Sunday, April 19, 2020

Apple : Best TED Talks: 10 inspirational speeches you absolutely have to hear

Apple : Best TED Talks: 10 inspirational speeches you absolutely have to hear

Best TED Talks: 10 inspirational speeches you absolutely have to hear

Posted: 19 Apr 2020 12:00 PM PDT

The best TED Talks make you think, leave you inspired and, very often, make you laugh as well. We've been watching Ted Talks evolve and grow over the last 15 years and have come to treasure the nuggets of wisdom they impart. 

But if you're just discovering Ted Talks for the first time - or feel like you've missed a bunch throughout the years - we want to help you dive head-first into the heady lecture series with a round-up of our absolute favorites: What you'll find below is a collection of personal picks from the TechRadar team that we feel best exemplify what a Ted Talk can be. 

Not seeing one of your favorite talks below? Drop me an email and I'll try to add it to the list.

How to gain control of your free time by Laura Vanderkam 

There’s a certain irony in watching a YouTube video on how to save time, but Laura Vanderkam’s talk is worth the 10 minutes of your life. It’s all built on the basic idea that shaving 5 minutes here and there from your favorite activities isn’t really going to give you more control of your life - rather, you need to set priorities for yourself and then build a schedule around those priorities. 

The hilarious example Vanderkam offers is that, instead of skipping commercials to save eight minutes of every half hour of TV you watch, maybe you could just watch a little less TV and do something else with your time. The message is simple, effective and engaging, all the hallmarks of a good TED Talk.

What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness by Robert Waldinger 

“Good relationships keep us healthier and happier. Period.” That’s the results of a landmark study of happiness conducted by more than four generations of researchers over the last 75 years, tracking hundreds of participants and measuring every facet of their lives. 

This Ted Talk takes awhile to get to the juicy details but the story of this preternatural study on happiness illustrates the lengths the researchers have gone through to get this invaluable data that shows us what makes people happy at the end of their lives. The results sound simple - almost infuriatingly so - but the lesson here is that anyone can be happy with the right relationships in their lives. 

The game that can give you 10 extra years of life by Jane McGonigal 

Gamers, it turns out, are pretty awesome. They’re committed to saving virtual worlds and with the right skills and focus they might be able to save the physical world, too. McGonigal, a game developer and author, has spent years creating different apps and games that use in-game rewards to push players to solve real world problems. 

The talk, which is a bit long at 20 minutes, walks the audience through her previous experiences creating these games and the research data that she uses to get gamers engaged before diving into Superbetter, the app she developed to make everyone who plays it live better, fuller lives.  

 The art of asking by Amanda Palmer 

Former busker-turned-successful-musician Amanda Palmer has a key lesson for everyone: don’t be afraid to ask. Society puts an inherent shame on those who ask - whether that’s for financial help or security, emotional help or even basic requests like where to find something - when, in fact, asking for help is one of the best things we can do. Asking, Palmer says, is inherently human and powerful, it allows us to create connections and leverage those connections to do more. That was evident when she wanted to crowdfund her band’s next CD, asking for $100,000, and raising over a million dollars instead. 

The point here is that next time you look down on someone asking, instead view them with compassion and make a connection - because in the long run that’s more powerful, more effective and, well, more human.  

The first 20 hours -- how to learn anything by Josh Kaufman 

Have you ever heard the old adage about needing to spend 10,000 hours to learn a skill? Good news, it's wrong. As it turns out, the research that factoid is taken from was studying experts in their respective fields, and not, say, the average trombonist. 

In this talk, new father Josh Kaufman walks us through how long it actually takes to learn a skill - which, incidentally, is only around 20 hours. Now sure, 20 hours of practice isn't going to make you the next Bobby Fischer, but it will be enough time to teach you the basics and, most importantly, how to auto-correct yourself when you've done something amiss. If you've ever felt like the ship has sailed on learning a new language, playing an instrument or learning a new skill, this talk is for you.

Everything you think you know about addiction is wrong by Johann Hari 

Journalist and author Johann Hari (Lost Connections, Chasing the Scream) offers a wide-ranging look at addiction in this 14-minute talk, whether that’s addiction to hard drugs, alcohol, or the endlessly-updating feeds on our smartphones.

We tend to think of addiction as a problem caused by the substance itself. We say that phones are addictive, or heroin is addictive – but Hari makes a case for a more nuanced understanding, one that sees how social circumstance affects our propensity for addiction, and the difference that strong bonds to those around us can make.

The power of vulnerability by Brené Brown 

With over 47 million views, Brené Brown’s Ted Talk on the power of vulnerability is one of the most watched Ted Talks of all time, and for good reason. 

In this 20-minute presentation, Brown shares what she’s learnt about the nature of shame, and how our fear of vulnerability prevents us from being able to fully embrace ourselves. As a researcher trained to “control and predict” phenomena, she shares her difficulty accepting the idea that to live fully is to stop attempting to “control and predict” at all.

An incredibly powerful talk that shows you – rather than just telling you – what it means to be vulnerable, and explores what a world that embraces vulnerability might look like.

Meeting the Enemy: A feminist comes to terms with the Men’s Rights movement by Cassie Jaye 

What filmmaker Cassie Jaye does here that’s so special is that she walks us through an immense period of growth in her life thought-by-thought. At one point a stringent feminist, Jaye began a documentary about the Men’s Rights movement that asks for the acknowledgement of certain, specific issues that men face - a movement she thought ran counter to the central points of feminism. 

What she learned in over a hundred hours of interviews with men’s rights activists is that these men didn’t want fewer rights for women, but some of the same care and devotion to some of the issues impacting men like veteran care, suicide, disproportionate parental control, length of prison sentences and others that do well and truly impact the life of men. The evolution of Jaye’s thoughts and the admission of her own preconceived notions is enthralling from beginning to end. 

How I climbed a 3,000-foot vertical cliff without ropes by Alex Honnold 

If you don’t have time for the excellent - but nearly two-hour - documentary Free Solo, check out this 10-minute Ted Talk by legendary rock-climber Alex Honnold who did something many thought to be impossible - or at least incredibly dangerous - when he climbed El Capitan, a sheer rock face in Yosemite National Park without ropes. 

Honnold’s Ted Talk gives a great overview of the climb, as well as his previous experiences leading up to it. Listening to Honnold describe certain parts of the trek are legitimately sweat-inducing and his experiences post-climb are both hilarious and heart-warming. It’s well-worth the watch. 

This is what happens when you reply to spam email by James Veitch 

Not all Ted Talks have to be heady ventures to the core of who we are. They can, in fact, just be funny and lighthearted, too. There’s no better example of these kinds of talks than the ones given by James Veitch (yes there’s more than one) wherein he takes annoying-but-easily-ignorable situations like unsubscribing from an email chain and turn them into absurdly funny matches of verbal wit between two utterly committed individuals. If you need a laugh after all this profound introspection, Veitch’s talks are the best bet. 

BONUS: Bobby McFerrin Demonstrates the Power of the Pentatonic Scale 

OK, while this one technically isn’t a Ted Talk, it has the spirit of one and includes Bobby McFerrin, which really just sells itself. 

