Monday, April 6, 2020

Apple : This fake Discord software could infect your PC

Apple : This fake Discord software could infect your PC

This fake Discord software could infect your PC

Posted: 06 Apr 2020 02:00 PM PDT

A new variant of the AnarchyGrabber malware has been discovered by MalwareHunterTeam which modifies Discord client files in order to evade detection and steal user accounts every time someone logs into the popular chat service.

The malware is distributed on hacking forums and in YouTube videos to allow cybercriminals to steal user tokens for a logged-in Discord user once it is executed. These user tokens are then uploaded back to a Discord channel under the attacker's control where they can be collected and used to log in as their victims.

The original version of AnarchyGrabber comes in the form of an executable that can easily be detected by security software and only has the ability to steal tokens while it is running.

However, a newer version of the malware has been altered to avoid detection and establish persistence on a user's machine.

AnarchyGrabber2

In an effort to make it more difficult for antivirus software to detect the malware and to offer persistence, a hacker has updated AnarchyGrabber to modify the JavaScript files used by the Discord client to inject its code every time it runs.

The new version of the malware has been dubbed AnarchyGrabber2 and when executed, it will modify Discord's index.js file to inject JavaScript created by its developer.

The new changes to the malware allow it to run additional malicious JavaScript files every time a user opens Discord. Once a user who has the AnarchyGrabber2 running on their system logs into Discord, the scripts will use a webhook to post the victim's user token to the attacker's Discord channel along with the message “Brought to you by The Anarchy Token Grabber”.

Unfortunately, even if the original malware executable is deleted, the client files will already be modified. Security software has a hard time detecting these client modifications which allows the code to remain on a user's machine without them even knowing their accounts are being stolen.

Until Discord decides to add client integrity into its software, Discord accounts will continue to be at risk from AnarchyGrabber2 and other malware that modifies client files.

Via BleepingComputer

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Where to buy a webcam: these retailers still have stock

Posted: 06 Apr 2020 01:42 PM PDT

When you have to work from home, the capability to have an effective video conference is extremely important. And, while a lot of folks may have laptops that have a built-in camera, the best webcams can boost video quality so much that they're essential for anyone having regular video calls. 

However, now that the Covid-19 crisis has driven so many people to work from home, supply is running out. Understandably, a lot of people are scrambling to get their hands on a solid webcam so they can keep doing their jobs, even if they have to be remote. 

If you're scrambling to get your hands on a solid webcam, however, don't worry – they're definitely still out there, even if they're not quite as easy to find. 

Luckily, we here at TechRadar are online shopping pros, and we've found the retailers that still have solid webcams on sale and gathered them all up down below. Just keep in mind that because webcams are moving so fast, there are certain models that may sell out super quickly.  

In the UK? We’ve just added some webcams for the UK market as well. Stock is moving really quickly right now, so make sure you jump on what's available now. Check out our best webcams piece also to see the current range and find out which are still in stock in your areas.

Where to buy a webcam in the US

We scoured the web to find the webcams that still have stock available to buy right now. Because the nature of online shopping, however, we'll likely see some of these sell out in the meantime. Some of these webcams are on backorder right now, but if you do buy one that's affected you should still be able to get it in about a week. 

Where to buy a webcam in the UK

Webcams are also thin on the ground in the UK. Here are some that we've found that are still in stock:

Webcams on backorder

Because availability for webcams is a little hit or miss right now, many webcams are currently on backorder. That means you probably won't be able to get it within a couple days, but it should arrive within a week or two. We found the best webcams that are on backorder that are actually worth waiting for – having to wait for a piece of hardware is enough without worrying about getting something that is potentially not as good. 

Where to buy a webcam in the UK

Stock is currently an issue for webcams in the UK right now with many of the big retailers such as Amazon, Curry's and Argos selling out quickly while people adjust to their new working from home situation. We've still found some cheap webcams that are still available, so don't worry if you're still looking - we can help your search.

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Onward is now available on Disney Plus: see how to watch the Pixar movie online

Posted: 06 Apr 2020 01:11 PM PDT

Whether you're a fan of all Pixar movies (and have already devoured Disney Plus's collection) or are looking for something to entertain the kids under lockdown, you can already stream the latest release from the iconic animation studio - here's how to watch Onward online wherever you are right now.

Featuring voice-overs from Hollywood stars like Tom Holland, Chris Pratt and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Onward is the fantastical tale of two teenage elves, brothers Ian and Barley Lightfoot. 

The duo come from a modern suburban world where technology has overtaken magic, but desperate to spend one last day with their father - who died before they could remember him - they adventure to find one last bit of magic and make their dream a reality.

As a Pixar film, it's now landed on Disney Plus in the US and Canada. But those wanting to watch Onward online have a number of options - allow us to explain how to stream the hit movie in full today.

How to watch Onward: online streaming options in the US

How to watch Onward online in Canada

How to watch Onward online: full UK streaming options

How to watch Onward in Australia

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How technology can boost workplace wellbeing

Posted: 06 Apr 2020 12:00 PM PDT

There are few people in this country whose lives have not been dramatically altered by the impact of the ongoing pandemic. The UK lockdown, which has mandated home working, school closures, social distancing and the closing of restaurants and pubs, has transformed our daily routines and the way we communicate with each other.

For many of us, the last two weeks have been an experiment in home working, as companies adapt to the new climate. Technology has been at the centre of this, enabling us to maintain communication with colleagues – whether through email, workplace messaging platforms or video calls – to keep our productivity levels up, and our businesses running (almost!) as usual. 

However, while navigating this transition to mass remote working, it is equally important that employers consider how they can look after their employees’ mental health and wellbeing. Here too, technology can play a vital role. 

Although we sometimes associate technology with having a negative impact on mental health, it has the potential to be a hugely positive force. In a time when many are physically isolated from their friends and colleagues, we must ensure now more than ever that employees can readily access tools and resources to support their wellbeing. 

Part of the solution lies in good communication; it is important that workplaces keep levels of communication as high as they would be in the office. It’s difficult to fully replicate a workplace environment, which gives plenty of opportunity for face-to-face interaction, but technology can help ease this transition. Simple steps such as replacing phone calls with video calls can help keep close communication high and reduce anxieties around the newness of the situation. 

On the flip side, be aware that a sudden deluge of digital correspondence can be overwhelming. While keeping communication high, make sure to establish etiquette around this, and avoid sending lots of messages outside of working hours. Equally, if the increased noise of notifications is making it almost impossible to focus, then perhaps try switching them off completely outside of predefined slots in your day.

It is important that employers understand the specific challenges that home working brings for mental wellbeing. For some employees the lack of in-person social contact will cause feelings of isolation and loneliness, or can even exacerbate existing mental health conditions. In this situation, it is more important than ever that employees know where to turn and what resources are at their disposal to tackle this. 

If employees are struggling with loneliness, technology also has the ability to provide digital spaces for staff to connect virtually, for example over lunch or in a virtual pub. In this way, tech can help replicate normal social activity and help to stave off loneliness.

Another challenge commonly faced by those working at home is the blurring of boundaries. Without clearly defined work and home spaces, many can find it difficult to create a distinction between the two. This can lead to difficulty switching off from work in the evenings or completing work in a home environment, which can result in stress and even burnout. 

The key to addressing this is routine. Following your normal routine as closely as possible in these new circumstances can help create distinctions between work and home life and ensure a healthy balance is maintained. This means getting dressed for work (putting you in the right frame of mind to start the working day), taking regular breaks, and keeping to normal working hours. Here too technology and the communication it enables plays an important role. By keeping video calls, messages and emails frequent during the day, and avoiding sending emails and messages at night, employers can help to maintain a work mentality during the day while allowing employees to switch off in the evenings. 

As home working looks set to continue for the foreseeable future for many of us, employers must ask how they can adapt their wellbeing strategies beyond simply reactive measures to the specific mental health challenges this brings. This means giving employees proactive support which they can access in any place, and at any time. Mental health platforms, online resources, and other digital services will be crucial to supporting employees in this new environment. 

Without seeing colleagues in person every day, it is more important than ever that we adopt a preventative attitude, rather than simply reacting to deteriorations in our mental health. Technology has a key part to play here, giving employees the opportunity to access scientifically backed resources to learn about their mental health, proactively improve it, and know when to raise the issue if something is wrong. For those adapting a wellbeing strategy for this situation, technology’s capability to provide employees with quality resources that empower them to look after their own mental health, from wherever they are working, is key to success. 

As we navigate this unprecedented situation, technology can – and must – play a key role in ensuring that employees’ mental health is supported. This means allowing them to access the support they need, wherever they are, as well as addressing the specific mental health challenges that long-term home working can bring. The digital world and mental health don’t always live in harmony, but it’s a misconception that the two are incompatible. By questioning these assumptions, we can realise the great potential of technology for improving mental health.

If we truly adopt this attitude, the benefits could be long lasting. Paradoxically, this stressful and challenging situation, in which we are forced to innovate and trust in technology, could result in a better world for mental health, both within and outside the workplace, in years to come. 

Ry Morgan is Co-founder, COO and Product Strategy at Unmind

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Cheap MacBook deal at Best Buy: the 13-inch MacBook Air gets a $350 price cut

Posted: 06 Apr 2020 11:54 AM PDT

Looking for a cheap MacBook deal? Best Buy's Apple Event Sale is happening right now and includes price cuts on the 2019 MacBook Air.

For a limited time, you can get the 13-inch MacBook Air on sale for $899. That's a $200 discount and the best price we've found for the 13-inch laptop. If you're looking for more storage, Best Buy also has the 256GB MacBook Air on sale for $949.99.

The 2019 MacBook Air features a 13.3-inch Retina display and packs 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and an 8th Gen Intel Core i5 Dual-Core processor. The compact laptop weighs just 2.75 pounds, includes Touch-ID, and provides an impressive all-day battery life of 10 hours.

This is not only a fantastic deal but an excellent price for a newer model MacBook Air. This offer from Best Buy also includes one year of Apple TV+ with your MacBook purchase.

MacBook Air deals:

You can see our roundup of the best laptops under $500: the best budget laptops around.

You can also see the best MacBook deals that are happening now.

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Russian telco 'hijacked internet traffic'

Posted: 06 Apr 2020 11:38 AM PDT

Traffic intended for more than 200 of the world's largest content delivery networks (CDNs) and cloud hosting providers was recently redirected through Russia's state-owned telecoms provider Rostelecom.

While the incident only lasted for about an hour, it affected more than 8,800 internet traffic routes from over 200 networks. The companies impacted by the BGP hijack include Google, Amazon, Facebook, Akamai, Cloudflare, GoDaddy, Digital Ocean, Joyent, LeaseWeb, Hetzner, Linode and others.

BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) is the de-facto system used to route internet traffic between internet networks worldwide. However, the system has a major flaw as any of the participant networks can lie and publish an announcement (BGP route) in  which they claim that other company's servers are on their network. Other internet entities will see the announcement as legitimate and then send all of a company's traffic to the hijacker's servers.

Before HTTPS was widely adopted, BGP hijacks allowed attackers to run man-in-the-middle (MitM) attacks and intercept and alter internet traffic. These days BGP hijacks still remain a threat because they allow an attacker to log traffic in order to analyze and decrypt it at a later date once the encryption used to secure it has been broken.

BGP hijack

According to experts, not all BGP hijacks are malicious as they can often be the result of a human operator mistyping an ASN (autonomous system number) and hijacking a company's internet traffic accidentally. However, some telecoms continue to regularly be behind BGP hijacks which suggests that they are more than just accidents.

China Telecom is currently behind the most BGP hijacks but Rostelecom is also behind many similarly suspicious incidents.

Back in 2017, Russia's state-owned telecoms provider hijacked BGP routes for some of the world's largest financial companies including Visa, Mastercard, HSBC and more. Cisco's BGPMon division described the incident as “curious” at that time because it appeared to only impact financial services as opposed to ransom ASNs.

Regarding the latest incident, the jury is still out as BGPMon founder Andree Toonk published a post on Twitter to explain that the hijack may have occurred after an internal Rostelecom traffic shaping system might have accidentally exposed the incorrect BGP routes on the public internet, saying:

“For what it's worth: I don't think they intended to announce this to the rest of the world (hijack). What we saw here, by accident, is that they treat these (new more specific) prefixes special inside their network. Likely for some kind of "Traffic Engineering" reason.”

However, experts have pointed out in the past that it is possible to make an intentional BGP hijack appear as an accident which could be the case here.

  • Also check out our complete list of the best VPN services

Via ZDNet

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Best e-commerce platform of 2020: website software for an online store

Posted: 06 Apr 2020 11:13 AM PDT

The rise of the web has allowed countless businesses to reach a wider market. Not only that, it has given rise to countless new online-only businesses, fueled by the exponential rise of mobile connections.

It's not surprising, then, that one analyst claims that the SMB e-commerce platform market will break the billion dollar barrier.

There's no doubt that the web provides a huge opportunity for companies, but it’s important for organizations to make the most of that opportunity. In order to sell your products or services online, your website has to be appropriately equipped.

Building an online store from scratch is a mammoth task, and fortunately, an unnecessary one. Today, there is a huge variety of e-commerce platform packages from which to choose. 

Most e-commerce platforms will provide businesses with standard functionality such as the ability to showcase products in an online catalog, take payments online, manage customers and provide with after-sales.

Others will provide more sophisticated functionality, such as online marketing features, the ability to manage or integrate with in-store systems and the provision of APIs.

Which e-commerce software is best for your business depends entirely on your specific requirements. If you're an online-only outfit, then POS integration won't be necessary, but you may get a lot of business from overseas, in which case foreign currency support would be a requirement.

In this article, we’re going to highlight some of the best e-commerce platforms available right now, before moving on to consider other options you might want to explore in terms of creating your own e-commerce solution.

The best e-commerce platform packages

Shopify is perhaps the most well known e-commerce platform available. It was set up in 2006 by founders Tobias Lütke, Daniel Weinand and Scott Lake who, as the story goes, felt that there wasn't a simple-to-use e-commerce platform available and so built their own. The company claims that: "You don't need to have any technical or design experience to easily create a beautiful online store." 

According to Shopify, it's possible to get one of its online stores up-and-running within minutes. Users can choose from a wide range of templates, or they can design the look and feel of their store themselves. It accepts a comprehensive range of credit cards, has Level 1 PCI compliance and 256-bit SSL encryption for security, and it offers 24/7 support via phone, instant messaging or email.

The platform provides a full CMS with which users can manage the functionality and layout of their online store. Users can manage their store on-the-go using Shopify's mobile apps, and the platform itself is fully responsive, meaning the store will be optimized for visitors regardless of whether they access it from a desktop computer or a mobile device. Also, a live chat function is available which allows you to have a real time conversation with your customers. There's a built-in support for 3D models and video too.

Shopify also offers users unlimited hosting for their stores, in-depth analytics of how visitors are using the store, and functionality for marketing such as SEO optimization, a discount and coupon engine, gift cards and email marketing tools. You can test out Shopify with a 14-day free trial.

best e-commerce packages

Bigcommerce was established in 2009 and promises to "support your business, not just your store." In addition to offering support via phone, instant chat and email, it also offers articles and videos to help with e-commerce, and access to a team of e-commerce experts who can provide advice and guidance about online selling. Their experts are qualified in both Google Analytics and Adwords.

Like Shopify, Bigcommerce provides a variety of templates and themes to help stores look their best and get up-and-running quickly. Alternatively, users can design their own store or use Bigcommerce designers to do so. The platform incorporates a full-featured CMS that allows users to run an entire website, rather than just a store.

Users can benefit from detailed and flexible product management, optimized search engine rankings, along with a variety of integrated marketing tools and analytics. Payments can be accepted via 40+ pre-integrated gateways and shipping details can be customized as per the business's requirements. As of late, some new features have been added like support for Amazon Import and Link and Shopping in Instagram Stories. The platform offers automated order processing, flexible tax rules depending on where orders are made and shipped, and support for multiple currencies. You can test out Bigcommerce with a 15-day free trial.

best e-commerce packages

Volusion has been around for almost two decades, having been set up in Texas over in the US in 1999. The company touts its platform as being an "all-in-one e-commerce solution", and offers a free 14-day trial (no credit card required).

As with other e-commerce platforms, users are offered a variety of templates from which to choose, and can also customize templates if they so wish. Should a more complex design be required, Volusion offers a custom design service that can incorporate branding and a firm's social media presence.

The platform provides the site and product management tools you'd expect, marketing functionality for SEO, social media, and affiliate outlets, along with emails and order management functionality for fast order processing, accepting payments, tax calculations and POS integration.

In addition to its platform and associated services, Volusion offers apps from its partners, support for users and a knowledge-base for help with e-commerce. Users can draw upon blog posts, guides and webinars. As of October 8th 2018, there are no more transaction fees.

best e-commerce packages

CoreCommerce was set up in 2001 and focuses on providing e-commerce services to small and medium-sized businesses. The company places an emphasis on simplicity and transparency, promising that its platform is easy-to-use and that customers will not fall foul of any hidden charges.

Perhaps CoreCommerce's most unique aspect is that all of its features are offered to all customers regardless of what plan they are on. Price plans are determined by the number of products, the number of email addresses, the amount of bandwidth and the amount of storage required by the user (and higher-end plans also benefit from additional support).

As with other e-commerce providers, CoreCommerce offers functionality for store design, product management, order processing and marketing. Of its headline features, the platform offers unlimited product customization options, a built-in blogging engine, and secure hosting that is provided by Rackspace and comes with a 99.9% uptime guarantee. You can try CoreCommerce out with a 15-day free trial.

best e-commerce packages

Having been founded in 1997, 3dcart is the oldest of our featured providers here. It was set up with a view to incorporating as many of the most requested e-commerce features into one platform as possible.

The company says it has six core values by which it operates: ongoing innovation, good service, simple solutions, fostering trust, keeping employees and customers happy, and stimulating prosperity amongst employees and customers.

Some of the platform's innovative features include a module that users can install to offer gift-wrapping, a purchase order system, the option of running a loyalty program and the ability to offer recurring orders. Many of these features are very specific, meaning that stores can be highly tailored to the needs of each business.

Stores can be designed using one of the many templates offered by 3dcart, or users can design their own store. A quick edit bar means that making changes to the design of a store is simple. Product images are fore-fronted with 3dcart's auto-zoom feature and products can be sold via Facebook with its store integration. As with some other platforms, users can blog directly from 3dcart and tools are provided for setting up coupons, sending newsletters and affiliate marketing. 3dcart is regularly updated and new features are constantly added, like the drag and drop HTML builder, the home page editor or scheduled promotions. Users can also make use out of "make an offer" feature, which basically lets you and your customers to negotiate on a price.

In addition to its platform, 3dcart offers a number of professional services. Users can request help with SEO, PPC, shopping feed management, social media, Facebook ads and conversion consulting. Help can also be provided to ensure that a user's store is set up to the highest standard. Services such as site cloning, setting up custom tracking, data migration and training are offered.

In addition, 3dcart can provide SSL certification. Hosting is guaranteed at 99.9% uptime and 24/7 support is provided via phone, email or online chat. You can test out the service with a 15-day free trial.

best e-commerce packages

Also consider:

Alternative means

If you don’t want to go the route of using an off-the-shelf package, what other options are available for you to explore? That’s what we’re going to look at in the second half of this piece…

Many serious businesses have taken to eBay these days


Is eBay right for your business?

Opening its doors in 1999, eBay UK now has over 14 million users, with over 10,000 people using the site for a business that is their primary means of income. It's not just about people selling unwanted goods - businesses have used the simplicity that eBay offers to set up lucrative operations. Even the larger brands such as Argos, Debenhams and House of Fraser are using eBay to sell online.

With sophisticated tools now available you can be up and running with your store in just a few hours. The eBay Seller Centre has all the information you need. Each store is managed via eBay's familiar user interface, and there are a number of eBay-provided tools to help manage, track and promote your shop once it's established.

Using eBay as the platform for your business could be ideal if your business wants to sell goods on a fixed price basis. The complete integration of the PayPal e-payments system into eBay takes care of this essential component of your store.

The key with eBay is to look closely at the costs involved and also the transaction fees that PayPal charge before moving forward and setting up your own store.

How to create your own e-commerce solution

Of course if you want complete control over every aspect of your new online store, building each page yourself will be the best course of action. Hiring someone to code your website is one option. If you decide to do this follow these steps:

  1. Ask the company for live examples of their work to look at
  2. Write a detailed brief of the site you want created. The more detail the better to avoid confusion
  3. Ensure you understand the price you are being charged and how many revisions this price includes
  4. Always have a signed agreement or contract before work commences
  5. Ask whether the designers will host your site and if you will be able to make updates yourself or if all updates must go through the design agency at an additional cost
  6. Ask for the copyright of your design to be assigned to your company, as your website is an important part of your business' intellectual property
  7. Put into your contract, details of how the agreement can be amicably dissolved if things go wrong

Choose a website design from Template Monster


You also don't have to build your site completely from scratch. Buying a template can give you all the basic pages your site needs. You can then either modify them yourself using an application like Dreamweaver, or hire a coding expert to make the changes. Website templates are available from a number of vendors including Template Monster.

