Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Apple : One trillion phishing emails sent every year

Apple : One trillion phishing emails sent every year

One trillion phishing emails sent every year

Posted: 12 Jun 2019 01:29 PM PDT

Phishing remains one of the most useful tools in a cybercriminal's arsenal as new research from Valimail has revealed that at least 3.4bn fake emails are sent out worldwide each day.

The firm's latest quarterly report, Email Fraud Landscape for Spring 2019, shows that email impersonation accounting for 1.2 percent of all email sent during Q1 2019. While this is lower than the 1.6 percent rate that Valimail noted in Q2 2018, it still represents a huge amount of fake messages.

The firm used proprietary data from its analysis of billions of email message authentication requests along with publicly accessible DMARC and SPF records to compile its report.

CEO and co-founder of Valimail Alexander García-Tobar provided further insight on the findings of the report, saying:

"It remains clear that fake emails from hackers, phishers and other cyber criminals constitute the major source of cyberattacks. As more companies recognize and respond to email vulnerabilities, we expect to see organizations continue to deploy authentication technologies to protect against untrusted and fraudulent senders. The fact is that too many attackers are using impersonation to get through existing email defenses. A robust approach to sender identification and authentication is needed to make email more trustworthy, once and for all."

Combating phishing with DMARC

Valimail's report is not all bad news as the number of domains deploying DMARC to address the fake email problem continues to grow with more than 740,000 DMARC-enabled domains worldwide today.

The adoption of standards-based email authentication is accelerating in many industries though in some categories, such as the Fortune 500, US tech giants and the US federal government, DMARC usage is well over 50 percent.

While adoption may be up, Valimail found that enforcement still lags behind. Of the domains deploying DMARC, only around 20 percent have actually configured it to a policy of quarantine or reject which helps protect the domain from impersonation.

The firm also found that fewer than 10 percent of all companies have DMARC records with enforcement policies and only the US government and US tech giants have higher rates of protection at 72 percent and 24 percent of domains respectively.

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

Beyond Good and Evil 2: trailers, release date and news

Posted: 12 Jun 2019 01:29 PM PDT

We've been waiting a long time for the sequel to Beyond Good and Evil, the action-adventure classic that originally released in 2003. But after many delays, Ubisoft finally announced at E3 2017 that a prequel was in the works: Beyond Good and Evil 2.

While the prospect of a new Beyond Good and Evil has seemed shaky for almost a decade, Ubisoft's cinematic trailer at E3 2018 suggests it was definitely worth the wait. 

However, beyond the announcement, we haven't heard much in the way of solid details about Beyond Good and Evil 2. How will it differ from the original? What will be the same? How will online multiplayer work? And what has Joseph Gordon-Levitt got to do with it?

We've gathered up all the news, rumors and confirmed details surrounding Beyond Good and Evil 2 below for your perusal. 

Cut to the chase

  • What is it? An open-universe sci-fi action RPG
  • What can I play it on? Nothing's official, but likely PS4, Xbox One, and PC
  • When can I play it? Probably late 2019

Beyond Good and Evil 2 trailers

Ubisoft released a cinematic trailer for Beyond Good and Evil 2 which details the game's setup and debut long-awaited characters, like Jade and Pace.

You can check it out below:

A cinematic trailer breakdown explores what was shown during E3 2018 in great detail. Check it out below:

Ubisoft announced Beyond Good and Evil 2 at E3 2017 with an announcement trailer. You can watch it below: 

Beyond Good and Evil 2 news and rumors

June update

Though Beyond Good and Evil 2 made no appearance at E3 2019, there was still a livestream in June from the development team. In this stream the team dished out some new gameplay details and some concept art.

It was explained that in the game everyone in System 3 is a clone while hybrids are made by crossing the DNA of humans and animals. Some of these hybrids are used as slaves in the mining and collection of a valuable and dangerous mineral called Diwalite.

You, the player, will be a space pirate and you'll be able to choose whether you are a human or a hybrid. You'll also be able to rescue these slave hybrids and recruit them to your crew. Overall, though, the game will give you plenty of freedom to craft your own story. You can watch the stream for yourself below:

Won't be at E3 2019

Ubisoft has confirmed that Beyond Good and Evil 2 will not be making an appearance at E3 2019. However, there will be a special Beyond Good and Evil 2 stream on June 5 which promises to update fans on the game's progression.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

The reveal at E3 2018 also clued us into a collaboration with Joseph Gordon-Levitt's Hit Record company to produce user-generated content that will make it into the final game.

People around the world will be able to contribute all sorts of content with hopes of it making it into the final product.

Image credit: Ubisoft

E3 2018

E3 2018 brought us some more news on Beyond Good and Evil 2 and we attended a behind closed doors demo of the game. 

We now know that the game will be a prequel to the original, with a younger Jade taking up the role of antagonist. Players will be able to play co-operatively in the open game world, and they don't even have to remain near each other at all.

You'll be able to create your very own space pirate and explore the universe in your very own space ship. From what we've seen of the game so far the game world is astonishingly large and utterly seamless and you can move from city streets, to sky, to space to outer space without any loading screens at all. From the off you'll have a melee weapon, a gun, a shield and a jetpack. Weapons can be modified with interesting augments.

A key item in the game will be a cool spyglass which players can use to assess situations before going into them. Hovering over an enemy will tell you more about them, what augments they're using and their abilities. It certainly makes planning an attack a lot more smooth. You can also use it to scan buildings and assess what they do and whether there might be any use in setting your eyes on them for a robbery. 

The developer livestream

A developer livestream for Beyond Good and Evil 2 showcased some gameplay footage which showed how melee staff combat and ship maneuvering would work. Outside of this, it also confirmed that players would be using their very own custom characters and the story will have new information on Beyond Good and Evil's Jade, DomZ and the origin of the human-animal hybrids. 

Online play

Michel Ancel has said the game will be playable online, which falls in line with Ubisoft's shift towards securing long-term player engagement from its games. At the moment it's still not clear how online play will actually work – it could be a separate mode with individual matches or it could work more like Far Cry 5 which allows players to go through the entirety of the main game with a friend.  We hope it's the latter.

Image credit: Ubisoft

Own more than one ship

Players will be able to own multiple ships, increasing their scale and crew size as they go. Once a player has a larger ship they'll even be able to store their smaller one-man dogfighting vessels inside it. 

Furthermore, the environments will be somewhat destructible, allowing parts of buildings to be demolished but not entire large structures, apparently. Real-time meteor showers will be able to impact entire portions of planets which could potentially trigger missions and story events. 

Extensive exploration

Furthermore, exploration will apparently be a big theme, and you will be able to fly from a planet into space seamlessly without loading times—much like in No Man's Sky. There will also be spaceships of varying sizes, including vast ones that can hold smaller ones within.

Ancel also talks a bit about the world in which these characters exist, with the social structure seemingly keeping these hybrid creatures down, along with the vile threat of slavery. He suggests that the crew you see in the Gada ship, comprised of varying hybrids and humans of different origins, showcases the diverse message that the game hopes to convey despite the ugliness in the world. It's "exactly the heart of Beyond Good and Evil 2," he explains.

A Jade connection

As for the green-eyed captain at the end, Ancel admits that there is some connection to Jade from the first game, but refuses to spoil the game with any specifics. Likewise, there's an earlier reference to her Uncle Pey'j that Ancel also acknowledges, and he says the teases hint at "how deep the world can be." Similarly, the trailer is apparently loaded with Easter egg references. Apparently Jade will not directly feature in the game as it's set a generation before her birth.

Unfortunately, there's no word on a release target or even the platforms that we'll be playing on, and given that Beyond Good and Evil 2 was only confirmed to be in pre-production as of last autumn, it may still be a long way away. We might be lucky to see it in 2018, but don't be surprised at all if the game doesn't ship until 2019 or 2020.

A brand new game engine

Ubisoft has revealed the Beyond Good and Evil 2 is being worked on using a brand new game engine called Voyager. To capture Michel Ancel's vision for the game and create a world as large as this game's one will be, a brand new game engine was completely necessary and the tech for it has been in development for the past 3 years. 

Check out a video detailing the new engine below:

Franchise history

As of now, only one game has been released in this series: the original Beyond Good and Evil, which hit PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, and PC back in 2003.

Photojournalist Jade's quest to investigate and uncover an alien conspiracy leads to a grand and diverse adventure spanning stealth navigation, melee combat, puzzle solving, photography, and even racing. Slick art direction, entertaining action, and compelling characters and story threads made Beyond Good and Evil a fan favorite, even if the game wasn't a sales success.

Luckily, it became a true cult classic over time, and Ubisoft revived the original game with an HD edition for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2011. It's also backwards compatible with the Xbox One, so at least you can play it on one of the current consoles.

Beyond Good and Evil 2 was first announced all the way back in 2008 with a very odd teaser trailer, which sets the tone for a version of the game we may never experience. It shows Jade and Pey'j on the side of the road with a broken hover car, as Pey'j snorts and digests passing flies. Quite a change from what we eventually saw at E3 2017!

In 2009, meanwhile, a leaked video—which looks like target gameplay footage—shows an acrobatic Jade winding her way through a busy city as she climbs, runs, takes out guards, and eventually grabs hold of a helicopter and escapes. However, later that summer, Ubisoft confirmed that the game would not yet begin full production.

In the years since, we've seen various teases and confirmations of its continued development, with Ubisoft acknowledging work on it in 2014 and 2016. 

And then, late in 2016, Ancel affirmed that they were full steam ahead in pre-production, which Ubisoft also confirmed. 

According to Ancel, the team has been working on the game intently since Rayman Legends shipped in 2013, and that earlier work on the game had been halted due to technical limitations back then.

What we'd like to see

Well, we'd like to see the actual game most of all. The trailer is rich and inviting, and clearly shows a lot of work and attention being paid to Beyond Good and Evil 2's game world. It can send our imaginations wandering into so many different directions, which is the problem: how will this vision coalesce into a cohesive game? We just don't know.

Ancel's trailer breakdown video offers some hints, with the promise of a huge, vertical world, cooperative online play of some sort, and the ability to jet off into space without worrying about loading screens or other frustrating breaks in the action. It sounds massively ambitious, but that's very much in line with Ubisoft's modern approach: the company does vast open worlds now, and nearly all of its AAA properties follow some version of that mold.

Our hope is that Beyond Good and Evil's spirit doesn't get lost in the vastness of that open concept, and that the game retains its individuality despite opening up and bringing in some level of multiplayer action. Based on the trailer, we are definitely encouraged about the tone and distinctiveness of the game, although besides the whole matter of how the actual game looks and plays, there are still questions about when we'll get to play it and on which devices.

