Saturday, August 3, 2019

Apple : Best cloud logging services of 2019

Apple : Best cloud logging services of 2019

Best cloud logging services of 2019

Posted: 03 Aug 2019 09:04 AM PDT

Managing log events can be a challenge for a number of reasons, not least the sheer volume of datapoints, the number of applications involved, and reverse engineering identified errors to their source for correction.

Cloud logging services aim to do this, by providing an interface through which your server logs are routed so that they can be identified, sorted, and highlighted as required.

By using the cloud it means that monitoring remains independent of your network, meaning it would be slowed by any errors or failures. Additionally, storing your data in the cloud means it's not simply a case of keeping everything in one place to manage, but also save any historical datapoints you may need to reference later.

By themselves these should be enough reasons for it, but additional ones include the ability to integrate not just with other cloud services, but also useful applications for not just sending and receiving alerts, but allowing for team collaboration in dealing with them.

Here then are the best in cloud logging services.

  • Want your company or services to be added to this buyer’s guide? Please email your request to desire.athow@futurenet.com with the URL of the buying guide in the subject line. 

Splunk produces software for searching, monitoring and analyzing machine-generated big data. They were founded in 2007.

The software offers a wide range of log management tools such as log consolidation, retention, IT operations troubleshooting, application troubleshooting and compliance reporting.

Users can collect, store, index, search, correlate, visualize and report on any machine-generated data. Subscribers can then resolve operational and security issues.

Searches are turned into real-time alerts, reports or dashboards in an easy to use manner.

The software is truly cross-platform and operates on the cloud. It can also operate as a hybrid, integrating on-premise and cloud software.

All data collated is presented on the interface. Users can view data analysis easier, export and import faster for charting purposes.

Splunk is geared towards businesses of any size. It can be adjusted according to a variety of configurations evolving as your organization grows.

The ‘Cloud’ plan offers users a 15-day free trial to search, analyze and visualize 5GB of data. Subscribers need to contact the sales team directly to receive a quote.

The ‘Free’ package includes one users, scale up to 500MB per day, index any machine data, real-time search and analysis.

Online reviewers have noted that the free trial is minimal and the paid price plans being expensive compared to other products.

InsightOps from Rapid7 (formerly Logentries) aim to make cloud logging management easy by centralizing data, allowing easy visualization of metrics for monitoring, and using natural-language questions to identify problems for troubleshooting.

InsightOps collects logs across all cloud services, as well as directly from servers, not least for applications, DNS requests, VPNs, databases, and firewalls. It then normalizes even unstructured data into a consistent format. You can then monitor how much CPU and memory each asset is using to ensure smooth performance. Auditing logs makes it easier to ensure compliance, and InsightOps can easily integrate into your DevOps stack for automation.

There are visualization options for drilling down through data, and the Endpoint Interrogator allows the user to ask specific questions about what resources each asset is using. There are also alerts available, and the dashboard refreshes automatically in real-time.

Overall, InsightOps is easy to deploy across any network, and because it monitors the entire system, it's easy to spot malicious activity on any part of the network, even at file level.

InsightOps is available with a free trial.

Solarwinds is a company that develops software for businesses to help manage their networks, systems and information technology infrastructure. They acquired the log management service ‘Papertrail’ in 2014.  

Papertrail allows users to log all apps, text log files and Syslog from one location. Searches and reports are done in real-time. Users can use a command line, browser or API.  

Alerts are sent instantly to users which can then be used to detect trends.  

Papertrail is easy to setup and implement. Users can gain visibility across all their systems quickly. Users can aggregate MySQL, cloud hosting, Apache, Tomcat, Heroku apps, routers and firewalls.

The lowest pricing tier starts at $7 for 1GB per month. This includes 1-week search and 1-year archive.

The mid-range tier starts at $75 for 8GB per month including 8 weeks search and 1-year archive.

The top tier weighs in at $230 for 25GB data per month and includes an additional 16GB for the first month, 2 weeks search and 1-year archive.

Papertrail forces users to save all searches.

Sumologic is a cloud-based log management and analytics service. It was founded in 2010.

The platform provides real time dashboards. Users can manage and monitor all data logs, metrics, assess graphs and generate reports from here. Dashboards can be customized with pie, bar, map and line charts.  

Sumologic’s machine learning uses algorithmic support to arrange the patterns in data and establish any inconsistencies. Users can quickly establish and eliminate any issues that are identified. There is no need to set predefined rules or policies.

The platform allows users to build, run and secure their AWS, Google Cloud Platform or any hybrid applications.

Users can monitor key security metrics and indicators of compromise in real-time. Problems can be resolved faster as a result of this.

‘Sumo Free’ is geared towards individual users and teams undergoing smaller projects. This includes log storage of 4GB and max 500MB of log ingest.

The ‘Professional’ plan is $99 per GB per month for an annual commitment. This includes free metrics, 30GB storage and min 3GB log ingest. It also offers a 30-day free trial.

The ‘Enterprise’ package offers a 30-day free trial. It is $165 per GB per month for an annual commitment.  

Users have noted that Sumo is slow compared to other logging programs.

Sematext builds cloud and on-premises systems for application performance monitoring, log management and analytics. They were founded in 2007.

The platform uses Elasticsearch API and integrated Kibana. It claims to be the first true Hosted ELK (Elastic Stack) Stack.

Log can be inspected via the user interface or Elasticsearch API. They are also kept in one centralized location. ELK maintains and scales everything.

Alerts can be sent via email, ChatOps or WebHooks. Logsense has built-in integrations for PagerDuty, Slack and HipChat amongst others.

Users can save all queries as a ‘Saved Search’ or an ‘Alert Query’.  Saved searches can be custom tagged with labels or colours.

Sematext Logsense offers users a 30-day free trial. Prices are metered and based on plan, daily volume and data retention. Your plan is chosen based on the features you need. The higher volume you choose the lower the cost per GB. All prices are based on a monthly rate. Users need to contact Logsense directly for more information.

Users have complained of some issues when trying to contact support.

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iPhone XS deals don't get better than this - 100GB of data at an impressively low price

Posted: 03 Aug 2019 09:02 AM PDT

The iPhone XS is easily one of the most expensive devices Apple has ever made, there's no getting around that. But for those trying to grab this phone at its cheapest price...what if we told you that there is an offer that skips the compromise, offering a heap of data at one of the handset's cheapest price tags.

While that sounds like the sort of offer that comes with a glaring flaw or catch, there really isn't one. This is simply an iPhone XS deal from Three offering 100GB of data. All you have to pay is £52 a month and £49 upfront.

That might sound like a huge amount to pay and for most phones it would be. But, when it comes to the iPhone XS this is probably the best cost we've ever seen on the device, making that 100GB of data even more impressive.

That's enough data to hold over even the most determined internet users. With the ability to download roughly 20,000 songs a month, or stay on a video call for nine and a half days, it's more of a challenge to use up all of that data each month!

This brilliant iPhone XS deal in full:

So what's so good about the iPhone XS?

There is a good reason for the iPhone XS's lofty price. Extremely powerful and full of features, it's clearly one of the best phones on the market right now, even with competition from the far newer Galaxy S10 deals and Huawei P30 Pro deals. 

Across the device, everything feels premium. Apple's near infinity OLED display with smart HDR looks stunning and its 2658mAh battery is a vast improvement on previous options. Although it hasn't been hugely improved on from the previous model it's about as high-end a phone as you can get right now and especially for this price. 

Read our full iPhone XS review.

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Best cloud management software of 2019

Posted: 03 Aug 2019 08:17 AM PDT

Cloud software is fast become an essential component in any business IT environment, with the ability to host data and run applications, as well as monitor performance and control security more easily.

However, while there are a large number of providers offering customizable solutions, you can build you own cloud or hybrid cloud so long as you have the know-how, allowing you more control over your digital assets.

This means having more choice over which cloud services you want to use, not least from AWS, Azure, and others. Additionally, major integrations are usually available with VMware, Citrix, and other often essential computing applications.

Ultimately, the cloud management software you choose will allow for greater personalization for the demands of your businesses, ensuring that the software fits your needs, rather than the other way around.

Here then are the best in cloud management software, featured in no particular order.

  • Want your company or services to be added to this buyer’s guide? Please email your request to desire.athow@futurenet.com with the URL of the buying guide in the subject line. 

Apache CloudStack is an open-sourced cloud computing company which creates, manages and deploys infrastructure cloud services.

The software is designed as highly scalable Infrastructure as a Service. The cloud platform is used to deploy and manage large networks of virtual machines. It’s designed for use by companies which offer on-premise cloud or hybrid solutions.