If you already have a website and want to add e-commerce functionality, this can be easily achieved with a number of applications including:

Final advice

Whichever route you decide to take when building your website always remember:

  1. You need to ensure your store can be easily updated and managed.
  2. Good professional web hosting is vital to ensure your site is always available.
  3. Look for payment and shopping carts that are intuitive and efficient to use.
  4. Customer service is king these days. Businesses shouldn't just efficiently take customers' money, but should also properly support them.
  5. Make sure that your store is fully integrated with all the leading social media sites.
  6. Put security first – shoppers are now more comfortable buying online, but always ensure your site uses SSL (Secure Socket Layer) which is now the industry standard for online payments.
  7. Above every other consideration should be your site's visitor experience. Don't forget your competitors are just a mouse click away in the world of e-commerce. 

Setting up your online store should be approached carefully and diligently to ensure you put a professional and efficient site live. Internet shopping continues to expand. Make sure your business doesn't miss out on a sales channel that shows no signs of slowing down.

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Intel might be about to launch some epic 10-core desktop processors to take on AMD

Posted: 06 Apr 2020 10:53 AM PDT

Leaked slides have detailed Intel’s incoming desktop Comet Lake-S processors ahead of their rumoured unveiling on April 30. 

As expected, the Intel Core i9-10900K will be the best processor in the lineup. The leaked materials, obtained by VideoCardz, confirm that the 10th-gen processor will be manufactured using Intel’s Skylake 14nm process and that it will feature 10 cores, 20 threads and will boost to 5.3GHz thanks to the chipmaker’s Thermal Velocity Boost (TVB) technology.


Intel is positioning the incoming CPU, which will replace the current i9-9900K, as a chip that will best AMD Ryzen when it comes to gaming, with the chipmaker touting its "elite real-world performance". It goes on to say that the Core i9-10900K will "produce high framerates in your favourite games, even under extreme multi-tasking workloads".

The leaked slides claim this chip “delivers smooth game play on the most demanding titles while recording and streaming”. clock speed of 5.1GHz. This chip won’t use TVB like the flagship i9-10900K and instead relies on Intel’s Turbo Boost 3.0 tech.

The leaked slides claim this chip “delivers smooth gameplay on the most demanding titles while recording and streaming”.

There's more

The Intel Core i5-10600K, also detailed in the leak, will arrive as a 6 core, 12 thread processor with a maximum boost clock of 4.8GHz. Intel touts it as being able to deliver "great gameplay experiences" but doesn't recommend it for streamers, noting the chip can only handle "light multi-tasking while gaming".

All three processors come with a UHD 630 iGPU, according to the slides, but they’ll also be available in KF-suffixed variants that ship without a built-in GPU.

They’ll also require Intel 400-series motherboards built around the new LGA1200 socket, which will offer support new features including WiFi 6, 2.5Gb Ethernet and Thunderbolt 4.

VideoCardz notes that, as previously reported, Intel’s Comet-Lake S desktop lineup will make its debut on 30 April. It’s unclear when they’ll arrive on shelves, but a previous leak suggested that, when they do, the Intel Core i9-10900K, Core i7-10700K and Core i5-10600K will retail for €504 (about $550, £440, AU$890), €263 (about $288, £230, AU$470), and €162 (about $177, £140, AU$287), respectively.

This latest leak comes just days after Intel unveiled its 10th-generation Comet Lake-H series CPUs for high-end laptops, it’s first mobile chips to break the 5GHz barrier.

And, of course, it's hard to forget that these supposed Comet Lake processors are going to be coming out to take on Ryzen 3000 processors – and Ryzen 4000 shortly afterward. Team Red's current desktop offerings currently offer up to 16-cores on its mainstream platform, along with some seriously impressive IPC (instructions per clock) performance. 

These Intel 10th-Gen Comet Lake processors are definitely going to have their work cut out for them, but with the super-high clock speeds, it might just be enough to keep Team Blue's head above water – for now. 

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Nintendo Switch Lite deals return with stock available on Animal Crossing: New Horizons bundles

Posted: 06 Apr 2020 10:18 AM PDT

Nintendo Switch Lite deals are returning to UK shelves this week, and highlights include a fantastic Animal Crossing: New Horizons bundle. That's right, you can now pick up a Nintendo Switch Lite in any colour from Very, with plenty of bundled games on offer as well. 

What's more, these consoles haven't been affected by recent price hikes as demand surges and stock dwindles. You can still pick the console up for just £199, and what's more, there are plenty of bundles that actually offer discounts on top games as well.

Titles include Mario Kart 8, Pokemon Sword, Luigi's Mansion 3, and the aforementioned deserted island dream. All this means that Nintendo Switch Lite deals are back on the table, and you can save even more cash by picking up your first game at the same time. 

Not in the UK? Nintendo Switch Lite stock is still incredibly low in the US, but you can see all the latest deals our price tracking software has found further down the page.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons Nintendo Switch Lite bundle

More Nintendo Switch Lite deals

Nintendo Switch Joy-Con deals

The Nintendo Switch Lite doesn't feature detachable Joy-Con controllers like the flagship model. That means if you're planning on picking up some multiplayer games to entertain your whole household, you'll want to pick up some cheap Joy-Cons.

We're tracking all the latest Nintendo Switch deals as well as the best Nintendo Switch Lite sales right here on TechRadar. You'll also find the best cheap Nintendo Switch games on offer right now as well. 

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Windows 10 20H1 release date, news and features

Posted: 06 Apr 2020 10:17 AM PDT

The first major Windows 10 update of 2020, the Windows 10 20H1 is just around the corner. As a full Windows 10 upgrade, it’s expected to bring in a whole lot of fresh features and performance refinements to Microsoft’s popular operating system.

Thanks to builds of Windows 10 20H1 that have been made available to Fast Ring Insider testers since early 2019, we already know some of the details behind the new features and changes this update is bringing to the table. Those include a more efficient algorithm for Windows Search, improved Cortana experience and even more kaomojis, to start.

Also known as Windows 10 version 2004, the Windows 10 20H1 update still hasn’t gotten an official release date. However, based on its name, we already know that it should roll around the first half of 2020, possibly sometime in April or May. So, we thought we’d lay out all of the most exciting, interesting and generally useful features that are coming with the Windows 10 20H1. 

Cut to the chase

  • What is it? Windows 10 20H1 is next major version of Windows
  • When is it out? Windows 10 20H1 is expected in the first half of 2020
  • How much does it cost? Windows 10 20H1 will be free for all users

Windows 10 20H1 release date

While we’re still not sure when the Windows 10 20H1 release date will be, the name '20H1' does mean that we'll be getting it in the first half of 2020.

In the past, major Windows 10 updates that are released in the first half of the year are usually released in April, such as the Windows 10 April 2018 Update, though last year we saw the Windows 10 May 2019 Update due to delays. So, the smart money would be on an April or May 2020 release.

Still, Microsoft could always surprise us. According to Windows Latest, in Build 19041, which has all cumulative updates installed, Windows Powershell’s “Get-VMHostSupportedVersion” command lists the Windows 10 May 2020 Update/Server 2004 as one of the results. This could be a strong indication that we won’t see the update until May 2020. 

Windows 10 20H1 name

At the moment, this major Windows 10 update is going by a few names: Windows 10 20H1 and Windows 10 build 2004, but neither of those will be the final name. If it does get a May 2020 release date, then it follows that the Windows 10 20H1 will officially be called the May 2020 Update. 

That is, if Micrisoft does stick with its naming convention of previous Windows 10 updates and name it after the time it's released, for example Windows 10 April 2020 update, or Windows 10 Spring 2020 update – although that latter name might be confusing to people living in the Southern Hemisphere.

Of course Microsoft could change tack again. Perhaps it will name the update after the kind of features it's introducing, like the Windows 10 Creators Update, which was released in 2017. Still, Creators Update focused more on features for creators, as opposed to users, so this is unlikely. 

Windows 10 20H1 features

Regardless of the release date and name, the Windows 10 20H1 update will likely bring a load of new features to Windows 10 – certainly more than the relatively low-key Windows 10 November 2019 Update, anyway.

So, here are all the new Windows 10 20H1 features that we know of.

Windows 10 20H1 brings a new look

We've seen more than one hint that Version 20H1 could be making a move toward a more rounded design instead of the sharp angles seen currently in Windows 10. This would extend from windows and buttons to sliders and pop-up dialog boxes.

This would work to provide some more consistency between the desktop user interface and apps, as well as aligning it more with modern web and app style. This change isn't certain though, but has been hinted at more than once.

Windows 10 20H1 brings new virtual desktop names

When you make virtual desktops in Windows 10 right now, they get rather unhelpful, numbered names: Desktop 1, Desktop 2, etc.

Version 20H1 should introduce the option to create custom names for each virtual desktop. So, if you use virtual desktops to separate work and play or various projects, you can make sure each is clearly labeled for which project each is dedicated to.

And, as Windows Central notes, the custom virtual desktops can be saved so they aren't reset after each reboot. 

Windows 10 20H1 brings commitment to Windows Hello

Many computers are now built with fingerprint scanners or advanced cameras that provide facial recognition to work with Windows Hello. This lets you sign on without a password, but Windows still requires a password for the account even if you don't have to use it to sign on every time. 

The 20H1 update may include an option to make your device password-less, letting it exclusively rely on Windows Hello for signing into your Microsoft account, Windows Central reports.

In addition, the update is also adding Windows Hello PIN sign-in to Safe mode, so Windows 10 S mode users won’t have to rely on their password when troubleshooting their laptops.

Windows 10 20H1 will improve Cortana

It seems like Microsoft isn't giving up on Cortana, its voice assistant, any time soon. Windows 10 20H1 will bring improvements, with a better conversational experience that will make it feel more natural to 'chat' with Cortana.

More importantly, Cortana will be evolving from just a lowly digital assistant to a “personal productivity assistant.” In other words, it will have even more productivity skills to help you manage your tasks and time, as well as connect with people, in the Microsoft 365 apps. 

Cortana will also have its own app, rather than being built into Windows 10, so we can expect more regular updates in the future – rather than having to wait for Microsoft to release major Windows updates.

Windows 10 20H1 has a better Windows Search 

This new update will introduce at least a couple of changes to the Windows Search function. Windows 10 20H1 will bring in a new algorithm for Windows Search that will have a more efficient disk usage. This new algorithm should reduce excessive disk and CPU usage.

Other Windows Search features to come with this major update include the Enhanced search mode feature, which allows users to easily expand search across all folders and drivers, as well as Windows Search integration into File Explorer for more consistent results. 

Windows 10 20H1 improves video playback performance 

Also according to Windows Latest, Windows 10 20H1 will bring in Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) 2.7, which has been designed to improve users’ overall gaming performance as well as video output and the refresh rate on multi-monitor setups.

There will be support for hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling that should allow video cards to manage their video memory, and result in reduced latency and improved average FPS for smoother video playbacks.

