Apple : Ashes 2019 live stream: how to watch the last England vs Australia cricket Test from anywhere |
- Ashes 2019 live stream: how to watch the last England vs Australia cricket Test from anywhere
- The best iPad 2019: the top-ranked Apple tablet you can buy today
- Pokémon Go updates: all the news and rumors for what's coming next
- Fortnite Battle Royale update news, patch notes and more
- Apple is comfortable not selling you a new iPhone every year
- Pokémon Sword and Shield release date, trailers, and brand new features
- Top Wi-Fi routers have major security flaws
- Why BT's brilliant broadband deals may still not be the best for you right now
- Do the new iPhone 11 cameras bring anything new to mobile photography?
- iPad Pro sale at Walmart: the 11-inch tablet gets a $125 price cut
- The best Samsung Galaxy Note 8 deals in September 2019
- Xbox Project Scarlett release date, specs and games confirmed for the Xbox Two
- The best Vodafone deals in September 2019
- Final Fantasy 7 Remake: trailers, release date, news and features
- Are Intel Apollo Lake processors already dying?
- Save up to 20% off Photoshop, InDesign and more in Adobe's flash sale – ends today
- Best beginner DSLR cameras 2019: 10 cheap DSLRs perfect for new users
- The iPhone 11 has kicked-off Round 2 of ‘affordable’ flagships
| Ashes 2019 live stream: how to watch the last England vs Australia cricket Test from anywhere Posted: 11 Sep 2019 12:11 PM PDT If you think the last Ashes Test match is going to be a pointless dead rubber, then think again - you better believe that England and Australia will still be desperate to win at the Oval. And you can watch all of the action from the last England vs Australia Test match of 2019 no matter where you are in the world with our 2019 Ashes live stream guide. Forget your World Cups and Twenty20s - winning the Ashes is the biggest feather in a cap for any cricketer from old rivals England and Australia. It's one of oldest sporting rivalries and the Ashes series still stands as the pinnacle of Test cricket. England will be smarting after the loss at Old Trafford, but Australia will be desperate not to lose at the Oval so that they can seal their first series win on English soil for almost 20 years. The home side have had some great individual performances in the series (see Stuart Broad and Rory Burns), and some unforgettable memories thanks to Ben Stokes. But their batsmen - including captain Joe Root - didn't play wel Australia went into the series with former captain Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft all reinstalled to the line-up after completing their bans for the infamous sandpaper ball-tampering scandal. And Steve Smith really has been the difference maker throughout. That said, plenty of praise should be heaped onto Pat Cummins' machine-like accuracy and Josh Hazelwood's nagging line. It's set to continue to be a fascinating end to the series - follow the instructions below to watch all of the action where we'll tell you how to grab an England vs Australia Ashes live stream from pretty much anywhere on Earth. The great news...it's absolutely free in Australia. Watch an Ashes live stream when away from your countryFor cricket fans in the UK, Australia, India or the US and looking to find out how to watch the Ashes, we've got all the details about the broadcasters with the rights to show the England vs Australia Test series in your region below. If you're away from home country and looking to see the action you'll likely to find you won't be able to thanks to geo-blocking. Thankfully there's a way to alleviate that frustration. By using a VPN you'll be able to watch the game without having to resort to watching via an illegal feed from a dodgy website you've discovered on Reddit. England vs Australia: how to watch the Ashes in the UKHow to live stream the Ashes 2019 in Australia for FREEHow to get an Ashes live stream in New ZealandHow to watch England vs Australia: live stream in IndiaHow to live stream England vs Australia in AmericaWhat is the Ashes?One of the longest-running rivalries in sport, the Ashes series is traditionally five Tests, hosted in turn by England and Australia at least once every two years. Why is the Ashes called the Ashes?The name of the Test series stems from when England lost to Australia for the first time on home soil at The Oval on August 29 1882. The Sporting Times carried a mock obituary of English cricket the following day which concluded that: "The body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia". When England next toured Australia a pair of bails were burned and the ashes put into the now famous urn. These days, the players of the side who wins the series are given a replica to celebrate with, with the original Ashes urn on display in the MCC museum at Lord's cricket ground in London. Who is favourite to win this year's Ashes?Having not lost a home Ashes series since 2001, England are the outright favourites for a series win with Betfair. Who are the current holders of the Ashes?The Aussies are the current holders of the Ashes, having won the last series in convincing style 4-0, back in 2017. Who has won the Ashes the most?Australia are currently ahead on 33 Ashes series wins to England’s 32 and five series drawn. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The best iPad 2019: the top-ranked Apple tablet you can buy today Posted: 11 Sep 2019 12:05 PM PDT If you're looking to buy a new iPad in 2019, you've got your work cut out for you: Apple has done its best to confuse its newest lineup of tablets, and there are plenty of older models with similar - if not identical - names. There's the iPad Pro range, high-end power tablets with all the power of a computer, smaller models like the iPad Air and iPad mini with different sizes and levels of power, and the main iPad line. These slates run on iOS 12, although they'll all soon see a boost when iPadOS lands in a few months, so if you have an iPhone you'll be familiar with the way they run, but since iOS works so well on tablets you'll find all the iPads easy to use however much experience you have with tech. So if you're an expert tablet fan looking for a new high-powered slate, or a new prospective tech owner looking for your first iPad, our list of the best iPads will help you find the best gadget for your budget and needs.
The iPad Pro 11 is the best iPad you can buy right now. It may be expensive, but the recent iPad Pros have Apple's most powerful tablet and furthers the 2-in-1 design ethos if you spring for the pricey new keyboard cover folio. It has a laptop-like experience in design and performance, and the new Apple Pencil magnetically clips onto the frame of the new iPad Pro. With superb speakers and a great new screen-to-body ratio, it's hard not to fall in love with the finely crafted hardware design. While the iOS 12 software feels limiting when trying to multitask and perform laptop-like tasks, with the arrival of iPadOS later this year hitting the slate, it'll be transformed. Another strictly mobile challenge: it doesn't have a headphone jack. If you want the standard 3.5mm jack in a computer-like device, you'll spring for an actual computer. Everything about the iPad Pro 11 makes it the best experience if you're looking for the best Apple tablet - you'll just need to swallow the high price - but it's no MacBook replacement. Read the full review: iPad Pro 11 review The iPad Pro 12.9 (2018) is a big monster – monster in the good kind of way, as it effortlessly crushes half the things you need in your life – goodbye mobile phone, laptop, coloring pad, music mixing table, games console. It's the ultimate creativity and workflow tool, with its huge screen, useful peripherals and snappy iOS. It has the fastest processing power we've ever seen in a mobile device, four powerful speakers and a vibrant screen and, depending on which model you get, more storage power than you'd ever need. It doesn't have the best battery life though, so it's not going to last you too long. You might not be able to use it for long periods of time watching films on a journey or mixing your music, and it charges rather slowly too. All in all, the iPad Pro 12.9 (2018) is one of the best iPads you can buy right now, but if you don't need its huge display, the slighter cheaper iPad Pro 11 will save you a few bucks and be more portable. Read the full review: iPad Pro 12.9 (2018) Image Credit: TechRadar This is the best Apple iPad for the average consumer and for education, even if it isn't the most powerful one on sale. It's still a great value. The new iPad (2019) replaces the very similar 2018 and 2017 models, slotting in below the Pro range with a dependable tablet that hasn't changed much in years - but Apple clearly feels it doesn't need to mess with success. The basic iPad works with the Apple Pencil, offering you the cheapest way to doodle on the 10.2-inch glass, though you can't get the Smart Keyboard with this non-Pro model. It also has the same luxurious metal unibody as the rest of Apple's iPad range, though notably it's ever-so-slightly thicker than the iPad Air 2 or iPad Pro at 7.5mm. With the Touch ID fingerprint sensor included, iOS 12 under the hood and up to 10 hours of battery life when web browsing or watching videos, it's a great media player and a strong tablet choice if you're not planning to use it heavily for productivity. Read the full review: iPad (2019) The iPad Air, with a 10.5-inch screen, is the ultimate compromise between the entry-level iPad 9.7 and the more powerful, but more expensive iPad Pro 11. It sits at the original iPad price in most countries, so it's cheaper than the iPad Pro 10.5 (2017) that it replaces, and although it isn't a 'Pro' tablet in name, it has several high-end features that make it a convincing laptop supplement. It's the cheapest iPad that's compatible with Apple's Smart Keyboard Cover, meaning you don't need to deal with tricky Bluetooth keyboard connections to get real work done on this thing. It also has Apple's A12 chipset, borrowed from the iPhone XS. It's incredibly fast. Students will be able to take notes and respond to email on this tablet, but artists will hate the first-generation Apple Pencil. Sometimes with a tablet you just want a slightly plus-sized phone, and the iPad Mini (2019) fits that bill. It's a dinky device with some impressive specs, boasting Apple's most recent processor and a decent battery life. What makes the iPad Mini (2019) great is the fact you can use the Apple Pencil alongside it, turning the iPad mini into a tiny notebook in your pocket. The iPad Mini (2019) is one of the best small tablets you can get at its price point, so if you're looking for an easily totable pocket powerhouse, you can't get much better than this little monster. We really like the iPad Pro 12.9 for its large size and it's the closest thing we have to a 2-in-1 touchscreen MacBook. It just happens to run iOS 12 instead of macOS. It's the best productivity and entertainment tablet around thanks to its 12.9-inch screen, four speakers and the iOS 12 dock and multitasking interface. Apple has redesigned its Control Center interface to make app switching even easier, and this tablet is compatible with the Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard. It's biggest weakness? The iPad Pro 12.9-inch price, and the size isn't a good fit for everyone. But If you can afford it and want the largest-sized iPad available, you're going to love this – it's a laptop-replacement for a lot people out there. Read the full review: iPad Pro 12.9 (2017) The iPad Pro 10.5-inch version is an all-star tablet which has been recently superseded by the iPad Pro 11. There's good news for the Pro 10.5 though, as it means it's now cheaper. Its bright ProMotion Retina HD screen is its best selling point. It adds an impressive layer of fluidity to daily use - if not strictly necessary - and the smaller bezels means you're getting far more display in a footprint not much bigger than 2016's 9.7. It's an iPad for the professionals - but also one that media munchers will adore using. It takes advantage of the Apple Pencil and several tablet-focused iOS 12 features like the dock, Control Center and Instant Markup with the stylus. If you invest in the recommended Smart Keyboard, you can attach it to a Pro-level iPad without jumping through all of the hoops of Bluetooth. Read the full review: iPad Pro 10.5 The iPad (2017) marked a name shift for Apple's tablets, as the Cupertino, California firm dropped 'Air' in favor for the cleaner moniker. The iPad from 2017 has since been replaced by the new iPad (2018), but it's still a solid buy if you're looking for a more affordable Apple slate. The only real problem is the new iPad (2018) isn't that much more, so unless you simply can't spend more than £300, the newer version is the better buy. Read the full review: iPad (2017) For the average user the iPad Pro 9.7 (2016) is still one of the best all-round options, so long as you can find it at a decent discount. The 9.7-inch screen strikes a great balance between being big enough to get far more out of than a phone screen and small enough to still be fairly portable. And although Apple has ditched the Air moniker, at 240 x 169.5 x 6.1mm and 437g the iPad Pro 9.7 is every bit as thin and light as the iPad Air 2. But it lives up to the Pro name, with plenty of power afforded by its A9X chipset and 2GB of RAM, four speakers for serious media potential, a beautiful True Tone screen, which adapts the color and intensity to your environment, and of course the ability to use the Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil with it, if you want to use the slate to actually get things done. The iPad Pro 9.7 (2016) also comes with up to 256GB of storage if you're prepared to pay, so you needn't feel limited by the lack of a microSD card slot, and it's likely to remain a powerful and versatile tablet for years to come, so while it's expensive you might not feel the need to upgrade for a long time. Read the full review: iPad Pro 9.7 (2016) Big screens aren't for everyone, and that's where the 7.9-inch iPad Mini 4 comes in. The screen size means it's far more portable than Apple's larger tablets, especially as it's light at 299g. It's not quite small enough that you can use it one handed, but you can comfortably hold it for a lot longer than most of Apple's slates, or throw it in a bag and forget about it. It's also big enough to enjoyably browse the net or watch videos on when you're away from home and bigger screens, but it's obviously not quite as strong an experience for most visual media as Apple's larger 9.7, 10.5 and 12.9-inch slates. The small size and lack of Smart Connector also makes it worse for productivity than the iPad Pro range, but this isn't designed as a laptop replacement. It's still fairly powerful thanks to 2GB of RAM and the aging but still impressive Apple A8 chip, while the screen is sharp, rich and easy to see even in bright sunlight. The iPad Mini 4 is also a fraction of the price of Apple's Pro range, and with 128GB of storage you needn't be terribly limited in that area – though it's no match for the 256GB you can get in the iPad Pro. Read the full review: iPad Mini 4
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| Pokémon Go updates: all the news and rumors for what's coming next Posted: 11 Sep 2019 11:33 AM PDT Pokémon Go: the world's first augmented reality app to become a household name. Niantic's mobile AR game is still going strong two years after it first released, with a constant drip of events and updates keeping budding trainers glued to their phones and pounding the streets. And while it hasn't managed to top the peak of its popularity in 2016, it's still going strong and finding plenty of new ways to improve its player experience. So what's the latest news for Pokémon Go? As you'd expect, brand new features are being added all the time and community events are still going strong. Plus we have another some Safari Zone events and some Gen 5 Pokémon to look forward to. But without further ado, here's our guide to all the latest Pokémon Go news and updates.
