Apple : Best monitor for photo editing in 2019: top screens for photographers |
- Best monitor for photo editing in 2019: top screens for photographers
- Best logo designer 2019: top logo generators, makers and creators for your business
- Best portable SSD of 2019: top external solid state drives
- Best rugged hard drives of 2019: top drop-proof storage
- Best microSD cards of 2019: flash memory for cameras, drones and more
- Best small business routers 2019: top routers for work
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| Best monitor for photo editing in 2019: top screens for photographers Posted: 12 Aug 2019 01:42 PM PDT Welcome to our list of the best monitors for photo editing in 2019. If you're a professional photographer, or just a keen hobbyist, then finding the best monitor for photo editing is essential. In this guide, we'll look at the top professional photo editing monitors that offer great color reproduction and vibrant, bright displays. This will, of course, depend on the panel tech – newer ‘IPS’ LCD panels will have better color reproduction than their older ‘TN’ counterparts, so this is worth looking out for in the specifications. All the panels here will be IPS LED-backlit monitors. IPS displays will feature better viewing angles, too, so if you ever sit at your computer and show someone else photos, they’re a must. Screen size is important, too – make sure your display is physically big enough for the work you want to do (we recommend 24-inches as a minimum). Also, the best monitors for photo editing will be height-adjustable, but not all displays will have the same capability to be fine-tuned. And, finally, when you’re buying a high-end display, it’s important to make sure your computer’s graphics hardware is up to the task of displaying the high-resolutions some monitors can reproduce. While some of the best professional monitors for photo editing can be costly devices, we've also included some more affordable options as well, which still offer excellent color reproduction and image quality.
The 31-inch ColorEdge CG318-4K is our current pick for the best monitor for photo editing. This is mainly down to its color accuracy, which is essential for professional photographers who edit their photos. It features full sRGB coverage, 99% of the Adobe RGB spectrum and 98% DCI-P3. It fully supports 10-bit colour, taken from a 16-bit look-up table. The CG318-4K has a 4096 x 2160 resolution, compared with the 3840 x 2160 resolution used in other 4K computer displays. All of these features come together to produce a jaw-dropping image, making your photos really stand out. There's also a built-in calibration tool to constantly keep the colors as accurate as possible. Dell's top-end 31.5-inch 4K display packs in a lot of professional-grade features for superb color accuracy. It is a pricey monitor, however, but then this is a large 4K screen, so you should expect to pay a bit more. It comes with support for the DCI-P3 color spectrum. It has a specification that almost rivals Eizo's monster CG318-4K, as it hits 99% Adobe RGB coverage and 87% DCI-P3, delivering great picture quality. BenQ has added the PD3200U, which features a massive 32-inch Ultra HD display, to its Designer Monitor range. The PD3200U is best suited for creators. 3D designers, for instance, will be grateful for the inclusion of a CAD/CAM mode, while photographers and photo editors will love in the factory-calibrated color accuracy and Rec. 709 adherence. If you want a lot of space to work on editing multiple photos at once, then you'll want an ultrawide monitor, and the BenQ EX3501R is in our view the best ultrawide monitor for photo editing. It comes with a 3,440 x 1,440 resoltuion that gives you a huge desktop to work on, and its 2,500:1 contrast leads to bright and vibrant images, as well as for HDR (High Dynamic Range). Crucially, it also has 100% sRGB support, making this a great choice for photographers when looking for the best monitor for photo editing, thanks to its excellent color reproduction. BenQ offers the most affordable full HD monitor with an HDMI connector and it doesn't look that bad. The company embraced the Bauhaus "less is more" philosophy to deliver "a celebration of minimalist" lifestyle. Those are their words, not ours. It has some standout features though; one that reduces flicker (PWM technology) and a low blue light mode which may help with headaches and sleeping disorders. With 'just' a 1080p resolution, this isn't as fancy as other monitors on this list, but it allows you to edit your photos without having to spend loads on a new screen. The Dell UltraSharp UP3218K is an absolutely amazing monitor for photo editing. It features a huge 32-inch screen and 8K resolution makes it perfect for photographers and video editors, and the amount of screen real estate that high resolution offers makes it an excellent productivity tool. The screen is professionally calibrated so it looks amazing out of the box, but be warned: this is a very expensive monitor. Depending on your needs, this will either be a brilliant buy, or an expensive folly. 10 things to look for in a monitor for photo editing
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| Best logo designer 2019: top logo generators, makers and creators for your business Posted: 12 Aug 2019 01:30 PM PDT In this guide to the best logo designer software, we show you the best tools – both free and paid for – that can give your business an iconic and recognisable logo and branding. If you run a business, you'll know how important having a recognisable logo and branding is, but you're probably too busy to spend hours learning and using complex digital art applications – which is why we've made sure to include easy-to-use logo designers and generators in this best logo designer software list. The best logo designer software will offer you all the tools you need to make eye-catching logos in a matter of minutes, yet they will also have enough depth and customisation options to ensure your logo stands out from the crowd. When picking the best logo designer software for your needs, you'll want to make sure you get software that has an easy-to-use interface. It should be able to allow anyone to create a logo no matter if they are good at art. There should be a good balance of ready-made assets, as well as offering users the change to create their own artwork from scratch. Above all, they should allow you to produce professional results. A badly-made logo that looks cheap (or is similar to other logos) can actually cause more harm to your business than no logo at all. So, with that in mind, let's take a look at our pick of the best logo designer software of 2019. Image credit: Adobe The very best logo design software money can buy in 2019 is easily Adobe Illustrator. This is the software most professionals use, and with it you can create truly unique and impressive logos, and other marketing material. It comes with a huge amount of features to help you create your logo. This does mean the software can be overwhelming at first, and for beginners and smaller businesses, this may be overkill. However, if you (or an employee) have digital art and design experience, then Adobe Illustrator will be an essential tool. It's expensive, but with an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription you can pay monthly and get the very latest features as they are released. Image credit: Looka Logo Maker If you're a complete beginner and don't have the time to learn how to use complex software for designing a logo, then Looka Logo Maker(previously known as Logojoy) is a great choice for you. It's a web based service that can auto generate logos - all you need to do is input your company's name, as well as provide information on what sort of company it is, as well as picking a few color choices. Looka Logo Maker will do the rest and will automatically generate a variety of logos. Although they are quite simplistic, they look good, and you can customise them further. You can use the logos Looka Logo Maker creates for you, or simply use it as inspiration to create your own logo using another service. You need to subscribe to see the logos and to use them in marketing materials. Image credit: Summitsoft Logo Design Studio Pro has been used by companies to make their logos for 17 years, and that expertise has led to a nicely-designed package that is easy to use, but offers enough tools to allow more experienced users to further customise their logos. It only takes a few minutes to create a good looking logo using Logo Design Studio Pro's collection of graphics and fonts. It offers over 500 different objects to add to your logo, and 120 unique fonts, and with a bit of time and care, you can make an eye-catching logo that suits your business. Image credit: Shopify You don't need an expensive image editing application and powerful PC to design your own logos, as Hatchful proves. It's a free service that makes it incredibly easy to design your own logos, and there's also versions for your Android smartphone or iPhone. It's incredibly easy to design your logo, just choose what sort of industry your business is in, your company's name and slogan and choose from what sort of artwork you're after. Hatchful then creates several potential logos for you, and you can then edit them using the app or through your web browser, then download them. Best of all, the service is completely free. Image Credit: Squarespace If you want a really simple, easy and quick tool for coming up with a logo for your business, then Squarespace Logo Creator is a good choice. Squarespace is better known as a company that provides web hosting and website creation tools, which are well known for their simple-to-use interfaces. Its logo creation tool is similar, and you can make a good looking logo for your company in a matter of seconds. You can tweak your logo using the web-based editor, though it's a bit limited in what it can do. You can download your logo in a low res form for free (and it's watermarked), or you can buy a high-res non-watermarked version for $10 (or it's free if you're already a Squarespace customer). If you've built your company's website with Squarespace, then its logo creation tool is definitely worth using. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Best portable SSD of 2019: top external solid state drives Posted: 12 Aug 2019 01:23 PM PDT Welcome to TechRadar’s guide of the best portable SSDs on the market right now. We’re going to dive into all the most dependable portable SSDs that combine speed, capacity and mobility to ensure that you can safely keep all your important files during your travels. Just like any other of the best SSDs, you’re going to need a capacious drive, so you won’t run out of space when backing up your important files, like photographs, while also making use of the inherent speed benefits of a solid state drive. So, when looking to buy the best portable SSD, you'll want to consider how much storage space it has. Around 500GB should be enough for many people, but if you want to store lots of large files, such as uncompressed videos, photos or music, then you should consider 1TB or higher of storage space.
