its enterprise cybersecurity company Chronicle into Google Cloud later this year. Chronicle was originally spun out of Alphabets experimental projects lab X and the company has been part of Alphabet's other bets division since January 2018. Back in March, Chronicle released its first product called Backstory to help security analysts find real vulnerabilities within the myriad of alerts they receive everyday. While the US cybersecurity market is becoming increasingly crowded, it still remains difficult for security teams to consolidate all of the data they have into one unified system.
Chronicle isn't the only one of Alphabet's companies to be folded back into Google, as its smart home company Nest also became independent and then once again became part of the search giant at the beginning of last year. Joining Google CloudGoogle Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian, who took over after the departure of former CEO Diane Greene, has begun to make big changes to the group after settling in during his first six months in the role. Kurian completed the group's first major acquisition last month when Google purchased the data analytics company Looker for $2.6bn. In a blog post, Kurian announced that Chronicle will be joining Google Cloud highlighting the importance of security to its customers, saying: “Threats posed by attackers to businesses, governments and organizations across the globe have only grown more sophisticated and urgent. At Google Cloud, our customers’ need to securely store data and defend against threats—either in the cloud or on premise—is a top priority.” Kurian also explained that Chronicle will become a part of Google Cloud in the coming weeks and the integration is expected to be completed in the fall.
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| Google Maps will soon give you a heads-up on your busy train commute Posted: 27 Jun 2019 02:26 PM PDT Google has been stepping up Google Maps and Google Assistant's abilities recently, with Maps able to advise you about speed limits and Assistant offering public transit info in new locations. Now, Google Maps is delivering details on how busy public transit will be, Wall Street Journal reports. In some cities, Google already had tools for tracking when trains, buses, and other public modes of transportation would arrive. For drivers, it also provides real-time details on how much traffic there is congesting the roadways along their route. Now, it's combining that style of congestion tool with public transportation tracking. The congestion feature is rolling out in over 200 cities worldwide. The cities include major locations like New York and Los Angeles as well as smaller cities. The feature will cover trains, buses, streetcars and ferries. The data Google will use is crowd-sourced. The company has surveyed users since October on how crowded their rides were, and it will continue to survey for this information. The downside to this system is that the initial roll-out of the feature will base crowdedness on past information, in much the same way as it offer details on how busy stores or restaurants will be. So, for the time-being, there won't be any real-time information on how crowded a bus or train is. And, there was no mention of such a system coming later. The new feature is coming alongside a new tool for bus travel which estimates the time it will take to commute via bus in cities and towns that don't have real-time bus tracking yet.
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| Jony Ive leaves Apple to form independent design firm Posted: 27 Jun 2019 02:18 PM PDT Jony Ive, perhaps the most famous product designer in Apple history, has departed the company to form his own design studio - and one of its clients will be...Apple. Ive started at Apple in 1992 and designed the iconic looks of the iMac, iPod, iPhone, iPad, MacBook, and portions of the company’s iOS mobile operating system. His departure signals a generational shift in Apple: Ive defined the modern, white minimalist look of the company's product line, cultivating a style that suggested elite design accompanied by high pricetags compared to other consumer goods. Given that the only new products since Apple founder Steve Jobs passed way have been the Apple Watch and HomePod - neither of which rivaled the cultural impact of the iPod and iPhone (nor made as much profit for Apple) - Ive's departure could give brand fans pause. Of course, it's unclear how close Ive and his new company will work with Apple in the future, but closing the door on his in-house designer days could be telling. Not that the company that Mac built is showing any signs of worry: Apple CEO Tim Cook downplayed Ive's exit as an "evolution" of the world's wealthiest corporation in remarks to the Financial Times. "We get to continue with the same team that we’ve had for a long time and have the pleasure of continuing to work with Jony,” Mr Cook told the Financial Times. “I can’t imagine a better result.” Developing... This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 27 Jun 2019 01:44 PM PDT There's an added edge to this, the first quarter-final of Copa América 2019. Tournament hosts will be looking to make amends against Paraguay - opponents that have beaten them on penalties at this stage on the previous two occasions they've reached the knockout phase. Can the samba stars get past their bogey team - don't miss a kick with our Copa América Brazil vs Paraguay live stream guide below. A further incentive for Brazil is that a win here today will set up a potential semi-final showdown with their historic rivals Argentina at the Estadio Mineirão. The hosts have so far managed not to miss their injured talisman Neymar, with Everton making an able attacking replacement. Playing at his club side's home stadium, expect the Merseyside-monikered striker to start for Brazil tonight. While putting in some dogged performances, Paraguay managed to edge into the knockout phase with just two points to their name. While they were unbeaten in four outings, they lost their last match against what was essentially a second-string Colombia side. While Paraguay run the rule over them in terms of their last Copa America meetings, Brazil can at least look to the last encounter between the two sides in 2017 which saw them run out 3-0 winners at home during a World Cup qualifier. Betfair also have the host nation down as clear favourites for tonight's clash. If you want to know where you'll be able to watch today's game and every single match of the Copa América - it's ESPN+ if you're in the US - we'll tell you exactly where you can catch them online with our Brazil vs Paraguay live stream guide.
How to watch the 2019 Copa América 2019 from outside your countryOur handy guide below gives you a full rundown of your viewing options for the 2019 Copa América across different countries - check out how to watch in the US (where ESPN+ will be streaming the tournament in its entirety), the UK, Canada and Australia. As ever, the problems start when you try to watch your domestic coverage online while out of the country, where you'll find your stream is most likely geo-blocked. Help is at hand however. Using a Virtual Private Network - or VPN - you'll be able to select a server in your home country and then watch as if you were sat back at home on your couch. How to live stream Brazil vs Paraguay in the US- Discover our pick of all the US's best sports streaming sites How to stream Brazil vs Paraguay live in the UKHow to watch Brazil vs Paraguay: Canada live streamHow to live stream Brazil vs Paraguay in AustraliaThis posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Malvertising campaign infects popular YouTube to MP3 conversion site Posted: 27 Jun 2019 01:30 PM PDT Cybercriminals have compromised the servers used to show ads on a popular YouTube to MP3 conversion website in an effort to to help spread the GreenFlash exploit kit and Seon ransomware. Malvertising is a popular technique among hackers and scammers as it enables them to reach a much wider audience by embedding malicious code or links in advertisements. When a visitor to a site hosting malicious ads clicks on one of them, they are either directed to a fraudulent website or their system is infected with a malicious payload. What makes malvertising so effective, is the fact that legitimate domains can end up hosting malicious ads without their knowledge, which ends up making them a malware distributor without even realizing it.
Recently, cybercriminals have used the technique to help spread the GreenFlash Sundown exploit kit through a large-scale malvertising campaign. GreenFlash Sundown exploit kitMalwarebytes researcher Jérôme Segura provided further insight into how the GreenFlash Sundown exploit kit is being spread beyond Asia in a blog post, saying: “Exploit kit activity has been relatively quiet for some time, with the occasional malvertising campaign reminding us that drive-by downloads are still a threat. However, during the past few days we noticed a spike in our telemetry for what appeared to be a new exploit kit. Upon closer inspection we realized it was actually the very elusive GreenFlash Sundown EK. The threat actors behind it have a unique modus operandi that consists of compromising ad servers that are run by website owners. In essence, they are able to poison the ads served by the affected publisher via this unique kind of malvertising.” By infecting the servers used to deliver ads to multiple sites, including the popular YouTube to MP3 converter site Online Video Creator which has over 200m monthly users, the cybercriminals were able use legitimate domains to do their work for them. After clicking on an ad on one of the affected sites, visitors are sent to the exploit kit after it checks their system to make sure that it is not a virtual machine. The exploit kit then infects their system with the Seon ransomware which locks their files. However, alongside the ransomware, the exploit kit also infects their system with a cryptcurrency miner and Pony which is used to steal their data. Up until now, the exploit kit primarily infected users in South Korea but through their new malvertising campaign, the cybercriminals behind it are looking to expand their reach to new targets in the US and Europe.
