Friday, January 17, 2020

Apple : Fitbit deals at Walmart: price cuts on the Fitbit Versa 2, Charge 3, and Inspire HR

Apple : Fitbit deals at Walmart: price cuts on the Fitbit Versa 2, Charge 3, and Inspire HR

Fitbit deals at Walmart: price cuts on the Fitbit Versa 2, Charge 3, and Inspire HR

Posted: 17 Jan 2020 01:50 PM PST

If you're looking to score a discount on Fitbit's best-selling activity tracker, then you're in luck. Walmart has incredible deals on the smartwatch which include the all-new Fitbit Versa 2, Versa Lite Edition, Inspire HR, and Charge 3.

Our top pick is the Fitbit Versa 2 that's on sale for $149.95. That's a $50 discount and the best price we've found for the water-resistant smartwatch. 

The Fitbit Versa 2 tracks activity, workouts, sleep, and calories burned while also continuously monitoring heart rate. The Versa 2 can help you meet your fitness goals with 15+ exercise modes and on-screen workouts that play on your wrist and coach you through each move. The Fitbit also works with Amazon Alexa, so you can send and receive messages, check the weather, and control other smart home devices using just your voice.

Shop more of the best Fitbit deals below and keep in mind these fantastic offers are ending soon, so you should take advantage now before it's too late.

The best Fitbit deals:

Shop more offers with the best cheap Fitbit prices and sales that are happening now.

You can also discover the best Fitbit of 2020: which is right for you?

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Nation-state hackers increasingly target organizations

Posted: 17 Jan 2020 01:06 PM PST

A new report from Radware has revealed that organizations are increasingly targeted by nation-state hackers with 25 percent of respondents attributing attacks against their businesses to cyberwarefare or nation-state activity.

Back in 2018, just 19 percent of organizations believed they were attacked by a nation-state but that figure increased to 27 percent in 2019. Additionally companies in North America were more like to report nation-state attribution at 36 percent.

Chief marketing officer at Radware, Anna Convery-Pelletier provided further insight on the firm's 2019-2020 Global Application & Networking Security Report in a press release, saying:

“Nation-state intrusions are among the most difficult attacks to thwart because the agencies responsible often have significant resources, knowledge of potential zero-day exploits, and the patience to plan and execute operations. These attacks can result in the loss of sensitive trade, technological, or other data, and security teams may be at a distinct disadvantage.”

Increased attack surface

Radware's findings come at a time of heightened anxiety for security managers. As organizations adapt their network infrastructure to utilize microservices and multi-cloud environments, they also increase their attack surface while decreasing the overall visibility into their network traffic.

For example, 22 percent of those surveyed don't even know if they were attacked, 27 percent of those who were attacked don't know the hacker's motivations, 38 per cent are not sure whether an IoT botnet hit their networks and 46 percent are not sure if they suffered an encrypted DDoS attack.

Radware's report also found that 5G presents an important opportunity to build security into networks at their foundations but that only 26 percent of the carriers surveyed fell well prepared for 5G deployment while another 32 percent said that they were somewhat prepared.

5G will also help organizations derive value from IoT technologies but this also comes with a corresponding increase in attack surface. When it comes to IoT connected devices, 44 percent of respondents said malware propagation was their top concern followed by lack of visibility at 20 percent and Denial of Service at 20 percent.

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This WordPress vulnerability could let hackers hijack your entire site

Posted: 17 Jan 2020 12:10 PM PST

A WordPress plugin has been discovered to contain “easily exploitable” security issues that could be leveraged by an attacker to gain complete control over vulnerable websites.

The plugin is called WP Database Reset and it is used to reset databases without having to go through the standard WordPress installation process. The security issue has the potential to affect many websites as the WordPress library says it is active on over 80,000 sites.

Two severe vulnerabilities were found by the Wordfense security team and either of these vulnerabilities can be used to force a full website reset or takeover according to the firm.

Wordfense's Chloe Chamberland explained just how damaging these vulnerabilities could be to websites in a blog post detailing the firm's findings, saying:

“A WordPress database stores all data that makes up the site including posts, pages, users, site options, comments, and more. With a few simple clicks and a couple of seconds, an unauthenticated user could wipe an entire WordPress installation clean if that installation was using a vulnerable version of this plugin.”

Critical security flaws

The first critical security flaw is tracked as CVE-2020-7048 and since none of the database reset functions were secured through any checks, it could allow any user to reset any database tables without authentication.

The other vulnerability discovered by Wordfense is tracked as CVE-2020-7047 and it allowed any authenticated users to grant themselves administrative privileges while also giving them the ability to “drop all other users from the table with a simple request”.

Wordfense first made WP Database Reset's developer aware of the security issues on January 8 after verifying their findings. The developer responded on January 13 and promised a patch would be released the next day and the vulnerabilities were publicly disclosed a few days later.

Users of the WP Database Reset plugin should updated to the latest version (version 3.15) as soon as possible to prevent having their website hijacked by hackers or wiped out completely.

Via ZDNet

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Google unveils Premium Support plan for enterprise cloud service

Posted: 17 Jan 2020 09:44 AM PST

In an effort to attract more large enterprises to its cloud, Google has announced a new Premium Support plan for businesses running mission-critical workloads on its cloud infrastructure.

According to the search giant, the cost of its Premium Support plan will be based on how much each customer spends monthly. However, this level of support comes at a cost with prices starting at a minimum of $12,500 per month and enterprises can use Google's pricing calculator to figure out how much it will cost them.

Signing up for Google's Premium Support plan could certainly be worth it for enterprises that need to have issues dealt with quickly. For instance, Google has said that for P1 cases, situations where a mission-critical application or vital infrastructure is unusable, customers can expect to get a response in 15 minutes.

The plan also covers new product reviews, training and troubleshooting for third-party systems and services.

Premium Support

In a blog post announcing the company's new Premium Support plan, vice president of cloud support at Google, Atul Nanda explained how it was built from the ground up to meet the needs of customers running modern cloud technology, saying:

“Premium Support has been designed to better meet the needs of our customers running modern cloud technology. And we've made investments to improve the customer experience, with an updated support model that is proactive, unified, centered around the customer, and flexible to meet the differing needs of their businesses.”

Premium Support customers will also be able to call on “content-aware experts” who know their applications and infrastructure stack inside out. They will also have access to a dedicated technical account manager who can help them work through any issues that arise. Customers can even pay more to have technical account managers in multiple regions in order to have someone available at all times.

Google's support team will also be there to help premium customers prepare for special events such as Black Friday which often lead to huge spikes in traffic that could potentially cause problems.

Via siliconANGLE

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Get a free Air TV mini or Amazon Fire TV Stick with this super Sling TV deal

Posted: 17 Jan 2020 09:37 AM PST

Cable? That's far too 2018, it's all about the streaming services in 2020 – especially as Sling TV has come good with a deal for the January sales.

The TV streaming service is offering a free Amazon Fire TV Stick, Air TV Mini or a Sling TV Antenna when you prepay for two months of Sling TV.

Sound good? Click to bag this Sling TV deal with either: Amazon Fire TV stick | Air TV | Antenna

This offer comes at a fortuitous time considering that Sling TV has just upped its subscription prices. It now costs $30 a month to sign up to Sling Orange or Sling Blue. Or you could subscribe to both services for $45.

And if you're a Friends fan (who isn't!?) you may have realised the sad news that it has now left US Netflix. The excellent news however, is that it hasn't left and has no plans of leaving Sling TV.