You'll also want to consider what type of connection the portable SSD has. Older connections, such as USB 2.0, will cause a bottleneck, as the connection cannot transfer files as fast as the SSD can read and write. So, the best portable SSDs, then, will come with a more modern connection for faster SSDS. USB 3.1 Type-C, or ideally Thunderbolt 3 will be the way to go. And, you should make sure that your laptop or computer supports these connections. Read on to find out what our picks are of the best portable SSDs money can buy in 2019. Samsung is a company that has made some brilliant portable SSDs, and you'll see a number of its devices on this list, however the Samsung Portable SSD T5 is our pick of the best portable SSD of 2018. It builds on the brilliant design and performance of its predecessor, the Samsung T3 SSD (also on this best portable SSD list), but brings it up to date with an incredibly fast USB Type-C connection that ekes out every last drop of performance from the solid state drive inside. Of course, it's also backwards compatible with USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 if your PC doesn't have USB Type-C. It's expensive, but it's well worth the cash. Read the full review: Samsung Portable SSD T5 Seagate is a well-known brand when it comes to storage, and it's brought its impressive experience to the portable SSD market with the brilliant Seagate Fast SSD. This is an impressively slim external SSD, at only 9mm thick with a footprint of 94 x 79mm. Best of all, it's affordable – with prices likely to drop – and it’s an excellent performer, relatively small, plus it has a nice design and a three-year warranty. Well worth considering if you're looking for a the best portable SSD for a low price. Read the full review: Seagate Fast SSD 500GB If you want speed above all else, and money is (almost) no object, than the Samsung X5 Portable SSD is the best portable SSD for you. It comes with a Thunderbolt 3 connection that takes full advantage of the super-fast speeds of the brilliant Samsung 970 Evo NVMe SSD that comes inside. However, that pure dedication to speed comes at some expense. First, there's the financial expense, as this is a pricey external SSD. It's also larger and bulkier than the Samsung T3 or Samsung T5, which are also on this list. The device is fairly heavy at 150g, triple the weight of the Samsung T5, and at 116 x 60 x 18mm, it can best be described as portable rather than miniature. However, when it comes to performance, the Samsung X5 Portable SSD is definitely the portable SSD to go for. Read the full review: Samsung X5 Portable SSD This small and compact external hard drive offers very decent speeds, as well as a rugged body that keeps it safe from water - as well as drops and knocks. It's not the fastest drive out there - as it's still reliant on the aging SATA technology, rather than the newer - and faster - NVMe tech, but for the money you're still getting a brilliant performer. Adata claims this is the most compact external SSD, and with dimensions of 72.7 x 44 x 12.2mm and weighing only 37g excluding the cable, it is smaller and lighter than Samsung’s T3 and T5 drives - which are also on this list of the best portable SSDs. While it is pricey compared to some of the other external SSDs we have on this list, remember that it comes with military-certified protection. The stringent MIL-STD-810G 516.6 impact resistance test so it should survive accidental drops and shocks without much damage. If you shop around, you can also get it for less than its RRP. Storage giant Western Digital is no stranger when it comes to storage gear aimed specifically at pro photographers, and with the WD My Passport Wireless SSD it has created another brilliant device that photographers (or even regular users) will love. It joins WD's growing stable of wireless hard drives, which allow you to view and move files via a Wi-Fi connection, rather than with a cable, which is handy. However, over Wi-Fi, you're not utilising the full speed of the SSD. It also connects via USB 3.0, which offers very good speeds, but not quite as fast as USB Type-C or Thunderbolt. But the flexibility and durability of the WD My Passport Wireless SSD is certainly tempting, plus it comes with a built-in SD card reader, making it one of the best portable SSDs for photographers. Read the full review: WD My Passport Wireless SSD The Adata SD700 will suit those looking for a rugged storage device that can provide ample capacity without costing too much. It offers good speeds, and it's IP68 rated, which means you can carry it around with you without worrying about it getting damaged. It comes in capacities up to 1TB, so you don't have to worry about missing out on storage space just because it uses an SSD. However, it doesn't come with the new USB Type-C connection, which means speeds aren't quite as fast as they could be.
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| Best rugged hard drives of 2019: top drop-proof storage Posted: 12 Aug 2019 01:18 PM PDT Welcome to our guide to the best rugged hard drives on the market in 2019. On this page you'll find the best rugged hard drives that can withstand high temperatures, liquid spills and knocks and drops, all while keeping your important information safe and secure. The best rugged hard drives will function similarly to any other hard drive, but they have extremely durable builds that allow them to withstand knocks and drops, and many will also be protected from extreme temperatures, water and dust. The best rugged hard drives will therefore grant extra protection to your important files and documents, so if you’re often on the road, or you work outdoors, then these storage solutions are essential. Even if you’re not on the road all that often, or if you work in a normal office, a rugged hard drive can still come in handy. The best rugged hard drives come in every shape and size, and they’ll come with a wide variety of tools and features, so we went ahead and gathered up the best rugged hard drives to help you find the perfect match. If you're not too concerned with rugged hard drives, check out our list of the best external hard drives instead.
The Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC is very flexible, and comes with a rugged case that's dust and water resistant, along with a built-in USB 3.0 cable. It's actually our top choice in our best external hard drive list as well. Not only is your data kept protected from knocks and drops with the rugged shell, but it's also got 256-bit AES security features and NFC (Near Field Communication) features as well. Essentially it allows you to unlock the drive to get to your files quickly and easily by tapping the supplied NFC card onto the drive's body. Pretty neat! The Adata SE730 makes our list of the best rugged hard drives thanks to its clever casing that uses a concealed port to ensure it's water-resistant, so splashes and even very quick drops into water won't faze this drive. It has an IP68 rating, so it's also dust-proof, and it has been drop tested to check that it complies with MIL-STD-810 military standards. It features a solid state drive, so it's nice and quick as well as rugged. The Transcend StoreJet 25M3 is encased in three layers including a shock absorbing silicone shell, and reinforced outer case. It has also been drop-tested to US Military standards, and it shows. This is a seriously sturdy hard drive that can take most knocks and drops - ideal if you often take your external hard drive travelling with you. It also comes with plenty of additional features, such as a one touch Auto-Backup button, and a quick reconnect button to make sure there's no issues when you unplug it. The Adata SD700 will suit those looking for a rugged storage device that can provide ample capacity without costing too much. It performs superbly well and remains the only SSD we’ve seen that is IP68 rated. Thanks to the solid state drive that resides in this external hard drive, it's a lot faster than external drives that use traditional spinning hard drives - so you're getting great transfer speeds as well as rugged protection. It also comes in capacities up to 1TB, so you don't have to worry about missing out on storage space just because it uses an SSD - this drive really does hit all the right notes. The Silicon Power Armor A80 proves that you don't need to be big and bulky to be rugged and waterproof. It's an impressively compact hard drive that manages to fit in plenty of storage space, and IPX7 waterproofing, allowing it be be submerged in up to 1m of water for up to 30 minutes. It's also dust proof and can withstand up to 300kg of pressure. If you want something small, but still extremely durable, then the LaCie Rugged Mini might be the best rugged hard drive for you. LaCie is an extremely trusted brand when it comes to external hard drives, and its expertise shines through with this device. It’s not an SSD, but it still performs extremely well when it comes to raw transfer speeds, and its small size means it’s easy to carry around. But, its diminutive stature also means it’s not the most durable drive on this list, but for everyday usage, this is one of the best rugged hard drives you can buy today. The Adata HD710 is certainly an eye catching rugged hard drive, and it's also one of the best, thanks to a durable case made of a unique silicone material that includes military-grade shock resistance that's also waterproof and dustproof. It can withstand being submerged in up to 1.5 meters of water for up to 60 minutes, and with a 1TB capacity, it also offers plenty of storage space. If you need to protect a huge amount of data, with incredibly fast data transfer speeds, then the Lacie Rugged RAID is the best rugged hard drive for you. With two hard drives set up in RAID 0 configuration, this drive is capable of an impressive 240MB/s speed. You can also use it in RAID 1, which mirrors your data give essentially gives you a built-in backup in case one drive gets damaged. It's also built to last with a case that's water, dust and drop protected.
