Apple : Copa América 2019 live stream: how to watch every football match online from anywhere |
- Copa América 2019 live stream: how to watch every football match online from anywhere
- Fitbit price cut at Walmart: save on the Fitbit Versa, Charge 2 and Alta HR
- How to watch Love Island online this weekend and catch up on week 2 highlights
- Edge may be coming to Linux
- Huawei has removed its lock screen ad, but you need to delete it from your phone
- "Son of Mirai" botnet appears
- Argentina vs England live stream: how to watch today's Women's World Cup 2019 match from anywhere
- Yubico to replace compromised authentication hardware
- Three's new Samsung S10, S10e and S10 Plus big data deals are nothing short of extraordinary
- Best drawing and painting software of 2019
- TV’s biggest competitor? TCL's CEO says smartphones
- Nintendo E3 2019: every game shown, teased and played at the show
- Prime Day will struggle to match this PlayStation Plus discount from Amazon
- Qualcomm readies for a 5G future
- Best Amazon Prime movies: the best films to stream in June 2019
- Best ITSM tools of 2019
- Best headphones 2019: Your definitive guide to the latest and greatest audio
- Electric scooters: your complete guide
- Your sweat is no sweat for the AfterShokz Aeropex bone-conduction headphones
- Best wireless earbuds: the best Bluetooth earbuds and earphones in 2019
| Copa América 2019 live stream: how to watch every football match online from anywhere Posted: 14 Jun 2019 02:02 PM PDT The Copa América, South America's biggest football tournament, heads to Brazil for the first time in 30 years with Chile looking to be crowned champions for the third time in a row. Regardless of where you are on the planet, our guide below for getting a Copa América 2019 live stream will ensure you don’t miss a kick. While the hosts will be missing talisman Neymar, the tournament won't be short of big name stars from across the continent, with Argentina's Lionel Messi, his Barcelona teammate Luis Suárez and Brazilian/Liverpudlian Roberto Firmino all due to set to be in action. Having failed to mirror his trophy-laden club career with Barcelona on the international stage, all eyes will be on Lionel Messi to once again attempt to end his tournament hoodoo and lead Argentina to some silverware. His country are a long overdue some glory in the competition having not won the Copa América since 1989. Despite having won the competition twice on the spin, Chile come into the tournament way down the list of favourites according to Betfair, thanks to an ageing side and star player Alexis Sánchez struggling for form at Manchester United. After recent tournament disappointments, Brazil will be looking to gain ground on their great South American rivals Argentina who have lifted the trophy 14 times in comparison to the samba stars eight triumphs in the Copa America. A major plus for the hosts will be home advantage - they've won the tournament on the four previous occasions that they've held it. If you want to know where you'll be able to watch every single match, we'll tell you exactly where you can catch them online with our 2019 Copa América live stream guide.
How to watch the 2019 Copa América 2019 from outside your countryBelow we have a full rundown of your viewing options for the 2019 Copa América in different countries - check out how to watch in the US (where ESPN+ will be streaming the tournament in its entirety), the UK, Canada and Australia. The problems start when you try to watch your domestic coverage online while out of the country. Give it a go and you'll quickly find your stream in geo-blocked. That's super annoying, but not unavoidable. We've found that using a Virtual Private Network - or VPN - to be a handy solution. You select a server in your home country and then watch as if you were sat back at home on your couch. How to watch the Copa América: US live stream- Discover our pick of all the US's best sports streaming sites How to stream the Copa América live in the UKHow to watch Copa América: Canada live streamHow to live stream the 2019 Copa América in Australia2019 Copa América fixturesSaturday 15th June Sunday 16th June Tuesday 18th June Wednesday 19th June Thursday 20th June Friday 21st June Saturday 22nd June Sunday 23rd June Tuesday 25th June Friday 28th June Saturday 29th June Wednesday 3rd July Thursday 4th July Saturday 6th July Sunday 7th July This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Fitbit price cut at Walmart: save on the Fitbit Versa, Charge 2 and Alta HR Posted: 14 Jun 2019 12:25 PM PDT Summer is officially here, and if you're looking for an affordable smartwatch deal, then you've come to the right place. Walmart has slashed the price on the popular Fitbit Versa down to $179.95. That's a $20 discount and the lowest price we've found for the smartwatch. If you're interested in a slimmer design, Amazon has the Fitbit Alta HR on sale for just $72.49. While the Alta HR isn't as feature-rich as the Versa, it does offer continuous heart rate monitoring, and tracks activity, exercises, and calories burned. Fitbit deals:You can find more Fitbit Versa offers with the best Fitbit Versa prices and sales that are currently available. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| How to watch Love Island online this weekend and catch up on week 2 highlights Posted: 14 Jun 2019 12:14 PM PDT For the Love Island devotees, that Monday to Friday grind just isn't enough - do they really need to spend Saturday cleaning out the villa?! But if that absent episode is leaving you wanting more then don't worry, there is a host of weekend content meaning you can still watch Love Island online all the way through the week. Want to find out all the dirty details about the islanders relationships? Want to see what happened to Sherif? Want to be ahead of the game when it comes to what's coming next week? The weekend episodes are just what you need. Split into two special viewings - Aftersun and Unseen Bits - there is an additional two hours of weekend drama to catch up on. Tune in on Saturday, the day of rest for the islanders and you will be rewarded with Unseen Bits. Consider this a highlight reel of the best moments, weirdest moments of flirting and lines you can't believe came out of someone's mouth in a romantic setting. Come back on Sunday at 10pm and its Aftersun. A sit down with Caroline Flack while she interviews the exiles of the island and talks over the best moments. But don't worry, this doesn't replace the classic Monday through to Friday games of flirting for £50,000, you can still tune into those parts. No matter which part of Love Island you're aiming to watch, you can find out how to down below, even if you happen to be away on holiday at the time. How to watch Love Island online for free in the UK:Whether you're a Love Island die-hard fan, wanting to fill out the missed episode on Saturdays or someone not fussed with a whole week of dating, needing it condensed into one episode, Love Island's weekend content is for you. By now we should all know that Monday to Friday is core Love Island episodes, all airing at 9pm on ITV2. But, the weekend possesses some hidden gem dating content. On Saturdays there is Unseen Bits, which acts a lot like a weekly catch up episode - this airs at 9pm on Saturday. But did you know there's a normal episode on Sunday? If not, you could have been missing out on core Love Island drama! An episode airs on Sunday at 9pm, followed by Aftersun staight after at 10pm, a show that goes over all the gossip of the week. Rather not watch it all on TV? You can watch Love Island online, even the weekend content via the ITV website or watch it on your mobile devices via the ITV Hub app which you can download here for Android and here for your iPhone or iPad. How to watch Love Island online from outside the countryIf you’re from the UK and have planned a holiday while the show is on then you'll sadly be missing it, even the weekend episodes! But don’t worry as we can help you avoid any annoying geo-blocking allowing you and your friends to catch Love Island on your holiday. By using a VPN, you can change your IP address to one in the UK which will allow you to stream the event using your ITV account. Keep reading and we’ll show you how.
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| Posted: 14 Jun 2019 12:12 PM PDT During a recent AMA (Ask Me Anything) on Reddit, the Microsoft Edge Developer team answered user's questions about its browser and even offered some details on upcoming features. However, the biggest takeaway from the Q&A session was the fact that the company is open to the idea of creating a version of its browser for Linux. The Edge team explained that there are no technical limitations stopping them from releasing Edge for Linux but that they are not quite ready to do so yet, saying:
"We don't have any technical blockers to keep us from creating Linux binaries, and it's definitely something we'd like to do down the road. That being said, there is still work to make them 'customer ready' (installer, updaters, user sync, bug fixes, etc.) and something we are proud to give to you, so we aren't quite ready to commit to the work just yet. Currently the Edge Developer team is working on bringing stable versions of the browser to other version of Windows as well as to macOS. Tracking ProtectionThe Edge developers also revealed the fact that Microsoft is planning on rolling out a Tracking Protection feature for its browser similar to one Mozilla introduced in Firefox 63, saying: "We are committed to building features that give users control and transparency over their privacy on the web. One of our first features is Tracking Prevention with 3 levels of control to choose from, with Balanced setting being the default." While Microsoft's team provided a lot of information on upcoming features, they still remained non-committal on their answer regarding how Chrome's upcoming extensions API could prevent current ad blockers from working. The company is still waiting on talks with “popular extension developers and with the Chromium community” before it gives a final answer on whether its browser will also cripple ad blockers as Google is planning to do with Chrome.
Via ZDNet This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Huawei has removed its lock screen ad, but you need to delete it from your phone Posted: 14 Jun 2019 11:16 AM PDT Update: Huawei has removed the lock screen ad wallpapers from its servers, which means it shouldn't be pushed out to any more handsets, but you'll need to manually remove it from your phone if you received the ad. The firm hasn't provided a reason as to why the ad appeared on handsets, but its statement (below) explains how you can remove it from your device. "Dear users, we thank you for your candid comments, we are sorry for the inconvenience caused to your experience. "Please kindly be informed that we have taken down those lock-screen images from our servers, as they should not be appearing on lock-screen interfaces. "For the image/s already downloaded to your phone, you may delete as per following: "1) When the image appears on the screen, slide up from the bottom edge of the screen, and the operation toolbar appears; "2) Click the "Delete" button and click "Remove" in the confirmation box which pops up. "We will continue to improve our services and brings you excellent user experience." Original story: Huawei has had a rough few months, and things appear to be getting worse as multiple reports across the web claim the Chinese manufacturer has now pushed ads to the lock screens of its phones without alerting users, or asking for permission. A number of disgruntled Huawei owners have taken to Twitter to voice their displeasure at being greeted with a 'Booking.com' logo on their lock screen wallpaper. It's not appearing on every handset, and it appears it's only the pre-installed background wallpapers which have the logo. If you opt for your own lock screen wallpaper, you shouldn't get the ad.
So far, Huawei P30 Pro, P20 Pro, P20, P20 Lite and Honor 10 handset owners have reported seeing the ad, but the two Huawei P30 Pros in the TechRadar office are currently Booking.com-free - so it's certainly a sporadic issue. Why?So far, Huawei hasn't commented on the reports, so we don't know the exact reason for its actions - but money (unsurprisingly) could well be a key driver as it looks to generate new revenue in the wake of international uncertainty about its future in the smartphone market - at least in terms of using Android. We have contacted Huawei for a comment, and we'll update this article once we get a response. For now, you may want to change your lock screen wallpaper on your Huawei handset if you don't want to see an ad. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 14 Jun 2019 11:00 AM PDT While the Mirai IoT botnet primarily targeted consumer devices using default credentials, a spiritual successor has emerged which could potentially infect devices running on enterprise networks. Security researchers at Palo Alto Networks' Unit 42 recently discovered a new strain of a botnet malware called Echobot which is based on Mirai's source code and targets flaws in business tools. In addition to previously targeted vulnerabilities, Echobot also tires to exploit the CVE-2019-2725 vulnerability in Oracle WebLogic Server and the CVE-2018-6961 vulnerability in VMware NSX SD-WAN to add even more machines to its botnet.
According to Palo Alto's team, those behind Echobot have expanded the malware's exploit arsenal as a way of reaching additional devices besides home routers, webcams and digital video recorders. Mirai gained notoriety for preying on consumer devices and now, Echobot and other variants have set their sights on the enterprise. New targetsBy expanding its range of targets, Echobot now poses an even greater threat than Mirai once did and according to Akamai's Larry Cashdollar, the botnet is also trying to exploit security flaws from the past. Cashdollar discovered that several of the malware's new exploits are for vulnerabilities that have been around for almost a decade but were never properly addressed including the CVE-2009-5157 vulnerability found in Linsys devices and the CVE-2010-5330 vulnerability in Ubiquiti's devices. In a blog post on Akamai's site, Cashdollar provided further insight on how Echobot is trying to exploit older vulnerabilities, saying: “Botnet developers are always looking for ways to spread malware. They are not just relying on exploiting new vulnerabilities that target IoT devices, but vulnerabilities in enterprise systems as well. Some of the new exploits they've added are older and have remained unpatched by the vendor. It seems the updates to Echobot are targeting systems that have possibly remained in service, but whose vulnerabilities were forgotten. This is an interesting tactic as these systems if found have remained vulnerable for years and will probably remain vulnerable for many more.”