Hopefully we don't have to wait too long to get some concrete answers. On the other hand, it has been 14 years since the first game released, and nine years since this sequel was revealed, so it's clear that Ubisoft is happy to take its time to get this right. Let's hope the long wait truly pays off.

Will there be a beta?

There will! Ubisoft confirmed during E3 2018 that Beyond Good and Evil 2 will have a beta and it's possible to sign up for it now. However, do be aware that it's not expected that the beta will be live and playable until the end of next year. It's likely that more will be revealed during E3 2019. 

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Borderlands 3: release date, news and trailers for the next Borderlands game

Posted: 12 Jun 2019 01:14 PM PDT

More than six years after Borderlands 2 burst into our lives, Borderlands 3 has finally been announced and given a firm release date that we can count down to. 

After so long waiting, it hardly feels real that the release date of Borderlands 3 is so close; we've even spent some hands-on time with the game now!

With larger-than-life characters, a lively and colorful alien planet to explore, tons of absurd weapons, and a wisecracking sense of humor, Borderlands has managed to blow some fresh air into an FPS genre that often sticks to 'gritty' visuals and dull urban environments.

Here's everything we know so far about the game, and when it's finally going to be landing on PC and consoles.

[Update: E3 2019 brought us a brand new trailer and gameplay footage for Borderlands 3 and there's some Borderlands 2 DLC you may want to check out. Read on to find out more.]

Borderlands 3

Image Credit: Gearbox

Cut to the chase

  • What is it? The third numbered game in the first-person shoot and loot franchise
  • When can I play it? September 13, 2019
  • What can I play it on? PS4, Xbox One, PC and Google Stadia

Borderlands 3 release date

Gearbox has now confirmed a release date of September 13, 2019.

Image Credit: Gearbox

Borderlands 3

Borderlands 3 trailers and preview

While we wait for the game to land, we do have a number of new trailers to pore over. The very latest trailer popped up during E3 and it brought us an exciting amount of new footage including a new cinematic trailer and ten whole minutes of gameplay footage. You can watch both below:

Gearbox took to the stage at PAX East (March 28-30) to show off  the formal announcement trailer below. You get a good look at the new villains of the series (a brother and sister?), new shiny cities and creaking scrapyards, and series-favorite robot Claptrap doing some breakdancing.

It looks... pretty much the same as any Borderlands game before it, which is both reassuring for fans and a bit disappointing for those looking for a new spin on the series. It's too early to judge before we've seen more, though. 

What we know for sure is that there'll be a lot of guns (over one billion, and even one with little machine legs) and a whole lot of looting in expansive sandbox environments. Oh, and a saxophone solo – because why not?

There's also a separate announcement trailer for the release date, which also names the four vault hunters and the name of the villains: the Calypso Twins...

The official announcement came only days after a 'Mask of Mayhem' teaser you can see below. It's packed with little clues and hints of the game to come, including everything from a morse code to braille, and what seems to be a broken-up redeem code (C35TB - WS6ST - TXBRK - JJH6H - TTTJT) that we imagine will be usable for some sort of DLC reward or exclusive skin for eagle-eyed viewers.

What's more, we've been able to spend some time with the game thanks to a hands-on gameplay reveal event that TechRadar attended. The gameplay loop, at least, is familiar, with your job to take down enemies, look their corpses, and level up. It looks like Gearbox is putting plenty of detail and imagination into the weaponry this time around.

Borderlands 3


What's new is a focus on movement that's more fluid, and improvements to multiplayer, including the option for allies to revive each other. There's also "loot instancing", designed to level the playing field a little for groups of friends who've spend different amounts of time in the game. Borderlands 3 also gives you your very own spaceship, the Sanctuary 3.

For a full rundown of everything we saw in our time with the game, check out our hands-on preview in full.

Borderlands 3 news and rumors

E3

As promised, Borderlands 3 made an appearance at E3 2019 with a brand new cinematic trailer, 10 minutes of gameplay to pore over and confirmation that there's a brand new planet called Eden 6 that's inspired by the Louisiana swamps.

Oh, and those rumors about a Borderlands 2 DLC bridging the gap to the third game? Those were true. Borderlands 2: Commander Lilith and the Fight for Sanctuary offers a 10-hour story which starts right at the end of Borderlands 2.

Even better, it can be downloaded for free from now until July 9 on Xbox One, PS4 and Steam. After that it'll cost you £11.99 so if you have any interest in Borderlands 3 it's worth picking up right now.

E3 Expectations

E3 2019 is now a matter of days away and given its release date is only a few months off now, it's not surprising that Gearbox and Borderlands 3 are expected to have a significant presence. 

Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford has been tweeting ahead of the show to let fans know that they have plenty to look forward to. We're talking new gameplay and new vault hunter and new planet reveals for everyone watching the show and a playable demo of the game on the show floor for those in attendance. Pitchford has also said there may be "a surprise or two" to look forward to as well. 

A new vault hunter and a new planet are pretty significant for Borderlands fans so what these surprises will be is hard to imagine - could they involve those Borderlands 2 DLC rumors we've discussed below? TechRadar will be present at the show and will be updating here with the latest Borderlands 3 announcements as they happen. 

Reports of Borderlands 2 DLC

It's not long until Borderlands 3's release date but there are reports that Borderlands 2 could soon receive a DLC which will bridge the gap between the titles. The rumors point to an E3 2019 announcement, but nothing has been confirmed just yet. With E3 just around the corner, we don't have long to wait. 

Details, details, details

We managed to have a chat with Amanda Christensen, a concept artist at Gearbox and a key character designer on Borderlands 3. She told us that "the most obvious jump is in terms of our level of detail" in the upcoming game, and that there are a "bunch of cool little details" spread throughout. It's a revealing chat and you can read everything Christensen had to say about Borderlands 3 here.

DLCs: quality over quantity

The DLC future of Borderlands 3 looks bright enough, after Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford intimated on Twitter that future DLCs would focus on quality over quantity: it seems as though Borderlands 3 might focus on fleshing out the capabilities of the game's starting classes instead of asking players to start building new ones from scratch, and that's fine with us.

Epic Games Store exclusive – to start

While Borderlands 3 will launch on PS4, Xbox One and PC, the PC version will start as an Epic Games Store exclusive, before joining the Steam Store six months on.

Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford hinted at this back in December, when he voiced his support for the new marketplace. Epic has been courting various exclusives for its store, including Metro Exodus and The Division 2, so we're not overly surprised.

Cross-platform co-op could be included

A listing page for Borderlands 3 on the Microsoft store gave a hint to a very-cool potential new feature landing with the game – cross-platform multiplayer. Though the page in question has since been pulled, it showed the game's feature set to include play across consoles not limited to Microsoft's own. With the game initially an Epic Games Store exclusive, and that platform's biggest title, Fortnite, being cross-platform in many console scenarios, there's certainly the genesis of the infrastructure to support the feature if true.

A representative for the game's publisher, 2K Games, told IGN that “Cross play is something we’re looking at closely, but don’t have anything to confirm or announce at this time.”

Vault Hunter names

The release date trailer also gave us the names of the four vault hunters, which offer their own spins on the traditional four classes. We have a Gunner weapons expert (Moze), a Siren with floating fists at the ready (Amara), an android Beastmaster (Fl4x), and a suave, stealthy Operative (Zane). We also got the names of the entry's villains: the very evil-looking Calypso Twins (not identical).

Borderlands 3 confirmed – as well as a board-game

Gearbox gave us the announcement we wanted on March 28, at PAX East in Boston. The showcase was hit with technical difficulties – like a lot – and for some reason included a really long magic trick. But we got our first look at the anticipated title, as well as a tie-in board-game called Borderlands: Tiny Tina’s Robot Tea Party. 

Borderlands 3

Image Credit: Gearbox

4K remasters (for free!)

Good news for anyone with a copy of Borderlands 1, 2, or the Pre-Sequel: Gearbox is releasing enhanced 4K remasters of the previous games, and anyone who already owns them will get to download the remastered version for free. You'll need a 4K ready console or PC to make the most of it, but it's wonderful fan service for those who do.

Hints, lots of hints

At PAX West 2017, Pitchford announced during a panel that 90% of the Gearbox team is “working on the thing I think most of you guys want us to be working on.”

Pitchford also took part in an IGN Unfiltered interview around the same time, when he said that if another Borderlands game were to be made, it would be more of a true sequel as opposed to another Pre-Sequel spin-off. 

Caught in the act

And in April 2017, Pitchford took to Twitter to post a picture of himself wearing a motion capture suit with the caption “Doing a shoot... I may or may not be a psycho bandit in a video game we may or may not be working on. Also, happy Bulletstorm launch day!” 

Given that Psychos are a Borderlands enemy we’d say this tweet can be read with a fairly large nudge and wink.

The GDC presentation

Before all of this Pitchford took to the stage during Epic Games’ Unreal presentation at GDC in March 2017, where he showed off new rendering tech that “may be used in a future Gearbox game.” He explicitly said the footage shown was not from a video game but what was shown was highly reminiscent of Borderlands. 

He also revealed that this new tech is capable of simulating different physics depending on a planet’s properties. Specifically he said “there might be different physics and the sun and the moons might be in different positions than what we’re used to on Pandora.”

That seems to have been pretty prophetic – as we know Borderlands 3 will be making use of some new environments beyond what we saw on Pandora in the previous games.

Some changes

Borderlands regular Mikey Neumann won't be writing on the new game, as he was unfortunately forced to resign from the project due to health complications. The lead writer on Borderlands 2, Anthony Burch, has also since left the company. There’s been no hint with regards to who’ll be taking up the pen after their departures. 

Another change is that the voice behind Claptrap, David Eddings, has left Gearbox for Rooster Teeth so it’s unlikely he’ll be taking up the role again. 

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Pokémon Go updates: all the news and rumors for what's coming next

Posted: 12 Jun 2019 12:53 PM PDT

Pokémon Go: the world's first augmented reality app to become a household name. Niantic's mobile AR game is still going strong two years after it first released, with a constant drip of events and updates keeping budding trainers glued to their phones and pounding the streets.

And while it hasn't managed to top the peak of its popularity in 2016, it's still going strong and finding plenty of new ways to improve its player experience.

So what's the latest news for Pokémon Go? As you'd expect, brand new features are being added all the time and community events are still going strong. Plus we have another summer of Pokémon Go Fest events to look forward to.

