Saturday, December 21, 2019

Apple : How to watch Tommy Fury's return to the ring: live stream boxing from the UK or abroad

Apple : How to watch Tommy Fury's return to the ring: live stream boxing from the UK or abroad

How to watch Tommy Fury's return to the ring: live stream boxing from the UK or abroad

Posted: 21 Dec 2019 10:25 AM PST

Boxing promoters sure know how to hype things up and we'd invite whoever came up with the name 'The Fight Before Christmas' to take a bow. The same goes for the person who thought to book Tommy Fury on the bill - a sure fire way to bring in the TV viewers and fill the Copper Box Arena. If you're in the former camp and want all the information on how to watch a live stream of Fury vs Przemyslaw Binienda, Daniel Dubois vs Kyotaro Fujimoto and the rest, then you've landed on the right page.

Despite this being only Tommy Fury's third professional fight, he's probably one of the best-known boxers in the UK. That's for two main reasons: his brother - former heavyweight champion of the world, Tyson Fury - and his appearance on this year's season of reality show Love Island.

But now he's back in the ring and ready to get his real career on track, fighting little-known opponent Przemyslaw Binienda. If that name doesn't ring any bells, his 2-26-0 record might explain why. This has all been set up for Fury to win, and win well.

If you're after a proper fight to get your teeth into, the Daniel Dubois vs Kyotaro Fujimoto headline bout may be more up your street. Undefeated Londoner Dubois is yet another promising British heavyweight with eyes on making the step up to facing the likes of Wilder, Joshua and co.

So if you want to settle in for some seasonal scrapping, then we'll tell you all you need to know to tune in. It doesn't even matter where in the world you are, as we'll make sure you can live stream the boxing where you are.

Live stream Fury from outside your country

If you've been looking forward to The Fight Before Christmas and already know where to watch, your plans may be scuppered if you're out of the country when it's on. That's because broadcasters geo-block their coverage if you try to watch from abroad.

But there's a clever workaround for this, which involves using a piece of software called a VPN - better that than trying to get some dodgy stream from Reddit.

How watch Fury and Dubois in the UK

Live stream boxing in the US

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Stay safe online for only $19.99 a year with this Norton Antivirus Plus deal

Posted: 21 Dec 2019 09:39 AM PST

Norton has graced us with a pretty great seasonal gift - excellent cyber protection at a very affordable price. It's slashed the price on a selection of its best antivirus products, with a massive 67% to be saved.

That's excellent news, if you're expecting to be the proud owner of some beautiful new tech devices comes the threat of malware and security and the need for cybersecurity.

Click here to bag Norton's bargains straight away with Norton Antivirus Plus the most affordable of the lot at $19.99 for the first year,

And if you're looking for a more comprehensive plan, the antivirus giant is also offering discounts on plenty of its other plans that will help cover a whole family of tech. 

Got a couple of questions or need more information? Keep scrolling as we've got this awesome antivirus deal outlined for you.

  • Need an extra layer of cybersecurity? Check out our best VPN guide.

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Read more about this amazing antivirus deal:

However, if full protection and security is what you're going for then we recommend you purchase one of Norton's more comprehensive plans. Plus, the service is also having discounts on the following plans:

Should I upgrade my Norton Antivirus Plan?

Well that completely depends on your cybersecurity needs and whether you're considering setting up several devices with protection or if you just need it for one. 

The Norton Antivirus Plus is a great basic plan to secure one laptop or desktop computer, but if you need several devices protected then we would recommend the Norton 360 Deluxe or Norton 360 Select. Both plans come with security for five different devices, which is quite cost-effective if you need several devices set up. 

The latter comes with the Norton LifeLock which helps monitor your personal accounts, and sends you alerts if they detect your information in their network. It's one of the largest civilian cyber intelligence networks.

Now if you just want the step above the Norton Antivirus Plus then we recommend the Norton 360 Standard which is exactly like the former plan but with a VPN included. 

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Man City vs Leicester live stream: how to watch today's Premier League 2019 football online from anywhere

Posted: 21 Dec 2019 09:05 AM PST

Unquestionably the most intriguing clash of this weekend's Premier League fixtures, high-flying Leicester City visit the Etihad Stadium this evening in a second versus third showdown. It's a crucial game for both teams, and one that will likely determine which club will stand as Liverpool's main rival for the title. Don't miss a kick with our Man City vs Leicester City live stream guide below.

With the halfway point of the season almost upon us, hosts Man City currently lag behind the Foxes by four points. This game provides a chance to reduce that gap as well as catch up on runaway leaders Liverpool, who don't play this weekend thanks to their participation in the Club World Cup.

With two contrasting styles of play set to be on show - Man City's dominant keep ball and the Foxes explosive counter attacking - it has all the makings of a fascinating encounter.

After a rocky few weeks, Pep Guardiola's Sky Blues appear to have got their mojo back, as exemplified by their professional 3-0 dispatch of Arsenal last weekend which saw  Kevin De Bruyne deliver one of the best all-round individual performances from a Premier League player in some time.

Despite the potentially decisive nature of this game for their league hopes, Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers nevertheless opted to field a strong side for their League Cup win over Norwich midweek. Çağlar Söyüncü and Youri Tielemans should return here, while Kelechi Iheanacho will likely drop to the bench as Rodgers opts to deploy Jamie Vardy as a lone striker.

Watch all the drama unfold as it happens with our Man City vs Leicester City live stream guide below. To find out how to watch the rest of the season's games, check out our guide on how to live stream the 19/20 Premier League football season. 

Use a VPN to watch Premier League football from outside your country

If you're abroad this weekend but still want to watch your home coverage, you'll need a VPN to do so. That's because your normal coverage will be geo-blocked. It's really easy to do and stops you having to tune in to some dodgy stream you've heard about on Reddit.

How to stream Man City vs Leicester City live in the UK

How to watch Man City vs Leicester City: US live stream 

How to watch a Premier League live stream in Canada

How to live stream Man City vs Leicester City in Australia

How to watch Man City vs Leicester City: New Zealand live stream 

How to live stream Man City vs Leicester City in India

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Don't stream the new Star Wars film online - here's why

Posted: 21 Dec 2019 08:01 AM PST

Security experts have warned film fans eager to catch the final piece of the Star Wars saga not to try and watch the film online following a rise in related cybercrime scams.

With the new Star Wars film hitting cinemas around the world this week, many fans may be tempted to skip the queues and watch in the comfort of their own homes, but security experts have uncovered multiple fake online streaming sites that promise to show the new film.

However anyone unlucky enough to sign up to these sites may see their card details stolen and sold on by criminals looking to target victims online.

Use the force

The warning comes from security firm Kaspersky, which says it has already found over 30 fraudulent websites and social media profiles disguised as official movie accounts that promise to show free copies of the new film.

"These websites collect unwary users’ credit card data, under the pretense of necessary registration on the portal," the company said in a blog post, noting that the number of fake accounts and sites may be even higher, due to the huge anticipation around the new Star Wars film.

Kaspersky also found 65 malicious online files disguised as copies of the film, as well as several social media profiles claiming to be official accounts that coulddistribute free copies of the movie.

However victims would instead receive malware-laden files that would quickly infect their devices - with Kaspersky already reporting nearly 100 infections from Star Wars-related malware.

Overall, Kaspersky reported 285,103 attempts to infect 37,772 users seeking to watch new Star Wars movies in 2019, a 10 percent rise compared to last year, with the total number of unique malicious files used by attackers to target Star Wars fans in 2019 reaching 11,499.

"It is typical for fraudsters and cybercriminals to try to capitalize on popular topics, and ‘Star Wars’ is a good example of such a theme this month," said Kaspersky security researcher Tatiana Sidorina.

"As attackers manage to push malicious websites and content up in the search results, fans need to remain cautious at all times. We advise users to not fall for such scams and instead enjoy the end of the saga on the big screen."

  • Keep your identity safe online with the best VPN of 2020

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DJI's next gadget launch could be a rugged remote control car

Posted: 21 Dec 2019 07:00 AM PST

Besides those drones that it keeps building, DJI has been keen to expand into other areas of hardware in recent years, and it looks as though a remote-controlled car could be next off the production line.

That's as per newly filed patents spotted by DroneDJ, detailing a rugged little buggy with an on-board camera – it'll be just like shooting footage from a drone, except from the ground.

According to the documents, the car will come with four wheels that rotate 360 degrees, giving the vehicle the ability to get over the most rugged terrain, and to turn around in tight spaces.

Up on top is a camera that looks similar to the ones used in the Inspire drones. The car is also fitted with a variety of tech to minimize camera shake and to keep footage steady during movement.

DJI patent

It's a move that would make sense for DJI, expanding its line of movie-making gadgets while potentially using the same cameras and batteries that it's already making for use in its airborne drones.

Serious filmmakers could deploy a roving remote control buggy and a drone together, enabling them to capture whatever was happening from a variety of different angles.

Another patent uncovered at the same time hints that DJI is also busy preparing another dedicated gimbal device, one which could be used with a variety of other equipment (including a remote-controlled car) for super-stable footage.

Of course, as with all of the patent applications that we feature, this is no guarantee that DJI will ever launch a product like this – but it does give a clear indication of what the company is thinking about developing.

Via SlashGear

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Achievements are now on Google Stadia

Posted: 21 Dec 2019 06:08 AM PST

Google Stadia has now been available for a month and we’re starting to see the number of features it supports expand. Hot on the heels of the highly-anticipated launch of Screen Connect with Ghost Recon: Breakpoint, an achievements system has now been confirmed. 

