Apple : Best Acer laptops 2019 |
- Best Acer laptops 2019
- The best co-op PC games 2019: top games to play with friends
- The best Steam games 2019
- iPhone 11 and 11 Pro deals US: get the best prices in September 2019
- Best security accessories for students in 2019
- Best external monitors for Surface Pro and Surface Pro 6 in 2019
- Flaws discovered in popular router and NAS brands
- Apple Watch sale at Walmart: the Apple Watch 4 gets a $100 price cut
- HMA VPN 5.0 adds new locations and enhanced privacy options
- Champions League 2019-20 live stream: how to watch every football match online from anywhere
- The best ways to keep your Surface Pro charged on the go
- Fake ad blocker extensions used in ad fraud scheme
- Resident Evil 8: release date, news and trailers
- Resident Evil 'Project Resistance': release date, news and trailers
- Amazon Echo in your wishlist? Amazon's dropping prices before Black Friday
- The best O2 phone deals in September 2019
- Best waterproof camera 2019: 5 great rugged cameras
- Leica finally makes its M Monochrom Signature by Andy Summers model official
- Philips Hue bulbs can now hook up to your TV screen for immersive lighting
| Posted: 17 Sep 2019 02:28 PM PDT When you consider everything the best Acer laptops have to offer, it’ll make a lot of sense to choose one to replace your old laptop or upgrade to a more powerful one. The best Acer laptops, after all, are an excellent mix of affordability, reliability and top-notch performance, only compromising on things that aren’t deal-breakers, especially to budget-minded buyers. We put together a list of the best Acer laptops on the market this 2019. Whether you’re looking for a lightweight Chromebook or a robust gaming machine, you’ll find the ideal laptop for you. Better yet, we’ve tested and reviewed every single one of these best Acer laptops ourselves, so each gets our seal of approval. Acer Swift 3 Beyond the Acer Swift 3's modest exterior, you'll find an excellent laptop that boasts plenty of power for work and study. The Swift 3 (not to be confused with the Switch 3 below) is an inexpensive laptop; however, that plain chassis is all-aluminum and packed with beefy components. In terms of performance, it gets surprisingly close to the far more expensive Microsoft Surface Laptop. Its display is a little lower-res, but the two are otherwise strikingly similar - other than the price. This laptop is incredible to use as well, with its roomy trackpad as well as its backlit keyboard that offers a comfortable typing experience with decent travel. If you're going to be writing a lot – whether you’re traveling or at the office, this is one of the best Acer laptops 2019 has for you. Read the full review: Acer Swift 3 Acer Switch 3 If you've had your eye on a Microsoft Surface Pro, but your wallet is holding you back, then you might want to seriously consider this Acer 2-in-1 laptop. The Acer Switch 3 is quick and responsive enough for designers, but will set you back less because of its affordable price. Its touchscreen is sensitive and vibrant with great viewing angles – crucial on a device whose strong hinge allows it to be used in a plethora of configurations. It isn’t the lightest convertible you'll ever get your hands on, but it does feel reassuringly well made and well built. Pick it up, and you know it's a robust device that'll withstand the occasional knock when you're on the move. This is among the best Acer laptops 2019 offers to creatives. Read the full review: Acer Switch 3 Acer Swift 5 Typical, every day workloads are nothing to the Acer Swift 5, whose incredibly light chassis packs a punch, enough to handle web design and some entertainment after it’s already lasted you an entire work day. This is, without a doubt, one of the best Acer laptops the company has released yet. But that’s not all: beyond its performance, there’s also its stunning display on which any movie or game looks gorgeous. It isn’t perfect, but none of its flaws are serious enough to put potential users off. Read the full review: Acer Swift 5 Acer Predator Triton 500 The Acer Predator Triton 500 isn’t exactly inexpensive. However, considering that it’s one of the best Acer laptops 2019 has on offer – not to mention, among the most powerful gaming machines – it’s certainly worth breaking that piggy bank. It’s packed with 8th and 9th generation Intel core chips as well as Nvidia RTX cards, which gives it enough juice to handle the most processor-intensive and graphics-heavy AAA games. The lid is a bit flimsy, but that won’t have any impact on its overall performance. You just have to be a tad more careful lugging it around. Read the full review: Acer Predator Triton 500 Acer Aspire E 15 The Acer Aspire E 15’s screen isn’t anything to write home about and it’s construction is a bit flimsy and cheap-feeling. But as budget laptop, some things must be compromised. What’s good here though is that this laptop doesn’t compromise on performance, delivering more than you’d expect from its asking price. There are a lot of things to love here – that is, on top of the fact that it will get you through your daily workload seamlessly – including a huge trackpad, a comfortable keyboard and a variety of ports. It isn’t much for gaming, but for productivity’s sake, it’s among the best Acer laptops. Read the full review: Acer Aspire E 15 Acer Predator Helios 500 The Acer Predator Helios 500 is a beast in almost every sense of the word, starting with its formidable components that can handle any game you throw at it down to its herculean size. Without a doubt, it’s crafted for hardcore gamers who have zero tolerance for the most common gaming issues that will ruin your gaming experience or keep you off the leaderboard. If you’re in the market for a monstrous mobile PC gaming machine, this is one of the best Acer laptops to grace your desk. Read the full review: Acer Predator Helios 500 Acer Spin 5 With a mid-range price tag, it's easy not to expect a lot from the Acer Spin 5. But you’d be surprised – the Acer Spin 5 actually delivers a decent performance, combining it with a nice design and a decent battery life that will last you a while without charging, for the price. It cuts down the price with a subpar display and not-so-good speakers, that those are a small price to pay to get through most computing and productivity tasks without issues and without paying a hefty sum. Read the full review: Acer Spin 5 Acer Chromebook R11 Acer may have halted the production of Acer Chromebook R11. However, third party stores are still selling it, which means it can be had for a lot cheaper if you know where to look. This Chromebook is certainly worth taking the time to scour for, with its multipurpose 2-in-1 design, simple yet appealing look and a decent battery life. All that definitely allow this Chromebook to hit that sweet spot among consumers, making this one of the best Acer laptops 2019 has if you’re looking to save some silver. Read the full review: Acer Chromebook R11 Acer Chromebook Spin 15 Notwithstanding some limitations, which by the way aren’t exactly deal-breakers, the Acer Chromebook Spin 15 is an incredible, if lightweight, laptop with a knack for multi-tasking and handling several processor-hungry tasks at once. All while hardly breaking a sweat. If that isn’t enough, it also delivers an impressive battery life that lasts up to 13 long hours. It might even outlast you, which means you can get all your work done, watch an episode of your favorite show and play a game or two without having to charge. The best part, you’ll get all that without spending a pretty penny. Read the full review: Acer Chromebook Spin 15 Acer Swift 7 Overhauling its thinnest and lightest, Acer has given the Swift 7 a more refined design, absolute portability and a decent performance that will satisfy anyone who needs a laptop they can carry – or show off – just about anywhere. The svelte design does come at a cost, however. Still, if you’re willing to pay it for supreme convenience, it’s absolutely worth the splurge and perhaps the most ideal match of all the best Acer laptops for you. Read the full review: Acer Swift 7
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The best co-op PC games 2019: top games to play with friends Posted: 17 Sep 2019 02:03 PM PDT Take your pick of the best co-op PC games 2019 has on offer. They’re proof that there are few PC gaming experiences quite as giddy as playing alongside a friend. Whether you’re navigating an RPG that will take months to complete or anxiously creeping through a permadeath rogue-like, playing together pulls the game out of the screen and brings it into reality as you laugh, scream and bicker together. The PC is very well-catered for co-op games these days, and here are our picks for the best co-op PC games that will cause no end of bonding experiences and rifts between you and your friends. Also, make sure you check out our list of the very best PC games you can play in 2019. 1. Grand Theft Auto V OnlineGrand Theft Auto V Online What began as a barebones online mode some six years ago has grown into one of the best co-op PC games. While playing with strangers tends to be shambolic, gather a crew of friends and you’ll have all the madness of San Andreas at your fingertips. You can run around the world freely causing general mayhem or take on competing crews in dedicated missions. The best co-op experiences, however, are in the bank heists. There’s nothing like robbing a bank and running out to an alley where your driver screeches up right on cue, then fleeing for the hills with police klaxons in your rear-view mirror. 2. Path of ExilePath of Exile What better way to get your attention than with a freebie? Path of Exile is a free-to-play action-RPG with one of the most complex and robust character development systems around. What’s more, the game becomes a whole lot more entertaining when played cooperatively, as monsters scale up and you need to coordinate your attacks with your pals. If you’ve played Diablo, then you’ll settle right into the click-heavy mouse-controlled groove of Path of Exile. It’s a similarly dark theme, though Path of Exile is slower, with a deeper combat system and a challenging endgame. There are plenty of leagues to compete in too, and it’s great fun to jump into one of these at the start and compete against millions of other players for the top stashes. 3. Rocket LeagueRocket League The mass hysteria and weekly highlight reels on gaming sites may have died down, but the incomparable physics-based rocket-car footy game remains to be one of the most popular online games – not to mention, among the best co-op PC games right now. Matches range from 1-v-1 to 4-v-4, so there’s a lot of flexibility when it comes to gathering your friends for co-op play. It’s a game that requires ceaseless communication, as you try to coordinate your team into a speeding carousel of goalkeeping, defending and attacking. There’s a league-based system online, so you get a nice sense of progression as your team grows from a fumbling mess into a well-oiled machine. 