Apple : SpaceX launch aborted – here's what happened with the weather |
- SpaceX launch aborted – here's what happened with the weather
- PS4 Pro vs PS4: what's the difference?
- Samsung 2020 QLED TVs now have a health tracking app that can help get you in shape
- Flaws lurking in open source code may lead to a new Heartbleed
- Could this be the world's fastest VPN for Windows PCs?
- Netflix vs HBO Max: why it's a closer fight than you think
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| SpaceX launch aborted – here's what happened with the weather Posted: 27 May 2020 01:54 PM PDT Update: The SpaceX launch has been aborted, according to SpaceX and NASA officials giving updates in the live stream video. The official scrub of today's liftoff happened 17 minutes inside the launch window, with the weather conditions being at fault. The launch will be attempted again in three days. The SpaceX launch live stream isn't happening today, with weather delaying liftoff to Saturday, May 30 at 3:22pm EDT (one hour minutes ahead of today's window). NASA has strict weather rules for clearing spacecraft launches and noted that three violations were found, including 'natural lightning'. If they would have been able to want ten minutes beyond the countdown, they could have cleared those violations. The interesting thing is that this was what is known as an 'instantaneous launch', meaning due orbital mechanics, a delay wasn't possible if the crew wanted to get to the International Space Station (ISS) on time and lock in accurately. The good news is that everything technical with the craft and crew was a go for liftoff today, so as long as this weekend's weather cooperates, the mission will happen on Saturday. Weather was the only concern, according to NASA. Today's SpaceX launch time was scheduled for 4:33pm EDT (that's 9:33pm BST for everyone in the UK). They're now taking the propellant out of the rocket with plans to reload it on Saturday for the afternoon launch.
Delayed or not, this week's SpaceX Demo-2 mission is historic, and it's happening at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. It's the first such launch on American soil in nearly a decade – since NASA retired the Space Shuttle in 2011. It's also the first time that a SpaceX reusable spacecraft will be sending NASA astronauts into space. It's the birth of commercially-backed human space travel. The destination of this SpaceX launch? The International Space Station (ISS) for a one- to four-month duration for NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken, according to our friends over at Space.com. We, of course, have more questions. What time is the SpaceX launch live streaming starting in your region of the world now that it's been cancelled for today? What's happened so far that you've missed? And who are the lucky astronauts? We have all of that information below. Here's how to watch what's left of the SpaceX launch live stream: Weather was a concern for the SpaceX launchEven with all of the exceptional planning ahead of this SpaceX launch, NASA and Elon Musk can't control the weather. Florida, while normally sunny, does have frequent quick rain showers, and that seems to be what the crew faced. The SpaceX launch live stream had constant chatter from operators discussing rain conditions. They waited until a few minutes before the countdown expired to scrub the mission, hoping to pull it off. Saturday, May 30 will be the next launch date for the SpaceX launch. Another weather variable is the fact that the weather conditions need to be good everywhere this spacecraft might be. For example, if the crew had to abort anywhere along its ascent and come down, recovery crews would need to access the capsule, so it's more than just the immediate Florida launchpad that needs ideal weather. SpaceX launch time set for SaturdayThe official Demo-2 SpaceX launch time is set for Saturday, May 30 at 3:22 EDT, so the times across the continental US will be 2:22pm CDT / 1:22pm MDT / 12:22pm PDT. You may want to show up a couple of minutes ahead of time to take in the rocket while it's grounded and steam is coming off of it. The UK SpaceX launch time will be 20:22 BST. In addition to tuning into the video live stream, you should go outside and see if you can catch a glimpse of the SpaceX-built spacecraft in the sky at around 20:40 BST – if that remains true on Saturday (that was the case for the Wednesday launch at least). In Australia, it'll already be Sunday, with the launch time occurring at 5:22am ACT. How to watch the SpaceX launch on SaturdayThe official NASA and SpaceX YouTube accounts will be offering a live stream of the preparations, which they noted will feel like deja vu if you had already tuned in for the Wednesday launch. Don't worry, you don't have to tune into both – they're offering the same content across both live streams During the Wednesday launch, we saw SpaceX founder Elon Musk visit suited-up astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken and exchange a few words before liftoff time. Musk then went to greet US Vice President Mike Pence, who is there to watch the launch. President Donald Trump joined soon after, while Hurley and Behnken traveled to the launch site in a Tesla Model X (Tesla being another company Musk founded). NASA continued to monitor the weather via data sensors around the launch site in an effort to get everything into 'the green position' on their maps. At the time, NASA said, "the weather is trending in the right direction," but as the countdown got to T-minus 17 minutes, favorability went the other direction. This meant that the crew was seated in the capsule after crossing the crew access arm, and the crew arm had already retracted. Steam started to come off of the rocket before the launch was called off. It was that close to liftoff. SpaceX spacecraft, SpaceX suits and NASA astronautsOn Saturday, Astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken will be back inside the Dragon capsule, which sits atop the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. It's situated on a launch pad at legendary Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida’s Cape Canaveral. LC-39A was originally built for the Apollo missions and remodeled for the Space Shuttle program. Hurley (the spacecraft commander) and Behnken (the joint operations commander) are NASA astronauts, engineers and both former members of US military (Hurley is a former marine, while Behnken was in the US Air Force). The two-man NASA crew is not only flying in a SpaceX-built craft, but also outfitted in SpaceX pressurized suits, first shown off in 2017. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PS4 Pro vs PS4: what's the difference? Posted: 27 May 2020 01:11 PM PDT When it comes to the current generation of PlayStation consoles you have two choices: the old but reliant PS4, or the more powerful, but more expensive, PS4 Pro. It's a tough decision, particularly if you're not sure what exact improvements Sony has made to the standard PS4 to justify that new Pro label. Although the PS4 and the PS4 Pro support the same library of games and the same peripherals, the key difference between the consoles is that the PS4 Pro is capable of playing some of those games in a higher resolution (up to 4K). While it isn't as powerful as Sony's upcoming next-generation console, the PS5, the PS4 Pro hardware is an improvement on the standard PlayStation 4 and it can offer better performance and visuals than the standard console as a result. With improved hardware, however, comes a higher price point and those with affordability in mind may not find the upgrades the PS4 Pro offers justify the increase in cost. So, is the mid-generation PS4 Pro the console for you? Or is the standard version a better fit? Well, we're going to delve into the price, design, specs, graphics, VR performance and other aspects of both consoles to help you make your choice between the PS4 and PS4 Pro. PS4 vs PS4 Pro price comparisonThe Pro offers some rather obvious advantages over the original PS4, but there are still several reasons to go for the latter, not least the lower price. Take a look at the list of current deals below, plucked from the web's top retailers. Of course, if you decide that a PS4 Pro is more up your alley, you're in for a treat –especially if you have a new 4K HDR television to play it on. You'll find the lowest prices on Sony's PlayStation 4 Pro further down below. Knowing the difference between the two PS4 models can make all the difference during sales, as you'll be able to spot a genuine bargain much more easily. PS4 vs PS4 Pro key differencesOne of the main differences when it comes to the PS4 vs PS4 Pro question is resolution: whereas the original PS4 is limited to 1080p, the newer PS4 Pro can go as high as 2160p – or 4K, as it's more commonly known. However, games need to have been specifically updated to take advantage of the 4K on the PS4 Pro – you can see a comprehensive list of older games that have been updated here. Ultimately it's up to game developers themselves to issue those patches and make the most of the more powerful hardware that the PS4 Pro offers. If there's no PS4 Pro mode in the game, then you can't get true 4K resolutions. The good news is that, going forward, all new PS4 games have to include a 'Pro Mode', enabling them to make the most of the Pro's enhanced hardware. It's also worth bearing in mind that even if an older game hasn't had the PS4 Pro patch, it's still probably going to look better on the more expensive console. Don't forget that in order to see 4K HDR graphics in all their glory on your PlayStation 4 Pro, you're going to need a 4K HDR TV to match – an older 1080p screen won't see much of a benefit, apart from a few extra frames here and there. Should you buy a PS4 Pro and have a 4K TV on hand, however, you should prepare yourself for a feast for the eyes– games look great on the PS4 Pro. Textures in Spider-Man on PS4 Pro are significantly clearer than they are on the regular PS4, for example – Insomniac (the game's developer) has done a great job optimizing the game for PS4, but playing it on a Pro is the far superior experience (check out the video we've embedded above). For a more recent example, check out the Death Stranding PS4 vs PS4 Pro comparison on YouTube below. PS4 vs PS4 Pro appearance
As far as physical looks go, the most obvious difference between the original PS4 and the PS4 Pro is the addition of an extra layer on top of the console. While the original PS4 has two layers separated by a gap for the disc drive and two USB ports, the PS4 Pro has three layers. Thankfully this hasn't lead to too much of an increase in its dimensions. The original PS4 measures 275.1 x 305.1 x 53.1 mm, while the Pro measures 295 x 327 x 55 mm. That means it's slightly bigger, it's 2 cm deeper and 2 cm wider, but interestingly it's more or less the same height. It's also half a kilogram heavier, or just over a pound, though that shouldn't bother you too much unless you're lugging it from one room to the next. PS4 vs PS4 Pro connections
In terms of rear connectors, the PS4 Pro is nearly identical to the standard PS4, aside from the addition of an extra USB 3.0 port – which should be pretty useful if you're planning on hooking up a PlayStation VR, since the headset takes up a USB port when it's plugged in. An extra USB port is an excellent inclusion, since the PSVR brings back the Move Controllers which each need a USB port to charge. If you're planning a jump into virtual reality, then the PS4 Pro might be the way to go. Unlike the slimmer PS4 currently on sale, the PS4 Pro does include an optical audio output on its rear, just like the original launch PS4 from 2013. The final difference between the ports on the back of the console is the HDMI port. While the standard PS4 has an HDMI 1.4 port, the PS4 Pro has an HDMI 2.0 port to allow it to output at 4K resolutions (more on that later). It's important to note that you don't need to upgrade your HDMI cable to take advantage of 4K, despite what Sony is claiming on its official FAQ. Any HDMI cable that can handle 1080p can do 4K just fine. PS4 vs PS4 Pro optical drive
This is a particularly sore spot for Sony's latest system. Despite initial speculation to the contrary, the PS4 Pro does not include an Ultra HD Blu-ray player – it can play Full HD 1080p Blu-ray discs just the same as the original PS4. Sony's decision to omit a Ultra-HD Blu-ray drive from the system is puzzling, considering that Blu-ray support was one of the major boons of the PS3. Now, Sony might be saving that for another console down the road... but considering that Microsoft's Xbox One S already has the high-end disc drive, it would've benefitted Sony to launch the Pro with one as well. PS4 vs PS4 Pro internals
The internals are where we see some of the key differences between these two PS4 models. Both consoles share an AMD Jaguar x86-64 8-core CPU, which has seen a 30% boost in clock-speed from 1.6GHz to 2.1GHz based on its predecessor. Meanwhile the GPU has seen a much bigger performance increase. Its power has been doubled, and its clock-speed has been boosted from 800MHz to 911MHz. In total the GPU has jumped from 1.84 TFLOP in the launch PS4 to 4.2 TFLOP in the Pro. This bump is in order to accommodate the new 4K functionality. The Wi-Fi of the Pro has also seen an upgrade to include 802.11ac and a Bluetooth bump to v2.1 to v4.0. Both of these upgrades were also seen in the new slim PS4. The Pro also has an additional 1GB of DDR3 RAM, which will be used for non-gaming apps to free up the faster GDDR5 RAM for gaming performance. PS4 vs PS4 Pro: 4K TV performance
This is the big one – the main reason it's worth making the jump from the original hardware to the PS4 Pro. The PS4 Pro supports 4K output, as opposed to the standard PS4's Full HD 1080p resolution. When it comes to streaming services such as Netflix this means that the console is able to play movies and TV shows in their maximum resolution – but unfortunately the lack of an Ultra HD Blu-ray drive means that the console will not be able to play physical 4K media.
Games are slightly more complicated because it's up to developers to decide how they want to use the PS4 Pro's extra muscle. We're seeing it bear more fruit now the jacked-up console has been on the market for a while. In our review of God of War, for example, we found the PS4 Pro version came with two separate graphics modes: one which favors resolution, displaying the game at checkerboard 2160p (or 4K), and another which favors performance, lowering the resolution to 1080p but displaying at a framerate that's closer to 60fps (but never actually locking at it). The one you choose will obviously come down to your personal preference. Camera movement is much, much smoother in performance mode, though the drop in visual detail is noticeable — especially in game, where the level of detail seen at 4K is so high. Of course, HDR is also available for those with TVs that support the format, and we can say that it definitely adds to the experience, particularly when it comes to lighting and shadows. God of War (PS4) Other games such as Days Gone are upscaled to achieve a 4K output, but reports indicate that the upscaling process used is more clever than simply stretching the image over a larger number of pixels. Meanwhile, other games such as Deus Ex: Mankind Divided are said to upscale much less successfully. The takeaway seems to be that achieving good 4K performance will need developers to be clever about the balance they strike between native rendering resolution and the upscaling technologies used. On something like Horizon Zero Dawn, the 4K HDR quality really stands out on the PS4 Pro – that's worth bearing in mind if you're picking between these two consoles during the holiday sales (or indeed at any other time of year).
In summary: the PS4 Pro is not powerful enough to run a game at 4K with all the graphical bells and whistles turned on, but with some compromises the results can be impressive. Although HDR support is new with the PS4 Pro, this same functionality has arrived on launch PS4s via a firmware update. Check out our full guide to HDR for exactly what that means for how your games will look. In terms of loading times, the PS4 Pro offers a small improvement over the stock PS4, but if you're looking for a boost in loading times, then you'll see more of an improvement if you upgrade your launch PS4 with an SSD. PS4 vs PS4 Pro: 1080p TV Performance
Although the PS4 Pro is meant mainly as an accompaniment to 4K televisions, the console will also give a graphical boost if you're playing on a 1080p screen. But while some of these enhancements are intentional, such as using supersampling to enhance the amount of detail in a given scene, others are not.
The Last Guardian, the much-delayed game from Team Ico, finally launched with numerous framerate issues that were present on both the PS4 at 1080p, and the PS4 Pro at 4K. But a performance analysis revealed that these issues almost completely disappear if you force the game to run in 1080p mode on a PS4 Pro by changing the system settings. We don't think this is an intentional feature of the Pro, but if this trend continues in the future it might make the Pro a much more necessary upgrade for 1080p TV owners. The Last Guardian (PS4) PS4 vs PS4 Pro 'boost mode'
Introduced in PS4 firmware 4.50, 'boost mode' is a feature that allows PS4 games that haven't received a PS4 Pro patch to receive a performance boost when played on the new console. While the exact improvements aren't fully understood, a Digital Foundry analysis has unearthed performance boosts of as much as 38%. Titles tested included Assassin's Creed: Unity, Battlefield 4, and Project Cars, all of which saw substantial performance increases when running on the Pro, despite not having a Pro patch available. Check out the video below for a more in-depth outline of the benefits. PS4 vs PS4 Pro: PlayStation VR
Although prior to the PlayStation VR's release there were rumors circulating that the headset's performance on launch consoles was going to be 'terrible', now that the hardware is out the distinction appears to be much more subtle. In fact a recent analysis by Digital Foundry suggests that in some games the difference between PS4 and the PS4 Pro can be a struggle to find. Having the cheaper console doesn't mean you're locked out of virtual reality. Other games appear sharper on the Pro because of how the developers have enabled super-sampling techniques, effectively rendering games at a higher resolution in order to enhance detail levels.
In Robinson: The Journey for example, details are much crisper, and textures benefit from a higher level of texture filtering. The bottom line with the PlayStation VR is that the differences between the two consoles are too slight to conclusively recommend the Pro on the basis of VR performance alone. If this changes in the future as developers get better acquainted with the PS4 Pro then this may change, and we'll update our thoughts accordingly. Conclusion: a substantial upgrade short of a generational leapThe PS4 Pro is undoubtedly a substantial step up from the PS4, but 'true' 4K gaming is difficult for it to achieve without compromise. The biggest physical difference between it and the standard PS4 visually is the addition of an extra layer, but the internals have also been beefed up considerably. The GPU is a great deal faster, and although the CPU is architecturally similar it's been clocked at a faster speed. So should you make the upgrade from your existing PS4? The answer largely depends on if you have a 4K TV or plan on upgrading to one. If you are, then the PS4 Pro will present numerous visual benefits. If you aren't, well, there's likel isn't anything on the PS4 Pro that will be worth the extra money, at least not yet. With the PlayStation 5 on course to land before 2020 is out, you might want to wait for that console to arrive instead. In the meantime, you should be able to nab some excellent prices on the PS4 and the PS4 Pro.
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| Samsung 2020 QLED TVs now have a health tracking app that can help get you in shape Posted: 27 May 2020 01:03 PM PDT Samsung announced that it will be flipping the switch on its health tracking app on select 2020 QLED TVs starting today. The new Samsung Health app on Tizen will be able to sync all your data from your phone, wearable and now your Samsung Smart TV in one unified dashboard that shows key health metrics, and gives you access to both free workout classes and mindfulness sessions. In addition to the mindfulness and fitness classes, the Health app allows you to set a daily routine that reminds you when it’s time to switch over from whatever you're watching to your workout class, as well as set personal goals and challenges through the app. If you’ve ever wanted to get buff while watching your TV (and a number of included workout videos), now’s your chance. A workout for every level of fitnessWith six content partners at launch including Calm, Echelon, Jillian Michaels, and Fitplan, the Samsung Health app is definitely attempting to include something for everyone: according to the company, the app will include classes in yoga, mindfulness, strength training, stretching, barre, pilates, dance, cardio and more, with more partners to potentially arrive later down the line. The two big caveats are that, for now, the app will be limited to 2020 QLED TVs – which is so far a fairly limited audience considering those models just became available to purchase in April of this year – and persisting concerns about user privacy regarding data the app collects. In a conversation with a Samsung representative at CES we were told that all the data was actually in the cloud and wouldn’t be stored locally to the TV where it could be used by advertisers or accessible through hardware exploits, but we’re more than a little cautious about the data we give to our TVs after Vizio got caught monitoring users’ viewing habits in 2017. All that said, if you’re already linked up to Samsung Health through your Samsung Galaxy S20 or via your Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2, then adding a QLED TV to the list of devices tracking your health data probably isn’t that big a deal.
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| Flaws lurking in open source code may lead to a new Heartbleed Posted: 27 May 2020 12:50 PM PDT Application security testing provider Veracode has discovered that after an initial scan, seven in ten applications contain a security flaw in an open source library. The company's new research highlights how using open source can introduce flaws, increase risk and add to security debt. To compile its new State of Software Security (SOSS): Open Source Edition report, Veracode analyzed the component open source libraries across its platform database of 85,000 applications which account for 351,000 unique external libraries. Almost all modern applications and even those that are sold commercially are built using some open source components. However, a single flaw in one library will cascade to all applications that leverage that code. In a press release, chief research officer at Veracode, Chris Eng explained how using open source libraries can expand an application's attack surface, saying:
“Open source software has a surprising variety of flaws. An application’s attack surface is not limited to its own code and the code of explicitly included libraries, because those libraries have their own dependencies. In reality, developers are introducing much more code, but if they are aware and apply fixes appropriately, they can reduce risk exposure.” Open source librariesAccording to Veracode, commonly included libraries are present in over 75 percent of applications for each programming language. The company's research also found that flawed libraries end up in code indirectly as 47 percent of them found in applications are transitive and not pulled in directly by developers but by upstream libraries. Thankfully though, library-introduced flaws in most applications can be fixed with only a minor version update as major library upgrades are not usually required. However, developers can't rely on CVEs (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) to understand library flaws as not all libraries have them. For example, more than 61 percent of flawed libraries in JavaScript don't have corresponding CVEs. The report also revealed that some programming language ecosystems tend to pull in many more transitive dependencies than others. In more than 80 percent of JavaScript, Ruby and PHP applications, the majority of libraries are transitive dependencies. Programming language selection also plays a factor in both terms of the size of the ecosystem and in the prevalence of flaws in those ecosystems. For instance, including any given PHP library has a greater than 50 percent chance of bringing a security flaw along with it. Of the OWASP Top Ten flaws, weaknesses around access control are the most common and represent over 25 percent of all flaws. Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) is the most common vulnerability category found in open source libraries (30%) followed by insecure deserialization (23.5%) and broken access control (20.3%).