At the moment, achievements and their notifications are only supported on Chrome browsers and Chromecast but Google has said in a Community Update that it plans to roll the feature out to mobile app users in 2020. 

Now, players will receive notifications when they secure an achievement in games that support them (though at the moment these notifications can’t be turned off, which isn’t so great for those recording videos) and they can view a list of their own achievements and those of their friends on the web. 

There's more to come

Fortunately, if you've been using Google Stadia for a while you won’t be looking at a completely empty list when they you to check your achievements out; Google and Stadia have been tracking play progress so that achievements you’ve already completed will appear without you having to do them all over again. 

It’s a pretty rudimentary system at the moment but as well as using its Community Round-Up page to confirm that mobile app support will be coming in 2020, Google has also said that it has “more in store” for achievements in the coming year. 

As yet, there are no details on what this “more” will be, but there’s a good chance there will be some moves to make the system a little deeper and perhaps even more individual to Google Stadia. We imagine Google will elaborate when 2020 rolls around. 

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The best last-minute Christmas gifts with Next Day Delivery

Posted: 21 Dec 2019 06:00 AM PST

Been a bit busy? We know the feeling – Christmas felt like weeks away, and now it’s suddenly got its rosy face right up in your grill, with an accusing eye staring at that bare spot under your tree. You know, where the presents should be.

Fear not – thanks to the magic of modern-day Santa (otherwise known as Next Day Delivery) it’s still possible to pull off a one-day Christmas shop, even at this very late stage in the Christmas shopping calendar.

Of course, you still want your presents to be good and not carry the giveaway scent of last-minute panic, so we’ve hand-picked the best ones around that are still available with next day delivery.

The simple option: Wax & Stamp subscription

Wax & Stamp

The easiest solution to your last-minute gift quandary is to defer it until next year with a subscription service, and pretend that was your plan all along. One of the best, particularly if your loved one has a turntable, is a subscription to the vinyl service Wax & Stamp. For £30 per month, they'll send your gift recipient two records (one album, and one EP or single) that have been hand-picked to help broaden their musical horizons. You can cancel at any time too. 

While this makes for a lovely gift, sometimes it's good to have something tangible to hand over during Christmas too. If that's what you need, here are some of the finest physical gifts around with Next Day Delivery.

The best last-minute Christmas gifts with Next Day Delivery

Ryze Tello

Christmas delivery cut-off: 9pm, Sunday 22 December (Currys)

One day all of our last-minute Christmas gifts will be delivered by drone, but until then we'll be playing with this excellent mini drone. The Ryze Tello is a cut above other toy drones because it uses DJI's vision positioning tech to keep it hovering steadily. It also shoots 720p video, making it ideal for some novel Christmas videos of the in-laws, and can also teach kids (and big kids) the basics of coding thanks to compatibility with the Scratch coding software. Just don't call it fun-ducational.   

Wacano Nanopresso

Christmas delivery cut-off: 9pm, Monday 23 December (Amazon Prime)

If you know someone who prefers a last-minute espresso on their commute rather than a painstakingly home-brewed latte, get them this nifty, hand-pumped portable machine. The Nanopresso doesn't need any batteries or charging – you just creating the 18 bars of pressure through hand-pumping, a process that produces some surprisingly great-tasting coffee. While it does takes a little practice, there's no other portable coffee solution quite like it. 

HP Sprocket Mobile Printer

Christmas delivery cut-off: 9pm Sunday 22 December (Currys), or 9pm Monday 23 December (Amazon Prime)

A recent price slash has made this pocketable printer an even better candidate for Christmas gift duty. The Sprocket 200 is a fun addition to any social gathering, letting its owner and their guests connect to their phones to the printer via Bluetooth and print off little souvenirs of their reunion memories (or drunken, gurning faces). Because it uses Zink (or Zero Ink), you don't have to worry about ink refills or cartridges either, as the ink is stored in the paper itself.

Tile Sticker

Christmas delivery cut-off: 8pm Sunday 22 December (John Lewis)

If your gift recipient is as forgetful with their possessions as you are with Christmas presents, then get them these handy Bluetooth trackers. This two-pack of waterproof discs use 3M adhesive to help them stick to virtually anything, from keys to bags and gadgets like cameras. Despite being smaller than Tile's other trackers, they still have a 150 foot range, and you can use the app to 'ring' the sticker to help you track down your lost possession.

Fujifilm Instax Mini 9

Christmas delivery cut-off: 9pm, Sunday 22 December (Amazon)

Our number one instant camera for most people, the Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 is a cinch to use, lots of fun at parties, and a great last-minute gift for anyone, even if they're not particularly into photography. You'll need to add Instax Mini film if you're going for the Amazon deal, but choose the pricier John Lewis deal above (which also offers Next Day Delivery) and you'll also get a 10-shot pack of film with the camera. These shots will be credit card-sized photos with the signature Instax look, which have much more retro charm than Zink photos produced by the likes of the Canon Zoemini range.

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Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is reheated nostalgia and little more

Posted: 21 Dec 2019 05:00 AM PST

Check out our Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker review for a more positive take on the movie. Some mild spoilers follow. 

The argument over what Star Wars is supposed to be is one of those topics that's been out of control for as long as I can remember. Is it meant to be recycled nostalgia? Or can Star Wars be something more than beholden to classic movies from 40 years ago? It's the original blueprint for fanbase infighting. The only thing fans seem to agree on these days is that Baby Yoda is cute (and he really, really is). 

The Rise of Skywalker says Star Wars is ultimately the former: nostalgia, reheated over and over again. It's got no shortage of spectacular-looking battle scenes and moments designed to please long-time viewers, but it's guilty of making its fictional universe feel extremely tiny. This is the opposite of how that first Star Wars movie made you feel about its setting. 

From the outside looking in, the perceived backlash towards The Last Jedi appeared to shape a lot of the key decisions behind this movie. If you embraced the subversion of expectations in Rian Johnson's Episode 8 – flawed as some parts of the movie absolutely were – this feels like it's swerved way too far in the other direction to course-correct matters. It's a patchwork of fan service-y moments, and it retcons at least one key element of The Last Jedi while making polite, cursory nods to the movie to make up for it. 

Bound to the past

Without getting into major plot details, The Rise of Skywalker largely deals with the next phase of the Resistance and the First Order's ongoing battle for the galaxy (a 'Star War', if you will), with Emperor Palpatine now in play, as revealed by the film's first trailer. If you didn't like the broken up stories in The Last Jedi that gave Poe, Finn and Rey different narrative obstacles to deal with, this mostly unites them for the movie's running time. 

The problem is, this film doesn't have any time to remind you of why you might've liked Rey, Poe and Finn in The Force Awakens to begin with. There's simply too much plot to deal with, a rush to the finish that shotguns through locations with nothing to emotionally bring you in sync with the characters' journeys, save for a little more attention paid to Poe Dameron's background. 

The movie's other major issue is Palpatine. His presence in the movie steers The Rise of Skywalker into a dead end almost straight away, and if you can't buy into why he's even a part of Episode 9, you won't find much to like about this film. With Supreme Leader Snoke taken off the table in Episode 8, he's a cynical choice for a big bad: an unconvincing representation of a weak effort to link all nine Star Wars episodes like they were planned as one big story. 

Billy Dee Williams' appearance is the nice side of fan service. 

Nostalgia overload

The Force Awakens managed to capture what people loved about old Star Wars – it was debatably too close in how it structurally mimicked A New Hope. But The Rise of Skywalker is a lot worse because it feels limited by the fact that it's a Star Wars film. Even though as a whole it isn't really a copy of any particular movie in the series, it's overloaded with individual moments of fan service – it's pandering to what it thinks its audience wants to see in a way that mostly falls flat. 

Your mileage with The Rise of Skywalker will likely vary depending on how you feel about the direction Star Wars has been going in under Disney. It's possible this is actually the Star Wars movie you've been craving, with deeper links to the past films, and constant reminders of the things you consider quintessentially Star Wars. Indeed, our reviewer found merit in the way that relics of the original trilogy connect to this new movie, and fair enough if that's your experience of the film. Whatever happens, it will be divisive. 

You might also come out of The Rise of Skywalker wondering why a universe this big is bound by such a limited set of characters and concepts, though. That's especially disappointing when its last chapter explored the idea that we don't have to be bound by tradition and legacy, and this difference highlights the ways the sequel trilogy has suffered from an obvious lack of a connecting creative vision. This does not feel like a film set up by either The Force Awakens or The Last Jedi. The addition of Palpatine feels like a late gambit. With a very clear story and themes set out from the start, this trilogy surely would've played out more consistently.  

More than that, I got to the end of this movie wondering why this trilogy got so close to saying something new about Star Wars before slamming on the brakes. If Star Wars is doomed to repeat its greatest hits forever, it'll be an enormous shame. You surely don't have to look far to find filmmakers who want to do more than that with this amazing universe. 

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Mario Kart Tour’s multiplayer beta has started

Posted: 21 Dec 2019 04:33 AM PST

Around 3 months after Mario Kart Tour first sped onto smartphones, Nintendo is finally starting some multiplayer beta testing. 

First reported by Siliconera, the PvP beta is now running and will be available until December 27 2019. It is not, however, available for all players.

At the moment, the beta test can only be accessed by players who have a subscription to the game’s £4.99/$4.99 Gold Pass, which offers some in-game items, badges and a 200cc mode. And beta access, apparently. 

