Apple : 8K FAQ: Our top questions about 8K answered by Samsung

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• 8K FAQ: Our top questions about 8K answered by Samsung
• How to watch Peaky Blinders season 5, episode 4 online: free streaming in the UK or abroad
• Giants vs Cowboys live stream: how to watch today's NFL football from anywhere
• Rafael Nadal vs Daniil Medvedev live stream: how to watch US Open men's final 2019 online
• Apple tipped to reopen its flagship NYC store when the iPhone 11 goes on sale
• iPad OS release date, features and public beta details
• New iPad Pro 2019: what we want to see
• iOS 13 beta, release date and feature list
• watchOS 6 update release date, compatibility, news and features
• IFA 2019 made me realize that tech may be stagnating
• iPhone 11R release date, price, news and leaks
• New iPhone 11 release date, price, news and leaks
• John Deere's smart lawn tractor tracks every inch of grass and makes garden chores fun
• 5 of the best smartphones announced at IFA 2019
• Save up to £250 with these Sky TV deals with Sky Sports and Cinema bundle options
• F1 live stream: how to watch the Italian Grand Prix 2019 online from anywhere
• Save up to 50% on NOW TV's Entertainment pass box sets with our exclusive offer
• AMD – you were supposed to be the chosen one! Don’t turn to the dark side to beat Intel

8K FAQ: Our top questions about 8K answered by Samsung Posted: 08 Sep 2019 12:00 PM PDT Recently we were invited to the Samsung QA Labs in New Jersey, to get a closer look at its new Q950R 8K QLED TV and get an in-depth explanation of how exactly how it uses an AI-based quantum processor to upscale content to 8K. The visit, while certainly educational, raised a number of questions about how many people actually want to buy 8K TVs. So, in the midst of metaphorically dissecting their TVs to help us understand what makes them tick, Samsung’s engineers also gave us the rundown on why they believe the TV market is ready for an 8K explosion and how 8K might fit together with other new screen technology. Will 5G networks, Hollywood buy-in and pressure from TV parts manufacturers make 8K the new standard, or will slow broadband, content creator apathy and pricey TVs keep 8K as a novelty for the next few years? Here are the best questions we came up with about 8K adoption and what we found out. Is 8K an inevitability or a passing fad? What we know right now is that there are three main 8K TVs for sale in the US market: the Samsung Q950R, its 2018 predecessor the Q900R, and the Sony Master Series Z9G. All three received 5-star reviews from Techradar editors, with the Q950R and Q900R receiving best-in-class rankings. Once more TV manufacturers leap into 8K, we’ll have to see if Samsung retains its infant championship belt. While the timing and pricing for upcoming 8K TVs aren’t fully set in stone, we do know that the majority of major TV manufacturers will either release their first 8K or bring Asian-exclusive 8K sets to North America and Europe in 2020. LG will bring its 88-inch 8K OLED (OLED88Z9) to western markets later this year. Panasonic first built an 8K TV back in 2012, and recently joined the 8K Association (8KA) with Samsung to set guidelines for 8K hardware and content; so it’s safe to say it will be hopping back into the 8K fray soon.  TCL and Hisense also joined the 8KA and have their own 8K sets in the works, though with uncertain timelines. At CES 2019, the TCL 8-Series 8K QLED Roku TV impressed our editors as a visually superb, budget 8K option during their hands-on. While the 8K 8-series was expected to come out in 2019, TCL’s last press release only confirms that the 4K 8-Series will sell this fall—the 8K, meanwhile, should sell “soon”. Toshiba (a brand owned by Hisense), on the other hand, showed off an 8K concept model last year that blew us away with its color gamut and pixel quality, but hasn’t officially confirmed its intention to mass produce it.  Japanese manufacturer Sharp has sold 8K monitors in Europe and Asia since last year, and recently reacquired its license from Hisense to sell in the United States. So you can bet that a flashy 8K TV could be one way Sharp inserts itself back into the minds of TV buyers.  What does any of that mean, well, it shows that nearly every TV manufacturer—Samsung included—is very serious about 8K. Will I be able to buy 8K Blu-rays? When asked if Samsung had any plans to sell an 8K Blu-Ray player in the future, their engineers said that they couldn’t give a definitive answer, but that they didn’t think it would ever happen. They suggested that Hollywood studios and the marketplace were collectively and happily moving towards streaming as the best way to distribute content—meaning the demand for an 8K player wasn’t high enough to justify the costs of creating one. We should take this prediction with a grain of salt: Samsung stopped creating both 4K UHD Blu-Ray and 1080p players earlier this year, showing that its company has lost faith in that market; however, other companies like Sony and Panasonic still have high hopes for 4K disc players, so they could very well choose to produce 8K discs a well if they ever want to.  Nothing of the sort has been announced but it is possible: According to Display Daily, Blu-Ray discs can contain approximately two hours worth of 8K content, but is only licensed to do so in the Japanese market. So while it’s possible, it may not reach an American or European market where discs may have dropped in popularity.  Will I be able to stream 8K video? Samsung was much more effusive about its content partners’ plans to bring 8K content to its apps. According to them, it’s very popular for filmmakers to shoot scenes in 8K for an eventual 4K release. During an 8K summit that Samsung hosted, filmmakers discussed how 8K made post-production so much easier, because hey have four 4K streams worth of content to choose between, so they don’t miss a shot.  Now Samsung’s engineers predict that filmmakers will adapt to use 8K cameras for their actual purpose and produce native 8K content for 8K screens. Eventually, you’d likely see movie icons in the Samsung universal guide that indicates when a film is made in native 8K.  This won’t be a widespread practice; filmmakers would resent losing the flexibility that downgrading to less-stringent resolution standards would afford them. But some acclaimed directors like Peter Jackson and Christopher McQuarrie have already adopted 8K. Channels and apps that can offer these max-res films for their platform will have a definite advantage. How will 8K video be encoded? Odds are, even if you buy an 8K TV or monitor, you haven’t actually watched much native 8K content. Amateur filmmakers can upload 8K video to YouTube or Vimeo, like the video above, but the quality depends on your internet bandwidth and the video’s compression codec.  Watch this video on your YouTube app on the Q950R, and your service provider will use High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) to decompress it. One HEVC, according to the folks at the 8K Video Summit earlier this year, demands a “minimum average bitrate of 84Mbps”, just below the 95Mbps average for US households. And in actuality, the industry recommendation for a successful decompression is 120Mbps, well above the average household maximum. For comparison, Samsung very optimistically claimed that you only need 40MB of bandwidth for 8K. Mauricio Alvarez-Mesa, a speaker at the Summit, gave a more realistic prognosis: 8K TVs will need to adopt a new codec like Versatile Video Coding (VCC), or else a huge portion of TV owners won’t actually be able to take advantage of 8K content. VCC will reportedly be approved as an HEVC in 2020, so we may see some streaming improvements next year. Will 5G play a role in 8K technology? 5G networks with their 1Gbps download speeds are slowly approaching—at least in more urban areas—and could have a major effect on the feasibility of 8K streaming. Samsung said as much during its presentation, claiming that 5G would majorly improve access to 8K content for a number of households. For now, however, only one company is explicitly building its 8K TV with 5G in mind: Huawei. Famous for its mobile devices, this Chinese manufacturer has never made a TV before now—only TV parts for other manufacturers like Hisense. Now Huawei plans to combine its 5G expertise with a next-gen TV, and ensure that its content always runs more smoothly than TVs restricted by your terrible home wifi. Will 8K TV prices come down? For the five-star 8K sets on sale now, you’re paying a premium for quality.  The Sony 8K costs $12,999 (£14,000) for the 85-inch set and a shocking $69,999 (£84,999) for the 98-inch set. Samsung’s 82- and 98-inch Q900 Series costs a similar $14,999 (£14,000) and $69,999 (£80,000), respectively—though only after a $30,000 price cut to better match Sony’s prices.  For mere mortals, you’re better off spending a more economic $3,000 / £3,000 for a 65-inch Q900R or £4,999 for the Q950R.  Of course, these prices are only economic for a wealthy minority of buyers; for everyone else, three to five grand for a TV with very little native content can only be described as a luxury buy, no matter how impressive the specs. Competitive price cuts will be what makes 8K affordable enough for a larger minority of TV buyers. Though considering the powerful specs in 8K TVs, along with the fact that the majority of them are 75 inches or larger, manufacturers likely can’t discount them too much and still make a profit. If any company will make 8Ks more accessible for everyday consumers in 2020, TCL and its Roku 8-Series would be a safe bet... but even that's not a guarantee. TCL's 4K 8-Series is expected to sell for $1,999 so you can bet that the 8K will be closer to the Q900R price than we might like. Are people ACTUALLY buying 8K TVs right now? According to this Broadband TV News write-up on 2018 TV sales, consumers bought 221 million TVs last year. Of those, 99 million were UHD sets, and UHD sales surpassed regular HD TV sales for the first time in the fourth quarter of 2018.  8K TVs, by comparison, sold 18,600 globally in 2018, with most of those sales isolated to Japan according to the report. Keep in mind, though, that IHS Markit predicted that 8K sales would jump to 430,000 this year, and 3.6 million in 2020. Samsung’s team members, by comparison, said that they predicted that the market would “get closer to 100,000 units” for 2019. How accurate these numbers are will depend greatly on how much consumers buy into the idea that they need to upgrade from 4K, despite the steep cost. Until they do buy in, content creators may be reluctant to produce 8K content for such a small user base. How much does Samsung and LG have control of the market? Samsung admitted during its panel that switching to a new TV format is always a bit of a “chicken and egg” situation. You have to make 8K TVs even if the market isn’t ready for them, because the market will never be ready until more people have 8K TVs. So why try selling them now? One reason could be pressure from the third-party factory companies that manufacture your TVs. The Samsung reps suggested that panel manufacturers, for example, need to keep improving the types of panels they build in order to remain profitable.  Thus, the market could see fewer and fewer HD and 4K TVs, not because they aren’t selling well, but because 8K will present more market opportunities for greater profits per manufactured TV. Huawei's sudden entrance into the TV game is just one example of how the manufacturing market has shifted to make 8K a priority, for better or worse. Will Netflix ever stream 8K videos? When asked about the lack of 8K content to support the new influx of 8K TVs, the QA Labs team claimed that the free market and consumer choice would soon come to the rescue. With the advent of new streaming services like Disney+, other services would begin differentiating itself from the competition by adding as much 8K video as possible. How likely is this to happen? It already has once, in the case of rental app Rakuten TV. The CEO, Jacinto Roca, said in an interview that the app will feature 8K content “in the second half of this year” and would continue to add more over time. In exchange, 8K TVs may add a dedicated Rakuten button to their remotes, steering users directly to 8K content. Will other streaming services follow Rakuten’s lead? Netflix seems unlikely, for one: in a 2016 interview with Digital Spy, Netflix’s CPO Neil Hunt said that “8K is only interesting if you're going to sit too close to the TV”, and that the company’s focus was on HDR. A lot can change in three years, but 4K HDR may very well be as far as the service goes for now. Because 8K TVs do such an amazing job of upscaling, there really isn’t much pressure for these services to prioritize filming in 8K if it will be more expensive. At least until more folks have actually bought 8Ks. Will any of this impact 4K OLED prices? This wasn't exactly covered by Samsung, but it seems clear to us that not everything in 2020 will be about 8K Samsung QLED TVs. We recently learned that manufacturing costs for OLED TVs will drop up to 25% by next year, thanks to a new process where they “print” OLED panels between panes of glass in the TV set. Those savings will be passed along to the consumer, making OLED a more tantalizing, affordable alternative right as 8K supplants it as the high-quality, premier-priced TV on the market.  Why 8K could be the new normal for Samsung TVs  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

