Sunday, February 2, 2020

Apple : Baftas live stream: how to watch the 2020 film awards ceremony from anywhere

Apple : Baftas live stream: how to watch the 2020 film awards ceremony from anywhere

Baftas live stream: how to watch the 2020 film awards ceremony from anywhere

Posted: 02 Feb 2020 08:55 AM PST

It's officially time for one of the most prestigious film awards ceremonies of the year - the 73rd Bafta Film Awards. And if you're ready to see your favorite directors and actors sweep the awards show, you can keep reading as we'll tell you how to live stream the Baftas from anywhere in the world.

Often an indicator for who will or who won't get an Oscar, the Baftas are one of the largest film awards ceremony in showbiz, and will be hosted by the one and only Graham Norton this year. 

The film with the most nominations is Joker with 11 nominations. Trailing closely behind is The Irishman and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, each feature has 10 nominations. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts has also announced that Andy Serkis - actor, producer, director and general gorilla/Gollum-for-hire - will receive the Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema Award.

Now in terms of celebrities, no one's 100% sure on who will be hitting the red carpet especially as the awards are so close in proximity to the Oscars - you may just have to wait and see. However, one thing that we can confirm is that their Royal Highnesses,The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be attending.

And if you're looking to do a little star gazing on the red carpet, all the dresses, DJs and chat will be broadcast live from 5pm GMT on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter on Sunday, February 2.

So if you're ready to watch the celebrities win some awards keep scrolling, we'll tell you exactly how you can watch a Baftas live stream from anywhere.

How to stream Baftas live if you're away from your country

If you're really keen to catch the Baftas coverage today but you're abroad, then you'll find that your normal route to watch is likely to be geo-blocked. If that's the case and the country you're in isn't showing the awards then there is another way.

How to watch the Bafta Awards in the UK

How to get a Baftas live stream in the US

How to watch the Bafta Awards in Australia

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

PlatinumGames reportedly looking to bring Wonderful 101 to Nintendo Switch

Posted: 02 Feb 2020 08:24 AM PST

The developer behind titles such as Bayonetta and Nier: Automata, PlatinumGames, is reportedly preparing to announce a Kickstarter to bring its 2013 Wii U title The Wonderful 101 to the Nintendo Switch. 

The rumors that Platinum is even thinking about The Wonderful 101 began when the studio posted a photo of Director Hideki Kamiya to Twitter. In the photo Kamiya is flanked by a monitor which reads 1:01 and a Nintendo Switch. 

This isn’t a whole lot on its own but the photo was then followed up by a video from GameXplain which reports that the studio is planning to announce a Kickstarter to fund porting the game to Nintendo Switch as well as PS4. There are even suggestions that an Xbox One port is part of the dream. 

Wonderful 1:01

GameXplain’s report was given more credence by Liam Robertson of Did You Know Gaming? who tweeted to say that it’s true, adding that publishers weren't interested.

We won’t know for sure that this is more than a rumor, however, until PlatinumGames makes some kind of official announcement which, it’s being reported, is due in the coming days. 

If these reports do prove to be true, this would be PlatinumGames’ first attempt at self-publishing. 

It’d make sense that the developer is hoping to take the less risky approach of using Kickstarter to gauge interest in a port of The Wonderful 101, especially if it's true that publishers weren't interested. Like many titles released exclusively on Wii U, The Wonderful 101 languished somewhat due to the console’s lack of success. If there’s enough interest in it, the game could have a more fruitful second life on other platforms. 

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PS Now needs a serious upgrade for PS5 to beat Xbox Game Pass

Posted: 02 Feb 2020 08:00 AM PST

PS Now, or PlayStation Now, was a fascinating experiment when Sony launched the game streaming service back in 2014. No other services like it had quite gotten off the ground – OnLive being the most notable – and it’s a testament to Sony’s work that PS Now is still plodding along today.

But if Sony wants PS Now to truly be a force to be reckoned with, especially with a next-gen PS5 console set to jumpstart the technical capabilities of the PlayStation platform – one we know developers are keen on making titles for – something is going to have to change.

Why’s that? Basically, there’s competition. Google Stadia was launched in 2019, offering its own ‘negative latency’ game streaming to devices we never thought we’d see AAA titles running acceptably on: tablets, laptops, and even smartphones. 

With Microsoft launching its Project xCloud streaming competitor too – possibly to coincide with the Xbox Series X release in late 2020 – Sony needs to make sure its own streaming service is keeping up.

What's the big deal with the PS5?

The PS5 will mark a huge jump in processing power compared to the current generation of consoles, with 8K resolution support, an SSD hard drive, partial game downloads, and more. Regardless of fiddly internal specs – only some of which have been confirmed – players are going to be expecting games that look better, feel smoother, and offer more impressive and expansive worlds – and subscription services like PlayStation Plus or PS Now need to match that.

Sony has confirmed that PS Now will have a role to play for the PS5 console, but the difficulty will be in making sure the service feels current – rather than something leftover from the PS4 and PS4 Pro generation.

The as-yet unveiled PS5 console only has a logo so far

Pricing has dropped: it should stay that way

We’re seeing the beginnings of necessary changes: the PS Now price cut in 2019 was highly welcome, bringing the cost on par with Xbox Game Pass, at around $9.99 / £8.99 (around AU$15 – though we really should see the service come to Australia soon too).

PS Now needs to stay accessible, and reversing a price cut wouldn’t be a good look for heralding in the PS5 version of the platform, especially given the likely price point 

PS3 downloads by launch – and some PS5 titles too

While PS Now started out purely as a game streaming service, it did see offline play introduced with downloads for PS2 or PS4 games – taking a lesson from Xbox Game Pass, which only offers game downloads. Casting the net to include PS3 games feels necessary just for consistency, especially given how many of the 800-strong catalogue are from that console generation.

But the real way to drag PS Now into the world of next-gen is with some next-gen games. Microsoft had the confidence to drop its first-party Gears 5 game onto Game Pass on day one of its release – and did the same for Obsidian’s sci-fi RPG The Outer Worlds, with Halo Infinite set to get the same treatment later this year.

For Sony to convince gamers that PS Now is a service worth buying into, some big-name PS5 games will be needed early on. Godfall seems a good bet, while the incoming Gods and Monsters and PlayStation-exclusive The Last of Us Part 2 would really help make PS Now more attractive.

Godfall: an early PS5 title for PS Now?

Smartphone play

Google Stadia does it; Project xCloud does it; PS Now does not.

We got official word on this from software engineer Yasuhiro Osaki, who works at Sony Interactive Entertainment and stated that, while the PS5 would continue to support PS Now, there were no plans to bring the service to mobile.

It’s more an inconvenience than a deal-breaker, but with the competition offering the feature, PS Now is only going to get more side-eye as time goes on – and it’s clearly something that’s technically possible to implement at least.

Project xCloud could prove competitive with its smartphone support

Can PS Now beat Xbox and Stadia in the long run?

PS Now is currently caught between its streaming and download offerings – especially given the inconsistent implementation of the latter. But with its far larger library of titles compared to Xbox Game Pass, its potential as a one-stop, dual-purpose platform is huge – and could have a massive advantage over the split between Xbox Game Pass and Project xCloud, if they continue to stay distinct in the future.

PS Now doesn’t necessarily need to beat Stadia or Xbox outright; it just needs to ensure it doesn’t shed players to competing services in the move to another console generation. At the moment, that doesn’t seem certain.