But without further ado, here's our guide to all the latest Pokémon Go news and updates.

Pokémon Go news and Pokémon Go updates

  • What's new? There are some Legendary Raids and Global Challenges to look out for

Legendary Raids

Adventure Week is now over but there are more Legendary Raid Hours happening this month.

On June 12 from 6pm to 7pm local time you'll have the chance to catch the Lunar Pokémon Cresselia. While June 19 and 26 at the same times, Kyogre will be appearing in Raids.

When's the next Pokémon Go event?

Pokémon Go Fest

There are more Pokémon Go Fest gatherings taking place around the world this summer. While these gatherings take place in specific cities, even if you can't make it it's worth keeping an eye out for the ways you can participate from a distance. 

  • June 13 - 16: Chicago, Grant Park
  • July 4 - 7: Dortmund, Westfalen Park
  • August 5 - 12: Yokohama

Global Challenge

Alongside Pokémon Go Fest Professor Willow has set some challenges on a global scale this summer for each of the team leaders - Spark, Blanche and Candela - and their followers so that everyone can take part no matter where they are. When a team successfully completes their task, they'll get special rewards.

Spark's challenge period is up first on Thursday June 13 to Sunday June 16 in line with Chicago's event and revolves around Candy. The challenge for each team is to complete 15 million research tasks globally, with Team Instinct unlocking 1 Rare Candy, Team Valor 1/2 Hatch Distance and Team Mystic double Hatch Candy on completion. Any unlocked bonus will then run until June 18. If all bonuses are unlocked then Raikou will be available in raids on a yet unspecified date. 

Next is Candela's XP challenge during the Dortmund Fest from July 4 to July 7. The challenge for each team is still to complete 15 million research tasks globally but this time Team Instinct will unlock 1-hour Lucky Eggs, Team Valor will get triple Hatch XP and Team Mystic will be treated to double Raid XP on completion. Any unlocked bonus will then run until July 16. If all bonuses are unlocked then Entei will be available in raids on July 14.

The final challenge is for Blanche, revolving around Stardust. This challenge ties in with the Fest in Yokohama and runs from August 5 to August 12. This time around players must complete 25 million research tasks globally (there's a little more time, after all). On successful completion, Team Instinct will 3000 Stardust per Raid, Team Valor will get triple Hatch Stardust and Team Mystic will unlock 1-hour Star Pieces. Any unlocked bonus will then run from August 13 until August 20. Unlock all of the bonuses? Then you can look forward to Suicune Raids on August 13.

When's the next Pokémon Go Community Day?

Now that Slakoth has had its day, the next Pokémon Go Community Day takes place on July 21. The featured Pokémon for the event isn't yet known though it's currently rumored to be Mudkip.

Pokémon Go update: what's next?

Niantic hasn't revealed any more plans for what's coming next in Pokémon Go in terms of the big picture but there are always new creatures and new events happening in the game. Big reveals can happen at any time, though, and we'll report them right here if and when any announcement happens.

Pokémon Go Plus deals

Want to buy yourself a Pokémon Go Plus wearable? Check some of today's best deals down below.

(Image credits: Niantic/Pokémon Company)

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When is Amazon Prime Day 2019? This leak could have confirmed the date [Updated]

Posted: 12 Jun 2019 12:46 PM PDT

Amazon Prime Day 2019 is fast approaching - but when is it going to be? Well, some sleuthing from our sister site Real Homes may have uncovered the date, with a PR for vacuum firm Tineco seemingly 'confirming' it will be in the third week of July.

While the source originally stated that its 10 Hero and 10 Master vacuum cleaners would be part of the Prime Day main deals on July 16 and 17, it has since retracted that statement and said that this was the date from 2018, sent out in error.

The brand has contacted TechRadar again and stated that the dates were apparently sent based on 'speculation from last year' despite initially claiming and reiterating to Real Homes that these were the dates for Amazon's Prime sales.

So, with the retraction now confirmed, the mystery over when the date will be still spins on - but we're still looking at July 15 as the likely launch day for the sales, if we were asked to guess.

When is Amazon Prime Day 2019?

We're expecting Prime Day to run from either July 8-9, or the following week on 15-16 - so this fits in with that expectation nicely.

However, with Amazon refusing to confirm the leak to Real Homes and the source retracting the official date, we may have to wait a little longer to be sure when the next ream of online deals will be coming.

If you're looking for a great vacuum deal and simply can't wait for the middle of July, the Dyson Cyclone V10 Absolute is a top performer at a now-reduced price.

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Dropbox unleashes its boldest redesign yet

Posted: 12 Jun 2019 12:08 PM PDT

As the number of online collaboration tools used by businesses has skyrocketed in recent years, so too has the amount of work about work employees have to deal with which is why Dropbox has redesigned its platform to help users organize their content, connect tools and bring all the members of an organization together online.

The new Dropbox makes it easier to access files stored locally as well as those in the cloud by bringing them together in one place. Now users can create, access and share cloud content from Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides and Microsoft Office files right within Dropbox.

Searching for files across cloud services will also be easier as the company now allows you to see traditional files, cloud content, shortcuts and files you've chosen not to download right from one search box.

Dropbox is also helping teams stay in sync by enabling users to pin content to the top of a workspace as well as @mention people and assign them tasks so that everyone knows what they need to do. The new Dropbox also lets you see file activity and keep tabs on team members with a new team activity feed.

Offering feedback can now be done by creating comments right alongside your content across desktop, web and mobile.

New integrations

The company is also building on its existing integrations with Salesforce, Adobe and Autodesk by adding three new integrations which will work seamlessly with Dropbox to help bring your content into context.

The first of which is with Slack and now Dropbox users will be able to start Slack conversations and share content to Slack channels directly from Dropbox.

Organizations that use Zoom for video conferencing can now connect Zoom and their calendar to Dropbox so that they can bring their work into video conferences. From Dropbox, users will be able to add and join Zoom Meetings and during a meeting, they'll be able to share files from the cloud storage platform.

The company also announced that users will soon be able to manage projects with Atlassian though this integration is not available yet.

Those interested in trying out the new Dropbox for themselves can opt in to the new desktop app through the company's early access program.

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Google just leaked the Pixel 4

Posted: 12 Jun 2019 12:05 PM PDT

Google isn't just hinting at the Google Pixel 4 ahead of its expected October launch, it's actually showing what the phone will look like in a surprising new reveal.

We're seeing it four months earlier than the anticipated release date and it gives us a glimpse of the back of the Android phone, complete with a larger square-shaped camera module.

"Well, since there seems to be some interest, here you go! Wait 'til you see what it can do," teases Google in its Twitter post under the handle @madebygoogle.

Google's messaging here alludes to the fact that there have been several leaks of its phone already. It's clearly getting out ahead of the rumor mill with its own controlled tease.

What's significant about the Pixel 4 'leak'

Google leaking its own phone is news, but there's more to this story. We're seeing a change in camera design with at least two camera lenses and maybe even a third sensor.

Its square shape is similar to another rumored smartphone we've seen leaked: the iPhone 11. It appears as in Google is taking a similar approach on the outside.

The Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL have top-of-the-line cameras, but until today, we've seen the company steer away from implementing multiple lenses on back. 

Its single-lens solution has been buttressed by superb post-processing software and does a decent job of compensating for the lack of telephoto and depth-sensing lens.

Google going the extra step of improving its camera hardware could easily lead to it reclaiming the best camera phone title from the Huawei P30 Pro. 

Right now, we think the Pixel 3 and Huawei P30 Pro pro cameras are very close in quality – Huawei's is just a tad more versatile  with a great telephoto lens and an ultra-wide camera.

We'll have to wait and see if Google's camera comes out on top with the Pixel 4 – or wait until Google teases its forthcoming phone in another 'leak' follow-up.

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Huawei's struggle in the US has led to it cancel a new MateBook

Posted: 12 Jun 2019 11:18 AM PDT

Huawei CEO Richard Yu has confirmed an indefinite hold on the release of a new MateBook laptop, CNBC reports.

Huawei is a brand still making a name for itself in the US, even though it's already made some of the best laptops and best phones. One thing that's likely making it more of a household name is the ban imposed on Huawei in the US. 

Earlier this year, the Trump administration put Huawei on its 'entity list,' which limits the work Huawei and US companies can do together. While Huawei builds much of its products, it still largely relies on US companies for key elements, like Microsoft and Google for the Windows 10 and Android operating systems.

The ban spells trouble for many of Huawei's products. Owners and potential customers of Huawei smartphones had to face the prospect of no longer getting access to the latest versions of Android. 

New phones would even lose the ability to access Google's Play Store, severely limiting access to the most popular apps. The ban has put a damper on Huawei's plans to be the top smartphone vendor, not to mention its plans to expand its 5G development.

So long, Mate?

The lack of access to Windows appears to be a danger to the MateBook line as well. A new model was expected to debut at CES Asia, according to The Verge. But, without access to Windows 10 or the Intel processors that have powered the MateBook line, it makes sense that Huawei is holding off.

The hold doesn't necessarily mean that the new MateBook will never launch. There are already some moves towards a resolution of the ban, with a temporary lift that went into effect May 20. It may not be sure enough footing for Huawei to go ahead with major product launches, but it could be enough to signal that the ban is more a part of the US-China trade war than any permanent ban specifically targeted at Huawei.

If the ban goes on long enough, the planned MateBook is sure to be abandoned. As MateBook's are high-end products, a model built on current hardware is unlikely to launch a year from now with the same hardware. So, unless the ban is resolved quickly, it's possible we'll never see the planned MateBook. Instead, we would have to wait for a freshly designed, post-ban MateBook to launch when the US and China are, well, mates again. 

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Facebook to create 500 new UK tech jobs

Posted: 12 Jun 2019 10:35 AM PDT

Facebook is expanding its presence in the UK with a new engineering center and the social network has announced that it will create 500 new tech jobs in London by the end of 2019.

Of these new jobs, 100 will be dedicated to artificial intelligence (AI) which the company plans to use to create systems to better detect and remove malicious content, fake accounts and other harmful behavior on its platform.

Facebook's vice president EMEA Nicola Mendelsohn explained how the new hires will work to improve safety on the social network, saying:

“Safety is our top priority at Facebook, and over the last two years we’ve substantially increased our investment in this area. These hundreds of new jobs demonstrate not only our commitment to the U.K. but also our determination to do everything we can to keep Facebook safe and secure."

London tech scene

Facebook expects to employ over 3,000 people in the capital by the end of the year across its two existing sites as well as at its new engineering center in Soho.