Need more information? Keep scrolling to find out more about this great Sling TV deal as we've got it outlined for you below.

Is Sling TV any good?

It's definitely got TechRadar's approval! We love the fact that it allows you to customize your favorite channels on the app, and it's on-demand programming along with movies that you can rent is pretty handy.

Not to mention that you can watch it on any device that can stream the app - this includes your tablet, phone, laptop etc. 

What we also find it quite refreshing that there are no sneaky fees or long-term contracts - you just pay a flat fee for the service. The only thing we're disgruntled about at the moment is that price hike - but at least the freebie sweetens the deal!

Want to find out more? Make sure you check out our Sling TV review. 

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There's still time to pick up Powerbeats Pro for Black Friday level prices this weekend

Posted: 17 Jan 2020 09:37 AM PST

These Powerbeats Pro deals are back in stock and ready for the weekend, offering fantastic savings on cheaper AirPods alternatives. Whether you're looking for a more fitness-inspired pair of Apple earbuds, or you're just a fan of that extra Beats headphone flair, you're sure to enjoy this $199 Powerbeats Pro deal this week. 

The Powerbeats Pro are the latest earbuds to come from Beats, the Apple-fused audio brand pioneered by Dr Dre himself. That makes these earbuds the most direct competitor to the AirPods out there on the market right now, and offer fantastic dynamic sound quality with an ear hook design that won't get in the way of a good workout. Add to that the latest H1 chip for extra wireless stability and range, and auto-play (your headphones start playing music as soon as they recognize that they've been placed in your ears) and you've got a supremely smart pair of earbuds for a great price. 

When we tested the Powerbeats Pro, we were amazed at what we termed "a big step up for the Apple-owned headphone brand", calling them "Apple's most premium workout buds" in November 2019. 

These Powerbeats Pro deals aren't brand new price cuts, but the price does seem to be particularly unstable right now, meaning we don't know when that increase will happen again. Grab yours today to save $50 over the everyday MSRP. 

Not in the US? Find the best Powerbeats Pro deals near you by scrolling down. 

Today's best Powerbeats Pro deals

We're tracking all the best wireless headphone deals to bring you the lowest prices around right here on TechRadar. That means you can find cheap Beats headphones and the best AirPods deals right here. 

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There's a massive 90% off on this web hosting deal...but for this weekend only

Posted: 17 Jan 2020 09:36 AM PST

If one of your new year's resolutions is to get your new website sorted and you're in desperate need of a new web hosting provider, we think we may have found a deal you'll find very attractive.

Hostinger is offering up to 90% off its web hosting plans. That means that you could be paying as little as $0.80/£0.80 a month for your website hosting for the foreseeable future if you head to this link. 

The 90% off sale is on the Single Shared Hosting plan, which brings you 24/7 customer support, 99.9% uptime guarantee and a pretty impressive 100GB of bandwidth for a single website.

Sound pretty good, doesn't it? Well if you want it, you'd better think fast. There's a countdown timer running on Hostinger's website that shows this offer will end on Sunday night (or, rather, the early hours of Monday morning). So be sure to take advantage while you still can.

Below we've got this and the service's other on-sale web hosting deals outlined in full, so keep scrolling if you have any questions or need a little more convincing. Or if you're already sold, head over to Hostinger's website.

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Hostinger's brilliant New Year web hosting deal:

Now with a deal this awesome (and let's face it, 90% off really is awesome), there has to be a bit of a catch - this deal is better suited for long-term, committed web hosting users as if you want the lowest price you'll have to opt for a four year contract. 

If this seems like too much of a commitment, don't close this page just yet - Hostinger has other sales for you too! The web hosting giant is also offering 76% off a 12-month plan for a single plan, meaning $1.95/£1.95 a month - so you'd only have to commit for one year rather than all four.

If you need to learn more about this provider, then be sure to read our full Hostinger review. Or if you're unsure which of Hostinger's web hosting plans is best for you, you can compare every last feature and detail on its website.

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How to watch Love Island online: stream the winter series from UK or abroad

Posted: 17 Jan 2020 09:30 AM PST

Guys we've got a text... it's time for Winter Love Island! So get ready to catch some feelings because we guarantee you'll want to go all factor 50 for this hit TV series!

Ready for all the shocking re-couplings and villa drama? Make sure you keep reading as we tell you how you can watch Winter Love Island online from anywhere in the world.

ITV seems to think that "winter is just not our type" and we agree - we're ready for our cocktail under the sun and so are the islanders. If you're curious to find out more about the singles this year-  keep scrolling as we have the full list below.

We're only five episodes underway and already the drama has been dialled all the way up, not only has Ollie left the villa but we've now had two more bombshells come in! 

And what can we say except that Mike and Leanne are already winning people's votes everywhere but Callum's head still seems to be spinning. 

At least the singles get to enjoy all the tension and gossip from the bright and sunny South Africa, in a extremely luxurious villa.

So get ready to put your eggs all in one basket, we can guarantee this show is 100% your type on paper!

Be sure you don't miss tonight's episode as two new boys are set to enter the villa tonight! So if you're ready to see this year's singles find love, make sure you keep scrolling, we'll tell you how to watch Winter Love Island online whether you're in the UK or mismatched a holiday.

How to watch Winter Love Island online for free in the UK: 

If you're going to be in the UK the whole time the show is on then watching it couldn't be easier. Simple gather your friends and families around the TV at 9pm every day and tune in to ITV2.

But if you would rather watch Love Island online you can easily catch it via the ITV website or watch it on your mobile devices via the ITV Hub app which you can download here for Android and here for your iPhone or iPad.

The other way to watch ITV online is to go via TVPlayer.com - we actually prefer this option as the stream tends to be better quality and more robust. It's also a faster site, more responsive and quicker to get up and running with. It's still free and legal, too.

How to watch Winter Love Island online from outside the country:

If you’re from the UK and have planned a holiday while the show is on we won't be jealous that you're in the sun whilst we face rain - we'll just tell you how you can still get your fix and avoid any annoying geo-blocking. By using a VPN, you can change your IP address to one in the UK which will allow you to stream the event using your ITV account. Keep reading and we’ll show you how.

Who are the Winter Love Island 2020 islanders?

  • Leanne Amaning, 22 from London
  • Siannise Fudge, 25 from Bristol
  • Eve Gale, 20 from London
  • Jess Gale, 20 from London
  • Shaugnha Phillips, 25 from London
  • Sophie Piper, 21 from Essex
  • Paige Turley, 22 from Scotland
  • Mike Boateng, 24 from Manchester
  • Connor Durman, 25 from Brighton
  • Callum Jones, 23 from Manchester
  • Nas Majeed, 23 from London

Who will be hosting Winter Love Island?

Even though Caroline Flack has been the familiar face for the past five years for this popular show, she has stepped down this year as she was charged for assaulting her boyfriend Lewis Burton. 

Laura Whitmore will be replacing Caroline as the host of this hit TV series. For those of you who haven't heard of her before, Whitmore is an Irish broadcaster and actress. 

Fans can rest assured that this will be the only big change occurring, you can still expect to see comedian Iain Stirling  cracking jokes and voicing over the series.

Who were the winners of Love Island 2019?

Amber Gill and Greg O'Shea, and although they have now parted ways - it's safe to say they were everyone's favourite couple for a while. Amber entered the villa on day one and although she had a bit of a tough time, she definitely rose above as she was crowned the winner - and Greg entered the villa on day 43.