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| France vs USA live stream: how to watch Women's World Cup 2019 match from anywhere Posted: 27 Jun 2019 01:20 PM PDT Having had a somewhat easy ride in the early stages of the 2019 Women's World Cup, the USA had a much sterner test against Spain, needing two Megan Rapinoe penalties to win 2-1 in the last round. The tournament favourites now take on the much-fancied hosts France, who also had something of a wake-up call in the last 16, requiring extra time and a 106th-minute Amandine Henry winner to see off Brazil. It's not a Women's World Cup that you'll want to miss and you'll be able to watch from anywhere around the world with our France vs USA live stream guide below - the good news is that it's being shown absolutely free in some regions. It's fair to say this match-up would have made a fitting final, but instead we have a showdown which will see one side leave the tournament far earlier than they would otherwise had been expected. The USWT go into tonight's game marginal favourites with Betfair, but on paper this match is about as delicately posed as it gets. Set to be backed by a vociferous home crowd, Les Bleus will also be encouraged by the fact that they beat the USA 3-1 back in January, with Kadidiatou Diani scoring twice. Having had something of a reprieve thanks to a contentious second penalty awarded to them against Spain, the USA will be desperate to up their game, having only had four shots on target in their last outing. In terms of key battles, look out for France trying to exploit the USA's unconvincing left-side of defence, while Jill Ellis's side will look to nullify captain fantastic Amandine Henry who the majority of French attacking play is filtered through. Don't miss any of the Women's World Cup action by following the instructions below and grabbing a live stream of France vs USA wherever you are in the world. Watch a FIFA Women's World Cup 2019 live stream from outside your countryIf you're in UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, we've got your viewing options listed below. If you're out of the country for this match, you may find that geo-blocking will prevent you from watching your regular domestic coverage from abroad. You don't have to risk watching the match on a dodgy stream, however. With the option of using a VPN service, you can tune into the match no matter where you are in the world, and its super easy to set up. Live stream the USWNT's round of 8 match in the US
- Discover our pick of all the US's best sports streaming sites As well as opening up your viewing options for the Women's World Cup, using a VPN allows you to watch all your domestic sports coverage from abroad. How to stream France vs USA live in the UKHow to watch a FIFA Women's World Cup live stream in CanadaHow to watch France vs USA live stream in AustraliaHow to watch a France vs USA live stream in New ZealandThis posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Spotify Stations vs Pandora: what’s the best way to get streaming radio? Posted: 27 Jun 2019 12:37 PM PDT Listening to the radio used to mean turning a dial until the static lifted. These days, 'listening to the radio' (a term we use loosely) it means turning on a stream of continuous music from an app. Sure, it's not the way your grandparents listened, but the new way is a lot more convenient, diverse and accessible. The only problem is that, with so many places to stream new music, which service should you turn to when it's time to let the beat drop? Let’s take a look at two of the most popular radio apps to see which is you should be using: Spotify’s new Stations app or Pandora radio. Spotify StationsSpotify Stations is a brand new app from Spotify which provides radio-like music streaming. It's available on iOS and Android and can be used with free and premium accounts. Overall, Stations simplifies the on-demand music of Spotify’s main app into fewer choices so that you can start playing quick, and have it just keep playing. It’s probably not a coincidence the app is called Stations, a direct reference to how Pandora describes the different streams people listen to. What is Spotify Stations and how much does it cost? To get started, you need to sign up or sign in to an existing Spotify account (a free account works). The app is free and will play ads if you don’t pay for Spotify Premium. If you do pay for a premium account you won’t hear ads and can skip as many songs as you want. To get started, add a “station” by tapping in the top left corner and select an artist or a mood. Or, search for a song, decade, or something else. Once you have multiple stations, you can slide up and down to switch to the different stations, and as a nice detail, stations pause and resume as you go back to them. (A feature particularly useful because it’s easy to accidentally switch stations.) You can also rename stations, have stations play only a single artist or mix in a few you like, and limit it to all similar music or just those artists. If you like or hate a song you can give it a thumbs up or down to influence future music, but that’s pretty much it. There aren’t many more features than those yet. Image Credit: Spotify / Apple The benefits of the Spotify Stations app Stations is a fast way to get music playing and show off the company’s world-class algorithm recommendations. That’s why it might be the perfect way to listen to music—and as simple as turning on the radio. If you aren’t intrigued by unlimited, on-demand music enough to subscribe to Spotify in the first place, maybe you’re looking for something more like a radio station, in an easy too use package. In which case, this is it. The Spotify app already has this radio functionality, but its desktop and mobile devices are verging very close on becoming iTunes—the butt of every joke for including too much stuff and being too complex. Stations allows the company to offload the radio functionality without being confusing. If you look at it this way, Stations is just a lightweight interface which should enable you to hit play and forget about the rest of the choices associated with picking out music. Stations shouldn’t be criticized for being overly simplistic, but it could use a few minor feature additions. The first and most obvious is a way to save a song to your library without it necessarily influencing future music. Combining the “save” feature with the thumbs up, traditionally meaning “play more like this,” is a little too minimalistic. It would be neat if all the saved songs became its own playlist within Spotify as well, like “Favorites from Stations.” To that end, it would be nice to see a history of the past songs you listened to in Stations so you can save the ones you might have missed. Overall, Spotify Stations is fast to get started, easy to use, and probably exactly what most people are looking for when they decide the time-of-day calls for music to be playing. PandoraPandora wasn’t the first to do streaming internet radio, but it was the first to usher in an era of good streaming radio. Its music genome project helped identify similar artists and songs so well, it became popular among the general public, young and old, looking for an endless supply of music. How much does Pandora cost? Pandora took off because of its decent music recommendations, but also because it is free with ads—just like traditional radio—and remains that way to this day. If you’d like to ditch the ads it will cost you $4.99 to go to Pandora Plus. Not only will you get a music-only listening experience, but you’ll be able to skip more songs if you don’t get a song you want to hear. If you’d like to match Spotify’s on-demand listening function, beyond just radio, Pandora Unlimited can do that as well, which also costs the industry standard $9.99 per month. Image Credit: Pandora / Apple The benefits of Pandora radio Pandora’s roots are all about radio functionality and so it’s definitely the service to beat. You can search for an artist, song, mood, or decade to start a station or choose one of the premade stations to get started. Every time you start a new station it will be saved until you delete it. You can also shuffle stations if you really want to add some variety to you life. Pandora’s radio functionality resides in its main app so when you search for an artist or song so you’ll see the song you search for—you just can’t listen to it unless you subscribe to the Unlimited service. Otherwise you’ll need to start a station from the song. The Pandora app displays plenty of information about tracks without being too cluttered. Once you’re playing a song you can swipe up to display bio information about the artist along with the elements of the particular song: instruments used, types of rhythms, and more. Scattered throughout are lots of nice touches that make sense for a music app. Those include a sleep timer and alarm clock. There’s also a dedicated button to replay a song and full screen display with the ability to share a song and start a new station. Because the primary focus of Pandora is to play radio-like stations, the app remains easy to navigate. Never does the Pandora app feel cluttered, but as it adds podcasts and on-demand listening into the mix, radio listening might eventually get crowded. VerdictHead to head, Spotify’s exceptional song recommendation engine shines bright. So much so that the better song selection outshines anything that might be lacking in its barebones app. The Pandora app has a wonderful and full-featured user experience, but its music choices feel lacking compared to Spotify. That’s why Spotify Stations is the best radio app you can use at the moment. If you’ve spent years refining your Pandora stations or need some of the features it offers, Pandora is still a great option—just know Spotify Stations is out there, and could be a better option if you're ever looking for greener pastures.
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| Best small business software of 2019 Posted: 27 Jun 2019 12:02 PM PDT Starting up a small business can seem a scary proposition, and it's often difficult at first to know what software you will need. While there are obvious basics, such as productivity suites and accounting platforms, it's always possible that something can take you by surprise. That's why it's good to have a general idea of what different types of software are out there, so that the moment you identify a need, you can also identify a solution. This is especially the case when you start to grow and find yourself wanting to communicate and collaborate with new employees, customers, or suppliers. Luckily, there is a lot of competition online in the software market, and while there are big name products priced for big name clients, there are always smaller and cheaper packages which can be just as good. The challenge is to find not just the type you need, but the one that comes in at the right price for you. However, even some of the more seemingly expensive software suites sometimes have a free tier, so you can try it out and see if it works for you - and if it does, you can grow into the software as your business cashflow improves. Even better is that sometimes there are free alternatives to paid-for brand name suites, though often it's the case that you get what you pay for, and cheap or free can come with limitations. We'll therefore look to list a wide range of software types that it's good to be familiar with, and feature the best on the market, so that should you develop a need for anything in particular, you already have an idea of what to look for.