4. Warhammer: Vermintide 2Warhammer: Vermintide 2 Bring Left 4 Dead 2 into the present generation, then swap the guns and zombies in for warhammers, magic and anthropomorphic rat-people, and you have Vermintide 2. It’s one of the greatest games at making first-person melee combat feel weighty and impactful, as you crush, dismember and magically disembowel the streams of Skaven running you down. Vermintide 2 works best as a co-op game – one of the best co-op PC games, in fact – letting you and up to three friends pick from three characters, each of whom has three distinct ‘careers’ to develop into. It’s dark, funny, and you can get a good sense of progression whether you play in short, vicious bursts or multi-hour mayhem marathons. 5. Sea of ThievesSea of Thieves A stirring example of a game that hit the ground stumbling but really caught the wind in its sails over the years. Sea of Thieves tasks up to four players with manning a ship, and sailing around a vibrant, cartoon Caribbean in search of plunder, adventure and notoriety. Where the game used to feel loose and a little purposeless, it’s filled out to become an ever-evolving world of possibilities. You follow maps to skeleton-infested coves, fight mythical sea creatures, and even take on other player-controlled ships and crews. Sea of Thieves is the ultimate freewheeling pirate fantasy, designed purposely to be played alongside a motley crew of scurvy-infested sea rats you call your friends. Is it a wonder that this is among the best co-op PC games to play in 2019. 6. Dying Light: Enhanced EditionDying Light: Enhanced Edition It’s a few years old now, but Dying Light still does a whole bunch of co-op-friendly things that other games can learn from. Yes, the story is weak, but parkouring through the zombie-infested streets of Harran alongside your daredevil pals is a thrill unlike any other. You can play the entire campaign and every mission cooperatively, but what makes it special is the unique challenges that pop up when playing with others. Running to a mission start-point can become a race with XP on the line, or a mission can get some competitive edge as you try to kill more zombies than your buddy. It’s a distinctive competitive-within-co-op structure that adds a whole new layer to online play. 7. Monster Hunter: WorldMonster Hunter: World The long-running oddball series finally grabbed the attention of the whole world with its latest installment, refining many of the more awkward bits while doubling-down on making its primordial Jurassic world a hostile joy to explore and one of the best co-op PC games in 2019. Although perhaps a little fiddlier to set up than would be ideal, you can group up with your friends and hunt scaled-up versions of formidable dinosaur-like beasts together. The sheer variety of weapons offers many tactical opportunities; for instance, assign someone to buff the squad while one player shoots from afar and the others get stuck into the melee with their swords and spears. The dynamic world means that the unexpected can always happen; another monster may join the fray or the ground may collapse beneath your feet. It means that even with friends, it’s a world that never stops feeling wild and dangerous. 8. A Way OutA Way Out The high-risk decision to make this prison-break adventure an exclusively co-op game paid off for developer Hazelight. And as soon as you start playing, you’ll see that this was really the only way this game would ever have worked. You can play this theatrical adventure split-screen or online, with you and a friend controlling two prisoners who slowly form a bond and plot their freedom. From playing Connect-4 to working out, all the way through to covering each other in life-and-death skirmishes, A Way Out is one of the weirdest, most endearing co-op games out there. 9. Divinity: Original Sin 2Divinity: Original Sin 2 Everyone who’s invested hundreds of hours into RPGs has at some point fantasized about playing through an entire campaign with a friend. Divinity: Original Sin 2 goes one better, and makes co-op arguably the best way to play the campaign. Up to four players (two in split-screen) can freely roam around Divinity’s rich, story-filled game world. You can stick together as a unit, maximizing your chances during the deep turn-based combat, or split up to try to find your own ways of solving a given quest. In addition, there are in-game conversations between player-characters that shape their personality and ultimately how you play through the game. Original Sin 2 isn’t just a well-crafted co-op RPG, but downright one of the deepest RPGs ever made. 10. Streets of RogueStreets of Rogue Whether you’re a zombie determined to turn every NPC on a level into the undead, a thief who lives for breaking into buildings unnoticed, or a tiny Shapeshifter capable of possessing any character on a level, Streets of Rogue, one of the best co-op PC games, is a joyous mish-mash of endless and evolving possibilities. This cutesy rogue-lite is both procedurally-generated and permadeath, raising the stakes as you and up to three friends bumble, sneak, smash and blast your way through the bustling urban levels. It’s hysterical in its chaos and unpredictability, and immensely fulfilling should you somehow manage to organise your team of misfits. 11. CrawlCrawl Rather than blurring the line between competitive and co-op multiplayer, Crawl abuses it, violently throwing you into brief alliances in a game where there can only be one champion. It’s a dungeon crawler, in essence, but one in which one player is the ‘hero’, while the other 1-3 players are ghosts who summon demonic creatures and possess traps in a bid to stop you. Whoever lands the killing blow then becomes the hero, and this cycle continues as the hero progresses through randomly generated dungeons with the aim of defeating the final boss (also controlled by the other players). The hero levels up, but so do other players’ monsters, making each 15-minute-or-so game feel like a deliciously dark dance of death that quickly increases in intensity. 12. OvercookedOvercooked From Crawl’s depraved subterranean misadventures, you can cleanse your palette with this clean and cheery kitchen sim. One to four players control cooks in a kitchen, delegating responsibilities as they try to cook and serve progressively complex orders to the contiguous restaurant. It’s typical co-op, though as the pace and stress ratchets up, you begin to understand how Gordon Ramsey came to rely on such a profanity-filled vocabulary to get things done in the kitchen. The beauty of Overcooked is that it leaves all organisation to the players; who’s frying the steaks? Who’s chopping the veg? Why is the onion soup on fire?!? Who the HELL is doing the washing up because we’ve run out of plates to serve food on? Kitchens in later levels shift and change too, which can quickly disintegrate your clockwork-like kitchen into a hysterical omnishambles of rolling foodstuffs, dirty dishes and spreading fires. 13. Towerfall: AscensionTowerfall: Ascension An old-timer as indies go, Towerfall: Ascension continues to be one of the most engrossing, mechanically precise combat arenas around. Set across a number of pixel-pretty single-screen levels (which crucially wrap around the sides, top and bottom), you and your friends take each other on in one-shot-kill bow-and-arrow combat. A panoply of powerups - from wings to an edible that turns everything slow-motion - inject some chaos into the mix, but matches always feel like precise affairs, in part thanks to the limited number of shots in your quiver, and the fact that opponents can swipe your wayward arrows. While it is accessible, there is still a level of mastery to Towerfall, such as the dodge move that lets you catch arrows or using the wrap-around screen to fire an arrow off the left side of the screen to kill an enemy on the right. The instant replays after each round are an inspired addition too, because nothing stirs up competition like the round winner gloating and forcing you to rewatch their moment of victory in slow motion. 14. Sonic & All-Star Racing TransformedSonic & All-Star Racing Transformed Any mention of couch multiplayer will almost certainly bring up wistful memories of playing Mario Kart 64 or Diddy Kong Racing using a trident controller, or perhaps Crash Team Racing for those on the Sony side of the fence in the '90s. The PC, scattered platform that it is, never had its own IPs or mascots to turn into kart racers, but it’s benefited from Sega’s cross-platform diaspora with this overlooked gem. Beyond Sonic and pals, the Sega character roster may not be as recognisable as Nintendo’s (‘Football Manager’ from Football Manager, anyone?), but that matters little when the game itself is so vibrant and accessible. Sonic & All-Star Racing is fun and forgiving, with tight controls and well-designed tracks that seamlessly transition between land, sea and air segments. PC gamers aren’t exactly spoiled for choice with kart racers, so it’s just as well that this is one of the best around. 15. BroforceBroforce Swathed in comical American patriotism and starring the great Hollywood action icons of the 80s and 90s, this 2D blaster gets so extraordinarily explosive that entire levels crumble beneath your feet, as the entire screen becomes obscured by a cocktail of body chunklets and fire. One of the more brilliant touches in Broforce (aside from skirting around copyright by giving each action icon a ‘Bro’ variant of their name - The Brominator, Rambro, Ellen Ripbro etc.) is that you’re assigned a random character each time, continually tickling your group’s nostalgia senses and switching up the action; one moment you’re whipping enemies to their doom as Indiana Brones, the next you’re swinging your sword and making guttural Arnie grunts as Bronan the Barbarian. The difficulty increases quickly, but simple controls and sheer character of Broforce will keep you and your friends at it until your thumb joints start chafing.