Apple : Another browser is offering a free VPN - but with a catch |
- Another browser is offering a free VPN - but with a catch
- Best unlocked phone in the US: 10 smartphones with no contract
- Best 4K TV 2019: Your definitive Ultra-HD TV buying guide
- Cyberpunk 2077: release date, trailer and news
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| Another browser is offering a free VPN - but with a catch Posted: 26 Jun 2019 02:00 PM PDT Downloading a separate VPN app to protect your devices online can be an added hassle for consumers which is why Opera recently added a free VPN to its browser. However, Tenta, another company that includes a free VPN service with its Tenta Browser, has announced a new promotion intended to thank its early fans and beta testers for their continued support while also giving new customers a chance to try out its services. From now until July 4th, users that download and install Tenta Browser on their devices will get two years of the company's premium VPN service, Tenta Pro for free. Usually the service costs $7 per month to use its VPN on one device.
While Tenta is giving its premium VPN service away for free for a limited time, there is a catch. After July 4th, the company will start charging to unlock all locations. Its fastest VPN location will remain free but if you want more locations, you'll have to pay. This seems more than fair for consumers as Tenta is providing them with a way to protect their privacy online for free. Digital identityIn his blog post announcing the promotion, Co-Founder and CEO of Tenta Jesse Adams explained how the company is setting itself apart from today's top browsers, saying: “Today all the top ten browsers are based on the advertising model and sell your digital identity to pay their bills. We believe there should exist one true alternative that is aligned with your interest in privacy and protects your identity instead.” Tenta has also been busy experimenting with a variety of business models which would allow it to provide its VPN for free while protecting user's privacy and data. Out of this brainstorming came the realization that the company could lower its prices and after July 4th, the company will lower the monthly cost of Tenta Pro to just $1. At this price point, Tenta believes that it can convert even more users to paying for a truly private browser. If you're interested in getting two free years of Tenta Pro, download and install Tenta Browser before July 4th to take advantage of this offer.
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| Best unlocked phone in the US: 10 smartphones with no contract Posted: 26 Jun 2019 01:53 PM PDT The best unlocked phone in the US provides the freedom to choose the mobile carrier you want at any time. With an unlocked phone, you can switch from one carrier to the next with no contracts forcing you to stick around for a year or more, so you can always choose the mobile plan that’s right for you. Luckily, since many phone carriers have focused their efforts on no-contract unlimited data plans, the availability of unlocked smartphones has risen considerably in 2019. The latest best iPhone and best Android phone lineup generally available unlocked if you so choose, and many exclusive phones will only be tied to a carrier for a limited time. The increase in available phones does make it a little harder to choose which phone is right for you, though. And, though most unlocked phones can work on AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon and most MVNOs, some GSM-only phones have more limited support, making it trickier still to be sure you’re getting the right phone. We’ve paid close attention to all the key details, from what the phone offers to which carriers it can work with. This way, your research is made that much easier. Here are the best unlocked phones to choose from: Image Credit: TechRadar If you to just get the best phone out there without worry about its hefty cost, then the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus is it. This powerful Android phones runs on the latest Snapdragon 855 chipset backed by 8GB to 12GB of RAM, so it can blast through productivity and gaming alike. The 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display is incredibly sharp and features a hole-punch design for the twin front-facing cameras, allowing the screen to stretch extra high up on the front of the phone. And, the three rear cameras on the back of the Galaxy S10 Plus are among the best we've ever seen. Will it work for me? Samsung’s phones support a wide range of carriers, including the big four here in the US. Expect full support at AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon. (Note: Make sure you're buying the US-version with a Snapdragon chipset for full carrier support.) Read more: Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus review Image Credit: TechRadar Apple’s iPhone XS Max offers a heaping dose of performance and screen space. With its nearly bezel-less display measuring a full 6.5 inches, it’s stunning to look at. Surgical steel around the edge and a glass front and back make it the phone itself quite the looker as well. While the price is certainly high, there is no better Apple phone. Will it work for me? Apple says the unlocked iPhone XS Max can be activated with any carrier, which means you’ll have no issue with AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, or Verizon, and many smaller carriers will likely work as well. Unlike last year’s new iPhone, you won’t have to choose between Intel GSM-only and Qualcomm GSM+CDMA modems – Apple went with an Intel GSM+CDMA modem from the start. Read More: iPhone XS Max review Image Credit: TechRadar Google’s Pixel 3 once again sets the bar for what a smartphone camera can do. The Pixel 3 has the updated specs you’d expect from an Android smartphone released in 2018, even if the design hasn’t quite followed the bezel-free design others are going for. Still, the screen is a usable 5.5-inch OLED with dual front-facing speakers that are nice to have. The battery is enough to get the job done each day, and Google’s ongoing software updates make this a phone that won’t become irrelevant too quickly. Will it work for me? Google advertises the Pixel 3 as working on all major carriers, so you’ll have no trouble activating on AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile or Verizon. Smaller carriers should usually work unless they have their own restrictions, and the Pixel 3 also offers access to Google’s Project Fi network. Read more: Google Pixel 3 review Image Credit: TechRadar As new flagship smartphone prices have started to creep up, Samsung did fans of the Galaxy family a favor by releasing the Galaxy S10e. This phone still has much of what makes its biggest siblings great, but it skips a few features, keeps down the size, and thereby keeps down the price. Thanks to its added affordability, the Galaxy S10e even outranks the Galaxy S10 in our opinion. It still has a stunning 5.8-inch screen that's easy to wield in one hand, though the side-mounted fingerprint scanner may favor right-handed users. The Snapdragon 855 chipset inside is wonderfully powerful, and the phone comes with either 6GB or 8GB of RAM to keep apps snappy when switching between them. Will it work for me? Samsung’s phones support a wide range of carriers, including the big four here in the US. Expect full support at AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon. (Note: Make sure you're buying the US-version with a Snapdragon chipset for full carrier support.) Read More: Samsung Galaxy S10e review Image Credit: TechRadar The OnePlus 7 Pro is the company's most expensive phone yet, but it still comes at a price lower than almost all of its flagship competition from Samsung, Apple, and LG. At that lower price, you're still getting the latest version of Android with all of OnePlus's excellent optimizations, and you get a Snapdragon 855 chipset with plenty of power. This phone also has one of the most impressive smartphone displays, as its use of a pop-up selfie camera means the display can cover the whole front. It's a 6.67-inch OLED panel with a Quad HD+ resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate that makes it smoother than what Apple and Samsung have on offer. Will it work for me? Unless you’re on Sprint or a Sprint-based MNVO like Boost Mobile, you should be able to use the OnePlus 7 Pro just fine. It supports numerous 4G LTE bands on AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon. With a dual-SIM tray, you can even connect to multiple networks at the same time, making it extra handy for frequent international travelers. Read more: OnePlus 7 Pro review Image Credit: TechRadar The US government might not like Huawei very much, but we sure like it's new P30 Pro smartphone. This is one of the best Android phones out right now, just falling shy of the Galaxy S10 Plus, and it's a fair bit cheaper. The P30 Pro offers a snappy experience with its Kirin 980 chipset and up to 8GB of RAM. It also comes with a base storage of 128GB but that can be affordably expanded via microSD card. The cameras are where the Huawei P30 Pro really shines. It has five of them. The front camera has a high 32MP resolution, and the rear system combines a 40MP, 20MP, 8MP, and time-of-flight sensor to some incredible results. A powerful Night Mode take seemingly impossible photos, and it features 5x optical zoom that boosts up to 50x with surprising, though not perfect, clarity. The big issue here is US availability and carrier support, which sees it drop down in the ranks a bit. Will it work for me? This will depend on the variant you buy, so make sure to compare the supported network bands with the carriers you want to use it with. The Latin American variant has some US compatibility, with full support for T-Mobile and 3G/4G LTE support for AT&T. Don't expect support for Sprint, Verizon, or MVNOs running on their networks. Read more: Huawei P30 Pro review Image Credit: TechRadar Samsung put together a truly dazzling phone with the Galaxy Note 9. It fits a huge, 6.4-inch display into a handset that manages to avoid being unwieldy. Smaller hands may struggle with it, but the upside is a great display for watching TV and movies on the go. With a 4,000mAh battery, you can use the Note 9 all day. And, the Snapdragon 845 paired with 6 or 8 GB of RAM (depending on the storage size you choose), will offer plenty of performance. Let’s not forget this phone has one of the best smartphone cameras on the market. Will it work for me? Samsung’s phones support a wide range of carriers, including the big four here in the US. Expect full support at AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon. Read more: Samsung Galaxy Note 9 review Image Credit: TechRadar The iPhone XR is Apple’s newest iPhone, coming out shortly after the iPhone XS and XS Max. Of the three new models, this is the budget one, even if it still has a high price. While it doesn’t have the dual-rear cameras, lacks an OLED screen, and falls just short of Full HD resolution on the display, it’s not a miss. The powerful internals match the other iPhones, the main camera is still a powerful shooter, and the whole package is made all the better thanks to the best battery performance we’ve seen in an iPhone. Will it work for me? Apple says the unlocked iPhone XR can be activated with any carrier, which means you’ll have no issue with AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, or Verizon, and many smaller carriers will likely work as well. Read more: iPhone XR review Image Credit: TechRadar The Galaxy S10 has an odd fit among its more capable sibling, the S10 Plus, and its more affordable sibling, the S10e. It has a big, 6.1-inch display with a single hole-punch camera, and a fingerprint scanner built beneath the display glass. It also has the ability to serve as a wireless charger for other phones and electronics. It also has a three camera system on the back that includes both ultra-wide and zoom lenses for some great versatility. It's not quite as capable as the Galaxy S10 Plus, but it's a bit cheaper. If the extra screen is something you want, and the high-tech fingerprint and wireless powershare interest you, it may be a worthwhile upgrade over the Galaxy S10e. It's definitely an excellent phone, it's just tricky to choose over one of the other two S10 models. Will it work for me? Samsung’s phones support a wide range of carriers, including the big four here in the US. Expect full support at AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon. (Note: Make sure you're buying the US-version with a Snapdragon chipset for full carrier support.) Read more: Samsung Galaxy S10 review Image Credit: TechRadar The biggest isn’t always the best if you have small hands or small pockets. In the case of the latest iPhones, a tight wallet can also make the iPhone XS a better pick than its bigger sibling. It offers the same performance, has the same cameras and software, but it comes in at a more compact size, with a smaller battery and display. Will it work for me? Apple says the unlocked iPhone XS can be activated with any carrier, which means you’ll have no issue with AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, or Verizon, and many smaller carriers will likely work as well. Read more: iPhone XS review
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| Best 4K TV 2019: Your definitive Ultra-HD TV buying guide Posted: 26 Jun 2019 01:40 PM PDT After years of being mocked for their excessive resolution, 4K TVs are here to stay. And that's a good thing, because 4K TVs are everything you want them to be - they're brighter, they're darker, they have better color saturation and, honestly, they're not anymore expensive than HD TVs were five years ago. But with so many options out there, narrowing down a year's worth of high-caliber screens to just eight is a tough job. But that's where we come in. We've viewed the vast majority of the 4K TVs on the market, and have narrowed them down to a list of the top 4K TVs on the market for 2019 with screens from Samsung, Sony and LG leading the pack, and lower-cost options like Vizio, Hisense and TCL following just behind. If you recently bought something from another manufacturer that you love and you don't see it on this list, it doesn't mean we've intentionally snubbed it. Unfortunately best-of lists are tiny and we can only squeeze so many screens on here. That said, we're always adding more screens to this list, so be sure to check back this time next month. What is 4K? Watch the video below to find out: What are the best 4K TVs in 2019?Samsung Q90R QLED TV (2019) Last year, the Samsung Q9FN was the TV to beat. It won award-after-award for its features and image quality, not to mention its excellent, improved smart platform that came with Bixby support and Samsung SmartThings. However it wasn’t perfect and there were legitimate complaints about viewing angles and an over-aggressive local dimming system that crushed black detail. Samsung has clearly taken these criticisms to heart, and directly addressed them in the Q90. The new model has a visibly superior viewing angle that holds its own against an OLED TV, and the local dimming delivers deep blacks without losing shadow detail. To that end, the new Ultra Black Elite filter is nothing short of a revelation, rejecting ambient light in a way that just staggers belief. The Q90 is able to deliver images that can directly compete with an OLED, with natural colors, bright highlights, deep blacks, and well defined shadows. It can also surpass any OLED when it comes to HDR, with images that are often breathtaking in their detail and dynamic range. In fact our only real criticism would be that, unlike some of the competition, the Q90 doesn’t support Dolby Vision. However in all other respects the Samsung Q90 is an absolutely stellar TV that takes QLED to