Apple : The Current War review: Edison vs Westinghouse rivalry shows things haven't changed |
- The Current War review: Edison vs Westinghouse rivalry shows things haven't changed
- Best iPhone 2019: which Apple phone is the best?
- Best fitness tracker 2019: the top 10 activity bands on the planet
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| The Current War review: Edison vs Westinghouse rivalry shows things haven't changed Posted: 24 Oct 2019 01:00 PM PDT Before Musk, Bezos and Zuckerberg, there was Edison, Westinghouse and Tesla – and The Current War captures the magic of these 19th century inventors. It’s a movie about the advent of electric currents and their ambitious inventors. Ironically, it almost didn’t see the light of day. The Current War, set in the 1880s and ‘90s, surrounds the controversies between Thomas Edison’s DC current and George Westinghouse’s AC current. The film was supposed to debut two years ago through distributor The Weinstein Company, only to be mired in modern day controversy and put on hiatus due to the Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse allegations. Director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon was able to reshoot and recut the movie in that time, and it’s now opening this weekend as The Current War: Director’s Cut. Watching the determined Edison (Benedict Cumberbatch) and equally dedicated but more altruistic Westinghouse (Michael Shannon) echoes recent biopics like Jobs, and ‘biopics’ like The Social Network. Yet the history (and entertainment) here involves famed inventors you know by name, but you probably don’t know their entire backstory. You do get a sense of a decade of their lives, but not a full, start-to-finish biography of the already-established inventors in the 107 minutes runtime. It’s a story that deserves to be told, and doesn’t hold back on the genius of Edison but also the ruthlessness of his commitment to seeing Direct Current succeed. He’s so resolute to have his form of electricity adopted by candlelit American cities that he’s willing to stage the dangers of Westinghouse's Alternating Current on animals in an attempt to smear his rival in the press. Westinghouse, already a titan of the Industrial Age, thanks to his invention of the railway air brake, continues to back Alternating Current with the help of Nikola Tesla (Nicholas Hoult). Edison and Westinghouse rarely meet in person, but the film jumps back and forth between the two, giving the sense that they’re always at each other’s throats. It’s not hard to pay attention to the quick jump cuts, and they act as a way to spice up what could otherwise be a dry story. Tesla plays a key role in the lives of both electrical industry pioneers, working for Edison at first – then, when his genius isn’t realized, Westinghouse. The movie flirts with, but doesn’t go into Tesla’s story nearly enough, as the spotlight remains squarely on the Edison vs Westinghouse rivalry. Tesla ends up being a minor, but important player in this particular film. The complicated lives and work habits of these two innovators reflects a lot of what we see in today’s complex entrepreneurs. You admire them for their foresight to change the course of history and connect the world with their revolutionary ideas. Then you begin to discover they, at times, betray their own principles and make this mostly about winning a game. The Current War: Director’s Cut stays true to the history of Edison and Westinghouse as we know it. It may have worked better as a Netflix or HBO series, diving deeper into the lives of both masterminds from a young age to their very end – the lives of both men feel as though they need an origin story. At the same time, it may have drawn things out to an even slower pace. Biopics like this live and die by their source material. Too often, Hollywood studios like to gin up a true story in an effort to make the theater experience more entertaining. Argo is a perfect example of events that really happened, but many of the most exciting moments were fictionalized, especially toward the end of the movie. The Current War’s pacing, as is, feels less intense than other recent biopics, and that’s OK. It’s more honest than we often see from movies “based on a true story.” If you’re looking for an entertaining lesson in history, you’ll get that here instead of entertainment mascading as history. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Best iPhone 2019: which Apple phone is the best? Posted: 24 Oct 2019 11:30 AM PDT Our guide to the best iPhones doesn't get updated very often, as Apple only releases its iPhone handsets once a year, so there's very little change, at least compared to other brands that release new phones in multiple waves every year. With the 2019 iPhone overhaul, the lineup has changed again, and we've welcomed the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max to the world. These three new premium smartphones take the top places on our list, displacing the 2018 iPhone XS range and all previous Apple smartphones. In other words, some of the older iPhones are likely cheaper - and you'll likely save even more money with the the forthcoming Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals, so just bookmark those hyperlinked pages to make sure you're getting access to the top curated deals from across the web by our in-house experts. We have a page just for Black Friday iPhone deals, too. So the best iPhones are the new iPhone 11 handsets, but what order do they rank in? And what are the best iPhones from previous years that still hold up? Check out our list to discover what our extensive testing has found out. The new iPhone range also saw a shake-up in Apple's official iPhone line-up, and now it's got a spectrum of handsets covering all price points – as well as a mounting graveyard of discontinued handsets. You can still pick up the 'discontinued' iPhones at various retailers and carriers, but the 'official' ones will be easy to come by. This deals period will likely see some of the best iPhone deals of the year – that was the case for Amazon Prime Day 2019, and it could be the same for the biggest sales period of the year. So if you need a new iPhone soon, why not wait until Black Friday to see if your favorite iPhone gets a price cut? Naming a best iPhone isn't as simple as looking at plain specifications, because value and usability aren't defined so easily – and even those metrics get changed since the best iPhone deals can sway the value of each device. As such, we've taken the time to use each iPhone extensively in order to compare all the features and functions that new and older iPhones provide. We've snapped with their cameras, played many games, and weighed the value you get for the price. So without further ado, here is our list of the best iPhones on the market right now, bearing in mind that the clock is ticking before this list gets completely overhauled.
Best iPhones at a glance:
Best iPhone: which one should you buy todayThe iPhone 11 isn't the highest-spec Apple phone, but it supersedes the iPhone XR 'budget flagship' in better ways to become the standout phone of its generation in terms of sheer value. True, it misses out on a telephoto lens, but like we found with the Samsung Galaxy S10e, a coupling of main and ultrawide lenses serve most photo needs. While it doesn't get an OLED display, its LCD screen at least allows the phone to keep its best-in-generation battery life crown. And it even gets a bit more RAM - up to 4GB from its predecessor's 3GB. Add in iOS 13 and all the new tweaks coming in the iPhone 11 series and this phone is a lean, mean, photo-taking machine - and all for $699, the cheapest an iPhone has debuted since the iPhone 8. Read our in-depth iPhone 11 review. The iPhone 11 Pro is a more advanced smartphone than the base iPhone 11, but it isn't the best iPhone just because its price is a big step up too. Sure, the smaller screen is one-hand-friendly, the screen quality is a bonus, and it's Apple's most affordable handset with three rear cameras, so it's a decent phone all in all – that's why it's at our second spot on the list of our best iPhones! But money is a concern for most people when they're looking for a new smartphone, and the big price step up may be questionable for most people when you put the stats side-by-side with the iPhone 11. Read our full iPhone 11 Pro review The iPhone 11 Pro Max is not only a confusing shift in naming convention - it's the biggest, fastest, baddest iPhone out there. It's also the most expensive at $1,099 starting price, which only goes up if you expand storage. Not much has changed from the iPhone XS Max, aside from the upgraded camera suite - but then again, adding an ultrawide lens is a big upgrade. The photo software has been upgraded, too, and switching between zoom levels is far smoother here than in other phones. The battery level has been improved a staggering 4 hours over the iPhone XS Max, according to Apple. And if you can get beyond the truly weird-looking triple-lens rear camera block, this is truly the most powerful iPhone out there. Read our in-depth iPhone 11 Pro Max review. Image credit: TechRadar This is actually the best-selling iPhone from Apple, and for several good reasons. First, we get it, you refuse to budge from the 4.7-inch iPhone screen size and, frankly, we don't blame you. Every time we go back to this iPhone with 'normal' dimensions, we feel like we just went on a smartphone vacation. Second, its price is way more reasonable for a lot a folks than the iPhone X and iPhone 8 Plus. Just because the size is the same as iPhones of old, doesn't mean the technology behind it is, though. The iPhone 8 features the same A11 Bionic chipset as the iPhone 8 Plus and the iPhone X, and it too debuted wireless charging and fast charging on an Apple smartphone. The camera is still fantastic, even if it doesn't have the dual-lens capabilities that are exclusive to the X and Plus, and you'll dig iOS 11 at this size more so than the even smaller iPhone SE. Read our in-depth iPhone 8 review Image credit: TechRadar The iPhone 8 Plus is the best iPhone if you're not willing to take the plunge into Apple's proposed smartphone future and need that Touch ID fingerprint sensor. It remains popular due to its screen size, cheaper price and physical home button. It does have several key features you'll like, however. It's among the first iPhones to have both wireless charging and fast charging, and the camera has improved. Its dual-lens camera doesn't have OIS in the telephoto lens (a feature saved for the X), but it's still a great way to snap a photo at long distances. It won't turn nearly as many heads with its bezel-heavy design, but the iPhone 8 Plus is the iPhone built for big hands and slightly smaller wallets than the new iPhone X. Read our in-depth iPhone 8 Plus review Image credit: TechRadar The iPhone XR is a great upgrade for the average consumer who doesn't want to pay for the most expensive iPhone money (a lot of money) can buy. This is Apple's 'cheap' iPhone, at least when it comes to recently launched handsets. It's also the best iPhone of the new trio for battery life. It stands out with a variety of iPhone XR colors: Blue, White, Black, Yellow, Coral, Red. This contrasts heavily with the rather muted colors of the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. Yet it shares the same internal specs: Apple's fast A12 Bionic chipset and a 12MP dual-lens camera with a single lens on back.