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 17 Sep 2019 01:38 PM PDT Currently delving into the world of Steam to find the best Steam games 2019 has on offer? We can’t blame you. Steam is simply the best place to hunt for new PC games, if you're looking to get into the very best PC games. That's because the platform touts more than 23,000 titles (and counting). It’s more than just availability however. One of the biggest advantages that Steam has is that when you buy a game, you can install it as many times as you like on as many devices as you own. You’ll have access to automatic updates as well, so you won’t need to do the extra work of re-downloading and rechecking to see if everything’s updated. The only problem is that there’s way too much choice on Steam these days. There are definitely worse problems to have, but it does mean that you can get lost in Steam’s endless labyrinth of games and become tempted by its very frequent sales. And, before you know it, you’ll end up with a stack of games you’ll probably never get around to playing or finishing. Fortunately for you, we here at TechRadar have got your back. We’ve gathered what we think are the best Steam games, from recent releases to golden oldies. We update this list regularly, so be sure to come back soon for more suggestions. Image credit: Lo-Fi Games KenshiSome of the best steam games are those that cannot really exist anywhere else. Complicated RPGs and strategy games require the unique features of a gaming PC to thrive, and Kenshi is a perfect example. Taking cues from the old Mount & Blade games, Kenshi is a sandbox, squad-based RPG where you’re in charge of your own story. You’re dropped in the midst of a massive world – think Elder Scrolls: Daggerfall huge – and you’re not limited by any of the gameplay systems. You can simply build a home for yourself, or set off on a grand adventure. You’re going to get hours upon hours upon hours of gameplay out of Kenshi, because the world is the game, not just its setting. Image credit: Annapurna Interactive What Remains of Edith FinchThis indie smash entered the scene in 2017. However, since it’s won a 'best game' BAFTA award, it’s time to give it another go. What Remains of Edith Finch, one of the first best steam games on our list, is a narrative-led adventure in which you walk, first-person style, around as Edith Finch, exploring the house in which you grew up. You look over the preserved relics of dead family members and are sucked into vignettes that tell the stories of how various Finches died. We get it, it sounds grim. However, its appealing style and magical realism make What Remains of Edith Finch touching and profound rather than depressing. It plays out a little like an interactive movie. You can’t fail as such, aside from getting lost, and the entire experience lasts 2-3 hours rather than 20. Don’t buy this if you’re going to feel short-changed by its length, but if you’ve played and loved Firewatch, Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture or Gone Home, you’ll definitely enjoy What Remains of Edith Finch. Image credit: Bandai Namco Entertainment Ni No Kuni II: Revenant KingdonWhile the first Ni No Kuni game was a collaboration with Japanese animation masters Studio Ghibli, Ni No Kuni II is not. It does, however, hold onto the same delightful art style. It also switches up the fighting mechanics. As opposed to training up avatars to fight for you, Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom has a fun real-time battle system. You control three fighters with fast, slow and magic attacks, and the ability to dodge. And, the sequel is a bit more action-packed than the first one. It’s not all about action, though. While Ni No Kuni II is an action-adventure RPG, you also build up a kingdom, which lets you bonuses for your characters. This part is unexpectedly addicting. The story is more conventional than that of the first game, which might be down to Studio Ghibli’s limited involvement. However, there’s plenty of fantasy fuel, and it’s more immersive than your average game, deservedly earning it a spot among the best steam games. Image credit: Subset Games Into the BreachNot every top Steam game is an epic open world title that will set you back $60 on PS4 and Xbox One. Into the Breach is a sophisticated sci-fi strategy blast that you can play on your lunch break at work. It is made by the team behind Faster than Light, still one of our favourite PC games of the last decade. And for the handheld gaming veterans out there, there are shades of Advance Wars to it too. Earth has been attacked – and almost occupied – by aliens. In Into the Breach, you control groups of mechs sent from the future to reverse this fate. That may sound like a mind-bending premise, but it actually proves that the plot doesn’t matter too much sometimes. We know Earth will come out tops, it’s just a matter of how. Each encounter takes in an 8x8 block grid, your battlefield. Play unfolds in turns, and your mechs have to stop aliens from obliterating too many of the field’s buildings and outposts. It has the tactical purity of chess. As you play, you can upgrade your mechs to improve your chances. Like FTL, Into the Breach is moreish, smart and deceivingly deep. Image credit: Paradox Interactive Surviving MarsSome screenshots make Surviving Mars look like The Sims: Red Planet edition. However, this best steam game is, in fact, more like Sim City meets The Martian. You build an outpost on a barren patch of Mars, and have to keep it running to avoid your colonists from dying on the planet’s harsh surface. And, it’s harder than it sounds. That is, while mismanaging resources in Sim City or Civilization may make your inhabitants angry or lower your income, in Surviving Mars it can cause a chain reaction that sees life support systems fail. You’ll hear “a colonist has died”, and be left scrambling to fix the problem before other inhabitants start dying like bubbles popping as they touch the ground. Surviving Mars’s interface leaves something to be desired, but its survivalist approach to “city” building is absorbing. Image credit: Square Enix Final Fantasy XVAfter the massive multiplayer Final Fantasy XIV, Square Enix finally got back to their series’ single player roots with Final Fantasy XV. It came to PS4 in late 2016, but was only ported to PC in March 2018. However, you do get all the DLC released on the consoles and, if your PC is beefy enough, you’ll experience better frame rates. Final Fantasy XV is somewhat different from the FF games of old. You travel around an open world, often by car, packed with Americana-style buildings, all your companions are human and the combat plays out in real time, not as turns. Still, you can tell this is a Final Fantasy game just by catching a 15-second clip of it in action. Image credit: No More Robots New Indie Notable: DescendersThe PC tends to get linked with the kind of games that sit you down – for hours on end until your eyes are red and part of you start to regret your life choices. However, it isn’t always that way. With Descenders, you can play in quick blasts. If you can drag yourself away from its moreish-ness, anyway. You’re a downhill free rider who has to get down procedurally generated courses with as much style as possible, preferably using a gamepad. It might remind you of the heyday of Tony Hawk games, or snowboard console classic SSX. The use of generated “tracks” means you can’t master courses, which means that it’s the mastery of the bike’s physics you need to be shooting for. A career mode pits you against a series of courses in the same style of environment, each with objectives. Finish the “boss course,” and you unlock a new terrain. But you have limited lives for the whole run. A mix of mobile game style and merciless old-school progression mechanics gives Descenders a fresh feel, just one of the many reasons why it’s made our best steam game list. Image credit: SCS Software American Truck SimulatorNot every game has to be about destroying aliens or gunning down unnamed soldiers. For instance, American Truck Simulator, one of the best steam games to play in 2019, feels like mindfulness meditation next to those games. You drive a big 18-wheeler-style truck over the long highways of the US, transporting cargo from A to B. Breaking the traffic codes doesn’t end in a GTA-style police chase, just a fine. This is the sort of game you can put on like cozy slippers after a long day at work. Yet there’s also a business side to it, giving it depth. You start as a lowly contractor, but can earn enough money to build your own shipping empire. Image credit: Paradox Interactive Pillars of EternityPC gamers who have been playing since the ‘90s might remember all the fuss surrounding the Baldur’s Gate titles. In fact, some of their most loyal fans still get teary-eyed reminiscing about their favorite side characters. Isometric role-playing games like Baldur’s Gate don’t cut it in the AAA world anymore. However, Pillars of Eternity brings back the spirit of those games to the Steam crowd. This is a challenging, slightly retro-flavoured RPG in which you control a band of classic fantasy-style adventurers. It’s made by Obsidian, the team behind Fallout: New Vegas. Pillars of Eternity II is on the horizon too. If you like your RPGs fantasy-themed, also consider Torment: Tides of Numenera. Image credit: Almost Human Legend of Grimrock IIAnother throwback to a style of game that has all but disappeared, Legend of Grimrock 2 is a dungeon crawler where you move in blocks, as opposed to freely. Why would you want that? It changes your relationship with the environment, making it feel more like an intricate puzzle instead of an open world a texture artist had been let loose on. There are an awful lot of actual puzzles involved here too, in-between the bouts of classic "Dungeons & Dragons" style combat encounters. Plus, as retro as the play style is, Legend of Grimrock 2 looks incredible, with many outdoors areas to prevent you from getting bogged down in dimly-lit dungeons. Image credit: PUBG Corporation PlayerUnknown's BattlegroundsWhen it comes to in-vogue games, few titles continue to capture the zeitgeist (and fill it full of bullet holes) the way PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds does. It may have one of the worst acronyms ever, but that hasn’t stopped PUBG from putting the ‘battle royale’ subgenre on the map and turning itself into a phenomenon in the process. Sure, there’s a lot of hype still surrounding it, but the game behind all the coverage and Twitch fascination is still one of the most addictive on Steam, as well as one of the best steam games this 2019. That simple premise – parachute into a map with no gear, scavenge for weapons and armour, and fight for survival with a single life in a continually shrinking map – is still engrossing, even if it has a few too many bugs. Whether you’re teaming up with friends or braving its maps by your lonesome, PUBG remains one of the most fun shooters on the market in 2019. Image credit: Deep Silver Kingdom Come: DeliveranceOne of the latest releases on our best Steam games list, Kingdom Come: Deliverance boasts an experience that’s both reassuringly familiar and deeply alien. Set in a fictional Medieval Europe, it’s a first-person RPG where dialogue choices mold your world as much as your