Apple : Oscars 2020 live stream: how to watch tonight's Academy Awards online from anywhere |
- Oscars 2020 live stream: how to watch tonight's Academy Awards online from anywhere
- AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X overclocked at 5.5 GHz is setting world records
- What makes a good dark mode, and which apps get it wrong
- Apple AirPods Pro vs Sony WF-1000XM3: which true wireless earbuds are best for you?
- New leaks hint at iPhone SE 2 price and launch date
- France vs Italy live stream: how to watch Six Nations 2020 rugby online from anywhere
- Save over $400 on this fantastic HP Pavilion laptop this weekend but hurry - stock is limited
- Windows 7 is hit by bug that stops a PC shutting down – but there’s a workaround
- Activision has plans for ‘several’ remastered games in 2020
- BioShock 2 came out 10 years ago: was its multiplayer really that bad?
- Why the Fujifilm X100V is a better street photography camera than my iPhone 11 Pro
- Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus leak in full in hands-on video
- Crash Bandicoot could spin onto mobile
- How the Motorola Razr was nearly a smartwatch, but became a retro reboot instead
- CEOs turn to efficiency and upskilling to counter economic and geopolitical fears
- McLaren signs up Splunk and Darktrace as F1 2020 technology partners
- HDD will beat SSD on capacity as 80TB hard drives loom
- UFC 247 live stream: how to watch Jones vs Reyes from anywhere tonight
- South Africa vs England live stream: how to watch 3rd ODI 2020 cricket from anywhere
| Oscars 2020 live stream: how to watch tonight's Academy Awards online from anywhere Posted: 09 Feb 2020 11:26 AM PST The Oscars - the night of the year where the world of cinema and celebrity combine. The tuxes and haute-couture ball gowns are ready to be papped on the red carpet, tearful speeches prepared...it's officially time for the 92nd Academy Awards. So keep reading and we'll tell you how to get a 2020 Oscars live stream from anywhere in the world. Whether you're tuning in to the Academy Awards to watch the best dressed celebs, or you've got your fingers crossed that Joaquin Phoenix wins best actor or Renée Zellweger picks up her second ever award - the Oscars is always a must-see spectacular occasion. Following last year's fashion, the Oscars 2020 will be going host-less and will most likely lean on its presenters, especially after the success that it was last time around. Not to mention, it has been confirmed that the one and only Billie Eilish will be performing. She joins a wide range of artists that have previously performed at the awards ceremony, including Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper, Queen and Adam Lambert last year. The Oscar nominations in the best director category is especially tough, with a selection of some very talented individuals. Amongst them are Martin Scorsese (The Irishman), Quentin Tarantino (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) and Todd Phillips (Joker). We may also see Scarlett Johansson bag two trophies - one for best supporting actress and the other for best actress. Ready to catch all the action as it happens? Follow our guide to make sure you can get a 2020 Oscars live stream from absolutely anywhere in the world.
How to watch a 2020 Oscars live stream from outside your countryKeep scrolling if you want to know your viewing options in the US, Canada, UK and Australia (pssssst, it's absolutely FREE Down Under!). But it's worth noting that if you're away from your country this Oscar night and were hoping to watch your home coverage on your laptop or mobile, it will inevitable be geo-blocked. Annoying but this easily fixed, with a VPN you can change your IP address to a location back in your own hometown or country that will then allow you to stream the event as if you were sat back at home. How to watch the 2020 Oscars: live stream in the USA
How to watch an Oscars live stream in the UK for FREEHow to live stream the Academy Awards for FREE in AustraliaHow to stream the Oscars live in CanadaHow to get an Oscars live stream in IndiaBest Picture nominees at the 2020 Academy AwardsThe big prize of the night is the Best Picture award - and here are the nine nominees competing for it:
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| AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X overclocked at 5.5 GHz is setting world records Posted: 09 Feb 2020 08:45 AM PST The impressive AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X, with its unprecedented 64-core count, is already setting world records not even 24 hours after its release. The latest and all-powerful release from AMD’s Threadripper 3rd Generation line is poised to become extreme onlookers’ new favorite toy after overclockers dropped world records around it on February 7, 2020. As Tom’s Hardware reports, pro overclockers TSAIK, Allen "Splave" Golibersuch and safedisk showed just what the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X is capable of. By pairing the new HEDT processor with carefully handpicked hardware, all three managed to overclock its 64 cores to a whopping 5.5GHz clock speed.
New overclocking world recordsUsing liquid nitrogen (LN2), TSAIK overclocked all of the chip’s 64 cores to a 5,548.71MHz. He paired his Ryzen Threadripper 3990X with the MSI Creator TRX40 motherboard and DDR4 RAM clocked at 1,866 MHz with 13-13-13-31 CL timings. Splave, on the other hand, paired his Threadripper 3990X with the ASRock TRX40 Taichi motherboard and now holds tops the GPUPI for CPU - 1B, Geekbench 3 multi-core and Cinebench R20 benchmarks. He overclocked his chip to 5,475.43 MHz, 5,375 MHz and 5,305.88 MHz, respectively, using liquid nitrogen for at least the first two. Finally, safedisk currently holds the records for wPrime 1024m and Cinebench R15 benchmarks, clocking at 5,125 MHz and 5,225 MHz. These world records come days after benchmarks for the chip show it outperforming Intel’s Xeon Platinum 8280 processors, which are considerably more expensive at $10,009 (about £7,715, A$14,830). The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X currently retails at $3,999 (about £3,080, A$5,925). It’s available for purchase now, if you just happen to have a few extra thousand dollars lying around.