You don't get the dual-lens camera like you do on a higher-tier iPhone, so you miss out on telephoto shots. But Smart HDR is the real perk to taking great photos, and that's here. It's cheaper, it's more colorful and it has a big 6.1-inch screen. That's enough for most people, especially those who aren't insistent on an impressive OLED screen. Read our in-depth iPhone XR review Despite the iPhone SE's small size and relatively modest price tag, it's still an upper mid-range phone. It has the same boxy yet premium design as the metal-clad iPhone 5S and the same powerful Apple A9 chipset and rear camera as the iPhone 6S. It lacks the 3D Touch features and higher-resolution front-facing camera of the iPhone 6S and beyond. The screen is also less impressive all round, thanks in large part to a lower contrast ratio. But it compares well to many mid-range handsets. It's also the most powerful 4-inch iPhone you can get, so for fans of compact form factors this is an obvious choice. But the best bit is its price, as it's one of the cheapest iPhones you'll find on the market and it's something of a bargain by Apple standards. Read the iPhone SE review Image credit: TechRadar The iPhone XS Max is the best iPhone you can buy right now. It's Apple's biggest and best iPhone – if your hands and wallets are large enough. It has an expansive 6.5-inch OLED screen with HDR10 support to make colors pop. It's the perfect phone if you want a giant screen. Behind that huge screen is an improved dual-lens 12MP camera. Apple outfitted it with Smart HDR and increased the sensor size to capture larger pixels. Don't let that static 12MP number fool you. The iPhone XS Max (like the XS) has new depth-sensing capabilities for adjustable bokeh (background blur) during and after a shot. The TrueDepth camera returns with faster Face ID recognition, and your 7MP selfies get better depth control and Smart HDR, too. And, of course, Animoji returns with the iOS 12 benefit of having Memoji now. The iPhone XS Max is more expensive than the iPhone X and iPhone XS that replaces the X, of course. But if you're paying for it over the course of two years in a contract (or through the Apple Upgrade Program), it's not that much more month-to-month. Read our in-depth iPhone XS Max review Image credit: TechRadar Believe it or not, the iPhone XS is Apple's best 'small' phone. It has a 5.8-inch screen, so it's more one-hand-friendly than the Max, but still a sizable upgrade for some people. It's an upgrade over last year's iPhone X, our previous best iPhone recommendation, though you'll have to look more closely for the changes – the design isn't different at all. It has a Smart HDR-capable 12MP camera, enhanced TrueDepth front-facing camera, and a fast A12 Bionic chipset, exactly like the larger iPhone XS Max. In fact, this all-screen phone is pretty much the iPhone XS Max in last year's smaller form factor. It does have a smaller battery than the Max and obviously a smaller screen, but you will still capture the same great photos and videos on this device and play the same games. There's no different there. Read our in-depth iPhone XS review Image credit: TechRadar The iPhone X is as impressive as it is expensive, but if you really want the best iPhone today and don't want to wait for the iPhone XI, this is the one to get today. Millions of Apple fans already have since it launched almost seven months ago. It's the future of Apple's smartphone. It has a large all-screen display, except for a notch cutout at the top that houses a new TrueDepth Camera. This takes selfies to another level and can also map your face to an iPhone X-exclusive Animoji. If you don't know what that is by now you probably won't care. The iPhone X is Apple's 10th anniversary smartphone and has just about everything iPhone users have been asking for, from a more forward-leaning design to faster specs and new features. You'll just have to get used to Face ID instead of reaching for that non-existent fingerprint sensor. Read our in-depth iPhone X review Don't fancy the large iPhone 7 Plus above? Why not opt for the iPhone 7, which is a smaller and cheaper alternative. This was one of the first iPhones to lack a headphone jack, but it does come with a water-resistant design that means your phone is likely to survive the odd dip in the sink rather than just being frazzled right away. There's no dual-lens camera on the iPhone 7, but you can still take some absolutely incredible photography with the 12MP sensor. If you own an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6S, you may not see much difference with the this phone but the newer processor and camera tech may be enough to entice you to buy it if you can't stomach the high price of the iPhone 8. Read the full iPhone 7 review Back in 2016 the iPhone 7 Plus was the best phone Apple had ever made, and it remains a winner for its longevity and price. It's larger than the iPhone X though despite its smaller display, so if you're after a smaller phone with a bigger screen, this won't be the best choice for you with its 5.5-inch 1080p display. The big upgrades over older iPhones are the waterproof design and a new dual-lens camera that allows you to snap with two 12MP lenses at the same time. It allows for better optical zoom as well as a bokeh mode to blur the background of your photos and put the main focus on the foreground. Battery life on the iPhone 7 Plus is much improved upon the iPhone 6S Plus, and while it's still a costly option it's much cheaper than it was at launch, making it one of the best iPhone choices for people looking for a deal. Read the full iPhone 7 Plus review The iPhone 6S, as you probably know, is Apple's flagship from 2015. The Apple A9 chipset and a chunky 2GB of RAM, up from 1GB on the previous model, make it far superior in raw power to 2014's model and still reasonably speedy by today's standards, and it's got some other tricks too. It has a 12MP rear camera and a tried-and-tested 8MP front-facing camera, which at the time was the best selfie shooter Apple had on a phone. It does sport largely the same design and screen as the iPhone 6 though and the latter in particular is starting to feel a bit dated in the face of super sharp QHD screens from rivals - and from the newer iPhone X. This was the first iPhone to sport 3D Touch though, which makes the screen pressure-sensitive and offers new tricks for enhanced emailing and shortcuts around the home screen. Read the full iPhone 6S review
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| Best fitness tracker 2019: the top 10 activity bands on the planet Posted: 24 Oct 2019 11:24 AM PDT This list of the best fitness trackers gives you a full look at the greatest devices to monitor your activity and overall health. Most of the best and newest devices on the market monitor your workouts, heart rate, stress and everything in-between with pinpoint accuracy. Think of them like an electronic watchdog for your health, putting a finger on your pulse, constantly measuring your vitals, checking your quality of sleep, counting your steps and - sometimes - even more. Folks even call them smart bracelets, mostly because activity bands now look as good as traditional jewelry - but they're also so light you'll barely notice them on your wrist. Before you go any further, know that we aren't evaluating all the highest-end tech wristwear in this list. For that you'll want our best smartwatch guide, which includes top-end products like the Apple Watch 5, Fossil Sport and Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2. You also won't find the Fitbit Ionic, Fitbit Versa or Fitbit Versa Lite here either, which, despite their brand name, are all smartwatches and are priced accordingly. Most of the devices below were released in 2018 (and a few even before that) but we're seeing this list gently changed over 2019. While we didn't hear much at IFA 2019 about our much-wanted Fitbit Charge 4 or other fitness trackers, we'll fit those devices into this list when they finally hit the market. You might be thinking already about saving money with the the forthcoming Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals - so just bookmark those hyperlinked pages to make sure you're getting access to the top curated deals from across the web by our in-house experts. Right now this guide is designed to show you the best of the best that your money will get you. We'll show you how each ranks in terms of stand-out features, specs, price, design, the quality of the software you'll be using on your phone and much more.
More refined than the Fitbit Charge 2, the Charge 3 is one of the company's most accomplished devices. It has a more lightweight design than the last-gen, and it looks better on your wrist. It's our number one all-round fitness tracker since the price has dropped slightly recently, and it offers a lot of insight into your overall health. The display is bigger and clearer than a lot of other fitness trackers on this list, but it's still a black and white screen. There's no onboard GPS, like some other trackers on this list have, but it's waterproof and offers a full fitness suite including a heart rate tracker. You can track GPS by pairing your phone with the tracker too. You have to spend a bit extra on this than other fitness trackers you can buy in this same list, but if you enjoy the whole Fitbit app and experience and would also like access to notifications and Fitbit's fantastic sleep tracking, you'll want to opt for this as it's one of the company's best trackers ever. Read our Fitbit Charge 3 review What's next? It's likely to be the Fitbit Charge 4, but we don't currently know when it'll launch. Our highest ranked Garmin product in the best fitness tracker list is also one of the most accomplished in its range of health bands. This device isn't made for serious athletes like a variety of other products from the Garmin brand, but instead this is for those who want to be able to track the odd bit of exercise and have an attractive band to do it. The screen is bigger on this version than other Garmin products, and it has a battery that should last you around a week depending on how much exercise you'll be doing. There's also an innovative feature called body battery that helps you learn when exactly is the best time to exercise depending on how much energy you have. This is great for those who are just as interested in their recovery and general wellbeing as they are clocking up the miles. Read the full Garmin Vivosmart 4 review What's next? There aren't currently any rumors of a Garmin Vivosmart 5, but it's nearing its first birthday so Garmin may soon unveil a new version. Taking over from the Huawei Band 2 Pro is the Huawei Band 3 Pro. This is one of the best fitness trackers you can buy if you're on a strict budget, and it has some amazing features considering how much it costs. The Band 3 Pro comes with GPS onboard, it has a water resistant design (which means you can take it swimming) and there's a 0.95-inch color screen to display all of your stats on your wrist. We've found the heart rate monitor to be accurate, and while the GPS could be quicker at locking on we also found it to be precise. If you're looking for an affordable entry-level device for your first foray into the world of fitness tracking, this is a great place to start. Read our Huawei Band 3 Pro review What's next? We expect to hear about the Huawei Band 4 Pro in the future, but we haven't yet heard any details on when it may land. This isn't the most capable fitness tracker in our best of list, but it does a lot considering its price and you'll get access to all of Fitbit's top-end services. The Fitbit Inspire HR unsurprisingly offers a heart rate tracker alongside a variety of other fitness tracking capabilities. It isn't as capable as the Fitbit Charge 3 as it lacks swim tracking or Fitbit Pay integration, but that's understandable as this is much cheaper. It features a slimmer and more comfortable design than a lot of other trackers you can buy, so if you're after a Fitbit that won't be heavy on your wrist you may want to consider the Inspire HR as your next fitness band. Read the full Fitbit Inspire HR review It's not as stylish as most of the Fitbit products, but there's a reason the Garmin Vivosport appears in this list before products from the latter company. This is cheaper than most Fitbit products and it comes with GPS built-in too. We found the Vivosport offers a solid seven days battery life from a single charge, even when using the GPS features. Although it's waterproof, it won't track your swimming easily but the Vivosport excels for other kinds of workouts and is great for tracking your jogging and cycling. Plus we found the heart rate tracker to be accurate too. Read our full Garmin Vivosport review Sitting in the exact same spot as the Honor Band 3 did before it, the Band 4 from Honor is a great budget pick if you're looking to save money on your fitness tracker. This is much cheaper than a lot of the other bands on this list, and while it may not come with GPS or solid notifications it does offer good tracking for a casual runner as well as a beautiful color OLED display. It's a small screen you'll have to work with here, but the point of the Honor Band 4 is to pack the essentials into a small package and keep the cost as low as possible. It's not for everyone, but you may find it the best fitness tracker for you. Read our full Honor Band 4 review What's next? The first tease of the Honor Band 5 has come from the company's CEO, so we may see that new tracker launch in the near future. This may look more like a smartwatch than any of the other devices on this list, but as it runs its own software and has a very big focus on fitness we've decided to include it in our list of the best fitness trackers. The Amazfit Bip design has been influenced by the Apple Watch (there's no denying that) and it comes packed with tons of features including GPS, an accurate heart rate tracker, multi-sport tracking, sleep tracking and VO2 Max features too. If you're looking for a more watch-like design than everything else on this list, the Bip will be up your street. It's lightweight too and other highlights include the always-on display and strong battery life that should last around a month depending on your usage. If this all sounds good, you'd be hard pressed to go wrong with the Amazfit Bip. It's worth noting the fitness tracker isn't available in all markets at the moment though and you may struggle to find the Bip where you live. Read the full Amazfit Bip review What's next? The Amazfit Bip 2 is available in China, but you can't currently buy it anywhere else. We may have to wait a while until it makes it to the US or UK. The Garmin Vivofit 4 is one of the best fitness trackers the company has ever created, and that now means it sits in this prestigious list alongside some other fantastic tracking products. We particularly like the super-long battery life of the Vivofit 4, which means you won't need to recharge your device for a whole year. That means you can wear it all day, then all night for sleep tracking and not have to worry about recharging it. You'll miss out on phone notifications by buying this tracker, but you do get the benefit of an always-on color display, accurate fitness tracking features - just note these are more limited than some other trackers on this list - as well as access to an in-depth app to break down your stats on your smartphone. Read the full Garmin Vivofit 4 review Although it may be a few years old, the Moov Now is still one of our favorite fitness bands. It's cheap, offers everything you'll want in an everyday tracker and there's a phenomenal six month long battery life. The Moov Now isn't just designed for step tracking though - it comes with boxing and rep-based training, as well as a swimming mode on top of run coaching and sleep monitoring features. That's a lot to get stuck in with. You won't get GPS or some of the more complex fitness tracking features that others on this list offer, but if you're looking for a great everyday tracker that doesn't cost a lot of money the Moov Now will suit you perfectly. Read the full Moov Now review What's next? The Moov Now was first released back in 2015, so the device is due a refresh. That said, we haven't heard any rumors of a new device coming from Moov. Samsung's first attempt at making a super cheap fitness tracker is called the Galaxy Fit e, and it's arguably one of the best low price devices on the market. We particularly like the Galaxy Fit e for its slick looking design, its week long battery life and the fact it'll track a variety of different activities including swimming and cycling. It features a heart rate monitor, but there's no GPS on this tracker and it's only a black and white display. That said, the price is incredibly low so if you're looking to save you may want to opt for this over other devices in this list. Read our Samsung Galaxy Fit E review
Photo illustration: TechRadar; Fitbit; Samsung; Garmin; Moov; Huawei This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Amazon acquires telemedicine startup Health Navigator Posted: 24 Oct 2019 11:13 AM PDT Amazon is continuing its push into the healthcare space by acquiring a startup called Health Navigator that provides technology as well as services to digital health companies. CNBC reached out to the e-commerce giant which confirmed the acquisition and said that Heath Navigator will become part of the company's recently launched Amazon Care group. Amazon Care provides medical benefits to the company's employees through telemedicine but in-home visits are also available when additional care is required. An Amazon spokesperson provided more details on Amazon Care to CNBC in an email, saying:
"The service eliminates travel and wait time, connecting employees and their family members to a physician or nurse practitioner through live chat or video, with the option for in-person follow up services from a registered nurse ranging from immunizations to instant strep throat detection." Health NavigatorHealth Navigator currently has around a dozen employees which makes Amazon's second acquisition in the healthcare space much smaller that when it purchased PillPack last year for $753m. The company has already made a significant investment into PillPack but entering the market has proven difficult for Amazon as other players in the space have prevented it from accessing patient data or trying to hire their employees. The CEO of Health Navigator, David Thompson founded the business back in 2014 and is already well known in the medical sector for developing the Schmitt-Thompson protocols. These protocols have now become the standard way for nurses and other hospital staff to guide patients to the right place, usually through call centers. In its work with technology partners such as Microsoft and other healthcare companies, Health Navigator provides a number of services such as symptom-checking tools that can aid with remote diagnoses and the company helps patients determine whether they should stay home, see a doctor or head straight to the emergency room. Neither Amazon nor Health Navigator have yet to make an official announcement regarding the acquisition but we will likely hear more once the recently acquired company becomes a part of Amazon Care.