According to the social media giant, London is home to its largest engineering center outside of the US and it plans to have 1,800 people employed in technology and engineering by the end of the year.

The mayor of London Sadiq Khan praised the news, saying:

"This investment is great news for the capital and is further proof that London is open to talent and to new investment in our thriving tech sector. I’ve been calling for stronger action by businesses and government to tackle malicious and harmful content, so it’s good to see Facebook taking further steps to protect its users." 

Via Reuters

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Cyberpunk 2077: release date, trailer and news

Posted: 12 Jun 2019 10:02 AM PDT

The new Cyberpunk 2077 trailer at E3 2019 starred Keanu Reeves, believe it or not, and he announced the official release date: April 16, 2020.

That's a bit later than we were hoping for this hyped-up Xbox One game (that's also coming to the PC and PS4), but its vast open-world setting, dizzying neon colors, and branching storylines all make it sound extremely promising.

At E3, we saw a bit more of the metropolis of the future in this extended trailer and in our hands-off demo, where body modification has become an obsession, and you're an outlaw in the sleazy underbelly of the city.

Want the full scoop on Cyberpunk 2077? Here's what we know so far.

Cut to the Chase

  • What is Cyberpunk 2077? A brand new IP from CD Projekt Red starring Keanu Reeves 
  • What's the Cyberpunk 2077 release date? April 16, 2020
  • What systems will Cyberpunk 2077 be released on? PS4, Xbox One and PC (almost certainly 4K consoles too)

What is Cyberpunk 2077?

Cyberpunk 2077 is a neon cyberpunk game that has The Witcher 3 developer CD Projekt Red moving from a gritty, high fantasy world to an equally gritty, science fiction world metropolis. It's based off the pen-and-paper RPG of the same name, but plays a hell of a lot like The Matrix game we've always wanted.

We caught our first peek at the game behind closed doors at E3 2018 – you can check out what we saw in the 48-minute walkthrough video below – and all signs point to another big showing at the expo this June.

Cyberpunk 2077 is a game that looks vastly different from its developer's The Witcher series, with towering neon skyscrapers, bionic enhancements and a focus on vertical movement rather than wide open plains. It's also all in first-person.

At E3 2019 we learned a lot more about the plot of the game, which features the one and only Keanu Reeves. Reeves plays a character named Johnny Silverhand who's embedded in a biochip that's placed in the main character's brain. 

In order to unlock the secrets to the biochip, what basically becomes the main thread of the game, Silverhand will guide you to Alt Cunningham, the most legendary net runner of all-time. The only problem? She’s dead. But her consciousness lives on the web and you’ll need to do whatever it takes to track her down – including, but not limited to, befriending or eliminating leaders of the biggest gangs in Night City. 

Cyberpunk 2077 trailers

After a veritable truckload of hype, CD Projekt Red released 48 minutes of gameplay footage, based on the demo journalists saw at E3 2018. 

In it, you'll see what gunplay looks like, character creation and backstory assignment, plus how you'll upgrade yourself via cybernetic enhancements. You'll meet some of the characters in Cyberpunk's seedy crime circuit and explore the city on foot and in vehicles. (Quick warning: the trailer contains nudity, violence and swearing.)

Check it out below:

We were treated to a brand new Cyberpunk 2077 trailer during E3 2018 which you can watch below:

In March 2019, we got yet another video, this time of the development team gearing up for the E3 2019 showcase event. Those hoping for a 2019 release may want to start to brace themselves however – though the game remains without a release date, the suggestion of the video below is that development is still in full swing, and a release date may be some time away yet:

Cyberpunk 2077 release date: April 16, 2020

In the game’s first official teaser trailer, it’s stated that the game will be coming “when it’s ready,” but now we have an official release date: April 16, 2020, care of the E3 2019 trailer.

This is despite an investor call in early 2016 that suggested that Cyberpunk 2077 would be released before June 2019. It was also said in this call that CD Projekt Red is planning to release two new triple A RPGs before 2021. 

It was later clarified in forums that Cyberpunk 2077 would be the first of these games to arrive and work on the second would not start before Cyberpunk 2077 was finished. 

Cyberpunk 2077


Considering The Witcher 3 took around three and a half years to develop, a 2019 release didn't seem unmanageable for the studio. But the scale of the development, as well as rumors of the game being a cross-gen Xbox Two and PS5 title, it makes sense that the game has taken longer than initially anticipated.

While CD Projekt Red has revealed new gameplay at E3 2019, it also confirmed that Cyberpunk 2077 will not actually be playable at E3. 

Cyberpunk 2077 news and features

New Cyberpunk 2077 gameplay shown at E3 2019, but not playable

At E3 2019 we got the chance to see Cyberpunk 2077 at a behind-closed doors demo centered around Pacifica – the southern-most region of Night City – and Keanu Reeves' character, Johnny Silverhand. The weirdest part? Keanu may in fact be the key to immortality. Yes, you read that correctly.

Inside Pacifica, two gangs – The Animals and The Voodoo Boys – are fighting for supremacy. In order to meet Bridgitte, the head of the Voodoo Boys, you'll have to first deal with her lieutenant Placide, who wants you to infiltrate The Animals' hideout. Your goal, at least you're told, is to find a high-tech van that's monitoring all the network traffic in Pacifica. 

To get to this van, you'll have to make your way past The Animals' crew. The reason they're called The Animals, it turns out, is because they take a drug that enhances their muscle mass. To get through them you'll either need to fight your way through – a risky proposition – or sneak your way into the hideout.

Customization: perks, skills and attributes
You’ll customize your character’s look; you’ll customize their backstory; you’ll customize their base skills and you’ll give them perks that make them who they are. If you want a ninja samurai who came from the streets and is skilled in firearms and hand-to-hand combat, you can make that. If you want a net runner super hacker that can take over turrets and jack into enemies, you can make that, too. 

The choices are vast, and while they're not completely limitless, CD Projekt Red doesn’t want to confine you to a single play style or set path.   

The reasoning behind that, it seems, is to better mirror the game’s source material – a 30-year-old tabletop role playing game called Cyberpunk (however, there was also a later edition called Cyberpunk 2020). 

Behind all of the hacking and gunplay lies a fairly complex RPG – the perks screen we saw during our demo had more than 20 perks to choose from and level up. These perks impact how your character plays, but can also impact what choices you have in conversations with the world’s NPCs. 

Cyberpunk 2077

Vampire Bloodlines and Deus Ex were inspirations for the game

Given it’s based on a tabletop roleplaying game and Cyberpunk is already a massive sub-genre in science fiction, we knew Cyberpunk 2077 hadn’t been totally pulled from the ether without any kind of influence. But we’re always interested to find out about some of the more subtle influences on the game and the way it plays, some of which Quest Director Mateusz Tomaskiewicz has revealed in a recent interview with gaming publication AreaJugones.

Tomaskiewicz said that games such as Deus Ex, Vampire Bloodlines and Elder Scrolls had influenced him in his work on Cyberpunk 2077's quests. He cites the original Deus Ex as a particular influence and praises the ways in which it gives players the freedom to complete missions in multiple ways. This suggests we can expect a great deal of freedom and complexity and non-linearity in Cyberpunk 2077’s missions as well as in the protagonist you'll be using to cause havoc in the game world which is something quite different from the tight gameplay-loop found in The Witcher. 

CD Projekt Red is working on two AAA titles – both to be released by 2021

CD Projekt Red has confirmed it still plans to release two AAA titles by 2021. While we know one of these titles will definitely be Cyberpunk 2077, we're still in the dark about what the second title could be.

This release window was reaffirmed on the official CD Projekt Red forums, with moderator Donata Popławska confirming the studio is sticking to its original roadmap.

"As far as the strategy of the CD Projekt Capital Group for 2016-2021 is concerned, its plans to release the second AAA game by 2021 remain unchanged," the moderator wrote (translated via Resetera user Antiax). 

However, Popławska did not expand on what the second AAA title to be released in this time frame could be.

"We are currently focusing on the production and promotion of Cyberpunk, so we do not want to comment on further projects," they continued.

Lady Gaga could be making an appearance?

According to french site ActuGaming, Lady Gaga and CD Projekt Red are collaborating for Cyberpunk 2077 and the artist has already visited the Polish studio to take part in motion-capture – suggesting she will have a character role in the game itself.

In addition ActuGaming claims the collaboration will be officially announced at E3 2019, with Gaga rumored to be making an appearance at the gaming convention.

Last year Gaga tweeted a strange mix of letters and numbers, which the official Cyberpunk 2077 Twitter account replied to with "Of course! Of course we will!", suggesting the A Star is Born actress would be involved with the game in some way or another.

E3 2018 confirmed features

We got to spend some time watching a demo of Cyberpunk 2077 during E3 and we learned some interesting things about the game. 

It's a first person RPG set in a huge open world known as Night City – a metropolis split into six districts, each offering a different environment to explore. During the demo we only saw a small part of one of them. 

Players can create their own character called V and embark on their journey to crawl up from the criminal underbelly. This is a dark game and though The Witcher series is mature, this takes it to a new level. 

As you'd expect, the game lets you augment your body using various bits of tech – illegal or otherwise – and you can use drugs to enhance your combat, or a kind of digital brain-hack called 'Braindance'. We know weapons are wide ranging and seriously creative, with smart guns and bullets as well as terrifying Mantis Blades for melee.

There are no loading screens in Cyberpunk 2077 and the story and side quests are branching and numerous, and your choices genuinely impact the outcome. You can read more about how impressed were were by what we saw.

E3 2018 secret message

CD Projekt RED used the Xbox Showcase to show its latest trailer for Cyberpunk 2077. But it's more than just a trailer. Spotted by Polygon, there's a moment in the trailer with hidden text with more information on the game which is revealed when you enhance the image.

In the message CD Projekt first apologises for "staying silent longer than we planned" but following the release of The Witcher 3 Blood and Wine the developer wanted to wait until it had "something meaningful and substantial" to show.

It goes on to say that the vision for Cyberpunk is "an alternative version of the future where America is in pieces, megacorporations control all aspects of civilized life, and gangs rule the rest." This game will, CD Projekt says, be a "true single player, story-driven RPG" where you'll be able to create your own character.

At the moment the developer isn't ready to confirm any kind of release date and asks for more patience. It also says it has "no bloody clue" about how big the game is but does say it's "seriously big."