What do the winners of Winter Love Island UK get?

Apart from finding their soul mates of course, they also get a whopping £50,000 which they can choose to split with their partner or keep to themselves. And of course, they get to be crowned as that year's winners inevitably going down into the Love Island hall of fame.

How long is Winter Love Island on for?

Although ITV have kept it fairly quiet, we can expect for this season to run the usual time as the other seasons so you should be getting six to eight weeks of drama, bombshells and plenty of gossip!

  • If you need more Love Island remember that the spin-off After Sun is on every Monday
  • If you need more Love Island remember that the spin-off After Sun is on every Monday

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How to watch Doctor Who online: stream season 12 free from the UK or abroad

Posted: 17 Jan 2020 09:23 AM PST

Daleks, time lords, the tardis - it's all back and bigger than ever as the latest season of Doctor Who comes time travelling to our TV screens. But of course, for any fans of the show, you will want to know what the best way to watch Doctor Who season 12 online.

With 10 episodes set to air in this latest season, Whovians are set to get a strong dose of action from the latest doctor - Jodie Whittaker. Two episodes in and we've already had plenty of action, plot twists and mystery!

Need even more reason to catch all of the action? Just two episodes in and this series has been star-packed with guest appearances from the likes of Stephen Fry and Lenny Henry with plenty more scheduled across the rest of the episodes.

Ready to watch Doctor Who season 12 online? We've listed everything you'll need to know about catching the latest episodes below. And don't worry if you're on holiday or living abroad as the episodes air - we've got you covered too.

How to watch Doctor Who online for free in the UK:

Watching Doctor Who for anyone in the UK will be a breeze. Simply head on over to BBC One every Sunday at 7pm to see all of the action live as it happens.

Rather watch episodes from your laptop, tablet, mobile or other device? Luckily, that's still possible. Simply head to either the BBC iPlayer app or the TVPlayer service. Both are completely free to use and will give full access to each episode as they air.

Stream Doctor Who from anywhere else in the world for free:

Away on holiday or currently living abroad while this latest season airs? Sadly, this will mean the Doctor Who episodes are geo-blocked for you. Luckily there's an easy solution to remedy this.

All you have to do is appear like you're back in the UK thanks to the use of a VPN. A VPN is a tool that alters your IP address to make it look like you're somewhere else - perfect for trying to stream TV.

Our vote for the best VPN service goes to ExpressVPN but how do you install one and how can that be used to watch Doctor Who season 12 online? Read on to answer all of these questions.

How to watch Doctor Who in the US

Watch old episodes of Doctor Who online

New to the Doctor Who franchise? There's a lot to catch up on but luckily, no matter where you are, it's easy to watch all of the Doctor Who episodes:

Watch all the series of 'new' Doctor Who from the UK

Doctor Who has a very long history and unfortunately there is no easy way to watch every episode ever. However, BBC has stepped on up in heroic fashion to offer you everything since the show returned in 2005. That means you can catch up a wealth of content over on BBC iPlayer.

The show was also free to watch on the Amazon Prime subscription for a while but will now cost you per episode if you look to go that way. Looking for a full session of binge-watching? Britbox will be the way to go, with all the classic Doctor Who dating from its first ever episodes in the 60s. However, Britbox will require a VPN to circumvent its geo-restriction if you're abroad – scroll up for all the info on that.

Watch previous Doctor Who seasons online in the US

Doctor Who fans Stateside can also revisit old episodes of the programme via the Britbox service mentioned above.

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Weekend Amazon sales: top fitness tracker prices plus cheap iPads, Xbox One, PS4, AirPods and 4K TV deals

Posted: 17 Jan 2020 09:19 AM PST

Amazon sales are putting on a show for the weekend, with plenty of new Garmin fitness tracker deals to get us out and about for less. Plus, we've found loads of Xbox One and PS4 deals to crash back onto the couch with, and even some excellent 4K TV sales to use them with. 

If you're looking for headphone deals this weekend, those amazing AirPods, Beats, and Bose deals are still sticking around, and we've spied a few more iPad deals out there right now in case you're shopping for a new tablet. 

We've listed all our favorite Amazon sales right here for you to peruse, with our top picks sitting right at the top. 

Amazon Daily Deals: Today's Top Picks

Massive Apple Watch and Fitbit sales at Amazon

Beats and AirPods sales coming in hot

New offers on iPad and Kindle sales

Nintendo Switch, PS4 and Xbox One deals still live

Cheap Echo speakers and displays

4K and smart TVs on sale

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You can get a free smartwatch with these Samsung Galaxy S10 deals...but not for long

Posted: 17 Jan 2020 09:09 AM PST

We've been big fans of both the Samsung Galaxy S10 and S10 Plus since they launched almost a year ago now. However, we've always felt like there was something missing...a free smartwatch alongside, perhaps?

Clearly Samsung heard our overly high-expectations as it has been offering up a free Galaxy Watch Active with a large number of deals on both of these handsets for a while now. Unfortunately, its kind gesture is soon to come to an end.

With Samsung bringing an end to this promotion on January 29, now is a good time to get in there and snag the freebie. Luckily for you, there are a number of solid Samsung Galaxy S10 deals and Galaxy S10 Plus deals floating around right now.

We've had a root around and picked out the absolute top picks available and listed them below, saving you the work. Or if you would be more interested in another brand, consult our guide to the best mobile phone deals around.

  • Don't see anything you like? Check out the competition with our iPhone deals guide

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Samsung Galaxy S10 deals + free Galaxy Watch:

Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus deals + free Galaxy Watch:

How to claim your free Samsung Galaxy Watch Active:

All you have to do is purchase a Samsung Galaxy S10 or S10 Plus deal before January 29. After that, go to this link and claim your new free watch. It can take up to 45 days for your Samsung Galaxy Watch Active to arrive so don't worry too much if you don't see it straight away.

What other retailers are offering the watch?

Affordable Mobiles
Amazon.co.uk
Argos
Buymobiles.net
Carphone Warehouse
Currys PC World
e2save.co.uk
EE Mobile
ID Mobile
John Lewis
Mobile Phones Direct
Mobiles.co.uk
Samsung
Three
Very
Vodafone

What are the Samsung Galaxy S10 and S10 Plus like?

Samsung Galaxy S10:

The S10 is an excellent smartphone. Fitting perfectly between Samsung's affordable S10e and its mammoth S10 Plus and Note 10 devices, this phone is the ideal middle ground. You're getting a high-quality screen, in-screen fingerprint scanner and a powerful battery/processor combo.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S10 review here

Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus:

Samsung's greatest 2019 handset, the S10 Plus is about as good as phones come right now - it's gone straight to the top of our best smartphone chart. The S10 Plus has a beautiful infinity-O display, in-screen fingerprint scanner, strong battery life and a powerful processor. But obviously with all of these features comes a big price, which is where these affordable offers come into play. 

Read our review on the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus

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Get a free PS4 or Xbox One and loads of data with this free upfront Huawei P30 deal

Posted: 17 Jan 2020 08:53 AM PST

When you're trying to find the perfect phone contract what makes your list? Affordable pricing? Massive amounts of data? A high-end phone with top specs? Those are all of the obvious ones, but how about a free console...that ever make your list?

This isn't some strange trick question. Phone contracts with free gifts have been rife for years, offering up both a phone contract and a freebie, usually headphones or some kind of console.