ability to problem solve and your skills in melee combat. It’s a game of unbelievable freedom, allowing you to carve a path through the Dark Ages however you see fit. You might get off your face on schnapps and get in a fight with the town drunk. You may start filling your pockets with the gold of unsuspecting townsfolk, Thief-style, or stain your blade with blood in the battlefield. Part Elder Scrolls, part Dark Souls, part something else entirely, it’s an action-RPG that punishes as much as it empowers. It also runs best on PC (with the right specs, obviously) so get it on the download pronto. Image credit: Ubisoft Rainbow Six: SiegeWho knew, way back in 2015, that a Tom Clancy game would become one of the industry’s biggest success stories. But here we are, four years later, with a game that has over 25 million registered players and in its fourth year of consecutive content updates as well as premium bells and whistles. Rainbow Six: Siege is one of those success stories that keeps on succeeding, and for one very important yet simple reason: it’s fun as hell to play. Paring back the Rainbow Six formula to its roots - two teams fight in the same map, one protecting an objective while the other attacking and fighting their way in - no two matches in Siege are ever the same. You’ll be barricading doors, breaching through walls, blasting through ceilings and building an operator that’s attuned to your playstyle. It might not be groundbreaking. However, add in the limited time Outbreak mode (think Siege plus zombies), and you’ve got one of Steam’s most complete packages. Image credit: Matt Makes Games CelesteFrom the indie team that gave us TowerFall and TowerFall Ascension comes one of the most rewarding pixel platformers in years. As you climb the titular mountain, flame-haired heroine Madeline battles her innermost demons just as much as the harsh and dangerous conditions around her. In its simplest form, Celeste is a tight, 2D, twitch-style platformer, but in reality it’s one of the most unforgettable games we’ve come across in many years. As poignant in narrative as it is unforgiving in gameplay, Celeste has over 700 ‘scenes’ to traverse, a myriad of secrets to uncover and a story that will grip you as much as the muscle-memory building formula of its platforming. For a game built around the simple mechanics of jump, air-dash and climb, there’s an incredible amount of depth to be found as you claw your way to the summit in more ways than one, which is why it warrants a spot on our best steam games list. Image credit: Larian Studios Divinity: Original Sin 2When Divinity: Original Sin 2 was released in 2017, it had quite the legacy to live up to, that of its predecessor, which incidentally happens to be one of the most accomplished RPGs of all time. Then what does developer Larian Studios do? It only goes and follows it up with one of the most important additions to the genre in years. Divinity: Original Sin 2 is an enthralling fantasy world with a deep and complex combat model and one of the most riveting stories you’ll experience outside of a 1,000 page tome. The big selling point, and the main ingredient of Divinity: Original Sin 2’s secret sauce, is the complexity of its combat. You control a party of characters together with your own custom avatar, and utilize each one individually in battle. With countless skills and attributes to mix and match, the breadth of tactics available makes this a daunting yet deeply rewarding way to test your RPG abilities. Image credit: Paradox Interactive StellarisThe grand and operatic strategy genre has given us some true classics on PC, experiences that consoles have consistently failed to duplicate. From Crusader Kings to Europa Universalis, these are games with bucket loads of tactics and guile. Well, it just so happens the developer of those very games has taken that deeply immersive concept and put it in the dark ocean of space. Enter Stellaris, an evolution of the genre that takes the space exploration of EVE Online and Mass Effect and hits the hyperdrive button. You’ll traverse through countless of procedural galaxies, filled with thousands of planets and a myriad of alien species, each one possessing unique traits, economies and social strata. Whether it’s the power (and consistent balancing act) of interstellar diplomacy or the deep customisation of starship designs, there’s a wealth of sci-fi lore and mechanics to delve into with Stellaris. Image credit: Valve Corporation Dota 2By far one of the oldest games on the list - well, that is if you consider 2013 old - Valve’s MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena), Dota 2, is still one of the most addictive titles on Steam. It’s also the only game on this list that’s free-to-play, so you don’t even need to have a healthy bank balance to enjoy its addictive battles. Age aside, Valve has been constantly updating and overhauling the game since launch, making it one of the most evolved MOBAs on the market. If you’ve never played it before, it’s a simple yet intoxicating setup: two teams of five players face off in a large map. Each one is defending a base with an ‘Ancient’ inside that must be protected at all costs. Find your opponent’s base and raze it to the ground to win. Anticipate to experience brilliant hero v hero showdowns, brutal ambushes, tactical plays and nonstop action. Image credit: StudioMDHR CupheadRun and gun platformers have carved a niche out for themselves on mobile, but they’re few and far between on PC. Luckily, this one was built to be a Microsoft exclusive with Xbox One in mind and the result is one of the most unique gaming experiences you’ll ever come across. Intended to capture the look and atmosphere of 1930s cartoons, Cuphead places you in the shoes of the titular hero and tasks you with battling across three distinct worlds and bosses that will capture your imagination with their ingenuity that crush your resolve with their difficulty. Recommending a notoriously tough game might sound counter-intuitive, but the steep difficulty curve is part of its appeal. With a distinctive soundtrack and those standout visuals at your side, you’ll earn every stage clearance like a piece of territory in a war, each victory feeling that much more satisfying. Brutal and beautiful in equal measure, Cuphead is a must have Steam title. Image credit: Unknown World Entertainment SubnauticaAnother somewhat fresh release on this list, Subnautica has already made waves (pardon the pun) despite having only dropped in January of this year. A survival game set deep in the ocean on an alien world, its unique twist on the classic template makes for a game that’s both entrancing to watch and challenging in its many interconnected mechanics. You’ll explore shallow reefs, dangerous trenches on the seabed and everything in between, all the while managing your precious oxygen supply. Oh, and there’s an entire ecosystem of alien marine life to contend with. Plenty of these fishy and mammalian critters want to add you to their menu, so you’ll need to outsmart and avoid them while scavenging for resources to build new equipment and tools. Like all the best survival games, the very best materials lie in the most dangerous of places. Do you dare swim deep enough to find them? Image credit: Bethesda Softworks Wolfenstein II: The New ColossusWith so many multiplayer shooters sharing the spolight in this feature, it seemed high time to pay homage to one of the best single-player FPS games ever made. MachineGames gave Wolfenstein a bloody, alt-history revival in the form of 2014’s The New Order, so it had its work cut out for it when it came to bettering all that visceral Nazi slaying. Then along comes 2017’s The New Colossus, dialing up the violence and the depth of storytelling that it would make most Call Of Duty titles look at the floor in humiliation. What makes The New Colossus so vital is how it doesn’t stray from its formula, but polishes and expands on it in almost every way. Bigger and more challenging bosses; intense set-pieces; myriad weapons that spit glorious death; a story that asks far more questions and presents some bold answers. It’s also rock hard, and consistently unforgiving, so lock and load at your peril... Image credit: Capcom Resident Evil 7: BiohazardIt’s not often that a franchise as significant as Resident Evil gets a new lease of life – especially when you consider the zombie-loving license had fallen into a lifeless parody over the past decade – but here we are with a truly terrifying horror game with the words ‘Resident Evil’ in the title. What a world, eh? While us PC folk aren’t allowed to scare ourselves half to death in VR yet (RE7 is a PSVR at the moment), that doesn’t mean it’s any less frightening. Dropping the third-person perspective that’s felt tired and rote for awhile now, RE7 embraces the first-person view that’s helped Outlast and company re-energize the horror genre, and boy does it make for one chilling 8-10 hour scare fest. With Capcom’s big budget, a creepy swamp setting (honestly, just go with it) and a storyline that feeds back into the series’ winding mythology, you’d be crazy not to add this to your Steam library. Image credit: 2K Games Sid Meier’s Civilization VIHow could we make this list of games to play on Steam and not include the most recent offering from the master of turn-based strategy and tactical simulation? The Civilization series has gone through many forms over the years, but the sixth entry takes all the best bits from those earlier incarnations, smooths off the edges and serves up one of the most rewarding turn-based video games ever made. There’s nothing quite like building a nation from a fledgling settlement and nurturing it into a worldwide powerhouse, and Civilization VI gives you more freedom and control than ever. Eliminating the pre-set paths that hampered the still stellar Civ V, Civ VI transforms into a landscape that rewards intrepid explorers and self-assured conquerors with the opportunity to expand their budding society with new technologies and alliances. Sid Meier’s name alone is part of PC gaming’s lofty heritage, so owning this little doozy is a no-brainer. Image credit: Toby Fox UndertaleUndertale is one of those games that stays with you. A work of digital art whose charm and creativity never fails to keep its edge, no matter of how many times you play it through. And considering just how many innocuous JRPGs are out there right now, that’s a pretty extraordinary feat in unto itself. So why is Undertale so superb? It takes all the best elements from the ever-evolving RPG genre and weaves a world built on choice, consequence and compassion. As a child dropped into an underground world filled with terrors, you’ll have to face a whole host of monsters to make it home. How you face them and what