Apache CloudStack supports VMware, KVM and Citrix XenServer amongst others. It is a turnkey solution which includes compute orchestration, Network as a Service, account management, open API and resource accounting.

Users manage their cloud through a user-friendly interface. This gives users access to command line tools and/or RESTful API. Users utilize all compute, networking, software and storage resources from the API.

CloudStack’s API is compatible with AWS EC2 and S3. This is a handy feature for those who wish to deploy hybrid clouds.

The platform controls storage for instances running on hypervisors (primary storage) as well as templates, snapshots and ISO images (secondary storage).

Users have noted that CloudStack is not entirely customizable compared to other open source providers.

Cloudcraft users can design and visualize professional architecture diagrams.

The platform is optimized for Amazon Web Services. This means that users can create services with key components for EC2, Lambda, RDS, DynamoDB, CloudFront and Route 53 amongst others.

Subscribers can click on each component to view the current cost and configuration. Users also have easy access to the Amazon web console.  

Cloudcraft allow users to collaborate on projects. You can drag and drop files into diagrams and AWS resources.

User's components stay connected after being imported. They display more data including health and status information.

The platform creates information about the drawn cloud infrastructure along with data imported.

The ‘Free’ tier includes a single user, advanced AWS architectures, export, share, cost calculations and the ability to document your design.

The ‘Pro’ package is $49 per user per month. This incorporates all the free tier has to offer plus an infinite grid, live AWS sync, unlimited AWS accounts, team collaboration, 2-factor identification and priority support.  

The ‘Enterprise’ package also includes customized support, volume licensing and GovCloud support. Users need to contact the sales team directly for a quote. There is also a free trial.

OpenStack is a free and open source software platform for cloud computing. It is usually deployed as an infrastructure as a service (Iaas).

The software is designed for creating private and public clouds. Users can control compute, storage and networking resources throughout a datacenter. This is managed from either a dashboard or through OpenStack’s API. 

OpenStack Compute (NOVA) is a cloud computing fabric controller which is designed to manage and automate pools of resources. It works with bare metal configurations, virtual machines and containers. It integrates with legacy systems and third-party technologies.

OpenStack Identity (Keystone) is a directory of users linked to accessible OpenStack services. Keystone supports multiple forms of authentication such as password credentials and web service logins.

OpenStack works with many open source technologies. This makes it suitable for heterogeneous networks. The platform can automate all important processes such as workload provisioning, application lifecycle, networking, storage and container infrastructure.

Some reviewers have complained that OpenStack documentation is not very comprehensible.

ServiceNow is a cloud computing company which was founded in 2004. The solution offers a standard operating approach to hybrid and public clouds. It is geared towards medium to large businesses.

All user activity is managed through the Cloud User Portal. Users can access information on cost, quota, usage and health of their resources from here. They can also order new services, send requests and monitor incidents affecting resources.

ServiceNow Cloud Management provides on-demand access to multi-cloud resources which is fully automated. The portal creates dashboards for every employee such as the cloud administrator, designer and operator.

The platform encodes organization governance policies. This ensures that the correct level of controls are applied in resource placement, resource selection and naming convention.

Users need to contact ServiceNow directly for more information and a quote.

ManageEngine is an asset management tool. It was released in 2007.

The Application Manager offers a single integrated performance monitoring tool. Users can manage datacenters, applications, databases and systems. It is geared towards small to medium sized companies.  

Users can monitor end user, web servers, virtual systems and cloud resources. The platform can scale up to 500 applications.  

Users can view relationships between applications and databases using the application discovery and dependency-mapping tools. This information updates as the application changes.

The Applications Manager also allows users to track response times, view the performance of code segments, SQL statements and detect slow transactions.

Users can track over 100 key performance indicators of your apps such as memory utilization, resource availability and response time.

Users can request a personalized demo through their website. Potential subscribers need to contact ManageEngine for more information and to get started.

Other cloud management software to consider

AppFormix is an application management and cloud orchestration platform that aims to simplify operations and make them more effective through visualization of both virtual and physical environments. Users are able to monitor performance baselines to ensure performance optimization through real-time monitoring using the Junos Telemetry Interface and OpenConfig. 

Cloud Lifecycle Management by BMC provides automated provisioning, governance, and management of secure cloud services. The platform provides self-service access to deploy applications tacks across multiple cloud environments. The entire system is intended to be simple to set up, with easy streamlining to run applications in either a test or production environment.

MultiCloud provides a dashboard through a web application for managing files across multiple clouds. MultiCloud offers a directory tree that works like Windows Explorer, making it easy to transfer files into different locations. You can also sync different clouds and leave the process to run automatically. There's a Freeware plan available, and a Premium one with more features that costs $9.90 per month.

DivvyCloud offers a product more focused on managing security, compliance, and governance in cloud environments. It does this through a single interface which allows management and active policy enforcement over multiple clouds, whether public or private, and is compatible with AWS, Azure, Google, Alibaba, and Kubernetes, among others.

Red Hat Cloudforms uses open source technology to provide management tools for virtual and private cloud infrastructure, which allows for automation of standard processes, visualization for analysis, compliance control and user self-service abilities. It also aims to make it easier to manage diverse IT infrastructure with a focus on virtualization, along with deploying containers in the cloud to maximize efficiency.

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Images of Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Book S laptop leak out

Posted: 03 Aug 2019 06:30 AM PDT

The rumor is that Samsung has another Galaxy Book laptop on the way, and now there are leaked images of said laptop to back up those claims.

Posted by noted tipster Evan Blass, the pictures purportedly show a Galaxy Book S that is likely to be unveiled in the not-too-distant future. Could it even get shown off on the same day as the Samsung Galaxy Note 10?

This laptop would appear to follow a traditional clamshell design rather than using the same 2-in-1 detachable form factor of previous Galaxy Book laptops.

We've got a 3.5mm headphone jack and a USB-C port on one side of the laptop, though one side is all we get. The selection of images also includes one taken from the front and one taken from overhead, both with the laptop opened up.

These renderings don't include an S Pen, which was an optional extra on the Galaxy Book 2, so it looks like Samsung is going down the traditional laptop route here – at least as far as these unofficial images go.

Previous whisperings around the device suggest we're going to get 8GB of RAM and an 8-core, 2.84GHz CPU as one of the configuration options, which would point to portability being as much of a priority as power here.

That's just about all we know on the laptop so far, though as always we'll be keeping our eyes and ears open for any further leaks. The Galaxy Book 2 (shown at the top of this article) appeared in October 2018 so we might have a few months to wait yet for this one.

In the meantime Samsung just unveiled a premium Android tablet and is going to be showing off a new smartwatch as well as the Note 10 next week.

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Games are getting harder to run: are PC games still held back by consoles?

Posted: 03 Aug 2019 06:00 AM PDT

Its no secret that many video games are made primarily for mainstream consoles, like the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X. It only makes sense, too - consoles have by far the widest install base, so making your game work best for most people is  an easy choice. 

However, as we're entering into the last legs of this console generation, we're starting to notice plenty of PC games with system requirements that are leaving consoles in the dust. So, we have to ask: are the PS4 and Xbox One continuing to hold the best PC games back, as they arguably have been since the outset of this console generation?

The short answer is no, but you're not getting off that easy. 


Cyberpunk 2077

Even Keanu can't stop Cyberpunk 2077 from melting your graphics card

The future is here

With the graphics card "renaissance" brought about by Nvidia Turing, gamers are now able to play their games in 4K with real-time ray tracing enabled - something that was previously the holy grail of graphics technology. And, because there are certain game developers that will take that as a challenge - looking at you, Remedy and DICE - there are a ton of PC games that look far better on PC than they possibly could on console.

Just take a gander at something like Control. This game is going to pack pretty much every flavor of ray tracing we've seen in a game so far, and therefore its system requirements are very heavy. 

Then there's Cyberpunk 2077, one of the most anticipated games of this entire console generation. We've seen all those onstage demonstrations, just as you have, and we were blown away. However, that familiar dread of "are we going to have to upgrade our PC just to play this game" was playing out in the back of our head the entire time. 

Turns out that was at least a little justified, as that demo was apparently being run on a behemoth of a rig packed with an Intel Core i7-8700K, 32GB of RAM and an Nvidia Titan RTX, according to a report from Wccftech. The next generation is already here, everyone - it just lies in $2,499 (£2,399, AU$4,299) graphics cards. 