another level. Read the full review: Samsung Q90R QLED TV LG C9 OLED 4K TV If smart features are the most important criteria for you when picking out a new 4K TV, then you can't do any better than the new LG C9 OLED. The 2nd generation Alpha9 processor, which uses AI enhancements to deliver stellar SDR and HDR images, helps make the upscaling and processing second-to-none with incredible levels of detail and image fidelity. Add to that a robust smart platform and new AI sound options that analyze and improve sound quality in real time, and you have one of the smartest - and, in our opinion - one of the best 4K TVs on the market. Read the full review: LG C9 OLED (OLED55C9, OLED65C9, OLED77C9) The Vizio P-Series Quantum X is a home run for Vizio. Sure, the SmartCast interface isn’t all the great, and the speakers are worth bypassing, but the TV is packed with awesome features and backed up by an excellent image quality. We’re looking forward to AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support, but even without those features the TV is still one of the best options in its price range. If you truly have deep pockets and want the best image quality out there, then it’s still worth going for LG's OLED or Samsung's QLED TVs - but in the absence of a six-figure salary, the $2,199 Vizio P-Series Quantum X PX-65G1 is clearly an excellent option for those that want quantum dot tech in a smart TV at Vizio-level prices. Read the full review: Vizio P-Series Quantum (PQ65-F1) Sony’s second-generation OLED flagship, the A9F, is coming at a good time – just as Samsung and LG have stepped up their games with the Samsung Q9FN QLEDand LG E8 OLED, Sony has fired back with a phenomenal OLED of its own. Much better than last year's A1E, the A9F is unquestionably Sony’s best OLED offering to date, and would've been the best OLED of the year if the C8 didn't exist. While we experienced some minor issues (notably Black level crushing on Dolby Vision, and that Netflix Calibrated mode), niggles are to be expected on a set as ambitious as this. If you can live with the slightly idiosyncratic design, and afford the asking price, it’s a glorious UHD display. Read the full review: Sony Bravia A9F OLED LG E9 OLED Series (2019) Overall, the LG E9 OLED offers a dazzling picture, with crisp detail and truly cinematic visuals. LG’s organic LED displays lack the brightness of competing models, but those after a proper movie night in won’t be disappointed. The E9 differs mostly from other LG OLEDs in its shape and its size options – both the more premium W9 and cheaper C9 offer a larger 77-inch model – but we’d be surprised if the E9’s all-glass panel design didn’t impress you. With a unique look, and the multi-channel audio to elevate it above other OLED sets in the range, the E9 is a fantastic addition to any living room if you can afford one. Read the full review: LG E9 OLED (OLED55E9, OLED65E9) Samsung Q70R QLED TV (2019) Samsung’s flagship Q90R QLED TV blew us away recently with its wider viewing angles, deeper blacks, and superior HDR images - sadly, however, not everyone can afford the flagship model. So what can Samsung offer for those wanting to experience QLED picture quality on a budget? Despite sitting lower down in the QLED line-up, the Q70R includes the same comprehensive smart platform, extensive connections, and cutting-edge features found further up the range. This isn’t the flashiest-looking TV that Samsung has ever made, but if your funds are limited the Q70 is a cracking QLED all-rounder that’s worth checking out. Read the full review: Samsung Q70R QLED TV Sony Bravia X900F 4K TV Short and sweet, the 65X900F is a brilliant mid-priced 4K TV. Every one of the improvements Sony has introduced over and above last year’s already excellent X900E series – better processing, more brightness, slightly more backlight dimming zones, improved motion performance – delivers the goods, resulting in picture quality that humbles many more expensive TVs. Its Android TV system and some generally minor backlight clouding stop it short of perfection, but it’s hard to imagine any similarly priced upcoming 65-inch UHD rival getting the better of it. Read the full review: Sony BRAVIA XBR-X900F TCL 6-Series 4K TV If you have deep pockets and a checkbook filled with blank checks, we’d tell you to reach deep and shell out for only the best 4K TVs on the market – LG’s crazy-thin OLED W8 or Samsung’s ultra-bright Q9FN QLED. But that’s not always realistic: for the vast, vast majority of us, our budget to spend on a 4K UHD TV is limited to somewhere under $1,000 – and often it's even less than that. To that end, it’s absolutely fair to say that the TCL 6-Series is the best TV you can possibly get in this price range. Its performance per dollar is unmatched and its picture quality – despite a few minor flaws – will truly impress you. Said simply, if there’s a better value 4K TV on the market, we’ve yet to see it. Read the full review: TCL 6-Series (R615, R617)
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| Cyberpunk 2077: release date, trailer and news Posted: 26 Jun 2019 12:57 PM PDT The new Cyberpunk 2077 trailer at E3 2019 starred Keanu Reeves, believe it or not, and he announced the official release date: April 16, 2020. That's a bit later than we were hoping for this hyped-up Xbox One game (that's also coming to the PC and PS4), but its vast open-world setting, dizzying neon colors, and branching storylines all make it sound extremely promising. At E3, we saw a bit more of the metropolis of the future in this extended trailer and in our hands-off demo, where body modification has become an obsession, and you're an outlaw in the sleazy underbelly of the city. Want the full scoop on Cyberpunk 2077? Here's what we know so far. [Update: There have been more details revealed that show the extent of player freedom in Cyberpunk 2077: optional romances and no morality system. Read on to find out more.] Cut to the Chase
What is Cyberpunk 2077?Cyberpunk 2077 is a neon cyberpunk game that has The Witcher 3 developer CD Projekt Red moving from a gritty, high fantasy world to an equally gritty, science fiction world metropolis. It's based off the pen-and-paper RPG of the same name, but plays a hell of a lot like The Matrix game we've always wanted. We caught our first peek at the game behind closed doors at E3 2018 – you can check out what we saw in the 48-minute walkthrough video below – and all signs point to another big showing at the expo this June. Cyberpunk 2077 is a game that looks vastly different from its developer's The Witcher series, with towering neon skyscrapers, bionic enhancements and a focus on vertical movement rather than wide open plains. It's also all in first-person. At E3 2019 we learned a lot more about the plot of the game, which features the one and only Keanu Reeves. Reeves plays a character named Johnny Silverhand who's embedded in a biochip that's placed in the main character's brain. In order to unlock the secrets to the biochip, what basically becomes the main thread of the game, Silverhand will guide you to Alt Cunningham, the most legendary net runner of all-time. The only problem? She’s dead. But her consciousness lives on the web and you’ll need to do whatever it takes to track her down – including, but not limited to, befriending or eliminating leaders of the biggest gangs in Night City. Cyberpunk 2077 trailersAfter a veritable truckload of hype, CD Projekt Red released 48 minutes of gameplay footage, based on the demo journalists saw at E3 2018. In it, you'll see what gunplay looks like, character creation and backstory assignment, plus how you'll upgrade yourself via cybernetic enhancements. You'll meet some of the characters in Cyberpunk's seedy crime circuit and explore the city on foot and in vehicles. (Quick warning: the trailer contains nudity, violence and swearing.) Check it out below: We were treated to a brand new Cyberpunk 2077 trailer during E3 2018 which you can watch below: In March 2019, we got yet another video, this time of the development team gearing up for the E3 2019 showcase event. Those hoping for a 2019 release may want to start to brace themselves however – though the game remains without a release date, the suggestion of the video below is that development is still in full swing, and a release date may be some time away yet:
Cyberpunk 2077 release date: April 16, 2020In the game’s first official teaser trailer, it was stated that the game will be coming “when it’s ready,” but now we have an official release date: April 16, 2020, care of the E3 2019 trailer. This is despite an investor call in early 2016 that suggested that Cyberpunk 2077 would be released before June 2019. It was also said in this call that CD Projekt Red is planning to release two new triple A RPGs before 2021. It was later clarified in forums that Cyberpunk 2077 would be the first of these games to arrive and work on the second would not start before Cyberpunk 2077 was finished. Considering The Witcher 3 took around three and a half years to develop, a 2019 release didn't seem unmanageable for the studio. But the scale of the development, as well as rumors of the game being a cross-gen Xbox Two and PS5 title, it makes sense that the game has taken longer than initially anticipated. Cyberpunk 2077 news and featuresThere will be romance Fans of The Witcher 3's romantic sub-plots will be happy to hear that CD Projekt is bringing something similar to Cyberpunk 2077. In an interview with GamesRadar, the game's Quest Designer, Mateusz Tomaskiewicz, confirmed that players will be able to have relationships with different "entities", all of whom will have their own stories, goals and ideas for you to engage with. He stopped short of confirming just how many romance threads players will have the option to pursue and whether or not one of them will be with Keanu Reeves. It seems unlikely, though. There will be no morality system Players won't be constrained by any kind of morality system in Cyberpunk 2077 it has been confirmed by Mateusz Tomaskiewicz in an interview with GamingBolt. Given the complex nature of the decisions players made in The Witcher 3, this decision to favor the grey probably won't come as much of a surprise. This means that if you want to play through the entire game without killing anyone you absolutely can. Or if you want to be the next Angel of Death you can do that too. You just have to invest in the right in-game skills to do so. There's more than Night City From what we've seen so far, the setting of Night City in Cyberpunk 2077 looks like a mighty impressive, expansive and very neon place to explore. But it won't be the only location in the game to explore. In an interview with VG247, the Lead Quest Designer, Pawel Sasko, revealed that players will be able to go beyond the walls of the metropolis and explore an area known as the "Badlands". Largely desolate and populated by Nomads, this area will have its own quests. You can even start the game as a Nomad and begin your story outside of the city. Multiple Endings In an interview with CD Projekt, YouTuber Yong Yea got confirmation that Cyberpunk 2077 will have multiple endings. It's not been confirmed just how many there will be but this ties in with the expansive image of the game that's being presented and the idea that players are crafting a highly personal story. New Cyberpunk 2077 gameplay shown at E3 2019, but not playable At E3 2019 we got the chance to see Cyberpunk 2077 at a behind-closed doors demo centered around Pacifica – the southern-most region of Night City – and Keanu Reeves' character, Johnny Silverhand. The weirdest part? Keanu may in fact be the key to immortality. Yes, you read that correctly. Inside Pacifica, two gangs – The Animals and The Voodoo Boys – are fighting for supremacy. In order to meet Bridgitte, the head of the Voodoo Boys, you'll have to first deal with her lieutenant Placide, who wants you to infiltrate The Animals' hideout. Your goal, at least you're told, is to find a high-tech van that's monitoring all the network traffic in Pacifica. To get to this van, you'll have to make your way past The Animals' crew. The reason they're called The Animals, it turns out, is because they take a drug that enhances their muscle mass. To get through them you'll either need to fight your way through – a risky proposition – or sneak your way into the hideout. Customization: perks, skills and attributes The choices are vast, and while they're not completely limitless, CD Projekt Red doesn’t want to confine you to a single play style or set path. The reasoning behind that, it seems, is to better mirror the game’s source material – a 30-year-old tabletop role playing game called Cyberpunk (however, there was also a later edition called Cyberpunk 2020). Behind all of the hacking and gunplay lies a fairly complex RPG – the perks screen we saw during our demo had more than 20 perks to choose from and level up. These perks impact how your character plays, but can also impact what choices you have in conversations with the world’s NPCs. Vampire Bloodlines and Deus Ex were inspirations for the game Given it’s based on a tabletop roleplaying game and Cyberpunk is already a massive sub-genre in science fiction, we knew Cyberpunk 2077 hadn’t been totally pulled from the ether without any kind of influence. But we’re always interested to find out about some of the more subtle influences on the game and the way it plays, some of which Quest Director Mateusz Tomaskiewicz has revealed in a recent interview with gaming publication AreaJugones. Tomaskiewicz said that games such as Deus Ex, Vampire Bloodlines and Elder Scrolls had influenced him in his work on Cyberpunk 2077's quests. He cites the original Deus Ex as a particular influence and praises the ways in which it gives players the freedom to complete missions in multiple ways. This suggests we can expect a great deal of freedom and complexity and non-linearity in Cyberpunk 2077’s missions as well as in the protagonist you'll be using to cause havoc in the game world which is something quite different from the tight gameplay-loop found in The Witcher. CD Projekt Red is working on two AAA titles – both to be released by 2021 CD Projekt Red has confirmed it still plans to release two AAA titles by 2021. While we know one of these titles will definitely be Cyberpunk 2077, we're still in the dark about what the second title could be. This release window was reaffirmed on the official CD Projekt Red forums, with moderator Donata Popławska confirming the studio is sticking to its original roadmap. "As far as the strategy of the CD Projekt Capital Group for 2016-2021 is concerned, its plans to release the second AAA game by 2021 remain unchanged," the moderator wrote (translated via Resetera user Antiax). However, Popławska did not expand on what the second AAA title to be released in this time frame could be. "We are currently focusing on the production and promotion of Cyberpunk, so we do not want to comment on further projects," they continued. Lady Gaga could be making an appearance? According to french site ActuGaming, Lady Gaga and CD Projekt Red are collaborating for Cyberpunk 2077 and the artist has already visited the Polish studio to take part in motion-capture – suggesting she will have a character role in the game itself. In addition ActuGaming claims the collaboration will be officially announced at E3 2019, with Gaga rumored to be making an appearance at the gaming convention. Last year Gaga tweeted a strange mix of letters and numbers, which the official Cyberpunk 2077 Twitter account replied to with "Of course! Of course we will!", suggesting the A Star is Born actress would be involved with the game in some way or another. E3 2018 confirmed features We got to spend some time watching a demo of Cyberpunk 2077 during E3 and we learned some interesting things about the game. It's a first person