Apple : ICANN lifts price caps on .org domains |
- ICANN lifts price caps on .org domains
- Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super vs RTX 2070
- Latest Windows 10 update has a bug that kills VPN connection
- How Mitel helped bring baseball to London
- PS5: all the games, specs, news, and rumors for Sony’s Playstation 5
- The best cheap 4K TV deals and sale prices in the US on Amazon Prime Day 2019
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| ICANN lifts price caps on .org domains Posted: 02 Jul 2019 12:42 PM PDT The internet registration outfit ICANN has agreed to remove price restrictions on .org domain names despite community outcry over the move. Now the manager of .org domains, Public Interest Registry, will be able to charge as much as it wants for these domains which are typically used by non-profits and other organizations. Afilias, which manages the .info domain, will be allowed to charge as much as it wants for .info domain names as well.
ICANN's decision to lift the price cap on .org domain names goes against the fact that only six out of the over 3,000 comments it received on the issue were in favor of removing price caps. Domain name price capsThere are currently 10m .org domains registered and these domains were registered under a system that prevented Public Interest Registry from increasing prices at will. Now though, non-profits and other organizations that have been using their .org domains for years could face steep price increases. However, Public Interest Registry's management will likely wait a while before making any major changes to avoid increased backlash over the removal of price caps. By removing price caps on .org domains, ICANN has set the precedent that it could one day agree to price increases for .com domains.
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| Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super vs RTX 2070 Posted: 02 Jul 2019 12:30 PM PDT In this article, we’re going to pit the new Nvidia RTX 2070 Super vs the RTX 2070 to see if the new Super card is a worthy upgrade. With Nvidia unveiling a new range of Super RTX graphics cards that promise performance upgrades over the existing RTX cards, we’re looking at if the RTX 2070 Super is worth buying – or if the original RTX 2070 offers better value for money. Like the RTX 2070, the RTX 2070 Super is a high-end graphics card that is aimed at enthusiasts who want to play their games at high resolutions and with visual settings whacked up to high. They aren’t Nvidia’s highest-end cards, as the RTX 2070 sits below the RTX 2080, and both the RTX 2070 and RTX 2070 Super can’t match the flagship RTX 2080 Ti card either. So, let’s compare the RTX 2070 with the RTX 2070 Super to see if Nvidia’s upgrade is a worthy purchase. The RTX 2070 is still a formidable card (Image credit: TechRadar) Nvidia RTX 2070 Super vs RTX 2070: specsThe Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super is based on Nvidia’s TU104 GPU. It features 2,560 CUDA cores, a base clock of 1605MHz, a boost clock of 1770MHz, 184 texture units and a max L1 cache size of 2560KB. By comparison, the RTX 2070 has 2304 CUDA cores, a base clock of 1410 MHz, a boost of 1,620 MHz, 144 texture units and 2,304 cache. The RTX 2070 Super also beats the standard RTX 2070 when it comes to texel fill-rate with 325.7 Gigatexels/sec vs 233.3. So, by and large, the RTX 2070 Super offers a decent spec bump on paper. However, it does share the same specs as the RTX 2070 in some respects, such as memory interface (256-bit), memory data rate (14 Gbps) and memory bandwidth (448 GB/sec). One area that the RTX 2070 beats the RTX 2070 Super is in power consumption, with the regular card having a TGP of 175 Watts, versus the RTX 2070 Super’s 215 Watts. Considering the upgraded components, it’s not too surprising that the RTX 2070 Super draws more power, but it does mean the regular RTX 2070 is cheaper to run in the long run, and better suited to smaller, lower powered builds. The RTX 2070 Super offers upgrades in some key areas (Image credit: TechRadar) Nvidia RTX 2070 Super vs RTX 2070: priceWhen the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 launched in October 2018, it cost $499 (about £380, AU$690), while an Nvidia-made Founders Edition cost $599 (£569, AU$899). This was pretty steep for a ‘70’ card, with the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 coming out at $449 (around £350, AU$650). However, the good news is that the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super Founders Edition will cost the same as the regular RTX 2070 when it launched, at $499. Considering the power upgrade, the fact the RTX 2070 Super has launched at the same price as the original RTX 2070 makes the new card seem like very good value. However, we will hopefully see price drops for the original RTX 2070 now that the new card has launched. In fact, the RTX 2070 Super completely replaces the RTX 2070, which means there may be some tempting offers for the older card as retailers clear their stock. Also, for a limited time, you will get two games - Control and Wolfenstein: Youngblood – worth around $90, with a purchase of the RTX 2070 Super, which makes it better value. Both games run Metro Exodus well (Image credit: Deep Silver) Nvidia RTX 2070 Super vs RTX 2070: performanceIn the benchmark results we’ve seen so far, from both Nvidia and from our own testing, the new RTX 2070 Super offers some decent — but not exceptional — performance gains when gaming compared to the original RTX 2070. For example, in Battlefield V, the RTX 2070 scored 67.3 frames per second. Meanwhile, the RTX 2070 Super managed 73.7 FPS. The performance difference between the two cards was more noticeable with Metro Exodus, with the RTX 2070 scoring 60.8 FPS compared to the RTX 2070 Super’s 69.4 FPS. Generally, we are seeing around a 10 FPS performance boost between the cards for most games. That’s probably not a big enough performance increase to justify an upgrade from the RTX 2070. That card remains a good enough performer, so the extra 10 FPS the new card brings won’t seem revolutionary. However, if you are looking to upgrade from an older card then it makes sense to go with the improved RTX 2070 Super. Nvidia RTX 2070 Super vs RTX 2070: should I buy an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super?As Nvidia claims, the RTX 2070 Super is up to 24% faster than the RTX 2070 for the same price, with an average performance increase of 16%. This means it’s probably not worth the upgrade from an RTX 2070 unless you have money to burn. And if you do have that sort of money, then you’d be better off buying the upcoming RTX 2080 Super or RTX 2080 Ti, which both offer a bigger leap in performance over the regular RTX 2070. However, if you’re looking to upgrade an older GPU, then the GeForce RTX 2070 Super is definitely worth considering. It’s a very capable card that can handle the latest games at high resolutions, full graphical effects and fast frame rates. It’s a great choice if you don’t want to (or simply can’t) pay for the more expensive RTX 2080 Ti, whilst still providing impressive performance. While people who just bought an RTX 2070 might feel a little miffed at Nvidia superseding it so soon, the RTX 2070 is still a fine GPU in its own right, and with the RTX 2070 Super replacing it in the RTX line up, it means you may get an excellent deal for the older GPU as retailers clear their stock.
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| Latest Windows 10 update has a bug that kills VPN connection Posted: 02 Jul 2019 12:09 PM PDT Microsoft has confirmed that the Windows 10 May 2019 Update (version 1903) contains a bug that could break the Remote Access Connection Manager (RASMAN) service on some devices, in turn killing users VPN connections. In an update to its support document, the company revealed that the bug is affecting Windows 10 version 1903 with the KB4497935 update installed. According to Microsoft's updated changelog, the RASMAN service may stop working and administrators or users will receive an “0xc0000005” error when a system running the latest version of Windows 10 is manually configured to the non-default telemetry setting of zero.
The problem itself occurs when a VPN profile is configured as an Always on VPN (AOVPN) with or without device tunnel. Luckily though, the issue does not affect manual-only VPN profiles or connections which are more commonly used by consumers looking to secure their devices online and prevent unwanted tracking. RASMAN issuesIf you do use an Always on VPN connection though, you can fix the issue by setting a new value for two group policy settings:
Alternatively, you can make the following changes to the Registry:
After applying these changes to either the group policy settings or registry, you will need to restart the Remote Access Connection Manager service for them to take effect.
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| How Mitel helped bring baseball to London Posted: 02 Jul 2019 11:30 AM PDT What services did Mitel bring to the London Stadium this summer? As Major League Baseball’s official business communications and technology partner, Mitel powered on- and off-field communications during this historic series of games. The London Stadium was equipped with the same technology implemented across all 30 MLB stadiums in North America to enable seamless communications and collaboration between the dugouts, bullpens and press box, along with connecting teams back to the Replay Review Center in New York City. Additionally, Mitel provided communications capabilities for other key stadium locations including the Commissioner’s suite, situation room, replay trailer and broadcast booth. Our heritage runs deep across the UK and Europe so being able to bring the communications expertise we have delivered for MLB in North America to London for this landmark event was very exciting. How will these help improve communication both on and off the field? Unlike football, rugby or basketball, communications are critical to the smooth flow of a baseball game. During a game, baseball players, coaches, umpires and supporting staff are stationed in different locations around the field. If an umpire can’t make a call, a coach or manager can’t challenge a call, or a relief pitcher can’t be summoned at the right moment, the integrity of the game is affected. The 2018 FIFA World Cup was the first time football fans were exposed to video reviews, but in baseball they are a common and important component of the sport. Mitel technology enables the on-field officials to connect with the Replay Review Center at MLB headquarters in New York where a play is analyzed and the decision passed back to the field. When replays occur during a game is unpredictable, so ensuring consistent, real-time communications is no small feat. Were there any challenges in bringing your technology to a UK stadium for the first time? Every stadium is unique from the layouts to the surrounding technology ecosystem at the park, which was a challenge we encountered as we implemented our solutions in the 30 MLB venues in North America. London Stadium was no different in that respect; however, the real challenge was that an entire football stadium had to be transformed into a ballpark in less than a month’s time. Mitel teams on both sides of the Atlantic have worked hand-in-hand with MLB to deliver the communications technology piece of the transformation in an incredibly tight timeframe, which I think is a testament to the strong partnership we have. It’s been inspiring to finally see the results of what so many people at Mitel, MLB and beyond have worked hard to achieve. How strong is the partnership between Mitel and the MLB? Although we only launched our partnership at the start of 2018, Mitel technology is now powering its second full season of baseball across North America. To give you a few concrete figures, Mitel’s technology enables real-time communication for all 2,430 games in a season, plus the post-season. In 2018, we powered over 1,400 replay reviews. Being a part of the historic series of games in London, the first MLB official games to ever be played in Europe, has been a true privilege and only continues to strengthen our partnership. Are there any more services you're hoping to bring to the MLB in the future? Mitel always has its eye on what’s next when it comes to communications and collaboration technology. There are fascinating things that can be done with emerging technologies such as creating communication workflows with Internet of Things devices or enhancing productivity with artificial intelligence. As with any customer or partner, we continue to work with MLB on delivering solutions that enhance their operations and improve the experience for their users and fans while preserving the integrity of the game. How big a role do you feel your technology can play in the sporting world as a whole? Mitel has an incredibly strong track record of success with sports organizations. Across the globe, teams and clubs from the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs, to the Michael Johnson Performance Centre, Melbourne Football Club and Ottawa Senators rely on Mitel technology. In fact, we work with more than 30 professional sports franchises, clubs, leagues and stadiums around the world. This has been a particularly exciting year for us in the UK as we’ve had the pleasure of providing communications and collaboration technology to UEFA’s current top two football clubs, Liverpool FC and Tottenham Hotspur FC, and additionally outfitting the new Tottenham Stadium. Technology is playing an increasing role in the mechanics of sports, the optimization of athlete performance and the productivity of the club staff. Clubs today are also incredibly savvy about how technology can help them engage fans and provide new, exciting experiences. We see a bright future for Mitel in this area because communication plays a central role in all of that. I always come back to the belief that it doesn’t matter whether you’re working in retail, hospitality or sports. Today’s customers - or fans - expect high-quality experiences, and the most successful organizations are the ones that are driving digital transformation by adopting high-performance technologies.
Rich McBee is President and CEO of Mitel.
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| PS5: all the games, specs, news, and rumors for Sony’s Playstation 5 Posted: 02 Jul 2019 11:24 AM PDT The next PlayStation console is on its way, and it's set to a bigger, better and more powerful gaming machine than any PlayStation before it. Whether it ends up being called the PS5, PlayStation 5, or otherwise is anyone's guess – but now we know for sure that the console is coming. We heard from Mark Cerny, the chief architect on Sony's next-generation console, that Sony was working on the successor to the PS4 Slim and PS4 Pro, with a few choice details about what we could expect from its hardware. The PS5 will still play discs, for one – but as to the exact hardware specifications, and how it will link up with Sony and Microsoft's plans for game streaming, we're still largely in the dark. Sony made the tactical decision to skip out on E3 2019 this year, and while Microsoft is busy showing off more of the Xbox Scarlett – which we know is landing at the end of 2020 – Sony has been a bit more quiet about its upcoming gaming console. But with the release date getting closer, Sony can only keep the finer details of the next-generation PlayStation so secret – and between the rumored specs, likely next-gen titles, and official features we are aware of, there's plenty for us to occupy for now. Here's everything we know about the PS5 so far, and what we hope will be revealed the closer we get to launch. [Update: The PS5 will prioritize AAA games over indie games, according to Sony's CEO.]