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| Could this be the world's fastest VPN for Windows PCs? Posted: 27 May 2020 11:37 AM PDT Firetrust has announced the launch of its new VPN service which the company claims is two to seven times faster than the competition based on its extensive VPN speed tests. HideAway improves upon standard VPN technology by adding flexible rules, faster speeds and an “Always-On” capability. Firetrust has tested its new VPN against the competition and the service was able to reach a top speed of 3.7Gbps. CEO of Firetrust, Nick Bolton provided further insight on the company's speed test results in a press release, saying:
"The speed tests for our HideAway VPN are absolutely conclusive, and we invite programmers and customers alike to check out the data. All VPNs say they're fast, but the fact that HideAway VPN was consistently twice as fast in all tests shows its dominance. Our testing included speed tests to servers in New Zealand, Australia, the U.S., the U.K., and Germany – all using one-gigabit connection speeds. Tests were conducted using Microsoft Windows 10 and speed test software, and during the one-gigabit speed test, HideAway consistently reached speeds above 650 Mbps. That's six-times faster than the speed of some competitors. No matter which software we tested, HideAway is always consistently faster." HideAway VPNTo achieve its remarkable speeds, HideAway uses only the fastest servers as well as the same fast encryption developed by Google Services. The service helps protect users' anonymity by not keeping any logs on their activity online. In fact, Firetrust didn't build any logging capability in to its software, so it can't even turn logging on if it wanted to. HideAway also has a built-in kill switch to prevent users' real IP addresses and information from being leaked in the event that their VPN connection drops. HideAway customers will even be able to use as much data as they want as there are no data limits. Additionally, its servers won't get bogged down because the service has an option where it logs users in for bandwidth intensive services such as watching videos and then uses their own ISP's connection to stream bandwidth intensive content. HideAway VPN is currently available for Windows but Firetrust plans to roll out Android, Mac and Linux versions in the coming months. New users can test out the service for themselves to see how fast it really is as Firetrust is currently offering a one-week free trial.
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| Netflix vs HBO Max: why it's a closer fight than you think Posted: 27 May 2020 11:10 AM PDT HBO Max just became the latest streaming service to enter a very busy landscape, and its ambitions clearly go beyond just bringing HBO's high-end cable remit to a wider audience. Netflix is the competitor that HBO Max really has in its sights, and that's why it's making such a mass market play with this new streamer. Netflix has spent the last few years rolling out content that appeals to every demographic you can think of, while HBO's dramas, comedies and documentaries are firmly targeted at prestige TV-watching adults. Now, HBO Max is closing the gap with more shows targeted at family audiences. The last-second addition of the entire Harry Potter series to the service likely comes from that mindset. Like Netflix, HBO Max wants to be a streaming service with content for everyone. So, how do the two compare on first glance? Below, we made a quick comparison between HBO Max and Netflix in the US based on our initial experience with the newer service. We'll have a full HBO Max review coming on Friday with more in-depth thoughts on the subjects below.
Netflix vs HBO Max: priceNetflix has three price tiers: Basic ($8.99 per month), Standard ($12.99 per month) and Premium ($15.99 per month). Standard gets you full HD streams, Premium gets you 4K. HBO Max has one flat price for all of it, $14.99. That's on the high side, but it's exactly what people already pay for HBO Now, and you get a bunch more content for the money. That said, to people who don't already have HBO, a service that costs more than the standard tier of Netflix may be a harder pill to swallow. You don't get 4K streaming right now, either. More on that below. Still, if the price is a little high, an ad-supported version of HBO Max is apparently in the works for 2021, which should take the price down a little. The winner? Netflix Netflix vs HBO Max: 4K and HDRNetflix offers many high-profile originals in 4K, if you're prepared to pay for it as part of the $15.99 Netflix Premium Plan. HBO Max launched without 4K streams or HDR, which will be a point of contention for some given the high price. In future, though, this will be added to the service, a spokesperson has confirmed. "4K HDR will not be available on HBO Max at launch but we look forward to delivering this in the future," we've been told. Since Disney Plus managed to include 4K and HDR in one $6.99 price tier at release, it's a little disappointing HBO Max doesn't support either yet. But that will change eventually. The winner? Netflix Netflix vs HBO Max: TV showsIn terms of original shows, HBO Max doesn't have anything to get really excited about yet, with a new series of Looney Tunes cartoons and Paul Feig/Anna Kendrick anthology show Love Life among the highlights. The appeal instead lies in its HBO archive, with everything from Succession to The Sopranos and The Larry Sanders Show ready to watch. HBO is responsible for many of the greatest TV shows ever made, which continues to be the case today. Additionally, numerous older shows are available here from outside of HBO, like The Big Bang Theory and Friends, as well as a healthy portion of British shows like Luther and Doctor Who. Netflix, meanwhile, now has an enviable suite of original shows to enjoy, and that catalogue has been built up over many years now. HBO Max will take a while to catch up, but it's absolutely no slouch in its present form. You could call this an argument of quantity vs quality. As a premium cable channel, HBO makes far fewer shows than Netflix, but with an incredibly high hit rate. Netflix has plenty of new shows every single week, but many series you'll probably never watch. Still, for breadth and regularity of content, Netflix is still the king for TV. We look forward to seeing HBO Max challenge that, though. The winner? Netflix Netflix vs HBO Max: moviesThis is too tough to call, but if you appreciate old cinema, HBO Max's curated TCM archive is perhaps the best thing about it. You've got a mix of international cinema in there, and all-time classics like Casablanca, Ben-Hur, Gone With the Wind and Eraserhead. Most of the Warner blockbuster franchises are out in full force, and the service even has all eight Harry Potter movies at launch, which is a welcome surprise. You can stream Joaquin Phoenix's Oscar-winning Joker right now, as well. HBO Max has also splashed out for the complete Studio Ghibli archive of anime movies (minus Grave of the Fireflies, which is over on Hulu), all available for launch. You can also watch The Lord of the Rings trilogy from day one. Netflix has plenty of great licensed movies, too, and an absolute ton of originals, but right now the breadth of the HBO Max library makes an immediately exciting first impression. This feels like a real cinema lover's offering, which you'd expect from a movie studio that's been around as long as Warner Bros. That could easily change over time, though, as Netflix makes more awards contenders like Marriage Story and The Irishman and continues to secure great older movies to stream. The winner? It's a tie Netflix vs HBO Max: user experienceGiven that we've spent years with Netflix and only a few hours with HBO Max, we're not prepared to declare a winner on this yet. Netflix's algorithmic recommendations and homepage layout still make for a world-class user experience, as do the easy-to-manage watch lists and profiles. HBO Max has plenty of great features at launch. Profiles and watch lists are here from the start, and the way content verticals function as channels works nicely. HBO, Crunchyroll, Cartoon Network, TCM, DC Comics, Adult Swim, Studio Ghibli and Looney Tunes are the channels you can explore right now, and the amount of content for each varies. You can create kids' profiles, too, and it's easy to search the library for the thing you want. The homepage is curated, with an 'Editor's Picks' selection of HBO shows, as well as Featured Series and Featured Movies. We've only spent time with HBO Max in-browser so far, though, so we'll wait until our HBO Max review before making a call on the app experience and UI after extensive use. The winner? TBD In conclusion: there is a place for both, if you can afford itNo one expects a new streaming service to unseat an existing champion, but HBO Max makes a good first impression. The core of HBO's library means you're automatically starting with many of the best TV shows around on Max, and Warner Bros is swinging hard for Netflix by making the most of its decades-old properties. Loads more is coming to HBO Max in June, too, with the release of the complete South Park series and many more movies. Warner has a big archive to unravel, here, and we hope to see each of its channels grow over time. Netflix, meanwhile, continues to shotgun out new series and movies every single week. It's hard to see ourselves ever having the urge to unsubscribe from Netflix in the near-future, but HBO Max's programming range is so different that we can see how both have a place. That is, if you don't mind spending over $30 a month on streaming services. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pokémon Go updates: all the news and rumors for what's coming next Posted: 27 May 2020 10:49 AM PDT Pokémon Go: the world's first augmented reality app to become a household name. Niantic's mobile AR game is still going strong two years after it first released, with a constant drip of events and updates keeping budding trainers glued to their phones and pounding the streets. And while it hasn't managed to top the peak of its popularity in 2016, it's still going strong and finding plenty of new ways to improve its player experience. Including making it easier for its players to catch 'em all from inside their own homes during coronavirus quarantines. So what's the latest news for Pokémon Go? As you'd expect, brand new features are being added all the time and themed events are still going strong. But without further ado, here's our guide to all the latest Pokémon Go news and updates.
Pokémon Go news and Pokémon Go updates
Planned Downtime Niantic is planning some global downtime for Pokémon Go on June 1 between 11am and 6pm PDT/ 6pm and 1am GMT. During that time, the game will be inaccessible due to server maintenance. New AR Features Niantic is rolling out a couple of new AR features for Pokémon Go which take advantage of improvements in technology on select handsets. The first feature is Reality Blending. On devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S9, Samsung Galaxy S10, Google Pixel 3, and Google Pixel 4, Buddy Pokémon will appear more realistically in the world through AR mode. This means they'll move behind objects and be partially or totally obscured when they do so. This feature is going to roll out to test for a random selection of trainers using Android devices including Samsung Galaxy S9, Samsung Galaxy S10, Google Pixel 3, and Google Pixel 4. The plan is then to roll it out to more devices further down the line. The second new feature will be an opt-in feature called PokéStop Scan which will be available to trainers over Level 40 in early June before rolling out further. PokéStop Scan is an adaption of a feature already found in Ingress, which will allow players to upload videos of real-life PokéStop and Gym locations to Pokémon GO. Those who opt-in will be ask to record a video of a PokéStop or Gym location from several angles and these videos will then allow Niantic to generate 3D maps of the locations. According to Niantic, the aim of this is to achieve "a better understanding of how virtual objects persist and where they are in relation to one another, which will help us improve the game’s overall AR experiences. In addition, the 3-D objects allow our devices to further understand what they are looking at in order to augment reality in real time." Niantic has assured players that object and face blurring techniques are automatically applied to the videos that are sent in. Coronavirus play-at-home changes Given Pokémon Go is a game which attempts to draw its players outside, Niantic is having to react to the Coronavirus pandemic and make some temporary changes which will make it easier for players to continue to catch 'em all without stepping over the door. In a statement to Polygon, the developer has said that it's “prioritizing updates to Pokémon Go features and experiences that can be enjoyed in individual settings.” The changes are already in place and include increasing habitats so that more Pokémon should appear around player's homes. Other moves from Niantic are a 99% reduction on incense packs so that players can attract Pokémon to where they are and increase spawns with the time they work increased to one hour rather than just 30 minutes. Incubators will also result in hatches at double speed, while PokéStops will drop gifts more often. Niantic has also announced a new feature called 'Today View' which gathers a lot of useful information like streaks and current events in one place so that you can keep on top of your game. As of March 31 Niantic has temporarily doubled Pokémon Go's Gym interaction distances to allow players to "team up in Raid Battles from home". "The distance from which you can interact with Gyms has been temporarily doubled, allowing you to be farther from Gyms and other Trainers as you challenge Raid Bosses," Niantic wrote. "This change also allows you to spin Photo Discs at Gyms if you are within the doubled distance; however, it will not change the distance required to spin Photo Discs at PokéStops." As of April 15, Niantic has made it possible to Raid remotely. With the new Remote Raid Pass, Trainers will be able to access Raid battles from a Nearby screen. At first, Trainers taking part in battles remotely will have the same attack power as those there in person. Later (at an unconfirmed time) remote power will reduce and those in person will have higher attack power. Niantic has said that other adjustments will also be made to the feature over time, including changes to the number of players who can remotely Raid and the ability to incite friends into Raids regardless of location. To take part you'll be able to buy individual passes in the in-game shop for 100 PokéCoins though later there will be a 1 PokéCoin bundle in the shop that will feature Remote Raid Passes. Since there are far fewer chances to spin PokéStops, at midnight each day players will also get a bonus Research Task. Slightly different from Field Research Tasks, these will focus on activities that can be completed at home. As far as Gifts are concerned, Buddy Pokémon of any level will now bring Gifts to Trainers when they're running low so that it's easier to keep in touch with friends and family. Gifts are an important way to stay in touch with friends and share items. Finally, it's now possible to activate multiple Star Pieces, Lucky Eggs, and Incense at a time to extend their effect durations. Each of these items will have a 30-minute duration but you'll be able to activate more of them in order to extend their durations beyond that for up to 24 hours per item. Niantic has launched a Play at Home guide for its website that's also to be available in-app to help players navigate this new way of catching 'em all. Pokémon Go Battle League Its first season now finished up, the second season of Pokémon Go's competitive Battle League began on May 11. Trainers who took part in the first season and achieved a rank of 7 or higher will have received an Elite Charged TM. Trainer Battles within the GO Battle League will rotate between three leagues and players will be able to rank against fellow Trainers, earning rewards for ranking. The GO Battle League is beginning with the Great League until June 1, which will be followed by the Ultra League until June 22, then the Master League until July 6, after which all three Leagues will be available until July 13. Season 3 is expected to begin on July 13, when each of these Leagues has been cycled through. Players can earn Stardust depending on rank and number of battles won as well as items like Rare Candies and TMS as well as the chance to get exclusive Pokémon encounters. Due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, Niantic is continuing to waive the walk and pay entry requirements for Battle League. Players who are not in-game close friends will no longer need to be close to one another to Battle and will be able to send Battle requests to Good Friends and above. Trainers can now also initiate battles through QR codes which can be used regardless of friendship levels and distance. Other things remaining the same are that Metagross and Pikachu Libre are still reward encounters when you reach rank 1 and rank 10 respectively and the Steven Stone avatar items remain rank 10 rewards. Some changes are being made to Battle League based on learnings from the first season, most notably the reward system which will now allow players to earn a reward encounter after their third win on basic rewards track or their first win on the premium reward tracks. The ranking system has also been altered so that more wins are needed to achieve ranks 4, 5, 6 and 7. While some guaranteed reward encounters have remained the some, some will be different for Season 2. Now players will encounter Stunfisk at rank 4, Rufflet at rank 8 and Scraggy at rank 9. Rank 10 will bring a new avatar pose. Those who finish Season 2 at rank 7 or higher will receive an Elite Fast TM this time around while the other end-of-season rewards will stay the same as in Season 1. Live Leaderboards As of April 10, you can see who's doing well in the Pokémon Battle League thanks to the launch of the GO Battle League leaderboard on PokemonGOLive.com. The leaderboard has come as the GO Battle League changes from Ultra League to Master League. The leaderboards show the top five hundred Trainers in the world as well as their Trainer nicknames, teams, ranks, ratings, and total matches. Rankings are based on the previous day’s in-game ratings for Trainers rank 7 and up but it'll update between 8pm UTC and 10pm UTC every day unless maintenance issues cause a delay. What's the next Pokémon Go Event?Pokémon Go Fest 2020 Niantic is going ahead with Pokémon Go Fest for 2020 but it'll be a little different from 2019's experience. Taking place on July 25 and 26, this global virtual event will allow players to take part from their own homes, with all ticket holders able to attend both days. Niantic has said "While we’ll miss the traditional congregation of Pokémon GO fans, we’re thrilled to bring a special Pokémon GO Fest experience to Trainers. Not only are you in for an exciting weekend of bonuses, Pokémon encounters, and Special Research, there will also be exciting ways to connect with other Trainers and experience other fun surprises throughout the entire summer." More information on Pokémon Go Fest is expected in the coming weeks and we'll update this page as that information is revealed. Live Safari Zones Niantic has announced that Pokémon Go Live Events will be coming to Taiwan, the US and the UK this year. The first event in Taiwan which celebrated the Lantern Festival has passed, while the others are still to come and will be ticketed at a cost of $12/£12 for General Admission and $18/£18 for Early Admission. Due to concerns over the COVID-19 outbreak, Niantic has stated that it will be postponing all of its Safari events with plans to look for alternate dates in the next 12 months. Players looking for refunds for their digital passes are encouraged to reach out through in-app support by March 25.
When's the next Pokémon Go Community Day?
Once again Niantic has allowed Pokémon Go players to vote for the Pokémon they want to see featured in the game's Community Day. Now that the votes are in it's been confirmed that bug-type Weedle will be the starring Pokémon for June, with the exact date for the event still to be confirmed. Bonuses for the day are yet to be confirmed too but with regards to event-exclusive moves, Beedrill will be able to learn the Ground-type attack Drill Run. Pokémon Go update: what's next?Now that Go Battle League has arrived in Pokémon Go, Niantic has ticked another big promised feature off its list. At the moment, we're not sure what's next for the game aside from, naturally, new Pokémon being added. We'll update here when the roadmap becomes more clear.