The issue is that when it comes to free gift packages, it can be hard to sort the measly from the great. However, an offer we came across this week definitely falls into the latter category, getting you both a Huawei P30 and a free PS4 or Xbox One.

But move past the freebie and this is still a great offer in other categories. It's a phone contract with no upfront costs, it's on EE, packed with 75GB of data and the monthly bills only come to £41 a month.

Of course, if you're not actually bothered about the free console, you can find better than this on our Huawei P30 deals guide but if you've been looking for a new console, this is the perfect way to get it.

How good is the Huawei P30?

The Huawei P30 is an impressive handset but the thing that really stands out here is the camera. At this price tag, we're happy in saying that this might just be the best camera phone around. With its triple lens set-up featuring a 30x zoom, wide angle, portrait mode and smart AI features, this camera will shine no matter the situation.

Inside the phone, there's a large 3650mAh battery, the processor is incredibly powerful and there's even a headphone jack on board! Yes, the device lacks wireless charging and doesn't have the highest IP rating but those are factors we're more than willing to forgive.

Read our review of the Huawei P30

Read more:

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Google Pixel 4a: what we want to see

Posted: 17 Jan 2020 08:50 AM PST

Google surprised everyone in 2019 by releasing the Pixel 3a and 3a XL, affordable versions of the Pixel 3 and 3 XL that brought some of the hardware and software of the premium devices, but offered them at a more appealing price tag. We'd expect the same to be the case in 2020, with anticipated Pixel 4a and 4a XL presenting some of the features of the recent Pixel 4 and 4 XL in a more affordable body.

Leaks have started flowing in since the beginning of 2020, so it looks like a budget Google Pixel 4a could be coming at some point soon - although perhaps it'll come alone, without its XL sibling.

The Pixel 4 and 4 XL were popular devices, but didn't land with quite the fanfare of the Pixel 3 devices, so the upcoming phones could be Google's opportunity to win back buyers who were put off by some of the intriguing design decisions. What do we mean by that? Read on to find out.

Google Pixel 4

The Google Pixel 4

Cut to the chase

  • What is it? An affordable variant of the Pixel 4 smartphone
  • When is it out? Likely May 2020
  • How much will it cost? Around $399 / £399 / AU$649

Google Pixel 4a release date and price

Google Pixel 3a XL

Since we're not even in 2020 yet, and the Pixel 4 devices are still fresh in our mind (and hands), it's still early days to try and guess a Pixel 4a release date. However we can take a rough estimate. 

The Pixel 3a became available on May 8, a day after its announcement at Google IO 2019, and we can expect this pattern to repeat itself. We don't know when Google IO 2020 is yet, but it'll be roughly the same time of the year.

In terms of how much you'll pay, the Google Pixel 4a price could actually be lower than the Pixel 3a price, at least at launch. We say that because the Pixel 4 cost less than the Pixel 3 (when directly comparing release prices), and we could see that pattern repeat in 2020.

Of course these are both guesses, and when we hear some concrete leaks we'll update this article.

Google Pixel 4a news and leaks

We're going to start with a rumor that might disappoint some of you: word is that Google might not put out a Pixel 4a XL, only focusing on the smaller device. Apparently this is so people looking for a bigger phone stick with the Pixel 4 XL, as supposedly the Pixel 3a XL stole sales from the Pixel 3 XL, however discontinuing a phone because it proved popular seems a questionable business choice.

While that rumor is seemingly backed up by the relative lack of Pixel 4a XL rumors, we've heard there could be three Pixel 4a devices, including a 5G model. This comes from Android code which refers to three different devices, presumably consisting of a main device as well as an XL and 5G phone, although they aren't named as such.

But now on to rumors for the base Google Pixel 4a. We've seen a lot about the design, thanks to an unofficial render of the device as well as a leaked case render for the handset.

If these two leaks are to be believed, the device will have a rear fingerprint scanner as well as a 3.5mm headphone jack, two features missing from the Pixel 4, but it'll take the newer device's square camera bump (despite there only seeming to be one rear snapper).

The biggest change shown in the renders seems to be a 'punch-hole' front-facing camera cut out of the screen, instead of a large bezel like nearly all previous Pixel devices, which makes the handset seem quite distinct.

There's also said to be no Soli chip, which allowed you to navigate the phone hands-free (well, in theory). This was likely dropped to allow the price to get as low as possible.

What we want to see in the Google Pixel 4a

The Google Pixel 4 was an innovative flagship feature, but when it comes to adapting this feature to a budget price tag, there are a few things we'd like it to consider.

1. Bring back the fingerprint scanner

The Google Pixel 4 has no rear-mounted fingerprint scanner like the Pixel 3, not does it have an in-screen one like many premium smartphones around. Instead, it relies on facial recognition unlocking for you to access your phone.

For some, this is a useful feature to help them get into their phone quickly and easily; others find this an unsecured and frustrating experience. For the Pixel 4a, we'd like Google to drop this feature, and instead have a physical or screen-mounted fingerprint sensor.

It's likely Google will make this change, as the tech involved in efficient face unlocking adds quite a bit of price to the phone, so if the company wants to slash the price of the new device, it'd make sense to remove face recognition first.

2. Improved battery life

Google Pixel 3a XL

A recurring problem with Google Pixel smartphones is that their battery lives always leave a lot to be desired, and plummet quicker than competing devices. Saying that, the Pixel 3a solved that problem with a bigger battery capacity and a weaker processor, which meant it drained battery less.

Since most normal people need smartphone batteries that'll last them a day, even in a pinch, the more affordable and accessible Pixel 4a needs a battery that'll last it this long, which means a bigger capacity than the 4 as well as tools in place to keep it going longer, like canny optimizations.

3. Drop the 90Hz screen

This is bound to be a pretty controversial suggestion, but if Google is looking for features to cut to keep the Pixel 4a price down, we'd argue the 90Hz screen is an unnecessary luxury that could be lost without making the device worse.

While some people really love 90Hz screens in phones like the Pixel 4, as it makes the viewing experience a little smoother, many more people struggle to notice the difference, especially people who aren't huge tech fans who don't know the feature is in place.

That means it's not a vital feature, and when there are aspects of the Pixel 4 that we would like to see in the 4a, we'd say the 90Hz screens are expendable.

4. Keep the telephoto camera

The Google Pixel 4 smartphones bumped the number of cameras on Google's devices from one to two, adding a telephoto snapper for optical zoom.

The Pixel 3a devices saw the cameras slightly downgraded from the Pixel 3 line, but that was purely in terms of software post-processing, and the hardware was exactly the same. 

A telephoto lens in a camera is really useful, so you can take better pictures of a subject without dropping the quality dramatically, and we'd love to see it kept in the Pixel 4a. We'd be surprised if this wasn't the case, as the telephoto lens really ties the rear design together. And talking of Pixel 4a design...

5. Stick with the weird design

The Google Pixel 4 smartphones are weird looking devices, there's no getting around that. They're bare on the back except for a pretty sizeable camera bump (no fingerprint sensor, like in previous Pixels), with a glass back but a rubber frame around the edges. Yep, you read that right, rubber in a smartphone!

On the front, there's a notch the likes of which you barely see in modern smartphones, with a sizeable chin at the bottom of the screen. All in all, the Pixel 4 devices are far from 'conventional' Android phones, for better or worse.