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| Best microSD cards of 2019: flash memory for cameras, drones and more Posted: 12 Aug 2019 01:16 PM PDT Welcome to our pick for the best microSD cards in 2019. On this page, you'll find the best microSD cards that you can insert into your camera, smartphone or drone, and which will expand the storage capacity of those devices while also offering fast data transfer speeds. When buying the best microSD card for your needs, one of the most important considerations is transfer rates. The best microSD cards will offer high speeds that are essential when moving large files to and from the card – as well as recording video in Ultra HD (4K) resolutions, as your device will be writing a lot of data. And, obviously, you want to make sure you find a microSD card that has plenty of extra capacity for your devices, so you’re not always running out of space for your files. These days, there are so many devices that use these little memory cards, from phones and cameras, to laptops and even the Nintendo Switch – so our list of the best SD cards money can buy can help make sure you’re getting the most out of all of your tech. The best microSD cards of 2019The best SD card you can buy is technically a microSD card, albeit one that can be used full-size when married to the proper hardware. Despite not being the most resilient SD card on the market, the Samsung Evo Plus’ 100 megabyte per second (MB/s) read and 90MB/s write speeds are impressive nonetheless. Not only that, but there is a wide variety of sizes to choose from too, so whether you need 32GB of storage or 128GB, rest assured you’re in good hands. If you do a lot of filming, especially in 4K, then you're going to want a reliable microSD card that can write large amounts of data fast, which is exactly what the Samsung Pro+ can do. It features a U3 rating and read/write speeds of 95MB/sec and 90MB/sec. The kind of speeds the Samsung Pro+ microSD card can handle will be largely wasted for day-to-day tasks, such as being installed in a smartphone, but for 4K video, this is a fantastic buy. SanDisk claims this microSD card can read up to 95MB/s and write 90MB/s, and in tests it came pretty close to those speeds. This makes it a very fast card, and with smaller files it's even faster, which means this is a great card for action cams, drones or burst photography. Again, it's a bit on the pricey side, but if you don't mind spending a bit above the odds, you'll get a great microSD card for your needs. The Lexar 1000x isn't the fastest microSD card here, but it has a lot going for it. For example, its read speeds are still some of the fastest around, and it's priced cheaper than many of its competitors. While it falls short with its write speeds, the difference won't be too noticeable for many people. It also comes with a microSD to USB 3.0 adapter, which makes it easy to transfer your files to a PC. As you can probably tell from the number of entrants it has in our best microSD list, Samsung is excellent at producing fast, efficient and dependable microSD cards. The Samsung Evo Select is another great all-rounder that can happily sit in a digital camera, drone, phone or Nintendo Switch games console. While it doesn't necessarily excel in any one task, it is a strong performer that does the job well. Currently Samsung Evo Select microSD cards are only available from Amazon. While that makes hunting for a bargain a bit more tricky, it at least means you can buy with confidence from a reputable seller. The SanDisk Ultra microSD is a brilliant microSD card for people who are looking for large capacities, with the latest version offering up to 400GB of storage space. That should give you plenty of room for storing high resolution images and video files. Write speeds are good, but they are not the fastest we've seen. If you shoot in 4K, that might be an issue, but for many people the slightly slower speeds are worth it for the amount of storage space you get. If you're looking for a microSD card to put inside an action camera, like the Go Pro, then you want something that can record data quickly, while also being able to withstand drops, shocks and splashes. This is where the Kingston microSD Action Camera comes in - it's designed especially for action cameras. This means it has an incredibly robust design, as well as good read and write speeds. It's a bit overkill if you're just going to use it in a smartphone, so one of the other microSD cards in this list could be better suited to your needs. Many microSD cards are low capacity, which is fine if you just need an extra bit of space in your smartphone or tablet, but if you're taking lots of high resolution images, or you want to take advantage of modern smartphone's support for microSD cards up to 2TB in size, then the Integral 512GB microSDXC Class 10 Memory Card is definitely worth considering, offering a huge 512GB of storage space. Of course, you can also get versions with less space if you don't need as much, but for those of you who need to store large files, this is the microSD card for you. How to choose your microSD memory card
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| Best small business routers 2019: top routers for work Posted: 12 Aug 2019 01:03 PM PDT If you're looking for the best small business routers money can buy in 2019, then you've come to the right place. In this guide we look at the best routers for small and medium-sized businesses. Any of them are also perfect for home offices as well. When looking for the best small business router for your needs, you don't have to worry about it being able to handle huge amounts of network traffic, but you'll still need something that has enough power to handle a number of employees and devices accessing the network 24/7. Modern routers now often come with dual or even triple band connectivity, as well as a slew of other features usually found on far more expensive enterprise-grade models, while costing considerably less.
The complexity and requirements of running a wireless network these days mean that the best small business routers now have a much more varied feature set, as well as including hardware that’s often found in computers. The best small business routers should be quick to set up and easy to use and maintain, which means you won't need a dedicated IT team or administrator, which is good news for smaller businesses. All the powerful features found on this list of best small business routers will be easily accessible through an easy-to-use user interface, accessed either through a PC or mobile device. The best small business routers on this list have all been carefully picked by us due to their security, support, remote access, business grade VPN, WAN redundancy, connectivity options and scalability features, which are more important to business users than things like raw speed, value or QoS features. Asus has a reputation for manufacturing great consumer products and the Taiwanese firm – known for its laptops and motherboards – has been trying its hand at wireless products. The BRT-AC828 is its only business router and the device ticks a lot of boxes, even for small businesses looking for more than 10 simultaneous connections. Granted, it is excruciatingly expensive but packs the sort of features you’d never expect from a router like an M.2 slot to plug in an SSD to convert it into a mini-NAS. There’s a lot more here including support for RADIUS, the ability to aggregate four 1Gb Ethernet ports into a virtual 4Gb one (it has a mighty eight Gigabit Ethernet ports in all) and even support for LTE as a backup connection to improve resilience – the router already has two 1Gbps WAN ports that can be aggregated or used independently. As you’d expect from a top of the range router, it offers 4x4 MU-MIMO and theoretical speeds of up to 2.6Gbps with open plan coverage up to 100m (albeit on the 2.4GHz band). Asus has also partnered with Trend Micro to offer a built-in security package called AIProtection. If you want a good performing, no-nonsense router, then the Billion BiPAC 8900AX-2400 is well worth considering. Billion might not be as much of a well-known brand as some of the others on this list, but it has been around for more than a decade. We would especially recommend the BiPAC 8900AX-2400 to people with an ADSL2+ internet connection, as it can replace your existing modem as well. Of course, this involves a bit of tweaking – and it’s here that we offer a note of caution: this is a router suitable for people who are confident in setting up networks. If you want a plug-and-play stylish looking user-friendly router, this will not be for you. Don’t let its ugly looks (and the similarly clunky user interface) put you off, though: this is a great all-round router for your small business. Feature-wise, it can reach 2.4Gbps on both bands with an auto-failover feature should you connect a 3G/4G modem to its USB port. It is a bit lightweight compared to the competition in the connectivity stakes, though, with only four Ethernet ports and one USB 2.0 connector; but that’s reflected in its lower price. If you work in an office, and you’re ready to bring your networking into the modern age with one of the best routers for businesses, you seriously need to check out the Netgear Orbi Pro. It's a modular Wi-Fi mesh system, but it makes some design and performance changes that specifically cater to the business user. It’s not cheap, but if you run a business where you can’t afford anyone slowing down due to slow Wi-Fi, it’s worth every penny. Read the full review: Netgear Orbi Pro Linksys is one of the most recognisable names in small business networking. It’s no surprise, therefore, that the company was one of the first to deliver a tri-band router which uses MU-MIMO technology – and a whopping eight antennas – to deliver two 2.17Gbps streams with an additional 1Gbps stream for legacy 2.4GHz devices. Managing three separate bands requires some serious firepower which is why there’s a dual-core 1.4GHz processor at the heart of the EA9500. Linksys recommends pairing the device with its own Max-Stream AC1900+ MU-MIMO Wi-Fi Range Extender to offer seamless roaming and improve coverage. Other than two USB ports, the router comes with a hefty eight LAN ports and a WAN port. There are no specific business features other than WPA2 enterprise wireless encryption – you won’t be able to bond Gigabit ports and there are no redundancy/failover options, or security extras. Nonetheless, the fact that this device can be controlled from an app makes it ideal for busy small businesses. Technically speaking, the Nighthawk X10 is a consumer router but like the Asus model above, it offers features that you will usually find on business routers. As technically advanced as most routers on this list, it is rated at 2600Mbps using 4x4 MU-MIMO and has plenty of LAN ports – seven Gigabit ones, in fact. You can aggregate a pair of them to reach 2Gbps and there’s even a 10G LAN SPF+ connector for NAS access (assuming you’ve got a device that supports this technology). Add in a pair of USB 3.0 ports and some powerful hardware (quad-core ARM processor clocked at 1.7GHz, 1GB RAM and 512MB storage) and you can see why this Netgear router will appeal to businesses as well as enthusiast-level consumers. Its most intriguing feature, though, has to be support for 802.11ad which is a short range, high-speed connectivity that requires line of sight to work properly. Also known as WiGig, it operates in the 60GHz spectrum and aims to replace wires altogether. One unexpected goodie included with the router is a 6-month subscription to Amazon Cloud Drive (double check which one, though, as Amazon killed the ‘unlimited’ tier mentioned in the marketing literature) and that’s a great bonus for backup purposes. The Synology RT2600ac is what you get when you fuse a traditional wireless router with a network-attached storage device or NAS (well, it gives you a bit more besides, too). The company is mostly known for its NAS boxes and while the modem doesn’t boast the beefiest specs or even a conventionally attractive shell like most of the competition, the RT2600ac packs a ton of features (like built-in VPN and the ability to aggregate two WAN ports) that make it worth your while. While it only has 4GB of storage built-in, you can connect an external hard drive and configure your own cloud service similar to Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive. You can even download a selection of NAS-grade apps like a VPN client and server. Unfortunately, the app selection is sparse at the moment, and the ecosystem needs better community support – which hopefully it’ll get going forward. Though it’s not exactly fool-proof in terms of its setup process and the more complex functions it offers, the Synology RT2600ac is much more accessible than most NAS devices. Bear in mind that this is only Synology’s second attempt at devising a router of its own, so despite some shortcomings here, there’s plenty of room to improve. Read the full review: Synology RT2600ac
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| Security flaws found in many major kernel drivers Posted: 12 Aug 2019 12:45 PM PDT At this year's DefCon security conference, security researchers from Eclypsium revealed in a presentation that they have discovered common design flaws in over 40 kernel drivers from 20 different hardware vendors. The design flaws found in the drivers could allow low-privileged applications to use legitimate driver functions to execute malicious actions within the most sensitive areas of Microsoft's Windows including the Windows kernel. Principal Researcher at Eclypsium, Mickey Shkatov provided more details on the firm's discovery in an email to ZDNet, saying:
"There are a number of hardware resources that are normally only accessible by privileged software such as the Windows kernel and need to be protected from malicious read/write from userspace applications. The design flaw surfaces when signed drivers provide functionality which can be misused by userspace applications to perform arbitrary read/write of these sensitive resources without any restriction or checks from Microsoft." According to Shkatov, bad coding practices that don't take security into account are responsible for the flaws. Instead of making a driver only perform specific tasks, hardware vendors often write their code to be more flexible which in turn puts the security of systems using the drivers at risk. Driver security flawsEclypsium has notified all of the hardware vendors whose drivers allow userspace apps to run kernel code and so far the list of affected companies includes American Megatrends International (AMI), ASRock, ASUSTeK Computer, AMD, Biostar, EVGA, Getac, GIGABYTE, Huawei, Insyde, Intel MSI, NVIDIA, Phoenix Technologies, Realtek Semiconductor, SuperMicro and Toshiba. Shkatov points out that some vendors such as Intel and Huawei have already issued updates while independent BIOS vendors like Phoenix and Insyde are releasing updates to their customer OEMs. However, Eclypsium has not yet named all of the impacted vendors as some need extra time to address the issue. Microsoft offered further clarity on the matter in a statement, saying: "In order to exploit vulnerable drivers, an attacker would need to have already compromised the computer. To help mitigate this class of issues, Microsoft recommends that customers use Windows Defender Application Control to block known vulnerable software and drivers. Customers can further protect themselves by turning on memory integrity for capable devices in Windows Security. Microsoft works diligently with industry partners to address to privately disclose vulnerabilities and work together to help protect customers." For those interested in learning more, Eclypsium has published all of the details about its findings in a blog post on its site.
