Saturday, March 7, 2020

Apple : Shimano’s smart tech gives Volt’s Infinity e-bike the edge

Apple : Shimano’s smart tech gives Volt’s Infinity e-bike the edge

Shimano’s smart tech gives Volt’s Infinity e-bike the edge

Posted: 07 Mar 2020 12:00 PM PST

Volt’s website gives you an indication of what to expect from its cool-looking new Infinity two-wheeler. "We don’t make e-bikes that look too electric" it says, as you pick over the fascinating history of this innovative British brand. It also gives you a great idea of what to expect from this latest addition to the growing range of Volt e-bikes.

The Infinity does indeed look like a proper bike, and the Volt designers have done a commendable job of making an aesthetically pleasing machine. This is despite the fact that it features the usual frame mounted battery pack and electric motor at the crank combination that defines many e-bike designs.

The company has opted to build the Infinity around two core elements; the Shimano 250W crankdrive motor and its associated Steps operating technology, which delivers 15.5mph or 25kmh tops. It also adapts assistance dynamically, depending on your requirements.

Volt e-bike

Interestingly, there’s a new LS version of this bike, a two-wheeler that's a slight variation on the theme of the base Infinity model, but features most of the same components such as 700cc wheels, Schwalbe puncture resistant tyres and SR Suntour NCX suspension.

The all-important battery, meanwhile, is a 36V standard 418Wh lithium-polymer affair from Sony and, in theory at least, delivers up to 70 miles from one charge using the Eco PAS mode. It’s a heady cocktail of quality components.

The biggest difference with the LS though is the step-through frame, which Volt says is smaller and lower than the original. That should make it more appealing to people who’ve found the original incarnation a bit big or don’t like the imposing crossbar.

Either way though, you’ll find the frame is dominated by the chunky battery and the Shimano drive unit at the crank. Without this intelligent power management system however, you’ll find the Volt Infinity a hefty little number.

As is the case with e-bikes, the battery and motor add weight, with the Infinity being 21kg without the battery and 23.65 with the power pack on board. It does feel quite heavy, especially if you’ve got to lift it in and out of a doorway or on to a train for example, even though the frame is actually aluminium.

Easy riding, on the road or off

Nevertheless, start pedaling, relax a bit and the Volt Infinity soon starts to become increasingly enjoyable. The bike features the eight or 11-speed Alfine D12 gear system, which in tandem with the Shimano Steps technology provides effortless automatic shifting. It can also be used manually if you prefer to have more involvement with your bike. Either way, the cycling part of the experience is as good as anything else on the market.

Shimano’s up-down push button located on the left side of the handlebars allows you to manage power assistance and it’s a tried and tested format that works well. An additional benefit of this when you’re not cruising is that it features a walk assist mode, which proves invaluable if you’re on the way back from the store with the bike laden down with groceries. It might seem like a little thing, but we found ourselves using walk assist frequently.

Credit should also go to the Infinity’s stopping power too, courtesy of Shimano Alfine hydraulic disc brakes on both wheels. The overall effect then is an e-bike that starts, goes and stops again without hassle.

Volt e-bike

Shimano’s handlebar-mounted computer is easy to use, both before you head off and while you’re on the move. It’s quick and easy to navigate and does things without fuss. It’s all well thought-out Japanese simplicity and compliments the overall experience with speed, distance, battery power and your chosen gear all displayed.

There are some neat touches to the Volt Infinity too, especially for people who live in countries with decent levels of rainfall. The full mudguards are invaluable, saving you, your clothes and shoes from getting a dousing on rain-drenched roads.

Volt e-bike

If you happen to head off road, not that the Infinity is an off-roader, then you’ll find it does function well on grass and soft trails. It’ll also fend off a bit of mud too. The Schwalbe tyres, though definitely of the road variety, actually seemed to deliver decent grip on wet grass.

Although Volt e-bikes have sizeable price tags the overall feel is certainly premium based on our short time with the Infinity. Volt has used quality components here, as witnessed by the tried-and-tested Shimano core running gear.

The Sony battery is reportedly good for 1,000 charge/discharge cycles and can be fully recharged in three to four hours. That’s fine for juicing up overnight if you’ve finished using it for the day, allowing it to be ready for the next commute or shopping trip.

Volt e-bike

Despite the valiant attempts to jazz up the Volt Infinity with a few subtle flourishes in the graphics department this e-bike does look a little understated. But that’s actually a good thing. Take some e-bikes into town and you’re soon being eyed-up by characters who can see the value in making off with your expensive new machine.

Rock up on the Volt Infinity though and you might remain unnoticed, which should hopefully mean you get to enjoy it for a lot longer than many e-bike owners.

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The original, 1st-gen Philips Hue Bridge goes dark on April 30

Posted: 07 Mar 2020 07:30 AM PST

Smart home devices don't live forever you know, and now it's time to bid a fond farewell to the original, 1st-gen Philips Hue Bridge launched in 2012 – the device will lose all internet connectivity on April 30.

It will still work in that it will still control your lights via the legacy Hue app. However, you won't get any future software updates, and integration with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant will get switched off.

Philips Hue is recommending that customers upgrade to the 2nd-gen Bridge that made its debut in 2015, which will continue working and give you all the functionality you need for the foreseeable future.

If you're not entirely clear on what the differences between the two are, the v1 Bridge is the circular one, while the v2 Bridge is the rectangular one. Both plug into a router to handle the business of controlling Philips Hue lights around a home.

Lights out

Speaking to CNET, a spokesperson for Signify (which owns Philips Hue) said: "The Hue bridge v1 no longer has the resources to guarantee the evolution of the system – from compatibility and quality, to speed and security – thus we decided to end the support for it."

The good news is that there are no plans for a new and updated Bridge yet, so version 2 of the controller device should be good for a few years at least. We've also recently seen Philips Hue bulbs that don't need a Bridge at all.

With so much tech packed inside our devices, it's inevitable that this scenario is going to come up time and time again – see also Sonos – but eight years of product support seems like a reasonable period of time.