RPG set in a huge open world known as Night City – a metropolis split into six districts, each offering a different environment to explore. During the demo we only saw a small part of one of them. Players can create their own character called V and embark on their journey to crawl up from the criminal underbelly. This is a dark game and though The Witcher series is mature, this takes it to a new level. As you'd expect, the game lets you augment your body using various bits of tech – illegal or otherwise – and you can use drugs to enhance your combat, or a kind of digital brain-hack called 'Braindance'. We know weapons are wide ranging and seriously creative, with smart guns and bullets as well as terrifying Mantis Blades for melee. There are no loading screens in Cyberpunk 2077 and the story and side quests are branching and numerous, and your choices genuinely impact the outcome. You can read more about how impressed were were by what we saw. E3 2018 secret message CD Projekt RED used the Xbox Showcase to show its latest trailer for Cyberpunk 2077. But it's more than just a trailer. Spotted by Polygon, there's a moment in the trailer with hidden text with more information on the game which is revealed when you enhance the image. In the message CD Projekt first apologises for "staying silent longer than we planned" but following the release of The Witcher 3 Blood and Wine the developer wanted to wait until it had "something meaningful and substantial" to show. It goes on to say that the vision for Cyberpunk is "an alternative version of the future where America is in pieces, megacorporations control all aspects of civilized life, and gangs rule the rest." This game will, CD Projekt says, be a "true single player, story-driven RPG" where you'll be able to create your own character. At the moment the developer isn't ready to confirm any kind of release date and asks for more patience. It also says it has "no bloody clue" about how big the game is but does say it's "seriously big." It could be on the next generation of consoles CD Projekt Red has hinted that Cyberpunk 2077 could be developed for both current and next gen titles. GamingBolt has reported that during a presentation at the Pareto Securities Gaming Seminar 2018 event, the studio's CFO Piotr Nielubowicz and CEO Adam Kiciński mentioned Cyberpunk 2077 hinted that it may be being developed for future hardware. The slide in question stated the team was developing the title for “current and next-generation technology”. Given the game's current timeline, it's possible it could be a dual launch title on current and next-gen systems: PS4 and PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Two alike. It will be on Steam Good news Steam fans: Cyberpunk 2077 will definitely be coming to the platform. At the Pareto Securities Gaming Seminar (via PCGamesN) the studio’s CEO Adam Kiciński gave a presentation in which he confirmed that the game would not be exclusive to GOG. There's been a lot of furore over the Metro Exodus being 'removed' from Steam and onto the Epic Games Store, but it looks like CD Projekt Red is steering clear of that minefield. It’s going to be bigger than The Witcher 3 It would have been a pretty safe guess to say that Cyberpunk 2077 is going to be a big game, but in an interview with MCV in 2015 visual effects artist Jose Teixeira said it’s going to be “far, far bigger” than anything the studio has ever done. In fact, he said that The Witcher 3 was being treated as a learning experience and that they could do better. To do better, the studio has doubled in size with studio head Adam Badowski saying that after The Witcher 3, Cyberpunk 2077 needs to be “even better, even bigger, even more revolutionary” than what had originally been planned. You’ll be travelling on more advanced tech than boats and horses So, we know the game map is going to be intimidatingly big. How will we get around it, then? Well fortunately, moving out of the high fantasy realm gives CD Projekt Red a little more freedom when it comes to creating vehicles. Don’t expect horses and basic boats here – a job listing for a Senior Vehicle Artist for the studio said they’d be expected to work on “incredibly complex vehicles, planes, bikes, robots and mechanics.“ There may be multiplayer It was confirmed years ago that the game would have multiplayer elements but what exactly they’ll be is unclear. It was said, though, that the game would mainly focus on single player. The company president said in March 2018 that these elements are not on the table right now, so it's possible that they'll be introduced after the game's release in a sort of online world like GTA Online. There will be online As well as multiplayer, CD Projekt's CEO has confirmed that there will also be online elements to the game. In an interview with Polish tech site Strefa Inwestorow Kiciński stated that “Online is necessary, or very recommended if you wish to achieve a long-term success. At some point, we have mentioned that there will be a certain online element related to Cyberpunk.” Whether or not the online elements will feed into the multiplayer is unclear. But there won't be microtransactions The studio also tweeted to quell fears over microtransactions in online components, stating that Cyberpunk 2077 will be "nothing less than" the Witcher 3, adding that players will "get what [they] pay for" with "no hidden catch." It appears that while many studios are feeling the need to move to a service model to ensure their titles make money, CD Projekt is staying committed to the story-driven single player experience with Cyberpunk 2077, one which served them very well with The Witcher. Things we'd like to seeCombat inspired by the original tabletop RPG We know that the designer of the tabletop RPG Cybperunk on which Cyberpunk 2077 is based is heavily involved in the creation of the game. We hope his involvement extends to the game's combat because the combat system he created in his own game was fairly revolutionary for the tabletop genre. Rather than involving drawn out and long turns, it was fast, brutal, gritty and overall perfectly suited to the spirit of Cyberpunk. A big part of Cyberpunk combat involves upgrading your body with new abilities and robotics which would be perfectly in line with a video game character development system like those created by CD Projekt Red. In Pondsmith's game bodily enhancement has to be carefully considered – Keep checking back here for all the latest Cyberpunk 2077 news (Image credits: CD Projekt Red) This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Best property management software of 2019 Posted: 26 Jun 2019 12:48 PM PDT Managing a property portfolio can be a headache without the right software in place to help with that. Money and maintenance may seem like core concerns with real estate, but additional ones will probably include processing and screening rental applications, inventory tracking, advertising and marketing, ticketing fault reports, as well as communicating directly with tenants. If that sounds like a tall order already, that's before the issue becomes complicated by the range of real estate types. For example, commercial property will require different management to private rental, and housing associations to property investments. On top of that there's the number of properties involved, as someone managing a handful of real estate units will likely have different needs to a group controlling thousands. Luckily there are a number of very comprehensive solutions on the market, that aim to satisfy all of these needs and concerns, and more. Even better is that many are cloud-base, which means you can access what you need from anywhere, not least on the go from a smart mobile device. Here then are the best in property management software, for anyone managing real estate of any type and portfolio.
Image Credit: Appfolio Described as a real-time property management solution, Appfolio provides a range of cloud tools for apartment, residential, commercial, council and student property managers. The software helps real-estate professionals manage assets and financial data, but also attract new renters and clients. Aimed at streamlining processes in the real-estate and property management sector, the platform lets users access business metrics, track maintenance, and communicate with renters, owners and vendors. There’s also a dedicated owner’s portal, which offers access to reports and statements. Other features include the ability to accept online rental applications, and to screen potential renters, distribute vacancy adverts across the internet, collect rent online and perform mobile inspections. What’s more, tenants are able to submit maintenance requests through the software, meaning property managers can quickly resolve faults. Depending on the type of properties you’re looking to rent or sell, there are several monthly plans available. The residential and student plans cost $1.25 per unit, while the commercial option costs $1.50 per unit. Community associations looking to use the software only need to pay $0.80 per unit. However, note that there is a minimum monthly fee of $250, so it's priced more toward people managing hundreds rather than dozens of property units. Image Credit: Buildium Positioned as a network of property management services, Buildium is another popular platform for real-estate specialists. It provides a plethora of property management, accounting, business operations and leasing tools. Whether you own three properties or three thousand, Buildium gives you a quick and easy way to manage and expand your real-estate portfolio. Not only can you use the software to manage maintenance requests and finances, but you can also market properties and find tenants online. Just like Appfolio, you can accept online applications and screen tenants before drawing up contracts. There are also portals for property owners, home owners, residents and board members, letting you communicate with stakeholders easily. The software covers community associations, student housing, affordable housing and residential properties. Currently, price plans start at $150, although there is a free trial available. Image Credit: RentManager Capable of handling properties of any size, Rent Manager is a flexible and easy-to-use property management platform. It comes packed with an asset management database, integrated accounting, contact management, and work ordering capabilities plus marketing solutions. From the platform, you’re able to track, manage and resolve service issues, and you can keep an eye on your finances by downloading detailed reports. If you’re looking to find new tenants or buyers for a property, you can create a professional and interactive website that’s integrated with Rent Manager. Another great thing about the platform is that it’s mobile-friendly. Whenever you’re on-the-go, you can accept payments, organize service inspections, enter work orders and take photos from a mobile app. However, this software isn’t just handy for property managers - tenants can also access real-time information and transaction records, as well as sign leases and pay their rent, from any device. To get an idea of pricing, you’ll need to get in touch with the company, but there is a free trial available if you’d like to check the software out. Image Credit: Re-Leased Re-Leased allows you to lease residential and commercial properties, co-working spaces, student accommodation, office units and mixed family housing. The software functions as a central hub where you can view upcoming tasks and automated workflows. From one simple dashboard, you’re able to view and manage properties, collaborate and delegate tasks across your team, and communicate with tenants via email and text messages. You can also get reminders on important tasks, and resolve issues. There’s integration with Google Calendar, Outlook and Microsoft 365, as well. If you’re interested in the software, you can request a pricing quote from the company’s website. Whatever the case, every user can access customer support, add as many properties as they like, connect to Xero accounting software, and use the platform from computers, tablets and smartphones via the cloud. And to ensure that important business data never ends up in the wrong hands, the app is protected by enterprise-level security. Image Credit: MRI Founded in 1969 as Qube Global Software, and now rebranded as MRI Real Estate Software has been delivering tech solutions for almost half a century. It has also created a sophisticated property management solution, which is used by over 10,000 folks across the world. Targeted at investors and managers, the software is suitable for a range of real-estate businesses, including commercial, residential, mixed-use and student properties. Features include billing and invoicing, contact management, maintenance tracking, expense management, insurance management, lease management, tax management, a landlord and tenant database, rent tracking and late fee calculation. However, due to the fact that this software is aimed predominantly at corporate users, you’ll need to get in touch with the company to get an idea of pricing. At the same time, you can demo the platform to see if it suits your needs. Currently, it’s used by real-estate firms such as Hammerson, Aberdeen Asset Management and Standard Life. Image Credit: Pixabay Other property management software to considerWhile we've highlighted some of the bigger names in real estate management software, there a number of others which all have their own selling points. Some might be better orientated toward smaller portfolios, others might cover a niche such as holiday lettings, and others might offer special pricing or features. We'll provide a few more to consider and highlight the reasons for adding them here: FantasticStay provides a centralized cloud-based platform for managing real estate, especially where there's a holiday lettings angle. You can manage listings and advertisements from your account, and run them directly on providers such as AirBnB. You can clone properties, have child listings under a parent property, and a lot of features can be automated. It also serves as a communications platform with clients, to ensure you know everything that's going on and can manage bookings. As an all-in-one platform it even has it's own in-built website builder, so you don't need to worry about running the software through another application for the internet. Rentec Direct offers one of the best value platforms, with pricing starting at $35 per month for less than ten properties. Cost rises with increasing number of units, but is ideally placed for the landloard with dozens rather than thousands of properties they need to manage. However, the Rentec Direct platform remains full-featured and comprehensive: it includes tenant screening, accounting, online payments, document organization, and advertising, all run from an online system. LiveTour by iStaging specializes in providing virtual tours of your properties. They can provide 360 degree, augmented, and virtual reality experiences to help put potential clients into your home using the power of the internet. You don't even need any special technology to use it, and can just use your cell phone camera to capture the images required. You can then use their online tour builder to put the tours together for your property before embedding it on your website. Potential clients can then view them online or even with a Virtual Reality headset. Condo Control Central really takes real estate management to the next level in terms of attention to detail. Not only does it offer a dedicated management panel for all the routine tasks, such as billing, letting, and communications, it can even take care of logging deliveries to your properties, it can even monitor resident parking permits and their use. It also has security features for accessing incident report, key records, and entry requests. There are even Push Notifications available for management staff, contractors, and clients. Building Engines is more focused on the management of commercial real estate, which means a bigger and more responsive platform filled with additional features. It's web and mobile platform aims to provide core metrics that go beyond just booking and paying for space as much as managing client expectations and satisfaction. You can also set targets for sales and/or service delivery, and track performance according to your designated business benchmarks. It's no wonder then that it's used by some of the bigger private management firms and leading public REITs across North America. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Marvel’s Avengers game: release date, news, trailers and first impressions Posted: 26 Jun 2019 12:36 PM PDT After two years of secrecy, Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics are nearly ready to talk about their first Avengers game - or, as we know it, Marvel’s Avengers. At Square Enix's E3 2019 press event, we finally got our first look at the game in a story trailer that seems to riff on some of the biggest moments from the Avengers comics. You'll play as your favorite Avengers in an all-new story set in the Marvel universe featuring many Avengers throughout the game (with the exception of Hawkeye) as you save the day from an evil force. According to Crystal Dynamics, the game has 'an all-star cast' that includes Laura Bailey, Nolan North and Troy Baker, some of the most preeminent voice actors in the videogame industry. It was at this year's E3 that we also learned that the game will have a multiplayer component alongside a single-player campaign, though it wasn't shown off during the event. What we've heard from Crystal Dynamics in a closed-door briefing is that you'll assemble into teams of four online, customize your characters and fight online together through new scenarios. Crystal Dynamics says this content will be free and will come at a constant clip. Last, but not least, we got a confirmed release date: May 15, 2020. Here's everything we know about Square Enix’s big foray into the Marvel universe. [Update: We got the chance to chat with the game's Creative Director and Lead Combat Designer about the challenge of taking on such a mammoth task. It's also been confirmed that offline and solo play will be available. Read on to find out more.] Cut to the chase
Image credit: Crystal Dynamics Gameplay impressionsWhile no one was allowed to play the game at E3 2019, Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics were allowing attendees to stop by and see an in-depth hands-off demo. The way the game works is that you'll control each Avenger individually and control switches automatically between segments – a flying sequence you might play as Iron Man while a battle scene might use Hulk, for example. Each character has their own set of abilities that mirror what we've seen from comics, movies and other games, and combat largely looks like Marvel's Spider-Man, full of fluid dodging, combo attacks and Quick-Time Events. It's a real cop-out to end the comparison at Marvel's Spider-Man, but that seems to be the look and feel Crystal Dynamics is going for – something that's easy to pick up and makes you feel powerful. The problem here is that, while all the characters have their own skills in combat (activated by the trigger buttons), there really wasn't a ton of variation in the actual gameplay. Most times, characters are shuffled into a battle arena, brawl for a few minutes with some fodder enemies, and then control shifts to the next Avenger in the sequence. It feels safe, but not all that exciting. What Crystal Dynamics and Eidos Montreal (who's co-developing the game) did get right are the massive set-pieces that serve as the main stage for the action. In the demo we saw, The Avengers were fighting to save civilians on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco from terrorists led by (spoilers!) Taskmaster. The segment of gameplay we saw involved all five of the game's playable Avengers and culminated in a boss battle. The pacing leading up to the battle felt great, as did some of the Quick-Time Event segments that emulated the movies' big-budget action. Marvel’s Avengers trailers and screenshotsOutside of the logo tweeted out by the game’s Twitter handle, there hasn’t been much in the way of official art. What we do have, however, is the game’s first teaser trailer that came out last year. Check it out below: The big unveiling for the game came at E3 2019, when Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics really let loose a lot of details and clips. We've embedded the Avengers E3 2019 trailer below: We've also got a number of screenshots from the trailer, embedded below: Marvel’s Avengers news and featuresOffline and solo gameplay It's been confirmed that Marvel's Avengers will offer players the chance to play offline and alone, despite its focus on the online multiplayer experience. In an interview with GamesIndustryBiz, Crystal Dynamics boss, Scott Amos, said that players "can have a complete experience and have fun" even if they never go online. No paywalls or Loot Boxes It's also been confirmed by Scott Amos that paywalls and Loot Boxes will not be a feature of the game. It seems that monetization will come from entirely optional cosmetic purchases. These will allow players to invest in their favorite heroes and make them look exactly as they want them to. "The idea, from the beginning, is that we want you to be able to customize your hero; how they look, how they play, the gear they have and how they use it," Amos said. "Your Black Widow could be different to my Black Widow – just a little, maybe a lot – depending on what you favor and how you unlock things." Of course, players will also be able to earn customization items as they play as well. Official reveal Marvel’s Avengers was finally revealed at the Square Enix E3 2019 press conference on Monday evening, giving us our first real look at the game since it was announced back in January 2017. A "tribute to Stan" Crystal Dynamics has revealed that the Marvel's Avengers game is a tribute to Stan Lee, who passed away in 2018. When we asked if Stan would be making in appearance in the game, the developer seemed coy but hinted we will be seeing the legend make a appearance. Image credit: Crystal Dynamics Gameplay The most important thing we saw was the gameplay, which looked to be a third-person adventure in the same vein as Marvel's Spider-Man. We know we'll get the chance to play as almost all of the most famous Avengers at some point, with the exception of Hawkeye who sadly wasn't part of the unveiling. Marvel’s Avengers will feature “continuous single-player and co-operative gameplay”, and that players can “assemble in teams up to four players, master extraordinary abilities…and combine powers” – i.e. an online multiplayer component that Crystal Dynamics has yet to reveal, but we're hoping we'll hear more about that later. Focus on story Marvel’s Spider-Man blew us away last year with a story full of heart, characters we cared about, and some sensational performances to boot. Square Enix and developer Crystal Dynamics have a wonderful opportunity to deliver a narrative befitting the unbelievable roster of Marvel characters they have inherited. Thankfully, it looks like they're doing just that with Avengers. We know the game takes place after A-Day, the day the Avengers get honored for their service to the community. This day of jubilation is quickly ruined, however, and our heroes our ripped apart – which gives us real Disassembled vibes. Apparently the heroes come back together and will have to face a new threat that wasn't revealed in the trailer. Continuous content? Crystal Dynamics emphasized the idea of a “continuous” game in an “ever-expanding world”. All this content may come first to PS4 thanks to a deal between Square Enix and Sony, but all of it will be free on every platform. Recent games-as-a-service titles such as Destiny, Anthem, and The Division 2 aren’t exactly lauded for their top-tier narratives, so we’re hoping the reveal will confirm the experience won’t be diluted in favour of ever-lasting revenue. Screenshot taken from the E3 Colosseum website. Fresh, diverse range of playable heroes Decades of comics, and 22 movies over 11 years of the Marvel Cinematic Universe ensure fans are well versed on many classic Marvel heroes. While we love Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, and Thor, we think it’s time to introduce some fresh, lesser-known faces in Marvel’s Avengers. Unforunately, for whatever reason, Hawkeye wasn't part of the presentation and Hank Pym – a.k.a Ant Man – only got a supporting role. We’d love to see Khan take centre stage, perhaps even alongside other more recent Avengers, such as Iron Heart, Miles Morales, and Squirrel Girl. Why not? It's Crystal Dynamics' biggest game ever In a recent interview, Crystal Dynamics studio head Scott Amos told GamesIndustry.biz that this is the developer's biggest game to date, requiring five studios from around the globe to make: "We've had to change how we work, how we are organised as a team, the number of people we need to do this, the number of external partners... We've had to go hire experts like Shaun Escayg, who is our creative director. He told stories for Uncharted and The Last of Us [at Naughty Dog], we needed him to help tell this story. Dave Fifield was a game director who worked on Halo and Call of Duty, we needed him to help us with multiplayer," Amos said. The five studios working on the title are Crystal Dynamics at Redwood Shores, a new studio in Bellevue called Crystal North West, Crystal Dynamics' partners in the Netherlands, Nixxes, Eidos Montreal and even Square Enix Japan. Five teams to bring the five Avengers to life? Sounds about right.
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| Extreme Networks to acquire rival Aerohive for $272m Posted: 26 Jun 2019 12:22 PM PDT Software-driven networking company Extreme Networks has announced that it will acquire Wi-Fi router maker Aerohive Networks for $272m. The two companies have entered into a definitive agreement where Extreme Networks will purchase all of Aerohive's outstanding shares of common stock at a price of $4.45 per share in cash. By acquiring Aerohive, Extreme Networks will add critical cloud management and edge capabilities to its existing portfolio of end-to-end, edge to cloud networking solutions. Aerohive will also bring its strong subscription-based business to the table which will help expand Extreme's subscription-recurring revenue by 30 percent.
President and CEO of Extreme Networks, Ed Meyercord explained how the acquisition will boost its current offerings in a statement, saying: "The acquisition of Aerohive establishes our leadership in cloud, AI, and ML, adding a proven and mature cloud services platform and subscription service model for Extreme's customers and partners. Extreme continues to invest in software and AI to expand the automation capabilities across our portfolio of edge-to-cloud networking solutions. The ability to improve user experiences, lower operating expenses, and deliver cloud-managed networks is key to our strategy." Extreme Networks and AerohiveAerohive was founded in 2006 and today it has 30,000 cloud wireless LAN customers across a number of verticals including education, state and local government, healthcare and retail. The company was also one of the first firms to offer controller-less wi-fi and cloud network management. Aerohive also recently delivered the industry's first trio of Wi-Fi 6 access points along with the first pluggable access point. President and CEO of Aerohive, David Flynn explained how the deal will allow both companies to push networking into a new era, saying: "This acquisition by Extreme is a major milestone for Aerohive. The role that cloud-managed technology plays in modern enterprises is impossible to overstate – it is where digital transformation is won and lost. Aerohive's expertise and excellence in cloud management and edge technology, combined with Extreme's extensive solutions portfolio and continued investment in software and AI for automation, gives our customers the most advanced digital experiences in the market. Together we will push networking into a new era – making infrastructure smarter, more autonomous, and the driver of business value." The acquisition of Aerohive is expected to close during Extreme's first quarter of the fiscal year 2020 following regulatory approvals in the US and Germany.
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| Fortnite Battle Royale update news, patch notes and more Posted: 26 Jun 2019 12:17 PM PDT In such a short space of time, Fortnite Battle Royale has become certified gaming phenomenon. Pitting 100 players against each other on a single map, it melds fun, cartoonish gameplay with a fierce competitive streak, and has attracted millions of players across the globe across all ages and demographics. Season 9 is now officially live, and we've got details of all the latest updates. We knew from the teaser tweet that we had a futuristic theme to look forward to, and so it's been proved. To help you keep on top of what's new and what's coming up in Fortnite, we've put together this handy page which will be updated with all the latest announcements. So to get you ready for blast off, here's everything you need to know about Fortnite. What is Fortnite?There's been a lot of hype surrounding Fortnite since its release in July 2017. But what exactly is it? Fortnite is a battle royale game which sees you thrown onto an island with no weapons or armor and it's up to you to scavenge for supplies and fight for your life to be the last man or squad standing at the end of the game – with the added pressure of a shrinking map that closes in as the match progresses, forcing players into tighter skirmishes. The game is available for free on PC, Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android, with in-game purchases limited to purely cosmetic options. Fortnite update news and Fortnite patch notes
Fortnite is now into season 9 and version 9.30 is our latest patch which has recently been supplemented by an additional content update. The primary new additions to this update are a new revolver, the return of the Pump Shotgun and Chug Splash. Revolver The new Revolver, available in Epic and Legendary variants, is a powerful weapon that fires medium ammo. It does 63 or 66 damage per shot, depending on which variant you have, and it can be found as floor loot, in chests, vending machines, supply drops and loot carriers. Pump Shotgun Fan favorite weapon, the Pump Shotgun, is being unvaulted in this update in its Uncommon and Rare varieties. You'll find it as floor loot and in vending machines. Epic has brought the gun back to see how it plays with the Tactical and Combat Shotguns, which fans have been less fond of. Chug Splash It may not sound like the most appetizing drink but this throwable added in the first 9.30 patch will allow you to heal yourself and other players. The Chug Splash throwable is essentially a six pack of drinks which, when thrown explodes on impact. Any players in range of the explosion (yes, that's friends and enemies) will receive 20 health if injured. If health is full, then 20 shield will be added. The item can be found in a wide range of places, including as floor loot, in chests, in vending machines, supply drops, and llamas. They drop in stacks of two, up to a maximum of six. Vaulted Items vaulted with this update are Boom Bow, Dual Pistols, Dynamite, the Rare Tactical Assault Rifle, Impulse Grenades, Rift-to-Go and the Pirate Cannon. You can access the patch notes in full and see the latest Bug Fixes and Updates on the official Epic Blog.