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How new Star Wars icon Doctor Aphra was created

Posted: 02 Feb 2020 07:00 AM PST

Star Wars has introduced many new characters since Disney took control of the franchise. As you’d expect, the really memorable ones have all been on film or TV - with one major exception. Doctor Chelli Lona Aphra is an archaeologist with an, er, flexible attitude when it comes to conventional morality.

Created by writer Kieron Gillen and artist Salvador Larroca, Aphra was introduced in issue 3 of their Darth Vader comic, back in 2015. Accompanied by a pair of deadly droids – Triple Zero and Bee-Tee – she struck an immediate chord with readers and has since gone on to star in a solo book of her own. We caught up with Kieron to find out more about the character’s creation and why he thinks she has become such a fan favorite. 

First off, how would you describe Doctor Aphra to those new to the character?

The galaxy far, far away’s premier rogue archeologist.

Was the character originally inspired by anyone, either in terms of character, or her look?

On the first trip to Lucasfilm, when we were pitching Darth Vader, we were taken on a tour. Vader is someone defined by his laconic nature. I also didn’t want to let the reader inside his head – I wanted us to watch him at a distance, and never quite be sure what he was going to do. Those two things in a comic create a problem – namely, I needed someone else to talk a bunch and do the necessary exposition. And, ideally, someone to be a comic foil to add some lighter notes. And I wanted to create a mirror version of the main Star Wars cast, with Darth as surrogate Luke. So I needed a Han-ish rogue-y figure, but I wanted to hit another archetype that was just as striking as the smuggler and… 

I was walking on this tour, chewing all this over and passed an Indiana Jones statue. I stood there and thought, “You know – ethically-inverted Indiana Jones. That’d be a lot of fun.”

I gave some notes to Salvador Larroca on her look, but left it wide open for him. The iconic look is 100% him.

Why did you choose to make her an archeologist?

Bar all of the above, I was aware that an archeologist would work really well with the clean new canon. It’s not as if the old ideas were off the table full-stop. They could be reintroduced as and when they served a plot – so an archeologist who goes about literally unearthing and exploring stuff could be a great tool for that.

Aphra was big right from the start, but how soon did you realize that the character had struck a chord with readers?

The first clue should have been the issue she debuted in going to however many kerzillion printings, but I didn’t take it for granted at any point in my run. Part of me still feels it’s almost sacrilegious adding a figure who’s stood alongside Luke, Leia, Han and everyone else. I get to do that? Man!

When we first meet Aphra, she ends up working for Vader. Tough boss! How would you describe her relationship with him?

Strained. Strained in a “she has been tied to a rack and is having her limbs stretched” way. One of the emotional throughlines of my run on Darth Vader was, “Is Vader going to kill Aphra?” Hell, not even “if” but “when.”  Yet at the same time, she is fascinated by the experience, and everything she learns. She knows the best way to avoid being killed is to keep on being useful, so she keeps on striving – and when that fails, she schemes, and tries to wiggle free from that force-grip. Metaphorically speaking, but I guess literally speaking a few times too.

Even knowing how utterly lethal he is, Aphra seems compelled to stick with him in those early issues. Does she have a death wish?

I think that’s one of the core compelling parts of the character – this mix of a death wish and an absolute desire to stay alive. That leads to one of the other compelling things about her – what will she do when her death wish gets her into trouble?

Aphra is the only non-film/TV Star Wars character to receive a dedicated solo book. Did putting her front-and-center change the way you thought about and wrote the character?

To return to an earlier question, I suspect that when I realized that she was the only non-film/TV character to have her own book was the moment when I realised what lightning in a bottle she was. And, yes, that did change it. She’s no longer Vader’s foil, but a lead. That meant that I had to build a cast around her in the same way I built one around Vader – and most of all, dig into her background, what made her the way she is and so on. And try and hit those pure Aphra beats as possible.

Most characters in Star Wars have clear allegiances, but Aphra happily swaps sides. Are there any moral lines that she won’t cross? Does the character ever surprise you in how far she'll go?

Your question is the absolute core question with Aphra. What won’t she do? What will she do? The best stuff with Aphra is always bouncing on that axis. A moment when she shows that she’s not that bad… and then a moment which shows her that she absolutely is. And there’s always the possibility that a thing she won’t do in one situation she will do in another. She keeps you guessing.

Aphra has since been written by numerous folk other than yourself. How does that feel? Is it strange watching other people play with your creation? 

Weirdly, it makes her more real. She has a life away from me, which means she isn’t just a figment of my own imagination. She’s off there, causing trouble. It’s a delight. She’s all grown up.

Aphra’s solo book is being relaunched this year with the new creative team of Alyssa Wong and Marika Cresta. Are you involved in this in any capacity? Is there anything you can say about it?

Just that I’m excited about it. That I don’t know anything at all adds to the appeal. It’s going to surprise me as much as you. I was co-writing the early part of Si Spurrier’s run, so I knew the direction he was taking it, but I only know Alyssa through her excellent work in prose, and I can’t wait to see what she brings to a comics ongoing generally and Aphra specifically. Marika’s a really strong action storyteller with that sort of charm to her characters which is really needed on a character like Aphra.

How does it feel to have a character that you created become such an integral part of the modern Star Wars universe? 

I’ll tell you what. I’m sitting here, and look up from the screen, and see a figure of Doctor Aphra, alongside Trip and Beetee. It feels weird. Delightfully weird.

Finally, what do you think makes a great Star Wars character?

I’m not someone who likes to generalize about fiction, but I often compared the process of writing Star Wars to playing the blues. It’s got a structure. You know how it goes. If you change that compelling heart, you end up with something that doesn’t feel like Star Wars. Part of that is characters who have a strong, pure iconic resonance – a really simple CORE, which you then build on. You can describe them in a sentence… but there’s a lot more to them in the execution, the fractal nature of personality. And that’s the kind of overthinking which led me to something like 'Rogue Archeologist.' 

 Doctor Aphra #1, by Alyssa Wong and Marika Cresta, will be published by Marvel Comics in April this year. You can catch up on Doctor Aphra with Marvel Unlimited.

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Samsung Galaxy Flip Z appears in leaked hands-on video

Posted: 02 Feb 2020 07:00 AM PST

You've seen the pictures, you've read the specs, and now you can see a brief hands-on video clip of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip in action, ahead of its big reveal on February 11.

Footage of Samsung's latest foldable phone has been shared by concept artist and regular tipster Ben Geskin on Twitter, with the 19-second clip showing how the device's screen opens up and then closes down again.

We've embedded it below, and it's worth 19 seconds of your time if you don't mind smartphone spoilers. In less than two weeks, Samsung should be unveiling the Z Flip at its Unpacked 2020 event.

The video also gives us a glimpse of the small, secondary display on the back of the phone, which presumably is going to show notifications and alerts when the device is closed.

We originally though the Z Flip was going to be called the Galaxy Fold 2, but this uses a clamshell design, whereas the Galaxy Fold opens and closes like a book. The real Fold 2 is slated to show up later this year.

According to leaks, the Z Flip is going to be running the Snapdragon 855 processor, with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage space (and no microSD card slot to expand it). Those are decent specs without being anything spectacular.

The phone is landing at almost exactly the same time as the very similarly designed Motorola Razr is getting shipped out to customers – all of a sudden there are going to be two clamshell foldable phones to pick from.

Meanwhile, the Samsung Galaxy S20 phones are also making their debuts at Unpacked 2020 on February 11, so it's going to be an event well worth tuning in for. We will of course bring you all the news as it happens right here.