If you're interested in the latest deals on kit from Philips Hue and the other big smart lighting manufacturers, check out our comprehensive guide to the best smart bulbs on the market at the moment.

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Halo: Combat Evolved at 8K and 60FPS is a sight to behold

Posted: 07 Mar 2020 07:00 AM PST

Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary Edition recently made a surprise appearance on the PC version of the Halo: The Master Chief Collection, so we didn't waste any time to see how the remastered version of the iconic shooter would play at a huge 8K resolution.

To do that, we fired up our epic 8K gaming rig, which features the most powerful consumer graphics card in the world: the Nvidia RTX Titan.

Previously, we tried out Halo: Reach on PC at 8K, and found that it ran impeccably – easily hitting 60 frames per second (FPS), even during hectic moments.

Unsurprisingly, considering Halo: Combat Evolved is an older game based on the same engine, the game that kickstarted the Halo franchise also managed resolutions of 7,680 × 4,320 at a rock-solid 60 fps.

Click the image to see it in full 8K glory

While the fact that you can play a game that's almost 20 years old (albeit in remastered form) on a PC rocking a GPU that costs $2,499 (around £2,000, AU$3,600) at such high resolutions and frame rates is not too surprising, what really took us by surprise was just how good the game looked at 8K.

We played the game using a very powerful gaming PC provided by Chillbast, along with Dell's UltraSharp UP3218K monitor.

We used the 'Enhanced' graphical settings, which updates the textures and adds effects that weren't included in the original. Even so, during our playthrough at 8K resolution, our framerate counter never dropped beneath 60 fps.

At 8K resolution, Halo: Combat Evolved looked simply stunning. While textures and models remained basic, the graphical fidelity of the game was at times seriously impressive.

There were certainly moments where the game looked almost modern, thanks to the high resolution and timeless art direction of the game.

The fact that the original Halo included gameplay elements that are still found in games today, along with the tweaks 343 Industries made to the game for the Anniversary Edition, all helps make it feel like a modern release.

The past giving us a taste of the future

Throughout this article you should see some of the 8K screenshots we took. Clicking on them will open them up at full 7,680 × 4,320 resolution, giving you an idea of the kind of detail 8K offers.

We tried Gears 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 at 8K resolutions, and both of these modern games struggled to run at anything approaching a playable frame rate at 8K, despite the powerful (and very expensive) hardware they were running on.

With both Sony and Microsoft hinting that in the future the PS5 and Xbox Series X may be able to play 8K games, playing old games like Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo: Reach is giving us a bit of a hint at what the future of gaming will hold.

The real question is if the console makers (and game developers) can combine the visual quality of modern games with 8K resolution. At the moment, the seems like it's still a long way off from being reality.

If you want to play Halo: Combat Evolved at incredibly high resolutions, then you don't need an 8K monitor – you can use the Dynamic Super Resolution feature of Nvidia graphics cards to run the games at a higher resolution than your monitor can display.

Right-click your desktop and select Nvidia Control Panel. On the left-hand menu, select 'Manage 3D settings' and next to 'DSR - Factors' select how many times you want to increase your native resolution. So, a 4.00x factor for a 2560 x 1440 resolution monitor results in a 5120 x 2880 Dynamic Super Resolution. Not quite 8K, but still a huge amount of pixels.

But what's the point of this? By rendering a game at a higher resolution than your monitor can display, you get an incredibly sharp picture and in some cases far greater detail than you'd usually get.

Bear in mind that you'll need a powerful GPU to push very high resolutions. Sadly, we couldn't get DSR to work with our 8K monitor – so our dreams of 16K gaming is still just that – a dream.

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UFC 248 live stream: how to watch Israel Adesanya vs Yoel Romero from anywhere

Posted: 07 Mar 2020 06:09 AM PST

Tonight's UFC 248 card features not one but two championship bouts, though the headline fight in Las Vegas is undoubtedly undefeated middleweight champ Israel Adesanya taking on title challenger Yoel Romero - read on to find out how you can live stream UFC 248 and watch Adesanya vs Romero online from anywhere in the world this Saturday.

Adesanya comes into tonight's big fight with an impressive 18-0 record. The 30-year-old Nigerian-New Zealander will be full of confidence following his emphatic victory over Robert Whittaker in his last octagon appearance back in October in Melbourne.

He now faces Cuban veteran Yoel Romero, a former Olympic wrestling silver medallist who is widely regarded as one of most athletic fighters to ever fight in UFC. The 40-year-old has so far failed to hit the heights his skill set suggests he's capable of, but this fight provides him with another opportunity to finally become a UFC title holder.

Adesanya's ruthless dispatch of Whittaker was a feat that Romero wasn't able to match in his two meetings against the Australian star, which may give some indication as to the likely outcome of Saturday's showdown. Regarded as one of best strikers in the sport, Adesanya is 10 years younger than his opponent and has a 6.5-inch reach advantage to boot.

Ready to catch all of the action? Scroll down to find out everything you need to know about watching a UFC 248 live stream wherever you are in the world.

How to live stream UFC 248 from outside your country

If you're a big combat sports fan trying to catch the UFC 248 action but aren't in the country you would normally watch the fights from, 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 248 online in the US exclusively on ESPN tonight

How to live stream UFC 248 in the UK 

Watch UFC 248: live stream details for Australia

Stream UFC 248: Adesanya vs Romero in New Zealand tonight

Main card

·      Israel Adesanya (champion) vs Yoel Romero (UFC middleweight title)

·      Zhang Weili (c) vs Joanna Jędrzejczyk (UFC women's strawweight title)

·      Beneil Dariush vs Drakkar Klose (lightweight)

·      Neil Magny vs Li Jingliang (welterweight)

·      Alex Oliveira vs Max Griffin (welterweight)

Preliminary card 

·      Sean O'Malley vs Jose Alberto Quinonez (bantamweight)

·      Mark Madsen vs Austin Hubbard (lightweight)

·      Rodolfo Vieira vs Saparbek Safarov (middleweight)

·      Gerald Meerschaert vs Deron Winn (middleweight)

Early preliminary card

·      Emily Whitmire vs Polyana Viana (women's strawweight)

·      Danaa Batgerel vs Guido Cannetti (bantamweight)

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. 