Via The Register This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Argentina vs England live stream: how to watch today's Women's World Cup 2019 match from anywhere Posted: 14 Jun 2019 10:17 AM PDT England opened their World Cup campaign with a welcome 2-1 win over Scotland. For most of the game they were dominant, but questions will be asked as to how they allowed their neighbourly rivals to get back into the game in the later stages. Argentina will have their tales up after earning a hard-fought goalless draw against fancied Japan in their first Group D match, earning the South Americans their first ever point in a World Cup. How will the two teams fair today, in this, their second Women's World Cup 2019 Group D match? Read on to find out how you can catch an Argentina v England live stream from anywhere around the world with our instructions below. England will have to make do without Barcelona star Toni Duggan who is ruled out with a thigh injury, but Demi Stokes should be back in contention after the Manchester City left back started on the bench against Scotland. The omens look good for England, with the Lionesses winning their only previous Women's World Cup encounter with Argentina 6-1 during the 2007 group stages in China. Argentina have meanwhile lost their three previous matches against European opposition at the Women's World Cup, with a worrying combined aggregate score of 2-23, shipping an at least six goals in each match. Will today's match be another drubbing, or can Argentina keep another clean sheet? Don't miss any of the action by following the instructions below and grabbing a live stream of Argentina vs England wherever you are in the world. Watch a FIFA Women's World Cup 2019 live stream from outside your countryIf you're in UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, we've got your viewing options listed below. If you're out of the country for today's match, you may find that geo-blocking will prevent you from watching your regular domestic coverage from abroad. You don't have to risk watching the match on a dodgy stream, however. With the option of using a VPN service, you can tune into the match no matter where you are in the world, and its super easy to set up. How to stream today's match in the UKLive stream Argentina vs England in the US
- Discover our pick of all the US's best sports streaming sites As well as opening up your viewing options for the Women's World Cup, using a VPN allows you to watch all your domestic sports coverage from abroad. How to watch Argentina vs England: live stream in AustraliaHow to watch FIFA Women's World Cup: Canada live streamHow to watch an Argentina vs England live stream in New ZealandThis posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Yubico to replace compromised authentication hardware Posted: 14 Jun 2019 10:12 AM PDT Yubico has announced that it will soon replace hardware security keys from its YubiKey FIPS series due to a firmware flaw that reduces the randomness of cryptograhic keys generated by the devices. Unlike the company's consumer-focused products, the YubiKey FIPS Series are certified for use on US government networks and take their name from the US government's Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS). In a recent security advisory, Yubico explained that YubiKey FIPS Series devices running firmware version 4.4.2 and 4.4.4 contain an issue where the first set of random values used by YubiKey FIPS applications after each device power-up have reduced randomness.
This means that these devices will generate keys that can be either partially or fully recovered depending on the cryptographic algorithm the key is using for a particular authentication operation. Replacement security keysYubico discovered the issue internally in March and conducted a full investigation into the root cause, impact and how it could mitigate the issue for its customers. The company fixed the issue fully in YubiKey FIPS Series firmware version 4.4.5 but as a result of the firmware update, FIPS recertificiation was also required. Yubico is also now advising owners of YubiKey FiPS Series devices to check the firmware version of their security key and affected users can sign up for a new key on its replacement portal. The company said that its customers would receive new YubiKey FIPS Series keys with firmware version 4.4.5. According to the security advisory, most of the affected devices have either been replaced or are in the process of being replaced: “To safeguard the security of our customers, Yubico has been conducting an active key replacement program for affected FIPS devices (versions 4.4.2 and 4.4.4) since the issue was discovered and recertification was achieved. At the time of this advisory, we estimate that the majority of affected YubiKey FIPS Series devices have been replaced, or are in process of replacement with updated, fixed versions of the devices.” Yubico also reassured customers by informing them that the company is now aware of any security breaches that have occurred as a result of the issue.
Via ZDNet This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Three's new Samsung S10, S10e and S10 Plus big data deals are nothing short of extraordinary Posted: 14 Jun 2019 10:05 AM PDT They say good things come in threes. Well, at the moment, good things come in threes from Three. It has just unleashed some incredible new deals on Samsung's trio of 2019 handsets, taking an instant first place in the ongoing search for the very best Samsung Galaxy S10 deals. The discounts come on the network's 100GB tariff across each of the flagship Galaxy S10, bigger brother S10 Plus, and budget-friendly S10e. So you immediately know that you're not going to be found wanting when it comes to Netflix binging and Spotify streaming away from the Wi-Fi. But the prices that Three is offering aren't just good value for so much data, they're actually the outright best contract prices for these phones full stop. See for yourself the quality of these S10 deals below and act fast if you like the look of them. We can't imagine Three are going to let them go this cheap for long...
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| Best drawing and painting software of 2019 Posted: 14 Jun 2019 09:05 AM PDT Digital art has become the norm, with a wide range of software programs available to allow drawing and painting on a virtual canvas. Often these programs will focus on a particular aspect, such as design, illustration, or photo-manipulation. Design programs can be use for CAD, such as 3D structure for architecture, or else focus on graphic design such as shapes, banners, and logos. General design software will focus on one or the other. Illustration programs can often include elements of graphic design in their interface, but will also feature a number of additional options for working with color and shading. Photo-manipulation software was originally for just manipulating images for digital photography, but often these also now incorporate elements key to illustration options. There are also dedicated programs that aim to emulate the experience of painting. Different design, drawing, and paint programs have their different strengths and focus, and although all can be operated with a mouse, often it's better to work with a digital pen/design tablet such as a Wacom, in order to get fine details as accurate as possible. Whatever you're looking for in design, illustration, or photo-manipulation software, here we'll look at the best to help you make your choice.
Image Credit: Adobe When it comes to creative software, Adobe has dominated the scene for decades, and Photoshop CC (CC stands for Creative Cloud) is loved by artists and designers across the world. It provides creative types with a plethora of cloud-based tools to create and enhance photos, illustrations and 3D visuals. This software isn’t just about editing photos. If you’re a professional designer, you can use it to create packaging, banners, websites, logos and icons. Not only can you come up with your own creations, but you’re also able to make use of intuitive templates if you’re more of a beginner, or you’re working to a tight deadline. You can design your own illustrations and turn images into paintings as well, with the option of switching between animate and print-style options. When you’ve created a piece, you can enhance it with a range of built-in effects. There are multiple pricing tiers, depending on which other apps and features you'd like bundled with Photshop CC. The cheapest is the Photography level at $9.99 per month and also comes with Adobe Lightroom CC, as well as 20GB of cloud storage. Up from that is the Single App plan at $20.99 per month and comes with 100GB of cloud storage, as well as Adobe Portfolio, Adobe Fonts, and Adobe Spark. For the All-Apps plan you get access to all Adobe creative desktop and mobile apps as well, and that costs $52.99 per month. Image Credit: Autodesk Autodesk SketchBook is a drawing app targeted specifically at designers, architects, concept artists and other creative professionals. If you fit into any of these categories, the software will give you the tools to sketch and create stunning illustrations easily and quickly. It sports a minimalist interface that works across Windows, Mac, iOS and Android devices, as well as 140 pre-designed brushes. Should you not be able to find the brush you need amongst that lot, you have the option to tweak them and import your own. Another neat feature is the ability to add an unlimited amount of layers to your creations, all of which come with blending nodes and grouping abilities. The software costs $16 monthly or $126 yearly, but whichever package you choose, there’s a lot of support on offer. For instance, you can schedule a call with Autodesk’s customer support team if you have any questions about the software, or indeed chat online or via email. You also get access to the company’s knowledgebase, which contains extensive documentation, tutorials and training videos. Image Credit: Corel Corel offers a host of creative software packages, one of which is a drawing app called Painter. Aimed at designers, artists and students, this cross-platform application provides you with the likes of ‘thick paint’ which you can daub onto your digital canvas, and then scrape around or blend to create some highly realistic looking masterpieces. There’s a large selection of brushes, with the ability to create custom brushes and palettes – plus you can import these, too. Painter is a downloadable app which is available on both Windows and Mac. It’s compatible with third-party software like Photoshop and drawing tablets from companies such as Wacom, as well. As for the price, for the latest version of Corel Painter is available for around $400, though there are special rates for an education edition for students and learning centers. Image Credit: Escape Motions Developed by artist Peter Blaskovic, Rebelle 3 is another highly versatile drawing and painting application. Described as “one-of-a-kind paint software”, it’s been designed for creatives working on watercolor, acrylic, wet and dry media artwork. Blaskovic created the app as part of his experimental drawing projects and wanted an easy-to-use program to access natural painting tools on-the-go. The app uses realistic color blending, wet diffusion and drying techniques, and offers a plethora of watercolors, acrylics, inks and pastels. There are also ‘dry’ tools like pencils, markers and erasers, so you don’t have to stick to paintbrushes. The app also boasts some interesting capabilities like the ability to tilt the canvas you’re working on. What’s more, Rebelle works with Photoshop, allowing you to tap into 23 additional blending nodes. It currently costs $89.99, but you can give the app a spin via a free trial. Image Credit: Artweaver Artweaver is one of the oldest painting tools out there, and the software is now on its sixth edition. The application provides you with a diverse set of predefined brushes and pencils that can be used to create amazing pieces of art. Not only does Artweaver offer an intuitive and easy-to-use interface which makes it suitable for novices, but it also boasts an impressively configurable brush system. So while you can choose from a variety of predefined brushes, you can also tweak them to suit your exact needs. Furthermore, Artweaver has another strong suit when it comes to working on joint art projects, because you can use the app to collaborate with other folks on the same document. Of course, you’ll need to be online to do so. Want to get a better idea of your artistic process and exactly how it flows? Then you can get the application to record your work. That way, you can review, evaluate and improve your abilities (hopefully). Currently, Artweaver is only available on Windows, but it’s temptingly cheap at $47 – and there’s also a free version available though it has limited functionality compared to the paid version. Other drawing and painting software to considerWhile we've covered some of the big hitters when it comes to drawing and painting software, there are some good lower-level programs worth considering if you'd prefer for not to pay out for a big program. Here we'll look at some of the other alternatives you might want to consider, especially if looking for something more entry-level, or simply competent when it comes to art and design. PaintShop Pro is a neat little art program. Although not as full-featured as some of the above it's still very competent software for many aspects of art and design. Whether it's photo editing, drawing, or creating/designing graphics, there are a lot of tools and additional plugins available to get the effect you want. Originally developed by Jasc, it's now part of the Corel stable of creative programs and is available for around $80. Adobe Illustrator can sometimes be thought of as being the little brother to the more powerful Photoshop, but don't overlook its possibilities. While Photoshop was originally built for photo editing, Adobe Illustrator has always been designed around illustration and drawing. You don't need to choose between one or the other, however, as if you subscribe to even the basic level Adobe creative apps plan, you can have both Photoshop and Illustrator together. Sketchup is more focused on 3D design rather than general painting and drawing, but is worth considering if that's the main reason you need software for drawing. Even better is that there's a free version, but even the paid-for versions are relatively cheap by comparison to some of the above, with an annual cost of $119 or $299 according to how many features you want to unlock. GIMP is a dedicated art program specifically built to run on Linux operating systems. While it may not be as powerful as some of the software listed, it makes a big effort to do a lot of things, from photo editing to sketching to design. Anyone who already works with Linux has probably heard of it and even has a copy, but if you were thinking of moving to Linux but weren't sure what creative software was available, you could do a lot worse than try out GIMP. Microsoft Paint is a basic art package that comes with every Windows install, and has done so since at least Windows 3.x. The release of Windows 10 has seen 3D editing tools added to it, but let's be fair-it's still a simple program that isn't going to rival anything else on this list. However, because of the easy availability of MS Paint it's worth mentioning - if nothing else because it does have a basic toolkit that is expanded on by other software.