On your marks...

The Gold Pass does have a two-week free trial period and those on a trial period also have access to the beta, so you could always sign up for that to try the beta out for yourself. If you decide it's not for you, just remember to cancel the subscription when you're done to avoid any unwanted charges.

As this is a beta test, Nintendo warns participants that not everything will be working perfectly; there is a risk of crashing (the game, not your kart), lag, connection issues and perhaps some battery drain. That’s par for the course in a beta—the hope is that all of these issues will be ironed out by the time the full mode launches for everyone. It's worth noting, though, that those taking part in the beta will not be able to carry any of their multiplayer save data over to the full release.

Multiplayer racing is something players have been looking forward to since before the game’s launch, which is understandable as playing against other real people is a definitive and enjoyable part of the Mario Kart experience. 

Given this is a limited-time and limited-access beta, it’s not clear when full multiplayer capabilities will be introduced to Mario Kart Tour but it’s likely fans will hoping they won’t have to wait much longer, especially those who were surprised PvP was not available at launch. 

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Pokémon Go updates: all the news and rumors for what's coming next

Posted: 21 Dec 2019 03:58 AM PST

Pokémon Go: the world's first augmented reality app to become a household name. Niantic's mobile AR game is still going strong two years after it first released, with a constant drip of events and updates keeping budding trainers glued to their phones and pounding the streets.

And while it hasn't managed to top the peak of its popularity in 2016, it's still going strong and finding plenty of new ways to improve its player experience.

So what's the latest news for Pokémon Go? As you'd expect, brand new features are being added all the time and community events are still going strong. Plus we have some more themed events and brand new Gen 5 Pokémon to catch!

But without further ado, here's our guide to all the latest Pokémon Go news and updates.

Pokémon Go news and Pokémon Go updates

  • What's new? Pokémon Go's new Buddy Adventure feature is rolling out now. 

Buddy Adventure

Niantic is now rolling out its new Buddy Adventure feature. This new feature improves the bond between players and their Pokémon, allowing them to feed, play with, battle with and explore with them through the in-game map as well as in AR+ mode. 

Similar to the game's Trainer Friendship system, there are four tiers of Buddy friendship: Good, Great, Ultra and Best. Each brings benefits to players, from seeing their Pokémon follow them around in the game to having their Pokémon bring them items and helping them in encounters with Wild Pokémon. 

Becoming better friends with your Buddy Pokémon is simply a matter of building affection which you can do by spending time with them and completing their daily activities. 

The feature is now available to all players Level 2 and above with a Buddy assigned (you can swap your active Buddy Pokémon up to 20 times per day if you just have a lot of love to give.)

In a future update, Niantic has said it'll be possible to see your friends' Buddy Pokémon in the Shared AR Experience mode. With this mode, you'll be able to sync up with up to two other players and take a photo of you and all your Pokémon together. 

Niantic Wayfarer

Niantic has announced that its Wayfarer tool is now accessible to Pokémon Go players level 40 and above. This tool allows players to submit nominations for Gyms and Pokéstops, giving them a say in new places to play. All players are now able to review nominations.

Extra storage

Sick of running out of space for all your Pokémon? Good news: Niantic has upped Pokémon Go's in-game storage space. Now, players can store up to 3000 Pokémon and 2500 items. Unfortunately the extra capacity isn't free—an extra 50 spaces for items or Pokémon will cost 200 PokéCoins.

Pokémon are appearing in more places

Niantic has confirmed that Pokémon are now more evenly distributed around the world. In areas that have had dense Pokémon population, players are likely to find them more spread out, while in areas where the population of Pokémon was sparse or even non-existant creatures will now appear more.

What's the next Pokémon Go Event?

Holiday Event

Pokémon Go is celebrating the festive season with its chilly Holidays 2019 event which will run from December 24 until January 1 2020. During the event, Pikachu, Raichu and Pichu will appear in special costumes while more ice-type Pokémon will appear in the wild. The adorable ice-type bear Cubchoo will even make its Go debut along with Cryogonal, which you'll have a chance of meeting when you use a Glacial Lure Module. 

Alolan versions of Sandshrew and Vulpix as well as festively dressed Stantler and Pichu will hatch from 7km eggs while costumed Stantler and Raichu will appear in two-star Raids. As ever there'll be event-themed Field Research Tasks which will give you the chance of encountering themed Pikachu and you can expect to see new Shadow Pokémon to save. 

Across the full event there will also be bonuses to enjoy which include the ability to open and carry twice as many gifts each day and one free single-use incubator for each day so that you can hatch more eggs. Each day will bring an additional bonus and you can check up on these here. 

December Event

In the midst of the Holiday Event is a special December event on December 28 from 11am to 7pm local time. 

During this event Glacial Lure Modules will last two hours, drawing in Pokémon like Lapras, Delibird, and Cubchoo. You can also use the Glacial Lure Module to evolve Eevee during the event to get a Glaceon that knows the Charged Attack Last Resort.

Regice the Iceberg Pokémon will return to Raids and there will be two additional Raid Passes released when spinning a Photo Disc at a Gym to give you a better chance of catching it.

When's the next Pokémon Go Community Day?

  • What date is the next Community Day? January 19
  • Who's the starring Pokémon? It's a mystery at the moment

The first Community Day of 2020 has been confirmed to be taking place on January 19. The time period is different depending on your hemisphere, so those in the northern hemisphere will take part between 11am and 2pm local time, while those in the southern hemisphere can jump in from 3pm to 6pm local time. 

At the moment, the Pokémon that will feature in the event as well as the active bonuses have not been detailed just yet so watch this space for when they are. 

Pokémon Go update: what's next?

GO Battle League

Niantic has announced that a new feature called GO Battle League will be coming to the game in early 2020. It will build on the current trainer battles system and will encourage players to get out and explore. According to Niantic, players will walk to earn entry into the Battle League. Once they're in they'll be able to battle players from around the world through an online matching system. Win and lose, they'll rise and fall in the ranks of the worldwide league. We'll keep updating with more information on Battle League as it's announced. 

Pokémon Go Plus deals

Want to buy yourself a Pokémon Go Plus wearable? Check some of today's best deals down below.

(Image credits: Niantic/Pokémon Company)

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Breath of the Wild 2 release date, news and trailers for the next Zelda game

Posted: 21 Dec 2019 03:43 AM PST

Dust off your climbing boots and paraglider, gamers: Nintendo has confirmed that a The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild sequel is in development, with a breathtaking trailer pointing to a darker turn for the next mainline Zelda game. 

But what will Breath of the Wild 2 do differently from the first game, and when will we finally get our hands on it?

Nintendo dropped the bombshell at the end of its E3 2019 presentation – via an online-only keynote, given Nintendo doesn't host its own presentation in person anymore – confirming our suspicions after the Japanese publisher appeared to be hiring for a 3D level designer last year.

Breath of the Wild was a masterclass in open-world game design, breathing a huge gust of fresh air into the Zelda franchise while somehow retaining everything that made the series special. Widely considered one of the best games of 2017 – if not all time – it's no surprise Nintendo is working on a direct sequel.

And it may release sooner than expected, with a leak suggesting we may see Breath of the Wild 2 as soon as 2020.

It's still early days, but here's everything we know – and want to know – about Breath of the Wild 2 for Nintendo Switch.

[UPDATE: The developer recruitment drive for Breath of the Wild 2 continues. Read on to find out more.]

Cut to the chase

  • What is it? The upcoming sequel to 2017's open-world Zelda game
  • What can I play it on? Nintendo Switch
  • When can I play it? 2020 at the earliest, but likely later than that

Breath of the Wild 2 release date

Nintendo hasn't shared much information other than the trailer and a few sparse comments – run through below – but the trailer did close off with a line stating the Breath of the Wild sequel was "in development". We certainly won't see the game being released in the coming months.

However, according to leaker Sabi (via wccftech), Breath of the Wild 2 is due for release in 2020. But, as Sabi points out, "Zelda release dates are historically delayed, internally or publicly".

Check out the tweet below:

While it's always worth taking rumors with a big pinch of salt, Sabi is a pretty reliable leaker. The Twitter user leaked most of the big announcements from E3 2019 before they happened – reportedly even earning himself a cease and desist order from Nintendo.

Breath of the Wild 2 trailers

We got our first glimpse of BOTW 2 at E3 2019, with this spooky trailer that shows Zelda and Link exploring an underground chamber – with some mysterious runes, glowing hands, and a brand-new haircut that has set the internet on fire. Suffice to say: we're excited.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 trailer is just 82 seconds long and there's no dialogue whatsoever – but there are some clues to be gathered from it.

It features a torch-carrying Link and Zelda traversing a dark dungeon beneath Hyrule (no big surprise there). Spirit-like tendrils creep around the musty tomb they're exploring, with the pair riding a large elephant-like beast. Something shocks the pair, and then we cut to what appears to be the resurrection of some long-dead (and creepy looking) warrior. Could this be the return of Ganondorf?

The video then cuts to a long shot of Hyrule Field, with Hyrule Castle in the distance. There's a tremor, the castle is smothered with dust... and that's the end.

The clip finishes with a message that reads: "The sequel to Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is in development."

We wouldn't usually expect so much animation to be done so early in development, but it probably helps that Nintendo already has the in-game engine from Breath of the Wild.