How to watch Peaky Blinders season 5, episode 4 online: free streaming in the UK or abroad Posted: 08 Sep 2019 11:23 AM PDT The good just keeps on getting better and, with the drama dial being fully turned up this season, Peaky Blinders fans are understandably delighted with the latest crime series. You simply can't miss episode 4 and, with our guide on where to watch Peaky Blinders online (from absolutely anywhere), you won't have to miss a second of season 5. Episode four is called The Loop and don't worry if you're yet to catch up on the first three Peaky Blinders episodes (or, indeed, seasons 1 to 4) because we won't spoil anything for you, we will just keep you in the loop (sorry!) instead.  After the intensity of episode three, you can keep calm and carry on watching because episode four is set to answer a few of your burning questions. The latest instalment is set to heavily revolve around the family being in danger and political relationships, specifically the tense relationship between Tommy and Oswald.  It doesn't appear to be all dramatic though, there may even be a truce on the cards between Tommy and Charlie. For those of you who are up to speed with Thomas Shelby and his orders, scroll down below for all of the most up to date information on where to watch Peaky Blinders episode 4 online.  In need of more drama? Here's how to watch Handmaid's Tale season 3 online How to watch Peaky Blinders, episode 4 online for free in the UK: BBC One is the place to be for this. Episode three aired over last weekend and episode four is coming up. Want to watch online? You can get your weekly dose of Birmingham-based gangsters and violence thanks to BBC iPlayer on your laptop and the iPlayer app for mobiles, too. The very handy BBC iPlayer allows you to catch up on all of the episodes that have gone so far, so ideal if you've missed any episodes or miss any in the future. How to watch Peaky Blinders season 5, episode 4 from any other location:   Unfortunately, BBC One is currently the only channel airing the episodes, so for anyone who's abroad when the episode airs you’ll have to cybershift and virtually transport yourselves into the United Kingdom. Does this seem impossible? Of course it isn’t, with a VPN you can go anywhere - even to Birmingham 1919, where the Peaky Blinders crew are exchanging whiskey for fist-fights.   Now comes the difficult question: which VPN is the perfect one for you? Our current top pick is ExpressVPN, as the best all-round VPN, in terms of speed, security and the abundant amount of locations to choose from. As you'll see, it's top of the pile in our list of the best VPN providers. And best of all...it's really easy to use. So, let’s run the steps down for you nice and easy: When will I be able to watch Peaky Blinders online in my country? If you are in the US, Canada, Australia, India or, indeed, anywhere else, you can stream seasons 1 to 4 on Netflix. And luckily, you won’t have to wait long to watch the latest Peaky Blinders episodes online as season 5 will be internationally available on Netflix on October 4.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Giants vs Cowboys live stream: how to watch today's NFL football from anywhere Posted: 08 Sep 2019 11:20 AM PDT The NFL is back and this weekend we’ll get to see the New York Giants face off against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium in their 2019 regular season opener. There’s no reason to miss out on one of the league’s longest standing rivalries and this guide will tell you exactly how to get a Giants vs Cowboys live stream regardless of where in the world you are. This will be the 117th time the Cowboys and Giants have met on the field and as many of their games do, this weekend’s showdown will take place on the season’s opening weekend. The two teams have been rivals since the Cowboys came into the league in 1960 with former Giants defensive coordinator Tom Landry as the team’s head coach. The Giants were once an NFL powerhouse and they dominated the Cowboys during the first few years of the rivalry. However, the Cowboys turned things around and maintained their lead over the Giants for the better part of two decades. Last season saw the Giants struggling and the team ended the year 5-11 while Dallas is coming off a 10-6 season and the team hopes to advance beyond the second round of playoffs this year. Cowboys fans will be happy to hear that all-pro running back Ezekiel Elliott is back after ending his contract dispute just in time for the team’s match against the Giants. Meanwhile Giants fans can rest easy knowing that the team’s starting quarterback Eli Manning isn’t retiring any time soon and is back for the 2019 season. Whether you’re a Giants fan in New York, a Cowboys fan in Texas or just trying to watch one of the best rivalries in the NFL this weekend, we’ll show you exactly how to live stream the Giants vs Cowboys this weekend so that you don’t miss a minute of the action. See our guide to discover how to stream every single NFL game live Watch the Giants vs Cowboys game online from outside your country (or in a blackout) Watching this game from the US, UK, Canada or Australia? We'll tell you how to catch the NFL game further down in the article. But if you're somewhere else in the world - or if a coverage blackout is stopping you from watching in the US - then there's still a way you can live stream Giants vs Cowboys online (and you don't even have to slum it with a grainy, illegal feed you've found on Reddit). Instead you could use a VPN - or Virtual Private Network - to change the IP address to one in a different state or country which does have a stream. And it's not even hard to do. How to watch the Giants vs Cowboys in the US Can I watch with the NFL Game Pass? Well it's a no and a yes. The NFL Game Pass in the US will only let you watch a replay of the game, but not the live action. Interestingly, it's a different story with an International NFL Game Pass where all 256 regular season games are being shown absolutely live...shame you can't officially get access to that if you and your laptop's IP address is in the US. Other ways cord cutters can stream NFL live online Sling TV $40 per month - Sling TV splits its live NFL options across its $25 a month Blue plan and $25 a month Orange plan. By combining the two, you get a $10 dollar discount and access to Fox, NBC, ESPN and the NFL Network.   Hulu with Live TV $40 per month - Hulu with Live TV includes CBS, Fox, NBC and ESPN but does not come with NFL Network. FuboTV $35 for the first month - FuboTV gives you the first month at a discounted rate but after that the price increases to $45 a month. The service includes CBS, Fox, NBC and the NFL Network but does not come with ESPN. DirecTV Now $50 per month - DirecTV Now includes CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN and for $5 extra you can add the NFL Network. However, with this service you can only watch football on local TV stations live. YouTubeTV $40 per month - YouTubeTV gives you access to CBS, Fox, NBC and ESPN but just like with Hulu with Live TV, there is no NFL Network. How to watch the Cowboys vs Giants in the UK Get a NFL live stream in Canada for FREE Live stream Giants vs Cowboys in Australia for FREE This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Rafael Nadal vs Daniil Medvedev live stream: how to watch US Open men's final 2019 online Posted: 08 Sep 2019 11:14 AM PDT When Federer and Djokovic fell early, the 2019 US Open tennis tournament seemed to be Rafael Nadal's for the taking. But after Serena's shock loss yesterday, it feels like anything is possible for Daniil Medvedev today. It should be a memorable men's final at Flushing Meadows and you can see the outcome of this one by following our guide to getting a Nadal vs Medvedev live stream today. There's no denying that Rafa Nadal is the hot favorite to take the fourth US Open crown of his career. His last came only two years ago and it's been three years since somebody outside tennis's 'Big 3' won a Slam - Stan Wawrinka at this very venue. Nadal is seeking his 19th(!) major to go one behind Roger and has dropped only one set on his way to today's final. You could say he's in form. With the scalps of Wawrinka and Grigor Dimitrov taken on his route to the last two, Medvedev has certainly made a name for himself at Flushing Meadows this year. The booing from vocal American crowd seems only to have fuelled him further and he's showed just why tennis pundits have been tipping him for bigger things for a few years now. It's the 23-year-old Russian's big chance to break the stranglehold of Rafa, Roger and Novak...can he take it? Make sure you don't miss any of the 2019 US Open men's final - follow our Rafael Nadal vs Daniil Medvedev live stream guide below - it doesn't even matter where on Earth you are. Learn how to watch every single Premier League football game live from anywhere Live stream US Open tennis 2019 from outside your country For your watching options in the US, UK (where interestingly Amazon Prime video has the rights), Australia, Canada and New Zealand, we have more details below - just scroll down the page. But if you try to watch your domestic coverage of this final from somewhere outside your home country, you'll soon find a problem...geo-blocking. That's where the broadcaster prevents you from watching the feed overseas. How to watch Rafa in the final in the US FuboTV $44.99 for the first month Hulu with Live TV $44.99 per month DirecTV Now $50 per month Sling TV starting at $15 per month YouTube TV $49.99 per month How to live stream US Open tennis in the UK - for FREE The best way to watch Nadal vs Medvedev in Canada How to live stream Rafael Nadal vs Daniil Medvedev in Australia The best way to stream Nadal vs Medvedev live in New Zealand This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Apple tipped to reopen its flagship NYC store when the iPhone 11 goes on sale Posted: 08 Sep 2019 09:30 AM PDT In case you haven't already heard, it's going to be a big week for Apple: on Tuesday we're expecting the company to unveil the new iPhone 11 handsets for 2019, the Apple Watch 5, and maybe a few more goodies as well. Ahead of the launch event, a few late rumors have reached our ears – namely that the iPhone 11 will be available to preorder on September 13, and go on sale on September 20. That would match the schedule from previous years. And "a personal familiar with the matter" told AppleInsider that Apple is planning to mark the occasion (the iPhone 11 going on sale) by reopening its flagship Fifth Avenue store in New York. The latest on the Google Pixel 4 IFA 2019 – the best of what we saw Why we might see an iPhone SE 2 The store was shuttered in 2017 for renovations, but this weekend the iconic glass cube that marks the entrance was revealed – and it's sporting a rainbow-colored wrap, which fits with the colorful invites Apple has sent out for September 10. Speaking of the launch event, it's been revealed that the iPhone 11 launch is going to be streamed live on YouTube for the first time – you can see the video embedded above, ready to go on the big day. Previously, interested parties have been able to watch the event through the Apple website and live on Twitter, but YouTube is a first for 2019 – and quite a surprise, considering it's a Google property. That gives you yet another way to tune into the action, and we will of course be bringing you all the announcements as they're made right here on TechRadar. The event gets underway at 10am PT / 1pm ET, which is 6pm in London and 3am the next day (September 11) in Sydney. Among the big upgrades we're expecting this time around is an improved rear camera array, housed in an unconventional square frame on the back of the iPhone. Next year's iPhones will reportedly have an all-new design and 5G This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

iPad OS release date, features and public beta details Posted: 08 Sep 2019 09:15 AM PDT The iPadOS public beta has officially launched with a host of new features that from Apple that make your iPad distinct from an iPhone running iOS 13, and we've now had the first beta of 13.1 as well. We have a list of the best iPadOS features you'll be able to experience in public beta 1 and 2. Sure, there are shared a lot of changes. After all, it "builds on the same foundation as iOS," according to Apple, but expect iPadOS to grow more into its own operating system over time. iPadOS brings a variety of critical improvements to the tablet UI. Some of these make better use of screen real estate while others introduce new gesture controls (and even mouse support) for a better tablet experience. In short, iPad users won't just run an upsized iOS any longer. iPadOS release date and public beta timing The iPadOS public beta release date landed on June 24, and it contains a lot of the features Apple shows us at its WWDC 2019 keynote. Since then, Apple has pushed a new version out to enrolled tablets, with iPadOS public beta 2 made available from July 8. From there we've had the first iPadOS 13.1 public beta, as the new changes move forward ahead of the impending 'full' release. We'll see more features when the final version of the software exits beta, likely in September. September 10 is the official iPhone 11 launch date, and it's likely here that we'll hear about when you'll be able to download iPad OS. It's unlikely we'll hear about the next iPad Pro at that event, but we may hear about new tablets that come sporting iPad OS later in 2019. Which iPads will work with iPadOS? Apple has confirmed that the "iPad Air 2 and later, all iPad Pro models, iPad 5th generation and later, and iPad mini 4 and later" will all get the iPadOS update when it releases later this year. So which iPads are missing out this year, after getting iOS 12 in 2018? Well it's the end of the update road for the original iPad Air, iPad Mini 2 and iPad Mini 3. It's unclear if older iPads will be getting iOS 13 or if they've been completely left behind. The following iPads will get an update to iPadOS in (likely) September and October) (As a reminder, it's always best to avoid using the beta version of software on a primary or daily-use device, as there can sometimes be erratic elements within the system  - wait until the final version lands in the near future. iPad Pro 12.9 (2018) iPad Pro 12.9 (2017) iPad Pro 12.9 (2015) iPad Pro 11 (2018) iPad Pro 10.5 (2017) iPad Pro 9.7 (2016) iPad Air (2019) iPad Air 2 iPad (2018) iPad (2017) iPad Mini (2019) iPad Mini 4 Here's everything Apple unveiled at WWDC 2019 New iPadOS home screen Today View alongside a tighter grid of apps on the new iPadOS home screen. Image credit: Apple The first big change over you'll notice in iPadOS is on the new home screen. The grid of app icons is tighter, allowing you to fit more on the screen and reducing the amount of dead space on the display. With a tighter grid of apps, there's now an option to show Today View alongside them, for a more useful overview screen. It can be added to the Home screen for quick access to widgets with a simple swipe from the left side of the screen, and you can switch out the widgets pinned here to display the ones most relevant to you. Sidecar is a big new change If you're wondering what the biggest feature of iPadOS might be, Sidecar is a real contender. It natively bakes in wired (or wireless) support for using your iPad as a Mac second screen, bringing with it a whole host of functionality. How to use Sidecar with MacOS Catalina This mode effectively turns any iPad into a portable monitor, one with a powerful internal battery, allowing apps and multiple windows to be dragged onto its screen and interacted with using a mouse, keyboard or Apple Pencil. You can't mess around with the resolution just yet, so you can't work in super fine detail and may want to wait a little while until the final software launch appears in late September - but even at this early stage, Apple fans will find they've suddenly got a new screen for their Mac right in another pocket of their backpack. iPadOS has a new way to multitask Slide Over in iPadOS in action, with a side view of Messages over Safari. Image credit: Apple Multitasking also gets an upgrade on iPadOS is a few ways.  First up, you'll be able to use Split View to see two app windows at a time for the same app, or two different apps. iPadOS uses a drag-and-drop interface here, making switching between apps and windows easy. Slide Over lets you quickly pull up an app in a side window, over the top of another app – allowing you to quickly check things such as emails, messages or reminders without having to exit the current app you're using. Dragging up from the bottom of the screen will allow you to move between apps in the Slide Over panel. Apple has also brought the Mac's Exposé feature to iPadOS, allowing you to get an overview of all your open apps – making it easy to jump between them, and close down any you no longer need running in the background. These are all the new features coming to iOS 13 iPadOS gets USB drive and SD card support USB drive and SD card support arrives in iPadOS. Image credit: Apple External storage fans rejoice! iPadOS will allow you to plug a USB drive or SD card reader into your iPad, and the Files app will be able to read the plugin and allow you to easily manage data between the iPad's internal storage and the external drive. Files gets a Column View to better take advantage of the iPad's wide screen, and the iCloud Drive allows folder sharing, and will show content from a USB drive or SD card if they're plugged in. There's good news for photographers too, as support is being built into iPadOS to allow you to plug your camera into your iPad and import images directly into editing apps such as Lightroom. iPadOS performance boost Your current iPad could get a performance boost when iPadOS arrives, with Apple claiming that its tablet-specific operating system is quicker than iOS 12. It says Face ID unlocks are up to 30% faster, while apps launch up to twice as fast as on iOS 12 – and apps themselves should be smaller in download size (by up to 50%), taking up less of that precious storage space.  Desktop-quality websites and browsing on iPadOS The Safari web browser is also improved with iPadOS, because it's no longer purely tied to iOS and a mobile ecosystem.  That's right: you're no longer just viewing mobile sites, as iPadOS views websites in a modified desktop view that's a bit cleaner and optimized for touch. It doesn't just work with Apple's websites either – the likes of Google Docs and Wordpress web apps will also work better with Safari on iPadOS. Apple's browser will also get a download manager, 30 new keyboard shortcuts, and improved tab management when iPadOS lands later this year. New iPadOS gestures One of the bigger features across the whole of iPadOS are the new gestures. The ones we've seen are pretty simple: three-finger pinch to cut, three-finger splay to paste, three-finger swipe to undo. Easy. In some apps, you'll also be able to two-finger-pinch the keyboard to shrink it to iOS mobile size and move it around. Plunk it next to the side of the screen and boom: you can type on it with one thumb.  Add to that the new gestures for the home screen and multi-tasking, and there may be a learning curve required to get used to all the new interactions which come with iPadOS.  Markup and much more on iPadOS Markup also gets an update, and you'll be able to mark up entire web pages, documents and emails.  A simple swipe up from the corner with your Apple Pencil launches markup and brings up the newly-redesigned tool palette, which can be dragged around and repositioned anywhere on the screen. And speaking of the Pencil, Apple has reduced the latency of its input from 20ms to 9ms, which means you'll get a more natural, pen-like experience when using it. Plenty of new features that are coming to iOS 13 are also headed to iPadOS, like Dark Mode, custom fonts, the new Photos organized by machine learning, and the SwiftKey-like slide-and-type QuickPath keyboard feature. Mouse support for iPadOS iPadOS does supports connecting a mouse to your iPad, though it's not something you'll find front-and-center on the official iPadOS features list. Developer Steve Troughton-Smith initially tweeted out instructions he'd discovered to connect a mouse through new Accessibility settings, and Tom's Guide successfully activated a mouse on an iPad. While it doesn't seem to be the smoothest thing, we're excited for a serious leap in the iPad family's productivity potential and accessibility.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