PS5: FAQ
PS5 confirmed specs: things we know for sureDeath Stranding (Image Credit: Kojima Productions) A bespoke 8-core AMD chipset based on third generation Ryzen architecture, with a GPU taking the best bits of the Radeon Navi GPU family; a built-for-purpose SSD storage system; 3D audio; backwards compatibility with PS4 games and PSVR hardware; 8K TV support. It's all been revealed by PlayStation top-dog Mark Cerny, the man behind the construction of the PS4, and now in charge of the next-gen console's development. While the look of the console remains a mystery, its internals are coming into focus, and they're very promising. That AMD one-two-punch of CPU and GPU unlocks the powers of ray tracing, an advanced lighting technique that can bring next-level immersion to gaming visuals. It's a Hollywood technique that's used in big-budget CGI spectacles, putting into context the level of visual fidelity you can expect. With 8K TV support comes far more detailed textures, and much larger ones at that. The news of a bespoke SSD drive will be heartening then – just because the games will be becoming more complex, that doesn't mean they'll be slower to load too. It's estimated that the new SSD is 19 times faster than traditional SSD storage methods. Audio will reach a new "gold standard" on PS5 too, according to Cerny, thanks to a new audio engine that will deliver immersive sound – particularly if you're using headphones. While the details remain unclear, expect something resembling the experience seen with a Dolby Atmos set-up. Ghost of Tsushima (Image Credit: SuckerPunch) Sony's PS5 next-generation console will also offer improved cloud gaming performance and "dramatically improved graphics rendering" power. That's the word straight from the company itself, as it showed off a sneak peak during a corporate strategy presentation. In a statement sent out following the presentation, Sony said the "two keywords for the future direction of PlayStation are 'immersive' and 'seamless'", with the 'immersive' experience "created by dramatically increased graphics rendering speeds, achieved through the employment of further improved computational power and a customized ultra-fast, broadband SSD". The company also reinforced the importance of its cloud-gaming plans with Playstation Now, and somewhat surprisingly doubled down on its underused Remote Play feature, saying the "evolution" of this would in the future "provide a seamless game experience anytime, anywhere". Remote Play is already available as part of the PS4 package, enabling you to stream a game direct from the console to a computer, smartphone, tablet or PS Vita handheld console. But Sony says that going forward it will be "leveraging the latest computing, streaming, cloud, and 5G technologies" to allow it, and the performance of PlayStation Now, to improve. Sony also showed off a demo of the custom SSD storage system that will be employed in its next-gen machine, again hammering home how it expects super-fast load times to improve the player experience: It appears to be the same demo that PlayStation hardware architect Mark Cerny revealed back in April, with Sony suggesting then that the SSD in use is 19 times faster than a standard issue one. In fact, a patent from Sony describes a type of loading software designed to essentially do away with loading screens altogether. The meeting comes off the back of two key pieces of the puzzle for the PS5 being revealed – firstly, that the next-gen machine will make use of a third-generation, 8-core AMD Ryzen CPU built with 7-nanometer Zen 2 microarchitecture, alongside a customized Radeon Navi GPU capable of ray tracing, and a surprising partnership with Microsoft to bolster the PlayStation Now cloud infrastructure. Sony has also confirmed the PS5's 'incredibly powerful' backwards compatibility will let you play online with PS4 players. There have also been rumors that the PS5 could be backwards compatible with the PS4, PS3, PS2, and original PlayStation, meaning its games library could stretch right back to the glory days of the mid 90s. The PS4 element of that rumor is now confirmed, as well as PSVR support. Sony has also confirmed that PS5 players will be able to play online with PS4 players thanks to this powerful backwards compatibility. When it comes to the rest of Sony's vintage catalog? That remains to be seen. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End (Image Credit: Naughty Dog) Despite releasing some details on specs and features, Sony remains tight-lipped about some specific plans for the PS5: the PlayStation 5 release date remains a mystery, for instance. 2019 has been ruled out, but it will definitely be revealed in the coming months, thanks to Sony Interactive Entertainment's President and CEO Shawn Layden confirming as much in an interview with Golem.de. In addition, Sony president Kenichiro Yoshida had also previously confirmed the company is working on a next-generation console in an interview with the Financial Times. It's been four years in the making already. Back in May, Sony Interactive CEO John Kodera revealed to the Wall Street Journal that the PlayStation 5 would not be releasing until at least 2021. That now seems a reasonable guess, debuking a report from Ace Securities that claimed the PS5 could release as soon as Christmas 2019 - earlier than the Xbox Two. PS5 release dateSony PlayStation 4 (Image credit: Sony) With no official word yet on a PlayStation 5 release date it's difficult to pin down exactly when we might get to see a PS5 console. Some analysts are predicting the PlayStation 5 release date could be around 2020 or 2021, for example, while others say 2019 – so just the three-year window, then. With 2019 now ruled out by the Wired interview, 2020 seemed the most realistic launch window. However Tech reporter Takahishi Mochizuki revealed details of a transcribed conversation during Sony's latest earnings call, which specified that "no next-gen PlayStation [would] launch over next 12 months." That means we won't be seeing the console before mid-2020. That rules out the rest of 2019 and the first half of 2020, with the usual holiday-schedule release for Sony's console systems (October / November) making late 2020 the most likely bet.
PS5 competitionPS4 dashboard (Image credit: Sony) Although we're hideously impatient for news of a PlayStation 5 release date, we can't fault Sony for taking another few years to really milk the last of the PS4, given its huge and loyal player base. After all, the PS4 Pro is still relatively new to the market and its direct competitor, the Microsoft's Xbox One X, is an even more recent release. It looks like Microsoft will release its next-generation console before Sony, which will give the next Xbox the edge on its competition. However, Sony taking longer to develop the PS5 may result in it being more successful long-term. In addition to the next Xbox, the PS5 will also have to contend with the Google Stadia – a streaming-focused gaming service from the kings of the internet. With streaming undoubtedly set to be a key component of any console going forward (and Sony's cloud streaming patent already being leaked), Google's expertise in internet infrastructure could make them a dark horse entrant into the gaming race. But Sony and Microsoft may end up eating their own offerings if appetite for streaming renders powerful home consoles somewhat redundant. PS5 news and rumorsGod of War (Image credit: Sony) Solid news on the PlayStation 5 is starting to come into shape, but as always, we do have rumors about what could be coming down the line – and we've collected and assessed them right here. PS5 could mark the end of loading screens after Sony patent Sony's patent, 'System and method for dynamically loading game software for smooth game play' outlines a technology that tracks the player's movement through their environment, loading relevant assets as you move into certain areas. The patent describes the process as follows: “A system and method are disclosed for dynamically loading game software for smooth game play. A load boundary associated with a game environment is identified. A position of a character in the game environment is then monitored. Instructions corresponding to a next game environment are loaded into a memory when the character crosses the load boundary, such that game play is not interrupted." Technically this patent is a continuation of a previous patent filed in 2012, but with added functions for when a player / character passes the aforesaid "load boundary". Those might be additional events triggered when passing certain points, certain sections of game environments being visible despite not being adjacent areas, or previous areas being loaded again when back-tracking through the boundary. This seems like a version of the technology used in games like God of War, which famously achieved a continuous camera shot throughout the whole game, without loading screens. Using dynamic ways to load or remove sections of levels, including the kinds of character, creature or enemy assets found there, is going to be increasingly crucial for ensuring an immersive experience that isn't regularly interrupted – ensuring that loading is something that happens dynamically in the background of your games rather than at set points that render the game unable to do anything else. Image credit: Insomniac Games PS5 will prioritize AAA games over indie games The comments were reportedly made by Sony Chief Executive Officer Kenichiro Yoshida at a strategy meeting according to The Wall Street Journal. According to Yoshida, instead of prioritizing indie developers, Sony will instead prioritize marketing for AAA content which will likely be key for the company to maintain its momentum after outselling Microsoft’s Xbox One two-to-one over the last five years. Sony's cloud streaming patent In other words, a cloud gaming service which could rival the Google Stadia (or a cloud streaming new Xbox) and could potentially launch with the PS5. Players would be able to stream a game through a hosting server. So if you have a device that connects to the internet, be that a mobile device, console, or PC, you can connect to that server and the game you're wanting to play will be streamed to your monitor or screen, allowing can play using your preferred input device. Imagine Netflix for gaming. Rather than downloading a game, it is instead streamed directly to your device and you would play real-time, cutting the need to delete games to make storage room on your device and reducing the hardware requirements - although you wouldn't technically own the title. A diagram illustrating how the streaming service would work, included in Sony's patent (Image credit: Sony/ United States Patent and Trademark Office) Sony also points out that this cloud gaming service would benefit game developers as the service would prevent piracy (as the games exist only on the server) and developers would be able to design games to specifically utilize the service's capabilities. But how would player's pay for this service? Sony details two particular models in its patent. The first would see Sony itself collecting a subscription fee from users, then paying royalties to the developers. The second sees the developers themselves collecting a subscription fee from players, then paying Sony a fee for using the hosting service. However, neither model specified a price range. We expect Sony would implement this cloud gaming service alongside the PlayStation 5, although the company hasn't specified if this is the case. The next Xbox will be more powerful than the PS5 – say industry insiders Check out the tweet below: Bowden's claim hasn't been confirmed, so it's worth taking it with a pinch of salt. However when asked by a speculative Twitter user about the sources of this information, Bowden replied that the informants "have been accurate for years on leaks". The Last of Us: Part 2 (Image credit: Naughty Dog) Patent suggests backwards compatibility – now confirmed Kenichiro Yoshida confirms next-gen PS5 game development is in full swing John Kodera talks life cycles During the meeting, Kodera made it clear that Sony is still very much behind the console but warned that sales are expected to slow, in line with expectations as market saturation approaches. As a console gets to this point in its lifecycle, it's natural to start looking forward to the next iteration. Kodera stated that the time passing from now until 2021 would be a period where Sony would hunker down – which suggests that a new big idea could be around the corner. Perhaps 2021 will be the time to expect the PS5? No E3 2018 appearance – and no E3 2019 showcase either Cyberpunk 2077 (Image credit: CD Projekt Red) Eurogamer tech analysis Even if Sony did manage to push its console out more quickly, the cost of production would make the PS5 far too expensive, making it more likely that we won't see the console released until the end of 2020, if Sony has any intention of making it an appealing proposition. Andrew House talks the next generation In other markets, however, he thinks that streaming games will be a big part of the next generation of consoles - something which looks to be true considering Sony's leaked cloud gaming patent and the Google Stadia. House also stated that he thinks the PS4 and the PS4 Pro still have a long life in them yet. With the PS5 confirmed to be backwards-compatible with PS4 then the PS4 generation will remain relevant long into the lifecycle of the PS5. The SemiAcccurate report In addition to this, SemiAccurate also reports that Sony will use this console to push its VR efforts even further, with VR-tech baked in at the Silicon level, and will sport a GPU based on AMD's Navi architecture with a CPU that's potentially a custom item from AMD's Zen line. The Navi rumors have since been confirmed by Cerny, with the Sony guru also confirming that PSVR will work with the new machine. PS4 on stage (Image credit: TechRadar) The PlayStation Plus news This is, of course, pure speculation but it's interesting that Sony would be willing to reduce its game offering to only two games (as it informed Polygon) without any other excuse than wishing to focus on titles for an already highly successful console. Whether Sony is truly making way for the PS5 or whether it's going to offer a higher quality of PS4 game is unclear and it seems we'll have to wait a while to find out what the final plan for PS Plus is. What the analyst says...DualShock 4 controller (Image credit: Sony) We spoke to Matias Rodriguez, VP of technology for the Gaming Studio at Globant, about what it will take for Sony and Microsoft’s next-generation consoles to get the lead on the competition and, at this point, whether the next Xbox or PS5 looks to be more powerful. He told us: “While hardware advantages such as CPU and GPU are often criteria people look at when it comes to the business and sales performance of a console, more telling signs of the performance of a console include software SDKs, bindings to game engines (such as Unity and Unreal), and, most importantly, the toolchain that allows gaming studios and publishers to build content for the console’s platform. “Given this, and how statistically speaking, Xbox and PlayStation have taken turns being the reigning-supreme console, I predict Microsoft will take the lead this time.” But what are the key factors in the next-gen console war? Rodriguez gave us a rundown of the attributes he believes will sway players’ preferences when it comes to picking up one of the consoles. God of War (Image Credit: SIE) Exclusives “His crusade proved successful with the addition of Obsidian and Ninja Theory studio – preparing Microsoft for next-gen consoles. It was also revealed that Microsoft will be delivering the new Halo game, Halo Infinite, which is expected to outperform and replace the current Halo that is on the esports ecosystem.” Currently Halo Infinite is one of the only first-party titles from Microsoft that we're expecting on the next Xbox (apart from perhaps Gears 5), and, while the series is definitely a huge draw to fans, it may not be enough to sway PlayStation players towards the next Xbox. Meanwhile the PS5 is offering the possibility of The Last of Us: Part 2, Ghost of Tsushima and Death Stranding as exclusives on its next-generation console. When it comes to exclusives, Sony seems to have the edge. Death Stranding (Image credit: Kojima Productions) Backwards compatibility “Microsoft already has the current functionality for back compatibility, and seems to be partnering with Nintendo to deliver Xbox content to the Switch platform, which is assumed to be streamed.” Microsoft definitely has the upper hand when it comes to backwards compatibility. As Rodriguez points out, Microsoft already has backwards compatibility integrated, allowing Xbox players to play select Xbox 360 titles, and will no doubt implement the same strategy in making the next Xbox compatible with Xbox One titles. While Sony has said the PS5 will be backwards-compatible with the PS4, it still lacks the ability (as far as we know) to let us play PlayStation or PlayStation 2 titles – something which would go down a treat with players. Whether this is something Sony plans on allowing in the future is unclear, but it doesn’t seem likely right now. Cross-platform / progression It’s no secret that Sony isn’t a fan of cross-platform – the only titles which actually allow for full cross-platform play between PlayStation and other consoles are Rocket League and Fortnite. Despite Sony claiming it’s “open for business”, some developers have accused Sony of “playing favorites” (via Kotaku). Whether or not Sony is going to ease up on its cross-play restrictions isn’t clear, but mounting pressure from fans and developers may sway the company in the right direction. Meanwhile, Microsoft is pretty open to cross-platform play, allowing play between Xbox One and PC, Switch and even mobile in some cases. For players who love playing online with friends (without the restrictions of which platform that friend may be playing on) then cross-platform could be an important factor in choosing a next-generation console. Get with the times, Sony. Th evolution of Tomb Raider (Image credit: Sony) Cloud game streaming While Microsoft does seem to be going digital with its disc-less Xbox One S All-Digital (and rumors of a disc-less next-gen console), Sony has just had a patent approved for a cloud gaming service that could rival both the Google Stadia and next Xbox. We don’t know much more about this streaming service from Sony (or whether it’ll launch alongside the PS5) but if it does then it will be a game-changer, and will potentially prevent the Stadia having the edge over its competition. Developer relationship / dev environment Arguably, Microsoft is the most friendly of the gaming giants when it comes to indie titles. The ID@Xbox program allows indie developers to self-publish titles for Windows and the Xbox One, and it’s likely the program will continue into the next-generation (or some form of it at least). In addition, Microsoft titles tend to run across both PC and Xbox One, making life easier for devs. If Sony can kick it up a notch and get the PS5 onto a PC level (which seems to be the case), then the platform may become more hospitable to devs and players alike. PS5: Can we have proper 4K gaming?PS4 games (Image credit: Sony) The PS4 Pro offers a tantalising hint of what 4K gaming could be like. But the stark fact remains: it still doesn’t have the grunt to do native 4K consistently. Its “checkerboard” technique of taking single pixels and using each to render four pixels in 4K resolution is clever, and it can do native 4K output, but it often has to sacrifice resolution to keep performance consistent. Chris Kingsley, CTO and co-founder of developer Rebellion, dangles an even more ambitious technological carrot in front of a putative PS5: “Obviously new hardware should be able to support 4K TVs and possibly even 8K TVs at a push!” Native 4K support will be a basic requirement of the PlayStation 5. And, thanks to the Mark Cerny's confirmation, 8K will be supported in some form too. But 4K base-line visuals won't be all – it's been confirmed that the new console will support ray-tracing graphical capabilities. The past two GDC events gave us a glimpse of what the next generation of games might look like using the technology, and it's left us extremely excited for the PS5. Real-time ray tracing was revealed to be the next big thing in rendering while Epic Games gave us a taste of how it might be used to create the most lifelike characters ever. Using its capture technology, the Unreal Engine creator displayed a future with character models so realistic they bring us close to crossing the uncanny valley. Watch a performance from Andy Serkis below to see just how capable these new development technologies are: “Honestly, between five and ten years from now, I don't think you're going to be able to tell the difference between the real and the virtual world,” Epic CTO Kim Libreri told GamesIndustry.biz, “You'll see hardware that can support these kinds of capabilities pretty shortly, and then, finally, the greatest blockbuster with the most complicated effects, within ten years, you'll be able to do that in real-time.” PS5: The VR effectSony became the first console manufacturer to embrace virtual reality, thanks to the PlayStation VR, but if you examine PlayStation VR closely – and observe how it operates on the PS4 Pro – it invites speculation about how a PlayStation 5 console might take VR to a new level. Sony's Mark Cerny has confirmed that existing PSVR headsets will work with the next-generation PlayStation console, but wouldn't be drawn into confirming a PSVR 2 release just yet. Currently, PlayStation VR operates at lower resolution than the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive – but, as it stands, even its current incarnation almost pushes the base PlayStation 4 beyond its limits. Running a PlayStation VR on a PS4 Pro brings improved frame-rates, which are very handy indeed in terms of the overall VR experience, but even the PS4 Pro can’t overcome the resolution constraints set by the PlayStation VR headset.