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| TV’s biggest competitor? TCL's CEO says smartphones Posted: 14 Jun 2019 08:54 AM PDT Screens are everywhere now. Taking into account mobile phones, tablets, laptops, desktops and televisions – not to mention smart displays – it’s no longer surprising to have several screen-based devices in your home, making the classic television a harder proposition than ever. So how does a TV maker compete in such a flooded market? We spoke to the Kevin Wang, CEO of Chinese electronics brand TCL Multimedia, about the challenges facing TV makers today – even for one like TCL, which recently became the second-largest TV manufacturer in the world by units shipped. Wang, who has held the chief executive position since 2017, admitted concern on the growth of the TV market, and the need to keep up amidst intense competition to get TVs into people’s homes: “The whole market has big growth now. So you need big innovation… We have 8K coming, all on bigger screens, and a lot more panels [being produced]. “When I was a boy, I only had a 29-inch CRT. 29 inches was a big deal! But 20 years later, it’s a totally different experience.” TCL's X10 QLED starts at a massive 75-inch size (Image Credit: TCL) With so many devices competing for viewers’ attention – we only have so many eyes, after all – it’s only natural that televisions have had to aggressively target their core proposition: offering a larger and more cinematic viewing experience than the other screens that you own. Whereas 40-inch TVs used to be seen as market-leading (let alone the 29-inch CRTs of Wang’s childhood) buyers today are largely opting for 55-inch TVs, with 65-inch TVs being the fastest growing size category. Even larger than that, the 75-inch televisions out there are appearing more and more, even if the compact homes of Europe and the UK are somewhat resistant to the trend. Wang himself says he needs a TV to be “as big as possible”, and prefers watching on an 85-inch television – something we assume isn’t too hard to get hold of when you run one of the world’s largest TV makers. But it’s clear that televisions have had to fight furiously against the tide of smaller-screen media – what with all those distracting social media apps and ‘friends’ – with Wang saying the products available today have to compensate by being “much, much more beautiful than five years ago.” The need to improve visual performance to compete with smartphone screens is a sentiment echoed by Jiangyue Wang, PR Manager for TCL Electronics Europe – who added that the picture processing in TCL's latest televisions utilizes "the same color and effect to make a selfie look better, or more pretty." Kevin Wang: “In China, a lot of customers have a TV, but they don’t have much time to watch TV... They’re just too busy on their phones.” If you can't beat 'em, phone 'emTCL subsidiary CSOT manufactures AMOLED panels for both Samsung and Oppo smartphones (Image Credit: TechRadar) The comments are even more interesting in the runup to TCL’s first own-brand smartphone. While TCL technically manufactures mobile screens through its subsidiary CSOT, it has yet to release a smartphone model under its own name. While Wang states that TV will remain "our major business", it makes sense to leverage its current manufacturing facilities to diversify the products under the TCL brand – adding the smartphone to a host of new audio and lifestyle ranges including headphones, soundbars, and even smart mirrors and toothbrushes. The mobile market isn't easy to enter, though, with even Apple reporting smaller iPhone sales YoY amidst fierce competition. But TCL's hand in smartphone production should help somewhat. While details are currently scant, we expect the model to land before the year is out, around September or October. Release in Europe is confirmed, but not whether that will include the UK. We’re told by a TCL spokesperson that it will be “high quality”, but TCL’s aggressive pricing makes us think it won't be a model to break the bank. We’ll be sure to keep you updated when we know more on pricing, specs, and where exactly we can expect the smartphone to land.
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| Nintendo E3 2019: every game shown, teased and played at the show Posted: 14 Jun 2019 08:50 AM PDT Nintendo had a very strong showing at E3 2019 – somehow without even being at the expo. Thanks to its hugely popular Nintendo Direct livestreams, the house of Mario has managed to continue gripping gamers and gaming press alike with its joyful and nostalgic roster of titles – and this year it really knocked it out of the park. Two years into the Nintendo Switch's lifespan, there are still massive mainline franchises pulling out the stops. We may not have got more details about the rumored Switch console upgrades coming later in the year, but there was still plenty for us to chew on: fantastic-looking new games, significant updates to existing favorites, smart ports and remakes, as well as at least one bombshell sequel. So what did Nintendo have on show? We've collated all of the most exciting game trailers and new announcements below – from Luigi's Mansion 3 and Pokemon Sword and Shield to a whole load of Zelda titles in the works. There's plenty we didn't see, to be far: no sign of the delayed Metroid Prime 4, or the soon-to-be-released Mario Maker 2. But for an expo that largely exists to create hype around new and upcoming releases, we're certainly excited about what we saw.
An (unnamed) Zelda: Breath of the Wild sequelIt was the final mic-drop moment of Nintendo’s E3 live stream, but what a moment it was. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild isn’t getting more DLC – it’s getting a whole new sequel. At this stage, there’s no name or release date to go on (we'll just have to call it The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 for now), just a momentary clip instead. It showed Zelda and Link exploring beneath Hyrule Castle, before encountering a resurrected warrior foe – potentially an undead Gannondorf. The camera cuts to a view of Hyrule Castle from a distant location. There’s a ground-shaking quake, Hyrule Castle is engulfed in dust. And that’s it. Very much looking to be in keeping with the new Zelda formula laid down by Breath of the Wild, this could be this generation’s Majora’s Mask. Luigi’s Mansion 3You may not be afraid of no ghost, but Luigi still is. We got an extended look at Luigi's Mansion 3 during the Nintendo livestream, which introduced us to a few new mechanics for the game. Namely, it’s looking like it’ll be a much more kinetic outing for the scaredy-cat plumber, who will be able to use his ghost-catching vacuum cleaner thing to slam spectors against walls, while also doing an area-of-effect air blast. On the floor at E3 we got to play through tons of content from the trailer (seen below) and made it to our first boss battle with the King Ghost. There’s also a new multiplayer mode announced for the game called ScareScraper, letting you compete for ghost-hunting prowess against your buddies, as well as a co-op mode that introduces a new character called “Gooigi”. Imagine a Flubber-fied version of Luigi, and you’re there, with the green gooey version of Luigi able to walk on spikes and squeeze through fences like a friendly T-1000 terminator. He’ll also be the secondary character couch co-op players get to play as. Sadly, there’s still no firm release date for Luigi’s Mansion 3 beyond “2019”. We’ll keep you posted. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s AwakeningWe knew the remake of the GameBoy classic, Link’s Awakening, was going to be at E3 2019 but we didn't know how much fun we'd have with it. In a 15-minute demo with the game we were able to get our trusty sword from the beach, trudge through the mysterious forest and battle the first dungeon's mini-boss, Rolling Bones. Still keeping to that top-down style that the series was once so famous for (but with a new, modernised, Pixar-like art style), Link's Awakening for Nintendo Switch has now been revealed to have a build-your-own dungeon mode. Drag-and-drop tiles will let you build new challenges within the game – here’s hoping there’s an online element so that you can share them with your friends. The Witcher 3 for Nintendo SwitchSomeone had better send a demon hunter to Nintendo HQ – there must be some sort of dark magic being cast in order to make The Witcher 3 run on the Nintendo Switch. But monster hunter Geralt is indeed headed to the hybrid console, both in its docked and on-to-go handheld modes. It’s the complete edition of the game, including all its expansion packs, and while the lengthy, engrossing adventure is perfect for mobile play-anywhere sessions, we’re still stumped as to how they’re going to make it work on relatively underpowered hardware. We can’t wait to see it in action for ourselves. Pokémon Sword and ShieldWe’ve seen a lot about Pokémon Sword and Shield, which is coming to Nintendo Switch November 15, 2019. The hype is high, the release date is soon, but Nintendo doesn’t have much more to show off than it did during its Sword and Shield-dedicated Nintendo Direct presentation released a week before E3 2019. Our demo at E3 gave us a taste of the Galar region that players will be exploring, and specifically showed off the vaunted ‘Dynamax’ feature that temporarily evolves your Pokémon to colossal size and power. We took on the Water Gym Leader Nessa in a huge arena in front of cheering crowds using an oversized Grookie and, in the end of the demo, got out first badge. The only thing missing from that demo was a look at the legendary Pokémon that give this generation its name, Zacian (sword) and Zamazenta (shield). But there's always a chance Nintendo will put out a demo before the game's launch in November. Panzer DragoonPanzer Dragoon originally came out for the Sega Saturn in 1995, which tells you how iconic the game has become as the only title from that doomed console to be remembered so fondly. The game has been completely remade for a Switch release later in 2019. The original Panzer Dragoon perched the player on the back of a dragon and gave them a gun. It’s a rail shooter on a dragon. Need we say more? Okay, the game didn’t just make its bones on then-novel 3D gameplay - its vibrant world and lore captured players’ imaginations, too. We knew the game was being remade by Polish publisher Forever Entertainment, but didn’t know the Switch would be included in its release plans. Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black OrderThe Marvel's Avengers game from Square Enix made plenty of waves, sure, but Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: the Black Order deserves plenty of attention too. You’ll be able to play as one of countless characters from across the rich Marvel universe in an interesting-looking action RPG. Plus, we got to see Magneto wielding an Infinity Stone, and we can’t wait to see how that pans out. Luckily, we only have to wait until July 19 to get our hands on it... not that it stopped us from playing it at E3 2019. In a short demo three of our editors were able to team up, taking control of Wolverine, Captain America and Storm, while battling through Hand forces in Hell's Kitchen. We didn't get to see the complete list of characters coming to the game, but if you’re a fan of non-Avengers Marvel lineups like the Fantastic Four and the X-Men, keep an eye out for the Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order season pass that will have tons of cool characters. Banjo-Kazooie and Dragon Quest's HeroSome of the more surprising faces were those added to the roster for Super Smash Bros Ultimate, the Switch entry for Nintendo's iconic fighting franchise that came out last year. There's been a steady drip-feed of additional Smash Bros DLC content with new characters like Piranha Plant and Persona 5's Joker joining the fray – though Nintendo has now revealed the next two fighters for the coming content packs. The first is Hero! You know, Hero? The (technically unnamed) protagonist from the recent Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age will be slashing his way onto Smash Bros stages later this summer, with a nifty trailer showing off some serious swordplay – and three alternative skins that let you play as the lead characters from Dragon Quest III, Dragon Quest IV, and Dragon Quest VII. The other is Rare mascot Banjo-Kazooie, who first appeared on the Nintendo 64 back in 1998, and has been at the top of fan's lists to add to the game, alongside the likes of Dragonball's Goku or Crash Bandicoot (we're still holding out hope for the others). Banjo-Kazooie will be available to download – with additional soundtracks and stages for the game – in Autumn 2019. As a fighter, they're sure to add a whole load of vertical strategy with that bird strapped to Banjo's back. Animal Crossing New HorizonsOur first gameplay footage of Animal Crossing: New Horizons shows the villager farming and crafting new furniture – something that has never been an aspect of the main Animal Crossing games. Some of these features look like they’re lifted from Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, while other aspects are completely new for the series. The setup for the game, as was revealed by the trailer, is that Tom Nook is now chartering vacation packages to a deserted island which you, as the villager, must explore and cultivate into a thriving community. It’s a neat spin on the classic formula, and one that we’ll hear more about before it comes out on March 20, 2020. Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White WitchThis one’s a match made in heaven for Nintendo’s portable machine. Ni no Kuni is, in our humble opinion, one of the most underrated JRPGs of the last decade. With art direction helped along by some of the Studio Ghibli team, it combines beautiful anime visuals with a Pokemon-like battle system that has you training up companion monsters for turn-based battles. It’s also got an absolutely heart wrenching story. It’s a long and fairytale-like adventure, making it perfectly suited for on-the-go play. Doom EternalThe upcoming latest edition in the Doom series has been confirmed to be making its way to Nintendo Switch, meaning you can transverse the hellscape while on your work commute. A truly terrifying thought. Unfortunately we don’t know exactly when we’ll be seeing the Doomslayer making his way to Switch - seeing as Doom Eternal doesn’t actually have a release date yet - but we do know it’ll be later this year. While violent first person shooters don’t exactly have the charm factor that Nintendo is known for, the most recent Doom game went down a treat on Switch and we’re expecting Eternal to do the same. Who said the Nintendo Switch was just for kids? Alien IsolationNintendo’s not known for its horror titles either, but it’s getting one of the best ever made in the shape of a port of Alien Isolation. Based on the classic sci-fi franchise, you play as Ellen Ripley’s daughter as she’s hunted down by a lone xenomorph aboard an abandoned space station. It’s more survival-horror than action, where hiding and holding your breath is a better bet than going in all guns blazing. And, with the Nintendo Switch being a hybrid handheld, you can bring the game on the toilet to play in case you get so scared that you… well. You get the picture. DauntlessDauntless officially launched in May 2019 with a bang, drawing millions of players to the free-to-play monster hunting game. Sure, it seems to lift a lot from Capcom’s Monster Hunter franchise, but at least F2P makes it accessible to fans who can’t stomach the high price tag of a new game - and lets their friends try it at no cost. Dauntless exists in a world torn asunder by a cataclysm that releases gigantic monsters, Behemoths, that the players must hunt and destroy. Like Fortnite before it, Dauntless allows cross-platform play, so expect to link up with your buddies on WIndows, PS4 and Xbox One when the game launches on Switch later in 2019. Collection of ManaIf you're after some RPG nostalgia on Switch, Nintendo has you covered. The Collection of Mana released in Japan back in 2017, bundling a trilogy of iconic games from the Mana series – and is now available to download from the Switch eShop across the world. That includes Final Fantasy Adventure (Game Boy, 1991) and its sequel Secret of Mana (SNES, 1993) – as well as the third game in the series, Trials of Mana (Super Famicom, 1995) that until now has never been released outside of Japan. See the trailer below for some wonderful pixel action.