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| The Morning Show trailer, cast, release date and where to stream Posted: 12 Aug 2019 12:36 PM PDT When Apple announced its plans for a new streaming service called Apple TV Plus, The Morning Show was one of the first titles it announced. Starring Jennifer Aniston, Steve Carell and Reese Witherspoon it promises to be one of the biggest draws of the new service and, now that we have the first teaser trailers available on YouTube, the hype has never been higher. So what, exactly, can we expect from the new drama? We know Apple has already ordered two seasons of the show and will draw - at least partially - from Brian Stelter's book Top of the Morning: Inside the Cutthroat World of Morning TV. It’s Steve Carell’s first lead in a TV show since The Office, and Aniston’s first major TV role since Friends back in the early Aughts. We also know who’s in charge of the show - that’s showrunner Kerry Ehrin. Ehrin is a longtime TV veteran, working on a number of series including Bates Motel, Friday Night Lights and The Wonder Years, the latter of which won her nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award in Outstanding Drama and Comedy Series, respectively. Can’t wait to watch Apple’s inside look at the morning newsroom? Here’s what we know so far - or, if you want to hear about other upcoming show, check out our guides to Stranger Things season four, The Game of Thrones prequel and Netflix’s The Witcher. Cut to the chase
The Morning Show trailersWe caught our first glimpse of The Morning Show at Apple’s April press event, but we didn’t get a full teaser until mid-August. The trailer (embedded below) focuses on the conversations and tone we can expect from the series. We can overhear the characters talking about the fame and prestige that comes along with the show and how that stands in respect with their duty as journalists, and plays at ideas of truth in the news. It doesn’t really showcase the show’s talent all that much, but it does set expectations. The Morning Show release dateThe Morning Show might not have an exact release date just yet, but it does have a release window: Fall 2019. That’s when Apple said it plans on launching its streaming service, and it would make sense that this would be one of the first shows available on the service. We’ll update this section when we get a final release date from Apple. What is The Morning Show about?Although it sounds like The Morning Show is Apple’s rival to Good Morning America, The Morning Show is a lot closer to The Newsroom than any of the morning news shows. That is to say it will be dramatic and dark with tons of character conflict. Expecting fluff segments with animal trainers? You won’t find that here. The best description we have of the series comes from series star Reese Witherspoon, who told the audience at Apple TV Plus’ April debut that the show “pulls back the curtain on the power dynamic between men and women in the high-stakes world of a morning news show.” So far we know that Aniston and Witherspoon both play leads in the show, with Carell playing a co-anchor named Mitch Kessler. Also listed on the IMDB page for the show is Billy Crudup (Big Fish, Watchmen, Almost Famous) and Nestor Carbonell (Bates Motel, LOST) among a number of other actors and actresses. Where can you watch it?For now, the only place you'll be able to stream the show is Apple TV Plus. Apple says it's a launch exclusive for the streaming service, but didn't say whether the show would remain there indefinitely or if it would eventually come to other networks. That's something we'll learn more about when the show debuts later this year.
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| This fake iPhone charging cable will hijack your computer Posted: 12 Aug 2019 11:40 AM PDT A fake Apple charging cable has been developed that could allow attackers to trick their way into a victim's devices. Security researcher Mike Grover, also known as MG, has developed a fake Lightning-esque cable similar to those used to charge up iPhones that he says could be use to hijack a laptop or PC just by plugging in. When plugged into a Linux, Mac or Windows computer, and connected via Wi-Fi, the O.MG Cable can give a hacker full control over the system, allowing them to carry out commands remotely.
AttackGrover revealed the cable at last week's DefCon cybersecurity convention, highlighting what he says has been an under-investigated area of mobile security. "It looks like a legitimate cable and works just like one. Not even your computer will notice a difference. Until I, as an attacker, wirelessly take control of the cable," he told Motherboard. Grover says that the cable, which fortunately is only a prototype, could be utilised in a number of ways by criminals, allowing them to download and launch malware, remove devices from Wi-Fi networks, and even reconfigure systems. The cable takes advantage of a flaw in the computer's operating system that detects the cable as part of an input device, or what’s known as a human interface device (HID). Once connected via the IP address of the cable, hackers can start to issue commands using a mouse and keyboard, as operating systems consider HID devices to be input devices. This allows them to manouevre around the hijacked device, download malware or open up software such as browsers to run malicious payloads. Grover says that the cable, which fortunately is only a prototype, could be utilised in a number of additional ways by criminals, allowing them to download and launch malware, remove devices from Wi-Fi networks, and even reconfigure systems.
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| iPhone 11 Pro would be the competitor Samsung doesn't want for the Note 10 Posted: 12 Aug 2019 11:22 AM PDT What would be worse for Samsung this year? A new iPhone 11, one that garners a lot of attention and sales but sticks down the same tried-and-tested routes for Apple... or a less-popular iPhone 11 Pro? The latter has been mentioned online in a recent leak, and it's got tongues wagging: what would the iPhone 11 Pro look like? What would it do? Why does it suddenly exist? Should that be the phone I should wait for? For Samsung, these are the questions it doesn't want consumers asking - and for good reason following the wave of interest the Note 10 has garnered since launch. But surely the South Korean giant shouldn't be worried? Apple and Samsung have long since fought in the same space and found that there's room for both - so why would the addition of a tiny word like 'pro' at the end of the name make any difference here?
The Note is no longer aloneFirstly, let's examine what the iPhone 11 Pro would be. Actually, before that it's worth noting (sorry) that this rumor has emerged based on a single tweet (admittedly, from a source with heritage in announcing new iPhone names). So we're going to be mostly working with conjecture here, rather than any cold, hard facts. But stepping aside from the meager nature of the source, there are plenty of reasons to suggest that Apple could well be preparing the iPhone 11 Pro... or at least a Pro version of the phone for the future. Firstly, we've seen (reported) prototype phones leaked onto the web in 2016 that sport the same three-pin dock connector as used on the iPad range to snap on a smart keyboard - so it's very likely Apple has been observing the market for the power user for a while. The 'iPhone 7 Pro' leaked in 2016 However, the brand has been keen to keep things simple in its range, with the formula of a single device only spreading to two variants in 2014. Apple moved to three models in 2017, with the iPhone X joining the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus on stage - but it could be argued that the iPhone XS and XS Max are essentially the same phone, with the larger screen and battery the only differentiator. Apple's iPhone sales are diminishing at the moment, falling where they were previously in explosive growth. That's partly the reason to push the price of the handset up - Apple being the first mainstream brand to make a smartphone costing over $1,000 to buy - as it sought higher margins to offset the drop in sales. However, even though other parts of the business are growing to make up the market share, Apple still needs a solid iPhone business to keep itself as one of the world's top brands. The iPhone 11 Pro would be a great elixir in that respect - a device that would cost more, but would offer something different. Smart covers, a greater range of accessories, quicker charging (given it would almost certainly use a USB-C connection) and a more powerful chipset would be real draws on the shelf. The only thing is this feels a little too soon - we've not heard many leaks around such a device, and even Apple is more porous these days - so the hunch would suggest the iPhone Pro is for 2020. That would be the phone that would utterly suit 5G connectivity, a larger or higher-res screen or (whisper it) the first foldable phone from Apple. That would all spell troubling news for Samsung. Why would Samsung care?The Samsung Galaxy Fold could get a real competitor The Samsung Galaxy Note has been something of a revelation for the brand over the years - where it was once seen as a curio for the businessperson, with the Note 5 not even launching in Europe due to the belief that this market wouldn't care for a stylus, the Note 8 topped 10 million sales worldwide. With the Galaxy Note 10 Plus leading a range that's predicted to come close to that number, Samsung has found a new section of smartphone user that might not be interested in the standard Galaxy S range. While there are a number of other brands - notably from China - muscling in on this territory and offering huge screens with loads of power, if Apple joined the fray it would have an obvious impact on Samsung's sales for its most powerful (and expensive) device at a time when the smartphone market is declining. That decline is precisely the reason brands are offering new features and phone ranges to entice users to upgrade. The same device with some new features isn't that exciting, but if the range offers something else - a more powerful phone to enrich your life, or cheaper device with similar features to save cash - it can keep users in the ecosystem. We're pretty sure that there's not going to be an iPhone 11 Pro this year - if there is, Apple's managed to keep it smartly under lock and key from all but the most secure parts of the supply chain. But the mere possibility of its existence lingers - and while it might be a threat to Samsung, it would offer users (and especially those wanting something new in the iPhone ecosystem) something extra to consider. After all, there were those recent rumors of an iPhone finally supporting the Apple Pencil... This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT gets hot – but it's supposed to Posted: 12 Aug 2019 11:10 AM PDT The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT has been out for about a month now, and while it's delivering some great 1440p gaming experiences, the graphics card has a tendency to pump out some noticeably high temperatures. However, in a blog post Team Red released, it details that AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT graphics cards that hit 110 degrees Celsius are operating within specs and are totally fine. This is due to how these graphics cards measure temperatures. Rather than throttling at an average temperature, like most GPUs, the RX 5700 XT will only throttle when the hottest part of the GPU hits the 110 degrees Celsius thermal junction temperature.