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Your smart home's fragile existence relies on a factor you can't control… the internet

Posted: 07 Mar 2020 05:00 AM PST

"Our door camera is offline… not sure why?"

That's the message I received from my partner one afternoon. It was a Wednesday, I was at work, and so was she. Our smart home... was dead. 

For all the positive reviews, in-your-face marketing, consumer hype, and billions of dollars driven into its R&D, the smart home has a major Achilles heel that's completely out of your control. The internet. 

Until your internet connection fails, you don't realize just how crucial it is. If you think about it, it's obvious, but the point of a smart home is you don't have to think about it: it's there, in the background, quietly taking care of things and letting you get on with your life. 

All the useful little features – the various 'life hacks' companies are so desperate for you to lap up as they roll out yet another feature, update or brand new device – are all rendered useless. 

I was the first home that day, but not until late in the evening. By then my internet provider's call centers were long closed, and any hope of an instant resolution was lost. 

From smart to simple

It's only when the internet connection to my house failed, I realized just how many devices relied on it. 

My smart speakers around the house would bark at me that they were struggling to connect to a network if I dared utter "okay Google", and the Google Home Hub smart display in the bedroom displayed a message saying it couldn't connect – no nice wallpaper pictures, no date or time, even though it had power. Just the error message.

With no voice assistants on the smart speakers or display, I wasn’t able to ask for the Philips Hue lights to be switched on, the temperature to be increased via the Nest Thermostat E, or my robot vacuum to give the floor a quick sweep.

It wasn’t just voice commands. With no Wi-Fi at home, the apps on my smartphone were also redundant. I wasn’t without lights, heating or a functioning vacuum, of course. All were manually available – a flick of a switch, the turn of a dial and the press of a button allowed for basic functionality – but any advanced features were unavailable.

Without the internet, functionality of my smart TV and games console was also reduced. Access to TV apps such as Netflix and Prime Video were out of the question, as was online gaming.

The phone apps for my smart home devices were rendered useless

And then there was the device which originally alerted us to the issue – the Nest Hello doorbell. We received an email that it had gone offline, which led to an investigation on my smartphone and the realization that our home had lost its internet connection, rather than the Hello developing a fault.

While the loss of the doorbell feature allowing us to make sure our Amazon package was delivered safely to a neighbor was slightly frustrating, it was the loss of the security monitoring that was of a greater concern.

The Hello is able to record a few seconds of footage any time movement or sound is detected, and alerts you via a smartphone notification. Without an internet connection though, the camera is unable to record any footage, as it’s stored directly in the cloud, rather than locally on the device.

Thankfully, we didn’t have any issues during the downtime, but it does make you re-evaluate just how much trust you can have in these products, as many smart home security cameras operate in a similar way.

The smarts return, with a possible solution

In all, our internet was out for just over 20 hours: in the grand scheme of things not a huge problem, in isolation. 

However, it wasn’t just our property. Our internet provider had issues with its broadband across the region, which meant we won’t have been the only smart home to go offline.

For just less than a day, it was nothing more than a mild inconvenience, but in a situation where your internet connection possibly breaks for multiple days, and as smart devices become more ingrained into the working of our homes, the issues here are real. They need addressing if the technology can be trusted to effectively control key areas of our life.

If you can't rely on your smart home, integrating more complex devices and tasks into it will be a difficult sell. Perhaps the introduction of 5G could provide assistance, with the traditional cabled internet line into your home working in tandem with a 5G connection. If one goes down, the other seamlessly takes over.

In the UK, mobile carrier EE announced a router which offered this back in May 2018 (although it was 4G and not 5G), but mobile networks are still not widely available enough, nor support this level or usage for this product to be viable for the mass population.

As the 5G network roll out continues, bringing next-gen coverage and speeds to more areas, this dual-connection router becomes a far more viable option, and it may just solve the problem for our smart homes.

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This popular dating app leaked info on millions of users

Posted: 07 Mar 2020 04:10 AM PST

Online daters could be giving away more than they expected after a popular dating site was found to be leaking user information.

OKCupid, which has around five million active members, was leaking user information online without its knowledge, according to researchers at CyberNews.

The team found that it was possible to retrieve the last location ID of any OKCupid user, allowing anyone to possible determine where a user was logging in to the site, potentially giving away their home or work address.

OKCupid security

The CyberNews team was able to access this location data by intercepting network requests and responses between the OKCupid app and the company's servers using MITM (Man in The Middle) Proxy processes.

Getting access to these server responses allowed the researchers to access the last known location IDs of a user. This information is updated every time a user logs in to the OKCupid app, with their online status displayed in the app itself.

By carrying out such a process multiple times, the team was able to triangulate findings to precisely determine the victim's location to within a 10 to 20 metre radius. 

CyberNews says it shared its findings with OKCupid back in January, but there's no update as yet if the company has fixed the exact flaws it mentioned. Further research by CyberNews appeared to show that location ID tracking had been removed, but if so, it's not known how long the flaw was online for, and how many of the millions of OKCupid users were put at risk. 

As part of its research, centred around International Women's Day this weekend, CyberNews also found that 88% of women have ‘been harassed’ whilst using a dating app, and over 7 in 10 women fear being stalked by someone they’re talking to online.

Via: CyberNews

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Apex Legends’ Forge character was created to ‘misdirect’ data-miners

Posted: 07 Mar 2020 04:08 AM PST

Respawn Entertainment enthralled Apex Legends fans earlier this year when, prior to the launch of Season 4, they announced a new Legend called Forge but promptly had him killed by the actual new Legend, Revenant. 

It was a nice bit of storytelling that proved to be an appropriately dramatic and surprising way to introduce the sinister character of Revenant. But Respawn has now revealed that it wasn’t just trying to entertain the community with this bait-and-switch, it was also trying to mislead data-miners. 