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| What makes a good dark mode, and which apps get it wrong Posted: 09 Feb 2020 08:30 AM PST WhatsApp dark mode is nearly here, having now arrived for beta testing on both iOS and Android, but personally I think it could use a little tweaking, which got me thinking about dark modes in general. What makes a truly good one, and which apps get it right Give us a choiceGoogle’s Material Design guidelines for dark themes recommend avoiding pure black as a background color to make the contrast between interface elements less stark, but many users actually prefer their apps to be as black as possible. This is particularly true of OLED phone owners, as OLED panels simply switch off any pixels that need to be rendered as black, helping save a little extra juice. That said, many people will agree with Google’s suggestion that dark gray is a safer choice, so giving users the option to choose between two variations is a good choice. This is something Twitter achieves well, giving users the option to choose between ‘Dim’ and ‘Lights out’ modes depending on their own preferences. Assets found in earlier beta version of of WhatsApp suggested it might offer a similar choice, but that hasn’t come to pass. Twitter offers a choice of two dark modes: 'Dim' and 'Lights Out' Consider contrastIf your light interface uses gray boxes or buttons on a white background, aim for the same degree of contrast with your dark mode to avoid confusing regular users. One issue with WhatsApp’s new dark mode is that the speech bubbles for conversations are nearly the same shade as the wallpaper, reducing the illusion of depth and making them much trickier to see than they are if you pick the lighter interface. This is another area where Twitter excels, keeping roughly the same color variance between areas, though its choice of accent colors brings us to our next point. WhatsApp's speech bubbles are very similar to the background color in dark mode, making the flow of conversation less clear Remember saturationUsed against white backgrounds, saturated yellows, reds and greens look fresh and appealing. Against a darker backdrop, however, they can be hard on the eyes, seeming to ‘vibrate’ on the screen While much of WhatsApp’s new dark mode uses mellow shades of gray and blue, your friends’ names are still rendered in gaudy shades, and the emoji menu is a dazzling array of yellow icons. Toning these shades down a few notches would have taken extra work, but would have made the app more pleasant to use. Likewise, Twitter’s vibrant accent colors look great against white but are too harsh against darker backgrounds. WhatsApp's bright yellow emoji and usernames 'vibrate' against the dark background Allow customizationYou won’t be able to satisfy everyone, so if possible, a degree of customization will allow users to tailor your app to suit their preferences. Gmail for desktop lets you choose from Google’s own light and dark modes, but also offers a wealth of other color options that you can use with your own background image. Make it easy to findFinally, once you've perfected your dark mode, don’t tuck the option away! Most developers place the option to go dark in a fairly obvious place and allow you to activate it by toggling a switch, but Firefox for desktop is an unusual exception. To change the browser’s color scheme, you need to open the menu and select ‘Customization’ (so far, so obvious) then use a tiny drop-down menu right at the bottom of the screen, which is otherwise entirely devoted to customizing toolbars. It’s a shame, because Firefox was one of the first browsers to feature a proper dark mode, and it’s a good-looking one (if you can find it). Firefox's dark mode is hidden away in a page devoted to customizing toolbar icons This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Apple AirPods Pro vs Sony WF-1000XM3: which true wireless earbuds are best for you? Posted: 09 Feb 2020 08:00 AM PST The Apple AirPods Pro are among the best pairs of true wireless earbuds you can buy right now. With great noise-cancellation, an improved design (compared to the original AirPods), and a snug fit, they’re hard to beat – especially if you’re a fan of Apple products. However, the AirPods Pro aren’t perfect. They’re expensive and even the new and improved design doesn’t mean they aren’t prone to slipping out of place from time to time. Which is why, when it comes to the best wireless buds on the market, the Sony WF-1000XM3 wireless earbuds currently take our top spot. We rewarded the Sony WF-1000XM3 wireless earbuds 5 out of 5 stars when we reviewed them in late 2019, thanks to their top noise-cancellation, solid audio performance and minimal looks. But given that they’re similar to the Apple AirPods Pro in many ways, the big question is: which pair of true wireless earbuds should you buy? Of course, the answer will be different for everyone depending on your priorities and style. But below we’ve weighed up the pros and cons of each pair of earbuds based on key factors, like design and sound performance. Read on to find out which pair of true wireless earbuds we think reign supreme. AirPods Pro vs Sony WF-1000XM3: priceThe Apple AirPods Pro cost $249 / £249 / AU$399. This is a big price difference when you compare them to the 2019 AirPods, which cost $159 / £159 / AU$249 (with the standard charging case), and $199 / £199 / AU$319 with the Wireless Charging Case. That means they’re not meant to be a direct replacement for the 2019 AirPods. But is that big price hike worth it? When we compared the Apple AirPods Pro with the Apple AirPods we found there’s a lot more on offer with the Pro model, most notably noise-cancellation and active EQ. But that still doesn’t mean many of us would be able to justify the price. In comparison, the Sony WF-1000XM3 wireless earbuds cost $230 / £220 / €250 (Ireland) and AU$400. They’re available in regular black, and champagne silver. Sure the Sony WF-1000XM3 buds aren’t a great deal cheaper than the AirPods Pro, but it’s worth noting that they’re roughly a third cheaper than Sony’s over-ear WH-1000XM3 model – which shares the same noise-cancelling technology. They’re also competitively priced against rival wireless earbuds, including the $299 Bose QuietControl 30 – buds that also offer active noise cancelling. It's also worth bearing in mind that there are some great Sony WF-1000XM3 deals out there at the moment – right now, AirPods Pro deals are a little more rare, but you can still find them if you look hard enough. We've done the hard work for you, and you can check out the best prices for both models below: AirPods Pro vs Sony WF-1000XM3: designThe design of a pair of true wireless earbuds is often down to personal preference – do you want a bulky pair sticking out of your ears so everyone knows you have them in? Or do you like something unobtrusive and minimal? Despite being slim and fairly minimal, the Apple AirPods Pro have a distinct look when you wear them. The stems of the Pro might be smaller than the original AirPods, but they’re still obviously Apple products. Although the shorter stem might sound appealing, in practice it took some getting used to. That’s because there’s a ‘capacitive force sensor’ in the stem, which is a small ridge on each of the AirPods Pro that you can squeeze to activate noise-cancelling / Transparency mode, or skip and pause tracks. The shorter stem makes activating that ridge a little trickier, but we did find it became second nature within a few weeks. In contrast, the Sony WF-1000XM3 wireless earbuds have a simple design and sit just outside of your ear rather than hanging down from them, like the AirPods Pro stems. This makes them look very unobtrusive, especially because their design is overall very simple with minimal, clean lines. When it comes to comfort, the Apple AirPods Pro have had a big improvement over the original AirPods. They stay in place snugly and don’t bounce around, even when you’re jogging or charging up a flight of stairs. This is largely due to the customizable fit with three differently-sized silicone tips on offer. Apple helps you find which is best for you thanks to a fit test, which you can run on the app once the earbuds are in place. The only downside is if you sweat, the silicon tips can start to slide around a little. However, the important thing is they didn’t fall out. Which means if you’re someone who struggled with the fit of the original AirPods when running, these are a huge step forward and fit far more comfortably. However, during our testing, we found the Apple AirPods Pro to also be extremely light. This is a pro in that it makes them comfortable to wear, but could be dangerous if one were to fall out – we’re not sure we’d notice. The Sony WF-1000XM3 wireless earbuds cleverly twist into place and, once there, stay secured by the structure of your ear. This design feels intuitive and means the experience of wearing them is snug and comfortable. There’s a selection of seven different non-slip rubber and foam earbud covers supplied in the box, so you should experiment to find one that offers the best fit and comfort level. Although neither of these earbuds are designed with sports in mind, a big plus of the AirPods Pro when it comes to design is that they’re IPX4 water-resistant. This means you can use them in the rain and if you’re sweating a lot and it won’t affect their performance. AirPods Pro vs Sony WF-1000XM3: battery lifeBattery life is important for a good pair of true wireless earbuds. What’s the point of going wireless if they die after a few hours? During our testing, we found the Sony WF-1000XM3 wireless earbuds last around 6 hours on one charge. If you forgo noise cancellation altogether, you can claim back another couple of hours, which combined with the charging case, gives you 24 hours in total. They come with a smart rechargeable case, which doubles as a battery pack and has a quick charge mode. Plug-in for ten minutes and you’ll get another 90 minutes of juice. This is perfect if you need a quick boost before a flight – and the case charges over USB-C in about three hours. In comparison, the AirPods Pro last 4.5 hours with noise-cancelling and around 5 without. The AirPods Pro’s charging case will give you over 24 hours of listening time when fully charged and also has a fast-charging mode. So, when in terms of battery life, the Sony WF-1000XM3s just edge past the AirPod Pros, at least when it comes to the earbuds themselves – with the charging cases included though, both models will give you about 24 hours of listening time in total. AirPods Pro vs Sony WF-1000XM3: noise cancellationBoth earbuds boast advanced noise-cancellation tech, which begs the question: which true wireless earbuds are the best when it comes to audio performance and noise-cancelling smarts? Sony has a strong legacy of noise-cancelling tech. The Sony WF-1000XM3 headphones were among the first pairs of true wireless earbuds to use active noise-cancelling, thanks to a Sony QN1e HD noise-cancelling processor. That’s the same processor you’d find in the