Just try not to sing along, it's impossible not to.

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Why Crysis Remastered is needed, even if the original still looks so good

Posted: 19 Apr 2020 10:00 AM PDT

Crysis originally hit the market back on November 13, 2007, just about a year after the notorious Windows Vista plagued PCs around the world. The game still looks gorgeous after all these years, managing to look like it belongs in this console generation. But it still needs to be remastered. Badly. Luckily Crysis Remastered is on the way.

For anyone that doesn't know, Crysis was essentially the spiritual successor to the original Far Cry, after Ubisoft bought the rights to the franchise. When Crysis came out, it was notorious for being extremely difficult to run. The game wasn't just demanding for the sake of it, though. The game looks leagues better than anything that came out at the same time – Crysis released about two months after Halo 3 on Xbox 360. 

To this day, whenever I get a new graphics card for my personal use, I go through all three Crysis games just to see how much better the GPU is than my last – in addition to other graphical heavyweights like the Metro and Witcher series. 

However, over the last five or so years, or basically since Windows 10 hit the market, this has become a lot harder to do, as Crysis doesn't play nice with a 64-bit operating system. 

Tell me this doesn't look at least a little like a current-generation game

Jumping OS hurdles 

When I first saw that Crysis Remastered was basically confirmed by a leaked website (before being officially announced just an hour later), I immediately jumped up and installed the original game on my PC.

I realized that, well, it doesn't work right out of the gate. To begin with, the game installs the GameSpy client – a service that died off back in 2013 – which immediately crashes every time it tried to launch because... of course it does. The game requires the files to be there, though, so removing the dead client is a no go. 

Because I have a bad memory – I went through this whole process a few years ago – I thought my Ultrawide monitor desktop resolution was causing Crysis to crash every time I tried launching it – as that has caused issues with other titles. I'm lucky enough to have access to a ton of hardware, so I just moved to my test bench, which is attached to a 16:9 4K monitor to see if that would solve things. 

It didn't. PC gaming!

I then tried to set launch options in Steam to get the game to run in DirectX 9 mode, rather than the default DirectX 10. That didn't work either. Going to the forums next, I saw some people suggest trying compatibility mode for Windows XP and Vista, and neither of those worked.

Finally, I stumbled on a YouTube video that walked me through an incredibly convoluted process that involved downloading Crysis Warhead – the short spinoff title launched in 2008 – and moving folders between the two. That finally did it. Kind of. 

That got the game to launch, but after the ridiculous intro cutscene I was greeted with a black screen that wouldn't go away. I had to hit the '~' key to open up the control console and type in "con_restricted 0", hit Enter, then type "map island" and hit Enter again. That finally made the game load and let me play. 

And, after a process that took me around an hour and a half to get through, I'm finally able to play Crysis. And even after all of that, running the game on modern hardware remains a buggy experience, with visual glitches in all the cutscenes and the game crashing every few checkpoints. 

I'm pretty happy that I get to play through this gem of a game again. But anyone who got caught up in the hype around the original Crysis and wanted to jump on it – especially if they weren't playing a lot of PC games 15 years ago – probably won't be willing to jump through all of these hoops. 


Even explosions break pieces of the environment, sending shrapnel everywhere

Crysis is still gorgeous and a blast to play

Once all the setup and bugs were sorted, I was reminded just how much I adore Crysis. Not only does it still stand up visually, which it absolutely does, but the gameplay somehow doesn't feel dated 13 years after its initial launch date. 

The way you're able to seamlessly swap between suit modes to adapt to different solutions, the way you're able to customize your weapons on the fly – this arguably ancient game somehow feels more modern than Far Cry 5. 

Crysis is still such a blast to play through that I didn't just give up after the 5th time it crashed at a checkpoint. I just kept relaunching the game and soaking up that nostalgia deep into the evening. 

That being said, there are some caveats. Don't think that just because this game is 13 years old it's suddenly easy to run. Because of the constant crashes I couldn't get my benchmark software to play nicely, but I was observing around 60-70 fps at 4K with maxed settings – on an RTX 2080 Ti, and that's with full GPU utilization. 

To put that into perspective, Doom Eternal gets 104 fps on the same graphics card with equivalent settings – and that game hit the streets just a month ago. 

I'm not sure how much harder Crysis Remastered is going to hit graphics cards. But with features like software-based ray tracing, state-of-the-art Depth of Field and other pretty-but-demanding graphics settings, don't expect Crysis Remastered to get any less demanding. 


Shadow work this good shouldn't have been possible 13 years ago – and pretty much wasn't with that generation of hardware

Why Crysis Remastered is so important

Crysis has never sold particularly well, which is probably a major reason why we haven't heard from the franchise in almost seven years. However, Crysis, and games like it, serve a valuable purpose – pushing gaming technology further. 

We've seen a couple games recently that pushed tech just as hard over the last year or so – namely Metro Exodus and Control, both of which already look like next-generation games on PC. Crysis Remastered could see Crytek reclaim its title as the studio behind the most stunning games on the market. 

Beyond that – Crysis is an excellent game and better than either of the sequels. Not a lot of people were able to jump into the game when it originally came out because of the restrictive hardware requirements. Though, I do have to admit I laughed when I saw the Intel Core 2 Duo logo pop up on the intro screen – we've come a long way. 

Crysis Remastered coming out on PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch is going to open up this classic to thousands of people who were never able to play the game themselves. 

So, I for one am looking forward to this game hitting launching in a few months. If nothing else, at least I won't have to spend an hour of my precious time trying to get the game to run on a modern operating system. Even without the shiny graphics bells and whistles being added onto the game, being able to get the new version running by just hitting the "play" button in Origin would be a huge improvement. 

Now I just have to wait. 

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Love binging Netflix? Why the LG V60 may be for you

Posted: 19 Apr 2020 08:00 AM PDT

The LG V60 is an impressive flagship smartphone that’s different from the pack for one reason: it’s got two screens. Technically the second one comes within the Dual Screen case, but considering the accessory comes free with every V60, it’s part of the experience – and transforms the handset into one of the best media-watching phones on the market.

Full disclosure: I am the kind of person to burn through entire seasons of shows watching on my phone while washing dishes, cooking dinner, or relaxing on my building’s roof. Recommending the LG V60 is for folks who similarly binge media while they wander, but I totally understand folks who can only watch on larger displays. Those folks might want to check our best tablet or best TV guides.

For the rest of us small-screen reprobates, watching media on phones is a scrappy experience: either you deal with leaning over while your handset is lying flat on a surface, or awkwardly prop it up to stand at an angle. Thanks to ever-thinner bodies and sleek glass backs, phones easily slip off their perched positions and could be in danger of falling, or worse. 

Sure, you could buy a phone case with a kickstand or a tripod, but not everyone will go to such lengths. If you don’t want to spend a dime, large power blocks for high-wattage phones or laptop chargers are usually dense enough to prop your phone against. 

But for the rest of us who just want a no-frills smartphone media-watching experience, the LG V60 is the right phone for the job. And yes, it’s more than just for the Dual Screen.