Image Credit: Slack Believe the hype, or at least part of it – Slack may not have killed off email just yet, and it can turn into a time sink if you're not disciplined in how it's deployed, but it's also fair to say that this communications platform has helped transform the way that a lot of small business teams keep in touch. Like all the best software tools, the basic idea is very simple: real-time messaging in web browsers, mobile apps, and desktop clients. Team members can chat one to one, or in groups, or in channels based around topics (sales, finances, products and so on). What Slack does well though is bring that simple idea to life very intuitively, with a slick and responsive interface, and a host of integrations, plug-ins and shortcuts to keep the conversation flowing. All the functions you think you might need, from file transfers to video calling, are right there for you. You don't get much out of Slack for free – with 5GB of total storage, 10,000 recent, searchable conversations and no group calling – but it gives you a feel for the app, and should be fine for smaller teams. At the highest pricing tier, you get round-the-clock support and a guaranteed support response time of four hours, as well as unlimited message archives. Image Credit: Google G Suite is Google's pack of web apps, designed especially for business users: Gmail, Hangouts, Google Drive (and the Docs, Sheets and Slides apps), plus extras such as calendars and contact management. If you use these apps for your personal stuff, then you'll know just how useful they can be. Google's been developing these tools for many years now, and whether you're working on the web or on mobile, you'll find them rock-solid in terms of reliability, and a breeze to get around in terms of usability. Whether you need to put together a presentation, or share a folder of huge files with team members, or have a five-way video call, G Suite can handle it. Also impressive is the way all of these various apps integrate with each other. You can pluck files from Google Drive to use as email attachments in Gmail, for example, or see at a glance which of your Google Contacts are coming to an event in Google Calendar, and so on. Again, Google has had a long time to get all this right, and it shows. From a team management perspective, admins can organize staff, data and devices from a central console – everything is simple to pick up and understand, and the whole suite of tools can grow as your business does. Image Credit: Asana Got both a team and multiple projects to manage? Asana helps you work out who should be doing what at any given moment, maximizing the chances of everything coming together on deadline (though you do need a certain amount of talent and hard work from your staff as well, of course). As with the other software tools in this list, it's not just the features that Asana has that make it special – it's the way those features are wrapped up in an elegant and accessible interface that's easy to navigate around and works across mobile apps and the web without missing a beat. We also like the way Asana integrates very well with more than a hundred other products and services. All the big names are included – Dropbox, Slack, Gmail, Salesforce and so on – and this means Asana is flexible enough to fit right into whatever workflow you've got set up at the moment (or want to try in the future). Whether you're mapping out the steps in a project, assigning duties and responsibilities, checking on the current status of a plan or trying to get a 'big picture' look at exactly what's happening at any given moment, Asana makes the process much more straightforward than you might expect. Image Credit: Dropbox Dropbox was perfecting file syncing across the cloud and multiple devices long before Google, Apple and Microsoft got their respective acts together, and it's this syncing functionality that remains at the core of what Dropbox does, even as it has added a few extra strings to its bow. If you need to do anything at all with files, then Dropbox is just about the best way to do it – share large files over the web, get at your office documents from home, give certain team members access to a certain folder, stream video from a computer to a web browser, collaborate on the same file with a lot of people... the list goes on. The simple and efficient clients that Dropbox has for just about every platform and device out there certainly help, as does the recently revamped (and rather beautifully designed) web interface. If you need to password-protect folders, or set expiry dates for the files and folders you share, then Dropbox can do all of that too. Its Paper app for collaborating on documents is worth a look too, even if it's not quite up to the standard set by G Suite – you'll find it's clean, simple to use, and lets multiple people get together on a document without any fuss at all. Image Credit: Xero You'll find no shortage of finance applications out there with small businesses firmly in their sights, and there are plenty of excellent ones besides Xero – but we've chosen this product for its overall comprehensiveness, mix of accessibility and advanced features, and the smart way in which it works. On the downside, it's one of the more expensive options. What Xero does best is switch between the complex and the simple effortlessly – so you can (for example) set up an automated report showing exactly where all your spending has gone this year, broken down by category; or you can just bring up a bar chart of how much money is coming in each month. Or both. The app is also very customizable, giving you the opportunity to bring up the features and statistics that you need, and hide the ones you don't. We wouldn't recommend it for the smallest and simplest businesses, because it's too sophisticated and expensive for that, but as your business grows and grows, Xero will be able to keep pace. Plus, as you would expect for something at this price, it's packed with extras beyond the basics of just checking on your incomings and outgoings. Xero is able to automatically pull in bank feeds, work in multiple currencies, allow different users into your account with different levels of access (so your accountant can file your tax returns for you), and much more besides. Image Credit: Pixabay Other small business software to considerWe've barely touched the surface of all the different software options a small business might want to consider, not least as there are multiple areas of interest and a strong range of competitors who want to offer the best product for you. However, here are a few more that get honorable mentions, either because they're positioned so well in their respective industries, or they offer a wider ranger of features-and all of them geared toward small businesses: Paypal is a long-established merchant gateway provider for taking online payments, and has since moved into physical retail as well as pay and go mobile card readers. All of which means that if you need a payment provider, Paypal can cover you well, no matter what sort of business you have. There's no monthly fee for the basic plan, which will cover online ordering, which helps reduce upfront fees. And once you're well established with a good sales volume and turnover, if you'd prefer to cut down transaction fees then you can switch to a merchant account where for a monthly fee upfront you'll pay mostly interchange rates on each transaction. Salesforce is possibly the leading sales solution for businesses of many sizes. Whether you're looking to focus on online or offline marketing, telephone or email sales, then this is an all-in-one platform that aims to bring customer sales and relationships together. However, it's not just about logging numbers and ticketing as much as improving all-round efficiency. This means you can look to improve key metrics across all processes, not least your sales and CRM channels, ensuring both a good synchronicty and efficiency between them. Zoho provides so many different software and apps for small business the bigger question might not be what they do, but what they don't. Zoho provides such a comprehensive range of solutions that it's impossible to due the company justice here, suffice to say that they-currently-provide at least 45 apps covering everything from sales, help desk, finance, people, IT, office, project management, and collaboration. What's even better is that not only do these all integrate with each other, but also often integrate with other popular business software platforms. If you need to do something, Zoho probably have already released software to do it! Adobe Apps is probably another toolkit to consider here, not least because of Adobe's real strengths in creativity and design, as well as PDF management-something every business will have to address at some point. Adobe sell different apps in different groups, however, so it's important to ensure you're looking at the correct set. However, don't be surprised if you end up susbscribing to multiple apps, not least the creativity bundle that includes Photoshop, and Adobe Acrobat for creating, editing, annotating, and signing PDF files. Microsoft Office needs mentioning, whether you want to hear that, or not. While there are a lot of different office software options and providers out there, whether it's iWork native to Apple products or open-source FreeOffice, it can still feel difficult to break out from the Microsoft Office. This is not least when many of your suppliers and contractors are probably using Microsoft Office to send invoices or documents, spreadsheets, even presentations, made all the more difficult that alternatives of Microsoft Office may not handle the files you need. So even if you want to try to work without Microsoft Office, don't be surprised if you end up getting a subscription to Microsoft Office 365 anyway. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The LG C9 OLED 65-inch 4KTV gets huge price drop on Newegg today Posted: 27 Jun 2019 12:01 PM PDT If you're looking for a new OLED TV this summer, don't miss the crazy deal that's happening right now at Newegg - you can snag this year's 65-inch LG C9 OLED for $2,299 (about 33% off the regular price of $3,499). That's pricey if you're used to paying less than $500 for a TV, sure, but considering a 55-inch version of this TV usually retails for $2,499, this deal is a showstopper. In our review for the 4K TV, we lauded its significantly improved smart features that use AI to improve picture performance and sound quality. Expect inky blacks from the OLED panel, plus even better contrast when watching HDR content from Netflix, as this TV supports Dolby Vision. If the 65-inch version is just a bit too big for your living room, LG also sells a 55-inch version of the screen (available at Newegg for $1,999) - but it makes more sense to us to pay a mere $300 more for the 10 extra inches of screen. The bad news? The deal is only good for the next three days (until June 30) so you'll have to act fast! Shop more deals and learn more about Prime Day with our Amazon Prime Day deals guide: everything you need to know for the July deals event. Right now, the newest Amazon Fire TV Edition is just $179.99 in an early Prime Day deal. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Best iPhone 2019: which Apple phone is the best? Posted: 27 Jun 2019 11:52 AM PDT You'd expect the best iPhone to simply be the newest model on the market, but now that Apple launches three phones each year, as it did in 2018 with the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone X, there's a little more to think about. Does greater size justify greater price? When Apple's smartphones cost so much, even when you find the best iPhone deals around, it's critical to decide which iPhone is best for you. That's why we've set out to rank the powerful devices and explain where we landed on each. We'll help you explore how the three newest iPhones compare to each other, and see which handsets to check out if you aren't considering the very latest devices. This way, if you're not looking to spend maximum cash on the latest and greatest features, you can find a more reasonable pick in an older iPhone, like 2017's iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, or one of the budget-minded options, like the iPhone XR. Each of the top iPhones we recommend runs iOS 12, and they're all going to receive iOS 13 when that rolls out later in 2019 - but iPhones later than the ones included on this list won't, so bear that in mind if you decide to stray from our recommendations. So without further ado, here's our list of the best iPhones you can buy right now – at least until the new iPhone 11 rolls out later this year.
Best iPhone: which one should you buy todayImage credit: TechRadar The iPhone XS Max is the best iPhone you can buy right now. It's Apple's biggest and best iPhone – if your hands and wallets are large enough. It has an expansive 6.5-inch OLED screen with HDR10 support to make colors pop. It's the perfect phone if you want a giant screen. Behind that huge screen is an improved dual-lens 12MP camera. Apple outfitted it with Smart HDR and increased the sensor size to capture larger pixels. Don't let that static 12MP number fool you. The iPhone XS Max (like the XS) has new depth-sensing capabilities for adjustable bokeh (background blur) during and after a shot. The TrueDepth camera returns with faster Face ID recognition, and your 7MP selfies get better depth control and Smart HDR, too. And, of course, Animoji returns with the iOS 12 benefit of having Memoji now. The iPhone XS Max is more expensive than the iPhone X and iPhone XS that replaces the X, of course. But if you're paying for it over the course of two years in a contract (or through the Apple Upgrade Program), it's not that much more month-to-month. Read our in-depth iPhone XS Max review Image credit: TechRadar Believe it or not, the iPhone XS is Apple's best 'small' phone. It has a 5.8-inch screen, so it's more one-hand-friendly than the Max, but still a sizable upgrade for some people. It's an upgrade over last year's iPhone X, our previous best iPhone recommendation, though you'll have to look more closely for the changes – the design isn't different at all. It has a Smart HDR-capable 12MP camera, enhanced TrueDepth front-facing camera, and a fast A12 Bionic chipset, exactly like the larger iPhone XS Max. In fact, this all-screen phone is pretty much the iPhone XS Max in last year's smaller form factor. It does have a smaller battery than the Max and obviously a smaller screen, but you will still capture the same great photos and videos on this device and play the same games. There's no different there. Read our in-depth iPhone XS review Image credit: TechRadar The iPhone XR is a great upgrade for the average consumer who doesn't want to pay for the most expensive iPhone money (a lot of money) can buy. This is Apple's 'cheap' iPhone, at least when it comes to recently launched handsets. It's also the best iPhone of the new trio for battery life. It stands out with a variety of iPhone XR colors: Blue, White, Black, Yellow, Coral, Red. This contrasts heavily with the rather muted colors of the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. Yet it shares the same internal specs: Apple's fast A12 Bionic chipset and a 12MP dual-lens camera with a single lens on back.