AMD states that this allows these Radeon graphics cards to "offer much higher performance out of the box, while maintaining acoustic and reliability targets." Team Red also assures customers that they'll have access to both the peak temperature of the chip, along with a more standard average temperature, so they'll have insight as to how their graphics card is performing. So, while some users might not be comfortable with their graphics cards hitting triple-digit temperatures, AMD claims that this is working as-expected. And, given how its processors operate at high temperatures, too, that shouldn't be too surprising. Heating upOne thing that might be looking at however, is the effect this could have on the rest of your system. Sure, the graphics card is more than capable of handling these high temperatures, but if the air its shooting out is overheating other components, like the chipset, there could be some problems. However, this is just pure speculation on our part. However, there are already plenty of third-party AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT graphics cards showing up, so if you're not comfortable with high temps, there should be a third-party option available to you that keeps things a bit cooler. At the end of the day, though, AMD does say these high temps are normal and are nothing to worry about. So, if you've been seeing high temperatures on your graphics card, you can rest assured that it's not about to melt in your PC case.
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| Monster Hunter World: Iceborne - there's no cooler time to jump into the franchise Posted: 12 Aug 2019 11:10 AM PDT When Monster Hunter World first released in 2018, I somehow missed the boat. While the hype around Capcom's latest addition to the monster slaying series was deafening, as sometimes happens, life managed to get in the way and by the time I could get involved in the bestiary antics, it felt like perhaps it was too late. Therefore, when Capcom announced the upcoming expansion 'Iceborne', the fear once again set in that perhaps I had missed my chance at ever knowing the wholesome friendship of a Pimlico or the camaraderie of a hunt. But it seems I was wrong. In fact, Iceborne is perhaps the best time for new players (like myself) to jump into Monster Hunter World.
Breaking the iceWhat you need to know about Monster Hunter World's massive new Iceborne expansion is that it essentially adds a whole new area to the game - a frosty one at that. With this new area comes new chilling monsters, gear, quests and hunting features - among other things. I played both the E3 2019 and latest build of Monster Hunter World: Iceborne at a recent event and, while the mechanics can prove difficult to initially get to grips with, I found myself oddly at home in the New World. Iceborne's story centers around flying-blue creatures called the Legiana, who seem to be migrating to ice-capped regions previously unexplored. Of course, it's up to you to find out why. If you are jumping in to Monster Hunter World for the first time then it's worth noting that you cannot make the most of Iceborne's story and quests until you have completed the main storyline and reached Hunter Rank 16. However, while potentially frustrating for some, this is definitely for the best. Iceborne's new monsters such as the Big-Horned Banbaro who gouges the earth with its horns and the rush-attacking Tigerex are not for the feint-of-heart. Instead, forcing players to learn the basics about slaying monsters (and the strategy required) through the main story is applauded. Plus, you have the added benefit of knowing you have a whole new world of content once you have finished the main story. Win, win. Personally, when I attempted to slay some of the new monsters, the lack of basic knowledge really knocked me for ten. Instead, spurring me to want to work up to the challenge. While the challenge of new beasties is a definite drive, the possibility to explore Iceborne's beautiful new ice-kissed areas is enticing enough in itself. Rime beetles roll snowballs while you crunch through the snow, scooping up chillies to make hot drinks that will fend off frostbite. It's a truly breathtaking atmosphere. No time better than the presentAnother major draw to playing Iceborne is the new quality-of-life features that the expansion brings - that even new players can take advantage of. Perhaps the biggest changes are to weapons. The Slinger, for example can now be used while your main weapon is drawn, regardless of the weapon type. There's a new feature for this weapon called the Clutch Claw that allows you to grapple onto monsters and hack at them up close and personal (it's a lot of fun). All 14 weapon types also have new combos and elements, allowing you to create and customize a play style that works for you in particular. If anything, you've got a more complete game to sink your teeth into, with more content than veteran players had. It's also worth remembering that the new Iceborne expansion will see lots of new players flood into Monster Hunter World. It's highly unlikely you won't find a bunch of newbies like yourself (and me) looking for a squad to go on hunts with. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Hurry! Vodafone's ridiculously cheap fibre broadband deals end on Tuesday Posted: 12 Aug 2019 10:39 AM PDT If you've been doing your research into broadband deals over the last couple of weeks and are determined that it's time to go for fibre, then you will have surely encountered Vodafone's barely believable £19.99 per month offer. You haven't? Then allow us to fill you in - so for monthly bills of a penny shy of £20 and not a thing to pay upfront, Vodafone will deliver its 35Mb average speed fibre optic broadband for the next year. Erm...that's it. It's really that simple. Click here to head straight through to the Vodafone broadband website And don't worry - there are no hidden delivery charges or usage caps. Nothing extra to pay for line rental. And Vodafone even guarantees its speeds to a minimum of 25Mb (so downloads of over 3MB per second), with money back if it fails to deliver. The only but here is that you need to get a shift on if you want to sign up for the UK's most affordable widely available fibre broadband deal. We're told by the provider itself that pricing will go up in price on Wednesday. So Tuesday, August 13 will be your last chance for now to get Vodafone Superfast 1 for just £19.99 a month. Vodafone's cheap fibre broadband deal in full:Want more with your broadband?While this is one of the best, affordable fibre broadband deals around, you can get even cheaper bills. You may not have heard of the ISP, but Onestream's Jetstream Lite Fibre costs a mere £18.99 per month. You do have to pay a tenner upfront though, so it works out as roughly the same as Vodafone in the long run. Plus, this deal does also offer the lowest average fibre speeds on the market at 17Mb. While for those who want an added extra with their internet, BT could be the way to go. It costs £31.99 a month but comes with a £60 BT reward card and a £50 M&S voucher on top of its faster 50Mb fibre speeds. Read more:
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| The Roborock S6 ushers in a new generation of robotic vacuums Posted: 12 Aug 2019 10:36 AM PDT Cleaning your house probably isn’t your favorite thing to do – but it’s still something that needs to be done. Vacuuming in particular can be a real pain, especially if you have a vacuum that’s mostly designed to work on carpets and not hard floors – as it means that you have to turn to other methods for your hard floors. That, however, is where the new Roborock S6 comes in -- which is available at a pretty heavy discount on Amazon from August 12 to August 18. The Roborock S6 is part of a new generation of robotic vacuums, which are more powerful, quieter, and more versatile – and it can easily replace your manual vacuum cleaner and even your broom and other tools you use to manually clean your floors. Perhaps the best thing about the Roborock S6 is that it can effectively be used without human interference. In other words, your floors will remain relatively clean without you really having to do anything at all, freeing up your time to be more productive, more relaxed, or to get better at your hobbies. You could even take a nap instead of cleaning – given the fact that the Roborock S6 is 50%quieter than previous-generation models -- meaning that it’s now quiet enough to have a normal conversation without getting too distracted. There are plenty of other benefits to the Roborock S6, other than the fact that you don’t really need to do anything to keep your floors clean. Namely, if your floors are cleaned automatically, then they’ll likely be cleaned more often – and that’s great news for those with allergies, given the fact that it will reduce the number of allergens in your home. Not only that, but pet owners can spend more time with their pets than having to clean up their pet’s hair all the time. The Roborock S6 is pretty spectacularly-designed too, featuring a classic round design, which is available in white, black, or rose gold -- all of which look great. It has even won an iF product design award for design excellence. It’s super smart as well – it’ll roam around your home on its own, and uses a huge sensor array, accelerometer, odometer, infra-red sensors, compass, and more, to navigate through your home without falling off stairs or getting trapped. You can even program virtual walls into the device, ensuring that it doesn’t go too close to objects in your home that might be fragile. It even has a map-saving feature – so it can create a map of your home, ensuring that it never misses a spot and cleans things quickly and effectively. The Roborock S6 goes beyond being just a vacuum too – from time to time you might need it to mop instead of vacuum, and it can do that too. Simply attach the mop attachment and tell the vacuum how much water to use – after which it will be able to mop and vacuum at the same time. That’s a pretty smart setup, and means the device should be able to handle all of your floor-cleaning needs. Of course, you might be wondering about the Roborock S6’s cleaning power – and it’s pretty powerful. The vacuum has enough suction to lift items as heavy as AA batteries, meaning it’s more than capable of handling dirt and hair off hard floors and sucking it up from deep inside carpets. While the easiest thing to do would be to set the vacuum up to automatically clean when you leave the home, sometimes you need a more immediate clean – and you’re covered there too. It’s easy to activate the Roborock S6 straight from the Roborock app, or you could save a few steps and simply ask Alexa on your Amazon Echo device to start cleaning – and it’ll kick into action. If you’re interested in checking out the vacuum for yourself, it’s well worth acting quick -- as there’s a one week launch promotion for the black model, which is valid from Monday August 12 to Sunday, August 18 -- and allows you to get the vacuum for only $579.99, which is a hefty $70 off the regular price of $649.99. Interested in checking out the Roborock S6 for yourself? You can do so by heading straight to the Roborock website. Alternatively, if you’re convinced, the Roborock S6 can be purchased straight from Amazon. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Windows 10 Pro vs Windows 10 Home: All the differences explained Posted: 12 Aug 2019 10:27 AM PDT When you count all the different ways Windows 10 will be available, there are actually ten editions: Windows 10 Home, Pro, Pro for Workstations, Enterprise, Enterprise LTSC, Education, Pro Education, Windows 10 in S mode, IOT and Team, leaving you with lots of choice. The various options break down into device or situation specific in order to suit the needs of the user, business or education system. Windows 10 Home, Pro, Enterprise and Education are the main editions with all the bells and whistles Microsoft has to offer but there are more stripped out versions that offer benefits too. Windows 10 in S mode is one of the newer addition types which is designed to offer a more lightweight version of the OS for the most efficient performance. As such this feature-limited Windows 10 is ideal for affordable devices used in situations like education. This also works well as a less process intensive platform for older hardware and mobile devices like tablet computers. So there are lots of versions to pick from and you may be wondering which is best for you, fret not. In this article, we'll go through the exact details of each version.