Screen real estate, battery, and multitasking

The LG V60 is a flagship smartphone, so specs-wise, it’s a capable phone that can pretty much handle what you ask of it. Basic tasks, from gaming to prolonged media binges, are no problem, and you can get plenty of episodes in with the phone’s 5,000mAh battery.

The LG V60’s FHD+ (2460 x 1080) display isn’t quite as sharp as the WQHD+ screens on the Samsung Galaxy S20 line, but that doesn’t really matter – the vast majority of content you’ll be streaming on Netflix or elsewhere don’t exceed this resolution. At 6.8 inches, the V60’s screen is more or less as big as you’ll get outside of an unfurled foldable phone or a tablet. 

In any case, you’ll probably be watching on the Dual Screen anyway, which has a display identical to the V60 – but, of course, you can pivot it up and down to your desired angle. Heck, you can even ‘tent’ the phone by rotating the Dual Screen around in a similar way to a 2-in-1 laptop. It’s not difficult to plant the phone and tilt the screen to your desired angle.

It’s not perfect – the Dual Screen has no gyroscope, so it’ll take some work to rotate the picture to its proper orientation – but the gesture controls are responsive enough to swap screens as needed. Same with the multi-screen controls, which let you dim the main screen to save battery while watching on the second display.

But another great perk of watching media on the V60: two displays means you can binge on one and browse on the other. Whether you’re swapping text messages, browsing Twitter, or playing a game, multitasking works well. 

Audio and speakers

The LG V60’s audio kit is a step above most phones. The 3.5mm jack returns – and so does the 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC, giving audiophiles more options than other flagships. There’s a pass-through port in the Dual Screen case, which should be shallow enough to accommodate most thinner cords, but you might need a 3.5mm extender for plugs that get chunky above the sleeve.

If you’re forgoing headphones, the LG V60 packs a set of stereo speakers for respectable sound. In a very unscientific test using the Apple Watch 5’s noise meter, the speakers belted 75 decibels right near the phone (which a Yale EHS chart compares to the volume of chamber music in a small auditorium) down to 55 decibels at a five-foot range. 

While the LG V60’s speaker sound doesn’t have quite the rich range as that coming from my current phone-speaker favorite, the Google Pixel 4, it’s satisfying so long as you don’t need nuanced bass notes.

Final word

We don’t imagine there’s a huge demand for the dual displays on the LG V60, but we think it’s a shame to overlook their best application – especially in our current stay-at-home environment. Binge watchers, I’m here to tell you this phone might be the best one to pick if you don’t have other priorities.

Admittedly, those might involve photography (the V60’s camera doesn’t have much zoom capability) or on-device storage (it caps at 256GB). But for everything else, including 5G connectivity, the V60 is a decent deal at $899 (around £761 / AU$1,417) to start.

  • LG V60 ThinQ: everything else we thought about LG's newest flagship phone

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iPhone SE price cut: get the all-new iPhone on sale for just $199 at Walmart

Posted: 19 Apr 2020 07:40 AM PDT

Apple's all-new budget iPhone, the iPhone SE, is available to pre-order now, and Walmart is offering a fantastic deal that brings the price down to just $199. For a limited time, you can save $200 on the iPhone SE when you activate the phone with an installment plan from AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint.

The 2020 iPhone SE packs a 4.7-inch Retina display and features Apple's A13 Bionic chip, an impressive camera system, and a 12-hour battery life. The affordable iPhone is available in three color options: black, white, and Product Red, as well as three storage configurations: 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB. 

This is one of the best deals we've seen for the iPhone SE and an incredible price for an all-new iPhone. This pre-order deal is only available online and will be in select stores starting on April 24.

See more of the best iPhone SE pre-order deals: the best prices and plans available right now

Learn more about Apple's budget phone with all you need to know on the iPhone SE 2020 release date, price, specs and more.

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OnePlus 8 series’ official Indian prices are here

Posted: 19 Apr 2020 07:33 AM PDT

The OnePlus 8 series was unveiled recently in an online affair, where the global pricing and availability was also announced. However, the prices for India were not mentioned.

The OnePlus 8 will start at Rs 41,999 for a region-exclusive 6GB + 128GB variant, Rs 44,999 for the 8GB + 128GB variant, and Rs 49,999 for the 12GB + 256GB variant. The same RAM and storage configurations are available for the OnePlus 8 Pro, which will be priced at Rs 54,999 and Rs 59,999 respectively. The Bullets Wireless Z are priced at Rs 1,999. No date for the deliveries was mentioned. We expect that information to be available in early May, once eCommerce platforms start functioning fully. Amazon.in will be the online partner.

India is OnePlus’ biggest market, where it also enjoys a majority in the premium segment. This made the omission of Indian details even more noteworthy. But considering the fact that the country is in a state of precautionary lockdown for the foreseeable future, with no availability of logistical partners, this step is understandable.

Ending our wait, OnePlus took to the Red Cable Club to finally reveal pricing details for India. Unsurprisingly, the prices are closer to their Chinese counterparts than the prices of the western markets.

OnePlus 8OnePlus 8 Pro
6GB, 128GBRs 41,999-
8GB, 128GBRs 44,999Rs 54,999
12GB, 256GBRs 49,999Rs 59,999
Colour optionsGlacial Green, Onyx Black, Interstellar GlowGlacial Green, Onyx Black, Ultramarine Blue

OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro specifications

Both the OnePlus 8 and the OnePlus 8 Pro are powered by the latest 7nm octa-core Snapdragon 865 chipset clocking at 2.84GHz coupled with Adreno 650 GPU. They also ship with X55 modem to support 5G connectivity. They come with up to 12GB RAM and 256 GB UFS 3.0 internal storage. Both run on OxygenOS based on Android 10 out of the box.

The OnePlus 8 Pro flaunts a 6.78-inch Quad HD+ Fluid AMOLED 19.8:9 display with 3,168 x 1,440  resolution. The refresh rate on the OnePlus 8 Pro is bumped up to 120Hz. The display comes with MEMC(Motion Estimation/ Motion Compensation) technology that helps to keep the motion blur in check. On the other hand, the OnePlus 8 comes with a 6.55-inch Full HD+ Fluid AMOLED 20:9 panel with 2,400 x 1,080p resolution. The refresh rate here is 90Hz. Both the handsets are protected by 3D Corning Gorilla Glass and supports HRD10+ contents.

The OnePlus 8 Pro features a quad rear camera set-up with a 48 MP Sony IMX689 primary lens with  f/1.78, OIS, and EIS along with another 48 MP Sony IMX 586 120-degree ultra-wide lens with f/2.2, followed by an 8 MP telephoto lens with f/2.44, 3x optical zoom, 30x digital zoom, and a 5 MP colour filter sensor. 

The OnePlus 8 feature features a triple rear camera set-up. A 48 MP f/1.8 Sony IMX586 primary sensor with OIS and EIS followed by a 16 MP f/2.2, 119-degree ultra-wide lens and a 2 MP f/2.4, macro camera.