In an interview with Dot Esports, Respawn Design Director, Jason McCord, revealed that the Forge forgery was the idea of designer Rayme Vinson, who was looking to “misdirect” data miners after they had leaked the character of Revenant months before Season 4 was due to begin and “ruined [their] surprise”. 

It's all in the name

“We actually purposefully leaked fake concept art and details of Forge’s kit in patches,” McCord explained, “so there would be a breadcrumb trail by the time we announced him. It’s pretty insane, really. I can’t think of any other game that has gone through such hijinks.”

It worked well, distracting data-miners and fans who began to believe that Forge, not Revenant, would be the next addition to the game. The Forge set up was so convincing that even after his death, some players thought he might come back into the game eventually. McCord shut this down, stating that Forge is “super dead”, adding that the developers didn’t actually make a model or a kit for him in the first place.

Although this move had positive results and allowed Respawn to regain the element of surprise, it came from a place of frustration. 

Apex Legends has always been subject to leaks and the developer has previously told players that data-mines are “not a source of truth”, asking them to wait for Respawn to announce real information. Shortly before leaving his role as executive producer for Apex Legends, Drew McCoy tweeted that leaks are the “absolute worst” and ruined the “insane amounts of time and energy” that the team put into creating surprises for players. 

At the very least, Respawn managed to make the best of its situation and we’re keen to see what it does next. 

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Now has dropped the price of its fibre broadband deals making it a top choice

Posted: 07 Mar 2020 04:00 AM PST

Looking to secure a new broadband deal this weekend? Thanks to a recent drop in price, Now Broadband has just catapulted itself into the upper-regions of worthwhile considerations.

On both of its fibre broadband deals, Now has sliced a couple of quid off each month leading to an overall strong discount. Of the two, the stronger proposition comes from the Fab Fibre plan, now costing just £22 a month.

That makes it one of the cheaper options around right now and for an additional £5.99, you can add TV to your package. That also makes this one of the cheapest broadband and TV deals around if you need fibre speeds.

And for people who stream, game or just social with extreme determination, Now has you sorted for even faster speeds as well. Its Super Fibre plan has also dropped down in price, giving two reduced price options.

And, while it isn't reduced in price, Now's ADSL plan is also a pretty great option. It costs just £18 a month (or £23.99 with TV). That's a great price as long as you don't need access to fibre speeds.

Now Broadband and TV deals in full:

What do I get if I upgrade to get TV as well?

Decided you want to add TV on top of your internet? Then you'll be getting Sky's Entertainment Pass. This is all about boxsets - 300 of them to be exact. With a host of award winning shows including Bob's Burgers, Modern Family, Parks and Recreations and True Blood, you will stay entertained for quite a while.

The pass brings in the latest shows from channels like Sky Atlantic, Sky One, Comedy Central, Vice and Nat Geo Wild.

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Get an early peak at the Adidas insoles powered by Google Jacquard

Posted: 07 Mar 2020 03:30 AM PST

One jacket down the line, Google is reviving the smart wearable initiative known as Project Jacquard, this time with insoles developed by Adidas – and leaked pictures reveal most of what we can expect from them.

According to Footy Headlines, the "Adidas GMR insoles" (the "GMR" means "gamer", apparently) will slot into your soccer boots and keep tabs on your touch, control, speed and kicking performance, all courtesy of a Google Jacquard chip.

The site was able to get a pair of the insoles in advance, and confirmed that they'll work with an app available for both Android and iOS. You can even link up your performance to the FIFA Mobile Ultimate Team game.

Google itself teased the product on social media earlier this week, with the help of Juventus star Paulo Dybala, so there's not too much left to reveal at the official launch. That's scheduled for Tuesday, March 10.

The Jacquard tag itself is no secret, having previously been used as a way of controlling a phone with swipes and gestures over Bluetooth. Whether this new insole tag adds anything to the mix isn't yet clear.

This comes from the Google Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP) group, tasked with working on more unusual and innovative projects. You might remember Google ATAP was responsible for the Project Ara modular phone.

As for the Jacquard-enabled Levi's jacket previously launched by Google ATAP, it had features such as a way of controlling your phone through the material, and warning you if you left your handset behind.

For all the details on how the Adidas GMR insoles might be able to improve your soccer performance and return a pile of stats after every game, check back on Tuesday.

Via 9to5Google

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E3 2020 is on a knife-edge right now – and it could end the gaming show for good

Posted: 07 Mar 2020 03:00 AM PST

There’s a lot of concerned chatter around E3 2020 right now. As the biggest gaming event of the year, it’s carried a torch for the continued importance of live, in-person gatherings of those in and out of the gaming industry looking to announce, hype, and celebrate everything new and incoming in the world of video games.

E3 is the place that saw Sony first unveil the PS1 to the world in 1995 – the expo’s first iteration. It’s where Nintendo unveiled the Wii U, Sony showed off the PSP Go and PS Vita, and Microsoft announced the Xbox Series X (known then as Xbox Project Scarlett). Not to mention the hundreds of games that have been pushed into E3’s spotlight over the past 25 years, with all of the exposure, criticism, and wonder that entails.

The particular form of the show has certainly changed over the years, with a growing focus on public attendees, fans and influencers rather than the exclusive trade focus of earlier times. Online fandom is increasingly a crucial tool in the marketing and sustained interest in both new games and consoles, and E3 organizers would have been foolish not to respond to this in the digital age.

But the combination of online threats, and medical concerns – given the closure of GDC 2020 (Game Developers Conference) and MWC 2020 (Mobile World Congress) in response to coronavirus health concerns could spell the end for E3 as we know it. Here’s why.

E3 has helped to drive interest around games like Cyberpunk 2077 – but its role may be shrinking.

Don’t gather in confined spaces, please

The closure of such high-profile gaming and technology events makes a lot of sense given official health guidance around the COVID-19 outbreak that began in Wuhan, China – before spreading to multiple countries around the world.

Respiratory illnesses pass on very easily in confined, urban environments, just as the common cold or flu spreads on public transports or in workspaces.