New iPad Pro 2019: what we want to see Posted: 08 Sep 2019 09:10 AM PDT The iPad Pro range is the pinnacle of premium tablet hardware, and each new year brings a new generation of the slates with new improvements and upgrades – it’s unlikely 2019 will be an exception, so we’re expecting to see new iPad Pros soon. Apple is going to have a hard time keeping its premium slates relevant, thanks to Samsung doing its best to provide competition in the form of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6, and it’s also a pivotal year for the iPad Pro slates, with the release of iPadOS later in 2019 which looks set to redefine the Apple tablet experience. Check out our thoughts on the 2018 iPad Pro 11 | iPad Pro 12.9 This is what we know about the iPhone 11 We've heard a lot about the iPhone 11R too There haven't been many leaks or rumors surrounding the new iPad Pro models yet. We’d assume there are two different sized models, like 2018’s iPad Pro 11 and iPad Pro 12.9, but iPad Pros have seen different sized models in the past, so a change here wouldn’t be unheard of. Beyond rough guesses, and a few rumors here and there we don’t know much yet at all, which is why we’re speculating with our dream wish-list. iPad Pro 11 (2018) Cut to the chase What is it? The next generation of Apple's premium iPad Pro tablets When is it out? Likely announced in October, released in November 2019 How much will it cost? A range of prices depending on size, but all rather pricey New iPad Pro 2019 release date and price If you’re eagerly anticipating the new iPad Pro release date, you probably won’t have to wait too long, as in the past Apple has unveiled its new high-end slates at an event in October, before they become available to buy in November. That means, while you’ll have to wait through the iPhone 11 release and the roll-outs of iOS 13 and iPadOS, you may be able to get your hands on the slates by Christmas. Of course there’s no official confirmation that the tablets will be out, but new iPad Pro registration details filed by Apple itself suggest there will be. If you know about the iPad Pro devices, you know the price is the most off-putting thing about them, as they’re the definition of high-end premium gadgetery, and we wouldn’t expect that to change with the new iPad Pro models, especially if they have any of the upgrades we’re hoping for. For context, the current iPad Pro 11 costs $799 / £769 / AU$1,229 for the option with least storage space, which is 64GB, and $1,549 / £1,519 / AU$2,349 for 1TB capacity, and the iPad Pro 12.9 prices range from $999 / £969 / AU$1,529 to $1,899 / £1,869 / AU$2,869 for the same storage. Then there are the peripherals, which some would argue are an intrinsic part of the iPad Pro experience. The Apple Pencil stylus will set you back $129 / £119 / AU$199, and the Smart Keyboard Folio keyboard and case costs $169 / £169 / AU$299, so if you’re paying a lot of money for the most premium device you can, you can end up dropping $2,197 / £2,157 / AU$3,367. While the cost of the peripherals will likely stay the same, we msy see the iPad Pro prices themselves creep higher, though we don’t know how high just yet. What we want to see in the new iPad Pro As we don't know much about the upcoming iPad Pro series, we've put together a few things we'd like to see. 1. Improved display technology Previous generations of iPad Pro used LCD screens, as have all iPads in general, so it’s clear Apple are committed to the technology in its slates. However, LCD screens have a few problems, like poorer black reproduction that you don’t get in OLED or AMOLED displays. Samsung is really stepping up its tablet game, and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 has a Super AMOLED screen with a better resolution than iPad Pros, so if Apple wants to stay competitive it’s going to have to increase its screen quality. Better screen quality is a particular necessity in the iPad Pro, as many professionals use the device to work – many of which really need the best display tech possible to correctly view color, details, or anything else they’re working on. 2. Longer battery life The iPad Pro (2018) range comes with decent battery life, but if you’re using your iPad Pro for something strenuous like video editing or gaming the charge can drop quite quickly. Even if you’re not putting the iPad Pro’s processor through its paces, the giant screen often means the battery will drop quicker than you’d like, so after a day or two of normal use you’ll find the battery pretty low. With iPad Pros getting more and more like laptops, it’s time for Apple to really boost the battery life of its slates. 3. Quicker charging Just as the battery capacity could be improved, so could the speed it takes to charge that power pack up. When you use the iPad Pro charger that comes in the box, it can often take a matter of hours to power the tablet up to full, and that’s just too slow if you’re popping into a coffee shop to charge up or can only plug your slate in for a short while. Apple sells 30W chargers on its website, so we know the tablets can support the fast charging, and we’d love to see this kind of adapter in the box – alternatively, we’d like to see the base charging speed increased somewhat. 4. Improved Face ID While Apple’s Face ID systems on the iPad and iPhone were originally touted as market-leading, they’ve become rather overshadowed by facial recognition systems in other smartphones, and now it can feel a lot quicker to turn on an Android device than an iOS one.  In the most recent iPad Pro range, Face ID felt a little unreliable – it wouldn’t always pick up our face, and when it did it could be a little slow to do so. We’d like to see this change, with upgrades to the facial unlocking system, because at the moment it’s quicker to type in a password than try and convince the tablet to recognize you. 5. More RAM The iPad Pro devices are meant to be premium devices, but it’s hard to argue that case when you look at their RAM – 4GB really isn't’ enough at this point (the 1TB models come with 6GB, but that’s still fairly low). Many high-end smartphones now come with 8GB RAM, as does the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6, and some even come with 12GB. This extra processing power is just as useful for navigating the user interface as it is playing games, rendering video, or arranging your files, so it’s quite a surprise the the iPad Pros have a below-average RAM. If the RAM was improved in the new iPad Pro range, the tablets would be much more useful for many different business and leisure functions – and the devices would be able to square off against the competitors more. 6. Better Apple Pencil connectivity If there’s one common complaint with most people who’ve used an Apple Pencil, it’s how it connects to the iPad Pro physically – it connects to the slate with a magnetic bar on the top of the device (when it’s held horizontally), with which it wirelessly charges.  However, if you’ve ever put your iPad Pro in a bag while the iPad Pro is connected (which you very likely will do if you’re taking it to work or a coffee shop), you’ll pull it out again, only to discover the pencil is missing. This is because it doesn’t take much work to accidentally knock the Apple Pencil off, or have it fall off in a bag or while pulling it out the bag. Samsung has a physical dock in the Galaxy Tab S6 for the S Pen, and if there was something similar in the 2019 iPad Pro range, it’d get rid of those frustrating occasions when you pull the tablet out your bag without its stylus. 7. A 5G iPad Pro We’ve already heard that Apple is planning to release 5G iPad Pro models that let you use your cell network to connect to the internet when out and about, just like you can do on 4G now with your iPad Pro. This rumor states that’ll be in 2021, but we’d like to see it sooner. With advances in cloud computing, 5G is going to be an increasingly important part of many different workspaces, so it’ll be important for tablets designed for professionals (like, for example, an iPad Pro) to have the connection. Imagine being able to game on the go on a massive 12.9-inch tablet, use online processing power to edit a photograph, or download an entire file of documents in seconds so you can work on them straight away – this kind of functionality is why 5G tablets are important. 8. A redesigned Smart Keyboard Folio Like the Apple Pencil, the Smart Keyboard Folio is a peripheral that sometimes has its problems. For one, when the Folio is folded, its keys are face-out, so you can sometimes accidentally find yourself pressing them. It’s not backlit either, when a keyboard of its price really could be, and on top of that it can be rather noisy too. The Apple Pencil had a poorer original version before it became a more useful tool like it is today, so perhaps a redesigned Smart Keyboard will be a powerful tool for productivity too. These are the best iPads you can buy right now This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