So it’s a good bet that, seeing as PlayStation VR has proved incredibly successful, Sony will want to return to the market with a second, markedly higher-tech iteration: which would provide an obvious selling point for the PlayStation 5. And if a PlayStation VR 2 headset could be sold without an external black box, it should be markedly cheaper, further accelerating VR’s march into the mainstream. A recent report from SemiAcccurate, which claims that the PS5 will have virtual reality capabilities built-in at silicon level, suggests this will indeed be the case – a feature that was hinted at by Cerny, too. PlayStation VR (Image credit: Sony) Rebellion’s Kingsley makes another good point about second-generation VR. “Anything that reduces the leads has to be a good thing,” he says. The umbilical cord which currently attaches VR headset-wearers to their consoles or PCs obviously goes against VR’s entire immersive nature, and we’re already beginning to see, for example, a third-party implementation for the HTC Vive that renders it wireless. Oculus is pushing the wire-free space forward to with its Oculus Go and Oculus Quest hardware. It’s a safe bet that the capacity for running a wireless PlayStation VR 2 will be built into the PS5. But Kingsley’s PlayStation VR 2 wish-list goes further: “Wide vertical and horizontal field-of-view would be top of my list, and of course, that would require 4K resolution per eye, and high dynamic range would be great too.” HDR and wider fields of view should be achievable but sadly, we don’t reckon full 4K VR is likely to be a possibility even for the PS5. As Kingsley points out, that would require 4K rendering per eye, which equates to 8K rendering overall, which we expect to be beyond the PS5’s capabilities. That said, perhaps Sony will find some clever technological bodge to get around that before it releases its fifth PlayStation console. Foveated rendering techniques, using eye tracking to render only the items you're focussing on in high definition while other elements are reduced in quality, could be one potential technique used. In addition, according to recently published patent (spotted by Upload VR), Sony is working on "prescription glasses with eye gaze tracking and electro optical signaling to a HMD". These Sony developed prescription glasses would be custom-designed for the wearer and gaze would be able to be detected by the VR headset via an encoded sensor. In other words, glasses-wearers could use VR much easier. We don't expect these glasses to come cheap, but the implementation of eye gaze software does mean we can probably expect it to arrive in the PSVR 2... Ratchet and Clank (Image credit: Sony) What form will the PS5 take?It has been suggested that future consoles like the PlayStation 5 could take radically different forms to current ones, thanks to advances in cloud computing and game streaming, doing away with the components that make today's devices so bulky. However, we reckon it's unlikely that Sony will take a more Nintendo-like approach and put the PS5 in a tiny box. One reason for that is that with the PS4, Sony has only just committed to using what are basically the innards of a PC – the first three PlayStation variants used proprietary components (and which in the PS3 impacted sales). Developers, certainly, were massively relieved that the PS4 took the PC route.
“Developers want the ability to make the best games using the minimum amount of effort. We want to focus on being creative and getting things to just work,” Kingsley says. “So the hardware should be based around current console hardware, which is in turn based on PC hardware. We always want fast CPUs and GPUs, but lots of fast RAM is also very important – it’s no use having fast processors if they are starved of data.” All the above are achievable, but will the PS5 still have a hard disk? It certainly will – but not the sort that you know currently. Sony has confirmed it will be employing a bespoke solid state drive in each PS5, allowing it to increase loading times by an estimated 19 times compared to existing SSD technology. PlayStation Now (Image credit: Sony) PS5 and streaming gamesOf course, if games were just streamed to the PS5 that high-res texture storage problem would disappear entirely, and Sony already has a game-streaming service in the form of PlayStation Now. However, we do know that Sony has a patent for a "system for combining recorded application state with application streaming interactive video output" (aka a cloud gaming service).
One of the biggest issues here remains around broadband speeds. Even 4K TV requires a minimum of 25Mbps broadband in order to provide satisfactory streaming, and it’s doubtful whether 4K game streaming – with extra information on top of the visual side – would even work reliably at such speeds. There would be nothing to stop Sony launching a small form-factor cloud-based version of the PS5 console for those with mega-fast broadband, perhaps with a mobile phone-style subscription model that has an upfront hardware costs (something Microsoft is thinking about). But for the PS5 to sell anything like its predecessors, there would have to be a conventional version with similar innards to the PS4, which going from the Cerny interview appears to be the case. Uncharted (Image credit: Naughty Dog) PS5: optical discs or not?The rise of downloadable games, which continue to eat into the physical disc market, means that pundits have been predicting that consoles will go discless for about a decade now. However, PS5 won’t be the first system to risk venturing down that road, with physical media still confirmed to be supported. Sony has taken a lot of (justifiable) flak for not putting a 4K Blu-ray drive in the PS4 Pro – making it a less attractive purchase for film and TV buffs than the Xbox One S or the Xbox One X. Surveys continue to show that gamers are still attached to the possibility of buying games on physical discs – not least because they can then sell them (a practice that the games industry hates), and keep hard disk space usage at a manageable level. If Sony were to axe the Blu-ray drive from the PS5, gamers would expect several terabytes of storage in compensation. Kingsley gives a developer’s view on the topic: “I think the days of delivering films and games via disc are on the decline, as most people are going digital; however, some people like physical discs, so who knows whether that decline will level out and remain present but at a lower level than now?” Download figures have been on the rise over the last year but EA CFO Blake Jorgensen has said that he thinks consoles and disc drives will continue to stick around. “Consoles and disc drives probably stay around for a long period of time [...] I think it's the consumer deciding what's the easiest way for them to buy a game. “And it may mean they no longer have a store down the street from them so they decide to buy it [digitally] maybe it's easier for them to do.” PlayStation 4 hardware (Image credit: TechRadar) What games can we expect to see on PS5?The entire PS4 library, including PSVR games, will be supported by the PS5. That much is known. But there are now games being developed specifically for this new PlayStation 5 console generation and the extra power it's likely to offer. Already we've seen CD Projekt Red mention that it's developing for this generation as well as the next, and alongside the rumors that there are already developers kits out in the open, we think there's a good chance that Cyberpunk 2077 will be one of the early PS5 titles. Likewise, a knowing glance from Cerny during his Wired interview pointed towards Hideo Kojima's Death Stranding being a cross-generation title, too. At this point, any first-party PS4 game in the pipeline – from Ghost of Tsushima to The Last of Us 2, would be prime candidates for PS5 cross-gen upgrades. We've also heard enough chatter around a Horizon Zero Dawn sequel and new God of War game to assume we'll be seeing both land on the PS5 console. Sony has also confirmed the PS5 will prioritize AAA games over indie games in an effort to focus on "serious gamers".
Check out our PS4 vs PS4:PSVR compared and explained video below.
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| The best cheap 4K TV deals and sale prices in the US on Amazon Prime Day 2019 Posted: 02 Jul 2019 11:24 AM PDT Amazon Prime Day is fast approaching, and that means killer deals and sales on cheap TVs. Leading up to big July event we'll be updating this page with the best TV sales from top retailers like Amazon and Walmart. This is an excellent time to find Black Friday like prices on top brand 4K TVs from brands like LG, Samsung, Sony, and more. You'll find massive discounts on 4K TVs, smart TVs, and different sizes and prices that fit all TV viewing needs. Whether you want a small TV with a price tag to match or something to show all the colors of the rainbow (and a few million more) with HDR, we've found plenty of options. Read on to find the TV you want at a great price! TechRadar's cheap TV deal of the weekCheap TV deals (40-49 inch)Cheap TV deals (50-59 inch):Cheap TV deals (60-85 inch):More cheap TV sales:Not found the right cheap TV for you today? Or maybe you'd prefer to directly browse the TVs at your favourite retailers instead of our highlights of the best cheap TV deals? We're updating this page on a regular basis, so you may have better look another day. If you want to take a look for yourself now though, here are the direct links to a the full collection of TV deals at multiple stores. Learn more about Prime Day with our guide on Amazon Prime Day 2019: everything you need to know for the July deals event. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Google wants to open source web crawlers Posted: 02 Jul 2019 11:10 AM PDT In an effort to push for an official web crawler standard, Google has made its robots.txt parsing and matching library open source with the hope that web developers will soon be able to agree on a standard for how web crawlers operate online. The C++ library is responsible for powering the company's own web crawler Googlebot which is used for indexing websites in accordance with the Robots Exclusion Protocol (REP). Through REP, website owners are able to dictate how web crawlers that visit their sites to index them should behave. Using a text file called robots.txt, web crawlers such as Googlebot know which website resources can be visited and which can be indexed.
The rules for REP were written by the creator of the first search engine, Martijn Koster, 25 years ago and since that time REP has been widely adopted by web publishers but has never become an official internet standard. Google is looking to change this and hopes to do so by making the parser used to decode its robots.txt file open source. REPIn a blog post, Henner Zeller, Lizzi Harvey and Gary Illyes explained how the fact that REP not being an official internet standard has led to confusion about how to implement it among web developers, saying: “The REP was never turned into an official Internet standard, which means that developers have interpreted the protocol somewhat differently over the years. And since its inception, the REP hasn't been updated to cover today's corner cases. This is a challenging problem for website owners because the ambiguous de-facto standard made it difficult to write the rules correctly.” To help make REP implementations more consistent across the web, Google is now pushing to make the REP an Internet Engineering Task Force standard and the search giant has even published a draft proposal to help its efforts. The proposed draft suggests expanding robots.txt from HTTP to any URI-based transfer protocol (including FTP and CoAP), requiring developers to parse at least 500 kibibytes of a robots.txt file and a new maximum caching time of 24 hours. “RFC stands for Request for Comments, and we mean it: we uploaded the draft to IETF to get feedback from developers who care about the basic building blocks of the internet. As we work to give web creators the controls they need to tell us how much information they want to make available to Googlebot, and by extension, eligible to appear in Search, we have to make sure we get this right,” Zeller, Harvey and Illyes added.
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| Samsung finally bringing ‘Night’ photo mode to US Galaxy S10 phones Posted: 02 Jul 2019 10:53 AM PDT Samsung’s dedicated and much-refined Night photo mode is finally coming to the US, and it’s starting with the AT&T Galaxy S10 Plus phones, according to XDA Developers. The proper Night mode improves on the lackluster original version after various updates, which have been available in the S10 line...but only for models packing the Exynos 9820 chipset. Now S10 phones with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 – in other words, those sold in the US – will get it, too. AT&T owners of the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus have gotten the update first, and will presumably follow on the standard Galaxy S10 and smaller Galaxy S10e. This update also reportedly includes a dedicated QR code scanner (so you won’t have to fire up Samsung’s Bixby Vision app or Google Lens), as well as AT&T’s June security patch. It’s unclear when the Night photo mode will roll out to S10 phones on other carriers, to unlocked devices after that, or if it will ever arrive on older Samsung handsets (like the still-capable Galaxy S9 or Galaxy Note 9). Better late than neverWhen the Galaxy S10 line launched back in March, it only had the ‘Bright Night’ scene optimizer. Like the 29 other optimizers, this kicked in when the camera detected the proper conditions (night and low-light). Its performance paled in comparison to the dedicated Night Mode in the Google Pixel 3 of phones, which set the bar for nighttime and low-light smartphone photography. The latter’s software has outpaced other phonemakers’ by a notable margin, to the point where handsets boasting far more complex rear camera setups – like the triple lenses on the S10 and S10 Plus – still couldn’t unseat the Pixel phones from their night-photo throne. Hopefully, this update brings the S10 line closer to parity. We haven’t extensively tested the new Night mode, but we look forward to how it will change our best camera phone rankings.