You don't get the dual-lens camera like you do on a higher-tier iPhone, so you miss out on telephoto shots. But Smart HDR is the real perk to taking great photos, and that's here. It's cheaper, it's more colorful and it has a big 6.1-inch screen. That's enough for most people, especially those who aren't insistent on an impressive OLED screen. Read our in-depth iPhone XR review Image credit: TechRadar The iPhone X is as impressive as it is expensive, but if you really want the best iPhone today and don't want to wait for the iPhone XI, this is the one to get today. Millions of Apple fans already have since it launched almost seven months ago. It's the future of Apple's smartphone. It has a large all-screen display, except for a notch cutout at the top that houses a new TrueDepth Camera. This takes selfies to another level and can also map your face to an iPhone X-exclusive Animoji. If you don't know what that is by now you probably won't care. The iPhone X is Apple's 10th anniversary smartphone and has just about everything iPhone users have been asking for, from a more forward-leaning design to faster specs and new features. You'll just have to get used to Face ID instead of reaching for that non-existent fingerprint sensor. Read our in-depth iPhone X review Image credit: TechRadar The iPhone 8 Plus is the best iPhone if you're not willing to take the plunge into Apple's proposed smartphone future and need that Touch ID fingerprint sensor. It remains popular due to its screen size, cheaper price and physical home button. It does have several key features you'll like, however. It's among the first iPhones to have both wireless charging and fast charging, and the camera has improved. Its dual-lens camera doesn't have OIS in the telephoto lens (a feature saved for the X), but it's still a great way to snap a photo at long distances. It won't turn nearly as many heads with its bezel-heavy design, but the iPhone 8 Plus is the iPhone built for big hands and slightly smaller wallets than the new iPhone X. Read our in-depth iPhone 8 Plus review Image credit: TechRadar This is actually the best-selling iPhone from Apple, and for several good reasons. First, we get it, you refuse to budge from the 4.7-inch iPhone screen size and, frankly, we don't blame you. Every time we go back to this iPhone with 'normal' dimensions, we feel like we just went on a smartphone vacation. Second, its price is way more reasonable for a lot a folks than the iPhone X and iPhone 8 Plus. Just because the size is the same as iPhones of old, doesn't mean the technology behind it is, though. The iPhone 8 features the same A11 Bionic chipset as the iPhone 8 Plus and the iPhone X, and it too debuted wireless charging and fast charging on an Apple smartphone. The camera is still fantastic, even if it doesn't have the dual-lens capabilities that are exclusive to the X and Plus, and you'll dig iOS 11 at this size more so than the even smaller iPhone SE. Read our in-depth iPhone 8 review Back in 2016 the iPhone 7 Plus was the best phone Apple had ever made, and it remains a winner for its longevity and price. It's larger than the iPhone X though despite its smaller display, so if you're after a smaller phone with a bigger screen, this won't be the best choice for you with its 5.5-inch 1080p display. The big upgrades over older iPhones are the waterproof design and a new dual-lens camera that allows you to snap with two 12MP lenses at the same time. It allows for better optical zoom as well as a bokeh mode to blur the background of your photos and put the main focus on the foreground. Battery life on the iPhone 7 Plus is much improved upon the iPhone 6S Plus, and while it's still a costly option it's much cheaper than it was at launch, making it one of the best iPhone choices for people looking for a deal. Read the full iPhone 7 Plus review Despite the iPhone SE's small size and relatively modest price tag, it's still an upper mid-range phone. It has the same boxy yet premium design as the metal-clad iPhone 5S and the same powerful Apple A9 chipset and rear camera as the iPhone 6S. It lacks the 3D Touch features and higher-resolution front-facing camera of the iPhone 6S and beyond. The screen is also less impressive all round, thanks in large part to a lower contrast ratio. But it compares well to many mid-range handsets. It's also the most powerful 4-inch iPhone you can get, so for fans of compact form factors this is an obvious choice. But the best bit is its price, as it's one of the cheapest iPhones you'll find on the market and it's something of a bargain by Apple standards. Read the iPhone SE review Don't fancy the large iPhone 7 Plus above? Why not opt for the iPhone 7, which is a smaller and cheaper alternative. This was one of the first iPhones to lack a headphone jack, but it does come with a water-resistant design that means your phone is likely to survive the odd dip in the sink rather than just being frazzled right away. There's no dual-lens camera on the iPhone 7, but you can still take some absolutely incredible photography with the 12MP sensor. If you own an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6S, you may not see much difference with the this phone but the newer processor and camera tech may be enough to entice you to buy it if you can't stomach the high price of the iPhone 8. Read the full iPhone 7 review The iPhone 6S, as you probably know, is Apple's flagship from 2015. The Apple A9 chipset and a chunky 2GB of RAM, up from 1GB on the previous model, make it far superior in raw power to 2014's model and still reasonably speedy by today's standards, and it's got some other tricks too. It has a 12MP rear camera and a tried-and-tested 8MP front-facing camera, which at the time was the best selfie shooter Apple had on a phone. It does sport largely the same design and screen as the iPhone 6 though and the latter in particular is starting to feel a bit dated in the face of super sharp QHD screens from rivals - and from the newer iPhone X. This was the first iPhone to sport 3D Touch though, which makes the screen pressure-sensitive and offers new tricks for enhanced emailing and shortcuts around the home screen. Read the full iPhone 6S review
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| US government is working on mysterious malware detection project Posted: 27 Jun 2019 10:54 AM PDT A malware infection can cripple organizations as well as governments which is why the US Navy's Center for High Assurance Computer Systems (CHACS) is currently working on a new mysterious malware detection project. CHACS is branch of the Information Technology Division at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) which conducts research and development in the areas of Information Assurance (IA) and cybersecurity. As the organization's specialist arm, CHACS deals with a range of cyber issues ranging from communications security to software engineering. Jane's 360 recently learned from the section head of CHACS' network security research division, Joseph Matthews that it is currently pursuing improved malware detection through a project called MalSee.
The project is being carried out in partnership with both academic and industry partners alongside the Office of Naval Research (ONR). MalSeeCalifornia-based Mayachitra is one of the industry partners currently working on the MalSee project which aims to use “vision, hearing, and other features to detect malware. According to an award information post on the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program's website, Mayachitra was awarded the contract to develop the project back in 2015 and was given almost $80k to do so. Further details regarding the project's scope and nature are provided in an abstract, which reads: “We propose MalSee to leverage recent research performed by principals at Mayachitra to recast the suspect software binaries as images and exploit computer vision techniques to automatically classify malware. This approach offers the following advantages: Robustness to variations, speed and scalability, route for further exploration.” On its website, Mayachitra explained that MalSee is a new malware detection and classification system that is deployed as a web-accessible service. The company's unique technology allows for robust and fast detection of harmful computer viruses, offering a 1,000x speedup compared to existing methods. MalSee leverages signal processing, pattern recognition and deep learning to detect malware faster than the current methods employed today. Mayachitra joins the likes of Deep Instinct, Sentinel One, Cylance and other security companies that are using AI, deep learning and other emerging technologies in the fight against cybercrime.
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| Here's what it's like to play Final Fantasy 7 Remake if you never played the original Posted: 27 Jun 2019 10:28 AM PDT Final Fantasy is a pretty big deal. Well, that’s what I’ve gathered. As someone who writes about games for a living, my dark secret is that I’ve never actually played a Final Fantasy game to completion. Sure, I’ve dabbled here and there - a few hours of Final Fantasy X here and bit of Final Fantasy XV there - but I’ve never truly immersed myself in any of the games and, worse yet, apparently I’ve been playing the worst titles in the series. As ashamed as I feel, there’s no denying that everyone has at least one huge game or franchise that they somehow completely missed the boat with: BioShock, The Witcher, maybe The Sims? For me, it’s Final Fantasy. So, when Square Enix revealed it was remaking Final Fantasy 7 (apparently one of the best ones?), I didn’t quite understand the hype. Furthermore, I was concerned that Final Fantasy 7 Remake isn’t actually a game aimed at people like me who never played the original and once again I’m going to sit on the sidelines while social media blows up over the spiky-haired boy with the oversized sword and the porcelain-faced girl holding a flower. This, coupled with the overwhelming Final Fantasy screamfest that was Square Enix’s E3 2019 conference, meant I was particularly apprehensive about getting hands on with the highly anticipated remake. But, Final Fantasy 7 Remake proved to be a game that is just as accessible for newbies as it is veterans and here’s why… Roaming ‘round the reactorImage credit: Square Enix Stepping into Final Fantasy 7 Remake initially can be a bit daunting for a newbie - it seems like there’s a lot going on already and quite a few characters to get your head around. The demo starts shortly after the first mission’s tutorial and introduction cutscenes. The story, in the simplest face-value terms (and forgive me for my blasphemy, Final Fantasy fans), sees you playing as Cloud Strife - a mercenary who has been hired by a group of rebels called Avalanche to plant a bomb in the Shinra Electric Power Company, owned by a tyrannical company by the same name. If you’ve ever seen anything to do with Final Fantasy then you’ll probably recognize Cloud, he’s the blonde, spikey-haired fellow wielding a giant sword. He’s apparently not got any personal investment in the bombing of Shinra and is only in it for the money – but it seems like he’s got some ulterior motive we’re currently unaware of. His face is kind though, so we’ll trust him for now… Alongside Cloud is a very loud-mouthed muscle-man called Barret, a fan-favorite it seems, and some other rebel members who keep doubting Cloud’s intentions. While the characters may be somewhat confusing to keep up with for those of us unfamiliar, the story is pretty easy to follow - rebels are taking on the big bad corporation. Got it. Getting to grips with combatImage credit: Square Enix Once I get control of Cloud, I begin to make my way through the Reactor - with Barret by my side. The general mechanics are fairly simple to get your head around, with nothing surprisingly complicated: smash boxes, climb ladders, follow the linear path laid out before you. However, it’s the combat that had me concerned after having seen clips of Final fantasy’s turn-based gameplay - something my patience does not afford. Fortunately, Remake has done away with turn-based combat and instead uses real-time combat, like that of Kingdom Hearts. That doesn’t mean combat is simply a hack n’ slash. While just slashing at an enemy with your big ol’ sword is obviously an option, the strategy comes in mixing that up with abilities and magic - accessed via the commands menu. Causing damage to an enemy increases your ATB energy (the two bars in the bottom right of the screen, below your health). ATB energy is needed to use abilities and cast spells (which also use mana), with each using a bar of ATB. However, if you fill both bars then you can activate Tactical Mode, a slow-motion mode which allows you to take your time choosing which attack to use next, which item to snaffle or to assess your next move. According to Square Enix, this is to please players who preferred Final Fantasy 7’s turn-based gameplay by allowing them more time to strategize. Personally, I found it more useful for applying a potion when in a sticky situation. In addition to playing as Cloud, Remake lets you switch between the characters in your party relatively simply. We only had bossy Barret in our party during the demo, but his ranged autogun attacks proved useful for gunning down enemies that were slightly out of Cloud’s reach. Essentially, you need to use the right character for the right job. Scorpion kingImage credit: Square Enix Having never played Final Fantasy 7 before, I was unaware that the end of my demo run would result in facing a giant robot scorpion creature, but it is the perfect way to get new players used to the strategic element of Remake. While, in some instances, using Cloud’s powerful sword slashes proved best for tackling the mechanical beast, others favored Barret’s machine gun (rather than getting blown to smithereens by the scorpions’s laser blast). This boss fight is challenging, without a doubt, but never in a way that makes you frustrated. It’s a perfect balance between a battle that requires strategic thinking, quick reflexes and patience, without being too straight-forward and simple or, contrarily, blood-boiling difficult. When I finally slashed through my metallic foe, I felt like I had achieved something - I had worked for this victory and understood the combat better as a result. It’s also worth noting at this point that the transitions between gameplay and cutscenes are almost seamless. The cinematics are truly stunning, with Midgard’s dark, steampunk setting emphasizing that this is a darker title than the Final Fantasy games I’ve dabbled with - and I’m definitely here for it. Fantastical fearImage credit: Square Enix Final Fantasy 7 Remake can be a daunting experience for anyone who hasn’t played the original, heck the whole series can seem like a mountain to climb. But, Square Enix has gone out of its way to create an experience that appeals to veteran fans and newbies, such as myself – and it seems it’s been a successful venture. A key element of this is that the development team wanted Remake to feel like a new standalone game, digging deeper than ever into characters and their stories. That means new cutscenes, dialogues and other surprises - which everyone can experience together for the first time. The big question is: can you enjoy Final Fantasy 7 Remake if you never played the original? Yes, I believe you can. I came away from this hands on eager to play more, learn more about the characters I had briefly encountered and explore the darkened streets of Midgar - I want to understand the hype. While I may not fully understand the cult impact Final Fantasy 7 has had on fans, I now understand it a lot better than I did. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Verizon 5G: phones, coverage map and rollout cities Posted: 27 Jun 2019 10:19 AM PDT While Verizon began rolling out 5G for homes last fall, it's currently bringing the next generation of mobile communication tech online with a nationwide rollout that's gearing up through 2019. But where is it coming first and which phones will you be able to use on it? The carrier hasn’t detailed its plans aside from a broad goal of rolling out the 5G Ultra Wideband Network, as Verizon is calling it in press materials, to 30 US cities, and launch in 20 of those this year. The company kicked it off by opening coverage in Chicago and Minneapolis in April 2019, followed by Denver at the end of June and Providence in early July. The company has continued trickling out announcements for which cities will get 5G in 2019, and the latest count includes Atlanta, Boston, Houston, Phoenix, Washington DC, and San Diego. Verizon's Ultra Wideband mobile network operates on frequencies at and above 24 Ghz, known colloquially as 'millimeter wave' (mmWave). These beam high-speed internet to your device, but they're short ranged, and initial coverage has been limited to a handful of city blocks in each deployment. Obviously, you’ll need a phone that works with Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband network. More specifically, you’ll need a phone with the right specs (new processors and modems) to hook up to 5G networks at all. Below is a list of phones Verizon has already announced will be usable on its own 5G network. But first, here's where the carrier has already rolled out its next-gen network – and where it's going next. Verizon 5G plansAt the moment, only Verizon customers with either Above or Beyond Unlimited plans can sign up for 5G service, which costs an extra $10/month. This fee is waived for those who purchase a new Samsung Galaxy S10 5G or a new Motorola Moto Z4, though this is likely a temporary discount. Note that the Moto Z3 and Moto Z4 (and this summer, the Moto Z2 Force) require the 5G Moto Mod to hook up to Verizon's 5G network. The 5G Moto Mod costs $199, and can be purchased in Verizon online or retail stores, and requires proof of ownership of a compatible Moto phone, at least for now. Verizon 5G cities rollout and coverage mapCurrently, Verizon's 5G coverage extends to certain areas and neighborhoods in Chicago, Minneapolis, Denver, and soon, Providence. At this early stage, expect coverage to be limited to a few square blocks in each of the named neighborhoods. In Chicago, Verizon 5G is live in parts of these neighborhoods: The Loop, Magnificent Mile, The Gold Coast, River North, and Old Town. In Minneapolis, Verizon 5G is live in parts of the Downtown West, Downtown East, and Elliot Park neighborhoods. In late June, Verizon launched service in Denver, Colorado in similarly circumscribed areas. The current network covers parts of Highlands, South of 37th between Tejon and Navajo streets; LoDo; Coors Field; parts of the Central Business District near landmarks like Sculpture Park and Paramount Theatre; and areas of Capitol Hill and the Denver Tech Center. Verizon's network will open in Providence, Rhode Island on July 1. Initially, service will go live in parts of College Hill, Federal Hill, Mt. Hope, and around landmarks like Brown University (Erickson Athletic Complex, Wriston Quadrangle), Rhode Island School of Design and Providence College, per Verizon's blog post. As for the rollout, Verizon aims to launch 5G service in these other cities by the end of 2019: Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Little Rock, Memphis, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, San Diego, San Jose, and Washington, DC. Verizon 5G phonesImage credit: TechRadar Moto Z4 (Verizon-sold model, with 5G Moto Mod)The Moto Z4 is a sleeker, bigger iteration of the Moto Z line that's solidly in the midrange category. It's less impressive than the big, bad 5G-capable phones coming out this year (like the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G), but it's also less expensive. For a $500 list price plus the $199 5G Moto Mod, you're in business – and have plenty of money left to pay data overage fees when you zip past your monthly cap while downloading at super-fast speeds. If you don't need the latest and greatest, you'll be pleasantly surprised by the Moto Z4. Its FHD+ 6.4-inch display (with a teardrop notch) will serve you just fine and the in-screen fingerprint sensor is a nice (if spotty) addition. The Snapdragon 675 is the latest midrange processor from Qualcomm, and while it's not going to win any speed contests, it's still fast enough for browsing and flipping between apps. The new, single 48MP camera uses software to achieve bokeh and depth effects – a growing trend among midrange phones – while the 25MP front-facing lens is an improvement across the board. Image credit: TechRadar Just keep in mind that, at least for now, only the Moto Z4 bought through Verizon (with the logo on the lower back, seen above) available in white will work with the 5G Moto Mod. The unlocked black model won't, at least for the foreseeable future. Image Credit: TechRadar Moto Z3 (with 5G Moto Mod)The Moto Z3 is technically Verizon’s first 5G-capable phone, but only because Motorola planned long in advance to introduce a Moto Mod deliberately designed to connect the handset to a 5G networks. The caveat: you can’t buy the mod just yet (not that Verizon's advanced network ready anyway), but when the accessory becomes available in the first half of 2019, you’ll be able pick it up on Motorola’s website here (and likely in Verizon stores). The Moto Z3 isn’t nearly as flashy as the other phones on this list, but it will be far more affordable, which gives Verizon an advantage over other carriers that are only backing the top 5G flagships. We don’t just mean “mid-range” affordable, either: the Moto Z3 launched last fall costing $480 (about £370, AU$650), and is doubtless a bit cheaper on the market by now. Even if the 5G Moto Mod has a stiff price tag, both will still be half or even a third as cheap as the other 5G-capable phones working on these carrier networks. Of course, don’t expect high performance at that price. The Moto Z3 packs a Snapdragon 835 - the top Android chip of 2017 - and starts at 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage (you can opt for 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage for a price bump). Its 6-inch AMOLED display is fine, if an unremarkable 2,160 x 1,080 (FHD+). Its main 12MP f/2.0 rear shooter is supplemented with a 12MP monochrome lens for low-light, while the front-facing camera is an 8MP f/2.0 for selfies. Add in a 3,000mAh battery and you have a decent phone with classy, glossy glass front and back...though you’ll conceivably need to keep the 5G mod attached to its rear at all times to access Verizon’s advanced network. Still, it’s a compromise that should work well for folks who want hyper-fast 5G speeds, but don’t want to drop $1,000 or more to get it. And like other mods, the 5G Moto Mod will work with other Motorola phones - though it’s only confirmed to work with the Moto Z2 for now (compatible at some point after the Z3, per the product’s page). Image Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy S10 5GVerizon will be getting the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G, the big, powerful 5G-compatible version of the Galaxy S10 flagship line. The phone is top-of-the-line, with impressive specs and a huge screen. It’s also expected to be pretty pricey. While we don’t have an official cost yet, the S10 Plus starts at $999 / £899 (about AU$1,398) and the 5G version outclasses it in most dimensions, so we’re expecting an even higher price tag. The phone has a massive 6.7-inch AMOLED display, packs a Snapdragon 855 chipset and comes with 256GB storage and 8GB of RAM. Like the Galaxy S10 and S10 Plus, the 5G variant has a trio of rear lenses (12MP wide, 16MP ultrawide and 12MP telephoto) along with a time of flight sensor to measure depth. It’s even got one of these TOF sensors on the front to augment selfies. The Samsung Galaxy S10 5G will become available to Verizon customers in the first half of 2019. LG V50 ThinQ 5G LG V50 ThinQ 5GAt MWC 2019, Verizon announced a third phone will be usable on its 5G network this summer: the LG V50 ThinQ 5G. Verizon isn’t the only carrier that will support LG’s new flagship, and given the vague timelines all carriers are proposing, it’s unclear if, say, Verizon will be getting the V50 later than Sprint, which claims it’s getting the phone “in the coming months.” In any case, the V50 is similar in size and appearance to last year’s V40 (down to the same 6.4-inch OLED screen), but with a few key differences. It packs the latest Snapdragon 855 processor, as expected from a 2019 flagship. But it also has two new changes: a bigger 4,000mAh battery and a vapor chamber to keep the phone powered and cool, respectively, during long media binge sessions. We still don’t know how much the V50 5G will cost, but given its predecessor was priced at $900 (around £690 / AU$1260) for launch last fall, we expect the new 5G version to be around or a bit higher than that.
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| Apex Legends Season 2: Battle Charge update, start date and new characters Posted: 27 Jun 2019 09:31 AM PDT Apex Legends Season 2 starts July 2, meaning it's less than a week away now. That's very good news if you're a fan of the game as Season 2 is bringing an onslaught of Apex Legends updates: a new character (Wattson), new modes, additional weapons (L-Star from Titanfall 2) and a much-needed improved battle pass and challenges. Officially dubbed Apex Legends Season 2: Battle Charge, the changes here are based on Season 1 feedback, according to developer Respawn Entertainment and EA. They admitted that not everything went right at launch and well-received by players. Chief among the changes is a new ranked mode and the advent of daily and weekly challenges, something Fortnite excelled at and Apex Legends did not. It'll also take less time to reach Battle Pass level 100 and you'll find three additional Legendary skins along the rewards track. The new weapon for Season 2? It should actually be familiar to fans of Respawn: it's the L-Star from Titanfall 2, only it's an SMG this time. It's powerful enough to break doors (something only melee and explosive can do currently), but there are some drawbacks. It only arrives in care packages (you can't equip it at load out) and there's no ammo around the map. Coming even sooner to the Apex Legends universe is Apex Elite Queue. The top five players of a match are entered into this elite designation, letting them test their skills against each other in guaranteed epic matches. But they have to keep finishing in the top five to remain in Apex Elite Queue. Before you get your hands on it in Apex Legends Season 2, you'll also be able to play through a Double XP Weekend until June 10 at 10am PT. EA surprised many with the sudden announcement of Apex Legends back in February, a free-to-play battle royale shooter that sees the publisher going toe-to-toe with genre mammoths PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds and Fortnite Battle Royale. Developed by Respawn Entertainment and set in the Titanfall universe, Apex Legends is a squad-based battle royale shooter where teams of three go up against 57 other players to try to gather loot and be the last person (or squad) standing. However, unlike Fortnite and PUBG, Apex Legends sees players take on one of eight classes, each represented by a unique character (imagine Fortnite mixed with Overwatch and you’ll be on the right track.) Whether that sounds like your kind of gaming or not, Apex Legends hit the ground running. It managed to reach a million players in its first eight hours and amassed 10 million players in three days. That's good going. Really good going. Particularly when you consider that it took Fortnite two weeks (a fortnight!) to reach those same numbers. Similarly, it took Fortnite 24 hours to accrue a million players, compared to eight hours for EA’s shooter. However, things seem to have slowed down for Apex Legends with revenue dropping and Respawn opting to implement less-frequent, more meaningful updates in lieu of constant, smaller updates. Do we have another Fortnite on our hands or just a passing fad? Let's not get ahead of ourselves and instead take a look at everything we know about Apex Legends. As we said in our full Apex Legends review: "Truth be told, the Battle Royale movement has never quite grabbed me. I dabbled in PUBG and spent a dozen hours or so with Fortnite, yet nothing ever quite stuck the landing. Apex though, has got me hook, line and sinker. Featuring intuitive controls, an outstanding comms system and remarkable rogue’s gallery, Respawn has created what feels like the AAA outing for the genre." Apex Legends update news
Apex Legends' Legendary Hunt event has started. This is the first proper in-game event for Apex Legends and offers players rewards for completing challenges and playing while the event is active, as well as offering extra experience boosts. Legendary Hunt introduces a new elite queue, themed rewards, bonus XP, and more for a limited time. Apex Elite Queue Legendary Hunt challenge rewards
Meanwhile, Battle Pass owners will also be awarded a Legendary Honored Prey R-301 weapon skin, simply for owning the Season 1 Battle Pass. Battle pass owners level 15 and above will be awarded the Legendary Night Terror Wraith skin. Battle Pass bonus XP Double XP weekend Respawn will also be running a Double XP weekend for Apex Legends between June 7 and June 10, which will see players score double level XP and Battle Pass XP throughout its duration. Legendary Hunt store skins Finally, between June 4 and June 18, new Legendary Hunt items will be available in the store. These items will rotate every three to four days and are event limited. Apex Legends tips and tricksApex Legends can be difficult to get to grips with. There are a lot of different characters each with their own abilities and skills, plus this battle royale arguably leans more heavily on strategy and teamwork than some of its competitors. Get ahead of the pack with our selection of Apex Legends guides, designed to help you become a champion.