Sony WH-1000XM3 over-ear headphones, which have consistently been our pick for the best headphones you can buy since they launched in 2018. Because they’re true wireless rather than over-ear, the Sony WF-1000XM3 headphones don’t quite match up to the WH-1000XM3s when it comes to noise-cancellation, but they’re not far off. Although we found they didn’t drown out the sounds you hear on a plane (like take-off, announcements, etc), and therefore might not be the best bet for long-haul travel, where Sony’s noise-cancelling really scored was the everyday commute. Whether it was by train, tram or bus, the noise suppression is high. They’re also very good at eliminating nearby chatter, thanks to dual noise sensors in each bud. We also found it virtually impossible to hold a conversation with Active Noise Cancelling engaged – which is a good thing, especially if you work in a busy office environment. Although Sony may have a history of noise-cancelling devices, the AirPods Pro feature Apple’s latest noise-cancelling tech. We found that when active noise cancellation is on there’s a strong and noticeable effect. Similarly, it won’t shut out all other sounds around you – if you’re in an office and there’s music playing, a small amount might still bleed through. But if you’re walking down the street, the AirPod Pros practically shut off all the noise of a motor bike, and any constant noise (like a fan or constant wind) is shut out very well, too. We also found they worked well on a train, making a huge difference when the mode was turned on and off. AirPods Pro vs Sony WF-1000XM3: sound qualityBoth headphones may be similar when it comes to noise-cancellation, but how do they compare when it comes to sound quality? The Sony WF-1000XM3 wireless buds have 6mm drivers that we found exuded clarity and rhythm. They serve up a wide, expansive soundstage, with believable spatial detail – which is great from such small buds. When listening to podcasts, the mid-range is smooth. If you prefer to rock out, they roll with the best of them – guitars have edge, drums are tight and hard. Bass sounds good, but if you want a really pronounced thump you’re best off opting for over-ears anyway. With the AirPods Pro, Apple is showing off its custom drivers, improved bass and an adaptive equalizer. What does this mean when it comes to sound quality? Well, when we tested the AirPods Pro with a range of tracks, we found vocals often sounded really rich and the bass, in particular, was more powerful than the AirPods 2. This was present across acoustic, indie rock, electro, pop, and hip-hop – but equally across these genres, the separation between high mid and low was only average. There’s still a feeling that the sound is 'closed off', by which we mean it sounds as though the music is coming from inside your head. This isn't ideal and high-quality headphones tend to make it sound as if the sound is coming at you from all angles instead. We also found that compared to on-ear headphones (or some top true wireless earbuds, like both the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 and, yes, the Sony WF-1000XM3) it was harder to hear all the details in the music in the AirPods Pro. Having said that, vocals in pop music came through clearly with rich and balanced mid-frequencies. But classical music sounded a little duller than it should. One additional feature it’s worth mentioning here is that the AirPods Pro send exact volume levels to your iPhone so you can see if you’re listening to things too loudly. It’s a small but significant step in hearing health that could win some people over. AirPods Pro vs Sony WF-1000XM3: takeawayWhen we put some headphones head-to-head there’s a clear winner. But when it comes to choosing between the Apple AirPods Pro and Sony WF-1000XM3 wireless earbuds, you can’t really go wrong. If we had to choose we’d say go with the Sony WF-1000XM3. These earbuds have broader appeal, better sound and are cheaper. The design will also appeal to most people, as will the extra battery life. But it’s a very close call. The AirPods Pro have good noise-cancellation and fit well. It’s also a bonus that they’re water-resistant and have the added hearing health feature. It’s also worth bearing in mind that if you already own Apple products, including an iPhone, the AirPods Pro make a lot of sense. Given there’s not much in it when it comes to pricing and battery life, the choice is also largely down to personal preference. If you like the AirPods aesthetic, you’re still getting a very premium pair of wireless earbuds.
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| New leaks hint at iPhone SE 2 price and launch date Posted: 09 Feb 2020 07:00 AM PST We've heard so many leaks at this stage that it seems clear that Apple is planning an iPhone SE 2 device – which may well be called the iPhone 9 – and reports this weekend back up what we've already heard about its pricing and launch date. According to sources speaking to Fast Company, the next budget iPhone is going to cost you $399 (about £310 / AU$600, though Apple won't use a straight currency conversion), and is going to be shown off to the world in March. That all makes sense, as the original iPhone SE made its debut at the same price point in 2016, and Apple usually hosts a product announcement show in March.
The new information backs up rumors we've already heard as well, so while nothing is certain at this stage, we can start taking the speculation about a $399 price and March launch window a little more seriously. Picking a nameThere has been talk that the coronavirus outbreak could potentially delay the launch of the iPhone SE 2, but it would seem that March is the plan at least. The original iPhone SE also launched in March. As for specs, it looks as though a 4.7-inch screen might be what the iPhone SE 2 is sporting, and in appearance it might closely resemble the current iPhone 8, complete with a Touch ID sensor. If Apple does decide to call the phone the iPhone 9 then that would fit in better with the current naming strategy for Apple's handsets, though as with everything else, we're not completely sure yet what's in the pipeline. We might not have much longer to find out, if Fast Company's sources are correct – if a March event is planned, then Apple should be alerting news outlets and issuing invites in the next few weeks. Via MacRumors This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| France vs Italy live stream: how to watch Six Nations 2020 rugby online from anywhere Posted: 09 Feb 2020 06:28 AM PST France's new era got off to the perfect start in Paris last weekend with their seismic 24-17 upset of England, and they'll be looking to maintain that sort of performance against Italy on Sunday. Will the home side deliver another hammering or will there be a shock at the Stade de France? You can watch all the action as it happens with our France vs Italy live stream guide. Coach Fabien Galthie sent out a young side that completely outplayed England, managing to rack up a 17-point lead at one point. Any repeat of those energy levels shown by the exuberant Les Bleus could make for a brutal afternoon for the Azzuri. Having failed to score a single point in their 42-0 drubbing in Cardiff last weekend, it looks likely that interim head coach Franco Smith's scarred side may adopt a damage limitation mentality today. Italy have lost each of their last 23 Six Nations matches, and have not won any of their previous away matches in Paris. Any deviation from that track record will be an incredible achievement for the Azzuri today. You can watch this Six Nations match in its entirety - in some cases for free - by following our France vs Italy live stream guide below.
How to live stream France vs Italy in the UK for freeHow to watch a Six Nations live stream when you're not in your countryIf you're abroad and outside of your home country, trying to live stream your regular native broadcaster's coverage of the Six Nations isn't likely to be possible as the stream will be location restricted. Fear not, however, as you'll still be able to watch all the action by using a VPN. All you need to do is download and install the software or an app from one of the many VPN services out there that will spoof your computer into thinking that it's located home. This means you'll be able to enjoy your home coverage (so long as you comply with the broadcaster's TS&Cs), without having to hunt around dodgy websites for an illegal stream. Live stream France and Italy in AustraliaLive stream France vs Italy in New ZealandWatch the rugby union in Canada via a live stream for FREEHow to watch an France vs Italy live stream online in the USThis posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Save over $400 on this fantastic HP Pavilion laptop this weekend but hurry - stock is limited Posted: 09 Feb 2020 05:04 AM PST If you've been searching for a powerful laptop deal under $550, we've got the sale for you. This incredible HP Pavilion laptop comes in at an even more astonishing price this weekend, with models starting at just $529.99. That's an amazing price for a laptop with the latest 10th generation i7 processor, 12GB RAM, 256GB of SSD storage, and 16GB of Intel Optane memory at its disposal. This HP laptop deal is on sale through HP's Presidents' Day offerings, which extends across a wide range of accessories, desktops, laptops, and software. You can save on everything from your anti-virus to full desktop builds while stocks last. This particular laptop deal is an incredible steal, however. We rarely see specs at this price point, especially including that impressive processor. 12GB of RAM will see you through any particularly heavy-duty multi-tasking you've got going on, and that 16GB of Optane memory will work even harder with your 256GB SSD to keep things slick and speedy. Overall, this is a fantastic laptop for media editing, high-intensity software, or simply blitzing through everyday work with amazing speed. There are plenty more computing deals happening at HP right now, though, and we've rounded up some of our favorite savings below. Not in the US? Scroll down for the best prices in your country
We've got plenty of cheap laptop deals on offer this week, plus we've also been tracking the latest gaming laptop prices if you're after something with a few more RGB lights. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Windows 7 is hit by bug that stops a PC shutting down – but there’s a workaround Posted: 09 Feb 2020 04:09 AM PST Windows 7 has another bug following official support for the OS ending, and it’s more serious than the wallpaper glitch Microsoft previously patched, with users left unable to reboot or shutdown their PC – at least not without resorting to rather clunky workarounds (more on that later). Windows 7 reached end-of-life on January 14, meaning updates and security fixes are no longer issued for the operating system, so it’ll be interesting to see if despite that fact, Microsoft still fixes this problem – given its seriousness – as well as the aforementioned wallpaper gremlin which was cured.