Pokémon Go news and Pokémon Go updates
Team Rocket Team Rocket has finally landed in Pokémon Go and grunts are appearing at Pokéstops to battle players. You'll know a grunt awaits because the Pokéstop will be darker and have an 'R' appear over it. If you win the battle then the Team Rocket member will leave behind their Shadow Pokémon which you can attempt to catch with Premier Balls. Niantic has recently expanded the kind of Shadow Pokémon that will appear in the game so in addition to those Gen 1 Pokémon that included Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Rattata and Zubat, you might also come across Poliwag, Grimer, Muk, Drowzee, Hypno, Cubone, Scyther, Magikarp, Houndour and Houndoom. You can choose to catch and keep Shadow Pokémon as they are, or you can purify them—for that you'll need the required candy and stardust. Flower Crown Eevee There's also a brand new Research Breakthrough rewards to enjoy. From September 1 until November 1, Eevee wearing flower crowns will appear in encounters for you to catch. Even more appealing, there's a chance some of those you encounter will be Shiny. Research Breakthroughs will be the only way you'll encounter these Pokémon so if you want to evolve every Eeveelution wearing a flower crown you'll have to get started now! When's the next Pokémon Go event?Legendary Raid Hours There are more Legendary Raid Hours in the month of September. For one hour between 6pm and 7pm local time each Wednesday evening (that's September 4, 11, 18 and 25) Raid battles with the current Legendary Pokémon will be more frequent. September 4 and 11 have now gone by but on September 18 look out for Mewtwo. September 25 is a yet-to-be-confirmed surprise. Safari Zone Pokémon Go Fest is now over but Safari Zones are coming soon to Taipei and Montreal. Those unable to attend the events in person will, of course, be able to enjoy some of the benefits that will be available globally. The first Safari Zone will take place in Montreal from September 20 to 22 at the Parc Jean-Drapeau. For this period, Pokémon known for their speed will appear more frequently in the safari zone and across Canada. For players further around the world, Yanma will appear more often. From October 3 to 6, another Safari Zone event will take place in the New Taipei Metropolitan Park. During this period, water, bug and grass type Pokémon will appear more frequently and the event is un-ticketed. When's the next Pokémon Go Community Day?
Now that Ralts has had its day, the next Pokémon Go Community Day has been confirmed to be taking place on September 15, between 11am and 2pm local time which is much earlier than the previous two months which have been between 4pm and 7pm. The featured Pokémon for the event will be the grass-type Pokémon Turtwig. Across the day Turtwig will spawn more often and there will be a possibility you could encounter it in its shiny form for the first time. The event-specific move for Turtwig hasn't been confirmed yet but this will be revealed closer to the time. During the event, there will be triple Stardust awarded for any Pokémon caught and any Lure Modules will last for three hours rather than thirty minutes. Pokémon Go update: what's next?Niantic hasn't revealed any more plans for what's coming next in Pokémon Go in terms of the big picture but there are always new creatures and new events happening in the game. Big reveals can happen at any time, though, and we'll report them right here if and when any announcement happens. Gen 5 Pokémon have been confirmed to be coming to the game on September 16. It's not clear exactly how many Pokémon from the Unova region will be coming to the game but the three Gen 5 starters, Snivy, Oshawott and Tepig and their evolutionary forms have been confirmed as well as Patrat, Lillipup and Klink in normal and shiny variants.
Pokémon Go Plus dealsWant to buy yourself a Pokémon Go Plus wearable? Check some of today's best deals down below. (Image credits: Niantic/Pokémon Company) This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Fortnite Battle Royale update news, patch notes and more Posted: 11 Sep 2019 11:22 AM PDT In such a short space of time, Fortnite Battle Royale has become certified gaming phenomenon. Pitting 100 players against each other on a single map, it melds fun, cartoonish gameplay with a fierce competitive streak, and has attracted millions of players across the globe across all ages and demographics. Season 10 is now officially live, and we've got details of all the latest updates. In Out of Time there are some map changes and a brand new time travel theme to contend with. To help you keep on top of what's new and what's coming up in Fortnite, we've put together this handy page which will be updated with all the latest announcements. So to get you ready for blast off, here's everything you need to know about Fortnite. What is Fortnite?There's been a lot of hype surrounding Fortnite since its release in July 2017. But what exactly is it? Fortnite is a battle royale game which sees you thrown onto an island with no weapons or armor and it's up to you to scavenge for supplies and fight for your life to be the last man or squad standing at the end of the game – with the added pressure of a shrinking map that closes in as the match progresses, forcing players into tighter skirmishes. The game is available for free on PC, Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android, with in-game purchases limited to purely cosmetic options. Fortnite update news and Fortnite patch notes
Image Credit: Epic Games Fortnite is now into season 10 and patch 10.30. New areas Sure, it has the worst name in the world but Moisty Palms is the new place you need to visit in Fortnite. This new area created by the Rift is, as its name suggests, swampy, making it a great place to lay low. When you're playing here and you crouch you'll be disguised as a random prop until they use the Primary Fire button. You can still take damage when you're a random prop, don't forget, but you'll be a less obvious target. In addition to this new area, there's an old one coming back. It's Greasy Grove. There are no burgers though; it's taco time. Like a 4am fever dream, every now and again delicious tacos will rain down from the sky and players will dance in celebration. Can you blame them? When dancing, players will be invulnerable to damage and their health will regenerate. Make sure to grab and eat some of the tacos before they disappear too as they will offer some health regeneration and an increase in speed for 20 seconds. Weapons There are no big new weapons this time around but the Tactical SMG has been unvaulted while the Burst SMG is going in for retirement. Limited Time Modes The latest Limited Time Mode is one of the top 3 contenders from the creator contest. Called Knock Town, it's a solo mode where you'll use the grappler to jump and dodge shots while firing your own with the flint-lock pistol. Respawn is one for this one so the winner is the player who has the most eliminations by the end. Read the patch notes for this update in full on the official Epic website to find out more about bug fixes and smaller changes.
Can I play Fortnite on mobile?Yes you can! Well, maybe. After months of waiting, Fortnite is finally on both iOS and Android, though you'll need a phone that can actually run the game. iOS users can download straight from the App Store. As long as you're using iOS 11 on iPhone 6S/SE, iPad Mini 4, iPad Air 2, iPad 2017, iPad Pro devices or later you'll be fine. Oh, and you'll need an internet connection, naturally. Fortnite also hit Android phones and finally came out of beta in October 2018. You can see the full list of phones – and how to find the Fortnite Installer – on our Fortnite on Android page. Is it the full game? It is the full Fortnite game. There are some small differences: it’s not quite as visually impressive as it is on more powerful devices, the controls are touchscreen, and a lot of audio cues have been made visual so you can play comfortably in public without the need for headphones. But you won’t be missing out on any key features. What's the deal with cross-play? A sweet deal is what it is. While previously Xbox One and PS4 owners couldn't play the game together, Sony's U-turn on the matter means that now everyone across Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android can all take part in the crossfire. So if you've got friends that prefer PC, others that prefer console and you're off on holiday with your mobile, that's no reason for the fun to stop. There's also cross-progression. So, if you're logged into your Fortnite account on mobile and you later log into your console to play there, everything you did on mobile later that day is carried over. Sounds great, how do I get it? We have a guide on how to get Fortnite on mobile on TechRadar and we're constantly updating it with the latest rollout news. If your device isn't there yet, keep checking back and one day it probably will be. What's a Fortnite Battle Pass?The Battle Pass is a purchasable item in Fortnite that gives you access to exclusive in-game rewards. As players complete daily challenges and level up their rank, they earn Battle Stars which can then be used to unlock Tiers in their Battle Pass. Each new Tier you unlock will bring both Free and Premium rewards. Season 10 has also seen the introduction of missions to the battle pass. These are thematic objectives that span the island and on completing them you'll unlock additional rewards. Everyone that has a Battle Pass will get the Free reward they unlock, but only Premium Pass holders will get the Premium reward. Battle Pass Premium can only be purchased with in-game V bucks and not with real money. You can purchase a Battle Pass for around £7/$10 in the Battle Pass tab of the game’s menu. Twitch Prime benefits Those who use Twitch Prime and play Fortnite will be glad to know that they have access to free loot right now. Those with a Prime account can claim the Fortnite Twitch Prime Pack and the Fortnite Twitch Prime Pack 2 which include a host of cosmetic items and are available across all platforms. The first pack includes two exclusive gliders and outfits: the Havoc Outfit and Back Bling, plus the Sub Commander Outfit and Slipstream Glider. The second pack contains three exclusive items for Fortnite’s Battle Royale mode including the camouflage-heavy Trailblazer Outfit, the True North Back Bling, and the Tenderizer Pickaxe. There’s also a brand new dance emote for those that like the dance floor as much as the battleground. The packs can only be claimed on a single platform, but they can be shared across PC/console and mobile as long as you use the same Epic account across these platforms. You can’t however, share your loot across PS4 and Xbox One even if you are using the same Epic account. (Image credits: Epic Games) This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Apple is comfortable not selling you a new iPhone every year Posted: 11 Sep 2019 11:11 AM PDT Apple updated its iPhone XR and iPhone XS lines yesterday to the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro models. Compared to last year's phones, there isn't really a whole lot on the hardware side to get consumers excited. But that’s fine and I’ll get to that. The two highlighting features from the iPhone Pro models are the new triple-lens camera system and the update to battery life. Apple claims that the iPhone 11 Pro lasts four hours longer than the model it replaces while the iPhone 11 Pro Max lasts five hours more than its predecessor. Coming to the camera system, Apple is playing catchup with Android phones with both software and hardware. Samsung and Huawei already sell phones with triple-cameras while Huawei and Google have pushed low-light and computational photography to new levels over the past couple of years. I'm definitely interested to see how the new iPhone cameras compare to its Android rivals. A new directionThese iterative upgrades give us an indication on the direction Apple is headed in. It's no secret that the mobile phone industry has matured and consumers are not replacing their phones as often as they did five years back. Apple gets that and is likely not interested in overhauling the iPhone every couple of years. But then, how does it continue to grow if it can’t sell you a new iPhone every year? It’s by shifting to a service model- something Apple has already acknowledged in investor calls. What started with iCloud and Apple Music is now continuing with Apple News Plus, Apple TV Plus and Apple Arcade. The pricing for Apple News Plus was already disclosed at $9.99 per month, but we were unaware of the pricing for Apple TV Plus and Apple Arcade until the iPhone 11 launch event, each of which is now set at $4.99 (AED 19.99) per month. To me, that was the biggest news from the launch event. Apple has definitely priced these services to sell and I think Apple TV Plus would have quite a few takers at that price. To make it even more lucrative, Apple is giving one year subscription of Apple TV Plus free with the purchase of any new iPhone, iPad, Mac or Apple TV. It's all about software and servicesSoftware and services are the most important areas in Apple's next era of growth and we will see it get more aggressive on these fronts. There’s no doubt that Apple will continue releasing new hardware but the primary aim for these devices will be to provide an unmatched experience for its software and services - quite the opposite for the company that made software so it could sell hardware. In fact, it might only be a matter of time before Apple starts selling products as a service. We’ve already gotten hints on an upcoming augmented reality device referenced as StarBoard in iOS 13 and the technology needed to power such devices will rapidly evolve year after year. It could make sense for Apple to test this AR kit as a service and move its entire customer base to a new platform with every iteration. This would eliminate platform fragmentation completely and provide every user of that product the best experience Apple can develop. That's quite a change from its current business model but Apple has shown us time and again that it is capable of reinventing itself. And this time around, they’ve even told us exactly how they’re going to do it: By innovation only. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Pokémon Sword and Shield release date, trailers, and brand new features Posted: 11 Sep 2019 11:05 AM PDT After releasing some of the best games in franchise history on the Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo and Game Freak are finally ready to bring the main Pokémon games to the Nintendo Switch – the first of which are called Pokémon Sword and Shield. The games will release globally on Nintendo Switch this November and will bring with them a brand-new region, features and Pokémon for trainers to swoon over. The official Pokémon YouTube channel has been dripping feeding us with snippets of gameplay and Pokémon designs too – though not everyone is happy with what's been shown so far (more on this below). The Sword and Shield games will be set in the Galar Region (basically, a Pokémon-ified version of the United Kingdom) and will include a number of creatures including three new starting Pokémon, Scorbunny, Sobble, and Grookey. We'll also see a new mechanic called Dynamaxing that will replace Z-Moves and Mega-Evolutions – and apparently even Poké Jobs that help your Pokémon gain experience. So how does Sword and Shield stack up to Pokémon Let's Go: Pikachu and Eevee on Switch? Those games acted as a sort of reboot of the original Red and Blue titles for the Nintendo Gameboy, and for many didn't count as a 'core' Pokémon experience. Players will be looking to Pokémon Sword and Shield to bring the true Pokémon experience to Nintendo Switch, and expectations are much, much higher. So what do we know, and what are we hoping to see when Pokémon Sword and Shield launch this year? Read on to find out. [Update: A new Nintendo Direct has brought some more Sword and Shield details and we've even had the chance to get hands on with the game! Read on to find out more.]