Breath of the Wild 2 news and rumors

Could Zelda have a bigger role this time around? (Image Credit: Nintendo)

Monolith recruitment

The development of Breath of the Wild 2 is rolling along and updates are very thin on the ground at the moment. But according to a report by Video Games Chronicle, the game's co-developer Monolith Soft is looking to expand its team with adverts for a character modeler, concept art designer, map modeler and scenario planner for a new Zelda game. Hiring extra hands for the development of such a highly-anticipated game can't be a bad thing and suggests that the teams are working hard on getting the game ready for whatever the as-yet-unrevealed release date is. 

Behind the scenes

Nintendo is attempting to entice developers on its careers site with images that show how the development team put together the E3 trailer for Breath of the Wild 2. The images don't give much away but it's interesting to look at for fans invested in the development process. 

We haven't seen much from the game since this trailer but some are hoping that, like the original Breath of the Wild, the sequel could make some kind of appearance at the upcoming Game Awards in December. We don't have long to wait to find out if that's the case.  

A 2020 release date?
According to leaker Sabi (via wccftech), Breath of the Wild 2 is due for release in 2020. But, as Sabi points out, "Zelda release dates are historically delayed, internally or publicly".

More hiring calls
There hasn’t been much information around Breath of the Wild 2 since it was confirmed so naturally fans have been clamouring for a hint of where the game might be in its development. 

The latest hint comes from a Nintendo Japan tweet regarding some job listings for a “scenario planner” and a “level designer” for the game. The fact that such core roles are still being filled suggests that the game is still in the fairly early stages of development and isn’t likely to be a 2020 release. We can’t know for certain, of course, until Nintendo confirms an exact release date but we’re inclined to say later rather than sooner. 

All the DLC that never was
In an interview with Kotaku, Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma said there were originally plans for more DLC content for BOTW, after The Champion's Ballad and Master Trials add-ons that came in 2017.

"Initially we were thinking of just DLC ideas," says Anouma. "But then we had a lot of ideas and we said, 'This is too many ideas, let’s just make one new game and start from scratch.'"

A darker turn for the series
All we really know at this point is how little we know. But boy are there rumors. The unexpected trailer has already sparked a huge amount of speculation, hopes and hot takes on what the next mainline Zelda title might include.

We've heard from Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma that the game is going to have a darker tone than Breath of the Wild, and will even be "a little bit darker" than Majora's Mask (via IGN).

The trailer certainly supports this, with what looks like Ganondorf's corpse being resurrected by a disembodied hand, and seemingly imagery from 2006's Twilight Princess, which saw Hyrule turned into a bleak shadow realm – largely in response to the far cheerier and cartoonish The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker.

A Gerudo corpse, possibly Ganon, is grabbed by a mysterious force (Image Credit: Nintendo)

The Twilight realm
The glowing blue hand in the trailer is the biggest clue that we'll be seeing more of the Twili – shadow people descended from Hylians who tried to take the power of the Triforce for themselves. The hand is wrapped in twisting shapes reminiscent of Twilight architecture, while the swirling magic could remind some of the portals that let Twili invade Hyrule in the 2006 game.

We know that BOTW's dev team originally toyed with the idea of an alien invasion, and seeing shadow creatures teleport out of the sky could well have been what they have planned this time around.

A clue in the audio
Showing just how far some Zelda fans will go, reddit user u/ReroFunk (via Inverse) has pieced together a pretty convincing theory regarding Twilight Princess villain Zant, a Twili who served Ganondorf in the game. If you listen to the trailer's audio in reverse, there are certain notes that seem to echo the music played during your final encounter with Zant – who, while defeated, is adamant he'll return through the power of his "god".

u/ReroFunk also suggests we could see the demon king Demise return for the next Zelda game. Demise was the final boss in Skyward Sword, and revealed to be the original form of Ganondorf. The below still from the Zelda trailer also looks a lot like Demise when you think about it.

Breath of the Wild 2

Ganon, Demise, or something else entirely? (Image Credit: Nintendo)

Lots of dungeons (and an extended map)
The latest rumors about the Breath of the Wild sequel suggest that we could be in for a treat in the form of a new map that's not like anything we've seen from Zelda before. What's more, a couple of new job listings suggest that Nintendo is looking for people to work on designing some dungeons and hidden bosses for the game – so far, so exciting.

Zelda's turn in the spotlight?
One of the favorite fan theories doing the rounds regards the Hyrule princess herself. She's shown in the trailer with a practical short haircut, and is dressed in a manner pretty similar to Link's own adventurer's gear – leading some to think she may be a playable character.

Zelda's devs have seemed pretty dismissive of the idea of a female Link in the past – sadly – but we may in this game see sections playing as Zelda, or at least with her playing a more active role in the story.

Breath of the Wild 2: what we want to see

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is widely considered one of the best games in the series, and there'll be a lot of pressure to deliver a game not only as good – but also good in its own way. Here's what we're hoping Nintendo will be able to bring to the sequel when it lands.

Some new environments
Don't get us wrong: Breath of the Wild 2's setting was beautiful, with huge scale vistas and a brilliant dynamic weather system, but we're still hoping we don't have to retread too much of the same ground. Some divergences in the scenery would help to keep things fresh: maybe a great earthquake splitting the landscape, or an eternal twilight turning Hyrule's green fields into something else altogether?

Breath of the Wild 2

Soaring over Hyrule gave us some of BOTW's best moments (Image Credit: Nintendo)

Save data carrying over
For those of us who have invested a large portion of time in BOTW, it seems a waste to have to start from zero when powering up the next game – especially if it takes place right after we left off. 

Allowing for certain DLC items to carry over, and making reference to your individual decisions in the previous game – such as certain quests you did or didn't complete, or how many Divine Beasts you recruited before facing Ganon – would really help to make the sequel feel like a meaningful extension of the previous game.

Some larger-scale dungeons
Sure, you could technically say that BOTW's above-ground landscape was a dungeon in its own right: packed with enough enemies, treasure and surprises without having to hunker underground. However, the snack-sized shrine puzzles and Divine Beasts never quite recreated the scale and wonder of the Zelda Series' most iconic temples, and it'd be great to see one or two dungeons that really pull out the stops.

No more Korok seeds
For the completionists out there, BOTW's hide-and-seek Koroks were a sweet addition to the game's action. But the reward of a golden turd for collecting all 900 Korok seeds was a bit of an anti-climax – and we really don't want to have to collect all of them all over again. Maybe go with something else next time, Nintendo?

Everything BOTW did so well
Regardless of the above, we're hoping Nintendo sticks close enough to BOTW's formula – open world exploration, destructible weapons, and environmental puzzles – as not to ditch what made the entry so successful.

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Halo Infinite release date, news and trailers

Posted: 21 Dec 2019 03:24 AM PST

Few videogame franchises form as big a part of Xbox's identity as Halo – and Microsoft knows it. When you think of Xbox, it's hard not to imagine the algae-green super soldier that is Master Chief and hours spent fending off the Flood.

So it's no surprise that there's a massive new entry on the way for the series: Halo Infinite. Not only that, but the latest chapter in Master Chief's saga is set to release Holiday 2020 as a launch title for the next-generation Xbox Series X.

The Halo series has had its ups and downs over the years; the latest, Halo 5, was a major disappointment for anyone who loved the series' single-player campaigns. But Halo Infinite could hopefully be a return to form, reminding people why the games have been so highly regarded in the past. 

So far we've only got so much to go on: a couple of brief trailers, and not much in the way of actual gameplay, though there is some very good news about split-screen multiplayer that should please long-term fans of the franchise (spoiler: Halo Infinite has it!). We also know the series' protagonist, Master Chief himself, will be taking center stage, exactly where he belongs.

Ready to board the Halo hype train? Here's everything we know so far about Halo Infinite.

[Update: 343 Industries has posted an end-of-year Halo update that includes some brand new concept art. Read on to find out more.]

Cut to the chase

  • What is it? The sixth game in the main Halo series 
  • When’s it out? Holiday 2020
  • What can I play it on? Xbox One, PC and Xbox Series X

Halo Infinite trailers

Microsoft couldn't resist teasing Halo Infinite during its E3 2019 keynote, showing a trailer that raised more questions than it answered. Yes, Master Chief comes back... but he's powered down and alone.

At the same presentation, we learned that Halo Infinite will be a launch title for the Xbox Series X console (coming in Holiday 2020). 

The Halo Infinite E3 2019 teaser felt appropriate, hearkening back to the original Halo: Combat Evolved with very familiar moments, sights and sounds. We're hoping it will be a much-need game-changer for the series.

Check out the trailer to see what we mean:

Halo Infinite was officially announced during Microsoft's E3 2018 conference. 

You can check out the announcement trailer below, but it's a lot more evocative imagery than, say, a clear idea what the game's about. See for yourself:

There isn't much else to take away from the trailer other than establishing, dramatic landscape shots and a glimpse of Master Chief's helmet. Judging by the appearance of prehistoric-like animals, we wouldn't be surprised if this next game wasn't set in the past somehow.

And, of course, the Warthog vehicle is back. Oh, and we see Master Chief jack some sort of chip into the back of his helmet. Who could this new artificial intelligence be if not Cortana?

Halo Infinite release date

We now know that Halo Infinite is coming at the end of 2020, to coincide with the launch of the Xbox Series X (though it will be a cross-generation title). 

It's a bit longer than we might have expected since the last Halo title – Halo 5: Guardians, back in 2015 – but we don't blame Microsoft for making sure they have the goods for a new console launch. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, after all.