How to download Apex LegendsApex Legends can be downloaded for free from the PlayStation Store, Xbox Store, Origin Store or Apex Legends website. Simply search for the title, download the game and enjoy! But do keep in mind that a good internet connect and subscription to either PS Plus, Xbox Live or Origin Access is required to play. The good news is that Apex Legends is also coming to mobile in the future, following in the footsteps of Fortnite and PUBG. Apex Legends Battle PassApex Legends has now officially launched its first Battle Pass season, dubbed Wild Frontier. Players on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC are now able to purchase the Wild Frontier Battle Pass for 950 Apex Coins, entitling them to a new character in Octane (available separately for 750 Apex Coins or 12,000 Legends Tokens) and the ability to earn 100 new items, such as Legend Skins, Apex Coins and a new legendary Havoc skin. As a reference, Apex Coins start at $9.99 (around £7.50 / AU$14.15) in real world money for a pack of 1,000. Along with this speedy new Legend, the Wild Frontier Battle Pass also offers the ability to earn 100 new items, such as Legend Skins, Apex Coins and a new legendary Havoc skin. Players who want to get a head start can immediately unlock the first 25 levels (out of 100 available in Season 1) by purchasing the Battle Pass Bundle, which costs 2,800 Apex Coins. According to EA, Apex Legends will follow a seasonal model with each themed season bringing new content to the game in the form of new weapons, new Legends, new skins and more. Check out our full guide to the Apex Legends Battle Pass. Apex Legends roadmap - what's next?Respawn Entertainment has shared the season roadmap for Apex Legends. Apex Legends Battle Pass seasons run for approximately three months. Currently four seasons have officially been announced:
Is Apex Legends coming to mobile?Yes. In EA’s quarterly earnings report, the publisher announced that it’s looking at bringing the Respawn Entertainment-developed game to mobile platforms and to both South Korea and China. “We’re in advanced negotiations to China and mobile”, EA’s CFO Blake Jorgenson stated, before later mentioning South Korea as another expansion point. While the specific platform details haven't been confirmed, it’s fair to assume that this will include both Android and iOS releases down the line, and as far as the Eastern market releases, this will be via EA’s PC platform and marketplace, Origin. Apex Legends characters and abilitiesOctane Adrenaline Junkie Apex Legends' newest Legend is the ultimate death-defying adrenaline junkie, speeding his way through the map, healing himself as he goes and getting into as much trouble as possible. Tactical Ability: Stim Passive Ability: Swift Mend Ultimate Ability: Launch Pad Bloodhound Technological Tracker Bloodhound is one of the the Outlands' greatest hunters. There's little known about them except that they are non-binary and super-skilled at tracking enemies in the battlefield. Tactical Ability: Eye of the Allfather Passive Ability: Tracker Ultimate Ability: Beast of the Hunt Wraith Interdimensional Skirmisher Wraith is a fighter with a dark twist. She's able to execute swift attacks and open rifts in reality to benefit herself and her teammates. Tactical Ability: Into the Void Passive Ability: Voices from the Void Ultimate Ability: Dimensional Rift Gibraltar Shielded Fortress Built like a brick house, Gibraltar is essentially the tank of Apex Legends. He is great for defending teammates and unleashing massive damage on any enemies who dare get close enough. Tactical Ability: Dome of Protection Passive Ability: Gun Shield Ultimate Ability: Defensive Bombardment Bangalore Professional Soldier Bangalore serves as a classic offense character, at her best when she's inflicting damage on enemy teams and using strategic attacks to unleash devastating assaults. Tactical Ability: Smoke Launcher Passive Ability: Double Time Ultimate Ability: Rolling Thunder Lifeline Combat Medic Prefer to play a healer? Then Lifelines is probably the Legend for you, providing medical assistance to her teammates on the battlefield with her healing drone and calling in extra supplies when needed. Tactical Ability: D.O.C. Heal Drone Passive Ability: Combat Medic Ultimate Ability: Care Package Pathfinder Forward Scout It's important to survey and scout potential locations before sending your team in. Better to be safe than sorry. That's where Pathfinder comes in, checking areas for enemies before making a speedy exit and guiding your team along the safest route. Tactical Ability: Grappling Hook Passive Ability: Insider Knowledge Ultimate Ability: Zipline Caustic Toxic Trapper Prefer to trap your enemies rather than combat them head on? Then Caustic is your guy. He's one of two current characters unavailable in the base game and requires you to pay 12,000 Legend Tokens or 750 Apex Coins to unlock. Tactical Ability: Nox Gas Trap Passive Ability: Nox Vision Ultimate Ability: Nox Gas Grenade Mirage Holographic Trickster Arguably the most charismatic Legend, Mirage is a master of illusion and uses decoys to confuse enemies. Like Caustic, Mirage is unavailable in the base game and requires you to pay 12,000 Legend Tokens or 750 Apex Coins to unlock. Tactical Ability: Psyche Out Passive Ability: Encore! Ultimate Ability: Vanishing Act (Image credits: Respawn Entertainment/EA)
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| Norway vs England live stream: how to watch today's Women's World Cup 2019 match from anywhere Posted: 27 Jun 2019 09:26 AM PDT On paper it looks like we're set for a tightly-contested 2019 Women's World Cup quarter-final today - the roaring Lionesses against the former champions Norway. And it's one you'll be able to watch from anywhere around the world with our England vs Norway live stream guide below. It's hard to imagine tonight's game being any more eventful than England's bizarre last 16 clash with Cameroon. Phil Neville's side got through the bruising encounter with a 3-0 win, but not unscathed with Steph Houghton a major doubt for tonight's game. Despite having won the tournament in 2005, Norway go into this evening's game as slight underdogs with Betfair. Nevertheless, their morale will be at a high, following their gripping penalty shoot-out win over Australia. There's more than just a place in the Women's World Cup semi-finals at stake tonight - the tournament is also used for qualification to the 2020 Olympic Games with only the top three European nations making the cut. With seven teams from the continent remaining in the World Cup, tonight's result could prove crucial to Great Britain heading to Japan. While they may have only shipped a single goal in the tournament so far, England looked far from convincing at the back against Cameroon. That defence may look even rockier with a virus sweeping through the England camp that is said to have laid low Lioness centre-half Millie Bright. The big question mark hanging over Norway will be how much their gruelling extra-time against Australia will impact on their energy levels. Don't miss any of today's action by following the instructions below and grabbing a live stream of Norway vs England wherever you are in the world. Watch a FIFA Women's World Cup 2019 live stream from outside your countryIf you're in UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, we've got your viewing options listed below. If you're out of the country for today's match, you may find that geo-blocking will prevent you from watching your regular domestic coverage from abroad. You don't have to risk watching the match on a dodgy stream, however. With the option of using a VPN service, you can tune into the match no matter where you are in the world, and its super easy to set up. How to stream the Lionesses match live in the UKLive stream England vs Norway in the US
- Discover our pick of all the US's best sports streaming sites As well as opening up your viewing options for the Women's World Cup, using a VPN allows you to watch all your domestic sports coverage from abroad. How to watch a FIFA Women's World Cup live stream in CanadaHow to watch England vs Norway live stream in AustraliaHow to watch a Norway vs England live stream in New ZealandThis posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The best Fitbit Versa prices and sales in June 2019 Posted: 27 Jun 2019 09:08 AM PDT If you're looking for a quality smartwatch, but don't want to pay the price of an Apple Watch, then the Fitbit Versa is an excellent option. The popular fitness tracker has been discounted from a number of popular retailers since there is a newer version of the Fitbit smartwatch out (the Fitbit Ionic) that retails for more. You can also find killer discounts on Amazon Prime Day, which is only a couple weeks away. We also have the best prices for the Fitbit Versa Special Edition as well as the Fitbit Versa Lite Edition. The Fitbit Versa tracks all of your activity which includes steps, heart rate, distance, calories burned, floors climbed, active minutes, hourly activity and stationary time. The Versa smartwatch is also waterproof so you can tracks laps and calories burned during swim workouts. Enjoy your favorite music on the Versa with 300+ songs that you can store or connect to Bluetooth headphones so you can listen to music or podcasts wire-free. The Versa will also help you keep on track with your health and fitness goals with personalized reminders. You can also personalize your workouts with on-screen coaching that adapts by provided feedback. The Versa also features female health tracking which allows women to log their period and gain insights into fertility and other health stats. The Versa also has the basic smartwatch features such as getting calls, texts, and notifications and accessing your favorite apps. The best deals on the Fitbit Versa smartwatchIf you're interested in contactless payments or switching up the look of the Versa smartwatch, then you can upgrade to the Fitbit Versa Special Edition. The special edition version of the smartwatch allows you to choose from a charcoal or lavender woven band rather than the classic Versa band. The Fitbit Versa Special Edition also has a built-in NFC chip that allows you to make secure payments without your wallet. You can make payments on the go with your credit and debit cards with a tap of your wrist anywhere that accepts contactless payments. The best deals on the Fitbit Versa Special EditionIf you're looking for a cheaper version of the Fitbit Versa, then you're in luck. Fitbit has announced the "Fitbit Versa Lite Edition" which is priced significantly lower than the original Fitbit, currently priced at $159.95 / £149.99 /AU$249.95. The Versa Lite is available for pre-order now and should be available for purchase sometime in mid-March. The Fitbit Versa Lite Edition has many of the core features that the Fitbit Versa has despite its lower price tag. The Versa Lite can track your heart rate and all-day activity like steps, distance, active minutes and calories burned as well as sleep with helpful insights. The Versa Lite also has the standard smartwatch features such as call, text and calendar notifications as well as access to your favorite apps. So what does the Versa Lite Edition lack? Unlike the original Fitbit Versa and Special Edition, the Versa Lite doesn't have personalized on-screen workouts, and you also can't upload and store your music to the smartwatch. While the Versa Lite's price is lower than the original Fitbit Versa, which retails for $199.95 /£199.99 /AU$299.95, you can often find sales on the Versa that drops below the price of the Versa Lite. The best deals on the Fitbit Versa Lite EditionIf you need more information on key features of the Fitbit Versa or how much the smartwatch normally costs, we've answered some common questions below to help with your buying decision. What are the best features of the Fitbit Versa?Some of the key features of the Fitbit Versa are the design, health and fitness tracking and the long-lasting battery. The Versa design got a makeover from the previous model and now has a more attractive, sleek look for everyday wear. The Versa smartwatch will also track your sleep, letting you know the time spent in different stages and personalized tips on how to improve. The Fitbit Versa offers a 4+ day battery life so you can track your activity, play music, text and more throughout the day without worrying of recharging your battery. How much does a Fitbit Versa cost?One of the biggest selling points of the Fitbit Versa vs. an Apple Watch is the price. The Fitbit Versa retails for $199.99 / £199.99 / AU$299.99 and is one of the best smartwatches you can get for under $200. Since the Versa has been out for almost a year, you can normally find discounts and sales from popular retailers on the smartwatch. Fitbit Versa bandsSpecific Fitbit devices do have interchangeable bands, and the Fitbit Versa is one that can be customized with interchangeable wristbands. Several retailers besides the Fitbit website sell Versa bands such as Amazon and Walmart. Styles include bands that look more like a traditional watch and bands that have more sporty features such as breathable air holes. The interchangeable wristbands are also made out of variety of different materials that include stainless steel, woven fabric, and leather to name a few. Learn more about the Fitbit smartwatch with our Fitbit Versa review and also learn about the cheapest Fitbit Versa with our Fitbit Versa Lite review. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The best cheap smart home devices and gadget deals in June 2019 Posted: 27 Jun 2019 09:01 AM PDT Amazon Prime Day is just around the corner and that means its a fantastic time to upgrade your living space into a smart home without breaking the bank. You can find fantastic deals on speakers, security cameras, light bulbs and more and create a smart home hub. All of these gadgets work with Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant to simplify your technology and help make your day-to-day life even easier. The best smart home device deals
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| How to watch Glastonbury Festival 2019 online for free: live stream the entire event from anywhere Posted: 27 Jun 2019 08:52 AM PDT If you weren't one of the 200,000 people who managed to grab a Glastonbury Festival ticket in the 36 minutes they were on sale then don't worry, you can still catch all of the action online. With BBC covering the entirety of the festival, it is easy to watch Glastonbury Festival online this year. With headlining slots from the likes of The Killers, Stormzy and The Cure, you won't want to miss any of the action. Even if you can't make it down to mosh in the fields, this will be one of those TV events you don't really want to miss. Luckily, the BBC is here to make sure we don't miss a single moment. Covering the massive festival since 1997, the BBC has perfected its coverage so every moment is captured in HD glory. Whether you want to watch Glastonbury Festival live as it happens on TV or on BBC iPlayer, the British institution has you covered. With the BBC having exclusive coverage of the event, those trying to watch Glastonbury online outside the UK will struggle (unless you want to watch the webcam footage). Luckily if your holiday overlaps with Glastonbury and you'll miss the live footage, there is still a way to watch Glastonbury Festival online, you can find out how below. So if you're worried about missing out on all the music, mud and good ol' British festival vibes, keep reading to see how to watch Glastonbury Festival 2019 online and stay up to date with what happens over the weekend.
How to watch Glastonbury Festival online for FREE in the UK:Thanks to the help of the BBC, watching all of the Glastonbury action is easy. Simply go to BBC iPlayer to follow all of the live action. While not every single performance will be available on BBC (there are way too many bands for that!) you'll be able to catch headliners and most performances on the bigger stages of the festival. Want to watch it live on TV? The BBC will be showing live performances from the big headlining acts on TV. You can expect to see the likes of Tame Impala, Stormzy, Jorja Smith, Sam Fender, The Killers, Lewis Capaldi and Liam Gallagher all on stage. You can see all of times on the Glastonbury website. How to stream Glastonbury Festival from outside the countryBBC is one of the many broadcasters that geo-block their services, meaning they can't be watched in other countries. That means if you want to watch Glastonbury Festival 2019 if you're away in another country, you'll need to make use of a VPN. That may sound quite complicated but it is actually incredibly easy to do. We've laid out how below.
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| Best managed WordPress hosting 2019 Posted: 27 Jun 2019 08:50 AM PDT As a content management system, WordPress offers one of the easiest and quickest ways to set up your own blog or website. With a few clicks of the mouse, you can select from one of hundreds of templates, as well as create interactive content such as contact forms. The usefulness of WordPress has not been lost on web hosting providers. In this guide, you’ll discover some of the very best vendors on the market today who offer managed WordPress hosting. This is a great way to avoid the time and trouble of hosting your content from scratch as they take the trouble of creating and maintaining your website away from you. Don't underestimate the importance of managing an online property. Between SEO, admin, content and social marketing, there's more than enough work for a small business. WP Engine WP Engine is the leading WordPress digital platform. It hosts excellent uptime, WordPress specific security and unlimited monthly transfers. WP Engine includes many great tools needed for web hosting. These range from automated backups to 24/7 support (phone support on Growth and Scale packages). You can use WP Engine’s ‘actionable intelligence’ to gain insight into the performance of your pages, content and applications. WP Engine has four different price plans. All include free migration and free page performance. If you pay for a year’s subscription upfront, you get three months free. Prices start off at $35 per month which include a 60-day risk free guarantee. WP Engine also have a ‘Custom’ tier for larger businesses who want a plan more tailored for their individual needs. Some users have asked for a mid-range pricing option between the $35 and $115 tiers with the most expensive tier, Scale, costing $290 per month and offering support for up to 15 sites. At the moment, if you choose monthly billing, there is a 10% discount on all plans for your first payment. GoDaddy Pro GoDaddy Pro is part of GoDaddy Inc, founded in 1997. It offers users a more robust, wider range of tools for developers and businesses. While it doesn't mention WordPress in the opening few introductory phrases, GDP is actually wholly focused on WordPress installs. GoDaddy Pro offers client management tools and advanced support. This solution allows developers to add multiple clients and manages their accounts from one single dashboard. GoDaddy gives users access to a management dashboard. From here all products and clients can be viewed. The dashboard can alert the user via SMS and email to any issues the client may have. As GoDaddy Pro has been designed to make developer’s lives easier, the platform is user-friendly and everything is at your fingertips via the dashboard. Access to the dashboard is free and includes reporting and basic maintenance for as many WordPress sites as needed. Paid services include cloud backups, migration, uptime monitoring and automated security checks. These can be purchased as add-ons to your free plan. Users have noted that bandwidth monitoring is not included. Bluehost Bluehost is a web hosting company owned by Endurance International Group. It was founded in 2003. It’s part of a web hosting family that includes HostMonster, FastDomain and iPage. Bluehost tries to make the daunting task of starting a new web site easy. It offers plenty of options to those new to web hosting while still offering tools for the more experienced user. All new subscribers can set up a WordPress site with a single click of their mouse. Also, newbies can rely on Blue Spark, a specialized service that helps new users with everything WordPress related. Bluehost are currently offering all their WordPress plans at a reduced rate. Prices start at $2.95 (£2.2) a month for a single WordPress site complete with 50GB of website space. The ‘Plus’ and ‘Premium’ packages are on offer for $5.45 (£4.10) per month. These both include unlimited WordPress sites and unlimited website space. The ‘Premium’ package includes domain privacy and SiteBackup Pro. Furthermore, WP Pro plans are available, which bring additional improvements and features with prices starting at $19.95. More inexperienced users have reported that the dashboard can be difficult to navigate if you do not know all the terminology. WordPress VIP WordPress VIP is a fully managed cloud platform. Users of VIP have access to expert guidance, code review and around the clock support. Users get their own Git repository and ZenDesk account. Once your code is ready, you send it to the VIP team. Experts at VIP go through each line of code in your repository. This can take 4-6 weeks. If any issues are found, they’re raised on GitHub. Once these have been removed the code is transferred to your project and you are online. VIP adhere to strict coding standards. One of the main attractions of VIP, is their ‘always on’ support. VIP engineers watch for any issues that may arise and fix them proactively on behalf of the client. Once rectified, a report will be sent to you explaining what occurred. Users will need to contact VIP directly in order to get a quote. Some users have reported delays with setting up and building sites. SiteGround SiteGround was founded in 2004. It provides shared hosting, cloud hosting and dedicated servers. SiteGround lets you choose from one of their four data centers on which to host your website. These are based in the US, Amsterdam, Singapore and the UK. SiteGround offers users CloudFlare CDN, free SSL certificates and daily backups of their website’s data. All of their shared hosting plans include managed WordPress. The platform’s customer support includes live chat as well as a phone in option. All support services are available 24/7. The ‘StartUp’ plan begins at $11.95 (£9.28) per month ($3.95 for initial payment) which includes one website, 10GB web space and is suitable for 10,000 visits monthly. The ‘GrowBig’ plan for $19.95 (£15.47) monthly ($5.95 for initial payment) allows for multiple websites, 20GB of web space and is suitable for 25,000 visits. SiteGround’s ‘GoGeek’ plan starts at $34.95 (£27.08) per month ($11.95 for initial payment) which includes 30GB of web space and is suitable for 100,000 visits monthly. SiteGround do not offer a free trial but do have a 30-day money back guarantee. Some users reported issues with being automatically logged out when signing in on multiple devices. DreamHost DreamHost is owned by New Dream Network, LLC which was founded in 1996. It’s both a web hosting provider and a domain name registrar. DreamHost’s ‘Shared Starter’ plan starts at $2.59 (£2) per month. This includes a shared hosting server, 1 WordPress website, unlimited traffic, 1-click SSL certificate, fast SSD storage, 24/7 support and an upgrade to add email. The ‘DreamPress’ package starts at $16.95 (£12.8). This includes all of what the ‘Shared Starter’ plan has to offer along with 30GB SSD storage, JetPack free preinstalled, daily backups and a few other things. All of DreamHost’s hosting solutions are a fully managed service. Inexperienced users have reported issues with