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| Cricket World Cup 2019 live stream: how to watch every game online from anywhere Posted: 02 Jul 2019 10:48 AM PDT The 2019 Cricket World Cup has so far been a wonderful wedge of one-day international cricket - those rain interrupted matches, Ben Stokes catch and Bangladesh shocking South Africa all seem like such a long time ago now. But the real business is still to come and you've come to the right place to find out how to live stream Cricket World Cup action regardless of where you live. Although most countries have paid-for TV viewing only (including hosts England) some nations are luckier - for example, Australians can watch their boys and the latter stages on Channel 9, while Pakistan have every match free in the English language on the state-owned PTV. 10 of the world's elite cricket-playing countries are competing title of best ODI team on Earth with only one to be left standing by the end on July 14. It's the 12th incarnation of Cricket World Cup with hosts England going into it as pre-tournament favourites (according to Betfair at least). Other than a blip against Pakistan, they haven't disappointed so far, with the likes of Joe Root and Jofra Archer looking dangerous. India have the world's two top ICC ODI ranked batsmen (Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma) and the number one bowler (Jasprit Bumrah) and will naturally be a feared force. But perhaps most attention will be on reigning champions Australia, as they welcome back suspended duo Steve Smith and David Warner - both have managed to get some serious runs under their belts already. Bangladesh have impressed against the odds and and New Zealand have picked up some very strong wins indeed. We've enjoyed it so far, but there's plenty of cricket still to come. If you want to know where you'll be able to watch every single daily match, we'll tell you exactly where you can catch them online with a Cricket World Cup live stream. How to watch the 2019 Cricket World Cup from outside your countryYou don't have to miss a single minute of Cricket World Cup - even if you're abroad and discover that your home broadcaster's online coverage is geo-blocked (we hate it when that happens). If that happens to you and you're desperate to watch that domestic coverage, there's still a way to get it that doesn't involve putting your security at risk with some dodgy, illegal stream from Reddit. You can simply use a VPN to login back to your country that is broadcasting the actions, and it's really easy to do: Upcoming Cricket World Cup fixturesAll times in local BST Wednesday July 3 England v New Zealand - Chester-le-Street, Durham (10.30am) Thursday July 4 Afghanistan v West Indies - Headingley, Leeds (10.30am) Friday July 5 Pakistan v Bangladesh - Lord's, London (10.30am) Saturday July 6 Sri Lanka v India - Headingley, Leeds (10.30am) Australia v South Africa - Old Trafford, Manchester (1.30pm) How to stream the Cricket World Cup live in the UKHow to get a FREE Cricket World Cup live stream in PakistanHow to live stream the Cricket World Cup final in Australia (for FREE)How to watch the Cricket World Cup 2019: New Zealand live streamHow to stream 2019 Cricket World Cup online in IndiaHow to watch the Cricket World Cup: US live streamWhat is the format of the 2019 Cricket World Cup?The Cricket World Cup is a ten-team tournament. Each country plays each other in a round-robin format, after which the top four teams qualify for the semi-finals. The two winning semi-finalists then get to face off in the final on Sunday, July 14. How long do Cricket World Cup matches usually last?Most 2019 Cricket World Cup matches will start at 10.30am BST and end early evening – around 6.30pm BST. A number of day/night games will start at 1.30pm BST and finish under floodlights at around 9pm BST. Cricket World Cup matches broadly follow the rules of One Day Internationals, with each side facing 50 overs within a 210-minute time limit. Add in drinks breaks for each side and a 30 to 40 minutes innings break and matches can run up to nine hours in length. Some matches are much shorter however - England’s capitulation to New Zealand in the 2015 World Cup saw play wrapped up within four-and-a-half hours, with the Kiwis reaching their 123-run target in just 12 overs. What teams are competing in this year's Cricket World Cup?Afghanistan Australia Bangladesh England India New Zealand Pakistan South Africa Sri Lanka West Indies What grounds are being used for the Cricket World Cup?The Oval, London Trent Bridge, Nottingham Home of Nottinghamshire CCC, the 17,500-capacity ground will host five World Cup matches, including England vs Pakistan. Bristol County Ground, Bristol Hampshire Bowl, Southampton The County Ground, Taunton Old Trafford, Manchester Edgbaston, Birmingham Headingley, Leeds Lord's, London The Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street Cardiff Wales Stadium This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Microsoft Office is getting better on virtual desktops Posted: 02 Jul 2019 10:08 AM PDT New features are coming to Office 365 to help improve its functionality in virtualized environments, including the upcoming Windows Virtual Desktop service, according to a new blog post from Microsoft. After acquiring former partner FSLogix last year to improve virtualization in Office 365, Microsoft has now integrated its container technology with its own Office apps as well as those from Citrix and VMWare. Microsoft 365 business customers will now be able to utilize FSLogix's container technology for no additional cost. Additionally Microsoft 365 E3/E5/A3/A5/F1, Windows 10 Enterprise E3/E5, Windows 10 Education A3/A5, Windows 10 VDA per user and Remote Desktop Services (RDS) users will be covered under the no-additional-cost plan.
Microsoft also revealed that Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD) will be available later this year. Office apps in virtual environmentsIn its post, Microsoft officials said that Windows Server 2019 will be getting support for OneDrive Files On Demand in the coming months and that it will also support Office 365 ProPlus. The company is even improving how Office apps such as Outlook, OneDrive and Teams work in virtual environments. Outlook will be getting a new cached mode that makes it easier for those running it on virtual desktops to access their email and calendars faster, OneDrive now features a per-machine installation option so that users can share a single installation of the OneDrive app while maintaining their own folders and files and Teams too has a per-machine installation for Chat and Collaboration. In the coming months, users will be able to make calls and have meetings in Teams through audio/video media optimization in collaboration with Citrix.
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| Best phone for gaming 2019: the top 10 mobile game performers Posted: 02 Jul 2019 09:37 AM PDT The best gaming phones in 2019 just keep getting better, as more powerful hardware can run games with ease, and dedicated gaming phones come with enhanced features designed specifically for gaming. Some of the best gaming phones are just the best phones all around, since their balance of performance and features make them a winner for just about anything. And if you're considering buying a gaming phone soon, you may want to hold on just a little longer. That's because Amazon Prime Day 2019 is just around the corner (July 15-16) and we could see some big discounts on smartphones during the two day sales period. There are a few must-haves for any great gaming phone: a powerful chipset capable of running the best Android games or best iPhone games smoothly and launching them quickly; a great looking display with enough room to show the game with room for your fingers; and enough battery to keep you gaming for as long a session as you can muster. When you’re playing demanding games like Fortnite and PUBG Mobile, you don’t want any of these aspects to be lacking. We’ve taken all these aspects into account, as well as others like RAM size and storage space for games. The available app ecosystem also matters, which is one reason why Apple’s devices continue to have such a strong foothold here. We also take into account unique features that can have a special impact on gaming. So, whether you want high specs AND 'gamer'-appealing perks like RGB lights or just a good phone that can double as a mobile gaming device, you no longer have to choose. We've examined all the options and chosen the best phones for gaming based on the factors above. Here's our top ten list: The iPhone XS Max is the best gaming phone (Image Credit: TechRadar) The iPhone XS Max is the bigger, better brother of Apple's new flagship smartphone in a few key ways, but if you're picking either model for gaming, you might as well go with the best. The 6.5-inch screen on the iPhone XS Max is bigger than the one on its 5.8-inch sibling and its larger battery manages to stay working nearly a full hour longer than the standard iPhone XS. Those perks will give you more of an edge than with the iPhone XS, but both benefit from this Apple phone generation's true advantage: the A12 Bionic processor. In our tests, it loaded up Clash Royale and PUBG even faster (vs the iPhone X), and speed is crucial in online gaming. All this in a Apple's sleek, modern look – though it's the most expensive mainstream phone on the market, even before including all the bells and whistles. Read our reviews: iPhone XS Max | iPhone XS A more-affordable flagship gaming phone (Image Credit: TechRadar) The OnePlus 7 Pro is cheaper than the iPhones and Samsungs in this list, but still delivers the latest power under the hood with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 855 chipset and the choice of up to 12GB of RAM. It means games load quickly and run smoothly, and the OnePlus 7 Pro is the firm's first phone with a QHD display, giving you an excellent pixel density for crisp graphics. On top of that sharp resolution is the huge size of the display, which offers 6.67 inches without any cameras or notches taking up space. Further improving the gaming experience is the 90Hz refresh rate of the display, which makes gaming and everyday use that much smoother. There's a sizable 4,000mAh battery too, which should keep you going during lengthy play sessions, and it all makes for a top-notch gaming phone. Read our review: OnePlus 7 Pro The Galaxy S10 Plus is an all-rounder, but is still a top gaming phone (Image Credit: TechRadar) Don't be too surprised to see Samsung so high on the list. Its latest family of Galaxy S10 smartphones are the first to feature Qualcomm's powerful new Snapdragon 855 chipset, which quickly boosted them to the top of the pack in terms of sheer performance. But, it's not just the chipset that makes these excellent gaming phones. They have sharp Super AMOLED displays with support for high dynamic range, so you'll get excellent visuals in movies and games alike. The screen real estate is also expanded, so you have that much more game to look at. With these phones, you're getting both a killer phone and a powerful mobile gaming device in one. Better still, VR fans can still make use of the new phones with existing Gear VR headsets, according to The Verge. Letting you enjoy the immersive game medium on the phones' crisp displays. Read our review: Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus The Asus ROG Phone gaming phone (Image Credit: TechRadar) The Asus ROG Phone may "look like an irate Decepticon" as our reviewer put it, but outside its appearance, the device is a powerful phone with plenty of extras to entice gamers. It's also a decent phone in its own right, and it has notable advantages over the comparable Razer Phone 2. Its specs are solidly advanced for phone released at the tail end of 2018: an 'overclocked' Snapdragon 845, 8GB of RAM and a 4,000mAh battery, as well as a 90hz refresh rate screen that pales only to the Razer Phone 2's 120hz. As for gaming, the phone's "AirTrigger" touch-sensitive buttons on the top-right and top-left of the phone (when held in landscape) are cool, customizable ways to play that your typical smartphone just doesn't have. True to Asus' Republic of Gamers brand, you can buy a selection of accessories to augment your mobile game experience. These include a clamshell case with a bonus screen, a pair of controller halves that clip to either side and a docking platform that extends your phone to a big display, Nintendo Switch-style. There's even a simple clip-on fan to reduce device heat during games. The ROG Phone's appeal lives or dies on its external design, and we wouldn't blame you for skipping it for something a bit more conservative. But its advances, especially the AirTriggers, shouldn't be overlooked when considering phones for serious gaming. Read our review: Asus ROG Phone The Razer Phone 2 gaming phone (Image Credit: TechRadar) The first Razer Phone was a solid first effort to bring the gamer-specific brand to a mobile device, but it had a few shortcomings that dropped it further down our list. The second version has addressed some and come out with a stronger device for it, though it's still aimed primarily at gamers. What does that mean? The camera and display aren't nearly as impressive as other phones that cost this much, so casual gamers might want to look elsewhere. But if you're more serious about mobile gaming and can afford it, this is a solid choice. Outwardly, the Razer Phone 2 hasn't changed much from its predecessor, though it's upgraded to the Snapdragon 845 chip and switched to a glass back for Qi wireless charging. It's also added a slick vapor chamber to cool the device as you game. At the end of the day, the phone's beefy chipset, 8GB RAM, great speakers, 120hz refresh rate screen and 4,000mAh battery, as well as extensive settings to tweak battery life and performance, make this a great choice for gaming. Read our review: Razer Phone 2 Image Credit: TechRadar Huawei's P30 Pro may not be a phone on many people's radars, but it's an amazing Android phone from the Chinese manufacturers. Much of the attention the P30 Pro is getting comes from its impressive camera system, which has three rear cameras including one with a 5X zoom and a stunning dark mode. But, the Huawei P30 Pro has plenty to offer gamers as well. The Kirin 980 chipset inside is plenty powerful for the latest Android games, and 8GB of RAM can keep everything running smooth even when you're switching back and forth from gaming and other activities. The hefty 4,200mAh battery can ensure your gaming sessions aren't cut short. An improved heat pipe ad vapor cooling chamber inside the P30 Pro help it keep cool while gaming, so it can continue to play Fortnite, Real Racing 3, and PUBG without a hitch. Read our review: Huawei P30 Pro Image Credit: TechRadar The Black Shark 2 is the second generation gaming phone from Chinese firm Xiaomi's gaming arm, and it builds well on its predecessor adding more power and a better screen into the mix. Combining a great camera, excellent internals and improved gaming credentials over the original, the Black Shark 2 is a triple threat that betters most of its gaming phone rivals. It's lumbered with a handful of instabilities and quirks, but even with those accounted for, the bang for buck it delivers is off the chart. The only thing to watch out for is its availability. It's not easy to find in some countries, such as US. Read our review: Black Shark 2 Image Credit: TechRadar Apple's iPhone XR may lack some of the features from the iPhone XS and XS Max that make them true stunners, but it makes up for that with a lower price. And, while it may have a smaller screen, it's still offering 6.1 inches. Even though that lower price comes with caveats, like a simpler camera setup, the iPhone XR doesn't skimp on internals. It packs the same A12 Bionic chipset that's found in the more expensive models, and it will run iOS 12 and iOS 13 just the same as the other models. That means it can play all the same games, and it can run them just as smoothly (if not even smoother, since it has fewer pixels to push). The iPhone XR also has one of the best batteries in an iPhone that we've seen in some time. So, if you want to do plenty of gaming on iOS, the iPhone XR is a strong option. Read more: iPhone XR review Image Credit: TechRadar The LG G8 may be a little underwhelming in terms of design, and if you don't find a deal, it can be too expensive to wisely choose over one of the other devices on this list. But, if you find a good price, it has enough to offer as a gaming