Plus, this update will finally fix reported multi-monitor and sing monitor stutter issues with better refresh rates support.

Windows 10 20H1 makes it easier to reset Windows 10

Another welcome addition is that Windows 10 20H1 will make it easier to reset Windows 10 to how it was when you first installed it, or when you first bought your device.

It include the Cloud Download feature, reinstalling Windows 10 from an updated version that's held online, and should make resetting or reinstalling Windows 10 even easier.

Windows 10 20H1 brings in more kaomojis 

Fans of kaomojis will be happy to know that the Windows 10 20H1 update will bring in even more kaomojis for everyone to enjoy. If you don’t know what kaomojis are, they’re basically old school emojis – instead of individual graphical pictures, you have a bunch of symbols and characters to represent characters and facial expressions.

These are just some of the new kaomojis Windows 10 20H1 is adding to the list.

  • ヾ(⌐■_■)ノ♪
  • ლ(╹◡╹ლ)
  • (⊙_◎)
  • ( ͡~ ͜ʖ ͡°)
  • ಠ_ರೃ
  • (∩^o^)⊃━☆
  • /ᐠ｡ꞈ｡ᐟ\

Michelle Rae Uy also contributed to this article.

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Best WordPress hosting 2020

Posted: 06 Apr 2020 10:00 AM PDT

Getting started with WordPress web hosting doesn't have to be expensive, after all the 17-year old WordPress is free (and open source). Even the cheapest shared hosting plan usually comes with a one-click WordPress installer, allowing the greenest of blogging newbies to have their first post ready in less than 60 seconds (we tried it).

Managing a blog over time is much more challenging, though. You'll need to find your own themes and plugins. And also keep them, and WordPress itself, up-to-date (although you can even get that done automatically).

Blogs are often targeted by malware, so it's important you have some way to detect and remove any threats, and you'll want regular backups to help get a broken blog working again. 

There's a long list of hosting companies offering WordPress plans, but we've picked out five of the best to point you in the right direction. Whether you're a first-time user or a big business, there's something for you here, and with prices starting at around a pound per month, it's well worth taking the time to find out more.

  • Want your company or services to be added to this buyer’s guide? Please email your request to desire.athow@futurenet.com with the URL of the buying guide in the subject line.

These are the best WordPress hosting services of 2020

Image Credit: Bluehost

Budget WordPress hosting can have a lot of appeal, but it usually won't deliver the features, performance or reliability that high traffic sites need. If you're the demanding type, opting for a premium hosting plan will give you much better results.

Bluehost has created its own VPS-based architecture to deliver optimum WordPress performance via NGINX, a custom PHP-FPM setup and intelligently allocated resources through KVM hypervisor. (If you're not a hosting geek, this just means Bluehost has taken the time to optimize the low-level setup of its platform for WordPress, rather than simply making do with a standard configuration.)

The company doesn't waste time by pretending to offer ‘unlimited’ resources, and instead tells you exactly what you're going to get. For the Basic plan which starts at $2.75 per month for the first term (renews at $7.99), this means 50GB SSD storage, a single website, a free domain for one year and $50 Marketing Credit.

Additional features for all plans include free SSL, unmetered MySQL DB, site analytics dashboard, unlimited parked/sub domains and Bluehost Marketplace where users will have access to premium themes and plugins at exclusive prices. New Bluehost accounts will also get a free service called Blue Spark, which is designed to help newcomers with everything WordPress related.

The Plus plan which starts at $5.45 per month for the first term (renews at $10.99), adds unlimited websites and website space, and additional features like spam protection, free CDN and WP staging environment. The Choice Plus plan costs $5.45 per month for the first term (renews at $14.99) and adds even more features. Bluehost also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee if you feel the service doesn't deliver. 

If you need more power, BlueHost has a managed hosting solution called WordPress Pro that has been optimized for WordPress websites, with prices starting at $17.95 per month. These plans have many additional features like unlimited everything, malware detection and removal, JetPack site analytics, business review tools and more.

Image Credit: Tsohost

Managed WordPress packages can often feel overpriced. Many hosts charge significant premiums for impressive sounding claims – optimized servers, malware scanning – that are difficult to evaluate or confirm.

The UK-based Tsohost isn't interested in any of that, instead focusing on providing the core WordPress essentials at a very fair price.

The baseline Economy plan gives you a free domain name, will migrate your existing site, includes 50% discount on Standard SSL and has no limits on bandwidth. You get daily backups and can restore any of the last 30 days with a click. There's 24/7 support via ticket and email, and phone and live chat is available from 7am to midnight.

You get a hundred 200MB mailboxes, and the plan restricts you to 100GB storage and 100,000 page views a month. If that's enough for you, the plan costs ~$4.9(£3.99) a month paid annually (the first year is ~$3.7 (£2.99) a month).

If that's just too underpowered, opting for the Deluxe plan gets you unlimited storage, 500x1GB mailboxes, and unlimited hosted websites. That's significantly more capable, yet still very reasonably priced at ~$7.8(£5.99) a month paid annually (the first year is ~$4.9 (£3.99) a month).

The  "most popular" Ultimate plan is priced at ~$11.7(£8.99) a month paid annually (the first year is ~$7.4 (£5.99) a month) and supports unlimited storage, unlimited hosted websites, unlimited 10GB mailboxes and a free SSL certificate among other things.

Tsohost doesn't offer all the frills and extras you'll get with some products. There's no talk of SiteLock malware protection, optimized WordPress add-ons or a custom CDN. But it's hard to complain at this price, and Tsohost is still delivering a capable service with more than enough power for smaller sites.

Image Credit: Inmotion Hosting

Most web hosts offer only a few WordPress plans, and even these might be set up to point you in a particular direction. You'll often see an underpowered plan, an overpriced one, and a special deal on the mid-range plan they really want you to buy. That makes it easy to decide, but it also limits your upgrade options if your site grows over time.

InMotion Hosting is unusual in offering six WordPress plans, covering everything from small personal blogs to resellers and big business. Figuring out which is the best product for you will take a little more thought, but at least there's room to upgrade – or downgrade – if your circumstances change.

Better still, InMotion hasn't artificially limited the low-end plans by removing key features. Even the baseline WP-1000S plan – which costs $5.99 (£5.15) a month initially (1-year plan), $9.99 (£7.70) on renewal – gives you 40GB storage, unlimited bandwidth and email addresses, preinstalled WordPress, SSL, backups, automatic updates, SiteLock security, cPanel site management, and extras like BoldGrid and WP-CLI. The only significant issue is InMotion's suggestion that the plan works best for blogs with up to 20,000 monthly visits, and even that won't be a problem for many smaller sites.

Upgrading your plan gets you some extras – premium themes and plugin subscriptions, a dedicated IP address, support for hosting more sites – but it's mostly about giving you more resources. For example, the top-of-the-range WP-4000S plan supports 300,000 monthly visitors across up to 6 sites for $29.99 (£23) a month initially (1-year plan), $36.99 (£28.3) on renewal.

There are cheaper deals around, but in previous reviews, we've found InMotion to be reliable, professional and honest, and any price premium is likely to be worth paying. You don't have to take our word for it, though – an exceptional 90-day money-back guarantee gives you plenty of opportunity to find out for yourself.

Image Credit: 1&1 IONOS

Web giant 1&1 IONOS seems to have a hosting product for every possible need, and WordPress is no exception. Novice users can try out its service for a nominal $3 (£2.4) a month, yet the plan still outperforms many competitors. 

The bundled 25GB of storage means you won't be running out of space in a hurry, for example. There are no bandwidth or visitor limits, and you can set up as many email accounts as you need.

1&1 IONOS offers the core WordPress management functions that you would expect: a setup wizard, preinstalled plugins, automatic updates and 24/7 support (including by telephone). Also, you get a personal consultant free of charge. 

All this is built on a capable platform – NGINX, PHP 7.2, OPcache, up to 2GB RAM guaranteed – to enhance your blog's performance.

There's SSL included and even a free domain thrown in, which is a ridiculously good value at this price.

If you're a WordPress novice, it might be worth taking out the plan for an initial year, claiming your free domain and taking the time to learn how the blog works. When you time is up, renew if you're happy, or if you're not, use your knowledge and experience to find a better plan.

1&1 IONOS isn't just about newbies, though: there's value for more demanding users, too. In particular, the Unlimited plan gives you unlimited Wordpress sites and storage space, unlimited databases (1GB max), and unlimited email accounts (2GB each). Bonus features include a Wildcard SSL, a CDN and SiteLock malware scanning, as well as RailGun content delivery network, and the price looks good at $18 (£14.6)

Image Credit: HostGator

Choosing the best WordPress hosting package can seem like a complicated business, with a stack of low-level details and issues to consider. But it doesn't have to be that way. If you don't have special requirements then opting for a reliable company will get you capable mid-range products that can handle everything most users need.

HostGator generally delivers powerful hosting plans for a fair price, and its managed WordPress range is no exception. Its Starter product may only cost $5.95 (£4.25) ($3.98 with our promo code) per month for three years, $9.95 (£7.10) afterwards, but you still get a free site migration, an SSL certificate, automatic malware detection and removal, unlimited email addresses and unmetered storage and bandwidth, and it can handle up to 100,000 visits a month.

Ramping up to the high-end Business plan gets you more CPU power, support for up to three sites and 500,000 visits a month, yet still costs only $9.95 (£7.10) ($9.18 with our promo code) a month for the first three years, $22.95 (£16.40) a month afterwards.

Smart caching and a CDN are on hand to enhance your website's performance, 24/7 support helps keep your site up and running, and surprise bonus features include free domain privacy to protect from identity theft and reduce annoying spam.

We've had good experiences with HostGator's service, but if you're not so lucky, there's a generous 45-day money-back guarantee. As with other hosting companies, this won't cover any domain registration fees, but it's still a better deal than you'll often find elsewhere.

You might also want to check out our other buying guides:

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Cryptocurrency deals dried up in 2019

Posted: 06 Apr 2020 09:52 AM PDT

A new report from PwC has revealed that attracting mainstream investment continued to be a struggle for the cryptocurrency industry last year as both global fund raising and deals dried up.

According to data seen by Bloomberg, the number and value of cryptocurrency-related fund raising and mergers and acquisitions sank last year to $451m from almost $1.9bn in 2018. At the same time, the amount of funds raised fell by 40 percent to $2.24bn.

Cryptocurrency enthusiasts have predicted for some time now that Bitcoin would experience explosive growth once mainstream investment started to pour in. However, that did not happen last year even when Bitcoin came out of its “crypto winter” to briefly trade around $13,000.

In its report, PwC explained that coming out of its “crypto winter” didn't have the effect that Bitcoin enthusiasts thought it would, saying:

“The rise in the price of Bitcoin in Q2 and Q3 2019, and the associated interest in crypto assets did not yet materialize by way of increased new capital into the industry.”