Well, we kind of like the design. It's unique, and the Pixel 4 feels distinct in hand when you're using it. We'd like to see the Pixel 4a retain the 'weird' design, especially the rubber frame, as we found it great for protecting the phone. 

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Google Pixel 4a could come with a 5G counterpart, according to hidden code

Posted: 17 Jan 2020 08:34 AM PST

We might have gotten another hint of the Google Pixel 4a, an affordable version of the Pixel 4 devices, and it seems there could be three of these new Pixel A handsets – including one that could have 5G. In other words, it's the first indication that Google could release a 5G phone before the Google Pixel 5 flagship.

These references were found in Android code – as Android is open-source, people can access the code readily – and 2020 mid-range Pixel phones were mentioned in a new batch of the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), this month’s Pixel 4 firmware dump, and the latest versions of several Google applications. 

Credit goes to Twitter user @akes29, who dug up the code names, and was then helped by XDA Developers who pored over the code with a fine-tooth comb.

Three of those code names that XDA Developers narrowed in on within the AOSP – called Sunfish, Redfin, and Bramble – seem more likely than others to be referring to potential handsets, as Google has a habit of using fish names as phone code names. Each of the names is linked to an SoC (system on chip). 

While Sunfish is based on the sm750 (aka the Snapdragon 730) chipset for upper mid-range phones – and thus a good candidate for the Pixel 4a – the Redfin seems to be developed on the sm7250 (aka the Snapdragon 765), a chipset introduced at the December 2019 Qualcomm conference as the first SoC with an integrated 5G modem. 

That doesn’t mean such a device would definitely be a 5G phone, but it would have the chipset necessary to do so.

Bramble also seems based on the Snapdragon 765 chipset, but there hasn’t been any evidence that it is being produced by an original equipment manufacturer (OEM). 

First Pixel to 5G?

These fishy references are just codenames, but as XDA Developers points out, these have referred to both phones and codebase kernels (central parts of a collection of code) – as well as handsets that never came out - so take this as a possible but not definite first sign of one to potentially three Pixel 4 devices.

We're hoping for a 5G-capable version of the Google Pixel 5 coming later in the year, but it's entirely possible that the phone maker will follow up on the success of the mid-range Google Pixel 3a this year by making a strong bid for an affordable 5G phone.

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Best phone for gaming 2020: the top 10 mobile game performers

Posted: 17 Jan 2020 08:09 AM PST

As time goes on we’re seeing more and more specialist gaming phones built from the ground up to provide the best gaming experience possible. We’re talking phones like the Asus ROG Phone 2 and the Razer Phone 2.

These are phones that push smartphone hardware to the limits, with the upcoming Black Shark 3 for example rumored to be the first phone to pack 16GB of RAM.

But as good as these phones are, many of the very best phones for games aren’t even billed as gaming phones, they’re simply high-power flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus and iPhone 11 Pro Max, the latter of which also benefits from access to the stupendous game library of the App Store, and exclusives on Apple Arcade.

And over in Android land far more great gaming handsets are soon to launch – the Samsung Galaxy S11 is being announced on February 11, and many more top-tier Android handsets are likely to land a couple of weeks later at MWC 2020.

So there’s a ton of great gaming phones to choose from and loads more on the way, but this guide should make picking one easier, as below you’ll find a ranked list of the very best gaming phones available – whether they’re billed as gaming phones or not.

Our overview of each of these handsets will show you at a glance the features that make them so well-suited to gaming, as well as those areas where there’s room for improvement.

And once you’ve made your pick and invested in some serious smartphone gaming hardware, make sure to check out our list of the best Android games or the best iPhone games. Or, if you’re feeling poor after your purchase, give our best free Android games or best free iPhone games lists a look.

Best gaming phone: iPhone 11 Pro Max

The iPhone 11 Pro Max is the best gaming phone

The iPhone 11 Pro Max is the bigger, better brother of Apple's newest flagship smartphone in a few key ways, but if you're picking either model for gaming, you might as well go with the best. 

The 6.5-inch screen on the iPhone 11 Pro Max is bigger than the one on its 5.8-inch sibling and its larger battery manages to stay working longer than the standard iPhone 11 Pro. 

Those perks will give you more of an edge than with the iPhone 11 Pro, but both benefit from this Apple phone generation's true advantage: the A13 Bionic processor. 

In our tests, it loaded up Clash Royale and PUBG even faster (vs the iPhone X), and speed is crucial in online gaming. All this in a Apple's sleek, modern look – though it's the most expensive mainstream phone on the market, even before including all the bells and whistles.

Read our reviews: iPhone 11 Pro Max | iPhone 11 Pro

Best gaming phone: OnePlus 7 Pro

A more-affordable flagship gaming phone

The OnePlus 7 Pro is cheaper than the iPhones and Samsungs in this list, but still delivers the latest power under the hood with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 855 chipset and the choice of up to 12GB of RAM.

It means games load quickly and run smoothly, and the OnePlus 7 Pro is the firm's first phone with a QHD display, giving you an excellent pixel density for crisp graphics. On top of that sharp resolution is the huge size of the display, which offers 6.67 inches without any cameras or notches taking up space. Further improving the gaming experience is the 90Hz refresh rate of the display, which makes gaming and everyday use that much smoother.

There's a sizable 4,000mAh battery too, which should keep you going during lengthy play sessions, and it all makes for a top-notch gaming phone.

Read our review: OnePlus 7 Pro

Best gaming phone: Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus

The Galaxy S10 Plus is an all-rounder, but is still a top gaming phone

Don't be too surprised to see Samsung so high on the list. Its latest family of Galaxy S10 smartphones are the first to feature Qualcomm's powerful new Snapdragon 855 chipset, which quickly boosted them to the top of the pack in terms of sheer performance.

But, it's not just the chipset that makes these excellent gaming phones. They have sharp Super AMOLED displays with support for high dynamic range, so you'll get excellent visuals in movies and games alike. 

The screen real estate is also expanded, so you have that much more game to look at. With these phones, you're getting both a killer phone and a powerful mobile gaming device in one.

Better still, VR fans can still make use of the new phones with existing Gear VR headsets letting you enjoy the immersive game medium on the phones' crisp displays.

 Read our reviews: Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus | Samsung Galaxy S10

The Asus ROG Phone 2 is built for gamers

The Asus ROG Phone 2 has almost all the features mobile gamers need, including a staggeringly large 6,000mAh battery (for extended gaming sessions), and a slick 120Hz AMOLED screen, in a large 6.59-inch size.

Add to that truly top tier specs, with the combination of a Snapdragon 855 Plus chipset, 12GB of RAM and masses of storage, and you can see why the Asus ROG Phone 2 makes our list.

Being designed specifically for gamers, it also has features you won't find on most other phones, such as a clip-on fan, which is generously included in the box, and a range of other accessories (such as a gamepad), which you'll have to buy separately.

There's also built-in software to help you tailor your gaming experience, through, for example, overclocking the already meaty CPU, and adjusting the fan speed.

There are some issues with the Asus ROG Phone 2, but most of them don't affect gaming. It doesn't have wireless charging or water resistance for example, and the design is sure to be divisive. If all you want your phone for is gaming though, and you either like this design or don't much care, then the Asus ROG Phone 2 is hard to beat.

Read our review: Asus ROG Phone 2

Best Gaming Phone: Razer Phone 2

The Razer Phone 2 gaming phone

 The first Razer Phone was a solid first effort to bring the gamer-specific brand to a mobile device, but it had a few shortcomings that dropped it further down our list. The second version has addressed some and come out with a stronger device for it, though it's still aimed primarily at gamers.