Via SamMobile

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WhatsApp's new dark mode has arrived, but it just isn't dark enough

Posted: 02 Feb 2020 07:00 AM PST

After many months of speculation and hints, WhatsApp dark mode has finally arrived for beta testing on Android, and I've been using it full-time since it arrived. It's rather nice, and it's certainly easier on the eyes at night than bright green and white, but there's just one problem: it's still not dark enough.

First, there's the app's main background. Rather than black, it's a dark greenish gray. That's all find and tasteful, but on an AMOLED screen you really want the background to be fully black so those pixels are switched off and not draining your battery.

Yes, a truly black background would mean missing out on the fun WhatsApp wallpaper (peer closely – can you see it?) but that's a small price to pay. Even if you enter the app's wallpaper settings and choose 'solid color', the darkest swatch isn't actually black. If you want a truly black background, you'll have to create a black image and set that as your wallpaper. That's quite a lot of hassle.

WhatsApp dark mode

Speech bubbles are much clearer in WhatsApp's light mode than the new dark version; an issue that could be remedied by a proper black background

Next, there's the text, which is mostly stark white and therefore a little hard on the eyes. A more subtle shade would be easier to look at, and wouldn't have me dialling down the whole screen's brightness to lower the contrast.

That's something I'd rather avoid because the color of the message bubbles is extremely similar to the background. Dial down the overall brightness and you can't see them at all. The speech bubbles in light mode are much clearer to see, making it that little bit easier to follow the conversation. A black background would knock the contrast up a notch without any further changes.

Not-so mellow yellow

Then there are the emoji. Open the menu and squint as they slide into view in all their bright yellow glory. It'd be less dazzling if they'd been reworked in a different hue for dark mode – a pleasant shade of blue, perhaps. Yes, it would have been a lot of work, but dark mode has already been so long coming, what's a little longer?

WhatsApp dark mode emoji

WhatsApp's emoji are still a gaudy shade of yellow in dark mode

All that grumbling aside though, WhatsApp dark mode is still in beta testing, so there's a chance it could change substantially before it starts rolling out properly.

Also, let's not forget that the APK files include menu options that suggest it might eventually be possible to choose between two different dark modes, possibly including one specifically made for AMOLED displays. Here's hoping it might tone down some of the gaudier colors, too.

And even if it doesn't, there's still hope for Facebook's mobile dark mode, when it eventually makes an appearance. Fingers crossed.

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France vs England live stream: how to watch Six Nations 2020 rugby online from anywhere

Posted: 02 Feb 2020 04:00 AM PST

Rugby World Cup runners-up England begin their 2020 Six Nations with a tough trip away at the Stade de France. It's all set to be a cracking opening weekend match and you can watch all the action as it happens with our France vs England live stream guide.

Eddie Jones will be keen to put the disappointment of their World Cup Final defeat behind them as they face a French side undergoing something of a revolution, with new coach Fabien Galthie naming 20 uncapped players in his initial squad.

Jones looks set to keep faith with the majority of his World Cup squad for this campaign, but eight uncapped have nevertheless been drafted into his 34-man squad.

A big loss for the visitors will be the absence of number eight Billy Vunipola who has been ruled out of the entire tournament after suffering a broken arm.

With France hosting the World Cup in 2023, the next few seasons will see them bed in a number of young players in a bid to ensure they have the best chance of winning that tournament on home turf. As part of that strategy, Charles Ollivon has been handed the captain's armband despite only having clocked up 11 caps.

It looks set to be a cracking showdown in Paris and you can watch this Six Nation in its entirety - in some cases for free - by following our France vs England live stream guide below.

How to live stream France vs England in the UK for free

How to watch a Six Nations live stream when you're not in your country

If you're away from home and outside of your home country, then you're going to run into problems when trying to stream coverage of the Six Nations from your native broadcaster as its likely to be location restricted. 

Thankfully, you'll still be able to watch all the action - all you need to do is make use of a VPN. 

Simply download and install the software or an app from one of the many VPN services out there. These will spoof your computer into thinking that you're in your home nation, allowing you to enjoy your regular broadcaster's coverage (so long as you comply with the broadcaster's Ts&Cs). So no need to scourer the internet for a link to a dodgy stream from a suspect website.

Live stream France vs England in Australia

Live stream France vs England in New Zealand

Watch the rugby union in Canada via a live stream for FREE

usa

How to watch an France vs England live stream online in the US

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watchOS 7: what we want to see

Posted: 02 Feb 2020 03:00 AM PST

Last year’s big update to the Apple Watch operating system brought a few serious improvements, but given how little changed with the Apple Watch 5, there wasn’t much room to introduce new features. That could change with watchOS 7, the next update likely coming with the Apple Watch 6.

Like with its other devices, Apple always pairs its Apple Watch releases with a big operating system update. But the timing is pretty much all we know about what’s coming with watchOS 7. 

We'll know more we’ll know better when the company teases its end-of-year updates at WWDC 2020 keynote, which usually occurs around the midpoint of the year. That's when we're also likely to get our first teases of the Apple Watch 6, which will suggest what we're getting in watchOS 7.

In other words, we’ll list everything we absolutely know is coming in watchOS 7, followed by all the leaks and rumors we hear beforehand. Finally, we’ve got a list of what we’d really like to see.

Cut to the chase

  • What is it? The Apple Watch operating system’s next big software update
  • When is it coming? Most likely in late September 2020
  • How much will it cost? It will almost certainly be free

watchOS 7 beta and release date

Per precedent, it’s safe to say that the next annual watchOS update will come in late 2020 - most likely in September. That’s around when the Apple Watch launches tend to be, as well as the year’s new flagship iPhones. 

It’s also when every other Apple operating system update is fully revealed, and they, like the next watchOS, become available either on the day of or in the weeks following. Thus, somewhere between late September and October is a safe guess for watchOS 7’s release date.

By now, we can safely say that watchOS 7 will be free, given that every Apple operating system update across its device range hasn’t cost users to upgrade. And while watchOS 6 wasn’t compatible with Apple Watch Series 1 and Apple Watch 2, the company has been readily selling the Apple Watch 3 at a nice discount. So we fully expect watchOS 7 to work with the Apple Watch 3 and newer.


watchOS 7: what we want to see

We still haven’t heard anything about watchOS 7 – no rumors, leaks, or hints at what’s coming. Granted, we’ll have a much better idea when we start to see Apple Watch 6 leaks and get a sense of new features will be enabled by the fresh operating system update.

Our first look at watchOS 7 will undoubtedly be at Apple’s WWDC 2020 keynote, which is typically in early June. It’s when we get our first official looks at all the products and software upgrades coming our way later in the year, and we’ll likely understand what’s coming in watchOS 7 a lot better with whatever’s revealed then. 

This is just the start of our insight into where Apple’s smartwatch software may go.
We’ll be sure to see iPhone 12 leaks in the coming weeks and months, and that may be accompanied by Apple Watch 6 rumors, which should tip their hand to a watchOS 7 roadmap.

Come early June, we’ll have concrete facts around watchOS 7. Until then, here’s what we’d like to see.

Better battery-saving options

Our biggest complaint with the Apple Watch 5: the battery doesn’t last long enough, rarely surpassing a single day. While you can turn on the Power Reserve mode to preserve capacity, that turns every feature off and just lists the time. 

That’s a last resort, not a battery-saving strategy. We’d love to see one or more different sub-modes that allow for more nuance in keeping your Apple Watch alive longer. Heck, we’d even go for granular control in turning off power-sucking modes one-by-one (like, say, always-on display) as well as clarity in how much time that would buy you.