choices you make, define your journey. And its Telltale-esque consequence system doesn’t just extend to dialogue choices – you can spare monsters after a fight, forging possible crucial alliances for later in the game. You can even end fights by telling your opponent jokes. It’s a game of such warm and pleasant quality you’d almost believe it was a JRPG from the earliest heyday of the genre. Image credit: CD Projekt The Witcher 3: Wild HuntFor years, one game sat atop the dark and misty mountain of action-RPGs. Skyrim was its name, and no other franchise, be it Dragon Age or Dark Souls, could even come close to breaking its iron-clad grip upon the genre. Then along came Geralt of Rivia, riding atop The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt with a confident swagger, ready to give The Elder Scrolls a good thrashing. If you’re looking for a game that strikes a perfect balance between length of play (you could easily spend 100+ hours across its unbelievably diverse map – one that’s a good 20% bigger than poor old Skyrim) and sheer quality, then The Witcher 3 is a must. There are just so many virtues The Witcher 3 has to its name. Brilliant writing, memorable quests, truly challenging beasts and a pair of DLC expansions (Hearts of Stone, and Blood and Wine) make this one of the best games of this or any other generation. Image credit: Playdead InsideInside will break your heart. Fair warning. If you’re not off-putted by that, then see it rather as a mystery to be solved scene by heart-wrenching scene. Created by the same studio that made the wonderful 2.5D platformer Limbo – you know, the one about a little boy stuck in a nightmare world where a giant spider chases him endlessly – it should come as a huge shock to learn that Inside will leave you just as tearful as its predecessor. Thing is, Inside is a brilliant piece of art. Without a scrap of dialogue, you’ll explore a world in a similar platforming vein as Limbo, overcoming various ingenious environmental puzzles and evading both the flashlights of an oppressive government and the shadow of a conspiracy that’s clearly not going to end well. But it’s worth every second. There’s a reason it won many a GOTY award in 2016, so you’d be a fool not to add this to your Steam library. Just remember to pack a few tissues. Image credit: Psyonix Rocket LeagueOnce upon a time there was a little game on PlayStation 3 called Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars. It was all about using remote control-esque cars to knock a giant football around a makeshift pitch. Thing is, no one played it and the game slowly faded into obscurity. Then Rocket League came along, which was fundamentally the same thing, albeit with fine-tuned physics and a larger focus on multiplayer. One trip into PlayStation 4’s PS Plus lineup later and the game went supernova. And with good reason, too. It’s a modest concept but it just works – it’s a place where skill shines through as you boost your little RC car and hit the motorized equivalent of a bicycle kick. It’s magnificent, offering one of the best ways to play online (whether with friends or a bunch of strangers). Come on, who doesn’t want to spend their evening chasing a football with a car? FIFA? Pfft. Image credit: Valve Corporation Portal 2Portal, back in its day, was groundbreaking. Sure, it sounds like we’re filling out boots with hyperbole, but back in 2007 all those portals, companion cubes and sociopathic AIs were blowing our minds over and over. Then Portal 2 came along and made the original look like a crossword puzzle in The Sun. Okay, the first Portal is still remarkable, but Portal 2 took a truly revolutionary concept and twisted it into something new. Everything in this game works without a hitch - the ebb and flow of its story, the growing difficulty of the puzzles and the new ways you’re forced to make your mind think with portals. It’s even got Stephen Merchant and JK Simmons in it! Portal 2 manages to take a brilliant recipe and somehow make it even more delicious, sprinkling in all new depths of platforming and puzzle flavour. If you haven’t played it, buy it now. If you have, play it again. Image credit: Chucklefish / ConcernedApe Stardew ValleyThe incredibly charming Stardew Valley is an indie farming RPG which sees you moving from the bustling city to your grandfather's old, run-down farm near sleepy Pelican Town. You’ll get to uncover the secrets of the mysterious town while growing a thriving farming empire. Stardew Valley's pixelated retro graphics, unique soundtrack and kooky characters make for a relaxed and fun game which combines elements such as farming simulation, adventure, dating simulation and crafting. Get ready to become emotionally attached because once you step foot in Pelican Town, it's hard to ever leave.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| iPhone 11 and 11 Pro deals US: get the best prices in September 2019 Posted: 17 Sep 2019 01:21 PM PDT The September 10 Apple Event unveiled the highly anticipated iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro smartphones. The latest iPhone is officially available to pre-order today from all major carriers and will hit stores on September 20. To help you wade through all the different plans, we've listed the best pre-order iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro prices and deals that are available in the US today. iPhone 11 deals from US carriers:iPhone 11 Pro deals from US carriers:iPhone 11 Pro Max deals from US carriers:The iPhone 11 Pro Max, the bigger version of the 11 Pro, is priced at $1,099 from carriers such as AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and Verizon. Sprint is offering the Pro Max for $16.67 a month with an eligible trade-in and on a Sprint Flex 18-month lease, and Verizon is offering up to $500 off with select trade-in and Unlimited. While AT&T isn't offering a promotion on the Pro Max, you can get the iPhone 11 for free when you buy another eligible iPhone. Learn more about the newest iPhone with our hands on iPhone 11 review, iPhone 11 Pro review, and iPhone 11 Pro Max review. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Best security accessories for students in 2019 Posted: 17 Sep 2019 01:20 PM PDT
When you send your kids off to school, it can be hard not worrying about them. Someone might stop them on their walk, or their bike might get stolen while they're in class. Arming them with the proper tools for protecting themselves and their property can give you peace of mind. We've gathered together the best security accessories for any student, whether they're in middle school, high school, or away at college. See which ones your student could use. Safety firstSeveral products can help protect your child and their belongings while they're at school. To get the best security accessories for your student, you'll want to evaluate your child's daily routine and purchase security accessories that are best suited to it. If your child has a long walk in the mornings, you'll want something that they can protect themselves with. If they are carrying expensive instruments, computers, or art supplies to school each day it helps to have something to lock up their supplies or track them should they go missing. Students always need backpacks to carry school supplies. These days that tends to include laptops and other expensive belongings. Because of this, we recommend this XDesign Anti-Theft Backpack. The design makes it harder to open than most backpacks, so thieves can't get to the dedicated laptop section as easily. It also happens to have a hidden pocket for storing electronics or other expensive gear. If you're concerned about your student's safety, you should consider the Vigilant Personal Alarm. The small design makes it easy for your student to store either inside their bag or clipped to the exterior. At the press of a button, it sounds a loud alarm to frighten would-be attackers away. Best of all, it can only be turned off by pressing a hidden button. Should the battery run out, it can still be used as a whistle. If you're more concerned about your student's belongings getting stolen or going missing, you might want to invest in the Tile Sport. You can clip it to several school items whether that be a backpack, trumpet case, art portfolio, or bike. Should that item go missing, you can use the included app to locate it on a map. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Best external monitors for Surface Pro and Surface Pro 6 in 2019 Posted: 17 Sep 2019 01:20 PM PDT
The Surface Pro (2017) and Surface Pro 6 both have all the tools necessary to be your number one device, including a beautiful 12.3-inch PixelSense touch display. But that doesn't mean you won't be setting up a workspace at home or the office. In that case, you're probably looking for an external monitor — something that lets you get more done thanks to its size and its resolution. Note that you may need an adapter to connect some of these monitors to your Pro, which uses a Mini DisplayPort for video out. If we're making some suggestionsAny of the monitors in this roundup can make an ideal addition to your Surface Pro, but there are a couple that we recommend. Dell's 27-inch UltraSharp U2719D brings a high resolution, beautiful build quality, and a ton of ports to the table, making it the best all-around pick for most people. Keep it on the adjustable stand or mount it on the wall to save space on your desk. It's not the cheapest option in this roundup. Still, Dell doesn't mess around with its monitors, and you should be pleased with the display no matter what you use it for. If 27 inches is a bit too big, and you don't want to spend hundreds of dollars, the 22-inch AOC 22V2H makes a better choice. It's inexpensive, it has a 1080p IPS panel, and the bezel is about as thin as can be. The stand can be adjusted for tilt, and it includes AMD FreeSync support if you have a secondary gaming PC with AMD hardware. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Flaws discovered in popular router and NAS brands Posted: 17 Sep 2019 01:11 PM PDT Security researchers have discovered a total of 125 different security vulnerabilities across 13 small office/home office (SOHO) routers and NAS devices that have the potential to affect millions of users. To compile its latest SOHOpelessly Broken 2.0 study, Independent Security Evaluators (ISE) tested SOHO routers and NAS devices from Buffalo, Synology, TerraMaster, Zyxel, Drobo, ASUS and its subsidiary Asustor, Seagate, QNAP, Lenovo, Netgear, Xiaomi and Zioncom (TOTOLINK). The researcher found that all 13 of the widely-used devices they tested contained at least one web application vulnerability which could allow an attacker to gain remote shell access or access to the administrative panel of the affected devices.