Halo Infinite

Halo Infinite news and features

End-of-year update

343 Industries has used its blog to deliver an end-of-year update to Halo fans, which is probably greatly appreciated since the last we heard from the game was around E3 time. There aren't many new details to find in the post but it does suggest that you might want to be a part of the Halo Insider programme if you want to get as-yet-undetailed access to Infinite before its Holiday 2020 release as there will be early Flighting Programs at some point in 2020. 

Further to that, 343 confirmed that splitscreen play is up and running for the game and that the level of armor customization available in Halo: Reach will be reflected in Infinite. Not only that, the Forge editing tool is back and includes Undo and Redo options for the first time. 

To finish things up, 343 also included two pieces of new concept art to tide fans over through the holiday season. 

Gamescom 2019
Unsurprisingly, we didn't hear any new details about Halo Infinite at Gamescom 2019.

Halo Infinite will be a cross-generation title
While the launch of Halo Infinite will coincide with release of the next Xbox consoles, known as Xbox Series X, the game will also be playable on the current generation of Xbox One, Xbox One S, and Xbox One X consoles.

Halo Infinite will undoubtedly look better on its newer hardware – we hope so, at least – but at least nobody has to miss out.

Halo franchise director Frank O'Connor put fears about the quality difference to rest, though, saying at a Halo Outpost event in Orlando (July 2019) that "Xbox One is not going to be a second-class citizen" (via GamesRadar).

E3 2019
We got our best look yet at Halo Infinite at E3 2019, though even that wasn't very much. Nonetheless, we did get a formal release date (Holiday 2020) as well as a first look at some in-game footage, and confirmation that Halo Infinite will be a launch title for Xbox Series X.

Multiplayer
Halo Infinite, and all mainstream Halo games after it, will include split-screen co-op multiplayer. Bonnie Ross, head of 343, confirmed this piece of news in February at DICE 2017.

The decision to remove split-screen co-op from Halo 5, in favour of an online-only version, was met with criticism from fans, as it had been a staple Halo feature that had been around since the first game was released in 2001. Ross said Halo 5’s removal was “painful”, adding that "It erodes trust with the community. [We’ve had a] lot of learnings from that, and I would say for any FPS going out forward we will always have split screen going forward."

Despite this, Franchise Coordinator Frank O’Connor has confirmed that the studio won’t be abandoning the co-op systems that were first introduced in Halo 5. These systems included the option to drop in and out of gameplay at will, four-player cooperative play, and specialised loadouts for the different playable Spartans in the campaign.

Halo Infinite


Following the troubled launch of The Master Chief Collection back in 2014, Bonnie Ross told Game Informer (via IGN) that all Halo games will have some sort of beta prior to the official release. This is to ensure that many issues that plagued The Master Chief Collection’s multiplayer do not happen again. After successful betas for Halo 5 and Halo Wars 2, there’s no reason to think that the studio would suddenly change its mind for Halo Infinite.

It’s yet to be announced whether the beta will be available to everyone, or just those who receive a code by purchasing a different game. 

Gameplay
Despite not knowing much, it’s unlikely that Halo Infinite will be shaking up the formula in any meaningful way. The core mechanics of running around shooting things will likely stay the same, though it’s likely that 343i will be fine-tuning the mechanics to (hopefully) make for a better gameplay experience.

It’s safe to assume that there will be a wide range of multiplayer modes and maps to play on, along with a Forge map editor and a Firefight horde mode.

You can probably expect the game to run at 4K 60FPS on the Xbox One X as well, given its status as a first party title. That likelihood is increased by the fact Halo Wars 2 is already capable of running at 4K, and Halo 5 will be getting a 4K update in the near future.

Halo Infinite


PC Gaming
Microsoft’s ‘Play Anywhere’ programme also means that there's a chance Halo Infinite will be the first full main-series Halo game to hit PC since the release of Halo 2 PC in 2007. This would also mean you could pick up a copy of Halo Infinite on Xbox One and still be able to download and play it on your PC without buying a second copy, or vice versa.

There’s no guarantee that Microsoft will make Halo Infinite a Play Anywhere title, but Phil Spencer, current head of Xbox, confirmed to PC Gamer that there is no ‘ideological reason’ why Halo Infinite couldn’t come to PC.

Story
At the end of Halo 5, a revived Cortana and The Created (a group of AI who believe themselves to be superior to organic life) seized control of the galaxy using massive Forerunner constructs known as Guardians. The Created were determined to bring order by force, and had the tools to do it. The last thing we saw was the UNSC Infinity’s crew fleeing Cortana’s forces, heading for parts unknown, and the Master Chief regrouping with allied forces with the intention of fighting back against the new regime.

It’s not clear where Halo Infinite will pick up after this, though the timeline of Halo Wars 2, and the final cutscene, indicates that Halo Infinite is unlikely to be set less than six months after the events of Halo 5. It’ll probably involve humans and elites fighting together again, trying to bring down Cortana and the Created in order to restore freedom to the galaxy.

Loot boxes
If you've been hearing rumors that Halo Infinite will be inundated with Loot boxes, try not to fret too much. On his podcast, industry reporter Brad Sams' claims that sources had told him Microsoft wanted to include loot boxes in Halo Infinite but was re-evaluating its options after the controversy that Star Wars Battlefront 2 faced. 

Franchise Director at 343 Industries, Frank O'Connor, however, has called the rumors "bunk." Taking to the ResetEra forums, O'Connor stated that 343 is "not reevaluating anything (significant)" before adding that "Microsoft' isn't designing anything for the next game - 343 is." O'Connor said that while the team watched the Battlefront 2 backlash "with the curiosity you'd expect", they believe that the req system currently in use Halo 5: Guardians are "player focused and well liked and unintrusive as far as these things go." 

"We have made zero announcements about our next projects and continue to work on our next game and technology with player's needs and interests in mind, " O'Connor continued, "However the story as loosely presented as it is - has no bearing on or relation to any current efforts. I suppose you could say 'company x is evaluating feature y' and always have some grain of truth, but we are neither aping nor adapting an unrelated system from another game."

O'Connor finished up by stating that 343 Industries would be evolving its systems and tech "in the future" and that maybe then the emerging stories about changing systems and tech would "have brief applicability. But right now? Nah."

Halo Infinite

What we want to see from Halo Infinite

Unanswered Questions
What happened to The Didact? If Cortana could survive Halo 4’s final battle, then why couldn’t the big bad? 

Unfortunately the Forerunner warlord was completely absent from Halo 5, and while the immediate aftermath of his battle with Master Chief was covered in the comic series Halo Escalation, it was implied that he would eventually return. Of course not all players read the comics, leaving his eventual fate unknown to most. This question also raises the problem of integrating the lesser-known expanded universe canon into the games, which 343i has been wont to do since it took over the franchise from Bungie.

Wish list
After the cliffhanger ending of Halo 5 Guardians, and a petty lackluster campaign plot, what Halo Infinite really needs is solid story with a satisfying end to the story. The Halo 3 to Halo 5’s Halo 2 if you will. A more equal approach to the campaign/multiplayer balance will also help address some of the issues people had with the previous game.

Speaking of multiplayer, the fact Halo 5 included microtransactions didn’t go down particularly well - especially since the REQ packs could let players unlock more powerful weapons that gave them an unfair advantage. While a lot of games have a lot of success selling cosmetic items (Team Fortress 2 and Overwatch come to mind), players are less enthused about Pay-to-Win systems.

A link to Halo Wars 2 would also be welcome, and finally bring the story of the UNSC Spirit of Fire back into the mainstream canon. That’s not that much out of the question either, given the RTS sequel’s final cutscene.

More time playing as the Master Chief. Spartan Locke might have been an interesting character, but players buy Halo expecting to play as their favourite super soldier - not a low-budget knock-off.

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Apple reportedly working on a satellite network for its own devices

Posted: 21 Dec 2019 03:00 AM PST

Apple is reportedly building out its own network of satellites to work with Apple devices like iPhones and iPads. It would apparently allow Apple's gadgets to communicate with each other without using carriers.

The usually reliable Bloomberg has the scoop, citing people "familiar with the work" who know what the "secret team" inside the Apple Park campus is up to.

This won't come as a complete surprise to those who've been paying attention though: there was talk of an Apple satellite network back in 2017 when Apple hired two ex-Googlers with an interest in space tech.

Those engineers – Michael Trela and John Fenwick – are now in charge of the satellite project at Apple, apparently, though the word is that it could be five years before anything is made official.

Reach for the stars

The team as a whole is reportedly made up of around a dozen aerospace, satellite and antenna specialists, and the project is said to have caught the eye of Apple CEO Tim Cook – indicating it's a priority inside the company.

A network like this could beam data to iPhones without the help of the carriers, as we've said, or it could help Apple devices communicate with each other across their own network, even if other internet and cellular services were down.

Another possible use case is in improving the mapping features on the iPhone, and for getting a more precise location fix. At the moment it's not clear exactly how the orbiting hardware would be deployed.

It also remains to be seen whether Apple will actually build its own satellites or buy them from other manufacturers. Stay tuned for more updates over the next five years.

Via Ars Technica

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AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT budget GPU set to be unleashed at CES, rumor has it

Posted: 21 Dec 2019 02:40 AM PST

More evidence has emerged that AMD has another wallet-friendly Navi graphics card on the horizon – perhaps as soon as CES – courtesy of a host of GPUs that Gigabyte has filed with the Eurasian Economic Commission or ECC (a common source of hardware leaks).