Pokémon Go Plus dealsWant to buy yourself a Pokémon Go Plus wearable? Check some of today's best deals down below. (Image credits: Niantic/Pokémon Company) This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Google Pixel 4a release date, price, news and leaks Posted: 27 May 2020 10:49 AM PDT The Google Pixel 4a is starting to look like the Pixel 4 device you may actually buy, and it could be such a good value that it ends up as one of 2020's best affordable phones. But it's been weeks since we first expected Google to officially announce the Pixel 4a and it still hasn't launched, so it's unclear when we're going to see the phone. Google surprised everyone in 2019 when it released the Pixel 3a and 3a XL in the middle of the year as affordable versions of the Pixel 3 and 3 XL which retained some of the best perks of the premium devices at a mid-range pricetag. In short, consumers could once again get the famed Pixel photography at an affordable price. It looks like Google will follow a similar strategy in 2020 by releasing both Pixel 4a and 4a XL handsets, which should preserve some of the best perks from the Pixel 4 and 4 XL in a phone that's far more affordable. Leaks have started flowing in since the beginning of 2020, so it looks like a budget Google Pixel 4a could be coming at some point soon – although we've also heard the phone might be released alone without its larger XL sibling. That might make sense, though we'd hope the regular 4a wouldn't retain the standard Pixel 4's battery issues. The Pixel 4 and 4 XL were popular devices, but didn't land with quite the fanfare of the Pixel 3 handsets. The cheaper Pixel 4a phones could be Google's opportunity to win back consumers, especially those who have been reducing their phone budgets amid the current outbreak. Below we've put together everything we know so far about the upcoming phones including details on when to expect it and the first images of the upcoming handsets. Latest story: The Pixel 4a may get delayed until July 13, two months after its expected launch date, and could come without an XL model. Cut to the chase
Google Pixel 4a release date and priceThe Google Pixel 4 Originally, we had expected to see Google introduce its next affordable devices at Google IO 2020, which was expected to take place between May 12-14, but that event has now been cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Google Pixel 3a and 3a XL were announced at last year's Google IO, but in its absence, we'd heard a rumor that the Google Pixel 4a could release on May 22. That date has come and gone. A subsequent rumor suggested a later date of June 5. Why? Probably to coincide with the Android 11 developer beta's launch – which is getting its own minorly-hyped event on June 3 which will likely introduce several features coming in the next operating system update. For introducing a new phone, it's the next best thing to a Google IO stage. Yet another rumor, however, claims the Pixel 4a launch will get delayed until July 13, though we're not sure why. It will be announced without an XL model, the rumor states – and it won't be 5G-capable. The Pixel 3a cost $399 / £399 / AU$649 at launch, while the Pixel 3a XL cost $479 / £469 / AU$799. In terms of how much you'll pay for the 4a, the Google Pixel 4a price could actually be lower than the Pixel 3a price. That could be due to regional price differences – or because Google might intentionally lowball the phone's pricetag amid a more competitive mid-range market. For instance, one price rumor puts the Pixel 4a at $349 (roughly £285 / AU$540) for 128GB of storage - so you'd be paying less and getting twice as much storage. And it's always possible there would be an even cheaper 64GB model. But Google might be thinking of a baseline lower price: the company allegedly surveyed consumers to see if they'd buy a non-premium Pixel phone for $349 (around £246 / AU$535). Having said that, an older price rumor points to $399, which is exactly the same as the Pixel 3a, so we're not sure right now. Google Pixel 4a news and leaksThe Google Pixel 3a XL We're going to start with a rumor that might disappoint some of you: word is that Google might not put out a Pixel 4a XL, only focusing on the smaller device. Apparently this is so people looking for a bigger phone stick with the Pixel 4 XL, as supposedly the Pixel 3a XL stole sales from the Pixel 3 XL. While that rumor is seemingly backed up by the relative lack of Pixel 4a XL rumors, we've heard there could be three Pixel 4a devices, including a 5G model. This comes from Android code which refers to three different devices, presumably consisting of a main device as well as an XL and 5G phone, although they aren't named as such. Those devices have appeared again in subsequent Google code, and this time two of them were alongside the phrase ‘pixel_20_mid_range’, all but confirming that they're unannounced mid-range Pixel phones, though the source speculates that the third code name might refer to a circuit board rather than a device. As such, we'd say there might well be a Pixel 4a XL, but either way there's almost certainly at least going to be a Pixel 4a. So what will the base Pixel 4a look like? We think it'll be like the below, which we don't believe are hands on shots of the phone and are instead doctored image of the original Pixel. We've left these images here though as they show what other sources believe the device may look like. It may have a punch-hole selfie camera in the top left of the screen, which would be a first for a Pixel phone. Some unofficial renders of the device as well as a leaked case render show a similar design to the fake photos above too, and it's likely these were where the design was taken from. Elsewhere, we've also seen leaked images seemingly showing retail boxes for the phone, which match the design above. We've also seen a full specs leak for the Pixel 4a, claiming that it will have a 5.81-inch 1080 x 2340 OLED screen, a mid-range Snapdragon 730 chipset, 6GB of RAM, a 3,080mAh battery, 128GB of storage, a 12.2MP main camera, an 8MP front-facing one (in a punch-hole), a 3.5mm headphone port, and that it will come in Just Black’ and ‘Barely Blue’ shades. There's also said to be no Soli chip, which allowed you to navigate the Pixel 4 hands-free (well, in theory). This is unlikely to be available on the Pixel 4a in order to keep the price as low as possible. What is powering the Google Pixel 4a? That's currently a little uncertain as while the leaks above points to a Snapdragon 730, an investigation run by XDA Developers dug up prototypes of the phone that run both the Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 and the Snapdragon 765. The Snapdragon 765 prototype may be a 5G-ready version of the phone as that chipset is designed to power 5G hardware. We've heard conflicting rumors on whether there will be a next-gen internet version of the Pixel 4a, but consistent rumors suggest it may be a reality. A leaked benchmarks score also suggests the phone will be more powerful than the Google Pixel 3a but won't be as capable about the Pixel 4 series. It scored 6,366 in Geekbench 4 testing, which is quite impressive. Based on a leaked image posted to the web, we're looking at 6GB of RAM (as leaked above) and faster UFS 2.1 flash storage when the Pixel 4a finally appears, with 64GB being one of the storage options. When we say faster, it's an upgrade on the flash storage used in the Pixel 3a. Then we have the camera to talk about. We're expecting it to be similar to the Google Pixel 4's shooter - one of the best smartphone cameras around - but it's unlikely to have all the bells and whistles of that device's tech. Someone with an early piece of hardware has provided the below camera samples with the Google Pixel 4a. It seems the shooter works well at color reproduction, but there's no gurantee this sort of tech will make its way onto the final device. The tweet adds more evidence to the suggestion we'll see a 12MP main shooter on the Google Pixel 4a. What we want to see in the Google Pixel 4aThe Google Pixel 4 was an innovative flagship feature, but when it comes to adapting this feature to a budget price tag, there are a few things we'd like it to consider. Here's what we want to see: 1. Bring back the fingerprint scannerThe Google Pixel 4 has no rear-mounted fingerprint scanner like the Pixel 3, not does it have an in-screen one like many premium smartphones around. Instead, it relies on facial recognition unlocking for you to access your phone. For some, this is a useful feature to help them get into their phone quickly and easily; others find this an unsecured and frustrating experience. For the Pixel 4a, we'd like Google to drop this feature, and instead have a physical or screen-mounted fingerprint sensor. It's likely Google will make this change, as the tech involved in efficient face unlocking adds quite a bit of price to the phone, so if the company wants to slash the price of the new device, it'd make sense to remove face recognition first. 2. Improved battery lifeA recurring problem with Google Pixel smartphones is that their battery lives always leave a lot to be desired, and plummet quicker than competing devices. Saying that, the Pixel 3a solved that problem with a bigger battery capacity and a weaker processor, which meant it drained battery less. Since most normal people need smartphone batteries that'll last them a day, even in a pinch, the more affordable and accessible Pixel 4a needs a battery that'll last it this long, which means a bigger capacity than the 4 as well as tools in place to keep it going longer, like canny optimizations. 3. Drop the 90Hz screenThis is bound to be a pretty controversial suggestion, but if Google is looking for features to cut to keep the Pixel 4a price down, we'd argue the 90Hz screen is an unnecessary luxury that could be lost without making the device worse. While some people really love 90Hz screens in phones like the Pixel 4, as it makes the viewing experience a little smoother, many more people struggle to notice the difference, especially people who aren't huge tech fans who don't know the feature is in place. That means it's not a vital feature, and when there are aspects of the Pixel 4 that we would like to see in the 4a, we'd say the 90Hz screens are expendable. 4. Keep the telephoto cameraThe Google Pixel 4 smartphones bumped the number of cameras on Google's devices from one to two, adding a telephoto snapper for optical zoom. The Pixel 3a devices saw the cameras slightly downgraded from the Pixel 3 line, but that was purely in terms of software post-processing, and the hardware was exactly the same. A telephoto lens in a camera is really useful, so you can take better pictures of a subject without dropping the quality dramatically, and we'd love to see it kept in the Pixel 4a. We'd be surprised if this wasn't the case, as the telephoto lens really ties the rear design together. And talking of Pixel 4a design... 5. Stick with the weird designThe Google Pixel 4 smartphones are weird looking devices, there's no getting around that. They're bare on the back except for a pretty sizeable camera bump (no fingerprint sensor, like in previous Pixels), with a glass back but a rubber frame around the edges. Yep, you read that right, rubber in a smartphone! On the front, there's a notch the likes of which you barely see in modern smartphones, with a sizeable chin at the bottom of the screen. All in all, the Pixel 4 devices are far from 'conventional' Android phones, for better or worse. Well, we kind of like the design. It's unique, and the Pixel 4 feels distinct in hand when you're using it. We'd like to see the Pixel 4a retain the 'weird' design, especially the rubber frame, as we found it great for protecting the phone.
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| Best Wi-Fi extenders of 2020: top devices for boosting your WiFi network Posted: 27 May 2020 10:44 AM PDT The best Wi-Fi extender for your personal or work space might just be the way to go if you’re trying to cover a large area or experiencing an Internet connection. In this day and age, there’s no excuse to have a terribly slow or unreliable network, especially when you’ve got a household with multiple devices or a business that relies on a stable connection. Take a look at today’s best Wi-Fi extenders if the router you have just isn’t enough. Larger spaces and busier networks require special solutions, and Wi-Fi extenders can provide the type of coverage that most typical routers simply don’t have the capacity to offer. They do so by taking your original network and boosting it beyond its original boundaries, covering any area where your network starts to deteriorate. And, they’re vital for anyone whose current network doesn’t quite cut it for their needs. To help you find the ideal solution for your network blues, check out our picks for the best Wi-Fi extenders of 2020. You’ll never worry about unreliable connections again.
If you're after a Wi-Fi extender that provides best-in-class performance for expanding your wireless network throughout your home, then the Netgear Nighthawk X6S EX8000 Tri-band WiFi Extender is the one for you. You can use this extender to create a mesh network, so you have a single, large, Wi-Fi network, rather than smaller separate ones. This allows you to easily roam your house, and your device will seamlessly keep connected. It's expensive, but it's the best Wi-Fi extender you can buy right now, offering fast speeds and dependable network coverage throughout your home. Bring the power and convenience of a mesh network to your home with the Netgear Nighthawk X6 EX7700. Not only does this extend the area of your Wi-Fi network, but it creates a seamless Wi-Fi network throughout your home or office - so you don't need to switch networks while moving around. Thanks to the powerful hardware inside the Netgear Nighthawk X6 EX7700, you can stream 4K content, play games and hook up all kinds of devices to your Wi-Fi network without a hitch. The included Ethernet ports are also a nice addition for bringing your network to wired devices. TP-Link is a Chinese networking company that has been steadily gaining popularity in the west, and for good reason. With devices like the TP-Link RE650 AC2600 Wi-Fi Range extender, it’s easy to get why: this extender – among the best Wi-Fi extenders you can buy right now – does the job well, and it’s affordable. It’s not going to be the fastest Wi-Fi extender out there, but with the range this extender provides at the price it’s available at, it’s a steal. Finally, thanks to an LED signal indicator on the front, installation is a breeze. D-Link DAP-1650 boasts features like four gigabit Ethernet ports, and speeds of up to 300 Mbps (2.4GHz) and 867 Mbps (5GHz). The D-Link DAP-1650’s sleek cylindrical form will certainly find an audience among smart speaker users out there. However, that’s not its only selling point here. Among the best Wi-Fi extenders on the market, this device not just extends coverage and improves signal strength. It also boasts features like four gigabit Ethernet ports, for multiple high-speed wired connections, speeds of up to 300 Mbps (2.4GHz) and 867 Mbps (5GHz), and a setup that’s effortless even to folks who are not technologically savvy.
The Linksys Velop offers a solid argument for a wireless mesh network’s ease of setup. Looking to replace both your router and your now-antiquated range extender, the Velop comes at a time when companies like Google and Netgear are trying to accomplish the same thing. The main way Linksys hopes to stand out from its competitors in the wireless mesh networking space is with a user-friendly setup that anyone with a smartphone can easily do. With just a visit to the App Store or Google Play marketplace, you’ll have the Linksys Velop up and running in a matter of minutes. It's certainly a worthy addition to our list of the best Wi-Fi extenders. Read the full review: Linksys Velop If you need a great way to upgrade your network so you can have fantastic coverage anywhere in your house, a powerline adapter is a remarkable option. Not only do they offer the same functionality as the best Wi-Fi extenders, but the Trendnet Wi-Fi Everywhere Powerline might just be a dream come true. It’s not exactly visually pleasing, and the price tag may be a bit much. However, this unit more than makes up for those issues with sheer performance. And, unlike other powerline adapters, the Trendnet Wi-Fi Everywhere features a clone button that will clone the SSID and WPA key of your network so that it can double as a Wi-Fi extender. Read the full review: Trendnet Wi-Fi Everywhere powerline 1200 AV2
If you want a small, discrete, Wi-Fi extender that will reliably spread the coverage of your network throughout your home or office, then the Linksys RE7000 Max-Stream AC1900+ Wi-Fi Range Extender is a great choice. It's small enough that it won't block other power outlets (like some larger Wi-Fi extenders can do), and it offers pretty good performance for a nice low price. Best of all, it comes with a 'dead spot' finder that allows you to locate where your network strength is the weakest. By installing it there, you should see a nice boost to your Wi-Fi.
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| Windows 10 May 2020 Update release date, news and features Posted: 27 May 2020 10:40 AM PDT The Windows 10 May 2020 Update is the first major Windows 10 update that Microsoft is rolling out in 2020, and it’s expected to bring a whole new set of features and performance refinements to the versatile OS. Unfortunately, it’s been delayed for some reason. However, it is technically finished, and its final version, Build 19041.207, is just around the corner. Microsoft has made past builds of Windows 10 May 2020 Update, formerly Windows 10 20H1, available to Fast Ring Insider testers since early 2019. So, we already know the details behind the new features and changes it’s bringing to the table, including a more efficient algorithm for Windows Search, improved Cortana experience and even more kaomojis, to start. It’s also expected to bring in a new security tool that will help prevent unwanted or malicious apps from installing themselves on your PC Based on its name, we already know that the Windows 10 May 2020 Update will be released in May, which means that it’s time to take inventory of everything it has to offer. Here are all of the most exciting, interesting and generally useful features that are coming with it. Cut to the chase
Windows 10 May 2020 Update release dateWhile we’re still not sure exactly when the Windows 10 May 2020 Update release date will be, the name '20H1' does mean that we'll be getting it sometime in May. It’s final version is finished and now available to a handful of testers. Still, it might come out later, rather than sooner, in May due to its issues with Windows Mixed Reality hardware. This does, however, support a previous leak. 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. 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. Windows 10 May 2020 Update nameThis first full update of 2020 has gotten an official moniker: Windows 10 May 2020 Update. Before, it was going by a few names, including Windows 10 20H1 and Windows 10 build 2004. Clearly, Microsoft is sticking with the naming convention of previous Windows 10 updates and naming 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. Windows 10 May 2020 Update featuresRegardless of the release date, the Windows 10 May 2020 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 May 2020 Update features that we know of. Windows 10 May 2020 Update brings a new lookWe'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 May 2020 Update brings new virtual desktop namesWhen you make virtual desktops in Windows 10 right now, they get rather unhelpful, numbered names: Desktop 1, Desktop 2, etc. The Windows 10 May 2020 Update 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 May 2020 Update brings commitment to Windows HelloMany 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 Windows 10 May 2020 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 May 2020 Update will improve CortanaIt seems like Microsoft isn't giving up on Cortana, its voice assistant, any time soon. The Windows 10 May 2020 Update 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 May 2020 Update has a better Windows SearchThis new update will introduce at least a couple of changes to the Windows Search function. The Windows 10 May 2020 Update 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 May 2020 Update improves video playback performanceAlso according to Windows Latest, this update 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 May 2020 Update makes it easier to reset Windows 10Another welcome addition is that the Windows 10 May 2020 Update 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 includes 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 May 2020 Update brings in more kaomojisFans of kaomojis will be happy to know that the Windows 10 May 2020 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 the update is adding to the list.
Michelle Rae Uy also contributed to this article.
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| Millions of LiveJournal accounts leaked online Posted: 27 May 2020 10:20 AM PDT Multiple hacking forums are currently sharing a database that contains over 26m unique LiveJournal user accounts as well as plain text passwords for free. Rumors have circulated for some time now that the once hugely popular blogging platform suffered a security breach back in 2014, during which time the account credentials for 33m users were stolen. Since the beginning of May, links to a data dump that allegedly contains 33,717,787 unique LiveJournal accounts have been available on hacking forums online.
Based on posts sharing links to the database, it contains email addresses, usernames, profile URLs and user passwords that were originally stored as MD5 hashes but were converted to plain text. LiveJournal databaseWhile some people believe the information contained in the data dump came from the 2014 security breach, Have I Been Pwned's Troy Hunt thinks it originated from a breach that took place in 2017 based on its file name (LiveJournal_com_2017_33.7m.txt). The LiveJournal database has now been added to the site's data breach notification service with additional information on how hackers obtained the user credentials and passwords, which reads: “In mid-2019, news broke of an alleged LiveJournal data breach. This followed multiple reports of credential abuse against Dreamwidth beginning in 2018, a fork of LiveJournal with a significant crossover in user base. The breach allegedly dates back to 2017 and contains 26M unique usernames and email addresses (both of which have been confirmed to exist on LiveJournal) alongside plain text passwords. An archive of the data was subsequently shared on a popular hacking forum in May 2020 and redistributed broadly.” LiveJournal has yet to confirm whether a data breach occurred as well as whether or not the database is legitimate. If you used the company's blogging platform back in its heyday, you should go check Have I Been Pwned to see if your email address is part of the database and if so, it is recommended that you change your LiveJournal password immediately.
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| Best business accessories of 2020: Tech tools to help you be more productive Posted: 27 May 2020 10:13 AM PDT Welcome to our pick of the best business accessories of 2020. These are the latest gadgets and tools that can help transform any modern office to become more productive and better connected. The best business accessories you'll find in this guide have novel approaches to improving productivity and efficiency, and would fit right in amongst office staples like printers, servers and routers. These are the products that will give you that extra boost? We've rounded up some of these clever extras, from an ultra-secure USB drives, through a tiny docking station, to one of the weirdest gadgets ever to land on TechRadar Pro, courtesy of a Kickstarter campaign.