As ZDNet spotted, the problem has manifested on various Windows 7 machines according to a number of reports online, with users complaining on several threads posted on Reddit for starters. When trying to shut down their PC, those affected simply receive the more-than-confusing message: “You don’t have permission to shut down this computer.” The actual cause is unknown, and Microsoft is yet to comment on the fresh bug, meaning that at the moment, we are very much in the dark. According to advice from Quick Heal, a security firm and antivirus maker which chipped in on possible causes – and solutions – the problem could be down to User Account Control (or UAC) going awry in some manner, and not giving the admin account of the PC the correct permissions. That’s only a theory, mind. You would imagine that something odd is going on with Windows 7 permissions, though, given that error message. Group (policy) hugQuick Heal actually provides a detailed solution in an online support article which you can check out here. There are lots of caveats, though, including that this isn’t promised to work – the firm believes it ‘should’ do the trick – and that it involves tinkering in the Group Policy Editor. The real snag is that this functionality isn’t available in the Home edition of Windows 7, so only Windows 7 Pro or Ultimate users can benefit (or indeed Enterprise editions). If you can’t access the Group Policy Editor, or don’t fancy poking around in it anyway (even though the steps are reasonably straightforward), you can try one of the workarounds suggested on Reddit instead. Here’s one suggestion, and again remember like Quick Heal’s possible solution, it is just that – only a possible solution:
The snag with side-stepping the issue in this manner is that you have to do this every single time you want to restart your PC, or shut it down, which is a bit of a bind. Another suggestion is to “hit CTL+ALT+DEL and then restart from the red icon in the lower right-hand corner”, which is certainly a quicker workaround that might be worth trying, just in case. Even though Windows 7 is officially now out of support as mentioned, Microsoft may well feel obliged to fix this issue, just as it did with the wallpaper one, if only due to some of the conspiracy theories which inevitably float around about this being the software giant’s way of ‘persuading’ people to upgrade to Windows 10. You can, of course, still upgrade to Windows 10 for free from Windows 7, or as others have pointed out, there are alternative operating systems, and you could always head for the Linux hills instead.
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| Activision has plans for ‘several’ remastered games in 2020 Posted: 09 Feb 2020 04:02 AM PST Activision Blizzard has announced that it’s planning to release “several” more “remasters and reimagined experiences” in 2020. The news comes from a recent financial call Activision held with investors and analysts. Although the majority of the call was spent going over the company’s financial performance for Q4 2019, Activision did take some time to talk about its plans for the year ahead. CFO Dennis Durkin said that while there will be new games and IP for players to look forward to, like a brand new Call of Duty for 2020, Activision “will continue to tap into our portfolio of beloved IP to bring several remastered and reimagined experiences to our players in 2020”. More details to comeIt’s not entirely surprising that Activision would want to continue down this route; while Warcraft 3: Reforged has, to put it lightly, had a tough time of it, Activision has had significant success remastering its Crash Bandicoot and Spyro franchises as well as rebooting Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Which franchises will be receiving the remaster and reimagining treatment remains unclear at the moment, with Durkin stating that they’ll “announce closer to launch”. Activision has plenty in its back catalogue that players would undoubtedly be happy to see given a fresh coat of pixels, from Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater to Diablo 2. It was also mentioned that Activision’s mobile developer, King, is working on a few “promising new titles” and it’s possible that one of those is a leaked Crash Bandicoot endless runner. Between this trend in remasters and remakes and the next generation of consoles coming in the form of Xbox Series X and PS5, E3 2020 looks like it could be a curious and exciting mix of old and new. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| BioShock 2 came out 10 years ago: was its multiplayer really that bad? Posted: 09 Feb 2020 04:00 AM PST Although not as widely-discussed as the other entries, BioShock 2 is perhaps the most intricate and fascinating of the BioShock series thus far, presenting a nuanced, sociological take on Rapture and its continued deterioration. Born out of lofty expectations and a tight schedule, BioShock 2's aspirations are best exemplified by its multiplayer, 'Fall of Rapture', which depicted the city's downfall as a violent, unending, all-against-all civil war. To celebrate the tenth anniversary of BioShock 2, we spoke with the game’s creative director, Jordan Thomas, and lead designer, Allen Goode, about the intricacies of creating its multiplayer spin-off. “[BioShock 2] focused on the little people in Rapture,” Jordan Thomas, creative director on BioShock 2, tells TechRadar. “The previous game was all about grand ideas and big powerful men, and a few women, making sweeping gestures and throwing their brows, and the second game was very much about smaller stories and more intimate relationships.” Purpose-hired for a new BioShock, Thomas and 2K Marin's voyage down to Andrew Ryan's fallen kingdom came with a three-part mandate: a multiplayer mode (to justify the $60 price-tag), a PlayStation 3 port of the first game, and a two-and-half-year time-frame. Thankfully, the team was given extra resources from 2K Boston, 2K Australia, and Digital Extremes, the latter of whom took lead on non-single-player content. Having co-developed popular multiplayer FPS Unreal with Epic Games since the nineties, Digital Extremes was a perfect fit that understood what was required from multiplayer, and how to keep it manageable. “There were more MMO-like proposals, or more ecosystem, self-contained and perpetual, much less match-oriented ideas. Digital Extremes wisely pushed back on that,” Thomas says. “They had shipped many games before, in their time, more than we had, and they said 'OK, I'm sorry, two years?', and decided to propose something more reasonable.” The fall of RaptureOn its face, 'Fall of Rapture' is a standard PvP shooter following Rapture's heightened period dress-code. It’s packed with ‘50s-inspired weapons and retro-punk machinery, as well as BioShock’s trademark plasmids, tonics, and a selection of match-types including deathmatch and capture-the-flag. But what lies beneath is something of genuine depth, not least in the hefty re-balance that was needed to rework what was always meant as a single-player experience. “Running around shooting your Tommy Gun only to be hit by a Winter Blast plasmid and completely stopped in your tracks, and eventually killed, was not a fun experience,” Allen Goode, systems designer and lead designer on BioShock 2, tells us. “We had to look into how these mechanics could work in multiplayer while retaining their identities.”