Apparently Gigabyte has a new range of ‘Eagle’ graphics cards, as Videocardz spotted, and one of those will be the previously rumored Radeon RX 5600 XT, which obviously sits between the recently released RX 5500 and the original RX 5700 Navi cards.

The only details revealed about Gigabyte’s RX 5600 XT are that it will come with 6GB of video RAM and will be produced in two flavors, a standard version, and an OC or overclocked model. The other point of interest regarding the spec is that the GPU will allegedly have a 192-bit memory bus, or so insists a previous rumor from Videocardz (and this could mean it’s a cut-down Navi 10 product – in other words, cut from the same cloth as the 5700 series).

It’s interesting that AMD has settled on 6GB for video memory here, when with the recently released RX 5500 XT, there are 4GB and 8GB versions, which could lead to some slightly uncomfortable buying decisions as folks try to work out whether they might need the larger amount of RAM.

At any rate, as we observed in our review of the 5500 XT, this particular GPU actually stands up against the GTX 1660 in performance terms – whereas in pricing, it’s pitched at the 1650. So we can, of course, expect a little more from the 5600 XT, and this could be one to tackle the peppier GTX 1660 Super or Ti cards. In short, it will certainly be an interesting model to get in for testing…

Imminent reveal?

Providing this rumor pans out, of course, but we might not have long to wait, as Videocardz is betting on an early 2020 reveal for the RX 5600 XT, possibly at CES – but again, that’s guesswork. If the card has officially been filed at the ECC, though, it’s a fair bet that we are not too far away from at least an initial unveiling…

In total, Gigabyte will be launching no less than 32 new models in the so-called Eagle range of GPUs, and there will be RX 5700 and RX 5700 XT graphics cards, as well as an RX 5500 XT (4GB).

Other Eagle-branded products are on the Nvidia side and start with the GTX 1650, working up to a GeForce RTX 2080 Super.

Via Digital Trends

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Jedi voices in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker explained: who does Rey hear?

Posted: 21 Dec 2019 02:07 AM PST

Big spoilers for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker follow.

As Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker ends and Rey defeats Emperor Palpatine, her, er… grandfather, she hears Jedi voices from all over Star Wars history. You likely recognized a few of them, like Liam Neeson's Qui-Gon Jinn, or Samuel L Jackson's Mace Windu – but there are so many Jedi talking at once that you're unlikely to appreciate all these cameos on the first viewing. In a movie that's overstuffed with fan service, this is one of the best touches by director JJ Abrams.

Luckily, since the film was released, eagle-eye viewers have snapped the credits, and we now know who they all are. Below, we'll explain who all the Jedi voices are in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and they include some pretty deep cuts from Star Wars lore. It's a treat if you're a fan of the animated Star Wars TV series in particular. 

Here's a quick run-down:

  • Liam Neeson as Qui-Gon Jinn
  • Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi
  • Frank Oz as Yoda
  • Samuel L. Jackson as Mace Windu
  • Freddie Prinze Jr as Kanan Jarrus (from Star Wars: Rebels)
  • Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano (from Star Wars: The Clone Wars/Rebels)
  • Angelique Perrin as Adi Gallia (from The Phantom Menace, The Clone Wars and, er, Jedi Power Battles on PSone)
  • Jennifer Hale as Aayla Secura (from Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars: The Clone Wars)
  • Olivia D'Abo as Luminara Unduli (from Attack of the Clones and The Clone Wars)

Note that some of these characters were portrayed by other actors in live-action. Adi Gallia was played by Gin Clarke, for example, and Aayla Secura was played by Amy Allen. 

This sequence is one of the most detailed bits of fan service in the movies to date. While, for example, the animated series Rebels was alluded to heavily in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story – you can see the crew's ship Ghost at the Battle of Scarif – here we're treated to more direct references.

Ahsoka Tano is dead, according to The Rise of Skywalker

It's caused some debate among Star Wars fans. Ahsoka Tano, a fan favorite character from both The Clone Wars and Rebels animated series, is confirmed dead by The Rise of Skywalker, assuming that all these voices are Force ghosts (the rest are, so there's no reason to assume Ahsoka wouldn't be as well). Perhaps the end of her story is being saved for a future Star Wars project.

Still, it's nice that she got a little moment in the live-action movies.

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Get BT broadband deals now before it takes away its fantastic freebie offer

Posted: 21 Dec 2019 01:18 AM PST

Sometimes to get the best deal on something, acting fast is a necessity. BT's latest broadband deals are the perfect example of that, with news that the ISP will be stripping its plans of their best feature in a matter of days.

From December 24 onward, BT will be removing its popular freebie - the famous BT Reward Cards - from all of its broadband deals. For those less versed in BT's promotions, these were essentially pre-paid Mastercards to be used online and in shops. Yep...free money!

With the tempting promise of up to £110 in these Reward Cards currently available across a range of the best BT broadband deals, we would suggest anyone considering one of its offers to get in there before this goes.

BT's broadband deals and Mastercards in full:

Today's best BT broadband deals

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This is how to get 2019 mobile phone deals from just £5.99/pm with iD Mobile's big sale

Posted: 21 Dec 2019 01:17 AM PST

Christmas has quickly become a go-to time to get an excellent price on your new phone. Whether it's a boosted data plan, some cashback or a freebie, we thought we'd seen it all this year but iD Mobile is finishing 2019 with some real bargains.

In essence, it involves saving 50% on the price of a range of phone contracts. Considering iD Mobile has a reputation of offering already affordable contracts, this means some of the cheapest pricing we've ever seen on select phones.

With prices starting from an impressively low £5.99, you would  be right to question what the catch is. This 50% price cut only lasts for the first three months of the contract, then going back up to its full price.

However, that beginning price cut and the overall cheap nature of iD means you will be seriously pushed to get cheaper mobile phone deals than this.

iD Mobile's half price mobile phone deals:

What is iD Mobile?

iD Mobile is owned by the high street company everyone knows - Carphone Warehouse. That relationship means you don't have to worry about iD Mobile being some dodgy company you need to be wary of. 

But on the complete opposite end of the price spectrum to Carphone, iD Mobile is one of the cheapest options around for both your phone and SIM. In fact, iD currently has the UK's cheapest SIM only deal - it's a title it has held for some time, too.

Head on over to iD's website to see all of its seasonal sales.

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Disney Plus: our guide to exclusive shows, 2020 movies and how to sign up

Posted: 21 Dec 2019 12:56 AM PST

Disney Plus - or Disney+, as it's officially know - is Disney's new video streaming service. In a landscape currently occupied by Netflix and Amazon Prime, this service is Disney-specific, as the name implies. If you love Disney, it's the destination to be. The service launched last month in the US, Canada, Netherlands and Australia. Disney had 10 million sign-ups in week one, showing people really want the service. UK readers will have to wait until next year to get it, along with the rest of the world.

The purpose of this service is simple and exciting: this is where you watch classic Disney animated movies, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and even 20th Century Fox content (The Simpsons, for example). Disney Plus has landed with The Mandalorian's Baby Yoda, arguably the year's biggest pop culture icon. Still, a lot of its best original content feels far away. Keep scrolling for more on what we think about Disney Plus, and whether you should sign up in time for the holidays. 

Over time, Disney Plus will have original content from Star Wars, Marvel and Pixar, putting it in a good position to take on Netflix, Amazon Prime and Apple Plus.The Mandalorian, then, is just the beginning. 

Below, we'll explain how to sign up to Disney Plus, how much it costs, how you can buy a Disney Plus gift subscription, and what we think of the streaming service. 

How to sign up to Disney Plus

If you're in the US, Canada or the Netherlands, you can sign up for Disney Plus here, or if you're in Australia or New Zealand, click here. No matter where you live, there's a 7-day trial that'll let you see if the service is right for you. You can also sign up to a bundle (US-only) that includes ESPN+ and Hulu's Basic package for $12.99 a month, which saves $5 on subscribing to the services individually. 

ESPN+, of course, is for the sports plan in your life. Hulu, meanwhile, hosts a lot of shows from other networks, like South Park and Rick and Morty, as well as having its own originals like The Handmaid's Tale. While Disney Plus is family-friendly, adult-oriented content can be found on Hulu. 

Disney Plus will keep adding more content over time, so keep that in mind if the service doesn't appeal to you right now.

Disney Plus gift subscriptions: get a year of Disney Plus for a friend

If you want a great holiday gift, Disney has now introduced Disney+ Gift Subscriptions. For the same price as a yearly subscription, $69.99, you can gift a whole year of the streaming service to a friend. This only works for new customers, and doesn't include the 7-day free trial. You also can't purchase the Disney bundle with this, but it's an ideal holiday present for the Disney fan in your life. 

You can choose the day the gift subscription is sent to the recipient via email, making it a good last-minute option for shoppers. The gift subscriptions will also be physically available in certain Disneyland and Walt Disney stores. 

Disney Plus: our verdict

We've published our Disney Plus review, and we're positive about the service. It's not as comprehensive as its competitors like Netflix, but having this selection of blockbuster movies in one place is very enticing. While not every Disney movie has made the leap yet, it's arrived with a pretty great selection, and we're seeing that selection improve all the time. 

It really helps that The Mandalorian has arrived in the launch window, to give people an idea of how much Disney is willing to spend on original content. But a lot of its best shows, like the Marvel series coming to Disney Plus, feel a little far away. That's the only note of caution we have on the streaming service right now. 

Even if not everything from the Disney back catalogue is pure gold, especially when you get to the straight-to-VHS movies of the '90s, but that's to be expected with a platform of this breadth. 