No-one wants to be responsible for a virus outbreak gaining hold in new areas, which means organizers behind these events face a lot of pressure to minimize or prevent tens of thousands of people – from an international audience – flying in and out of a conference center over the course of a few days.

Given today’s online architecture, there are far more opportunities for remote working, VC meetings, and the like – but things get trickier when it comes to a live show tied to a physical location like E3.

E3 is hosted every June in Los Angeles – and while it hasn’t been canceled so far, the city itself has declared a state of emergency over the coronavirus outbreak, after its first confirmed death from the illness in the city (via LA Times).

Previous event cancellations have started off with big-name attendees pulling out of the show, though for much more imminent events. With E3 2020 still months away, we may not know for sure until closer to the time.

Things weren’t looking rosy anyway

E3 has been having an existential year, anyhow. Sony had been widely expected to attend E3 2020, in order to drive up interest around its PS5 console, after skipping out on the show last year. 

But, amid apparent disagreements between Sony and the ESA, it looks like the console maker will be doing its own launches, announcements, and trailers itself. When Sony has its series of State of Play live streams to share information (and excitement) with its fans, why attend E3 at all?

Things have been moving in this direction for a while now, with Nintendo – while still in attendance – opting out of a keynote in favor of its own online video announcements. E3 Coliseum host Geoff Keighley has also opted out of the show this year, for unclear reasons.

That's not to mention the dropout of iam8bit, a creative merchandising company that had apparently been acting as a creative director for this year's show. Whatever's happening behind doors, it isn't good – and even key figures running the event appear to be losing faith in it.

E3 2020: is this the end?

E3 2020 could face cancellation due to health concerns – after all, how would you practically ensure the medical safety of your attendees? Lines of hand-sanitizers, and on-site workers wiping down controllers every few minutes, doesn’t exactly sound like the most thrilling expo experience – especially if the whole site ended up being quarantined.

Once publishers and developers have had to offer an online alternative to the event, it’s not certain that they’d feel the need to go back, especially if months of planning in 2020 was unceremoniously undone by the show’s cancellation. Why gear up for the disappointment again?

The ESA could always pivot to an online or pre-recorded version of the event, which would see E3 continue in a limited form, but when the biggest names in gaming – Sony and Nintendo among them – are hosting their own live streams, it’s already hard to seem like a necessary middle man for developers who can upload their own YouTube videos by themselves.

2020 seems like a turning point for these kinds of expos, but particularly E3, given the melting pot of illness, behind-the-scenes disagreements, and online distribution channels threatening its survival. And the status of E3 2020 could be decided any day now. We’ll keep you informed either way.

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Nvidia GeForce Now loses 2K Games, so you can forget streaming Borderlands

Posted: 07 Mar 2020 01:55 AM PST

Nvidia’s GeForce Now looks to be in serious bother as another major publisher has pulled its games library from the streaming service – in this latest case, it’s 2K Games.

That means you can no longer play the likes of the Borderlands franchise, Bioshock, Civilization, Mafia, X-Com and other big-name games on Nvidia’s servers.

Nvidia announced in a forum post: “Per publisher request, please be advised 2K Games titles will be removed from GeForce Now today. We are working with 2K Games to re-enable their games in the future.”

Activision Blizzard and Bethesda have both already exited GeForce Now in similar fashion after the service left beta and officially launched, with Nvidia stating much the same thing – that it will be trying to renegotiate to get the games back on board, further down the line.

With what seems to be a rush to the door for major publishers now, all the online speculation is about which firm might be next, and the name popping up most often is Ubisoft.

Messy launch

Yet another high-profile exit will look very bad for Nvidia, and arguably could feel like the final nail in the coffin. Unless Nvidia can swiftly produce some more positive news about pulling off a deal – or deals – to get these publishers and games back.

That could be a complex issue, though, in terms of the legality of supporting games on a streaming service – even when the player actually already owns the title in question (which is how GeForce Now works: you must have bought the game already, and you’re effectively renting Nvidia’s server to remotely play it).

Whatever’s going on behind the scenes, it appears that Nvidia has made a bit of a mess of early negotiations, certainly in the case of Activision Blizzard, where Nvidia seems to have been guilty of a major oversight as we’ve previously reported.

We’ve also heard about indie developers being rather shocked to find their games on GeForce Now, when they’ve not been approached by Nvidia about permission for those titles being supported. Leading to games like The Long Dark being pulled…

At this point, things are starting to look shaky indeed, with an increasing amount of disgruntled folks out there who simply can’t play the games they want to enjoy on Nvidia’s service any longer. And that’s a particularly big problem when the gamer in question bought the title specifically to play on GeForce Now, because their machine isn’t actually powerful enough to run it otherwise.

Via PC Gamer

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These SIM-free Google Pixel 4 deals now come with £150 in cashback

Posted: 07 Mar 2020 01:30 AM PST

When the Google Pixel 4 launched, it hit with a price tag a fair bit higher than we were expecting. But luckily, there's now a way to quite drastically reduce that cost...for a limited time.

On a host of SIM-free Google Pixel 4 deals across a range of retailers, Google is offering up a pretty hefty £150 in cashback. That means you can currently knock the Pixel 4's RRP down from £699 to just £519.

Go for the larger Google Pixel 4 XL and it's a similar situation. The RRP stands at £829 but once you've purchased it, you will receive cashback to bring the cost down to just £679.

While this cashback is available from a few retailers, John Lewis feels like the best place to go. On top of the cashback available, you can also get a two year guarantee on your device.

There is an end date set for this cashback promotion but there is no need to madly rush. It comes to and on March 31, giving you the entirety of March to grab it.

These Google Pixel 4 and 4 XL deals in full:

How to claim your cashback from Google:

Once you've bought your new handset, getting that cashback is pretty easy. Simply head to the Google site and click claim now. You'll then be asked to upload a digital copy of your proof of purchase and then Google will confirm these details and send the cashback.

The Google Pixel 4 offers a number of innovative features and major upgrades. It's the first phone to fully implement motion sense features, allowing you to use the phone with gestures.