What is 14 Days of Summer?14 Days of Summer is Fortnite's summer event for 2019 which will run, funnily enough, for a total of 14 days between June 25 and July 9. Every day of the event will see a different weapon from previous patches unvaulted, a new Limited Time Mode to play, a new challenge to complete (with a reward, of course), and new cosmetic items added to the shop. Epic has detailed the Limited Time Modes that will appear across the 14 days but it has not revealed the order in which they'll appear so the list below is in no particular order.
Can I play Fortnite on mobile?Yes you can! Well, maybe. After months of waiting, Fortnite is finally on both iOS and Android, though you'll need a phone that can actually run the game. iOS users can download straight from the App Store. As long as you're using iOS 11 on iPhone 6S/SE, iPad Mini 4, iPad Air 2, iPad 2017, iPad Pro devices or later you'll be fine. Oh, and you'll need an internet connection, naturally. Fortnite also hit Android phones this summer, and finally came out of beta in October. You can see the full list of phones – and how to find the Fortnite Installer – on our Fortnite on Android page. Is it the full game? It is the full Fortnite game. There are some small differences: it’s not quite as visually impressive as it is on more powerful devices, the controls are touchscreen, and a lot of audio cues have been made visual so you can play comfortably in public without the need for headphones. But you won’t be missing out on any key features. What's the deal with cross-play? A sweet deal is what it is. While previously Xbox One and PS4 owners couldn't play the game together, Sony's U-turn on the matter means that now everyone across Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android can all take part in the crossfire. So if you've got friends that prefer PC, others that prefer console and you're off on holiday with your mobile, that's no reason for the fun to stop. There's also cross-progression. So, if you're logged into your Fortnite account on mobile and you later log into your console to play there, everything you did on mobile later that day is carried over. Sounds great, how do I get it? We have a guide on how to get Fortnite on mobile on TechRadar and we're constantly updating it with the latest rollout news. If your device isn't there yet, keep checking back and one day it probably will be. What's a Fortnite Battle Pass?The Battle Pass is a purchasable item in Fortnite that gives you access to exclusive in-game rewards. As players complete daily challenges and level up their rank, they earn Battle Stars which can then be used to unlock Tiers in their Battle Pass. Each new Tier you unlock will bring both Free and Premium rewards. The Tiers vary from season to season but in season three you get around 100 items in each Battle Pass which can take anywhere between 75 and 150 hours of play to unlock. Everyone that has a Battle Pass will get the Free reward they unlock, but only Premium Pass holders will get the Premium reward. Battle Pass Premium can only be purchased with in-game V bucks and not with real money. You can purchase a Battle Pass for around £7/$10 in the Battle Pass tab of the game’s menu. Twitch Prime benefits Those who use Twitch Prime and play Fortnite will be glad to know that they have access to free loot right now. Those with a Prime account can claim the Fortnite Twitch Prime Pack and the Fortnite Twitch Prime Pack 2 which include a host of cosmetic items and are available across all platforms. The first pack includes two exclusive gliders and outfits: the Havoc Outfit and Back Bling, plus the Sub Commander Outfit and Slipstream Glider. The second pack contains three exclusive items for Fortnite’s Battle Royale mode including the camouflage-heavy Trailblazer Outfit, the True North Back Bling, and the Tenderizer Pickaxe. There’s also a brand new dance emote for those that like the dance floor as much as the battleground. The packs can only be claimed on a single platform, but they can be shared across PC/console and mobile as long as you use the same Epic account across these platforms. You can’t however, share your loot across PS4 and Xbox One even if you are using the same Epic account. (Image credits: Epic Games) This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| DisplayPort 2.0 is finally here, and it can do a lot Posted: 26 Jun 2019 12:17 PM PDT We've been on DisplayPort 1.4 since 2016, so it was only a matter of time before we got a new display standard. And, well, DisplayPort 2.0 is finally here. VESA DisplayPort 2.0 has arrived, offering nearly triple the bandwidth of DisplayPort 1.4 – up to 77.4 Gbps opposed to 1.4's 25.92 Gbps. That's quite a lot of data over a single connection. And, because of this higher bandwidth, DisplayPort 2.0 is able to support much higher resolutions – up to 16K (15,360 x 8,460) at 60Hz.
While it's unlikely that anyone would be able to actually take advantage of that resolution for years to come that doesn't mean that there aren't benefits to DisplayPort 2.0 here and now. With DisplayPort 2.0, you can drive up to three 4K TVs or monitors at 90Hz. And, if three displays is too much for you, you can still run two 8K displays at 120Hz. VR is also going to get a boost from this standards, as you'll be able to drive two 4K x 4K displays at 144Hz, bringing UltraHD to VR for the first time. The first products using DisplayPort 2.0 are expected to arrive in late 2020. However, the good news is that it should be pretty widely adopted, thanks to both its backwards compatibility and the continued support of USB-C and Thunderbolt 3. The future is in high definitionUltra HD resolutions have become pretty much ubiquitous over the last few years, with essentially every streaming service offering content in 4K. However, as 8K TVs and monitors have started to arrive, it's left us looking to the future more than before. It will likely still be years – if not a decade – before we see 16K displays make it to the mainstream, so it's not worth tossing away your 4K TV just yet. Either way, it's likely that we'll see these high resolutions appear in monitors for professionals before they make it to your living room. But, when they do appear, at least we'll have the video standard to power them.
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| Best phone for gaming 2019: the top 10 mobile game performers Posted: 26 Jun 2019 12:03 PM PDT The best gaming phones in 2019 just keep getting better, as more powerful hardware can run games with ease, and dedicated gaming phones come with enhanced features designed specifically for gaming. Some of the best gaming phones are just the best phones all around, since their balance of performance and features make them a winner for just about anything. There are a few must-haves for any great gaming phone: a powerful chipset capable of running the best Android games or best iPhone games smoothly and launching them quickly; a great looking display with enough room to show the game with room for your fingers; and enough battery to keep you gaming for as long a session as you can muster. When you’re playing demanding games like Fortnite and PUBG Mobile, you don’t want any of these aspects to be lacking. We’ve taken all these aspects into account, as well as others like RAM size and storage space for games. The available app ecosystem also matters, which is one reason why Apple’s devices continue to have such a strong foothold here. We also take into account unique features that can have a special impact on gaming. So, whether you want high specs AND 'gamer'-appealing perks like RGB lights or just a good phone that can double as a mobile gaming device, you no longer have to choose. We've examined all the options and chosen the best phones for gaming based on the factors above. Here's our top ten list: The iPhone XS Max is the best gaming phone (Image Credit: TechRadar) The iPhone XS Max is the bigger, better brother of Apple's new flagship smartphone in a few key ways, but if you're picking either model for gaming, you might as well go with the best. The 6.5-inch screen on the iPhone XS Max is bigger than the one on its 5.8-inch sibling and its larger battery manages to stay working nearly a full hour longer than the standard iPhone XS. Those perks will give you more of an edge than with the iPhone XS, but both benefit from this Apple phone generation's true advantage: the A12 Bionic processor. In our tests, it loaded up Clash Royale and PUBG even faster (vs the iPhone X), and speed is crucial in online gaming. All this in a Apple's sleek, modern look – though it's the most expensive mainstream phone on the market, even before including all the bells and whistles. Read our reviews: iPhone XS Max | iPhone XS A more-affordable flagship gaming phone (Image Credit: TechRadar) The OnePlus 7 Pro is cheaper than the iPhones and Samsungs in this list, but still delivers the latest power under the hood with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 855 chipset and the choice of up to 12GB of RAM. It means games load quickly and run smoothly, and the OnePlus 7 Pro is the firm's first phone with a QHD display, giving you an excellent pixel density for crisp graphics. On top of that sharp resolution is the huge size of the display, which offers 6.67 inches without any cameras or notches taking up space. Further improving the gaming experience is the 90Hz refresh rate of the display, which makes gaming and everyday use that much smoother. There's a sizable 4,000mAh battery too, which should keep you going during lengthy play sessions, and it all makes for a top-notch gaming phone. Read our review: OnePlus 7 Pro The Galaxy S10 Plus is an all-rounder, but is still a top gaming phone (Image Credit: TechRadar) Don't be too surprised to see Samsung so high on the list. Its latest family of Galaxy S10 smartphones are the first to feature Qualcomm's powerful new Snapdragon 855 chipset, which quickly boosted them to the top of the pack in terms of sheer performance. But, it's not just the chipset that makes these excellent gaming phones. They have sharp Super AMOLED displays with support for high dynamic range, so you'll get excellent visuals in movies and games alike. The screen real estate is also expanded, so you have that much more game to look at. With these phones, you're getting both a killer phone and a powerful mobile gaming device in one. Better still, VR fans can still make use of the new phones with existing Gear VR headsets, according to The Verge. Letting you enjoy the immersive game medium on the phones' crisp displays. Read our review: Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus The Asus ROG Phone gaming phone (Image Credit: TechRadar) The Asus ROG Phone may "look like an irate Decepticon" as our reviewer put it, but outside its appearance, the device is a powerful phone with plenty of extras to entice gamers. It's also a decent phone in its own right, and it has notable advantages over the comparable Razer Phone 2. Its specs are solidly advanced for phone released at the tail end of 2018: an 'overclocked' Snapdragon 845, 8GB of RAM and a 4,000mAh battery, as well as a 90hz refresh rate screen that pales only to the Razer Phone 2's 120hz. As for gaming, the phone's "AirTrigger" touch-sensitive buttons on the top-right and top-left of the phone (when held in landscape) are cool, customizable ways to play that your typical smartphone just doesn't have. True to Asus' Republic of Gamers brand, you can buy a selection of accessories to augment your mobile game experience. These include a clamshell case with a bonus screen, a pair of controller halves that clip to either side and a docking platform that extends your phone to a big display, Nintendo Switch-style. There's even a simple clip-on fan to reduce device heat during games. The ROG Phone's appeal lives or dies on its external design, and we wouldn't blame you for skipping it for something a bit more conservative. But its advances, especially the AirTriggers, shouldn't be overlooked when considering phones for serious gaming. Read our review: Asus ROG Phone The Razer Phone 2 gaming phone (Image Credit: TechRadar) The first Razer Phone was a solid first effort to bring the gamer-specific brand to a mobile device, but it had a few shortcomings that dropped it further down our list. The second version has addressed some and come out with a stronger device for it, though it's still aimed primarily at gamers. What does that mean? The camera and display aren't nearly as impressive as other phones that cost this much, so casual gamers might want to look elsewhere. But if you're more serious about mobile gaming and can afford it, this is a solid choice. Outwardly, the Razer Phone 2 hasn't changed much from its predecessor, though it's upgraded to the Snapdragon 845 chip and switched to a glass back for Qi wireless charging. It's also added a slick vapor chamber to cool the device as you game. At the end of the day, the phone's beefy chipset, 8GB RAM, great speakers, 120hz refresh rate screen and 4,000mAh battery, as well as extensive settings to tweak battery life and performance, make this a great choice for gaming. Read our review: Razer Phone 2 Image Credit: TechRadar Huawei's P30 Pro may not be a phone on many people's radars, but it's an amazing Android phone from the Chinese manufacturers. Much of the attention the P30 Pro is getting comes from its impressive camera system, which has three rear cameras including one with a 5X zoom and a stunning dark mode. But, the Huawei P30 Pro has plenty to offer gamers as well. The Kirin 980 chipset inside is plenty powerful for the latest Android games, and 8GB of RAM can keep everything running smooth even when you're switching back and forth from gaming and other activities. The hefty 4,200mAh battery can ensure your gaming sessions aren't cut short. An improved heat pipe ad vapor cooling chamber inside the P30 Pro help it keep cool while gaming, so it can continue to play Fortnite, Real Racing 3, and PUBG without a hitch. Read our review: Huawei P30 Pro Image Credit: TechRadar The Black Shark 2 is the second generation gaming phone from Chinese firm Xiaomi's gaming arm, and it builds well on its predecessor adding more power and a better screen into the mix. Combining a great camera, excellent internals and improved gaming credentials over the original, the Black Shark 2 is a triple threat that betters most of its gaming phone rivals. It's lumbered with a handful of instabilities and quirks, but even with those accounted for, the bang for buck it delivers is off the chart. The only thing to watch out for is its availability. It's not easy to find in some countries, such as US. Read our review: Black Shark 2 Image Credit: TechRadar Apple's iPhone XR may lack some of the features from the iPhone XS and XS Max that make them true stunners, but it makes up for that with a lower price. And, while it may have a smaller screen, it's still offering 6.1 inches. Even though that lower price comes with caveats, like a simpler camera