Both the devices house a 16 MP punch-hole selfie shooter which is a Sony IMX471 sensor with f/2.45 aperture. 

Moving to the battery, the OnePlus 8 and the 8 Pro packs in a 4510 mAh and 4300 mAh battery respectively. While both the phones support 30W Warp Charge 30T wired fast charging, the OnePlus 8 Pro supports 30W Wireless Charging and 5W reverse wireless charging. 

Also, for the first time, the OnePlus 8 Pro comes with an IP68 rating for protection against dust and water submersion up to a meter for 30 minutes. Other features of the smartphones include an In-display fingerprint scanner, face unlock, and NFC. 

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Google Search results can now show you where to get tested for Covid-19

Posted: 19 Apr 2020 07:30 AM PDT

Google already tries to link you to as many useful online coronavirus resources as possible when you run a search related to Covid-19, but now there's a new tab on the results page – one for finding testing locations.

As The Verge points out, this is only available in the US for the time being, though it may eventually get rolled out to other regions. It partly depends on the source data that Google will be able to get access to in other countries.

If you're in the US, run a search for "Covid-19" or something related to it, and you'll see the special results page leap into action – on the left you'll see links for symptoms, preventions, treatments, and now testing too.

Follow the Testing link and you get a map of showing more than 2,000 testing locations across 43 states in the country. Note however that you may need to call ahead rather than just turn up (something which Google will remind you about).

Testing, testing

Google is also adding information from local health authorities and the CDC about testing, including details of when you need to get yourself tested and when you don't.

According to Google, only testing locations that have been cleared as okay to publish by local authorities are being shown at the moment. The number should increase over time as more centers get up and running.

As you would expect, the situation varies by location. "Covid-19 testing information comes from government agencies, public health departments, or directly from healthcare institutions," says Google in a support document.

Many other tech companies are playing their part in tackling the coronavirus outbreak. Apple has launched a Covid-19 screening tool for example, while both Apple and Google are working on track and trace technology that works on smartphones.

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Best wireless adaptors in 2020: PCIe and USB dongles for boosting Wi-Fi

Posted: 19 Apr 2020 07:13 AM PDT

The best wireless adaptors can turn pretty much any device into a Wi-Fi enabled gadget that can connect to the internet.

While many modern devices have Wi-Fi built in, some devices, such as PCs and set top boxes, only have built-in support for wired Ethernet network connections.

The best wireless adaptors make it easy to add Wi-Fi functionality, either via a USB dongle, or by slotting into the PCI slot of a PC's motherboard.

Even if your device already has Wi-Fi, like many of the best laptops do, there are good reasons to use a wireless adaptor. For example, your laptop might be using older Wi-Fi technology, which means it doesn't support newer Wi-Fi, like Wi-Fi 6 and cannot benefit from the increased speeds and coverage the newer tech offers. Plugging in a new wireless adaptor can fix that.

You may also find that the built-in Wi-Fi of your laptop isn't that good, and it often loses connection to your wireless network. Adding one the best wireless adaptors on this page will boost your Wi-Fi connection. By plugging a USB wireless adaptor into your laptop via a USB extension cable can also give you greater flexibility if you struggle to get Wi-Fi reception.

So, read on for our pick of the best USB and PCI wireless adaptors of 2020.

Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 Wi-Fi USB Adapter

Netgear is a trusted brand when it comes to networking kit, and its Nighthawk range has an enviable reputation for offering brilliant performance, so it's little surprise to find the AC1900 Wi-Fi sitting at the top of our best wireless adaptors list.

It adds blazing-fast WI-Fi to any device you plug it into, and the magnetic desktop cradle means it's an ideal adaptor for desktop PCs as well. It plugs into a free USB port, so it's easy to install, though its large size means you may worry about it sticking out of your laptop and accidentally getting snapped off.  

ASUS PCE-AC88 Wireless PCI-E Network Interface Card

If you've got a PC and want to add a Wi-Fi adaptor to your motherboard, then the Asus PCE-AC88 is the best PCI wireless adaptor money can buy right now. Its powerful antennae can pick up wireless signals with ease, and you can use the included extension cable to better position the antennae for even better reception.

The attractive design of this PCI card includes a custom heatsink to keep it running cool when in use, as well. This does make it a little bit more tricky to install than other adaptors, and the extension cable could do with being a bit longer, but overall this is a fantastic PCI wireless adaptor.

Trendnet TEW-809UB

Don't be put off by the spider-like design of the Trendnet TEW-809UB - this is one of the most powerful wireless adaptors money can buy right now. Sure, it's big and bulky, but it comes with four large antennae that can be positioned to maximise the range this adaptor can achieve.

Add support for Beamforming, and you've got a formidable USB wireless adaptor that can allow your device to access your Wi-FI network from previously unreachable locations.

If you have a new Wi-Fi 6 router, then you'll want to make sure your device is able to make use of the improved speeds and coverage the new technology offers, which is why the TP-Link Archer TX3000E is on this page. This is one of the few wireless routers that offers Wi-Fi 6 support, and plugging it into your PC's PCI slot will allow it to benefit from next-generation wireless speeds.

Again, it comes with external antennae for improving reception, and it's small enough to be easily installed in desktop PCs - even ones with very compact cases.

This handy USB wireless adaptor supports USB 3.0, and features Asus AiRadar Beamforming, and MU-MIMO via its easily-positioned antennae. While it's not the fastest wireless adaptor on this list, it is affordable and easily portable, meaning that it's a great choice for someone who does a lot of travelling.

For added value, the Asus USB-AC68 also includes a desktop cradle for use in the home or office, making it a good choice for a desktop PC as well.

Linksys WUSB6300

The Linksys WUSB6300 is a micro wireless adaptor, and it's easily the smallest one on this list. That makes it brilliantly portable, and ideal for people who like to travel. However, just because it's small, it doesn't mean it lacks features.

It supports AC1200 speeds and is dual-band. There's also MU-MIMO and Beamforming tech packed into its small body. Best of all, the asking price is almost as small as the device itself, making this a great budget choice that doesn't compromise on performance.

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Best Buy has the LG 50-inch 4K TV on sale for just $289.99

Posted: 19 Apr 2020 07:04 AM PDT

If you're looking for a cheap 4K TV deal, then you're in luck. Best Buy has the LG 50-inch smart TV on sale for just $289.99. That's a fantastic deal for a mid-size 4K TV and the best price we've seen for the Ultra-HD set. 

The budget TV features smart capabilities, so you can stream your favorite movies and TV shows all in one place with webOS. You'll enjoy a stunning picture with realistic images thanks to the quad-core processor, which improves images, action, and color. The LG TV also works with Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant and features AirPlay 2, which allows you to stream content from your TV to your iPad, iPhone, or Mac.

As we mentioned above, this is not only a fantastic deal but an incredible price for a mid-size 4K TV. If you're looking for a bigger screen size, Best Buy also has the LG 55-inch 4K TV on sale for $329.99 and the LG 65-inch on sale for $479.99.

Shop more TV offers with our list of the best cheap TV deals and sales that are happening now.