Cut to the chase
Image credit: Nintendo Pokémon Sword and Shield release dateDuring a special Pokémon Sword and Shield focused Nintendo Direct on June 5, Nintendo revealed that Pokémon Sword and Shield will release globally on November 15, 2019. In addition, Nintendo announced pre-orders for a double-pack edition of the games will be available soon. Pokémon Sword and Shield trailersWondering what towns in the Galar region might look like? A brand new trailer dropped during Gamescom will give you a better idea. Rolling verdant hills, quaint train stations and the ever-familiar comfort of the Pokémon Center. Check out the new footage below: Pokémon Sword and Shield will made battling bigger and better than ever, and we mean the former quite literally. In a trailer released in August 2019, some new battle mechanics are explored. Watch the trailer below to see new Hidden Abilities, moves, items and some more details about Dynamaxing. A new day, a new trailer. We were expecting possibly more of an in-depth Pokémon Direct, but this two-minute clip does give us a look at some new Pokémon designs – as well as some 'rivals' you'll be facing off against in the game. Check out the video below: Another recent Pokémon Sword and Shield trailer gave us a closer look at Dynamaxing, new Pokémon and the Galar Pokémon League. Check it out below: The best glimpse we've had of Pokémon Sword and Shield was during a special Nintendo Direct in June. The Nintendo Direct shed a lot of light on what new features we can expect alongside some new Pokémon pals. Check out the video below: The first Pokémon Sword and Shield trailer didn't give too much away, but you can see the first glimpse of the environments and art style. You also get a first look at three new starter Pokémon: the fire-rabbit Scorbunny, twig-monkey Grookey, and a sad-looking tadpole (sadpole?) called Sobble. Check the trailer out below: The last video, released right around the time of E3 2019, highlighted some of the geographical features of the Galar Region and introduced us to raid battles – a mechanic taken from the Pokémon Go mobile game. Pokémon Sword and Shield screenshotsPokémon Sword and Shield news and featuresAutosaves? Could we finally see autosaves make an appearance in a mainline Pokémon game with Sword and Shield? Perhaps. A while after that Nintendo Direct it's now come to the attention of some eagle-eyed fans (via Eurogamer) that during the trailer "Now Saving..." briefly appeared during gameplay. This could, of course, just be the aftermath of a manual save but it looks like it could easily be marking the introduction of an autosave that is instigated by reaching certain points or crossing certain thresholds in the game. We won't know for sure, however, until it's confirmed or denied by Nintendo. Nintendo Direct September 2019 Nintendo dropped a Direct in early September with some brand new details on Pokémon Sword and Shield. First up, as we already knew character customisation is making a return but it's going to be more wide-ranging than ever before. Now in addition to changing tops and bottoms, you can change hairstyles, apply make up and pull some stylish outerwear. Catching Pokémon in a leather jacket? You betcha. There's also Pokémon Camp which allows you to pitch up a tent during your journeys and play with your Pokémon. This will improve their performance in battle and you can even take your Pokémon to visit the camps of other players online. Camping also means cooking. Now you can lovingly create dishes of curry and rice for you and your Pokémon with more than 100 variations to enjoy. To keep track of your recipes you'll be using the Currydex (yes, seriously). Of course, there are also some new Pokémon. The Direct introduced us to flying-water-type Cramorant and ghost-type Polteagiest. Gamescom 2019 Gamescom 2019 is here and despite that fact that Nintendo dropped a new Pokémon trailer merely days before the event, more new footage has been shown. Aren't we spoiled. The new footage gives a good look at an as-yet-unnamed town in the Galar region. This footage reveals that in addition to the previously revealed flying taxi service in the game, players will also be able to travel by train. Hopefully the attempt to reflect the UK will only be surface level or we'll get nowhere by rail. Towns will also have, as expected, Pokémon Centers, grocery stores and clothing stores to have a look around and spend some money. New battle mechanics In a recent trailer, some brand new battle details have been confirmed. Corviknight is shown to have a Hidden Ability called Mirror Armor which will allow it to reflect any stat-lowering effects back at its opponents. Hidden Abilities, it’s been confirmed in a blog post, are slightly more special than standard abilities as they’ll only feature in Pokémon that have been caught in Max Raid Battles (so a Corviknight you catch from a normal encounter won't have the Mirror Armor ability). These Max Raid Battles, coincidentally, are the way to encounter another kind of special Pokémon: one that's capable of Gigantamaxing. If you’re really lucky you might go into a Max Raid Battle and come away with a Pokémon that can Gigantamax and has a Hidden Ability but that’ll be a very rare event and you’ll have to take part in a lot of Raids. New items will also be introduced to the game. One of these is Room Service, which will lower the speed of the Pokémon holding it during Trick Room. The other is Eject Pack which will switch the holding Pokémon out of battle if its stats are lowered, allowing you to replace it with another from your team. Battling online A few more details on the Online Battle Stadium have been confirmed. Players with a Nintendo Switch Online subscription will be able to connect over the internet and compete in single or double battles. These battles can be ranked or casual, with the former involving facing trainers of similar ranks to try and earn points to move up, while the latter is, well, just for fun. With things working through the Nintendo Switch Online service, that means Pokémon Global Link is not supported. Pokémon have jobs now An official listing on the Pokémon Sword and Shield's website shows a way of earning experience points by freelancing your Pokémon out to random employers. Exploitation, or a fun summer job? At the very least it's a great way of ensuring your boxed Pokémon aren't languishing while you take your main team on your adventure as can sometimes happen. It seems something of a shame that you can't go along with your Pokémon and take part in a mini game for some jobs but either way it's a great way to keep your Pokémon training and to bring in some special items as rewards. Region variants Regional variations of familiar Pokémon always make exploring new areas even more fun. The region variants for the Galarian region really play up that U.K inspiration. There’s Galarian Weezing which is clearly drawing heavily on the Industrial Revolution with its chimney pipe hat and Victorian factory-owner vibe. Meanwhile Zigzagoon and Linoon have taken on a more badger-like appearance. There’s also an entirely new Pokémon confirmed for the Galar region: Morpeko. This little hamster-like creature is adorable until It gets hungry. In perhaps the most relatable Pokémon behaviour ever, when Morpeko enters hangry mode, it goes from electric type to dark type and looks utterly merciless. The bad guys Pokémon grunt organisations are very rarely subtle and Team Yell are continuing that trend with their name, their fashion and their utter adoration of Marnie. Marnie is one of your main rivals in Sword and Shield and she’s hell bent on becoming a champion. Team Yell are her followers who will get in your way in order to help her get there. Bede is your other rival. He’s a little more mysterious than Marnie (and looks a little more like a grandmother too). While he’s also aiming to become champion, he’s got other motives you’ll be aiming to uncover. Brand new models The Pokémon Sword and Shield development team has been facing ire from fans following the news that every single Pokémon ever won’t be available to catch in the new games with the latest rumors suggesting that Game Freak has been utilising old 3DS creature models for the Switch game in order to cut costs. This theory has been shot down by an older Famitsu interview with Junichi Masuda and Shigeru Ohmori (via Polygon) in which it’s stated that the models for the new game have been created from scratch. It was also said that the more intensive graphics of the Switch has lengthened the time needed to render Pokémon so the limited Pokédex would have come at some point. Version-exclusive Gym Leaders Pokémon Sword and Shield will have version-exclusive Gym Leaders. In Pokémon Sword you will battle karate prodigy Bea, while in Pokémon Shield, you take on emo king Allister. Gigantamaxing Previously we had heard of the Dynamax feature that allows Pokémon to become super-sized during battles, however Nintendo has now revealed the "phenomenon" of Gigantamaxing. While Dynamaxing can only occur in specific areas of the Galar region, and is a common occurrence for Pokémon from the region, Gigantaxmaxing is only specific to certain species of Pokémon and kicks things up a notch by not only increasing a Pokémon's size but also its appearance. In addition, Gigantamaxing boosts the power of the Pokémon and allows it to use a unique move known as a G-Max Move - each G-Max Move is particular to a specific species of Gigantamax Pokémon. More new Pokémon In a recent trailer Nintendo introduced us to some more new Pokémon we'll be encountering in Galar, including the walking ice-cream sundae Alcremie, adorable puppy Yamper, coal chunk Rolycoly and steel dragon Duraludon. Image credit: Nintendo Doubling Down Pokémon producer Junichi Masuda has reiterated the news that not all Pokémon would be available to catch in Sword and Shield in a statement to fans on the official Pokémon site. In the statement, Masuda thanked fans for their love of the Pokémon series but reaffirmed the decision to limit Pokémon in the game to those within the Galar region. He did, however, add that "even if a specific Pokémon is not available in Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield, that does not mean it will not appear in future games." Fan backlash against the news has been severe but it seems that Game Freak is sticking to its guns. Masuda added in his statement that the Galar region will see “the world of Pokémon continues to evolve. The Galar region offers new Pokémon to encounter, Trainers to battle, and adventures to embark on. We are pouring our hearts into these games, and we hope you will look forward to joining us on this new journey.