We've also highlighted the best telemedicine software of 2019 This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The best Sprint plans in October 2019 Posted: 24 Oct 2019 11:11 AM PDT The best Sprint data plans are easy to choose from if you know what you need. That’s because Sprint has cut down on its variety to focus largely on three tiers of unlimited data plans. If you don’t want unlimited data, Sprint only has one other option for your phone. If you do want unlimited data, then it has three plans to consider, with each increasing the data speeds and certain data allotments available to you. They naturally increase in price between tiers, but they also come with some extra perks that can more than justify the extra expense if you take advantage of them. If you want a limited data plan but need more than the 2GB option available from Sprint, then the best Verizon data plans will likely be a better choice for you. If you happen to live in one of the five cities Sprint has launched its 5G network, then you can also get 5G service using a compatible phone like the LG V50 ThinQ or Samsung Galaxy S10 5G. The service comes with the Unlimited Premium plan at no extra charge and is available in areas of Chicago, Kansas City, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and Atlanta. You might be thinking already about saving money with the the forthcoming Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals - so just bookmark those hyperlinked pages to make sure you're getting access to the top curated deals from across the web by our in-house experts. If you’re ready to check out the best Sprint plans, we’ve got all the details you need right here.
Sprint unlimited plans: ExplainedSprint's unlimited plans start at the base tier, Unlimited Basic. This gives you the unlimited calling, texting, and data you'd expect. Mobile hotspot is also allowed on the plan, but with some speed limitations. The plan also comes with a Hulu subscription, service in Canada and Mexico, and international texting. For an extra $10 a month per line, you can upgrade to Unlimited Plus, which offers more perks, higher bandwidths for things like streaming and gaming, and more LTE hotspot data. For another $20 per line on top of the Unlimited Basic Plan's price, you get the Unlimited Premium plan, which offers even more. What's more, all of the plans offer 50GB of data at full speed, so you should only experience throttling during periods of network congestion after you've used 50GB of data. We'll explain each in greater detail in our plan breakdown below. But first, here's what you can expect to pay for the Unlimited Basic Plan:
Sprint plans: access chargesSprint used to list access charges when you go through the process of selecting a plan and a device on its website. These used to be an easy way to turn an attractive plan price sour quickly, as it could tack on over $10 to the price. Now, Sprint doesn't mention it anywhere that we could find so, so the days of access fees may be on their way out. Sprint's plans will include other taxes and fees though, and they vary by region, so don't expect the price you see first to be the price you pay. The right Sprint plan for youWhile the focus from Sprint is largely on unlimited data, there is also an option for you if you don't need much. Here, we'll go through the finer details of each plan, so you'll know what you get. This way you can make an informed decision. Sprint Unlimited Basic plan | Unlimited calls, texts and data | $60/month The plan also includes 500MB of mobile hotspot at LTE speeds, with unlimited hotspot at 3G speeds after that. On top of that, you get full service and 5GB of LTE data in Mexico and Canada, as well as free texting and basic data in over 200 countries. Sprint Unlimited Plus plan | Unlimited calls, texts and data | $70/month On top of those upgrades, music streaming is allowed at 1.5Mbps and gaming is allowed at 8Mbps. And, for a limited time, if you bring your own device when switching to Sprint, you can save $10 per month on this plan. Sprint Unlimited Premium plan | Unlimited calls, texts and data | $80/month The perks are increased as well. You get Hulu, Tidal Premium, Lookout Premium Plus, and an Amazon Prime subscription. The plan is Sprint's priciest, but you can get $10/month off if you bring your own device when switching to Sprint. With this plan, you also can access the 5G network on a compatible phone. Sprint 2GB plan| Unlimited calls and texts | $40/month Sprint plans: Other optionsIf you're looking to get more than just a mobile phone plan, Sprint also offers plans for tablets, smartwatches, and mobile broadband hotspot devices. These start from $10 for unlimited data on a smartwatch, $15 for unlimited data on a tablet, and from $30 for 10GB to $60 for 100GB on a mobile hotspot device. Sprint phonesDon't forget that with a great smartphone plan, you'll also want to have a great smartphone. Check out the best smartphones for Sprint. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The best T-Mobile plans in October 2019 Posted: 24 Oct 2019 11:05 AM PDT The best T-Mobile plans are all about one thing: unlimited data. That focus has helped the mobile carrier consistently rank in the top spot for best unlimited data plans, beating even the best Verizon plans. T-Mobile has several different unlimited data plans, but it also maintains a single prepaid plan with a data allowance and several pay-as-you-go options. For those customers that like cheap and simple, the prepaid data plan may be a valuable option, but the unlimited plans have the most to offer. Unfortunately, they’re also the trickiest to understand. It might seem like an unlimited data plan should be straightforward, but there’s fine print, taxes and fees, speed caps, and additional perks to consider. Fortunately, we’ve spent hours sifting through all the little details to understand what every plan is offering so we can pass that info onto you in a larger, easier to read font. You might be thinking already about saving money with the the forthcoming Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals - so just bookmark those hyperlinked pages to make sure you're getting access to the top curated deals from across the web by our in-house experts. So, whether you’re looking for a fully packed unlimited plan to go with the best T-Mobile phone or something simple, we’ve got all the information you need. Quick Links
Current T-Mobile special offersImage Credit: TechRadar T-Mobile Trade-in discounts on top phones
How much the T-Mobile One Plan costs:
The best prices are clearly those with multiple lines, and the free Netflix subscription encourages users to find someone to sign up with. It should be noted that these prices require users to enable AutoPay, otherwise the price will be slightly higher. For people that want to skip a credit check or like pre-paid plans, T-Mobile offers the One No Credit Check plan and One Prepaid plan. If you don't travel abroad, the One Prepaid Domestic Only plan is actually cheaper than the standard One Plan but has almost all the same features, but the $50 monthly fee has additional taxes and fees. T-Mobile also has a stripped down unlimited plan called T-Mobile Essentials, which gives you the same unlimited talk, text, and data for a slightly lower price, at $60 plus taxes and fees, but removes some of the extra perks.
The 9 great perks of T-Mobile service
The T-Mobile One Plan: ExplainedFirstly, users on T-Mobile's flagship One Plan will pay exactly what T-Mobile lists as the price of the plan. That price includes all taxes and fees, so monthly budgets just got a lot easier to figure out. Secondly, the T-Mobile One Plan doesn’t make customers think about what service they’re getting. Everyone gets unlimited talk, unlimited text, and unlimited data. And anyone getting two or more lines gets a free Netflix subscription with their service. The service also includes perks for travelers, such as talk, text and data in 210+ countries (though there are some limits the service abroad). The unlimited talk, text and data included in the plan extend to travel in Mexico and Canada as well, with up to 5GB of that data at 4G LTE speeds. And, customers on Gogo-enabled flights can continue to text for free and get 1-hour of free data. In terms of what you can do with your data on this plan, T-Mobile allows mobile hotspot at 3G speeds and video streaming at DVD quality. Plus, T-Mobile only deprioritizes your data during congestion after you've used over 50GB of data in a billing cycle. Important restrictions on the T-Mobile One Plan:While the T-Mobile One Plan is the foundation, it’s not the pinnacle of T-Mobile’s service, and there are some limitations. Users who exceed 50GB of data usage a month may experience slowed data rates during network congestion, but 50GB is a wildly high cap, and that’s just slowed data, not stopped data. For some reference, you could stream an hour of standard definition video every day and not come close to exceeding 50GB in a month. Mobile hotspot speeds for the base T-Mobile One Plan are not given priority, and may not be at 4G LTE speed. That said, T-Mobile doesn’t mention anything about actually restricting hotspot usage other than that data usage must primarily be on a mobile device for users who exceed 50GB a month. For videophiles, T-Mobile also limits videos streaming over cellular connections to non-HD quality. It offers an upgrade to the base plan that adds allows HD video streaming. The upgrade available:Naturally, T-Mobile has a way to upgrade it’s One plan with more perks and functionality. This upgrade is not separate from the One Plan but functions simply as an add-on to the base plan. T-Mobile One Plus plan: Simply Prepaid and pay-as-you-go T-Mobile plans:While the T-Mobile One plan is a great deal, it’s not very cheap if you’re getting a plan alone. And it has a lot of features that casual phone users might not need. For those who don’t mind a limit here and there if it saves a few bucks, T-Mobile has a few other plans. The Simply Prepaid plan has a cap on 4G LTE data, but otherwise comes with unlimited 2G data, talk, and text. It also allows for 4G LTE tethering and Wi-Fi calling. The plan costs $40 right now, but there are additional taxes and fees. Unless you're a hardcore streamer, 10GB can go a long way, and this is an affordable plan. For the cheapest and most bare-bones plans, T-Mobile also offers some pay-as-you-go options for users with basic phones or who don't think they'll use their smartphone very much but want the option available.