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| Prime Day will struggle to match this PlayStation Plus discount from Amazon Posted: 14 Jun 2019 08:23 AM PDT Gamers won't need to wait for Amazon Prime Day to find fantastic savings on PlayStation Plus memberships. For a limited time, Amazon is offering a $20 discount on a 12-month PlayStation Plus membership. This is the best price we've found and a great time to stock up and play your favorite PS games. Shop other offers with the cheapest PlayStation Plus prices for memberships and see the the best PS4 prices, bundles, and deals that are currently available. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Qualcomm readies for a 5G future Posted: 14 Jun 2019 08:19 AM PDT With 5G now poised for release across the UK, the use cases for the next-generation networks are beginning to be realised in full flow. Qualcomm has been heavily involved in 5G for many years, with its role as probably the world’s leading chipmaker putting it in pole position to take advantage of the technology within the mobile industry as a whole. But with all the hyperbole surrounding the benefits 5G can have, what does a company with this unique viewpoint see as the immediate effects of the new networks?
Get connected“What is striking from our point of view right now (is that) you see a full set of commercial, or very near, commercial smartphones all running on 5G,” says Ben Timmons, Qualcomm's European director of business development. “We’ve talked about 5G for so long,...and now it's here, working.” Timmons notes that Qualcomm started work on 5G in 2006, and is unsurprisingly upbeat about the benefits the new technology can bring, offering the potential to unlock high-speed internet access for billions of people around the world. With only the highest-price handsets supporting 5G at launch, the onus will soon be on hardware firms such as Qualcomm to provide the kit to make such connectivity available to the mass market. “This is about democratisation,” he says, “bringing 5G quickly down the tiers in smartphones, improving the efficiency and the cost base of the devices.” “That's what we do...we're trying to enable other people. And in the end, it's our partners, not customers, the OEMs, the operators, the infrastructure vendors, they're the people are actually implementing it in the end and putting it in the hands of consumer.” Timmons notes that Qualcomm’s OEM partnerships are "critical" to the future of 5G and to the company as a whole. “They have to build the devices that exploit the underlying capabilities that we're offering,” he notes, “it's no good doing all our work in the chip if there aren't customers out there that can exploit this.” “This is the real 5G transformation....we've got things that are going to help make the new Industrial Revolution,” he says. (Image credit: Shutterstock.com) IoT futureSpeaking of industry, the Internet of Things (IoT) and Industry 4.0 are set to be one of the key areas benefiting from the incredible improvement in connectivity that 5G will bring. Smart manufacturing, working on the go and smart cities are all areas that will receive a significant boost from 5G, and this could be excellent news for the likes of Qualcomm. As Timmons says of the IoT, “"I continue to think that, over time, this is the most important transformation 5G will bring.” “There is an extraordinary complexity of the way in which communications and networking technology is used in pretty much any enterprise application that you can think of, even at the kind of straightforward level of a way that would that would impact people like us.” He also notes the potential that has to make, “massive productivity gains in complex industry,” with increased use of robotics a key use case in providing huge savings across the board. “There's a lot to do in the whole industrial area where we've got the technology in place now and then we've got to start to build the product and the relationships and sort out the processes” “With 5G, you can connect millions of devices, you can deliver extremely high bandwidth, extremely low latency, with enormous efficiency,” he adds. “It's a huge step.”
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| Best Amazon Prime movies: the best films to stream in June 2019 Posted: 14 Jun 2019 08:12 AM PDT Amazon Prime may be best known for its original TV series these days, including Good Omens and The Tick, but it also adds a huge selection of new movies each and every week to suit a range of tastes. UPDATE: Amazon has recently added a number of new-ish releases to its library, including the remake of spooky (and not to mention gory) horror flick Suspiria, as well as darkly funny biopic I, Tonya and John Wick: Chapter 2 - just in time for a rewatch before you hit the cinema to see the next instalment: John Wick: Parabellum. Although Amazon Prime's top rival Netflix also focuses on original content and new movies, Amazon does a pretty good job of keeping its movie streaming catalogue loaded up with classics, fun action flicks and some award-winning films too. The problem is you often have to go hunting for the best options, as they don't always show up straight away in Amazon's Recently Added Movies section. Having said that, there are also lots of films in Amazon's library that are boring, mediocre and really, really rubbish. The cream is there, but there's a lot to dig through first. That’s why we've done all the hard work for you. We've scoured all of the movies on offer for anything and everything that's worth watching on Amazon Prime. Image Credit: Amazon Prime We've collected together more than 100 movies that you can stream on Amazon Video (that’s the movies and TV streaming section of Amazon Prime) for free right now. Expect a mixture of recent releases and timeless classics, as well as films that are suitable for the whole family. We all know that streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video can turn an occasional movie-watching hobby into hours (and hours and hours) of endlessly flicking through film options. It's also worth bearing in mind that for every award-winning work of art on Amazon Video, there's lots of B-movie trash that isn't even worth putting on to ease away a Sunday morning hangover. Although we do love the odd guilty pleasure now and again, in this list we’ve created you'll only find the best picks. So let's dive straight in.
End of WatchImage Credit: Amazon Prime Before David Ayer was assembling a Suicide Squad and creating one of the most abysmal comic-book movies ever, he made this highly original film that’s shot documentary style and focuses on a couple of cops whose job it is to patrol South Central LA and keep the peace. Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña are superb as the pair who risk life and limb to do their job. Given Ayer grew up on streets not dissimilar to what’s being portrayed in the movie, End of Watch is a searing and honest portrayal of an area of America few would dare venture. Free FireImage Credit: Amazon Prime Set in Boston in the late '70s, Free Fire is a fantastic, inventive film that mostly takes place in a warehouse. Because of the limited scenario, it's thanks to Ben Wheatley's effortless and stylish direction and the superb ensemble cast - and lots and lots of gun play - that Free Fire never becomes boring. HannaImage Credit: Amazon Prime HeatImage Credit: Amazon Prime Heat is widely regarded as Michael Mann’s best film. And it also has the classic combo of Robert De Niro and Al Pacino at the height of their acting powers. The Hurt LockerImage Credit: Amazon Prime Kathryn Bigelow is one of the best action directors around, so it’s no surprise that The Hurt Locker won her the Best Director award at the Oscars - the first time a women won the accolade. What is surprising, though, is just how nuanced the film is. Given it’s about disposing of bombs, the tension is in the quiet moments, rather than when the explosions start. John Wick: Chapter 2Image Credit: Amazon Prime Logan LuckyImage Credit: Amazon Prime Brothers Jimmy, played by Channing Tatum, and Clyde, played by Adam Driver, plan to carry out an elaborate robbery during the Charlotte Motor Speedway. It's an action-packed comedy with a stellar cast, alongside Driver and Tatum, Daniel Craig, Hilary Swank, Katie Holmes and Sebastian Stan all star. Steven Soderbergh reportedly came out of retirement in order to direct and distribute Logan Lucky, if you wanted anymore proof it's definitely worth a watch. The Imitation GameImage Credit: Amazon Prime I. TonyaImage Credit: Amazon Prime Molly's GameImage Credit: Amazon Prime A hard-hitting crime drama written and directed by Aaron Sorkin that's based on the true story of Molly Bloom (played by Jessica Chastain), an Olympic skier who ran an underground poker empire in Hollywood and the FBI investigation that's targeting her. The IllusionistImage Credit: Amazon Prime This dreamy, almost fairy-tale-like story follows a famous magician called Eisenheim who is based in early 1900s Vienna. He falls in love with a woman way out of his league when it comes to class and money and when she's engaged to a prince, he does everything he can to sabotage their plans. MudImage Credit: Amazon Prime This American drama is about two boys who go exploring along the Mississippi and find a boat. Just as they're about to start planning what to do with it, they realise someone is living inside. It's a mysterious, heart-warming drama starring Reese Witherspoon and Matthew McConaughey that's got great reviews and is definitely worth a watch if you've not seen it before. The WrestlerImage Credit: Amazon Prime This touching and (and at times heart-breaking) movie from Darren Aronofsky is about a wrestler (played by Mickey Rourke) who despite being too old and ill for the ring tries to cling onto the success he had decades before while trying to rebuild his relationship with his daughter. Last Flag FlyingImage Credit: Amazon Prime Based on Darryl Ponicsan's book of the same name, Last Flag Flying is Richard Linklater's latest movie starring Steve Carell, Bryan Cranston and Laurence Fishburne. That stellar line-up play three veterans who reunite after one of their sons is killed in the Iraq War. Borg Vs McEnroeImage Credit: Amazon Prime Perhaps one of the most iconic tennis matches of all time has been immortalized in this drama from director Janus Metz Pedersen starring Sverrir Gudnason as Björn Borg and Shia LaBeouf as John McEnroe. This isn't just about the tennis though, as the drama follows how the legendary duel at Wimbledon affected the men's lives too. The Lost City of ZImage Credit: Amazon Prime Largely overlooked upon its release, The Lost City of Z is in fact a fascinating tale, with Charlie Hunnam playing real-life British explorer Percy Fawcett. At the turn of the 20th century he ventured into the heart of the Amazon, and discovered an unknown, advanced civilisation. It become a great passion, understanding this culture, with Fawcett returning multiple times to demystify a people previously considered "savages", before Fawcett himself mysteriously disappeared. If you're adverse to films starring Robert Pattinson (co-starring here) after his Twilight days, don't let that stop you from giving this wonderful film a go. SilenceImage Credit: Amazon Prime Martin Scorsese has been in the movie business long enough to do whatever he wants. Silence is his him at his most uncompromising. A difficult sell after the fleeting fun that was Wolf of Wall Street, Silence is a meditative, hard-to-watch movie about pilgrimage. Starring Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver as two monks who go on a journey to find a place where Christians are put to extremes to prove their love for god. It's a trying movie and one that takes the utmost concentration. It's not quite the masterpiece Scorsese was seeking, given he's been mulling the story for decades but it's a worthy, if meandering watch. Manchester By The SeaImage Credit: Amazon Prime It's hard not to write about Manchester By The Sea without stepping into spoiler territory so here's the broad strokes: Casey Affleck stars as a Boston janitor who has to take care of his brother's son after his brother dies. What ensues is a heartbreaking movie. Its backdrop is a snowy Manchester in Massachusetts, something that echoes the characters in the movie. This isn't a film that wraps up neatly in a bow in the end - it's much more closer to fractured, complicated business that is real life. RoomImage Credit: Amazon Prime Brie Larson stars in this heartfelt study of human endurance. Larson is Ma. She has been imprisoned in a small shed for years, having to bring up her little boy Jack (a great Jacob Tremblay) in isolation. The film follows their story to the bittersweet end. For a film that’s mostly shot within the confines of a small room, director Lenny Abrahamson manages to eek out pathos in the mundane but it’s the acting of the two leads that’s the real reason to watch the heart-rending movie. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, SpyImage Credit: Amazon Prime John LeCarre’s superb spy novel is given a decent adaptation, thanks to Let Me In director Tomas Alfredson’s measured, careful take on the source material. Gary Oldman is superb as George Smiley, the veteran spy catcher brought out of retirement to find an Russian mole in the ranks of the MI6. Even if you know who the mole is, the way the film unfurls this information is utterly captivating. The King's SpeechImage Credit: Amazon Prime Another Oscar winner seemingly grown in a petri dish for the sole purpose to win awards, The King's Speech is one man's struggle to get over a speech impediment and subsequent fear of public speech - it just so happens this man is also the king of England. For all its faults, it tugs on the right strings and is very watchable. ElysiumImage Credit: Amazon Prime From the mind of Neill Blomkamp of District 9 fame, comes Elysium, a sci-fi movie set in 2154. The world is divided into two, the rich live on a fancy man-made space station and the poor are left to fend for themselves in dire conditions on Earth. It may not have been as well-received as District 9, but it's a fascinating take on the future with plenty of thrilling action - even if the story doesn't hold up so well in places. InceptionImage Credit: Amazon Prime LooperImage Credit: Amazon Prime One of the more interesting sci-fi movies of the past decade and a huge reason why director Rian Johnson got the Star Wars: Episode VIII gig. Looper focuses on the timey wimey tale of a bunch of hitmen, whose job it is to send people from the future into the past to kill them. Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon-Levitt are superb in the film, which manages to take complex ideas and boil them down into an entertaining popcorn thriller. Attack The BlockImage Credit: Amazon Prime Star Wars alumni John Boyega got his first break on this great UK indie, as did newly instated Doctor Who Jodie Whittaker. Attack The Block is the first movie by Joe Cornish - of Adam and Joe fame - and it’s an absolute corker. Aliens have come to earth to wreak havoc and it’s down to a South London gang to make sure their neighbourhood doesn’t become a disaster zone. Full of warm wit and fantastic humour - not to mention some startling special effects - the movie mashes together a number of genres together and has a whole lot of fun doing it. Source CodeImage Credit: Amazon Prime You wait years for a sci-fi movie that’s influenced by Groundhog Day to come along and then two appear at once. Yes, Source Code has a similar time-repeating plot to Edge of Tomorrow but it’s less bombastic and more thoughtful in its approach. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as the soldier who only has eight minutes to stop a bomber on a busy train, before time resets and he has to do the whole thing again. Duncan Jones does well in the director seat, managing to make a plot device that could grow old rather quick really work. BirthImage Credit: Amazon Prime A creepy metaphysical love story that follows Anna (played by Nicole Kidman), a woman convinced her husband has been re-incarnated into the body of a 10-year-old boy. What follows is a series of strange and unnerving events, but do we ever really find out the truth? PrisonersImage Credit: Amazon Prime The HuntImage Credit: Amazon Prime The Hunt is a Danish movie starring Mads Mikkelsen. It's set in a small village and follows the story of a man (played by Mikkelsen) who becomes the target of mass hysteria when he's been wrongfully accused of sexually abusing a child. NightcrawlerImage Credit: Amazon Prime TerminalImage Credit: Amazon Prime This noir thriller is about two assassins who realise they're part of an evil mastermind's plans. It didn't receive great reviews, but Robbie's acting and the aesthetic of the movie have been praised, so if you're a fan of hers then it might be worth a lazy Sunday afternoon watch. The Killing of a Sacred DeerImage Credit: Amazon Prime Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos or The Lobster and Dogtooth fame, The Killing of a Sacred Deer is an intense psychological horror movie based on the Greek play Iphigenia at Aulis by Euripides. It follows the story of a successful cardiac surgeon (played by Colin Farrell) who befriends a mysterious teen. As you'd expect from a psychological horror from Lanthimos, this is hardly an easy Sunday afternoon watch. You've been warned. The HandmaidenImage Credit: Amazon Prime Describe a movie as erotic and it usually conjures up something that's utterly not sexy like 50 Shades of Grey or the Lego Movie. The Handmaiden, though, is erotic and shimmers as a result. Directed by South Korean's finest, Park Chan-wook, the movie is masterful in its suspense and when sex is shown - and it's a lot of the time - it's used to bolster the characters and the story, rather than for pure titillation. The Handmaiden is yet another new release that's headed to Amazon Prime Video - we're not sure why it keeps getting all these 'just released on Blu-ray' movies but we're happy that it's happening. ChloeImage Credit: Amazon Prime Director Atom Egoyan is not one to take the conventional route when telling his tales - and Chloe is no different. Starring Julianne Moore, Amanda Seyfried and Liam Neeson, it’s about a seemingly normal couple who resort to using a sex worker to test the trust in their relationship. This turns out to be a very bad decision. The film is a remake of the superior French drama Nathalie but it’s a decent thriller that manages to walk the line between gratuity and maturity well. The Place Beyond The PinesImage Credit: Amazon Prime This is most definitely a movie of two halves - in that something significant happens midway through that changes both the pace and tone of the movie considerably. For some, the shift is too much but it really does work. Ryan Gosling plays Luke, a fantastic stunt motorcyclist turned bank robber who’s trying to do the best for his family. Eva Mendes is his estranged partner, while Bradley Cooper crops up as Avery, a good cop that’s trying to make the best out of some terrible situations. Brilliantly acted and expertly told, The Place Beyond The Pines is a powerful movie watching experience. SubmarineImage Credit: Amazon Prime Richard Ayoade has proved over two feature films that he is a director to watch. While The Double was a fascinating Gilliam-esque comedy thriller, his first movie was much more in keeping with the French New Wave, despite being set in the depths of Wales. It’s set in 1980s Swansea and focuses on the relationship between a teenage loner and a girl who seems to share his passion for doom and gloom. Craig Roberts is fantastic as the loner - a role that won him plaudits and the starring role in Amazon Prime’s fantastic TV show Red Oaks. 22 Jump StreetImage Credit: Amazon Prime Toni ErdmannImage Credit: Amazon Prime This is a superb movie. It's so good that a US remake has already been announced. Toni Erdmann is about an estranged father trying to reconnect with his daughter in a rather bizarre way: by pretending to be her boss's life coach. It's a surreal movie, packed with embarrassing moments and some surprising empathy. Four LionsImage Credit: Amazon Prime It’s a shame that Chris Morris doesn’t do more stuff as when his new projects come along they always change the game in some way. Four Lions finds humour in one of the most serious subjects: terrorism. For a film shot in 2010, it’s still surprisingly current. It follows docu-style British jihadists who are trying to conjure up a terror plot. The problem is, they’re idiots. Starring, among others, Riz Ahmed, Four Lions is funny, frank and endlessly controversial. But it’s done in such a way that you can’t help but admire the movie. In The LoopImage Credit: Amazon Prime It’s a shame that The Thick Of It never hit the big screen. What with Brexit madness and the UK government a mess of contradictions, a movie starring Malcolm Tucker swearing them all into shape is sorely needed. In The Loop is the closest thing we’ve got. It’s a strange movie as it takes strands from The Thick Of It and ports it to the US. This means the film is a hybrid of The Thick of It and the US show Veep. What we do get though is Malcolm Tucker (a never-bettered Peter Capaldi), full of vim and vigor, spinning his way through the choppy waters that is US politics. It’s not perfect, but as satires go it’s one of the most searing. The Lego Batman MovieImage Credit: Amazon Prime Your NameA surprise 2016 hit that saw a rare mainstream overseas success for Japanese anime, Your Name is a supernatural high-school-romance-come-body-swap disaster movie. Yep – there's a lot going on here, as a teenage boy and girl find themselves inhabiting each other's bodies, slowly unravelling the mystery surrounding their condition – and that of an awful disaster. J J Abrams of Lost and Star Wars fame is said to be looking into making a live-action version, such was the success of the animation – but it'll take something to top the magnificent original. Paddington 2Paddington 2 joins a select roster of movies where the sequel is better than the original. Paddington 2 is an absolute joy. It continues the adventures of Paddington, adding in a superb performance by Hugh Grant as one of the sweetest villains around and takes the story of the little bear to unexpected emotional heights. The Red TurtleWill the magic ever dim at Studio Ghibli? The lyrical animation powerhouse delivers yet again with The Red Turtle, the story of a man shipwrecked on a remote island, inhabited just by turtles, crabs and other critters. What appears a simple story slowly peels back to reveal hidden depths, with Studio Ghibli's inimitable attention to detail in animation remaining the industry benchmark. Son of RambowOne of the most endearing coming-of-age movies you are likely to see, Son of Rambow is about two children growing up in the ’80s who are obsessed with Rambo. So much, they decide to make their own version of the movie with the help of their friends. What ensues is a fun, inventive film about the magic of childhood friendship and imagination. Directed by music video supremo Garth Jennings, Son of Rambow is a trio of love letters: one to the Eighties, one to home videos and the other to the cartoon violence that was born out of an era where Stallone, Schwarzenegger and Willis ruled the box office. Lost In TranslationImage Credit: Amazon Prime Lost in Translation is a superb, dreamlike movie that wonderfully captures feeling of alienation and loneliness you can feel in a city you don’t belong in. The city in question is Tokyo, the lonely people are Bill Murray as an ageing actor and Scarlett Johansson as a college graduate left to her own devices by her photographer husband. The chemistry between Murray and Johansson is electric, both endearing and hilarious, as is the soundtrack and the way the film slowly creeps up on you in an wonderful way. True RomanceImage Credit: Amazon Prime It's not your standard love story, but True Romance stands up as one of the greatest in Hollywood history. Take two unlikely lovers, a bunch of crooks, drugs, guns and arguably the best script Quentin Tarantino has ever worked on, and you've got a cult classic if ever there was one. When comic book nerd Elvis falls in love with Alabama, the beau of a big time drug dealing pimp, the two have to race across country in an attempt to avoid the mob from whom they've accidentally stolen a suitcase of cocaine from. With violence around every corner, will they ever be free to just enjoy each other's company? The Big SickImage Credit: Amazon Prime Loosely based of the real lives of the film's stars, Emily V Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani play an interracial couple who have to deal with Emily becoming ill and how cultural differences affect the couple. The film has been nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards 2018, but it's already on Amazon Prime ahead of this year's big ceremony. Vicky Cristina BarcelonaImage Credit: Amazon Prime Woody Allen managed to assemble a cracking ensemble for Vicky Cristina Barcelona. The film is a fun look at friends Vicky Cristina (Rebecca Hall) and Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) as they travel to Barcelona and meet a mysterious artist, played by Javier Bardem. It’s all sex and sultriness until his unhinged ex-wife appears. She’s played by Penelope Cruz with such magnetism that you are drawn to her and kind of forget the rest of the characters. It’s not Allen at his best but even his ‘good enough’ films are a cut above most. Blue ValentineImage Credit: Amazon Prime There’s a deep, maddening love portrayed in Blue Valentine that is so powerful it ends up being destructive. With that in mind, this isn’t the movie to put on if you don’t want you and your loved one to question your own relationship. It’s a brutal, raw movie that focuses on the relationship between married couple Dean and Cindy, played by Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams respectively. They are two people in love, pushed apart by circumstance. The story flits back and forth in time, so with each tender moment you get anguish. Powerful stuff. CarolImage Credit: Amazon Prime Todd Haynes is one of the world's most fascinating directors, who loves to mine different eras for inspiration. While he courted the ’70s with Velvet Goldmine and I’m Not There, it is perhaps the ’50s where he has managed to use the tensions of the era to create superb character dramas. Carol is just that, a romantic tale between two women - Rooney Mara is the clerk that falls in love with Cate Blanchett’s character who is unhappy in a marriage of convenience. The anxieties and problems Haynes highlights in his earlier movie Safe are back with Carol. In this movie, though, everything has been given a more sumptuous sheen. Knight of CupsImage Credit: Amazon Prime Thank goodness we live in an era where Terrence Malick is back and making movies on a regular basis. Knight of Cups is as dreamlike and fractured as you have come to expect from the revered director. As with all his movies, it’s clear he shot way more footage and didn’t decide on what film he was making until he hit the edit suite, but that’s part of its