RAM

Ok, you don't need this much RAM

More than just the graphics

It goes beyond having a game running on a Titan RTX, though. Traditionally, PC games were single-threaded applications, so when you were running into issues, you could just upgrade your GPU and call it a day. But, with the advent of AMD Ryzen 3rd generation, that's kind of changing. 

You see, there are plenty of games that are multi-threaded these days. Battlefield V, for instance will absolutely max out your processor if you're using anything less than an 8-core CPU, with traditionally gaming-centric processors like the Intel Core i5-8600K falling behind. Even with our AMD Ryzen 9 3900X, we see Battlefield V using every single processor thread available to it. 

Hell, even Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, a much lighter PC game, uses up to 6 cores in some cases - and that's with nothing running in the background beyond MSI Afterburner and Steam. At the end of the day, PC games used to be single-threaded applications, but that's just not the case anymore. 

The same goes for RAM, too. The 8GB of RAM available to the Xbox One and PS4 is now the bare minimum for PC games, with our recommendation being 16GB. This is because games are eating up a ton of RAM. Going back to Battlefield V, that game uses up 13GB of RAM on the low end. We've seen it eat up the full 16GB available in our system, especially when running something in the background.  

PS4 Pro

Enter the PS4 Pro

Are the the PS4 and Xbox One holding the PC back?

So, there are definitely games that have moved beyond the current-generation consoles, even if they do, in fact, have ports on those systems. And, while we're definitely not saying that games don't look great on consoles - just look at Horizon: Zero Dawn or God of War - it's easy to see that PC games in 2019 are on another level. 

Thanks to the advent of affordable 4K monitors, and the graphics cards that can actually power them without having to invest in an SLI setup, developers are taking advantage of that extra power. Whether its the ray traced global illumination in Metro Exodus or the breathtaking draw distance of Assassin's Creed: Odyssey, PC games have never looked better. 

Still, we just wish that folks who don't have access to the expensive hardware that AMD and Nvidia are pushing didn't have to be left behind. While its true that you can turn down some settings to get games running better, some players may start to feel left behind as they're priced out of the hobby. 

It's easy to look at the next-generation PS5 and Xbox Project Scarlett looming on the horizon that promise to usher in a bunch of games which will take advantage of high-end PC hardware. But, those days are pretty much here, and unless the PS5 is going to cost more than $1,000 (£820, AU$1,470), we doubt it will put modern PC hardware out to pasture. If anything, it will make that hardware even more necessary.  

PC gaming

It's time to hunker down with a PC

Time to build a new PC, we guess

It's getting harder and harder to scrape by with the bare minimum PC components these days, especially if you want to play the latest and greatest AAA games. However, even if you don't have the cash to shove the latest hardware, you can still build a cheap gaming PC and play all your esports and indie games without a care in the world.

Luckily, because RAM prices are extremely low, and we just got a deluge of new hardware from AMD and Nvidia, including the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT, there's never been a better time to build a PC to handle the inflated specs modern games require. 

Unless you're literally sitting on a mountain of cash, we wouldn't advise doling out hundreds (or thousands) of dollars or quid on a new gaming PC. But, ahead of the launch of the next generation of consoles, it's finally rewarding to get powerful hardware once more. However, no matter how much we love picking up the latest and greatest hardware whenever it comes out, much to the chagrin of our bank accounts, not everyone has that option. 

PC gaming is at its best when anyone can get into the hobby. 

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MacBook Air 2019 vs MacBook Pro 2019: which is the best for you?

Posted: 03 Aug 2019 05:00 AM PDT

This year’s models of the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro are now out, and both bring new features to the old favorites – even if both the designs of the laptops haven’t changed.

Despite sharing similarities, including the Apple’s stylish design ethos, the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro are aimed at very different audiences. The MacBook Air is the entry-level Mac, and the most affordable way to get one of Apple’s laptops. Because of this, it’s aimed at casual users for day-to-day tasks such as creating documents and browsing the web.

Meanwhile, the MacBook Pro is Apple’s most powerful laptop and is aimed at professionals. That means it’s packed with cutting edge components – and a very high price tag to match.

So, which one is best for you? We pit Apple’s latest and greatest laptops against each other.

MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)

The MacBook Pro is aimed at professionals

Price and specs

As we mentioned earlier, the MacBook Air is Apple’s most affordable laptop. That doesn’t mean it’s cheap, but if you’re set on an Apple laptop and are on a budget, then this is the one to get.

The good news is that with the 2019 model, the MacBook Air is now more affordable than ever. The entry-level model costs $1,099 (£1,099, AU$1,699). This model comes with a 1.6GHz dual-core 8th-generation Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz, 8GB of LPDDR3 RAM, 128GB storage and Intel UHD Graphics 617.

There’s also a model with the same specs, but with twice the storage at 256GB, which costs $1,299 (£1,299, AU$1,999).

So, it’s far from budget, but it’s a heck of a lot more affordable than the MacBook Pro (2019).

The 13-inch MacBook Pro starts at $1,299 (£1,299, AU$1,999) for the entry level model with a 1.4GHz quad-core eighth-generation Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB RAM, Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645 and 128GB SSD.

If your budget can stretch to it, we recommend getting the MacBook Pro over the Air for the quad-core processor alone.

There’s also a 15-inch model of the MacBook Pro, which costs $2,399 (£2,399, AU$3,499/AED9,999) for the entry-level model with a 2.6GHz 6-core 9th generation Intel Core i7 processor, Radeon Pro 555X GPU with 4GB of GDDR5 memory, 16GB 2400MHz DDR4 RAM and 256GB SSD storage.

If budget it the most important thing to you, then the MacBook Air (2019) is definitely the best choice – but if you’re after high performance, you’ll want to spend more to get the MacBook Pro (2019).

MacBook Air 2019

The MacBook Air is impressively thin and light

Design

Both the new MacBooks keep the design of their previous models. That means, for the MacBook Air (2019) you get an impressively thin and light laptop with dimensions of 11.97 x 8.36 x 0.61 inches (30.41 x 21.24 x 1.56cm) and a weight of 2.75 pounds (1.25kg).

This is a svelte design the MacBook Pro 13-inch (2019) does well to match considering the more powerful components inside. Its dimensions are 11.97 x 8.36 x 0.59 inches (30.41 x 21.24 x 1.49cm) which is pretty similar – in fact you’ll notice that at 0.59 inches, its slightly thinner overall than the MacBook Air.

However, the MacBook Air’s thinnest point is 0.16 inches (0.41cm). The 13-inch MacBook Pro is slightly heavier at 3.02 pounds (1.37kg).

So, the MacBook Air has the edge when it comes to size and weight – but the difference isn’t quite as big as you’d think. Apple has done a fantastic job of making the MacBook Pro 13-inch impressively thin and light as well, so if you’re after more power, you’re still getting a very portable laptop with the Pro.

Meanwhile, the MacBook Pro 15-inch’s dimensions are – as you’d expect – a lot bigger at 13.7 x 9.48 x 0.61-inches (34.92 x 24.07 x 1.55)  and a weight of 4.02 pounds (1.83kg).

MacBook Air 2019

The MacBook Air has an improved screen with True Tone technology

Screen

One of the most notable changes to the MacBook Air (2019) is that its screen now supports True Tone technology, brining it in line with the MacBook Pro 13-inch (2019).

True Tone automatically adjusts the color temperature shown on the screen depending on the ambient light, and it can do a good job of making colors look more natural – especially in some conditions.

However, if you want color accuracy – if you’re a photographer or video editor, for example – then you’ll probably want to turn this off.

The screens of the MacBook Air (2019) and the MacBook Pro 13-inch (2019) are very similar in other respects. They are both 13.3-inches, with LED backlighting and IPS technology, and both have native resolutions of 2,560 x 1,600. That results in a pixel density of 227 pixels per inch on both screens. This leads to both screens looking incredibly sharp.

However, the MacBook Pro’s screen does have the edge thanks to it being much brighter (500 nits), and it also supports the wide color P3 (also known as DCI-P3). This means the screen is able to show far more colors, and drastically increases the color accuracy of images shown on screen. 

P3 is an industry standard for movie production, so if you’re a professional, then the MacBook Pro’s screen is the clear winner. However, the MacBook Air (2019)’s screen is still fantastic, and with True Tone looks better than ever.

The MacBook Pro 15-inch (2019)’s screen is a further step up, with a 15.4-inch size and a resolution of 2,880 x 1,800. This resolution over a larger size leads to a slightly lower pixel density of 220 pixels per inch, but images are still bright and vibrant. Like the 13-inch model, it also features 500 nits brightness and P3 support.

MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)

All MacBook Pros now feature the Touch Bar

Keyboard

All three 2019 models have slightly improved keyboards. You may have seen that Apple has come under some criticism about the keyboards of previous MacBooks. The ‘Butterfly’ switch Apple uses for the keyboards has been prone to issues – including stuck or non-responsive keys.

For the 2019 models, Apple has tweaked the materials used with the Butterfly switch, which the company promises should reduce the likelihood of the keyboards becoming faulty. While this is welcome, many people had hoped that Apple would ditch the Butterfly switch altogether and introduce a completely new keyboard.

Apple’s Keyboard Service Program, which will replace a faulty keyboard free of charge, extends to this year’s MacBook Air and both MacBook Pros, and also suggests that the issue is still persistent.

However, in our time with all three devices we did not experience any issues with the keyboard. Hopefully Apple’s fixes have done the trick this time.

Meanwhile, both the MacBook Pro 13-inch and 15-inch 2019 models now feature the Touch Bar, a thin glass touchscreen that runs along the top of the keyboard, displaying context-sensitive buttons on its 2,170 x 60 resolution screen. These buttons change depending on the application or task that you’re performing, and are designed to give you quick shortcuts for a more seamless workflow.

The MacBook Air (2019) doesn’t include this, but it does have a Touch ID fingerprint sensor (as do both Pros) for logging in and paying for things online securely.

If the Touch Bar is something you really want, then either MacBook Pro will be the one to get – as of 2019, Apple no longer does a MacBook Pro without the Touch Bar.

MacBook Air 2019 vs MacBook Pro 2019: which one should you buy?

So, which of the 2019 MacBooks should you buy? If you’re on a budget and want the most affordable laptop, then the MacBook Air (2019) is the one to get. Although it’s the cheapest MacBook, you’re still getting some of the best recent features to grace modern MacBooks, including True Tone and Retina technology in its display and the Touch ID fingerprint scanner.

However, if your budget can stretch further, the MacBook Pro 13-inch (2019) is definitely worth getting. The improved components – including a quad-core processor – makes a real difference to how the laptop performs, with the macOS operating system feeling a lot faster.

It’s also not hugely more expensive than the MacBook Air (2019). Plus, while it’s not quite as thin and light as the MacBook Air, it’s not far off. That means you’re not sacrificing too much in the way of portability for more power.

But, if you want the most powerful laptop Apple has made – something that can cope with intensive tasks like video rendering and 3D modelling – then the 15-inch MacBook Pro (2019) is worth considering – though you’re going to pay a lot more for it.

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Best free cloud apps for business in 2019

Posted: 03 Aug 2019 04:57 AM PDT

Just a few years ago it was impossible to imagine the number of software tools that are now available to business owners.

Whether your organization needs to do its accounts, collaborate on work or handle client relations, there are a number of cloud-based platforms fit for purpose. 

In this guide we’ve focused on some of the top free cloud apps, so no matter the size of your business you can get started today. As these tools are cloud-based, it’s easy to keep data in sync across your organization. There’s also no need to setup and maintain your own servers.

  • Want your company or services to be added to this buyer’s guide? Please email your request to desire.athow@futurenet.com with the URL of the buying guide in the subject line.  

Bitrix24 is a collaboration platform which was founded in 2012. It provides a suite of social collaboration, communication and management tools.

The solution has a huge variety of functions. It is geared towards any size business. Bitrix 24 centralizes all collaboration and communications from its user dashboard. From here users can organize and track customer interactions, log all store lead data, generate sales reports and perform segmentation of target audiences.

Bitrix24 allows users to create personalized invoices for clients. This is done through automatically inserting all client data.

Users can create a name for their Britrix24 system upon registering. This will immediately display your ‘Activity Stream’. Users have the option of adding a message at the top of the stream for the rest of the network to view.

Files, events and processes can be uploaded to share with your colleagues. Adding new users to Bitrix24 CRM is straightforward and hassle free. Admins can assign departments and groups to each user.

Bitrix 24 free tier includes 12 users, 1 admin and 5GB of online storage.

There are paid versions which provide more features and online capacity, starting from $69 for the cloud version, or $1,490 for the on-premises version.

Paypal is one of the simplest and easiest to use online payment process. Whether you're looking to sell through a retail website, charge for services, or send money internationally, Paypal provides a really accessible service.

Sign up is easy enough, though expect to have to go through basic money-laundering checks at the beginning, which means Paypal adding a couple of small amounts to your business bank account and you let them know what these were, to prove you are connected to that account. The process takes a few days, but once done you're ready to take payments.

If you're looking to charge for services, such as for consulting or through freelancing, you can send one-off charges via email through Paypal, or set up a subscription system that allows you to take regular payments according to whichever parameters you use.

For retail, it you're using any of the common shopping cart software platforms, such as Woocommerce, Magento, or similar, then Paypal is usually available as a plugin option, though there may be a small charge from the developer to provide this. 

The basic service level of Paypal is free, with a service charge of around 2.7% which is both common and reasonable. Paid tiers are available at a monthly costs for higher volume merchants which can reduce payment processing fees, with additional offline processing options available.

Overall, Paypal is one of the most popular online payment processors because it's so simple and easy to use. It's also flexible and able to work with most currencies, making it an excellent choice for global selling.

Slack (Searchable Log of all Conversation and Knowledge) is a handy cloud-based tool that keeps all messaging and files in one place. This application is available for all mobile devices and can also be accessed via the web.

Slack was originally brought to life to be used as an online tool for the game Glitch, which is now defunct. It was officially launched in 2013 as a way of helping people collaborate online.

The Slack channel system enables businesses to divide up work based upon teams, clients or in whatever way you need. Employees can join and leave the chats as they see fit. It also has a handy video feature where you can speak to members of your team face to face.

The Slack directory integrates with over 1000 apps which include Dropbox and Google Drive. You can drag and drop files, images and videos directly into Slack if needs be. The app also includes a handy screen sharing tool.

Slack has three tiers. The first tier is free and includes search for up to 10,000 messages, 10 apps and integrations and 1-to-1 video calls. This might be too limited depending on the size of your team.

Some commentators have claimed Slack’s UI is no user friendly and there’s a steep learning curve.

Wave provides a suite of financial services and online software for small businesses. It was founded in 2009.

The platforms accounting features are free of charge. It is geared not only towards small business but it also suitable for the freelance sector. 

Wave has a dedicated setup feature. From here users can decide what applications to access first: general bookkeeping, invoicing or payroll. Although users have to pay to access Wave’s payroll services.

Users can utilize the bank reconciliation feature. Businesses can also link their bank accounts, PayPal accounts and other relevant data sources for transaction records.

Wave has a dedicated invoicing tool where users can choose from a variety of templates. Invoices can be sent via email and credit cards can be processed through the platform.

Some reviewers have noted Wave might be too limited for larger organizations.

Google Drive is a cloud file storage service provider launched by Google in 2012. It encompasses all of Google’s own office suite such as Docs, Sheets and Slides. 

It is not just a cloud storage provider, Google Drive also allows users to create, edit and collaborate on documents online. It is a first choice for most Android users as it comes pre-installed on most Android smartphones and tablets. However, it can be easily integrated to use with iOS devices and has a web interface, which can be used across all platforms.

Google Drive very rarely has any issues with compatibility and you can upload and edit files in most formats such as RTF, PDF and DOC.  The service recently introduced a Microsoft Office plugin which now allows users to edit and store files from Microsoft apps they have installed without worrying about any incompatibility issues. 

Google Account users get 15GB of storage free which can be used by Google Drive, Gmail and Google Photos. This means you can not only save and back-up your files but you can also save emails and photos on the drive. Google are currently launching Google One which will allow users to pay a certain rate per month in order to increase their storage.

Some users have noted that the Google Drive interface isn’t always intuitive.

Cloud business apps


Other free cloud apps for business to consider

There is a wide variety of free software available for business use. Some is completely free, while others offer free-tiers with limited features. Here we'll cover some of the other free software apps you can run from the cloud to help with the running of your business:

Evernote is most famous for being a note-taking app, but really it can be so much more. Aside from the basic note-taking functions, it can be treated more like a personal organiser, storing documents, images, video and audio together. Additionally, there is also the option to include document scanning which can be incredibly useful to run from a cell phone or other mobile device, especially when it comes to digitizing documents. The basic Evernote package is free, but there are paid upgrades available to unlock more features.