“ Can't catch 'em all It's been confirmed that Pokémon Sword and Shield will not feature every Pokémon from the franchise so far, making them the first mainline games to do so. Given there are now more than 800 species of Pokémon this is, perhaps, not all that surprising. The reason, according to Game Freak producer Junichi Masuda (via Famitsu), is that on reaching generation eight there will be more than a thousand Pokémon in the Pokédex. Such a large number means "it has become extremely difficult to make Pokémon with a new personality play an active part and to balance their compatibility" as well as to make sure they'll all be balanced in battle. Not only that, it would be too difficult to have so many in-game models with a high enough graphical quality. Though the choice saddens Masuda, he says that it's a decision he "had to make some day" and that he's opting to "choose the quality". Poké Ball Plus Pokémon Ball Plus We didn't hear much about Pokémon Sword and Shield during Nintendo Direct at E3 2019, but it was teased that the Pokémon Ball Plus can be used to take your in-game Pokémon for "a stroll". However, the ball cannot be used as a controller. In addition, it was teased that "good things" will happen if you build up a strong connection to one Pokémon in particular. Release date revealed Nintendo held a special Pokémon Sword and Shield focused Nintendo Direct on June 5 that revealed both games will release globally on November 15, 2019. Max Raid Battles Much like Pokémon Go, Sword and Shield has a feature which allows trainers to team up with up to three others online to take on more powerful Pokémon. Legendaries Pokémon Sword and Shield's wolf-like Legendary Pokémon are Zacian (sword) and Zamazenta (shield). Dynamax Mode This new mode allows trainers to make their Pokémon giant and super-powered. This mode can only be activated once during a battle and lasts three turns before a Pokémon reverts to normal size. Image credit: Nintendo More new Pokémon Alongside the starter Pokémon, Nintendo has also revealed a few more new Pokémon joining Sword and Shield: Wooloo (sheep Pokémon), Gossifleur (a fancy lady Pokémon that evolves into Eldegoss), Drednaw (who resembles a snapping turtle) and Corviknight (a raven and glorified taxi service for the Galar region). Wild Area Galar features a Wild Area where trainers can explore, battle and capture Pokémon. Which Pokémon appear depends on the environment and weather. Stadiums Trainers will battle Pokémon leaders in Stadiums rather than the usual gyms. These stadiums are huge and packed with a cheering audience. New characters Nintendo revealed your new rival is Hop, whose older brother is the Pokémon champion of Galar. Meanwhile Professor Magnolia and her assistant Sonia will act as your guides. Image credit: Nintendo Trainer outfit customization will be a feature While it's not a brand new feature, trainer outfit customization has been popular with Pokémon players since it was introduced in X and Y. And it's a feature which a recent Uniqlo competition has confirmed will be in Pokémon Sword and Shield. In a collaboration with The Pokémon Company, the clothing brand asked fans to design a top which would then be sold in stores. Now that the winning entry has been chosen (a design featuring Magikarp and Gyrados) it's been revealed that the top will also be wearable in Pokémon Sword and Shield as a trainer outfit. Just how many more outfit options there'll be in the games isn't known yet, but we're hoping to catch a glimpse of some more if Nintendo shows us some new Sword and Shield footage during its E3 conference this year. Made for handheld While the Pokémon Let's Go games were developed with TV mode in mind, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa has stated that Pokémon Sword and Shield will "emphasize the fun of playing Nintendo Switch in handheld mode." Furukawa made the comments during Nintendo's March 2019 Financial Results Briefing (via Nintendo Life). Image credit: Nintendo A whole new world We know the game is set in a brand new region of Galar, rather than a rehash of Kanto or a previously visited territory. Galar seems to be loosely inspired by England's cities and countryside, with rolling hills and brickwork cities to explore. The trailer also showed glimpses of jewel-encrusted mines and what might even be a football stadium (see the kit below), though we're waiting to see whether competing in a Pokémon-themed Football World Cup will be possible for players. Brand new Pokémon Yup, this is a new generation of Pokémon, meaning you'll be seeing a lot of new faces – as well as a lot of old ones. The trailer gave us a mix of familiar Pokémon like Pikachu and Hoothoot along the new starters, and we're hoping Game Freak manage to keep the new designs interesting (no ice cream or candelabra Pokémon, please.) Modern to the core Sword and Shield look to retain the look and 3D animation style of the Pokeémon Let's Go games that launched on Nintendo Switch last year. Pokémon games haven't been flat 2D games in years, and has increasingly been moving towards full-size avatars and 3D environments. Some may miss the old-school pixel charm of the earlier games – and find the 3D creature models a bit bland – but for better or worse this is what we're getting. Pokémon Stars what? What still confuses us is that we've been waiting for the long-rumored Pokémon Stars game for over two years now, Eurogamer. published a report in late 2016 that said multiple sources had confirmed a new version of Pokémon Sun and Moon was being developed for the Switch under the code named Pokémon Stars. While it never materialized, 'Stars' could well have been a code-name for what eventually became the Let's Go games, or could still prove a Switch port for the Sun and Moon games.
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| Top Wi-Fi routers have major security flaws Posted: 11 Sep 2019 10:30 AM PDT A security researcher from Trustwave has discovered vulnerabilities in several D-Link and Comba routers which could make it easy for cybercriminals to see usernames and passwords stored on the devices. Trustwave SpiderLabs' Simon Kenin found a total of five security flaws, two in D-Link routers and three in multiple Comba Telecom routers, that have the potential to affect every user and system connected to the network. Kenin explained why these vulnerabilities are so serious in a blog post detailing his findings, saying: “An attacker-controlled router can manipulate how your users resolve DNS hostnames to direct your users to malicious websites. An attacker-controlled router can deny access in and out of the network perhaps blocking your users from accessing important resources or blocking customers from accessing your website.”
The first D-Link vulnerability affects the D-Link DSL-2875AL dual band modem. This router contains a password disclosure vulnerability that allows anyone with access to the web-based management IP address to access passwords stored there in clear text without authentication. The second vulnerability also affects this model, as well as DSL-2877AL, and it could allow an attacker to access the ISP account or the router itself if admins reused the same credentials. Comba Telecom vulnerabilitiesThree vulnerabilities were found in the Comba AC2400 Wi-Fi Access Controller and the Comba AP2600-I WiFi Access Point. An easily reversed MD5 hash of the device password of the first router was found stored in a configuration file while the second router contained two vulnerabilities: a double MD5 hased version of the username and password for the device was discovered in the source code of the login page and a database was found to be used to store the username and password in plain text. Trustwave reached out to both D-Link and Comba about the vulnerabilities it discovered though both companies seemed reluctant to patch the issues. D-Link was given an extension to Trustwave's 90-day disclosure window after the company said it needed more time to address the vulnerabilities though it eventually ended communication with the firm. Luckily, D-Link did end up releasing updated firmware for both devices (DSL-2875AL, DSL-2877AL) to patch the vulnerabilities. Comba on the other hand, was unresponsive after Trustwave reached out multiple times and the company has yet to address the vulnerabilities in its devices.
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| Why BT's brilliant broadband deals may still not be the best for you right now Posted: 11 Sep 2019 09:55 AM PDT Ever since it recently cut the prices of a number of its broadband deals, BT has undoubtedly reinforced its position as one of the best ISPs to go for at the moment. But that's not to say BT is unopposed. In fact, it's currently and excellent time to get your internet with a deluge of other providers coming to the bargain broadband party. Whether you're interested in BT and its cut price bills, Vodafone or TalkTalk offering some stellar offers on their faster speeds or Onestream and its dirt cheap bills. There's even some top broadband and TV deals for all you TV lovers, trying to catch the latest shows. Of course, its great that there are so many different offers to capitalise on - but how do you know which is right for you? Well, we've picked out the best options around right now and listed them for you below, including all of their USPs and pricing.
1. The best broadband deal from BT2. Superfast fibre broadband deals at a bargain price tag3. Onestream is the UK's cheapest ADSL broadband4. Binge watch with Now's broadband and TV deals5. Blistering broadband speeds from VirginIf none of these broadband deals took your fancy then don't worry, there is still a load of other options to choose from. You can see all of the top offers over on our broadband deals page or check the comparison chart below for the best fibre offers. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Do the new iPhone 11 cameras bring anything new to mobile photography? Posted: 11 Sep 2019 09:18 AM PDT It seems that no matter how capable the competition is, everyone is still curious as to what Apple is doing with its latest phones – this year it's the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max. And that applies to the cameras as much as anything else. The likes of Huawei, Google, OnePlus and Oppo may have gone to great lengths to push out new combinations of sensor, lens and processing wizardry in their most recent models, and while not all examples have shone as much as they could have, this fierce competition has done much to ramp up the standard that's now expected.