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Sennheiser Momentum wireless headphone deals offer big savings this weekend

Posted: 19 Apr 2020 06:35 AM PDT

The latest Sennheiser Momentum wireless headphone deals are offering US shoppers some mega-discounts this weekend, with up to $200 off the excellent M2 model. That means you can pick up the wireless over-ear headphones for just $199.98 at the moment, a far cry from the original $400 retail price. 

That's a stunning deal, but if you're looking for something with a little more oomph, you can also find the premium wireless noise-canceling version available for $349.98 right now - a $50 discount. That's a deal that UK punters can get behind as well, with John Lewis offering the same discount on the other side of the pond, bringing the price down to just £299.

The Sennheiser Momentum wireless headphones have long been held as best in class for their audio quality and comfortable build. Add a gorgeous, incredibly clean sound profile to a premium build with noise cancellation features, and you have yourself a pair of cans to watch. That's what makes these latest Sennheiser Momentum deals so exciting. These headphones used to come at a considerable price, so bringing that cost down means everyone can enjoy high quality audio for less.

We're running through these stunning wireless headphone deals in full below, as well as the rest of the retailers running this promotion should stock levels fall. 

Sennheiser Momentum wireless headphone deals in the US

Sennheiser Momentum wireless headphone deals in the UK

We're keeping track of all the latest wireless headphone deals, but if you've got a taste for the quiet life now, we're also bringing you the best noise-canceling headphones deals going. 

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LG G9 release date, news and leaks

Posted: 19 Apr 2020 04:29 AM PDT

The LG G9 or LG Velvet is expected to be launching in May, so we're expecting the rumors and leaks about LG's next flagship to start piling up.

There are already a few things that we've heard or suspect, all of which you'll find below, so read on for hints about the LG G9 release date, specs and features.

Plus, we’ve also come up with a list of what we want – and in some cases what we don’t want – from the LG G9, to make it a substantial improvement on the LG G8 and LG G8X.

Given MWC 2020 has been officially canceled, we're waiting on news for the next big LG flagship, as it's likely the handset would have launched during that late-February tech show – so we're curious when LG will make its move without an event to show off its new phone.

Update: LG has shown off the upcoming LG Velvet in a brand new video, which also lists the processor it'll be running.

Cut to the chase

  • What is it? The next LG flagship phone
  • When is it out? Possibly May
  • What will it cost? Its price will likely rival other high-end handsets

LG G9 release date and price

The LG G8 was announced at MWC 2019 on February 24, but a repeat performance was impossible after MWC 2020 got canceled. The latest rumors suggest that May 15 is the date when the LG Velvet will appear.

For now that’s just an educated guess, but considering LG has been ramping up the hype around the upcoming handset, we're expecting to see the phone sooner rather than later. We've got a name – the LG Velvet, not the LG G9 – and we've seen its curves shown off in an official video.

As for price, all we can do there is guess, but the LG G8 launched for $819 (around £640 / AU$1,200), so the G9 might have a similar price.

LG G9 news and rumors

The rumor mill has been relatively slow when it comes to revealing details about the LG Velvet (previously known as the LG G9), so LG has itself stepped up to the plate to reveal news about its next flagship phone.

First we got hints about a change in the naming scheme, then we saw some design sketches showing off what the new phone would look like (see below). In both name and appearance, this is going to be quite a departure from what we've seen from LG in previous years.

LG Velvet

And the official information from LG continues to drip out. It recently revealed that the name of the upcoming phone would be the LG Velvet, in a bid to put across just how nice the handset is going to be to touch (we'll reserve judgment for now).

Then we had a brief video posted to the official LG Korea channel on YouTube, which we've embedded below. You can see that the phone is shown off from all angles, and you get a flavor of the sort of colors it'll be available in too.

The video also reveals that the mid-to-upper-range Snapdragon 765 processor from Qualcomm will be the one powering the LG Velvet. We're expecting to see that in quite a few Android phones this year, including the Pixel 5.

You can also see a triple-lens camera on the back of the phone, plus a flash. We like the arrangement here, up in the top left-hand corner. It shows that previously leaked renders were somewhat wide of the mark – but not every leak turns out to be accurate.

LG Velvet

Earlier rumors suggest the screen will be between 6.7 and 6.9 inches, which would make for a massive increase in size from the 6.1-inch LG G8. The G9 also apparently has an in-screen fingerprint scanner and dimensions of 169.4 x 77.6 x 8.8mm.

The LG Velvet is also shown as having a 3.5mm headphone port, but interestingly likely wouldn't have the depth sensor found on the front of the LG G8 (as there's no room for it in the notch). That in turn would presumably mean no Air Motion gesture controls or vein recognition system.

What we want to see

The LG G8 is a very interesting, very flawed phone. For the G9 (or Velvet) we want something just as interesting but without the flaws. The following suggestions could help LG achieve that.

1. Bring back the hole-less speaker….

The LG G8 has a number of experimental features, the most successful of which is arguably the hole-less vibrating Crystal Sound speaker.

This essentially removes the top speaker and causes audio to vibrate through the display instead, and it worked well in our tests. LG claims this also makes the phone more waterproof. Plus, it could help remove even more bezel, so we’d like to see the feature make a return in the LG G9.

2. .…But not the Hand ID tech

One less-than-successful LG G8 experiment was Hand ID, a feature which allows the phone to read the blood pattern in your veins and use that to identify you and therefore unlock the handset. So it’s an alternative to a fingerprint scanner or facial recognition.

On paper it sounds cool, but in practice we found it was barely functional. But even if it worked reliably we’re not convinced that it would be much of an upgrade on the standard biometric security options, so we’d like to see this ditched.

3. Add an in-screen camera

One exciting new feature we’d like to see LG add for the LG G9 is an in-screen camera. Coupled with the hole-less speaker that could allow for a truly bezel-free design, which would be nice, especially since the LG G8 actually has quite large bezels.

It doesn't look as though this will be the case based on what's been leaked so far, but we can still hope.

4. Freshen up the design

Speaking of the design, we’d like to see that improved all-round. The LG G8 looks rather ordinary, failing to stand out from or even match many flagships visually. Getting rid of the notch would be a good start, but we’d really like a design that wows us. That would help the LG G9 make a great first impression.

5. Boost the battery

The LG G8 has a 3,500mAh battery, which is on the small side by flagship standards and in our time with the phone led to predictably mediocre life. The battery pack was boosted to 4,000mAh in the LG G8X ThinQ (a sort-of successor), so there’s hope that the LG G9’s might be bigger, but 4,000mAh is really the minimum we’d want.

 6. Extra lenses

The LG G8 and LG G8X ThinQ both have dual-lens rear cameras, which, in the face of the triple-lens iPhone 11 Pro, quad-lens Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus, and penta-lens Nokia 9 PureView, isn’t very many.

Not that the number of lenses is all that matters, but it can be a good start, as assuming the lenses all do different things, a greater number can make for a more versatile camera. So we’d like to see at least one more lens on the LG G9.

7. New innovations

As much as we tend to find LG’s smartphone innovations hit and miss, we applaud the company for trying, as it ensures its flagships almost always stand out.