iOS 13 beta, release date and feature list Posted: 08 Sep 2019 09:06 AM PDT iOS 13 will soon be here to change up how you use your iPhone, and the latest news suggests we'll hear about when you'll be able to download it in the coming days. We've been testing the public beta since late June, so we've now got a clear idea of how the new software will work. We also have a complete list of iOS 13's features below so you can decide whether you want to get the iOS 13 public beta now or wait for the final version.  The exact release date for iOS 13 is likely to come alongside the iPhone 11, iPhone 11R and Apple Watch 5, all of which are expected to be announced on September 10. Dark Mode is our favorite new iOS 13 beta feature as it inverts those bright white-screen backgrounds to make the display easier to read at night. The new QuickPath swipe keyboard is a big highlight too, and the new ways to edit photos has made us open Lightroom less. To see all of the changes that matter, check out our iOS 13 vs iOS 12 comparison. Plus, as we explain below, iPadOS has been spun off from iOS as a separate operating system for iPads, which aims to make better use of the tablet's screen real estate. We're here to explain all of the updates in full, and we'll start with the many-fanged release date schedule and all-important compatibility list. iOS 13 release date and beta schedule June 3: iOS 13 beta 1 and first look at WWDC 2019 June 17: iOS 13 beta 2 launched for developers June 24: iOS 13 public beta release date for adventurous testers July 3: iOS 13 developer beta 3 launch with some new features July 8: iOS 13 public beta 2 release date July 17: iOS 13 beta 4 launched for developers with security bug fix July 29: iOS 13 beta 5 came with a series of bug fixes August 7: iOS 13 beta 6 arrived with tweaks to the UI August 15: iOS 13 beta 7 landed, and it hinted at a release date August 21: iOS 13 beta 8 arrived, complete with bug fixes August 27: A beta for iOS 13.1 arrived, despite iOS 13 still being in beta Early September 2019: iOS 13 Golden Master (final dev beta) September 10: the official iPhone 11 launch date Mid-September 2019: iOS 13 likely to launch with new 2019 iPhones The iOS 13's public beta was released on June 24, even though Apple said it wouldn't come out until July. It launched earlier than promised, but it's not a giant surprise for us. iOS 12's beta arrived early as well on June 25, 2018. Here's the iOS 13 timeline as we see it: 1. iOS 13 developer beta: The iOS 13 beta 2 was available on June 17 but restricted to paid Apple developers. Good news: unlike iOS 13 beta 1, iOS 12 beta 2 can be installed over the air (OTA), whereas beta 1 required Xcode or macOS 10.15 to be installed first. 2. iOS 13 public beta: Apple's larger-scale features test began on June 24, and has gone through 8 versions, culminating, oddly, with a beta for iOS 13.1 (before iOS 13 is even out). The public beta is the version to download if you're curious – it's often a more refined version of the iOS developer beta, although it can still be rough, and never includes all of the features implemented in the final version of the software. 3. iOS 13 golden master: This will be the final version of the iOS 13 software, released one week before the final iOS release, meant for developers and public beta testers. At this point it's very stable, and gives app makers seven days to adapt to the final software. 4. The official iOS 13 release date: We'll get the new iOS 13 software in its final, stable form about one week after the September 10 iPhone launch event, at which we expect to see what we're calling (for now) the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Max and iPhone 11R. Our best guess for the iOS 13 release date is September 20 (as that's when we'd guess the phones will hit stores based on past form), but one rumor puts the date as September 23. iOS 13 compatibility list iOS 13 requires iPhone 6S or later, iPad Air 2 or later, the new iPad mini 4 and iPhone SE It won't come to older devices that support up to iOS 12: iPhone 5S, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPad Air, iPad mini 2 and mini 3 iOS 13 compatibility requires an iPhone or iPad from the last four years (depending on the device category). That means phones like the iPhone 6 won't be getting iOS 13 – if you've got one of those devices you'll be stuck with iOS 12 forever. iOS 13 sheds several old devices (Image credit: Apple) You'll need an iPhone 6S or later, the iPad Air 2 or later, and the new iPad mini 4 or later, or the iPod touch 7th generation. No surprise, the new iPod Touch 7th gen is the only devices of its class that gets iOS 13 support. The iPhone SE fits into an odd category, as it has iPhone 6 era specs, but came out after the iPhone 6S. Don't worry, everyone's favorite little iPhone will get iOS 13. iOS 13 Dark Mode Overdue Dark Mode is coming to iOS 13 and iPadOS We saw macOS get a system-wide Dark Mode in 2018 Shortcut to black-and-dark-gray UI lives in Control Center Dark Mode in iOS 13 is going to be system-wide, meaning it'll change the hues from bright white and light grey to black and dark gray on all supported apps. It's a nice feature when you're using your iPhone at night and want to avoid bright white hues shining in your face. It may also save battery life on the OLED-equipped iPhones, from the iPhone X onward. Apple didn't talk about this at all, but we know that OLED displays essentially 'turn off' pixels when rendering blacks. Turning on iOS 13 Dark Mode can be done in Control Center inside the Display slider (right next to the Night Shift and True Tone toggle), according to Apple, or you can set it automatically to turn on at night through a schedule or custom time. The yellow-tinting Night Shift mode finally gets a bright-light dimming companion, and a lot of people couldn't be happier. How to enable Dark Mode on iOS 13 and iPadOS iOS 13 tweaks the visual interface Apple is tweaking the visual interface for iOS 13. Home screen app menus are smaller, for one, but there are new changes to the 'long press' commands, too.  Instead of 'long pressing' to switch into app-deletion-and-rearranging mode, it will now show a menu with connectivity, battery-saving and a 'Rearrange Apps' option to manually trigger that mode, as you can see in Twitter user @filipekids' tweet below: iOS 13 offers 'FaceTime attention correction' This is an interesting one. There's now an option for FaceTime Attention Correction, according to registered iOS 13 beta testing developers, and it's wild. What does it do exactly? It makes it so that it appears as if you're looking straight into the front-facing camera during a FaceTime video call, when you're actually looking at the adjacent screen. That distracted look could be a thing of the past soon. iOS 13 on iPad is iPadOS, and it's a big change Some of the biggest changes we expected for iOS 13 on the iPad are actually coming in an update called iPadOS. Apple is signaling that the iPad needs its own platform. That means big improvements to your iPad workflow, starting with the home screen redesign. Pinned Widgets, as we predicted in our iOS 13 rumors roundup, lets you add widgets from the Today View screen (that left-mode screen on your iPhone and iPad). So far, it's iPad-exclusive, and not coming to iOS13 for the iPhone. Slide Over lets you have multiple apps open and cycle through them like rolodex. You can also fan to preview them all at once with a swipe gesture, kind of like the recents menu on many phones and tablets. It's multi-tasking made easier. Split View has been enhanced to let you open one app on both sides of the screen (it wasn't possible before), and Apple demoed this by showing Notes side-by-side with Notes. You can also pair an app with more than one app – so now Safari can be paired with Pages in one space and Safari can be paired with Mail in another.  App Expose is new to the iPad software, letting you see all of the space you have open. There's an App Expose icon on the Dock, requiring only a single press to get into the convenient overview mode. New copy, paste and undo gestures are coming to iPadOS. Three fingers scrunched down was shown to copy text, three fingers expanding (in the opposite direction) dropped the text on the page, and sliding three fingers across the screen undid the last action. We'll have to see how this performs when the software lands. Apple's keyboard can float around the screen in a smaller form, and it's debuting a swiping gesture keyboard, which it calls QuickPath Typing. There are also more keyboard shortcuts (a lack of shortcuts was a complaint we had about previous iOS versions). There are actually too many iPadOS changes to detail here in the iOS 13 explainer, so we've spun the full rundown off into a separate iPadOS release date, news and features article. iOS 13 features a QuickPath keyboard With iOS 13, Apple's default QuickType keyboard will be incorporating swipe-to-type, a popular way of sliding across the keyboard to form words. We've used this in prior iOS keyboard extensions like Google's Gboard and SwiftKey. Here's QuickPath keyboard in action (Image credit: Apple) You can use the QuickType and QuickPath methods of typing interchangeably, and so far supported languages include English, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, German, French, Italian, and Portuguese is now included. iOS 13 debuts new 'Find My' app Apple is combining Find My Friends and Find My iPhone in iOS 13, and the union lets you locate your friends and missing gadgets with a faster, easier-to-use interface. Find My iPhone and Find My Friends come together in one app (Image credit: Apple) What's really neat is that it'll use a crowd-sourced encrypted Bluetooth signal to help you track down devices that aren't connected to Wi-Fi or cellular. That's mostly a big help for Macs, but it could also help with an iPhone in rare cases, too. Best of all, while Find My Friends didn't always work for us, Apple may be making a bigger push to get location tracking right with this new iOS 13 app now in the limelight. iOS 13 hints at Apple Tag product The theory that Apple is taking on the Tile tracker is backed up in the iOS 13 beta, according to a new leak regarding what's been dubbed the 'Apple Tag'. Could Apple be working on something similar to this Tile Sport? (Image credit: Tile) While the redesigned Find My app is supposed to locate your Apple devices and also your iPhone-carry friends, the Apple Tag is allegedly designed for everything else. Think: keys, bag, water bottle, or anything else a Bluetooth tracker could attach to. The Apple Tag wasn't a part of the iOS 13 reveal during WWDC 2019, but it could be an announced alongside the iPhone 11 in September. After all, it is mobile hardware. iOS 13 makes your old iPhone faster, last longer More people are holding onto their iPhones for longer, and that's something Apple seems to recognize – and the company is speeding up iOS 13 to accommodate them. The most important iOS 13 stats: app launch speed is up to twice as fast according to Apple, and Face ID unlocking will be 30% faster than before. Apple also found a way to make app downloads smaller, up to 60% on average; iOS 12 gave us a faster update, and iOS 13 looks to build upon that. Battery life is also something Apple is tackling this year. Its aim is to slow the rate of battery aging by reducing the time your iPhone spends fully charged. iOS 13 is supposed to learn from your daily charging routine so it can wait to finish charging past 80% until you need to use it. Reminders gets a big overhaul Of all the built-in apps, Reminders is getting the biggest revamp in iOS 13. It appears to be better organized, and includes shortcuts that make it easier to add reminders. Reminders appears to have gotten the freshest reimagining among iOS 13 apps (Image credit: Apple) Big, color-coded buttons for Today, Scheduled, All and Flagged categories offer you a better oversight of your pressing tasks, while the keyboard when you're in this app has a top-line Quick Toolbar that acts as a shortcut to easily add times, dates, locations, flags, photos and scanned documents. Making plans in Messages? Siri will step in to suggest reminders that can be created, like a personal assistant who chimes in at all the right times. Camera and Portrait Mode changes The iOS 13 is going to offer important changes to camera features, starting with enabling you to change the intensity of light in Portrait Mode, which is something we've wanted for a while. Portrait mode is also getting a new monochromatic effect called High‑Key Mono. The new Photos tab in the iOS 13 Photos app – Apple sees it as becoming your photo diary (Image credit: Apple) The Photos gallery is becoming what Apple called "a diary of your life", with a new tab designed to document your best photos by day, month and year. You'll also have more pinch controls to zoom in and out of the Photos gallery. Photo editing is refined with iOS 13, adding adjustment controls and filters, while the video editing portion mirrors this almost entirely: nearly every photo tool and effect – including filters, rotating and cropping – will make it over to video. If you're not good at tinkering with video, there'll even be an 'Auto' adjustment button.  New Siri voice sounds more natural There's a new Siri voice debuting with iOS 13, and it sounds more natural than before – we've heard a sample and the tone is the same, but it sounds less robotic.  It uses advanced neural text‑to‑speech technology, according to Apple, and you'll particularly notice this when Siri says longer phrases, like reading the Apple News aloud or answering knowledge questions. The timing is good, because Siri can also do a lot more talking if you wear AirPods – Siri can read incoming messages and pipe them through the buds, which is convenient.  One more new Siri perk: your voice assistant on HomePod will understand the voices of the various family members in your home. This should mean, for example, that asking "What's on my Calendar?" won't bring up someone else's irrelevant information. Memoji gets makeup, Messages gets info sharing Apple is putting more of 'Me' in Memoji, allowing one trillion configurations: new hairstyles, headwear, makeup, and piercings to name a few categories. Examples on the WWDC stage showed that these personalized Animoji masks allow for such granular accessory detail as eyeshadow, braces and even AirPods. Memoji gets better in year two (Image credit: Apple) Memoji Stickers are something entirely new – iOS 13 will bring more iPhone and iPad users into the Memoji fold, TrueDepth camera or not. You can customize a Memoji and iOS 13 will automatically create a fun-looking sticker pack that lives in a sub-menu on the keyboard, which you can use in Messages, Mail, and third‑party apps. You'll be able to share your personalized Memoji with contacts through iMessages, but only when you grant them access. The same applies to sharing your name and photo with contacts, so you can chose how people see your name, for example. According to Apple, you can decide whether you want your profile shared with everyone, with only your contacts, or just once. New HomePod features You might not know this, but the HomePod is part of the iOS family, and it's getting updates too. First, you'll be able to transfer songs from your iPhone by simply holding your phone closer to the HomePod speaker. Previously, you had to tell Siri to do this, but now this hand-off feature is a bit easier, and you don't have to talk to do it. The HomePod will also introduce Live Radio – you can ask Siri to play 100,000 stations from all around the world. And HomePod will allow you to recognize who in your family is talking, and personalize the response – great with Apple Music, where selections will be based on your taste and history. It goes beyond Music, Messages, Notes, Reminders, and more.  Sign-in with Apple Apple wants app developers and sites to use its sign-in feature, and there are some perks for user privacy, too (Image credit: Apple) Apple is taking on Facebook Connect, Google and other platforms that allow you to conveniently sign in to third-party accounts. Sign-in with Apple is poised to protect your privacy more than Facebook and Google do. What's neat is that if you don't want to fork over your email to an app developer or website, Apple will create a unique random email for you, and the email will be unique to that site or app. Maps get revamped iOS 13 Maps looks a lot better, even if everyone likes to hate on it. Will it ever be better than Google Maps? No, probably not. But for people who want Apple's pre-loaded maps app on iOS 13, it'll be much better. 360-degree city tours are coming to Apple Maps (Image credit: Apple) There's way more detail here by way of Apple rebuilding maps from the ground up. There's more realistic detail for roads, beaches, parks, and buildings, and you can now explore cities with a 3D 360-degree experience. Favorites were a part of Maps before, but iOS 13 makes these saved locations easier to navigate to with one tap – they appear at the very top of a search menu. Sometimes Google Maps on iOS doesn't get this right (but does better on Android). That's one reason to keep Apple Maps installed, even if you're a Google Maps person. Text formatting in Mail Mail is getting some changes when it comes to writing out properly formatted email. You'll have more control over font style, size, color, alignment, indenting and outdenting text, and numbered and bulleted lists. What we're really hoping to see in iOS 13 is the ability to insert a hyperlink into some text in an email. On both iOS and Android devices, that's just not possible in their default mail clients (that we've seen) – you have to paste long URLs, and that's not a computer, no matter what you call your operating system. Connect to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth from Control Center This is huge – and we've been asking for it for several years. You'll soon be able to select Wi‑Fi networks and Bluetooth accessories right from Control Center. Android has had this for years, and it was always convenient to connect to new Wi-Fi networks or Bluetooth earbuds without having to navigate away from your current app and dive into five Settings submenus. Apple is finally coming around in iOS 13. Xbox One and PS4 game controller support If you're going to play games on your phone, you might as well do it with one of the two best controllers available (and maybe something you already own). Enter PS4 and Xbox One game controller support for iOS 13. Apple didn't say if all games will support this or if it'll be limited to Apple Arcade, but whatever the case may be, we're happy to be able to put our PS4 controller to use everywhere we roam. Silence Unknown Calls Nuisance SPAM calls drive us crazy every day, and iOS 13 wants to fix the issue with the help of Siri, which scans your Contacts, Mail and Messages to see if you've previously been in contact with the caller. Silence Unknown Calls sounds fairly smart, if you're not expecting business numbers cold-calling you for work. Those that do call you and aren't on your personal 'VIP list' will go straight to voicemail. More iOS 13 features to come in September We're testing out the iOS 13 public test, but there may be more to this update that we haven't seen. Apple typically holds features until the next iPhone launches. We'll continue to update the iOS 13 news here, with our guide to what you need to know about its features and how it'll change your iPhone. There might be a separate iPadOS now, but iOS 13 is still mighty important to millions of people. What we're expecting to see on the iPhone 11R This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