The processor has gotten a major upgrade, finally bringing the Pixel range up to competitive standards of RAM, and the OLED screen has seen major improvements, now capable of 90HZ refresh rates and offering ambient EQ technology that lets you adjust the screen to your environment.

Read our full Google Pixel 4 review and Pixel 4 XL review

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Tesco Clubcard security issue - what to do if you're affected

Posted: 07 Mar 2020 01:13 AM PST

Tesco has announced it will be sending out new cards to 600,000 members of its Clubcard loyalty scheme after discovering a significant compromise.

The supermarket chain said attackers attempted to gain access to Clubcard accounts using a database of credentials stolen from other platforms.

Tesco says all Clubcard members potentially affected by the incident have been informed via email.

Although the hackers were thought to have had some success, no financial information was exposed in the incident and Tesco’s systems have not been attacked, the company added.

Fraudulent activity

Tesco’s loyalty scheme offers members one point for every pound spent, and every 100 points earned is worth £1 in in-store credit.

Although attackers gained access to the credit accrued by some account holders, Tesco said no Clubcard points will be lost and new vouchers will be issued.

Members set to receive new Clubcards as a result of the incident can continue to collect points online and in-store using their existing cards.

“We are aware of some fraudulent activity around the redemption of a small proportion of our customers' Clubcard vouchers,” said a Tesco spokesperson.

“Our internal systems picked this up quickly and we immediately took steps to protect our customers and restrict access to their accounts.”

According to Chris Miller, Regional Director UK&I at RSA Security, incidents of this kind are exacerbated by users’ reliance on identical log-ins for multiple platforms.

“Authentication continues to be a balancing act between security and convenience and organisations must continue to look for convenient yet secure ways to make access as easy as possible for the user,” he told TechRadar Pro.

“From the end-user's perspective, it is really important not to use the same password for multiple accounts...After all, if attackers have tried to log into Tesco Clubcard with stolen credentials, in all likelihood they'll be trying the credentials on other sites too.”

Tesco has advised Clubcard members to get in contact on 0800 591 688 with any additional queries related to the incident.

Via BBC

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Best laptop for writers in 2020: the 10 best laptops for authors and journalists

Posted: 06 Mar 2020 11:52 PM PST

Not every notebook can be the best laptop for writers. Much like photographers, 3D designers and video editors, writers have specific needs when it comes to their main writing tool, even if it seems to outsiders that all they need are Microsoft Word and a working keyboard.

If you’re spending hours typing, for example, having a functional keyboard just isn’t enough. You’ll need one that’s extremely reliable and accurate, comfortable to use, and has a satisfying bounce and tactile feedback. In fact, you’ll need one of the best keyboards on a laptop, if you hope to type on it for eight hours straight without fatiguing. You’ll also need one with an excellent display, one that lets you see things when you’re outdoors and isn’t eye-straining even when you’re indoors. And ideally, the best laptops for writers are sleek and compact, because you never know when or where inspiration will strike.

With these considerations in mind, we found all the best laptops for writers 2020 has to offer. So you’ll spend less time scouring the computing market yourself, and more time writing.

Best laptops for writers at a glance

  1. Google Pixelbook Go
  2. HP Spectre x360 (2020)
  3. Asus Chromebook Flip
  4. Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 (2019)
  5. Surface Laptop 2
  6. Asus VivoBook S15 (S532F)
  7. MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019)
  8. Acer Switch 3
  9. Acer Chromebook R11
  10. Surface Pro 7

Google Pixelbook Go

Google Pixelbook Go may not be the most powerful Google Chromebook – that title belongs to Google Pixelbook. However, it’s still plenty powerful without the premium price. It also has a few things going for it beyond the specs. Its battery life, for instance, a little over 11 hours so you can write for ten hours and still have enough juice left for unwinding with a good Netflix show. It also boasts an incredible keyboard, perfect for long hours of typing, and that rare 1080p webcam so you come out sharp as tack when video conferencing with clients. There’s a couple of useful features that Microsoft may have sacrificed for the price, but overall, this is an excellent laptop for writers.

Read the full review: Google Pixelbook Go

HP Spectre x360 (2020)

With its stunning, gem-cut chassis that truly separates it from the best laptops out there, the HP Spectre x360 (2020) is without a doubt one of the most stunning laptops today. But, it’s more than just looks. This is one of the top contenders out there, if you’re looking to switch over to Windows, thanks to the powerful internals that make it great for multitasking. That 2-in-1 design and touchscreen display also make this laptop primed for any entertainment needs post- or in between writing sessions. Last but not least, that excellent keyboard will let you type up those articles or your great American novel for hours without fatiguing. It helps too that it’s got many of the ports you’ll need to connect your other devices.

Read the full review: HP Spectre x360 (2020)  

Asus Chromebook Flip

Before Google rolled out the Pixelbook, and showed us exactly what the best Chromebooks should be, the Asus Chromebook Flip was the Google laptop a lot of Google laptops aspired to be. With a full Intel Core processor and a full-HD display, the Asus Chromebook Flip was certainly a game-changer. These days, in the shadow of Google Pixelbook, the Asus Chromebook Flip is the best Chromebook for you if you want the Pixelbook’s key features, but cannot afford its steep price. If you're on a budget, this is one of the best Asus laptops to consider.

Read the full review: Asus Chromebook Flip  

Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 (2019)


You’ll be hard-pressed to find fault in the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 (2019). Design-wise, not only is it incredibly compact and lightweight, but it also boasts that gorgeous responsive display, stunning woven design and delightful to use keyboard. But, it’s more than just looks. It’s pretty impressive as well when it comes to performance, thanks to its 10th-generation Intel Core processors and Intel Iris Plus graphics. If you’re looking for the best 2-in-1 with more than enough power, a lot of versatility and a stunning design to boot, you’ll be crazy not to get this.