We want that to continue to be the case with the LG G9, so as well as a return of the hole-less speaker, we want something new that we’ve never seen on a phone before. Granted, that often ends in as much failure (Hand ID) as successes (Crystal Sound speaker), but it's still a way for LG to stay different.

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Terrace House: what lockdown means for the Japanese reality TV show

Posted: 19 Apr 2020 04:00 AM PDT

It’s difficult to describe why Terrace House is so damn enjoyable. But if you ask anyone who’s given the hit Netflix series a go, you’ll probably discover another megafan just waiting to share their thoughts. 

If you’re new to the Japanese reality TV show, here’s the  rundown on what you’re missing. Terrace House centers around love, inspiring others and forming life-long friendships. Six people – consisting of three men and three women of various ages – share a beautiful home and even have access to two luxury cars. There’s no script, no public voting system or even a prize on offer. It’s just six normal people, learning to live and grow with one another.

The biggest difference between Terrace House and its obvious counterpart, Big Brother, is that the house members are free to go about their daily lives. They go to work, see their friends, have access to social media and can even watch the show back inside the house when it airs. The events of each week are also commented on by a panel of hilarious and likeable hosts, who provide plenty of great talking points and unforgettable moments themselves.

Relaxing reality

It might sound a little dull, but watching a person try to better themselves in Terrace House – be it in love or their career – is compelling television and extremely inspiring. You’ll quickly find yourself rooting for certain housemates as you become absorbed in their personal journey while reflecting on your own. Of course, you won’t like everyone, but there’s a lot of fun to be had in bad mouthing people, too. It’s quite cathartic.

When it comes to romance, though? Well, that’s where Terrace House really shines. Tears will be shed, hearts will be broken, and the question of “will they won’t they” will never be far from your mind. But it goes much deeper than that...


Life in Japan

Prepare to see grown men cry - a lot. 

Despite the different format, what really separates Terrace House from any other reality show is Japanese culture itself. The series provides a fascinating insight into what life is like in Japan. Whether it’s seeing how global traditions such as Christmas differ, or how holding hands is considered a huge deal for some Japanese couples, there’s so many subtle and substantial contrasts between western and Asian culture that it can change your perspective on so many things that you might take for granted.

It also reflects how society as a whole, particularly in a country like Japan, which isn’t considered to be particularly progressive, is changing rapidly. Terrace House has seen one young member discover his sexuality, while foreigners have become more prominent in recent episodes. 

There are currently four seasons of Terrace House on Netflix, and we’d thoroughly recommend watching them all. Boys & Girls in the City takes place in Tokyo; Aloha State sees Terrace House move to Hawaii; Opening New Doors is set in the sleepy skiing town of Nagano, and Tokyo 2019-2020 is in… well, Tokyo again. Each season offers something new and is ideal binge-watching material.

Lockdown woes

Though a bunch of new episodes for Terrace House 2019-2020 just released, the show officially stopped filming last week as Japan went into lockdown to stop the spread of coronavirus. Japan was seemingly in control of the pandemic, but the country has since declared a nationwide state of emergency today (April 16), which means schools and the majority of businesses will be closed until at least May 6.

We’ve already seen how Netflix has been impacted by coronavirus in the west, with key shows such as Stranger Things season 4 and The Witcher season 2 on hold until further notice. Japan has also had to cancel the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which came as a huge blow to the country. 

The good news for Terrace House fans is that we tend to receive episodes in the west that are many months behind when compared to Japan – the latest episodes that aired showed the housemates celebrating Christmas and New Year, for example. That means we should still be getting a few more instalments of whole-hearted Terrace House entertainment, but what the future holds after that is, unsurprisingly, unclear. As Terrace House has such a fluid format, though (housemates come and go quite regularly), it wouldn’t be too surprising to see this season end slightly earlier than expected.

A feel-good Netflix series, then, Terrace House is the perfect tonic for taking your mind off the current climate, and an uplifting reminder of a simpler time that hopefully isn’t too far away.

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LG Velvet design and key spec revealed in official video

Posted: 19 Apr 2020 03:30 AM PDT

In part 3 of LG's teased-out reveal of its next flagship phone (see part 1 and part 2), a new video from the manufacturer shows the design of the LG Velvet in full. It also confirms it'll be running the Snapdragon 765 processor from Qualcomm.

The video – which is in Korean – shows off the look of the upcoming LG Velvet from all angles. You can see the thin bezels and small teardrop notch on the front, and the triple-lens camera (plus flash) on the back.

White, black, red and green are the color options, if the clip is anything to go by, and the materials used for the finish will be one of the LG Velvet's main selling points: catching the light and 'shimmering' in an eye-catching way.

The design doesn't tell us too much more about the phone, though it does seem that the 3.5mm headphone jack is going to be retained, with LG once again catering for those users who want superior audio from their smartphones.

At the end of the video we see the Snapdragon 765 logo, confirming that the phone is going to be running a processor not quite as powerful as the top-tier Snapdragon 865 (the Pixel 5 is rumored to be following suit).

The LG Velvet is effectively the LG G9, but LG has decided to scrap the G naming scheme to give its phones more meaningful names. Velvet has been picked to highlight the phone's "tactical elegance" apparently.

We haven't heard too much in the way of rumors and leaks about the LG Velvet, but LG seems to be doing a decent job of revealing the phone bit by bit on its own. We now know the design and the CPU, so that's the main points covered.

A launch has been tipped for May 15, so we shouldn't have too long to wait to see the phone in full – and based on what we've seen so far, this should be one of the more noteworthy releases of 2020.

Via XDA Developers

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Covid-19: It is risky for companies to put all production lines in one country

Posted: 19 Apr 2020 03:30 AM PDT

Relocating manufacturing lines to another country is never an easy decision and manufacturers don’t move production lines simply under the government’s guidance.

Due to the rising trade war tensions between the US and China, and with many countries blaming China for the outbreak of Coronavirus, the Japanese government is releasing 220b yen direct loans to support manufacturers to move back to Japan from China and another Y23.5b to move to other countries in South East Asia and India.

Imports from Japan’s biggest trading partner were down by nearly 50% in February as facilities in China were closed due to the pandemic.

Asia controls 52% of the world’s manufacturing output in 2018, followed by Europe with 22%, the US with 18%, Latin America with 5%, Africa with 2% and Oceania with 1%.

Country-wise, China’s contribution was $4tr, followed by the US with $2.3tr, Japan with $1tr, Germany with $806b, South Korea with $459b, India with $412b, Italy with $314b, France $270b, the UK with $253b, Indonesia with 207b and Russia with $204b.

Flora Tang, research analyst at Hong Kong-based Counterpoint Research, told TechRadar Middle East, said that relationships between countries are complexed for sure and personal blames on China by some Japanese politicians don’t represent for deterioration of China-Japan relationship officially.

“Conflict of interests between China and Japan over specific issues doesn’t mean the shutdown of cooperation in all areas such as economy, academic, healthcare, counter-terrorism, environment protection, and more.