The vulnerabilities ISE discovered range from cross-site scripting (XSS), cross-site request forgery (CSRF), buffer overflow, operating system command injection (OS CMDi), authentication bypass, SQL injection and file upload path traversal. SOHOpelessly Broken 2.0According to the researchers, they were able to successfully obtain root shells on 12 of the devices which would allow them to have complete control over the affected devices. Additionally six of the devices they tested contained flaws that would enable attackers to gain control over a device remotely without having to authenticate. The business and home routers ISE found to contain vulnerabilities are the Ausustor AS-602T, the Bufallo TeraStation TS5600D1206, the TerraMaster f2-420, the Drobo 5N2, the Netgear Nighthawk R9000 and the TOTOLINK A3002RU. The firm's new report is a follow-up study to SOHOpelessly Broken 1.0 which ISE published back in 2013. At that time, the firm disclosed a total of 52 vulnerabilities in 13 SOHO routers and NAS devices from TP-Link, ASUS, Linksys and other vendors. Since its last study was published, ISE has noticed that several newer IoT devices have implemented useful security mechanisms including address-space layout randomization (ASLR), functionalities aimed at stopping reverse engineering and integrity verification mechanisms for HTPP requests. The firm reported all of the vulnerabilities it discovered in SOHOpelessly Broken 2.0 to affected device manufacturers and the majority of which responded to the firm and have begun taking security measures to mitigate these vulnerabilities. However, Drobo, Buffalo Americas and Zioncom Holdings did not respond when presented with ISE's findings.
Via The Hacker News This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Apple Watch sale at Walmart: the Apple Watch 4 gets a $100 price cut Posted: 17 Sep 2019 12:48 PM PDT Thanks to the recent announcement of the Apple Watch Series 5, you can now find fantastic discounts on the Apple Watch 4. Walmart currently has the Apple Watch 4 on sale for $329. That's a $100 discount and the lowest price we've found for the 44mm model smartwatch. If you're interested in a cellular plan, Walmart also has the Apple Watch 4 with LTE connectivity on sale for $399. Apple Watch 4 deals:Discover more Apple watch sales with the best cheap Apple Watch prices and deals that are currently available. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| HMA VPN 5.0 adds new locations and enhanced privacy options Posted: 17 Sep 2019 11:36 AM PDT In the latest version of its VPN, HMA (formerly known as HideMyAss!) has completely redesigned its software to simplify privacy for users while offering new features for Windows, Mac and Android devices. A recent global study conducted by the firm found that 47 percent of people agree that privacy is a human right and 84 percent were concerned their online history could be accessed without their knowledge by governments, hackers, police and partners. HMA believes that everyone has the right to online privacy which is why the company designed HMA VPN 5.0 to give users the widest choice of encryption and security options. The new version of the VPN automatically provides users with privacy tips as well as more advanced capabilities including a system-wide kill switch, split-tunneling and auto-connect.
Senior product manager at HMA, Jonathan Lemmonier explained why the company decided to completely redesign its VPN, saying: “More people than ever are looking to shield themselves from prying eyes as they go about their daily lives. The enhancements in HMA VPN 5.0 help people exercise their fundamental right to privacy online without any compromise to performance and functionality. With the addition of more server locations, improved protection, and a boosted kill switch, we are delivering on our commitment to giving our users the flexible and accessible online privacy they need.” Privacy made simpleHMA VPN 5.0 brings major improvements to the company's core privacy fail-safe, its kill switch. All Windows, Mac and Android devices using HMA now have a system-wide kill switch which will stop all internet traffic if the connection to an HMA server drops. Additionally, Windows users will benefit from an app kill switch which launches HMA VPN proactively any time that an application on its list is loaded. HMA is also taking its first steps towards complete no logging with the latest version of its VPN. Exact IP addresses are no longer collected so that users can no longer be identified in this manner and the company is reducing the length of data retention to just 30 days. More details about its logging policy can be found in HMA's updated privacy policy. The company also continues to expand its high-speed connections and it now offers over 1,000 servers with the majority of them capable of delivering speeds of 20GB per second. Finally HMA has added a new Lightning Mode to its VPN which automatically provides users with the fastest available server when activated and a new Refresh IP function generates a suitable IP address with one click when users come across a blocked website. Interested users can download HMA VPN 5.0 now and take advantage of its improved performance and privacy settings.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Champions League 2019-20 live stream: how to watch every football match online from anywhere Posted: 17 Sep 2019 10:28 AM PDT Ready to go again? The UEFA Champions League 2019-20 is officially here with Europe's best football teams trying to claim soccer supremacy on the continent. Liverpool are the champions, but this year's competition is looking like one of the hardest to call in years. And you can watch every single game by following our Champions League live stream guide. As we say, June's final saw Liverpool lift the majestic Champions League cup last time around. Mo Salah and unlikely hero Divock Origi were on target to down fellow Premier League team Tottenham Hotspur and become the third most garlanded side in the history of the competition. But this year will see fierce competition - and not from a million miles away. Pep Guardiola's Manchester City will be desperate to deliver on their promise and at least get through to the final this time around. And we'd also expect the Spanish clubs to strike back, with bolstered Barcelona and Real Madrid squads backed by the eternally dogged Atletico. Or will this finally be the year that Juventus break their 20-odd year duck - legendary keeper Gianluigi Buffon will certainly be praying so. Big spending PSG, with their ridiculous strike-force featuring Kylian Mbappé, Edinson Cavani, Neymar, Mauro Icardi (and not forgetting Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting) will surely be a force to be reckoned with, too. And what of the young guns of Ajax? We haven't even got to Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund yet! Again, this term's UEFA Champions League is a tough one to predict. Whoever takes European glory come next summer, you can be sure that the likes of Messi, Ronaldo, Hazard, Modric, Kane and the countless other stars in the competition will make an impact. So scroll down to make sure you can grab a live stream of all the Champions League matches you want to see.
Use a VPN to watch Champions League football when away from homeScroll down to find out your football viewing options in some of the major Champions League watching countries around the world. And if you're out of the country for this game week and are worried that you won't catch the game, don't sweat. With the option of using a VPN service, you can tune into those fixtures no matter where you are in the world. And best of all, it's really easy to do. Stream every Champions League game live in the UKHow to live stream UEFA Champions League in the US
How to live stream Champions League in Canada for FREEHow to live stream Champions League soccer in AustraliaHow to watch Champions League football in New ZealandHow to live stream the UEFA Champions League football in IndiaThis posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The best ways to keep your Surface Pro charged on the go Posted: 17 Sep 2019 10:17 AM PDT
Not using a standard connector for charging limits your options with the Surface Pro and mobile charging. While phones are easily connected to battery packs or car chargers, the Surface Pro requires a little more thought when you're shopping for power accessories. But the excellent Batpower portable battery pack is a great place to start. Surface Pro battery packThe problem with using a battery pack with the Surface Pro is two-fold. First, you need sufficient capacity and output to charge the thing. The second is the first-party connector. That means you need a battery pack that comes with a suitable cable as well as being an all-around beast. The Batpower is a battery pack that comes with a 98Wh capacity, and it has a whole bunch of USB ports to plug your various devices into. It also comes with a Surface charging cable in the box, so you can use it while you're out and about to charge your machine. It weighs 20 ounces, and the only real drawback is that it'll take a bit of time to charge back up. But it's just small enough to be allowed on a plane, which makes it a perfect carry everywhere your Surface Pro goes. Using your existing USB-C power bankThe Surface Pro using Surface Connect and not USB-C is one of the biggest downers on an otherwise class-leading device. Fortunately, you can get a Surface Connect to USB-C cable fairly cheaply. If you have a USB-C PD enabled power bank already, then this cable is a smart and affordable investment. It's a little clunky when you're on the go, but it's a better solution than buying an entirely new, dedicated power bank just so you can charge up your Surface Pro. Surface Pro car charger and inverterLike the portable battery packs, the problem is mostly that you have to find one with the Surface connector on it. There are a few out there, but one company seems to have the best all-around solution, one that can also help you out with a battery pack. Batpower offers not only a 110W car charger powerful enough to fill up the battery in your Surface Pro but also a separate USB cable. You get one included with the car charger, but if you only need the cable you should give it a look as well. The Batpower charger isn't cheap, but it comes well recommended and is strong enough to actually be of use charging your Surface Pro. A power inverter allows you to use your car's cigarette lighter and then turns it into the right connection to use your regular wall adapter for your Surface Pro. Or anything else, for that matter. There are also USB ports that can be used when the inverter is turned off (which shuts down the power outlets and cooling fan). Something like this would suffice for not only your Microsoft tablet but also a few smartphones and other hardware. Just be sure to reduce use when the engine is off to preserve your vehicle's battery. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Fake ad blocker extensions used in ad fraud scheme Posted: 17 Sep 2019 10:15 AM PDT Users trying to clean up their web browsing experience by installing an ad blocking extension may want to think twice as new research from AdGuard has revealed that many popular ad blockers are not only fake but also malicious. After a thorough investigation of the ad blockers available on the Chrome Web Store, the firm found that many including AdBlock by AdBlock, Inc and Ublock by Charlie Lee were using the names of two other very popular ad blockers, AdBlock and uBlock Origin, to trick users into downloading them. However, AdGuard also found that these ad blockers were engaged in malicious behavior. At first these add-ons did what they were supposed to and removed ads from web pages as both are based on the code of the original “AdBlock” extension.