Trello is a great piece of productivity software that allows teams to work together collaboratively on projects. The team might include staff or co-workers, but could also include freelancers and suppliers. It's a great way to see who is working on which projects and what needs prioritizing. It may not be a top-level project management suite, but it's a great starter that's simple and easy to use. While there are paid plans that open up the features and limits, the basic free tier provides full-functionality for many needs.

Zapier is a neat little app that works with many other apps to automate processes between them. For example, if you receive a business email with an attachment, Zapier could then automatically save it to Dropbox, then alert you about this on Slack. It can also be used to cross post social media to different platforms and automate CRM tasks. It's a neat little app that can be a real time saver, and while there are paid versions to work with premium apps, the free version is worth playing with to get an idea of how it can work for you.

Square's Point of Sale (POS) software is worth taking a look at if you run your own mom and pop shop and want an easy way to process sales. Although Square sell hardware such as tills and car readers, their POS software can turn your cell or mobile into a cash till for taking orders. Even better, it's free to use, with no monthly fees, and the transaction fees are some of the best on the market.

Google Analytics is probably one of the best tools you can use for growing your online business, because it shows where your customers are coming from, where they are going, and how many end up buying a product or service. You can set up goals to get a better idea of your sales funnel, and combined with Google's Adwords marketing program you can develop a clear sales and marketing strategy, that allows you to keep track of your Return on Investment (ROI) in real-time. 

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West Indies vs India live stream: how to watch T20 cricket 2019 from anywhere

Posted: 03 Aug 2019 04:48 AM PDT

Having doth fallen short at the World Cup in England this summer, both India and the West Indies are now focusing preparations for the forthcoming World T20 in Australia next year with this series. Florida will host the first two T20Is between the two sides before it moves to the Carribean, and with this guide you can learn how to live stream the West Indies vs India series.

India look set to give youth a chance for their bowling unit, having handed debut call-up to Navdeep Saini and Rahul Chahar, with both set to make their debut in Florida. The Men In Blue have been handed a boost with confirmation that Shikhar Dhawan will make his return from injury to slot in alongside Rohit Sharma at the top.

The West Indies have a T20 World Cup to defend and will be taking this warm up series particularly seriously. The big news from the Windies camp is that Kieron Pollard and Sunil Narnie have both been recalled after proving their fitness, with the series set to be Narnie's first appearance in the T20 squad for nearly two years. Elsewhere Carlos Brathwaite will take over the mantle as captain from Jason Holder following his stint as skipper at the World Cup. 

Both teams will also be up against the elements, with Florida forecast to have thunderstorms throughout the match. With the amount of overs played likely to be reduced, an even shorter game will likely favour the West Indies.

Follow the instructions below to watch all of the coverage of these T20 International encounters. We'll tell you how to grab a West Indies vs India live stream from pretty much anywhere on Earth.

Live stream West Indies vs India away from your country

In the UK, Australia, India or the US and looking to find out how to watch the first T20i between the West Indies vs India? We've got all the details about the broadcaster with the rights to show the series in your region below. 

But if you're away from home country - maybe abroad on business or on holiday - but still want to tune in to your domestic coverage of the match then you'll run in to issues. Because of broadcaster geo-blocking, you won't be able to watch online from overaseas. By using a VPN however, you'll be able to watch the game without having to resort to watching a potentially illegal feed from a dubious website.

How to India play cricket in India

How to watch India vs West Indies in Pakistan for FREE

How stream West Indies vs India live in the UK

Live stream the West Indies vs India in Australia 

How to get a West Indies vs India live stream in New Zealand

How to live stream West Indies vs India in North America

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Sky TV deals: save up to £252 on bundles with Sky Sports and Cinema

Posted: 03 Aug 2019 04:31 AM PDT

Cheaper Sky TV deals like this don't come around too often, but the imminent start of the new Premier League footy season is certainly a fine opportunity to save a lot of money. 

Sky Sports is one of the more expensive add-ons to a Sky TV bundle and it's been a while since we've had a decent offer to be honest. But the summer drought is almost over and Sky has knocked big chunks off two different Sky deals today, one with Sky Entertainment and Sky Sports and the other also adding the excellent Sky Cinema package on top. You're getting everything in lovely HD too.

The following bundles both come with Sky Entertainment as the base of the package. This comes with loads of top channels like Sky Atlantic, Sky One, Comedy Central, Fox, SyFy and more. You also get the Sky Q box which can record multiple shows simultaneously.

As for the sporting content, you get all 11 Sky Sports channels with either bundle, including Premier League, Football, F1, Racing, Cricket, Golf, Sky Sports News, Mix, Action, Arena and Main Event. If you opt for Sky Cinema too, extra channels will include Action, Comedy, Thriller, Drama, Sci-fi & Horror and Select - not to mention a huge choice of on-demand movies and a new premiere added every day.

You can add other extras (4K upgrades, Sky Kids, box sets/Netflix) as you go through the bundle process, but if you decide to add Sky Cinema to the deal after originally clicking the bundle option without, be sure to back out and start again as it doesn't discount its price unless you chose that option from the start for some reason.

If you're also in the market for a new TV to enjoy all this content on , we can help you save a lot of money and get the best price via our roundup of the latest cheap TV deals.

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Inside OnePlus’ new Experience Centre in Pune

Posted: 03 Aug 2019 04:24 AM PDT

The Indian smartphone race is at an exciting juncture right now. The first wave saw brands resort to online-only sales model and minimal marketing expenses to offer devices at rock-bottom prices, redefining value-for-money smartphones. This approach has reached a point of saturation, and for round 2, brands are now looking to get creative with their marketing and focus on better offline presence.

OnePlus is probably the best example of this movement as it moved from an online-only model to a more spread-out approach with hundreds of offline partners. To get a better understanding of how this works, OnePlus invited me to check out their new Experience Store in Pune.

This new Experience Centre is located in a fancy area of Pune and has a couple of other service centres of different brands around it. But OnePlus’ centre was the most prominent one occupying an entire block and has multiple floors. There’s no unnecessary text or names or hoardings outside, just a neat OnePlus logo facing the road. That, sure, puts OnePlus’ minimalist design preference on front. 

The OnePlus 7 series on display at the Experience Centre

Divided into two floors, the ground level primarily takes care of sales and the “experience” part. Upon entry, the first think you will notice is the display of  in all the available colours, because of course, they are the stars of the show.

Of the two floors, the ground level primarily takes care of sales and the “experience” part. Upon entry, the first thing you will notice the display of the latest flagship phones in all the available colours because of course, they are the stars of the show.

OnePlus goodies

These display tables are full of official OnePlus accessories and swag such as the popular backpacks and t-shirts. OnePlus is trying to make this store a complete experience for everyone, irrespective of their interests. On the other side is the more relaxed corner where patrons can unwind with some books, Fast Charge their phones or check out all the limited edition OnePlus flagships from the yesteryears.

The barista in action

The OnePlus Coffee experience also makes the cut where all the guests can have freshly brewed coffee during their visit. In case you wondered, yes, it is complimentary.

The phones being put together in front of the customer.

Gaming zone.

The second floor is more focused on after-sales service, which was an Achilles heel for OnePlus when it just came to India. But at this centre, issues with any OnePlus phone is said to be fixed in less than an hour right in front of your eyes. To add to the customer’s peace of mind, they can see the phone getting torn open, fixed, and put together in real-time, providing some much-needed assurance. If that doesn’t interest you, they even have a PlayStation 4 with many game titles so you can spend your 1 hour happily.

The customer service process explained.

This entire process has been explained right at the waiting area not to overwhelm someone who’s coming for the first time. In short, you start by collecting your token, filling up the job-sheet, and explaining the problem. After which, you will be called by the Customer Care Officer to understand and potentially diagnose the issue. If not, then the device is passed on to the engineer. The engineers repair and hand back the phone in less than an hour, and the customers are asked if they’re satisfied with the repair. The customer then completes the transaction and settles the account if the phone was out of warranty.

What's next for OnePlus in India?

I had my doubts about the utility of such a large store in a non-tier one city where the footfall and sales may not be enough to make the centre profitable. But further conversations reminded me that these stores are not just for sales and service, but a crucial marketing move. It not just lets the consumers experience OnePlus products and services, but also gives them the affirmation that this brand is here to stay, and if needed, they have someone to reach out physically. For price-sensitive markets such as India, the transaction and the relationship begins at the sale, not ends. If their new phone doesn’t last a good 2-3 years, it’s unlikely a customer will come back to OnePlus or even recommend it.

OnePlus is the market leader in the premium and the ultra-premium segments of India, and these moves go a long way in strengthening their position in the minds of people who are looking to make the switch to OnePlus.