“I think it a tactic to stimulate the domestic economy, the domestic manufacturing industry and employment under the gloomy economic outlook during the Covid-19 crisis. It’s also a strategy to drive diversification of manufacturing lines globally, to avoid over-dependency on a single country,” she said.

Moreover, she said that the US government has encouraged companies to move production outside of China since 2018 and 2019, yet Tesla just built a new factory in Shanghai.

The Chinese-based “Fuyao Glass Industry Group” is expanding the scale of its factory in Tennessee under the China-US trade tension.

China still has competitive advantages

“Companies will consider a mix of factors before locating a manufacturing centre, including labour and operation costs, local manufacturing efficiency, cross-border tariffs, distance/transportation to their targeted end markets, the integrity of local supply chain, and more,” Tang said.

So far, she said that China still has the comparative advantages in various parameters, given the complete domestic supply chain ecosystem and the market size of 1.4 billion consumers.

“I think companies which have had the intention to relocate factories outside of China will accelerate the progress under government’s stimulation plan, and those which have never considered it before might not go-ahead to take the risk,” she said.

Tang expects that some high-tech factories might go back to Japan or move to Taiwan while India, South East Asia, Brazil and Mexico can be the lucrative options for setting up of new assembly lines, depending on where the end markets are located.

Recent reports said that more Korean companies are pulling out of China and are looking for ‘favourable’ nations like India and it is set to become a “manufacturing base” for Korean companies for their global markets.

Tang said that diversification of manufacturing lines to spread risks and maximise profitability is what companies are always doing despite outbreak or not of the pandemic.

“Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi have been expanding their factories in India while Huawei plans to invest $800m to build a new smartphone factory in Brazil,” she said.

The research firm expects a fall in the global manufacturing this year due to shutdown of factories, as well as weakened market demands, during the period of lockdown in China, India, US, Europe, SEA (Malaysia and Vietnam), Latin America (Argentina), and more.

“It will fall in not only China but globally. It’s a disaster for the entire human being. We have adjusted down the year-on-year growth for 2020 global smartphone shipments by about 7% in early March, and we will continue to adjust the number based on how the Covid-19 pandemic will evolve,” Tang said.

Lots of uncertainties exist

As for the scale of factories that will move outside of China post the Covid-19 crisis, Tang thinks that there are lots of uncertainties given the current situation and companies may consider new parameters when evaluating their investments.

“These factors might not value a lot for companies before but they must evaluate now such as the public health system of a country and government’s ability to efficiently control a public crisis such as the Covid-19. So far, East Asian countries and regions including South Korea, Taiwan and mainland China are controlling the spread of the pandemic well, while the situation appears more unstable in the US, some Europe countries and emerging markets,” she said.

Even though the pandemic first outbroke in Wuhan, she said that no one can ensure that similar virus will never happen in any other countries in the future.

“When this possibility exists, companies must be more prudent in decision making. What if next time a similar virus outbreaks in an emerging country? Can the government there control it as efficiently as the Chinese government? What damages will the crisis bring to my business, if local governments fail to handle it well? These are some of the questions companies need to think about,” she said.

“What we can hope is the virus is gone and all countries back to peace soon. One thing that I anticipate is a slowing globalisation progress post the crisis, and countries will try to move manufacturing lines back domestically as more as possible,” she said.

Under today’s international political context, she said that it will be risky for any globalised companies to ‘put all production lines in one country’ and this refers to not only in China.

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E-commerce deliveries to resume with new guidelines from Home Ministry

Posted: 19 Apr 2020 03:25 AM PDT

Update (April 19): The ruling has been updated to no longer include non-essentials such as smartphones. Deliveries from Amazon and Flipkart will have to wait at least till May 3. The previous version of the story is below. 

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his speech yesterday, certain relaxation norms have been introduced today to enable e-commerce companies, among many others, to ply their vehicles with necessary permissions. The new norms will come into effect from April 20.

This means e-commerce majors such as Flipkart and Amazon may resume operations, at least partially, after April 20. Moreover, courier services have also been given the green signal which means that it is possible that home deliveries from online portals might resume at least in a limited manner. These new guidelines will not apply to coronavirus hotspot containment zones, as per the document. 

Furthermore, restrictions imposed on cargo movement have been lifted as well. This would mean airports, railways, ports and road trucks, would be operational for this specific purpose across the country.    

Following today’s announcement, Flipkart and Amazon have also updated their home-page. Amazon, in particular, will commence delivery of prior orders that are currently in the pipeline. Hence, It looks like new order deliveries might take more time than usual, as per their announcement. Although, the portal had been delivering essentials to certain regions even prior to this new update.     

Other commercial and private establishments that have been given permission to recommence operations include cold storage, warehousing, IT services and call centres. These guidelines will also provide much-needed relief to daily wage earners and farmers.

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How to watch Homeland: stream season 8 online from anywhere

Posted: 19 Apr 2020 03:19 AM PDT

Homeland has taken viewers on quite a journey over the last decade. Gone are questions over the loyalties of Sergeant Nicolas Brody, so superbly portrayed by Damien Lewis in the first couple of seasons of the critically-acclaimed show. Now, clouds of doubt hang over the head of his once lover, CIA super-spook Carrie Mathison - or Claire Danes. Read on and learn how to watch Homeland season 8 and where to stream new episodes of the critically acclaimed show online right now.

Also still in the frame - and we should issue a minor spoiler alert for those who haven't watched Homeland before - is Mandy Patinkin's Saul Berenson and a very well cast Costa Ronin as Russian spy Yevgeny Gromov. He was ultimately behind Carrie's lengthy spell in a gulag at the end of the last season of Homeland - and many suspect he successfully turned her. Will we finally find out who's playing who in the next episode?

The show is an adaptation of Gideon Raff's Prisoners of War, which first aired in Israel back in 2010, while Homeland itself has won numerous awards including Emmys and Golden Globes since its release in 2011.

So once you've watched all the best Hulu shows and best Netflix movies, jump in and watch Homeland season 8 online or on TV - our guide will explain all the ways you can do this from anywhere in the world.

How to watch Homeland from outside your country

You can watch Homeland season 8 in a number of countries around the world, but if you find yourself stuck abroad during these difficult times, you're likely to find that geo-blocking prohibits you from accessing your usual streaming services.

There is a solution, however. Downloading a VPN will allow you to watch Homeland online no matter where you are. This neat bit of kit changes your IP address so that you can stream all your favorite shows live or on demand, just like you would from the comfort of your sofa. 

How to watch Homeland season 8 FREE in the US

How to watch Homeland free online in the UK 

How to watch Homeland season 8 for free online in Australia

Stream Homeland season 8 online and watch in Canada

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Call of Duty: Warzone PC cheats are ruining it for console players – so they’re turning off crossplay

Posted: 19 Apr 2020 03:18 AM PDT

Call of Duty: Warzone, the popular free battle royale shooter, is running into problems with PC gamers who are cheating, and proving a source of serious frustration for those on consoles, who are turning off cross-platform play as a result.