Coronavirus impact

PwC's report also revealed that the cryptocurrency market will be affected by volatility from the coronavirus outbreak and other macroeconomic events this year. 

PwC global crypto leader and one of the authors of its 2nd Global Crypto M&A Fundraising report, Henri Arslanian explained that the cryptocurrency industry is not immune to recent global events, saying:

“The crypto industry is not immune to the global headwinds and the number and value of crypto fund-raising and M&A deals may be impacted in 2020.”

The report also pointed out the fact that traditional and crypto-focused venture capital funds, incubators and family offices are the main source of funding for the cryptocurrency industry. However, consolidation is the biggest driver of mergers and acquisitions in the industry with nine out of the top 10 deals strategic in nature and driven by crypto companies or digital currency-focused funds.

Via Bloomberg

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Best Apple Watch: the ultimate guide to pick your iPhone compatible smartwatch

Posted: 06 Apr 2020 09:36 AM PDT

Donning an Apple Watch in 2020 is a little more tempting with all the deals, fresh features, the watchOS 6 update, and a higher app count. It's a fantastic smartwatch series, as long as you're happy with an iPhone-tied convenience gadget - don't expect a life-changing piece of technology. 

Why? Two versions of the watch makes our best smartwatch list, but smartwatches aren't game-changing tech like smartphones were when they burst onto the scene over a decade ago. Instead, smartwatches are just an everyday awesome add-on, a true accessory that makes everything you do with a smartphone just a little better.

Apple never ended up calling this the 'iWatch', but it really is "my watch" - with all its iterations the company has proved this is Apple's most personal and customizable gadget yet.

We've put together the guide below to talk you through the differences between all six iterations of the Apple Watch. There's the original Apple Watch, the Apple Watch Series 1, Apple Watch Series 2, Apple Watch Series 3, Apple Watch Series 4, and now, the Apple Watch Series 5.

It's a complicated mix of smartwatches now, with over 100 different flavors once you factor in the variety of case materials, colors, sizes and interchangeable Apple Watch bands, so there are a bunch of a tough decisions to make. That's not even getting into the fact that we're expecting an Apple Watch 6 later in 2020. But let's start with the big question: which is the best Apple Watch for you?

Best Apple Watch: which is for you?

Apple Watch 5

The Apple Watch 5 was unveiled in September 2019, and it's the most high-tech device from the company's wearable line yet. It isn't a huge upgrade over the Apple Watch 4, but this latest version comes with an always-on display for the first time. 

That will allow you to see all of your key stats without having to turn on your watch's display. You've got the choice of either a 40mm or 44mm case for this watch, and it comes with a wide variety of fitness features.

If you're looking for the absolute best from Apple, the Series 5 watch is sure to offer it with its ECG monitor, GPS tracking, impressive heart rate monitoring, and lots more. 

Read the full Apple Watch 5 review

Apple Watch 4

Don't need that always-on display we've mentioned above? The Apple Watch 4 doesn't come with that, and it's far cheaper than the Apple Watch 5. So you may prefer to get this version instead and save a bit of money.

It also comes in both 40mm and 44mm variants, plus a lot of the features are similar such as the excellent heart rate tracking and the larger display than you'll find on older Apple Watches.

The most exciting tech here is the fact that there's an ECG feature within the heart rate tracker. It can test your heart to see if you're at a high risk of atrial fibrillation, which will allow you to seek help earlier if your health is in danger. This is found on the Apple Watch 5 too, but not older models.

Read the full Apple Watch 4 review

Apple Watch 3

The Apple Watch 3 (or Apple Watch Series 3, if you're picky) was once the very best smartwatch, but it has since been bumped down by the Apple Watch 4 and 5. That said, it's still a great device, especially as it's now cheaper than ever.

It comes with a smaller display than the Apple Watch 4, and you won't get features like the ECG monitor on the devices above, but it's still a strong wearable for those wanting fitness smarts.

There's also an LTE version of the watch available, for if you're in need of a watch that can receive messages or phone calls even when you're away from your iPhone. If you need a cheaper smartwatch but you want to buy an Apple Watch, this is our top choice.

Read the full Apple Watch 3 review

Are there other Apple Watches?

You'll probably notice that the original Apple Watch, the Series 1 and Series 2 device are all missing from this list. That's because it's hard to buy those devices new anymore, so we've focused on the more easily available devices.

You can still source the original Apple Watch and a variety of older devices from some places, but we'd recommend opting for one of the devices above as they support software for longer and are generally more refined devices.

Apple Watch price comparison

Largely the pricing for the Apple Watch works by how old the product is. If you want the Apple Watch 3, you'll be able to find that for a lot less money than the Apple Watch 5.

Below we've got a live widget that will show you the latest deals for all the versions of the Apple Watch if you want to see the exact price right now. Bear in mind you can also get the Apple Watch 5, 4 or 3 on a contract because of the LTE features, and you can't do that for the other two devices.

What iPhone do you need to use an Apple Watch?

Unlike Google's Wear OS devices, the Apple Watch only works with one type of phone. You'll need to have at least an iPhone 5 running iOS 10 or later to be able to use an Apple Watch or Apple Watch 2.

If you want an Apple Watch 3, you'll need to have at least an iPhone 5S running iOS 11 software for the non-LTE version or an iPhone 6 to be able to use the LTE variant.

But if you're buying an Apple Watch 5, you'll need an iPhone 6S or later, which is the cutoff for watchOS 6, which is what that smartwatch ships with. 

Apple Watch colors and sizes

A big change for the Apple Watch 4 is the size, so now it comes in 40mm or 44mm options.

All of the other models of the Apple Watch come in either 38mm or 42mm versions. Some color options are limited to certain size watches, but our simple advice here is go for the larger version if you want a watch with a bigger screen and you don't mind spending a touch more.

It's difficult to get the difference in size across here, but if you're uncertain on size it's worth trying each on in the shop to be sure. Below we've got three examples showing off the four different sizes, as well as a comparison of the screen sizes.

You've then also got to choose the color of your watch as well as what material you want it to be made of. The Apple Watch 4 comes in gold, space grey or silver if you want it to be made of aluminum, and the same colors come in stainless steel too.

White and grey are also color options if you choose the ceramic version of the Apple Watch 3, but these are much more expensive and are called the Apple Watch Series 3 Edition. These are now hard to come by as Apple doesn't officially sell them.

There's also the Apple Watch Nike+, which is the same device as the Apple Watch 3 but comes with exclusive watch faces, the Nike+ Run Club app pre-loaded and a choice of lots of Nike branded sports bands.

That's not all though. If you like the idea of a handcrafted leather strap, you may like the look of the Apple Watch Hermès. Again, it's the Apple Watch 4. but here you get an exclusive watch face using the Hermès Carrick font as well as high-end leather straps for your wrist.

The Apple Watch Series 1 is only available in aluminum in space grey or silver.

Apple Watch bands and straps

Apple Watch Hermès with the Double Tour strap (Image Credit: Apple)

There are dozens of straps sold by Apple that offer a huge variety of styles for your wrist. When you first buy your Apple Watch you'll have a strap included, but you can buy and easily switch out different straps that you buy separately.

There are material and color options available including woven nylon, Nike sport, leather, bracelets and much more. Any Apple Watch strap works with any Apple Watch, as long as you've got the right smaller or larger size watch.

Plus there are lots of third-party bands available too, but make sure you get the right size as it won't support all watch straps.

Apple Watch apps and watch faces

Image Credit: TechRadar

Since the original Apple Watch, we've seen the company grow its titles that you can use on the watch as well as the amount of watch faces you can switch around to give the screen a different look.

For a full guide to our favorite bits of software on the wearable, check out our best Apple Watch apps guide as well as best Apple Watch games and best Apple Watch faces.

Got your Apple Watch? Learn how to use it

Below are a selection of the how to guides we have at TechRadar to help you understand some of the complicated parts of setting up, customizing and using your new smartwatch.

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The cheapest Nintendo Switch bundle deals and prices in April 2020

Posted: 06 Apr 2020 09:34 AM PDT

Nintendo Switch deals are bust right now, with the US and UK experiencing an incredible shortage of stock on the flagship console. There are ways to still enjoy Nintendo's catalog of titles, however. 

The Nintendo Switch Lite has returned to retailer inventories across the UK this week, and you can even pick up some stunning bundle deals on top games, including Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Over in the US, however, things aren't looking so rosy. You'd be hard pressed to find a Nintendo Switch or a Nintendo Switch Lite console on the other side of the pond right now, but we're listing all the retailers you should be checking if you're on the hunt. 

We're keeping a watchful eye on the situation, so be sure to bookmark this page as we'll be updating it throughout the week if we get even a sniff of a Joy-Con hitting store shelves. 

You'll find it difficult to get your hands on a Nintendo Switch console right now, and while the Switch Lite is still very much available, if you're looking for big-screen gaming there are some fantastic Xbox One and PS4 deals going right now. 


We're listing all of the best Nintendo Switch sales right here and we're always on the lookout for the best bundles with extra games, controllers and other accessories so we can share them with you while they're hot. Scroll past the bundles on this page and we'll show you prices on extra Joy-Con and Pro controllers and Nintendo Switch memory cards too. If you want to play online multiplayer and get other benefits like free games you'll want to pick up a Nintendo Switch Online subscription deal. We also have a dedicated page of Nintendo Switch prices for our Australian readers.

The latest cheap Nintendo Switch deals

Want to know where to buy a Nintendo Switch? Check out our comparison charts and the latest bundle highlights with extra games and accessories below for the best deals. On its own, the MSRP/RRP Nintendo Switch price is $299 in the USA and £279 in the UK. At the moment, though, you may be paying a premium to get your hands on such an in-demand console. 

You won't find a Nintendo Switch or a Nintendo Switch Lite on sale in the US right now - the stock has been completely wiped out. We're listing all the best places to check first below, and we'll bring you the latest stock as it comes in, so be sure to bookmark this page. 

  • Newegg - recently price hiked, but previously strong stock levels 
  • B&H Photo - offering standard pricing right up until stock ran out, but backorders are on their way
  • Adorama - stock temporarily unavailable at time of writing
  • Kohl's - one Nintendo Switch Lite bundle is currently available

The Nintendo Switch Lite was recently released at just $199.99/£199.99. That's $100/£80 less than the original Switch console. If you want to play games on the TV as well, you should go for the standard Nintendo Switch instead as the Lite is only playable in handheld mode.

The Nintendo Switch Lite comes in multiple colour options. You can pick one up now in turquoise, gray and yellow. There will also be a special edition Zacian & Zamazenta Edition released on November 8 to celebrate the release of Pokémon Sword and Shield. It doesn't come with the game, but doesn't cost anything extra either. If you want to learn more about the console and see prices for every individual color and bundle, check out our Nintendo Switch Lite prices and deals guide.