The Huawei P30 Pro is one model that has made wide-angle shooting a focus, with one of its lenses being a 16mm wide-angle Lenses now reach further into the distance than before, while stabilization is more stable, even at these extended zoom settings, and focus even faster. The promise of AI- and machine-learning-based technologies promise to tweak performance for even greater gain. No light? No problem – today's top camera phones mop up what's there, work their magic to compensate for what isn't there, and spit out something beyond the level we have any right to expect from a device whose primary purpose isn't to take photos. So, with plenty going in other corners, do photographers have anything to get excited about with Apple's latest handsets? New camera systemThe standard of smartphone cameras may already be pretty damn good, but the likes of slightly better autofocus, more accurate color, or improved low-light performance don't quite shift units like entirely new features do – features like a whole new lens. Last year's iPhone XS had a dual-camera setup, one bearing a standard lens and one a telephoto, but we've become used to seeing triple- and quad-camera setups elsewhere, with depth-sensing time-of-flight sensors on hand for even better performance. While the iPhone 11 – this year's 'entry-level' iPhone – also rocks two cameras on its rear, the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max both sport three, each backed by a 12MP sensor. But it's the fact that all three models have a wide-angle 13mm f/2.4 lens that's the most exciting thing. Not everyone wants to splash out $999 / £1,049 / AU$1,749 or $1,099 / £1,149 / AU$1,899 respectively for the base iPhone 11 Pro or Pro Max models, so it's great to see this lens on the $699 / £729 / AU$1,199 iPhone 11 too. Much like zooming further into the distance and still managing to end up with a sharp and detailed result – there's a reason compact cameras with huge zoom lenses are still around while other have vanished – being able to capture images with a wider field of view than you previously could is a genuinely useful for everyday imaging. With the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S10 and Huawei P30 Pro standing out for their ultra-wide lenses, Apple had to match or better them here. So has it? Well, the 13mm focal length is wider than the P30 Pro's 16mm, and that 3mm can be significant at the wider end of things, much more so than at telephoto distances. The 120-degree field of view of Apple's 13mm lens is more or less the same as the 123-degree angle of view claimed by Samsung for the 12mm lens on its own S10 models, so it's certainly no deal-breaker. iPhone 11 Pro Still, it's a welcome addition for those traveling, or who frequently shoot group portraits. It's also eminently useful for indoor shots, although the f/2.4 aperture is 'slower' than the f/1.8 aperture on the 26mm main lens, which means you need a faster shutter speed to get shake-free shots – so more focus will be placed on the OIS system and Night mode, and perhaps the AI, to keep images looking crisp. So what else is new? Well, you could have put your money on a new filter, and we have it in the shape of the High Key Mono option. It looks impressive, but you'll probably forget it's there. The Night mode now springs to life when it reckons its magic is necessary, which is handy, although quite how it differs in performance from before is something we're yet to discover. Similarly, the benefits of better subject detection through semantic rendering, together with the advantages of the extended dynamic range and next-generation Smart HDR will only be discovered in use. And the forthcoming Deep Fusion mode, which assembles a number of images into one for better details and low noise, may well do a grand job when your subject is relatively static and well lit – but how about when it isn't? Or when it's moving? Quite what Apple means when it says the iPhone 11 Pro delivers the "highest-quality video ever in a smartphone" is also something that may well be true, but just how Apple has determined this, and whether it's significantly better than whoever it deems to be the runner-up in this particular race, also remains to be seen. But on the more tangible usability side of things – and particularly when you factor in the forthcoming Filmic app – it certainly seems Apple is keen to make the videographer's life a lot easier. Do rivals still have the upper hand?Ignoring the lack of 5G and other non-imaging aspects, the new iPhone don't trounce their rivals in every way on paper. The zoom range on the Pro and Pro Max, which have an additional 52mm telephoto lens, is essentially only a 4x optical zoom, for example, even if it does have an arguably more useful wide-angle start. True, rivals that claim to reach to a 10x zoom might not do so optically, but if the quality is good enough, that's less of a concern to the everyday photographer. Quite how Apple's claims of 100% focus pixels translates to fast focus is something we'll only know once we get to test the cameras fully. But focusing has been in Sony's crosshairs in recent times, and the company has bought its Eye AF technology to its Xperia 1 and more recent Xperia 5 cameras, with deep-learning-based face detection and Eye Stabilizer technology. Sony's autofocusing systems have impressed us on its Cyber-shot and Alpha cameras, so the decision to imbue its Xperia line of smartphones with similar tech may see the company gain more traction here. Overall, it's great to see Apple focusing on new hardware that should make it easy enough to capture images quite different from what was possible with previous iPhones, while the tweaks to usability to make those captures easier is also very welcome. And, for most people, this is perhaps the perfect partnership: more obvious advantages from things like the new lens combined with a more effortless route to the results they want. Unlike with the video side of things, where it seems Apple is keen to provide users with more manual control, it seems like the brand is trying to make things easier for stills photographers. Maybe photographers already have all the manual control they need in a high-end iPhone; or maybe there's only so much that makes sense or is practical to include. The iPhone 11 range may not have a single photographic USP that elevates the cameras above what we've already seen elsewhere, but when everything-else-iPhone is thrown into the mix, it may well be that the average photographer is satisfied enough to forget about any headline features that Apple's rivals might be shouting about. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| iPad Pro sale at Walmart: the 11-inch tablet gets a $125 price cut Posted: 11 Sep 2019 09:09 AM PDT The Apple Event took place yesterday, and with that came the announcement of the new Apple iPad, which means it's a fantastic time to find discounts on older models. Right now, Walmart has the 11-inch iPad Pro on sale for $674. That's a $125 discount and the best price we've found for the powerful tablet. Walmart also has the older 10.5-inch iPad Pro on sale for just $599. Apple iPad Pro deals:Interested in other iPad models? We've listed even more of the cheapest iPad deals that are currently available. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The best Samsung Galaxy Note 8 deals in September 2019 Posted: 11 Sep 2019 09:02 AM PDT In theory, Samsung Galaxy Note 8 deals should now be old news - right? Well we would disagree, the phone might have now been replaced by a few newer Samsung models but it still stands as one of their best releases yet, now at a super affordable price. The Samsung Galaxy Note 9, Note 10 and the Galaxy S10 have come out since, full of high-end specs but, they both carry massive price tags. Samsung Galaxy Note 8 deals are definitely still well worth a look. And it's still getting cheaper! The Note 8 is not by any means a budget device, however. It's a absolutely massive smartphone, not just in size but also in raw power. It's got the screen size and specification smarts to be a competitor to the highly praised iPhone X or iPhone's new massive iPhone XS Max and neither of those come cheap. But there are now some excellent Samsung Galaxy Note 8 deals floating around. Check out our comparison chart and handpicked favourite Galaxy Note 8 deals below. Now we know some of you may have fiery memories of the Galaxy Note 7 in your head when looking at this device but leave those worries behind. Both the Note 8 and 9 have massively improved their batteries and you won't be facing overheating problems anymore. Samsung Galaxy Note 8 deals truly are miles ahead of the 7 in every way.
Should I get the Galaxy Note 8 SIM free?Are you determined to get the very best price? Always looking to see how you can trim a few pounds off your new favourite gadget? As you probably know, you can now pick up cheap SIM only deals for as little as £4 a month, which could make it worth buying a SIM and handset separately. The Galaxy Note 8's RRP has dropped massively recently to £649. That is much cheaper than it used to be but you will still be putting up a big chunk of money upfront. Even if you get the cheapest SIM card (usually around £4 a month for 500MB data), that would still cost near to £800 over the two years. You're probably better cranking up the upfront cost in our price comparison chart above, imposing a low maximum for monthlies and finding a cheaper deal in the long run. To get the best price on your new SIM free Galaxy, you can head to our cheapest unlocked Note 8 deals page. Wondering what all the fuss is about? Well the fervour for the Note 8 is probably doubled due to the fact that the Note 7 was pulled from shelves soon after release. But it doesn't take more than one look at the Note 8 to see that it justifies the hype. The huge 6.3-inch ‘Infinity Display,’ is gorgeous to look at, the 6GB RAM innards go like a train and there are two best-in-class rear cameras. It's expensive, but we think the Note 8 is worth it. Read TechRadar's full Samsung Galaxy Note 8 review This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Xbox Project Scarlett release date, specs and games confirmed for the Xbox Two Posted: 11 Sep 2019 09:02 AM PDT After years of speculation, Microsoft finally announced the Xbox Project Scarlett during its big E3 2019 keynote conference in June of this year. The next-gen Xbox promises to deliver native 4K games at 60 frames-per-second, a large solid state drive to ensure almost no load times and ray tracing on consoles. We only have a few details on Microsoft's next-generation hardware so far– even the moniker 'Project Scarlett' is a codename for now - but we do know it's coming, when it's coming, and a handful of the features and specs we can expect when it lands. Faster and more graphically advanced than its predecessors, Xbox Project Scarlett promises to be the most powerful games console (or consoles) in the world by the time it launches late in 2020 – even more so than the PS5, which is due to hit shelves around the same time. If that tag line sounds familiar it's because Microsoft said the same thing about the Xbox One X a little over two years ago, and is now doubling down with its next-gen console. That said, Microsoft is claiming that Xbox Scarlett is up to four times as powerful as the Xbox One X and offer a number of performance upgrades. What does all this mean for lapsed Xbox One owners and former fanboys who went to Sony's console - well, it means that Microsoft is taking its next console seriously: “For us, the console is vital and central to our experience. A console should be designed, and built and optimized for one thing, and one thing only – gaming,” said Xbox boss Phil Spencer. “This decisive moment of discovery is etched in your gaming history. We on Team Xbox will always be dedicated to delivering the best new games for you to discover. This right now is the single most creative and energizing time in gaming history. Games and gamers can be a significant unifying force for the world.” For PC gamers eyeing up next-gen consoles, Xbox Project Scarlett is looking to be an incredibly powerful home gaming machine, with custom built components from AMD, and an SSD drive at its heart allowing for innovative game development techniques. It's unlikely to rival some of the top-end PCs when it launches next year (the PS5 certainly won't) but it should offer a good price-to-performance ratio. We likely won't hear more about it until XO19, but until then here's everything we know so far about Xbox Project Scarlett - the affectionately dubbed 'Xbox Two'. Xbox Project Scarlett: key facts
Xbox Project Scarlett internal hardware. (Image credit: Microsoft) Xbox Project Scarlett release dateExpect to see the Xbox Project Scarlett console launch in the 'holiday' window of 2020. That's between October and December of 2020, and just in time for Christmas. It's exactly the same sort of launch period we're expecting Sony to have for its PS5, too. Santa's going to be a busy guy next year. Keep in mind that all the rumors pointed to there being two new Xbox consoles on the way, codenamed Anaconda and Lockhart, the former being high end (likely what we've seen here) and the latter being a cheaper, streaming-focused solution. Time will tell if that's still Microsoft's plan, but one thing's for certain – it's throwing down the gauntlet for Sony's PlayStation 5 to take on. Xbox Project Scarlett specsWith only a sizzle reel to go by, we don't yet know what the Xbox Project Scarlett will look like, let alone what it'll be named. But we do have a good idea of its internal hardware, and the Xbox Project Scarlett specs are already sounding quite special. Using custom-designed processor from AMD making use of Zen 2 and Navi architecture, Xbox Project Scarlett will be 4x more powerful than the Xbox One X. It'll be possible of running games at 120Hz frame rates, at potential 8K resolutions, while also showcasing fancy real-time ray-tracing tech. It's the works. An SSD will come as standard, as with the PS5, which will give it the option of using its storage system as virtual RAM, as well as lifting load time performance by a factor of 40x. That'll let developers stream in far more detailed worlds around a player. In terms of 'standard' RAM, the console will pack in a meaty GDDR6. Xbox Project Scarlett components. (Image credit: Microsoft) Though gamers are increasingly shifting their purchase preferences towards the convenience of digital downloads, Xbox Project Scarlett will also have a physical disk drive. It's also likely that the new Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 that is available for pre-order right now and launching November 4 of this year will be the controller for this upcoming console. That could just be wishful thinking, but with the hyperbolic language surrounding this announcement, we would expect nothing less. Indeed, Microsoft has confirmed that all your current Xbox One accessories will work with Xbox Project Scarlett, including existing controllers and headsets. But we'd doubt that also includes the ill-fated Kinect motion tracker. In addition, benchmark results have appeared online for an AMD ‘Flute’ system-on-a-chip (SoC), leading some to speculate that this could be the hardware that will power Xbox Project Scarlett. The benchmark results were spotted by a a Twitter user, and while we’re not sure what the purpose of the chip is, we know that Microsoft is working with AMD to produce a custom SoC that combines a processor and graphics card for the next Xbox – in the same way Sony is working with AMD on its custom Gonzalo SoC for the PlayStation 5. If these benchmark results are real, and the AMD Flute SoC is indeed going to power the Xbox Scarlett console, then it gives us an idea of the console's specifications and potential power level – something Microsoft has been rather cagey about so far. According to the benchmark results, the AMD Flute SoC will come with eight Zen 2 cores, 16 threads and SMT capability. Interestingly, the base clock speed of the Flute SoC is just 1.6GHz, which is pretty low these days, with a maximum boost of 3.2GHz. This suggests that the Flute SoC will be a low-power part for use in compact systems – such as a games console, and is similar to AMD’s Jaguar SoC which powered the Xbox One. While on paper the Flute SoC’s processor doesn’t sound too impressive – especially when compared to modern desktop PCs’ CPUs – it looks like the Flute CPU will be at least two times faster than previous-generation Jaguar SoCs, and will be a big upgrade over the dated 28nm Jaguar SoCs found in the original Xbox One and PS4. The Flute SoC is also expected to be 7nm, which will also bring power benefits. As a system-on-a-chip, the AMD Flute looks like it comes with a graphics processing unit (GPU) as well, though clues about the graphics capabilities are harder to find. Apparently, it will be based on ‘NAVI 10LITE’ – which has been mentioned before when unreleased AMD Navi GPUs showed up in a Linux driver. It’s possible that this is a ‘Lite’ version of the Navi 10 GPU, which will have reduced or limited specs compared to the full version, including lower CU (compute unit) counts. Having a lower CU count means the GPU will be less power-hungry, again suggesting that the AMD Flute SoC, if it does exist, is designed for a device where power efficiency is important – such as a games console. Finally, the benchmark results also suggest the engineering sample uses 16GB of memory – though the type of memory is not mentioned. It could mean that the Flute SoC shares 16GB of GDDR6 memory between the CPU and GPU, in a similar way to how the Xbox One X shares GDDR5 memory. So, does this mean we have a better idea of what the Xbox Scarlett’s specs will be? Well, there’s some compelling evidence, but remember that this is from a leaked benchmark, and we’re not sure if the AMD Flute SoC is going to be used in Xbox Scarlett – if the SoC even exits. It’s also worth noting that this AMD Flute is apparently an engineering sample, which means this may not be its final specifications – and that could change if (and it’s a very big if) it ends up in the Xbox Scarlett when the console launches late 2020. "I think the area that we really want to focus on next generation is frame rate and playability of the games," Spencer explained in an interview with Gamespot. "Ensuring that the games load incredibly fast, ensuring that the game is running at the highest frame rate possible." In addition Spencer went on to explain that Microsoft is aiming to get Project Scarlett games to run at 60 FPS in 4K, calling the challenge a "design goal". "This generation, we've really focused on 4K visuals and how we bring both movies through 4K Blu-ray and video streaming," Spencer explained. "And with Xbox One X allowing games to run at 4K visuals will make really strong visual enhancements next generation." Halo Infinite will be a Project Scarlett exclusive. Xbox Project Scarlett priceMicrosoft won't be pinned down on a price point quite yet – unsurprisingly, given what a sore spot the price of the Xbox One was for fans. At launch the original Xbox One cost a whopping $499 / £429 / AU$599, which was quickly reduced when Microsoft realised people weren't forking out. Price will inevitably be determined by the cost of the components going into the console: Xbox Scarlett is going to be a lot more powerful than either the Xbox One S or Xbox One X, and that could mean we're looking at an even higher price tag. The move towards streaming, however, may lead to smaller hard drives – or maybe even the option to buy without a hard drive at all – which would certainly cut down costs. Jason Ronald, director of the Xbox platform, gave only a vague reassurance when speaking to Windows Central, saying that Microsoft knew "what reasonable price points are for a console and kind of what customers expect about that".