charm. Here we see Christian Bale as Rick, a writer who flits between Vegas and LA with six different women. Vegas is perfect Territory for Malick, a desert of neon suits his filmmaking style. While the supporting cast Cate Blanchett, Natalie Portman and Freida Pinto all add gravitas to the film. Dark DaysImage Credit: Amazon Prime This documentary may have gained prominence thanks to its DJ Shadow soundtrack, but it’s the subject matter that makes Dark Days such a must watch. Shot and directed by Marc Singer, Dark Days shines a light on those who live in underground tunnels under New York. Criminally, this was Singer’s only foray into documentary filmmaking but at least he created a classic. Gimme DangerImage Credit: Amazon Prime Jim Jarmusch uses music in his movies to fine effect, so it makes complete sense that he is the one to helm a documentary about The Stooges and their enigmatic frontman, Iggy Pop. The Stooges may not have hit the heights of, say, The Rolling Stones but they’re an important piece of the rock puzzle. This doc does well to uncover what made the band tick, complete with recent talking heads with members of the band. HereditaryImage Credit: Amazon Prime Let The Right One InImage Credit: Amazon Prime This 2008 film manages to be an atmospheric creep-fest and a romance movie at the same time. It’s about a 12-year-old boy who strikes up a friendship with a vampire girl he meets in the snowy suburbs of Blackeburg in Stockholm. The less said about the film the better, because it really is unusual, beautiful and a treat for the eyes. The movie is in Swedish, with English subtitles, and although it was later remade for English-speaking audiences, it didn’t quite have the same magic as this original. The Woman In BlackImage Credit: Amazon Prime Daniel Radcliffe has done well to rid himself of his Harry Potter persona and it's all thanks to choosing roles in movies such as Women In Black. Based on the celebrated novel of the same name and in turn the stage play, the film is a gothic delight, harking back to the good ol' days when horror was implied rather than rammed down a watcher's throat. Well, until the final act at least. Prepare to feel your spine tingle. Kill ListImage Credit: Amazon Prime Director Ben Wheatley adds the right amount of realism and menace to Kill List - a film that is never quite what it seems. On the face of it, it’s a kitchen sink drama about a hitman and his latest assignment to kill three people but as the story unravels so does the hitman’s life (played in earnest by the brilliant Neil Maskell). It flirts at being a family drama, teases you that it’s a crime saga then hits you with the most relentless horror that you’ll be watching the end behind your hands. Great stuff. SuspiriaImage Credit: Amazon Prime Train To BusanImage Credit: Amazon Prime South Korea has slowly but surely marked itself out as a country that's producing some fantastic filmmakers. Interestingly, two of the best movies from South Korean directors of recent times have been based on trains - Joon-ho Bong's Snowpiercer (which criminally never got a UK release) and Sang-ho Yeon’s Train To Busan. Hell House LLCImage Credit: Amazon Prime Well this was unexpected. The name Hell House LLC doesn't exactly scream 'must watch' but despite its rather Grindhouse-esque title, this is a brilliant slice of horror. The plot is simple: a group of friends who create haunted house experiences for Halloween find a house to convert that's seemingly filled with real-life ghosts. The movie is their footage spliced together, with police reports and the like. The found footage genre is rather stagnant now but Hell House manages to breathe new life into it, mustering up some genuine scares that will have even the most hardened horror fans watching from behind their fingers. Its final scenes don't quite match what went before it (or make much sense) but this is one of the best horror films to come out in years. PontypoolImage Credit: Amazon Prime A low-budget chiller that takes place in a small town in Ontario, Canada (bet you can’t guess its name) and follows the exploits of a talk radio team who are reporting on strange goings on in the town. It’s essentially a movie about zombies but distilled through the eyes of a small, yet vocal, group of people. Its budget may well be small but its ambition is big and that’s what makes Pontypool such a fun watch. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 14 Jun 2019 08:10 AM PDT Information Technology (IT) has become a necessary and ordinary part of the modern business landscape. However, being able to track and resolve issues across many devices can be a difficult challenge. Information Technology Service Management (ITSM) software aims to make it manageable. One of the key issues faced by ITSM is the variety of devices that might be used. There could be a mix of desktops, laptops, and cell phones, all of which will need to be kept up to date with security updates, as well as any software issues with them corrected. Additionally, ITSM cannot be focused only on the technology but must also manage the users of that technology. That means there is a need for proper error reporting and logging, technical helpdesk assistance, and other ticketing support. This must all be organized so its easy for IT managers to find what they want and need to find to resolve problems as quickly as possible, and ensure others are solved before they become an issue. Here at Techradar we've put together a list of five of the major ITSM platforms you might want to consider if you find yourself needing an ITSM solution.
Image Credit: Now ServiceNow IT Service Management is the ITSM offering from the ServiceNow family of support products. This product endeavors to aggregate IT Services into a single cloud-based platform, and has plenty of heavyweight customers including GE Digital, Broadcom, and Overstock.com. It features the ability to aggregate those essential, but often difficult to work with legacy applications into a single cloud location, with manual processes becoming automated along the way. The firm also claims IT productivity increases via implementation of features such as incident management with automated routing, asset and cost management which can track costs and contracts for assets, and a modern, self-service portal for consumers to access. ServiceNow IT Service Management can also be integrated into real-time performance analytic dashboards, with the proficiency to benchmark how you are performing among peer industry averages. While the website provides plenty of information on how this can benefit your business, the company is unfortunately rather opaque on pricing. With no offer of a free trial, there are two plans with descriptive names, the lower being “IT Service Management,” and the higher “IT Service Management and Performance Analytics” which adds features, true to its name, for performance analysis. Image Credit: Freshworks The folks at Freshworks bring us Freshservice, a cloud-based ITSM which promises to standardize processes in a “slick, modern and efficient manner.” This ITSM software package offers an array of features including opportunities for collaboration between agents, proactive problem management that can reduce service desk incidents by 40%, support for root cause analysis of incidents via a visual timeline and coordination for new releases with standardized start and end dates. There are also available mobile apps for iOS and Android. All tiers offer a 21-day free trial to see if Freshservice fulfills your organizations needs. Plans start at the Blossom plan, which costs $19 per agent monthly for the basic feature set. Stepping up to the most popular Estate plan adds additional features including software license management, analytics and customizable agent roles. Image Credit: LogMeIn RescueAssist is remote support software that offers a robust support platform to cover the gamut of ITSM needs. With such a mature product, the features are well developed, and include two-way screen share so technicians can take over a system remotely including keyboard and mouse control. There's also the ability to use file transfer to send updates to remote systems, support for customers using multi-monitors, annotation tools for technicians to draw on a customer’s screen, and multi-session support for techs to be able to handle up to eight customers simultaneously. The cost of RescueAssist depends on whether you would prefer to pay monthly or yearly. The monthly charge is $69 per month per technician, but if you pay on a yearly subscription this comes down to $55 per technician. Image Credit: Samanage Samanage is a cloud-based ITSM solution which is Information Technology Information Library (ITIL) ready. Users can submit their tickets through either email or the self-service portal, and Samanage helps to move the ticket requests through the “Lifecycle of problems, changes and releases.” The feature set is rounded out with a service level management, automations, benchmarking, automations and IT asset management. There is also a tool for risk detection. It is OS agnostic as it works from any device - desktop, laptop or mobile - with a web browser offering flexibility in use. There is a 30-day free trial, which is longer than competitors. After that, the pricing is opaque, although it is based around an annual subscription. Image Credit: InvGate InvGate Service Desk is a comprehensive ITSM tool to support IT; it is available as either on-premise software, or SaaS. The list of organizations that use this solution includes Burger King, Nike, Toyota and Starbucks. The features include ticket management with assessment of customer satisfaction, self-service capabilities with a predictive knowledge base and news broadcast capabilities, and ‘gamification‘, which refers to the use of game-style mechanics to support and motivate employees with a positive reinforcement model. There is also multi-department support, and integration for asset management with InvGate Assets. As with some other ITSMs, unfortunately the pricing is opaque, but the firm does offer a 30-day trial. Image credit: Cherwell Cherwell ITSM provides a cloud-based SaaS platform that aims to simplify overall IT management by allowing easy drag and drop management of configurations, visualizations, dashboards, reports, and other monitoring tasks. The software is verified for use with a wide range of commonly used ITIL processes, and is both flexible and scaleable. There are a number of options for automating workflows and routine administrative duties, in order to improve productivity and efficiency across all IT staff and users, plus there are a number of extensions and integrations available. Although no pricing is directly advertised, Cherwell state that they aim to make costs as inexpensive as possible by requiring the least number of users to be licensed, and a free demo is available. ITSM is just one of a number of SaaS platforms offered by Cherwell, with others including IT asset management, HR and facilities management, as well as security, enterprise, and project management. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Best headphones 2019: Your definitive guide to the latest and greatest audio Posted: 14 Jun 2019 07:42 AM PDT The best headphones of 2019: Welcome to TechRadar's round-up of the best headphones available to buy right now in every style and at every price point. Headphones are a tech staple for most people, keeping us entertained and distracted with music, podcasts and audio books when we're traveling to work, working out or just trying to disconnect from everyone else. The best headphones have changed considerably over the years. There are now plenty of fancy features packed into the latest pairs of cans, in the form of noise-cancellation of Hi-Res Audio playback over Bluetooth. But in many ways a quality pair of headphones you bought 10 years ago could still stand up to some options today. However, that doesn't mean you shouldn't be considering an upgrade – especially if you have specific requirements, like a secure pair of fitness or noise-cancellation for lots of travel. Another reason to find the best headphones on the market today is to get the best features on offer right now, as well as a solid build quality that'll last into next year and beyond. There are always lots of options to buy discount-bin headphones when you're waiting in line to pay, but they're unlikely to make it through the year. That said, it's our mission to hook you up with a pair of great-sounding headphones - the best headphones money can buy, even when you're on a budget. We've put hundreds of headphones through their paces over the years of every make, model and variety to create list-after-list of the best noise-cancelling headphones, the best wireless headphones, the best true wireless headphones, the best earbuds, and many more. We encourage you to take a look at all the headphone lists here on TechRadar. But if you're in a hurry and just want to find out the best headphones your money can buy, you've come to the right place. Image credit: Burst / Pexels