Windows 10 HomeThe version of Windows 10 that you're most likely to get if you buy a new PC, tablet or 2-in-1 is Windows 10 Home, which has the key features of Windows 10, from the latest Start menu to the Edge browser, to the Windows Hello biometric login feature that uses your face or fingerprint instead of a password, to a now-mandatory Cortana – the voice-controlled assistant. Windows 10 Home includes game streaming from Xbox One, which lets you play games from your Xbox One on your PC instead. To keep home users more secure, updates like the massive Anniversary Update overhaul from Windows Update, and you don't get the option not to install critical and security updates. Windows 10 Home includes the Continuum feature for tablets. This is the tablet mode that simplifies the taskbar and the Start menu, and makes your apps full screen – you can split your screen between two apps, but this is much simpler than the way Windows 8.1 let you arrange windows on-screen. Windows 10 ProIf you use your PC for business, Windows 10 Pro has extra features over Windows 10 Home – the most important of which is being able to join a domain, including Azure Active Directory for single sign-on to cloud services (and have group policy applied as part of that). You also get Hyper-V for virtualisation, BitLocker whole disk encryption, enterprise mode Internet Explorer, Remote Desktop, a version of the Windows Store for your own business, Enterprise Data Protection containers and assigned access (which locks a PC to running only one modern application, to use like a kiosk). Pro users can get updates from Windows Update for Business, which includes options for scheduling updates so they don't reboot PCs at important business times. There are ways of connecting Windows Home PCs to a server, but if you want the familiar business PC experience, Windows 10 Pro is what you need. It is a free upgrade from the Pro versions of Windows 7 and 8.1 (which includes Windows 7 Ultimate as well as Professional, and Windows 8.1 Pro and Pro for Students), you'll be able to upgrade to it from Windows 10 Home, and some desktops and notebooks designed for business will come with Windows 10 Pro. Windows 10 Pro for WorkstationsAs the name suggests this is Windows 10 Pro at its core but rather than being built for all work scenarios this is specifically tailored to high-end hardware. This is, as Microsoft says, the most powerful Windows yet. That means this supports very intensive tasks and as such works well with the likes of Intel Xeon, AMD Opteron and AMD Epyc processor. You can bolt together up to four CPUs and this will help you take advantage of all of them. You also get support for up to 6TB or RAM, the ReFS file system for safe storage that fights against corruption, Non-Volatile Dual In-line Memory Module and remote direct memory access. This OS uses fewer CPU cycles meaning you end up with more capacity so you can multitask lots of processes at the same time without costing you on performance. The use of persistent memory support also means this OS will let you access your files even if you shut down the system. The Remote Direct Memory Access means you can transfer files between server, PC and SMB Direct quickly with low latency on network requests. Windows 10 in S modeFormerly Windows 10 S, now Windows 10 in S mode, this is a feature limited version of Windows 10 that purposely comes with certain elements disabled. As a result this is aimed at more affordable devices, making it ideal for school age education scenarios. The key here is that Windows 10 in S mode only allows for software to be downloaded and installed via the Microsoft Store, making it more secure and safe. This can be unlocked to full Windows 10 but this is permanent and cannot be switched back. Locked system settings mean the Microsoft Edge browser is the standard using Bing as its search engine. The OS comes with a one-year subscription to Minecraft: Education Edition for free. Windows 10 in S mode could be compared to Chrome OS in terms of closed system simplicity and safety. Windows 10 EnterpriseWindows 10 Enterprise has all the business features of Pro, and adds a number of more powerful features designed for larger companies: Direct Access for connecting without a VPN, AppLocker for whitelisting apps, BranchCache for sharing downloads and updates with other PCs using a peer-to-peer connection, and group policy for controlling the Start Screen. There's also Credential Guard and Device Guard features for protecting Windows logon credentials and locking down which applications a PC can run, and the option of keeping a PC on the Long Term Servicing Branch where it gets only security updates (ideal for systems you need to have working reliably for years without being affected by new and changing Windows features). The free Windows 10 upgrade doesn't apply to Windows Enterprise; that's because you can only get it with a volume licence (and you have to already have a Windows Pro licence for each PC), and if you have a volume licence you already have the option of Software Assurance, which includes upgrades. Windows 10 Enterprise LTSCThis is the Long-Term Service Channel version of Windows 10 Enterprise meaning it's a more long-term support system with a released update scheduled for every two to three years. That gets you security updates for 10 years after its release also. This edition does not feature the Microsoft Store or any bundled apps. This is aimed at situations where the functionality won't change over long periods of time, so for medical systems like MRI and CAT scanners, industrial process controllers and air traffic control. Windows 10 EducationWindows 10 Education is a more recent SKU, designed for large academic organisations like universities that want the security, management and connectivity features of Windows 10 Enterprise (it's common for students to need to join the domain to use official printers, for example). The feature list is almost identical to Windows 10 Enterprise but it doesn't have the Long Term Servicing Branch and instead of having to upgrade from Windows Pro, you can upgrade directly to Windows 10 Education from Windows 10 Home. That means educational establishments can easily make Windows 10 Education available to students bringing in their own PCs. Windows 10 Pro EducationThe idea behind this version of Windows 10 Pro is to offer the Education extras at a discounted rate to those with a K-12 academic licence. So you get most of the Windows 10 Pro features with some options deactivated by default to suit educators. The likes of Cortana, Microsoft Store suggestions and Windows Spotlight are all disabled as standard. There are also great options that make setup and deployment easier in an educational system. In fact you can set everything up using a USB flash drive thanks to the Set Up School PC app. Windows 10 IoTIf you have a Raspberry Pi 2 or an Intel Galileo or a range of other 'maker boards' you can get a free version of Windows 10 for them that can run universal apps. There are also versions of Windows 10 that OEMs can put on more traditional embedded devices like point of sale systems, cash tills, ATMs and other machinery. This actually breaks down into IOT Core and IOT Enterprise versions with Core aimed at x86, x64 and ARM systems and the Enterprise version only for x86 and x64. The former is for things like digital signage, smart buildings, gateway, HMI, smart home and wearables. Enterprise is more for industry tablets, retail, kiosks, medical devices, manufacturing devices and Thin Client.
Windows 10 TeamThis version of Windows 10 is a device specific version of the OS. It is made for the Surface Hub and comes with that as standard. The Surface Hub is a standalone interactive whiteboard with a 55-inch or 84-inch multitouch display aimed at business use. This OS works with 3D modelling to allow for quick viewing of objects from different perspectives using touch to move. This also supports Skype for Business video conferencing and Microsoft Office for the likes of PowerPoint, Excel, Word and you also get OneNote for on-screen drawing. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Microsoft Office perpetual licenses are no longer part of the Home Use Program Posted: 12 Aug 2019 10:24 AM PDT The days of buying software once and having a perpetual license to use it are coming to an end as businesses including Microsoft have embraced a subscription model. The US software giant will no longer sell one-off licenses for Office 2019 as part of its Home Use Program (HUP) as it tries to encourage customers to opt for an annual subscription instead. HUP is a program which allows employees at eligible companies to buy the same Microsoft products they use at the office for their homes. In the past, employees were offered discounted rates for perpetual licenses but now they will have to purchase a subscription with a 30 percent discount which means that a year of Office 365 Personal will cost them $48.99 while a similar subscription to Office 365 Home will cost $69.99.