As with any new console we imagine you're wanting to know a bit more about the console before you put any money down. So in addition to finding the best Nintendo Switch bundle deals, we're going to help bring in answers to the burning questions.

Nintendo Switch Joy-con controller deals

How to buy the right Nintendo Switch

The updated version of the original Nintendo Switch is now being rolled out with an improved battery. That's the only change, but prices are generally the same as the older model. The old version model number was HAC-001 and the box featured a lifestyle image with a hand grabbing the console. While the new model number is HAC-001(-01) and the box has an all-red background and no hand.

What are the Joy-Con controllers?

The Joy-Con controller is actually a pair of controllers that attach to the sides the the Nintendo Switch when not in use or when playing in tablet form away from the TV. When playing the Nintendo Switch on the TV, you can remove them and play with one in each hand. The left hand gets a controller with an analogue stick and d-pad, the right hand handles the one with a second analogue and the usual A, B, X and Y face buttons. Or you and a friend can use one each in multiplayer games with the d-pad doubling up as impromptu face buttons. 

You get a pair with the console, but you might want to buy more to allow extra players to get involved in games like Mario Kart 8, FIFA 19 and many more. Or maybe you just fancy some different colors for your own use.

Nintendo Switch Joy-Con Grip controller

What's the Joy-Con Grip controller?

The Joy-Con Grip is an additional accessory that joins the two Joy-Con controllers together, forming something something a bit more solid for you to hold thanks to the extended handles and plastic block between the two sides. The square dimension form-factor may remind older gamers of the Dreamcast controller, while everyone else will mainly be thinking how it resembles an odd-looking dog face. Nintendo is providing one in the box with the Nintendo Switch, so you won't have to buy one separately. This won't charge your controller though and doesn't have a battery pack.

You won't actually need a Nintendo Switch Pro controller to play any games, so don't feel pressured in to buying one. The Nintendo Switch Pro controller is a more traditional-style pad and launched alongside the Nintendo Switch. Prices aren't cheap though, starting around $69.99/£64.99. There's no sign of a Nintendo Switch Premium Edition console with one included either.

Do I need to buy extra controllers for multiplayer on Nintendo Switch?

Possibly not! Remember how the Joy-Con controller splits in two? Turn them sideways and you get two basic controllers, each with their own analogue stick and face buttons - the d-pad acts as face functions on the left controller. We've seen 2K's NBA series, Snipper Clips, FIFA 19, and Mario Kart being used this way for local multiplayer in both docked and tablet modes. So you get multiplayer functionality straight out of the box with no additional purchase required.

However, if you want to play four-player games, then you're going to need to invest in an extra pair of Joy-Con controllers or some Pro controllers. We'd buy the Joy-Cons as a pair (see our comparison chart above) as you'll save a bit of cash over buying them separately. Better yet, if your friends own a Switch, ask them to bring their controllers to the party!

Super Mario Odyssey deals

This has been one of the best games on the Nintendo Switch so far and an absolute must for Mario and platforming fans. Like Zelda below though, this being a first-party Nintendo title, it's taking forever to go down in price. It's slowly happening though, so we've rounded up the cheapest Super Mario Odyssey prices for you below. If you're not getting this game in a bundle, we'd strongly advise picking it up separately as soon as possible.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild deals

The reviews have heaped huge praise upon this eagerly awaited launch title, making it an essential purchase for any Nintendo Switch buyer. As with any new console, the prices of the big games can be more expensive than usual. We've shopped around for you though and have found the best prices for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild on the Nintendo Switch. Take a look below.

With only 32GB of internal storage, you'll be wanting to pick up a cheap memory card or two for your new Nintendo Switch for any digital purchases or the inevitable game-fixing patches. Don't fret though, they're actually surprisingly cheap, with even 64GB ones coming in at under £20/$25.

What memory cards does the Nintendo Switch need? Those will be Micro SD cards also known as, depending on their size, as MicroSDHC (up to 32GB) or MicroSDXC (up to a huge 2TB soon). Nintendo also has their own branded cards, but you'll be paying more just for a label. So for now, we'd take a look at this range of cheap MicroSDXC Nintendo Switch-friendly cards.

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Best dedicated server hosting providers of 2020

Posted: 06 Apr 2020 09:32 AM PDT

Opting for a dedicated server means that you get an entire server to yourself. There's no sharing of CPU time, RAM or bandwidth, which means your website stays responsive at all times.

Shared web hosting can appear to be amazing value, with feature-packed products available for just a few pounds every month. But the reality is often very different, and they're not always the bargains they seem.

Very low prices probably mean the host is cramming more customers onto each server, for instance. Performance will be poor as there aren't enough resources to go around, and the extra load could mean more server problems and downtime.

Dedicated hosting implies that you also get far more control over how the server is configured. You can add and remove software, install updates or tweak all settings, allowing you to optimize the server for your specific needs.

Best of all, dedicated hosting contracts often come with fast and knowledgeable support. The best providers will even monitor your server for issues, like failed services, and can often fix them before you've realized there was a problem.

This kind of power doesn't come cheap, and although there are some good signup deals around, you can easily spend $50-$140 a month and more on just a basic package.

With that kind of investment, it's important to make the right choice. In this article, we're going to highlight five top dedicated hosting providers who you might want to check out first.

Bluehost is a popular web hosting service with powerful and flexible plans, and their dedicated hosting plans follow the same principle. 

The pricing starts with the Standard plan which is priced at $73.99 (£61.85 for UK) per month for the first term, $119.99 (£98.64 for UK) per month afterward. The plans might be a bit more expensive compared to rivals but they sure don’t lack the features. For the Standard plan you get 4 cores at 2.3 GHz, 500GB of storage, 4GB RAM, 5TB bandwidth and 3 IP addresses. Free domain and SSL certificate are also included. 

In addition, there are plenty of advanced features too, like multi-server management, secure shell (SSH) access, custom-designed database manager and more. For users that want more, they have the option to upgrade to a faster CPU, more storage, more bandwidth and pretty much more of everything.

Some optional features are also available, so if you want domain privacy and protection, SiteLock or spam protection you can get those as well.

Bluehost is a capable hosting provider with 24/7 support so you can call for help any time you need it. If by any chance you’re not satisfied with the service, Bluehost offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Hostwinds is a capable hosting provider which crams a huge range of features into all its products, from the most basic shared hosting plans to its enterprise-level cloud-based range.

Its dedicated server range may start at just $79.50 (£60.6) a month, for instance – $106 (£76) on renewal – but even these baseline products include features that are premium extras elsewhere.

All systems have 1Gbps ports, for instance (some providers start at 100Mbps). Every server is fully managed, ensuring you're not wasting time running operating system updates or other basic maintenance tasks. Hostwinds monitors your server to detect problems as soon as they crop up, and automatic nightly backups ensure you can quickly recover from even the worst of disasters.

Storage is extremely configurable, too. Some servers have four drive bays available, and they can be equipped with any mix of 1TB to 3TB SATA drives, or 120GB to 1TB SSDs. That's considerably more flexible than providers like 1&1, where you can only use SSD drives on some products, and even then they're often available in fixed configurations only (1TB SATA or 800GB SSD, for instance).

There's more good news with the choice of operating system. Not only do Linux fans get a choice of CentOS, Debian, Fedora or Ubuntu, but Windows users can choose Windows 2008, 2012 or 2016 Server for a low $25 (£18.8) – we've seen charges of up to $50 (£35.70) elsewhere.

Put it all together and the Hostwinds dedicated range is refreshingly honest. Servers aren't crippled by low specifications to hit a price point, and yet final costs remain low, with most updates very fairly priced. Well worth a look for anyone who needs a reliable, highly-specified server for a low price.

German-based 1&1 (as October 2018 called 1&1 IONOS) is well known as a budget hosting provider, but the company doesn't just offer value for website newbies: its dedicated server range starts at a very low $45 a month for the first six months, then $65.

As you might imagine, 1&1 has had to cut a few corners to hit that price point. The cheapest plans are relatively basic, with limited hardware, although network bandwidth got an upgrade with 1Gbit/s. Features like SSD drives and server management (1&1 updates, monitors and manages the server for you) cost extra. Oh, and there's also a setup fee of at least $50 (entry level plan doesn't have setup fee).

But there are plus points, too, including unlimited bandwidth, bundled Symantec SSL certificates, and the Plesk Onyx server control panel thrown in for free. Overall, even the most limited 1&1 dedicated server plan has enough power to handle many tasks. Additionally, you get a personal consultant free of charge.

Demanding users have plenty of paid upgrades to explore, including a faster CPU, more RAM and storage, a bundled backup service and more. Some of these add-ons include more than you might expect, too. Paying $14 a month for management doesn't just mean 1&1 will look after server admin: you also get a website builder, simple analytics, a photo slideshow service, automatic backup and restore for WordPress sites, and more. Sounds like a good deal to us.

Opting for dedicated rather than shared hosting will speed up your website in itself, but there's still plenty of room for improvement. A2 Hosting's managed server plans blend multiple tricks and technologies to try and ensure you see the best possible performance.

This starts with a powerful set of server components: OPcache and APC may speed up PHP processing by 50%. Memcached holds key MySQL data in RAM for faster retrieval, while mod_pagespeed uses multiple tricks to optimize site content. SPDY and HTTP/2 accelerate page loads even further, and support for technologies like edge side includes and websockets allow more fine-tuned optimizations of your site.

A2 Hosting plans also include Cloudflare's free CDN and its Railgun Optimizer, which "compresses previously uncacheable web objects up to 99.6%" and may result in an average 200% performance increase. In reality you might not see anything like that – the boost will vary greatly, depending on your site – but it's still a technology worth having.

Elsewhere, performance-boosting add-ons include RAID 1 SSD storage of up to 2 x 1TB. An optional Turbo Boost feature costing from $35 a month replaces Apache with the LiteSpeed server, apparently bringing up to 20x faster page loads, and another add-on can cache the HTML contents of a page, then speedily reload it later without needing to run PHP. We were happy to see cPanel is thrown in, too (it's often a chargeable extra with other hosts).

These kind of professional features come at a cost, with even the most basic Sprint plan priced from around $99 a month. But if speed is your top priority then this company could be worth a try, especially as A2's ‘Anytime Money Back Guarantee’ will refund your fees if you cancel within 30 days of your order.

Liquid Web is a popular provider of high-end business hosting products ranging from managed WordPress and WooComerce plans, to cloud VPS, dedicated servers and private clouds.

The company's dedicated offerings may look expensive, with a starting price of $199 a month (can be reduced to $149 a month if annual billing is chosen), but they're also far better specified than most of the budget competition.