Gallium nitride (GaN) wall chargers are able to refuel devices at a much faster pace than their silicon counterparts - and they’re also more petit and energy-efficient. So, if you’re looking for a way to charge your high-capacity devices quickly - including laptops, power banks and more - look no further than these two GaN wall chargers from RAVPower. The 65W RAVPower PD 2-Port model can push a 15-inch MacBook Pro from totally depleted to fully charged in two hours (instead of four). Thanks to its two ports, it can also charge multiple devices simultaneously, which is perfect if you’re caught short with both your laptop and phone out of power. Its footprint is also 30% smaller than equivalent products (as well as most OEM chargers) and this compact design means the adapter fits easily into a pocket or backpack. Then there’s the even more powerful 90W PD Pioneer 2-Port adapter, a heavy-duty GaN charger for devices with massive battery capacities. If you find your current high-wattage charger is excruciatingly slow, this might be the perfect piece of kit for you. With this 90W adapter, you can expect a 7.5x improvement in charging times in comparison to the 30W chargers that come bundled with many electronics. For context, it charges a 15-inch MacBook Pro even faster than the 65W model in just 1.8 hours. Unlike silicon chargers, the PD Pioneer doesn’t overheat or short-circuit, allowing you to charge your devices for as long as you need. RAVPower has also worked hard to ensure the adapter is as power-efficient as possible, achieving a charging efficiency of over 93%. It’s slightly larger than the 65W model at 64 x 64 x 32mm, compared to 55 x 55 x 31.5mm. We also presume it’s therefore marginally heavier than its 125g cousin, but its official weight isn’t listed on the RAVPower website. We haven’t managed to drop USB-A for USB-C just yet, so we were pleased to see these RAVPower wall chargers are compatible with both old and new USB connectors. We were a little disappointed to see the adapters sometimes obscure multiple power sockets, especially if attached to an extension lead, so just bear that in mind if you’re thinking about making a purchase. As you’d expect, the more powerful 90W adapter is slightly more expensive at $54.99 (roughly £45/AU$85), while the 65W model will run you $39.99 (roughly £33/AU$60), but neither are outrageously priced compared to alternatives on the market. Gone are the days of packing tens of different device chargers for every trip. This attractive little piece of kit from Eggtronic allows you to charge any USB-C device - from laptops to smartphones, tablets, cameras and more. Eggtronic describes the Sirius as the ‘smallest 65W USB-C laptop power adapter in the world’ - and we can certainly vouch for its miniature proportions. At less than 0.1kg and with dimensions of 69 x 50.5 x 19.5 mm, it’s smaller and lighter than a pack of cards. Designed in Italy and available in black or white, the Sirius sports a sleek and minimalistic aesthetic, so it wouldn’t look out of place connected up to, say, a MacBook Pro. The charger uses a nifty automatic voltage and current detection system to ensure it’s compatible with all USB-C devices (up to 20 volts and 3.25 amperes) and is safe to use in all scenarios. Many similar products use GaN power transistors to shrink charger size and cut costs. Eggtronic, however, uses EcoVoltas technology for an efficiency gain of 3% over other GaN chargers on the market. All in all, 93% of energy drawn from the mains is converted into device charge, which isn’t bad going at all. The same technology ensures devices connected up to the Sirius remain cool while on charge, extending their lifespan to the greatest degree possible. In terms of quality of life features, collapsible prongs mean the Sirius won’t snag on any items of clothing in your luggage as you’re travelling from A to B. The USB-C cable that comes bundled is also made of durable material, so you don’t have to worry about it fraying or snapping with re-use. Our only major gripe with the product is the price point, which sits a little above rival products at $68.99 (roughly £55/AU$105). If you’re willing to forfeit the sleek design and tiny footprint, you might want to consider a cheaper alternative. There’s nothing worse than tech trouble at the start of a big presentation. BenQ's latest device does away with software and the need for a connection, allowing presenters to hit the ground running. It’s as simple as plugging an InstaShow Button into the presenting device via USB and HDMI, or casting via AirPlay for iOS, Miracast for Android or the InstaShow mobile app. The InstaShow S WDC20, designed for large conference rooms, can connect to almost any device. It’s platform and OS agnostic, so notebooks using Windows, Mac and Chrome are all compatible. It also supports 4K resolution, which is ideal for projectors and flat panel displays. Video is transmitted at a very healthy 60fps (up to 1080p) with low latency, which means no jarring screen tear or lag. BenQ’s device can mirror the screens of up to four sources at once, so multiple presenters can contribute simultaneously. Presenters using an interactive flat panel touch screen can also annotate their presentations at the front of the room, without input into the source device. IT departments especially will appreciate the WDC20’s commitment to security. The product operates independently of the network, minimising corporate network attack profile. It also establishes a 128-bit encrypted link before transmitting any content. The WDC20 sports a slate grey and black colour scheme, with blue lighting around the perimeter of the buttons, making for a sleek and professional aesthetic. Provided the InstaShow Host kit is concealed effectively (e.g. under the conference table), it’s no eye sore. On the downside, the InstaShow Buttons don’t feature a USB-C connector, which means two cables (USB 3.0 and HDMI) run into the presenter’s device. On the rare occasion HDMI and USB ports are not on the same side of the laptop, this could pose a serious issue. BenQ says USB-C will be introduced to the transmitters later this year. The pack contains two InstaShow Buttons for connecting to devices, one cradle to hold the buttons when not in use, and an InstaShow Host which receives the signal transmitted by the buttons. It comes in at $1,499 at the time of writing. The Skyroam Solis is a palm sized, SIM-free Wi-Fi hotspot that is easy to set-up and use. There are no contracts involved, with four pay-as-you-go plans available and up to five devices can connect to a single Skyroam at once. This means that your cost per GB remains the same wherever you go, (with a 1GB package costing $9, with options going up to 20GB ($180)) but that you don’t get any discounts for taking bigger packages. The device uses its own patented virtual SIM technology to connect to WiFi and has over 300 partnerships with network carriers around the world. It’s especially useful outside of Europe as it saves you from having to use unsafe and unreliable public WiFi connections and running the risk of incurring huge data bills. We tested the service outside of London and got 7Mbps upload and surprisingly, 17Mbps download speeds. In comparison, our smartphone - on Three - hit 12Mbps download speeds and 2.3Mbps upload - hardly 4G speeds but good enough for most tasks. The Solis itself resembles an orange puck and contains two batteries totalling 6Ah that can power it for up to 16 hours, as well as charging other devices thanks to a clever adaptor. Getting it up and running was easy although we would recommend you do it at home (or where you have connectivity) to avoid any data roaming shocks. The free Skyroam app has a “smart button’” option that allows you to send an emergency SMS or an email with your current location to your friends, keep track of your location on Google sheets, tweet current location, get daily news & weather reports, locate lost gadgets and use Amazon Alexa to activate a Skyroam plan Although there is a rental option available for $8.99 per day (it can be found at all major American airports), you can buy it outright from $150. An upgraded option is the Solis X, which boosts the number of devices you can connect (from five to 10) while adding a remote camera, smart assistant, a speaker, Bluetooth connectivity and a microphone for $30 extra. An affordable charger that can power all your devices at once and more, either wired or wirelessly, the ZeroLemon can deliver up to 135W of power through four USB physical ports - 87W Type-C, 20W Type-C, two 15W Type-A - and two wireless contact points (10W Qi charger, 3W Apple Watch charger). A 87W charging point means that it can fully charge a 15-inch Apple MacBook Pro laptop in two hours and doesn’t require an external power supply unit. Engineers have included temperature control management, overvoltage, overcurrent, overcharge and short circuit protection. All the ports are located at the front and other than a power button and a charge voltage indicator, the unit remains blissfully clutter-free, with plenty of holes to allow air to circulate. The device is also surprisingly compact at 140 x 100 x 33mm, bearing in mind that it includes the power supply unit which competitors often leave out. You only need to choose to attach a power cable and off you go. We would have loved to see a few more Type-A connectors and perhaps data capabilities, at least on one port, although this may have pushed up its price - which currently stands at a mere $59 if you back it on Kickstarter. As always remember that all Kickstarter projects comes with a degree of risk and challenge and that you are backing rather than buying something. That said, given that we have a working product inhouse, the chances of this particular campaign not working out should be greatly reduced. Travel docks have become more popular as laptop manufacturers continue to reduce the number of ports on their devices. There’s a lot of competition from established players (like HP or Lenovo) and new challengers (like Pluggable or Anker), but then there is this new entry from Other World Computing (AKA OWC). The company has introduced a new “high performance workflow solution” travel dock (OWCTCDK5P2SG) which is one of the smallest we’ve seen recently, and one that comes with the all important Power Delivery pass-through feature. This allows up to 100W of power to be delivered to a laptop or anything else that has a Type-C plug, and is an upgrade to the existing tradel dock from OWC that can only do 60W. There’s a single Type-C connector, two USB 3.1 ports, an SD card reader and a HDMI 2.0 port. At 80 x 80 x 23mm, it is small enough to be carried in your back jeans pocket and includes a captive 15cm cable which has a groove to allow you to pull it out (and put it back) easily. Now, you should in theory be able to connect your phone to a monitor for example although we couldn’t get it done on our Google Pixel 2XL. Other than the two year warranty and the deliberately subdued design, the travel dock carries a price tag of $54.99 (from Macsales) and is available in space gray only. The cheaper, smaller 60W version retails for $43.88 and comes in gold, rose gold and silver as well. It may not be as compact as some of the competition, but the Alogic USB-C dock plus packs a big bunch with an affordable price tag. The ULDPLS-SGR, to give it its official name, retails for only $70 at Amazon and yet packs some features we haven’t found anywhere else (at least not on a travel dock). Built from aluminum and ABS plastic, the docking station is portable enough to be shoved in your shirt’s pocket. It comes with a two year warranty and has built in technology to shield it from surrounding magnetic interference. The Alogic USB-C dock uses the latest Power Delivery (PD 3.0) specifications to provide up to 100W of power to compatible devices which is impressive enough compared to some of its competitors. But there’s more; two card readers (although you can’t use both simultaneously), two graphics ports (HDMI and DisplayPort) which can be used at the same time albeit at a reduced full HD resolution. There’s also a Gigabit Ethernet port and two USB Type-A inputs plus a Type-C connector. On the downside, the cable management could be better with a dedicated storage slot. We’d also love more USB Type-C connectors but other than that the dock itself is pretty much as mature as it gets. Note that a cheaper and simpler version exists, one which eschews the LAN and display port, offering a near 50 percent discount. Imagine this; you are preparing to go on a weekend trip with a lot of gear that require an AC outlet. The problem is that there’s no power ports where you’re going. What’s the solution? A generator would be too big and probably too expensive - but aA battery pack like the Omars AC power bank might be the answer. With a staggering 40.2Ah capacity, it is one of the biggest power banks we’ve seen to date, one that can power virtually every single laptop on the planet (including this Eurocom workstation). On sale for as little as $119.95, it is actually within the limit set by the TSA for batteries on flights. External batteries can have a maximum capacity of 160Whr. The Omars AC Power Bank stands at 146Whr; note that you cannot check it in, you will have to bring it in your hand luggage. It is about the size of a chunky bedside book and weighs just under 500g. As expected, it is jam-packed with technology to prevent it from breaking down: under voltage and over voltage protection, short circuit protection, over-current protection, AC out short circuit protection, AC out over-current protection and over temperature protection. The electronics and a dozen of LG-built 18650 batteries are encased in a solidly built chassis and has two USB Type-A ports (sadly no Type-C)and a 2-pin power outlet (US version) or a 3-pin one (UK version), the latter of which can deliver up to 90W of usable power. Note that the device doesn’t come with any USB cables and none of the USB ports are fast-charging ones. When Time Kettle approached us for a hands-on with the WT2 Plus, we didn’t have much faith in it despite it raking in more than $275,000 on Kickstarter. Billed as the first AI-powered, single-app earphone translator and capable of translating 36 languages and 84 accents in near real time (complete with written translation), it sounded (pun intended) too good to be true, especially for $239. You get a pair of earphones (one per person) that come in an AirPod-like charger box that splits into two, with each half magnetically attached to one another. You will need the accompanying app (available on iOS as well) and internet connectivity to get it working and you get two pairs of extra ear buds and a microUSB cable for charging the case. The earphones are relatively comfortable to wear; just bear in mind that the one with the dash on top of the indicator is for your guest. Three translation modes are available: simul mode which is essentially a normal conversation between two people speaking different languages. Touch Mode, which is akin to a walkie-talkie mode and a more traditional app based translation, great for situations where you don’t want to use the app. Note that you can't copy the translated text into another app. A shame as the WT2 Plus doesn't also integrate into any other environment. During our brief test, the WT2 Plus performed admirably well, both in app and using the earphones. Ideally you will have a good internet connection and not a lot of background noise. Keep the phrases short as well where possible to minimize mistakes and there is a slight delay as one would expect. However, these are minimal and, thanks to WT2 Plus’s built in adaptive noise cancellation technology, you can make full use of non verbal forms of communications (hands, facial expression and body language). We liked the fact that it integrates auto voice detection and pick up for seamless conversation. Time Kettle says that the earphones will last five hours on a single charge with the charging case extending that to 15 hours. The app allows you to access historical conversations and you can’t choose voice pairs and most are females for the in-app translation. We don’t know how support will be in the long run but the WT2 Plus received a firmware update during our brief testing period. There’s no need to pass your smartphone (or translation device) back and forth (risky when the person is a complete stranger) or to ask the other person to download an app. All you need to do is put on the earpiece and speak normally. You can buy the WT2 Plus directly from Amazon. Bear in mind that you are responsible for any taxes (import duty and VAT). Logitech’s new wireless headphones, Zone Wireless, is aimed squarely at the office end user with a pull out microphone boom, active noise cancellation and the ability to move seamlessly between a smartphone and a computer. At 181g, it is light enough to be carried around; Logitech provides with a soft plastic pouch; we’d have preferred something a bit sturdier given its premium price (£200). Other accessories include a USB-A dongle, a long (1.3m) charging USB cable. You cannot switch to wired connectivity should the battery run flat. Speaking of battery life, Logitech promises up to 14 hours of talk time with active noise cancellation (ANC) on and 15 without. Listening time varies between 14 hours (ANC on) and 16 hours (ANC off). We didn’t reach those numbers. With ANC on, we topped eight hours at 70% charge (or under 11 hours 30 minutes). Logitech also claims up to 30m wireless range (line of sight); that number depends partly on the receiving unit as well so your mileage will vary. Controls on this premium on-ear wireless headset are kept to a strict minimum: all the controls are located on its right hand side. A white status LED shows when the Zone Wireless is connected or connecting to a device. It provides with a simple interface to adjust volume, play and pause music, start and end calls, activate/mute the microphone, plus button controls for power, active noise cancellation, and wireless Bluetooth pairing. The headset also supports wireless Qi charging (or via a microUSB port) and comes with a handy mobile companion app (Logitech Tune) that allows you to control headset functions like mute, ANC and EQ presets as well as the side tone, which lets you hear your own voice during a conversation. The Zone Wireless is more expensive than most of the competition but there’s a good reason; it comes with a two-year warranty and its built quality is better than cheaper models: silicone-padded headband and soft leatherette will improve your comfort over long sessions and allow your skin to breath and reduce sweating in hot environment. ANC worked reasonably well and the audio performance of the set was subjectively good with plenty of details in the mid-frequencies but lacking when it comes to lower ones. Not a surprise there given the nature of the product. Call quality is equally good thanks to a dual MEMS microphone array in a proper microphone boom that also uses a proprietary algorithm to filter out ambient background noise during conversations. Having a great display is becoming increasingly important in many home offices, especially as more of us move to a multi-screen environment. Dell's newest 32-inch 4K monitor, the Dell U3219Q. offers a bright and vibrant Ultra HD display that is perfect not just for video or gaming, but for workplace applications such as video-conferencing and data modelling. The unit is fairly bulky once unpacked, but when set up can be adjusted to fit a number of different space allowances, and thanks to an moveable height option, should mean it's not a strain on the eyes or neck. The U3219Q features an incredibly useful collection of connectivity options, sporting not just HDMI, USB and DP ports, but USB-C as well, meaning it'll easily slip alongside your existing laptop or PC. The unit even ships with a USB-C and HDMI cable, meaning set-up is quick and easy - just what you need to smarten up your office. More and more industries are now choosing to use mobile devices in day-to-day operations out in the field thanks to their portability. The FLIR ONE Pro offers a compact and powerful thermal imaging camera than can show up in-depth information about the world around you. Attaching via USB-C, the device clips onto the bottom of your phone, acting as an extension to your normal camera, and displaying heat information on the world around you, with hotter objects showing up in brighter colours (see below). The technology could prove incredibly useful for a number of industries, such as home inspectors looking to find insulation leaks, or electricians aiming to identify an over-heating connection. You’ll need to download and register with the free FLIR ONE app in order to start using the device, which is an unneeded extra step for many, but does grant you access to the company’s helplines, galleries and app store. The actual app was often slow to recognise when we had the device plugged in and turned on, however, and sometimes failed to detect it at all, which was slightly annoying for us, but for a worker in the field could be a major hindrance to getting your work done. Once you do get it up and running, however, the FLIR ONE Pro’s VividIR imaging system reveals a wealth of information on the world around you, and the compact build and design means it’s easy to carry around (although could also make it easier to lose in a crowded toolbox as well….) Battery life is also not very long, with our tests only finding the device lasting just over an hour, although re-charging was a speedy process. If you’re out working in the field with a cable though, this could be a major downside. The FLIR ONE Pro also doesn't come cheap, costing £349.95 in the UK, but it could prove invaluable for workers in such specialised areas, and is definitely worth your consideration. TP-Link says that the M7650 is the fastest Wi-Fi router it has ever made, offering speeds of up to 600MBps, which is easily enough to stream video to your laptop or tablet whilst on the move, as well as high-quality VoLTE audio through your phone - useful if you don't want to miss that conference call. Our tests found that the device often reached speeds of over 500MBps, which is impressive for central London, and more than enough to enjoy reliable connections whilst on the move. The M7650 can support up to 32 devices at once, meaning you can set up multiple connections around the home, or even in a small office if needs be - although speeds will drop if you do so. Set up is remarkably easy, requiring you to just insert the SIM card and turn on, making this much more straightforward than other similar devices. Battery life for the device was excellent, lasting a full working day with ease, as TP-Link says that the M7650 can offer up to 15 hours of juice, and recharging the huge 3000mAh battery is also quick and easy using the microUSB port. The M7650 is also light and portable, being small enough to fit inside a jacket pocket, and its rubber build will help protect from any accidental drops or bumps. However buying the device in the UK is a bit tricky, as you'll have to go through a reseller. This means you'll also need to be on the lookout for differing price options, but if you get the right deal, the M7650 is a must-have. We love our smartphones so much so that we carry them all the time even at our work, prompting businesses to consider shedding regular landlines and simply embrace the BYOD (bring your own device) paradigm. Which is why it is so surprising that few companies have come up with a product like the Invoxia NVX200. In a nutshell, this £209 device converts/transforms your smartphone into a desk phone with a Bluetooth speaker and a charging dock thrown in. It comes with a bunch of connectors and adaptors to connect most smartphones. Most Apple devices (including the iPod, iPad and iPhone) are supported, as are the latest Android smartphones, thanks to a USB Type-C port. A clever adjustable stand means that any device will sit snuggly on the NVX200. Connect the device via Bluetooth to the latter, put your smartphone in place and you’re ready to go. Hold down the voicemail key bring up the settings and you will be able to configure the device to your taste, down to the ringtones. Outwardly, it looks just like a normal desk phone, with lots of curves, a soft surface and a handset with a cable that’s sufficiently long for the user to stand up. Setting it up is straight forward: connect the device to a power socket, dock your smartphone, connect it to the NVX200 via Bluetooth and you’re ready to go. We did encounter some issues though. The test smartphone, a Sony Xperia Z3, has a micro USB port located on the side rather than at the bottom of the device. To make matters worse, it is not anywhere near the middle which makes it impossible to dock in landscape mode. Things got a bit more complicated when you factor in the casing used to protect it. Altogether a wireless solution, which integrates no-wires charging, might have been a better solution but would have restricted its appeal. We couldn’t get the speaker to play music wirelessly but it did somehow play music via the micro USB connector but only, and only if Bluetooth is disconnected. Fed up with losing your connectivity when out and about? Then check out the Multivox Multisim. It is a service that allows access to multiple UK mobile networks from a single SIM card. No need to swap tiny pieces of PCB or opt for a sub-optimal dual-SIM smartphone to eliminate the issues associated with poor connectivity, especially when you are out and about. The technology works on almost any recent smartphones and feature phones and doesn’t need a dedicated app. If there is no coverage