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| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) release date, trailers and news Posted: 24 Oct 2019 11:04 AM PDT Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) is something of a reset for the bestselling FPS franchise – removing the frills of zombies, jetpacks, double-jumps and futuristic gadgetry for a grounded take on what military engagement actually looks like in the 21st century. The name is no coincidence, either; 2007's Modern Warfare was a landmark entry in the Call of Duty series, and it looks like Activision is looking to recreate what made the game of the same name so successful. It’s all about the gritty realities of war this time out, with the ‘modern’ of the ‘Modern Warfare’ title referring to the gear, weapons and gadgetry being used today in the Middle East and Russia, rather than the far-flung fantasies of science fiction. We can't talk about a Modern Warfare reboot without talking about multiplayer - and thankfully the latest iteration looks set to deliver. According to the game's developer, Modern Warfare will support community across platforms for the first time, release maps across all platforms simultaneously and removing both the season pass and a la carte maps that split the player base in years past. It's the dawning of a new era for the one of the most beloved first-person shooters of all-time. Here's what you need to know about Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Cut to the chase
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare release dateAnnounced right before E3 2019, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare leaked ahead of the event but a trailer gave us our first glimpse and a variety of details for the game. It included the release date, which is set for October 25, 2019. You're already able to pre-order the game on the official site too. If you want to get the jump on your friends and enemies in multiplayer, Walmart has a pre-order deal that comes with three hours of double XP online. You can cash in your boosted XP hours any time until 10/25/2024, so there's no need to rush straight in on launch day and potentially waste your earnings. (If you're in the UK, GAME is offering a similar pre-order deal!) Call of Duty Modern Warfare screenshotsCall of Duty: Modern Warfare trailersInfinity Ward has released a PC trailer for Modern Warfare that shows off the game's fantastic visuals with 4K resolution and an uncapped frame rate. It's not long until the game's release and we now have a thrilling launch trailer to enjoy. Watch it for yourself below: PlayStation's State of Play showcase saw the debut of several fantastic trailers for some highly-anticipated games, with a new story-focused Call of Duty: Modern Warfare trailer being a particular highlight. You can check out that trailer below. At Gamescom 2019, Infinity Ward released a new trailer revealing Modern Warfare's ray tracing in action. Check it out below: Not had enough footage of Modern Warfare multiplayer? Check out the 24 minutes of multiplayer footage released by Infinity Ward in August 2019 below. The latest multiplayer trailer has been revealed for what's being claimed to be Call of Duty's most immersive multiplayer to date. Infinity Ward has confirmed a brand new multiplayer mode for Modern Warfare called Gunfight and released five whole minutes of crisp 4K gameplay to give players a better idea of what to expect from this fast-paced, 2v2 mode. Watch it for yourself below. The first trailer for Modern Warfare was the release trailer that debuted on May 30. In it, we can see series protagonist (and all-around badass) Captain Price light up, and some intense - and dare we say great-looking - nightvision sequences. You can watch it below: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare newsNo lootboxes confirmed Infinity Ward has now confirmed that Modern Warfare will not have lootboxes and will, instead, monetise through a Battle Pass. Anything such as weapons and attachments that would have an impact on the balance of play will not be available for purchase and will be unlockable simply by playing the game. In the battle pass itself, players will be able to see exactly what they're earning or buying and there will be a focus on cosmetic content that doesn't give players any in-game advantage. According to Infinity Ward, the battle pass will not launch with the game. Instead, the developer wants players to enjoy the base game content first and the battle pass will launch later in this year. After this, passes will "launch timed to new, post-launch live seasons, so you can unlock cool new Modern Warfare-themed content that matches each season." Concern over loot boxes There have been some worries among Call of Duty fans about what the monetisation plans around Modern Warfare may be, with loot boxes looming large in the minds of many. Studio art director at Infinity Ward, Joel Emslie, has stepped forward on the game's subreddit to say that the game will not have loot boxes. Under the thread title "Current Events" Emslie wrote in no uncertain terms: "Sigh. There continues to be misinformed and incorrect info being pushed about Modern Warfare. What I can say right now is that we are definitely NOT working on any kind of supply drop or loot box system. Also, functional stuff is unlocked through GAMEPLAY. Stay tuned, we're planning to release info this week." It looks like those feeling concern will be waiting for bated breath for more news before the game's release. PC Specifications Ahead of Modern Warfare’s release, the game’s PC specifications have been revealed. And they’re pretty hefty. The game will, according to Battle.net, require a massive 175GB hard drive space. The space required on consoles has not yet been revealed but it will be interesting to whether 4K consoles will need something similar. Minimum requirements OS: Windows 7 64-bit or Windows 10 64-bit Processor” Intel Core i3-4340 or AMD FX-6300 Video” NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 or AMD Radeon HD 7950 Memory: 8GB RAM Storage: 175GB hard drive Recommended OS: Windows 10 64-bit Processor: Intel Cire i5-2500K or AMD Ryzen R5 1600X Video: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660, AMD Radeon R9 390, or AMD Radeon RX 580 Memory: 12 GB RAM Storage 175 GB hard drive Special Ops We now know more about Modern Warfare’s Special Ops mode thanks to an official blog post. According to the post, Special Ops (completely separate to the PS4 timed exclusive mode Special Ops Survival) can be played by up to 4 players together and the main aim is to work together to “stop and sever a global terror organization’s access to weapons, funds, intelligence, and hardware.” Special Ops is divided into two game modes: Missions and Operations. Operations are multiplayer only matches that feature unique objectives and a certain amount of freedom in terms of how you approach it. Missions, meanwhile, can be played with others or solo. These missions will be less sprawling than Operations and more focused on testing your skills with certain weapons or tools. On completing a mission your performance will be given a star rating. Cross-progression between online multiplayer and Special Ops has been enabled so you’ll be able to carry your items and progress between modes. COD: Mobile edition Crossplay Battle royale possibilities The rumors are unconfirmed but they do come from YouTuber LongSensation, a source with a fairly good track record. However, until Infinity Ward confirms or denies we can't be sure. PC optimzation Call of Duty: Modern Warfare will be fully optimized for PC players, according to recent reports, complete with some PC-specific features as well as cross-play with consoles. As reported by DualShockers, the PC version of the game will have an uncapped frame rate as well as a slider for Field of View so that you can decide how much of your surroundings you want to see in your peripheral vision. Ultra-wide monitors will be supported with the ability to configure monitors to suit your needs. For any console players concerned about mouse and keyboard advantages in cross-play scenarios, matchmaking will be done according to peripherals so it's down to you whether or not you play with those using a mouse and keyboard. Infinity Ward is already ahead of those ultra-sneaky players who might think about changing their peripheral mid-match; you can't, it's locked in. Multiplayer reveal As promised, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare's multiplayer reveal took place in August. Fans have already seen the brand new 2v2 mode, Gunfight, but now there's a bigger picture that suggests a truly reinvigorated Call of Duty multiplayer experience to look forward to. First up, there's cross-platform multiplayer between consoles and PC as well as a free season pass, showing Infinity Ward is taking a cue from popular multiplayer titles like Fortnite and is making efforts not to split up its playerbase. Further to 2v2 fights in Gunfight, there are 6v6, 10v10 and 20v20 matches though the real surprise is a new mode called Ground War which will support up to 100 players, though there's no footage of that just yet. With this expansive multiplayer offering, it seems that Infinity Ward is looking to appeal to all kinds of shooter fans. Watch the multiplayer trailer for yourself below. Killstreaks are back Ahead of the full multiplayer reveal scheduled for August 1, Activision has confirmed that Killstreaks will make a return in Modern Warfare, making it the first game in quite a while to include the feature. As players rack up kills, they'll be able to unlock weapons and armor. Some of the killstreaks have been revealed on Twitter already including the intimidating Juggernaut suit from Modern Warfare 3, the light infantry assault vehicle and, most unpleasantly, the controversial White Phosphorus. More information on the game will be revealed on August 1. Female multiplayer options Infinity Ward has been drip-feeding multiplayer news ahead of the full reveal on August 1st. The latest announcement has come from a Reddit post in which communications manager, Ashton Williams, has confirmed that there will be playable female models in Modern Warfare's multiplayer. Multiplayer intro In addition to that confirmation of playable female characters, Infinity Ward has also revealed some footage of what the short cinematic preceding a multiplayer match will look like to Twitter ahead of the full multiplayer reveal. Like in Call of Duty: WW2's War Mode, the cinematic will show players in a scene heading towards their drop point. Full Multiplayer Reveal Gunfight Gunfight is a mode for four players where two teams will play in “multi-round cage matches” across three small custom maps. Every two rounds, teams will swap to opposite sides of the map. All four players will have the same loadout which will typically be comprised of a primary and secondary weapon as well as a tactical Grenade and a piece of Lethal Equipment. The first team to win six rounds are the winners. This is going to be a mode for players that like fast rounds, with each round counting down on a 40 second timer. If one team hasn’t wiped out the other by the time the 40 seconds is up, a flag will appear on the map. The first team to control the area around the flag for more than three seconds is them the winner of the round. Each round, overall, will last for around a minute so speed is key. Aim Down Sight reload Aim Down Sight reload will mean that, while aiming down the sight of your weapon, your view won't be pulled away to watch an animation when you reload. Instead, you'll stay on target. Animation director Mark Grigsby offered some details on the feature in the post: “One other thing we added this year is the ADS [Aiming Down Sight] reload. In the past, if you're ADS, and you're shooting and you reload, the weapon would go off to the side, and you'd have to retrain to get to your target. This time if you reload, it stays on the target, so you can stay in the battle.” "Ripped straight from the headlines" This mission sees you tracking down the instigator of the terrorist attack (AKA The Wold) to a townhouse in North London. As a member of the SAS, the player creeps up a ladder and into the back of the dimly lit home where they methodically assassinate the plain-clothes terrorists occupying the residency. There's even an unsettling situation involving a woman using her baby as a shield. It's pretty rough but Infinity Ward claims the new Modern Warfare sees missions "ripped straight from the headlines" and investigated the "civilian collateral damage" that comes hand-in-hand with war. What was peculiar was that our presentation was shorter than those who had attended earlier in the week. We were only shown the London townhouse mission, whereas other journalists were shown an extra - more controversial - segment which seen players taking on the role of a child soldier in an unspecified war-torn country. Image Credit: Infinity Ward Is this a reboot of the classic Modern Warfare? Instead, Infinity Ward is using the Modern Warfare name here to evoke a similar feeling, and some of the same characters will return but this is an entirely new storyline set in a different timeline. It's totally separate to what we've seen in the previous games as here those events haven't occurred. We'll still follow Captain Price in this different timeline, and it may mean we see over returning characters throughout too. Price features heavily in the trailer above, and he ends it by saying there's a team of his "old comrades" so it may well be that we see the return of other fan favorite characters such as Soap or Gaz. This new timeline is also why the game isn't called Modern Warfare 4. It should mean it's a good place for new entrants to the series to pick up the game, but there's sure to be a few nods to the original series for die-hard fans. Narrative director at Infinity Ward, Taylor Kurosaki, also noted that the game's storyline is still being tweaked but it's anywhere between five and nine hours long. That means it's not set to be very long, but at least this time there is a storyline. Call of Duty: Blacks Ops 4 opted to drop the storyline in favor of focusing on online play, which is something we've heard very little about so far for this game. Image credit: Activision/Infinity Ward No zombie mode... In an interview with PlayStation Lifestyle, Minkoff said that the team's goal is to create something on par with today's battlefields - which, unfortunately, don't include any undead wandering around. "We don't have the flexibility to do something like put zombies in the game. That would compromise the feeling of playing in a world that feels realistic and authentic and relative to today's conflicts and things we face," Minkoff said. If you want Zombies, you'll just have to wait for the next Black Ops game. Image Credit: Activision / Infinity Ward A whole new engine We've yet to learn the name of the engine, but we know that the franchise has been working on it for five years. We expect to learn more about it in the coming months, but we can expect some more detailed environments, improved volumetric lighting and ray tracing technology too. Expect controversy That mission is in Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2. It was highly controversial at the time for depicting an undercover CIA agent who takes part in a mass shooting of civilians. The trailer suggests other terrorist attacks may feature in the story, and children also feature so it may be these elements are used to stir up controversy.