Read the full review: Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 (2019) 

Surface Laptop 2


Even in the face of the best touchscreen laptops, sometimes you just want a powerful, traditional laptop that feels great to type on. And, while the Surface Laptop 2 does, in fact, have a touchscreen, everything else about it is the culmination of all the best laptops for writers. The keyboard is tactile and comfy, the screen is the perfect size and resolution, and it’s got plenty of power for all the Chrome tabs you’ll have open while researching. One of the only things that holds it back is the lack of Thunderbolt 3, but with everything else this laptop does right, it’s easy to see why it’s one of the best laptops for writers.

Read the full review: Surface Laptop 2

Asus VivoBook S15

If screen size matters, and you need lots of it without having to lug around a heavy laptop, then the Asus VivoBook S15 (S532F) is all you need. This laptop weighs just 1.8 kg (3.96 lbs) – that’s lighter than the MacBook Pro 16-inch. If you need power, it’s equipped with 10th-generation Intel Core processors and Intel UHD 620 graphics. Plus, its 15.6-inch screen is bright and vibrant, taking care of all your post-work entertainment needs. The best part is that it won’t cost you a fortune. There are some compromises you have to put up with here: the screen is only 1080p and the battery life is average. But, overall, this one’s an ace.

Read the full review: Asus VivoBook S15 

MacBook Pro 13-inch (2019)

While not the most powerful MacBook Pro out there, the MacBook Pro 13-inch is the most portable option, which makes it a great traveling companion for digital nomads and traveling writers. That’s especially considering that MacBook Pros are known for their hefty build – these will survive hard knocks and falls like only the sturdiest laptops can. Sure, that 8th-generation Intel Core processor might be aging at this point, but it’s still more than enough power for writers. And, that Intel Iris Plus graphics card will certainly get you through light photo editing. If you’re invested in the macOS and don’t want to go big, pick this one up.

Read the full review: MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019)

Acer Switch 3


If you have your eyes on a Surface Pro, but you don’t want to spend that much money, the Acer Switch 3 is definitely up your alley. It’s designed around the same basic concept as the Surface Pro and it’s only a little less capable. However, for most tasks, especially if you’re a writer, it’s a brilliant little machine. What’s more, to add further value, this 2-in-1 laptop/tablet comes with the keyboard upgrade which means little extras to pay for. As usual, it comes in several different versions, with USB Type-C, 8GB RAM, an IPS display and an Intel Core i3-7100U processor coming with the more expensive option. 

Read the full review: Acer Switch 3
See more like this: The best 2-in-1 laptops 2017 

  • This product is only available in the US and UK at the time of this writing. Australian readers: Check out a fine alternative in the Microsoft Surface Go.

Acer Chromebook R11


The Acer Chromebook R11 is probably the best cheap laptop around at the moment, and it's a great laptop for wirters. Like the Acer Chromebook Flip higher up this page, this laptop runs Chrome OS so does away with all the overheads that Windows brings. Consequently it's able to run nice and fast on less powerful components, which means a very cheap price! Its touchscreen is decent, though it's only HD, and it will flip to become a tablet too. What's more, it'll run practically all day thanks to its excellent battery life. So if you're looking for a capable but very cheap laptop that you can whip out and begin writing on, then this one is your best bet.

Read the full review: Acer Chromebook R11
See more like this: The best Chromebooks 2017 

Surface Pro 7

If you’re wondering what a tablet’s doing in a laptop list, then let us assure you: the Microsoft Surface Pro 7 is among the most powerful tablets out there. Just take a look at its specs – this tablet boasts 10th-generation Intel Core processors and the best integrated GPUs on the market. Microsoft then pairs that sheer tablet power with its Type Cover’s keyboard that’s bouncier and has deeper travel as well as touchpad that’s smooth and responsive. And, if those aren’t enough to convince you, it also has a USB-C port and Wifi 6 support. It’s a worthy contender for writers who want to stay very mobile and still have a reliable laptop.

Read our full review: Surface Pro 7 

  • Want more choices? Check out our list of the best laptops
  • Bill Thomas has also contributed to this article

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24 hours with the Samsung Galaxy S20: what we’ve learned from day one

Posted: 06 Mar 2020 10:00 PM PST

The Samsung Galaxy S20 is one of the most anticipated phones of the year, and it's now on sale in the US (other territories, including the UK, are set to get the phone on March 13). 

We’ve been spending some quality time with our very own Galaxy S20 for a little over a day now. We’re in the process of putting together our full review – we hope to have that with you at some stage next week – but for now, we wanted to share some of our initial thoughts on the latest Galaxy flagship.

It’s very difficult to get a clear picture of how good a phone is in just a day – hence why our reviews often take around a week to complete – but we can give you a few pointers on what to expect if you’re planning to pick up the Galaxy S20.

1. It’s far easier to handle than the Galaxy S20 Ultra 

Samsung Galaxy S20

If you're looking for a phone that's easy to handle, the Galaxy S20 is the best option of Samsung's three new handsets.

Looking at the stats on paper, this won’t come as a major surprise, but the Galaxy S20 is a relatively small device compared to the S20 Plus or S20 Ultra. We’ve just swapped after spending a few days using the Galaxy S20 Ultra, and the Galaxy S20 is noticeably easier to use in one hand.

It’s far lighter – the S20 is 163 grams, while the S20 Ultra was one of the heaviest phones we’ve ever used at 222 grams – and that obviously makes it easier to hold, while its size means we're able to comfortably hold it in one hand.

Of course, most people won't be coming to the S20 from a handset with a huge 6.9-inch display (that’s what the Ultra is sporting), but we’re finding this phone far easier to handle – and it doesn’t weigh down our trousers anywhere near as much as the Ultra did.

2.  You probably won't miss a 100x zoom

The zoom capabilities of the standard Galaxy S20's camera are probably going to be enough for most people.

One of the S20 Ultra’s big selling points is a 100x zoom that's mind-boggling when you first use it. We've written extensively about the feature here, but while it's certainly a groundbreaking feature we've found it to be of limited value in everyday use.

The S20 only goes up to a 30x zoom, but that in itself is quite remarkable. In our brief time testing the feature, we’ve been impressed with the quality you’re able to get. Here's our main example to show you:

So, while you won’t get anything as groundbreaking as 100x zoom, if you’ve not had a phone with 30x zoom on it in the past you’re sure to be satisfied with the sort of results you can see above.