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Best cloud HCM of 2019

Posted: 03 Aug 2019 03:29 AM PDT

Human Capital Management (HCM) is simply a term given to software that helps businesses manage their human resources across all aspects of employee needs.

Immediate considerations might be payroll and attendance, but additional ones could be training and development, recruitment and on-boarding, as well as overall employee performance.

All of this can be packaged into a single software platform to make human resources work better within an integrated HCM framework. Even better, analytics can then provide actionable insights to help increase efficiency and improve productivity, without harming your business.

Moving to the right HCM solution can seem like a daunting challenge, but done right it can work wonders for your profit margin while improving employee engagement and motivation. Just ensure that any platform is properly tested for your organization's needs before you look to adopt it, otherwise what promises to be a solution can end up as a problem – and not just for you but also your employees.

To help you decide on the right solution, we've put together a list that features the best in Human Capital Management software.

  • Want your company or services to be added to this buyer’s guide? Please email your request to desire.athow@futurenet.com with the URL of the buying guide in the subject line.

SAP SuccessFactors is an American company which provides cloud-based human capital management (HCM) solutions. They were founded in 2001.

This cloud-based HCM suite includes payroll and HR management as time management tools. 

SAP SuccessFactors is geared towards companies with less than 500 employees. The platform can help handle your personnel files. It helps with setting your company's goals and managing employee performance.

SAP’s setup wizard walks you through all the steps when you activate the solution for the first time. The wizard will ask what tasks you need to undertake and will offer tutorials and handy suggestions to better acquaint you with the platform.

All employees can log into the main dashboard. Administrators have access to more features. It’s laid out tile format. They represent ‘To-Do lists’, performance goals, reviews, successions and manage pending requests.

All SAP SuccessFactor’s pricing models are available upon request.

Online commentators have noted that the solution is not as competitively priced as other HCM software.

Oracle is a computer technology corporation which develops and markets database software, technology, cloud engineered systems and enterprise software products. They were founded in 1977.

Oracle HCM Cloud is a comprehensive HRMS suite. It is geared towards medium to large sized businesses. The solution is made up of several different modules which can purchased as one single suite or as individual stand-alone products.

The ‘Global HR’ package features employees' information, self-service functionality, worker lifecycle and processes for industry and union support. There are also tools that provide information on the cost and impact on any organizational changes.

The ‘Workforce Management’ module helps companies manage employees and labour costs.

The ‘Work Life’ solution provides companies with the skills required to retain employees and knowledge on how to improve employee satisfaction.

For pricing information, you will need to contact Oracle directly, and the company offers a demo of their services for interested parties. 

Online commentators have noted that the solution is not easily customizable.

Workday is an on-demand, cloud-based financial management and human capital management software supplier. It was founded in 2005.

Workday clients include Netflix, TomTom, Hewlett Packard, AON and Amazon.

The suite is suitable for businesses of all sizes. Modules available include financial management, human capital management, analytics and professional service automation.

The HCM solution offers workplace planning, recruiting tools, compensation, benefits, talent management, payroll, time management and attendance. 

The Workforce Lifecycle management solution is the main component of the suite and includes tools to help plan, hire, manage and analyze a large employee base.

The ‘Compensation Management’ tool works by creating and managing employee compensation packages. 

Workday offer a variety of demos. Potential customers need to contact the sales team directly for a quote.

Online reviewers have noted that the tool is not as user friendly as it claims to be.

BambooHR is an American company which provides human resources software as a service. They were founded in 2008. Their high-profile clients include SoundCloud, Foursquare and Asana.

The solution aims it services towards small and medium sized businesses. Its dashboard is easy to use and well laid out. You can manage personnel data, time-off tracking, files and reports from here.

At the top of the dashboard are tabs for services such as ‘My Info’, ‘Employees’, ‘Job Openings’ and ‘Reports’ amongst others. All employees can view their photo, employee information and vacation allowance on the right-hand side of screen.

BambooHR is an integrated platform which allocates functions through the hierarchy of users within the organization. For example, managers and administrators are able to see and do more than regular employees.

The platform’s benefits administration allows companies to track custom benefit packages. They have a variety of plans suitable for all employees.

BambooHR have apps for both iOS and Android smartphones. From here, you can access your company directory and time-off requests. The apps also let your employees stay up-to date with any changes within the company.

There is a free trial available. Users need to contact BambooHR directly to get a quote.

A few online reviewers have mentioned some minor usability issues with the online interface.

Infor CloudSuite HCM

Infor's CloudSuite HCM aims to simplify the HR management process, by bringing as many services together under a single platform. The result is the ability to make workflows and complex processes more streamlined and ease to manage.

Key features includes the ability to manage human resources from anything from the local to global level, addressing issues such as company structure and budgeting, as well as employee relations, benefits, and time management.

Talent management options offer the chance to simply manage recruitment and onboarding, as well as set and monitor appropriate compensation, goals, and performance. There's a personalized knowledgebase portal and case management system, and of course the ability to manage payrolls as required.

Analytics are also built in, so that all aspects of the HR process can be explored, developed, and optimized, not least with regards to building the right workforce for your company, while covering all obligations and liabilities as required.

CloudSuite HCM is flexible enough to work across most industries, such as retail, public sector, manufacturing, service industries, energy companies, and public sector services.

  • You can sign up to Infor CloudSuite HCM here

Ceridian provides human resources software and services. They were founded in 1992. 

Ceridian’s HCM is run completely through one application called Dayforce. Users can access all functions via this platform. Dayforce is geared towards medium and larger sized enterprises. 

The platform allows users to manage payroll, attendance, timesheets and recruiting amongst others. It also offers mobile apps for both iOS and Android users. Customers can request time off, view any schedule changes and log their working hours through the app.

The payroll system is easy to use. Employees are able to track information relating to pay. This includes a comprehensive breakdown of their payslip as well as their entire salary history. Dayforce also include the option to print out tax forms.

Employees can also keep an eye on their attendance and stay abreast of their vacation entitlements.

Users also have access to both chat and phone support. Dayforce HCM has its own online support portal.

Dayforce allows administrators to set goals for team members. These goals will be tracked and scored by Dayforce at the end of the working year.

Pricing is available by contacting the Dayforce sales team. You can also request a demo of their services.

Online commentators have noted that there is a slight learning curve with this product.

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Capcom is reportedly inviting Resident Evil Ambassadors to test a new game

Posted: 03 Aug 2019 03:12 AM PDT

There are reports that a new Resident Evil game is in development after series developer, Capcom’s Division 1, has sent out emails to Resident Evil Ambassadors in Japan, inviting them to test an in-development game. 

The email, translated from Japanese to English and published by fansite Biohaze, reads:

“To all Resident Evil Ambassadors, thank you for your patronage regarding the Resident Evil series. Today, we are letting you know that we are recruiting testers for a game that’s in development!

“We are interested in incorporating the feedback of all Ambassadors into our development, so please read the details below and, if you are interested in participating, click the entry button.”

Mysterious game

It’s worth noting that the email doesn’t explicitly name a game or reveal any specific details so it can’t be certain that this new title will be tied to the Resident Evil series. However, given the email has been sent to Resident Evil Ambassadors with thanks for being fans of the series the likelihood is somewhat high. 

Between Resident Evil 7 and the remake of Resident Evil 2, Capcom has been doing pretty well out of the franchise recently so it’s not surprising that a new game could be in the works. 

Indeed, earlier this year it was said there are "numerous" unannounced titles in the works and there have been hints since 2017 that there’s a Resident Evil 8 in development. But a new game could just as easily continue down the lucrative remakes vein; after the success of Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 3 wouldn’t be a bad idea at all. 

At the moment, the waters remain murky and we can’t be entirely sure what Capcom is working on but fingers crossed we won’t have to wait too long to find out. 

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England vs Australia 1st Test live stream: how to watch 2019 Ashes cricket from anywhere

Posted: 03 Aug 2019 02:42 AM PDT

Only a tiny percentage of the way into the 2019 Ashes cricket series and things are already extremely tense. Steve Smith saved his Australian teammates on day 1 of the 1st Test, then Rory Burns stood up to be counted for the hosts. And for our part, we've put together this guide to watching an England vs Australia 1st Test live stream from wherever you happen to be in the world.

Having been thrashed 4-0 in the last Ashes series, today marks the start of England's bid to win back the legendary urn. England go into the opening Test today off the back of their World Cup triumph, but slightly blunted by a shaky showing in their one-off warm up Test against Ireland. Australia will be out to rectify a recent bad run of results on their oldest rival's turf, having not won an Ashes series on English soil in almost 15 years.