Apple Watch 5 review

Sleep tracking

Speaking of better battery life, one of the reasons we’d like more of it is to wear our Apple Watches through the night - paired with advanced sleep tracking, of course. We’ve been clamoring for Apple-refined sleep monitoring capabilities for years, and are sure that there’s room to expand the smartwatch’s software to fit the need. 

But perhaps Apple is waiting for different sensors in the Apple Watch 6 - in which case, we’ll keep waiting.

Device ‘leash’ alerts

One of our favorite things: plenty of Apple devices. One of our least favorite things: accidentally leaving those devices behind. We’d love if our Apple Watches and iPhones would be linked a little closer - like if we left our iPhone somewhere, our Apple smartphone would alert us.

The idea, of course, would be to put a digital ‘leash’ on our smartphones - which is one of if not the most important thing we carry on our persons these days. It would make a lot of sense to try predicting user behavior enough to the point where Apple’s device family keeps tabs on each other when we do not.

Apple Watch 5 review

On-device biometric authentication

One of the more exciting things that could be coming to the Apple Watch 6 is Touch ID through the display. A patent surfaced that showed a wearable design that moves the antenna into the watch band, ostensibly to give more room within the smartwatch for something like a fingerprint scanner.

That would work with plenty of Touch ID-based services that Apple has continued to support for all the handsets that still rely on fingerprint identification - like the iPhone 8 and older. There’s always the dream that Apple finds a different way to introduce biometric authentication to the Apple Watch - like the wearer’s particular heartbeat.

Apple Watch 5 review

More precision in fitness apps

We’ve loved using our Apple Watches for workouts, but there’s always more they could do. We’d love to see more automatic detection of workouts - no manual switching between different activities - and smarter rep tracking. 

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Windows 10 gets a fix for long-running search bugs

Posted: 02 Feb 2020 03:00 AM PST

Windows 10 has received another update which promises to cure some troublesome bugs with search functionality experienced by those running the November 2019 Update (and May 2019 Update, for that matter).

Microsoft has struggled with issues pertaining to search in File Explorer for some time now, and as we observed at the end of 2019, problems remained with the search tool which broke it in several different ways, including making it impossible for some users to right-click on the search bar and paste text into it.

As Tom’s Hardware spotted, the KB4532695 patch which has just been released for Windows 10 November 2019 Update and May 2019 Update fixes these search-related gremlins.

In a support document, Microsoft clarifies that the update applies the following troubleshooting measures:

  • Updates an issue that causes a grey box to appear when you search within Control Panel and File Explorer
  • Updates an issue that prevents File Explorer’s Search Bar from pasting clipboard content using the right mouse button (right-click)
  • Updates an issue that prevents File Explorer’s Search Bar from receiving user input

This patch has also been rolled out for Windows 10 May 2019 Update, as mentioned, although only the first fix – the problem with the grey box appearing – pertains to those users.

You’ll get the patch, as usual, through Windows Update.

Say hello to better accuracy

KB4532695 further applies a number of other fixes and improvements, including a solution for errors when removing flash drives from USB Type-C hubs, and a bugbear whereby invitations to play in multiplayer games didn’t work in some scenarios. Apparently the accuracy of face authentication via Windows Hello is also bolstered with this particular update.

Microsoft’s cumulative updates had a pretty rocky road throughout 2019, and are still proving problematic this year, with the latest problem being a security patch for a critical vulnerability reportedly causing crashes and indeed boot failures.

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Cybersecurity needs to be part of an organisation’s culture to be effective

Posted: 02 Feb 2020 01:46 AM PST

Providing adequate training for people involved in cybersecurity is the most important part of any cybersecurity prevention approach, Smartworld CEO said.

“Companies spend a lot, focus so much on protecting hardware and software against cyber threats and hire the biggest security solutions providers to secure their networks and applications but there is one element missing. That is the culture of security,” Abdulqader Obaid Ali, Chief Executive Officer of IT systems integrator Smartworld, a joint venture between Etisalat and Dubai government, told TechRadar Middle East.

“We at Smartworld are looking at slight differently when dealing with cybersecurity. Cybersecurity is not that something when you are hacked. You would probably been hacked and you don’t know about it. It is like cancer. You have it but you don’t know about it, till it becomes too late. Unless you go for a regular check-up, it is like cancer in an organisation,” he said.

Smartworld, which was started in 2008 to provide telecom connectivity in Jebel Ali, is now providing cybersecurity solutions to companies, SMEs and enterprises in the UAE.

The company is one of the systems integrators at Al Maktoum International Airport terminals and has teamed up with Cisco to design and deploy the network infrastructure for Expo 2020 Dubai.

 “We started the airport work in 2008 and we haven’t come out. We are doing project after project at the airport terminals,” he said.

He said that cybersecurity needs to be part of an organisation’s culture to be effective and an awareness training strategy can significantly lower the risks associated with cyberattacks.

“Many people don’t know what is phishing and ransomware. So, we are going to train the trainers who have access to a computer and the internet and they can go and train others on threats, risks, cyber hygiene and appropriate response options,” he said.

Cybersecurity is no more just an IT department’s problem but a business problem, he said.

A pressing concern

“Cybersecurity is not only a top critical issue globally but also a pressing concern in the UAE. A small drone can get into the airspace and cause the airport to come to a standstill and cause huge losses to the airlines and the airport,” Obaid Ali said.

The UAE takes a big pie of the cybersecurity spending and why it is more in the country, he asked.

According to research firm IDC, enterprise security spending is expected to reach $2.7b this year and out of this, South Africa will contribute 26%, UAE by 19%, Saudi Arabia by 15% and Turkey by 9%.

In the UAE, security spending is expected to be about 8.8% of the total IT spending of $8.5b in 2020.

 “People throw stones at a tree that has fruits on it. The fruits are the success of a country and when a country becomes successful, people want to take a piece of the pie. The UAE, in the last fifty years, has come from nowhere to where it is today. It is not only individuals or companies that are worried about cybersecurity but also countries,” he said.

Moreover, he said that geopolitical issues are also a “big concern”.

“There is a lot more attack on us because of the regional instability and due to the country’s success factor. We are going to see more attacks and we have to live with it. We no longer need soldiers to fight a war and what is needed is the technology in the form of small drones,” he said.

The Dubai-headquartered company is also planning to expand into Saudi Arabia.

“We have visited Saudi Arabia and looking into it. We are waiting for board approval and we have put some seeds there. We will go and harvest when the plant comes up. One of the options we will be offering is cybersecurity while the other will be IBS (in-building solutions) that is GPS solutions and 5G upgrades in buildings and airports,” Obaid Ali said.

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Galaxy S20 or S11? Whatever happens, Samsung should make its names clearer

Posted: 02 Feb 2020 01:00 AM PST

While we were expecting the Samsung Galaxy S10 successor to be the Galaxy S11 - that's just how numbers work, right - it sounds like it could actually be called the Galaxy S20, with Samsung taking a Huawei-like approach and skipping its flagship teenager years.

That's not the only part of its naming convention Samsung is said to be changing on February 11. Instead of following last year's structure of S10e, S10 and S10 Plus, we've heard the company is going to release the S20, S20 Plus and S20 Ultra. 

Therefore what were once its middle and top-end products in the S range are now set to be the lower end of the spectrum instead.

By shaking up its naming system, Samsung is likely trying to make its product range clearer for the average customer while also making it more tempting for potential buyers. I think it's going to end up having the opposite effect and confusing the average person.

It's worth pointing out several things before I explain why. Firstly, Samsung is far from the only company that's employed a bizarre naming convention in the past – even last year Sony, Oppo, and LG all came up with confusing systems or oddly-named successors to phones.