3.  The selfie punch-hole is tiny 

Samsung Galaxy S20

The Galaxy S10 had one of the smallest punch-hole selfie cameras in the business back when it launched in 2019, but the Galaxy S20 beats it with an even smaller aperture.

The selfie camera on the S20 is very similar to the one on the Galaxy S10, but the punch-hole itself has been shrunk down significantly, to the point where we haven't really noticed it while using the phone.

That’s particularly surprising as Samsung has decided to move the selfie shooter to the center of the top edge of the display, rather than putting it in the top-right corner like it was on the Galaxy S10.


if you're looking for a segue, maybe 'something else worth mentioning here is that…'

4. We don’t miss the Bixby button 

Samsung Galaxy S20

The Bixby button was dropped for the Galaxy Note 10 phones, but this is the first Galaxy S phone for a couple of generations that hasn’t had a dedicated hardware button for summoning the Samsung voice assistant.

We haven’t been given a specific reason why Samsung has dropped the Bixby button from its devices, but if you’re swapping from a Galaxy S8, Galaxy S9 or Galaxy S10 device it’s likely to be a relief that you'll no longer accidentally hit it when trying to change the volume on your phone.

That's something we used to find happened fairly regularly – and the button also looked quite similar to the power button, so it was easy to accidentally launch Bixby instead of waking the phone's screen.

5.  120Hz is our go-to settings change… so far 

Samsung Galaxy S20

A high display refresh rate is one of the go-to upgrades for a lot of phone manufacturers in 2020. It essentially means you can enjoy a smoother experience when playing games, and even just when scrolling your Twitter feed.

It’s likely that your current phone has a 60Hz refresh rate, but some devices are upping this to 90Hz or 120Hz tech. The Galaxy S20 has a 120Hz screen, but strangely the company hasn't enabled the feature by default – you'll need to change it in the display settings.

We imagine that's because a faster refresh rate generally drains the battery faster, and Samsung doesn't want you to experience less-than-satisfactory-life unless you particularly want to take advantage of the feature.

We did take advantage of it though – it was one of the first changes we made when we took the phone out of the box, as it offers a significantly better experience when gaming, as well as when scrolling social media feeds or articles.

It’s a feature we’ve grown used to on other top-end devices, like the OnePlus 7T Pro, and it’s something we think works really well on the Galaxy S20 – whether it significantly impacts battery life is a question we'll answer in our full review, as well as sharing more findings from our in-depth testing process.

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This absurdly cheap wooden PC comes with a rather big flaw

Posted: 06 Mar 2020 08:10 PM PST

Meet the Acute Angle AA B4 Mini PC, currently on sale at Gearbest for a measly $135.99 (roughly £100/AU$200), without any coupon needed.

This one-of-a-kind computer (review here) is made of wood and is triangular in shape, making it an almost perfect choice for anyone after a PC that wouldn’t look out of place in a posh lounge or next to a hotel POS.

Its specification isn't too shabby either: 8GB of memory (you’d usually be lucky to get half that at this price), 192GB of onboard storage (64GB eMMC and 128GB SSD), an Intel Celeron N3450 CPU and plenty of ports to connect your peripherals, as well as 802.11ac Wi-Fi.

We do have some qualms with the machine; the OS would be better loaded on the SSD rather than on the eMMC storage and we’d prefer a fanless design. The device is also said to behave strangely with Linux distributions.

You might also be wondering why it's so cheap? Well, this is an end-of-life product whose creators had the lofty ambition of using it to mine cryptocurrency. This plan didn’t work out, so remaining stock is being flogged at near cost price.

The attractive triangular shell distracts from one particularly nasty flaw: there are reports some units run a piece of software that points to a node in the now defunct cryptocurrency project.

Note, while Gearbest ships globally, you may have to pay additional tax depending on your location.

  • Don’t forget to use one of the best cloud storage providers to back up your data securely

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SXSW 2020 canceled over coronavirus concerns

Posted: 06 Mar 2020 02:59 PM PST

The media, culture, and tech showcase SXSW 2020 has been canceled due to coronavirus concerns, making it the latest major event this year to shut down rather than risk spreading infection.

The city of Austin pulled the plug on SXSW, according to a blog post on the event’s site, which clarifies who made the final call with some curious language: 

“As recently as Wednesday, Austin Public Health stated that 'there’s no evidence that closing SXSW or any other gatherings will make the community safer.' However, this situation evolved rapidly, and we honor and respect the City of Austin’s decision.”

Instead, SXSW will try to hold the show online. “We are exploring options to reschedule the event and are working to provide a virtual SXSW online experience as soon as possible for 2020 participants, starting with SXSW EDU,” the blog post noted.

This is becoming a more realistic alternative: when GTC 2020 was canceled, the event organizers announced they’d be pivoting the show online. LIkewise, Google IO 2020 was proactively canceled far ahead of its May 12 launch date, but it’s possible the tech giant will have a ‘virtual’ conference instead: “Over the coming weeks, we will explore other ways to evolve Google I/O to best connect with our developer community,” reads the official cancellation notice.

Whether that works for a multimedia show with live performances and a strong local music contingent is another story. Worse will be the effect on Austin itself.

SXSW might go virtual, but it won't help local businesses

While every host city is surely feeling the lost income from hosting such international draws, Austin is a smaller US city, and SXSW pulls in plenty of business for local restaurants, bars, hotels, and gig economy workers. 

With SXSW canceled, the lost revenue for all the shows shut down over coronavirus concerns just topped $1 billion, per Vox, a number that encompasses local, travel, and hospitality exchanges. MWC 2020 was the first to get shuttered back in February after several big exhibitors pulled out, a pattern repeated for GTC 2020, GDC 2020, Facebook F8, and Google IO 2020, among others. 

While this is shaping up to be a year without public events, there’s still potential to pivot to virtual events - but the loss to local economies, not to mention in-person meetings and arrangements, will surely keep piling up. 

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