on the primary access network, then your phone will search for another available UK mobile network and if there is one available, it will connect to it. If there are multiple networks available, then it will pick up and run on the network with the strongest signal. The Multisim works without having to manually select a different network to switch to and you get to keep your phone number regardless of the network. The only caveat is that a call will drop when the network being used loses coverage altogether; there is no “incall” switching. You get unlimited UK calls to mobiles and landlines as well as unlimited texts, all courtesy of EE’s network. Four data packages are available, ranging from 2GB (£29.40) to 10GB (£41.90) excluding VAT. The packages can be configured at Immervox. There are a fair few solutions available for digitally-savvy globetrotters looking who whiz across the globe for leisure or pleasure. We might have uncovered one of the best ones yet. From Knowroaming comes a global hotspot that uses a Novatel Wireless Mi-fi, the 6630, and can connect you up in more than 140 countries with 92 of them offering unlimited data for a flat fee of $7.99 per day (about £6.40), a price that even include free, unlimited Whatsapp. We tried it during a recent trip to Japan where the cost of connectivity is prohibitive and international data roaming is a no-no unless you want to spend hundreds. The Mi-fi device comes in a nice pouch with a few accessories; we just took it out and used it for a few days. It is sturdy enough to withstand a few knocks. The 6630 is about the size of a Tic-tac box and its user interface is intuitive with only three buttons and a small screen on its front. On top is the power button as well as two USB ports, one for charging up and the other to provide power to external devices. Inside the 6630 is a 4,000mAh battery that can power the device for up to 20 hours. It is compatible with Cat4 LTE although KnowRoaming only supported 3G for now and an LTE offer is in the pipeline. In use, the service was as seamless as it could be. Switch it on and connect to it using the provided login details. Note that you can’t change these from the device itself; that can only be done by accessing the device via a browser. Various options exist on the Mi-fi device including the ability to set a number of restrictions, the ability to view your consumption, the number of devices connected at any time and the battery life left. The 6630 supports dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi but no 802.11ac. Since this is primarily marketed as a business device, it comes with a number of security features including VPN pass-through, NAT firewall, security hardened web interface, Anti-CSRF (Cross-Site Request Forgery) and session timeouts. Sadly though you won’t be able to buy a consumer version of that yet. Instead, the device is only being sold to corporates for $199 (about £160) with discounts being offered for multiple purchases. As it stands, the service is meant to be managed centrally by an administrator or IT manager with an entire backend, cloud-based infrastructure provided by KnowRoaming. Suggested improvement to the Mi-fi device would include a thinner, more pocketable model, support for 802.11ac, the inclusion of a microSD card reader and having a smartphone app to allow you to access admin essential information from your smartphone, rather than through a browser. Find out more at Knowroaming If you've ever been stuck for mobile signal when travelling to a new country, then the NUU Konnect i1 could be the gadget for you. Able to provide 4G connections in over 100 countries, the i1 looks to offer a simple, portable way to get online wherever you are in the world. Most current mobile hotspots are only able to connect to 3G networks, so the Konnect i1 already has an advantage there, thanks to its LTE Cat 6 Qualcomm modem. The device supports VPNs and Wi-Fi calling, and is equipped with LTE bands 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/17/20/39/40/41, meaning there's a wide range of possible connections. NUU Mobile says that it is trying to target frequent travellers with the Konnect i1. The device itself is small enough and light enough to easily slip into your pocket, and is able to power up using its microUSB port. Setting up is easy enough, with the capacity to connect up to five devices at any one time. What's more, you'll only play a flat rate of $10 a day to use the device as much as you want, with no contract or sign-up fees. However, after the first 500MB of data, you'll be dialled back to HSPA+ networks for the next 500MB you use, and then down again to just 128Kbps speeds for anything more than that, unless you spend more for further LTE usage. For the moment, you can only get hold of the Konnect i1 if you backed the product on Kickstarter, with news of a wider release not available just yet. Staying online when working on the go has become an incredibly important issue for all mobile workers, as an unreliable connection can be a disaster. Netgear is looking to solve these worries with its new Nighthawk M1 mobile router, which it says is the company's fastest yet. Capable of supporting Gigabit LTE speeds, the Nighthawk M1 uses four-band carrier aggregation and Qualcomm's Snapdragon X16 LTE modem to support mobile downloads of up to 1000MBps, as well as uploads of up to 150MBps. Our time with the device found the actual speeds to be fractionally lower, however streaming and uploading were both fast and reliable, both at home and out and about. The Nighthawk M1 is slim and lightweight, meaning it can be easily carried around in a rucksack or messenger bag. Netgear says that the battery life of the can last 24 hours, and our tests found it comfortably survived a full working day. Set-up is a quick plug-in process, with no external software needed, and the device can even use its USB connectors to charge your mobile device. In the UK, the Nighthawk M1 can be purchased from Amazon for £299, or via pay-monthly contract with BT or EE. Both options are fairly pricey, with EE offering the device for £29 a month for 24 months after a £99 upfront payment, but if you're looking for fast and reliable connections, this device is ideal. With conference calls becoming an increasingly common part of modern business life, the need for reliable hardware to support this is greater than ever. The OfficeCore M2 is the latest release from Chinese firm EMeet, and looks to provide a smart and stylish way to make sure your calls go off without a hitch. The OfficeCore M2 offers 360-degree voice recognition thanks to a number of embedded microphones, supporting a range of up to 26 feet away, with the company adding that should support calls with up to 12 people without interference. The device can also link to mobile smart assistants to facilitate greater communication, with Siri, Cortana and Google Now all supported via Bluetooth, although our tests found that this was often patchy to set up. The major selling point of the OfficeCore M2 is its portability. Equipped with a 2500mAh battery that should easily last through even the longest conference calls, the device can quickly be picked up and carried around in a shoulder bag or rucksack. At $189, it's not the cheapest speakerphone on the market today, but if you're in the market for a device that can easily be taken on the go, this could be the one for you. If you've just started your own business, or need to work from home often, having a flexible and reliable technology set-up should be one of your top priorities. In order to keep you from wasting time setting up complex systems, teleconferencing experts GoToMeeting have you covered with an all-in-one box of tools that should allow you to get up and running quickly. The pack contains an Asus Chromebox PC, Logitech wireless keyboard, Logitech 1080p HD webcam and a FLX UC 500 conference phone from Revo labs - pretty much everything you need to get started. The products have all been specially selected to work seamlessly together, meaning most of the usual set-up process can be sped through quickly and easily - even if you're not particularly tech-savvy. Setting up your new kit can be done in a matter of minutes - all you need is a monitor to hook the PC and webcam up to, with all the rest of the hardware able to just plug and play. The tiny Chromebox PC is incredibly powerful for something so small (at just 12.4cm wide and 4.2cm tall), coming with a powerful 1.7Ghz processor, 4GB of RAM and 16GB storage, making it a great choice if you are strapped for space in your office. The PC also features 4 USB ports alongside DP, HDMI and LAN connectors, offering everything you should need to get started. Space saving is also helped by the Logitech wireless keyboard, which connects to the Chromebox via USB tracker, and also includes a trackpad in place of a mouse. If you do prefer using a physical mouse, you'll have to splash out on a separate piece. All the devices work together quickly and easily, meaning you'll be able to start working, calling and even videoconferencing in no time. The webcam is once again surprisingly powerful for its size, offering a smooth video experience, although we did see some slowdown in some cases. The only minor downside is the need to buy the entire package, meaning that if you only need a conference phone, or a compact PC, you may be better off buying these separately. At the time of writing, the kit is only available to buy in the USA, costing $999, with a subscription fee of $99 a month, making it a fairly pricey proposition - however if you're already an existing GoToMeeting customer, it can be built into your current subscription. If you're someone who travels for work a lot, staying powered up on the move may often prove a challenge. Although power banks for mobile devices have been popular for some time, anyone looking for a laptop equivalent could be caught short. However Orico's new SC28 offering provides a huge capacity that should be perfect for staying charged up on a trip. With a capacity of 28,800mAh, the SC28 provides easily enough juice for even the thirstiest laptops, which can be quickly recharged via USB or power socket. The latter features a number of adaptors for different markets, meaning you should never be caught short, with Orico promising five hours of life for a 13in laptop. The SC28 can charge up to three devices at once, meaning you can power your laptop, phone and router all at once for the ideal mobile working solution. The device itself looks stylish, with a sleek aluminium alloy body that weighs in at just under 1kg, but should still easily slip into a rucksack or laptop bag. In modern busy offices, it can be tricky to get some quiet - particularly if you’re trying to carry out a conference call or video meeting from your desk. Sennheiser, which is perhaps better known for its consumer headphone line, is looking to address this with a new headset targeted at business customers. The MB 660 may resemble normal ‘cans’ style headphones, but in fact can act as a Bluetooth-enabled wireless headset, allowing you to use them as a meeting accessory in today’s UC-dominated workplace. As you would expect from a brand such as Sennheiser, the audio quality is excellent, whether that’s with a voice call, watching video or even listening to music. This is complimented by the noise-cancelling ability of the headset, which comes with three separate settings that allow you to select your level of isolation. This high-standard audio quality does come at a price, but if you value your calls and media, it may be worth shelling out. The headset comes with its own stylish and compact carry case, which also house the charging cables and USB connector. Battery life was excellent, with the headset not needing a recharge during our week-long test - and when we did plug it in, recharging was quick and effective. Jackery is a little known company that focuses - like so many out there - on producing portable laptop and smartphone chargers. Its flagship product is the massive PowerPro, a 500Whr/140Ah Portable Power station rechargeable battery pack, The Jackery Titan S is a portable battery (72.4Whr) that can not only charge your mobile or tablet but also, according to its manufacturer, the popular Apple MacBook laptop. We didn’t have one at hand to test that claim sadly; note that it is also available in orange which for some reason has a lower capacity. Its black metal aluminium casing ensures that it will survive more than a few drops and it does feel very solid. Shame though about the sharper-than-usual edges on both sides and we’re not fans of the curvy profile of the Titan S as this caused it to slip a few times. This is a portable charger/battery pack so don’t expect too much innovation; it doesn’t switch off automatically but does identify the connected device by itself, charging it at the maximum permitted power. Other than a big power button and a 4-led battery status indicators which means you will never really know when the item will be fully charged when you reach four blue dots or discharged when it shows one blue dot. There are two full size USB ports - a 15W one (5V, 3A) and an 18W one (supporting variable voltages thanks to Quick Charge, up to 3.4A) - and a USB Type-C one that can deliver 15W power (5V, 3A); the latter can also be used to charge the battery. At 155 x 80 x 22mm for a weight of 435g, it is a tad smaller (volume wise) and lighter than the Aukey Powerbank although the latter has a far superior capacity (30Ah compared to 20.1Ah). The Jackery Titan comes with a micro USB charging cable and a two-year warranty but no carry case. The item is out of stock in the UK at the time of writing. Many of us know the pain of conference calls being ruined by poor connection or call quality, and with many businesses today choosing to embrace mobile working ideas and services, the need to stay flexible yet connected is paramount. Sennheiser is looking to solve these woes with its ultra-mobile TeamConnect Wireless - in essence a portable conference room, which can be packed up and carried around for workers on the go. Made up of four speakers, all carried around in a stylish case which doubles as a charging hub, the system can be connected to any laptop, smart device or VC system via Bluetooth, USB or 3.5mm jack. Set-up is quick and easy, allowing users to get up and running in a matter of minutes, with Sennheiser saying the kit can support up to 24 participants at once. Our tests showed the audio quality to be very effective, even with multiple participants on different lines, with no connectivity issues. The ultra-portable design of the TeamConnect Wireless is the major selling point here, as the stylish case is able to charge up the speakers to ensure you're never caught short, and takes up less space than a rucksack. However this stylish product doesn't come cheap, costing £3,940, meaning it may be out of the price range for some SMBs. For those that can splash out though, this is an eye-catching piece of kit that allows you to stay connected and conversant with your team or customers wherever you are. Offices can often be noisy places to work, so if you are looking to cut yourself off from the world around you, Jabra's latest Bluetooth headset could be the answer. The Jabra Evolve 75e is the company's latest attempt to help boost the productivity of office workers everywhere with a comfortable headset that offers long battery life and stylish design. Jabra says that the Evolve 75e are the world’s first professional UC-certified wireless earbuds, making the device ideal for carrying out external or conference calls wherever you are without the need for tangled phone wires or complicated UC set-ups. Set-up is simple, as the headset connects to your smartphone, laptop or desktop via Bluetooth and a USB plug-in. There's no need to download any extra apps or services, meaning you can jump on calls right away. The sound quality was excellent, with the buds cancelling out the noise of an active workplace, and the in-built microphone able to deliver a clear input. The only issue we had with the Evolve 75e is that Bluetooth connectivity would occasionally drop for no apparent reason, but with the compact design and long battery life (Jabra promises up to 14 hours) provided, this seems like a minor hiccup. Keeping workplace data safe is a major consideration for many workers, and the Aegis Secure Key 3Z features one of the toughest alternatives around. Primarily targeting those workers who are out and about a lot, and also want to keep their valuable information secure, the device is equipped with a physical keypad to protect what's inside. Despite only being the size of a regular USB stick, the Aegis Secure Key 3Z is one tough cookie, able to stand up to almost any work environments. The rubber exterior, which is IP58 protective against dust and water, safeguards a rugged aluminium build inside and out, meaning that there is no easy way to break into this device. The Aegis Secure Key 3Z also features top-of-the-range encryption that meets government standards alongside the onboard keyboard to enter a custom PIN and access the data within. Despite all this protection, setting up and using the device is fairly straightforward, not requiring any extra software or complex processes, with all the protection contained within. In fact, the only downside appears to be the high price - at $79 for the 8GB model we reviewed, this is a far pricier alternative than other devices around today. But if security is your number one concern, then this is the storage device for you. With data security becoming paramount for many of us these days, the diskAshur Pro looks to offer a comprehensive security offering to ensure your important data stays intact. The key selling point of the diskAshur Pro is its obvious physical security - the device comes with a keypad that will only grant access to the data stored within upon entering a PIN number. Far from your usual ATM PIN number though, the device requires an identifier between seven and 15 digits, offering far tougher security, with the number able to be quickly personalised and changed, in order to keep your data safe. Asides from the physical security (which extends to IP56 water and dust resistance and even a self-destruct feature), the diskAshur Pro also comes with some enviable encryption, sporting XTS-AES 256-bit real-time full disk hardware encryption and EDGE technology to offer even more levels of safety. This version of the drive offers 500GB of storage, which should easily be enough to store all your vital documents, media and more, and connects to your PC or laptop via a standard USB 3.1 port. The diskAshur Pro works across all major operating systems, including Windows, Mac, Android, iOS and Linux, and requires no extra additional software to be installed, meaning using the device is incredibly easy. Getting hold of the product may be the main issue with the diskAshur Pro, with the company manufacturing and selling many other models of the device on its site. We found this particular model for sale on Amazon for £211.96, and on iStorage's own site for £209. If you are able to get one, however, the diskAshur Pro is unparalleled in both its physical and internal protection, and the compact build and hard-wearing design make this a must-have for the security-conscious. Plug in the Kingston Ironkey D300 (IKD300/8GB) in your computer and the first thing you will notice is that the drive shows up as a CD Drive with a 14.4MB capacity. Surely some mistake! Well, you actually need to initialise the drive before using it for the first on any computer. Note that Kingston strongly advises not to use the drive via a USB hub. Launching the application will request that you create a password (between eight and 16 characters) and will go on to format the drive. You will confusingly end up with two “drives”, one with the initialisation software and the other one being the actual empty drive. Insert it in another computer (Linux, Mac or Windows) and you will be prompted to enter the right password. Otherwise, as for other similar solutions on the market, enter the password wrong 10 times in a row and your content will be erased. As for the drive itself, it is an 8GB model with a zinc casing – which also doubles as a heatsink as the D300 heats up a fair bit under use - and tamper-evident epoxy seal for physical security. With its cap on, it is waterproof (up to 4ft) and dustproof and at 51g, feels solid. More importantly though, the more compelling protection happens inside the device itself. It is a FIPS 140-2 Level 3 certified device with 256-bit AES hardware encryption. There is a hardware cryptographic module inside the device itself which means that the encryption and decryption is done on the drive rather than on the host PC, with digitally signed firmware which makes the D300 immune to the notorious BadUSB exploit. The D300, which comes with a five-year warranty, also offers a read-only option which allows any user, once authenticated, to open and view content on the drive but not change, update or erase the content. There’s also a managed version of the drive which, as its name implies, allows the drive to be deployed en masse across an organisation but requires Ironkey EMS by Datalocker which allows for the drives to be centrally managed. This allows for drive-specific policies and allows administrators to disable lost or stolen drives remotely and more. The drives are available in capacities ranging from 4GB to 128GB. The rated transfer rates of the drive vary between 80MBps to 250MBps (read) and 12MBps to 85MBps (write) depending on the capacity. Rule of thumb is the lower the capacity, the slower it will be. The 8GB model performed better than expected with CrystalDiskMark benchmark results hitting 237.6MBps and 58.69MBps on Read and Write respectively. The thought of packing the equivalent of nearly 1,000 CD-ROMs on something barely bigger than the average human fingernail would have been unimaginable only a decade ago. Now storage companies like Samsung, Sandisk or Integral are slowly pushing 512GB microSD cards in the market, fuelled by demand from mobile devices. PNY is one of the latest to do so with the Elite, a card that has a rated reading speed of up to 90MBps and enough capacity to store over 80 hours of full HD video content, plus the bonus of having lifetime warranty. At $350, it is comparable in price with other products in the same category but far more expensive than the 400GB SanDisk Ultra which can be had for about a third of the price for three quarters of the capacity. We managed write speeds of around 21MBps and read speeds of 66MBps, which are decent numbers without being spectacular, Owning a 512GB card, the highest commercial capacity available, will allow you to dramatically increase available storage on your smartphone. 