While it's quite likely the new phones will be called the Galaxy S20 series, there's no official confirmation yet. 

We've had the repeated assurances of leakers (many of whom have previously got information wrong), so we can't say for certain they'll actually end up called Galaxy S20 when they're in shops around the world.

Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus

Why is it Galaxy S20, and not S11?

Apparently, Samsung is naming the phone the S20 to line up with its launch year of 2020, but as the Galaxy S10 was the last phone, most people are going to expect the successor to be the S11. 

Therefore, most people looking to buy the new Samsung, particularly people who don't follow tech news and are just looking at devices on a store shelf, might take the lack of an S11 to mean Samsung hasn't released a newer Galaxy S smartphone than the S10. That may mean they just immediately default to buying the S10 range instead.

There are some negative connotations of the S20 over S11 too. The drive to suffix products with ever-bigger numbers, exhibited by countless products and companies over many markets around the world, often ends up looking like a cheap marketing ploy rather than an actual indicator of a 'futuristic' device. 

So by calling the phone the 'S20' instead of the 'S11', it feels like Samsung is trying to artificially elevate the 'wow factor' of its upcoming smartphones. This is something the average phone fan will easily be able to see through.

And the people who do think bigger numbers make for better phones? Well, they're going to be drawn to the mid-range Galaxy A90 instead.

Samsung may confuse people who don't follow its phone lineup meticulously, because by avoiding calling it the Galaxy S11, it seems there's no Galaxy S10 successor. Just look at the confusion felt by the lack of an iPhone 9, or Sony's messy 2019 lineup (the Xperia 10, then Xperia 1, then Xperia 5) as evidence of that.

Then, people who do know phones are going to find the S20 name a little trite and silly. Sure, if Samsung keeps the naming system for a few years things will sort themselves out and consumers are going to be able to understand the numbering system a little better – but those are a few years of potential missed sales.

From left to right, the Samsung Galaxy S10e, Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10 Plus

S20 Plus and Ultra?

It seems Samsung is following Apple's precedent with the suffixes of the S20 phones too. Instead of being a 'Lite', main and 'Plus-sized' variant, there's going to be a base device, with a bigger version and then an even bigger version.

Is copying Apple's iPhone 11 naming system such a great idea though? Many found the name iPhone 11 Pro Max a complicated name for a phone (Pro Max is an oxymoron!) and while Samsung isn't going as far as to call a phone the 'Plus Ultra' or anything, people who aren't well versed in the S20 series might have trouble working out whether the Plus or Ultra is the top-end device.

Some people may approach the range and assume it's got the same naming convention as the S10 series, where the phone without a suffix is the middle device, instead of the most affordable.

Having a flagship device with smaller and larger alternatives is the normal convention. Brands like Huawei, Honor, Xiaomi and Oppo all use it, and Samsung bucking this trend feels like a thinly-veiled attempt to copy Apple.

Whatever happens on the February 11 launch of the new devices, Samsung will have to be as clear as possible with consumers to ensure every potential customer understands this is the top-end device from the company for 2020.

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Six Nations 2020 live stream: how to watch every rugby union game online from anywhere

Posted: 02 Feb 2020 12:30 AM PST

Rugby Union fans rejoice...the Six Nations is back! You were spoilt rotten by the World Cup last year, but now there's the chance for six of the sport's biggest teams to battle things go all out for Grand Slam glory. And you're in exactly the right place if you're unsure how to get a Six Nations live stream where you are this weekend.

Four of the six teams have new coaches since the 2019 instalment of tournament, with only England's Eddie Jones and Scotland’s Gregor Townsend still in place this time out. 

Jones will have to use all of his managerial experience to lift a set of players who may still feel wounded after their 32-12 humbling by South Africa in the World Cup Final in Japan back in November. Wales come into the tournament as champions following last year's Grand Slam triumph, and it will be interesting to see how they fare under new coach Wayne Pivac.

With France set to host the World Cup in 2023, all eyes will be on the nation's new coach Fabien Galthie and the youthful squad he'll be looking to blood in the run up to that tournament. Ireland will have a familiar face looking on from the stands as coach, with former assistant Andy Farrell replacing Joe Schmidt in the hot seat. While much of Scotland's hopes will be resting on the shoulder's of talisman Finn Russell, however the stand-off's breach of discipline which saw him unceremoniously sent home during his teams preparation for their opening tie against Ireland has placed his involvement in the tournament in doubt. Oh...and then there's Italy, too!

For all the info about how to watch a Six Nations live stream, read on. And you can scroll down to see a list of next weekend's fixtures, too.

How to live stream Six Nations 2020 in the UK for free

Great news! Every single Six Nations match will be shown live in the UK on free-to-air television. The coverage is spread across the BBC and ITV, so take a look at our info box below to see what channel is showing which individual games.

If you're trying to watch online (either live or on catch-up) then you can get access via the BBC iPlayer and ITV Hub websites or mobile apps. Alternatively, just head to an online streaming TV service such TVPlayer.com, which has all of the UK's freeview channels (including the BBC and ITV) in one place. This means you can catch the match on TV, computer, tablet and smartphone for free if you're in the UK - or subscribe to TVPlayer Plus if you want to record it and watch later.

Not in the UK this weekend? No worries - just download and install a VPN and use a UK location to watch live as if you were back home. Full instructions below.

How to live stream the Six Nations when you're not in your country

If you're outside your country of residence - whether that be the UK or anywhere else - and try to start streaming the rugby via your native broadcaster, you'll soon discover that you can't as it is location restricted. But there's a way you can watch anyway. By downloading and installing a VPN, you can effectively trick your computer into thinking that it's back at home. That way you can enjoy your home coverage without having to find an illegal stream - assuming you comply with the broadcaster's Ts&Cs, of course.


Six Nations 2020: Fixtures and UK TV schedule

All times in GMT

ROUND ONE:
Saturday, February 1, 2020 Wales v Italy, 2.15pm, Principality Stadium, Cardiff. TV - BBC SPORT + S4C

Ireland v Scotland, 4.45pm, Aviva Stadium, Dublin. TV - ITV SPORT

Sunday, February 2, 2020 France v England, 3pm, Stade de France, Paris. TV - BBC SPORT

ROUND TWO:
Saturday, February 8, 2020 Ireland v Wales, 2.15pm, Aviva Stadium, Dublin. TV - ITV SPORT + S4C

Scotland v England, 4.45pm, BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh. TV - BBC SPORT

Sunday, February 9, 2020 France v Italy, 3pm, Stade de France, Paris. TV - BBC SPORT

ROUND THREE:
Saturday, February 22, 2020 Italy v Scotland, 2.15pm, Stadio Olimpico, Rome. TV - ITV SPORT

Wales v France, 4.45pm, Principality Stadium, Cardiff. TV - BBC SPORT + S4C

Sunday, February 23, 2020 England v Ireland, 3pm, Twickenham Stadium, London. TV - ITV SPORT

ROUND FOUR:
Saturday, March 7, 2020 Ireland v Italy, 2.15pm, Aviva Stadium, Dublin. TV - ITV SPORT

England v Wales, 4.45pm, Twickenham Stadium, London. TV - ITV SPORT + S4C

Sunday, March 8, 2020 Scotland v France, 3pm, BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh. TV - BBC SPORT

ROUND FIVE:
Saturday, March 14, 2020 Wales v Scotland, 2.15pm, Principality Stadium, Cardiff. TV - BBC SPORT + S4C

Italy v England, 4.45pm, Stadio Olimpico, Rome. TV - ITV SPORT

France v Ireland, 8pm, Stade de France, Paris. TV - BBC SPORT

Divider

Live stream the Six Nations in Australia

Live stream the Six Nations in New Zealand

Live stream the 2020 Six Nations in Canada and more - for FREE

usa

How to live stream Six Nations rugby in the US

What is the format of the Six Nations?