Even the cheapest dedicated server includes two speedy 240GB SSD drives, for instance. There's also a 1TB SATA backup drive provided, making it easy and convenient to run regular backups.

The plan includes a dedicated IP. Support for Cloudflare CDN should boost your website speeds, and your server can be hosted in one of three data centers (Arizona, Michigan, or the Netherlands). Although, the special entry plans are only hosted in Michigan.

Most importantly, all dedicated servers are managed by Liquid Web's professional support team. They monitor system health, proactively respond to notifications (for example, they’ll restart a failed service), alongside taking care of installing and updating the operating system. If you have any difficulties, support is available 24/7/365, and the company guarantees a 59 second response time via phone or chat, 30 minutes via ticket and email.

Factor in the wide range of optional add-ons – load balancers, firewalls, VPN – and the range has more than enough power for almost any purpose. If you're managing a heavy-duty website, Liquid Web needs to be on your shortlist.

You might also want to check out our other website hosting buying guides:

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Quibi: free trial, price, exclusive shows and how to sign up

Posted: 06 Apr 2020 08:55 AM PDT

These are busy times in the TV streaming world, and the just-launched Quibi is the latest competitor on the scene. Unlike upcoming rivals Peacock and HBO Max, though, this isn't a straightforward Netflix competitor. Instead, Quibi is a mobile-focused streaming service, with the name Quibi being short for 'quick bites'. You can only watch it on phones, as of launch day. 

The brainchild of Dreamworks co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg, it's backed by huge amounts of cash, has Hollywood royalty like Steven Spielberg and Guillermo del Toro involved and boasts daily content updates. It's definitely a different proposition to other streamers, but will it catch on?  

Now that it's here, you're probably wondering whether you should care. Below, we'll discuss Quibi's price, how you sign up, its generous 90-day free trial and shows you can enjoy on the service. 

Quibi release date: it's out now

Quibi launched on April 6, 2020 in the US, the same month as NBC's new Peacock streaming service lands, and a month ahead of HBO Max's May debut – a busy few weeks in the ever-more-competitive streaming wars. You can download it now.

While we were unsure on an international release date, Quibi has launched in the UK and other territories like Australia as well.

Quibi price: how much the two tiers cost

Quibi has launched with two pricing options for US viewers. If you're happy to watch your shows interrupted by ads, you pay $4.99 a month. If you want an uninterrupted ad-free experience, it'll set you back $7.99 a month. 

In the UK right now, you can only get the ad-free option, presumably because Quibi isn't set up to sell UK ad inventory yet. That'll set you back £7.99 a month, which is £2 more per month than Disney Plus. 

In Australia, Quibi reportedly has a flat AU$12.99 per month subscription fee.

Quibi free trial: try it for 90 days

Signing up to Quibi before April 30 gets you a generous 90-day free trial. Just download either of the apps using the links below, and you get the option to grab the free trial. You'll need to enter your payment details, but that's a healthy slice of content for no commitment. Just remember to cancel in three months if you don't want it any more. 

Quibi app links, compatible devices and how to sign up

Quibi only works on mobile devices right now, so you can download it on all Apple devices compatible with iOS 11.0 or above (app link here). On Android, download the app here. You'll be asked to create an account once you open the app, and after you've created an account, you can begin the 90-day trial mentioned above, Like we say, you will need a payment method to begin the trial.

If you were hoping to watch it on PS4, you're out of luck, as it looks to remain mobile-only for the time being. 

That's likely because of its Turnstyle feature, which lets you watch content in landscape or portrait, depending on how you're holding your phone. 

Quibi launch shows: everything you can watch at launch

Quibi has launched with a bumper selection of shows, and four movies cut up into smaller episodes, with new instalments being released daily. Quibi shows break down into three categories: Movies in Chapters, Daily Essentials and finally Unscripted and Docs.

Here's everything on the Quibi app at launch, per the streaming service, and which of the relevant categories they fit into:

Quibi content at launch

  • Flipped (scripted, Movies in Chapters)
  • Most Dangerous Game (scripted, Movies in Chapters)
  • Survive (scripted, Movies in Chapters)
  • When the Streetlights Go On (scripted, Movies in Chapters)
  • &Music (documentary)
  • Chrissy’s Court (unscripted)
  • Dishmantled (unscripted)
  • Fierce Queens (documentary)
  • Gayme Show! (unscripted)
  • Gone Mental with Lior (unscripted)
  • I Promise (documentary)
  • Memory Hole (unscripted)
  • Murder House Flip (unscripted)
  • NightGowns (documentary)
  • Nikki Fre$h (unscripted)
  • Prodigy (documentary)
  • Punk’d (unscripted)
  • Run This City (documentary)
  • Shape of Pasta (documentary)
  • Singled Out (unscripted)
  • Skrrt with Offset (unscripted)
  • Thanks A Million (unscripted)
  • The Sauce (unscripted)
  • You Ain’t Got These (documentary)
  • Around the World by BBC News (Daily Essentials)
  • Weather Today by The Weather Channel (Daily Essentials)
  • Morning Report by NBC News (Daily Essentials)
  • Evening Report by NBC News (Daily Essentials)
  • Saturday Report by NBC News (Daily Essentials)
  • Sunday Report by NBC News (Daily Essentials)
  • The Replay by ESPN (Daily Essentials)
  • NewsDay by CTV (Daily Essentials, Canada)
  • NewsNight by CTV (Daily Essentials, Canada)
  • Sports AM by TSN (Daily Essentials, Canada)
  • Pulso News by Telemundo (Daily Essentials)
  • For the Cultura by Telemundo (Daily Essentials)
  • Close Up by E! News (Daily Essentials)
  • Fresh Daily by Rotten Tomatoes (Daily Essentials)
  • Speedrun by Polygon (Daily Essentials)
  • Pop5 by iHeartRadio (Daily Essentials)
  • No Filter by TMZ: AM (Daily Essentials)
  • No Filter by TMZ: PM (Daily Essentials)
  • Last Night’s Late Night (Daily Essentials)
  • All The Feels by The Dodo (Daily Essentials)
  • The Daily Chill (Daily Essentials)
  • The Rachel Hollis Show (Daily Essentials)
  • Sexology by Shan Boodram (Daily Essentials)
  • The Nod with Brittany & Eric (Daily Essentials)
  • Trailers by Fandango (Daily Essentials)

Quibi is mobile-only, which defines how you watch the content

We've become accustomed to having the option of watching shows from Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and other streaming services on our phones, but that was always just one the many ways to view. With Quibi content, mobile devices are the only place you can watch – quite a contrast to Martin Scorsese imploring viewers not to watch his Netflix hit The Irishman on their phones.

The innovative 'Turnstyle' feature (see above) allows you to instantly flip between watching a show in widescreen (like you do on your TV) and portrait (like a phone) orientations. A lot of the time, how you watch will be down to personal preference, but on some shows it'll change the way you see the story – upcoming thriller series Wireless will give you the chance to shift the POV depending on how you hold your phone, with the portrait mode allowing you to see how things unfold on the lead character's smartphone. 

The platform is looking to attract people on the go, which right now is complicated by a lot of people being stuck indoors due to the current health crisis. In theory, though, this is a great fit for commuters, assuming they're fine with the price.

All of the programming runs at somewhere between 4-10 minutes in length – Quibi is short for 'Quick Bites' – and all the content is downloadable, too. 

But there's set to be more to the service than simply showing short TV episodes on a small screen – Quibi are promising to embrace the potential of the mobile device to create a new user experience, much as Netflix brought a new dimension to storytelling with interactive Black Mirror episode 'Bandersnatch'. We're yet to see how that will manifest, though, beyond the Turnstyle feature. 

Meanwhile, Steven Spielberg's new horror series After Dark will take advantage of your device's clock to ensure the show's title is entirely literal, only allowing you to tune in at night. It'll be interesting to see what other standard phone functions Quibi can exploit on their future releases. 

"What we're trying to do is bring together the best of Hollywood and the best of Silicon Valley to make viewing short-form content on your mobile extraordinary," said co-founder and chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg before launch. "I think we are doing something that is now such a well-established consumer habit. You have 2.5 billion people walking around with these televisions in their pocket. They're already watching a billion hours of content every day. I just know it's going to work."

Future shows coming to Quibi

The launch is just the beginning of Quibi's content, with much more to come in the rest of 2020. On April 13, new programming is coming to the service. Antoine Fuqua's #Freerayshawn comes to Quibi starting that day, described as a modern-day take on Dog Day Afternoon. The Stranger, about someone held captive in a ride share for 12 hours, arrives then too. The shows Agua Donkeys, 50 States of Fright, Elba Vs Block, Let's Roll with Tony Greenhand and Fight Like a Girl from the WWE land on that date as well.

On April 20, expect Anna Kendrick's Dummy on the scripted side, and Iron Sharpens Iron and Fashion's a Drag on the non-scripted front. Finally, on April 27, expect unscripted shows Cup of Joe and Floored to join the line-up.

Beyond April, potential future highlights include Spielberg's aforementioned After Dark, a reboot of The Fugitive with Kiefer Sutherland and Logan's Boyd Holbrook, and an as-yet untitled twist on zombies from Guillermo del Toro.

Elsewhere, director Doug Liman will take on superhero drama Crazy Talented, where the residents of a psychiatric ward deal with superpowers;  Hardwicke directs Emily Mortimer and Don Cheadle in future-set sci-fi tale Don't Look Deeper, about a high school kid who realizes she may not be human; and Frat Boy Genius will give the Social Network treatment to Snapchat founder Evan Spiegel. There's also a remake of 1999 American football movie Varsity Blues in the works.

Will Quibi catch on?

Quibi has huge levels of financial backing – it's already brought in a reported $1.75 billion of investment, with all the major Hollywood studios contributing – and it's had no trouble enticing advertisers. Indeed, Quibi say that Google, Procter & Gamble and Walmart are already on board, and its entire first year of ad inventory in the US has already been sold out. 

Will people care, though?

There's no denying that Quibi has rounded up some serious talent in building this brand new video platform, but that subscription fee feels like its biggest obstacle in an increasingly busy streaming market. It's a forward-thinking idea, to create TV around the changing ways we watch video, but ultimately that $4.99 per month (and more if you're living outside the US) might still be a big ask when you can already watch free video content from Facebook, YouTube or Instagram on the go. And right now, people aren't on the go a whole lot. 

Still, the launch content and the quality of the app suggests it could have a bright future. Stay tuned.

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The best iPhone 7 deals and prices in April 2020

Posted: 06 Apr 2020 08:54 AM PDT

iPhone 7 deals might not be Apple's latest, the most impressive or biggest but what it is, is an opportunity to get an Apple handset at a truly budget price, skipping the usual trend of iPhones.