setup, the iPhone XR doesn't skimp on internals. It packs the same A12 Bionic chipset that's found in the more expensive models, and it will run iOS 12 and iOS 13 just the same as the other models. That means it can play all the same games, and it can run them just as smoothly (if not even smoother, since it has fewer pixels to push). The iPhone XR also has one of the best batteries in an iPhone that we've seen in some time. So, if you want to do plenty of gaming on iOS, the iPhone XR is a strong option. Read more: iPhone XR review Image Credit: TechRadar The LG G8 may be a little underwhelming in terms of design, and if you don't find a deal, it can be too expensive to wisely choose over one of the other devices on this list. But, if you find a good price, it has enough to offer as a gaming phone. Inside, it's packing the latest Snapdragon 855 chipset, which can deliver plenty of gaming performance. And, with a high-resolution, bright OLED display, your games are sure to look great. With a base storage of 128GB of RAM, you should have plenty of room on the LG G8 to store games alongside all your other apps and files. Read more: LG G8 ThinQ review Image credit: TechRadar Yes, we know the iPhone 8 Plus is verging on two years old right now. It doesn't have the same elegant design found in the iPhone X, XS, or XR. But, if you look past the design and 5.5-inch display, you're still getting some strong gaming credentials. For one thing, the age of the iPhone 8 Plus helps bring the price down. And, though the screen is the smallest on this list, it's still a 1080p resolution. Better still, the iPhone 8 Plus packs the A11 Bionic chipset that's also found in the iPhone X, and it runs on the latest version of iOS. That gives it access to plenty of games and the power to play them. The battery is also decent, and the 256GB storage option offers all the room you could need for a substantial mobile game collection. Read more: iPhone 8 Plus review This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Cricket World Cup 2019 live stream: how to watch every game online from anywhere Posted: 26 Jun 2019 11:48 AM PDT Between the predictable spells of rain, the 2019 Cricket World Cup has delivered all the scintillating action that we'd been waiting four years for. We've now seen enough to start getting an idea of which teams will proceed into the knockout stages and who the form players are that may emerge as the tournament MVPs. There's been big hitting, fearsome bowling and spectacular catches. And you've come to the right place to find out how to live stream every last ball of the Cricket World Cup regardless of where you live. Although most countries have paid-for TV viewing only (including hosts England) some nations are luckier - for example, Australians can watch their boys and the latter stages on Channel 9, while Pakistan have every match free in the English language on the state-owned PTV. 10 of the world's elite cricket-playing countries are competing title of best ODI team on Earth with only one to be left standing by the end on July 14. It's the 12th incarnation of Cricket World Cup with hosts England going into it as pre-tournament favourites (according to Betfair at least). Other than a blip against Pakistan, they haven't disappointed so far, with the likes of Joe Root and Jofra Archer looking dangerous. India have the world's two top ICC ODI ranked batsmen (Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma) and the number one bowler (Jasprit Bumrah) and will naturally be a feared force. But perhaps most attention will be on reigning champions Australia, as they welcome back suspended duo Steve Smith and David Warner - both have managed to get some serious runs under their belts already. Bangladesh have impressed against the odds and and New Zealand have picked up some very strong wins indeed. We've enjoyed it so far, but there's plenty of cricket still to come. If you want to know where you'll be able to watch every single daily match, we'll tell you exactly where you can catch them online with a Cricket World Cup live stream. How to watch the 2019 Cricket World Cup from outside your countryYou don't have to miss a single minute of Cricket World Cup - even if you're abroad and discover that your home broadcaster's online coverage is geo-blocked (we hate it when that happens). If that happens to you and you're desperate to watch that domestic coverage, there's still a way to get it that doesn't involve putting your security at risk with some dodgy, illegal stream from Reddit. You can simply use a VPN to login back to your country that is broadcasting the actions, and it's really easy to do: Upcoming Cricket World Cup fixturesAll times in local BST Thursday June 27 West Indies v India - Old Trafford, Manchester (10.30am) Friday June 28 Sri Lanka v South Africa - Chester-le-Street, Durham (10.30am) Saturday June 29 Pakistan v Afghanistan - Headingley, Leeds (10.30am) New Zealand v Australia - Lord's, London (1.30pm) Sunday June 30 30 England v India - Edgbaston, Birmingham (10.30am) Monday July 1 Sri Lanka v West Indies - Chester-le-Street, Durham (10.30am) Tuesday July 2 Bangladesh v India - Edgbaston, Birmingham (10.30am) Wednesday July 3 England v New Zealand - Chester-le-Street, Durham (10.30am) How to stream the Cricket World Cup live in the UKHow to get a FREE Cricket World Cup live stream in PakistanHow to live stream the Cricket World Cup final in Australia (for FREE)How to watch the Cricket World Cup 2019: New Zealand live streamHow to stream 2019 Cricket World Cup online in IndiaHow to watch the Cricket World Cup: US live streamWhat is the format of the 2019 Cricket World Cup?The Cricket World Cup is a ten-team tournament. Each country plays each other in a round-robin format, after which the top four teams qualify for the semi-finals. The two winning semi-finalists then get to face off in the final on Sunday, July 14. How long do Cricket World Cup matches usually last?Most 2019 Cricket World Cup matches will start at 10.30am BST and end early evening – around 6.30pm BST. A number of day/night games will start at 1.30pm BST and finish under floodlights at around 9pm BST. Cricket World Cup matches broadly follow the rules of One Day Internationals, with each side facing 50 overs within a 210-minute time limit. Add in drinks breaks for each side and a 30 to 40 minutes innings break and matches can run up to nine hours in length. Some matches are much shorter however - England’s capitulation to New Zealand in the 2015 World Cup saw play wrapped up within four-and-a-half hours, with the Kiwis reaching their 123-run target in just 12 overs. What teams are competing in this year's Cricket World Cup?Afghanistan Australia Bangladesh England India New Zealand Pakistan South Africa Sri Lanka West Indies What grounds are being used for the Cricket World Cup?The Oval, London Trent Bridge, Nottingham Home of Nottinghamshire CCC, the 17,500-capacity ground will host five World Cup matches, including England vs Pakistan. Bristol County Ground, Bristol Hampshire Bowl, Southampton The County Ground, Taunton Old Trafford, Manchester Edgbaston, Birmingham Headingley, Leeds Lord's, London The Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street Cardiff Wales Stadium This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Best phone in the US for 2019: the top 15 smartphones we've tested Posted: 26 Jun 2019 11:26 AM PDT The best phone in 2019 in the US comes at a high price, but that's to be expected when many of the latest flagship smartphones from Apple, Samsung, and others now start at around $1,000. We're still looking at phones that carry the style we've gotten used to over the last several years, as foldable phones like the Huawei Mate X and 5G phones like the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G aren't quite ready for the mainstream. Until 2020, we're mostly going to be looking at phones that push the limit of the current form factor. We've conducted comprehensive phone reviews of all the top phones from smartphone manufacturers big and small. For each, we've examined key factors like design, performance, battery life, camera quality, price, and ongoing software support. Taking all this into account, we've picked the best. Why we have more than just a No. 1 pick: Even though we have a top pick, we understand that not everyone looks for the same thing from a smartphone. Some will demand the features coming in iOS 13 and ongoing support of iMessage, while others will want the customization and Google Assistant tools available in Android Q. With that taken into account, we've provided extensive rankings so you can see how all the best phones compare and what highlight features they offer. Likewise, your contract with AT&T, Verizon, Sprint or T-Mobile is a preference. The best phone for AT&T may not be available on-contract on Verizon, and vice-versa. We have to take that into account when recommending phones, and we favor those available on more carriers. The best phone isn't simply the newest iPhone, although our list does have a lot of familiar names: Apple, Samsung, Google and LG, all in the top 15. Newer companies in the US like Huawei and OnePlus make the list, too, though their low availability is noted. The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus is the best phone you can get for Android right now, if you're just going by specs. Naturally, as the first flagship of 2019, its new Snapdragon 855 processor is the big standout here with even better performance than the phones that closed out 2018. Add in a few cool new (but not essential) features, Samsung's stunning-as-ever display and design as well as top specs and you have a true flagship – for a true flagship price, of course, starting at $999 / £899 / AU$1,499 / AED 3,599. Screen: The 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display is gorgeous, but that's not surprising. it's the same size as the Galaxy Note 9's screen, and far larger than the Galaxy S9 Plus' 6.2-inch display. The 'Infinity O' display ditches the notch for a punch-hole in the top right corner. Yes, it's twice as wide as the hole in the S10 and S10e, but how else will you fit in the extra selfie camera? This choice (and thin bezels) enable a stunning 93.1% screen-to-body ratio, which keeps the phone as slim as possible. Battery Life: The S10 Plus' 4,100mAh battery is Samsung's largest yet, just nudging past the Note 9's 4,000mAh and far beyond the 3,500mAh one in the Galaxy S9 Plus. While that didn't lead the new phone's battery life to outpace its predecessors, it still kept it going through the full day with 10%-30% to spare in our casual testing. This is, of course, with standard settings: bump up the resolution from Full HD+ to QHD+, brighten the display or keep it on longer, and the battery will drain faster. Camera: The S10 Plus has three cameras on the back: a 12MP regular lens, a 12MP optically zoomed telephoto lens, and a new 16MP ultra-wide lens. We found the photo quality to be a bit variable – perhaps due to the dual-aperture main lens – with good but not consistent low-light performance. It's not quite up to par with the Google Pixel 3's Night Vision mode, but it still outpaces most other phone cameras on the market. The two front-facing cameras allow depth for Portrait mode-style photos, which is worth the wider punch-hole gap in the display. Mini verdict: After some time with the standard Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10e, we can say for sure that the S10 Plus beats them out. It has the best specs, cameras and battery life of the whole set, and it's not too much more expensive than the other models. If you want a phone that will blow every other device out of the water in early 2019 – as well as its in-screen fingerprint sensor and reverse charging – this is your only real option. Read more: Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus review The iPhone XS Max is Apple's new big iPhone with an expansive 6.5-inch display that can't be missed if you're looking for the best phone running iOS 12. It's fast, has a brilliant all-screen display, and gives you great photos out of its noticeably upgraded 12MP dual-lens rear camera. Screen: The 6.5-inch OLED screen is the reason to choose the iPhone XS Max over its smaller 5.8-inch iPhone XS counterpart. The phone is still about the size of an iPhone Plus, but thanks to the all-screen display (minus the notch cut out at the top), you get a lot more real-estate. It looks more color-rich vs the old iPhone LCD displays, too. Battery life: You'll get the best battery life out of the iPhone XS Max simply because it has room for a bigger battery. The 3,174mAh capacity is by no means the biggest (Samsung's Note 9 is 4,000mAh), but Apple's ownership of both software and hardware means it's smartly optimized. You'll get all-day battery life even with heavy use. Camera: This is the best iPhone camera ever made, even if the 12MP dual-lens rear camera number hasn't changed in several years. It's all about the software inside and how the A12 chipset interprets scenes with Smart HDR. It's up there with the Google Pixel 2 and Samsung Galaxy Note 9, even if Apple's photos tend to be less vivid in our tests and more true-to-life. Mini verdict: This is the iPhone for anyone who wants what's new and doesn't care what it costs. The iPhone XS Max is expensive, but it's the best upgrade if you're into big screens and Apple's ecosystem, like the App Store and iMessages. The iPhone XS is a good choice if you have smaller hands, and the iPhone XR may be better if you have a smaller wallet. Read more: iPhone XS Max review The Google Pixel 3 came out in October, offering some internal upgrades, improved camera performance, a second front-facing camera, and a better screen than its predecessor. And, as with past Pixels, when it comes to smartphone cameras, this is a top contender. Screen: The Pixel 3 stretches the previous model’s screen to 5.5-inches for an 18:9 aspect ratio. There are no notches taking up any of the screen space either. Colors are rich on the OLED display, and thanks to the dual front-facing speakers, it makes for a handy streaming device. Battery life: A 2,915mAh battery is nothing to get excited about in a modern smartphone. That said, with conservative us, it’s not hard to get all-day battery life. If you’re not taking a lot of photos, it may be easier to get a full day of battery, but with such a good camera, it may be tough to avoid. Camera: The Pixel 2’s cameras are its best selling point. On back, the 12.2MP sensor paired with Google’s brilliant software optimization make for stunning photos in most situations. Optical Image Stabilization certainly helps, too. Selfie lovers get a bonus with dual front-facing cameras that can snap photos with different viewing angles. Mini verdict: The Pixel 3 is powerful on the inside, and even though its design isn’t the most exciting from 2018, nor is its battery, it’s all about the camera in the end. And, with Google’s knack for photo optimization, this phone can almost sell itself with the camera