Taking place each year from the beginning of February and concluding by the end of March, the tournament is contested by the international sides of France, England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales.

Each Six Nations team plays the other five once per season with home advantage in alternate seasons, giving a total of 15 matches per Championship. A win earns that team four points, while a draw earns both teams two points.  A losing side receives no points, however a bonus point can be picked up by a team regardless if they won, lost or drew if they score four or more tries in a game. Losing sides can also still pick up two bonus points if they score four tries or more in the process and lose by a margin of seven points or fewer.

The team with the most points at the season wins the Six Nations Championship Trophy. If the winning team has defeated all five other Unions, it is given the title ‘Grand Slam Winner’.

Who are the favourites for the 2020 Six Nations?

Beaten World Cup finalists England are current favourites with most bookies to lift this year’s Six Nations Championship trophy.

What happened in the 2019 Six Nations?

Regarded as outsiders at the beginning of the tournament, Wales clinched their first grand slam in seven years, with a clean sweep of victories against their five opponents.

Who has won the most Six Nations championships

England lead the pack with six championship wins, their last in 2017. Wales and France are both close behind on five.

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Dominic Thiem vs Novak Djokovic live stream: how to watch Australian Open Men's Final online from anywhere

Posted: 02 Feb 2020 12:26 AM PST

The 2020 Australian Open has served up some pretty enthralling tennis over the course of the past fortnight, but will this clash live up to its grand finale billing? Don't miss this opportunity to watch the action as it happens from anywhere in the world with our Dominic Thiem vs Novak Djokovic Australian Open Men's Final live stream guide.

Seven-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic has tasted glory more times at the Rod Laver Arena than anywhere else in his career and is the clear favorite to win Sunday's showdown. While he may be in the form of his life Austria's Dominic Thiem will know he'll have to pull out the performance of his career to displace the current Australian Open champ.

Djokovic has never lost on the eight occasions he has made the final at Melbourne. Crucially, the 32-year-old has looked like he has meant business throughout this year's tournament, as clearly illustrated by his straight sets dispatch of fellow old-stager Roger Federer in their semi-final.

While very much seen as the outsider by the bookies to win on Sunday, world number five Thiem nevertheless won two of his three meetings with Djokovic last year; an epic five-set semi-final victory on his favoured clay surface at Roland-Garros and a commanding performance at the ATP Finals.

Make sure you don't miss any of this 2020 Australian Open Men's Final by following our Thiem vs Djokovic live stream guide below - it doesn't even matter where on Earth you are.

Live stream Australian Open 2020 from outside your country

If you're trying to discover what your watching options are in Australia (where it's FREE!), the US, UK, Canada or New Zealand, we have all that information just a bit further down this tennis live stream guide.

But if you're away from your country and still want to catch your usual broadcaster's coverage then prepare to be disappointed if you try to watch online, is you'll likely get an error message describing the fact the tennis action is unable to be watched from overseas.

How to live stream Dominic Thiem vs Novak Djokovic for FREE Down Under

How to watch Australian Open 2020 Men's Final: US live stream

How to stream Dominic Thiem vs Novak Djokovic live in the UK

How to live stream Thiem vs Djokovic in Canada

How to live stream the Australian Open Men's Final in New Zealand

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The best budget phones in the Middle East for 2020

Posted: 01 Feb 2020 11:47 PM PST

Want a great phone but don't want to spend a ton? While the low-cost handsets on this list surely won’t rank among our best phones, every cheap phone here should be just fine for anyone looking to save several hundred dollars on a discounted iOS 13 or Android Q device. 

The best cheap phone in the UAE or Saudi Arabia can be a little tricky to pick, as it's not always going to be based around what phone launches with a low starting price. Some of the best cheap smartphones are actually older models with heavy discounts, while certain new phones offer killer value and the latest perks.

Another major factor that goes into finding the best cheap phone is the price. Cheap for one person isn't necessarily the same for another person. With flagship phone prices from Apple and Samsung flying up toward AED/SAR 4,000, some people may find anything under AED/SAR 2,400 cheap, while those with tighter budgets could be looking below AED/SAR 1,500 or even below for a smartphone. 

Fortunately, no one gets left out when it comes to great cheap smartphones. Older phones from Samsung and Apple come in at prices that thrift shoppers can afford, and new phones from OnePlus, Huawei, Nokia, and more manufacturers that might have fallen off your radar can pack new technologies into affordable packages well worth considering.

We've assembled a ranked list of the best phones around AED 2,000. No matter your budget, we're recommending a smartphone for you based on these price categories. 

Apart from the teardrop notch and the colorful back designs, the P30 Lite has little in common with its siblings. The P30 Lite discards several key features from the higher-end P30 phones but aims to retain the spirit of the P30 series by offering a high-end striking design alongside an adept camera setup.  

The phone can handle most tasks well enough for casual users. You can easily get a days worth of moderate use with the conservative battery capacity and if you happen to run out of juice the phone can charge up relatively quickly with the bundled fast charger. 

Hands on: Huawei P30 Lite review

he OnePlus 7T is a return to a cheaper phone after the OnePlus 7 Pro (the standard OnePlus 7 wasn't sold in the US), yet it might still be too pricey for some. But we have to start somewhere, and a standout phone for under $600 is where we begin. 

While the 7T doesn't have quite the standout perks of the OnePlus 7 Pro (notably, the pop-up selfie camera), but the company opted to pack more features in and raise the price to $699. Even so, you're not missing much by picking the 7T, which got the same slew of three top-tier rear cameras.

The OnePlus 7T deserves a spot on this list simply because it features flagship-level specs (which are even better than some flagship phones with its 8GB of RAM) and a big screen north of six inches, with a price that falls south of every major flagship out there.

But if the AED 1,949 starting price of the OnePlus 7T is still a bit much, track down a OnePlus 6T (released in late 2018), which has year-old specs for even lower prices.

Read the full review: OnePlus 7T

You're never going to get a cheap iPhone if you opt for the newest models. But, if you dig a little deeper, you can get an older model at a good price. The iPhone 8 may have a dated design next to the iPhone X and 2018 iPhones – bigger bezels, fewer cameras – but it offers a strong price-to-performance value.

The A11 Bionic chipset inside of the iPhone 8 is still plenty powerful for anything you'll throw at it, and Apple keeps legacy devices supported for a long time. So you'll be able to update the operating system to iOS 12 and probably even to iOS 13 and beyond.

The rest of its specs aren't too shabby, with a 12MP rear camera, 7MP front-facing camera, 2GB of RAM and either 64GB or 256GB of storage. While the 1,821mAh battery isn't huge compared to flagships, it can change wirelessly.

Read the full review: iPhone 8

If you're patient, Samsung's flagship Galaxy S devices have been getting some of the biggest and most consistent discounts after their release. The Galaxy S9 is no exception. The phone is only a little over a year old, and already you can find it discounted.

Better still, it's not going to feel too dated. You'll be able to run Android Pie and the Exynos 9810 chipset with 4GB of RAM is still reasonably powerful. The reduced bezels around the display help it stay relatively trendy, while the high resolution display isn't likely to show signs of aging in the phone's lifetime. Add in an IP68 rating against water and dust, and it's a high value phone that you're not likely to have to replace because of a little accident at the pool.