Xbox Project Scarlett gamesHalo Infinite will has been confirmed to be an Xbox Project Scarlett launch title, bringing back the Master Chief for the franchises' first outing since 2015. It will have been five years at that point since a new mainline Halo game, so fans will be chomping at the bit for fresh Halo action. The Halo franchise is widely regarded as the original Xbox’s first must-play games, so the move to launch a next-gen with a Halo game is both symbolic and quite business-savvy on Microsoft’s part. To coincide with the announcement, Microsoft and the game's developer 343 Industries unveiled a new Halo Infinite trailer, available below: If Halo is not your thing you wont be wanting for games to play at launch though – especially if you're an existing Xbox player. Xbox Project Scarlett will be capable of three generations of backwards compatibility. So, as well as Scarlett-era games, it'll also play games from the Xbox One, the Xbox 360, and the very first generation of the Xbox.
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| The best Vodafone deals in September 2019 Posted: 11 Sep 2019 08:26 AM PDT Vodafone is one of the biggest networks in the world and by far one of the most powerful brands in the UK. Not surprising when they so frequently offer excellent tariffs on flagship handsets like the iPhone XR, Galaxy S9 and the market's other favourite phones. Vodafone seems to go through fits and spurts when it comes to how competitively it's priced. It can go from the cheapest on the market, to pretty poor on our mobile phone deals comparison charts. And for those who are considering the brand new iPhone 11 on Vodafone, there's an interesting proposition for you. Go on over to Vodafone's site and pre-register your interest in the phone and you enter into a competition to win the phone for free. We've seen prices across devices rise on Vodafone lately, especially the bigger devices like the iPhone XR and Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus. However, there are still tonnes of great deals floating around, it just takes more searching and luckily we've done that part for you. If Vodafone appeals to you though - or if you want to bag a Red Entertainment package that gives you a year's subscription to Spotify Premium, NOW TV Entertainment or the Sky Sports app - then that's where this page comes in! We've rounded up all of the best Vodafone phone deals so that you don't have to, just take a look at TechRadar's bespoke comparison chart below. The latest and greatest from Huawei, the P30 Pro is now easily our choice for best smartphone camera on the market. Combine top of the line camera quality with an impressive battery life and beautiful screen and you get easily one of the best phones on the market.
Samsung's newest release, this phone is rocking a completely flat, notch-less screen with a pin hole camera, giving it a unique style. Whether it's the triple cameras on the back, fast processor or reverse charging, there is a lot to love here.
Samsung's brand new budget flagship, the S10e features high-end specs for an affordable price. If you want the best Samsung has but don't want to have to pay through the roof to get it, this is the way to go. With all of the same features as the S10 with a few cutbacks, this is a high-end phone with mid-range pricing.
The iPhone XR hits a sweet spot between high tech and reasonable pricing. It looks a lot like its more powerful brethren - both in appearance and on the spec sheet - and boasts a glorious 6.1-inch Liquid Retina display and A12 Bionic chipset without a £1,000 price tag.
OK, so the Samsung Galaxy S9 doesn't make massive strides on the S8, but that doesn't mean it's not still one of the premier Android phones on the market. The cameras in particular are awe inspiring and tangible improvements have been made to the biometrics and position of the fingerprint scanner.
Oh gosh, Apple went and did it. After years upon years of incremental upgrades, it finally made something special to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the iPhone. For the iPhone X it has dropped the bezel altogether, while the 5.8-inch Super Retina HD is scarily good - and then it tweaked things a year later for the XS. Marvellous!
Samsung has now well and truly put the flaming memory of the Note 7 behind it. If the Note 8 was exceptional (6.3-inch infinity display and 6GB RAM), then the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is even bigger and better (6.4-inch infinity display and 8GB RAM). If you want the best big screen Android phones on the market, then look no further.
Thanks to the spectacle that was the iPhone X launch, the reception for the iPhone 8 was a little bit flat. Perhaps unfairly - it improves on the iPhone 7 with wireless charging and an improved camera. Plus, it's quite a bit cheaper. So if you're looking for the best iPhone but balk at the iPhone X expense, try the 8 on for size instead.
The Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL are relatively new devices on the flagship scene but they have very quickly become two of our favourites. Powerful processors, loud speakers, but most importantly they have what is arguably the best cameras you can get on a phone right now.
What are the benefits of Vodafone?With 4G coverage of roughly 95% of the UK population, Vodafone won't let you down when it comes to connection. Sign up for a Vodafone red entertainment plan and you can get access to the likes of Now TV, MTV and Sky Atlantic. No matter the plan you're on, you will be able to use Vodafone's Veryme rewards scheme. This will occasionally give you access to free coffees and snacks, giveaways and discounts. Can I keep my number when I switch to Vodafone?If you switch over to a Vodafone deal but want to keep your old number, then simply give your old network a ring, get a PAC code and transition it over. If you were previously with Vodafone, you can still keep your number but it is a slightly trickier affair. They won't let you keep your number, so you have to use this workaround. Buy a free pay-as-you-go SIM from any other network and tell your network that you're moving. They'll release the PAC code, which you then give to the substitute network. Then, you immediately get another PAC code from them. Take that to your old network, and they'll move your number to your new contract. Long winded, but easier than learning a new number! Can I use my Vodafone device abroad?With any Vodafone deal you can use your data allowances without any additional costs while travelling within Europe. That includes locations such as French Guiana, St Martin and Martinique. When travelling outside of Europe your costs with a Vodafone deal will jump up. Anywhere outside of Europe is a 'roam-further destination', this means you will be charged £6 a day to use your data. However, get a Vodafone red entertainment plan and you will get to use roaming for free anywhere in the world. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Final Fantasy 7 Remake: trailers, release date, news and features Posted: 11 Sep 2019 08:15 AM PDT First released in 1997, Final Fantasy 7 immediately cemented its place as one of the best JRPG titles around and introduced millions of gamers around the world to the genre. Now, due to the success of Final Fantasy 7 over 20 years ago (and the pleads from die hard fans), Square Enix is releasing a remake. Unfortunately, those high expectations have been both a blessing and a curse for the game as the path to release hasn’t been smooth. But now, four years after it was announced at E3 2015, we finally have a Final Fantasy 7 Remake release date: March 3, 2020. We've now seen the game a half-dozen times in trailers – and even got hands on time at Gamescom 2019 and E3 2019 – but, with news and rumors still churning around the great wide web, we’ve gathered up everything we know has been confirmed, what we've played and everything fans suspect right here for your perusal. [Update: Square Enix has released a new Final Fantasy 7 Remake trailer showcasing a first look at characters, summons, mini-games and more. Check it out below.] Cut to the chase
Final Fantasy 7 Remake trailersThe first trailer for the game was released upon the remake's announcement at E3 2015. The trailer is largely cinematic and you can watch it for yourself below: A further trailer (this time featuring gameplay) was revealed at PSX in 2015: There's also the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trailer that was revealed during Sony's May 9 State of Play event this year. In it, we got a great look at what the action-heavy combat would look like (think Kingdom Hearts and you'll be on the right track) and one of the series most well-remembered protagonists, Aerith. Check it out below: The most important trailer we have is the one that was unveiled at a Final Fantasy 7 concert held in Los Angeles, where the game's director, Tetsuya Nomura, unveiled Remake's official March 3, 2020 release date. It's only a minute long but it's important. The latest Final Fantasy 7 Remake trailer was released as part of Tokyo Game Show 2019 and showcased a first look at characters, summons, mini-games and more. Check it out below: Final Fantasy 7 Remake release dateThe Final Fantasy 7 remake has had something of a troubled development, which makes it all the more surprising that we'll be seeing the game as early as we are. The date Square Enix has given us is March 3, 2020 – but it's unclear if that's for all of the episodes (remember, FF7R is an episodic game with more than two Blu-rays worth of content) or if that's just the release date of episode one. For some, that date is much sooner than expected considering the game's recent setback, but others will likely say it's arriving later than they wanted. For what it's worth, the game has been in the works since 2014 but there have been few significant official updates since the E3 2015 reveal. In that time, development of the game has moved from external developer CyberConnect2 to Square Enix’s in-house team. Overhauls like this can cause big delays to a game’s progress but according to Square Enix's Naoki Hamaguchi the decision was made out of a desire to maintain “control quality as well as keeping the schedule stable.” The good news is now that release date is set in stone. We also know is that the game will be available to PlayStation 4 players “first” as was promised at its E3 reveal. Saying “first” suggests this isn’t an outright exclusive and that the game will eventually come to Xbox One and PC. However, there was no indication as to how long the agreed exclusivity period would be. We're also expecting Final Fantasy 7 remake to be a cross-generation release, likely releasing on both PS5 and the next Xbox alongside current generation consoles. Image credit: Square Enix Final Fantasy 7 Remake news and rumorsPre-orders available If you would rather pick up the 1st Class Edition, you'll get all the Deluxe Edition content, the Carbuncle Summon Materia DLC, as well as a Play Arts Kai Cloud Strife and Hardy Daytona box set. Those who pre-order any version of the game will also receive the Chocobo Chick Summon Materia DLC at launch. Those who pre-order any digital edition from the PlayStation Store will also receive the Cloud & Sephiroth Dynamic Theme for the PS4. Mini-games Those Xbox One rumors However, Square Enix confirmed in a statement to IGN that Final Fantasy 7 will only release on PS4 on March 3, 2020 and that there are “no plans for other platforms”. Whether this means there are no plans for other platforms just on March 3 or whether there are no plans for other platforms for good is unconfirmed but so far it seems like the game will be a PS4 exclusive. Microsoft has deemed the Facebook video which was quickly removed an “internal mistake”. Preview Midgar Cast change Image credit: Square Enix Deeper into story and characters Tactical Mode FF7 Remake is based around core values E3 2019 news - Two Discs and new ATB system So what's worth pointing out here is that the sedentary turn-based combat you may remember from the original has been replaced with a FF15-style approach that allows you to control the characters and move them around the battlefield. You'll still have some familiar options in combat - like Limit Breaks - but expect combat to be a bit more engaging this time around. During E3 2019 we also learned that Final Fantasy 7 Remake is not only episodic, but actually requires two Blu-ray discs to hold all the content. The first disc, released on March 3, 2020, will actually only take place in Midgar - that futuristic city you've seen so much of in the trailers. Nomura admits an announcement was premature "I am well aware of the fact that we announced it too early," Nomura told Italian gaming mag Multiplayer (translated by Kingdom Hearts Insider) . "But even in the industry, word was beginning to spread that we were working on the game, so we just decided not to keep it more secret and officially reveal it." Image credit: Square Enix It’s a reconstruction, not a shot-for-shot remake Considering it’s so beloved there’s a lot of pressure on Square Enix to not stray too far from the original source material but according to director Tetsuya Nomura it won’t be a completely direct recreation. In an interview with Wired, Nomura said “We're not intending for this to become a one-to-one remake, or just the original Final Fantasy VII with better graphics.” Nomura has said that he wants the remake to "apply to the current era" and "the current generation of players." He added the caveat that he doesn't "want to change it so much that it's unrecognizable" but it has to be offering something "fresh and new." To accommodate modern consoles and gamers, changes will naturally have to be made to the game both in terms of gameplay, mechanics and perhaps even to some elements of the story. For starters, early trailers show a game more akin to Final Fantasy XV mechanically, with fixed viewpoints and static backdrops swapped out for full-3D terrain, and a turn-based battle system removed in favour of a real-time action-orientated one. Image credit: Square Enix It’s episodic The reasoning behind the decision, according to series producer Yoshinori Kitase is that “a proper HD remake” just wouldn’t fit into one instalment and maintain the “same feeling of density of the original.” “We've seen everyone's comments and reactions to the news that Final Fantasy 7 remake will be a multi-part series and many have speculated correctly as to the reason why we have made this decision,” he said, “If we were to try to fit everything from the original into one remake instalment, we would have to cut various parts and create a condensed version of Final Fantasy 7. We knew none of you would have wanted that. “I hope that by explaining a little more about our design decisions that you can appreciate the size of this project and what we have planned for this remake. Going beyond the scale and depth of the world, narrative and gameplay from the original to deliver something that feels familiar yet new. As I said before, we like delivering surprises.” Each episode will apparently be its “own unique experience” but as yet we don’t know how many episodes there will be or how they’ll be structured in relation to the original story. Image credit: Square Enix No more turn-based battles In an interview with Famitsu, Nomura said that battles in the remake will be “action-based” rather than command-based. Nomura didn’t go into much more detail with regards to the game’s combat system but it’s widely expected that we’re going to see a formula more similar to Kingdom Hearts and FFXV. This would mean a more active and seamless style of battling involving party members whom the player will be able to switch between. Though the loss of turn-based combat will be mourned, a move towards a system like Kingdom Hearts will be more accessible to new players. A PS5 release? For Sony, it'd be a system seller right out of the gates for the new console generation, and for the developers you'd imagine it'd offer more processing grunt and a little longer in terms of the development window. This is speculation at this point, but as the sun sets on the PS4, and titles like Final Fantasy 7's remake being no closer to even having a release date, it starts to seem like the looming next generation machines may be now what they're being aimed at. (Image credits: Square Enix) This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Are Intel Apollo Lake processors already dying? Posted: 11 Sep 2019 08:14 AM PDT Update: Intel has been in contact to say that the original Product Change Notification (PCN) it released had incorrect information, and it has since released a new PCN. According to Intel, "There are no changes to the B-1 Stepping of the Intel Celeron N3350, J3355, J3455 Processors and Intel Pentium N4200 Processor as they meet all Intel quality goals for PC Usage and will continue to be available. The F-1 Apollo Lake Intel Celeron N3350, J3355, J3455 Processors and Intel Pentium N4200 Processor meet all Intel quality goals for PC Usage. With IOTG's operational decision to converge onto a single package for all of the IOTG Apollo Lake Processors, the F-1 stepping Celeron N3350, J3355, J3455 Processors and Pentium N4200 Processor has a slight increase in Z height compared to the B-1 Stepping." Original story follows... Although they were only released in 2016, there are reports that Intel Apollo Lake processors are dying sooner than expected. According to a Product Change Notification (PCN) document, which isn’t currently available online, but reported on by Tom’s Hardware, Intel is planning to replace four of its Celeron and Pentium Apollo Lake processors due to degradation in performance.
According to Intel, it has “identified an issue with the Low Pin Count (LPC), Real Time Clock (RTC), SD Card interfaces on Intel Celeron N3350, J3355, J3455 processors and Intel Pentium N4200 processor resulting in degradation of these signals at a rate higher than Intel's quality goals after multiple years in service.” Essentially, Intel is saying that these Apollo Lake processors, which are based on its Goldmont microarchitecture and 14nm process node, could die before the warranty is up – so Intel is planning on refreshing the entire Apollo Lake lineup. Budget laptops affectedIntel Apollo Lake processors are mainly found in budget laptops and desktops, as well as 2-in-1 devices and all-in-one PCs, and the affected CPUs are the Celeron J3455, J3355, N3350 and Pentium N4200. Intel has previously had problems with LPC bus degradation – which seems to be the problem here – with its Atom C2000 series of processors, as well as its E3800 series CPUs – which led Intel to creating a reserve fund to cover the costs of replacing the processors. The affected Apollo Lake processors will move from the old B1 stepping to new F1 stepping in a bid to avoid the problem, and the new processors will have an ‘E’ suffix in their name to help customers identify the new CPUs – so they will be the Celeron J3455E, J3355E, N3350E and Pentium N4200E. According to Tom’s Hardware, Intel is telling its customers to move from their existing CPUs to the new versions. Of course, this is easier said than done, as many of the products the affected Apollo Lake processors are in are not easily upgradable – which means you may have to buy an entirely new device. We’ve contacted Intel to find out more, and will update this story when we hear back.
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| Save up to 20% off Photoshop, InDesign and more in Adobe's flash sale – ends today Posted: 11 Sep 2019 08:14 AM PDT Adobe has knocked up to 20% off the price of Adobe single-app subscriptions in a three-day flash sale. Until September 11, you can make huge savings on one-year subscriptions to any one of Adobe's industry-standard creative apps, including Photoshop, Lightroom, InDesign, After Effects and many more. As well as a year's license for your chosen software, your single-app subscription includes 100GB cloud storage, enabling you to start work on one device and easily continue on another. You also get your own Adobe Portfolio website to showcase your work, plus access to Adobe's collection of fonts – thousands of typefaces, all cleared for commercial use and accessible at your fingertips. If that's not enough, Adobe has thrown in Adobe Spark too, giving you an effortless way to create graphics for social media and web pages.
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| Best beginner DSLR cameras 2019: 10 cheap DSLRs perfect for new users Posted: 11 Sep 2019 07:50 AM PDT Ready to make the step up from your smartphone or point-and-shoot camera to something a bit more powerful? You've landed in the right place: these are the best beginner DSLRs you can buy right now in 2019. An entry-level, beginner DSLR is the natural progression when you feel like you've outgrown your point-and-shoot compact camera or are no longer satisfied with the snaps you get from your smartphone. With so much competition between Canon and Nikon at this end of the market, and a raft of older models and new arrivals fighting against each other, it's entirely possible that this will be the opportunity for one or both manufacturers to drop their asking prices to a new low. DSLRs for beginners deliver a big step up in image quality over a compact camera or smartphone. They may share the same number of megapixels, but the size of an entry-level DSLR's sensor is physically much larger, which allows for superior results with more detail and better low-light performance. On top of that, you get plenty of manual control over things like shutter speed and aperture, together with the option to change lenses to suit whatever it is you're shooting. Don't worry if you're still finding your feet here, as you can let the camera do all the hard work at first and slowly take more control as and when you feel more comfortable, all the while benefitting from that better standard of image quality. You may also want to consider a mirrorless camera as an alternative. If so, you'll find our video above or Mirrorless vs DSLR cameras: 10 key differences guide very useful. Or, if you're not sure what kind of camera you need at all, then read our easy-to-follow guide to camera types: What camera should I buy? Still set on a DSLR? We think the best DSLR for beginners is the Nikon D3500. It's small, light and cheap, but manages to provide a much better user experience than we normally get at this level, with a helpful Guide mode on board to show how to get the most out of the camera in an easy-to-understand way. Handling is great and the sensor produces very nice images, while features like 5fps burst shooting and full manual control give you some growing space too. Should you buy a mirrorless camera over a DSLR? Watch our guide video below to learn more: Entry-level DSLR bundlesIf you're buying your first DSLR, it makes sense to buy it as a kit, which generally includes the camera body along with an 18-55mm lens. Often referred to as a 'kit' lens, this covers a pretty broad zoom range, perfect for everything from landscapes to portraits – but that's just the start. A word of warning, though. Look closely and manufacturers will often offer two types of kit lens, one with image stabilization and one without. Normally there's not much difference in price, so make sure to go for the kit with the image-stabilized lens as it'll make it easier to sharper images at slower shutter speeds. These kinds of lenses are more than adequate to get you started, but the key advantage of DSLRs over compact cameras is that you can add to your kit with additional lenses. For example, wide-angle and telephoto zoom lenses, as well as high-quality macro options. You can also add a flashgun and other accessories, which help you to make the most of whatever types of photography you're into. We'll get onto the best DSLRs for beginners in a second, but before we do, we just wanted to highlight a mirrorless option that has a handful of advantages. The EOS M50 is styled very much like a DSLR, but it's far smaller and has a lovely electronic viewfinder that makes it particularly good for use in low light. It shoots 4K video and images at up to 10fps, which is speedier than what we get in DSLRs of a similar level, while the Dual Pixel CMOS AF system means it can focus smoothly and promptly across all manner of situations. There aren't too many lens options around right now, but you can use EF lenses though an adapter. If you want something a little smaller than the average DSLR, it's well worth a look.
Best DSLRs for beginners in 2019You don't need to spend huge sums on a DSLR to get something that handles well, takes great images and works with a huge variety of lenses. In fact, you can often save yourself a fair chunk of cash if you're happy to go for a slightly older model. Manufacturers often keep these available as newer DSLRs arrive to give users a choice between the very latest tech and a better-value option. Here, we've listed the best cheap DSLRs, from recent arrivals to older favourites. The D3500 picks up from where the D3400 (below) left off, and it arrives with a handful of extra perks. The battery now lasts for 1,550 images between charges, which is way ahead of most other DSLRs, while the 24MP sensor delivers excellent image quality. Nikon has also revised the body and control layout, not only to make it nicer to handle but easier to use too, while the Guide Mode takes the first-time user's hand and walks them through all the key features in a way that makes everything easy to understand. We love it – and if you're just getting started, we reckon you will too.
It may have been replaced by the D3500, but don't discount the D3400. Sporting a range of features perfect for the novice user, this is still a great camera to get you started on the road to more creative photography. Sharing many of the same internal specs as the D3500, the battery life is brilliant, while the images from the 24MP sensor won't disappoint. You also benefit from Full HD video to 60p and 5fps burst shooting, together with wireless connectivity (via Bluetooth) to get your shots out into the wider world without the hassle of cables. Don't let the fact that it's not the newest model of its sort put you off – there's still lots to love here.
The EOS Rebel T7i (known as the EOS 800D outside the US) sits at the top of Canon's entry-level EOS DSLR range. Sporting a 24.2MP sensor that delivers an improved high-ISO performance over older models, the Rebel T7i's autofocus also gets a boost, now with a 45-point arrangement that's backed up by excellent live view AF system. There's also newly designed graphical interface that will certainly make this camera even more appealing to new users, although if you need 4K video then you're better off looking at the EOS Rebel SL3 / EOS 250D (position 10) or a mirrorless model.