Cyberpunk 2077

It could be on the next generation of consoles

CD Projekt Red has hinted that Cyberpunk 2077 could be developed for both current and next gen titles. GamingBolt has reported that during a presentation at the Pareto Securities Gaming Seminar 2018 event, the studio's CFO Piotr Nielubowicz and CEO Adam Kiciński mentioned Cyberpunk 2077 hinted that it may be being developed for future hardware. The slide in question stated the team was developing the title for “current and next-generation technology”.

Given the game's current timeline, it's possible it could be a dual launch title on current and next-gen systems: PS4 and PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Two alike.

It will be on Steam

Good news Steam fans: Cyberpunk 2077 will definitely be coming to the platform. At the Pareto Securities Gaming Seminar (via PCGamesN) the studio’s CEO Adam Kiciński gave a presentation in which he confirmed that the game would not be exclusive to GOG. There's been a lot of furore over the Metro Exodus being 'removed' from Steam and onto the Epic Games Store, but it looks like CD Projekt Red is steering clear of that minefield.

It’s going to be bigger than The Witcher 3

It would have been a pretty safe guess to say that Cyberpunk 2077 is going to be a big game, but in an interview with MCV in 2015 visual effects artist Jose Teixeira said it’s going to be “far, far bigger” than anything the studio has ever done. 

In fact, he said that The Witcher 3 was being treated as a learning experience and that they could do better. To do better, the studio has doubled in size with studio head Adam Badowski saying that after The Witcher 3, Cyberpunk 2077 needs to be “even better, even bigger, even more revolutionary” than what had originally been planned. 

Cyberpunk 2077

You’ll be travelling on more advanced tech than boats and horses

So, we know the game map is going to be intimidatingly big. How will we get around it, then? Well fortunately, moving out of the high fantasy realm gives CD Projekt Red a little more freedom when it comes to creating vehicles.

Don’t expect horses and basic boats here – a job listing for a Senior Vehicle Artist for the studio said they’d be expected to work on “incredibly complex vehicles, planes, bikes, robots and mechanics.“

There may be multiplayer

It was confirmed years ago that the game would have multiplayer elements but what exactly they’ll be is unclear. It was said, though, that the game would mainly focus on single player. 

The company president said in March 2018 that these elements are not on the table right now, so it's possible that they'll be introduced after the game's release in a sort of online world like GTA Online. 

There will be online

As well as multiplayer, CD Projekt's CEO has confirmed that there will also be online elements to the game. In an interview with Polish tech site Strefa Inwestorow Kiciński stated that “Online is necessary, or very recommended if you wish to achieve a long-term success. At some point, we have mentioned that there will be a certain online element related to Cyberpunk.”

Whether or not the online elements will feed into the multiplayer is unclear.

But there won't be microtransactions

The studio also tweeted to quell fears over microtransactions in online components, stating that Cyberpunk 2077 will be "nothing less than" the Witcher 3, adding that players will "get what [they] pay for" with "no hidden catch."

It appears that while many studios are feeling the need to move to a service model to ensure their titles make money, CD Projekt is staying committed to the story-driven single player experience with Cyberpunk 2077, one which served them very well with The Witcher. 

Cyberpunk 2077

Things we'd like to see

Combat inspired by the original tabletop RPG

We know that the designer of the tabletop RPG Cybperunk on which Cyberpunk 2077 is based is heavily involved in the creation of the game. We hope his involvement extends to the game's combat because the combat system he created in his own game was fairly revolutionary for the tabletop genre.

Rather than involving drawn out and long turns, it was fast, brutal, gritty and overall perfectly suited to the spirit of Cyberpunk.

A big part of Cyberpunk combat involves upgrading your body with new abilities and robotics which would be perfectly in line with a video game character development system like those created by CD Projekt Red. 

In Pondsmith's game bodily enhancement has to be carefully considered –
it's a balancing act where every benefit has a drawback. When a player makes robotic additions to themselves they reduce their humanity and empathy leading to an uncontrollable state of cyberpsychosis. This has the potential to be a really interesting system if it's adapted for the game and could be used in a similar manner to excessive consumption of combat-enhancing potions in The Witcher. 

Keep checking back here for all the latest Cyberpunk 2077 news 

(Image credits: CD Projekt Red)

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Australia vs Pakistan live stream: how to watch today's Cricket World Cup 2019 match from anywhere

Posted: 12 Jun 2019 09:44 AM PDT

Australia are looking to get back on track today after getting outplayed by India's batsmen in their defeat on Sunday, but Pakistan are chasing down their 300+ score! The two teams are battling things out now at The County Ground in Taunton in this 2019 Cricket World Cup showdown. No matter where you are in the world you can watch the match by using our guide below to getting a Australia vs Pakistan live stream.

Pakistan are once again living up to their reputation as cricket's most unpredictable team. From shocking against the Windies to pulling off a shock against England, it's near impossible to forecast what version of the team will turn up against Australia. With such commanding displays from the likes of Sarfaraz Ahmed and Mohammad Hafeez against England they're unlikely to make any changes to the winning combination for this match. 

Despite coming into this one on a loss, it's far from doom and gloom for one of the tournament favourites Australia. Steve Smith's batting form has been one of the highlights of the World Cup so far, while the continued improvement of gloveman Alex Carey at the crease will also be a source of encouragement for the Aussies.

A crucial match for both teams lay ahead and one you’ll be able to watch with ease from anywhere in the world if you follow our Australia vs Pakistan live stream guide below.  

Watch a Cricket World Cup 2019 live stream from outside your country

For cricket fans in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, US or India and looking to find out how to watch the match, we've got all the details about the broadcaster with the rights to show the match in your region below. 

If you're away from home country and looking to see the action you'll likely to find you won't be able to thanks to geo-blocking. Thankfully there's a way to alleviate that frustration. By using a VPN you'll be able to watch the game without having to resort to watching via an illegal feed from a dodgy website.

How to watch a live stream of today's match in Australia

How to watch the cricket in Pakistan

How to stream 2019 Cricket World Cup online in India

How to stream Australia vs Pakistan live in the UK 

How to watch the game in New Zealand

How to watch Australia vs Pakistan: US live stream 

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Nvidia 'Super' RTX cards may launch in July to keep high-end lead on AMD

Posted: 12 Jun 2019 09:33 AM PDT

AMD Navi has been getting all of the headlines recently, but it looks like that's coming to an end. Word on the street is that those Nvidia 'Super' graphics cards may be announced as early as June 21. 

This all comes from an unverified leak via WccfTech, so we advise taking this with a heavy grain of salt. However, this leak details five 'Super' graphics cards, across the entire Nvidia RTX range.

That means the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060, RTX 2070, RTX 2070 Ti (which doesn't exist yet), RTX 2080 and even the RTX 2080 Ti are rumored to be getting beefier versions. These Super iterations of the existing graphics cards will apparently be more than the RAM overclock (OC) previously rumored, and everything will shift up a rung.

For instance, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti Super will apparently feature an entirely new graphics processor (GPU), and one that is "not a repurposed Quadro part," according to WccfTech. This card will also be completely unlocked, so that graphics add-in-boards (AIBs) – graphics cards from third parties using AMD or Nvidia GPUs – can really beef up power delivery, according to this rumor.

As for the non-flagship members of the RTX lineup, they will all feature better GPUs, and the 'Super' variants will be priced the same as their non-Super variants, while the existing models will drop in price. For example, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super will feature an 'unlocked' but non-OC variant of the RTX 2080 GPU.

We went ahead and listed all of the leaked 'Super' cards below:

  • Nvidia RTX 2080 Ti Super – new GPU
  • Nvidia RTX 2080 Super – RTX 2080 Ti GPU
  • Nvidia RTX 2070 Ti Super – new GPU
  • Nvidia RTX 2070 Super – RTX 2080 GPU
  • Nvidia RTX 2060 Super – RTX 2070 GPU

The war of the graphics cards begins again

This rumor comes hot on the heels of the AMD Navi announcement, with the Radeon RX 5700 XT and RX 5700 coming right for the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 and 2060, respectively. That alone makes this rumor seem a little fishy. Our first instinct would be that they'd be announced at E3 2019, to really ruin AMD's day.

That didn't happen, but assuming this is true, this isn't great news for AMD. If the Nvidia RTX Super comes out with a RTX 2080 chip inside, pushing the RTX 2070 down to compete with the $449 (about £350, AU$650) Radeon RX 5700 XT, Team Red will have much less breathing room price-wise. 

That's especially true for the AMD Radeon RX 5700, which at $379 (about £300, AU$550), is already more expensive than an entry-level RTX 2060. 

Only time will tell if these rumors are actually true, but if they are, it means Nvidia is ready to take up arms in the battle of AMD vs Nvidia once more, and we can't wait to see how that turns out. In the end, the ultimate winner will be us, the consumers.

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The best cheap laptop deals and sales in June 2019: prices from just £159

Posted: 12 Jun 2019 09:14 AM PDT

Navigating the swarms of cheap laptop deals can be a bit overwhelming with so many options to choose from here in the UK. Luckily for you, we're checking through the net's laptop sales throughout the year, so we know how to spot a bargain.

With such a competitive scene in the UK for laptop deals, there's plenty to choose from all year round, so if you need to buy a new laptop sharpish, we should be able to find you something that fits with your budget nicely. We've split this guide into sections based on price.

We'll give you a bit of info about each laptop we highlight too, so you can see some specs at a glance before you click through to the store and have to browse their lengthy descriptions for those vital stats you're after. 

Not everyone needs a super powerful laptop, especially if you just want something for the basics like casual browsing, email and document editing, so don't feel like you have to spend £500 on a laptop for that - you can get something for far less if you want. Naturally, if you're a bit of a multitasker, love to have loads of tabs open and want a little extra grunt for media editing, we've found laptop deals with higher spec. We sometimes chuck in gaming-friendly laptops if they meet our sensible price criteria and Chromebooks too as they're increasingly popular nowadays as users look to ditch Windows for the stripped down speedy Chrome OS instead. For you Apple fans, you might be interested in our MacBook prices and deals page too.

If you're from the States or Down Under, be sure to check out our selection of the top laptop deals in the US or Australia in our always-updated guides.

Cheap laptop sales and deal highlights

We'll continue adding the best cheap laptop deals in the latest sales as we find them. Up next, you'll find the latest prices on some of the most popular laptops around along with a list of retailers who often have a great selection of laptop sales if nothing else takes your fancy here.