watchOS 6 update release date, compatibility, news and features Posted: 08 Sep 2019 09:01 AM PDT Apple has confirmed that watchOS 6 is the next version of the company's wearable software – and it will likely be coming to your Apple Watch by the end of 2019. September 10 is the new iPhone launch date, and we're expecting to hear about the new Apple Watch 5 at the show as well as the release date for watchOS 6. The biggest upgrade coming in the software refresh is the fact you'll have an App Store directly on your wrist. You'll be able to cycle through apps to download on your Apple Watch, rather than having to install them on your iPhone. Below we'll talk you through all of the other main features Apple has introduced on stage at WWDC 2019, plus a variety of details such as which watches will be compatible and when we expect it to land. Cut to the chase What is it? The next version of Apple's smartwatch operating system When is it out? It's now official, likely released in September What will it cost? Nothing! watchOS 6 release date and compatibility As expected, watchOS 6 was unveiled at WWDC 2019, and the developer beta is available now. In fact, Apple has already released an updated beta for developers that adds in a few extra features. Apple won't be running a public beta for this software, so if you're not a developer you'll have to wait until the official release to be able to try it out. That official release date is set for "Fall" (that's Autumn in the UK) and we expect that to mean that we'll see the software rollout in September. That's our assumption considering how all previous versions of watchOS have been released in that month, and it'll probably coincide with iOS 13. September 10 is the next big iPhone launch, and it's likely we'll hear more about when we can expect the new software at that show. It will be free to download, and will be compatible with the Apple Watch 4, Apple Watch 3, Apple Watch 2 and the Apple Watch Series 1. Like watchOS 5, the original Apple Watch won't be compatible with the software. That means if your Apple Watch has received watchOS 5, it will still receive this update too. It'll likely be the software featured on the inevitable Apple Watch 5 too. watchOS 6 App Store Image Credit: Apple The biggest upgrade coming to your Apple Watch will be the inclusion of an App Store. Previously you've had to download apps to your iPhone in order to be able to use them on your wearable, but that's all set to change with watchOS 6. You'll be able to search the App Store directly from your wrist using your voice, with Scribble or via Siri. It'll show you a variety of details for apps you're thinking of installing, such as screenshots on the watch's display, and you'll be able to install them there and then.  It should mean you're able to download and install apps directly onto your wrist on devices like the LTE version of the Apple Watch 4, without having to have your iPhone with you.  It'll also free up space on your iPhone, as you'll be able to limit the services you only use on your wrist to your Watch, rather than duplicating apps across two devices. This will likely be a major boon for app developers too, as it'll be easier to download titles directly to your watch. Whether that means we'll see more apps on your Apple Watch... only time will tell. Image Credit: Apple  watchOS 6 will introduce at least three new apps to your wrist. The first of those is Apple Books, which will allow you to listen to audiobooks using Bluetooth headphones rather than you reading a hefty tome on your wrist. Voice Memos will also be coming to your wrist, so you'll be able to speak into your wrist to make notes rather than whipping out your iPhone. There's also a Calculator app coming to watchOS for the very first time. There have always been third-party options on Apple Watch, but this is the first time the official Apple application has been included. Another new feature in the Apple Watch app will be a tool that enables you to calculate tips or your share of the bill easily. The best news of all of this? You'll be able to delete any of these, or any of the other existing default Apple Watch apps. According to people familiar with the software, TechCrunch has reported that watchOS 6 will allow you to delete any of the core Apple apps from your wearable. watchOS 6 is also set to allow you to get 2-factor authentication codes through to your Apple Watch to allow for signing in to platforms on your other Apple devices easier than ever too. watchOS 6 streaming audio A new API is coming with watchOS 6, that will allow your Apple Watch to directly stream audio away from your iPhone. We don't currently know what apps will include this feature, but it may allow for more audio-based apps to be introduced on the Apple Watch that will work without you having to keep your iPhone with you – think radio, podcasts or your favorite music streaming platform. watchOS 6 hearing health Ever worry about your hearing when you're in loud environments? watchOS 6 will debut a feature that can listen to what you're hearing and let you know if the decibel levels are getting too high. The World Health Organization says four hours a week of more than 90 decibels can impact hearing over time. This new feature will monitor the sound in your environment and let you know when you're nearing a level that is bad for your health. Apple has said that it won't record the exact sounds it can hear, and instead will just monitor the decibels so it won't be a concern for your privacy. watchOS 6 watch faces The update is confirmed to bring new watch faces to your Apple Watch too. These are called Modular Compact, Solar Dial, California, Gradient and Numerals face, plus you can see a collection of them above. A new complication for watch faces also allows you to monitor the volume level in a room you're in, so you'll be able to check if there's any risk of damaging your hearing. Another update includes a feature called taptic chimes, which can be included on all watch faces. This will silently tap your wrist every hour on the hour to help you keep track of the time, and if the sound is on you’ll hear an audible chime. watchOS 6 health An example of how Activity Trends looks. Image Credit: Apple  In terms of new health features, there's something called Activity Trends. It's a way to show you your historic fitness data, and give you a picture of how your last 90 days compares to the previous year.  Apple says this will enable you to monitor "nine key metrics", although it wasn't specific about what those are. If your activity levels begin to fall over time, the watch will be able to give you advice on what you can do to get back on track. How Cycle Tracking will look on watchOS 6. Image Credit: TechRadar Cycle Tracking will allow women to track their menstrual cycle on their watch, and the same functionality is coming to the Health app on iPhone. It's a big feature on products from the likes of Fitbit and Garmin, and will likely be welcomed by women around the world. It'll give you notifications when fertility windows are about to begin or your period is likely to start. GymKit compatibility is also extending to Woodway, Octane Fitness and TRUE Fitness equipment in the near future too. The best Apple Watch apps we've used in 2019 This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

IFA 2019 made me realize that tech may be stagnating Posted: 08 Sep 2019 09:00 AM PDT Before heading to IFA 2019 – my first time – I kept hearing people tell me that it's the "CES of Europe". I took that at face value, didn't really have a reason to doubt it. I know that CES is this huge tech show where all the biggest brands show off a bunch of radical products that will probably never see the light of day, but still manage to spark the imagination of the tech world.  And, while there were some decent products out there – the Lenovo Yoga C940, for instance, might end up delivering on Intel's Ice Lake promise – there was nothing Earth-shattering. Like, where are all the cool gaming laptops that CES 2019 had to offer? The new computing components? Where were the bizarre new TVs? The beginning of my navigational nightmare at IFA 2019 Unfinished business This lack of excitement wasn't helped by the fact that the show is an impossible-to-navigate mess. Now, I understand that pretty much every convention center has been designed by someone clearly inspired by M.C. Escher, but at least most of the time the show has finished being constructed before welcoming in jet-lagged journalists.  It didn't help that a lot of my appointments throughout the week were in the middle of a convention that was still being built. I'm not afraid to admit that I spent my first couple of days at the Berlin tech show completely lost.  Still, all of the hassle of navigating the confusing show floor would have genuinely been worth it if I was able to get a glimpse of what the future looked like. I saw plenty of new products at IFA 2019 – many of which genuinely seem like a great choice for a lot of people. But, while those devices will technically be coming out in the future, it didn't feel like the future.  I did at least get to see some cool PC cases What even is the future, then? Basically, what I'm getting at is that IFA 2019 was just kind of ... there. I didn't see anything that shattered my worldview, making me envision a new world where I could finally achieve some of my dreams. Looking back at a lot of the announcements that were made over this last week, there are definitely some awesome products, but even those weren't enough to get me excited.  The Razer Blade Stealth (Late 2019), for example, is an update to a laptop that I already pretty much love, bringing real graphics power to the laptop for the first time. But, that is pretty much just a case of technology catching up with the original promise of the laptop when it launched three years ago.  Then, Intel announced the release date for the Intel Core i9-9900KS. Intel desperately needs a desktop processor that can put AMD back in its place, and instead, its releasing a slightly overclocked Intel Core i9-9900K. Now, I obviously haven't had a chance to slap this chunk of silicon into a test bed to see if it destroys the Ryzen 9 3900X, but I'm not holding my breath.  I did see some laptops from Asus and Acer that had 300Hz displays, which is definitely a new thing. But, we've had high refresh rate displays for a while now, and at least personally, the move to 300Hz from 244Hz doesn't seem like the most important technological advancement. And, honestly, it seems kind of overkill for a laptop.  But, of course, we can't forget about the Acer Predator Thronos Air – a slightly more lightweight version of a ridiculous gaming chair that was announced a year ago, and still costs an outrageous $14,000. There are probably people out there that think that's exciting, and I'm not here to rain on anyone's parade – but I don't really see the appeal, especially when you can buy a car for the same amount of money.  It might not be new, but I love this Razer Blade Stealth. You need to chill out At the end of the day, it's probably not really a big deal that there weren't any Earth-shattering announcements at IFA 2019. But, still, I do love tech, which is why I suffer through these trade shows in the first place. It's definitely possible that you saw something at IFA that blew your mind, and you're thinking "what are they talking about". I get that, and I'm super happy for you if that's the case – maybe I missed something. But, I still can't shake the feeling that the computing world is a little stale right now.  Most of 2019 has been filled with some pretty high-stakes tech – from AMD claiming the processor throne at Computex 2019 to the Asus ROG Strix Mothership blowing all of our minds. It's entirely possible that I'm just so used to an unusually exciting time, that this relatively calm period feels like I'm stranded in some technological desert.  Either way, I'm sure it will change. IFA 2019 felt like the calm before some exciting tech storm. And, I can't wait to see what lies around the corner.  IFA 2019 is Europe's biggest tech show, and the TechRadar team is in Berlin to bring you all the breaking news and hands-on first impressions of new TVs, wearables and other devices as they're announced. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

iPhone 11R release date, price, news and leaks Posted: 08 Sep 2019 08:50 AM PDT The iPhone 11R is expected to launch alongside two other new iPhone family at Apple's September 10 event, which is now just days away. A successor to 2018's popular 'affordable' (for an iPhone at least) iPhone XR, we’ve dubbed it the iPhone 11R for now though that's unlikely to be its name at launch. We've got more insight on potential names below, but more importantly, we've also gathered all the leaks and rumors we can find about the iPhone 11R's design, specs and features. Being an iPhone, and being this close to launch, a lot has been leaked, so there's plenty to get stuck into. We'll also be sure to update this article whenever we hear anything new, so check back regularly for all things iPhone 11R. Latest story: The iPhone 11R may have been benchmarked, while a specs list reveals many possible details. Plus, it could be more shatter-resistant than previous iPhone models. Cut to the chase What is it? The successor to the iPhone XR When is it out? Almost certainly unveiled on September 10 What will it cost? A lot - but less than the iPhone 11 iPhone 11R release date and price The iPhone 11R launch date is very likely to be September 10, during Apple's official Q3 event, which is when the company typically announces new handsets. Even before that became official, we predicted that it would be announced on September 10, as in the last few years the announcements have taken place on the Tuesday or Wednesday around that date. However, the iPhone XR actually went on sale later than the iPhone XS range, with people unable to buy it until October 26 in 2018, so we can’t rule out a similar delay here. Though sources do suggest they will all go on sale at the same time this time around. As for the iPhone 11R price, there aren’t any real rumors about that, but much of a price rise for the most basic model seems unlikely, so we could be looking at something similar to the $749 / £749 / AU$1,229 starting price of the iPhone XR. The iPhone XR was a 'budget' model, so the 11R likely will be too. iPhone 11R or just iPhone 11? One thing that we’re unclear on is what the iPhone 11R will actually be called, with one source pointing just to 'iPhone 11' (with the two more premium models being called iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max). There's also the question of whether '11' will be used, or whether Apple will opt for 'XI'. Or perhaps the number will be dropped altogether and we’ll simply get the 'new iPhone' or the iPhone R. iPhone 11R design and display The consensus so far is that the design won’t be changing much for the iPhone 11R, meaning you can still probably expect a notch and a similar overall look. The one key difference that has been heavily rumored is the look of the cameras though, as these are now expected to sit in a square block at the top left corner, making them rather more prominent than the iPhone XR’s small single-lens snapper. Most leaks so far show the more premium iPhone 11 models, but the video below gives you a look at the possible design of all three, complete with that camera change. You can see similar designs in another video, which used dummy units created based on rumors. The source of this video above also claims that the iPhone 11R will be 150.9 x 75.7 x 8.3mm, which is identical dimensions to the iPhone XR. So if true then there really won’t be many changes at all. Another difference could be the colors, with the iPhone 11R rumored to land in black, white, yellow, lavender and green shades, as you can see in the image below, showing shards of glass supposedly intended for the phone. You can also see the possible design of the iPhone 11R again, this time in the form of case moldings. Elsewhere we’ve similarly heard talk of black, white, gold and dark green shades. There’s also the possibility of a ‘rainbow’ finish on some models – though expect this to be subtle if it appears at all. Slightly less convincingly we may also have seen the iPhone 11R in the wild, appearing in the reflection of a Galaxy Note 10 Plus. It’s not the best of looks, but it shows the redesigned camera that we’re expecting. As for the display, rumors suggest that will stay at 6.1 inches and continue to use LCD, rather than OLED. However, it’s said that the screen could sport some improvements, such as better anti-aliasing. Both the screen and the back glass might also use new shatter-resistance technology. So don’t expect a big change here. Think subtle. iPhone 11R camera This is the biggest change we’re expecting for the iPhone 11R, with rumors not just pointing to a new square shape, as detailed above, but also to an extra lens, with the iPhone 11R thought to have two rear lenses, where the iPhone XR has just one. It’s possible that it could even have three, as some phones in the range reportedly do, but two is looking the most likely number for now. It’s expected that these lenses will both be 12MP, but a source claims that they will be ‘new’, suggesting some upgrades. It’s not clear what roles the two lenses will serve – one is expected to be a standard lens, but the other could either be wide-angle or telephoto based on leaks (with the iPhone 11 Max getting all three). If we had to guess, we’d say the 11R would get the telephoto lens, as the iPhone XS had a main and telephoto combination. One report has also said as much. We’ve also heard that the image signal processor might be enhanced, and that the front-facing camera will be boosted from 7MP to 12MP, and will incorporate an extra layer of glass to improve the quality of photos. The iPhone 11R could go from one lens to two. iPhone 11R battery and specs According to one source, the iPhone 11R could have a 3,110mAh battery, which would make it around 5.7% larger than the 2,942mAh one in the iPhone XR. That’s not a big jump, but then the iPhone XR already has the best battery life of any modern iPhone, so that might be all it needs. Elsewhere, respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said to expect a battery increase of around 5%, which tallies with the rumor above, so they could well be on to something. As for charging, while some early reports suggested Apple might move to USB-C, most rumors point to Lightning remaining. This is believable, especially in the case of the iPhone 11R where Apple will be trying to keep costs down. The iPhone 11R might charge fast though, with claims of an 18W charger potentially coming in the box, though elsewhere we’ve heard that it will stick with slow 5W charging, so we’re not sure what’s true here. If we had to guess, we’d say faster charging on this basic model is unlikely. Moving on to core specs, Apple is sure to include a new chipset, likely to be dubbed the A13. We mave had our first glimpse at the performance of that chipset in a benchmark that appears to be for the iPhone 11R. The listing claimed a 2.66GHz hexa-core chipset (up from a 2.5GHz one in the iPhone XR) and 4GB of RAM (up from 3GB in the XR). The phone achieved a multi-core score of 11,294 (which is broadly in line with the iPhone XR) and a single-core one of 5,415 (which is significantly higher). Storage meanwhile could come in at 64GB, 256GB and 512GB capacities, or 128GB, 256GB and 512GB, depending on which rumors you believe – though in both cases it’s not clear whether all iPhone 11 models would get all these sizes or not. As for the operating system, that’s sure to be iOS 13. What the phone almost certainly won’t have is 5G. For a snapshot of the iPhone 11R's possible specs and how they might compare to the rest of the range, check out the image below. The specs listed here appear to be taken from numerous leaks and rumors, many of which we've covered above, but it's a good way to see all three possible phones at a glance. iPhone 11R other features The iPhone 11R is sure to have Face ID of course, but it could be even better this year, with one source saying that it will work from a wider range of angles. Beyond that we’re moving into the territory of unlikely things. It’s rumored for example that at least some iPhone 11 models will support the Apple Pencil, and we've even seen a case emerge for the iPhone 11 Pro with an Apple Pencil slot, but we’re not convinced, and if any do, the iPhone 11R will be last in line. We’ve also seen patents for a camera designed for underwater photography, and an in-screen fingerprint scanner that would let you place your finger anywhere on the screen to unlock the phone. But patents often don’t get used, and if these ones do we’d think they’re too premium for the features to appear on the iPhone 11R. One feature that was rumored but has apparently been put on a hold was a walkie-talkie mode that would let users send text messages even when there's no signal, by using long-distance radio waves. But it sounds like if this feature ever arrives it won't be ready in time for any iPhone 11 models. We're hearing a lot about the iPhone 11 too This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