512GB is the maximum storage capacity available on phones likes the Samsung Galaxy Note9 and a 512GB card essentially doubles that amount; great for 4K footage of field visits or business videos. Other devices like Microsoft’s Surface Pro 6 tablet will also benefit if you want to extra (removable) storage capacity although the read/write speeds are likely to confine the card to a pure secondary storage role. The D300S was announced by Kingston and is an updated version of the D300, launched in 2016, with the suffix S standing for Serialised; more on that later. The drive looks like a standard USB drive but sturdier and much, much more expensive. The smallest capacity - 4GB - retails for £100 while the largest one - a 128GB one - sells for a staggering £520. Now there is a reason why the D300S carries such a premium according to Kingston. The drive uses custom hardware for encryption (FIPS 140-2 Level 3 256-bit) and decryption which eliminates vulnerabilities associated with any process done on the host system. That chip and the rest of the hardware is sealed in a tamper evident epoxy material that hardened when it dried. The drive is also waterproof up to 120cm and should handle bumps and falls easily. The D300S also uses a digitally signed firmware which makes it impervious to the BadUSB attack and it will delete the encryption key after 10 invalid attempts, thwarting any brute force attacks. Two additional features that separates the S model from the standard model is a barcode and a unique serial number; together they allow system administrators to scan or read the code when configuring the drive. There's also a virtual keyboard that reduces the risk of having a keylogger storing the password. Sadly though, it does suffer from the fact that you need to install an application prior to using the drive on Windows and the write speeds claimed by Kingston are shockingly low at 40MBps. Read speeds are better at 250MBps. All in all, Kingston delivers a solid product but this is a very competitive market with the likes of Aegis, Secure Data or Datashur providing some interesting alternatives. Note that a Serialised Managed (SM) model will follow shortly if Kingston's website is to be believed. If you need to have small amounts of sensitive data being carried around, then the 3NX could well be a life saver. It brings advanced data protection features to a mainstream market thanks to its attractive low price ($59 for the 2GB/4GB model) and $189 for the 128GB one. What you do get is some military grade, enterprise-level features like FIPS 140-2 level 3, real time hardware-based encryption, a platform-agnostic setup and a rugged extruded aluminum enclosure. The data is encrypted using an onboard 10-digit keypad and is powered by an onboard battery. The 3NX comes with a three-year warranty as well as an IP67 rating. Apricorn claims that the device can hit read/write speeds of up to 77MBps/72MBps, which is more than decent for a USB 3.1 device. As part of the package, the key can be configured to support independent admin and user PINs. Having the keypad on the key itself makes it near impossible to hack as the encryption hardware is sealed inside the USB drive, not on the host computer. Furthermore, the buttons are wear resistant and designed not to reveal the most used buttons. Just make sure you don't forget your PIN as you will only have as few as four attempts before the drive deletes the encryption key and with it the ability to decrypt the data stored. We don't often get Indiegogo projects on our list but we're making an exception for the EyeDisk, which hails itself as the first unhackable USB flash drive. The concept is pretty simple; use your iris as your password rather than cumbersome passwords. Research has shown that iris recognition is more secure than facial recognition and fingerprint encryption and as a working prototype, it works perfectly well even with the dark. It boasts a binocular registration method and a monocular/binocular verification one. It is compatible with Windows and Mac but not Linux and you will have to run an app every time you plug it in a client. There's no password to log though, just your iris to be scanned and this takes a few seconds to be registered. You just need to look at a mirror on the side. We'd prefer to have a sturdier model as this one is made of plastic and would probably not last long in a rugged environment. You will also need to carry a USB type-C at all time to activate the drive as it doesn't have an actual male connector. Other than AES256-bit encryption to keep your data secure, the EyeDisk flash drive consumes only 2W of power and weighs a mere 20g. It managed some very decent numbers on CrystalDiskMark (130MBps transfer rate on read and 84MBps on write) which means that it won't keep you long. At the time of writing, you can only pre-order it via Indiegogo, the crowdfunding platform, and it is scheduled for delivery from March 2019. With a starting price of $59 plus shipping for the 32GB version and $99 for the 128GB, it is reasonably priced although the prices are likely to go up once the early bird offer ends. We'd love to see something similar come to Windows laptops equipped with a Type-C connector although one has to say, competition is likely to be far more intense. The trend for thinner, lighter and more aesthetically pleasing laptop designs gave us the Apple Macbook, a stunningly beautiful device with only one connector, a lonely USB Type-C port. There's a plethora of accessories - adapters and docking stations - on the market to solve that problem though, especially as more and more laptops are following Apple's lead and cutting the number of connectors to a minimum. The Satechi Slim Aluminum Type-C Multi-Port Adapter is one of them. Available in four Apple-friendly colours, this device quadruples the amount of ports of the aforementioned MacBook. There's a pass-through USB Type-C as well as two USB Type-A ports and an HDMI connector capable of supporting 4K video content, albeit at 30Hz - we'd certainly have preferred a DisplayPort. Physically, the device is about 105mm long and comes with a 150mm USB Type-C cable. The enclosure is made entirely of aluminium which has a propensity to get scratched and marked when flung around too often.Compared to other products on the market, having a cable is preferable to avoid accidental damage to your laptop's port. Note that each USB port on the Slim Type-C hub can provide 5V/1A (or 5W) and that Satechi advises that the maximum power load on the hub shouldn't exceed 10W, which excludes using it for heavy duty activities (e.g. charging two tablets). The product comes with a one-year warranty. Sandberg's Powerbank is neither the cheapest or the most powerful around. However, it does come with a couple of features that make it a rather enticing option. It outputs to a number of voltages (12V, 16V, 19V and 20V), automatically choosing the right one depending on the device connected to it. There are also two USB ports and these are obviously hardwired to output 5V on both. There are also 12 different charge tips but none would fit my Dell XPS 13, and they won't be useful for USB Type-C models like the Dell XPS 13 2016 edition. There are a couple of things that differentiate this from most of its rivals on the market: it uses a brushed, premium, aluminium finish, with bright blue LED status lights that clearly indicate the amount of juice left or how close the battery is to being charged. Speaking of charging, Sandberg decided to equip the Powerbank with a dedicated input port which allows the device to be charged in record time thanks to a 36W (18V/2A) power supply unit. In comparison, the Aukey 30Ah we reviewed recently could only be charged using a 12W USB port which makes charging a lengthy process, often an overnight affair. It also means that you don't rely on your laptop or mobile charger to get the battery replenished. Sandberg has equipped the Powerbank with an automatic 'switch on and switch off' mechanism to save power. It can deliver up to a total of 85W meaning that it can accommodate a massive 70W on its laptop/DC Out port. Note that the device comes with an industry-leading five-year warranty. Quite a lot of Ultrabooks (and even a fair few graphics cards) now come with Mini DisplayPort connection as standard in lieu of the traditional D-Sub or HDMI ports; which can prove to be a pain if you're planning to deliver a presentation at a client's office and they only have a HDMI projector. In theory, Mini DisplayPort – which is popular with Apple - has enough bandwidth to drive 4K monitors at 60Hz (HDMI can only do it at 30Hz) which results in a smoother end-user experience. However, today's product doesn't achieve this (it does reach 4K at 30Hz though). What it does is merely converting the Mini DisplayPort to a HDMI port, all for just over £23 (about $35, AU$45), more specifically from DP m1.2 to HDMI 1.4 without the need for drivers or external power source. Unlike other passive video adaptors, this one offers active signal conversion which means that it doesn't require a multi-mode DisplayPort source signal (like AMD's Eyefinity) which greatly expands its compatibility option. In addition, mDP supports 5.1 Surround Sound out of the box and is compatible with most Intel Thunderbolt devices. You will still need to have a HDMI cable at the other end though. From a distance, it looks like a standard USB cable with a microUSB connector on one end and a bigger-than-average one on the other. But look closer and you will see that it is a mirroring and KM (keyboard and mouse) sharing accessory. The KMC6105 allows you to view and interact with your Android device regardless of the brand and platform (i.e. tablet, Chromecast, smartphone) as well as sharing your keyboard and mouse. Perhaps more importantly, it charges your Android device while in use, something that the previous generation model did not offer. Unlike that one, it allows you to use your smartphone as an additional screen. It also offers copy/cut and paste as well as drag and drop across the platform. You will need to install a small executable file that is located on the device itself. Otherwise it will only behave like a standard (expensive) cable. You will need to enable Developer Options in newer smartphones by clicking seven times on the "build number" menu. Subsequently, you will need to allow USB debugging which is how the KMC6105 works its magic. The installation process will also download the device's driver where necessary. Note that the device carries a standard two-year warranty and is USB 2.0 only. The Android OS Mirroring and KM sharing cable is on sale at Lindy for £24.96. Audio has historically never been a forte for laptops and that hasn't changed for Ultrabooks especially for those at the lower end of the spectrum (one might even say that it became worse). Which is why something like an external sound card comes in quite handy. USB devices in general usually carry a performance penalty mostly because they use the host's processing power. They also have a small impact on the battery life. However, given how powerful the recent crop of Intel-based processors has been, that shouldn't be an issue. The ICUSBAUDIOMH External USB Card lets you add an S/PDIF digital audio output or a standard 3.5mm analog audio connection to your system through USB and essentially adds a 5.1 sound card. The device, which is about the size of a lighter, has two 3.5-inch jacks for headphone and microphone (some Ultrabooks like the Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro only have one port). Startech's external card comes at the end of a rather long USB cable, uses a Via VT1630A chipset and is capable of sampling audio at up to 96kHz. Available in black or white, it does support Sony's PlayStation 3 gaming console and comes with a two-year warranty. This USB Stereo Audio Adapter External Sound Card is available for sale at Startech. Dealing with a number of connectivity options is now an increasing challenge not only for office workers, but also those whose working habits are a bit more flexible. If you're someone who is constantly connecting in different locations, for example hot-desking in multiple offices, then StarTech has you covered. This new mobile hub hooks up to your smartphone or laptop via USB-C, coming with connections ports for USB, HMDI, ethernet and USB-C, meaning you should never be caught short - and it's small and light enough to be carried in your pocket. The HMDI connection supports UHD 4K displays, with the USB-A supporting Fast-Charge technology, meaning you can power both the adaptor and your device in one go. The Mophie Powerstation USB-C XXL looks like no portable battery we've seen before. It uses a soft fabric finish and while it has some hard edges, it minimizes the risk of getting your items scratched by eliminating pointed corners altogether. At $149.95 though, it will be a tough sell with so many choices out there in the market. Its relatively low capacity (19,500mAh) will be a concern when competitors routinely offer 30,000mAh or more. That said, Mophie claims that the battery will be able to add up to 14 hours to the battery life of a USB-C Macbook which is no small feat especially as Mophie says that this would be additional video playback time rather than having the laptop just sitting idle. Apple states that the MacBook has a battery life of up to 10 hours so you'd be more than doubling that. The battery charger also supports Fast Charge and can send 30W of power to any compatible devices. At 390g for a thickness of merely 23mm, it is very portable. Add in a two year warranty and it looks like a decent deal. Bear in mind though that it has only two ports (one USB Type-C and one USB-A) and that the competition offers more features at less than half the price (albeit without the cachet). Jackery, for example, offers a 19,200mAh battery with a 45W output that can charge bigger laptops, ditto for the RavPower Turbo series which packs a larger 20100mAh battery. Both have three USB ports and come with a very significant discount compared to the Mophie (up to 67% off). Note that there is an even bigger (and even more expensive) Mophie 3XL battery that comes with an additional port and a third extra capacity. Omnicharge's Omni Ultimate battery charger is not for everyone. It is big, it is bulky and expensive. Note that the Omni Ultimate has been approved as plane safe - so you can take it with you in the cabin when travelling. You just need a form to fill in for it pre-boarding, which you can get at the airport/gate. For a growing community of demanding power users though, this battery pack is likely to be an absolute godsend. So much so that an Indiegogo campaign started beginning of October 2018 is likely to raise nearly $1 million from more than 4000 backers, nearly 20x its original flexible goal. The external battery is built like a tank and is both dust and splash resistant with rubber flaps covering its power outputs. And its list of features is just as impressive: it has a power outlet that can delivery up to 150W DC or 120W AC output, a 40.3Ah/145Whr capacity, a USB Type-C connector that can deliver up 60W power, two USB ports supporting 15W (5V3A) each, a three-hour fast charging (QC3.0-compatible), pass-through charging and a useful OLED display that shows you battery capacity in real time (and to three decimal places). You can charge it using a solar panel and it is equipped with pass-through charging plus you can even add a spare battery pack. Note that there is a 230V EU version available (but no UK because of the plug size). With an SRP of $599 though, it will be a tough sell especially when there are cheaper (but less powerful) options around. The MaxOak K2 for example is cheaper and has a higher battery capacity but doesn't have AC output or USB Type-C connectivity. The RavPower AC Power Bank can output to AC but has a battery capacity of only 27Ah. The Omni Ultimate will be available via Amazon in Q1 2019 (planned for end of January/start of February) in the UK and in the USA. Other territories will follow. Ensuring your device is powered up on the go is a daily worry for many of us, and there's nothing worse than running out of battery at a crucial time. Linedock thinks it has the answer with its slim and stylish power bank to keep your Macbook charged up when you need it the most. At just 9mm across, the device slips in neatly under your laptop and packs in a massive 20,000mAh rechargeable battery that should keep you powered up on the move. Linedock has nine ports in all, including three USB-C ports, three USB 3.0 ports equipped with Qualcomm QuickCharge 3, an SD card and a DisplayPort hub, and multiple devices can be connected at once. But that's not all - as Linedock can also act as a spare SSD for your device, with the option of adding 256GB or 1TB of storage as an extra bonus to make this a true mobile work hub. Lindeock has been designed for 13in MacBook Pro devices, but the company says that it is compatible with any laptop powered by USB-C, meaning PixelBook owners are in luck. At $299, this is simply a must-have for Mac users that work on the go, offering style, power and flexibility. As more and more consumers ditch cash for contactless and digital payments, businesses of all sizes also need to adapt. Square has long been one of the most exciting payments companies around today, and has now finally brought its Reader product to the UK for the first time. The product acts as a mobile POS, allowing customers to quickly pay for their items using a contactless card, mobile or wearable device. Targeted predominatly at small businesses or traders, the Square Reader is slim and compact, easily fitting in the palm of your hand. The £39 reader weighs in at just 56g, meaning it can be handheld, or tethered to a till or counter using an additional £19 dock, allowing for a truly mobile steup. Anyone signing up to Square's service can get approval to start using the system within the hour, taking much of the headache out of setting up a new payments platform, with Square’s own software system offering a POS service as well as in-depth analytics. The tool seems like an invaluable asset to any small business looking to grow or expand, or any company looking for a more mobile setup. Perhaps our only gripe would be that the device is potentially too compact, and could be lost - but asides from that, a Square Reader could be the key to taking your business to the big time. Another Indiegogo/Kickstarter campaign brings us a product range that will put a smile on owners of Apple MacBook and MacBook Pro laptops. The DockCase adapter is essentially a docking station that expands the number of connectors that the aforementioned notebooks offer. Unlike previous attempts, the designers have opted for a enclosure that wraps around the Apple power supply unit and essentially augments its capacities: think of it as an exoskeleton for the USB-C power adapter. The 30W MacBook adaptor gets a HDMI connector (v2.0, so capable of handling 4K) and a USB 3.0 port, the 61W MacBook Pro 13-inch model gets an additional USB port while the 87W dock for its bigger sibling adds another two. We had access to one of the first finished units and we’re glad to report that, after a few hiccups, it worked as advertised. Check if the Apple power brick is well connected with the product; the light will be lit up once DockCase Adapter is connected to the MBP. Also use the cable in the box, rather than your original cable as the Apple cable for MBP can only transmit power, not data. We’d love if DockCase’s bundle cable could be a tad longer and would wish that Seesaw use a sturdier white plastic case for the dock design. One thing we can't really complain though is how affordable it is, at least during the early bird period. The MacBook HDMI model costs a mere $40, reaching $47 for the MBP 13 and $52 for the MBP 15 (costs are without shipping) with adding a pair costing $30, $35 and $44 respectively, great if you work at home and in an office. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Best mesh Wi-Fi routers 2020: the best wireless mesh routers for large homes Posted: 27 May 2020 09:49 AM PDT When you’ve got the best mesh Wi-Fi routers on the market, you’ll never have to worry about network issues again. Switching to a mesh Wi-Fi router will give you a much more reliable and robust signal to every corner of your space. So, whether you’re having spotty connections or trying to cover a large space, it’s the most ideal and cost-effective solution. It’s all thanks to its multi-node setup. While typical wireless routers only have a single device providing coverage, mesh Wi-Fi routers can have several nodes that you can place around the area you want covered.These nodes will cover those areas the main router can’t reach, giving you a stable and uninterrupted connection without forcing you get setup multiple networks. What’s more is that setting up the best mesh Wi-Fi routers is usually easy enough that anyone can do it without expert IT help. Check out our picks for the best mesh Wi-Fi routers available in 2020, and invest in one that will satisfy your network needs. Whether its best value, easiest setup, or even the most aesthetically pleasing, you’ll find something you’ll love on this list.
Best mesh Wi-Fi routers at a glance
The Google Nest Wifi kicks things up a notch. What’s better than the best mesh router? Well, a mesh router with a smart speaker, that’s what. Especially if you’re a smart home fiend, you will appreciate the pure genius of this upgrade in Google’s Wifi line. The Google Nest Wifi kicks things up a notch, taking Google Wifi’s incredible yet simple design and performance then merges it with the convenience of a smart speaker so you’ve got a two-in-one device in an even sleeker and more attractive package. And, if you’re tired of the color white, this one also comes in Mist and Sand colors. As far as the best mesh Wi-Fi routers go, the original Google Wifi is still the one to beat. This one just gives it that extra oomph. Read the full review: Google Nest Wifi With Google WiFi, Google has taken dominion over the mesh WiFi world. (Image credit: Google) The Google Wifi tops, possibly, the best wireless mesh routers we’ve ever used, and we’re not saying that casually. In fact, we’d even go so far as to say that it may be the best wireless mesh router, at least to date. Not only does it have the power to push fast Wi-Fi throughout your house – an even more impressive feat considering its diminutive size, but it’s also fairly cheap and not that hard to set up. Setting up is so simple that all you have to do to configure Google Wifi is to download an app to your smartphone, scan some QR codes and just place the nodes where you want around your house. With Google WiFi, the company has taken dominion over the mesh WiFi world. Read the full review: Google Wifi The Netgear Orbi boast more than enough Ethernet ports. (Image credit: Netgear) If you have deep pockets, then check out the Netgear Orbi, which may be one of the best mesh Wi-Fi routers money can buy this year. Instead of something like the Google WiFi, which uses three identical nodes to create the network, you’ll get one main router and several satellite nodes to plug into power outlets around your home. In addition, the Orbi touts more than enough Ethernet ports, making it an exceptional option for anyone with a number of devices that need a hardwired connection. This mesh router is the best choice for consumers who use their network mostly for gaming, particularly across multiple devices. Read the full review: Netgear Orbi The Orbi WiFi 6 is your best bet when it comes to getting the best mesh Wi-Fi routers. If you’re ready to jump on the Wi-Fi 6 bandwagon, the Orbi WiFi 6 is your best bet when it comes to getting the best mesh Wi-Fi routers. It’s not by any means a casual purchase, with its steep price tag, but if you’re looking to upgrade to a faster and more reliable router to cover a massive space – like your countryside mansion, perhaps, or your crowded smart home – then this one’s absolutely worth the money. Plus, it’s easy and straightforward to setup, making it great for people who don’t have too much experience with Wi-Fi networks. Read the full review: Netgear Orbi WiFi 6 The tri-band Orbi Whole Home AC1200 offers solid performance at a reasonable price. The tri-band Orbi Whole Home AC1200 offers solid performance at a reasonable price, and will be a good choice for most small and medium-size homes that need to improve their Wi-Fi coverage. It’s simple to set-up and use for newcomers, although Netgear’s decision to use Disney’s subscription-based Circle service for parental controls is discouraging, considering that rival routers and mesh systems have often provided better parental controls for free. The lack of Ethernet ports for wired connections as well as more advanced features in the Orbi app might turn off experienced users as well. The TP-Link Deco M5 is an affordable way to spread Wi-Fi throughout your home. (Image credit: TP-Link) If you’re looking for a way to spread Wi-Fi throughout your home without having to spend a lot of dough, then look into the TP-Link Deco M5. It’s not as speedy as some of the other best mesh Wi-Fi routers on this list, but if you’re not too concerned about getting the maximum theoretical throughput, which you probably won’t be able to take full advantage of anyway, this shouldn’t be too much of an issue. Setup, similar to the other devices here, is a breeze, even if you’re not tech-savvy. The TP-Link Deco M5 is among the best wireless mesh routers for those who don’t want to get too technical. Read the full review: TP-Link Deco M5 You'll find a lot to love in the Ubiquiti Amplifi HD. (Image credit: Ubiquiti) If you love Apple’s design philosophy, enjoy having attractive gadgets set up around your home and have more than enough extra money sitting around, then the Ubiquiti Amplifi HD is the perfect mesh router for you. You’ll find a lot to love with this device, especially if you live in a large house and can take advantage of the full power that this mesh Wi-Fi setup provides, as it’s capable of a very large amount of throughput. You might find that the value diminishes quite a bit when you live in a smaller space however, since there are more affordable alternatives on hand for small to medium homes. The Ubiquiti Amplifi HD may be pricey, but you’re paying for a piece of tech that both exudes style and a ton of substance. That’s more than enough to justify the price tag, making this a great addition to the best wireless mesh routers list. Read the full review: Ubiquiti Amplifi HD There's something to be said about the simplicity that the Linksys Velop delivers. (Image credit: Linksys) While it’s expensive and not quite as powerful as the other Wi-Fi mesh routers on this list, there’s something to be said about the simplicity that the Linksys Velop offers. It might come with a heftier price than the competition, but the Velop will appeal to people who need to create a Wi-Fi network and want to avoid setting it up. More tech-savvy users will most likely look elsewhere – why spend money when you can do the work yourself for free? However, for most users, the Linksys Velop is among the best wireless mesh routers because of the convenience it offers from the start. It’s also completely modular, so you only have to pick up as many nodes as you actually need – one node will cover up to 2,000 square feet. Read the full review: Linksys Velop
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| Best 4K monitors 2020: the top Ultra HD monitors and displays Posted: 27 May 2020 09:45 AM PDT In 2020, having the best 4K monitor in your PC setup is starting to become the standard. Thanks to gaming, streaming and other visual media getting better and better, only the best monitors with the highest resolution can give you access to their UHD and 4K quality. It’s more than just high resolutions that the best 4K monitors can offer, however. With these, you’re also getting more screen real estate for multitasking and creative tasks like 3D design and video editing. In fact, they offer much more space that they actually help improve your workflow and save you some time. And, since the best 4K monitors on the market are also getting cheaper – they cost even less than a 4K TV, the price of entry is even more accessible to those on a budget. To help you find the best 4K monitors for your needs, we’ve assembled our picks for this list. Let us help you cut through all the chatter, save you some time searching for that perfect display, and get you to that perfect screen to enjoy gaming, movies or other visual media in 4K.