phone. Inside, it's packing the latest Snapdragon 855 chipset, which can deliver plenty of gaming performance. And, with a high-resolution, bright OLED display, your games are sure to look great. With a base storage of 128GB of RAM, you should have plenty of room on the LG G8 to store games alongside all your other apps and files. Read more: LG G8 ThinQ review Image credit: TechRadar Yes, we know the iPhone 8 Plus is verging on two years old right now. It doesn't have the same elegant design found in the iPhone X, XS, or XR. But, if you look past the design and 5.5-inch display, you're still getting some strong gaming credentials. For one thing, the age of the iPhone 8 Plus helps bring the price down. And, though the screen is the smallest on this list, it's still a 1080p resolution. Better still, the iPhone 8 Plus packs the A11 Bionic chipset that's also found in the iPhone X, and it runs on the latest version of iOS. That gives it access to plenty of games and the power to play them. The battery is also decent, and the 256GB storage option offers all the room you could need for a substantial mobile game collection. Read more: iPhone 8 Plus review This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The best smartphone of 2019: 15 top mobile phones tested and ranked Posted: 02 Jul 2019 09:34 AM PDT Our best smartphone list brings you 15 of the best phones available right now, but if you already have your mobile OS alliance set you'll want to check out either our best Android phone or best iPhone ranking. If what's on offer in our best smartphone list is a little too pricey for your taste, then don't fear, as we've also got a list of the best cheap phones available right now. We're well into 2019, and we've seen a huge number of smartphone launches, which means our best smartphone list has seen plenty of new entrants over recent months. And now there's another new entry to our best phone list, with the OnePlus 7 Pro claiming a coveted spot in our 15 top smartphones rundown. We know that it's not all about the high-cost, super spec phones all the time so we've made you a handy list of all the top smartphones that you can get on the market right now, assessing what really matters to you, the buyer. We test these phones rigorously, making sure that we check every angle and feature - but most importantly, considering whether they've got a decent battery, great screen, strong design and a cracking camera. On top of that, they can't be too exorbitant in price either - not everyone wants or can afford a supercar of a handset, so we've made sure there are plenty of options for you there. And for those of you on the hunt for a bargain, keep your eyes locked on Amazon Prime Day, when the online retailer will slash prices for a range of tech - including smartphones - during a two day bargain bonanza. Still here? Still thinking about which phone to go for? Don't worry... there are 15 excellent options to choose from. The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus is the best smartphone available right now, still. It's a big phone that's designed for big hands - and it takes the very best of what's on the smartphone market and puts it together in a compelling package that we've loved testing. Screen: The Super AMOLED 6.4-inch display has been measured as the very best around, with super colours, great dynamic range and, essentially, the very best viewing experience you can have on a mobile phone. Plus, there's a fingerprint scanner embedded in the display. Battery life: The battery life on the Galaxy S10 Plus is and improvement over the S9 Plus, thanks to the larger 4,100mAh battery inside. It'll easily reach bedtime with double digits still left in the tank. The S10 Plus also offers Samsung's new Wireless PowerShare, allowing you to wirelessly charge other devices on the rear of the handset. Camera: The trio of cameras on the Galaxy S10 Plus are among the best on the market, building on the excellent setup on the S9 series by offering more features, shooting modes and overall clarity. Mini verdict: The Galaxy S10 Plus is packed full of the best Samsung has to offer, and it comes together to give you the best smartphone experience around right now. Read more: Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus review
Image Credit: TechRadar The Huawei P30 Pro is so close to being the best smartphone right now, and for some it will take top spot in their minds. It's the best phone we've used when it comes to photography with 5x and 10x zoom capabilities and fantastic low-light performance. However, we're sad to say, it now comes with a huge caveat. After Google suspended Huawei's future access to Android Play Store and security updates, there are serious question marks over the future of Huawei phones. While Google and Huawei have promised to support phones currently on the market, it's not clear how long they'll receive Android updates or access to the Google Play Store, which would severely curtail their usefulness compared to the competition. Screen: The large 6.47-inch screen on the P30 Pro may 'only' have a Full HD+ resolution, but it's bright, clear and colorful providing an excellent canvas for your apps and games. Battery life: There's no worry when it comes to the P30 Pro potentially running out of juice, the battery life here is excellent. We regularly got to the end of the day with 30% or more left in the tank. Camera: The cameras are the P30 Pro's real party piece, providing staggeringly good 5x and 10x zoom, and a digital 50x zoom with gets you insanely close to objects far off in the distance. Its low-light capabilities are also top-notch. Mini Verdict: The P30 Pro not only sets a new standard for Huawei, it sets a new standard for the entire mobile industry. Its cameras are quite simply astonishing, the design is eye-catching and the power plentiful. It’s a true flagship smartphone. Read more: Huawei P30 Pro review Image Credit: TechRadar It's close at the top, with Huawei snapping at Samsung's heels it's never been tougher for the South Korean firm, and the S10 is getting elbowed. The bigger S10 Plus is by far Samsung's best phone, but the standard S10 backs almost all the same top-end features into a more compact form factor and slightly lower price tag (but still steep). Screen: With a 6.1-inch display you're not exactly getting a small screen with the standard S10, but Samsung has reduced bezels even more over the S9, keeping the dimensions surprisingly compact. You also get a fingerprint scanner embedded in the display. Battery life: The battery in the S10 has grown versus the one in the S9, but with the increased screen size as well you're still looking at all-day battery life with a nightly charge. The S10 also has Samsung's new Wireless PowerShare, allowing you to wirelessly charge other devices on the rear of the handset. Camera: Like the S10 Plus, the trio of cameras on the Galaxy S10 are among the best on the market, building on the excellent setup on the S9 series by offering more features, shooting modes and overall clarity. Mini verdict: The Samsung Galaxy S10 gets proper under-the-hood upgrades. You’ll like all of these powerful features, while your friends will like the new Wireless PowerShare perk – it helps them out more than you. Read our in-depth Samsung Galaxy S10 review The Huawei Mate 20 Pro is still one of the best phones from the Chinese firm to date, offering up a heady mix of design, power and performance with a few party pieces thrown in too. It builds on the P20 and P20 Pro, offering up even more screen, enhanced triple rear cameras and an in-display fingerprint scanner. However, we're sad to say, it now comes with a huge caveat. After Google suspended Huawei's future access to Android Play Store and security updates, there are serious question marks over the future of Huawei phones. While Google and Huawei have promised to support phones currently on the market, it's not clear how long they'll receive Android updates or access to the Google Play Store, which would severely curtail their usefulness compared to the competition. Screen: The Mate 20 Pro packs a huge 6.39-inch display giving you a huge amount of space for gaming and movies, and its QHD resolution and HDR10 support ensures everything looks great. There is a wide notch at the top of the display though. Battery life: You'll get great battery life from the Mate 20 Pro, and we regularly achieved a day and a half of usage from a single charge during our review time with the handset. Camera: The Mate 20 Pro comes with three cameras on the rear, nabbing the excellent 40MP wide-angle and 8MP telephoto lenses from the P20 Pro - but the third sensor is new. It's an ultra-wide 16MP snapper allowing you to cram even more of your surroundings into each shot. Mini verdict: The Mate 20 Pro is a full-featured phone for a full-featured price - it even has a few tricks you won’t see elsewhere, and more powerful specs than most of its competitors. Read more: Huawei Mate 20 Pro review The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is one of the best phones we've ever tested - and also one of the most expensive. However, for that money you're getting an extraordinary spec list, including the first mainstream phone to offer 1TB of storage and an incredible screen. Screen: Let's get right to that screen: it's beautiful. Yes, it's a bit narrow if you're coming from the Note 5 or similar, but the way it wraps around the frame, the smaller bezels and the impressive color reproduction and brightness make it a real favourite. Battery life: With 4,000mAh under the hood, the Note 9 has one of the biggest batteries Samsung has ever thrust into a device, meaning it can easily last through the day (plus it has new cooling tech to help it last longer in gaming sessions, although we've not seen much proof of that). You can also charge over wireless easily, and fast charging boots in 17% battery in 15 mins. Camera: The cameras on Samsung phones are part of the reason they rank so highly in our list - the sheer capability and low light performance is impressive. Photos are definitely more on the colourful side, but there are more AI smarts in the mix to help you get the right shot at the right time. Mini verdict: It's hard to wrap the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 into a mini verdict - it does so much and we've not even touched on the new, camera-remote-enabled Bluetooth S Pen. The expansive, quality screen, the battery life and the camera all combine to make this a stunning smartphone... if you can afford it. Read our in-depth Samsung Galaxy Note 9 review Image Credit: TechRadar There's a new hero for iPhone fans, with the iPhone XS offering the best mix of features and price from Apple. The larger screen and battery of the iPhone XS Max may attract some, but the standard XS provides better bang for your buck if the huge display isn't a must for you. Screen: The 5.8-inch display looks fantastic, with excellent colors and Apple's True Tone technology ensuring it automatically adjusts for the best visuals depending on your current environment. Battery life: The easiest way to describe battery life on the XS is: just a touch below average, but far better than any other (non-Plus / Max) iPhone we've tested. Which, in short, means you should get a day from a single charge. Camera: The shots we created with the iPhone XS were incredibly detailed and packed with color and sharpness, leaping off the screen with the vibrancy. It may not be the very best camera phone on the market, but these are the best snappers you'll find on an iPhone. Mini verdict: The iPhone XS is easily the best iPhone Apple’s ever made - it’s got the fastest processor, top screen and least bezel out there. It's not a huge advancement over the iPhone X (if you have this, there's no need to upgrade), but the upgrades Apple has delivered are welcome. Read our in-depth iPhone XS review Image Credit: TechRadar What's this? Another Huawei phone in the top ten? Your eyes do not deceive you, the Huawei P30 really is seventh in our best phone rundown. It has a smaller screen than the P30 Pro, and makes do with just the three rear cameras (rather than four) and a maximum zoom of 30x, but it's still a great Android phone. However, we're sad to say, it now comes with a huge caveat. After Google suspended Huawei's future access to Android Play Store and security updates, there are serious question marks over the future of Huawei phones. While Google and Huawei have promised to support phones currently on the market, it's not clear how long they'll receive Android updates or access to the Google Play Store, which would severely curtail their usefulness compared to the competition. Screen: With a 6.1-inch display the P30 is a little easier to manage in the hand than its larger sibling, and with a Full HD+ and plenty of colour it's a top smartphone screen. Battery life: You can expect to get excellent battery life from the Huawei P30, with the phone often lasting a day and a half on a single charge without issue. Camera: While the three cameras on the rear aren't quite as good as the four on the P30 Pro, they still offer up an impressive shooting experience with 5x, 10x and 30x zoom and great low-light abilities. Mini verdict: There's heaps of power, a handy headphone jack (something the Pro can't boast) and a more manageable form factor for one-handed use. And of course, it's a little cheaper too. Read our full Huawei P30 review Image Credit: TechRadar OnePlus has grown up, and the OnePlus 7 Pro is the first fruit of its new-found maturity with a heap of features, plenty of power and yes, an inflated price tag over what we've come to expect from the 'affordable flagship' provider. That said, the OnePlus 7 Pro is still cheaper than the top phones from Samsung, Apple, Sony and Huawei, so it's not going to break the bank - and with it's pop-up camera party trick and glorious all-screen design there's a lot of love. Screen: There's a whole lot of screen on the OnePlus 7 Pro, with the 6.67-inch QHD display free of notches, punch-hole cameras and any over-sized bezels. The front of the phone is pretty much all screen and it looks great, with a colorful punch thanks to the AMOLED panel. Battery life: We found the OnePlus 7 Pro could last more than a day on a single charge, which is great news and something not all handsets in our best phones roundup can boast. Camera: There's a triple camera setup round the back of the OnePlus 7 Pro, with Sony's 48MP sensor your main snapper, but with telephoto and wide-angle secondary options too. It's a solid snapper, but it doesn't quite challenge the likes of Google's Pixel 3 range. However, there's something fun on the front - not that you can see the front-facing camera. That's because it's hidden in the body, and pops out of the top of the phone when required. Mini verdict: The OnePlus 7 Pro is closer to delivering everything you want from a flagship phone than any previous OnePlus handset – while still being able to undercut the big-name competition. Read our full OnePlus 7 Pro review Image Credit: TechRadar If you're looking for a the best camera phone on the market, look no further. The single rear snapper on the Google Pixel 3 XL (and the smaller Pixel 3) is the best we've come across. You also get a big screen, decent battery life and plenty of power under the hood, making the Google Pixel 3 XL a great all-round flagship smartphone. Screen: It's hard to ignore the 6.3-inch display which dominates the front the of the Google Pixel 3 XL, but it still offers a chin bezel providing space for one of the two stereo front facing speakers. The QHD resolution and HDR support ensure everything looks great, but the notch is a little ugly. Battery life: The battery life on the Google Pixel 3 XL exceeds many of its rivals, comfortably lasting a day on a single charge, and sometimes getting halfway through the next too, depending on your usage. Camera: You may only be getting a single camera on the rear of the Pixel 3 XL, but do not under-estimate it. The camera here is capable of producing some simply staggering results, making shooting great photos easy and fun. Mini verdict: The Google Pixel 3 XL marries the best camera phone we’ve ever tested with a sizable OLED screen. It’s the right fit for people who don’t mind the notch cut out at the top and have already adjusted their grip for bigger smartphones in the past. Read our in-depth Google Pixel 3 XL review Image Credit: TechRadar Like the look of the new S10 and S10 Plus, but not a fan of their lofty price tags? Well fear not, as Samsung has catered for you with the Galaxy S10e. The Galaxy S10e