Playing as a citizen of Rapture right as the civil war boils over, your personal apartment acts as a central hub within the mode, where a message from Andrew Ryan tells you “Rapture is yours”, and your strength will be what “rebuilds the city”. Audio logs deliver each characters' back-story, and your corporate friends at Sinclair Solutions provide your plasmids, free prototypes of what's in the main games, as you enter the fray. There's Little Sisters and playable Big Daddies – an early version had nine players battling one as a Big Daddy but was scrapped due to balancing issues - and a roster of 11 splicers to choose from, each with their own unique background that led them to the underwater utopia. The cast were designed over a period of months to find the exact harmony between acknowledging their humanity and making it clear they were now murderous psychopaths. “The hardest part was to let the playable characters feel like they were denizens of Rapture, but still be even the ghost of aspirational,” Thomas explains. “Often the reason that people will play a domination-oriented multiplayer experience is that they're trying to express some part of themselves that they wish was more powerful or more interesting or sexier. And so, to force that into a splicer costume was the work of some months.” It's not all seriousA satirical through-line has always permeated BioShock's grimy mix of body horror and Randian politics, and furthering that balance of legitimate horror with a sense of levity from the original into its follow-up, and ‘Fall of Rapture’, was no easy task. Jordan mentions that he and co-writer Daniel Manley were wary of comparisons to Bethesda's Fallout 3, leading them and Digital Extremes to further exaggerate the propaganda and messaging that comes from the in-game corporations. “All of Sinclair Solutions’ communications with the player come off as over-the-top marketing designed to make the player feel like the customer rather than a pawn,” Goode says. “By embracing dark comedy, we could explore this subject matter in a way that was engaging for our audience but still poignant. In the end, the player experiences how corporate greed and self-interest created the first splicers in Rapture.” Let's go back to the beginningBeing a prequel allowed Digital Extremes to work independently on the nuts-and-bolts development, reusing many locations and visuals from the first game as 2K Marin designed new assets for the second. The studio was able to flesh out the overall story through more subtle means, leaving secrets and titbits for the player-base to uncover. “We had the opportunity to show what Fort Frolic, Arcadia, Neptune’s Bounty, and many more looked like before the events of BioShock. They were still pretty wrecked but not completely disheveled,” Goode explains. “Every room has a story to tell, even in multiplayer. There are clues in every map to what life was like for the people of Rapture before its fall.” Despite strong reviews and sales in excess of two-and-a-half million, BioShock 2 was deemed a failure by 2K parent company Take-Two Interactive, and Jordan's team was dissolved. The game has since developed a cult following thanks to 2016's BioShock: The Collection, which remastered all three BioShock games, and their DLC, for modern hardware. Unfortunately, Fall of Rapture was excluded from the re-release, leaving it only accessible through Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, or the non-remastered version on Steam. Standing the test of timeA decade on, Jordan remains proud of what 2K Marin and their comrades achieved, especially given the pressurized environment. The project launched him and many of his team-members' careers, where he’s now lead writer of online survival horror The Blackout Club. As a new BioShock looms, featuring several higher-ups from his tenure, he has some thoughts on what the next instalment could do to stand-out, starting with a deliberate change of setting. “I wouldn't want to rehash the big-city-goes-bad thing, exactly. At some point you have to stop rubber-stamping that,” he says. “I would, I think, turn to the mind. My interest would be to take it away from pure combat. I would love the 'Tourist Mode' that people often talk about to be prominent. Violence as punctuation, not the entire sentence.” This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Why the Fujifilm X100V is a better street photography camera than my iPhone 11 Pro Posted: 09 Feb 2020 03:00 AM PST Do we really still need compact cameras in 2020? After all, the iPhone 11 Pro is one of the best travel cameras ever made and smartphones in general have delivered a Terminator-style Judgment Day on point-and-shoot cameras. But the Fujifilm X100V has provided a timely reminder that dedicated cameras, even compacts, can still be essential photography tools. Yes, even in the age of incredible phone cameras. How so? Having spent a few hours with the Fujifilm X100V – and a little longer with its predecessors – I can say that it comes closer than anything to packing traditional camera strengths into a pocket-friendly form factor. If my iPhone often feels like the photographic equivalent of getting an Uber, the X100V is like tearing around country lanes in a Mazda MX5. This is less a debate about outright image quality – I haven't spent quite long enough with the X100V to make definitive statements about that yet – but more about the X100V as a concept and street photography sidekick. The thing this camera succeeds at most is creating a perfectly evolved, walkaround 'shooting experience'. But as that sounds a bit like a misty-eyed audiophile praising the 'warmth' of their tube amp, I’ll be a little more specific. Here are the five X100V features that make it a better street photography ally than my iPhone 11 Pro (and a few areas where it still falls short). The X100V's special sauceLike many of today’s flagship phones, the iPhone 11 Pro is a brilliant pocket camera. But for those who want to make photography their creative hobby, rather than just a way to record their life, dedicated cameras like the Fujifilm X100V can offer five features that help make them superior tools for everyday creative snapping. These are: a viewfinder (to help you compose shots in bright sunlight), a tilting screen (so you can frame shots from high and low angles), a large sensor (to preserve image quality without the need for computational stacking), weather resistance and, finally, handling that’s a lot more comfortable than holding a glossy rectangle. The great thing about the X100V is that, for the first time, it now offers all five of these in a camera that slips into a large jacket pocket. In this sense, it's unique. As we'll see below, it's not a perfect camera (that doesn't exist), but it is one that knows exactly what it is – a super-desirable street or travel sidekick – and doubles down on those advantages. For me, the game-changer on the X100V is its tilting screen. This is something that the otherwise excellent Panasonic LX100 II – another take on the 'big sensor compact' – sadly lacks. It's also something that's tricky to add to a smartphone. The benefit is being able to take ground-level shots that can really add a sense of drama to a scene, or easily take photos above crowds. It doesn't sound much, but it's hard to go back once you're used to it – and the brilliance of the X100V's screen is that it's completely flush with the back of the camera when folded away, making it virtually invisible when you don't need it. Another big advantage over my iPhone 11 Pro is the hybrid viewfinder. This isn't huge compared to larger cameras, but it's certainly big enough to comfortably use during those moments when the sun's shining bright and you don't want to squint at a screen. The boosted 3.69 million-dot resolution helps too. While the hybrid aspect of the viewfinder – you can toggle between a traditional optical viewfinder and the EVF using the switch on the front – is something of a novelty, the EVF is a big bonus over smartphone shooting. While I think comfortable handling, a viewfinder and a tilting screen are all unequivocally great things to have in a hobbyist street photography camera, some of the Fujifilm X100V's other 'advantages' over smartphones like the iPhone 11 Pro are more down to personal taste. One of those is dials and manual controls. At this point, it seems fair to acknowledge that the iPhone 11 Pro is now way more than a point-and-shoot camera. Apps like Halide have done a brilliant job of reinventing manual camera controls for button-less, touchscreen slabs – features like exposure, shutter speed, ISO and even focus peaking are just a couple of swipes away. But do I look forward to taking my iPhone out for an afternoon of aimless wandering through London in the same way that I did with the X100V? No, and I'd argue that the X100V's physical dials and buttons remain the best way for beginners to learn the photography basics, as it really helps drum home the exposure triangle. The case againstOf course, every camera is a compromise, and the X100V’s main limitation is that it has a fixed 23mm f/2 lens. That’s right, just as we get phones with 10x optical zoom, Fujifilm releases a $1,399 / £1,299 camera with a fixed focal length. But wait! One of the most common tips for developing your photography skills is to shoot with a prime lens, as it forces you to be more creative with your composition and exposure. And while there were times I craved the reach of a 50mm equivalent, the X100V's 23mm f/2 lens – which seems to be sharper than its predecessors when shooting wide open – does indeed provide some helpful limitations for creative street shooting. For me, the greater disadvantage of the X100V compared to my iPhone 11 Pro is the latter's supreme connectivity and in-camera processing options. From a traditional camera standpoint, there doesn't appear to be much else Fujifilm could have added to the X100V. But when you look at it in the context of the smartphone revolution, the X100V can still sometimes feel like it's from another age. For example, the long-awaited Zeiss ZX1 at least offered the promise of built-in Adobe Lightroom on a premium compact camera. Where are the X100's basic, in-camera editing options or iPhone-style Night Mode for a quick, Instagram-ready photo? To be fair, the X100V does have a new in-camera HDR mode, along with Fujifilm's fantastic range of Film Simulations, which can be a great starting point (and end point) for your photo edits. But standalone cameras like this aren't likely to jump on the computational bandwagon anytime soon, given the amount that Google and Apple have pumped into helping phones transcend their physical limitations. Perhaps they never will, but that doesn't mean you won't sometimes miss your phone's immediacy and flexibility. Despite all of this, and a few other sightly annoying quirks – like the need to add an optional adaptor and filter to make it properly weather-proof – the Fujifilm X100F is so far one of the finest street photography cameras I've used and a superior tool to my iPhone 11 Pro when used in that context. The autofocus feels quicker than its predecessors, and it's a lovely camera that strangers genuinely warm to rather than, in the case of DSLRs, recoil from. One person even approached me to ask about the camera and their photo taken. Of course, the X100V is no replacement for taking photos with my iPhone 11 Pro and it's far from a travel all-rounder. But it is a great blueprint for how cameras can still thrive in a world of rapidly evolving smartphones.