What does that mean? The camera and display aren't nearly as impressive as other phones that cost this much, so casual gamers might want to look elsewhere. But if you're more serious about mobile gaming and can afford it, this is a solid choice.

Outwardly, the Razer Phone 2 hasn't changed much from its predecessor, though it's upgraded to the Snapdragon 845 chip and switched to a glass back for Qi wireless charging. It's also added a slick vapor chamber to cool the device as you game.

At the end of the day, the phone's beefy chipset, 8GB RAM, great speakers, 120hz refresh rate screen and 4,000mAh battery, as well as extensive settings to tweak battery life and performance, make this a great choice for gaming.

Read our review: Razer Phone 2

Best Gaming Phone


Huawei's P30 Pro may not be a phone on many people's radars, but it's an amazing Android phone from the Chinese manufacturers. Much of the attention the P30 Pro is getting comes from its impressive camera system, which has three rear cameras including one with a 5X zoom and a stunning dark mode.

But, the Huawei P30 Pro has plenty to offer gamers as well. The Kirin 980 chipset inside is plenty powerful for the latest Android games, and 8GB of RAM can keep everything running smooth even when you're switching back and forth from gaming and other activities.

The hefty 4,200mAh battery can ensure your gaming sessions aren't cut short. An improved heat pipe and vapor cooling chamber inside the P30 Pro help it keep cool while gaming, so it can continue to play Fortnite, Real Racing 3, and PUBG without a hitch.

Read our review: Huawei P30 Pro

Best Gaming Phone


The Black Shark 2 is the second generation gaming phone from Chinese firm Xiaomi's gaming arm, and it builds well on its predecessor adding more power and a better screen into the mix.

Combining a great camera, excellent internals and improved gaming credentials over the original, the Black Shark 2 is a triple threat that betters most of its gaming phone rivals. 

It's lumbered with a handful of instabilities and quirks, but even with those accounted for, the bang for buck it delivers is off the chart. The only thing to watch out for is its availability. It's not easy to find in some countries, such as US.

Read our review: Black Shark 2

iPhone XR


Apple's iPhone XR may lack some of the features from the iPhone XS and XS Max that make them true stunners, but it makes up for that with a lower price. And, while it may have a smaller screen, it's still offering 6.1 inches. 

Even though that lower price comes with caveats, like a simpler camera setup, the iPhone XR doesn't skimp on internals. It packs the same A12 Bionic chipset that's found in the more expensive models, and it runs iOS 13 just the same as the other models. That means it can play all the same games, and it can run them just as smoothly (if not even smoother, since it has fewer pixels to push).

The iPhone XR also has one of the best batteries in an iPhone that we've seen in some time. So, if you want to do plenty of gaming on iOS, the iPhone XR is a strong option.

Read more: iPhone XR review

LG G8 front view


The LG G8 may be a little underwhelming in terms of design, and if you don't find a deal, it can be too expensive to wisely choose over one of the other devices on this list. But, if you find a good price, it has enough to offer as a gaming phone.

Inside, it's packing the latest Snapdragon 855 chipset, which can deliver plenty of gaming performance. And, with a high-resolution, bright OLED display, your games are sure to look great.

With a base storage of 128GB of RAM, you should have plenty of room on the LG G8 to store games alongside all your other apps and files.

Read more: LG G8 ThinQ review

iPhone 8 Plus


Yes, we know the iPhone 8 Plus is verging on two years old right now. It doesn't have the same elegant design found in the iPhone X, XS, or XR. But, if you look past the design and 5.5-inch display, you're still getting some strong gaming credentials.

For one thing, the age of the iPhone 8 Plus helps bring the price down. And, though the screen is the smallest on this list, it's still a 1080p resolution. Better still, the iPhone 8 Plus packs the A11 Bionic chipset that's also found in the iPhone X, and it runs on the latest version of iOS. That gives it access to plenty of games and the power to play them.

The battery is also decent, and the 256GB storage option offers all the room you could need for a substantial mobile game collection.

Read more: iPhone 8 Plus review

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The best Super Bowl TV deals in 2020: sales from Walmart, Amazon, and Best Buy

Posted: 17 Jan 2020 08:08 AM PST

The 2020 Super Bowl is just weeks away (Sunday, February 2 to be exact), and that means you can find incredible TV deals from retailers like Walmart, Amazon, Best Buy, and more. You can score record-low prices on a variety of best-selling 4K TVs from brands such as Vizio, LG, and Samsung.

Our top Super Bowl TV deals include everything from a mid-size 50-inch TV to a massive 75-inch set, with features such as HDR and voice control, and at a range of prices – so whatever your football viewing needs you’ll find your perfect TV here.

To make things easier for you, we've split our selection of TVs into three categories: the outright best TVs for watching the Super Bowl, the best mid-range TVs, and the best budget TVs. We've included a range of different sizes in each category, and we’ve also picked a standout model for our Super Bowl TV deal of the week.

Shop our best Super Bowl 2020 TV deals below, and make sure to check back, as we'll be updating this article with more deals as we get closer to watching the Super Bowl 2020 live stream.

The best Super Bowl TV deals 2020:

Vizio P-Series 65-inch 4K smart TV


The Vizio P-Series Quantum X TV is loaded with premium features and provides cinema-like image quality – perfect for watching the big game. The Ultra HD TV features Quantum Dot technology, which delivers deep blacks and bright, bold colors for sharp contrast and lifelike images. The smart TV is available in 65-inch and 75-inch screen sizes and features voice control support for Siri, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa.

Shop more of our top picks for the best TV deals for watching the Super Bowl.

TCL 55R625


This mid-range TV is available in 55-inch, 65-inch, and 75-inch screen sizes, and is part of the TCL's 6-series lineup, which means you'll get a premium picture experience with Dolby Vision HDR, which delivers extreme contrasts and vibrant colors. The smart TV has the Roku experience built in, so you can stream movies and TV shows from the home screen of your TV. The enhanced remote also allows you to use your voice to change the channel, launch movies, turn the TV off, and more.

Shop more of our top picks for the best mid-range TV deals.


The Samsung NU6900 TV comes in a range of sizes, starting at 43 inches and going all the way up to 75 inches. The budget TV features smart capabilities, so you can stream your favorite movies and TV shows all in one place using the Samsung remote. You'll enjoy a stunning picture with bright, bold colors and sharp contrast thanks to the PurColor technology and 4K resolution. The Samsung TV will also look good in your home, thanks to the ultra-slim design and clean cable solution.

Shop more of our top picks for the best budget TV deals.

Find out everything you need to know about Super Bowl 2020: when is it, where is it, who's playing, channel, kickoff start time and more.

Super Bowl 2020 live stream: find out how to watch the game online for free and without commercials.

You can also see the best TVs of 2020: 10 big-screen TVs worth buying this year.

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Harmony OS: what you need to know about Huawei's new operating system

Posted: 17 Jan 2020 08:00 AM PST

Huawei's CEO announced Harmony OS in August 2019, as the company's new cross-device operating system that could bring about the next phase of Huawei's tech dominance

The announcement was clearly a thinly-veiled response to political events over the last year, but the message is clear – if Huawei has to ditch Android, down the line, it can.