New iPhone 11 release date, price, news and leaks Posted: 08 Sep 2019 08:48 AM PDT The iPhone 11 launch is a matter of days away, and as we edge closes and closer to the September 10 launch new iPhone leaks and rumors continue to spill out. We're not sure how the iPhone 11 launch is going to play out - as new iPhone leaks are suggesting that the we'll see three new phones, including a potential successor to the 'affordable' iPhone XR we're colloquially dubbing the iPhone 11R, and an iPhone 11 Pro as well - though it's not clear if those are the final names. If you're hoping for a massively-upgraded handset, then you're probably going to be disappointed this year as the upgrades that we're hearing about aren't hugely exciting. The leaked devices are remarkably similar to the 2018 iPhone range. We've got some experience sifting through these rumors - we've been at it for over a decade - and nothing we've picked up suggests anything more than that. What does that mean? Well, a similar shape and size to previous launches but they won't bring amazing changes just now. That said, Apple's tagline for the iPhone 11 launch was 'By innovation only' with a modernized Apple logo - so perhaps there's still a surprise or two in the works. Here's what we're not expecting this year: 5G in the new iPhone, the Lightning connector to get dropped or a foldable phone. These are all there for the future of the  iPhone, but we're almost certain these won't be part of the iPhone 11 range - and that could be the point when we see the iPhone Pro, if or when that appears. What we do know is that the new iPhone 11 will be the poster-child for iOS 13 as it becomes the first device to sport the software out of the box. The main change will be a camera upgrade - we're now fully expecting three sensors on the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Max, and just two on the iPhone 11R - but with enhanced capabilities on each model. What is of more interest is whether Apple will be pushing the iPhone 11R (if indeed it does call it that) as the iPhone XR is the phone that's most prominently featured on its homepage - suggesting the cheaper phone could almost be the star of the show this year. There will reportedly be some smart features added for charging, and Apple might finally have added in something users have been crying out for - read on to find out the full rundown of what TechRadar's iPhone experts expect to see for the new iPhone in 2019. Plus, you should expect even more from Apple on September 10 as it's rumored to be announcing the Apple Watch 5 as well as release details for new software like iOS 13, watchOS 6 and iPadOS. We've rounded up the key iPhone 11 leaks in a little video just for you, to give a quick overview of what you should expect. How likely are the iPhone 11 rumors? Our look New iPhone 11 release date iPhone 11 launch date: September 10, 2019  Predicted iPhone 11 pre-order date: September 13, 2019 Predicted iPhone 11 release date: September 20, 2019 Apple has confirmed its next launch event, and it's happening on Tuesday, September 10 at 10AM PT / 1PM EST / 6PM BST (4AM AEDT on September 11 in Australia). This date allows Apple to ship its iPhones into shops well before the end of the year rush. As for the new iPhone 11 pre-order date, Apple tends to open this on the Friday following the launch, should be September 13, by our calculations. Finally, the new iPhone release date - the day when you'll actually be able to get your hands on the handset for the first time - seems very likely to be a week later on Friday September 20, if previous releases are anything to go by. That seems to have been confirmed by insiders – and Apple's refurbed NYC store will be opening for the occasion.  That prediction was bolstered by an analyst from Wedbush claiming that the three new iPhones launched in 2019 will all go on sale at the same time - the iPhone 11, 11 Max and 11R would all be on sale at the same time thanks to the production process being so much more mature this year - again, suggesting little in the way of upgrades. And it might not be just the new iPhone range that launches on this date, we may well also get the Apple Watch 5 then too. This time around you'll be able to stream the whole event on YouTube too. New iPhone 11 price: will it still be $1,000? iPhone 11 price likely to start around $999 (£999, AU$1,579) There could be a new price strategy The iPhone 11 price is almost certain not to drop this year - especially for the 'main' new iPhone. After all, Apple priced both the iPhone XS and iPhone X starting at $999 (£999, AU$1,579) and without a massive change to the design or functionality, a price hike doesn't seem likely. With news that Apple isn't selling as many iPhones as it previously forecast, there's a chance the iPhone 11 will be priced more affordably - although we reckon a price freeze, rather than a reduction, is a more likely move by Apple. That said, the new iPhone 11R could be a touch cheaper - depending on the new camera technology. A less-costly iPhone than last year (where the iPhone XR debuted for $749 / $749) could happen if not a lot changes to the hardware... but if Apple goes with the higher-power camera, then the same price is likely to be maintained, in our opinion. The addition of the iPhone 11 Pro rumor - which, it has to be noted, is based on a single tweet (one that does have some form in getting the naming right of past iPhones) - would suggest a price hike for the phones. But given analysts are suggesting that the new phones will 'lack novelty', we're not expecting the inflated cost that would bring. New iPhone, iPhone 11 or iPhone XI? What will Apple call the iPhone 2019? It's a tricky one: Apple has backed itself into a corner with the name. Roman numerals could well remain, but how does the iPhone XI follow the iPhone XS?  Apple has been staunch on verbally calling the handsets the 'iPhone 10' and 'iPhone 10-S'. With that in mind, the iPhone XI seems to make the most sense, but then - if the older models remain - there will be an X, an XS and an XI (along with an XR) - and iPhone 11 is easier to understand. The iPhone XS and XS Max are great, but there's still room for improvement That doesn't easily point to the best, most-desirable model. So could Apple do what's been rumored for years and simply go for the 'new iPhone' as the 'main' XS replacement, and stick with the same iPhone XR name, albeit with a small spec upgrade? As mentioned, the iPhone Pro could be added to the mix, bringing it into line with its iPads (and indeed MacBooks) in terms of their naming, but we're rather doubtful of that. That said, we've now seen the names 'iPhone 11', 'iPhone 11 Pro' and 'iPhone 11 Pro Max' listed by a case-maker, so we can't rule out the 'Pro' moniker. iPhone 11 Pro Max seems very unlikely though. But Apple has already ditched numbered increments for Mac, MacBooks, TV and iPads, so 'new iPhone' would be a logical next step - even if iPhone 11 would be the most pleasing thing for consumers looking for the obviously best new phone. Could we see the Apple AirPods 2 at the iPhone 11 launch? New iPhone 11 camera: the biggest change Here's the thing that we think Apple is going to push the hardest this year: unless all the leaks are fake, the iPhone 11 camera looks pretty likely to pack a larger, more square lens array on the rear of the device. This is the only real hardware upgrade we're seeing from Apple this year, with 2019's iPhone coming with enhanced picture-taking capabilities. Schematics suggest the same thing, and most chassis leaks hint at the same square cut-out portion.   Respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has weighed in to say that one of these lenses might be almost invisible, adding at the same time that the selfie camera will get a boost from 7MP to 12MP. Image Credit: Weibo One source claims that only the iPhone 11 Max will have the three camera array, but that seems rather fanciful when Apple made a big deal in 2018 explaining how the iPhone XS and XS Max were almost identical bar the screen size - we expect three lenses on both the higher-end 11 variants and most leaks follow that theory. What will those lenses be? Well, smart money suggests that there will be three 12MP lenses: one that takes 'standard' photos (with decent low-light capabilities), one zoom lens, and a new wide-angle option opening up a new world of photography capabilities. That source is suggesting that the third lens on the iPhone 11 won't have optical image stabilization, which would be an interesting move, and that the flash will be even brighter and more useful. "The latest leaks and rumors suggest we'll be seeing significant upgrades for the main camera, to help it beat some of the greatest Android phones such as the Google Pixel 3 and Huawei P30 Pro". James Peckham - phones editor The same source is also stating that the image processor inside will be enhanced, but we'd expect nothing less from a brand that's likely to push the camera prowess as the main reason to buy the new iPhone range.  Apple's Neural Engine did bring some impressive boosts to the photo quality of the iPhone XS, so another jump forward could continue the brand's ability to just take photos that, well, look nice - thanks to intelligent algorithms working out what they're looking at. Smart Frame capabilities would add a better way to improve the snaps you're about to take, but we're still mostly in the dark about what that would bring at the moment. A strong rumor suggests that the iPhone 11 will have a feature from the Galaxy Note 10, where the videos will be able to do background defocus in real time - a real Live Video editor. Elsewhere, we've heard that the iPhone 11 could use 'new' 12MP sensors, and will offer improved photography, with the three lenses apparently working in coordination in an RGB mode. One of the lenses is also said to offer a 120-degree field-of-view. What about the front camera? Well, there we're going to get an upgraded 10MP sensor (apparently) - but the same suggests that the new iPhone 11 will have 14MP and 10MP sensors on the rear, which seems unlikely. Even still, an upgrade to selfies would be a welcome addition. A laser-powered 3D camera was also supposedly destined for the new iPhone 11, but it seems more likely that we'll see that on the iPhone for 2020 (if at all), in a bid to really show off the new iPhone's augmented reality (AR) capabilities. Sadly, the notch looks like it will be staying the same size - even though the camera tech is shrinking down, as a source says the notch is staying the same this year. This aligns with rumors that the phone chassis isn't changing size, so does make sense. New iPhone 11 design What will the new iPhone look like? Pretty simple really: from the front, quite similar (according to the leaks we've seen). The biggest change will be on the back: a hefty square bump to hold those triple-lens cameras. We've included a video from Mobile Fun above, one that shows the best rendering of what most are expecting to see from the iPhone 11 when it launches later this year. You can also see a similar design in a video showing unofficial dummy handsets created based on leaks. Indeed, roughly that design shows up in most leaks we're seeing at the moment, with the three camera system being used on the iPhone 11 and 11 Max, with the iPhone 11R still getting the large square bump, but only two lenses. The square protrusion doesn't look as attractive as we're used to seeing on iPhones, but Apple could be springing a surprise to make sure it doesn't lose too much ground to Samsung, Huawei and Google. We've seen huge improvements to the camera quality there, and while Apple's iPhones are still superb at taking pictures on the go, extra capability like a wide-angle lens would be something extra and would explain the extra size of the sensors. Earlier, a leaker took a photo of the Galaxy Note 10 Plus before it launched - but did it with a phone that looked suspiciously like the iPhone 11R, with the double (rather than triple) lens array, according to the placement of the flash. Whether both are real is up for debate (the quality of the snap isn't great, and you'd expect better from Apple, even at this early development stage), but it shows in the real world what the design could be like. iPhone 11 case dummies (credit: SlashLeaks) In terms of the triple-lens camera, that's on show with the dummies leaked above. It's not confirmed but this matches what we've heard so far - giving us an early look at the likely iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Max. Back on the subject of the iPhone 11R, reports suggest that the new phone will be landing in purple and green shades - in addition to the current range of black, white, yellow and red - with coral and blue disappearing - after shards of the new material appeared. These shards were leaked by respected Apple writer Mark Gurman, who also showed the new iPhone range will have this larger camera protrusion in new case moldings, used by third-party manufacturers to secure your iPhone. We've elsewhere heard that all three new iPhones might come in black, white, gold and dark green shades, while one source adds that some models might have a subtle 'rainbow' finish. Another leak from CashKaro and OnLeaks, suggest the new iPhones will get a smaller (and more circular) mute button, but that's hardly going to raise the roof when the new iPhone 11 is announced on stage in September. Rumors of a frosted-glass back do appear once in a while, but (at best) this is likely to be a small variant and not indicative of the wider iPhone 11's design style - even if it would help improve wireless charging. New iPhone 11 display: the same or shifting? Right: let's get one thing straight... there's not going to be a flexible iPhone this year. While we've seen patents so far, that's as far as the rumor mill is cranking about a bendy Apple device - and that makes sense, given how many issues Samsung and Huawei have had with their bending handsets. So what will the iPhone 11 display look like? Well, the smart money is currently saying that things will remain the same. A rumor has stated that the 5.8-inch display will remain with the same resolution, with the bezels shrinking slightly, although that was an added line to a wider 'leak' that the iPhone will have a central camera - which we don't think will happen. While some reports say the display size will stay the same size, others think the main iPhone 11 will be larger. We believe that the same 5.8-inch screen will remain on the iPhone 11, as that will be cheaper for Apple to produce than making a whole new size. "Don't get your hopes for up a foldable new iPhone, or even a 5G iPhone, in 2019 - Apple is likely to play things safely this year, doubling down on the iPhone X form factor from 2017." John McCann - deputy editor Another way to save the cost would be to drop the 3D Touch element of the screen, according to investment bank Barclays (who claim to have spent time with the Asia supply chain). This is the feature that allows you to press harder to open up a new menu. That would be replaced by a more powerful haptic engine that would do... something. According to 9to5Mac, this is known internally as 'leap haptics' and the source code of iOS 13 hints at Haptic Touch, which would replace the smart 3D Touch menus that pop up. The same confusion over screen size doesn't seem to reign for the iPhone 11 Max screen, with some suggesting the same-sized display as the iPhone XS Max (at 6.5 inches), but fans will have to wait until 2020 before Apple will increase it to a sizable 6.7 inches. The best leaks also suggest that Apple will stick with an OLED display for the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Max, with the same (cheaper) LCD screen for the new 11R, which would help keep the cost down and preserve battery life. Though one source adds that the LCD screen on the iPhone 11R will see some improvements, such as better anti-aliasing. We've also heard reports that the two OLED iPhones will use the same display type as the Samsung Galaxy S10 and Samsung Galaxy Note 10. Usually Samsung makes a different screen for Apple, but using this one is no bad thing, as those ranges have some of the best displays around. However, they might get an upgrade in the form of more protection, with new shatter-resistance technology rumored to be included (potentially both on the front and back glass). These specs were 'outed' in a recent tweet, but really just rounded up and confirmed all we really knew already. What we can be relatively sure about however, is the continued use of Apple's sizable notch on the new iPhone handsets, which is essential for housing the various sensors and camera used for Face ID. There is a report that suggests Apple is considering bringing back Touch ID in the form of an in-display fingerprint scanner, but this feature is currently touted for the iPhone 12 (expected 2020) so you won't see it on the iPhone 11. New iPhone 11 battery and features The iPhone 11 battery was always going to be a source of much debate, with users asking every year for a little more juice coming out of their device. The good news for them is that a couple of nifty tricks might helps things along for the new iPhone in 2019. One thing we're not expecting is that the new iPhone will lose the Lightning connector, the Apple-only port that connects to all manner of accessories. Multiple rumors have stated that it might be replaced by USB-C, but it seems (for now) that won't be the case. We've now heard multiple times that it won't get USB-C, so don't expect a change from Lightning. That said, we could see a compromise here: Apple might finally bundle in the 18W charging block that would see the iPhone charge more quickly. The catch: the USB-A end (the connector most of us think of when imagining a USB lead) would be dropped for a smaller USB-C, allowing for speedier juicing. Another rumor supports this theory, using the same advanced charger that Apple introduced with the iPad Pro (2018) last October.  Having that in the box would be a nice addition to the wireless charging that's almost certain to continue. That wireless charging would go two ways, meaning you'll be able to throw the AirPods, in a wireless charging case, onto the back of the iPhone 11 and be able to charge them up on the go. What about that battery pack? Well, noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that the iPhone 11 will have a battery that's up to 25% bigger than the current iPhone XS, to allow for this reverse charging without destroying the battery life in a single day. A rumor has some actual number predictions: the iPhone 11 will pack a 3,200mAh battery (up from an estimated 2,658mAh), the iPhone 11 Max will get 3,500mAh (up from 3,174mAh), and the iPhone 11R will get 3,000mAh (slightly higher than the 2,942mAh of the iPhone XR). But it will be hard to ascertain how true these are given Apple's reluctance to share the exact capacity of each iPhone. Huawei and Samsung phones already pack so-called "reverse wireless charging" and it's been well-marketed as a key selling point - so it makes sense that Apple would want to offer it too. "The iPhone 11 may not look very different, but the new triple-lens camera is poised to offer a serious upgrade that could rival more capable Android phones." Matt Swider - global managing editor The iPhone 11 Max might not get as much of an upgrade, but a rumored 15% battery boost would still be a large jump forward compared to the current Max device - and without the device getting thicker, thanks to possible upgrades in the screen tech.  Having said though, elsewhere we've heard that the iPhone 11 Max will have a 3,969mAh battery, which really would be quite an upgrade. However, the same source says that charging will still be stuck at a slow 5W, in contrast to the 18W rumor above. What about some other smaller features? Well, another possible upgrade is that, according to one source at least, Face ID will be improved for the new iPhone 11 range, allowing it to work from wider angles. As for power, Apple always introduces a new chipset with its new iPhone launches, and the A13 chip is being touted for the iPhone 11, with analysts claiming a manufacturer is lined up to produce the chip.  After Apple made a huge deal about the AI learning capabilities of the A12 Bionic chip, one has to assume the big changes to the new chipset are going to be a big talking point come September this year. In terms of storage, one source says the range will offer 128GB, 256GB and 512GB capacities, while another points to 64GB, 256GB and 512GB. Either way, 1TB is looking unlikely. Indeed, a fairly comprehensive specs list for the three likely iPhone models can be seen below and this lacks the 1TB size. It's believed that this list is based on numerous leaks and rumors, many of which we've included above, but it's a handy at-a-glance way to see the likely key specs. Let's move onto the more experimental features that may (read: mostly patents and leaks of things that could be possible in smartphones) be seen in the new iPhone 11 - but we think they're pretty unlikely. For one: the new iPhones may be easier to use in the rain. A report claims Apple is experimenting with a new tech that allows you to use the phone's screen underwater. Could we throw the iPhone 11 in? Image credit: TechRadar What's more, a patent suggests the camera on a future iPhone would be able to tell when you're underwater and alter settings accordingly, so that underwater photographs look better. Perhaps the iPhone 11 could have sub-epidermal scanning to be unlocked, in which the front camera would scan the veins and blood vessels in your face using IR to make sure it's actually you unlocking the phone. These blood pathways in your face are the most secure way of monitoring who you are - and can't be fooled in the same way as Face ID theoretically can be. Another patent meanwhile points to the return of Touch ID, but not as you know it. Rather, the patent talks about a system that would recognize your fingerprint when placed anywhere on the screen. So it would be an in-screen scanner that works across the whole display, though we're not convinced Apple will actually use this - lots of weird and wonderful things get patented with nothing coming of them. For something else a little bit weird, a patent filed by Apple shows a system in which a sensor monitors chemicals in the air, in order to 'smell' odors – including body odor. That would be a pretty cool feature for the Apple Watch 5 rather than an iPhone, though. We've also heard that Apple was working on a walkie-talkie-like feature for the phone, which would allow users to send text messages even if there was no signal. However, this has apparently been put on hold, so if we ever see it we probably won't do this year. Inside the device we've heard talk that the iPhone 11 will include support for the latest Wi-Fi 6 connection standards – though 5G tech will have to wait until the 2020 iPhones. One other out there rumor about the iPhone 11 is that it could be compatible with the Apple Pencil - but we've heard that a number of times and we're not going to be drawn in to believing such a thing this year - especially not the size of the Apple Pencil we're seeing right now, which would be be bigger than any iPhone device. That said, the Pencil could be charged on the rumored new wireless charging rear of the new iPhone - so that does make things seem a touch more believable. We've also seen case renders showing a slot for an Apple Pencil that would be smaller than the current one, so it's possible Apple will launch a more compact Pencil for use with the iPhone. We still doubt it though. The iPhone 11 might use new shatter-resistant glass. Plus, an exciting walkie-talkie-like feature has been rumored... but apparently put on hold. And a new video shows off what the iPhone 11 might look like based on rumors. New iPhone 11: what we want to see We were mostly impressed with the iPhone XS range last year, but that doesn't mean they're perfect - talk to any ardent Android user and they'll give chapter and verse on why the iPhone isn't anywhere near as well-spec'd as their device. That does kind of miss the point of the iPhone - Apple's never been about the spec, more the usability and overall polish - but there are some things we'd like to see more (or less) of with the iPhone 11 range: 1. No notch (or, at least, a smaller one) The iPhone X made the smartphone notch a mainstream 'thing' - but with the advent of punch-hole cameras and under-screen technology on our phones, the notch needs to go.  While Apple needs that space to chuck in the array of sensors that make Face ID as secure as it is, we want a new solution - and Apple has the means to work out what that is, as well as helping attract a new raft of users. The notch is big... imagine if it wasn't there on the new iPhone 2. A new design While the current design of the iPhone XS and XS Max is one of the best out there, we want something new, something more. Apple could make things more sleek, remove more of the physical buttons or even wrap the screen around - a statement can be made with some smart engineering. Sadly, that doesn't seem likely to appear until 2020's iPhone - the new iPhone in 2019 looks destined to stay rather similar to the last two generations' design. 3. Better battery life We say this ever year, but the fact remains that iPhones still aren't the strongest performers when it comes to battery life. That said, the iPhone XR was one of the longest-lasting devices ever from the Cupertino brand, so let's see some of the prowess baked into the larger, more expensive iPhones. It's not easy (damned physics keeps getting in the way) but that doesn't mean improvements can't be made. 4. eSIM only The current iPhones - the XS, XS Max and iPhone XR - all pack an eSim alongside their main, physical card.  While it would be weird at first, Apple has the power to change users' attitudes to what's acceptable on a smartphone (think how everyone is now losing the headphone jack) and making the SIM virtual would allow greater freedom to hop between networks and deals at will, rather than being stuck on one contract for too long.  With 5G on the way, that's going to see a lot more competition for users - and flexibility will be the number one benefit for those wanting a great phone deal. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