AdGuard then discovered that after being installed for around 55 hours, these extensions began to send out a request to urldata.net for each new domain they visited. This allowed the extensions to receive affiliate links from the sites users visited and if they made a purchase while visiting them, the extensions owner would be paid a commission from those sites. Cookie stuffingThe technique used by the fake ad blockers is known as cookie stuffing and is basically an ad fraud scheme. Not only are the creators of these fake extensions using the names of more popular ad blockers to trick users into downloading them, they are also using their browsing activity and online purchases to earn commissions for themselves. According to AdGuard, Google has received multiple reports about how these fake ad blockers are using the names of more popular extensions for their own benefit but the search giant has yet to remove them from the Chrome Web store. These two extensions have over 1.6m weekly active users who were stuffed with cookies from more than 300 websites from the Alexa Top 10000. While the damage is difficult to estimate, AdGuard believes that the creators are earning millions each month from cookie stuffing. There is a silver lining though as now that the fake ad blocker scheme has been uncovered, the owners of affiliate programs can follow the money trail to find out who is behind this scheme. Cookie stuffing and other ad fraud schemes are illegal and there's a chance that the developers of these extensions will be held responsible for their actions.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Resident Evil 8: release date, news and trailers Posted: 17 Sep 2019 09:57 AM PDT When it was first released in 2017, Resident Evil 7 was a much-needed rejuvenation for the classic horror franchise. Capcom departed from its usual formula in a big way and even took the opportunity to embrace new experiences with PlayStation VR. This risk paid off and a large proportion of fans and critics embraced the changes, with a keen eye on what the next game might bring. Two years on from Resident Evil 7's release, and shortly after a very successful Resident Evil 2 Remake, Capcom still isn't ready to confirm that Resident Evil 8 is in the works. But we're hopeful and think that the next chapter of the core Resident Evil series is inevitable. There's not much in the way of solid information but here's everything we know so far about Resident Evil 8 including news, rumors and what we want to see. [Update: Capcom has released further details about Project Resistance. Read on for more details.] Resident Evil 8 release dateCapcom hasn't confirmed Resident 8 is in the works so we don't have a release date yet. But we expect we won't see the next chapter in the Resident Evil franchise until at least 2020 - perhaps for Xbox Project Scarlett or the PS5? Resident Evil 8 news and rumorsProject Resistance confirmed Testing on an unconfirmed title The email, translated from Japanese to English and published by fansite Biohaze, reads: “To all Resident Evil Ambassadors, thank you for your patronage regarding the Resident Evil series. Today, we are letting you know that we are recruiting testers for a game that’s in development! “We are interested in incorporating the feedback of all Ambassadors into our development, so please read the details below and, if you are interested in participating, click the entry button.” It's possible these emails referred to Project Resistance, however it may be that they reference Resident Evil 8. Capcom has numerous unannounced titles in development Work has already started It’ll build on the work of Resident Evil 7 The first thing that he confirmed was that Resident Evil 7 was the start of a new direction for the series and that it was “the start of a new kind of survival horror, and of a new series.” “We’re already thinking about various plans for the next game,” he revealed, “but we also want to see how we can continue to evolve survival horror itself. In the next few years technology will continue to advance and what players want may also change.” It is, admittedly, hard to draw any solid information from this. When Takeuchi spoke in this interview it’s clear that planning was still in the very early stages and it’s quite possible that things such as plot and setting were still yet to be nailed down. While we’d surmise that Resident Evil 8 will build on the fresh new feel of Resident Evil 7, Takeuchi’s comments on wanting to evolve the genre as well as capitalize on changing technologies and player desires suggests that the team aren’t locking themselves into a formula just yet. Just as Resident Evil 7 integrated virtual reality in an interesting experiment that played on the new first-person perspective of the game, Resident Evil 8 could do the same all over again. We could see another perspective change, the team could find new ways to integrate virtual reality technology, or it could even delve into new augmented reality technology. Part one of the "making of" documentary gives a good insight into the kinds of gameplay experiments the team were looking into. It seems that Takeuchi is telling fans not to assume there’s a new formula from which the developers won’t waver. Resident Evil will be taking a survival horror approach to the creation of survival horror – adapt, change and stay on your toes because you don’t know what new technology or fan request is around the corner. One thing we do know, however, is that the Resident Evil team will “always want to create horror experiences where the characters overcome a difficult situation.” Takeuchi said he believes this is what survival horror is “all about” before adding that “the next Resident Evil game, and the one after that, every future Resident Evil, will feature characters getting through crises like this.” It’s this essence of “core survival horror concept of people overcoming the odds” that Tekeuchi says the series will “always retain.” From this, at the very least, we can assume that the future of the series will place a heavier focus on the survival horror elements showcased in Resident Evil 7, rather than delving back into the more action-heavy gameplay of releases such as Resident Evil 4. Shinji Mikami could come on board That could change though. In an interview with PCGamesN Mikami was asked if coming back to direct Resident Evil 8 was something he’d consider. He would, of course, have complete creative freedom to with the game as he’d like. His answer was short and far from finite: “I might.” Resident Evil 8: what we want to seeMore enemies A different location More answers VR support
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Resident Evil 'Project Resistance': release date, news and trailers Posted: 17 Sep 2019 09:53 AM PDT Not had enough Resident Evil this year? Then you're in luck. Capcom officially announced Project Resistance at Tokyo Game Show 2019. Hot on the heels of Resident Evil 2 Remake - and scratching that horror itch while we wait for news on Resident Evil 8 - Project Resistance is a new 1v4 asymmetric online survival horror experience set in the world of Resident Evil. It may not be a new core game in the franchise, but Project Resistance is shaping up to be Capcom's version of survival horror's such as Dead by Daylight and Friday the 13th. So without further ado, here's everything we know about Project Resistance including all the latest new, trailers and rumors. [Update: Project Resistance has been officially confirmed. Read on to find out more.] Cut to the chase
Project Resistance release dateCapcom hasn't confirmed when Project Resistance will launch, however we expect to find out during the official announcement in September. The game will also be playable at Tokyo Game Show, suggesting development is fairly far along. It's likely we're looking at a release date in mid to late 2020. Project Resistance trailersProject Resistance was officially announced at Tokyo Game Show 2019 with an official trailer. Check it out below: We first saw a teaser trailer for Project Resistance. You can check it out below: Project Resistance news and rumorsClosed beta test Survival of the fittest On the opposing side is a Mastermind, who secretly kidnaps young people "for the purpose of data gathering". Unlike other survival games though, the Mastermind will never come face-to-face with survivors, instead observing through the security cameras and setting traps to prevent their escape. Tokyo Game Show 2019 Platforms Testing on an unconfirmed title The email, translated from Japanese to English and published by fansite Biohaze, reads: “To all Resident Evil Ambassadors, thank you for your patronage regarding the Resident Evil series. Today, we are letting you know that we are recruiting testers for a game that’s in development! “We are interested in incorporating the feedback of all Ambassadors into our development, so please read the details below and, if you are interested in participating, click the entry button.” We now know these emails may have been referring to Project Resistance. Capcom has numerous unannounced titles in development
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Amazon Echo in your wishlist? Amazon's dropping prices before Black Friday Posted: 17 Sep 2019 09:27 AM PDT Amazon has slashed the price of its Amazon Echo, Amazon Echo Plus (first generation), and Amazon Echo Dot speakers – all of which are 'Certified Refurbed' by the tech giant. That means these deals are for Amazon Echo speakers that have been pre-owned and then "refurbished and tested to look and work like new", according to Amazon. Once they've been thoroughly tested, refurbished Amazon devices are certified and given a new one-year warranty, just like a new Echo speaker would be. Buying refurbished products is a great way to get your hands on cutting edge tech at a discount, and these Amazon Echo deals certainly look attractive – however, with Black Friday 2019 coming up in late November, you may find that brand new Echo speakers get even better discounts during the massive sales event. There's also a mysterious Amazon launch event coming up on September 25, where we could be in for some new generation Amazon Echo devices – if we do get a new Echo, we could well see the price of the original model come crashing down. That's not to say these are bad deals – the refurbished first generation Amazon Echo Plus has a particularly attractive discount of £70, slashing the price by over 50%. So, if you can't wait for Black Friday and don't want to risk missing out on a discount, check out the deals below. Today's best refurbished Amazon Echo dealsThis posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The best O2 phone deals in September 2019 Posted: 17 Sep 2019 08:59 AM PDT O2 has been killing it with deals recently, we've been seeing some of our absolute favourite offers coming up with this provider in the start of 2019. While offers from O2 themselves aren't too strong, 3rd party retailers (like Mobiles.co.uk and Carphone Warehouse) have been throwing out consistently strong deals with O2. The company has been one of the best networks in the UK for some time. It's the network that's renowned for its extra Priority reward giveaways. And if you switch to the O2 network you obviously want to be sure you're getting the best deals that O2 has to offer, and that's where this page comes in! We've rounded up all of the best O2 phone deals on the best handsets - from the iPhone XR and Samsung Galaxy S10 down to the cheaper P20 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S9. And if you're still not sure about O2, you can browse the best phone deals at other networks, too - simply head to our best mobile phone deals page. And if the deal you've found is being offered by retailer Mobiles.co.uk and costs at least £10 upfront, then make sure you enter our exclusive 10OFF discount code at the checkout to knock a tenner off. 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 best Android phones on the market right now. The cameras in particular are awe inspiring and tangible improvements have been made to both 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 memories of the Note 7 in the past. If the Note 8 was exceptional (6.3-inch infinity display and 6GB RAM), then the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is even bigger and more powerful (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. Which we think is unfair - 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 the price of the iPhone X is too much to cope with, 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 O2?When it comes to benefits of a O2 phone deal, the best known part comes in the form of O2 Priority. This is a scheme which offers the likes of competition entries, free tickets, coffees and other benefits. Those that sign up with O2 also get access to events that O2 is sponsoring and most importantly, O2 covers 98% of the UK when it comes to coverage meaning you should never be worrying about signal. Can I keep my number when I switch to O2?You sure can, if you switch over to an O2 mobile deal and want to keep your old number, then simply call your old network, get a PAC code and transition it over. If you were previously on O2, you can still keep your number but it is slightly more complicated. 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 O2 phone abroad?Like all of the other networks, O2 covers your roaming charges when you're in Europe. Stray out of that area and you will have to start paying additional costs for the data, minutes and texts you use. Travelling outside of Europe? O2 has a number of different schemes and packages to help you deal with that - you can find them all on the O2 website. The Galaxy Note 9 has been out for a while now and Samsung Galaxy S10 deals are readily available, which in theory should make Galaxy Note 8 deals old news. Right? Well that's what you would think. But the 2017 model is so incredible that it still performs just like a new model and not to mention it is so much cheaper than its successor. Samsung Galaxy Note 8 deals are definitely still well worth a look. And it's still getting cheaper! When the Note 8 first came out EE had deals locked down tight, but now there is a pretty good spread across providers so no matter your preference you don't have to switch, Although EE still does have some of the very best deals on this device. Samsung Note 8 deals are now well under the £900-mark in total over the two-year contract and can go as low as £750. 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 Note 8 deals floating around. Check out our comparison chart and handpicked favourite 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. The Note 8 truly is miles ahead of the 7 in every way.