In a revised FAQ regarding the HUP program, Microsoft confirmed the change, saying: "Office Professional Plus 2019 and Office Home and Business 2019 are no longer available as Home Use Program offers." Home Use ProgramNow if an employee purchases a subscription through HUP, it will extend any existing Personal and Home plans they may already have. Additionally after buying a subscription at the discount all future renewals will be at the lower price and this is even true if the buyer no longer works for the organization through which they initially purchased their subscription. According to the FAQ, the only requirement to remain eligible for a HUP discount is that “you maintain recurring billing on your subscription”. Microsoft continues to offer perpetual licenses in several forms and the company has said that there will be at least one more follow up to Office 2019. However, the subscription model isn't going away any time soon and it has now become a requirement for businesses and individuals who want to continue using the software they're familiar with.
Via Engadget This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Why your next TV should be an LG OLED Posted: 12 Aug 2019 10:07 AM PDT TVs are surrounded by terms that sound like jargon. But OLED is one word you need to get to grips with when buying a new TV. LG’s OLED TVs are some of the best in the world. And part of that excellence comes from the way the technology works. OLED TVs have emissive pixels. Each is its own light source, so when you dim the lights for a movie night, the areas of black in a Star Wars or Gravity space scene look absolutely, completely dark. Spend as much as you like, you can’t get this with any LCD TV or projector, even those used in your local cinema. This is OLED’s super power. There are many other benefits too. LG’s OLED TVs have a response rate of up to 0.01 millisecond, up to 1000 times faster than an LCD. This tells you how quickly the display can shift from one colour or tone to another. OLED’s amazing speed rules out the chance of any response-related smearing or motion blur. It makes fast action scenes much clearer, and punchier-looking. A universe of coloursThere’s more to TV colour than you might expect too. One half of the LG OLED colour performance is simple: the more colours a TV can display, the better. LG’s OLED TVs can handle a billion of them, from the deepest reds to the bright subtle haze of a morning city skyline. You also need pro-grade colour calibration to get accurate colour rather than just vivid colour. And every LG OLED TV has incredible colour tuning. You’ll often notice this most in the tones of a character’s face, or the grass of a football pitch. A too-red skin tone or foliage that looks fluorescent are giveaways a TV can’t handle colour as well as an LG OLED. The last World Cup was a good test for a TV. Remember Messi’s bright green boots? An LG OLED TV can bring out the day-glo lime green of them while keeping the surrounding grass look worthy of a nature documentary. You want punchy colour, but with the fidelity to make sure scenes look realistic. There are other real practical benefits to an LG OLED TV. Viewing angles matter if, like most, you have a living room setup where most people don’t get to see the TV dead-on. LG’s OLED TVs offer a 178-degree viewing angle. The screen won’t seem dim, of its colours off, if you’re the one who gets the worst seat in the house. Dolby Atmos: Sound adviceThe highlights aren’t restricted to image quality either. Sound is a highlight too. LG’s OLED TVs have Dolby Atmos, the same technology built into the newly refurbished Odeon Luxe cinema in London’s Leicester Square. It lets you perceive the position of objects in movie soundtracks in 3D. We’re not talking about simple stereo anymore, or even standard surround. You can tell the height of a helicopter in the sound field, and cars tearing past will seem to extend far further than they would through a simple stereo mix. It’s “object based” audio, where the boffins who mix a movie’s audio track can position sound in a 3D space. Dolby Atmos uses psychoacoustic processing to achieve this without making you splatter your living room ceiling with speakers. Psychoacoustics is the study of how we perceive sound: LG OLED TVs more-or-less have a PhD in the subject. Atmos isn’t just for film anymore, either. Sky and BT now broadcast important sporting events in Dolby Atmos. It is like being there, but without the drizzle and overpriced snacks. LG OLED TVs shine when you feed them the best content on offer today. 4K video looks incredible on these displays. But they are prepped for the low-quality stuff too. LG’s AI Picture technology analyses whatever you watch, from a programme broadcast on BBC One HD to an old DVD you’ve wanted to re-watch for ages. It brings out more image information in the shadow areas, and makes the picture sharper, clearer and more lifelike. As much as we’d like everything we watch to be in 4K, with an amazing Atmos soundtrack, a truly great TV needs to be prepped for the content equivalent of comfort food that we all like to unwind to after a day at work. You’ll find all of these innovations in LG’s 2019’s OLED TVs, from the C9 and E9 families. Prices start from £2499 at ao.com This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft crack down on loot boxes – what it means for you Posted: 12 Aug 2019 09:39 AM PDT Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony will require video game publishers to disclose drop rates for all games that include loot boxes in order to be released on the big three's consoles. In other words, publishers will have to tell us what the chances are of players receiving certain items from loot boxes in their games – otherwise their games won't be released on those manufacturers' consoles. The policy is part of an initiative that was announced by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) on August 7, during a Federal Trade Commission workshop titled 'Inside the Game: Unlocking the Consumer Issues Surrounding Loot Boxes' (via GamesIndustry.biz). In a follow-up statement, the ESA explained that the initiative is designed to strengthen the video games industry's relationship with players – primarily when it comes to "trust". "To further that effort, several videogame industry leaders are announcing new initiatives to help consumers make informed choices about their purchases, including loot boxes," the ESA's statement reads. "The major console makers – Sony Interactive Entertainment, operator of the PlayStation platform, Microsoft, operator of Xbox and Windows, and Nintendo, operator of the Nintendo Switch gaming platform – are committing to new platform policies that will require paid loot boxes in games developed for their platforms to disclose information on the relative rarity or probability of obtaining randomized virtual items. "These required disclosures will also apply to game updates, if the update adds new loot box features. The precise timing of this disclosure requirement is still being worked out, but the console makers are targeting 2020 for the implementation of the policy."
What does this mean?The disclosure of drop rates will, according to the ESA, "apply to all new games and updates to games that add such in-game purchases and will be presented in a manner that is understandable and easily accessed". Simply put, this means players should easily be able to see the odds of getting a rare item (for example) before they choose to spend real money on a loot box, allowing them to make a more informed decision as to whether or not to make a purchase. The ESA says several of the major publishers who are members of the association either "already disclose the relative rarity or probability of obtaining in-game virtual items from purchased loot boxes", while "other major publishers have agreed to do so no later than the end of 2020". Some of the publishers who have signed up to the initiative include Activision Blizzard, Bandai Namco Entertainment, Bethesda, Bungie, Electronic Arts, Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Take-Two Interactive, Ubisoft, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, and Wizards of the Coast. However, publishers aren't bound by this agreement, and there are potential loopholes – more on that shortly. And some publishers will likely be less enthusiastic about complying than others, as it could mean less revenue from loot boxes. Here's why it's such a big dealThat's why it's important that Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft are now on board. While previously publishers were essentially left to their own devices, the new initiative puts serious pressure on publishers to disclose drop rates. If any choose not to disclose drop rates then they won't see their games published on the likes of the Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 (or next-gen consoles), which would mean huge losses in revenue. It's also encouraging to see the three gaming titans take a stance on the controversial loot box issue, as to date there's been a lack of leadership. What the big three have to sayWhat do each of the gaming titans have to say about the new initiative? In response to a request for comment by TechRadar, a Microsoft spokesperson told us: “We believe in transparency with customers and providing them information for making their purchase decisions. This is why by 2020 all new apps or games offering 'loot boxes' or other mechanisms on Microsoft platforms that provide randomized virtual items for purchase must disclose to customers, prior to purchase, the odds of receiving each item. In addition, we’re proud to offer robust family settings that offer further control over in-game purchasing.” Sony's response to TechRadar echoed that of Microsoft. "Sony Interactive Entertainment aims to ensure PlayStation users have access to information and tools, such as parental wallet controls, that will help them make informed decisions about in-game purchasing," it said. "We support industry efforts to disclose the probability of obtaining randomized virtual items, known as loot boxes, and are committed to providing consumers with this information for all games we produce and publish." While Nintendo has not yet replied to TechRadar's request for comment, the House of Mario issued a statement to Eurogamer stating: "At Nintendo, ensuring that our customers can make informed choices when they play our games is very important. As part of our ongoing efforts in this area, Nintendo will require disclosure of drop rates in Nintendo Switch games that offer randomized virtual items for purchase, such as loot boxes. This requirement will apply to all new games and includes updates to current games that add loot boxes through in-game purchases. "We also offer tools like our Nintendo Switch Parental Controls mobile app, which empowers parents to choose what works for their family, including managing in-game purchases and setting playtime limits." What does it mean for future games?When the policy comes into effect, every publisher who wants a game that includes loot box mechanics published on console will have to disclose the odds to players. If they refuse, the game won't be published on console. However, it seems this initiative won't be implemented until 2020. It's worth nothing that 2020 is when we're expecting the PS5 and Xbox Project Scarlett, so it's potentially easier for Sony and Microsoft to gate-keep the games being published on their next-gen consoles as they're essentially working with a clean slate. Will current games be affected?This is currently hard to say. The ESA stated that the disclosure initiative will "apply to all new games and updates to games that add such in-game purchases". But it doesn't specify what will happen with regards to games already published, such as Overwatch and Star Wars Battlefront 2. Will publishers have to disclose drop rates for these games? When it comes to Microsoft, the company's statement specifically mentions "new apps or games", and Nintendo's statement echoes this. This would suggest that current games on these platforms, which include loot boxes, will not be required to disclose loot box drop rates. Sony, however, doesn't specify "new" in its statement. TechRadar has followed up with the companies to seek clarification on whether