John Deere's smart lawn tractor tracks every inch of grass and makes garden chores fun Posted: 08 Sep 2019 07:00 AM PDT You may not know this, but you’re being tracked – and not always in a bad way. Cookies in your browser track your web visits and then pop up relevant ads on Facebook. You could call it a feature more than a bug in terms of technological advancements. Your car is also tracking your whereabouts using GPS, and that Fitbit watch knows where you run each morning. Tracking has become part of life, and it makes sense that this has finally spilled over to the world of lawn care. Recently, I tested out a John Deere X354 Riding Mower for an entire month and used the brand new John Deere MowerPlus Smart Connector, which costs $100 (about £80, AU$150). The basic idea with this connector is to help you improve how (and where) you mow, but it’s also helpful for maintenance, efficient use, and – let’s be honest – a bit of fun. The app shows you exactly where you mow, which is my favorite feature. You can see a bird’s eye view of your actual lawn showing the mow pattern, and then use the Bluetooth-enabled connector with your phone to see analytics like battery state (you’ll see a warning if you have a dead battery), how much fuel is in the tank, and an hour meter showing time on the tractor. There’s also a maintenance minder feature that gives you tips about oil changes, etc. One important note here is that the connector I tested (about the size of two or three AA batteries) works with the X300 Series and the X500 Series mowers for all of the features I tested. If you own a 100 Series and S240 mower, you can only see the hourly usage meter, which is called the MowerPlus Hour Meter Connector and costs $79 (about £60, AU$120). Mow like a pro I mowed about four times with the X354 and liked being able to see all of this data. I’m not an overly detailed person – for example, I just jump on and mow, without thinking too much about hoses I have to move out of the way later – and I’m not a hyper-environmentalist such that I want to conserve every quart of gas at all times by adjusting my mowing pattern ever so slightly. I am a geek, though. It’s cool to see the mowing pattern for me, not so much because I’m going to mow differently but mostly because it’s cool to see that tech is even possible. The app has a few features that have been around for a bit, and I liked those as well. You can see an indicator of when it’s the best time to mow to avoid wet grass. There are some tips to help you mow like a pro, including one I noticed about using a mulch setting. The X354 is pretty high end and my grass looked like it had been cut by a stylist at Great Clips. The fun part of all of this is that you can challenge yourself. For each mow, I tried cutting corners a little differently, increased my speed a touch, and generally tried to make the process less tedious. I will say the tractor itself is like a Cadillac compared to the riding mower I normally use, although neither of them can handle the steep incline of my back lawn (which requires a push mower). I forgot to set the app to 'record' my mow once, and for those like me who do not plan things out in advance, it might be hard to remember to do that. I’d prefer some built-in AI where the app knows when it is near the mower and knows when you start cutting. That’s a minor issue, though – tracking every inch of your lawn makes sense when you have invested in a powerful lawn cutter like this, and the apps saves a history of every cut so you can compare the results and even track your lawn care from one year to the next. It’s a brilliant idea, too, because we’re entering an age when we’re going to track everything – who is at the front door, how many times we flush the toilet or brush our teeth, how far we drive every day, and even our own health and activity down to each heartbeat. I’m all for it – it means more to geek out over. Including lawn care. This month's best deals on smart home devices and gadgets This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