5 best Galaxy Note 8 deals in the UK today:This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Best waterproof camera 2019: 5 great rugged cameras Posted: 17 Sep 2019 08:50 AM PDT If you're off on holiday, the chances are you're going to get close to some water, whether it's a hotel pool or the deep blue sea. It's also likely you'll want to capture some snaps of your aquatic adventures – and most cameras won't thank you for taking them anywhere near water. Regarding their rugged credentials, this bunch of waterproof wonders are right at home capturing subaquatic scenes, and will let you dive as deep as 30 metres to fish out the perfect shot. They're all shock-proof and freeze-proof too, and some are even crush-proof. The fun doesn't stop there, as you'll also find many rugged cameras come packed with features such as GPS location tagging, Wi-Fi connectivity and even action-orientated extras like a compass or altimeter. Pick the right waterproof camera, and image quality will also give a typical land-loving compact a run for its money. The only compromise you'll need to make in exchange for the ability to shoot during some rough and tumble is a below-average zoom range. If you want a camera for holiday with a longer zoom range, take a look at our pick of travel zoom compacts. Alternatively, video might be your main priority, which in that case, take a look at our guide to the best action cameras and best GoPro cameras. So don't let your camera hold you back – all of these waterproof and rugged snappers are cut out for the wet and wild life. Best waterproof cameras in 2019Olympus's Tough line of waterproof cameras has arguably the strongest reputation here, and the company has kitted its most recent TG-6 model with features decidedly towards the premium end of the scale. Raw shooting? Check. 4K video? Yep, that too. GPS? Hell yes. Even the same processing engine as the OM-D E-M1 X mirrorless model features here. Together with a lens that has a maximum aperture of f/2 at the wide end and a raft of close-focusing goodies on top of that, the camera is certainly ready for all manner of land-based and underwater captures. We do wish Olympus had moved things along a little further from what we saw in the previous TG-5, however, which was our previous top pick and not that dissimilar to what we have here. We're just finishing our full review and while we can see it being a stronger model, the TG-5 would still be a fine choice if you're on a tighter budget.
The Coolpix W300 comes fully-loaded with a host of features - there's 4K video for starters, a terrific GPS system, interactive world map and Wi-Fi connectivity, plus an altimeter and underwater depth gauge to boot. The W300 also offers a high resolution, 921k dot OLED monitor, but perhaps most impressive of all is that the W300 can function down to a depth of 30 metres - as far as an Advanced Open Water diving certificate will get you. Panasonic's new Lumix TS7 (called the Lumix FT7 outside the US) is the latest waterproof camera here. As opposed to Olympus, which reduced the resolution of its TG-5, Panasonic has gone the other direction, increasing the pixel count from 16.1MP in the TS5 / FT5 to 20.4MP in the Lumix TS7 / FT7. Lens coverage remains the same as its predecessor, with a 4.6x zoom range that covers 28-128mm, but interestingly, the lens loses its Leica branding. The Lumix TS7 / FT7 does have something unique for a waterproof camera: a built-in electronic viewfinder (EVF). The 1,170k-dot, 0.2-inch display might not be the largest out there, but it does offer a useful alternative to shooting with the rear display, especially in bright light, which can make composition tricky. There's lots to like about the Lumix TS7 / FT7, including its excellent tough credentials, but is let down by a sensor that crams too many pixels onto a relatively small area.
Compared to ultra-rugged competition, the FinePix XP130 doesn't have quite the same credentials. That means that it might not be quite up to some of the more active users, but still more than up to the job of a family beach or skiing holiday. There are a host of fun filters included, and Wi-Fi connectivity, but no GPS. Simple to use, this is a great option if you're after a durable point-and-shoot compact camera for family use, though don't expect too much from it.
The WG-60 from Ricoh has some pretty strong tough credentials – it's waterproof to a depth of 14m/45.9ft and shockproof from a fall of up to 1.6m/5.2ft, while it should withstand a force of up to 100kg/220lbs. It's also dust-proof, and can operate in temperatures down to -10°C/14°F. The 5x optical zoom has a pretty broad focal zoom range, from 28-140mm, while there are six LED macro lights dotted round the front of the lens barrel to deliver bright and uniformed lighting round your subject – ideal when shooting underwater subjects. The macro lights also provide other useful functions, such as the LED Lighting mode, that uses the lights for adding light to portraits in poor light – it should deliver a more flattering look than the WG-60’s dedicated flash. Also consider...Action cameras have overshadowed dedicated waterproof cameras a little over the last few years, but it depends on what you want to shoot. If video's your main priority, then GoPro's Hero7 Black is a brilliant choice. It's our pick of the action cams and can shoot super smooth 4K video at up to 60fps and features a brilliant image stabilization system. Not only can it also take a pretty decent 12MP still photo, it can even shoot raw files as well.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Leica finally makes its M Monochrom Signature by Andy Summers model official Posted: 17 Sep 2019 08:39 AM PDT Thanks to a handful of leaked images that surfaced a few weeks back we knew the Leica M Monochrom Signature by Andy Summers was on the way, and now Leica has made the camera official. The company says the special edition of the full-frame rangefinder is being released both to honor the work of the Police guitarist, and also as a "complement to the simultaneously released Signature Guitar from Fender". Essentially, it appears to be the Leica M Monochrom (Typ 246) in new skin, and its styling features elements from the guitar that's been released alongside it. The top of the model also bears the guitarist's signature in red, to further distinguish it from the more sober-looking Monochrom (Typ 246). It comes complete with a Leica Summicron-M f/2 35mm ASPH optic, together with a vintage round lens hood, a Fender guitar-inspired camera strap, and a black leather bag. Like other special-edition versions of its previous models, the camera will be subject to a very limited run – in this case, only 50 models will be made. And – as you might have already guessed – it's not cheap. Whereas the regular Leica M Monochrom (Typ 246) retails for around $7,995 / £4,750 / AU$11,100 body-only, this version will set you back $14,995 (around £12,000 / AU$ 21,900) – although you do get that lens too. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Philips Hue bulbs can now hook up to your TV screen for immersive lighting Posted: 17 Sep 2019 08:39 AM PDT Philips, maker of color-projecting Ambilight TVs and Philips Hue smart bulbs, is bridging its iconic technologies for a real light show. The Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box is a cabled way to hook up Philips Hue bulbs in your home with your TV – unsurprisingly through HDMI. Much like the Ambilight system on many Philips TVs, which project onscreen colors onto the wall behind the display for immersive lighting, the Sync Box allows users to use Philips Hue bulbs for the same purpose. That means even if your TV isn't from Philips, you can still put on a suitable show, with flashing lights and moody color tones accompanying your movie night – whether it's the pulsing action of The Fast and The Furious or the unnerving thrills of that Black Mirror episode.
You can connect "as many as ten Philips Hue color capable lights" over the Philips Hue Sync app, while the Sync Box can switch on the fly between whatever's hooked up to its four HDMI ports: consoles, TVs, set-top boxes, 4K Blu-ray players, laptops or otherwise. Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box will be available in the US, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and the Netherlands from October 15. There's no word on availability for the UK just yet, though we're told more countries will follow in 2020. Retail price is set at €249.95 / $229.99 (around £185). The Sync Box comes off the back of some sleek new Philips Hue Edison bulbs, which were named Best in Smart Home in our IFA 2019 Awards.
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| You are subscribed to email updates from TechRadar - All the latest technology news. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States | |
No comments:
Post a Comment