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| The best Verizon Wireless plans in October 2019 Posted: 24 Oct 2019 11:02 AM PDT The best Verizon plan will come down to how you use your phone. You could go with the ultimate unlimited data plan and get a mountain of high-speed data and every perk offered, but you might be paying for more than you need. You could also go an affordable route with a pre-paid plan that offers small data allotments to fit your specific needs. Verizon offers all sorts of plans, and they come in many different sizes and prices. When you’re figuring out which one is right for you, you’ll need to consider whether you’re getting a plan along, sharing a plan with friends or family, and how much data all the users on your plan will need. You should also consider whether any of the additional perks available in the Verizon plans are worthwhile, as they can add considerable extra value to the plans if you use them. You might be thinking already about saving money with the the forthcoming Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals - so just bookmark those hyperlinked pages to make sure you're getting access to the top curated deals from across the web by our in-house experts. Verizon may offer discounts on certain phones - or even plans - during this discount holiday season. If you choose Verizon’s premium unlimited plans, you may even be able to take advantage of its 5G network. It was the first US carrier to launch a true 5G network, and now its available in select parts of Chicago, Denver, Minneapolis, St. Paul and Providence. It’s available for the Moto Z3 and Moto Z4 (with 5G Moto Mod), LG V50, and Samsung Galaxy S10 5G. So, you have the option of jumping onto one of its top unlimited data plans for access to that service, which we’ve seen deliver data speeds in excess of 1Gbps in a 5G speed test. The wide variety of plans and pricing details leave you with a lot to think about. So, whether you’re shopping alone or with friends and family members, we’ll help you understand Verizon’s mobile plans and what you’ll pay. In almost all cases, the plans will be cheaper per-person if you activate multiple lines. For example, the monthly rate for one line on an unlimited plan would be $75 while getting four lines would bring the per-person cost down to $40 per month. We've gone through the details, both the major and the fine print, to find out everything we can about Verizon's various plans so we can help you find the best one. Whatever your needs, we’ll help you understand Verizon’s best plans so you can make the right choice.
Verizon Wireless unlimited plans: ExplainedVerizon offers three tiers of its unlimited plan: Go Unlimited, Beyond Unlimited, and Above Unlimited. All three include unlimited talk and text in the US, Verizon Up rewards, unlimited mobile hotspot, video streaming, and support for talk, text, and data while abroad in Canada or Mexico. The way these plans differ is in the speeds, 4G LTE data thresholds, and perks they offer. Go Unlimited support mobile hotspots at 600Kbps, while Beyond Unlimited offers 15GB of hotspot at 4G LTE speeds, and Above Unlimited steps that up to 20GB. Go Unlimited also limits video playback to DVD quality (480p), but the other tiers support HD (720p) streaming. The plans handle network congestion differently as well. Go Unlimited may reduce your speeds at any time if the network is congested. Beyond Unlimited offers 22GB of data and Above Unlimited offers 75GB of data at 4G LTE speeds before you should see reduced speeds due to network congestion. Above unlimited also offers 500GB of cloud storage and some extra travel perks. Both Beyond Unlimited and Above Unlimited also offer access to Verizon's 5G network where it's available and on supported devices. This includes 4K video streaming, mobile hotspot at 5G speeds, and full 5G data speeds without data deprioritization.
The best Verizon Wireless plans for youLet's take a close look at what each of these plans has to offer for the price. Afterward, we'll also go over some of Verizon's alternative plans in case these aren't a fit for you. Whether you're a modest web surfer, a heavy Netflix-user, or just pull your phone out a few times a week, there should be a plan to fit your needs. Verizon Wireless plan: Small | 2GB data | Unlimited calls and texts | $35/Month View this plan: at Verizonwireless.com Verizon Wireless plan: Medium | 4GB data | Unlimited calls and texts | $50/Month View this plan: at Verizonwireless.com Verizon Wireless plan: 5| 5GB data | Unlimited calls and texts | $40/Month View this plan: at Verizonwireless.com Verizon Wireless plan: Large | 8GB | Unlimited calls and texts | $70/Month View this plan: at Verizonwireless.com Verizon Wireless Go Unlimited, Beyond Unlimited, and Above Unlimited plans | Unlimited data | Unlimited calls and texts | $75/Month, $85/Month, or $95/Month If you don't want your speed reduced during periods of high network traffic, you may want to get the Beyond Unlimited plan. And, if you want extra Wi-Fi hotspot data and cloud storage, check out the Above Unlimited plan. These plans also allow you to add extra lines at reduced rates. You can see what you'll pay with a calculator Verizon provides on its site. For four lines, the per-line price drops to $40, $50, and $60, respectively. For the Beyond and Above Unlimited plans, users can get free 5G access with a compatible device, and that includes 4K video streaming and unlimited 5G mobile tethering. View these plans: at Verizonwireless.com Verizon Wireless: Prepaid plansIf the above Verizon plans aren't what you're looking for, there are also a number of monthly prepaid plans. They all include unlimited talk and text in the US and unlimited text to over 200 international destinations. They also allow mobile hotspot usage (except the unlimited plan). They range in price from $30 a month for 1GB to $65 a month for unlimited data comparable to the Go Unlimited plan. Verizon currently has some bonus deals on extra data for these prepaid plans. One is just $45 a month for a plan with 16GB of data (it's the 8GB plan, but Verizon is offering an extra 8GB of data at no extra charge). There's also a plan with 6GB of data for $35 a month, which is an amazing value for moderate users. View Verizon Wireless prepaid plans here If you just have a basic phone and want simple service, Verizon also offers a basic plan with unlimited talk and text and 500MB of data for $30 a month. See that plan here. Phones are more expensive, unfortunatelySince Verizon Wireless eliminated the two year contract and switch to these new types of plans, it has unfortunately done away with the old subsidies on new phones that came with 2-year contracts. That means instead of paying a flat $200 for every new phone you get, you'll have to pay whatever that phone actually retails for. For a new flagship, that can be anywhere from $600 to over $1000. Verizon Wireless does offer installment plans for customers, though. So if you're shopping for a new phone and plan and have good credit, you can likely find a phone that you'll be able to pay for over the course of a couple years. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Western Digital boosts NAS performance with new drives Posted: 24 Oct 2019 10:19 AM PDT Western Digital has announced that it will add three new NAS drives to its WD Red product line with the aim of delivering improved performance, durability, capacity and accessibility for small businesses and home offices which rely on NAS drives for their storage needs. These new drives include the first-ever WD Red SSDs that enhance performance and caching abilities in a hybrid NAS environment as well as a 14TB storage option for both its WD Red and WD Red Pro HDDs. As virtualization has seen increased adoption, 10 Gigabit Ethernet and higher connectivity speeds are quickly becoming an essential feature set in modern NAS systems which is why Western Digital has developed the first WD Red SSDs to help minimize performance bottlenecks.
The WD Red SA500 helps to boost performance when utilized as a caching solution in a NAS system while the new higher capacity WD Red and WD Red Pro HDDs are able to offer more storage space in the same NAS device. Revamped NAS drivesThe WD Red SA500 SSD comes in both a 2.5-inch and M.2 form factor to offer greater comparability with a wider variety of systems and use cases. The 2.5-inch version of the WD Red SSD has a capacity of 500GB up to 4TB while the M.2 version has a capacity of 500GB up to 2TB. Prices for the 2.5-inch form factor of WD Red SA500 SSD range from $75 to $600 while the M.2 variant ranges in price from $72 to $297. Meanwhile the WD Red NAS HDD in 14TB capacity is priced at $600 while the WD Red NAS Pro HDD in 14TB capacity is priced at $700. These 14TB HDDs as well as the new WD Red SSDs will be available globally beginning in November. Senior director of client computing segment marketing at Western Digital, Ziv Paz explained how its new NAS drives can benefit creators, saying: “A boost in performance for NAS systems can translate to more content in less time, so creators or small businesses can work more efficiently to increase output and, as a result, potential income. Our higher capacities coupled with optimized endurance in the WD Red portfolio are making room for larger files and reducing storage bandwidth-induced stress. For creators working on large projects over time, the latest WD Red SSD solution enables a hybrid NAS environment where the SSD can serve as a caching mechanism for both large and frequently accessed files.”
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| Apple TV app is now available on Amazon Fire TV devices in the UK Posted: 24 Oct 2019 10:18 AM PDT The Apple TV app is now available on three of Amazon's Fire TV streaming devices. A week before the launch of Apple's new video streaming service, Apple TV Plus, the Apple TV app now works on the Fire TV Stick 4K and the Fire TV Stick (2nd Gen) – though the Fire TV Cube (2nd Gen) and Nebula Soundbar Fire TV Edition are expected to get support before the end of 2019. The Apple TV app allows Fire TV owners to stream TV shows and movies they've previously purchased through Apple iTunes. It'll also allow them to watch new content, which has been either purchased or rented, in the future. However, purchases need to be made through a separate device with iTunes – you can't order anything new straight from the TV, unfortunately.