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| Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus leak in full in hands-on video Posted: 09 Feb 2020 03:00 AM PST When it comes to the Samsung Unpacked 2020 event on February 11, we've been hearing a lot about the Galaxy 20 phones and the Galaxy Z Flip that are showing up, but Samsung is launching an audio product too – the Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus. Thanks to a detailed hands-on video just posted to YouTube by Roland Quandt of WinFuture, you can now see the wireless earbuds from every angle, and even get an idea of how they work. The buds are the follow-up to the Samsung Galaxy Buds (pictured above), and are promising to bring with them a boost in battery life and a slightly tweaked design, although it looks as though noise cancelation won't be a feature.
As you can see below, the hands-on video shows the Buds Plus – in blue – and the packaging in full. Samsung is quoting 11 hours of playtime between charges, which you can top up using the charging case. Wireless charging is once again supported, so you can pop the Galaxy Buds Plus on any compatible charging mat (or reverse charging Galaxy phone) to top up the battery level and carry on listening. Another feature is the inclusion of three mics for improved voice calling – you should have no problems making yourself heard if you're going to be making calls over Bluetooth with these wireless earbuds. The rumor is that you'll get the Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus for free if you preorder the more expensive Galaxy S20 models when they're announced next week. According to this video, the retail price is $169 (about £130 / AU$255). There are going to be a whole load of new product announcements at Unpacked 2020, including the Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus and new flagship phones from Samsung, and we will of course keep you right up to date here. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Crash Bandicoot could spin onto mobile Posted: 09 Feb 2020 01:01 AM PST That new Crash Bandicoot game you've been hoping for? Well, if a recent leak proves to be accurate it's in the works. For mobile. As an endless runner. So it's possible it's not exactly what you were envisioning. The leak appears to have sprung from some Facebook ads which have since been plastered over Twitter. If these ads are the real deal then the game is the project of King, the Candy Crush developer that's owned by Activision.
The images tell players they can “run, jump and slide” through levels as well as build their own base, which does suggest it's at least a little more involved than just level after level of running. Crash team leakingFurther evidence was spotted by Kotaku who snapped a screenshot of a description of the game which appeared on Storemaven for a short period of time. This goes into further detail than the images, highlighting the need to avoid TNT crates on your run while collecting wumpas and spinning through crates for rewards. It even mentions teaming up with Coco to save the multiverse. While it's not perhaps the dream way to play the next instalment of Crash, an endless runner does suit the character and the franchise to some extent. It's not the first time Crash has starred in a mobile title either so there's precedent. Besides that, the creation of a mobile game doesn't mean there aren't further Crash titles coming to other platforms. With Activision making it clear in its recent financial call that it intends to continue down the route of remasters and reimagined experiences in 2020, it's possible there's more Crash in store in the future. As it is, since this mobile game is just a leak at the moment and hasn't been confirmed by Activision, there's no certainty with regards to when, or even if, we'll see it. It's just a case of waiting for some more official comments from King and Activision. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| How the Motorola Razr was nearly a smartwatch, but became a retro reboot instead Posted: 09 Feb 2020 01:00 AM PST Foldable phones are some of the most innovative devices we've seen in recent years, and creating a bending handset poses quite a few design questions that aren't asked when you make a traditional smartphone. That is especially true of the Motorola Razr, the second widely available foldable phone and the first in a ‘clamshell’ design that is reminiscent of older flip-phones. It's designed as a sequel to the iconic Motorola Razr V3, and the two iterations that went before it. Originally, Motorola didn’t set out to build a modern-day flip phone though. In fact, the company originally considered creating a wearable with a flexible display before it settled on a spiritual ‘Razr V4’. We spoke to Motorola's Ruben Castano, Vice President of Consumer Experience Design, and Carl Steen, Director of Product Management, who worked on the Razr's 2019 reboot. The two worked on the phone from its inception, and offered us a glimpse at the process of creating a clamshell folding phone. The ball gets rolling on the foldable phoneThe Motorola Razr 2019 While foldable phones are only just hitting shop shelves, the first seeds of what turned into the Motorola Razr were sown over six years ago. “Right around 2014 is when we started to see the technology progress to a point where it started to make sense to look at implementations for consumer products”, Castano told us. For context, that’s the year the second-gen Moto G smartphone hit shop shelves, and it was a couple of years before the company introduced its innovative Moto Mods. Motorola found customers were looking for "something that became more pocketable and easier to carry" The team began experimenting with ideas, but it didn’t go straight to the clamshell design we know today. "There was a lot of debate internally in terms of what really was the right form factor,” Steen told us. At Lenovo's event - that's Motorola's parent company - TechWorld 2016, Moto unveiled a series of design concepts. “We showcased a couple of possible applications, one of them being a foldable type device that went from a traditional smartphone to more of a tablet and then to a larger device." That design sounds similar to the Samsung Galaxy Fold, while another design concept sounds remarkably similar to a wearable device called the Nubia Alpha. Steen told us the concept "was flexible enough to actually fit around your wrist [...] using the technology to conform to your body." It sounds similar to a smartwatch or fitness tracker that wraps around your wrist, and that would have been a very different device to the Motorola Razr we eventually saw. The Nubia Alpha wearable that sports a flexible display “It was probably two and a half years ago when we really narrowed down on the right form factor”, Castano told us. That would have been late 2017 or early 2018, meaning it took three or four years for the team to decide that they wanted to make a clamshell device. Steen said, “the consumer told us what was the right form factor. That was small, portable and pocketable”. It all hinges on the designWhen the design type was decided, that was when the real work began. Castano explained, “we then had to really double down on solving the very difficult intricacies of creating a foldable device, which are really around the architecture, the hinge and the durability of the display.” When Castano says architecture, he means the overall look and components of the phone. "We didn’t really set out to design a Razr replacement", said Steen. “For all the same reasons that the original Razr ended up with a chin, we quickly came to the realization that to achieve the type of finesse that we really wanted, this chin architecture provided the perfect form for the antennas and other important components of the device”. That means some of the same design innovations that went into making the original flip phones of the early 2000s were used by Motorola again here to create the foldable Razr. How the flipping screen works on the original Motorola Razr V3 (left) and the new Razr (right) Some have criticized 2019's Motorola Razr for its lower than flagship specs, but Motorola doesn't see this as an issue. "We weren’t designing a flagship phone per se - we were designing the world’s smallest foldable phone", said Steen. Top-end specs weren’t exactly the number one priority, and could have actually got in the way of Motorola's