has many of the flagship features of its pricier siblings, while offering a more palm-friendly size and a few compromises to help keep the cost down. Screen: You don't get a QHD resolution here, instead you'll have to accept a Full HD+ 5.8-inch screen - but the Super AMOLED display provides plenty of colour and pop. Battery life: We found battery life lasted a day on a single charge - which is what we've come to expect from phones - plus its wireless charging and Wireless PowerShare making topping it up, and you other devices, even easier. Camera: The dual camera setup on the S10e isn't quite as good as the triple cameras on the S10 and S10 Plus, but they're still highly capable snappers producing quality photos with ease. Mini verdict: It’s hard not to recommend the S10e to anyone who prefers a smaller phone. Size queens, look elsewhere - this smartphone is for folks who want to text and browse apps one-handed without compromising performance. Read our in-depth Samsung Galaxy S10e review Image Credit: TechRadar Pronounced ten S (like tennis) Max, the iPhone XS Max is part upgrade over Apple's game-changing iPhone X and part upgrade over the larger iPhone 8 Plus. It builds on the all-screen, notch-laden, almost bezel-free design with more power under the hood, improved cameras, a new storage option and a huge screen and even huger price tag. Screen: The 6.5-inch OLED screen on the iPhone XS Max really grabbed our attention - it's fantastic for video streaming and gaming. Battery life: It's has improved a little on both handsets over the iPhone X, but you'll still find yourself plugging both of these phones in each night to ensure you'll get through a whole day in the morning. Camera: The dual camera setup on the iPhone XS Max is fantastic. The Smart HDR mode makes images even clearer, brighter and more detailed, and Apple's famously intuitive interface makes snapping great shots a breeze. Mini verdict: If your hands are as big as your bank balance, the iPhone XS Max takes Apple's smartphone to a whole new level with plenty of additional screen space. Read our in-depth iPhone XS Max review The Honor View 20 is the best phone to come out of the Chinese brand, with a striking rear design (which may divide opinion), plenty of power under the hood, an impressive 48MP camera and a 'punch-hole' display which ushers in the post-notch revolution. However, we're sad to say, it now comes with a huge caveat. After Google suspended parent-company Huawei's future access to Android Play Store and security updates, there are serious question marks over the future of Honor phones. While Google and Huawei have promised to support phones currently on the market, it's not clear how long they'll receive Android updates or access to the Google Play Store, which would severely curtail their usefulness compared to the competition. Screen: There's a huge 6.4-inch display on the View 20, giving you plenty of space to play with. It's the location of the front-facing, 25MP camera within the screen which is the real talking point though, as rather than appearing in a bezel or a notch which juts into the screen, it's surround by screen. It's different, but will it catch on? Battery life: The Honor View 20 has a big 4,000mAh and the result is a battery which will comfortably last through an entire day and into the next on a single charge. Camera: The View 20 is the world's first smartphone to boast a 48MP rear camera, as the firm has used Sony's new sensor to provide a camera which really packs a punch. Mini verdict: An ultra-high-resolution camera and punch hole screen are the highlights on the Honor View 20, and they set a standard this year’s more expensive phones will need to match. Read more: Honor View 20 review The price of flagship phones are rising every year, but you don't need to pay top dollar for a top-notch experience. OnePlus offers flagship phones at a lower price point and while its first few handsets didn't trouble the established names, its more recent efforts have really pushed the likes of Samsung, Apple and co. The OnePlus 6T is the firm's best flagship offering yet, with a host of high-end features and a price tag which is comfortably lower than the competition. Screen: This may be a "cheap" flagship phone, but you still get a huge 6.41-inch AMOLED display providing colorful, bright and punchy images. It may 'only' have a fill HD resolution - and there's a notch at the top - but for the price it's difficult to knock. Battery life: OnePlus has increased the size of the battery in the 6T over the 6 it replaces, and that's resulted in improved battery life with the handset easily lasting a full day on a single charge. Camera: There's a dual camera setup on the rear of the OnePlus 6T, and while it doesn't reach the same heights as the Google Pixel 3, Huawei P20 Pro or Samsung Galaxy S9, when you consider the price it's still an accomplished offering. Mini verdict: The OnePlus 6T is a good-looking and powerful smartphone that can compete with handsets from the larger and more established brands on the market while undercutting them in price. Read more: OnePlus 6T review Image Credit: TechRadar The Google Pixel 3 is the smaller sibling to the Pixel 3 XL, with a smaller screen and battery, but the same power and excellent camera under the hood. This is a great handset for those looking for a top-flight phone that can be used comfortably with one hand (although those with smaller palms may need both still). Screen: At 5.5 inches, the screen on the Google Pixel 3 isn't exactly small, but it's one of the smallest in this list of the best smartphones. The full HD resolution isn't quite as sharp as its larger sibling's QHD panel, but it still looks great. Camera: You get the same camera here as you do on the Pixel 3 XL, and that's great news as it's one of the best smartphone snappers we've ever tested. It's easy to use, extremely powerful and produces excellent shots. Battery life: The Google Pixel 3 battery life isn't as impressive as the larger Pixel 3 XL which has a bigger power pack. It should give you a day of use, but don't expect for than that. Mini verdict: If you're looking for a compact flagship smartphone with a class-leading camera experience the Google Pixel 3 is the best phone for the job. Read more: Google Pixel 3 review Image Credit: TechRadar The iPhone XR (pronounced 'ten R') is a cheaper smartphone from Apple aimed at opening up its mobile range to more consumers, with a range of colors, premium design and still a decent slug of power under the hood. While it doesn't cost as much as the XS or XS Max, the iPhone XR isn't a cheap phone - it's just more affordable than the other two new iPhones. Screen: The iPhone XR may be the cheapest of Apple's three new iPhones, but it sits in the middle of the trio in terms of screen size with its 6.1-inch display. This provides lots of space for movies and games, although its resolution is under full HD. Camera: The camera on the iPhone XR doesn't hit the same heights as its XS siblings, and portrait mode is a little lacking, but it still offers up the same intuitive Apple interface and an auto mode than makes the best of most scenarios. Battery life: The shining light for the iPhone XR is its battery life. If you're looking for an iPhone with great endurance, this is it, with the XR easily lasting a full day on a single charge. Mini verdict: The iPhone XR is one of the best handsets Apple has ever made, and that's mainly down to the excellent battery life. Read more: iPhone XR review You're at the end of our best smartphone guide, but that doesn't mean we can't help you still - if you're stuck on which model is for you, we've got a tool that can compare all the phones together and you can decide which one suits you best based on the cost. If you want to get all the info, then use the tool below or check out our full mobile phone deals page. Enter price comparisonThis posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| How Marvel Games could make an Avengers/Spider-Man crossover work Posted: 02 Jul 2019 09:34 AM PDT In September 2018, Marvel and Insomniac Games rocked our webbed socks with the launch of Marvel’s Spider-Man, a PlayStation 4 exclusive that deservedly brought one of the greatest fictional characters of all-time into the videogame spotlight once again. Saying the title was well-received is an understatement, as it web-zipped up Game of the Year-lists faster than Stan Lee could say “Excelsior, true believers!”. Marvel’s Spider-Man was a resounding critical and commercial success, selling over nine million copies as of January 2019 and proving that the demand for this character, and narrative-based Marvel titles, is as abundant as it’s ever been. With the success of Spider-Man still fresh, and Crystal Dynamics due to release Marvel’s Avengers in 2020, we feel like there’s no better time for an Avengers/Spider-Man game crossover. After all, millions of players fell in love with Insomniac’s take on Spidey and his supporting cast, so introducing that Peter Parker (or Miles Morales) into Marvel’s Avengers post-launch seems like a bona fide no-brainer, right? Let’s explore how the potential crossover could happen. PlayStation is making money movesImage credit: Insomniac Games The marketing machine for Marvel’s Avengers, set in motion following the game’s reveal at E3 2019, focuses on the idea that the game will “introduce a universe gamers can play in for years to come”. This bold claim forms the basis of our theory about how Marvel could introduce characters from Marvel’s Spider-Man (and other upcoming Marvel titles) into Marvel’s Avengers. During the game’s E3 reveal, it was announced that PlayStation had secured a marketing deal for the title that will see PS4 owners get priority access to the online beta, as well as a few unannounced future “surprises”. Now, it may well be a little too optimistic to expect those “surprises” to include our PS4 Spidey as a playable Avenger, but aren’t we allowed to dream? It’s not completely out of the realm of possibility either, as Crystal Dynamics has been very open about post-launch plans for the game. The studio has confirmed that new playable heroes and regions will be added to the game for free in the years to come after the game launches in May 2020. We simply cannot fathom that the most famous and beloved Avenger wouldn’t be one of those post-launch DLC heroes on PS4. Image credit: Crystal Dynamics Yes, Crystal Dynamics could easily have its own version of Spider-Man waiting in the wings, but it would be an enormous missed opportunity to ignore Insomniac’s character and start afresh. It’s not just because we love his suit or Yuri Lowenthal’s incredible performance as Peter Parker, a crossover could be so much more than a surface-level tie-in. With some extensive communication and understanding with Insomniac, Marvel's Spider-Man narrative could continue in Marvel’s Avengers, and vice-versa. We could even see the characters’ appearance in Marvel’s Avengers bridging the narrative gap between Spidey’s first outing and the sequel. Imagine: Tony Stark hits-up Peter for his scientific brain (something already hinted at, more on that later), something goes wrong and boom, Spidey’s an Avenger for a while. Then, in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Mary Jane or Miles Morales could mention how great it is to have Peter back in New York after all his Avenging on the West Coast, that the city feels safe again. We don’t need an Avengers: Infinity War-style epic from a crossover, just enough to build a believable world full of heroes, a world where characters are aware of events happening across multiple videogames. “God, what a world. Universe, now.”Image credit: Crystal Dynamics As Marvel’s Avengers is being pushed as a live-service game that will be updated and iterated upon over multiple years following its release, there will inevitably be other Marvel Games titles, outside of the Marvel’s Spider-Man franchise, released while Crystal Dynamics is still creating content for their Avengers game. The combination of new Marvel games releasing during the lifecycle of Marvel’s Avengers and the confirmation that new heroes are coming post-launch can only lead to one thing (we hope!): a Marvel Game Universe in which the heroes we know and love from their solo outings will continue their stories in Marvel’s Avengers. Though Crystal Dynamics is staying tight-lipped about that prospect for now...
Speaking of new Marvel games, how about a triple-A Guardians of the Galaxy game? Well, in January 2017, Eurogamer reported that Eidos Montreal, the studio helping with the development of Marvel’s Avengers, is also supposedly leading development on a Guardians of the Galaxy title. This would be the second title, following Marvel’s Avengers, in a “multi-year, multi-game partnership” between Marvel and Square Enix. In a potential crossover similar to the one we’d love to see with Insomniac’s webslinger, could we see a future where Eidos Montreal’s Guardians of the Galaxy releases, and then the spacefaring team of criminals is called down to Earth to conquer a new threat in a Marvel’s Avengers expansion? It would make perfect sense to have both Eidos Montreal and Crystal Dynamics developing Marvel games set in the same universe with crossover potential, considering how closely the two studios are working together on Marvel’s Avengers. Crossovers could form the backbone of the post-launch content that Crystal Dynamics develops for Marvel’s Avengers. With Marvel’s Spider-Man having been a huge success, and more Marvel games seemingly on the horizon, the studio has a significant opportunity with Marvel’s Avengers to forge a universe with a narrative thread spinning through each new story-driven Marvel game. It’s a pipedream, but it’s a pipedream that Marvel has the chance to fully realize. Laying the foundationsImage credit: Insomniac Games While Crystal Dynamics and Insomniac Games have not actually confirmed whether we’ll see a coveted crossover between Marvel’s Spider-Man and Avengers games, there are a few nods to Earth’s Mightiest Heroes (and other Marvel superheroes) in Spider-Man that have us thinking the foundations may have already been lain. Perhaps the most prominent is the Avengers Tower sitting pretty in Spidey’s New York, branding the skyline with that signature ‘A’ symbol. When you take a photo of the tower Peter Parker says, “Avengers Tower is so cool, but they’re never around to use it. I think they’re probably somewhere on the West Coast right now.” Oh, and you know where the Marvel’s Avengers E3 trailer says the Avengers are opening a new HQ? San Francisco. That cannot be a coincidence, can it? In addition, in the opening cutscene of Marvel’s Spider-Man, the camera pans around Peter Parker’s room, and we get a glimpse of a sticky note which says, “Call T.S. back re: job offer”. Could Tony Stark have offered Peter a job? Perhaps, on the West Coast? Another interesting sticky note reads, “RR suit fabric ballistic? Call to confirm”. RR almost definitely stands for one Reed Richards, or Mr Fantastic, of the Fantastic Four. Peter asking Reed Richards for suit materials makes sense, as he’s considered to be the smartest person in the Marvel universe. There’s been no confirmation of any Fantastic Four content for Marvel’s Avengers, but Marvel Games sure has the team on their mind, having been announced as DLC for Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order. Aside from the Avengers Tower, there are a bunch of other landmarks that hint towards a connected superhero universe. Black Panther’s Wakandan Embassy can be found in the city, as well as Doctor Strange’s home, the Sanctum Sanctorum. In addition, the villain Taskmaster plays a small role in Marvel’s Spider-Man but also appears in the Marvel’s Avengers trailer sporting a changed appearance. There’s no telling whether this is the same Taskmaster - but it's always a possibility. We’ll probably have to wait until May 15, 2020 to find out if a crossover is being assembled, but we’re cautiously optimistic that Marvel Games love crossovers as much as Marvel Studios do. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Best Samsung TV: your guide to the top Samsung television for 2019 Posted: 02 Jul 2019 09:15 AM PDT If you're looking for the best Samsung TV, look no further. We've brought together a conclusive list of the latest and greatest Samsung televisions available for you to buy. Chances are, if you're buying a new TV, it's from Samsung. The Korean manufacturer has been the top TV manufacturer for the last 10 years – selling as many television sets as Sony and LG put together.