alone. Read more: Google Pixel 3 review The Samsung S10e is the littlest (and least pricey) sibling of the S10 line in both size and features. While it loses out on a few of the cutting-edge features like in-screen fingerprint scanner and a telephoto lens, its remaining arsenal of flagship specs, ultrawide camera and good interface make the S10e a standout at a discount. Plus, it's small enough to use one-handed. Screen: The 5.8-inch AMOLED screen is crisp and sharp, with enough bright colors and customization options to tweak to your liking. While it's nice that the budget flagship of the S10 line has an OLED screen (unlike the iPhone XR with its LCD display), it's not as high resolution as its bigger siblings, capping out at 1080 x 2280 pixels to the S10 and S10 Plus' 1440 x 3040 pixel maximum. Battery life: A 3,100mAh capacity isn't the biggest battery on the market, but it will see you through the day, and may last longer than you think thanks to the phone's smaller screen. You'll need to stretch it out if you plan to use Wireless PowerShare, the S10 line's new feature that lets you donate battery charge to another Qi-charging device. Don't worry, it won't drain yours to oblivion: the feature shuts down when your phone hits 30% battery. Camera: Considering the standard Galaxy S9 had a single lens, the S10e is a major upgrade with its two useful cameras. The first is the standard 12 MP, f/1.5-2.4 Dual Aperture lens found in the phone's predecessor (switching between the two in day/night shots), while the second is a 16MP f/2.2 ultrawide lens that manages 123-degree field of view. While the phone misses the 2x telephoto of the other S10 phones, its ultrawide is far more useful. Mini verdict: The S10e is a fantastic little phone, perfect for anyone who wants to use their flagship phone one-handed – or just wants all the best specs at a lower price. While it's still more expensive than midrange phones or the current value champion, the OnePlus 6T, the S10e has more features and cutting-edge specs to push it beyond the competition. Read more: Samsung Galaxy S10e review This is the best in phone value if you want an all-screen display and don't want to pay for the Samsung or Apple name. it's a bit cheaper than the Galaxy S10e, though not as affordable as last year's OnePlus 6T. It has almost everything except wireless charging, a microSD card slot and a perfect camera. Screen: This is the main draw. Thanks to a mechanical pop-up selfie camera, the OnePlus 7 Pro has the best screen we've tested. No notch and punch-hole camera in sight, and it stretches from edge to edge. Even better, its 90Hz screen refresh rate gives it more fluid movement. Samsung's screen has been dethroned. Battery life: The OnePlus 6T has fairly good, but not great battery life thanks to its 4,000mAh battery. It'll get you through a whole day, but not much more than that. The real news is its Warp Charge 30 adapter that allows this phone to go from 0% to 100% in a little over an hour. It's very fast. Camera: The camera has always been the weakest part of the OnePlus lineup, but we've experienced better phones from the OnePlus 7 Pro. It's not going to top our best camera phones list, but the triple lens (regular, ultra-wide and telephoto) did a fine job in proper light. Nightscape mode has been improved, but begs for a tripod in mixed light (any lights in dark scene tend to smear). Mini verdict: The OnePlus 7 Pro has the wow factor missing from smartphones in 2019 thanks to what's on the screen (90Hz fluidity) and what's not (a camera notch). It looks the part of a flagship phone and acts more expensive than it really in part because of its top-shelf specs. As long as you don't want the best camera phone, this a solid option. Read more: OnePlus 7 Pro review Image Credit: TechRadar Here in the US, Huawei phones are not as familiar to shoppers as Apple and Samsung's best phones. But, that doesn't mean they don't have as much to offer. From Hauwei's Mate line to it's P series, it is making some of the very best phones, and the P30 Pro is is a true champion from the Chinese manufacturer. Screen: The P30 Pro has a large, 6.47-inch display with only a thin chin bezel at the bottom of the screen and a teardrop notch at the top. It's a sharp OLED display, and though it doesn't have as high a resolution as some others, we'd be hard pressed to see the difference. Battery life: The Huawei P30 Pro turns up in the battery department with a 4,200mAh cell. That's easily enough for a whole day, and can pull through a day in a half comfortably or even two days with light use. There's enough power there that Huawei enabled reverse wireless charging to let the P30 Pro power other phones. Camera: While plenty about the P30 Pro is of flagship quality, the cameras are where it really stands out. Its suite of cameras make it among the very best camera phones in the world. It combines a high-resolution main camera, a camera with powerful zoom, an ultra-wide angle camera, and a time-of-flight sensor to handle depth. This makes it incredibly versatile, capable of taking better long-distance and low-light photos than most other phones. Mini verdict: If you're after a phone with great looks and a camera that's ready for just about anything, then the Huawei P30 Pro is an excellent option. It also offers a price that stays below a lot of its competition. However, availability concerns in the US hold it back a bit. Read more: Huawei P30 Pro review The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 has shown some staying power, even as the Galaxy S10 line launched. It's intro price of $999 was staggering to see, but Samsung's best phones have a way of coming down in price within a few months of launch, and that helps make the Note 9 a bit of a steal. Screen: Samsung's 6.4-inch Infinity Display is slightly bigger (taller, but actually more narrow than the Note 8) and wraps around the sides for a nice curved look and feel. Samsung is anti-bezel and anti-notch. What you may not see at first is the extreme brightness of this display and the color reproduction. It's impressive when you see it in person. Battery life: The Note 9 has a 4,000mAh battery and is the key reason we like it over the S9 Plus. The capacity is 14.2% bigger than the S9 Plus and 33.3% bigger than the S9. It lasts all day with heavy use and deep into a day two with normal use. You can also charge over wireless easily, and fast charging boots in 17% battery in 15 mins. Camera: The Note 9 camera is impressive, just like the S9 Plus six month before it, and it has the added benefit of remotely capturing photos from up to 30 ft away via the Bluetooth S Pen. Samsung also added AI smarts to the camera that automatically adjusts the white balance and color based on the scene it detects. The camera does as well as the Google Pixel 2 in low-light (sometimes better, sometimes worse, but not by much in either direction), and the default camera app is robust (more so than Google's), yet remains streamlined and initiative. It does lack HDR video recording, seen on other Android phones from Sony and LG. Mini verdict: The Note 9 is bigger in all ways, including the price. It was one of the most expensive phones in the US when it launched, but that's not the case anymore. And, you're still getting a great camera and ample storage (and a microSD card slot) for your money. The battery is big, too. Samsung packs a lot into its all-day smartphone with a stylus. Read more: Samsung Galaxy Note 9 review Apple’s iPhone XR was a little bit late to launch after the iPhone XS and XS Max that launched a bit earlier. But thanks to its lower price point, it makes for a more affordable option than the XS models. For some, the powerful internals paired with the large screen and lower price will make for a compelling buy, especially thanks to the surprisingly good battery. Screen: The iPhone XR screen isn’t its strongest selling point, as it’s a notable downgrade. It’s resolution falls short of Full HD, and it’s not a battery-friendly OLED. Still, the Liquid Retina LCD display used still has good sharpness and brilliant colors.That said, the 6.1-inch display offers plenty of real estate. Battery life: Though this is the more affordable iPhone to come out in Apple’s latest batch, its battery life stands out. Thanks to the A12 Bionic and chipset and lower resolution, the battery performance is great, making it the first iPhone that could comfortably get through a whole day of use in our testing without us worrying about. Camera: While the other iPhones have dual rear cameras, the iPhone XR has just one sensor. For normal photo shooting, it does a great job though. The lack of a second camera also reduces the quality of Portrait Mode photos. But, the detractors came largely in comparison to other top cameras. Mini verdict: The iPhone XR has all the performance of its more expensive siblings on the inside. It’s camera and screen may not be as impressive, but where it truly dazzles is in the battery life. If you want an iPhone with a battery you won’t always worry about, the iPhone XR is it. Read more: iPhone XR review The Huawei Mate 20 Pro is one of the most impressive phones from the Chinese firm to date, offering up a heady mix of design, power and performance with a few party pieces thrown in too. It builds on the excellent P20 and P20 Pro, offering up even more screen, enhanced triple rear cameras and an in-display fingerprint scanner. Screen: The Mate 20 Pro packs a huge 6.39-inch display giving you a huge amount of space for gaming and movies, and its QHD resolution and HDR10 support ensures everything looks great. There is a wide notch at the top of the display though. Battery life: You'll get great battery life from the Mate 20 Pro, and we regularly achieved a day and a half of usage from a single charge during our review time with the handset. Camera: The Mate 20 Pro comes with three cameras on the rear, nabbing the excellent 40MP wide-angle and 8MP telephoto lenses from the P20 Pro - but the third sensor is new. It's an ultra-wide 16MP snapper allowing you to cram even more of your surroundings into each shot. Mini verdict: The Mate 20 Pro is a full-featured phone for a full-featured price - it even has a few tricks you won’t see elsewhere, and more powerful specs than most of its competitors. Read more: Huawei Mate 20 Pro review Insert headingThe bigger S10 Plus is by far Samsung's best phone, but the standard S10 backs almost all the same top-end features into a more compact form factor and slightly lower price tag. And yet, the S10e loses a few of those for even lower cost, putting the standard S10 in an awkward place. This middle child is a great phone, but it's overshadowed by both its siblings, which occupy more desired niches in the smartphone market. Screen: With a 6.1-inch display you're not exactly getting a small screen with the standard S10, but Samsung has reduced bezels even more over the S9, keeping the dimensions surprisingly compact. You also get a fingerprint scanner embedded in the display, meaning there isn't one on the back for a seamless rear cover. Battery life: The battery in the S10 has grown versus the one in the S9, but with the increased screen size as well you're still looking at all-day battery life with a nightly charge. The S10 also has Samsung's new Wireless PowerShare, allowing you to wirelessly charge other devices on the rear of the handset. Camera: Like the S10 Plus, the trio of cameras on the Galaxy S10 are among the best on the market, building on the excellent setup on the S9 series by offering more features, shooting modes and overall clarity. Mini verdict: The Samsung Galaxy S10 gets proper under-the-hood upgrades, two more lenses and fun new perks. You’ll like all of these powerful features, while your friends will like the new Wireless PowerShare perk – it helps them out more than you. Read our in-depth Samsung Galaxy S10 review iPhone XS is a minor, but important upgrade over last year's completely redesign iPhone. It's noticeably faster and has an improved dual-lens camera to make it a better choice, if you're willing to pay the same launch price. No the look of the 5.8-inch new iPhone hasn't changed on the outside, but if you want a more one-hand-friendly size for a cutting-edge iPhone, this is the one to buy. Screen: The 5.8-inch OLED on this iPhone is big, but not a turn off for some people who literally can't handle the 6.5-inch iPhone XS Max (which we like a bit more in our big mitts). This phone size isn't too much bigger than your old 4.7-inch iPhone 7 or iPhone 6 thanks to its reduced bezel – though you'll miss the Touch ID home button. You'll forget about that when staring into the color-rich OLED that's dreamier than the old iPhone LCD. Battery life: The iPhone XS has about the same battery life as the iPhone X, so you'll get all-day battery life with normal use. Power users may struggle a bit without one of the best power banks, and although Apple says it has 30 minutes more battery life than the iPhone X, the smaller capacity and our tests show it's shy of that claim. Camera: This is where you'll see differences in the otherwise familiar-looking iPhone XS. Its dual-lens camera offers Smart HDR and optical image stabilization (OIS). It's not as vivid as the cameras on a Google Pixel 2 or Samsung Galaxy S9, but you'll get true-to-life photos that make the 2018 iPhone's a worthy upgrade. Mini verdict: Although still expensive, the iPhone XS is our best phone for someone who wants to use iOS 12 and doesn't want to spend even more money on the bigger iPhone XS Max. You have your limits, and that may be 5.8 inches and $1,000. Read more: iPhone XS review The Google Pixel 3 XL brings higher end internals and a notched screen to the latest iteration of Google’s larger phone. It’s got the same great cameras as its smaller sibling, but more screen and more battery. Unfortunately that also means a higher price. Screen: The Pixel 3 XL has a sizable 6.3-inch OLED screen with an 18.5:9 aspect ratio. There’s HDR support and a sharp 1440 x 2960 resolution. The viewing experience is good, though this screen does have a rather chunky notch that may not be to everyone’s liking. Battery life: In our testing, we found the 3,430mAh battery to be plenty. Power users can get a full day, and average users are likely to find themselves getting a day and a half. Some of that battery performance is likely coming from good battery optimization within Android Pie. Fast charging and fast wireless charging just round out the offering. Camera: The Pixel 3 XL has the cameras to beat. Google knows how to make a good camera that far exceeds what the specs sheet says. It uses a 12.2MP rear sensor, but software optimization helps it outperform other smartphone cameras in just about all cases. The dual front-facing cameras also give selfie-lovers some extra versatility. Mini verdict: The Pixel 3 XL improves on the previous generations design, fitting more screen into roughly the same size. It also manages a battery life that should satisfy most. Best of all, the camera is better