getting started. InMotion InMotion Hosting is an employee-owned and -operated domain name and web hosting company founded in 2001. InMotion offers dedicated, shared, virtual private server and WordPress hosting along with several Ecommerce tools. Their WordPress hosting plans start off at $4.99 (£3.8) per month (for initial payment) and include one website, 40GB SSD storage and is suitable for 20,000 visitors a month. InMotion have six price plans available and all of them offer unlimited data transfers. Besides having numerous price plans for each of their hosting options, InMotion have numerous free add-ons, free ecommerce tools and unlimited emails. While they do not have a free trial, they do include a 90-day money back guarantee. Some users have complained that InMotion is not as competitively priced as other hosting providers. HostGator HostGator was founded in 2002. It provides shared, reseller, VPS and dedicated web hosting. HostGator’s Website Builder comes with a handy drag and drop feature. The builder includes a wide range of themes. Some of the features are pre-built to help make the process easier and faster. HostGator claim that load times for WordPress sites are up to 2.5 times faster than other providers due to their superior server architecture. The utility offers a WordPress Cloud Interface where you can manage backups, access all your email accounts and other hosting options. You can also allocate server bandwidth from here. HostGator offer three WordPress cloud hosting plans. The ‘Starter’ plan is currently $5.95 (£4.64) per month for 1 site, 100,000 visits per month, 1GB free backups and a free SSL certificate. The ‘Standard’ plan is on offer at $7.95 (£6.19) per month for 2 sites, 200,000 visits per month, 2GB backups and a free SSL certificate. HostGator’s ‘Business’ plan is also on offer at $9.95 (£7.73) per month. This includes 3 sites, 500,000 visits, 3GB backups and a free SSL certificate. According to online commentators, the purchase price for additional domains can be quite steep. 1&1 IONOS 1&1 (called 1&1 IONOS since October 2018) is owned by German company, United Internet. It was founded in 1988. It offers domain registration, cloud servers, virtual private servers and dedicated servers. 1&1 boasts excellent customer support and easy to use web creation tools. More inexperienced users might find this provider more suitable to their needs. 1&1’s ‘Basic’ packages starts at $1 (£1 for UK) per month for the first 6-months and then $9 (£6 for UK) per month thereafter. This includes 1 WordPress project, 25GB SSD storage, unlimited visitors and managed WordPress. Upon registration you are offered a domain name free for 12 months. This is only valid upon purchase of any of their plans. Users that sign up for the ‘Business’ plan receive 2 WordPress projects, 100GB SSD storage and unlimited visitors. This plan starts at $1 (£1 for UK) per month for the first 12 months and then $11 (£8 for UK) per month thereafter. The ‘Pro’ plan starts at $1 (£1 for UK) for the first 6 months and then $15 (£1 for UK). It includes 5 WordPress projects and 200GB SSD storage, as well as SiteLock malware protection and RailGun CDN. Online commentators have complained about long periods of downtime. You might also want to check out our other website hosting buying guides:
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| What is OLED? The premium panel technology explained Posted: 27 Jun 2019 08:36 AM PDT OLED panels are everywhere these days, as manufacturers increasingly throw their weight behind the panel tech for today's high-end televisions – and even high-end smartphones such as the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. But what is OLED, and why should you care? Standing for 'Organic Light Emitting Diode', the OLED acronym describes a type of panel that TVs use – like LED-LCD, plasma or CRT. It's different from the other types of panels that have come before it, but the overarching idea is exactly the same: OLED panels help bring images and video to life in front of your eyes. In short: OLED truly is the next big thing in home entertainment. OLED TVs offer better image quality (think blacker blacks and brighter whites), reduced power consumption, and faster response times over traditional LED TVs. So why doesn't everyone own one? Right now, they're still prohibitively expensive and for years only a handful of companies used the technology in their TVs. But that's changing. Sony, one of the initial developers of the technology, got back in the game with last year's Bravia A1E OLED and Sony A8F OLED TV. Philips has thrown its hat into the ring with the recent Philips OLED 803 and OLED+ 903; Panasonic has doubled its OLED range for 2019 – led by the GZ2000 OLED – while LG is acting as both supplier and seller, manufacturing the OLED panels for these TVs and making its own range of B, C, E, W, and Z-Series televisions. So is OLED worth the hype? We've run you through everything you need to know about latest big screen buzzword in the article below. What's the difference between OLED and LCD/LED?Everything. They might sound alike, but the processes are completely different. OLED stands for Organic Light-Emitting Diode, with "organic" referring to the carbon film that sits inside the panel before the glass screen. OLED panels emit their own light when an electric current is passed through, whereas cells in a LCD display require an external light source, like a giant backlight, for brightness. Image Credit: LG Display This backlight is what separated LCD screens from their LED variants. A traditional LCD screen has a backlight (called a cold-cathode fluorescent light, or CCFL) which is uniform across the entire back of the screen. This means that whether the image is black or white, it is being lit by exactly the same brightness across the panel. This reduces what we call "hotspots," or areas of super bright light, because the actual light source illuminating them is uniform. This all started a few years back when engineers at companies like Samsung and Sony introduced an array of LEDs as a backlight, which meant that if a certain part of the screen was black then those LEDs behind that portion could be turned off to make it appear blacker. This is a better solution than a CCFL backlight, but it still has its problems. Since it's a light behind the LCD producing the illumination rather than the LCD layer itself, the illumination is not entirely in-sync with the pixel in front of it. The result is an effect called 'blooming', whereby LED light from bright portions of the image bleeds over into areas of blackness. This is what separates OLEDs from LCD/LED displays. In an OLED TV display, the pixels themselves are the things producing the light, and so when they need to be black they are able to turn off completely, rather than relying on a backlight to turn off on their behalf. Image Credit: Hisense What are the advantages of OLED TV?The result is remarkably dark blacks in an image, and when you combine this with the brightness of the whites an OLED panel is able to produce you're left with a fantastically vibrant image. LG and Panasonic, pretty much the most consistent producers of OLED televisions on the planet, like to use the term "infinite contrast" to describe how the self-lighting pixels switch off completely when reproducing black giving it an "absolute" black color instead of a "relative" black that only describes how dark one pixel can get compared to the brightest pixel on the screen. For years there was a question mark about longevity of OLED panels, while production lines have been impossible to make profitable due to high failure rates. But as companies like LG invest billions in development of OLED – with the likes of Philips and Sony joining the fray – its affordability is improving, although it's still much more expensive than competing technologies. The advantages of OLED go beyond simple static image quality to the responsiveness and smoothness of the display itself, meaning gamers and home cinema aficionados are going to absolutely love OLED TV. OLED panels make for deeper blacks and vibrant color contrast (Image Credit: LG Display) OLED panels are capable of a refresh rate of as low as 0.001ms, which for reference, is around 1,000 times faster than a standard LED-backlit LCD panel, while also being superior to the now-discontinued plasma tech, too. And, because the lighting source they use is so tiny, the depth of screen sizes has shrunk at the same rate. That means OLED TVs have awesomely deep blacks and bright, peak whites, improved color accuracy as well as smooth responsive motion - and all from a form factor that's just a few millimetres in depth and much lighter than standard TVs. Which OLED TVs are out now?OLED TVs have been on the market since 2012, and a variety of manufacturers have tackled the technology over the years. It used to be the case that OLED's were produced by just Samsung and LG, but Samsung dropped the technology over its cost and how difficult it was to produce, and has no intention of restarting production any time soon. LG, on the other hand, has been releasing OLED sets consistently over the last few years, and in 2016 introduced four easy-to-understand product lines – the G6, E6, C6 and B6 – featuring OLED panels. LG continued with the 7-Series and 8-Series TVs, while the LG 2019 TV range will include the 9-Series: the budget OLED B9, mid-range OLED C9, high-end OLED E9, and ultra-thin OLED W9. Image Credit: LG Display If you're not big into LG TVs, you might like 2018's Sony Bravia A8F and A9F OLED, or Philips' impressive OLED 803 and OLED+ 903 televisions. Meanwhile, Panasonic is releasing four new OLED models this year – the GZ2000, GZ1500, and GZ950 / GZ1000. You can also head to our best OLED TVs guide to see the top five OLEDs we've had the pleasure of reviewing on the site. How much do OLED TVs cost?OLED TVs are definitely getting cheaper, but they're still a long way from what we'd call affordable. The prices of LGs sets start at $1,600 in the US and £1,200 in the UK, and Panasonic's are more expensive still. The scarcity of OLED TVs on the market means that those small number of players in the market are more or less free to charge exactly what they want. We're not going to see prices drop until we get more competition. That said, usually when one company starts to pull ahead, the others quickly catch up. Prices should come down when manufacturers can work out the kinks on the production line and demand increases for these phenomenal pieces of tech.
What's the future for OLED TV?OLED is an expensive panel technology that has finally managed to gain traction – after spending so long as an outlier than we wrote an opinion piece in 2014 about how the technology might be dead. Obviously that didn't turn out to be the case, and we're seeing plenty of stunning OLED models hitting the market, even if price points are still taking an age to drop within reach of regular consumers. Panasonic TX-65CZ950 OLED (Image Credit: Panasonic) But just because OLED isn't affordable yet doesn't mean it's not getting better. An $1,600 / £1,200 price tag isn't what we'd consider budget, but it's a great deal cheaper than what OLED was retailing for even just a year ago. That trend is always going to be good news for the consumer, though manufacturers may have other things in mind. Samsung is one of several TV makers looking to develop what's called QD-OLED: a new type of OLED panel that uses quantum dot emitters to improve brightness. The tech is very much in development, but when it arrives, it could meld the competing QLED and OLED technologies and render previous methods of production obsolete. Those are obviously grand claims, and we're yet to see these new hypothetical panels put to use – but we'll be sure to keep you in the loop as it does / doesn't happen. Original reporting in this article was by Jamie Carter.
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