The best 4K monitors at a glance
If you have the horsepower to drive the LG 27UD88-W, you should pick it up. (Image credit: LG) When you’re looking for the best 4K monitor, you want to find something that’s affordable, but also has fantastic picture quality. It’s a balance that’s pretty rare, but the LG 27UD88-W hits it out of the park. Not only does this panel cover 99% of the sRGB color space, but it does so with an insane contrast ratio and a response time to display the best PC games as they should be seen. The best part? It does all this while maintaining a reasonable price tag. If you have the horsepower to drive the LG 27UD88-W, you should pick it up. Read the full review: LG 27UD88-W The Philips Brilliance 328P really is one of the best 4K monitors out there. (Image credit: Philips) As both 4K panels and HDR technology become more ubiquitous, we’re starting to see more affordable monitors take on the market, and the Philips Brilliance 328P does just that. This 4K monitor combines a 4K VA panel with decent HDR performance at a price point that won’t force you to break open the piggy bank. Its brightness doesn’t quite reach its lofty HDR 600 rating, but at this price, it’s hard to complain. The Philips Brilliance 328P really is one of the best 4K monitors out there. Read the full review: Philips Brilliance 328P LG Ultrafine 24MD4KL is the perfect match for your Mac or Ultrabook. 4K fans will find a lot to love in the LG Ultrafine 24MD4KL, especially if they’re photographers or videographers who need all that prime real estate and high resolution. From its 4K resolution and color accuracy, to its plethora of USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 ports and buttonless design, this 4K display is the perfect match for your Mac or ultrabook. And, despite those bizarrely thick bezels and high price tag, this display might be hard to resist. Read the full review: LG Ultrafine 24MD4KL When you get the BenQ PD2700U, you are getting a lot of pixels. (Image Credit: BenQ) If you’re on the market for one of the best 4K monitors for everyday computing and productivity, without all the fancy bells and whistles, you’ll want the BenQ PD2700U. This monitor doesn’t feature fancy Quantum Dot tech, or Adaptive Sync, it doesn’t even have USB-C input! But, when you get the BenQ PD2700U, you are getting a lot of pixels, which is all you really need. It’s not the cheapest 4K monitor on this list, but it’s color accurate, has plenty of desktop real estate, and will comfortably fit in any office environment. Read the full review: BenQ PD2700U Monoprice 27" 4K UHD's IPS panel allows for extremely sharp image. (Image Credit: Monoprice) You may not have heard of Monoprice, but this brand is behind some of the most affordable monitors out there right now. Its Ultra-Slim Aluminum monitor, for example, is hailed for its sleek, ultra-thin bezel design and ultra-wide viewing angles at 178°. This monitor isn’t particularly feature-rich – there are no built-in speakers, for example – but its IPS panel allows for extremely sharp image, FreeSync tech reduces screen tearing and Monoprice’s Pixel Perfect Guarantee gives it vibrant color performance. Plus, with two DisplayPorts and two HDMI ports, there’s plenty of connectivity on offer. Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ is a 4K gaming monitor with HDR and the kind of color support you see in professional displays. (Image Credit: Asus) While 4K monitors are becoming more and more common, even without particularly powerful hardware, we still run into the kind of monitor that changes everything. The Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ is one of these. Asus has managed to craft a 4K gaming monitor with HDR and the kind of color support you see in professional displays – and render that all at 144Hz with G-Sync no less. There are only a few monitors out there that packs as many features as this Asus screen, and that’s why it’s one of the best 4K monitors. But, keep in mind, you’re going to have to pay for something this advanced – and we mean pay. Read the full review: Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ ViewSonic XG2700-4K boasts amazing picture quality, quick response time, accurate color performance and multiple ports. (Image Credit: ViewSonic) If you’re looking for a 4K monitor for gaming, ViewSonic’s XG2700-4K is the perfect fit. It is not without quirks: the screen brightness could be higher, the red on black trim is an acquired taste, and it has no built-in speakers. On the other hand, you get amazing picture quality, quick response time, accurate color performance, multiple ports, and a versatile stand for multiple viewing angle options. Its most notable feature is AMD FreeSync to prevent tearing and ensure that your games are running smoothly. Of course, the picture-in-picture and picture-by-picture modes are also helpful because who doesn’t multitask nowadays. The AOC U2879VF has a 1ms response time and a refresh rate of 144Hz for a low price. (Image Credit: AOC) IPS displays may offer better viewing angles and color representation, but a good TN panel makes for a much better gaming monitor, thanks to much faster response times, higher refresh rates and affordability. This is why the AOC U2879VF has a 1ms response time and a refresh rate of 144Hz for a low price. If you can forgive the restricted viewing angles, the occasional flickering at 144Hz, the absence of a USB port, and the ho hum color performance, this AMD FreeSync enabled monitor is for you. Read the full review: AOC U2879 VF If you need the tech, it's definitely there in the Acer Predator X27. (Image Credit: Acer) If you have an absolute beast of a gaming computer – think two Nvidia RTX 2080 Tis in SLI – and you need a monitor that can keep up, you might want to take a look at the Acer Predator X27. Not only is it a 27-inch 4K monitor with HDR, but it also has a refresh rate of a whopping 144 Hz. If you have the horsepower, you can play games in 4K competitively without losing an edge to the person playing in 1080p. But, as you may expect from a spec sheet like this, it’s very expensive – but if you need the tech, it’s definitely there. Read the full review: Acer Predator X27 The LG 43UD79-B's features will more than make up for its flaws. (Image Credit: LG) You’ll need a bigger desk with 43UD79-B’s hefty, 42-inch screen. Unfortunately this bigger than life screen might also be darker around the edges and a sluggish refresh rage. However, this 4K monitor’s other features will more than make up for its flaws. The screen split software, for one, allows for a range of screen configurations. This, coupled with its four HDMI inputs, a DisplayPort 1.2a port, and a USC-C port, will let you effortlessly run multiple devices at once. Along with its true IPS screen, color-rich display, and FreeSync compatibility, you might just be getting a bargain.
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| Marvel’s Avengers game release date, news, trailers and first impressions Posted: 27 May 2020 09:31 AM PDT Still reeling from the end of The Avengers? Well, the new Marvel's Avengers game from Crystal Dynamics could potentially fill the avoid. If you missed its debut and first set of trailers, Marvel's Avengers is an action-adventure that will see you playing as your favorite superheroes in an all-new story set in the Marvel universe. The game kicks off with the Avengers coming to terms with a momentous event that ultimately tears the team apart and sees them losing one of their own. But, years later, Earth's Mightiest Heroes are forced reassemble in order to take on a greater evil. (Imagine Disassembled plus New Avengers' storylines and you'll have a good idea of what's to come.) Interestingly we also know that the game will have a multiplayer component alongside its single-player campaign that will see you assemble into teams of four online, customize your characters and fight online together through new scenarios. Crystal Dynamics says this content will be free and will come at a constant clip. So, with 'an all-star cast' that includes Laura Bailey, Nolan North and Troy Baker, some of the most preeminent voice actors in the videogame industry, could Marvel's Avengers be the superhero game we've been waiting for? Here's everything we know about Marvel's Avengers so far. [Update: Crystal Dynamics just announced on Twitter that we'll get another behind-the-scenes look at Marvel's Avengers during a War Table livestream on June 24. We'll definitely be tuning in and will update this article with any new information.] Cut to the chase
Marvel's Avengers release dateImage credit: Crystal Dynamics Marvel's Avengers will release for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Google Stadia and PC on September 4, 2020. There's no word yet about whether it will release for PS5 and Xbox Series X. The game was initially due to release on May 15, 2020 but Crystal Dynamics has delayed the release date to "deliver the ultimate Avengers gaming experience". Marvel's Avengers gameplay impressionsWe got some hands on time with Marvel's Avengers at Gamescom 2019. Check out our hands on: Marvel's Avengers review for our impressions. Marvel’s Avengers trailersAn October 2019 trailer for Marvel's Avengers gave us a better overview of the game and what we can expect from it in terms of story and key mechanics. Watch it below to find out more about the game's mission types (single-player and multiplayer), its character customizations, skills and gear. The game’s first teaser trailer came out in 2018. Check it out below: The big unveiling for the game came at E3 2019, when Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics really let loose a lot of details and clips. We've embedded the Avengers E3 2019 trailer below: Marvel’s Avengers news and featuresDelayed release date In a statement, studio co-heads Scot Amos and Ron Rosenberg explained the studio needs extra time to "deliver the ultimate Avengers gaming experience". "As fans ourselves, it's an honor and a privilege to work with these legendary characters and we know what these Super Heroes mean to us and True Believers around the world. When we set out to bring you our vision for Marvel's Avengers, we committed to delivering an original story-driven campaign, engaging co-op, and compelling content for years to come. To that end, we will spend this additional development time focusing on fine tuning and polishing the game to the high standards our fans expect and deserve." Ms. Marvel We got hands on with Kamala at EGX 2019 and found her great fun to play. Ms. Marvel's stretchy limbs and ability to grow in size means you can easily smack around bad guys with ease. PS4 beta Maybe cross generation? Stadia Skill trees Earn and upgrade gear War table Who is the bad guy? Cosmetic microtransactions San Diego Comic-Con Offline and solo gameplay No paywalls or Loot Boxes "The idea, from the beginning, is that we want you to be able to customize your hero; how they look, how they play, the gear they have and how they use it," Amos said. "Your Black Widow could be different to my Black Widow – just a little, maybe a lot – depending on what you favor and how you unlock things." Of course, players will also be able to earn customization items as they play as well. Official reveal A "tribute to Stan" Image credit: Crystal Dynamics Focus on story Thankfully, it looks like they're doing just that with Avengers. From what we've seen of Marvel's Avengers so far, the game's 'main' heroes are Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, Iron Man and Captain America (but Kamala Khan seems to be the protagonist). Marvel's Avengers kicks off on A-Day, a day which sees the Avengers get honored for their service to the community. However, this day of jubilation is quickly ruined when Taskmaster and his cronies attack San Francisco (where the celebration is taking place), resulting in Captain American being killed and the team dissembling. But, years later, the Avengers are forced to reassemble for the greater good - that's where the real story begins. Continuous content? It's Crystal Dynamics' biggest game ever "We've had to change how we work, how we are organised as a team, the number of people we need to do this, the number of external partners... We've had to go hire experts like Shaun Escayg, who is our creative director. He told stories for Uncharted and The Last of Us [at Naughty Dog], we needed him to help tell this story. Dave Fifield was a game director who worked on Halo and Call of Duty, we needed him to help us with multiplayer," Amos said. The five studios working on the title are Crystal Dynamics at Redwood Shores, a new studio in Bellevue called Crystal North West, Crystal Dynamics' partners in the Netherlands, Nixxes, Eidos Montreal and even Square Enix Japan. Five teams to bring the five Avengers to life? Sounds about right.
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| Best computer speakers 2020: the best audio systems for your PC Posted: 27 May 2020 09:28 AM PDT Don’t discount adding the best computer speakers to your PC setup. While to the untrained ears, just any computer speaker will do, excellent computer speakers actually deliver sound quality, soundstage and even immersive surround sound that are far superior than their subpar counterparts. In fact, they make such a difference to your computing experience that they’ll actually elevate it. The best computer speakers, therefore, are essential to any PC setup, whether you create a lot of video content, are a hardcore gamer, or simply enjoy blasting tunes and watching movies on your computer. And, even though many gamers and content creators insist that having the best gaming headsets is the only way to go to truly experience immersive audio on your PC, wearing headphones for hours on end can become fatiguing. The best computer speakers make for a stellar alternative, and not just to give your ears a break, so we gathered the best computer speakers 2020 has to offer. Whether you want a more balanced audiophile-level sound, care more about having a great soundstage, or prefer lots of bass so you can feel those explosions deep in your spleen, you’ll find something on this list. Peruse, buy and experience sound like you’ve never before. Best computer speakers at a glance
Audioengine A2+ will function with your PC's USB port for uncompressed audio and amazing sound quality with its built-in DAC. While the Audioengine A2+ arrived on the scene four years back, they are still conceivably among the best computer speakers on the market. These slick-looking speakers will function with your PC’s USB port for uncompressed audio and amazing sound quality with its built-in DAC. The Audioengine A2+ comes sans subwoofer. However, if you really need that deep bass for extra rumble, that’s hardly a deal breaker: mostly because there is an RCA output, so it’s simple to connect an external woofer, which Audioengine also sells separately. Logitech Z623's subwoofer produces a powerful, deep sound. They may be more expensive than you’d expect to pay for Logitech’s best computer speakers, but the Logitech Z623 speakers are still pretty reasonable, considering that they’re an audio beast. The Z623 may look like a typical set of speakers, but the subwoofer produces a powerful, deep sound that can easily be adjusted up or down based on your preference. As a bonus, these speakers have an impressive soundstage – with great highs and mids – making for an extremely immersive gaming and movie audio experience. The Logitech G560 speakers are one of the best computer speakers for gaming. When it comes to computer accessories, Logitech is a household name. However, the G560 takes the company’s speaker prowess up a level. These are the first Logitech computer speakers created specifically for gaming, and the manufacturer’s hard work has more than paid off. The Logitech G560 speakers are, without a doubt, one of the best computer speakers for gaming. Not only do they have RGB lighting – a must for gaming peripherals in 2020 – but through Logitech’s software, the multi-colored illumination can adjust to any kind of content you consume for a more brilliant, not to mention mesmerizing, experience. The Razer Nommo Pro has a lot to offer and is definitely a sound investment. The Razer Nommo Pro may have an amusing name and a uniquely funky look, but make no mistake, these are a quality set of speakers that must be taken very seriously, and not only because of its hefty price. Try to combat the urge to run in the opposite direction of that $500 price tag, the Razer Nommo Pro has a lot to offer and is definitely a sound investment. There’s the thundering down-firing subwoofer that’ll blow you away, and then there’s the Razer Chroma feature, making these speakers look just as great as they sound. There are definitely more reasonably priced computer speakers out there, but with this level of quality, the Razer Nommo Pro is worth the cost of entry.
The Harman Kardon Soundsticks III speaker and sub combo features booming bass. Sure, the Harmon Kardon Soundsticks III may look like a bloom of jellyfish. These translucent computer speakers look more like a modern art installation protesting rising ocean temperatures, but you’ll appreciate them once you hit that power button. These are certainly an excellent speaker system that belong on our best computer speakers list. This speaker and sub combo features booming bass, thanks to its woofer, as well as detailed highs. Finally, you get that amazing sound at a good price, making it ideal for music fans with a mid-range budget.
Edifier E25 Luna Eclipse offers a powerful but well-controlled bass, as well as great balanced sound. The Edifier E25 Luna Eclipse is a staggering speaker setup that not only has an enticing design, but also sounds terrific. It’s meant for folks who like a lot of rumbling and booming bass. The Luna, which comes in red, white and black colors, offers a powerful but well-controlled bass, as well as great balance with sharp mids and good stereo separation. It even includes a nifty little remote control so you don’t have to get up if you’re feeling lazy. The Luna Eclipse are some of the best computer speakers out there, especially if you like to pump up the volume with little to no distortion. AudioEngine HD3 Wireless Speakers have USB Audio and Dual Analog Audio Inputs. Wireless speakers might not make the cut for gaming, where every millisecond counts, but that’s why you should opt for the AudioEngine HD 3. The beauty of these speakers is that it offers the best of both worlds. They’ve only got about 30ms of latency when using the wireless connection, so latency is practically negligible as far as listening to audio, watching videos and doing casual gaming. For competitive gamers, these also have USB Audio and Dual Analog Audio Inputs, not to mention subwoofer output for that extra rumble. And, since it is made by AudioEngine, you know the sound quality is top-notch. The THX-certified Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 THX boasts a wide frequency range of 31Hz to 20kHz and detailed audio quality. The Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 speaker system offers fantastic, versatile sound. This means regardless of whether you’re listening to music, watching movies or gaming, you’re getting the best computer speaker experience. These THX-certified speakers boast a lot of power, a wide frequency range of 31Hz to 20kHz, and detailed audio quality with strong bass, maximum clarity and great balance. When we say it’s powerful enough to replicate that home theater quality in your living room, we’re not exaggerating. The best part is that the price is very reasonable.
The Edifier M3200 comes in a unique form. Edifier has always been a trusted name in audio, so it’s no surprise that it’s making a two-time appearance on this list. Just like the E25 Luna Eclipse, the Edifier M3200 comes in a unique form – that of an hourglass – because why the heck not? And, just like the E25, this audio speaker system boasts audiophile-level sound. It also comes with a magnetically shielded subwoofer with 5½ inch driver for richer, deeper bass whether you’re gaming or watching The Witcher. What’s more, that price that’s less than $100/£100 is perfect for budget gamers.
The Mackie CR4BT promises professional-grade performance. The Mackie CR4BT promises professional-grade performance. True, it has its share of drawbacks – including a weaker mid-range and bass that cut off at 70 Hz, meaning while there’s good bass presence, you might be missing that extra low stuff. However, they do sound great for a premium pair of speakers, and the pros include the acoustic foam pads to isolate the speakers from the surface below it, as well as the front auxiliary input. These aren’t your run-of-the-mill peripherals; they are the best computer speakers if you do a lot of multimedia creation and production-related work.