  • Amazon: retail giant is often the cheapest in the UK.
  • AO: lots of cheap laptops at this growing electronics specialist.
  • Argos: home delivery or pick up a cheap laptop locally today.
  • John Lewis: models come with at least two-year guarantee.
  • ebuyer: the UK computing specialists have some great promotions.
  • Very: Often surprises with cheap prices on electronics.
  • Currys: the retailer that's seemingly always having a laptop sale.
  • Laptops Direct: specialist UK store has a huge selection of laptop deals.
  • Dell: get a great laptop deal direct from Dell.
  • Apple: MacBooks aren't exactly cheap, but they're excellent workstations

The cheapest laptop deals on these popular picks

cheap laptop deals prices sales

On release, the Chromebook Flip reached new heights for the Windows-free laptops as it came rocking a proper Intel Core processor along with a HD screen. Most models nowadays come with 64GB of storage instead of the 32GB which is plenty for running apps and storing regular documents and a fair few media files - you can always use a USB drive for more space. For most users, the newer PixelBook is what we'd call 'overkill', not to mention considerably more expensive, so we'd recommend this model if you just need something for work, browsing the net and so on. The Chrome OS works beautifully in this 2-in-1 laptop's tablet mode too.

HP Pavilion 15

A sturdy choice for a study laptop for school/college/uni. The HP Pavilion 15 has plenty of power for the average student's needs while keeping the costs sensible. There are plenty of configurations available too. Some favour speedy SSDs, while other go for larger regular hard drives, so it all depends on what you're going to need more really. Faster loading or more space for storing media files and downloads.

Asus Transformer Mini T102HA

The Asus Transformer Mini series is one of the most reliable brands of 2-in-1 tablet/laptop hybrids on the market. This upgrade includes a fingerprint sensor and double the RAM at 4GB for speedier performance compared to the older models. For your money, this is one of the most impressive two-in-one transformer models out there. Available in orange/white as seen above, or in a traditional grey steel colour.

cheap laptop deals prices sales

Ready to stretch that budget a bit (ok, maybe a lot) further? Then be sure to check out our selection of the very best laptops money can buy as we've used our dedicated price comparison technology to find the cheapest prices for them too. You can always come back to this page if they seem a bit overpowered (and over-expensive) for what you need.

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Fujifilm Instax mini LiPlay confirmed

Posted: 12 Jun 2019 09:10 AM PDT

It's been clear that Fujifilm's Instax line would soon be getting a new member, as Fujifilm has been teasing us about it for the past couple of weeks. But only now do we know for sure what it will be packing under the skin, following the model's official unveiling.

The Instax Mini LiPlay's main selling point is the 2.7-inch, 230k-dot LCD screen on its rear. This ins't quite unique to the LiPlay, as the SQ10 and SQ20 models were each bestowed with one, although this would be the first time it's been used on a more compact Mini model.

It accepts the same Instax Mini film as existing models like the Mini 9 and Mini 70, enabling it to spit out credit-card-sized prints, and it houses a lens equivalent to 28mm f/2 in 35mm terms.

The model is also one of a handful of hybrid Instax cameras, which means you can print images as you'd expect from an instant camera, but everything is captured on a 1/5-inch CMOS sensor that has a 4.9MP resolution.

It has a small internal memory that can store up to 45 images, and space for a microSD/SDHC memory card that lets you store and recall even more. That gives you the freedom to view your images post-capture or send them to an Instax printer through built-in Bluetooth. 


The front of the camera is also equipped with a mirror to aid selfie taking, and a button to record audio in conjunction with an exposure, while a built-in flash allows you to throw a little extra light on your subjects. 

Battery life, meanwhile, is rated at around 100 frames per charge, and the battery can be charged while it's in the camera through its USB port.

The Instax Mini LiPlay is available to pre-order now in the US, priced at $159.95, with pricing and availability for the UK and Australia still to be confirmed.

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How accurate is Watch Dogs Legion's London? We break down the trailer

Posted: 12 Jun 2019 09:07 AM PDT

We’ve all thought it while cruising through Los Santos or galloping towards Hyrule Castle Town: sure, this is fun, but wouldn’t it be much cooler if we could explore the world’s greatest city? No, I’m not talking about Washington DC or New York, as featured in The Division, and definitely not the Chicago featured in the original Watch Dogs. I’m talking about London.

Which is why it was so exciting to see that Watch Dogs: Legion will be set in Britain’s capital - and unlike the Victorian era Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, it looks like we might finally get to experience a London that is more than vaguely familiar. Not since The Getaway on PS2 have we seen a triple-A London sandbox that looks quite so lifelike.

The question then is… just how life-like? Let’s take a dive in and explore what the game has built, based on the E3 2019 reveal video and trailer.

How big is the Watch Dogs Legion map?

Now just a quick note before we go any further: we've yet to see the full Watch Dogs Legion game, so what we have here has been pieced together from reveal trailers, our own in-depth knowledge of London and what else we've heard and seen from Ubisoft so far. All this could change, and until we've got the final game in our hands, all this remains speculation.

First, an important question: Just how big is the map? Though Ubisoft does not appear to have so far said so, we'd wager that the size of the city was given away on the bus stop seen in the launch video near Piccadilly Circus.

This is a safe bet to be the game’s fast travel system, and it reveals a map roughly bounded as follows.

Kings Cross St Pancras -> Notting Hill Gate -> Battersea -> Brixton -> Elephant -> Tower Bridge -> The City of London -> The Isle of Dogs -> (A massive, non-existent road in real life cutting through Whitechapel) -> Old Street -> Back to Kings Cross St Pancras.

So roughly this:

Image Credit: Google Maps

Now let’s explore some of the places we saw in greater detail.

Piccadilly Circus

The reveal video started in Piccadilly Circus, and good grief, have they done a good job of recreating it. All of the buildings look pretty accurate to me. There’s just one problem: the 42 bus doesn’t go anywhere near here in real life. It is actually a route that goes from East Dulwich to Liverpool Street. And just as egregiously: the real route doesn’t use double-decker “New Routemasters” - it sticks to single deckers. And “City Centre”? What the hell is that? The game is ruined.

Here’s a wider daytime shot from the trailer - note the arches and the domed building. Even the road layout is pretty spot on.

We also learn that the Tube is out of action, with a sign reporting maintenance. Presumably this is so the game can avoid having to have a fast travel system where the player has to spend ten minutes pushing through crowds and descending on multiple escalators to get to the train, with NPCs passing out due to the lack of air conditioning. Though on the plus side, it means that it won’t annoy us with a completely fictional and implausible orbital railway, like Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate did.

It’s also curious to see the actual TfL roundel logo present in the game, given that Transport for London has been historically protective of its brand. For example, though Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 had a sequence set on the Tube (don’t get me started on the geography), it was unable to use any TfL branding.

After the player beats someone up, we see them get into a taxi and race off - heading down Coventry Street towards Leicester Square. Good detail on the tourist tat shops, and unless we are mistaken it appears that the Prince of Wales theatre, currently home to Book of Mormon has made it into the game.

The taxi then approaches the North West entrance to Leicester Square, where we can see the large building that replaced the Swiss Centre. There is one crucial omission though. Look at the ground floor of that building: M&Ms World does not exist in Watch Dogs Legion. So maybe the dystopian future isn’t so bad after all?

The car then turns and gives us the first indication that though tonally very accurate, the map does appear to have been compressed: Haymarket and Whitcomb Street appear to have been combined. On the right you can see the Horses of Helios statue, and on the left you can see the red glow of the Angus Steakhouse. Presumably in the game you won’t be able to go inside, as the developers surely won’t be able to find a single Londoner who has ever actually been inside an Angus Steakhouse.

Trafalgar Square

We then hit the Pall Mall approach to Trafalgar Square which looks accurate, with Canada House on the right and the National Gallery on the left. There definitely isn’t a bus stop there in real life though.

Incidentally, the outlook for Canada House in the game doesn’t look too good. Here’s a shot from the trailer:

Trafalgar Square looks pretty faithfully recreated - check out St Martin-in-the-Fields church in the distance. Try not to knock over any of floating Yodas on your way.

Here’s a look back at the National Gallery, which appears to be hosting some surveillance drones. Well, they do have form for this sort of thing:

Here’s the south view of Trafalgar Square. Aside from the overall accuracy of Nelson’s Column, the fountain and the steps, I also like how the LED warning sign looks accurate for Britain too.

Victoria Embankment

The reveal video then crosses to the Victoria Embankment. The river side looks spot on. The arch on the right hand side is presumably for the Victoria Embankment Gardens - but it doesn’t look quite right to me. Though it does look vaguely familiar.

New Scotland Yard is in broadly the right place - though in real life the actual building looks very different, even once you remove all of the luminous sci-fi stuff.

The proximity of the Golden Jubilee Walkways to New Scotland Yard does, however, also show further how the map has been compressed - in reality, it would be slightly further away.

Here’s a higher up shot of Westminster which shows us something we currently can’t see in real life: Big Ben (yes, we know) without any scaffolding around it. Note an accurate Portcullis House next to it (that’s the building on top of Westminster Tube Station which is part of the Parliamentary estate), and, Of course, the London Eye and the old County Hall building across the river.

It does, however, show a number of missing buildings including, most obviously, the Shell Centre. Though look through the Eye, and you can see the new One Blackfriars skyscraper that was presumably inspired by Arrival.

Here’s another shot of Big Ben, this time with the rest of Parliament attached. In the background we can see what appears to be the silhouette of the Millbank Tower, an office block from which the Labour Party ran its 1997 campaign, and where today the People’s Vote Campaign is based (though presumably they’ll have moved out by the time post-Brexit dystopia Watch Dogs London actually happens).

Also extra points if you spotted the most annoying thing about this photo: once again it is the 42 bus. Still wrongly a double decker, and still not on the correct route. What’s wrong with the 159, Ubisoft? Maybe the TechRadar UK team start a campaign to make the bus numbering accurate.

On the other side of Parliament, here’s Parliament Square. This is the view from the north side looking towards Parliament. I can’t tell for sure, but it definitely looks as though St Margaret’s Church - the smaller one next to Westminster Abbey - may have been cut. What I’m most interested in though is to see whether the square’s newest statue, that of suffragette Millicent Fawcett, has made the cut.

The most incorrect thing from this screenshot though is staring us right in the face - and it isn’t the “Kensington Rovers” bag. It’s the pub that the character is leaving. Called “The Earl’s Fortune”, it appears that it may be the player’s home base. Unfortunately, there isn’t a pub there in real life, instead it’s the Supreme Court and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.