5 of the best smartphones announced at IFA 2019 Posted: 08 Sep 2019 05:00 AM PDT Now that IFA 2019 is over, we can pore over all the announcements from one of the world’s biggest annual tech events. There were a few new phones announced from some of the biggest companies like Samsung, Nokia and Motorola, and a returning foldable face that we first heard of almost five months ago. There’s a prevailing theme among the IFA 2019 smartphones – they’re all at the cheaper end of the market. This is no MWC 2019 (an annual show with more of a smartphones focus), so we weren’t expecting new high-end devices, and these are all the kind of phones most people will buy anyway. All the big announcements from IFA 2019 Check out our favorite cheap smartphones These are the overall best smartphones  We’ve looked at all the new smartphone releases from IFA 2019 to decide which are the ones you should pay attention to, and here is our final list. Samsung Galaxy A90 5G The Samsung Galaxy A90 5G is one of the first affordable 5G phones. That’s not to say it’s cheap, but it’s certainly more affordable than other a lot of other 5G handsets. Beyond its connectivity capabilities, the phone has some of the features that make Samsung’s Galaxy A series of handsets real mid-range contenders: there’s a high-quality Super AMOLED display, powerful 4,500mAh battery, and impressive 3-camera array, helmed by a 48MP sensor. This is certainly a handset to watch out for in the future, especially if you’re keen to get in on the 5G hype without breaking the bank.  Read our hands-on Samsung Galaxy A90 5G review Motorola One Zoom The Motorola One series of smartphones is the company's attempt to impress in the mid-range segment, and its newest addition is the Motorola One Zoom. Packing four cameras (including, yes, a telephoto zoom lens, as the name suggests), you’re probably going to be able to take fantastic pictures on the device. They are the main camera, an optical zoom lens, an ultra-wide angle lens, and a depth sensor, so you’ll be able to take pictures in a range of different situations. That’s not all, and the One Zoom packs a complement of other features. It seems like a worthy sibling to the One Vision and One Action, and shows that the Motorola One series is something to take seriously. Read our hands-on Motorola One Zoom review Nokia 7.2 HMD Global (the current owners of the Nokia brand) released two new phones at IFA 2019. We'd argue the most impressive is the Nokia 7.2 thanks to one important addition. It features a 48MP camera, the first to ever grace the rear of a Nokia handset, and it’ll raise the handset from ‘fine mid-range camera phone’ as the Nokia devices tend to be, to ‘serious mid-range contender’. The rest of the phone has a middling range of specs and stats, including an intriguing display and a sleek design, but it’s great to see Nokia taking its photography sensibilities more seriously. Read our hands-on Nokia 7.2 review Sony Xperia 5 The Sony compact is back. Well, sort of; meet the Sony Xperia 5. The handset takes after the Sony Xperia 1, with similar specs and design, but while the Xperia 1 was the same size as the Xperia 10 Plus, the Xperia 5 has roughly the same dimensions as the Xperia 10, which is to say it’s a bit smaller. It’s not quite as ‘compact’ as Sony’s retired Compact range, but it’s certainly a better size for your pocket. At TechRadar we were pretty big fans of the Xperia 1, so it’d be interesting to see its specs scaled down into the Xperia 5. Its entire success depends on the price, and at the moment we don’t know what that is. Read our hands-on Sony Xperia 5 review LG G8X ThinQ With LG’s smartphones struggle to garner interest in recent years, the company has been trying to find new features with which to win back audience interest, and at the moment its pet project is dual-screen tech.  The LG G8X ThinQ has a dual-screen attachment (unlike the base LG G8 ThinQ, but like the LG V50 ThinQ), and it’s the best use of this tech we’ve seen so far. In fact, this feels like the closest you can get to a great foldable phone without actually waiting for that new tech to finally come out. The phone overall is a mixed bag, as the screen isn’t the greatest, and the design can be a bit bulky when you’ve got the second-screen attachment. But if dual-screen tech actually catches on, LG will certainly be at the forefront. Read our hands-on LG G8X ThinQ review And then there’s the rest… While the five phones listed above are our highlights of the show, a few more were announced that you might like to know about. The Nokia 6.2 was released alongside the bigger 7.2, with pared-back specs and a price to match. Another phone that had a buddy is the Moto E6 Plus, which launched in the shadow of the Motorola One Zoom. TCL had a pretty big showing with a range of Alcatel phones, but the highlight was the intriguing TCL Plex. One last noteworthy product was the F(x)tec Pro1. If we had an award for ‘worst name’ this would be vying for top spot alongside LG’s new smartphone, but that’s not a real award.  The Pro1 is a premium smartphone with a flip-out keyboard, so if you miss that feature on your current device you should consider the Pro1. IFA 2019 is Europe's biggest tech show, and the TechRadar team is in Berlin to bring you all the breaking news and hands-on first impressions of new TVs, phones, laptops, wearables and other devices as they're announced. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Save up to £250 with these Sky TV deals with Sky Sports and Cinema bundle options Posted: 08 Sep 2019 04:59 AM PDT What do you mean you've not sorted a Sky TV deal yet to get your Sky Sports fix? Not to worry, as the fantastic deal from earlier in the summer has made a late comeback. Better yet, it comes with loads of entertainment TV shows and channels and even Sky Cinema.  Not bothered about Sky Sports? Not a problem as you can get the Sky entertainment package with just Sky Cinema and still get a big discount on those monthly bills. We've also found an incredible Sky broadband and TV bundle on the super fast 59Mb fibre connection that's currently £10 a month cheaper. Decent broadband speeds like this fibre option are absolutely essential for modern households with multiple smart devices, phones and HD/4K media streaming and downloads on the go at any time. Sky Sports is one of the more expensive add-ons to a Sky TV bundle and before the summer we hadn't seen a decent offer in months. Thankfully the drought is over and Sky has knocked a big chunk off today. The following bundles all come with Sky Entertainment as the base of the package. This comes with loads of top channels like Sky Atlantic, Sky One, Comedy Central, Fox, SyFy and more. You also get the Sky Q box which can record multiple shows simultaneously. As for the sporting content, you get all 11 Sky Sports channels with either bundle, including Premier League, Football, F1, Racing, Cricket, Golf, Sky Sports News, Mix, Action, Arena and Main Event. If you opt for Sky Cinema too, extra channels will include Action, Comedy, Thriller, Drama, Sci-fi & Horror and Select - not to mention a huge choice of on-demand movies and a new premiere added every day. You can add other extras (4K upgrades, Sky Kids, box sets/Netflix) as you go through the bundle process, but if you decide to add Sky Cinema to the deal after originally clicking the bundle option without, be sure to back out and start again as it doesn't discount its price unless you chose that option from the start for some reason. The best Sky TV deals for sports, movies and more If you're also in the market for a new TV to enjoy all this content on , we can help you save a lot of money and get the best price via our roundup of the latest cheap TV deals. Want to make sure you don't miss a game this season? Then check out our guide, Premier League 19/20 live stream for advice on how to watch every game online and from anywhere. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

F1 live stream: how to watch the Italian Grand Prix 2019 online from anywhere Posted: 08 Sep 2019 04:44 AM PDT Qualifying may have been an oddity, but that won't matter to the Formula 1 drivers when they line up on the grid for the Italian Grand Prix today. Can Charles Leclerc find another winning performance at Ferrari's home GP after taking pole? Watch an F1 live stream of the Italian Grand Prix using this guide to find out. The 2019 F1 season has reached Italy - can Ferrari make up points on its home soil? Mercedes currently leads with 471 points and Ferrari follows with 326, followed by Red Bull Racing at 254. But Lewis Hamilton is still the one to beat on this track with an impressive six poles so far, making it his second best for pole behind Melbourne where he's had eight. But with Monza expected to flatten the Ferrari SF90's power to aerodynamic efficiency even more than Spa, that could be the car to beat...just like it was in Belgium. In short this is a really exciting race that could be a turning point for the entire season and is not one to be missed. You can see all the exciting racing using an F1 live stream from anywhere in the world – here's how. Cricket fan? Don't miss an over with an Ashes live stream How to watch the Italian Grand Prix from outside your country To see how you can stream F1 live from the Italian Grand Prix in the UK, Australia, the US, Canada and New Zealand, then scroll a little further down this page to see the broadcast options. But if you try and tune in to your native stream from outside your country, you'll quickly discover that it's geo-blocked. Discover how to get an F1 live stream from every single Grand Prix this season How to live stream Italian Grand Prix in the UK How live stream Italian Grand Prix 2019 in Australia Watch the Italian Grand Prix in the US: live stream F1 Check out the overall best sports streaming sites in the US today How to watch a Italian GP F1 live stream in the Canada How to get an F1 live stream in New Zealand This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Save up to 50% on NOW TV's Entertainment pass box sets with our exclusive offer Posted: 08 Sep 2019 03:39 AM PDT Our exclusive NOW TV deal is offering savings of up to 50% on the box set-stuffed Entertainment package. You can't get a bigger saving than this anywhere else this week. A NOW TV Sky Entertainment pass would usually set you back £7.99 a month (and it's going up to £8.99 next month too). But we've got three exclusive offers for new NOW TV customers. The longer sub you sign up for, the bigger the discount you can get. You can save 40% on a two month pass, 45% on four months or get 50% off a six-month deal. The six-month Now TV pass for just £23.97 is the best deal we've seen in as long as we can remember in our long-running coverage of the latest NOW TV deals. If you're not sure if you want to sign up for that long, the discounts on the two and four month versions are better than any other NOW TV offer out there at the moment. Check out our exclusive discount at NOW TV You won't find that deal just by browsing around the NOW TV site, only our official NOW TV link above will take you to the deal. Once you've picked an offer, you can start streaming quality box set content straight away. So be sure to take look at Chernobyl, Brassic, Get Shorty, Manifest, Euphoria, Riviera, Warrior, Elementary, The Rookie, Fortitude, The Handmaid's Tale, 30 Rock, The Sopranos, The Wire, Dexter and loads more besides. The box sets are of course the main draw for us and the often-rotated selection means there's always plenty of new material to enjoy. We'd seriously advise checking out the hype behind the Chernobyl mini series as one of the best shows on the service. The NOW TV entertainment pass isn't just about box sets though, you can also stream excellent Sky TV channels live. We're talking about Sky One, Sky Witness, Sky Atlantic, Gold, Comedy Central, SyFy, Sky Arts, Discovery Channel, MTV and Nat Geo Wild. And don't forget, unlike signing up with Sky, there's no contract. And if your telly box is in need of an upgrade, we've rounded up the best cheap TV deals and sales for you too. and if you're curious about a full-on Sky package, check out our roundup of the latest Sky TV deals. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

AMD – you were supposed to be the chosen one! Don’t turn to the dark side to beat Intel Posted: 08 Sep 2019 03:00 AM PDT Maybe it’s the fact that IFA 2019 has finally melted my brain, but I’ve been thinking a lot about the processor war between AMD and Intel, and how it apes a certain space-bound series of films set in a galaxy far, far away. While it’s a bit too easy (and simplistic) to paint Intel as the big bad Empire, and AMD as the plucky Rebel Alliance that wants to overthrow Team Blue's tyranny, I don’t think AMD’s story – for the moment at least – resembles the original Star Wars trilogy. Instead, I worry that it’s more like the Prequel trilogy. And yes… that means it’s not good news. In this scenario, AMD is Anakin Skywalker while Intel is the Emperor. I guess that makes Qualcomm Jar Jar Binks. Now you might think that comparing Intel to an evil guy with a melted face that shoots lightning from his fingers is just as reductive as comparing it to the Empire, but what do you expect from someone who just made a Jar Jar Binks joke in 2019? Anyway, hear me out. The crux of the matter is that AMD is gunning hard to take down Intel, but there’s worrying signs that by trying to defeat Intel, it’s turning to the dark side. The thing is, AMD is supposed to be the good guy. Bulldozing its way to victory For a good few years now, AMD has enjoyed some excellent press. Its enthusiast Threadripper CPUs showed us that you can have consumer processors with huge core counts and still be (relatively) affordable, and its recent AMD Ryzen 3000 series of processors launched to great critical acclaim (unlike the Prequel trilogy). This has led to stellar sales – with AMD’s shipments of its Ryzen 5 3600 chip almost equalling Intel’s entire CPU sales in some markets. Considering how dominant Intel has been for so long, this is a remarkable turnaround. And so AMD, like Anakin, was feted as the chosen one. In Star Wars terms, AMD now had midichlorians out of the wazoo. But, like Anakin, AMD liked its taste of power and wanted more, and the dark side was there to tempt it (don’t worry, I’m probably going to drop the Star Wars stuff now, as even I’m bored of it). The first sign of trouble was news that a long-running class action lawsuit against AMD for its claims about its Bulldozer CPUs had been settled – with AMD having to pay out $12.1 million. Back when AMD launch its FX Bulldozer processors, it claimed that it was the “first native eight-core desktop processor” in adverts – in a clear bid to win customers away from Intel. "In Star Wars terms, AMD now had midichlorians out of the wazoo." However, while AMD argued that having four Bulldozer modules which each feature two CPU cores was enough to term the FX Bulldozer as an eight-core processor, many customers felt deceived, as they were not “real” cores, as they shared resources including a single floating point unit (FPU). Being taken to court by customers who felt deceived by your marketing (and losing) is not a good look, and AMD was probably hoping this would all be forgotten about. Maybe we’d all move on, and AMD would quietly learn its lesson about over-promising in a bid to score a win over Intel. Only problem is… that didn’t happen. It's like poetry Instead, AMD has been getting in more hot water after it was discovered that its Ryzen 3000 CPUs don’t hit their advertised boost speeds. A well-known overclocker, Der8auer, surveyed just over 2,700 users and found that only 5.6% of Ryzen 9 3900X owners reported that their processor reached its rated boost clock. Der8auer found that only 14.7% of chips were hitting the advertised boost speed of 4.4GHz or more (only 1.8% of respondents actually bettered that speed with their processor). The vast majority – 85.3% – weren’t ever reaching the advertised boost speed at all, on any core. So, was AMD selling processors with a promise of speeds that its products were unable to achieve? Sadly, it looks like that might have been the case. Anger over this has been mounting, and Intel even took a swipe at AMD when it announced that its upcoming Core i9-9900KS processor will reach 5GHz across all cores. "I love the fact that AMD is bringing the heat to Intel – but I want it to do it without resorting to cheap tricks." There was even talk of another lawsuit being levelled at AMD over this, though there’s of course a risk of it just being a disappointing follow-up… oh right, I dropped the Star Wars schtick didn’t I? Anyway, AMD has promised that a fix is coming to boost speeds – with the company claiming a firmware issue is to blame for the chips not reaching advertised speeds. Now, I’m inclined to take AMD at its word on this, so maybe this wasn’t the sneaky move that some people have been accusing it of being. But, there’s still a lot of anger over how AMD kept quiet about all of this. I love the fact that AMD is bringing the heat to Intel – but I wish it could do it without resorting to cheap tricks. It’s better than that. Stick to the high ground, AMD. We all know how that turns out. These are all the best processors This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

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