than anything else you’ll find (except the Pixel 3, which is just as good). Read more: Google Pixel 3 XL review LG's smartphone prowess feels like it slipped in the past year, as the LG G8's launch was a bit of a bust. What should have been a follow-up to the LG G7 turned out feeling like a minor upgrade that didn't keep up with the progress in smartphone design we've seen in 2019. Still, it has enough to offer to land a low place on this list. Screen: The 6.1-inch OLED display is certainly a strong point of the LG G8, even if it does still have a hint of the notch. Much like Samsung, LG makes incredible displays, and they show up in its phones. The LG G8's is bright and colorful, and even boasts a higher resolution than much of its competition. Battery life: The 3,500mAh battery in the LG G8 is nothing to get excited about. It's definitely enough to get through the day, but some newer phones are showing up with significant upticks in battery capacity. Camera: LG may be using AI to improve the G8's picture taking capabilities, but it doesn't stand up to the competition here. It has a little versatility with both a standard and a wide-angle camera on the rear, but it's not enough to catch up with the Samsung, Google, or Huawei. It does have a neat, though hit-or-miss, feature in the ability to use Portrait Mode for video. Mini verdict: The LG G8 is a strong phone, powered by the Snapdragon 855 chipset. And, if it's available at a discount, it's a good buy. But, at its retail price, it's priced too close to better phones to win a top ranking. Read more: LG G8 ThinQ review The Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus is aging gracefully. It's cheaper and a bit less powerful than its Galaxy S10 Plus successor. But, it's still a big phone with an expansive screen, top-of-the-line camera and all-day battery life. This is still one of the best Samsung phones you can buy in the US if you have large enough hands for its massive size. Screen: Its 6.2-inch Super AMOLED display that really sells this phone, and not because it has more pixels than before (it doesn't) than last year's S8. It’s the futuristic-looking curved edges, vibrant colors, and high contrast ratio that make the screen pop. It's hard to go back to any other size once you hold this large, beautiful light beam in your hand. Battery life: Samsung's 3,500mAh battery is large enough to last all day and a little bit more. It's better than the normal-sized S9, though other phones out of China are maxing out at 5,000mAh these days. It's the one area this handsets seems adequate and not Plus-sized. Luckily, it support Samsung's very quick fast charging standard. Camera: Low-light scenarios are no match the the Galaxy S9 Plus dual-lens, dual-aperture. It does a fine job at amping up dark environments without adding noise that you'll see from other camera phone. It does smooth out textures in the process, but it's on par with, and at times better, than the Google Pixel 2. Mini verdict: The Galaxy S9 Plus is Samsung's answer to the iPhone X, but better in several ways. It too has stereo speakers, face unlock, AR Emoji and vertically stacked 12MP dual cameras. What's better? Its better low-light photos, 3.5mm headphone jack and larger 6.2-inch curved all-screen display – without a notch. No one else has this combination right now. Read more: Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus review The iPhone X has been surpassed by the iPhone XS, but not too much has changed since the former launched in late 2017. The phone is still fast, has good cameras and looks great – and you'll be able to get it a bit cheaper than its successor from retailers and carriers (Apple discontinued it from its store). Screen: The 5.8-inch OLED is Apple flagship, alright: sharp and bright, with a better display than its budget successor, the iPhone XR. The X abandoned a home button for flat screen and Face ID for login and authentication in its quest for ultimate screen-to-body real estate, so expect edge-to-edge glory...aside from the notch. Battery life: At 2,716mAh, the X's battery is nothing to brag about. Careful use will get you a bit over a day before the phone keels over, but that's not flattering for modern phones. Camera: The iPhone X's dual 12MP shutters were the top of their day, but have since been surpassed by plenty of flagships. It's still a venerable rear camera system, especially for Portrait mode, and its 4K video shooting is nothing to scoff at. Expect good selfie performance, too. Mini verdict: The iPhone X is still a quality phone, especially since the iPhone XS added little to its predecessor. Don't expect it to outrace this year's best phones, but a year-old flagship is still only a year old. Read more: iPhone X review This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Sony is expanding Alexa functionality on its Android-based smart TVs Posted: 26 Jun 2019 11:00 AM PDT Sony is bringing some new Alexa functionality to its Android TV smart TVs with the new Amazon Alexa Music, Cameras and TV Control app that's rolling out today. The app adds a number of Alexa’s features – like the ability to control smart cameras from Ring and find music using their voice – but will only be available on select Sony smart TVs. So far that list includes all the Sony 2019 models, most 2018 models, the mid-range models from 2017 (A1E, X940E, X930E, X900E, X850E, X800E) and a few models from 2016 (Z9D, X800D, X750D, X700D). Previously, Android TV had the ability to access Alexa through a dedicated Alexa app or from an Alexa smart speaker connected to the TV, but Alexa’s functionalities were restricted. The latest update brings the Android TV experience a bit closer to that of a proper Amazon Fire TV device – like the Amazon Fire TV Cube – while still retaining the Android TV user interface. The update should start rolling out today to select Sony smart TVs in the US, but don't be alarmed if it doesn't pop up right away.
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| Automating our future: an inside look at robotic process automation Posted: 26 Jun 2019 10:51 AM PDT The fear that robots will one day take our jobs is a common one despite the fact that robots are already working alongside humans in a number of industries. However, not in the way that you might think. Robotic process automation (RPA) employs robots or rather AI workers to help businesses automate a wide variety of tasks and workloads. To learn more about how businesses are currently using RPA to automate their workloads, TechRadar Pro spoke with UiPath’s chief evangelist Guy Kirkwood.
Image credit: UiPath Image credit: Shutterstock Image credit: Shutterstock
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| Cheap Google Pixel 3 XL deals - pay the same price as the regular Pixel 3 Posted: 26 Jun 2019 10:40 AM PDT The brand new Google Pixel 4 is still unlikely to be revealed for another few months and yet prices on the older Google Pixel 3 XL deals have already come crashing down in price. With offers on Google's bigger device dropping as low as £20 a month, we can now say with certainty that the Google Pixel 3 XL has fallen into budget territory - not bad for one of the world's best phones! If you're a photo taking devotee, then it's a safe bet to say no camera phone as good as this is going to be at a price this low for quite a while. These are prices that even match the smaller Google Pixel 3 deals. You can see the best of these price cuts below, but don't wait around too long or they might all be gone. You can compare prices to the rest of the market on our mobile phone deals guide. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| India vs West Indies live stream: how to watch Cricket World Cup 2019 match from anywhere Posted: 26 Jun 2019 10:29 AM PDT Match 34 at the 2019 Cricket World Cup sees a disconsolate West Indies needing to pick themselves off the floor following their heartbreaking five-run defeat to New Zealand at the weekend. In their way? The undefeated India. You can watch the action no matter where you are in the world by using our guide below to getting an India vs West Indies live stream. Its a remote one, but there’s still a mathematical chance the Windies could make the semis starting with a win today. But in unbeaten India they must face one of the 2019 Cricket World Cup‘s most impressive teams. With Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni in their ranks, there's no doubting the the firepower from their batsemen. And led by the excellent Mohammed Shami, you sense India's superb bowlers are going into this year's Cricket World Cup matches not fearing any batsmen. Nevertheless, they'll be relieved that won't be facing lion-hearted Windies star Andre Russell today, who has succumbed to the knee injury that saw him hobble around the field against the Kiwis. It's a huge loss for the Windies, but they'll at least be encouraged by how close Afghanistan came on Saturday to ending India's winning run in the tournament, with the Men In Blue only managing 224/8 in Southampton. You'll be able to watch today's game from anywhere in the world if you follow our India vs West Indies live stream guide below. Watch a Cricket World Cup 2019 live stream from outside your countryIf you're in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, US or India, we've got all the details about who is broadcasting the game in your region below. If you're outside of your home country and looking to watch the action you'll likely find you won't be able to thanks to geo-blocking. However, by using a VPN you'll be able to watch the game safely without needing to resort to an unreliable feed from an illegal website. How to stream today’s match online in IndiaHow to watch the cricket in Pakistan for FREEHow to stream India vs West Indies live in the UKHow to watch India vs West Indies in AustraliaHow to live stream India vs West Indies in New ZealandHow to watch West Indies vs India: US live streamThis posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Huawei telecom equipment 'more likely to have flaws than rivals' claims report Posted: 26 Jun 2019 10:14 AM PDT Telecom equipment manufactured by Huawei is far more likely to contain flaws than equipment from rival companies according to new research from the US-based cybersecurity company Finite State which has been deemed “credible” by top government officials. The report, published in the Wall Street Journal, revealed that the Chinese networking giant's equipment is more likely to contain security flaws which could be exploited by hackers when compared to similar equipment manufactured by its rivals Juniper and Arista. Over half of the nearly 10,000 firmware images encoded into more than 500 variations of enterprise network-equipment devices Finite State's researchers tested contained at least one such exploitable vulnerability.
The firm's tests were compiled in a new report which was submitted to senior officials across multiple government agencies in the US and the UK in recent weeks. Finite StateThe report has gained a great deal of attention for its findings but also for the fact that it is circulating among Trump administration officials who say if further validates their policy decisions towards Huawei. A White House official commented on the report's finding, saying: “This report supports our assessment that since 2009, Huawei has maintained covert access to some of the systems it has installed for international customers. Huawei does not disclose this covert access to customers nor local governments. This covert access enables Huawei to record information and modify databases on those local systems.” According to Finite State's chief executive Matt Wychouse, the security report was done pro-bono as the company believed making this information public was the best way to inform policy makers of the security issues in Huawei's equipment. However, the report itself is not available on the company's website for further examination. Finite State is a relatively unknown company that has only existed for two years. In that time, the firm has only released two white papers which were both published on September 26 of last year. Finite State makes big claims in its report but until it is publicly released, we won't know for sure if its findings are accurate. However, now that the news is out, further investigation into its legitimacy will likely be carried out by the media, world governments and of course by Huawei itself. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Vizio's Dolby Atmos soundbar surround system hits the UK at £599.99 Posted: 26 Jun 2019 09:19 AM PDT After teasing its entry for some months now, Vizio, the US audio and TV giant, has finally brought its first Dolby Atmos product to the UK market. The Vizio 36in 5.1.2 Soundbar System with Dolby Atmos (SB36512), to give the set its full name, offers an Atmos-enabled soundbar, alongside a wireless subwoofer and two rear satellite speakers. Measuring up at 36-inches for the bar, with the set in its entirety priced at £599.99, it packs in three drivers for left, right and centre channels, along with two upward-firing speakers to give the sense of enveloping height that Dolby Atmos's object-based audio is lauded for. Here's what we thought of itWith the soundbar system already on sale in the US, we've had the pleasure of playing with the kit already earlier this year. We found it to be a dependable soundbar for the price, if a little bit picky with its sweet spot. "The Vizio Soundbar SB36512-F6 ticks all the right boxes in terms of features - offering both Chomecast casting and Dolby Atmos at a value price - but skips on some of the more premium features including an LCD screen on the soundbar and improved soundstage," said TechRadar's own Nick Pino. "Overall this is a solid upgrade on your TV’s speakers, surely, and if you’re looking for Atmos on the cheap it’s a good place to start, but some moderate sound issues hold it back from achieving aural greatness."
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| Amazon's first Prime Day deal: save 40% on the Toshiba 43-inch Fire TV today Posted: 26 Jun 2019 09:09 AM PDT The date for Prime Day 2019 has officially been announced and to celebrate Amazon has released its first Prime Day deal that you can shop now. For a limited time, you can get the Toshiba 43-inch HD Smart TV on sale for $179.99. That's a $120 discount and the lowest price we've found for the TV that has the Fire Stick built-in. If you're done with standard 1080p HD TVs though, maybe you're ready for the world of Ultra HD. If so, check out our selection of cheap 4K TV deals. They're actually not that much more expensive. If you're in the UK, don't worry, we've rounded up a great selection of the best TV sales for you too. Shop more deals with our guide to Amazon Prime Day: everything you need to know for the July deals event. Speaking of early Prime Day deals, the latest Apple iPad is down to its lowest price ever. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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