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| Best gaming mouse 2020: the best gaming mice we've tested Posted: 27 May 2020 09:23 AM PDT The best gaming mouse should round out your gaming setup quite nicely, especially if you’ve already invested a bit of money on a souped up PC. Even if you’re not doing competitive gaming, a quality gaming mouse is vital, and not just to give you a gaming edge and even take you to the top of the leaderboards. A mouse specifically crafted for gaming also offers excellent ergonomics, which might just save your wrist and fingers from unnecessary chronic pain. In fact, regardless of whether you’re a casual gamer or trying to go toe-to-toe in the latest esports, having one of the best gaming PCs isn’t enough. The right peripherals make a huge difference in your gaming immersion and experience, and that includes your gaming mouse. Luckily, you won’t have to break another piggy bank to take home the best gaming mouse. There are many top-notch mice at every price point, so you can find something that delivers durability, performance and speed without blowing your budget. To help you look for the best gaming mouse and save you some cash, we’ve rounded up the top ones we’ve tested here at TechRadar, along with our price comparison tool to help you find money-saving deals. Pick up one of the best gaming mouse pads as well for a truly incredible gaming experience. The features, balance and performance are all present in equal measure in the SteelSeries Rival 710. When it comes to the best gaming mouse, features, balance and performance are all present in equal measure in the SteelSeries Rival 710, securing it a top spot on our list. This behemoth of a gaming mouse – at least, in terms of power – is a bit expensive, but when you weigh that price against the customizable OLED display, haptic feedback (great for you MOBA players) and excellent build quality, the SteelSeries Rival 710 is still a very solid purchase. The kicker? Everything is modular, even down to the sensor, so you never have to feel like you’re missing out on the latest tech. Read the full review: SteelSeries Rival 710 The Razer Viper is our new favorite esports gaming mouse. There are a couple reasons why Razer Viper is our new favorite esports gaming mouse. Along with its lightweight ambidextrous design, true 16,000 DPI and Razer Chroma lighting, this powerful little mouse also features 1000 Hz Ultrapolling, Optical Mouse Switches rated for 70 million clicks and 8 independently programmable Hyperesponse buttons. If you want a gaming mouse to give you that extra competitive edge, you’ve found it here. Read the full review: Razer Viper The Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless is the poster child for this ideal price-and-performance match. The best gaming mouse is always going to be the one that brings excellent performance at a reasonable price. And, the Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless is the poster child for this ideal price-and-performance match. You’ll have a wireless mouse that has RGB lighting, touts a long battery life and doesn’t at all suck, for less than $50. The ergonomics unfortunately favor right-handed users, but at this price and with this impressive performance, there’s not much else to complain about. Read the full review: Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless Impressive wireless gaming mice are hardly a dime a dozen. Due to their latency, wireless mice are generally not ideal for gaming where every fraction of a second counts. This is why the Corsair Dark Core RGB has impressed us even more. With its sub-1ms speed, incredibly low latency, and reliability, this is truly a mouse we can game with, wireless or otherwise. And, that’s without mentioning its highly customizable RGB lighting and very robust software. There’s one catch: it’s not ideal for claw grip gamers as its palm rest is a bit flat. However, if you’re a palm gripper, you’ll love how it fits in your hand. Read the full review: Corsair Dark Core RGB The SteelSeries Sensei Ten delivers such impressive acceleration and deceleration customization options. Its onboard profile customization and nice matte finish are just two of the things you’ll love about the SteelSeries Sensei Ten. Most importantly, this ambidextrous mouse boasts a top-of-the-line sensor, making it one of the best gaming mice we’ve tested in 2019. It delivers such impressive acceleration and deceleration customization options, as well as butter-smooth performance. SteelSeries tops it all off with Tilt Tracking, which essentially keeps tracking consistent and precise even when you’re lifting your mouse and putting it back down at tilted angles. Read the full review: SteelSeries Sensei Ten Razer Basilisk X Hyperspeed boasts excellent performance with 450 IPS tracking speed and up to 40G acceleration. With up to 450 hours in Bluetooth mode, the Razer Basilisk X Hyperspeed is one of the longest lasting wireless mouse on the market. But, it’s got more going for it than just longevity. It also boasts excellent performance with 450 IPS tracking speed and up to 40G acceleration. It’s key feature, however, is the HyperSpeed Wireless, which reduces the time it takes to send data between your mouse and PC so it’s 25% faster than any other wireless gaming technology. Read the full review: Razer Basilisk X Hyperspeed The Corsair IronClaw RGB is an eye-catching mouse for big-hand users. Most of the best gaming mice on the market are either too small or too light, or even a bit of both, leaving gamers with big hands with few options. To make matters worse, some of the big mice out there come loaded with gratuitous buttons and weird shapes that make them more like asylum-seekers from an alien robot planet. The Corsair Ironclaw is just the opposite. It’s an eye-catching mouse for big-hand users, with a design that won’t make you want to squirrel it away in your desk drawer every time company comes around. It’s quite tough as well, so it can handle quite a bit of heavy use, making it the best gaming mouse for you. Read the full review: Corsair Ironclaw RGB The Razer Basilisk V2 is the only choice if you're looking for a mid-range gaming mouse. A solid gaming mouse at a decent price point, the Razer Basilisk V2 is the only choice if you’re looking for a mid-range gaming mouse. It allows you to effortlessly hop from game to game with minimal fuss, and has 11 programmable buttons, a tactile scroll wheel with a tension dial and up to five different sensitivity levels. On top of that, it has the Razer Speedflex Cable, which boasts incredible flexibility and produces minimal drag. And, for comfort, it’s well-suited for a palm grip, as well as claw and fingertip styles. Read the full review: Razer Basilisk V2 Keep things simple with the Roccat Kain 202 AIMO. The Kain 202 AIMO from Roccat is the perfect mouse for the gamer who likes to keep it simple. No wires, no weight adjustment, no-nonsense. The 202 is easy to set up, works like a charm and comes with a solid battery life, ensuring that you won’t need to be plugging it in too often. Overall sensitivity and physical feedback is good, with particular mention going to the rugged scroll wheel, which feels great to roll and click. It’s not the most portable of mice, but its anti-wear coating ensures that this mouse should remain looking fine for the duration of its life. Read the full review: Roccat Kain 202 AIMO Don't knock the Razer Deathadder V2's simple design. The Razer Deathadder V2 may be a simple mouse with a simple design, but don’t let that fool you. This is one of the best gaming mice out there, touting a response time of 0.2ms, 650IPS tracking speed, 8 programmable buttons and Razer Speedflex Cable. It’s pretty lightweight as well, making it possible to reduce hand and wrist fatigue. And don’t knock that simple design, either, as it only makes this mouse look right at home in the office as much as it does in your gaming setup. Best yet, it boasts a 70M click durability, which means it’ll last you for a long, long time. Read the full review: Razer Deathadder V2 How to choose the best gaming mouseWhile you’ll definitely find the best gaming mouse of your gaming dreams, doing so might take some time and effort. That’s expected; there’s a ton of complicated technical jargon that goes into the best gaming mice – terms like polling rates and DPI ratings that a regular buyer may not be familiar with. For the record, you’ll want a higher number of both, even though these two terms mean very different things. For newcomers to the world of PC gaming, when you come across the term DPI, that is shorthand for ‘dots per inch.’ The higher the number, the wider the range wherein you can specify how sensitive your mouse is. If you don’t have a lot of desk space available, but you still want accuracy and precision, then opt for the best gaming mouse with a higher DPI rating that can toggle to a lower DPI, in case you get a bigger desk. Meanwhile, a high polling rate means you’re getting faster response times. The polling rate is measured in hertz, and it usually ranges from around 125 to 1,000Hz. The latter means that your mouse’s position is reported to your computer 1,000 times per second. Other key gaming mouse factors you’ll want to keep in mind are ergonomics – particularly if you’re left-handed – and RGB lighting. Gabe Carey and Michelle Rae Uy have also contributed to this article This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Best cheap laptop deals in May 2020: prices start at just $113 Posted: 27 May 2020 09:22 AM PDT Cheap laptop deals are finally returning to the shelves after what feels like months of inflated demand and disrupted retailer stocks. This week, we've found some truly fantastic laptop deals on a wide range of favorite brands including Dell, HP and Acer, to name just a few. Prices start at just $129 but we're aiming to serve all users up to a maximum budget of $600 dollars. So, whether you're strictly on a budget or more flush with cash, we've got something for you. There's a wide range of cheap laptop deals on offer here, from traditional laptops under $500 and humble Chromebooks made for browsing, to powerful working from home machines. We've gone to the trouble of trawling through all the best retailer pages, comparing specs and weeded out the inferior options along the way. This means no sub-par cheap laptop deals that aren't worth your time - all our recommendations have been handpicked for their superb value and are decent considerations. We've gathered all the information you need to know about each laptop deal and laid it out for your perusal. Check out the processors, storage solutions, and memory configurations on offer to help make an informed decision. If you're a gamer, you'd be better suited to check out our selection of gaming laptop deals, as the models on this page are not usually built with gaming in mind. We've also rounded up a fine collection of cheap laptops on sale in the UK too. If you're after a cheaper web-based machine, check out the latest Chromebook prices and deals. More top cheap laptop dealsWhere to find the best laptop deals in the US:We've compared prices on some of our favourite cheap laptops and run through the details on why we recommend them further down this page. But if you'd like to browse the latest laptop deals directly from your favorite retailers we've included a list of the most-recommended stores directly below. The best cheap laptops of 2020Here we have one of the few budget laptops with a processor nearly equivalent to a MacBook Pro from a couple of years back, that is if you opt for the Intel Core i5 configuration. The best part? Among the best Acer laptops right now, it's roughly half the cost of its Apple-branded rival. Now given that it sells at a range of different prices, the Acer Swift 3 can be an obtuse purchase, but lucky for you, the midrange model will get you by just fine. There are often plenty of cheap laptop deals on Acer products so you'll always be in a good position to grab a discount. Read the full review: Acer Swift 3 This convertible laptop has always been about function over form. For one minuscule transaction, you’re getting a tablet equipped with an included keyboard and even a fingerprint scanner for more secure logins. Along with reliable performance and a magnesium-alloy chassis, it’s built to last – not to mention, one of the best Asus laptops you can buy when you're on the budget. As cheap laptops go, Asus is one of the most trusted brands out there so as long as you're getting the specs you need you can't go wrong. Read the full review: Asus Transformer Mini T102HA While it may be outclassed by the Pixelbook and the Samsung Chromebook in terms of sheer power, the Acer Chromebook 15 can still pack a wallop while providing battery life that is frankly out of this world. It’s rare that a cheap laptop can truly provide all-day battery, but in our independent battery tests, Acer’s Chromebook lasted an astonishing 17 hours – on top of providing enough power to get your work done online. If you’re looking for a 15-inch Chromebook that will give you the most bang for your buck, look no further. Read the full review: Acer Chromebook 15 If you're looking for a Lenovo laptop, the Lenovo Yoga Book, and the Windows 10 version of it in particular, is the sort of futuristic fodder you would find in an episode of Black Mirror. It has a keyboard that doubles as a Wacom touch panel and, best of all, it’s cheap as hell. Now, of course, that comes with the caveat of a weak Intel Atom processor, but the rest of the Lenovo Yoga Book should go down in the history books. Lenovo laptop deals are often worth a look, even if you're just browsing, as they offer a decent range of prices and specs. Read the full review: Lenovo Yoga Book With its slick lines and a slim silhouette, the Acer Chromebook 14 makes for a subtle, snazzy laptop. Although its display isn't the most attractive we've seen, it’s still acceptable for full HD. On top of that, the keyboard and trackpad adhere to the principle of ‘it just works.’ The battery life is satisfactory as well despite falling a bit south of Acer's 12-hour claim in real-world use. Read the full review: Acer Chromebook 14 Cheap laptop deals under $200: how much storage do you really need?One of the first things we often check when shopping for cheap laptops is the amount of storage on offer. As shoppers, we've become accustomed to comparing prices and models based on the number of gigabytes next to the model name. However, there may be more to it than that, especially when you're browsing the cheaper shelves. You may also need to pay attention to your operating system when picking up a laptop deal under $200. A 16 or 32GB Windows laptop, for example, likely won't suit many even for lighter browsing. That's because Windows takes up considerable space on the hard drive by itself, especially when updates are taken into account. A Chromebook, however, runs on Chrome OS - a lighter operating system designed to run on cloud-based services from Google Chrome. Not only will you have to save space for updates, but you'll also make far more use of the limited space that you do have if you're storing most of your work online. That means, if you're looking for cheap laptop deals under $200, you'll want to make sure you're picking up enough room to house any future updates on a Windows machine, or you're happy using a Chromebook. How much are good laptop deals?Shopping for laptop deals between $50 and $200 will usually have you looking at the excellent range of Chromebooks on sale right now. Typically running Chrome OS, these budget laptop deals will see you through everyday web browsing, emails, and some light streaming for eye wateringly low prices. You'll be picking up anything from a 16GB SSD to a 64GB hard drive, but you'll also be looking to utilize the cloud for more storage. If you're punting a bit higher than $200, you'll be opening yourself up to more RAM, moving from 4GB to 8GB in most models, meaning your cheap laptop will be able to open programs faster, generally retrieving information and multi-task in a more streamlined manner. You'll also be picking up far more storage for your cash, with prices this week including either a 128GB or 256GB SSD. This SSD further streamlines your storage, acting as a lightning-fast drive to keep everything you need instantly attainable. Once you search for laptop deals above $400, you may well start to find 16GB of RAM on offer as well as a few models with a 512GB SSD. Along with improved processors, that means exceedingly fast storage potential, keeping your cheap laptop zippy however many programs you have open. Laptops above this price range are also better suited to media editing than cheaper models. Not quite what you're looking for? Maybe our other laptop articles will have what you need:
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| Best laptop for programming in 2020: top picks for coders, developers and sysadmins Posted: 27 May 2020 09:13 AM PDT When you’re looking for the best laptop for programming, it’s not enough to just grab the priciest or most powerful one of the bunch. There are a few factors you need to consider when making this important decision, including processing power, speed and storage. The best laptop for programming must have one of the best processors, first of all, as that horsepower goes a long way when you’re compiling code. However, while most modern laptops will feature plenty of cores, threads and high clock speeds, you should focus on getting the fastest processor you can afford. It should also have at least 8GB of memory, and it needs to be fast. Think about storage as well – having one of the best SSDs is essential, as it will shave minutes off your project with all the files and apps you’ll use. Do yourself a favor and make sure you’re getting one with the best keyboard. Programming involves a lot of typing, and you will need a keyboard with excellent travel and superior comfort. Finally, a laptop with a high resolution display will help ensure that it's easy on the eyes, as you’ll be spending a lot of hours and then some staring at it. Make your search for the best laptop for programming easier. We found all the best laptops for software developers like you on this list. Whether you’re trying your hand at HTML, CSS, JavaScript or VB, you’ll find one here that will suit you.
The HP Spectre x360 2-in-1 laptop has had a big refresh for 2020, and the boost in specs, with 10th-generation Intel Core processors and Intel Iris Plus graphics, along with the impeccable 2-in-1 design and pristine gem-cut chassis, means that the new version has shot straight to the top of our best laptops for programmers list. The HP Spectre line has always consisted of stunning devices. So, when we say that the Spectre x360 takes things to another level, that should mean something. Not only is this one of the most beautiful laptops on the market right now – with its gem cut design and sleek profile, but it’s tough on the inside. HP fitted this with impressively long battery life, which means that you’re getting one of the best laptops on the market, hands down. As such, it’s also the best laptop for programming right now. Read the full review: HP Spectre x360 (2020) Image credit: Lenovo If you have the funds for an unstoppable workhorse, then Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Extreme mobile workstation is the best laptop for programming for you. This gets our vote as one of the best Lenovo laptops for many reasons. It has several configurations on hand, depending on your needs and budget, but at its most basic, it’s already pretty powerful, packed with a solid graphics card in a robust carbon-fiber and aluminum package that will survive any office or field. Read the full review: ThinkPad X1 Extreme Mobile Workstation Image credit: TechRadar The EliteBook x360 1040 G5 is, without a doubt, the “apex predator of the business world.” It’s not the perfect machine, but it’s got plenty of features that make up for its flaws. It boasts many excellent features in its handsome-looking chassis, as well as plenty of ports, a port that works wonders and impressively audio. Simply put, it’s fit for the professional who demands seamlessness and power at work, making it the best laptop for programming. Read the full review: HP EliteBook x360 1040 G5 Apple’s thinnest and lightest MacBook is back in 2020 with a vengeance. Not only has it fixed a lot of the complaints with its predecessors – namely, that problematic keyboard is now gone, replaced by a drastically improved keyboard. Thanks to improved hardware for better performance and an affordable price, the 2020 MacBook Air is a brilliant laptop for programming on. It keeps that same light and slim design which means it's easy to sling into a bag and carry around with you, but it also has enough oomph to make programming on it a joy. Read the full review: MacBook Air (2020) When you’re looking for the best laptop for programming, especially if you’re developing software for macOS, you’re eventually going to find yourself looking at the MacBook Pro. And, the new MacBook Pro, with its powerful processor and heaps of RAM, is the fastest MacBook that the Cupertino tech behemoth has ever birthed. As thin, light and sleek as ever, this doesn’t feel like a 16-inch behemoth. If you’re worried that this was going to be bulky and awkward to use, don’t be. Yet, despite its svelte frame, you’re still getting that extra real estate on that stunning display, as well as the latest and greatest components behind it. Apple then rounds those out with amazing (and loud) speakers and a much, much better keyboard. This is truly the best MacBook for content creators, designers and other creative professionals. Read the full review: MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)
The seventh iteration of Microsoft’s award-winning product may not be the generational leap many Microsoft tablets have been waiting for, but it offers some improvements from its predecessor. This 2-in-1 tablet aimed at pros has received impressive gains in power, making it more capable than ever as a laptop alternative. Also, it now boasts a USB-C port and Wifi 6 connectivity. With its quad-core processors and plenty of RAM, you’ll be able to compile code quickly and efficiently, even when you’re on the move. Just keep in mind that you’ll have to pay extra for the Type Cover – you’re not going to want to get any coding done on a touch screen, trust us. Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Image Credit: TechRadar Yes, a Chromebook (or two) has made our best laptop for programming list. That’s because Google Pixelbook is powerful (and beautiful) enough to contend with the Surfaces and MacBooks of the world. Admittedly, the ChromeOS is not as good a place to program as Windows or macOS. However, the Pixelbook’s support of Android makes it a must-own laptop for any Android developer. The fact that this laptop succeeds the now discontinued Google Chromebook Pixel, which was designed by and for Google’s own developers, should give it some street cred in the eyes of coders. Read the full review: Google Pixelbook
Image Credit: Asus Another Chromebook that’s made our best laptop for programming list? The Asus Chromebook Flip, which is one of the best Chromebooks out there, solely because it offers a premium build, a great touchscreen and reasonably powerful components for the price. And, while Chrome OS doesn’t feature many robust programming tools, the Asus Chromebook Flip is one of the best Asus laptops for programming if you’re deep into web development. Read the full review: Asus Chromebook Flip C302 Image Credit: Microsoft The Surface Book 2 is an excellent choice for any coders out there, as Microsoft has crafted one of the most powerful 2-in-1 laptops on the planet. After all, it boasts components powerful enough to handle pretty much everything you could throw at it – including some light gaming in your down time. If you’re looking for a larger display, there’s a 15-inch model, which also features beefier components – albeit at a higher price tag. Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Book 2 (13.5-inch) The MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020)’s entry-level model may miss out on some of the lineup’s new toys. However, going for the higher-end configurations will get you new (and powerful) Intel processors and improved RAM speeds for better performance, all packed in the 13-inch incredibly svelte body. Apple rounds it all out with that incredible Magic Keyboard from the new 16-inch, finally getting rid of that problematic keyboard. Even if you don’t go for the 10th-generation Intel Core configurations, you might still appreciate the fact that all models come with more storage capacity for the same price as their predecessors. Read the full review: MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020) Michelle Rae Uy also contributed to this article. Check out our laptop buying guide video below.
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| AMD Ryzen 6000 might arrive in 2022 as the world's first 6nm desktop processor Posted: 27 May 2020 09:07 AM PDT The AMD Ryzen 6000 series will arrive in 2022 as Team Red's first 6nm desktop APUs, according to a leaked product roadmap. Though we’re still awaiting the arrival of the AMD Ryzen 4000 desktop APUs, slides shared with Wccftech suggest that the firm's 6th-generation Ryzen CPUs will blow these incoming processors out of the water when it comes to notable upgrades. AMD Ryzen 6000 APUs, codenamed “Rembrandt”, will be reportedly be based on a new Zen 3+ architecture, which will deliver a boost in both performance and efficiency compared to Zen 3. It's also expected that the Rembrandt APUs will be built on TSMC's new 6nm node, an optimized version of the N7 node.
It's on the graphics side where things get really interesting, however. The massive leak reveals that AMD's Vega graphics will be replaced by RDNA 2, with Team Red bypassing the RDNA 1 GPU architecture that comes in between. The RDNA 2 GPUs should deliver increased performance per watt along with support for ray tracing, which means AMD's 6th-generation APUs could be the first deliver console-rivalling graphics. There's some bad news, however, as it looks like AMD will be abandoning its AM4 socket when Rembrandt debuts, moving to the newer AM5 platform. However, this will bring with it a number of features including DDR5, LPDDR5, USB 4.0, and PCIe 5.0. Though we don't yet have an exact release date, the roadmap suggests AMD will launch its Rembrandt APUs in 2022. The Ryzen 6000 processors will succeed, unsurprisingly, AMD's Ryzen 5000 series. Codenamed “Cezanne”, these APUs are expected to arrive in 2021 based on the Zen 3 processor architecture and a Vega graphics core. Earlier leaks suggested that Cezanne will be paired with RDNA 2 graphics, but Wccftech predicts the APU will instead continue to rely on the older Vega cores, with RDNA 2 support relegated to systems with discrete graphics in 2021. According to the leaked roadmap, AMD's next desktop APU upgrade, Ryzen 4000, will arrive at some point this month. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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