Once Apple TV Plus launches on November 1, 2019, Fire TV owners will then have the choice to subscribe to the new service, which will house a range of original content, including the highly-anticipated The Morning Show, starring Jennifer Aniston, Steve Carrell and Reese Witherspoon. Apple TV has also been made available on other third party platforms, including Samsung TVs and Roku, with additional support expected for Sony and LG too. This will presumably increase the number of new viewers signing up for Apple Plus TV when it launches next month.
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| The Last of Us 2 release date pushed back as director cites quality issues Posted: 24 Oct 2019 10:07 AM PDT The Last of Us Part 2's release date has been delayed, pushing the game's planned February 21 2020 launch to May, three months later in the year. Speculation began building earlier today after a report in Kotaku cited two separate (and anonymous) sources, saying that developer Naughty Dog was now working to a different release schedule in order to put in more time developing the complex title. There's now an official blog post on the PlayStation blog about the delay, written by the game's director, Neil Druckmann – which he linked to in a post on Twitter as seen below. The post clarifies that there is a new release date of May 29, 2020, apologizing for the delay while defending the decision to prioritize game quality over a punctual launch: "However, it was during the last few weeks, as we were closing out sections of the game, that we realized we simply didn’t have enough time to bring the entire game up to a level of polish we would call Naughty Dog quality." Druckmann added that "At this point we were faced with two options: compromise parts of the game or get more time. We went with the latter, and this new release date allows us to finish everything to our level of satisfaction while also reducing stress on the team." Delivering a quality gameThe move makes sense given the ambition of the The Last of Us Part 2, which Naughty Dog is hoping will recreate the original game's complex human characters with improved mechanics, enemies with unique heartbeats, and AI allies with more autonomy and capability than before. This isn't the first time a massive AAA game was pushed back later than hoped; it happened most recently with Doom Eternal, which is now expected to launch in March 2020 instead of the original November launch date. The Last of Us Part 2 is one of the most anticipated PS4 games of recent times. As a sequel to the critically acclaimed The Last of Us on PS3, and an exclusive to the PlayStation platform, it will almost certainly be a big seller for Sony and help to shift those soon-defunct PlayStation 4 consoles – with the next-gen PS5 on the way.
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| Best free blogging site of 2019 Posted: 24 Oct 2019 09:37 AM PDT Free blogging sites have come a long way in recent years, and it’s now easier than ever to create a professional-looking blog to share a hobby with likeminded people, express your opinions, and establish an online presence. These free blogging sites are aimed at hobbyist bloggers – blogs are created and managed online, and hosted on the blogging platform’s own servers. If you want to create a self-hosted blog, the downloadable version of WordPress is an excellent option, with total flexibility, support for third-party plugins, and as much storage as your hosting plan allows. If you're interested in making a static website rather than an online journal, take a look at our guide to the best free website builders. Wix makes it dead easy to design and realize your blog, and you can do a lot more besides Wix has a range of paid-for subscription plans, but also a free offering, although it’s best to note upfront that this has some caveats. With the free product, your site will have Wix branding, and you’ll be limited to 500MB of data transfer per month, so it’s not for heavily trafficked sites. You also only get 500MB storage, too, so bear that in mind. You are, however, free to build a blog with an unlimited number of pages, and where Wix really shines is with its powerful blog functionality. The editor may be simple, but you get access to all the stuff you need – from image galleries through to videos and music – and there are a ton of ways to customize a post. There’s also a lot of flexibility in the way you can schedule posts, and neat touches like being able to set things up so that posts are automatically pushed to Facebook when they’re published. For instance, you have a feature called WiX Bookings, that allows customers to schedule appointments and classes right on your website. And what makes Wix truly compelling is on top of this, you get the run of the rest of what this website builder offers aside from blog support. That includes using Wix’s ADI (Artificial Design Intelligence) editor to make building your site a snap even for novices, plus impressively diverse support for various different types of media, and quality customer support to boot (yes, even on the free plan). As of recently, Wix introduced Wix Turbo, which increases the speed and performance of websites considerably. When you consider what you’re getting for nothing, the bandwidth and data limits don’t seem like such a heavy set of shackles. And you can always upgrade at a later date if you want to break free of them in the longer run. Try it online: Wix Powerful and highly customizable, WordPress is a brilliant platform for blogs of any size, and bloggers of any level of experience. Creating your first blog is very straightforward, with a simple wizard that guides you through the process of choosing a name and suitable theme. You can leave it there and begin writing posts immediately, but the real fun lies in the more advanced editor, which lets you customize virtually every aspect of your blog’s appearance. Unlike some blogging sites, WordPress isn’t a drag-and-drop affair, and you’ll have to familiarize yourself with its system of menus. It’s well worth the effort, though, and enables you to create something truly personal. The editor also lets you create static pages – like a writer’s biography, for example. The post-writing interface is much like an ordinary desktop word processor (though some options are presented in a toolbar at the top, while others are in a menu at the side, which can be a little confusing at first). Again, time spent getting to know the interface is rewarded with advanced features like customizable social media sharing buttons, geotagging, and the ability to pick a custom style for individual posts. Sometimes you might want to create a photo gallery, for example, and other times a more text-focused style would be more appropriate. You can also view and edit the HTML source. As your blog grows, WordPress lets you track its stats, including page views, visitors, likes and comments over time. You can also see how readers reach your site, which content they viewed, and where they are in the world, so you can tailor your content accordingly. Your site is hosted on WordPress servers, with an address in the format yoursite.wordpress.com. Users of the free service don’t get email or live chat support, but the WordPress community forums are very active and questions are usually answered within a few minutes. Additionally, privacy protection for domains that are registered at WordPress.com is free. WordPress displays ads on free blogs, but provided you can live with that, it’s a top-notch solution for a free blogging site. Try it online: WordPress Blogger has been around for many years, but has kept up with current trends and technology, including responsive blog templates Blogger is another superb blogging platform. It’s not quite as powerful as WordPress, but more accessible for new users, which comes as no surprise when you learn that it’s owned by Google. Blogger offers an excellent selection of templates, all of which include mobile versions optimized for smaller screens – a very sensible addition with so many people accessing online content through smartphones. Blogger’s post-editing tool is much like WordPress, but offers fewer options. As a result, its toolbars are less confusing – a trade-off between power and usability. One of Blogger’s best features is its integration with other Google apps and services. For example, it uses your Google Drive account to store images and other files for your blog. Google Drive gives you 15GB of space free, so Blogger is a good choice if you’re planning to share a lot of high-res photos. Spam comments are a big problem on blogs, so Blogger’s automatic spam filter can help save your sanity. You can monitor comments via Blogger’s dashboard, which also lets you see visitor stats. There are some handy visualizations here, including a world map to show the global distribution of your readers. Your blog will have an address in the format yoursite.blogger.com, and, like all Google services, will include ads. Support is available through the Blogger user forum, which is very active but has a strange layout that can be a little off-putting. In all other respects, Blogger is brilliant – one of the best free blogging sites if you prioritize ease of use over flexibility and are a fan of the Google ecosystem. Try it online: Blogger Weebly takes a modular approach to blog building, with a drag-and-drop editor that lets you choose which elements to add to your site, and where. Pick a basic template, then plonk various types of content onto the page, including social media links, text, images, maps, and sections of code. It’s a refreshingly simple way to build a blog that feels unique to you, but doesn’t require any messing about with menus. It’s worth noting, however, that certain content blocks can only be positioned in certain areas; it isn’t a total free-for-all. This makes sense – forcing you to stick within the confines of your chosen template stops the page looking messy – but you might find it limiting. Blog posts are made in the same way: drag text boxes, picture frames, buttons and page breaks into position, then click to edit them. One particularly nice feature is the ‘secret draft link’, which lets you preview your unpublished post, and even share it with others via email before releasing it into the wild. Weebly has some other interesting tricks up its sleeve too, including an area for pasting in Google Analytics tracking code (though it doesn’t offer analytics itself). You’re only given 500MB for uploaded content, so photographers might want to look elsewhere. Weebly puts an ad in your site’s footer, but it doesn’t obscure any of your content. Try it online: Weebly Penzu is a personal blogging tool that lets you create your own private diary Whereas the other free blogging sites are designed to get as many eyeballs on your posts as possible, Penzu is the equivalent of a locked diary stashed in a safe. Penzu is a journal platform that makes your posts private by default and locks them down with at least one password (even after you’re logged in, you need a second one to read or edit your posts). That’s because it’s designed for private thoughts and personal reflection. There are free apps for iOS and Android that enable you to update your Penzu diary anywhere, but the contents are for your eyes only. Penzu isn’t a tool for self-promotion, so although it’s far from ugly, it understandably focuses on function rather than looks. Custom colors and backgrounds come at a price – currently $20 (about £14, AU$25) per year. It’s a shame that 128-bit AES encryption is also limited to the paid-for version, and there’s a fair amount of pressure to upgrade. Extra options are often dangled under your nose then yanked away, but the core offering is a good one, and if you simply want a place to record your thoughts and practise writing, Penzu could be just what you need. Try it online: Penzu
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| Get web hosting and a domain for only $17 for a whole year thanks to HostGator Posted: 24 Oct 2019 09:30 AM PDT In a competitive market, web hosting platforms are constantly trying to outshine one another by dropping their prices and offering new features. And HostGator's no exception. It just showed the competition up by dropping the price of its cheapest plan in the name of its (sorry!) Snappy Birthday sale (we said we were sorry!). To celebrate 17 years, HostGator is offering a year of its 'shared hatchling plan' and domain for $17 only. So that's the equivalent of $1.42 a month - that's right, with this offer you can get this web hosting service for a monthly price that's cheaper than a cup of coffee. Yep, this sale has certainly got teeth - particularly as HostGator is an award-winning web hosting provider that features among the top three in our rankings of the best web hosting services. Below we explain more on this HostGator sale, so you can see all the features you get for that meagre spend. But you need to be aware that this offer is only available for a limited time - you'll need to hurry and snap up this deal, as it is only valid until this Thursday, October 24. This web hosting bargain from HostGator:
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| Best e-commerce platform of 2019: get an online store now! Posted: 24 Oct 2019 09:30 AM PDT The rise of the web has allowed countless businesses to reach a wider market. Not only that, it has given rise to countless new online-only businesses, fueled by the exponential rise of mobile connections. It's not surprising, then, that one analyst claims that the SMB e-commerce platform market will break the billion dollar barrier. There's no doubt that the web provides a huge opportunity for companies, but it’s important for organizations to make the most of that opportunity. In order to sell your products or services online, your website has to be appropriately equipped. Building an online store from scratch is a mammoth task, and fortunately, an unnecessary one. Today, there is a huge variety of e-commerce platform packages from which to choose. Most e-commerce platforms will provide businesses with standard functionality such as the ability to showcase products in an online catalog, take payments online, manage customers and provide with after-sales. Others will provide more sophisticated functionality, such as online marketing features, the ability to manage or integrate with in-store systems and the provision of APIs. Which e-commerce software is best for your business depends entirely on your specific requirements. If you're an online-only outfit, then POS integration won't be necessary, but you may get a lot of business from overseas, in which case foreign currency support would be a requirement. In this article, we’re going to highlight some of the best e-commerce platforms available right now, before moving on to consider other options you might want to explore in terms of creating your own e-commerce solution. The best e-commerce platform packagesShopify is perhaps the most well known e-commerce platform available. It was set up in 2006 by founders Tobias Lütke, Daniel Weinand and Scott Lake who, as the story goes, felt that there wasn't a simple-to-use e-commerce platform available and so built their own. The company claims that: "You don't need to have any technical or design experience to easily create a beautiful online store." According to Shopify, it's possible to get one of its online stores up-and-running within minutes. Users can choose from a wide range of templates, or they can design the look and feel of their store themselves. It accepts a comprehensive range of credit cards, has Level 1 PCI compliance and 256-bit SSL encryption for security, and it offers 24/7 support via phone, instant messaging or email. The platform provides a full CMS with which users can manage the functionality and layout of their online store. Users can manage their store on-the-go using Shopify's mobile apps, and the platform itself is fully responsive, meaning the store will be optimized for visitors regardless of whether they access it from a desktop computer or a mobile device. Also, a live chat function is available which allows you to have a real time conversation with your customers. Shopify also offers users unlimited hosting for their stores, in-depth analytics of how visitors are using the store, and functionality for marketing such as SEO optimization, a discount and coupon engine, gift cards and email marketing tools. You can test out Shopify with a 14-day free trial. Bigcommerce was established in 2009 and promises to "support your business, not just your store." In addition to offering support via phone, instant chat and email, it also offers articles and videos to help with e-commerce, and access to a team of e-commerce experts who can provide advice and guidance about online selling. Their experts are qualified in both Google Analytics and Adwords. Like Shopify, Bigcommerce provides a variety of templates and themes to help stores look their best and get up-and-running quickly. Alternatively, users can design their own store or use Bigcommerce designers to do so. The platform incorporates a full-featured CMS that allows users to run an entire website, rather than just a store. Users can benefit from detailed and flexible product management, optimized search engine rankings, along with a variety of integrated marketing tools and analytics. Payments can be accepted via 40+ pre-integrated gateways and shipping details can be customized as per the business's requirements. As of late, some new features have been added like support for Amazon Import and Link and Shopping in Instagram Stories. The platform offers automated order processing, flexible tax rules depending on where orders are made and shipped, and support for multiple currencies. You can test out Bigcommerce with a 15-day free trial. Volusion has been around for almost two decades, having been set up in Texas over in the US in 1999. The company touts its platform as being an "all-in-one e-commerce solution", and offers a free 14-day trial (no credit card required). As with other e-commerce platforms, users are offered a variety of templates from which to choose, and can also customize templates if they so wish. Should a more complex design be required, Volusion offers a custom design service that can incorporate branding and a firm's social media presence. The platform provides the site and product management tools you'd expect, marketing functionality for SEO, social media, and affiliate outlets, along with emails and order management functionality for fast order processing, accepting payments, tax calculations and POS integration. In addition to its platform and associated services, Volusion offers apps from its partners, support for users and a knowledge-base for help with e-commerce. Users can draw upon blog posts, guides and webinars. As of October 8th 2018, there are no more transaction fees. CoreCommerce was set up in 2001 and focuses on providing e-commerce services to small and medium-sized businesses. The company places an emphasis on simplicity and transparency, promising that its platform is easy-to-use and that customers will not fall foul of any hidden charges. Perhaps CoreCommerce's most unique aspect is that all of its features are offered to all customers regardless of what plan they are on. Price plans are determined by the number of products, the number of email addresses, the amount of bandwidth and the amount of storage required by the user (and higher-end plans also benefit from additional support). As with other e-commerce providers, CoreCommerce offers functionality for store design, product management, order processing and marketing. Of its headline features, the platform offers unlimited product customization options, a built-in blogging engine, and secure hosting that is provided by Rackspace and comes with a 99.9% uptime guarantee. You can try CoreCommerce out with a 15-day free trial. Having been founded in 1997, 3dcart is the oldest of our featured providers here. It was set up with a view to incorporating as many of the most requested e-commerce features into one platform as possible. The company says it has six core values by which it operates: ongoing innovation, good service, simple solutions, fostering trust, keeping employees and customers happy, and stimulating prosperity amongst employees and customers. Some of the platform's innovative features include a module that users can install to offer gift-wrapping, a purchase order system, the option of running a loyalty program and the ability to offer recurring orders. Many of these features are very specific, meaning that stores can be highly tailored to the needs of each business. Stores can be designed using one of the many templates offered by 3dcart, or users can design their own store. A quick edit bar means that making changes to the design of a store is simple. Product images are fore-fronted with 3dcart's auto-zoom feature and products can be sold via Facebook with its store integration. As with some other platforms, users can blog directly from 3dcart and tools are provided for setting up coupons, sending newsletters and affiliate marketing. Users can also make use out of "make an offer" feature, which basically lets you and your customers to negotiate on a price. In addition to its platform, 3dcart offers a number of professional services. Users can request help with SEO, PPC, shopping feed management, social media, Facebook ads and conversion consulting. Help can also be provided to ensure that a user's store is set up to the highest standard. Services such as site cloning, setting up custom tracking, data migration and training are offered. In addition, 3dcart can provide SSL certification. Hosting is guaranteed at 99.9% uptime and 24/7 support is provided via phone, email or online chat. You can test out the service with a 15-day free trial. Also consider: Alternative meansIf you don’t want to go the route of using an off-the-shelf package, what other options are available for you to explore? That’s what we’re going to look at in the second half of this piece… Is eBay right for your business?Opening its doors in 1999, eBay UK now has over 14 million users, with over 10,000 people using the site for a business that is their primary means of income. It's not just about people selling unwanted goods - businesses have used the simplicity that eBay offers to set up lucrative operations. Even the larger brands such as Argos, Debenhams and House of Fraser are using eBay to sell online. With sophisticated tools now available you can be up and running with your store in just a few hours. The eBay Seller Centre has all the information you need. Each store is managed via eBay's familiar user interface, and there are a number of eBay-provided tools to help manage, track and promote your shop once it's established. Using eBay as the platform for your business could be ideal if your business wants to sell goods on a fixed price basis. The complete integration of the PayPal e-payments system into eBay takes care of this essential component of your store. The key with eBay is to look closely at the costs involved and also the transaction fees that PayPal charge before moving forward and setting up your own store. How to create your own e-commerce solutionOf course if you want complete control over every aspect of your new online store, building each page yourself will be the best course of action. Hiring someone to code your website is one option. If you decide to do this follow these steps:
You also don't have to build your site completely from scratch. Buying a template can give you all the basic pages your site needs. You can then either modify them yourself using an application like Dreamweaver, or hire a coding expert to make the changes. Website templates are available from a number of vendors including Template Monster. If you already have a website and want to add e-commerce functionality, this can be easily achieved with a number of applications including: Final adviceWhichever route you decide to take when building your website always remember:
Setting up your online store should be approached carefully and diligently to ensure you put a professional and efficient site live. Internet shopping continues to expand. Make sure your business doesn't miss out on a sales channel that shows no signs of slowing down.
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| The cheapest Xbox Live Gold deals and 12 month membership prices in October 2019 Posted: 24 Oct 2019 09:08 AM PDT Let us find you the cheapest Xbox Live Gold deals for 12-month memberships right here with our price comparison technology that searches through loads of retailers to bring you the best price whatever region you're in. After all we're confident we can beat those auto-renew Xbox Live Gold prices of $60 in the US, £50 in UK or $80 in Australia. We see prices cheaper than this throughout the year and we're in the best place to spot any discounts. The UK sub was priced at £40 for many years, but went up £10 in May 2019. So as you're probably all too aware, as with past consoles in the Xbox lineup, the Xbox One also requires an Xbox Live Gold subscription in order to play games online. It's not all bad though, as Microsoft took a note from Sony's similar PlayStation Plus offering and now gives out free games each month to members. You currently get two for the Xbox One and two Xbox 360 games to play on the old console or your Xbox One via its backwards-compatible feature. And seeing as Sony's service now only gives you two games a month, Microsoft's service is certainly looking like the better deal. If you're also tempted by the Xbox Game Pass library, you might want to check out the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership. The subscription combines access to the entire Game Pass library with Xbox Live Gold, offering both services for one simple price. You can save big on both services using the deals we've found below! Microsoft's Xbox Live service is generally seen as the more stable and reliable network of the two - although Sony's PSN has been fine of late. You'll also get Xbox One Gold member-exclusive discounts in the many sales on the Xbox Live store. The best Black Friday Xbox Live Gold dealsIt's worth noting you can probably grab the best Xbox Live Gold deals during Black Friday and Cyber Monday - so if none of these tickle your fancy then it could be worth waiting until then. We generally find that CDKeys is one of the cheapest prices to buy a 12-month Xbox Live Gold deal, but technical gremlins sometimes mean the prices don't show up in our comparison chart below. Feel free to check the following CDKeys links though, just to make sure you're getting the best Xbox Live Gold deal. Prices are usually hovering around £34-£38 in the UK and $46-$50 in the USand $60-$65 in Australia. If you'd prefer to go down the official route, you can buy directly from Microsoft's website. There are discounts sometimes, but we generally find prices stick to the full RRP. If you'd like to take a look, that'd be $59.99 in the US or £39.99 in the UK or $79.95 in Australia. If you want to combine your Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass subscriptions, you can save with the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. On top of your free monthly games courtesy of Live Gold, you'll also get access to the entire Xbox Game Pass library for one price. While you can only grab three month memberships at the moment, buying both Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass separately through a rolling subscription with Microsoft will set you back $59.94/£44.94 for those three months. The Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will save you at least $15/£12, and that's before you've even taken a look at the great deals below. We'd recommend starting off with the $1/£1 introductory month available through your Xbox console, before cancelling your auto-renew and grabbing one of these amazing discounts. You can also get a shorter three-month Xbox Live Gold subscription. However, we don't think this represents as good value as the cost per month works out much higher. If you want to dip your toe into the world of online gaming though, this is a good place to start, and doesn't commit you to a full year. It's worth checking if you could get a free month-long trial directly from your Xbox menu first though. What are the free Xbox Games with Gold this month?We've got you covered. Each month we update the list of extensive freebies for the Xbox Live Games with Gold promotion. Why not bookmark the page below to make sure you never miss out? This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Motorola is working on a phone that could rival Samsung and Apple flagships Posted: 24 Oct 2019 09:06 AM PDT In recent years, Motorola has focused on affordable smartphones – it has the entry-level Moto E range, the popular Moto G range, then the mid-range Motorola One line and finally the once flagship, but now mid-high tier, Z series. However, it appears Motorola is readying a return to the true flagship level of the market. The revelation appeared during a media briefing for the new Moto G8 Plus, E6 Play and One Macro, which TechRadar attended. Motorola used graphs to clarify how the product lines (E, G, One and Z) stack against each other, but there was an entry labelled 'Flagship' that sat above all the other devices. There's no confirmation of what this handset is, or what its specs will be. All that's known is Motorola appears to be moving in a direction where it will once again produce a more premium device - something which could potentially rival the likes of the iPhone 11 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S10.