As you’re probably aware, crossplay allows PC, PS4 and Xbox One players to all play together in online matches, but as Eurogamer reports, those on consoles are finding they are being killed by PC folks who are using obnoxious cheating methods like wall hacks and aimbots.

Cheating methods are easier to leverage on PC than on console, and the platform traditionally has bigger problems with cheaters because of this. But now, PS4 and Xbox One Warzone addicts are coming up against these nefarious types, so they are unsurprisingly turning off crossplay a result.

While that might seem like a simple solution, the problem is that it reduces the available player pool when matchmaking for a session, meaning you’ll be waiting for longer to get into a game.

As Eurogamer observes, on the PS4, it took a few minutes to get into a Warzone lobby with crossplay disabled, compared to about 30 seconds with the feature turned on. That’s quite a difference, and in fact, on the PlayStation, if matchmaking is slow the game will actually prompt you to turn on crossplay to more speedily find a lobby.

Note that PC players can’t turn off crossplay at all, and neither can Xbox One gamers (although there are workarounds in the latter case).

Waving the ban stick

Developer Infinity Ward recently underlined that it’s taken the battle against cheaters seriously, and that it has issued some 70,000 bans against those who have been reported and caught cheating.

However, as Warzone is a free game, cheaters can simply create a new account to carry on playing and bugging the hell out of people (which is generally the goal here, of course, rather than actually trying to have fun playing the game).

Note that the cheating problem is an additional thorn in many console gamers’ sides, when you consider that some already feel at a considerable disadvantage due to using a gamepad against those playing with a (far more responsive) mouse and keyboard setup (the flipside of the coin is PC players complaining about gamepad aim assist, of course).

Unsurprisingly, there are plenty of console folks clamoring for a solution to the cheat issue, such as having an option for crossplay that excludes PC (PS4 and Xbox One cross-platform play, in other words). Or measures to make it harder for cheaters to set up another account after being banned, such as having to link a phone to the account and use a verification method via that handset on account creation.

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Realme Narzo 10 series to finally arrive in India on April 21

Posted: 19 Apr 2020 02:53 AM PDT

Update (April 19): Added statement from Realme on the delay

A new ruling was passed by the Ministry of Home Affairs on April 19 which disallowed the sale of non-essential products (including smartphones) via e-commerce platforms. In response, Realme said "Bearing in mind the current order from MHA, we are evaluating the situation and decision about the launch of the much-awaited Narzo series and online sales of our other smartphones will be made by tomorrow. On principle aligned, people's health comes first at Realme and we will follow the Government directives issued in best interests of the people." 

After a harrowing wait caused by the Covid-19 led lockdown, Chinese smartphone maker Realme is all set to announce its new budget lineup under Narzo 10 series next week, right on cue to utilize the Indian government’s decision to relax restrictions on e-commerce outlets. 

The launch was initially set for March 26 but got postponed after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a country-wide lockdown starting on the midnight of March 24.  With the government now announcing that restrictions on e-commerce of non-essential goods could be relaxed from next week, Realme couldn’t have timed the launch better. 

The new Realme Narzo 10 and Narzo 10A will be launched via an online event and it will be streamed on Youtube on April 21 at 12:30 PM. This will be an online-only event. The teaser page features phrases such as “Feel the power”, “Gen -Z”, “unique”. The Narzo series seems to be targeting the youth with an all-new design language. 

Realme Narzo 10 series expected specifications

The new series smartphones will be sold via Flipkart and the landing page for the event teases a few specifications of both the devices. As reported earlier, if the speculations are what they are made out to be, the Nazro 10 and Narzo 10A will be rebadged versions of the Indonesian Realme C3 and Realme 6i. 

The teaser says that the Nazro 10 would be powered by the “latest processor for the first time in India”, which is most likely to be the new MediaTek G80 processor, a budget gaming chipset. Both the Narzo 10 and 10A will flaunt a 6.5-inch display with a water drop notch. This will be an LCD panel with HD+ resolution. 

As for the optics, one of them will feature a triple rear camera set-up with an f/1.8 aperture primary lens while the other will feature a 48MP quad-camera setup. To power all the internals, the handsets will feature a big 5000mAh battery with support for fast charging. 

Realme Narzo series is expected to start at around Rs. 10,000.

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How to watch Killing Eve online: stream season 3 from anywhere

Posted: 19 Apr 2020 02:36 AM PDT

One of the most lauded TV shows in recent memory is back again, as Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Killing Eve returns for a third season, with stars Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer still firmly in the midst of their endless cat-and-mouse game. Ready to jump right back in? Here's how to watch Killing Eve online and stream season 3 no matter where you are in the world, including this weeks' new episode. 

It's safe to say that Killing Eve was a big hit when it was first released, one that was praised for the way to cleverly moulded classic elements of suspense with quirky dark humour - the latter being one of Waller-Bridge's specialities. 

Prime example - when you see that the new episode of a BAFTA-winning TV show is called 'Slowly Slowly Catchy Monkey', who else could it really be?

Killing Eve season 3 reviews have been more mixed, but anyone who has gotten this far into the show will no doubt want to see what it's like for themselves - and given the current circumstances in many countries around the world, what's to stop you? 

In the US, it can still comfortably rival most of the best Hulu shows around - so follow our guide as we explain all the easiest ways to watch Killing Eve season 3 and stream the show online from anywhere in the world.

Watch Killing Eve online from outside your country

The coronavirus may have put old paradigms like holidays and work trips to bed temporarily, but the fact is international travel will one day resume in full - and you may even be stuck outside your country of origin, for whatever reason. If and when that's the case, you could be forgiven for wanting a taste of home comforts, especially now. 

If that means streaming the services you normally would, geo-blocking can prove to be a major obstacle - but fortunately there's an easy solution. Using a little handy trick, you can get around these pesky digital borders using a VPN. This will allow you to gain access to Killing Eve as it happens by changing your IP to your nation of residence. But which VPN is best for you? 

watch Killing eve season 3 online

How to watch Killing Eve season 3 for free online in the UK

How to watch Killing Eve online

How to watch Killing Eve season 3 online in the US

How to watch Killing Eve online in Australia

How to watch Killing Eve online: stream seasons 1 and 2 for free

If you're new to Killing Eve, then there are worse things to do during a global pandemic than watch the first two seasons of the hit show.

Anyone in the UK or the US has it good, as the BBC show is available on a number of convenient streaming services.

In the US, the best option for binging Killing Eve right now is Sling TV, whose affordable $30 a month Orange bundle gets you the full back catalogue for on-demand streaming plus all the new season 3 episodes.

Another option is Hulu, which offers a FREE trial and seasons 1 and 2 of Killing Eve on-demand, but note that you'll need its higher-end Hulu + Live TV package, which normally costs $54.99 a month.

Although BBC America does also offer its own option for a free season 2 Killing Eve stream - as does AMC to the best of our knowledge.

In the UK, it's all gratis provided you hold a valid TV license in the country - in which case just tune into BBC iPlayer and watch Killing Eve seasons 1 and 2 for free online.

If you're in Australia, you can watch Killing Eve season 1 on Stan - but beyond that you're looking at paying to buy the show via a platform like iTunes.

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