One of the driving forces behind Samsung's success – and probably the reason you're here – is that Samsung puts out a huge number of TVs each year. We already have word of a huge number of Quantom dot (QLED) models, upgraded Designer TVs, and more still to come in 2019, though the list below is pieced together from the best sets currently on the market (from the 2018 range). Whatever you're looking for in a television, there should be Samsung TV out there to meet your needs – though telling the difference between their long and iterative product names can be confusing work. Don't worry though – we're here to help. Whatever it is you're looking for and whatever your budget, we’ll help you pick out the best Samsung TV. Why Samsung over LG or Sony?Considering you've landed on this page, we're sort of assuming you had Samsung in mind – why else shop for the best Samsung TV? But maybe you’re still in that research phase where you’re not quite sure on Samsung, and would like to know why so many other people – reviewers and enthusiasts alike – ride Samsung’s hype train. Samsung holds such strong sway with these folks because its TVs are generally more colorful and much brighter than the competition, especially in the QLED range. Also important to the discussion: Samsung TVs typically do a great job with upscaling (turning HD into 4K), and usually perform better than LG sets when handling scenes with fast motion. They offer a technology called HDR10+ that makes colors look super vivid, and input lag is generally pretty low, too, which is great for gamers looking to use the TV with the Xbox One X or PS4 Pro. On the downside, Samsung TVs are generally more expensive than those made by their rivals, and aren’t always incredibly long-lived. I’m not sure if you know this, but Samsung has a bit of a reputation for creating some... explosive products. The other problem with Samsung TVs is that they don’t support Dolby Vision – an HDR format that delivers higher brightness and better colors than HDR10. All that being said, the good often outweighs the bad, and here at TechRadar we recommend Samsung screens to folks who have a little bit more to spend and are looking for the most picturesque TVs (though there are some good budget and mid-range options too, as you'll see below).
Best Samsung TV: naming structure explainedBefore we dive into specific models, let’s spend a second taking apart Samsung’s naming convention. Once you understand how it works, you’ll be able to read the obfuscated labels just as well as any electronics employee – which is a huge advantage if you’re heading out on Black Friday or Cyber Monday in search of some deals. We mentioned the Samsung UN55MU7000FXZA up above, so let’s use that as an example. The UN signifies that you’re talking about the American model of the TV. If you’re in the UK, you might be more familiar by seeing a ‘UE’ before all of the other numbers while Australian or Asian readers might have seen a UA prefix before. Of course, if you’re buying a new QLED TV from Samsung, you’ll find QN, QE or QA in this spot instead. If you buy a TV in one region and move to another, that could present some issues but as long as you buy a TV for your region you’ll be OK. The number after the UN/UE pr QN/QE prefix is the screen size. A ‘55’ means the TV is 55-inches. A Samsung UN49MU6500 is an American 49-inch TV, while a Samsung UN65MU6300FXZA is an American 65-inch TV. After the MU and the first two numbers come a second letter pair. This pairing helps indicate which year the TV comes from. An M- or an MU- means the TV is from 2017, as are all of the QLED TVs (the Q9F, Q8C, Q8F, Q7C and Q7F). If you see KS or KU in the title, the TV was made in 2016. JU and JS TVs were made in 2015. HU was 2014, the F-series from 2013, so on and so forth. The last four numbers are the series. In 2017, Samsung produces TVs in five main series: the 5-Series, 6-Series, 7-Series, 8-Series, 9-Series, alongside QLED TVs and the more lifestyle-centric The Frame and Serif TVs. The higher up the series is, the more functionality it has. It’s pretty hard to break it down by series, as some larger screen sizes have different feature sets than smaller screen sizes, but the higher series TVs have features such as HDR, 4K, higher brightness settings, better motion handling and better operating systems. The typical rule of thumb is that higher is better, but also generally more expensive, too. Last but not least you have the FXZA – a letter combination that denotes region (the A stands for America) and, for some odd reason, inventory tracking. This last part largely can be ignored unless you’re entering the TVs into a database. So, what is the best Samsung TV?Samsung Q9FN (QN65Q9FN). Image Credit: Samsung Samsung's flagship 4K QLED for 2019 has somehow managed to outdo last year's Q9FN, which previously held the top spot on this list. As the top model in Samsung's QLED range – 8K models like the Q950R aside – the Q90 offers a truly dynamic picture with market-leading picture processing and incredible HDR images. Not to mention a dazzling peak brightness of 1,600 nits (double that of most OLEDs). And with a sleek, bezel-less design, and the OneConnect box to tidy away all your cables, the Q90 is as nice to look at when the TV is off as well. But one of the most impressive innovations with the Q90 is the viewing angles: something that LCD panels traditionally struggle with, given that backlighting usually faces directly forwards. Samsung has tackled the problem admirably, with its Ultra Viewing Angle technology meaning that contrast and color are as strong off-axis as they are head-on. Add to that the built-in Bixby voice assistant and comprehensive smart platform, and you have a top-class television full able to compete with any OLED TVs. If you want the absolute best Samsung TV, the Q90 most certainly is it. Read the full review: Samsung Q90 QLED TV If the price tag is making you gape, don't worry: there's an extensive Samsung TV range and plenty of cheaper models to contend with, without needing a big drop in quality. Instead, let's set the budget at something a bit more reasonable. What's the best reasonably priced Samsung TV?Image Credit: Samsung The Samsung Q80R QLED TV isn't the flashiest QLED put out this year – in fact, it's third in the line-up after the Samsung Q90 and Samsung Q85. The difference between each one might be incremental, but by the time you've got the the Q80R, you've got a substantial price saving from the higher-end models. The Q80R still packs in everything that makes a QLED a QLED in 2019: a dazzlingly bright display, a direct full array backlight, and Samsung's new Ultra Viewing Angle technology (which keeps colors looking rich even from off-axis). Not to mention voice control through Samsung's Bixby voice assistant, and Airplay 2 functionality. But you get all that for only £1,999 / $1,999 (around AU$2,900) RRP for the 55-inch model, with prices already dropping to £1,699 / $1,599 (around AU$2,300) through most retailers. Buyers in the US also have the option of some massive 75-inch and 82-inch sizes alongside the regular 55- and 65-inch models. As it's Samsung, there's no Dolby Vision support – meaning you won't get the best of dynamic HDR through Netflix and the like – opting instead for HDR10+, which is used by Amazon Prime. If you're after a compromise between price and performance in your hunt for the best Samsung TV, you're looking at it. Those in the UK, be warned though: you won't get the Freeview Play UI, though you should be able to access most domestic channels' catch-up services individually. Read the full review: Samsung Q7FN QLED TV OK, but what's the best cheap Samsung TV?Samsung NU7100 Series UHD TV (Image Credit: Samsung) If Samsung's Q9F is a Ferrari and the Q7FN a Camaro, the NU7100 is a Honda: It's affordable and gets around just fine. It might not be the most premium machine on the market – and can certainly stand to learn a few tricks from the higher-tiered competition – but it's hard to complain about a TV that, most of the time, costs in the region of $400 / £400. Called the Samsung NU7120 in the UK, this TV offers almost all of the smart functionality as the top-tier models in a cheaper-but-still-good package. It's not going to blow you away if you're a cinephile – while it supports HDR / HDR10+, you're only getting a very basic version of high dynamic range. The edge-lit panel and low brightness don't hinder the picture much though, even if it can't compete for visuals with the more premium models listed above. However, if you're a gamer looking for low input lag, or someone angling for 4K without breaking the bank, this is a contender for the best Samsung TV as such a high-performing television at a low, low cost. Read the full review: Samsung NU7100
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| How to watch Love Island online for free: stream season 5 from UK or abroad Posted: 02 Jul 2019 09:08 AM PDT If you haven't been tuning in for your daily dose of Love Island, boy have you been missing out. With this week introducing the Casa Amore (a second villa to mix up the drama), heads are turning and now is the time to watch Love Island online with drama-filled episodes abound. The show, which can best be described as a cross between Big Brother and First Dates, has come back to hot up our evening TV viewings. Known for its eclectic dating duos, long Voxi ads and contestants with semi-famous relatives (move over Dani Dyer, here comes Tommy Fury) is here to fill our evening viewing slots! We're here to tell you how to watch Love Island online, even if you're on holiday when it's on. Returning daily (with the exclusion of Saturday) at 9pm BST, the days of piling around the TV for summer dating drama are back. Whether you're a Love Island devotee who's been patiently counting down the days since last year's bout of strange dating rituals, or someone new to this phenomenon (oh boy are you in for a treat!) this is the place to be to find out everything you need to know about this year's viewing times. Last year ran for a mind-boggling 59 days, leaving contestants Jack Fincham and Danny Dyer's daughter...Dani Dyer victorious and the proud winners of £50,000. This year's show is expected to run for eight weeks but who knows what plot twists lie ahead. While not one single couple from the show has managed to stay together for the year that has passed since then, we have high hopes for the longevity of 2019's tanned Romeos and Juliets. With that glorious £50,000 and a lifetime of obscure sponsored ads on the horizon, there is everything to compete for. So if you're ready to watch Love Island 2019 online and all you need is the location and time, scroll down to see how to watch the dating show of the year! Whether you're in the UK or badly timed a holiday, we've got the low-down for where to watch it.
How to watch Love Island online for free in the UK:If you're going to be in the UK the whole time the show is on then watching it couldn't be easier. Simply gather around with your friends and families at 9pm Monday to Friday each week to watch the excessively tanned battle it out for money. Each episode airs at 9pm BST on ITV2 (or 10pm on ITV2+1). But if you would rather watch Love Island online you can easily catch it via the ITV website or watch it on your mobile devices via the ITV Hub app which you can download here for Android and here for your iPhone or iPad. The other way to watch ITV online is to go via TVPlayer.com - we actually prefer this option as the stream tends to be better quality and more robust. It's also a faster site, more responsive and quicker to get up and running with. It's still free and legal, too. How to watch Love Island online from outside the countryIf you’re from the UK and have planned a holiday while the show is on then clearly you're not very dedicated to Love Island! But don’t worry as we can help you avoid any annoying geo-blocking allowing you and your friends to catch Love Island on your holiday. By using a VPN, you can change your IP address to one in the UK which will allow you to stream the event using your ITV account. Keep reading and we’ll show you how.
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| Best iPhone 2019: which Apple phone is the best? Posted: 02 Jul 2019 09:06 AM PDT You'd expect the best iPhone to simply be the newest model on the market, but now that Apple launches three phones each year, as it did in 2018 with the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone X, there's a little more to think about. Does greater size justify greater price? When Apple's smartphones cost so much, even when you find the best iPhone deals around, it's critical to decide which iPhone is best for you. That's why we've set out to rank the powerful devices and explain where we landed on each. We'll help you explore how the three newest iPhones compare to each other, and see which handsets to check out if you aren't considering the very latest devices. This way, if you're not looking to spend maximum cash on the latest and greatest features, you can find a more reasonable pick in an older iPhone, like 2017's iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, or one of the budget-minded options, like the iPhone XR. Each of the top iPhones we recommend runs iOS 12, and they're all going to receive iOS 13 when that rolls out later in 2019 - but iPhones later than the ones included on this list won't, so bear that in mind if you decide to stray from our recommendations. If you're looking for a bit of a bargain you'll need to take a look at the older models further down the list, or keep everything crossed that Amazon Prime Day 2019 (which runs July 15-16) will turn up a deal or two - but don't get your hopes up too much. So without further ado, here's our list of the best iPhones you can buy right now – at least until the new iPhone 11 rolls out later this year.
Best iPhone: which one should you buy todayImage credit: TechRadar The iPhone XS Max is the best iPhone you can buy right now. It's Apple's biggest and best iPhone – if your hands and wallets are large enough. It has an expansive 6.5-inch OLED screen with HDR10 support to make colors pop. It's the perfect phone if you want a giant screen. Behind that huge screen is an improved dual-lens 12MP camera. Apple outfitted it with Smart HDR and increased the sensor size to capture larger pixels. Don't let that static 12MP number fool you. The iPhone XS Max (like the XS) has new depth-sensing capabilities for adjustable bokeh (background blur) during and after a shot. The TrueDepth camera returns with faster Face ID recognition, and your 7MP selfies get better depth control and Smart HDR, too. And, of course, Animoji returns with the iOS 12 benefit of having Memoji now. The iPhone XS Max is more expensive than the iPhone X and iPhone XS that replaces the X, of course. But if you're paying for it over the course of two years in a contract (or through the Apple Upgrade Program), it's not that much more month-to-month. Read our in-depth iPhone XS Max review Image credit: TechRadar Believe it or not, the iPhone XS is Apple's best 'small' phone. It has a 5.8-inch screen, so it's more one-hand-friendly than the Max, but still a sizable upgrade for some people. It's an upgrade over last year's iPhone X, our previous best iPhone recommendation, though you'll have to look more closely for the changes – the design isn't different at all. It has a Smart HDR-capable 12MP camera, enhanced TrueDepth front-facing camera, and a fast A12 Bionic chipset, exactly like the larger iPhone XS Max. In fact, this all-screen phone is pretty much the iPhone XS Max in last year's smaller form factor. It does have a smaller battery than the Max and obviously a smaller screen, but you will still capture the same great photos and videos on this device and play the same games. There's no different there. Read our in-depth iPhone XS review Image credit: TechRadar The iPhone XR is a great upgrade for the average consumer who doesn't want to pay for the most expensive iPhone money (a lot of money) can buy. This is Apple's 'cheap' iPhone, at least when it comes to recently launched handsets. It's also the best iPhone of the new trio for battery life. It stands out with a variety of iPhone XR colors: Blue, White, Black, Yellow, Coral, Red. This contrasts heavily with the rather muted colors of the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. Yet it shares the same internal specs: Apple's fast A12 Bionic chipset and a 12MP dual-lens camera with a single lens on back.