intent to make an ultra-thin device. As an example, Steen explained why there wasn’t a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Plus chipset - the top-end processor when the Motorola Razr launched - inside the phone. “The Snapdragon [855 Plus] only brought to the table things like Quad HD performance. We don't have a Quad HD display, so that would have been overkill.” The hinge was another obstacle that the Razr team had to overcome, but they had an ace up their sleeve. “We actually partnered with our Lenovo R&D team”, Steen explained, "that has created products like the Yoga range of laptops. They had some hinge expertise, and between their developers and our developers we narrowed it down to about three different hinge concepts." Choosing which of those concepts was best for the device was simply about picking the one that followed the design intent best. The company opted for the design that had the smallest gap when the phone was folded together but could also be opened by flipping it. Another early concept for the revamped Motorola Razr Finally, there was the display to reckon with, as the team needed a foldable screen that, well... folded. Steen explains, “we relied on a lot of the expertise we had on previous P-OLED designs [plastic OLED] and then shattershield [Motorola’s shatterproofing phone screen tech] and understanding the different polymers, as well as what was needed to create a very robust display." Getting the individual aspects of the Motorola Razr to work wasn’t the hard part; it was when they came together for the full package. Steen explained, "it was once you brought them together as a system that the challenge became significant, and required a lot of expertise and engineering innovation." Pass the testEvery aspect of the phone went through “component level testing, making sure it was durable,” Steen explained, “then we married [the different parts of the phone] together to do the same thing.” “There’s a set of tests that we do run on all our smartphones that’s included in what’s called the accelerated life testing." These tests involve humidity performance, durability through everyday scenarios and much more. “It exposes the weaknesses of the system and allows us to go focus on those weaknesses, fix them, and then take them back to the accelerated life testing again. There were multiple cycles of that throughout the development process.” Motorola shared the below video on its YouTube channel, which gives some glimpses into the testing process of the Motorola Razr We asked Steen if there were any dramatic failures in any of the tested phones, and he said “there was nothing that changed dramatically from an architecture perspective. "It was really about tuning it and optimizing it to develop it into the product that we ended up with.” The 21:9 aspect ratio of the Motorola Razr is something we’ve seen the company do before in phones like the Motorola One Action that was also unveiled in 2019. Castano described the aspect ratio as, “a sweet spot for a handheld device, which when folded in half becomes very pocketable”. There’s nothing like experienceSketches of the Motorola Razr 2019's possible QuickView display designs The final stage in Motorola’s quest to create the Razr foldable was testing the device as a phone, and Steen explained that he had been using the phone for around a year prior to release. Steen found that the QuickView display changed the way he used his phone. "I didn’t really realize until it was happening over a period of months. I wasn’t constantly looking at Facebook or constantly being pulled into the vastness of the typical smartphone experience. “Having that display on the front of the device was not only useful in giving me the right information I needed, but it also changed my behavior on my smartphone in a good way.” It remains to be seen if the Motorola Razr, and foldable phones in general, change the way we interact with our portable pocketable devices for good. If there’s one thing we can say for certain, it's that we're excited to see where manufacturers take foldable designs next. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| CEOs turn to efficiency and upskilling to counter economic and geopolitical fears Posted: 09 Feb 2020 12:56 AM PST Despite the economic and geopolitical uncertainties in the Middle East, Chief Executive Officers remain confident in their growth prospects and are focused on driving efficiencies, upskilling their people and seeking new markets for opportunities. According to consultancy firm PwC’s 23rd Annual CEO Survey, nine out of ten CEOs are worried about geopolitical uncertainty this year. 66% of regional CEOs are confident about their company’s revenue growth in the next year, with 74% more confident about the next three years. The report said that 77% of Middle East CEOs plan to make operational efficiencies over the next 12 months to improve performance. Despite the uncertainty, 47% expect their companies to enter new markets in 2020 with CEOs particularly excited about both Saudi Arabia and Egypt, followed by the US and China. “CEOs in the Middle East are surrounded by uncertainty. Whether it’s geopolitical, economic or technological; business leaders are navigating this instability and overcoming obstacles through efficiency, talent and technology, making way for new opportunities for growth,” Hani Ashkar, PwC Middle East Territory Senior Partner, said. Technologies that leverage big data - including artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and the internet of things (IoT) - are forcing companies to balance the need for privacy and security along with the promise that these technologies provide. Therefore, the proportion of Middle East CEOs who identify rising tensions as a key factor in shaping their cybersecurity strategy is almost double the global survey average. When it comes to the most pressing topics confronting CEOs in the region, he said that one thing is clear - collaboration is key. He urged the business community to come together and make a commitment on how best to take each of these forward, finding culturally relevant solutions to problems pressing business leaders everywhere. However, he said that uncertainty can be a segue for reduced headcount, decreased investment and overall timidness when it comes to growth opportunities. But CEOs in the Middle East do not shy away; he said and added that they are looking instead to adapt to create sustainability and growth for the future.
Focuses on operational efficiencies80% of the respondents this year said a shortage of skills in the workforce was a potential threat to their organisation’s growth prospects, up from 70% last year. CEOs increasingly recognise that they must maximise the potential of their existing staff through upskilling programmes (70%). Companies throughout the region are steadily adapting to the realities of a lower rate of economic growth. Ashkar said that corporate sustainability in the region is focused on building leaner, more efficient and nimble businesses to withstand a downturn and be ready to exploit any opportunities on the horizon. Stephen Anderson, Middle East Strategy and Markets Leader at PwC, said that CEOs in the region continue to make the transition to a lower growth environment, in increasingly uncertain market conditions. “They are consequently focused on operational efficiencies to enable long-term, profitable sustainable growth. CEOs’ justified anxiety about the immediate term is balanced by a more positive outlook when they look further towards the future. It is pleasing to note that there is a region-wide focus on upskilling to drive digital transformation, which in turn will enable better products and services and improve job prospects for the local workforce, including young people and women.” This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| McLaren signs up Splunk and Darktrace as F1 2020 technology partners Posted: 08 Feb 2020 09:30 PM PST McLaren Racing has announced two major new technology partners as the team gears up for the new season. With the start of the 2020 Formula 1 campaign just weeks away, McLaren has revealed a tie-up with big data experts Splunk to boost its research and development through the power of big data. The Woking-based team has also announced that it has signed up security firm Darktrace to be its official AI cybersecurity partner, helping protect the business from cyberattacks of all sizes.