The D5600 is a step up from the D3000-series models, with a stronger set of specs to rival the likes of the Canon EOS Rebel T7i / EOS 800D (position 3). Key advantages over the D3400 and D3500 include a larger LCD screen, which not only flips out and swivels all the way around to face the front, but also responds to touch, together with a more advanced autofocus system, Wi-Fi and a healthy range of additional control on the inside. Sure, you pay a little extra for the privilege, but if you need a little more growing space it makes sense to go for the D5600 so that it stays with you for years to come.
The EOS Rebel T6i (called the EOS 750D outside the US) may have been replaced by the EOS Rebel T7i / 800D (position 3), but it's still a great option if the price of the newer model puts you off. While the sensor isn't quite as good as the one in the newer T7i – despite sharing the same resolution – it's still a sound performer, while the vari-angle touchscreen is still one of the best around. Autofocus performance could be better though, and the camera isn't quite new enough to benefit from the more up-to-date Dual Pixel CMOS AF system that makes focusing swift in live view and during videos. On that subject, there's also no 4K shooting option, but overall this is still a very capable entry-level DSLR.
The D5300 is a good example of a camera that might look a little old when you consider when it was released, but whose spec sheet makes you realise why you can still buy it brand new after all this time. The 24.2MP APS-C sensor lacks an anti-aliasing filter for better detail in images, while the LCD screen is a little bigger than the norm for such a camera, measuring 3.2 inches in size. You also get a GPS system – quite rare on any DSLR – together a comprehensive 39-point AF system and built-in Wi-Fi. If you feel the more junior D3400 or D3500 might not give you quite enough camera for your cash, this would be a good step up at a reasonable price.
Canon introduced the EOS Rebel SL1 (EOS 100D outside the US) to compete with the influx of mirrorless cameras, and it was the smallest DSLR available when it was introduced in March 2013. Now replaced by the EOS Rebel SL2 (EOS 200D), its slightly bulkier proportions make it feel more like a slightly pared-down Rebel T7i / 800D than anything unique. It's not a bad option for new users, but there are better-value alternatives available at the moment. The camera has recently been updated by the EOS Rebel SL3 / EOS 250D, which has the added bonus of 4K video recording and better battery life, but the EOS Rebel SL2 is a better option if you're looking to save money and you're happy with Full HD video quality.
This is one of the cheapest DSLRs in Canon's current line-up, which also makes it a very cost-effective way to get access to an endless assortment of lenses, flashguns and other accessories. Its low price tag means that it understandably lacks some of the fancy tricks of its bigger brothers – flip-out LCD, 4K video and so on – but there's still a very good level of physical control on offer. And, most importantly, image quality from the 24MP sensor is sound. It's designed very much with its target audience in mind, with a Feature Guide to help you understand everything, and battery life is also better than many mirrorless models at this price point – still a key advantage of DSLRs. Wi-Fi, NFC and Full HD video recording round off the specs, making it a well-rounded first-time option.
Not everyone needs the very latest tech, and the D3300 is a perfect example of an older model that still delivers everything the novice user needs to take excellent images. The 24.2MP APS-C sensor has no optical low-pass filter over it, which helps it to capture more detail than would otherwise be the case, while Full HD video recording works to 50/60p. You can also shoot at a very respectable 5 frames per second, while the kit lens has a collapsible construction to keep it nice and compact when you're carrying it around. Having been replaced by both the D3400 and D3500, it's also dropped to a lower price point, making it one of those rare models that manages to be capable and super cheap at the same time.
The EOS Rebel SL3, also known as the Canon EOS 250D, is the latest entry-level arrival to this list. Like its name suggests, it picks up from where the Rebel SL2 (EOS 200D) left off, adding a fresh processing engine and 4K video recording on top of a collection of smaller extras. Truth be told, there isn't a huge difference between the two models, particularly if stills are your thing over videos, but as the EOS Rebel SL2 slowly leaves the market and prices for the EOS Rebel SL3 start to descend, it may be that the EOS Rebel SL3 ends up being even better value for money than it is right now. Also consider...None of the above take your fancy? Here's another option to consider. The EOS 77D is a slightly more advanced beginner DSLR, and it provides a few extra treats for those who feel they may outgrow moe basic models before long. While we weren't too excited about it at the time of its release, the fact that it's spent some time on the market now means it can be bought for a much more agreeable price tag. On top of the bones of the EOS 800D, there's a top-plate LCD screen that gives you shooting options at a glance, as well as two control dials to make adjusting options faster. You also get some extras on the inside such as bulb and interval timers. If you can stretch to the EOS 80D that sits just about it, even better – otherwise, this would be a slightly more capable option than its more basic siblings.
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| The iPhone 11 has kicked-off Round 2 of ‘affordable’ flagships Posted: 11 Sep 2019 07:35 AM PDT The new iPhones are finally here. They bring a lot of cools to the table, but at the same time, these upgrades can be called incremental for the most part. But as it always has been with Apple, it’s more about the flagship experience than the flagship specifications... a phone greater than the sum of its parts. And for the next smartphone season, I foresee the iPhone 11 becoming the phone to beat, at least in terms of sales volume. By virtue of what these phones offer, undeniably, they are highly desired. Everyone wants a phone that just works well— No long loading times, reliable cameras that get the picture you wanted in the first try, battery life that you can trust rather than add to your worries. But over the last few years, the definitions and the expectations associated with flagships have changed. They don’t necessarily mean a smartphone that is priced expensively, and the focus on using the software to get the most out of the included high-end hardware is going up. In times like these, affordable flagships are the new rage. What really is a flagship?Till a few years ago, the terms affordable and flagships weren’t really used together; but then we had OnePlus, Xiaomi and the rest of the Chinese smartphone manufacturers set their sights on the Indian market, and that was the best thing that could have happened to us. You see, India is one of the biggest smartphone markets in the world, but is also an extremely price-sensitive one. While everyone would love to own a premium flagship, not all may be able to get their hands on one. Affordable flagships ended up being a masterstroke in such a scenario. Not just that, they were able to put pressure on legacy smartphone companies including the likes of Samsung, LG, HTC and Sony where consumers started questioning the price tags associated with their premium flagships. There’s no better example than the Indian smartphone sector for the competition being good for the customer. These older companies were compelled to rethink their strategies for India, or come up with entirely new offerings that could go head to head with the aforementioned competition. Why don't companies just start making 'Lite' flagships again?But, it’s not easy for brands that have a certain market perception and persona to suddenly start playing in a price segment lower than where they generally deal. The premium pricing is a big part of that perception that makes these phones so desirable. Brands were faced with the question— How do we make a slightly cheaper phone, without compromising on the flagship experience or cannibalizing the actual flagship lineup? This is not an easy question to answer, as one product will decide the fate of two or more series. A typical high-risk high reward dilemma, which could either get them two winners in two separate segments or sell very few of each. Even the corners that would have to be cut to make a cheaper variant of the flagship possible have to be very carefully chosen. After all, it is still the flagship experience that they are marketing, and a device any lesser than that could spell doom for them. It’s still a pretty nascent concept, and brands are still figuring it out. The iPhone XR, for example, was a golden goose for Apple. It brought much of the iPhone XS goodness to a significantly lower price point and unsurprisingly ended up becoming the best selling smartphone in the following months. Apple enjoys a level of desirability that is unparalleled in the tech space, and slight reductions in price are major boosts for its sales. This is further highlighted by simple stats such as the iPhone 6 being the best-selling iPhone in India, some 3 years after it originally came out. Samsung Galaxy S10e Who did it right?Samsung was one of the first major players to jump aboard this trend, by creating the Galaxy S10e earlier this year. It brought minor downgrades such as a Full HD+ display, one lesser camera and a smaller battery, but was able to price it under Rs 60K in India. Whether the downgrades worked well is a discussion for another time, but being able to purchase a Samsung S series flagship in the 50K segment was a dream come true for many potential customers. 2019 was also the first time we saw OnePlus adopt a dual smartphone strategy. It was already the market leader in the premium segment (phones priced over Rs 30,000) and was looking to replicate that success at an even higher price point. But for a brand that started its journey in the sub Rs 25K segment, a phone worth nearly double that figure would be a hard sell, especially considering that they still had quite a few bits to iron out. The corner-cutting in the budget segment would not be acceptable in the ultra-premium space. The answer came in the form of the OnePlus 7 Pro, which brought an all-new design, a display that is still unmatched and versatile (eventually) camera setup. This also enabled them to relegate the regular OnePlus 7 to a starting price which was lower than its predecessor, which nobody saw coming. This change worked beautifully for them, with there now being a great OnePlus smartphone at all segments from Rs 25K, all the way up to 60K.
However, as we talked about it before, these affordable flagships often fail too. Everyone remembers the disaster that the iPhone 5C was, and the bad communication around it just amplified the exasperation on its poor product choices. More recently, there was resentment around the smaller Samsung Galaxy Note10. It was a less than applaudable effort, marred with the wrong downgrades and an overall uninspiring Note 10 series. The Note 10, or even the Note 10+ isn’t a terrible device, but to Samsung’s misfortune, it came at a time when the competition was better in certain key aspects or cheaper. Samsung really needs to hit it out of the park with the S11 series, especially after the iPhone 11 launch. Redmi K20 Good products can be a victim of failed marketingOn the topic of failed affordable flagships, we ought to talk about Xiaomi’s Redmi K20 series, which based on who you are, you will probably hate to the core or recommend wholeheartedly. In India, Xiaomi (or Redmi, to be technically correct) saw tremendous success in the budget segment. After some 5 years of existence, it was finally looking at creating a high-end flagship device that was supposed to send shivers down the spine of the competition, all of which were significantly more expensive. On paper, the Redmi K20 Pro was the perfect flagship, with the latest Snapdragon 855, a big Super AMOLED display with no notch, a meaningful triple camera setup on the back, an eye-catching design and a reliable battery. There’s very little they could have added to the mix. What went wrong for them was the long time gap between the Chinese announcement and the official Indian availability, which let consumers (and probably even the competition) cook up incorrect expectations from the Redmi K20 Pro, especially with respect to the price. Matters got even worse when the Redmi K20 (non-Pro) was confirmed to start at Rs 29,990. It was essentially the K20 Pro in all aspects, except for the chipset, implementing the Snapdragon 730 instead of the 855. The Snapdragon 730 is no slouch, and is bested only by the flagship-grade Snapdragon 845 and 855 in terms of performance capabilities. But for the average consumer, this was an expensive device running a Snapdragon 700 series processor, and expected it to be priced a little lower. Yes, the Chinese pricing was a little better, but isn’t that the case with almost all chinese products? This was also a perception debacle, as the Indian market could only associate Xiaomi with the budget segment; one of the reasons why the Mi series of flagships never did well in India. Redmi faces the same task once again, by communicating the value proposition to the market and not letting the sentiment of its flagships being too expensive foster. A classic case of a brand’s struggles when it wants to break out of the product and price expectations of its consumers. Advantage AppleApple did a splendid job this time in creating the narrative that the cheaper iPhone 11 is the one for the masses, and the iPhone 11 Pro is for those who want to squeeze every bit of utility out of their phones and are not that price sensitive. And this is further reflected by the series’ pricing as well, with the iPhone 11 being rather competitively priced without skimping out on any of the essentials and the 11 Pro starting at a thousand dollars. Before the launch of the iPhone 11 series, we speculated that the iPhone 11 will be a very crucial product for Apple if it wants to survive in India, and with a starting price of Rs 64,900 before discounts, it seems like they delivered. If the iPhone XR was the best selling smartphone for the first half of 2019, I have no doubts that the iPhone 11 with continue that legacy. Start your countdown to when Apple aggressively starts marketing the iPhone 11 in India.
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