A return to form?When the Z series launched back in 2016, it was a true flagship offering, with the Moto Z comparable to the Samsung Galaxy S7. A year later and the Galaxy S8 was followed a few months later by the Moto Z2 Force, which again boasted a similar spec sheet and price tag to Samsung's 2017 flagship. However, as we entered 2018 it became clear Motorola was starting to re-position its Z line. The Moto Z3 packed a chipset which was a generation out of date, a full HD screen while flagships from other firms were using QHD resolutions, and a price point which comfortably moved it out of the premium tier. Fast forward to 2019 and the newly launched Moto Z4, which landed in the US but didn't reach markets such as the UK, is firmly a mid-tier handset with a Snapdragon 675 chipset, 4GB of RAM, just the one rear camera and a price tag around half that of the top-tier phones from Samsung, Apple and Huawei. There's certainly a gap then at the top of Motorola's range, and the indication from the firm that it's looking to fill it is good news for consumers, as we could soon have another high-end player back in the market. Whether or not Motorola decides to bring its modular MotoMods to its new flagship proposition remains to be seen. It's unlikely, as the connector required for the current mods restricts handset design and we'd expect Motorola to push a new direction with a brand new range. A new directionWhen we asked Motorola to clarify the comment, a spokesperson said it was "a non-specific comment on the direction that the brand is heading". It's possible that the flagship device mentioned is the Motorola Razr, a rumored upcoming foldable phone that we're expecting to launch on November 13. However, since foldables are still a novelty that few people would currently consider buying, it seems unlikely Motorola would refer to this as a 'flagship'. In addition, language used implied the flagship is more of a future plan than an imminent device. Given the last year of Motorola's products, it makes sense for the company to work on a flagship phone to rival anything from Apple, Samsung, Google or Sony. Its Motorola One line of smartphones all come with advanced camera features, and it's likely Motorola used them to soft-launch these features, to see which are popular. No timeline was given for a launch of the new Motorola flagship, so for now you'll just have to watch this space. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The best Audio-Technica headphones: our top 5 audiophile earbuds and over-ears Posted: 24 Oct 2019 09:01 AM PDT Audio-Technica has a long and distinguished sonic heritage, starting out in the turntable phonocartridge game in the swinging sixties, before branching out into headphones in the mid-seventies. With the advent of wireless listening and active noise cancelation, Audio-Technica has kept up with the times, with some of its headphones making our roundups of the best headphones, best wireless headphones, and best true wireless headphones. Despite the aptitude of its headphones, Audio-Technica prices often undercut the competition, making them a great introduction to world of audiophile sound without breaking the bank. Plus, with Black Friday and Cyber Monday coming up soon, you can expect to see Audio-Technica headphone deals springing up over at Amazon, and the Audio-Technica website itself. Not sure where to start? We've scoured our past reviews to bring you the very best Audio-Technica headphones you can buy in 2019.
Image credit: Audio-Technica Audio-Technica has a long history of producing high-quality headphones, microphones, and turntable accessories, and with the release of the ATH-M50xBT, it delivers studio-quality audio without the cord. The ATH-M50xBTs are designed for really high-end audio performance, with 45mm drivers and a frequency response range of 15-28,00 Hz, and it shows - we were very impressed with the warm, well-rounded sound. The ATH-M50xBT headphones also performed well in terms of battery life and Bluetooth connectivity, however the microphone isn’t particularly strong, and you may struggle to make phone calls using them - still, that’s probably not the reason you would purchase a pair of studio grade headphones in the first place. Read our full review: Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT With a promising battery life and well-managed bass enhancement over Audio-Technica’s usual neutral sound, the Audio-Technica ATH-CKS5TW true wireless earbuds have a lot going for them. They've one of the most complete and well-rounded sound profiles we've seen from a pair of true-wireless earbuds, in spite of the bass enhancement at play here. Overall they make for a very enjoyable listen. However, they are slightly let down a bit by their fit – mileage will vary of course depending on your preferred bud style and the size of your ears, but all will find the fiddly case fit will annoy over time. Still, the quality audio here may be a worthy trade-off. Read the full review: Audio-Technica ATH-CKS5TW review If you can do without mod-cons like Bluetooth and active noise cancellation, the Audio-Technica ATH-LS70iS are some of the best earphones you can get at this price point. Retailing for £125 (around $160 / AU$230), these wired earbuds take their cue from the in-ear monitors worn by musicians onstage, allowing them to hear what's being played over the noise of loud speakers and screaming fans. Detailed, clear, and spacious, they're a great option for anyone who likes the security and fidelity of a wired connection, as well as the convenience of an in-ear form factor. Read the full review: Audio-Technica ATH-LS70iS review The ATH-S200BT’s are a well-built, great-sounding, long-lasting pair of headphones. Their features constantly outweigh their modest price and that 40-hour battery life is very impressive. Taking into consideration the price of these headphones, the sound really is impressive. There isn’t quite the depth we would have liked, but there is a clarity there that’s usually only heard in £100/$100 plus headphones, and here you get it for nearly half the price. Although the earcups are comfortable, they are a little too tight on the head and this can cause pinching. But this is a small niggle against what are a great pair of headphones. Read the full review: Audio-Technica ATH-200BT review The idea that you can charge the Audio-Technica ATH-SR30BTs once and get a month’s listen out of them is a game-changer for Bluetooth headphones and one that’s sure to bring new users to the brand. While they’ll come for the big battery, they won’t be disappointed with the comfort or the sound. Yes, there isn’t much in the way of other frills but who needs them when your battery is such a headline grabber? We only tested these headphones briefly at IFA 2018, but what we heard was very impressive. Read our hands-on review: Hands-on Audio-Technica ATH-SR30BT review
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| John Lewis is offering to match the best Black Friday deals you can find online Posted: 24 Oct 2019 08:59 AM PDT When the Black Friday deals begin in mid-late November, you're going to see lots of different retailers trying desperately to undercut each other, but the John Lewis Black Friday sales could be the best of the bunch. That's because the shopping giant is outright pledging to match the price of any of its competitors once the sales season starts. On its website, John Lewis claims "even during our Black Friday event we'll be checking and responding to competitors' promotions and prices" so if you see a great Black Friday laptop deal somewhere else, it'll likely be available at John Lewis for that price very soon.
This is part of John Lewis' 'Never Knowingly Undersold' promise, in which it promises to never knowingly sell products for cheaper than competitors. That's going to be a tall order during the Black Friday season, as all shops, from big chains to small independent stores, will be slashing prices, so you shouldn't rely on one retailer for all your purchases. Saying that, it's useful to know one retailer is pledging to be the cheapest of the lot, whatever its competitors throw at it – but could this simply be a challenge that all others will accept? Black Friday will be digitalIt's worth noting an addendum John Lewis makes on its website: "You may not always see these offers in store as it’s quicker to make price changes online", so this is a case of digital shopping being preferable to physically going to a store. This is emblematic of a bigger shift – Black Friday is changing. The dreaded date has been known for the violent brawls which erupt in stores when cheap products are in short supply, which made the deals inaccessible to people who don't want to fight for the discounts – but not any more. For most people it's easier to frequent a website than a shop (partly because it's generally frowned upon to do the latter in your pyjamas), and indeed, statistics show most people do their Black Friday shopping online, with the majority actually doing so on mobile devices. If you're a website fan yourself, it's worth knowing that the best website for you over Black Friday is TechRadar, as we'll be collecting all the best deals and savings in a range of categories. Make sure to bookmark our Black Friday homepage, as well as our John Lewis Black Friday page, so we can bring you the best deals as they appear. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Dark mode for Facebook: everything you need to know Posted: 24 Oct 2019 08:44 AM PDT Dark mode for Facebook has been a long time coming, but it's finally started to arrive, letting you enjoy a more stylish social experience. It's not just about looks, though – researchers from Google have found that pixel color has a direct effect on power draw, and black pixels use significantly less energy than white ones. Switching Facebook's bright, white interface to something darker could therefore help your mobile devices last noticeably longer between chargers. The jury is out on whether bright screens (and blue light in particular) actually have a negative effect on sleep patterns, but white light can certainly be hard on your eyes at night – so if you tend to enjoy checking up on your friends before bed, choosing dark mode could mean more scrolling and less squinting. Facebook dark mode for desktopFacebook has started rolling out a new design for its desktop site, which includes an optional dark mode. If you're part of the testing group, next time you visit Facebook on desktop you'll see a notification informing you, followed by a prompt asking you to choose between light and dark designs. If you're not part of the group, don't worry – the option is likely to be available worldwide soon, but in the meantime you can use Google Chrome to 'force' dark mode on Facebook. This doesn't look exactly the same as the official dark mode will, but it's not too far off. First make sure you have the latest version of Chrome. If you're not sure, open the main menu, select 'Help' and then 'About Google Chrome', and the browser will find and install any available updates automatically. Now visit chrome://flags/#enable-force-dark in the address bar, and change the first drop-down box you see from 'Default' to 'Enabled'. You'll be prompted to re-launch the browser, so make sure you save any work first. When Chrome re-opens, you'll find that every site you visit, including Facebook, now has inverted colors where appropriate. It's not yet perfect (sometimes white parts of images are turned black incorrectly), but it works quite well overall. To change back, simply return to chrome://flags/#enable-force-dark and change the setting back to 'Default'. Facebook dark mode for mobileFacebook's mobile app doesn't yet offer a built-in dark mode, but well-known app researcher Jane Manchun Wong has found evidence of its development, and we anticipate it might appear around the same time the new desktop design makes its official debut. Until then, the only way to experience the dark side on your phone or tablet is to access the Facebook website in Google Chrome and use the same 'force dark mode' trick described above. However, the option is already available in Facebook Messenger. To activate it, simply tap your profile picture, then tap the 'Dark mode' switch. We anticipate a full Facebook dark mode for iOS, iPadOS and Android will arrive soon, and we'll keep you updated as soon as we know more. We've already seen the arrival of dark mode for Instagram, and dark mode for WhatsApp is on the horizon, so we expect it won't be long. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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