You don't get the dual-lens camera like you do on a higher-tier iPhone, so you miss out on telephoto shots. But Smart HDR is the real perk to taking great photos, and that's here. It's cheaper, it's more colorful and it has a big 6.1-inch screen. That's enough for most people, especially those who aren't insistent on an impressive OLED screen. Read our in-depth iPhone XR review Image credit: TechRadar The iPhone X is as impressive as it is expensive, but if you really want the best iPhone today and don't want to wait for the iPhone XI, this is the one to get today. Millions of Apple fans already have since it launched almost seven months ago. It's the future of Apple's smartphone. It has a large all-screen display, except for a notch cutout at the top that houses a new TrueDepth Camera. This takes selfies to another level and can also map your face to an iPhone X-exclusive Animoji. If you don't know what that is by now you probably won't care. The iPhone X is Apple's 10th anniversary smartphone and has just about everything iPhone users have been asking for, from a more forward-leaning design to faster specs and new features. You'll just have to get used to Face ID instead of reaching for that non-existent fingerprint sensor. Read our in-depth iPhone X review Image credit: TechRadar The iPhone 8 Plus is the best iPhone if you're not willing to take the plunge into Apple's proposed smartphone future and need that Touch ID fingerprint sensor. It remains popular due to its screen size, cheaper price and physical home button. It does have several key features you'll like, however. It's among the first iPhones to have both wireless charging and fast charging, and the camera has improved. Its dual-lens camera doesn't have OIS in the telephoto lens (a feature saved for the X), but it's still a great way to snap a photo at long distances. It won't turn nearly as many heads with its bezel-heavy design, but the iPhone 8 Plus is the iPhone built for big hands and slightly smaller wallets than the new iPhone X. Read our in-depth iPhone 8 Plus review Image credit: TechRadar This is actually the best-selling iPhone from Apple, and for several good reasons. First, we get it, you refuse to budge from the 4.7-inch iPhone screen size and, frankly, we don't blame you. Every time we go back to this iPhone with 'normal' dimensions, we feel like we just went on a smartphone vacation. Second, its price is way more reasonable for a lot a folks than the iPhone X and iPhone 8 Plus. Just because the size is the same as iPhones of old, doesn't mean the technology behind it is, though. The iPhone 8 features the same A11 Bionic chipset as the iPhone 8 Plus and the iPhone X, and it too debuted wireless charging and fast charging on an Apple smartphone. The camera is still fantastic, even if it doesn't have the dual-lens capabilities that are exclusive to the X and Plus, and you'll dig iOS 11 at this size more so than the even smaller iPhone SE. Read our in-depth iPhone 8 review Back in 2016 the iPhone 7 Plus was the best phone Apple had ever made, and it remains a winner for its longevity and price. It's larger than the iPhone X though despite its smaller display, so if you're after a smaller phone with a bigger screen, this won't be the best choice for you with its 5.5-inch 1080p display. The big upgrades over older iPhones are the waterproof design and a new dual-lens camera that allows you to snap with two 12MP lenses at the same time. It allows for better optical zoom as well as a bokeh mode to blur the background of your photos and put the main focus on the foreground. Battery life on the iPhone 7 Plus is much improved upon the iPhone 6S Plus, and while it's still a costly option it's much cheaper than it was at launch, making it one of the best iPhone choices for people looking for a deal. Read the full iPhone 7 Plus review Despite the iPhone SE's small size and relatively modest price tag, it's still an upper mid-range phone. It has the same boxy yet premium design as the metal-clad iPhone 5S and the same powerful Apple A9 chipset and rear camera as the iPhone 6S. It lacks the 3D Touch features and higher-resolution front-facing camera of the iPhone 6S and beyond. The screen is also less impressive all round, thanks in large part to a lower contrast ratio. But it compares well to many mid-range handsets. It's also the most powerful 4-inch iPhone you can get, so for fans of compact form factors this is an obvious choice. But the best bit is its price, as it's one of the cheapest iPhones you'll find on the market and it's something of a bargain by Apple standards. Read the iPhone SE review Don't fancy the large iPhone 7 Plus above? Why not opt for the iPhone 7, which is a smaller and cheaper alternative. This was one of the first iPhones to lack a headphone jack, but it does come with a water-resistant design that means your phone is likely to survive the odd dip in the sink rather than just being frazzled right away. There's no dual-lens camera on the iPhone 7, but you can still take some absolutely incredible photography with the 12MP sensor. If you own an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6S, you may not see much difference with the this phone but the newer processor and camera tech may be enough to entice you to buy it if you can't stomach the high price of the iPhone 8. Read the full iPhone 7 review The iPhone 6S, as you probably know, is Apple's flagship from 2015. The Apple A9 chipset and a chunky 2GB of RAM, up from 1GB on the previous model, make it far superior in raw power to 2014's model and still reasonably speedy by today's standards, and it's got some other tricks too. It has a 12MP rear camera and a tried-and-tested 8MP front-facing camera, which at the time was the best selfie shooter Apple had on a phone. It does sport largely the same design and screen as the iPhone 6 though and the latter in particular is starting to feel a bit dated in the face of super sharp QHD screens from rivals - and from the newer iPhone X. This was the first iPhone to sport 3D Touch though, which makes the screen pressure-sensitive and offers new tricks for enhanced emailing and shortcuts around the home screen. Read the full iPhone 6S review
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| Get £10 off a £25 spend when you install the Amazon Assistant browser extension Posted: 02 Jul 2019 09:01 AM PDT Ahead of Amazon Prime Day, Amazon is offering £10 off a £25 shop if you install the Amazon Assistant browser extension. The deal is open to Amazon Prime users who install Amazon Assistant for the first time between July 1 and July 14. Amazon Assistant is available for all major browsers, including Google Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Safari, Opera and Internet Explorer, but you'll need to install it via Amazon's offer page to claim the deal. If you use your browser's built-in store, you'll miss out. The Amazon Assistant browser extension links to your Amazon account and provides all sorts of handy info, including delivery status of your current orders, price comparisons, a universal wish list, shortcuts to popular Amazon features, and a custom list of watched deals. It's a great deal, but there are a few caveats: the £10 credit can only be claimed against items dispatched from and sold by Amazon, excluding Amazon devices (so no Echo speakers or Fire TV sticks), alcohol, digital content, baby and infant formula, Amazon gift cards, delivery and handling charges, gift wrapping, Warehouse Deals or products sold by third-party sellers or other Amazon entities. We'll be curating all the best deals throughout Amazon Prime day to help you get the best possible prices on the items you want, so bookmark our Prime Day guide to stay up to date. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Interoperability keeps enterprises competitive Posted: 02 Jul 2019 09:00 AM PDT The age-old adage of ‘if it’s not broke, why fix it’ has become embedded in the way large enterprises operate around the world. But as the way we work continues to shift, particularly with the entrance of millennials and Gen Zs into the global workforce, the challenge of bridging generational gaps within a company is ever more prominent. One of the more prevalent differences between generations can be seen through their use of technology platforms such as emails and cloud-based collaboration tools. For example, a big part of the roadblock when it comes to introducing collaboration tools across the board in large enterprises is the fear of moving away from the tried and tested. However, staying may not be the most efficient use of technology tools available, and as a result, can inhibit a company’s ability to remain competitive in a constantly changing workplace. With 70 per cent of the global workforce predicted to be made up of millennials and Gen Z by 2025, it’s now more important than ever to introduce interoperability — the ability for computer systems or software to exchange and make use of information — within organisations. Interoperability helps consolidate the myriad of tools across an organisation, even when it is built and developed by different companies. It is a great solution to bridge the inter-generational work gap, giving both sides the ability to continue to exchange information and collaborate regardless of whether they prefer email, Dropbox, GDrive, Slack or something else. New generations, new expectationsThe new generation of digital natives expect their employers to utilize efficient productivity and collaboration tools to help them remain efficient and get more done. The current generational gap represents both a challenge and an opportunity, particularly for enterprises that grapple with legacy systems and more traditional ways of working. An organisation’s workplace technology can influence the tenure of this new generation of workers. They have high expectations — from the availability of productivity tools, to workplace culture — around the company where they spend 40+ hours of their working week. This generation also believes that their workplace technology tool should be easy to use and as practical as the consumer apps and tools that they use in their personal life. As such, employers that fail to listen and adapt to the changing way different employees like to work are less likely to retain great talent. The same goes for older generations that are used to traditional tech tools. Forcing a specific way of working on either party is unlikely to lead to success. This is particularly true for large companies — it becomes a more daunting task to introduce a platform wall-to-wall the more employees you have to upskill. It takes time to train, reskill or change the way someone works, which could result in lost productivity and increased business costs. Old and new co-existingWe are in the midst of a 100 year shift in communication in the workplace. Today, there is a proliferation of technology tools that is helping knowledge workers transition to a more flexible, collaborative and transparent way of working. Less red tape, less time wasted. However, the average enterprise company already utilizes about 1,000 different vendors, and having more productivity tools is not indicative of improved efficiency. Having too many fragmented tools can be overwhelming, resulting in constant context switching, siloed information and disjointed processes within the same company. As a result, this can decrease productivity, innovation and revenue while increasing operational costs. Interoperability allows different tech tools to communicate and work together, rather than in silos. For example, an employee communicating with their vendors via email can easily share the entire discussion thread with their colleagues on a collaboration platform like Slack, and continue the conversation without missing a beat. This helps reduce unnecessary admin and minimize back-and-forths as relevant teams have access to all the relevant information they need to move the task along. Bridging tools to increase efficiencyBridging old and new tools encourages a more fluid and efficient way to collaborate, providing a solution for different generations of employees to continue to work better together and achieve their shared goals quickly. But for interoperability to exist, have an impact and become more than just a buzzword within a company, enterprises must invest the time on identifying and bringing on board the tools that are widely interoperable. Enterprises that continue to ignore the importance of interoperability will risk falling behind their competitors, so it’s crucial to act now or risk losing more than just revenue. Arturo Arrarte is Head of Growth for Asia, Slack.
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| Best budget smartphone 2019: the top cheap mobiles around Posted: 02 Jul 2019 08:54 AM PDT If you're looking for a cheap phone without it being terrible, the good news is that the best budget smartphones in 2019 are actually pretty good. We've spent a lot of time playing around with low-end devices over the years, and we've found that even though you're spending less you're not getting a worse handset. So we've painstakingly rounded up the best of the bunch, with the top cheap phones on the market all making their way onto the list. If you're looking to spend a bit less then these are the phones you should be looking for... In the past, the term 'best cheap phones' was usually a warning rather than a tempting proposition, with shoddy build quality, sluggish performance, laughable screen resolution and woeful cameras typically featuring on such handsets. But this isn't the past, this is the present, and the market abounds with top budget phones - and on days like Amazon Prime Day (well, it's actually two days this year) you'll find a host of low-end handsets offered for cheaper. While the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S10, iPhone XS, Huawei P30 Pro and OnePlus 7 Pro steal headlines around the world, there's a lot of intriguing (and cheap) stuff going on in the world of budget smartphones. When it comes to defining a 'cheap' phone, we've used £200 as the cut off point. That might be a little meaty for some, so we've made sure there are some lower-cost models in the list too, but when the above brands all are pushing towards the £1000 mark, you can see that 'cheap' means something rather different now. Image Credit: TechRadar The Huawei P Smart 2019 is the best cheap phone you can buy right now. It packs a usable camera, plenty of storage and great battery life as well as a screen and design that punch way above their weight. There is very little between the Huawei P Smart and the Honor 10 Lite, they're practically the same device, but the P Smart tops our list with its slightly sharper design. Read our full review: Huawei P Smart (2019) Image Credit: TechRadar The Honor 10 Lite is a little unlucky to find itself second in our best budget smartphone round-up, as it can make a strong case for being first as it's almost identical to the P Smart (2019). If you're a frequent Snapchatter or selfie addict the 24MP front-facing camera on the Honor 10 Lite is the one for you. Read our full review: Honor 10 Lite Image Credit: TechRadar This is the best budget smartphone when it comes to battery, with the Moto G7 Power packing a mammoth 5,000mAh power pack. It’s also awkwardly big, but for those who want two days (and sometimes more) from a single charge no other smartphone around can match the Moto G7 Power right now. Read our full review: Moto G7 Power Image Credit: TechRadar Sporting an eye-catching and robust design, along with a bright capacious screen, decent speakers, generous specifications and a powerful chipset, the Realme 3 Pro really does have an odd character of its own. Though its software design might be divisive, it has no major issues. It has a class-leading camera for the price point, along with dependable stamina and the handy option of very fast charging. Read our full review: Realme 3 Pro Image Credit: TechRadar Xiaomi should be proud, the Redmi Note 7 is a real achievement - one that puts many other smartphone manufacturers to shame. It's difficult to find many other phones than can offer what the Redmi Note 7 does at its price point, and as long as you can look past the software with a few minor niggles and the services it tries to push, you'll be happy with your purchase. Read our full review: Redmi Note 7 Image Credit: TechRadar You’re unlikely to find many more compelling phones than the Moto G7 Play at its rock-bottom price. It’s well constructed, slim, has zippy internals, the camera is good when you factor in all the shooting modes and it lasts a full day. The lack of NFC is a bit of a disappointment, but if that doesn’t phase you and you’re not put off by the clunky looking notch and practical design, go forth and pick one up, you won’t regret it. Read our full review: Moto G7 Play Image Credit: Motorola The Moto G6 is no-longer the best budget smartphone, but it's still a great buy for those looking for value for money. It may not feel or run like a flagship phone, but it’s not pretending to be one. The Moto G6 offers a lot of solid features, plus extras including some fun camera features, fast charging and it all adds up to make one of the best budget handsets on the market. Motorola has been a class-leader at the budget end of the mobile for a few years, and the pure Android software and solid build of the Moto G6 ensures you get a top smartphone experience without having to break the bank. Read our in-depth Moto G6 review Image Credit: TechRadar If you're after the best design and screen you can get for under £150, the Nokia 5.1 is best cheap phone you can buy. The rest of the specs are fine, it's not going to dazzle you with performance or camera quality, but it's how it feels and looks that make it stand out. Read the full review: Nokia 5.1 Image Credit: Motorola The Moto E5 Plus offers up a big screen, long lasting battery and a low price tag, making it an excellent contender for the best budget smartphone on the market. It just misses out on a top three spot thanks to its slightly weaker performance and lower resolution screen versus - but this is still a top budget buy. Read the full review: Moto E5 Plus Image Credit: TechRadar The Motorola One is a smart, well-balanced phone with few glaring weaknesses. While its design largely holds its own with rivals, there are a couple of shortfalls. The phone’s display isn’t sharp enough, while it also runs on a slightly outdated chipset. The presence of Android One is a plus point, but even then it’s not a massive departure from Motorola’s usual software efforts. All in all, a decent phone. Read our full review: Motorola One This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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