Find out what we thought of the app and the movie selection in our Disney Plus review. 

Disney Plus movies coming in late 2019 and 2020

The page for Coco displays the release date on Disney Plus. 

While Disney Plus has launched with a whole payload of movies, many more are coming after release, right into 2021. When you search for an existing Disney film on the service, it'll tell you what date it's expected to arrive on the service. You won't find recent theatrical movies like Toy Story 4, the live-action Aladdin or The Lion King films with release dates, but you'll find plenty that do have them. Here are some highlights:

Star Wars: The Last Jedi (25 December), Black Panther (March 4), A Wrinkle in Time (25 March, 2020), National Treasure (30 April, 2020), John Carter (May 2, 2020), Solo: A Star Wars Story (July 9, 2020), Avengers: Infinity War (June 25 2020),  Ant-Man and the Wasp (July 29, 2020), The Incredibles 2 (July 30, 2020), 2015's Cinderella movie (September 1 2020), Christopher Robin (September 25, 2020), the live-action Beauty and the Beast (October 1, 2020), Maleficent (October 1, 2020) and Tomorrowland (September 1, 2021). 

For Toy Story 4, Aladdin, or The Lion King, expect those to be used as major incentives to sign up not long after they arrive on DVD and Blu-ray. They'll help keep sign-ups going – so it makes sense we wouldn't hear about all of them at once. 

For December 2019, Disney released the following video of what to expect this month. There's nothing too surprising in there, but this is likely to be how Disney Plus rolls out such info updates in future:

Disney Plus app links: start streaming on your device

As you can see, Disney Plus has launched on pretty much every major platform. Disney confirmed the list of platforms that will support Disney Plus sometime before launch. It includes Apple TV, Roku streaming devices, Google Chromecast, iOS and Android, PS4 and Xbox One – as well as the Android TV platform that supports Nvidia Shield TV, Sony TVs, and Hisense TVs. 

Amazon's Fire TV is also supported at launch, following a late deal between Disney and the retail giant. Search the app on your preferred device if it's not linked in the box to the right, and you should find it. 

A while back, we heard about a planned Disney Plus app for Nintendo Switch – but at launch, no such app exists. 

The Simpsons on Disney Plus will be fixed in 2020

Unfortunately, earlier, pre-HD (i.e. best) episodes of The Simpsons are being cropped in on Disney Plus to make them fit a widescreen aspect ratio, therefore removing some of the excellent background jokes the animated sitcom is famous for. 

See above for one notable example, but luckily Disney will add the original 4:3 aspect ratio in 2020 for seasons 1-19 and part of 20. This shows Disney is listening to criticism, which is encouraging. 

The audio commentaries for every episode that came with the DVDs haven't made the cut on Disney Plus either, which seems like a missed opportunity. Especially when many Disney classics do have behind-the-scenes material. 

Disney Plus error codes: what common error codes mean

The Disney Plus Help account on Twitter received its fair share of complaints about login issues across various platforms on day one, and Disney responded to the outages officially, explaining that it's "working quickly to resolve any current issues." In the time since launch, more error codes have popped up. Here's what they mean – but not all of them have a simple fix yet.

Error code 11 is related to where you're watching Disney Plus from, and will pop up if you're watching from outside territories where the service has launched. Error code 22 is related to rights issues or restrictions on content you're trying to stream. Error code 42 is a trickier one with no direct fix. "Please check to see that you are still connected to the Internet and try again," is the error message. Try rebooting your router, and if that doesn't work, consider contacting Disney Plus customer service. 

Error code 76 means your internet connection isn't fast enough to stream Disney Plus. Error code 86 means your account has been blocked for some reason - you'll need to contact Disney customer service about that directly. 

Try the Disney Plus help center for more. This is how you contact Disney Plus customer service, too, if you can't resolve an issue. You can call 888-905-7888 if you're based in the US. You can also tweet the Disney Plus help account. This email should help, too: DisneyPlusHelp@Disney.com. 

Disney Plus FAQ: quick questions answered

  • What is Disney Plus? Like Netflix, this is a streaming service, but it's exclusively packed with Disney content. 
  • When will Disney Plus launch? Disney Plus has already launched in the USA, Canada and the Netherlands. It launched in Australia and New Zealand on November 19, and it'll arrive ini March 31, 2020 in the UK and most of Europe. 
  • What does Disney Plus cost? $6.99/month in the US (or $69.99 per year), $8.99 in Australia and Canada ($89.99 per year), $9.99 in New Zealand ($99.99 per year), and €6.99 in the Netherlands (€69.99 per year). No UK pricing has been announced.
  • Where can I find it? Disney Plus has launched on on iOS, Android, Apple TV, PS4, Xbox One, Amazon's devices, browsers, and Android TV.
  • Will Disney Plus beat Netflix? We pit Disney Plus vs Netflix to see who comes out on top, but there's likely room for both in your streaming life. 
  • What Disney Plus channels are there? There are no channels, as such, but there are five separate content hubs for Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel, and National Geographic. It will also feature content from Fox, like The Simpsons. 

Here's what the Disney Plus interface looks like. 

Disney Plus release date: out now in US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands

The Disney Plus streaming service launched in the early hours of November 12, hours before its official launch time of 6AM ET. If you're in the US, Canada or the Netherlands, you can sign up. It launched in Australia and New Zealand on November 19. 

Disney Plus will arrive in the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain on March 31, 2020. So if you were excited about The Mandalorian, you've got an annoyingly long wait...

Disney will eventually bring the service to the entire world, but rolled out over a two-year period. You could be waiting a while depending on where you live. 

Disney Plus price and bundles explained

The Disney Plus price is $6.99 per month (that's about £6 / $10), or $69.99 per year in the US. The price is then $8.99 for both Canada and Australia (or $89.99 per year), while in New Zealand it's $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year. In the Netherlands, the price is €6.99 per month, or €69.99 per year. We've created a comprehensive guide on the Disney Plus price tiers, to help you compare it to its rival streaming services. 

You can also get Disney Plus with ESPN+ and Hulu in a bundle for a nice $12.99 per month. And Verizon customers in the US are lucky: if you're signed up to its 5G unlimited wireless, Fios home internet or 4G LTE plans, you get a year of Disney Plus for absolutely free.

Expect more on the Disney Plus UK price and the price for other countries as Disney keeps rolling the service out. 

All of this means the service is cheaper in the US than Netflix, for now at least. "I can say that our plan on the Disney side is to price this substantially below where Netflix is. That is in part reflective of the fact that it will have substantially less volume," said Robert Iger, Disney's chairman and CEO. "It'll have a lot of high quality [content], because of the brands and the franchises that will be on it that we've talked about. But it'll simply launch with less volume, and the price will reflect that."

Iger also suggested that the price could rise gradually over time as the service grows, which wouldn't be a massive surprise. This is exactly what has happened with Netflix as its investment in original content has escalated over the last few years.

The Clone Wars

New episodes of The Clone Wars are coming to Disney Plus. 

Disney Plus has 4K HDR streams

Disney Plus streams to up to four devices simultaneously in 4K resolution and HDR (high dynamic range) at no extra cost – with up to seven user profiles on the platform. Not all content is available in 4K / HDR, of course, and naturally you'll still need a 4K TV to watch the content that is. But since all of the original Star Wars films have launched on the service in 4K with Dolby Vision, that bodes well for future films that make the leap to Disney Plus. 

Netflix, on the other hand, has a premium tier that grants access to 4K / HDR streams. The all-in-one nature of the subscription is appealing by comparison.

Disney Plus supports both Dolby Atmos as well as Dolby Vision, making it a fantastic choice for movie lovers. 

Star Wars on Disney Plus features another change to Han/Greedo shootout

The version of Star Wars found on Disney Plus is apparently based on the 2011 Blu-ray release, but fans have noticed another bizarre change to the infamous Han/Greedo encounter. Another frame of Greedo saying the non-existent word “Maclunkey!” has been added (via Film Stories), shortly before a new visual explosion obscures the characters from view. It's an odd change, to say the least, but hey, we've gotten used to it from the original Star Wars trilogy. At least we can laugh about it.


Disney Plus: Marvel TV shows and movies

16 movies from the Marvel Cinematic Universe have launched with Disney Plus in the US, with more planned down the line. You can also look forward to exclusive new Marvel TV shows featuring your favorite superheroes, as the MCU officially extends to TV shows for the first time. One report suggested these shows will have budgets of $25 million an episode. A first look at these shows is available on Disney Plus right now, in a special called Expanding the Universe. 

The first of these MCU shows will be Falcon and The Winter Soldier (starring Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan), coming in Q3 / Fall 2020, around a year after Disney Plus goes live. It'll be six episodes long, and will feature the return of Civil War's Helmut Zemo (Daniel Bruhl).

The numerous fans of Tom Hiddleston will be happy to hear that next in the new Marvel line-up will be the Loki TV show, a six-episode miniseries starring the trickster god. We also know from San Diego Comic-Con that the series will kick off after Loki's sudden escape in Avengers: Endgame, via the Tesseract. No doubt he'll get into plenty of mischief as a result. 

2021 will also see WandaVision, a spin-off following Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) that will tie into the events of the Doctor Strange sequel – and a Hawkeye TV show, with Jeremy Renner reprising the role, and mentoring a new iteration of Hawkeye, Kate Bishop. 

It's Hawkeye's time to shine!