Image credit: Sony If there’s anything surprising about the new Sony WH-1000XM3 it’s that they’re so consistent with what Sony has released in the last two years in the form of the Sony WH-1000XM2 and Sony MDR-1000X. To wit, they’re a dominant noise-cancelling pair of headphones that can beat out anything Bose has with both arms behind its back. That’s because, while Bose has done a tremendous job working out its noise-cancellation algorithm over the years, Sony has spent that time perfecting audio playback while simultaneously creating an adaptability algorithm that doesn’t just create a single sterile sound barrier, but multiple kinds that can adapt to whatever situation you’re in. Beyond being exceptional at keeping external noises at bay, these impressive Sony headphones are Hi-Res Audio-ready, sporting aptX, aptX HD and LDAC codecs, plus offer will offer Google Assistant support right on-board. If you need a headphone that can live up to any challenge and excel in any environment, these are them. Read the full review: Sony WH-1000XM3 Image credit: TechRadar After spending a few weeks with both the 1MORE Triple Driver in-ear headphones and the 1MORE Quad Driver in-ear headphones we were blown away at just how much value each one gave in their prospective price ranges. For $100 (£100, about AU$168), it’s hard to think of a better sounding and built headphone than the 1MORE Triple Driver. (That said, if you want just that little extra refinement and luxury materials, the 1MORE Quad Drivers are still a bargain at twice the price.) There’s very little we can fault the Triple Drivers for. Its rubber cable is annoying and its remote control feels cheap but these are just nitpicks. But, for its price, it’s impossible to do better than 1MORE's Triple Driver in-ear headphones. Read the full review: 1More Triple Driver In-Ear Headphone
Image credit: TechRadar If you have a tendency to lose or break headphones but still value sound quality, it’s hard to think of a better value than the RHA S500u. These headphones have no business sounding so good for the price: Sound quality is balanced with a slight mid-bass bump. Bass is slightly emphasized but not egregiously and features good impact while maintaining good control. And highs, while sibilant at times, makes music sound more exciting. Read the full review: RHA S500u
Image credit: Grado For your money, you can't do any better than Grado's SR60e. The third-generation of the Brooklyn, NY-based company's Prestige Series is its best and most refined yet. The SR60e in particular is a smart choice if you're looking for an entry-level set of headphones that sounds like it should cost you way more than it does. Its open-backed ear cup design makes them a more breathable experience than what most on-ear headphones can deliver. In a few words, it's our gold-standard when it comes to on-ears. (Our review is for the SR60i, but the newer SR60e headphones are largely similar in design and performance.) Read the full review: Grado SR60e
Image credit: Urbanears While the original Plattan headphones were just fine for a pair of on-ear headphones, Urbanears wasn’t satisfied with being mediocre. The company took customer feedback to heart and addressed many complaints about comfort, sound quality and isolation. For the most part, Urbanears succeeded, making the Plattan II a worthy sequel to the company’s most popular headphone. In short, these are basic headphones without a ton of features. But, because they're feature-light, you get a good-sounding pair of wired headphones for significantly less than you would otherwise. Read the full review: Urbanears Plattan II Image credit: Bowers & Wilkins The Bowers & Wilkins P9 Signatures are simply some of the best-sounding headphones we’ve ever used. They have a tight, refined sound that offers an almost unmatched level of detail. That said, the fact remains that they’re a comparatively feature-light pair of cans. If you want to spend less then you can get a much more portable pair that’ll be better suited to the morning commute or a plane ride thanks to additional features like noise-cancellation and Bluetooth connectivity. But, if you’re looking to invest in a seriously high-quality pair of headphones to listen to a high-quality music collection, then there are few that can match the P9s at this price point. Read the full review: B&W P9 Signature
Image credit: Audio-Technica Audiophiles typically shun wireless headphones because of poor sound quality. However, Bluetooth audio has improved tremendously over the years. There are now plenty of wireless headphones that can please the music enthusiast, with Hi-Res Audio support being more and more prevalent. That said, the Audio-Technica ATH-SR5BT feature some of the best wired and wireless sound quality for a headphone under $200 (£150). They play well with all music genres and offer a near-flat response curve. They're extremely comfortable for long listening sessions and are well built. Battery life is equally impressive with nearly 40 hours of playback from a charge. And while they lack some features of more expensive wireless headphones like active noise cancelling and multi-device pairing, these are tradeoffs worth making for phenomenal sound. Read the full review: Audio-Technica ATH-SR5BT
Image credit: TechRadar Despite being nearly identical to the already-excellent Bose QuietComfort 35 teh Bose QuietComfort 35 II is updated for 2018 with Google Assistant. This means you still get the class-leading noise cancellation Bose is known for, good sound quality and incredible comfort, plus a convenient assistant to answer any inquiries you might have while traveling. Taken as a whole, the Bose QC35 II NC is an excellent headphone for travelers and commuters. Bose has found a good balance of features that will satisfy most mainstream listeners. While we don't love them as much as the better-sounding Sony WH-1000XM3, they're still top of the class for noise cancellation. Read the full review: Bose QuietComfort 35 II
Image credit: Beyerdynamic The Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless are the best-sounding wireless headphones you can buy, period. Sound is spacious, detailed, and makes you want to rediscover your music library. Their bulky design and average noise isolation make them terrible for travel but if you’re looking for the best sound from a wireless headphone, this is it. Read the full review: Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless For years, the Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2 were one of our favorite wireless headphones because of their excellent sound, build quality and features. Unfortunately, though, they were also kind of expensive. For a lot less ($150, £140, AU$240), Plantronics now sells the still-very-good BackBeat Go 810, which uses less premium materials but sounds nearly identical to its more expensive predecessor. That being said, we feel the Go 810 are an affordable pair of ANC headphones that will please travelers and commuters who don’t want to spend too much money on headphones. Read the full review: Plantronics BackBeat Go 810
Image credit: TechRadar The Focal Stellias sound absolutely fantastic. Their wide-open soundstage and detailed, accurate sound treatment means they make any genre of music sound brilliant. If you listen to songs you think you know inside out, the Stellias' precise separation of the frequencies means that you will probably hear details you’ve never noticed before. If you like to keep things minimal in the headphones department, you probably won’t like the showy, opulent design of the Focal Stellias, and they can feel a little chunky for wearing on the commute into work. But if luxury is your thing, the full-grain leather cups, woven cables, brushed copper accents, and matching carrying case are likely to appeal. That luxury feel is translated right down to the presentation of the user manuals in a neat little leather-style wallet – and you may well expect to find this level of detail in exchange for parting with $3,000. Ouch. Read the full review: Focal Stellia headphones Image credit: TechRadar After spending several weeks with the RHA MA390 Wireless, we came away extremely impressed with the package RHA has come up with. The headphones are built extremely well, have a fun sound signature, and can take a beating. And all at an affordable price. It’s main rival, the OnePlus Bullets Wireless, are also excellent, however we give the nod to the RHA MA390 for its more dynamic sound and better build quality. Read the full review: RHA MA390 Wireless
Image credit: RHA Although the TrueConnect is RHA's first true wireless headphone, the company showed they did their research and development by making it one of the best true wireless headphones on the market today. The combination of sound quality, battery life, and wireless reliability means these are a pair of headphones you can rely on everyday. The Jabra Elite 65t (our previous title holder) set the standard for what true wireless headphones should be and, regardless of what RHA has done here with the TrueConnect, they’re still great headphones ... it's just that we prefer reliability and balanced sound quality of the RHA TrueConnect. All said, if you’re shopping for a pair of true wireless headphones, the $170 (£150, about AU$265) RHA TrueConnect should be at the very top of your list. Read the full review: RHA TrueConnect
Press on to page two to see how to pick out a good pair of headphones along more of our recommendations. Check out our videos below for a roundup of the best headphones available. There's usually more to a set of headphone than meets the eye. As such, we've provided a breakdown of what you can expect to find in each kind of headphone. Not only will learning more about headphones help you make a more informed purchase, but you'll know when you're really getting your money's worth. What headphones should you buy? Check out our video below for everything you need to know. In-ear headphones1More Triple Driver In-Ear Headphones This type of headphone, more commonly referred to as an earbud or earphone, is usually the cheapest and easiest way to pump audio into your ears. If you've purchased an MP3 player, or more recently, a smartphone, it's likely that a set was included with the purchase. Earphones rest in or just outside the ear canal, creating a tight seal to keep air out and sound in. Compared to other types of headphones, these are the most discreet ones you'll find. Their small form-factor also makes them the king/queen of portability and the prime choice for athletes. You're not likely to find strong performers at the low-end of the price spectrum. Their sound delivery is generally muddled, lacking bass and overcompensating for that with harsh mids and highs. That said, it won't cost you much money at all to find a value-packed option complete with inline controls and a microphone. On-ear headphonesGrado's GW100 Wireless on-ear headphones While similar to over-ear headphones in appearance, they fit to your head a little differently. Instead of enveloping your ears with a soft cushion, on-ear headphones create a light, breathable seal around your ear. Thus, the noise isolation is much less effective than in-ear or over-ear options. This might be a dealbreaker for some, but there are big benefits to consider here. On-ear headphones are usually more portable than their over-ear brethren, and as such they appeal to travellers and the fitness crowd. Taking a walk or a jog around town is also safer, as you can hear traffic go by and be aware of potential hazards. Over-ear headphonesThe Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro headphones This ear-muff style of headphone generally provides greater richness and depth of sound, which allows listeners to pick apart the instruments and sounds much easier. Additionally, over-ear, or circum-aural headphones, go around the ear and offer a generous amount of padding. The price range for a set of on-ear headphones begins around $100 and from there, the sky's the limit. For example, the Oppo PM-1, while excellent, are priced exorbitantly at $1,099. It's definitely not necessary to spend that much. That said, you tend to get what you pay for. If your headphone budget is in the $2-300, you'll start getting into options that have excellent build quality, premium materials and amazing sound and features like ANC (active noise cancellation.) Wireless headphonesThe Apple AirPods This style of headphone doesn't limit you to a specific form factor like the others. In fact, you can find in-ear, on-ear and over-ear headphone styles sans wire. Opting to go wireless will cost you a premium of anywhere between $50-100 over the price of wired cans. Going futuristic isn't cheap. One important thing to consider is that your music player must support the Bluetooth wireless protocol, as it's required to use this type of headphone. Speaking of Bluetooth, it has become exponentially more reliable over time, but it's always susceptible to disturbances in the force. In short, any little thing, from the understandable (conflicting Wi-Fi signals, microwaves, cordless telephones), to the absurd (sticking a hand in the space between the device and the headphones) can sometimes interrupt a wireless listening experience.
Noise-cancelling headphonesBose's QuietComfort 35 II headphones This category, like wireless headphones, isn't limited to a form factor. You can find this clever mix of technologies integrated into the ear pieces of in-ear and over-ear headphones alike. Many companies falsely claim to offer true noise cancellation with just the padding included around the ear cups. Don't believe it. This is PNC (passive noise cancellation), and it doesn't amount to much. You can even replicate this effect by cupping your hands around your ears, so why shell out the big bucks for it? On the other hand, ANC (active noise cancellation) is the real deal. This technique employs a set of external microphones, which detect the decibel level outside. Once it has an idea of the incoming noise level, the headphone speakers inside transmit a noise generated to dampen the racket. The end result is an effect that hushes the outside noise, allowing you to focus.