The release of Apple's iPhone 11 and its two more powerful models was a big reminder of the costly nature of Apple and just another reason the iPhone 7 could be the ideal phone for you.

But despite its age the iPhone 7 still rocks many of the specs we have come to expect from Apple. A mid-size battery, strong processor and the much loved iOS features Apple has made famous.

When it comes to choosing the tariff for you there is still a surprisingly large range of iPhone 7 deals. Big data remains affordable and brilliant cheap contracts under £20 are readily available.

On this page you'll find all of the best iPhone 7 deals you can get right now. Whether you're looking for unlimited data, a free phone or any other type of tariff, you can use our comparison chart below to choose the cheapest option out there. Scroll down to find the best deal for you.

And if you find yourself feeling like something just a little bit more powerful would be the best decision for you, consult our guide to the best mobile phone deals to see what else is out there right now.

The Apple iPhone 7 might now have fallen behind, becoming one of Apple's older devices and yet, the specs till hold up. The battery might not be market leading but for the price you pay for iPhone 7 deals, the water resistance, impressive camera and strong processor are a perfect combination.

Read TechRadar's full iPhone 7 review


Can iPhone 7 deals keep up with Apple's later releases?

Released way back in 2016, the iPhone 7 has a good few years behind it. With that in mind it is clearly no longer Apple's latest and greatest release. If you want the fancy camera specs, massive batteries, big screens and all that comes with new releases, iPhone 11 deals will be the way to go.

The exact area where the iPhone 7 really shines is as a very cheap iPhone. It offers some decent specs while holding on to the IOS features that many will be here for.

What other cheap iPhones are out there?

While iPhone 7 deals seem to be the most popular choice for people trying to land a cheap iPhone, there are a few other popular iPhones, now at lowered prices:

- iPhone 8 deals
- iPhone 7 Plus deals
- iPhone SE deals

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Xbox One X prices take massive cut in latest Microsoft sales

Posted: 06 Apr 2020 08:52 AM PDT

Xbox One X deals are offering some fantastic prices right now, with sales across the US and UK offering Black Friday worthy discounts. You'll find the Xbox One X available from just $299 in the US right now, with the UK being treated to prices of only £259 for the 4K console. 

Those are some fantastic prices for the Xbox One X with some of the hottest games bundled in for free as well. We've been seeing these costs come down to just $349 / £299 over the past few weeks as the Xbox Series X draws closer, but these extra price cuts offer even more savings right now. 

You'll find Xbox One X bundles offering a wide range of titles included for free - with big-name games like Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, the entire numbered Gears of War collection, Forza Horizon 4, and NBA 2K20. So, if you're tired of staring at the same four walls, mix it up with some eye-watering gorgeous 4K gaming courtesy of the latest Xbox One X deals.

Today's best Xbox One X bundle deals in the US

Today's best Xbox One X deals in the UK

More Xbox One deals

Looking for more? We're tracking all the latest Xbox One deals and sales as well as the best Xbox One X prices right here on TechRadar. If you haven't made up your mind about the console you want to pick up, you might also want to check out where to buy a PS4 and where to buy a Nintendo Switch.

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Beats noise canceling headphones get a $150 price cut at Best Buy

Posted: 06 Apr 2020 08:48 AM PDT

If you're stuck indoors with your partner or roommate and looking for a pair of noise canceling headphones to block out unwanted sound, then you're in luck. 

Best Buy's Apple Event Sale includes price cuts on best-selling Beats headphones, which include the Beats Studio 3 that are on sale for $199.99. That's a $150 discount and the best price we've found for the wireless earphones.

If you're on the hunt for earbuds that are best suited for at-home workouts, Best Buy also has the Powerbeats 3 earbuds on sale for just $89.99 and a $50 discount on the Powerbeats Pro.

The Beats Studio 3 headphones deliver a premium sound experience by providing pure adaptive noise cancelation that actively blocks external noise. The wireless headphones feature Apple's W1 chip, which results in improved connectivity and longer battery life. The convenient on-ear controls allow you to take calls, skip songs, and activate Siri without touching your phone. The cushioned headphones are available in several color choices and provide up to 22 hours of battery life.

As we mentioned above, this is the best price we've found for the Beats Studio 3 and a fantastic deal for top-tier headphones. We don't know how long Best Buy will have the earphones at this price, so you should take advantage now before it's too late.

Beats headphone deals:

See more headphone deals with the best cheap wireless headphone deals and sales that are currently available.

You can also shop Beats deals with the cheapest Beats headphone prices, sales and deals.

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The best PS4 Pro prices, deals, and bundles in April 2020

Posted: 06 Apr 2020 08:37 AM PDT

If you're on the hunt for a cheap PS4 Pro deal then we've got a few here that might just make you get your wallet out. While PS4 Pro stock remains low in both the US and UK, the good news is you can still get a PS4 Pro with a free game for the same price as the standalone console. Any bundles where the included game means an upcharge have been excluded from our list this week - we're showing you the PS4 deals where you'll only get free games or useful accessories.

With the PS5 just around the corner, now's a great time to get yourself a cheap PS4 Pro - Sonys latest 4k console with access to a ton of excellent PS4 exclusive titles. While stock levels are currently in flux due to high demand, we've still found some great offers that are still in stock and available to buy right here today. We've trawled through all our favorite retailers in both the UK and the US and found all the best bundles and savings on a cheap PS4 Pro this week.

Whether you're looking to upgrade your system now that PS4 Pro prices have crashed or you're eeking out the current generation just long enough to see that PS5 price come down, there are some fantastic savings to be made this week. With such a full library of games and excellent prices on PS4 Pro bundle deals right now, there's no reason not to take advantage of the latest sales and grab a 4K console. 

You'll find the PS4 best deals going right here, and with the PS5 just around the corner, you can bet you'll be saving on games in the future as well. Looking to buy in Australia? You'll want to take a look at our AU page.

So keep this page bookmarked to stay informed of the latest PS4 Pro bundles. If you're looking for more information on the PS4 Pro, take a look at our handy Q&A below the deals. We're also keeping an eye on future PS5 pre-orders if you're hunting next-gen deals. 

If you'd prefer a standard PS4, then check out our PS4 bundles (USA) or PS4 deals (UK) pages. Don't forget to top up your subscription with one of our discounted PlayStation Plus deals too.

What is the usual PS4 Pro Price?

The PS4 Pro price sits at $399 MSRP in the US and £349 in the UK. That means if you spot a deal above these price points, it's likely not going to be worth your cash unless it's good some hefty goodies included. 

PS4 Pro bundle deals (USA)

PS4 Pro bundles usually revolve around big name releases, so you can expect to see some deals and sales around those particular retail windows. However, there are usually plenty of PS4 Pro deals to be had if you know where to look, and lucky for you, we've developed an eye for cheap PS4 Pro prices. 

PS4 Pro bundle deals (UK)

Need an extra controller on the cheap? Take a look at the best DualShock 4 deals. We also have a guide to the best PlayStation VR deals too.

Cheap PS4 game deals

Looking for something to pair your new PS4 Pro deal with? We've collected all the best prices on the latest and greatest PS4 exclusives right here. 

DualShock 4 Back Button Attachment prices

If you were looking to add extra functionality to your PS4 controller, this DualShock 4 Back Button Attachment from Sony offers just that. The small device slips onto the back of your controller and provides two extra mappable buttons to play with. While it's brand new to market, it's so far been incredibly popular, so you might have to keep an eye out for stock to return, especially in the US. The best prices will be listed right here as soon as this device does hit shelves again, so be sure to check back soon if there's none available right now. 

Cheap PlayStation Plus deals

If you're buying a PS4 Pro, you'll probably need a cheap PlayStation Plus deal too. PlayStation Plus (aka PS Plus or PS+) allows you to play PS4 games online, along with access to the Instant Game Collection, a bunch of free games for your PS4 each month. The default price for a year is now £49.99. We've shopped around for you though and found a range of prices. So check out our guide of you want the best PlayStation Plus deals.

What is the PS4 Pro?

Essentially, the PS4 Pro is an upgrade of the PS4, rather than a 'next-gen' console. The keywords to take in from the PS4 Pro are 4K and HDR. The new machine will allow game developers to include 4K options in their games, so expect the likes of Red Dead Redemption 2, God of War, Uncharted 4, Spider-Man, Days Gone, Horizon: Zero Dawn and more to look even better on a 4K TV.

HDR, or High Dynamic Range, is the other buzzword to be excited about as the PS4 Pro will allow for extra detail to be seen on a range of games and also a wider range of colors not usually displayed by traditional HD TVs.

Will my old PS4 games work on PS4 Pro?

Absolutely. If you're planning on upgrading to a PS4 Pro from an older PS4, all of your games will still work. Not every title will be patched to take advantage of the new 4K/HDR capabilities, but the default upscaling (if you have a 4K TV) will more than likely see some improvement to the visuals and the improved console power may give the frame-rate a boost on some titles.

What else can I watch in 4K/HDR on PS4 Pro?

The PS4 Pro is compatible with 4K and HDR, and the content options for both are increasing all the time on services like YouTube and Netflix. Amazon Prime Video is yet to be updated for 4K content on a PS4 Pro though, so you'll need to check out the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K deals if you want to enjoy 4K Prime.

Does the PS4 Pro support 4K Blu-rays?

No. This was a surprise if we're honest, especially as both the Xbox One S and Xbox One X consoles do. It's a bit of a gamble for Sony, but at the same time, 4K Blu-rays are very expensive for now and many consumers look to digital services to provide their 4K movies and TV content instead.

Do I need a 4K TV to run a PS4 Pro?

No, the PS4 Pro will still work on a regular 1080p TV, you won't get the benefits of upscaling or HDR though. You may see a slim amount of extra detail, or frame-rate boost, but we wouldn't expect a massive leap.

If you are thinking of buying a 4K TV soon, then it's probably a good idea to splash out on the PS4 Pro instead of the regular or new PS4 Slim as it'll future proof you for a while. Be sure to look out for a TV that supports HDR too, in order to take full advantage of the PS4 Pro's capabilities.

Will PlayStation VR be better on the PS4 Pro?

Yes, but only a little. The PlayStation VR frame-rate is better on PS4 Pro and the resolution gets a bit of a bump too. PlayStation VR will certainly work on the older PS4s too, you don't need a PS4 Pro to get involved there.

Does the PS4 Pro have optical audio support?

Yes! The optical audio output has been removed from the PS4 Slim though, which is a massive shame. PS4 Pro owners though will still be able to use optical connections for their soundbars and sound systems.

What are the best games on PS4 Pro?

We've dived through our back catalogue of PS4 games that have received a PS4 Pro update patch to see which ones look the best and have a noticeable difference. Take a look at our extensive feature - The best PS4 Pro games.

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