Despite his World Cup heroics, Jofra Archer has been left out of the England squad for the first Test, with Chris Woakes preferred on his home ground having impressed against Ireland last week.

Rory Burns and Jason Roy are opening the batting with Joe Root slotting in at three in the order. With Jimmy Andersin picking up a calf injury, a lot rests on the shoulders of Ben Stokes both with ball and bat.

Aussie skipper Tim Paine kept his cards close to his chest regarding his line up, but Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft are all making their first Test appearances since the South Africa ball tampering scandal. They've chosen fast bowler Peter Siddle over Mitchell Starc, in the biggest surprise in the XI.

England lead the betting with Betfair, but with rain expected in Birmingham throughout the duration of the first Test, a draw could well be on the cards here.

Follow the instructions below to watch all of the coverage of the Ashes from Edgbaston. We'll tell you how to grab an England vs Australia 1st Test live stream from pretty much anywhere on Earth.

Watch the 1st England vs Australia Test away from your country

In the UK, Australia, India or the US and looking to find out how to watch the first Ashes Test? We've got all the details about the broadcaster with the rights to show the series in your region below. 

But if you're away from home country - maybe abroad on business or on holiday - but still want to tune in to your domestic Ashes coverage then you'll run in to issues. Because of broadcaster geo-blocking, you won't be able to watch online from overaseas. By using a VPN however, you'll be able to watch the game without having to resort to watching a potentially illegal feed from a dubious website.

How to watch the Ashes 1st Test in the UK

Live stream the 2019 Ashes 1st Test in Australia for FREE

How to watch England vs Australia: live stream in India

How to live stream England vs Australia in North America

How to get an Ashes 1st Test live stream in New Zealand

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Amazon now lets you opt out of having people review your Alexa recordings

Posted: 03 Aug 2019 02:30 AM PDT

The practice of having human beings review digital assistant recordings for quality control purposes is back in the news, and following Apple's pausing of the process, Amazon has also decided to let users opt out of the reviews.

Bloomberg reports on the change in policy that happened on Friday, which will see the Alexa privacy settings tweaked in the apps for Android and iOS, so you can opt out if you want to.

"We take customer privacy seriously and continuously review our practices and procedures," Amazon told Bloomberg. "We'll also be updating information we provide to customers to make our practices more clear."

Like Apple and Google, Amazon says only a small portion of Alexa recordings are reviewed by its team, though information like users' first names and their locations do come attached to some of the audio clips.

You and your recordings

A few days ago Google stopped the practice of having human beings transcribe recordings from the Google Assistant – at least in the EU, where the tech giant is currently under investigation from regulators.

In Google's case, part of the reason for the manual review is to improve the detection of different languages, it says. No personal user data is attached to the audio clips, apparently.

Even if the quality control reviews use a small fraction of all recordings, and anonymize them along the way, most users will probably still want the choice to decide whether or not their clips get used in this way.

Both Google and Amazon offer you the option to delete recordings that have been saved up from their servers. That's not yet the case with Apple and Siri – though Apple doesn't keep any recordings that aren't being reviewed anyway.

Via Engadget

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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare to be ‘fully optimized’ for PC with uncapped frame-rate

Posted: 03 Aug 2019 02:19 AM PDT

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare will be ‘fully optimized’ for the PC, meaning this won’t be some kind of deprioritized port of the game (as you would hope), and it will be delivered with a raft of PC-specific features and cross-play with consoles.

According to a report on DualShockers, the PC version will have an uncapped frame-rate and a FOV slider (Field of View, so you can make that wider, meaning you can see more of the battlefield in your peripheral vision).

Modern Warfare will also support ultra-wide monitors, and indeed multiple monitor configurations, along with HDR. Fully customizable controls will be present, and that includes ‘advanced’ options for your bristling-with-buttons gaming mouse.

And of course we already know that Modern Warfare will support ray tracing with Nvidia’s GeForce RTX graphics cards.

This is obviously great news for PC gamers looking forward to Infinity Ward’s shooter, the PC port of which is being developed in conjunction with Beenox (who worked on previous Call of Duty ports including Black Ops 4).

Controller controls

And those PC gamers will further benefit from full cross-play with PS4 and Xbox One players, and before console folks start to wave pitchforks about mousing advantages (i.e. flick turns and superfast snap movements), the matchmaking system will take your peripheral(s) of choice into account.

Joe Cecot, who is co-design director of multiplayer at Infinity Ward, told DualShockers: “We’re going to be matchmaking by peripheral, so if you’re a [mouse and] keyboard player you’re going to play with other keyboard players. But, if you’re a console player and you’re playing on a gamepad you can actually opt in … We also don’t let you change your controller or peripheral mid-match, so once you’ve chosen it, it’s locked in.”

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare will be out on Battle.net for the PC at the same time as the console versions, namely October 25, with the open beta (featuring cross-play) coming to all platforms on September 21.

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£75 cashback offer makes Plusnet one of the best cheap broadband deals in the UK

Posted: 03 Aug 2019 02:07 AM PDT

With so many different broadband deals bidding for your attention, a special incentive can be the perfect extra push you need to commit to your new internet provider. Offering enough cashback to become one of the cheapest options around, Plusnet seems to have hit the nail on the head with this philosophy.

Providing a massive £75 in cashback when you sign up for its most affordable ADSL package, Plusnet is fighting hard for that title of best cheap broadband deal. While it didn't quite pull into first place - that honour goes to Onestream and its £13.99 bills - it is the cheapest offer from a well-known supplier.

With that cashback, Plusnet's prices effectively drop from £18.99 down to £14.82. Combine that with the lack of any upfront costs and the free calls to Plusnet customers and we're struggling to find any negatives to call out.

You can see this offer in all of its glory down below or if messing around with cashback sounds like more effort than its worth, consult our broadband deals guide for all of the best prices around.

This cheap Plusnet broadband deal in full:

What other broadband deals are available? 

Want to go even cheaper than this? Then your only choice is Onestream. The lesser-known broadband provider has a package at just £13.99. It also only runs for 12 months so will be perfect for those needing less time with their internet.

If you're feeling like splashing out a bit more on your internet, there are some affordable fibre broadband deals out there. But for the cheapest fibre offer, nothing quite beats Vodafone's £19.99 a month offer.

Finally, for those wanting to go all out on their internet, BT could be the perfect option. Currently offering speeds of 50Mb for £31.99, you will have to pay a bit more than average. However, BT is throwing in a £60 pre-paid Mastercard and a £50 M&S voucher.

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Nintendo confirms its plans for Gamescom 2019

Posted: 03 Aug 2019 01:56 AM PDT

Gamescom 2019 is fast approaching and Nintendo has now revealed what its on and offline plans for the show will be. 

Gamescom itself runs from August 20 to August 24 but the majority of Nintendo’s online activity will take place between the 20th and 22nd. Across these dates, those not attending the show itself will be able to watch a series of videos featuring extended gameplay from the publisher's upcoming Switch lineup. 

Games getting some time in the spotlight will include Luigi’s Mansion 3, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, The Witcher 3, Astral Chain, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and Dragon Quest 10 S: Echoes of an Elusive Age.

Bringing the gameplay

For visitors to the show floor, Nintendo will have a booth where it’ll be possible to get hands on with titles including The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, Luigi’s Mansion 3, Dragon Quest 10 S, Pokémon Sword and Shield and even that highly-anticipated The Witcher 3 port. 

New gameplay is all very well and good but if you like nothing more than a good competition then you’ll want to tune into Nintendo’s one-off Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Gamescom 2019 Invitational on August 22. The event will start streaming on Nintendo’s YouTube channel in the afternoon and will see players go head to head for the chance to be flown to Japan for the Ultimate World Challenge Cup held in October.

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Skip the Note 10's rumoured price tag with these stellar Samsung phone deals

Posted: 03 Aug 2019 12:53 AM PDT

We're now less than a week away from the announcement of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 (August 7 to be exact) which will be music to the ears of all Samsung fans. That's because you're pumped either to: a) get your hands on that new handset, or b) to see other Samsung phone deals come crashing down in price.

If you fall into the latter of those two camps, you don't need to wait for the release of the device. Before any mind-blowing specs have even been announced, there are already some handsome price points across Samsung's whole range of devices. 

And while there is no doubt we're excited about the release of the Note 10, with expected price tags matching that of iPhone XS deals, going for one of Samsung's other smartphones is certainly a more affordable horse to back.

We've listed five of the best deals on Samsung devices down below. Ranging from a free upfront Note 9 deal with tonnes of storage, to a 100GB data S10 Plus and all the way round to a 2019 Samsung device with £23 a month bills.