this need for disclosure will be implemented in games already on their consoles. But there are possible loopholes...Here's where we have some concerns – this initiative doesn't necessarily mean that we'll definitely start seeing the probability of loot box drops being disclosed. Similar attempts in other countries to curb the loot box issue resulted in publishers just becoming more savvy about finding loopholes. Back in 2011, Gacha mechanics began to appear in Japanese free-to-play mobile games. Simply put, Gacha is the root of the loot box mechanics. Based on those capsule machines you find in supermarkets, Gacha sees you putting money into something and receiving a random prize. Sound familiar? The problem with Gacha is it became Kompu (or complete) Gacha. This encourages players to complete a collection in order to win a grand prize. So while you may like the prize you got, the game encourages you to keep investing money in hopes that you'll get lots of small prizes that will equate to one big prize (although the probability of getting this big prize was low). It's like being rewarded for completing a sticker book, but much darker. When the Japanese government worked out that that Gacha was encouraging gambling (particularly in children), Japan's Consumer Affairs Agency ruled the mechanic as illegal in 2012. No more Gacha. Well, almost. A trade body was set up by mobile developers that hoped to implement self-regulation before government legislation came in. Much like the ESA, this trade body encouraged publishers to disclose drop rates and probabilities. However, the publishers found a way around this and the body fell apart. But how do you get around this type of legislation? A similar attempt to curb loot boxes in China showcases exactly how this can be done without airtight legislation. In 2017, the Chinese government ruled that publishers must "promptly publicly announce information about the name, property, content, quantity, and draw/forge probability of all virtual items and services". In addition, publishers could not directly sell "lottery tickets" such as loot boxes. Here's where the loophole became apparent. Blizzard China, instead of selling loot boxes in games like Overwatch, instead started to sell in-game currency for real money. The kicker being that by buying the currency, you got a free loot box. Essentially this meant that players aren't actually buying the loot boxes, but the currency instead – you just happen to get a loot box for free. The publishers also didn't have to share the drop rate for those loot boxes, because they weren't technically selling them, so no laws were being broken. Our worry is that the same issue could happen with this new initiative, with publishers finding new ways to sell loot boxes without ever having the disclose drop rates. For this new initiative to work, Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft will need to ensure that their policy is completely watertight, with no wiggle room that would allow determined publishers to get around the disclosure requirement. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| DSLR cameras could be at risk from ransomware Posted: 12 Aug 2019 09:30 AM PDT By exploiting security vulnerabilities in popular internet-connected digital DSLR cameras, hackers could infect them with ransomware to render the devices useless or to deploy other types of malware on larger networks according to new research from Check Point Software. Digital cameras use Picture Transfer Protocol (PTP) to transfer digital files and the firm's researchers discovered how to exploit vulnerabilities in the protocol to infect a camera with ransomware, which they showed off at this year's Defcon security conference. Check Point decided to use the Canon EOS 80D for its tests as the device has both USB and Wi-Fi connectivity along with an active modding community that develops open source software for the camera. However, Check Point warns that not just this camera but any internet-connected digital camera could be vulnerable to ransomware attacks.
The researchers downloaded the firmware for the Canon camera and by using tools from the open source community, they were able to reverse engineer the code. They discovered several vulnerabilities including buffer flows that enabled code execution. This could be exploited to take control of a camera remotely using a malicious firmware update that would allow ransomware to be deployed. This attack could also be executed through physical access to the camera via USB or by tricking a user into connecting to a rogue wireless network. DSLR ransomwareIn addition to the threat of having all of the photos stored on a device locked as a result of a ransomware attack, malware installed on a digital camera could also be used to launch other attacks. Security researcher at Check Point, Eyal Itkin explained to ZDNet how a compromised camera could pose a serious risk to businesses, saying: "Once compromised, the attacker has full control over the camera, and they could brick it, use it as an espionage tool, or ransomware it as we demonstrated. These vulnerabilities are critical and could cause major harm to any business or industry that relies on digital cameras." Since PTP is used by many different devices, it is also possible that other cameras could be impacted by similar attacks. Check Point disclosed the vulnerabilities it found to Canon and the company has issued a security update for all of its devices. This attack method has yet to be used in the wild but Canon still recommends that all users apply the update.
Via ZDNet This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| MacBook Air 2019 vs MacBook Pro 2019: which is the best for you? Posted: 12 Aug 2019 09:26 AM PDT Trying to decide whether the MacBook Air 2019 vs MacBook Pro 2019 is the best computer for you? Then you’ve come to the right spot. This year’s models of the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro are now out, and both bring fresh features to the old favorites – even if both designs of the laptops stay the same. Despite sharing similarities, including Apple’s stylish design ethos, the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro are intended for very different users. The MacBook Air is the entry-level Mac, and the most economical way to get one of Apple’s laptops. Because of this, it’s aimed at casual users for daily tasks such as creating documents and browsing the web. On the other hand, the MacBook Pro is Apple’s most powerful laptop and is aimed at professionals. That means it’s rocking cutting edge components – and a steep price tag to match. So, which one is best for you? We pit Apple’s latest and greatest laptops against each other to find out. The MacBook Pro is aimed at professionals Price and specsAs we mentioned earlier, the MacBook Air is Apple’s most affordable laptop. Though that doesn’t mean it’s cheap, 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. The entry-level model costs $1,099 (£1,099, AU$1,699). This model is packed 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 will set you back $1,299 (£1,299, AU$1,999). 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 packing 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 advise 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 being economical is the most important thing to you, then the MacBook Air (2019) is definitely the ideal choice. If you’re after high performance, then it’s definitely worth it to spend more and get the MacBook Pro (2019). The MacBook Air is impressively thin and light DesignBoth the new MacBooks inherit the design of their previous models. That means, for the MacBook Air (2019), you get a remarkably 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 comparable – in fact, you’ll notice that at 0.59 inches, its slightly thinner overall than the MacBook Air. However, the MacBook Air’s slimmest point is 0.16 inches (0.41cm). The 13-inch MacBook Pro is marginally heavier at 3.02 pounds (1.37kg). So, the MacBook Air has the edge when it comes to size and weight – though the difference isn’t quite as big as you’d think. Apple has done an excellent job of making the MacBook Pro 13-inch impressively thin and light as well. This means that 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 expected – 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). The MacBook Air has an improved screen with True Tone technology DisplayOne of the most noteworthy changes to the MacBook Air (2019) is that its display now boasts 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 based on the ambient light. It can do a good job of making colors look more natural – especially in some conditions. If you want color accuracy, however – if you’re a photographer or video editor, for example – then you’ll probably want this feature off, which you have the option to do. 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, IPS technology and a native resolution of 2,560 x 1,600. That results in a pixel density of 227 pixels per inch on both screens, leading to them 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 dramatically boosts the color accuracy of images 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 also fantastic, and with True Tone, it’s 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 the display is still bright and vibrant. Like the 13-inch model, it also boasts 500 nits brightness and P3 support. All MacBook Pros now feature the Touch Bar KeyboardAll three 2019 models have somewhat improved keyboards. You may have heard that Apple has come under some criticism regarding the keyboards of previous MacBooks. The ‘Butterfly’ switch Apple uses for the keyboards has been prone to issues – including keys getting stuck or becoming non-responsive. For the 2019 models, Apple has tweaked the materials used with the Butterfly switch, and the company promises that this should diminish the likelihood of the keyboards becoming faulty. While this is appreciated, many people had hoped that Apple would ditch the Butterfly switch altogether and introduce a completely overhauled keyboard. Apple’s Keyboard Service Program, which will replace a faulty keyboard free of charge, extends to this year’s MacBook Air and both sizes of the MacBook Pro – which suggests the issue is still persistent. Nevertheless, during our time with all three devices, we did not come across any issues with the keyboard. Hopefully Apple’s tweaks have really done the trick this time. Meanwhile, both the MacBook Pro 13-inch and 15-inch 2019 models now boasts the Touch Bar, a thin glass touchscreen that runs along the top of the keyboard, offering context-sensitive buttons on its 2,170 x 60 resolution screen. These buttons change based on the application or task that you’re performing, and are intended to give you quick shortcuts for a more seamless workflow. The MacBook Air (2019) doesn’t have this, but it does have a Touch ID fingerprint sensor (as do both Pros) for logging in and paying for things online securely and more effortlessly. If the Touch Bar is something you really want, then either MacBook Pro will be a good match – 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 invest in? If you’re on a budget and want the most affordable laptop, then the MacBook Air (2019) is the one to get. Even though it’s the cheapest MacBook, you’re still getting some of the best and latest features to grace modern MacBooks, including True Tone and Retina technology in the display and the Touch ID fingerprint scanner. On the other hand, if your budget can stretch further, the MacBook Pro 13-inch (2019) is absolutely worth it. The more powerful components – including a quad-core processor – makes a huge difference to the laptop’s performance, with the macOS operating system feeling a lot faster. It’s also not significantly pricier than the MacBook Air (2019). Plus, while it’s not quite as thin and light as the MacBook Air, it’s not far off either. That means you’re not sacrificing too much in the way of portability and price for more power. However, if you want the most powerful laptop Apple has made – something that can handle intensive tasks like video rendering and 3D modelling – then the 15-inch MacBook Pro (2019) is worth considering – though you’re going to pay more for it.
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