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| Electric scooters: your complete guide Posted: 14 Jun 2019 07:41 AM PDT Electric scooters are springing up in cities around the world, often without warning or explanation. They're a fun, convenient way to get around, but there are a few facts you should be aware of before hiring one (or taking the plunge and buying one yourself), so read on and enjoy safer scooting. Electric scooter legalityWhether electric scooters are legal depends where you live. Some cities have decided to welcome electric scooters, some insist that companies register before scattering scooters around the streets, and some have banned them outright. The law is complicated and changing all the time, so check out our complete guide for the full picture: are electric scooters legal? Electric scooter sharing companiesThe biggest names in electric scooter sharing are Bird, Lime, Lyft, Uber (under the name Jump), Scoot (now owned by Bird), Skip and Spin. Those aren't the only players, though, and more are popping up all the time as new markets open up. Germany and Italy, for example, will soon legalize electric scooters, and startups in both countries are champing at the bit to make a name for themselves. Image credit: Shutterstock How to ride an electric scooterMost electric scooter sharing services work in a similar way. Start by downloading and installing the app on your phone, creating an account and setting up a payment method. You can then use the app to find scooters near you (and often their battery level too), and unlock one. You'll typically be charged a fee for unlocking the scooter, with an extra charge for each hour or minute you spend riding. To ride an electric scooter, start by releasing the steering column by flipping the latch near the base and extending the column. Once you're happy, lock the column. Some electric scooters have a power button, while others are activated when you begin moving. To get going, stand with one foot on the platform and kick off with the other, as though you were riding a conventional scooter. After that, you can accelerate using a throttle controlled using your thumb, and stop using a bicycle-style brake lever on the handlebars. When you're done, you'll need to park the scooter and use the app to end your ride. Depending on which scooter sharing service you're using, you might need to leave it in an assigned service area or a dock, or you might be free to park anywhere it won't be a nuisance. It's best to take the scooter for a few slow test runs somewhere quiet until you've got a good feel for how it handles, and are confident that you can steer around obstacles, and stop safely. Image credit: Shutterstock Electric scooter speedThe top speed of an electric scooter varies from a sedate 11mph to a frankly silly 40mph. Some cities only permit electric scooters that travel below a certain speed, and others classify speedier scooters as road vehicles that need to be registered, taxed, insured, and fitted with brake lights and indicato, so make sure you check the top speed if you're thinking of buying one. If you're using a scooter from a sharing scheme, its top speed will probably be approved by local authorities, but it's a good idea to check before scooting. Here are the top speeds for all the big scooter sharing companies:
Electric scooter rangeRange anxiety is a common complaint for electric car owners, but it's not quite so bad with electric scooters; it might be heavy, but if you run out of juice, you can always carry it. To avoid a flat battery spoiling your fun when using a scooter share scheme, check the charge level using the app before checking one out. Here are the ranges of all the big players' scooters when they're fully charged:
Electric scooters and helmetsIt's always a good idea to wear a helmet when riding an electric scooter, and in some cities it's illegal not to. It won't save you in a head-on crash with a car, but most scooter and bike accidents are low speed, and it could save you a nasty smack on the head if you lose your balance or snag a wheel in a pothole. It's also illegal to scoot bare-headed in some cities. Lime is handing out 250,000 free helmets to users who complete its Respect the Ride pledge, and Skip riders can request a free helmet by filling out an online form. Scoot riders can ask for a free helmet too by submitting an email address, but only if they live in the San Francisco Bay area. Image credit: Shutterstock Spin doesn't provide freebies, but does give a discount on folding helmets, which are easy to carry around. Uber offers 20% off Closca helmets using the code CLOSCALOVESJUMP. Bird doesn't provide helmets for their scooters, free or otherwise, but advise that you wear one.
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| Your sweat is no sweat for the AfterShokz Aeropex bone-conduction headphones Posted: 14 Jun 2019 07:35 AM PDT When you're running, it can be tricky to strike the right balance between immersing yourself in your workout music and remaining safely aware of your surroundings. Aftershokz' latest bone conduction headphones, the Aftershokz Aeropex might just solve that problem.
That's because bone conduction headphones leave your ear canals totally open, allowing you to hear your workout buddy, oncoming traffic, and passers by. Place this nifty headset on your cheekbones, and they'll transmit sound through your bones without stopping your hearing. The IP67 water resistance rating means they can withstand sweaty workout sessions, as well as a spot of rain. Theoretically this could work in shallow water for 30 minutes, but we'd be averse from trying them swimming - there are the Aftershokz XTrainerz for that. They also support eight hours of playback from a single charge, which should be enough for even the most hardcore marathon runner – unless you like to run at a very leisurely pace of course. Image credit: AfterShokz Trekz, take a hikeFollowing on from the AfterShokz Trekz Air headphones, the new Aeropex headphones feature a titanium frame and wraparound band, which is impressively 30% smaller and even 13% lighter than the already-unweighty Air headset. The running headphones also sit at a 30-degree tilt against your face to reduce unwanted vibrations on your skin. It may sound good on paper, but how do bone conduction headphones sound in real life? AfterShokz is all too aware of the bad reputation the technology has when it comes to audio quality, and we noticed in our reviews that the bass and leaking sound was poor. That's something that's, apparently, been addressed with the new Aeropex, with deeper bass and far less sound escaping. AfterShoks says that sound leakage has actually been reduced by 50% compared to the Trekz Air headphones – no mean feat considering the open design of the headphones. Coming in grey, black, blue, and red, the Aeropex are available to buy in the UK for £149.95, the same price as the AfterShokz Trekz Airs were at launch. We don't currently know whether the headphones will be coming to the US or Australia, or how much they will cost.
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| Best wireless earbuds: the best Bluetooth earbuds and earphones in 2019 Posted: 14 Jun 2019 07:34 AM PDT You'd be forgiven for thinking Bluetooth headphones aren't as good as wired ones. That's because, back in the day, Bluetooth wasn't a great way to listen to your favorite music. Luckily, times have changed. Thanks to improvements in wireless transmission standards, such as aptX and innovations in battery technology, Bluetooth earbuds are quickly becoming the most popular way to listen to music, and many of the best earbuds feature wireless connectivity. So the big question is: which brands have emerged as the best when it comes to big Bluetooth improvements and the future of audio innovation? Audio companies like Jaybird, Plantronics, Nuforce, RHA and Jabra all are great options, as they've all committed a great deal deal of times and money to improving audio quality without sacrificing battery life – and there are some good options from Sony, Apple and Google too. Read on for our top wireless Bluetooth earbud picks.
What are the best wireless earbuds?Image credit: TechRadar NuForce have really crafted something special here with the BE Sport4 earbuds. Sleek and solidly-built, these are high-performance buds that improve on their already five-star predecessors. They're ideal for exercise, although any urbanite will also find their lightweight functionality and impressive sound isolation highly appealing. Proof that wireless headphones can now compete with the best of them. Read the full review: Optoma NuForce BE Sport4 Image credit: RHA If you don't mind rocking the neckbuds, the Moto Surround hits all the high notes in terms of price, performance and battery life. After spending several weeks with the RHA MA390 Wireless, we came away extremely impressed with the package RHA has come up with. The headphones are built extremely well, have a fun sound signature, and can take a beating. And all at an affordable price. It’s main rival, the OnePlus Bullets Wireless, are also excellent, however we give the nod to the RHA MA390 for its more dynamic sound and better build quality. Read the full review: RHA MA390 Wireless Image credit: TechRadar OnePlus is most known for its “flagship killer” phones like the OnePlus 6, but the company also makes headphones – the best example of which are the company’s excellent Bullets in-ears. But wired headphones weren't the end for OnePlus' audio escapades. Instead, OnePlus created a wireless version of its Bullets headphones and, for $70 (£70, about AU$124), they offer an incredible value in the neck-bud headphone category. The OnePlus Bullets Wireless are so good, in fact, that they’ve unseated the NuForce BE6i and Beats X in our list of the best wireless earbuds. This is a pair of wireless earbuds that we have no hesitation recommending to anyone. Read the full review: OnePlus Bullets Wireless Image credit: TechRadar The Jaybird Tarah Pro headphones are wireless sport headphones for the endurance runners, athletes and fitness nuts out there. With a neck cable to keep the earbuds together, they aren’t quite ‘true wireless’, but will be practical for those concerned about dropping and losing a costly earbud in the heat of a race or training session. It’s been a big year for Jaybird devices, with launches for the budget Jaybird Tarah, more mid-range Jaybird X4, and now the Tarah Pro to boot. As the first in Jaybird’s new ‘Pro’ range of earbuds and aimed at offering higher quality audio and materials, the Tarah Pro will suit anyone not willing to sacrifice audio quality in harsher outdoor conditions or indoor workouts. Read the full review: Jaybird Tarah Pro Image credit: Beats There will always be those who are ready to complain about the sound performance of Beats headphones, but the inclusion of Apple's proprietary W1 chip has been a boon for the strength of their wireless connectivity. The Beats X hence make up for their slightly bassy sound with a rock solid connection and a pairing process that, on iOS devices at least, is as painless as it's possible to be. Functionally that makes these wireless earbuds a joy to use, just don't expect the most detailed or broad soundstage. If you’re shopping for a no-fuss pair of earbuds that charge in 5 minutes and don’t mind spending a little extra money on them, the Beats X are for you. Read the full review: Beats X Image credit: TechRadar Life is full of compromises, and it's no different with the Bose QuietControl 30s. On the positive side you get a level of noise cancellation that comes close to what's offered by the brand's over-ear headphones, but the concession here is on sound fidelity, which just isn’t on the same level as that of other in-ear or over-ear headphones we’ve tested. There's also that neckband which adds an unfortunate level of bulk to what should otherwise be a slimline pair of headphones. Read the full review: Bose QuietControl 30 Image credit: TechRadar Sennheiser's CX Sport Wireless earbuds are all about that bass – which is ideal if you're looking for a pair of headphones that will bolster your running performance. That's not to say they aren't well balanced; the CX Sports provide impressive audio quality across the board, and offer six hours of battery life – great for your average workout, but marathon runners may want to look elsewhere. As well as supporting Bluetooth 4.2 apt-X for high quality wireless audio, they also support apt-X Low Latency, which means you shouldn't experience any lip-syncing issues when watching videos – that is, if you have a compatible display like the Samsung Galaxy S9. Or, cut the cord with these true wireless modelsImage credit: TechRadar Although the TrueConnect is RHAs first true wireless headphone, the company showed they did their research and development by making it one of the best true wireless headphones on the market today. The combination of sound quality, battery life, and wireless reliability means these are a pair of headphones you can rely on everyday. The Jabra Elite 65t set the standard for what true wireless headphones should be and, regardless of what RHA has done here with the TrueConnect, they’re still great headphones. Compared to the RHA TrueConnect, the Jabra has more features with its useful ambient noise mode to help with situational awareness and an app that lets you tailor sound. The RHA doesn’t have either of those features but we didn’t miss them, thanks to better sound quality and wireless reliability. The RHA also feels more like a premium product than the all-plastic Jabra. All said, if you’re shopping for a pair of true wireless headphones, the $170 (£150, about AU$265) RHA TrueConnect should be at the very top of your list. [Looking for a more stylish design? It comes at a price, but the Earin M-2 true wireless earbuds look as good as they sound.] Read the full review: RHA TrueConnect Image credit: Jabra If you want a pair of high quality truly wireless earbuds that aren’t the Apple AirPods, then the Jabra Elite 65t should be at the top of your list. After spending over a month with them, we came away impressed with the well-rounded package that Jabra managed to create: The earbuds offer a subtle, mature look and a reliable wireless connection, which isn’t always the case with truly wireless earbuds. Plus, they sound great compared to the competition. If you only have the budget for one of these, go for the Elite 65t. Read the full review: Jabra Elite 65t Image credit: Beats / Apple The new PowerBeats Pro true wireless Beats headphones aren't exactly the earbuds analysts have been predicting, sure, but they are something special – they’re supremely comfortable, sound decent and seem to never, ever fall out. That said, they are – in our opinion – Apple’s best true wireless earbuds to date thanks to small additions like the pressure-reducing micro-laser barometric venting hole, their longer battery life and their superior sound quality. If we had to choose between wearing these and the AirPods around the house or office, these are what we’d wear. Read the full review: Beats PowerBeats Pro Image credit: TechRadar The NuForce BE Free5 wireless earbuds show just how accessible truly wireless headphones are today. For around $100 (about £75, AU$134) they feature a more polished design than the more expensive BE Free8, and even sound better to boot. However, we found the left earbud would drop out briefly more than we’d like, and we hope NuForce can address this issue. The connection dropouts combined with the frustrating controls keep it from claiming the top spot on our list, but the BE Free5 offer undeniable value in the truly wireless headphone market. Read the full review: Optoma NuForce BE Free5 Image credit: TechRadar The second generation Apple AirPods, the AirPods (2019), aren't quite the AirPods 2 we were hoping for, but they still some cool features. They still feature the iconic design of the original AirPods (a good or bad thing depending on your point of view), and sound quality hasn't changed at all. The bulk of the upgrade comes from the new H1 headphone chip, which improves connectivity and battery life, and allows for a new ‘Hey Siri’ voice activation feature. The AirPods (2019) also come with an optional wireless charging case means you can use a Qi-compatible charging mat to power the case, rather than sticking a cable into the Lightning charging port in the bottom of the case. Like their predecessors, they are super easy to pair, but they are very much optimized for using with iPhones – and they aren't exactly cheap. Apple has now stopped selling the AirPods, but many stores are still trying to sell off their remaining stock – head to our round up of the best Apple AirPods prices, sales, and deals for up to date information on any discounts.
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