One last thing from Westminster. Behind the character here is the Guard’s Memorial in St James’s Park, and behind her we can see a wall covered in greenery, suggesting we’re looking North towards the Mall. However, that building behind, whatever that is, shouldn’t be there. To the right and just out of shot should the Horseguards grounds where Trooping the Colour takes place.

South of the River

Crossing the river we get to see a little bit of South London. In this aerial shot from the trailer, going left to right look out for Guy’s Hospital, The Imperial War Museum (green dome a little further back), the Shard (of course), and the Baby Shard - now home to Rupert Murdoch’s empire in London. A little further back is the massive Park Plaza hotel that sits to the South of Westminster Bridge, and we can see One Blackfriars again.

Here’s a dramatic rooftop shot. The building on the left used to be the headquarters of MI5, but today has been repurposed as some very expensive flats.

We also got to see this very brief shot of Brixton - we know that because there’s some big letters saying “Brixton”. Though what’s curious is that I can’t quite place this: It looks like it should be Windrush Square, but the building on the right doesn’t match the architecture of either the church there or The Ritzy cinema. Though architecturally, it is definitely very similar to many other churches in London.

Here’s perhaps the most obscure spot though - and full marks to Twitter follower Liam Blizard for spotting this. Remember this shot of what looks like a fairly informal housing estate from the trailer? It turns out it is a fairly accurate recreation of Southwyck House in Brixton. Maybe one of the developers lives there?

Amazingly it appears that the game even makes it down as far as Battersea - as we can see from Battersea Power Station in the background of this shot.

We also get to see Vauxhall Bridge and the Vauxhall Tower - as well as some of the new blocks of flats that are down that way.

Oh, and here’s the Tate Modern and the Millennium pedestrian bridge:

And what comes after the Tate Modern? City Hall, of course!

Going north again

It wouldn’t be a London game without Tower Bridge, and we can also see HMS Belfast, St Paul’s, Mansion House and the Walkie Talkie.

It looks like there’s going to a mission at the Tower of London.

Here’s a close up of St Paul’s:

Here’s another aerial shot of the city that appears to have done a very good job hiding the Walkie Talkie. If only we could do that in real life. Most obviously we can see the Gherkin and the Cheesegrater, as well as what looks like a stand in for the massive boxy skyscraper in the city that is still under construction.

It also appears we’re going to get a little bit of East London, as that Chimney belongs to Truman’s Brewery on Brick Lane.

More north of the river

Here’s Kings Cross St Pancras, complete with massive clock on the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel.

This is a cool shot. It might be a strange one to work out at first but this is a view of BBC (here called “GBB”) Broadcasting House on the left - which retains its shape and (ornamental?) antenna on the roof. On the right is All Souls Church, which sits opposite the entrance. The BT Tower looks familiar but has had a bit of a redesign on top. It also shows how the map has been shrunken slightly - in real life it isn’t visible from this vantage and feels like it should be slightly further away.

There wasn’t a clear shot unfortunately, but we do see the retired assassin lady take someone down right in front of the Victoria Memorial and Buckingham Palace. There’s another bus promising to take riders to the “City Centre” too.

Here’s Admiralty Arch on the Mall side with that sodding bus again. No buses go down this road for a very obvious reason: it is regularly closed and disrupted by various royal happenings. Not a good place for a bus route.

China Town also gets a look-in. Here we see it correctly placed behind Leicester Square.

Though annoyingly, we then see this arch, which is real… but isn’t placed here. Wherever here is supposed to be.

I’m not entirely sure which bridge this is supposed to be. It looks a bit like London Bridge, but the landmarks don’t entirely match up.

And now we’ve reached Camden Town, which features heavily in the reveal as we saw a rescue mission take place there. It’s an incredibly impressive recreation. The “Camden Market” branding is spot on, but in slightly the wrong place. The cut by the side of the railway arches we see the mission take place in though? That’s entirely real, and is called Gin Alley.

Unknowns

And finally, here’s some of the other London locations that we've so far been unable to place.

This modern shop front with a colorful bridge?

This place has a very strong Camden Town vibe, but it is hard to pin it on anything in particular.

The location of this house is frustrating. It looks like it could be either Downing Street or Doctor Johnson’s House, but neither match up correctly.

And finally this football pitch at the bottom of a large tower. If you’ve any ideas please do tweet as we will be genuinely and unironically interested.

So that’s London, as seen through the eyes of Watchdogs: Legion. And… it is pretty incredible what the developers appear to have done. 

Now all we have to do is wait until March next year to play it, by which time we could have tipped over into Brexit dystopia anyway (food shortages, civil disorder, the 42 bus being rerouted, etc), so the game might eventually become even more realistic.

All image credits: Ubisoft

  • E3 2019 is the biggest gaming event of the year. TechRadar is reporting live from LA, telling you all about the biggest announcements of the week, from epic game trailers to shocking release date reveals. Follow our expert analysis of the keynotes and what we see on the E3 show floor.

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Get a SIM-free Samsung S10e and free headphones from £319 with this brilliant deal

Posted: 12 Jun 2019 08:56 AM PDT

We're always scouting out the best deals on the world's best tech. That means that we can say with certainty that when a deal catches our eye, it is one well worth going for. The most recent apple of our eye comes from Samsung with an offer that's hard to refuse.

The essential premise of the deal is this. Buy a SIM-free Galaxy S10e straight from Samsung and get a free pair of AKG N60 wireless headphones (normally worth £269).

While the promise of a free pair of headphones is already a pretty great bonus, it gets better. Thanks to Samsung's trade-in scheme, you could knock the price of the phone all the way down to as low as £319 depending on what device you trade in.

Considering a Samsung Galaxy S10e deal SIM-free costs £669, that means you could get the phone for over half its price and still get the free headphones at the same time.

This offer comes to a close on July 10 so you have plenty of time to decide which S10e colour suits you best (we suggest Canary Yellow for pure eccentric value!).

See this brilliant Samsung S10e price cut in full: 

Tempted? We don't blame you - SIM-free Samsung S10e prices don't get better than this. And if you need a SIM card to put in your shiny new mobile, then we can help you there, too. Head over to our SIM only deals guide for the best options in the UK and get your data, minutes and texts sorted for as little as £3.99 per month.

How to redeem your headphones

Once you've purchased your brand new S10e simply go to Samsung and redeem your headphones. After going through that link, follow through the claim now button  and fill out the questions.

You have to claim before July 10 otherwise you will not be able to get the headphones. They will then arrive within 30 days of your claim being received. 

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Best smartwatch 2019: the top wearables you can buy today

Posted: 12 Jun 2019 08:32 AM PDT

Update: It's not strictly a sequel to the Samsung Galaxy Watch, but we've just placed the Galaxy Watch Active in our list below. It's a sportier version of our best smartwatch without the rotatable bezel, plus the price is lower too.

A smartwatch is the ultimate phone accessory. It can tell the time, of course, but it can also beam important notifications straight to your wrist, track your fitness stats and pay for your morning coffee.

Today's best smartwatch models can perform a ton of tricks, such as enabling you to search the internet with your voice, track your location with GPS or even monitor your heart rate to protect your overall health – with our without pairing to one of the best smartphones on the market.

Oh, and some of them look absolutely stunning too. If you're thinking that a smartwatch is a pointlessly geeky accessory... think again. The choices we've ranked below are well-made, powerful and can genuinely make you fitter through some smart nudges.

We've tested the vast majority of the top-end wearables you can buy right now from the Apple Watch to Fitbits, Garmin trackers to Tizen-sporting Samsung watches. There's also Wear OS (you may have known that in its previous incarnation called Android Wear) which is Google's own wearable operating system in the vein of Apple's watchOS.

During our review process, we take into account the design, features, battery life, spec, price and more for each smartwatch, rank it against the competition and enter it into the list you'll find below.

Smartwatches come and go from the ranking depending on the rest of the competition at the time, and bear in mind we may see products like the Honor Watch Magic appear in the list after we've tested them properly.

It looks like 2019 is set to be a big year in the wearables space too, so expect lots of change in this list if we hear official announcements for products like the Google Pixel Watch, Garmin Fenix 6 and the Apple Watch 5.

Our best smartwatch you can buy right now is from Samsung, and instead of opting for the expected Gear S4 name it's called the Galaxy Watch. Following on from the Gear S3 series and the Gear Sport in 2017, the latest Samsung Watch is much improved.

We've tested out the larger 46mm version of the watch and it comes with a phenomenal four day battery life even when you're using it extensively. That's impressive considering a lot of other watches on this list last a day or so from a single charge.

The rotating bezel remains a highlight of navigating around the Tizen OS on the watch, and the interface is one of the easiest to pick up that we've seen on a smartwatch.

Apps available on the watch are more limited than Wear OS or watchOS - two rival smartwatch operating systems - but it still offers the core basics and Samsung had provided a watch that's good at fitness as well as sporting a great design and lots more functionality too.

Read the full Samsung Galaxy Watch review

Coming in a close second, the Apple Watch Series 4 is our second favorite smartwatch you can buy right now. This is the first time Apple has updated the design of its smartwatch line, and it looks all the better for it.

You get a much bigger screen with the choice of 40mm or 44mm watch sizes, there's a wider display (which is still bright and clear) as well as all the rest of the tech we've come to expect from the Apple Watch.

The speaker on this watch is louder than before, the design is still lightweight (yet it feels premium) and you can use all your existing Apple Watch straps with this latest generation too.

The most exciting tech is the fact there's an ECG feature within the heart rate tracker. It can test your heart to see if you're at a high risk of atrial fibrillation, which will allow you to seek help earlier if your health is in danger.

This tech isn't present at launch, and right now we only know it'll be available in the US. I's not an upgrade relevant to everyone, but for some people this could be some life changing tech.

There are still tons of fitness features and the latest watchOS 5 apps onboard so you'll likely love this smartwatch. The Apple Watch 4 is our favorite watch you can use with an iPhone (this won't work with Android devices), but it's just been pipped to the title of best overall smartwatch.

Read the full Apple Watch 4 review

What's next? The Apple Watch 4 was announced and released in September 2018, and we don't expect to see the Apple Watch 5 until the same month this year.

Fossil has developed a lot of expertise in the wearable tech space over the last few years, and this has all culminated in the best smartwatch the company has made so far.

The Fossil Sport is a top-end watch with a lower price tag than the two devices above in this list. It features GPS, a lightweight - yet premium - design and at least two days of battery life from a single charge.

Fossil has packed a Snapdragon Wear 3100 chipset inside, which is the latest update from Qualcomm that offers a smoother experience than you'll get on a lot of older Wear OS watches.