Marvel's head of television, Jeph Loeb, did say there'll be more "street-level heroes" coming to the Disney Plus service too, with Marvel TV shows set to replace or expand on the likes of Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Daredevil, Iron Fist, and The Defenders – all of which were cancelled on Netflix (via Deadline). Since then, however, Loeb's upcoming exit has been reported (via THR), and Kevin Feige now oversees the TV division that was previously separate from the rest of Marvel Studios. So we're not sure where that leaves those characters.

Interestingly, there's also going to be a Marvel TV show that puts a different spin on the MCU. Called Marvel's What If...?, the animated series is based on a comics series where reality played out a little differently for our favorite superheroes and villains. Like how would Agent Peggy Carter have fared if she'd taken the super soldier serum instead of Steve Rogers? Many Marvel actors will be reprising their roles for this anthology show, making it much more than just a weird curio.

At Disney's D23 Expo in late August, now-Marvel CCO Kevin Feige announced three new series – She-Hulk, Moon Knight and Ms. Marvel – that would all debut on the service, too, vastly expanding the MCU by introducing all-new characters. Even with those coming, there are plenty of Marvel spin-offs we still want to see make the jump to the small screen.

When it comes to older MCU movies, we can expect those to be pulled from Netflix as soon as contracts run out before being moved across to Disney Plus when it launches. In an earnings call with investors, Disney CEO Bob Iger clarified that 2019's Captain Marvel would be the first Disney movie exclusive to the service – and on November 6, it was confirmed that Avengers Endgame will be launching on November 12 when the service goes live, too, moving from a previous December date. Shortly before launch, too, Disney announced eight more Marvel movies on Disney Plus, including The Avengers. 

Rogue One

Disney Plus: Star Wars TV shows and films

You may remember that Disney bought Star Wars back in 2012, meaning it now has the rights to the entire library of movies, as well as the ability to make original programming set in that universe. Expect plenty of Star Wars films and TV shows on Disney Plus as a result. Every movie from Episodes I-VII will arrive on day one, with later films and spin-offs arriving in 2020. 

The first season of The Mandalorian is now live, a show created by Jon Favreau (the director of Iron Man and The Jungle Book). It stars a Boba Fett-resembling character continuing the legacy of the bounty hunter, and the trailers sure make it look like full-fat Star Wars. This show has a rumored budget of $15 million per episode, and you can certainly tell from the level of effects on display. It's confirmed for season 2, too.

It's not the only new Star Wars episodic content confirmed for Disney Plus, either. Rogue One's Cassian Andor (played by Diego Luna) will also get his own prequel TV series exploring his life before the events of the 2016 film. Even if Disney's CEO thinks there are too many Star Wars movies coming out, the TV schedule is only getting more packed. 

Also officially confirmed is an Obi-Wan Kenobi TV series, with Ewan McGregor to reprise his role from the prequel movies, and a seventh season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series. But you can check out exactly what films and TV series are hitting the service in our Disney Plus Star Wars guide.

Disney Plus: The Simpsons and Fox content

Disney's acquisition of Fox was a very, very big deal – especially for Disney Plus.

Fox own the rights to a huge amount of classic television, including The Simpsons, which means every episode from the first 30 seasons of the show has come to the service (minus the season three episode 'Stark Raving Dad' for reasons that'll be obvious to fans). 

Fox used to hold the keys to the X-Men franchise, putting big restrictions on the Marvel Cinematic Universe (such as the word 'mutant' never being used onscreen). The merger now means those characters can appear in the MCU, along with the Fantastic Four. They're likely to be saved for movies rather than TV shows, but either way, one day you're likely to see MCU projects based on both coming to Disney Plus. 

Disney Plus will also be getting a selection of animated '90s cartoon classics, like X-Men, Fantastic Four, and Spider-Man. The big Fox movie arriving on day one for Disney Plus is James Cameron's Avatar. Fox movies like The Princess Bride and The Sound of Music will follow. You can expect a reboot of Home Alone coming down the pipe, too, which we were all definitely asking for.

Disney's live-action remake of Mulan (2020) will be coming to Disney Plus too.

Other Disney Plus movies, shows, and exclusives

Marvel and Star Wars might be the highlights, but the Disney Plus originals extend far beyond superheroes and space. A gigantic selection of additional new shows and TV series are in the works, including a new Monsters Inc. project called Monsters at Work (coming in 2020), while from launch you can enjoy a fresh mockumentary take on the evergreen High School Musical series that, brace yourself, is called High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. 

An original Christmas film called Noelle also arrived with Disney Plus at launch, starring Anna Kendrick and Bill Hader.

For classic Disney lovers there's a live-action remake of Lady and the Tramp, while '90s animation fans will eventually get a new live-action Mulan that will hit both theaters and the streaming service. Deadline suggests that projects based on Don Quixote, Sword and the Stone, and 3 Men and a Baby are in the works, along with other projects titled The Paper Magician, Togo, and Timmy Failure. A game show called The Big Fib was also ordered in November 2019.

If you're more interested in Disney's many decades of animated movies, however, the company says it will include every flick that's ever been locked away in the Vault. That may include some of the first, harder-to-find Mickey Mouse pictures. 

Younger kids will have plenty to watch, with programming from Disney Channel, Disney Junior and Disney XD.

Disney Plus will also be a home for DisneyNature documentaries, including Dolphin Reef – narrated by actress Natalie Portman. Disney Nature works both in documentary films and animation, and will also be bringing animated feature Penguins to the Disney Plus service. A documentary series called The World According to Jeff Goldblum will also start when the series arrives. It's pretty much what you'd expect it to be from the title. 

All of Disney Plus's original shows will roll out on a weekly basis, unlike services like Netflix and Amazon where every episode tends to drop at once. 

Will Disney Plus have classic Disney movies?

Heck yes. It's been confirmed that every Disney film ever made is destined for the service, so everything from Snow White to Frozen 2 should be available on Disney Plus at some point after launch.

What will Disney Plus be missing?

The Disney streaming service won't have content from outside of the Disney ecosystem, as far as we know. The reason you see such a vast range of content on Hulu and Netflix is because they have a big web of licensing deals with external studios. Disney Plus is a more focused offering. 

But, of course, Disney has plenty of content to draw from, especially with a slow drip of Fox movies and shows to come. It's also worth noting that there won't be any R-rated or adult-oriented content on the service. Expect mature-oriented Fox films to go to Hulu instead, according to a report from Deadline.

Even though Disney now owns Fox, for example, that doesn't mean you'll start seeing Deadpool swearing on Disney Plus. There's talk however of a PG-13 take on Deadpool 2's X-Force for the platform (via ComicBook).

Sorry, Deadpool, but you're too adult for Disney Plus. 

It's pretty obvious, but the Marvel TV original series on Netflix won't be crossing over to the new Disney Plus service – as far as we know. That means the likes of Daredevil, Luke Cage, and Jessica Jones won't be rebooted on Disney Plus in their current iterations. They've all been axed anyway, but we can't see them leaving Netflix any time soon. It's possible you'll see them return some day, but maybe it's better to leave that era of the characters behind. 

What you will see on Disney Plus, though, is the dreadful Inhumans series from 2017. That arrives on Day One. 

What's next for Disney Plus?

We've got a long wait until some of the bigger Marvel shows start arriving in 2020, and some of the other Star Wars spin-offs feel even further away. But over time, as the service builds momentum, it'll likely grow in the same way Netflix has, with a steady stream of originals from the different content pillars.

The Mandalorian and Forky Asks a Question are just the start, then, and that back catalogue of Disney, Marvel, Star Wars and Pixar films should just keep growing with time.

Original reporting by Andrew Hayward.

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A Disney Plus subscription is now available as a last-minute Christmas gift

Posted: 21 Dec 2019 12:34 AM PST

Disney Plus launched last month, but Disney only recently added the option to gift. If you're in the US, Disney now has the option to gift an annual subscription for $69.99, which might be ideal if you want to email a present in time for Christmas. 

With the Disney streaming service having seen 10 million signups in the first 24 hours alone, you may want to check your friend or relative in question isn't making use of it already, but otherwise this should be a handy way to make sure the people you care about can coo with you over your favorite Disney Plus movies or The Mandalorian TV show.

While you can gift the subscription digitally at the link above, we're told that "Physical gift cards are also available for purchase in US Disney Stores and select Disneyland and Walt Disney Stores."

There are are a few caveats, as these gift cards are specifically for the standard paid subscription; you don't get a seven day free trial, or the option to cancel within the first few days without being charged. They also can't be used for the Disney Plus bundle with ESPN+ and Hulu, meaning you'll have to choose between the bundle offer and the ability to gift a subscription conveniently.

The only option available is the annual package, too, meaning you can't gift in one- or three-month batches – or with Netflix's $25 / $50 gift cards – so it may be more expensive than a casual Christmas gift to an acquaintance.

Join the conversation

As more and more streaming services launch, or prepare to, it's harder than ever to keep track of the season's biggest shows and titles. 

Disney has the benefit of a huge back catalogue that spans decades, as well as new animated and live-action shows developed exclusively for the service, meaning that – for now at least – Disney Plus is probably the most exciting streaming service you can sign up to.

It may not keep you from Netflix forever, as the excitement of every classic Disney movie, or a home for select Marvel films may wear off when you've binged through a few weekends. But if you're looking for a gift for that TV-lover in your life, a Disney Plus subscription isn't a bad choice.

If you just want some Disney goodness for yourself, though, you can subscribe at the link below.

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