Harmony OS is related to, but not exactly the same as, the Huawei Mobile Services (HMS), replacements to Google's apps that the company is working on in an effort to work pass the Huawei ban. These are apps that would go on its smartphones like the Huawei P40 or Mate 40, and there's certainly a ticking clock element in Huawei resuscitating its phone division before people associate it too much with the ban from Google apps.

Harmony OS, or as Huawei likes to style it 'HarmonyOS', (previously codenamed HongMeng) is a platform designed for a variety of devices, and is currently aimed at IoT devices such as smart displays or smart home equipment. The first product with the operating system is Honor TV, although more similar products have since been announced, including Huawei TV.

Given the political situation between the US and China (see: Huawei ban) and the impact it’s had on Huawei’s access to Android over the last year, it’s little wonder that the brand is presenting a defiant, confident stance. 

Cut to the chase

  • What is it? Huawei's new operating system, set to work on a variety of products
  • When is it out? In China you can buy Harmony OS products, but it could be 2020 by the time you can elsewhere
  • How much will it cost? Harmony OS won't cost you to use, though its products may

Harmony OS price and release date

Harmony OS will be free to use, as long as you've got a device running the OS, but since even the best Huawei devices are relatively affordable, that shouldn't be too hard.

You might be waiting awhile to use Harmony OS, though. It's in use on Honor TV and Huawei TV sets, but those are currently only available in China, and while we've heard the next Huawei Watch GT smartwatch will run on the operating system, a release of that is still some way out.

As we'll get into, Harmony OS (or Huawei Mobile Services, as is more likely) on Huawei smartphones is still a way off too, if it's to come at all, so outside of China, we may be waiting a long time to try the operating system.

How does Harmony OS work?

Huawei claims that with the rise of the IoT device, a more efficient operating system is needed. With these IoT devices packing less memory and storage than even the best smartphones, they need significantly more streamlined code, and for 100 lines of Android code, you could just have one line of Harmony OS code. 

Despite this, Harmony OS is still able to deliver powerful functionality across devices.

By taking a 'single kernel across devices approach', Huawei also aims to create a shared ecosystem of different devices, break through silos and in turn save developers time. One app can be deployed across a car head unit, smartwatch, fitness tracker and speaker, working perfectly. 

We’ve seen something similar ideas before, most notably on Windows Phone, which had a shared Kernel with Windows 10. While that wasn’t a hit, Huawei’s could have a silver bullet in its gun - Android compatibility.

Honor tv

Honor TV

Harmony OS started life as a TV OS, to create opportunities for seamless casting and fluid across devices, so a user could be on a video call on their phone, cast it to a TV in the kitchen, then continue it in the living room. After that, they could take a phone call, moving from room to room, with the call following them around jumping from one smart speaker to another.

Harmony OS will also feature on watches, speakers and car head units down the line, but isn't limited to these device categories. What’s more, it’s open-source, with Huawei releasing promises for plenty of developer support down the line.

Harmony OS will also be an open-source platform, so developers will be able to provide apps for the platform and other manufacturers of smartphones may even choose to use the operating system.

Is Harmony OS set to replace Android on phones?

As for smartphones getting Harmony OS, Yu was clear on Huawei’s current stance when Harmony OS was unveiled: "When can we put it on our smartphones? We can do it any time, but for the Google partnership, and efficiency, the priority will be for Google Android OS ... If we cannot use it in the future, we can switch from Android’.

As time goes on, the possibility of Huawei phones running on Android gets smaller and smaller, so it's looking more and more likely that Harmony OS or the Huawei Mobile Services could see a debut on a device some time in 2020.

Android


He clarified that the switch would be “quick and easy”, putting forward fighting words while clearly safeguarding his company’s partnership with Google, for the time being at least.

Upon its announcement, Yu refrained from committing to any switches from Android to Harmony OS just yet, and it seems Huawei's President of Global Media and Communications, Joy Tan, agrees, suggesting Harmony OS isn't going to replace Android on Huawei phones any time soon.

Tan said "a viable alternative to Android's operating system will take years to complete.", seemingly contradicting statements made upon Harmony OS' debut, but it just shows that there's no immediate plans for Harmony OS to be available on Huawei phones.

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What is AWS Storage Gateway?

Posted: 17 Jan 2020 07:55 AM PST

For a company that’s existed for some time or has relied on legacy systems, Storage Gateway is a godsend because the “old way” involves constant management and even additional staff members. With cloud services, those staff members become more available for online storage planning, strategy, and other tasks while the storage infrastructure operates more efficiently. This can also be gradual and coordinated so that you adopt the cloud at your own pace.

Moving data to the cloud is not quite as simple as flipping a switch. For companies that have managed their own data centers or server rooms for decades, there are a few steps to consider -- and it’s not always wise to pull the plug on an internal infrastructure quite so quickly. If a startup uses on-premise business servers and then experiences unexpected growth, abandoning those servers doesn’t make sense (even if the long-term plan is to do exactly that).

AWS Storage Gateway is a way to bridge this gap for companies of any size. It’s a hybrid storage option that connects on-premise storage -- including age-old tape backup systems -- to the cloud in a way that also provides one console to access all storage configurations.

This is accomplished through a virtual machine or by using a dedicated hardware gateway available from Amazon. Either way, the concept is the same -- AWS Storage Gateway allows companies to continue using on-site storage and backups but opens them up to the world of cloud computing to provide all of the benefits of lower costs, flexibility, less IT management overhead, and scaling up or down easily as a company changes and grows.

The Storage Gateway is available in three different versions. The Storage Gateway for Files is perhaps the most common and creates a connection between your existing storage infrastructure and AWS products such as Amazon S3 (Simple Storage Service), Amazon S3 Glacier, Amazon S3 Glacier Deep Archive, and Amazon EBS (Elastic Block Store). Storage Gateway for Files is perhaps the most common offering for basic file storage needs. You might use it to perform backups of your local storage, create a content library that uses both on-premise files and the cloud, and to store the cloud database used by web apps.

Storage Gateway Virtual Tape Backup to the Cloud is the second offering and, as the name suggests, is designed for companies with a legacy backup system. More common than you might think, tape backup is still in use because of how companies created their storage libraries originally and how they need to keep using those same systems. The physical backup systems were likely expensive to install in the first place, and adding an entirely new backup system might create more problems for applications, data, and legacy storage.

A Volume Gateway is the third option available as part of Storage Gateway. With this offering, on-premise storage can attach to iSCSI block storage volumes. For your on-premise data, you can use a virtual machine or a hardware appliance that connects to AWS storage.

Benefits of AWS Storage Gateway

Companies sometimes get “stuck” using legacy storage systems or expensive hardware and software they purchased to manage their infrastructure. It’s a headache because your IT staff has to continually expand the storage, provision the volumes, patch the software, and maintain the entire system even though the infrastructure might be outdated or inefficient.

With Storage Gateway, the main advantage is that you can bridge the gap between still using those legacy storage systems but also moving to the cloud.

This means you still retain the on-premise infrastructure and won’t lose that investment, but at the same time you can move data to the cloud and expand and scale easily. It’s the best of both worlds, but also lets you embrace “the new world” of cloud storage.

Because AWS Storage Gateway uses one interface for all storage configuration, it is easier to use than relying on a legacy system -- which might involve multiple system-level interfaces running on multiple servers, backup systems, and storage arrays.