It doesn't sport any truly unique features, but the overall package of the Fossil Sport may be the best watch for you. That'll especially be the case if you're looking for a fitness watch that comes with Wear OS software and won't look odd on your wrist when you're going about your day.

Read the full Fossil Sport review

Fitbit is one of the biggest names in fitness tracking tech, but until late in 2017 the company hadn't gone anywhere near smartwatches. 

The company has now released two smartwatches, and both feature on this list but first we're starting with our favorite that was announced in March 2018.

That favorite from Fitbit is the Versa that is a touch smaller than the other one (that's the Ionic) but it comes with Fitbit Pay for contactless payments, 2.5GB of storage for music and battery life that'll last around three days.

It doesn't have GPS for tracking your runs and the design doesn't feel as premium as some of the other watches on this list, but we really like the Fitbit Versa and it's one of the more affordable choices on this list.

Read the full Fitbit Versa review

What's next? Our Fitbit Versa Lite review is now in, and it may be worth a look if you're looking to buy the Fitbit Versa. It isn't as feature-packed, but it's cheaper than the original Versa.

You've already heard all about the Samsung Galaxy Watch, but what if you just don't want a large version of its wearable? Samsung has shrunk down most of the tech available in the Galaxy Watch into this more sport appropriate package that's slimmer, lighter and, arguably, more comfortable.

The Galaxy Watch Active features a 1.1-inch 360 x 360 display that while being bright and beautiful allows for a smaller watch to be strapped around your wrist than a lot of the other devices in this list.

It still comes sporting all of the top-end fitness features you'd expect from Samsung's Tizen watch range, but it lacks the rotating bezel or an LTE option that you'd get from the top-end product.

The best part is how the price has shrunk to match its size. It's certainly not a cheap smartwatch, but when compared to the original RRP of the Galaxy Watch you may prefer to opt for this version that's remarkably similar.

Read the full Samsung Galaxy Watch Active review

One of the cheapest devices on this list, the TicWatch E2 is from a relatively small brand called Mobvoi but it has made a big splash with its latest couple of smartwatches.

The E2 is waterproof, comes with great battery life and it's all available for an affordable price. You probably won't fall in love with the design of this watch - it's not particularly premium - but we like the look considering how much it costs.

For health, the watch comes with built-in GPS, an accurate heart rate sensor and sleep tracking. All of the fitness features you'd expect are here, but make sure you note that it won't be able to do contactless payments as there's no NFC onboard.

Read the full TicWatch E2 review

Don't like the design? There's also the TicWatch S2. That's a remarkably similar watch to the TicWatch E2, but it comes with a slightly more rugged look for adventurers who want a watch that can take a beating. Check this out if you're happy to spend a bit extra.

The Apple Watch 3 (or Apple Watch Series 3, if you're picky) was the best smartwatch but has recently been bumped off the top spot and down a few places since the launch of the Apple Watch 4. 

The Apple Watch 3 is essentially just the Apple Watch 2 frame with some new innards... but they make a big difference. Plus the price has recently dropped, making this a much more attractive proposition.

The LTE connection is the headline event, although that's not really as useful as some might hope - plus it costs a lot more to use, and drains the battery.

What we like is the non-LTE version, which is a lot cheaper, and offers all the smarts of the Watch 2 but with a longer battery life and faster speeds when flicking through apps.

It's still water-resistant so you can swim with it and you won't have to worry about getting it wet in the rain when you're out for a jog. There's GPS onboard to make running that little bit easier plus it you can now upgrade to watchOS 5 too.

Read the full Apple Watch 3 review

One of our favorite Wear OS watches is the TicWatch Pro, which you can use with either an iPhone or with your Android phone. You may not have heard of TicWatch before, but the latest from the company it a top-end watch with a unique dual-screen feature.

There are two displays on this watch - one layered on top of the other. On the top is a transparent LCD display that can display the time, your heart rate and more when the battery is low.

Below that is a bright and bold full color OLED screen that will give you all of the benefits of Wear OS. That means you can have a normal smartwatch, which we found would last around two days, and then have the time and some other features still available when your battery is running low. Plus the low power mode also lasts for a whole 30 days too.

In terms of smartwatch features there's GPS, NFC for Google Pay, Bluetooth for listening to music and the top Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 chipset in here running the watch as well. Then there's the price, which undercuts a lot of the other watches on this list.

Read the full TicWatch Pro review

The Fitbit Ionic was always going to be a tough move for the brand, trying to enter the world of smartwatches from fitness bands.

The effort succeeds in some places: namely fitness, as you might imagine, where you can track all manner of things, from running to weight lifting to swimming. There's also dedicated bodyweight coaching sessions in there, and you can pay for items on the go using Fitbit Pay.

When it first launched, the price was super high and it was a bit too expensive to wholeheartedly recommend. The good news is the price seems to have dropped in recent months so you can get it for at least $70/£70 cheaper than the RRP.

If you're a Fitbit fan looking to do more than you get on an average band, this is a nice option.

Read the full Fitbit Ionic review

What's next? Rumors about a new Ionic are few and far between, but we've put together a guide on what we want to be improved if it releases a Fitbit Ionic 2.

The second attempt at a smartwatch from Misfit has gone down even better than the first. This watch is designed to sit somewhere in between a premium, fashionable smartwatch and a must-have for fitness lovers.

It doesn't do either of those things perfectly, and instead does both quite well. It's a good looking watch that doesn't cost the same amount as some of the more expensive Wear OS watches you can buy.

It is sporting the older Snapdragon 2100 chipset, but it features built-in GPS, NFC for Google Pay and a variety of other features that may make you want it.

Read the full Misfit Vapor 2 review

Photo illustration: TechRadar; Misfit; Mobvoi; Apple; Fitbit; Samsung

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India vs New Zealand live stream: how to watch the Cricket World Cup 2019 match from anywhere

Posted: 12 Jun 2019 08:29 AM PDT

The last two teams in the 2019 Cricket World Cup that stand unbeaten go head-to-head today in Nottingham for what looks set to be a cracking match. You can watch the action no matter where you are in the world by using our guide below to getting an India vs New Zealand live stream.

Having already clocked up big wins against the likes of Australia and South Africa, India rightly go into today’s match having nothing to fear against the tournament’s other team with a 100% record.

While India have taken on two of the tournaments more fancied teams, Thursday’s game represents New Zealand’s first proper test following three routine wins thus far. Nevertheless, the Black Caps will also go into the game confident, not least because they were run out winners in a World Cup warm up between the two sides in the run-up to the tournament.

With both batting outfits in strong form, and Trent Bridge‘s flat pitch traditionally a high scoring ground, winning the toss could prove crucial today. Match 18 is shaping up to be one of the tournament's most anticipated games. You'll be able to watch it from anywhere in the world if you follow our India vs New Zealand live stream guide below.  

Watch a Cricket World Cup 2019 live stream from outside your country

If you're in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, US or India, we've got all the details about who is broadcasting the game in your region below. 

If you're outside of your home country and looking to watch the action you'll likely find you won't be able to thanks to geo-blocking. However, by using a VPN you'll be able to watch the game safely without needing to resort to an unreliable feed from an illegal website.

How to stream today’s match online in India

How to live stream today’s match in New Zealand

How to watch India vs New Zealand in Australia

How to stream India vs New Zealand live in the UK 

How to watch India vs New Zealand: US live stream 

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Amazon Father's Day sale: the Instant Pot Duo is down to its lowest price ever

Posted: 12 Jun 2019 08:27 AM PDT

Father's Day is almost here, and to celebrate Amazon has slashed prices on its best-selling devices. Amazon's Father's Day sale includes discounts on the Echo smart speaker, Fire HD 10 tablet and the Ring Video Doorbell Pro, to name a few.

A standout deal and a great gift idea is the Instant Pot Duo60 that's on sale for just $59.95. That's a $40 discount and the lowest price we've seen for the popular pressure cooker. The Instant Pot Duo is a 6-QT pressure cooker that combines seven kitchen appliances in one (pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, sauté, yogurt marker and warmer) to prepare all your favorite foods quickly and conveniently. Thanks to the advanced microprocessor technology, your dishes are prepared up to 70% faster with consistent, even results. The Instant Pot includes 14 different smart programs so you can easily cook rice, soup, meat, and more with one-touch of a button. The pressure cooker also works with Alexa and offers 1000+ recipes and guides from the compatible app.

Shop more of Amazon's Father's Day deals below and make sure to take advantage of these limited-time promotions before they're gone. 

Father's Day deals:

More Father's Day sales:

Shop more deals and learn more about Prime Day with our guide to Amazon Prime Day: everything you need to know for the July deals event.

Shop more Instant Pot promotions with the best Instant Pot deals that are currently available.

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Grab a tasty tech freebie worth up to £249 with BT's fibre broadband deals

Posted: 12 Jun 2019 08:05 AM PDT

This week, BT has been running some fibre broadband deals that are pretty hard to turn down. With the promise of a free tech gift that BT states are worth up to £249 and BT Reward Cards up to £70, these are among our favourite internet offers in the UK right now.

With the choice of a free pair of JBL headphones, a Samsung tablet or an Amazon Echo all up for grabs, these BT broadband deals are worth snapping up.

In terms of which of BT's packages offer these incentives, the standout deals come from the Superfast Fibre 1 and Superfast Fibre 2 bundles. But as if the big tech freebies weren't enough to win you over, BT also offers BT Reward Cards with these deals. Depending on which package you choose, that could mean either £40 or £70 extra on top of this deal.

Ready to collect your new gift and superfast speeds? You can see all of the details of these offers from BT down below. Or check our guide to the best broadband deals to see what else is out there.

Find out more about these tech freebies:

JBL 650 Live Headphones - Featuring a high-end punchy sound, good levels of comfort and Google Assistant/Alexa support, these are a great set of headphones.

Samsung Tablet A - This tablet features a HD screen, powerful processor and a stylish design. One of the better Android tablets currently on the market.

Amazon Echo - the now legendary smart speaker, an Amazon Echo is perfect for any house. Change songs, ask questions and make reminders all by voice.

BT's new fibre broadband deals + free gift:

What is a BT Reward Card?

The Reward Card that BT sends out is a pre-paid credit card that you can use anywhere that accepts Mastercard. In short, that's around a million shops, cafes and restaurants around the world, so you shouldn't find it difficult to find places to spend, spend, spend.

It's an old-fashioned chip and pin card, rather than contactless. But do make sure that you claim your Reward Card within three months of installation, otherwise you'll lose out on all that cash.

Today's best broadband deals

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