None of these take your fancy? Check out our guide to the best mobile phone deals where you'll find the cheapest prices on iPhones, Huawei and more.

1. Go big on storage with the Note 9

2. Bag the best - Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus deal

3. Impressive, cheap, Samsung Galaxy S10e deals

4. Score cheap bills with this Samsung A70 deal

5. Storage boosted Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus deal

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10 tips for buying a Back to School laptop

Posted: 02 Aug 2019 06:25 PM PDT

We’ve got 10 tips for buying a Back to School laptop for you, because while you’re getting ready to go Back to School, you might find yourself in the market for a Back to school laptop. And, buying a laptop for school comes with its own particular questions you’ll need to think about before you buy. 

Whatever type of laptop you’re considering getting for school, you might want to check out these tips to ensure that you don’t pick something too quickly. It’s easy to forget an important consideration when you’re faced with something that seems on the surface like it’s the perfect choice.

1. Plan for multiple years

There’s a lot you need to balance to get the most ideal Back to School laptop for you. Among them is getting hardware that’s high-end enough to see you through the rest of your education. While you might have to eat some greater up-front costs, you’ll be better off in the long run. 

If you get a low-budget computer, you might struggle with performance the whole time. Worse still, you may need to replace your computer every few semesters, which isn’t really saving you money. It’s better to get something with decent hardware by maxing out the internal upgrade options like more RAM and increased storage.

Back to School laptop

2. Battery and power draw

You don’t want to worry about your battery running out in the middle of studying, class, a lecture, or a presentation. Many laptops these days come with batteries that will last a full workday, so when you check reviews. Make sure your pick can last throughout your day of classes at full charge.

Another factor to this is to be sure you’re getting a laptop with efficient internals. Some gaming laptops offer decent battery life, but the crazy powerful ones can burn through their batteries incredibly quickly. You’ll need to get a machine that balances power and performance so you can be as productive as you can for as long as possible. If you see the computer uses a large, high-wattage power supply, odds are the battery drains quickly.

3. Weight

This is simple: if you’re going to carry a laptop around with you everyday, you should do yourself a favor and make it light. It’ll make it easier to bring around, so you won’t decide not to bring it with you when you really should. 

The tricky thing is, if you want to get a powerful laptop with a big battery, chances are that it’s also heavy and bulky. 

You can avoid some weight by going with a laptop that doesn’t have a spinning hard drive. So look for laptops with SSDs, and if you need more storage, then you can get an external drive that you can opt to bring with you when you need the files in it and leave in your dorm room when you don’t. That way, you only have to carry the extra weight when you need the extra data.

4. Operating system

Before you get too far into your computer shopping, make sure you’ve looked into the details being offered by your classes. Certain courses might have specific requirements for the operating system use because they may use software only supported on one operating system.

Yes, cheap Chromebooks can be effective for a lot of school work, but they may not support any class-specific software. Art programs, for example, might require Mac OS-specific programs or only explain how to complete tasks in the Mac version of the software. It can vary by school, so make sure you know what your classes require, and don’t spend too much on a computer that won’t do the job.

5. Cooling vents for lap-use

If you do get a laptop packed with powerful internals, make sure you check its cooling system. Lots of laptops will have air intake vents on the bottom of the chassis, and the more powerful the laptops are, the more important it will be to ensure good airflow.

Since you may be using your laptop at school with it actually on your lap, you may have a hard time not covering those vents up with your legs. That can be bad for your laptop and uncomfortable for you, as the heat goes up – not to mention, loud and distracting when you’re in class. If you pick a laptop with air intakes, plan to keep them uncovered or get a cooling pad. 

6. Pen input can be useful

One feature you may want to give serious consideration is proper active stylus input. If your schoolwork is going to involve a lot of PDF reading, you’ll be able to save a lot of time and space if you don’t have to print them out or try scribbling notes with your laptops touchpad.

A stylus can make it super simple to markup PDFs and other documents with notes. When you’re taking notes in lectures, it’s also more effortless copying down figures or mathematical notation. While the benefits may not be for everyone, having the option is certainly nice. To make the most of a stylus input, a laptop that can fold open on itself – a 2-in-1 – will also be handy.

7. Don’t go all in on gaming

While it can seem logical to buy one machine that can handle all your curricular and extra-curricular needs, it may not be the best idea. If you’re really into gaming and want to get a machine that’s going to give you incredible performance for high-quality settings and fast frame rates at high resolutions, you’re going to be picking a computer that’s a slight overkill for class – not to mention, extra expensive.

You may find that you’re actually better off buying yourself a gaming desktop and a more affordable laptop for class. Rather than going with a $2,000 gaming laptop, you’ll probably get a lot more mileage out of a $1,300 desktop and a $700 laptop.

You’ll save even more money when you want or have to upgrade your gaming specs after a couple years and don’t need to buy a whole new machine to do it.

8. Don’t neglect durability

You might find a computer that looks perfect on paper, striking a great balance of price, performance, and efficiency. However, that won’t mean much if it’s built poorly.

A Back to School laptop is probably going to be traveling with you a lot in your backpack, and may be subjected to the occasional accident. So, if it’s not built strong, you may find yourself replacing it way too soon.

Laptop reviews will often give the screen hinge a bit of stress, put some torque on the screen, and put pressure around the chassis of the laptop. If you’re buying online, make sure you look for reviews like this that have tested for weakness in the build. If you’re buying in a store, check for yourself whether any parts feel flimsy or easily breakable. 

9. Get a laptop sleeve with it

While we’re on the subject of your Back to School laptop’s durability… you also need think about what else you can do so that the solid construction doesn’t have to get tested too often after you purchase it. A laptop sleeve is a simple and great way to make sure your new laptop stays in good shape.

On top of protecting your laptop with a little bit of extra cushion, a sleeve can also help keep liquids and other debris inside your bag from getting into the computer. Considering the cost of most laptop sleeves, there’s little reason not to get one, especially when it essentially acts like your secondary insurance policy.

10. Bright and matte screens can help your eyes

If you think you’ll be using your laptop much outdoors, know that not all screens are created equal. You’ll probably see “matte” or “anti-glare” and “glossy” listed in relation to laptop screens when you’re shopping. While glossy may look better for imagery, you’ll be doing your eyes a big favor by having a matte or anti-glare screen, especially when you’re in sunny conditions.

You also need to think about brightness. For laptop screens, this will likely be listed in hundreds of nits, though not every laptop will advertise this, in which case, a deeper probing might be necessary on your part.

300 nits isn’t bad, but if you think you’ll want to be working outdoors, even under an umbrella or awning, a laptop with 400 nits or more is even better. For a few examples, this year’s Samsung Notebook 9, Huawei MateBook X Pro, Dell XPS 15, and last year’s Razer Blade Stealth all screens offering at least 400 nits.

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Facebook is changing the name of Instagram and WhatsApp

Posted: 02 Aug 2019 04:12 PM PDT

Facebook confirmed that it's changing the name of its two most popular apps, Instagram and WhatsApp, to better disclose its ownership of the apps. Soon, Instagram will be known as “Instagram from Facebook” while WhatsApp will become “WhatsApp from Facebook.”

The re-branding effort was discovered on Friday by journalists at The Information, and was then confirmed by representatives of Facebook.

"We want to be clearer about the products and services that are part of Facebook,” a spokesperson told The Information. Sources told the publication that they were recently notified of the changes and appear to be coming as a result of antitrust regulators scrutinizing the company's holdings.

According to those sources, the app's name will stay the same on the homescreen of your phone and tablet, however their names will change in the App Store for people first downloading them - a move the company has previously made with its virtual reality-focused sub-division, Oculus. 

Was the writing on the (Facebook) Wall?

A number of outlets are pointing out that this re-branding effort has been a longtime coming - in fact, blogger Jane Manchun Wong tweeted about it back in March, just a few months after the founders of the company resigned citing a decreasing lack of autonomy. 

While it's unclear if the move is a government mandate from the FTC - an entity that, according to The Wall Street Journal, was investigating Facebook's acquisition of the companies in a potential antitrust case - it appears to be connected.

Admittedly, Facebook doesn't stand much to gain by putting its name on the apps: It's already a household name, and one that has become associated with privacy scandals. Putting Facebook's name on its two most popular apps certainly won't make those apps any more popular than they are already and could possibly cause users to be more wary about the security and privacy of those apps.

Facebook has yet to say when the changes will go into effect, however we'll continue to monitor the situation as it develops.

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