As with all cloud computing services, AWS Storage Gateway provides benefits in terms of scaling to meet demand. Yet, the costs are not fixed in a way that forces you to use certain services or pay for the infrastructure. You can retain the investment you have in local storage but also pay as you go when you expand and use the cloud for storage.

One less-than-obvious advantage to using Storage Gateway is that it is a way to move away from on-premise storage without a sudden change. You can gradually adopt cloud services and migrate your recovery backups, legacy data, and current data storage over to the cloud without a major disruption to service and without having to “start over” with cloud storage.

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Huawei P40 range might have not two, not three but four different phones

Posted: 17 Jan 2020 07:36 AM PST

We've been hearing rumors of the Huawei P40 and P40 Pro smartphones (and, if precedent is anything to go by, a 'Lite' model too), but it seems like Huawei might actually put out a high-end version of the already high-end member of the P40 range.

This news comes from leaker @RODENT950 who posted a short tweet comparing the Huawei P40 phones to the Samsung Galaxy S20 / S11 devices, which also mentioned the 'Huawei P40 Pro (Premium Edition)' as the most top-end device.

RODENT950 doesn't have the longest track record of all the leakers out there, but they've also been right before, so they could well be right about this.

They also leaked pictures of the camera bump of each model to show the differences, which we'll share below.

If this Premium Edition actually exists, that means there would be a whopping four Huawei P40 phones – a surprisingly large number considering the Huawei ban means these phones won't have Google apps, limiting their appeal for most users.

The existence of a top-top-end phone would sort out some confusion though, as we've been hearing quite a few contradicting rumors on the specs and camera combinations of the phones.

If there were three Huawei P40 phones instead of two (discounting the Huawei P40 Lite, because there doesn't seem to be much interest there yet), it would be possible for most of the existing rumors to be true.

The name 'Premium Edition' suggests this is just a spin-off of the Huawei P40 Pro, just as the Huawei Mate 30 Porsche Edition was just a marginally different Mate 30 Pro.

But the implication of the leak is that this is a unique member of the P40 series (since it's compared to the expected Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra, which doesn't seem to just be a Galaxy S20 Plus variant).

It's possible that this name is just an internal codename though, with a different name slated for when the devices release (Huawei P40 Pro Max, anyone?).

We'll find out for sure come March 2020, when we're expecting the Huawei P40 series of phones to launch. Stay tuned to TechRadar in the run-up though so we can see if there are more Huawei P40 Pro Premium Edition leaks, which would lend credence to this initial one.

Via GSMArena

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How to get a UFC 246 live stream and all you need to know about McGregor vs Cerrone

Posted: 17 Jan 2020 07:31 AM PST

There isn't long to wait now to sit down and enjoy a UFC 246 live stream. And it's got all the potential to be a huge one thanks to the return of the infamous (some may even say Notorious) Conor McGregor. After an unstoppable period, McGregor faced multiple losses and an eventual disgraced exit from UFC. But now he is back well over a year since his last appearance in the Octagon.

And with a history like McGregor's - UFC's fastest knockout, first fighter to hold two simultaneous belts and a 21-4 record - he would need a pretty big name to make his triumphant return. Enter, Donald Cerrone.

Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone is a fighter sitting comfortably with a 36-13 win ratio, making him the record holder for both the most UFC wins and most finishes. In other words, a UFC 246 live stream will see two record-holding fighters go head-to-head.

But it is not all about the title fight. Holly Holm will be facing Raquel Pennington. After defeating Ronda Rousey to take the Bantamweight women's title, Holm seemed on top of the world. Now she's clawing her way back up after a number of big losses. Can she defeat Pennington and regain her fearsome reputation?

No matter which fight you're tuning in to see, we're here to help you find a UFC 246 live stream. Scroll down to find out details for watching it live and/or online from the US (where ESPN+ is your go-to service), UK, Australia and pretty much anywhere else in the world. 

Why is there so much hype around UFC 246?

While the event boasts a strong undercard, including the lightweight clash between Anthony Pettis vs Carlos Diego Ferreira, the main interest surrounding UFC 246 is undoubtedly the return from retirement of the sport’s biggest star, Conor McGregor.

The Irish fighter will be getting back in the Octagon for the first time in 15 months to face Donald Cerrone.

So...who's Conor McGregor again?

The Dublin-born mixed martial fighter is arguably the biggest name currently in combat sports. The former featherweight and lightweight champion is the biggest pay-per-view (PPV) draw in UFC history, having headlined five out of the six highest-selling UFC pay-per-view events. Nicknamed Notorious, the 31-year cuts a controversial figure, thanks to his outspoken displays at weigh-ins along with his numerous run-ins with the police.

Who is the favorite to win the McGregor vs Cerrone fight?

McGregor is currently hot favorite to make it a perfect comeback, with odds around 3/1 for his victory.

How much will Conor McGregor get paid for UFC 246?

McGregor is widely rumored to be earning a $5 million purse for his return to the Octagon. However the 31-year-old has stated that that figure is less than 10 percent of what he’ll actually make after predicting he’ll enjoy a staggering $80 million payday thanks to his Reebok sponsorship, pay-per-view points and other endorsement deals.

When was McGregor's last fight in the UFC?

His last appearance in the ring was in Las Vegas back in October 2018 when he suffered a fourth round defeat by submission to Russian fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov.

What has Conor McGregor being doing since the Khabib defeat?

Despite his absence from the ring, McGregor has continued to remain in the headlines for mainly all the wrong reasons.

He was arrested last March for robbery after slapping a phone out of a fan's hand in Las Vegas and walking away with it. While just five months later he was charged with assault after throwing a punch at a senior citizen in a Dublin pub.

On a more positive note, McGregor successfully launched Proper No. Twelve - his own brand of whiskey - around the world during his downtime

What does a UFC fan receive with their ESPN+ subscription?

Quite a lot as it happens - a subscription to ESPN+ opens up access to over 20 exclusive live UFC Fight Nights, alongside original content including Dana White’s Contender Series, UFC Destined, and Ariel & The Bad Guy, plus classic fights, replays, and there’s also the perk of fewer adverts. 

Live stream UFC 246 from outside your country

Worry not if you're a huge UFC fan but aren't in the country to watch UFC 246 when it happens. If you find the coverage is geo-blocked, you can try using a VPN to change your IP address to a country where the fights are airing and watch this main card just as if you were back at home.

How to watch UFC 246 online in the US exclusively on ESPN

Live stream UFC 246 in the UK 

Watch a UFC 246 stream in Australia 

Stream UFC 246: McGregor vs Cerrone in New Zealand

The UFC 246 card in full:

Main Card

Conor McGregor vs Donald Cerrone (Welterweight)

Holly Holm vs Raquel Pennington (Woman's Bantamweight)

Aleksei Oleinik  vs Maurice Greene (Heavyweight)

Claudia Gadelha vs Alexa Grasso (Woman's Strawweight)

Anthony Pettis vs Diego Ferreira (Lightweight)

Prelims

Roxanne Modafferi vs Maycee Barber (Women's Flyweight)

Andre Fili vs Sodiq Yusuff (Featherweight)

Drew Dober vs Nasrat Haqparast (Lightweight)

Chas Skelly vs Grant Dawson (Featherweight) 

Early Prelims

Aleksa Camur vs Justin Ledet (Light Heavyweight)

Tim Elliott vs Askar Askarov (Flyweight)

Brian Kelleher vs Ode Osbourne (Bantamweight) 

Sabina Mazo vs JJ Aldrich (Women's Flyweight)

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