Read the full review: Samsung Galaxy S9

That's right, Nokia still has phones coming out. Things where dicey for a while there, but the company has been making a comeback recently, and its Nokia 7.1 handset offers a strong value.

The Nokia 7.1 offers a big, bright screen with the notch we've seen on so many other smartphones in the past couple years. The display even supports HDR10 for superior contrast and colors. The Snapdragon 636 chipset isn't the most powerful, but will do for all but the most serious mobile gamers and power users. And, all of that is packed into an a aluminum and glass design the won't feel nearly as cheap as the phone is.

Read our in-depth review: Nokia 7.1

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The best Ultrabooks of 2020 in the Middle East: top thin and light laptops reviewed

Posted: 01 Feb 2020 11:08 PM PST

Owning one of the best Ultrabooks on the market is more than just about looking cool. Thin, light and elegant, Ultrabooks not only ooze sophistication in the design department; they also boast power as well – and a lot of it. That excellent combination of portability and power is what makes them a favorite among professionals, especially those who are always on the go.

The best Ultrabooks 2020 has to offer can handle a hefty workload despite their svelte form, thanks to the best processors and SSDs they hide within. In fact, they’re so powerful more creative professionals rely on them for demanding tasks like video editing and 3D design. What’s more is that these Ultrabooks tend to generally have a great battery life, so they’ll go a long way on a single charge.

If you’re ready to invest in one of the best Ultrabooks of 2020, this list is for you. We have gathered all the best ones on the market, each of which we’ve tested and reviewed ourselves so you know you can count on whichever one you choose.

Best ultrabooks at a glance:

  1. HP Elite Dragonfly
  2. Huawei Matebook 13
  3. Dell XPS 13
  4. HP Spectre x360
  5. Microsoft Surface Laptop 2
  6. Huawei MateBook X Pro (2018)
  7. Lenovo Yoga C930
  8. Razer Blade Stealth 

HP Elite Dragonfly

The HP Elite Dragonfly tops many of our lists this year, including the best Ultrabooks list.

If you’re a traveling professional, and you’re looking for the best of the best this 2020, then you will be hard-pressed to find anything that will rival the HP Elite Dragonfly. Garnering our coveted five-star rating, this laptop tops many of our lists this year, including the best Ultrabooks list. It’s no surprise, as it delivers a deadly combination of incredible features like a sublime keyboard and amazing speakers, raw power, portability, a beautiful design and a long battery life. Admittedly, it’s pricier than many of its competition; but if you’ve got the funds, it’s worth every penny.

Read the full review: HP Elite Dragonfly

For a few years now, Huawei has been lurking in the shadows, ready to take on the best Ultrabooks, and its time has finally arrived. Like the Huawei MateBook X Pro before it, the Huawei Matebook 13 packs in a ton of powerful hardware into an attractive shell, while keeping the price low enough for anyone to afford. Plus, we have to mention those discrete graphics – it may be one of the smallest laptops out there to pack an MX150 GPU. It’s not hard to see why the Huawei Matebook 13 is one of the best Ultrabook right now.

Read the full review: Huawei MateBook 13

Best Ultrabooks

The Dell XPS 13 has been king of the Ultrabooks for years, and while it’s been unseated by the Huawei MateBook 13, it remains one of the Ultrabooks to beat in 2020. This time around, Dell has moved the webcam from the bottom of the display back to the top, fixing one of the biggest flaws that held back the XPS 13 for years. Add the updated internal components to the mix, and the Dell XPS 13 still makes the best Ultrabooks list – even in the face of tough competition.

Read the full review: Dell XPS 13

If an arresting Ultrabook housing 2-in-1 functionality and a ton of power satisfies what you’re looking for, it’s hard to find a better laptop than the HP Spectre x360. This slim and light Ultrabook isn’t just filled with the latest Intel Whiskey Lake processors and plenty of RAM. It also might just be the most exquisite laptop you can buy today. The HP Spectre x360 won’t just get you through your workload, but will also make you smart and stylish in the process – leaving no doubt that it’s well-deserving of its lofty spot on our best Ultrabooks 2020 list.

Read the full review: HP Spectre x360

best ultrabook

The original Surface Laptop was one of the best Ultrabooks when it first came back, though it was held back from true greatness due to its relatively weak hardware and Windows 10 S. However, in 2018, the Surface Laptop 2 has come back with a vengeance – bringing stronger quad-core processors and the full-fat version of Windows 10. It’s through these core improvements that the Surface Laptop 2 is able to bring the purest Windows 10 experience on a laptop, at a price that won’t make you gasp in horror. 

Read the full review: Surface Laptop 2

Sometimes an Ultrabook comes along that’s a complete game changer. And, the 2018 model of the Huawei MateBook X Pro was exactly that This beautiful Ultrabook brings high-end components into an elegantly designed package that puts even the MacBook Pro to shame. It really is one of the best Ultrabooks on the market. Plus, despite the 2019 model touting an Intel Whiskey Lake processor, it was still disappointing, and it’s still the 2018 model that’s captured our computing cores.

Read the full review: Huawei MateBook X Pro

Lenovo Yoga C930


The Lenovo Yoga C930 has quite a few of the makings of the best Ultrabook – from an absurd 14.5 hours of battery life and dual Thunderbolt-enabled USB-C ports to internal components that will easily handle those daily productivity tasks. That’s without even considering it’s a 2-in-1 that offers form versatility so you can squeeze in some light gaming and movie-watching once you’re done working. It has a few cherries on top as well, specifically the integrated self-charging stylus and the fab speaker system.

Read the full review: Lenovo Yoga C930

Razer Blade Stealth


Razer has made quite a name for itself in the gaming world. Yet, with the Razer Blade Stealth, the green-themed manufacturer wants consumers to know that they’re more than just a company “for gamers, by gamers.” This Ultrabook will absolutely change your mind with its 13.3-inch, QHD+ beauty. You can no longer choose to get a 4K screen, but the performance this Ultrabook provides is more than worth the compromise – especially given how gorgeous the chassis is.

Read the full review: Razer Blade Stealth

Bill Thomas and Gabe Carey have also contributed to this article

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UK Huawei ruling leaves 5G politics to the politicans

Posted: 01 Feb 2020 10:30 PM PST

So there we have it. Almost a year after we expected the decision to arrive, the government has provided at least some clarity on the role that Huawei can play in the UK’s 5G rollout.

The issue has been a complex political hot potato, delayed repeatedly by developments in Westminster and possibly influenced by Washington. Already, national newspapers and television channels are framing the ruling as a major challenge to the UK’s relationship with America.

Meanwhile politicians of a certain political persuasion are suggesting the country has exposed itself to unnecessary security risks.

Huawei UK

But from an industry standpoint, little has changed. Operators will be allowed to use kit from “high risk vendors” in the radio layers of its network but not the sensitive parts, and only for 35 per cent of their networks. This cap applies to levels of network traffic and sites rather than population coverage.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will hope he has struck a balance between appeasing Donald Trump and ensuring the UK establishes a leadership position in 5G. While the UK lagged behind Asia and the US in the race to 4G, early launches, strong government support and a vibrant startup ecosystem mean Britain is well-placed for the next generation of networks. Denying operators access to Huawei gear would have risen cost and reduced innovation, jeopardising this position.

Outsiders might conclude that the decision will satisfy neither side of the argument but in reality the government has essentially formalised existing practice. No operator plans to use Huawei gear in the core network, while all intended to use a mixture of kit from different vendors.

While it remains to be seen how the imposition of a cap will influence dealings with other vendors, such as Ericsson and Nokia, operators can roll out 5G confident they won’t have to strip out kit because of a government whim. Huawei, too has welcomed the decision, as has the UK’s technology industry body.