ProtectedAs the official cybersecurity partner, Darktrace’s cyber artificial intelligence will be used across the whole McLaren Group, including its IndyCar and road manufacturing arms. The team says that Darktrace technology will give McLaren complete visibility across its entire digital infrastructure – from IoT sensors on each F1 car to the cloud-based software that fuels operations – and identify threats as soon as they emerge. “We are excited to be partnering with McLaren, a company with innovation at its core,” commented Poppy Gustafsson, CEO, Darktrace. “Cyber-attacks that seek to cause disruption to global events, as well as attacks that subtly steal coveted IP, are on the rise. We are proud that our technology is being trusted to automatically protect the McLaren team, enabling them to race to the finish line in the knowledge that their systems are secured by world-leading Cyber AI.” Splunk will become one of McLaren's official technology partners, bringing its Data-to-Everything Platform to both McLaren Racing and the McLaren Group as a whole. Splunk systems will now look to to capture data across the McLaren Group infrastructure, network and server environment and from across the McLaren Racing function, including from the team’s Formula 1 cars, helping the team to accelerate development. “From the production line to the race track, Splunk will help McLaren drive meaningful business outcomes by connecting all of their data at ferocious speed and at immense scale. Performance is critical in the racing world, and it is no different in the world of data, which makes this partnership a great fit,” said Doug Merritt, President and CEO, Splunk. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| HDD will beat SSD on capacity as 80TB hard drives loom Posted: 08 Feb 2020 09:00 PM PST The company behind the platters that power millions of hard disk drives worldwide has confirmed it has finished work on a new generation of heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) media. Showa Denko K.K. (SDK) claims the new platters will achieve areal density of 5 to 6TB per square inch, which is between four and five times what current platters offer. The biggest hard disk drives on the market offer up to nine spinning disks. If SDK's numbers are accurate, this means 80TB hard drives could become a reality this decade.
After series of acquisitions and consolidations, only three main hard disk manufacturers remain today. Western Digital, Seagate and Toshiba all produce millions of HDDs, with an increasing number going to hyperscale service providers like Google, Microsoft and Amazon. The biggest hard disk drive currently available is a 20TB model from Western Digital, the Ultrastar HC650, which uses a technology called SMR. As for pricing, the cheapest hard disk drive by capacity has a per Terabyte price approaching $15, which would put the price of an 80TB hard drive at around $1,200. That might sound a lot, but the potential savings in terms of storage capacity, power consumption and general maintenance would likely outweigh the capital expenditure.
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| UFC 247 live stream: how to watch Jones vs Reyes from anywhere tonight Posted: 08 Feb 2020 06:15 PM PST Two undefeated light heavyweight greats, a feared women’s flyweight champion and a heavyweight winner under threat of losing his belt - a UFC 247 live stream is looking like one that should not be missed. Obviously, the stand out fight here is the main event Jon Jones vs Dominick Reyes. Many are labelling this as a done fight, with the odds on Jones taking the win almost certain before the match begins. While that seems like an unfair observation against Reyes, an undefeated fighter who KO’ed ex-champion Chris Weidman back in 2019, he is against a man with a slightly unbelievable UFC history. Tune in to watch UFC 247 online and you’ll likely hear repeated commentary on Jones and his expected win. Currently sitting at a 25-1 record (his only loss being disqualification), Jones is the #1 pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC and holds multiple records in his weight class for the most title defences, most wins and longest winning streak. While odds are not exactly in Reyes's favour, if he pulls off this win it will go down in history as one of the best MMA fights in history - more than enough reason to catch a UFC 247 live stream. Need more reasons? Valentina Shevchenko. The women’s flyweight champion is powering her way through her division, quickly running out of worthy fighters and much like Reyes, Valentina’s competitor Katlyn Chookagian will be very hard pressed to pull out a win. Ready to catch all of the action? Scroll down to find out everything you need to know about watching a UFC 247 live stream no matter where in the world you are. Live stream UFC 247 from outside your countryIf you're a big UFC fan trying to catch any of the action of the UFC 247 but aren't in the country to watch as it happens then you will likely 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 247 online in the US exclusively on ESPNLive stream UFC 247 in the UKCatch a UFC 247 stream in AustraliaStream UFC 247: Jones vs Reyes in New ZealandMain Card: Early Prelims: What's so exciting about UFC 247?Two title fights - one in the light heavyweight division, one the women's flyweight - both featuring four fascinating fighters. Just the two headline fights alone makes the UFC 247 a worthy watch, add in all of the top-notch line ups below and its one not to miss. Those who love a heavyweight dual for the ages will be here for Jones and Reyes, anyone keen to watch dominance in the flyweight division can't miss Valentina and Chookagian and then both of those fights will be followed by a wealth of talent. Who are Jon Jones and Dominick Reyes?If you have even the faintest interest in UFC you will have heard of Jon Jones. The pound-for-pound #1 fighter is a living legend and every fighter to go up against him is looking to dethrone him. Known for his lethal elbows, devastating blows to the chest and overwhelming stature, he's a brick wall you'll struggle to break through. However, if someone is going to step up and beat him, it will be Reyes. One of the best up and coming MMA fighters, Reyes is currently undefeated and quickly racking up wins. He's become known for his lightning fast kicks and massive knockouts, if he manages to catch Jones off his guard, it could be the fight of the decade, if not a life time. Who is the favorite to win the Jones vs Reyes fight?Jon Jones is looking like the favorite to win by every bookie out there and a pretty large majority of fans. Realistically, Reyes would have to pull out a bit of a miracle if Jones’ history is anything to go by. What are the other highlights from UFC 247?While the title fight is obviously going to be the most exciting part for most fans of the sport, there are a few other matches to get amped about. Valentina Shevchenko has been dominating the women's flyweight division and many fans expect the same fate in her duel with Chookagian as Jon Jones with Reyes - a dominating win. Valentina is a punishing fighter likely to dominate the entire match and if we're honest, unlikely to be beaten. Only Chookagian, her number 1 contender, stands a chance. When did Jones and Reyes last step into the ring?Jon Jones last entered the Octagon back in July, 2019. He beat out Thiago Santos in a round 5 decision. As for Reyes, he won two fights back in 2019, one in October and one in March. Most noticeably, Reyes took on popular fighter Chris Weidman winning by a first round knockout. 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. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| South Africa vs England live stream: how to watch 3rd ODI 2020 cricket from anywhere Posted: 08 Feb 2020 02:54 PM PST Having been brushed aside relatively easily by England in the Test series, hosts South Africa hit back in the first of three ODI matches. And we'll help you discover how to watch every minute of the last game with a South Africa vs England cricket live stream - no matter where in the world you are. The Proteas are looking to youth to change their fortunes, with new faces such as Lutho Sipamla, Kyle Verreynne and Bjorn Fortuin brought into the ranks, but it was old heads Quinton de Kock and Temba Bavuma that anchored their run chase in the first ODI. It felt like a shame on all sides when rain stopped the second ODI from getting very far at all. This ODI series marks the first time that England have played a game of this format since winning the World Cup last year. But hero Jofra Archer is ruled out with an elbow injury that will also keep him out of the forthcoming T20 series against the hosts, while England may also look to rest Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes. Despite those big name absentees, South Africa will still have a huge job on their hands and will be pinning hopes on Quinton de Kock to deliver the same sort of excellent batting form that saw him chalk up an average of just under 50 in the preceding Test series. Follow the instructions below to watch all of the action where we'll tell you how to grab a South Africa vs England live stream from pretty much anywhere on Earth.
Watch a cricket live stream when away from your countryFor cricket fans in the UK, South Africa, Australia and the US looking to find out how to watch the cricket, we've got all the details about the broadcasters with the rights to show a South Africa vs England live stream of the ODI series in your region below. If you're away from home country and looking to see the action you'll likely to find you won't be able to thanks to geo-blocking. Thankfully there's a way to alleviate that frustration. By using a VPN you'll be able to watch the game without having to resort to watching via an illegal feed from a dodgy website you've discovered on Reddit. How to watch England play cricket in the UKHow to watch the Proteas play cricket in South AfricaHow to live stream South Africa vs England in AustraliaHow to watch South Africa vs England: US live streamThis posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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