“The deployment of 5G and full-fibre broadband will underpin the economic transformation of the UK over the next decade,” said techUK. “Today’s decision sets out how 5G can be rolled out quickly and securely. It gives businesses deploying that infrastructure more of the clarity that they need to get on and build their networks.”

How the US reacts is anyone’s guess. Although some nations, most notably Australia and Japan, have followed its lead and banned Huawei, Washington’s pressure has had no real impact in Europe. Germany, for example, has pushed for a vendor-neutral approach to network security. Indeed, the UK’s stance could influence decisions made by individual governments and the EU.

Today’s ruling is far from the end of the matter – expect the political fall out to continue. It's also possible the cap could also pose issues further down the line, especially since the government guidelines suggest it could be reviewed in the future.

Indeed, BT has already admitted the ruling will cost it £500 million and other operators will need to seek multiple suppliers.

But at least for the time being, operators and the wider mobile ecosystem can get on with 5G deployment and leave the politicians to argue.

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The cheapest Snapdragon 855 smartphone comes from Lenovo for much less than $300

Posted: 01 Feb 2020 09:00 PM PST

The Z5 Pro GT is being cleared out by Lenovo and its affiliates, and has now been deeply discounted. This is a top of the range smartphone featuring the Snapdragon 855 series, which is considered to be the best chipset family out there.

For $241 from AliExpress(roughly £180 or AU$360), nothing comes close in terms of value for money, especially if you're after a top-end smartphone.

Plus, it has it all the features you'd ever need. It boasts a full screen AMOLED display, dual rear camera, slide out design with two front facing cameras, dual SIM, Dolby Atmos support, a dual red/black colour scheme and even includes NFC.

This device comes with the global ROM and includes Google Play Store, which is not usually the case. The UI, the ZUI 10, is based on Android P.

Other smartphones that feature the same chipset include the Samsung Galaxy Note10, the Galaxy S10, the OnePlus 7T, the Sony Xperia 5 and the Google Pixel 4XL.

It's worth noting this product comes from mainland China, so will take at least a month to reach either the US or the UK (and potentially more). You may also be levied a tax either directly or through the courier.

Also be sure to check the phone supports your preferred local carrier (or mobile network). 

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New Zealand vs India live stream: how to watch 5th T20 cricket match 2020 from anywhere

Posted: 01 Feb 2020 02:54 PM PST

Virat Kohli's army in blue marches on and, with four T20 cricket wins already secured over New Zealand in the last week, it will now be seeking the full whitewash of the Black Caps. To make sure you don't miss a single six or wicket, we've put together this guide to getting a New Zealand vs India live stream from pretty much anywhere in the world.

New Zealand came into this five-match series looking to bounce back after a 3-0 test thrashing to great rivals Australia and a Super Over loss to England in their last T20I. But visitors India chased down pretty gettable targets twice in succession, before sealing the series with not one but two ridiculously exciting Super Overs.

Despite having to contend with a lengthy injury list, the Black Caps still boast a strong squad, but will their second string be enough to knock a rampart India off their stride? Key players Trent Boult and Lockie Ferguson, along with Tom Latham and Matt Henry are all missing for the hosts, but there's a recall for paceman Hamish Bennett. Another plus for the Black Caps will be the return of Kane Williamson who will lead the side after missing out on the series against England. 

While not as severe as their opponents, India have their own injury problems, with Ishant Sharma set to miss the series after turning his ankle. Mohammed Shami comes into the bolster the bowling attack, but otherwise its a largely unchanged Indian side from the one that saw them ease past Sri Lanka in their last T20 outing at the start of the year.

Follow the instructions below to find out how to grab a New Zealand vs India live stream from pretty much anywhere on Earth and see which side can gather momentum ahead of the World Cup later in the year.

Live stream New Zealand vs India from outside your country

In India, New Zealand, Australia, or the UK and looking to find out how to watch the T20 matches between New Zealand vs India? We've got all the details about the broadcaster with the rights to show the series in your region below. 

But if you're away from home country - maybe abroad on business or on holiday - but still want to tune in to your domestic coverage of the match then you'll run in to issues. Because of broadcaster geo-blocking, you won't be able to watch online from overseas. By using a VPN however, you'll be able to watch the game without having to resort to watching a potentially illegal feed from a dodgy Reddit link.

How to watch the T20 cricket series in India

How to watch a live stream of the Blackcaps in New Zealand

Live stream New Zealand vs India in Australia 

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Australian Open live stream: how to watch 2020 finals tennis online from anywhere

Posted: 01 Feb 2020 02:30 PM PST

The decade's first major tennis tournament - the 2020 Australian Open - has certainly lived up to the billing. But now it's almost over, with one final having been decided and just one more to go. We'll tell you how you can watch all the tennis action unfold from absolutely anywhere in the world with our handy Australian Open live stream guide below.

After two gruelling five set epics, Roger Federer simply didn't ave enough steam to compete with champ Novak Djokovic in their semi-final. The Serbian victor will face Nadal's conquerer Dominic Thiem in the men's final.

Local heroine Ashleigh Barty was the name in the frame to take the women's tournament but little-known American Sofia Kenin stopped her from making history by grabbing a semi-finals win. She then met and beat the the impressive Garbine Muguruza on Saturday, tp record her first ever Grand Slam win.

The start of the 108th edition of the Aussie Open saw the aforementioned Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka defending their titles with the latter falling to the awesome Coco Gauff.

It's all set for a fantastic last few days of action. Find out how you can live stream Australian Open 2020 tennis action from wherever you are in the world below. 

How to live stream Australian Open tennis for FREE Down Under

Live stream the Australian Open tennis 2020 from anywhere in the world 

For your watching options in Australia, the US, UK, Canada and New Zealand, we have more details below - just scroll down the page.

But if you try to watch your domestic coverage from somewhere outside your home country, you'll soon find a problem...geo-blocking. That's where the broadcaster prevents you from watching the feed overseas.

Australian Open 2020 finals

Men's draw

Thiem vs Djokovic

Women's draw

Kenin beat Muguruza

How to watch the Australian Open 2020: US live stream

How to live stream Australian Open tennis in the UK

The best ways to stream the Australian Open 2020 in Canada

The best way to stream the Australian Open in New Zealand

Who has won the most Australian Opens?

Novak Djokovic currently stands as the most successful men’s player at Melbourne having won the Aussie Open on seven occasions (2008, 2011–2013, 2015–2016, 2019) – that’s one more than Swiss rival Roger Federer.

Serena Williams leads the pack for women’s titles during the Open era, having also been crowed champion on seven occasions (2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2015, and 2017).

How much do the winners get at the 2020 Australian Open?

There’s a record prize pot of AUD$71 million in prize money up for grabs in Melbourne this year. Both the Men’s and Women’s winners this year will each pocket a tidy AUD$4,120,000.

What is the format of the Australian Open tennis?

As with all Open tournaments, Men’s matches are the best-of-five sets, while Women’s and Doubles matches are best-of-three.

Which city hosts the Australian Open tennis?

The Australian Open is played at Melbourne Park, which is located in the Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Precinct; the event moved to this site in 1988.

How have the bushfires affected this year's Australian Open?

Melbourne hasn't been as badly affected as Canberra or Sydney by the fires, however, thanks to changing winds air pollution shot up to "hazardous" levels in the week running up to the event.

While the tournament is set to go ahead as scheduled, umpires have been told to stop play if air monitoring shows it is too dangerous to continue.

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